Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Nettle, I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that Australia’s coal exports will cause as much greenhouse gas emissions as are produced in Australia each year, and

(ii)

that coal from the proposed Anvil Hill coal mine in New South Wales will cause more greenhouse gas emissions than the 4 million vehicles on New South Wales roads; and

(b)

calls on the Government not to approve the development of the Anvil Hill coal mine.

Question put.

Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Democrats, I seek leave to make a very short statement about the vote on the last motion.

Leave granted.

The Democrats support the first part of this motion. We are very concerned about Australia’s reliance on coal and recognise that we must shift to low- and zero-emission energy production as soon as possible. We are also concerned about the huge impact on greenhouse of coal-fired power. But banning coalmines and coalmining—or even exports for that matter—is no way to achieve greenhouse emissions reductions; it just would not be effective. Victoria, for instance, has 500 years supply of coal. If we stop one mine, it could easily be displaced by other sources. There may well be good reasons to stop the Anvil Hill coalmine, but this should be up to state and federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act processes. We do not have a view about this mine in particular and whether or not that process should result in its not being able to go ahead.