Category: Australian News

The Greens say the government’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission is an inadequate response to the women’s safety crisis that is more about politics than it is about serious action to protect women.
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on democracy Senator Larissa Waters said:
“The fact that this announcement was rushed out late last night just ahead of Labor’s own almost identical plan shows that this is more about optics and politics than it is about making a meaningful effort to protect women.
“Delegates at the Women’s Safety Summit could not have been clearer – affordable, accessible crisis, transitional and long-term housing is fundamental to the safety of women and children. There is a massive shortfall in housing that is preventing women escaping abuse.
“Women are being forced to choose between violence or homelessness. A new commission might win the government a couple of headlines, but it won’t put roofs over women’s heads.
“Additional funding to frontline workers and support services is always welcome, but if we are serious about ending violence against women and their children, a much bigger investment is needed. The government needs to listen to the sector and commit $12 billion to the next 12-year National Plan.”

The Greens say the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) must be given more powers to tackle gender inequality in the workplace, including the ability to require organisations to report on the number of sexual harassment incidents reported by employees and how they were handled.
In her submission to the review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act Senator Larissa Waters called for all public and private sector organisations with more than 50 workers to:
* provide details on the number of sexual harassment complaints made, the number of complaints resolved, disciplinary actions taken, and whether the employer uses non-disclosure agreements
* publish workplace pay data and remove employee pay gag clauses
* take meaningful action to reduce their gender pay gap or lose eligibility for government grants and contracts
* identify and address intersectional pay inequity experienced by First Nations women, culturally diverse women, LGBTIQ women, and women with disability
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:
“Over the past decade WGEA has done important work to increase awareness, provide rigorous analysis of gender pay disparity in Australian workplaces, and to identify ways to close the gap.
“But the needle hasn’t moved very much. In fact, during the pandemic the gender pay gap has actually grown and Australia has crashed to 50th in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report rankings.
“WGEA needs more power to hold employers to account and ensure that there are real consequences for non-compliance.
“It’s not enough to simply have sexual harassment policies – employers should be able to show that those policies are actually working, which is why we’ve called for employers to be required to report on the number of complaints and the actions taken.
“The lack of transparency around the gender pay gap and secrecy about salaries, bonuses and promotions disadvantage women in the workforce. Employer-level data must be made publicly available to shame poor performing employers, and there must be greater pay transparency so women can tell when they’re being short-changed compared to their male colleagues.”

Seventeen prominent Australians will provide expert advice on aged care issues and the implementation of the Morrison Government’s $17.7 billion reform agenda in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Led by inaugural chair Andrea Coote, the National Aged Care Advisory Council will ensure aged care reforms meet the needs and expectations of senior Australians, their families and carers and the Australian community.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Advisory Council formed part of the Australian Government’s comprehensive response to the Royal Commission.
“This is the most significant reform ever undertaken by an Australian Government to improve the care of senior Australians both in residential care and care at home,” Minister Hunt said.
“This Advisory Council will play a key role in guiding that implementation, alongside a new Council of Elders and an Inspector-General of Aged Care.
“I welcome the appointment of all 17 members to the Advisory Council and I look forward to working alongside them as we ensure our aged care system delivers respect, care and dignity for our senior Australians.”
Council of Elders nominations have been received and the membership of this representative body will be announced later this year.
The Council of Elders will be led by inaugural Chair Ian Yates, AM, who will also sit on the Advisory Council.
Three working groups will be established to support the Advisory Council – the Workforce Advisory Working Group, the Quality Advisory Working Group and the Financing and Markets Advisory Working Group.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck said establishing the Advisory Council marked an important step forward.
“We know if you want things to change in the sector then the structure which supports it must also change,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Aged care in Australia is undergoing its most significant reform in a generation.
“Strength through representation is key to ensuring these changes are made in the best interests of senior Australians and those who care for them.”
The Advisory Council members will advise on issues from navigating aged care services to building the capability of providers and the workforce to deliver the Government’s reforms.
“Our intention is to ensure we have strong representation across five consumer groups including Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, carers and advocacy groups,” Minister Colbeck said.
It will also provide a voice for home care, community and private providers along with a representative of the peak group Australian Aged Care Collaboration.
Minister Colbeck thanked chair David Tune PSM and members of the previous principal aged care advisory group, the Aged Care Sector Committee which ceased in June.
He said the new Advisory Council is a departure from the previous representative model as it included practitioners with direct experience and activity within the sector, which will provide important insight during the implementation of the reforms.
It includes health and allied health experts across several fields as well as IT systems, finance and workforce professionals.
National Aged Care Advisory Council Members

