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Rudd, not Hatoyama, issues warrant against whale heroes
The Australian Federal Police search warrant used to raid the Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin when it docked in Hobart this morning alleges breaches of Australian law, not Japanese law, Greens Leader Bob Brown told the welcoming crowd that had gathered to greet the ship.
"The spineless Rudd government has laid charges, including throwing of rancid butter, but the Shonan Maru 2's ‘sinking' of the whale-protection boat Ady Gil, threatening the lives of six crew members, is not mentioned," Senator Brown said.
"Tokyo has taken over Australia's Antarctic seas and whales and now it controls events in Hobart."
Minister Wong must clarify: Is it already too late to get a Green Loan?
The Greens are today calling on the new Minister responsible for Green Loans, Minister Wong, to immediately clarify whether or not it is already too late for Australian householders to get a Green Loan.
With a huge number of householders still awaiting the paperwork needed to secure a loan, lending institutions across the country have already stopped processing loans, well ahead of the public March 22 deadline for loans to end.
"I've received a flood of calls and emails from both householders and assessors deeply troubled and frustrated by the confusion surrounding the remnants of the Green Loans debacle," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
Senate censures Government over climate program mishandling
The Senate has passed a censure motion moved by Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown over the Rudd Government's mishandling of climate change programs.
An amended version of the censure motion moved by Senator Brown today was passed by the Greens and the Coalition and will now be conveyed to the House of Representatives.
This is the first time a formal censure of the Government has been passed by the Senate since 2005.
Confirmed: Indonesian fish stocks contaminated by Montara oil
Concerns repeatedly raised by the Australian Greens that Indonesian fishing grounds were contaminated by oil from last year’s Montara oil spill have been confirmed, following testing of an oil sample submitted to the Montara oil spill inquiry by Australian Greens Senator for WA Rachel Siewert.
“We first raised concerns in October that communities in Indonesia who rely on fish for food were being affected by this oil spill,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“The response by the Rudd Government at the time was to play the reports down.
Radioactive Waste Dump: Territory still the target
The Government has foreshadowed the introduction of legislation to repeal the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act, but left Muckaty Station outside Tenant Creek as the most likely target for the national radioactive waste dump.
"If Resources Minister Martin Ferguson is serious when he says, ‘there is no pre-determined site outcome' and that he is putting in place proper processes for site selection, then he should scrap Muckaty and start from scratch, then we've got half a chance of an honest process," said Greens spokesperson on nuclear issues Senator Scott Ludlam.
"The nomination of Muckaty Station as a site for the dump was only possible under the Radioactive Waste Management Amendment Act (2006) - which the ALP opposed, and described as ‘a major attack on the rights of Traditional Owners and an abuse of power?'
Brown to pressure Parliament on illegal timber imports
Greens Leader Bob Brown will put more pressure on the Federal Government to stop illegal timber imports with a motion calling for a ban.
Senator Brown will put a notice of motion to the Senate on Monday 22nd calling on the Government to prohibit the import of illegally logged timber products, similar to the legislated ban in the United States of America.
"The Prime Minister is nearly three years late in following up his 2007 election campaign to ban the import of illegal timber," said Senator Brown.
Greens will move in Senate to ban triazines
The Australian Greens will move in the Senate to ban the use of triazines until the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) can demonstrate that they are safe to use.
The consistent failure of successive Tasmanian governments over 20 years to deal with the human health and environmental impacts of triazine contamination means it is time for the federal government to step in and require the Tasmanian government to conduct rigorous analysis to determine water quality in every catchment.
"Triazines are banned throughout Europe because of their impact on public health and the environment, yet they are still allowed to be used in Australia," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.
Garrett in damage control over Green Loans
Peter Garrett's announcement this morning of an external audit into the Green Loans Scheme is a thinly disguised move to take pressure off his department during Senate Estimates hearings today and avert the threat of an Auditor General's investigation.
"After pretending for months that nothing was wrong, Minister Garrett is now in damage control over the Green Loans debacle," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.
"Minister Garrett's office has been inundated with complaints about this scheme for months, but it is only under the shadow of a prospective Auditor General's investigation and Senate Estimates hearings that the Minister has finally engaged.
Uranium contamination from Kakadu mine 5400 times background
Environmental regulators for the office of the Supervising Scientist admitted to a Senate Estimates committee today that water with uranium concentrations 5400 times background and a cocktail of other radionuclides are seeping from beneath the tailings dam at the Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu National Park.
The Office of the Supervising Scientist acknowledged to Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam that the contamination was occurring, and said that the estimated amount of 100,000 litres per day was based on modelling and not measurement.
"The biggest surprise is that despite knowing about this leakage for years, the regulators don't know how much is seeping, where it is going, or how highly contaminated it is. The regulator suggested that directly sampling this contaminated water would be 'impractical.' I suggest that it is now essential."
Greens call for end to Aussie spy planes aiding Japanese whaling
The Australian Greens today introduced a private Senators Bill to ban any form of Australian assistance to Japanese whaling, such as the use of spy planes.
"My Bill creates a new offence making it unlawful to provide services, support or resources to an organisation engaged in whaling so the Australian government and local companies can no longer assist Japan's brutal whaling regime," said Australian Greens whaling spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert.
"Many Australians were appalled when it was revealed that Australian air services were used by a company with connections to the whalers to assist in this summer's slaughter.
