A new plan aimed at changing the way teachers work at school, giving them more quality time to spend preparing and teaching students, was released today.
Teachers and school staff are being called on to provide feedback on the NSW Government’s Quality Time Action Plan which sets an ambitious agenda for reducing duplicative, repetitive, and low-value administrative tasks in schools.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said leveraging technology and digital tools to streamline teaching tasks is at the centre of the plan.
“We know that quality teachers have the biggest impact on student outcomes – by streamlining and simplifying the work done outside of the classroom we can enhance the experience and outcomes within the classroom,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The department needs to always support teachers to do their best work. This plan is about asking teachers to help shape the solutions they need from the system.
“While lesson planning, marking and reporting are core parts of the job, we can make these processes smarter, more intuitive and high-value rather than cumbersome, repetitive and wasteful.
“Not only will this give teachers back valuable time to focus on learning, it will enable us to scale best practice resources and teaching approaches in classrooms across NSW.”
Opportunities for reform identified in the Action Plan include an overhauled assessment system allowing teachers to generate individual student focused assessments in minutes; an online tool to allow teachers to easily store, find, share and tailor lesson plans and learning programs; and streamlined administration requirements for maintaining accreditation.
“The Action Plan represents the next phase of the work to create more time for teachers, which is a core component of the School Success Model. To date, this work has saved an estimated 105 hours per principal, 10 hours per teacher and 25 hours per school administration staff member each year,” said Ms Mitchell.
The Action Plan has been released for consultation and feedback from school staff and stakeholders, enabling schools to have direct input into the reform agenda.
Month: September 2021
Innovation at heart of NSW water strategy
The Berejiklian Government has today launched the NSW Water Strategy, a 20-year blueprint to deliver resilient and sustainable water resources to communities across the state ensuring NSW is leading the charge when it comes to innovation.
The strategy coincides with the launch of the Water Project Map, a new tool for people to access information about all water infrastructure projects across NSW.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the Strategy is NSW’s first-ever platform for the long-term management of water, which will guide future water planning and policy, and how, where and when water infrastructure investments are made.
“This strategy, underpinned by cutting-edge climate modelling, will help our state work towards becoming a world leader in water innovation and efficiency,” Mrs Pavey said.
“In the next 12 months we’ll refocus our efforts on water conservation and leakage reduction in our cities, towns and regional centers, and deliver a state-wide water efficiency framework.
“We’ll also look for opportunities to invest in research and development, and new technologies, including recycled water opportunities for industrial and agricultural uses.”
The Government will investigate and invest in supply options including stormwater harvesting and water re-use, and look at developing a consistent approach to water restrictions.
“We’re exploring a range of options, including boosting water recycling across communities for watering crops and gardens, fighting fires, flushing toilets and reducing pollution in our waterways,” Mrs Pavey said.
Already, about 70 percent of local water utilities recycle water. Treated stormwater is being used to provide up to 25 per cent of Orange’s supply.”
These initiatives and projects are key opportunities laid out in the NSW Water Strategy, as Government prepares for future challenges – including more demand for water and a more variable climate – and sets the strategic direction for the state’s water sector over the long term.
“People living in NSW make up more than a third of Australia’s population, and over the next 20 years, our state will grow by 2.8 million. We need the right infrastructure in place to enable this growth, knowing the challenges we face with a changing climate,” Mrs Pavey said.
“The recent drought was one of the worst and most extreme on record, and it hit our communities hard. Our water supplies were stretched to their limits..
“But the drought also brought about creative and innovative ideas about infrastructure investment, with many communities having to source different means of increasing their supply.
“While many of our dams are now full or starting to spill, we know drought will come again, so now is the time to make decisions to ensure our communities, industries and environment thrive, now and into the future.”
The NSW Water Strategy sets the overarching vision for 12 regional and two metropolitan water strategies also being developed, tailored to the individual needs of each region in the state.
In addition, the new online map shows where the record investment for critical water infrastructure projects are, details of the projects and how they are helping communities.
For more information and to read the NSW Water Strategy, visit here. To view the online map visit here.
ABS data shows house prices are out of control
Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has expressed alarm at the figures released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics from their Residential Property Price Index. The release shows that there was an overall 6.7% rise in house prices for the June 2021 quarter with Sydney and Canberra experiencing an unprecedented rise of over 8%.
Senator Faruqi said:
“These aren’t just statistics, they represent the real experiences of families being priced out of owning their first home. If we don’t do something about this broken system soon, there will be no houses for anyone but the very rich”.
