Media Release: Govt "cheating" on Territorians, Small Business & Environment

“INPEX’s Ichthys Gas Project is expected to unnecessarily condemn the Northern Territory to a sentence of a 30% p.a. increase in greenhouse gas emissions for the next 40 years (approximately 5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year).” said Michael Cauce, Coordinator of Climate Action Darwin.

“That’s the equivalent of dumping over one million cars (1,162,800) worth of pollution onto the Territory every year.”

“With the Territory Government’s love affair with INPEX on the verge of being made official without them putting any mandatory greenhouse gas emissions offsets in place, that will leave Territory householders and small businesses with the terrible burden of dealing with those emissions. It will also leave the Government’s commitment to our environment and fighting climate change in complete tatters, with Paul Henderson’s own climate change policy basically becoming a pointless brochure of empty rhetoric.”

“INPEX will make billions from this project. If the NT Government has any concern for anything other than money and playing doormat to big business, it must require INPEX to go carbon neutral and offset all their emissions from this project. The Government is trying to work out how to fund its 20% renewable energy commitments . . . this is a no-brainer. Offset funds could be used to support renewable energy programs and also create many new green jobs in carbon management programs for the Territory.”

“There are even bigger projects on the horizon. If the Henderson Government doesn’t make INPEX go carbon neutral, this sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. How does Karl Hampton or the Chief Minister consider this to be honouring their climate change policy aspirational target of a 60% decrease in the NT’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050?”

“The Government has no excuse. INPEX claim that they shouldn’t have to do much because of a possible carbon tax, yet at the same time they are no doubt pushing hard in Canberra for an exemption. The only responsible move for the NT Government is to enforce carbon neutrality now, and if necessary, allow for adjustments to this in the future if INPEX are not exempted from a federal price on carbon.”

For further information and interviews contact Michael Cauce, Coordinator of Climate Action Darwin. Phone 0416 258 680