For some years, I have been asking officials in the (inaudible) agencies of government how they are approaching the challenges that are faced by Australian women, and on every occasion the answer has been extremely disappointing. Which is to say that this government has abandoned any pretence at all at serious examination of the different impacts of their economic decisions on women. 

Speaking in the Parliament today, Liberal MP John Alexander was caught out trying to hide the cuts Malcolm Turnbull has made to schools in Bennelong.

Official data from the NSW Government shows schools mentioned by Mr Alexander will lose funding because of Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts.

The Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee sat in Townsville yesterday to hear evidence about regional public service jobs as part of our inquiry into the move of the APVMA.

We spoke to 13 councils from across Australia, 12 more than Barnaby Joyce spoke to before deciding to move the APVMA and its 150 jobs to his own electorate during a tight election campaign. 

A Senate hearing in Townsville today will consider cuts to public sector jobs in regional centres. The Senate Inquiry into the Operations and Effectiveness of Government Decisions on the Location of Commonwealth Departments has previously heard that the Turnbull Government wasted millions of taxpayer dollars relocating a government agency from Canberra to Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce’s electorate last year.

RECENTLY

The Budget - On Tuesday Treasurer Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull professed to deliver a budget based on fairness. Sadly, there is not much that is fair about this budget. 

Treasurer Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull professed to deliver a budget based on fairness. Sadly, there is not much that is fair about this budget. 

Thursday 11 May marks two years since I entered the Senate. It is a true privilege to represent you in the federal parliament.

Today Labor launched its 2017 Women’s Budget Statement.

Malcolm Turnbull, in this morning’s papers, has set his own test for the performance of the Government in this budget. He’s said that that test is opportunity, fairness and security. Well, from everything we know, in relation to education, this budget won’t meet that test.