Tuesday, 21 August

Thalidomide Group Australia – a group representing forgotten survivors of the pharmaceutical disaster - said today they were thankful that after more than four years of campaigning, politicians had finally woken up to their plight.

Thalidomide Group Australia Spokesperson Lisa McManus said:

The coal-huggers have Malcolm Turnbull by the throat and the government has dumped any pretence of climate action, Australian Greens Co-Deputy Leader and climate & energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, said today. And while the government is moving on price caps, it has stopped well short of the re-regulation that is needed and which the Greens called for 12 months ago.

Turnbull caves in on climate: Greens

Greens Co-Deputy Leader and climate & energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt, said Malcolm Turnbull’s latest energy backflip to appease the Coalition coal-huggers puts Paris climate goals out of reach. Mr Bandt also said that the proposed new energy price measures look weak and designed to lock out renewables, when what is needed to bring bills down is the full re-regulation of electricity prices and more renewable energy.

“Malcolm Turnbull has just put coal before climate and profit before Paris,” said Mr Bandt.

Turnbull can’t guarantee the NEG will pass the House thanks to coal crew: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that because of the 4 to 5 coal-huggers on his backbench who have threatened to cross the floor, Malcolm Turnbull cannot guarantee the passage of the National Energy Guarantee legislation through the House of Representatives.

“Malcolm Turnbull can’t even guarantee that the NEG will pass the House of Representatives,” said Mr Bandt.

Gov sees Green on power price caps, but NEG means no benefits: Bandt

Australian Greens nuclear spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is calling for the community vote on the nuclear waste dump to be delayed until the Barngarla court battle has concluded.

Australia’s failure to join the electric vehicle revolution has dire implications for the economy, jobs, public health and reducing carbon pollution, a Senate Committee hearing into electric vehicles heard today.

“We know that the electric vehicle revolution is inevitable and is already happening around the world,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson and committee member.

Labor and Liberal MPs voting together to retrospectively validate the unlawful detention of up to 1600 people seeking asylum confirms that business as usual has resumed, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

A Greens motion calling for a formal review into glyphosate to be conducted by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and calling on Monsanto to publicly release its scientific data has been defeated in the Senate. 

“I’m disappointed that Labor and the government rejected this motion, which comes in the wake of the court decision in the USA last week and has potentially huge health and legal liability ramifications here in Australia,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson.