Sartor’s biodiesel: Garrett’s ‘public policy car crash’ - 11 October 2007

Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor is preparing to use his Part 3A planning powers to make a decision on a controversial proposal to manufacture so-called biodiesel from imported palm oil at Port Botany in Sydney.

Labor’s federal environment spokesperson Peter Garrett, has labelled biodiesel from imported palm oil a ‘public policy car crash' due to the conflict between government support for palm oil based biodiesel, and government funded efforts to end deforestation caused in part by the palm oil industry.

“I have written to Mr Sartor asking that he reject this development on the basis of its strong potential to worsen the global climate crisis whilst hastening the destruction of tropical forests,” said Upper house Greens MP Ian Cohen.

“Frank Sartor’s planning department has not asked the proponent - Natural Fuels Australia Ltd - to assess the impact of sourcing their palm oil feedstock from South East Asian rainforests, which are being cleared at the rate of 300,000 hectares a year in Indonesia alone.

“Frank Sartor’s process has failed to consider the impact on rainforest biodiversity. In addition, his department has conspicuously failed to consider the greenhouse gas emissions of deforestation caused by clearing for palm oil plantations overseas.

“NGO’s estimate that the use of Southeast Asian palm oil as a feedstock for biodiesel will actually increase greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2 to 8 times more than those saved by using it as a fuel, compared to petroleum-based diesel.

“Mr Sartor has the power to request a full assessment of impacts under the provision in the Act to evaluate projects according to their ecological sustainability.

“Governments – state and federal – have a responsibility to the driving public to ensure the integrity of the biofuel industry. No-one wants to drive their kids to school with fuel that’s made from trashed rainforest.

“As this plant would be built in Peter Garrett’s electorate of Kingsford Smith, will he give a pre-election guarantee that it won’t go ahead based on the use of imported palm oil feedstock? Let’s hope the ALP have more respect for the Paradise Forests of South East Asia than they do for the native forests of Tasmania,” concluded Mr Cohen.

Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466