Category: Australian News

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the proposed final version of the Job-Ready Graduates legislation has worsened the bill, not improved it.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The amended package fixes none of the fatal flaws of the Tehan bill.
“In fact, the Nationals have made things worse for students and universities alike, with even larger fee increases and funding cuts baked into the bill to benefit a few students.
“Government funding for places in courses like education, English, maths and allied health has been slashed by $250 per place.
“Fees are now higher for students studying courses like English, maths and engineering, all thanks to the Nationals.The collective impact of this will be hundreds of millions in extra debt.
“The Nationals might have enjoyed striking this grubby deal but it has only worsened what was already a dud bill,” she said.

The Australian Government today releases the review findings into the spread of COVID-19 at Sydney aged care facility Newmarch House.
In offering further condolences to the families of the 19 residents who died as a result of the outbreak between April and June, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck said lessons learned are being implemented to offer greater protections as we continue to combat the pandemic.
“The outbreak at Anglicare’s Newmarch House was incredibly challenging and underlined the impact this infection can have within an aged care facility,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Australian Government is committed to learning from the experience at Newmarch House and to doing all we can to ensure aged care providers are prepared to address future outbreaks so that residents receive safe and quality care.”
In June 2020, the Chief Medical Officer and now Secretary of the Department of Health, Professor Brendan Murphy, commissioned Professor Lyn Gilbert and Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly undertook the independent review.
They consulted with stakeholders, including family members of residents, to provide a comprehensive break down of what led to the outbreak and how authorities responded to it.
Minister Colbeck said the review is an important resource for all levels of government which would improve the management of potential future outbreaks and inform advice and guidance to support the aged care sector.
“We continue to integrate the learnings from Newmarch and infections in Victoria into the national response as outbreaks occur,” Minister Colbeck said.
Changes already implemented include:

• Ensuring early identification of all COVID-19 cases via immediate and repeated testing of all residents and staff as soon as the first case is identified;
• Actions to reinforce compromised management;
• Immediate engagement of advocacy group Older People’s Advocacy Network (OPAN) to ensure services and information are available to providers, residents and their families;
• The provision of support from the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (in Victoria) to improve communication, staff and management support;
• Expansion of surge workforce providers for facilities affected by outbreaks; and
• Practical additional infection control training, including support from AUSMAT.

Additionally, the Australian Government is supporting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in its monitoring efforts.
The Commission continues to take decisive steps related to the issuing of corrective action to ensure providers and management respond appropriately and levels of care are met.
Minister Colbeck said throughout the pandemic there has also been regular, ongoing communication to the aged care sector about managing outbreaks, including providing updated advice incorporating learnings from Australia and other countries.
The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) outbreak guidelines are supported by a ‘First 24 hours’ document, published by the Department, which also provides aged care facilities with practical steps they should take in order, following the identification of a positive COVID case.
“Each of these implemented actions, are another step toward reinforcing the sector and ultimately protecting senior and vulnerable Australians,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Government’s measures to tackle COVID-19 in aged care now exceeds $1 billion.”
The independent review into the impact of COVID-19 at Newmarch House can be found on the website.

