Acting leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, says that the Prime Minister must use his current visit to Western Australia to stare down the gas lobby, instead of sucking up to them prior to the federal election.
Gas is as dirty as coal, and has been the fastest growing sector of Australian emissions. Its continued expansion is a major contributor to the climate crisis, and several major gas projects are in the 32 new coal and gas projects approved by Labor in this term.
Despite being rich donors to Labor and Liberal, Australia's gas industry is a serial non-payer of tax, employs few people, and ships most of the country's gas overseas - which also pushes up domestic power prices.
As stated by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Acting Leader of the Australian Greens:
"The climate fires burning in California should be a catastrophic warning for Australia. The images are harrowing and remind us all how bad things can get.
"This isn't the future of the climate crisis, it is today's reality thanks to global heating supercharged by opening new and more coal and gas mines.
"What Australians really find triggering is the Labor Party approving new coal and gas mines in the midst of a climate crisis - and spending time cosying up to the gas industry before an election.
"In the middle of winter in LA, people are fleeing their homes and fleeing for their lives. Every time we open new coal or gas mines, the intensity of these climate risks gets worse.
"The Prime Minister is in WA today and rather than sucking up to the fossil fuel industry, the Prime Minister should stare down the gas lobby.
"Anthony Albanese must use his visit to WA to stare down the fossil fuel industry, refuse to take their dirty donations, and to fight for Australia's environment and the safety and the future of this country.
"We've had fires in Australia already this summer, including the devastating fires in the Grampians. Australians deserve political leaders to keep them safe, and that means we have to stop making the climate crisis worse."
