What you can do to help in the midst of the bushfire crisis

It’s been a terrifying and tragic start to the new year. And while you might feel helpless, there are some practical things you can do to help that will really make a difference.

By Richard Di Natale

There are no adequate words to describe the loss and grief that many people right around Australia are experiencing right now.
If you're like me, you'll have feelings of helplessness as you sit and wait for news about the latest fires, sadness on hearing that another town has been burnt down, and deep heartbreak on learning that millions of animals have died and thousands upon thousands more are burnt, starving, or searching for water.
But if you are wondering what you can do right now, here are some practical ideas that will really make a difference:

1. Reach out

You likely know someone who has been affected by the fires, let them know they are not alone and that you are there for them. Let them know you are grateful that they are alive and safe.

2. Share your thoughts

Australia is facing an unprecedented climate crisis and these bushfires and extreme heatwaves are a result of that. The climate emergency will only get worse unless the Morrison government takes serious action now. By sharing your stories about the bushfires and having conversations with your family and friends you are helping others understand the impact of the climate crisis and the need for urgent action.

3. Use your social media for good

Think of your social media as a loudspeaker to your own community. Use your voice to amplify and share stories about the impacts of the climate crisis and encourage people you know to take action too.

4. Donate

If you are fortunate enough to be in a position that you can make a donation, take some time to consider where you want to give your money. As well as the relief effort and support for our firefighters, you could consider organisations that do critical work supporting climate science, organisations that support First Nations people to protect country, or organisations that are looking after injured wildlife in the wake of the fires.

5. Volunteer your time

Spend some of your spare time volunteering with an organisation that will be helping to repair and rebuild communities and restore the environment. If you are not near an area with organisations that are part of the relief efforts, there are plenty of other ways to get involved. Volunteering your time with your local tree planting group or helping to clean up rubbish at your local park or beach are also contributing towards making our planet healthier and more resilient.

6. Go to a rally

Make your voice heard on the issues you care about by attending local rallies in your area. The more people that turn up and demand change the closer we are to seeing that change happen.

7. Sign our climate emergency petition

Enough is enough. Scott Morrison’s government has been ignoring the impacts of climate change, while all around them the threat gets worse. That’s why the Greens are calling on the Australian Parliament to declare a climate emergency – and we need your voice to amplify our message. Sign the petition and find out more here.
Every little bit helps to start rebuilding communities. If we all do our part we can make this the world we want and deserve. I hope you will be part of this journey with us this year.
In the meantime, stay strong, stay safe and look after each other.

The long-lasting effects of the bushfires

Make no mistake: the climate emergency is a health emergency. As a doctor, Richard Di Natale explains the long-term health impacts of these fires, the changing climate, and what it’s going to mean for us and future generations.

By Richard Di Natale

I live in south-western Victoria, in a community that is no stranger to bushfires. I know the agony a community feels when properties are destroyed, livelihoods are left in ruins or when the worst happens and our community loses one of their own in a fire.

Like so many regional Australians, every time I hear of out of control fires I imagine the terror of an approaching fire front and the grief and trauma that follows. That tragedy has become a reality for hundreds of Australians in recent months and weeks.

As a doctor I’m also concerned about the long-term health impacts of these fires and the changing climate, and what it’s going to mean for us and future generations.

How does smoke affect health?

If you live in one of the eastern states or the ACT, the impact from the bushfires has been impossible to avoid and has affected everyone's quality of life. We’ve had smoke haze across cities for days and in some case weeks, toxic ash in our waterways, and dust clouds covering entire towns. It is in the air we breathe and the water we drink.

In the short term, exposure to airborne particles in the smoke haze may cause coughing, shortness of breath and exacerbate conditions such as asthma. People are urged to stay indoors and limit exercise or exertion in the smoke.