• Andrea Coote (National Advisory Council Chair)
• Ian Yates AM (Council of Elders Chair)
• Rachel Argaman
• Michael Baird AO
• Jennene Buckley
• Elizabeth Callaghan
• Andrew Condon
• Jill Gallagher AO
• Emma Hossack
• Dr Sandra Iuliano
• Claerwen Little
• Libby Lyons
• Maree Mccabe AM
• Gail Mulcair
• Assoc. Prof. Michael Murray
• Mary Patetsos
• Graeme Prior

The Morrison Government is reducing the claim threshold of the no fault COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme to enable more people access to compensation for costs associated with a vaccine injury.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme is designed to ensure that people who have suffered a recognised adverse event as a direct result of a COVID vaccine have rapid access to compensation.
Reducing the threshold for access to the scheme from $5,000 to $1,000 will ensure more people can claim for eligible costs including lost earnings and care costs, providing greater levels of comfort to those yet to make the decision to vaccinate.
The Government has been considering this policy change for a number of weeks now and I thank all colleagues and stakeholders who have contributed to this decision.
Australians will now have ready access to compensation from $1,000 for COVID-19 claims related to the administration of a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved COVID-19 vaccine delivered through a Commonwealth Government approved program.
Most importantly, this provides additional support and confidence for Australians as part of the vaccine rollout.
Further details are available at health.gov.au.

After passing over 70 counter-terrorism laws in the past two decades, the Government passed the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) Bill into law.
This new law will amend the Criminal Code Act 1995  to introduce extended supervision orders, which may be imposed on terrorist offenders released into the community if a court is satisfied that the individual poses an unacceptable risk of committing certain serious terrorism offences.
The Criminal Code already contains a framework for the control or detention of high risk terrorist offenders through a control order. This new law would keep the control order regime and it would exist side by side with the new extended supervision order regime.
“The Greens do not oppose the introduction of an extended supervision order, in fact the Australian Human Rights Commission recommended the introduction of these orders as they are a more proportionate way of securing the community.” Said the Greens spokesperson for Justice, Senator Lidia Thorpe.
“At the very least, the extended supervision order regime should replace the continuing detention order regime. These two extensive powers should not sit side by side. There is no need for these two regimes to exist at the same time.”
“In the last twenty years, this Parliament has passed over 70 counter terrorism laws and many of them create really broad, extensive and often overlapping powers. This means that it is becoming more and more probable that peoples human rights are being impacted due to the snow balling nature of all of these laws.”
“The new extended supervision order regime would add to this country’s already extensive and often unjustified counter-terrorism powers. These powers, once given to police and spy agencies, do not come back.”
Senator Lidia Thorpe introduced an amendment to the Bill  urging the Morrison Government to act on the advice of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor but the Government did not agree to these amendments and passed the Bill into law

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2021 was passed into law yesterday despite some key stakeholders opposing it.  Senator Lidia Thorpe moved an amendment to the Bill to alert the Senate of these concerns, including the lack of proper consultation and the overregulation of industry.
The Senate ignored these concerns and passed the bill into law anyway.
“This Bill is a greedy little power grab. It is not supported by key stakeholders in the logistics, technology, and education sectors, among others.” Said The Greens spokesperson for Justice, Senator Lidia Thorpe.
“With the new powers in these new laws, The Minister can authorise the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs to gather information, undertake an action (or direct that an action not be undertaken), or authorise the Australian Signals Directorate to intervene, when a cyber security incident has occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur.”
“Even the Government controlled  Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security reported that there had been insufficient consultation by the Government but the Bill was passed by the Senate anyway. ”
“The Government and its spy agencies can now take over the operations of an industry based on the decision of the Minister.”
“This new law will  give the Minister considerable powers under the guise of protecting the security of critical infrastructure.”
 

Decisions made by successive governments have resulted in health inequality. Whether you’ve been here for 5 years, 5 generations or 5 000 generations, everyone should enjoy the same access to healthcare in this country.
COVID-19 put a spotlight on the fact that many First Nations communities need better access to health services, and the health centres they rely on need more resources to empower First Nations people to get what they need to be and stay well.
The Greens have a plan to balance the scales, so everyone can enjoy the same quality of care in this country. The Greens will:

• Provide $371m to self-determined, community-led First Nations health services to increase their capacity to care for their own communities
• Ensure people have early access to preventative programs and provide funding of $1.07b to build First Nations-owned healing places
• Expand Gold Card access to First Nations Elders aged 60 and above
• Grow the First Nations health and wellbeing workforce to provide culturally appropriate care to their communities

