Category: Australian News

The Senate has backed the Australian Greens’ motion calling on the Government to make a clear statement about its inaction on climate change.
“It is time for this anti-science Government to front up to the fact they are failing the nation and the planet,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Enough is enough. Scientists have made it very clear that we must reduce pollution and transition out of fossil fuels. If not, we will sink further and further into dangerous climate crisis. Australia has a responsibility to act for its citizens, environment and the planet. The Morrison Government is in denial and the Senate has called it out.
“On the day that New Zealand has announced a $100 million fund to reduce emissions, the Morrison Government continues to ignore our Paris Agreement responsibilities. It is a disgrace.
“Sir David Attenborough’s incredible, and important speech from COP24, sent shockwaves around the world. The climate denialists in the Morrison Government must wake up and admit business as usual does not allow us to even get close to reaching our Paris Commitments.”
The below motion was agreed to in the Senate today:
That the Senate— notes that
1.            National emissions levels for the June quarter 2018 increased 1.3 per cent relative to the previous quarter on a seasonally adjusted and weather normalised basis.
2.            With emissions continuing to rise, and no clear plan to reduce them, we are set to miss our Paris targets.
3.            Minister for the Environment, Melissa Price will represent Australia at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24).
Calls on the government to make the following short statement to the COP24:
Australia has not taken seriously its responsibilities to meeting its Paris Commitments and will dramatically lift its ambitions to play its part in averting the climate crisis.

Scott Morrison’s bill does not remove discrimination against LGBTQ+ kids, it opens the door to even more discrimination, say the Australian Greens.
“This bill is a Trojan horse that will expand discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, not remove it,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“This bill allows schools to bully, exclude or even refuse to teach LGBTQ+ students. It is unacceptable.”
“Discrimination against LGBTIQ+ young people is dangerous. We know that LGBTIQ+ young people experience far worse mental health than their peers, and it’s often because of discrimination.”
“Discrimination has no place in schools. Full stop. No ifs. No buts.”
“The Prime Minister is out of touch with Australians, three quarters of whom want our schools to be discrimination-free zones.”
“It’s a complete backflip from the Prime Minister who promised in October to remove discrimination in schools. Now he is entrenching and expanding it.”

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has held up pictures of the sheep killed on the Awasi Express in the Senate today to highlight the continued cruelty in the live export trade. While holding it, she said “This is what you are allowing. This is the animal cruelty that you aid and abet. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
This comes after the Federal Governmnet failed to table draft versions of the Moss Review into Live Exports on Monday night, as was ordered by the Senate when it passed Senator Faruqi’s motion last week.
 

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called the announcement from live exporters that they will a impose three-month ban on sheep trade to the Middle East during northern summer as too little, too late.
In reaction to the voluntary suspension, Senator Faruqi said:
“While welcome, to be frank this is too little, too late. We know that this is the last ditch attempt for the live export to save itself before it is consigned to the history books forever.
“A voluntary and self imposed suspension over the Northern Summer is wholly inadequate and can be overturned at any time. History has shown we cannot let the industry regulate itself. The only option we have is to phase out the industry and transition to a chilled meat industry.
“My bill to ban the live export of has passed the Senate. The Government can stonewall and run protection for only so long. It’s time they allowed a free vote so we can end this cruel trade once and for all,” she concluded.

Australia must strengthen environmental laws, backed up by real investment, if it is to heed the recommendations of last week’s UN Biodiversity Conference in Egypt.
“The Senate has heard the UN’s clear signal to the world that our planet is in the midst of an extinction crisis,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“The Government must listen to the experts who say we are at a tipping point in protecting the environment and our biodiversity, not put their heads in the sand. We need environmental laws with teeth, backed by real funding, if we want to be part of a global solution.
“The World Wildlife Fund has called out Australia as one of the worst biodiversity managers on the planet. We have a responsibility to our unique flora and fauna, to reverse this harrowing trend of extinction.
“Australia would fail to explain to future generations and the rest of the world, if the koala was driven to extinction. We have the golden opportunity to be the generation that saves the planet and the myriad species that live here.
“The Greens are fighting for urgent action on climate change, and to protect our environment and biodiversity, while the Morrison Government further abandons the environment.”
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young’s motion, below, passed the Senate this afternoon.

That the Senate— notes that

1.      The 14^th United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (the Conference) took place in Egypt from the 13^th to the 29^th of November 2018.

2.      The United Nations Report to the Conference demonstrated that Australia is failing to meet international targets, especially in parts of the country where land clearing and habitat destruction are widespread.

3.      The World Wildlife Fund also issued a report as part of the Conference that placed Australia amongst the worst performers on biodiversity in a group of 100 nations.

4.      The Conference called on governments to scale up investments in nature and people towards 2020 and beyond and to accelerate action to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Targets by 2020.

 Calls on the government heed the recommendations of the Conference.

