Month: September 2024

Appeal to locate missing boy – West Wallsend

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a young boy missing from the state’s Hunter Region.

Alexander – also known as Alex – Curran, aged 11, was last seen about 8.50pm today (Saturday 7 September 2024) at West Wallsend.

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare due to his young age and that he lives with a medical condition.

Alexander is described as Caucasian appearance, about 150cm tall, of thin build and short brown hair.

He was last seen wearing dark blue pyjamas with Dungeons and Dragons logos.

Alexander is known to frequent the West Wallsend area.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to contact Belmont Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Another Hunter Valley earthquake sounds alarms on Coalition’s nuclear scheme 

The third earthquake in two weeks in NSW’s Hunter Valley today highlights the serious questions about the Liberal National Coalition’s plans for nuclear reactors they are still refusing to answer, says Solutions for Climate Australia.

The earthquake’s epicentre was again very close to the existing Liddell power station, where the Coalition aims to build at least one nuclear reactor. Solutions for Climate Australia Senior Campaigner Elly Baxter said the Coalition has not answered the many questions already raised about safety, emergency response, radioactive waste and water availability at the site.

“Five of the seven sites proposed by the Coalition as suitable for nuclear reactors experience earthquake activity,” Baxter said. “Their energy spokesman Ted O’Brien told ABC Radio Newcastle that a nuclear reactor at Liddell would not proceed if it was deemed unsafe, but what about the four other sites? If these sites are ruled out, where will the Coalition build their nuclear reactors? And will those communities be informed ahead of the federal election?

“Meanwhile, the safety issues we raised two weeks ago remain unanswered. Would local firefighting volunteers handle the nuclear material? What training would local firefighting volunteers receive in handling nuclear radiation? Who would train them? Would the army come in to help? 

“How would iodine tablets be distributed to locals to try to reduce cancer risk? What would be the fallout zone and where would the local emergency staging area be? Where would nuclear refugees be accommodated?

“Would the Federal Government be responsible for the emergency management given under the Liberal National policy, the Federal Government would own the nuclear reactor?

“What would happen to the radioactive waste and who would be responsible for that? Where would the enormous volume of water come from to deal with the toxic, radioactive emergency?

“The safety issues highlighted by these earthquakes only compound our concerns that nuclear reactors will take far too long to build to protect Australians from the worst impacts of climate change.”

Emergency services alerted to earthquake near Muswellbrook

NSW Police and other emergency services have been alerted to an earthquake in the Hunter Valley this morning (Saturday 7 September 2024).

The earthquake recorded a magnitude of 4.7 near Muswellbrook.

Officers from Hunter Valley Police District have not been made aware of injury or damage to infrastructure.

Residents are advised to alert their local relevant authorities of any injury or damage.

NSW Labor abandons Closing the Gap targets as First Nations Remand numbers soar

During Budget Estimates it was revealed that the rates of First Nations children and young people on remand in the 12 months since June 2023 have increased by 43%. Of that figure, 29.8% of First Nations people are on remand for car theft, while 21.1% for break and enter. These figures reveal that not only are more First Nations children and young people coming into contact with the justice system since June last year, but that these young people are in remand due to the highly controversial changes to the bail laws that were rushed through the Parliament in April this year.

Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (Target 11), the NSW Government is committed to reducing the rate of young First Nations people in detention by at least 30 percent.

Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said “We knew these laws were wrong when they were strong-armed through Parliament in April, but to see this soaring increase of young First Nations people in prison just months later, is absolutely devastating and damning,”

“First Nations people are already grossly overrepresented in the criminal justice system and we know the catastrophic impacts of this fact. Now shock-jock law-making has made certain that even more First Nations kids will be thrown into prison and it’s Premier Chris Minns and the Attorney General Michale Daley who have done this., This is what political failure looks like,”

“The increase in children and young people behind bars is worse than predicted, and it’s only half the story. The reality is that the majority of the children and young people locked up are likely there because they were denied bail under the changes NSW Labor rushed through NSW Parliament earlier this year,”

“We know that once a child or young person comes into contact with the criminal justice system their lives are irreversibly changed for the worse. These young, vulnerable people who need protection and care will more than likely cycle through our prison system for decades at an enormous emotional cost to themselves, their families and our communities,”

“NSW Labor is shattering any chance this state has of meeting our Closing the Gap targets. It is farcical for this Government to stand up and say they are committed to reducing youth incarceration rates on one hand, and on the other, legislate punitive law-and-order responses to lock away First Nations children and young people,”

“Under these laws these children have been targeted and rounded up like lambs to the slaughter. It is sickening how calculated the effects of these laws are, and this data reveals this in black and white,” Ms Higginson said.

Labor Letting the RBA Crash the Economy

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is sitting on his hands while the RBA is causing massive pain to young people and mortgage holders and deliberately risking a recession, the Greens say.

“Jim Chalmers and Wayne Swan are making noise about high interest rates, but Labor is giving the RBA free rein to crash the economy and punish Australians,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“If Labor really cared about people being smashed by rising rates, they’d stop siding with the RBA and use the power they have to bring down interest rates.”

“By not only refusing to do anything to change course, and actively trying to water down his own power to intervene, Jim Chalmers is showing he is happy to let the RBA send Australians to the wall.”

“Labor could introduce a super-profits tax to take the pressure off inflation, but they’re too busy protecting their corporate mates.”

“Labor is more interested in letting the big corporations make out like bandits than in using its power to stop this looming recession. It’s reckless and morally indefensible.”

Frontline services funding is welcome, but one in four women still not getting the help they need

Today’s National Cabinet announcement brings total funding for the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children to $3.7 billion over 5 years, plus additional money for legal services.

Any funding increase for the frontline responders to the national crisis of violence against women is welcome, but today’s announcement still leaves frontline services underfunded, with one in four women who seek help at risk of being turned away.

Australian Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women, Senator Larissa Waters

“Today’s funding shortfall still leaves one in four women at risk of being turned away from a frontline family, domestic and sexual violence service.

“While today’s announcement offers a modest improvement ($351 federal money, matched by states) on funding for frontline services, with a new total of $3.7 billion federal funding under the National Plan over 5 years, it’s still only 75% of the $1 billion each year that the women’s safety sector needs.

“Money on paper is no guarantee that services will actually receive the money – previous federal funding under the Plan has disappeared into state government administration with no transparency on where it ends up – and services say they aren’t getting it.

“Likewise the promised 500 federally funded frontline workers have still not materialised.

“It’s disappointing that National Cabinet kicked the can down the road on alcohol sales, and that there is still prevarication from the federal government on regulating gambling advertising.

“We welcome funding to establish national standards for men’s behaviour change, something the Greens have asked for for several years.

“On the legal services funding of $3.9 billion over five years, we will examine the detail once it becomes available, but it was concerning to hear the PM note that only $500 million will go towards additional workers for the legal sector. We know that 1,000 women are turned away from women’s legal services each week, and we fear $500 million will not fix that. 

“This is about priorities. If Labor funded just one less nuclear submarine they would have more than the amount required to fully fund frontline family, domestic and sexual violence services.

“They could scrap the $11 billion annually they are currently handing to the fossil fuel industry. Or the $15.9 billion annually to property investors. 

“Women are missing out when submarines, gas companies and property barons are showered with public money.”

Statement on Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes and Genocide in Tigray

The Australian Greens are deeply concerned about the situation in Tigray and the findings of human rights abuses that are detailed in the New Lines Institute report Genocide in Tigray: Serious breaches of international law in the Tigray conflict, Ethiopia, and paths to accountability. 