“The enormous rise in house prices is not just alarming, it is a reflection of just how dire the current state of housing is across the whole of Australia.
“The Liberal-Nationals and Labor parties continue to exacerbate the current situation through their refusal to change policies that favor investors and encourage market speculation in housing.
“House prices rose an alarming 8.1% just in the last quarter in Sydney, which means generations will be locked out of secure housing, all because both major parties have decided to favour investors who gamble on house prices.
“Every single capital city is experiencing the largest rise in house prices since 2015. This upward trend is not going to stop without serious action.
“The Greens are consistently the only strong voice calling for a fair housing system.
“We must end unfair tax breaks like negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts. The federal government has to take responsibility for making sure everyone has a secure and safe home and this means investing to build one million affordable public and community homes.”
Secret Porter donor makes a mockery of donations laws
The Greens say Christian Porter’s refusal to reveal who partially funded his defamation case against the ABC is the latest chapter in a sorry saga of blame-shifting and responsibility-dodging by the Morrison Government.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:
“This is a farce. Christian Porter’s so-called ‘disclosure’ of who paid his legal fees makes a mockery of the register of interests and donations disclosure laws, and is just another instalment in a sorry chapter for parliamentary standards.
“Let’s be really clear about what’s happened here: An unknown person gave an undisclosed sum of money to a Cabinet Minister, which he used to fund a defamation case designed to silence the reporting of rape allegations made against him.
“How much was given? Who’s it from? What kind of influence does this person have over Christian Porter? If anonymous donations of unknown amounts are permitted purely because they are made via a blind trust, what is the point of donations disclosure laws at all?
“The PM has totally bungled his handling of the allegations against Christian Porter from day one. His willingness to keep an alleged rapist in his Cabinet without any attempt to determine the truth of the allegations reeks of male privilege and fundamentally misjudges the public mood.
“Morrison must instruct his Minister to reveal the amount and source of these funds and ensure the transparency that the Australian people demand.
“And he should support the Greens’ call for an independent inquiry to determine whether Christian Porter is a fit and proper person to hold a Ministerial position.”
Parliament must vote to deploy ADF troops overseas
New polling released today shows 87% of Australians are supportive of The Greens’ calls to change how Australia goes to war.
The poll of 1500 people, commissioned by Mike Smith, a journalist, former Howard Government adviser, and supporter of Australians For War Powers Reform, found that support for war powers reform has jumped 4% in less than a year.
Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, Peace Spokesperson said:
“Right now the Prime Minister and Cabinet can unilaterally decide to follow the United States into conflicts like Afghanistan and Iraq with disastrous outcomes. Our community is overwhelmingly supportive of our Greens bill that would change the law so that a vote of both houses of parliament is needed to deploy the Australian Defence Force overseas.
“So many in our community have watched the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Afghanistan with deep sadness. At the end of the 20-year war in Afghanistan, we must immediately begin to assess and evaluate how it came to this. The proposed reform will ensure that a peace-focused approach is brought to our defence force and that members of parliament will be held to account for the consequences of sending Australians to war.
“We must never again participate in a colonial war of aggression. Our goal must always be peace.”
Additional Information:
- • Senator Steele-John’s War Powers Reform Bill is currently being reviewed by a committee, with submissions welcome from the public. More information.
- • Today’s national poll results can be found here: www.mikesmithcanberra.com
- • The 2020 Roy Morgan national poll can be found here
Bandt announces new parliamentary line-up to kick the Libs out and negotiate shared power
With the confirmation of new Senator for Western Australia Dorinda Cox today, Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, has put the Greens on election footing with a reshuffle of the Greens’ ‘shadow Ministerial’ portfolios that prioritises the party’s key campaign areas and sets the party up for ‘balance of power’ negotiations in the likely event of a minority Parliament.
Mr Bandt says the new line-up will give the Greens the best chance of kicking the government out and getting the Greens into balance of power, as well as shifting public attention to the Greens’ election priority areas of levying ‘tycoon taxes’ on billionaires and big corporations to get dental and mental health into Medicare and build more affordable housing while phasing out coal and gas.
The Greens will also campaign heavily to younger people, focusing on climate, mental health and affordable housing.
A full list of portfolios is attached below.
“This is the most important election in a generation. It will decide whether we can turn the climate crisis around, make billionaire corporations pay their fair share of tax and fix the housing market, or whether the Liberals will get away with robbing millions of people of their future,” Mr Bandt said.
