Category: Australian News

Minister Keith Pitt has this morning recommitted the Government to fracking the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin through the funding stream that was previously struck down by the Federal Court.

The Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program will now see $19.4 million in grants awarded to Liberal Party-aligned donor Empire Energy.

Empire Energy, who today have been promised almost $20 million in public money to frack the NT’s Beetaloo Basin, have previously donated $40,000 to the Liberals and $25,000 to NT Labor. Empire’s Chair has personally previously donated over $200,000 to the LNP.

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:

“Scott Morrison is using the dying days of his government to cause as much climate damage as he can, all with Labor’s backing.

“By signing off on NT Labor’s giant climate bomb, the Liberals are putting lives at risk.

“Gas is as dirty as coal, and the Betaloo gas project will be worse for the climate than the Adani coal mine. The NT gas fields contain almost 70 years’ worth of Australia’s total climate pollution, and today Keith Pitt has signed off on detonating that climate bomb.

“The only way we’ll break the bipartisan coal and gas grip on this country is by putting Greens in balance of power.”

Greens Resources and Minerals Spokesperson Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“Minister Pitt’s decision today is a climate grenade that this government is throwing over their shoulder on the way out. What a desperate act from a dying government. 

“This decision will cause enormous destruction to Country. My heart goes out to people of the ​​Gudanji, Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Jingili, Mudburra and Alawa nations over this dreadful news, who are on the frontline as as the last line of defence for their land, skies and waters.”

“Once again decisions are being made about our land that desecrate our cultural heritage, while simultaneously wrecking the climate for our kids, where mining interests take precedence over Traditional Owners’ right to their land.”

The Australian Government welcomes the announcement of training sites for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

Across five cities – Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth – the 13 training sites will play a key role in hosting the world’s elite female footballers as they make their final preparations ahead of the World Cup competition.

Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the selection of the training sites by the world body for football demonstrates the importance of community sporting facilities across Australia.

“This will be the largest ever women’s sporting event and it is a privilege for Australia to
co-host the event with New Zealand. It will bring together 32 nations before a global audience of more than 1 billion people,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The event will strengthen Australia’s already world-class reputation as a global leader in women’s sport and is part of a green and gold decade of major sporting events to be hosted in our country.”

Confirmed training sites will include:

• Adelaide– Marden Sports Complex (Marden), South Australia Football Centre (Gepps Cross)
• Brisbane – Perry Park (Bowen Hills), Spencer Park (Newmarket)
• Melbourne – JL Murphy Reserve (Port Melbourne), Lakeside Stadium (Albert Park), Reggio Calabria Club (Parkville)
• Perth– Dorrien Gardens (West Perth), Western Australia State Football Centre (Queens Park)
• Sydney – ES Marks Athletics Field (Kensington), Leichhardt Oval (Leichardt), Valentine Sports Park (Glenwood), Western Sydney Wanderers Centre of Football (Rooty Hill)

The training sites announcement is on top of Australia’s world-class stadiums already announced as match venues.

As part of the 2020–21 Budget, the Australian Government committed $2.4 million to Football Australia to assist with planning and delivery of the event, in addition to $5 million to support the development of the historic bid.

A further $12 million was also committed to Football Australia to support a Matildas’ high performance program in the lead up to the event, and community engagement activities to encourage more participation in football by women and girls.

“The Government is looking forward to harnessing the opportunities that hosting this event presents to inspire even more girls and women to participate in football and sport, and to make playing sport and exercising a big part of their lives,” Minister Colbeck said.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 will be played between 19 July and 20 August 2023.

Further details regarding the training sites announcement can be found here.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, has joined aged care peak bodies Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) and Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) to encourage more visitors to return to residential aged care facilities across Australia.

“We know how important it is for aged care residents to see visitors, such as family, friends and members of their community in person” Minister Colbeck said.

“Personal contact is vital to maintaining the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of residents, reducing their social isolation and loneliness.

“We are also aware of the significant stress on a resident’s loved ones due to the extended restrictions over the last two years and new guidance means that visits can become more frequent and supported.

ACSA Chief Executive Officer Paul Sadler said aged care services have been working hard to keep residents connected with their loved ones.

