admin – Page 314

Minns Labor Government taking action so Sydney doesn’t run out of landfill

The Minns Labor Government is taking action to ensure Sydney doesn’t run out of landfill space after a decade of inaction by previous governments has left Greater Sydney on the brink of a waste crisis. Without action, landfill space is predicted to run out by 2030.

The state of NSW’s waste and recycling was made public today at the NSW Circular Economy Summit in Sydney, hosted by NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) CEO Tony Chappel.

The Summit has brought together representatives from industry, environment groups, local government and state government to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the state.

Without new waste and recycling solutions, and some quick decisions and choices, Greater Sydney’s landfill capacity will be exhausted within the next decade. This would significantly drive waste management costs up for households and businesses.

If no action is taken, residents would be paying for their waste to be transported to regional areas or interstate for disposal. This would also significantly slow down industry, as demolition waste costs would rise.

Concerningly, recycling rates in NSW have stagnated at around 65% since 2015-16, so far well short of the 80% target by 2030.

However, the NSW Government is moving swiftly and taking action to address the looming waste management shortfall.

Four key pieces of work are underway to fix the waste challenge:

Plan and develop critical waste infrastructure

Urgently develop NSW’s first ever Waste Infrastructure Plan, to support the development of the facilities we need
Consultation with industry and councils has already begun.

Reduce waste going to landfill

Finalise the waste levy review
Legislate mandates to phase in source-separated FOGO waste (food organics and garden organics) for businesses and households
Develop and roll out the first ever NSW Reuse and Repair Strategy to scale up the reuse sector

Grow recycling rates and opportunities

Finalise the NSW Plastics Plan to take plastics out of circulation

Take action to prevent contamination

Finalise our Australian-leading work on product stewardship for batteries
Prevent FOGO contamination by taking action on chemicals in food packaging
Work with Office of the Chief Scientist to review the settings around asbestos

The NSW Government is also exploring funding opportunities to support the sector and local government. Over the past decade, the NSW EPA has awarded over half a billion dollars through more than 3,300 grants to divert around four million tonnes of waste from landfill.

Summit feedback will help to further tackle the issue and shape government policies to ensure NSW has the capacity to manage waste safely now and into the future.

For more information, visit: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/sydney-landfill-shortage

Quote attributable to NSW Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe:

“Sydney is running out of landfill space and our recycling rates have stagnated. We are at a point that if we don’t take urgent action, our red bins won’t be able to be collected in a few years.

“Previous Governments were briefed on this issue, and there was no action for over a decade. Industry and councils have been crying out for support and leadership. We’re stepping up to the plate.

“Not all the decisions we need to make will be easy or even popular – but I’d rather make the hard decisions then have bins that can’t be collected.

“We know the public wants to see less waste in landfill, use less plastic and support recycling and we want to help them do their bit. Together we can fix the problem and create a more sustainable future.”

Quotes attributable NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) CEO Tony Chappel:

“Shifting to a circular economy requires a united approach, and that’s exactly what today’s Summit is about – bringing together key stakeholders to explore how we can accelerate this transition.  

“As a state, we’re at a critical juncture. We must act now to ensure our infrastructure keeps pace with growing waste volumes, and to maximise recycling and recovery efforts. Through a mix of innovative projects, strategic investments, and collaboration, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity.

“By working together across government, industry and communities, we’re building a future where waste becomes a resource, not a burden.”

Top students the bee’s knees for NSW Premier’s Spelling Bee

Dozens of students are buzzing with excitement as NSW’s top primary school spellers go to battle hoping to be crowned the winner of the NSW Premier’s Spelling Bee.

Some 60 students have spelled their way into the finals, being held today at Q Theatre in Penrith, with words such as ‘fascinate’, ‘anemometer’, ‘allegory’ and ‘sovereign’.

The 2024 Premier’s Spelling Bee final will be contested by 30 students in Years 3 and 4 (junior) and 30 students in Years 5 and 6 (senior). Along the way these students have beaten a combined 1,800 students in a series of regional heats to reach the finals.

Finalists include Hunter siblings Anica and Calvin N, from Biddabah Public School, and Anika and Anushka Iyengar, from Maryland Public School.

Anica and Anika, both in Year 3, will go head-to-head in the junior Spelling Bee, and their siblings Calvin, Year 5 and Anushka, Year 6, will compete in the senior Spelling Bee later in the day.

