Education, Science & Innovation

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.

Greens concerned about possible school chaplaincy guidelines breach

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Friday 13th May 2011, 4:12pm
in

The Australian Greens are concerned by reports a ministry in Victoria may have breached federal guidelines covering the chaplaincy programme in public schools.

Senator Bob Brown on the 2011-12 budget

Greencast | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Tuesday 10th May 2011, 8:45pm
in

Senator Bob Brown held a press conference where he discussed the government's 2011-12 federal budget.

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Old economy wins while new economy loses

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Tuesday 10th May 2011, 7:53pm
in

Public mental health and private mineral wealth are the big winners out of this year's budget, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The Greens are celebrating the $1.5 billion boost to mental health funding, although we are shocked to discover that almost $0.5 billion is outside the forward estimates. There is a bias in the overall budget to the influential mining barons who are unelected and send massive profits overseas. While the mining corporations gain, programs for Australians, including the environment have been cut by billions," Senator Brown said.

Statement from Greens on federal bonus payments to teachers

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Monday 2nd May 2011, 4:12pm
in

The Australian Greens encourage and support excellence in the teaching of our children.

"We want our school environments to be the best possible," Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on education, said.

"We don't believe a one-off payment to teachers, based on the performance of students according to NAPLAN test results, is the best way to reward them.

"We know teachers in every school across the country work very hard at educating our children, often in trying circumstances. We believe our teachers deserve better pay and conditions, particularly if we wish to encourage graduates to enter the field and be retained."

Greens Offer Real Support For Struggling Students

Media Release | Spokesperson Adam Bandt MP
Thursday 22nd July 2010, 4:21pm
in

<p>
 Adam joined Senator Sarah Hanson-Young at RMIT this week and<span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a"> released a four-point plan to help tackle student poverty and housing affordability.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Youth and Education, says the Greens have recognised the need for action to provide real support for students. </font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">&ldquo;Access to higher education should be a right for all, not just a chosen few,&rsquo;&rsquo; Senator Hanson-Young said.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">&ldquo;We know, however, that students are increasingly being forced to juggle study and work, and that for some people it is just not financially feasible.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">&ldquo;According to NUS figures, 66 per cent of students are suffering from extreme rental stress, while Universities Australia data shows the average fortnightly living cost for students is $670, including $232 on rent alone.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">&ldquo;There is an urgent need to provide additional help for students &ndash; and the Greens are determined to</font></span><span lang="en-au"> deliver that support, allowing</span><span lang="en-au"> for</span><span lang="en-au"> <font color="#2a2a2a">a fairer system for all.&rsquo;&rsquo; </font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">The Greens&rsquo; plan would: </font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en"><font color="#000000">■ Lift the basic fortnightly rate of Youth Allowance, which has not risen apart from indexation since it was introduced in 1998, from $371.40 to the Greens&rsquo; increased Newstart rate of $486. The proposal would give students $115 extra per fortnight at an overall cost of $680m per annum. </font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en"><font color="#000000">■ Ensure universities are required to develop a plan - under the Government&rsquo;s Transforming Higher Education Agenda - listing measures to boost affordable student housing.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en"><font color="#000000">■ Put an extra $50 million into the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) for a specific new student division to boost student housing. This will give universities assistance to build student-specific accommodation, and allow students access to accommodation at a cost 20 per cent below the market rate.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en"><font color="#000000">■ Require university student accommodation to operate under the same tenancy laws as other accommodation, giving students the same rights as all tenants.</font></span></p>
<p dir="ltr">
 <span lang="en-au"><font color="#2a2a2a">&ldquo;Our plan is another example of the Greens delivering good outcomes for the community &ndash; we&nbsp; will give students the help they need to access tertiary education,&rsquo;&rsquo; Senator Hanson-Young said.</font></span></p>

Senator Bob Brown's address to the National Press Club - July 2010

Speech | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Wednesday 14th July 2010, 5:02pm
in

At this National Press Club I acknowledge the traditional owners of the Canberra region and all the Indigenous people of our nation.

This year will be another milestone in politics for the Australian Greens. The sole balance of power in the Senate and a breakthrough into the House of Representatives are both within reach. Australia's voters are looking for more progressive politics and the stable, experienced leadership which we alone have produced over the past three turbulent years in Canberra.

Time To Take Early Childhood Learning Seriously

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Monday 23rd November 2009, 9:45pm
in

The collapse of ABC Learning has presented an opportunity to reform systems of care for our youngest children, now the Federal Government must show the commitment to make it happen, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Youth, Childcare and Education, says the report of the 12-month inquiry into childcare tabled in the Senate has shown that reliance on corporate providers has not resulted in an appropriate quality of care.

"It's time to stop settling for a profit-driven, poor quality approach to childcare in Australia, and instead focus on creating the system that our children deserve,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.

Statement on technical colleges

Speech | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 18th November 2009, 12:00am
in

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (3:56 PM) -I seek leave to make a short statement relating to Senator Barnett's motion which has just been passed.


The DEPUTY PRESIDENT -Leave is granted for two minutes.


Senator MILNE -The Australian Greens did not support the Howard government's establishment of these colleges because we believed at the time that it was a politically motivated decision, that the colleges would duplicate services already provided by existing institutions-the TAFE colleges in particular-and that the establishment of the colleges was part of the attack on the union movement. However, these colleges have been established. They are very well funded in comparison with similar colleges offering similar services and that disproportionate funding is inequitable.

Having said that, the Bartlett Labor government in Tasmania has made a complete and utter mess of the transitional arrangements to this new system of the academy and polytechnics and so on. There is no clear transitional arrangement for the 270 students and 35 staff in the Australian Technical College Northern Tasmania with its two campuses that we are discussing here today. There are no satisfactory transitional arrangements. There is no guarantee on staffing. We do note that the Bartlett government has now said that it will do everything it can to make sure that the colleges do not fail, and I am glad to hear that that is the case. So we are supporting this on the basis that those students and staff have proper transitional arrangements and that equivalent certification can be achieved as this process is worked through.

High-Quality Childcare Must Be A Top Priority

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Thursday 29th October 2009, 12:58pm
in

A new survey showing overwhelming public support for quality childcare reinforces the message to the Federal Government that childcare is an essential service which needs appropriate funding, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Childcare, says 84 per cent of people surveyed wanted the Federal Government to make quality childcare a priority, emphasising the growing dissatisfaction with the pace of reform in early childhood education and care.

"It is obvious that the public is tired of waiting for the Government to take action to improve the standard and conditions of childcare,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.