Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said the findings of the latest Mapping Social Cohesion report, which highlight a substantial increase in Australians’ concerns about racism, should drive government action. 60% of people now say racism is a big problem, up from 40% just last year.

Senator Faruqi said:

“People are more and more worried about rising racism in the community.

The Greens are urging the Morrison Government to listen to the live music and entertainment industry groups who are again today pleading for a government-backed insurance scheme.

Greens Arts Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who has laws before the parliament to establish a live performance insurance guarantee said:

“The Morrison Government’s failure to heed the live performance industry’s calls and warnings about the consequences of being uninsured has left it in an incredibly perilous position heading into the festival season.

History will look poorly on Australia and other wealthy countries for their complete and utter failure to support low-income countries in getting vaccinated. This is a complete abrogation of our responsibility to other countries, many of whom already suffer because of the colonial legacies that have left them in poverty.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:14): My question without notice is to Senator Payne, the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Minister, countries in southern Africa are grappling with the new omicron COVID variant, while also suffering low vaccination rates.

Australian Greens International Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the emergence of the Omicron variant has put further pressure on Australia to co-sponsor an intellectual property waiver on Covid-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

At its upcoming ministerial meetings, the WTO will consider the intellectual property waiver first proposed by India and South Africa more than one year ago.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Greens have pledged to keep fighting against South Australia being a dumping ground for nuclear waste, despite the Morrison Government declaring Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula its chosen site today.

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The Morrison-Joyce Government has officially decided to dump radioactive waste on Kimba on SA’s Eyre Peninsula, home to some of the country’s best agricultural land.

The Greens have called on the Western Australian Government to delay the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill until the national standard is agreed to by the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance announced by the Government today.

Yamatji Noongar woman and Greens Senator for WA Dorinda Cox said the national body would establish a true co-design process for law reform that would genuinely protect cultural heritage, not become another permit to damage, which the proposed WA Bill will continue to do.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to the Morrison Government’s announcement today it will introduce new laws in relation to online trolls and defamation, calling for the legislation to be sent to a senate inquiry: 

“The Greens have been calling for greater regulation of the tech giants for a long time. There is clearly a big problem with abuse and slurs on social media. 

The Greens have slammed the Morrison Government’s 2021 national gas infrastructure plan as exposing its Net Zero 2050 pledge as a short term ruse to fool the US and UK in Glasgow.

Despite the IEA’s repeated calls for no new coal mines or gas fields to meet net zero by 2050, the plan is hoping to open three new gas basins (Beetaloo,  Gunnedah and North Bowen-Galilee basins) and build up to eleven new gas transmission pipelines spanning thousands of kilometres across the country. 

The Greens have vowed to block Scott Morrison’s religious discrimination bill, saying it was a Trojan horse for hate that went well beyond a shield to protect people with religious beliefs, calling on Labor and Senators to join them in blocking it.

Lines from Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP:

“Scott Morrison’s bill means more discrimination, not less.

“Scott Morrison has a bill for more discrimination but no bill to stop corruption.

“The bill overrides State and Territory protections and makes bigoted hate speech legal.