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Today I announce the appointments of five Board Members to the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR).

I am also pleased to announce the reappointment of Professor Hala Zreiqat as Chair to the Council. As Chair, Professor Zreiqat has been an invaluable driver for the CAAR’s key projects and strategic agenda.

The following new appointments will contribute to the goals of the CAAR in broadening and strengthening Australian-Arab relations:

• Professor Ali Abbas is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Associate Dean of Research at the University of Sydney, as well as the Founding Director of the Waste Transformation Research Hub .
• Ms Zinab Al Hilaly is an experienced community engagement practitioner and advisor, whose focus is on ensuring communities of diverse backgrounds have their voices and lived experiences reflected in policies, programs and strategies.
• Mr Mohammad Al-Khafaji is the Head of Strategic Partnerships at SBS and formerly the CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia.
• Ms Dena Alnashie is the CEO of Al Nasser & Al Nashie United Company, one of the largest construction firms in Kuwait, and her work supports the empowerment of women in business and society.
• Ms Sandra Elhelw is the CEO of the Settlement Council of Australia which empowers migrants and refugees to pursue entrepreneurial ventures and make meaningful contributions to the Australian community.

I also pay tribute to outgoing members Ms Sonia Barber, Dr Hass Dellal AO, Ms Erin Gorter, Mr Soufiane Rboub, and Ms Larissa Taylor who have made a significant contribution to the Council’s strategic direction.

Reacting to the National Cabinet communique, Greens spokesperson on Women and Leader in the Senate Larissa Waters said:

“What a deeply underwhelming response today from our nation’s leaders. The calls by tens of thousands rallying over the weekend, and from frontline support services for many years asking for adequate funding to meet demand, were ignored. 

“The government announced $925 million over five years – but it’s not for frontline services. It’s to help women reach out to support services, but with those services already drastically underfunded, this announcement will simply increase demand on an already stretched sector. 

“Where is the funding for those frontline support services to meet demand? The sector has called for $1 billion per year to be able to help everyone who seeks it, and the federal government is providing just under half that. Nothing about today’s announcement fixes that woeful underfunding.

“Today’s announcement merely makes an existing program that has been plagued with maladministration and delay, permanent. To add insult to injury, the funding for leaving violence announced today won’t even flow until 1 July 2025! 

“The pittance for women’s safety today after 50 billion to Defence announced last week is an indictment on the government’s priorities.

“Nothing for frontline services. Nothing for housing. No new money for prevention. No DV death toll collected by government instead of volunteers. No declaration that violence against women is a national emergency. No increase to income support to help survivors flee. Nothing to help services inform police about high risk perpetrators. What a disgraceful missed opportunity today’s national cabinet was.”

Following calls from leading economists for the Albanese Government to increase Jobseeker and Youth Allowance to 90% of the Age Pension, Labor can’t continue to ignore the millions of Australians on poverty-payments, Greens say.

Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens social services spokesperson: 

“It’s undeniable that the current rate of Jobseeker and Youth Allowance traps people in poverty.

“Centrelink payments not only trap people in poverty, but can trap women in abusive homes. It is so much harder to escape violence when you’re financially insecure, and victims of violence who are on Jobseeker are relentlessly re-traumatised by a social security system that keeps them in poverty. 

“60% of single mums have experienced abuse, and the $5000 announced today isn’t enough to make up for the woefully inadequate Jobseeker payment many of these women will need to survive on after leaving a violent home. And that’s if women get these emergency payments at all; last year, over half of claims for the Escaping Violence Payment were rejected by the Albanese government.

“Everyday, millions of Australians feel the crushing stress of living on Centrelink: they’re showering less and not turning on the heating to save on bills, they’re forgoing necessary medication, they’re choosing between paying rent and eating. 

“In a wealthy country like ours, no-one should have to live like this.

“Labor promised when they came to power that no one would be left behind. Yet people on income support are literally starving while Labor turns a blind eye.

“Labor’s own hand-picked Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has recommended raising Jobseeker to 90% of the Age Pension two years in a row. Today,  leading economists have reaffirmed we need to substantially raise the rate of income support, because if we don’t we are entrenching disadvantage. 

“Not only do these poverty-rates entrench disadvantage, it also makes it harder for people to find a job. During COVID, we saw a doubling of income support and more people found work because of it. 

“Poverty is a policy choice. This government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on Stage 3 tax cuts for the rich and big corporations, on more submarines and defense, and tax breaks for fossil fuel companies – all while leaving the most vulnerable Australians to suffer. 

“If Labor is serious about keeping any of their promises instead of paying lip service, the government must raise income support above the poverty line in this month’s budget.”

The vice-chancellors of two of Australia’s most prestigious universities must expel students and call in the police to combat an alarming rise in antisemitism on campuses.

In the face of escalating harassment, intimidation and threats of violence by pro-Palestinian activists, the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne are failing to act against this ugly tide of hatred.

These universities have strong policies to safeguard students and staff, but are failing to take appropriate action.

The protest encampments must be dismantled.