“They know that regular contact is vital for residents and families and integral to maintaining their wellbeing,” Mr Sadler said.

“I am confident services are well-prepared and staff are keen to welcome visitors back in a safe manner.”

Support available for providers to increase visitation includes:

• Access to Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits from the National Medical Stockpile (NMS). Providers can use the RATs provided through the forward deployment process announced on 14 February 2022 to screen visitors. RATs from the NMS for this purpose should be provided to visitors free-of-charge;
• Workforce support through the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to assist during an outbreak. Providers can request ADF teams to screen and manage visitors, which will reduce the workload for existing staff.  A fact sheet has been released outlining the services which can be provided by ADF teams.
• Clear policy advice through the Interim Guidance on Managing Public Health Restrictions on Residential Aged Care Facilities on taking a least-restrictive, risk-based approach to outbreak management; and 
• The Australian Government committed an additional $34.4 million over four years to expand the Community Visitor Scheme (CVS) – now a total investment of $113.99 million. The program expands the number of CVS volunteers to over 17,800 places to support senior Australians with friendship and companionship.

The Department of Health is also currently working with the aged care sector to develop opportunities to actively support the re-engagement of volunteers and to encouraging new volunteers to provide companionship and emotional support to senior Australians.

The “Partners in Care” Program, which provides training in COVID-19 safe practices, infection control and hygiene to enable family to continue visiting their relatives during a COVID outbreak, is being updated for utilisation by all RACFs.

This is a key component of facilitating safe access to visitors during outbreaks.

LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said the recent interim guidance released by the Department of Health has made a big difference in how providers and public health units view access by visitors.

“We have seen a reduction in the length of time for lockdowns and isolation, and access by essential visitors is also being supported,” Mr Rooney said.

Aged care providers can access a range of information about support available from the Australian Government at www.health.gov.au on the Newsletters and alerts for the aged care sector page.

The Morrison Government has opened a $25.5 million funding round for critical infrastructure projects at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to support these services to continue their critical work.

The Service Maintenance Program (SMP), which provides funding for repairs, maintenance and minor upgrades for ACCHS is part of a $1 billion national commitment to help achieve Closing the Gap (CTG) Outcomes, and part of the $254.4 million CTG health infrastructure measure announced by the Prime Minister in August 2021.

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the funding round will give priority to projects related to ventilation and infection control.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said that ACCHS are a core part of the Australian health system, delivering comprehensive primary health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

 “ACCHS set the benchmark for delivering holistic, culturally safe and responsive care and services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities and have played a major role in the Government’s response to COVID-19. This funding will improve their facilities so they can maintain the high level of care they offer their communities”, Minister Hunt said.

“These grants help ensure fit-for-purpose health infrastructure, which is integral to closing the gap in life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

The SMP and the Major Capital Program make up the Closing the Gap health infrastructure measure.  The opening of the Major Capital Program, which will fund the building and purchase of health clinics and staff housing, as well as major renovations, is due to be announced shortly.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said the funding round announced today showed the Government was serious about closing the gap in health outcomes and life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“This investment in the ACCHS sector is a key component of the Government’s commitment to closing the gap through improved health infrastructure,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Key to making real progress, and one of the fundamental principles in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, is to work in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.

“Accordingly, we worked in partnership with the ACCHS sector, through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), to co-design these grant opportunities”.

Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks and CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Ms Pat Turner, said, “NACCHO has advocated for a long time for increased funding for infrastructure for the health sector and this funding supports and recognises the critical role that ACCHS play in the Australian primary health care architecture”.

“I am pleased to see that this funding is being delivered in line with the Priority Reforms in the National Agreement, where programs and services are developed in partnership with our peoples and where funding is delivered through our community-controlled organisations”.

Information about the SMP grant opportunity can be found on GrantConnect.

The Morrison Government continues to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and ageing outcomes, providing $781.1 million in the 2021-22 Budget and ongoing funding through the Indigenous Australians Health Programme of more than $4 billion from 2021-22 to 2024-25 to deliver culturally appropriate initiatives to increase access to health care and improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Morrison Government is taking immediate action to sanction Russian individuals, organisations and banks as part of the international effort to impose a sharp cost on Russia for its unprovoked and unacceptable aggression against Ukraine.

