Category: Australian News

Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Anti-Racism, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, sat on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee in the recent Inquiry into Far-Right Extremist Movements. In Additional Comments to the Report tabled today, Senator Faruqi has included nine recommendations to address the shortfalls of the Committee Report.

Senator Faruqi: 

“The report, ultimately, is a missed opportunity as the recommendations don’t go to the core of tackling far-right extremism and white supremacy, which requires approaches that are explicitly anti-racist, grounded in intersectionality and shaped by the communities who are targeted by this hate and violence.

“The evidence to the Committee made clear what so many of us have known for a long time – racist political and media rhetoric and commentary does play a role in normalising hate and lending legitimacy to right-wing extremist movements. Solutions to far-right extremism cannot overlook the racism, discrimination, and dehumanisation that is perpetrated by politicians and media which harms marginalised communities.

“Right-wing extremism feeds on racism and white supremacy. Fully funding and implementing the recently published National Anti-Racism Framework, which provides a blueprint towards an anti-racist Australia, must be a priority.

“Unfortunately, Australia has still not grappled with the Christchurch mosque massacre where 51 Muslims were killed by an Australian man who was radicalised here and driven by an extreme, right wing Islamophobic ideology. The government must redress this lack of action by implementing the Christchurch Call.

“Effective action to tackle far-right extremism online must include holding tech companies to account in order to stop the targeting, harvesting, and selling of people’s data, toxic algorithms, and the monetising of hate and suffering.”

Greens Recommendations 

Recommendation 1: That responses to right-wing extremism and white supremacy be intersectional, explicitly anti-racist, and shaped by targeted communities.

Recommendation 2: That the Australian Government publicly commit to implementing the recommendations of the Christchurch Call.

Recommendation  3: That anti-racism training be mandated for all MPs and their staff.

Recommendation 4: That guidelines are developed for media that are grounded in an anti-racist approach to reporting and to minimise harm from sensationalist reporting.

Recommendation 5: That the Australian Government commit to fully funding and implementing the National Anti-Racism Framework.

Recommendation 6: That the Australian Government establish a standalone anti-racism portfolio.

Recommendation 7: That Parliament conduct a public inquiry to review standing orders and any changes to their language and interpretation in order to eliminate racist, exclusionary and discriminatory behaviour.

Recommendation 8: That technology companies be held accountable for the proliferation of hate on their platforms through:

• A ban on the targeting, harvesting and selling of young people’s data
• A Digital Duty of Care on tech platforms
• Limiting the toxicity of algorithms and extreme content 
• Stopping the monetisation and profit from hate. 

Recommendation 9: That developing strategies to make social media safer for young people must genuinely engage and involve young people themselves.

The Australian Greens have today launched a plan to require the big banks to offer a discount mortgage called HomeKeeper to all homeowners, including first homebuyers and owner-occupiers.

This would be delivered via legislating a cap on the profit a big bank can make on this mortgage product. The big banks could still offer other products and there would be no compulsion on anyone to switch to a HomeKeeper mortgage.

About HomeKeeper

• The Greens plan empowers the ACCC and APRA to together have the independent power to stop banks ripping people off, and ensure the big banks don’t unnecessarily overcharge
• HomeKeeper mortgages would be set at a regulated ceiling of no more than 1% above the cash rate. All of the big 5 banks would be required by regulations to offer HomeKeeper
• This discount HomeKeeper mortgage would be available to any owner-occupier whether or not they are a first home buyer
• People with a current mortgage on their home would be able to transfer into HomeKeeper at their own choice
• HomeKeeper would not be available for investment property mortgages, commercial premises or holiday homes
• Support would be provided to smaller banks so that they could offer a similar low-rate product without being financially disadvantaged

Overview: bank profits on mortgages

For decades the major banks have made enormous profits price-gouging on people’s mortgages, even when interest rates were low.

According to modelling by The Australia Institute, big bank profits on the average home loan sit around $9,130 in the first year and $200,880 over the lifetime of a 30-year loan.

