Category: Australian News

Introduction

Western Australia’s controversial new cultural heritage laws have sparked anger and frustration among hundreds of farmers and landowners. The legislation has faced significant backlash due to its vague and confusing nature, potentially costly land surveys, and fears of accidental breaches. It is essential to consider the unintended consequences these laws may have on the agricultural sector and rural communities before they were passed, with support from the opposition, by parliament

The most concerning aspect of these laws is the Western Australia government’s announcement today they will need change. Why is that concerning? Because federally the Labor government is wanting to enshrine an Aboriginal Voice to parliament in the constitution, and that cant be changed. It means that unlike in Western Australia, any federal laws like the Heritage Act can’t be undone.

Passed with Merry Applause and Assistance from Liberal and National Parties

In an astonishing turn of events, these cultural laws were passed with the support of the Liberal and National Parties. This Labor/Liberal/National coalition can only be stopped if members of parliament are elected from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation who will hold the grand coalition to account.

Proposal to Change Laws

In an astonishing about-face, the WA government has only recently admitted they may have to change these laws. One Nation will keep the pressure on the West Australian government to ensure that these laws are off the table, and not just mashed up and re-presented in the same way.

What we do know, is that the Liberal Party and National Parties can’t be trusted to scrutinise any changes.

The Problem of Vague and Confusing Laws

One of the primary criticisms voiced by farmers is the vague and confusing nature of the cultural heritage laws. The legislation’s complex three-tiered system, requiring permits for various routine activities on land, has created uncertainty and confusion. Farmers are concerned about the potential consequences of unknowingly breaching these laws, which could lead to hefty fines and even jail time. The lack of clear guidelines and communication from the government has left farmers feeling anxious and unsure about how to proceed with their everyday activities.

The Burden of Costly Land Surveys

Another significant concern for farmers is the financial burden imposed by the requirement to conduct cultural heritage surveys on their land. Farmers argue that they should not bear the entire cost of these surveys. The fees charged by Local Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Services (LACHS) for assessments and consultations can be exorbitant, putting additional strain on already struggling agricultural businesses. The prospect of paying thousands of dollars for cultural heritage surveys, even on land that has been cleared for decades, is simply untenable for many farmers.

Lack of Meaningful Consultation and Representation

Farmers also express feelings of frustration and betrayal over what they perceive as a lack of meaningful consultation during the legislative process. Many argue that their voices were not adequately heard, and they were not given the opportunity to contribute to the development of these laws. It is not uncommon for large governments with super majorities to be arrogant, and Labor’s governing style is certainly emblematic of an out-of-touch government.

A Call for Dialogue and Reevaluation

Rather than pushing forward with laws that have caused unrest and division, there is a clear need for open dialogue and re-evaluation. The Labor/Liberal/National laws must be scrapped in their entirety.

There can be no way forward other than to totally unscramble this egg.

Conclusion

During their life, a person may need the help of a doctor a few dozen times, an electrician half a dozen, and your hairdresser once every 8 weeks. But a farmer, a farmer is a person we rely on to give us nutrition morning, noon, and night, from when we wake to when we fall asleep.

We can’t live without farmers. And these cultural laws are making life for farmers impossible.

Western Australia’s cultural heritage laws were introduced by an arrogant government that rarely thinks of the unintended consequences of their actions. Their implementation has created a deep rift between the government and the agricultural community. The concerns raised by farmers and landowners are valid and warrant serious attention.

As the Senate inquiry into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessment and Support Services in Australia enters a critical phase, a groundbreaking public hearing is scheduled to take place in Perth on Monday, 24th July. 

The hearing will provide a platform for West Australians with lived experiences of ADHD, ADHD advocacy bodies, First Nations organisations, healthcare professionals, and education advocates to present crucial evidence to the committee.

Approximately one million people in Australia are directly impacted by ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disability that is often misunderstood that can cause significant impairment and dysfunction in the lives of those affected. 

Lines attributable to Senator for WA Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson on Disability Services, Health and Mental Health. 

“People with ADHD have been left behind in this country for far too long. Over the past year of engaging closely with ADHDers, I’ve heard countless stories of people experiencing barriers around cost, wait time and stigmas associated with seeking ADHD assessment and support services.

“I am proud to be bringing the committee to WA. It’s clear that too many people in our community can not afford a diagnosis, and if they can, they’re being met with closed-books and long waitlists. The wait times are deplorable, and are leading to significant impacts on the quality of life for so many West Australians. 

“Particularly concerning is the impact on children and their families, with some children waiting up to two years to see a paediatrician to begin their journey of an ADHD diagnosis and support. 

“We are hearing from the community that more supports are needed following a diagnosis; including the need to have healthcare funded through Medicare and support hours available through the NDIS. 

“The goal of this inquiry is to create community-led recommendations that address the common barriers people encounter while seeing ADHD assessment and care. As this crucial inquiry advances, I remain optimistic that the committee’s findings will pave the way for a more accessible and compassionate system that benefits all ADHDers.”

Responding to the announcement that the Murray Darling Basin Plan will not be delivered on time, Greens spokesperson for Water and the Environment, South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“We need a plan for action, not a plan for delay to save the Murray Darling.

