Month: September 2023

The Greens welcome the passage of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Services bills in the Senate today. 

These bills are an important step in the right direction, but we need to see further reforms to parliamentary culture, including an enforceable Code of Conduct for politicians and senior staff, rolled out nationally as a matter of urgency.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“We wouldn’t be debating these bills or any of the preceding workplace reforms to address sexual harassment in the last few years were it not for the bravery of young female parliamentary staff; Brittany Higgins, Dhanya Mani, Chelsey Potter, Rachelle Miller, Tessa Sullivan, Josie Coles, women who have survived sexual harassment or abuse at work, survivors like Saxon Mullins, and those who fight to keep students safe on campus Sharna Bremner and Nina Funnell, so many other women and some men whose strength and resilience is driving this change. 

“The Set the Standard report found that one-in-three parliamentary staffers in this building had experienced some form of sexual harassment, as had many female parliamentarians.
This is unacceptable. Everyone has a right to a safe workplace. Whether that is in parliament house or anywhere else. 

“One of the hurdles identified in Set the Standards was that staff are reluctant to come forward if there is no real prospect that an MP will be sanctioned. Consequences are crucial.

“Passing these bills today is a step in the right direction, but it is a tiny step. Cultural diversity is still lacking in our workplace. Parliament is still not a safe, equal, inclusive and respectful workplace for everyone.
 
“The Greens will continue to push for the reforms to parliamentary culture, including an enforceable Code of Conduct for politicians and senior staff, to be rolled out nationally as a matter of urgency.
 
“Both Houses of parliament have now endorsed Codes of Conduct for behaviour, but there is still no independent body to investigate breaches and enforce the Codes.  Work to set up that body that will enforce those Codes, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, is complex, but there is no doubt it’s been too slow.  

“The Greens are disappointed that the original timeframe to establish the IPSC has blown out from October 2023 to February 2024, and we will continue to insist that no further delays occur.
 
“While that work to establish the IPSC is being done, it is a responsibility of every MP to act consistently with the commitments they made when endorsing the Codes, and for all parties to act quickly in response to complaints.”

The Senate inquiry into sexual consent laws has today tabled a unanimous report that recommends an independent taskforce to hold universities to account on sexual violence, as well as an urgent review into the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s response to sexual violence on university campuses.

Among the other recommendations are the inclusion of an affirmative consent standard in any proposal to harmonise Australia’s sexual consent laws, adequate funding and training for Respectful Relationships Education and more sensitive and trauma-informed approaches to sexual violence in the criminal justice system.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“Today’s consensus recommendation for an independent taskforce to hold universities to account on sexual violence is thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates like End Rape on Campus, Fair Agenda and The STOP Campaign, and the many witnesses who shared their experiences with the committee.

“It is abundantly clear that Universities Australia and TEQSA have not been up to the task of responding to sexual assault on university campuses or residential halls. 

“Students need to know their safety is being taken seriously. Parents need to know their kids are safe in residential halls. Universities need to be forced to take action.

“We know that an alarming number of people still disbelieve or victim-blame survivors of assault. Sexual consent education in schools can help dismantle this persistent rape culture and ensure everyone understands that only informed and enthusiastic consent means yes. 

“Everyone has the right to age-appropriate, evidence-based sexual and consent education. And we are so pleased to see the recommendation for ongoing funding to provide Respectful Relationships Education and investment in the Initial Teacher Education Curriculum.

“Nationally, almost nine in 10 incidents of sexual assault are not reported to the police. We need to start addressing the factors that discourage people from reporting, including attitudes towards survivors, unclear laws, and re-traumatising experiences within the justice system.  

“Including an affirmative consent standard in any proposal to harmonise Australia’s sexual consent laws puts the onus on alleged perpetrators, and is a step towards changing the way that rape allegations are treated by police and lawyers. 

“So far we’ve seen commitments from some state governments to strengthen the legal definitions of consent, and to make stealthing an offence. These are good steps forward, but we need to harmonise the laws to ensure cultural change nationwide.

“This inquiry and the recommendations in the report tabled today would not exist without the work of courageous advocates like Saxon Mullins, Nina Funnell, Grace Tame, Chanel Contos, Sharna Bremner, Camille Schloeffel and many more, who have consistently pushed for laws and consent education to be informed by the lived experience of sexual assault victim-survivors.”

Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi said:

“Universities have ignored sexual violence on campus for too long and must be compelled to take meaningful action to not only address violence and support victim-survivors, but to also actively prevent sexual violence on campus. 

“Universities must actively build and promote a culture that does not tolerate sexual assault, violence or harassment of any form.

“The independent taskforce must be established with urgency, and have powers to monitor and evaluate universities, and also impose consequences for universities who are failing to protect students.

“An urgent review into TEQSA’s response to sexual violence on campus is long overdue.

“Thank you to the incredible activists whose unwavering commitment has made these recommendations possible. Now, we need urgent action from the Government. 

“Every student has the right to study in a safe, respectful environment, without fear of being sexually assaulted or harassed. We need to see these recommendations enacted as quickly as possible.”

Ahead of the formal conclusion of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability in Sydney on 15th September 2023, the Greens are calling on the Albanese Government to commit to a clear action plan for achieving disability justice in Australia.

The Disability Royal Commission was established in 2019 after years of sustained pressure from the disability community and Senator Steele-John’s leadership in the Parliament.

Alongside the disability community, the Greens are urging the government to commit to resourcing the implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations.

The Australian Greens are calling for three fundamental actions to end the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of disabled people.

