Category: Australian News

Today, the Leader of the Opposition has written to the Prime Minister urging him to agree to a bipartisan taskforce, led by the Attorney-General and Shadow Attorney-General, to create a National Integrity Commission.
At the beginning of 2018, Labor announced our plan to legislate for a federal anti-corruption body. All year, the Government has ignored our requests for cooperation.
This issue should be above politics. The time has come for the Liberal and National parties to support a federal anti-corruption body.
A bipartisan process would help ensure the complex consultation and design work can be completed swiftly, and a body established as a priority.
In recent years there has been a loss of public faith in government and Commonwealth institutions. The Liberal Party’s chaos and division have further eroded Australians’ trust in politics.
Labor welcomes the support of members of the cross-bench for a federal anti-corruption body. This provides an opportunity to secure broad parliamentary support to establish a National Integrity Commission before the next election, if Scott Morrison and the Liberals finally come on board.
Mr Morrison delayed the Banking Royal Commission by voting against it 26 times. He should not let his arrogance and stubbornness get in the way of a National Integrity Commission.
Mr Morrison should learn from his mistakes, and join with Labor now so we can work on this issue together.
We are prepared to work with the Liberals, but we will not wait for them.
If Mr Morrison continues to block a National Integrity Commission, a Shorten Labor Government will deliver it.
A copy of the letter can be found here.

The Labor Party has shown it cannot be trusted on protecting the environment following its draft policy backflip, the Greens say.
“Labor’s flip-flopping on the environment is more than disappointing to voters; it lets down future generations, our threatened species and the planet,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“It sends a terrible message when environmental policy is scrapped before it even gets to Labor’s national conference. It’s clear we need Greens in the Senate to ensure strong action on the environment following the next election.
“Today, the UN biodiversity conference is meeting in Egypt, sending a signal to the world that our planet is in the midst of an extinction crisis. The South Australian State of the Environment report has revealed much more needs to be done to arrest climate change if we are going to do our bit to save the planet, and the species who live in our state. The Labor Party must listen to the experts who say we are at a tipping point in protecting the environment and our biodiversity, not put their heads in the sand.
“It comes as little surprise that a party that backs mining and burning fossil fuels and is split on drilling in the Great Australian Bight has failed the environment before it even reaches the first hurdle.
“It seems under Labor we will continue to contribute to a warming planet at a time when action to arrest climate change is more urgent than ever. Greens in the Senate will hold the Labor party to account on environmental protections and investment.
“We have the golden opportunity to be the generation that saves the planet. While the Labor Party fight internally over whether or not to protect the environment, the Greens continue to be the clear environmental choice for voters.”

The Liberal National Government is taking more action to support people battling rare conditions by developing Australia’s first National Rare Diseases Framework and Action Plan.
Funding of $170,000 will be provided to Rare Voices Australia through the Government’s Public Health and Chronic Disease Program to enable the collaborative development of the action plan and framework.
Specific priorities, actions and activities will be identified through extensive consultation including people with a rare disease, clinical and academic experts, policy makers and state and territory governments.
The framework and all recommendations for action will be supported by robust evidence so that people with rare diseases can receive timely diagnosis, treatment and the best care possible.
Our Government recognises the fact that these diseases are statistically rare – with an estimated prevalence of five in 10,000 – therefore special and concerted efforts are needed to address them.
There are more than 8,000 rare diseases which are life-threatening or chronically debilitating.
When someone is diagnosed with a rare disease they need our love and support but also the best possible treatment and care. This plan will benefit people with rare diseases, their families and the wider community.
The Government provides treatment for rare diseases through Medicare, through medicines subsidised through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the Life Saving Drugs Program.
Already, through the Life Saving Drugs Program, the Government funds fourteen different life-saving medicines for nine very rare diseases providing physical, emotional and financial relief for 400 Australian patients.
The Liberal National Government’s strong economic management means we can also support medical research that gives Australians with rare diseases access to the next generation of life saving technologies.

