The Senate has today debated new laws introduced by the Australian Greens to save our koalas.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she will now move for a Senate Inquiry into the bill.

“The laws debated in the Senate today would stop land clearing of critical habitat and help save our koalas,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“This legislative move is absolutely vital to protecting our national treasure from extinction.

The Morrison Government’s leaked environmental standards make a mockery of the yearlong review into environment laws by Professor Graeme Samuel and condemn Australia’s environment to more destruction, the Greens say.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“This leaked document shows the Morrison Government’s plan is for more pollution and destruction of our environment and a death sentence for Australia’s koalas and wildlife. 

The Prime Minister must take the water portfolio out of the hands of the climate-denying National Party, the Greens say, after a Productivity Commission report released today calls on governments to recognise the impact of the climate crisis on water security. 

Greens Water Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“We’ve now got economists saying what scientists have been warning for years. The Federal Government needs to start preparing a water security plan that takes climate change seriously. 

The Greens have today introduced new laws to stop land clearing of critical habitat and save our koalas.

The legislative move would prevent the Federal Environment Minister from approving new mines or developments in koala habitat.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Koalas are a national treasure and yet the Environment Minister is not just failing to save them but she continuously signs their death warrant.

“Unless habitat clearing is stopped, koalas will soon be extinct.

Following threats from Google to withdraw services from Australia, the Greens have called on the Morrison Government to investigate the establishment of a publicly owned search engine.

“Google’s threat to shut down their search services if they don’t get the laws they want shows that the corporate giant has far too much power – not just over the market but across the community,” Greens spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Media and Communications has announced today the Greens will be seeking amendments to the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2020.

The Greens will be seeking amendments to the bill that:

The Greens are calling on the Morrison Government to implement stronger environment laws before we lose our precious nature and wildlife for good, after the release today of a scathing major review.  

Responding to the release of the final report from the once-in-ten-year review of Australia’s environment laws led by Professor Graeme Samuel, Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

The Greens have asked the Auditor-General to investigate the approval of the Yeelirrie uranium mine in Western Australia by former federal environment minister Melissa Price, after a damning ABC report this week showed a deeply flawed approval process.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wrote to the Auditor-General Grant Hehir on Thursday and requested his office consider the matter (letter attached).

Reforms to journalist and whistle-blower protections announced by the Federal Government today do not go far enough to protect journalists from raids on their homes or workplaces, the Greens say. 

Chair of the Senate’s Inquiry into Press Freedoms, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

Greens Spokesperson for Water and the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said today’s evaluation report by the Murray-Daring Basin Authority shows climate change and corporate greed are the biggest threats to Australia’s biggest river system.

“Today’s report highlights what the Greens have been saying all along, the climate crisis is plunging the Basin into hotter and drier conditions year after year, meaning water for the environment is crucial to survival of the Murray-Darling,” Senator Hanson-Young said.