Media release - 15 May 2014

The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham today slammed the Labor Party for playing politics and forgetting the people of the Central Coast after failing to introduce their promised Bill to stop the Wallarah 2 coal mine.

In March, Labor joined with the Coalition to vote down a Greens bill in the NSW Upper House which would have stopped the Wallarah 2 coal mine and instead promised to introduce an almost identical Bill to achieve the same thing.

“Labor are clearly asleep at the wheel in NSW, and have forgotten about the people of the Central Coast,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham

“In March Labor MP Luke Foley betrayed the people of the Central Coast by deciding it was more important to have a Labor branded Bill than to support the Greens Bill which would have stopped the Wallarah 2 coal mine,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“Now they have failed to introduce a Bill to stop the Wallarah 2 coal mine as promised and anything they do introduce will now be after the Planning Assessment Commission has made its decision on the mine”

“The Greens bill would have enacted the government’s promise to protect the Central Coast water catchment “no ifs, no buts, a guarantee”.

“Labor blundered and let the government off the hook over their betrayal of a key election promise.   Labor are an ineffective opposition that are unable to hold the government to account.

“While the Labor and Liberal betray their promises, the Greens will continue to fight to protect the Central Coast water catchment from invasive and destructive coal mining,” he said.

Contact: Max Phillips - 9230 2202 or 0419 444 916