Category: Australian News

Federal Members of the crossbench in the House of Representatives will join with John Hewson AM, former Liberal leader, to call on the Parliament to declare a climate emergency, with MPs and Senators exercising a free vote so that the motion can pass.
The declaration motion to be released today calls on the House to declare an environment and climate emergency and to take urgent action consistent with internationally accepted science. The motion will be moved by Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt, seconded by the independent member for Warringah Zali Steggall OAM, and supported by the independent member for Indi, Helen Haines, Centre Alliance member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie and the independent member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie.
The move follows a wave of similar declarations around the world in covering 990 national, state and local jurisdictions including the UK, France, and Canada and the city of New York.
“Climate was an emergency some thirty years ago. If this had been recognised at the time, we would already be well past the Paris targets and enjoying many thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of investment, with much lower electricity and gas prices. Moreover, we would be a world leader in the inevitable transition to a low carbon society, rather than an embarrassing laggard. MPs and Senators should have a conscience vote on the emergency declaration so that individual members of Parliament can be held personally accountable by their constituents, their children and their grandchildren, indeed by all future generations, for the stance they took on the greatest economic, social, political and moral challenge of this century,” said Dr Hewson.
“We are facing an existential climate crisis that threatens life as we know it. With record drought and Australia ablaze barely a week out of winter, it is time to tell the truth about how severe the climate emergency is. If the government can declare a Budget emergency, it can declare a climate emergency. Once we are honest about the climate emergency, we can develop the plans to tackle it,” said Mr Bandt.
“We need to urgently address the climate change emergency that is upon us. We are seeing unprecedented extreme weather events  that are causing terrible health impacts, particularly the effects of asthma from poor air quality. The time is now to call on the Federal government to act quickly and decisively,” said Zali Steggall, independent member for Warringah.
Dr Haines said farmers know better than anyone what it means to live with a changing climate.
“They are working hard right now to adapt their farming practices,” she said. “They know that last year was the second warmest and fifth driest year in Australian history. They also know that climate change is an enormous opportunity. In my electorate of Indi, dozens of farming communities are developing solar power plants on their land, harvesting the sunshine while their sheep graze underneath. Capturing carbon on the land – in our soils and trees –could provide an additional income of $40 billion in the agricultural sector. Declaring a climate emergency means we put a stake in the ground to say we will tackle this and we will seize this opportunity. Australian rural communities deserve no less.”
“The science is in, climate change is real and we need urgent sustained and consistent action to address emissions. The last decade of policy uncertainty has been an exercise in absolute frustration. We are reaping what we have sown with our community – especially our young people – fed up with our inability to get on with the job,” said Rebekha Sharkie, Centre Alliance member for Mayo.
“Climate change is the most shocking example of intergenerational social injustice one could imagine. The consequences of inaction are so severe that dealing with the climate-change emergency should be Federal Government’s first priority,” said Andrew Wilkie, independent member for Clark.
Motion Text: 
MEMBER FOR MELBOURNE: I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that this House:
(1)     declares an environment and climate emergency;
(2)     recognises that:
(a)     the recent report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5 °C, indicates that we are facing a climate emergency, and as a result, meaningful action on climate change is urgent, at home and internationally;
(b)     this IPCC report has found that the world is not on track to limit global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius;
(c)     at a national level, England, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Canada have all declared a climate emergency; and
(d)     extreme weather events will devastate large parts of Australia and radically impact food production, water availability, public health, infrastructure, the community and the financial system; and
(3)     notes that the Government has acknowledged urgent action is required to address climate change and calls on the Government to take urgent action consistent with the internationally accepted science.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, the Greens’ Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, has welcomed the Government’s decision to adopt Greens’ amendments to the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports bill 2019. The amendments insert a much needed focus on animal welfare into the bill, which had previously been completely missing.
The amendments change the objects of the Act to introduce a requirement to consider animal welfare and amend clause 10 of the bill to specifically provide that the Inspector-General must consider the welfare of animals as part of their reviews.
Senator Faruqi said:
“My amendments, which the Government has adopted, are a win for animal welfare. Under this Government, any improvement to animal welfare is a hard-fought step forward.
“Before the Government got on board with my changes, the bill didn’t have a single reference to animal welfare. The Greens’ amendments insert a much needed focus on animal welfare and ensure that it is considered in all reviews.
“Requiring the Inspector-General to consider animal welfare is an important win,  but we know that live export is fundamentally incompatible with animal welfare. The only way to protect animals is to ban live exports.
“I will always be a voice for animals in Parliament,” she concluded.

