Category: Australian News

Greens Senator for NSW and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has welcomed Murdoch University’s decision to drop their counter claim for financial damages against academic whistleblower Dr Gerd Schröder-Turk but has said they should drop the entire suit. Dr Schröder-Turk spoke publicly about his concerns regarding inadequacies in Murdoch University’s policies for recruiting international students in 2019.
Dr Schröder-Turk is challenging the University’s decision to remove him from the university Senate following his comments and is being counter-sued by Murdoch University.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Academic freedom in essential to our universities. University staff must be free to critique their institutions without fear of reprisals like the one targeted at whistleblower Dr Schröder-Turk.
“The University has dropped the financial component of their claim only after sustained pressure and a public relations disaster, but it continues to pursue Dr Schroeder-Turk because he spoke out about university practices he was concerned about. The University’s decision to remove him from the Senate is just as objectionable – and just as much a PR disaster – as their abandoned pursuit of financial damages.
“I stand with Gerd, university staff and their union in their defence of the academic freedom that underpins our universities.
“I’m deeply concerned Murdoch University’s unprecedented legal action against Dr Schroeder-Turk is having a silencing effect on other academics and whistleblowers. The University should admit it was wrong and drop the entire case.”

Will Hodgman is a Tasmanian and Liberal legend whose leadership has engineered the state’s remarkable turnaround.
He leaves behind a record of distinguished service.
Cutting unemployment from 7.6 per cent to 6.0 per cent and creating more than 19,200 new jobs.
Turning the tide on the 1,000 Tasmanians who left the state each year with the latest figures showing the population grew by almost 2,000 people from mainland Australia in net terms.
Working closely together to deliver the Hobart and Launceston City Deals, a $2.8 billion infrastructure program for projects like the Bridgewater Bridge, Bass, Murchison and Midland Highways, not to mention the Battery of the Nation and Marinus Link projects.
I want to congratulate Will on his leadership and the achievements of his government and thank him for his friendship and support.
As the current longest serving premier, Will has also made a great national contribution not just at the COAG table but in his quiet advocacy for the interests of Tasmania and Australia at every opportunity.
In his maiden speech, Will paid tribute to the tremendous role model his father was, including as a fellow Parliamentarian, hoping to “display the same level of passion, commitment and service to the community”. I think the record shows, Will, you have done that in spades over your more than 17 year parliamentary career and your father would be rightly proud.
Will has been not just a leader for Tasmania, but a tremendous friend and support to me.
I wish him, Nicky and their family all the best as they move to this next stage.
Scott Morrison

Farm, fish and forestry businesses in fire-affected regions will get the help they need to rebuild with an initial $100 million in emergency bushfire funding, which will be made available following agreement with relevant state governments.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government would provide up to $75,000 in grants for farming businesses in fire-affected regions, with the funding administered by each state government.
“We will do whatever it takes to support those communities and businesses hit by these fires, and if we need to do more, we will,” the Prime Minister said.
“I need to stress this is an uncapped program so if demand for support goes above $100 million, money will continue to flow.
“As the scale of the damage becomes apparent, it is clear that our farm, our fish and forest businesses need support and along with communities who depend on them, we will help them rebuild and we will continue to back them.
“This funding will support primary producers to access essentials like fodder and water, while also help rebuild fencing or hire vital agricultural equipment like water pumps, irrigation systems, horticultural netting and generators.”
This funding is in addition to the extensive work being undertaken by the Australian Defence Force, clearing roads and properties and helping communities rebuild.
The Morrison Government will also provide $15 million to fund 60 additional rural financial counsellors and support workers.
Already the Rural Financial Counselling Service is on the ground providing free financial counselling to our farmers in times of need with now approximately 180 counsellors located within key agricultural communities across Australia.
Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie said so many rural businesses had been hard hit by the bushfires and they were now looking at how they could rebuild.
“Rural and regional communities particularly across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have been hit hard by the bushfires and we will continue to work together to support all those Australians whose livelihoods have been devastated by these fires,” Minister McKenzie said.
“This funding could help pay for tradespeople to conduct farm safety inspections, for veterinary fees, waste disposal and to repair any damaged property.
“Our farmers, fishers and foresters have been hit extremely hard by these terrible fires. I’ve seen firsthand, farmers who have left their properties to fight fires.
“Our farmers are resilient and very generous putting themselves on the line for their friends and neighbours.
“These grants of up to $75,000 will help get them the equipment they need to start rebuilding.
“We’re working closely with farming groups to develop specific industry recovery plans.”
Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said the grants were designed to make sure farmers are equipped to get the job done.
“We are working with the states to get these funds to farmers as quickly as possible under existing Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements,” Minister Littleproud said.
As with the grants for the North Queensland floods in early 2019, funds under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement will be made available to state governments of impacted communities, on request, for delivery through their relevant state disaster response agency.
“This is critical support for primary producers to meet their immediate needs in getting their agriculture businesses back up and running where those needs are not covered under existing insurance policies,” Minister Littleproud said.
“Primary producers from farmers and fishers to private foresters and beekeepers will all be eligible to apply under the extended definition of primary producers in the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.”
Farmers who have been tackling the drought and have off-farm income won’t be disadvantaged, the same off-farm income rules for Farm Household Allowance will apply. This means farmers that aren’t eligible for Category C payments due to off-farm income rules will still be eligible for up to $75,000 to help them normalise their farm businesses as quickly as possible.
Funding will be available through the Emergency Bushfire Response in Primary Industries Grants Program.
This assistance will be provided through a joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement between states and territories and the Commonwealth Government.
Further details will be announced as soon as state-based delivery arrangements are confirmed.
This initiative forms part of $2 billion commitment the Morrison Government has made to address the impact of the recent bushfires.
For more information on the Emergency Bushfire Response in Primary Industries Grants Program please contact 1800 900 090.

Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has addressed a big climate rally in Wollongong yesterday, condemning Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his lack of leadership and called for more funding for firefighters as well as urgent climate action. Senator Faruqi said:
“The community gathered to first and foremost thank the firefighters, emergency workers, animal carers and thousands of others from around Australia who have sacrificed so much to protect people, homes and habitat, and those who have opened up their homes and hearts for bushfire affected communities. It’s clear that it is the community, not the Government, who have shown leadership through these terrible months.
“What we need at this time of disaster is courageous, truthful, and wise leadership.What we are sadly and shamefully getting from our government is the exact opposite. They are cowardly, dishonest and incompetent. This Liberal-National Government is full of science deniers. They have behaved like a bunch of climate criminals.
“We are literally in a fight for our lives. We need a wholesale shake up of our political, social and economic systems.
“The Liberal and Labor parties won’t say it because they’re too addicted to donations from the fossil fuel industry, but the Greens will. We need an immediate end to new coal, oil and gas – we need a plan to phase out existing coal. Clinging to coal as our country burns is just plain reckless.
“We need to give our firies the pay, resources and support they need instead of ignoring their pleas for years like the Government has. We need a huge investment to build climate resilience and plan for the new normal – that starts with a royal commission and getting parliament back to work.
“We are capable of massive change. It’s now up to us to force Governments to listen to us. As our movement grows, our actions must grow more bold and radical to shake Scott Morrison and his mates out of their climate denying stupor and out of government.
“Together, we will not let the tragedy and trauma of these bushfires pass without the change we need,” she concluded.

The Federal Government’s announcement of $50 million to wildlife affected by the bushfire crisis is nowhere near enough and should be at least ten times as much, the Greens say.
Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator Mehreen Faruqi said:
“The Government is taking a miserly approach to our iconic wildlife.
“We need an open chequebook and the Government to commit to spending whatever it takes to save lives and to fund a viable recovery for species that have been impacted. This is a bandaid solution, we need funding for long term rehabilitation and recovery plans.
“Animals are in crisis. Wildlife carers are on social media begging for bandages, syringes and animal feed. The Government has been slow to support these heroes and they need money in their bank accounts and supplies on their shelves today.
“Fifty million across the entire country is just a drop in the ocean. We have seen at least a billion animals die and that number will rapidly increase as wildlife face starvation from destroyed ecosystems.
“We have seen so many Australians and people around the world open their hearts and wallets to support animals with unprecedented generosity. The Government should follow that example instead of clutching at purse strings.” she concluded.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“When Celeste Barber can raise as much money as the Federal Government has committed to this tragedy, it shows their heart’s not in it,” she said.
“This is an environmental catastrophe and saving, restoring and protecting our wildlife and their habitats must be a fundamental part of the recovery from these bushfires,” she said.
“I saw first-hand on Kangaroo Island last week, what wildlife carers and conservationists are going through, they deserve and need far more support.
“This can’t just be a fluffy PR exercise from the Environment Minister because the whole world is talking about Australia’s koalas being burnt and killed.
“Our beautiful environment and wildlife is what makes Australia the place people want to come and visit, it deserves more than this token announcement.
“The Greens called for a Fighting Fund for the Environment and this is not it – this is petty cash.
“We need significantly more money and a proper commitment from the Government to the restoration of the environment and ecosystems, or we may just lose some of our precious wildlife and flora for good.
“The PM should also be leading from the front on this issue yet seems to be in hiding today. Bad news poll or not, restoring the environment and habitat, and protecting our native animals should be more of a priority for this PM.”

