Tony Abbott has reaffirmed his status as an environmental vandal today by inviting state governments to take over federal environment protection responsibilities, with media reports that New South Wales is joining Queensland in signing up.

"Prime Minister Abbott is pushing ahead with his destruction of federal environment protection to leave national icons like the Great Barrier Reef in the hands of his environmentally negligent state cronies," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The federal and Queensland governments' new agreement to hand federal environment protection powers to the state government, reported on today, will devastate the state's natural assets, say the Australian Greens.

"So much of Queensland's iconic environment has been deemed to have national significance, like our Great Barrier Reef and our ancient rainforests, and for more than 30 years places like this have had special federal protection," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens said Tony Abbott's plan to devolve environment approval powers to the states so he can push through damaging developments is environmentally reckless.

"Tony Abbott is focused on destroying the environment in the fastest possible timeframe by handing over environmental powers to the states in a bid to fast track mining applications," Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said.

Tony Abbott’s planned one-stop-shop for development approvals, announced today to begin in Tasmania, is code for fast-tracking damaging mega projects across the country, say the Australian Greens.

The Australian Greens will vote against Tony Abbott's expanded plans to gut environment protection, announced today.

"Not only does Tony Abbott want to put state governments in complete control of national environment protections, he now wants to slash state environment protections as well," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

"Buried in Tony Abbott's policy document announced today are plans for a complete review of all state and federal environment protections to identify anything ‘unworkable'.

The Australian Greens are urging the Gillard Government to support the Greens amendments to the water trigger bill, which is being debated in the Senate today, that would Abbott-proof national environment protection, protect national parks, give landholders the right to refuse coal seam gas and regulate shale and tight gas.

"The Greens amendments to the water bill are Labor's last chance to Abbott-proof national environment protection," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson said.

Yet again Labor is demonstrating that it cannot be trusted to care for the environment, the Australian Greens said today.

"Julia Gillard is taking on Tony Abbott's agenda of slashing jobs from the public service." Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"First the Climate Change Department and now the Department of Sustainability and the Environment - Tony Abbott will be grinning.

 “In senate debate today, the government made it clear that it will not lift a finger to stop Tony Abbott from handing over federal environment protection to his state cronies, who have let the coal seam gas industry run rampant,” Senator Larissa Waters, the Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

“It’s great that the Gillard Government has finally decided to consider the devastating effects of coal seam gas on water resources through national environment law.

All around the country, Australians are taking action in the week leading up to the December 7 COAG meeting, to stop the Australian Government from gutting environment protection and handing over their powers to pro-mining states.
 
At the West End Markets in South Brisbane today, Australian Greens Queensland Senator Larissa Waters called on all Australians to join the Greens in standing up for precious places and wildlife.