The new environment minister Tanya Plibersek has the power to reject the Clive Palmer-owned coal mine near the Reef coast, and pave the way toward protecting the Great Barrier Reef and other iconic ecosystems and species from damaging fossil fuel projects.
Minister Plibersek announced her intentions to reject the project earlier this month, prompting a 10 day period for public comment, and Clive Palmer to call the proposed decision ‘irrational’.
Local GetUp members are today delivering a 20,072 strong petition to their local MP, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, calling on her to reject the Clive Palmer-owned coal project for good.
Proposed just 10 kilometres from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, this project poses significant environmental and climate risks for the Reef and the precious marine life, Traditional Owner land and sea country, and communities it supports.
Opening new coal and gas projects makes it impossible to meet Labor’s own baseline target of 43% reduction in fossil fuel emissions by 2030 and right now the public are hearing mixed messages from the ministers within the Labor government, following yesterday’s announcement by the Minister for Resources Madeleine King announcing that 46,758 sq km of new ocean acreage will be available for oil and gas exploration.
GetUp’s Senior Climate Justice Campaigner, David Cazzulino said:
“We welcome the environment minister’s public intentions to block a coal project backed by billionaire Clive Palmer.
“We have a short window of opportunity to drown out the fossil fuel lobby, and urge the new Environment Minister to reject the mine – and then, all future coal and gas proposals.”
“Even if the coal mine was 1000 kilometres from the Reef, it would still contribute to global heating, the Reef’s greatest threat, mining up to 10 million tonnes of coal per year.
Central Queensland ecologist and advocate, Dr Coral Rowston, said:
“Following the latest mass bleaching event in March this year, the last thing the Reef needs is another coal mine contributing to the fossil fuel pollution that drives marine heatwaves and damaging coral bleaching events.
“A coal mine just 10kms from the Reef which scientists say will have direct impacts on the health of the Reef is clearly unacceptable.
“For the future of the Great Barrier Reef and everyone who relies on it, this must be the first of many coal and gas projects to be rejected.”
ENDS
Media contact: Amy Morgan, 0455 595 642
Notes to Editors:
GetUp’s petition to reject Clive Palmer's coal mine near the reef