Month: April 2019

A re-elected Liberal National Government will invest up to $300,000 over the next three years to support the continuing operations of the Western Port Biosphere.
The $100,000 per annum funding will allow the Biosphere to expand their conservation efforts, including continued on-ground work on monitoring native Southern Brown Bandicoot populations, the UNESCO Ramsar wetlands and local water quality.
Liberal Member for Flinders, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, said the funding would help secure long term stability for the Biosphere.
“We live in such a unique part of Australia here on the Peninsula and that has been recognised by UNESCO Biosphere status,” Minister Hunt said.
“The team here at Western Port Biosphere do a tremendous job in protecting and studying our local plant and animal life and the Liberal National Government is supporting them in their duties by providing $300,000 over the next three years to expand their work.”
“This funding commitment gives the Biosphere long term certainty in funding so that they can get on with the important job of conservationism in Western Port.”
“This is extremely welcome news,” Executive Officer of the Biosphere, Mr Greg Hunt said. “This will enable us to ramp up our activities right across the Biosphere, to protect threatened species such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot and to add further projects that investigate the balance between conservation and development.”
“After all, finding better ways to live in our environment is what a UNESCO Biosphere is all about.”

The Queensland Greens today launched their federal campaign with leader Dr Richard Di Natale, co-Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters, and lower house candidates in the key election battleground state.
The Greens are running candidates in every lower house seat in Queensland and are focused on campaigning to hold the senate seat Senator Waters won in 2010. The Queensland Greens are running their biggest campaign ever, already knocking on more than 50,000 doors across the state, and signing up more volunteers than ever to help.On the day the election was called, a new volunteer signed up every three minutes and a new wave of volunteers have flooded in to help since the far right targeted Greens election posters over the weekend, defacing them with swastikas.
“I’m thrilled to be running with such a fabulous team in Queensland which is a crucial state for both the lower house and the Senate,” Senator Waters said.
“It’s a stark choice between Greens or right-wing conservatives in the balance of power in the Senate and that will make all the difference to any new government being able to get their agenda through the parliament and getting the policy change Australians are ready for.
“It’s no surprise our candidate materials are being targeted by the far right – we stand for a multicultural and equal society. We are the defence against the far right, as the final Senate seat in Queensland will be a battle between Greens, One Nation, Anning and Clive Palmer.
“Big money shouldn’t buy preferences or election outcomes, and it shouldn’t buy policy outcomes. Greens don’t take corporate donations – we are here for people and planet.”
Senator Waters said the Greens in Queensland were campaigning on a plan for a better future for all Queenslanders with a positive message of hope and people getting their democracy back.
“Here in Queensland, the Greens will be campaigning for cleaning up politics – ending the corrupting influence of corporate donations, strong action on climate change and supporting coal communities as the economy transitions, job-creating investment in affordable housing and clean energy, free education from childcare to TAFE and uni, and bringing dental and mental health into Medicare,” Senator Waters said.
“We’ve had a government that’s spent six years cutting services and making life harder for people, while giving big tax cuts to big corporations to give them bigger profits, while the rest of the community and the environment suffers.
“It’s high time we ended the corrupting influence of big corporate donors to political parties, so our democracy can work for people and the planet not corporate profits.
“The Greens have fully costed our policies and we can fund these promises by making big corporations pay their fair share and stopping that tax dodging with one in three mega corporations not paying a cent of tax.
“I cannot wait to see the back of this government and boot them out. But even with a change of government we need Greens in the Senate to hold Labor to account and push them to go further and do more for people and the planet, not their corporate donors.”
“I’ve loved being a voice for Queenslanders since 2010 and with their support I will keep doing that in the Senate, working for a future for all of us.”

