Greens call for transparency in Premier’s meetings with oil and gas industry

Australian Greens

Today, the Greens call for the Premier to stand up for Western Australia’s future in his meetings with the oil and gas industry regarding the Environmental Protection Authorities’ recent technical guidelines on greenhouse gas emissions.

“This Government needs to ensure that it is thinking about the long term future of all Western Australians”, said Hon Alison Xamon.

“The recent EPA guidelines requiring that net direct emissions of the big polluters be offset should only be the start.”

Western Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions have seen the most rapid increase of any Australian jurisdiction, rising more than 27% in the last 15 years.

Ms Xamon said that carbon offsets were the final stage of reduction and mitigation strategies to minimise the amount of greenhouse gas emitted in Western Australia.

“The Premier would do well to remember that there are jobs in the carbon offset industry as well,” she said. “And the number of those jobs would rise if the guidelines are adhered to.”

“The EPA’s guidelines are only what the community expect”, said Hon Alison Xamon. “It is outrageous that the government is effectively asking industry what regulation it is willing to accept in this space.”

/Public Release. View in full here.