Category: Australian News

The Victorian Greens say that no one would have to pay more on their bills and we wouldn’t have to risk blowing our emissions targets in a climate crisis if Labor pulls it together and gets renewables online faster.

In recent years we’ve seen significant delays on getting renewable energy online and now a new report from Infrastructure Victoria has warned that these delays will prevent Victoria from hitting its emissions targets and could make energy bills more expensive until 2035 when more renewables come online.

More than a third of what Australians hand over to energy giants like AGL and Origin for electricity is pure profit for the companies and the Greens say that people shouldn’t have to pay more money to greedy energy companies for climate-destroying fossil fuels because Labor are dragging their feet on getting cheaper renewables online.

The Victorian Greens say we can’t risk more emissions that will supercharge climate change which we know creates even more expenses for people, with insurance premiums as one of the first costs to skyrocket.

Victorian Greens spokesperson for coal transition, Dr Tim Read:

“Renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy and if we got them online faster everyone would actually be paying far less on their bills sooner.

“Labor must prioritise getting Victoria off dirty coal and expensive gas and properly support and invest in fast-tracking our clean energy transition.

“We know that climate change is going to cost people. Insurance premiums are already going through the roof. We can’t risk blowing our emissions targets that we know will supercharge climate change and create even more everyday expenses for people.”

The Victorian Greens have second read their Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill today to urge the Labor Government to consider further reforms that could be made to improve access to VAD in Victoria.

It follows the Labor Government’s recent announcement that they will amend Victoria’s legislation, including removing the gag clause that prevents doctors from discussing VAD with their patients.

The Victorian Greens have strongly welcomed the announcement but say that these changes will only just bring Victoria into line with other states and still behind some jurisdictions and there is more that can be done to make our laws more compassionate, by removing barriers and improve access.

As the first legislation of its kind in Australia, Victoria’s VAD laws took a very cautious approach and what were initially intended to be safeguards are now barriers preventing people who should be able to access VAD from being able to access it.

The Victorian Greens first introduced their VAD Bill to Parliament last year and have extensively consulted with stakeholders, now following the government’s announcement they’re calling for a full scope of reforms to be considered to improve access.

One key difference in the Greens’ Bill is expansion of the type of practitioners allowed to provide VAD assessments and support by enabling more GPs and nurse practitioners to provide these services. The Greens say that strict requirements to see certain types of specialists is creating barriers, especially for regional Victorians.

The Victorian Greens health spokesperson who is from regional Victoria and a GP herself, Dr Sarah Mansfield, said that the opportunity to update these laws doesn’t come around often and that we want the best possible laws to be passed swiftly.

Victorian Greens health spokesperson, Dr Sarah Mansfield:

“We’ve been really heartened to see the Labor Government’s commitment to update these laws, but the changes they are proposing only go so far, and we could be doing more to make our laws more compassionate and remove barriers to accessing voluntary assisted dying in Victoria.

“The opportunity to amend these laws doesn’t come up often, and we don’t want to just see this as yet another thing on Labor’s to do list. We are ready to work with the government now to make much needed changes to our VAD laws so that people who want to access choice and dignity at the end of their lives can do so.”

Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) in Western Australia is at crisis levels and getting worse. Every day, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape violence, yet frontline services remain critically underfunded and unable to meet demand. 

An estimated 30% of women in WA have experienced physical, sexual, or economic abuse by a partner. In 2022-23, WA Police attended nearly 60,000 call-outs related to family and domestic violence—an increase of approximately 6,000 from the previous year.

The Greens WA are committed to a full reform of the family, domestic, and sexual violence response systems in WA and to fully funding the services required to keep women and children safe. 

WA Labor has recently committed to large-scale reform of the FDV response system, which is a welcome step, but greater resourcing and more tangible commitments are needed to ensure this reform is a top priority in the next term of government.

The Greens will work with Labor to ensure that the reform is implemented, along with monitoring and compliance, and make sure that life-saving services get the full funding and support they require.

While FDV is beginning to receive the urgent attention it desperately needs, sexual violence remains overlooked, with both major parties missing in action.

Every month, 600 sexual offences are recorded by police, yet research shows that 91% of victims never report. In spite of this epidemic, WA employs only 12 full-time sexual assault service workers statewide, and access to forensic and medical examinations is location-dependent. 

Many areas of WA have no access to sexual assault services at all. Women and children across this state are being left without the support they need to report sexual violence or receive care.

The Greens WA will make freedom from fear for women and children a priority in the next government. 