More mental health support services will be immediately provided to firefighters, emergency personnel, individuals and communities impacted by the ongoing bushfire disaster.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said an initial $76 million would fund free counselling sessions, extra Medicare and tele-health consultations, an expansion of headspace services for young Australians, and community recovery initiatives.
“These bushfires have been unprecedented in their scale, coverage and duration. They have caused tragic loss of life and physical damage, that have scarred our landscape. But as I have witnessed in connecting with people on the ground in fire affected communities, they have also taken a traumatic emotional toll on our people. We need to ensure the trauma and mental health needs of our people are supported in a way like we never have before ,” the Prime Minister said.
“Working together, we will continue to do whatever is needed to support those Australians affected and traumatised by these terrible bushfires by rebuilding communities and helping people in need to recover.”
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the funding was part of the Government’s comprehensive response to the bushfire crisis.
“I urge people to reach out, get the support they need and check in on loved ones,” Minister Hunt said.
“Our Government’s response will help assist with distress counselling and mental health support for individuals, families and communities, including frontline personnel, impacted by the ongoing bush fire emergency.”
Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert said Services Australia would put its shoulder to the wheel to help deliver this new level of support to Australians who need it.
“If you’re in a bushfire affected area I urge you to call 180 22 66­­­. Staff are working extended hours and will continue to do so as long as necessary,” Minister Robert said.
Immediate distress and trauma support
$10.5 million will be provided to make up to 10 free counselling sessions immediately available for individuals, including emergency services personnel, who have been affected by the bushfires.
The sessions – offered at recovery centres, Service Australia centres, and existing local mental health centres in fire affected regions – will provide short-term distress support, social support, counselling and family based psychological interventions to help people through the immediate trauma and crisis.
A further $3.2 million investment will help deploy bushfire mental health response coordinators to fire affected areas.
Enhanced services through Medicare and Telehealth
To deliver longer-term support to those affected, $29.6 million will be provided for additional Medicare-supported psychological treatment sessions and expanded access to mental health care via telehealth.
Anyone who has been impacted by bushfires will be eligible to receive Medicare rebates for up to 10 psychological therapy sessions provided by GPs, psychologists, and other eligible mental health professionals.
These 10 sessions will be in addition to the 10 psychological therapy sessions currently available under Medicare.
To make it as simple and fast as possible to access the new items, individuals do not need to have a GP referral or mental health treatment plan, but can seek appointments directly with any eligible mental health professional.
In addition, the Better Access via Telehealth Initiative will be expanded, which will allow people in rural and remote areas affected by bushfires to receive Medicare rebated counselling and psychological support through video telehealth services. This will also allow eligible GPs to deliver mental health and wellbeing support via telehealth.
The new Bushfire Recovery and telehealth Medicare items will apply to all Australians, including children, young people, adults, seniors, and frontline emergency personnel who were residents of, working in, or visiting a bushfire affected region.
The items will be available at the end of this week, be in place for the next two years and will ensure that people impacted by the fires are able to receive more intensive services, particularly over the next three to six months when trauma is more likely to manifest. Individuals are also encouraged to use existing tele-psychiatry services where needed.
Child and youth mental health
We recognise that young Australians may be particularly vulnerable and to assist with managing any increased demand for headspace services, headspace sites significantly impacted by fire will also each be provided with up to an additional $300,000 to ensure that young people can get support when they need it.
Given the particularly devastating impact of the bushfires on the New South Wales South Coast, the Government will also expand the planned Bateman’s Bay headspace site and expedite funding of $4.4 million over five years to ensure the centre is up and running by the end of the year.
Support for Emergency Service Personnel
Emergency services workers and their families often face the most confronting situations. To ensure they have extensive and ongoing support, we will provide $16 million for specialist organisations to provide them with trauma care services.
This funding will ensure that workers and their families are receiving more intensive support that might be necessary to prevent and treat the effects of trauma, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), both now and after the immediate fire threat has passed.
We will also provide $1 million for training for front line emergency service personnel in trauma-informed care and psychological first aid. This includes training for doctors, pharmacists, and health professionals who are often the first people that communities turn to for support.
An additional $1 million will also be provided for training of staff in organisations that manage front line emergency personnel, in order to help them identify and assist emergency personnel who may be at risk.
Community recovery and coordination
The Government recognises that communities will need support to recover and rebuild, and that they often know what is best to support their wellbeing. To assist them, we will be providing $6.9 million for community wellbeing grants and further funding for locally tailored mental health services through Primary Health Networks (PHNs).
These grants will help communities organise wellbeing and recovery activities. Communities will be able to apply for these grants through their local PHNs, which will also receive funding to facilitate these activities and deliver additional mental health resources specific to the needs of each local community.
This comprehensive response, developed in consultation with key experts, acknowledges and supports individuals, families, frontline personnel, and communities during different stages of recovery. It reinforces our Government’s strong commitment to better mental health for all Australians and will complement the existing investment of $5.2 billion in mental health and suicide prevention services this financial year.
Contacts for support
Immediate distress and trauma support – Individuals can contact Services Australia on 180 22 66 [CN1] or their local Primary Health Network (PHN) (found at www.health.gov.au/phn) to locate and access these sessions.
In addition, anyone experiencing distress as a result of these events can seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health portal, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
Mental Health Support through Medicare – Individuals should contact their GP or eligible mental health professional to access these services. GP’s or other health professionals seeking advice should visit www.humanservices.gov.au or call 132 150.
headspace – Local headspace services can be found at: https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/. For young people unable to attend a headspace centre, eheadspace is available online at www.headspace.org.au or via telephone at 1800 650 890.

