Greenpeace has been accused of false advertising that will put much-needed Queensland jobs at risk.
“Greenpeace has been caught out substituting a photograph of a reef in the Philippines damaged by typhoons in an advertisement about the Great Barrier Reef,” Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said today.
“Environmental organisations should be held to the same standards of truth-in-advertising as any other business. If a public company did that sort of thing, they could be charged with false advertising.
“Greenpeace and other anti-mining activists are campaigning against job-creating mine and port projects by falsely suggesting those projects will destroy the Great Barrier Reef. That’s nonsense but a successful campaign would cost Queensland thousands of much-needed jobs.”
Fellow Rockhampton-based MP Michelle Landry, federal Member for Capricornia, echoed the Senator’s criticism of the Greenpeace so-called “con job”.
“Queensland has a right to attract new investment and Queensland workers have a right to new jobs to feed their families. Such opportunities are being held to ransom by green activists who amount to economic terrorists,” Ms Landry said.
“These international lobbyists are in effect holding back Australia’s growth by smearing our reputation worldwide.
“We love our Great Barrier Reef and the fact is that the Australian Government has some of the most stringent environmental guidelines in the world – probably more strict than most countries.
“The fact is, if better quality Australian coal from the Galilee Basin isn’t sold to India, that country will just get cheap inferior coal from Indonesia or Mozambique,” Ms Landry said.
Senator Canavan also said environmental lobbyists continue to collect millions of dollars in tax-deductible funding to employ advertising agencies, lobbyists and demonstrators to try to sabotage resource development projects.
“This is the sort of activity that should be examined by the current House of Representatives inquiry into tax-deductible eco-charity donations and the extent to which they are used in supporting communities genuinely taking practical action to improve the environment.
“I am making a submission to the inquiry and will take a very keen interest in its deliberations and outcomes,” he said.
Senator Canavan said there was a pattern of behaviour by environmental activist organisations with tax-deductible status that should be examined by the inquiry, including the “cash for comment” debate surrounding an Aboriginal group publicly opposing development of the proposed Carmichael coal mine in Central Queensland.
“There are reports that a draft agreement involving the environmental group known as the Sunrise Project and Wangan and Jagalingou Families Representative Council (W&J) would provide funding and resources for W&J provided they continue to oppose development of the Carmichael mine site.
“Leaving that specific case aside, any perception that environmental organisations receiving tax-deductible donations are using those generous tax concessions from taxpayers to fund campaigns against legitimate resource projects – and in turn block job creation and reduce the tax base in the Australian economy – needs to be closely examined.”