The Australia Institute estimates that equates to $176 per week, or $761 a month of an average mortgage repayment is going directly to big bank profits.

With the HomeKeeper mortgage, the interest rate would be 1% above the RBA cash rate, the big banks would make a more reasonable profit and mortgage-holders would have more in their pockets for other expenses.

The current cash rate is 4.35%. The RBA lists the owner-occupier variable housing rates as 6.3% (new loans) and 6.4% (outstanding loans), giving a margin of 1.95% (new loans) and 2.05% (outstanding loans) above the cash rate.¹ 

The latest average new mortgage size is $589,560,² meaning for a new mortgage holder, a reduction in their interest rate from 6.3% to 5.35% would be equivalent to almost four interest rate cuts by the RBA, with a saving of up to $357 per month, or up to $4,284 per year. For someone with an $800,000 mortgage, the cut of almost a percentage point would be equivalent to monthly savings of up to $484 and annual savings of up to $5,814.

Rates of mortgage stress

Almost 1.5 million Australians are currently at risk of mortgage stress. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 680,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Official interest rates are now at 4.35%, the
highest interest rates have been since December 2011, over a decade ago.

Comment attributable to Greens spokesperson for Treasury Senator Nick McKim

“For too long, big banks have been ripping people off by charging interest rates well above the cash rate.

“The Big Four Banks are crushing mortgage holders. They are currently making billions of dollars in profits ripping off struggling mortgage holders by overcharging them on their mortgage.

”For the average home loan, $761 per month is pure profit for the major banks.

“To stop the price gouging and profiteering, the Australian Greens can today announce our new policy HomeKeeper: a discount mortgage for homeowners.

“This policy will reduce the costs of mortgages for everyone by limiting the amount at which banks can rip people off.

“No one should have to pay more than 1% over the current cash rate, it’s immoral that people are being forced out of their homes while banks are making billions in profits.

“This policy will stop big banks charging more than is absolutely necessary to provide a mortgage product to people struggling to keep a roof over their heads, and it will stop the Big Banks’ super-profits made from mortgages.

“After the next election we’ll almost certainly have a minority parliament and this is part of the Greens plan to work with Labor to help renters and people with mortgages.

“If you want change, you have to vote for it, and the first step is to vote for someone who is fighting for you.”

• ¹ Reserve Bank of Australia, Lenders’ Interest Rates.
• ² Australian Bureau of Statistics, Lending Indicators, September 2024.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering vital support to Australia’s critical minerals sector by providing up to $475 million in additional finance to develop the Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery project in Western Australia.

This project is Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery and will support 900 jobs at its peak during construction, and an additional 250 secure, well-paid jobs once operational.

This investment will boost global rare earths supply chain resilience, while unlocking Australian deposits of key critical minerals which are essential in a range of defence and renewable energy technologies like electric vehicles, wind turbines and mobile phones.

Australian company Iluka Resources is delivering the project which ensures more value is captured onshore, and more Australians benefit from our unique minerals endowment.

This additional support reinforces Australia’s commitment to supporting secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chains, making us an indispensable part of the global net-zero economy.

The Government’s support ensures Iluka will deliver additional outcomes to maximise project benefits in Australia’s national interest including additional commitments from Iluka to diversify supply chains and deliver broader community benefits aligned with the new Future Made in Australia Act.

The support will be provided by Export Finance Australia (EFA) through the Government’s $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility (CMF).

Australia’s rare earths refining sector will also benefit from the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive which will provide a tax offset for eligible critical minerals processing costs.

The Albanese Government’s commitment to a Future Made in Australia is all about seizing the vast economic and industrial opportunities from the global net zero transformation and strengthening our economic resilience.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Critical minerals are the building blocks for a clean energy future and we are determined to seize this economic opportunity to support local businesses and local jobs.

“A strong resources sector means a healthy economy and good, well paid local jobs.

“We will back WA’s resources sector, through our plan for a Future Made in Australia and our Production Tax Credits.”