“The next election will be much closer than people think. We are only a few hundred votes away from kicking Scott Morrison out and putting the Greens in balance of power, where our new Greens line-up will push the next government to go further and faster on climate action, stop skyrocketing economic inequality and tax the billionaires and big corporations.
“The new Greens line-up will focus on phasing out coal and gas, making billionaire corporations pay their fair share of tax, getting dental and mental health into Medicare and building more affordable housing.
“I’m proud to be part of a team that reflects the community we’re fighting for. The future of our country should not be just dictated by yet more old, white men. It’s vital that our political representatives reflect the incredible makeup of our country.
“The public sector has helped get us through the pandemic, and growing publicly-owned renewable energy will be a part of Larissa Waters’ push to kick Pauline Hanson out of the Senate in Queensland and elect Penny Allman-Payne.
“Scott Morrison has completely failed young people, leaving them locked down, locked into low wages, and locked out of housing. As the youngest person in Parliament, Senator Jordon Steele-John will take on both the Health and Youth portfolios as part of the Greens’ fight to get mental health and dental health fully into Medicare, whilst also ensuring that at-risk communities are not left exposed by the government’s flawed vaccination strategy.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Senator Dorinda Cox tear into West Australia’s mining billionaires, making them pay their fair share of tax and think twice about destroying First Nations culture for profit. Dorinda will join Lidia Thorpe in continuing to put justice for First Nations people and Treaty at the heart of our work in the coming months.
“With the Community Services portfolio, Senator Janet Rice understands best how 227 days of lockdown have pushed many Victorians to breaking point. She’ll be a fierce advocate to make sure there is no poverty in a rich country, building on Senator Rachel Siewert’s incredible legacy.
“The urgency of rebuilding Australia’s car manufacturing sector has only grown, and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will drive the Greens’ push to make electric vehicles in South Australia, capitalising on the state’s rich renewable energy opportunities and providing sorely needed jobs. Electrifying our transport options will be essential in the fight to reduce climate pollution and stopping dangerous global warming.
“In the crucial state of NSW, where the fight will be between the Greens and One Nation in the Senate, Mehreen Faruqi will lead the campaign to build 1 million new homes for people locked out of housing.
“Nick McKim will continue to lead the charge on getting billionaires and big corporations to pay their fair share of tax, and Senator Whish-Wilson will continue to lead the fight to protect Tasmania’s forests, rivers and oceans.
“This team builds on the expertise the Greens have brought to Parliament over my time as Leader. The Australian Greens parliamentary team is set to be bigger than we’ve ever been after the next election, and this is the team to get us there.”
Australian Greens Leader
Co-Deputy Leader &
Co-Deputy Leader, Party Whip &
Sarah Hanson-Young
Peter Whish-Wilson
Party Room Chair
Jordon Steele-John
Temporary Senate Chair
Lidia Thorpe
Dorinda Cox
Hanson-Young in drivers seat on Electric Vehicles
Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young will drive a plan to manufacture electric vehicles in her home state and encourage a national incentive scheme to accelerate the uptake of EVs, as the party’s new portfolio holder.
Senator Hanson-Young said:
“I’m committed to taking up the fight for EVs in Australia. Today’s electric cars are smart, comfortable and better for the environment – and I can’t lie, the acceleration is awesome.
“Australia is lagging behind the rest of world on both climate action and the take up of electric vehicles, held back by the obstructionist policies of the Morrison Government. It’s time for us to pick up the pace. Australia needs a nation-wide electric car plan to drive us forward.
“Rather than taxes on EVs we need incentives for drivers to switch form polluting vehicles to green transport options.
“With a national plan for EVs we can not only incentivise their uptake, reduce emissions and help our planet, we can create jobs by making the cars of the future right here.
“What better place to revitalise our car manufacturing than in South Australia which continues to feel the impacts of the closure of Holden on the Coalition Government’s watch.
“Investing in local manufacturing would create thousands of jobs and not just any jobs but clean, green sustainable jobs.
“If we are going to reach net zero emissions by 2035 – which we must if we are to have any chance of staying below 1.5 degrees of warming, then we urgently need to increase the uptake of EVs. With national incentives we can drive down the cost of EVs and in turn, drive down emissions.
“We just need the political will, not naysayer, climate deniers like those in the Morrison Government. Prime Minister Morrison was wrong when he declared electric cars would ‘end the weekend’ – he was wrong, out-of-touch and globally embarrassing. I challenge the Prime Minister to come for a spin in an EV. He might just find the right gear and steer Australia in the right direction when it comes electrifying our transport systems.”
