2021 has already been another unexpected, hectic and demanding year in Australian politics. We have seen incredibly brave women like Brittany Higgins speak out against sexism and abuse, and a reckoning of the way women are treated in politics, with women’s marches and reviews that have already led to change. We are seeing the climate crisis in action across the world and Australia’s lack of action shamed on the world stage as we head towards the major climate summit later this year in Glasgow. But we also have seen we are far from over the covid-19 pandemic and our priorities for vaccination as well as protecting those hammered by lockdowns and restrictions at the forefront. We are also focused on how we can rebuild our economy with clean, green jobs, so we can take the urgent action we need to reduce emissions and tackle the climate crisis and we can invest in our essential services and make sure that we don’t leave anyone behind.
Climate Crisis – an existential threat
To address the climate crisis we need leadership, we need a green revolution involving ambitious emissions targets and the urgent halting and reversing of biodiversity loss. Despite Australia being a world leader of extinction and the fourth-largest producer of coal, Scott Morrison has refused to commit to any of these targets or goals. Once again Morrison is ensuring that Australia will be left lagging well behind the rest of the world. It is shocking that Australia has lost more native mammal species than anywhere else in the world! We are a world leader in extinction, a shameful record and something that we need to start turning around and halting
The fight continues to protect our environment and wildlife
The Morrison Government is still trying to push through environment-wrecking laws that have been written for their mining mates and greedy developers. The Government has completely ignored their own expert’s recommendations and will lock in the demise of our wildlife and iconic natural places. It is obvious that they have absolutely no intention of reversing the unsustainable environmental trajectory Professor Samuel warned about in his once-in-ten-year review. They still haven’t even bothered to respond to the final report.
The Greens are continuing to call for a genuine commitment to a full reform package which includes strong environmental standards that protect our iconic natural places and precious wildlife and an independent watchdog to hold corporations and governments to account. We also want to see an end the clearing of critical habitat and the government commit to a zero extinction target.
Water is life
Barnaby Joyce had only been deputy Prime Minister for two days before he launched a war on South Australia and the Murray-Darling. It was shocking and every South Australian should be angy that the National Party is attempting to blow up the Basin Plan and cut the promised 450GL of water to SA and the environment
The Prime Minister must strip the National Party of the water portfolio. Barnaby Joyce and the National Party can not be trusted with our water. The Nationals are water terrorists – they are anti-science and dangerous. The Greens will keep standing up for the Murray and South Australia and against this disgraceful attack by Barnaby Joyce and his cronies in the Senate.
Women across Australia have said enough is enough.
Across Australia, women are speaking out about the bad behaviour we have put up with for far too long. The national conversation we are having about responses to sexism, harassment and abuse is difficult and horrifying, but so important. We are in the midst of a reckoning. It’s been a long time coming. We will not put up with violence, sexism, and harassment towards women in the halls of Parliament, in our homes or our communities. Women should be safe everywhere they go. Now more than ever, women's voices in our Parliament matter. Women in Australia have had enough. Enough of harassment, enough of sexism, enough of the boy clubs. I have been fighting for women and girls in the Senate, and after this next federal election we can double our representation in South Australia by electing Barbara Pocock to join me.
Help for our struggling artists
Australia’s Arts and Entertainment Industry has been pummelled by the Covid crisis from the very beginning, and it is still suffering. The Morrison Government has failed to provide adequate support to help the Industry survive, to help workers put food on the table and pay rent, and to keep doors open in the future. We have called for adequate targeted funding from the start and continue to call for the RISE funding grants to be uncapped, so those who need support can get it. The Morrison Government had no problems uncapping the grants for the construction industry and extending initial funding even further. The arts, entertainment and tourism industries in particular, have not been able to recover and have had little support.
JobKeeper should never have been taken away and should be reinstated immediately. I have also been campaigning for the government to establish a federal insurance guarantee for the Arts Industry. Gigs and festivals across the country have been cancelled or postponed and not for the first time. The industry needs to know it is insured for any losses incurred due to snap lockdowns and Covid outbreaks or it will struggle to reschedule events and recover. We stand to lose a generation of artists and entertainers, many have been lost during the past year already, it will be on the Morrison Government if that happens.
Exposing the power and dominance of the Murdoch press monopoly
The Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity which I am chairing is continuing. Witnesses have so far included former Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Malcom Turnbull, News Corp executives, Nine and AAP. I grilled News Corp on their climate denialism, treatment of women, character assassination of people and hold over politicians in Australia. This inquiry is investigating the impacts of the Murdoch monopoly on Australian media and democracy.