Reports that the South Australian Government may prevent the SA Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission’s final report from being made public show a contempt for the Australian people, and the need for an urgent federal Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin, the Greens say.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and water engineer, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has visited the Menindee Lakes and Broken Hill to meet with locals and discuss the crisis of the Murray Darling system.

Dr Faruqi said:

“It’s clear that there is justified and widespread community anger at the situation and at the Liberal/National Governments at state and Federal levels that have caused it to happen.

Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, will visit Broken Hill and Menindee tomorrow (17 January) to meet with locals and see first hand the devastation occuring in the Murray Darling system as a result of mismanagement and climate change. Senator Faruqi is a civil and environmental engineer who has worked on water management for the last two decades.

Senator Faruqi will also meet the Broken Hill Greens Convenor, Eve-Lyn Kennedy. Senator Faruqi will be available for media on Thursday and on Friday morning.

Senator Faruqi said:

Any local council punished for refusing to host citizenship ceremonies on January 26th under Scott Morrison's new proposal can count on a Greens MP or Senator in their state or territory to conduct them in their stead, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

The Liberal National Government are hiding critical information about draining the Menindee Lakes twice in three years, the Greens say.

Seismic testing is the first step to drilling in the Great Australian Bight and will have devastating outcomes for SA, the Greens say.

The Greens are urging the Liberal National Government to lift the freeze on water buy backs to restore much-needed flows to the Murray Darling Basin. 

The Federal Water Minister must force the NSW and QLD Governments to urgently invoke their powers and embargo the cotton industry’s water extraction from the Murray Darling Basin after widespread fish deaths, the Greens say.

More reports of dead native fish floating in their thousands in the Lower Darling sends a dreadful signal on the health of the River.

Australian Greens Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has launched a campaign for an inquiry into a National Horse Traceability Scheme. A register would ensure all horses in Australia, including racing horses, would have lifetime tracking.

The national register would benefit biosecurity, including for the prevention and management of Emergency Animal Diseases such as equine influenza and African Horse Sickness; improve safety for riders; tackle backyard breeding; and combat rural crime.

Senator Faruqi said: