Category: Australian News

Labor has today announced sweeping changes to Freedom of Information laws that will make it significantly harder for Australians to access government documents, introducing upfront fees and new barriers in what represents the biggest restrictions to FOI in recent memory. 

Despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s promise to “bring transparency back into government” after criticising the “secrecy” of the Morrison era, the government will present legislation on Wednesday that directly contradicts this commitment by charging fees for most FOI requests and banning anonymous applications.

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson for Justice said: 

“FOI is broken and rather than fixing it, Labor is seeking to make it more expensive and even more impenetrable. 

“Information requests routinely take months or years to process, and documents are then heavily redacted with entire pages blacked out for questionable reasons.

“Instead of addressing the fundamental secrecy problems inside the government, Labor has instead decided the issue is with the people trying to access information. That says so much about the Albanese government’s arrogance and contempt for the public’s right to know.

“The changes propose a fundamental shift away from the principle that government information belongs to the public and should be freely accessible. It’s a dark day for democracy that this is even on the table. 

“I’ve lodged many requests for Government information that should have been public in the first place and had to fight for months, if not years, to get anything provided in response. 

“Labor is hiding more information than ever from Parliament and the public, and is now seeking to shut down the one system that allowed them to be challenged in an independent tribunal. 

“Multiple government-commissioned reports have identified that the FOI system needs proper funding and stronger rules to force agencies to release information. 

“Making information only accessible to those who can pay sells us all out. 

“If you want to target AI bots and foreign actors then first, show us the evidence and second, target them specifically, not the many regular users of this system including whistleblowers, journalists and politicians,” Senator Shoebridge 

NB The Government still has not officially responded to the December 2023 report into the The operation of Commonwealth Freedom of Information (FOI) law

New footage has revealed the real risk, harm and impunity that occurs from neo-Nazi and Nationalist rallies with two brothers, Shamikh and Majed Dadra, who were assaulted on a Sydney train by participants of the so-called ‘March for Australia’ rally that occurred in Sydney last Sunday.

Greens MP and spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson said:

“I am really concerned about Premier Chris Minns’ lack of leadership on the terrifying rupture of neo-Nazis and racism in our community. Before the rally on Sunday, Premier Chris Minns encouraged people to trust the police to manage the protest, but like everyone, he knew the protest was being organised by Nazis and fuelled by white supremacy,”

“Labor Premier Chris Minns has led the way in demonising the community when they speak out against the Israeli military, but he took a hands off approach when literal Nazis organised a hate event in the heart of Sydney,”

“This footage is horrific, it’s frightening, and it’s happened because political leaders and the media have vilified people of colour, fed extreme right-wing ideologies and tolerated Nazi organised events. We cannot accept our elected representatives, in a democracy, taking a softly softly approach in the face of proto-facists, while simultaneously attacking our fundamental right to protest,”

“The attendees of these rallies, when they engage in racism, violence and intimidation, are breaking the laws of NSW. We do not need to shut down protests, or attack the right to protest – we need the Police and politicians to clearly enforce laws that exist to prevent racism, bigotry and violence,”

“These brilliant and creative brothers, subjected to racist attacks, are a sign that Premier Chris Minns and all political leaders are failing to prevent the rise of neo-Nazism in NSW. Political violence, racial violence, the generation of hate based on identity – these things must be called out early and often,”

“There is now another Nationwide rally being planned by the same people as the ones who caused these assaults to happen. I welcome Premier Chris Minns, Mark Speakman, and all democratic leaders to stand up now and say ‘No’ – these rallies are not appropriate and where crimes of vilification or violence happen, the Police will act to stop these dangerous events from occurring,” Ms Higginson said.

Labor’s aged care target is doomed without a major increase in investment, a former advisor to the Aged Care Royal Commission has warned, leaving potentially hundreds of thousands of older people without the basic care they need.

Wait times for a “medium priority” recipient of a home care package is 9-12 months from assessment, including at the highest “Level 4” category of care. The Government has set a target to get wait times down to 3 months by 1 July 2027.

But expert evidence given at a Greens-led Senate inquiry into aged care has said that there is “no possibility” of reaching that target based on current government policy. (Submission from Prof Kathy Eager, pg4 question 5)

On the same day that Labor plans to hit their home care target in 2027, Labor is due to shut down the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), which currently supports over 800,000 older people with their everyday needs.

