Category: Australian News

The Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert has failed to comply with Senate resolutions that he provide documents relating to robodebt legal advice.
“The Minister’s claims of public interest immunity in regards to the Centrelink Income Compliance Program legal advice and an Executive Minute are not acceptable”, Senator Rachel Siewert said.
Given the significant and ongoing harm this program has inflicted on people in our community, the public most certainly have a right to know what has happened with this program. Clearly the Government knows what approach it took to obtaining legal advice and should let the community know about this.
The Government cannot just keep hiding behind claims of public interest immunity.
It is quite obviously in the public interest for the Commonwealth Government to be transparent about the legal advice in relation to the Income Compliance Program.
The requested information is vital evidence for the inquiry into the Centrelink Compliance Program as it goes to the legal foundation of the program and how it has operated.
I do not accept this obfuscation and attempt to hide behind public interest immunity when it’s clear that the public have a right to know.
The Committee will continue to pursue this matter.

It is unconscionable that the Government did not include a permanent increase to Jobseeker in the budget.
If we can fund billions of dollars worth of tax cuts for the wealthy we can ensure that no one in this country is living in poverty.
Budgets are about the choices we make. This is a budget that ignores people trying to survive without work when we know that there will be far more people without work than there are jobs available for a long time into the future.
Everybody knows that the Jobseeker payment is too low, even the Government does because they brought in the coronavirus supplement.
This budget is based on very big assumptions that there will be a vaccine by next year and that the expenditure on Jobseeker will be half by the next budget.
While disabled people can make use of the extra $500 in this budget it does not make up for the fact they did not receive the coronavirus supplement and the extra costs they had to wear. Disabled people feel abandoned by this Government, they are extremely anxious about both the health risks of this pandemic and their ability to get their medication and pay rent. $500 is not enough.
“Refocusing” existing employment services programs will make savings of $1.4 billion over four years and includes a transition to a new digital employment services platform. The Government is investing further in on-line and digital services before the digital trials have been evaluated. This process is likely to increase the digital divide.
For a start anyone who has spoken to or at least listened to someone on Jobseeker would know that it is very difficult for people to actually afford internet services and smartphones.
The money for aged care is an insult to older Australians, their families and the workforce.  It’s not enough.
Where is the proper funding for a workforce strategy? The sector needs at least $3.5 billion to fix the workforce.
Where is a pay increase for our aged care workers who are caring for our mothers, fathers and grandparents?
Piecemeal funding announcements won’t fix the aged care sector and this budget once again fails older Australians and their families
While more home care places are welcomed, the $1.6bn for an additional 23,000 home care places still leaves a significant portion of the 100,000 Australians on the waiting list on that list.
There is no further funding to the royal commission COVID recommendations, despite the Government accepting all the recommendations.
The Government is now describing the Cashless Debit Card funding as “ongoing funding” rather than funding for trial sites. Clearly the Government wants make this card permanent.
This is yet another attempt to stealthily entrench this racist and punitive card that it is not accepted by the community or has any evidence that it is achieving its purported outcomes.
Of course they won’t tell us how much this social experiment is costing. What we do know is that it is costing people their dignity and quality of life.
Another budget and another failure to recognise the impact that climate change is having on our health.
Inaction on climate change is having a devastating effect on people’s health. Climate change is affecting our health through an increase in infectious disease transmission during extreme weather events and heatwaves, worsening air pollution, higher mortality rates from heat stress, and increased incidence of mental illness.
This budget fails so many in our community, the Government should look after the well being of everyone not just their wealthy mates.
 

Yesterday I sought the support of the Senate to disallow the reintroduction of the liquid assets test waiting period for new claims for JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance and Austudy made from 25 September.
I am very disappointed that the Senate did not support the Greens disallowance motion to ensure that people who lose their jobs can get access to income support as soon as possible during this crisis.
It is very unfair to make people use up almost all of their savings before they can access income support. It leaves them in a very precarious position.
For many people the only way they can survive on JobSeeker is by supplementing that income with what little savings they have. This could be the difference between hanging on with the mortgage or rent until they find more work – or losing the family home.
Making people wait before accessing that safety net during these uncertain times is not only unfair, but also irresponsible and it will have a chilling effect on the wider economy. Over the long term, this system entrenches poverty and disadvantage.
It is particularly difficult for older workers who lose work and who will have to use up their retirement savings before they can get JobSeeker. It’s particularly tenuous for older women who have found themselves out of work.
We will see thousands retire into poverty because the government has made them wear down their savings in a job market with very limited opportunities.
Reintroducing the liquid asset test is mean spirited and unfair in the midst of a recession.

