Food for thought

Im a greeny from way back..i like most of what I've read about Dave but not supporting Ukraine is very disappointing..I think we should be supporting Ukraine and throw in supporting the Myanmar rebels aswell

In the past i have voted for labour or the greens at election time solely dependent on what policies have been announced and how much i have believed in the candidate. I've never felt the need to post on this sub before but I'm livid with the greens current direction and leadership over comments made about ukraine (among other things). My own opinion is that the greens of the past (bob brown) have always been ahead of their time with policy and environmental concerns (which i believe the general population of australia were too stupid to understand at the time) but the current alliteration of the greens are way off the mark and have lost my vote forever if they continue down this path of nonsense, and ultimately this bullshit will get them voted into obscurity. I am totally happy to be called a bot or one nation plant (or whatever) for posting this but also I'm cool to to debate this in the comments like an adult.

Wtf guys?

Much of the focus has been on One Nation ahead of the Victorian election in November. But the Greens
- if recent positive polling continues - may surprise in certain seats with tight margins.

Now I'm ashamed for ever believing in such cowards. So ashamed. Never voting green afain.

A split has emerged in the Greens over providing military aid to Ukraine, with senator Sarah Hanson-Young breaking ranks to support arming the Ukrainian army to defend itself against Russian aggression.

New party leader David Shoebridge held a frank and at times tense meeting with leaders from the Ukrainian-Australian community on Friday to clarify the Greens’ position after he shocked them by explicitly opposing military assistance to Ukraine in an interview with this masthead.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong accused Shoebridge of “lining up with One Nation and President Putin” by opposing military aid to Ukraine in a fiery exchange in the Senate on Tuesday.

While Shoebridge insisted the party’s position has been “clear from day one”, parliamentary records show the Greens backed a Senate motion supporting military aid to Ukraine after Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022.

Shoebridge has noted that the party’s positions can be amended at the will of its members, offering hope to Ukrainian supporters that the policy could be changed.

Hanson-Young, who lost the leadership contest to Shoebridge earlier this month, said she supported giving Ukraine military aid if necessary to protect its sovereignty.

“If that’s the support that people need in order to defend themselves from the invasion of Russia, I think Australians need to support that,” she told the ABC’s 7.30.

“We always come from a position of wanting to de-escalate military violence ... we want to see humanitarian support, we want to see diplomatic support, but of course you can’t allow people to be left fending for themselves.”

Hanson-Young said she had raised the issue directly with Shoebridge.

“I’ve had a discussion with David about this, I think he would have put it differently if he was asked that question again,” she said.

Shoebridge told this masthead after winning the leadership: “The Greens have been clear from day one that we’re a party of peace and non-violence, and we don’t support military aid to the Ukraine.”

He said the party would support providing military aid to Ukraine if it were backed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, but critics have noted Russia would inevitably use its veto power to block any such move.

He was contacted on Tuesday following Hanson-Young’s comments.

The position came as a surprise to many Greens members and supporters, as well as Ukrainian-Australian leaders, who were taken aback by the firm opposition to military aid.

Then Greens whip Janet Rice spoke in support of a March 2022 Senate motion noting that Australia “continues to provide humanitarian assistance to help meet the urgent needs of the Ukrainian people along with military assistance to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia’s unjust actions”.

“We affirm our support for the right of the people of Ukraine to sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we support the measures that are outlined in this Senate motion,” Rice told the Senate.

The Greens did not say they opposed providing military support in their comments to a 2024 Senate report on Australian support for Ukraine.

Coalition defence spokesman James Paterson said there was “nothing progressive about outsourcing our defence and foreign policy to Vladimir Putin”.

“David Shoebridge needs to stop ‘greensplaining’ to Ukrainians about what they need to defend themselves against Russia,” he said.

“He should listen to them, and his own colleague Sarah Hanson-Young, and back military aid which they have clearly and repeatedly said they desperately need.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Australia for providing over $1.6 billion in military assistance since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, including the transfer of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and ammunition.