“The failure to deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan on time is a broken promise to every South Australian and risks breaking our river Murray.

“Years of rorts, water theft and delays under the Liberal-Nationals had left our precious river in a precarious position. The Albanese Government had promised to deliver the Murray Darling Basin plan on time and in full.

“For years upstream states and big cotton have dragged the chain on ensuring South Australia gets the water it needs and has been promised.

“Our Murray needs an urgent recommitment to action not a go-slow on saving the River.

“Delaying further action on the plan for three more years is simply not an option if we want to preserve our river and the ecosystems that depend on it.

“We are in a climate crisis and facing what experts predict will be another summer of extreme heat. We cannot afford to delay the actions we know are urgently needed to protect our river.

“The Albanese Government needs to stand up to the big irrigators and the upstream states and deliver on the water that was promised for South Australia and for the environment.

“With Labor Governments in every Basin state, it’s time for real action to protect our river and to finally deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan in full, including the 450gL for South Australia.

“The Greens are willing to work with the Government on reforms that are needed to ensure that more water is delivered but we cannot support continuing to kick the can down the road. We need a plan to deliver the water before the next election.”

Today I announce the appointment of Professor Wendy Umberger as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

ACIAR is Australia’s premier international agricultural research body. It plays a critical role in supporting research partnerships that achieve productive, profitable and sustainable farming systems in developing countries.

Previously, Professor Umberger established and led the Centre for Global Food and Resources at the University of Adelaide, which engaged with policymakers and industry to make positive change in agriculture, food and resource systems.

Professor Umberger is currently President of Australia’s Policy Advisory Council for International Agricultural Research and an Independent Director of Grain Producers South Australia.

I thank outgoing CEO Professor Andrew Campbell for his dedicated service and leadership of ACIAR since 2016.

Professor Umberger will commence her five-year term on 14 August 2023.

The June Quarter Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows inflation is still running rampant at 6%.

Core inflation in Australia at 5.9% remains among the highest of the world’s advanced economies.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said the data tells us what we know Australians are feeling every single day – prices are not coming down.

“Australians are feeling it when they pay their mortgages, their rent, their energy bills, their groceries,” Mr Taylor said.

“The latest labour force data shows Australians are having to work more hours just to make ends meet.

“Inflation is coming from Canberra because the Albanese Labor Government is failing to fight inflation first.

“Instead, it has the foot on the accelerator while the Reserve Bank is pumping the brake and when this happens, you blow up the engine.

“Labor’s dangerous cocktail of policies are making a bad situation worse.

“The test for this government from here is to get inflation back to the Reserve Bank’s target rate of 2-3% and keep it there while maintaining a strong economy.”

Tomorrow we mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, and commemorate the sacrifice of the Australians who served.

Beginning on 25 June 1950, the Korean War saw North Korea (People’s Democratic Republic of Korea) launch an invasion of South Korea (Republic of Korea) in an attempt to unify the country under its communist government.

The Australian Government was one of 21 member countries to send personnel in support of the South in an attempt to unify the country between 1950 and 1953.

The Australian military served with distinction during the War and, while tomorrow will mark the end of the fighting, Australian forces remained in Korea in a peacekeeping role until 1957.

Approximately 18,000 Australian military personnel served during the Korean War and the post-armistice phase, including the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army.

The demilitarised zone that was established as part of the Armistice agreement still exists today as North and South Korea remain in a state of war.

More than 350 Australians lost their lives, more than 1,200 were wounded and 30 taken prisoner. More than 40 Australians are still listed as missing in action in Korea.

For veterans and their families, this anniversary may be a challenging time. I encourage veterans and families who may need support to reach out and access the services available.

For more information about Korean Veterans’ Day and the Korean War, visit the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ Anzac Portal.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Seventy years after the armistice that marked the end of the Korean War, we reflect on those who served in our name with valour and with honour.

They showed a spirit and strength of character that was often tested, but never found wanting.

We hold on to their names, we remember their courage, and we give our thanks to them all.”

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Keogh said:

“True to the ode ‘lest we forget’, rather than being ‘the forgotten war’, today we honour the Australians who served with distinction in the Korean War for their freedom, especially those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

“I am honoured to be representing Australia in South Korea to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, to those whose scars remain some 70 years later and to acknowledge all those still missing in action. They will not be forgotten.

As the Senate inquiry into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessment and Support Services in Australia enters a critical phase, a groundbreaking public hearing is scheduled to take place in Perth on Monday, 24th July. 

The hearing will provide a platform for West Australians with lived experiences of ADHD, ADHD advocacy bodies, First Nations organisations, healthcare professionals, and education advocates to present crucial evidence to the committee.

Approximately one million people in Australia are directly impacted by ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disability that is often misunderstood that can cause significant impairment and dysfunction in the lives of those affected. 

Senator for WA Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson on Disability Services, Health and Mental Health said:

“People with ADHD have been left behind in this country for far too long. Over the past year of engaging closely with ADHDers, I’ve heard countless stories of people experiencing barriers around cost, wait time and stigmas associated with seeking ADHD assessment and support services.

