Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give notice that shortly I will give notice of a motion to address the issue of no-one being left behind during the COVID-19 crisis.

Senator McAllister to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) during the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an increase in violence against women and their children,

  (ii) at least 23 women have been murdered so far this year at the hands of a current or former partner in Australia,

  (iii) on average, more than one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner,

  (iv) violence against women and their children will continue to worsen in the face of job losses, stand-downs and financial stress and uncertainty, and

  (v) domestic and family violence services funding was inadequate before the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to:

  (i) follow Labor's call to convene a National Summit on violence against women and their children, and

  (ii) urgently provide more support for frontline domestic violence services.

Senator McAllister to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women's economic security:

(A) in April over half a million Australians lost their jobs, of which 55 per cent were women,

(B) women's underemployment ratio now sits at an unprecedented 16 per cent, compared to 14 per cent for men, and

(C) modelling has estimated that more than 200,000 women casual workers in the accommodation, food services, and retail trade sectors alone will miss out on the JobKeeper wage subsidy;

(ii) women typically retire with half the superannuation balance of men and, if they choose to withdraw funds, women will suffer a significantly greater impact on their retirement income than men,

(iii) Australian women have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis in Australia in underpaid and undervalued roles:

(A) women account for 87 per cent of registered nurses and midwives,

(B) women account for 87 per cent of aged care workers, and

(C) women account for 96 percent of early childhood educators, and

(iv) as a result of COVID-19, mothers are spending an extra hour each day on unpaid housework and four extra hours on childcare; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to recognise that women have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and address women's interests in their recovery plans.

Senator Griff to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law in relation to financial transparency in the aged care sector, and for related purposes. Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Financial Transparency) Bill 2020.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) there has been a dramatic increase in Australians accessing public services due to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19,

  (ii) now more than ever we need to be strengthening our public services for people who need support, not making these services more difficult to access,

  (iii) the Government intended to close the Abbotsford (Yarra) Service Centre on Thursday 21 May 2020, but in the face of strong community objection agreed to keep it open for a further three months,

  (iv) the Government now intends to close the centre in three months, despite the landlord publicly stating Centrelink could remain on the premises and despite clear community need,

  (v) unnecessarily closing this Centrelink Service Centre will harm and inconvenience thousands of vulnerable people reliant on it, and that suggesting that people travel to a Centre almost 7 km away is not only unfair, but inappropriate at a time when people in Victoria are being told to stay at home and encouraged not to use public transport, and

  (vi) on 21 May 2020, after receiving news of the imminent closure of the Abbotsford (Yarra) Service Centre, Yarra councillors passed two motions which respectively direct Yarra Council to liaise with Services Australia over possible temporary and long-term sites for a Centrelink Service Centre in Yarra; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

  (i) recognise the value of public services and commit to keeping the Abbotsford (Yarra) Service Centre open permanently, and

  (ii) abandon any plans to shut down any further Centrelink Service Centres while Australians are experiencing the impacts of COVID-19.

Senator Pratt to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) investments in developing and deploying vaccines, and helping to strengthen health systems, can enhance global health security by reducing the incidence of, and protecting children from, preventable diseases, enabling them to live longer and healthier lives, and contributing to poverty reduction,

  (ii) in 2000, governments of many countries, and multilateral health organisations and philanthropic organisations created Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), a public-private partnership to expand access to new and underused childhood vaccines, reduce the incidence of deadly and debilitating diseases, prevent epidemics and save lives,

  (iii) since 2000, Gavi has supported country-led vaccine programs in 73 countries (16 of them in our region), enabled immunisation of at least 760 million children, helped avert an estimated 13 million deaths, and contributed to a 70 percent reduction in the number of deaths globally due to vaccine-preventable diseases,

  (iv) Gavi has pooled vaccine demand from implementing countries — expanding the global supplier base for vaccines, enhancing the competitiveness and security of vaccine supply chains, and creating efficiencies expected to achieve an estimated $US 900 million in savings, which can help accelerate access to vaccines between 2021 and 2025, and

  (v) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gavi has allowed implementing countries to reallocate up to 10% of their health support funding to domestic COVID-related needs, and has also launched COVAX, an innovative finance mechanism that will provide access to any vaccine against COVID-19 in the countries where Gavi works – an important first step in ensuring equitable access to a vaccine, and a role similar to the one Gavi played in the development and distribution of an Ebola vaccine; and

(b) acknowledges that:

  (i) on 4 June 2020, the United Kingdom hosted Gavi's third replenishment, the Global Vaccine Summit, with an ambitious goal to raise $US7.4 billion in new donor commitments,

  (ii) with this renewal of resources, Gavi plans to support the immunisation of 300 million more children against potentially fatal diseases and save an additional 7 million to 8 million lives between 2021 and 2025,

  (iii) at the Summit, Australia, which has been a consistent contributor to Gavi since 2006, stepped up with a pledge of AU$300 million, a 20% increase on our previous pledge, which will support improved access to vaccines throughout our region, and

  (iv) the Global Vaccine Summit raised an impressive total of US$8.8 billion in pledges, which will save lives, reduce poverty and protect against the threat of epidemics globally over the next five years, adding to the US$150 billion in economic benefits already derived from Gavi-supported vaccines in participating countries since 2000.

