The Liberal Party’s piecemeal promises on the environment will not undo the damage their billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies have done to our natural world, the Greens say.

“This is way too little, way too late from the Liberal Government. Today’s offering is a drop in the ocean to try and appease voters in Victoria rather than properly investing in environmental restoration and tackling dangerous climate change,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Greens’ are putting protecting and restoring our environment front and centre for the 2019 election campaign.

“The Government would have you believe that we face a choice between our economy and our environment,” Leader of the Australian Greens, Dr Richard Di Natale said.

“But we all know that in the long-term a strong economy and thriving community depend on a safe environment and stable climate.

The fish kill report underlines that the environment must be put first and we need a royal commission to fix the management of the Murray Darling Basin before it is too late.

“Water allocations and licenses must be changed in order to make sure there is enough water in the river when flows are low. To do this the parliament must lift the freeze on water buybacks and reinstate the ability to purchase water for the environment,”

Barnaby Joyce should be blaming his party’s consistent backing of corporate cotton for his electoral woes, not water flowing into South Australia, the Greens say.

“Barnaby Joyce and the Nationals will defend their corporate cotton grower mates to the bitter end. They only have themselves to blame for their NSW election blowout, as much as they want to pin it on South Australia,” Greens water and environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are renewing calls for a federal Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin following the conviction of a NSW cotton grower who stole water from the river.

“The conviction of Anthony Barlow, who has admitted to stealing water from the river, should send shock waves through big corporate irrigators throughout the Murray Darling Basin. The river is in crisis, a Royal Commission is sorely needed to clean out the rot and hold those responsible to account,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Reports that the Federal Government has not kept track of threatened species recovery shows the need for the Greens’ proposal to strengthen environmental laws and establish a National Environment Commission.

“We need to get serious about threatened species recovery. The days of throwing small amounts of money at pet projects without any follow through must end. A National Environment Commission would ensure that threatened species recovery was prioritised and tracked,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are committed to real protection and restoration of our environment, backed up by solid investment and a plan to make Australia a climate hero, not a climate villain.

“The environment has been ignored by successive governments. We are seeing mass species extinction, habitat loss and the degradation of our national landscape and waterways. It is time to give the environment the protection and value it deserves,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The ANU scientific report into water efficiency infrastructure is another piece of scathing evidence showing the Murray Darling Basin Plan is failing, the Greens say.

“Billions of dollars that was meant to be spent saving the River has instead been handed to big irrigators and has left the environment in collapse. This report from the ANU is yet more evidence that the Plan to save the river is not working,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Liberal Government has a long way to go, with much stronger action and more funds required, if it stands a chance of convincing voters it has a credible environment policy, the Greens say.

“A mere $22 million for conservation projects won’t go far in offsetting the damage the Liberal Government’s policies have done to the environment. We need strong action, and funding, from the Government if we are going to help restore the environment,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Minister for Mining and Resources Matt Canavan has been exposed for lying about any oil from the Great Australian Bight staying in Australia.

“While Matt Canavan has told the public Equinor would keep oil in Australia, the company has denied it. Equinor’s polite rebuke of the Minister’s comments on ABC this morning expose the flimsy spin from the Morrison Government,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.