Month: August 2025

Joint Foreign Ministers’ statement on the Government of Israel’s decision to further escalate its military offensive in Gaza

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom strongly reject the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet on 8th August to launch an additional large-scale military operation in Gaza. It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.

We urge the parties and the international community to make all efforts to finally bring this terrible conflict to an end now, through an immediate and permanent ceasefire that enables the provision of a massive, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, as the worst-case scenario of a famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hamas must release all hostages without further delay or precondition and must ensure they are humanely treated and not subject to cruelty and humiliation.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. We call on the Government of Israel to urgently find solutions to amend its recent registration system of international humanitarian organisations, to ensure these vital actors of humanitarian aid can continue their essential work again in line with humanitarian principles to reach the civilians in need in Gaza. Their exclusion would be an egregious signal.

We are united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity. A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.

Albanese must sanction Israel, following Gaza occupation plan

The Israeli Government’s announcement that it plans to occupy Gaza, forcibly displace over one million people and continue the genocide must be condemned and followed by swift action from the Albanese Government.

After two years of inaction, this must be a red line for the Albanese Government. Sanctions to the level of what was introduced against Russia following its illegal invasion of Ukraine, including an end to the two-way arms trade with Israel, are a necessity.

The Albanese Government has ignored the continued breaches of international law by the Israeli Government. The Greens, human rights organisations and millions of people have been calling for sanctions. It’s time the Albanese Government listened.

Russian-style sanctions on Israel would halt millions of dollars in trade that fuels the occupation and genocide in Palestine. These sanctions must also be extended to the Security Cabinet of Israel, which has just signed off on another bloody escalation in the genocide.

Greens Senator and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

“What we’re witnessing in Gaza goes beyond military strategy, it’s the systematic erasure of Palestinians through forced displacement and occupation.

“This is entering the final stages of a genocide.

“It’s not good enough for the Albanese government to still be debating how strong our language should be.

“Recognition of the Palestinian State is being used by the Albanese Government not as a fundamental right all people have to self-determination, but as a distraction from the fact that they have taken next to no material action against the State of Israel. Increasingly harsh statements will not feed people, it will not stop the Israeli war machine. Sanctions will.

“If Australia were to end the arms trade with Israel and stop the export of F-35 fighter jet parts, the Israeli fleet would, over time, be grounded. That is what action looks like.

“If the same sanctions regime that applies against Russia were applied against Israel, then today’s decision by Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet would see each of them hit with Magnitsky sanctions.

“The time is now for immediate and strong action, and we can look to the actions taken against Russia as a clear guide, end the two-way arms trade and sanction key decision makers, including the Security Cabinet.

“This is a fundamental test for the Albanese Government. Either they believe in international law and will enforce it against Israel, or they will continue to hide in Donald Trump’s shadow. One is a pathway towards decency and independence, and the other is one of complete moral surrender.”

New intake of overseas and interstate paramedics for NSW Ambulance

NSW Ambulance has today welcomed 13 new paramedic inductees, who previously worked as paramedics interstate or overseas.

These qualified and experienced paramedics have just completed a comprehensive three-week induction program at the NSW Ambulance Education Centre and begin their on-road training from tomorrow, providing a further boost to frontline health services across NSW.

These new recruits come from a variety of locations, such as Eleni Berdoukas who previously worked as a paramedic in New Zealand and is now beginning a new chapter with NSW Ambulance. 

Several of the paramedics are also joining NSW Ambulance from other states – such as Benjamin Hayes, who has spent five years as a paramedic in Western Australia before deciding to move across the country to share his skills.

This latest class of paramedic inductees will be posted across metropolitan and regional locations in NSW for nine weeks, prior to becoming registered paramedics with NSW Ambulance. 

Minister for Health, Ryan Park: 

“Our dedicated paramedics are the frontline of our health system, I’d like to congratulate this latest intake joining NSW Ambulance from both interstate and abroad.

“These qualified paramedics bring with them a range of skills and years of experience, which serve to strengthen our frontline services across the state.”

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to rebuilding a strengthened health workforce, because we know that supported and empowered staff means better health outcomes for our community.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan: 

“We are delighted to welcome these new paramedics, who will join our team of highly skilled and dedicated clinicians who provide outstanding care to patients across NSW every day.

