The Greens have criticised the Morrison Government's plans for a stacked inquiry into domestic and family violence, saying more funding is needed for frontline services, not another inquiry which is designed to endorse the government's inadequate response to the national crisis. 

Greens Senate Leader and Spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, said: 

Today's ABS Household data survey provides further confirmation that the impacts of COVID crisis are falling disproportionately to women. The Greens are calling on the National Cabinet to ensure that addressing these disparities is at the forefront of any recovery plans.

The ABS results reveal that women are almost three times as likely as men to have looked after their children full-time on their own during the crisis.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt has pledged to fight the government’s gas push laid out in the Technology Road Map Discussion Paper released by the government today.

Mr Bandt also said the leaked COVID Commission push for a gas-rush shows the corruption of process the government is using to develop a plan for manufacturing.

“We need to be ending Australia’s addiction to toxic methane gas not feeding it,” Mr Bandt said.

“Coal, oil and gas are the primary cause of the climate crisis. We can't solve the climate emergency and economic crisis by pouring gas on the fire.”

The Greens will introduce a motion in the Senate calling for Federal Parliament to sit in June to strengthen democracy and address ongoing issues of national importance.

“The Covid crisis response and the plan for recovery demand more transparency in government decision-making. The Senate Covid Committee plays a critical role, but is no substitute for full parliamentary oversight," said Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Democracy.

The Greens are calling for an urgent crisis response to the number of women killed by violence  
following the murder of Brisbane-based mother Jacqueline Sturgess.


Media reports state her estranged partner has been charged with the domestic violence murder.


“After the shocking murder of Hannah Clarke and her children, the Prime Minister said more needed to be done.  

The Greens have called on the Prime Minister to stand down Minister Angus Taylor until he can provide a full account of a doctored document used in a media attack by his office on the Sydney Lord Mayor.

“The Prime Minister has asked Australians for their trust in recent days but he has thrown integrity overboard by his failure to act on the ongoing, multiple sagas involving Minister Taylor,” said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Democracy, Senator Larissa Waters.

The decision to fast-track COVID-related domestic and family violence matters and parenting disputes in the family court must be backed in with extra government funding to ensure the system works and can be continued beyond the current crisis, according to Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters.

The Greens welcome the announcement of additional funding for domestic violence counselling and referral services during this crisis, but warn more targeted funding is essential to create extra capacity.

“The scale of government assistance for frontline services supporting survivors of family and domestic violence does not meet the demand fuelled by self-isolation during the Covid-19 crisis,” said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters.

The Greens have called on the Morrison Government to urgently fund services needed to respond to the increased risk of family violence during the Coronavirus crisis.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters urged the government to recognise the risks presented by quarantining at home.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home. But experience overseas shows that being at home during the COVID-19 crisis can put some women and children at higher risk of abuse from violent or controlling partners,” she said today.

The Greens have welcomed court proceedings against the Morrison Government for failing to apply national water laws when it assessed Adani’s North Galilee Water Scheme project, a key part of the Carmichael coal mine.

“The water trigger was introduced to protect farmers, landholders and community members by making sure the impacts on water supplies are rigorously assessed,” Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on mining, Senator Larissa Waters said today.