I am seeking legal advice in relation to the commentary between Senator David Leyonhjelm and the hosts of both the Sky News Outsiders program and 3AW Weekend Breakfast broadcast on Sunday, July 1.

Comments made by Senator Leyonhjelm about me and broadcast on these two shows are reprehensible, hurtful, and no woman, whether in public or in the privacy of her own home deserves them.

Grattan report shows market era is over for electricity: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the report released by The Grattan Institute shows the consequences of running the electricity grid like a stockmarket, instead of as a public good. Bandt called on the government to take immediate action to re-introduce regulated electricity prices and to support a Greens push to bring the electricity grid back into public hands.

The increased use of the Defence Force on Australian streets is deeply concerning, Australian Greens Justice spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“Legislation to make it easier to call out the Defence Force is a worrying and dangerous development,” Senator McKim said.

“Yet again, the Government has introduced major national security legislation without demonstrating the need or making the case as to how it would make Australians safer.”

“This is a serious and fundamental change to domestic policing arrangements, and to the way security forces interact with the public.”

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (15:45): I, and also on behalf of Senator Moore, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) over 260 million people across the globe, including around 210 million Dalits in South Asia, face Discrimination based on Work and Descent including caste and untouchability (DWD),

   (ii) as well as South Asia, significant communities also live in Japan (Burakumin), Africa, Latin America (Quilombo) and Europe (Romani),

The Senate has today has supported a Greens motion condemning the Government for hiding from the South Australian Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission.

“Our river is on life support and our government is in witness protection,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Senate has sent a clear message to this government: this isn’t good enough. Give the people of South Australia the respect they deserve and stop hiding, show up and tell the truth.

The cuts to support for people seeking asylum in Australia are unconscionably cruel and designed to force people into poverty, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“Cutting the status resolution support service will force people into poverty, homelessness and exploitative jobs,” Senator McKim said.

“Unfortunately, it is a continuation of Peter Dutton’s determination to punish migrants, particularly refugees and people seeking asylum.”

“To retrospectively punish people in this way is unconscionably cruel.”

The uncertainty about funding for remote Aboriginal housing past 30 June 2018 (three days from now) has become farcical and must urgently be resolved, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today. 

“This weekend the ten year agreement on delivering remote Aboriginal housing wraps up and the Government has failed to resolve the current impasse, which will have an impact on Aboriginal communities in remote Western Australia. 

Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert is urging students to call their local MP or Senator office if Centrelink is not approving student support payments in a reasonable time frame and they are finding themselves unable to pay for basic necessities.   

MP and Senate offices have a Centrelink liaison who assist them with constituent enquiries and payment approvals if students have been waiting beyond the estimated completion date.