Category: Australian News

New laws that would require climate impacts and carbon emissions to be assessed before large-scale projects are given environmental approval have been introduced into the Senate today.
The ‘Climate Trigger’ Bill would ensure mining, drilling and large-scale land clearing projects would need to be assessed on whether they make climate change worse.
Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who introduced the Bill said a federal climate trigger was long overdue.
“We know a lot needs to be done to reduce pollution and put Australia and the globe on a transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy,” she said.
“While we work to reduce carbon emissions, we must stop making pollution worse.
“The PM and Energy Minister keep claiming Australia will meet its emissions targets ‘in a canter’, but the reality is this Government is burying its head in the sand by ignoring the clear link between burning fossil fuels, carbon emissions, and worsening climate change.
“We are in fact galloping towards environmental collapse and climate change is at the heart of it – the bushfires, the flooding rains, and other catastrophic weather events.
“There is no time to waste if we are going to prevent further global warming. Assessing the emissions of fossil fuel projects and tree-destroying developments is one of the easiest steps this Parliament could take to save the planet.”
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2020, Explanatory Memorandum and Second Reading speech can be found here.

The NSW Government is again putting the Murray-Darling river system in jeopardy by lifting the moratorium on floodplain harvesting before water from recent rains has made it down the river, and they should urgently reinstate it, the Greens say.
“When parts of the Darling are still dry, it defies logic that corporate upstream irrigators would be permitted to pump water and harvest floodplains, preventing precious flows from making it downstream,” Greens Water Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“There are towns still without drinking water, dry catchments and storages, and there are fish facing species collapse being pulled out of the river to save their DNA, yet corporate irrigators are being allowed to cash in on the recent rainfall.
“The River belongs to all of us. We cannot have upstream Basin states making decisions that only benefit them and their corporate mates, at the expense of everyone else who relies on a healthy river system.
“Just last week we had NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey criticising Qld for allowing irrigators north of the border to access flows – it seems what’s good for the goose is good for the gander but only when it suits them.
“The moratorium on floodplain harvesting should be reinstated and if the states won’t do it themselves then the Federal Water Minister needs to.
“At a time when the river is on the verge of collapse, family farms, river communities and the environment need leadership in government, not another National Party fizzer doing the bidding of the big corporates.”

The proportion of working-age Australians receiving welfare benefits has fallen to its lowest level in more than 30 years.
Department of Social Services analysis of recently released Australian Bureau of Statistics population data shows 13.5 per cent of the working-age population was receiving working-age income support payments at June 2019.
This is a drop from the previous year’s level of 14.3 per cent and marks a significant reduction over the past decade when in 2009 the proportion of working-age Australians relying on welfare was 17.2 per cent.
Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said these figures show that the Morrison Government’s plan to provide pathways from welfare to employment was working.
“We are focussed on growing the economy, getting more people into work, and delivering well-targeted social security funded through a strong budget,” Minister Ruston said.
“More than 1.5 million jobs have been created since the Coalition was elected. As more people find employment we are seeing a fall in the number of working-age Australians on welfare.”
In 2019-20 the Government is forecast to spend $180 billion on social security and welfare – about one in every three dollars of taxpayer money spent.
“The safety net our social security system provides is vital to support the most vulnerable among us is which is why it is crucial that the system remains sustainable,” Minister Ruston said.

Greens Education Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to Senator Pauline Hanson’s announcement of “The Prohibiting the Indoctrination of Children Bill” which, absurdly, would rewrite the curriculum to require teaching of climate denialism and dangerous conservative ideas of gender and sexuality.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Senator Hanson’s attempt to gag teachers and stuff the curriculum full of right-wing conspiracy theories would be laughable if it weren’t so terrifying.
“The curriculum should be based on evidence and expertise not Pauline Hanson’s latest bigoted thought bubble.
“There is no place for this kind of censorship of teachers in our democracy and our schools.
“This bill belongs nowhere but in the bin. Hanson’s spurious claims that human-caused climate change is ‘unsubstantiated’ and schools ‘teach gender fluidity and realignment to infants’ can go with it.
“It’s vital every child learns the realities of the climate crisis, the truth of Australia’s settler-colonial past and how to have respectful relationships in the context of a comprehensive sex education.
“Teachers, working with educational experts, do a great job supporting students, often working without the resources they need. They certainly don’t need One Nation’s meddling.”

