Category: Australian News

Ahead of National Sorry Day, the Greens today called on the Federal Coalition Government to establish a national compensation scheme for the survivors of the Stolen Generations.

It has now been 24 years since the Bringing Them Home report recommended that a National Compensation Fund be established to adequately compensate survivors – estimated at 17,150 people — of the Stolen Generations for the harm inflicted on them by successive Australian Governments.
Since then, successive Federal Governments have ruled out their support for a nationally consistent compensation scheme. However, various piecemeal state-based schemes have been established in Queensland, NSW, Tasmania, South Australia and WA – and more recently, Victoria. Survivors in the Northern Territory are currently suing the Commonwealth for adequate compensation.
The Greens’ plan for a nationally consistent scheme will provide survivors with compensation that more accurately reflects the enormous harm they experienced.
The Greens’ plan would compensate each survivor with a $200,000 lump-sum payment to support them and their families in life-changing ways, as they continue to heal, as well as a one-off ex gratia payment of $7,000 to each survivor for funeral expenses.
The Greens will also provide a separate, secondary package to support the emotional and mental health needs of survivors and their families as they continue to heal from the appalling trauma of being stolen from their families by Australian Governments and their agencies.
In 2018, while a Victorian Greens MP, Senator Thorpe called on the Victorian Labor Government to implement a state-based compensation scheme, as the last state to do so. In March this year, the state Labor Government finally committed to implementing a state-based scheme.
In solidarity with the survivors of the Stolen Generations and their families, at and at every level of Government, the Greens will continue to lead the way in the fight for First Nations Justice.
Comments attributable to Australian Greens First Nations spokesperson Senator Lidia Thorpe:
“The Stolen Generation are getting older, and we’re running out of time to deliver justice.”
“This is about justice, truth-telling, and healing.
“They took our children to break our society. No Government has ever brought peace to the people of the Stolen Generation.
“It’s time to reparate. We need to break the cycle and stop the trauma.”

Greens Leader Adam Bandt says the Prime Minister must instruct his Health Minister to stop giving mixed messages on vaccines that could delay the national rollout.
“Comments today by Greg Hunt could lead people to think they should wait a few months to pick another option, undermining the central message of the vaccine rollout,” said Mr Bandt.
“Winter is coming, the spectre of further COVID outbreaks is real and the Morrison government hasn’t built large-scale remote quarantine facilities, so the message must be to get vaccinated now, not to think about waiting a few months.”
“The Minister is giving mixed messages. Saying ‘why not wait a bit’ encourages vaccine hesitancy.”
“The Prime Minister and Minister Hunt must immediately show support for all of the vaccines approved by independent health authorities and cease up-selling brands that are yet to arrive in sufficient quantities.
“The PM should also pick up the phone to the TV networks and ask them to constantly run the vaccine numbers on their screens, like in the UK. Australia needs a big advertising campaign encouraging people to get vaccinated.”
“The UK has a high vaccination rate and a big advertising campaign, but Australia has a Health Minister telling people to wait a few months.
“Scott Morrison’s political decision to avoid responsibility for the vaccine rollout is undermining its success. He should be fronting the cameras every day urging people to get the jab as part of a high volume, high visibility information campaign.”
Greens spokesperson on Health Senator Rachel Siewert said: 
Morrison is failing Australian in his laissez-faire approach to addressing vaccine hesitancy
The Government is treading water, hoping on a wing and a prayer that people in the community will just come out and get vaccinated.
There is clearly a lack of confidence in how the Government is managing the vaccine rollout and we urgently need a national strategy to boost vaccine uptake that includes reminders,  and targeted messaging to specific cohorts addressing their concerns. Doing nothing is not an option.
A public health campaign that reaches people who are vaccine hesitant is absolutely urgent.
We have run very successful public health campaigns here in Australia like encouraging seatbelts, anti-smoking and anti HIV/Aids stigma.
The polio vaccine changed the lives of a generation of Australians because of strong public health campaigns and messaging.
The Morrison Government doesn’t have a timeline for fully vaccinating a certain percentage of the adult population. Without a target, we don’t have a plan to re-open borders and bring stranded Australians back home.

