The new National Agreement on Closing the Gap has today come into effect, upon signature by the First Ministers of all Australian Governments, the Lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, and the President of the Australian Local Government Association.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new Closing the Gap agreement is an historic achievement.
“Today finally marks a new chapter in our efforts to close the gap – one built on mutual trust, shared responsibility, dignity and respect,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“The gaps we are now seeking to close are the gaps that have now been defined by the representatives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is as it should be. This creates a shared commitment and a shared responsibility.”
“This is the first time a National Agreement designed to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been negotiated directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.”
“By focusing our efforts on these more specific, practical and shared objectives we can expect to make much greater progress.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, said the National Agreement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“The way all levels of government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives have come together to negotiate this National Agreement and collectively determine how we strive to close the gap demonstrates our commitment to working together through meaningful partnerships,” Minister Wyatt said.
“We know that the best out comes are achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are equal partners with governments, and when they have a direct say in how we are going to be successful in driving the desired outcomes.”
The Lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, Ms Pat Turner AM, said “for the first time, First Nations people will share decision-making with governments on Closing the Gap. The National Agreement makes this a reality, not just for the Coalition of Peaks, but for all First Nations people that want to have a say on how things should be working in their communities.”
“If the Priority Reforms are implemented in full by governments and through shared decision making with First Nations people, we should see changes over time to the lives and experiences of our people.”
At the centre of the National Agreement are four priority reforms that commit governments to change the way they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
These reforms will embed joint-decision making; build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled service sector; transform mainstream government services; and improve data to support informed decision-making.
The new National Agreement builds on the draft targets endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments in 2018. It establishes 16 targets in areas such as education, employment, health and wellbeing, justice, safety, housing, land and waters, and languages.
For the first time, all governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations share responsibility for achieving targets and significantly more reporting will increase accountability for all parties This acknowledges that all parties have a role to play in improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
Each jurisdiction will report annually on their progress and contribution towards Closing the Gap, and the Productivity Commission will make more data publicly available and conduct an independent review of progress every three years.
Parties to the National Agreement – the Commonwealth Government, State and Territory governments, the Coalition of Peaks, and the Australian Local Government Association – will now develop plans that set out how they will implement the priority reforms and contribute towards achieving the targets.
The National Agreement is available on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website, https://closingthegap.niaa.gov.au/
Author: admin
City invests $500,000 in supporting COVID-19 hit local industries
Newcastle’s tourism, entertainment and arts community will benefit from more than $500,000 from the City of Newcastle to city-shaping projects targeting those industries hardest hit by COVID-19.
Developed in collaboration with the City Taskforce, comprising 17 leaders from business, community and educational sectors, the response program will foster community connections and industry resilience.
.jpg.aspx "IndustryResponseGrantscrop-(1).jpg")
Collaborative partnerships from the Hunter Writers Centre, Field Frequency, University of Newcastle, Olive Tree Markets and the Business Centre have received funding for unique projects that will boost the local economy.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the program encouraged collaboration between industry groups, businesses and community organisations to provide long-term, strategic benefits for the City.
“Newcastle’s visitor economy has been one of the hardest-hit sectors in our community, along with hospitality, arts and recreation,” the Lord Mayor said.
“These local initiatives are unique, innovative and leverage our City’s strengths to provide support to people hardest hit by COVID-19.
“From harnessing the vibrancy of Newcastle’s live music scene and attracting visitors to our City, to developing stronger connections in our creative community, the funded projects will provide much needed support.
“The five projects will be delivered within 6-months and will leave a positive legacy for our city.”
Newcastle Business Chamber CEO and City Taskforce Member Bob Hawes said the industry targeted funding approach has resulted in projects that present new opportunities for businesses, locals and visitors to support Newcastle’s economy.
“Now more than ever, people are looking to explore their own backyard as they recognise the need to support local businesses,” Mr Hawes said.
“If we want to be able to return to the lifestyle we enjoyed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to support our local businesses now to ensure that they can survive this unprecedented economic and social disruption.”
“The successful grant recipients showcase what the region can achieve when we harness the collective knowledge of our corporate, not-for-profit and government sectors.”
