The Government’s NBN announcement is a small step in the right direction, but there are still significant issues that need to be addressed, the Greens say.
“This is an effective admission of guilt by the Liberals- that fibre to the premises should have been done years ago,” Greens NBN spokesperson Nick McKim said.
“It is encouraging that many more Australians will have access to faster broadband, but the plan announced today does not cover enough homes and businesses.”
“But this plan does not cover the exorbitant cost of broadband in Australia.”
“As we have seen this year in particular, the internet is an essential service, and cost is one of the biggest barriers preventing access.”
“Minister Fletcher also needs to address the NBN’s horrible record of mistreating contractors.”
“It is critical that all people employed on this project are treated as employees and paid all their relevant entitlements.”
“Finally, the NBN should scrap its plans to lay off 800 workers while paying bonuses to its senior executives. This is a terrible decision that simply should not happen during a recession.”
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Chinese government must allow access to Tibet, Greens say
Following reports of a mass forced-labour program in Tibet, Greens Senator Janet Rice has called on the Chinese Government to allow access to the region so journalists and officials can look into these allegations.
Senator Janet Rice, Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson said:
“Reports of a mass labour program in Tibet are deeply disturbing. This program has dangerous parallels with the enforced labour, indoctrination and surveillance of the Uighur people.
“The Tibetan people have suffered under Chinese Government oppression for many years. They have been deprived of their right to freedom of speech and their right to freedom of religious observance. Now it looks like hundreds of thousands of rural workers are being channelled into so-called “training” centres.
“The Morrison Government should raise Australia’s deep concerns and call on the Chinese Government to allow access to Tibet so that officials and journalists can see for themselves what is going on.”
Uni Rallies Essential To Fight Cuts And Autocracy
Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said she was proud to speak at and attend heavily-policed student rallies at the University of Sydney today, which were organised in opposition to the federal government’s proposed university fee hikes and funding cuts.
Senator Faruqi said:
“I was so proud to stand with students and staff in opposition to these terrible fee hikes and funding cuts.
“Unfortunately my speech was cut short by NSW police moving us on.
“It was outrageous to see, yet again, a heavy-handed police presence at these vital ongoing student rallies.
“It’s nothing less than authoritarian to shut down safety-conscious, socially distanced rallies while thousands are allowed to congregate at the footy.
“Public protest is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.
“Classes are in full swing and face-to-face. Police action at these rallies is not about public safety – it’s about shutting down democracy,” she said.
Sign language milestone for Senior Australians
Senior Australians who are deaf or hard of hearing will have access to sign language services for a broader range of daily activities as part of a Federal Government funding boost.
A $13 million injection will mean sign language services will be more accessible for deaf elders aged 65 and over.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck, said the initiative marked an important milestone for elders who use Auslan in their everyday communication.
Today marks International Day of Sign Languages.
“Hearing limitations can have a profound impact on the daily activities of senior Australians,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Morrison Government is committed to ensuring anybody dealing with hearing loss can still live life to the full.”
Certified interpreters will provide Auslan, American Sign Language and International Sign Languages as part of the new service due to launch in November.
Signed English for deaf consumers and tactile signing and hand-over-hand for deafblind users will also be available.
It means those in need will have access to interpreters for a range of daily activities from face-to-face appointments and online learning to community and family functions.
The service, which will also include on-demand video remote interpreting, will be offered nationally, seven days a week and after business hours.
“I thank Australian Deaf Elders and members for advising how together we can address this gap and develop the new service,” Minister Colbeck said.
“I know many Australians who are deaf or hard of hearing have benefited from sign language interpreters at press briefings during the recent bushfires and the COVID-19 health emergency,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Government will continue to identify and remove barriers so senior Australians can live healthy, active and socially connected lives.”
For more information about this and other sign language services available to senior Australians visit the My Aged Care website or call 1800 200 422.
Australia Now Eligible To Purchase COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Through COVAX
The Australian Government has joined the COVAX facility, enabling the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine doses as they become available.
The COVAX facility provides access to a large portfolio of COVID-19 vaccine candidates and manufacturers across the world.
This agreement opens up additional supplies for Australia, from which we could access vaccines for up to 50 per cent of our population under a two dose treatment requirement.
Under the agreement, Australia will commit an initial $123.2 million to be part of the purchasing mechanism of the facility, meaning we can receive offers to purchase vaccines when they become available.
Purchases of vaccine doses will be negotiated as the potential vaccines are proven to meet safety and effectiveness standards.
This investment is in addition to the agreements with Oxford University/AstraZeneca and University of Queensland/CSL for supply of vaccines, opening up additional supply options for Australia.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said participating in COVAX is an important part of Australia’s strategy to secure early access to any safe and effective vaccines.
“A COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect the Australian community,” Minister Hunt said.
“Whoever finds a COVID-19 vaccine must share it. Australia signing up to the COVAX Facility is an important part of our commitment to this principle.”
“Being a part of COVAX means we’re giving Australians the best chance of accessing a safe and effective vaccine, but also our neighbours in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and partners overseas,” Minister Hunt said.