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell

“Our Government is committed to becoming a renewable energy superpower, not just to tackle the global challenge of climate change but also to harness the opportunity to create significant high paying, secure jobs for Australians.

“Our country is blessed with an abundance of critical minerals and the Albanese Labor Government wants Australians to benefit from this emerging sector.”

Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King

“Supporting our critical minerals and rare earths industry is about Australia taking responsibility to lead on critical minerals globally.

“Not only are critical minerals and rare earths key to the energy transition, they are essential to the defence industry and our national security.

“We stand at an important moment in time where the world wants what we have and we just happen to have the most advanced mining sector in the world.”

Today the ACT Greens have called on the Labor Government to urgently double arts funding amid news that Canberra Youth Theatre can no longer afford to stage productions, and are cutting programs, due to a systemic lack of funding.

“Right now, organisations like Canberra Youth Theatre are struggling to survive, and all it would take from this Labor Government to adequately support them is less than they spend on handouts to horse racing,” said ACT Greens Member for Ginninderra, Jo Clay. 

“Let me be clear, this is not a one off incident. If this government does not inject more money into the arts sector urgently, we will continue to see community based arts organisations drop off the radar as they go insolvent.

“In 2021, the previous Labor Minister for Arts released a ‘Statement of Ambition’ which set the aspiration for Canberra to become the arts capital of Australia. Now’s the chance for the new minister to walk the talk and actually make this a reality.

“During the 2024 ACT Election, the Greens made a commitment to properly support our arts sector by doubling their funding — because we recognised that our community needs more than just lip service, they need action.

“This would mean going from an already very small $9 million a year to the arts sector, to a reasonable $18 million so the sector can get a well deserved reprieve and continue to deliver entertainment for thousands of Canberrans.

“The question we have to ask ourselves is — do we want an arts sector here in Canberra or are we happy for Labor to let it fail?

The Australian Greens have demanded Prime Minister Albanese rule out the use of national interest exemptions to sidestep environment laws for the benefit of salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour.

“This would be an outrageous abuse of power and the Prime Minister needs to immediately rule it out,” Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

“After his capitulation to logging and mining interests last week, Mr Albanese is now dancing to the tune of multinational salmon farming corporations.”

“Protecting mutinational corporate profits and driving an ancient species to extinction is most certainly not in the national interest.”

“Whenever there is a choice between protecting nature or enhancing corporate profits, Labor can be relied on to side with the big polluters.”

“Mr Albanese is trying to use what are essentially emergency powers to respond to natural disasters to protect corporate interests.”

“He is in a dangerous race to the bottom with Peter Dutton when it comes to trashing the environment.”

“Mr Albanese needs to learn that he can’t outflank Dutton to the right on nature and that trying to do so will lead to extinction for the Maugean skate.”

I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has accepted my recommendation to appoint Mr Michael Lye as Secretary of the Department of Social Services.

Mr Lye has had an extensive career in the Australian Public Service and has a proven track record of implementing complex reforms, particularly in the area of social policy.

He has served as Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care, at the Department of Health and Aged Care since 2019, and has previously held senior positions at the Department of Social Services from 2013 to 2019.

Mr Lye’s five year appointment will commence on 11 December 2024. His appointment as Secretary of the Department of Social Services follows a publicly advertised, merit-based selection process.

The current Secretary of the Department of Social Services, Mr Ray Griggs AO CSC, will retire on 10 December 2024, having served as Secretary since 2021.

Mr Griggs has had a long, decorated career in the public sector and Australian Defence Force, as Chief of Navy, Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

On behalf of the Australian Government, I thank Mr Griggs for his dedication, leadership and service to the Australian community.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering vital support to Australia’s critical minerals sector by providing up to $475 million in additional finance to develop the Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery project in Western Australia.

This project is Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery and will support 900 jobs at its peak during construction, and an additional 250 secure, well-paid jobs once operational.

