Month: January 2022

The Australian Greens are calling on the Morrison Government to immediately suspend mutual obligations on jobseekers and others on income support to protect the community during Omicron’s rapid spread.
Australian Greens spokesperson for community affairs and social services, Senator Janet Rice said:
“Before the pandemic, mutual obligations were already gross, discriminatory and ineffective; now meeting the requirements is putting people in direct danger.
“Forcing people on JobSeeker and other income support – many of whom might be sick or caring for someone who is sick – to attend interviews, job services provider appointments and other face-to-face activities is putting thousands of people at further and unnecessary risk of contracting COVID.
“The Morrison Government must immediately suspend mutual obligation requirements until the pandemic is over, or better yet, abolish the broken system altogether.
“Morrison must stop pretending the pandemic is over and realise people are struggling more than ever to keep their heads above water. The government has made the deliberate choice to keep JobSeeker and other payments below the poverty line, and made the COVID disaster payments prohibitively difficult to access for most people who need them.
“The government must immediately and permanently raise income payments for all who need it back to the $550 a fortnight pandemic supplement we saw in 2020.
“We are still in the middle of this pandemic. But unlike 2020, the Morrison Government has no plan and is providing almost no support to the people that most need it.
“If the government has $100 billion to spend on dangerous nuclear submarines, they have enough not to force people to live in poverty.”

Greens acting Leader, Nick McKim says the confusion and mismanagement of the pandemic on a Federal level is symptomatic of a Government led by people who want government to do as little as possible.
The Morrison-Joyce ‘small government’ neoliberal ideology has contributed to failures on quarantine, vaccination rollout, aged care and massive pressure on state run health systems.
The Greens will take a message to the election that a better resourced, better run government willing to take responsibility for programs can do more to mitigate and adapt to the twin challenges of climate and covid.
Greens acting leader Senator Nick McKim said:
“Confusion continues around testing, vaccines for kids, aged care and isolation rules. Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce don’t really believe in government, and it shows.
“The Greens know that a democratic government can be a powerful force for good, and that the Australian people are becoming increasingly sick of a government that wants to outsource every responsibility.
“We should make big corporations and tycoons pay their fair share of tax so we can fund government programs to respond to the challenges of Covid and climate change.
“Australia deserves better than people who scream about wanting no government at all, while occupying the highest offices in the government.
“At every turn the neoliberal ideology has stopped us from taking action, from purpose-built quarantine to domestic mRNA vaccine production. The government always claims it’s ‘too hard’, but really they would just ideologically prefer a corporation do it.
“We also need a government led response on climate. Market incentives alone are not going to move fast enough for Australia to do it’s part to meet the Paris goals for a safe climate.”

The Morrison Government is investing in the future competitiveness of Australian health and medical research with more than $44 million for postgraduate scholarships, international collaboration and research infrastructure and equipment through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Investment in health and medical research capability through postgraduate scholarships and international partnerships is critical to both create and maintain Australia’s competitive sector.
This funding is part of the $1 billion available for NHMRC’s 2021 grant round, the highest yet through the Medical Research Endowment Account.
The postgraduate scholarships will create opportunities for many graduates in medicine and health sciences to pursue their ideas and tackle the health challenges facing our community.
Today’s investment also includes funding to support international collaboration by established researchers.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said sharing scientific knowledge enables Australian researchers to develop best practices and build international research networks that will accelerate discoveries and their translation into better health outcomes.
“NHMRC’s international partnerships bring researchers together to promote global health objectives and strengthen Australian participation in international research efforts,” Minister Hunt said.
“This announcement is also an investment in the next generation of Australian medical research leaders, with the careers of many of Australia’s foremost health and medical researchers kick-started by an NHMRC postgraduate scholarship.”
Funding announced today comprises:

• $25.7 million to contribute to infrastructure costs of research for 21 independent medical research institutes through the Independent Research Institutes Infrastructure Support Scheme (IRIISS).
• More than $7.24 million to support the early research careers of 65 outstanding health and medical graduates through NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships.
• More than $2.8 million to support collaboration with our regional neighbours, sharing vital resources and ideas to combat complex regional health challenges through NHMRC’s participation in the e-ASIA Joint Research Program.
• More than $2.5 million to support collaborative research with partners through the 2021 NHMRC – European Union Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) Grants and NHMRC – National Institute for Research Health (UK) Collaborative Research Grants.
• $5.7 million for 45 grants for the procurement of equipment to support the highest quality health and medical research.

“A strong health and medical research system relies on scientists, clinicians and others working together to share knowledge and accelerate discoveries and their translation into better health outcomes,” NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso AO said.
“This collaboration begins with postgraduate research students learning from their mentors, sharing skills and ideas, and continues with international partnerships when researchers around the world come together to solve shared health challenges.”
NHMRC Postgraduate scholarships

NHMRC e-ASIA 2021 Joint Research Program

2021 NHMRC-European Union Joint Programme on Neurodegenerative Disease Research – JPND

2020 NHMRC-NIHR Collaborative Research Grant Scheme Round 3

Three million vaccines are being distributed ahead of the start of the school year to enable the 2.3 million children now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID to get their first vaccine.
They will join children aged 12 to 15, who are rapidly taking up vaccination as part of Australia’s successful vaccination program.
Australia is one of the most vaccinated countries against COVID-19, with over 91 per cent of the eligible population now fully vaccinated and more than three million boosters administered to date.
Australia is also one of the first countries to commence vaccinating children against COVID-19, with the United States also offering children aged 5-11 the Pfizer vaccine.
Over 73 per cent of 12 to 15 year old children have been fully vaccinated and now children aged 5 to 11 can come forward and benefit from the protection a COVID-19 vaccination provides.
High rates of vaccination among children not only contributes to overall community protection but also reduces the chances of outbreaks causing further disruption to children’s schooling and other activities.
Following the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) approval of the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine for the 5 to 11 age group, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised the Australian Government on how best to safely incorporate it into Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program.
Parents, carers and guardians can be reassured that by vaccinating their children against COVID-19 they have done everything possible to keep their child safe from this virus.
The Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds will be distributed to vaccine providers in different packaging to the vaccine approved for people 12 and over, and will be clearly differentiated by being dispensed from orange-capped vials instead of grey or purple capped vials.
As with other age groups, the use of this vaccine in children aged 5-11 years should be given in two doses at least 8 weeks apart.
Vaccine deliveries began in late 2021 and have undergone rigorous batch testing in the TGA laboratories.
This vaccine – like all other vaccines – is safe, effective and free and has undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy before being approved by the TGA.
To date, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use in this age group.
The TGA is also currently evaluating an application from Moderna for its COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Australia for children aged 6 to 11 and the Government already has supply deals in place to make it available should it be approved by the TGA and recommended by ATAGI.
Bookings can be made via the Commonwealth’s Vaccine Clinic Finder.