Category: Australian News

Students studying medicine in Orange are a step closer to taking up jobs in the bush and helping address the shortage of health professionals in regional areas, with the number of students now training at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Rural Medicine doubling.

As part of the Nationals’ push to increase the number of health professionals working in our regions, the Federal Government has provided more than $22 million to make the school a reality.

A new cohort of 37 students started their studies last month, taking the total number of students studying for a Doctor of Medicine to 74 after the school opened last year.

Growing evidence shows that medical, nursing and allied health students who undertake training in regional, rural or remote areas are more likely to stay once they become qualified.

This makes the early interest in the program all the more promising.

A total of 824 students applied for the initial intake of 37 Commonwealth Supported Places in 2021 and more than 1,000 students applied to study this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee and Minister for Regional Health Dr Dave Gillespie today attended the school’s official opening.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the Nationals were committed to increasing the number of health professionals in regional and rural communities.

“We build our regions and make them strong by ensuring those who call them home can access the same services and opportunities as people living in capital cities,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“Aspiring doctors from the bush shouldn’t have to leave their home town to pursue their dream, nor should regional Australians have to travel to receive the care they need.

“Our investment in the School of Rural Medicine will help deliver Australia’s future regional health workforce while ensuring locals can access timely and appropriate care in their own communities.”

Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee said the program will enable the next generation of students to provide excellent healthcare to our country communities.

“Country people deserve the same access to medical services as people in the cities,” Minister Gee said.

“We know that when students undertake training in a regional or rural area, like Orange or Bathurst, it means they are more likely to choose to live and work in the bush once they are fully qualified.

“The CSU Medical School will play a key role in making sure country people, including those from our region, can become local doctors.

“That’s why I’m proud the Federal Government provided capital works funding of $22 million from 2019 to 2022 to help establish the centre.

“Our region fought for years to get this medical school established against entrenched opposition. We can all take pride in the fact that it will be training doctors in the bush for practice in the bush for generations to come.”

Former regional doctor, Minister for Regional Health Dr Dave Gillespie said the program was hugely popular, which was going against the current trend of many doctors wanting to stay to train and then practice in the cities in subspecialties.

“Investing in high quality rural health training is how our Government is making a measurable impact on addressing the maldistribution of the rural health workforce,” Dr Gillespie said.

“It now takes around 12 years for a doctor to be full trained, meaning doctors on training pathways created by our government are still undertaking training, but these programs will go a long in getting more doctors practicing in the country.

“Far too many young doctors are practicing in city hospitals or choosing sub-specialties, but regional programs like the Joint Program of Medicine are providing superior, hands-on training for those wanting to be GPs or rural generalists, which are doctors with an advanced skill like obstetrics or anaesthetics.”

The Doctor of Medicine is offered jointly between CSU and Western Sydney University (WSU), and takes five years to complete.

The Liberal and Nationals Government has also provided more than $13 million to CSU to deliver dental, allied health and nursing training through the Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health.

An additional $18 million was provided for CSU and WSU for the joint institute for Regional, Rural and Remote Health and Medical Research.

To mark World Obesity Day, the Morrison Government is launching Australia’s first National Obesity Strategy, which will help address overweight and obesity across the nation.

Australia’s strategy has two ambitious goals—to halt the rise and reverse the trend in the prevalence of obesity in adults and to reduce overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by at least five per cent by 2030.

Obesity is a complex health condition. It is influenced by social, environmental, and economic factors which can impact a person’s ability to maintain a healthy weight and, in turn, increase the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Making healthy choices is not always easy. The strategy recognises the importance of ensuring all Australians are empowered, enabled, and supported to make the best possible decisions about their health.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Health Survey from 2017–18 revealed that 67 per cent of Australian adults were overweight or obese (12.5 million people), an increase from 63.4 per cent since 2014-15.

If the current trend continues, more than 18 million Australians will be overweight or obese by 2030.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the strategy will have a multi-faceted, community-wide approach, working with a range of initiatives, sectors, and organisations.

“Our primary focus is on prevention and the factors which contribute to this major health issue. It will also support the 14 million Australians living with being overweight or obesity, to live a healthier life,” Minister Hunt said.

“We know Australians in good health are better able to lead fulfilling and productive lives, and can participate fully in their community, their jobs, and their education. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of our health and the economic benefits health can bring.”

Consistent with the Government’s National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030, no single action will be enough to prevent and reduce obesity, instead, a systems-based approach that tackles the environmental influences and empowers individuals will be critical.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the strategy had been endorsed by the Morrison Government, as well as all state and territory health ministers.

