Category: Australian News

Attorney-General Christian Porter continues to avoid a clear answer on whether his long overdue proposal for a Commonwealth Integrity Commission would have enough teeth to cover the rorts scandals.
“Based on the Attorney’s comments to date, it seems like sports rorts would not have been covered, which shows how weak and ineffective it is likely to be – if it’s ever in fact established”, said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on democracy, Senator Larissa Waters.
Mr Porter also misled listeners this morning on Radio National about whether other states’ anti-corruption bodies had broad powers to investigate corruption that was not a criminal offence.
“The Attorney-General is designing an integrity commission with no teeth and trying to pass that off as normal.  But in Senate Estimates today, I pointed out that six of the eight State or Territory integrity bodies have much broader powers to investigate the type of conduct we’ve seen with sport rorts.
“It’s misleading for Minister Porter to make out that his toothless version is the norm.
“I’ve asked the Department to advise the Minister that his comments were incorrect and will pursue that this afternoon.
“The Attorney-General needs to come clean and admit his Integrity Commission is too weak to address the key corruption scandals currently facing the government, or he has to admit that the conduct of the Prime Minister and former Minister Bridget McKenzie amount to an offence that warrants investigation.
“We could have a strong corruption watchdog legislated by Easter if the government brought on a vote in the House for the Greens’ National Integrity Commission.
“The Greens will keep this firmly on our agenda until we have an independent body established with the strength and resources to stop the scandals and restore the public’s trust,” she said.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP and Greens Community Services spokesperson Rachel Siewert have called on the government to extend the Disaster Recovery Allowance to those affected by the coronavirus, especially those without sick leave.
The Greens have also called for any government stimulus to be targeted to support low-income Australians, support coronavirus resilience and be a more effective response to the threat of recession.
Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP said:
“The coronavirus has Australia’s economy running a high fever, and whenever our economy falters, people on low incomes always get hit the hardest.
“There are millions of workers without sick leave and unless the government financially supports those affected by coronavirus, they may be forced to come to work to earn money, which in turn could speed up the spread of the disease.
“People without sick leave should know that if they do what the government or the doctor says, they’ll be looked after financially.
“The government also need to be looking at a GFC-style payment to all Australians on low-incomes. This is the best way to build resilience in the community as the coronavirus spreads and will give the best bang for the buck in fighting recession, because the money will get spent on essentials. The government should also be raising Newstart by at least $95 in the May Budget.”
Australian Greens Community Services Spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert said:
“It’s people who are on the lowest incomes who are going to be hit the hardest by this virus, and lifting Newstart will not only put money in the pockets of those who are trying to survive, but it will significantly stimulate our economy.”
“Government needs to be making sure it has a hotline in place with Centrelink to ensure anyone who is in isolation can ring, register for these emergency payments, and ensure that if they can’t meet their mutual obligations that they won’t be penalised.”

Following revelations from the National Audit Office in Senate Estimates,Greens Senator Janet Rice has condemned the Morrison government for their corrupt behaviour and for meddling with the list of sports projects funding hours after the Federal election was called.
Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for Sport said:
“Morrison is absolutely up to his neck in this scandal and his denials are not cutting it with the Senate or the Australian people. People are fed-up with this government thinking the rules don’t apply to them.
“Last night in Estimates, we learnt from the ANAO that the Coalition were still changing what projects were to be funded under the community sports grants and modifying the spreadsheet on the day the election was called, more than four hours after the government put into caretaker mode.
“These representations made by the Prime Minister’s office changed the allocation and amounts of grant funds sports clubs received. The updates resulted in one club being removed and likely missing out on funding, and nine new or amended applications rammed in at the last minute.
“These new grants were given to clubs and organisations that had put in late applications after being invited to do so by the government
“With revelations like this coming out almost daily, it’s crystal clear the Morrison government is actively subverting democracy with this cover up. The public has a right to know how their money is being spent.
“How many more scandals need to break before we get a federal anti-corruption watchdog with teeth?
“The Greens bill to establish a national integrity commission has already passed the Senate. If Scott Morrison was serious about integrity and honesty, he could bring this bill to a House vote now.”

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Education spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that private schools will be able to spend the $1.2 billion ‘Choice and Affordability’ slush fund with enormous discretion. Flexible guidelines for the fund have been released as parliament debates handing out a further $3.4 billion for private schools.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Private schools will have enormous freedom to spend this public money on practically whatever they want. Meanwhile, public schools continue to suffer without having their basic needs met.
“This latest handout reflects the Liberal government’s obsession with giving out cash to already over-funded private schools. The Greens have warned about this from the start.
“Now the Government has a bill before parliament that would gift a further $3.4 billion to private schools. I urge the Opposition and crossbench to oppose this bill and stop the handouts and special deals.
“It’s way past time to prioritise public school funding and stand up to the private school lobbies.”