Firstly, there is an urgent need for a dedicated, ongoing mechanism through which disabled people can continue to share their experiences with a body empowered to undertake investigations and make referrals to law enforcement.

Second, the government must establish a federal Minister for Disability. We must have someone focused solely on disability issues, and accountable to the disability community at the ballot box.

Third, collective liberation through an intersectional approach to disability justice must be prioritised across all policy areas. This includes raising the Disability Support Pension addressing its archaic partner laws, and ensuring the NDIS moves away from its exclusionary approach to psychosocial disability.

Lines attributable to Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson on Disability Services, Health and Mental Health:

“The conclusion of the Disability Royal Commission marks a significant milestone for disabled people in this country.

“The disability community has done our bit, now it’s time for Federal and State Governments to do theirs.

“From the many years of tireless advocacy for its establishment to sharing some of the most harrowing experiences of their lives in submissions, the disability community has given so much to this Royal Commission.

“Though the Royal Commission is wrapping up, the work does not end there. In fact, it is really just beginning.

“The only acceptable response to the profound injustices uncovered by the Royal Commission is action. I urge the Albanese Government to prioritise transparency, accountability and justice to ensure the outcomes of this Royal Commission are not forgotten in the corridors of power.

“Reflecting on how far we’ve come together, I’m deeply proud of what we’ve achieved – for disabled people, by disabled people.

“We will be watching closely to ensure justice prevails. And that starts with the Government committing funding for the implementation of the recommendations.”

It has been reported that a staggering 23,000 submissions and comments have been made to the Albanese Government on Labor’s shocking Misinformation Bill. But none of that material has been released to the public, four weeks after submissions closed on August 20.

Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman has referred the Government’s long delays in releasing its Misinformation Bill submissions to the Federal Information Commissioner.

Originally the Government said the submissions would be released after August 20. It then said they would be released in early September. It is now September 15, and still no submissions have been released.

“There has clearly been a wave of opposition to this deeply flawed Misinformation Bill, but we still don’t know what is contained in these submissions. There is no excuse for the submissions still being secret,” Mr Coleman said.

Mr Coleman said he had written to the Information Commissioner to ask her to report on the Government’s failure to publish submissions on this important Bill.

The Australian Information Commissioner Act allows the Commissioner to report on the collection, use, disclosure, management, administration or storage of, or accessibility to, information held by the Government.

In his letter to the Information Commissioner, Mr Coleman wrote:

I am concerned about the Government’s handling of information related to public submissions on the Misinformation Bill. In my view, the conduct of the Government in relation to this matter clearly triggers the provisions of s.7 (a)(i), and should be a matter that your office investigates.

“It is clearly in the public interest for these submissions to be released, so that everyone can understand the views of Australians on this critical issue.”

The Senate inquiry investigating Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games handed down their interim report in the Senate today, revealing para-athletes’ pathway to Paris 2028 Olympics has been destroyed and local communities have been ignored by federal and state Labor governments.

Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie said it was clear that state and federal Labor governments had not meaningfully engaged with local communities.

Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie said it was clear that State and Federal Governments had thrown into doubt the planning, timeline and scope of infrastructure promised to Victorian communities.

“In Victoria, the missed opportunities of the Commonwealth Games have been devastating,” Senator McKenzie said.

“The inquiry heard from some incredibly brave witnesses in Victoria who gave evidence that the Andrews Labor Government had failed to ask them what infrastructure and planning their communities needed, with some stating they felt ignored by a city-centric Government.

“In Queensland, the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s Gabba Redevelopment has left the local community feeling left out of the decision making process and concerned for the future.

“The hosting of Commonwealth and Olympic Games must be for the Australian communities it represents, and not for the government of the day’s pet projects.”

Shadow Minister for Sport Senator Anne Ruston said the inquiry exposed the exceptional disadvantage that the cancellation of the 2026 Victorian Commonwealth Games has created for our athletes, and particularly our para-athletes.

“This Inquiry has been fundamental in providing athletes, sporting bodies and communities with a voice following the incredibly disappointing cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” Senator Ruston said.

“As the CEO of Paralympics Australia testified, the Commonwealth Games are critical for para-athletes to classify for other major international sporting events – You can’t be what you can’t see, and the cancellation of 2026 has created a significant missed opportunity to inspire and encourage Australians living with disability.

“Instead of standing up for our hardworking athletes and para-athletes, the Albanese Labor Government has stuck its head in the sand. It was astounding to hear that the Minister for Sport has not reached out to Commonwealth Games Australia, even following community momentum towards an Australian solution.”

Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, Senator Matthew Canavan said Dan Andrews’ cancellation of the Commonwealth Games was not the Federal Government’s fault but with Australia’s reputation on the line the Australian Government should try to help fix it.

“It is shocking that we are seeing more proactivity from the Gold Coast Mayor than the Federal Government to try to find a solution. The least the Federal Government could do is meet with local and state governments and see what can be done,” Senator Canavan said.

“The Commonwealth Games is of special importance to Pacific Island nations so we should do everything we can to keep the Commonwealth Games in Australia. We should not die wondering on this.

“The Queensland Government needs to do a better job to bring local communities on side with the Games. It would not be a good outcome to have local communities protesting while the Games are on. We have 9 years to build a strong partnership with these communities so there should be no excuses not to make sure all Queenslanders support the Games.”

The report also found that the Victorian Government actively worked to hinder the inquiry and the engagement of other witnesses after the Government declined to participate.

The final report for the Inquiry is due on December 6, 2023.

A link to the interim report can be found here:https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Tabled_Documents/3420