Drew Hutton from the Australian Greens party told a media confererence Sunday that it was important to realize that New Caledonia had no environmental protection laws of its own, nor was the environment there covered by French laws.

CNN: Green bid to preserve Pacific reef

True, the question of same-sex marriage is starting to loom larger as an issue - the Labor Party national conference will debate it in December, and the emboldened Australian Greens are pressing for reform.

BBC: Penny Wong: Australia's non-story of the week