The Government has today introduced legislation that will make the Cashless Debit Card permanent in the current trial sites and introduce it to the Northern Territory and Cape York.
“This is a toxic piece of legislation. The Cashless Debit Card is denying people their dignity and quality of life”,  Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said.
The Cashless Debit Card is a punitive program that punishes people simply because they are on income support.
Just because people are without employment it does not mean that they cannot manage their finances. It is insulting and paternalistic.
This Government has an agenda and it is stigmatising and demeaning people who need to access the social safety net.
This Bill also removes the cap on the number of people who could be placed on the Cashless Debit Card which is currently capped at 15,000 people. The Minister needs to come clean about whether the pause on Jobseeker recipients being placed on the Cashless Debit Card will continue or not.
It is highly likely that people newly on income support will now be put on the card.
The Northern Territory has been devastated by the impacts of income management brought in with the Intervention.
The ANAO found that there was no evidence that there had been a reduction in social harm in the so-called trial sites. Similarly the final evaluation of income management as part of the NT Intervention found that it met none of its objectives. The ORIMA evaluation and the Evaluation by the University of Adelaide have been called into question by numerous experts because no baseline data was collected to make any comparison to and they relied heavily on hand picked anecdotal reports, flawed methodology and a push polling type approach.
Compulsory Income Management in all its various forms should be abandoned and the resources invested in approaches that are therapeutic, individualised and are genuinely supported by the community.
 

Mental illness is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century and access to treatments should be universal. People in our community should be able to get easy access to treatments in the same way they would for a broken leg or the flu,” Australian Greens spokesperson on mental health Senator Rachel Siewert said.
Mental ill health is the leading cause of sickness and long term work incapacity in the developed world.
There has been under-investment in the mental health sector by successive governments, which has resulted in the system failing to meet the needs of thousands of Australians.
Three quarters of mental health issues begin before the age of 25, it is critical that we support the mental health of children and young people.
Services are too often fragmented and difficult to access and so people fall through the cracks.
We need investment in community-based assertive outreach programs, and more dedicated funding for First Nations peoples.
We need timely and on going evaluation of programs to make sure we are providing quality services that meet community needs. Funding needs to be properly targeted and evaluated so there is transparency around funding and whether outcomes are being achieved.
We are calling on the Government to urgently release the final Productivity Commission report into Mental Health and the final report of the MBS Taskforce’s recommendations regarding Medicare-funded mental health care items.
It is important that any recommendations, for long-term, systemic change, and the Government’s response to these recommendations, be made public and reforms implemented. It is unclear why the Minister is not releasing these reports.
This pandemic will have long-lasting effects on the mental health of many people in our community.
The impact of job losses, economic hardship, lock downs, daily anxiety, reduced social connectedness and long periods of uncertainty have only added to the challenges that our mental health system was experiencing before the pandemic.
And let’s be real. Living in poverty is a contributor to poor mental health and anxiety.
The Government needs to realise that social services policies that push people into poverty cause stress and anxiety and part of looking after mental health in this country is ensuring that we keep people out of poverty and look after their wellbeing.
The global theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is “Mental Health for All. Great Investment – Greater Access. Everyone, everywhere.”

A new model to boost access to GPs in the Murrumbidgee region and make rural generalist training more attractive for young doctors begins today.
Federal Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton said the Murrumbidgee Model would show how new approaches can address gaps in health care and improve the attractiveness of rural medical training.
The model, launched today in Wagga Wagga, will give junior doctors, interested in working in rural general practice in the Murrumbidgee region, the experience, exposure and qualifications they need to become rural generalist doctors – GPs with additional skills such as obstetrics or emergency medicine.
“This new locally-driven model is an important step in our commitment to delivering better healthcare for rural communities and ensuring rural practice is more appealing for doctors,” Minister Coulton said.
“It aims to improve the availability of quality health services where people live and means trainee rural generalist doctors can work in private practices and local hospitals to provide a greater range of care.
“This model will be used to test how new employment models for rural doctors can make working in rural and regional Australia an even more attractive career option – here in Murrumbidgee and across the nation.
“Building a stronger health workforce is key to strengthening rural communities. A big focus of mine as Rural Health Minister is demonstrating that rural areas are a land of opportunity for young doctors, and shouldn’t be seen as second prize.”
Joining Minister Coulton for the announcement, Senator for NSW, Perin Davey said the Murrumbidgee Model will see up to 20 new doctors trained over four years in the region. Sites include Cootamundra, Young, Deniliquin, Temora, Narrandera, Gundagai and an Aboriginal Medical Service in Wagga Wagga.
Dr Joe Murphy will be the first registrar to receive a Murrumbidgee Rural GP training contract through the model. Dr Murphy grew up on a sheep and wheat farm near the small village of Bribbaree, on the outskirts of Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
“Being able to stay with the one employer while I continue my training reduces the administrative burden of moving between employers and facilities,” Dr Murphy said.
“It allows me the flexibility to continue with my GP training in the community as well as do shifts as an Obstetrics Registrar at Wagga Base Hospital. I can also upskill in different areas such as emergency and paediatrics – areas that play a big role for rural GPs.
“Most importantly I have support in terms of being able to maintain and develop professional relationships.”
The model will be evaluated, to assist the Government to roll out the National Rural Generalist Pathway and approaches that work to support Australians living in other rural, regional and remote areas.
“Each rural community is different and requires a local solution to meet the needs of that area, which is why the Federal Government strongly supports this locally-led approach in partnership with the Murrumbidgee Local Health District,” Minister Coulton said.
“This new and innovative model is supporting the Australian Government’s efforts to improve health service delivery through the $550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy and the $1.2 billion in last week’s Federal Budget earmarked to improve rural health.”
Under this model, rural generalist trainees will be employed as ‘state employees’ through the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and be able to bill Medicare for their work within participating primary care locations.
The training organisations, GP colleges and health services will ensure the standards of education and achievement remain at the highest level. The pathway is aligned with National Rural Health Commissioner, Professor Ruth Stewart’s focus on implementing the National Rural Generalist Pathway.

