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October Parliament Wrap

We’ve just finished a very busy two weeks of Parliament - and we’ve only got a few more weeks of Parliament sitting for the year - so I wanted to share with you all the things we've been up to. Renters’ rights are at the top of our agenda, and this sitting we introduced our bill to finally put an end to unfair, no grounds evictions. Right now, too many renters don’t know where they’ll be living from year to year, or even month to month, because at the end of their lease they can be evicted for no reason even if they’ve met all of their responsibilities and paid all of their rent on time. It is seriously stressful, seriously costly, and driving the out of control cost of rent. Our bill would set out the reasonable grounds that an eviction could occur, and would make a massive practical difference to the two million renters in NSW.  We also co-hosted a briefing for MPs to hear about the Healthy Homes for Renters campaign, with Minister Dominello, Opposition Energy spokesperson Jihad Dihab MP and Independent Alex Greenwich MP. Speakers from Better Renting, Sweltering Cities and the Tenants Union outlined how renters are shivering in winter, sweltering summer, and too stressed to ask for basic repairs or negotiate rent costs because of the threat of being evicted. There’s so much we need to do to strengthen renters’ rights, which is why we want to hear from you - or anyone you know who has been hit with a rent hike or unfair eviction - so we can keep up the pressure on politicians.  Share your story This week the Liberal/National Government moved to rush through two significant pieces of legislation - without proper consultation or consideration of concerns by experts. The bill to criminalise coercive control passed the Lower House, despite the women’s safety and family violence sector and victim-survivors unanimously expressing their serious concerns. Criminalising coercive control is a hugely important, and hugely consequential, reform. But it has to be done right or it has the potential to harm the very people that it was designed to protect.  Domestic violence victim-survivors, frontline workers and experts have been urging the government to slow down and consult properly, rather than trying to ram it through Parliament in the eleventh hour before the election. And Abigail Boyd, my Greens colleague in the Upper House, has secured an inquiry into the legislation that will hopefully achieve just that. Watch my contribution to the debate here The Liberal/National Government also rammed through their bill to introduce land tax with the expectation that it would just be voted through within the week in the dying days of this parliamentary term. While the Greens support a widespread, planned transition from stamp duty to land tax, this is not a blanket support that means we’ll back in anything dressed up as an attempt to transition us from stamp duty to land tax. The government’s proposal does not genuinely ensure a transition from stamp duty to land tax, it does not apply to the big wealthy investors, and it does not even keep pace with land values. Instead it is a half-baked reform to allow first home buyers to pay their stamp duty in instalments. The Greens have again secured an inquiry into this proposed reform, and will work to strengthen it before it becomes law.  Watch my contribution to the debate here It was shameful to see Labor and the Liberal/National Government teaming up to back online gambling corporations and oppose a ban on gambling advertisements.  The Greens and Independent MPs were the only people in Parliament to vote to reduce the harm gambling causes to our communities. Both the Coalition and NSW Labor have a history of accepting donations from organisations with links to gambling -  remember who sits in the pockets of the gambling industry! Watch my speech here When reports emerged that the NSW Government refused UN inspectors access to NSW prisons, we took it straight to the floor of Parliament and asked the Premier: what is the NSW Liberal/National Government hiding in NSW prisons that they so desperately do not want the United Nations to see? NSW is the only jurisdiction in Australia blocking the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment access to prisons.   Given the failures of the NSW Government to implement the full recommendations from the Royal Commission's Deaths in Custody report and its track record of mistreating people in prison, it is deeply disturbing that they think they are above the scrutiny of the UN torture watchdog. Watch my Question to the Premier here But that’s not all. We also acknowledged the protest movement in Iran taking to the streets to demand for a life free from the patriarchy and oppression, co-hosted an event with the Parliamentary Friends of Co-Operatives, attended Homelessness NSW’s Ending Homelessness Together launch, and stood with taxi drivers who were protesting outside Parliament for fair compensation. Remember, we can always raise issues that are concerning our community in Parliament – so don’t hesitate to get in touch if there’s anything we can do!


MEDIA RELEASE: Greens question NSW Government's refusal to allow UN access to prisons

The NSW Liberal National Government has come under fire in questions from Greens MP’s Jenny Leong and Sue Higginson for their refusal to allow UN inspectors access to NSW prisons. NSW is the only jurisdiction in Australia blocking the United Nations The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment access to prisons.   NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Natasha Maclaren-Jones obfuscated the questions put to them in Question Time, demonstrating a disturbing avoidance of scrutiny and accountability.


Redfern North Eveleigh Paint Shop Rezoning Proposal Submission

After hearing the concerns of local residents and organisations, the Greens do not support the Department of Planning and Environment's proposal to privatise public land in Redfern and North Eveleigh through the Paint Shop Sub-Precinct rezoning. We share the community's concerns that no clear justifications have been presented for creating such a large business and commercial zone on the site, and are opposed to the proposed low percentage of affordable housing and the complete lack of any mandated social housing. In our submission, we highlight issues including the prioritisation of commercial development and private profit over housing for the community, lack of community consultation, and the particular importance of meaningful consultation with First Nations individuals and organisations, for whom Redfern has long been a significant historical and cultural site. Read our full submission to the Department of Planning and Environment here.


MEDIA RELEASE: NSW renters need a rent freeze

Greens NSW MP Jenny Leong has backed federal Greens calls and urged the NSW Government to implement an emergency rent freeze to combat skyrocketing rent costs and the growing housing unaffordability crisis. 


Greens support latest strike action by USyd staff

Jenny Leong MP last week joined her Greens colleague Senator Mehreen Faruqi on the picket line at the University of Sydney in solidarity with staff and NTEU members striking for secure jobs and improved work conditions. The strike marked the fourth time NTEU members at the university have taken industrial action since May this year. Dr Nick Riemer, President of USyd's NTEU branch, described the strike as "the biggest yet". Staff are calling for a pay rise above inflation, an end to casualisation, improved job security, increased protections against overwork, and preservation of academic staff's right to conduct research. Jenny supports all of these demands and condemns recent decisions by USyd management that have cut staff wages, worsened their work conditions, and harmed the quality of education students receive -- all while the university continues to reap massive profits. The Greens will always support the right to strike and stand in solidarity with USyd staff walking off the job for job security, respect at work, workload protections, and in defence of high quality higher education.


Joint Statement on land acquisition process requires urgent review and retrospective compensation

The Legislative Council's Transport Committee today handed down its long-awaited report on the State's acquisition of land in relation to major transport projects. The Committee has found that NSW residents have been on the receiving end of a systemic process of undervaluation, bad faith negotiations and time delays by government acquiring authorities, in service of the government’s intensive transport infrastructure pipeline.  


MEDIA RELEASE: Broderick Report exposes toxic, unsafe, and sexist culture at NSW Parliamentary workplaces

Greens MP Jenny Leong has commented on the release of the Broderick report into bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct at NSW Parliament.  


MEDIA RELEASE: Greens call for housing crisis meeting to overhaul a broken system

Responding to reports that a housing crisis meeting is being held today between state and federal Housing Ministers today, Greens NSW Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP has called for rent caps and protections for renters against evictions, a massive investment in social housing to tackle the waiting list, aa coordinated funding plan to fix  the decades of bad maintenance in public housing.  


Greens MPs support for teachers, nurses and midwives, transport workers, and unions

An open letter to the teachers, nurses and midwives, transport workers, and unions taking industrial action this week:


MEDIA RELEASE: Greens slam Liberal National government’s arrogant union busting

Responding to reports that the NSW Liberal/National Government will hit unions with massive fines, Greens Industrial Relations spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP slammed the proposal as union busting and called on the government to fix the conditions causing people to go on strike in the first place.


MEDIA RELEASE: Greens Slam Coalition as All Spin and No Substance on “Womens” Budget

Abigail Boyd, Greens spokesperson for Treasury, Women’s Equity, and Domestic Violence, and Jenny Leong, Greens spokesperson for Women’s Rights, have called out the hollow commitment to women’s safety in the NSW Budget and criticised Treasurer Matt Kean for ignoring calls from the women’s sector for much-needed funding commitments in favour of meaningless announceables.


MEDIA RELEASE: Coalition’s budget leaves renters and people in public housing out in the cold

Jenny Leong MP, Member for Newtown and NSW Greens Housing spokesperson has slammed the NSW Coalition’s budget for leaving renters out in the cold and doing little to address the housing crisis . 


MEDIA RELEASE: Coalition’s housing announcement won’t touch the sides of the affordability crisis

MEDIA RELEASE: Coalition's housing announcement won't touch the sides of the affordability crisis   Responding to NSW shared equity scheme announcement today as part of the upcoming state budget, Greens Housing spokesperson Jenny Leong MP and Greens Treasury spokesperson Abigail Boyd MLC have called for a broader more equitable response to the housing crisis.


We're hiring! Senior Electorate Officer to Jenny Leong MP, Member for Newtown

Jenny Leong MP, the Greens Member for Newtown, is recruiting for a Senior Electorate Officer to join her and the Newtown team.


Jenny Leong speaks about train station accessibility in the Newtown electorate

Jenny Leong MP delivers a Private Member's Statement on Newtown electorate train station accessibility in the NSW Legislative Assembly, 19 May 2022.


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