The Greens have slammed the Morrison Government’s 2021 national gas infrastructure plan as exposing its Net Zero 2050 pledge as a short term ruse to fool the US and UK in Glasgow.
Despite the IEA’s repeated calls for no new coal mines or gas fields to meet net zero by 2050, the plan is hoping to open three new gas basins (Beetaloo, Gunnedah and North Bowen-Galilee basins) and build up to eleven new gas transmission pipelines spanning thousands of kilometres across the country.
The government’s gas plan doesn’t even look at the alternative to new supply, which is switching homes and businesses away from gas, which will be far cheaper than building new pipelines, but create more jobs, save everyone money, reduce childhood asthma and help reverse the climate crisis
The plan makes no reference to net zero by 2050, demonstrating that the government isn’t even pretending to meet their own globally pledged aspirations.
The Greens’ policy is for net zero by 2035 as net zero by 2050 is too late for a developed country like Australia, but this new gas plan shows the government isn’t even committed to its own weak target.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“The Morrison Government lied to the international community as well as the Australian public. Australia has no pathway to net zero, even by too-late 2050, and this plan is the proof.
“The rest of the world wants to cut methane, but Liberal and Labor want more gas.
“The International Energy Agency says no new oil, coal, or gas if we want to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. This plan for massive gas expansion locks in devastating global heating and it means climate catastrophe within our lifetimes.
“Labor and Liberal have both proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are captured by the gas corporations.
“If Labor are serious about climate action, they’ll join the Greens next week in the Senate to block fracking the NT at Beetaloo and Santos’ rorting of carbon capture and storage.
“With the Government in chaos, Labor should join with the Greens and strike while the iron is hot. Climate action could start in parliament next week; we don’t need to wait for an election.”
Senator Dorinda Cox, Greens spokesperson for Mining and Resources said:
“The government has put fracking in the NT at the centre of their gas plan. The Greens will support Traditional Owners to make sure these destructive gas plans never see the light of day.
“For over a decade, Traditional Owners have been clear: they don’t want fracking on their Country. Consent matters – and that has not been given by the First Nations communities that span the land earmarked for fracking.
“Public money should be spent on the services that make communities in the NT stronger, not funnelled to gas corporations to pollute their land and water. This plan will line the pockets of gas corporations instead of supporting Traditional Owners’ ability to live safely on land and On Country.
“This addiction to gas has infected the minds of decision makers in my home State of WA with the State Government there now showing signs of supporting the expansion of the destructive Scarborough project.
“Their blatant disregard for cultural heritage will not only pollute the planet but will permanently destroy the ancient Murajuga rock art.”
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