“The government and Labor teaming up to cut 605 billion litres of water from the environment, sells out the Murray River and Victorian river communities,” says Victorian Greens Senator Janet Rice.

The Greens moved yesterday to disallow the regulation that will see 605 billion litres cut from environmental flows. Labor joined with the Government to allow these cuts to go ahead.

The Coalition and Labor have voted against a Greens amendment to a heavy vehicle regulation bill in the senate today that would have lead to reduced pollution, greenhouse gases and fuel consumption of  trucks.

“Australia is trailing the world when comes to reducing vehicle pollution. Almost 20% of Australia’s carbon pollution comes from transport and that percentage is rising rapidly,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.

Senator RICE (Victoria) (11:55):  I, and on behalf of Senator Pratt, move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

            (i) 17 May 2018 is International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, lntersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), and

            (ii) IDAHOBIT is an opportunity to acknowledge the discrimination, exclusion and violence that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people still face in Australia and overseas; and

(b) calls on all parliamentarians to:

The Greens have used ATO income statistics to highlight that the Turnbull Government’s tax cuts for high income earners will disproportionately benefit men, and leave women in low- and middle-income jobs at a comparative disadvantage.

“We know that women are much more likely to be on a lower income and the Budget’s disproportionately higher tax handouts to high income earners shows just where this Government prioritises the equality of women,” said Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for women.

The Budget that was trumpeted as a big infrastructure investment is nothing more than a cash splash for private toll road operators and has nowhere near enough investment in the public transport that will unclog our cities and bring down pollution, say the Greens.

“Less than $1 in every $5 is going to public transport from the Government’s infrastructure grants,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport & infrastructure spokesperson.