The Government’s shameful disregard for privacy continues with the release of its COVID-19 app.

“If the Government wants people to use this app, they need to put protections in law beforehand,” Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said.

“People have very legitimate concerns about how the data will be used and where it will be stored.”

“The reported storage of the data by a US company raises real concerns. When it comes to privacy, if there’s one person I trust less than Peter Dutton, it’s Donald Trump.”

The Morrison Government has declared war with the environment with its announcement it plans to cut ‘green tape’ even before the 10-year review of environmental laws is completed, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Using the cover of COVID19 as an excuse to scrap environmental protections is an act of bastardry, and everyday Australians will be appalled. 

“This anti-environment government has always had cuts to environmental protections in favour of its big business mates on its agenda.

The Greens have today welcomed a call from former Labor Premier, Jay Weatherill, for a rethink of how childcare is run, which aligns with Greens calls for free childcare run on a not-for-profit basis.

While saying that his ideas required more discussion, and while not backing his call for the Commonwealth to vacate the field and hand childcare over to the states, Greens Leader Adam Bandt and Greens education spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi said that it was time to start treating childcare as an essential public service.

The Australian Greens have joined RBA Governor Dr Lowe’s calls for tax reform, with Australian Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, saying that means removing unjustifiable tax breaks for polluters, shifting tax concessions towards research, development and innovation and boosting public sector investment.

In responding to Dr Lowe’s speech, Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP warned the Liberal Party against using it as an opportunity to further give tax breaks to their corporate backers, saying everyday Australians should be the chief beneficiaries of any reforms.

The Greens welcome moves by some state governments to support temporary visa holders, but they show how people have been abandoned by the federal government, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“Moves by the Tasmanian and South Australian governments to support some temporary visa holders are welcome, but it should be the federal government taking this action,” Senator McKim said.

“The federal government has the resources to help and direct responsibility for Australia’s visa system.”

Australian Greens Senator and Education spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the South Australian government’s commitment to support international students through a $13.8 million package. Senator Faruqi has characterised it as a wake-up call and a kick in the backside of the Morrison Government, which continues to deny international students any income support.

Senator Faruqi said:

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann’s comments today that the Federal Government will take an “aggressive deregulation agenda” post-Covid19, is code for cutting corners for big business, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Australians should be concerned that the first thing the Morrison Government will attack will be laws that protect the environment. The Greens will fight this and fight hard.

Senator Faruqi commented on the Australian Association of University Professors' call for a Senate inquiry.

Quotes from Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens spokesperson for Education:

Making tech giants like Facebook and Google pay for the content they take from Australian journalists and creators is a welcome, albeit long overdue, move by the Morrison Government, the Greens say.

The Greens have backed the calls by some of Australia’s biggest environmental organisations to extend the timeframe for the review of Australia’s environmental laws.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said with the review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) only occurring every 10 years, it was important to make sure consultation and deliberation was adequate.