Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale today condemned the Israeli military’s killing of more than 50 Palestinians upon the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem. 

“The Australian Greens condemn in the strongest possible terms this latest example of the Israeli military’s excessive use of force,” Senator Di Natale said.

“Yesterday marked the deadliest day in Gaza since the 2014 war, with more than 50 Palestinians killed.

“Rarely do budgets give us such stark choices about what kind of future we want for our country, but this one surely does. We have a clear choice between the Liberals’ selfish, dog-eat-dog worldview or a more caring society where we look after each other,” Dr Richard Di Natale said.

“Under the Government’s radical US-style tax plan, a hedge fund manager on $200,000 gets 10 times the tax cut as the person who trims the hedges around his mansion. 

“We have a progressive tax system in Australia but now we have a fight ahead of us to keep it.

The end to live sheep exports within two years is now within reach if Labor and the cross bench back the Greens bill to transition out of live animal exports within 2 years.

The Animal Export Legislation Amendment (Ending Long‑haul Live Sheep Exports) Bill 2018 will be introduced into parliament next week and sets out a two year transition plan to achieve a complete prohibition on the export of live sheep by long-haul sea voyages.



The Australian Greens will today launch their '5-Point Plan to End Cruelty and Expand Jobs' that would quickly transition the live sheep export trade to a boxed, chilled meat trade processed locally.

The plan has the backing of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU).

Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale will today announce the party’s plan to legalise cannabis for adult use. Dr Di Natale said our current approach to drugs in this country is an unmitigated disaster and that it is time for real reform.

“The war on drugs has failed. Governments around the world are realising that prohibition of cannabis causes more harm than it prevents. It’s time Australia joined them and legalised cannabis for adult use,” Dr Di Natale said.

The Australian Greens today expressed grave concern over the decision of the US, UK and French Governments to launch strikes against targets in Syria. Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale reiterated the Greens' call for the Australian Government to rethink the US alliance. 
 
“The violence and suffering in Syria is appalling, and the use of chemical weapons is an abomination," Senator Di Natale said. 

"But we don’t need a barrage of missiles. This action risks dangerous escalation in a very complex and volatile war.

Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale today called on the Australian Government to break its silence over the killing of 17 Palestinians late last week by the Israeli military.

“The vast majority of those participating in the March of Return to mark Land Day were protesting non-violently. The use of live fire and lethal force was clearly disproportionate and very likely illegal,” Dr Di Natale said.

Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale today said the Liberal government's failure to secure the votes needed to pass its Trump-like company tax cuts means they're dead in the water. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann confirmed in the Senate earlier this evening that they have only managed to secure 37 votes and that the legislation will not be brought before the Senate until later this year.  

"Malcolm Turnbull and his government's Trump-like company tax cuts are dead in the water," Senator Di Natale said.

The Coalition Government has not consulted its own Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee – The Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drugs (ANACAD) - about its latest plans to drug test income support recipients, it was revealed at estimates today. Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale said It was clear that the Coalition didn't ask their own experts because they didn't want the truth: that this plan is cruel, wasteful and will make the problem worse.

Following Barnaby Joyce's resignation as Nationals Leader, Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has called for any new agreement between the Liberals and the Nationals to be made public. 

"Barnaby Joyce has finally done what he should have done weeks ago and resigned as Leader of the Nationals," Senator Di Natale said. 

"Instead of resigning when serious allegations of wrongdoing were made public weeks ago, he's acted in his own self interest in an attempt to cling onto power.