Category: Australian News

Greens Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Peace and Nuclear Disarmament will accept IPAN’s petition and table it in the Australian Senate today. 

Senator Jordon Steele-John said:

“I am proud to receive and table in the Senate Independent and Peaceful Australia Network’s petition which has been signed by 26,700 members of the community.”

“The petition represents the view of many in our community who want Australia to withdraw from the AUKUS agreement, and want Australia to stop being at the beck and call of the United State of America and their military ambitions. 

“The world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis and rapidly expanding wealth inequality. The solutions to these things will take global cooperation. The AUKUS pact escalates tensions in the Asia-Pacific and significantly increases the likelihood of nuclear arms proliferation among non-nuclear armed states. 

“Our community has broadly rejected AUKUS and no one wants nuclear submarines to be floating off the coast near Brisbane or near my hometown of Rockingham in WA.

“Instead of investing billions of dollars into submarines that no one needs or asked for, we must reallocate funding from the military to services our community actually needs; things like free dental care included under Medicare, properly funding the NDIS, or building more affordable and accessible homes.”

Annette Brownlie, Chairperson of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) said:

“Community opposition to the secret deal of AUKUS dropped on the Australian people one year ago, is evidenced by this petition being tabled today in the Senate by Senator Jordon Steele-John signed by 26,700 Australians.

“The large number of Australians who have signed these public calls for peace with priority being directed to healthcare not warfare is an indication of the depth of concern in the community about the defence and foreign policy directions of the Australian Government.

“The financial blowout for Australians in this era of war talk and preparations is absurd with costs of over $170B estimated for the nuclear-propelled submarines alone.

“Around the world, people are speaking up opposing the war preparation economy and we in Australia need to build the public voice for independent peacebuilding policies, an end to the AUKUS pact and calling on the current government to urgently sign the United Nations Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).”

The Greens have called on Labor to support its bill to establish a National Energy Transition Authority, which was introduced in the Senate today by Gladstone-based Queensland Senator Penny Allman-Payne.

The National Energy Transition Authority Bill 2022 establishes a new independent public authority to guide Australia’s shift from an economy powered by polluting coal and gas to one powered by reliable, secure and low-cost renewable energy.

By providing national coordination, expert advice and funding, the National Energy Transition Authority will work with communities, workers, unions, energy companies and governments at all levels to plan the pipeline of clean energy projects, creating good, secure jobs and opening up new export markets while pushing down power prices for homes and businesses.

During negotiations on the Climate Change Bill the government agreed to consider the Greens’ proposal for a transition authority, a body that has the support of coal and gas workers and communities, unions, climate and energy experts, businesses and rank and file Labor members.

From next week Senator Allman-Payne will host a series of roundtables and public forums in the Latrobe Valley, Hunter region and Gladstone to discuss the bill with stakeholders and community members.

Greens spokesperson for Industry, Transition and Regional Development, Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:

“The climate crisis is happening before our eyes. In the past few months we’ve seen record flooding on Australia’s east coast; apocalyptic fires throughout Europe; and a third of the land mass of Pakistan submerged by torrential rains and fast-melting Himalayan glaciers.

“The biggest contributor to the climate crisis is the extraction and burning of coal and gas, which is why the IPCC, the International Energy Agency, climate scientists and environmental groups all say we must open no more coal and gas projects.

“To keep global heating below 1.5 degrees we also have to phase out existing coal and gas and transition rapidly to a zero emissions economy – and the good news is that this is already starting to happen. The global market for coal is drying up and renewable energy is taking off across the country.

“But what’s missing is a plan for a fair and equitable transition that ensures we are able to rapidly and responsibly exit coal and gas while securing the futures of the workers and communities who are at risk of being left behind.

“We know from similar energy transition bodies in Europe that if you plan the transition, workers can move into new well-paid jobs, be redeployed through industry-wide pooling or benefit from early retirement. But it needs government leadership.

“The only thing standing in the way of the creation of a National Energy Transition Authority is the Labor Party. Labor has said they will consider the Greens’ proposal, but we think they should listen to what workers, unions, businesses and their own members are saying and commit to backing our bill.

“If the government and Greens are able to work together to make this authority a reality during the life of this parliament, we will blunt the Coalition’s climate scare campaigns and render them even more irrelevant than they already are, while securing the futures of tens of thousands of workers across the country.”

About the bill:

The core functions of the NETA are:

• to support communities and workers affected by the closure of coal and gas extraction and power generation to adapt, including by helping to attract new public and private investment in job-creating industries and social infrastructure to affected areas, and ensuring ongoing equivalent employment or social services are provided;
• working with employers in relevant industries to encourage workforce pooling, to enable workers to shift between employers where skills are transferable; and
• planning with workers and relevant agencies to assist workers nearing retirement age to transition to a voluntary, financially secure retirement.

The Authority will draw on a Diversifying Coal Communities Fund of $2.8 billion over 10 years, which will approve and fund local plans across the nation, developed by regionally based transition bodies in partnership with the Authority.

