Category: Australian News

With Australia’s economic recovery underway, the Morrison Government are providing even more opportunities for people to start their own new small business and assisting people already running a micro-business with more free training and support available.
An additional 1,000 places are being provided under the New Business Assistance with the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) program and an additional 350 places for people to access an Exploring Being My Own Boss Workshop.
The free Exploring Being My Own Boss Workshops provide valuable information on what is involved in starting a new business – helping people decide if self-employment is right for them. They include practical information about running a business and information on small business support services available.
The New Business Assistance with NEIS program provides a range of free small business assistance to people who have a great business idea and need help getting started. This assistance can include access to free accredited small business training, support to develop business plans and personalised business mentoring.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, says: “Anyone looking for work, people who have part-time or caring responsibilities, or any micro-business owners or sole traders who have been impacted by COVID-19 can participate in the New Business Assistance with NEIS program or undertake a Workshop.
“New Business Assistance with NEIS is a highly successful program and has helped over 185,000 people start a new small business since 1985”.
“Small business assistance can provide people with extremely valuable business, organisational and marketing skills and help people turn their new business ideas into a reality”.
“Running a small business can be a deeply rewarding experience for many Australians and are the backbone of communities.
“By expanding the New Business Assistance with the NEIS Program, we are able to assist more Australians to get their business idea off paper and into reality.”
For more information visit: http://www.dese.gov.au/neis

Today is a momentous day for Australia’s fight against COVID-19, with the rollout of Phase 1B of the Australian Government’s vaccination plan.
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout out is one of the largest logistical exercises ever undertaken in this country and we are particularly encouraged by the enthusiastic response from Australians in getting vaccinated.
Australia’s vaccination rollout will help reduce the health, social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will save lives and livelihoods.
Appointment availability will increase as the number of clinics grow from 1,000 to more than 4,000 over the next four weeks, so we thank you for your patience.
Priority groups in Phase 1B include:

• elderly adults aged 80 years and over
• elderly adults aged 70 years and over
• health care workers not vaccinated in Phase 1A
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 55
• adults with a specified medical condition
• adults with a severe disability who have a specified underlying medical condition
• critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.

Australia has a world class manufacturing facility right here at home, putting us in a very strong position to supply vaccines when and where they are needed. Our contract with CSL for 50 million doses means we do not need to rely on overseas supply to ensure all Australians who want a vaccine, can be vaccinated.
Australia has very successfully suppressed this highly infectious disease and it is really important that all Australians come forward and get the vaccine when it is their turn to do so.
We thank the more than 4,000 GP clinics and health services—doctors, nurses, practice managers and staff—for participating in the vaccination rollout.
Further information about the next phases of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout will be announced over the coming months.
In the meantime, please visit www.health.gov.au for information about COVID-19 and use the Eligibility Checker to find out when you can get vaccinated.

The Australian Greens have said the disastrous flooding in NSW was a grim look at the future of extreme weather in a climate crisis, warning that more action must be taken to prevent the situation from rapidly worsening.
The Greens say that parliament must urgently declare a climate emergency, then start a rapid transition away from coal, oil and gas, the primary causes of global heating.
Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens said:
“This is an utterly tragic situation in New South Wales. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost their home, livestock, or is currently out in the extreme conditions battling to protect their communities and save lives,” Mr Bandt said.
“This is a grim look at the future of Australia’s climate in a future of global heating, where we’ll see bigger fires and worse floods, all with less time of normal weather in between. ‘Unprecedented’ fires one year, ‘once in a 50 year’ floods the next. This is not normal.
“Like bushfires, no one flood can be blamed on the climate crisis, but scientists warn that a warming planet will increase the intensity of extreme rainfall and bushfires.
“While our brave firefighters and emergency services are up to the challenge, we must take urgent action to move away from coal, oil and gas. If not, we’ll see more and more lives taken, more houses burnt or swept away, and more bushland and wildlife lost.
“The Liberals have taken millions in donations from coal & gas companies and are backing plans to expand these industries. They’ve put their donations, and the profits of the coal and gas industry ahead of the safety of you and your family.
“The Greens refuse donations from coal & gas corporations. We are working in parliament everyday to push the Labor and Liberal parties to go further and faster to tackle climate change.
“It’s time for the Parliament to declare a climate emergency and start taking urgent action to transition away from coal, oil and gas.
“Through an urgent transition away from coal, oil and gas and onto renewables, we won’t just create tens of thousands of jobs in regional Australia, we’ll protect our regional communities from the worst ravages of global heating. There’s no time to waste.”
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Senator for NSW said:
“Scientists have been telling us for years that the climate crisis increases the risk of extreme weather events,” Senator Faruqi said.
“Every day the Liberals prop up fossil-fuels and drag their heels on tackling the climate crisis, they risk more extreme weather, including worse and more destructive floods.
“The science is clear: coal, oil and gas worsen the climate crisis and are making floods more intense.
“My thoughts are with communities across NSW, many of which have already been badly impacted by the floods. Stay safe and follow the official advice.”

