‘The Government’s failure to introduce a Bill today proves that Prime Minister Morrison is more interested in avoiding a divisive party room so soon after the Wentworth disaster than protecting LGBTIQ+ students and staff from discrimination,’ said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

‘Once again LGBTIQ+ people are being held to ransom by the hard right of the Liberal party.’

The Australian Greens are calling on Prime Minister Morrison to deliver on his promise during the Wentworth by-election to remove the ability of religious schools to discriminate against LGBTIQ+ students.

“When the heat was on during Wentworth, the Prime Minister promised a bill would be passed by the end of this week removing discrimination in religious schools,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

“Where is the bill? Or did the Prime Minister lie to the people of Wentworth?”

The final report of a Senate Inquiry into water use by mining operations has recommended expanding Commonwealth control over water use, and dramatically improving understanding of water use by mining industries to help reduce the conflict between water use by mining operations, and agriculture and the environment.

Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice today said that voting for the Greens’ bill to end exemptions to anti-discrimination laws that allow religious schools to expel LGBT+ students is Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s chance to “act right now” and deal with this issue “once and for all”.

The Greens introduced the Discrimination Free Schools Bill 2018 into the Senate this afternoon.

“Prime Minister Scott Morrison is right: we need to ‘act right now’ to end this unfair discrimination while both parties are feeling the pressure in Wentworth,” Senator Rice said.

As the Greens voted to support the establishment of a Senate inquiry into the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, Greens Agriculture spokesperson Senator Janet Rice reiterated the Greens’ call for the Coalition government to establish an independent and transparent review into the safety of glyphosate.

“Today the Greens voted in support of the inquiry into the independence of the APVMA, particularly to examine how Barnaby Joyce’s forced relocation of the authority has affected its ability to undertake chemical reviews,” Senator Rice said.