The NETA’s board will be composed of experts in energy, workplace planning and engineering, along with worker representatives, and will be responsible for developing strategic plans to manage the energy transition. The Authority will be independent of government but guided by government policy and decision-making that may overlap with the Authority’s work.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the government’s Cheaper Childcare Bill, introduced to parliament today, doesn’t go far enough, and should make early education and care universal and free.

Senator Faruqi said:

“We have an opportunity here to deliver universal and free childcare. This bill does not go anywhere near far enough.

“Expensive and inaccessible childcare has held women and families back for too long.

“Rather than spending $243 billion on the obscene Stage 3 Tax Cuts, we could have free childcare for a fraction of the cost.

“Making early childhood education and care free for all would be so beneficial for children, families and the whole community.

“This bill does not tackle the workforce crisis in early education. Educators must receive better pay and conditions that reflect the skill and responsibility of the work they do every day.

“At the very least, the bill should scrap the Activity Test that restricts access to subsidised childcare, and the new subsidy rates should be brought forward to commence at the start of next year rather than waiting until July. People need support now.”

In the wake of Roe v Wade, the Australian Greens will today establish a Senate inquiry into abortion access in Australia. 

This inquiry will identify what can be done federally to alleviate the physical and financial barriers to accessing contraceptives, sexual and reproductive healthcare and termination services, as well as options to improve the quality and availability services, particularly in regional and remote Australia.

Greens leader in the senate and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Abortion remains expensive and inaccessible for many, especially those who already face massive healthcare barriers, including First Nations people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

“In the wake of Roe v Wade, the federal government should look at what it can do to eliminate Australia’s barriers to accessible and affordable abortion.

“Access to safe, legal abortion remains a postcode lottery in Australia, with different rules, costs and availability depending on where you live. Some people are having to travel for hours at significant expense to access this basic healthcare service.

“In remote and regional areas, like Townsville and Mackay, many women are forced to travel long distances, at significant expense, to access to sexual and reproductive health services including long-acting contraception, medical and surgical abortions and counselling.

“The Greens support calls for national consistency on abortion laws, provided they are best practice, which would be ascertained through the inquiry.

“The Greens will resist any attempt in Australia to wind back reproductive rights. And we’ll continue to work to ensure people have access to legal, free and safe pregnancy termination services and a full range of contraception options, including unbiased counselling, no matter where they live.

“The impacts of poor sexual health literacy, lack of access to contraceptives and quality reproductive healthcare are clear. This inquiry will provide an invaluable insight into the barriers people are facing and how the federal government can intervene to fix them.”

Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, spokesperson for Health said:

“Improper access to sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion, is a serious healthcare issue and must be addressed as such.

“Too often women, trans, and non-binary folks, are left behind by our state and federal governments when it comes to healthcare. 

“The Australian Greens will continue to demand better support and care for those who need any reproductive services whenever, wherever, and however they want to access it.

“This inquiry would champion every single person’s human right to accessing the services and care that they need in a timely, accurate, and culturally appropriate manner.”

The Albanese Government will introduce legislation this week to establish a powerful, transparent and independent National Anti-Corruption Commission.

This shows the Government is delivering on its promise to tackle corruption and restore trust and integrity to federal politics.

The Government has committed $262 million over four years for the establishment and ongoing operation of the Commission.

This funding will ensure the Commission has the staff, capabilities and capacity to properly consider referrals and allegations, conduct timely investigations and undertake corruption prevention and education activities.

The Albanese Government’s National Anti-Corruption Commission will investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the entire federal public sector.

It will be built on the following design principles:

• Broad jurisdiction: The 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.  
• Independent: The Commission will operate independent of government, with discretion to commence inquiries into serious or systemic corruption on its own initiative or in response to referrals, including from whistleblowers and the public.
• Oversight: The Commission will be overseen by a statutory Parliamentary Joint Committee, empowered to require the Commission to provide information about its work.
• Retrospective powers: The Commission will have the power to investigate allegations of serious or systemic corruption that occurred before or after its establishment.
• Public hearings: The Commission will have the power to hold public hearings in exceptional circumstances and where it is in the public interest to do so.
• Findings: The Commission will 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.
• Procedural fairness: The Commission will 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.

Following the introduction of the Bill the Government will propose the establishment of a joint select committee to examine its provisions.

We look forward to support from across the Parliament for a National Anti-Corruption Commission with real power and authority.

The Australian Greens remain deeply concerned at the recent crackdown on dissent in Iran, with official reports of at least 22 protesters killed and more than 1,000 Iranians detained.

Greens leader in the senate and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Two weeks ago, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody. Mahsa had been 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.
 
“Following Mahsa Amini’s death, women across Iran have taken to the streets to stand up to the oppressive regime, demanding freedoms that have been denied to them.  
 
“In a country with harsh penalties for public protest, this is an incredible show of bravery and solidarity. Human Rights Watch has described the scale of protest, particularly on issues of women’s choice and police accountability, as unprecedented. 
 
