Category: Australian News

Former Greens Leader and Senator for Victoria Dr Richard Di Natale will deliver his valedictory speech to the Senate this afternoon by remote video link. He will highlight serious failings in Australian politics to deal with the issues Australian people care about and outline a prescription to rejuvenate our democracy.
After 10 years in the Australian Senate, and five as Leader of the Greens, Richard Di Natale today makes his final speech to the chamber from locked-down Melbourne. The former doctor will diagnose the last decade of Australian politics as captured by vested interests and failing to address the major issues faced by our nation.
“I got into politics because, as a doctor – especially in First Nations health – I saw that the political decisions being made were the decisions that most affected people’s lives, and I wanted to make a difference. It was a wakeup call for me to see that the influence of money and vested interests are so strong in our politics.” Dr Di Natale said
“Our parliament has failed the Australian people over the last decade. Climate action is the biggest example of how the nation has been let down.
“Ten years ago, in balance-of-power, the Australian Greens worked to ensure the introduction of world-leading climate laws, with the Greens leading the debate on the issues that truly matter to our nation’s future including; climate action, democratic and political donation reforms; anti-corruption measures; a meaningful social safety-net and addressing inequality.
In the depths of the crisis, Dr Di Natale will point to COVID-19 as a glimmer of hope for Australian politics – with political maneuvering largely taking a back-seat to expert advice in determining the policy response.
“COVID-19  has shown up the cracks in our society. Inequality is running rife and the virus exploiting our vulnerabilities but has also provided an opportunity for real change. If we listen to experts rather than vested interests – in health, in climate change, in economics – we can build a better society. .
“COVID has provided a clear example that bold action is possible from any government. We can make good policy and deliver good outcomes by listening to the experts and working cooperatively. This should be standard operating procedure for Australian politics. It shouldn’t have taken a pandemic to teach us this.
“We must strengthen our democracy by opening our parliament to a greater diversity of voices and ending the influence of corporations and lobbyists over our politicians.   We must reject the  politics of hatred and division fuelled by parties like One Nation, and too often endorsed by other politicians and parts of the media.
“Despite the setbacks of the past decade I leave politics feeling confident about the future.
Young people around the world are mobilising and social movements are gathering steam. The Greens are strong and resilient. We have the support of millions of Australians and we are the only party with genuine solutions to today’s problems,” Senator Di Natale concluded.

The Greens are calling on the Prime Minister to stand down Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar while the Department of Finance investigates the misuse of taxpayer-funded positions, and to consider whether Sukkar’s actions are in breach of the Ministerial Standards.
“The Prime Minister has asked Australians for their trust over the past few months. But Morrison continues to throw integrity overboard with his failure to act on the ongoing, multiple scandals involving his ministers,” Greens co-Deputy leader, Senator Larissa Waters, said.
“It’s a case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’, with Morrison. He jumped on the chance to smear Labor during its branch stacking scandal a few months ago, but deflects all responsibility when its his own frontbenchers making headlines.
Senator Waters, Greens spokesperson for Democracy, said the latest branch stacking scandal was further proof of why the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill is needed, which passed the Senate almost a year ago.
“The public generally thinks politicians are all corrupt, in it for themselves, and behave like pork chops in parliament, and I don’t blame them,” Senator Waters said.
“We are still waiting for the Prime Minister to call my federal watchdog with teeth on for a vote in the House of Representatives, almost a year after the Senate passed it. The government hasn’t introduced its own legislation.  And it has rejected the Greens’ calls for a code of conduct for all politicians and senior staff to prevent exactly the sort of behaviour we’ve seen reported this week.
“To Morrison, I say: tick tock. I’m not the only one getting fed up with your delaying tactics.”

