Monday, 18 March 2019

Australian Greens Digital RIghts spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has today announced the Australian Greens commitment to a 21st Century NBN, finished using best-choice technology, to ensure everyone has access to affordable, reliable and high quality internet services into the future.

Senator Steele-John said our internet was slower and less affordable than comparable countries, with Australia ranked 56th in the world for internet speed and 57th in world for affordability.

The Tasmanian government is continuing to privatise public land through its secretive expressions of interest process, Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says.

Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Senator for NSW, has has responded to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s disgraceful comments attacking her this morning. Senator Faruqi is the first Muslim woman to serve in any Australian Parliament and Australia’s only Muslim Senator.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Peter Dutton is the Minister for Home Affairs and is meant to be keeping us safe. For some time we have been saying he isn’t fit for the job but this morning’s tone deaf comments further prove it.

The Australian Greens are committed to real protection and restoration of our environment, backed up by solid investment and a plan to make Australia a climate hero, not a climate villain.

“The environment has been ignored by successive governments. We are seeing mass species extinction, habitat loss and the degradation of our national landscape and waterways. It is time to give the environment the protection and value it deserves,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Australian Greens Senator, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has reacted to the Christchurch terrorist attack. Senator Faruqi is Australia's first Muslim woman senator.

Senator Faruqi said:

"What happened in Christchurch is deeply devastating and terribly distressing.

"I am heartbroken and quite frankly scared. First and foremost we are grieving and our thoughts are with the friends and families of the victims who have been brutally killed by a white supremacist terrorist from Australia.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the New Zealand Muslim community in the wake of today’s senseless right wing terrorist attack in Christchurch. I extend these sympathies to Muslims in Australia and indeed around the world. My heart aches with yours on this dark and terrible day.

We must unite, as one community, against the plague of hatred and violence that is ricocheting around the world. Silence is not an option. This is a time for us to call out racism and islamophobia in all its forms, and the politicians and media commentators who enable it.

From July 1, 2019, the Greens will introduce a $2.2 billion battery storage fund providing household battery storage incentives of up to $7000 per battery (tapering down annually to July 1, 2023). Each quarter, $137.5 million will be made available for use from the fund.

Battery storage in Australia is taking off, with household battery storage uptake tripling in 2017 and expected to reach 33,000 in 2018. However, the Greens recognise the industry is still developing and this boost will improve access for households and help manufacturers reduce costs and increase production.

Lines attributable to Adam Bandt MP, Greens climate change and energy spokesperson:

“After this warning from the Reserve Bank, the Coalition and Labor can no longer avoid having a plan to transition out of coal in an orderly manner.

“Australia’s central economic institution has just confirmed we could tip past the 1.5 degree global warming threshold in as soon as 10 years.