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the first powered flight over Antarctica, on 16 November 1928, by Australian adventurer Sir George Hubert Wilkins in a Lockheed Vega 1.
Wilkins had already entered the polar aviation history books in the same year, when he made the first flight across the Arctic with former US Army pilot Carl Ben Eielson.
Riding high on their success, and with funding from the American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, the two adventurers turned their sights south to Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Taking off from a rough airstrip at Deception Island in the South Shetlands on November 16, the pair made a twenty minute flight that took them around the island and back into the history books.
Wilkins and Eielson made many flights over the next few months, often in atrocious weather. Exhilarated at the grandeur unfolding before him, Wilkins took many photographs and sketches and wrote detailed notes in his expedition diary.
“I had a tremendous sensation of power and freedom,” he wrote after an 11 hour flight over the Antarctic Peninsula. “For the first time in history, new land was being discovered from the air”.
In a single journey, the two men surveyed an area that would have taken months to traverse by dog sled. Their triumphant return to civilisation heralded a new dawn for polar exploration. The modern aircraft was now an essential element of Antarctic expeditions.
Witnessing the success of Wilkins, and determined to realise his own aviation ambitions, Sir Douglas Mawson took a De Havilland Gipsy Moth aboard the ship Discovery in the following year, as part of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition.
The aircraft was deployed over the side of the ship, suspended on a cable. The float-mounted biplane quickly proved useful in achieving the expedition’s goals of collecting scientific data and laying claim to new territory.
Mawson and his fellow expedition pilot, Stuart Campbell, flew the aircraft ahead of Discovery on occasions, to identify routes through the pack ice. They successfully mapped a large stretch along the coastline of what would later become the Australian Antarctic Territory, from the Ross Sea to beyond Enderby Land.
In a paper published in 1932, Mawson declared that “the aeroplane proved a most important factor in the prosecution of the geographical programme.”
Since these early days of aviation, a colourful cast of adventure-seeking pilots have continued to push the boundaries of what is possible, resulting in a progression from ship-based aviation to continental-based flights using a variety of ski-equipped aircraft.
Australian aviation in Antarctica took another leap forward in 2006-07, with the commencement of intercontinental flights of an Airbus A319 from Hobart to a blue-ice runway at the aptly-named Wilkins Aerodrome, near Casey research station.
Wilkins Aerodrome has transformed the Australian Antarctic Division’s science and logistics capability, opening up new possibilities for rapid, flexible and efficient transport of people and cargo to the continent. Since 2016, a collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force, using a C-17A Globemaster III aircraft, has also provided logistic support for oversize and time-critical cargo for both land and airdrop missions.
In the 90 years since Sir Hubert Wilkins’ historic first flight advances in manufacturing, navigation and weather forecasting have led to improvements in aviation that pioneers like Wilkins and Mawson could scarcely have dreamed of.

Airservices Australia has completed a Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) for PFAS contamination at Adelaide Airport related to the historic operations of Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS). The PSI is part of a National PFAS Management Program and was conducted by independent consultants GHD.
The PSI detected PFAS on the airport in close proximity to where fire fighting training activities were carried out. Results were generally low on the airport away from where firefighting training historically occurred.
Following the PSI, further targeted sampling was conducted and a higher level of PFAS was detected at the western boundary of the airport. SA Water has advised that this area is not a catchment area for drinking water and that mains drinking water is not affected.
Further groundwater sampling from public land adjacent to the western boundary of the airport, stormwater testing and a survey of bore water usage will now be carried out. Airservices is consulting the community about the results and the additional investigations through the Adelaide Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG).
Airservices is working closely with Adelaide Airport, the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority (SA EPA) and SA Health including sharing all testing results. Airservices is also currently in the planning phase for a stormwater treatment trial to capture and treat runoff before it enters the stormwater system.
Airservices does not use fire fighting foam containing PFAS at Adelaide Airport. Airservices has been using PFAS free fire fighting foam at Adelaide Airport since 2010.
The investigation report is available here: http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/environment/national-pfas-management-program/

