Month: November 2021

As we return to many of the freedoms we took for granted before COVID-19, it is important to acknowledge the service of all those who have been involved in the heath response to the pandemic.
The National Incident Centre (NIC) has been in continual operation for more than two years, frequently operating around the clock to help coordinate Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Department of Health’s emergency operations centre, the NIC has performed many roles and has adopted new ones in its response to the pandemic. The officials in the NIC have done, and continue to do, an incredible job in helping protect the lives and health of Australians.
NIC staff have continued to provide additional support to states and territories, including through contact tracing and case interviews. Their support through contact tracing has resulted in more than 15,000 notifications to various authorities on the movement across borders of people with COVID-19 to date.
Building on the pandemic experience of 2020, the NIC has continued to distribute millions of masks and other PPE from the National Medical Stockpile (NMS), to states and territories, aged care facilities, disability service providers and Primary Health Networks. The NMS has recently been extended to include rapid antigen testing for residential aged care facilities, as well as additional COVID-19 treatments for Australians in hospital.
The NIC has been crucial in the use of a range of powers under the Biosecurity Act 2015, many of which have been used for the first time in preventing COVID-19 from entering Australia through international borders.
In recent months the focus has shifted to supporting the staged reopening of Australia to international travel. The NIC and the Office of Health Protection and Response have worked across government to safely repatriate hundreds of thousands of Australians.
The NIC has supported more than 450 COVID-19 meetings by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), which provides advice to National Cabinet on health protection matters and national priorities. This includes working with the states and territories to develop nationally consistent public health advice through the Communicable Diseases Network Australia and the Public Health Laboratory Network.
The NIC is also the primary means of communication with the World Health Organization for public health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NIC also helps to coordinate Australia’s health emergency response to national and international incidents, including deploying Australia’s national specialist emergency health response capability, the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT).
During the pandemic, AUSMAT was deployed to assist in Wuhan, China, as well as to support our close neighbours Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Timor-Leste. In Australia, AUSMAT has deployed to Howard Springs and Christmas Island; Burnie hospital and international arrivals quarantine in Tasmania; Victoria, in response to outbreaks in 75 residential aged care homes; and to remote communities in Western and Far West NSW.
Created in 2019, the NIC commenced operations as the National Incident Room in November 2019, in response to a measles outbreak in Samoa. It then led the health response to the Black Summer Bushfires, followed by the White Island volcanic eruption in New Zealand in early 2020.
Staffed by a core of dedicated and skilled officers within the Department of Health, the NIC consisted at its peak of 200 officers, drawing on agencies including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Australian Border Force.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those officials who work or have worked in the NIC over the past two years, and the teams supporting them from across the Australian Public Service.  Their service continues to be critical to the effectiveness of Australia’s response to COID-19.

Three leading members of the Australian Sports Foundation have been reappointed as the agency continues to champion sport funding and philanthropy across the sector.
Olympic rowing gold, silver and bronze medallist Kim Brennan AM, Olympic water polo gold medallist Gail Miller OAM and dual Olympian and Commonwealth Games swimming champion Andrew Baildon have been re-endorsed as their important work with the foundation continues.
The ASF has been helping athletes, sporting clubs and organisations fundraise for more than 30 years. It is chaired by prominent business identity Grant O’Brien.
Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, said the re-appointments provide leadership continuity for the ASF board, as Australian sport at every level continues to recover from the global pandemic.
“The past 18 months has been incredibly challenging for sport in Australia, and a recent survey by the ASF found the pandemic continues to cause financial instability, reduced participation and volunteering across the sport sector,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Ms Brennan, Ms Miller and Mr Baildon have all served a three-year term on the board already, so they bring a steady hand to the Foundation at this time.
“It’s at times like this that having strong leadership and stability at the ASF becomes critically important, as we grow the philanthropic funding support for Australia’s sporting sector’s recovery and into the future.”
Ms Brennan is a management consultant specialising in technology and high performance, and has held roles with sporting bodies including the Australian Institute of Sport Ethics Committee and the AOC Athletes’ Commission.
Ms Miller is an experienced professional in the property industry, has a degree in property economics and is a director on the board of the Queensland Olympic Council.
Mr Baildon is a businessman in the sports sector, an Australian Swimming board member and had an instrumental role bringing the 2018 Commonwealth Games to the Gold Coast.
Minister Colbeck thanked departing board member Josh Liberman.
“We are incredibly grateful for the contribution made by Josh Liberman on the ASF Board, having served two terms,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Since joining the ASF in 2015, the Foundation has raised record amounts of funding, rising to an annual total of more than $50 million before the pandemic took hold, which is an incredible legacy.”
The ASF’s “Back to Sport fund” is seeking donations to support community sport’s recovery from COVID-19.

