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New report centres voices of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner Andrea Kelly has released a report to Government, recommending a series of critical reforms to improve aged care for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

Ms Kelly’s report, titled ‘Transforming Aged Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’, outlines a range of key findings and recommendations about the barriers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face to accessing aged care and the changes that need to be made for the system to meet their needs.

These findings were based on feedback received from older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities, service providers and peak bodies. 

The report makes clear that the aged care system does not currently meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and needs urgent reform. Importantly, it also outlines a path forward for a culturally safe, community-led aged care system based on thousands of hours of conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

Recommendations from the report include:

  • committing to a transformation plan, co-designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and informed by the Priority Reforms under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
  • establishing a permanent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner and supporting office that is independent and can hold the aged care system to account
  • an additional 27 urgent actions the Government should commit to as a priority.

In recognition of this important work and the Government’s commitment to improving aged care outcomes for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells has extended Ms Kelly’s role as Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner until June 2026. 

Ms Kelly was originally appointed in January 2024 and will use the next 18 months to establish an office for a permanent Commissioner and continue to advocate for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Ms Kelly has also released a Community Booklet that was informed by older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who met with Ms Kelly to share their experiences with aged care.

Read the Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner’s report and her illustrated booklet for community.

Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner Andrea Kelly:

“The recommendations in my report are clear. I call on the Australian Government to accept and act on them.

“Without significant change including an equity-based approach, the aged care system will not meet the current or projected growth in demand of aged care services for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I have outlined a plan to achieve this, which starts with genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“I am hopeful the reforms underway will incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences and perspectives to meet their needs.

“I would like to thank all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities, service providers, advocates and representatives who I met with throughout the year.”

Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells:

“I welcome the report and its findings. The Government is actively considering the recommendations and how they can be taken forward

“I am pleased to extend Ms Kelly in the role of Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner until June 2026. Ms Kelly will continue to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and perspectives are incorporated in the reforms currently underway.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy:

“Ms Kelly’s commitment to making older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s voices heard is evident in the pages of this report.

“Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the heart of our communities, and it is important that we treat them with the respect and dignity that they deserve as they age.” 

NSW leads the way in tackling rent bidding

Latest data from the Minns Labor Government’s Rental Taskforce has revealed solicited rent bidding via listing platforms has been virtually stamped out.

In the NSW Government’s first ever Bidding in the NSW Rental Market report, the impact of the Government’s strong rental reform agenda is showcased, revealing insights into rent bidding, underbidding, and pricing variations.

The analysis, conducted by NSW Fair Trading and the Department of Customer Service’s Data Analytics Centre, found the rent bidding ban is working on listing platforms and shows a rising trend of renters now securing rental properties for less than the advertised price.

Solicited rent bidding occurs when agents, landlords, or platforms invite or pressure prospective tenants to offer more than the advertised rent, increasing housing and cost of living pressure on renters in an already competitive market.

Before December 2022 non-fixed price listings made up 17 per cent of the market.

In a win for renters, the report found systemic law changes introduced by the Minns Labor Government in 2023, which included expanding a ban on solicited rent bidding from only real estate agents to landlords and rental platforms, have led to the widespread removal of illegal rental listing practices, including price ranges and ‘offers over’ terminology on major listing platforms.

This means more than 99 per cent of advertisements now comply with the rules.

The results linked rental bond data with CoreLogic rental listings and deployed advanced data-matching techniques, informing and validating the ongoing compliance work of the new $8.4 million Rental Taskforce within NSW Fair Trading.

Underbidding – where tenants pay less than the advertised rent – surged from seven per cent to 36 per cent of tenancies between March and August 2024, reflecting a broader market cooling, as listed rents exceeded what the market would bear.

NSW Fair Trading has come down hard on real estate agents caught doing the wrong thing – issuing 145 penalty infringement notices totalling more than $157,000 between May and December last year to those who breached their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) and associated laws.

Sydney property hotspots including the Randwick, Waverley, and Canada Bay LGA’s showed the highest rates of overbidding for a property, while Byron, Woollahra, and Ku-ring-gai demonstrated the highest rates of underbidding.

