Category: Australian News

Communities along New South Wales’ North Coast have come together at New Italy to celebrate the completion of the Pacific Highway upgrade, with the final section, from Woolgoolga to Ballina, now open to traffic.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this marks a historic day, as the largest road infrastructure project to be undertaken in Australia is now complete, delivering 657 kilometres of duplicated highway from Hexham to the Queensland border.
“We set the goal to deliver this $15 billion project by the end of 2020 and despite the challenges we’ve faced along the way such as bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve delivered,” the Prime Minister said.
“Across New South Wales, we will be getting people home sooner and safer for generations to come thanks to this generation-defining infrastructure project.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the upgrade had created more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs over its lifespan.
“Since the first shovel went in the ground, this project has injected billions of dollars into the economy, and it will drive long-term benefits for businesses and communities along the North Coast,” the Premier said.
“We continue to invest in improving journeys from Sydney all the way to the Queensland border, with almost $4 billion committed by the NSW and Australian governments to build the Coffs Harbour bypass and extend the M1 Pacific Motorway to Raymond Terrace.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said it was a landmark day for communities right along the North Coast.
“The Pacific Highway is more than a road to them – it is part of their story, connecting them to the rest of Australia and each other,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“More than 40,000 people, including many locals, have worked directly on this project over 24 years. They should be proud that they have helped deliver safer, faster and more reliable journeys to millions of motorists every year.”
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the upgrade had transformed journeys along the North Coast, cutting travel times by more than two and a half hours.
“Not that long ago the Pacific Highway was known as a goat track, but now it’s 657 kilometres of dual-carriageway highway, which will support tourism, unlock new opportunities for regional economies and drive higher productivity for freight,” the Deputy Premier said.
“Many people have fought passionately to bring this project to life over many years – and today their vision of a four-lane highway is finally a reality.”
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the number of fatal crashes on the highway had more than halved since the upgrade began.
“From day one, this upgrade has been about saving lives,” Minister Toole said.
“Since the upgrade began in 1996, fatalities have fallen by more than half. To put it in context, in the next 20 years it is expected that there will be 8,039 fewer crashes, 4,218 fewer injuries and critically 565 lives that will be saved. That’s 565 families who will see their loved ones come home at the end of the day.”
Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said the scale of the project demonstrated the Australian Government’s commitment to improving local infrastructure in the state of NSW.
“The project has been a remarkable engineering feat with more than 600 new bridges built along the stretch from Hexham to the Queensland border, and more than 35 new or improved rest areas now available for drivers,” Assistant Minister Hogan said.
State Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said the project was a source of vital support for the region.
“Infrastructure keeps people employed and regional economies ticking, supporting safer, faster journeys for our local community and freight operators,” Mr Gulaptis said.
The Pacific Highway upgrade has been jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments over more than 20 years from 1996 to 2020.
The final section of the Woolgoolga to Ballina project – the last project to be completed as part of the Pacific Highway upgrade – is now fully operational.

The Future Fund must divest the $3 million it has put into a railway for the climate-destroying Adani coal mine, the Greens say.

Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“This is public money and should be invested for the public good.”
“Having already ruled out investing in tobacco products, the Future Fund must urgently get out of fossil fuels.”
“This is a bad investment financially, morally and environmentally. To use public funds to cook the planet is an extraordinary error of judgement.”
“Adani has an appalling environmental and human rights record. They do not deserve a single cent of public money.”
Greens Leader in the Senate and Spokesperson for Mining and Resources Senator Larissa Waters said:
“Australians would be horrified to know that their so-called Future Fund is funding projects that would wreck their future.”
“Public money should not be used to prop up unviable projects that will worsen the climate crisis which is cooking the reef and turbo charging extreme weather events.”
“The Greens have long campaigned for the Future Fund to divest from coal on economic and climate grounds, and now also on human rights grounds.”
“There is no economic future in coal as global market dwindle as the world embraces renewable energy to tackle the climate crisis.”

