It is with great shock and sadness that I have discovered that I hold dual citizenship of Australia and Canada. As people would know after the recent departure of my dear friend and former colleague Scott Ludlam, section 44 of the Australian constitution means I cannot hold office in the federal Parliament.

News that Caesars Entertainment who own more than 50 casinos across the world including Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has held talks with the backers of the proposed Spit mega-casino spit provoked a bewildering response from our Premier say the Australian Greens. 

"Annastacia Palaszczuk says she doesn’t want the Gold Coast to become a “casino city”," says Deputy Leader and spokesperson for gambling, Larissa Waters. 

"So why is her government proposing to destroy publicly owned green space for yet another casino?

The safety net for women leaving abuse and violence should include 10 days of paid domestic violence leave say the Australian Greens.

“In 2015, a majority Senate inquiry report  recommended that victims of domestic and family violence should have access to appropriate leave provisions, which assist them to maintain employment and financial security,” says Deputy Leader and spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters.   

Treasurer Scott Morrison’s move threatening State and Territories with financial penalties if they ban dangerous fracking is outrageous say the Australian Greens.

“This is the federal government trying to dictate via the back door to the States and Territories who having listened to their communities and the science have banned fracking”, says Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and resources spokesperson.

“The Turnbull government is in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry from whom they received million in donations.

Federal Labor support for Adani’s deadly mega-coal mine is crumbling, so why aren’t Bill Shorten and Queensland Labor listening?, say the Australian Greens.

Opposition Climate Change spokesperson, Mark Butler, says the economic case for the Adani mine doesn’t stack up and that the mine “would not be a positive thing for Australia” but Bill Shorten and Queensland Labor won’t listen says Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

“Queensland Labor cannot continue to stick its head in the sand and pretend this mine is good for Queensland.

I re-emphasise the Greens Federal Party Room’s great concern about allegations of sexual assault involving a NSW Greens member, which has had further coverage in recent media reports. We acknowledge the pain, distress and fear experienced by the woman who raised this matter, and her courage in coming forward.

As Larissa’s statement below outlines, Party Room immediately raised this with the party and sought action to review our state and territory branches’ policies and procedures.

The GST on sanitary products is sexist and opportunistic and it’s shameful that today both Labor and the Coalition refused to abolish it,” says Australian Greens Deputy and spokesperson for women, Larissa Waters.

Today in the Senate the Australian Greens successfully moved for an inquiry into the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).

We will seek to have Adani front the inquiry to grill them on their appalling environmental history and the allegations of fraud, corruption and the use of tax havens, says Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.

“We will ask them why they need a billion taxpayer dollars if their deadly mega-coal mine is so financially viable.

The Government’s plan to introduce GST on items bought online for under $1000, due to be debated this week, is chance to abolish the tampon tax say the Australian Greens.

New costings (attached) commissioned by the Australian Greens show that States could axe the tampon tax and still be $185 million better off after the government’s proposed changes to the GST.