But the question remains: what impact will this have on our long term health? We know that prolonged exposure to toxic smoke can have serious health impacts, but the scale of the bushfire smoke across our most populated centres is unprecedented and so we can’t be certain of the health impacts beyond the short term. One of the challenges is that little research has been done on the impacts of bushfire smoke exposure over a long period of time. And let's not forget that there are significant health impacts caused by heatwaves, trauma and stress.

I remember the fear that surrounded the 2014 Morwell fire that started in an open cut coal mine and blanketed the Victorian town and the surrounding area in smoke and ash for six weeks. Children who were exposed to the smoke now have an increased likelihood of ongoing respiratory problems and many adults who lived through the mine fire now have increased symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

How prepared are we to deal with the health impacts?

The climate emergency we are in will result in more severe fire seasons, as well as an increase in other extreme weather events that could pose significant threats to public health.

Right now, Australia’s health system is simply not equipped to deal with the health impacts of climate change now and into the future. We urgently need a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-Being, as outlined by the Climate and Health Alliance and supported by Australia’s health and medical community. From emergency preparedness, to community education, workforce planning and governance – we need this strategy in place now to ensure that as a country we are prepared to protect human health in our new climate reality.

A crucial element of this is preparing our health stockpiles for crises to come. Just last week the Greens called for a Climate Emergency National Medical Stockpile to ensure access to the safety and medical equipment required to protect us all from climate-related extreme weather events and more ferocious fire events into the future.

The government must do more to ensure our communities are equipped to deal with the health impacts of future fire seasons and extreme weather events.

How does climate change factor in?

Last year the Australian Medical Association warned of the future impacts of climate change on Australians. This included an increase in infectious disease transmission during extreme weather events and heatwaves, higher mortality rates from heat stress, an increased incidence of mental illness – and it is time Scott Morrison and his government started paying attention.

Despite decades of warnings on the consequences of climate change on our environment and people's health our government was too slow to respond to the bushfires and left members of the public in the dark as to the health risks, limited advice about what to do to protect their health, and what precautions they could take to minimise the impacts. The government has a responsibility to everyone impacted by these fires to be better prepared next time.

Most importantly, the government must start treating the cause of these increasingly frequent and severe fires, storms, floods and droughts – the climate crisis. We need to shift away from the polluting coal, oil, and gas that fuels global warming, to renewable energy.

We can do this. It’s possible, and it will make Australia cleaner and safer. We owe it to ourselves, to the next generation, and everyone who has been left devastated by these fires.

Senator Richard Di Natale will join climate strike this Friday

This Friday students right around the globe are choosing to skip school to get adults to pay attention to the climate crisis engulfing the planet.

We are in the middle of a worsening climate emergency and our own Government is not taking action. Instead, they are directly fueling this crisis with their own science-denying policies.

We’ve been horrified to already see unprecedented bushfire activity in Queensland and New South Wales in recent weeks. Several towns in NSW are alarmingly close to running out of water, our largest river system is in crisis and facing more mass native fish deaths this summer, and drought has turned WA crops into dust bowls. This climate crisis affects us all.

That’s why we're joining the Global Climate Strike on Friday. Will you?

FIND A STRIKE

 
Right around Australia, Greens MPs and staff will be joining the climate strikers. I'm proud that our Greens team will be on the streets all over the country, adding our voice to the global chorus demanding political parties take urgent and immediate action to address the climate crisis.
 



Where will you be when the world strikes to demand action to fix the climate crisis?
Kids all over the world know their future is at stake and are pleading with us to join them by calling on the government to rapidly address the climate crisis. Will you join their call?

FIND A STRIKE

Can’t make the strike or what to do more?

• Be seen, change your Facebook profile to show you are supporting the strikers.
• Do you run a business and are planning to shut down? Take the Not Business As Usual pledge and join 1000s of Australian businesses who will be closed on Friday. 
• Own a website? Join the digital strike.
• Become a Greens climate champion and help us pass a climate emergency declaration through Australia’s parliament this year. Find out more.

