The Greens have backed the call by civil society organisations today for the Morrison Government to drop their plans to outlaw environmental and consumer boycotts.

Their call follows the PM’s announcement to the coal lobby last month that he would introduce new laws crack down on environmental boycott campaigns.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the PM’s plan was an attack on basic democratic rights.

Australian Governments must do more to keep UNESCO from declaring the Great Barrier Reef ‘in danger’ including bold action on climate change and water quality, according to the Greens.
 
Co-deputy leader and Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters said, “The Reef report out today is an exercise in spin and not enough work has been done to ensure the natural icon’s long-term survival.
 
“The World Heritage Committee gave Australia homework four years ago, to show why the Reef shouldn’t be listed as “in danger”.
 

Greens Senator for South Australia and Spokesperson for the Environment Sarah Hanson-Young has welcomed the news Karoon Gas is relinquishing its exploration permit in the Great Australian Bight and called on Norwegian oil giant Equinor to do the same.

“Karoon pulling out of the Bight is a welcome and important move,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“Turning the Bight into an oilfield will never get the green light from the community.

The Australian Greens have responded to Scott Morrison’s appalling decision to allow Minister Angus Taylor to continue serving in his role while under active police investigation, saying that it shows the Prime Minister is deep in denial.

Quote attributable to Greens spokesperson for the climate crisis and energy, Adam Bandt MP:

“Scott Morrison is deep in denial.

“The PM has thrown integrity overboard to hang on to a 1 seat majority on the floor of Parliament.

Big oil copped another blow to their plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight today, with the government agency NOPSEMA, rejecting Norwegian company Equinor’s application requiring them to modify and resubmit their environment plan.

Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has spoken to the tragedy of bushfires in her state and the Prime Minister's shameful silence on the the link between bushfires and the climate emergency. Senator Faruqi said:

"My heart goes out to the communities utterly devastated by the tragedy of losing their loved ones and their homes. It’s also horrendous to see hundreds of koalas dead and the bush destroyed.

Acting Greens leader Adam Bandt MP and Greens spokesperson for Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, have called on Scott Morrison to show some climate leadership and offer to host the upcoming crucial COP25 Climate Summit.
 
COP25 was due to be held in a fortnight in Santiago, however Chile has withdrawn from hosting due to ongoing civil unrest.

The Environment Minister is in denial about the extinction crisis and plans to use the review of Australia’s environment laws to water them down in favour of big miners and developers, the Greens say.

“The current laws are not working to protect our animals or the environment. This Review should be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix them,” Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Greens have backed today’s call by more than 240 conservation scientists for stronger environment laws and for the broken system which is failing to prevent the extinction crisis to be fixed.

“The Greens will fight for stronger laws to protect the environment and save our endangered animals,” Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Federal Government has today refused to rule out the privatisation of National Parks for high-end resorts, again putting the interests of their rich mates ahead of everyday Australians and the environment, the Greens say.

“Today I called on the Government to honour the century old Australian ethos that National Parks should be for the people and not for private high end resorts which exclude ordinary Australians and devalue prime park qualities, and they refused,” Greens spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.