Category: Australian News

Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow this virus down must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives, to help Australia to keep functioning and to keep Australians in jobs.
National Cabinet noted the latest statistics and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There are more than 3,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 13 people have died. Of the newly reported cases in the last week, the majority have been from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
National Cabinet noted that the vast majority (around 85%) of cases in Australia remain overseas acquired or locally acquired contacts of a confirmed case.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 180,000 tests completed – more than the USA, France or the UK, which have much larger populations. Australia’s per capita testing rate is amongst the highest in the world, now surpassing South Korea.
Intensive Care Units (ICU) will be critically important to protect the health of Australians. National Cabinet noted that Commonwealth, states and territories are working on increasing ICU and ventilator capacity – with surge capacity being prepared in the case of outbreaks.
National Cabinet received a comprehensive economic update from Treasury Secretary Dr Steven Kennedy. It noted the Commonwealth and states and territories have implemented major new economic support packages, but that even with these packages it is expected there will still be significant impacts on unemployment and economic activity.
National Cabinet thanked all Australians who are adhering to social distancing and self-isolation arrangements. Hygiene, social isolation and contact tracing are our most important measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We recognise this is a distressing time for Australians and we must stand together to ensure that we support each other.
We will continue to look at further measures as and where necessary to protect Australians. Any further measures to restrict activity may need to be flexible and calibrated to the extent of outbreaks by jurisdiction and the impact on the wellbeing of Australians and economics activity. Our goal is to start businesses and economic again after this health crisis has ended
National Cabinet will meet again on Sunday, 29 March 2020 and consider issues including responses to address. Commercial and residential tenancies and health supply arrangements
Returning Travellers
Substantial numbers of returned travellers and small community outbreaks associated with travellers continue to contribute most of the significant further growth in COVID-19 cases in Australia.
In order to help drive down this concerning number of imported cases, National Cabinet has agreed to take action to further restrict the movement of incoming travellers and to increase compliance checks on travellers who are already undertaking their mandatory self-isolation period at home. This is about reducing the spread of the virus in Australia and saving lives
National Cabinet agreed that:

• As soon as possible, but no later than 11:59pm Saturday 28 March 2020, all travellers arriving in Australia will be required to undertake their mandatory 14 day self-isolation at designated facilities (for example, a hotel).
  • Travellers will be transported directly to designated facilities after appropriate immigration, customs and enhanced health checks.
  • Designated facilities will be determined by the relevant state or territory government and will ordinarily be in the city of entry where the traveller has cleared immigration, but facilities in other areas may be used if required.
  • These requirements will be implemented under state and territory legislation and will be enforced by state and territory governments, with the support of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) where necessary.
  • The Commonwealth will provide support through the ABF and ADF for these arrangements across Australia, and that states and territories would meet the costs and determine any contributions required for travellers arriving within their jurisdictions.
  • Air and maritime crews will be required to continue to undertake the existing precautions they are following where they self-isolate in their accommodation if they enter Australia until their next work voyage.

• The Australian Defence Force will begin assisting state and territory governments to undertake quarantine compliance checks of those who are required to be in mandatory isolation after returning from overseas.

ADF assistance will be provided under the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community arrangements.
These new requirements will build on the existing support the Australian Defence Force is providing to the COVID-19 response, including:

• Assistance to the states and territories to support contact tracing efforts.
• Supporting industry with the production of surgical masks.
• Provision of planning and logistics support to Commonwealth, state and territory agencies.
• Provision of personnel to other agencies, including Services Australia.
• Supporting the NT Police with border control operations.
• Assisting states and territories to support the production of food hampers to supply to isolated civilians.