The Greens have called for an urgent moratorium on water barons and non-water users buying up water while the Murray-Darling Basin remains in crisis and farmers and communities fear more mass fish-deaths this summer.

“The crisis facing the Murray-Darling requires urgent and immediate action, before more family farms and our environment hit the wall. The government must shut down the exploitation of the River by water barons and big corporate irrigators,” Greens Spokesperson for the Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said today.

“Summer is looming and if the Government doesn’t act we will see more mass fish-deaths and more family farms in crisis. No longer is this a debate about farmers versus the environment, it is the big corporates versus everyone else – family farms, river communities and the environment.

“Water Minister David Littleproud must act to reign in the unconscionable conduct in the water market and immediately impose a moratorium on water trading by non-water uses. With less water available in the system due to drought and climate change it is also time for a moratorium on new permanent plantings, while an independent audit of all water licences is conducted.

“Our river is in crisis, small family farms are suffering and a growing number of River communities don’t even have clean water to drink. The Minister says he can’t make it rain, so there’s nothing he can do. This is a total cop-out; there is plenty the Minster can do, and he must act now. Failing to crack down on those exploiting the water market or harvesting flood-plain water upstream will make the crisis facing the River and farmers worse.

“The Government can’t even tell us who owns water licences. Lack of transparency is allowing big corporations to run amok with our water. An audit of licence ownership and trading must be conducted to shine a light on these investors playing with the future of our Rivers.

“The Murray-Darling is our nation’s food-bowl, and without a healthy river system our farms can’t survive. There are no jobs on a dead River.”

Former senior Liberal cabinet members Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne will give evidence today at a Senate inquiry into their compliance with ministerial standards.
Greens Co-deputy Leader Larissa Waters said democracy is under threat when ministers can retire from politics and head straight into the arms of big corporations in industries they once regulated.
“The Liberal leadership has shown more interest in enforcing the ‘bonk ban’ between politicians and their staff rather than stopping our community being screwed over by vested corporate interests,” she said today.
“Prime Minister Scott Morrison has done nothing to stop former Ministers exiting through the Canberra revolving door into lucrative positions with industries they were only months earlier responsible for keeping in check.
“The buck stops with the Prime Minister, he sets the culture for his team and he could end this toxic practice tomorrow by strengthening and actually enforcing the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
“Australians deserve parliamentarians that represent the people, not just deliver polices favourable to industry so they can line up jobs after politics.
“Ex-Minister hires are so attractive for corporates because of the expectation they will use use information, networks or influence gained during their public service to advantage their new employer – so the revolving door keeps spinning.
“Queensland is a breeding ground for the dangers of corporate cronyism. The latest example is Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s former strategy chief Evan Moorhead and former Labor party state secretary, who just became a corporate lobbyist for New Hope, big miners wanting approval to expand their controversial coal mine in South East Queensland.
“It’s no wonder the community thinks politicians are just in it for themselves. We need to clean up politics before people lose all hope of a democracy that works for them.
“To shut the revolving door we need new laws that stop former politicians from working in areas related to their portfolios for at least five years and a federal watchdog with teeth to make sure these standards are upheld,” Senator Waters said.
Background
Full Public Hearing Program and copy of submissions available here:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Finance_and_Public_Administration/MinisterialStandards/Public_Hearings
Former senior Liberal cabinet members Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne will give evidence today at a Senate inquiry into their compliance with ministerial standards.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop joined the board of international aid contractor Palladium after privatising foreign aid spending during her time in office. Former defence minister Christopher Pyne became a defence consultant for professional services company EY within weeks of leaving parliament.

