Small businesses hit hardest by the Omicron wave have been handed a further lifeline, with the Small Business Support Program extended to a new closing date of 29 April 2022.
The financial support package has assisted businesses, workers and the performing arts across NSW with cash flow and to continue trading.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the four-week extension was important to ensure small businesses have the resources they need to survive COVID-19 and bounce back.
“This extension will allow more businesses to apply, and takes into account potential application delays for businesses from flood-affected areas,” Mr Kean said.
“The pandemic and floods have been tough for so many over the past couple of months. But this targeted support helps place our economy in a resilience and recovery phase.”
Small Business Minister Eleni Petinos said that due to the crucial role played by the 800,000 small businesses across NSW in providing essential goods, services and jobs, the Government wanted to ensure sufficient time was provided for as many to apply as possible.
“Many of these businesses experienced challenges due to the Omicron wave of the pandemic, and we understand the pressures they face,” Ms Petinos said.
“This targeted program will support impacted small businesses and help them bounce back after a challenging start to the year.”
The Small Business Support Program provides eligible businesses a lump sum payment of 20 per cent of weekly payroll with a minimum payment of $500 per week and a maximum payment of $5,000 per week. Businesses with an annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million that experienced a decline in turnover of at least 40 per cent in January 2022 and the start of February 2022 are eligible.
For more information please visit nsw.gov.au/.
Month: March 2022
One of Sydney’s oldest ports to be transformed in world first project
NSW will be home to the world’s first 100 per cent renewable energy shore powered shipping precinct, at the Bays Port in the heart of Sydney.
Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said Bays Port, which includes Glebe Island and White Bay, will be the first bulk shipping precinct fully supplied by shore power. The White Bay Cruise Terminal will also be the first shore powered cruise berth in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Our Government is creating the ports of the future and in doing so transforming the communities in which they continue to operate,” Mr Elliott said.
“The first berth is set to come online in 2024, and will allow shore power capable ships to cut their diesel generators, and thereby reducing emissions, air pollution and noise levels whilst at port.
“Shore power is cleaner and quieter, minimising the impact of ships on neighbouring areas and ensuring our last remaining deep water harbour berths continue to operate sustainably into the future,” Mr Elliott said.
In the Bays Port area alone, renewable shore power will remove up to 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere over 12 months, the equivalent of taking over 4,000 cars off our roads every year.
The Port Authority of NSW CEO, Captain Philip Holliday, announced the net zero and shore power plan with the support of bulk shipping and cruise industry leaders.
“This is an historic partnership with the Port Authority of NSW investing over $60 million to deliver this infrastructure as the first step, with port users already pledging to retrofit and build ships to take advantage of this technology,” Captain Holliday said.
“Delivering Shore Power will drive us even further than our already ambitious NSW net zero targets, of a 75 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and be net zero by 2040.”
NSW government commits to a circular economy
Sustainable, economically viable and environmentally friendly projects have received NSW Government funding through a program which is fostering innovation through the state’s world-leading researchers and companies.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the Circular Economy Challenge Program will help to remove barriers and build new sustainable supply chains that minimise or eliminate waste as well as generate jobs and investment in new circular industries.
“The Circular Economy refers to a model of production and consumption which aims to eliminate waste by keeping products and materials in use through innovative methods,” Mr Henskens said.
“This funding is supporting exciting ways for businesses and people to participate in the new zero-carbon, zero-waste circular economy, ensuring NSW stays at the forefront of innovation and research in this area.”
The funding was announced today, coinciding with Minister Henskens addressing the Australia Circular Economy Forum hosted by NSW Circular.
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the projects are focused on solving the greatest environmental challenges through innovation.
“The circular economy is already in action in NSW, through programs including our wildly successful Return and Earn scheme, which has had more than 7 billion plastic containers returned,” Mr Griffin said.
“I’m focused on boosting the circular economy even more to help support our environment through the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy, which begins implementation this year.”
NSW Circular CEO Lisa McLean said collaboration is the key to solving the big challenges of transitioning to a circular economy.
“These research projects are proving there are new and better ways to reduce, recycle and reuse waste across many sectors – health, waste management, construction, infrastructure and finance,” Ms McLean said.
