Greens Party holds multicultural forum in Brisbane
“I think the deeper problem we have is the structure of racism. The systemic racism that is embedded in our systems. My husband and I went through exactly the same thing. There’s research that says that resume racism is a thing. We really have to address those structural issues before we move on.”
NSW Senator Mehreen Faruqi responds to a comment regarding the challenges of gaining community acceptance and finding work as a migrant in Australia.
Source: Supplied by C.Macintosh
Today, QLD Senator Andrew Bartlett officially files his resignation to concentrate on his campaign for the next election. He was preselected as the candidate for the House of Representatives in Brisbane. He believes that his party recognizes its role, more than ever, to provide Australians an alternative after last week’s spill that ended Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership.
“So much of all of that is just based on internal division and hatred and antagonisms and not about grand changes in policy vision. It just reinforced me why I am doing the right thing. It’s going to be challenging for a Greens to win a lower house seat in Brisbane, but I think it’s possible. This just makes it all the more clear that it is necessary to do what we can.”, Sen Bartlett said.
PM visits Western QLD today
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington is optimistic that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s visit to Western Queensland today will send a clear message to farming communities that addressing drought is on the top priority of the federal government.
“We have been calling for more action from the Palaszczuk government. There are many drought-affected communities that are simply not getting the assistance they need. They are up against the regulation and legislation in place because of the Palaszczuk government. I think it is a credit to the new Prime Minister that he is headed straight out to the droughted communities as one of his first as Prime Minister.”, she added.
Yesterday, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner announced that the Palaszczuk government has commissioned an ‘independent expert panel’ to conduct a review of the Drought Program. “With drought foremost in people’s minds, right now is the best time to work with industry and the community to review government, industry and community actions through this drought and to consider and recommend improvements for coping in future.”, the Minister said.
11 boat passengers located in far North QLD – Dept of Home Affairs
In other news, an illegal fishing vessel was found in the Daintree River area in far north Queensland yesterday. The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that 11 of the boat’s passengers have already been located. It remains unclear whether the passengers are asylum seekers or illegal fishers who were forced to land due to mechanical problems. The police are yet to confirm the total number of passengers that were onboard.