The Australian Greens have called on the Berejiklian Government to reject the Mark Latham-led push for uranium mining in NSW.
“The Liberals should stop dancing to One Nation’s tune and reject the push for uranium mining in NSW,” said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt.
“The case for lifting the ban on uranium mining in NSW didn’t stand up to 5 minutes of scrutiny from Fran Kelly this morning. NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee, had no answer to basic economic questions.”
“When it comes to uranium mining, the big issues are environmental, but the economics don’t stack up either. Extraction is emissions intensive, local land and water impacts are incredibly risky and waste products are a shameful legacy.
“The economics should be the final nail in the coffin for uranium, even for those who have no concern for the environment. Global prices remain very low, years after the Fukushima disaster. Adding more uranium to an oversupplied market would only push that price lower, which would probably not be welcomed by other Australian miners.
“The reason the price is dropping is that nuclear power is the most expensive and inflexible energy source there is. Country after country is getting out of nuclear and investing in renewables. That’s the future and state and federal governments need to face the facts.
“NSW should reject this push and Australia should get out of uranium altogether,” Bandt said.
Greens nuclear disarmament spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John said:
“Australia has a nuclear history; from the atomic testing on behalf of the British Government at Maralinga that displaced our First Nations Peoples, to the ongoing mining at Ranger in the Northern Territory, and Olympic Dam and Beverley in South Australia.
“We have played, and continue to play, a role in the global nuclear chain and that is not something to be proud of.
“It’s time for us to get out of uranium all together; it’s time for us to sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and strive for peace.”

GPs and other health professionals in four regions will receive greater support to enable them to provide more effective care to people with intellectual disability.
The Morrison Government will provide a total of $5.75 million to four Primary Health Networks to lead development of the Primary Care Enhancement Program for people with intellectual disability.
Central and Eastern Sydney PHN, Western Victoria PHN, Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast PHN, and Tasmania PHN, were selected to spearhead the enhancement program over four years, with a view to national rollout.
It will give people with intellectual disability better access to appropriate, quality health services that meet their needs. The four lead PHNs will:

• Support health professionals in caring for people with intellectual disability.

• Facilitate access to appropriate, quality health services for people with intellectual disability.

• Promote take-up and quality of annual Medicare health assessments for people with intellectual disability.

• Help to ensure people with intellectual disability have equitable access to quality health prevention and health promotion programs.

• Ensure all of their programs are inclusive for people with intellectual disability.

The Council for Intellectual Disability will be a key partner with the Government as the Primary Care Enhancement Program is developed and rolled out.
National resources for the program will be developed over the next two years, including a training module for PHN staff, resources for GPs and other primary care professionals, National Disability Insurance Scheme linkage tools, and health promotion materials for people with intellectual disability and their families.
The Primary Care Enhancement Program was established following a roundtable in August 2019, which considered the inequities in health system access and quality for people with intellectual disability.
The Morrison Government is also developing a national roadmap with short, medium and long-term priorities to improve health services for people with intellectual disability. The roadmap will guide the better integration of primary care with specialist and hospital care.
It will also aim to increase recognition in the health sector and the community that people living with intellectual disability have the right to the same quality and access to health services as other Australians.
A series of further roundtables with a range of key stakeholders, including states and territories, will be held from October 2020 to complete development of the roadmap, for consideration by the Government.
More information about the roadmap is available at information about the Roadmap or via www.health.gov.au

The Morrison Government has announced a $1 billion investment package to boost Australia’s defence industry and support thousands of jobs across the country.
The package is directed towards nationwide projects and jobs across Australia including:

