Australia has much to lament this World Refugee Day, Greens Immigration Spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“There are still hundreds of men, women and children trapped in detention on Manus Island and Nauru because of Labor and the Liberals’ cruel policies,“ Senator McKim said.

“Meanwhile, Australia’s refugee intake remains completely inadequate.”

“This government is also attacking refugees and people seeking asylum here in Australia by cutting financial support.”

Wednesday, 20th June 2018

After a week of national service outages, Telstra have announced they will be cutting a quarter of their Australian workforce in a bid to improve customer service, a move labelled by the Greens as “nonsense”.

Australian Greens Telecommunications spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today’s announcement from Telstra was the inevitable result of the company’s privatisation over the last two decades.

The Australian Greens congratulate local councils around Australia for supporting a motion to increase Newstart at their recent national conference. 

“Local councils are the closest level of Government to the community and they are seeing firsthand the devastating impacts that the current rate of Newstart is having on people trying to find work. 

MEDIA RELEASE – 20 June 2018

Greens call for live export transition plan in wake of LSS summer sheep export suspension

Greens spokesperson for Animal Welfare Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on the Turnbull government to legislate a transition out of the live sheep export industry in response to the temporary suspension of summer sheep exports from Western Australia by Livestock Shipping Services (LSS).

Alinta misleading consumers shows why we need to re-regulate electricity prices: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that Alinta’s conduct shows what happens when electricity is run for profit rather than for the public good.

“When you treat an essential service like a stockmarket, companies put profit before the public interest,” said Mr Bandt.

“Big power companies have been making a motzah selling what should be an essential service.

Monday, 18 June 2018

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (11:15): I'm very pleased to co-sponsor the Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long-haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 today with Senators Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer. This bill sets out a framework over five years to transition away from the very worst of the live-export sea voyages, those long-haul live sheep and lamb shipments that sail into the Northern Hemisphere summer months and into the riskiest of shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

This week in the federal parliament myself and Senators Hinch & Storer introduced our Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long‑haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 to the Senate.

The Greens won’t support any Uni SA/University of Adelaide merger if it means cutting courses, cutting jobs, closing campuses or compromising on student outcomes, Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Universities are constantly being expected to do more with less by this Liberal Government. Cuts to funding, freezing student places, and making it harder for students to afford to study are key factors pressuring universities to undertake these talks,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

The Greens are pleased national redress legislation has passed, meaning survivors of institutional child sexual abuse can finally begin to access redress, but will advocate for further reforms so the scheme can be the best possible scheme.

“The Greens welcome with a heavy heart the passing of the national redress legislation and look forward to seeing the Scheme operating from the nominated date of 1 July 2018. 

“We share concerns with survivors that the Scheme is not the best it can be given there are some issues that remain unresolved.

The Australian Greens have urged the crossbench not to cave in and wave through drug testing trials of income support recipients that would hurt vulnerable people in Canterbury-Bankstown, Logan and Mandurah. 

“When drug testing income support recipients was folded into the broader welfare reform bill, it was rejected by the Senate for good reason.

“Health and addiction experts have overwhelmingly rejected this proposal.