IDPwD – Greens Commit to Making Trains, Beaches and Public Institutions Accessible

Disabled person and spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services Senator Jordon Steele-John has announced the Australian Greens have released a plan to improve the lives of 4 million disabled people across the country.
Australian Greens Spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services Senator Steele-John said:
“On International Day of People with Disabilities, The Australian Greens are confirming their commitment to centering the needs and voices of disabled people.
“Right now, disabled people face many systemic barriers. Decisions that impact our lives are made without us everyday. Public buildings and public transport are built to be inaccessible, workplaces aren’t equipped to support us, adequate housing isn’t available and information is provided in formats that don’t meet our needs.
“All of these systemic barriers can be overcome, and I am proud to be announcing our Greens commitment to address these. The Greens are the only party with a plan to address these.
“Our Greens Accessible Australia plan will tackle the affordable housing crisis. Right now, so many people are experiencing housing stress. It’s especially dire for those who need accessible accommodation. The Greens will build 1 Million physically accessible homes across Australia and invest in accessible housing solutions.
“Catching public transport can be a nightmare, if not impossible, for so many disabled people. The Greens will invest $1 billion over four years to boost accessible public transport across Australia.
“The Greens want everyone to be able to enjoy outdoor places and access public spaces. That’s why we’re committing $3 Billion for an Accessible Infrastructure Fund, including $30 million for an Accessible Nature Fund. These investments from the Federal Government could be accessed by state, territory, and local governments to improve the accessibility of existing public places, and allow disabled people to enjoy outdoor places like beaches, parks, and other tourism spots.
“Our plan also will make our digital world accessible to everyone. We will restore funding to ensure the availability of AUSLAN interpreters and invest an additional $30 million over the forward estimates towards relay and translation services, and expand the regulatory requirement for audio description and captioning services to commercial TV.
“Working together, The Greens and the disability community have achieved many things. We’ve stopped the Morrison Government’s attempts at implementing Independent Assessment, successfully negotiated stronger confidentiality protections for people sharing their experiences with the Disability Royal Commission, and obtained justice for Thalidomide survivors.
“The next election will be closer than people think. Scott Morrison is only 828 votes away from losing majority government and on current polling, a power-sharing Parliament is the most likely outcome.
“In the balance of power, the Greens will kick the Liberals out and push the next government to make billionaires and corporations pay their fair share of tax so all people are supported to live a good life and able to access education, housing, and public spaces.
The Greens will:

  • Make our physical world accessible to everyone by investing in public transport, schools, hospitals, nature play spaces, and other public infrastructure to make them physically accessible.
  • Increase support for the advocacy organisations and intervention services that are needed to protect disabled people from abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.

Labor given up on climate: Greens

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP has criticised today’s climate announcement, saying Labor has given up on climate.
Labor’s target is not consistent with the science of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, the goal set out in the Glasgow Climate Pact. Labor now joins the Liberals with targets that have given up on the science, given up on Glasgow and given up on the climate.
The independent Climate Targets Panel, the Climate Council and the climate and environment movement have all determined that Australia needs a 74-75% by 2030 target, in line with the UK’s 68% by 2030 cut.
Labor is going backwards on the last election, and a 43% cut is not much more than business as usual. The Greens policy is for a 75% emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2035.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said: 
“Labor has given up on climate.
“Labor has given in to the coal and gas corporations and given up on climate.
“The climate crisis is getting worse but Labor is going backwards.
“Labor now joins the Liberals with targets that have given up on the science, given up on Glasgow and given up on climate.
“Labor and Liberal want more coal and gas and their low targets mean we lose the fight against global warming.
“Labor’s backdown shows the only way we’ll get climate action is kicking the Liberals out and putting Greens in balance of power to push Labor to go further and faster.
“These targets take us past the point of no return. The Liberals are taking us over the cliff at 200 km/h while Labor’s promising to do it at 180 km/h. Both their plans mean Australia heats up by more than 3 degrees, which is game over for our country.”