Responses received yesterday from the Department of Health and Ageing to Greens’ questions at the inquiry suggested the government has not modelled the impact of the closure of the Commonwealth Home Support Program, which currently supports over 800,000 people. Rather than answer yes or no to a factual question on whether modelling existed, the Department refused to answer. [see Response to Questions on notice, Q7] Ending the Commonwealth Home Support Program would place enormous pressure on Support at Home and is a key reason why wait time targets will be out of reach.

The Greens have called on the government to not only bring forward the rollout of home care packages – as the Senate is urging – but to also dramatically increase funding for home care packages and extend the CHSP. This is the only way Labor has any chance of getting the waitlist under control and meeting their target.

The warning comes as Labor is widely expected to lose its first substantive vote in the Senate today, when the Greens, Coalition and crossbenchers join forces to compel Labor to bring forward the stalled rollout of home care packages through amendments to Labor’s aged care bill. (A procedural motion passed yesterday means the bill and amendments must be considered by the Senate today, before it will then move to the House.)

Background

If they want to continue to receive support, people currently receiving CHSP will be forced to apply for the Support at Home program. Support at Home already has over 200,000 people on its waitlist and just 83,000 packages coming in the first 12 months from November.

The closure of the CHSP, combined with an underinvestment in care and poor design of the new Support at Home program, make the 3 month wait time target untenable, according to inquiry evidence presented by Associate Prof Kathy Eager, who advised on the Aged Care Royal Commission.

In response to the Department’s failure to answer straightforward questions to the inquiry, Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne has written in her capacity as inquiry Chair to require that all questions be properly answered. 

The Greens will also move in the Senate today to order the Government to release any communications between the Minister’s office and the Department, to determine whether the Minister’s office may have interfered in how the Department answered the question from the hearing.

Labor has a record of hiding the detail on their aged care debacle, and previously sought to mask the true extent of the home care waitlist, revealed at the inquiry to be over 200,000 once more than 120,000 people  awaiting an assessment were accounted for. 

Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens spokesperson for Older People and Chair of the inquiry:

“Today the Senate will vote on whether our parents and grandparents should get the care they need, or be left to wait up to a year without basic help.

“This isn’t aged care. It’s aged carelessness.

“We’re calling on Labor to stop toying with people’s lives and join the Greens and other non-government Senators, to support our amendments and start helping families who are desperately waiting.

“If Labor would rather cut home care funding than help the hundreds of thousands of older people stuck waiting, their aged care reforms will fail and families left in anguish will never forgive them for it.” 

“The Commonwealth Home Support Program is cherished in the community, and allows people to stay at home for longer, and stay connected with their communities. The fact that funding is due to be ripped away for 800,000 older people on the very same day that the Government claims it will reach its Support at Home wait time target is as ridiculous as it is cruel. 

“In a wealthy country like Australia, we can afford to look after our older people.”

The Australian Greens have called Murray Watt’s decision to approve the extension of a coal mine – the first coal mine of the new Parliament – ‘business as usual’ for Labor.

The coal mine – Glencore’s Ulan thermal coal mine near Mudgee in NSW – already has existing approvals to mine up to 20 million tonnes of thermal coal each year.

The extension would extract an extra 18.8 million tonnes, and extend the mine’s life to 2045.

The Greens have called approving coal mine extensions a ‘climate crime’, that would commit Australia to providing the world with decades more coal power, which should be replaced with clean technology.

To drive down emissions and take the action needed to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees, Labor needs to stop approving coal and gas projects.

Yet in the last term alone, Labor approved over 30 new coal and gas projects.

And with this decision on Glencore’s Ulan thermal coal mine, Minister Watt appears ready to continue this climate vandalism.

In addition to wreaking havoc on the climate, this extension will impact local wildlife as well, clearing up to 37 hectares of native vegetation for the surface area infrastructure, putting threatened species like koalas and swift parrots further at risk.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Larissa Waters:

“Approving coal or gas in this day and age is a climate crime. Yet for Labor, it seems to be business as usual.

“Labor must stop gaslighting the public – opening new coal and gas is the opposite of climate action.

“It locks Australia into providing the world with more coal and gas for decades to come, while putting threatened wildlife like our precious koalas at risk.