“We continue to attract qualified and experienced paramedics to NSW Ambulance from near and far, and our communities will benefit greatly from their diverse clinical backgrounds and their passion for their jobs.”

paramedic Eleni Berdoukas:

“I’m originally from Sydney but have worked as a paramedic in Cairns for a year and then three years in Wellington, so it’s exciting to be coming home to NSW to live and work.

“I just love that as a paramedic every day is a little bit different, there’s always something unexpected, you never know what you’re going to be faced with.”

paramedic Benjamin Hayes:

“I was previously a health and physical education teacher and I’ve found there’s more similarities between my two careers than you’d think.

“I’ve always enjoyed assisting people, and being able to take advantage of learning opportunities, and having that camaraderie with colleagues. I’m keen to get back on the road.”

Disaster Support for New England following severe weather

The Albanese and Minns Governments have activated disaster assistance to communities in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the New England region following widespread severe weather including heavy rainfall and snow.

The NSW Government’s Natural Disaster Declaration applies to the LGAs of Gunnedah, Narrabri, Tamworth, Uralla and Walcha.

Support has been made available under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). 

Assistance measures that may be provided to communities include: 
• Assistance for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation and essential items generally provided from evacuation or recovery centres. 
• Grants for low-income, uninsured residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain basic standard of living. 
• Grants for low-income, uninsured residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a basic, safe and habitable condition. 
• Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets.
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, and non-profit organisations and grants to sporting and recreation clubs to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property. 
• Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder. 
• Financial support towards counter disaster activity undertaken by emergency service organisations to keep communities safe. 

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain MP:
“The Australian Government is working closely with the NSW Government to ensure that affected communities across New England receive the support they need to recover.

“The storms and snowfall have caused significant disruption to homes, roads, and services, and we know the impact is being deeply felt across these communities.

“This support will help ease immediate hardship and assist with longer term rebuilding efforts, including restoring public infrastructure and helping uninsured households get back on their feet.

“Our focus remains on standing with these communities as they recover, rebuild and prepare for future severe weather events.”

NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin MP:
“The Minns Labor Government is activating targeted support to meet immediate community needs and to get vital infrastructure back up and running. 

“The recent storms have caused damage across the New England region and we want to ensure that councils in particular are supported so that communities know the repair and reconstruction work that needs to be done can be done.   

“Roads, bridges and essential services have been damaged after being inundated with water and snow, and there’s a significant clean-up ahead to deal with debris and restore access.

“A natural disaster declaration is the first step in unlocking support these communities urgently need.” 

More information on disaster assistance can be found at https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/recovery and www.disasterassist.gov.au

Grants pave the way for the next generation of creatives and collaboration

The NSW Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to foster the next generation of artists, creative practitioners, and leaders.

Among the ten small to medium not-for-profit arts and culture organisations supported through a new $500,000 grant program are projects ranging from a multi-platform festival, an interactive futurist activation, to a multi-sensory dining experience. Each project showcases the exceptional strength, talent and entrepreneurial vision of NSW’s arts and cultural sector.

The Creative Industries Connectivity Grants program was established to incentivise new collaborative opportunities and develop new partnerships between the traditional arts and cultural sector and creative industries.

The $500,000 program delivers on the Creative Communities commitment to align NSW Government investment to prioritise programs, services and advocacy that builds pathways to partnerships to enhance distribution opportunities for artists and creative practitioners.

Through grants of up to $50,000, the 10 not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations will each invest in a new venture and work in partnership with creative businesses including 3D imaging technology providers, landscape architects, e-learning platforms, fashion powerhouses, global radio broadcasters, and restaurants.

These projects pioneer new visionary concepts blending traditional artforms with new mediums and influences, that transform how artists connect with audiences and how stories are told.

The program promotes ongoing collaboration across the arts, cultural and creative industries ecosystem, driving further innovation, long-term sustainability, and successful product development.

The recipients of the inaugural Creative Industries Connectivity Grants program are:

– Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc – The Dharug Voices Digital Archive
– Asian Australian Artists Association Inc – Haymarket 2050
– Diversity Arts Australia – Creative Equity at Work Online Learning Program
– Erth Visual & Physical Incorporated – Dinner is the Show
– Marrugeku Inc – Ngurragabu [From the last night]
– NSW Aboriginal Culture Heritage and Arts Association Inc – NSW Aboriginal Cultural Centre Online
– Port Macquarie Historical Society Inc – Birrbay Barray Djuyal (Birpai Country Stories)
– Powerhouse Youth Theatre Inc – From Stage to Screen
– Soft Centre Pty Ltd – SOFT CENTRE 2025 x NTS | White Bay Power Station
– Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre – Mercury Rising

Minister for the Arts, John Graham said:

“Creative Communities outlined a shift in value, scale, focus and settings. We said at its release that the vision cannot be realised overnight or by government alone. Partnerships are crucial.

