Month: December 2018

Today’s National Accounts for the September quarter 2018 show the strength of the Australian economy and the strong economic management of the Liberal National Government.
We have completed our 27th consecutive year of economic growth, the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.0 per cent and nearly 1.2 million jobs have been created under the Coalition Government. The strength of the Australian economy has recently been recognised by the International Monetary Fund, the OECD and through our AAA credit rating being reaffirmed.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, real GDP grew by 0.3 per cent in the September quarter and by 2.8 per cent through the year and this sees Australia growing faster than the OECD average and all of the G7 nations except the United States.
Growth continues to be broad-based with household consumption, dwelling investment, net exports and new public final demand contributing to growth. These were partially offset by a significant fall in mining investment as the last of the major LNG projects near completion.
New public investment grew by 5.1 per cent in the quarter to be 4.0 per cent higher through the year. Public investment will continue to be underpinned by the Government’s record $75 billion infrastructure rollout.
Compensation of employees, which records total wages and salaries across the economy, rose by 1.0 per cent in the quarter to be 4.3 per cent higher through the year. Growth was driven by strength in employment.
Because of the Coalition’s strong economic management we will deliver next April the first budget surplus in more than a decade.
The strength of the Australian economy is no accident. The Government’s plan of lower taxes and stronger economic growth is working and today’s numbers show the strength of the Australian economy is helping to provide the essential services all Australians rely on.

The Senate has passed a motion celebrating the first anniversary of marriage equality being passed in the parliament. The motion also noted the harm caused by the postal survey and that LGBTIQ+ people still face daily discrimination.
“I’m pleased to be celebrating the first anniversary of marriage equality passing parliament,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“While this anniversary is a momentous occasion, we must remember the harm caused to LGBTIQ+ people, our families and our communities by the unnecessary postal survey and debate over our human rights.”
“The historic marriage equality vote was the culmination of decades of tireless campaigning by LGBTIQ+ leaders, activists and organisations.”
“It’s important to acknowledge, a year on from marriage equality, the fight for LGBTIQ+ rights is not over. The current debate over whether LGBTIQ+ people should be free from discrimination in religious schools simply because of who they are illustrates this.”
“I’m proud that the Greens have always stood with LGBTIQ+ leaders and activists, fighting for recognition of our relationships and families, while the major parties spent years and years denying LGBTIQ+ people our rights.”
“The Greens have always stood with LGBTIQ+ people and we always will. We won’t rest until we remove every discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people in our laws and in our society.”
—
Motion
Senators Rice and Pratt: To move — That the Senate —
(a) notes that:
(i) 7 December 2018 marks the first anniversary of marriage equality in Australia,
(ii) this resounding ‘yes’ vote is something to be celebrated, as is the passing of marriage equality in Australia,
(iii) the postal survey in itself is not to be celebrated, as it was opposed by the majority of LGBTIQ+ Australians and caused a lot of harm to LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families,
(iv) the  historic ‘yes’ vote and the passing of marriage equality was the result of decades of tireless campaigning by brave community leaders and activists, and
(v) marriage equality is not the end of the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families, many of whom still face discrimination in their daily lives; and
(b) calls on all parliamentarians to continue to work to end discrimination against LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families in all areas of their lives.

Last week’s rollover of the New South Wales native forest logging laws for another 20 years is nothing short of criminal.
“This disastrous rollover of last century’s Regional Forest Agreements signs the death warrant for threatened species and gives woodchippers everything they have ever wanted – all their Christmases come at once,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens forests spokesperson.
“These laws lock in the destructive practices of the last 20 years of native forest logging and will guarantee the death of rare and endangered animals and birds. More forest will be destroyed year on year to meet the guarantee of wood for the woodchippers.”
“This directly puts the survival of critically endangered species like the Swift Parrot into question.”
The independent review into the logging laws acknowledges that the majority of people who made submissions did not want the logging laws extended, but instead of listening to the community the Government just steamrolled over their concerns for their mates in the forest products industry.

The Senate has today called on federal Environment Minister Melissa Price to conduct a full assessment of the Lake Malbena development, including public consultation.
Greens Senator Nick McKim successfully passed a motion that pointed out the major problems with the development and approvals process.
“This development represents the privatisation of some of the most precious areas of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” Senator McKim said.
“The people of Tasmania are clear – they don’t support this development.”
“Nor do they support the selling out of our magnificent wilderness.”
“It is now incumbent on the Minister to call this project in.”

Australian Greens spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters, on the Morrison Government legislating for 5 days’ unpaid domestic and family violence leave, which unanimously passed the Senate earlier today:
“The Government has missed an opportunity to actually protect women and children from the epidemic of violence against them in their homes.
“Women escaping DV need at least 10 days’ paid leave so they can keep themselves and their family safe without financial insecurity.
“The Greens’ amendments for 10 days’ paid leave would’ve given workers what they deserve and I look forward to delivering that once this pathetic government is turfed out.”
Of course recent studies have suggested that the so-called epidemic of DV is an invention of political interests. In recent high prestige studies Australian women were found to statistically feel safe. Compared to other countries the level of domestic violence in Australia is actually very good. In this debate no one is talking about the deaths of men only women to try to establish that murder is a woman only problem.

Tasmanian Greens Senators Nick McKim and Peter Whish-Wilson have tabled the Senate’s largest ever petition, calling for takayna/Tarkine to be protected as a World Heritage Area.
“takayna/Tarkine is a precious part of Tasmania that should be looked after on behalf of the entire world,” Senator McKim said.
“Some 270,000 people have signed this petition, which just shows the depth of feeling about takayna across Tasmania, Australia and the world.”
“We invite Prime Minister Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to visit takayna/Tarkine and see for themselves why this area is worthy of World Heritage protection.”
Senator Whish-Wilson said:
“takayna is a place of incredible natural and Aboriginal heritage value.”
“It is one of the last strongholds for the Tasmanian devil and contains one of Australia’s largest temperate rainforests.”
“It’s time for the Labor and Liberal parties to step up.”
“We thank the Bob Brown Foundation and Patagonia for their ongoing campaign to protect takayna.”

The Labor and Liberal parties have refused to support including the impacts of climate change in the flawed Murray Darling Basin Plan in the Senate today.
“Labor says they’re taking climate change seriously, but they refuse to acknowledge it affects the Murray Darling Basin,” Greens water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“A party that takes climate change seriously does not side with an anti-science, climate denying Government to sell out the Murray.
“The Murray Darling Basin Plan is in tatters. It has been rife with corruption, water theft, and the simple fact it does not account for climate change proves it was set up to fail.
“South Australians know too well how important the Murray is to our state; to our drinking water, our environments, and our communities.
“We are experiencing climate change right here, right now. Our country is becoming drier and hotter and our river needs protecting. The major parties continue to turn their backs on South Australians who want a strong, healthy river.”
Labor voted with the Morrison Government against Senator Hanson-Young’s below motion:
That the Senate— notes that

1. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan (The Plan) has come under serious scrutiny from both the South Australian Royal Commission and the recent inquiry by the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport.
2. The Plan has no provisions to address the impacts of climate change on the Murray-Darling Basin.

Calls on the government to take the threat of climate change seriously and include the impacts of climate change within The Plan.