See you on the streets, 

Richard and the entire Greens team

Australian Greens announce new shadow ministries for the real opposition

The Australian Greens have today announced updated portfolios, as decided at Monday’s meeting of the Australian Greens Party Room.

“Someone needs to stand up against Scott Morrison’s regime of failed trickle-down economics, or we’ll end up living in a dog eat dog society like Trump’s America,” Opposition Leader Senator Di Natale said.

“Sadly, the other parties have bought into the Prime Minister’s reckless plan, and Labor’s nowhere to be seen. Yesterday shows that the Government’s benches aren’t nearly big enough for the number of politicians trying to enact his agenda.

“Scott Morrison’s selfish vision for our country is not the Australia I know, and it’s not the Australia the Greens will accept.

“That’s why I’m proud to announce the roles held by the Australian Greens team, who will be offering fearless and real opposition to Scott Morrison’s selfish vision for Australia.”

NEW SHADOW MINISTRIES OF THE REAL OPPOSITION

RICHARD DI NATALE – Opposition Leader
Shadow Minister for Health
Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism
Shadow Minister for Foreign Policy
Climate Change & Energy Spokesperson (Senate)

LARISSA WATERS – Co-Deputy Opposition Leader
Shadow Minister for Democracy
Shadow Minister for Mining & Resources
Shadow Minister for Women
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Shadow Minister for Gambling

ADAM BANDT – Co-Deputy Opposition Leader
Shadow Minister for Climate Change & Energy
Shadow Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations
Shadow Minister for Science, Research & Innovation
Shadow Minister for Public Sector

MEHREEN FARUQI – Senator for NSW
Shadow Minister for Education
Shadow Minister for Local Government Housing
Shadow Minister for Industry
Shadow Minister for Animal Welfare
Shadow Minister for Gun Control
Shadow Minister for International Development
Employment & Workplace Relations Spokesperson (Senate)  

SARAH HANSON-YOUNG – Senator for SA
Shadow Minister for Environment & Biodiversity
Shadow Minister for Water & Murray Darling Basin
Shadow Minister for Arts, Media & Communications
Shadow Minister for Nuclear Issues

NICK MCKIM – Senator for TAS
Shadow Minister for Justice
Shadow Minister for Immigration & Citizenship
Shadow Minister for Digital Rights & Information Technology

JANET RICE – Senator for VIC
Shadow Minister for Transport & Infrastructure
Shadow Minister for Forests
Shadow Minister for LGBTIQ
Shadow Minister for Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Shadow Minister for Sport
Shadow Minister for Science, Research &  Innovation (Senate)

RACHEL SIEWERT – Senator for WA
Shadow Minister for Family & Community Services Ageing
Shadow Minister for First Nations Peoples’ Issues
Shadow Minister for Mental Health

JORDON STEELE-JOHN – Senator for WA
Shadow Minister for Disability Rights & Services
Shadow Minister for Trade
Shadow Minister for Youth
Shadow Minister for Peace, Disarmament & Veterans’ Affairs

PETER WHISH-WILSON – Senator for TAS
Shadow Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Finance
Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs Waste & Recycling Healthy Oceans
Shadow Minister for Small Business

Video: "You don't beat the Conservatives by adopting their policies," says Richard Di Natale | Insiders

Greens Leader Richard Di Natale responds to criticism that his opening address at the Greens conference spent too much time critiquing the Labor Party.

Related:

Greens the real opposition as tax cuts pass

For more from ABC News, click here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/

Australia can't follow Trump into another disastrous war in the Middle East: Green Magazine

Senator Di Natale

The Australian Greens are gravely concerned at reports today that the Morrison-McCormack Government is considering joining Donald Trump in his counter-productive and erratic so-called strategy to pressure Iran.