Under a first phase, we will impose travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight members of Russia’s Security Council. The Council bears responsibility for the current phase of the invasion by providing policy advice and justification to President Putin’s unilateral declaration recognising the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic.

Targeted financial sanctions will mean Australian individuals and entities cannot do business with the following banks: Rossiya Bank, Promsvyazbank, IS Bank, Genbank and the Black Sea Bank for Development and Reconstruction. This is in addition to restrictions on Australians investing in the state development bank VEB.

We will amend the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 to extend existing sanctions that apply to Crimea and Sevastopol to Donetsk and Luhansk. This will impose strong economic sanctions in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk prohibiting trade in the transport, energy, telecommunications, and oil, gas and minerals sectors.

We will also amend the Regulations to significantly broaden the scope of people and entities that Australia can list for sanctions to include those of “strategic and economic significance to Russia”. We are working with our partners to identify additional individuals who will be subject to these sanctions.

In taking these actions, we are in alignment with our key partners, the United States and the United Kingdom.

This is the beginning of our sanctions process, as we remain deeply concerned that Russia is escalating its aggression. We are determined to work with responsible nations worldwide to ensure any further invasion by Russia against its smaller, democratic neighbour incurs the high cost it deserves.

All Ukrainian nationals in Australia with a visa that is due to expire up to 30 June, will be given an automatic extension for six months.

Outstanding visa applications from Ukrainian citizens, which number approximately 430, will be prioritised and fast tracked for a decision by immigration officials, as soon as possible.

Regarding sanctions, we will not hesitate to further amend the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 to expand sanctions as necessary, and already have a wider package of sanctions on persons and entities in reserve should Russia escalate its unlawful conduct in Eastern Ukraine.

We welcome the actions taken by other likeminded countries who want to see a stable international order, notably Germany which has suspended the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

Anglo American’s acknowledgement their labour hire rort at the Grosvenor mine needs to change if safety is to improve is welcomed by the Mining and Energy Union.

Coal production at the notoriously gassy mine began again this week almost two years after an underground methane explosion left five miners with horrific burns.

In a statement issued yesterday Anglo American claimed it “plans to review the employment model at Grosvenor… we have been progressively increasing the number of permanent roles at our five mining operations in Queensland, including creating around 130 new permanent jobs over the last six months”.

Rather than employ its workforce directly at the Grosvenor metallurgical coal mine near Moranbah, as it does at other mines, Anglo American uses labour hire firm One Key.

All coal workers at the Grosvenor mine are employed by this labour hire firm. These workers are employed under different employment agreements to those directly employed in permanent jobs by Anglo American at other mines – they have fewer rights and can be sacked more easily.

A recent inquiry into the May2020 explosion heard if coal workers reported unsafe work practices, they could lose money under so-called ‘safety penalties’ or even be sacked – completely legally.

An inquiry recently heard 14 potential incidents of methane exceedance were recorded at longwall 104, where the explosion occurred, in the eight weeks leading up the explosion.

It found the mine’s gas drainage systems could not cope with the rate of production.

“The labour hire arrangements at Grosvenor are at the heart of the safety issues, Anglo needs to employ their workers directly in permanent jobs,” says Stephen Smyth, Queensland District President of the Mining and Energy Union.

“If Anglo American want to eliminate deaths and injuries at their mines, they can start by giving their workers direct permanent jobs instead of holding them at arm’s length, and they can start listening when they are told about safety issues.

“They don’t need to do reviews or consultations, or any other time-wasting nonsense, they can make all the coal workers at Grosvenor permanent Anglo American employees today.

“One Key has got form for putting production before safety, removing them from the equation would be a huge relief for the workforce.

“Since the incident the workers have formed a union lodge which means they will have a stronger unified voice when it comes to safety, rostering, pay and other issues.”

The Australian Greens condemn Vladimir Putin’s military aggression in the Ukraine, as we condemn all military aggression. We call on all parties to remember the human cost of war and to work peacefully through diplomatic channels to de-escalate the situation.

