10 September 2014

EPBC bilateral agreement with Tasmania

The Australian Greens have commented widely on the folly of the federal government handing over environmental approval powers to state governments, most recently in the Dissenting Report to the Senate Inquiry into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014.

Dear friends,

It's with great sadness that we have to inform you of the death of a valued colleague, friend and long-term Green: Jeremy Ball.

Jeremy was tragically killed in an accident with the log-truck at Carrick that has been reported in the media over the past 24 hours.

Jeremy was a long-term member and then after 2011 a supporter of the Greens, becoming active when he returned to Launceston in 2002 after years of working and living abroad.

Amid reports that Shree Minerals' Nelson Bay River mine is under investigation for breaching its federal environmental permit, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Abbott government must not proceed with plans to hand protection powers over to the state.

It's believed the Tasmanian Government amended its permit to allow the Nelson Bay River Mine to produce 20 times more acid-producing waste rock than originally planned, but the Federal Environment Department was not notified or given a chance to model the impacts on threatened species.

Any money left over from the Tasmanian Forests Agreement should be handed back to the federal government, not handed out to Paul Harriss’ forestry mates, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

“The Commonwealth gave Tasmania money for specific goals as part of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement,” Senator Milne said.

“The Minister has been clear that the Forest Agreement is dead. If that’s the case, then any leftover money from the agreement must be handed back to the federal government.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (12:55): I oppose the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill, which has been put forward by the Abbott government. It is the biggest systemic assault on the environment since the time that the Commonwealth took any responsibility for environmental decisions at the time of the Franklin dam. Why do I say that?

Renewable Energy
Senator MILNE (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:30): I move:
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to the Renewable Energy Target.

Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Milne) and Senators Singh and Bushby: To move—That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) there are almost half a million Australians living with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, many undiagnosed,

(ii) the serious health risks associated with Hepatitis B and C, in particular the risk of developing serious liver disease, and

(iii) that 1 000 Australians die each year from advanced liver disease due to untreated Hepatitis B or C; and

28 August 2014

Tasmanian brand trashed by logging decision

“The Legislative Council has trashed Tasmania’s brand by backing the government’s move to log our high conservation value forests,” Senator Christine Milne said today.

“Many Tasmanian businesses rely on our clean, green brand – turning the state into an industrial logging playground will trash it.

Christine Milne press conference,
Hobart, 24 August 2014

Federal budget impact on Tasmania

Federal budget impact on Tasmania