Powering Australia – Labor’s Plan to Create Jobs, Cut Power Bills and Reduce Emissions by Boosting Renewable Energy

Creating jobs, cutting power bills and reducing emissions by boosting renewable energy are at the centre of Labor’s Powering Australia plan. This plan will bring cheaper renewable energy to Australian homes and businesses.
For nearly a decade, the Liberal Government’s mismanagement of our energy policy has been a threat to our economy – leaving Australia missing out on the jobs, growth, and opportunities that our abundant renewable resources could unlock.
Business has shown leadership. Government must play its part.
A Labor Government will close the yawning gap between our current Federal Government and our business community, agricultural sector and state governments when it comes to investing in the renewables that will power our future.
Our plan will create 604,000 jobs, with 5 out of 6 new jobs to be created in the regions.
It will spur $76 billion of investment.
It will cut power bills for families and businesses by $275 a year for homes by 2025, compared to today.
Powering Australia will prioritise growth and investment for the regions that have served as Australia’s engine room for so long – that know energy, manufacturing and resources.
Under a Labor Government, those regions will continue to power Australia and provide a stream of exports into the future.
Powering Australia’s benefits to the Australian economy are backed up by the most extensive independent modelling ever carried out for an Opposition.
Alongside the economic benefits, our plan will reduce Australia’s emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 – which will become Australia’s target under the Paris Agreement, keeping us on track for net zero by 2050.
Australians deserve a plan to secure our nation’s future, to maximise the benefits of new technology, cheaper energy, new job opportunities and cheaper low-emissions vehicles.

Australians deserve a plan to secure our nation’s future, to maximise the benefits of new technology, cheaper energy, new job opportunities and cheaper low-emissions vehicles.

Australian business, industry, farmers, state and local governments deserve a Government that is in step with them.
Powering Australia is squarely focussed on the economic interests of Australian families and businesses, and it will be achieved with policy that is both realistic and ambitious.
Australian business wants certainty. This plan will deliver what they need to move forward.
Labor’s Powering Australia plan will:
  • Upgrade the electricity grid to fix energy transmission and drive down power prices.
  • Make electric vehicles cheaper with an electric car discount and Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy.
  • Adopt the Business Council of Australia’s recommendation for facilities already covered by the Government’s Safeguard Mechanism that emissions be reduced gradually and predictably over time, to support international competitiveness and economic growth – consistent with industry’s own commitment to net zero by 2050.
  • Protect the competitiveness of Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed industries by ensuring they will not face a greater constraint than their competitors.
  • Allocate up to $3 billion from Labor’s National Reconstruction Fund to invest in green metals (steel, alumina and aluminium); clean energy component manufacturing; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel switching; agricultural methane reduction and waste reduction.
  • Provide direct financial support for measures that improve energy efficiency within existing industries and develop new industries in Regional Australia through a new Powering the Regions Fund.
  • Roll out 85 solar banks around Australia to ensure more households can benefit from rooftop solar.
  • Install 400 community batteries across the country.
  • Demonstrate Commonwealth leadership by reducing the Australian Public Service’s own emissions to net zero by 2030.
  • Invest in 10,000 New Energy Apprentices and a New Energy Skills Program.
  • Establish a real-world vehicle fuel testing program to inform consumer choice.
  • Work with large businesses to provide greater transparency on their climate related risks and opportunities.
  • Re-establish leadership by restoring the role of the Climate Change Authority, while keeping decision-making and accountability with Government and introducing new annual Parliamentary reporting by the Minister.
Labor’s plan will see Australia re-join key trading partners in their ambition to 2030, like Canada (with its similar economic base) at 40-45 per cent, South Korea at 40 per cent and Japan at 46 per cent.
Peak groups including the BCA, Australian Industry Group, and National Farmers Federation have said that raising Australia’s 2030 emissions mitigation goals is “necessary to provide a clear and credible basis for action and investment [and] maintain our competitiveness amidst a growing global transition”. Powering Australia puts Government policy in line with Australia’s leading industry, business and agricultural groups.
The Australian Government has agreed to the recommendations of COP26 and signed up to deliver a more ambitious 2030 target. Scott Morrison is not telling Australians what his plan is to meet it.
Whether Scott Morrison can see it or not, we are in a race. Every major economy in the world is moving toward renewables and if we do not seize this moment to invest in a homegrown renewables sector, Australia will be left out and left behind.
When faced with this economic reality, Scott Morrison’s response was to offer a glossy pamphlet full of old ideas and a vain hope that yet-to-be discovered solutions will materialise.
Under his leadership, the Government is both divided and divisive when it comes to energy, focused on scare campaigns and falsehoods.
Labor sees an opportunity to bring people together and move the country forward.
Under Labor, Australia has a chance to be at the front of the pack globally, reaping the economic rewards for families and businesses alike.
Powering Australia will create jobs, cut power bills and reduce emissions by boosting renewable energy, and will be delivered by an Albanese Labor Government that puts Australia’s interests first.
Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has said:
“For nearly a decade the Coalition has failed on energy policy, certainty, and Australia’s jobs opportunity.
Today I announce our plan to create jobs, cut power bills, and reduce emissions by boosting renewable energy.
Less than a month after the biggest climate conference in world history Australia has been asked to try again when it comes to climate policy, after being ranked last in the world.
The Morrison Government is unable and unwilling to rise to this challenge. Labor will, and as we do, we will create jobs, economic opportunities across Regional Australia and cheap power.
Under Labor, Australia will respond to the changes that are coming and shape our future to benefit all of us. A fourth term for the Morrison Government will see them frozen in time as the world warms around them.”
Labor’s Powering Australia plan and modelling is available here.