“These grants are built upon developing partnerships across the creative industries and into other larger creative industry organisations and businesses.

“The goal with this investment is to support collaborative projects that have potential for ongoing partnerships and develop sustainable outcomes for organisations across the creative industries.”

Create NSW Executive Director Kerri Glasscock said:

“The NSW arts and cultural sector is renowned for innovating and pushing boundaries. This new program has delivered a strong line-up of inspiring ideas in its inaugural round.

“These projects have been selected to demonstrate possible future direction of arts and culture and creative industry partnerships.

“We are excited to see so many high-impact partnerships that will combine the vision and talent in the arts and creative industries and create some truly innovative projects.”

Thea-Mai Baumann Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art said:

“Haymarket 2050 is a living time capsule – an immersive, cross-disciplinary collaboration that reimagines the future of one of Sydney’s most iconic precincts.

“Through holograms, cult fashion shows, and augmented reality portals at sites like the Lion Gate, Paddy’s Markets, at 4A and our incubator space 4A LAB, we’re preserving Haymarket’s cultural DNA while projecting its stories into the year 2050. This is about memory, imagination, and placemaking – activating community voices to shape a speculative archive we will unlock again in 25 years.”

Creative Industries Connectivity Project Highlights include:

– Haymarket 2050 is a groundbreaking collaboration between 4A, INJURY x REAL PARENT, local community members and key cultural partners, reimagining Haymarket’s cultural future through contemporary art, fashion, and technology. The bold project features immersive installations, AR activations, and a global virtual experience, bridging physical and digital realms to engage diverse audiences and shape Haymarket’s cultural narrative.

– “Dinner is the Show” is an innovative collaboration between Erth Visual & Physical Inc. and Kitchen by Mike. This multi-sensory exploration examines the intricate relationship between food and art, providing an immersive dining experience throughout the performance. 

– Dance company Marrugeku will partner with landscape architectural firm, REALMstudios to develop Ngurragabu [From the last night]. This partnership will imagine, research and map speculative environmental futures, expanding Marrugeku’s ongoing commitment to creating immersive performances that highlight the interactions between human and non-human species, Country, and weather.

– Port Macquarie Museum and creative technology partner Studio ESEM will create an immersive interactive installation using Gathang voices and language to introduce and connect audiences to Country and stories. Birrbay Barray Djuyal (Birpai Country Stories) will weave narratives of kinship, culture and the environment into a multi-sensory artwork using historical, contemporary and virtual imagery and sounds.

Minns Labor Government establishes new Chief Midwife role in NSW Health

The Minns Labor Government is creating a new role of Chief Midwife in NSW Health to support the experiences of pregnant women and their families, and strengthen leadership to midwives across the NSW public health system.

Established in response to the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry, the Chief Midwife will develop policy and strategies related to midwifery professional practice and the role of midwives in maternity services.

They will also focus on workforce planning, training and retention to support the growth and development of midwifery-led care across public health maternity services.

The Chief Midwife will provide their expert advice to the Minister for Health Ryan Park and the NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM.

They will work with key professional bodies including the Australian College of Midwives, and universities offering midwifery training programs.

The establishment of the Chief Midwife role is the latest step by the Minns Labor Government to improve maternity care across the state.

This announcement follows the recent NSW Budget to support healthier families and communities with more than $83 million to boost maternity care which includes:

  • $44.8 million to increase access to midwifery continuity of care models, including funding for an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives in regional NSW
  • enhanced training for clinicians in respectful maternity care
  • enhanced antenatal education and consumer information for patients
  • $26.8 million to maintain seven family care centres, five mobile services and the Macksville residential unit, all in regional and rural NSW
  • $5.7 million to support free vaccination to pregnant women to protect them and their babies from whooping cough, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection
  • $250,000 for virtual paediatrician support to general practitioners across NSW.

This builds on the five accelerated initiatives that are in progress in response to the Birth Trauma Inquiry. These five initiatives include:

  • increasing access to maternity continuity of care models
  • embedding trauma-informed maternity care
  • improving the way information is provided to women
  • improving consent processes in maternity care
  • supporting women who experience pregnancy complications.

