Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam will join protestors rallying in Fremantle tomorrow - Saturday 17 August - against the controversial method of underground gas extraction known as fracking.

"The WA Parliamentary Inquiry into hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking' announced this week is a good idea given the Barnett Government's plans to massively ramp up this industry in the Mid-West, Kimberley and elsewhere in WA," Senator Ludlam said.

A moratorium must be placed on hydraulic gas fracking at least until a Parliamentary inquiry on the impact of fracking on land and groundwater is completed, the Greens warned today.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam welcomed the news the State Parliament will conduct the inquiry, but said it would be "reckless to allow fracking to continue when the Government admits it doesn't know what damage it can cause".

The Australian Greens have emerged as the only party concerned about protecting WA's water supplies from a future shale gas industry after the old parties today again turned down moves to impose Federal environmental regulations on shale and tight gas fracking.

"The Greens were the lone Party today voting in favour of modifying the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013 to include protection of groundwater supplies from shale and tight gas extraction alongside protection from the coal seam gas industry," Senator Ludlam said

WA Senators Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam say today's historic carbon price vote is the start of serious action on climate change.

"The passage of the Clean Energy Future package through the Senate represents a new beginning for our economy, with new industries and new jobs being created," Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

The Australian Greens have welcomed the call to action from a leading sustainable urban development group.

Australian Greens sustainable cities spokesperson, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, said the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council's (ASBEC) call for a national policy on sustainable urban development was timely.

Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (7.07 pm)-The reason Senator McLucas did not get to complete her speech is that this debate has been crammed into 25 minutes on a Tuesday night. I would like to make some remarks before I comment on the substance of the Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2010 [No. 2]. We are debating tonight the process that has brought us here.

Topic: Breakdown of Applications - Social Housing and Sustainability
Senator Ludlam asked:
Could you provide us with current information on whether the projects being funded are meeting the environmental, planning, and accessibility guidelines?

Australian Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam will join protestors at Collie, in WA’s southwest, this weekend (19-20 Dec) to call for action by State and Federal governments on climate change and oppose the expansion of the local coal industry.

“This camp has been organised by young people dedicated to making the future a better place – and I wholeheartedly support their efforts,” Senator Ludlam said.