People experiencing acute respiratory symptoms, however mild, should make an appointment at their local respiratory clinic and see a GP free, which includes any relevant treatment and testing for COVID-19.
All GP-led respiratory clinics, staffed by highly skilled professionals, are part of the Australian Government’s comprehensive and rapid response to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
There are now 146 respiratory clinics open. Twenty are part of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and 82 are located in regional Australia. The clinics are serving people from more than 2,200 postcodes nationally covering 98.5 per cent of the Australian population.
More than half a million consultations have taken place nationally within the respiratory clinics, with over 440,000 tests for COVID-19 conducted.
This is an incredible achievement and demonstrates the commitment of the GPs and other health professionals to support the fight against COVID-19.
The Australian Government is providing particular support to Victoria as it combats the COVID-19 outbreak at its 28 GP-led respiratory clinics.
The clinics in Victoria have assessed more than 153,200 people and conducted more than 138,000 tests. These clinics are seeing approximately 70 per cent more patients per day when compared to pre-outbreak assessments in early June.
We encourage Victorians to continue to be tested so we can identify where new break-outs of the virus are occurring and ultimate support the efforts to control its spread.
The Government acknowledges the work of all of the respiratory clinics, who have shown great resilience and commitment to supporting their local community, including building additional capacity when needed through staffing and opening hours.
In NSW, 51 GPRCs have assessed more than 201,600 people and conducted over 180,900 tests. Five weeks ago, the NSW Clinics increased their capacity by approximately 40 per cent.
In March, the Australian Government announced a $2.4 billion health package to protect all Australians, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, those with chronic conditions and Indigenous communities, from COVID-19.
The package provides unprecedented support across primary care, aged care, hospitals, research and the national medical stockpile including $206.7 million to establish GP respiratory clinics.
These clinics are proving to be a vital part of the Government’s strategy to keep the health system functioning.
The respiratory clinics provide a safe and specialised service for people who have cold and flu symptoms while preserving hospitals for people with severe injuries and disease, and general practices for usual care and chronic disease management.
The Government has a deep respect and gratitude for the GPs and other health professionals on the frontline of this pandemic.
We can all help our frontline health professionals to slow the spread and stay COVIDSafe by practising good hygiene and physical distancing, following the limits for public gatherings, understanding how to isolate if you need to, and by downloading the COVIDSafe app.
If there are no clinics near you, contact your doctor, local community health service or local hospital for assistance. Make sure you phone ahead and discuss your symptoms before you visit in person.
For more information on where to find your nearest coronavirus testing clinic, please visit health.gov.au, DHHS Victoria or your state or territory health department website.

The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s economic recovery, Australia’s COVID-19 health and aged care responses and the Victorian outbreak.
The Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and health advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been over 24,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 472 people have died.
The outbreak in Victoria has meant that there are now around 5,000 active cases in Australia. Daily infection rates have remained low in all states and territories, other than Victoria. At the national level testing remains high, with more than 5.5 million tests undertaken.
National Cabinet recommitted to providing as much support as necessary to Victoria during this very difficult time. The National Cabinet noted the advice from Professor Kelly that the epidemiological situation in Victoria had improved and the numbers of cases in Victoria has reduced from its peak.
National Cabinet again agreed the need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and contain local outbreaks when they occur. These are fundamental to reducing the spread of the virus.
Seven of Australia’s eight states and territories are successfully implementing the suppression strategy for COVID-19, with the goal of no community transmission, enabling Australians in those jurisdictions to live and work in a COVID-safe economy.
National Cabinet agreed to release a weekly set of data on the common operating picture of COVID-19 responses across states and territories.
National Cabinet discussed the updated economic outlook following the additional restrictions imposed in Victoria and the changes to the JobKeeper program announced in response to these restrictions.
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Philip Lowe, and the Treasury Secretary, Steven Kennedy, provided National Cabinet with an economic update. Both reiterated that the biggest economic challenge that faces Australia is jobs and unemployment.
The Governor outlined there is a need for a coordinated focus from all levels of government on three key areas:

1. Income support programs which includes the substantial investments already made in JobKeeper and JobSeeker;
2. Investments in our physical capital including infrastructure and human capital via skills and training; and
3. Greater ease of doing business through lower and efficient taxes and less regulation