“Last week Minister Watt said he was planning to introduce new environmental laws later this year, but that he wouldn’t call them ‘Nature Positive’.

“Maybe that’s because they’re going to be Coal and Gas Positive instead.”

Australian Greens Environment spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young:

“This shows just how badly we need new environment laws. It’s crazy that the  Environment Minister can approve a thermal coal mine for twenty years when we know this will make climate change worse.

“While Labor is approving more coal and gas, Australians are already feeling the impacts of the climate crisis, like the toxic algal bloom in South Australia.

“Labor needs to make a choice. Are they going to keep approving new coal and gas and do deals with the Liberals to weaken environmental protections, or will they work with the Greens to take climate action and protect nature.”

Australian Greens spokesperson for resources, Senator Steph Hodgins-May: 

“Minister Watt’s first coal mine approval this term shows exactly where Labor’s priorities lie – they can greenlight new fossil fuel projects, but they still refuse to release the national climate risk assessment we’ve been demanding.

“This government is addicted to coal and gas. Over 30 approvals last term, and now more climate bombs on the way.

“On the eve of setting 2035 emissions targets, the Albanese Government is locking in new coal projects that will make any target meaningless. 

“This is not climate leadership. It’s climate sabotage – and its future generations, frontline communities and endangered wildlife that will pay the price.”

City of Newcastle will transform an undeveloped five-hectare site in Maryland into the first new district level sports facility in more than two decades to be delivered from the ground up.

Concept plans have been unveiled today for the Creek Road sporting precinct, which could include up to four new multi-use fields, a dual-facing grandstand with changerooms, public amenities and a car park.

A render of one of the concept options for the Creek Road sporting precinct, which depicts how different sporting codes could be accommodated on site.

Enclosed cricket practice nets, spectator seating, shared paths and fitness stations are also proposed in the staged draft masterplan. 

The five-hectare parcel sits at the south-western corner of a larger 30-hectare site at Creek Road, which contains a mix of natural areas including wetlands. 

The development of the draft masterplan was welcomed by Ward 4 Councillors Callum Pull, Elizabeth Adamczyk and Deahnna Richardson, who said this was a significant investment to meet the needs of the booming western suburbs.

“We’re working to address current and future demand for sporting infrastructure across the city, and in our western suburbs,” Cr Pull said. 

“As part of this, we’re planning for a new district level sports facility in the Western Corridor Urban Release Area to support our growing western suburbs. 

“This will be the first time City of Newcastle has delivered a completely new sporting facility of district level standard from a undeveloped site for many decades, if not longer.

“It is important that we also acknowledge and thank the local community members and groups who have engaged with Council and helped us to progress this project.”

Cr Adamczyk said this would be a landmark project for the western suburbs. 

“Our long-term Strategic Sports Plan is a commitment to building the recreational and sporting facilities needed to service the existing and growing population in Newcastle’s western suburbs like Fletcher, Maryland, Minmi and Wallsend, which have experienced population increases of around 50% during the past decade, and with many more younger families making their home in this key centre of the city,” Cr Adamczyk said.

“This milestone marks the beginning of consultation with our sporting associations, clubs and community to ensure this critical new infrastructure meets their needs, and reinforces Council’s commitment to enhancing green spaces and fields for passive and active recreation that will be enjoyed by generations to come.” 

Cr Richardson encouraged community members and sporting associations to have their say on the draft masterplan during the public exhibition, which opens today and will run through until 5pm, Tuesday 14 October.

“It is a significant undertaking that will be developed in collaboration with the community and in consideration of the growth and needs of various sporting codes,” Cr Richardson said.

“The project will be carefully planned to protect the surrounding natural environment, and to allow for a range of active and passive recreation opportunities to co-exist within the precinct.

“Future investigations could also include the development of a northern portion of the broader site, providing additional opportunities to support further growth.”

A render of one of the concept options for the Creek Road sporting precinct, which depicts how different sporting codes could be accommodated on site.

The project is likely to be delivered in stages during the next five to 10 years, with the support of government funding and external partnerships.

The public exhibition will help inform considerations around what sports and supporting amenities might be accommodated within the site, to determine a final layout before detailed designs are undertaken.

