Statement from Australian Greens Whip Sen. Rachel Siewert:

Today the Australian Greens Party Room met and re-affirmed the positions of our leadership team.

Following a customary spill of the leadership positions, the roles of Leader, Co-Deputy Leader and Whip have all been returned without challenge. The rotating position of Party Room Chair has moved from Adam Bandt MP to Sen. Janet Rice.

The leadership roles for the 46th Parliament are as follows:

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has described Senator Bridget Mckenzie’s appointment as Agriculture Minister as a disaster for animal welfare.

Senator Faruqi has been a driving force in the fight against live exports and for the protection of animals.

Senator Faruqi said:

“We thought that the welfare of animals was already at an all time low under the Liberals and Nationals, but with Senator Mckenzie, I am worried it will get much worse.

Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has today launched the Greens Plan for national animal cruelty laws.The Greens have obtained advice from the Parliamentary Library that the Commonwealth has the constitutional power to enact laws in a large number of areas.

LINK TO GROUP PHOTO: 

Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has commented on the latest Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot which has found that there is a huge shortage of secure, affordable rentals across the country.

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to the Labor Party’s launch of its childcare and early education policy .

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has launched the Greens' ambitious plan to make childcare fee-free for most families, abolish the activity test and guarantee all three and four year olds access to 24 hours of early childhood education a week. The Greens will also provide an extra $200m in capital grants to community and government run centres in areas of highest need as well as supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander run centres.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi,  has announced the Greens Environment Plan for New South Wales. The centrepiece of the Greens environment policy this election is a new Nature Fund, which would invest $2bn a year across the country to protect Australian flora and fauna and fund the development of recovery plans for at-risk species. The fund will also pay for qualified “environment managers”, and boost the number of Indigenous rangers. The plan is funded through a carbon price and making big polluters pay.

In New South Wales, the plan consists of:

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi has today launched a National Plan to ensure access to English Language Support, including through launching an urgent review to reverse the outsourcing of services provided by the Adult Migrant English Program.

The Greens’ plan will:

1.      Stop the undermining of the the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and begin an urgent review to reverse the outsourcing of services.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.