Bill Shorten’s proposed plan to spend $1.5 billion opening up dirty natural gas drilling in the Galilee and Beetaloo Basins proves that the Labor Party just isn’t serious about tackling dangerous climate change and the Greens will use our power in the Senate to block any such move, Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale and Greens Sen. Larissa Waters said.
“We are in the middle of a climate emergency and we can’t be opening up any more coal, oil or gas fields if we are going to hand over a sustainable environment to our children and grandchildren,” Di Natale said.
“Australia’s fastest growing source of emissions is leaking methane from gas projects and Labor’s plan will simply add to Australia’s growing emissions when they need to be going the other way.
“The Greens will use our numbers in the new Senate to exclude any NAIF funding for fossil fuel projects because taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to continue subsidising polluting industries.”
“The Beetaloo Basin, for example, is the single biggest gas reserve in the country. Bigger than any of the North West Shelf reserves that have already propelled Australia to be the World’s biggest gas exporter.
Even the NT government’s own report into fracking found that opening up the Betaloo Basin would increase Australia’s emissions by 6.6%. So Bill Shorten needs to explain how exactly he’s going to reach Labor’s 45 per cent emissions target while also opening up these dirty, polluting gas fields?”
“What Queensland needs is a plan to help transition coal and other affected communities away from dirty, polluting fossil fuels and towards a clean green energy future based on renewables, not empty promises of jobs that we know won’t last over the long term,” Waters said.
“The Greens would protect our land, water and climate by pushing to ban any new or expanded gas mining and to ban gas fracking, and instead drive a jobs and investment boom in clean renewable energy.”
“The big gas companies have anticipated around 1,200 fracking wells will be mined right across NT’s countryside if the Basin is opened up.”
“We need to keep it all in the ground if we want any hope of keeping a safe climate system.”
“This is the policy you get when corporate donations corrupt our political parties. Labor has accepted $2 million from gas and oil companies since 2012,” she said.

A Shorten Labor Government will drive economic growth and job creation in regional Australia with a comprehensive Regional Tourism Plan that will deliver more jobs, better attractions, better airports and smarter marketing for this critical industry.
The strategy will include $95 million in grants to improve infrastructure around existing tourism attractions, $30 million to expand the range of tourism experiences in individual regions and $25 million for Tourism Australia to get more international visitors to Australia and showcase our beautiful country to domestic tourists.
In addition, a Shorten Labor Government will invest $100 million to help local councils maintain and grow regional airports – ensuring they can operate safely and connect more Australians with the regions.
Tourism is a significant industry – it is at the heart of our regions and provides a significant boost to economies around the country.
Regional tourism provides more than half a million jobs in related industries, with 43 cents in every tourism dollar spent in regional Australia.
However over six years of cuts and chaos, the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has failed to support growth of this critical sector, refusing to invest in domestic tourism marketing or to adequately support the industry in its attempts to improve the tourism offering.
Labor’s Regional Tourism plan, the result of extensive consultation with industry, local communities and local government, will bring a new focus to regional tourism. It includes:
Building up existing tourism offerings:

• Investing $40 million to improve infrastructure around existing regional tourism attractions to build upon their success and improve the experience of visitors
  • Projects will be delivered in partnership with local and state governments or industry.
  • Labor’s investment will include support for Rottnest Island in Western Australia, Freycinet National Park in Tasmania and Sovereign Hill in Victoria.
  • In addition, there will be a further $55 million for infrastructure and facilities upgrades at other world-renowned tourism destinations, which brings this total package to $95 million.

Creating new tourism in our regions:

• Investing $30 million to unlock new tourism opportunities so individual regions can offer a broader range of experiences to visitors
  • Eligible projects could include feasibility or concept studies such as First Nations cultural experiences, agri-tourism, eco-tourism, new infrastructure or upgrades to existing infrastructure.
  • The fund could also be accessed to improve accessibility at tourism sites which could include disability toilets, improvements to pathways at lookouts for wheelchair access, charging infrastructure for mobility scooters and safety improvements to railings and signage.
  • These projects will also be delivered in partnership with state and local governments or industry.

Attracting new visitors at home and abroad:

• Boosting the Tourism Australia Budget by $25 million so it can
  • Promote domestic tourism on top of its existing role of international marketing to encourage more Australians to holiday at home.
  • Increase its capacity to work with airports, airlines and governments to facilitate additional joint marketing activities with the aim of encouraging international airlines to put on additional flights and develop new routes.

Supporting regional aviation:

• Creating of a $100 million fund to improve and grow the nation’s regional airports
  • Councils report a significant backlog in aviation in airport maintenance and would access this grant fund to clear the backlog with projects funded on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
  • Better maintenance of regional airports will not only improve the tourist experience, but more importantly, allow ensure that airports maintain the highest possible levels of safety.

