2021-05-02
Concerns about a disappointing state election outcome, the work culture in Parliament House, the grossly inadequate Jobseeker payment, First Nations justice and the Covid vaccine rollout and quarantine provisions
By Senator Rachel Siewert
It's hard to believe that we are at the end of April and a third of the year has already flown past!
I would like to thank everyone for their very hard work on the State Election. While it was not the result we wanted I know how hard everyone worked and the hours and hours of volunteer time that was put in.
While I think we all expected a strong Labor vote, the result was an unprecedented landslide and highlights exactly why we urgently need upper house voting reform.
I am very sad to say goodbye to my colleagues Alison, Tim, Diane and Robin. It has been a pleasure to work with you all over many many years. You will be missed very much and of course there will be a huge gap in Parliament for those campaigning for our community and planet.
I’d also like to welcome Brad Pettitt to the Parliament team, he has a huge load being our only State Parliament representative come end of May but there are a lot of people around to help and support him.
Canberra has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons and it has been a difficult time for women working in the building and survivors of sexual assault and harassment.
The Greens party room are working with staff and across other parties to improve the work culture and make the culture changes to what is expected and for too long been turned a blind eye to.
The pressure is on and change is long overdue.
On April 1, the JobSeeker payment went down to $44 a day, a level that all sides of politics know is impossible for people to live on.
I am furious but this campaign is not over. Now, more than ever, there is a groundswell of support to ensure that our social safety net supports everyone so that they can pay rent, put food on the table and pay bills. More people, and more politicians, than ever have acknowledged that a JobSeeker payment of $44 a day is inadequate.
I’m continuing to push the Government for a payment that is above the poverty line. The Greens are campaigning alongside the community for a rate of $80 a day.
As the Greens representative on the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 we have been focusing on holding the Government accountable for the vaccine rollout which is turning into somewhat of a shambles. The Greens have been calling for publicly owned vaccine manufacturing facilities here in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic.
I am on the Northern Australia Committee which is looking into the destruction of Juukan Gorge and other Aboriginal sites. In early April I travelled with the committee to Newman and Solomon to visit mine sites and significant First Nations sites and meet with community leaders.
This month also marked 30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in custody handed down their report. It's utterly shameful how little political will there is to implement the commission’s recommendations.
And of course it's not news to anyone that we have just come out of a three day lock down.
I hope everyone has kept safe and is doing ok. It’s clear that we are going to be living with Covid for a lot longer. The Greens have been calling for ‘for purpose’ quarantine facilities that include addressing airborne transmission. We need both the State and Federal Governments to work together on quarantine so that we can be safe in the community and so that Australians can come home.
The federal budget is due in a couple of weeks and we will be looking for increased commitment in many areas such as income support, aged care, mental health and Telehealth. We will provide a comprehensive analysis following its release.
Header photo: Rachel speaking at the Australian Unemployed Workers Unions (AUWU) Break the Poverty Machine Protest at Parliament House Canberra, calling for JobSeeker to be $80 a day. Lucy Cowcher-Guthrie