Greens Treasury spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, and leader, Adam Bandt MP, called on the government to respond to today’s interest rate cut with stimulus spending, including for transformative infrastructure.
Senator Whish-Wilson said “this government must overcome seven years of surplus mania.
“We have the triple whammy of COVID-19, secular stagnation and a climate emergency, including recent bushfires.
“The government must use the latest record low interest rates and undertake stimulus spending.
“There’s no point achieving a surplus if the economy is on life support.
“I expect to see a conversion on the road to Damascus.
“Without government action the cheapest money ever will continue flow into ever higher house prices and other unproductive speculation.
Adam Bandt said the Greens have a plan to stave off a recession and transition to a clean energy future.
“We’re heading towards a cliff but Scott Morrison is refusing to grab the steering wheel.
“A looming recession means we need to stimulate the economy and there’s never been a cheaper time to do it.
“The Green New Deal means tackling the economic and inequality crises by lifting Newstart and Youth Allowance, increasing public sector wages by 4% and investing $6b to extend the electricity grid to Renewable Energy Zones.
“The only thing stopping the government from putting the economy back into gear is their own ‘surplus first’ rhetoric.
“Government needs to act now to stave off a recession or the public will never forgive them.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt will introduce a Bill into the House of Representatives this morning, seconded by the Member for Waringah Zali Steggall OAM, to formally declare a climate emergency, require every government department to be guided by the declaration and mandate the establishment of a ‘war cabinet’ to tackle the crisis.
Mr Bandt announced the Bill to a crowd over 2000 when opening the recent National Climate Emergency Summit.
Comment by Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP: 
“We are in a climate emergency. It’s time for Parliament to recognise the crisis and take urgent action.
“This Bill reflects the scale of the crisis we face and represents the scale of action that is needed.
“Winston Churchill was a flawed man and flawed Prime Minister, but in his greatest hours he reached across the aisle during WWII and formed a grand coalition, with the Labour party and others. That is what I am asking of Scott Morrison today.
“The Prime Minister must be a climate Churchill, not a climate Chamberlain.
“In October, I moved a motion for Parliament to declare a climate emergency and we fell just four votes short. We’ve just had a summer of complete climate devastation and it’s time for the Parliament to recognise the situation we face, join me in declaring a climate emergency and establish a ‘war-cabinet’ to take urgent action.
“It’s time for members of the Liberal Party, especially those that have called for climate action, to vote with their conscience and back this Bill.”

The Greens have referred the legislation to build a nuclear waste dump in South Australia to a Senate Inquiry for scrutiny of the laws and the process that led to this point.
“The Coalition has decided Kimba on SA’s Eyre Peninsula, home to some of the country’s best agricultural land, is the place to dump the nation’s radioactive waste,” South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“The site selection process for a nuclear waste dump has been dodgy from the start. It’s ripped small communities apart and Traditional Owners have vehemently objected to the proposal. It’s clear there isn’t broad community support for a nuclear waste dump in Kimba, despite what former Minister Matt Canavan would have everyone believe.
“The Government’s plans will result in ships of radioactive waste passing through South Australia’s regional roads, streets and waters for decades to come. Port Augusta, Whyalla, Port Pirie and Port Lincoln and every town living along potential transportation route, should have been consulted and given an opportunity to have their say.
“A radioactive waste dump in the heart of our food bowl puts at risk our clean, green reputation and our state’s key grain export industry.
“The Greens aren’t leaving it to the community of Kimba to hold the line on their own. A Senate Inquiry will give the entire proposal the scrutiny it needs.
“South Australians have already said no to nuclear, but this government doesn’t listen. It’s far more interested in building a radioactive waste dump than investing in renewable energy and our growing potential for green industry.”

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP has slammed Angus Taylor’s dim-witted plan to ditch support for solar and wind in favour of unproven and ineffective Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology.
In a speech today, the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister will signal a shift away from renewables towards Carbon Capture and Storage and brown hydrogen.
“Angus Taylor’s one KPI is in his job description and he can’t even meet it,” said Mr Bandt.
“The only energy sources in Australia that have cut pollution are wind and solar. Now is the time to be backing them in and supporting investment, not cutting support.
“CCS won’t save coal and it won’t save people from the climate crisis. For over a decade this has been hailed as the miracle cure, but it’s just snake oil.
“Australia could be a renewable energy superpower, exporting our wind and solar to Asia through green hydrogen. This is the vision we need from Angus Taylor instead of more of his CCS pipedreams.
“Angus Taylor should extend the Renewable Energy Target to drive the clean energy revolution that will save us from the climate emergency.”