This year’s competition will also see the return of 2023 junior finalists, Year 4 student Bobby (Bogdan) Ivaneza from Annandale Public School and Year 5 Coonabarabran Public School student William Weatherall. Bobby and William will compete in the 2024 senior final.

The 2024 Spelling Bee’s participation has increased by almost 10 per cent on last year, with nearly two-thirds of NSW public primary schools competing.

Regional areas are well-represented with students travelling to Sydney from Temora, Dungowan, Griffith, Yamba and Mullumbimby to compete.

Yamba Public School in northern NSW has had students compete in the finals five times in the past eight years, with this year’s entrant Year 5 student Willow Allen.

More than 1,800 students competed in 60 regional finals over a 10-day period to reach the State finals. Of these, 303 students (200 juniors and 103 seniors) speak a language other than English at home, and 95 students (46 juniors and 49 seniors) identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“Reading, writing and spelling are foundational skills for young learners, and this spelling bee gives some of our brightest students a chance to show their spelling skills while having a bit of fun.

“Students who are good spellers are often avid readers, and if we can get our children reading more through initiatives such as the Premier’s Reading Challenge, that’s an excellent outcome.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“The Spelling Bee shows just how inclusive our public education system is – any student, regardless of where they live, can compete and be a contender for the top honours.

“As Minister for Western Sydney, I am thrilled this year’s competition is being held at Q Theatre in Penrith for the first time.”

$200 power outage support measure expanded to all adults in Far West NSW

The Minns Labor Government has expanded eligibility for the $200 Far West power outage support payment.

The $200 payment will now be made available to all eligible adults who live in Broken Hill, Central Darling Shire and the Unincorporated LGAs.

This expands on the previously announced details of a payment for each residential electricity account holder. The expanded payment will see every adult in a single household or shelter receive support.

Service NSW is urgently working to establish the system to process applications.

Once available, residents over the age of 18 will be able to apply via their MyService Account on the Service NSW website or mobile app, in person at the Recovery Assistance Point in Broken Hill, the Broken Hill Service NSW centre, or other locations to be advised.

Residents will need to provide proof of identity and residential address such as a recent utilities account, council rates notice, tenancy agreement or registration notice.

The NSW Government is working with financial institutions, which are standing by to support fast turnaround of payments into residents’ bank accounts. In most cases, payments should be available in bank accounts within three days of an approved application.

The Minns Labor Government will also be providing a $400 payment for small-to-medium sized businesses.

Businesses with a principal place of operation in the Broken Hill, Central Darling Shire and the Unincorporated LGAs with an active ABN at the time of the outage and fewer than 200 employees as of October 17 will be eligible to apply.

Business applications will be able to be made via the Service NSW Business App, website or in-person assisted by Business Concierges.

More information about the grants is available at www.service.nsw.gov.au

In addition to the support payments:

1300 vouchers for food and fuel, worth almost $100,000, have been provided so far to people experiencing financial hardship.
1,000 food hampers are being delivered this week to people experiencing hardship. Another 1,000 have been ordered for next week.
More than 700 community members have visited the Recovery Assistance Point in Broken Hill and the mobile Recovery Assistance Points visiting smaller remote communities. They provide access to support and referral to services including Service NSW, Insurance Council, Vinnies, Legal Aid, Red Cross and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program.

Jointly-funded assistance for local governments from the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements is also available.

The Commonwealth Government has also opened applications for the Disaster Recovery Allowance, which provide up to 13 weeks of income support for eligible workers and sole traders who have experienced loss of income as a result of the storms and outage. More information on the Commonwealth support is available at www.serviceaustralia.gov.au

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“We are getting help to more people in Far West NSW impacted by the outage.

“People have been hit hard, and this money goes some way to easing the impact.

“This has been a major disruption to people and businesses, and this is an important boost to NSW Government support.”

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“The community across the Far West have experienced significant impacts from this power outage and this is one way we can help.

“Service NSW is working as quickly as possible to deliver these grants and we have been able to expand the eligibility so even more people can claim and benefit.

“I encourage all impacted residents and business owners to open their Service NSW app or go to the website and submit an application when the program opens.”

Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“We know that the community of Far West NSW has been struggling with the recent power outages and there has been a lot of uncertainty and hardship.

“The Government understands people are anxious to receive their grant and we are working as quickly as possible to ensure this is a streamlined and simple process.

