Month: March 2025

Australia will provide an initial $2 million to Myanmar through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for immediate humanitarian relief following Friday’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating event, which only adds to an already-dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar.

It has caused extensive damage to infrastructure and loss of life in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, as well as in surrounding regions, with hospitals overwhelmed. Neighbouring countries, including Thailand, have also been impacted.

Australia’s support will assist ICRC to carry out immediate lifesaving support including to address emergency medical needs.

Australia also welcomes the release of US$5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support urgent needs such as shelter, food and water. Australia is a longstanding donor to the CERF.

The ongoing crisis in Myanmar is a major threat to stability in our region. Australia continues to provide support in response to the worsening humanitarian situation.

Australia does not provide any direct funding to the military regime and takes proactive steps to ensure our assistance does not legitimise the military regime in Myanmar.

Campaigning today in the Greens’ target seat of Macnamara, the Australian Greens have said Greens pressure works after Labor adopted the Greens’ plan to make supermarket price-gouging illegal. 

The move comes after Labor also adopted the Greens’ plan to triple the bulk-billing incentive for GPs, with the Greens saying a minority Parliament will see a number of other Greens policies implemented.

Last year the Greens introduced a bill to stop supermarket price gouging, which both Labor and the Liberals voted against in October. The Greens also announced a widely-reported election plan to make price-gouging illegal earlier this month. 

The Greens have said if the Prime Minister is looking for some more homework to copy, he should get dental and mental health into Medicare, wipe all student debt, cap rent increases, and stop new coal and gas and native forest logging.

After returning from yesterday’s ‘Keep Dutton Out’ rally in Queensland, Greens Leader Adam Bandt will today be campaigning in the party’s target seat of Macnamara in inner-city Melbourne with candidate Sonya Semmens, Victorian Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May and Wills candidate Samantha Ratnam.

The Greens’ plan to make supermarket price gouging illegal has been incredibly popular in Wills and Macnamara, and the Greens will be doorknocking there today to say today’s announcement is proof the Greens get Labor to act.

The Greens came within 300 votes of winning the Macnamara at the 2022 election. Last election Macnamara saw a 5.5% swing to the Greens and the party has already knocked on more than 65,000 doors this campaign. 

Macnamara has one of the highest proportions of renting households in the country. 51.5 per cent of households are rented and a further 24 per cent have a mortgage, which means 3 in 4 households in the electorate are being heavily impacted by the rental and housing crisis. 

In addition to Macnamara, the Greens are targeting Wills (VIC), Richmond (NSW), Sturt (SA) and Perth (WA). The party is also seeking to return its four Lower House MPs and all its Senators who are up for re-election. 

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP:

“Greens pressure works. After adopting most of our plan to see the GP for free, Labor has now followed the Greens’ plan to make supermarket price gouging illegal.

“The Greens get Labor to act. If Labor had voted for our bill last year shoppers would have cheaper groceries already, but this move is better late than never.

“The Greens are leading the way this election, and with a minority Parliament coming, we can keep Dutton out and get Labor to get dental and mental health into Medicare, wipe all student debt, cap rent increases, and stop new coal and gas.

“With more Greens MPs in Parliament, like Sonya Semmens in Macnamara and Samantha Ratnam in Wills, we can keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

“This election, we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.

“Right now, one in three big corporations pays zero tax. We should tax big corporations and billionaires to fund dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, bring back free GPs and take strong climate action.

“Last minority government the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids, and now we want to get it for everyone.

“If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.

Greens economic justice spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim:

“While Mr Albanese is browsing the Greens’ website looking for policy ideas, he should also copy and paste our plan to get dental into Medicare and end native forest logging.

“Because the Greens don’t take donations from the supermarket corporations, we have led the charge on taking on the duopoly.

“Our leadership and pressure has led to the Nationals and Liberals supporting supermarket divestiture and now Labor is backing our plan to make price gouging illegal.”

Greens candidate for Macnamara, Sonya Semmens:

“In Macnamara more than half the households are renting and they’ve been smashed by the cost of living crisis. 

“This election, nothing changes unless your vote does.

“In a minority government, the Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act on housing, cost of living and the climate crisis.”

Australia will provide a further $11 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, and an additional $15 million in critical support for people affected by humanitarian crises in Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The additional funding to Gaza will address urgent needs, including healthcare, food and water.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, and Australia reiterates calls for sustained, unimpeded aid to those who desperately need it.

