16 News

Australia welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza after 15 months of conflict and a devastating loss of civilian life.

Australia has consistently been part of the international call for a ceasefire and release of hostages.

We urge all parties to respect its terms and safeguard a lasting peace, including ensuring the immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded and sustained increases in humanitarian assistance to all parts of Gaza.

Our thoughts are with all the civilians killed, displaced and taken hostage in this conflict, and the many humanitarian workers who lost their lives in the service of others.

This agreement is a constructive step towards peace and stability in the region. It must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

Australia will continue working with the international community towards a two-state solution – a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.

We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance, and pursue self-determination.

Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas’ atrocities on 7 October, and its ongoing acts of terror. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security.

We will continue to act in partnership with the international community to support the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.

We thank the mediators—the United States, Qatar and Egypt—for their tireless efforts to bring parties to an agreement to end this war.

The Greens have called on the State and Federal Governments to provide an urgent funding lifeline to save the Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Centre from imminent closure. 

The Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Centre is run largely by volunteers and donations and provides critical care to injured, ill and orphaned native wildlife – but will be forced to shut within months without funding. The Greens have also today launched an online crowdfunding campaign in partnership with the Centre.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the environment and visited the Centre today:

“I’m extremely concerned that the Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Center will be forced to close within months. This Centre is run largely by volunteers and funded by donations. It provides critical care to thousands of vulnerable animals. It must be saved.

“The State Environment Minister Susan Close and the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek must step in and deliver a funding lifeline so that this wildlife Sanctuary can keep operating.

“South Australians love our wildlife and our koalas.  The staff here have saved more than 14,000 injured and vulnerable animals. We can not afford to let the center close down, we need to keep the doors open.

“I’ve been visiting the Centre for a number of years now, and I know that the volunteers here, the vets who work here, and the individuals involved do such important work. 

“Australia is at risk of losing our koalas altogether, as those in the eastern states face extinction due to loss of habitat and logging. Here in SA we have a responsibility to help keep the koala population strong and healthy. The important work of the Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Centre is invaluable to helping protect these beautiful animals going extinct. 

“Today, in partnership with the Adelaide Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, we are launching an online crowdfunding campaign to keep the Centre open so it can keep saving the lives of vulnerable animals.”

The Greens are the only party committed to public schools with the announcement today of a plan to deliver 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) to every public school by July 2025; the creation of a capital grants fund available only to government schools; and funding for airborne hazard risk reduction measures in all classrooms.

Under the Greens’ plan the Commonwealth share of spending on public schools will rise to 25% – except in the Northern Territory where it will be 40% – and the Morrison-era loophole that allows states and territories to deduct 4% of non-classroom costs from their SRS funding contribution will be abolished. 

The Greens will invest $6.8 billion over the forward estimates to save public schools. 

The Greens will also establish a new grants fund for public schools to invest in infrastructure, reversing a 2017 Coalition decision that saw the Commonwealth abandon capital investment in public schools. The fund will disperse $1.25 billion in its first year, and $350 million annually after that. Funding will be allocated to states and territories based on the share of public schools and the needs of students in each jurisdiction.

And under the party’s “Safer Classrooms” commitment the Commonwealth will provide $388 million for all schools in Australia to purchase and install an air ventilation system and HEPA filter, as well as a carbon dioxide monitor, in each classroom and indoor communal space.

Greens spokesperson on primary and secondary education, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:

“Every child deserves a high-quality, inclusive, safe and free public education. It’s what strong societies are built on.

“But under successive Labor and Liberal governments, our public school system has been left to rot, while a growing share of school spending shifts towards the private sector.

“Under Labor, private schools are banking $51 million each day from the Commonwealth, while 98% of public schools receive less than the bare minimum funding. That means overworked teachers, crumbling infrastructure and rising out-of-pocket costs for families already slammed by the cost-of-living crisis.

