By Larissa Waters, Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens
The federal parliament returned this week for the first time since the election.
Because of you, the Greens are entering the 48th Parliament with the balance of power in the Senate and we have a clear objective: to be a voice for people and the planet.
This second-term Labor government has a choice: they can choose integrity and work with the Greens to deliver strong outcomes, or they can side with the Liberals and Nationals.
We'll be firm but constructive in our approach with the Labor government.
We'll work towards outcomes that help improve peoples lives and protect nature and the climate.
I want to see this become our most progressive parliament, and show people that we can do politics with heart.
But to get there, it's going to take more than speeches and votes. It takes people power and that's all of us - and I am really looking forward to keeping you updated and informed along the way.
While we are pushing on the inside - you're also staying active, speaking out and helping us turn pressure into progress.
We can have meaningful climate action in this term of Parliament. Right now it's legal for the government to ignore climate impacts when they are ticking off on coal and gas projects, which is frankly ridiculous.
We've put forward our bill for a climate trigger to force Labor to actually consider the climate impacts of all projects, and compel the Minister to reject climate bombs like North West Shelf and Beetaloo.
This first sitting we also focused on driving action on climate change and environmental protection in response to the devastating algal bloom affecting South Australia's coastline and the Environment Minister's draft approval of Woodside's massive North West Shelf gas expansion.
I also joined Nick McKim and David Shoebridge, doctors, journalists and academics and many more in our community in reading out the names of over 17,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza. It was heartbreaking to read their names and see their ages.
People in Gaza are starving. The Government's words ring hollow without concrete action. We must sanction Israel, end the two way arms trade, and provide urgent aid to the people of Gaza, rather than supplies for F-35 fighter jets.
It was a mammoth first week back - I feel hopeful that this new Parliament could achieve some real progress and the Greens will keep fighting every step of the way for our people and planet.
