Letters sent to all federal MPs and Senators

On or about Tuesday, 7th February, 2017, a letter written by me, was delivered to each of the 150 MPs and 74 Senators at the Parliament House of Australia. The letter was detailed consisting of 8 pages and outlined my concerns as stated in my change.org petition. The letter finished with the following question:- “Many politicians when being interviewed upon announcing their retirement from parliament say that they entered politics “to make a difference.” Will you support this opportunity ‘to make a difference’ and support parliamentary action to have constitutional recognition of the “The Right To A Healthy Environment” included in the Australian Constitution?” I’ll advise you of the response given by each of your elected representatives when they have all been received. Additional information The proposed Adani Carmichael coal mine complex in Queensland is a good example of the ‘politics’ and competing ‘desires’ between our state and federal governments including the federal Labor opposition, in regard to mining issues. The Palaszczuk - Queensland state Labor government strongly supports the project. The Turnbull - Liberal / National federal government strongly supports the project and they want the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) to authorise a concessional loan to Adani of $1 billion to help them fund the construction of their 300 km [privately owned] railway line from the coal mine to the port at Abbot Point. The Shorten - federal Labor opposition supports the project if it proceeds as a private venture, on it own merits without government financial assistance. Politicians are always mindful of money for budgets, so ‘economics’ always comes first and overrides health, climate and environment issues. Federal Labor did not protest regarding any impacts the mine may have on environmental grounds. If they had no doubt, Annastacia would have picked up the phone and told Bill to keep his nose out of Queensland state politics and also reminded him that she has a state to run and a desire to win the next state election. Politics is complex and it involves a lot of compromise. That is why a new constitutional law is required to direct politicians to first consider the health impacts on ‘the little people’ and on ‘climate’ and the ‘environment’ ahead of their own party or their government’s economic interests. They won’t examine and consider impacts to our health and climate first, unless a law directs that they have to.