Today’s comments from Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud, that he is open to adopting net zero emissions by 2050 but wants to see concrete plans before signing up to the pledge begs the question: what has he been doing for the last four years?

Greens spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Peter Whish-Wilson, said evidence of climate change impacts on farming is hardly new information and you’d be forgiven for thinking setting climate targets for 30 years’ time is a joke.

A new report detailing the plight of albatross is a sobering reminder of the Federal Government’s failure to act on the threat single-use plastics pose to our oceans and marine life.
 
The report shows the threat of single-use plastics on albatross species has been gravely underestimated and could be responsible for up to 18% of albatross mortalities in some regions.
 

An alarming new report showing a drastic decline in shark and ray populations is yet another reason shark nets and lethal drum lines must be removed from Australia’s beaches and oceans.
 
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Whish-Wilson, said action was needed urgently.
 
“Fixed-drum lines and mesh-nets are designed to entangle and kill sharks but are also indiscriminate killers and weapons of mass destruction to protected marine life.
 

The Government's Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020 has today been passed un-amended by the Senate, despite staunch support for substantial amendments from the recycling industry, local governments and NGO's.

The Government's recycling and waste bill is set for the Senate today where the Greens will raise amendments to ban single-use plastics and make packaging targets mandatory.

Senator Whish-Wilson and newly elected ACT Greens MLA Jo Clay joined volunteers for a clean-up beside Lake Burley Griffin on the way to Parliament House.

Quotes attributable to Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:

Due for Senate debate this week, the Government's Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill has now been delayed until at least November. This allows more time for stakeholder and community input, as well as constructive cross-party negotiations on amendments to improve a once-in-a-generation opportunity for legislative reform that builds a circular economy and protects our oceans. 
 

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson calls on the upcoming Meeting of Environment Ministers to review lethal shark mitigation measures as a priority agenda item. This comes at the end of a whale migration season that saw an unprecedented number of whales caught in shark nets and as a coalition of NGOs announces a full costing for Queensland to transition from lethal to non-lethal measures.