Month: March 2022

The Morrison Government is investing an additional $60 million to bring back international visitors to the regions hardest hit by international border closures.

Australia’s tourism recovery is bouncing back strongly, with high domestic vaccination rates, our international and state borders open, international arrival numbers growing, cruise ships returning to Australian waters, and confidence to travel ramping up.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia remained a world-leading tourist destination because of its unique attractions, high-quality tourism operators and lifestyle.

“Our Government is backing Australia’s tourism industry with a $60 million plan to bring back international visitors, especially to the regions that have been hardest hit,” the Prime Minister said.

“As the world reopens, and travellers get out and see the world again, we want to ensure that at the top of every must-see-list is Australia.

“I have been listening to tourism industry operators about what they will need to rebuild their international tourist businesses and this funding boost will deliver on these needs. The package is about getting people on planes and getting them here. It’s about converting the strong interest in Australia to actual businesses.

“The return of our international tourism market will support hundreds of thousands of tourism jobs, strengthen our economy, and back our world-class tourism operators and the many regions reliant on international visitors, like tropical North Queensland.”
To help attract more international visitors to Australia, the Morrison Government is investing:

• $15 million for Tourism Tropical North Queensland to get tourists back to North Queensland and to promote the Great Barrier Reef.
• $45 million for Tourism Australia (TA) to undertake additional targeted activities to get international tourists back in to key regional destinations heavily impacted by the loss of international tourism, of which:
  • $15 million for advertising in crucial international markets to support regions most reliant on international tourists;
  • $25 million for direct partnership activities for TA to work with trade wholesalers, the airlines and the media to drive international demand back to key regions; and
  • $5 million to extend Business Events Australia’s highly successful bid fund – which has already helped win 57 events for Australia.

Since March 2020, the Australian Government has provided more than $20 billion in assistance to the tourism and hospitality sector, through JobKeeper, the Cash Flow Boost, and targeted sectoral programs including the Consumer Travel Support Program, Zoos and Aquariums, Business Events Grants, Recovery for Regional Tourism and Tourism Aviation Network Support.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said the additional funding would complement the work already underway to strengthen our tourism recovery.

“Since our international borders fully reopened, Tourism Australia has been promoting Australia to the world through a $40 million international marketing campaign,” Minister Tehan said.

“This campaign is just the start of a long-term strategy to restart tourism to Australia, with further investment in tourism marketing campaigns internationally to come in the second half of the year.

“Our Government is working with the sector on a long-term strategy to grow the value of the visitor economy to $230 billion by 2030.”

Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism Michelle Landry said the Australian visitor economy is ready to welcome back more international travellers into the country.

“The Coalition Government’s additional funding for Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Tourism Australia is proof of our commitment to the tourism industry and our desire to see it bounce back,” Assistant Minister Landry said.

“Tourism operators have shown great fortitude and resilience throughout the pandemic and this additional investment will go a long way to seeing regular international visitors be welcomed back into the North Queensland region.

“As confidence continues to grow, the Coalition Government is ensuring Australia is front and centre when international tourists consider their next destination to travel to.”

Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch welcomed the additional investment.

“The $15 million for Tourism Tropical North Queensland will allow us to use our local knowledge to best promote our region to the world,” Mr Entsch said.

“Australia is the best country in the world and Tropical North Queensland is its best part, we’re excited to be sharing it with the rest of the world again.

“Our local tourism operators are looking forward to being busy and showcasing our wonderful region to international visitors.”

The Morrison Government is investing $63.6 million into the vital science and research infrastructure that helps to protect the Great Barrier Reef and support the thousands of jobs and businesses that rely on the natural wonder.

The funding package will significantly bolster the scientific capabilities of Australia’s world leading Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), which has been studying the Great Barrier Reef continuously for 35 years. The $63.6 million includes:

• $26.5 million to remediate AIMS’ Cape Cleveland wharf, south of Townsville, and an additional $1.5 million in ongoing funding to maintain the wharf.
• $37.1 million over three years to increase AIMS’ capability to deliver the critical marine science that protects and preserves oceans and coral reefs.
  • This includes $5.3 million for design work on a replacement for the AIMS research vessel, the RV Cape Ferguson, which has been in commission since 2000.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new $63.6 million investment builds on the Government’s more than $3 billion investment under the Reef 2050 Plan.

“Australia’s leadership in reef management and reef science is second to none, and this new investment will ensure that we continue to lead the way,” the Prime Minister said.

“This investment will allow our marine scientists to take their research to the next level, and continue to work alongside other scientists, farmers, traditional owners, local communities and tourism operators in our shared endeavour to understand and protect our iconic Great Barrier Reef.