$5.4 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HELLS GATES DAM
The Morrison-Joyce Government has locked in $5.4 billion to build the Hells Gates Dam in North Queensland that will create thousands of jobs while delivering water security for the region, particularly for the agriculture sector.
Through the 2022–23 Budget, the Government will guarantee funding to build the dam, subject to the completion of the final stage of the business case, expected in June this year.
Hells Gates is anticipated to open up as much as 60,000 hectares of irrigation across three agricultural zones in the Burdekin, supported through a 2,100-gigalitre dam and bolstered by three downstream irrigation weirs.
The project is expected to create more than 7,000 jobs and inject up to $1.3 billion of Gross Regional Product (GRP) into North Queensland’s economy during construction alone.
During operations, new and expanded agricultural opportunities are expected to support more than 3,000 regional jobs and generate up to $6 billion in GRP.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said delivering water infrastructure in North Queensland was vital to securing a strong economy while supporting farmers and industry.
“We need to build more dams in Australia. Building dams makes our economy stronger by supporting our agricultural industries to realise their true potential,” the Prime Minister said.
“Water is a precious resource and we need more dams to better use that resource.
“We’ve done the homework on Hells Gates Dam and it’s now time to get on and build it. We have put our money on the table, so let’s cut the green tape, get the approvals and get it done.
“This dam will help turn the Burdekin region into an agricultural powerhouse, helping our farmers to stock supermarkets and feed Australia while also securing North Queensland’s water supply and security.
“This investment will kick off a jobs boom across North Queensland for years to come, creating thousands of jobs while generating work for small businesses across the entire north, including in Townsville.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the Government’s investment would help North Queensland realise its full potential.
“North Queensland holds enormous agricultural opportunity and this funding for Hells Gates is part of our plan to unlock this major irrigation expansion,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“Irrigating the regional soils of the Burdekin will help the region realise its full potential as a producer of the food Australians and the world needs, driving us closer to taking agricultural production to over $100 billion a year by 2030. This will create more jobs and generate more wealth for our nation.
“The sooner water flows in the west, the sooner we can sell more products to the world and earn the money that will help make Australia as strong as possible as quickly as possible.
“We have put the money to build Hells Gates in the bank and we are ready to get on with the job.”
Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said the project would have a significant flow-on effect for Townsville.
“We’ve backed this project right from the start because it is something that will create jobs and drive the economy forward,” Mr Thompson said.
“The Townsville Port is well-placed to handle exports from the region, especially after our forward planning and investment into the channel widening project.”
Special Envoy for Northern Australia and Senator for Queensland Susan McDonald said the Morrison-Joyce Government is serious about big-ticket projects in Northern Australia, not only to store water but to drive industry, agriculture, renewable energy and provide jobs to grow regional populations.
“The focus on our north has never been greater, and this focus has been backed by real action and a renewed vigour in how we provide the funding and regulatory framework needed to drive mining, grow business confidence, boost primary production and increase Indigenous involvement,” Senator McDonald said.
“We’re building roads, streamlining environmental approvals processes, and encouraging our mineral sector, making it easier for business to recruit workers and ensuring communities can thrive.
“The Northern Australia agenda is a significant undertaking that we are committed to seeing through.”
Today’s announcement builds on the suite of dams and water infrastructure projects the Coalition is already investing in and delivering across Queensland, including:
- $600 million towards the restoration of Paradise Dam;
- $505.65 towards the delivery and construction of Urannah Dam;
- $183.6 million towards the Rookwood Weir;
- $180 million towards the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme; and
- $30 million towards the Big Rocks Weir.
Pressing matters: report on Australia’s regional newspapers
Recommendations to support Australia’s newspaper services in rural, regional and remote areas will be laid out in a report released today by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts.
Committee Chair, Dr Anne Webster MP said, ‘Regional newspapers in Australia represent a large and diverse industry, which has experienced significant challenges over the past decade. With the transition to digital news and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, assessing the health of our regional newspapers is more important than ever before.’
The Committee made 12 recommendations aimed at addressing core sector issues, and implementing alternative and sustainable business practices, to ensure the longevity of local newspapers across Australia.
The Committee also recommended a multi-pronged approach to support the long-term viability of the sector, particularly for small and independent newspapers based in regional and remote Australian communities. The approach includes the funding and development of a project to gather and analyse core longitudinal data on regional newspapers in Australia.
