Month: March 2022

Australians considered most at risk of severe illness will be able to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine heading into winter following advice accepted by the Australian Government from leading immunisation experts.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has reviewed available evidence and recommends an additional dose be given to people at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 from four months after their initial booster dose.

ATAGI recommends that adults aged 65 years and older, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50, residents of aged care and disability care facilities, and people aged 16 years and older who are severely immunocompromised receive a winter dose to maximise their protection against severe illness.

Similar to other respiratory viruses such as the flu, it is likely an increase in COVID-19 cases will be seen over winter. Although COVID-19 is prevalent year-round, the cold weather can make it easier for viruses to infect our bodies.

A booster is your best protection against the most severe impacts of COVID and may provide protection against long COVID.

For this reason, the Australians considered most at risk should ideally receive their winter COVID-19 dose before winter. This new dose can be provided at the same time as the annual flu vaccine if it has been at least four months since an individual received their last booster.

Australians are encouraged to make sure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date, ensuring they have received two primary doses, as well as a booster. Even if you have had COVID-19, it is important to maximise your protection from severe illness and have a booster.

ATAGI will continue to review available evidence on the epidemiology of COVID-19, the potential impact of the emergence of new variants, and will update its advice if required.

To book a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, please use the COVID-19 Clinic Finder.

For more information and to read the ATAGI advice visit www.health.gov.au.

The Morrison Government is investing more than $100 million for seasonal influenza vaccines to protect Australians most at risk this winter. 

Our approach to managing influenza and COVID-19 over the winter months will focus on minimising health impacts, while protecting those most at risk of severe illness.

The Morrison Government has secured vaccines to cover all vulnerable people eligible for a government-funded vaccine through the National Immunisation Program (NIP). This amounts to around 9.5 million doses for Australians.

Those eligible for a government-funded flu vaccine include:

• adults 65 years and over
• children under five
• pregnant women
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• people with certain medical conditions.

The National Immunisation Program offers a specific, enhanced influenza vaccine to protect people 65 years and over.

In addition to vaccines available for those most at risk through the NIP, private market vaccines will also be available.

Influenza vaccination is particularly important this year. With the easing of international and domestic public health measures arising from the COVID-19 global pandemic, a resurgence of influenza is expected in 2022.

The best protection this winter is to receive an influenza vaccine and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any recommended booster doses.

Government funded influenza vaccines will become available from 4 April through a range of providers including GPs, community health clinics and eligible pharmacies subject to local supply arrangement in states and territories. 

I encourage everyone to start to book their appointments from mid-April to ensure you have the best protection at the peak of the season which is usually between June and September.

The medical advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is that it is safe to have the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at the same visit.

If you haven’t received your COVID-19 booster when it’s your time to get your influenza vaccination, check with your healthcare provider to see if they can administer both vaccines at the same visit.

Help stop the flu in 2022. For more information visit www.health.gov.au/immunisation 

The Morrison Joyce Government and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) will enter into a record 10-year strategic partnership, worth nearly $1 billion, to provide more certainty for regional, rural and remote patients who rely on the critical aeromedical service.

Federal Regional Health Minister and former regional doctor, Dr David Gillespie said this historic partnership will provide long-term security to enable this iconic Australian rural and remote service to plan better into the future.

“Until today, agreements between the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Federal Government have been four-year agreements. This new 10-year strategic partnership recognises the vital role that the RFDS plays in the lives of Australians and gives the RFDS much more certainty to plan for the future and continue to deliver aeromedical retrievals, primary health care and dental and mental health outreach clinics to rural and remote patients,” Dr Gillespie said.

“To support the partnership, the Morrison Joyce Government is committing additional funding of more than $80 million over the next 10 years, taking support for the RFDS to nearly $1 billion over 10 years from 2022-23.

“This builds on the Morrison Joyce Government’s commitment to the RFDS of $327 million since 2018-19 which has enabled the RFDS to undertake thousands of aeromedical evacuations, primary health clinics, dental outreach and multidisciplinary mental health outreach services to some of Australia’s most remote citizens.”

An iconic and uniquely Australian service, the RFDS has protected the health and wellbeing of people in rural and remote parts of the country since the 1930s.

RFDS delivers essential health care in regional, rural and remote communities right across the country.

“At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff at the RFDS demonstrated their capability and capacity to the entire nation, delivering more than 75,000 vaccinations and flying in vaccines and PPE to some of the most far-flung areas to protect communities,” Dr Gillespie said.

“It was during those times that city people around Australia learnt what country people have always known, that being that the RFDS is such a trusted part of the regional, rural and remote health workforce.

“Our new formal agreement will give the RFDS certainty and allow it to offer more flexible services that are responsive to local patient’s needs.

“Expanded and continued support for the RFDS means better overall health management and preventive health care is available for rural, remote and very remote patients. 

