Category: Australian News

The Australian Greens will today introduce legislation to create a dedicated LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner within the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Despite sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status being protected under Commonwealth anti-discrimination law since 2013, they remain the only protected attributes without a dedicated Commissioner.

“LGBTIQA+ Australians deserve the same level of protection and representation under federal law as other communities,” Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“This is about equality before the law in practice, not just on paper.

“Discrimination against LGBTIQA+ people should be treated with the same seriousness as discrimination against other protected groups.

“Anything less is a double standard.

“The Greens’ legislation would establish a dedicated Commissioner and require a merit-based appointment process with meaningful involvement from LGBTIQA+ civil society organisations.

“For more than a decade, community organisations, legal experts and advocates have called for this reform. The Greens are turning that consensus into action.

“This reform is ready to go. It should not be buried in another inquiry.

“LGBTIQA+ Australians deserve the same institutional protection, visibility and respect that Parliament already affords to others.”

The Victorian Greens say fresh analysis of Labor’s 40-year lottery licence deal shows the Allan Government has prioritised a short-term budget fix and the profits of gambling corporations over the long-term interests of Victorians.

Analysis published today estimates the deal could hand billions of dollars in future profits to the Lottery Corporation over the life of the licence, after the Allan Government granted a 40-year extension without putting the licence to an open competitive tender.

The Lottery Corporation has donated $132,000 to the Australian Labor party since 2022.

The Greens said the deal is a total rip off and another example of Labor putting the interests of their big corporate donors ahead of the public interest while refusing to properly tax big corporations and gambling companies.

The Victorian Auditor-General is currently investigating whether the process delivered value for taxpayers.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:

“Labor has treated Victoria like it’s having a garage sale.

“The Lottery Corporation has donated $132,000 to Labor – and Labor gives them special treatment while selling out Victorians’ futures.

“Labor has sold off decades of future revenue to paper over their short-term problems, in an election year, to give special treatment to their donors. Victorians deserve better than this

“Instead of funding our public schools, public housing and cost of living relief, Labor is boosting the profits of their corporate mates.”

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Anti-Racism, has responded to the Albanese Government’s launch of the Social Cohesion Education Hub.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Anti-Racism:

“This so-called Social Cohesion Education Hub includes 24 resources on antisemitism but just two on Islamophobia and one on First Nations hate. That isn’t social cohesion. That is creating a hierarchy of racism where some victims are seen as worthy and others are seen as an afterthought.

“We’ve seen this pattern over and over again. The budget included more than $600 million in antisemitism measures, but did not mention Islamophobia once. The Government has failed to respond to the National Anti-Racism Framework, and has simply ignored the recommendations of the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

“Muslim Australians, First Nations people, and every other community of colour are facing rising and escalating racism, fuelled further by One Nation, which cannot be tackled by this selective treatment. When some Australians are wrapped in the protection of the Government, while others are left to weather the storm alone, and when some voices are amplified, while others are ignored, it is not going to lead to anti-racism or social cohesion. 

“For the past two and a half years, the Albanese Government has weaponised “social cohesion” to silence dissent and punish voices it finds inconvenient. Education resources should help children challenge all racism equally and to speak out against injustice.”

The ACT Greens today announced that Jo Clay has been elected as their new Leader and Andrew Braddock as Deputy Leader, following a ballot of the party’s membership.

Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens Leader:

“I’m honoured and grateful to have been elected by our members as the new Leader of the ACT Greens. I don’t take that trust lightly,” said Ms Clay.

“I’d like to acknowledge Rebecca Vassarotti, whom I’m delighted to have back alongside us as our Member for Kurrajong. Rebecca cares deeply about community and democratic collaboration. I look forward to working together with her to deliver progressive outcomes for Canberrans.

“My focus now is firmly on what comes next – because Canberrans deserve better than the status quo.

“As seen in the latest Budget, the Greens fought to scrap the $250 health levy, reinstate the rent relief fund, take climate action, protect our precious wildlife and bushland, and secure stable funding for the community organisations that hold our city together – and we won.

“But there is more to do. Canberrans want a government that will ensure housing is affordable, no one sleeps rough, the climate is protected, and the cost of living doesn’t keep them up at night. And the Greens will keep fighting with everything we have.”

Andrew Braddock MLA, ACT Greens Deputy Leader:

“The ACT Greens are unique in Australia in that our members choose who leads us. I’m incredibly proud that this vote was conducted in an overwhelmingly positive and supportive way. Our members had a choice between two strong, experienced women to lead our party. That speaks volumes about who we are and where we’re headed,” said Mr Braddock.