The allocation of grounds to specific sporting clubs will form a separate process during a later stage of the development.

City of Newcastle classifies all reserves used for sport as either Regional, District or Local, based on their size, level of facilities and usage profiles. 

District level facilities are well developed spaces of substantial size that offer a broad range of quality recreation opportunities. They attract visitors from across a number of suburbs. 

Newcastle currently has 10 district level sports facilities, including Adamstown No.1, Darling St Oval and Passmore Oval.

To find out more about the Draft Creek Road Sports Concept Masterplan or to make a submission visit the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle’s website.

The latest Liquor and Gaming NSW data shows poker machine gamblers in New South Wales lost $2.3 billion dollars between April and June this year. That’s more than $1 million every single hour and almost $25 million every day. Losses are up by almost nine per cent compared with last year.
 
Since Labor came to office there are now almost 600 more poker machines across the state, bringing the total to 87,908 machines. Losses per machine continue to climb well above the rate of inflation.
 
While families are struggling with the cost of living, the Minns Labor Government is hooked on gambling revenue. The 2025-26 Budget banks on $2.61 billion dollars from pokies taxes and it forecasts almost $3 billion by 2029.
 
In 2022 the NSW Crime Commission called for a cashless gaming system to crack down on money laundering and reduce harm. In 2023 the Coalition created a comprehensive plan with cashless gaming, based on the NSW Crime Commission report, to tackle problem gambling and crime head on.
 
But after three budgets and over two years in power, Labor has done nothing except media releases and ignore evidence. The government has also walked away from its promise to remove 9,500 machines, saying it would make no difference.
 
At Budget Estimates, Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris offered prepared excuses and blame game that sounded like a bad movie script. He brushed off the costs of harm and claimed reducing machines would not help. Families and communities are the ones paying the price.
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said the Government has no plan to reduce machines, no plan to reduce losses and no plan to protect families.
 
“They have surrendered our state’s wellbeing to pokies profits. The Government is addicted to gambling revenue,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing Kevin Anderson said Minister Harris turned Estimates into theatre.
 
“Chris Minns and his Government are proving to have no interest and no urgency when it comes to delivering the gaming reform agenda they promised at the last election,” Mr Anderson said.
 
“The Minister’s answers in Estimates brought little hope for those suffering across NSW, because the longer the Government waits the longer the harm continues.”

Source – https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/resources/quarterly-gaming-reports/clubs-gaming-machine-data

Professor Richard Scolyer’s contribution to brain cancer research and advocacy will be continued and further celebrated with a new position named in his honour at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.

The Albanese Government is committing $5.9 million to establish the Richard Scolyer Chair in Brain Cancer Research.

The funding will be used to support the salaries of the Professorial Chair, as well as Postdoctoral Fellows, Research Assistants and PhD Scholarships, along with research costs.

The investment will provide strong leadership to accelerate brain cancer research, expand clinical trials and help translate research into better outcomes for patients.

Professor Scolyer AO, the 2024 joint Australian of the Year with Professor Georgina Long AO, is a renowned pathologist and melanoma researcher who has made remarkable contributions to medical research, particularly in the field of melanoma and skin cancers research.

He has also inspired many through his own cancer journey after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2023.

He was the first in the world to receive combination immunotherapy before surgery, and a personalised vaccine to treat his glioblastoma.

This experimental treatment approach – adapted from his own melanoma immunotherapy research – saw him become both a patient and a research subject.

Brain cancer is rare but aggressive, accounting for an estimated 1,924 new diagnoses, and 1,579 deaths in 2023.

The funding builds on other Australian Government funding to accelerate brain cancer research, including $50 million for the Australian Brain Cancer Mission and $83.9 million through the National Health Medical Research Council and Cancer Australia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Professor Richard Scolyer is an extraordinary Australian.

“Through his skill, his tenacity, and his courage he has made such a difference for our country.

“This will build on Professor Scolyer’s research, advocacy and leadership in tackling cancer.”

Minister for Health Mark Butler:

“There are few people in Australia, or indeed the world, who have made as significant a contribution to cancer research, treatment and advocacy as Professor Richard Scolyer.

“It is fitting that this new Chair position at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, where Professor Scolyer has been receiving his own treatment, be named in his honour.

“Brain cancers have one of the highest mortality rates amongst cancers and little improvement made in survival rates in recent decades.

