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September 3rd, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
Greens leader Christine Milne has warned voters that unless her party retains the balance of power in the Senate, Tony Abbott may have free rein to “tear down carbon pricing mechanisms”.
The Opposition Leader has today reaffirmed his commitment to repealing the carbon price in favour of his Direct Action policy if he is elected to the top job.
While Labor MPs have said they would block the move, Mr Abbott says that would be political suicide, and has repeatedly threatened to call a double dissolution election on the issue.
Senator Milne says the Greens are needed in the Senate to “stand firm against Tony Abbott” for the sake of the global environment.
“If Tony Abbott has effective control of both houses, then he will be able to do as he likes,” she told ABC News 24’s Capital Hill.
“He will be able to tear down the carbon pricing mechanisms. He will be able to get rid of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Who knows what he would do to the environment.
“It is critical that the people who actually believe the science, who want this to be evidence-based policy, are there to argue it because Tony Abbott doesn’t believe in evidence-based policy. He thinks climate change is crap.”
Senator Milne rounded on Mr Abbott’s concession that his policy may not succeed in reaching Australia’s target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by 2020.
It is critical that the people who actually believe the science… are there to argue it because Tony Abbott doesn’t believe in evidence-based policy. He thinks climate change is crap.
“He has been able to get off the hook here. Nobody has really unpacked his Direct Action farce,” she said.
“Is he walking away from his 5 per cent reduction target? Greg Hunt says they’re not and Tony Abbott says they are.”
She did not let the Government off the hook either, saying that Greens Senators are needed to “keep Labor on track”.
“We will never support reducing action on climate change and as long as we’re there in balance of power, we will be able to shame Labor into standing up and holding the line,” she said.
“Otherwise who knows where they would go on this either.”
Earlier, Labor figures including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Environment Minister Mark Butler said the party would not give in to Mr Abbott’s push to repeal the carbon tax.
“Carbon pricing is fundamental to how you deal with climate change,” Mr Rudd said.
“Any alternative response to that is just intellectually dishonest.”
Palmer’s asylum seeker stance won him Greens preferences
Senator Milne has also defended the Greens’ decision to preference Clive Palmer’s party ahead of Labor in the Senate, saying it has nothing to do with protecting her party’s political skins.
Speaking to ABC’s 7.30 program, Senator Milne admitted the move appears odd given the Greens’ longstanding opposition to coal mining, but said the mining magnate’s stance on asylum seekers sealed the deal.
“In terms of Clive Palmer, certainly he is a mining magnate and I don’t support his coal mines in Queensland nor do I support the expansion of coal in the Bowen Basin or the Galilee Basin,” she said.
“The issue here is that he is exactly the same as Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott – they all support the same thing.
“The difference with Clive Palmer is that he takes a much more compassionate view about asylum seekers.”
Senator Milne renewed her attacks on the Government’s “cruel” decision to close Australia’s doors to asylum seekers who arrive by boat.
“An overwhelming majority of Australians are really, really uncomfortable with this policy position. Throughout the campaign people have come up to me and said ‘not with my vote, not with my name’,” she said.
“They actually want Australia to be decent to people and to uphold international law. I think that’s going to be more important as we take our position on the (United Nations) security council and in the G20.”
The Greens leader vowed her party would increase Australia’s annual humanitarian intake to 30,000 people, and pledged an extra $70 million for the UNHCR in Indonesia, “so it can assist people more quickly”.
Coal mining a threat to Barrier Reef: Milne
Senator Milne also outlined her vision for how Australia’s economy would fare without an expansion of coal mines including the Bowen and Galilee basins.
She said should the projects be wound back, the Greens would ensure measures are in place to reduce job losses.
“Have a look at the mining industry – they are pretty ruthless themselves in shedding jobs as soon as there is a downturn in commodity prices,” she said.
“We would put a levy, for example, on coal exports to put into building resilience in the face of climate change and actually putting that into infrastructure and preparedness.
“There is no question of the mining industry closing down in Australia.”
She said the potential costs to the environment, including the Great Barrier Reef, far outweigh any economic benefit the projects would bring.
“Nobody knows what the projected impact of what the Bowen or the Galilee basins will be,” she said.
“No-one has looked at the extent of Commonwealth subsidies in terms of driving those industries, but what I am sure of is that there will be a mega-cost to the Barrier Reef over time.
“In fact, it could see the Barrier Reef listed as World Heritage In Danger, which will not only threaten the reef but also the 63,000 jobs that depend on it and the $6 billion a year the reef brings to Australia in tourism dollars.”
Topics:
federal-elections,
government-and-politics,
elections,
federal-government,
federal-parliament,
greens,
political-parties,
emissions-trading,
climate-change,
australia
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Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-03/milne-says-greens-senators-vital-to-carbon-tax-future/4932712
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