Larissa Waters's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Taxation | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
(): I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by the Leader of the Australian Greens...
(): I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Waters) today relating to taxation. Housing is the single biggest contributor to the recent inflation spike. It's not just the Greens saying it. The RBA governor yesterday singled out credit growth, which we know is largely property investor loans, as a cause for concern. It's more than concerning; it's fundamentally unfair. It is unfair that this government is supporting property investors to outbid first home buyers weekend after weekend. It is unfair that investor borrowing has reached a record-high $40 billion in the last three months of last year. Coincidently, that was exactly the same three months that immediately followed Labor's five per cent deposit scheme kicking in. It is unfair that investors are flooding into the market at record rates and that Labor keeps giving them massive tax handouts to help them push up house prices. According to the Treasury, an astonishing 54 per cent of the capital gains tax handout goes to the wealthiest one per cent. Just four per cent of people that get it are under 35. This is the most unfair handout in the Commonwealth Tax Code and it is exacerbating inequality by pushing homeownership further and further out of reach for those young people who are desperate to buy their first home. Yet this Labor government refuses to cut those unfair tax handouts for property investors and to give renters and first home buyers a real shot at buying a home. No more delays or excuses: the government needs to address the housing crisis with real action. Scrap the capital gains tax discount. Scrap negative gearing and do it in this upcoming budget. While they're at it, they could also address the outrageous fuel tax credit which gives cheap diesel to big mining companies. Getting rid of that absolute joke of a handout would free up about $8 billion a year, which could be used for cost-of-living relief for households. If Labor is going to cut spending to deal with inflation, then maybe they should start by looking at that spending that goes into the pockets of the one per cent and straight into the pockets of the big corporations ruining the planet and fuelling the climate crisis. Have they got the guts? We'll find out. (Time expired)
Taxation | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
On another unfair tax handout the Greens have called out for decades, scrapping fuel tax credits, which give cheap diesel to big mining companies, would free up around $8 billion a year, which...
On another unfair tax handout the Greens have called out for decades, scrapping fuel tax credits, which give cheap diesel to big mining companies, would free up around $8 billion a year, which could be used for cost-of-living relief to households. If Labor is going to cut spending to deal with inflation, will you cut this unfair fossil fuel subsidy for big mining companies?
There's speculation today that Labor will reform the capital gains tax discount in this year's budget. According to Treasury, an astonishing 54 per cent of this tax handout goes to the wealthiest...
There's speculation today that Labor will reform the capital gains tax discount in this year's budget. According to Treasury, an astonishing 54 per cent of this tax handout goes to the wealthiest one per cent and just four per cent of it goes to people under 35. This is the most unfair tax handout in the Commonwealth tax code. When will Labor scrap this handout to the one per cent?
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Minister Gallagher, representing the Treasurer. Housing cost is the single biggest contributor to recent inflation. The RBA governor yesterday singled...
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Minister Gallagher, representing the Treasurer. Housing cost is the single biggest contributor to recent inflation. The RBA governor yesterday singled out credit growth as a cause for concern. We know that property investors borrowed a record high $40 billion in the last three months of last year alone, and that was largely to buy existing homes, not new builds. Investors are flooding into the market at record rates, and the Labor government is giving them massive tax handouts to help them push up house prices. Will Labor use this budget to cut these unfair tax handouts for property investors and give renters and first home buyers a real shot at buying a home?
Housing | Matters of Urgency | Senate debates
I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The urgent need for the Treasurer to intervene and announce an end to property investor tax breaks, in order to...
I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The urgent need for the Treasurer to intervene and announce an end to property investor tax breaks, in order to cool runaway housing costs and, with housing costs the biggest contributor to the inflation spike, help mortgage holders and renters by reducing the likelihood of a series of interest rate rises. In the face of a housing crisis that has locked out an entire generation from homeownership, Labor is choosing to tinker around the edges while locking in policies that make the problem worse. And it is a choice. While you're getting smashed by unlimited rent increases, massive mortgage repayments and today a rate rise, every year Labor is handing $12.3 billion to landlords. We live in one of the wealthiest countries on earth. Everyone should be able to afford a home to own or to rent comfortably. Instead our government is choosing to waste billions on property investor tax perks, choosing to allow unlimited rent increases, choosing to allow the RBA to use interest rate rises as a hammer against mortgage holders and choosing to allow the big bank profits to soar even more instead of choosing to help people. Politics should work for everyday people, but right now it doesn't. Both major parties are backing the profits of the banks and the ultrawealthy instead of doing what's necessary to make sure that young people can buy a home. There are seven million renters in this country, and millions of them would like to be homeowners. Everyone I know has a story about a young person being locked out. Our view, as the Greens, is that we should be backing them—to hell with the profits of the big banks. Australians have just copped an interest rate hike today because inflation has spiked. Why? Because the government hasn't done enough to deal with rising house prices and corporate price gouging. If you're a mortgage holder or a renter, you're now being hit to solve the government's inflation problem. It shouldn't be on people to solve the government's inflation problem. Anyone with a mortgage will be giving even more every month to the big banks. Renters are going to cop it, as investors will pass on rate rises. It is hard enough right now to get ahead. You shouldn't be doing it even harder. It shouldn't be on you. Labor could put an end to negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts, they could build more public and affordable homes, they could freeze and cap rents, and they could regulate the banks to deliver fairer, lower mortgages. Instead they're choosing to tinker around the edges of the housing crisis, and their policies are locking in price rises and locking out an entire generation from homeownership. It's not fair, and they need to fix it.