Making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax, and winding back handouts to big polluters will pay for this policy.
The Greens spokesperson for First Nations: Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe said: 
“For First Nations people, ‘health’ refers to the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community and the environment, not just the physical person. By axing billions of dollars in handouts to the coal, oil and gas giants, we can heal Country and our communities.”
Australian Greens spokesperson for Health, Senator Jordon Steele-John said:
“For too long, First Nations communities have been blocked from accessing the services and resources they need to be healthy. The Australian Greens are committed to taking urgent, holistic action to improve the wellbeing of First Nations People across the country. Our funding announcement today will support the First Nations Health Workforce, boost the resourcing of community-led services including health promotion programs, access to vaccines and culturally safe mental health care.
“The next election will be closer than people think. Scott Morrison is only 828 votes away from losing majority government and on current polling, a power-sharing Parliament is the most likely outcome.
“In balance of power, the Greens will kick the Liberals out and push the next government to make billionaire corporations pay their fair share of tax so everyone can enjoy the same quality of healthcare in this country.”

The Australian Government is extending the COVID-19 measures it has introduced to protect remote communities in the Northern Territory facing current outbreaks.
The determination under section 477 of the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act 2015 will extend until 6pm, 1 December 2021, it prevents people from entering and/or exiting the Robinson River and surrounding homelands.
The restrictions limit the movement of people in and out of these communities for only essential reasons, while the virus is present in these communities.
The initial Determination, and this extension, have been requested by the Northern Territory Government and supported by critical stakeholders, including the Northern Land Council, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory (AMSANT) and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
This will help stop any further spread of COVID-19 in the region, but our Government is committed to only requiring these measures for as long as necessary to keep these communities safe.
We have seen the case numbers grow in this current outbreak, and the restriction of movement the Robinson River community is necessary to prevent COVID-19 reaching other isolated communities.
The Australian Government continues to receive advice from the acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sonya Bennett, informed by the experience of health care workers on the ground, representatives of the communities, and Northern Territory authorities.
These measures will help to contain the current COVID-19 outbreak in the Robinson River, and hopefully spare other remote communities from the risk of the disease spreading.
All residents of Robinson River are encouraged to continue to follow their local Health Department directions, to be tested for COVID-19 and to get vaccinated by the available means, if not already.

The Morrison Government has secured passage in the Parliament of legislation to continue to protect the Australian community from the evolving threat posed by convicted terrorist offenders.
The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (High Risk Terrorist Offenders) Bill 2021 establishes an extended supervision order scheme to ensure that terrorist offenders who are released into the community at the end of their custodial sentences are subject to tailored close supervision, based on the level of risk they pose to community safety.
“The legislation is a critical step towards ensuring the safety of the Australian community from the risk posed by convicted terrorist offenders,” said the Attorney-General, Michaelia Cash.
“As we have seen from the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand, and the UK, as well as similar attacks in the UK in 2019 and 2020, convicted terrorist offenders can pose a very real threat to the community at the conclusion of their sentence.” the Attorney-General said.
“Such individuals are typically highly radicalised and do not change their extremist views while in prison, despite deradicalisation efforts.”
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the new extended supervision order scheme would keep Australians safe from terrorist offenders who remained a high-risk at the conclusion of their sentence.
“There are a significant number of convicted terrorist offenders reaching the conclusion of their prison sentences in the years ahead. We’re not waiting though, the Morrison Government is taking strong action now to ensure our police have the powers they need to keep the community safe and manage any individuals who remain a high-risk,” Minister Andrews said.
“Australians can trust that a Morrison Government will back our intelligence, law enforcement and other operational agencies, by providing the resources, powers, and legislative support they need to tackle this complex and ever-evolving threat.”
Under an extended supervision order, a State or Territory Supreme Court may impose conditions on a terrorist offender at the end of their sentence that are proportionate to the risk they pose to the community. Conditions may include restrictions to movement and access to devices, requirements to not associate with particular individuals, and to participate in specified rehabilitation and treatment programs. Breaches of those conditions will be an offence punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
Since the National Terrorism Threat Level was raised to ‘Probable’ in September 2014, there have been nine terrorist attacks and 21 major counter-terrorism disruption operations in response to potential or imminent attack planning in Australia.
Following successful disruptions to terrorist plots and subsequent prosecutions, there is a sizeable cohort of terrorist offenders currently serving custodial sentences, due for release in the coming years.
Since 2001, 95 people have been convicted of terrorism related offences. 54 of these people are currently serving custodial sentences.
There are 18 terrorist offenders due to be released over the next five years, including two offenders currently subject to continuing detention orders.