Australian Greens Leader Richard Di Natale said: “Donald Trump is a dangerous President and could easily start another needless war in the Middle East.  His inflammatory language and reports of aborted military strikes clearly demonstrate the danger he poses. Prime Minister Morrison needs to make clear at the G20 Summit in Japan this weekend that Australia will not have a bar of another disastrous US war.”

“Both the Coalition and the ALP are at risk of sleepwalking into another deadly and costly military entanglement in the Middle East. We need leadership now, not politicians who unquestionably follow the US into all its military follies. The stakes could not be higher.” 

Richard Di Natale 27 Jun 201

Australian Greens Media: Taylor, Frydenberg, Adani

Angus Taylor and Josh Frydenberg must explain their actions

Richard Di Natale 21 Jun 2019

Democracy

It is very disappointing, but hardly surprising, to hear yet again that Coalition Ministers are more interested in profits for themselves and their mates than the people they are elected to represent, Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale said.

"It is appalling to consider that Angus Taylor would use his privileged position to approach Departmental staff and Government Ministers about an issue that directly affects his business interests," Di Natale said.

Read more

Greens say Adani fight is 'far from over'

Richard Di Natale 13 Jun 2019

Environment

The decision by Queensland's Labor Government to grant approval for the Adani Carmichael coal mine's groundwater management plan is deeply disappointing to anyone who understands the danger posed by climate change, but the fight to stop this mine being built is far from over, the Australian Greens said.

"This fight is far from over. The Adani mine cannot go ahead if we are going to have any chance of slowing rising global greenhouse gas emissions and preventing the worst impacts of dangerous climate change," said Leader of the Australian greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

Read more

Labor leadership needs to stick firm in tax cuts opposition

The Labor leadership needs to stick firm in its opposition to the Government's tax cut package, despite the pressure it may be feeling from a handful of backbenchers, Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale said.

"Labor said during the election that they wouldn't back in the Government's disastrous tax cuts and Anthony Albanese should stand firm, do the right thing for the country and continue to oppose these cuts," Di Natale said.

A statement from Senator Rachel Siewert, Senator Richard Di Natale and our Co-Conveners on today's party room meeting:

Statement from Australian Greens Whip Sen. Rachel Siewert:

Today the Australian Greens Party Room met and re-affirmed the positions of our leadership team.

Following a customary spill of the leadership positions, the roles of Leader, Co-Deputy Leader and Whip have all been returned without challenge. The rotating position of Party Room Chair has moved from Adam Bandt MP to Sen. Janet Rice.

The leadership roles for the 46th Parliament are as follows:

Parliamentary Leader: Dr Richard Di Natale

Deputy Leader: Sen. Larissa Waters

Deputy Leader: Adam Bandt MP

Party Whip: Sen. Rachel Siewert

Party Room Chair: Sen. Janet Rice

Statement from Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale:

I am excited to have been re-elected parliamentary leader by my Party Room colleagues and want to thank them for putting their trust in me again. I am so proud of our achievements and the strong role the Greens have played in shaping the debate of the 45th Parliament, and I am confident that we will once again be a driving force in responding to the major challenges that confront our nation.

This is what the Greens' policy plans mean for you and your electorate. Take a look.

This election, we’re campaigning to solve the biggest problems we’re all facing.

Unlike the major parties, we’re committed to taking strong action on climate change by transitioning from coal towards 100% renewable energy. 

Our policies will create a future for all of us, not just the wealthy few, by building 500,000 affordable community homes, giving every child a place in childcare and bringing back free uni and TAFE. We’re the only party with a plan to ban the corporate donations that corrupt our politics, and we have the most comprehensive plan to protect our environment.

These are big, bold plans. And, as a grassroots political party, we’ve made sure to develop our policies so they make a difference to you, in your local area.

Today we’re launching our policy calculator, which shows the positive impact of our plans in your electorate. Check it out.

SEARCH YOUR POSTCODE

Our policy calculator breaks down some of the most ambitious and important policies in this election.

