Category: Australian News

The Greens will today introduce a Bill to stop drilling in the Great Australian Bight and move for World Heritage Listing following a groundswell of community support around the country.
“It is high time the Great Australian Bight was protected from drilling. It is the role of the Parliament to listen to the will of the people, and the people have made their view crystal clear,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Polls consistently show a vast majority of South Australians oppose drilling in the Bight, with thousands turning out to protest at paddle outs across the state and around the country.
“The government cannot be let off the hook on drilling in the Bight. The power to stop Big Oil is in the hands of politicians in Canberra.
“It is time we in the Parliament protect the Bight, the endangered species that call it home and the vibrant fishing and tourism industries that employ thousands of South Australians.
“This Bill will not only ban drilling in the Bight, it will set it on the path to World Heritage listing. The Bight is iconically Australian, it provides critical habitat for many threatened species, and it is part of our national identity. It deserves to be protected.”

Greens spokesperson for the public service, Adam Bandt MP, today commented on reports that the Prime Minister will make ‘immediate and sweeping reforms’ to the public service, warning that the Greens will fight to defend the public service from any attempts by an increasingly authoritarian government to weaken it.
“Without a policy agenda, this government seeks only to destroy,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Prime Minister’s words today are riddled with euphemisms that foreshadow an attack on the public service.
“The erosion of the public service has been steadily occurring under the old parties, through privatisation by stealth and relentless outsourcing.
“Now, emboldened by the election, the government looks to be preparing for a direct attack.
“The Greens will take up the fight to this government to defend the public service and will not allow the outcomes of the Thodey review to be a stalking horse to weaken the public service.”

At the Australian Greens National Conference last weekend, the Australian Greens moved and passed a motion declaring a climate emergency, and a motion calling on people to join in the September 20 climate strike. Greens Deputy Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said it was now time for other parties and parliaments across Australia to join the Greens by demonstrating their unequivocal recognition of the scale of the crisis facing us.
“A climate emergency requires an emergency response. It means putting the climate crisis at the centre of all policy and planning decisions and mobilising the whole of government and society to protect Australia’s people and ecology,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Greens have declared a climate emergency and now the Australian Parliament must follow suit.
“If our politicians refuse to acknowledge we’re in a climate emergency, we’ll never act with the urgency and speed required to avoid this existential threat.
“Even BHP has acknowledged the climate crisis. When a multinational mining giant and one of the world’s top polluters shows climate leadership, the Australian Parliament can no longer refuse to act.
“By the end of the year, we hope to pass a motion through Parliament acknowledging the climate emergency.
“The Greens are also proud to support the growing climate strike movement and the September 20 strike in Australia and across the world.
“Greta Thunberg and the students all around the world who have joined her are demanding action from politicians and there’s no doubt that the mob in power in Australia are failing them.
“Over the weekend, the Greens reaffirmed that we back these climate strikers all the way.
“The Greens are encouraging as many people, students or otherwise, to turn out for the global climate strike on September 20.
“We are running out of time. On September 20, we will speak truth to power about the climate emergency and push for the action that the science and the students are demanding.”

Farmers and rural and regional communities which have been suffering years of unrelenting drought will now have access to the tools they need to prepare for, manage and sustain their businesses with the passage of the Future Drought Fund legislation through the Senate today.
The Future Drought Fund will grow from $3.9 billion to $5 billion over the next decade, while facilitating a $100 million a year additional investment into drought resilience and preparedness, even in the good years, every year from 1 July 2020.
The Government is backing in our farmers, and we will always stand up and support our drought-affected communities. The Future Drought Fund is about more than just money – it is about giving our farmers the best possible tools to face drought, now and in the future.
Despite Labor’s attempts to stop the Government from establishing the Future Drought Fund, the Government has delivered on its election commitment to guarantee a sustainable source of funding for vital drought resilience projects in rural and regional communities.
A consultative committee will soon begin engaging with farmers and rural and regional communities to ensure the money is well spent when the additional funding becomes available from next year.
The Government will work swiftly to establish the Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee and put in place rigorous governance arrangements for the appropriate selection and prioritisation of projects.
Drought is a fact of life in this country. Our Future Drought Fund will ensure our farmers, who are among the best in the world and regional communities are better equipped to deal with its effects when it happens again.
The Future Drought Fund comes on top of the Government’s $2 billion in additional drought initiatives we have already previously announced.

