Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

We have members of the coalition disputing what the science is telling us. The consequence of the Carmichael mine going ahead will be more intense cyclones and more extreme weather.

You would think that one thing this government would understand is the notion of jobs. There are 70,000 tourism jobs in Queensland, compared to 1,400 jobs in the mining industry if this project goes ahead. We know what the outcome should be. We are now seeing a second, unparalleled bleaching event further south in Queensland and we know that there is hardly a reef that is not affected between the cities of Townsville and Cairns. If $1 billion of taxpayer money goes towards this mine to build the rail to support digging that coal out of the ground and shipping it overseas—indeed, through the Great Barrier Reef—what this government is doing is scandalous and it will trigger the biggest protest movement of this decade.

We have had a lot of debate about the rule of law, but, if people did not stand up when the Franklin was about to be dammed, we would have lost one of this nation's—indeed, the earth's—most precious wild rivers. It was the brave action of many of those protesters, who stood up in defiance of the law, that helped to save the Franklin. We, together with people from right around the world, will make sure that we again commit to standing against this government and against its proposal to ensure that the Adani mine goes ahead. We say to financiers who are looking at this right now: get ready for the fight of your life because, if you are going to contribute money to this mine, you will be faced with a backlash not just from the Greens but from the entire Australian community.