Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the Education Minister’s latest attempt to whitewash Australian history and pressure the independent curriculum authority to sanitise what’s taught in our schools.

Senator Faruqi said:

The LNP has gagged debate on a bill to stop the destructive fossil fuel project PEP-11, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal MPs Lucy Wicks, Jason Falinski, Trent Zimmerman and Dave Sharma having all voiced opposition to the project.

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, said:

“Coastal communities right around the nation are opposing offshore fossil fuel projects in this critical time of climate emergency.

The Greens have today tabled legislation to extend and reinstate the temporary visas of people who were stranded overseas because of international border closures.

“Tens of thousands of temporary visa holders, including people with established homes, jobs and in some cases partners in Australia, were overseas when Australia’s international borders closed due to Covid-19,” Greens Immigration Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

The Covid outbreak at the Park Hotel detention facility was a preventable crisis that is a direct result of Government negligence, the Greens say.

“The Liberals were warned repeatedly that this would happen, but because of their cruel indifference they left people in cramped and unsafe conditions,” Greens Immigration Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“These are people who have been locked up for over eight years and were in Australia for medical treatment. It is a complete failure of duty of care at every possible level.”

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the publication of the Senate Select Committee on Job Security’s second interim report, and called for its recommendations to be implemented.

Senator Faruqi, who is a Committee Member, said:

The Greens says today’s second interim report from the Select Committee on Job Security shows that the Morrison Government’s ideological mission to outsource the public sector has seriously undermined the Australian Public Service’s ability to deliver services and provide effective policy advice.

Greens deputy leader and public sector spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Under the Morrison Government we’ve seen the public service gutted and billions handed out to massive multinational consultancy firms and labour hire companies.

The Greens have today announced that in the balance of power after the next election, they will push to boldly reform our defence force to ensure a peace-focused approach is prioritised.

This announcement coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the beginning of the invasion of Afghanistan, Operational Detachment A574, on 19th October 2001.

Quotes attributable to Australian Greens Peace Spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John:

With a Senate Committee into the Juukan Gorge crisis due to conclude today, the Greens have announced a comprehensive $767 million ‘Caring for Country’ plan to expand protections for Indigenous areas and sacred sites, fund more First Nations ranger programs and legislate environmental personhood to areas of First Nations significance - ensuring that future crises’ like that at Juukan are avoided. 

On Thursday the Senate will vote on a motion that could force the PM to bring the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill on for debate in the House.

The Greens have today lodged a concurrence motion in the Senate which, if passed, could ultimately force the House to vote on the Greens’ bill, which passed the Senate more than two years ago.

The Greens have today announced that in balance of power after the next election, they will push a plan to build one million new publicly-owned, affordable, high-quality and sustainable homes.

The Greens’ push for secure housing comes as property prices surge to record highs and a generation has been locked out of home ownership, unable to save enough for a deposit, while they continue to face rising rents.