Category: Australian News

Today I will travel to the Republic of Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

This is my fourth visit to Fiji as Foreign Minister, which demonstrates the importance the Australian Government places on our deep and enduring relationship with Fiji, underpinned by our Vuvale Partnership.

In Suva, I will meet Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka to discuss enhancing our Partnership, strengthening our economies, responding to the climate crisis and delivering for our shared regional interests.

Attending the PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is an opportunity to listen, share ideas and act together, to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

The PIF is the pre-eminent Pacific institution and ministers will discuss how we respond to the challenges we face with a regional approach, including standing together in responding to climate change.

It will also be an important opportunity to take forward implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, in the Pacific Way, as we collectively build a region that safeguards our ability to decide our own destiny.

The Coalition notes the unanimous decision of the High Court in the Qantas case and believes it sends a clear message to the company’s board and management.

Shadow Attorney General Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said: “Today’s decision demonstrates a strong need for Qantas management to refocus on what should be its core objective of providing a high-quality service and to deliver for its employees, its customers and the Australian public.”

“Qantas should spend less time focusing its efforts on getting the Albanese Government to block its competitors and helping them run joint political campaigns. Their focus should be squarely on running a high-quality airline,’’ Senator Cash said.

The High Court decision concerned the general protection provisions in the Fair Work Act. It came down against the company because a substantial and operative reason for the decision to outsource its ground handling operations was to prevent the exercise of a workplace right.

“We note that Qantas has accepted the decision and has expressed regret about the impact their outsourcing decision had had on employees. It will now be a matter for the courts to deal with penalties and possible compensation,’’ Senator Cash said.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said: “This decision lies squarely at the feet of former CEO Alan Joyce and the board of Qantas.”

“Qantas’ behaviour as a leading corporate and one of Australia’s most important companies is regrettable and reprehensible,’’ Senator McKenzie said.

“The workers at Qantas do an amazing job getting us into the sky and to our destination safely,’’ she said.

“Today’s High Court ruling that Qantas breached protections in the Fair Work Act comes on top of allegations the company sold ghost flights and attempted to poach people’s Covid flight credits, while agreeing to a generous payout to its former CEO,’’ Senator McKenzie said.

“Australians want an airline that is affordable, where planes take off safely and land on time, and their bags arrive at the destination with them,’’ she said.

“It’s time Qantas focus on their core business and restore their corporate reputation as an employer of choice,’’ Senator McKenzie said.

The Iranian-Australian community will be devastated at the Government’s refusal to accept or implement the majority of the 12 recommendations of the Senate inquiry on human rights implications of recent violence in Iran.

The diaspora community has waited more than 7 months for the Government response to this urgent report. Confirmation today that the Government will only accept 2 of the 12 recommendations in full and one in part is staggering.

While we appreciate the additional sanctions announced by the Government today, they do not go far enough with the Foreign Minister acknowledging that “women and girls in Iran still face systemic persecution”.

Many Iranian-Australians have taken great personal risk to speak out, protest and urge the Government to take stronger action. Iranian-Australian community groups have written to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on multiple occasions throughout the year urging swift implementation of the Committee’s recommendations.

Incredibly, among the recommendations not accepted by the Albanese Government include that any Iranian officials in Australia considered to be involved in intimidation, threats or monitoring of Australians be expelled. This comes despite the Government acknowledging that Australians are being threatened and harassed on Australian soil.

Despite acknowledging that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) is involved in terrorism, the Government has also rejected the recommendation that necessary steps be taken to enable the IRGC to be listed as a terrorist group.

The Government has even refused to accept a recommendation to increase transparency and better inform the Australian public about the status of our diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) regime and our security concerns about its wide-range of threatening and dangerous behaviour.

This Government response and rejection of the majority of the report recommendations will be devastating for many in the Iranian-Australian community who have worked so hard to try and get this Albanese Labor Government to take stronger action and hold the regime to account.

This response comes not only during the week of the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s death, but at a time when the IRI regime is growing its influence in the region, exporting terror around the world, and gaining leverage and financial benefit from its appalling tactics.

Once again, we join with the diaspora community in urging the Government to take stronger action and reiterate our bipartisan support for doing so. Australia’s position should reflect the bravery and courage of the women and girls fighting for basic human rights.

Unlike people in many parts of the world, Australians are allowed to say what they think. This democratic freedom is a big part of our success as a nation. We should always fight to protect it.

The Albanese Government has released a new Misinformation Bill that would have a huge negative impact on our freedom of speech. It needs to be stopped because no government should tell us what we can and cannot say. Disagreeing about things, even arguing about them, is how we move forward in a democracy. If we all agreed on everything, then nothing would ever change. And we would be a much weaker country.