We affirm the right of the people of Ukraine to sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As leaders of global military powers bring the world closer to the brink of war, the Greens emphasise that the cost of war is borne by ordinary people, and call on the Australian government to use every effort to de-escalate tensions and bring the focus back to diplomacy.

We call upon our Foreign Minister to use Australia’s Autonomous Sanctions framework to respond to Russia’s actions.

Minister Keith Pitt has this morning recommitted the Government to fracking the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin through the funding stream that was previously struck down by the Federal Court.

The Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program will now see $19.4 million in grants awarded to Liberal Party-aligned donor Empire Energy.

Empire Energy, who today have been promised almost $20 million in public money to frack the NT’s Beetaloo Basin, have previously donated $40,000 to the Liberals and $25,000 to NT Labor. Empire’s Chair has personally previously donated over $200,000 to the LNP.

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:

“Scott Morrison is using the dying days of his government to cause as much climate damage as he can, all with Labor’s backing.

“By signing off on NT Labor’s giant climate bomb, the Liberals are putting lives at risk.

“Gas is as dirty as coal, and the Betaloo gas project will be worse for the climate than the Adani coal mine. The NT gas fields contain almost 70 years’ worth of Australia’s total climate pollution, and today Keith Pitt has signed off on detonating that climate bomb.

“The only way we’ll break the bipartisan coal and gas grip on this country is by putting Greens in balance of power.”

Greens Resources and Minerals Spokesperson Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“Minister Pitt’s decision today is a climate grenade that this government is throwing over their shoulder on the way out. What a desperate act from a dying government. 

“This decision will cause enormous destruction to Country. My heart goes out to people of the ​​Gudanji, Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Jingili, Mudburra and Alawa nations over this dreadful news, who are on the frontline as as the last line of defence for their land, skies and waters.”

“Once again decisions are being made about our land that desecrate our cultural heritage, while simultaneously wrecking the climate for our kids, where mining interests take precedence over Traditional Owners’ right to their land.”

The Australian Government has accepted advice from leading immunisation experts to make the Moderna (SPIKEVAX) COVID-19 vaccine available for children aged six years and older from 24 February 2022 – broadening the previous recommendation for children aged 12 years and older. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendation follows the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval of Moderna for children aged six years and older on 17 February 2022.

Pfizer continues to be available to children aged five and over, and nearly half of children aged between five and 11 have already received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine since it became available in January this year.

With Moderna being made available for children aged six and above, parents and carers will have more choice and flexibility in the vaccine they choose for their child.

The Australian Government has secured more than 25 million doses of Moderna and is well placed to continue to achieve world leading vaccination rates against COVID-19.

Before any COVID-19 vaccine can be supplied for use in Australia it undergoes a rigorous evaluation by the TGA for safety, quality and effectiveness. The TGA will only approve a vaccine once it has established that the benefits greatly outweigh any potential risks.

Moderna has been clinically proven to produce a strong immune response in children. Most side effects are mild and short-term, and similar to those experienced by children who have received the Pfizer vaccine.   

For children aged between six and 11 years old, a paediatric dose of Moderna is half the dose currently provided for people aged 12 years and over – two doses of 50μg per dose (0.25mL), eight weeks apart, or three doses for immunocompromised children.

The recommended eight-week interval can be shortened to four weeks for children at risk of moderate to severe COVID-19, for example those with underlying health conditions, in an outbreak or before international travel.

The TGA and ATAGI will continue to actively monitor the safety of the vaccine in children and adults both in Australia and overseas and will not hesitate to take action if safety concerns are identified.

Moderna is not currently recommended for anyone under the age of six years.

Australia was one of the first countries in the world to commence a whole of population COVID-19 booster program. Over 10.9 million Australians have already received a booster dose over recent weeks.

Over 94.3 percent of Australians have completed their primary course of vaccination.

1.12 million Australian children aged six years and older have received a first dose of vaccination.

All Australians who are currently eligible for their primary course of vaccination, or for their booster dose, and who have not yet acted are urged to make a booking as soon as possible to get vaccinated.

To book a vaccination please use the COVID-19 Clinic Finder and make your appointment.