Aust.: Greens refer climate change scandal to ICAC

Greens refer climate change scandal to ICAC

Following from tonight's ABC Four Corners "Greenhouse Mafia" program
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has called on the corruption watchdog ICAC to investigate possible undue influence industry lobby groups may have exerted over the development of energy, transport, minerals and greenhouse policies in NSW.

"There are good reasons to suspect that the influence of the fossil fuel industry and heavy energy users revealed in tonight's Four
Corners program may extend to the NSW government and parts of the state bureaucracy. The seriousness of the consequences demands an investigation at a state level," Ms Rhiannon said.

"With ten percent of the world's coal trade sourced from NSW the coal industry alone has a powerful motive to influence government policy in NSW as well as federally.

"I will request that ICAC investigates if representatives of the
Australian Industry Greenhouse Network or other industry lobby groups have had access to NSW cabinet documents or have had illegal or corrupt input into the preparation of ministerial briefs.

"There has been growing suspicion in NSW about the Labor government's reluctance to tackle the fossil fuel industry.

"If the influence of this industry reaches into the heart of government it would explain why climate change policy is so weak in NSW.

"I will ask ICAC to determine any inappropriate outside influence on government policies associated with the development of coal mines, coal fired power stations and motorways," Ms Rhiannon said.

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