Category: Australian News

Community pharmacies in selected rural and regional areas will be activated to support Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout out.
Over the coming weeks community pharmacies in rural and regional Queensland will be the first to be brought on board following a proposal to do so from the Queensland Government.
This proposal follows a recent national cabinet decision (22 April 2021) where it was agreed that States and territories can choose to incorporate community pharmacies into their roll-out plans in rural and remote areas where there are no or limited other points of presence.
The Australian Government Department of Health is working with the Queensland State Health Department to ensure we have broad coverage of primary care sites across the State who are delivering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Up to fifty six locations have been identified by the Queensland Government where community pharmacies could be activated to vaccinate Australians. These locations have community pharmacies that have undertaken a robust Expression of Interest assessment process.
As additional vaccine supply is delivered over the coming months, additional community pharmacies will be brought on line to support an enhanced primary care roll out to ensure the broadest possible coverage for the community. Community pharmacy will play an important role in the ramp up of the COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of the year.
Bilateral discussions are ongoing with states and territories for additional engagement of general practices and community pharmacies.

Seniors and veterans in Narrabeen, their families, loved ones and carers are benefiting from the largest investment in aged care in Australian history, announced as part of this month’s Federal Budget.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck visited the RSL LifeCare ANZAC Village in Narrabeen today to see how the Australian Government’s aged care reform agenda can deliver benefits to the village residents.
“In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Government has committed an unprecedented $17.7 billion to improve quality care, increase viability in the sector, and provide services with respect, care and dignity at their heart,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Australia’s seniors and in particular our veterans are our nation builders, our parents and grandparents, our founders and protectors who have contributed so much to Australia, and we are ensuring the care available to them as they age meets their needs and is based on principles of respect and dignity.”
Minister Colbeck said residential aged care services and sustainability was one of the five pillars of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission.
“RSL LifeCare operates 15 home care services and 29 residential aged care services, including one in the process of being established, in New South Wales and the ACT. In 2020–21 RSL Lifecare received $144.1 million in Australian Government funding for its services,” he said.
Member for Mackellar, Jason Falinksi, said the Budget investment into aged care was good news for providers of care across the electorate.
“Visiting ANZAC Village Narrabeen and having an opportunity to meet with some of the residents and staff, shows how important hardworking, compassionate and committed aged care workforce is to providing quality care,” Mr Falinksi said.
“As we see our Government’s reforms put in place over the coming five years, $7.8 billion is being spent improving and simplifying residential aged care services.
“Aged care providers, like RSL Lifecare, will be supported through a $3.2 billion investment to deliver better care and services with a new Basic Daily Fee supplement of $10 per resident per day.”
Minister Colbeck said a further $3.9 billion will increase the amount of frontline care delivered to residents of aged care and respite services.
“Residents of aged care facilities will see increasing levels of care as the mandatory 200 minutes per day, including 40 minutes with a Registered Nurse, are introduced in 2022,” he said.
“The levels of care will be reported and built into a star rating system to make choosing a great residential aged care provider easier for senior Australians and their families.”
More information about the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission and its reform agenda is available online.

The Morrison Government has backed a bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Announced by Rugby Australia at a launch in Sydney this morning, Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the nation was ready to showcase one of the most popular sporting spectacles to a global audience.
“The Government remains committed to making Australia the world’s most active sporting nation and reinforcing our reputation as a pre-eminent host of major sporting events,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Australia is not only a strong rugby nation, it is a safe destination with a successful and growing record of hosting global sporting events.
“The last time we hosted the Rugby World Cup was in 2003, and we’re more than ready to take it on again.”
The Australian Government committed $8.8 million over two years in the 2020-21 Budget for Rugby Australia to develop a compelling and compliant bid.
It also received $1 million from the Government in the 2019-20 Budget to support foundation planning.
Minister Colbeck said hosting the event would provide a major economic boost for our tourism industry and the broader economy.
“This is an investment which offers significant benefits,” he said.
“It is projected to generate more than $2 billion, attract more than 200,000 visitors from key international markets, and create almost 13,000 new full-time equivalent jobs.”
Bids are due for lodgement to World Rugby by 14 January 2022, with the announcement of the successful host expected in May 2022.
Hosting rights will then also be awarded for the 2025 and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups and the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup.
“The next decade could see Australia become the premier sporting tourism destination in the world, with a long list of major events already being held here,” Minister Colbeck said.
“It’s quite achievable that we can add the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to this impressive list.
Major sporting events already scheduled to be held in Australia include:

• Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 (cricket)
• FIBA Women’s World Cup 2022 (basketball)
• UCI Road World Championships 2022 (cycling)
• VIRTUS Oceania Asia Games 2022 (intellectual impairment)
• World Transplant Games 2023 (transplant recipients)
• FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (soccer/football)
• ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships 2025
• Netball World Cup 2027.