“The remediation of Cape Cleveland wharf will mean scientists can access the research vessels directly from the AIMS site, rather than having to board up in Townsville. It also means that after research trips scientists can seamlessly unload sensitive scientific research samples, including coral, rapidly from the reef to the aquarium complex.

“My Government has a deep commitment to the reef and the evidence based marine science that will protect it for generations to come and support the almost 64,000 people who drive the $6.4 billion reef economy.”

Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said the wharf upgrade and the design of a new research vessel would meet essential needs.

“The wharf is critical to delivering AIMS’ science activities, including important Government priorities like the Reef 2050 Plan,” Minister Price said.

Remediation works will be done by raising the sea wall, extending it further into the harbour and construction of a new wharf in deeper water.

“This will minimise the environmental impact as required under the environmental guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,” Minister Price Said.

“The wharf is vital to the work of AIMS, allowing its vessels, and research partners, to have direct access from the reef to on-site laboratories and the SeaSim research aquarium.

“A new coastal research vessel will also be needed to replace the aging RV Cape Ferguson. Our support for the design of a next generation vessel will ensure a replacement can be constructed before the RV Cape Ferguson needs to be retired.

“These initiatives will support the critical science and research of AIMS that helps Australia manage threats to the health and future of the Great Barrier Reef.”

The House Employment, Education and Training Committee today presented the report of its inquiry into the Fair Work Commission Annual Report 2019-20.

Committee Chair, Mr Andrew Laming MP said, ‘The inquiry examined how policy responses designed to manage the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted, and may continue to impact the Fair Work Commission’s caseload.’

Mr Laming commented, ‘The Commission’s caseload increased by eight per cent during 2019-20, with significantly more unfair dismissal applications and workplace disputes than in other years associated with the beginning of the pandemic. However, the JobKeeper program and the temporary variation of industry awards provided flexibility in workplaces and prevented a larger surge in applications to the Commission.’

‘While the states and territories had to implement policies quickly to keep Australians safe and to preserve jobs and incomes, public health orders were often implemented at short notice and inconsistencies between jurisdictions made it difficult for businesses and workers to know what their rights and responsibilities were. Australian governments should strive to provide clear, consistent, and timely advice to employers and employees about policies that may give rise to workplace disputes’, Mr Laming said.

Mr Laming concluded, ‘The Committee is satisfied the Commission is well placed to mobilise strategies and resources in the event there is another peak in its caseload.’

The report and further information about the inquiry are available on the Committee’s inquiry website

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Employment_Education_and_Training/FWCAnnualReport2020

The Morrison Government is planning to invest $244 million in a major upgrade of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airbase near Derby in Western Australia that will support 250 jobs and provide a shot in the arm for the local economy.

RAAF Base Curtin forms a key part of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) network of northern airbases and plays a vital role in supporting the training and operations of the ADF in WA’s North-West and the Indian Ocean.

The airbase will undergo a major refurbishment and replacement of its facilities and infrastructure, including upgrades to communications, water and electrical services, roads, working accommodation, workshops, aircraft hangars, storage areas and security infrastructure.

The project is currently in the development phase and, subject to Government and Parliamentary approval, construction is expected to start in late 2024 and be finished in mid-2026.

Minister for Defence Industry and Member for Durack Melissa Price said the Government’s planned investment will be a major boost for the local community.

“This is fantastic news for small and medium businesses in and around Derby,” Minister Price said.

“Those local businesses will have the opportunity to contribute to what is going to be a very significant redevelopment of RAAF Base Curtin.

“$244 million is a huge investment that will support 250 local jobs during the construction period.

“One of our core objectives is to maximise employment opportunities for local companies to bid for work on these sorts of projects and this one will be no different.”

WSP Australia has been engaged as Defence’s Project Manager and Contract Administrator for the development phase of the project.

WSP has started its initial engagement with local community groups and Indigenous groups, including Kimberley shires.

The company has been providing information to enable those interested to prepare to capitalise on the opportunities the project will deliver.  

“This investment speaks volumes about the importance the Morrison Government places on RAAF Base Curtin to the defence of our nation,” Minister Price said.

“When I visited the base last year I got a fantastic insight into the vital role it plays but also a great understanding of the complexities of running an air base in a location like Derby. 

“Our investment has come at the perfect time and will be welcomed by those who work there.”

Defence released a Request for Tender in February 2022 to engage a Managing Contractor, which will be responsible for managing the project design and overseeing subcontractors for its delivery. 

The tender period is set to close on 8 April, with a Managing Contractor expected to be engaged by Defence in June 2022.