Australia urgently needs a National Water Pollution Plan with clean water looming as the next crisis as a result of the catastrophic fires across the country, the Greens say.
Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said experts were already warning of the threat to drinking water.
“The unprecedented fires we are seeing across the country are putting Australia’s clean water supply at risk. I’m very worried clean drinking water is the next looming crisis,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“Ash, debris and rotting carcasses are washing into our rivers and waterways causing pollution and contamination to our drinking water.
“Rivers and lakes are starved of oxygen from the pollution, impacting animals and plants that need the oxygen to survive, and leading to catastrophic events like the Menindee fish kill last summer.
“We urgently need a National Water Pollution Plan and the Prime Minister needs to tell us how he plans to keep our water clean.
“We are lucky you can turn on the tap here and drink the water from it, you know your kids are safe brushing their teeth with it – that is all at risk.
“The climate emergency has already pushed many parts of the country into drought and dried up water supplies to some regional towns.
“Our environment and native species are facing an ecological disaster.
“The short and long term impacts from the fires on water cannot be ignored or delayed, or even more communities will suffer.”

With an estimated half a billion native animals killed by the devastating bushfires across Australia, the Greens are calling on the Federal Government to urgently fund a review of the loss of native wildlife and bushfire-specific recovery plans for impacted species.
“The impact the climate fires are having on our precious wildlife is heartbreaking. The scale of the devastation is shocking and is making headlines around the world,” Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“On Kangaroo Island in my home state of South Australia, it’s estimated 25,000 koalas – up to half the Island’s population – has been killed. Grave fears are held for the survival of other endangered species such as the dunnart and rare glossy cockatoo.
“This could be an ecological disaster. An urgent response is required to help those who are injured and suffering and to ensure the best chance of recovery to prevent extinction.
“We are in the midst of an environmental catastrophe. Our wildlife desperately need and deserve action and so do those on the ground working tirelessly to save them.
“The Greens are calling on the Federal Government to urgently fund a review of the loss of native animals and bushfire-specific recovery plans in bushfire-affected areas across the country.
“The Morrison Government must listen to the millions of Australians who care more about clean air, clean water and a safe and liveable environment than they do a political surplus.
“This is a climate emergency. The time for debate is over. We need leadership that delivers the assistance Australians and our wildlife need at this difficult time and a climate policy fit for the crisis we’re in.”
 

The Greens have called on the Prime Minister to establish a ‘Fighting Fund’ for the environment to restore and protect the flora and fauna decimated by the climate fires.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“We are facing half a billion animals lost from these fires right across the country and millions of hectares of habitat destroyed impacting survival and recovery of native species that are left.
“We need a fighting fund to restore the environment.
“The PM needs to commit proper funding to protect those animals that have survived and to restore their habitat. People are rightly asking, ‘where is the Environment Minister?’ The hundreds of volunteers fighting to save injured and homeless wildlife need to know what the Australian Government is going to do to help them.
“It is vital for the tourism of the affected regions whether it’s Kangaroo Island, the Adelaide Hills, the South Coast of NSW or East Gippsland and it would be a jobs creator to do it.
“People I spoke to on KI want to invest in rebuilding their Island but it’s not just about bricks and mortar, it’s also about the very thing people come to KI to see – the environment, the habitat of those animals and the pristine wilderness area.
“Once these fires are finally put out and people have started piecing their lives back together, we don’t want the PM’s focus to fall.
“These communities cannot keep bearing the brunt of the climate emergency. Australians want relief and a commitment to rebuild right now, but they also want political leaders to stand up and take action on climate change because we have to adapt, we have to mitigate and we have to be prepared to take those decisions that are going to not make climate change worse.
“The last thing we need is political leaders with their heads buried in the sand. This is the moment we need to use to take the necessary actions and we need to do it now.”