In respect of the ministerial statement on industry and manufacturing, I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I rise to make a brief contribution on this urgency motion. What a relief. The US election result is a good thing for humanity. Donald Trump is a poisonous force in global politics. While it has become something of a cliche to say that Trump is a symptom not the cause of the far Right extremism he represents, it's also clear that the racism and white supremacy he stands for have been dealt a big blow. We can't dismiss the symbolic and practical importance of his removal from office. All who believe in equity, freedom, social justice and climate justice cheered on Trump's defeat.

Media Release: Senate casts doubt on proposed changes to lending laws

November 9, 2020

The Senate today supported a Greens motion condemning the government for abandoning the key recommendation of the Banking Royal Commission.

“The Senate has today cast doubt on whether the government has the numbers to tear up responsible lending obligations, which was one of its major budget announcements,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

I rise on behalf of the Greens to speak on the Economic Recovery Package (JobMaker Hiring Credit) Amendment Bill 2020. Everyone has a right to a liveable income and a right to a safe, secure and meaningful job that pays them decent wages to live a good life. Even before the pandemic, we should have been really concerned about unemployment in Australia. In March 2020, the national unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent and was even higher for young people, at 11.6 per cent. The underemployment crisis has been one which has been hidden for far too long.

In less than thirty days of mutual obligations being re-instated after they were suspended due to the covid pandemic 74,434 payments have been suspended by Centrelink. 
 
Estimates has revealed that 12,137 First Nations peoples, 6,334 single parents, 13,169 disabled people 9,100 homeless people and 12,135 culturally and linguistically diverse people are among those that have had a payment suspended within the first month of mutual obligations returning. 
 

The Greens have backed calls from animal welfare groups and an equine veterinarian for an independent investigation and necropsy report into the death of the racehorse Anthony Van Dyck following Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup race.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens spokesperson for Animal Welfare, said:

“Tuesday’s race was horrific. There are serious questions to answer about this racehorse death. There must be no industry cover-up.

Australian Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the death of the Melbourne Cup racehorse Anthony Van Dyck.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is the brutal reality of horse racing. Anthony Van Dyck’s death is a tragic but hardly unforeseeable outcome. Seven horses have now died as a result of the last eight Melbourne Cup races.

“Horse racing is deadly and completely inhumane. We need to shut this industry down.

“Killing horses for entertainment is barbaric. There is no place for commercial horse racing in our society.

The RBA’s decision to cut interest rates to new historic lows and start a new round of quantitative easing is a vote of no confidence in the Government’s recovery plans, Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“This decision shows the RBA has no faith in the Liberals’ agenda of tax cuts for the super wealthy and more handouts for the big corporate polluters,” Senator McKim said.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, has said the Government’s much anticipated response to growing concern about rorts in parliament looked like a protection racket for politicians that would fail to discourage and root out corrupt behaviour.

Instead of the government’s toothless model, Mr Bandt called on Morrison to allow debate on the Greens model for a Federal ICAC, which has been approved by both integrity experts and the Senate. It has already passed the upper house and could become legislation by next Monday.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, and Greens Senate Leader and Queensland Senator, Larissa Waters, have said the success of the Queensland Greens at last night’s election showed the increasing momentum for progressive change, following on from major gains in the ACT last month, putting the party in strong contention for further Senate and lower house seats at the next Federal election.