Combined with the health response, the Commonwealth economic and balance sheet measures now total more than $314 billion, and along with the response from the state and territories of $48 billion, significant economic support is flowing into the economy.
Given the economic challenges, the Governor called on state and territory governments to provide more fiscal support, with additional support of 2 per cent of GDP, or around $40 billion over two years, needed from states and territories to support economic growth. Mr Lowe outlined that this expenditure needs to be purposeful and achieve the maximum economic dividend, and not lead to permanent or structural increases in government expenditure.
National Cabinet also noted progress made on skills reform and that all states and territories have now signed the Heads of Agreement for the $1 billion Skills and JobTrainer Programme.
Aged Care Emergency Response Plan
National Cabinet endorsed the Commonwealth, State and Territory Plan to Boost Aged Care Preparedness for a Rapid Emergency Response to COVID-19 Plan.
Noting that there were existing protocols and arrangements between states and the Commonwealth that were effective and worked well in support of aged care preparedness, National Cabinet agreed that in the event of significant change in circumstances, particularly with respect to community transmission of COVID-19, either the relevant jurisdiction or the Commonwealth would be able to initiate the establishment of emergency response centres on a bilaterally agreed basis.
The Plan will strengthen the preparedness for responding to a rapid escalation of COVID-19 in the aged care sector. It includes a high-level series of actions for Commonwealth, state and territory Governments to strengthen aged care emergency response preparedness. These actions include:

• Ongoing assessment of the preparedness of aged care providers to respond to outbreaks of COVID-19, including a risk profiling tool developed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to inform emergency response planning;
• An audit of State and Territory Emergency Response Capabilities to support the establishment of a joint aged care emergency response;
• Additional face to face infection control training.

The National Cabinet also endorsed a guide to assist in the establishment of an Aged Care Health Emergency Response Operations Centre should it be required in the future in other states and territories. These Operations Centres will supplement and boost capacity to respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 in residential aged care settings. They will be consistent and complementary to, and fully integrated with Commonwealth and state/territory public health and aged care emergency response arrangements. National Cabinet acknowledged that these arrangements are not currently required.
A time-limited AHPPC Aged Care Advisory Group will be established to support the national public health emergency response to COVID-19 in aged care. The Advisory Group will bring together expertise about the aged care sector, infection control, emergency preparedness and public health response.
The Commonwealth Government will provide $171 million in additional support to the Aged Care Sector to increase national preparedness and respond to the State of Disaster in Victoria which brings the Commonwealth’s Aged Care COVID-19 response to over $1 billion in support.
Support includes:

• Victorian Aged Care Response Centre – $9.1 million to support a coordinated response between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government agencies to fight COVID-19 in Residential Aged Care.
• Aged Care COVID-19 Preparedness – an additional $103.4 million to:
  • increase nation-wide workforce surge support for aged care providers experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak;
  • activate national emergency call centre surge capability to support communication efforts with residents’ families;
  • fund compressed training for new workers;
  • cover quarantine costs for interstate staff deployed for workforce surge; and
  • strengthen the capacity to support aged care residents and their families with the grief and trauma associated with a COVID-19 outbreak.
• Supporting Aged Care Quality and Safety Monitoring for Aged Care Services – an additional $9 million to ensure quality care is maintained by supporting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to continue its critical work supporting aged care providers across the country to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks
• Aged Care Workforce – a further $50.6 million to be provided to extend funding for the second instalment of the aged care workforce retention payment, due to be paid in September 2020.

Mental Health
National Cabinet discussed the impact of the pandemic on key wellbeing and safety outcomes, including mental health, online safety and family and domestic violence, and noted the increase in contact with crisis helplines. National Cabinet agreed to continue to work together to monitor these areas and continue to track areas of concern and to share data.
Vaccine Strategy
National Cabinet welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategic Approach and the in principle agreement in place between the Commonwealth and AstraZeneca for the supply of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for Australians, once safety and efficacy had been proven.
Further the Prime Minister updated National Cabinet on the advanced progress of further arrangements for research and development, vaccine supply and manufacturing including the Commonwealth and Queensland Government funded University of Queensland – CSL, molecular clamp vaccine.
Domestic Border Management
National Cabinet noted some recent changes by states and territories to make it easier for Australians to cross borders, subject to restrictions, and access essential services and activities.
National Cabinet noted discussions had commenced on an Agriculture Workers Code and agreed further work be undertaken by Agriculture Ministers so that a paper could be considered by National Cabinet at its next meeting. The Agriculture Workers Code, will provide for a nationally-consistent approach that would be enforced by relevant states and territories through their Public Health Orders and emergency management measures. It would apply to individuals with occupations deemed critical to ensure the continuity of the agricultural sector.
National Cabinet also agreed that the AHPPC develop a common understanding to define a hotspot and consider movement restrictions relating to a hotspot.
Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Workers
National Cabinet agreed to resume the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) and Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) to help with workforce shortages. The approach has been informed by the trial recruitment of Pacific workers in the Northern Territory to address labour shortages affecting mango farmers. States and territories will decide whether to access the arrangement.
Employing Australians remains a priority for all Governments. Employers can only recruit through the Pacific labour mobility programs if they can demonstrate they cannot find suitable Australian workers through labour market testing.
Protecting Australian and Pacific workers from COVID-19 is also a key priority. States and territories that would like to participate in the arrangement will ensure sufficient health and quarantine system capacity.
National Cabinet will meet again on 4 September 2020.