“With this investment in leadership, research and clinical trials, we hope we can shift the dial and improve outcomes for patients diagnosed with brain cancer.”

The Albanese Government is answering the calls of the Pacific, providing more than $1 million in assistance to respond to current dengue outbreaks across the region.

The number of dengue cases is the highest recorded in the Pacific in the past decade, with 19 deaths reported this year.

Outbreaks have been declared in Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Tuvalu, while Fiji and Tonga recently announced that their outbreaks have ended.

We extend our condolences to those affected, particularly those families and communities that have lost loved ones.

In response to discussions with Nauru, Samoa and Tuvalu, Australia’s support will include technical advice, and delivery of insecticides, dengue test kits, and medical and laboratory supplies.

Australia is also supporting the deployment of medical personnel to Nauru, and an Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) will deploy with New Zealand’s Emergency Medical Team to provide support in Samoa.

This builds on our longstanding support for resilient health systems in the Pacific as well as our history of emergency response, through the World Health Organization, the Pacific Community, the James Cook University-led PacMOSSI program, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund.

We acknowledge the swift and proactive measures taken by Pacific governments in their response to the current dengue outbreaks.

Deployment of supplies and personnel has already begun. Australia stands ready to provide additional assistance if requested.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong:

“Australia stands with our Pacific community during this challenging time, as we act to assist them in accelerating their response.

“We’ve listened to the Pacific countries in their request for assistance and will continue working with our neighbours to fight this outbreak.”

Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy:

“Our thoughts are with the families and communities affected by this devastating outbreak.

“We are working closely with our Pacific neighbors and stand ready to provide additional support if needed.

“We hope that together we can end this outbreak as quickly as possible.”

Minister for International Development Anne Aly:

“Australia is backing the leadership and priorities of our Pacific neighbours, supporting their response to dengue outbreaks.

“We are working together to ensure the prosperity and wellbeing of Pacific communities.”

The Albanese Government welcomes the findings of the independent review of the Foreign Arrangements Scheme, led by Ms Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM.

The Government has accepted all 23 recommendations of the review. We are taking action to strengthen, clarify and streamline the Scheme in line with the review’s recommendations.

The Foreign Arrangements Scheme is a key part of the Government’s broader resilience strategy, protecting critical sectors of Australian society from foreign interference.

The Scheme has been successfully deployed to raise foreign policy awareness with state and territory governments, local governments and universities, and to ensure arrangements between them and foreign entities support Australia’s national interest.

The Government is committed to reforming the Scheme to ensure it remains effective and responsive to an increasingly complex international environment. These reforms will:

• sharpen the Scheme’s focus on arrangements that pose higher foreign policy or national security risks
• reduce the regulatory and compliance burden for low-risk engagements.

Changes to the Foreign Arrangements Scheme will help ensure Australia can continue to engage globally while safeguarding our national interests, and will support the creation of economic and cultural links that are consistent with our foreign policy.

The report of the independent review of the Scheme and the Government response can be found on the Foreign Arrangements Scheme website.

The Victorian Greens’ Bill to make housing a human right will be debated in Parliament today, putting Labor to the test after its MPs have 16 times declared on the record this term that housing is a human right.

The Greens’ Bill would enshrine the internationally recognised right to adequate housing into Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, meaning all future laws and government decisions, departments and bodies like police and courts would have to comply with and uphold this right. 

The Greens say if Labor believes the right to housing is a human right, they will vote with their values and support the bill. If the bill passes it could influence government decisions like Labor’s plan to demolish and privatise all 44 public housing towers, which is set to displace more than 10,000 residents. 

The Bill is backed by housing, human rights and legal experts including Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, and former Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bell AO KC, and comes just weeks after he told a parliamentary inquiry into the government’s plan to demolish the towers that it breaches the right to housing under international law. Bell told the inquiry:

“If the right to housing were incorporated in the Charter, the government would have to go about this kind of project differently, and that’s a very good thing.”

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

“Labor says housing is a human right, but they’re demolishing people’s homes in the middle of a housing crisis. You can’t have it both ways, it’s a total contradiction.”

“If Labor votes against this Bill, they’ll be admitting their policies are at odds with the basic right to housing, and that they care more about property developers than people who need a safe and secure home.”