Media Release: Senate casts doubt on proposed changes to lending laws

November 9, 2020

The Senate today supported a Greens motion condemning the government for abandoning the key recommendation of the Banking Royal Commission.

“The Senate has today cast doubt on whether the government has the numbers to tear up responsible lending obligations, which was one of its major budget announcements,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

The RBA’s decision to cut interest rates to new historic lows and start a new round of quantitative easing is a vote of no confidence in the Government’s recovery plans, Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“This decision shows the RBA has no faith in the Liberals’ agenda of tax cuts for the super wealthy and more handouts for the big corporate polluters,” Senator McKim said.

Tuesday, 6th October 2020

After almost a decade of campaigning, the $44 million compensation package announced in today’s budget has the potential to be a huge win for Thalidomide survivors, who have been fighting for decades to get the recognition and support they deserve from the Australian government.

Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said that after a lifetime of discrimination, bullying, ongoing health problems and even suicide, Thalidomide survivors and their families now finally had an opportunity for justice.

Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson today welcomes the announcement from Prime Minister Scott Morrison that paid pandemic leave will be extended to Tasmania but says that it needs broader eligibility criteria. He today calls for all Tasmanian workers to be eligible for the payment.

Senator Whish-Wilson first called for Premier Gutwein to raise with the PM the extension of paid pandemic leave for the 59 000 Tasmanians without leave entitlements on August 6th.