Category: Australian News

“People are unable to get the mental health support they need. We know that the availability of local services, long waitlists, and the cost are major barriers to people getting mental health supports. 

“The Australian Greens are disappointed that Labor’s budget did not commit to an extension of the additional 10 psychology sessions under the Better Access scheme. 

“This government should not be going backwards. We can not return to only 10 Medicare-subsidised sessions with a psychologist.

“The Australian Greens are calling on the government to make more mental health services free under Medicare. We are calling on the government to give certainty to the community and improve access to a range of mental health supports. We hope to see the Better Access evaluation and the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce provide recommendations to enable this.”

Greens Spokesperson for Youth, Stephen Bates said:

“We are in the midst of a devastating mental health crisis that is disproportionately impacting young people. For LGBTQIA+, disabled, and multicultural Australians, this situation is even more dire.

“Young people are being failed by mental health services because there is not enough capacity to treat them. Nearly 1 in 3 young people have received mental health support in the last two years, and more than 1 in 10 young people sought mental health support but did not receive it. 

“Labor’s Budget fails to address the immediate need for mental health support, as well as the systemic issues that are causing young people psychological distress, like climate inaction, homelessness, and housing insecurity.

“The very least that the Government should commit to is extending the additional 10 psychology sessions under the Better Access Scheme during this time of great need.  

“Until mental healthcare is universally accessible and fully funded under Medicare, we cannot begin to address the scale of the youth mental health crisis in this country. 

“The idea that Labor is even considering reducing current support shows how out of touch they are with everyday people.”

The Australian Greens remain deeply concerned about the ongoing situation in Iran and are in solidarity with the protestors in Iran. We will always protect the right to protest.  And we will always fight for people’s rights to choose their dress, their partner, their religion, their career, and what they do with their bodies. The Iranian authorities’ suppression of the rights of women, LGBTIQA+ people, and other minorities, including the Bahai, must end. 

Today, 40 days after the death of Jina Amani, there are reports that Iranian security forces have shot tear gas and opened fire on people gathered in Zindan Square, Saqqez city. 

Jina Amani was arrested by Iran’s morality police for failing to comply with a new national code requiring women to wear a hijab. She was allegedly beaten and died from her injuries.
The Australian Greens are deeply disappointed in the lack of response from the Australian Government. Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John on behalf of the Australian Greens are calling on the government to take 10 clear actions:

1. Clearly express to the Iranian regime that they, and countries like them, will face consequences from the international community for allowing violence against women and minorities within their borders.
2. Meet with the Iranian Ambassador as soon as possible to express Australia’s concerns directly.
3. Call on the Iranian government to end its violent crackdown on protesters and request the release of all arrested protestors. 
4. Hold those responsible for Jina Mahsa Amini’s death accountable through a criminal investigation.
5. Call on the Iranian government to respect the basic human rights of Iranian women’s choice of clothing.
6. Impose Magnitsky-style or other targeted sanctions, including financial asset freezing and introduce visa bans on people linked to the Iranian regime (including the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), key security officials, Basiji Militia and the morality police).
7. Declare the IRGC a ‘terrorist organisation’ under the Criminal Code Act 1995.
8. Pass, sponsor and support a strong resolution against the criminal actions of the Islamic Republic both in the Australian Parliament and at the UN General Assembly and encourage counterparts in allied countries to take similar steps.
9. Take steps to remove Iran from the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
10. Support Iranians’ access to the Internet and social media networks as well as the Iranian Civil Society in all possible manner.

Additionally, Senator Jordon Steele-John welcomes that the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will investigate the Australian Government’s response to the situation in Iran. It is our hope that this inquiry may get the government to finally take some action to support people in Iran. 

The Australian Government commits to never conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti‑satellite missile testing, consistent with our role as a responsible actor in space.

When carried out, these tests generate large amounts of debris that remain in space for years; threatening satellites and other space objects, and risking the long-term sustainability of human activity in space.

The use of these missiles to destroy space objects is reckless, irresponsible and poses threats to space assets of all nations.

Australia joins the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Germany and the Republic of Korea in making this commitment toward a safer, more stable and peaceful space domain.

Space touches every aspect of our lives – from international communications networks, to the global economy and military and defence capabilities.

Australia has actively participated in the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours.

We call on all nations to make this commitment as a transparency and confidence building measure.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Hon Richard Marles MP said:

“Destructive testing of direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles threatens the security of vital systems in space, which Australia and other nations depend on every day. With this pledge, the Government is demonstrating Australia’s commitment to act responsibly to protect our national security interests.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“The global community must work together to build a common understanding on rules and norms that can guide how states behave in outer space. This commitment to responsible behaviour, helps build a meaningful framework that contributes to the security, safety and sustainability of outer space.”

Minister for Industry and Science, Hon Ed Husic MP said:

“Space technologies support critical services that improve national wellbeing and economic prosperity. This commitment is a responsible step to help ensure space assets are protected for the benefit of all Australians.”

