Seniors and veterans in Narrabeen, their families, loved ones and carers are benefiting from the largest investment in aged care in Australian history, announced as part of this month’s Federal Budget.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck visited the RSL LifeCare ANZAC Village in Narrabeen today to see how the Australian Government’s aged care reform agenda can deliver benefits to the village residents.
“In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Government has committed an unprecedented $17.7 billion to improve quality care, increase viability in the sector, and provide services with respect, care and dignity at their heart,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Australia’s seniors and in particular our veterans are our nation builders, our parents and grandparents, our founders and protectors who have contributed so much to Australia, and we are ensuring the care available to them as they age meets their needs and is based on principles of respect and dignity.”
Minister Colbeck said residential aged care services and sustainability was one of the five pillars of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission.
“RSL LifeCare operates 15 home care services and 29 residential aged care services, including one in the process of being established, in New South Wales and the ACT. In 2020–21 RSL Lifecare received $144.1 million in Australian Government funding for its services,” he said.
Member for Mackellar, Jason Falinksi, said the Budget investment into aged care was good news for providers of care across the electorate.
“Visiting ANZAC Village Narrabeen and having an opportunity to meet with some of the residents and staff, shows how important hardworking, compassionate and committed aged care workforce is to providing quality care,” Mr Falinksi said.
“As we see our Government’s reforms put in place over the coming five years, $7.8 billion is being spent improving and simplifying residential aged care services.
“Aged care providers, like RSL Lifecare, will be supported through a $3.2 billion investment to deliver better care and services with a new Basic Daily Fee supplement of $10 per resident per day.”
Minister Colbeck said a further $3.9 billion will increase the amount of frontline care delivered to residents of aged care and respite services.
“Residents of aged care facilities will see increasing levels of care as the mandatory 200 minutes per day, including 40 minutes with a Registered Nurse, are introduced in 2022,” he said.
“The levels of care will be reported and built into a star rating system to make choosing a great residential aged care provider easier for senior Australians and their families.”
More information about the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission and its reform agenda is available online.
Month: May 2021
Australia launches bid to host Rugby World Cup 2027
The Morrison Government has backed a bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Announced by Rugby Australia at a launch in Sydney this morning, Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the nation was ready to showcase one of the most popular sporting spectacles to a global audience.
“The Government remains committed to making Australia the world’s most active sporting nation and reinforcing our reputation as a pre-eminent host of major sporting events,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Australia is not only a strong rugby nation, it is a safe destination with a successful and growing record of hosting global sporting events.
“The last time we hosted the Rugby World Cup was in 2003, and we’re more than ready to take it on again.”
The Australian Government committed $8.8 million over two years in the 2020-21 Budget for Rugby Australia to develop a compelling and compliant bid.
It also received $1 million from the Government in the 2019-20 Budget to support foundation planning.
Minister Colbeck said hosting the event would provide a major economic boost for our tourism industry and the broader economy.
“This is an investment which offers significant benefits,” he said.
“It is projected to generate more than $2 billion, attract more than 200,000 visitors from key international markets, and create almost 13,000 new full-time equivalent jobs.”
Bids are due for lodgement to World Rugby by 14 January 2022, with the announcement of the successful host expected in May 2022.
Hosting rights will then also be awarded for the 2025 and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups and the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup.
“The next decade could see Australia become the premier sporting tourism destination in the world, with a long list of major events already being held here,” Minister Colbeck said.
“It’s quite achievable that we can add the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to this impressive list.
Major sporting events already scheduled to be held in Australia include:
- Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 (cricket)
- FIBA Women’s World Cup 2022 (basketball)
- UCI Road World Championships 2022 (cycling)
- VIRTUS Oceania Asia Games 2022 (intellectual impairment)
- World Transplant Games 2023 (transplant recipients)
- FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (soccer/football)
- ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships 2025
- Netball World Cup 2027.
500,000 ways to improve the health of Australian men
The Australian Government is continuing to support the health of men and boys by providing half a million dollars in the latest round of grant funding to 180 Men’s Sheds around Australia.
Many of the grants, of up to $10,000, will be used to buy IT equipment and provide training to Men’s Shed members.
The COVID-19 pandemic and social restrictions reminded us all how important it is to be connected to colleagues, families, and communities. Australians turned to IT to enable them to stay in touch, through written media or audio and video connections.
