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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella in San Francisco today in the margins of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister announced the Australian Government’s decision to explore the safe and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the public service in partnership with Microsoft, through the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA).

This investment builds on the Albanese Government’s commitment to invest in the tools and capabilities required to set Australians up for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

The Government will conduct a six-month trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot, making it one of the first governments in the world to deploy generative AI service.

Australian Public Service (APS) staff will be able to trial new ways to innovate and enhance productivity, with a view to delivering better government services for the Australian people. Microsoft will provide digital training to help APS staff to develop their AI skills and literacy.

The six month trial will run from January to June 2024, with Microsoft providing training, onboarding and implementation assistance with participating agencies.

This trial positions Australia as a leader in adopting artificial intelligence that increases productivity, and is functional and fit for purpose.

Following the trial the DTA will evaluate their experience in order to assess opportunities, feedback, and report to the Government.

This announcement follows the establishment of the AI Taskforce, led by the DTA and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. The trial will be rolled out consistent with the AI Taskforce guidance for the public service on the use of generative AI.

The Prime Minister recently announced Microsoft’s $5 billion investment in Australia, alongside Microsoft executives during the recent official visit to Washington.

That announcement included:

• A $5 billion investment to expand its hyperscale cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next two years to grow its local data centre footprint from 20 to 29 sites in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
• Opening a new Microsoft Data Centre Academy, in partnership with TAFE NSW, and a commitment to train an additional 300,000 Australians through its global skills program.
• Collaboration with the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) on Microsoft-ASD Cyber Shield to improve joint capability to identify, prevent and respond to cyber threats.

Microsoft’s investment will help Australia become a world-leading digital economy by significantly investing in skills and training to help equip a new generation of Australians for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

The Government is committed to leadership in the safe, ethical and responsible use of technology and data, and meeting the community’s expectations on security, fairness and privacy.

The Government is fostering an innovative culture in the public service and demonstrating high standards in transparency, risk management and governance of all emerging technologies.

The DTA has also recently released a Request for Information on services and support for generative AI and will obtain information on generative AI solutions that could serve individual government organisations and government as a whole.

the Prime Minister said:

“By strengthening our partnership with Microsoft, we are charting a course for the future of public service – one where generative AI is used responsibly to enhance the work of the APS in delivering for Australians without compromising on safety.”

the Minister for Finance said:

“AI is emerging as a widely used technology and presents many opportunities for government and the way it delivers crucial services to the Australian community, but we must adopt it in a safe and controlled way.

“This exciting pilot will support the government’s APS reform agenda by identifying how we can safely use this technology to improve our work and service delivery but do so in a way that is controlled and allows us to learn the lessons with minimal impact on existing processes and services.”

MOTION – I give notice that on the next day of sitting, I shall move—That, at the conclusion of formal motions today, the Senate observe a minute of silence in memory of the civilian lives lost in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel

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

“Today I will move that the Senate observe a minute’s silence in memory of the civilian lives lost in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, and call on Labor and the Liberals to support this motion.

“The civillian death toll since October 7th is now over 12,000 people across Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. 

“Children and families have faced horrific death, injury and suffering. People in Gaza are experiencing relentless bombing. Those that survive the bombing have increasingly limited access to electricity, food or water. This cannot go on.

“Today’s civilian victims could have been saved by a ceasefire. Australia must join with countries around the world in calling for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation.”

The Greens welcome the introduction of the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023 today, which would implement the Government’s revised response to Recommendation 25 of the Respect@Work report. 

The modified ‘equal access’ cost protection provision put forward in this bill is one the Greens and many advocates were calling for last year, and will ensure that no-one is priced out of fighting sexual harassment in the workplace. 

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

“We are pleased that the revised government bill introduced today heeds the calls of advocates, victim-survivors, legal experts and unions, the Greens and the crossbench, for equal access costs protections.

“The Greens pressured the Government a year ago to dump their original costs provisions, and to review and reconsider them. We are so pleased to see that after this reflection, the government has now proposed the costs model the Greens were advocating for, which removes costs risks for people standing up for their rights at work.