Domestic and Family Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
We're just one month into 2026 and already six women have been killed by men's violence. The murder of pregnant First Nations woman Sophie Quinn, her new partner, and her aunt, Nerida Quinn,...
We're just one month into 2026 and already six women have been killed by men's violence. The murder of pregnant First Nations woman Sophie Quinn, her new partner, and her aunt, Nerida Quinn, shocked us all. Two women had already been killed before those deaths. One is still unnamed, and the other was Velvet Pesu, a Queensland performing artist and social worker. She was a well-known and much-loved Queenslander whom I'd had the privilege of meeting. Velvet had a huge heart and was incredibly generous. She was always helping people and touched everyone's soul with deep understanding, kindness and love. She is deeply missed. Two more as-yet-unnamed women have been killed by men they knew since then. Last year, the organisation Counting Dead Women recorded at least 52 women killed by violence. The system is failing women and children. Sophie Quinn's alleged murderer had six separate AVOs in the past 10 years and was on bail for DV offences when Sophie and her unborn child were killed. The number of missed opportunities to intervene and save lives is staggering. It is a national crisis and a national shame, yet frontline services remain grossly underfunded and are forced to turn too many women away. The Queensland Police Service just announced cuts to their dedicated family and domestic violence service. Housing shortages mean women face homelessness if they leave, so the cycle continues. There have been countless inquiries and hundreds of recommendations. We know what needs to change, and it must start with fully funding the frontline. Long-term prevention and behaviour change is critical work, but we must also ensure that services responding to immediate risks have the funding they need, and we must fund recovery programs for victim-survivors. The government needs to make women's safety a priority. (Time expired)
Perth: Attack | Motions | Senate debates
I rise on behalf of the Greens in strong support of the motion condemning the attempted racist terrorist attack on First Nations people and their supporters in Boorloo Perth on Invasion Day. A...
I rise on behalf of the Greens in strong support of the motion condemning the attempted racist terrorist attack on First Nations people and their supporters in Boorloo Perth on Invasion Day. A man threw a homemade bomb into a crowd of First Nations people and allies at the Invasion Day rally, with the intent to hurt and kill people—elders, children, families. It was a racist attack. It was an attempted terrorist attack. The only reason people avoided physical injury was that the device failed to detonate, but this attack and the terrible silence that has followed has inflicted deep trauma on First Nations people; on others at the rally in support, including our Greens senator Jordon Steele-John and his staff; and on all Australians. The silence from media and conservatives, who were so loudly outraged about antisemitic violence for months, has been deafening. Despite the deliberate targeting of the First Nations community, it took three days for authorities to decide to investigate the attack as a potential act of terrorism. I'm glad they are now investigating, but suppressing the identity of the attacker—and the delay—speaks volumes. It's a familiar pattern. When Neo-Nazis violently attacked Camp Sovereignty in Naarm in August last year, hospitalising community members and desecrating the Aboriginal flag, the police did not investigate the attack as a hate crime. We currently have the highest rate of Aboriginal deaths in custody in over 40 years. Overpolicing is killing First Nations people, but violence towards First Nations people is simply ignored. The attacks in Naarm and Boorloo are part of an escalation of violence against First Nations people, who are already facing entrenched racism and systemic abuse. The responses to the attacks highlight a brutal truth: not all acts of hate are treated equally in this country. What message does this send to First Nations people? The constant minimisation of the violence, dispossession and inequality that they have faced since colonisation is a national shame. A bomb was thrown into a crowd of people on Invasion Day. There could be no more blatant attack, yet it barely caused a ripple in the media. The Western Australian opposition leader is yet to even comment on the attack. We all stood in this place just weeks ago and promised to reduce hate; that means all hate. Any act of racially motivated violence and discrimination must be clearly condemned and action taken against perpetrators. The fact that no-one was physically injured in this attack is a blessing, but it should not take away from the seriousness of what has occurred. I'd like to share my support and gratitude to the event organisers and the volunteers in Boorloo who worked to keep those gathered safe amidst the confusion and fear that rippled through the crowd at Forrest Place last Monday. This event, which should have been a peaceful gathering, has been retraumatising for many First Nations people, and I send my condolences and solidarity to all those who are feeling the impacts of this attack. We have seen the violence that develops from racial vilification, we have seen the risks of ignoring threats, and we have seen that weak or permissive responses create the environment for radicalisation. What we need to see is genuine action. We must not let conservative politicians divide us with Trump-style rhetoric inciting hate against First Nations people, migrants or other marginalised groups. This parliament must equally protect all people in Australia from racism, discrimination, hate speech and violence. We must respond with equal conviction to all acts of racially motivated violence. We must tackle the conditions that enable fear to turn to hate: cost-of-living and housing pressures, racist dog whistling from the media, and algorithms and online echo chambers fanning the flames. An attack against First Nations people is an attack against all Australians. We must continue to stand with First Nations communities calling for truth, treaty and justice, and we must fully fund and implement the National Anti-Racism Framework to create a genuinely cohesive, inclusive and antiracist society.
Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
In 1996, in the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, state and federal governments came together to take decisive action on gun laws in Australia. They united to remove semiautomatic and pump-action...
