Month: October 2023

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell will today welcome Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Secretary of Trade Alfredo Pascual to Adelaide for the sixth Philippines–Australia Ministerial Meeting (PAMM).

The meeting will focus on opportunities to deepen trade and investment, strengthen our security and maritime ties, and explore further cooperation on agriculture and food, the energy transition, education and skills.

Australia and the Philippines are strategic partners and close friends. We share a vision for a region that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and resilient, where sovereignty is respected.

The PAMM follows Prime Minister Albanese’s landmark visit to Manila last month, where he and President Marcos elevated the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Albanese’s visit was the first bilateral visit by an Australian Prime Minister to the Philippines in 20 years.

The partnership between Australia and the Philippines is underpinned by 77 years of diplomatic relations and close people to people links, with over 400,000 people of Filipino heritage contributing to the cultural and economic vibrancy of modern Australia.

Australia is committed to working with the Philippines to support ASEAN’s vital contribution to regional peace and security, and to help build a region where all countries contribute to strategic stability and can shape our collective future.

Australians want to know: will the Labor Government stop asylum seekers arriving by plane? And will they treat this problem with urgency?

Labor has been talking about asylum seekers arriving by plane since 2019 and they sat on the Nixon Review for seven months before announcing a response.

Australians will by cynical that Labor is serious about addressing this problem.

Under this Labor Government:

• 23,822 asylum seekers arrived by plane and lodged a protection claim in Australia.

• The number of monthly asylum seeker claims is trending upwards: just 726 asylum claims were lodged in April 2022 before the election, but in the last three months under Labor 1762, 1940 and 2164 asylum claims were lodged.

• The total number of asylum seekers in Australia has grown to more than 105,000.

• Just 167 failed asylum seekers have been deported.

Labor needs to answer these questions about the asylum seekers arriving on their watch:

• How fast will Labor process asylum claims to deter non-genuine applicants?

• When will the number of asylum seekers in Australia start to fall?

• Labor waited seven months to respond to the Nixon Review, how long before they take action on this problem?

• What is Labor doing about unscrupulous lawyers and migration agents providing shadow advice to non-genuine asylum seekers?

• Will Labor deport more failed asylum seekers? Labor has deported just 2,161 criminals and failed asylum seekers in a year compared to 6,352 deportations a year under the Coalition (average 2013-2019).

• Does Labor even know where the failed 75,430 asylum seekers are living in Australia?

If blaming others actually solved problems, then life in Australia under this Labor Government would be trouble free.

But that’s not how responsibility works. Labor sat on an important review so they could use it as a distraction from the Voice.

Cracking down on criminals and dodgy asylum seekers is hard work and it will be unpopular with some Labor supporters but it’s the right thing to do. This is a test for Labor.

Remember what Kristina Keneally had to say about the issue, when Labor was all talk and no responsibility:

• “Criminal syndicates, people smugglers, have shifted their business model from boats to planes. They’re trafficking people here,” 8 October 2019.

• “This is the development of an economic model that relies on exploited and low-paid workers, and it is a misuse, it is an abuse, of our asylum-seeking process,” 9 October 2019.

• “If a government is serious about stopping a flow of people coming to Australia, then it would be doing something about airplane arrivals,” 6 September 2019.

Vital Centrelink and Medicare services and payments to Australians could be disrupted if a planned union-led strike at Services Australia goes ahead on Monday 9 October.

According to media reports it could involve almost 30 per cent of Services Australia’s 34,000 strong workforce.

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy Paul Fletcher said the strike is another example of an embattled agency which is out of control.

“Services Australia is in crisis under Government Services Minister Bill Shorten,” Mr Fletcher said.

“We know that Services Australia provides a range of supports to the most vulnerable and it would be unacceptable for these services to be disrupted by the strike, especially in this cost of living crisis.

“Mr Shorten must explain which services will be affected and what will be done to cater for those who require assistance on Monday.

“For Services Australia to simply say they are ‘making preparations to minimise potential disruption to our customers’ isn’t good enough.

“The public deserve to know the facts, including exactly what services will be adversely impacted, whether claims processing will be pushed out, and what local service centres will be disrupted.”

Services Australia is fast becoming a basket case under Labor.

• Centrelink call wait times have blown out, with the average time taken to connect to the Employment Services line at over 29 minutes;
• Last month, a top Services Australia boss publicly conceded that the agency was “understaffed in our service delivery”;
• Average staffing levels at the agency have been cut, from 28,560 in 2020-2023 to 26,692 in 2023-2024;
• Bill Shorten has refused to hand over the latest claims processing data for Medicare and Centrelink, refused a lawful FOI request and provided overdue Questions on Notice;
• Bill Shorten has also been MIA on vital reforms to digital ID and he has failed to respond to the MyGov User Audit, which was handed to him in January.

