“The Government has today defied the Senate and refused to produce the legal advice relating to the decision to stop relying on income averaging under the Income Compliance Program. 

The Senate has today passed a Greens motion for an order for the production of documents that the Government provide the legal advice relating to the decision to stop relying on income averaging under the Income Compliance Program.
 
“Legal professional privilege is not a recognised ground for refusing to provide information to the Senate, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert. 
 

“I moved to disallow the original regulation because it was overwhelming considered by stakeholders to be flawed and it is feared that the regulation could lead to an increased use of chemical restraints, Australian Greens spokesperson on Ageing Senator Rachel Siewert said.
 
“In light of what the Royal Commission interim report said I’m disappointed at the piecemeal amendments they have made. They simply do not go far enough to protect older Australians.
 

The Australian Greens are pleased that the Government appears to have finally realised how fundamentally flawed the robodebt system is.

The Greens have written to Minister Robert to seek assurances that people on income support in fire and emergency zones do not have their payments cut off, suspended or receive demerit points if they are unable to meet their mutual obligations or report their income due to the fire emergency.
 
“There is a likelihood that within these zones it will be extremely difficult for people to meet their obligations and reporting requirements,“ Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said today. 
 

Senator Rachel Siewert will today introduce a private members bill that amends the Governor-General Act 1974 to stop paying standard allowances to former Governors-General, and their spouses, where they have engaged in serious misconduct.
 

The Greens are calling on the Senate to reject the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Income Management to Cashless Debit Card Transition) Bill 2019 following the senate inquiry report into the Bill and listen to the lived experiences of people on the card and compulsory income management in the NT. 
 

The Australian Greens are calling on Government to act with a sense of urgency on the Interim Aged Care Royal Commission report findings saying Australians expect them to.

“These issues are not a surprise to Government, they have been raised time and time again, it is obvious more money has been needed for home care packages, there has been repeated calls to eliminate the use of restraints and a number of inquiries into young people in nursing homes.

The Government can do something about the use of chemical and physical restraints in aged care right now, by immediately amending the Quality of Care Amendment (Minimising the Use of Restraints) Principles 2019 tabled in Parliament by Government earlier this year.
 
"The regulation is currently before the Senate in the form of a disallowable instrument.
 
"The regulation is overwhelming considered by stakeholders to be flawed and it is feared that the regulation could lead to an increased use of chemical restraints.
 

The Australian Greens are calling on the Senate to reject the harmful and dangerous Government proposal to drug test income support recipients in trial areas because of the overwhelming evidence of the damage it will cause to individuals and our communities. 
 
“The stigma experienced by people with addiction will be further compounded through this trial by subjecting participants to compulsory income management. It will be incredibly damaging and health and addiction experts have consistently opposed this approach”, Senator Rachel Siewert said.