In 1996, in the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, state and federal governments came together to take decisive action on gun laws in Australia. They united to remove semiautomatic and pump-action shotguns and rifles from our community. In total, more than 700,000 guns were surrendered and destroyed. It is devastating that we are here needing to pass these laws because of another mass shooting, this time at Bondi, but the loss of 15 innocent lives demands action. There are now more guns in our community than there were in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre—almost double the number recorded in 2001—and at least 2,000 new firearms are lawfully entering the community every week. The Bondi tragedy was made possible by gun laws that are no longer fit for purpose. The Greens welcome today's long-overdue gun law reforms. The Greens have consistently called for limits on the number of guns in our suburbs and clearer restrictions on the most dangerous weapons. We welcome the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, and we welcome the fact it was separated from the government's proposed changes to the Migration Act and new powers for the home affairs minister—which the Greens remain opposed to, in solidarity with the community. In its original form, the hate speech bill drew criticism from legal experts, faith groups, academics and the wider community. The vast potential for unintended consequences, the unanswered questions about the impact on political freedoms and the exclusion of many groups from its protections made the bill impossible to pass, or to reform with amendments, in the extremely tight timeframe enforced upon it by the government. After close consultation with gun safety advocates, the Greens confirmed we would back the important gun safety reforms. But we could not support the other parts of the bill, which scapegoat migrants and create wide-ranging, divisive, one-sided laws. We were originally willing to see if the laws could be amended and fixed, but, with every passing moment, fresh concerns were raised by academics, faith leaders and experts about the vast consequences of rushed hate speech laws. We now see that the hate speech laws have been made even worse, with a last-minute deal stitched up between the government and the opposition. The original bill was rushed and lacked time for legal experts and stakeholders to review it. These changes in the last 48 hours are even more hasty, more dangerous and even less scrutinised. The government has chosen to join the coalition's race to the bottom. Far from narrowing these laws, the amendments that Labor have agreed to in this dirty deal with the coalition expand the reach of an already unreasonable crackdown on free speech. There are real questions about the constitutionality of this expansion. These expanded laws will also allow the government of the day to capture conduct retrospectively—a terrifying overreach. A process that was looking rushed last week, with only days to consider the bill, is now looking downright dangerous, with the parliament legislating a bill that is still warm from the photocopier. Giving the home affairs minister power to ignore procedural fairness and ban or criminalise organisations is a blank-cheque power grab. These are Trumpian powers that remove the usual checks for good decision-making. These changes are bad, and the Greens stand with the community to oppose them. Hate and hate groups raise very real problems, but there are existing powers to ban Neo-Nazis and other groups that promote or incite violence. We have repeatedly asked why those powers have not already been used against Neo-Nazis, and we have not had adequate answers. Allowing the government to proscribe organisations is a serious step and needs to come with safeguards and protections, including procedural fairness. Currently, the minister can refuse or cancel someone's visa if their presence poses a risk or they would generally represent a danger to the Australian community or a segment of the community. The bill would change the threshold for the ability of the minister to cancel a visa from the existing threshold of 'would pose a risk' to 'might pose a risk'. This broadens immigration's powers to impact almost anyone, dramatically increasing the minister's powers within an already opaque system. The legacy of the appalling violence at Bondi cannot be the undermining of civil and political rights. All laws that can be used to weaponise racism and hate against everyday Australians who follow their conscience and speak out when they see wrong carried out here in Australia or overseas. We need to ensure that these laws cannot be weaponised to shut down legitimate political protest. Criticism of Israel's actions, just like those of Russia, China, or Australia, should not be criminalised. The firearms bill that we have before us at the moment is an opportunity to take dangerous weapons off our streets. It is critical that it's not bound up with rushed legislation that would divide people by religion, prevent them from critiquing governments and their human rights abuses, including Israel's genocide in Gaza, or allow the home affairs minister to ignore procedural fairness in banning or criminalising organisations. We consider the national gun buyback and information sharing amongst national, state and territory law enforcement and security agencies the bare minimum of what's required to ensure that we never see a tragedy of this magnitude in Australia again. Many gun laws are state based, leaving us with inconsistent implementation of rules across the country. What we need now, as we saw after Port Arthur, is a national commitment to change. A patchwork of laws just creates opportunities for people to shop around for the weakest of jurisdictions. A patchwork of laws makes police monitoring of gun ownership and licensing more difficult. Information about a person's criminal history and any previous screening that made them ineligible to own a gun in one state is not necessarily shared with other states when they move. A history of domestic violence, an affiliation with hate groups, animal cruelty—none of that will necessarily prevent them from getting access to firearms in other jurisdictions. The changes proposed in this bill allow AusCheck to manage a background checking scheme for gun licensing and improve data sharing with ASIO and the Australian Crime Commission. That is a welcome move towards better transparency and more robust decisions. Regular reviews of eligibility should be conducted to ensure that risks can be reassessed as circumstances change. Restrictions on the types of guns that can be imported have not kept pace with changes in technology. We welcome the public safety test for imported firearms and the proposed restrictions