Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today that after over a decade of campaigning for an increase to the Newstart rate, it was refreshing to finally see it become an election issue.

“At long last the dire poverty that people on Newstart are condemned to live in is being recognised, now it must be turned into action," Senator Rachel Siewert said.

“I’ve introduced four private members bills to increase Newstart since I’ve been in Parliament. 

“The community know it is not acceptable that this payment hasn’t been raised for 25 years.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.
 

The ALP was tonight complicit in extending a social experiment on the people of Ceduna, the East Kimberley and the Goldfields by rubber stamping the Government’s extension to the Cashless Debit Card for another year.
 
“This is a sad day for people in our community who are suffering  on a coercive, controlling card that flies in the face of self-determination, Senator Rachel Siewert, Spokesperson on First Nations issues said today.
  
“How can the ALP stomach let alone support this type of policy approach?
 

The Australian Greens said people on the lowest incomes have been ignored in the budget which has projected a so-called "surplus" at the expense of people doing it tough.

“It is as if this is a budget for a world where people on Newstart don’t exist. They didn’t get the increase in payment so desperatley needed and people on Newstart don’t get the $75 energy bribe.

 “Meanwhile, high income earners get permanent so called ‘tax relief’.

The Greens have today tabled a dissenting report to the Senate committee inquiry scrutinising legislation that seeks to extend the Cashless Debit Card in the trial sites of Ceduna, East Kimberley and the Goldfields until 2020.

Senator Rachel Siewert said today that the Government must stop ignoring the advice of independent experts like the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling and Deloitte Access Economics who say that an increase to Newstart makes economic sense and would stimulate the economy.

“Deloitte said that an increase to Newstart by $75 a week would be a better use of Government money than the second tranche of personal tax cuts,” said Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services.

Following the findings of the Senate inquiry into ParentsNext the Australian Greens are calling for the ParentsNext program to cease operating in its current form.

“The ParentsNext program must be made voluntary and the punitive, coercive demerit point system abolished” said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services.

Senator Rachel Siewert said today after visiting Darwin this week that it is clear that the NT Government blindsided stakeholders and the community when it rammed through changes to youth justice laws that go against recommendations of the Royal Commission.

“I’ve been in Darwin this week and key stakeholders have been blindsided by this legislation and didn’t know about the changes to youth justice that go against the findings of the Royal Commission until a day before it was rushed through," Senator Rachel Siewert said.