An Albanese Labor Government will work with community groups to fix up our local waterways – restoring precious habitat and creating valuable recreational spaces for local communities.
The Urban Rivers and Catchments Program will provide grants for community groups, local and state government to fund projects which deliver improvements to water quality and the local environment, create improved open spaces for kids and families to enjoy and create local jobs.
Many of our rivers in urban and peri-urban areas have been treated more like stormwater drains over the years, but there are local community groups right across the country who are working to turn that around.
Our parks and reserves provide a place for people to get together for picnics and children’s birthday parties, they’re where we teach our kids to ride their bikes and walk the dog – and recently they became even more precious during times of lockdown.
Fixing up our waterways and the catchment areas around them will give people access to a better quality of living.
Importantly, nearly half of all nationally listed threatened animals and one quarter of our threatened plants are in urban areas. Taking steps to repair and restore our waterways and catchments helps protect these species and create great recreational areas for local communities.
Labor’s plan for Urban Rivers and Catchments will help protect species like the Regent Honeyeater, the Curlew Sandpiper, the Koala, several frog species and the loggerhead turtle.
There are hundreds of community groups across the country taking action to clean up their local waterways for everyone to enjoy.
Labor’s $200 million program will help fund that work to make an even bigger impact, including by:

• Creating wetlands to slow water flow and filter stormwater before it reaches our rivers
• Citizen science and education projects for pre-schoolers and school age children
• Removing cement walls and returning them to natural riverbanks
• Revegetation and tree planting

It is expected the fund would provide grants for as many as 100 projects, depending on project size, with smaller community group projects likely to be less than $1m and larger projects involving state and local governments eligible for up to $10m.

The Greens say that the government’s proposed integrity body would be incapable of investigating new revelations that Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar knew that his office was using public funds to boost the power of his Liberal Party faction, and have called on the PM to bring on the Greens’ gold standard National Integrity Commission Bill for a vote.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
“The Greens call on the Prime Minister to thoroughly investigate whether Mr Sukkar has breached Ministerial Standards, to stand down the Assistant Treasurer while that investigation takes place, and to commit to the public release of the Finance Department report.
“The Finance Department investigation into Mr Sukkar last year, which found insufficient evidence to implicate him, remains secret despite FOI applications. With new leaks to the media raising serious questions about what Mr Sukkar knew, the Finance Department must release their report immediately.
“We shouldn’t have to rely on the media to do the work of public institutions. We need a strong and effective anti-corruption body that can hold public hearings, look at past conduct, act on tip-offs and protect whistleblowers. The Greens’ National Integrity Commission, the gold standard model that passed the Senate two years ago, does all those things.
“The PM’s proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission, ranked as the weakest corruption model in the country by the Centre for Public Integrity (CPI), would be unable to investigate the claims against Mr Sukkar.
“We’ve seen state corruption bodies investigate branch stacking, and consequences flow for MPs implicated – but still nothing federally exists to stop this dodgy conduct.
“The PM should end this farce and bring on the Greens’ National Integrity Commission Bill for debate in the House during the final parliamentary sitting of the year.”