“The Greens are proud to have kept the pressure up to ensure that no-one is priced out of fighting for their rights at work, whether that be for sexual harassment or any other type of discrimination.

“Without an equal access cost model in place, many workers, particularly women, weigh up the trauma and financial risk and decide to stay silent. Providing more options for victims of sexual harassment to make complaints doesn’t change things if women cannot afford to make complaints.

“Equal access costs protections, where workers can take action without fear of paying the other side’s costs if they lose, already exist for whistleblowers. The Greens are happy to support changes that will see these same protections applied to workplace harassment.” 

Labor must not let Peter Dutton dictate its response to the High Court ruling that indefinite immigration detention is unconstitutional, the Greens say.

“This is a mess that Peter Dutton helped create so Labor should not let him determine its response,” Greens immigration spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“Mr Dutton has given Labor a free pass to work with him to trample human rights and persecute refugees and it is crucial that Labor reject his offer.”

“The government must not let Mr Dutton write their immigration laws for them and pressure them into a draconian, knee-jerk response.” 

“Mr. Dutton has a horrendous record of cruelty to refugees and disregarding basic human rights.”

“For Labor to now work with him to rush laws through parliament this week would be disgraceful in the extreme.”

“Indefinite detention was found to be unlawful and unconstitutional punishment.”

“Many of the people recently released are refugees who have already suffered years of indefinite detention.

“Labor should not allow Mr Dutton to dictate a further regime of cruelty to them.”

“Labor’s response must be one that respects the law, respects human rights, respects refugees and respects the Australian Constitution.”

“We need to reaffirm the rule of law, and that means courts deciding punishments, not politicians. Anything less is a step towards tyranny.”

“We are hearing a lot about threats to the community but the biggest threats to the Australian people are draconian laws which seek to unnecessarily curtail liberty or detain people indefinitely.”

The most recent data on wage growth and rent increases in Australia presents a stark picture of the escalating rental crisis, exacerbated by current Labor policies.

Data released by the ABS today shows wages grew by 1.3% in the September quarter. Meanwhile rents outpaced wages, increasing by 2.2% over the same period.

“The latest figures are a clear indicator of the failure of Labor’s housing policies. Labor’s rental crisis is getting worse” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“While wages have been crawling, rents have been sprinting, pushing more Australians into financial distress. This isn’t just a housing issue; it’s a crisis of economic justice and fairness.”

“This trend is particularly alarming in the context of the broader economic challenges facing the nation, including the rising cost of living and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

“We badly need rent controls, now.”

The Greens say Labor is hopelessly out of touch with Australia’s young people, after the government today mocked students preparing to walk out of classrooms for the national Climate Strike this Friday, November 17.

Stephen Bates MP, Greens Youth Spokesperson, asked the Education Minister if he supports students’ right to strike for a safer climate and leave school this Friday to protest new coal and gas projects jeopardising their future. 

In response, Labor MPs jeered from their seats and the Minister merely responded that “that school students should be at school during school hours.”

Greens spokesperson on Education (Primary & Secondary), Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:

“Kids are worried about the future. They know that Labor’s plan for more coal and gas will make global heating worse and on Friday, thousands will leave their classrooms in protest.

“While the Prime Minister and the frontbench laughed, the education minister mocked the idea that students should exercise their democratic right to protest and said he wanted them ‘at school’.

“We’ve grown used to Labor’s cowardice in the face of the climate crisis, but telling kids they should just shut up while they continue to open up new coal and gas shows how hopelessly captured and out-of-touch they are.

“If the government is going to ignore calls from young people to act on climate, then young people should ignore the education minister and take to the streets on Friday.”

Greens Youth spokesperson Stephen Bates said:

“The decisions of this Government to push more coal and gas is harming the future of young people. Most high school students can’t vote, climate protests help make their voices heard.

“Young people deserve to have their voices heard. Right now, they’re inheriting a broken environment, economy, and worsening living conditions.

“Clearly Labor needs to be reminded of their roots if they don’t get why people strike.”