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The Senate has voted down a Greens amendment to the Higher Education Support Amendment (Response to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report) Bill 2023, to make all First Nations students eligible for Commonwealth-supported places for postgraduate study.  

Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi,  and stakeholders National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association (NATSIPA) and Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) have expressed disappointment that the Government has voted against closing this critical gap for First Nations students pursuing higher education. 

Senator Faruqi said:

“I’m thoroughly disappointed the Government has voted down my amendment to reduce education disadvantage for First Nations students. It’s a disheartening reminder of the lack of commitment to equity in higher education. 

“With university course fees and student debt at an all time high, many First Nations students will continue to face barriers to  pursuing postgraduate studies.

“Your bank balance should not determine access to university at any level, undergrad or postgrad.

“This bill provides commonwealth supported places for First Nations students in undergraduate study, so why vote against extending that support for postgraduate study too? It makes no sense when we know financial barriers are a big reason why the number of Indigenous students transitioning from undergraduate to postgraduate is so low.

“If Labor is serious about addressing how our higher education system is failing First Nations students, then lowering a financial barrier of entry is a crucial step. It’s a shame they’ve failed to do so.

“Ultimately, university should be free and student debt wiped and we need to ensure higher education is accessible and available to all students across the country.” 

Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer from National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association (NATSIPA) said:

“NATSIPA fully endorses the Greens amendments to the HESA (Response to the Universities Accord Interim Report) Bill 2023. We thank the Greens for listening to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. 

We are saddened that the government has chosen to not support this amendment as it would have gone a long way to ensuring we can close the gap on our disadvantage.” 

Errol Phuah, National President of Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) said: 

“The reality is that First Nations peoples are still underrepresented in postgraduate education. 

This amendment was about empowering self-determination, to take away some of the systemic barriers that are turning First Nations people away from postgraduate education.”

The long-awaited release of the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce (WEET) report confirms barriers to women fully participating in the workforce comes at a huge cost to the economy. 

Many of its recommendations align with long-standing Greens policies and we’re delighted to see the experts agree with us on many reasonable and obvious improvements for women’s economic participation.

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

“We knew the social costs of keeping women out of the workforce were high, but the WEET report released today confirms that the economic cost is equally eye-watering, estimated at $128 billion each year.

“Fairer paid parental leave is a no-brainer that benefits everyone – parents, children and the economy. The Greens support the WEET recommendations and will support the government to implement any and all improvements to PPL.

“WEET has again recommended that super be paid on PPL, a measure that would improve women’s economic equality – but Government are making women wait to fund it, but can somehow find $313 billion for the Stage 3 tax cuts.

“If the government is serious about increasing women’s workforce participation, it needs to do more than to nod sagely while a panel of expert women says these things. Labor needs to actually act.
 
“The Greens will be pushing to ensure Labor actually listens to the WEET’s advice – on PPL and all other areas of women’s economic security – rather than cherry picking recommendations as they did with the interim report.”

Greens spokesperson on employment Senator Barbara Pocock said:

“Australia is an international outlier in terms of our support for workers with caring responsibilities. We have slipped too far behind. And we are paying a price in labour supply, stressed workers, and gender inequality. 

“The WEET report reinforces the findings of the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care; we need to revolutionise our workplace laws so Australians, and particularly women, can find a balance between working and caring responsibilities.”

A 2012 decision to expand salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour is currently under review by the federal environment department. 

Under questioning from Senator Peter Whish-Wilson at Senate Estimates last night, the department’s Head of Environment Approvals Division, Bruce Edwards, said three submissions to review the controversial federal environmental approval had been made, with the department now considering its legal options. 

Mr Edwards noted the case was complex, but if matters relating to the environmental approval are determined to be “live”, the federal environment minister would have jurisdiction to intervene. A decision is expected before the end of the year. 

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said: 

“The federal government’s 2012 decision to expand salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour was made with the proviso it would not significantly impact the Maugean skate – but scientists now warn the endangered species is fighting for survival precisely because of a decline in water quality attributed largely to salmon farming in the Harbour. 

“If the federal environment minister does have the jurisdiction to reverse the 2012 decision to rapidly expand salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour then she absolutely should.

“The regulation of salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour has been a disaster. It’s a cop out for successive federal environment ministers to continue to watch on as salmon industry regulators and the Tasmanian government fail spectacularly to protect and prioritise the environment, including matters of national environmental significance like the sad decline and imminent extinction of the Maugean skate.

“There is no job more important for an environment minister than protecting a species from extinction. Minister Plibersek has a critical mandate to protect the Maugean skate and she must pull every lever available to her to ensure its survival.”

** Jump to the 20:17:24:00 mark of this clip from Senate Estimates for the exchange between Senator Whish-Wilson and Mr Bruce Edwards.

The Coalition recognises the fundamental importance of supporting Australian women to realise their full potential. We will consider the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce report thoroughly, reflecting the respect we have for the work that has been conducted. Many capable Australian women have contributed in good faith to the work of this Taskforce and the Coalition thanks them for their efforts.

Today, even though Australia has taken great strides toward gender equality, we still have much work to do. We know if we get government working for women, Australia will move forward. The Coalition is committed to ensuring the today’s Australian girls will have the same opportunities that Australian boys do in the decades to come. To achieve this, changes need to be made.

We are committed to helping empower women to make choices about how they want to live their lives, whether that is through a career, starting and growing a family or indeed pursuing and balancing both aspirations. Delivering on that commitment will require new approaches and fresh perspectives and we are committed to bringing new ideas to the table in the interest of all Australians.