Industry Response Program Grant Recipients
University of Newcastle – Hometown Holiday
The Hometown Holiday project will incentivise Newcastle residents to have a ‘hometown holiday’ inclusive of overnight accommodation and curated experience itineraries. Locals will be encouraged to visit Newcastle as tourists and engage with the City as a tourism destination, providing economic benefits to local tourism businesses.
Field Frequency – Smart City LIVE Music TV Show
Field Frequency will produce a live-stream music series, using live-stream broadcast collaborations to maximise the recovery of the local arts and entertainment industry. The show will showcase a diverse range of established musicians and new talent growing the City’s identity as a collaborative and inclusive community.
The Business Centre – Small Business Recovery Centre
The COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Project will provide much needed support and advice to local businesses, curated and coordinated by the Business Centre and based at 265 King Street. The Centre will bring together government and non-government agencies, banks and financial services providers, mental health and well-being providers, to offer support and provide information, and services, that lead to sustainability and job creation, to small businesses during and after COVID-19.
Hunter Writers Centre Inc – Multi-arts activation
Hunter Writers Centre will lead a multi-arts activation benefiting local arts, cultural, and tourism businesses. The project will include exhibition studio spaces for Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers, musicians, visual and digital artists and performers to develop work for exhibitions of cultural and maritime history and stories of local sites.
The Olive Tree Market – The Olive Tree Virtual Online Platform
The Virtual Olive Tree Market Platform will develop new income generating opportunities, capacity building and educational workshops for local creatives. Existing customers, supporters, and new online audiences will be targeted to buy local online, to re-connect and forge ongoing connections with creatives.
More than 20 inmates charged over riot at correctional facility – Cessnock
Police have charged 21 inmates following investigations into a riot at a correctional facility in the Hunter region earlier this year.
About 11.30am on Thursday 30 April 2020, a number of inmates allegedly caused significant damage to a correctional facility at Cessnock and were on the roof of the premises.
No police response was requested at the time.
In May 2020, officers from Hunter Valley Police District commenced an investigation into the incident.
Following extensive inquiries, police issued Court Attendance Notices (CAN) to 21 men – all aged between 22 and 39 – for the offences of riot and participate in criminal group.
Of the men:
- Nine were served a CAN at a correctional facility at Goulburn (aged 22-39)
- Six were served a CAN at a correctional facility at Cessnock (aged 24-32)
- A 24-year-old man was served a CAN at a correctional facility at Kempsey
- A 28-year-old man was served a CAN at a correctional facility at Wellington
- A 33-year-old man was served a CAN at a home in Hamilton South
- A 32-year-old man was served a CAN at a home in Gosford
The 19 men are due to appear at Cessnock Local Court today (Thursday 30 July 2020).
A 32-year-old man was arrested at Surry Hills Police Station and served a CAN yesterday. He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Thursday 30 July 2020).
A 39-year-old man was arrested at a home in Tamworth and served a CAN earlier this month. He was refused bail and appeared at Tamworth Local Court on Friday 3 July 2020 where he was granted conditional bail to next appear at the same court on Monday 24 August 2020.
Police will allege that the men threatened unlawful violence towards Corrective Services NSW staff and damaged several areas of the facility, including the ceiling, doors and roof, along with items inside. The damage is estimated to be valued at more than $130,000.
Police have worked closely with CSNSW Special Operational Group North staff and officers during this investigation.
Two charged over alleged aggravated break and enter near Muswellbrook
Two people will face court today charged over an alleged aggravated break and enter at an Upper Hunter home.
Police will allege in court a 36-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman – armed with an axe and a chainsaw – forced entry to a home on Grimes Street, Denman, about 30km south west of Muswellbrook, about 1.45pm yesterday (Wednesday 29 July 2020).
Four people – two men and two women – were inside the property at the time and contacted police.
No one was injured during the incident.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District arrived a short time later and arrested the pair.
They were taken to Muswellbrook Police Station and charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence.
Both were refused bail to face Muswellbrook Local Court today (Thursday 30 July 2020).
