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. 

The Morrison Government’s new environment-wrecking laws do not have enough support to pass the parliament the Senate Inquiry report into the legislation released this afternoon shows.

The Greens, Labor and crossbench senators Patrick, Lambie and Griff all declared their opposition to the Bill leaving just the Morrison Government and One Nation in support.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The Morrison Government’s environment-wrecking laws are dead in the water. 

The Greens are warning water ministers not to put up the white flag on saving the Murray-Darling Basin and the environmental flows needed to secure its future at tomorrow’s Ministerial Council meeting. 

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Environment and Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Water Ministers must not go to tomorrow’s meeting waving a white flag on saving the Murray-Darling Basin and the environmental flows needed to secure its future.

A koala census won’t save our national treasure and a moratorium on the clearing of critical habitat is still urgently needed, the Greens say.

Responding to the Environment Minister’s announcement today of a koala census to identify key habitat, Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“A koala census won’t save our national treasure from the Morrison Government.

The Greens have slammed the two-week Senate Inquiry into major environment law reforms labelling it a ‘sham’ and are calling on the crossbench to refuse to pass the bill this year. 

The Greens are also urging the Environment Minister to immediately release the final report into the 10-year-review of Australia’s environment laws, which was handed to her by Professor Graeme Samuel on October 31.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

The Greens are backing a High Court challenge to fight for South Australia's water and the Murray-Darling Basin if the Federal Government won't deliver it on time.

Greens Senator for South Australia and Environment and Water Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said:

"South Australia needs to stand up to the upstream states to save the Murray-Darling and fight for our state and our environment.

"If the Federal Government won’t deliver the water needed and promised we should fight for it in the High Court.

Today’s report showing two trillion litres of water is missing from the Murray-Darling Basin shows the Liberal-National Government has mismanaged the River and set it on a trajectory to a slow trickle and ultimately death, the Greens say.

Greens Water Spokesperson and Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The report by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists today is devastating.

“Two trillion litres of water is missing. Why? Because of theft, corruption, corporate greed, floodplain harvesting, mismanagement and lack of action on climate change.

The Greens have called on the Morrison Government to rule out lifting a ban on the importation of exotic parrot species into Australia.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“In the middle of a global pandemic caused by a zoonotic disease, the Federal Government should be banning the trade of wildlife, not making it easier.

“The science is well established on the link between wildlife consumption and the transfer of zoonotic diseases to humans.

The Greens are calling on the South Australian Government to guarantee the state won’t lose a single gigalitre of water allocated to it under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan after a feasibility study into SA’s desalination plant showed the Liberal Party was gearing up to cut SA’s allocation. 

Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The feasibility study – released more than a year after it was conducted – shows the Liberals have been gearing up to cut SA’s River Murray allocation permanently.

The Greens have welcomed the intervention from NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean who has broken ranks today with the Federal Government over plans to weaken environment laws.  The Greens Environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on the Federal Labor Party to rule out supporting the Morrison Government’s fast-track legislation that puts the environment at further risk.

“Minister Matt Kean is to be congratulated for standing up for the environment and calling out his Federal Liberal colleagues,” Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said today.