“The Morrison Joyce Government is delivering the most comprehensive investment in rural health of any modern era government, and this announcement today is just another way we are supporting the health of country patients.”

The new funding agreement will begin from 1 July 2022, and it is expected the Ten-Year Strategic Agreement will be in place soon after.

Following medical advice, the Biosecurity Emergency Determination relating to COVID-19 for Australia will not be renewed when it lapses on April 17.

I am taking this decision now so as to provide forward guidance based on the advice of the Professor Paul Kelly, the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer.

The emergency period was a crucial early decision in Australia’s pandemic response. It has saved tens of thousands of lives as Australia avoided some of the worst outcomes from the early spread of the virus and now has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.

As Australia moves towards living with COVID-19, the following emergency measures will also lapse:

• negative pre-departure tests for travellers entering Australia.
• restrictions on the entry of cruise vessels into and within Australian territory – announced on 15 March – will lapse on 17 April 2022.
• price gouging rules on rapid antigen tests – supply is strong and to date, more than 509 million RATs have arrived in Australia. The ACCC will still closely monitor the supply of RATS to ensure price gouging does not occur.

International travellers into and out of Australia will still be required to provide proof of double vaccination against COVID-19. Travellers will also still be required to wear a mask while on international flights based on medical advice. These measures will be implemented under the non-emergency provisions in the Biosecurity Act. The requirements for maritime arrivals will also be aligned with those on airlines, as part of the safety protocols for the resumption of cruising.

The Morrison Government has taken strong action over the course of the pandemic to protect Australians. Shutting the international borders early was a tough but decisive action, which enabled Australia to manage the pandemic and minimise the loss of life.

We thank Australians for their resilience, their cooperation, and their understanding in following the medical advice which has kept us safe. 

The past two years have been challenging, but we have shown the best of Australia – people caring for each other, working from home, home schooling, and importantly being vaccinated.

The COVID-19 and Influenza Winter Plan will ensure our health system is prepared, and despite an increase in the past week of cases due to the Omicron variant, hospital admissions and ICU cases have not had the same increase. This is a promising sign.

Through the pandemic, the Biosecurity Act has been used for:

• managing Australia’s inbound and outbound travellers (from March 2020 to April 2022), including through pausing international arrivals from high-risk countries (May and December 2021) and determining information and declaration requirements for travellers (throughout the pandemic)
• prohibiting the operation of retail stores at international airports to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from travellers who had not yet completed quarantine into the general community (March 2020 – November 2021)
• mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in remote Indigenous communities and vulnerable neighbouring countries (throughout the pandemic as required),
• ensuring the accessibility and affordability of personal protective equipment (March 2020 – February 2021); and
• implementing enhanced business as usual arrangements such as targeted ill traveller screening processes, communications and pre-arrival reporting requirements for vessels (throughout the pandemic).

Labor today announced the next part of our plan to tackle the housing crisis – the Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme.

The Scheme will help 10,000 Australian families a year in regional areas to buy their first home. 

This triples the number of places that Australians living in regional areas received last year under the current First Home Loan Deposit Scheme.

It is harder to buy a house today than ever before. 

Last year, housing prices in our capital cities rose by 21 per cent. 

In the regions they jumped by 26 per cent. 

In many parts of regional areas, the cost of buying a house increased by even more:

• 47.1 per cent in Wamberal on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
• 45.2 per cent in Terrigal on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
• 35.7 per cent in Kiama on the South Coast of New South Wales.
• 34.5 per cent in Torquay, Victoria.
• 33.3 per cent in Cessnock in the Hunter region of New South Wales.
• 40.3 per cent in Launceston, Tasmania.
• 30.4 per cent in Burnie, Tasmania.

Last week, Infrastructure Australia released a report that confirmed housing has been identified as the biggest infrastructure problem across regional Australia.

With house prices having skyrocketed and a sharp drop in affordability, regional first home buyers need and deserve their own dedicated scheme to support them to buy a home. 

Labor’s Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme will be reserved for Australians that have lived in that region for more than 12 months.

The Government’s own review of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation called for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to be expanded in the regions last year.

Labor’s Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme will help first home buyers get into a house sooner with a deposit of just five per cent without the need to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance, saving up to $32,000. Government will provide a guarantee of up to 15 per cent of the value of the property purchased. 

The eligible regions under Labor’s Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme, local price caps and mortgage insurance savings are:



From Gosford to Gippsland to Gatton, from Broome to Burnie, this scheme is reserved for regional Australians.

An Albanese Labor Government will also improve the operation of the current scheme by reviewing and updating the price caps on a six-monthly basis and improving the process of reallocating unused guarantees. 

New specialised endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics will be established in every state and territory to improve diagnosis, care and treatment to support over 800,000 Australian women who have the disease, as part of the Morrison Government’s funding package.

Through the 2022-23 Budget, a record $58 million will be provided under the National Action Plan for Endometriosis to improve endometriosis diagnosis and primary care support, helping more women to find appropriate care and better manage the impact of endometriosis.