The Greens Announce First Nations Legal Defence Fund

When First Nations people fight for Country, against dirty mining companies or corporate landowners with deep pockets, they’re often locked in a long, expensive and ultimately unfair legal battle.
The Greens have a plan to balance the scales, by making billionaires and big polluters pay their fair share of tax. Through a ‘billionaires tax’ and a ‘corporate super-profits tax,’ we can put resources towards an environmental and cultural heritage legal defence fund.
“We need better resources so Traditional Owners can fight back and assert their rights to Country.” Said the Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations: Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung Senator Lidia Thorpe.
“Right now, there’s no money and no support when we take big corporations to court. In balance of power, The Greens will contribute $51m to establish a First Nations Legal Defence Fund so Traditional Owners can access independent legal advice.”
“We saw at Beetaloo how the Labor and Liberal parties decided to destroy Country, in favour of a company that makes big donations to both of their parties. Too many sacred sites have already been destroyed.”
“We heard evidence in the Senate Inquiry into the Juukan Gorge crisis that mining companies manufacture consent. They talk to corporations who say they represent the Traditional Owners, when they don’t. We need to make sure the right people are making decisions about what happens on their Country.“ Said Thorpe.
Yamatji-Noongar Senator for Western Australia Dorinda Cox: the Greens spokesperson for Mining and Resources said:
“In some state-based legislation, there is no right to appeal. There is no right to veto. First Nations people do not have bags of cash lying around to take mining companies and corporate landowners to the Supreme Court to protect their cultural heritage.”
“The Australian Cultural Heritage Bill and the Senate Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge show that legislation protecting Country is weak. It was written in the interests of mining and development.”
“We need designated resources for First Nations people to assert their rights and fight for Country.”

Liberals and Labor conspire to silence charities

Labor has signed on to the government’s anti-democracy agenda by voting for new legislation designed to silence critical voices from the nonprofit sector.
The Electoral Legislation Amendment (Political Campaigner) Bill was rammed through the Senate tonight without debate and without going to inquiry, passing after a dirty deal between Labor and the Liberals.
The new laws will mean that more nonprofits will now be classified as “large third parties”, increasing their disclosure requirements and administrative burdens.  More charities will spend more time on paperwork and less time advocating for public interest policy reforms. Many will be discouraged from advocacy work altogether.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
“This bill is not about transparency and accountability. It’s not about the integrity of elections. This bill will undermine charities and the right to advocate for change.
“It’s always been about shutting critical voices out of the election debate by tying them up in bureaucracy. Whatever happened to the Liberals hating red tape?
“That’s why over 80 charities joined together to call on the government to scrap this bill. And it’s why the government has ignored them.
“Charities are already subject to strict reporting and transparency obligations under the ACNC. There is no justification for the additional reporting that a lower threshold would impose on the many organisations already struggling to make ends meet.
“This is a cynical stitch-up between the government and Labor. We’re glad to see the back of the voter ID laws but secretly trading one legislative outcome for another is not how democracy is supposed to work.
“Labor is of course patting itself on the back for getting some amendments through, but the changes do little more than make terrible legislation marginally less terrible. They don’t deserve a cookie for that.
“If this government was serious about transparency during elections, they would ban dirty donations, immediately lower the donation disclosure thresholds and require real-time reporting.
“And if they were serious about accountability and inappropriate influence, we would not have been waiting more than 1080 days for a national integrity commission.
“This is a kick in the teeth to a sector that needs more support, not more roadblocks. The Greens will continue to stand up for charities who advocate for policy reforms.”