• Increasing the employment of ADF Reservists who have lost their civilian income, with an allocation of up to an extra 210,000 days, and the targeted recruitment of an additional 500 ADF Reservists;
• Increasing employment opportunities for current and former ADF personnel and their families;
• A $300 million national estate works program that will focus on regional areas (including bushfire affected regions), such as Jervis Bay & Eden, RAAF Bases East Sale, Pearce, Wagga and Amberley, the Albury Wodonga Military Area and Blamey Barracks;
• Accelerating the sustainment of ADF platforms and capabilities, including the upgrade of Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles, modernisation of ADF uniforms; and additional C-27J maintenance, which will engage ex-Qantas and Virgin technicians;
• Bringing forward around $190 million of investment in approved infrastructure projects in the Northern Territory;
• Increased funding for Defence innovation, industry grants, skilling and micro credentialing and cyber training for Defence industry; and
• Accelerating important ADF capability development projects, targeting key manufacturing, construction and high-tech sectors.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the package is estimated to support around 4,000 jobs across Australia and help many small and medium sized businesses in the defence-industry supply chain.
“Like much of the economy, our local defence industry is doing it tough because of COVID-19. This is especially so for small and medium sized businesses, that are critical to jobs,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Supporting our defence industry is all part of our JobMaker plan – especially high-paying, high-skilled jobs that ensure we are supporting a robust, resilient and internationally competitive defence industry. We want to build our sovereign industrial capabilities and Australian workforce to keep our people safe.”
“We will also support our ADF members and families, particularly any Reservists who are doing it tough because of COVID-19.”
The announcement was made at Canberra-based company, DATAPOD (Australia), which has been awarded a two-year, $20 million contract.
The Australian owned company will provide Defence with portable, containerised data systems which can be rapidly deployed by sea, air or road. By bringing forward this acquisition, we will help to protect up to 27 direct and up to 80 supply chain jobs.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said supporting Australian defence industry is crucial to the economy’s recovery.
“Already we’ve fast-tracked a range of capability, infrastructure, skilling and workforce initiatives over the next two years. This includes rolling out a number of Defence estate works tenders as part of Defence’s economic stimulus initiative package, that will run over the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years,” Minister Reynolds said.
“Over $11 billion has already been provided in early payment for invoices and work to improve or sustain industry capacity for the delivery of critical supplies.”
“We’re getting on with the job of delivering critical capability outcomes to Army, Air Force and Navy, as well as continuing to support our personnel, including ADF Reserve members.”
Defence will retain a great level of agility to phase and adjust expenditure of the initiatives to ensure they are affordable and remain suitable over the next two years.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said it’s now more important than ever to back Australian businesses and create more Australian jobs.
“We want to ensure defence industry continues to provide vital supply chains to develop and maintain defence capabilities, as we look at opportunities to accelerate projects across Australia,” Minister Price said.
“These projects will support and grow the 70,000-strong workforce in defence industry supply chains and those benefiting from our investment in defence.
“We are committed to supporting small and medium sized enterprises across Australian defence industry, with programs that will support regional areas, including bushfire affected communities.”
Further details of individual initiatives will be approved and announced shortly. Further information regarding Defence’s response to COVID-19 in supporting defence industry can be accessed at: https://www.defence.gov.au/covid-19/defence-industry/

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that the National Party has secured Government backing to save social work and psychology students from massive uni fee increases.
Senator Faruqi said:
“While I’m happy for future social work and psychology students, this is hardly a win for regional communities.
“This political deal will not help the vast majority of regional students facing the highest proposed fee hikes.
“Regional universities will still lose millions in essential funding for teaching and learning.
“This is a political deal that doesn’t fix any fatal structural problems with the Tehan bill.
“The package is irredeemable and should be dumped in its entirety,” she said.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the proposed final version of the Job-Ready Graduates legislation has worsened the bill, not improved it.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The amended package fixes none of the fatal flaws of the Tehan bill.
“In fact, the Nationals have made things worse for students and universities alike, with even larger fee increases and funding cuts baked into the bill to benefit a few students.
“Government funding for places in courses like education, English, maths and allied health has been slashed by $250 per place.
“Fees are now higher for students studying courses like English, maths and engineering, all thanks to the Nationals.The collective impact of this will be hundreds of millions in extra debt.
“The Nationals might have enjoyed striking this grubby deal but it has only worsened what was already a dud bill,” she said.

