“The men of this government are still following the rules of the ‘boys club’, covering for each other instead of speaking out about what they knew about an alleged rape in parliament house and allegations of serial sexual harassment by a government staffer in Craig Kelly’s office." said Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and Spokesperson on Women.
 

The Greens condemn Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton for using his ministerial powers to slash millions in grant funding for community projects recommended by his department, in favour of his own handpicked list in electorally beneficial locations.

Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson for democracy, Senator Larissa Waters, said:

“Another day, another pork barrelling scandal.

"Ministers picking their own pet projects against departmental recommendations to secure electoral outcomes has become commonplace under the Morrison Government.

The Government’s latest attempt to prohibit items in immigration detention centres is a massive overreach, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“This is a transparent attempt to cut people in immigration detention off from the outside world,” Senator McKim said.

“Phones in immigration detention are absolutely essential.”

“They allow people to stay in touch with friends and family, and they also help shine the disinfectant of sunlight on abuses which are all too common.”

Peter Dutton’s plans to demand documents from people at airports without justification must be resisted, Greens Justice spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“People should be free to live without arbitrary harassment and being forced to carry ID wherever they go,” Senator McKim said.

“Demanding people produce documents on the spot is a hallmark of police states.”

“This is the slow march of authoritarianism. It starts in airports – how long until it’s random checks on the streets or in people’s homes?”

Today’s withdrawal of International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) as the Australian government’s health provider on Manus Island will mean further erosion of crucial health support for refugees and people seeking asylum in Papua New Guinea, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim said.

"Health supports for detainees on Manus island have never been at an acceptable level, but it now seems inevitable that the humanitarian catastrophe will worsen with increased risk of further self-harm and mental illness," Senator McKim said.

Peter Dutton's latest potshot at the judiciary shows an alarming contempt for the rule of law, Greens Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim says.

"Dutton's suggestion of 'public reflection' is a step towards the direct election of judges - an alarming proposition for someone with as much unchecked power as him."

"Judges and magistrates should be independent experts in the law, not populist politicians."

"This is a dangerous erosion of the rule of law, and Malcolm Turnbull should finally bring his out of control minister to heel."

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has again escalated the Manus Island humanitarian emergency by ordering the use of force against innocent people.

"Dutton tried to starve and dehydrate the men out of his prison, now he's using violence to try to force them out," Greens Immigration Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

"What is happening on Manus Island is an blatant abuse of people's rights by a minister who has abandoned all sense of human decency."

Threats of using force against detainees at the Manus Island detention centre are unprecedented and potentially highly dangerous, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“The instructions for this threat have no doubt come directly from Dutton’s office,” Senator McKim, who is in Papua New Guinea, said.

“These men are Australia’s responsibility and remain so. They are in Maclolm Turnbull’s care as he proved when he knocked back New Zealand’s offer to resettle some of the men.”

Peter Dutton has no choice but to immediately end the humanitarian crisis he has created on Manus Island, Greens Immigration Spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“There are hundreds of men in Dutton’s care who are suffering greatly because of his decisions,” Senator McKim, who is in Papua New Guinea, said.

“They have had their basic rights removed and have been placed in an impossible situation with danger everywhere they turn.”

“Dutton must evacuate these men to safety and restore the basic necessities of life to them.”

Peter Dutton must intervene to end the humanitarian crisis he has created on Manus Island, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

"Peter Dutton must not go ahead with his plan to cut off water, food and electricity to force people out of his Manus Island prison," said Senator McKim, who is currently on Manus Island.

"This situation could become violent because of his creation and escalation of this humanitarian crisis."

"There is nowhere safe in Papua New Guinea for these men to go – they must be evacuated to Australia."