Greens Call for Inquiry into Horse Traceability Across Australia

Australian Greens Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has launched a campaign for an inquiry into a National Horse Traceability Scheme. A register would ensure all horses in Australia, including racing horses, would have lifetime tracking.
The national register would benefit biosecurity, including for the prevention and management of Emergency Animal Diseases such as equine influenza and African Horse Sickness; improve safety for riders; tackle backyard breeding; and combat rural crime.
Senator Faruqi said:
“A national register is sensible public policy. By properly tracking horses we can improve safety and biosecurity, and stop racing horses being discarded at knackeries when they’re no longer profitable.
“Tens of thousands of horses are bred in Australia each year, including around 17,000 by the thoroughbred and standardbred horse racing industries alone. In addition to this, thousands of horses are also bred by ‘backyard breeders’. As it stands, we have very little information about where these horses end up.
“Animal welfare advocates, safety advocates and the racing industry itself agree about the need for a centralised national register. We are just stuck on the exact model.
“An inquiry will be an important opportunity to bring everyone together and provide national leadership on what a scheme might look like and how it could be implemented.
“Similar registers already exist in the UK, Europe, and Canada. It is well past time for Australia to establish one.
“I look forward to engaging with the Government, Opposition and the crossbench to establish the inquiry.
“If this inquiry is established, it will give all stakeholders, including the racing industry, horse breeders and animal welfare groups an opportunity to present evidence so we can decide on the best way forward.”

Saudi woman trapped in Bangkok must be brought to Australia: Greens

Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the Liberal Government to issue emergency travel documents to a young Saudi woman trapped in Bangkok, so she can travel safely and urgently to Australia where she has a visa.
“Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fears for her life and is facing deportation to Saudi Arabia, but we can help. We understand she has a visa and needs emergency travel documents to be brought safely here,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“I have called on the Liberal Government to act urgently to ensure Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has safe travel to Australia. She has denounced Islam and is fleeing a forced marriage.
“Time is of the essence. Rahaf could be sent back to Saudi Arabia within hours without our intervention. The Liberal Government must act swiftly and bring her here to safety.”

1.2 million jobs created since Coalition elected

More than 1.2 million jobs have been created since the Government came to office in September 2013, after the Australian economy created an additional 37,000 jobs in November.
The latest labour force figures, released today by the ABS, show the number of jobs created in November is almost double the 20,000 jobs the market expected. Seasonally adjusted employment is now 285,700 higher than it was a year ago. Total employment is at a record high of 12,694,300.
Encouragingly, female employment rose strongly, by 15,300 over the month and by 146,100 over the year, and is now at a record high, of 5,954,000 in November.
Over the last year, full-time employment growth has accounted for around two thirds (63.1 per cent) of the total increase in employment.
With record levels of labour force participation for working age Australians, it is clear that the strong economy is giving more and more people the confidence to enter the jobs market.
“More than 1.2 million jobs have been created since the Government came to office in September 2013,” Minister O’Dwyer said.
“The Coalition Government’s plan for a strong economy is working. By contrast, Bill Shorten and Labor would risk it all with their $200 billion worth of taxes on electricity, workers, housing, savings, investments and retirement hitting millions of Australians.
“Labor’s approach to industrial relations is also of great concern. Labor’s secret deal to allow industry-wide strikes would cripple small businesses, damage our economy and cost jobs.
“The Australian economy has gained momentum, but we must be wary of global head winds and risks posed by taking a different approach,” Minister O’Dwyer concluded.

Government confirms climate accounting trick as pollution continues to rise: Greens

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said that the latest emissions projections report, released today, confirms the government intends to cook the books on climate to halve its measly targets.
Mr Bandt called on Labor to rule out using dodgy accounting tricks to meet their emissions reduction commitments.
“Today the government quietly tried to take out the trash that shows how they’re planning to cook the books on climate change,” said Mr Bandt.
“So far, the government’s only plan to meet Paris appears to be using dodgy accounting to cook the books and count dodgy ‘carryover’ credits from Kyoto towards Paris.
“Because they can’t reduce emissions, the government is resorting to dodgy accounting to meet our measly Paris targets.
“We expect a government of climate deniers to use dirty tricks to shirk their climate responsibilities, but not Labor.
“Other major countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany voluntarily cancelled their Kyoto carryover credits.
“Instead of shaping up to profit from climate denialism, Labor needs to show some spine and do the same.
“We’re one of the worst polluters in the world. Instead of trying to wriggle out of our climate commitments and inhibiting coordinated global action to reduce emissions, we should be leading the way and encouraging other countries to follow.

