The Australian Greens have warmly welcomed the Uniting Church decision to allow ministers to marry LGBTIQ couples.

“This is a great step forward by the Uniting Church and I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations from the Australian Greens,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson.

“Love is at the heart of Christianity - this decision from the Uniting Church is a reflection of that and will be welcomed by thousands of LGBTIQ Uniting Church members and the broader community.”

The Australian Greens have announced today (Friday) they will introduce legislation to ban the import and sale of fake Aboriginal art, to overhaul the way Aboriginal art is marketed and sold, ensure its authenticity and protect the artists who produce it.

“For too long, Aboriginal artists have been ripped off and consumers have been duped by souvenirs imported to Australia from places like Indonesia and China where it is cheap to produce,” Greens arts and trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Comments from both Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese confirm Labor has abandoned all compassion on refugee policy, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“This confirms Labor’s total capitulation and moral cowardice,” Senator McKim said.

“The figureheads of Labor’s left and right factions are now on a unity ticket with Peter Dutton and Pauline Hanson.”

“There are still hundreds of men, women and children languishing in indefinite offshore detention on Manus Island and Nauru, having been sent there by the Labor Party five years ago.”

If you’re ‘technology agnostic’ you’re committing a climate crime: Bandt

Greens Acting Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the myth peddled by Malcolm Turnbull and the ACCC that energy policy should be "technology agnostic" is committing a climate crime.

“When it comes to electricity, if you’re “technology agnostic” you’re committing a climate crime. Coal kills. Renewables don’t,” said Mr Bandt.

“To prevent dangerous global warming, we need to get out of coal and into renewables.

ACCC diagnoses energy ‘market’ broken, but prescription will make problems worse: Bandt

Greens Acting Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the ACCC report shows that treating electricity like a stockmarket has failed, but that it calls for more of the same in the vain hope of a different outcome. Mr Bandt also said the government must rule out the ACCC’s proposals to axe support for rooftop solar and to provide new public funds to gas- and coal-fired power stations

The Australian Greens have welcomed the Government pressing ahead with funding for Indigenous Protected Areas, and have welcomed the renewing of contracts, but will be chasing up the role that the Department of Environment plays in the critically important programme. 

“It is good the Government is getting on with funding for Indigenous Protected Areas but I note funding was announced last year and contracts could have been signed, sealed and delivered a year ago. The stalling has created unnecessary stress and things could have moved quicker. 

Greens launch push for parliamentary commission of inquiry into the failures of deregulation and privatisation of electricity retailers.

Greens Acting Leader and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, today announced that the Greens will introduce a bill into both the Senate and the House of Representatives to establish a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the excessive profiteering and the failure of deregulation and privatisation of the retail electricity sector. 

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young is dedicating defamation action against David Leyonhjelm to all women who have experienced bullying, harassment and sexist abuse in the workplace.

“I’ve received a flood of messages from women around the country who have experienced sexual harassment, bullying and sexist abuse in their workplaces since speaking out against David Leyonhjelm’s sexist and harmful comments," Senator Hanson-Young said.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on the federal Minister for Agriculture to refuse permission for the export of up to 60,000 sheep by owners of Emanuel Exports that has had one of its export licenses suspended over investigations into systemic animal cruelty.

“Media reports that an owner of Emanuel Exports is applying to use the license of its sister company EMS Rural Exports to ship up to 60,000 sheep straight into the most dangerous of the northern hemisphere summer months are alarming,” Senator Rhiannon said.

The Greens are backing Gun Control Australia’s call for strong new family law firearm safety checks to better protect women and children from gun violence.

Greens gun control spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said, “The shooting of two teenagers in Sydney last week demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen licensing requirements for shooters involved in family law disputes.