Australia needs to step up its efforts to protect vulnerable and endangered species, including insects, to combat mass extinction and set an example for the rest of the world, the Greens say.

Reports of more rare and endangered birds being exported to Germany and into the hands of a convicted criminal must be investigated urgently, the Greens say.

Australian Greens Senator For NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has visited the Port Stephens area and heard first hand from local residents about their concerns over multiple threats in the Williamtown, Saltash and Bobs Farm areas, including PFAS contamination and a proposed massive increase in sand mining.

On the PFAS contamination issue, Senator Faruqi said:

“Residents are sick and tired of having to fight the federal government for compensation for the pollution of their land and water by the Department of Defence. They have been fighting a David versus Goliath battle for years.

The Liberal National Government must stand up to greedy corporate irrigators and the cotton industry by stopping them from taking more than their fair share, and support a Royal Commission, the Greens say.

Greens supporting local residents on PFAS contamination and sand mining: Senator Mehreen Faruqi visiting Tuesday 22 January

WHEN:  TIME 2.30 pm Tuesday 22 January

WHERE:  Pauls Corner Saltash – public car park behind eastbound bus stop

Seismic testing is the first step to drilling in the Great Australian Bight and will have devastating outcomes for SA, the Greens say.

The Federal Water Minister must force the NSW and QLD Governments to urgently invoke their powers and embargo the cotton industry’s water extraction from the Murray Darling Basin after widespread fish deaths, the Greens say.

More reports of dead native fish floating in their thousands in the Lower Darling sends a dreadful signal on the health of the River.

The Greens have responded to the release of a secret Ernst & Young Audit report that has shown state governments, including South Australia have been mismanaging taxpayer funded environmental water throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, creating “unique fraud risks”.

“This audit shows the environment and taxpayers continue to be ripped off by both State and Federal Governments, including here in South Australia,” Greens spokesperson for Environment & Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.