Month: November 2018

Every state and territory will be better off under new laws passed by Parliament today that will deliver a fairer and more sustainable distribution of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Under our reforms to the GST, an additional $9 billion in extra untied funding will be delivered to the states and territories over 10 years and an additional $1 billion in perpetuity once fully implemented.
The former GST distribution system was not working as intended, with Western Australia recently receiving just 30 cents in the dollar, while other states and territories with far smaller populations received more.
This was not only unfair and unsustainable, but it threat ened the integrity of the GST system. That’s why we asked the Productivity Commission to review the GST distribution system.
The Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Every State and Territory Gets Their Fair Share of GST) Bill 2018 that was passed by the Senate today will:

• Establish a more stable and predictable equalisation standard, based on the fiscal capacity of the stronger of New South Wales or Victoria;
• Introduce a GST relativity floor, initially set at 70 cents and ratcheting up to 75 cents in 2024-25;
• Permanently boost the GST pool with direct Commonwealth cash injections; and
• During the transition period between 2021-22 and 2026-27, states and territories will get the better of the old or the new system over the period, and the Productivity Commission will conduct an inquiry at the end of the transition period to assess whether the updated system is working efficiently, effectively and operating a s intended.

Payments will be verified annually by the Commonwealth Grants Commission over the transition period and any adjustments made accordingly. The Government’s additional contribution to the GST pool will not be offset or partially offset by a decrease in other grant funding to the States and Territories.
Delivering a fairer and more sustainable GST distribution system is part of our plan for a stronger economy, helping to deliver the essential services Australians rely on.

Following publication of a report by the Public Transport Users Association, the Greens are calling on Labor and Liberal to get serious about investing in public transport.
“We’ve seen mega freeways and toll roads prioritised over real congestion-busting solutions for decades,” said Sam Hibbins, Victorian Greens transport spokesperson.
“It’s time Labor and Liberal get serious about investing in public transport. While it’s great the Victorian government is finally building much-needed public transport projects like Melbourne Metro, the reality is that projects like this are only catching up with past demand.”
“The Greens have a real congestion-busting plan that includes extending Melbourne Metro, planning for Melbourne Metro 2 and providing 30 new high-capacity trams every year for the next 10 years. This will get Melbourne moving again and free up our roads for those that have to use them.”
“The solution is simple – we need our state and federal governments to be investing in transport solutions of the future, not the past,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.
“How will Melbourne cope once we get to 8 million people, as is currently projected, if Labor and Liberal keep throwing billions of dollars to build expensive and polluting toll roads?”
“A high-capacity train line carries the same amount of people as 10 lanes of traffic and doesn’t clog our street with cars or pollute the air we breathe. This is what we need, not more roads.”

A leaked study by University of Canberra academics for the Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) shows two thirds of Australians, including those in rural and regional areas, want an end to native forest logging.
“It’s clear that a huge majority of Australians know that logging of native forests must end,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens spokesperson for forests.
“The Labor and Liberal parties are the only thing standing in the way of protecting our native forests.”
“An area the size of 5 MCGs is logged every day in Victoria alone, mainly for woodchips. This is just madness.”
“Logging jeopardises water security for cities like Melbourne and destroys the homes of threatened species like the critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possum, which is on the brink of extinction. Labor and Liberal alike are backing it in completely.”
“We can and must shift from native forest logging into sustainable plantations. Already 88% of Australia’s wood products come from plantations, so it’s time we leave unsustainable native forest logging in the past. This will give timber workers certainty and protect our precious native forests for future generations.

The first anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote is a cause for celebration, but we must acknowledge the harm that the unnecessary postal survey had on LGBTIQ+ people and communities, say the Greens.
“I’m so delighted to be celebrating the anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote, the day we knew that Australians voted for love and we would finally have marriage equality in this country,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“But we must also acknowledge and remember the harm the postal survey caused LGBTIQ+ people, our families and our communities.”
“The historic ‘Yes’ vote and the achieving of marriage equality was the result of decades of tireless campaigning by brave community leaders and activists.”
“While Labor and Liberal spent years and years denying LGBTIQ+ people our rights, the Greens were working with LGBTIQ+ leaders and activists, fighting for recognition of our relationships and families.”
“The Greens have always stood by LGBTIQ+ people and we always will.”
“We know the fight for LGBTIQ+ rights is not over. We have a long way to go, with the current battle to remove discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in religious schools, simply because of who they are.”
“The Greens will not rest until we remove every discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people in our laws and in our society.”
Senator Rice and Labor Senator Louise Pratt are co-sponsoring a motion to be introduced to the Senate on Thursday 15 November to celebrate and mark the anniversary of the ‘Yes’ announcement. The motion also calls on parliamentarians to continue to work to end discrimination against LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families in all areas of their lives.
“We should use this anniversary as a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together. Discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people remains in our laws, and I call on all our elected leaders to again work together to end this discrimination.”
 