“We will support the community every step of the way as part of the recovery from this extremely difficult event.”

Member for Barwon Roy Butler said:

“The communities impacted by the power outage continue to face difficult decisions daily.

“I thank the NSW Government for coming to the Far West, speaking to our communities, and responding by expanding this grant.

“I will continue fighting for small businesses and individuals as the recovery continues.”

Chris Minns must protect families from 50% water bill hike, not pass costs of Albanese’s immigration

Today’s announcement from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has marked the start of a review that could hit families across Greater Sydney with a 50% increase in water bills. The review will assess Sydney Water’s request for a steep rate hike to fund at least $26 billion in essential infrastructure and operational upgrades by 2030.

Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope said if approved by IPART and the Minns Labor Government, households would see water bills soar by over 50% within five years. This includes an 18% rise next year alone, followed by annual hikes of 6.8%.

“With families already struggling under the weight of rising costs for energy, groceries, and other essentials, they shouldn’t be forced to shoulder the additional burden of funding infrastructure driven by the Albanese Labor Government’s failed immigration policies,” Mr Tudehope said.

“Chris Minns should be on the phone to the Prime Minister, demanding a real solution instead of passing the bill onto Sydney households.”

Sydney Water’s submission highlights the need for $16.6 billion in new infrastructure, primarily in Sydney’s west, to support the surge in population growth driven by these very immigration policies.

Shadow Water Minister Steph Cooke said the Premier, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, and Water Minister Rose Jackson need to devise a solution that doesn’t involve skyrocketing water bills for everyday families.

“This is not a small rise—under Sydney Water’s proposal, the average household could see water bills increase by hundreds of dollars each year,” Ms Cooke said.

“Sydney’s infrastructure needs to keep up, but that’s not a job for struggling households. Chris Minns must ask Canberra to cover these costs, not pass them on to Sydney families.”

With the IPART decision expected in March 2025, the clock is ticking. Premier Chris Minns, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, and Water Minister Rose Jackson have just five months to secure federal support for families, instead of squeezing more out of Sydney households in an attempt to balance the budget and meet federal housing targets.

NSW Leader of the opposition and member for Albury stand together with Corowa

Member for Albury Justin Clancy will this morning host a visit to Corowa by NSW Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman. The visit will reaffirm the strong and positive connections that have long existed in the township and discussed the importance of community safety.

The visit marks the first time a NSW or Federal Government leader has toured Corowa following an upsetting October 12 neo-Nazi demonstration.

The Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Corowa embodies the best of New South Wales — where unity triumphs over division, and community strength shines above hate.

“I’m committed to ensuring that every town and every member of the community feels safe and valued in our state,” Mr Speakman said.
Mr Clancy invited Mr Speakman, the former NSW Attorney General, to visit the historic Murray River town, home to 6000 people, in a show of unity with the Corowa community.

“Mark and I will be in Corowa today, standing together with the local community against the recent white supremacist activity. What happened last month is not who we are. The Corowa community we all know and enjoy is jam-packed with genuine, kind, and honest people and it’s a privilege for me to represent this community in my role as the Member for Albury.

“This community sticks together when the going gets tough, they’ve experienced natural disasters, COVID border lockdowns, and the recent resurrection of their beloved Corowa-Rutherglen Football Netball Club in the O&M after a few tough years on the paddock.

“I also want to acknowledge the ongoing efforts of the Federation Council and the Corowa Chamber of Commerce in promoting harmony, along with the unity and resilience shown by residents, local businesses, sporting, and community groups. You are all remarkable.

Mr Clancy and Mr Speakman pledged continued support for the Corowa community, reaffirming the NSW Opposition’s commitment to upholding the important values that underpin NSW communities, including trust, respect, collaboration, and inclusivity.

Appeal for information after a pedestrian dies at Maitland

Police are appealing for information following the death of pedestrian in the Hunter region.

About 9.30pm Wednesday (30 October 2024), emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Harpers Hill, approximately 1km east of Greta, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Valley Police District attended and found a man had been struck by a vehicle which allegedly failed to stop.

The pedestrian, a 37-year-old man, was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, died at the scene.

A crime scene was established which was examined by the Crash investigation Unit.

Police are appealing for assistance to identify the driver of a 2006-2009 Toyota Camry or Aurion. Colour is unknown.

