Month: November 2021

The Greens say today’s report that more than 98% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral reefs have suffered bleaching is a damning indictment of the Morrison Government’s climate inaction and exposes the sickening cynicism of its campaign to keep the Reef off UNESCO’s “in danger” list earlier this year.
Greens deputy leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said:
“Climate change and pollution have already killed off half of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover, endangering this precious natural asset and the 60,000 jobs that rely on it.
“Today’s report from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies now reveals that only 2% of the Reef has escaped bleaching – and this is in the same week that the PM went to an international climate summit to flog fossil fuels on behalf of his donors.
“Morrison’s climate policies, enabled by Labor’s bipartisan support for public subsidising of new coal and gas, are cooking the Reef and our future.
“The commitments given at Glasgow give the world a fifty-fifty shot at limiting global heating to two degrees, but that would be catastrophic for the Reef. At two degrees we would lose 99% of coral reefs worldwide; even at 1.5 degrees we would lose 90%.
“If the PM really wants to keep the Reef off the ‘in danger’ list when the World Heritage Committee convenes in Russia next year, he should shut his door to fossil fuel lobbyists and adopt ambitious and science-based 2030 targets to constrain the climate crisis.”
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:
“Report after report continues to paint the most tragic and bleak picture for the Great Barrier Reef unless radical climate action is taken immediately.
“The high-profile Great Barrier Reef is a barometer for the declining health of marine ecosystems everywhere.
‘While the Great Barrier Reef deserves the world’s attention and significant funding for its restoration, Australia’s Great Southern Reef system also suffers yet goes largely unnoticed.
“This massive temperate-water reef system, similar in size and significance to its northern sister, connects much of Southern Australia including Tasmania and has also suffered devastating impacts from warming oceans.
“Tasmania’s giant kelp forests were listed as endangered under EPBC laws a decade ago, yet have now largely vanished. The government still hasn’t produced a recovery plan for this critical habitat, indeed it receives virtually no federal research or adaptation funding.
“Signs of the climate emergency are everywhere along Australia’s coastlines, and we now have our eyes wide open to this belligerent government who refuse to take necessary climate action.”

The Australian Government is supporting the states and territories to increase the capacity of the health system, as the country enters the next phase of the National Plan to re-open and live with COVID-19.
In total, the Government has committed more than $32 billion in additional health expenditure in response to COVID-19.
To further support the states and territories, the Government will extend the Minimum Hospital Funding Guarantee for an additional year (to 30 June 2022) in recognition that COVID-19 is still having a significant impact on public hospitals, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria.
The funding contribution for public hospitals services in all states and territories under the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA) has grown substantially, from $13.3 billion in 2012–13 to $25.5 billion in 2019–20, a 92% increase. Over this same period, state and territory funding for their own hospitals has only recorded 44% growth.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt said “The extension will provide security of funding for our critical public hospitals while the National Plan is implemented.”
“Australian’s can rest assured, they have access to a world class health system whenever and wherever they need it,” Minister Hunt said. “As restrictions are easing around Australia, particularly in areas which have experienced outbreaks of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in 2021, many hospitals are returning their focus on the jobs they do so well, emergency care, cancer care, elective surgery and all the critical services which have been less of a priority during the pandemic.”
The 2019–20 minimum hospital funding guarantee delivered a $532 million increase to the states’ 2019–20 National Health Reform Agreement entitlements.
Regional Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie said the Government will facilitate the migration of health practitioners with confirmed employment in the state and territory health system, including in regional areas, through above-cap places on commercial flights to boost the health workforce.
“The Government is investing a further $8 million to extend support to AUSMAT, for its domestic deployment capacity to support remote and vulnerable communities facing future COVID-19 outbreaks,” Dr Gillespie said.
“AUSMAT’s deployment to western and far western New South Wales earlier this year improved access to health care and vaccines for local communities during outbreaks.”
To support senior Australians move from hospital into their homes or residential aged care more quickly, the Government is providing $16.6 million funding for an extra 357 temporary Transition Care Programme places.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck said, “The additional capacity will help an additional 1,000 senior Australians to access transition care between now and 30 June 2022.”
“The Transition Care Programme provides up to 12 weeks of short-term post-hospital restorative care for senior Australians, providing services such as allied health and nursing support to enable people to return to their own homes or an aged care home, or a mix of both, rather than having to remain in hospital,” Minister Colbeck said.
Specifically, the Northern Territory will also receive 10 new permanent Transition Care places with an annual investment of more than $780,000 from the Australian Government, to support more than 40 additional senior Territorians each year.
These announcements build on the significant funding of more than $180 million already announced to support the primary care health sector that includes:

• National COVID Triage, Management and Escalation Infrastructure: readying the national health call centre Healthdirect to connect COVID-positive people who receive a positive COVID-19 laboratory test result are contacted as early as possible and connected to the right level of care and support.
• COVID Community Care Pathways: providing clear plans on where and how COVID positive people will be managed through primary and community care services, and when care needs to be delivered through hospitals.
• Additional MBS item for general practitioners: providing a rebate of $25 which can be claimed in addition to existing general consultation items, to support face-face care of COVID-19 positive patients.
• Home visits for patients recovering at home: commissioning home visits by practice nurses, nurse practitioners and medical deputising services for patients requiring home visits or after hours services while under GP management with a particular focus on regional and rural areas.
• National Medical Stockpile supplies to support primary health care: procuring supplies of pulse oximeters and strengthening distribution arrangements for personal protective equipment (PPE) to general practice and other primary health care settings seeing COVID-positive people, with particular emphasis on strengthening the supply chain for rural and remote practices.
• General Practice Respiratory Clinics (GPRCs): Extending the reach and the role of our network of GPRCs so that COVID-positive people without an available usual GP, or where access to GPs is limited, have a general practice that they can safely attend for assessment and management rather than presenting at an emergency department in non-urgent circumstances.
• COVID-19 Management Guidelines: the RACGP is urgently updating its COVID-19 Management Guidelines for GPs to include treatment of COVID positive patients with moderate symptoms and to support care for COVID-19 positive people at home.
• Continued dispensing arrangements: extending the temporary Continued Dispensing (Emergency Measures) for the dispensing of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) until 30 June 2022.

Combined, these measures further support the continued implementation of the National Plan and deliver on the Government’s commitment to a timely and safe re-opening of Australia.

The Morrison Government will invest more than $780,000 for 10 new permanent transition care places to better cater to the needs of senior and vulnerable Territorians.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, and Senator for the Northern Territory, Dr Sam McMahon said the additional places, made available through the Government’s Transitional Care Program offered peace-of-mind for those seeking care and their families.
“The Northern Territory is a small, remote jurisdiction, and the new places recognise the challenges this brings by helping more than 40 additional people to access transition care every year,” Minister Colbeck said.
“These additional transition care places are also expected to ease some of the current capacity pressure being experienced by Royal Darwin Palmerston Hospital.”
Minister Colbeck said the Transition Care Program provides vital restorative care for senior Australians after hospitalisation.
The additional places mean more people can be discharged from hospital and receive transition care in their own home an aged care home, or a mix of both, rather than remaining in hospital.
Senator McMahon said the permanent care place would offer recipients services such as allied health and nursing support to enable people to return to their own homes, where possible.
“Navigating the care needs of seniors can be extremely challenging but these additional places will ensure the health and wellbeing of older Territorians remains a priority,” Dr McMahon said.
“It is reassuring for families knowing their loved one may be able to return to their own homes or aged care homes after a hospital stay.”