Victorian man charged over alleged breach of Public Health Order
Police have charged a Victorian man with breaching a Public Health Order after he flew from Melbourne to Sydney allegedly without a permit to enter NSW.
Just before 1pm yesterday (Wednesday 29 July 2020), officers who were deployed at Sydney Airport for Operation Coronavirus, were requested to assist NSW Health who were talking with a man who had just arrived on a flight from Melbourne.
Police were told the 21-year-old man from Roxbough Park, Victoria, was unable to produce a NSW Health exemption.
The man was assisted to charge his phone before it was established that he did not have a permit but would apply for one so he could care for his children.
It’s alleged that the man made a number of applications for a permit and had provided false information.
After establishing that the man did not have children, nor a valid reason to be in NSW, police directed him to return to Victoria. He was offered options for travel and further assistance from NSW Health.
The man allegedly refused to make travel plans and failed to comply with police directions and was arrested about 3.30pm before being taken to Mascot Police Station.
During a subsequent search of the man and his bags, officers located a bottle of alprazolam, which was not prescribed to him.
He was charged with not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19 and possess prescribed restricted substance.
The man was granted conditional bail but is required to quarantine in a Health-managed hotel until he appears at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday 17 August 2020.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Two men charged as investigations continue into home invasion – Port Stephens- Hunter
Police have charged two men following investigations into a home invasion at Hawks Nest last month.
Police will allege that, about 10.30pm on Monday 30 June 2020, a 78-year-old man opened the door of his home on Booner Street and was confronted by three men.
The group pushed past the man, assaulting him and stabbing him in the abdomen.
The group made their way upstairs and assaulted a 53-year-old man before stabbing him in the back and neck.
The injured men were taken to hospital where they were admitted, treated, and later released.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District commenced an investigation resulting in the arrest of two men, aged 22 and 46, at an address on Sinclair Street, Gosford, about 11am today (Thursday 30 July 2020).
A search of the home allegedly revealed numerous knives, a homemade shive, a machete, a homemade shotgun with ammunition, and an amount of drugs.
The men were taken to Gosford Police Station where the older man was charged with breach of bail, two counts of breaching an AVO, two counts of intimidation (DV), and special aggravated enter with intent (wound).
The younger man was charged with firearm offences, drug possession and special aggravated enter with intent (wound).
Both men were refused bail and will appear in Gosford Local Court tomorrow (Friday 31 July 2020).
Inquiries continue.
Government continues attack on Reef science
The Coalition and One Nation have cemented their position as science denialists, having spent Monday badgering some of Australia’s peak scientific bodies over the validity of Great Barrier Reef health findings during a Liberal-called Senate inquiry, the Greens said.
Co-Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, said the inquiry is nothing more than a political ploy to attempt to advance the Coalition’s position ahead of the Queensland state election, and further its culture war against science.
“The Reef is being used as a pawn for flagrant state electioneering. This inquiry is about state regulations, but these regulations are being probed at a federal level,” she said.
“It’s been a futile exercise. We listened to One Nation ask one witness ‘what is science?’ in an attempt to discredit the findings from peak scientific bodies. We listened to a Coalition Senator also rebuke these findings as ‘concocted science’ and ‘false evidence’.”
“Peer-reviewed science should not be debated by non-scientifically trained politicians trying to suit the agenda of big donors and dinosaur backbenchers.”
“We need strong laws to set the standards and give our Reef the best shot, and farmers should be financially assisted to meet these strong requirements,” she said.
“The science is clear, we must act now for our best chance to protect the Reef and the more than 64,000 jobs that rely on it.
“We need urgent climate action, a transition off coal to renewable energy, and strong action on water quality to save what’s left of our Reef,” she said.
No Modelling, No Worries: Liberals
Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the government’s plan to hike up university fees should be scrapped, following confirmation in the Senate Covid-19 Committee this week that no government modelling had been done on the effect of changing course costs.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Not only are these fee hikes grossly unfair for students, there’s actually no evidence that they will do what the government intends them to: encourage more students to take up STEM and other ‘priority’ courses.
“The government’s package simply doesn’t stack up. We’ve heard from key stakeholders across the sector that all it will do is put students further into debt and cut more funding for essential teaching and learning on campuses.
