Greens slam Scott Morrison’s push to cut IR, mining approval times

Richard Di Natale condemns PM’s push to quicken environmental approvals for resources projects.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale says the Prime Minister’s push to digitise red and green tape would make it easier to open new coal mines that would “make the climate crisis work”. Picture: AAP

Greens leader Richard Di Natale has condemned Scott Morrison’s push to quicken environmental approvals for resources projects, declaring it was an “insult to everyone affected by these fires”.

Senator Di Natale, who has blamed the Coalition government’s policies for this month’s fires, said the Prime Minister’s push to digitise red and green tape would make it easier to open new coal mines that will “make the climate crisis work”.

“It boggles the mind. Everywhere we look the signs of the climate crisis are clear. Sydney is choking under hazardous smoke for the second time in a week. Fires are still threatening people and property in South Australia. Here in Victoria we’re looking at code red fire conditions and it’s not even summer yet,” Senator Di Natale said.

“Today the UN warned that there are already 50 per cent more fossil fuel projects in the pipeline than can be burned without locking in emissions that will take us well past a two degree celsius increase in global temperatures and what’s this government’s response? Let’s make it easier to dig up and burn even more coal.”

In a speech to the Business Council of Australia last night, Mr Morrison flagged plans to allow mining companies to be able to lodge online environmental applications and avoid a mountain of green tape between state and federal governments.

He said it could shave between six and 18 months off the time currently taken for some approvals to be finalised.

READ MORE: Action on the Morrison agenda | First Code Red for Victoria in 10 years | Alarmists insist that where there’s fire there are facts | Beautiful above, below it’s a choke for Sydney

The Sydney skyline as heavy smoke blanketed the city on Thursday. Picture: AAP

Morrison rebukes climate-fire claims

Scott Morrison has hit back at claims his climate change policies have contributed to the fire season, declaring it “doesn’t bear up to credible scientific evidence”.

With fires burning in Queensland, South Australia and NSW, the Prime Minister said Australia’s emissions had no impact on the dry and hot conditions that have brought on the blazes.

While acknowledging climate change was problematic, Mr Morrison said Australia produced just 1.3 per cent of the world’s emissions and could not be held directly responsible for natural catastrophes.

“The suggestion that any way shape or form that Australia, accounting for 1.3 per cent of the world’s emissions, that individual actions of Australia are impacting directly on specific fire events, whether it is here or anywhere else in the world, that doesn't bear up to credible scientific evidence,” Mr Morrison told ABC radio.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP

“Climate change is a global phenomenon and we are doing our bit as part of the response to climate change.

“We are taking action on climate change. But I think to suggest with just 1.3 per cent of global emissions, that Australia doing something differently, more or less, would have changed the fire outcome this season, I don’t think that stands up to any credible scientific evidence at all.”

Mr Morrison’s comments come as Victorian Greens MP Ellen Sandell used the code red bushfire warnings in the state to call for the “urgent phase out of coal”.

“Many of the kids who attended the climate strikes now cannot attend class because their schools are closed due to dangerous bushfire weather, caused by climate change,” Ms Sandell said.

“This is exactly what scientists have warned us about, yet this Victorian Labor Government has extended the licenses for our coal plants which have caused this mess.”

Okay #Sydney I think this might be the most smoke I’ve seen here of a morning. Knowing that means NSW is still burning is distressing. #nswfires pic.twitter.com/GE18rYKLRV

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) November 20, 2019

Sydney was shrouded in a thick layer of smoke on Thursday morning, the air quality well above the hazardous level as nearly 50 fires burned in the state’s north.

The air quality index hit 707 in Sydney’s CBD, while Rouse Hill in the city’s northwest climbed to 437. Anything above 200 is considered hazardous, while 65 and below is rated as ‘good’.

The AQI in parts of the NSW capital was well over 2000 on Tuesday.

Sydney in #smoke from the otherside of the Harbour, Thursday. Can barely see the Bridge, the city is completely hidden #nswfires pic.twitter.com/LLFVfZNTv7

— Suzanne Milthorpe (@SueMilthorpe) November 20, 2019

South Australia’s fire emergency continues, with residents in the southern Yorke Peninsula being told to leave as an uncontrolled stubble fire continues to make headway.

The fire near Edithburgh is moving in a north-easterly direction toward Coobowie and Wool Bay.

Victoria and Tasmania are also bracing for bushfires amid hot and dry conditions.

The Greens and former fire chiefs have urged the Morrison government to take further action on climate change as blazes took hold before the usual fire season.

Mr Morrison said the government was taking action on climate change rather than “gabbering about it”.

Tomorrow South Australia will face extreme weather conditions. If fires threaten your property our Morphettville Sales Complex can accommodate your much loved horses. We'll make as many boxes available as possible. If your horses are in danger please contact Lance on 0408831610. pic.twitter.com/lrVOyI1123

— Magic Millions (@mmsnippets) November 19, 2019

“We like taking action on climate change that is what we like doing. We have got our commitments for Kyoto 2020. Remember they are the commitments that were put in place to deal with the global conditions that we are experiencing right now. We not only lived up to those commitments for next year but we will beat them by 367 million tonnes,” Mr Morrison said.

“If anything Australia is an overachiever on our global commitments and for 2030 we will meet those as well with the mechanisms we have put in place.”

Australia’s emissions rose by 0.6 per cent in the year to March.

With AAP