on fast-loading weapons and accessories that enable mass killings. It's difficult to conceive of any justification for such weapons. Terrifyingly, there's also been a rise in 3D printed weapons—homemade guns that often escape safety regulations and, without registration, escape notice. Two high-powered 3D-printed guns were seized by police in a raid in Tasmania just last weekend. New offences in this bill targeting materials for the home manufacture and modification of weapons will go some way towards addressing this. One key reform from Port Arthur—which still hasn't been actioned—is a national firearms register. The Greens and, in particular, my colleague Senator Shoebridge have been vocal about the failure to deliver this register for many years. Work on creating the national register was largely dormant following Port Arthur until renewed calls followed the fatal shootings in Wieambilla in 2022. Again, action was prompted by tragedy rather than getting ahead of it. In the absence of a national register, Senator Shoebridge established the toomanyguns.org website as a tool to see how many weapons are in a local area, revealing the sheer scale of gun ownership in our suburbs, but because of the limited transparency nationally, there's currently only comprehensive data available for NSW. Australians should have the right to know how many guns are being held by people in every state and territory. The Greens welcome the government's new commitment to fast-track implementation of the national register and have it operating this year. We will continue to call for the register to include public access and regular reporting. Despite its urban location, Bondi has 190 guns in the 2026 postcode, with one gun owner possessing a shocking 24 registered weapons. In Matraville, one firearm owner has 295 registered guns. No sensible firearms laws would allow massive private arsenals to be amassed like this. This is a serious weakness in Australia's firearm laws that is being exploited and putting the public at risk. Nobody needs 295 guns. The Greens accept that there are people in the community who have a genuine reason to own a gun. Farmers on rural properties often require firearms for euthanising injured stock and additional, different firearms for controlling invasive animals. Target shooting at a registered gun club is also a long-recognised and legitimate sport. Members of a shooting club, Olympic and other competitive shooters, and farmers may reasonably be able to establish the need for a number of guns to address their different needs. Those legitimate needs should be reflected in any firearms reforms. That has long been the Greens's stance. But there is simply no reason to have dozens or even hundreds of guns. The Greens will work across state and territory parliaments to ensure that communities are safe from gun violence, with fewer dangerous weapons, limits on gun numbers, robust background screening, implementation of the buyback scheme and comprehensive data sharing. It is reprehensible that Liberal governments in Queensland, Tasmania and the NT are refusing to contribute to the cost of a national gun buyback. We need a uniform, national buyback scheme, and people in those states deserve the protection of a national buyback. Federal Labor should commit to paying the full cost of that so that we can have a national approach. Let's not let politicking get in the way of doing a good thing to keep people safe. The Greens are pleased that the federal government has, under pressure from the Greens and gun safety advocates, decided to take the advice to establish a firearms safety council. This council will provide independent advice on the status of gun regulation across Australia, develop national best practice standards informed by expert advice and promote transparency, integrity, harm prevention and public education. We thank the government for agreeing to do that extra good thing. Even before Bondi, the community had been calling for action on gun control. Polling by the Australia Institute showed that around 70 per cent of Australians think gun laws should be strengthened to make it harder to get a gun. The tragedy of Bondi means we must not ignore those calls any longer. This moment is beyond politics. Our resolve to act is a test for our common humanity, and I hope that all of parliament will join together to ensure that no-one can walk the streets of Sydney or any Australian city with a high-powered gun. I'm proud, on behalf of the Greens, to support these gun law reforms today.
Fossil Fuel Industry | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
So not only does this government refuse to make the climate polluters pay for the damage they cause but the taxpayer is also subsidising that damage. Why are we paying billions every year through...
So not only does this government refuse to make the climate polluters pay for the damage they cause but the taxpayer is also subsidising that damage. Why are we paying billions every year through fuel tax credits to subsidise big coal and gas corporations to burn fossil fuels and worsen natural disasters?
I raise a point of order on relevance. When will the polluters pay rather than people pay for the climate consequences?
You don't transition off coal and gas by opening more of it, and it's the people in affected communities who are now looking at millions of dollars in clean-up costs. What is your government...
You don't transition off coal and gas by opening more of it, and it's the people in affected communities who are now looking at millions of dollars in clean-up costs. What is your government doing to make the coal and gas companies driving this damage pay for the consequences, rather than the innocent people being devastated by repeat climate catastrophes?
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In the first three weeks of 2026, we've seen cyclones and flooding in North Queensland, floods in Sydney, fires and...
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In the first three weeks of 2026, we've seen cyclones and flooding in North Queensland, floods in Sydney, fires and heatwave conditions in South Australia and, in Victoria, the worst bushfires since the 2019-20 Black Summer and catastrophic flash flooding on the Great Ocean Road. This extreme weather is undeniably worsened by climate change, which is driven by burning coal and gas. How can you possibly have approved the expansion of a thermal coal mine in Queensland last Friday and now be considering further drilling for oil and gas off the Great Ocean Road?
Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
I rise to add my support and the support of the Australian Greens for the condolence motion for the families and the loved ones of the 15 innocent people murdered at Bondi Beach on 14 December....