“We will continue to work with our state and territory counterparts to identify key activities to drive the successful implementation of this strategy,” Minister Colbeck said.

Early consultation on the strategy included the Select Senate Committee Inquiry into the Obesity Epidemic (2018) and a National Obesity Summit (2019). This was complemented by two national public consultation processes (2019 and 2021) as well as additional targeted consultations.

The Morrison Government thanks the 2,750 individuals and organisations which participated in these consultations.

We also thank the Queensland Department of Health, which led the development of the strategy, supported by the Morrison Government and all state and territory governments.

The strategy can be found here.

More than 400 hospitality and cookery students a year are set to benefit from a major kitchen upgrade at Bentley TAFE, which will better prepare students for the jobs of the future.
 
An Albanese Labor Government will invest $2 million to deliver a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, which will be used across a range of qualifications.
 
The large-scale kitchen will also be used by the TAFE’s Bentley Pines Training Restaurant, an interactive training environment for students preparing for work in the hospitality industry.
 
Labor understands the value of good education in preparing students for a great career and greater opportunities.
 
Right now, we have a skills crisis which is crippling the country, making it difficult for businesses to find the staff they need to keep their doors open.
 
To support homegrown skills and business growth, Labor is investing in skills and investing in TAFE.
 
Today’s announcement in Perth is the first from Labor’s $50 million TAFE Technology Fund, which will support improvements to facilities, workshops, laboratories and simulators across the country.
 
Under the Morrison Government, Australia is experiencing a skills shortage crisis where fewer apprentices and trainees are being skilled up for the jobs of the future.
 
State and territory governments deserve a strong partner and national leadership when it comes to skills.
 
An Albanese Labor Government will deliver that strong partnership.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is continuing its support to the Queensland and NSW governments across a range of search & rescue and recovery tasks under Operation Flood Assist 2022.

Initial clean-up tasks involved cleaning mud out of houses, removing damaged furniture, removing debris to allow for vehicle access, and cleaning local infrastructure.

Personnel from the Australian Army’s 5th Brigade are undertaking a range of tasks in support of emergency services in northern New South Wales. They have been sandbagging, providing evacuation support, cleaning up the Lismore CBD and ensuring food supplies get to remote communities cut off by flood waters.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has criticised the exclusion of international students and other temporary visa holders from the Commonwealth’s Disaster Recovery Payment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s cruel and unacceptable to use a person’s visa status to exclude them from vital financial support in the wake of disaster.

“Floods have devastated communities and people living in NSW and Queensland. Everyone affected should be financially supported regardless of their visa status.

“International students’ ineligibility for Disaster Recovery Payments smacks of Covid-era discrimination which harmed so many.

“During the pandemic lockdowns we saw international students neglected, abandoned and mistreated at every turn – excluded from critical schemes like JobSeeker and JobKeeper. Now, they are being locked out of disaster payments.

“The government has not learned its lesson and continues to treat international students as little more than economic opportunities to be exploited.

“International students must be supported and treated as full and valued members of our community.”

Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck has congratulated all 14 winners of the 2021 Sport Australia Media Awards.

Now in their 20^th year, the awards recognise excellence in sports journalism, broadcasting and production and are the only dedicated sports media awards in Australia.

“Whether it’s covering the local competition or reporting from the world’s biggest sporting events, the media play a crucial role in telling stories and inspiring all Australians to get active,” Minister Colbeck said.

“As we continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, I am delighted to be able to reflect and celebrate the hard work and wonderful sporting stories that have been told in the past 12 months.”

“The finalists and winners again highlighted some of the key and important issues and moments in sport of the past year.”

Mr Colbeck paid tribute to Mike Sheahan who was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports Journalism.

Mr Sheahan was recognised for his lengthy and influential career as a sports journalist and writer having dedicated 40 years of his career to covering AFL.

He spent 20 years as chief football writer for The Herald Suns and won dozens of major Australian football media awards across all categories – news breaking, features and columns as well as writing two books.

“Mike has had an incredible media career spanning decades and is a worthy recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award,” Minister Colbeck said.

“On top of his written work, he became a regular radio and television personality including 11-years hosting his own talk show Open Mike on Fox Footy, with his contribution to the game duly recognised having been made a life member of the AFL and having the media centre at AFL House in Melbourne named after him.”

Minister Colbeck also extended his congratulations to the journalists, producers, photographers and podcasters recognised as finalists across the 12 award categories.

“The incredible performances at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics topped what was a huge year in Australian sport in 2021.