“I’m excited to stand alongside Jo Clay as Deputy Leader and feel really confident about our party’s future. While the formalities are being announced today, our party room is continuing to work together on bold solutions and make sure no Canberran is left behind.”

The ACT Greens have also confirmed their portfolios for the 11th Assembly:

Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens Leader and Member for Ginninderra

• Environment
• Planning
• Treasury & Economic Equality
• Circular Economy
• Arts
• Animal Welfare
• Birth

Andrew Braddock MLA, ACT Greens Deputy Leader and Member for Yerrabi

• Transport
• Climate Change
• Democracy
• Integrity and Public Service Transformation
• Municipal Services
• Anti-Racism and Multicultural Affairs
• Emergency Services

Rebecca Vassarotti MLA, Member for Kurrajong

• Housing
• Health and Mental Health
• Justice, Law, Corrections, Policing, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
• Gaming Reform
• Ageing and Carers
• Veterans

Laura Nuttall MLA, Member for Brindabella

• Education, Skills and Training
• Young People
• Air and Water
• Food and Agriculture
• Women
• Community Sector
• Disability
• Sport and Recreation
• LGBTIQA+ Affairs
• Whip

“Today the Albanese government voted to keep the widow’s tax breaking yet another promise to the Australian people”, Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said.

Mr Wilson’s comments come in the wake of Labor and the Greens voting against Coalition amendments in the Senate to repeal the widow’s tax that the Government legislated last week.

“The Treasurer claimed on Insiders on Sunday that the government would “fix” their flaw in the tax legislation, but couldn’t say how, or when, and now they’ve voted in the opposite direction”, Mr Wilson said.

“The Treasurer was deliberately evasive because he never intended to fix his tax hit on grieving Australians”.

“To pass their Budget the Albanese government promised the Parliament and the Australian people they’d fix the widow tax, and today they voted against fixing a problem they caused”.

“Jim Chalmers’ budget has changed so many times, he’s lost track of what he supports and what he doesn’t”.

“Labor and the Greens hatched a dirty deal to push their Budget through and haven’t revealed the details, which raises the question: who is on their tax hit list after widows”?

Anyone concerned about the return of the ISIS brides needs to watch this.

It is very clear that those responsible for our national security have absolutely no idea whether the children of ISIS brides and ISIS fighters are being deradicalised or not. It also turns out that these deradicalisation sessions are voluntary!

What an unbelievable state of affairs. Not only are we allowing ISIS brides and their children back into Australia, but we’re then making very little effort to ensure their deradicalisation. The complacency from this Labor Government is breathtaking.

The Albanese Labor Government’s extension of fuel tax relief has now passed the Parliament, cutting the excise by 16 cents per litre for petrol and diesel for all of July.

We’re delivering more temporary and tapered support that will help take the sting out of petrol prices and help Australians with the cost of living.

This will save Australian motorists around $11 on a 65-litre tank.

The excise cut will continue until 2 August.

We are also cutting the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge by 16 cents for the same period to help truckies keep Australia moving.

This is about providing more responsible help with the cost of living because we know that while fuel prices have come down, Australians are still under pressure.

This extension of the fuel tax cut recognises there’s still a lot of uncertainty in the Middle East and the global economy more broadly, and our action provides a graduated return to normal settings for the fuel excise.

The additional relief we’re providing means that from 1 July, we’ll have more temporary help with the cost of living with this extension to the fuel tax cut, and more permanent help with the cost of living with another round of tax cuts for every taxpayer.

We thank the states and territories for contributing to the fuel tax cut.

We expect this cut to be passed on in full to motorists at the bowser and won’t accept Australian consumers being treated like mugs.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is continuing to monitor fuel prices, backed by stronger penalties and additional resources for enforcement.

The ACCC has already written to fuel retailers in light of this cut, putting them on notice.

Whether it’s slashing the fuel tax, slashing the road user charge for truckies or tax cuts for every taxpayer, we’re taking action to ease pressure on Australians.

Our economic plan is all about helping Australians with the cost of living, addressing inflation and making our economy more productive and resilient.

The Labor Government continues to hire morally-bankrupt KPMG to run ethics and leadership training for senior public servants despite the ongoing fallout over multiple scandals.

KPMG currently holds a $1.27 million contract to provide training on ethics and leadership for 300 top public servants through the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). The contract runs until Dec 2026 with the possibility of extension until Dec 2028. 

