Australian Greens Senator for NSW and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has called for State and Federal Governments to provide immediate support for wildlife carers and sanctuaries who are working day and night to save lives. An estimated half a billion animals have been killed in the fires in New South Wales alone so far.

Senator Faruqi said:

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has released figures showing that The Gardens outside Newcastle is the deadliest track in New South Wales. The second deadliest tracks were Gosford, Nowra and Lismore with six deaths each. Wagga Wagga was the most likely for a dog to die, with one in five race meets resulting in a dead greyhound.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has visited Port Macquarie. The Senator, who formerly lived and worked in Port Macquarie, has visited the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and called for more support for communities and firefighters.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Port Macquarie is my second home and my heart really goes out to the community who have suffered so much in and around the mid-north coast. We are seeing an unprecedented tragedy that has destroyed so much in the community and in the environment.

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to reports hundreds of Australian cattle sold for breeding to the Indonesian Government in 2018 are malnourished or dead. This new scandal has highlighted the lack of protections for breeder and dairy cattle. Senator Faruqi has called for the release of the full report into the incident.

Senator Faruqi said:

Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has reacted to Million Dollar Chase “consolation winner” Nangar Jack testing positive for EPO.

She said:

“This incident confirms that greyhound racing has not and cannot clean up its act. The trainer should be punished and banned, but this is not remotely an isolated incident. To protect greyhounds, this cruel industry must be shut down once and for all.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi has reacted to the revelation that she was a target of an organised far right network of Facebook pages that are profiting from thousands of hateful posts a week that have targeted high profile Muslim women across the world. Senator Faruqi was the first Muslim woman to sit in an Australian parliament.

Senator Faruqi will refer the investigation and attacks on her to the Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media established by the Senate this week.

She said:

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called for the wiping of Student Financial Supplement Scheme debts which she has described as a rort that has severely impacted people’s lives. From 1993 till 2003 the Student Financial Supplement Scheme encouraged students, including minors acting without their guardians’ authority, to trade in their Youth Allowance for a loan. For every dollar of income support a student gave up, they incurred $2 in debt.

Australian Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi and The Greens (WA) spokesperson for Animal Welfare Hon. Alison Xamon MLC have responded to the abhorrent allegations of animal abuse on Western Australian cattle farms that were revealed in an investigation by Sentient Media. 

Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called the proposed merger of the Department of Education with Skills and Employment a huge mistake.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Merging the departments of education and employment is a short-sighted decision that highlights the Government's narrow, neoliberal idea of education. Education is a public good essential to building a socially and economically just society, not just an avenue to employment or profit – it demands a standalone focus.

I rise to speak on behalf of the Greens on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Building on the Child Care Package) Bill 2019. This bill can probably best be described as fixing some, but definitely not all, of the problems with the government's childcare package.