Australian Greens Deputy Leader and International Aid spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Australia must immediately provide aid funding and assistance to Pakistan as the country deals with unprecedented and disastrous flooding.

Senator Faruqi said:

“What’s unfolding in Pakistan right now is nothing short of disastrous and horrific. We are seeing people who did little to contribute to the climate emergency facing its worst consequences.

Deputy Greens Leader and International Aid & Global Justice spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has today written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese encouraging the Australian Government to support Vanuatu’s bid to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the rights of present and future generations to be protected from climate change.

Vanuatu’s initiative will reportedly be considered at the Pacific Islands Forum, which Prime Minister Albanese is attending, next week.

Senator Faruqi said:

Australian Greens International Aid and Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Foreign Affairs spokesperson Senator Janet Rice have today written to the Foreign Affairs Minister urging Australia to boost aid to Afghanistan as a matter of urgency.

Senator Faruqi said:

“There is a grave humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan, with the country on the brink of famine and near-universal poverty, the scale of which has not been seen in recent times.

History will look poorly on Australia and other wealthy countries for their complete and utter failure to support low-income countries in getting vaccinated. This is a complete abrogation of our responsibility to other countries, many of whom already suffer because of the colonial legacies that have left them in poverty.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:14): My question without notice is to Senator Payne, the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Minister, countries in southern Africa are grappling with the new omicron COVID variant, while also suffering low vaccination rates.

Australian Greens International Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the emergence of the Omicron variant has put further pressure on Australia to co-sponsor an intellectual property waiver on Covid-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

At its upcoming ministerial meetings, the WTO will consider the intellectual property waiver first proposed by India and South Africa more than one year ago.

Senator Faruqi said:

Australian Greens International Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to Scott Morrison’s commitment to an additional $500 million in climate finance through to 2025.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a disappointing, measly commitment. Australia’s total commitment falls far short of the bare minimum $3 billion to 2025 that was called for by aid organisations ahead of Glasgow.

“Morrison is offering up scraps and hoping no one notices. But the reality is that Australia is again failing to pull its weight.

The world is cooking, and the Morrison government is sitting on its hands: no targets, no plan and no action. While nature may not have intended to discriminate, geopolitical boundaries that divide the world into the Global South and the Global North make sure that patterns of systemic discrimination continue, as the impacts of climate change, natural disasters and pollution fall disproportionately on communities in low-income nations.