The Greens have rebuked the Morrison government’s plan to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a gas plant announced the very same day that the International Energy Agency made it clear that a safe climate means no new fossil fuel projects, starting now.
In a separate attack on Australia’s economy and climate, the government has quietly amended the ARENA rules to allow the renewables agency to invest in fossil fuels coal and gas.
Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said:
“On the same day the world’s energy chiefs say Australia must immediately stop new coal and gas projects or risk climate catastrophe, Scott Morrison gives them the finger and announces a publicly-funded gas power station,” Bandt said.
“This is a climate crime. Scott Morrison is spending public money on a junk investment that will make the climate crisis worse and push up power bills.
“The IEA is a conservative body, traditionally very pro-coal and gas, but they’re recommending Australia gets out of coal-fired power by 2030. The Greens agree, and in the balance of power after the next election, we’ll kick the Liberals out and use this report to push Labor to phase out coal and gas.
“The IEA are calling fossil fuel projects “junk investments”. The experts have said that the Kurri Kurri gas-fired power station is unnecessary, more expensive than renewables and batteries, and that it will become a stranded asset, all while cooking the planet and killing investment and jobs in renewable energy. The only winners are Morrison’s billionaire fossil fuel buddies.
“The Liberals are spending your money on a loser project because they take donations from coal and gas corporations and they’re mates with the owner of the site.”
“This new gas power station won’t go ahead because people will stop it. The Greens will fight this tooth and nail.”
Santos has donated more than half a million dollars to the Coalition and now its former executive David Knox is in charge of using Snowy to build a gas plant reliant on a nearby Santos gas mine. A Liberal donor, self described as “a walking ATM” for the Liberal party, owns the land of the proposed Kurri Kurri site.
ARENA
“Coal & gas are not renewable, but the Liberals are now trying to use Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency to funnel public funds allocated for renewable technologies into coal and gas corporations.
“The Greens will move to block this latest rort when Parliament resumes. We will move to disallow the regulations. We hope Labor and others will back us.”

The Morrison Government is responding to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety by increasing transparency and information on home care prices.
For the first time information has been published relating to the median prices charged for common home care services to help people to make more informed decisions.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the information is a vital part of empowering senior Australians and their families to take greater control of their care.
“This new data will help to show senior Australians, their carers and family the median prices of common services across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas and by state and territory” Minister Hunt said.
“It gives those looking to access care a very important insight into what common available prices and where providers may be charging premium prices.
“We want senior Australians to be able to shop around for their care providers, knowing this will keep downward pressure on prices.”
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the information is compiled from aged care provider information as they are required to report their prices to the Government.
“As part of the early announcement in response to the Royal Commission’s report on 1 March, the Government included significant steps to improve transparency and comparability of pricing, and empower senior Australians with greater choice when it comes to their care,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Since 1 July 2019, all home care providers are required to publish their pricing information in a standardised schedule published on the My Aged Care website. This new data table gives greater visibility of median prices.
“Our Government has invested $200.1 million to deliver a star rating system, and as we progress to it we will see increasing levels of information becoming available to help guide choice, empowering senior Australians to vote with their feet in the hunt for affordable, high quality and appropriate care.
“We expect this information in the hands of senior Australians will encourage providers to enhance their service offerings, while also helping to put downward pressure on unjustified charges, in particular administration charges.”
The publication of the data table shows median prices for services including nursing, in-home respite, personal care, and cleaning and household tasks. It also includes pricing data for care management and package management.
The My Aged Care website already allows users to compare reported pricing at up to 3 providers, however this newly released data will provide additional scope for their decision-making.
The data is updated quarterly and can be found here.

The Morrison Government is responding to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety by increasing transparency and information on home care prices.
For the first time information has been published relating to the median prices charged for common home care services to help people to make more informed decisions.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the information is a vital part of empowering senior Australians and their families to take greater control of their care.
“This new data will help to show senior Australians, their carers and family the median prices of common services across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas and by state and territory” Minister Hunt said.
“It gives those looking to access care a very important insight into what common available prices and where providers may be charging premium prices.
“We want senior Australians to be able to shop around for their care providers, knowing this will keep downward pressure on prices.”
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the information is compiled from aged care provider information as they are required to report their prices to the Government.
“As part of the early announcement in response to the Royal Commission’s report on 1 March, the Government included significant steps to improve transparency and comparability of pricing, and empower senior Australians with greater choice when it comes to their care,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Since 1 July 2019, all home care providers are required to publish their pricing information in a standardised schedule published on the My Aged Care website. This new data table gives greater visibility of median prices.
“Our Government has invested $200.1 million to deliver a star rating system, and as we progress to it we will see increasing levels of information becoming available to help guide choice, empowering senior Australians to vote with their feet in the hunt for affordable, high quality and appropriate care.
“We expect this information in the hands of senior Australians will encourage providers to enhance their service offerings, while also helping to put downward pressure on unjustified charges, in particular administration charges.”
The publication of the data table shows median prices for services including nursing, in-home respite, personal care, and cleaning and household tasks. It also includes pricing data for care management and package management.
The My Aged Care website already allows users to compare reported pricing at up to 3 providers, however this newly released data will provide additional scope for their decision-making.
The data is updated quarterly and can be found here.