Plans for both local content and the use of Indigenous companies will be taken into account by Defence in awarding the contract. 

On the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), The Greens have announced their election plan to build an anti-racist Australia.

With racism on the rise, the Australian government must urgently tackle the root causes of racial hatred, discrimination and white supremacy.

The Greens will:

• Mandate anti-racism training for all Commonwealth employees and federal Members of Parliament;
• Provide $50 million over four years for a fully-funded national anti-racism strategy that centres First Nations and racial minorities;
• Provide $10 million to develop a national hate crimes database and better data collection on racial disparities and discrimination;
• Make hate speech illegal.

The Greens will also introduce policies targeted at strengthening multiculturalism, including by establishing a federal Multicultural Commission and Multicultural Act, and commiting to a referendum to amend section 44 of the Constitution so dual citizens can run for parliament.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism said:

“Racism is widespread in Australia and it’s beyond time we had a coordinated national approach to prevent racism and tackle far-right racist extremism.

“We’re done tinkering around the edges. It’s time for an honest reckoning with the toxic racism in this country and to challenge white supremacy in the very echelons of leadership from where racist filth still dribbles out.

“Parliament remains a racist place, where even MPs feel free to spout racial hatred. It’s time to challenge their white privilege and show them what anti-racism looks like, what real respect looks like and what a genuinely equal society should look like.

“The time for polite talk is over. MPs need to be forced to the table to see their own white privilege, unpack white supremacy and learn about the racist colonial past of Australia. Sit with it, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

“Australia has a bloody history that is tainted with dispossession and violence. This violence, oppression and discrimination against First Nations people has never ceased; it continues to this day in the settler-colonial systems and structures of this country.

“Racism causes direct personal harm and trauma to people of colour, but is also extremely dangerous and a real threat to our wellbeing and safety, and it impacts negatively on society as a whole.

“There is no nice way to say this, but we have yet to reckon with the fact that Australia is the country that raised the Christchurch killer. Far-right extremism and Islamophobia that inspired the Christchurch killer is not just present here, it is growing.

“Three years on from the Christchurch mosque attacks, where an Australian white supremacist killed 51 innocent Muslims, we are yet to see any dedicated federal commitment to tackling the root causes of racism and white supremacy in this country.

“A big injection of federal funds will be required to empower communities, collect the appropriate data, and really start to shift the dial on racism.

“Australia’s leaders have legitimised and encouraged extremism and racism, by blaming migrant communities for social problems. The Greens will mandate robust, effective anti-racism training that addresses white privilege and systemic racism for all Commonwealth employees and federal MPs.

“Whether it is Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Asian hate or systemic racism against First Nations people, racial discrimination damages the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of our community.

“Everyone has the right to live without fear of racial violence, abuse and discrimination.”

As part of our plan for a stronger future, the Morrison Government will extend the National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS), investing more than $315 million over four years in the ongoing fight to reduce the impact of ice, other drugs and alcohol.

This investment is alongside an additional $27.9 million being committed to support other critical drug and alcohol treatment projects in areas of identified need.

With today’s announcement, the Morrison Government will invest around $830 million in alcohol and other drug treatment services and programs over the next four years.

National wastewater drug monitoring shows methamphetamine use has reduced for the second consecutive year. And MDMA, cocaine and heroin consumption have all fallen.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt said while this was a good sign, there is still work to be done.

“For too many Australians, illegal drugs are still an insidious scourge on our community, robbing families of their loved ones,” Minister Hunt said.

“I’m proud that the Morrison Government will extend the National Ice Action Strategy for a further four years, allowing organisations across the nation to continue delivering innovative, community-based solutions to curb use of drugs such as methamphetamines.”

“The Morrison Government is committed to building safe and healthy communities, reducing the impacts and harms of drug and alcohol use for individuals, their families and their communities.”

Estimates from 2019 suggest that roughly 300,000 Australians used methamphetamines in the past 12 months, with over half of these using crystal methamphetamine, or ice.

The four most common drugs that people seek treatment for are alcohol (34%), amphetamines (28%), cannabis (18%), and heroin (5.1%).

Since its inception in 2016, the NIAS has helped thousands of people gain access to treatment programs and supported communities to tackle local drug and alcohol issues with local solutions.

By committing to the NIAS for a further four years, the Morrison Government is ensuring critical treatment and other programs are continued and improved.

This is particularly important for high-risk population groups, including people in rural and regional areas and indigenous communities.

Under the NIAS, drug and alcohol treatment services are commissioned by Primary Health Networks, which means they are designed with local needs front of mind.

