Wednesday, 14 March 2018

Charging students and graduates to access unpaid internships will only entrench privilege in the workplace making it harder for people from diverse backgrounds to find full-time work, according to the Australian Greens.

Youth & Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John spoke today in response to revelations that third-party oraganisations were charging students and graduates up to $1000 to take part in 8-week unpaid internships with a one in 64 chance at being offered a job.

NBN Co is selling WA down the river with its worst technology - Fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) – whilst Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the architect of this disastrous rollout, enlists taxpayer money and Departmental intervention to ensure his mansion gets 100mb per second speeds.

Australian Greens NBN spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today, in light of figures released during estimates showing more than 60 per cent of West Australian’s would be stuck with the existing, ageing copper network, that WA deserved better.

Tuesday, 27 February

The Government is failing to support the rights of deaf, blind, hard-of-hearing and vision-impaired Australians to access the social, cultural and educational benefits of television, according to Australian Greens disability rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John.

Senator Steele-John posed questions of Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and his Department during estimates today about the accessibility of free-to-air television for vision and hearing impaired Australians.

Tuesday, 27 February

The Australian Greens have labelled a report into the future of the National Broadband Network, which found Australia’s internet needs over the decade would conveniently peak below the 50mb/s threshold NBN co are claiming to provide, as sloppy, unfounded and deliberately  vague.

NBN spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said the speeds noted in the report were already below international standards, and would cement Australia’s position as a second-rate digital player globally.

Monday, 26 February

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has flagged introducing legislation obligating Australian companies to assist government agencies with decryption, but his department has failed to clarify today in estimates when they plan to do so.

Australian Greens Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said the lack of understanding demonstrated in estimates about the implications of such legislation was frightening, given there was an acknowledgement it was in draft stages.

Wednesday, 14 February

Australian Greens Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has accused the Government and opposition of making law ‘on the fly’, after sensitive legislation concerning non-consensual sharing of intimate images online was rushed through the Senate today.

Both the government and the opposition blocked a motion by the Australian Greens to have the legislation referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications and ensure there was proper scrutiny of the bill, which was only introduced for debate on Monday.

Tuesday, 13 February

The opposition have back flipped on net neutrality and voted with the government against a motion, moved by the Australian Greens today, calling for an inquiry into public interest need for such protections.

Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said current telecommunications ownership structures in Australia should be more than enough evidence to warrant having an inquiry.

Tuesday, 13 February

The Government has again refused to commit to a Royal Commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability in institutional settings, after questions today from the Australian Greens calling on them to do so.