Greens: Study Shows More Reasons to Refuse Palmer’s Plan (Australia)

Clive Palmer’s Galilee Basin mega mine, due for decision this week, should be refused, for economic reasons, as well as environmental and climate ones, say the Australian Greens.

“With an Oxford University study out today finding Australia’s coal mines and related infrastructure could become stranded assets, the Abbott Government needs to refuse Mr Palmer’s coal mine,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

“This latest research makes it clear – China doesn’t want our climate-destroying coal because it’s moving quickly to develop clean energy technology, like the rest of the world.

“It’s sheer madness for the Abbott and Newman governments to be forging ahead with approvals for mega coal mines, not only for climate and environmental reasons, but also given the global freefall in coal demand and price.

“It’s even more short sighted to be approving associated ports and railway lines that the industry probably won’t even end up using, as these global trends could make its operations unviable.

“The Abbot Point coal terminal expansion in the Great Barrier Reef is unnecessary – the global demand isn’t there and there’s already an oversupply of ports in Queensland, according to the Centre for Policy Development.

“Unfortunately, the Abbott and Newman governments are stuck in the past and are blindly subsidising fossil fuel export, instead of transitioning to the clean energy technology the rest of the world is already embracing.

“The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is the Reef’s last remaining hope.

“This independent statutory body needs to stand up to Tony Abbott and his big mining buddies and refuse the government’s approval of dredging and dumping in the Great Barrier Reef to build the world’s largest coal port,” Senator Waters said.

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Press Release, December 16, 2013