“The gendered impacts of authoritarian rule, whether by the Iranian government, the Taliban, Russia or others, cannot be ignored.  
 
“The Australian Greens are in solidarity with the women of Iran. We will always protect the right to protest.  And we will always fight for women’s rights to choose their dress, their partner, their religion, their career, and what they do with their bodies.”

Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Peace said:

“The Iranian authorities’ suppression of the rights of women, LGBTIQA+ people, and other minorities, including the Bahai, must end. People should not have to protest to protect their basic human rights. 

“The Australian Greens are calling upon the international community to condemn the ongoing abuses of freedom and human rights. Those responsible for Mahsa Amini’s death must be held accountable through a criminal investigation.

“The Australian Government should meet with the Iranian ambassador as soon as possible to raise these concerns directly.”

After years of campaigning with a united voice of Nothing About Us Without Us, the disability community and Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John welcome the appointment of more disabled people into leadership positions in the NDIA. 

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

“Today, like many in our community, I am feeling relief that finally, we have some more disabled people in leadership positions within the National Disability Insurance Agency.

“Many are pleased to see Kurt Fearnley take on the Chair of the Board for the NDIA. His experience as a physically disabled person will add a great perspective, and I hope that he continues to listen to people with a range of disabilities and advocate for major, transformative change in the culture and operations of the NDIA. 

“The appointment of the new CEO is progress, it’s good to have a woman with a background in public service take on the role. I see it as a missed opportunity to have a disabled person as CEO. 

“It remains that two of the three leadership roles; the Minister, the CEO and the Chair, who make decisions every day that impact the lives of disabled people do not have lived experience of being a disabled person.

“The Australian Greens continue to call on the new leadership team to make big changes to the culture of the NDIA, ensuring that the scheme is no longer one of fear for participants.  Disabled people, wherever they are across the country, regardless of how old they are, must be able to get the supports they need through the NDIS.  

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea the Honourable James Marape MP to Australia on Sunday 25 September for a Guest of Government visit.

Prime Minister Marape and Prime Minister Albanese will attend the Prime Minister’s XIII Rugby League matches on Sunday evening at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

Rugby league has formed a key part of the relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia for decades.

The first PM’s XIII was played in 2005 at Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby, with the match to return to PNG next year.

This event is an opportunity to celebrate our shared passion for sport and culture as we support our respective men’s and women’s teams.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea is special and unique; we hold common history, values, and an enduring bond as neighbours, partners and friends.

“We also share a vision of what we want to achieve together—a more prosperous, unified and secure region.

“As our nearest neighbour, we will continue to work closely with Papua New Guinea to deepen cooperation across all areas including sports, economic recovery, infrastructure, security and climate resilience.

“I am honoured to welcome Prime Minister Marape to Australia.”

In September 2021, the leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced AUKUS, an enhanced trilateral security partnership. The need for this partnership is as clear today as it was a year ago. We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion. AUKUS is a central element in our efforts to achieve these aims.

Over the last 12 months, we have made significant progress towards Australia acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date.

As leaders, we remain committed to ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety, security, and stewardship in this endeavour. Australia does not seek and will not acquire nuclear weapons. The United States and United Kingdom are fully committed to establishing an approach to sharing naval nuclear propulsion technology with Australia that meets the highest non-proliferation standard. We welcome International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi’s report to the September IAEA Board of Governors meeting on this issue, in which the Director General reported his satisfaction with our engagement. The international community can be confident that our nations will continue to work transparently with the IAEA towards an approach that will strengthen the non-proliferation regime.

Through AUKUS, we have also made significant strides in our trilateral cooperation on advanced capability initiatives: hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, electronic warfare capabilities, cyber, artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities. To support further progress on these initiatives, we continue to promote greater information and technology sharing, foster deeper integration of our industrial bases and supply chains, and accelerate our defence innovation enterprises. As our work progresses on these and other critical defence and security capabilities, we will seek opportunities to engage allies and close partners.

Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have a proud history of working together, along with other allies and partners, to protect our shared values and uphold the rules based international order. Today, as we mark the one-year anniversary of AUKUS, we reaffirm our commitment to that critical endeavour and to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.

Australia will contribute $266 million over three years to the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Due to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria has gone backwards for the first time in two decades.

In the Indo-Pacific, TB poses particular challenges and in some regions, drug resistance is growing.

HIV/AIDS is an ongoing burden on key populations and malaria remains a serious health challenge, disproportionately affecting children.

Australia’s record investment will support the Global Fund’s efforts to end HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030, including in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia will continue to provide direct support to the countries of the Pacific and Southeast Asia on all aspects of infectious disease prevention, treatment and control.

Australia’s contribution to the Global Fund was announced at a replenishment conference in New York on 21 September 2022.

This new commitment represents a ten per cent increase on Australia’s previous contribution.

Australia provides more than $600 million in health-related Official Development Assistance each year, excluding extraordinary assistance for COVID-19 responses.