Australian Greens Senator for NSW, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has said that the latest progress report of the parliamentary PFAS Sub-committee, tabled today, has highlighted failures of the Government in adequately dealing with PFAS contamination.

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that the New South Wales (NSW) government has included the former IBM site at 55 Coonara Avenue West Pennant Hills in its planning acceleration program, despite the proposal for rezoning from Business to Residential and Environmental use being opposed by the Hills Shire Council and Hornsby Shire Council,

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) Asset Energy has announced that it will not proceed with plans for seismic testing in the Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 zone, which was originally planned for thousands of square kilometres of ocean from Newcastle through the Central Coast to Manly in New South Wales,

   (ii) while this is welcome news for ocean life, exploration through drilling could occur soon causing irreversible damage to the marine environment, and

The bushfire crisis has wrought havoc and destruction on our communities and on our country. People have been lost, homes have been lost, livelihoods have been lost, and millions upon millions of animals have died and masses of their habitat destroyed. It has been a tragic and devastating time for us and, of course, for people across the globe who have been watching.

The Australian Greens have called on Scott Morrison to lift his climate ambition to save Australian lives, as the NSW climate bushfires leave Sydney air quality as unhealthy as smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day.

Quotes attributable to New South Wales Senator Dr Mehreen Faruqi:

“Sydney has been choking under heavy smoke for days now.  We know particle pollution kills and people are suffering. We are in a health and climate emergency.

Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has spoken to the tragedy of bushfires in her state and the Prime Minister's shameful silence on the the link between bushfires and the climate emergency. Senator Faruqi said:

"My heart goes out to the communities utterly devastated by the tragedy of losing their loved ones and their homes. It’s also horrendous to see hundreds of koalas dead and the bush destroyed.

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Royal National Park in New South Wales has enormous heritage value, including being the first national park in Australia, as well as one of the first in the world, and

(ii) it has been six years since the Federal and New South Wales State Governments committed to nominating the Royal National Park for World Heritage status; and

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.
 

The New South Wales Land and Environment Court's landmark decision to reject the Rocky Hill coalmine is a huge win for the community and the environment. The fact that climate change was a key reason cited for this refusal gives me hope for the future.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and water engineer, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has visited the Menindee Lakes and Broken Hill to meet with locals and discuss the crisis of the Murray Darling system.

Dr Faruqi said:

“It’s clear that there is justified and widespread community anger at the situation and at the Liberal/National Governments at state and Federal levels that have caused it to happen.