Men’s Shed members were no different. While the sheds were forced to close their doors during lockdowns, shed members made great efforts to stay in touch with each other by telephone and social media.
These contacts ensured that the men felt valued and part of a strong, positive community during a period that was difficult for many individuals, families and businesses.
As older men in particular are not familiar with modern IT, many sheds have requested funding for better equipment and training for their members to help them stay more connected in the future. This is reflected in the current grants, providing funding of up to $10,000, with priority given to sheds in disadvantaged areas.
There are more than 1,000 Men’s Sheds across the nation, and they play a vital role in preventing social isolation and mental ill health. They offer thousands of men of all ages a safe and friendly environment where they can work on meaningful projects and build social connections
Including today’s announcement, the Government has provided $6.4 million in grant funding to support Men’s Sheds since 2013.
Men’s Sheds are an integral part of their local communities. This Government will continue to support Men’s Sheds as part of our comprehensive approach to improving the health of Australian men and boys.
Calling all poets to help reinvigorate regional poetry scene
Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Port Stephens Libraries are joining forces in a bid to refresh the Hunter region’s poetry scene by offering a program of workshops and special events to both emerging and more experienced poets across the region.
The ‘Stand Up for Poetry’ program, led by Newcastle Libraries, is designed to promote a deeper appreciation of written and spoken word poetry by encouraging poetic expression, written and performance skills development.
The program will deliver skills development workshops and special events, as well as slam poetry town heats as part of the Australian Poetry Slam.
Four poets, one representing each Local Government Area, will be selected to contribute towards program planning and evaluation, in order to encourage community input into the development of the poetry program.
Each poet will contribute their ideas to develop the program by attending two meetings in June and the ‘Stand Up For Poetry’ program events will be delivered from July through to October 2021.
Applications are now open and close on Wednesday 26 May 2021.
To apply, visit Newcastle Libraries webpage.
Digital storytelling workshops bring young imaginations to life
City of Newcastle’s Digital Library is playing host to a series of workshops to teach local young people skills to share stories through modern mediums like virtual reality, augmented reality and animation.
Delivered through a partnership with Newcastle Libraries and Compass Housing’s Grow a Star Project, the workshops create an opportunity for students who would not usually have access to explore these emerging technologies, to develop new skills and express themselves.
Events and Community Relations Manager at Compass Housing Michelle Faithfull, Grow a Star Coordinator Shane Marshall and Councillor Carol Duncan with students participating in the Digital Storytelling Workshops at City of Newcastle’s Digital Library.
A group of local students today embarked on the five-week program which explores the theory of storytelling techniques and narrative development during hands on classes which will equip them with the technical skills to create their own interactive and immersive worlds.
Councillor Carol Duncan said the Digital Storytelling workshops encourage students to harness their creativity and imagination while sharing their experiences through modern story telling techniques.
“The Grow a Star scholarship program provides young people living in disadvantage with opportunities that they may not normally have access to,” Cr Duncan said.
“The workshops are an excellent way to increase digital literacy through creative digital technologies and ‘world building’ and at the completion of the course, the students will have a portfolio that will allow them to follow work experience and tertiary educational opportunities.”
“The young participants will also benefit from mentoring and will develop communication and teamwork skills by working together in small groups.”
City of Newcastle’s Manager of Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said the workshops are a perfect fit for the Digital Library which is home to a variety of technologies and tools that modernise story telling.
“While the students will apply the traditional skills of storytelling and building a narrative, they will learn how to create video featuring virtual reality presented by a Newcastle virtual and augmented reality studio,” Ms Gately said.
“Immersive storytelling through innovative video is a powerful tool that can truly bring our imagination to life.
“At the end of this program we look forward to showcasing the students’ unique and creative stories on the Digital Library’s interactive story wall for our community to enjoy.”
The program starts on 20 May and runs until 17 June involving 16 young people.
EXPANSION OF PFIZER HUBS FOR VACCINE ROLLOUT
The NSW Government is accelerating the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine with 25 Pfizer sites across the state now taking bookings for people aged 40 to 49. 17 of these are in rural and regional NSW.
These sites are spread across both Greater Sydney and rural and regional NSW ensuring as many people as possible have access to the vaccine.
Around 23,500 people aged between 40 and 49 have already been invited to book a vaccine at a NSW Health clinic, with 12,000 people already booked for the Pfizer jab.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was great to see such a positive response from the public to register for the vaccine.
