The Greens are calling on the Morrison Government to support the patent waiver on COVID-19 vaccines.

The Greens say that the United States’ announced support for the waiver of intellectual property provisions on COVID-19 vaccines has put further pressure on Australia to back the proposal.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for International Aid and Development, said:

“Australia must immediately follow the United States and back the TRIPS waiver. We are one of the hold-outs and it’s morally indefensible.

The Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, has announced the Greens will move in the Senate next week for the Government to revoke its direction under the Biosecurity Act to ban and put in place criminal penalties on Australians and residents returning home from India.

“The ban is racist, it’s possibly illegal, it’s not based on health advice and it must be rescinded immediately.  The Greens will move in the Senate next week to overturn the ban and we believe it will have widespread support amongst Senators.”

The Greens have reiterated their calls for Australia to support a global vaccine patent waiver, supported by more than 100 countries, ahead of a critical World Trade Organization council meeting on Friday.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, International Aid and Development spokesperson, said:

“This is a matter of global justice and responsibility. It is morally bankrupt for Australia to give anything other than full-throated support for the patent waiver.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said reports that the Coalition government is considering a boost to childcare funding are welcome, but early learning must be made universal and free.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Any funding boost for early learning is welcome. But let’s be real: the most sensible and equitable move would be to make childcare universal and free.

Australian Greens Anti-Racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that police have arrested two Australian men and found a bomb during raids on the homes of members of a neo-Nazi group.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a downright terrifying development. There can be no more denials or deflections of the violent far-right threat. These people are deadly serious.

The Greens will today announce key election policies, including a ‘billionaires tax’ to help fund genuinely free public schools, dental into Medicare and a job for everyone who wants one. 

With the party considering an election in November of this year still a possibility and a minority parliament the most likely outcome, Mr Bandt will push for a tax on billionaires & corporate super profits as part of dealings with a future shared power government.

Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that eviction moratoriums are ending today in NSW, and on Sunday in Victoria and WA, and that renters in numerous states are facing uncertainty, mounting debt and homelessness.

Senator Faruqi said:

“We must extend eviction bans until the government has a plan for rental debt relief. Without one, our government is condemning countless people to homelessness.

Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that numerous investigations published today by ABC, Nine and Guardian Australia on far-right and neo-Nazi organising have underscored the need for urgent action to tackle the violent far-right.

Senator Faruqi said:

“These investigations are disturbing but not surprising. We know that the far-right is organising in Australia, and has links to international extremist groups. But the government has its head in the sand.

The Australian Greens have said the disastrous flooding in NSW was a grim look at the future of extreme weather in a climate crisis, warning that more action must be taken to prevent the situation from rapidly worsening.

The Greens say that parliament must urgently declare a climate emergency, then start a rapid transition away from coal, oil and gas, the primary causes of global heating.

Lines from Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens:

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism, has criticised ASIO’s shift away from naming the threat of right-wing extremism, as announced in its 2021 Annual Threat Assessment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“To counter the far-right, we have to name the far-right.

“The people who benefit most from a failure to name far-right extremists are far-right extremists themselves.