Abbott has "taken Australia back decades", says Greens party

Senator Richard Di Natale, lead spokesperson of the Australian Greens, has indicated that the first acts of the Abbott government have “taken Australia back decades and made us an international embarrassment”.

Apart from the Greens’ disapproval of “only one woman in cabinet, no science minister and unwinding climate change action”, Abbott has demanded that the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) cease operating in expectation of its closure - a demand which may be illegal.

“The current legislation creates a mandate for the CEFC to invest its funds and that mandate cannot be changed without new legislation. Instructing them to do otherwise shows a complete disregard for the parliament,” said Senator Di Natale.

“The fact that Tony Abbott believes he can instruct an independent statutory body to act against its legislated mandate because he hopes to get new legislation through the Senate shows arrogance and hubris. The Greens would stand up to any Bill aimed at closing the CEFC so Tony Abbott has no reason to believe that he will be able to pass such a Bill anytime soon.”

The Greens are further concerned about recent statements made by Abbott’s supporters.

“The new Minister for Industry is making crackpot claims about wind power while dismissing legitimate concerns about coal seam gas,” said Senator Di Natale, while “the person anointed to chair Abbott’s Business Advisory Council [has] dismissed climate change as a myth”.