The Government’s “native fish plan” is akin to shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic, the Greens say.

Research released today by The Australia Institute showing taxpayers are funding private dams for big business, further proves corporate corruption is killing the Murray Darling Basin and inflicting further suffering on farming communities, the Greens say.

“Corporate irrigators are ripping off the River, ripping off their neighbours and ripping off the taxpayer,” Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Federal Environment Minister has again delayed the assessment of flora and fauna species’ threat status in a move that could determine the survival of these species, including the Australian Sea Lion, the Greens say.

The report in Guardian Australia today that the NSW Government is considering laws to stop courts and planners blocking coalmines on climate grounds shows why our federal environment laws need fixing, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for Media Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to the Federal Attorney-General’s directive to the Commonwealth DPP that journalists not be charged without his approval:

“Journalists should not be charged for doing their jobs full stop.

The South Australian Government has ignored the most damning elements of the Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission in its response finally released yesterday, the Greens say.

The Government has again failed family farms and River communities by opposing a bill to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Murray-Darling Basin, the Greens say.

David Littleproud is a climate change denier and is not fit to serve as minister for water resources, drought, natural disaster and emergency management. He must resign as minister and, if he will not, then the Prime Minister must intervene and remove him, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

The Federal Government has put up the white flag on the Murray Darling Basin crisis, the Greens say.

The Greens have called for an urgent moratorium on water barons and non-water users buying up water while the Murray-Darling Basin remains in crisis and farmers and communities fear more mass fish-deaths this summer.