The Australian Government today releases the review findings into the spread of COVID-19 at Sydney aged care facility Newmarch House.
In offering further condolences to the families of the 19 residents who died as a result of the outbreak between April and June, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck said lessons learned are being implemented to offer greater protections as we continue to combat the pandemic.
“The outbreak at Anglicare’s Newmarch House was incredibly challenging and underlined the impact this infection can have within an aged care facility,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Australian Government is committed to learning from the experience at Newmarch House and to doing all we can to ensure aged care providers are prepared to address future outbreaks so that residents receive safe and quality care.”
In June 2020, the Chief Medical Officer and now Secretary of the Department of Health, Professor Brendan Murphy, commissioned Professor Lyn Gilbert and Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly undertook the independent review.
They consulted with stakeholders, including family members of residents, to provide a comprehensive break down of what led to the outbreak and how authorities responded to it.
Minister Colbeck said the review is an important resource for all levels of government which would improve the management of potential future outbreaks and inform advice and guidance to support the aged care sector.
“We continue to integrate the learnings from Newmarch and infections in Victoria into the national response as outbreaks occur,” Minister Colbeck said.
Changes already implemented include:

• Ensuring early identification of all COVID-19 cases via immediate and repeated testing of all residents and staff as soon as the first case is identified;
• Actions to reinforce compromised management;
• Immediate engagement of advocacy group Older People’s Advocacy Network (OPAN) to ensure services and information are available to providers, residents and their families;
• The provision of support from the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (in Victoria) to improve communication, staff and management support;
• Expansion of surge workforce providers for facilities affected by outbreaks; and
• Practical additional infection control training, including support from AUSMAT.

Additionally, the Australian Government is supporting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in its monitoring efforts.
The Commission continues to take decisive steps related to the issuing of corrective action to ensure providers and management respond appropriately and levels of care are met.
Minister Colbeck said throughout the pandemic there has also been regular, ongoing communication to the aged care sector about managing outbreaks, including providing updated advice incorporating learnings from Australia and other countries.
The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) outbreak guidelines are supported by a ‘First 24 hours’ document, published by the Department, which also provides aged care facilities with practical steps they should take in order, following the identification of a positive COVID case.
“Each of these implemented actions, are another step toward reinforcing the sector and ultimately protecting senior and vulnerable Australians,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Government’s measures to tackle COVID-19 in aged care now exceeds $1 billion.”
The independent review into the impact of COVID-19 at Newmarch House can be found on the website.

People experiencing acute respiratory symptoms, however mild, should make an appointment at their local respiratory clinic and see a GP free, which includes any relevant treatment and testing for COVID-19.
All GP-led respiratory clinics, staffed by highly skilled professionals, are part of the Australian Government’s comprehensive and rapid response to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
There are now 146 respiratory clinics open. Twenty are part of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and 82 are located in regional Australia. The clinics are serving people from more than 2,200 postcodes nationally covering 98.5 per cent of the Australian population.
More than half a million consultations have taken place nationally within the respiratory clinics, with over 440,000 tests for COVID-19 conducted.
This is an incredible achievement and demonstrates the commitment of the GPs and other health professionals to support the fight against COVID-19.
The Australian Government is providing particular support to Victoria as it combats the COVID-19 outbreak at its 28 GP-led respiratory clinics.
The clinics in Victoria have assessed more than 153,200 people and conducted more than 138,000 tests. These clinics are seeing approximately 70 per cent more patients per day when compared to pre-outbreak assessments in early June.
We encourage Victorians to continue to be tested so we can identify where new break-outs of the virus are occurring and ultimate support the efforts to control its spread.
The Government acknowledges the work of all of the respiratory clinics, who have shown great resilience and commitment to supporting their local community, including building additional capacity when needed through staffing and opening hours.
In NSW, 51 GPRCs have assessed more than 201,600 people and conducted over 180,900 tests. Five weeks ago, the NSW Clinics increased their capacity by approximately 40 per cent.
In March, the Australian Government announced a $2.4 billion health package to protect all Australians, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, those with chronic conditions and Indigenous communities, from COVID-19.
The package provides unprecedented support across primary care, aged care, hospitals, research and the national medical stockpile including $206.7 million to establish GP respiratory clinics.
These clinics are proving to be a vital part of the Government’s strategy to keep the health system functioning.
The respiratory clinics provide a safe and specialised service for people who have cold and flu symptoms while preserving hospitals for people with severe injuries and disease, and general practices for usual care and chronic disease management.
The Government has a deep respect and gratitude for the GPs and other health professionals on the frontline of this pandemic.
We can all help our frontline health professionals to slow the spread and stay COVIDSafe by practising good hygiene and physical distancing, following the limits for public gatherings, understanding how to isolate if you need to, and by downloading the COVIDSafe app.
If there are no clinics near you, contact your doctor, local community health service or local hospital for assistance. Make sure you phone ahead and discuss your symptoms before you visit in person.
For more information on where to find your nearest coronavirus testing clinic, please visit health.gov.au, DHHS Victoria or your state or territory health department website.

