Month: October 2022

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pleased to announce that the Governor-General has made four appointments to the Council for the Order of Australia on the Government’s recommendation.

Reconciliation advocate, Ms Shelley Reys AO, has been appointed Chair of the Council for the Order of Australia.

Ms Reys is a Djirribul woman of Far North Queensland and will be the first woman and First Nations woman to be appointed Chair of the Council. She has significant governance experience through previous roles as the inaugural Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia and Vice Chair of the National Australia Day Council.

Ms Reys is currently a Board member of KPMG Australia, the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (Brisbane 2032) and Chair of her own firm, Arrilla Indigenous Consulting.

Ms Annie Butler, Ms Cathy McGowan AO and Professor Samina Yasmeen AM have been appointed to the Council as community representatives.

Ms Butler is an experienced registered nurse and was appointed Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation in 2018.

Ms McGowan was the independent Federal Member for Indi, from 2013 to 2019, former Chair of Regional Women’s Advisory Council and past president of Women in Agriculture.

Professor Yasmeen is a researcher and teacher at the University of Western Australia, and director and founder of the University’s Centre for Muslim States and Societies.

Australia is a proudly diverse country and the appointments of Ms Reys, Ms Butler, Ms McGowan and Professor Yasmeen means the Council for the Order of Australia is more reflective of our diversity, with all four of the women appointed having close links to the community.

The Council makes recommendations to the Governor-General for appointments and awards to the Order of Australia.

Appointments to the Council are made by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd).

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“I am proud to recommend Ms Reys, Professor Yasmeen, Ms Butler and Ms McGowan to the Council for the Order of Australia and congratulate them on their appointments.

“Australia is a proudly diverse country and it’s important the Council represents our community.

“Ms Reys will be the first Indigenous woman appointed to the role of Council Chair, while Professor Yasmeen, Ms Butler and Ms McGowan bring their own diverse backgrounds and perspectives to their new roles.

“I would like to thank the outgoing members for their significant contribution to the Australian community.”

Biographical information on the recommended appointees:

Ms Shelley Reys AO – Chair

• Ms Reys was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 for distinguished service to the Indigenous community, reconciliation and social inclusion.
• She shares a passion for helping the Australian workforce to work in First Nations and reconciliation spaces with greater skill and confidence.
• Her vision is to create a culturally competent Australia, one workplace at a time. Ms Reys is an advocate for improving educational, health and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Ms Reys is also the CEO of Arrilla Indigenous Consulting, Partner and Board member of KPMG Australia and Board Member of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic Games 2032.

Professor Samina Yasmeen AM – Community representative

• Professor Yasmeen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for significant service to international relations as an academic, adviser and social welfare advocate.
• Professor Yasmeen was born in Pakistan. She is a researcher and teacher at the University of Western Australia, School of Social Sciences and director and founder of the University’s Centre for Muslim States and Societies.

Ms Annie Butler – Community representative

• Ms Butler was appointed Assistant Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation in 2014 and Federal Secretary in 2018.
• Ms Butler is an experienced registered nurse and is passionate about improving Australian healthcare.

Ms Cathy McGowan AO – Community representative

• Ms McGowan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the community by raising awareness about issues affecting women in regional, rural and remote communities.
• Ms McGowan was the independent Federal Member for Indi, from 2013 to 2019. She was the former Chair of Regional Women’s Advisory Council and past president of Women in Agriculture.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic toured ABC Refinery in Marrickville today and viewed the iconic Melbourne Cup trophy.

ABC Refinery is part of Pallion which employs more than 300 people in Marrickville, and hundreds more across Australia, processing, refining and working precious metals.

Pallion employs metallurgists, chemists, assayers, engineers, traders, jewellers and gold and silver smiths.

Pallion refine and manufacture billions of dollars of precious metals each year, including gold bars and coins, jewellery items, through to trophies including the Melbourne Cup.

The Melbourne Cup is mined, processed, refined, crafted and manufactured by highly trained goldsmiths here in Australia – not one element in this process occurs overseas.

Australia is the second largest gold producer in the world, with gold our fifth-largest export commodity, valued at $23 billion in 2021-22. Our gold production was 308 tonnes in 2021-22, and is forecast to reach 331 tonnes in 2022-23.

An Albanese Government will rebuild our proud manufacturing industry through our Future Made in Australia policy.

As part of that policy, we want to take the raw minerals we mine and value add by using local highly trained workers, before we export to the rest of the world.

The Albanese Government will establish the National Reconstruction Fund to provide finance to support projects that create secure well-paid jobs, drive regional development, and invest in our national sovereign capability, broadening and diversifying Australia’s economy.

