The Australian election result has sent a clear message
across the Tasman: voters will not tolerate Trump-style
politics that fuel environmental destruction and ignore the
climate crisis.
“Australians chose to protect climate
and nature over a coalition pushing fossil fuels,
destruction, and division. That should be a wake-up call for
political leaders here in Aotearoa,” says Greenpeace
Aotearoa spokesperson Gen Toop.
In Australia, Peter
Dutton’s Coalition promised more offshore gas drilling. In
Aotearoa, Luxon’s Government is repealing the oil and gas
ban. In the U.S., Trump is gutting environmental protections
to make way for fossil fuel expansion.
“Luxon has been
increasingly aligning himself with Trump-style environmental
vandalism. From backing seabed mining and deep sea oil and
gas exploration, to allowing fishing in marine reserves and
attacking Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” says
Toop.
“But, people are rejecting the
Trumpian ‘drill-baby-drill’ mentality, and politicians on
both sides of the aisle here in New Zealand should sit up
and take notice.”
Last week,
Greenpeace lampooned Luxon with a viral spray
tan video on social media, likening him to Trump over
his support for seabed mining.
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After
Greenpeace launched a petition
calling on Labour leader Chris Hipkins to take a stand,
Hipkins reaffirmed Labour’s opposition to seabed mining.
However, Greenpeace is urging him to go
further.
“It’s good to see Labour opposing seabed
mining – but it’s not enough,” says Toop. “If Hipkins
wants to show voters that Labour stands for nature and
people, he needs to commit to revoke any seabed mining
consents granted through the Fast Track
Act.”