South Australian Government rips off the Coorong, environment and taxpayers, secret audit reveals

The Greens have responded to the release of a secret Ernst & Young Audit report that has shown state governments, including South Australia have been mismanaging taxpayer funded environmental water throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, creating “unique fraud risks”.
“This audit shows the environment and taxpayers continue to be ripped off by both State and Federal Governments, including here in South Australia,” Greens spokesperson for Environment & Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“The SA Government must answer to taxpayers and respond to audit findings that shows water purchased for the Coorong and environmental flows has instead been taken for industry purposes, leaving the internationally significant wetlands to suffer.
“The SA Water Minister must reveal who in his department knew of this, how much it has cost taxpayers and what action has been taken.
“Once again, we have another report showing that the Basin Plan is being mismanaged and is at risk of defrauding taxpayers. The Plan is meant to be securing water for the environment to keep the river system alive, and yet again we see it is riddled with fraud and water theft.
“Tax payers deserve better, we need a healthy river – it is the lifeblood of our country.
“These audit documents, hidden from the public, until the Greens pushed for release in the Senate, have exposed that the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has mismanaged $3.2 billion tax payers money and has expose the Commonwealth to “unique fraud risks”. It is South Australia, our Lower lakes and the Coorong that will suffer as a result.
“We have an international obligation to protect the Coorong wetland and lower lakes at the end of the Murray River system, but the South Australian government is more interested in cost cutting than saving our Murray and delivering the environmental water it needs.”
“The Coorong is unique and a special place for South Australians, we need a healthy river which means more water.
“The audit by Ernst & Young has produced more proof the Basin Plan is being mismanaged and is failing. We need a proper plan, free of corruption, mismanagement and that puts the environment back at the centre.”

Old-growth logging must stop according to Victorian environment department, but Daniel Andrews is allowing the continued destruction of our forests, say Greens

“The Andrews government is defying its own environment department to allow Victoria’s old-growth forests to continue to be logged. This is a government that applauds its own action on renewable energy with one hand, while continuing to log forests and burn polluting brown coal with the other,” said Ellen Sandell, Victorian Greens environment spokesperson.
“Why isn’t the Premier listening to his own environment department?”
“Old-growth logging pushes rare and endangered animals to the brink of extinction,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens forests spokesperson and Chair of the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s animal extinction crisis.
“Old-growth logging should stop immediately, and the logging laws which allow it, the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) should be scrapped. They are a death warrant for threatened species like Leadbeater’s Possums and Greater Gliders.”
“Daniel Andrews has the chance to turn over a new leaf. He needs to stop the games, protect our native forests and shift to 100% sustainable plantations. We’re already at 88% – it’s entirely feasible.”

Statement from Richard Di Natale on Greens NSW Review

Last night the Australian Greens National Council resolved to work with the NSW Greens to help it undertake a formal and independent review of Greens NSW structures and processes, including complaints processes and the Greens NSW Constitution. It also reaffirmed, that in the best interests of the party, Jeremy Buckingham should stand aside from the Upper House ticket at the next election.
This significant response is an opportunity for a constructive resolution to the issues in NSW, so that we can refocus on our mission of keeping the Liberal and Labor parties honest and putting forward a genuine alternative to politics as usual at the NSW election in March.
In the past, we’ve seen parties argue over perceived differences, talking about themselves and forgetting what they’re  elected to do.
As Greens, we’ve been elected to push for better essential services, stronger protection for the environment, improved housing affordability and genuine action on climate change – and with so many of the odds stacked against us, we must work together if we’re to succeed in our mission.
As a people driven movement, it’s important that our incredible supporters know we all stand together. Last night’s unanimous approval of the Greens NSW resolution for an independent review shows that we all acknowledge there’s work to be done, and we are committed to doing it.
Through this review, we have an incredible chance for everyone to come together over the coming months  to build a stronger party and a stronger movement..
The process will empower both MPs and grassroots Greens members – bringing everyone to the table to improve our internal processes, to be better organised and to deal with complaints and disputes better. With last night’s consensus agreement, we will now come together do the hard work of implementing the review.
Thanks to people coming together in good faith over recent days, we now have a path forward, and can show the community that we are the only party who will take on vested interests and create a better future for all of us.
– Leader of the Australian Greens, Dr Richard Di Natale