Additional assistance will be provided to those impacted by rapidly escalating humanitarian crises. It includes:

• $7 million in lifesaving food assistance for Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar, as well as their host communities in Bangladesh. More than one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh depend on humanitarian support, with no legal status or right to work.
• $3 million in lifesaving assistance to provide food, health, shelter and protection support for displaced people on the Thai-Myanmar border.
• An additional $5 million will also be provided to enable United Nations partners to deliver services for Afghan women and girls that address critical sexual and reproductive health needs, gender-based violence and displacement.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Helping others in crisis reflects Australian values, but also supports our interests in a peaceful, stable world. Australia’s contribution will provide lifesaving assistance to people enduring immense suffering.
“Australia is engaging diplomatically as part of the international call for all parties to return to the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. We continue to press for the protection of civilians, the release of hostages and unimpeded and sustained humanitarian aid.

“Humanitarian needs have increased twenty-fold since the Myanmar coup. We call on the military regime to prioritise civilian safety and immediately cease violence and ensure unhindered and safe humanitarian access across the country.

“Australia is steadfast in its support for Afghan women and girls, who have shown incredible courage in the face of the Taliban’s systematic human rights violations and abuses.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Humanitarian crises contribute to regional instability and global insecurity.

“Australia is providing lifesaving healthcare and assistance for civilians in need, as part of an international effort to reduce the devastating human toll of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

“Protection for women and girls in humanitarian emergencies is a central pillar of the Humanitarian Policy we released in 2024. We know the situation under the Taliban is particularly egregious and we are proud to be supporting the provision of critical health services to Afghan women and girls.

“We will continue to play our part to support people in humanitarian need, both in our region and globally.”

Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

The Greens will today kick off their biggest ever national campaign with a record number of Greens representatives around the country ready to hit the campaign trail.

With the country heading for a minority government, the Greens have ruled out supporting Peter Dutton to form government but will get Labor to take urgent action on the cost of living, the rental and housing crisis and the climate crisis.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt will today reiterate that keeping Dutton out is not enough, as Labor will not take real action on cost of living and climate without pressure from the Greens.

The Greens have not yet announced their final formal list of priorities for minority government, but they have said they will seek action on housing, health and other cost of living issues, as well as ending native forest logging and stopping new coal and gas mines. The Greens’ ‘Robin Hood reforms’ will fund these policies by taxing big corporations and billionaires.

Last time there was a minority government, the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids. This election, Labor has already adopted much of the Greens ‘GP for free’ policy and partially wiping student debt, and the Greens say their other policies are achievable in minority government as well. 

The Greens are targeting five House of Representatives seats around the country in addition to the four currently held by the party, and are seeking to return all Senators up for re-election.

The Greens’ priority target seats are Wills and Macnamara (VIC) held by Peter Khalil and Josh Burns respectively; Richmond (NSW) held by Justine Eliot, Sturt (SA) held by James Stevens and Perth (WA) held by Patrick Gormon.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

“With a minority government predicted, the Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

“This election, we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.

“Right now, one in three big corporations pays zero tax. We should tax big corporations and billionaires to fund dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, bring back free GPs and take strong climate action.

“Last minority government the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids, and now we want to get it for everyone.

“If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.”

BACKGROUND: GREENS TARGET SEATS

Wills

• Samantha Ratnam resigned from her position as Victorian Greens Leader to contest the seat of Wills
• Redistribution approximately halved the ALP’s margin against the Greens: Poll Bludger estimated 4.2% and the ABC’s Antony Green estimated 4.6%. By way of comparison, Max Chandler-Mather and Adam Bandt achieved swings of more than 10% when they first won Griffith and Melbourne respectively.

Macnamara

• Candidate is Sonya Semmens, a non profit communications expert and the Greens’ previous candidate for the seat of Higgins
• The Greens came within 300 votes of winning the seat of Macnamara at the 2022 election
• One of the highest proportions of renting households in the country: 51.5% of households are rented and a further 24% of households have a mortgage – that’s 75% of the electorate being heavily impacted by the rental and housing crisis

Richmond

• Candidate is comedian and long term resident Mandy Nolan
• A swing of less than 1.8% required
• Extremely high level of rental stress – 82.7% of households in rental stress as of February 2025

Sturt

• Currently held by Liberal James Stevens on a razor thin margin of 1% against ALP in 2022
• Greens candidate Katie McCusker ran in Sturt in 2022 as well as the Dunstan by-election and in both contests achieved a swing of more than 5%. Both major parties recorded a negative swing at the Dunstan by-election

Perth

• Greens candidate Sophie Greer, a local councillor and public health expert would need an 8.4% swing to unseat the ALP’s Patrick Gorman
• More than 40% of the electorate is rented and the WA election means many issues plaguing the state, such as the hospital and healthcare crisis, are at the forefront of people’s minds