The Australian Greens welcome the WA State Government’s ex gratia payment and formal apology to the family of Ms Dhu.

“Although this will not bring back Ms Dhu and the family will continue to experience deep grief from her avoidable death, I hope these steps made by the McGowan Government offers some solace.

“Moves to implement a comprehensive Custody Notification Service in Western Australia are a welcome step and I agree that Aboriginal deaths in custody will dramatically reduce or stop altogether once implemented. This has been evidenced interstate.

I welcome the City of Moreland joining the push to change the date of Australia Day to ensure everyone is welcome, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“It is clear that the current date for Australia Day is seen as a day of invasion for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it is considered a day of grieving for many.

“We are kind and inclusive nation and simply moving the day to a date where everyone can celebrate this wonderful country makes sense. 

The Liberals, Labor and Jacqui Lambie have voted down a Greens motion to defend the priceless Aboriginal cultural heritage in the takayna/Tarkine against the Tasmanian Government's senseless vandalism.

"It is deeply disappointing that all Tasmanian Labor Senators and Senator Lambie chose to ignore the huge damage that will be done if the tracks in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area are reopened," Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

"These are globally significant areas that need to be protected against hooning - both legal and illegal."

“Australia has never undertaken a serious national discussion that would enable us - and our governments - to acknowledge the history of what has happened and its contemporary consequences.
 
“This is a conversation we need to have - it’s long past time. It is about recognising the reality of our history and ensuring it is not ignored or airbrushed over.
 

Australian Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale and Victorian Greens Senator Janet Rice have written to Victorian councils across the state, offering to preside over citizenship ceremonies for any council that supports changing the date for Australia Day and has their capacity to hold citizenship ceremonies stripped from them by Federal Government. 

Crimes statistics indicate a significant increase in robbery and threatening behaviour in Kununurra since the cashless welfare card trial was introduced in the community, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.   

“In figures provided by the WA police we have seen a marked increase in non-aggravated robbery offences, theft, and threatening behaviour in the period that the card was introduced.

Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has welcomed City of Yarra getting behind changing the date for Australia Day, with citizenship ceremonies moved to another day and the council not referring to January 26 as Australia Day.

“Our First Australians have been saying for a long time that January 26 is a day of pain because it is historically the day of invasion.
“The Federal Government has forced local councils to take matters into their own hands because they are terrified of moving the day so that all are included in celebrating wonderful Australia.

Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has welcomed commencement of discussions with the Federal Government over funding for a Custody Notification Service (CNS). 

“I'm very pleased to see the WA Attorney General’s interest in introducing a Custody Notification Service (CNS) in WA to drive down Aboriginal deaths in custody in the state”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today. 

“The Custody Notification Service operating in NSW has effectively stopped Aboriginal deaths in custody in New South Wales (NSW) since implementation in 2000. 

The on-going impasse on dialysis funding between State, Territory and Federal Government needs to be resolved, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today. 

“Funding is inadequate in many areas particularly in regional and remote areas and this impasse over who is responsible for funding what is holding up timely expansion of much need dialysis support. 

“Aboriginal Australians have been saying for years that they desperately need increased dialysis funding and it has been an uphill battle even to secure pockets of funding that have been delivered.