LOCAL communities are set to receive more than $130,000 in Saluting Their Service grants which deliver projects commemorating Australia’s wartime history and reflect our gratitude to all those who have served our country.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the 55 community projects were a fitting way to recognise Australian military service as the Anzac Centenary program and the Century of Service draws to close.
“I offer my congratulations to these communities which will use this funding to deliver a range of thoughtful and meaningful projects, including commemorative books, artworks, services, and refurbishment of memorials,” Mr Chester said.
“In a fitting tribute to the centenary of the First World War Armistice, Penshurst RSL Sub-Branch in Victoria will use the Saluting Their Service grant to add additional lettering and a poppy graphic to a memorial commemorating veterans of the First World War.
“As we look to the next 100 years of service, the Honouring Indigenous War Graves group of Western Australia will commemorate veterans of more recent conflicts, including Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor.”
The Community Commemorative Grants category of the Saluting Their Service program provides up to $4000 for each project and applications can now be made through the Community Grants Hub.
Applicants requiring support in submitting their application are encouraged to phone 1800 020 283 or email support@communitygrants.gov.au
A list of the 55 projects receiving funding follows. All funding listed is GST exclusive.

I welcome the announcement by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that a veteran identifier question is being considered for inclusion in the 2021 Census.
This is an important initiative that will provide invaluable further information about Australia’s veteran community.
Veterans’ Affairs Ministers from across Australia recognised the importance of this issue at a Veterans Ministers’ Round Table (VMRT) on 8 November 2017, unanimously agreeing to a motion that ‘a question about veterans should be included in the next Australian Census’.
This call was reinforced at the 27 October 2018 VMRT, where Ministers recognised the need for robust data on veterans’ issues and strongly endorsed the need for a veteran indicator to be included in the 2021 Census.
The inclusion of this question will help in providing a definitive answer on how many veterans there are in Australia, and where they live.
The Census data has the potential to help the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) and Ex-Service Organisations to better target and improve the services and support provided to veterans and their families – particularly the large proportion of veterans who are currently unknown to DVA.

The Liberal-National Government is standing up for the right of Australia’s sugar industry to a competitive environment by taking action in the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding India’s use of sugar subsidies.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said the use of domestic subsidies by India had contributed to a significant downturn in world sugar prices that was impacting our local sugar industry.
​”We will support the right of our sugar industry to compete on equal terms and will utilise well established global trading rules to defend the interests of our farmers,” Minister Birmingham said.
“Whilst we support efforts by countries to develop their agricultural industries, these efforts need to be consistent with their WTO obligations and applied in a manner that doesn’t distort global trade.
“We have raised our industry’s deeply held concerns on numerous occasions with senior levels of the Indian Government. We are disappointed our concerns haven’t been addressed and now see little choice other than to ramp up our efforts to stand up for the rights of our cane farmers and sugar millers.
“We will now engage in formal discussions with India and other WTO members regarding this issue at the upcoming WTO Committee of Agriculture meeting later this month. We continue to be willing to engage in any and all discussions that may resolve this issue.
“Despite our concerns on sugar subsidies, our relationship with India is far stronger than this one particular issue and I’m confident Australia and India will build on their already vibrant economic and strategic relationship well into the future.”
Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud said distortions to the global sugar market had impacted Australia’s 4,000 cane farms and 24 sugar mills.
“I want our farmers to be fairly rewarded for their effort,” Minister Littleproud said.
“We’re in there fighting for our sugar farmers. They deserve someone in their corner who isn’t afraid to use the options available to them.
“We’ll continue to support our farmers and producers, and make sure their interests are protected.”
Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Mark Coulton said this action was about standing up for our regional producers and the $2 billion sugar industry.
“This is about protecting 40,000 direct and indirect jobs and the health of regional communities,” Assistant Minister Coulton said.

