We returned to Canberra with welcome news on two fronts; the excellent progress Victoria has made in combatting the COVID-19 virus meant many more of our Victorian colleagues were able to join us in person. And Joe Biden’s victory in the US Presidential election is big news for the fight against climate change - and shows us the power of a campaign based around unity rather than division.

ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE

This week was NAIDOC week – a time for us all to celebrate the breadth and depth of First Peoples’ history, culture and achievements.

It was incredibly disappointing the Morrison Government vote down a motion to fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags alongside the Australian Flag in the Senate. Once again, the Morrison Government chooses to divide Australians when it could choose to unite. And it ignores the fact that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are recognised as national flags. 

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy reflected on what it meant alongside the symbolism of Remembrance Day: 

I am profoundly honoured to sit in a Federal Labor caucus with a growing First Nations Caucus – in addition to Senator McCarthy, it includes the Member for Barton, Linda Burney, and the father of reconciliation, Senator Patrick Dodson. Senator McCarthy and Senator Dodson took the opportunity of NAIDOC Week to make powerful statements of hope:

OLDER WORKERS LEFT AT RISK

This week we saw the Morrison Government do a deal with One Nation to strip workers of protections against being sacked or having their hours reduced under the JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme.

It was promised to help get younger workers back into work – something we all want - but the scheme risks older workers being sacked and replaced with subsidised younger workers. Together with the rest of the crossbench, we wanted to add safeguards for older workers. A flip flop from Pauline Hanson means those safeguards were not added.

At the same time the Government pushed through these laws, they're decreasing and removing existing wage subsidies and they're cutting back unemployment benefits.

Something Senator Polley asked a series of questions about this week:

MAKING PARLIAMENT A SAFE WORKPLACE FOR ALL

This week’s Four Corners program aired disturbing allegations about the culture of the Morrison Government and reminded us there is still work to be done to improve standards of behaviour in Parliament House. We need to listen to the women who work here. We need to hear and act on their concerns and what they want done to ensure this is a safe and respectful workplace. 

As Senator McAllister says, we all need to act:

A STEP FORWARD ON AN IMPORTANT ISSUE

Parents of stillborn babies now have equal access to unpaid parental leave after an important change to the Fair Work Act. We should acknowledge Senator Catryna Bilyk for bringing to light the disparity between stillborn baby payments for a first stillbirth and subsequent stillbirths. 

It’s an issue close to Senator Keneally’s heart and she explained just why these changes are so vital:

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s Labor Senate Select(ions). 

Please stay safe and stay healthy.