Wednesday 25th March, 2020

Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on Minister Ruston to urgently extend the COVID-19 supplement payment, announced as part of the government’s second round of stimulus, to disabled people receiving the disability support pension and to carers who receive the carer support payment.

“Minister Ruston has been given extraordinary powers up until the end of this year which enable her to introduce measures to ensure that Australians who receive income support can get through this crisis. 

Friday 20th March, 2020

After seeking advice from medical professionals, my colleagues and my family, I have made the decision to stay in Western Australia - I won't be travelling to Canberra for Parliament next week. 

We're all in this together and all of our lives have been disrupted. For at risk people, including disabled people, we're having to re-evaluate and adapt, balancing our usual routines with minimising the risk to ourselves and those we love. 

Thursday 19 March, 2020

Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has described the COAG Disability Reform Council's (DRC) response to COVID-19 as appalling

Senator Steele-John has called on the DRC to act with more urgency, and provide more clarity about the impacts COVID-19 will have on disabled people, our families and our support networks.

The gaps in services for people with psychosocial disability in the NDIS are deeply concerning and need to be urgently addressed, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

It has been revealed in the Government Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) that the marriage equality postal survey came in $41.5m under budget; this must now go towards mental health services for LGBTIQ people, the Australian Greens said today. 

“While we are all overjoyed about finally achieving marriage equality in Australia, this survey should never have happened in the first place and it was a huge outlay of tax payer money for an unnecessary exercise that hurt our LGBTIQ communities,” said Senator Janet Rice, the Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson.

The Australian Greens have secured senate support for a motion calling for the $20 million not spent in the marriage equality postal survey to be directed to mental health services.  

“The marriage equality survey came in $20 million under budget, meanwhile mental health services were put under immense pressure due to the scrutiny inflicted on the LGBTIQ community, having a significant impact on their mental health”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Mental Health Senator Rachel Siewert said today.  

“It is unbelievable to think that anyone would want more opportunity to discriminate against people with mental ill health, but that’s apparently exactly the case for FamilyVoice.

“I am gobsmacked that this organisation thinks that upsetting a church service is a reason to unbolt protections for people who are struggling. People with mental ill health should not be discriminated against, they need increased supports and understanding.

“This is cruel and further entrenches stereotypes when so many people are working to do the opposite”.  

This budget fails Australian patients, has zero vision for the future of the system and is a political fix, pure and simple. The Government’s plan to lift the Medicare freeze will have no impact for patients for at least a year, if not longer, leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale said.

“Greg Hunt’s ‘road map’ for health lacks any vision for the future of healthcare in this country. It’s a U-turn that takes us back to where we were three years ago. 

It was devastating to hear on World Mental Health Day that a refusal to increase funding for Lifeline Top End in the Northern Territory has resulted in the shopfront closing its doors, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert today.

“On World Mental Health day it was particularly saddening that an important service that provided face to face counselling and community engagement closed because the Northern Territory Government refused to increase funding, this was a cruel and I would say dangerous decision.