Australia’s tourism offerings are among the best in the world.
However, retaining Australia’s competitive advantage as a tourist destination requires investment in high- quality, accessible infrastructure, particularly in regional areas.
This makes a significant difference to the local economies of regional and rural towns across the nation.
Labor’s investment in regional tourism will grow the number of international and domestic visitors to regional Australia, supporting local businesses and growing local jobs.
This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for better investment in regional tourism, or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town under the Liberals.
After six years of Liberal cuts and chaos, our united Labor team is ready.

All five Men’s Sheds across Hasluck will benefit from the Morrison Government’s National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030 with more than $19 million to improve the health and wellbeing of Australian men and boys.
The Strategy supports continued and expanded funding to support the Men’s Shed movement, including:

• An increase to $1 million per annum for grants to enable Sheds to apply for funding twice a year for health and wellbeing activities and events, shed improvements and tools and equipment
• $1.5 million to fund regional coordinators in each state and territory to provide direct assistance in Men’s Sheds
• $3.6 million to the Australian Men’s Shed Association to support Sheds at a national level
• $2 million to equip every Men’s Shed in Australia with a portable defibrillator
• $100,000 to establish a web based platform ‘Men’s Shed Exchange’, to encourage members to contribute ideas on attracting and retaining membership and how to stage regional events. Andrology Australia will host the portal.

 
On the whole, Australian men and boys enjoy long, healthy lives, with a current average life expectancy of more than 80 years, the eighth highest in the developed world.
Despite this, our men and boys face challenges in their health and wellbeing. They die earlier than women, and more often from diseases that can be prevented. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men live significantly shorter lives than other men
Overall, the National Men’s Heath Strategy lays out a clear blueprint for actions on the five priority health issues affecting men’s health:
 

• sexual and reproductive health and conditions
• mental health
• chronic conditions
• injuries and risk taking
• healthy ageing.

 
Important health issues for men include infertility, coronary heart disease, prostate cancer, overweight and obesity, diabetes, bowel cancer, lung cancer, injuries, mental health and suicide.
Health and medical research is one of the four pillars of the Government’s Long-Term National Health Plan.
Tragically, deaths by suicide in Australia occur among males at a rate three times greater than that for females.
This is why we are providing $114.5 million for a trial of walk-in integrated Adult Community Mental Health Centres at eight locations nationally; and $11.5 million for the National Mental Health Workplace Initiative to assist businesses to create mentally health workplaces.
Our Government’s strong economic management ensures the continued record investment into vital health initiatives.
For more information on the Government’s investments in men’s health please visit: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing….

A new high-performance home for women’s sport in New South Wales will be delivered following a $15 million funding injection from the Liberal Nationals Government.
This investment in sports infrastructure will pave the way for the Sydney Swans entry into the AFLW and boost the facilities available for the successful NSW Swifts.
Our $15 million investment provides key funding required for the $55 million Sydney Swans HQ and Community Centre that will transform the iconic Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park.
This will breathe new life into the precinct creating an elite and community sporting hub, education facilities, out-reach support and community engagement spaces.
The Royal Hall of Industries will be the new headquarters for the Sydney Swans men’s and women’s AFL teams, and will be home for one of the top netball teams, the NSW Swifts.
This will deliver dedicated facilities for the female Sydney Swans players, allowing the Swans to launch an AFLW team and expand the Swans Academy youth girls and boys program to more than 1,000 participants.
The Swans and Swifts will also expand their school and outreach programs, taking health and wellbeing education to more than 5,000 children annually.
We recognise that the success of our elite women’s sporting teams has an enormous impact on young Australians, inspiring them to get active, have fun and participate in sport – that’s why this investment is so important.
The development will also include an international standard netball court, which will be available for use by senior teams, junior development programs and open community access.
It will also provide state of the art facility access for community, cultural and charity organisations.
The GO Foundation, which creates opportunities for Indigenous youth through education, and Clontarf Foundation, which assists in the education and employment of Indigenous youth, will co-tenant for free.
The Sydney Swans together with GO and Clontarf, will launch the Indigenous Education, Employment and Mentoring Program, to deliver 10 full time and 50 per time jobs for participants over five years.
The Red Cross Blood Bank will also move-in, creating the Eastern Suburbs only permanent blood bank, which is expected to deliver up to 20,000 donations a year.
Importantly, the revitalisation of the precinct will deliver a new space for the whole community to enjoy.
Our Government can make investments that benefit and improve our communities, because our plan for stronger economy is working.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said today that Labor’s announcement of unlimited parent visas showed a complete lack of regard for sensible immigration and population planning.
“The Government has introduced a sensible, economically responsible new visa that allows parents to come to Australia for up to 10 years,” Mr Coleman said.
“Open to 15,000 parents per year, it is designed to support migrant communities across Australia. In addition, the visa has been designed to protect the interest of Australian taxpayers. An extensive consultation process was held during 2016 and 2017 to design this new program.”
Mr Coleman said that under Labor’s proposal, an unlimited number of people could come to Australia for a continuous period up to 10 years.
“There are currently more than 97,000 people seeking various kinds of permanent parent visas to Australia,” Mr Coleman said. “These programs are carefully managed to ensure that the number of visas granted are sustainable for the Australian economy and population growth.
“Under Labor’s new visa, there is absolutely no limit to the number of people who can enter the country for up to 10 years. This is no way to run a sensible immigration program, or population policy.
“Today, Shadow Immigration Minister Shayne Neumann refused to say how many additional residents Labor will issue visas to under this scheme. Either they don’t know, or they won’t say. Bill Shorten must state how many additional residents Labor will be issuing visas to each year.
The Productivity Commission found in 2016 that large costs to taxpayers were incurred through the parent visa program. The Commission estimated that the cost to taxpayers of a permanent parent visa holder were between $335,000 and $410,000 per adult.
“Labor knows full well that this proposal would be completely unsustainable. It is trying to perpetrate a cruel hoax on migrant communities.
“Only the Morrison Government can be trusted to manage an orderly immigration program and sensibly plan for our future population.
“Labor’s announcement shows that they just don’t know the cost of anything and can’t be trusted to manage money. If you can’t manage money, then you can’t run the country. That’s why Labor is the Bill Australia cannot afford.”