—
Notice of Motion
 
I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that the Senate –
 

1. Notes that:

a. November 15 marks the one year anniversary of the announcement of the resounding yes vote in the marriage laws postal survey;
b. This resounding yes vote is something to be celebrated, as is the passing of marriage equality in Australia;
c. The postal survey in itself is not to be celebrated, as it was opposed by the majority of LGBTIQ+ Australians and caused a lot of harm to LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families;
d. The historic yes vote and the passing of marriage equality was the result of decades of tireless campaigning by brave community leaders and activists; and
e. Marriage equality is not the end of the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families, many of whom still face discrimination in their daily lives.
2. Calls on all Parliamentarians to:
a. Continue to work to end discrimination against LGBTIQ+ Australians and their families in all areas of their lives.

Leaked documents from Equinor’s own oil spill data that show oil could reach Sydney beaches are a wake-up call to all Australians, the Greens say.
“This internal report shows oil and sludge would devastate Australia’s southern coastline, all the way up to Sydney’s beaches. It must be stopped,” Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“This alarming new data must put to bed any consideration for allowing oil and gas drilling in the Great Australian Bight. It has serious dangers for almost all Australian states.
“Equinor has identified the risk but refuses to do the right thing and back out of the Bight. BP and Chevron got the message, it’s time for Equinor to pack up their bags and go home. It’s time the community prevailed over corporate profits.
“Our entire southern coastline, right up to Sydney beaches, is at risk of an oil spill in the Bight. South Australians have been passionately fighting this; the new report is a clarion call for other states to join the fight.
“We must not risk a devastating oil spill that could wipe species out, as well as jobs in tourism and fisheries around the country. On top of all of this, we know that the profits – and the oil – would be sent off-shore while we carry the risk.
“Not only is the risk of an oil spill too great, but drilling in the Bight locks us into burning fossil fuels at a time when we need to phase out dirty energy to help arrest climate change.
“This will be a key issue leading up to the next federal election. The Greens stand with the passionate community who want drilling in the Bight banned.
“South Australians overwhelmingly support World Heritage protection for the Great Australian Bight. We should be proud of this beautiful marine wilderness, not turning it into an oil field.”

The Greens have ensured that the LGBTQ+ schools inquiry will report in two weeks and will include teachers and school staff.
The Greens successfully amended the Terms of Reference for the inquiry so that it will report on the legislative changes needed to remove discrimination against both students and teachers this year.
“Removing discrimination against both students and staff is urgent. It must happen this year,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.
“Labor’s original dates would have informed legislation regarding only students this year, leaving teachers hanging out to dry until next year.”
“The Greens have a bill already being debated in the senate that would remove discrimination against LGBTQ+ students and staff. We could have continued debate and voted on it this week, but debate was blocked by both Labor and Liberal. The next best option is an inquiry, but one that reports quickly.”
“The Greens amendment means the inquiry will be quick and we can get on with the job of removing discrimination in schools before parliament and schools rise for the summer break.”
“74% of Australians want discrimination against LGBTQ+ students and staff removed. No ifs, no buts. Labor and Liberal need to stop dragging their feet and join the Greens to ensure schools are safe places for all LGBTQ+ people.”

The people of north-west Victoria are a step closer to having real-time weather information at their disposal following today’s announcement of the site for a brand new weather radar in the Wimmera.
The site for the new installation, near the town of Rainbow, 105km north of Horsham, was chosen after an extensive and detailed process to identify a location that would best serve both the Wimmera region and the wider Australian weather radar network.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Victorian State Manager, Dr Andrew Tupper, said getting the project to this stage has been the result of great cooperation between the local community and the Victorian State government.
“The Australian Government, through the Bureau of Meteorology and the Victorian Government, represented by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, have been working closely with the Wimmera Development Association on this important infrastructure project for the region,” Dr Tupper said.
“As the radar is such a significant project, it has been vital for all parties to get the details right to ensure that it provides the maximum benefit, particularly for the region’s primary producers who depend so much on accurate rainfall forecasts,” he said.
“The data available through the radar will help growers to make informed choices about harvesting, tillage and the use of chemicals and fertilisers.”
Other benefits of the radar include enhanced short-term rainfall forecasts and the provision of additional information to Bureau of Meteorology experts during severe weather events.
Dual polarised doppler radars provide one of the best tools for observing real-time rainfall, storms and even debris in the atmosphere, across large areas.
Radars use electromagnetic waves similar to wireless computer networks and mobile phones to detect rain drops, hail or snow; Doppler radars can also measure wind by detecting the speed of movement of the water that they encounter.
The state-of-the-art dual polarised doppler radar is now under construction in Germany and is due to begin operating in mid-2020, if not sooner.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today called for submissions on an application to permit a new processing aid.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Booth said the applicant was seeking to use the processing aid (an enzyme) to produce syrups.
“This particular enzyme (lysophospholipase) breaks down lysophospholipids in starch, which effect the filtration rate and clarity of the starch hydrolysates (syrups),” Mr Booth said.
“FSANZ has conducted a thorough safety assessment and concluded there are no public health or safety issues associated with the use of this enzyme to produce syrups.”
The period for comment closes at 6pm (Canberra time) 18 December 2018.
All FSANZ decisions on applications are notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