This report found that since the beginning of the Ethiopian-Tigrayan conflict in 2020, around 700,000 Tigrayans have been killed, with civilians making up the majority of the death poll. The report also found that over 2.5 million people have been internally displaced, 10,000 women and girls have been subject to gender based violence, and only 3% of health facilities have been left functioning. This has resulted in up to 5 million people needing emergency food assistance and over 40,000 people facing famine-like conditions. We have heard accounts of inequitable and ineffective aid distribution, which has resulted in essential humanitarian aid not being delivered to people who need it. 

There have been credible claims that the actions taken by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces against Tigrayans amount to genocide. There is also credible evidence that members of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front have committed war crimes. This is highly disturbing, and accountability for perpetrators must be delivered. 

The Australian Greens believe that the Australian Government must always act to prevent and oppose violations of human rights law, ensure individuals, entities or states that violate human rights law are held accountable and that urgency and transparency are crucial when delivering emergency aid and humanitarian relief. 

The Australian Greens recognise that the Australian-Tigrayan community are frustrated by the lack of coverage given to this crisis by the Australian media and the insufficient action taken by the Australian government, especially in comparison to other international conflicts. 

We are calling on the Australian Government to use its role in international forums to actively support efforts to ensure accountability for perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Tigray. We are also calling on the Australian Government to review the distribution of Australian aid in Tigray. 

The Australian Greens are in solidarity with the Tigray community, and will continue to oppose violence, human rights abuses, and war crimes in Tigray and wherever they occur.

Greens Statement on COP29

The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) will convene in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The Australia Greens do not support the decision of the United Nations to host this event in Azerbaijan.  

The Azerbaijan government has a long history of human rights abuses against its own citizens and provocations and violations on the world stage. This includes the violent crackdown on environmental protests and the illegal annexation of the Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. 

Azerbaijan’s economy is highly dependent on the export of oil and gas. Not only are these exports contributing to the climate crisis, they are also empowering and enriching the corrupt regime of President Aliyev. 

It is concerning that so far the organisers have refused to release details of the Host Country Agreement, this means it is unclear what steps, if any, Azerbaijan is taking to protect human rights during the conference. 

The Australian Greens believe the United Nation’s organisers should have selected a different host country for COP29 – it’s unacceptable that this conference is happening in a country that commits human rights abuses, and profits off the climate crisis. The UN must publicly release the details of the Host Country Agreement. 

Irrational and illogical international student caps must go

After the third hearing on the ESOS bill Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Greens Leader and spokesperson for Higher Education, has said that the more that is revealed about this bill, the bigger a train wreck it is.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

“It’s crystal clear the opposition to this chaotic and reckless bill is pretty universal. 

“The government is hell bent on strangling the higher education sector in their bullish attempt to achieve a migration outcome which has absolutely nothing to do with international education.

“The higher education sector will be collateral damage in this race to the bottom on migration between Labor and the Liberals.

“Gaping holes in the caps, perverse outcomes, uncertainties, unknown inconsistencies and a lack of consultation are just some of the flaws that make this bill and the whole policy process a complete mess.

“The government must scrap the caps, immediately get rid of Ministerial Direction 107 and go back to the drawing board.” 

Humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh

The Australian Government will provide more than $1.8 million for humanitarian relief and emergency supplies in response to the recent flooding in Bangladesh.

Almost 6 million people have been affected by the flooding, and livelihoods have been devastated as agricultural fields and fishponds are submerged by flood waters.

Essential services including communication and transport networks are disrupted, providing a further challenge to response efforts.

More than half a million people have been displaced and are sheltering in flood evacuation centres, where overcrowding and temporary structures have heightened protection concerns, especially for women and girls.

Australian assistance will be directed through Oxfam and BRAC, a Bangladeshi NGO and one of the world’s largest non-government organisations. Our contribution will ensure the most vulnerable, including women, children and people with disabilities can access lifesaving assistance.

In addition to today’s announcement, Australia welcomes the release of USD17.7 million (approximately AUD26.4 million) from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to respond to crises in Bangladesh in 2024. Australia is a top 10 donor to the CERF.