Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (20:41): This bill, known by many as the 'dead koala power bill', should not pass. What the government calls the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill is shameful. This is a saga that highlights how far the Abbot government will go to deliver for its corporate constituency. In this case, the Liberal-National corporate constituency is the fossil fuel industry and those companies that want to continue logging native forests.

The Senate passes Lee's motion honouring the work of park rangers around the world and extending their sympathies to Glen Turner, a park ranger killed recently in northern New South Wales.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (15:38): I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (22:28): There is something strange happening in New South Wales. Every day we are hearing stories about the decline in the coal industry. We are hearing about job losses, the falling price of coal, the need for mining companies to implement efficiency measures. Just today the Australian Financial Reviewran an article headed 'Black days for coal'. At the same time the industry is aggressively pushing mines into communities that clearly do not want them. Any sensible analysis would note a contradiction here.

Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon and Greens NSW Environment Spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC today joined protesters trying to stop the controversial winter clearing for the Maules Creek coalmine.

Senator Rhiannon said: “Whitehaven are desperately trying to run roughshod over the local community, who have consistently made a strong case against this destructive mine.

“Today I am joining farmers, community members and environmentalists who are standing up for our land and water by trying to prevent this destruction.

The Greens are calling for an immediate closure of Eden Woodchip Mill and a halt to native forest logging following the recent announcement by South East Fibre Exports that it will not renew its contract with VicForests. 

Woodchipping in NSW has been responsible for the clear-felling of native forests to produce only minimal profits despite public subsidies, and has caused serious damage to forests and native wildlife habitats. 

The Australian Greens welcome the Environmental Defenders Offices’ report out today that shows state governments have grossly failed to protect native forests, that the federal government must scrap Regional Forest Agreements, and that Tony Abbott’s plan to put states in control of more environmental matters would be disastrous.

“Regional Forest Agreements have led to gross mismanagement of the nation’s forests, causing a biodiversity crisis in many unique ecosystems,” Senator Lee Rhiannon, Australian Greens forests spokesperson, said.

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 27 May 2013

Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education: International Climate Change Division

·         Dr Justin Lee, Australian Ambassador for Climate Change

Blog by Australian Greens forests spokesperson Lee Rhiannon
Tasmanian’s forests are still not safe from logging. The new Tasmanian Forests Agreement does not provide the protection needed to safeguard these unique and precious forest habitats.

A worrying aspect of this Agreement is that it includes an attempt to silence the community. The final decision on the permanent reservation of forests is contingent upon reports from an unelected special council on the behaviour of conservationists involved in protests or market place action.