Today the Government gagged the Senate and allowed no time to even debate the first so-called real permanent increase in the Jobseeker Payment since 1994.
After more than a decade campaigning and tireless advocacy, we should be celebrating this moment but there hasn’t been any celebrating and there won’t be.
Today there is only distress and anger. I share that distress and anger. I stood in here a year ago and thanked the Government for doubling the Jobseeker payment when the pandemic hit saying I had tears in my eyes when I heard.
Well I had tears in my eyes when I heard about this pathetic increase – tears of distress, anger and despair.
I’m angry because this pitiful increase to Jobseeker Payment amounts to $3.57 a day.
I’m angry because the Government is choosing to entrench poverty.
I’m angry because in a wealthy country like Australia, no one should be skipping meals and going hungry.
Today I am thinking of the people who have been ignored, dismissed and demonised  by this Government and who are now condemned to poverty.
This is not over. We will not stop campaigning with the community until we get an increase that is above the poverty line.
The senate was denied the opportunity to debate this bill and to hear the voices of people who will be impacted by this cruel bill. I would like to share some of these people’s experiences today to demonstrate what life will be like for people when they are forced further below the poverty line. 
One woman said: “I am currently living in an isolated, rural area, but after many years of abuse, I have finally found peace here. My ex physically attacked me, leaving me every day in pain. I have anxiety and panic attacks when I leave the property. And I struggle with day to day life. While I am currently applying to get onto the Disability Support Pension, I am still struggling to live fortnight to fortnight on the current rate. The current rate is liveable. But cutting it back to the poverty rate is reprehensible.”
A single parent from the Northern Territory said: “Since the latest round of cuts I have had to default if paying my electricity bill- it is currently in danger of being cut off and incurring over $100 to put it back on. I won’t be able to drive my car soon as I can’t afford registration which I pay monthly.
I have given up filling one of my prescription medications as I cannot afford it. I have been unable to pursue study that I was nearly finished which would have increased by employability. I cannot afford to renew an important qualification. I have been missing six meals per week, every week in order to pay my rent Important rehabilitation is out of my reach.”
Another person said: “With the Covid 19 supplement I have been able to pay my bills, get my life preserving medication, and buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Life on $44 a day will mean I have to go back to eating packets of pasta and sauce, two minute noodles, and rice with frozen vegetables. Going back to $44 a day will mean I have to miss meals to catch public transport to go to my mandated in person meetings. Miss meals to pay for my phone that I use to look for work.”
One young person who struggles with poor health told us: “There have been several periods where I have relied on food banks and charities to afford basic necessities. I rely on the kindness of others to help me get to appointments or go get groceries when my health is bad. This pitifully low rate does not allow me to live with independence and dignity.”
There was this heartbreaking plea: “Don’t do this. You’ll be sentencing me to homelessness and starvation. Its heartless.”

The Greens say that unemployed workers and people living in poverty have been very clear that they want to see their representatives in Parliament supporting and campaigning for them, doing everything they can to increase the rate of JobSeeker above the poverty line.
“People living in poverty in this cruel punitive income support system feel isolated, they feel abandoned and want people to be vocal in their condemnation of this joke of an increase in the rate of Jobseeker”, Senator Rachel Siewert said.
“When we work to improve this pathetic increase we offer a glimmer of hope that people are not forgotten, that they are seen and that their Members of Parliament do not accept that anyone in a country as wealthy as Australia should live in poverty.
“The Greens will continue to campaign for a meaningful increase in the Jobseeker payment to ensure no one in this country lives in poverty and that includes seeking the support of the Senate to amend the pathetic bill that increases the JobSeeker payment by just $3.57 a day.
“Senators and MP’s across the political  spectrum should use their power and their voices to campaign for their communities.
“The Greens support all unemployed workers and will not stop campaigning until we have an increase to JobSeeker that is over the poverty line.”
When this pathetic so-called increase gets to the Senate this week I will be seeking support to amend this bill to:
1.    Increase all income support payments to $1115 a fortnight which is in line with the Henderson Poverty Line.
2.    Retain the current income free threshold of $300 a fortnight.
3.    Abolish compulsory income management.
4.    Abolish Mutual Obligations.
5.    Increase the base rate of age pension/DSP/Carer Payment to $1115 a fortnight.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism, has criticised ASIO’s shift away from naming the threat of right-wing extremism, as announced in its 2021 Annual Threat Assessment.
Senator Faruqi said:
“To counter the far-right, we have to name the far-right.
“The people who benefit most from a failure to name far-right extremists are far-right extremists themselves.
“ASIO backing away from calling a spade a spade will harm our efforts to confront the existential threat of far-right violence.
“Make no mistake. This shift has occurred following complaints to ASIO by right-wing Government MPs.
“There is no ideological equivalence here. ASIO itself has said, just weeks ago, that right wing extremism is on the rise while left wing extremism is “not currently prominent”.
“ASIO were happy to label extremists ‘Islamic’ when it suited the Liberals’ desire to demonise a whole community, but now the group in question is predominantly young white men, it’s suddenly out of the question.”

