Category: Australian News

The Albanese Government has today delivered on our promise to the Australian people to return integrity, honesty and accountability to government by legislating a powerful, transparent and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission in 2022.

The Albanese Government’s National Anti-Corruption Commission will:

• Have broad jurisdiction to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the Commonwealth public sector by ministers, parliamentarians and their staff, statutory officer holders, employees of all government entities and government contractors;
• Operate independent of government, with discretion to commence inquiries on its own initiative or in response to referrals, including from whistleblowers and the public;
• Be overseen by a statutory Parliamentary Joint Committee, empowered to require the Commission to provide information about its work;
• Have the power to investigate allegations of serious or systemic corruption that occurred before or after its establishment;
• Have the power to hold public hearings in exceptional circumstances and where it is in the public interest to do so;
• Be empowered to make findings of fact, including findings of corrupt conduct, and refer findings that could constitute criminal conduct to the Australian Federal Police or the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions; and
• Operate with procedural fairness and its findings will be subject to judicial review.

The legislation also provides strong protections for whistleblowers and exemptions for journalists to protect the identity of sources.

Australians waited years for the former Government to implement their pledge for a Commonwealth integrity commission. They never even introduced a bill.

This is a historic day for our Parliament, and the nation.

The Government has already begun the search for Australia’s first National Anti-Corruption Commissioner through a merit-based, transparent and robust recruitment process, adhering to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.

With today’s vote, we now look forward to the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission in mid-2023.

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with the President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, during his visit to Australia as a Guest of the Australian Parliament.

They discussed the vibrant trade, investment, education and defence links between Australia and Vietnam, underpinned by the Strategic Partnership and strong people to people links, ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. Australia and Vietnam share a commitment to a peaceful and prosperous region and an ambition to boost trade and investment, including to create jobs in both countries and drive the clean energy transformation.

They also discussed international issues and reiterated their commitment to ASEAN centrality and a region which is peaceful, prosperous, stable and in which sovereignty is respected. They reaffirmed that disputes, including those in the South China Sea, should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight. They maintained the call that any Code of Conduct for the South China Sea should not prejudice the rights of all states under international law, particularly UNCLOS.

They announced Australia and Vietnam’s shared intention to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This announcement reflects the high level of mutual strategic trust and ambition in the relationship and will place Australia in the top tier of Vietnam’s closest partners. It demonstrates a further deepening of Australia’s relationship with Southeast Asia.

During his visit, National Assembly President Hue will also meet with the Governor‑General, Parliament’s Presiding Officers, senior Federal Government ministers, and the Leader of the Opposition. In Melbourne, President Hue will promote the impressive education linkages between our countries and strengthen business engagement.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“Australia and Vietnam share close bonds and a vision for a stable, peaceful, resilient and prosperous region.”

“Our shared ambition to elevate our formal ties is a reflection of our deepening cooperation on significant issues – economic, climate and strategic. It demonstrates clearly the government’s determination to deepening Australia’s relationship with Southeast Asia.”

“I look forward to continuing to strengthen Australia-Vietnam ties as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.”

Foreign Minister Wong said:

“Vietnam is a close partner and friend to Australia in Southeast Asia.

“Our two countries are working closely together to boost cooperation on climate change, expand economic and trade opportunities, and deepen our longstanding people-to-people ties.

“We share a strategic interest in a peaceful stable and prosperous region, with ASEAN at its centre.”

The Greens say a Senate inquiry into school disruption, initiated by the Liberals and backed by Labor, risks being used as a platform to attack overworked teachers and First Nations, disabled and neurodiverse students.

Greens spokesperson on schools, Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:

“Labor and the Coalition today voted to set up an inquiry into school disruption. While disruption and lack of student engagement in Australian classrooms is a complex phenomenon worth exploring in its proper context, the inquiry’s terms of reference are deeply concerning.

“Instead of seeking to investigate the causes of disruption and student disengagement without prejudice, the terms of reference are loaded with assumptions and value judgements.

“I hope I’m wrong but I’m really worried that this inquiry will be used as a cudgel against overworked teachers, struggling parents and disadvantaged kids. I’m especially concerned that it’s going to provide a forum to target First Nations, disabled and neurodiverse students.

“Public school teachers, parents and carers have been telling us for years that their schools are understaffed and under-resourced and that this is worsening student outcomes and entrenching inequality.

“Perhaps the Senate could spend some more time inquiring into that rather than giving a soapbox to anti-public school culture warriors.”

Australian Greens Deputy Leader Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that new behavioural codes of conduct developed by the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards, tabled today, will make parliament a safer place and set clear rules for behaviour in parliamentary workplaces.

Senator Faruqi is a member of the Joint Select Committee and participated actively in the inquiry.

Senator Faruqi said:

“These behavioural codes and standards will make parliament a safer place for everyone who works at and visits this place.

“I’m pleased that the report has acknowledged the intersections of discrimination that further marginalise First Nations people, people of colour, disabled people and LGBTQI+ communities, and the codes explicitly prohibit discrimination on these grounds. 

