The Australian Greens are urging the Senate to block the Abbott Government's bill to gut public enforcement of environment law now being debated in the Lower House.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and environment and climate change spokesperson, said:

"Tony Abbott and George Brandis want to put big mining companies above the law and stop Australians who care about the environment and climate from upholding the law.

The Australian Greens will move amendments in the Lower House today to stop the Abbott Government from ripping up threatened species protection.

“The Abbott Government wants to remove the community’s right to take the government to court if it ignores expert advice on threatened species impacts when approving major developments, like massive mines and coal ports,” Adam Bandt, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, said. 

Tony Abbott's double dissolution agenda and secret policy revealed today would be a disaster for the climate and the environment, Greens Deputy Leader, Adam Bandt MP and environment spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said today.
 
Labor needs to give a clear commitment before the election that they won't be spooked into caving in to the Abbott agenda because of the double dissolution threat, Mr Bandt said.
 

Greens MP and Federal Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt has said that he is greatly concerned about the suggestion from the Victorian Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, that Melbourne CBD can expend relentlessly in height and density. "

Focussing on height instead of community needs will make Melbourne a worse place to live", Mr Bandt said.

"We're already cramming people into the inner-city without providing enough community facilities, affordable housing, public transport or open space."

Greens MP Adam Bandt has welcomed a decision by Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to reject the Victorian government plan to graze cattle in the Alpine National Park.

Mr Bandt said the decision was the culmination of a hard fought campaign and that he would no longer proceed with his bill to outlaw grazing in the national park.

"This is the right decision by the Minister and a victory for the campaign led by the Victorian National Parks Association."

Greens MP and industry spokesperson, Adam Bandt, says future assistance to the car industry needs to drive innovation and a shift to electric vehicles if an Australian car industry is to survive.

Minister Carr and car companies can't just blame the high dollar for job cuts. They must take responsibility for their failure to adapt to the new market.

"The car industry needs to go green if it is to survive," Mr Bandt said.

While the Gillard Labor government continues to short-change Tasmania, both the Australian Greens' leader and deputy leader are Tasmanian.

"Nationwide, Australians can look forward to continued effective representation by the Greens whether it's seeking a fairer tax burden for big corporations to fund health, education, public transport or clean energy technologies and national dental health care," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart today.

Thursday, 13 October 2011

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters, Senators for Western Australia Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam, and Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt spoke to the media about the Australian Greens National Conference in Fremantle, WA.

Topics included the allocation of preferences, the environmental threats posed by developments in the Kimberley, and the Nationals' call for a "discussion paper" on coal seam gas.