Funding announced today in Newcastle will ensure the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network can continue to build capacity in Australia’s Indigenous Health workforce.
Federal Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton said the $680,000 of funding would enable the network to continue to increase the number of Indigenous people choosing to study medicine while ensuring a quality indigenous health curriculum is taught in medical schools.
“Growing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and ensuring our health workforce has the culturally appropriate skills and training to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is an Australian Government priority,” Minister Coulton said.
“The LIME Network has been undertaking important work and the additional funding will enable further engagement with current and prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors.”
Professor Peter O’Mara, Director of the Thurru Indigenous Health Unit at the UoN’s School of Medicine and Public Health, said LIME makes a huge contribution to the work at Thurru Indigenous Health Unit, and has been instrumental in helping achieve an ever-growing numbers of Indigenous medical students.
“In 2020, 10 percent of our commencing joint medical program students were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and 17 will be graduating this year,” Professor O’Mara said.
“The LIME Network is a project of the Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand and, by working across all medical schools and having this broad network of Indigenous leads, academics and support staff, the sharing of experiences, ideas, challenges and new initiatives is so much stronger and more effective.”
Also joining the announcement was Wiradjuri men Mr Nathan Towney, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Mr Darren Nolan from the School of Medicine and Public Health from the University of Newcastle.
Noongar woman, Professor Sandra Eades, Dean and Head of Curtin Medical School in WA participated virtually to mark the occasion and is Australia’s first Indigenous Dean to a medical School.
During his visit to the University of Newcastle, Minister Coulton also met with Professor Jennifer May, Director of the University’s Department of Rural Health, to hear about the delivery of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Program.
“Over 20 years this successful training program has driven rural training and helped build the capacity of the rural health workforce by providing a rich experience for students in rural settings,” Minister Coulton said.
“By offering pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those from rural backgrounds, the university is leading the way in nurturing and retaining local knowledge and talent.
“The Government continues to support the delivery of quality, multidisciplinary, rural health training. Most recently in the 2020-21 Federal Budget, I announced a further $50.3 million to expand the long-standing program and keep building the rural training pipeline.
“Evidence shows medical students who undertake training in rural areas, and those from a rural background, are more likely to take up rural practice after graduation. “
Minister Coulton said building the capacity and capability of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce, and increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness in the broader health workforce is key to better health outcomes now and into the future.
BACKGROUND:
The LIME Network, managed by the Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand, will receive funding support of more than $680,000 in 2020–2021 for its work to:

• Support quality and effective teaching of Indigenous health in medical education;
• Recruit and retain Indigenous medical students;
• Engage and collaborate with medical schools, the Australian Medical Council, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and other Indigenous peak organisations;
• Boost mentoring opportunities for Indigenous medical students and early-career academics; and
• Build on the Indigenous Health Resources Hub which supports sharing information on research, experiences and initiatives in Indigenous health education.

This funding takes the Government’s total investment in LIME since 2017–18 to more than $2 million.

Today’s Housing Industry Association (HIA) New Home Sales Report for November 2020 shows HomeBuilder is continuing deliver on its objective of generating residential construction demand to protect tradies’ jobs and drive our comeback from the COVID-19 recession.
The Report showed new home sales have risen by a further 15.2 per over the month to set a new decade high, with sale in the three months to November 41.1 per cent higher than the same time last year.
Every new home sale represents more work for our tradies and more economic activity as part of our comeback. HIA’s economist Angela Lillicrap said today;
“The strength of New Home Sales is a positive sign that home building will support the broader economy as we enter 2021.”
The HIA also found that new home sales in the three months to November 2020 were higher in all regions when compared with the same period in 2019:

• Western Australia (108.8 per cent),
• South Australia (57.6 per cent),
• Queensland (34.0 per cent),
• Victoria (22.2 per cent), and
• New South Wales (20.7 per cent).

First home buyers are leading the way in the housing comeback from the COVID-19 recession:

• According to the ABS, the number of loans to first home buyers reached the highest number in over a decade, accounting for 42 per cent of the total number of owner occupier loans issued in October.
• NAB lending to first home buyers increased by 21 per cent against their 12-month average, with regional areas across the nation recording a 44 per cent increase in first home buyer activity.
• Real Estate Institute of Australia reconfirmed that in their Housing Affordability report. First home ownership is at 10 year high.

To maintain this momentum in Australia’s economic comeback, the Morrison Government has announced HomeBuilder will be extended until 31 March 2021.
For all new build contracts signed between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021:

• Eligible owner-occupier purchasers will receive a $15,000 grant; and
• The property price caps for new builds in New South Wales and Victoria will be increased to $950,000 and $850,000 respectively.

In addition, the construction commencement deadline will be extended from three months to six months for all eligible contracts signed on or after 4 June 2020.
The construction industry has said the extension of HomeBuilder will mean a steady pipeline of construction activity through to 2022, which will keep tradies on the tools.
More information on the HomeBuilder programme can be found at: https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/homebuilder

