The Australian Greens today outlined their vision for Australia in the new century ahead of the opening of the Balance-of-Power Senate.

Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, said a record 1.17 million people voted Greens at the last election, and the five Greens Senators were ready to work constructively with all parties to respond to the challenges of the new century.

"Pollution, poverty, discrimination and the destruction of Australia's forests and precious environments are the legacy of the last century and decades of greed and inaction."

The Australian Greens today released the proposed terms of reference for an urgent Senate inquiry aimed at delivering water to the Coorong and lower lakes of the Murray River before Christmas.

"Water Minister Penny Wong has given up - but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must not. Immediate action is what is required to give the Coorong a drink before Christmas," Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said, speaking at the mouth of the Murray today.

The Australian Greens will move to set up an urgent Senate inquiry when Parliament resumes on August 26th, aimed at securing water for the Coorong and lower lakes of the Murray before Christmas, Greens Senators Bob Brown, Rachel Siewert and Sarah Hanson Young said today.

“The Coorong and lower lakes need a drink before Christmas. The water is there but the political will isn’t. When Governments fail to act, the people, through the Senate, must provide action,” Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Canberra today.

On July 1 2008, twenty five years after the High Court decision that saved Tasmania's Franklin River from being dammed, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke addressed 1000 people at an anniversary dinner in Hobart, saying the Franklin River campaign is relevant to the fight against global warming.
An excerpt of the speech, from the Franklin River 25th anniversary dinner at Hobart's Grand Chancellor Hotel, has been posted on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-QksZZCMjo

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has blundered in backing the Brumby government's Bass Coast desalination plant, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
"Minister Wong has said she is too busy to visit the beautiful site for this huge industrial implant, and it shows. She should be advocating a roll-out of water tanks to collect rainfall across Melbourne's metropolitan area, rather than this unnecessary desalination factory, which the locals so trenchantly oppose," Senator Brown said.

Embargoed until 12.30pm, Wednesday 9 July 2008
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