OECD reaffirms Australia’s economic resilience
The Morrison Government welcomes the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Economic Survey of Australia, which commends the Government’s “strong economic response to the pandemic”.
In its first Survey since December 2018, the OECD’s latest survey focuses on the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the financial sector both during the pandemic and into the future in supporting the recovery.
Policy response to COVID-19
The OECD survey highlights the Government’s “well-coordinated” response since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging that “macroeconomic policy support was delivered swiftly and with appropriate force at the onset of the pandemic” and “played a particularly important role in stabilising the economy and the living standards of the population”. The “core component” of the fiscal response was JobKeeper, which the OECD acknowledges “saved at least 700,000 jobs”.
The Government’s fiscal response was enabled by Australia having “entered the pandemic in a strong fiscal position” as “the federal Budget had returned to balance in Financial Year 2018/19”.
The Survey also acknowledges the large number of temporary regulatory measures put in place by the Government, including insolvency protections and supporting loan deferrals, to effectively “buffer against the economic shock”.
The strong economic management of the pandemic has meant that Australia’s “downturn in 2020 was less significant than in the majority of other OECD countries” and ensured “the economy bounced back rapidly”.
Encouragingly, the Survey notes a “substantial quickening in the pace of the vaccine rollout” and that “once the economy reopens, household consumption could also pick up surprisingly rapidly given a high stock of excess savings”.
The OECD anticipates that the economy will see solid growth of 4 per cent in 2021 and 3.3 per cent in 2022, highlighting the resilience of the Australian economy despite the current headwinds posed by the delta variant and ongoing lockdowns.
With more than 43 per cent of Australians fully vaccinated, progress towards our nationally agreed targets of 70 to 80 per cent is accelerating. As the Survey notes, once we reach these targets, “the reopening of international borders will support the economic recovery through enabling foreign student arrivals, bilateral tourism and population growth stemming from net immigration”.
Progress on Survey recommendations
The Morrison Government has made strong progress on the OECD’s key Survey recommendations.
Specifically, fiscal policy continues to be responsive to developments in economic conditions. More than $6.6 billion in COVID-19 Disaster Payments has been provided to 2 million Australians and significant business support continues to be provided in partnership with the States and Territories.
The Survey also recognises the significant tax relief provided to low and middle income earners through the Morrison Government’s Personal Income Tax Plan.
The report also notes that bracket creep, if unaddressed, will result in increasing average taxes over time. This further underlines the importance of the structural reform implemented through the Government’s Stage 3 tax cuts which will remove an entire tax bracket and ensure that 95 per cent of taxpayers face a marginal tax rate of no more than 30 cents in the dollar.
The OECD commends the Government for its significant progress on previous OECD recommendations such as better targeting of the Research and Development Tax Incentive and introducing a ‘Patent Box’ to drive innovation and productivity.
The OECD also recognises the importance of the Government’s legislated automatic mutual recognition reforms and encourages remaining jurisdictions to follow the Commonwealth’s lead to support Australian workers and boost productivity growth.
With respect to climate change, the Government remains committed to its approach of technology, not taxes, in reaching net zero emissions as soon as we possibly can, preferably by 2050. The Survey acknowledges that “strong institutions are already in place to support these aims”.
Role of the financial sector
The Survey also noted that as a result of key reforms introduced by the Government over several years, “the strength of the Australian financial system allowed it to support the economy during the crisis”.
Importantly, as highlighted by the OECD, to further support the recovery the Government will continue to pursue reforms to ensure small and emerging businesses have access to a range of funding sources, including streamlining lending laws, expanding ‘Open Banking’ and via the Australian Business Growth Fund.
The latest OECD Economic Survey confirms the Government’s economic plan is working and that the fundamentals of the Australian economy remain strong.
The Morrison Government will continue to support the recovery so that the Australian economy can bounce back once COVID-19 related restrictions are eased.
Boosting COVID-19 Vaccination Support for Indigenous Australians
The Australian Government is further boosting the vaccination program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across 30 priority areas to ensure all Australians can access a COVID-19 vaccine.
Since the start of the vaccination program the Government has been working closely with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), states and territories and other Indigenous organisations to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person has the opportunity to get vaccinated. Now with increased supplies and in response to current outbreak situations the Government is significantly boosting efforts to expedite vaccination uptake.
In partnership with NACCHO, states and territories, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) and other Indigenous stakeholders, the Australian Government will immediately accelerate the vaccination program in 30 priority areas including:
- Western Australia– Greater Geraldton, Swan, Gosnells, Derby – West Kimberley, Port Hedland – South Hedland, Kalgoorlie – Boulder, Goldfields Esperance Region.
