No new thermal coal projects

The petition of the undersigned residents of Tasmania draws to the attention of the House the need to make a just transition away from the mining and burning of coal for energy. In a time of deepening climate crisis, we must be focusing our efforts on working towards a renewable economy. Opening new thermal coal mines would be a massive backward step. There are a range of other issues associated with building new coal mines in lutruwita/Tasmania: the rights of the Aboriginal community, the rights of farmers and other landholders, the questionable economic case, the potential damage to our global brand, the effect on tourism, the impact on the local environment, health, and land, and many others. All these issues are significant, and all deserve proper and careful consideration. However, even if satisfactory solutions were found for each of them, one incontrovertible and essential fact remains: To have any chance of averting the worst impacts of climate change we must keep fossil fuels in the ground. Your petitioners therefore request the House to prohibit the construction of any new thermal coal mines in lutruwita/Tasmania.