Liberals and Labor join hands to kill off accountability in the Senate

The Greens say today’s move by the Coalition and Labor to reaffirm their dodgy deal to permanently axe Senate motions represents one more nail in the coffin for democracy and transparency.
The decision makes permanent the temporary arrangement between the Liberals and Labor in June which eliminated motions that ask the Senate to form an opinion, replacing them with two-minute statements.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
“Last night we saw Labor join forces with the government to ram through laws designed to silence critical voices from the nonprofit sector.
“And today the big parties have renewed their anti-democracy pact by making permanent their decision in June to prevent Senators from moving and requiring a vote on motions.
“The elimination of motions removes a critical accountability mechanism from the Senate. It allows the big parties to weasel out of telling the public what their position is on issues that might be politically inconvenient.
“Axing motions means shutting down Senators’ rights to represent constituents and to put issues on the agenda that big parties want to stay silent on. It means that the Coalition and Labor will continue to be able to dictate which issues the Senate can vote on.
“Senate motions have been vital in building political pressure to achieve important outcomes, like the banking, disability and veterans Royal Commissions, and the passing of my National Integrity Bill by the Senate in 2019.
“The Liberals and Labor are clearly worried about the influence of smaller parties and independents and are trying to entrench their cosy duopoly.”

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 match schedule announced

Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, has welcomed the release of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2023 match schedule saying it puts our two sport-loving nations in the spotlight.
“With the opening match of the tournament in New Zealand, and the final in Sydney, the schedule demonstrates the strength in our trans-Tasman partnership,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Australia and New Zealand boast a passionate fan base, excellent hospitality, robust security arrangements and exciting tourism opportunities.
“The FWWC will showcase the best of both nations, while bringing considerable economic benefits to help as we recover from the pandemic.”
The Matildas will kick-off the first match on Australian soil with a showdown at Sydney Football Stadium on 20 July.
Australia will host six group-stage fixtures at the Sydney Football Stadium, with Perth and Brisbane both hosting five and a further four each taking place in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Sydney will also be the venue for the final, on 20 August 2023 at Stadium Australia.
The matches being played in Australia are:

  • Brisbane – Brisbane Stadium, 8 games
  • Sydney – Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium, 11 games
  • Melbourne – Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 6 games
  • Adelaide – Hindmarsh Stadium, 5 games
  • Perth – Perth Rectangular Stadium, 5 games

The FWWC 2023 will be the largest yet, with 32 teams playing. It is also the first to be hosted across two nations.
“The Australian Government is proud to support this landmark tournament, which will be one of the largest sporting events held here since the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Minister Colbeck said.
“It will shine the spotlight on Australia and bring in hundreds of millions of dollars through international visitors and viewers.”
“It will also continue the positive increase in interest in women’s sport and inspire many young females to pull on the boots.”
The Australian Government provided $5 million to Football Australia for the successful joint bid “As One” with New Zealand Football and committed significant support towards delivery of the event.
The Australian Government has also committed $15 million to build the home of the Matildas in Victoria and $12 million to support both a high-performance program for the Matildas and participation by women and girls in community football.
“Football is the game that connects Australia to the world,” Minister Colbeck said.
“It’s accessible and inclusive, played by two million participants in Australia, from 200 different cultures and spread out over 2400 community clubs.”

