Despite being illegal in Australia, sharks are still being caught and having their fins removed before being dumped into the ocean to slowly die.

Inconsistent laws between the Commonwealth States and Territories are undermining efforts to end shark finning.

Shark finning is driven by high prices, which sees the products worth up to 700 times as much as shark meat.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Agriculture speaks about the Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2012.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson has questioned Meat & Livestock Australia’s reliance on an ‘incremental’ approach to animal welfare improvements in Indonesia.

Representatives from MLA appeared before the Senate Inquiry into live animal exports this evening with Senator Siewert asking them about the welfare measures taken prior to the Four Corners report into the trade.

The Australian Greens have called for a full retraction from Liberal Senator Chris Back over his allegations that workers at Indonesian abattoirs were paid to mistreat Australian Cattle.

Senator Back made the comments in a Senate Inquiry hearing into welfare standards in Australia’s live exports market.

“It is absolutely clear from the evidence given by ABC’s Four Corners, and journalist Sarah Ferguson in particular that Senator Back’s claims are baseless,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

"There are things about growing up in a small town that you can't necessarily quantify". Hollywood is a long way from Broome, but when US actor Brandon Routh said this I felt that, in many ways, it summed up why some companies and politicians in the two major parties find it hard to understand why feelings are running so high in the community in regards to the James Price Point gas hub development.

Senator SIEWERT:  I, and also on behalf of Senator Ludlam, move:
That the Senate— 
   (a)   notes: 
      (i)   sightings of one adult and three baby bilbies at the site of the proposed James Price Point gas hub, Western Australia, in the week beginning 7 August 2011, 
      (ii)   that the pristine Kimberley bushland is prime habitat for the bilby, acknowledged as a vulnerable species by both the Western Australian Government and the Federal Government, 

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (14:17):  My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Senator Conroy. I ask about the recent sightings of one adult and three baby bilbies at the site of the proposed James Price Point gas hub, which is prime habitat for the bilby. Bilbies are acknowledged as a vulnerable species by both the WA and federal governments, yet Woodside has begun clearing on this site.

 Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (15:52):  I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Senator Conroy) to a question without notice asked by me today relating to bilbies. 
 

The Australian Greens have called on the Federal Government to end Woodside’s uncontrolled land clearing at James Price Point over concerns the action is threatening endangered species.

In today’s question time, Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on the Kimberley called the Government to account over new evidence showing the presence of endangered bilbies in the area.

“The Government’s response, that a compliance assessment would be undertaken at the site, is wholly underwhelming,” said Senator Siewert.