The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s economic recovery, Australia’s COVID-19 health and aged care responses and the Victorian outbreak.
The Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and health advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been over 24,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 472 people have died.
The outbreak in Victoria has meant that there are now around 5,000 active cases in Australia. Daily infection rates have remained low in all states and territories, other than Victoria. At the national level testing remains high, with more than 5.5 million tests undertaken.
National Cabinet recommitted to providing as much support as necessary to Victoria during this very difficult time. The National Cabinet noted the advice from Professor Kelly that the epidemiological situation in Victoria had improved and the numbers of cases in Victoria has reduced from its peak.
National Cabinet again agreed the need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and contain local outbreaks when they occur. These are fundamental to reducing the spread of the virus.
Seven of Australia’s eight states and territories are successfully implementing the suppression strategy for COVID-19, with the goal of no community transmission, enabling Australians in those jurisdictions to live and work in a COVID-safe economy.
National Cabinet agreed to release a weekly set of data on the common operating picture of COVID-19 responses across states and territories.
National Cabinet discussed the updated economic outlook following the additional restrictions imposed in Victoria and the changes to the JobKeeper program announced in response to these restrictions.
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Philip Lowe, and the Treasury Secretary, Steven Kennedy, provided National Cabinet with an economic update. Both reiterated that the biggest economic challenge that faces Australia is jobs and unemployment.
The Governor outlined there is a need for a coordinated focus from all levels of government on three key areas:

1. Income support programs which includes the substantial investments already made in JobKeeper and JobSeeker;
2. Investments in our physical capital including infrastructure and human capital via skills and training; and
3. Greater ease of doing business through lower and efficient taxes and less regulation

Combined with the health response, the Commonwealth economic and balance sheet measures now total more than $314 billion, and along with the response from the state and territories of $48 billion, significant economic support is flowing into the economy.
Given the economic challenges, the Governor called on state and territory governments to provide more fiscal support, with additional support of 2 per cent of GDP, or around $40 billion over two years, needed from states and territories to support economic growth. Mr Lowe outlined that this expenditure needs to be purposeful and achieve the maximum economic dividend, and not lead to permanent or structural increases in government expenditure.
National Cabinet also noted progress made on skills reform and that all states and territories have now signed the Heads of Agreement for the $1 billion Skills and JobTrainer Programme.
Aged Care Emergency Response Plan
National Cabinet endorsed the Commonwealth, State and Territory Plan to Boost Aged Care Preparedness for a Rapid Emergency Response to COVID-19 Plan.
Noting that there were existing protocols and arrangements between states and the Commonwealth that were effective and worked well in support of aged care preparedness, National Cabinet agreed that in the event of significant change in circumstances, particularly with respect to community transmission of COVID-19, either the relevant jurisdiction or the Commonwealth would be able to initiate the establishment of emergency response centres on a bilaterally agreed basis.
The Plan will strengthen the preparedness for responding to a rapid escalation of COVID-19 in the aged care sector. It includes a high-level series of actions for Commonwealth, state and territory Governments to strengthen aged care emergency response preparedness. These actions include:

• Ongoing assessment of the preparedness of aged care providers to respond to outbreaks of COVID-19, including a risk profiling tool developed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to inform emergency response planning;
• An audit of State and Territory Emergency Response Capabilities to support the establishment of a joint aged care emergency response;
• Additional face to face infection control training.