New industrial relations laws must work for women and carers and lift the wages of the low paid, the Greens say, as the government introduces their industrial relations bill to the House. The Greens vote will be essential for the bill to pass through the Senate.

Evidence from months of hearings and over 100 submissions before the Select Committee on Work and Care showed that 5 million people are currently trying to balance work with caring responsibilities. 

Senator Barbara Pocock, Greens Spokesperson for Employment, and chair of the Select committee into Work and Care, said that the damning evidence showed that reform was urgently needed.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP said:
“The Greens have said for a long time that the industrial relations system in this country is broken. Pressure on workers has been growing for too long, wages have been too low, and people haven’t been able to bargain for better pay and conditions,” Mr Bandt said.

“Labor needs the support of the Greens to pass this bill. 

“The Greens want industrial relations laws that work for women, work for carers and lift the wages of the lowest paid. That’s what we’ll be looking for as we work our way through this bill.

“For years the Greens have brought bills to Parliament to give people enforceable rights to flexible working arrangements. We need to make sure that people are able to balance work and caring responsibilities. We want to make sure the new bill delivers on a longstanding Greens call.”

Greens Spokesperson on Employment, Senator Barbara Pocock said:
“It’s time we caught up with the real lives of Australia’s 5 million working carers, women and men. Our industrial relations system is broken, but we can fix it,” Senator Pocock said.

“We need to move from the Hunger Games to roster justice, and decent work. That means adequate notice of shift changes, negotiation, minimum hours. 

“Our major supermarkets can predict the kinds and quantities of apples they will buy tomorrow, but apparently can’t tell their workers what shifts they’re working. 

“Being unable to plan your life or see your kids is hugely stressful. Many workers withdraw from the labour market because it’s impossible to juggle taking care of the kids and keep working.

“Australian workers, especially women, have waited decades for flexibility that actually works for them. They’ve waited for justice in their rosters, rosters and predictability of their working time.

“I have spent decades in my professional career researching the right to request and roster justice. The research case for change is inarguable. It’s time for major reform. 

West Australian energy prices are rising and everyday people are paying the price. 

Fossil fuel companies are making windfall profits but instead of taxing them appropriately, governments are giving them handouts to export our resources.

Research shows that when adjusted for inflation. Fossil fuel exporters are paying less Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) than they were 15 years ago.

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

“The wholesale price of electricity in Western Australia has risen by 44% in the last year due to our reliance on underperforming dirty fossil fuels. Our lack of investment in green renewables has left us susceptible to price hikes despite our domestic reserves. 

“West Australia currently gets more revenue from car registrations than the multi-billion dollar gas industry. The Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) is not fit for purpose, we cannot continue to give these corporations handouts and leave West Australians to foot the bill.

“Labor knows renewable energy is the cheapest form of power. Federal and state governments should be focused on investing in cleaner, greener renewable energy sources to drive energy prices down.”

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Forests, Janet Rice, has lashed out at the Labor Government for failing to budget to protect native forests and their threatened animals, birds and plants.

$224 million has been allocated as part of the Labor Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan but it fails to protect native forests. 

Senator Rice said: 

“According to a parliamentary budget office costing, it will take $24.4 billion over the next decade to restore wildlife habitat and protect threatened species. $224 million is an insult. 

“In this Budget Labor has made their priorities on climate and the environment very clear, giving over $40billion in fossil fuel subsidies and not a cent to native forests and their threatened animals, birds and plants. 

“As long as the government continues to approve new coal and gas projects and support native forest logging, their zero extinction target remains a farce. 

“Species like the critically endangered wollert or leadbeaters possum and the endangered greater glider lost so much of their habitat in the black summer fires and their forest homes are still being destroyed by logging.

“If Labor were serious about saving threatened species, they would end native forest logging and meaningfully invest in environmental restoration and recovery plans.” 

Labor’s budget has failed the public schools test, committing even more to private schools than the Morrison Government pledged in its March budget, the Greens say.

The Albanese Government has promised private schools $70.2 billion over the forward estimates, $1.7 billion more than Scott Morrison guaranteed in his pre-election budget. The private school sector will now receive an even greater share of Commonwealth funding under Labor than it would have under the Coalition.

Greens spokesperson on schools, Queensland Senator Penny Allman-Payne, will today move a disallowance motion to block an increase in the size of the Capital Grants Program, a Commonwealth capital works fund exclusively available to private schools.

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

“This is a schools budget the Liberal Party would have been proud of.

“As a proportion of total funding, private school funding is actually growing, moving public schools even further away from reaching 100% of the minimum Schooling Resource Standard.

“This budget indicates that the Albanese Government is either ignorant of growing school inequality, or it just doesn’t care. A stronger commitment to public school funding would have helped Labor tackle the cost of living crisis, teacher shortages and declining student performance.

“While elite schools are building extra boat sheds and plunge pools for their headmasters, public schools in my own region of Central Queensland, and across the country, are struggling to attract and retain teachers and meet the needs of their students.

“Labor had an opportunity to undo a decade of conservative damage to the education system by winding back government support for the private sector and investing in the public system. Instead we got the kind of budget you’d expect from Scott Morrison.