The Morrison Government has opened a $20 million grant program for home care providers to increase and report on the vaccination rate of their workforce.
More than 175,000 senior Australians are on a home care package with the services they receive provided by around 116,000 home care workers.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the grants would give home care providers extra assistance to ensure the safety of their clients.
The approval of the program follows today’s meeting of National Cabinet which continues to act on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
“Although we are seeing a great take up of the vaccination in older Australians, with almost 92 per cent of people over 70 having received two doses, it is imperative this workforce is vaccinated to minimise the risk of COVID-19 entering the homes of vulnerable seniors,” Minister Hunt said.
While COVID-19 vaccination is not a mandatory requirement nationally for in-home and community aged care workers, the Government expects to receive advice soon from the medical experts of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) about whether it should be a prerequisite of employment across Australia.
COVID-19 vaccination is a mandatory requirement for this workforce in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, and Victoria.
Western Australia has announced requirements for COVID-19 vaccination for a range of occupations and workforces in the state, including in-home and community aged care workers.
“Irrespective of the advice from the AHPPC, I urge workers to take up vaccination now to protect themselves, their families and the people in their care,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck, said the vaccination status of the workforce was continuing to grow.
“As at 4 November, home care providers reported 85 per cent of home care workers had received a first dose and 69.5 per cent a second dose,” Minister Colbeck said.
“These grants – up to $48,000 – will help approved providers support their workforce to get vaccinated. It will also assist with mandatory reporting of the vaccination status of their workforce on the My Aged Care Portal, which came into effect in July.”
The Department of Health is working closely with all providers to ensure workforce COVID-19 vaccination reporting is up to date and accurate.
“Good data will help us support public health measures and inform any adjustments we need to make to better support vaccinations for workers,” Minister Hunt said.
In-home and community aged care workers have had priority access to COVID-19 vaccination since March 2021.
Dedicated vaccination hubs initially opened to residential aged care and disability workers are now available to in-home and community aged care workers.
GPs, pharmacies and government vaccination clinics have also been asked to support in-home and community aged care workers with appointments within 7 days
Providers can use the grants announced today to cover costs incurred from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. This is in addition to existing financial support for aged care providers directly impacted by COVID-19.
Applications open on 5 November. Further details are available on GrantConnect.
This funding builds on $13.8 million that was recently made available to support Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers increase and report on the vaccination rate of their workforce, as part of the CHSP COVID-19 emergency funding grant opportunity.
This funding can assist CHSP providers to meet the costs associated with staff taking leave to attend a vaccination clinic, activities that encourage staff to get vaccinated and the collection and reporting of the vaccination status of workers.
Applications are available on GrantConnect and also close on 30 June 2022.

The final tunnelling breakthrough on the M4-M5 Link Tunnels has been completed, marking a major construction milestone in Australia’s largest road infrastructure project.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the $16.8 billion project was cutting travel times and supporting thousands of families with work as Sydney and Australia were reopening from COVID lockdowns.
“This breakthrough isn’t just for a tunnel, but it’s a breakthrough for getting people home sooner and safer and helping workers to move around,” the Prime Minister said.
“As well as the 9,000 jobs this project has been delivering, the tunnel is going to make it easier for people across Sydney to pick up work and jobs that just wouldn’t have been possible before with traffic.
“As we reopen Sydney and Australia, projects like this bypass and our record $110 billion infrastructure investment are going to give our economy even more of a boost.”
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the third stage of WestConnex is now another step closer to forming a western bypass of the Sydney CBD.
“This project will change the lives of thousands of people, bypassing dozens of sets of traffic lights and allowing an uninterrupted drive from the Blue Mountains to the city,” the Premier said.
“As part of the New South Wales Government’s record $108.5 billion investment pipeline, WestConnex is already easing congestion, creating jobs and connecting communities, right across our city.
“Our Government has its eye to the future and this breakthrough will complete a ‘missing link’ between the new M4 Tunnels at Haberfield and the M8 at St Peters.”
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Commonwealth Government had co-funded WestConnex from the outset with a grant of $1.5 billion and a concessional loan of $2 billion.
“This is a major milestone in what is one of the most significant road infrastructure projects in the country, which is already delivering major benefits for Sydney commuters by reducing travel times, easing congestion and improving safety,” Minister Fletcher said.
“When opened to traffic in 2023, the M4-M5 Link Tunnels and Rozelle Interchange will complete the WestConnex project, providing improved links between key employment hubs and local communities.”
NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Rob Stokes said 22 of the 33 kilometres of WestConnex would be underground, including the 7.5 kilometres that make up the M4-M5 Link Tunnels.
“This final breakthrough means both the north and southbound tunnels are connected for the first time, with roadheaders carving out the rock 43 metres below ground at Leichhardt,” Minister Stokes said.
“The milestone is an enormous credit to every one of the 9,000 workers and sub-contractors who’ve worked on the project, ensuring construction continues safely.
“The M4-M5 Link Tunnels will remove tens of thousands of vehicles from surrounding streets, including Parramatta Road, and will help slash up to 40 minutes from an average peak journey between Parramatta and the Sydney Airport.”
Transurban CEO Scott Charlton said drivers are already enjoying the benefits of WestConnex, with close to 150 million trips made on the first two stages in the last financial year.
“The New M4 Tunnels and M8 have been transformative for Sydney, by easing traffic congestion and improving liveability for local communities,” Mr Charlton said.

