Press release – 7 September, 2015Sydney, Sept 4 2015 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific today ridiculed the notion that the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) is in the running to win an international prize for its role in repealing the carbon tax, and called for it to donate the prize money to a charity fighting climate change if it wins.“On first reading the news, it was hard not to think it was satire, but it clearly isn’t,” said David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“The IPA and the Abbott government’s efforts have removed an effective mechanism to reduce carbon pollution, a policy measure supported by almost every single reputable economist and research institute across the world, and global institutions like the World Bank.
“Since its removal following the lies and smear campaign by the IPA and others, emissions have massively increased, polluters are largely free to pollute again, and Australia is further isolating itself from almost every other economy on the planet who are doing the exact opposite – and there’s a prize for that?”
“Given the IPA’s consistent claims to care so deeply for poorer nations, we are calling on them to donate the prize money in full, should they be successful, to a charity that is helping poorer nations to deal with the impact of climate change.
“We would expect the recipient to be best selected by a leader from the global development and aid sector, not the IPA, and that the transfer of those funds must be published in full on the IPA’s website,” Mr. Ritter said.
The conservative think tank is a finalist for the $US100,000 (A$142,000) so-called Templeton Freedom award, given by the US-based Atlas Network.
The Atlas Network is a neo-liberal organisation with little clarity on who fully funds its extensive work. Exposes by activists and groups like DeSmog and Greenpeace have uncovered Exxon and Phillip Morris as long time and regular donors to the organisation. Oil billionaires Charles and David Koch, who fund climate denial groups, provide enormous financial support.
The IPA’s campaign strategy against the carbon tax – passed in 2011 and repealed by the Abbott government in 2014 – is outlined on the website of the Atlas Network, which lauds the institute’s influence in achieving this outcome.
“The website does, however, fail to mention the myriad of proven and plainly false claims and the use of ‘misleading fear tactics’ as part of their campaign, which was so strongly aligned with that of the Abbott opposition, now in government.
“They lied to the Australian people, they lied so that polluters and miners could make even more money at the expense of the Australian people and our precious environment,” said Mr. Ritter.
The Templeton Freedom award winner will be announced at the Atlas Freedom Dinner in New York on 12 November.
“If the IPA win the award, we look forward to finding out which charity they will give the money to, and the full and immediate disclosure of this on their website,” he said.
ENDS
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