Boosting support for older Australians

The Liberal and Nationals Government will deliver more support for older Australians, with a half a billion dollar ($552.9 million) increase to aged care funding including the release of 10,000 high-level home care packages within weeks.
We understand that older Australians prefer to receive support and services in their own home and live independently for as long as possible.
The 10,000 new high-level home care packages deliver important services at home, such as complex clinical care from a range of providers, nursing and mobility care, nutrition, hydration and meal preparation and transport support.
The packages and will be available in early 2019 and will be spilt across 5,000 level three and 5,000 level four care packages, providing up to $50,000 per person in services each year.
The $287 million home care expansion is on top of the extra 20,000 packages funded in the past year, which combined will result in a record 40 per cent increase in the number of people receiving home care packages.
We will also ease the cost of living for 70,000 older Australians by reducing the daily maximum fees payable by up to $400 per year for level one packages, $200 a year for level two packages and $100 a year for a level three packages.
Older Australians who are not currently charged this maximum fee will still benefit because we will increase the value of packages by providing a top-up payment for additional services by providers that is the same amount as the fee reduction.
We are also investing more in providers that support older Australians living in rural and remote areas and people who have been affected by homelessness.
These providers face unique circumstances and cost pressures and we want to ensure their sustainability.
The Viability Supplement for eligible residential aged care providers is to be increased by 30 per cent, through an investment of $101.9 million.
Currently, more than 550 services, accounting for around 13,500 residential care places, receive the Viability Supplement to offset higher care costs in regional areas.
The Homeless Supplement will also be increased by 30 per cent, through a $9.3 million funding injection. Currently, 42 residential services receive the homeless supplement on behalf of more than 1,700 residents.
We will also invest $98 million to fund increased payments to GPs to attend residential aged care homes to treat patients. This recognises the important role of GPs in supporting the health and care of patients in residential aged care.
These initiatives reflect the rollout of our Government’s unprecedented aged care improvements to help ensure older Australians receive the care they want and deserve, where and when they need it.
We have invested an extra $1 billion a year in aged care services since 2013 and have continued our record investment through the 2018/19 Budget’s $5 billion boost over the next four years.
Because without a strong economy and getting our budget back into balance, we can’t make these important decisions. This is why a strong economy matters; because it guarantees the essential services Australians rely on without higher taxes.
It is this strong economic management that ensures we continue to invest record amounts of funding in aged care and other vital health initiatives including mental health, life-saving medicines, Medicare and public hospitals.
Even as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety goes about its’ important work, our commitment to improving care for older Australians will continue at full pace.

