While the significant rainfall we have seen in the Northern Murray Darling Basin over the past few weeks has given much needed relief to communities, the failure to develop an independent national authority to manage the river system as a whole, is now another missed opportunity by the Federal Government to help save the Lower Murray, Lakes and Coorong.
With no national authority with the teeth to manage water sharing agreements and act as an umpire between the states, the lower stretches of the Murray and the environment will continue to miss out on the drink they need.
South Australia's Lower Lakes are at crisis point and need the full attention of the federal government. Fair water sharing could have seen the recent rainfall in northern Australia offer the environmental allocation the Lower Lakes need. Saving this internationally significant site is not a job for South Australia alone, and the Federal Government must take responsibility for driving its protection.
The Greens will continue to campaign for the Government to take action.
Sarah Hanson-Young, 7th January 2010
Racism does exist in Australia
This week has seen tensions between Australia and India escalate, following yet another attack on an international student. Indian authorities have issued a travel warning about increased violence in Melbourne. The Australian Government is in damage control.
While police investigations into the fatal attack of accounting graduate Nitin Garg in Melbourne and the discovery of the body of an unidentified Indian student in NSW are ongoing, the motives behind these attacks remain unclear.
What is certain however is that there is growing disquiet about the way our international guests have been treated. Yet, our Deputy PM, and the acting Premier of Victoria have been quick to dismiss the possibility that racism may have been a factor in why these young people were targeted, attacked and killed.
While it's too soon to determine exactly what happened, to simply rule out the possibility that racism was involved is neither good leadership nor smart diplomacy in an environment of increased violence.
Sarah Hanson-Young, 26th November 2009
LGBTI rights overseas “too complex” for Senate?
Sarah Hanson-Young, 28th October 2009Income Support for Students
Sarah Hanson-Young, 27th October 2009Education Services for Overseas Students
Sarah Hanson-Young, 16th October 2009Facing up to climate change
Protecting the climate is a job for everyone
Australia can, must and will meet 40% cuts by 2020. The Greens are confident that once we set off on the path to 25% cuts, delivered mostly at home, we can easily accelerate our effort towards 40% and beyond to carbon neutrality. Putting 25% on the table will see Australia taken seriously at the Copenhagen negotiations.