Our policies will support local jobs, create training and apprenticeship opportunities in key industries and show the world the value of Australian manufacturing.

PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE said:

“Pallion is a great local business, right here in my electorate, that employs hundreds of local workers and delivers top quality unique products including the iconic Melbourne Cup.

“The Melbourne Cup trophy is mined, refined and manufactured right here in Australia – not one part of this process occurs overseas.

“This is the definition of Australian made and shows what we can achieve when we back Australian businesses.

“Through our ‘A Future Made in Australia’ policy, we will strengthen local manufacturing and create good, secure jobs for Australians.”

MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE ED HUSIC said:

“A Future Made in Australia means investing in a future for all Australians.

“The Albanese Labor Government backs local businesses. Pallion is a prime example of self-sufficient manufacturing right here in Australia, based on our resources and our renowned know-how.

“The National Reconstruction Fund will be central to rebuilding our industrial base. It will show faith in Australian ideas, Australian manufacturing and deliver secure, well-paid jobs in the cities and the regions.”

Coal miners at four major Queensland mines will decide today which industrial action to take via a Fair Work Commission ballot.

Miners at Saraji, Peak Downs, Goonyella Riverside and Blackwater mines, covered by the biggest Enterprise Agreement in the Queensland coalfields, are set to vote on taking industrial action after BHP failed to make commitments to support permanent jobs.

Mining & Energy Union Queensland President Stephen Smyth said negotiations had not reached the point of discussing wage increases as the focus was on conditions, especially relating to job security.

“We had over a year of negotiations with BHP, then months more assisted by the Fair Work Commission, but BHP just aren’t listening,” said Mr Smyth.

“Job security is the biggest issue at BHP coal mines and our members will fight for permanent jobs. They’ve seen jobs around them axed and replaced by insecure, lower paid work.

“They’ve watched for a decade while permanent EA jobs declined to be replaced by labour hire. Then they’ve witnessed the shameless contrivance of BHP’s in-house labour hire provider, Operations Services. 

“They’re not willing to settle for hollow promises anymore. They want hard protection built into the agreement around EA job numbers, redundancy protections and career progression.

“The BMA (BHP Mitsubishi Alliance) Central Enterprise Agreement is the biggest agreement in the Queensland coalfields and it sets the standard across the broader industry. BHP needs to come to understand the determination of our members to stand up for permanent jobs now and into 2023,” said Mr Smyth.

The Protected Action Ballot Order (PABO) is a ballot of all members asking them to nominate what sort of industrial action they are willing to take, including consecutive full-shift stoppages, part-shift stoppages, overtime bans, training, performing step-up duties and taking meal breaks at designated times.

Voting commences on 14 October 2022 and ends 24 October 2022.

Mr David Tune AO PSM has been appointed as the independent reviewer to lead the capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
 
Minister for Aged Care the Hon. Anika Wells said Mr Tune’s appointment builds on the Albanese Government’s commitment to ensure the safety, dignity and wellbeing of every older Australian using aged care services.
 
Mr Tune was the former Secretary of the Department of Finance and Deregulation and has undertaken several reviews, including the Legislative Review of Aged Care (2016), and Removing red tape and implementing the NDIS Participant Service Guarantee(2019).
 
He also served as Chair for the former Aged Care Sector Committee from early 2015 until July 2021.
 
Mr Tune’s review will consider if the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has the necessary resources, workforce, clinical knowledge and the regulatory, investigation, assessment and enforcement skills required to meet its regulatory responsibilities.
 
The review will commence in October 2022 with the final report expected to be delivered the first half of 2023.
 
The Terms of Reference for the capability review have been finalised with input from key stakeholders within the sector including the National Aged Care Advisory Council, the Council of Elders, Council on the Ageing, Older Persons Advocacy Network, Aged and Community Care Providers Association and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Advisory Council.
 

 
Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells said
 
“It was critical we appoint the right person, with the right expertise and knowledge of the sector to deliver this important piece of work.
 
“I have full confidence that Mr Tune, a former Australian Public Servant of 38 years, has the independence and expertise to undertake this review.
 
“The Commission’s activities will continue as normal while the review is being implemented.
 
“We will continue to work closely with the Commission to deliver significant reforms to aged care.”
 
To read the Terms of Reference, and for further information on the review, please visit the Capability Review webpage on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Australia today marks 20 years since the 2002 Bali bombings and tragic loss of 202 lives, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.

Together, on what will be a difficult day for many in Australia, Indonesia and around the world, we honour the lives of the victims and the courage and resilience shown by survivors and their families.

We also pay tribute to the first responders and volunteers who assisted efforts in the wake of the attack.

To commemorate the anniversary, Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP will attend a service at Coogee in Sydney.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, will host a memorial service at Parliament House in Canberra.