The Australian Senate has sent a strong message to the Morrison Government that it wants a federal corruption watchdog with teeth, voting 35 to 32 in favour of the Greens Bill today.

Greens Co-Deputy Leader Larissa Waters who introduced the bill said the Senate had sent a strong message to the Government in voting to clean up politics and restore community confidence following a series of scandals.
“Today’s vote for the Greens bill to establish a corruption watchdog with teeth shows the Senate won’t stand for the weak Government model which is already long delayed and ineffective,” said Senator Waters.
“Today’s vote is a great victory for the community who deserve a healthy democracy that works for them rather than for big corporate donors and vested interests.
“Now the pressure is firmly on the Morrison Government to back this bill in the House and do the job properly, or at the very least upgrade their toothless watchdog thought bubble.
“This is the fourth time a Greens bill has passed the Senate, and we hope for many more.
“The Greens have been pushing for 10 years for a corruption watchdog and I pay tribute to the work of Bob Brown, Lee Rhiannon and Christine Milne who were relentless in their decade long pursuit for an end to corruption, and the important work of Cathy McGowan in the House.
“Community confidence in political leaders has plummeted following scandals involving both major parties and there is no longer any excuse for running a protection racket for politicians engaged in corruption and dodgy dealings.
“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?
“Australians deserve to have their voice and values represented in parliament, not corporate sponsorship of politicians and the undue influence of big donors including the mining industry, property developers and gambling industries.
“The Greens have pursued a national anti-corruption body for more than a decade and we will keep up the pressure until we get the job done,” she said.
 
Full copy of National Integrity Commission Bill here:
https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bills/s1154_first- senate/toc_pdf/1825820.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf

A report on electricity prices released today by the Australian Energy Regulator confirms that electricity bills were lower when the Greens/Labor carbon price was in effect than they are now under the Liberals, said Greens energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt.
“Electricity bills were lower under the Greens/Labor carbon price than they are now under the Liberals, and back then we were also cutting climate pollution,” said Mr Bandt.
“The regulator has belled the cat.
“It takes a particular kind of genius to deliver both higher pollution and higher electricity bills, but the Liberals have managed to stuff everything up.
“To cut both pollution and power bills, we should bring back the carbon price and build more renewable energy.”
The September 2019 ‘Affordability in retail energy markets’, released today by the Australian Energy Regulator, contains the following Figure 1 on page 6, with the data supporting the report revealing the electricity price index has risen by 2.6% since the carbon price was at its peak in 2014.

Today’s weak economic figures reveal an economy that is spluttering and directionless under a Coalition Government whose plans are nothing more than the same old discredited trickle-down nonsense. That’s why the Greens are calling today for the Government to adopt a Green Stimulus package, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.
“The growth figures released today prove what has been clear to so many of us for so long: this Government’s lame old trickle-down approach to the economy is a flop and they have no plan to fix it,” Di Natale said.
“Today’s growth figures, the weakest we’ve seen since this country was last in recession almost 30 years ago, should be a wake up call for both the Liberals and Labor that business as usual just isn’t going to cut it.
“We need a bold approach if we’re going to weather the storm that’s rattling the global economy, and that’s why the Greens are calling on the Government to launch a Green Stimulus package that would boost Newstart, lift wages and accelerate and expand the pipeline of green infrastructure investment in this country.”
Key Components of Green Stimulus Plan:

• • Immediately increase Newstart and Youth Allowance payments by $75 a week.
• • Accelerate and expand the pipeline of Green infrastructure investment in electricity generation, transmission and storage, energy efficient public housing and public transport.
• • Remove the Commonwealth public sector wage cap and commit to lifting wages by 4% per annum.
• • Unleash private sector wage growth by legislating to reverse the cuts to penalty rates and peg the minimum wage to 60% of the median full-time wage.

