The Australian Greens have expressed deep concern on Minister Wyatt’s comments regarding the movement away from a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
 

The Australian Greens have today rejected calls to increase Newstart for only those over 55 saying that it is the Government's responsibility to look after all Australians.
 
“People in this country should not be living in poverty, and if you are living on Newstart that is what you are doing”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said.
 
“All people on Newstart are suffering and all need to be helped.
 

The Australian Greens have today labelled the Morrison Government heartless saying they are using nonsense arguments to try and justify their refusal to increase Newstart.

“While we welcome a decrease in the number of unemployed Australians this does not mean that we shouldn’t be raising the rate of Newstart for the people still stuck on the payment” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services said.

The Greens have today come out in strong support of the First Nations communities in Western Australia suing the Federal Government in a landmark action over the remote work-for-the-dole scheme, CDP. 
 
“If the Government will do nothing to stop the damage this program is doing to First Nation’s peoples,  then communities will”, Greens spokesperson on First Nations issues Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

The Greens have repeated their call for the Government to reform the ParentsNext program and make it voluntary after whistleblowers on ABC's Background Briefing have come out showing how dysfunctional the program is, just one year after it's rollout. 

"The nature of the program and outsourcing services to private for profit providers is a recipe for disaster", Senator Rachel Siewert said.

A Greens motion to send Centrelink’s compliance program including “robo-debt” to a Senate inquiry has been supported by the Senate today.
 
“It’s been more than two years since I chaired the first hearing of the Senate inquiry into the notorious robo-debt program”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said.
 
“We heard a lot of evidence. There were nine hearings across Australia, and what will always stick with me, is that at every hearing, we heard about the impacts of the program. 
 

The Greens have welcomed the Nationals interest in an increase to Newstart, but have rejected tying any increase to Newstart with the cashless debit card.
 
“People on income support are some of the best money managers, because every single dollar counts when you are on a low income.
 
“Just because people are unemployed doesn’t mean that they can’t manage their finances. It is insulting and paternalistic to consider otherwise.
 
“Increasing Newstart must not be a vehicle for expanding the cashless debit card in this country.
 

Senator Rachel Siewert and Senator Patrick Dodson’s reference to senate inquiry on the adequacy of Newstart and related payments has today been supported by the Senate.
 
“I’m very pleased that the Senate has supported our reference to the Community Affairs References Committee”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
 
“This week we’ve had people from all sides of politics come out in support of an increase to Newstart which has not had a real term increase since 1994.
 

A Greens motion to increase Newstart has passed the Senate today.

Following the reporting of the Coalition’s new low of interfering with a Parliamentary committee in regards to recommendations on Newstart, the Australian Greens have renewed their call for an independent process to set income support rates.
 
“If correct it is appalling that Minster Fletcher intervened in the work of the Committee and shows exactly why we need an independent body to set income support rates”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said.