$540 million to continue and expand Australia’s COVID-19 response

The Australian Government has invested a further $540 million in response to the COVID 19 pandemic including significant funding to keep Australians safe, and for COVID-19 testing.
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on Australians’ way of life and the emergence of the Omicron variant of concern highlights that while we have come a long way, we require robust health measures to continue to underpin our COVID-19 Health Response.
The Australian Government has committed more than $33 billion in additional health spending since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the health of all Australians.
Of this funding, $492 million will be invested into measures to continue support for all Australians, including:

  • The Aged Care Preparedness Support Measures Extension
  • The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC)
  • Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 Program (SACWIC)
  • COVID-19 Indigenous and Remote Response Measures
  • The National Incident Centre
  • MBS fee for COVID-19 pathology items
  • COVID-19 pathology testing in aged care
  • Aged Care: RAD Loan Scheme

In addition, $48 million will be invested into COVID-19 medical research to explore multiple aspects of COVID-19, including vaccination, treatment and modelling.
Since March 2020, the Government has delivered funding to secure life-saving vaccines, support for our hospitals, aged care, and to provide access to primary health care, including telehealth.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the significant investment in health has saved the lives of thousands of Australians who would have died of COVID-19.
“Over the past two years, health has been a focus of the entire Australian population, and the measures we have put in place have helped ensure Australia has one of the lowest mortality rates and highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world,” Minister Hunt said.
“Compared to the average of the OECD, our actions have helped save approximately 30,000 lives, compared to the United States and the United Kingdom, we have saved approximately 45,000 lives.”
“The availability of highly accurate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing has been critical in identifying COVID-19 cases and genomic sequencing to understand variants of concern in Australia since the pandemic began, allowing health authorities to respond quickly to manage and curb the disease’s spread.
“COVID-19 testing remains an important part of the Australian Government’s strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19, particularly as Australia continues to open up in accordance with the National Plan to Transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
The new investment will extend Australian patient access to bulk-billed COVID-19 tests under the Medicare Benefits Scheme.”
Funding is also being extended for the National Incident Centre (NIC) within the Department of Health, which has been stood-up, without a break, since the Samoan measles outbreak in September 2019.
“The NIC is the epicentre of Australia’s COVID-19 public health response, and is central to advising Government and National Cabinet on COVID-19 in Australia and around the world,” Minister Hunt said.
“It also contributed to the Australian Government’s evidence-based public health response and underpinning the goals of the National Plan and the COVID-19 vaccination program.”
Five research projects around the nation will also share in $15 million in funding and $33 million in competitive grant opportunities will be provided to further support researchers as part of the Morrison Government’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response.
The $15 million will be provided for projects led by the University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, and Monash University.
These projects will support early research into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19, clinical trials to improve COVID-19 vaccination planning for Australians who are immunocompromised, and clinical trials focussing on the effectiveness of combining different COVID-19 vaccines.
In addition, $33 million in further funding support will be made available through five streams of research to investigate different aspects of COVID-19.

  • $4 million to evaluate safety, effectiveness, and feasibility of new treatments for COVID-19 in Australian clinical settings
  • $16 million to accelerate the development of antiviral candidates to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2
  • $7 million to study COVID-19 immune response in children, adolescents, adults and vulnerable populations
  • $3 million to study SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission to inform new and/or improved modelling, and
  • $3 million to create a national linked data platform bringing together health data sets to strengthen evidence-based public health and health system planning and management.

