The Australian Greens today called on the Government to withdraw the School Requirements Bill, saying that it is poor legislation, lacks an evidence base and contradicts the Governments social inclusion agenda.

"The Greens today tabled a dissenting report in the Senate following the Community Affairs Committee inquiry into the Bill. Evidence to the Committee was overwhelmingly opposed to this punitive approach to school attendance. There is simply no evidence to support this approach," said Senator Siewert.

The Australian Greens today welcomed the launch of ‘Contexts of Child Development - Culture, Policy and Intervention' by the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health.

"This work clearly demonstrates why ungrounded coercive approaches like the Northern Territory Intervention and the upcoming welfare truancy trials are doomed to fail from the very start," said Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.

"This book also highlights the positive impact of community support programs which support and enhance the strength and resilience of families. This in turn increases the protection of children within our communities."

"It is clear from Senate question time today that the Government has not thought through the impacts of their planned welfare quarantining trials for truancy," said Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.

"In the Senate today, the Government admitted that the trial was not limited to the suburb of Cannington, as originally stated. Instead, the trial extends across the Cannington Centrelink district, which includes the suburbs of South Guilford, Burswood, Victoria Park, South Perth, Queens Park, Belmont, Bentley, Rossmoyne, Welshpool and Canning Vale."

"I would hope that the Federal Government is aware of the past failed trials of such measures in Western Australia, such as the Halls Creek trial."