The Abbott Government's 'one-stop-shop' environmental standards, released today, weaken community consultation rights and abandon federal environmental responsibilities, say the Australian Greens.

"Not only does the Abbott Government want to wash its hands of federal environment protection but it's trying to silence the community in the process," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson and environmental lawyer, said.

The Abbott Government has today delayed making information public about whether the Environment Minister was aware of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s internal warnings against approving the Abbot Point coal port expansion.

“The Greens’ request for this information was supported by the Senate and yet the Abbott Government, in its usual secretive style, has put off revealing the truth,” Senator Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Senate has passed the Greens’ proposal for a Senate Inquiry into the management of the Great Barrier Reef today.

“Our Great Barrier Reef is under more pressure than ever before with an onslaught of mining industrialisation and our inquiry will get all of the impacts out into the open,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens are moving for a Senate Inquiry into the management of the Great Barrier Reef and are calling on the other parties to support the inquiry.

“Our inquiry would examine whether the mounting threats to the Reef are being properly managed or whether pressure from the mining industry, driving the unprecedented industrialisation, will see the Reef’s demise,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Senate has passed the Greens’ order for production of documents today to establish whether the Environment Minister was aware of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s internal warnings against approving the Abbot Point coal port expansion.

Documents released under Freedom of Information show the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority internally found the Abbot Point coal port expansion would cause irreversible damage that would be impossible to offset.

The Australian Greens firmly support the World Commission on Protected Areas in calling on the Abbott government to stop threatening our national parks and World Heritage Areas.

“Tony Abbott’s agenda of environmental vandalism is an attack on our precious native plants, animals and ecosystems. It is a national embarrassment and the world is watching,” Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said. 

The Australian Greens are alarmed by reports today that Coca-Cola Amatil is continuing to extract thousands of litres of groundwater which is draining water from the creeks, streams and waterfalls of Springbrook National Park.

“This is a precious World Heritage Area and big business is reportedly being allowed to suck it dry for private profit,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

Anglo American’s decision, to join BHP, Rio Tinto and Lend Lease in pulling out of the Abbot Point coal terminal, is further evidence the project is economically unviable as well as environmentally disastrous.

“With the coal price dropping, the Abbot Point coal port is becoming as toxic to investors as it is to the Great Barrier Reef itself,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.           

The Australian Greens are alarmed by reports today that the Abbott Government is cutting another 200 jobs from the federal Environment Department and gutting the department’s responsibility to assess damaging developments.

“Tony Abbott is gutting the Commonwealth’s ability to assess damaging developments so that his big mining buddies can get away with whatever they want,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens have secured support for a Senate Inquiry into environmental offsets used by the federal government in approving developments.

“We’re seeing offsets being used more and more as an excuse for governments to tick and flick environmentally damaging projects for the big mining companies,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

“Often these offsets are so unrealistic that they’re impossible to deliver on.