Hundreds of thousands of school aged children will benefit from an Australian-developed app that delivers a user-friendly hearing test, with the Morrison Government funding a $4 million national rollout.
In an innovative and cost-effective approach, the free tests will be conducted online using Sound Scouts, a fun, tablet-based game that detects hearing issues in children.
The new tests were announced today by the Minister responsible for hearing services policy, Ken Wyatt AM, Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation Michael Keenan and Trent Zimmerman, Member for North Sydney.
Minister Wyatt said that last year, 600 five to seven year olds received hearing aids for the first time and our Government was determined to ensure children with hearing loss were identified and helped earlier.
“The Sound Scouts program is engaging and fun, but with some serious benefits for our nation’s children,” said Minister Wyatt.
“A recent study found that up to 1.3 million Australians are living with hearing conditions that could have been prevented.
“We know that delays in recognising and treating hearing loss in children’s first few years of school can be profound and long lasting, undermining their future prospects.”
A Macquarie University study analysed the Sound Scouts system, finding it delivered a $10 return in benefits for children and the community, for every $1 spent on the app.
“Children with hearing problems may be unable to hear their teacher or understand their friends talking to them in a noisy classroom,” said Minister Keenan.
“They are more likely to struggle to meet learning milestones or develop social skills and can quickly fall behind their peers.
“Once identified through the Sound Scouts system, these young children can be referred for further testing and appropriate support and have the best chance of reaching their full potential.”
Mr Zimmerman chaired the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport which wrote the report Still waiting to be heard – report on the Inquiry into the Hearing Health and Wellbeing of Australia.
“I’m proud that our Government has acted on the Committee’s recommendation to start the ball rolling on a universal hearing screening program for schoolchildren,” he said.
“I’ve heard first-hand the impact of undetected hearing loss, how it affects not only schooling but also children’s ability to make friends and develop healthy self-esteem.”
The program will start in 2019 and will run for up to five years, ensuring that up to 600,000 Australian children age 4-17 have their hearing checked using the Sound Scout test.
Australian Hearing has been provided a grant of $4 million through the Department of Health to deliver these online hearing tests through the Sound Scouts app.
Sound Scouts is currently the only tool of its kind available in Australia validated by the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), the research arm of Australian Hearing.
For more information on Sound Scouts, visit the Sound Scouts website.

First Australians living in regional areas and on country in Queensland have greater access to blindness prevention services, thanks to an $860,000 investment from the Morrison Government to keep the Indigenous Diabetes Eyes and Screening (IDEAS) Van on the road.
The IDEAS Van is a fully equipped, mobile specialist treatment clinic offering optometry and ophthalmology to complement expanded Government-funded eye health outreach services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Eye degeneration from diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness among First Australians, with the latest data revealing 11 percent of adults have diabetes, three times the rate for other Australians.
The good news is that diabetic retinopathy it can be treated if diagnosed early, through injections and surgery. Earlier detection means more effective treatment and better results.
It is critical to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have their eyes checked as it is estimated a third of our First Australians who have diabetes have not had eye examinations for at least a year.
Our Government has acted on this by introducing a new Medicare Benefits Schedule item for diabetic retinopathy screening that provides annual retinal examinations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with diabetes.
The IDEAS van will make it easier for First Australians in Queensland to have their annual retinal check-ups and necessary treatments.
The $860,000 investment is in addition to the $5.7 million our Government has allocated over two years, from 2017–18, to provide up to 160 retinal cameras to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, including 105 in Queensland.
The rollout of retinal cameras and training began in August last year, allowing health services to detect vision loss associated with diabetes at an earlier stage.
This multimillion-dollar investment in retinal health, including funding for the IDEAS Van, reflects our Government’s absolute commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Closing the Gap in health equality.
First Nations people aged over 40 are six to 10 times more likely to suffer blindness than other Australians, yet 94 per cent of this vision loss is preventable or treatable.
Since the IDEAS Van began its work in 2013, it has travelled more than 233,000 kilometres across Queensland and treated 3,583 patients in its mobile clinic. Almost 6,000 predominantly diabetes patients have also been screened using retinal cameras in local communities.
For more information on the IDEAS Van see https://www.ideasvan.org/