The Australian Greens have accused polluters of an "ugly attack" on Hollywood star Cate Blanchett, who has come out in a new television advertising campaign in support of a carbon tax.
Nine organisations - including Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Climate Change Institute - have launched TV ads with Blanchett and fellow Australian actor Michael Caton calling for the public to "say yes" to cutting carbon pollution.
But Blanchett's involvement has drawn criticism from some who say she can afford to support the tax because she is wealthy.
The Australian Greens say big polluters are behind the criticism.
"I think it's time the coal companies started playing the ball, not the woman," Greens MP Adam Bandt told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.
"I think this is an extraordinarily ugly attack from the defenders of enormous pollution in Australia and it's time they engaged in the debate in a constructive way."
Greens Senator Christine Milne said she was delighted by the new campaign.
"It has been quite an unbalanced debate for quite some time, so it's terrific to see that level of activity now in the media, out in an advertising campaign," Senator Milne said.
Senator Milne said it was courageous for Ms Blanchett and others to take a stand.
"That's something that we all admire," she said.
Front page
RSS Feed