Statement on Schools by the National Cabinet
It is no longer business as usual for our schools, as we adapt to the impact of COVID-19.
We are now in a transition phase until the end of term as schools prepare for a new mode of operation following the school holidays.
For principals, teachers and support staff, the next few months will bring incredible challenges for our education system. We understand they need time to engage in the professional preparation and planning that is required to ensure that every child has access to education during this difficult time in a sustainable and effective manner for the rest of the 2020 school year.
Some states and territories have moved to pupil-free days already and each state and territory will come to their own transition arrangements with their workforce for the rest of this term.
While the medical advice remains that it is safe for children to go to school, to assist with the transition underway in our schools to the new mode of operation we ask that only children of workers for whom no suitable care arrangements are available at home to support their learning, physically attend school. This is vital to ensure that no parent should be forced to choose between their employment and the children’s education.
We understand the need for clear, nationally consistent health and safety advice so we have asked the AHPPC to develop guidelines about how staff in schools can protect themselves, manage social distance requirements and cater for those students who are at school. This will include guidelines for staff who work with vulnerable children, particularly those who have additional needs.
For education staff who identify as high risk, vulnerable or are caring for vulnerable family members, you will be supported to work from home.
We will continue to meet with education stakeholders and unions so that we can understand the education challenges for our communities and work constructively towards solutions. That will include the National Cabinet’s consideration of the measures needed for early childhood settings and TAFE.
Partnering with private hospitals
National Cabinet agreed to the importance of a strong and viable private hospital sector to bolster Australia’s response to COVID-19.
State and territory governments committed to urgently finalise arrangements with private hospitals under the COVID-19 National Partnership Agreement by 29 March 2020, to ensure sufficient and viable capacity exists within the private hospital sector both through the COVID-19 response and on an ongoing basis.
The private hospital system can play an important role in supporting the acute and intensive care needs of infected Australians together with other continuing urgent care needs. The capacity of the private system for non COVID cases and for overflow, particularly from ICU facilities, may be critical to Australia’s response.

Australian Greens Senator and Education spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi has called on the federal government to protect the jobs of educators and child care workers. Child care is an essential public service and as enrolments fall and children are kept home, the government must intervene to ensure early learning and child care services survive COVID-19.
The government must:

• Guarantee wages for early learning staff for the duration of the pandemic, whether they are required at work or not;
• Give centres the resources they need for additional health and safety measures for children and staff;
• Ensure essential workers, such as health care workers, and others who need it, have access to care for their children, while working with the sector to ensure work from home options for carers and educators are available;
• Scrap the Child Care Subsidy Activity Test.

Senator Faruqi said:
“The last few weeks have been extremely destabilising for early childhood education and care in Australia. Child care and early learning services have been rattled by this public health crisis.
“As many families pull children out of care, the Government must intervene with funding and resources to ensure these essential education and care services survive this crisis.
“As funders of the sector, the federal government now must urgently intervene to save early childhood education from a complete disaster.
“The government must guarantee wages for child care and early learning staff for the duration of the pandemic.
“It’s also absolutely critical that workers’ health and safety is protected. Centres must have the resources they need for additional safety measures for workers and children alike. Both the government and employers must take responsibility for this.
“When this pandemic is over and families go back to work, we will need a ready-to-go workforce of carers and early childhood educators. Without guaranteeing the wages of those already in the sector, we cannot assume this will happen.
“I call on Minister Tehan and the government to work with early childhood educators to ensure the long-term viability of our education and care system.”

The Australian Greens condemn in the strongest terms the Chinese Government’s decision to formally indict Australian citizen Dr Yang Hengjun on espionage charges.
Leader of the Greens and foreign policy spokesperson Adam Bandt said the Australian Government had an important role to play in securing his freedom, and with charges now laid, the window of opportunity to get him free may be closing.
“The first duty of any government should be to keep its people safe, and while the government may be distracted, Dr Yang doesn’t have any time to spare,” Mr Bandt said.
“For more than a year, Dr Yang has been subject to appalling treatment by the Chinese authorities.  He has had no access to legal representation, he has been refused letters from family and friends, and has been denied the opportunity to meet with Australian officials.
“There have been periods where he’s been forced to sit on a stool for 17 hours straight – and now, Dr Yang could face the death penalty. We don’t even know what he is supposed to have done wrong.
“The fact that the Chinese Government has chosen to charge Dr Yang now, amidst a global pandemic, is a disgrace.  He must be released immediately and allowed to leave China with his wife.
“Calling for democratic reform in China should not be a crime. I welcome the strong statement from Foreign Minister Payne, and urge the Prime Minister to speak directly with his Chinese counterpart to call for Dr Yang’s freedom.”

