Author: admin

ABS stats released today show the arts and recreation industry has lost four times as many payroll jobs as the construction industry but has received a third of the support, highlighting just how inadequate the Morrison Government’s arts and entertainment industry package is, the Greens say.
Greens Spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The construction industry is receiving a package worth three times as much as the arts and entertainment industry despite only losing 5.3 per cent of payroll jobs compared to 24% per cent.
“These figures show how badly wrong the government has its priorities. If they are intent of saving jobs lost due to COVID19, these numbers need to be turned around, urgently.
“The government’s HomeBuilder scheme is uncapped, showing the Prime Minister is happy to give unlimited funds to an industry that is relatively unscathed in comparison to arts and entertainment.
“The Government should uncap the arts and entertainment grants package immediately. The arts and entertainment industry needs a proper commitment and real support from the Morrison Government.
“The Morrison Government is kidding itself if it thinks it has done its job when it comes to helping the arts and entertainment industry recover. The $250million arts and entertainment package announced last week should only be considered a down payment to an industry that has been amongst the hardest hit.
“The Senate Committee Inquiry into Covid19 has heard directly from the sector today that many artists and organisations will continue to miss out. The Government’s arts package has failed to deliver the support needed and the Prime Minister’s show last week is getting poor reviews.”

Australian Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has said analysis released today shows once again that federal and state governments have monumentally failed to adequately fund public schools.
Data published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age has shown that, over the last decade, public funding has continued to flow heavily to private schools.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Well-funded public education should be the backbone of our education system, but public schools are getting a raw deal.
“For years, private schools have been the beneficiaries of state and federal public funding programs that have systematically neglected public schools. While 99% of private schools are funded above the national standard, 99% of public schools have absolutely no pathway to the level of funding they need over the next decade.
“With the Commonwealth’s $1.2 billion so-called ‘Choice and Affordability’ fund for private schools due to start dishing out cash in July, it’s way past time for a complete rethink of school funding across the country.
“The sad reality is that over the last decade, both Labor and Liberal governments have never wasted an opportunity to hand out public funds to private schools and entrench educational inequality,” she said.

The Australian Greens condemn in the strongest possible terms the Chinese Government’s decision to override Hong Kong’s legislature and pass draconian national security laws aimed at repressing the people of Hong Kong.
The Greens also called on the Morrison Government to, at an absolute minimum and as a first step, grant permanent protection for all Hong Kongers who currently reside in Australia.
Leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, said: “Today marks 23 years since Hong Kong was returned to China under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle that guaranteed that Hong Kong’s way of life would remain protected for 50 years.”
“The Chinese Government’s passage of the so-called national security law makes a mockery of the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’. It is clearly designed to intimidate and suppress the people of Hong Kong who are legitimately calling for freedom and democracy.
“This is a weapon of repression that represents a threat to human rights and to all those in Hong Kong who have chosen to protest in the last year.”
“On behalf of the Greens, I offer solidarity to protesters in Hong Kong who are no doubt fearful of what this new law means for them. The Australian Greens once again call on the Morrison Government to take concrete diplomatic actions to support Hong Kongers standing up for democracy,” Bandt said.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt has today said the government’s commitment to spend over $270 billion on defence would not make Australia safer and was a reprehensible use of public money while people are still living in tents in Eden-Monaro and suffering poverty in Australia.
“Spending billions more on weapons won’t make Australia safer and may in fact increase tensions in the region. This move will just add to increasing militarisation in our neighbourhood,” said Mr Bandt.
“Scott Morrison’s move ignores the biggest threat to security in the region, which is the climate crisis, and is a misuse of public money while millions are jobless and bushfire survivors are still living in tents.
“If there’s enough money to unnecessarily arm Australia to the teeth, then there’s enough money for job-creating projects that tackle the climate crisis, help the millions who are jobless and lift Australians out of poverty.
“Australia cannot outgun China. As a small to medium-sized power, our security lies in joining with other like-minded countries to strengthen multilateral institutions and ensure a rules-based international order.
“The 2016 Defence White Paper suggested there was only a remote possibility of a military attack on Australia. The only thing that has changed since then is that Donald Trump is up for re-election, he is lashing out erratically and now Scott Morrison is now tying Australia up in US domestic politics.
“Australia has become too dependent on China economically and too dependent on the US politically. Instead of just implementing the Pentagon’s procurement plan, Australia needs an independent foreign policy.
“For this military spend, we could open up free university and TAFE to everyone who wanted it, and offer every parent free childcare. The $270 billion would fund bringing dental care into Medicare six times over, and build the 500,000 public homes needed to end homelessness twenty times over.”
Australian Greens Defence Spokesperson Jordon Steele-John said that where possible, conflict should be avoided, not won.
“The Government’s actions are undermining peace. There are far better ways to avoid conflict than wielding a bigger stick, and peace and stability should be the ultimate goal” Senator Steele-John said.
“Stability in the Pacific means, good diplomacy and importantly, avoiding conflicts over resources as a result of the climate crisis and a global pandemic.
“Security analysts have warned that without action on the climate crisis, Australia will be in ‘disaster alley’ as nations fight over basic resources such as food, fibre and fuel. If Scott Morrison was serious about national security, we’d be taking action to ensure everyone had access to basic resources, not buying bigger guns and missiles.”

The Morrison Government will acquire 251 Remote Weapon Stations that will better protect Army personnel on operations while boosting Australian jobs and opportunities for small businesses.
The Remote Weapon Stations, which allow a gunner to operate a weaponised system from a protected position, will be added to the Army’s Bushmaster and Hawkei protected mobility vehicles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new weapons were part of the $270 billion capability upgrade for the Australian Defence Force, under the new 2020 Force Structure Plan.
“The Federal Government is committed to ensuring Australian Defence Force personnel have the tools they need to protect themselves and keep Australians safe,” the Prime Minister said.
“At the same time we must have a robust and resilient defence industry that maximises opportunities for small businesses and supports Australian jobs and local investment.”
Minister for Defence Senator Linda Reynolds CSC said the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and the 2020 Force Structure Plan would strengthen the ADF’s capabilities to respond to an increasingly challenging strategic environment.
“The Morrison Government is investing a record $270 billion in Defence capability and infrastructure over the next decade,” Minister Reynolds said.
“Investments such as the acquisition of Remote Weapon Stations will make the ADF more capable for the wide range of potential scenarios and threats Australia will face in the future.”
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the investment in new remote weapon stations would provide job stability for over 200 of Electro Optic Systems’ workforce directly involved in engineering and support.
“This investment not only secures local jobs but it also provides certainty for over 100 supply chain businesses across Australia,” Minister Price said.
“More than 80 per cent of the parts that Electro Optic Systems use for these weapons are sourced through the Australian supply chain and that’s good for jobs and small businesses.
“While the Federal Government’s focus is on keeping Australians safe, our investments in Defence have a significant benefit for Australian businesses and workers – around 15,000 businesses and 70,000 workers benefit from our investments and that’s set to grow.”