The Australian Greens have joined an international delegation signing onto a letter calling for extensive debt forgiveness from international financial institutions, including the IMF and World Bank, for International Development Association countries. The letter was initiated by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and signatories include Jeremy Corbyn, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Yanis Varoufakis.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Adam Bandt MP are the sole Australian signatories to this unprecedented letter.

The Australian Greens have condemned US President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that the United States will withdraw critical funding from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and cautions the Australian government from signalling any similar action.

As the international body responsible for coordinating the world’s response to pandemics like the current COVID-19 crisis, it is critical that governments maintain their financial commitments to the organisation. 

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and International Development spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called on the Australian Government to act immediately and increase funding to Pacific countries for COVID-19 support, in response to reports that infection figures have more than doubled since last week. Another death was reported in Guam yesterday. 

Senator Faruqi said:

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Federal Government has announced a review of Australia's foreign aid program;

(b) notes with concern that:

   (i) Australia's foreign aid budget has been cut by 27% since its peak in 2012-13, and is well below the average for countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),

Australian Greens International Aid and Development spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to revelations that the Morrison government will cease all bilateral aid to Pakistan as funds for development assistance are diverted to the Pacific. Nepal will also have its budget almost halved. 

Senator Faruqi said:

I, and also on behalf of Senator Ayres, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

   (i) all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans,

   (ii) according to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 125 million people around the world continue to be exposed to asbestos at work, including in Australia's neighbours in the Asia-Pacific, and the most efficient way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases is to stop the use of all types of asbestos,

   (iii) Australia is a founding member of the Asian Development Bank,

Greens Foreign Aid Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to the Government's announcement of a review of Australia’s foreign aid.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The Government must take this review as an opportunity to reset their approach to foreign aid to one that puts social, economic and climate justice at the heart of all our aid programs.

We are gathered today on stolen land. This land always was and always will be aboriginal land.

Voting together, One Nation and the Liberal-National Government blocked the release of the Climate Change Action Strategy for the Foreign Aid Program.

The Motion

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, by no later than 9.30 am on 1 August 2019, all draft and final versions, produced since July 2018, of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's climate change action strategy for the foreign aid program.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Payne. Pacific nations have identified climate change as the single greatest threat to their security, calling on Australia to do more to reduce its carbon emissions.