While the Australian Labor Party is clearly more in favour of effective climate action that the Coalition, the Party has a long way to go when it comes to coal mining. In the SMH on 8 Feb, Chris Bowen is reported to have said that Labor would not block the mine if it wins office. Mr Bowen is a very influential person in the Shadow Cabinet, being Shadow Treasurer. Let’s let him know this is ethically unacceptable!

Mr Burke is another influential person being Shadow Member for the Environment and Water. He is known to hold similar views as those of Mr Bowen. He also says that he doesn’t hear much from his constituents about Adani’s Carmichael Project.

As people of faith, it’s not right that we remain silent. Silence is taken as consent. Let us make sure our elected representatives do hear from us on these issues!

Would you write a letter, along the lines of ......

Sample letter to your Labor MP or Labor candidate

Please put it in your own words, and personalise it for your own MP. To increase your effectiveness, how about asking your family and friends to sign it?

You can find details of your MP on the Parliament House website  

Dear ….

I was disappointed to hear that, in the Sydney Morning Herald on 8 February, Hon. Chris Bowen is reported to have said that Labor would not block the mine if it wins office. I urge you to advocate a very different policy position for Labor.

It is good that Labor accepts climate science and intends to boost government support for renewable energy generation in Australia. It is therefore most disappointing that the Party would not stop the Carmichael Project, effectively opening up the Galilee Basin for new coal mines.

As a person of faith, I regard this possibility as immoral.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns us that global thermal coal use must drop by at least 59 per cent in the next 11 years if we are to avoid 1.5 Degree C warming. Australia is the world’s largest coal exporter, so we clearly have a particular moral responsibility to change our ways.

This was recognised clearly by Justice Brian Preston on February 8 in his judgement in the NSW Land and Environment Court. He ruled that it would be wrong to approve the Rocky Hill mine because its emissions would “increase global total concentrations of greenhouse gases at a time when what is now urgently needed … is a rapid and deep decrease.”

I understand this will be challenging. People in regional areas do need jobs. Yet a courageous leadership would come up with a jobs plan based on sustainable industries instead of coal, an industry with an uncertain future which is now threatening our very survival. 

Please support a Labor plan to stop the Adani mine.

Sincerely,

Funerals for Coal

Keep an eye on the ARRCC website and Facebook page for details of coming Funerals for Coal outside MP offices, or other peaceful multi-faith gatherings relating to this issue.