With this tool, you can see how our renewables plan will reduce your electorate's carbon emissions. You can see how many families benefit from our free child care, dental care and aged care policies. And you can see how we’ll power the economy by giving small businesses a leg up and by lifting Newstart.

With just ten days to go before the country votes, now is the time to take a look at how our big, bold plans make a difference in your electorate.

TAKE A LOOK

For a future for all of us,

Richard

Make a difference on May 18

Make a difference on May 18 View in browser

Donate Get Involved Join

Nearly a quarter of voters will make up their minds about who to vote for when they arrive at polling booths on May 18. So it’s absolutely essential we have a strong Greens presence all around the country. Sign up to volunteer on polling day and help add 2-3% to our total vote. Hi It’s been an absolute pleasure getting out and talking to our wonderful supporters all around the country. Now we’re down to crunchtime. We have a huge opportunity to put more Greens in Parliament and make a difference this election, but for this to happen we need to show voters what it means to put a 1 next to our party when they hit the polls on May 18. Your presence on polling day can help increase our vote by 2-3%. What a difference that could make!  Will you get involved? COUNT ME IN On election day voters need to know that the Greens are the only party with a real plan to tackle climate change. That we’re the only party with a real plan to build a fair and sustainable future for all of us. We know that almost a quarter of voters turn up to the polling booth undecided. Last election, our candidate for MacNamara (former Melbourne Ports), Steph Hodgins-May, missed out on a seat in Parliament by just 477 votes. We can’t fall agonisingly short again! The margins can be tiny on election day, which means you can be the difference between putting another Greens MP in parliament or the seat being taken by one of the conservatives. SIGN ME UP Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Greens. We depend on the generosity of people like you to power our movement – and there’s never been a more critical point in the campaign to get involved. Will you sign up to hand out How to Vote cards on polling day? Hope to see you out there on the campaign trail!

Labor needs the Greens to strengthen enviro laws

Greens Senator Faruqi

Labor’s new environment policies will not protect our natural world without a climate trigger and real funding, the Greens say.
“We already know that the Liberals are hopeless on climate change and protecting the environment, and we’ll be glad to see the back of them in a couple of weeks,” Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale said.
“Unfortunately, the Labor Party are showing themselves to be not much better. You can’t protect the environment without addressing climate change but remarkably our current environment laws don’t take climate change into account.

Environmental protection key Greens focus this election

Lauren Edwards Greens' Cowper candidate

The Greens’ are putting protecting and restoring our environment front and centre for the 2019 election campaign.

“The Government would have you believe that we face a choice between our economy and our environment,” Leader of the Australian Greens, Dr Richard Di Natale said.

“But we all know that in the long-term a strong economy and thriving community depend on a safe environment and stable climate.

Australian Greens Richard Di Natale's budget reply

This budget is an unmitigated failure when it comes to fixing our biggest problems. The Liberals simply don’t have a plan to fund real action on climate change or reduce the gap between the rich and the rest of us, but we do. Tune in to hear the Greens vision of a future for all of us, not just the wealthy few.

Every budget week, Australians want to hear two things from politicians: how they’re responding to the biggest challenges we’re facing right now, and how they’re preparing for the future.

What we heard last night is that this government, on its last legs before calling the election, is failing on both counts. This budget isn’t a roadmap, it’s a dead-end.



The climate emergency we’re all experiencing demands governments urgently invest in renewables and transition away from coal. But this budget commits more money on substandard medical treatment and needless transfers of sick refugees to Christmas Island than funding the fight against climate change. 

Growing inequality demands proper funding of essential services. But instead, Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have stuck their heads in the sand and delivered a few election bribes.

What this budget boils down to is a cynical attempt to buy votes instead of planning for the nation’s looming challenges. It isn’t going to fix our biggest problems; it will make them worse.

