Greens spokesperson for democracy Senator Larissa Waters said 10 years after the Greens first called for a federal anti-corruption body to oversee parliamentarians and the public service, the Morrison Government has finally got on board – but there’s so many catches.

“The Morrison Government’s proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission is the ICAC you have when you’re not really having an ICAC. It’s the poor cousin of the state ICACs and basically a Clayton’s ICAC,” Senator Waters said.

I rise to speak on the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017. This is a very complicated bill and it has certainly had a very chequered history. It purports to restrict the influence of foreign money over our politics.

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Gun Control, Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Greens spokesperson for Democracy, Senator Larissa Waters, have reacted to today's reports that the gun lobby is trying to weaken Australia's gun laws and that pro-gun groups have used Ministerial Advisory Panels to lobby against greater gun controls.

The Liberals continue to show contempt for the will of the Australian public when it comes to establishing a national anti-corruption body, Greens spokesperson for democracy, Queensland Senator, Larissa Waters said.

“Trust in public institutions has been trashed thanks to major parties representing their corporate donor mates, not the rest of us. Australians are overwhelmingly in favour of a national anti-corruption body yet the Liberals are blatantly ignoring them,” Senator Waters said.

Dutton hanging by a thread: Bandt

Greens Co-Deputy Leader and Member for Melbourne today said that the one vote difference (67 in favour, 68 opposed) in his no-confidence push against Peter Dutton meant the Minister was hanging by the barest of threads. Mr. Bandt foreshadowed further action against Mr. Dutton for misleading the Parliament over the au pair scandal.

“The government has used its numbers to run a protection racket for Peter Dutton,” said Mr Bandt. 

Big business is now running parliament and the Government is not even pretending to anymore, Greens Senator for Queensland and mining and resources spokesperson, Larissa Waters said.

“The Government has done another special deal for Adani in not making them comply with water laws,” she said.

“Adani has just gotten out of having to comply with water laws for a pipeline that will suck 12.5billion litres out of a river in a region that is crippled by drought.

The election of Scott Morrison as Liberal Leader won’t solve the infighting and self-interest that has paralysed Australian politics for a decade said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.



"Once again, a Prime Minister has been turfed out not by the voters, but by a handful of faceless men. Whether it’s the Labor Party or the Liberals, people have had a gutful, and are right to be angry" Di Natale said.

The Australian Greens today announced portfolio allocations for their Senators and MPs ahead of the upcoming Federal Election.

Australian Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale said a reallocation had occurred as a result of Mehreen Faruqi’s arrival in the Senate yesterday and Larissa Water’s imminent return.

“We’ve got to hold the big parties to account – and the Australian Greens Senate team will fight for the causes that matter to our community,” Dr Di Natale said.

“This new allocation of portfolios will make the most of each of our Senator’s strengths and passions."