In addition to treatment services, the NIAS supports:

• Local Drug Action Teams (LDAT) to deliver grass roots solutions to drug and alcohol issues faced by communities. More funding will enhance and build on the 280 teams currently operating across the country and improve engagement with the community post-COVID-19.
• The Cracks in the Ice and Positive Choices web portal, which has resources for teachers, parents and students. The portal is well respected by the sector and users, helping to reduce or delay young people using drugs or alcohol. It had more than 2.6 million views from 2016 to 2020.
• The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screen Test (ASSIST), a questionnaire that screens for risky substance use which can be helpful in a number of settings.
• The National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs of Concern which researches new treatment options and works with practitioners to put new evidence into practice and improve clinical care.

We are increasing our efforts at every level to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol use on individuals, families, and communities.

More than $43 million will be invested into mental health and suicide prevention support and services across the Northern Territory over the next five years, following the signing of a landmark bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments.

The Commonwealth will invest $30.65 million, and the Territory will invest $13.25 million to expand mental health care services to where they are needed the most.

New mental health services, particularly for people in the group known as the “missing middle”, and suicide prevention services, will be established.

The funding includes:

• $15.4 million for two new Head to Health adult mental health satellite clinics and ongoing funding for the Territory’s first Head to Health centre that opened in January this year.
• $9.1 million for a new Head to Health Kids Hub to improve access to multidisciplinary team care to children.
• $5.7 million to enhance two headspace centres to increase access to multidisciplinary youth mental health services. This means more staff and more resources, to reduce wait times and support more young people.
• $9.3 million to establish universal aftercare services, meaning all Territorians who are discharged from hospital following a suicide attempt will receive immediate follow up care. Two trial sites will also be established in the Territory for aftercare services for people who have experienced a suicidal crisis without being admitted to hospital.
• $1.3 million to ensure all people in the Territory who are bereaved or impacted by suicide can access postvention support services.
• $3 million to support for perinatal mental health screening.

Today’s announcement builds upon the $50 million already invested into mental health by the Commonwealth in recent years, including $20 million for the new Head to Health Centre in Casuarina, and $30 million for an additional eighteen-bed inpatient unit at Royal Darwin Hospital.

These investments are further supported by the Territory Government’s $7.5 million Stabilisation and Referral Area at Royal Darwin Hospital, which will provide a therapeutic environment for mental health clients.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the agreement will ensure Territorians will have access to additional mental health support, when and where they need it.

“This landmark partnership between the Commonwealth and the Territory will have a significant impact on the lives of many Australians across the state, including young Australians, who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Hunt said.

Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said a key focus of the bilateral agreement would be reducing the heartbreaking suicide rate in Indigenous communities.

“Indigenous Australians die of suicide at more than double the rate of the non-Indigenous population. This is a national tragedy and through this agreement we will be working closing with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and Non-Government Organisation service providers across the Territory to ensure relevant services are culturally appropriate.”

The bilateral agreement supports the Australian Government’s commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Northern Territory Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles, said the funding would create much needed support for Territorians in need.

“The pandemic has shown us that mental health is one of the biggest challenges confronting Australians right now.

“The mental health needs in the Territory are incredibly complex and vastly different to those in other jurisdictions – and we have continued to work in partnership with the Commonwealth to ensure these needs are supported.

“We have invested significantly in mental health support across the Territory, and we will continue to do so to improve services for Territorians. Thank you to the Commonwealth for partnering with us to make this support available to Territorians.”

The bilateral agreement forms part of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, which is now in effect after being signed by the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australian, Tasmanian and Northern Territory governments.

The National Agreement considers key mental health reports and inquiries including recommendations from the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health and the National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Final Advice. It outlines actions to build a comprehensive, coordinated, consumer focused and compassionate mental health and suicide prevention system to support all Australians. 

The National Agreement will clarify roles and responsibilities; progress improvements in the mental health services available to adults, children and youth; improve data collection, sharing and evaluation; reduce gaps in the system of care; expand and enhance the workforce, including the peer workforce; and work to improve mental health and suicide prevention for all Australians, across a range of settings.

The Morrison Government has invested a historic $2.3 billion in the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan through the 2021-22 Budget to deliver significant reform of the mental health system and ensure that all Australians have access to high quality, person-centred care as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This brings the health portfolio expenditure in mental health and suicide prevention services and supports in 2021–22 to a record high of $6.5 billion.

Australians needing support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic can access the Beyond Blue Coronavirus Wellbeing Support Service any time via telephone at 1800 512 348 or online at coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au 

Anyone experiencing distress can also seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.

If you are concerned about suicide, living with someone who is considering suicide, or bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is available at 1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Young Australians needing support can access free services through Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), their local headspace or online through eheadspace (https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/).