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| Mark and Jenny Postle |
The Greens want the coal industry shut down. The coal miners’ union is the CFMEU. The CFMEU donates large sums to the Greens. So the coal miners are paying their union to assist the Greens to shut down their industry and their livelihoods. Am I missing something here?
Mark Postle, Mundubbera, Qld
Now try as I might, I cannot find any links to the CFMEU funding the Greens. They are definitely funding the Australian Labor Party.
They are also against coal-fired power.
In their Submission to the Senate Environment and Communications Reference Committee Inquiry on Retirement of coal power stations (link) in November 2016, they wrote
The CFMEU Mining and Energy Division has the overwhelming majority of its members employed in coal mining and power generation and is therefore always concerned about energy and climate policy and associated regulatory frameworks.Note: Majority of its members employed in coal mining and power generation.
They continue:
The CFMEU has a long history of making a constructive contribution to climate policy in Australia and globally, dating back to 1992 – participation in the UN Rio Earth Summit that produced the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and also Australia’s first National Greenhouse Response Strategy.Note: The CFMEU was present at the beginning of the global warming scam. (link)
Now in the above submission, they note the following closures of work opportunities for their members:
A number of coal-fired power stations have fully or partially closed in recent years:
- Swanbank B – Qld – 120MW – closed in 2012
- Collinsville – Qld – 180MW – closed in 2012
- Munmorah– NSW – 1400MW - closed in 2012
- Wallerawang– NSW – 1000MW - closed in 2014
- Redbank– NSW – 144MW – closed in 2014
- Tarong– Qld – 1400MW – 2 units totalling 700MW idled in 2012; one returned to service in July 2014
- Playford– South Australia – 240MW – closed in 2016
- Northern– South Australia – 546MW – closed 2016
- Hazelwood – Victoria – 1600MW – to close in March 2017
Surely the union, with the overwhelming majority of its members employed in coal mining and power generation, would be fighting against the closure of the source of work for the majority of its members?
AGL has said they will not extend the life of current power stations or build new ones that are unabated.
Why should they in a political climate where the two major parties are supporting Renewal Energy Targets (RETs). We have seen, with South Australia's blackouts, how reliable RETs are in supplying base-load power
Another letter to the editor:
Why should they in a political climate where the two major parties are supporting Renewal Energy Targets (RETs). We have seen, with South Australia's blackouts, how reliable RETs are in supplying base-load power
Another letter to the editor:
The Greens’ demand that the coal industry be shut down will bring catastrophic change to the business climate, with mass unemployment, businesses closing, social upheaval, and financial disaster awaiting us all.
Graham Blackman, Wavell Heights, Qld
H/t Jim Ball
