The bushfires devastating communities across regional New South Wales and Victoria require an emergency response from the Government that not only addresses the fires currently burning but also tackles the root cause of those fires and the fires yet to come - the climate crisis, driven by the burning of fossil fuels like coal - said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

Australia is in the midst of an unprecedented heatwave and bushfire emergency, but the Prime Minister has been missing in action. Scott Morrison must show some leadership and immediately convene emergency meetings with fire chiefs, peak medical bodies and cross-party political leadership to craft a response to this crisis, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

”The country is in crisis and the Australian people are crying out for leadership, but Scott Morrison has been missing in action," said Di Natale.

It’s time that the fossil fuel companies whose products are responsible for the climate crisis start footing some of the bill for cleaning it up. A $1 levy per tonne of carbon pollution from the country’s biggest polluters, proposed today by the Australia Institute, is the very least that these companies can do, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

The Australian Greens have responded to Scott Morrison’s appalling decision to allow Minister Angus Taylor to continue serving in his role while under active police investigation, saying that it shows the Prime Minister is deep in denial.

Quote attributable to Greens spokesperson for the climate crisis and energy, Adam Bandt MP:

“Scott Morrison is deep in denial.

“The PM has thrown integrity overboard to hang on to a 1 seat majority on the floor of Parliament.

If the Labor Party dumps its current target of 45 percent emissions reduction by 2030, they will lose whatever credibility they have left on the climate crisis and prove that they’ve learnt all the wrong lessons from the election, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.  

“Queensland and New South Wales are burning, our firefighters and emergency responders on the ground are screaming out for support and Labor’s response is to join the climate deniers in the Liberals,” Di Natale said.  

The ALP is melting down over climate policy, and Anthony Albanese is missing in action.  

“The Government’s climate policy is shockingly weak, and rather than showing leadership, Labor looks like they’re about to join them. At a time when we need to be declaring a climate emergency, WA Labor is declaring climate surrender,” said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

The decision by Queensland's Labor Government to grant approval for the Adani Carmichael coal mine's groundwater management plan is deeply disappointing to anyone who understands the danger posed by climate change, but the fight to stop this mine being built is far from over, the Australian Greens said.

"This fight is far from over. The Adani mine cannot go ahead if we are going to have any chance of slowing rising global greenhouse gas emissions and preventing the worst impacts of dangerous climate change," said Leader of the Australian greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.
 

Today we’ve seen the SA Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission deliver a stinging indictment of a plan that has become a multi-billion dollar environmental disaster for our nation.
 
The Murray Darling is our nation’s food bowl. The river is central to Aboriginal culture. It has outstanding environmental significance and is a key water source for South Australia - including many regional towns and cities.