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations said, following their meeting with Shoebridge, that they had “a frank and constructive exchange about the Greens’ policy, its impact on the Ukrainian community, and how Australia can best support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion”.

“We urge Senator Shoebridge and the Greens to reconsider their opposition to military aid and ensure Ukraine receives all the practical support it needs to survive and win its fight for freedom,” the federation said in a social media post.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Australia had no interest in buying diesel from Russia after US President Donald Trump agreed to buy more 800,000 tonnes of Russian diesel by November in a deal slammed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “gift to Putin”.

Hi team,

The Greens are getting flamed online and in the mainstream media on this policy.

Can you confirm the current position and if at all possible, please walk it back and just support Ukraine in whatever way we can?

This is causing the Greens a lot of bad press.

I would have posted the text however there are allot of useful associated graphs, so have a squiz yourself.

Labor is poised to walk back controversial ministerial powers in new digital safety laws amid demands from the Greens for stronger protections, including the right to seek compensation for algorithmic harms.

The Coalition remains opposed to the federal government's Digital Duty of Care proposal, which is one of three major pieces of legislation due to be introduced to parliament this week, alongside gas reservation and changes to the taxation of trusts.

The digital laws have a potential pathway through the Senate with the support of the Greens, who have set three "tests" for the bill on private compensation, the scale of fines and addressing the addictive nature of the technology.

The duty would require social media, search engines, AI chatbots and other online platforms to take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable "harms" for underage Australians and "serious harm" for adults.

Categories of harm were outlined in an exposure draft bill released last month, but there was also a provision for the minister to add further harms through regulation.

The Coalition has been vehemently opposed to the powers, suggesting they would lead to political censorship online.

It is understood the government is now prepared to scrap the ministerial discretion component of the bill before it is introduced later this week.

Labor urged to give Australians right to seek compensation for online harms

Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said she was willing to work with the government to make Australians safer online but "only if they show some grit".

"Australians deserve freedom over what appears on their feeds,"

she said.

Senator Hanson-Young said to "meaningfully" change the behavior of tech companies, Australians who have been harmed online must be able to take "legal action and seek compensation for damage done".

"Enforcement of the Digital Duty of Care cannot be left to the eSafety Commissioner alone," she said.

"To really put Australians' online safety at the heart of this reform, individuals and the community need to have the right to take on big tech through a private right of action."Labor urged to give Australians right to seek compensation for online harmsGreens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said she was willing to work with the government to make Australians safer online but "only if they show some grit"."Australians deserve freedom over what appears on their feeds,"
she said.Senator Hanson-Young said to "meaningfully" change the behavior of tech companies, Australians who have been harmed online must be able to take "legal action and seek compensation for damage done"."Enforcement of the Digital Duty of Care cannot be left to the eSafety Commissioner alone," she said."To really put Australians' online safety at the heart of this reform, individuals and the community need to have the right to take on big tech through a private right of action."

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane yesterday, Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson accused Labor of seeking to suppress "lawful voices" under the "masquerade of online safety".

"Protecting children should never become an excuse to give politicians sweeping powers over what Australians can say, read or debate online,"

she said.

Labor has rejected this characterisation of the duty, noting for adults "serious harms" relate to existing criminal offences.

But Senator Henderson and other opponents have seized on comments made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month when he suggested the laws would tackle misinformation and disinformation.

Labor urged to 'abandon' trust changes

The government is also expected to introduce a minimum 30 per cent tax on distributions from discretionary trusts this week, which the Coalition is opposing primarily due to concerns about the impact on small businesses.Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane yesterday, Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson accused Labor of seeking to suppress "lawful voices" under the "masquerade of online safety"."Protecting children should never become an excuse to give politicians sweeping powers over what Australians can say, read or debate online,"
she said.Labor has rejected this characterisation of the duty, noting for adults "serious harms" relate to existing criminal offences.But Senator Henderson and other opponents have seized on comments made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month when he suggested the laws would tackle misinformation and disinformation.Labor urged to 'abandon' trust changesThe government is also expected to introduce a minimum 30 per cent tax on distributions from discretionary trusts this week, which the Coalition is opposing primarily due to concerns about the impact on small businesses.