Senators Bilyk, Sterle and Keneally to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) 1-7 June 2020 was World Haemochromatosis Week, and

  (ii) Sunday, 14 June 2020 is World Blood Donor Day;

(b) recognises that:

  (i) hereditary haemochromatosis, or inherited iron overload disorder, is treated through therapeutic venesection,

  (ii) subject to Australia Red Cross Lifeblood's safety requirements, blood collected through therapeutic venesection can be donated, and

  (iii) treating haemochromatosis not only helps patients avoid the worst outcomes of the disorder but may save further lives by adding to Australia's blood supply; and

(c) urges all members and senators to raise awareness among their constituents that:

  (i) haemochromatosis, if left untreated, may be debilitating and fatal,

  (ii) being tested and treated for haemochromatosis will also benefit others, and

  (iii) Australians should remember the mnemonic "TEST — Tricky to say, Easy to test, Simple to treat, Tragic to ignore."

Senator Gallagher to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that a strong and properly resourced public service will be critical during the COVID-19 recovery period, including:

  (i) to continue to lead the national health response to prevent a second wave,

  (ii) to design and implement economic recovery measures, and

  (iii) to provide essential services to the community; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to:

  (i) abolish the arbitrary staffing cap, and

  (ii) guarantee that no APS jobs will be cut during this term of Parliament.

Senators Hume, Payne, Askew, Cash, Chandler, Davey, Fierravanti-Wells, Henderson, Hughes, McDonald, McKenzie, McMahon, Reynolds, Ruston and Stoker to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) Friday 12th June 2020, marks the 118th anniversary of the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902, which was the first step to granting all Australian women the right to vote in national elections and stand for election to Parliament,

  (ii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were not able to vote until 1962, and not included in the census until the 1967 Referendum, and

  (iii) while Australia was one of the first nations to grant political rights to women, it was more than 40 years until a woman was elected into Federal Parliament – one of the longest gaps of any other nation; and

(b) acknowledges:

  (i) the courage and fortitude of the first trail blazers, including the first woman elected to the House of Representatives, Dame Enid Lyons, and the first woman elected to the Senate, Dame Dorothy Tangney, and

  (ii) the 26 women who stood unsuccessfully for federal election before 1943; the 235 women, including those here today, who have come after; and the future generations of women who will continue in the footsteps of those who have come before.

Senator Faruqi to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the government has decided to scrap free childcare and begin forcing parents to pay expensive childcare fees again from next month,

  (ii) this move will force many parents to reduce their work days or remove their children from care,

  (iii) childcare is an essential service which should be universally available for everyone, and

  (iv) the move away from free childcare will disproportionately impact women;

(b) commends the vital and hard work of early childhood educators and care workers, who have been fighting for better wages and conditions; and

(c) calls on the Government to invest to make childcare free permanently, with higher wages and better conditions for workers to reflect the value of what they contribute to our communities.

Senator Faruqi to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Morrison Government's HomeBuilder scheme includes grants of $25,000 for home renovations valued between $150,000 to $750,000,

  (ii) individuals can earn up to $125,000, and couples can earn up to $200,000, a year to be eligible for the grants, and

  (iii) there is a huge backlog of urgent repairs needed in Australia's social housing stock; and

(b) calls on the Government to scrap renovation grants from the HomeBuilder scheme and direct these funds towards addressing the backlog of social housing repairs and the shortfall in social housing stock.

Senator O'Neill to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that:

  (i) since the report of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee "They never came home – the framework surrounding the prevention, investigation and prosecution of industrial deaths in Australia" in late 2018, 190 workers have lost their lives in the workplace,

  (ii) as of 4 June 2020, 78 Australian workers have died on the job this year, and

  (iii) these preventable workplace fatalities highlight the urgent need for industrial manslaughter laws to protect workers;

(b) congratulates the Victorian, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Northern Territory governments for passing comprehensive industrial manslaughter laws; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to act on the recommendations of the "They never came home" report, which has been gathering dust since October 2018.

