16 News

The Australian Greens are renewing calls for a federal Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin following the conviction of a NSW cotton grower who stole water from the river.
“The conviction of Anthony Barlow, who has admitted to stealing water from the river, should send shock waves through big corporate irrigators throughout the Murray Darling Basin. The river is in crisis, a Royal Commission is sorely needed to clean out the rot and hold those responsible to account,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“It has been almost two years since allegations of Anthony Barlow’s water theft were exposed on ABC’s Four Corners, and five months since he pleaded guilty to charges. We know the scandals plaguing our river run much deeper than one cotton farmer doing wrong by his neighbours and the environment.
“The Greens push for a federal Royal Commission has a groundswell of support across the country. Particularly from those on the frontline in affected river communities – people who have no clean water to drink or bathe in, or have been victims of neighbours stealing water from the River. The message must be clear: if you steal water from the environment and your neighbours, there will be consequences.
“The Murray Darling Basin Plan is in tatters, thanks to water theft, meter tampering, and special treatment from the Nationals for their big corporate irrigator mates. River communities will not sit by while corporate greed kills our environment and drains our water supply.
“We urgently need a Royal Commission into the mismanagement and over-extraction of water in the Murray Darling Basin.  Australians deserve better, we need a healthy river – it is the lifeblood of our country.”

The Greens will move to protect Australia’s precious groundwater by extending the ‘water trigger’ to all types of unconventional gas mining as part of the their plan to ban fracking across Australia, mining and resources spokesperson Larissa Waters will announce today.
Senator Waters said while working on the ultimate goal of a complete ban, amending the ‘water trigger’ to ensure the Environment Minister must fully consider any negative impacts on water or groundwater of an unconventional gas mining project before deciding whether to approve it, would go a long way to protecting our water.
“Fracking is a disaster for our farmland, groundwater, environment and climate, with dangerous methane pollution leaking from wells and pipes as ‘fugitive’ emissions,” Senator Waters said.
“We’re on the driest inhabited continent on the planet, which is experiencing unprecedented drought, protection of our precious groundwater must come before the profits of gas companies.
“It’s time for Australia to join the global movement against fracking.  Bans or moratoriums are already in place in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Wales, Scotland, New York State in the USA and Quebec in Canada.
“States and Territories like Tasmania, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and parts of NSW have already responded to the community and taken the first steps towards phasing out this dangerous industry – but sadly, fracking is still legal in Queensland, Western Australia and the NT.
“The Greens have been campaigning against the polluting unconventional gas industry since 2010 but Labor and the LNP continue to champion gas because they take political donations from the gas companies.
“Landholders, including traditional owners, cannot say no to unconventional gas because the major parties keep saying yes to their mining donor mates.
“We have energy alternatives which don’t threaten our climate, health, land, and that will create new jobs for workers and communities – CSG can frack off, for the sake of a better future for all of us.”
Stop Fracking and Unconventional Gas policy here: https://greens.org.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/Greens%20Election%202019-Stop%20Fracking.pdf

Today’s ABS labour force figures show the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9 per cent, the equal lowest level since December 2008.
There are more Australians in work than ever before. Total employment has increased by 284,100 over the year, to a record high of 12,763,400. Full-time employment is 210,000 higher than it was a year ago.
Again, the level of female total employment has reached a new record high of 6,002,400. Female full-time employment also stands at a record high, at 3,249,100.
A total of 1,288,200 jobs have been created since the Government came to office in September 2013.
Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP, said today’s figures show the danger of changing course from an economic plan which is working.
“Our economy is facing global headwinds and that’s why we need to stick to our plan, which is helping to build a stronger economy,” Minister O’Dwyer said.
“By contrast, Labor’s only plan for the economy is $200 billion of higher taxes on your retirement, your superannuation, your house, your business and your income.”
“Let’s not forget that the unemployment rate skyrocketed from 4.4 per cent to 5.7 per cent under Labor. In their final year in office, full-time employment actually fell by 20,300.”
“All that Labor’s taxes and job-destroying policies will do is hurt Australians, including many on low and middle incomes, and older Australians,” Minister O’Dwyer concluded.

The Greens will move to protect Australia’s precious groundwater by extending the ‘water trigger’ to all types of unconventional gas mining as part of the their plan to ban fracking across Australia, mining and resources spokesperson Larissa Waters will announce today.
Senator Waters said while working on the ultimate goal of a complete ban, amending the ‘water trigger’ to ensure the Environment Minister must fully consider any negative impacts on water or groundwater of an unconventional gas mining project before deciding whether to approve it, would go a long way to protecting our water.
“Fracking is a disaster for our farmland, groundwater, environment and climate, with dangerous methane pollution leaking from wells and pipes as ‘fugitive’ emissions,” Senator Waters said.
“We’re on the driest inhabited continent on the planet, which is experiencing unprecedented drought, protection of our precious groundwater must come before the profits of gas companies.
“It’s time for Australia to join the global movement against fracking.  Bans or moratoriums are already in place in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Wales, Scotland, New York State in the USA and Quebec in Canada.
“States and Territories like Tasmania, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and parts of NSW have already responded to the community and taken the first steps towards phasing out this dangerous industry – but sadly, fracking is still legal in Queensland, Western Australia and the NT.
“The Greens have been campaigning against the polluting unconventional gas industry since 2010 but Labor and the LNP continue to champion gas because they take political donations from the gas companies.
“Landholders, including traditional owners, cannot say no to unconventional gas because the major parties keep saying yes to their mining donor mates.
“We have energy alternatives which don’t threaten our climate, health, land, and that will create new jobs for workers and communities – CSG can frack off, for the sake of a better future for all of us.”
Stop Fracking and Unconventional Gas policy here: https://greens.org.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/Greens%20Election%202019-Stop%20Fracking.pdf
 

Reports that the Federal Government has not kept track of threatened species recovery shows the need for the Greens’ proposal to strengthen environmental laws and establish a National Environment Commission.
“We need to get serious about threatened species recovery. The days of throwing small amounts of money at pet projects without any follow through must end. A National Environment Commission would ensure that threatened species recovery was prioritised and tracked,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Our environmental laws are broken, and the hard work of the many excellent staff in the Environment Department is undermined and eroded by a system that is too easily flouted.
“The Liberals cannot be trusted on saving our threatened species, as we learn time and again. Labor is yet to commit to strengthening our environmental laws.
“Our care for the environment should be based on facts, not the whims of the government of the day. We need to get down to the business of restoring ecosystems, addressing climate breakdown and making sure we leave a thriving planet.
“The Greens have a plan to restore and protect our environment, which includes stronger environmental laws, establishing a body to fund and track the recovery of our threatened species, and a national Environment Protection Authority with teeth to enforce real consequences for those who are wrecking our natural world.”