Penny's Baptism of Fire

Penny has started her term in a blaze of fire, taking on smoke and flames to experience firsthand what it's like to be a firefighter for a day.

National Homeless Persons’ Week has just finished. It comes around once a year. Sadly, homelessness itself is a more persistent phenomenon; it’s with us every day, it sticks around. Despite attention from governments and huge efforts from the community sector it’s hard to budge.

I’m sure that most Australians would agree that it’s only fair that if a firefighter gets cancer that was most likely caused by their job, then they should be provided with the support and the rehabilitation they need.

My First Two Weeks in the Big House on the Hill

It's been a whirlwind few weeks since I was sworn in. Read my blog about my first two weeks in the Big House!

Act quickly to rectify de facto law mistake: Greens

Posted on 22. Feb, 2012 by JenniferMaisel in Media Release, Attorney General

The Greens support the Government’s plan to take swift action to rectify the failure to arrange for a start date of a law giving federal courts jurisdiction to settle property and maintenance disputes of de facto couples.

“The Attorney-General must treat this as a matter of urgency. The Government has no choice but to introduce legislation retrospectively so thousands of settlements from March 2009 until early February this year are not in doubt,” Greens spokesperson for Legal Affairs, Senator Penny Wright, said.

Read more

Mental Health Estimates Questions

Posted on 20. Feb, 2012 by AnnaChang in Parliament, Estimates, Mental Health

In the Supplementary Budget Estimates week, Penny Wright asked the Department of Health and Aging questions relating to the following mental health issues. Click on the links below to read the transcripts.

10 Year Roadmap for Mental Health Reform

Better Access

Targeted Mental Health Service Delivery

High Risk Groups

Mental Health Services for Regional, Rural and Remote Areas

Penny’s Blog – Seventy Years Ago Today

Posted on 19. Feb, 2012 by PennyWright in News Story, Veterans Affairs

This year will mark some dark moments in our recent history. Seventy years ago, today, on 19 February 1942, saw the WW2 bombing of Darwin in two separate raids, resulting in more than 240 people being killed, and hundreds more injured.

All around Australia people will be passing this anniversary in various ways. For my part, I will be remembering those who died or were injured defending our country – and the many, many civilians who were – and are always - inevitably caught up in the conflict.

Read more

Wars’ invisible scars go deep

Posted on 18. Feb, 2012 by AnnaChang in Media Release, Veterans Affairs

The Australian Greens will tomorrow pay tribute to service personnel and civilians who lost their lives in the bombing of Darwin, the first and largest direct attack of mainland Australia.

Greens spokesperson for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator Penny Wright, said the 70th anniversary of the bombings tomorrow was a timely reminder of the enduring costs of war.

Read more

BEST Funding

Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by AnnaChang in Parliament, Estimates, Veterans Affairs

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
Wednesday 15 February 2012

Senator WRIGHT: Good evening, gentlemen. Thank you for your time tonight. I have some questions regarding the BEST funding. Based on the recommendation of the review of DVA funded ESO, advocacy and welfare services final report of December 2010, I understand that funding to organisation under the Building Excellence in Support and Training program, the BEST program, will be cut by up to 30 per cent at 1 July 2012. Based on that background, I have a few questions. The first one—

Read more

Justice Reinvestment

Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by AnnaChang in Parliament, Estimates, Attorney General

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Tuesday 14 February 2012

Senator WRIGHT: First of all, I would like to ask some questions about the status of the National Justice CEOs working group on justice reinvestment. I understand that under the umbrella of the National Justice CEOs group, the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department is chairing a cross-jurisdictional working group created specifically to consider justice reinvestment or, in other words, criminal justice approaches which focus on addressing the causes of crime in particular locations. I understand this working group was due to provide a report to the National Justice CEOs in November 2011. Has the report been completed? When will it be released?

Read more