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Greens welcome funding for national Truth and Treaty processes

“Funding national Truth and Treaty processes is an investment in real power for First Nations people.” Said the Greens spokesperson for First Nations: Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung Senator Lidia Thorpe.

“Labor announcing funding for Truth and Treaty is a massive win for our grassroots, community campaign on Treaty. This budget proves what we’ve always said: that we can make progress on Truth, Treaty and Voice at the same time. 

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This budget falls short in caring for older Australians. It will take much more to provide high quality, safe and timely care.

Janet Rice 26 Oct 2022

Labor’s budget gives billionaires and politicians a $9,000 a year tax cut but fails to deliver for older Australians and the aged care sector. 

Senator Rice said: 

“The Greens welcome the $3.9billion in increased funding for the aged care sector but it falls short of the total funding recommended by the Royal Commission by more than $4billion a year. 

“Labor’s budget gives billionaires and politicians a $9,000 a year tax cut but fails to deliver for older Australians and the aged care sector. 

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There’s a threatened species crisis - yet no money in the Budget for native forests and habitat restoration.

Janet Rice 26 Oct 2022

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Forests, Janet Rice, has lashed out at the Labor Government for failing to budget to protect native forests and their threatened animals, birds and plants.

$224 million has been allocated as part of the Labor Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan but it fails to protect native forests. 

Senator Rice said: 

“According to a parliamentary budget office costing, it will take $24.4 billion over the next decade to restore wildlife habitat and protect threatened species. $224 million is an insult. 

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Budget provides $9000 a year for the wealthy and does nothing to raise the rate of income support.

Australian Greens Social Services spokesperson Senator Janet Rice has condemned Labor’s decision to give tax cuts to the wealthy while one third of Australian households are struggling to put food on the table. 

Senator Rice said: 

“Poverty is a political choice and Labor has chosen to give tax cuts to the wealthy instead of raising the rate of income support payments above the poverty line.

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Labor’s private school cash splash a Morrison throwback

Labor’s budget has failed the public schools test, committing even more to private schools than the Morrison Government pledged in its March budget, the Greens say.

The Albanese Government has promised private schools $70.2 billion over the forward estimates, $1.7 billion more than Scott Morrison guaranteed in his pre-election budget. The private school sector will now receive an even greater share of Commonwealth funding under Labor than it would have under the Coalition.

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Labor’s 1 million home claim is a complete con job

Lines attributable to Max Chandler-Mather MP, Greens spokesperson for housing and homelessness:

Over the last five years the private sector built just under 1 million homes, so Labor announcing that under their plans the private sector will build 1 million homes over five years from 2024 is a complete joke. These homes would have been built anyway.

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Labor making pain last longer than necessary

In response to statements from the Treasurer tat the Budget will see wages go backwards for another two years and paid parental leave measures will also be delayed, the Greens say the government was delaying cost of living relief while making room in the Budget for Stage 3 tax cuts for the wealthy.

“Labor is spending over a quarter of a trillion dollars on Stage 3 tax cuts for politicians and billionaires while delaying cost of living relief for everyday people,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

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Labor must establish National Energy Transition Authority in Budget

The Greens say coal workers and communities deserve a National Energy Transition Authority in Tuesday’s budget in the wake of Queensland and Victoria announcing plans to bring forward the closure of coal-fired power plants.

Greens spokesperson on Industry, Transition and Regional Development Senator Penny Allman-Payne says the workers and community members she recently met with in the Latrobe Valley, Hunter region and her own hometown of Gladstone were unanimous in their support for the urgent establishment of a National Energy Transition Authority.

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Ending pay secrecy alone won’t close gender pay gap

Larissa Waters 21 Oct 2022

The Greens welcome the announcement this week that the government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill will include new rules to end pay secrecy clauses to stop employees from discussing how much they get paid, something the Greens have previously sought to legislate for.

Lines attributable to Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson for Women, Senator Larissa Waters

“Pay secrecy has been an ongoing contributor to the gender pay gap.

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