Green: Labor's new color

Phillip Hudson, Perth, The Age (article), 4/11/ 2001

The policy package was applauded by environment groups.  The Australian Conservation Foundation said that when combined with previous Labor commitments to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and introduce greenhouse and land-clearing laws, it was a strong and modern environment platform.  "It adds up to one of the most significant policies for a sustainable Australia and environmental protection that a major party has ever taken to an election," said Conservation Foundation director Don Henry.

The Australian Committee for the Earth Charter and the Save Forests Alliance also welcomed the announcement.  Mr Beazley denied Labor's environment policy was aimed at winning Green preferences, although he admitted "we do listen to the Greens".

Under the policy announced yesterday, a Labor government would require Australian companies operating overseas - particularly in developing countries where environmental protection standards are lower - to pledge to be good global citizens. They would also be tested against an environment standards code if they wanted government assistance or finance.

The preference deal was expected to be ratified last night in a Greens telephone conference, despite some negotiators believing Mr Beazley had not gone far enough to protect old-growth forests in Tasmania and the Otways. However, Greens leader Bob Brown welcomed the Labor policy as a good first step. "We give Kim Beazley a C for could do better compared to John Howard's F for failed," he said.

The deal is a significant boost for Labor going into the final week of the campaign, coming on the back of a commitment from the Democrats to direct preferences to the ALP.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, said yesterday the Greens' preferences deal would make the fight for victory on November 10 "very hard for us".  "I always thought in the end, the Greens would preference Labor, they have in the past," he said.

The latest AC Nielsen AgePoll showed one in 10 voters planned to give their primary vote to the Democrats or Greens, suggesting preference deals could be decisive in a close contest.

Among other key points in the environment policy, if elected Labor would:

• Not allow the Honeymoon or Jabiluka uranium mines to go ahead. Other uranium mines already in commercial production would continue.
• Oppose a nuclear waste dump in Australia.
• Try to break the contract signed by the Howard Government last year for a new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. "We don't believe we need another nuclear reactor," said Mr Beazley. "We will examine the contract and if we can get out of it, we will."
• Prohibit all mineral, oil and gas exploration and operations in Australian waters offshore of the Great Barrier Reef region, and extend the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park boundaries to include the pristine reefs in the Coral Sea, including Osprey, Marion and Lihou Reefs.
• Impose an immediate moratorium on the use of native forest residues and wood waste. It would hold an independent inquiry into the impact on greenhouse emissions and biodiversity. If the inquiry found there was a problem Labor would permanently remove native forests as an eligible fuel source.
• Keep the Coalition's natural heritage trust but refocus it on long-term spending on vegetation, landcare and protection of bushland.
• Spend $16.7 million over four years to create an office of commissioner for the environment and $4.5 million to establish an office of sustainable development in the prime minister's department.