Iemma's environment plan hides his dirty linen

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the Premier's environment package released today made a mockery of Labor's claim that March 24 would be a 'climate change' election, with the public being handed a moth eaten bag of reannouncements.

"Labor's Achilles' heel is its ongoing dance with the coal industry, a desalination plant, unfiltered motorways and the logging of native forests," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Climate change leaves no time for used band-aids.

"The environment has been gifted a measly $129 million over four years, while Labor hands over $1.9 billion for a desalination plant that may or may not be turned on.

"The initiatives to cut greenhouse gases and air pollution keep a focus on cars, with the 'solutions' resting at the petrol pump and at the feet of car and truck owners.

"Communities around Sydney fighting unfiltered motorway stacks will be insulted by these measures.

"The government has avoided real solutions like ending the construction of motorways and investing in public transport and rail freight.

"All the national parks in the world will not make up for the climate change implications of Labor's commitment to massively expand the coal industry in NSW.

"While Premier Iemma makes noise about the horrors of broadscale land-clearing, he ignores the silent logging of our native forests occurring in South East NSW.

"The best satellite monitoring equipment will not help end illegal land-clearing unless there is culture shift within the Department of Natural Resources to monitor and prosecute.

"Premier Iemma cannot hide behind the skirts of the Coalition's poor environment record.

"Despite the flaws in Bob Carr's environmental policies, his genuine and personal commitment to the environment was clear.

"Today's announcement shows considerable slippage in Labor's commitment to the environment at a time when climate change has charged through the door," Ms Rhiannon said.