The Greens have a plan to solve the problems we’re facing now, like economic inequality, increasing cost of living, environmental destruction and climate change. And tonight, I’ll be unveiling this vision in parliament. Will you tune in to hear how we’ll build a future for all of us?

WATCH OUR BUDGET REPLY SPEECH

The great tragedy of the Liberals’ cruel prioritisation of the interests of their big corporate donors over the rest of us is that Australia does not lack the financial resources to solve the problems we face as a nation. We just lack the political vision.

The tax cuts & surplus in this budget are enough to fully fund TAFE and free uni for all Australians, increase Newstart, build 500,000 new affordable homes, provide Medicare-funded dental care, invest $10 billion to fight climate change and still have billions spare.

That’s why I’m excited by the opportunity to spell out our plan for Australia’s future -- one where we phase out coal, deliver 100% renewable energy and build a world-leading renewable energy export industry. We’ll be premiering the video of my speech to Facebook tomorrow morning. I hope you’ll take a look.

For a future for all of us,
 

Message from Richard Di Natale, Australian Greens

Richard Di Natale

The election is coming up fast. In fact, with the Government's Budget being delivered tomorrow, you can bet we’ll all be going to the polls in just a few short weeks!

This is our chance. This is the year to shake up politics, get more Greens elected to parliament, put our most important issues on the agenda and, most importantly, kick the conservatives out.

But to achieve all of this, we're going to need everyone involved. We’re going to need people like you to help us.
While we gear up to take on the major parties, we’re asking all our supporters what it is that matters most this election. 

Kicking off a national tour in Melbourne last week, Richard Di Natale discusses the future

2018-09-14

Kicking off a national tour in Melbourne last week, Richard Di Natale discusses the Greens’ vision for the future – one where we all have access to the things we need to live a good life.

By Senator Richard Di Natale
 

It’s time for a new direction and a new vision for Australia.

This September and October I’m hosting free events across the country to share the Greens’ vision for Australia’s future and to talk about the challenges and opportunities involved in achieving it.

The tour kicked off on 3rd September in Melbourne where I was joined by Holly Throsby, Tim Flannery, Emily Wurramara and Julian Burnside for an excellent evening of ideas and conversation about what it means to create a future for all of us.

After weeks of instability in Canberra and the Liberal party being too focused on infighting to govern for our community, it was refreshing to talk about how positive politics can be. As Amanda, who was part of the audience, said, “I’m very proud of the people speaking tonight, rather than the ridiculous coverage of recent political events. Let’s get rid of the current government”.

But what made the evening even more special was that, for the first time, we were able to broadcast the event live online and share the evening with people from across the country. It was fantastic to get such excellent questions coming in from people in the crowd and the online audience.

If you weren’t able to catch the event live on the night, the replay is available to watch here.

Over the next six weeks I’ll be heading off around the country to do more of these events, and I’m excited about the opportunity to talk to progressive Australians about a future where we have integrity in politics; properly funded essential public services like education and health run for people and not corporate profit; and where wealth is not concentrated among big corporations and the very rich.

I’ll be in the following cities on these dates:

Canberra: 18 September
Perth: 27 September
Adelaide: 2 October
Sydney: 3 October
Brisbane: 11 October

Book your spot here.

If you're feeling frustrated by our political system favouring massive corporations over the rest of us, then these events are for you, and I hope I’ll see you there.