“I am proud to be bringing the committee to WA. It’s clear that too many people in our community can not afford a diagnosis, and if they can, they’re being met with closed-books and long waitlists. The wait times are deplorable, and are leading to significant impacts on the quality of life for so many West Australians. 

“Particularly concerning is the impact on children and their families, with some children waiting up to two years to see a paediatrician to begin their journey of an ADHD diagnosis and support. 

“We are hearing from the community that more supports are needed following a diagnosis; including the need to have healthcare funded through Medicare and support hours available through the NDIS. 

“The goal of this inquiry is to create community-led recommendations that address the common barriers people encounter while seeing ADHD assessment and care. As this crucial inquiry advances, I remain optimistic that the committee’s findings will pave the way for a more accessible and compassionate system that benefits all ADHDers.”

Responding to the announcement that the Murray Darling Basin Plan will not be delivered on time, Greens spokesperson for Water and the Environment, South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“We need a plan for action, not a plan for delay to save the Murray Darling.

“The failure to deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan on time is a broken promise to every South Australian and risks breaking our river Murray.

“Years of rorts, water theft and delays under the Liberal-Nationals had left our precious river in a precarious position. The Albanese Government had promised to deliver the Murray Darling Basin plan on time and in full.

“For years upstream states and big cotton have dragged the chain on ensuring South Australia gets the water it needs and has been promised.

“Our Murray needs an urgent recommitment to action not a go-slow on saving the River.

“Delaying further action on the plan for three more years is simply not an option if we want to preserve our river and the ecosystems that depend on it.

“We are in a climate crisis and facing what experts predict will be another summer of extreme heat. We cannot afford to delay the actions we know are urgently needed to protect our river.

“The Albanese Government needs to stand up to the big irrigators and the upstream states and deliver on the water that was promised for South Australia and for the environment.

“With Labor Governments in every Basin state, it’s time for real action to protect our river and to finally deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan in full, including the 450gL for South Australia.

“The Greens are willing to work with the Government on reforms that are needed to ensure that more water is delivered but we cannot support continuing to kick the can down the road. We need a plan to deliver the water before the next election.”

Greens leader in the Senate Larissa Waters will introduce a private members Bill when parliament resumes to stop political donors from being awarded Commonwealth contracts, including the likes of Big 4 consulting firms.

The Fairer Grants and Government Contracts Bill would ban political donations for 12 months before and after any contract tender or application was made.

Senator Larissa Waters, Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Democracy said:

“Money shouldn’t be able to buy government contracts, development approvals, political access or political influence. Yet it’s clear that’s what years of donations has been getting for organisations like PwC and the rest of the Big 4 and it’s legalised bribery.

“The Big 4 donated more than $4.3 million to both sides of politics over 10 years, and secured $8 billion in government contracts over that same time period – work that could and should largely be done by a strong, independent public service.

“When parliament resumes, the Greens will introduce a bill to ensure that organisations seeking government contracts or approvals are not able to donate to political parties for a year on either side of that application. The Greens would still like to cap all political donations at $1,000 per year, but we are proposing this Bill as an urgent measure that should receive multipartisan support.

“Trust in politicians and our democracy remains at an all time low. We need to do everything we can to ensure Parliament is more transparent, and ending dodgy donations is a good place to start.

“Stopping donations effectively buying lucrative government contracts, or environmental approvals, will encourage decisions to be made based on merit, and help reinstate public trust in our political system.

“Rather than relying on public relations exercises by corporate entities like PwC, Labor needs to show some leadership and put an end to these unfair and undemocratic donations, once and for all.”

Senator Barbara Pocock, Greens spokesperson on Public Sector said:

“Australians deserve a well-resourced public service that is not hollowed out by voracious private contractors, and that is making decisions in the interests of the community, not vested interests and big donors.

“It is only when we stop large political donors from using their donations promises to secure favours, like contracts, or approvals, or access to decision makers, that we will see our system work in the public interest.

“The Big 4 should not be able to further entrench their power and influence over government, and their profit margins, by making political donations, and certainly not when they are tendering for a government contract.”

Report from The Saturday Paper: Universities Australia have shelved a student-facing respectful relationships campaign because a minority of vice-chancellors among the 39 universities the body represents objected to its explicit nature.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters will pursue the matter directly when Universities Australia appear at a Senate Inquiry into sexual consent laws and education next week.

Greens spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Universities have a clear responsibility to provide a safe environment for students, with 275 sexual assaults in a university setting each week, it’s clear they are failing.

“Reporting today suggests universities are also failing to provide the educational resources young adults need, because of the archaic mindset of a few old dinosaurs in charge of our tertiary institutions.

“Allowing the prudish nonsense of a minority of vice-chancellors to shelve a government-funded campaign is embarrassing enough, but Universities Australia attempting to hide the decision is outrageous.

“If Universities Australia don’t want to provide sexual consent education to the adults on its campuses, it should hand back the $1.5 million it was provided to do so.

“I will be pursuing this matter directly with Universities Australia when they appear before a Senate Inquiry into sexual consent laws and education next week.”