Wednesday, 1 November 2023

 Sam HIBBINS (Prahran) (09:52): We are in a climate crisis. Already we are experiencing record temperatures, mass extinction of our native flora, extreme weather events, devastating floods, mega bushfires and deadly heatwaves, and we are in store for another summer of severe heat. Coal and gas are the leading causes of climate change, yet we have got Labor and the Liberals supporting even more new brown coal projects here in Victoria – more coal and gas.

Danny O’Brien interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Gippsland South, you are not in your place.

Sam HIBBINS: Now we are seeing them throw their support behind new coal projects in the Latrobe Valley. This coal-to-hydrogen project would extend the life of Victoria’s coalmines and use discredited carbon capture and storage. This project will create emissions the equivalent of putting hundreds of thousands of polluting cars on the roads. I was recently joined by many constituents of mine who are passionate about stopping climate change and in support of the Greens parliamentary petition, against Labor’s new coal project, to keep coal in the ground where it belongs. There needs to be no more new fossil fuel projects and a fast transition out of coal and gas towards 100 per cent renewable energy. We have a generational responsibility to act.

The member for Gippsland East has left the chamber. I do not know whether he has gone home in the back of a divvy van, but can I say to the government: stop being on a unity ticket with the Nationals and start being on a unity ticket with people who care about animal welfare.