Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Education, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to reports of links between Australian universities and development of Chinese government technology used in the oppression and abuse of the human rights of Uyghur people. 

Senator Faruqi said:

I’ll start by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land we are gathered on and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. This land was never ceded. It is, always was, and always will be Aboriginal land.

It is such a privilege to be here with you, talking about education and organising for change – two of my passions. I feel really honoured to be the spokesperson on Education for The Australian Greens.

From our first steps to retirement, the opportunity to learn and discover unlocks our potential and helps us live a good life.

Australian Greens Senator and Housing Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has called the Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Servicer, Luke Howarth MP, completely out of touch for his comments around putting a ‘positive spin’ to homelessness and housing stress.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Minister Howarth is completely out of touch if he thinks there is any way to positively spin the number of people who are homeless. What an incredibly insensitive gaffe.

The NSW Government has released the draft Greyhound Racing Regulation 2019, which will replace the Greyhound Racing Regulation 2018.

While we all want to see an end to the Greyhound racing industry, we must ensure that as many lives as possible are saved by enacting stricter regulations while this cruel activity is allowed to continue. The greyhound racing industry are trying to roll back even the modest animal welfare gains that have been put in place since the backflip.

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Royal National Park in New South Wales has enormous heritage value, including being the first national park in Australia, as well as one of the first in the world, and

(ii) it has been six years since the Federal and New South Wales State Governments committed to nominating the Royal National Park for World Heritage status; and

Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Education, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to today’s release of the 2018 Higher Education Accommodation and Financial Stress Survey that shows high levels of student financial and psychological distress.

The survey found:

I’m honoured to be the new Greens spokesperson for International Development. As someone born in the Global South taking on this role, I am looking forward to bringing a new perspective.

Global poverty is the result of colonialism, structural inequalities, and grossly unfair neoliberal trade and debt systems. We must look at overseas aid as a global justice issue.

I am inspired by the words of Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, “Poverty is not written in the stars; underdevelopment is not one of God's mysterious designs”.

I rise to speak on the government's disastrous $158 billion tax bill that is being rushed through parliament. This is a $158 billion mistake. This is a terribly irresponsible choice that the people of Australia will be forced to wear the consequences of for decades to come. How can this government look the 700,000 people barely surviving on Newstart in the eye and say: 'You know what? We can't afford to increase Newstart. We can't afford to support you, but you won't believe what we can afford to do for the very rich.' Shame on you.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:40): My question is to Minister Birmingham, the minister representing the Minister for Education. Minister, in the last three years, your government has slashed the repayment threshold for study loans by nearly 20 per cent, in effect cutting the pay of low-income workers. Just this week, the government slugged another 136,000 Australians by cutting the threshold by another $6,000.

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has today introduced a bill to ban live export. The Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2019 will ban the export of livestock, including sheep and cattle for slaughter. 

Senator Faruqi said: 

“Live export cannot be made safe for sheep, cattle or any animal. It is a business model built on cruelty and is simply incompatible with animal welfare.