The NSW Government’s new 10-year strategy released during National Carers Week will ensure the states 850,000 carers will receive better support and recognition to improve their financial and physical wellbeing.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said the strategy aims to help carers overcome the challenges involved with caring for loved ones.
“National Carers Week is a significant time to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution unpaid carers make to our communities,” Mr Ward said.
“Under the strategy, the NSW Government will make it easier for carers to access information and services, reduce financial stress and look after their own health and wellbeing.”
This includes a new landing page for carers on the Service NSW website and an awareness campaign, It’s Caring, to help carers self-identify and seek help.
Action plans, released every two years, will set out the steps NSW Government agencies and the sector are taking to better support and recognise carers.
In NSW, carers provide care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, alcohol or drug dependency, long-term health condition or the elderly.
Carers NSW CEO Elena Katrakis said the strategy will provide an important framework and direction for supporting carers over the next 10 years and help to overcome the many challenges carers face.
“Carers are providing more hours of care than ever before and this new strategy will make it easier for carers to access the information and support that they need to continue their vital caring roles,” Ms Katrakis said.
To access the NSW Carers Strategy 2020-2030 please visit https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/inclusion/carers
Information on National Carers Week is at https://carersweek.com.au/

The enormous contribution of carers is being celebrated as part of National Carers Week.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck, said more than 2.65 million carers give their time, effort and love to look after a partner, family member or friend who needs them.
“The commitment of carers across Australia to support senior and vulnerable Australians should not be underestimated,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Carers are integral to the quality of life and independence of many Australians and make an important economic contribution to the community.
“For all those people who put the needs of others before their own, we say thank you.”
Minister Colbeck said the Government is particularly conscious of the additional demands the COVID-19 pandemic is having on carers across the country.
“We know the need to limit visitors to their home has increased the level of worry and stress for carers, but help and support is available,” Minister Colbeck said.
In what also marks World Mental Health Week, the Government has released a number of mental health packages to help support people and their carers during the COVID-19 pandemic including:

• The Head to Health website supports people and their carers needing help coping with anxiety or worry about COVID-19

• Dedicated coronavirus digital resources and a 24/7 phone counselling service led by Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) staffed by accredited mental health professionals

• Additional funding to bolster critical phone and online support services, including Lifeline (13 11 14), to help ensure it can meet increased demand.

“The Australian Government has also invested $48.1 million to implement the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Through this plan, we provided $3 million to boost services through the Carer Gateway, as well as $500,000 to Carers Australia to encourage carers of people with a mental illness to connect with others in the same circumstances, and to access online resources for their own wellbeing and self-care.”
“Anyone at any time can become a carer so this year—and beyond—we acknowledge and commend the outstanding contribution made by carers in our community,” he said.
Support network, Carer Gateway, is among the services which offers counselling, connection with other carers, coaching, courses and emergency respite services.
Carers can contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737, to speak to trained worker in their local area to help find the services and support required.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme also supports care relationships through planned respite services for older people, allowing carers to take a much needed break from their usual caring responsibilities.
Senior Australians, their families and carers also have access to a free dedicated mental health support line for those impacted by the spread of COVID-19.
The phone line offers practical help and guidance during this challenging time.
The number is 1800 171 866 and the service is open Monday to Friday between 8:30am to 6pm.
For more information, please visit the Carer Gateway.
National Carers Week continues until 17 October.