“The work done in elevating issues of national interest and telling personal stories encourages Australians of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to get involved in sport.”

Mr Colbeck said the Australian Government is committed to supporting the sector as it recovers from COVID-19 and as momentum builds ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Sport has the power to drive positive social change and help all Australians lead happier, healthier lives. Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s Sport Australia Media Awards and for your continued support of Australian sport.”

The Federal Coalition Government has invested more than $32,000 through the Deafness Forum of Australia to promote World Hearing Day today, to raise awareness about preventing hearing loss and promoting heathy ear care across Australia.

Minister for Regional Health, Dr David Gillespie many common causes of hearing loss can be prevented, including hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds.

“As a doctor practising in regional Australia for three decades I saw the burden of preventable hearing loss in the community—for the individual and their families. It’s life changing and there ways everyone can protect their hearing,” Dr Gillespie said.

“About 3.6 million people—or one in six Australians experience some form of hearing impairment and for a third of these people, their hearing loss could have been prevented.”

Dr Gillespie said this year’s theme – To hear for life, listen with care – encouraged people to think about how they can listen safely in all situations, every day.

Dr Gillespie said the Federal Coalition Government is committed to raising awareness about hearing health and ensuring people have the information they need to avoid preventable hearing loss.

“To help achieve this, the Government has provided $32,500 to Deafness Forum of Australia to promote World Hearing Day 2022 across mainstream and social media channels nationally.

“This funding will get the message out to help people avoid preventable hearing loss and to take appropriate actions to help save their hearing.”

Supporting World Hearing Day and raising awareness about hearing health was identified as a key action under the Liberal and Nationals Government’s Roadmap for Hearing Health.

This funding is in addition to the $21.2 million committed to implementing this Roadmap announced in the 2020 Budget.

Also coinciding with Hearing Awareness Week, is the online Rural and Regional Hearing Healthcare Workforce Summit on 3 and 4 March, which Dr Gillespie addressed today.

The summit will explore current and projected hearing workforce issues to inform future service planning and delivery in rural, regional and remote Australia.

The Federal Government funded the summit in support of the Roadmap for Hearing Health. 

An Albanese Labor Government will cut power bills for households, and reduce emissions, by installing an initial five community batteries across Perth. 
 
More than one in three Western Australian households have installed rooftop solar panels.
 
But very few have a battery, because it’s still too expensive. This means families aren’t getting the full benefits of rooftop solar, and it’s putting pressure on our electricity grid.
 
That’s why Labor will install an initial five community batteries across Perth: in Coogee, Dianella, Kinross, Port Kennedy and Stratton.
 
This commitment will allow local households to feed solar power into the shared battery during the day and draw from it at night – cutting electricity bills and emissions, and reducing pressure on the grid.
 
Local households who might be unable to install solar, like renters and people living in apartments, will also be able to draw from excess energy stored in the battery. 
 
Up to one in two households in these areas have rooftop solar. The areas have been selected in consultation with the WA Government.
 
All WA communities will be able to apply for a battery under Labor’s Power to the People plan, which will invest $200 million to install 400 community batteries across the country.
 
In WA, Power to the People will build on the trials already led by Western Power and Synergy.  
 
This is part of Labor’s Powering Australia policy to cut power bills, reduce emissions and create jobs by boosting renewable energy.
 
In contrast, after nine years of energy policy chaos under the Liberals, Scott Morrison is focussed on photo-ops and marketing tricks – and attacking Western Australians.
  
Communities across WA deserve better – an Albanese Labor Government that will cut power bills and work for a better future for all Australians. 

The Morrison Government is improving the participant experience for people on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with easier access to assistive technology.

Minister for the NDIS Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC has announced an increase in the upper limit for automatic approval of assistive technology (AT) purchases. This limit has now increased from $5,000 to $15,000.

“I have listened closely to participants and their representatives, and what they have told me is they want a Scheme which is more person focused, with less red tape,” Minister Reynolds said.

“This is another example of the Morrison Government’s commitment to improving the NDIS and improving the participant’s experience.”

The changes will also assist many participants who currently have quotable AT under $15,000 in their plans. The NDIA will automatically approve the funding for these items so participants can access this AT faster.

This new measure is still subject to the necessary checks and balances to maintain the integrity of the scheme.

The most commonly purchased AT within the $15,000 price range includes manual wheelchairs, specialty beds and bathroom chairs/stools.

The NDIA has summarised these changes in an updated guideline and new participant factsheet, setting out what evidence participants need to provide and what to do before buying AT.

