The Greens say the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) must be given more powers to tackle gender inequality in the workplace, including the ability to require organisations to report on the number of sexual harassment incidents reported by employees and how they were handled.

What Senator Scarr did this morning was a textbook exercise in gaslighting and condescension. It should be condemned and Senator Scarr should be ashamed.

I am concerned about the recent attempts by the minister for education to incite a culture war over the draft national curriculum created by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, or ACARA, as they're known. I find his comments on the draft curriculum offensive, pathetic and ahistorical. They should be challenged by everyone who cares about the integrity of our education system.

The Greens say the government’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission is an inadequate response to the women’s safety crisis that is more about politics than it is about serious action to protect women.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:

Just yesterday I stood in this chamber in question time and asked the Leader of the Government in the Senate whether he or the Prime Minister would condemn far-Right extremism. What I got was the usual waffle, the usual sitting on the fence: 'Yes. Sure. We condemn all kinds of extremism.' That is absolute rubbish. That is bullshit. You are putting people's lives in danger. That's what you are doing. And do you know what? This is nothing new. On the weekend, we saw the far-Right extremists on the streets again. They have embedded themselves in antilockdown and antivaccination organising.

The Greens have today launched a plan to strengthen renters’ rights and fund tenancy advocacy services. Nearly a third of all Australian households rent their home. Yet government after government has ignored renters’ rights in favour of landlord profits.

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. I wish we didn't need this day. I wish that there weren't any reasons for me to speak out about gendered violence in Australia and around the world. But it does serve as a reminder that we still need to take serious action if we are to have any hope of eliminating this violence. Violence against women continues to be at epidemic levels in this country. Every year, we continue to count the numbers, and every year they continue to be distressingly high.

I rise to speak to the matter of urgency before us. Just today we have received news that Sergio, a 22-year-old climate activist in New South Wales, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for participating in a non-violent direct action targeting the coal industry. Twelve months in prison—what an outrageously severe and disproportionate punishment! What an appalling message this sends to climate activists and those of us who are fighting for a healthy planet. The real criminals are the fossil fuel companies who are killing our planet, not those who are trying to save it.

The Greens say today’s tabling of the Final Report of Pauline Hanson’s toxic family law inquiry marks the welcome end of more than two years of political grandstanding that has traumatised survivors of family and domestic violence and provided a platform for hate and misinformation.

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:

“What a colossal waste of time and energy.

Decisions made by successive governments have resulted in health inequality. Whether you’ve been here for 5 years, 5 generations or 5 000 generations, everyone should enjoy the same access to healthcare in this country. 

COVID-19 put a spotlight on the fact that many First Nations communities need better access to health services, and the health centres they rely on need more resources to empower First Nations people to get what they need to be and stay well.