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 has accepted all 38 recommendations from a review into COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities.
The Independent Review of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities, will underpin continued improvements as the Government and aged care sector prioritise the health and wellbeing of senior Australians in care.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, and Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck said the review was an important blueprint as we navigate the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
“It has been an extremely challenging time for all of us, but particularly senior and vulnerable Australians and those who care for them,” Minister Hunt said.
“The review’s 38 recommendations will help aged care facility administrators better prepare for and respond to future COVID-19 outbreaks and will assist the Government in monitoring and evaluating these measures.”
Minister Colbeck said the review was already guiding measures for the protection of aged care residents and workers in the current New South Wales, Victoria and ACT outbreaks.
“Importantly, the findings show that while community transmission is the biggest predictor of COVID‑19 outbreaks in aged care settings, effective leadership at all levels is the most critical factor in defending against the virus,” Minister Colbeck said.
He said the information in the report will also provide input and guidance into the principals required as we move towards living with COVID-19 in residential aged care.
The report outlines nine key lines of defence to minimise risk of COVID-19 outbreaks:

• Built environment and infrastructure;
• Clinical care;
• Effective interagency communication;
• Emergency response;
• Infection prevention and control;
• Leadership, management and governance;
• Planning and preparation;
• Preventing social isolation; and
• Workforce and staff mental health.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and its Aged Care Advisory Group have considered the recommendations.
Minister Hunt said the Government will continue to adapt the way it prepares for and responds to an outbreak, based on what has been learned.
“This will be done in collaboration with the aged care sector, state and territory governments and health authorities,” Minister Hunt said.
“It will also be important that, as the community transitions to living with COVID, we continue with critical strategies such as vaccinations and testing, so that aged care residents and staff are protected.”
Minister Colbeck said since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Morrison Government has committed over $2.1 billion in funding for aged care COVID support.
“We have listened to the experiences and stories of those living, working and caring in the aged care sector throughout the pandemic,” Minister Colbeck said.  “We are committed to improving our preparation for and response to outbreaks, and better supporting our most vulnerable Australians.”
The Ministers thanked the authors of the review and the residents, families, friends, carers, providers and workers who contributed to this and the previous four independent reviews.
The full report can be found here.
Please note that the release of the report may be confronting for anyone affected by the impact of the pandemic on Australia’s aged care sector. The following support is available:

• The Older Persons Advocacy Network can be reached on 1800 700 600
• The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement can be reached on 1800 22 22 00
• The Essential Network for health professionals– a website and mobile app by the Black Dog Institute available at blackdoginstitute.org.au/ten or via the Google Play and Apple Store
• Smiling Mind – a mobile application with practical tools to support good mental health during challenging times, available via the Google Play and Apple Store.

Aged care workers can also access mental health support available to all Australians including:

• Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service can be reached on 1800 512 348 or at coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au.
• Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14
• Head to Health provides access to free and low cost digital and phone mental health services and supports, available at headtohealth.gov.au

The strategic founder of Australia’s National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC), Professor Leonard Notaras AO, has been appointed Chair of the World Health Organization’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Strategic Advisory Group (SAG).
Professor Notaras has a long history in disaster response having coordinated the Royal Darwin Hospital response to the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, along with events at Ashmore Reef in 2009.
Professor Notaras AO currently serves as the Executive Director of the NCCTRC and has been a staunch supporter of the EMT Initiative and its network since it began in 2014.
The Australian Government provides annual funding to the NCCTRC since its inception in 2005, with the current National Partnership Agreement with the Northern Territory providing $67.6 million from 2019-2023. Its role, out of Darwin, Northern Territory, includes coordinating and deploying the AUSMAT (Australian Medical Assistance Team) capability, as well as providing extensive training and research opportunities in response to major national and international disasters.
AUSMATs have been deployed internationally for more than a decade, providing medical response following major disasters and health crises.
More recently AUSMATs have been deployed domestically, in particular to provide additional support to the states and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt, said Professor Notras’ nomination and acceptance of the role was a testament to his storied career in the medical profession.
“The Australian Government nominated Professor Notaras for the position in recognition of his commitment and work in the EMT Initiative, a program endorsed by the Strategic Advisory Group and the World Health Organization,” Minister Hunt said.
“I am delighted that Professor Notaras will take up the 2-year appointment, advising on the strategic direction of the EMT Initiative, as well as continuing his vital work in his role with the NCCTRC.”
“The appointment of Professor Notaras as Chair also recognises the continued commitment from Australia to supporting the EMT Initiative. I commend him for his work and know he will serve Australia and the world well in this new position.”
Professor Notaras said he was honoured to have been nominated and appointed to the role, following in the footsteps of highly acclaimed World Health Organization Ambassador Toni Frisch.
“Ambassador Frisch played a critical role in guiding the EMT initiative and I am honoured that I have been appointed to steer this important work for the next two years,” Professor Notaras said.
“The EMT initiative plays an important role in the global health workforce and the COVID‑19 pandemic has demonstrated the value of continuing to ensure teams have training and equipment, are self-sufficient, credentialed and meet the necessary standards for emergency deployment.”