Any COVID-19 vaccine doses purchased on behalf of Australians will have to meet the rigorous safety and quality standards of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it is in Australia’s – and our region’s interests – to support the facility.
“Access to vaccines will play a critical role in the economic recovery of our region from this pandemic,” Senator Payne said.
“Now more than ever, we must come together as global community to ensure that our response leaves no one behind.”
“The facility is a major endeavour, but together we can work to end the acute phase of the pandemic by the end of 2021.”
The COVAX facility was established by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance as part of an international vaccine partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization and other organisations.
It aims to ensure that there is equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, when available, through facilitating purchases, funding access for developing countries, and allowing countries to trade or donate doses.
This is Australia’s second commitment to the COVAX facility, with $80 million donated in August to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment – a collaborative effort to provide doses to developing countries, enabling more countries to protect their most vulnerable groups.
Australia’s contribution supports a global coordination effort to ensure equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, which is essential to reinvigorate the global economy.
Eighty self-financing countries, including Australia, have joined the COVAX Facility and a further 92 countries are eligible to access vaccines through the Advance Market Commitment.
In addition to individual country allocations, 10 per cent of manufactured doses will be retained by the COVAX facility to address sporadic outbreaks and for humanitarian use.
The COVAX facility provides access to a large portfolio of COVID-19 vaccine candidates and manufacturers across the world.
This agreement opens up additional supplies for Australia, from which we could access vaccines for up to 50 per cent of our population under a two dose treatment requirement.
Under the agreement, Australia will commit an initial $123.2 million to be part of the purchasing mechanism of the facility, meaning we can receive offers to purchase vaccines when they become available.
Purchases of vaccine doses will be negotiated as the potential vaccines are proven to meet safety and effectiveness standards.
This investment is in addition to the agreements with Oxford University/AstraZeneca and University of Queensland/CSL for supply of vaccines, opening up additional supply options for Australia.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said participating in COVAX is an important part of Australia’s strategy to secure early access to any safe and effective vaccines.
“A COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect the Australian community,” Minister Hunt said.
“Whoever finds a COVID-19 vaccine must share it. Australia signing up to the COVAX Facility is an important part of our commitment to this principle.”
“Being a part of COVAX means we’re giving Australians the best chance of accessing a safe and effective vaccine, but also our neighbours in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and partners overseas,” Minister Hunt said.
Any COVID-19 vaccine doses purchased on behalf of Australians will have to meet the rigorous safety and quality standards of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it is in Australia’s – and our region’s interests – to support the facility.
“Access to vaccines will play a critical role in the economic recovery of our region from this pandemic,” Senator Payne said.
“Now more than ever, we must come together as global community to ensure that our response leaves no one behind.”
“The facility is a major endeavour, but together we can work to end the acute phase of the pandemic by the end of 2021.”
The COVAX facility was established by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance as part of an international vaccine partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization and other organisations.
It aims to ensure that there is equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, when available, through facilitating purchases, funding access for developing countries, and allowing countries to trade or donate doses.
This is Australia’s second commitment to the COVAX facility, with $80 million donated in August to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment – a collaborative effort to provide doses to developing countries, enabling more countries to protect their most vulnerable groups.
Australia’s contribution supports a global coordination effort to ensure equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, which is essential to reinvigorate the global economy.
Eighty self-financing countries, including Australia, have joined the COVAX Facility and a further 92 countries are eligible to access vaccines through the Advance Market Commitment.
In addition to individual country allocations, 10 per cent of manufactured doses will be retained by the COVAX facility to address sporadic outbreaks and for humanitarian use.
Western Sydney Airport Audit Report Reveals A Rotten Mess
The Greens have said that a report of the Australian National Audit Office on a land purchase for Western Sydney Airport is damning and demands explanations by senior Commonwealth ministers.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Senator for NSW, said:
“This report is damning. On top of enormous incompetence, it reveals instances of completely inappropriate and unethical decision-making.
“The Prime Minister and his ministers must explain this rotten mess. The buck stops with them.
“The federal government is spending billions of dollars on this airport which doesn’t stack up. How much more public money has been paid out improperly?
“I’ve long said that the Western Sydney Airport is a scam being foisted on the people of Western Sydney by the federal and state governments.
“The airport will jeopardise the World Heritage listing of the unique Greater Blue Mountains area. It will have a massive impact on the local community and the environment. The government has totally ignored these very significant impacts while planning and developing the Western Sydney Airport,” she said.
Senator Janet Rice, Greens transport and infrastructure spokesperson, said:
“The Morrison government has form in ignoring proper processes and doling out hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to their mates.
“It’s no wonder the majority of Australians don’t trust politicians when this is what happens under the watch of their elected representatives.
“The Prime Minister, Minister McCormack and Minister Tudge need to explain how this happened and why Australian taxpayers are more than $26 million out of pocket.
“We have the sports rorts inquiry still going, but it seems every other week there is new evidence of the Coalition mishandling taxpayers money. We need an inquiry into all the Morrison government’s rorts to investigate these kinds of reports, and a federal anti-corruption commission.”
