Greens leader Adam Bandt has been ordered to delete a social media post he made against Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek because he feared it contained misinformation.
Mr. Bandt accused Ms. Plibersek in a Facebook post on Sunday of “fast-tracking” environmental crises and making “dodgy deals.”
The video suggested that Ms Plibersek bragged in Parliament about the accelerated approval of gas projects.
The videos then transitioned to harrowing videos of the various bushfires and floods that have hit Australia in recent years, with images of people and animals in distress as a result of the environmental disasters.
Daily Mail Australia understands that an MP has sought advice from the Serjeant-at-Arms and raised concerns about the content of the video.
Greens leader Adam Bandt has been ordered to delete a social media post he directed at Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek because he feared it was misinformation.
It then moved on to harrowing videos of the various bushfires and floods that have hit Australia in recent years, with images of people and animals in distress as a result of the environmental disasters.
That MP said in their complaint: ‘I am shocked that a Member of the House has misrepresented parliamentary procedure.
“The member has posted a video which I believe is in breach of the rules governing media-related activities in Parliament House and its grounds.”
According to the media code, photographs and images of parliamentary proceedings must be a fair and accurate representation of those proceedings and may not be digitally manipulated.
On March 25, just a day after the video was shared online, the Serjeant-at-Arms wrote to Mr Bandt’s office ordering it to be removed.
The offending video was still online Wednesday morning. It has since been pulled.
Ms Plibersek’s speech referenced in the video was actually a response to a question about how the government’s approval process is “helping to make Australia a renewable energy superpower”.
Ms Plibersek said in her response: ‘Since we came into government we have ticked off more than 45 renewable energy projects, and I have another 128 in front of me for review.’
She specifically referred to the approval of two wind farms that will generate enough electricity to power a total of 800,000 homes.
‘It is not just sustainable energy projects that we assess more quickly; it’s all those projects – it’s the housing projects, it’s the transportation projects and it’s the resource projects.
“We know… that renewable energy is both cleaner and cheaper.”
She specifically referred to the approval of two wind farms that will generate enough electricity to power a total of 800,000 homes.
But Mr Bandt told Daily Mail Australia the minister’s reference to “resource projects” angered him and prompted the post.
“It is shameful that the Environment Secretary has bragged about approving new fossil fuel projects during a climate crisis, and we will continue to hold her to account for her role in fast-tracking new coal and gas,” he said.
“The real environmental disinformation is pretending to care about climate action while approving new coal and gas mines that worsen the climate crisis. Labor are climate fraudsters, voting alongside Peter Dutton’s climate-denying Liberals to fast-track offshore gas projects, silence First Nations voices and sidestep environmental protections, all while pretending to care about the climate.
“At the next election, the Greens will notify Sydney residents of every coal and gas mine that Tanya Plibersek has approved as Environment Minister.”
The speech referenced in the video was actually a response to a question about how the approval process is ‘helping to make Australia a renewable energy superpower’
The Greens have railed against misinformation and disinformation in Australian politics and media.
They introduced a bill in June 2023 seeking to establish a Royal Commission into Murdoch-owned News Corp stores after raising concerns about misinformation.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said disinformation is a “growing threat to our democracy, whether spread through major social media platforms or by major multinational media companies, such as the Murdoch media.”
The Greens also called for a “truth commission” following the defeat of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, with opposition leader Peter Dutton accused of mounting “a corrosive disinformation campaign”.
“Peter Dutton is the master of disinformation, and there is an urgent need now for truth telling and healing,” Bandt said at the time.
“Peter Dutton sowed fear and division with a Trumpian disinformation campaign.”
Mr Bandt is also under pressure and accused of double standards over his use of private jets while pushing for tougher action on climate change.
Mr Bandt accused Ms Plibersek of “fast-tracking” environmental crises and making “dodgy deals” in a Facebook post posted on Sunday
Last month it was revealed that Mr Bandt had run up a bill of almost a million dollars in a year, including hundreds of thousands for printing and two private jet flights.
The anti-fossil fuel campaigner also claimed $12,000 on taxpayer-provided vehicle and petrol reimbursement plus $29,000 on government COMCAR rides and taxis, according to Treasury figures.
Despite his party’s core policy of reducing C02 emissions, Bandt used two private jets during the 2022 election campaign, delivering taxpayers the $23,000 bill.
One flight took place between Queensland regional centers of Townsville and Rockhampton on March 7.
However, he also took a $15,000 private plane along the well-traveled route from Brisbane to Canberra to attend the launch of his party’s election campaign.
During the year, Mr. Bandt also spent $57,000 on domestic flights for himself and an eye-watering $372,000 on travel expenses for his 21 employees.
Mr. Bandt’s $963,166 in expenses are in addition to his $314,000 salary and do not include the wages of his personal staff.