It is believed the car may have damage to the front end and bonnet.

$19.5 million in hidden grants to Hornsby Shire Council

The current Minister for Local Government was not informed of an additional $19.5 million in grants awarded by the Berejiklian Government to Hornsby Shire Council (HSC) for a range of projects and some of which have not commenced 4 years after the money was provided to the Council. In answers to questions asked by Greens MP Sue Higginson in budget estimates, Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig was advised that OLG was not responsible for the administration of any grants paid to HSC other than the Stronger Communities Fund grants, that information was inaccurate.

The Government has launched a review into how this incorrect information was produced in response to Ms Higginson’s questions, and whether more recovery attempts would need to be made by the NSW Government, along with the $36 million of unspent grants to HSC as part of the discredited Stronger Communities Fund.

Greens MP and spokesperson for Planning and Environment Sue Higginson said “It is deeply concerning that the Minister for Local Government was given inaccurate information by the Office of Local Government in response to very specific questions. This one group of grants is worth $19.5 million, how many other secret pork barrel grants of the former Liberal National Coalition are still out there?”

“The grants identified in these documents seem to be a pre-election gift to Hornsby Shire Council from then treasurer and Member for Hornsby, Matt Kean. The payment of monies to the Council were being made while a Parliamentary inquiry, chaired by the Greens, was looking into the Stronger Communities Fund where documents were shredded by the Premier’s office. This takes brazen pork barrelling to a new level,”

“While understandably the Government is taking this revelation seriously, I am concerned that there is a possible conflict of interest in the review that has been started. The Planning Secretary responsible for this review, was also Coordinator General for Planning and Local Government in Office of Local Government (OLG), in 2021 – when OLG was administering these grants. In fact, one of the letters obtained under freedom of information is signed off on by the Coordinator General at the time,”

“These grants were required to be spent within two years of the money being received and we know that at least one of the projects that was supposed to receive money has not commenced – Westleigh Park, which controversially would see the development through the rarest critically endangered woodlands communities of the Sydney Basin. Other pork barrel funds for Westleigh Park are already the subject of recovery action by the NSW Government, to get back the unspent $36 million that was handed to Hornsby Shire Council. These other funds should be included in that recovery before the Council rushes ahead to spend this money that they shouldn’t have,”

“The Minister for Local Government should take this opportunity to look closely at what other State Government monies have been thrown to Liberal controlled councils as part of this so far unknown grant stream. The Greens want local communities to receive funding for important projects, but the awarding of these grants occurred in the shadow of corruption and pork barrelling. Where conditions of grants have not been met, those monies should be returned to the Government and redistributed in an open and transparent way,” Ms Higginson said.

Greens launch plan to put mental health into Medicare

At a time when the cost of living crisis is both making mental health worse and causing an increasing number of people across Australia to delay or miss out on essential mental health care, the Greens have announced a fully costed plan to provide unlimited mental health in Medicare as part of a plan for free mental healthcare.

The plan, one of the party’s ‘Robin Hood’ reforms, will be paid for by taxing big corporations that are profiting off price gouging during a cost of living crisis. It will provide significant cost of living relief and enable all Australians to get the mental healthcare they need, with recent ABS data showing that 43% of people will experience mental health issues in their life and 24% of people who needed to see a psychologist delayed or didn’t do so because of the cost.

The Greens’ plan to get mental health into Medicare follows the Greens’ commitment to build 6 Free Local Healthcare Clinics in each electorate, where publicly-employed psychologists, GPs and nurses would be available to provide healthcare for free, as well as a costed plan to get dental into Medicare.

This next step in the Greens’ plan for “Free and Unlimited Mental Healthcare” will be announced by Greens Leader Adam Bandt, health spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John and Greens candidate Sonya Semmens in the key Greens target seat of Macnamara on Thursday. Macnamara is one of the closest electoral contests in the country. If 298 voters had changed their vote in the last election, the Greens would have won this seat. In 2022 the Greens received a 5.5% positive swing in Macnamara, while Labor’s vote was almost stagnant with a swing of 0.9%.

With a minority Parliament looming, the Greens say that free healthcare will be a key policy for the Party this election and will be on the table and pushed in any minority Parliament negotiations after the next election.

