Tuesday, 14 May 2024

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (14:36): Last Thursday I stood among hundreds of Victorians at the Rise Up! climate rally, where we were united to call for no more coal and gas. Organised by groups including Move Beyond Coal, 350.org, ACF, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and GetUp!, the rally brought together people from all walks of life, united by a shared urgency for our planet’s future, and the climate choir lifted our spirits with songs. We need to end our reliance on fossil fuels. But here in Victoria Labor continues to back new fossil projects, diverting precious public resources into climate-wrecking ventures like the Calder hydrogen energy supply chain and exposing our oceans to damaging seismic blasting for polluting gas.

On the same day the community gathered to call for no more coal and gas, federal Labor showed it is still beholden to the climate-killing gas industry, committing to supercharge the climate crisis with continued reliance on fossil gas. Getting off coal and gas is not just a matter of environmental responsibility, it is an economic imperative. It is no coincidence that high energy bills are happening when global gas prices are soaring. Investing in abundant and cheap renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, not only reduces emissions but also creates jobs and reduces energy bills. No more coal and gas means more than just cleaner air and water; it means a safer, more sustainable world for generations to come.