To rescue the Reef we need no new thermal coal mines and a ban on fossil fuel donations, says Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett.

"The Coalition’s funding package reported in the media today ignores by far the biggest threat to the Reef, climate change.

"To save the Reef we have to stop burning coal.

"Both the Coalition and Labor must rule out any new thermal coal mines.

A Clive Palmer monster mine, bigger than Adani, is what will happen if we open up the Galilee Basin to new coal mines, says Queensland Greens Senator and spokesperson for mining and resources Andrew Bartlett.

"This shows once again why the state Labor government must rule out any new thermal coal mines anywhere in Queensland.

"The laid off workers at Queensland Nickel their families and communities have not forgotten the callous mismanagement that took away their livelihoods and neither have Queenslanders.

"Clive and his coal mines are not welcome here.

Logan has double the population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to metropolitan Brisbane, and almost half of the people there were born overseas.

It is among the most economically disadvantaged places in the country, with high rates of homelessness, housing stress and unemployment.

Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett is calling on the Mayor of Ipswich to explain if waste sector donations were behind the councils decision to bin recycling.

"Politics is broken when we can’t trust our politicians to handle something as simple and common sense as recycling.

"We know the biggest donor to the Mayor of Ipswich's election campaign was from the waste sector.

"What did they expect for the tens of thousands of dollars pumped into the campaign?  

"Who profits when recycling goes straight to landfill?

The stranglehold fossil fuel companies have over our political system is slowly killing off the Great Barrier Reef, says Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett.

Another study published today in Nature shows the Reef has been transformed by back to back mass bleaching.

“The Coalition government’s obsession with burning coal makes no sense until you consider the millions of dollars pumped into the Liberal and National parties by the fossil fuel industry.

“Burning fossil fuels impact lives and livelihoods.

The Queensland Greens unequivocally support the right for XXXX workers to strike for fair pay and conditions, says Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett.

"XXXX workers are walking off the job for the third time today over the use of contracts and reported moves to shift production interstate.

"Across Australia, workers are working longer hours for less pay, and their jobs are becoming increasingly insecure, while corporate profits increase.

"Industrial action has won us: sick pay, annual leave and the eight-hour workday.

The Northern Territory Labor government's decision to open up fracking will put lives and livelihoods at risk, says Greens Senator and spokesperson for Mining and Resources Andrew Bartlett.

“The month of April saw multiple records for high temperatures broken across the country.

“By the NT Labor government’s own admission, more fracking will see increased greenhouse gas emissions, fueling further the dangerous climate change.

The Queensland Greens are today cautiously welcoming of the announcement by Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, of funding for the delivery and operation of Cross River Rail.

“Public transport is a basic service, but in Queensland it’s too often expensive, slow and unreliable. In the regions it’s often non-existent, says Queensland Greens Senator and Candidate for Brisbane, Andrew Bartlett.

“This forces more people to drive, makes traffic worse, parking harder, causes more pollution, increases stress and costs us money.

The Greens are calling on the Turnbull government to follow the lead of the British government in banning all ivory sales.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said. “Elephants and rhinoceroses are now in danger of extinction with the illegal trade in ivory and rhino horns contributing to the rapid decline in these animals.

 “It is unthinkable that these iconic species could be extinct in the wild in current lifetimes.

Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement of a small amount of road funding to shore up vulnerable Liberal seats in south-east Queensland simply exposes the massive failure of the LNP to properly invest in the long-term infrastructure needs of the community, says Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett.

"The only way major congestion on the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast will ever be fixed is for proper investment in public transport – most urgently the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade.