Peter Dutton's plan to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians is a dangerous and unjustified attack on fundamental rights, Greens Justice Spokesperson Nick McKim says.

"For the Liberals to try to push this through just days after raids on journalists shows how little they respect basic rights and freedom of the press," Senator McKim said.

"For two decades the major parties have endorsed wave after wave of increased surveillance powers for security agencies which have undermined Australians' privacy and civil liberties."

Statement from Australian Greens Whip Sen. Rachel Siewert:

Today the Australian Greens Party Room met and re-affirmed the positions of our leadership team.

Following a customary spill of the leadership positions, the roles of Leader, Co-Deputy Leader and Whip have all been returned without challenge. The rotating position of Party Room Chair has moved from Adam Bandt MP to Sen. Janet Rice.

The leadership roles for the 46th Parliament are as follows:

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale has welcomed the official start of the election campaign, declaring that the party has never been better equipped to offer a progressive alternative to the old parties. 
 
“We’re ready. On May 18, we’ll give the Australian people a genuine alternative to the old parties, one that offers a positive plan for Australia that will create a better future for all of us,” Sen. Di Natale said.
 

The Liberals spending $185m to reopen and then close Christmas Island is rank cynicism and deeply wasteful, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says words of condemnation for Pauline Hanson’s repugnant comments about Port Arthur are not enough.

“One Nation is a threat to community harmony, and Australia’s safe and tolerant society,” Senator McKim said.

The Tasmanian government is continuing to privatise public land through its secretive expressions of interest process, Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison should have apologised to Huon Valley residents for making Tasmania’s fires more dangerous with his love affair with coal when he visited today, Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says.

“I can’t believe he had to gall to show his face in Tasmania after waving around a lump of coal in parliament and telling us it’s good for us,” Senator McKim said.

“Climate science is clear that Tasmania will face more bushfires and they will be more dangerous as a result of burning fossil fuels.”

The Australian Greens have today announced a plan to invest half a billion dollars to create a National Disaster Response Unit with the capacity to respond to emergencies like the Tasmanian bushfires or floods in Queensland.

“Climate change is hurting our communities and environment now,” said Senator Richard Di Natale, Australian Greens Leader.

“2018 has just been named the 4th hottest year on record, making the last five years the hottest period since modern measurement began.” 

The Liberal Government’s disastrous handling of citizenship cases shows the Department of Home Affairs must be broken up, Greens Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“As the Australian National Audit Office has today made clear, the Liberals have dragged their feet on citizenship timeframes since the Department of Home Affairs was created,” Senator McKim said.

“This is borne out of the Liberals’ fundamental disrespect for migrants, and obsession with kicking people out of our society, and that culture has clearly infected the department.”

Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim has referred the Tasmanian government's soliciting and facilitiation of private developments in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area to the Integrity Commission.