Historic reforms passed in 2024 are further transforming the rental market by banning no-grounds evictions, limiting rent increases to once per year, making it easier to have pets, as well as improving laws governing fee-free rent payment options, and prohibiting fees for background checks.

The Bidding in the NSW Rental Market reportalongside NSW Fair Trading’s Rent Check website provide important market information to support renters and landlords in the NSW rental market.

The Bidding in the NSW Rental Market report can be read on the Rent Bidding in NSW Insights Report webpage.

Information on the NSW Fair Trading Rent Check can be found on this webpage. 

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong:

“This report shows how the Minns Labor Government’s rental reforms, coupled with targeted action by NSW Fair Trading, are working to better protect tenants and foster a more transparent and sustainable rental market.

“The Minns Labor Government understands that more people than ever are renting and that they are renting for longer.

“That’s why the Government is committed to supporting the rental market, so tenants see it as one that offers security, and quality, while providers view it as one they can invest in with certainty and viability.

“The suite of rental reforms that the Minns Labor Government is implementing will give renters greater stability and security when renting a home, while providing certainty for landlords and agents.”

NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones:

“This report highlights the NSW Government’s commitment to data-driven regulation and the importance of effective enforcement when responding to wilful non-compliance in the rental market.

“NSW Fair Trading’s regulatory measures have effectively eliminated solicited rent bidding through rental listings, with compliance rates now reaching above 99 percent.

“Importantly, our analysis reveals that broader rent bidding practices, while present during periods of market pressure, have not been a significant driver of rental price inflation.”

Core Logic’s Head of Research Eliza Owen:

“Our research indicates that transparent and fair rental practices contribute significantly to market stability, benefiting both tenants and property owners.

“As we continue to gather and analyse data, it’s clear that targeted reforms and effective enforcement are key to fostering a rental environment where all stakeholders can thrive, especially in the context of affordability barriers to home ownership.

“There are signs of demand cooling in the rental market, which has likely helped reduce the practice of rent bidding, but NSW Fair Trading’s regulatory measures are a positive step, protecting fairness and transparency in the event of future market upswings.”

Power outages in Northern NSW

Residents in Northern NSW are being warned they could be without electricity for multiple days, as Tropical Cyclone Alfred delivers hazardous winds and rain, damaging the electricity network.

As of 4pm today, more than 38,000 homes and businesses are without power in the Northern Rivers and Far North Coast, mostly due to damage caused by falling trees and branches. The worst hit areas are between Tweed Heads and Yamba.

Essential Energy, the electricity distributor for the region, is warning residents that due to severe weather, it is currently unsafe to access and repair damaged power infrastructure. However, they will resume repairs as soon as conditions allow.

This means households and businesses need to preparefor the possibility of extensive and extended power interruptions over the coming days.

What to do before a power outage:

  • Keep battery-powered torches charged and easy-to-find.
  • Ensure your car has petrol or if you have an EV, make sure it is charged.
  • Have backup methods to safely prepare food and boil water, such as a camp stove or gas BBQ.
  • Know how to turn off power to your home.
  • Have manual overrides for garage doors and gates so you can enter and exit.
  • If you rely on an electric pump for your household water supply, store enough water for your needs while the power is off.
  • Have a list of emergency and important phone numbers, in case your mobile phone battery runs out.
  • What to do during a power outage:
  • Stay 8 metres away from damaged wires and fallen powerlines. Call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 to report the damage.
  • Never enter flood waters, as damaged electricity infrastructure can cause electric shock.
  • Limit mobile phone use. Save your battery for important calls and updates.
  • Switch off appliances that can be damaged during power surges, including TVs, computers and Wi-Fi routers.
  • Do not attempt to repair electrical issues yourself or try to use any external power generation sources indoors, such as an external or portable generator.
  • Petrol or diesel-powered generators can produce carbon monoxide gas and must only be operated in a well-ventilated outdoor area away from open windows and vents.
  • If you must run your vehicle to charge devices, do it outside with good ventilation.
  • Follow the NSW Food Authority’s advice on food safety and try to limit the number of times you open the fridge and freezer.
  • In a life-threatening situation, always call Triple Zero (000).

Energy retailers are supporting residents who rely on medical equipment. If you have registered your medical equipment, you should be contacted by Essential Energy or your energy retailer (the company that delivers your electricity bill).