Former Health Department secretary, Glenys Beauchamp PSM, has been confirmed as chairperson of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Ms Beauchamp brings a thorough understanding of the significance of the role of FSANZ to the Australian and New Zealand public and food industry.
She has been acting chair of FSANZ since 1 September 2021.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services and Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, who has portfolio responsibility for food regulation, welcomed the appointment saying Ms Beauchamp’s significant record of public service means FSANZ is in good hands.
“As a trans-Tasman agency, FSANZ has an important role ensuring the safety and quality of food stuffs available here and in New Zealand, and as such it requires effective and strong leadership,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Glenys Beauchamp has an outstanding record of more than 35 years of public service, including leading the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and more recently as Secretary of the Department of Health.
“Ms Beauchamp’s diverse experience across organisations, both government and non-government sectors, along with her extensive board experience will be a valuable addition to the FSANZ Board.”
FSANZ is an independent statutory authority that develops food standards for Australia and New Zealand, under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The code regulates the use of ingredients, additives, colours, processing aids, vitamins and minerals, including labelling requirements for packaged and unpackaged food, and mandating of some warning or advisory labels which appear on some food products.
“I would like to thank Steve McCutcheon for his service as acting chair prior to Ms Beauchamp’s appointment” he said.
“As a former chief executive officer of FSANZ, Mr McCutcheon has helped ensure Australians and New Zealanders have maintained confidence in their food products and food supply, particularly during the pandemic.”

An Albanese Labor Government, if elected, will develop and implement a whole of government Early Years Strategy.
Currently, the programs and funding that impact early childhood development are scattered throughout departments – including Education, Social Services, Health, and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
Without a coordinated approach across government, there is a lack of ultimate responsibility and accountability for the wellbeing, education and development of Australia’s children.
This issue has been exacerbated under the Morrison Government, with a Prime Minister and Minister who take little interest in the early childhood education space.
Labor’s Early Years Strategy will create a new integrated, holistic, whole of government approach to the early years.
It will examine the range of programs and funding delivered across the Commonwealth Government that directly impact on early childhood development.
The strategy will identify ways to reduce program and funding silos across departments, better integrate and coordinate functions and activities across government, and target outcomes to deliver better outcomes for young Australians and their families.
It will develop a programme of action which will set out the policies, initiatives and plans to help achieve the vision and outcomes.
The development of the strategy will be led by a steering committee, with senior representatives from the relevant line departments, as well as Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Other governments have adopted similar whole of government strategies, including in New Zealand, and almost all State and Territories.
This commitment builds on Labor’s existing commitments to:-

• Introduce our Cheaper Child Care for Working Families plan, which will make child care cheaper for 97 per cent of families in the system;
• Task the Productivity Commission to review the early learning sector, with the aim to implement a universal 90 per cent Child Care Subsidy for all families;
• Task the ACCC with designing a price regulation mechanism to drive down child care costs for good; and
• Improve transparency in the child care sector, by forcing large providers to publicly report revenue and profit, provide real time fee data and quality ratings to families, and ban non-educational enrolment inducements.

An Albanese Labor Government is committed to delivering a better future for Australian families and children.

