The Morrison Government and the Labor Party have thrown Australia under the bus in teaming up to pass the dodgy Trans-Pacific Partnership today, giving big corporations more power than elected Governments.

“Labor has abandoned its own party platform, Australian workers, our environment and our sovereignty in rolling over for the Morrison Government to pass the TPP,”  Greens trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“This is a deal for big corporations, at the expense of the rights of the community.

I rise to speak on the Customs Amendment (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Implementation) Bill 2018 and the related bill, and associate myself with the comments made by my Greens colleagues. How is it that, time and time again, we come to this place and see bill after bill that the people of Australia never asked for and do not want? The sway that vested interests have on this government is truly horrifying; and I am even more horrified that this piece of legislation comes here with bipartisan support.

The Australian Greens are calling on the Labor Party to dump its support of the dodgy TPP ahead of the debate in the Senate today.

“The dodgy TPP deal was designed by corporations, for corporations. It is baffling to Australian workers,  and the broader community, that the Labor Party has abandoned its base, and unions, to give this toxic trade deal the green light,” Greens trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said. 

Greens Treasury spokesperson Senator Peter Whish-Wilson and Leader Dr Richard Di Natale have this afternoon welcomed the release of the interim report of the Banking and Financial Services Royal Commission, saying we must now undertake serious reform to clean up the endless greed in the sector.

“Scott Morrison famously said when announcing this Royal Commission that it would not be ‘capitalism on trial’, but it’s now clear that’s exactly what it is, certainly it’s the worst excesses of capitalism on trial,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.

The Labor Party is fooling the community, and themselves, when they say they can scale back the nasties in the TPP in Government.

“The Labor Party cannot change the TPP once the ink is dry. They are fooling themselves if they think this is going to fly with the Australian workers who know better,” Greens trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Labor has thrown Australia under the bus for delivering the Government the numbers it needs to pass TPP enabling legislation, the Greens say.

“Labor has betrayed Australian workers, and our sovereignty, by paving the way to locking our Nation to the dangerous TPP,” Greens trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Greens will be moving amendments to ensure workers’ rights, protect Australian jobs and prohibit ISDS provisions.

Greens Senator for SA Sarah Hanson-Young has slammed the State Liberal Party’s anti-South Australian budget.

“Steven Marshall and Rob Lucas have delivered a horrific anti-South Australian budget that will have a disastrous impact on our state’s already high-unemployment rate,” Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Slashing and burning 4000 jobs from the public sector, closing TAFE campuses and forcing up the rent on those doing it tough is a disgraceful attack on the fabric of South Australia’s society.