The NSW Government is working with partners in the energy industry to coordinate preparation for the Tropical Cyclone and ensure all resources are ready to respond.

Essential Energy has moved additional crews, generators, fuel pods and mobile communication systems into the region. It has also established support arrangements with Ausgrid and Energy Queensland in case they are required. Endeavour Energy has also offered support if needed.

Ampol and BP are publishing on their websites the locations of service stations that will be open throughout the duration of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. These are mainly self-service stations and are intended mainly for use by emergency services. For further fuel station impacts and closures use the FuelCheck App.

NSW authorities are working with the Commonwealth to secure additional generator capacity.

More information about what to do before, during and after a storm is available online on the webpage What is a power outage and what to do.

Live updates on outages are available on the Essential Energy website.

Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe:

“Households and businesses need to prepare for the real possibility that they will be without power for an extended period of time.

“We know this is distressing. Energy companies are working to restore power as soon as it is safe to do so. However, dangerous conditions will likely prevent crews accessing and repairing damage to the network for some time.

“Energy and water do not mix, and pose a threat to residents and energy workers. It is crucial residents stay well away from fallen power lines and damaged electrical equipment.”

Improving cancer outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the Illawarra

A $30,000 NSW Government grant will fund cancer screening and prevention education to improve cancer outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the Illawarra.

The Multicultural Community Screening Education and Healthy Living Illawarra project will deliver community education sessions on bowel, breast and cervical cancer screening as well as smoking cessation to the local Arabic, Italian, Macedonian and Burmese (Karenni and Karen speaking) community. A wellbeing expo with light physical activities and walking groups will also be delivered as part of the project.

Multicultural communities face significant barriers accessing cancer screening services and care, often due to language barriers, poor health literacy, trauma, and cultural stigma and beliefs.

The Cancer Institute NSW Multicultural Community Grants are awarded regularly to help support local community groups and health services to roll out targeted initiatives that will support people with multilingual information to reduce their cancer risk, in a way that is aligned with their cultural beliefs.

The grants are one of the ways the NSW Government through the Cancer Institute NSW is supporting CALD communities to improve cancer outcomes. Other initiatives include targeted cancer prevention campaigns, multilingual resources to build health literacy, training of bilingual community educators to deliver cancer education and provision of social support for people who have been diagnosed with cancer and carers affected by cancer.

For more info visit the Cancer Screening and Prevention and Cancer Control (Multicultural) Grants webpage.

Health Minister, Ryan Park:

“In NSW, around 30 per cent of people were born overseas, with one in four people speaking a language other than English at home – higher than any other state or territory.

“Unfortunately, these communities have some of the lowest participation rates in cancer screening and can experience inequitable access to health care.”

Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully:

“Language should not be a barrier to understanding your cancer risks or getting the best possible cancer care if you need it and this funding will help to change that.

“I have heard from and worked with too many families who had trouble negotiating the health system or understanding their health needs because of language barriers and this will help to break those barriers down.

“By supporting community-led education and wellbeing initiatives, we are supporting people from diverse backgrounds to take charge of their health and improve cancer outcomes across the Illawarra Shoalhaven.”

Chief Cancer Officer and Chief Executive Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM:

“Breaking down barriers and supporting multicultural communities can’t be achieved in isolation and we are so grateful to be working together with health services and community organisations to ensure all people across NSW, regardless of who they are or where they come from, have access to timely and culturally appropriate cancer care and support.” 

Chief Executive Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Margot Mains:

“These projects’ educational sessions will focus on prevention, screening and early detection for bowel, breast and cervical cancer, including demonstrations on self-testing kits and providing translated information. There will also be sessions to support and encourage healthy lifestyles that focus on smoking cessation, physical activity and healthy eating.”

NSW councils activated for disaster assistance in preparation for Tropical Cyclone Alfred

A $15 million Community Recovery Support Fund, jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments, is now available to NSW councils and their communities following the impacts of the Cyclone Alfred weather event.

Activated councils will have up to $1 million in funding made available once impacts are known. This will provide proactive support for communities to undertake essential immediate clean up and restoration activities for important community assets such as pre-schools, senior citizen centres, libraries and community halls.