“If Services Australia is to get back on track, there needs to be a root and branch review of this critical agency, with a strong focus on how to improve customer service, drive digital transformation and better understand the expectations of customers,” Mr Fletcher said.

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten must stop hiding and explain to the public what Centrelink and Medicare services have been impacted because of today’s union-led strike at Services Australia, and the long-term scale of the disruption on customers.

According to media reports the strike could involve almost 30 per cent of Services Australia’s 34,000 strong workforce.

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy Paul Fletcher said the strike is a powerful example of an agency and government that has misplaced its priorities.

“Services Australia is a basket case and Bill Shorten needs to accept responsibility for its litany of failures,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Australians need Centrelink and Medicare services more than ever because of Labor’s cost of living crisis and this industrial action will cause angst and confusion for people already doing it tough. Monday also happens to be the busiest day for Services Australia telephony.

“I wrote to Bill Shorten on Friday requesting he outline the impact the strike will have on service delivery across the agency for today and beyond.”

The letter requested Mr Shorten to provide the following:

• Expected duration of the strike
• Expected number of staff involved in the strike per face-to-face site
• Expected impact on face-to-face wait times per site
• Expected impact on timelines for claims processing and payments
• Best internal agency point of contact for case escalation

Locally-based Senator Paul Scarr said that it is very disappointing that the Albanese Labor Government has been unable to reach an agreement with the Union.

“The people of Ipswich rely upon this Centrelink office and these services. Ipswich suffers from a higher level of unemployment than most of Australia – the last regional figure was 6.5% compared to a national rate of 3.7%. Pensioners and carers rely upon this office to access services,” Senator Scarr said.“In this cost-of-living crisis there are many Ipswich residents doing it tough. The Labor Government needs to explain what it is going to do to make sure that this industrial action does not impact Ipswich residents trying to access their entitlements.”

Labor needs to rescind its declaration of the Hunter Offshore Wind Zone and fix its broken community engagement process before reopening public consultation.

Impacted communities are angry and for good reason: they face the prospect of 260-meter-high wind turbines across their pristine coastline, following a flawed community engagement process.

Public consultation on the Hunter Offshore Wind Zone ran for 65 days between 23 February to 28 April in what many residents consider a sham process dressed up as a democratic exercise.

It was residents of Norah Head who first alerted me to the flaws in how the government was consulting on the proposed zone, and I accepted an invitation to visit the beachside community in early July.

There is no substitute for meeting people face-to-face on the ground.

I learnt that most locals didn’t even know that public consultations had already come and gone.

Locals told me about unions co-opting the community engagement process to encourage positive submissions.

I heard complaints about limited in-person briefings and how those who attended them left with more questions than answers.

Residents outlined deep concerns about the environment, worries for the migration pathway of humpback whales, the threat to local tourism businesses and risks to local commercial and recreational fishers.

I even heard about senior citizens unable to make written submissions as part of the process because only digital submissions were being accepted.

Then, suddenly, a breakthrough.

On the same day as my visit, Minister Chris Bowen announced a ‘Community Engagement Review’ to improve community engagement on renewable energy projects.

This was tantamount to an admission on the part of the Albanese Government that its consultation process was broken and needed to be fixed.

I welcomed the announcement.

Finally, the government was listening (or so it seemed).

But, much to my dismay, Minister Bowen proceeded to declare the Hunter offshore wind zone the following week.

The contradiction was stark. Labor knew its community engagement process was flawed yet they still used it as the basis for declaring an offshore wind zone, despite serious community angst.

The region has been taken for mugs, and they knew it.

Norah Head wasn’t the only upset community.

In meeting nearly 150 local residents at an open community town hall meeting in Port Stephens’ Shoal Bay a few weeks ago, their anger was palpable.

Tourism operators and professional fishers were furious; fearful that their businesses would soon be capsized by enormous projects offshore.

They had been steamrolled by the Albanese Government and the radio silence from their federal Labor MPs rubbed salt into the wound.

Their stories were similar to those at Norah Head: from residents not knowing about public consultations to unanswered questions and concerns about the local economy and environment.

One resident queried what the future holds for his children if the risks the community foresaw were to eventuate.

Despite these communities being in Labor seats, only the Coalition has demonstrated a willingness to hear and represent their interests.

I have thought long and hard about the conundrum Labor has created with the Hunter Offshore Wind Zone, and I’ve concluded that the zone is untenable in the absence of a social license.

The issue isn’t with offshore wind as a source of energy. Every technology has its pros and cons which is why an “All-of-the-Above” approach is needed so a balanced mix of technologies ultimately prevails.

Residents of these communities want climate change tackled and they see renewables as part of the solution, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to cop their way of life being jeopardized or their local economy and environment trashed.