The Greens have slammed the PM’s refusal to sign the EU and US global methane pledge, after it was announced this morning that over 100 countries have now become signatories.
It is appalling that Labor is also refusing to back the pledge.
The pledge commits to reducing global methane emissions by 30% on 2020 levels by 2030 and would significantly reduce warming.
Continuing to run a protection racket for coal and gas projects and their methane emissions, Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce and Labor have collaborated to frame methane emission reduction as an attack on agriculture, despite the numbers indicating we could meet the 30% reduction by acting on coal and gas emissions by 2030 and without touching a single cow. Further, the final wording of the pledge does not even require each country to cut by 30%.
The fastest growing source of Australia’s emissions is the gas industry.
Meat and Livestock Australia, the peak body for the cattle industry, has already committed to net-zero by 2030 and agriculture emissions are already declining.
With the world’s first (Brazil) and third (United States) largest beef exporters now both signatories to the pledge, it is clear Australia’s recalcitrance has nothing to do with the cattle industry and everything to do with the coal and gas corporations’ donations to Liberal and Labor.
Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“The world knows that the quickest way to help stop global warming is to cut methane, but Liberal and Labor want more coal and gas.”
“Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce have whipped up a fact-free frenzy about farmers, pretending this pledge would somehow hurt agriculture. But this isn’t about protecting farmers, it’s about protecting fracking.
“Australia could join the rest of the world and sign this methane pledge without touching a single cow.
“Our leaders are lying to farmers, just like they lie to coal and gas workers, just like they lie in diplomatic relations. This isn’t leadership, it’s a failure of leadership.
“Farmers are at risk from more severe droughts because Liberal and Labor are taking donations from big coal and gas corporations, choosing coal over crops.”

Scott Morrison has departed Glasgow after committing Australia to the international consortium of climate sabotage alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia.
​​In a major announcement, more than 40 countries have agreed to phase out coal-fired power, but Australia has refused to sign on, with Liberal and Labor instead wanting more coal and gas.
As global momentum grows to match commitments with the goals of the Paris agreement, Australia is running a protection racket for coal and gas through accounting tricks, “non binding targets”, interference and delay tactics.
The International Energy Agency said earlier this year there must be no new coal, oil or gas projects if the global energy sector is to reach the 1.5 degree temperature goal of the Paris Agreement and help avoid catastrophic climate change.
In stark contrast with this advice, in Australia there are 72 new coal projects and 44 new gas projects in the investment pipeline. According to research from the Australia Institute, these 116 projects would push up global emissions by nearly 1.7 billion tons a year if they were to all proceed, more than three times Australia’s domestic emissions today.
To ensure the fossil fuel industry continues long into the future, Labor supported the Coalition in a vote to allow Export Finance Australia to invest in fossil fuel projects, in contrast to the new pledge to end public financing of fossil fuels in Glasgow.
Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“This government is completely committed to climate sabotage, aligning themselves with Russia and Saudi Arabia.
“Scott Morrison says we won’t fix global warming without China, but then refuses to work with the US and UK to get China in the tent.
“In the middle of a climate crisis, Liberal and Labor want more coal and gas.
“This year alone we’ve seen nine new coal mines and coal mine extensions approved. Empire Energy is about to frack the NT Beetaloo Basin, Woodside will deepwater drill off the West Australian coast, and Santos will open up a coal seam gas field in Narrabri.
“Nothing tells the story of Liberal and Labor’s climate sabotage like the 116 fossil fuel projects in the pipeline. They’ve got no plans to quit coal, no plans to quit gas, and no plan for climate action.”