The Australian Government is continuing to support the health of men and boys by providing half a million dollars in the latest round of grant funding to 180 Men’s Sheds around Australia.
Many of the grants, of up to $10,000, will be used to buy IT equipment and provide training to Men’s Shed members.
The COVID-19 pandemic and social restrictions reminded us all how important it is to be connected to colleagues, families, and communities. Australians turned to IT to enable them to stay in touch, through written media or audio and video connections.
Men’s Shed members were no different. While the sheds were forced to close their doors during lockdowns, shed members made great efforts to stay in touch with each other by telephone and social media.
These contacts ensured that the men felt valued and part of a strong, positive community during a period that was difficult for many individuals, families and businesses.
As older men in particular are not familiar with modern IT, many sheds have requested funding for better equipment and training for their members to help them stay more connected in the future. This is reflected in the current grants, providing funding of up to $10,000, with priority given to sheds in disadvantaged areas.
There are more than 1,000 Men’s Sheds across the nation, and they play a vital role in preventing social isolation and mental ill health. They offer thousands of men of all ages a safe and friendly environment where they can work on meaningful projects and build social connections
Including today’s announcement, the Government has provided $6.4 million in grant funding to support Men’s Sheds since 2013.
Men’s Sheds are an integral part of their local communities. This Government will continue to support Men’s Sheds as part of our comprehensive approach to improving the health of Australian men and boys.

The Australian Government is continuing our support for the mental health and wellbeing of children and young Australians with a $26.8 million investment in Yourtown’s Kids Helpline.
Caring for the mental health and wellbeing of Australians, particularly children and young people, remains one of the Australian Government’s highest priorities.
It is estimated that more than three quarters of mental health conditions begin before the age of 25, and there are approximately 630,000 young people with mild to moderate mental illness nationally.
Providing early support is vital in helping young people get back on track and can minimise longer-term impacts.
Kids Helpline has played a vital role in our efforts to protect and nurture the emotional wellbeing and lives of children and young people across Australia.
The service provides a free, private and confidential 24/7 telephone and webchat counselling support, specifically for young people aged 5 to 25 years. Its unique model allows a young person to contact the same counsellor on an ongoing basis and doesn’t place a limit on the length of counselling sessions.
Kids Helpline also publishes online articles on a range of mental health and wellbeing issues, including early intervention and self-help strategies individually tailored for each age group, and provides information and referrals, one-off counselling support, and ongoing counselling and case management in conjunction with face-to-face services.
The additional funding for Kids Helpline includes $24 million to support operations over the next four years, and a further $2.8 million to meet the immediate demand caused by the pandemic.
This funding means that children and young people will continue to get the help they need to deal with issues ranging from mental health problems to family relationships, child abuse, suicide and self-harm.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Kids Helpline had provided lifesaving care in times of crisis, practical advice or a place to turn to so young Australians know that they are not alone.
“Never has this support been more important that in the last 18 months, with the effects of Black Summer Bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic putting significant pressure on the mental health and wellbeing of many,” Minister Hunt said.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said Kids Helpline’s incredible work has made a real difference in the lives of children and families across Australia.
“I would like to thank all those involved in Kids Helpline for their invaluable contributions to the health and wellbeing of children and young adults in Australia,” Assistant Minister Coleman said.
The funding is part of the Government’s $2.3 billion National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan – a landmark commitment to transform the mental health system and ensure that all Australians can access the right care and essential services whenever and wherever they need.
In a first for Australia, the Plan includes a specific focus on the mental health of children under 12 and their parents and carers, including:

• $54.2 million to establish a network of Head to Health Kids mental health centres in conjunction with the states and territories
• $42.3 million to provide parenting tools and support, and
• $111.4 million to allow parents and carers to use two sessions under the Better Access initiative to discuss their child’s care needs with their treating practitioner, while supporting their own mental health and wellbeing.

These investments will ensure better social and health outcomes for our young people, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential in life, and safeguarding the long-term future of our country.
The funding reinforces our Government’s strong commitment achieving better mental health for all Australians, and will complement the existing investment of $6.3 billion in mental health services in 2021-22.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (13 11 14), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).