This investment will boost global rare earths supply chain resilience, while unlocking Australian deposits of key critical minerals which are essential in a range of defence and renewable energy technologies like electric vehicles, wind turbines and mobile phones.

Australian company Iluka Resources is delivering the project which ensures more value is captured onshore, and more Australians benefit from our unique minerals endowment.

This additional support reinforces Australia’s commitment to supporting secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chains, making us an indispensable part of the global net-zero economy.

The Government’s support ensures Iluka will deliver additional outcomes to maximise project benefits in Australia’s national interest including additional commitments from Iluka to diversify supply chains and deliver broader community benefits aligned with the new Future Made in Australia Act.

The support will be provided by Export Finance Australia (EFA) through the Government’s $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility (CMF).

Australia’s rare earths refining sector will also benefit from the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive which will provide a tax offset for eligible critical minerals processing costs.

The Albanese Government’s commitment to a Future Made in Australia is all about seizing the vast economic and industrial opportunities from the global net zero transformation and strengthening our economic resilience.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Critical minerals are the building blocks for a clean energy future and we are determined to seize this economic opportunity to support local businesses and local jobs.

“A strong resources sector means a healthy economy and good, well paid local jobs.

“We will back WA’s resources sector, through our plan for a Future Made in Australia and our Production Tax Credits.”

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell

“Our Government is committed to becoming a renewable energy superpower, not just to tackle the global challenge of climate change but also to harness the opportunity to create significant high paying, secure jobs for Australians.

“Our country is blessed with an abundance of critical minerals and the Albanese Labor Government wants Australians to benefit from this emerging sector.”

Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King

“Supporting our critical minerals and rare earths industry is about Australia taking responsibility to lead on critical minerals globally.

“Not only are critical minerals and rare earths key to the energy transition, they are essential to the defence industry and our national security.

“We stand at an important moment in time where the world wants what we have and we just happen to have the most advanced mining sector in the world.”

The Australian Greens have said Labor has again capitulated to the big corporations after the federal government refused requests to consider the climate impacts of three proposed coal mining projects.

The ‘reconsideration requests’ were made by the Environment Council of Central Queensland, represented by lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia. However, it was revealed today that the government has rejected those requests.

The three proposed coal mine projects – Boggabri, Caval Ridge and Lake Vermont Meadowbrook – will now await a final decision by the government without a prior assessment of their climate harm.

The refusal to assess climate risk comes a week after Labor caved to big mining corporations and refused to agree with the Greens on laws to protect nature and forests.

The Greens say Labor must reject these projects if it is serious about climate change.

If the three projects are approved, Idemitsu’s Boggabri coal project in NSW would produce 242.86 million tonnes of carbon emissions, BHP Mitsubishi’s Caval Ridge coal project in central Queensland would produce 473 million tonnes, and Jellinbah Group’s Lake Vermont coal project in Queensland would produce 347 million tonnes.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:

“Twice in two weeks, Labor is doing the bidding of the coal and gas corporations. 

“Emissions are higher under Anthony Albanese than Scott Morrison, Labor has approved 28 new coal and gas projects since coming to power, and the government has pushed setting 2035 climate targets back until after the next election.

“Scientists say new coal and gas must be stopped to protect Australia from dangerous climate change. Pacific leaders are demanding Australia stop approving new coal and gas to give their islands a fighting chance.

“Labor is too afraid to stare down the coal billionaires and polluters, and as a result climate pollution is up, new coal and gas mines are getting approved and our communities are at risk from worsening fires, floods, and extreme weather. 

“Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek must immediately reject these three new coal projects.”

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the Environment & Senator for South Australia:

“This is the latest reminder that Labor has failed to fix Australia’s broken environment laws

“The Environment Minister’s job is to protect the environment, not cave in to the fossil fuel and logging lobby. The Albanese Government should reject these coal mines and work with the Greens to fix our broken environment laws.

“A climate trigger and an end to native forest logging is desperately needed if we are to stop the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

“The Greens will make this election a referendum on nature and a rejection of the coal and gas lobby.”

