Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the Fair Work Ombudsman’s priority investigation of wage theft and casualisation at universities, following revelations of underpayments at dozens of campuses.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Wage theft is widespread in our universities and it is clearly linked to casualisation and job insecurity, which has been allowed to run rampant.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that NSW and Victoria’s announcement of universal preschool for 4-year-olds must spur national efforts to make early education universal and free.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a big step forward for universal early education and it must be a catalyst for national efforts.

“There is no reason why we can’t see universal and free early education in every state and territory within a few years — for three and four year olds.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that education has been smashed by a budget hostile to public schools, universities, TAFE, and early childhood education and care.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a government hostile to public education and its final budget proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Government and Labor Senators have teamed up to produce highly flawed and misleading findings in a Senate Inquiry report into her private member’s bill that would remove the ministerial veto power over Australian Research Council grant funding decisions.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has criticised the exclusion of international students and other temporary visa holders from the Commonwealth’s Disaster Recovery Payment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s cruel and unacceptable to use a person’s visa status to exclude them from vital financial support in the wake of disaster.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the latest analysis released by Save Our Schools this morning, which finds that over the last decade, government funding for private schools increased by $3,338 per student, adjusted for inflation, compared to $703 per student for public schools.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Senate has given its support to a motion of Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi to refer her private members’ bill Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018 to a Senate Inquiry.

Senator Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Education, said:

“I’m very pleased that the Senate has agreed to this inquiry.

“There is no place for political interference in research funding and my bill would ensure that grants are allocated through the established rigorous processes, not ministerial intervention.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (16:19): I move:

That the Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018 be referred to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 March 2022.

Question agreed to.

HANSARD LINK

When parliament resumes on Tuesday 8 February, Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi will move to establish a Senate inquiry into her private members’ bill, the Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018.

Senator Faruqi’s bill would remove ministerial discretion in relation to the approval of research grants administered by the Australian Research Council.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that RMIT will pay back up to $10 million to casual staff for work dating back to 2014.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Casual university staff are absolutely sick and tired of being underpaid, undervalued and taken for granted.