The Australian Senate has sent a message to the Morrison Government that it wants a federal corruption watchdog with teeth, voting for the Government to bring on the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill in the House of Representatives for a vote in the February 2020 sittings.
The Greens bill passed the Senate in September 2019.
Greens leader in the Senate Larissa Waters said,  “The Senate has today sent a clear message that it won’t stand for the weak Government model for a Federal ICAC which is already long delayed and ineffective.
“It was very telling that it was only the Government Senators who voted against the House being compelled to bring on the Greens ICAC bill for a vote. They are plagued by integrity scandals and you’ve got to wonder if they have even more to hide.
“The Greens have been pushing for 10 years for a corruption watchdog and we urgently need action to restore community confidence following #SportsRorts and rolling integrity sagas.
“This is now a test for Prime Minister Scott Morrison – will he hear the strong message for the Senate and clean up this sideshow of scandals or continue to delay and whitewash his weak body which won’t stop corruption?
“It will also be the first indication of whether Llew O’Brien or the Nationals follow through on their threat and cross the floor to support integrity.
“Australians deserve to have their voice and values represented in parliament, a place intended to give voice to people, not the vested interests of big donors.”
Download a copy of the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill here:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=s1154
Senate Motion passed 33:29:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Chamber_documents/Senate_chamber_documents/Notice_Paper/Current_Notice_Paper
Senator Waters:
To move—
(1) That the Senate notes that:
(a) the Senate passed the Australian Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2) on 9 September 2019 to establish a federal corruption watchdog with broad remit to investigate allegations of corruption and misconduct, and to ensure strong, independent oversight of the actions of parliamentarians; and
(b) public consultation on the Commonwealth Integrity Commission model proposed by the Government ended more than one year ago, but the Government has yet to introduce legislation to establish an integrity commission,
(2) That the Senate calls on the Federal Government to bring on the Australian Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill 2019 in the House of Representatives for a vote in the February 2020 sittings.
(3) That this resolution be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has welcomed the Queensland Government’s support for a National Horse Register following the release of the independent inquiry into the management of retired racehorses.
Senator Faruqi’s 2019 Senate inquiry into establishing a National Horse Traceability Register called for the establishment of a national working group to work towards implementing a Register in December.
Senator Faruqi said:
“I welcome the Queensland Government’s support for a national horse register.
“Australians were outraged by the horrific slaughter of racehorses exposed by 730. We need to track horses throughout their lives so the industry has no more excuses for not ensuring every horse has a dignified retirement.
“The independent inquiry is right to identify this as a national problem that requires national leadership and solutions.
“That’s why I’m calling on the Minister Littleproud to work urgently to establish a register.
“I have long said that when animals and gambling mix, animals always suffer. At the end of the day, no racehorse should end up in a slaughterhouse. We need strong enforcement and strong animal welfare laws as well. The Greens have long advocated for an independent office for animal welfare which can do this.”

The Greens welcome the High Court’s decision regarding the government’s ability to deport First Nations peoples.
“Trying to deport First Nations peoples whose country we stole is a fundamentally racist thing to do,” Greens Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“All First Nations peoples who are in Immigration detention should now be immediately released.”
“It is also time to rein in the authority of both the Immigration Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs so we don’t see these kinds of gross abuses of power.”
“This is a significant development for the rights of First Nations peoples.”
Australian Greens spokesperson on First Nations issues Senator Rachel Siewert said:
“It is deeply insulting and disrespectful that Mr Dutton thinks he can deport the Traditional Owners of this land.”
“This type of Government policy directly contradicts Closing the Gap objectives.”
“With the PM set to address the Parliament tomorrow on the Closing the Gap report I would suggest that that he use the opportunity to apologise for this racist approach.”

The Government has today used its numbers in the lower house to narrowly avoid voting on a motion to pass the Greens’ bill for a national corruption watchdog with teeth.
“Today the Prime Minister has once again dodged scrutiny and integrity by gagging and delaying a vote on whether to have a strong federal corruption watchdog,” said Greens Senate Leader and democracy spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters.
“The Government did not even allow any debate on the motion, just gag and delay so they can continue the dodgy conduct of their Ministers without any independent body to hold them to account.
“The procedural games can’t conceal that this government is running away from integrity and transparency as fast as new corruption scandals emerge.
“The Prime Minister now has a reputation for ignoring corruption and conflicts of interest that the pub test says breach Ministerial Standards – and he’s now also the guy standing in the way of a corruption watchdog.
“It raises the serious question – what further immoral behaviour does the Prime Minister and his scandal-ridden ministers have to hide?
“The best antidote to corruption and conflicts of interest is sunlight.
“The Government reluctantly conceded a federal corruption watchdog was needed 16 months ago but there is still no draft legislation and everyone is sick of waiting while the snouts remain in the trough.
“People, the Senate and almost half the House of Representatives are calling for the Prime Minister to clean up the sideshow of scandals. He ignores them at his peril,” she said.
The vote on whether to vote on the motion to bring on and vote on a Greens ICAC bill was very close, dividing along party lines at 72:70. The Nationals and Llew O’Brien voted with the Government.