172,000 tourism businesses across Australia are just two weeks away from going bust, the Covid19 Senate Committee has heard today, prompting the Greens to call on National Cabinet to come up with an urgent plan for the tourism industry including a cash injection and national approach to border restrictions.
Greens Spokesperson for Tourism Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The tourism industry urgently needs a national plan to save businesses on the brink of bust. Tens of thousands of tourism businesses will be lost in coming weeks without cash flow assistance and clarity on border restriction policies.
“National Cabinet needs to be working on a national tourism plan that factors in industry needs, health advice and the best interests of the country. Instead state, territory and federal leaders are politicking over border restrictions and the intent of National Cabinet is unravelling.
“The Covid Senate Committee heard today that two and a half months ago, ABS data showed 57 per cent of tourism businesses didn’t have the cash flow to last three months which means right now businesses are on their last dollars and deciding whether they need to close their doors for good.
“Without a plan to save the tourism industry, 172,000 businesses are at risk of going under within two weeks.
“National Cabinet should’ve been addressing this looming crisis months ago and yet to date, very little assistance has been given to an industry absolutely pummelled by travel and border restrictions.
“Australians are sick of the state versus state politicking. Businesses, jobs and people’s health is on the line and if we are really in it together there should be a national approach to tackling this pandemic.”

New modelling confirms the vital importance of continuing support and resources provided to remote communities to protect them from COVID-19.
Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people experience a burden of disease 2.3 times the rate of other Australians, which increases their risk of severe illness from the virus.
While no cases of the coronavirus have yet been reported among Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities, the modelling shows that continuing efforts are needed to limit the effects of an outbreak.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Australian Government is taking the necessary actions to ensure all Australians are safe, protected and have access to appropriate health care now and beyond the COVID-19.
“Travel restrictions to remote areas were imposed by a determination I made early in the pandemic, following requests from Aboriginal communities, organisations and leaders. These restrictions can be reinstated if needed.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said the Australian Government has also worked with the Indigenous health sector to ensure communities are prepared.
“The Australian Government places a high priority on protecting the health of Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people during the pandemic,” Minister Wyatt said.
“This includes provision of point of care COVID-19 tests which can provide results within an hour, funding for community preparedness, guidance and public health advice and arrangements for medical evacuations and ongoing care, including deployment of the Royal Flying Doctors Service where needed.”
The modelling released today reinforces the importance of these preparations and of engaging with remote communities about how they will respond and the support available to them.
It shows that by the time one case of coronavirus is confirmed in a remote community, many
more people may have been infected.
Minister Hunt said, “This means a single confirmed case of COVID-19 should be treated as
an outbreak, triggering a rapid response by local, state or territory and national governments.
This would include isolation of patients, quarantine of contacts and possible whole of
community lockdown.”
The modelling also highlights the need for all people to get tested if they have even mild
symptoms, because finding the first case quickly will be key to stopping the spread.
Australian Government measures to support remote communities include:
targeted flexible grants to 56 community organisations covering 121 remote
communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services and local
health clinics, to support planning and preparedness activities:

• $52.8 million for early retrieval and evacuation of confirmed or suspect cases by the Royal Flying Doctors Service, mobile respiratory clinics and supplementary health services in remote locations;
• $5.8 million for the Point of Care Testing program, now in the final stages of rollout to 85 remote and rural communities, which ensures that testing is available within two a two to three hours’ drive from any health service;
• $6.9 million to facilitate culturally safe access to COVID-19 testing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector (ACCHS). Further, as part of the Government’s GP Respiratory Clinic package, 23 ACCHS will be operate as respiratory clinics, with 14 of these in rural areas.

