Category: Australian News

Greens spokesperson for education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has said the release of new data today shows the harm the Liberal Government’s neglect and austerity has done to universities.
The selected Higher Education Statistics – 2018 Student data shows Commonwealth supported student places growing by only 0.5% in 2018 compared to an average of 2.1% across the three years prior.
The undergraduate Applications, Offers and Acceptances 2019 data shows:

• “In 2019, applicants from a low SES background recorded a larger decrease (-3.9 per cent) in applications than applicants from a medium SES and high SES backgrounds, -2.0 per cent and -1.0 per cent respectively.”
• “In 2019, offers to applicants from a low SES background decreased by 5.0 per cent followed by those from a medium SES background (-2.9 per cent) and high SES background (-0.3 per cent).”
• “There were 276,489 unique offers made in 2019, a decrease of 1.5 per cent on the previous year. This follows a decrease of 1.9 per cent in 2018.”

Senator Faruqi said:
“This data shows the terrible impact of the Liberal Governments’ punitive funding freeze, with Commonwealth supported student places growing by only 0.5% in 2018 compared to an average of 2.1% across the three years prior.
“Students have missed out on the opportunity to study because of the Liberals cuts to funding over the last few years. The measly funding increase the Liberals have now tied to misguided performance measures isn’t going to fix the problem.
“The Liberals’ cuts are hitting low SES students the hardest. While offers for admission reduced overall, offers to low SES students decreased by 16 times the decrease in offers to high SES students in 2019.
“The Government has to take responsibility for years of vicious cuts to education, including their short-sighted decision to abolish the Education Infrastructure Fund a fortnight ago.
“As with TAFE, Government austerity and neglect is undermining our public universities which are crucial to all of our futures.
“Instead of running higher education into the ground, the Government should get on board with the Greens’ plan to fund free undergraduate university and TAFE for all and boost university funding by 10 per cent. Our plan would improve learning and teaching conditions, reduce class sizes and enable researchers to pursue solutions to the big problems of our time,” she concluded.

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments are delivering reliable and affordable energy, making the New South Wales-Queensland Interconnector (QNI) happen.
The Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments will jointly underwrite up to $102 million of the QNI upgrade to ensure the security of electricity in NSW.
This will allow TransGrid, the network transmission service provider for NSW, to fast track critical early works for QNI ahead of the final regulatory determination of the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision to underwrite QNI will unlock important transmission infrastructure and back the future of the New South Wales energy grid.
“This is about putting downward pressure on wholesale prices to make sure businesses and households have access to reliable and affordable power.
“Industry needs certainty. They need to know their electricity won’t cut out, and their power bill won’t suddenly double. You can’t run a business like that, and you can’t employ people.
“That’s why we are underwriting this interconnector. It’s a practical step to make sure it happens, and it happens quickly,” said the Prime Minister.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government is committed to providing reliable and affordable electricity to the people of NSW.
“The QNI upgrade will ease cost of living pressures for people across NSW, providing reliable and affordable power to households and businesses,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Last year, the NSW Government announced its Transmission Infrastructure Strategy which outlined our commitment to accelerate the delivery of key interconnector projects, including the QNI.”
Mr Taylor said the support will put downward pressure on wholesale prices and deliver essential transmission for the NSW industries and jobs that rely on affordable, reliable energy.
“The QNI upgrade will facilitate greater competition between generators in the electricity market, helping to reduce wholesale prices,” said Mr Taylor.
“This is great news for the energy-intensive industries, and the jobs and regional economies that rely on them. With wholesale prices making up around a third of an average retail electricity bill, this will also deliver price relief for households and small businesses.
“Along with the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI), this will strengthen the backbone of the National Electricity Market, reduce network bottlenecks and make the energy market more efficient.”
Mr Kean said the new agreement with the Australian Government and TransGrid is the most cost-effective option for the people of New South Wales up to, and after, the closure of the Liddell power station in April 2023.
“Fast tracking QNI is just one of the ways we’re delivering on our commitment to keep the lights on and to keep power costs down as the energy market transitions,” Mr Kean said.
This program compliments work that TransGrid will progress on the VNI – which will further increase competition as well as removing constraints that prevent generation from getting to where it’s needed.
The Commonwealth Government will share the underwriting liability with New South Wales through a 50/50 split.
The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments are working closely as part of the Liddell Taskforce to mitigate other potential supply risks from the closure of Liddell.
The NSW–Queensland transmission interconnector was declared a high-priority project under the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan. Through this joint agreement, upgrades to QNI will be brought forward to late 2021, delivering an extra 190 MW of capacity into NSW during peak demand periods.
Regulatory approval processes for QNI are already well progressed due to the New South Wales Government’s Transmission Infrastructure Strategy, with further action needed to ensure QNI is fully operational by the summer of 2022–23.