The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1 billion in funding to help older Australians live at home for longer.
Another 10,000 home care packages – at a cost of more than $850 million – will be released as the Government continues to prioritise the needs of older and vulnerable Australians.
It adds to the Morrison Government’s record investment in aged care, from $13.3 billion in 2012-13 to $21.3 billion in 2019-20.
While the population of those aged 70 and over has jumped by 28 per cent since 2012, home care packages have increased by over 200 per cent with funding tripling – or more than 10 times the growth in population of older Australians.
Estimated funding for aged care will grow to more than $27 billion in 2023-24 – or an average $1.1 billion of extra support for senior Australians each year over the forward estimates.
The latest additional investment means almost 50,000 packages, at a cost of $3.3 billion, have been funded since the Royal Commission’s Interim Report.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was important older Australians received the care they needed.
“The health and wellbeing of older Australians is an absolute priority,” the Prime Minister said.
“By providing more support to people at home, we are ensuring that Australians, as they age, have greater choices and their families have greater choices.
“Our Government has continued to increase funding in aged care every year by more than $1 billion, adding thousands of extra home care packages at every opportunity.
“We will continue to address the many challenges there are in aged care, not only by boosting funding but also providing better access to health services to improve physical and mental wellbeing for older Australians.
“At every opportunity for the last three years, the Government has tripled the number of home care packages and in addition to Budget announcements, we have provided 10,000 additional home care packages at MYEFO every year for the past three years. This commitment continues.”
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the new packages are in addition to a $1.6 billion investment for more than 23,000 packages announced in the 2020–21 Budget.
It will increase the number of Australians receiving in-home care support to approximately 195,600 by 30 June 2021 – more than three times as many as when the Coalition formed Government.
“The latest investment underlines our commitment to help older Australians live at home for longer,” Minister Hunt said.
“It’s an important measure that can be instrumental to overall health and wellbeing and offer reassurance to families that their loved one is receiving appropriate care.”
The Government continues to build on the reform process for the delivery of care in the home as proposed by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Funding also includes:
an additional $57.8 million for aged care under the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response;
$63.3 million to support increased access to allied health services and improved mental health care supports for people in residential aged care, which includes:
o$35.5 million to provide access to Medicare subsidised individual psychological services under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the MBS (Better Access) initiative until 30 June 2022 and to evaluate Better Access.
o$12.1 million for additional individual allied health sessions under Medicare chronic disease management plans.
o$15.7 million for allied health group services for residents living in facilities affected by COVID-19 outbreaks.
The expansion of the eligibility requirements for the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners is ensuring people living in residential aged care can access suitable mental health support.
This will help all aged care residents access the Better Access initiative in the same way as people living in the community.
Psychological services will be provided by eligible general practitioners, psychologists, social workers or occupational therapists in accordance with a mental health treatment plan developed in consultation with the patient’s general practitioner or psychiatrist.
Financial disincentives for providers to offer services for those living in residential aged care will be removed.
The extension of the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response will bolster protection measures, including expert training and support in infection prevention and control for all states and territories.
Additionally, the Government is providing $8.2 million to extend the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre until 30 June 2021 to ensure the dedicated scalable support remains in place to rapidly respond to the pandemic and coordinate the Victorian response to outbreaks in aged care.
Another $11.1 million over five years will help fast-track the implementation of the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) to protect senior Australians from abuse and neglect. It takes the total investment in the program to $67.2 million.
The SIRS will drive improvements in quality and safety at the individual service and broader system level, by requiring residential aged care providers to manage all incidents, with a focus on the safety and wellbeing of consumers and reducing preventable incidents from reoccurring.
Minister Colbeck said the latest investment underlines the commitment of the Australian Government as it continues to implement recommendations from the Royal Commission’s Special Report on COVID-19, released in October 2020.
“We are building on more than $1.7 billion in support measures implemented as part of the Morrison Government’s response to the impact of COVID-19 in aged care,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The virus has presented the greatest challenge the sector has ever faced, but the Australian Government is moving beyond responding to the pandemic to drive the biggest transformation of aged care in our nation’s history.”