There, victims’ families, survivors and first responders will be joined by the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Hon David Hurley AC DSC, and former Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard OM AC.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Tim Watts MP, will attend a commemorative ceremony at the Australian Consulate-General in Bali.

Australia’s thoughts are with those whose lives were forever changed by the attacks.

We recommit to the ongoing work shared by Australia and Indonesia to counter the scourge of violent extremism, and reaffirm the respect and cooperation between our peoples.

The Greens are calling on Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek to stick to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan at tomorrow’s Ministerial Council meeting in Canberra, and pull NSW and Vic into line and announce voluntary buybacks are back on the table. 

Greens Spokesperson for Environment and Water and Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has been calling for a MinCo to be held as a priority under the new Labor Government. 

Senator Hanson-Young said Labor had committed to implementing the Plan in full and on time at the election and including delivering the 450GL to South Australia. She said doing deals with upstream states and corporate irrigators tomorrow would be a broken promise. 

“New South Wales and Victoria are demanding less water for the environment because they have failed to live up to their end of the bargain. It’s hard to believe they ever intended to deliver the environmental water required under the Plan,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“Minister Plibersek must hold the line. The water required to be returned under the Plan is necessary for the health of the entire river system. States cannot just opt in and out as they please, it puts South Australia and our drinking water in jeopardy and the long-term future of all river communities, small family farms and the environment at risk. 

“It’s clear the only way to return enough water to the system quickly and cost-effectively is to start buying water back and Minister Plibersek should announce tomorrow that she is taking this action. 

“After nearly a decade of mismanagement and billions of dollars spent by Barnaby Joyce and the National Party, there is is no time to waste.

“Upstream states have wriggled out of every commitment they possibly could, with the environment and South Australia left begging.” 

St Ives gold mine has suspended activity following the tragic death of an underground mining contractor yesterday. A second contractor has since been released with minor injuries.

Gold Fields, who own the mine, have said they won’t resume operations until an independent investigation by WA mining regulators is complete.

Greens spokesperson for resources, Yamatji-Noongar Woman Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“Our deepest condolences are with the victim’s family, friends and colleagues. 

“Every worker has the right to go to work and return home safely at the end of the day.

“Gold Fields must work together with the investigators to determine the cause of this tragedy and implement changes to ensure worker safety.

“Gold Fields must ensure any recommendations from the investigation are also implemented at their other sites: Agnew, Granny Smith and Gruyere.

“The mining industry has the third highest fatality rate of any industry in Australia. It is critical findings from previous investigations are implemented and enforced so that these tragedies can be avoided.

“The Greens ‘National Energy Transition Authority Bill 2022’ currently before the Senate will establish an independent public authority to guide Australia’s shift to renewable energy. The body will have law reform and advice functions to improve harm minimisation in the sector.”

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has welcomed hints that the Labor Party is considering the long-standing Greens call to sign Joe Biden’s ‘Methane Pledge’ to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, but said it could only be met by halting massive new gas projects like Betaloo and Scarborough. Further, existing projects simply ‘offsetting’ their emissions would not be enough to meet the pledge, said Mr Bandt.

Mr Bandt said that the real issue is not cows and agriculture, but the coal and gas industry. The gas industry is the country’s biggest user of gas, and with methane being 86 times more potent as a climate gas than CO2, meeting the pledge’s goals would require an end to the coal and gas industry’s expansion, whether under the Safeguard Mechanism or via other means.

With the East Coast of Australia being battered by heavy rain triggering flooding today, Mr Bandt also said the alternating pattern of summer floods and bushfires was clearly becoming more severe, underscoring the need to stop opening coal and gas mines.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt said:

“I’m glad the government is listening to the Greens’ long-standing calls for Australia to join US President Biden’s global methane pledge, but putting it into practice means stopping new coal and gas mines.”

“Labor can’t sign the methane pledge today and then open up new coal and gas mines tomorrow.

“The issue isn’t cow burps, it’s coal and gas. The pledge is aimed at the tax-dodging coal and gas corporations, not cows and agriculture.

“Signing Joe Biden’s methane pledge means stopping new coal and gas projects, whether through the Safeguard mechanism, a climate trigger or some other means. 

“The heavy rain and predicted flooding across much of the east coast is devastating communities, and the coal- and gas-fuelled climate crisis is making it worse.” 

“My office has been inundated with messages from people worried about the heavy rain, including from people in central Melbourne who are now wondering if they need to invest in sandbags.

“This is not normal. Unprecedented rainfall in Sydney, warnings of a month’s worth of flooding in Victoria, entire towns decimated in the Northern Rivers: this will all get worse if Labor keeps opening coal and gas mines.”