- Queensland – Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Mackay, Mareeba, Mission River, Moreton Bay, Normanton, Palm Island, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville
- New South Wales– Central Coast and Wollongong areas
- Northern Territory – Greater Darwin, North-East Arnhem Land and Barkly
- South Australia– Port Lincoln
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said this builds on work done to date in partnership with NACCHO, the ACCHS, and the Royal Flying Doctors Service to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a culturally safe and appropriate way.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been a priority for vaccination since the beginning stages of the national vaccination program, considerable effort has been taken to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are readily and widely available for communities,” Minister Hunt said.
“We are absolutely committed to seeing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vaccination rates meet, if not exceed, the national target.”
Minister Wyatt said there has been significant work done to date to work with communities to tackle their individual needs and concerns, including countering vaccine hesitancy, in order to boost vaccination uptake.
“It’s my hope that every Indigenous Australian gets vaccinated – local Indigenous leaders across the country are playing a pivotal role in helping us achieve high vaccination rates, combat misinformation, and dispel vaccine myths,” Minister Wyatt said.
The boost to the rollout for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will build on the work already underway in Western New South Wales regions where Indigenous vaccination rates for first doses increased from 44.2 per cent to 67.8 per cent and for second doses from 26.1 per cent to 39.7 per cent over the past four weeks.
The Government will immediately provide an additional $7.7 million to NACCHO to amplify efforts to reduce the vaccination gap by working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ACCHS and other organisations supporting the vaccination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This will include:
- Additional vaccine liaison officers employed to work directly with remote and very remote communities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in discrete communities in other areas.
- Boosting work alongside vaccine providers to support community engagement activities and providing culturally safe messaging, address vaccine hesitancy, facilitate informed consent and conduct health promotion activities.
This is in addition to $19 million provided to NACCHO to date, to support the crucial role of ACCHS in the pandemic response.
Chief Executive of NACCHO, Pat Turner AM, said working with communities was critical to ensuring a successful vaccine rollout for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and welcomes the Australian Government’s ongoing partnership with NACCHO and our sector.
“The recent outbreaks have demonstrated the need to accelerate the vaccine rollout for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NACCHO continues to play a critical role in addressing hesitancy and ensuring timely and culturally appropriate information is provided to communities to encourage vaccinations,” Ms Turner said.
“This additional funding will further bolster our work in supporting all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access a vaccine by the end of this year.”
Throughout the pandemic, the Government has worked in partnership with First Nations communication companies to develop editorial, social and advertising to reach the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audience.
To further boost these efforts, the Government will also fund First Nations Media Australia, the national peak body for the First Nations media and communications industry, to produce and distribute a package of culturally appropriate public relations content to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about the vaccine rollout.
The partnership includes a range of activities that are planned to support the vaccine rollout, aiming to broaden the conversation around vaccinations, address misinformation and build positive sentiment and intention toward vaccination by using local and trusted voices and sharing positive stories.
The work will be undertaken by a number of local Indigenous media organisations across the country, with a particular emphasis on the areas that are included in the acceleration plan.
This builds on the Australian Government’s National Vaccination Communications Campaign, which continues to deliver tailored communication to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences as a priority.
The Australian Government will continue to work with state and territory governments, NACCHO, ACCHS, the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and other Indigenous stakeholders to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the opportunity to be vaccinated.
Data on the 30 priority areas will be updated weekly and will be available at Health.gov.au.
NSW lifts curfew in LGAs of concern
Curfews in Sydney’s Local Government Areas (LGAs) of concern have now been lifted, as the state hits the milestone of 80 per cent of the adult population with one dose of the COVID vaccine.
Curfews have been lifted in the LGAs of concern:
- Bayside
- Blacktown
- Burwood
- Campbelltown
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Cumberland
- Fairfield
- Georges River
- Liverpool
- Parramatta
- Strathfield
- Penrith for the following suburbs: Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair and St Marys.
This is a whole-of-government decision based on the advice of our health and police experts.
While the NSW community has achieved this fantastic milestone, it is critical that we do not let our guard down.
We continue to ask the community to follow the stay-at-home rules, limit their movement and do all they can to keep everyone safe.
NSW Health continues to urge everyone in these LGAs, and throughout NSW, to get vaccinated, get tested immediately if they have even the mildest of symptoms and isolate until they receive a negative result.
High rates of testing are critical to detecting transmission and preventing further spread of COVID-19 in the community.
For the latest information or to book a vaccination appointment visit nsw.gov.au/covid-19