The Greens responded to the AFP raid on the home of an Australian Signals Directorate intelligence officer today:
Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications and Chair of the Senate Inquiry into Press Freedoms and Whistleblower Protections Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Today’s raid by the AFP on an intelligence officer is very concerning. The intimidation of truth tellers by this government is alarming.
“Journalism and the protection of whistleblowers are essential pillars of democracy.
“First the AFP raided the journalists, now they are raiding public servants.
“The Government should be upfront about whether today’s raid is in relation to the earlier raids on a News Corp journalist who exposed the Government’s draconian plan to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians.
“The Senate Inquiry into press freedoms and whistleblowers is increasingly urgent, and will consider protections for public sector employees who disclose sensitive and classified information.”
Greens Spokesperson for Justice Senator Nick McKim said:
“These raids are designed to intimidate potential public interest whistle blowers.”
“This is the stuff of a police state, not a democracy.”

An increased number of Australians are attending General Practitioner (GP) appointments without reaching into their pockets, with GP bulk billing rates under Medicare hitting a record high of 86.2 per cent for the full year of 2018-19.
Since 2012-13, bulk billing rates have increased by four full percentage points from 82.2 per cent, and is further proof Medicare is stronger than ever before under this Government.
Our commitment to Medicare and bulk billing is rock solid.
The latest figure – up 0.1 percentage point compared to last year – was the fourth consecutive quarter last financial year to achieve a record, and is evidence more Australians are visiting their doctor without having to pay a cent.
Patients made 136.5 million bulk billed GP visits in 2018-19, up 3.3 million on the previous financial year.
The bulk billing rate for total Medicare services reached 79.2 per cent for 2018-19, up 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year, and up 2.7 percentage points from 76.5 per cent in 2012-13.
The benefits for patients are clear. Australians accessed 335.8 million bulk billed services including GP, specialist, pathology and diagnostic imaging services in 2018–19, up 8.9 million more than the record set last year.
The total cost of all Medicare services in 2018-19 was $24.1 billion, an increase of 3.5 per cent in benefits paid.
These figures show that Medicare is supporting the health and wellbeing of Australians more than ever before.
As well as continuing and increasing its investment in Medicare, the Morrison Government is ensuring it supports quality health care.
On 1 July this year, the Government increased the patient rebate for further GP items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Specialist procedures, allied health services and other GP services such as mental health and after hour’s services, were indexed.
The Medicare Benefits Schedule Review will ensure Medicare services are effective and appropriate for patients now and into the future.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, founded on Medicare. These figures show Medicare, under the Morrison Government is supporting the health and wellbeing of Australians more than ever.

In light of escalating violence in Hong Kong and the looming threat of intervention by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Australian Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale is calling on the Government to immediately offer permanent protection for anyone from Hong Kong who currently resides in Australia.
“The recent attacks on peaceful protesters by the Hong Kong police and proxy forces are shocking and completely unacceptable. Using force against peaceful protestors is never acceptable and we stand in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong,” Di Natale said.
“It is now absolutely clear that any Hong Kong resident currently in Australia faces a genuine risk of harm should they return home. We have a legal and a moral obligation to offer them safe haven, and that is what Scott Morrison must order his Government to do.”
“The Australian Greens are calling on Scott Morrison to immediately offer permanent protection to anyone from Hong Kong currently residing in Australia.
“We have been here before; we have a roadmap. Bob Hawke’s decision to grant protection to Chinese citizens in Australia in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre was a shining example of Australian leadership in the world, and has only made our multicultural nation richer in the decades since.
“Like Bob Hawke in the wake of Tiananmen Square, Scott Morrison now has an opportunity to demonstrate to the world some kindness and generosity. For the sake of everyone involved in these tragic circumstances, I hope he takes it.
Note: There were a total of 18,839 Hong Kong residents in Australia across all visa classes as of June 30, 2019 according to the Department of Immigration.