I rise to add my support and the support of the Australian Greens for the condolence motion for the families and the loved ones of the 15 innocent people murdered at Bondi Beach on 14 December. The shock of this attack loomed large in my heart over the summer break, as I'm sure it did for many Australians. What made this brutal attack all the more devastating and confronting is that we're not a country defined by gun violence or terror. As we gathered with family over the holidays, we have all been thinking of those in the Jewish community who are mourning, missing family and friends at their table, reliving the nightmare of what happened at Bondi and slowly beginning the tough road to recovery. I express my deepest sorrow for everyone affected and for all that you have lost. The Bondi killers took the lives of young and old—including beautiful 10-year-old Matilda—of men and women, of locals and visitors. They cut short the lives of people with different jobs and different experiences. But the killings were unambiguously targeted at the Jewish community gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights. What was meant to be a joyous celebration became one of the darkest days in our history. This reprehensible act of antisemitic violence is not who we are. Australia is a multicultural nation that is stronger because of our diversity, not in spite of it. No-one in Australia should fear practising their religion or culture. No-one should be persecuted for having a different religion or for not being religious at all. Every Australian should have the right to live, work, worship and learn in peace and safety. But we cannot ignore that fear and hate have been allowed to fester in our communities and to spill over into tragedy. I'll speak more about how we address that shortly. First, I honour the courage of first responders and the heroes of Bondi who risked their lives to keep people safe, and the healthcare workers who worked tirelessly to save the lives of those injured. More people undoubtedly would have been killed if it weren't for those who intervened. Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian Australian shop owner, was seriously injured while wrestling a gun from one of the attackers. Reuven Morrison hurled objects at the same attacker after Ahmed disarmed him. Reuven was killed while attempting to stop the killer. Natasha Willemsen shielded Matilda's beloved sister, Summer, after Matilda was shot, preventing her family from losing both of their beautiful daughters. Boris and Sofia Gurman grappled with one of the attackers and wrestled one gun away before he took another from the car and killed them. Their lives were taken fighting to protect others. Chaya, only 14 years old, was shot in the leg while shielding two young children. Twenty-two-year-old police officer Jack Hibbert, who was just four months into the job, was shot in the head and the shoulder but continued to help festival attendees. Jack will survive but with life-changing injuries. So many lives were lost and irrevocably changed on 14 December by an act of hate. But there are so many stories of bravery, kindness, compassion and care to counter that hate. This is what we must hold onto. The heinous acts of two men cannot be allowed to become a catalyst for more hate and division. We must collectively act against all forms of hate and intolerance, whether it's directed at a Jewish man for his kippah, a queer person for who they love or a Muslim woman for wearing a hijab, whether it's attacking a new migrant making a life in our country or a trans person for expressing their gender identity. We have seen the dangers of racial vilification and dog whistling that leads to violence. We've seen the dangers of radicalisation and the consequences of failing to stamp out the conditions that allow it to flourish. This hatred led to the murders at Bondi. It drove the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the recent attacks at Camp Sovereignty. Weak gun laws only added fuel to the fire. The Greens have long called for stronger gun controls, and we will work with the government to establish a new national gun buyback and progress the firearms registry. I urge all states to contribute to the buyback scheme. We will continue to work in all state and territory parliaments to limit the number of guns, strengthen character checks, restrict access to high-powered rifles and prohibit rapid-fire guns. Getting guns off the street is one clear action to help prevent a future tragedy like Bondi. But any hate laws must be measured and inclusive. Everyone deserves to be respected and safe from discrimination, hatred and violence. As a society, we cannot let this continue. Combating hate is the responsibility of everyone in this place. In my time in parliament, I've had to deliver more condolence speeches than I would like—condolences for the victims of racist attacks and of homophobic attacks, condolences for the victims of domestic, sexual and family violence, condolences for First Nations men, women and kids dying in custody, and condolences for people that our system has failed. We cannot just keep being sorry. We need action to break the cycle. Hate is the disease, violence is the symptom and hope, connection, compassion and action must be the cure. Gun violence is not who we are. Antisemitism is not who we are. Demonising migrants is not who we are. We are lucky to have such diverse communities with rich cultural, linguistic and spiritual traditions. But those communities also face systemic racism and discrimination. Those on the opposite side of the political spectrum continue to ramp up their attacks on migrants and already marginalised communities. We cannot let them divide us. We cannot allow those on the far right to demonise migrants and to use them to distract from their own failings. The reality is it is inequality and not immigration we should be angry about. Increased financial pressures, lack of affordable housing, persistent racist attitudes from our politicians and media, algorithms and online echo chambers fanning the flames of rage and hate, and of course the climate crisis that we cannot continue to ignore—these are the issues driving the displacement this generation feels. It is our job to fix these issues, not to find a scapegoat for them. Our response to the Bondi massacre must not select those to protect and leave others behind, and we need to bring the community along. To end hate we must also eradicate poverty and ensure everyone has a roof over their head, access to top-quality public healthcare and education, and freedom to express political and religious views. We must take every opportunity to build community and to learn about, and from, each other. These are the ways we build social cohesion and reduce hate, reduce discrimination and reduce blame. We fix the system. Rushed laws won't achieve that. Standing against hate requires us to all to call out any violence and discrimination wherever it is. We cannot watch violence, human rights abuses or genocide and do nothing just because it's happening elsewhere. Whether it's in Sudan, Iran, Palestine or the US, we must protect our right to political expression and to peaceful protest. Criticism of Israel's actions, just like those of Russia, China or Australia, should not be criminalised, because political expression and peaceful protest are things to be proud of. They're at risk in other countries and we cannot let community voices be silenced here. And we simply cannot criminalise our way out of hate. Combating hate and all forms of racism requires a genuine commitment to grassroots community led change. The Greens unequivocally support the National Anti-Racism Framework, a blueprint for an antiracist society that protects all marginalised groups. It must be fully funded and implemented to work. The tragic murders of loved ones at Bondi strengthens our resolve for a comprehensive response to antisemitism and racism, and our commitment to stand against hatred and division and to fight for a future where all people are safe and free. We cannot claim to be safe, free or equal unless we address antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and discrimination in all its forms, and allow the legitimate political protest that a free country enjoys. I send my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the Bondi massacre. Our thoughts are with you now as you continue to grieve and heal. Let this awful and heartbreaking event on our soil be the catalyst for us to find our better selves and care for each other and celebrate our differences. Vale to those 15 cherished, innocent people.
Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
I rise today as a very proud environmental lawyer, having seen environmental laws for the last 25 years, written by John Howard, when he was Prime Minister, fail to deliver for nature and having...