“Funding research projects through this grant opportunity will help protect Australians from COVID-19 by increasing the options available to clinicians to treat people who are infected and improve our ability to predict the spread of the virus and better target our response,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister for Regional Health, Dr David Gillespie, said support will be extended for the Remote Community Preparedness and Retrieval measure, which is keeping regional Australians safe and helping address COVID-19 outbreaks,
“Our Government will extend the Remote Community Preparedness and Retrieval measure has been in place since March 2020,” Minister Gillespie said.
“This will continue to assist in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to rural and remote areas, utilising the resources and expertise of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
“The Government also recognises that COVID-19, including potential new variants present a risk to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, who experience a burden of disease more than double that of non-Indigenous Australians.
“To ensure potential outbreaks are caught early, the Remote Point of Care Testing (POCT) Program, which is operated through the Kirby Institute, will be extended as well.”
The POCT Program will help to detect and manage outbreaks of COVID-19 in rural or remote communities. Outbreaks in these communities have the potential to be very serious due to the risk of rapid spread, the burden of disease, and barriers to access to some health services.
These measures will continue to support the joint outbreak preparedness and response work the Australian Government undertakes with the Indigenous health sector and state and territory governments through the expert leadership of the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19.
The Australian Government is committed to ensuring our senior Australians are protected against COVID-19 which has had a disproportionately significant impact across the aged care sector, particularly in 2020.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the Government is continuing to assist aged care service providers to manage the direct impacts of the pandemic.
“Our investment will continue funding the Aged Care Support Program Extension grant opportunity, which reimburses providers for eligible costs incurred as a direct result of managing COVID-19,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Ready to deploy surge workforce arrangements also remain in place to ensure the continuity of care for aged care residents even in the event of an outbreak within their residential facility.
“The spending on aged care preparedness will also continue intensive case management support available to aged care services experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak amongst residents and/or staff. This will ensure we remain ready to assist providers experiencing outbreaks.”
The Australian Government recognises the outstanding efforts of our aged care workforce in protecting the health and wellbeing senior Australians throughout the pandemic, and will provide additional funding to continue the Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 (SACWIC) grant opportunity. This grant opportunity is being extended to 30 June 2022 to ensure support remains available as required.
At times where there is significant community transmission of COVID-19, the SACWIC grant enables aged care workers to adhere to single site restrictions without being financially disadvantaged. Single site restrictions are voluntarily enacted to mitigate the risk of workers unintentionally spreading COVID-19 between facilities.
As Australia transitions to living with COVID-19 the need for rapid response in our aged care sector, including access to diagnostic testing, will continue.
Minister Colbeck said the residents of Australia’s aged care facilities are a very highly vaccinated population and the same is true of the aged care workforce, but testing remains a critical tool to manage potential outbreaks.
“The Government will provide funding to extend the ‘in-reach’ COVID-19 pathology services for residential aged care facilities, as we work towards a future approach were rapid antigen testing becomes the standard for COVID-19 surveillance in aged care,” he said.
“We are also making funding available to continue the work of the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC) to support preparedness activities and rapidly respond to COVID-19 outbreaks in that state.
“The VACRC has been critical in prioritising the quality of care and protection of residents, and ensuring a rapid and effective response for providers, and communicating with families.”
The existing Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) Support Loan Program will be extended to continue to support the residential aged care sector, preventing the unnecessary insolvency of providers as a result of the pandemic.
Some residential aged care facilities have experienced declining occupancy rates during the pandemic, as senior Australians look to remain in their own homes or with family.
The RAD Support Loan Program has helped facilities manage the financial impact of declining resident numbers, which has minimised the flow-on cost to taxpayers.

Greens Announce Accessible Australia Plan for Disabled Australians – Commit to Properly Funding the NDIS