The Australian Greens have joined calls for a full New Zealand-style mandatory stay at home lockdown to respond to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, backing health experts calling for a ‘go hard, go fast’ response to enforce social distancing.
Greens leader Adam Bandt and health spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale have called on the Prime Minister and National Cabinet to adopt a lock down in line with New Zealand’s Stage 4 measures. This would require everyone, except those providing essential services, to stay home, and only make physical contact with those they live with.
“The government’s number one job is to save lives. This crisis is growing daily and the current social distancing measures are confusing and inconsistent. The Prime Minister needs to follow Jacinda Ardern’s lead and adopt a full lockdown.” Mr Bandt said.
“I am worried that the Prime Minister’s desire to keep business as usual going will place more lives at risk.
“While there may be a higher short term economic impact, taking strong measures earlier may limit the economic impact in the longer term.
“A lockdown must also be accompanied by adequate support for workers and the vulnerable, including a UK-style 80% wage subsidy, rent and mortgage holidays and a ban on evictions and foreclosures.
“The National COVID-19 Coordination Commission also needs to represent everyday people, not just big business. If it’s to be led by mining magnates, it should be balanced with the addition of someone representing the community and social services sector and the unions to speak up on behalf of people thrust into poverty.
“The lockdown must also coincide with a big boost to testing across the population and a massive effort to increase resources to hospitals and fever clinics.”
Dr Di Natale highlighted the need for stronger lock down measures in light of the rise in numbers across the country and the confused and fragmented response from governments.
“The government’s recent response to this crisis has been confusing, and the ‘national cabinet’ which was intended to provide a united national approach has clearly failed to do that” Dr Di Natale said.
“If we want to flatten the curve and give our health system a fighting chance, we must now move to this highest level of lock down, with a set of simple recommendations and Australians should expect that we could be in this position for some time to come.
“The AMA and other expert groups are now calling for stronger measures and it is time the government listened.”

Australia should look to the UK’s 80% wage subsidy as a model for getting workers through the COVID-19 crisis, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt said today, warning that the Morrison Government’s current approach was failing and that Parliament may need to be recalled to fix it.
This call comes following Scott Morrison’s refusal to back the Greens push in Parliament on Monday for a jobs and wages guarantee, and puts the Australian Greens in unison with a growing number of business and workers groups, including the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
The Greens have also written to the National Cabinet urging a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures as well as rent and mortgage holidays, after the NSW and Tasmanian Parliaments over the last 2 days passed Greens amendments to protect renters.
“Scott Morrison’s trickle-down stimulus is failing to keep people in work because he refused to make jobs and wages guarantees part of his multi-billion dollar support package,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Greens moved in Parliament on Monday for jobs and wages guarantees but it was voted down.
“It is time for Scott Morrison to admit he made a mistake and implement a UK-style jobs and wages guarantees to protect 80% of people’s income. If he needs to recall Parliament, perhaps online, then so be it.
“We can’t just accept that Australia’s workers just have to join the queue for Centrelink until this is all over. Every job that we lose now we need to rebuild in future, so it’s vital that we keep people on the books through this lockdown.”
“Scott Morrison’s offering is a weak approach that like so many other Liberal policies, heavily favours people on higher incomes, because low-paid workers are less likely to get government support. If a worker earns less than the tax free threshold of $18,000, the employer gets no financial benefit, so those workers won’t be kept on.
“Adopting the UK model would result in employers receiving five times more for the average working Australian than the government’s current policy, and they’ll get it now, not in five months’ time.
“The ACTU has rightly pointed to the UK’s model as a far superior scheme, and the Greens back them in all the way.
“We’re also deeply concerned about reports of half measures around keeping people in housing. As of this morning, we’ve heard from tens of thousands of people who fear they will be kicked onto the streets.
“We need rent and mortgage holidays and a ban on evictions right now to ensure that people can keep a roof over their heads.
“We’re in a pandemic, and this is not the time for half measures.”