The importance of these actions, and the lessons from the modelling are all reflected in the Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations that has been
guiding the response since March, and the updated National Guidance for remote Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Communities for COVID-19.
The modelling was conducted for the Australian Government by the University of Melbourne
and the Kirby Institute pandemic modelling team, guided by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 and endorsed for release by the Australian Health
Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).
Modelling results can be found here:

• Information sheet for public health professionals: COVID-19 testing and response strategies in regional and remote Indigenous communities: key messages for health services
• Plain language presentation to facilitate community-level planning: Impact of COVID-19 in remote and regional settings.

The Morrison Government will scale up aged care support programs in Victoria and across Australia with an additional $171.5 million to boost a new COVID-19 response plan agreed by all states and territories at National Cabinet today.
The package is in addition to age care support already announced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with funding now totalling more than $1 billion from the Commonwealth Government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said more funding would be used to continue current programs for infection control training and surge workforce staff, alongside greater compliance by the Aged Care Commissioner and coordinated response centres.
“Our plan for combatting the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is based on the best medical advice and continues to evolve, as the crisis continues, as we do all we can to protect older Australians,” the Prime Minister said.
“We are committed to supporting aged care recipients, workers and providers in Victoria to respond to the ongoing crisis and we are putting in place critical measures to ensure we remain prepared across the country.
“It is critical to have a coordinated approach as we battle this virus and I thank all Premiers and Chief Ministers for their agreement at National Cabinet today, which does just that.
“However, as long as community transmission is occurring in Australia, we will continue to face significant challenges in aged care but we will do everything we can to stop the spread and protect old Australians.”
The package includes:

• More support for the Aged Care workforce:
  • $81 million for additional surge workforce and increased training for aged care workers.
  • $8.4 million for supplementary payments to include quarantine costs and interstate staff
  • $50 million to account for additional demand for retention bonus measures, (noting eligibility has not changed)
• $9.1 million for the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, established with the Victorian Government, to boost their additional workforce while undergoing more training, providing a workforce that could quickly respond to outbreaks in other states;
• $12. 5 million to support residents and their families with increased availability of grief and trauma support services to assist aged care residents and their families who have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak
• Supporting more compliance and quality checks on aged care providers by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, checking on preparations and responses to COVID-19 outbreaks.

To step up this engagement, National Cabinet has endorsed a plan to boost aged care preparedness for rapid emergency response to COVID-19.
States and territories each agreed a plan to set up aged care emergency response operations centres in their own jurisdiction, as needed.
The operations centres will be formed by mutual agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories, which will fully integrated with public health and aged care emergency response arrangements
To support continued Commonwealth, state and territory collaboration, a time-limited AHPPC Aged Care Advisory Group will also be established, bringing together a broad range of critical expertise about the aged care sector, infection control and emergency preparedness.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said it was imperative that the Government adopt a multi-pronged approach to respond to the pandemic in aged care, which was bearing the brunt of the pandemic.
“Our comprehensive action will provide assurance to residents, families aged care providers, and the Australian community. This builds on our national aged care COVID-19 response plan which commenced in January,” Minister Hunt said.
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said communication and support for residents and their families and loved ones is essential at this difficult time.
“We are also providing $1.5 million in funding to ensure appropriate and regular communication from Health Direct to families and loved ones of aged care residents impacted by COVID-19,” Minister Colbeck said.
“We are also increasing the availability of grief and trauma support services to assist aged care residents and their families.”
It is critical that quality care is maintained in all aged care services across the country, Minister Colbeck said.
“We are further supporting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to continue its critical work supporting aged care providers across the country to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks with additional $9.1 million in vital funding.”

