DARREN CHURCHILL
Australian Democrats Senate candidate
Media Release: 16th August, 2010
Greens lies make them unworthy of voters trust
The Australian Democrats have refuted the lies being spread by the ACT Greens about preferences and the willingness to be negotiators, accusing the Greens of being unworthy of voters’ trust.
Interjecting at a GetUp! Senate forum yesterday, at which he was deliberately excluded by the organisers, Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT, Darren Churchill waved a list of environmental outcomes in the air, calling out to the Greens candidate: “Here’s a list of the things for the environment we negotiated with the previous government – all of which you opposed!”
And when the Greens accused Mr Churchill of reneging on a preference deal his response was “That’s a lie!”
Explaining his version of events, Mr Churchill said: “One thing we learned from Chipp was the importance of not allowing anything untrue or inaccurate said or published about oneself, on the public record, to go un-refuted.”
“There was no deal on preferences with the Greens. The Australian Democrats decide where our preferences go, not the Greens. And voters always have the option of voting below the line.”
“But it’s all about who is prepared to act in the interest of the ACT. Being prepared to cross the floor against your party line in the interest of your constituents is what ‘keeping the bastards honest’ is all about. Kate Lundy is bound by her party rules and would be expelled for crossing the floor. The Greens can’t be trusted. Over two decades we have found that the Greens have misrepresented the Democrats again and again.
“That leaves small ‘l’ Liberal Gary Humphries, who has crossed the floor for the ACT in the past. If I am unsuccessful in being elected, then Gary Humphries is the least worst alternative for Canberra.” continued Mr Churchill
“As for the claim that the Greens want immediate action on the environment there must have been some latter day conversion. But I doubt it – although the Rudd Government’s ETS was flawed, it would have been a start, it would have been better than nothing, but the Greens voted it down.
“By contrast a list provided to me by our former parliamentary leader shows where the Australian Democrats achieved environmental outcomes in negotiations with the previous government,” said Mr Churchill.
“It reads: ‘We also negotiated hundreds of amendments to the new (in 1999) Federal environment laws, strengthening them very substantially. Before that the Commonwealth had very few powers over development impacting on the environment. (We started this reform by initiating and chairing an inquiry reporting in 1997 on the need for Commonwealth environment law.)
Thanks to our negotiation, Australia had for the first time, standards governing fuel emissions and eventually matched Europe’s standards
We negotiated renewable energy for thousands of off-grid, remote communities that previously relied on diesel for power generation.
And two extensions of the rooftop PV grants.
We negotiated $400 million to leverage large scale energy efficiency in big industry.
The Greens opposed all the above.’
“This clearly shows where the Australian Democrats have negotiated good things for the environment, while the Greens have just huffed and puffed and talked and told lies.”
“If I am elected, I will continue the good work of the Australian Democrats. We need action, not just talk on the environment. I will deliver, because you deserve better!” Mr Churchill concluded.
CONTACT:
Darren Churchill
Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT
darren.churchill@democrats.org.au
Tel: 0412 196 473
Darren Churchill: Australian Democrats Campaigns 