At the Australian Greens National Conference last weekend, the Australian Greens moved and passed a motion declaring a climate emergency, and a motion calling on people to join in the September 20 climate strike. Greens Deputy Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said it was now time for other parties and parliaments across Australia to join the Greens by demonstrating their unequivocal recognition of the scale of the crisis facing us.
“A climate emergency requires an emergency response. It means putting the climate crisis at the centre of all policy and planning decisions and mobilising the whole of government and society to protect Australia’s people and ecology,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Greens have declared a climate emergency and now the Australian Parliament must follow suit.
“If our politicians refuse to acknowledge we’re in a climate emergency, we’ll never act with the urgency and speed required to avoid this existential threat.
“Even BHP has acknowledged the climate crisis. When a multinational mining giant and one of the world’s top polluters shows climate leadership, the Australian Parliament can no longer refuse to act.
“By the end of the year, we hope to pass a motion through Parliament acknowledging the climate emergency.
“The Greens are also proud to support the growing climate strike movement and the September 20 strike in Australia and across the world.
“Greta Thunberg and the students all around the world who have joined her are demanding action from politicians and there’s no doubt that the mob in power in Australia are failing them.
“Over the weekend, the Greens reaffirmed that we back these climate strikers all the way.
“The Greens are encouraging as many people, students or otherwise, to turn out for the global climate strike on September 20.
“We are running out of time. On September 20, we will speak truth to power about the climate emergency and push for the action that the science and the students are demanding.”

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today welcomed comments by BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie, but expressed dismay that the head of one of the world’s most polluting companies appears to be taking the climate emergency more seriously than the Liberal and Labor parties.
Mr Bandt urged BHP to follow its strong words with real, durable action, noting that it was named one of the top 100 polluting companies in the world.
“BHP has joined the war on global warming,” said Mr Bandt.
“Multinational mining giants are now using the same language as the school strike for climate.
“I never thought I’d say the words that Liberal and Labor should take a leaf out of BHP’s book, but it sounds like BHP recognises the climate emergency as a clear and present danger, unlike the old parties.
“The Australian government must now follow the United Kingdom, France, Canada and others by declaring a climate emergency.”

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that Angus Taylor’s comments that he had an “open mind” on the use of nuclear energy, following Barnaby Joyce’s push for nuclear, shows the energy debate in this country is getting hijacked by right-wing ideologues with a fixation on dangerous technologies like nuclear and coal.
Mr Bandt warned that lifting the nuclear moratorium opens Australia up to a Chernobyl-style meltdown in Australia.
“No-one who wants to keep Australians safe from global warming and nuclear meltdowns would have an ‘open mind’ on nuclear energy,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Minister took a tiny step forward by admitting pollution is rising in Australia, but he’ll take 50 steps back unless he closes his mind to nuclear power.
“The gap between fantasy and reality with this government is growing. On Sunday, the share of renewables in the NEM hit more than 43% yet on Tuesday, the Energy Minister is playing footsies with nuclear power.”