Greens climate and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, has welcomed Labor’s decision to back his Coal-Fired Power Funding Prohibition Bill, introduced into the House of Representatives yesterday.
The bill will prevent the government from underwriting either new or existing coal-fired power stations and will stop any indemnification of coal-fired power stations against a future carbon price or policy to limit emissions. The government has flagged that it may provide such support.
Mr Bandt said he will now continue talks with the crossbench to secure majority support and passage of the bill through the Parliament.
“This bill is as financially responsible as it is environmentally responsible,” said Mr Bandt.
“This power-sharing Parliament must act to stop the government from recklessly exposing taxpayers to huge liabilities by underwriting coal.
“If we move this week, we have an opportunity to halt the government’s rush to sign contracts over Christmas.”

Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale has congratulated Sen. Larissa Waters on her return to the position of Co-Deputy Leader of the Greens, a position she vacated as a result of her resignation from the Parliament over questions of eligibility under Section 44 of the constitution.
“It’s wonderful to see Larissa resume her role as Co-Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens. Losing Larissa was a huge blow to the party and to the Parliament, so it’s wonderful to be able to welcome her back to this leadership position and put that chapter well and truly behind us.
“Larissa brings a wealth of experience to the parliamentary leadership team, as well as a long a distinguished track record as an advocate for the environment, women and transparency in Government. I’m confident that she’ll bring her unique voice to the position and that our party room will be richer for it.
“I’d like to thank Sen Rachel Siewert for all her hard work in the role, which she took up in addition to her duties as Party Whip. Rachel is a tireless advocate for Australia’s first peoples, as well as for the millions of Australians receiving Government support, and she has elevated their voices in our party room.
“I’m so honoured to be returning to the Co-Deputy leadership of the Greens, a party with the vision and commitment for a fairer and more sustainable future for all of us. I’m pleased that the women’s portfolio is now back in party leadership at a most pivotal time for women, not just in politics in Australia but across a range of issues impacting women’s equality around the world,” Sen. Waters said.
Adam Bandt MP will remain in his position as Co-Deputy Leader.
Sen. Rachel Siewert continues as Party Whip.

Australian Greens climate and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, says the Morrison government must heed Sir David Attenborough’s warning that climate change is a threat to human civilisation.
Mr Bandt also called on the government to avoid being a wrecker at the climate conference.
Attenborough’s warning came in the opening sessions of the UN global climate summit in Katowice, Poland. The representatives of the world’s countries are seeking agreement on the ‘rulebook’ that will implement the Paris Agreement to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees.
“Scott Morrison must heed Sir David Attenborough’s warning,” Mr Bandt said today.
“Human civilisation is at risk. We must take emergency action on climate change, starting with keeping coal in the ground.”
“The government and Labor’s support for the Adani coal mine flies in the face of Sir David’s warning.”
“I have seen first-hand Australia’s antics at previous climate summits, supporting loopholes to let the big polluters off the hook. Australia must stop being a wrecker in Poland.”

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today introduced the Coal-Fired Power Funding Prohibition Bill 2018 into the House of Representatives, which prevents the Commonwealth from providing financial assistance to coal-fired power plants. The scope of Mr Bandt’s bill is intended to be wide enough to prevent the government using the mechanisms outlined in the Underwriting new generation investments consultation paper to underwrite and provide financial support to coal-fired power stations.
“It isn’t just environmentally irresponsible to bankroll coal-fired power stations, it is economically reckless.
“The government shouldn’t be trying to shovel money to coal-fired power stations in the few months left before the election.
“Propping up aging, unreliable coal-fired power stations won’t just make climate change worse, but it will make our grid less reliable and expose the taxpayer to significant liability.
“To satisfy its coal-hugging backbench, the government is even offering to indemnify coal companies against the ‘carbon risk’ of future greenhouse policies.
“The taxpayer will be left paying for stranded assets and compensating big polluters.
“We need to urgently pass this legislation to prevent the government from signing contracts over summer to build new coal-fired power.

Despite promising before the Wentworth by-election that removing discrimination in schools was an urgent priority, the Morrison government has teamed up with Centre Alliance to ensure discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, teachers and staff in schools remains, say Greens.
“We saw an outrageous display from the Morrison government teaming up with Centre Alliance to push the discrimination-free schools bill off the agenda today. This means the parliament won’t deal with discrimination in schools until next year,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“Before the Wentworth by-election the Prime Minister promised he would remove discrimination from schools as a matter of urgency. This is yet another lie from the Prime Minister.”
“The dirty tricks displayed today demonstrate a desperate Scott Morrison’s willingness to play games with the lives of LGBTQ+ people.”
“Schools should be discrimination-free for all LGBTQ+ people – that means students, teachers and staff.”
“The Greens were ready to act today to remove discrimination against teachers as well as students, as is supported by three quarters of the Australian population. It is so disappointing that political games and dirty tricks have delayed this long overdue reform.”