The release of a report planning for the end of coal by the right-leaning Blueprint Institute shows that all sides of politics were now calling for a managed transition out of coal, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said.

“The time of coal is over and the time for clean energy has begun,” Mr Bandt said. “When even conservative think tanks are putting forward proposals to leave coal, you can tell this transition is unstoppable.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has today called on the government to defer the looming cuts to JobKeeper and JobSeeker in light of the growing COVID outbreak in NSW.

The Coronavirus Supplement is due to drop $200 a month in just 10 days, before being entirely cancelled come March 31.

“With lockdowns and travel bans throwing the country’s Christmas plans into chaos, Scott Morrison must immediately ditch the looming cuts to JobSeeker and JobKeeper,” Mr Bandt said.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, says a new report on the impact of global warming on the Murray-Darling makes the fork in the road crystal clear.

“If Scott Morrison doesn’t accept we’re in a climate emergency and start phasing out coal and gas, nothing will save the Murray-Darling,” Bandt said.

“The Prime Minister must choose between crops or coal, because we can’t have both.

“Scott Morrison is failing to protect Australia’s farmers.

“Scott Morrison’s coal-hugging and climate-denial is threatening Australia’s ability to feed itself.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, says Australia is now the only OECD country to rule out raising its 2030 emissions target, as the Morrison government’s climate policy doesn’t just put lives at risk but damages Australia’s international standing and reputation too. 

With the events of the weekend and the UN Climate Ambition Summit, 31 of the 37 members of the OECD have now committed to raising their 2030 climate ambition. Of the six remaining, only Australia has ruled out raising its 2030 target.

Last night’s global Climate Ambition Summit confirmed Australia’s status as the world’s climate reject. While Scott Morrison was barred from the Summit, world leaders lined up to announce ambitious new 2030 targets and action.

The Europe Union upped their 2030 target to 55% and the UK to 68%. Japan announced they would raise their targets next year and Canada released modelling showing they would beat their 2030 target.

Australia has been confirmed as a climate pariah as the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit speaking list released today confirms the Prime Minister has been barred from speaking at the key international meeting.

The list also confirms the Prime Minister misled Parliament when he claimed he would be attending in the Summit.

The government this morning is also defying a Senate Order to release the rejection letter from the Summit organisers which would show the reasons why Australia has been barred.

Scott Morrison has confirmed Australia’s diplomatic isolation on climate with his answers in Question Time today. 

It now appears absolutely clear that his answers to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, last week, on Australia’s participation in the crucial UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, were a misleading of Parliament and that Australia will not be joining the up to 100 countries who will announce stronger action at the Summit this weekend.

Australian Greens Leader, Adam Bandt says the party’s 9 votes in the Senate will oppose the Government’s industrial relations omnibus Bill. 

“The Greens have a clear position on the government's IR bill. We oppose this bill because it cuts pay and makes job insecurity worse,” said Mr Bandt. 

“The Greens will block this bill in the Senate.

“The frontline workers who helped us through the pandemic deserve a medal, not a pay cut.

“Why would you weaken the ‘better off’ test unless you wanted to make people worse off?

There is now a serious question as to whether the Prime Minister has led Parliament, said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt. 

Mr Bandt was today gagged by the Government while seeking to compel the Prime Minister to confirm Australia’s attendance at the UN Climate Ambition Summit. Last week, Adam Bandt asked the PM in question time about Australia’s attendance status and Scott Morrison told the Parliament that he would attend and speak, but reports emerged today that Australia is not invited to this weekend’s UN Climate Ambition Summit.

The Australian Greens have warned that the government’s climate inaction is pouring fuel on fires incinerating our country’s iconic animals, landscapes, and flora, amid news that tens of thousands of koalas died during last season’s bushfires, and as an uncontrolled bushfire tears through an untouched world heritage rainforest. 

Greens Environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will this week move a ‘Save the Koala Bill’ to protect the habitat of Australia’s most iconic tree-hugger, in a bid to stave off extinction.