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

The NSW Government is coordinating a multi-agency response to the cyclone, which has been forecast to significantly impact Northern NSW and Southern Queensland.

The currently weather modelling suggests that these 15 NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs) will sustain the most immediate impact of the cyclone,

The Commonwealth Government is working closely with both the New South Wales and Queensland Governments to ensure appropriate support is provided to impacted communities over the coming days.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Northern NSW residents, and their neighbours to the north, are on high alert watching Tropical Cyclone Alfred approach.

“We are providing assistance now, but also have this future support on standby, ready to roll should recovery and cleanup work be needed in the immediate aftermath.

“Having this support ready to go means, if needed, essential work can begin and people’s lives can begin to return to normal as soon as possible.”

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister:

“It’s a challenging time for communities in the Northern Rivers, who are experiencing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“Having grown up in the Northern Rivers, I know these communities well.  I am acutely aware of how worrying this event will be for local people.  

“I’ve been incredibly grateful for the work of the local mayors, Councils and community leaders, supporting their communities.

“We are activating this assistance quickly to ensure councils are supported in their work. 

“We seek to be good partners to Premier Minns and his government, through the immediate event and into the recovery”.

Premier Chris Minns:

“This is a pre-emptive step to help local councils quickly respond to this disaster.

“Councils are helping their communities prepare for the onslaught, and this will help them in the aftermath.

“This is just one early part of the support for the regions that get impacted by this disaster.”

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib:

“The NSW Government with the support of the Commonwealth is continuing to roll out support for the Northern NSW communities facing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“This funding will be directed to councils in the local communities who need it most, with many of them still recovering after the devastating 2022 floods.

“The NSW Government is committed to providing ongoing support to the communities impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred in the days and weeks ahead.”

Indigenous claims to end under One Nation policy

Indigenous land or heritage claims such as those threatening Mount Panorama at Bathurst will be halted, and all existing claims reviewed as part of One Nation’s policy to achieve equal rights and treatment for all Australians, regardless of race.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson said the claim on McPhillamy Park at Bathurst was a contrived farce and should be immediately rejected.

“The Aboriginal corporation making the claim has been trying to make the location—home to one of Australia’s most iconic sporting events—a sacred site for years,” Senator Hanson said.

“They were successful in hoodwinking Sussan Ley into blocking a go-kart track on the site, and this latest claim is based on them scattering the remains of a former director at the site, after gaining permission from the local council in 2022. It’s a sick joke. It’s a complete farce. It should be immediately rejected.”

“Claims for land based on Aboriginal mythology should have no more validity than a claim for land based on the tooth fairy.”

“This group and others are trying to lock Australians out of their own country not for genuine cultural or heritage reasons, but out of racist hatred and pure, naked greed. One Nation’s policy will restore equality for all Australians. Equal rights for all citizens, and special rights for none, is the only fair approach to law in a free representative democracy.”

“Under our policy, no new submissions will be accepted while all existing claims under native title or cultural heritage laws will be reviewed. We’ll amend the Native Title Act to insert a sunset clause. Attempts to rename Australian places with Indigenous words will be rejected. Taxpayers will no longer pay for ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremonies or similar rituals. An individual’s Indigenous heritage will no longer confer any undue advantage in applying for a loan, a job, a course of education, or accessing health services.”

“Being Indigenous does not make a person exceptional; being Australian makes a person exceptional.”

“Australians overwhelmingly rejected Indigenous exceptionalism at the 2023 referendum. The Albanese Labor government has failed to heed this lesson or accept any responsibility for its failures, including blocking a billion-dollar gold mine in New South Wales due to an Indigenous claim—by the same group threatening Mount Panorama—based on a mythical bee.”

“Like bureaucratic red tape and environmental green tape, Indigenous heritage black tape holds our nation hostage only because we let it. One Nation will finally put a stop to it and achieve true equality for all Australians regardless of race.”

Council cyclone recovery package fuels SEQ clean-up

  • Community Relief Fund activated for South East Queensland local governments affected by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
  • Funding will be available for councils to assist with the costs of immediate clean-up and early recovery activities.

As Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches the Queensland coast, $15 million in emergency assistance has been made available to South East councils in the impact zone.

The Community Relief Fund, jointly funded by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments will provide councils up to $1 million to undertake essential immediate clean up and restoration activities.

Councils can use this funding for waste and debris removal from streets, properties, and community assets, and activities to restore public assets.

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

The Commonwealth Government is working closely with both the Queensland and New South Wales Governments to ensure appropriate recovery support is ready to go for impacted communities over the coming days.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“The Community Relief Fund was on standby to kickstart clean-up and recovery in the South East.

“Obviously, everyone is hoping we don’t see the worst of what this tropical cyclone can bring. But if we do, we want to make sure that as soon as recovery work is physically possible it gets underway.

“Early focus on clean-up is the first step to returning life to an even keel.”

Premier David Crisafulli

“Recovery planning was well advanced to unlock immediate support for South East Queenslanders, as soon as it was required.

“Delivering this support now means no delay and no time between response and recovery.

“Just as work continues in the north and far north, we’ll walk side by side with local governments during the next phase of recovery.”

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister

“The funding gave local councils confidence to roll out the response needed.

“This funding will boost recovery across the region.

“It’s a critical injection that will allow councils to dedicate resources to urgent clean-up tasks like tree and debris removal, and will ensure work keeps progressing.”

Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy

“The Community Relief Fund provided flexibility for councils to address unique local recovery challenges and priorities.

“Disaster impacts vary from community to community, but the Crisafulli Government’s commitment to helping Queenslanders through recovery remains the same.

“This fund allows councils to focus on tasks of most benefit to their residents, with officers from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority positioned ready to assist all affected SEQ councils with their recovery efforts.”

Visit www.qra.qld.gov.au for more information.

NSW councils activated for disaster assistance in preparation for Tropical Cyclone Alfred

A $15 million Community Recovery Support Fund, jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments, is now available to NSW councils and their communities following the impacts of the Cyclone Alfred weather event.

Activated councils will have up to $1 million in funding made available once impacts are known. This will provide proactive support for communities to undertake essential immediate clean up and restoration activities for important community assets such as pre-schools, senior citizen centres, libraries and community halls.

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

The NSW Government is coordinating a multi-agency response to the cyclone, which has been forecast to significantly impact Northern NSW and Southern Queensland.

The currently weather modelling suggests that these 15 NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs) will sustain the most immediate impact of the cyclone,

The Commonwealth Government is working closely with both the New South Wales and Queensland Governments to ensure appropriate support is provided to impacted communities over the coming days.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Northern NSW residents, and their neighbours to the north, are on high alert watching Tropical Cyclone Alfred approach.

“We are providing assistance now, but also have this future support on standby, ready to roll should recovery and cleanup work be needed in the immediate aftermath.

“Having this support ready to go means, if needed, essential work can begin and people’s lives can begin to return to normal as soon as possible.”

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister

“It’s a challenging time for communities in the Northern Rivers, who are experiencing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“Having grown up in the Northern Rivers, I know these communities well.  I am acutely aware of how worrying this event will be for local people.  

“I’ve been incredibly grateful for the work of the local mayors, Councils and community leaders, supporting their communities.

“We are activating this assistance quickly to ensure councils are supported in their work. 

“We seek to be good partners to Premier Minns and his government, through the immediate event and into the recovery”.

Premier Chris Minns

“This is a pre-emptive step to help local councils quickly respond to this disaster.

“Councils are helping their communities prepare for the onslaught, and this will help them in the aftermath.

“This is just one early part of the support for the regions that get impacted by this disaster.”

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib

“The NSW Government with the support of the Commonwealth is continuing to roll out support for the Northern NSW communities facing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“This funding will be directed to councils in the local communities who need it most, with many of them still recovering after the devastating 2022 floods.

“The NSW Government is committed to providing ongoing support to the communities impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred in the days and weeks ahead.”

Greens ‘Big Tech Tax’ to raise $11.5b from global giants

The Greens will implement a Big Tech Tax to ensure companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft and Amazon are paying their fair share to support the Australian communities and consumers that spend billions on their services.

The policy is expected to bring in approximately $11.5b in revenue over the medium term, according to independent analysis from the Parliamentary Budget Office. 