National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response, recent outbreaks of COVID-19 and the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly provided an update on the current COVID-19 situation and health response across Australia including new principles for test, trace, isolate and quarantine as well as public health and safety measures.
Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 177,393 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 1,795 people have died. More than 44 million tests have been undertaken. Testing has increased nationally over recent days with 1,088,293 tests reported in the past 7 days.
Globally there have been over 248 million cases and sadly over 5 million deaths, with 502,386 new cases and 7,801 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues to expand. To date 36.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including a record 181,833 doses in the previous 24 hours.
In the previous 7 days, more than 1.1 million vaccines have been administered in Australia. More than 89 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 years and over have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 95 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of over 70 year olds.
More than 79 per cent of Australians aged 16 years and over are now fully vaccinated, including more than 87 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 92 per cent of Australians over 70 years of age.
Lieutenant General John Frewen, DSC, AM, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (Operation COVID Shield) also reported on work underway to support a higher level of vaccination uptake amongst Indigenous Australians. All leaders reiterated the importance of Australians, especially those in vulnerable groups, to get two doses of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Lt General Frewen, Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Health Professor Brendan Murphy also provided an update on boosters and third dose vaccinations.
National Cabinet and the National Federation Reform Council agreed to meet next on Friday 10 December.
Vaccination and Booster Plans
National Cabinet discussed the roll out of the booster program following approvals by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Australian Technology Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) supporting COVID-19 boosters for Australians aged 18 and over who have received two doses at least six months ago.
The booster program has commenced for immunocompromised Australians and high priority groups. Already around 150,000 third doses have been administered. The booster program will open more broadly on 8 November 2021.
The booster roll out will continue to utilise the existing vaccination infrastructure with around 10,000 general practices and pharmacies, augmented by in-reach services and state clinics across Australia. Commonwealth funding under the vaccine schedule of the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response will continue.
Lt General Frewen provided an update on plans to accelerate the roll out for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all jurisdictions in order to deliver vaccinations in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and relevant jurisdictions. With supplies available, there are significant opportunities available to be vaccinated across urban, rural, remote and very remote areas. Hesitancy continues to be a factor in low uptake, with all jurisdictions introducing measures to reduce hesitancy.
National Cabinet received advice from the Chief Medical Officer on emerging scientific evidence of the benefits of vaccinating for 5-11 year olds. A vaccination program for children aged 5-11 years will be implemented, if supported by upcoming regulatory decisions from the TGA and advice from ATAGI.
Ensuring COVID-19 Outbreak Readiness for Indigenous Communities
National Cabinet noted the risks of COVID-19 outbreaks for Indigenous communities from the easing restrictions in Phases B and C of the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response, particularly where vaccination rates are lower, including in regional and remote communities.
National Cabinet noted recent developments provided an opportunity to update existing outbreak preparedness plans, including revised Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) National Guidance for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities for COVID-19, due to be updated in early November; revised Doherty modelling of outbreak scenarios which take higher vaccination rates into account; and learnings from recent outbreaks.
National Cabinet agreed that the Commonwealth and all jurisdictions will update outbreak management plans, in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community sector, and ensure that Emergency Management Australia (EMA) is consulted in the updated planning, and that plans include timely requests for support through EMA where needed, particularly to support localised vaccine acceleration and/or establishing quarantine facilities.
The Commonwealth and all jurisdictions will return to National Cabinet in December with updated outbreak management plans for final agreement.
National Plan to Transition Australia’s COVID-19 Response
National Cabinet received its final update from Professor Jodie McVernon from the Doherty Institute on the second phase of modelling work under the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
National Cabinet noted that this modelling, which incorporates updated parameters and recent evidence, confirms that Doherty’s previous findings regarding the thresholds for moving to Phases B and C of the National Plan remain robust.
The modelling also confirmed the importance of high vaccine coverage in the Australian population, combined with public health strategies. Streamlined public health responses, such as testing and isolating only close contacts, combined with high vaccination rates, can also reduce transmission risks. It also finds shorter periods of quarantine below 14 days may be effective for vaccinated people testing positive.
Doherty found that localised health strategies may be required with high case numbers and for key high risk groups, areas and settings, including Indigenous communities and in schools.
The modelling found that cases resulting from international arrivals would be manageable once 80 per cent or more of the eligible Australian population is fully vaccinated.
Doherty found that surveillance in high risk areas to identify outbreaks early and contact management can reduce infections, keep schools open and minimise disruptions to face-to-face learning.
The Doherty Institute, in consultation with the CDNA and the AHPPC, identified strategies to streamline and focus test, trace, isolate and quarantine responses as jurisdictions move into Phases B and C of the National Plan in the context of increasing caseloads, the current Delta strain and high vaccine coverage.
National Cabinet thanked the Doherty Institute and Professor McVernon for their work which has informed the development and implementation of the National Plan.
The Taskforce summary of these findings is attached and will be available on www.pmc.gov.au. Detailed modelling reports will be released by The Doherty Institute over the coming days.
Living with COVID-19 – Revised Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine (TTIQ) and Public Health and Social Measures (PHSMs)
National Cabinet received updated advice from AHPPC on test, trace, isolate and quarantine (TTIQ) measures and public health and social measures (PHSMs) in place during the transition to living with COVID-19.
National Cabinet agreed to the AHPPC principles of test, trace, isolate and quarantine (TTIQ) applicable from Phase B of the National Plan, and the AHPPC principles to guide the application of public health and social measures (PHSM) appropriate to maintain disease control.
National Cabinet further agreed to adopt the baseline PHSM with the implementation of Phase C of the National Plan, with flexibility to apply variable PHSM in communities with less than 80 per cent vaccination coverage, and as required by specific epidemiological circumstances.
National Cabinet also agreed, from Phase C, to adopt a risk-based approach to changes to quarantine arrangements for contacts, including differential arrangements for fully vaccinated close contacts.
For vaccinated primary close contacts:

• Jurisdictions to adopt an appropriate testing regime
• Jurisdictions to consider risk-based quarantine arrangements for fully vaccinated primary contacts, including no quarantine or minimal quarantine for up to 7 days
• Casual contacts, where identified, required only to seek testing and isolate if experiencing symptoms, and avoid high risk settings until a negative result
• Unvaccinated close contacts quarantining for 14 days

The National Coordinating Mechanism will develop and communicate TTIQ approaches to maintain operation of key sectors of the economy (including food distribution) in high-case scenarios, in consultation with relevant government and non-government bodies.
National Cabinet further agreed that the Commonwealth Department of Health with the AHPPC will develop a nationally consistent framework for the use of Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), including recommended cadence for screening and outbreak management, protocols for management of positive RAT and advice on high risk settings and prevalence.
National Cabinet further noted the Second Review of Quarantine Arrangements in Australia and thanked Ms Jane Halton AO PSM on the recommendations which align with the phases in the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.
Living with COVID-19 – Health System Capacity
National Cabinet received an update on progress being made by all jurisdictions on enhancing health system capacity planning under the various phases of the National Plan to Transition Australia’s National COVID-19 response.
All states and territories have confirmed that each has sufficient health system capacity to transition to living with COVID-19 and under different levels of community transmission.
National Cabinet agreed to release updated Doherty Institute modelling in coming days on health system capacities at living with COVID and surge capacity at different levels of community transmission.
National Cabinet noted the Commonwealth’s additional support for the health sector during the transition to living with COVID, including primary health care support, the minimum funding guarantee for hospitals continuing through 2021-22, the extension of COVID-19 AUSMAT Support for Vulnerable Australian Communities and support to facilitating overseas health practitioner migration.
National Cabinet agreed to release a revised Common Operating Picture including revised metrics for health system capacity.
National Cabinet endorsed the AHPPC papers on vaccinations of home care and disability care workers.
Borders and International Travel
National Cabinet noted the successful reopening of international borders with no quarantine into New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria for fully vaccinated international arrivals. Since the last National Cabinet:

• Commonwealth has set new caps for vaccinated and unvaccinated inbound arrivals
• One way travel bubble has reopened with New Zealand
• Removal of restrictions on outbound travel for fully vaccinated Australians
• Quarantine free travel into NSW, Victoria and ACT for fully vaccinated international arrivals, including Australians, permanent residents, immediate family, parents and exempt foreigners visa holders. Already around 7,000 fully vaccinated travellers have arrived through Sydney and Melbourne Airports
• Commencement of Pacific Pathways Plan for workers from COVID free Pacific countries
• Extension of travel exemptions for inbound travel for parents of Australians
• Singapore two way travel bubble for Singaporean Nationals will commence on 21 November

National Cabinet also noted a paper on international cruise ship reopening.
National Cabinet noted that states and territories will control the recommencement of cruises in each jurisdiction when the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Aged Care has revoked the BioSecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency)(Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential)(Emergency Requirements for Cruise Ships).
High Risk Weather Events
National Cabinet received a briefing from Emergency Management Australia on the 2021-22 High Risk Weather Season, and noted that a La Niña watch has been issued in 2021.