The Greens are demanding Labor cease the contract immediately and end all ethics and leadership training by KPMG. 

Further, Labor must review all of its 297 active contracts with KPMG worth $653 million to root out and terminate any similar contracts that touch on ethics or leadership, and ban KPMG from all government work until they have been investigated.

Greens finance and public service spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock:  

“Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it does. 

“$1.3 million dollars in ethics and leadership training from morally-bankrupt KPMG – you can’t make this stuff up!

“KPMG could run a great class in unethical leadership, how to monetise confidential information, coverups and how to undermine whistleblowers. 

“What exactly has the Government paid for? This is a firm that misused confidential client information to secure more work, misled the parliament and seriously mistreated whistleblowers – among other things.

“Our most senior public sector leaders should not be undertaking any form of training – let alone on ethics and leadership – from a firm that has, by its own admission, breached the most basic ethical values and whose leadership has failed.

“The Government is paying disgraced KPMG for their so-called ‘ethics expertise’ at the same time it is conducting an ‘independent review’ into KPMG’s governance, culture, ethics and integrity frameworks. Is this a joke?

“Labor needs to wake up and listen to the outrage of ordinary Australians.

“The leadership and ethics of KPMG, exemplified by the recent scandals and evidenced by multiple resignations, is precisely the kind of leadership training that we do not need in the public sector.

“Not only did KPMG fail to learn from the awful lessons of the PwC debacle, it sought to present itself as the ethical alternative to secure lucrative contracts – including this one. 

“Labor has rose-coloured glasses for KPMG even when they behave unethically. The Government is completely addicted to KPMG.  

“The Government needs to review all contracts with KPMG and ban dodgy firms from government work. It needs to establish a consultant regulator and increase penalties for egregious behaviour and ethical failures.”

The Minns Labor Government have announced the extension of controversial knife-wanding laws opposed by experts including the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Justice and Equity Centre.

Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said “The Minns Labor Government’s invasive police powers have done nothing to curb knife crime and there is no evidence-based case for their expansion,

“What these powers have done is compounded overpolicing of First Nations people, and they have been used to make life harder for the people attending, and the organisers of, religious festivals, significant cultural events and peaceful protests,

“The Minns Labor Government always marketed their knife wanding laws as a temporary trial after the Bondi Junction tragedy, and their trial has not made any material difference in reducing crime,

“BOCSAR data shows assault incidents involving knives are decreasing at a slower rate since the introduction of these laws than in the ten years prior, and the number of persons proceeded against for knife robbery has actually increased,

“Just because police have a drawer full of knives, does not mean these laws have had any meaningful effect on knife crime, but they have had a profoundly negative impact on civil liberties,

“Giving police more and more powers and diminishing civil liberties is not the way to keep communities safe. When police are given more powers like these they must be subject to oversight of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and safeguards around their use must be enshrined in the law,” Ms Higginson said.

Australians in jobs is always a good thing, but the fact remains that Australians are working harder but going backwards under Labor. 

While the government boasts about creating 1.25 million new jobs, this has simply kept up with population growth. The population to employment ratio has remained steady since Labor came to office. 

The fact is that 119,000 more Australians are out of work today since Labor came to power. 

Young Australians are bearing the brunt. Youth unemployment is more than twice the national rate at 10.4% and there are 62,400 more young Australians unemployed now than when the Coalition office. 

Almost 267,000 young Australians are now looking for work and coming up empty. That’s 30,000 more than a year ago, and the number has climbed every single month since.

Nearly 1 million Australians are working multiple jobs trying to make ends meet, including a record number of women and young Australians. 

Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Senator Jane Hume said Australians are working harder but finding it harder to get ahead. 

“Australians are living the consequences of Labor’s economic mismanagement and the tax changes they’re ramming through the Parliament are only going to make the situation worse. 

“Young Australians are being hit in every direction. They’re paying more for rent, struggling to buy a home and now facing a weaker job market. 

“Almost a million Australians are now working multiple jobs, including record numbers of women and young Australians, while job loss anxiety is at levels we haven’t seen since the pandemic. That’s not the mark of a strong economy. It’s the consequence of Labor’s economic failure,” Senator Hume said. 

Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said, “Labor’s Budget has shattered confidence in the economy, and now they’re fuelling inflation by growing the number of jobs funded directly and indirectly from public spending”.

“Over half of all new jobs since Labor came to power are funded directly and indirectly by public spending which is fuelling inflation because they cannot give confidence to investment to build the private economy. Labor are managing Australia’s decline not giving Australians hope”, Mr Wilson said.