Tonight’s announcements by the Premier are a welcome re-opening of the relationship with the environment and green movement but there is a lack of real action to tackle the immediate greenhouse challenge, Greens MLC Ian Cohen said today.
“The Government is reinvigorating the future vision for sustainability, but it lacks a strong position on the hard issues, such as the energy-hungry desalination plant. The money allocated to the environment by the Premier tonight is less than a third of the amount allocated to build the greenhouse polluting desalination plant.
“Strategies for marine parks, inland river systems, Crown lease purchases, being funded by environmental trust funds, hold significant future promise. Waste and environment levies of $6 per tonne each year for 5 years will resource the Government on environmental programs, while lowering the impact on landfill. The Government is getting the message on recycling initiatives.” Mr Cohen said.
“The Greens welcome the commitments for new marine national parks. That is a big win for the community and environmentalists who have been campaigning for decades to achieve proper protection for our oceans and their wildlife. We await the detail before we can be confident,” Mr Cohen said.
“However the desalination plant will be a terrible greenhouse legacy for NSW. On top of that, a Government greenhouse plan that leaves open the possibility for new coal fired power stations in NSW is no plan at all.
“The Premier will rightly be ridiculed if he turns up to his proposed greenhouse summit with the possibility of new coal fired power stations and a desalination plant in NSW.
“The desalination plant will cost $1.3B and then up to another $100m per year to run. The $425M announced tonight is a fraction of that.
Further Information: Ben Oquist 02 92303305 or 0419704095
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