The Libs should be ashamed of themselves says Richard De Natale

The Libs should be ashamed of themselves View in browser

It doesn’t matter who wins #libspill tomorrow, we all lose. The ridiculous instability over the Liberal leadership means a snap election could be called at any minute. We must be ready to campaign, and you can help. Dear John Thanks to the utterly selfish behaviour of the Liberal and Labor parties, we haven’t had a stable government in a decade. Thanks to their back stabbing, we've now had six Prime Ministers in eight years. They are a disgrace and an embarrassment. This week’s antics by the government proves they are so so focussed on themselves that they’ve completed forgotten what they were elected to do. WATCH & SHARE CHIP IN NOW There is good news, though. This instability means a snap election could be called any day, which gives us the chance to rise above this selfish navel gazing to build a future for all of us. A future where we look after people and the environment, where we end inequality and stop dangerous climate change. But we need to be ready to campaign, quick. That’s why we’ve created a Snap Election Fund. You can help us be ready by chipping in now. TAKE ACTION NOW It doesn’t matter who wins the Liberal leadership tomorrow, because we can be sure they will run an election that fans the flames of racism, stokes unfounded fears about immigration and denies the existence of climate change. It’s going to be ugly. When an election is called, we need to immediately book billboards and advertising before the other parties do. We’ll need to open campaign offices, support thousands of volunteers, print t-shirts and how-to-vote cards. All of this costs money. In fact, elections are really expensive and, unlike the Liberal and Labor parties, we don’t take donations from big corporations. Can you chip in today to make sure we’re ready to campaign to build a future for all of us? DONATE TO OUR ELECTION FUND I can’t wait to get stuck into this election campaign. With your help, I know we’ll achieve amazing things. Richard PS – The Liberal Party has sold what little soul it has left and done a deal with the devil. It doesn't matter who leads them - we know the next election will focus on division, race-baiting and cruelty to people seeking asylum. For many thousands of people in our communities, this is a scary prospect. The Greens will take them on with everything we’ve got, but we need all the help we can get. Can you help us fight their racism?

Authorised by Rebecca Galdies, 23/85 Northbourne Avenue, Turner ACT

Our plan to stop bank abuse

Our plan to stop bank abuse

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The Greens led the charge to set up the Royal Commission into the banks. Now we’re taking action by announcing our simple solution to bank abuse and misconduct. Spread the word: we need to break up the big banks. 

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The banking royal commission hasn’t been short on drama, has it? 

Revelation after revelation has shone light on the shocking amount of rot at the foundations of this country’s banking system. For far too long, these billion dollar businesses have been allowed to get away with fraud, bribery, and forcing people onto dodgy products. 

 



Worse still, the royal commission has uncovered widespread and shocking abuse of customers these banks are supposed to serve. Here is one example:

Senator Di Natale's response to Treasurer's Cuts December 18, 2017

"Today, the government announced they will be making $2.1 billion cuts to higher education - forcing young people out of university, hitting them with debt, and making it harder to find a job. Here is my response to the Treasurer’s nasty cuts. 

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Today, the government has made huge cuts that will unfairly targeting young people, struggling families and new arrived migrants in their mini end of year budget.

These cruel cuts will axe $2.1 billion from education alone.

This announcement shows just who this government cares about, and it is not young people.

These budget cuts will affect students the most - hitting them with a higher debt, forcing them out of university, and making it even harder to find a job. This government's agenda  is based on making the wealthy even wealthier, while the rest of the country suffers.

WATCH AND SHARE

We are calling on Labor and the senate crossbench to hold firm and not support the lowering of the HECs repayment threshold. We want students to have the opportunity to learn, develop skills and make a meaningful contribution to society.

We believe that now, more than ever, is the time to invest in young people.

This government’s end of year budget is mean-spirited and takes us in the wrong direction.
Together we can demand a different future.

Richard Di Natale"

Finally Turnbull surrenders to banking royal commission

After years of Greens pressure, the banks are going to have to answer for their toxic culture and underhanded practices. Share the good news. 

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The banks better get ready.

Their rorts and rip-offs have gone on for too long and now, after sustained pressure from the Greens, Malcolm Turnbull has been forced to announce a Royal Commission into the banking and financial sector.

After years of dodging inquires and being protected by the Liberal and Labor parties, the big banks are now going to have to answer for their behaviour.

This announcement means we might finally see some justice, and any toxic banking culture now addressed as it should have been many years ago.

Share this big announcement: our banks will finally be investigated!