“Public school teachers, students, parents and carers suffered through a decade of neglect under Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison. Labor promised them that they would end this nightmare by finally delivering full funding.

“But under Albanese’s plan, every single public school that is underfunded today will still be underfunded in a decade.

“With Labor giving up on fighting inequality and the Liberals ideologically opposed to the very existence of public education, only the Greens are fighting for our public schools.

“The Greens will save our public schools by delivering full funding from July 2025, and establishing a capital works fund so our kids have the classrooms and facilities they deserve.

“We will make sure that schools are healthy and productive environments by funding air ventilation systems, HEPA filters and carbon dioxide monitors in every classroom and indoor communal space.

“This election the Greens can secure the balance of power and fight harder for the things that all Australians deserve: dental and mental into Medicare; real climate action; and genuinely affordable housing.

“Inequality continues to widen under Labor and the Liberals. The Greens will make corporations pay their fair share and invest in health and education for everyone.

“We can’t keep electing the same two parties and expect anything to change. If Australians want change, they have to vote for it.”

The reports of a ceasefire deal between the State of Israel and Hamas are welcome and overdue, but the invasion of Gaza is something that should never have occurred, and has resulted in genocide.

Over the past 15 months we’ve witnessed unimaginable tragedy as Gaza – an area half the size of Canberra with a population of more than two million – has been invaded and tens of thousands of people have lost their lives.

Families have been deprived of food, water, and medicine while schools, hospitals, and mosques have been reduced to rubble.

From day one the Greens called for the release of all hostages and for no invasion of Gaza. Sadly, Labor and Liberal backed the invasion of Gaza.

The Greens are once again calling on the Labor government to do its part in upholding international law by:

• Calling for a permanent ceasefire that sees the end of the occupation of Palestine by the State of Israel. 
• Ending the two ways arms trade between Australia and the State of Israel 
• Sanctioning members of the Israeli government directly involved in war crimes. 
• Having Australia formally intervene on behalf of South Africa at the International Court of Justice and the commitment to uphold International Criminal Court warrants.

It is a testament to the millions of people who have peacefully protested week-on-week over the past year, including here in Australia, that we’re seeing news of a ceasefire today.

Today’s six-week ceasefire deal is an encouraging first step, and will hopefully bring relief to many. But we can’t let it stop there. The ceasefire must be permanent and lasting, and the occupation of Palestine must end.

We must ensure international humanitarian law is upheld and those who have committed war crimes are held to account.

And we must recognise the right to self-determination, the statehood of Palestinians, and the right of both Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace.

The Greens will always advocate for peace, and will be urging Labor to do everything they can to bring an end to this devastating genocide and end the occupation of Palestine.

The Australian Greens see the appointment of a new Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme as a missed opportunity to implement a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Disabled People. 

Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services: 

“From the cost of housing to groceries to healthcare – disabled people, our families, and support workers are being pushed to the brink right now. We need cross-government action to urgently improve the lives of disabled people across the country. 

“One way to achieve this urgent action would have been to implement a recommendation of the Disability Royal Commission to appoint a Minister for Disability Inclusion, not just a Minister for the NDIS. It’s disappointing that the government has failed to implement yet another recommendation of the Disability Royal Commission. 

“A Minister for Disability Inclusion would be responsible for improving the lives of all disabled Australians – not just those who are eligible for the NDIS. A Minister for Disability Inclusion would enable us to have the cross-government action we need to improve the lives of disabled people across all areas of life – like education, healthcare, public transport – just to name a few. 

“Ideally, Australia would have a Minister with lived experience of disability. I hope that the new Minister will publicly commit to undertaking training, including disability awareness training. 

“The Australian Greens recently announced our disability leadership plan. This plan would get more disabled people into our Federal Parliament –  this includes the establishment of a $5m Election Access Fund to support disabled people to inclusively contest Federal Elections. It’s only through these proactive measures that we will one day get a Minister for Disability with lived experience as a disabled person.”