The Greens have renewed their call for publicly funded abortions after private service Marie Stopes announced yesterday it was shutting down four regional clinics in Queensland and New South Wales.

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

“The news that Marie Stopes is shutting down four regional clinics in Queensland and New South Wales is a massive blow for women’s reproductive health. 

Lines attributable to Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women Larissa Waters:

Lines attributable to Senator Larissa Waters:

The Greens say the Prime Minister has run out of excuses and can no longer continue to run cover for Christian Porter, now that he has discontinued his defamation action against the ABC.
 
Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women Larissa Waters said:
 
“Mr Porter abandoning his defamation action against Louise Milligan and the ABC leaves serious allegations against him unexamined.
 

On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the Greens have announced their plan to combat period poverty in Australia by providing free period products in all public primary and secondary schools. 
 
“Menstruation products should be free in schools, period,” Greens spokesperson for women Senator Larissa Waters said.
 
“Period products are a necessity, not a luxury: it's about bloody time we make them accessible to everyone, regardless of their income. 

The Greens have called on the PM to drop the veil of secrecy and release the review by Stephanie Foster into processes for responding to serious incidents at Parliament House.
 
Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said: 
 
“The Prime Minister’s description of what Ms Foster has recommended seems positive, but forgive me for not taking the PM’s word for it given his appalling track record on women’s equality and safety. 
 

The Liberals and Labor have today voted to fund new fossil fuel projects with public money through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund, enabling the $5 billion fund to be used on projects like the Beetaloo Basin gas project and Adani.

By siding with the Liberals and voting to put public money into new coal and gas projects, Labor has betrayed climate action, Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said.

The Greens say the government’s much-touted spending announcements for women have barely moved the needle on economic security and safety.
 
Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said: 
 
“The headlines promised us that this would be a women’s budget but what do we really have to show for it? A transparent attempt to buy off Australian women with some flashy announcements but not much substance.

Tonight’s Budget is a pre-election sweetener that fails to make billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax, while growing inequality and fast-tracking climate collapse.

While on the surface the budget may appear to do away with the Liberals’ years of austerity politics, it continues the myth that largesse to the super-wealthy will trickle down to everyday people.

The Australian Greens have welcomed today’s release of the positive evaluation of Our Watch’s primary school education program, Respectful Relationships Education to Prevent Gender-Based Violence, and called on the government to fund a national roll out.
 
Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters said: 
 
“Spoiler alert, evidence-based respectful relationships education works - not milkshake metaphors.