Australia's first comprehensive analysis of Tasmania's entire forest carbon storage capacity, launched today by Tasmanian Greens Minister for Climate Change Cassy O'Connor, shows that our forests are worth more standing up than logged.

The new research shows that as a baseline, Tasmania's forests could hold between 3 and 4.4 billion tonnes of C02 equivalent, and reducing the timber harvesting rates would significantly increase the rate of carbon sequestration.

Greens call on Burke to reject failed Plan

The Australian Greens have today called on Minister Burke to step in and reject the Murray Darling Basin plan that in its current form, is set to fail the future of the river system.

"The Plan handed down by the Authority today fails the river and its communities, it fails South Australia and unfortunately looks set to fail in the courts as well." Greens' water and Murray Darling Basin spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

Australian Greens leader Senator Christine Milne, and Greens spokesperson for the Murray Darling Basin, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young held a press conference to respond to the Murray Darling Basin Authority report.

Please see the transcript of their statements below. The audio file provides the full audio with the questions and answers.

Transcript:

Christine Milne:                      

To mark today's International Hands Across the Sand day of action, Senator for South Australia, Penny Wright, has highlighted the unacceptable risks posed by Bight Petroleum's proposed oil and gas activities to the west of iconic Kangaroo Island.

Bight Petroleum currently has permits to explore for offshore petroleum in an area to the west of the island known as the Kangaroo Island Canyon and Pools, and intend to undertake seismic tests in early 2013 and start drilling in 2014.

Senator WRIGHT (South Australia) (16:00): I rise to make a contribution to this debate because I cannot stay silent in the face of the scaremongering and hysteria being peddled by some unscrupulous elements of the fishing sector, fanned by equally unscrupulous and opportunistic claims from some members of the coalition of the Liberal and National parties. The recent announcement by the environment minister of a national network of marine reserves is certainly a substantial and major step forward for marine conservation in Australia and globally.

Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by failing to protect the area west of Kangaroo Island from oil and gas exploration and production, Australian Greens Senator for South Australia, Penny Wright, said.

"This is an extremely disappointing outcome for Kangaroo Island and its residents. Minister Burke has not listened to their concerns, instead leaving the Island vulnerable to the very real threat of an oil spill," Senator Wright said.

"The Tasmanian Government, in particular Minister Bryan Green, is sabotaging the Intergovernmental Agreement on Tasmania's forests by recklessly approving a mining lease over 362 hectares in the Meredith Range in the heart of the Tarkine," Australian Greens leader, Senator Christine Milne, said today.

"This is an area under active consideration for National and World Heritage listing, as part of the Intergovernmental Agreement process.

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

Estimates hearings, 22 May 2012

Mr Peter Cochrane, Director of National Parks

Full transcript available here