Overnight I joined G20 leaders for an extraordinary Summit, hosted by His Majesty King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
The G20 has come together to tackle what will be one of the most difficult and severe crises any of us will face.
The COVID-19 virus respects no borders.
On behalf of Australia, I urged G20 leaders to do whatever it takes to fight this twin crisis: to save lives and overcome the pandemic, and to cushion the economic blow.
G20 HEALTH RESPONSE
Working together our countries can speed up research and the discovery of a vaccine and anti-viral drugs.
We will work in partnership on a vaccine.
We may be closing borders for now to stop the spread of coronavirus but we are committed to sharing ideas and collaborating on research.
Australia’s world-leading researchers are working tirelessly with international partners to strengthen testing, develop treatments and, critically, to find a vaccine.
The G20 will take all necessary health measures to contain the pandemic and protect the world’s citizens.
Crucially, we agreed to expand manufacturing capacity for medical supplies to ensure these are made widely available, at an affordable price, on an equitable basis, where they are most needed and as quickly as possible.
ECONOMIC RESPONSE
Collectively, G20 economies are injecting trillions into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy and economic measures to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic.
Australia has already announced economic measures worth nearly 10 per cent of GDP. I urged the G20 to act with resolve and urgency.
Collective G20 action will amplify our efforts.
We have also agreed to resolve disruptions to supply chains, to secure the flow of vital medical supplies.
SUPPORTING THE PACIFIC AND TIMOR-LESTE
I explained to G20 leaders that our Pacific island family must be a focus of international support.
There has never been a more important time for Australia’s Pacific Step-up as we all face these massive challenges.
Since January, Australia has provided support for laboratories and public information campaigns, medical equipment, health expertise and for the WHO’s regional preparedness plan. We are reconfiguring our development assistance to ensure critical health services can continue to function and to help our Pacific neighbours and Timor-Leste to manage the immediate economic impacts of the pandemic.
As we fight this virus on our shores, in our region or around the world, the G20 has committed to working together to stop the spread and to save lives.

Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on Minister Ruston to urgently extend the COVID-19 supplement payment, announced as part of the government’s second round of stimulus, to disabled people receiving the disability support pension and to carers who receive the carer support payment.
“Minister Ruston has been given extraordinary powers up until the end of this year which enable her to introduce measures to ensure that Australians who receive income support can get through this crisis.
“The poverty rate amongst disabled people is extremely high compared to the rate amongst the rest of the population and we face significant barriers to entering the workforce. Now we are also dealing with extra costs for transport and medical supplies, as well as personal protective equipment to keep us safe.
“That’s why I’m imploring Minister Ruston to use those powers immediately to extend the coronavirus supplement to Australians who receive the disability support pension and the carer support payment.
“On Monday we saw government acknowledge they had left students on Youth Allowance, AuStudy and ABStudy out of their stimulus package and rectify it immediately. They need to do the same with the DSP and the carers support payment.
“Australia’s peak disability organisations have called on the Minister to urgently reconsider this decision because many services disabled people rely on are being closed or withdrawn, adding to the expenses people are already facing.
“It is unacceptable that disabled people have been excluded from this stimulus package and the Greens are calling on Minister Ruston to act urgently to ensure that people in our community who are at risk can access the COVID-19 supplement to help them get through this crisis.”

A Senate Committee Inquiry examining access to medicinal cannabis in Australia has made a series of landmark recommendations to significantly improve the lives of Australian patients.
The Committee heard from patients up and down the country who are unable to access the medicinal cannabis treatments they need due to regulatory barriers and enormous cost.
The Community Affairs References Committee inquiry, instigated by Dr Richard Di Natale, Greens health spokesperson, heard of the many failings of the current arrangements for accessing legal medicinal cannabis products in this country.
“From a lack of doctor education to confusion and overlap between the states and the commonwealth, patients are losing out,” Dr Di Natale said.
“This unanimous report has recommended a range of changes to the current system to give patients access to these treatments and to give Australia’s burgeoning medicinal cannabis industry a fighting chance.
“Crucially, the Committee has recommended that if the current arrangements are not improved sufficiently enough in 12 months, the government should consider establishing an Independent Regulator of medicinal cannabis.
“The Committee has taken a good look at the system, and we know it’s not working. There are a range of changes the government needs to make now, and if they don’t fix this mess, the system needs to be overhauled and an Independent Regulator put in place.
“Cost is a hugely prohibitive factor for many patients. It’s completely unacceptable that people can be out of pocket thousands of dollars for trying to access legal medicinal cannabis products through a regulated system when the black market is far cheaper.
“People should never have to consider breaking the law to access the medical treatments they need, especially when the government claims they support patient access through the appropriate channels.
“That’s why the government must urgently subsidise the cost of medicinal cannabis through a compassionate subsidy scheme for medicinal cannabis until these products are made available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule.
“Doctor education is also of critical importance. The Committee has recommended the inclusion of training for both medical students during their studies and for practising doctors who are seeking more information now.”
Senator Di Natale introduced a Private Senators Bill for an Independent Regulator in 2014, before the government set up their system through the TGA.
The full report and recommendations can be found here.