The weakness of the universities is surpassed only by Education Minister, Jason Clare, who has been missing in action.

If he can’t do his job and throw the book at universities which fail to keep people safe on campus, he should resign.

Minister Clare has even refused to directly condemn the “kids’ excursion” at Sydney University which encouraged young children to chant anti-Israel slogans such as “intifada” and participate in a march calling Israel a terrorist state.

This indoctrination of children not only fuels hatred and division, but puts their well-being at risk.

I also call on Minister Clare to cancel a taxpayer-funded research project awarded to Macquarie University academic, Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, after she led children at the protests.

Australian taxpayers should not be providing $837,000 to an activist academic who has engaged in such appalling conduct.

The Albanese Labor Government needs to explain to the Australian people how a released detainee allegedly assaulted a Perth woman fighting cancer and robbed her and her partner.

The Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil must front up and explain how the system they put in place to protect the Australian people failed this woman and her partner.

If they cannot do this then they should do the honourable thing and resign. And if they won’t resign the Prime Minister has to finally show some leadership and ask them to go.

Both ministers need to answer the following:

• Why did the Commonwealth not oppose bail when detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan appeared in court in February charged with failing to comply with his monitoring conditions?
• Why wasn’t a preventative detention order made against Doukoshkan?
• Was Doukoshkan wearing an ankle bracelet at the time of the alleged offence?
• What other monitoring conditions were placed on Doukoshkan at the time of the alleged offence?

The Ministers have hidden from scrutiny on this issue. They now need to stand up and answer these questions and more.

The Albanese Labor Government has released seven murderers, 37 sex offenders, and 72 violent offenders into the community.

But the Albanese Labor government has stopped providing timely updates about how many are being monitored and what conditions are being applied to these detainees.

At every stage, Ministers Giles and O’Neil have failed to act to keep the Australian community safe.

They have been hopeless and hapless for almost 12 months and sadly the Australian community are paying the price.

The Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is still missing in action while Australia’s detention regime collapses and Australians are put at risk.

Where is the evidence he is dealing with the problems on his watch?

Why does he have nothing to say about the detainee his government released into the community who allegedly bashed a Perth cancer survivor during a home robbery?

Why won’t he explain why the man who allegedly bashed and robbed a Perth cancer survivor was not required to wear an electronic ankle monitor?

Why won’t he stand up and explain what steps the Albanese Labor Government is taking to keep people safe?

Why won’t he stand up and reassure the Australian people they are safe?

The last time Giles stood before the press and answered questions was on March 27 when he, and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, cut the journalists off and ran away as soon as the questions got tough.

Home Affairs revealed in February that the government had released seven murderers, 37 sex offenders, and 72 violent offenders into the community. Why hasn’t Giles provided an updated figure?

And what exactly are the reporting conditions on these criminals?

Giles skipped three crucial meetings with his department about the NZYQ court case and instead promoted the Voice and travelled to the UK to attend a political party conference. Has he ever explained why?

The Commonwealth conceded they could not deport NZYQ which undermined the government’s legal argument, paving the way to the release of over 150 criminals into the community. Has Giles ever explained his role in that decision?

Giles’ own department issued the wrong visa to the detainees released into the community, has he explained this failure and the steps he took to stop it happening again?

This government even created a taskforce called Operation Zufolo to help it manage Labor’s immigration detention mess, but one government insider said it was only there to “look like we are symbolically doing something”, according to media reports.

That says everything you need to know about the Albanese Labor Government — they are all symbolism, and no action. All froth and no substance.

This Labor Government has made a mess of immigration detention.

According to media reports Anthony Albanese told an abuse survivor at a rally on Sunday: “I’m the Prime Minister of the country, I run this country”.

Well, he should start running the country by sacking Andrew Giles and taking personal responsibility for cleaning up Labor’s mess before more Australians get hurt.

Revelations today of a secret manual distributed by the Prime Minister’s Office to departments instructing them how to avoid answering questions from the Senate is a new low from the Albanese Labor Government.

Scrutiny of the government through Senate estimates is a foundation of our parliament and democracy, and is recognised as a major institution of accountability.

The value of estimates hearings in providing accountability and integrity of government is clearly missed by the Albanese Labor Government who will do anything to ensure they aren’t held to account.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Simon Birmingham said the extracts published from the secret manual demonstrate clear acts of contempt for the Senate and break Prime Minister Albanese’s promises for greater transparency and accountability.

“The Prime Minister has serious questions to answer about this document as to whether he has seen it, did he approve it and to whom has his office distributed it to,” Senator Birmingham said.

“This move by the Labor Government is a new low and shows flagrant disregard for the Senate, the practices of Australia’s parliament and the rights of Australians to see their government held to account.

“For anyone to believe the creation of this manual clever would be sorely mistaken. The Prime Minister and his office should consider the repercussions of attempting to distort the procedures of a democratic parliament.

“I fully expect the Senate to demand answers in regard to the flagrant demonstration of contempt.

“Prime Minister Albanese would be wise to retract this document and transparently answer questions – avoiding doing so would only be endorsing its contents.”