An independent review of one of Australia’s key rural training programs shows it is providing significant opportunities and a rewarding experience for health students in rural communities.
The evaluation of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) showed the program has successfully supported rural clinical training experiences for students across a range of health disciplines for the past 20 years.
Federal Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton said the RHMT program plays a key role in supporting health students to train, work and stay in rural and remote locations.
“We know greater exposure to rural training opportunities leads to more doctors and health professionals choosing rural careers and the RHMT program is a critical to achieving this,” Minister Coulton said.
“The evaluation found the program is of significant educational value, provides students with rewarding experiences in rural communities and is an important contributor to addressing rural health workforce shortages across Australia.
“The review also demonstrates the capacity of universities to provide students with high quality clinical rural training opportunities.
“Whether you are training to become a doctor, nurse, dentist, physiotherapist or psychologist, we want our future front line of health professionals to feel well supported and embrace careers in rural healthcare.
“Regional and rural communities also benefit from the investment the Commonwealth makes in this rural training program including from greater access to health services and facilities, rural health research and the multiple benefits that a university presence delivers for local jobs.”
Minister Coulton said the review also shows the program supports the social and economic strength of rural communities. For every dollar spent under the program, another dollar is generated in the local economy.
“This evaluation reaffirms the value of the RHMT program to increase the number of health professionals working in the bush. It is important that Australian Government investment is well-targeted and future-proofed,” Minister Coulton said.
“The Federal Government is committed to bridging the city-country divide in health services; and this program is a demonstration of that commitment to support the training of health and medical students in rural, remote and regional Australia as an initial step towards a rural health career.
“The National Rural Health Commissioner Associate Professor Ruth Stewart will now assist the Government to consult with stakeholders on the evaluation’s recommendations and provide input into how the program can be further enhanced.
“I’m looking forward to hearing from the sector about how we can further strengthen and develop rural training opportunities to keep building this important program for the future.”
BACKGROUND:

• The Australian Government invests $200 million each year in a network of rural clinical schools (RCSs), university departments of rural health (UDRHs), dental faculties offering rural placements and the Northern Territory Medical Program at Flinders University.
• The program also supports 26 regional training hubs, with 21 universities currently participating in the program.
• University staff living and working in regional, rural and remote areas deliver the rural clinical training experiences to health students and encourage them to stay in these communities when they finish their training.
• KBC Australia’s final report on the evaluation of the RHMT program has been released and can be found on the website.

