"The Queensland state election results prove that new coal projects are an economic, environmental, social, and now an electoral disaster,” says Australian Greens spokesperson for Mining & Resources and Senator for Queensland, Andrew Bartlett.

“Support for the two major parties fell to the lowest on record since 1904 because the people of Queensland are sick of politicians in the pockets of big business."

Greens Mining & Resources spokesperson Senator Andrew Bartlett visited Townsville today to discuss Chinese Government money financing the Adani mine.

“Labor, LNP and One Nation are lying to the people of North Queensland and now we have another example of why you can’t trust them."

“Let’s be clear: the Adani mine is a fake jobs con. It will create only a small number of permanent jobs, while putting tens of thousands of other jobs in regional Queensland at risk."

Chevron’s decision to withdraw plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight is a big win for the coastal communities, tourism and fishing industries, who have fought hard to protect this pristine environment, The Australian Greens say.

The Australian Greens are going to haul each and every one of the Northern Australian Investment Facility's directors before the Senate committee until the rampant conflicts of interests surrounding their board are resolved, Greens leader Dr Richard Di Natale said.

"We can’t spend $5 billion of taxpayers money without having complete assurance that everything is above board and today’s hearing shows that the board has advanced the Adani project against their own investment rules," Di Natale said.

Greens ready to back government reining in electricity networks

The Australian Greens have said they are ready to back moves to start reining in spending by power network companies, as announced by the Turnbull government today. However, the Greens are more cautious about the push to require AEMO to look at dispatchable generation, as it seems predicated on coal-fired generation remaining in the system for an unreasonably long time.

Quotes attributable to Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Deputy Leader and mining and resources spokesperson: 

The Australian Greens are calling on the SA Government to stand with coastal communities, tourism and fishery industries in protecting the Great Australian Bight marine park from high-risk oil drilling by Statoil.

A Senate inquiry into the plans of companies like BP and Chevron to drill for oil in South Australia’s Great Australian Bight Marine Park has produced an extraordinary report, in which a South Australian Labor Senator has refused to endorse his own party’s comments and instead sided with the Liberals and the fossil fuel lobby.

Chevron has proven it cannot be trusted with the pristine environment of the Great Australian Bight if they refuse to play by Australia’s tax rules, Australian Greens Senator for South Australia and finance spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said today.

“Chevron has fought for almost 15 years against paying its fair share of tax to Australians, after being given a leg up by the Australian government. The loan to Chevron not only ripped off Australian taxpayers for years, but the money ended up offshore providing no benefit to Australia,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens today reiterated their call for a national ban on fracking in light of reports that unconventional gas fracking could be worse than coal for the climate. 

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on resources said:

“This newest study on massive ‘fugitive’ pollution from fracking wells shows we need a national ban on fracking. 

“Unconventional gas fracking wells and pipes leak like a sieve, and they could be just as bad for the climate as burning coal

The Federal Senate will vote on whether to ban drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight tomorrow, following revelations oil giant Chevron has been donating tens of thousands of dollars to the Labor and Liberal parties.

“The public is rightly worried that this money has bought Chevron influence in both the Liberal and Labor parties. If Labor and the Liberals want the public to believe they can’t be bought, supporting this amendment is the first test,” Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.