Tonight’s crisis National Cabinet meeting should be focused on housing relief to protect renters and tenants, the Australian Greens said today, with the Greens Leader and Housing Spokesperson today writing to heads of Governments to urge compassion through this crisis.
The letter comes following the unprecedented decision of NSW Parliament last night to pass a Greens amendment that enables the Government to ban rental evictions, empower tenants and limit the powers of landlords through the COVID-19 pandemic via regulation alone.
Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt and Greens housing spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi’s letter notes the growing joblessness throughout the country, warning that without serious action to keep people in housing, the health and economic crises may soon include a homelessness epidemic.
Key requests:

• Ban on evictions and foreclosures
• Rent holidays, or at least a nationwide rent freeze with no increase in rent for the duration of the health crisis
• Mortgage holidays provided for vulnerable homeowners
• Increasing rent assistance payments and expanding access to rent assistance if necessary
• Directing police and court officers not to carry out or allow any evictions
• Requiring public and community housing providers to immediately cease eviction proceedings against their tenants – unless they relate to perpetrators of violence
• Ensuring that housing departments and councils are working with shared accommodation providers, including boarding and rooming house operators, so that residents are not evicted into more severe homelessness and that their accommodation is healthy
• Urgently funding crisis housing.

Adam Bandt MP said:
“No-one should be evicted during a pandemic.
“We need an immediate ban on evictions and foreclosures, with rent and mortgage holidays for people who need relief and extra support for homelessness services.
“This pandemic will get worse if people face losing their homes because they can’t afford their rent or mortgage.
“You can’t stay home to ‘socially distance’ without a house. You can’t limit your shopping without a fridge. You can’t rest and recover without a bed.
“In just the past two days, we’ve heard from literally thousands of people concerned about their ability to pay rent. These are people who had a stable income until just days ago and now face being left with nothing.
“The passing of last night’s amendment in NSW is just the start. We need to roll out eviction bans and mortgage holidays across the country.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi said:
“We are on the brink of a serious housing crisis. Without swift government action, we could see many more people homeless or put under massive housing stress in the coming weeks.
“As jobs evaporate, so does the ability to pay rent or pay off a mortgage. Governments must intervene urgently to scrap evictions and foreclosures, increase crisis housing funding, freeze rents, and look after our communities in this public health crisis.
“We are all hearing terrifying stories about people on the brink of losing a roof over their head because they can’t pay rent anymore.  Governments must show leadership and take action now or risk a housing catastrophe unlike anything we’ve seen before.
“Housing is a basic and fundamental human right. It’s about time it was treated that way. There is no time to waste.”

The Federal Government must provide income support for temporary visa holders impacted by the coronavirus shutdown, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.
“There are about 1.5 million people in Australia on temporary visas, and the Government has an urgent responsibility to provide income support for those who need it,” Senator McKim said.
“Many of them have no income and no capacity to leave the country due to restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic, and face losing their homes and jobs.”
“Failure to provide income support would not only be inhumane and unfair, but would compromise their capacity to self isolate and comply with the government’s requirements for physical distancing.”
“You can’t self isolate if you are living on the street, and failure to urgently respond could cause a public health nightmare.”
“People who urgently need income support include people seeking asylum, people who hold temporary work or skilled visas, international students, people who hold working holiday visas and New Zealand citizens on non-protected Special Category Visas, who do not all have access to income support and in many cases cannot leave the country.”
“Legislation passed yesterday gives the government the levers it needs to respond. It is now just a matter of political will.”
“Many people will also need an extension to their temporary visas so they are not caught in legal limbo.”