Recruitment to the role is expected to commence shortly.

Minister for Health Ryan Park

“Nearly 90,000 women give birth in NSW each year and I am committed to ensuring that all women in the state receive respectful, evidence-based, and equitable maternity care.

“I want to thank the courage and strength of the thousands of women who shared their deeply personal and difficult experiences throughout the Birth Trauma Inquiry.

“We will continue to listen and learn, and the Chief Midwife will provide important advice so that we can deliver the best possible midwifery care for women, babies and families in NSW.

“The establishment of the new role of Chief Midwife strengthens our commitment to improving experiences for all women and ensuring they have the choice and care they deserve.”

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM

“Midwives are essential to the NSW public healthcare system, playing a vital role across the state’s hospitals and health facilities.

“I’m thrilled that the new position of Chief Midwife will provide expert advice and leadership to the profession now and into the future.

“The experiences of women heard throughout the Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the critical importance of respectful, compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally safe maternity care.”

Labor quiet on news housing waiting list has ballooned fourteen percent

The revelation that Labor has overseen a fourteen percent increase in people waiting for public housing over six months underlines the fact that their approach to the housing crisis is not working says Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens, Jo Clay.

The news was revealed after questioning from the Greens in Budget Estimates yesterday afternoon. The line of questioning found that the housing waiting list had increased from 2975 to 3402 in the six months between November 2024 and June 2025.

Quotes attributable to Jo Clay, Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens:

“The news that Labor has been sitting on the fact there has been a fourteen percent surge in the public housing waiting list is yet another blow to the credibility of their so-called plan to build more affordable homes in this territory.

“During the election, Labor only committed to building one thousand new public homes by the end of the decade. That’s a clear admission from the Labor Government that they will leave people struggling on the streets given we already know the public housing waiting list is over three-thousand people long.

“The news that the public housing waiting list has grown is no surprise given we know our community has been facing a serious housing crisis for years now. This should be a wakeup call for Labor that their policies which leave thousands of Canberrans out in the cold are not going to cut it—they need to step up to the plate.

“Already during estimates, we’ve heard from numerous community housing providers that the government will not be able to meet their target of five thousand new so-called ‘affordable’ homes—and this news takes that fact one step further.

“The reality is, if Labor was serious about building homes that people can actually afford to live in, they would step in and build enough public homes for every single person on the public housing waiting list—not leave it to the community sector.

“No doubt Labor’s hubris will mask this damning announcement as just another quirk of governing, and the government will continue giving handouts to the gambling industry and wasting money on road duplications while people are hungry, homeless and in need of support from a government that has forgotten about them.”

“COERCION AND SECRECY”: DAMNING EVIDENCE PILES UP AHEAD OF LABOR GOVERNMENT APPEARANCE AT PUBLIC HOUSING INQUIRY

Today’s public housing inquiry heard devastating evidence that the Allan Labor Government’s tower demolition plan is built on coercive relocations, ignored alternatives, and a secretive privatisation model.

From the first witnesses, the message was clear – the relocation process is traumatising, unaccountable, and deeply harmful. Residents have been pressured to leave with little or no support – some told to “pick a home” off realestate.com.au, others given verbal ultimatums. Advocates described elderly tenants in tears and migrant residents unable to access critical information.

The Law Institute of Victoria’s Dr Bill Swannie and former Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bell AO KC condemned the project as a breach of international law, labelling this as “forced displacement backed by eviction,” and confirmed he will be making a complaint to the United Nations.

Witnesses also exposed the disturbing lack of transparency surrounding the decision to demolish. No documents have been released showing that refurbishment was ever properly assessed, despite repeated government claims that the towers are “beyond repair”.

Expert architects from OFFICE told the inquiry that refurbishment is not only viable, but it would also save $354 million, deliver more modern, environmentally sound homes, and avoid the devastating health and social harm of relocation.

Instead, the Labor Government is pressing ahead with the Ground Lease Model (GLM) – a delivery model that was repeatedly discredited by expert witnesses today, being laid bare as a political fix designed to give the illusion of retaining public land while actually providing no public housing and handing control of a public asset to private consortiums.