Senator Griff to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Federal Government's $130b JobKeeper package is now a $60b package with an unexpected "saving" of $70b as a result of administrative error,

(ii) the Government has so far refused to extend JobKeeper or JobSeeker to temporary visa holders – including 97,000 asylum seekers – because it expects them to support themselves, even if they have lost their jobs and cannot return to their home country,

(iii) many temporary visa holders and asylum seekers on visas with work rights are now unemployed as a result of the pandemic, and have no safety net, despite previously contributing to the economy through taxes and being self-reliant,

(iv) poverty resulting from recent job losses has led desperate asylum seekers to turn to charities and community groups to help feed their families and pay rent,

(v) the South Australian-based Australian Refugee Association has reported a 200% increase in demand for emergency assistance between March and May 2020,

(vi) the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has reported a three-fold increase in demand for its food, health and employment services since March 2020, and Welcoming Australia has also reported more than doubling in demand for emergency relief, and

(vii) a May survey from Settlement Services International found 82% of temporary visa holder respondents had lost jobs in the past two months or had their hours reduced and found that:

(A) 62% had gone without meals due to lack of money,

(B) 29% had sought emergency assistance from a welfare or community organisation,

(C) almost 80% had borrowed money from friends and family to pay for essential items, and

(D) 52% could not buy medicines they normally take, and

(viii) in May, 186 charities, unions, refugee and church groups wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Morrison asking for asylum seekers and other temporary visa holders to be included in the Government's COVID-19 responses as part of the "Nobody Left Behind" campaign; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

  (i) extend the JobSeeker payment to asylum seekers on bridging visas currently ineligible for other income support, and

  (ii) extend the JobKeeper payment to all temporary visa holders so that eligible businesses can continue to employ them.

Senator Roberts to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the 2020 Australian Institute of Criminology report into 'Deaths in custody in Australia' revealed that:

(i) the 2017-18 rate of death in prison custody for:

(A) Indigenous persons was 0.14 per 100 prisoners, and

(B) non-indigenous persons was 0.18 per 100 prisoners;

(ii) the 2017-18 total deaths in police custody and custody-related operations was:

(A) 3 Indigenous persons; and

(B) 14 non-indigenous persons;

(iii) in the last 30 years, of the 328 indigenous deaths in prison custody, 79% were due to natural causes;

(iv) over the decade to 2018:

(A) non-indigenous persons were nearly twice as likely as Indigenous persons to hang themselves in prison custody, and

(B) motor vehicle pursuits represented 38% of Indigenous deaths in police custody and custody-related operations, and

(v) from 2006 to 2016, a 41% increase in Indigenous imprisonment rates corresponded with a 42% increase in people identifying as Indigenous; and

(b) further notes that, using the 437 unconvicted Indigenous deaths without reference to critical detail and context, results in a distorted discussion of Indigenous issues.

Senators McKenzie, Canavan, Davey, McDonald and McMahon to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate notes the Federal Government's commitment and support for the live animal export trade.

Senators Watt, Chisholm and Green to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Brisbane Sikh Temple (Gurdwara) Inc ("Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara") has provided approximately 20,000 free cooked meals and 2,000 free grocery hampers to people in need during the coronavirus pandemic,

  (ii) assistance has been provided by the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara to Australians and visitors to Australia irrespective of race, religion or nationality,

  (iii) in providing the assistance, members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara have volunteered their time continually over the last three months, including by cooking food, organising groceries, packing hampers, delivering hampers and doing all the other activities needed to undertake such a large project,

  (iv) prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara has previously helped members of the Australian community during their time of need, including (most recently) through the delivery of water and other essential supplies to those impacted by drought and bush fires,

  (v) the actions of the members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara represent the best of Australian values — reaching out to help people in need, and

  (vi) Senator Paul Scarr told INDOZ TV that "It doesn't matter what the background is of the needy people, they're there to support them, and that is all that is good about Australia – is summarised in what the Brisbane Sikh Temple is doing here…";

(b) acknowledges and deeply appreciates the outstanding contribution of all those members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara who stepped up to help people who have been left behind by the Morrison Government during this pandemic – particularly the international students and temporary migrants who have lost their jobs, cannot return home, and are unable to support themselves;

(c) thanks Senator Scarr for bringing this matter to the attention of the Senate; and

(d) expresses its sorrow that so many people in Australia – including those people supported by the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara and many other faith and community organisations – have been left behind by the Morrison Government's response to the corona virus pandemic.

Senator Patrick to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(1) The Senate notes that:

(a) in July 2019, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal recommended to the Minister for Defence Personnel that the Minister recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross of Australia for the most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy during a Japanese aerial attack on the HMAS Armidale in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942;

(b) it is understood that the Minister for Defence Personnel subsequently communicated to the Minister for Defence that he was supportive of the Tribunal's recommendation for the award to be granted; and

(c) the independent, unanimous and expert recommendation was overruled.

(2) There be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, by 2.00pm on 24 June 2020, all documented correspondence between the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Defence relating to the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal's consideration of the matter of posthumous awarding of a Victoria Cross of Australia for Edward Sheean, created between 22 July 2019 and 11 June 2020.

