Having welcomed the long-awaited plugging of the leaking Montara well yesterday, the Australian Greens are demanding that all details be investigated and made public.

“Martin Ferguson needs to announce today a independent public inquiry into all aspects of the oil spill – what caused the leak and the fire; its impacts on our environment and fisheries; what kind of regulatory prevention and resources need to be in place for the future; and how the Government handled this whole incident,” Greens spokesperson on Marine Issues Senator Rachel Siewert said.

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 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."