Labor’s Bill would see huge fines issued to tech companies if the Government thinks they are not doing enough to reduce misinformation online. To avoid those fines, these companies will remove the free speech of Australians. And there’s going to be a lot of deleting going on because the Bill will capture thousands of statements made by Australians every day.

Under the Government’s Bill, something can be misinformation even if you hold that view in good faith and believe it is true. It could be a strongly held belief on politics or social issues or religion. To be misinformation, all that’s required is that the statement is “misleading” and that it’s capable of contributing to “serious harm”. Harm includes things like harm to the economy or to the environment, so would capture a lot of discussions that Australians are involved in online.

Who decides if something is misinformation? It’s the Government. While the tech companies decide which pieces of content get taken down, the Government decides whether the tech companies are deleting enough material. And to form that view, the Government — through its regulator ACMA — will need to have an opinion on how much misinformation there is on a particular web site. So the Government will decide whether material about politics and other things can and cannot be said by Australians. It’s very obvious that this is a really bad idea.

Incredibly, the Albanese Government has excluded itself from this law. Under the Bill, anything the Government authorises can’t be misinformation. But if you criticise the Government, that can be misinformation. This is outrageous and impossible for the Government to defend. The Government has also excluded some other groups from the Bill, like university academics. But they haven’t excluded an average person expressing their views online. This means that the same thing could be misinformation if it’s said by an ordinary Australian but not misinformation if it’s said by an academic. How can that be fair?

And the Bill has another sting in the tail. It gives Government officials the power to require anybody to appear before them to answer questions about allegations of misinformation. If you are called, you must appear before the officials. And if you don’t attend, you can be fined more than $8000 per day. This power is clearly over the top and will have a chilling impact on free speech.

Because the Bill is so bad, it has come in for heavy criticism. Everyone from the Human Rights Commission to the media union to key civil liberties groups have pointed to the massive problems with the proposal. But the Government is still saying that they want to press ahead. Instead of trying to impose this new law on Australia, the Government should bin the Bill. They should rip it up into little pieces and apologise for proposing it in the first place.

Australians are in the grip of a cost of living crisis, and few sectors are impacting households and businesses harder than passenger aviation.

Which is why Senators Bridget McKenzie and Dean Smith have today introduced a Private Senator’s Bill that would restore oversight of the domestic aviation market by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The monitoring would track prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of domestic air passenger transport services, and of related goods and services, for three years.

The aviation sector remains one of the most concentrated in the Australian economy, with the Qantas and Virgin Australia duopoly controlling 95% of the domestic market.

Meanwhile, recent dealings between the Albanese Government and Qantas regarding the blocking of additional Qatar Airways flights into Australia have reignited concerns about sector competition and transparency.

The ACCC would be required to publish a report of its findings at least once every quarter.

This Bill replicates the monitoring regime begun under the previous Coalition Government, which ran from June 2020 to June 2023.

In its final report in June, the ACCC found that “a lack of effective competition is a key reason why the industry has generally underperformed in terms of meeting the needs of both the travelling public and the parts of the economy that rely on domestic air travel.”

Despite its obvious benefit to the travelling public and boosting competition, the Albanese Government chose not to continue the monitoring.

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Senator Dean Smith said Labor’s decision ignored advice from the ACCC that sector oversight should continue.

“The watchdog clearly said that ongoing monitoring would boost transparency and scrutiny of an industry in which new or growing airlines are trying to get established,” Senator Smith said.

“This is totally at odds with the Albanese Government’s supposed commitment to both transparency and making life cheaper for Australians.”

After days of public criticism, the Albanese Government has now confirmed the aviation sector will be included in its upcoming competition review, but it has not provided any details as to when the review will assess the industry, nor how it will be prioritised against other sectors.

Shadow Minister for Transport, Senator Bridget McKenzie said the Albanese Government is running a protection racket for Qantas, which has been highlighted by the Government’s recent decision to block Qatar Airways’ request for additional flights.

“After the monitoring ended, I wrote to the Treasurer asking him to instruct the ACCC to investigate airline competition and pricing, and provide recommendations to government and industry to improve the competitiveness of airfares and enhance service reliability,” Senator McKenzie said.

“And if he won’t act on this, we will.”

“This is what this Bill is all about.”

“The Prime Minister and his ministers have provided 9, often conflicting, reasons as to why they blocked Qatar Airways’ request.”

“The question remains, why don’t the Albanese Government want to provide cheaper airfares for the travelling public in a cost-of-living crisis?”

