On the eve of the 2022 Budget, and in the wake of successive pork-barrelling scandals, the Greens have announced that they will establish a $2 million Public Interest Democracy Fund to explore new initiatives that would allow more public participation in decision-making and the allocation of public money.

The fund, which will be administered by the Department of Parliamentary Services, will support trials of innovative programs to increase democratic participation, including:

The Greens say shocking new data from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority confirming mass coral bleaching shows the Reef in startling decline, and lays bare the Morrison Government’s near-decade of failure on climate action.

Data released today confirms the Reef has suffered the fourth mass bleaching event since 2016 and despite La Nina conditions.

Lines attributable to Greens deputy leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters:

The Greens have called on universities to take a zero tolerance approach to sexual violence and harassment on campuses, after the results of the latest National Student Safety Survey revealed that many university settings remain unsafe and unsupportive of student survivors, especially young women.

Lines attributable to Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters:

“It’s shocking how little has changed since the 2017 survey that formed part of the Human Rights Commission’s Change the Course report.

The Greens have responded with alarm to reports that Labor will dump its policy to add superannuation contributions to parental leave payments, abandoning young families and women at a time of mounting cost of living pressures and rising rates of poverty and homelessness among older women.

Lines attributable to Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters:

With a likely sixth mass bleaching event now unfolding across the Great Barrier Reef, the Greens have called on the Morrison Government to cooperate fully and transparently with UNESCO’s 10-day monitoring mission, which begins next Monday.

The Greens will undo years of privatisation and revitalise the Australian Public Service by restoring staffing levels and increasing wages, winding back labour hire and outsourcing, reducing politicisation and freeing public servants to participate fully in public debate.

Successive governments have outsourced Australia’s essential public services, making them more expensive, lower quality and harder to oversee. The outsourcing of jobs has seen real wages fall and employment conditions worsen, which has put downward pressure on wages and conditions in the private sector.

Today the Greens will announce their Queensland Senate ticket to defeat Pauline Hanson and Clive Palmer at the next election and put the Greens in balance of power.

Caloundra veterinarian and public health advocate Anna Sri, and Brisbane social scientist and environmental activist Ben Pennings, will join previously announced lead Senate Candidate Penny Allman-Payne on the ballot in Queensland, which is quickly shaping as the battleground state in May’s contest.

This International Women’s Day, the Greens have announced a plan to deliver economic security for Australian women and work to close the persistent gender pay gap that sees too many women struggle to make ends meet, juggle multiple jobs, live in poverty or without a home, or to stay in abusive relationships. 

The Greens support the Safety. Respect. Equity. campaign and call on all other parties to match that commitment to the nine policy asks of that campaign, which would eliminate violence against women and deliver economic security.

Quotes attributable to Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters:

“The Greens are proud that our election policy platform already backs the policy asks of the Safety. Respect. Equity. campaign and we call upon all other parties to commit to those policies too, because women deserve it.

As women and allies across the country take to the streets again demanding change, the Greens have released a comprehensive plan to fully fund domestic violence services, invest in consent education and prevention programs, and trial initiatives including a national domestic violence disclosure scheme and a trauma recovery centre for victim-survivors.