THE GREENS’ PLAN FOR FREE AND UNLIMITED MENTAL HEALTHCARE INCLUDES:

UNLIMITED MENTAL HEALTH SESSIONS ON MEDICARE: Currently, Australians can access a maximum of just 10 subsidised mental health sessions through the Better Access Scheme (this number was halved from 20 by the Albanese Government in late 2022, resulting in the number of subsidised psychologist visits plummeting, by almost a quarter of a million sessions). The Greens will remove the cap, so you can access unlimited clinically relevant appointments.
FREE PSYCHOLOGIST SESSIONS at 1000 free Local Healthcare Clinics across Australia
INCREASED MEDICARE REBATE: The Greens will ensure you get a Medicare rebate of at least $150 for each session with a clinical or registered psychologist.
SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE: The Greens will enable Provisional Psychologists to access Medicare subsidised sessions, and are committed to investing in lived experience by increasing the number of peer workers by 1000 workers, including First Nations peer workers. This will give people who need mental health care but don’t need to see a psychologist more options.

The previously announced Greens plan to establish 1000 Free Local Healthcare Clinics across Australia, involves government-employed psychologists and nurses providing free services alongside GPs and dentists. There will be at least 6 Free Local Healthcare Clinics per electorate. These Free Local Healthcare Clinics will save the average psychology client up to $430 a year, though more frequent users will save up to $1720.

Each of these policies has been independently costed by the PBO. Based on this analysis, our plan would be expected to cost approximately $5.9b over the coming decade, as well as $31.7b already announced for Free Local Healthcare Clinics.

This election, the Greens are campaigning to hold their existing Senate seats and grow in the House of Representatives, in seats including Macnamara, Wills, Richmond, Sturt and Perth. In addition to stopping new coal and gas mines and ending native forest logging, the Greens will have a strong economic offering, centred around a series of ‘Robin Hood Reforms’ to tackle the housing and cost of living crises: a Big Corporations Tax on large companies’ excessive profits, which will raise $514b over the decade, and fund ‘Free and Unlimited Mental Healthcare’, ‘GP for Free’, as well as other measures to come.

Mr Adam Bandt, Leader of the Australian Greens:

“If you’re putting off mental healthcare because you can’t afford it, you’re not alone.

“Under Labor and Liberal, big corporations are price gouging and making massive profits during a cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, everyday people are forced to choose between getting mental healthcare and keeping a roof over their heads.

“1 in 3 big corporations pay no tax. The Greens will make big corporations pay their fair share of tax so you can see a psychologist for free and get unlimited mental health appointments through Medicare.

“Labor halved mental healthcare in Medicare, but the Greens’ plan will make mental healthcare free and unlimited by expanding Medicare.

“This election, voters in Macnamara will have a choice between a Labor MP who’s cut their access to mental healthcare and a Greens candidate who will fight to get mental health fully into Medicare and make it free.”

Senator Jordon Steele-John, Greens Health spokesperson and Senator for WA:

“The Greens have a bold plan that will improve the health of our community, and bring down the cost of living.

“Too many people in our community are not able to access mental healthcare simply because it’s too expensive. The Greens plan, which I am proud to announce today, will see people being able to get mental healthcare when they need it.

“Under Labor, the number of Better Access Scheme sessions has been cut from 20, to 10. This is leaving too many people unable to get Medicare-subsided Mental Healthcare. The Greens want to ensure that if you need more sessions with your psychologist, you’ll be able to get them.

“We’ll also increase the rebate and expand the range of providers able to offer Medicare sessions to include provisional psychologists.

“This plan to expand the Better Access Scheme sits alongside our plan to open 1000 local healthcare centres across the country where people will be able to see a psychologist for free.

“Today’s announcement is the latest commitment from the Greens that will save the community thousands of dollars a year in healthcare costs. Our plan to get Mental Healthcare into Medicare sits alongside our plan to get Dental into Medicare and to get back to the GP for Free; these will bring us closer to a universal healthcare system.”

Greens candidate for Macnamara Sonya Semmens:

“Everyone who lives in Macnamara should be able to access mental healthcare when they need it, but so many in our community are going without.

“Like 1 in 4 Australians I’ve experienced anxiety.
Like 1 in 5 Australians, I’ve had periods of depression.
Like 1 in 10 Australians, I’ve survived an eating disorder, the deadliest of all mental illnesses.

