Māori Climate Commissioner condemns Australia's climate denial and calls on Patrick Suckling to resign

Māori Climate Commissioner, Donna Awatere Huata, has condemned Australia's decision to doom its Pacific neighbours to climate catastrophe by appearing at a Coal Conference at the UN Climate Change Summit.

"By appearing at America's coal carnival, Australia has slapped the Pacific in the face. Climate change means there can be no future in coal and Australia's Environmental Ambassador, Patrick Suckling, should resign. Pretending that coal is a solution is pure fantasy and sentences our Pacific neighbours islands to be swallowed up by rising seas."

"With latest research showing Antarctica is melting far faster than anticipated, rising oceans are a reality that demands political courage and leadership. Instead we are seeing Australia bowing to their own mining industry and hiding behind America's belligerence. Australians should be ashamed of their representatives. I can understand how the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation who have pioneered 32 Indigenous carbon farming projects since 2011 which have created 38 million carbon credits on traditional lands must feel watching their efforts to reduce carbon emissions undermined by the mining industry."

"This UN conference is rapidly becoming the last opportunity to make fundamental changes, it is a pity Australia has decided to be on the wrong side of history."

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