“As our universities continue to suffer huge job losses, now is the time to invest heavily in higher education, not take the easy way out and transfer costs from the government onto students. No one wins from the Liberals’ cruel austerity package,” she said.
Wildlife toll shows environment needs stronger protections
With a revised tally of killed or displaced wildlife from the summer’s bushfires coming in at three times initial estimates, it’s clear now is not the time to rush through legislation that will weaken environmental protections, the Greens say.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said with 3 billion native animals killed or displaced as a result of the catastrophic fires, and Australia already holding the dishonour of worst mammalian extinction rate in the world, our wildlife was in crisis and needed urgent protection.
“Off the back of one of the worst environmental disasters our country has seen, the Morrison Government is planning to fast-track legislation that puts our wildlife and environment at further risk.
“I urge the Prime Minister and the Environment Minister to respond to the finding of 3 billion dead or displaced animals and reconsider their environment-destroying plans.
“Our natural world cannot withstand more logging, land clearing and pollution for the sake of corporate profits. The PM needs to stand up for the environment instead of his mining and big developer mates.
“We need strong environmental laws and a cop on the beat to enforce them – anything less and we are going to lose koalas and more of our native animals for good.
“The 10-year independent review should be completed and properly considered before any legislative change that risks killing more of our wildlife and destroying even more of our environment.”
The Senate Inquiry into the Faunal Extinction Crisis, chaired by Senator Hanson-Young, is holding a hearing tomorrow from 12pm EST, to examine the interim report from the review of Australia’s environment laws (the EPBC Act). Witnesses include Independent Reviewer Professor Graeme Samuel and the ANAO. The full program can be found here.
Council gives preliminary tick to new climate action plan
City of Newcastle will lead the way to a net zero emissions future by reducing greenhouse gasses while implementing a range of environmental efficiencies under a five-year action plan endorsed for public exhibition tonight.
The Newcastle Climate Action Plan 2021-25 outlines priorities for the City and community to minimise carbon emissions, embrace sustainable transport, deploy clean technology and support low-emission industries.
The plan proposes to reduce fuel use by transitioning to electric vehicles, increasing battery storage to lessen the City’s reliance on the electricity grid, cutting emissions via LED lighting replacements and building upgrades, and encouraging development of sustainable buildings.
Over the next five years the plan will specifically target:
- A 20 per cent reduction in electricity use, based on 2019/20 consumption
- Replacing all lighting, including streetlights, with LED or the best alternative
- A 50 per cent reduction in fuel use, based on 2019/20 consumption
- A 50 per cent reduction in operational carbon emissions.
“Through strong and consistent actions to reduce our emissions, City of Newcastle is now recognised as one of Australia’s leading local governments in terms of addressing climate change,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“After achieving so much over the past five years, particularly by becoming the first NSW Council to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy in January, our transformation will continue under this new plan.
“By supporting residents, business and industry to act more sustainably, encourage local resilience and build a circular economy, our sustained investment will propel the city towards a net zero emissions future. I encourage the community to have their say on the way forward during the public exhibition period of the Climate Action Plan.”
The draft plan also covers better resource management, headlined by an organics processing facility at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre; recycling initiatives and infrastructure, use of more recycled products in construction, water-efficient technologies, community-owned renewables projects and solar garden innovation.
Community engagement on the new plan helped build on the 2020 Carbon Water Management Action Plan (CWMAP), which delivered a five-megawatt solar farm, rooftop solar panels, LED streetlights and a 100 per cent renewable energy deal.
Under the 2020 CWMAP, the City has:
- Reduced electricity usage by 17 per cent
- Upgraded 31 per cent of streetlights to LEDs
- Secured 100 per cent of electricity from renewable sources
- Reduced potable water usage by more than 8 per cent
- Slashed the City’s carbon footprint by 77 per cent, excluding emissions from Summerhill Waste Management Centre
- Reduced liquid fuel use by 77 per cent
The draft 2025 Climate Action Plan will be available for comment from Tuesday 4 August until 5pm Monday 31 August by visiting www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/YourSay