“With negotiations on the next National Schools Reform Agreement beginning soon the Greens will be pushing to ensure that all public schools receive at least 100% of their Schooling Resource Standard by the end of the agreement, and we’ll continue to fight for public money for public schools.”

Australian Greens Social Services spokesperson Senator Janet Rice has condemned Labor’s decision to give tax cuts to the wealthy while one third of Australian households are struggling to put food on the table. 

Senator Rice said: 

“Poverty is a political choice and Labor has chosen to give tax cuts to the wealthy instead of raising the rate of income support payments above the poverty line.

“While one third of Australian households are struggling to put food on the table and the cost of living continues to escalate, Labor is providing $9000 a year for the wealthy and doing nothing to raise the rate of income support.

“Last week at the first hearing of the Senate inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty, multiple community organisations and advocacy groups called for a permanent raise in the rate of income support.  

“The Labor Government has ignored these calls and in doing so has left millions of Australians having to choose between paying the rent, essential medicines or eating three meals a day.

“The Greens are calling on Labor to introduce a guaranteed liveable income which would see all income support payment rates raised above the poverty line to at least $88 a day, mutual obligations abolished and the removal of unfair restrictions on who can access payments, to ensure everyone has enough to cover their basic needs.”

Labor’s budget gives billionaires and politicians a $9,000 a year tax cut but fails to deliver for older Australians and the aged care sector. 

Senator Rice said: 

“The Greens welcome the $3.9billion in increased funding for the aged care sector but it falls short of the total funding recommended by the Royal Commission by more than $4billion a year. 

“Labor’s budget gives billionaires and politicians a $9,000 a year tax cut but fails to deliver for older Australians and the aged care sector. 

“This budget was a missed opportunity for the government to ensure that older people in this country have access to the level of care they need. The aged care sector is in crisis and one-off top ups won’t solve the structural problem.

“The Greens are calling for an overhaul of the aged system including phasing out for-profit providers, a human rights based approach to aged care, and ensuring no one needs to wait to access a home care package.”

Labor’s Women’s Budget Statement outlines the problems women face, but offers very little when it comes to delivering the solutions women need.

On top of waiting years for half-measures on PPL and childcare, women are offered partial indexation rather than a funding boost for frontline services, while billionaires and big corporations get massive handouts and tax cuts.  

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

“After talking up their ‘women-centred’ budget for months now, the Albanese Government has offered up an incredibly underwhelming budget for women. 

“After 9 years of inaction under the Coalition, it was a low bar to clear, but redirecting existing funds and dangling the promise of better things in the future just isn’t going to cut it when it comes to women’s safety and economic security.

“Cheaper childcare is a welcome outcome for women, but it’s still not free and there is nothing to address the early childhood workforce crisis. And instead of raising the rate of income support payments above the poverty line, they’ve chosen to give tax cuts to the wealthy. 

On the National plan to end violence against women and children
“The new National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children was released last week with great fanfare and laudable goals. But ambitious aims need to be backed with funding.

“The women’s safety sector has repeatedly called for a $1B per year to ensure funding meets demand. And yet the government’s budget response was to re-badge and re-shuffle previous funding commitments, adding only partial indexation and a fraction of the workers needed. 

“Partial indexation is not a base funding increase. And the Albanese Government shouldn’t be trying to spin it as one.

On a standalone National plan to end violence against First Nations women and children
“A First Nations Action Plan and a standalone National Plan for First Nations women is a matter of national priority and needs to be treated that way, but the Budget failed to dedicate funding for consultation or development of the Plan.  

On Paid Parental Leave
“We support moves to strengthen Australia’s parental leave scheme, but Labor’s plan is too slow and doesn’t include superannuation or replacement wages. Families, and particularly women, have waited long enough for fairer leave and deserve action.

“If the Jobs summit convinced the Minister for Women to ‘step up’ on paid parental leave, why keep women waiting?.

“Fairer Paid Parental Leave is a no-brainer that benefits everyone – parents, children and the economy. If the Albanese government had axed the Stage 3 tax cuts, we could easily afford it.

On Respect @ Work

“Implementing all Respect @ Work recommendations is overdue and we welcome the government’s Bill and the funding commitments to support the Human Rights Commission and Fair Work Commission to take stronger action on workplace sexual harassment. 

“We are also pleased to see funding for Working Women’s Centres across Australia to provide independent, expert advice and support to workers who experience sexual harassment.  

On Reproductive Healthcare
“It is crystal clear that reproductive healthcare across Australia is a postcode lottery and too many women, especially in rural and regional areas, struggle to get access. There is nothing in this Budget to remove those barriers such as adding abortion care to Medicare, ensuring public hospitals provide abortion care, or resourcing the full suite of birthing options for women. 

On Birthing on Country
“We know that First Nations parents can experience trauma when forced to be away from Country when giving birth. 

The commitment to develop a Birthing on Country Centre for Excellence is a great first step, and must prompt the roll out of access to culturally-safe care for First Nation families across Australia.