2022-11-25
We have had quite a ride so far and done so much. I am so grateful for their help and hard work and for the support of all our Greens members.
By Senator Barbara Pocock
What a year 2022 has been! The Greens SA received the best result we have ever seen in both state and federal elections, and I was sworn in as senator for South Australia. Every day since then I have worked hard to learn the ropes, establish myself and represent the people of South Australia.
Chairing the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care
An exciting achievement of my first sitting period was the establishment of the Senate Select Committee on Work and Care and my appointment as Chair.
In 2022, two million Australians provided unpaid assistance to others with a disability, long-term health condition or due to old age, not including parents or carers of children. This Committee is inquiring into the impact that combining work and care responsibilities has on the wellbeing of workers, carers, and those they care for.
We have received an incredible response, with over 100 submissions and compelling evidence shared at hearings from diverse groups across Australia. The Committee is now considering that evidence on the nature of work and care arrangements, the adequacy of systems and work and care policies and practices in Australia and overseas.
The Committee’s interim report came out on the 18th of October and then the report will be released in February 2023. As chair I am working towards strong recommendations on how we can improve the architecture of work to better support the caring responsibilities and choices of Australians in different phases of life.
The Greens’ Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill
Together with Senator Larissa Waters, I have given notice of a bill to overhaul Australia’s paid parental leave system. Parental leave is an issue that is close to my heart. 21 years ago, as a staffer I worked with the first senator to introduce a paid parental leave ill in Australia. It took another nine years before Australian women had access to a government paid parental leave scheme. Another 10 years on and here we are once again, well behind OECD countries with our 20 weeks minimum wage compared to 52 weeks as the international standard.
The Greens’ Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill will bring us closer in line with international standards and would amend the current legislation to extend PPL to 26 weeks at a minimum full-time wage, or a wage replacement up to $100k, whichever is the greater, with superannuation paid on all PPL leave. Six weeks of this leave is to be used by each parent on a ‘use it or lose it basis’, with the further 14 weeks to be negotiated and taken up by either parent.
These improvements to paid parental leave in Australia are long overdue and timely. PPL supports babies’ development and the health and wellbeing of parents. It also increases women’s participation in the labour market, which will help address skills shortages and boost the economy. It’s time to act.
More on employment
It was wonderful to attend the Jobs Summit alongside Greens leader Adam Bandt. The event provided a very important and valuable time for discussion and focused heavily on the barriers for women’s participation in work, issues such as the cost of childcare. However, the real test lies in whether the government will move to make advances on these issues.
I worked with my colleague Senator Mehreen Faruqi, to improve the government’s Jobs and Skills Australia Bill. Together we negotiated that the JSA agency should have a specific focus on improving employment outcomes for cohorts who experience labour market disadvantage and to reinforce the value of TAFE. These amendments were put forward by the government and were acknowledged as a contribution from the Greens.
Supporting the Barngarla people in SA
The Barngarla people have been in the Federal Court arguing against the plan to put Australia's low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste on Barngarla land near Kimba. The Barngarla were excluded from the local ballot on this matter, but they have been clear that they do not want this dump on their country.
There is not broad support in South Australia for this dump, and most South Australians have had no say over its location. There are different solutions available—better solutions. In light of this, I wrote to the Federal Minister for Resources Madeleine King, asking her to suspend work on the dump pending the outcome of the judicial review. I have also asked numerous questions about the financial cost of the government’s support for this dump site and their legal fight against the Barngarla. I will continue to do whatever I can to support the Barngarla on this important issue.
Thank you!
It has been such an exciting time to be in this new parliament with our now bigger than ever Greens team. Together we have worked to get important amendments to the climate change bill and we will continue to hold Labor to account. The Greens team are also fighting to repeal Labor’s stage three tax cuts in the budget. That $254b could deliver immediate cost of living relief with free childcare, dental in Medicare, no student debt and build housing rather than making the rich richer.
I also want to acknowledge my fabulous team: Catherine Earl (Chief of Staff), Katie McCusker (Office Manager), Bonnie Keates (Media + Comms Advisor), Emma Ball (Policy and Parliamentary Advisor), and Dee Gustafsson (Electorate Officer).
We have had quite a ride so far and done so much. I am so grateful for their help and hard work and for the support of all our Greens members.
Thank you for your ongoing support, I truly wouldn’t be here without it.