I rise today as a very proud environmental lawyer, having seen environmental laws for the last 25 years, written by John Howard, when he was Prime Minister, fail to deliver for nature and having seen all of the parameters of nature that we care about go backwards. I am so pleased that, after tough negotiations with the government, the Greens were able to secure some important improvements to this package, and I'll run through what they are. But this package is not everything that nature needs, and this package does not go anywhere near what we need on the climate crisis for meaningful protections for communities, for species, for all of us. This government is still clearly so in bed with the coal and gas industry that it makes me sick. This is the best we could get out of this government, and the job is not done. But this is a meaningful step forward on protections for forests, for land clearing and against the fast tracking of coal and gas. The government's first version of this rewrite of our environmental laws would have fast tracked coal and gas to be approved within 30 days. It is 2025, and we are in a climate crisis. It is obscene that this government proposed that. Of course, they were hoping to get the coalition to agree on that, but the coalition are so in shambles and such absolute climate dinosaurs that they couldn't get their act together, which is good news for the climate because the Greens have been able to step in and stop that fast track, to stop coal and gas being approved within 30 days like this government wanted. But the government wouldn't come at climate considerations being included in this piece of legislation, so there is still a gaping hole in these laws when it comes to climate. We will keep fighting every single day to hold this government to account on climate and to get the claws of the coal and gas industry out of our democracy—the fossil fuel subsidies, the fossil fuel donations, the underpayment of corporate tax, the free ride that the coal and gas companies continue to get out of this government just like they did out of the last. As an environmental lawyer, I've looked in great detail at these amendments, and I am proud of what we have been able to improve in our federal environmental laws, something that I feel so very deeply and passionately about. The reason that I sought to be elected, as well as representing the interests of Queenslanders, nature and the community more broadly, was to fix these broken laws. They've been broken for 25 years. They're not completely fixed, but there are some meaningful steps forward that I am proud to be able to deliver, and I do so today. We have made it harder for fossil fuel corporations to wreck the environment, and we've secured new protections for native forests. We've secured protections against rampant land clearing right across the country and, in particular, in the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef, a place that I've passionately campaigned to protect through my professional life. Those wins for native forests, the removal of that exemption from our environmental laws, are something that forest campaigners have worked for for decades. It is just ridiculous that forestry was completely exempt from environmental laws until today. The Greens have managed to remove that RFA exemption. Whilst that won't immediately end native forest logging, it is a serious blow to the logging industry. Within 18 months, those regional forest agreements will have to meet higher standards than they ever have before and logging operations everywhere will need to meet the new tests in these revised laws. They will not be allowed to have unacceptable impacts. In particular, irreplaceable critical habitat will now no longer be able to be destroyed. That is an important step forward. I welcome the $300 million compensation package for those workers. Importantly, it's for the workers—not for the logging corporations, as Senator Duniam was inferring. That protection, that structural adjustment, for those workers is very welcome, and that is also an important sign that the writing is on the wall for this industry. People love our native forests, and they want them left standing. They want plantations to be where we source our wood needs from, and we can do that. This change will go a long way towards that. We've also closed some of the loopholes for land clearing. Continuous use, something that was happening before the laws commenced, has been exempted from these laws for the last 25 years. What we've been able to achieve through our tough negotiations with government is that land clearing where the trees are more than 15 years old will no longer be able to use that continuous use exemption. That land clearing will now need to be subject to our federal environmental laws. That is a win. Obviously, it won't necessarily stop all of that land clearing, but it will bring it in for assessment, and it will be assessed against higher standards because we will have standards and those standards are now going to be higher than what the current laws are. Importantly, in Great Barrier Reef catchments, we see that water quality is a huge problem with the reduced health of the reef. In order to help protect the reef and build resilience, we need to make sure that the land clearing in those catchments, that's just flooding the Great Barrier Reef with nutrients, pesticides and run-off—we need to try to keep those trees in particular in the ground for their own sake and for that of the reef as well. Importantly, we have secured additional protection for Great Barrier Reef catchments and for trees and shrubs around waterways within a set amount of 50 metres. That will effectively result in that clearing requiring federal environmental consideration. I really welcome that, particularly since we've got a coalition government in Queensland that doesn't give a rats about nature and is happy to see trees felled no matter where they are—reef catchment or not. The other key point that I want to mention is the water trigger. When I first got elected to this place, back in 2011, I went into a meeting with the then Independent member for New England, Tony Windsor; and the then Greens leader and senator, Bob Brown, an incredible environmental icon—two incredibly decent humans. In that meeting, we proposed protecting water from coal and gas. Given that that was a minority parliament, we were able to get that protection. As an environmental lawyer, I suggested to Tony and Bob that we make sure that that power be not able to be given back to states and territories, like can happen under our current laws. Keeping that water trigger in federal hands has been something that I have been very proud of ever since, and today we are still going keep that water trigger in federal hands. We are not going to see it in the states and territories. I flag the Northern Territory in particular, who just want to let the gas companies ride roughshod over First Nations rights and completely trash groundwater and climate. We are not going to let those criminals be in charge of protecting water from coal and gas, and this amendment to keep the water trigger in federal hand will do that. That is a significant comfort—that those years of effort and that protection will not be lessened. One thing we were not able to get through these negotiations, which I will move a second reading amendment to fix, is to acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded in this ancient country and that the principles of free, prior and informed consent should be codified in our nation's laws. We have a First Nations consultation standard due for release as part of the new infrastructure. That sounds positive, but my amendment asks that it reflect the principles of free, prior and informed consent. I move: At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate: (a) notes that sovereignty was never ceded, and that free, prior and informed consent should be codified in our nation's laws; and (b) calls on the Government to develop and release for public comment a National Environmental Standard on First Nations Consultation and Engagement that incorporates principles of free, prior and informed consent". We didn't get everything we wanted in these negotiations, but new protections for native forests, protections