Endometriosis has a profound impact on around one in nine Australian women and girls. It is a highly individualised condition, with symptoms ranging significantly from person to person, but commonly impacting on family and social life, work and study.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this significant investment will address the need for more endometriosis awareness, treatment and support.

“One in nine Australian women suffer from endometriosis and this funding today will bring welcome relief and support through better diagnosis, treatment and care,” the Prime Minister said.

“I have seen firsthand with Jen just how debilitating endometriosis can be for women, the mental and physical toll it takes, and it’s so important we continue to fund new services and treatments for the hundreds of thousands of women who suffer from endometriosis.

“Our plan will improve the quality of life for women living with endometriosis, with record support, building on our National Action Plan for Endometriosis, so women of all ages can get diagnosed and be supported.”

The Morrison Government will also help couples plan for their pregnancy by investing $81.2 million to create a new Medicare item to support access to genetic testing for three serious genetic conditions.

Genetic testing can assist families who are planning for their pregnancy and may be at risk of passing on significant genetic conditions, to understand and assess their risk and to plan their pregnancy appropriately.

The new Medicare item builds on advances to date through Mackenzie’s Mission and will support universal Medicare funded testing to check if couples are carriers of cystic fibrosis (CF), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and fragile X syndrome (FXS), with the item available in 2023.

CF, SMA and FXS are the most common inheritable genetic disorders resulting in substantially reduced life expectancy within the Australian population.

This testing is presently available in Australia as a privately funded service and this measure will provide a Medicare rebate for genetic testing for CF, SMA and FXS.

Endometriosis initiatives include:

• $16.4 million to establish new specialised endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics in each state and territory and a nurse navigators pilot.
• $25.2 million to support women with severe endometriosis and other conditions that affect fertility to access a new Medicare funded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
• $5.1 million to develop an Endometriosis Management Plan to support patients in primary care.
• $5.1 million towards the National Endometriosis Clinical and Scientific Trials Network and for early career researcher scholarships to continue growing research capacity and address research gaps.
• $2.5 million to transform and promote the Australian Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Endometriosis into a “living guideline” that will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect community feedback and the latest expert medical advice.
• $2 million to increase awareness and education of endometriosis amongst priority populations through the Australian Coalition for Endometriosis, a Mentor Program to support those newly diagnosed with endometriosis and a Workplace Assistance Program to support employees and employers to navigate discussions in the workplace.
• $1.4 million for the EndoZone digital platform, providing access to evidence-based information.
• $300,000 to promote access to the suite of Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme items for diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.>

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said increasing access to genetic testing would be a welcome relief for many parents and couples planning pregnancy.

“This will allow thousands of Australians to undergo genetic testing without huge out of pocket costs and enable them to see if they are genetic carriers of disorders like CF, SMA and FXS,” Minister Hunt said.

“As a passionate advocate for genetic testing, I am proud that the Morrison Government is making this significant investment, which will not only help Australians and their families, but ensure they know and understand the risks of inheritable genetic disorders.”

Member for Boothby Nicolle Flint said: “The Morrison Liberal Government is helping women and girls who suffer from endometriosis with education and awareness, clinical support, and research, and I could not be more proud of the Prime Minister’s announcement today. 

“Over the past four years our Government has delivered the first-ever National Action Plan for Endometriosis, record funding for education and awareness programs, clinical support and research.

“Today, we have announced even more funding and support for everyone affected by endo which will help change lives for the better. 

“It was a huge shock to me to be diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis in early 2020.  Endometriosis had stuck both of my ovaries and my fallopian tubes to my uterus, one of my ovaries was also stuck to my bowel, and there was a lot of endo on my bladder and my bowel.  It took 3.5 hours of surgery to remove it.

“My diagnosis explained everything; my period pain that I thought was normal, my heavy periods, clotting, my terrible bowel pain and related bowel issues and more. I have an amazing team of medical specialists who have my pain and my symptoms under control and that is what we want for everyone who has endo.

“So as someone who lives with endo, I know that our announcement today will change lives, and help women and girls get the advice and support they need.

“I would like to thank our amazing volunteers and endo advocacy groups Endo Australia, Pelvic Pain Foundation, QENDO, Endo Active, and Endometriosis WA for their years of tireless work with me, with the former Member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann, Minister Greg Hunt and the Prime Minister. Without these incredible volunteers who are medical specialists, endo sufferers and advocates, we could never have achieved all we have in such a short space of time.”

The Morrison Government’s National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030 has five priority areas; maternal, sexual and reproductive health, healthy ageing, chronic conditions and preventive health, mental health, and the health impacts of violence against women and girls – core issues affecting the lives and livelihoods of women and girls.

This significant investment builds on our Government’s commitment to implementing the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030 and improving long term health outcomes for women and girls.