‘For people in regional, rural, or remote communities, regional newspapers are the main source of local information. It also plays an important role in maintaining an interconnected community, and a healthy democracy. A diversity of opinion from all sides of the political spectrum and coverage of local, as well as national issues, is essential to public debate. It is important we ensure the sector remains viable in the long-term’, said Dr Webster.
The report can be accessed from the Committee’s website https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/Arts
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DEFENCE SCIENCE
An expert in the science behind the Australian Defence Force’s command and control systems has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to Defence, winning the 2021 Minister’s Award for Achievement in Defence Science.
Dr Alex Kalloniatis, a senior Operations Analyst with the Department of Defence, was awarded the honour by Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price.
“Dr Kalloniatis is a standard bearer for outstanding scientific leadership,” Minister Price said.
“He has conceived and been the driving force behind the future Command and Control concepts that are now at the heart of the ADF’s approach,” Minister Price said.
The Command and Control system is a critical warfighting system in the ADF. It turns individual capability elements into a coordinated, coherent force.
“As our ADF encounters increasingly complex and contested environments, they need to be able to bring together capabilities across all domains of warfare; air, maritime, land, space, information and cyber, to achieve complementary and coordinated effects,” Minister Price said.
“Dr Kalloniatis’ work is critical to enabling the ADF to synchronise its efforts across all domains and operational levels.”
The annual Minister’s Award for Achievement in Defence Science was introduced in 1988 to recognise original and outstanding contributions capable of enhancing Australia’s defence effectiveness and efficiency.
The awarding of the 2021 Minister’s award was delayed due to COVID.
The 2022 award will be presented at the Australian Defence Science Technology and Research Summit, (ADSTAR) in July this year.
Details of previous winners are available at https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/award-groups/ministers-achievement-award .
Concerns held for boy missing from Newcastle
Police are appealing for assistance to locate a boy missing from the Newcastle area.
Cerise Elmes, aged 13, was last seen leaving a home in Wallsend about 7pm on Tuesday 15 March 2022.
Police were alerted and officers from Newcastle City Police District have been conducting inquiries into his whereabouts.
Concerns are held for his welfare due to his young age and a number of medical conditions.
Police have been told Cerise may be travelling with a woman known to him in a silver Mitsubishi Pajero with NSW registration CI44ED.
Following inquiries, investigators believe he was on Mid North Coast the following day and may be heading towards Queensland.
Cerise is described as being of Caucasian appearance, between 160cm to 165cm tall, with a thin build, black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who has seen Cerise, or believes they know his whereabouts, is urged to contact police.
Gov and Labor team up to protect research veto
Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Government and Labor Senators have teamed up to produce highly flawed and misleading findings in a Senate Inquiry report into her private member’s bill that would remove the ministerial veto power over Australian Research Council grant funding decisions.
While the vast majority of evidence received from witnesses and submitters through the Inquiry supported removing the ministerial veto, the Committee recommends that the bill not be passed.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Despite an overwhelming majority of contributors supporting the removal of the veto, the committee majority have relied selectively on evidence provided by a very small number of witnesses.
“Politics has trumped good policy-making as both the Government and Labor have refused to concede their political power to interfere with individual research grants.
“This is a shameless attempt to retain unnecessary power over research funding despite enormous evidence provided about the harm that it does to our research and researchers.
“The Government and Labor’s contribution to this inquiry has been nothing short of insulting to the dozens of universities, researchers and peak bodies who provided evidence for the need to remove the veto power.
“Ministerial vetoes have been hugely damaging for academic freedom, research independence, peer-review and Australia’s global research reputation. They have been particularly harmful for early career researchers and for the humanities and social sciences. Yet the Government and Labor ignored these impacts when they teamed up to oppose the bill and disregard overwhelming evidence in support of it.
“The good news is that both major parties have now been put on notice: you are at odds with the Australian university and research communities who want to see this power gone. This is an untenable situation going forward. Politicians will have to come to the table sooner or later.”
Australian Greens Dissenting Report available here: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/ARCBill/Report/section?id=committees%2freportsen%2f024901%2f79507
Labor should stand up for fair-go economics & oppose Stage 3 shake up
Greens SA Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, has joined with Greens Senate Candidate for SA in calling for Labor to reverse their support for the Morrison government’s dismantling of Australia’s progressive taxation system.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Liberals and Labor are on a joint ticket when it comes to giving federal politicians a $9,000 tax cut, while minimum-wage workers – like those in aged care – get nothing.”