A spokesman for Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes were to make the tax system "fairer" and fund income tax cuts for workers.

He said the government had consulted closely with small businesses to get the implementation "right".

"The legislation will include options to limit or completely eliminate restructuring costs, as well as the rollover relief we flagged at budget time," the spokesman said.

But Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said the government should abandon the minimum tax entirely or at least undertake further consultation.

"Small and family businesses and farmers who use trusts want one thing from this government: certainty, so they can get on with backing themselves, investing and creating jobs," he said.

Mr Wilson said the government "hit rock bottom" last week when it was forced to delay a ban on using credit cards to pay tax bills amid backlash from small businesses.

"Jim Chalmers laid tax landmines right across the economy in his budget, and every time one explodes the prime minister humiliates him into another backdown,"

he said.

On Friday, Mr Chalmers announced the government would cover the cost of the Australian Tax Office absorbing surcharge fees when businesses paid their tax bills with a credit card until June 30, to allow for further consultation.But Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said the government should abandon the minimum tax entirely or at least undertake further consultation."Small and family businesses and farmers who use trusts want one thing from this government: certainty, so they can get on with backing themselves, investing and creating jobs," he said.Mr Wilson said the government "hit rock bottom" last week when it was forced to delay a ban on using credit cards to pay tax bills amid backlash from small businesses."Jim Chalmers laid tax landmines right across the economy in his budget, and every time one explodes the prime minister humiliates him into another backdown,"

he said.On Friday, Mr Chalmers announced the government would cover the cost of the Australian Tax Office absorbing surcharge fees when businesses paid their tax bills with a credit card until June 30, to allow for further consultation.

Greens at 16%

Hey guys,

recently arguing with a greens supporter on the issue of temp visa holders, with work rights ,being highly exploitable. This user has accused me of being white despite me not even being of any european descent.

Unions, such as the CFMEU, have been quite against businesses using temp visa holders for 'labour shortages' as a way to exploit works.

This person says that the class struggle is way for all white people to deflect against their racist history, which is quite absurd.

What do you guys think? is the CFMEU racist ?

Sydney Morning Herald Exclusive:

“The sudden growth in paying members - a vital financial and volunteering resource during election campaigns - will further the Green's push to "replace" Labor and fight Pauline Hanson, as her party claims their membership now outnumbers that of both the Coalition and ALP.”

Victorian Greens Pretty sure VBs are vegan...

New leader David Shoebridge is in some ways more of the same. He is a lawyer, as was the leader he succeeded, Larissa Waters, and the man she succeeded, Adam Bandt. But he is other things too - more combatively left-wing, more rhetorically aggressive and more ruthlessly focused on a Labor Party he says has betrayed its centre-left mission.

"A new poll has shown the Greens' vote is on the rise!

The Greens are the most popular party with young people & ahead of their state election, the Victorian Greens are polling at record highs.

People want change.

Now polling isn’t everything, but this doesn’t stop at the polls.

Last night I was at an event talking about the Greens’ vision to rebuild this country – and the room was overflowing.

Over the last few weeks we’ve seen an incredible number of you sign up to join our movement.

This is how we take the power out of the hands of the billionaires and big corporations and back into the hands of the people.

Change is possible if we work together to build it.

This is the time.

Join us: greens.org.au/join ".

Richmond Reading Room, a cafe business north of Hobart, posted to its social media pages expressing offence at the video, and making an unnamed reference to regular cafe-goer, One Nation candidate and Pauline Hanson's daughter, Lee Hanson.

"Seen the latest One Nation ad and felt absolutely disgusted like I do? Then you'll likely feel the same way when you see the orange ute outside our coffee shop," the post said.

"Unfortunately, our coffee is so good that even One Nation members spend their money here — owned and run by a gay, indigenous-descended, trans-inclusive, pro-multicultural, anti-flag, pro-choice, anti-generative AI, Greens voter.

"Any money spent by a member of one nation will be donated directly to Tasmanian Greens."