The Morrison Government will deliver new treatments and medicines for Australians through a $100 million boost for rural, regional and remote clinical trials across the country.
This funding would help put our researchers and doctors at the forefront of global research and give more patients more treatment options regardless of where they live.
Clinical trials open up a world of hope for patients.
The Liberal and National Government’s new initiative is also set to boost rural, regional and remote economies with direct industry investment in jobs and clinical trials supply chain services.
Australia has a reputation for excellence in clinical trial research, internationally recognised researchers and medical experts, quality infrastructure and high standards of health care. However access and participation in clinical trials is often limited for doctors and patients in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia.
This program will enable and complement the $614 million in funding announced in the 10 year Medical Research Future Fund Investment Plan. It also complements the $7 million in funding we’re delivering states and territories to support activities aimed at achieving national consistency of clinical trial systems.
The Liberal National Government would open a competitive grant round for expressions of interest on 1 October 2019 and close the round on 30 November 2019.
A peer review panel selected by Australian Medical Research Advisory Board and the National Health and Medical Research Council would then consider and rank proposals with successful participants to be announced by 31 March 2020 for commencement after 1 July 2020.
The funding will come from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) National Critical Infrastructure initiative and will be delivered over five years from 2020-21.
Today’s announcement builds on the Morrison Government’s $550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy. This is the most comprehensive rural health package in decades and is improving access to doctors, nurses and other health care services for all Australians, especially those in the regions.
The Morrison Government has also outlined its ‘Plan for Strengthening Australia’s World Class Health System’, which will guarantee Medicare, deliver record bulk billing, an additional $31 billion for hospitals over the next five year agreement, $40 billion for new medicines and research backed by our $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund.
The Morrison Government’s ‘Plan for Strengthening Australia’s World Class Health System’ will ensure we continue to deliver:

• Record funding for Medicare with $6 billion extra funding over the next four years, higher than every year under Labor
• Record bulk billing rates with nine out of 10 visit to the doctor for free on average, higher than every year under Labor
• Affordable access to all new medicines on the PBS recommended by the medical experts, with over 2,000 new and amended listings since 2013
• $6 billion a year on cancer services
• Record investment in public hospitals, higher than every year under Labor, with an additional $31 billion from 2020-21 to 2024-25
• Guaranteeing private health insurance and making it simpler and more affordable
• Recording funding for mental health with over $4.8 billion a year for vital services
• The largest single investment in medical research through the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund, including a $500 million Genomics Missions which has the potential find a cure for some of the most devastating conditions.

More information on ‘Our Plan for Strengthening Australia’s World Class Health System’ is available: https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan-strengthening-australias-world-class-health-system