“I have first hand experience of the damage that racism and sexism does to a person who doesn’t belong to the ‘dominant norm’ of white men in suits. There will now be a clear and unambiguous recognition that this is unacceptable – and that perpetrators will face consequences for their actions.

“The evidence we heard from witnesses showed an overwhelming desire for strong and enforceable codes, not meaningless platitudes.

“I really want to thank the courageous staff – current and former – who have spoken out about the toxic culture of parliament and have paved the way for a safer, more respectful, inclusive and diverse parliament.

“The codes were agreed to by consensus. They are a strong expression of this parliament’s desire to do better. I look forward to their implementation.”

The report of the committee is available here. 

The Climate Council report released today shows that the costs of climate change-driven weather events cannot be ignored. The Greens are once again calling for the government to stop approving new coal and gas projects, and stop the $42.7 billion of fossil fuel subsidies that are turbo charging climate destruction.

Greens Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters said:

“The Climate Council report released today shows that my home state of Queensland has suffered more economic damage from extreme weather and natural disasters than any other state or territory.

“The economic cost to Queensland from the floods in February and March alone was $7.7 billion, not to mention the emotional toll of seeing your home flooded again and again.

“Last week’s State of the Climate report found changes to weather and climate extremes are happening at an increased pace across Australia.

“We already knew this continued support for the coal and gas industry was leading us to environmental disaster, now we know it’s a wrecking ball for the economy as well.

“We’ve been disappointed that under the new Labor government, Australia has continued to open up new coal and gas mines, and is sticking to targets that will see the world go beyond a disastrous 2C of warming.

“There are 114 new coal and gas projects headed to the Environment Minister’s desk for approval – not a single one should be approved without considering the impact its emissions will have on the climate.

“Unless we stop opening up new coal and gas, Australia’s children will inherit a country that is wracked by devastating fires, floods, and heatwaves.

“The Greens bill to add a climate trigger to our federal environmental laws means that climate impacts of polluting projects would need to be considered, and importantly that the Minister would have to refuse approval for new large fossil fuel projects.”

Today Theia Energy announced it will resubmit its application to frack the Canning Basin.

Theia has changed its plans multiple times in an attempt to dodge Western Australia’s EPA laws, but is betting the McGowan government’s review on onshore fracking will favour companies over the environment.

Greens spokesperson for resources Yamatji-Noongar Woman Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“The McGowan government should care about its constituents equally. The ban on fracking should extend across all of WA not just the metropolitan regions and southwest.

“The government is allowing manufactured consent for fossil fuel projects. If they won’t invest and support regional communities they are effectively forcing Traditional Owners to agree to these projects.

“The International Energy Agency’s ‘World Energy Outlook 2022’ report doesn’t support the idea of gas as a transition fuel. 

“Black Mountain Energy’s exemption from the export of onshore gas shows the McGowan government is happy to sell out our environment and fuel the climate crisis.

“A report released today by The Climate Council showed Queensland is bearing the brunt of the climate crisis. We cannot allow Western Australia to suffer the same fate by opening up new fossil fuel projects.

“A recent poll showed 63% of Australians want to accelerate the shift to renewables. Rather than open up new polluting projects we need to invest in cleaner, greener renewable energy sources. 

“We can’t trust the WA Labor government to do the right thing. We must strengthen our Federal environmental protection laws to ban fracking across all of Australia.”
 

The Greens respond to formal review process on the rate of income support, warning that it needs to be independent and include the voices of people living in poverty.

Greens spokesperson for government services and social services, Senator Janet Rice said: 

“The ‘Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee’ could be great if it leads to meaningful change, it can’t be an excuse for more delays or a pathetic raise to the rate that still leaves people living in poverty.

“This review needs a clear methodology with a focus on how much people actually need to live, not what the Government feels like allocating in the budget. 

“It should be genuinely independent with public terms of reference, public hearings and public reporting. And it needs to hear from people actually living in poverty. 

“Last week the Greens provided the Government an easy opportunity to raise the rate and do something concrete for the people that need it most, and they joined the Liberals to vote it down.

“The cost of living crisis isn’t waiting for a review – people are living in poverty right now, they can’t afford to put food on the table right now, they can’t afford their medical bills right now. 

“The Greens will keep pushing to get concrete outcomes for people on income support so Australians don’t have to make decisions like which meals to skip because they have to pay the rent this week.” 

The Albanese Government is acting to make workplaces safe from sexual harassment with the passage of the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation (Respect@Work) Bill through Parliament.

Sexual harassment is not inevitable – it is preventable.

This historic Respect@Work legislation significantly progresses gender equality by ensuring women are able to earn a living in safe, sexual harassment-free workplaces.

The legislation closely follows the recommendations of Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, left unfinished by the former government.

The new laws will:

• Place a positive duty on employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sex discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation, as far as possible;
• Strengthen the Australian Human Rights Commission with new functions to assess and enforce compliance with this new requirement, including the capacity to give compliance notices to employers who are not meeting their obligations;
• Expressly prohibit conduct that results in a hostile workplace environment on the basis of sex; and
• Ensure Commonwealth public sector organisations are also required to report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency on its gender equality indicators.