While we thank those who have contributed to the report, the Albanese Government is not without fault in its handling of the Taskforce. The Opposition has uncovered that:

• There was no open application process for the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.
• The Department suggested 52 names on merit and this list was whittled down to 13 names by Minister Gallagher with no apparent process.
• Minister Gallagher admitted that ‘a number’ of the final 13 were not suggested by the Department at all – but then refused to say how many.
• Minister Katy Gallagher handpicked the Chair, Sam Mostyn, who is a former Labor staffer.

‘Jobs for mates’ does not end with ‘jobs for the boys’. Overlooking capable and qualified women because they aren’t affiliated with Labor is just as unacceptable and sadly the ‘jobs for mates’ culture is entrenched in the Albanese Government’s appointment processes.

In recent days it has been revealed that Trade Minister Don Farrell handpicked an unqualified male former Labor Senator over an experienced senior woman for a key overseas appointment. Labor also appointed Glenn Thompson, Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, to the board of the National Reconstruction Fund. It would have been better to see this role taken up by one of the thousands of qualified women from across corporate Australia.

While Labor has been compiling this report, Australian women have been falling further and further behind.

According to Foodbank Australia, 48 per cent of the general population is anxious or worried about getting consistent access to adequate food, meaning millions of mothers are worried about feeding their children.

The Liptember Foundation found in its 2023 Women’s Mental Health Research that 35 per cent of respondents listed financial stress and cost of living as a trigger for depression, while 36 per cent said it triggered anxiety.

Last week the National Centre for Vocational Education Research confirmed Labor have presided over a 42.9 per cent decline in commencements for female trainees and apprentices in just their first year of government.

While this report sheds new light on the challenges of realising a better future for Australian women, Labor’s spiralling cost of living crisis is hurting women today.

Because the reality is Anthony Albanese is leaving Australian women behind.

Today at Senate Estimates the Australian Border Force revealed that last month a vessel was intercepted and its passengers taken to Nauru for the first time in nine years. This is the ninth people smuggling venture to attempt to arrive illegally in Australia since the May 2022 Federal Election.

Once again Minister O’Neil and Labor have shown that they can’t be trusted to keep our borders safe.

The Coalition warned Labor that its dismantling of Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) would re-incentivise people smugglers and put lives at risk. The latest venture comes at the same time as a planned $600 million cut to border security in Labor’s most recent budget, which the Australian Border Force Commissioner confirmed in Senate Estimates in May 2023 would leave his frontline forces “stretched”.

The most recent venture is a chilling reminder of the illegal arrivals we saw the last time Labor was in Government.

Between 2008 and 2013, more than 50,000 people arrived in Australia illegally on more than 820 boats, and tragically at least 1,200 died at sea.

By contrast, the Coalition’s OSB sent a clear message of deterrence to people smugglers looking to sell illegal voyages to Australia. This work is now being undone.

Only the Coalition can be trusted to keep our borders safe.

More than 6 million Australian customers face an average increase of 8% on their monthly NBN costs.

The price increases have been revealed following on from the approval by the ACCC last week of Labor’s plan to increase NBN prices.

Under the new plan, the prices the NBN charges to retailers will increase. Retailers will then pass on those increases to Australian families. Retailer Aussie Broadband is the first retailer to reveal its increased prices following on from the new plan.

According to the ACCC, more than 6 million Australian customers currently have a 12, 25 or 50 Mbps NBN plan. This represents about 75% of all NBN customers.

Aussie Broadband has revealed price increases for those plans of an average of more than 8%. For families on the lowest cost plan, who are likely to feel the impact the most, the increase is more than 10%.

Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman said that these huge increases were coming at the worst possible time, during a cost of living crisis.

“The Albanese Government has said that the NBN price increases represent a ‘positive outcome for households’ (Rowland statement, 17 October 2023). But families will now be forced to pay much more for their Internet. How can that be a ‘positive outcome’ in the middle of a cost of living crisis?

“Mr Albanese promised to reduce electricity prices by $275 – instead, they have gone through the roof. Now his Government is describing big increases on Internet prices as a ‘positive outcome’ for families. The Government has decoupled from reality, and is completely out of touch with the huge cost of living pressures being faced by Australian families,” Mr Coleman said.

Mr Coleman said the Coalition would be pursuing questions on this issue in Senate Estimates in Canberra today.

Labor’s planned Indigenous cultural heritage laws are in tatters following explosive revelations at Senate Estimates that the reforms have been delayed indefinitely.

In the evening session of the Senate Environment and Communications Estimates hearing on Monday, representatives from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water admitted that it was “unclear” whether the cultural heritage law reforms would be finished before the end of the current term of parliament.

This is despite Labor’s 2022 election commitment to introduce standalone cultural heritage reforms and follows the Western Australian Labor Government’s disastrous handling of similar laws that were ultimately scrapped following community and industry backlash.

Shadow Environment Minister Jonno Duniam:

“The Government’s environment and cultural heritage reform program is a joke.”

“We know that the Labor Government’s EPBC Act reforms are well behind schedule. Now we hear that their revamped cultural heritage laws may not even be introduced this term.”

“It’s another significant setback at the hands of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek following her year-long delay to the promised EPBC Act reforms that are meant to be introduced by the end of this year.”

“Labor have bungled these reforms that they put to the Australian people at the last election. This is no coincidence following the backlash to the laws introduced by their West Australia Labor Government that drew wide condemnation.”

“How can they commit to reforms with an unlimited timeframe when they might not even be in government next term? It’s an empty promise and shows a lack of urgency, secrecy and delay that are typical of the Albanese Government.”