“I want to thank the more than 120,000 people aged 40 to 49 who have already registered their interest to receive the Pfizer jab. We are working hard to ensure you receive the vaccine as soon as possible,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said NSW Health has worked hard to expand its Pfizer footprint across NSW.
“We’re making it easier for people right across NSW to access COVID vaccines as quickly as possible,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The more people vaccinated sooner in our state the stronger our defence against this extremely dangerous virus.”
People aged 40-49 can register for the Pfizer vaccine here: nsw.gov.au/. People will be contacted when a booking is available.
NSW STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM TUTORING PROGRAM
Students in NSW schools are benefitting from the NSW Government’s history-making $337 million COVID catch up program.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell confirmed today that 5417 tutors have been employed in NSW public schools, with almost 99 per cent of schools already offering tutoring support to their students.
“We know COVID-19 had an impact on education during the 2020 school year. Our tutoring program is helping students catch up after those disruptions,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The tailored model is important. Schools told us they needed the flexibility to deliver this program in a way that helps their students best.”
“Helping students bridge the gaps in their education caused by COVID is part of this government’s efforts to build a safer and stronger NSW.”
The additional support is tailored by schools using both the data from last year’s Check-in Assessments and the knowledge of classroom teachers.
“We are also helping schools in regional and remote areas with access to expert educators to help them create tutoring programs for their community,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The program has had fantastic take-up by our country schools, and more than 3200 of the tutors who are delivering the program are in regional, rural and remote schools.
“This means no matter where a school is in NSW or how many students they have, they can provide a tutoring program which works for their students.”
Registrations are still open to educators interested in taking part at https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/covid-learning-support-program
Existing Department of Education staff should register interest through ClassCover.
$26.8 million investment to support young Australians
The Australian Government is continuing our support for the mental health and wellbeing of children and young Australians with a $26.8 million investment in Yourtown’s Kids Helpline.
Caring for the mental health and wellbeing of Australians, particularly children and young people, remains one of the Australian Government’s highest priorities.
It is estimated that more than three quarters of mental health conditions begin before the age of 25, and there are approximately 630,000 young people with mild to moderate mental illness nationally.
Providing early support is vital in helping young people get back on track and can minimise longer-term impacts.
Kids Helpline has played a vital role in our efforts to protect and nurture the emotional wellbeing and lives of children and young people across Australia.
The service provides a free, private and confidential 24/7 telephone and webchat counselling support, specifically for young people aged 5 to 25 years. Its unique model allows a young person to contact the same counsellor on an ongoing basis and doesn’t place a limit on the length of counselling sessions.
Kids Helpline also publishes online articles on a range of mental health and wellbeing issues, including early intervention and self-help strategies individually tailored for each age group, and provides information and referrals, one-off counselling support, and ongoing counselling and case management in conjunction with face-to-face services.
The additional funding for Kids Helpline includes $24 million to support operations over the next four years, and a further $2.8 million to meet the immediate demand caused by the pandemic.
This funding means that children and young people will continue to get the help they need to deal with issues ranging from mental health problems to family relationships, child abuse, suicide and self-harm.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Kids Helpline had provided lifesaving care in times of crisis, practical advice or a place to turn to so young Australians know that they are not alone.
“Never has this support been more important that in the last 18 months, with the effects of Black Summer Bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic putting significant pressure on the mental health and wellbeing of many,” Minister Hunt said.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said Kids Helpline’s incredible work has made a real difference in the lives of children and families across Australia.
“I would like to thank all those involved in Kids Helpline for their invaluable contributions to the health and wellbeing of children and young adults in Australia,” Assistant Minister Coleman said.
The funding is part of the Government’s $2.3 billion National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan – a landmark commitment to transform the mental health system and ensure that all Australians can access the right care and essential services whenever and wherever they need.
In a first for Australia, the Plan includes a specific focus on the mental health of children under 12 and their parents and carers, including:
- $54.2 million to establish a network of Head to Health Kids mental health centres in conjunction with the states and territories
- $42.3 million to provide parenting tools and support, and
- $111.4 million to allow parents and carers to use two sessions under the Better Access initiative to discuss their child’s care needs with their treating practitioner, while supporting their own mental health and wellbeing.
These investments will ensure better social and health outcomes for our young people, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential in life, and safeguarding the long-term future of our country.
