Tuesday 1 December 2020
 

Australian Greens Peace spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called for General's Campbell and Burr to resign to enable the recommendations of the Afghan Inquiry to be implemented free from any actual or perceived conflicts of interest, and facilitate ongoing investigations by the Australian Federal Police.

Monday 30 November 2020

Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said he was appalled at findings by the Disability Royal Commission, released today, that cited "serious failures" by the Morrison government to make "any significant effort" to consult with disabled people during the early stages of response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The recommenations made by the Chair are a vindication of the outrage and distress felt by disabled people, and our families, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic" Steele-John said.

Monday 30 November 2020

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, and Australian Greens Peace Spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John, will in the next sitting week of Parliament move a bill to require Parliamentary approval before Australian troops are sent to war. 

The release of the Brereton Inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by Australian SAS soldiers shows the importance of accountability over the decision to both deploy troops and their actions while overseas, the Greens say.

Thursday 19 November 2020

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said there was no question now that Australian special forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan that are the result of a toxic warrior culture, facilitated by failures within the chain of command.

“The crimes outlined in the Brereton report - even in the limited detail we’ve been given so far - are horrendous and shameful,” Steele-John said.

Thursday 12 November 2020

Australian Greens Peace & Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today that the scope of the Office of the Special Investigator's remit must be broad so that it can examine the conduct of all levels of command within the SAS and ADF, not just individuals mentioned in the Brereton Inquiry Report.

Tuesday 20 October 2020

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today it was unacceptable that the Attorney General would not introduce privacy protections to the Disability Royal Commission, garuanteeing witnesses confidentiality beyond the life of the Commission, until mid-next year.

The Government’s latest attempt to expand ASIO’s powers is cynical and unjustified, the Greens say.

“Yet again, Peter Dutton is trying to increase powers of security agencies without even trying to explain his reasons,” Greens Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“Nor has he tried to give any possible justification for the need to interrogate children as young as 14.”

“To use the pandemic as cover for the increased scope of the surveillance state is dangerous and cynical.”

Greens MPs have used the Federal Parliament to demand justice for Julian Assange, as his extradition hearing begins in London.

In the House of Representatives today, Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called for Mr Assange to be brought back to Australia, while in the Senate, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson today questioned the government and yesterday moved a motion urging the Parliament not to be silent on the criminalisation of journalistic activity.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

I rise this morning to note this government's disturbing and frankly despicable attempts to avoid transparency and to shirk accountability. Trust amongst people in our democracy is at the lowest it has ever been. Democratic satisfaction has actually plummeted in the last decade from 86 per cent in 2007 to just 40 per cent in 2018. I can bet that if we asked the community right now how much they trust democracy in Australia, it would be in freefall thanks to this Liberal-National government.

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health, by 12 pm on 11 February 2020, any emails or any other form of written correspondence between the former Minister, Senator McKenzie, or the former Minister's office, in any of her former capacities, and the Department of Health, or any person working for the Department of Health, concerning either of the following matters surrounding the report 'Economic and social impacts of recreational hunting and shooting', released in September 2019:

(a) the funding of the report; or