“As a parent I worry about how I’d afford to give my kids the mental health care that my parents could access for me when I was young – and which may have saved my life. It’s an awful thing to do the maths on how much help you can afford to give your kids. We know early intervention is critical as a preventative for lifelong or severe mental illness, I’m absolutely determined that no person should put off getting the care they need.

“Every day people tell me the cost-of-living crisis is taking a massive toll on their mental health, while at the same time making it harder to get the mental healthcare they need. This is absolutely heartbreaking, and not the way it should be in our wealthy country.

“I’m so proud of our life-changing plan to deliver unlimited mental health on Medicare and enable people in Macnamara to see a psychologist with no out-of-pocket costs at a Free Local Healthcare Clinic.

“We can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. If you want free and unlimited mental healthcare, the first step is to vote for someone who’ll fight for you.”

Peter Dutton & Labor must rule out high & intermediate nuclear waste dumping near Port Adelaide: Greens

The Greens have called on Peter Dutton and the Labor Party to unequivocally rule out storing high and intermediate level nuclear waste at Osborne near Port Adelaide after SA Defence Minister Stephen Mullighan refused to do so on ABC Adelaide radio this morning.

Peter Dutton and Labor combined to pass the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill which designates Osborne in SA as a nuclear dump zone, allowing for the dumping of US and UK intermediate-level waste and other high-level nuclear waste. Adelaide residents will tonight attend a community forum in the marginal seat of Sturt to discuss Peter Dutton’s nuclear agenda, 6:30pm at Burnside Town hall.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson for the Environment & Senator for South Australia:

“Adelaide residents have a right to know if our suburbs will become a dumping ground for high and intermediate level nuclear waste from the US and UK.

“There should be no room for secrecy or tricky answers here: Peter Dutton and Labor must come clean now and unequivocally rule out storing high and intermediate level waste in Adelaide suburbs. Adelaide residents deserve an answer: yes or no.

“The law Peter Dutton and Labor voted for clearly makes Osborne, a mere stones throw from suburban Port Adelaide, a nuclear dump ‘zone’, with both major parties voting against the Greens amendment to stop high level waste being dumped there.

“Peter Dutton not only wants nuclear reactors across Australia – he wants Adelaide to be an international dumping ground for nuclear waste.

“Exposure to even intermediate-level waste is lethal to humans and the risk lasts for hundreds of years.

“Peter Dutton doesn’t care about Adelaide and this law is a dangerous disaster for our State. This time, SA voters have the chance to send a message by voting Green: don’t turn Adelaide’s suburbs into Peter Duttons nuclear waste dump.”

Greens announce election plan to get mental health into Medicare for SA patients

THE GREENS’ PLAN FOR FREE AND UNLIMITED MENTAL HEALTHCARE INCLUDES:

UNLIMITED MENTAL HEALTH SESSIONS ON MEDICARE: Currently, Australians can access a maximum of just 10 subsidised mental health sessions through the Better Access Scheme (this number was halved from 20 by the Albanese Government in late 2022, resulting in the number of subsidised psychologist visits plummeting, by almost a quarter of a million sessions). The Greens will remove the cap, so you can access unlimited clinically relevant appointments.
FREE PSYCHOLOGIST SESSIONS at 1000 free Local Healthcare Clinics across Australia.
INCREASED MEDICARE REBATE: The Greens will ensure you get a Medicare rebate of at least $150 for each session with a clinical or registered psychologist.
SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE: The Greens will enable Provisional Psychologists to access Medicare subsidised sessions, and are committed to investing in lived experience by increasing the number of peer workers by 1000 workers, including First Nations peer workers. This will give people who need mental health care but don’t need to see a psychologist more options.

Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Senator for South Australia:

“Too many people in South Australia are not able to access mental healthcare simply because it’s too expensive. Mental health should be part of Medicare and the Greens have a plan to fix it.

“The Greens plan will see people being able to get mental healthcare when they need it.

“Our plan to get Mental Healthcare into Medicare sits alongside our plan to get Dental into Medicare and to get back to the GP for Free; these will bring us closer to a universal healthcare system.

“We’ll also increase the rebate and expand the range of providers able to offer Medicare sessions to include provisional psychologists.

“This plan to expand the Better Access Scheme sits alongside our plan to open 1000 local healthcare centres across the country where people will be able to see a psychologist for free.

“We can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. If you want free and unlimited mental healthcare, the first step is to vote for someone who’ll fight for you.”