The Coalition Government has today released for consultation the draft Investment Mandate for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (the Scheme) which will help eligible first home buyers enter the property market sooner.
The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) Investment Mandate Amendment (First Home Loan Deposit Scheme) Direction 2019, sets out the core elements of the Scheme and NHFIC’s housing research function, including the property price caps.
The Scheme provides a guarantee that will allow eligible first home buyers on low and middle incomes to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent. The Scheme will support up to 10,000 loans each financial year, starting from 1 January 2020.
Applicants will be subject to eligibility criteria, including having taxable incomes up to $125,000 per annum for singles and up to $200,000 per annum for couples. The Scheme will apply to owner-occupied loans on a principal and interest basis.
Property price caps under the Scheme set appropriate price thresholds in capital cities, large regional centres with a population over 250,000 and regional areas;

State/territory	Capital city and regional centres	Rest of state
NSW	$700,000	$450,000
VIC	$600,000	$375,000
QLD	$475,000	$400,000
WA	$400,000	$300,000
SA	$400,000	$250,000
TAS	$400,000	$300,000
ACT	$500,000	–
NT	$375,000	–

The capital city price caps will apply to large regional centres with a population in excess of 250,000, namely the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Sunshine Coast, Illawarra (Wollongong) and Geelong, recognising that dwellings in large regional centres tend to be significantly more expensive than other regional areas.
The Scheme complements other Coalition Government initiatives to reduce pressure on housing affordability in Australia and support local communities. This includes:

• The First Home Super Saver Scheme which helps Australians build a deposit for a first home inside their superannuation fund by making voluntary contributions.
• Investing $1 billion in local infrastructure to unlock new housing supply, in partnership with local councils through the National Housing Infrastructure Facility.
• Releasing suitable Commonwealth land, including defence land, for housing development.

These incentives have helped thousands of first home buyers enter the market. In the past year, around 110,000 Australians bought their first home – the highest level since 2009.
The Coalition Government’s plan to build a stronger economy will continue to help first home buyers own their first home sooner.
Stakeholders are invited to comment on the draft Investment Mandate Amendment and associated material, which are available on the Treasury website. Submissions close on Monday, 4 November 2019.

On the eve of the Agricultural Minister’s Forum (AgMin) on Friday, where the horse racing industry will be discussed, the Greens have said that the Federal Government has no other choice but to establish a Royal Commission into animal cruelty and ‘wastage’ in the horse racing industry and to get the States on board.
Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that the industry cannot be trusted to clean itself up and their lack of action since the expose on the slaughter of race horses has shown that only a Royal Commission can resolve the issue.
Senator Faruqi said:
“There is a fundamental rot in the horse racing industry that needs to be exposed. Only a Royal Commission with the power to compel witnesses and open up the books will get to the bottom of the racing industry’s cruelty.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the industry has known where these horses end up, but have failed to take action. They simply can’t be trusted.
“Industrial slaughter of race horses is the business model of the racing industry. Too many horses are bred for them to be realistically rehomed, so the racing industry relies on cruel slaughterhouses to dispose of what they call ‘wastage’.
“The community is red hot with anger and have no faith in the racing industry to protect horses. It has been a week of buck passing and crocodile tears from the industry and they should hang their head in shame.
“They are clearly not serious about reform. Accountability will only come when a Royal Commission drags them kicking and screaming to the table.
“If the racing industry is serious about protecting the lives of the thousands of horses they breed, then they should support our call for a Royal Commission.
“Piecemeal state by state actions and inquiries won’t end the cruelty – it is part of the reason why we are in this mess in the first place. We know state and federal governments are too captured by the racing and gambling industries to undertake a genuine review of animal cruelty in the horse racing and gambling industry. That’s why we need a Royal Commission,” she concluded.

Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator for NSW Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to reports the federal Agriculture Minister has asked states to consider a national horse register at today’s meeting of agriculture ministers.
Senator Faruqi said:
“I established the inquiry into a national  horse traceability register to help prevent the kind of shocking cruelty we saw on our screens last week.
“The Greens were the first to champion a birth-to-death horse register, but any register must provide real transparency and real teeth.
“It’s good to see some movement from the Minister, but it’s not good enough to just ask states to consider a national horse register. No more buck passing.
“Minister McKenzie must step up and the Federal Government should lead on a national register without shifting responsibility to the states who have a poor record on animal welfare.
“The billion-dollar racing industry relies on breeding thousands of horses purely for their gambling profits through racing. They have completely abdicated their moral and financial responsibility to guarantee those horses a good life. A horse register will help change that.
“Tracing horses throughout their lives will solve part of the problem. We need strong enforcement and strong animal welfare laws as well. The Greens have long advocated for an independent office for animal welfare which can do this.
“At the end of the day, the racing industry’s neglect of racehorses and their attempts to mislead the public demand a Royal Commission to lift the lid on an industry that has long escaped scrutiny,” she concluded.

Today’s landmark campaign by media outlets is a welcome offensive against the erosion of media freedom and whistleblower protections, the Greens say.
“Whether it’s cruelty of horses as we saw last week, abuse in aged care, or misconduct of the banks, media freedom and whistleblower protection isn’t just about journalists, it’s about the public’s right to know,” Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications and chair of the Senate Inquiry into Press Freedoms, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“In just two years there’s been about 22 pieces of legislation the Federal Government has rammed through the Parliament that increase secrecy in our democracy, under a guise of ‘national security’.
“The truth is, those in power don’t want the public to know what they’re up to and are shutting down transparency and accountability to serve their own interests.
“This campaign by the Right to Know coalition provides many examples of wrongdoing and misconduct that would never have had a spotlight on them without whistleblowers and the protection of journalists’ sources and media freedoms.
“What’s really at stake here is one of the pillars of our democracy. The message to the government is very clear and it’s time they acted. Giving discretionary power to the Attorney-General just doesn’t cut it. Journalism is not a crime and legislation should protect them, not criminalise them.”

Greens Acting Leader, Adam Bandt MP, will move to amend laws designed to implement the controversial Indonesian, Peru and Hong Kong free trade agreements currently before the House of Representatives.
His amendments will seek to delay the implementation of the agreements until guarantees on local jobs and protections from corporations being able to sue governments are included, and until the human rights situation in Hong Kong is resolved.
Many Labor members and unions are up in arms about the agreements.
Greens Acting Leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“Liberal and Labor have done a dirty deal to fast-track laws that will give corporations more rights than governments or workers.
“These dodgy deals allow corporations to boost their profits by suing governments who do things like lift the minimum wage or pass laws to protect the environment.
“Labor’s ‘big win’ appears to be an unenforceable side-letter from the Liberals that existing loopholes will continue to apply.
“The Greens stand with the workers and civil society groups who want these agreements rewritten so that basic rights are protected.
“We will move amendments to the bills to ensure jobs are advertised locally, corporations can’t sue our government and the Hong Kong deal is delayed while the conflict there continues.”

The Morrison Government will provide immediate access to life-changing medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to help support people with cystic fibrosis, saving them and their families up to $250,000 per year.
From 1 December 2019, the life-changing cystic fibrosis medicine Symdeko® will be listed on the PBS for patients with cystic fibrosis over the age of 12, who have specific gene mutations.
The current listing of Orkambi® will also be expanded for children aged 2-5 years of age, allowing earlier access to this life changing medicine.
Patients can gain access to Symdeko® and Orkambi® immediately, with the manufacturer agreeing to the Government’s request to provide early access, until the medicine is listed on the PBS on 1 December.
This is expected to provide new or improved treatment options for up to 1,400 patients.
People might otherwise pay up to $250,000 a year for Symdeko®, or for Orkambi®, but with the Government’s investment they will now only pay a maximum of $40.30 per script, with concessional people paying just $6.50.
In Australia, one in 2,500 babies are born with cystic fibrosis, and there is currently no cure.
Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. A defective gene causes a thick, sticky build-up of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs.
The average life expectancy for Australians with cystic fibrosis is 38, still less than half that of the average Australian.
This is why it is so important to provide access to new medicines that can extend the lives of people with cystic fibrosis.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended these medicines be listed on the PBS.
PBAC is independent of Government by law and in practice. By law, the Federal Government cannot list a new medicine without a positive recommendation from PBAC.
Unlike Labor, we are subsidising all drugs recommended by the independent medical experts.
Since 2013, the Government has listed more than 2,200 new or amended items on the PBS.
This represents an average of around 30 listings per month – or one each day – at an overall cost of around $10.6 billion.
Our commitment to ensuring that all Australians can access affordable medicines remains rock solid. Our plan for a strong economy continues to deliver record funding for essential health services that saves lives.
More information these new PBS listings:

• Symdeko® will be made available through the PBS for the treatment of people with cystic fibrosis who have two copies of the f508del mutation in the CFTR gene, and are 12 years or older.
• Symdeko will also be made available for people with cystic fibrosis who have only one copy of the f508del mutation, and have one other residual function mutation.
• The current listing of Orkambi®, used to treat people with cystic fibrosis who have two copies of the F508del mutation in the CFTR gene, will be expanded so that children can commence subsidised treatment from two years of age.

Labour force figures released today by the ABS underscore the continued strength and resilience of the Australian labour market, with seasonally adjusted employment increasing by 14,700 over the month, to stand at a record high of 12,944,000 in September 2019.
Employment has increased every month for the last three years. This is the greatest number of consecutive monthly increases in employment recorded since the inception of the monthly labour force series in February 1978.
Seasonally adjusted employment is now 311,600 (or 2.5 per cent) higher than it was a year ago and is well above its decade annual average growth rate of 1.8 per cent.
Importantly, seasonally adjusted full-time employment rose strongly in September, by 26,200 to a record high of 8,847,200, and is now 191,700 (or 2.2 per cent) higher than it was a year ago.
Notably, full-time employment comprised 61.5 per cent of total employment growth over the last year.
Part-time employment fell by 11,400 in September but is 119,900 (or 3.0 per cent) higher than it was a year ago.
While the participation rate by 0.1 percentage points to 66.1 per cent in September 2019, it is 0.7 percentage points higher than it was a year ago.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points in September 2019, to 5.2 per cent.
The Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, welcomed today’s positive jobs figures, which reflect the Government’s prudent economic policy stance.
“Since the Government came to office in September 2013, a total of 1,467,500 jobs have been created, an increase of 12.8 per cent, but the Government will not be resting on its laurels,” Minister Cash said.
“The Morrison Government’s strong Budget position is facilitating a record infrastructure spend, which will help create tens of thousands of jobs across the country, the most significant tax cuts Australia has seen in more than two decades, which is putting an extra $20 billion into Australian taxpayers’ pockets, as well as a plan to create 80,000 apprenticeships.”
While ABS labour force figures can jump around from month to month, today’s data continue to reflect a strong labour market and highlight the success of the Morrison Government’s efforts to stimulate ongoing, sustainable jobs growth, even in the face of significant global and domestic headwinds.

Greens Senator for NSW and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has slammed Labor and the Liberals for striking a deal to sell out TAFEs and universities. The two parties voted today to abolish the $4 billion Education Infrastructure Fund, which was focused on building research and education infrastructure.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Labor and the Government have teamed up to stab education in the back by abolishing billions in education funding.
“I don’t expect any better of the regressive Liberals who have cut education funding at every turn, but Labor used to be the party of education. Now they are just selling out communities and young people to remain politically relevant.
“Labor are so eager to please the Liberals they voted to abolish the infrastructure fund they themselves established. The reality is unis, TAFEs and research have all suffered under this Liberal-National Government. Education in Australia is being dangerously underfunded.
“I’ve seen with my own eyes the impact of the fund in Port Macquarie where I lived and worked and where the fund contributed to the Joint Health Education Facility which is training doctors to meet demand for care in rural and regional areas.
“We must fund disaster relief and support communities facing the brunt of the climate crisis, but the Greens will not be party to the Government’s long-running campaign to cut our universities and TAFEs to the bone while their climate inaction endangers all of us,” she concluded.