The Rudd Government is about to ditch a key election promise as Martin Ferguson moves to foist a nuclear waste dump onto the Northern Territory.

The Labor Party promised Northern Territory electors it would repeal Howard’s nuclear waste dump legislation in the heat of their election campaign,” said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

“Now Mr Ferguson is telling the Territorians that they have to have it anyway.

“Martin Ferguson is claiming the dump will only be used to store Australian nuclear waste – but how can we now trust the ALP to break one promise yet keep another?” asked Senator Siewert.

“This decision is opening the flood-gates to this toxic industry.

“Australians have a right to feel betrayed by this kind of sneaky double-dealing,” concluded Senator Siewert.

A Global Greens secretariat, to exchange information between the world’s 80 Greens parties, is likely to be established in Australia, Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said in Sao Paulo today.

The Second Global Greens Congress voted Sunday morning in Sao Paulo, Brazil to adopt the Australian initiative for the secretariat, subject to final plans being approved in March 2009. (more…)

Greens Senator Christine Milne will attend the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali for the second, high-level, week of the negotiations, in her capacity as Vice President of the IUCN, the World Conservation Union.

Senator Milne will be appearing at several key side events, including:
•    CIFOR global forests day, Dec 8;
•    Launch of the Global Gender and Climate Alliance, Dec 11; and
•    Heinrich Boll side event on nuclear power, Dec 13.

This will be Senator Milne’s fifth international climate conference and she is happy to comment on any aspect of the negotiations.

Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne today said that http://GreensBlog.org, the official blog of the Australian Greens Senators and their staff, has become a huge success, gaining great momentum throughout the election campaign.

Senator Milne said “GreensBlog has become a tremendously successful way for the Greens to get our message out and hold conversations with people across Australia, and indeed the whole world. (more…)

The Greens have today warned voters not to be fooled by the major parties’ silence over uranium exports.

“Nuclear is the elephant in the room. Despite the notable silence on uranium from both major parties, voters ought to be worried about Australia’s rapidly growing involvement in the global nuclear industry,” Greens Senate candidate Sarah Hanson-Young said today.

“Just like his evasion over his WorkChoices laws at the last election, Prime Minister Howard’s nuclear agenda of reactors, enrichment and waste dumps is ready to go on November 25. (more…)

Greens policies have received strong feedback from third parties across a variety of issues in the federal election campaign.

Releasing a list of policy scorecards today, lead Senate candidate for Victoria Dr Richard Di Natale said the Greens had received widespread support from industry and lobby groups.

“Whether it be climate change, health, education or WorkChoices, our policies have met with the approval of the experts and those working in the field,” Dr Di Natale said. (more…)

Greens Leader Bob Brown today released the Greens’ anti-pulp mill TV advertisement. An EMRS poll of Tasmanian voters shows support for the Greens has increased by 5% in the wake of Malcolm Turnbull’s approval of the mill.

“Labor and the Coalition are exactly the same on logging native forests, exporting more uranium, increasing coal mining and approving Gunns’ pulp mill. Only the Greens are offering true leadership when it comes to protecting the environment and tackling climate change,” Senator Brown said. (more…)

I just want to make sure everyone understands how fortunate we are in having Senator Kerry Nettle with us today.

More to the point, how fortunate Australia has been and we, as Greens have been, in having Kerry in the Senate.

And how important it is that we have her re-elected to the Senate on 24th November. (more…)

The Greens have never been better prepared and will run the strongest election campaign ever as Australia’s third political party, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

“Environmental security - climate change and water - will be big vote changers this time around. Besides genuinely tackling climate change and saving the forests from the Gunns pulp mill, we challenge the old parties to raise aged pensions by $30 per week, take the GST off public transport, abolish HECS fees and tear up the unfair WorkChoices legislation. We would reallocate the $3.5 billion of health funds going to private insurance companies to public health and hospitals. And we will work to reduce the 17-year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians,” Senator Brown said. (more…)

Environmental lawyer Sue Mahony will be taking on Peter Garrett on behalf of the Greens in the electorate of Kingsford Smith in the imminent federal election, NSW Greens Senator Kerry Nettle said in Coogee today.

“I am very pleased that Sue is going to be part of the Greens campaign team particularly as her work as an environmental lawyer and prosecutor stand her in great stead to cut through the spin of the major parties,” Senator Nettle said.

“I look forward to holding Peter Garrett to account over his perpetually compromised position as shadow Environment Minister”, Sue Mahony said. (more…)