Australians will be among the first in the world to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, if it proves successful, through an agreement between the Australian Government and UK-based drug company AstraZeneca.
Under the deal, every single Australian will be able to receive the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for free, should trials prove successful, safe and effective.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Oxford University trial was in a phase three stage and more work was needed to prove its viability.
“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in world, and under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian,” the Prime Minister said.
“If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam and make it free for 25 million Australians.
“However, there is no guarantee that this, or any other, vaccine will be successful, which is why we are continuing our discussions with many parties around the world while backing our own researchers at the same time to find a vaccine.
“We are taking advice from Australia’s best medical and scientific expertise to ensure that the Government’s work to select, produce and purchase COVID-19 vaccines and treatments is based on the best available knowledge.”
The Prime Minister also remains committed to ensuring early access to the vaccine for countries in our Pacific family, as well as regional partners in Southeast Asia.
The Government has also released Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy, guided by a group of medical and industry experts.
The Strategy sets out Australia’s approach to acquire doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines based on:
1. Research and development
2. Purchase and manufacturing
3. International partnerships
4. Regulation and safety Immunisation administration and monitoring
The first announcements under the strategy are the signing of a Letter of Intent with AstraZeneca to supply the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate to Australia and a consumables contract with Becton Dickinson for the supply of needles and syringes.
The Letter of Intent covers vaccine development, production and distribution. It commits to production of the vaccine in Australia, subject to safety and effectiveness.
A final formal agreement will include distribution, timing and price of the vaccine.
Becton Dickinson has been contracted to supply vital consumables, such as needles and syringes, to ensure that we can deliver vaccine doses as soon as we have them.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said “From early on Australian officials led by my department has been meeting with developers and manufacturers of a number of promising vaccine candidates, both domestic and international, over recent months.
“We are confident these actions and targeted investments will put us in the best possible position to secure early access to safe and effective vaccines for Australia.”
The country’s most experienced scientists, biotech and pharmaceutical experts have been brought together to provide advice on acquiring a portfolio of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations.
The COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group met for the first time earlier this week.
The advisory group is led by Professor Brendan Murphy, Secretary of the Department of Health, who has a leading role in managing the Government’s pandemic response.
The group will also provide advice on implementing Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy that drives the Government’s work with the states and territories, research organisations, industry, regulators and other countries.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said Australia’s manufacturing capability is a huge asset in the push to deliver a COVID vaccine.
“The Australian pharmaceutical industry and its ability to produce vaccines is already among the best in the world and that puts us in a strong position to be able to roll out a COVID vaccine as quickly as possible,” Minister Andrews said.
“Through a coordinated approach and strategic investments we can also improve our knowledge and strengthen our manufacturing capability to respond in the future.”
Australia is contributing significantly to vaccine development work both in Australia and around the world, investing $333 million in vaccines, therapeutics and COVID medicines – including $256 million in vaccines.
This includes $5 million for the University of Queensland’s innovative “molecular clamp” COVID-19 vaccine. This Australian vaccine has commenced trials here in Australia.
The University of Queensland has partnered with CSL to manufacture its vaccine here in Australia. CSL has made a commitment that its dose allocation of the University of Queensland vaccine will be used, at a minimum, to support its long-standing public health commitment to the Australian community
More information is available on:

• COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group
• Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy

COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments for Australia – Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group Membership

Name	Organisation
Dr Brendan Murphy (Chair)	Secretary, Department of Health
Prof Paul Kelly (Deputy Chair)	Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health
Mr John Anderson	Independent Advisor
A/Prof Chris Blyth	Co-chair, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation
Prof Allen Cheng	Co-chair, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation
Dr Alan Finkel AO	Australia’s Chief Scientist
Mr Rob Hetherington	Independent Adviser
Dr Larry Marshall	Chief Executive, CSIRO
Ms Sue MacLeman	Chair, MTP Connect
Ms Kirsten O’Doherty	Independent Adviser
Dr Felicia Pradera	Program Manager for Medical Countermeasures Development, DMTC
Mr Mark Sullivan	Managing Director, Medicines Development Ltd
Prof Andrew Wilson	Chair, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee

The Australian Government’s latest COVID-19 ad, launched today, delivers a blunt wake-up call to young people, that their actions can put the lives of their loved ones at risk.
The ‘How the virus spreads’ advertisement features a young man whose mother is in intensive care with COVID-19 after catching the virus from him. He was infected by his mate who was infected by a workmate. All three were young. None knew they were infected.
The ad clearly demonstrates how fast COVID-19 can spread, often without people knowing it, while showing the severity of the virus, and how it can touch family and loved ones.
The ad’s message is for everyone – COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that can quickly spread through everyday interactions and individual behaviours. This is particularly salient for young Australians who are catching COVID-19 more than any other age group.
The 20-29 year age group is most likely to contract the virus, with young women more so than young men. And though symptoms are often mild, young people can still be seriously impacted. They are not immune.
Previously cases of COVID-19 have been reported across all age groups. However there is now a shift to younger populations.
Cumulatively, people in the 20–29 years age group have the highest rate of COVID-19 infection (77.0 cases per 100,000 population).
This is followed by the 30–39 years age group (59.8 cases per 100,000 population) and then 60–69 years (56.5 cases per 100,000 population)
The ad is a reminder to them – and the rest of the community – to keep doing the essential things – wash your hands, keep your physical distance, get tested, stay home if you’re sick, download the COVIDSafe app and, in areas of high community transmission or where physical distancing is difficult, wear a mask.
The ad will start running this week across TV and radio, digital, social and out of home.
To view the TVC click here.