Under the proposal, revenue in excess of $20 million earned from digital services in Australia will be taxed at a rate of 3%. Digital services include advertising, online marketplace services, user data, social media and cloud services.

To be captured under the tax, platforms would need to make more than €750 million in worldwide revenue. 

Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for Communications & Senator for South Australia:

“Companies that trade in Australia need to pay tax on the money they make in Australia. Global tech giants are making billions of dollars in revenue in Australia while paying very little in tax. 

“Parliamentary Budget Office analysis of digital service revenue shows that in 2022-23 alone, Google raised more than $8.7billion, Amazon almost $6b, while Microsoft and Uber both earned over $2.9b.

“It’s time the tech giants and the billionaire tech bros paid their fair share back to the Australian community. 

“A tech tax would raise approximately $11.5 billion over the medium term which could be invested in essential public services, like dental into Medicare and cost of living relief.

“We know this works overseas and it can work here. At least 12 other countries already have a Digital Services Tax including the UK, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Portugal.

“A digital services tax is the first step in reining in the astronomical power that big tech companies currently wield. Not only are they making super profits, they are harvesting and selling the personal data of millions of Australians and ripping off Australian journalists and creators.

“These big foreign owned corporations make huge profits off Australians and resist regulation at every turn. It’s time they paid their fair share of tax.

“With a power sharing Parliament likely, the Greens will push for this policy after the election.

“We need to stand up for our national interest against Donald Trump’s billionaire oligarchs like Zuckerberg, Musk, and Bezos.”

Greens to Premier: extend free public transport for ‘Mad March’ festival season

The Greens have called on SA Premier Peter Malinauskas to extend free public transport for ticket holders during the Adelaide ‘Mad March’ festival season, including the Fringe, Adelaide Festival, WOMAD and Adelaide Writers Week.

Free public transport for festival ticket holders – similar to that afforded sporting events like the AFL and Cricket at Adelaide Oval – would have significant benefits for the South Australian economy and arts sector. The Greens have also urged the Premier to rename the Adelaide Cup public holiday on March 10 to Adelaide Festivals Day.

Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the Arts and Senator for South Australia:

“Adelaide is at its best during our March festival season and free public transport for ticket holders should be a no-brainer. This is a win-win for our economy and the arts.

“I have written to Premier Malinauskas and urged him to consider our proposal that anyone coming in to see a show or event at the Fringe, Adelaide Festival, WOMAD or Writers Week can travel for free. 

“It is also time to change the name of Monday’s public holiday from ‘Adelaide Cup Day’ to ‘Adelaide Festivals Day’. The long weekend that hosts the Adelaide Festival, the Adelaide Fringe and WOMADelaide is the crescendo of Mad March. 

“Plenty more people are participating in the festivals this weekend than those going to the Adelaide Cup. It’s not even a Group 1 race anymore – it was downgraded years ago, while the Fringe alone is now the largest arts festival in the country. 

“Backing our arts festivals and encouraging audiences to attend more performances and events via public transport has a range of cultural, economic, and environmental benefits.

“We know that free public transport works and has proven immensely popular during the Adelaide Test Cricket, and of course for AFL football including the Gather Round. Given the huge contribution of the arts and festivals to our city, it makes sense to offer the same level of support to locals and visitors who are attending these hugely successful cultural events.

“The arts make an enormous contribution to the South Australian community, directly employing over 13,500 South Australians; not to mention the economic multiplier effect for jobs in hospitality, tourism and so many other small businesses. Making public transport free would add further value to our thriving cultural economy.

“Our festival season is a huge drawcard for South Australia, and we are already known as the Festival State. It’s time we recognised this properly with free public transport for ticket holders and by renaming the public holiday Adelaide Festivals Day.”

Robert Simms MLC is Greens spokesperson for Transport

 “The Fringe and festival season are enjoyed by many South Australian families. In the middle of an economic crisis, the exorbitant costs of car parking can make a visit to the city very expensive.”

 “The city is well serviced by public transport ⁠— the State Government should make this free for the duration of the festival season to reduce costs and ease congestion on our roads.”

 “The festival season should be open and accessible to all South Australians regardless of their bank balance.”