The Australian Greens have announced an eight point plan to grow Australia’s agriculture industry sustainably and prepare for a changing climate.

“The Greens agriculture plan will grow the industry sustainably, provide $100 million annual support for drought-affected communities, protect farmers’ land with a national ban on fracking, and support farmers with grants to increase production and protect land and soil,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Agriculture and Rural Affairs spokesperson.

You just can’t trust Labor on environment laws overhaul after the Victorian Labor government increases the native forest area open to logging, say the Australian Greens.

"This is a disastrous decision by the Andrews Labor government," said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens forests spokesperon.

"For the Victorian Labor government to increase the area of forest to be logged and extend native forest logging to 2028 is a disaster for our forests, a disaster for our climate, a disaster for water security, and a disaster for threatened animals."

All Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+) people have the right to be free from discrimination, have autonomy over their bodies, and access to holistic and comprehensive health services. The Greens will support LGBTIQ+ people and their families to ensure they are treated equally and free from discrimination.

The Greens will:

1. Establish a $70mil grants scheme for LGBTIQ+ community organisations to self organise and advocate

2. Provide funding for research and data collection.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.
 

The Australian Greens have written to the Foreign Minister Marise Payne to express deep concern over Brunei’s new laws that punish homosexual sex with death.

“Brunei’s new laws punishing homosexual sex with death are extremely concerning and a serious violation of basic human rights,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

“I urge the Australian government to put as much pressure on Brunei to immediately repeal these inhumane laws."

Labor’s backflip on forcing car dealers rather than manufacturers to reduce vehicle emissions shows their policy was written on the run, say the Greens.

“Putting the onus on car dealers rather than manufacturers was clearly unworkable and just demonstrates that Labor has cooked up this dog’s breakfast of a policy on the run,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.

With the stroke of a pen rolling over last century’s destructive logging laws, WA Labor has signed the death warrant on threatened animals like the critically endangered Western Ringtail Possum, say the Australian Greens.

“This rollover is the first by a Labor government. While federal Labor talks tall about strengthening federal environmental laws, the WA Labor government is allowing precious native forests to be destroyed for another 20 years,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens forests spokesperson.

The interim report from the Senate inquiry into Australia’s animal exti

 The Morrison’s government’s infrastructure spending demonstrates a complete lack of vision and pre-election porkbarrelling to save the skin of incumbent Coalition MPs, say the Australian Greens.

“The centrepiece of the Government’s high-speed or “fast” rail policy, the perennial election sweetener that never materialises when one of the major parties forms government, is to fund another five feasibility studies, taking the total number to eight,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport and infrastructure spokesperson.

The Morrison government’s $400,000 allocation for a national electric vehicle strategy in the Budget is an absolute joke, especially when they have allocated 25 times as much in luxury car rebates, say the Australian Greens.

“The staggeringly low $400,000 to roll out a national electric vehicle strategy is an absolute joke,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.