Families of sick children across Queensland will have better access to much-needed accommodation and support through the newly refurbished Ronald McDonald House in South Brisbane.
The Australian Government invested $2.57 million to renovate and modify areas of Ronald McDonald House, which will be a life saver for regional and Far North Queensland families of very sick children being treated at Queensland Children’s and Mater Misericordae hospitals.
The newly refurbished home can now cater for large family groups, families who need longer stays and immuno‑suppressed patients who have been discharged from hospital but must remain in Brisbane for ongoing care.
Providing a warm and welcoming home away from home is crucial to the care and recovery of unwell children, as well as helping to keep families together and close to the care their child needs.
Accommodation at the Ronald McDonald House is free for eligible families of seriously ill children, with priority given to families whose children have been recently diagnosed, seriously injured or who require emergency treatment, as well as families of premature babies.
The South East Queensland (SEQ) chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities is the largest in Australia, operating in Herston, South Brisbane and inside the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Supporting thousands of families a year since 1991, the SEQ chapter provided a total of 103,894 bed nights for 5,685 families in 2019.
80 per cent of families cared for by SEQ come from Wide Bay and Capricornia, Central Queensland, Mackay, Central West, West Moreton, Pine Rivers, Caboolture, Townsville, Cairns, Far North Queensland and Cape York.
Funding for this refurbishment was provided through the Australian Government’s Supporting our Hospitals – Additional Infrastructure and Services program.

The Morrison Government is stepping up and building a new gas power plant in the Hunter Valley, which will create jobs, keep energy prices low, keep the lights on and help reduce emissions.
This important project delivers on the Government’s 1,000 MW target set last September, which was created to avoid unacceptable price increases following the closure of the Liddell power station in 2023.
In the 2021-22 Budget, the Government committed up to $600 million for Snowy Hydro Limited to construct a 660 MW open cycle gas turbine at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley.
The Hunter Power Project will deliver an important economic boost to the region, creating up to 600 new jobs during peak construction and 1,200 indirect jobs across NSW.
This project, together with EnergyAustralia’s 316 MW Tallawarra B open cycle gas plant, will help shore up the security, reliability and affordability of electricity for consumers in NSW, with a commitment to be generating in time for summer 2023-24 when Liddell closes.
Securing reliable, affordable energy is critical to our plan to secure Australia’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the Government had given the private sector every opportunity and is fulfilling its promise to deliver the cheap, reliable power that NSW households, businesses and industries needed to prosper and grow.
“Cheap power is crucial to ensuring families, businesses and job-creating industries in NSW can thrive, which is why we are committed to replacing the energy generated by Liddell to keep prices down,” Minister Taylor said.
“This important project is good news for NSW as well as the broader National Electricity Market.
“We were very clear from the start – we will not stand by and watch prices go up and the lights go off. This project will deliver flexible gas generation to replace Liddell and maintain reliable power alongside Australia’s world-leading investment in renewables.”
This is a responsible investment. Expected investment returns for the Hunter Power Project are strong and Snowy Hydro is on track to deliver this critical, dispatchable capacity, on-time and on-budget.
The Morrison Government has also announced a $24.9 million package in the 2021-22 Budget to support new gas generators to be hydrogen-ready, including a $5 million commitment to Tallawarra B.
The construction of two new gas power plants will create over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs. This is what the Government’s gas-fired recovery is about – helping Australia bounce back strongly from the COVID-19 recession.
Through the 2021-22 Budget, the Morrison Government is also providing up to $30 million to support early works on Australian Industrial Power’s (AIP) Port Kembla power station project as it progresses to Final Investment Decision. The project will play a crucial role in reducing market volatility risks in NSW by supporting reliable electricity supply and keeping prices low.
Progressing the AIP power station would also support the development of the Port Kembla import terminal, providing a key source of demand for imported gas. The Government will continue to work with AIP to fully assess the project and evaluate support through the Underwriting New Generation Investments (UNGI) program.
New gas supply and generation will help strengthen our economy and make energy more affordable for families and businesses, while complementing the world-leading levels of renewables in Australia.
Gas supports jobs in our important energy intensive industries that are the lifeblood of our economy and our regions.
Gas is a critical enabler of Australia’s economy and helps to support our manufacturing sector that employs over 900,000 Australians.