The Morrison Government will provide a $2.4 billion boost to the economy by cutting red tape as part of our Economic Recovery Plan to allow for a uniform scheme for automatic mutual recognition (AMR) of state and territory based occupational licences and registrations.
Under this reform, builders, electricians, plumbers, architects, real estate agents, security guards and other workers who hold an occupational licence in their home state or territory and who want to do the same work in another state or territory will be automatically deemed to have the necessary licence. These workers will also not need to pay any additional fees or apply for additional licenses.
The current mutual recognition regime for licensed occupations across Australia is complex, costly and imposes an excessive regulatory burden on businesses that operate across jurisdictions. Currently, around 20 per cent of workers in the economy are required to be licensed.
In November 2020 the National Cabinet endorsed a uniform, national scheme for AMR and in December 2020 the Prime Minister, State Premiers and the Northern Territory Chief Minister signed an intergovernmental agreement for the federal government to establish the scheme and the states and territories to implement it.
This reform will directly benefit over 124,000 workers who currently work across borders and an additional 44,000 who are expected to work across borders following these reforms. In particular, the reforms will benefit those workers living in border regions, those who relocate temporarily for work, fly-in fly-out workers and people who provide services remotely. The time and cost savings associated with AMR for these workers is expected to increase GDP by $2.4 billion over 10 years.
A uniform scheme means businesses can operate more seamlessly across Australia, which helps to create jobs, increase output, competition and innovation and lower prices for consumers.

The Morrison Government is putting the mental health of small business owners first with the with the launch of a coaching and support program.
NewAccess for Small Business Owners will provide free, confidential and tailored mental health coaching to small business owners.
The program is part of the Government’s $7 million BusinessBalance initiative, announced in the 2020-21 Budget. BusinessBalance provides immediate, short-term support of mental and financial wellbeing for small business as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said Australia’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and yet small business owners suffer more from depression and anxiety than the general population.
“Despite collectively employing more Australians, small business owners have the fewest resources to deal with their own needs, including their mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this, putting our small business owners under even more financial and emotional pressure,” Minister Cash said.
“That’s why it is crucial to our economy that small business owners get the support they need towards recovery from COVID-19 and beyond.”
Developed by Beyond Blue, in partnership with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, NewAccess for Small Business Owners is designed to help small business owners who are feeling overwhelmed about everyday life issues, which may be caused by business challenges, staffing, relationships, health or loneliness. Coaches will have a small business background.
BusinessBalance also includes the Counting on U program, delivered through Deakin University, which is a free and professional development program that builds the mental health knowledge of trusted business advisers.
The advisers are trained in mental health first aid and relationship-building skills so they can recognise signs of mental and financial stress in small business owners and connect them to specialised services.
For more information about NewAccess for Small Business Owners, visit beyondblue.org.au/get-support/newaccess
For information on Counting on U and business advisor registration for upcoming training starting late April 2021, visit blogs.deakin.edu.au/counting-on-u/