The National Cabinet also endorsed a guide to assist in the establishment of an Aged Care Health Emergency Response Operations Centre should it be required in the future in other states and territories. These Operations Centres will supplement and boost capacity to respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 in residential aged care settings. They will be consistent and complementary to, and fully integrated with Commonwealth and state/territory public health and aged care emergency response arrangements. National Cabinet acknowledged that these arrangements are not currently required.
A time-limited AHPPC Aged Care Advisory Group will be established to support the national public health emergency response to COVID-19 in aged care. The Advisory Group will bring together expertise about the aged care sector, infection control, emergency preparedness and public health response.
The Commonwealth Government will provide $171 million in additional support to the Aged Care Sector to increase national preparedness and respond to the State of Disaster in Victoria which brings the Commonwealth’s Aged Care COVID-19 response to over $1 billion in support.
Support includes:

• Victorian Aged Care Response Centre – $9.1 million to support a coordinated response between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government agencies to fight COVID-19 in Residential Aged Care.
• Aged Care COVID-19 Preparedness – an additional $103.4 million to:
  • increase nation-wide workforce surge support for aged care providers experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak;
  • activate national emergency call centre surge capability to support communication efforts with residents’ families;
  • fund compressed training for new workers;
  • cover quarantine costs for interstate staff deployed for workforce surge; and
  • strengthen the capacity to support aged care residents and their families with the grief and trauma associated with a COVID-19 outbreak.
• Supporting Aged Care Quality and Safety Monitoring for Aged Care Services – an additional $9 million to ensure quality care is maintained by supporting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to continue its critical work supporting aged care providers across the country to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks
• Aged Care Workforce – a further $50.6 million to be provided to extend funding for the second instalment of the aged care workforce retention payment, due to be paid in September 2020.

Mental Health
National Cabinet discussed the impact of the pandemic on key wellbeing and safety outcomes, including mental health, online safety and family and domestic violence, and noted the increase in contact with crisis helplines. National Cabinet agreed to continue to work together to monitor these areas and continue to track areas of concern and to share data.
Vaccine Strategy
National Cabinet welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategic Approach and the in principle agreement in place between the Commonwealth and AstraZeneca for the supply of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for Australians, once safety and efficacy had been proven.
Further the Prime Minister updated National Cabinet on the advanced progress of further arrangements for research and development, vaccine supply and manufacturing including the Commonwealth and Queensland Government funded University of Queensland – CSL, molecular clamp vaccine.
Domestic Border Management
National Cabinet noted some recent changes by states and territories to make it easier for Australians to cross borders, subject to restrictions, and access essential services and activities.
National Cabinet noted discussions had commenced on an Agriculture Workers Code and agreed further work be undertaken by Agriculture Ministers so that a paper could be considered by National Cabinet at its next meeting. The Agriculture Workers Code, will provide for a nationally-consistent approach that would be enforced by relevant states and territories through their Public Health Orders and emergency management measures. It would apply to individuals with occupations deemed critical to ensure the continuity of the agricultural sector.
National Cabinet also agreed that the AHPPC develop a common understanding to define a hotspot and consider movement restrictions relating to a hotspot.
Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Workers
National Cabinet agreed to resume the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) and Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) to help with workforce shortages. The approach has been informed by the trial recruitment of Pacific workers in the Northern Territory to address labour shortages affecting mango farmers. States and territories will decide whether to access the arrangement.
Employing Australians remains a priority for all Governments. Employers can only recruit through the Pacific labour mobility programs if they can demonstrate they cannot find suitable Australian workers through labour market testing.
Protecting Australian and Pacific workers from COVID-19 is also a key priority. States and territories that would like to participate in the arrangement will ensure sufficient health and quarantine system capacity.
National Cabinet will meet again on 4 September 2020.