Senator McKenzie also highlighted the Labor Government’s Aviation Green Paper, which called Australia’s aviation sector “highly concentrated”, a direct contradiction to the Prime Minister’s earlier statements where he stated, “we have the most competitive aviation market in the world, bar none.”

Today Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for forests, will introduce the Ending Native Forest Logging Bill 2023 into the Parliament. This Bill seeks to put an end to native forest logging in Australia by repealing the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002 and closing a loophole in our national environmental laws.

The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 sets out the Commonwealth’s responsibility to protect our environment. This Act is supposed to reflect the Australian Government’s international commitments to preserve the places we love and protect biodiversity.

However, under the Regional Forest Agreements, established between state and federal governments, logging operations are given a special exemption. This means that the regulation and protection of Australia’s precious forests are effectively left to state governments. 

These are the same governments who own the Forestry Corporation NSW and so called Sustainable Timber Tasmania – logging agencies who time and time again have recklessly destroyed irreplaceable forests.

Recent weeks have shown that endangered native species are under heightened threat, from the Greater Gliders in NSW to the Swift Parrots in Tasmania. Habitat for these endangered animals have been destroyed by native forest logging for centuries, and until native forest logging is permanently outlawed, Labor’s pledge of zero extinctions is impossible.

Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for Forests said:

“The time for native forest logging is over. 

“Just a few days ago, it became clear that the Swift Parrot recovery plan announced by Minister Plibersek on threatened species day isn’t actually a recovery plan, it’s just a plan for a plan, and completely ignores the main threat to the species – native forest logging.

“With only 750 Swift Parrots left in the wild, protecting their habitats and ending native forest logging is non-negotiable.

“Two weeks ago, a dead, endangered Greater Glider was found in the Tallaganda State Forest in NSW after a logging operation. Despite the significance of this forest as a habitat this and other endangered species, for being unceded Country for traditional owners, for its role in soaking and storing carbon and as a destination for hikers, mountain bikers and keen bird watchers – our national environmental laws failed to stop the initial destruction of the Tallaganda. 

“It’s time for native forest logging to end. State logging agencies cannot be trusted, and neither can their state government owners. 

“Ending native forest logging is a win for First Nations heritage and culture, and for the threatened species and wildlife.

“Importantly, ending native forest logging will also be a huge win for the climate. Logging native forests continues to be a huge driver of emissions. It is estimated that the end of native forest logging in Victoria alone will save 3.35 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year. 

“To reach zero extinctions and zero emissions, then this Bill must urgently be passed.”

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Environment Spokesperson said:

“We cannot protect our threatened wildlife while we continue to log their homes.

“In 2023 in the midst of a global extinction and climate crisis there is no excuse for Australia to keep logging our great forests.

“Spin and selfies will not save threatened species, for that we need to fix our environment laws and stop native forest logging.

Following new revelations by female MPs Karen Andrews and Kylea Tink about poor parliamentary behaviour, the Greens say progress on enforcement of the parliamentary codes of conduct is desperately needed.

Recommendation 22 of the Set the Standards report was that the Houses of Parliament should establish, within 12 months, an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) to enforce codes of conduct. The IPSC was initially expected in October 2023, but that timeframe has since been updated to February 2024. 

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“It was disappointing overnight to hear from further women in parliament who have experienced inappropriate behaviour from their colleagues in this place.

“When female MPs are still being subject to sexist intimidatory behaviour, you can only imagine how much worse it is for staff – indeed the Set the Standard report showed more than half of those surveyed had experienced at least one incident of bullying, sexual harassment or actual or attempted sexual assault.

“One of the hurdles identified in Set the Standards was that staff are reluctant to come forward if there is no real prospect that an MP will be sanctioned. Consequences are crucial.
 
“The PWSS has been a huge step forward but, without enforcement powers, it cannot solve the problem.
 
“The Greens have been calling for an enforceable Code of Conduct for politicians and senior staff for years.  Without genuine consequences – such as suspension from parliament, loss of entitlements or directions to provide a public apology – there is little to deter against bad behaviour.
 
“Both Houses of parliament have now endorsed Codes of Conduct for behaviour, but there is still no independent body to investigate breaches and enforce the Codes.  Work to set up that body that will enforce those Codes, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, is complex, but there is no doubt it’s been too slow.  

“The Greens are disappointed that the original timeframe to establish the IPSC has blown out from October 2023 to February 2024, and we will continue to insist that no further delays occur.
 
“While that work to establish the IPSC is being done, it is a responsibility of every MP to act consistently with the commitments they made when endorsing the Codes, and for all parties to act quickly in response to complaints.”

