Labor candidate for NSW seat of Cowper backs down on Adani, climate

Andrew Woodward, vying for the NSW seat of Cowper, previously said the mine “must be stopped” to ease the “climate crisis”.

Andrew Woodward in Mosman in 2016. Photo: Adam Warc

Labor’s candidate in the hotly contested NSW seat of Cowper, Andrew Woodward, has been forced to backflip on views the Adani coal mine “must be stopped” to ease the “climate crisis”.

Mr Woodward — the Labor Party’s candidate for Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah at the 2016 federal election — also linked climate change to the Syrian conflict in a 2017 university essay, saying it was a “contributor to national instability which then fed into national and international security issues”.

In a 2017 letter to Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, sent on 30 March 2017, which copied-in Bill Shorten and opposition climate and energy spokesman Mark Butler, Mr Woodward said he expected better from her government and warned: “The Adani mine must be stopped and you can do it.

“Given the indisputable evidence on the impact of climate change on Queensland, it is astounding that you ‘green light’ and champion the Adani mine, other fossil fuel developments and vast land clearing.

“This is ecological, economic and social vandalism at its worse. I absolutely get the need for job creation and supporting people and communities dependent on mining. You, however, are looking in the ‘rear vision mirror’.”

The Nationals are fighting to retain Cowper, which it holds on 4.56 per cent, after Luke Hartsuyker announced he would not contest the election and former independent MP and kingmaker Rob Oakeshott decided to run for the seat.

Mr Woodward is preferencing Mr Oakeshott second on his how-to-vote card and directing voters to put Nationals candidate Pat Conaghan last.

His preferences could determine the result of the contest, after 77 per cent of Labor’s preferences in Cowper went to Mr Oakeshott at the 2016 election and there was a swing against Mr Hartsuyker of 8.10 per cent.

In the Palaszczuk letter, Mr Woodward said Queensland had the most to lose from climate change, predicting Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Cairns would be “inundated” by rising sea levels over the next few decades and the state’s “famous outdoor lifestyle” would be impacted.

“It will be too hot to play, train or relax outdoors as streets, public areas and fields will be scorched by the sun or soaked by tropical downpours. The cry of ‘Queenslander!’ will be a distant memory,” Mr Woodward wrote.

Labor sources stressed his views on Adani and the Syrian war were made when he was a University of New South Wales student studying a master of environmental management.

Mr Woodward refused to respond to a series of questions about his position on Adani and his university essay, referring The Australian to Labor HQ.

In a statement via Labor HQ Mr Woodward adopted the party’s position on Adani, saying: “We’ve been clear and consistent the project needs to stack up economically and environmentally. We won’t rip up contracts or create any kind of sovereign risk.”

Adani has been a contentious election issue for Bill Shorten in marginal Queensland seats he must win from the Coalition in order to form government after May 18.

The Opposition Leader declared he was not going to review federal environmental approvals for the mine after days of leaving open the possibility of doing so, and amid divisive opinions from several candidates.

Lowy Institute research fellow Rodger Shanahan said Mr Woodward’s argument that climate change contributed to the Syrian conflict — which allowed Islamic State to flourish — was “defensible in a university essay” because long-term drought did contribute to disgruntlement against the central government.

“In Syria certainly the drought was one of those factors, whether it was big, small, or just a sectoral one, that’s up for debate. That’s what universities are about,” Dr Shanahan said.