Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (12:00): I, and also on behalf of Senator Hinch, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that tens of millions of dollars in public money is handed over to the greyhound racing and gambling industry each year by states and territories in prize money, for building new tracks and in tax breaks,

(ii) Greyhounds Australasia estimates that the industry is responsible for the unnecessary deaths of anywhere between 13 000 and 17 000 healthy greyhounds a year, and

I am so sick of this rubbish. I am so sick of people who will never experience racism telling us that it doesn't exist. Senator Bernardi will never be told that you have no place in public life because of the colour of your skin. I hope that one day Australia will not need a Race Discrimination Commissioner, but that day is definitely not today, because racism is a reality and millions of people are harmed by it. Sudanese Australians are demonised by the media. Aboriginal Australians are dying in custody. Muslim Australians have been demonised and demeaned in this very parliament.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (15:48): I, and also on behalf of Senator Cameron, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the latest census shows that, since 2011, homelessness has risen by 14 per cent,

(ii) the number of people sleeping rough, which is the most visible and extreme form of homelessness, has risen by an alarming 20 per cent since 2011,

I rise to briefly speak on the Airports Amendment Bill 2018. I support the remarks made by my colleague Senator Rice on this bill. This bill actually weakens planning regulations and community consultation processes for federally-leased airports. I'll get straight to the point: Western Sydney Airport in New South Wales. The Western Sydney Airport is a complete scam being foisted on the people of Western Sydney by the federal government and by the state government in New South Wales. The people of Western Sydney are being totally conned.

'Get your hands off it, Prime Minister.' That was the banner that Greenpeace tied to the flagpoles in front of this very building this week, calling on Australia's latest Prime Minister to break his addiction to coal. We remember well Scott Morrison, the then Treasurer, entering the House of Representatives jovially waving around a lump of coal. But, Prime Minister, this is no joke. Our planet is cooking, and we have a Prime Minister who is not willing to take any concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Greens have brought this motion on the attacks against young LGBTIQ Australians supported by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a matter of public importance because it is a matter of public importance. We have long known Mr Scott Morrison's views on LGBTIQ rights. His record on voting against marriage equality and campaigning against the Safe Schools antibullying program is well known.

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has called on the Federal Government to reverse its funding freeze for universities. Reports today reveal that Victoria University is pressuring employees to accept longer hours. Before joining politics, Senator Faruqi was an academic at the University of New South Wales.

Senator Faruqi said:

A Greens bill that would ban live sheep exports has passed the Australian Senate.

I'm so honoured to have the opportunity to speak in support of this bill to end long-haul live sheep exports. Australians are asking us to end the brutality of live exports, and I am hopeful that today the Senate will answer that call. Just in the last few weeks we have all received thousands of emails from everyday Australians, from all walks of life and from all over the country, asking us to end this trade in misery. This cannot be ignored. We must answer their call.

Australian Greens Education Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has backed fair pay for early childhood educators and the ‘Big Steps’ campaign.