Queensland Conservation 166 Ann St, Brisbane, QLD 4000
ABN: 89 717 887 219
Ph: 07 3221 0188
Fax: 07 3229 7992
reception@qccqld.org.au
For Immediate Release 30 October 2009
Old King Coal Not Wearing any Clothes
Like the fabled Emperor who tried to convince his people to admire his new suit when
in fact it did not exist, the coal industry has been trying to convince the Queensland
community that it too has a set of new, clean clothes.
‘The coal industries new clothes is so called ‘clean coal’. It’s unproven, won’t lower
emissions and now, according to the Commonwealth, not commercially viable,’ said
Toby Hutcheon, Executive Director of Queensland Conservation (QCC)
‘It is becoming increasingly clear that Old King Coal is not wearing any clothes.’
A growing number of astute observers and members of the community have been
questioning and challenging both the validity and scheduling of clean coal technology
for years. Yesterday, the Rudd Government’s own
Carbon Capture and Storage
Institute
joined that challenge. It concluded that clean coal was not commercially
viable and only worked if Government subsidised its development ‘on a field of
dreams’ basis.
‘Challenging the value of so called clean coal started as a protest became a clamour
and is now becoming a community movement. It’s-the-Old-King-Coal-is-not-wearing-
any-clothes-movement.’ said Hutcheon
Queensland environment organisations support a phase out of coal production in
Queensland, on the condition that it takes place alongside a just transition for
workers in affected industries here and overseas.
‘It’s time for Government to recognise that coal represents the past, and construct a
new agenda based upon renewable energy and green jobs for the future.’
For More Info: Toby Hutcheon 07 3221 0188/0419 664 503
Media Release
NEWS 
