Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his government are doing extraordinary damage to Australia and are threatening our future every single day. A year ago I said that it was more and more obvious that the Prime Minister was trying to reinvent himself as a mini-Trump. If there was any doubt then, it is now absolutely clear that Mr Morrison has completed the transformation. These days there's not a shred of space between Trump and Morrison on the issues that matter.

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) 61 local councils, representing almost 6 million Australians, have declared a climate emergency, and

(ii) these local councils represent a wide range of regional, suburban and major city areas in every state and territory in Australia, including Canterbury-Bankstown City Council in New South Wales, Ballarat City Council in Victoria, Launceston City Council in Tasmania, Port Lincoln City Council in South Australia and Denmark Shire Council in Western Australia; and

I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move: That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

        (i) the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (the Commission) has rejected the development of the Bylong Valley coal mine near Mudgee in New South Wales, citing concerns about the long-lasting environmental, agricultural and heritage impacts of the proposed coal mine;

        (ii) the Commission raised serious concerns about the proposed mine, including groundwater contamination and the mine's contribution to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions; and

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to Education Minister Dan Tehan’s criticism of University of Melbourne medical students and staff participating in the September 20 Climate Strike.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Minister Tehan is completely out of touch with the community and experts who are demanding action on the climate crisis.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (18:47): I seek leave to table a document.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is not given, Senator Faruqi. If you can just give a brief outline of what the document is and circulate it—yes, Minister?

Senator Seselja: We haven't seen this document.

Senator Siewert: Yes, you have.

Senator Seselja: Well, I haven't, and the leader hasn't.

Senator Siewert: The whip has.

Senator Seselja: Until we know what it is, the usual courtesies—

Senator Siewert: We have shown you—

I rise to speak to this matter of utmost urgency. The climate collapse our world is experiencing is a threat like no other. The Australian government's inaction in the face of this is nothing short of criminal. A little more than a week into spring, unprecedented fires are raging in New South Wales and Queensland, destroying our rainforests, habitats and homes. Inaction on this climate crisis has put one million of the world's species at risk of extinction. In Australia, the Murray-Darling is close to the brink of collapse.

LINK TO GROUP PHOTO: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1szK9Ma5GUNF6yigYw-fzNi2bs3iYJpUk/view

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.
 

Just a few weeks ago, I was out at Menindee to see firsthand the Murray-Darling Basin in ecosystem collapse. The Darling River, the Barka, is dying. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan isn't working and the government tells us: 'Everything is fine. Nothing to see here.' I saw stagnant rivers, cracked, dry earth and locals red hot with anger at the federal government and the New South Wales Liberal-National government for their role in the slow death of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Right now we are facing a manmade disaster of global scale, our greatest threat in thousands of years: climate change. If w e don' t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.

The world's people have spoken. Their message is clear: time is running out. They want you, the decision-makers, to act now.