Australian Greens Marine Spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert, has today reiterated calls for the immediate release of a Commission of Inquiry report into the 2009 Montara oil spill in the Timor Sea.

“It is unacceptable that 12 months after the spill was contained, we still haven’t seen the report, there has been no action taken against those responsible for the spill and no tightening of the regulation of our oil and gas industry,” Senator Siewert said today.

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2010 and the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety Levies) Amendment Bill 2010 - Second Reading

The Australian Greens are disappointed with the Government’s newly released Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030, saying it offers little hope for reversing Australia’s declining natural diversity.

“There is a distinct ambiguity to the five year national targets included with this strategy, and there is no mention of the financial support this strategy will be given,” Senator Siewert said today.

“This strategy is totally inadequate in the face of Australia's growing environmental challenges.

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The Australian Greens are maintaining pressure on the Government to promptly release the findings of the Montara Commission of Inquiry, after Resource Minister Martin Ferguson today only committing to releasing the report by the end of 2010.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens spokesperson for Marine Issues, says further delays to releasing the report are unsatisfactory.

“Effective changes to the regulation of the resources sector can not be made until the Montara findings are made public,” Senator Siewert said today.

The Australian Greens say the reappointed Minister for Resources, Martin Ferguson should start his new term by releasing the Montara Commission of Inquiry report and getting on with oil and gas regulation reform.

Greens Marine spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert says the Government must finally release the Montara report- three months after receiving it.

The Australian Greens believe the focus for today's National Threatened Species Day should be on the large scale and rapid decline of small mammals across Northern Australia, which could result in our next wave of extinctions.

"Over the last two decades we've seen a dramatic drop in small mammal numbers and diversity across Northern Australia, requiring serious and urgent action," Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens spokesperson for Natural Resource Management said today.

The Australian Greens will move to introduce national mandatory water efficiency standards for residential and commercial buildings in the Senate after the federal election.

"The Greens urban water plan will help Australian cities plan for and cope with a water-restricted future," said Greens water spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert in Perth today.

"Despite many Australians' hard work reducing their water use, Australia still has the highest per capita water-use in the world,” said Senator Siewert.