Over the past five years, one in three people experienced sexual harassment at work, with women experiencing higher rates of harassment than men.

Everyone has the right to a safe and respectful workplace and the fact that workplaces have not been safe or respectful for so many Australians is unacceptable.

The Government would like to thank Ms Jenkins for her work, as well as all victim-survivors who came forward to share their stories and to inform the Respect@Work Report.

This is a Government that listens to women – and acts.

Greens Leader and Workplace Relations spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP and Greens Employment Spokesperson, Senator Barbara Pocock say the Greens have agreed to back the government’s IR bill after securing significant additional improvements, including giving parents an enforceable right to request unpaid parental leave and protecting the existing Better Off Overall Test.

The Greens have been locked in negotiations with the government on the bill for several months and the government has already included a number of long-standing Greens initiatives, such as an enforceable right to better work/life balance, banning of pay secrecy clauses and abolishing the ABCC, in the bill.

The government’s original bill attempted to remove prospective workers from being considered under the Better Off Overall Test when agreements are approved, something the Greens were concerned could have led to prospective workers being worse off. The Greens have ensured that the test in the existing s193 will remain. Further, the bill will be amended to clarify that when applying the BOOT and considering potential work patterns of current or future employees, the FWC will still have to apply the existing tests and assess any work patterns the employer, union or employees consider foreseeable, save that the FWC must have regard to the kind of business the employer is running (so, for example, the FWC does not have to consider arrangements for working in a cool room when considering an office supply company’s agreement even though the award may cover that kind of work). 

Greens Leader and Workplace Relations spokesperson, Adam Bandt said:

“The Greens strongly back most of what is in this bill, including abolishing the ABCC and multi-employer bargaining, but we wanted to ensure low paid workers wouldn’t go backwards because of some of the changes,” Mr Bandt said.

“This is an important win for all workers, especially low paid workers in the retail and the hospitality industries. The Better Off Overall Test has been preserved.”

“Workers will now have an enforceable right to unpaid parental leave and better work/life balance.”

Greens Employment Spokesperson, Senator Barbara Pocock said:

“Workers in the care sector, so many of them low paid women, need a pay rise. The supported bargaining stream and the new object of gender equality make this more likely in the near future,” Senator Pocock said.

“It’s time workplace law caught up with the real lives of Australia’s 5 million working carers, women and men. Our workplace relations system is broken, but we can fix it, and this bill is a good start.”

“Australian workers, especially women, have waited decades for an enforceable right to flexibility that actually works for them. The Greens have secured important changes on flexibility and on unpaid parental leave. These will now be enforceable rights.”

“There is more to do and we will move further amendments in the Senate and continue to fight for greater flexibility and workplace laws that support working carers in the coming months.”
 

On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women the Greens are once again calling for full funding and meaningful goals for the National Plan for Ending Violence Against Women and Children, and a standalone National Plan for First Nations Women.

Today also marks the start of the UN 16 Days of Activism, running until International Human Rights Day on 10 December. During this time, Senator Waters will dedicate her social media platforms to discussions about the National Plan, sharing stories from advocacy groups and frontline services, and explaining what we need to do to make sure no one seeking help is turned away.

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

“Australia is in an epidemic of gendered violence and harassment. 40 women have been killed this year. Women as young as 12 report sexual harassment in public. One in three Australian women experience abuse in their lifetime.

“First Nations women, women from culturally diverse backgrounds, women in regional areas, older women, LGBTIQ+ women, and women with a disability are even more likely to experience violence.

“Every year on this day we recommit to ending sexual and physical violence against women around the world, but frontline services are still underfunded and women and children are being turned away as a result.

“Enough with empty promises. Enough with ignoring the impact of financial insecurity and housing stress on women’s capacity to leave. Enough with underfunding the services women reach out to in a crisis.

“We need full funding for services under the National Plan for Ending Violence Against Women and Children, and a standalone National Plan for First Nations Women.

“The women’s safety sector has repeatedly called for a $1 billion per year investment to meet demand. The recent Budget provided less than half that amount for frontline services.

“Women deserve better than that, and $1 billion each year is a very small price to pay to ensure every Australian woman is safe at work, at home and in public.

“Additional funding for emergency housing is welcome, but when the waiting list for social housing is over 50,000 in Queensland alone, $100 million for 720 houses is a drop in the ocean.

“The housing crisis is felt even more acutely by women and children experiencing family and domestic violence. Women are forced to choose between abuse or homelessness, because there is nowhere to go.

“Women on low wages or income support are especially vulnerable without the resources to escape violent situations. Yet this government persists with the cruelty of keeping income support payments like JobSeeker below the poverty line, and has the audacity to cry poor while dishing out hundreds of billions in tax cuts and investment property perks for the rich.

“The Greens are calling for full funding of frontline DV services, along with clear outcomes, targets and support for specialist services to address the needs of vulnerable communities. Ending violence against women in one generation is possible, but not without more dollars and clear targets to drive the necessary changes.