The funding reinforces our Government’s strong commitment achieving better mental health for all Australians, and will complement the existing investment of $6.3 billion in mental health services in 2021-22.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (13 11 14), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
Additional support for sick kids and their families in Queensland
Families of sick children across Queensland will have better access to much-needed accommodation and support through the newly refurbished Ronald McDonald House in South Brisbane.
The Australian Government invested $2.57 million to renovate and modify areas of Ronald McDonald House, which will be a life saver for regional and Far North Queensland families of very sick children being treated at Queensland Children’s and Mater Misericordae hospitals.
The newly refurbished home can now cater for large family groups, families who need longer stays and immuno‑suppressed patients who have been discharged from hospital but must remain in Brisbane for ongoing care.
Providing a warm and welcoming home away from home is crucial to the care and recovery of unwell children, as well as helping to keep families together and close to the care their child needs.
Accommodation at the Ronald McDonald House is free for eligible families of seriously ill children, with priority given to families whose children have been recently diagnosed, seriously injured or who require emergency treatment, as well as families of premature babies.
The South East Queensland (SEQ) chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities is the largest in Australia, operating in Herston, South Brisbane and inside the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Supporting thousands of families a year since 1991, the SEQ chapter provided a total of 103,894 bed nights for 5,685 families in 2019.
80 per cent of families cared for by SEQ come from Wide Bay and Capricornia, Central Queensland, Mackay, Central West, West Moreton, Pine Rivers, Caboolture, Townsville, Cairns, Far North Queensland and Cape York.
Funding for this refurbishment was provided through the Australian Government’s Supporting our Hospitals – Additional Infrastructure and Services program.
Protecting families and businesses from higher energy prices
The Morrison Government is stepping up and building a new gas power plant in the Hunter Valley, which will create jobs, keep energy prices low, keep the lights on and help reduce emissions.
This important project delivers on the Government’s 1,000 MW target set last September, which was created to avoid unacceptable price increases following the closure of the Liddell power station in 2023.
In the 2021-22 Budget, the Government committed up to $600 million for Snowy Hydro Limited to construct a 660 MW open cycle gas turbine at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley.
The Hunter Power Project will deliver an important economic boost to the region, creating up to 600 new jobs during peak construction and 1,200 indirect jobs across NSW.
This project, together with EnergyAustralia’s 316 MW Tallawarra B open cycle gas plant, will help shore up the security, reliability and affordability of electricity for consumers in NSW, with a commitment to be generating in time for summer 2023-24 when Liddell closes.
Securing reliable, affordable energy is critical to our plan to secure Australia’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the Government had given the private sector every opportunity and is fulfilling its promise to deliver the cheap, reliable power that NSW households, businesses and industries needed to prosper and grow.
“Cheap power is crucial to ensuring families, businesses and job-creating industries in NSW can thrive, which is why we are committed to replacing the energy generated by Liddell to keep prices down,” Minister Taylor said.
“This important project is good news for NSW as well as the broader National Electricity Market.
“We were very clear from the start – we will not stand by and watch prices go up and the lights go off. This project will deliver flexible gas generation to replace Liddell and maintain reliable power alongside Australia’s world-leading investment in renewables.”
This is a responsible investment. Expected investment returns for the Hunter Power Project are strong and Snowy Hydro is on track to deliver this critical, dispatchable capacity, on-time and on-budget.
The Morrison Government has also announced a $24.9 million package in the 2021-22 Budget to support new gas generators to be hydrogen-ready, including a $5 million commitment to Tallawarra B.
The construction of two new gas power plants will create over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs. This is what the Government’s gas-fired recovery is about – helping Australia bounce back strongly from the COVID-19 recession.
Through the 2021-22 Budget, the Morrison Government is also providing up to $30 million to support early works on Australian Industrial Power’s (AIP) Port Kembla power station project as it progresses to Final Investment Decision. The project will play a crucial role in reducing market volatility risks in NSW by supporting reliable electricity supply and keeping prices low.
Progressing the AIP power station would also support the development of the Port Kembla import terminal, providing a key source of demand for imported gas. The Government will continue to work with AIP to fully assess the project and evaluate support through the Underwriting New Generation Investments (UNGI) program.
New gas supply and generation will help strengthen our economy and make energy more affordable for families and businesses, while complementing the world-leading levels of renewables in Australia.
Gas supports jobs in our important energy intensive industries that are the lifeblood of our economy and our regions.
Gas is a critical enabler of Australia’s economy and helps to support our manufacturing sector that employs over 900,000 Australians.