The Federal Labor Government has issued a notice today confirming that the Boggabri Coal Mine Modification 8 will not be assessed for the impact it will have on climate change as part of its assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The notice comes 5 days after the NSW Labor Government received the first Annual Report from the State’s Net Zero Commission that stated new coal mines “pose a major challenge” to reducing emissions in line with the law.

Greens MP, environmental lawyer and spokesperson for the Environment, Planning and Climate Change, Sue Higginson, said “Labor is lost when it comes to acting on climate change and protecting the environment. We have already hit 1.5 degrees of global heating, we are not on track to meet our emissions reduction targets here in NSW and now federal Labor refuses to consider the impacts of climate change from the continuation of mining coal on the environment,”

“Climate change is the single biggest threat that we face, and is a primary driver of the biodiversity and extinction crises, and yet Labor still refuse to consider the impacts on the climate from waving through massive new coal expansions,”

“The decision by Labor to disregard the impacts of the Boggabri Coal mine on climate change has cleared the path for the project to be approved before the new year, a truly terrible outcome for our emissions reduction targets in NSW,”

“If the mine is approved for expanded operations, an additional 62 million tonnes of coal will be dug up and burnt in Australia and overseas. Labor cannot expect to be trusted when they say they want to act on climate while pushing ahead massive mines like Boggabri to be expanded,”

“It’s not too late for the NSW Labor Government to take action and to halt this project from going any further. NSW has the power to intervene and stop projects from going ahead where there is a clear need to do so. If tens of millions of tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions generated from expanded mines isn’t a good reason, while we face another summer of record breaking heat waves, then Labor shouldn’t be taken seriously when they say they want to act on climate change,” Ms Higginson said.

Australian Greens announce plans for Federal expansion of drug checking to help save lives.

The Australian Greens are announcing a plan to establish a drug testing agency that would run a number of drug testing sites in capital cities and regional hubs and provide free testing services at Australian music festivals. This also includes additional funding to the Department of Health and AgedCare to coordinate data collection, analysis and communication of results of the drug tests.

Large numbers of Australians have consumed or actively consumed alcohol and other drugs with nearly half of the community using an illicit substance at some point.

13.6% of Australians aged 14 and over have used MDMA/ecstasy, which is the most common drug present at existing pill testing sites.

Drug checking and pill testing is a common sense and health based approach to minimise the risk of drug use and has the support of the public health sector including the Public Health Association andAustralian Medical Association.

Quotes attributed to Senator Jordon Steele-John, Greens Spokesperson for Health and Mental Health

“Nearly half of our community has taken an illicit substance at some point in their life and the use of these drugs in our community is inevitable, it is our job to minimise risk and harm not criminalise and stigmatise.”

“At the moment the biggest danger facing young people using drugs at festivals isn’t the substance itself but a failure of government policy that doesn’t allow people to be able to check what is in that drug and access education and medical services when needed.”

“We have a system designed to criminalise and stigmatise people who take drugs in our community which has led to tragic outcomes. It is time we listen to the community and the experts and implement common sense approaches to minimise harm and risk.”

“The Greens plan will see drug testing sites set up in capital cities and regional hubs across the country through the establishment of a federal drug testing agency. This agency would also be responsible for providing free testing services at music festivals.”

“Nearly half of our community has taken an illicit substance at some point in their life and the use of these drugs in our community is inevitable, it is our job to minimise risk and harm not criminalise and stigmatise.”

“At the moment the biggest danger facing young people using drugs at festivals isn’t the substance itself but a failure of government policy that doesn’t allow people to be able to check what is in that drug and access education and medical services when needed.”

“We have a system designed to criminalise and stigmatise people who take drugs in our community which has led to tragic outcomes. It is time we listen to the community and the experts and implement common sense approaches to minimise harm and risk.”

“The Greens plan will see drug testing sites set up in capital cities and regional hubs across the country through the establishment of a federal drug testing agency. This agency would also be responsible for providing free testing services at music festivals.”