I rise on behalf of the Greens to speak to the Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Student Protection) Bill 2018. This bill provides a long-awaited remedy for students who have incurred debts due to the inappropriate conduct of their VET providers. For that reason, the Greens support the bill.

The Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Promoting Sustainable Welfare) Bill 2018 is an outrageous attack on migrants. It is punitive and it's xenophobic. There is no other way to describe it. This bill is an inhumane piece of legislation. It completely ignores the specific circumstances and the vulnerabilities of those it will most impact—those who most need support and help. And there is a human cost to measures like this. It may be a piece of paper for most of us in this place, but for me it's much more than that.

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Gun Control and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has welcomed the Senate voting for her motion reaffirming support for the National Firearms Agreement and rejecting tactics of the gun lobby to weaken our gun laws. The Greens motion was supported by Labor, Senator Hinch, Senator Storer and Centre Alliance and opposed by the Government.

Senator Faruqi said:

"Passing this motion is a welcome sign that the Parliament will not give in to the gun lobby which seeks to water down our successful gun control laws in order to sell more guns. 

The gun lobby's attempts to replicate NRA tactics in Australia are reprehensible and must be rejected. The NRA is a blight on American democracy. The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia, SIFA, is bankrolled by the gun industry heavyweights, such as Beretta. The gun lobby is becoming increasingly active in election campaigns, with a clear strategy to weaken our gun laws. SIFA contributed $220,000 to a political campaign in Queensland last year and at least $165,000 to a political campaign in Victoria this year. This shouldn't just alarm us; it should terrify us all.

I move:

That the following documents be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, no later than 9.50 pm on 3 December 2018:

(a) any draft versions of the 'Review of the Regulatory Capability and Culture of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in the Regulation of Live Animal Exports' provided to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources or the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources; and

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson and Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has called the Liberal/National Government’s new 

Violence against women is at epidemic levels in our country. Every year we count the numbers and every year they're distressingly high. Last year 53 women were killed, mostly by men known to them. So far this year, 63 women have been brutally murdered, almost six women every single month. Where is the outrage, where is the urgency and where is the change?

The Greens are proudly the party of public education. We are unapologetic in our advocacy for a well-resourced, world-class public education system. I'm proud to have announced the Greens plan to ensure that every public school is to be fully funded. We must make sure that every public school receives 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard by 2023 and has the capital funds to build the learning and teaching facilities that are needed, and that funding cuts for students with disability are reversed.

The Australian Greens have called on the Education Minister to not ditch a proposed university sexual assault taskforce . Fairfax Media has revealed that the taskforce was close to being announced by former Minister Birmingham, but has since been put on hold by Minister Tehan. 

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson said:

The Australian Greens have announced plans for a huge investment in public schools, committing an additional $4.6 billion for public schools over the next four years and $20.5 billion over the next ten years. Under this plan, all public schools would reach 100% of their Schooling Resource Standard by 2023. This will ensure every public school in Australia has the funding to meet the educational needs of their students, no matter their postcode or their parents’ bank balance.