Greens MPs today joined the trans community and their allies on Parliament’s lawn condemning growing transphobia, homophobia and misogyny.

Standing in solidarity with the National Union of Students and Canberra’s LGBTIQA+ community, Greens MPs spoke out about far right activists using transphobia to recruit people to their cause—with willing allies in Parliament and the media helping them do it by stoking a culture war to drive ratings.

Today’s event in Parliament is hosted by a group that cynically rebranded after their homophobic campaign against marriage equality failed.

Last week, Channel 7 aired a vile attack on young trans people, using people’s stories and images without their consent to promote hateful, ignorant and transphobic narratives to increase viewership at the expense of trans kids.

Earlier this year, anti-trans campaigners in Melbourne were joined on the steps of Victoria’s Parliament by neo-Nazis who were photographed and videoed performing Nazi salutes. 

Stephen Bates MP, Australian Greens LGBTQIA+ Spokesperson said:

These fearmongers peddling transphobia are the same ones who peddled homophobia against marriage equality. 

After Australia resoundingly said Yes to marriage equality, the homophobes at the Marriage Alliance just rebranded as Binary Australia to hop on the next attack line against our community. There is no line these people won’t cross. They’re hellbent on taking us back decades on LGBTIQA+ and women’s rights. 

Allies need to show up and stand with our community after these disgraceful attacks on trans kids in our Parliament and in our media.

Trans people, especially trans youth, are some of the most brave and resilient in our community, but they shouldn’t have to be. Now more than ever, they need our support. 

I will always stand with the LGBTIQA+ community against hate speech. Trans rights are non-negotiable.

Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Senator for Victoria said:

When your movement is supported by Nazis, you’re on the wrong side of history. 

Transphobia has no place in our parliament. It’s shameful that this platforming of hatred, fuelled by the far-right, is being sanctioned by MPs in this building. 

Anti-trans campaigners are outnumbered at every event, and despite continued threats to our safety, we continue to show up to tell them that they are not welcome.

We will always stand in solidarity with trans people and their communities. 

You deserve to be celebrated. You deserve to be safe to be yourself. The Greens will always stand with the LGBTIQA+ community and you are loved and celebrated.

New data published today proves Labor’s Big Australia is getting bigger, with 433,130 migrants arriving under Labor and no plan for where they will live.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data published today revealed 1,119,490 permanent and long-term arrivals in Australia from June 2022 to July 2023 as part of Labor’s Big Australia.

Permanent and long-term departures over the same period were 757,360.

Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Dan Tehan said the new ABS figures followed earlier government estimates that 1.5 million migrants were arriving over five years under Labor.

“Labor says they don’t want a big Australia but judge them by their actions not their words,” Mr Tehan said.

“Under Labor Australia is experiencing record numbers of temporary visa holders, record numbers of international students, record numbers of failed asylum seekers and more people on Covid work visas then during the Covid pandemic.

“Labor’s Big Australia is impacting on Australia’s housing crisis and rental shortage with rental vacancies at the lowest levels ever.

“Young Australians are struggling to afford rent or they can’t find a place to live, and this means they’re also struggling to save for a deposit to get on the property ladder.

“Under Labor, 1.5 million people will arrive in Australia over five years and Labor don’t have a plan for where these people will live, how to deal with the congestion problems or how to manage the impact on government services and the environment.“We want a better Australia, not Labor’s big Australia.”

Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism, Kevin Hogan, said Australia needed more air travel to boost the tourism sector’s recovery.

“Australian Bureau of Statistics figures today show tourism is still lagging other countries around the world who have returned to and exceeded pre-COVID levels,” Mr Hogan said.

The Albanese Government’s decision to reject an additional 28 Qatar Airways flights a week does the opposite of what’s needed to support the $166 billion sector and speed up its post-COVID recovery.

“The government has stopped 700,000 additional seats from Europe and the Middle East each year – flights that would have significantly boosted our tourism industry,” Mr Hogan said.

“The government claims it is in the national interest but why is it in the national interest when it means fewer people visiting Australia; why is it in the national interest to keep air fares high and why is it in the national interest to hurt our economy?

Today’s figures also show the majority of international visitors come to visit family rather than as tourists. Forty-one per cent of visitors came to visit friends and family, compared with 30 per cent pre-COVID, and 36 per cent to holiday, compared with 45 per cent.

“Professor Rico Merkert, Chair in Transport and Supply Chain Management and Deputy Director of the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney, today estimated the decision to block the additional Qatar flights would cost the Australian economy $1 billion per year.

“We need more flights and more tourists at the moment, not less.”