The Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, has announced the Greens will move in the Senate next week for the Government to revoke its direction under the Biosecurity Act to ban and put in place criminal penalties on Australians and residents returning home from India.

“The ban is racist, it’s possibly illegal, it’s not based on health advice and it must be rescinded immediately.  The Greens will move in the Senate next week to overturn the ban and we believe it will have widespread support amongst Senators.”

Wednesday, 17 March 2021

An invite-only drinks at Parliament House with Elbit Systems - Israel's largest privately-owned weapons company - has been facilitated by former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, highlighting the urgent need for reforms in Australian politics to stop the revolving door of politicians becoming lobbyists.

It has become easier over the last 12 months for many of us to forget about, or at least deprioritise, the struggles of oppressed people across the world. With our borders effectively closed and the economic and health crisis having an enormous impact on Australian life, the world beyond our shores is easily forgotten. So today I'd like to reflect on global human rights injustices and fights for self-determination, equity and dignity. There are oppressed people across the world who continue their struggles.

Greens Senators Janet Rice and Jordon Steele-John have called on the Australian Government to immediately suspend all military ties with Myanmar, and impose targeted sanctions on General Min Aung Hlaing and others involved in yesterday’s coup.

The Australian Greens also urge the Myanmar military to respect democratic norms and immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi and others who have been unlawfully detained.

Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson said:

With the news overnight that Julian Assange has been denied bail, Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson Senator Janet Rice has called on Prime Minister Morrison to act to ensure his wellbeing, and signalled that she will seek to involve the Australian Senate to act on his behalf.

Senator Rice said:

“I call on Mr Morrison to show some courage and pick up the phone to speak directly to both UK Prime Minister Boris Johnston to ensure Mr Assange’s wellbeing; and to US President-elect Joe Biden to drop the charges against him.