Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has strengthened calls for an independent inquiry into allegations against Christian Porter, saying a cloud will remain over the Attorney General and government until they are tested.

Mr Bandt said that while only the courts could ascertain guilt, the Prime Minister was responsible for the selection of his Cabinet.

Lines from Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:

Statement from Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens:

There is now a dark cloud over the Cabinet and the government.

We need to make Parliament a safe place for women. Parliamentary staff shouldn’t be going to work wondering if they’re working alongside someone who has been accused of such a heinous crime.

The position of the accused means this is a matter of national significance. These are extremely serious and shocking allegations that should be investigated to the fullest possible extent.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt has condemned the outright assault on American democracy launched by Donald Trump as he attempts to undermine the vote which seems likely to elect Joe Biden.
 
Bandt has called on Scott Morrison to condemn Donald Trump’s claim of victory and his baseless claim of voter fraud, as well as making clear Australia’s position in support of democracy and of counting all votes. 

Bandt also said a climate test now looms for Liberal and Labor.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, has said the Government’s much anticipated response to growing concern about rorts in parliament looked like a protection racket for politicians that would fail to discourage and root out corrupt behaviour.

Instead of the government’s toothless model, Mr Bandt called on Morrison to allow debate on the Greens model for a Federal ICAC, which has been approved by both integrity experts and the Senate. It has already passed the upper house and could become legislation by next Monday.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, says the Liberal Party's continued excuses for not having a National anti-corruption body have become utterly farcical.

“More leaked talking points, more excuses. The Liberals have spent thousands of words justifying why there's still no Federal ICAC, when it would only take a vote in the House to implement the Greens bill that has already passed the Senate,” Bandt said.

The House of Representatives will today be forced to debate the implementation of a national integrity commission, after the Senate expressed frustration over further delays.

Following further allegations of corruption within the ALP, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP and Greens Democracy Spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters have today urged the Australian parliament to pass a Greens bill - which has already passed the Senate - to create a federal integrity watchdog through the House of Representatives.

Responding to today's reported deferral of legislation to enable a federal integrity commission, the Greens will push to bring on for debate and vote legislation to establish a national anti-corruption watchdog when Parliament resumes in June.

A Greens integrity commission bill has already passed the Senate with support from Labor and the crossbench and could pass the House if as few as two backbench government MPs cross the floor, as they have threatened to do. The Bill passed in September of last year.

The Australian Parliament should set up a cross-parliamentary committee to oversee the government’s pandemic and ensure democratic checks and balances are maintained, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said today.

The Greens Leader has written to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, as well as crossbench MPs and Senators, to request the formation of a Joint Select Committee at next week’s sitting of Parliament.

“We need more democracy during this crisis, not less,” said Mr Bandt.

Greens MPs have used the Federal Parliament to demand justice for Julian Assange, as his extradition hearing begins in London.

In the House of Representatives today, Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called for Mr Assange to be brought back to Australia, while in the Senate, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson today questioned the government and yesterday moved a motion urging the Parliament not to be silent on the criminalisation of journalistic activity.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP: