Category: Australian News

172,000 tourism businesses across Australia are just two weeks away from going bust, the Covid19 Senate Committee has heard today, prompting the Greens to call on National Cabinet to come up with an urgent plan for the tourism industry including a cash injection and national approach to border restrictions.
Greens Spokesperson for Tourism Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The tourism industry urgently needs a national plan to save businesses on the brink of bust. Tens of thousands of tourism businesses will be lost in coming weeks without cash flow assistance and clarity on border restriction policies.
“National Cabinet needs to be working on a national tourism plan that factors in industry needs, health advice and the best interests of the country. Instead state, territory and federal leaders are politicking over border restrictions and the intent of National Cabinet is unravelling.
“The Covid Senate Committee heard today that two and a half months ago, ABS data showed 57 per cent of tourism businesses didn’t have the cash flow to last three months which means right now businesses are on their last dollars and deciding whether they need to close their doors for good.
“Without a plan to save the tourism industry, 172,000 businesses are at risk of going under within two weeks.
“National Cabinet should’ve been addressing this looming crisis months ago and yet to date, very little assistance has been given to an industry absolutely pummelled by travel and border restrictions.
“Australians are sick of the state versus state politicking. Businesses, jobs and people’s health is on the line and if we are really in it together there should be a national approach to tackling this pandemic.”

New modelling confirms the vital importance of continuing support and resources provided to remote communities to protect them from COVID-19.
Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people experience a burden of disease 2.3 times the rate of other Australians, which increases their risk of severe illness from the virus.
While no cases of the coronavirus have yet been reported among Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities, the modelling shows that continuing efforts are needed to limit the effects of an outbreak.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Australian Government is taking the necessary actions to ensure all Australians are safe, protected and have access to appropriate health care now and beyond the COVID-19.
“Travel restrictions to remote areas were imposed by a determination I made early in the pandemic, following requests from Aboriginal communities, organisations and leaders. These restrictions can be reinstated if needed.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said the Australian Government has also worked with the Indigenous health sector to ensure communities are prepared.
“The Australian Government places a high priority on protecting the health of Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people during the pandemic,” Minister Wyatt said.
“This includes provision of point of care COVID-19 tests which can provide results within an hour, funding for community preparedness, guidance and public health advice and arrangements for medical evacuations and ongoing care, including deployment of the Royal Flying Doctors Service where needed.”
The modelling released today reinforces the importance of these preparations and of engaging with remote communities about how they will respond and the support available to them.
It shows that by the time one case of coronavirus is confirmed in a remote community, many
more people may have been infected.
Minister Hunt said, “This means a single confirmed case of COVID-19 should be treated as
an outbreak, triggering a rapid response by local, state or territory and national governments.
This would include isolation of patients, quarantine of contacts and possible whole of
community lockdown.”
The modelling also highlights the need for all people to get tested if they have even mild
symptoms, because finding the first case quickly will be key to stopping the spread.
Australian Government measures to support remote communities include:
targeted flexible grants to 56 community organisations covering 121 remote
communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services and local
health clinics, to support planning and preparedness activities:

• $52.8 million for early retrieval and evacuation of confirmed or suspect cases by the Royal Flying Doctors Service, mobile respiratory clinics and supplementary health services in remote locations;
• $5.8 million for the Point of Care Testing program, now in the final stages of rollout to 85 remote and rural communities, which ensures that testing is available within two a two to three hours’ drive from any health service;
• $6.9 million to facilitate culturally safe access to COVID-19 testing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector (ACCHS). Further, as part of the Government’s GP Respiratory Clinic package, 23 ACCHS will be operate as respiratory clinics, with 14 of these in rural areas.

The importance of these actions, and the lessons from the modelling are all reflected in the Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations that has been
guiding the response since March, and the updated National Guidance for remote Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Communities for COVID-19.
The modelling was conducted for the Australian Government by the University of Melbourne
and the Kirby Institute pandemic modelling team, guided by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 and endorsed for release by the Australian Health
Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).
Modelling results can be found here:

• Information sheet for public health professionals: COVID-19 testing and response strategies in regional and remote Indigenous communities: key messages for health services
• Plain language presentation to facilitate community-level planning: Impact of COVID-19 in remote and regional settings.

The Morrison Government will scale up aged care support programs in Victoria and across Australia with an additional $171.5 million to boost a new COVID-19 response plan agreed by all states and territories at National Cabinet today.
The package is in addition to age care support already announced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with funding now totalling more than $1 billion from the Commonwealth Government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said more funding would be used to continue current programs for infection control training and surge workforce staff, alongside greater compliance by the Aged Care Commissioner and coordinated response centres.
“Our plan for combatting the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is based on the best medical advice and continues to evolve, as the crisis continues, as we do all we can to protect older Australians,” the Prime Minister said.
“We are committed to supporting aged care recipients, workers and providers in Victoria to respond to the ongoing crisis and we are putting in place critical measures to ensure we remain prepared across the country.
“It is critical to have a coordinated approach as we battle this virus and I thank all Premiers and Chief Ministers for their agreement at National Cabinet today, which does just that.
“However, as long as community transmission is occurring in Australia, we will continue to face significant challenges in aged care but we will do everything we can to stop the spread and protect old Australians.”
The package includes:

• More support for the Aged Care workforce:
  • $81 million for additional surge workforce and increased training for aged care workers.
  • $8.4 million for supplementary payments to include quarantine costs and interstate staff
  • $50 million to account for additional demand for retention bonus measures, (noting eligibility has not changed)
• $9.1 million for the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, established with the Victorian Government, to boost their additional workforce while undergoing more training, providing a workforce that could quickly respond to outbreaks in other states;
• $12. 5 million to support residents and their families with increased availability of grief and trauma support services to assist aged care residents and their families who have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak
• Supporting more compliance and quality checks on aged care providers by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, checking on preparations and responses to COVID-19 outbreaks.

To step up this engagement, National Cabinet has endorsed a plan to boost aged care preparedness for rapid emergency response to COVID-19.
States and territories each agreed a plan to set up aged care emergency response operations centres in their own jurisdiction, as needed.
The operations centres will be formed by mutual agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories, which will fully integrated with public health and aged care emergency response arrangements
To support continued Commonwealth, state and territory collaboration, a time-limited AHPPC Aged Care Advisory Group will also be established, bringing together a broad range of critical expertise about the aged care sector, infection control and emergency preparedness.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said it was imperative that the Government adopt a multi-pronged approach to respond to the pandemic in aged care, which was bearing the brunt of the pandemic.
“Our comprehensive action will provide assurance to residents, families aged care providers, and the Australian community. This builds on our national aged care COVID-19 response plan which commenced in January,” Minister Hunt said.
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said communication and support for residents and their families and loved ones is essential at this difficult time.
“We are also providing $1.5 million in funding to ensure appropriate and regular communication from Health Direct to families and loved ones of aged care residents impacted by COVID-19,” Minister Colbeck said.
“We are also increasing the availability of grief and trauma support services to assist aged care residents and their families.”
It is critical that quality care is maintained in all aged care services across the country, Minister Colbeck said.
“We are further 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 with additional $9.1 million in vital funding.”

An independent review of one of Australia’s key rural training programs shows it is providing significant opportunities and a rewarding experience for health students in rural communities.
The evaluation of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) showed the program has successfully supported rural clinical training experiences for students across a range of health disciplines for the past 20 years.
Federal Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton said the RHMT program plays a key role in supporting health students to train, work and stay in rural and remote locations.
“We know greater exposure to rural training opportunities leads to more doctors and health professionals choosing rural careers and the RHMT program is a critical to achieving this,” Minister Coulton said.
“The evaluation found the program is of significant educational value, provides students with rewarding experiences in rural communities and is an important contributor to addressing rural health workforce shortages across Australia.
“The review also demonstrates the capacity of universities to provide students with high quality clinical rural training opportunities.
“Whether you are training to become a doctor, nurse, dentist, physiotherapist or psychologist, we want our future front line of health professionals to feel well supported and embrace careers in rural healthcare.
“Regional and rural communities also benefit from the investment the Commonwealth makes in this rural training program including from greater access to health services and facilities, rural health research and the multiple benefits that a university presence delivers for local jobs.”
Minister Coulton said the review also shows the program supports the social and economic strength of rural communities. For every dollar spent under the program, another dollar is generated in the local economy.
“This evaluation reaffirms the value of the RHMT program to increase the number of health professionals working in the bush. It is important that Australian Government investment is well-targeted and future-proofed,” Minister Coulton said.
“The Federal Government is committed to bridging the city-country divide in health services; and this program is a demonstration of that commitment to support the training of health and medical students in rural, remote and regional Australia as an initial step towards a rural health career.
“The National Rural Health Commissioner Associate Professor Ruth Stewart will now assist the Government to consult with stakeholders on the evaluation’s recommendations and provide input into how the program can be further enhanced.
“I’m looking forward to hearing from the sector about how we can further strengthen and develop rural training opportunities to keep building this important program for the future.”
BACKGROUND:

• The Australian Government invests $200 million each year in a network of rural clinical schools (RCSs), university departments of rural health (UDRHs), dental faculties offering rural placements and the Northern Territory Medical Program at Flinders University.
• The program also supports 26 regional training hubs, with 21 universities currently participating in the program.
• University staff living and working in regional, rural and remote areas deliver the rural clinical training experiences to health students and encourage them to stay in these communities when they finish their training.
• KBC Australia’s final report on the evaluation of the RHMT program has been released and can be found on the website.

Australians will be among the first in the world to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, if it proves successful, through an agreement between the Australian Government and UK-based drug company AstraZeneca.
Under the deal, every single Australian will be able to receive the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for free, should trials prove successful, safe and effective.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Oxford University trial was in a phase three stage and more work was needed to prove its viability.
“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in world, and under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian,” the Prime Minister said.
“If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians.
“However, there is no guarantee that this, or any other, vaccine will be successful, which is why we are continuing our discussions with many parties around the world while backing our own researchers at the same time to find a vaccine.
“We are taking advice from Australia’s best medical and scientific expertise to ensure that the Government’s work to select, produce and purchase COVID-19 vaccines and treatments is based on the best available knowledge.”
The Prime Minister also remains committed to ensuring early access to the vaccine for countries in our Pacific family, as well as regional partners in Southeast Asia.
The Government has also released Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy, guided by a group of medical and industry experts.
The Strategy sets out Australia’s approach to acquire doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines based on:
1. Research and development
2. Purchase and manufacturing
3. International partnerships
4. Regulation and safety Immunisation administration and monitoring
The first announcements under the strategy are the signing of a Letter of Intent with AstraZeneca to supply the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate to Australia and a consumables contract with Becton Dickinson for the supply of needles and syringes.
The Letter of Intent covers vaccine development, production and distribution. It commits to production of the vaccine in Australia, subject to safety and effectiveness.
A final formal agreement will include distribution, timing and price of the vaccine.
Becton Dickinson has been contracted to supply vital consumables, such as needles and syringes, to ensure that we can deliver vaccine doses as soon as we have them.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said “From early on Australian officials led by my department has been meeting with developers and manufacturers of a number of promising vaccine candidates, both domestic and international, over recent months.
“We are confident these actions and targeted investments will put us in the best possible position to secure early access to safe and effective vaccines for Australia.”
The country’s most experienced scientists, biotech and pharmaceutical experts have been brought together to provide advice on acquiring a portfolio of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations.
The COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group met for the first time earlier this week.
The advisory group is led by Professor Brendan Murphy, Secretary of the Department of Health, who has a leading role in managing the Government’s pandemic response.
The group will also provide advice on implementing Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy that drives the Government’s work with the states and territories, research organisations, industry, regulators and other countries.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said Australia’s manufacturing capability is a huge asset in the push to deliver a COVID vaccine.
“The Australian pharmaceutical industry and its ability to produce vaccines is already among the best in the world and that puts us in a strong position to be able to roll out a COVID vaccine as quickly as possible,” Minister Andrews said.
“Through a coordinated approach and strategic investments we can also improve our knowledge and strengthen our manufacturing capability to respond in the future.”
Australia is contributing significantly to vaccine development work both in Australia and around the world, investing $333 million in vaccines, therapeutics and COVID medicines – including $256 million in vaccines.
This includes $5 million for the University of Queensland’s innovative “molecular clamp” COVID-19 vaccine. This Australian vaccine has commenced trials here in Australia.
The University of Queensland has partnered with CSL to manufacture its vaccine here in Australia. CSL has made a commitment that its dose allocation of the University of Queensland vaccine will be used, at a minimum, to support its long-standing public health commitment to the Australian community
More information is available on:

• COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group
• Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy

COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group Membership

Name	Organisation
Dr Brendan Murphy (Chair)	Secretary, Department of Health
Prof Paul Kelly (Deputy Chair)	Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health
Mr John Anderson	Independent Advisor
A/Prof Chris Blyth	Co-chair, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation
Prof Allen Cheng	Co-chair, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation
Dr Alan Finkel AO	Australia’s Chief Scientist
Mr Rob Hetherington	Independent Adviser
Dr Larry Marshall	Chief Executive, CSIRO
Ms Sue MacLeman	Chair, MTP Connect
Ms Kirsten O’Doherty	Independent Adviser
Dr Felicia Pradera	Program Manager for Medical Countermeasures Development, DMTC
Mr Mark Sullivan	Managing Director, Medicines Development Ltd
Prof Andrew Wilson	Chair, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee

The Australian Government’s latest COVID-19 ad, launched today, delivers a blunt wake-up call to young people, that their actions can put the lives of their loved ones at risk.
The ‘How the virus spreads’ advertisement features a young man whose mother is in intensive care with COVID-19 after catching the virus from him. He was infected by his mate who was infected by a workmate. All three were young. None knew they were infected.
The ad clearly demonstrates how fast COVID-19 can spread, often without people knowing it, while showing the severity of the virus, and how it can touch family and loved ones.
The ad’s message is for everyone – COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that can quickly spread through everyday interactions and individual behaviours. This is particularly salient for young Australians who are catching COVID-19 more than any other age group.
The 20-29 year age group is most likely to contract the virus, with young women more so than young men. And though symptoms are often mild, young people can still be seriously impacted. They are not immune.
Previously cases of COVID-19 have been reported across all age groups. However there is now a shift to younger populations.
Cumulatively, people in the 20–29 years age group have the highest rate of COVID-19 infection (77.0 cases per 100,000 population).
This is followed by the 30–39 years age group (59.8 cases per 100,000 population) and then 60–69 years (56.5 cases per 100,000 population)
The ad is a reminder to them – and the rest of the community – to keep doing the essential things – wash your hands, keep your physical distance, get tested, stay home if you’re sick, download the COVIDSafe app and, in areas of high community transmission or where physical distancing is difficult, wear a mask.
The ad will start running this week across TV and radio, digital, social and out of home.
To view the TVC click here.

Tradies including carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, builders, electricians and plumbers, as well as a raft of other licensed occupations such as teachers and property agents, could find it easier to do business across state and territory borders with a new agreement that will see Council on Federal Financial Relations (CFFR) develop a framework for occupational licences to be automatically recognised across jurisdictions.
Under red-tape reduction reforms agreed to by Commonwealth, state and territory treasurers, automatic recognition will allow individuals who hold an occupational licence in one Australian jurisdiction to undertake equivalent work in another jurisdiction under that licence.
CFFR will prioritise implementation of a uniform scheme to support widespread occupational mobility via automatic recognition, with ambition to take effect from 1 January 2021, subject to the passage of legislation in individual jurisdictions.
The current mutual recognition regime for licensed occupations across Australia is complex, costly, and imposes an excessive regulatory burden on businesses that operate across jurisdictions. Currently, there are over 800 different licences in manual trades alone, with around 20 per cent of workers in the economy required to be licensed.
Automatic recognition will help to address impediments to labour mobility across jurisdictions by allowing a person who is licensed or registered in one jurisdiction to be already considered registered in another in an equivalent occupation.
A uniform scheme will make it easier and less expensive for businesses, professionals and workers to move or operate within jurisdictions and across Australia, thereby creating jobs, increasing output, competition and innovation, and resulting in lower prices for consumers and businesses.
It is vital to ensuring Australians, including displaced workers, can take up new job opportunities wherever they arise as the economy recovers and restrictions on movement are eased from COVID-19.
CFFR will report back to National Cabinet in October 2020 on the progress in delivering a uniform scheme for automatic recognition of licensed occupations to take effect on 1 January 2021.

The Australian Government will provide an additional $31.9 million to create 15 mental health clinics across Victoria and further enhance essential support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian Government recognises the ongoing Victorian restrictions needed to stop the spread of the virus are having a significant impact on the mental health of individuals and communities in Victoria.
$26.9 million of the new funding will establish 15 dedicated mental health clinics across Victoria, with nine clinics in Greater Melbourne and six in regional Victoria.
The clinics will be located at existing GP clinics, headspace centres or other community sites where people usually access general health care. A list of these locations will be announced within the coming weeks.
The clinics will support GPs by providing access to multidisciplinary teams of mental health workers, including psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, and alcohol and drug workers.
The clinics will provide on-site mental health support, but may also arrange referrals to more intensive mental health care or social supports if needed. This could include referral into emergency care or into an in-patient facility in a private hospital.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there had been a concerning rise in self-harm injuries presenting to hospital, and a spike in the use of services like Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Kids Helpline.
Data shows there has been a 33 per cent rise in children and young people in Victoria presenting to hospital with self-harm injuries over the past six weeks, compared to a year earlier. In the past 4 weeks, Victorian use was 90 per cent higher than the rest of the country for Beyond Blue, 22 per cent higher for Lifeline and five per cent higher for Kids Helpline.
Victorian demand for Medicare Benefit Schedule mental health services is also up six per cent on this time last year.
“While we’re fighting the spread of this virus in Victoria we also need to guard against the devastating mental health impacts it is having,” the Prime Minister said.
“That’s why I asked Dr Ruth Vine as our Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, and our Mental Health Commissioner Christine Morgan, to look at what else we could do to support the mental health of Victorians in the face of the latest outbreak and the effect it is having.
“This package is about helping people access mental health support as early as possible and as conveniently as possible.
“To assist co-ordination on the ground in Victoria, Premier Andrews and I have agreed to establish a new Victorian Mental Health Taskforce to ensure the latest initiatives are implemented quickly.
“Our investment in these new mental health clinics and targeted digital and phone services builds on the more than $500 million we’ve invested since the start of this year in mental health services and support, including 10 extra Medicare-subsidised psychology therapy sessions, dedicated phone services and the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan.”
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said: “The clinics will play a key role in supporting our emergency departments, hospitals and GPs by providing accessible mental health care.”
Dr Ruth Vine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, said: “It means when you feel you need to see someone quickly about your mental health, you don’t have to go straight to the emergency department. There will be places in your community you can go. There will be trained professionals ready to help you.”
The 15 clinics will also enable Commonwealth funded Primary Health Networks (PHNs) in Victoria to provide mental health support to older Victorians and those in the aged care system. Residents, their families and carers, will be able to access mental health workers, including psychologists, at these clinics either in person, or via telephone or digital services where needed. This is in addition to the $82.5 million the Australian Government has provided through PHNs for in-reach psychological services in residential aged care facilities.
The Government has already committed $19 million nationally in 2020-21 for PHNs to commission additional mental health nursing services or equivalent support for older people who are experiencing social isolation or loneliness as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government also provided $10 million nationally over two years from 2019-20 to expand the Community Visitors Scheme to further support older Australians to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, with telephone and digital contact provided where physical visits are not possible.
The dedicated mental health clinics will also provide a place to go for those with family and friends in the aged care system who are worried about their loved ones and require mental health support.
The PHNs based in Victoria will be tasked with the establishment of the new clinics, and will work closely with key GP clinics, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) and designated headspace centres. The clinics will be funded for 12 months.
In addition to the clinics, $5 million in funding will be provided to enhance digital and phone services for specific groups that are experiencing significant challenges during the additional restrictions. This includes those living with an eating disorder where physical isolation at home can greatly exacerbate their mental illness. The funding will ensure services such as the Eating Disorders National Support line, 1800 ED HOPE, have the capacity to provide the specialist support needed. An additional $2 million will help evaluate the impact of this investment and target any emerging mental health needs.
Christine Morgan, CEO of the National Mental Health Commission said: “While the Government has substantially increased funding for national phone lines and online services to meet increased demand during the pandemic, we know that some groups within our population require more specialised online support. This initiative will provide that vital additional care.”
These new measures recognise that many people in areas impacted by the second wave of the pandemic will be facing escalating mental health challenges. They build on the recent additional mental health support provided – including 10 additional Medicare subsidised psychological therapy sessions for people subject to further restrictions; $12 million to bolster mental health support lines and headspace outreach; and the more than $500 million additional funding for mental health and suicide prevention announced since January, including Medicare subsidies for telehealth consultations.
Our Government has responded early and rapidly to address the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to demonstrate our firm commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians, with estimated expenditure for mental health services and suicide prevention to be more than $5.2 billion in 2019-20.

Public and private service providers are invited to apply for grants totalling $45.5 million, to develop regional radiation treatment centres for local cancer patients in ten regions across four states.
The Australian Government is providing the funding to improve access to radiation therapy for thousands of cancer patients in rural and regional areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
Currently, cancer patients in these areas have to travel to major centres to obtain their radiation therapy. This can be an exhausting and expensive process, adding to the stress of a cancer diagnosis on the individual, their family and carers.
The Government’s investment will reduce the need to travel outside the region and allow many patients to access all of their cancer treatment services in one place.
Public and private service providers are encouraged to form consortia to apply for the funding, as this will maximise their ability to provide the new or expanded cancer treatment centres.
New and innovative approaches to delivering radiation therapy services in regional Australia are encouraged.
The locations of the new radiation cancer treatment centres were announced in 2019:

• South Coast (Bega /Eurobodalla), NSW.
• Grafton and Clarence Valley, NSW.
• Far North Coast, NSW.
• Mid North Coast (Nambucca, Kempsey), NSW.
• Taree, NSW.
• Armidale, NSW.
• Western NSW (Griffith).
• Gladstone, Qld.
• East Gippsland, Vic.
• Mt Gambier and Limestone Coast, SA.

Funding for this initiative comes from the Australian Government’s Health Infrastructure Program, an important part of our long term health reform agenda.
The program is building, upgrading and expanding vital health infrastructure to ensure Australia’s health system is equipped to meet current and future health needs.
The open competitive grants process for the $45.5 million, which will be provided over five years from 2020-21, will open today at 4pm (Thursday 13 August 2020) for eight weeks and close on Wednesday 7 October 2020.
Full details can be found on GrantConnect.

The Australian Government is committed to supporting Australians who are hard of hearing through improvements to its hearing services.
The social and economic impacts of hearing loss are significant, and it is vital the Hearing Services Program continues to keep pace with demand and improvements in technology.
As the nation’s population ages, the impact of hearing loss could double, with 7.8 million Australians predicted to be affected in 2060.
In order to address the challenges faced by Australians who are hard of hearing, the Commonwealth is working with State and Territory authorities to implement the 2019 Roadmap for Hearing Health and delivering investment and reforms that align with the Roadmap, including:

• The national rollout of innovative hearing screening tools for primary health care clinics in remote areas, through a collaboration between Hearing Australia and the Royal Flying Doctors Service
• The development of nationally consistent clinical standards for paediatric audiology and teleaudiology by the Ear Science Institute and Audiology Australia
• Roll-out of a free sign language interpreting service for senior Australians, being delivered by Auslan Connections
• Funding the National Acoustic Laboratory to examine the clinical and economic benefits of upgrading sound processors in clients aged over 65
• A review of the Minimum Hearing Loss Threshold used under the Hearing Services Program, also being undertaken by the National Acoustic Laboratory

Minister Coulton reiterated his desire for the Government’s hearing services to be fit-for-purpose, client-focussed, and prepared for the future.
“The client must sit front and centre when we consider how best to deliver the services Australians need.
“Technology is changing, markets are changing, and our population is changing.
“If we are to ensure the best future for all Australians we must identify and address the barriers faced by all Australians in accessing services,” said Minister Coulton.
“It is therefore necessary and timely to conduct a review of settings in the Hearing Services Program.”
The Hearing Services Review, which will examine settings within the Hearing Services Program to ensure its continued performance, will be conducted by an expert panel consisting of Professor Michael Woods and Dr Zena Burgess PhD.
“Both Prof Woods and Dr Burgess bring with them a wealth of experience and understanding and having discussed the Review with them, they are ready and will launch into their work,” Minister Coulton said.
“I encourage all stakeholders, both within and beyond the sector, to contribute to this review to ensure it is informed with the most conclusive evidence it possibly can.”
This review is part of a suite of efforts underway to improve the lives of Australians who are hard of hearing, regardless where.
The Hearing Services Review is underway and will deliver its findings to Government in July 2021.
Further information about the review – including its Terms of Reference – is available at www.health.gov.au/hearing-review