Greens Leader Bob Brown today urged federal parliamentarians to unite behind new laws to stop live exports of animals for slaughter.

"We've written to the government and opposition to urge them to make debate on live exports a priority when parliament resumes on 14 June," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

"The Australian Greens' Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2011, introduced to parliament this week, would impose an immediate ban on the export of livestock for slaughter. Processing animals in Australia protects them from inhumane treatment, as well as creating more regional jobs."

"Senator Rachel Siewert, the Australian Greens' agriculture and animal welfare spokesperson, is maintaining pressure on the federal government to immediately suspend all live exports to Indonesia, not just at a dozen abattoirs, ahead of a permanent ban," Senator Brown said.

The Australian Greens have called on Australian companies to sever all ties with Moroccan firms involved in the occupation of Western Sahara.

Greens justice spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the African Union and more then 80 governments around the world recognise Western Sahara's independence while only a handful recognise the Moroccan annexation, and Australian companies should withdraw from deals with the occupation forces.

"Morocco's army rolled into Western Sahara in 1975 after the Spanish withdrew. Since then, the vast majority of the country has been subject to a brutal occupation," he said. "No Australian company should be doing business with organisations profiting from this manifestly unjust state of affairs."

"Moroccan state company OCP is mining phosphate in Western Sahara and selling it to CSBP Fertilisers, a Kwinana-based subsidiary of Wesfarmers. OCP is essentially stealing from Western Sahara and profiting from the brutality of the military occupation - do Australian companies really want to support this?"

Senator Ludlam has requested a meeting with Wesfarmers executive general manager Alan Carpenter to discuss the need for the company to drop its ties with the occupation of Western Sahara as soon as possible.

"The Moroccan government needs to be reminded again and again that the occupation will not be tolerated. Doing business with one of the state companies actively exploiting the occupied land is essentially endorsing the illegal, repressive and violent conquest of Western Sahara."

Sahrawi woman Aicha Dahane, sister of human rights activist Brahim Dahane, fled Western Sahara in 2002 after enduring harassment from Moroccan police. She is now International Officer for the Forum for the Future of Sahrawi Women and will be speaking in tomorrow, Thursday May 19th, at 6.30pm at the Reception Room of Fremantle Town Hall, Western Australia.

Media Contact: Giovanni Torre - 0417 174 302

Greens Leader Bob Brown today urged the Australian Government to have the courage to properly use legal and diplomatic tools, as well as naval surveillance, to increase the pressure on Japan to end the slaughter of whales.

"I am disappointed but not surprised that the government was working on a deal with Japan that would have given the green light to killing thousands of whales, while saying in public that the slaughter should be cut to zero," Senator Brown said in Hobart. "There should be a great deal more pressure on Japan."

"Still in Peter Garrett's drawer is footage of the slaughter of whales in Australia's Antarctic waters, which he refused to release because of fears of upsetting the Japanese government."

Senator Brown also called on the government to amend the tax law to allow a broader definition of animal welfare so that groups such as Sea Shepherd are eligible for tax-exempt status from the Australian Tax Office.

"There is enormous support for Sea Shepherd in Australia, while the government fails to act. There should be no further delay on preparing the way for people to make tax deductible donations to support its campaign."

"The government should send a naval ship to Australia's Antarctic waters for further surveillance and to keep the peace."

"It is also very important that the government seek an injunction in the International Court against this year's whale hunters. The current legal action against Japanese whaling may take two to three years for a judgement."

Media contact: Marion Rae 0438 376 082