Labour force figures released today show there were 13,040,400 Australians in work in April 2021, with the level of employment now 45,900 (or 0.4 per cent) above its pre-COVID level in March 2020 and 902,500 (or 7.4 per cent) higher than the trough in the labour market recorded in May 2020.
Encouragingly, full-time employment rose by 33,800 (or 0.4 per cent) over the month, to a record high of 8,889,500 in April 2021, and is now 24,600 (or 0.3 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020. Part-time employment remains 21,300 (or 0.5 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020.
The underemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points over the month, to 7.8 per cent in April 2021, the lowest rate recorded since May 2014.
The level of unemployment in Australia fell by 33,600 (or 4.3 per cent) over the month, to 756,200 in April 2021, but remains 32,600 (or 4.5 per cent) higher than it was in March 2020.
The unemployment rate also decreased over the month, by 0.2 percentage points, to 5.5 per cent, but is still above the 5.3 per cent recorded in March 2020.
Labour market conditions improved for youth over the month, with the level of employment for the cohort increasing by 15,900 in April 2021. Encouragingly, all of the increase was due to a rise in full-time jobs for 15-24 year olds (up by 23,600). The youth unemployment rate declined by 1.1 percentage points over the month, to 10.6 per cent in April 2021, the lowest rate recorded since January 2009.
While Australia’s labour market recovery following the pandemic has beaten even the most optimistic of expectations, the Government remains acutely aware that more than 700,000 Australians remain out of work. This is why the Government has provided unprecedented direct economic support, totalling $291 billion, which has helped keep businesses afloat, saved an estimated 700,000 jobs through JobKeeper and has put Australia back on the road to recovery.
The Morrison Government’s 2021-22 Budget will help to cement Australia’s economic recovery and will secure our prosperity through measures including a further $15.2 billion in infrastructure investment, additional tax cuts for businesses and individuals, a further $2.7 billion to extend the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program and an additional $500 million to expand the JobTrainer Fund.
With a jobs-led recovery at the heart of the 2021-22 Budget, the Government is securing Australia’s future by rebuilding the economy and creating more sustainable jobs to ensure Australia continues to rebound strongly from the COVID-19 induced recession.

Latest workforce data shows more young Australians are in work, with almost 16,000 finding employment in April.
The youth unemployment rate has dropped 1.1 percentage points to 10.6 per cent, the lowest rate since January 2009 and one percentage point lower than in March 2020, before the pandemic hit.
There are now more than 1.9 million young Australians in work and pleasingly the number of 15-24 year olds in full-time employment increased by 23,600 in April.
The youth participation rate remains above the 68.2 per cent recorded in March 2020. Youth underemployment remains below the 19.2 per cent recorded in March 2020.
The Morrison Government is committed to getting even more young Australians into work through education, training, and employment programs.
The 2021-22 Budget includes:

• $2.7 billion to extend and expand support for new apprenticeships.
• $500 million to expand the JobTrainer Fund to deliver around 163,000 additional low-fee and fee-free training places over two years.
• $481.2 million to expand the Transition to Work program to help disadvantaged young people make the transition into work or further studies.

In addition, under the Government’s Job-ready Graduates package, there are more Australians studying at our universities than ever before and more studying the courses that are most likely to get them a job.
In addition to these supports to get young people into work, the 2021-22 Budget will continue Australia’s broader economic recovery through a further $15.2 billion in infrastructure investment and additional tax cuts for businesses and individuals.
The Government is backing young Australians by creating more jobs and rebuilding the economy to guarantee our COVID-19 recovery.

Seasonal influenza vaccines are now available through community pharmacy and GPs around the country, with a record supply to ensure everyone has access to the vaccine.
Approximately 5 million Australians have already had their 2021 flu vaccine, with over 20 million vaccines being made available through community pharmacy, GP’s and dedicated flu clinics this year.
It is important to get the flu jab from now to ensure you are protected at the peak of the season which is usually between July and September.
If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to call your GP, community pharmacy or other vaccination provider and organise your flu shot.
Whilst there have been record low cases of flu this year in Australia the timing, severity and length of the flu season varies year to year and it is not yet clear how hard influenza will hit Australians this year.
Both flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines protect against different viruses, both of which are potentially serious. Everyone aged over six months should receive a flu jab, and all adults should also receive their COVID-19 vaccine when it is scheduled.
The medical advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is that it is best not to have the flu and COVID-19 shots too close together. If you are due for the COVID-19 vaccine, or have just had one, make sure you leave two weeks between the vaccines.
Children under five, the elderly and people considered at risk of becoming seriously ill from flu can receive their flu vaccines free of charge through the National Immunisation Program (NIP). The NIP offers a specific, enhanced flu vaccine to protect older people.
Flu vaccines under the NIP are now available from a range of providers including GPs, community health clinics and eligible community pharmacies in some states.
The Australian Government now requires all vaccination providers to report flu vaccination to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). You can check your vaccination history on your My Health Record or at my.gov.au.
This year, more than 9.4 million doses of flu vaccine will be available through the NIP and state and territory government programs, with a total of more than 20 million doses available nationally.
This is up from the total of 17.6 million doses available in 2020 and 13.2 million doses available in 2019.
For more information about flu vaccination in 2021, visit www.health.gov.au/immunisation

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.