Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s chief executive David Ritter said: “Malcolm Turnbull got into power with a promise to take real action on climate change but he has not delivered.
“Climate science jobs have been cut, enormous new coal mines have been approved, UN reports on climate change have been censored, and we’ve witnessed an inadequate response to the worst bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef in recorded history.
“We’ve seen absolutely no commitment from the prime minister to tackle the root cause of climate change and coral bleaching, which is carbon pollution from mining and burning fossil fuels such as coal.
“Mr Turnbull’s inaction is devastating for the Great Barrier Reef and for the millions of Australians who want to see real leadership on climate change.
“Opinion polls clearly show the country wants action. It is not polling day yet - there is still time for the Prime Minister to show clear leadership before election day.”
Elsewhere in the prime minister’s Wentworth electorate today, hundreds of local constituents rallied to ask Mr Turnbull to do more to protect the Great Barrier Reef and tackle climate change.
The protests cap a week of mounting discontent over the prime minister’s lack of action on climate change.
On Friday, Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists targeted the prime minister’s electorate office, unfurling a banner warning Mr Turnbull that this year’s bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef would be his legacy unless he did more to protect the reef.
Yesterday, a floatilla of Australian Pacific Islanders in kayaks arrived in Sydney Harbour from Parramatta to demand Mr Turnbull do more to protect the Pacific Islands from the threat of climate change. Subversive advertisements about coral bleaching “brought to you by the coal industry” have also appeared throughout Australian cities this week.
“Almost 80% of Australians want the Great Barrier Reef prioritised over the coal industry. Malcolm Turnbull can’t have both, and so far he’s chosen coal [1],” said Mr Ritter.
ENDS
[1] YourVote: Great Barrier Reef should be prioritised over coal mining, survey shows, Sydney Morning Herald, June 14, 2016.