2018-19 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook

The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook confirms the strength of the Australian economy and that the Budget will return to surplus as part of the Government’s plan to guarantee the essential services which Australians rely on.
The underlying cash balance is forecast to improve from a $14.5 billion deficit at Budget to a $5.2 billion deficit in 2018-19.
The Budget is now expected to reach a surplus of $4.1 billion in 2019‑20.
This will be the first surplus since the final budget of the Howard Government in 2007-08.
Over the next four years, the cumulative estimated surplus will be nearly double the estimate in this year’s Budget, with underlying cash surpluses increasing to $12.5 billion in 2020-21 and $19.0 billion in 2021-22.
The combination of a growing economy with a record number of people in work is helping to increase revenues while decreasing expenditure. This means expected total receipts have been revised up by $8.3 billion in 2018‑19 and $12.4 billion over the four years to 2021‑22.
In accordance with our disciplined budget management, new spending has been offset by reduced spending elsewhere and the payments‑to‑GDP ratio is falling to 24.6 per cent by 2020‑21.
Importantly, the rate of real spending growth under the Coalition is averaging 1.9 per cent, the lowest level of any Government in 50 years.
As a result of the improved budget position, net debt is expected to decline in each year of the forward estimates and medium term, falling from 18.2 per cent of GDP in 2018‑19 to 1.5 per cent in 2028‑29.
These are the welcome dividends of sound budget management and the Government’s plan for a strong economy.
Keeping the economy strong
Australia’s economy continues to perform well. Business conditions have supported the creation of over 300,000 jobs in the past year with the unemployment rate falling to its lowest level since 2012. Real GDP is expected to grow by 2¾ per cent in 2018‑19 and 3 per cent in 2019‑20. This growth outlook is forecast to support continuing employment growth, helping to keep the unemployment rate at five per cent which is around a quarter of a percentage point lower than forecast at the Budget. Nominal GDP is forecast to grow by 4¾ per cent in 2018‑19, stronger than expected at Budget.
The Government is delivering on its plan to keep the Australian economy strong by backing small business, ensuring women have access to greater economic opportunities, investing in infrastructure, providing drought relief and delivering a fairer GST system for all states and territories.
The Government has fast-tracked tax relief for around 3.3 million small and medium‑sized businesses with the passage of legislation through Parliament in October. We are also establishing a $2 billion Australian Business Securitisation Fund, providing significant additional funding to smaller banks and non‑bank lenders to on‑lend to small businesses. The Government is encouraging the creation of an Australian Business Growth Fund to provide longer‑term and passive equity funding to small businesses as well.
To ensure Australia’s corporate and financial sector regulators are equipped with the resources and powers they need to effectively detect, deter and punish those who do the wrong thing, the Government is providing additional funding for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Federal Court of Australia.
The Women’s Economic Security Package will invest $119.2 million over four years to support women’s workforce participation, earning potential and economic independence. A number of measures will also support victims of family and domestic violence.
The $75 billion 10-year infrastructure plan will benefit people and business in every state and territory by tackling congestion, improving safety and delivering essential transport links.
The Government is responding to the drought with over $1.8 billion in assistance measures and concessional loans to support drought‑affected farmers and communities. The $3.9 billion Future Drought Fund — which will grow to $5 billion — will provide a sustainable source of funding for future drought resilience, preparedness and recovery projects. The Government is providing more support to farmers to resolve labour shortages in regional and rural areas through changes to a number of visas.
The Government is keeping the economy strong by placing downward pressure on power bills and improving the reliability of Australian energy. Further actions include a default electricity retail offer, the Retailer Reliability Obligation, a program to underwrite new generation, and strong new powers to respond to electricity market misconduct identified by the ACCC, with additional resources for the ACCC and Australian Energy Regulator.
The Government is also delivering a fairer and more sustainable GST distribution system to help the states and territories better manage their budgets. The GST compliance program will be extended and feminine hygiene products will be GST‑free from 1 January 2019.
Delivering the essential services which Australians rely on
A strong economy is the key to delivering better government services.
Over the five years to 2018-19, Commonwealth funding to the states and territories for public hospitals is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent. This includes an additional $1.3 billion over four years from 2018-19 to establish a Community Health and Hospitals Program which will fund projects and services to support patient care while reducing pressure on community and hospital services.
The Government is listing new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, including $1.4 billion in new and amended listings. To enhance primary care, the Government will introduce new Medicare Benefits Schedule items including to provide best practice care to individuals with severe eating disorders and to improve access to GPs in rural and remote areas and in residential aged care. The Health Care Homes Trial for patients with chronic care conditions will be extended.
The Commonwealth will provide more than $300 billion in recurrent funding for schools to 2029. This includes an additional $3.2 billion over 10 years to support students, parents and teachers of non‑government schools. The Government is also providing $1.2 billion to address specific challenges in the non‑government schools sector, such as supporting schools in drought-affected areas, schools that need help to improve performance and to deliver choice in communities.
Total spending on aged care is expected to reach a record $23.5 billion in 2021‑22. This includes bringing forward the release of 10,000 home care packages to connect more older Australians with high‑level support and providing additional support to Australians in residential aged care in regional, rural and remote areas and those at risk of homelessness. The Government is also establishing a new National Elder Abuse Hotline to provide a point of access to state and territory based services for older people and their families seeking to address elder abuse.
Australia will step up its engagement in the Pacific to promote regional stability. The MYEFO includes a package of initiatives which will build on our strong partnerships in the region. This includes establishing the $2 billion Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific and providing an extra $1 billion in callable capital for Efic, Australia’s export financing agency.
The Government is providing assistance for survivors and victims of child sexual abuse. In response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations, the Government has established the National Office for Child Safety and will expand the Witness Assistance Services of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
The benefit of the strong growing economy under the Liberal and National Government is that more and improved services are being funded without exceeding the Government’s tax ‘speed limit’ of 23.9 per cent of GDP. In fact, we are delivering tax relief for hard working Australians and small businesses. This is the dividend of the sound budget position and the Government’s plan for a strong economy.
The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook for the 2018‑19 financial year is available via www.budget.gov.au.

Show me the ICAC money!

The Government has failed to budget for its Clayton’s Commonwealth Integrity Commission in MYEFO, proving the announcement was just smoke and mirrors, Greens spokesperson for democracy Senator Larissa Waters said.
“The Morrison Government has no intention of actually seeing a CIC through to establishment and ending this rigged system any time soon,” Senator Waters said.
“They claim to have been working on a proposal for 12 months yet have failed to budget for it.
“If the PM was serious he’d have ensured that at least the measly amount mooted for this new body was included in yesterday’s half-yearly budget statement.
“Instead, the deceit of the Australian public continues. There’s no legislation, there’s a Government-appointed panel overseeing ‘consultation’, and at the heart of it, there’s a weak and underfunded proposal for a body that will do nothing to actually help clean up politics.
“The Government needs to show us the money or admit this issue is still well on the ‘fringe’ of its priorities.”