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called for an urgent review into the Health Department to determine why disabled people have been discriminated against in the Morrison government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in particular, phase 1a of the vaccine rollout.
“Today’s evidence to the Disability Royal Commission is conclusive: disabled people and our support workers have been excluded from receiving priority vaccines as part of phase 1a of the vaccine rollout,” Senator Steele-John said.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so many people in our community have been living in fear and in isolation, with little information from the Morrison government about how we would be supported.
“Because of these ongoing failures we are now in a position where there are more Olympians who’ve been vaccinated than high-risk disabled people living in residential care!
“There should not be a single Health Department document relating to the pandemic that fails to mention disabled people, yet time and again we’ve seen our community not thought of, not factored in or actively excluded.
“When asked today if she was concerned that disabled people had been overlooked in the vaccine rollout, Health Department Associate Secretary Caroline Edwards stated that she could not comment. This response from a senior public servant is completely unacceptable.
“Quite simply, the treatment of disabled people throughout this pandemic has been discriminatory.”

Australia’s plastic recycling and waste reduction targets have been slashed and rebranded in an attempt to hide inaction and failure from the Government and big polluters.
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) today launched its ANZPAC Plastics Pact, which undercuts the organisation’s own 2025 National Packaging Targets.
Greens spokesperson for Waste and Recycling, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, said the announcement is a result of the Government’s recent refusal to legislate mandated packaging targets in the Australian Senate.
“The Greens, Labor and all of the cross bench except One Nation voted to make voluntary targets mandatory in law.
“The packaging industry fought hard to stop mandatory targets, even though they always said they were confident in meeting voluntary commitments.
“Today’s announcement from APCO equates to a 27% reduction in these voluntary commitments for plastic recycling.
“APCO has also halved its commitment to increase what packaging is collected and effectively recycled.
“Just a few months ago APCO, Woolworths and the Australian Food and Grocery Council openly said at a series of Senate inquiries they didn’t need regulation and mandated targets as they would meet the voluntary targets the industry set themselves.
“Now that the spotlight is no longer on them, and genuine waste reform is off the Government’s parliamentary agenda, we get them backtracking from their commitments.
“Did they deliberately mislead the Senate in order to avoid government regulation and accountability, or did they just stuff it up?
“Either way the packaging industry and their cheerleaders in Government – including Minister Evans and Ley – have some serious explaining to do.
“We should be ramping up actions to meet waste and recycling targets, not weakening them, and the producers within the packaging industry need to play a key role in this.
“The waste and recycling industry employs over 60,000 Australians and has pushed for strong, regulated targets for the packaging industry.
“Strong, mandated targets would give the waste and recycling industry the certainty to invest in building a circular economy and creating green new jobs.
“Today’s announcement is simply more uncertainty for this critical industry. They have been let down by the Morrison Government, who lobbied hard to prevent the Senate from passing amendments that would have properly regulated the blatant self-interest of big plastic polluters.”

Senior Tasmanians, their families and carers are set to benefit from the Australian Government’s once-in-a-generation reform of aged care, announced in last week’s Federal Budget.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck said older Tasmanians are at the heart of the $17.7 billion package.
“We are committed to ensuring that those who have contributed so much – our nation builders, our parents and grandparents, our founders and protectors– get the respect, care and dignity they rightly deserve,” Minister Colbeck said.
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Government’s unprecedented investment will improve quality care, increase viability of the sector, and provide services that respect the needs and choices of seniors.
With Australia’s fastest ageing population, Tasmania’s share of the record investment will be a major boost to aged care services.
The funding will include $630.2 million to make the aged care system more accessible for seniors with special needs, including people in regional and rural areas in Tasmania.
This new support will include $397 million for aged care providers to undertake capital works to build new and improve existing facilities, improving access to care and providing local jobs.
East Devonport’s Melaleuca Home for the Aged is one of a number of residential aged care providers across the state that will play a lead role in implementing the reform package, translating the Royal Commission’s recommendations and the Government’s response into actions.
Member for Braddon Gavin Pearce said the engagement of aged care homes like Melaleuca will be crucial in progressing the vital reforms.
“We will rely on support from the aged care sector, providers and the workforce to embrace and embed these changes, creating a better system within their business and their work,” Mr Pearce said.
Minister Colbeck said residential aged care services and sustainability was one of the five pillars of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission.
“The Government has committed $7.8 billion towards improving and simplifying residential aged care services,” he said.
“This includes $3.2 billion to support aged care providers to deliver better care and services through a new Basic Daily Fee supplement of $10 per resident per day. A further $3.9 billion will increase the amount of frontline care delivered to residents of aged care and respite services.”
“I look forward to working with aged care consumers, their families and the sector to implement these changes.”