The Senate Inquiry into Australia’s animal extinction crisis today heard testimony that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews acknowledged the need to protect the highest conservation value forests, but buckled under pressure from VicForests, the state-owned logging company, to allow these forest areas to be logged.

On this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice acknowledged the importance of the day and paid her respects to the trans and gender diverse people who are no longer with us.

Senator Rice also called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to apologise to all trans and gender diverse Australians for the hurt and damage his past actions have caused.

“This Trans Day of Remembrance I remember the beautiful trans and gender diverse people we have lost because our society refused to celebrate them,” Senator Rice said.

Following publication of a report by the Public Transport Users Association, the Greens are calling on Labor and Liberal to get serious about investing in public transport.

“We’ve seen mega freeways and toll roads prioritised over real congestion-busting solutions for decades,” said Sam Hibbins, Victorian Greens transport spokesperson.

A leaked study by University of Canberra academics for the Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) shows two thirds of Australians, including those in rural and regional areas, want an end to native forest logging.

“It’s clear that a huge majority of Australians know that logging of native forests must end,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens spokesperson for forests.

“The Labor and Liberal parties are the only thing standing in the way of protecting our native forests.”

The first anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote is a cause for celebration, but we must acknowledge the harm that the unnecessary postal survey had on LGBTIQ+ people and communities, say the Greens.

“I’m so delighted to be celebrating the anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote, the day we knew that Australians voted for love and we would finally have marriage equality in this country,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

“But we must also acknowledge and remember the harm the postal survey caused LGBTIQ+ people, our families and our communities.”

The Greens have ensured that the LGBTQ+ schools inquiry will report in two weeks and will include teachers and school staff.

The Greens successfully amended the Terms of Reference for the inquiry so that it will report on the legislative changes needed to remove discrimination against both students and teachers this year.

“Removing discrimination against both students and staff is urgent. It must happen this year,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

Funding cuts to Foodbank are cruel and will be a significant blow to Victoria’s regional communities doing it tough and suffering through drought, say the Greens.

"These cuts are unnecessary and cruel, and they will have a significant impact on people who are struggling in Victoria’s rural and regional communities,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens agriculture and rural affairs spokesperson.

Following the backflip by the Sydney Anglicans and the  Melbourne Anglicans coming out to say they don’t want the power to expel or fire LGBT+ students and teachers, Labor and Liberal must commit to supporting the Greens bill removing discrimination in schools.

The Morrison government must deliver now on its promise to remove discrimination against LGBT+ students in religious schools, and include teachers and staff, say the Greens.

“With even some religious schools now joining the call for this discrimination to end, it’s time for parliamentarians to get on with the job and remove religious schools’ ability to expel and fire LGBT+ students and staff,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

The joint letter from Sydney Anglican school principals shows they want to continue to be able to discriminate against LGBT+ people just because of who they are, say the Greens.

‘If what the Sydney Anglicans are saying is that merely being out as LGBT+ is enough to ‘undermine or denigrate the beliefs and teachings of an employing school’, then that’s homophobia and transphobia, not religious freedom,’ said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.