Senator MILNE (Tasmania-Leader of the Australian Greens) (18:03): I rise today to take note of the honourable Greg Hunt's letter relating to the Gunns pulp mill and, most particularly, the call that the Senate made to commit to maintaining the environmental requirement that excludes wood sourced from native forests from being used as feedstock for any pulp mill.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, explains why there will be no global market for the wood sourced from Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area following the Abbott government's ideological attack on forests.

The Australian Government will continue to receive independent advice on climate policy and the RET, now the Greens in the Senate have blocked the abolition of the independent Climate Change Authority.

"It's ridiculous that Tony Abbott is blocking action on global warming, and undermining renewable energy, by rejecting the experts who can tell him how to maximise opportunities," said Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne.

The Australian Greens say the Abbott government's RET review is a thinly veiled attack on solar and wind energy in favour of coal energy.

"Reducing our clean energy quota will not make electricity cheaper, it will just make it dirtier," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"All this hyperventilating we are seeing about energy prices is despite the fact that renewable energy has actually driven down wholesale prices in Australia.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, questions the Abbott Government on the impact of the South Korean free trade agreement on the future of the car manufacturing industry in Australia.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne today launched the Greens candidate for the Griffith by-election, Geoff Ebbs, saying the by-election would be a test of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's leadership and his secretive government.

"Despite his secretive government, Tony Abbott's true agenda of driving harsh budget cuts and environmental vandalism at the reef and in our forests has been exposed," Senator Milne said.

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The Australian Greens say they will not allow the Prime Minister's ideological rejection of global warming and kowtowing to the IPA to dictate energy policy and doom Australia to a rust bucket economy.

"Tony Abbott is last century's man on energy policy," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"The Prime Minister's ideological aversion to renewable energy is dangerous because by putting coal first, he will inflict upon the country stranded fossil fuel assets, runaway global warming and a rust bucket economy.

The Australian Greens say the Prime Minister's announcement of a $100 million fund for Victoria and South Australia is no guarantee of future jobs after the closure of Holden factories.

"The Prime Minister's fund is a band-aid on a massive wound in the Victorian and South Australian economies," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"This announcement does nothing to counter the fact that the economy will be driven backwards in the south-eastern states when the Prime Minister and Treasurer continue with savage cuts in upcoming budgets.

The Australian Greens celebrate saving the Clean Energy Finance Corporation today in the Senate and will continue to do everything they can to make it permanent. Next task is to stop Tony Abbott and Greg Hunt dismantling the Climate Change Authority and clean energy laws.

"Tony Abbott's opposition to the CEFC is pure ideological spite. The evidence supporting it is overwhelming. It is reducing emissions, rolling out renewable energy and saving the government money," said Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne.