Responding to revelations today of illegal logging destroying critical koala habitat to expand a coal mine in Queensland, the Greens have called on Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to intervene immediately.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the environment:
"The Minister must take immediate action to investigate and hold this coal company legally accountable. The Minister must also rule out handing the company any future approvals, including the one on her desk.
"There should be a one-strike-and-you're-out rule. These big coal companies can't be trusted and must not be given any licence to destroy nature.
"The Minister has the power to stop the illegal destruction of koala habitat now, she should use it.
"This is a huge embarrassment for the Government mere days before it hosts the global Nature Positive Summit to boast about its supposed environmental credentials. There is nothing positive about destroying habitat and killing koalas to make way for more coal.
"The koala is one of Australia's most internationally loved animals - and yet they are being pushed to the brink of extinction while the Government sits on its hands.
"This is an international disgrace. Logging native forests, destroying critical habitat and greenlighting fossil fuels is nature negative.
"Unauthorised land clearing has been left unchecked in Australia for decades, with industry thinking they get a free pass to clear critical habitat. This coal company must be held to account and held legally liable.
"Labor needs to stop taking selfies and start saving koalas from coal.
"Labor is failing our environment and failing to protect our koalas. The Government should work with the Greens to enforce and strengthen environment laws to stop native forest logging, protect habitat and ban new coal & gas mines.
"The Greens are the only party Australians trust to protect the environment and climate."
Further background:
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The Government is due to host its Global 'Nature Positive' Summit in Sydney in coming days, while its "useless" "Nature Positive" legislation remains stalled in the Senate.
