Tuesday, 10 April 2018

The WA Greens have backed calls for an end to live animal exports from Fremantle and reiterated their long-standing position to permanently phase-out the cruel and inhumane practice.

Australian Greens Senator for WA Rachel Siewert said the latest shocking footage was not a revelation, but yet another a failure by operators, regulators and government to address the barbaric cruelty and horrific conditions aboard live animal export ships.

Thursday, 22 March 2018

The Australian Greens have called on the government to acknowledge the data environment has changed significantly in the last 18 years and repeal section 7c of the Privacy Act, amid concerns around privacy and the integrity of Australian elections.

Yesterday, both the government and opposition voted down a Greens motion condemning Cambridge Analytica, and calling for a review of privacy regulations in Australia including the removal of absolute exemptions in the privacy act for politicians and political parties.

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Australian Greens Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called for Privacy Act exemptions for political parties and members of parliament to be removed in the interest of Australian democracy.

Senator Steele-John said all political parties must be open, honest and transparent about the data they were using, or paying to access, and in particular about any links with Cambridge Analytica.

Monday, 19 March 2018

Australian Greens Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has expressed alarm about the ‘Trumpification’ of Australian elections, following revelations today about the extent of data harvesting carried out by Cambridge Analytica and its potential influence on the Trump and Brexit campaigns.

Senator Steele-John said there were significant questions to be answered about where and how the data used in these campaigns was obtained, and whether it was legal to do so.

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.