The Greens today today vowed to push the mining sector to undertake systemic reform to prevent violence against women on mining sites, as a landmark WA inquiry finds that the industry has failed to protect women.

The report finds that women in the industry “frequently have to deal with sexual harassment and sexual assault”, with many incidents “ignored or overlooked by employers”, and includes 24 recommendations.

Comments attributable to Senator Dorinda Cox, Australian Greens spokesperson for Resources:

The Greens today announced their commitment to providing people in rural and regional communities with access to free mental and dental health care through Medicare.

The commitment is part of the Greens’ broader $77.6 billion investment into free dental care over the decade for all Australians, which was also announced today. Under the plan, people will still be able to choose their dentist and routine and therapeutic dental services will be bulk-billed or rebated.

Polling shows Greens on track to re-elect Dorinda Cox

In his first visit to WA since becoming Greens Leader, Adam Bandt will join Senator Dorinda Cox and key candidates to outline the party’s key priorities for WA. 

Amidst devastating floods over east and growing calls for climate action, the Greens are urging Perth Festival, WA Youth Orchestra, and WA Symphony Orchestra to end their sponsorships with Woodside and Chevron and for the WA State Government to provide supplementary funding while new sponsors are secured. 

With COVID cases on the rise, The Greens today have back calls from prominent public health experts urging the McGowan Government to both house and address the low rates of vaccination among rough sleepers and chronically homeless people in Perth.

It comes as leading public health experts, including Professor Fiona Stanley, have issued an open letter to Premier McGowan urging him to “activate (a) plan immediately, in collaboration with First Nations organisations, to ensure that all the have the basic security and protection of safe shelter.” 

With First Nations vaccination rates lagging across Western Australia and the state’s  largest remote First Nations community now in lockdown, The Greens have today again called on the WA Government to lift vaccination rates for First Nations people.

The Greens (WA) are committed to ensuring everyone is able to access health supports when they need it.  

The Greens (WA) are calling on the WA State Government to commit to providing people with more support before opening up Western Australia to interstate and international visitors.

The 11 point plan, announced by Australian Greens Health Spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John and Greens (WA) Health Spokesperson Brad Pettitt MLC, will ensure everyone is able to access prevention measures, and the financial and health supports they need to recover from COVID-19. 

The Greens have called on the Western Australian Government to delay the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill until the national standard is agreed to by the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance announced by the Government today.

Yamatji Noongar woman and Greens Senator for WA Dorinda Cox said the national body would establish a true co-design process for law reform that would genuinely protect cultural heritage, not become another permit to damage, which the proposed WA Bill will continue to do.

The Senate Committee into the Juukan crisis has released their final report. Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe sat on the Inquiry, saying that, “This government was built on colonial violence. The final Juukan report shows us that this violence is still in the laws that we use today.”

“The Inquiry clearly showed how our heritage protection laws not only fail to protect, but are even designed to favor the developers and miners. Current legislation does not create space for adequate consultation and consent, and the possibility to say ‘no’ to a proposed activity.