Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Rhiannon, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the perilous state of the Greek economy and the misery being endured by many in the Greek community as a result of economic conditions,

(ii) that in May 2010 the Eurozone countries, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) launched a €110 billion bailout that was conditional on implementation of austerity measures, and

(iii) tripartite lenders to Greece are currently demanding further austerity measures, without future debt relief, in order to release the remaining funds from the current lending program agreement; and

(b) calls on the Australian Treasurer (Mr Hockey), a member of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the IMF, and Governor of the IMF and the World Bank Group to:

(i) express concern at the continued support by IMF officials for the austerity program for Greece,

(ii) seek the support of other IMF member states for alternative measures that will better address social and humanitarian challenges in Greece, and

(iii) insist the IMF refrain from imposing policy conditions upon Greece which will potentially lead to a default of more than AUD$40 billion debt towards the IMF.

I seek leave to make a brief statement.