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."

Reports that students are going hungry or dropping out because of the increasing costs of a university education shows the Government has its priorities all wrong, the Greens say.

The Australian Greens are encouraging universities to adopt the guidelines for sexual assault and harassment put forward by Universities Australia today.

“Sexual assault and harassment is all too common on university campuses and in colleges. The Australian Greens hope Universities Australia’s report will help set a new standard for the way universities help victims of sexual assault and harassment,” Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Turnbull Government is making university more expensive, less accessible and putting more pressure on graduates struggling to get a foothold on their futures.

“It says everything about this Government’s priorities when it would rather give a leg up to millionaires and mega-rich corporations instead of young Australians trying to get their start in life,” Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Greens won’t support any Uni SA/University of Adelaide merger if it means cutting courses, cutting jobs, closing campuses or compromising on student outcomes, Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Universities are constantly being expected to do more with less by this Liberal Government. Cuts to funding, freezing student places, and making it harder for students to afford to study are key factors pressuring universities to undertake these talks,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

Questionable religious organisations using their fringe ideals to treat depression, anorexia, combat bullying and push gay conversion therapy methods are being invited into schools under the Government’s $247 million school chaplaincy program.

“School chaplains are supposed to be prohibited from proselytising, but in Senate Estimates today the Minister wasn’t able to actually explain what this meant,” Greens education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are calling on the Government to waive the debts unknowingly incurred by young Australians hoodwinked by private VET providers.

“The rampant rorting of the VET system is one of the most extraordinary and damning examples of failed privatisation that Australia has ever seen,” Greens education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Young people and students should not be punished with existing debts for education and training they never received from dodgy institutions. 

The Australian Greens will continue to fight the Liberal Government’s harsh university cuts by opposing the Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (Student Loan Sustainability Bill 2018) being debated in the House today.

“This bill seeks to lower the HECS/HELP repayment threshold, forcing students to pay more on lower salaries when they graduate, making it harder for them to get ahead in the early stages of their careers,” Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens have slammed the Catholic Education Commission’s continued bastardisation of Gonski, following new Fairfax reports it is keeping poor schools poor. 

“The Catholic sector argues it doesn’t get enough money, but happily continues to overfund rich schools at the expense of poorer ones,” Greens education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said. 

The Greens stand with students around the country protesting against the Government’s cruel $2.2 billion worth of university cuts, as the Government prepares to push through $65 billion of tax cuts to big business through the Senate today.

“The Government’s $65 billion worth of tax cuts to big businesses are being brought to the Senate today, while the Government takes an axe to university funding,” Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.