2024-09-02
Disappointment for the NDIS community but grappling with anti-union issues and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. And continuing electioneering on free dental and GPs, affordable housing and climate action.
By Senator Jordon Steele-John
Hello!
The last couple of sitting weeks have been particularly tough for our disability community. We’ve seen the Labor government team up with the Liberals to pass legislation that will enable $14.4 billion dollars in cuts to the NDIS.
I know this is not the result we were hoping for. In this moment, I want to acknowledge the disappointment, exhaustion and perhaps even hopelessness that many in the disability community are feeling. And more than anything else, I want to thank each and every one of you who took a campaign action against this bill ‒ your work was not in vain.
As a community, we ran a huge grassroots campaign. Together we made thousands of calls and sent over 11,000 emails to parliamentary decision-makers (and that was just through my webpage!). I know there were many other email campaigns and events with the same goal and a huge number of participants. Each of those actions forced additional time through the Senate inquiry process. Thank you to everyone who was involved!
Across the sitting fortnight we also saw Labor take unprecedented steps to bust a union and continue to support the State of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
I am immensely proud of our community and the Greens movement that was able to push back so strongly and show the government that these actions will hurt them at the ballot box at the next election.
The Labor party has shown their true colours and we know if we want change we have to vote for it.
That’s why I’ve been so excited to join our teams here in WA on the campaign trail. We have had thousands of conversations across the state about what they want to see from parliament and the answers are clear.
Free Dental and GPs, affordable housing for all and real action on the climate.
This election is shaping up to be one of the most important for our movement in a generation. The Liberals cannot win and the Labor party won’t do what is necessary to help our community because they are bought by the big corporations.
This election we can retain our Senate seat in WA but also send Sophie Greer to Canberra as our first lower house Greens member from Perth.
Since our last report I’d like to welcome two excellent people who have put their hands up to represent our Greens movement at the next Federal election ‒ Georgia Beardman for Forrest and Clint Uink for Swan. If you’d like to volunteer, please sign up here: greens.org.au/volunteer.
Nothing changes if nothing changes but as a movement we can make change.
I’m proud to be one of your Senators and I hope to see you out on the campaign trail soon as we make history.
Jordon
Header photo: Jordon with Tim Clifford and Sophie Greer at the Perth New Volunteer Night, taken by a Greens volunteer.