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Greens move to give Parliament power over sending troops to war

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, and Australian Greens Peace Spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John, will in the next sitting week of Parliament move a bill to require Parliamentary approval before Australian troops are sent to war. 

The release of the Brereton Inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by Australian SAS soldiers shows the importance of accountability over the decision to both deploy troops and their actions while overseas, the Greens say.

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Greens condemn violence in Western Sahara

The Australian Greens condemn the violence and breakdown in the UN-backed ceasefire in Western Sahara. Any acts of aggression by the Moroccan government are unacceptable, and the Australian Greens are profoundly concerned at reports that the Moroccan government has launched a military operation in a United Nations-patrolled buffer strip in Western Sahara.  The Australian Greens urge the UN to broker a renewed cease-fire as soon as possible. 

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No question SAS committed war crimes in Afghanistan, facilitated by failure of command

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said there was no question now that Australian special forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan that are the result of a toxic warrior culture, facilitated by failures within the chain of command.

“The crimes outlined in the Brereton report - even in the limited detail we’ve been given so far - are horrendous and shameful,” Steele-John said.

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SAS soldiers responsible for war crimes must lose more than their medals

 

Tuesday 10 November 2020

 

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said any Australian SAS soldiers found guilty of war crimes as part of the IGADF Afghanistan Inquiry must be prosecuted to the full extent of domestic and international law.

Senator Steele-John also reiterated calls for the full report to be made public by Chief of the Defence General Angus Campbell.

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Speech: Donald Trump

I rise to make a brief contribution on this urgency motion. What a relief. The US election result is a good thing for humanity. Donald Trump is a poisonous force in global politics. While it has become something of a cliche to say that Trump is a symptom not the cause of the far Right extremism he represents, it's also clear that the racism and white supremacy he stands for have been dealt a big blow. We can't dismiss the symbolic and practical importance of his removal from office. All who believe in equity, freedom, social justice and climate justice cheered on Trump's defeat.

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Morrison must not remain idle as democracy attacked and climate test looms

Greens Leader Adam Bandt has condemned the outright assault on American democracy launched by Donald Trump as he attempts to undermine the vote which seems likely to elect Joe Biden.
 
Bandt has called on Scott Morrison to condemn Donald Trump’s claim of victory and his baseless claim of voter fraud, as well as making clear Australia’s position in support of democracy and of counting all votes. 

Bandt also said a climate test now looms for Liberal and Labor.

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Statement On Kashmir

The Australian Greens stand with the Kashmiri community on 27 October as they commemorate Black Day. Kashmir is a disputed territory and it is now over a year since the Indian Government revoked its special status and further eroded Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

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ADF must own & address allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan

Australian Greens Peace and Disarmament spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said allegations by American Marines that Australian special forces shot and killed a prisoner because there was no room for them on a helicopter were disgraceful and appalling.

"These allegations, if proven to be true, are war crimes and the individuals responsible must face the full weight of the law for their actions," Steele-John said.

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Morrison must urgently increase resources to get stranded Australians home

Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson Senator Janet Rice said Morrison’s delay in getting stranded Australians home is unacceptable and has called on the government to urgently increase federal resources to boost quarantining capacity across the country.

Senator Rice said:

“Morrison has finally acted in announcing an expansion to quarantine facilities at Howard Springs, but it has taken him too long, and the solution is nowhere near good enough.

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