“Why should we give a huge, permanent tax cut to Bank CEOs and Federal politicians, while low paid workers get nothing?”
Barbara Pocock, Greens Senate Candidate for SA and Emeritus Professor of Economics said:
“It doesn’t pass the pub test or a 101 economics class.”
“The Greens will oppose the Stage 3 tax cuts and we call on the opposition to do their job and join us.
“You don’t need to be a professor of economics to realize that low paid workers are more likely than the wealthy to spend their tax cut back into the economy.
“But as a Professor of Economics it is obvious to me that this isn’t fair and doesn’t stack up. And I think that a lot of South Australians who care about a fair go, would agree with me.”
“The extreme changes as part of the Stage 3 tax shake up will take us closer to a flat-tax society like the US and undermine the ‘fair go’ that we expect in Australia.”
“If I’m elected to the Senate for SA, I’ll vote to block and reverse these cuts as one step towards a fairer go in our tax system.”
Barbara Pocock is the Greens Senate candidate for South Australia and an Emeritus Professor of Economics in the Business School at UniSA.
New training program offers aged care workforce boost for Tasmania
A multidisciplinary teaching hub at a Tasmanian aged care facility will secure greater opportunities for health students and better access to services for older Tasmanians across the region.
The Morrison Joyce Government will invest $1.5 million through the University of Tasmania (UTAS) to establish the training centre at Corumbene Care at New Norfolk.
In New Norfolk today to announce the funding, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck said the investment underlines the Morrison Joyce Government’s commitment to older and vulnerable Australians across regional Australia.
The facility is set to offer nursing, exercise physiology, pharmacy, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology and podiatry training.
“We know how important it is for older Australians to receive the care they need, particularly in regions where access to services can sometimes be restricted,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The surrounding areas of the Derwent Valley, Central Highlands and the Southern Midlands will benefit enormously under this initiative aimed at strengthening future careers in the sector while prioritising the health and wellbeing of older Tasmanians.”
Minister Colbeck said students will learn how to deliver culturally responsible services including bereavement support, health promotion, exercise and nutrition.
Minister for Regional Health, Dr David Gillespie said though the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program, the Morrison Joyce Government is investing $48.3 million to increase rural health training opportunities to deliver health, aged care, and disability services in regional, rural, and remote communities.
“More than $18 million of the funding was allocated to establish up to 7 health training demonstration sites in aged care services in country Australia,” Dr Gillespie said.
Students from UTAS and interstate universities across nursing and allied health disciplines will undertake their scheduled Professional Experience Placements (PEP) at Corumbene.
UTAS aims to deliver training to 44 students in 2022, and 50 students in 2023, with an average placement being approximately 5 weeks long. UTAS will work to increase that to more than 5 weeks for each student.
Importantly, UTAS will directly target students from rural areas and work with Aboriginal health organisations to incorporate cultural safety for supervisors and students.
“There is growing evidence that health students who undertake extended training in a rural area, and those from a rural background, are more likely to take up rural practice upon graduation,” Dr Gillespie said.
“The Morrison Joyce Government is investing in and supporting high-quality rural health training because it’s a proven and effective way for us to address gaps in the rural and remote health workforce now and in the future.”
More broadly, Minister Colbeck said the Morrison Joyce Government had invested more than $652 million to grow the aged care workforce as it continues to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
This includes a $91.8 million investment to support providers to attract, train and retain 13, 000 new personal care workers as soon as possible, with a focus on home care through the new Home Care Worker Support Program.
Funding has also been provided for workforce planning as part of the existing Business Advisory Service, which will include tools to support recruitment, training and retention of workers.
Additionally, the Morrison Joyce Government announced $135.6 million in financial support for registered nurses who work for the same aged care provider over a 12 month period. Nurses will be eligible for an additional payment if they work in a rural or remote area or have a formal postgraduate qualifications or take on further training responsibilities. This funding will be rolled out over two years, and will put money straight into the pockets of aged care nurses.
The Aged Care Transition to Practice Program, has also provided support and guidance to newly graduated nurses since its commencement in August 2021.