PDF printable version of More mental health support for new and expectant parents – PDF 192 KB
The Morrison Government will provide $300,000 to the Gidget Foundation to support expectant and new parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety.
Funding will help the not-for-profit parent support organisation to expand its services to help more people in regional, rural and remote locations across Australia.
The Gidget Foundation provides up to 10 free counselling sessions for parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety, and is the only dedicated perinatal psychological telehealth counselling service available in Australia.
The announcement coincides with Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week (PNDA Awareness Week), which aims to drive awareness of an illness that affects around 100,000 Australians every year.
Up to one in 10 women experiences depression while pregnant, and one in seven women in the year after birth.
Around one in 20 men experiences depression during their partner’s pregnancy and up to one in 10 new fathers struggle with depression following the birth of their child.
Asking for help is the first and most difficult step, and many expectant and new parents do not seek the help they need.
Early intervention is the key to minimising the impact perinatal anxiety and depression can have on a mother, father, baby and wider family.
With the right support, people experiencing perinatal mental health issues can get better – allowing them to experience the joy of parenthood and lead happy, fulfilled lives.
Improving mental health services is a key pillar of the Government’s long term national health reform plan and this announcement builds on the Government’s record levels of investment in mental health, including an additional $338 million announced in the 2018–19 Budget.
The funding complements the $2.61 million in grants provided by the Morrison Government in 2018–19 through the Maternity Peer Support Program.
We’re committed to ensuring Australians of all ages have access to the support they need to face life’s challenges.
The Liberal National Government is prioritising better mental health for all Australians with $4.7 billion expected to be spent on mental health this financial year.
Our Government’s strong economic management ensures we continue to invest record amounts of funding into vital health initiatives including mental health, life-saving medicines, Medicare and hospitals.

Almost 4.5 million residents now have an NBN broadband connection at home, and nearly half of them are on fast plans with speeds of 50Mbps or more, the latest ACCC quarterly Wholesale Market Indicators Report shows.
The ACCC’s report for the September quarter shows the number of NBN residential broadband connections rose from about 4.1 million last quarter (up almost 8.6 per cent).
More than 2.2 million consumers are now on these high-speed plans, an increase of 20 per cent on the previous quarter. Of these, there are now 1.8 million services on the 50Mbps speed tier, a more than a ten-fold increase compared to about 159,000 residential customers on 50Mbps plans in December 2017.
This reflects NBN Co’s pricing strategies to encourage Retail Service Providers (RSPs) and their customers to higher speed plans, as well as various other initiatives including the ACCC’s advertising speed guidance project.
“The NBN Co’s Focus on 50 promotion has demonstrated that RSPs and their customers are willing to move to higher speed plans if the incentives are right,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
“We expect these incentives will continue to operate as NBN Co transitions to longer term bundled pricing for the higher speed plans.”
However, at the same time, the number of customers choosing the most basic NBN services also continues to rise. Just over 1.2 million consumers are on the lowest 12Mbps speed plan (up by 4.3 per cent).
“Consumers on 12/1 plans still represent more than a quarter of all NBN services. It is important that NBN Co recognises the needs of this significant cohort of consumers for an affordable and reliable service,” Mr Sims said.
Average CVC per user also continued to rise this quarter, up by 2.9 per cent, from 1.66Mbps in June 2018 to 1.71Mbps in September 2018. In March 2017 it was 1.00Mbps.
“It is important RSPs maintain sufficient CVC capacity to ensure consumers get the service they have paid for, particularly in the busy period,” Mr Sims said.
“The ACCC will continue to monitor CVC utilisation under its record-keeping powers. The ACCC’s Monitoring Broadband Australia Program will also continue to rank RSPs by whether they are providing the speeds expected by consumers.”
This quarter’s report also includes, for the first time, the number of services provided over Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) technology, with 39,204 FTTC services in operation at the end of September.
Overall market shares remained relatively stable; smaller RSPs increased their market share slightly from 6.1 per cent to 6.3 per cent (adding about 27,000 more services).
All 121 POIs had at least six access seeker groups (including Telstra, Optus, TPG, Vocus and Aussie Broadband) acquiring NBN services directly from NBN Co. There were seven access seeker groups at 118 of the 121 POIs.
The ACCC will continue to monitor the evolution of the NBN broadband market to help consumers make an informed choices about broadband plans.
Key points from the September 2018 report:

• The number of 50Mbps services continued to increase, reaching more than 1.8m services at the end of September, a 26 per cent increase on the June quarter.
• Plans with speeds of 50Mbps services or more now account for just under 50 per cent of all NBN residential broadband services.
• At the end of September 2018, NBN Co was supplying a total of 4,488,295 wholesale residential broadband access services (up from 4,133,791 in the June quarter).
• FTTC services were reported by NBN for the first time. Over 39,000 services provided over this new technology were in operation at the end of the quarter.
• There were at least six access seeker groups present at all 121 POIs.
• The average CVC per customer increased an additional 2.9 per cent.

Further information, including time series data, is available at September quarter 2018 report