The Australian Greens say that the recent Climate Targets Panel report shows talk of ‘net zero by 2050’ is grossly insufficient to arrest the climate emergency, demanding the government adopts strong targets ahead of an upcoming climate summit, hosted by Joe Biden on April 22.

Adam Bandt MP says that given climate scientists are stressing the importance of 2030 targets, any attempt to move climate off the agenda for decades amounts to ‘bipartisan climate denial’.

“Delay is the new denial,” Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said.

The Prime Minister’s plan to put Australia back into austerity mode will throw thousands of people into poverty and risks bankrupting our nation, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said today. 

“The Prime Minister is desperate to go back to the bad old ways of economic rationalism and austerity, but he is blind to the pain of people out of work and the clear signs that JobSeeker and JobKeeper are still desperately needed,” said Mr Bandt.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, has demanded freedom for 12 refugees imprisoned in the Park Hotel in his electorate of Melbourne, ahead of a rally this weekend calling for their release.

Mr Bandt will attend this weekend's COVID-safe rally at the Park Hotel in Carlton, organised by the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF), It has been endorsed by dozens of groups and individuals, including the Victorian Greens. 

“The Australian government must release all of the refugees in the Park Hotel immediately," Mr Bandt said.

The Australian Greens have said Labor is letting Scott Morrison off the hook as its new climate spokesperson, Chris Bowen, fails to adopt the independent Climate Targets Panel’s call for at least 50% emissions reduction by 2030. The Greens are putting pressure on Scott Morrison over his weak 2030 targets and are calling on Labor to join them.

This morning when asked if Labor would set a 2030 target, the new Shadow Minister avoided the question, then when asked if Labor would support a new gas fired power station he again deflected.

The Greens have welcomed a new independent report on Australia’s 2030 targets, which shows Australia’s 2030 targets must be at least doubled to 50% to meet the Paris climate agreement and avoid catastrophe. The report also shows the cost of the Coalition’s inaction on emissions, burning through nearly half of Australia’s Paris Agreement ‘2 degrees’ carbon budget in just eight years.