Poverty

Save and expand foreign aid

Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 19th July 2011, 10:21am
by ParisLord in

This month the world is learning about the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, where about 12 million people have been hit by the worst drought in almost 60 years. Australia has pledged more than $11 million in aid. It's heart-wrenching to see malnourished children in refugee camps in Kenya with tubes in their noses to feed them because their hungry mothers cannot.

Curb polarisation between rich and poor - Brown

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Friday 13th May 2011, 2:39pm
in

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today he will move to strengthen legislation with the aim of limiting chief executives' salaries to 30 times the average pay within their corporation.


"The Greens support moves to give shareholders more say and have no intention of having the Corporations Amendment (Improving Accountability on Director and Executive Remuneration) Bill fail," Senator Brown said in Canberra.


"But our amendment would be a good incentive to the CEO to improve the salary conditions of the workers. It's good all round for the company - good for morale and productivity."


"The quality of talent in executive positions depends on human values as well as other skills. If you're going to run a corporation well then you have to have a humanity that extends to workers and to the community to which you are providing goods and services," Senator Brown said.


"There won't be a flight of talent. In fact, it might winnow out those whose modus operandi is self-interest and greed and retain those who are fair-minded human beings."

Greens welcome call for a ten year poverty plan

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Friday 20th August 2010, 12:19pm
in

The Australian Greens today welcomed a call by the major church providers for the next government of Australia to work with community services to develop a 10 year plan to tackle poverty.

Greens: low welfare payments undermine work-readiness

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Thursday 24th September 2009, 8:01pm
in

Comments today by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard defending unemployment payments that are well below the poverty line show she is out-of-touch with ordinary Australians, the Australian Greens say.

“Australia's unemployed are now officially the poorest in the developed world,” Greens Employment and Workplace Relations Spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said.

Rudd Uranium Bill will increase Aboriginal disadvantage

Media Release | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Tuesday 8th September 2009, 3:31pm
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A Federal Bill that will apply a uniform royalty regime to all uranium mining projects in the Northern Territory will increase Aboriginal disadvantage, the Australian Greens say.

The Uranium Royalty (Northern Territory) Bill 2008, referred last year to the Senate Economics Committee, was debated in the Senate today (Tues 8/9/2009).

Single parents must not be left behind

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Sunday 10th May 2009, 11:41am
in

The Australian Greens today called for the Government to include single parents in the pension increases foreshadowed for the Budget.

"If the Rudd Budget duds single parents, the Greens will take the Government on in the Senate," said Australian Greens spokesperson on Community Affairs, Senator Rachel Siewert.

Rudd budget must deliver social dividend

Media Release | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Tuesday 5th May 2009, 3:31pm
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The Australian Greens today called on the Government to apply promised increases in the single pension rate to all pensioners and unemployed people (including single parents) in the May Budget.

"The Government should be listening to calls from community service providers to immediately raise rates of income support. People surviving day-to-day on the pension are already struggling, and this is only likely to get worse," said Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert today.

Youth homelessness demands action: Greens

Media Release | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Wednesday 1st April 2009, 11:03am
in


As Australia marks National Youth Homelessness Day on Wednesday 1 April, the Australian Greens have re-iterated the need for preventative measures, funding for support services and more public housing.

Greens demand boosts to student income support

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 25th March 2009, 1:50pm
in

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has marked today’s National Day of Action for tertiary students by calling on the Federal Government to boost income support for students in both dollar amount and eligibility criteria.

The National Union of Students organised a National Day of Action today around the theme ‘Demand a better future: less talk, more action’, including a focus on student poverty.

“Higher education is costing more now than ever, and yet students are not getting the same quality of experience as in years past,” said Senator Hanson-Young from her alma mater of Adelaide University.

Greens deliver triple boost for public housing

Media Release | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Monday 16th February 2009, 11:18am
in

Australians will get a triple bonus from the $6 billion injection into public housing under the Federal stimulus package, after the Greens ensured the 20,000 houses to be built will be energy efficient.

"We have been calling for a multi-billion dollar investment in the public housing sector for some time - and especially in a time of financial hardship, public housing is all the more crucial."

"The billions of dollars under this package will construct 20,000 new homes across the country, growing new jobs in building and construction at a time of economic downturn," said the Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Scott Ludlam.

The Greens voted in the Senate for the Federal stimulus package on Friday, negotiating a $435 million local green jobs plan that will create 10,000 jobs.

"The Greens have also improved the housing component to ensure that new social housing conforms to a six star Energy Efficiency Rating where possible, reducing the environmental impact of homes and keeping cost of living pressures down."

"This is the first time a national government will move to apply energy efficiency standards to future housing, bringing Australia closer to American and European best practice. This will lead to cheaper, greener and more comfortable housing for vulnerable Australians."

"By investing in public housing and these energy efficiency measures, we're giving the triple bonus by supporting affordable housing, supporting the housing and construction industries, and ensuring the houses provided for our most needy families are also energy efficient and cheaper to occupy," said Senator Ludlam.

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