On the eve of World Environment Day, I spoke with Sea Shepherd Australian Director Jeff Hansen on what we need to do to protect our wild oceans, keep our beaches clean and save our beautiful marine animals. 🐳🐬🐠🌊🏄🏻‍♀️🏝⛱

You can speak up for our environment here.

Follow my Instagram channel for #LivewithShy on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm (AEST) 7.00pm (CST).

I had a wonderful chat with Marta about the state of the arts and creative industries in Australia amid the Covid19 crisis. You can support the future of Australian Arts here.

Follow my Instagram channel for #LivewithShy on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm (AEST) 7.00pm (CST).

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A post shared by Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarah_hansonyoung) on May 21, 2020 at 3:07am PDT

Talking clean air, clean water and a safe place to live with the ever-inspiring Yael Stone. If you too are interested in environmental recovery in a post-Covid world please sign here.

Follow my Instagram channel for #LivewithShy on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm (AEST) 7.00pm (CST).

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There are regulatory changes being pursued by Australia Post at the moment which, if not disallowed by the Parliament, will have an immediate and devastating impact on the service Australia Post provides to our community.

I have introduced a motion to disallow the regulatory changes in the Senate, with the support of Labor. However Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is refusing to vote in support of keeping these services. It’s very disappointing that One Nation has chosen to back the Morrison  Government over workers and those who rely on their mail, particularly older Australians and those who live in rural a regional areas. 

But all is not lost. The disallowance will be back before the Senate when parliament resumes in August. One Nation, together with the Coalition, risks the fate of so many posties, small businesses and customers reliant on the post across Australia.

I have serious concerns about these regulatory changes. Local and stable jobs, small business and a reliable public service are all at serious risk if these changes are allowed. Older Australians and people in rural and regional areas should be able to trust and rely on the post. Further, with unemployment figures already sky-rocketing we cannot put more people and businesses out of work.

We will not let these changes to the Australia Post be pushed through the Government without a fight.

I rise to take note of the answer given to my question to Senator Birmingham, who was representing the environment minister, about the environment. Of course this government has always had it in for the environment. This government has always wanted to find a way to weaken environmental protections. And we really have to question how much weaker they can get. We have the situation where one million hectares of koala habitat in this country have been destroyed. We have koalas in this country, in some parts, that are endangered. We have mines that are given approval, only then to contaminate water catchment areas. And of course we have the devastating and shocking destruction of 46,000-year-old ancient Aboriginal heritage. And this has happened under this government's watch. This has happened under the laws that are currently in place.

The impact that COVID-19 has had on hundreds of thousands of artists and entertainers right across Australia is devastating. 

We know that this has been a tough time for all Australians. From having to stay away from loved ones and find new ways to celebrate birthdays and have coffee catch-ups, to those who have lost jobs and livelihoods, with no idea of what awaits them in the future, or those who have tragically lost a family member or friend due to the health crisis of COVID-19, we have all felt these impacts in one way or another.

There have been few things that have brought us together during these isolated times, but there has been one thing that we have all been able to turn to and take comfort from, and that's our arts and our entertainment industry. A good book, our favourite TV show or film, musicians doing gigs via social media, and virtual exhibitions have all offered us an outlet to both escape and come together.

This is not the first time, of course. We saw only recently, over summer, that it was artists and creatives that were there in the midst of the bushfire crisis and were the first to step up, help out and raise money at a much-needed time.

But there is no denying that this time around the people who work in these industries have been left behind by the government. There has been no targeted package for this sector like there has for others.

The Great Australian Bight is a very special place that deserves to be protected for good.

On the first day back in Parliament, after the extended shutdown due to COVID-19, I appealed in the Senate chamber for the Government to acknowledge the need to put in place a moratorium on drilling in the Great Australian Bight.

It's time we protect our Bight - #FightForTheBight

Join the campaign for calling for the Great Australian Bight to be nominated for World Heritage Listing. 

SIGN THE PETITION and JOIN THE BIGHT CLUB

The politicking over the Murray-Darling Basin is leading to misinformation frustration and ultimately a river system that is sick and in crisis.