Given that the government now has $60 billion unspent in the JobKeeper program, Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has called for JobKeeper to be extended to university staff and international students, a new funding package provided for higher education, and for free childcare to made permanent.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This ‘mistake’ by the government must be used to provide a lifeline to the many sectors and workers who have been left high and dry during this pandemic.

Greens Spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is calling on Treasurer Frydenberg to immediately extend JobKeeper to workers who have so far been left out.

“The massive revision on JobKeeper numbers today leaves the Government with no excuse not to extend the program to casuals, migrant workers and workers in the arts and entertainment industry who have been excluded from the program,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“There is now $60billion already budgeted for JobKeeper that can go to saving more jobs.

The Australian Greens condemn the Chinese Government’s plans to enact sweeping new national security laws in Hong Kong, with Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt today offering solidarity to protesters who have resisted months of recriminations.

“As Hong Kong activists have said, this is a dangerous prospect for Hong Kong and if implemented could be a knockout blow for Hong Kong’s one country, two systems arrangement.  It is an attempt to silence Hong Kong and its brave and vocal pro-democracy activists," Mr Bandt said.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt has pledged to fight the government’s gas push laid out in the Technology Road Map Discussion Paper released by the government today.

Mr Bandt also said the leaked COVID Commission push for a gas-rush shows the corruption of process the government is using to develop a plan for manufacturing.

“We need to be ending Australia’s addiction to toxic methane gas not feeding it,” Mr Bandt said.

“Coal, oil and gas are the primary cause of the climate crisis. We can't solve the climate emergency and economic crisis by pouring gas on the fire.”

Greens Leader and MP for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, said that Minister for Government Services, Stuart Robert, had potentially lied to him in writing over the Minister’s closure of a Centrelink office in the electorate of Melbourne, and that in the absence of an explanation, Bandt would be moving a censure motion when the Parliament resumes.

Australian Greens Industry spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to a leaked report of the COVID Commission’s Manufacturing Taskforce, which prioritises gas expansion as the way to rebuild manufacturing and create jobs.

Senator Faruqi said:

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that up to 30,000 university jobs will be lost if the federal government does not provide a new funding package for universities and extend the JobKeeper payment to university workers.

The Greens support the National Tertiary Education Union’s National Day of Action (NDA), taking place today, which calls on Education Minister Dan Tehan to step up on university funding and save thousands of jobs.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Covid Commission being riddled with self-interested fossil fuel industry executives touting their own sector as the economic saviour from the coronavirus pandemic is just the latest attempt by the Morrison Government to further destroy our environment, the Greens say.

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

“Whether it is cutting environmental protections even before the 10-year review into the EPBC Act is completed or stacking the Covid Commission with the gas and mining lobby, the fix is in.  

Wednesday, 20th May, 2020

Australian Greens Disability Rights Spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on the South Australian Premier to reconsider the appointment of David Caudrey to lead the task force investigating the death of Ann Marie Smith, citing “unacceptable conflicts of interest”.

“The tragic death of Ms Smith must be investigated by a truly independent task force led by disabled people, not by individuals with links to the very systems at fault,” Steele-John said.

The Greens have backed a community call to retain free childcare in light of the Education Minister’s strongest indications yet that the government would revert back to a fee-paying model, potentially as early as next month.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Education, said:

“Free childcare has been a huge step forward for access to childcare for families. It should be made permanent.

“The government may think it will save money by going back to the fee-paying model, but we know the social and economic benefits of free childcare are enormous.