Freedom of the press and whistle-blower protection will finally get the hearing they deserve as the Senate votes in favour of an inquiry to be chaired by Senator Hanson-Young.
“This week’s arrest of four French journalists highlights how badly we need to rethink press freedom in Australia,” Greens media spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Press and whistle blower protections have been steadily eroded and the government just wants to sweep this under the carpet.
“Today the Senate voted for an inquiry into press freedom and whistle-blower protection showing that there are some in our Parliament who care about a frank and fearless media.
“The raids on the ABC and a Newscorp journalist sent chills through the country. The erosions of freedoms in Australia must be wound back.
“The ability of citizens to speak truth to power must be maintained and that is why whistle blowers must be protected and journalists allowed to do their job.
“This inquiry will get to the bottom of what has gone on and ensure a future for a free press in Australia.”
Terms of reference
That the following matters be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by the third sitting day of December 2019:

1. disclosure and public reporting of sensitive and classified information, including the appropriate regime for warrants regarding journalists and media organisations and adequacy of existing legislation;
2. the whistle blower protection regime and protections for public sector employees;
3. the adequacy of referral practices of the Australian Government in relation to leaks of sensitive and classified information;
4. appropriate culture, practice and leadership for Government and senior public employees;
5. mechanisms to ensure that the Australian Federal Police have sufficient independence to effectively and impartially carry out their investigatory and law enforcement responsibilities in relation to politically sensitive matters; and
6. any related matters.

Further police crackdown on journalists highlights importance of Senate inquiry into press freedom, Greens say.
“The arrest of journalists in Queensland today is incredibly alarming,” Greens media spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“A free press is a fundamental pillar of democracy and it seems, here in Australia, it is under threat. Arresting journalists for doing their job has eerie echoes of a police state.
“The impact of what is happening in the Galilee Basin will affect us all and it is imperative that the community debate and concern can be reported on.
“We urgently need a thorough examination of press freedom in Australia to ensure those who hold power to account are able to keep doing their job without fear or favour. The Senate has the opportunity to vote for just such an inquiry tomorrow.
“Australia’s international reputation is at stake when foreign journalists are arrested, held and charged for reporting what is going on in Australia.”
Terms of reference
That the following matters be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by the third sitting day of December 2019:

1. disclosure and public reporting of sensitive and classified information, including the appropriate regime for warrants regarding journalists and media organisations and adequacy of existing legislation;
2. the whistle blower protection regime and protections for public sector employees;
3. the adequacy of referral practices of the Australian Government in relation to leaks of sensitive and classified information;
4. appropriate culture, practice and leadership for Government and senior public employees;
5. mechanisms to ensure that the Australian Federal Police have sufficient independence to effectively and impartially carry out their investigatory and law enforcement responsibilities in relation to politically sensitive matters; and
6. any related matters.

The Government will again seek to establish a new, secure, revenue stream to enable drought resilience, preparedness and recovery. The Government will re-introduce legislation to establish the Future Drought Fund (the Fund), which will grow to be worth $5 billion to support rural and regional communities.
In February, Labor abandoned Australian farmers and the rural and regional communities they support by voting against the Future Drought Fund. This despite their own Senators clearly supporting the Bill during the Senate committee inquiry into it.
Labor now have a second chance to do the right thing by Australian communities that are suffering the effects of drought by supporting this important legislation.
Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said that the Fund would guarantee a long-term source of funding to support important projects that will build drought resilience in Australia’s regions.
“The Future Drought Fund will support research, development and innovation to contribute to a sustainable and drought resilient agriculture sector in Australia,” Minister Littleproud said.
“If Labor decide to vote against this Bill again it will be one of the lowest acts I’ve seen in Australian politics. To politicise the misery of Australian farmers would be as low as you could get.”
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said that Labor needed to support the legislation, which would provide reliable and sustainable funding for drought relief and resilience projects into the future.
“The Future Drought Fund was announced in the 2018-19 MYEFO. We took it to the 2019 election. Labor needs to respect the wishes of Australia’s regional farming communities and support this legislation,” he said.
The re-introduced legislation includes amendments proposed in the House of Representatives by the former Member for Indi, Cathy McGowan, and supported by Government and other Members of the House of Representatives crossbench.
The exposure drafts of the Future Drought Fund Bill 2019 and the Future Drought Fund Bill (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 and the accompanying draft Explanatory Memorandum are publicly available at https://www.finance.gov.au/australian-government-investment-funds/governance/.