Australia needs political leadership that will ensure we emerge from the recession stronger than we were before it began.
History tells us attempting to deal with recessions by restoring pre-crisis conditions is a sure path to failure.
We need reform. Real reform.
Effective economic reform, as always, should focus on the three Ps – population, productivity and participation.
With the pandemic meaning that more people are leaving Australia than arriving, population will not be increasing.
Childcare reform is needed to boost participation in the workforce and productivity. That motivates Labor’s plan to address the absurd design flaw in our tax and childcare systems which discourages many working mothers from working full time.
Caps on childcare subsidies mean women who want to work more than three days a week often see the cost of childcare consume the bulk or even all of their wages.
For so many working women, it’s simply not worth working more than three days a week.
This derails careers, it deprives working women of opportunities they’ve earned.
This makes no sense.
It’s holding back families from getting ahead and it’s holding back our economy.
It means we are not fully utilising our nation’s greatest resource – our people.
A Labor government will fix this.
We will remove the $10,560 a year annual cap on the childcare subsidy from July 1 2022.
We will also increase the maximum childcare subsidy to 90 per cent – cutting costs for 97 per cent of all families in the system.
We will require the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to design a price regulation mechanism to ensure every taxpayer family benefits from this reform.
Families should be able to work out their own working arrangements without one gender being disadvantaged.
The economic payoff will be huge. Modelling shows that clearing the way for greater female workforce participation will boost economic growth by $4 billion a year.
Then there is the benefit to children.
The human brain develops 90 per cent of its capacity in the first five years of life.
Our reform will give children greater access to early childhood education, which will improve their prospects in later life.
This will benefit workplaces – not just day-to-day productivity but years of valuable experience and knowledge and skills.
Labor’s childcare change represents fundamental structural reform that will not only change lives, but also turbo charge economic growth.
This underlines the difference between Labor and the conservatives.
While the Liberals resist reform, Labor governments drive change in the national interest.
We take on the tough reform tasks that change our nation for the better.
Universal health care. Affordable university education. Compulsory superannuation. The National Broadband Network. The NDIS.
Then there are the great economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating era which set the platform for three decades of economic growth and prosperity.
Our childcare initiative is cut from the same cloth.
It is not just about fairness. It will transform our national economy for the better.

 
The Morrison Government has officially opened Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Queensland, which will see hundreds of long-term jobs created for Queensland workers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the new defence industry facility in Redbank is part of the Economic Recovery Plan to create jobs as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are committed to keeping Australians safe, while protecting the nation’s interests in a rapidly changing global environment,” the Prime Minister said.
“This week’s budget has seen the Federal Government bring forward $1 billion worth of capability projects and reservist days to support jobs, the Australian defence industry and the wider economy.”
“This Queensland centre will be where some of the most advanced armoured vehicles in the world will be produced, by Australian workers.”
“The MILVEHCOE will create more than 450 long-term jobs and become a national asset for military vehicles.”
The Prime Minister also congratulated Rheinmetall Defence Australia for securing work to export at least 30 Lance Turrets from MILVEHCOE to Hungary.
“This is a significant export order, and a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to supporting Australian defence industry to achieve export success,” Mr Morrison said.
“We make things in Australia. We do it well. And this is an example of how we are continuing to make things in Australia.”
“Defence is one of six priority areas under our $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy and is backed by measures from Tuesday’s budget. This includes the JobMaker hiring credits to boost employment, a $2.8 billion programme to support apprenticeship and trainee jobs through wage subsidies and tax incentives so businesses can deduct the full cost of any eligible assets and to offset loss against previous profits, for businesses with a turnover of under $5 billion.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the vehicles from MILVEHCOE represent a new level of capability for the Army.
“As outlined in the 2020 Force Structure Plan, the Boxer will provide enhanced mobility, firepower, protection and situational awareness to our troops,” Minister Reynolds said.
“They will allow our Australian Defence Force personnel to rapidly deploy, achieve their missions and importantly, return home safely.”
“I join the Prime Minister in congratulating Rheinmetall Defence Australia on securing new export opportunities. A resilient and internationally competitive defence industry is essential to Australia’s national security.
Minister for Defence Industry, Hon Melissa Price said MILVEHCOE represented a watershed in Defence self-reliance, backed by a secure domestic supply chain provided by home-grown Australian businesses.
“Australian industry will play a vital role delivering and sustaining key Australian defence capabilities at the facility,” Minister Price said.
“Rheinmetall will use suppliers across Australia to design, build, assemble, test and support the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles and training systems.”
“The work at this facility is terrific news for Queensland workers and defence companies across the country.”
Rheinmetall will use the MILVEHCOE facility to build and assemble the majority of Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, which are being delivered to the Australian Army under the $5 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project.
The facility will also be used to conduct integration, support and heavy grade repair for the logistics trucks and modules being delivered under the LAND 121 Phase 3B and 5B projects.