for land everywhere and in particular in Great Barrier Reef catchments, stopping coal and gas being fast tracked within 30 days like the original bill proposed and retaining the water trigger in federal hands so that we can protect water from rapacious coal and gas corporations are a significant step forward for nature. I'm also pleased that things like renewable energy and housing will be able to move more promptly through our assessment system. I note the former speaker suggested that this might even bring house prices down. You know what will bring down prices? Removing the property investor tax perks this and the last government are so wedded to. I'm sorry, but we don't see this as a fix for the housing crisis, folks. Sure, it will help. If you want to make homes more affordable, get rid of those property investor tax perks. They should never have been introduced in the first place. Some other positive improvements that we've been able to secure include some fetters on ministerial discretion. At the moment, the minister has been able to tick off on any old destruction that he or she likes, even if it would have a significant impact on things the act is meant to protect. There was absolute carte blanche on what could be approved. That was never acceptable, and, of course, it led to virtually nothing ever being refused. It was essentially a tick and flick. What we've now been able to achieve is that unacceptable impacts cannot be approved. There is an extensive definition of what an unacceptable impact is, and, importantly, it includes that irreplaceable critical habitat can no longer be approved for destruction. That is very important. It's not enough, but it is very important, and it is a new protection that we don't currently have. Likewise, in the offsets rules that will come out, the Greens think offsets are absolute nonsense. They don't work. You can't offset nature; it's not a zero sum game. What we've been able to achieve is protection for critically endangered species and critically endangered ecological communities. Again, that is a new protection. There are finally some no-go zones, where irreplaceable critical habitat and habitat for critically endangered species and ecological communities now cannot be destroyed by the big corporations that want to destroy them. That is a good thing, and I'm proud of it. I want to particularly thank the Greens environment spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who will be speaking shortly for her tough negotiation and for delivering an outcome that I am proud of and that the Greens are proud to deliver today for nature and for the community. Were it not for Senator Hanson-Young's tenaciousness and persistence, we might be in a different situation today. We might be seeing the government doing a deal with the coalition to ram through fast-tracking for coal and gas within 30 days, with even less protection for nature and certainly no restrictions on native forest logging or land clearing, with the water trigger gone and with no fetters on ministerial discretion. It is chalk and cheese. I'm pleased that the government finally realised that, if they were to have a shred of credibility, they could not deal with the climate deniers and the dinosaurs in the coalition. These folk are such a rabble, and they're so obsessed with who's leading them that they've forgotten that people want policy outcomes. They can't even organise a proverbial in a proverbial. The government has seen that the Greens are here as a responsible and firm but constructive party that will always push to get outcomes. Our price is quite high, and we are proud of that. We didn't get everything we wanted, but we have delivered improved protections for forests and land clearing. We have stopped coal and gas being fast-tracked with a 30-day approval period. I do want to note that it's clear that this government is doing nowhere near enough on climate. We've got very low carbon pollution targets. We've seen 32 coal and gas projects approved by this government since they took office, five of those in this term of government. It was not even two weeks after they won the election that we saw the environment minister tick off on the southern hemisphere's biggest gas plant, the North West Shelf for Woodside, which I just visited two weeks ago. I saw the ancient rock art of Murujuga with traditional custodians, including Rae Cooper, who showed me 40,000- and 50,000-year-old rock art literally 100 metres away from a gas plant that has already been destroying and eroding that precious oldest living art gallery on the planet. This government didn't bat an eyelid. They didn't go and visit it themselves. The minister just ticked off on that destruction. So the climate fight continues. We will see you in the forests, on the blockade, and we will see you on the streets, demanding climate action. We will always fight to stop coal and gas companies running this parliament and fight for nature and a climate that will sustain us all, for people to have cheaper energy bills and to have their basic needs met.
Discrimination | Matters of Urgency | Senate debates
We're witnessing a terrifying resurgence of far-right politics here in Australia, and our polity is failing to adequately address the seriousness of the issue. Right now, there are literal...
We're witnessing a terrifying resurgence of far-right politics here in Australia, and our polity is failing to adequately address the seriousness of the issue. Right now, there are literal Neo-Nazis marching through the streets with the approval of the New South Wales police, and not many people in this place, except the Greens and some members of the crossbench and a few lone voices, seem to be batting an eyelid. There are many who attended the so-called March for Australia in August and who want to downplay the fact that that event platformed known Neo-Nazis, white nationalists and others who are actively working to tear down the fabric of our society—those very same people who stormed Camp Sovereignty, a peaceful First Nations meeting place, ambushing and assaulting people in the most disgusting display of white supremacy and racism; those very same people who are parading through our streets chanting slogans associated with the Hitler Youth. Racism against migrants and people of colour in this country is not new, but it has been blatantly normalised and legitimised, and pretending that we don't see it only allows it to continue, especially while politicians and parts of the media gleefully fan the flames of hate and foment right-wing extremism. It's up to us to ensure that marginalised communities do not pay the price—that they are not persecuted, demonised or blamed for the problems of the day. It is up to all of us to remind people that it's billionaires and big corporations making life worse for all of us, not migrants, not people of colour and not First Nations people. It's billionaires like Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire exists to create division and dollars for him. It's billionaires like Gina Rinehart who want to pay workers less or Clive Palmer, who refuses to pay his workers at all. It's the same billionaires that delight in hosting right-wing politicians like Senator Hanson on holiday in Bali or partying with President Trump. Cynical politicians like Senator Hanson are working hard to attract votes with unfounded racist attacks based on where people were born or the colour of their skin. But the Greens know that it is inequality and not immigration that people should be angry about. It is inequality that allows racism to flourish, but people of colour are not responsible for a system that keeps the rich rich and that screws ordinary people. We need everyone in this place and in our communities to face down the rise of the far right and turn that blame towards the big corporations and the billionaires who are actually responsible for making life harder for all of us and the politicians who refuse to fix the system so that people can have their everyday needs met.
Domestic and Family Violence | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
We know that a key barrier to women and children leaving violent households is that they have nowhere to go and they don't have financial security. When will the government raise the rate and...