Australia is working with Papua New Guinea to support the Government’s response to a concerning spike in COVID-19 cases to help save lives and support our closest Pacific neighbour’s health system.
By helping Papua New Guinea, we are not only helping our Pacific family, we are keeping our nation and our people safe.
The Australian Government has agreed to a request for assistance and will partner with Papua New Guinea on a comprehensive support package to help it respond to the crisis.
This includes the earliest possible supply of 8,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from Australia’s stock. It will enable vaccination of the country’s essential health workforce, with an initial rollout for the National Capital District. Future priorities will be determined with Papua New Guinea’s Government.
The Australian Government will also make a formal request to AstraZeneca and European Authorities for one million doses of Australia’s contracted supplies to gift to Papua New Guinea.
Our early vaccine assistance will be coordinated with the Papua New Guinean Government’s response, which has included their COVID-19 National Pandemic Response taskforce. We will also work with the WHO and UNICEF to ensure that it complements PNG’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan.
We are conscious of the close family and cultural connections of those people living in the Torres Strait Protected Zone. Both Governments are determined to protect our respective communities and avoid any cross-border COVID-19 transmission.
The roll out of vaccines in the Torres Strait Islands by the Queensland Government has already begun. The Australian Government will also work with the Papua New Guinea and Queensland Governments to address health security on both sides of the Torres Strait including support for making vaccines available in a timely way in Treaty Villages in the Protected Zone.
The COVID-19 outbreak in Papua New Guinea carries risks to the Australian people through incoming travellers. We are reviewing the adequacy of pre-departure COVID testing and on-arrival quarantine arrangements. We will be working with the Papua New Guinea Government over the coming weeks to investigate options for pre departure testing within 24 hours of departure.
In addition, we will suspend flights between Port Moresby and Cairns, and passenger capacity on flights between Port Moresby and Brisbane will be reduced by 25 percent.
To maintain emergency supplies and other essential services, freight flights will continue.
Charter flights from Papua New Guinea into Australia will also be suspended, with limited exceptions for medivac, humanitarian and other critical flights.
Australian Border Force will continue to enhance its presence in the Torres Strait.
As another element of our partnership, Australia is also deploying a forward team of three AUSMAT health specialists to Port Moresby. The specialists will work with Papua New Guinea’s health authorities on infection control, triage and emergency management and public health measures.
They will also advise on further Australian assistance and deployment of clinical care teams.
Australia is also providing the following new targeted support:

• Supply of PPE and other equipment for Port Moresby General Hospital and other facilities, as well as 200,000 facemasks;
• Working with the WHO on expanding warehouse capacity to increase storage for PPE and streamline its distribution;
• Supply of hospital tent facilities outside Port Moresby General Hospital for safe triaging and referral and transfer of patients;
• Supporting St John’s PNG and National Capital District Provincial Health Authority to establish Taurama Aquatic Centre as an isolation facility for mild to moderate cases with up to 120 bed capacity.
• Funding support for the re-opening of the Rita Flynn Testing and Isolation Facility to relieve pressure on the Port Moresby General Hospital;
• Funding St John’s Ambulance’s COVID-19 operations in Port Moresby, including patient transport, COVID-19 testing and PPE distribution to clinics;
• Supporting the COVID-19 National Control Centre with information management, risk communications, quarantine management and health financing; and
• Scaling up surveillance, testing and clinical care capacity in Port Moresby and provinces with known outbreaks, and testing of samples in Australia.

The Australian Government will also provide essential PPE supplies to the PNG Government including:

• Surgical Masks – 1 million
• P2/N95 respirator masks – 200,000
• Gowns – 100,000
• Goggles – 100,000
• Gloves – 100,000 pairs
• Hand sanitiser – 100,000 bottles
• Face Shields – 20,000
• Non-invasive ventilators (plus appropriate quantity of consumables) – 200

This new support is in addition to the $144.7 million support that Australia is providing to Papua New Guinea over 2020-21 to 2022-23 through our regional vaccine access initiative. This funding will support Papua New Guinea prepare for a COVID-19 vaccination campaign and assist with the procurement and delivery of doses.
It also builds on our $80 million contribution to the multilateral COVAX Facility’s Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for developing countries, which will support vaccine access for around 20 percent of populations at greatest risk in 92 developing countries. The COVAX facility has indicated that it will deliver 588,000 vaccines for Papua New Guinea by June.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia has already provided assistance of over $60 million dollars in assistance to help Papua New Guinea respond to the crisis.
At the inaugural Quad Leaders’ Summit last weekend the Prime Minister, Indian Prime Minister Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Suga and US President Biden agreed on a signature initiative to work together to boost vaccine production and distribution to countries in the Indo-Pacific.
We have reached out to our Quad partners to look at what more we can do together to support Papua New Guinea.

The Greens will vote against the Online Safety Bill because it is poorly drafted and could lead to widespread, unintended consequences.
“This Bill would make the eSafety Commissioner the sole arbiter of internet content in Australia ,” Greens Digital Rights spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“It creates extraordinary powers for any one person to hold, let alone an unelected bureaucrat.”
“It also fails to provide for timely reviews or appeals of decisions made by the eSafety Commissioner.”
“We are concerned that people opposed to sex work, pornography and sexual health for LGBTIQ+ people could abuse the complaints process to seek to have lawful online adult content removed.”
“Public interest news that involves violent imagery, such as footage of police violence, could also be taken down.”
“However, the Greens recognise the need to stamp out online abuse, violence, racism and far right extremism, so we call on the government to withdraw this Bill and redraft it.”