In the Senate today the Abbott Government refused to rule out federal funding for Galilee Basin coal mines, ports and railways, by denying a vote on a Greens’ motion.

“We have the Newman Government trying to flog off public assets to give away money to  the big mining companies to destroy our Great Barrier Reef and climate.

At the state election, Queenslanders will not allow Campbell Newman’s plan, reported today, to sell off our public assets and give the proceeds to big mining companies to destroy our Great Barrier Reef and climate.  

“Campbell Newman wants to sell off Queenslanders’ public assets and give that money to mining magnates, like Clive Palmer, to prop up a dying industry that’s destroying our Reef and climate,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The first hearing of the Queensland Senate Inquiry on the Gold Coast today shows why Tony Abbott’s plan to hand federal environmental approval powers to the Newman Government would be a disaster.

“From the Gold Coast’s beaches, to its hinterland, and residential areas in between, the Newman Government is attacking locals’ favourite spots,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

An international report out today, ‘The Fossil Fuel bailout: G20 subsidies for oil, gas and coal exploration’, shows the Abbott Government is giving the big mining companies billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies.                                                                   

The Australian Greens congratulate community campaigns to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which have brought about Labor’s change of policy on offshore dumping today.

“Finally Labor has realised that Australians will not accept dumping in our Reef, after Labor failed to refuse the Abbot Point dumping and approved the Gladstone Harbour dumping disaster when in government,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens congratulate the Douglas Shire Council for becoming a Lock the Gate supportive shire and opposing coal seam gas.  

“This is wonderful news. It’s excellent to see a local council in Queensland taking leadership to protect their community’s land, water and climate from the big mining companies,” Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

“For such an incredibly biodiverse, unique area, which attracts so much tourism, coal seam gas would be disastrous for Douglas Shire.

The Abbott Government is ignoring science, economic reality and global health impacts in its push to export coal through the Great Barrier Reef, as demonstrated in Question Time in the Senate today.          

Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, questioned Minister Cormann, who was representing the Minister for the Environment.

The Australian Greens welcome Australian Academy of Science’s strong warning today that the Abbott and Newman governments’ Reef 2050 Plan fails to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

“The science is clear – the Abbott and Newman governments’ plan for our Great Barrier Reef grossly fails this World Heritage Area,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Abbott Government is so desperate to please its big business buddies that it’s making out like there’s progress on the one-stop shop, when actually it’s dead.

“It’s utterly bizarre that the Abbott Government keeps talking about the one-stop shop today, when it’s not even included in its repeal day bill

“The Abbott Government knows that its enabling legislation for the one-stop shop is in the Senate and the Greens have secured the numbers to stop it.