The Senate has called on the Environment Minister to do the job the community expects him to and actually protect the environment, says Queensland Greens Senator and spokesperson for the environment Andrew Bartlett.

The Senate passed Senator Bartlett’s motion demanding the Environment Minister protect the Great Barrier Reef by controlling land clearing in catchment areas.

"Large-scale clearing in the catchment areas of the Reef results in increased runoff, damaging coral and encouraging invasive species like the Crown of Thorns starfish.

Comments from Labor and Liberal candidates for Braddon about takayna show how ignorant the old parties are about the values of the area.

“The Tarkine/takayna is a rich and wonderful part of the world with unique Aboriginal cultural heritage and spectacular wilderness. It should be protected as a National Park,” Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

“Neither Mr Whiteley nor Ms Keay understand the true value of the area and the threats it is facing.”

The stranglehold fossil fuel companies have over our political system is slowly killing off the Great Barrier Reef, says Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett.

Another study published today in Nature shows the Reef has been transformed by back to back mass bleaching.

“The Coalition government’s obsession with burning coal makes no sense until you consider the millions of dollars pumped into the Liberal and National parties by the fossil fuel industry.

“Burning fossil fuels impact lives and livelihoods.

In light of the new Senate report into shark mitigation and deterrence, Greens State MP Michael Berkman and Greens Senator for Queensland Andrew Bartlett are calling on Qld Labor to rid Queensland’s beaches of lethal drum lines that are killing sharks, turtles, dolphins, and whales.

"If Premier Palaszczuk was concerned about the effects of land-clearing on our wildlife, she should be equally concerned about the effects of these lethal drum-lines are having on our marine life,” said State Greens MP Michael Berkman.

On Monday,  23 October 2017, Lee asked the following questions of Mr David Williams, Assistant Secretary, Heritage Branch as part Senate Estimates hearings by the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 

Royal National Park and World Heritage Listing