While Scott Morrison attends G7 and the world plans to transition away from fossil fuels the Australian Government has made a mockery of itself by inviting oil and gas companies to exploit 80,000km2 of new offshore acreage, to help with a “gas led recovery”.
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Peter Whish-Wilson, said Australia has no environmental credibility left under the Morrison Government.
“Today’s news that 80,000km2 of our ocean has been handed over for oil gas exploration exposes the Prime Minister’s attendance at the G7 a complete travesty.
“So long as Scott Morrison’s Government is beholden to The Nationals, Australia will have no credibility on matters relating to reducing emissions.
“In this time of climate emergency there is no excuse for Governments to be handing over new areas of our oceans for exploration to find the very product that is killing our oceans.
“We know the Liberals and Labor are beholden to fossil fuel donations, but it’s got to stop – this level of hypocrisy is out of control.
“Coastal communities right around the nation are opposing offshore fossil fuel exploration in this time of climate emergency.
“Only last week a Senate Inquiry into seismic testing tabled its final report – the Committee heard the current regulatory framework does not provide sufficient environmental or economic protection from the impacts of seismic testing, and Report recommendations make it clear that more research is urgently needed.
“The ability for this Government to dismiss not only community concerns, but report after report calling for climate action is frankly quite frightening.
“Scott Morrison is not only an embarrassment to this nation but is threatening its future by failing to take seriously the impacts of climate change.”
