GOVERNMENT VOTES DOWN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE


Labor Ignores Most Important Public Policy Issue Facing Tasmania


The Tasmanian Greens today accused the Government of ignoring the biggest public policy challenge facing Tasmanians after Labor voted against the formation of a Select Parliamentary Committee examining the impacts of climate change in Tasmania.
Greens Climate Change Spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that while he welcomed the support of the Liberal Party, he was disappointed by the Government’s head-in-the-sand approach.
“Climate change will impact on every aspect of Tasmanian life, and for Labor to vote down a Parliamentary Committee into the issue demonstrates their lack of credibility on the issue,” Mr McKim said.
“The government’s current Draft Climate Change Response Strategy will not see the light of day unless Cabinet signs off on it; when what is really needed.”
“Climate change is too important to leave to a Labor government which has been slow off the mark and minimalist in its approach to date.”
“Tasmanians deserve an open, transparent process so that the whole community can sign on to Tasmania’s Climate Change response, which is exactly what a Parliamentary Committee would deliver.”
Mr McKim said that a Parliamentary Committee is necessary to give Tasmanians confidence in the process because the government’s Draft Climate Change Response Strategy is deficient in a number of areas including a failure to commit to emissions reduction targets and a failure to propose specific actions to reduce emissions from the forest and land use change sector.