New laws that would require climate impacts and carbon emissions to be assessed before large-scale projects are given environmental approval have been introduced into the Senate today.

The ‘Climate Trigger’ Bill would ensure mining, drilling and large-scale land clearing projects would need to be assessed on whether they make climate change worse.

Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who introduced the Bill said a federal climate trigger was long overdue.

The Australian Greens have slammed Scott Morrison's cabinet reshuffle, which further cements the climate denialism of this government.

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:

"Moving Keith Pitt, a nuke-loving climate denier, back onto the front bench makes the intentions of this government even clearer.

"We are in a climate emergency but this Prime Minister shamefully thinks it's appropriate to put on the frontbench a man who previously quit cabinet over opposition to the Paris Agreement.

Reports of a mass koala massacre in Victoria by a private logging company require an urgent independent investigation, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she had written to the Victorian and Federal Environment Ministers asking them to investigate and explain the gruesome footage that had emerged showing hundreds of koalas bulldozed to their deaths at a bluegum plantation.

The Greens have backed the community groups taking legal action to challenge the government regulator’s (NOPSEMA) initial approval of Norwegian oil giant Equinor’s plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight.

Senator for South Australia and Greens Environment Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said the environmental approval announcement last month was a devastating outcome for the tens of thousands of Australians deeply opposed to the project.

Chair of the Senate's Environment Committee Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has announced today she will move for the Faunal Extinction Inquiry to examine the impact of the catastrophic fires across the country on endangered wildlife and flora.

Senator Hanson-Young said the already-established Inquiry gave the Parliament an opportunity to immediately get on with what needs to be done to protect our native fauna and flora in the wake of the fires.

Reports today of another mass fish kill in NSW caused by ash and sediment from bushfires running into the Macleay River, is the disaster experts had been warning about and needs an urgent response from water ministers, the Greens say. 

Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“I wrote to state and federal Water and Environment Ministers yesterday urging them to meet as a matter of urgency to coordinate a joint effort across fire-affected states to ensure safe, clean water supply.

The Federal Government’s announcement of $50million to wildlife affected by the bushfire crisis is nowhere near enough and should be at least ten times as much, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said with more than a billion native animals reportedly impacted and killed in the catastrophic fires across the country and millions of hectares of habitat burnt, $50million won’t go far.

“When Celeste Barber can raise as much money as the Federal Government has committed to this tragedy, it shows their heart’s not in it,” she said.

Australia urgently needs a National Water Pollution Plan with clean water looming as the next crisis as a result of the catastrophic fires across the country, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said experts were already warning of the threat to drinking water.

“The unprecedented fires we are seeing across the country are putting Australia’s clean water supply at risk. I’m very worried clean drinking water is the next looming crisis,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

The Federal Environment Minister is missing in action despite reports that more than a billion native animals have been impacted and killed in the catastrophic fires across Australia and millions of hectares of habitat burnt, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“We are in the midst of environmental collapse and the Minister responsible is missing in action. The climate fires have caused an ecological disaster. Entire species may have been wiped out.

The Greens have called on the Prime Minister to establish a ‘Fighting Fund’ for the environment to restore and protect the flora and fauna decimated by the climate fires. 

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“We are facing half a billion animals lost from these fires right across the country and millions of hectares of habitat destroyed impacting survival and recovery of native species that are left.

“We need a fighting fund to restore the environment.