ENVIRONMENT BATTERED BY BROKEN PROMISES

Media Release

Mark Butler MP.

Shadow Minister for Environment
 Climate Change and Water

Date:  14 May 2014

Tony Abbott’s Budget of twisted priorities has slashed billions of dollars from environment programs and agencies while finding $2.6 billion to pay big polluters to keep polluting.

Shadow Environment Minister Mark Butler said the Budget rips funds from grassroots environmental programs, CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and renewable energy initiatives.

“Tony Abbott’s destruction of Australia’s environment protection system ruins any chance Australia has to prepare for the environmental challenges of the future,” Mr Butler said.

“This Budget takes the Abbott Government’s assault on the environment and climate to a new level, and shows a disdain for science and research that threatens decades of investment and innovation.”

The Budget also breaks a promise not to cut Landcare funding, ripping $483 million out of Landcare and conservation programs. It also cuts $10 million from the Bureau of Meteorology, $2.8 million from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and scraps climate science research programs across government agencies.

Mr Butler said the Budget compounds the Abbott Government’s woeful environmental record, which in just six months has sought to abolish world-leading carbon pricing and clean energy programs, while preparing to pay big polluters billions to continue polluting.

“Tony Abbott’s Budget of broken promises threatens jobs and projects by scrapping the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).”

“Scrapping ARENA and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation sends Australia backwards in clean energy development,” Mr Butler said.