The Greens have today launched a Horse Racing Transition Plan to shut down commercial horse racing in Australia. After years of exposes on the cruelty of the horse racing industry, seven horses having died at the last eight Melbourne Cup races, and ongoing concerns about the power and influence of the gambling industry, the Greens say it is beyond time to shut this industry down.

Australian Greens International Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to Scott Morrison’s commitment to an additional $500 million in climate finance through to 2025.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a disappointing, measly commitment. Australia’s total commitment falls far short of the bare minimum $3 billion to 2025 that was called for by aid organisations ahead of Glasgow.

“Morrison is offering up scraps and hoping no one notices. But the reality is that Australia is again failing to pull its weight.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that arrangements for the return of international students to Australia must treat students with respect and not subject them to burdensome quarantine arrangements that will not apply to others.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The current patchwork of state and territory plans, with Commonwealth oversight, are confusing and alarming for students, and do not provide any real certainty about arrangements for students’ return.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the Education Minister’s latest attempt to whitewash Australian history and pressure the independent curriculum authority to sanitise what’s taught in our schools.

Senator Faruqi said:

I am enthusiastically supporting the inaugural Youth Voice in Parliament Week, and I have the privilege of reading one of the more than 600 speeches submitted to us by young people. So here goes:

The world is cooking, and the Morrison government is sitting on its hands: no targets, no plan and no action. While nature may not have intended to discriminate, geopolitical boundaries that divide the world into the Global South and the Global North make sure that patterns of systemic discrimination continue, as the impacts of climate change, natural disasters and pollution fall disproportionately on communities in low-income nations.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:44): My question is to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Seselja. The climate impacts of your coal, oil and gas loving government are being felt first and foremost by nations who did nothing to create this crisis, including our Pacific neighbours, who are watching their children's future disappear under water. Yet, Australia has abjectly failed to deliver its share of climate finance, as committed to in the Copenhagen Accord.

I rise to speak to the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2019. I associate myself with the remarks of my colleague Senator McKim, who has laid out in no uncertain terms how damaging and toxic this bill really is. This bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to specify that a person does not pass the character test under section 501 and may have their visa cancelled or visa application refused if they have been convicted of a designated offence.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the publication of the Senate Select Committee on Job Security’s second interim report, and called for its recommendations to be implemented.

Senator Faruqi, who is a Committee Member, said:

It's true: a day can be a long time in politics. Friday 1 October was a long day for the then Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who resigned from her position as the first woman ever elected Premier of New South Wales when it was revealed that the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption would investigate her. We've had similar days before in New South Wales politics. Liberal Premier Barry O'Farrell resigned a day after giving evidence to ICAC in April 2014 about that bottle of Grange.