Greens are alone in concern for Australia’s heritage
09/02/2012 - 2:22pm

The Government and the Opposition made it clear today that preserving Australia’s heritage is low on their agenda, the Greens said.

Both sides voted against a motion by Greens’ spokesperson for cultural heritage, Senator Penny Wright, which called on the Government to extend the life of the Register of the National Estate, which will expire in 10 days, leaving many heritage sites without protection.

 “It’s quite clear that the Greens are alone in their concern about what will happen to the protection and preservation of the 13,000 natural, historic and Indigenous heritage places listed on the Register once it has expired,” Senator Wright said.

 “We suspect that most of these places have not been transferred to other appropriate registers to ensure their protection, but neither the Government nor the Opposition have shown they are willing to extend the life of the Register beyond 19 February.  

 “Australians value their heritage but sadly this is not reflected by the Federal Government, who cut funding to the Heritage Department by 30 per cent in the last Budget, seriously undermining its ability to carry out its work.

 “The operation of the Register must be extended because thousands of precious heritage sites are at risk of losing their protection and they are a vital part of our national identity.”

Answers needed on future of heritage places
09/02/2012 - 8:32am

The Government urgently needs to provide answers on what will happen to thousands of natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage places when the Register of the National Estate expires next week, the Greens said.

“The Government has had five years to oversee the process of transferring these places onto other appropriate heritage registers, but our inquiries suggest the process is far from complete”, Greens spokesperson for cultural heritage, Senator Penny Wright, said.

“It is highly likely that many important heritage places will be left without any legislative protection as of February 19.  This is not good enough.

 “I have written two letters to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Tony Burke seeking clarification on these important matters, but the Minister is either unable or unwilling to answer my questions.

“This matter is becoming more urgent by the day.

“Today, I will move a motion in the Senate calling on the Government to extend the transition period for phasing out the Register by one year.

“We need to act now because once our heritage is gone, it cannot be brought back.”

Time is ticking for mental health services: Greens
09/02/2012 - 8:29am

The countdown is on for the Government to ensure patients don’t miss out on crucial mental health treatment when the reinstated sessions for the Better Access program finish at the end of the year, the Greens said.

Greens spokesperson for mental health, Senator Penny Wright, officially withdrew a motion to disallow cuts to the program today after the Government announced last week they would re-instate six additional sessions in exceptional circumstances as an interim measure.

“The reinstatement of six additional sessions in exceptional circumstances is a positive compromise and something that the Greens have been pushing hard for,” Senator Wright said.

“But for people relying on treatment under the Better Access program, the clock is already ticking again.

 “Before the Government’s compromise, we had a situation where many consumers were facing the threat of not having access to adequate treatment.

“And we will have the same situation again if other programs such as ATAPS and youth mental health programs are not geared up to meet the need out there, as was the case this time.

“The Government needs to ensure these programs are ready come January 1 next year. Consumers cannot wait until five to twelve again to find out whether they will be able to access the treatment they need, at a price they can afford.

“It is imperative that the Government identify what needs to be done to get services up to speed and then get it done quickly before time runs out.”

SA must continue to ‘Step Up’ on mental health
08/02/2012 - 8:18am

The South Australian Government must ensure that its long-term priorities for the state’s mental health services do not slip off the radar when its five-year “Stepping Up” plan ends next month, South Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright said.

Senator Wright today supported the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia’s call for a further plan committed to addressing the many aspects of mental health including links to vital services like employment, housing and legal assistance.  

 "We know that people with mental illnesses experience homelessness, poor health and unemployment in greater numbers than the wider population.  Poor mental health and disadvantage are intricately linked and we must have comprehensive, long term planning to address these factors,” Senator Wright, Greens spokesperson for mental health, said.

 “While the Commonwealth Government is in the process of developing its ten year roadmap for mental health, it is crucial that our state and federal governments work together - with the community - to ensure co-ordinated, responsive, effective services for people in need.

“Good mental health planning from all governments is about so much more than just clinical treatment.  It’s about a whole-of-person approach, which includes a person’s health, housing and employment needs so they have the best chance of recovery and can fully participate in community life.  

“When every South Australian can participate in community life to their full potential, we will all benefit."

Government must get to work on equality laws
03/02/2012 - 7:26am

The Government needs to listen closely to concerns raised by Australian human rights organisations when it comes to strengthening equality laws, the Australian Greens said.

“Submissions to the Federal Attorney-General’s department regarding its proposed consolidation of anti-discrimination laws closed yesterday, so today is when the work really needs to start,” Greens legal spokesperson, Senator Penny Wright, said.

“Unfortunately, discrimination remains pervasive in Australia today.

“Discrimination can be extremely debilitating. It often means that people are excluded from accessing essential social and economic activities that enable them to participate fully in society.

“If the government is serious about creating a more inclusive and fairer Australia it must effectively address discrimination and inequality in our community. An essential starting point is strengthening our equality laws.

“Strengthening equality laws to ensure better consistency in the law and increased protection against discrimination must be a priority for the government this year.”