Researchers from RMIT slammed the model’s total lack of transparency, describing it as a “black box” of tax subsidies and responsibility shifting, shielded from Freedom of Information laws, with no public oversight. They told the inquiry there is no evidence the model is effective, that the risks are unknown, and that it’s “by design” and that similar models have already been banned or abandoned in the UK following cost blowouts, governance failures, and tenant harm.

The inquiry heard that the Ground Lease Model is just an investment opportunity for superannuation funds that will leave taxpayers footing the bill, paying billions in subsidies and government payments required to prop it up from day one.

Homes Victoria and the Housing Minister will be fronting the inquiry that was secured by the Greens tomorrow.

Victorian Greens spokesperson for Public and Affordable Housing, Gabrielle de Vietri:

“There was never any justification for Labor’s plan that’s well and truly falling apart during this inquiry which has heard repeated, damning evidence of coercion and secrecy.”

“It’s profoundly unsettling watching just how little thought went into this reckless plan, given the devastating impact it will have on people’s lives and the housing crisis.”

“There’s more evidence being presented in this inquiry than Labor has ever managed to provide and now it’s time for Labor to reckon with the fact that this plan cannot be defended, and no one’s defending it, except those who are going to profit from it.”

Teals’ GST plan shows warped priorities

A Teal proposal to jack up the GST and apply it to fresh food and utilities, rather than increasing taxes on big corporations and the super wealthy, shows totally warped priorities, the Greens say.

“Kate Chaney’s plan to raise the GST to 15% and apply it to fresh food and utilities is a lazy idea,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“If we want to make people’s lives better we should make big corporations pay their fair share of tax and use the revenue to provide genuine cost of living relief. 

“Since the pandemic the cost of essentials has skyrocketed, and the best idea the Teals can come up with is to make food more expensive?”

“If we are serious about easing cost of living pressures we should be making big corporations and the super wealthy pay their fair share of tax.”

“One in three of the biggest corporations pays no tax at all. The ultra-wealthy stash billions in trusts and tax shelters. But instead of ending those rorts, the Teals want to hike up taxes on baby formula and electricity.”

“The Greens will fight any attempt to make inequality worse. We’ll keep pushing for a fairer tax system where big corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.

End of housing crisis is possible, only obstacle is Labor

The Australian Greens welcome ACOSS’s calls to urgently address the unfair tax breaks that benefit property investors, as well as their call for redirecting funds to building more social housing.”

Momentum is growing – ACOSS joins a chorus of stakeholders, including the ACTU and banks, calling on the government to wind back negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount ahead of the Government’s Economic Reform Roundtable.”

Under the Greens 2025 election policy, both negative gearing and the CGT discount would be grandfathered to one existing investment property and removed on all second and subsequent properties, ensuring “mum and dad” investors with a single investment property are not negatively impacted, while disincentivising future speculative and unproductive investment in the property market.”

Greens spokesperson for housing Senator Barbara Pocock:

“Every day these tax handouts keep flowing to wealthy property investors, the housing crisis gets worse. They’re cooking our housing system and fuelling intergenerational inequality. Ending the housing crisis is possible, but it’s up to Labor.”

“Momentum is growing – we’ve seen calls from across the sectors – unions, banks, economists, welfare groups – all urging the government to take action. It’s absolutely imperative that changes to negative gearing and CGT concessions are on the Economic Roundtable agenda. Winding back the tax discounts for wealthy property investors is the obvious first step in fixing our housing crisis.”

“Labor has a choice – it can help fix this housing crisis by reforming the tax discounts for wealthy property investors or it can choose to continue with a system that locks out first home buyers and increases rents. It could choose to redirect funds to build more public and community housing.”

“Let’s be clear – these are tax breaks for wealthy property investors, which come at a cost to first home buyers and owner-occupiers. These are tax breaks that increase levels of homelessness, which advocacy groups have said is the worst in living memory – increasing by 10 percent under this Government since it was elected in 2022.”

“Unless the Government makes the necessary reforms to the tax concessions for property investors, we’ll continue to see house prices rise and rents spiral. The Greens stand ready to work with Labor to action this urgent reform.”

Lines attributable to Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim:

“Negative gearing and the CGT discount is a gift to wealthy investors that’s helped turn housing from a human right into a speculative asset.”

“They are some of the most destructive tax concessions in the country. They drive up prices, fuel inequality, and help to shut an entire generation out of home ownership.”

“Labor should listen to what the housing advocates, equality stakeholders and Greens have been saying for years, and bring reform to these unfair tax handouts for property investors into the parliament.”