We know that a key barrier to women and children leaving violent households is that they have nowhere to go and they don't have financial security. When will the government raise the rate and tackle the housing crisis, to ensure women don't have to choose between violence and homelessness?
The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission has recently recommended a national funding mapping framework to track unmet need in the family and domestic violence service provision sector...
The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission has recently recommended a national funding mapping framework to track unmet need in the family and domestic violence service provision sector and to identify funding priorities. When will that framework be developed, and why has it taken so long for the government to establish a clear picture of unmet need in this sector?
My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. Forty-three women have been killed by family and domestic violence this year alone. We continue to be in an epidemic of violence...
My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. Forty-three women have been killed by family and domestic violence this year alone. We continue to be in an epidemic of violence against women. We know that violence against women cuts against all backgrounds and disproportionately affects First Nations women and women with disabilities. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of UN Women's 16 Days of Activism. We welcome the government's additional funding for 1800RESPECT, which has experienced a 3,000 per cent rise in calls. But, as demand continues to grow, it's simply not enough, and it's frontline services that need more funding too. Women are still turned away when they seek help, and underfunding of specialist sexual assault services means that, when 1800RESPECT refers callers to them, they can't provide support. When will the government increase funding to frontline family and domestic support services, to specialist sexual violence services and to comprehensive prevention work across the community?
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
Today is the first day of the UN's global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. As I have done for years, I'm going to read the names of women killed by violence this year...
Today is the first day of the UN's global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. As I have done for years, I'm going to read the names of women killed by violence this year using records kept by the organisation Counting Dead Women. It is a volunteer organisation because we still don't have a government-kept national toll. The lives of these 43 women matter. They are: Marcia Chalmers, 86; Rhukaya Lake, 39; Lisa Ward, 55; unnamed woman, 58; Jordana Johnston, 36; unnamed woman; Irene Selmes, 84; unnamed woman, 52; unnamed woman, 23; unnamed woman, 31; Carra Luke, 48; unnamed woman, 30; Anu Kumar, 32; Summer Fleming, 20; Athena Georgopoulos, 39; Zoe Walker, 38; Shafeeqa Husseini, 41; Amanda Ramen, 62; unnamed woman, 81; Leanne Akrap, 47; unnamed woman, 22; Krystel Paul, 41; Norma Dutton, 85; Lauren Hopkins, 47; Muzhda Habibi, 23; unnamed woman, 48; Phoebe Bishop, 17; unnamed woman, 28; unnamed woman, 39; Thi Kim Tran, 45; Louise Hunt; Czarina Tumaliuan, 42; Cecilia Webb, 79; Audrey Griffin, 19; Irene Herzel, 78; Kara Weribone, 27; Crystal Beale, 49; unnamed woman, 41; Rachel Moresi, 55; Rachel McKenna, 35; Lilian Donnelly, 88; Merril Kelly; and an unnamed woman, 51.
At the request of Senator McKim, I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The need for the government to rein in property investor tax breaks and to...
At the request of Senator McKim, I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The need for the government to rein in property investor tax breaks and to direct APRA to rein in record high investor lending, both of which are driving up house prices and out-competing first home buyers. One-third of the most unaffordable cities to live in on Earth are in Australia. This is not the medal we want to be winning. The latest global housing affordability index lists five Australian capital cities in its top 15 least affordable—Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. When first home buyers spend their weekends getting outbid by property investors and when renters line the block for a chance to spend more than half their weekly income to keep a roof over their heads, this Labor government continues to hand out $181 billion in tax breaks for already wealthy property investors. Over the last year, investor lending has increased by 12.3 per cent, while first home buyer lending has increased by less than one per cent. ABS data shows that $40 billion has been loaned to wealthy property investors in just three months. The system is rigged for investors, not for ordinary buyers, and, as a result, ownership rates for young people are plummeting. The government has the power to address this. It should direct the banking regulator, APRA, to rein in this record high investor lending so that first home buyers actually stand a chance. APRA has done this before, and it worked. We saw house price growth stabilise in a way that we haven't for the last 30 years. The government should also scrap the $181 billion in tax perks that are given to landlords, which tip the scales massively in favour of wealthy property investors. Adding fuel to the absolute dumpster fire that is the housing crisis is Labor's five per cent deposit scheme. October 2025 saw the fastest increase in housing prices in more than two years. Coincidentally, that's also when Labor's five per cent deposit scheme kicked in. The banks are loving it, though. Increased house prices and bigger debts means that they will make even more profits off of people's debt and people's pain. They were already on track to make $30 billion in profits this financial year. It is absolutely obscene. By refusing to tackle the root causes of the housing crisis, the tinkering around the edges from this gutless government has only inflated property prices further, locking even more people out of homeownership. Without urgent action, first home buyers don't stand a chance. The major parties are in lockstep. They've created a system that makes the big banks and the property developers billions at the expense of a whole generation of young people. It shouldn't be easier to buy your fifth home than it is to buy your first, but, right now, that's what the case is. You should be able to buy a home on an average salary, but, right now, you can't. These are not radical suggestions; they are common sense. The solutions already exist, and they work around the world. It starts with ending the special treatment for ultrawealthy property investors over first home buyers. We could cap and freeze rents and make sure that renters have real rights so that no-one has got to live in a mould ridden home without proper heating or cooling. We could actually build more public and affordable homes with a publicly owned property developer to build them at cost, not for profit. The housing crisis is no accident. It's been created by successive governments outsourcing to the private market, and the Greens will keep fighting to make sure that everyone is able to get and keep a roof over their heads.