Energy roadmap steers us off a cliff
Following reports of the government’s energy roadmap, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has slammed the plan, declaring it as a cover for an expansion of major fossil fuel projects. While reports indicate the roadmap includes references to green hydrogen, it places a focus on blue hydrogen made with fossil fuels and failed carbon capture technology, it locks in coal and gas, and has no science-based binding targets to reduce carbon emissions over the next decade.
“This roadmap will take us off a cliff,” Mr Bandt said. “The Morrison government is accelerating towards climate collapse.”
“This technology list is a fig leaf for the continued expansion of the fossil fuel industry. “This roadmap contains no plan to phase out coal and gas. In fact, the roadmap bakes in coal and gas for years to come, subsidising the coal and gas cartels from the public purse.
“Carbon capture and storage is unicorn technology that has already had millions of dollars of public money poured into it.
“This is corporate capture and profit as the coal and gas cartels get access to billions of dollars meant for renewables.
“We already have the technology we need to move to a clean energy economy that exports hydrogen to our neighbours.
“People across the country are demanding a rapid transition to renewable energy, not just putting solar panels next to new gas wells. This approach doubles down on last century’s technology, all to suit the coal and gas corporations whose fingerprints are all over this roadmap.
“Across the country, people are crying out for a transformative shift to clean energy, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it will create.
“If you don’t have a plan to phase out coal and gas in the next decade you don’t have a real plan for climate action.”
1000 dnata workers are out of a job because of Scott Morrison
Following dnata’s announcement today that 1000 workers will be made redundant, Greens Senator Janet Rice has condemned the Prime Minister for locking these workers out of JobKeeper and called on him to produce a plan for the aviation industry.
Senator Janet Rice, Greens Transport spokesperson said:
“This is devastating news for dnata workers and their families. My thoughts are with them as they face stress, uncertainty and some tough decisions ahead.
“Though devastating, this move was not unexpected. The Prime Minister was warned this would happen back in May when the government decided to exclude these Australians from getting JobKeeper.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that Scott Morrison has left these workers in the lurch.
“This is not the first time the Morrison government has abandoned aviation workers. Government inaction has seen one of our two major airlines collapse and thousands of jobs lost from both Virgin and Qantas.
“The government still doesn’t have a plan for the aviation sector – even though it’s clear we desperately need one. The Prime Minister needs to explain his actions to all aviation workers who have had their jobs axed, and present a strategy for the aviation industry before things get even worse.”
Early Childhood Package Provides No Long-term Certainty
Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the latest Child Care Recovery Package, announced today, is yet another band-aid which does little to heal the wound. A long-term plan is needed for this essential service.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Announcing sporadic measures in dribs and drabs every few months is no way to support early learning workers and families. The government must come up with a long term plan that involves proper funding and abolishing childcare fees.
“Early childhood educators were cut off from JobKeeper before anyone else, and the government still refuses to provide a wage guarantee.
“Rather than suspending the Activity Test until April, it should be scrapped for good.
“Early childhood education is an essential service. Educators, families and centres have had a horror 2020. It’s time to provide long-term certainty for everyone,” she said.
Further Investment In Three New Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Research Projects
The Morrison Government will invest almost $6 million in additional funding from the Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Coronavirus Research Response to support research and development of three Australian COVID-19 vaccines.
The rapid development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is a critical Australian Government priority.
Under the competitive, peer reviewed COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant Opportunity, funding will be allocated for the further development of three COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Melbourne will receive almost $3 million to develop two vaccine candidates. Both vaccines are targeting the tip of the spike protein, known as the receptor binding domain, but use different vaccine techniques to compare which vaccine maximises the production of neutralising antibodies.
- protein vaccine – this vaccine introduces a protein into the body to maximise the antibody immune response to neutralise viral infectivity
- mRNA vaccine – this vaccine represents a genetic sequence that supports the human body to make the protein which would then maximise the antibody response to the tip of the spike protein to neutralise viral infectivity
The University of Sydney, will receive almost $3 million for a Phase 1/1b clinical trial to test the safety and effectiveness of a novel DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is being developed so it can be administered using a needle-free system. The trial is a partnership with four of Australia’s most experienced vaccine trial sites and aims to enrol 150 healthy volunteers. Findings from the trial will inform evaluation of the vaccine in larger Phase two and three trials.
Subject to further work, the resulting vaccines could eventually be deployed in Australia and around the world.
These investments build on existing MRFF support for COVID-19 vaccines, including $5 million provided to the University of Queensland for their innovative ‘molecular clamp’ technology and $1 million to Vaxine for their COVAX-19® vaccine.
Our Government continues to invest in medical research to supercharge the development of promising vaccines to save lives and protect lives.
The Government has invested more than $2 billion in COVID-19 research and development.
This includes $1.7 billion to secure early access to over 84.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and $362 million for diagnostics, vaccine development, antiviral development, clinical trials, digital health research infrastructure and research into the human immune response to COVID-19 infection.
Research plays a critical role in ensuring Australia maintains its world-class health system and is particularly important as the world responds to COVID-19.