The crux of the matter is that the government’s community engagement process in the Hunter was unambiguously flawed and the proposed offshore wind zone lacks community support.

Nevertheless, I believe there’s a pathway to building the needed social license, but it requires swift action on the part of the government.

Firstly, the Minister’s declaration of the zone should be rescinded.

Secondly, the community engagement process should be fixed through the review that has already been commissioned, so long as a revamped process puts the community, not investors, at the centre.

Thirdly, public consultation should be reopened under the new process.

I appreciate the Albanese Government is feeling desperate as renewable energy investment stalls and its 82% renewables target looks dicey, but that’s no excuse for showing reckless indifference towards regional communities.

Report of the Bilateral Air Services Senate Select Committee

• Immediately Review the Qatar Airways decision
• Immediately Reinstate ACCC monitoring of domestic airlines
• Urgently respond to Harris Review into Sydney Airport slots
• Strengthen competition in domestic aviation, including investigating divestiture powers
• Implement consumer protection reforms for travellers
• Seek to extend the Select Committee to hear from Alan Joyce AC and Minister Catherine King

The Albanese Government should immediately review the decision to reject additional flights from Qatar Airways, reinstate monitoring of the domestic airline industry by the competition watchdog, respond to the Harris Review of Sydney Airport slots to help improve reliability, increase choice, and reduce the cost of airfares, are recommendations of the Senate Select Committee inquiry on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Chair of the Select Committee, Senator Bridget McKenzie said the inquiry has made strong recommendations for immediate actions the government could take to cut the cost of airfares and reduce flight cancellations and delays.

“At a time of a cost-of-living crisis in Australia the Government has made decisions that have protected Qantas’ market share and kept the cost of airfares higher for Australian families and exporters, and they have delayed making critical decisions to improve the reliability of domestic travel especially at Sydney Airport,” Senator McKenzie said.

“The committee heard evidence that Australians could have been enjoying cheaper flights to Europe and the Middle East as early as April this year had the Government approved additional Qatar Airways flights, and that Turkish Airlines had planned to offer additional flights in time for families to reunite overseas this Christmas.

The committee received 147 written submissions, including over 100 from individuals who raised issues with the Qantas frequent flyer program, including the devaluing of points and lack of available services.

“As a result of this inquiry, Qantas have offered to work to resolve the concerns of those customers, and the committee has recommended the Government develop strong consumer protection measures to address the devaluation of loyalty programs as well as lost baggage, cancellations and significant flight delays.

“Clear evidence was provided of the aggressive use of market power by Qantas and the committee has called for reinstatement of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission monitoring of the domestic airline industry and for the competition watchdog to inquire into anti-competitive behaviour in the sector.

Senator McKenzie said the evidence supports the conclusion that the Government rejected Qatar Airways request because of interventions by former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, who was also responsible for Qantas supporting the Prime Minister’s referendum on the Voice, at shareholders and customers expense.

“Unfortunately, the Government sought to prevent the committee from fully investigating the reasons why additional Qatar Airways flights were rejected by refusing to release documents and placing a gag on the infrastructure and foreign affairs departments.

“Departmental answers to questions taken on notice were not provided until as late as Friday afternoon, in a brazen attempt by the Albanese Government to prevent the committee from reporting by the 9 October 2023 deadline,” Senator McKenzie said.

Senator McKenzie said the committee has recommended the Senate vote to extend the Select Committee to enable it to hear from Mr Alan Joyce AC, who was unable to appear before the inquiry due to being overseas.

The committee will also seek to have the Parliament direct Transport Minister, Catherine King appear before the extended inquiry. Minister King failed to formally respond to the committee’s request for her to appear, despite telling media she would not front up.

Report Recommendations

1. Government immediately review Qatar Airways decision
2. Government have regard to cost benefit analysis, consult widely and publish a statement of reasons of decisions on bilateral air services agreements.
3. Government review reform options to strengthen competition in the domestic aviation industry, including potential divestiture powers to remedy any misuse of market power.
4. Government to reinstate Australian Competition and Consumer Commission monitoring of the domestic airline industry.
5. Government direct the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to conduct an inquiry into anti-competitive behaviour in the domestic aviation market.
6. Government develop and implement consumer protection reforms to address significant delays, cancellations, lost baggage and devaluation of loyalty programs.
7. Government to urgently respond to the Review of the Sydney Airport Demand Management Scheme (Harris Review) .
8. Government consider introducing limited cabotage to regional airports.
9. Committee recommends the Senate extend the Select Committee to receive evidence from Mr Alan Joyce AC and from Qantas government affairs representatives, noting that Qantas’ answers to questions on notice were unsatisfactory

Committee recommends the Senate request the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon. Catherine King MP, to attend and provide evidence at a public hearing of the Select Committee.