The Morrison-McCormack Government will deliver a safer and more efficient Inland Rail whilst also backing thousands of extra jobs and billions in additional economic activity through major enhancements to the planning, design and delivery of Australia’s largest freight infrastructure project.
The improvements will deliver a stronger Inland Rail, with the design now including more than 4,500 additional culverts, nine additional viaducts, an additional 6.8 kilometres of bridges, 10 extra grade separations, approximately 450 kilometres of additional fencing, as well as removing 139 level crossings.
These enhancements are a result of significant work by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to progress designs, to engage with communities and undertake the detailed analysis required to build the 1,700 kilometre rail line, including approximately 600 kilometres of greenfield track.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the enhancements would lead to a safer and more efficient Inland Rail as well as deliver significant benefits for regional communities, businesses and jobs.
“Inland Rail is a jobs bonanza. It’s already supporting thousands of jobs, has already started to generate billions in economic activity and will eventually lead to a boost of more than $18 billion Gross Domestic Product during construction and in the first 50 years of operation,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“These enhancements will provide for greater local investment, mean Inland Rail will now support more than 21,500 jobs at the peak of construction and deliver an extra economic boost of $2 billion.
“Australian communities and industries have asked for more from this national infrastructure project and we have listened.
“These enhancements to the Inland Rail network will deliver more contracts for local businesses and more work for Australians at a time when we need them most.
“Inland Rail isn’t just being built by the big companies and Tier 1 contractors – across Australia businesses of all sizes are tendering for work and benefiting from the construction of Inland Rail.
“This world-class freight rail line from Melbourne to Brisbane will be the ‘spine’ of the national freight network, enabling travel between Melbourne and Brisbane in less than 24 hours, while connecting major ports and all mainland state capitals.”
Enhancements will be made possible through an additional injection of up to $5.5 billion of equity into ARTC.
Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham said the Morrison-McCormack Government’s investment in Inland Rail would be a game-changer to how freight is moved within Australia.
“Our ongoing investment in Inland Rail is backing jobs and businesses in regional Australia and will see the construction of a world-class freight network connecting Melbourne and Brisbane,” Minister Birmingham said.
“Every dollar our Government invests in Inland Rail is a dollar spent for the benefit of our regional communities, businesses, jobs and our economic recovery.
“This is about being responsive to the needs of the farmers, businesses and communities who will rely on Inland Rail.
“We’re making improvements to the design to deliver a more efficient network while at the same time supporting even more jobs and more economic activity.
“We’re going to have a mammoth freight task into the future – our urban freight task alone is expected to increase by nearly 60 per cent over the next two decades – and enhanced Inland Rail will ensure we have the capacity to meet Australia’s future freight needs.
“Enhanced Inland Rail will change the way we move freight in Australia, supporting the fast, reliable and cost-competitive movement of goods and resources. Our investment will strengthen supply chains, and better connect regional areas along the network with customers across Australia and the world.”
The first section of Inland Rail, between Parkes and Narromine, is now completed. In that section alone, more than 1,800 people worked on the project, including more than 762 local residents and 302 Indigenous workers. Almost $110 million was spent with local businesses, whilst 14,000 tonnes of Whyalla Steel worth $20 million was used.
Work has now started on the 171-kilometre Narrabri to North Star section, which will support thousands of jobs in north-western NSW and will use approximately 25,000 tonnes of Whyalla Steel and 341,000 Australian made concrete sleepers.
Planning is also well advanced on other sections of the track, with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the largest section between Narromine to Narrabri on public display and a further four statements expected to be released for the Queensland sections of Inland Rail in the coming months.
ARTC is also currently working with the New South Wales Government to respond to submissions made during the public exhibition of the North Star to Queensland Border EIS, which closed October 2020.
A report by EY found Inland Rail could boost gross regional product by a further $13.3 billion in today’s dollars and deliver up to 2,500 full time jobs in the 10th year of operation. This is from Australian businesses starting, growing and thriving along the Inland Rail alignment following construction and is in addition to the more than $18 billion boost to Gross Domestic Product and 21,500 jobs during peak construction.
For more information on Inland Rail, visit www.InlandRail.gov.au

Australian Greens Housing spokesperson and Senator for NSW, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to a report by Equity Economics projecting a national 24 per cent rise in housing stress and 9 per cent rise in homelessness next year. NSW will be particularly hard hit with housing stress to rise by 42 per cent and homelessness by 19 per cent.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The alarm bells are well and truly ringing on housing stress and homelessness.
“We need the federal government to declare this a crisis and to look at all policy options to avoid this looming disaster.
“A huge national investment in social housing in the coming years will be required to ensure everyone has a roof over their head. Housing is a human right.
“In the short term, homelessness services will need to be properly funded and there is no way we can let the Jobseeker payment go back to the pre-Covid rate.
“The Covid-19 response has shown us that homelessness is not inevitable. Governments can choose to either tackle or ignore it. It’s our responsibility to make sure everyone has a roof over their head,” she said.

The Australian Government has extended the capital sensitivity exemption for medical imaging equipment in rural and regional Australia until 1 May 2022.
This extra time for remote practices to replace older medical imaging equipment will ensure that patients in remote areas can continue to receive Medicare benefits for diagnostic imaging.
On 1 May 2020, Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items and rules related to diagnostic imaging services were amended in line with the recommendations of the MBS Review Taskforce and the Medical Service Advisory Committee.
The changes ensure that diagnostic imaging services provided under Medicare are up to date and reflect best clinical practice.
As COVID-19 has impacted on these practices, the extra 12 month’ exemption will allow them more time to accrue finance and arrange new equipment, while ensuring that modernisation does occur.
The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that all Australians can access to safe, quality Medicare funded diagnostic imaging services, wherever they live.