Disabled person and spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services Senator Jordon Steele-John has announced the Australian Greens have released a plan to improve the lives of disabled people across the country.
Australian Greens Spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services Senator Steele-John said:
“I am so excited to release the first stage of our monumental Greens plan for disabled people ahead of International Day of People with Disabilities.
“The Australian Greens are committed to centering the needs and voices of disabled people. Our Accessible Australian plan provides a clear pathway forward to fix the broken systems disabled people interact with every day, and will enable our community to live fully, and enjoy our lives.
“One of the systems that must better meet the needs of disabled people is the NDIS. I am committed to ending the uncertainty and distress experienced by many on the NDIS, that’s why The Greens are committed to properly funding, staffing, and resourcing the NDIS.
“In the balance of power, the Greens would push to remove the age limit that prevents disabled people over 65 from being accepted in the NDIS. The aged care system is not providing sufficient support for disabled people over the age of 65. The Australian Greens want to ensure everyone is able to access support to live a good life.
“Outrageously, we experience violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation by those who are there to support us, or at the hands of institutions we have no choice but to interact with. That’s why The Greens are committing to investing $300 million in the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission so it is able to undertake its compliance and investigative capacity.
“Working together, The Greens and the disability community have achieved many things. We’ve stopped the Morrison Government’s attempts at implementing Independent Assessments, successfully negotiated stronger confidentiality protections for people sharing their experiences with the Disability Royal Commission, and obtained justice for Thalidomide survivors. We’re determined to improve our NDIS too.”
The Australian Greens Announcement has been supported by The Disability Doesn’t Discriminate Campaign, Polio Australia, and Young People In Nursing Homes National Alliance. 
Mark Townend, CEO of Spinal Life Australia, the organisation behind the Disability Doesn’t Discriminate Campaign supports this policy position of Senator Jordon Steele-John and the Australian Greens.
“We have been campaigning to expose the disgraceful and deliberate decision, made in 2013, to exclude people with disability from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on the basis of age. Disability can impact anyone at any time and doesn’t discriminate, so why should age matter? It is unfair, unjust, and unacceptable, and it must end now,” Mr. Townend said.
“It is unconscionable that Australians with a spinal cord injury over 65 who are excluded from the NDIS, are forced onto the My Aged Care Scheme, which provides a maximum of $52,000 a year in support, has a waiting list of up to 18 months and is means tested. A younger person with the same spinal cord injury, can qualify faster for the NDIS and receive a funding package of up to $200,000 a year. At Spinal Life Australia we hear these heartbreaking stories every day and hope this decision by the Greens will end the shocking inequity once and for all.
“Some of our members have missed out on NDIS funding packages by mere weeks. These are Australians who have fought in wars, paid taxes all their working life, and don’t deserve to be discriminated against,” Mr Townend said.
Polio Australia said:
“Polio Australia welcomes this announcement from the Australian Greens. Those permanently disabled by polio in their early childhood were optimistic about the creation of the NDIS. Survivors thought the NDIS would provide disability support not available through the aged care system, but were devastated when the scheme was capped at age 65.  It’s imperative to remove this artificial limit and end the unconscionable age discrimination against those with a lifelong disability.”
Dr Bronwyn Morkham, Young People in Nursing Homes National Alliance said :
“Properly funding the NDIS goes hand in hand with completing the National Injury Insurance Scheme. Both are needed to provide a comprehensive disability support system for Australia.”
Our Greens Plan will ensure all people are supported to live a good life with access to inclusive education and employment, and ensuring access to essential services like healthcare is made completely accessible.
The Greens will:

  • • Ensure that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is available to all disabled people who need it.
  • • We’ll reduce wait times by properly staffing, training, and resourcing the NDIA and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
  • • Increase support for the advocacy organisations and intervention services that are needed to protect disabled people from abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.
  • • Boost NDIS funding and reinvest the $160 million the Morrison Government committed to corporations as part of their failed attempt to roll out Independent Assessments.

 

The Greens Announce First Nations Legal Defence Fund

When First Nations people fight for Country, against dirty mining companies or corporate landowners with deep pockets, they’re often locked in a long, expensive and ultimately unfair legal battle.
The Greens have a plan to balance the scales, by making billionaires and big polluters pay their fair share of tax. Through a ‘billionaires tax’ and a ‘corporate super-profits tax,’ we can put resources towards an environmental and cultural heritage legal defence fund.
“We need better resources so Traditional Owners can fight back and assert their rights to Country.” Said the Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations: Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung Senator Lidia Thorpe.
“Right now, there’s no money and no support when we take big corporations to court. In balance of power, The Greens will contribute $51m to establish a First Nations Legal Defence Fund so Traditional Owners can access independent legal advice.”
“We saw at Beetaloo how the Labor and Liberal parties decided to destroy Country, in favour of a company that makes big donations to both of their parties. Too many sacred sites have already been destroyed.”
“We heard evidence in the Senate Inquiry into the Juukan Gorge crisis that mining companies manufacture consent. They talk to corporations who say they represent the Traditional Owners, when they don’t. We need to make sure the right people are making decisions about what happens on their Country.“ Said Thorpe.
Yamatji-Noongar Senator for Western Australia Dorinda Cox: the Greens spokesperson for Mining and Resources said:
“In some state-based legislation, there is no right to appeal. There is no right to veto. First Nations people do not have bags of cash lying around to take mining companies and corporate landowners to the Supreme Court to protect their cultural heritage.”
“The Australian Cultural Heritage Bill and the Senate Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge show that legislation protecting Country is weak. It was written in the interests of mining and development.”
“We need designated resources for First Nations people to assert their rights and fight for Country.”