Senator Waters to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) while the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have reported that international insurance companies Liberty Mutual, HDI-Talanx and Aspen Re are underwriting work on Adani's Carmichael coal mine, the coverage extends to early work only and Adani has still not secured insurance for the complete construction and operation of the Carmichael mine,

(ii) many major companies have refused to be involved in any part of the climate-wrecking project, including:

(A) at least sixteen global insurers, and

(B) at least sixty-five major insurance, construction, engineering, finance and haulage companies, and

(iii) in the ten years since this mine was announced, the Adani group has:

(A) misrepresented the number of jobs the Carmichael mine would create,

(B) illegally released contaminated water into protected wetlands and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area, and

(C) been criminally convicted in relation to giving false and misleading information to the Queensland regulator in relation to unlawful clearing activities; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) recognise that the Adani Carmichael coal mine project is unviable and withdraw its support for the project,

(ii) ban all new thermal coal mining in the Galilee Basin and plan a just transition for workers in existing coal mines, and

(iii) invest in renewable energy projects that will actually create jobs without turbo-charging the climate crisis.

Senator Waters to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Morrison Government is pushing for a 'gas led recovery', which is expected to increase gas extraction across Australia,

  (ii) Australia's largest insurance company, Insurance Australia Group, has announced that it will no longer provide liability cover for farmers with coal seam gas (CSG) infrastructure on their property,

  (iii) landholders, including farmers and First Nations peoples, have consistently raised concerns regarding the risks that unconventional gas poses to land, water and the climate, and farmers are concerned that loss of insurance cover exposes them to additional liability for those risks,

  (iv) on Q&A on 1 June 2020, Senator Matt Canavan said in relation to gas and farmers' rights: "I think we've got the balance wrong in this country. We don't give farmers enough rights ... I've been to some of those landowners and I've sat with them, having cups of tea. And there was not a lot of voluntary participation in lots of the [gas access] agreements", and

  (v) the Greens have proposed a number of bills since 2011 to give landholders, including farmers and First Nations peoples, the right to say no to unconventional gas and coal mining on their land, which the Liberal, Labor and National parties have consistently voted against; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to require gas companies to hold:

  (i) public liability insurance coverage over any land where they have CSG infrastructure, and

  (ii) comprehensive insurance coverage for environmental damage on that land.

Senators Waters and Rice to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(1) There be laid on the table by Tuesday, 16 June 2020, by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities:

(a) any evaluation against Community Development Grant program criteria prepared by the Department in relation to any successful recipients identified during or after the 2019 election; and

(b) a list of all projects that have been identified by government as potential recipients prior to the 2019 election campaign, but have not yet been contracted or commenced.

(2) In the event the Minister fails to table the documents requested in paragraph (1), the Senate requires the Minister to attend the Senate by 10am on 17 June 2020 to provide an explanation, of no more than 10 minutes, of the Government's failure to table the documents requested.

(3) Any senator may move to take note of the explanation required by paragraph (2).

(4) Any motion under paragraph (3) shall have precedence over all business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 10 minutes each.

Senator Di Natale to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) pays tribute to Australia's world-class healthcare professionals for their incredible, life-saving work during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic;

(b) recognises that healthcare workers have placed themselves at personal peril while at work in order to save the lives of others during the pandemic, including in the face of shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE);

(c) further recognises the role of our exceptional public health experts who have led Australia's response to the pandemic;

(d) notes with gratitude the professionalism and dedication of our doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and all those working in our public health system, during the pandemic and throughout their careers;

(e) acknowledges the significant mental health burden on health professionals during this challenging time; and

(f) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) support and appropriately fund Australia's world-class public health system and all those delivering essential health care within it, and

  (ii) ensure that no healthcare worker is put at greater risk through lack of access to PPE or other essential equipment.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Australian Greens have introduced the Coronavirus Economic Support and Recovery (No-one Left Behind) Bill 2020, which is a Bill for an Act to provide for a coronavirus economic support and recovery fund, amend the law relating to social security and expand eligibility for the JobKeeper scheme, and for related purposes, and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) make sure that no-one is left behind by the coronavirus health and economic crisis,

(ii) expand the COVID-19 supplement to recipients of the Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment,

(iii) expand JobSeeker to people on temporary visas,

(iv) expand the JobKeeper scheme to include:

(A) all casual employees,

(B) employees who hold temporary visas,

(C) intermittent workers,

(D) higher education providers, and

(E) entities owned by foreign governments who are resident in Australia, and

(v) invest in:

(A) a $2.3 billion recovery package for the arts and entertainment sector,

(B) a $12 billion manufacturing fund,

(C) a $6 billion electricity transmission fund, and

(D) a $2 billion grant to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.