The Greens have today written to the Auditor General asking for a full investigation of $150 million in sports funding channelled to Liberal-held marginal seats ahead of the election.
Greens Senator Leader Larissa Waters said, “This is yet another rorts scandal which has the Prime Minister’s fingerprints all over it.
“Memo to the Government – you can’t use public money to buy election outcomes! It’s called rorting and it’s a corruption of democracy.
“Australians are suffering a dual climate and inequality crisis, and they need a Government that’s helping the community, not itself.
“When will the rorts stop? The rorts will only stop when we have a federal corruption watchdog which applies to MPs.
“That’s why I’ll be moving next week to compel the Government to vote on my Senate-passed Greens ICAC bill in the House this month.”
Greens Sports spokesperson Senator Rice said, “The rorts just keep on coming. In light of reports of an additional $150m doled out before the election, today we have written to the Auditor-General to seek an audit of this scheme cooked up by Morrison’s government.
“Yesterday, the government voted down the Greens motions to fund those deserving clubs recommended for funding by Sport Australia who missed out. From reports today, turns out the Coalition is happy to spend extra money on sport, but only if it helps them buy and cheat their way back into power.
“Morrison and his mates have nothing but contempt for fairness and a level playing field.
“Today’s news shows exactly why we need the sports rorts senate inquiry, and I am eager to begin as Deputy Chair to investigate the full extent of the Coalition’s pork barrelling and hold this government to account.”

As part of the Green New Deal to solve the climate crisis, Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called for the doubling of the number of paid firefighters across the country paid for by a levy on the coal, oil and gas industry.
Mr Bandt will make the announcement alongside a dozen active firefighters in Parliament House, who will join in calls for the government and opposition to back the plan.
Adam Bandt MP said:
“The Greens are the firefighters of Australian politics. We are the only ones recognising it’s a climate emergency and acting like the house is one fire.
“Our emergency services need to be equipped to fight the climate emergency.
“The first job of a government is to keep Australians safe. To protect Australians from the climate crisis, our Green New Deal will plan for a phase out of coal, oil and gas and double our firefighting forces. We call on Liberal and Labor to back our call.
“Five of Australia’s top coal companies, Peabody, Yancoal, CITIC, Sumitomo and Whitehaven had earnings of $54 billion between them over the past five years, yet paid zero income tax in Australia.
“The burning of coal, oil and gas is fueling the climate crisis and putting Australian lives at risk. It’s time that fossil fuel companies start meeting the costs of tackling the climate emergency.
“Firefighters and experts such as the Climate Council have said that doubling the number of firefighters is necessary to fight these catastrophic fires.
“The people of Australia need more than thoughts and prayers. We need emergency action that matches the scale of the emergency we face.”
Rachel Cowling, Senior Station Officer said:
“Firefighters know an emergency when they see one and this is a climate emergency. There are no skeptics at the end of a firehouse.”

Background

The intensity and duration of the fires has exhausted our firefighters. Despite the incredible efforts of volunteers to manage the fires turbo-charged by coal and climate change, we need to double the number of paid firefighters to protect us from future megafires.
Australia is the world’s biggest exporter of coal and LNG. So by levying a $1 per tonne levy on the CO2 potential from all of Australia’s coal, oil and gas production driving the climate crisis, $1.53 billion a year can be raised from our overseas customers, to be spent on the Australian community.
This money raised each year from the coal, oil and gas industry will be directed to the twin tasks of rebuilding the devastated communities in the short term and as a Commonwealth contribution towards covering the costs of training and employing a doubling of our paid firefighters over the medium term.
On Wednesday Mr Bandt participated in an Emergency Services Summit in Parliament House, hearing directly from emergency services workers who have responded to the bushfire crisis.
Mr Bandt has a long history of working with firefighters. One of Adam’s first acts in Parliament was to introduce a private members bill extending protection for firefighters who contract cancer through their work, which passed into law with unanimous support, becoming one of only 7 private members bills to become law in the past two decades.