The NDIA has also created a new guideline and template on vehicle modifications and driving supports, which includes simpler and clearer information. These will help participants work with assessors to provide evidence for vehicle modification support requests over $15,000.

A new support package for flood-affected communities across New South Wales will be released today to support farmers, businesses and local councils to recover and rebuild.

This initial $434.7 million of funding from the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments will be provided to support communities clean up and remove damage and debris, as well as further support local government areas (LGAs) that have been flood-affected.

Grants of up to $75,000 for primary producers and up to $50,000 for small businesses and not for profit organisations devastated by flooding will soon be available through NSW Government agencies, with registration now open through Service NSW. This program will be demand driven.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this package is just the first phase of the financial support that will support communities in need.

“We will be there to help farmers, small businesses and every community in New South Wales to get back on their feet as soon as possible when flood waters recede,” the Prime Minister said.

“Farmers will need to restock and rebuild and small businesses will need help replacing damaged goods and shop fronts, and when more support is needed, more support will be given.

“I have already asked the New South Wales Premier to provide my Government with a proposal for a second support package to ensure all communities get the support they need.

“We are working with Queensland on what support will be made available under Category D funding, ensuring communities receive the funding they require to rebuild, and my Government has requested a proposal of projects from the Queensland Government.

“This initial package is in addition to the federally funded $1,000 disaster relief payment and the 13-week income replacement for employees and small business, which to date has already paid out almost $63 million in a matter of days.”

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government stood ready to support communities hit hard by the floods across the State.

“We activated these measures during the 2021 floods, and we have done so again – they are large grants that will get much-needed funds to people quickly to provide some relief and assistance,” Premier Perrottet said.

“We know these supports will have an immediate positive effect and I would encourage anyone in NSW impacted by these awful floods to please contact Service NSW and find out what you are eligible for.”

Seventeen LGAs have been declared as disaster areas and are eligible for support through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Bridget McKenzie said the activation of extraordinary Category D grant assistance under the DRFA was vital to help kick start the recovery of affected primary producers and small businesses.

“The Commonwealth and NSW Governments are focused on giving small businesses and not-for-profits the tools they need to clean-up, rebuild and keep operating,” Minister McKenzie said.

“We will continue to work with the NSW Government to roll out ongoing targeted support for communities impacted by these devastating storms and floods.”

New South Wales Deputy Premier Paul Toole said a phased approach to support was being adopted to ensure communities had the resources and support they needed at every stage from response to recovery.

“We know it’s going to be a long road to recovery for many of our regional communities and this targeted funding will ensure they get immediate assistance as well as in the weeks and months ahead,” Deputy Premier Toole said.

“In addition to the funding now available, Service NSW offers a one-stop shop for all information and support on disaster assistance by phoning 13 77 88 or online via service.nsw.gov.au.”

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the mass clean-up is already underway and recovery grants have been designed to kick-start recovery.

“Many areas are still in the emergency phase and many more are unfortunately at risk of flooding. We are focused on delivering as much support as possible to impacted communities right across the State,” Ms Cooke said.

“While the acute response continues, we are working tirelessly in the background preparing for the significant clean-up and recovery ahead of us.”

People in NSW requiring assistance are urged to contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 or online at: www.service.nsw.gov.au/floods.

People and businesses can register their interest for these grant programs through Service NSW, with funding soon available through NSW Government agencies at: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/storm-and-flood-assistance-businesses

The phase one package includes:

• Demand driven – $75,000 grants to assist primary producers that have suffered direct damage from the recent severe weather and flooding. NSW Government estimate this to initially be $111.5 million.
• Demand driven – $50,000 grants to assist small business and not-for-profit organisations that have suffered direct damage from the event. NSW Government estimate this to initially be $89.7 million.
• $210 million to assist affected communities with the clean-up and removal of flood and storm related damage, debris and green waste. This will enable LGAs to work with Resilience NSW and NSW Government agencies to coordinate clean-up activities in their communities.
• $1 million grants to impacted councils to assist with their immediate social, built, economic and environmental needs. This list may continue to grow.
• $6.5 million to provide Community Recovery Officers to support communities impacted by this event.

The 17 LGAs are Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Glen Innes Severn, Hornsby, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Nambucca, Port Macquarie/Hastings, Richmond, Tenterfield, The Hills and Tweed.

This is one tranche of assistance that will be offered to NSW residents, and is in addition to the disaster payments already available to flood victims.

The Commonwealth stands ready to provide similar financial help to victims of the flood disaster in Queensland once a request is received from the Queensland Premier.