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.

Despite Federal Government approval for the Santos Narrabri gas field, the community still has two years to stop the project and save Narrabri, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP says.

Santos has until 2022 to decide whether to proceed with the project following an 18 month appraisal phase.

With the project not stacking up economically, environmentally, or against our obligation to stop global warming, the Greens say pressure must be kept on the government and Santos to not proceed.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:

Today’s federal approval of Santos’ Narrabri gasfields will do untold damage to our ability to keep global warming to 2 degrees, the Australian Greens have said. 

Instead of accepting gas expansion through a flawed planning process, the Greens have called for a green recovery - with public investment in clean energy, renewables, and green hydrogen.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:

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.

Last week I visited Port Stephens to meet with community members who have been raising the plight of koalas in the area, in particular the destruction of 52 hectares of prime koala habitat for expanding the Brandy Hill quarry. Thank you to Brandy Hill & Seaham Action Group, Port Stephens Koalas, EcoNetwork and countless people who have been campaigning with passion, with commitment and with resilience to save our irreplaceable wildlife. They are rightly concerned about the irreversible loss of koala habitat and koalas in this area if this mine expansion is allowed to go ahead.

Instead of investing in Australia's future, the Morrison government is choosing inequality and climate collapse in its federal budget. The federal budget to be handed down tonight is many things. I'll start by saying that it's a real contradiction. After last year's big proclamation that we were back in the black, after years of highly misleading and incorrect assertions that surpluses are all the evidence we need of good economic management, we are staring down the barrel of an enormous deficit.