Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the agreement by state and federal water ministers today to flood the Murray’s lower lakes with seawater in a worst-case scenario of low rainfall is an environmentally, socially and economically disastrous option that should not be considered.

Senator Hanson-Young said there were better options than saltwater flooding that could be taken to rescue the Lower Lakes.

“The water ministers today agreed upon saltwater flooding as the ‘strategy’ to fix the situation in the Lower Lakes – but it’s not a ‘strategy’, it’s an irreversible environmental disaster waiting to happen,” she said.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the Federal Government to set up a taskforce to get solutions underway for the stricken Lower Lakes and Coorong, saying that the Greens will continue to stand up for the communities of the lower Murray.

The Australian Greens have released a minority report on the Water Management in the Lower Lakes and Coorong Inquiry, recommending 60 gigalitres of fresh water be sourced from the 1500 gigalitres currently available in the southern Murray-Darling Basin.

“The Government has just run up the white flag on this issue,” said Senator Hanson-Young.

Australia's iconic Coorong wetlands and the Murray River's Lower Lakes can be saved from collapse - according to a minority Senate report released today.

Australian Greens Senators Rachel Siewert (WA) and Sarah Hanson-Young (SA) today released a minority Senate report, with Senator Nick Xenophon (SA).

The report finds that, contrary to the Federal Government's pessimistic view, a total of 60 gigalitres of fresh water by September next year is all that's required to provide enough environmental flow to stop Lakes Alexandrina and Albert from drying up and acidifying in the short term.

The Australian Greens today moved to establish a taskforce to evaluate the options presented by the Senate Inquiry into Water Management in the Lower Lakes and Coorong.

“We have to move from talk to action, and the taskforce will be able to begin that process,” said Senator Hanson-Young.

“This taskforce will spearhead the swift, decisive action needed to stop the lakes and Coorong fading into history.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the Federal Parliament to pass a package of bills to remove discrimination against same-sex couples without further delay.

The Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws – General Law Reform) Bill 2008 (also known as the Omnibus Bill) amends 68 Commonwealth laws, covering 19 government departments, in order to remove discrimination against same-sex couples, their families, and their children.

“The passing of this Bill is long overdue, given that it’s nearly two whole decades since ‘sexual preference’ was added as an additional ground for discrimination under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Regulations,” said Senator Hanson-Young.