The Greens WA will:

• Fully reform the Family and Domestic Violence system as a priority, ensure ongoing monitoring and compliance measures.
• Take a collaborative approach where health, education, justice and police work constructively together to make perpetrators visible, share information and take action to protect victim survivors.
• Fully fund the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.
• Fully fund the development of a specialist workforce, as well as crisis services, transitional and long-term housing for victim survivors, and evidence-based perpetrator interventions. This includes through Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs) services that are culturally safe and led by First Nations women.
• Reform sexual assault response and services across WA, including law reform, multi-agency collaboration and full funding of services to prevent and respond to sexual assaults across the state including in remote areas.
• Invest $432m over 4 years in family and domestic violence and sexual violence specialist workforces, crisis and frontline services and preventative programs. 

WA Greens Legislative Council candidate, Jess Beckerling:

“The sheer scale of family, domestic, and sexual violence in WA is horrifying, yet governments continue to underfund the very services that are meant to keep women and children safe.”

“We need urgent and comprehensive reform of WA’s response to these crises, including stronger action to hold perpetrators accountable and full funding for frontline services, crisis accommodation, and long-term housing for victim survivors. The Greens will fight to ensure women and children across WA don’t have to live in fear.”

WA Greens candidate for Churchlands, Caroline McLean:

“It is completely unacceptable that WA has just 12 full-time sexual assault service workers for the entire state, leaving thousands of victim-survivors without access to critical support.”

“We cannot continue to ignore the epidemic of sexual violence in WA. The Greens will push for major reforms, including full funding for specialist services, increased workforce capacity, and justice system reforms that ensure victim-survivors are supported, not silenced.”

The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments have reached an Agreement to fully and fairly fund New South Wales public schools.

As part of the Heads of Agreements signed today, the Commonwealth will provide an additional 5 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) to New South Wales.

This will lift the Commonwealth contribution from 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the SRS by 2034 and follows New South Wales delivering its election commitment to reach 75 per cent of the SRS in 2025, two years ahead of the former Liberal National Government.

This will see an estimated $4.8 billion in additional Commonwealth funding to New South Wales public schools over the next 10 years.

This represents the biggest ever new investment in New South Wales public schools by the Australian Government.

New South Wales has also committed to removing the 4 per cent provision of indirect school costs such as capital depreciation so that New South Wales schools will be fully funded over the life of the Agreement.

Commonwealth funding will be tied to the reforms needed to lift education standards across the country, including more individualised support for students, continuing evidence-based teaching practices, and more mental health and wellbeing support for schools.

This is not a blank cheque. The Agreement will be accompanied by a New South Wales Bilateral Agreement, which ties funding to reforms that will help students catch up, keep up and finish school, such as: 

• Year 1 phonics and early years of schooling numeracy checks to identify students who need additional help;
• evidence-based teaching and targeted and intensive supports such as small-group or catch-up tutoring to help students who fall behind;
• initiatives that support wellbeing for learning – including greater access to mental health professionals;
• access to high-quality and evidence-based professional learning, and
• initiatives that improve the attraction and retention of teachers.

In addition to these reforms, the Agreements have national targets that complement the New South Wales Government’s own public school targets released last week.

National targets include:

• Improving NAPLAN proficiency levels for reading and numeracy across all year levels;
• Increasing the outcomes for priority equity cohorts in NAPLAN results;
• Increasing the Student Attendance Rate;
• Increasing the engagement rate (completed or still enrolled) of initial teacher education students; and
• Increasing the proportion of students leaving school with a Year 12 certificate.

This means more help for students and more support for teachers.

Today’s agreement with New South Wales follows agreements with Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Victoria.

The Commonwealth is continuing to work with Queensland.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Building Australia’s Future means investing in the next generation.

“That’s why every dollar of this funding will go into helping children learn.

“We know that education opens the doors of opportunity, and we want to widen them for every child in Australia.

“This is about investing in real reform with real funding – so all Australian children get the best possible education.”

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns

“Public education is the best investment any government can make. Every dollar spent in this space is a dollar spent on the future of our country.

“Every single child in Australia has the right to a quality, free public education and we are proud to work with the Albanese Labor Government to ensure New South Wales schools are fully funded.

“We’ve seen a 40% reduction in teacher vacancies since we came to government, but we know there’s still more to do.

“This investment is vital as we work to lift education standards across the state by ensuring there is a qualified, dedicated teacher at the front of the classroom.”

Minister for Education, Jason Clare

“This is big. The biggest state in the country has now signed up.

“This will help more than 780,000 kids in more than 2,200 public schools.

“This is real funding tied to real reforms to help students catch up, keep up and finish school.

“It’s not a blank cheque. I want this money to get results.

“That’s why funding will be directly tied to reforms that we know work.

“It will help make sure every child gets a great start in life. What every parent wants. And what every Australian child deserves.”

New South Wales Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car

“This incredible outcome for public schools will allow us to deliver on the ambitious targets we have set for the public education system in New South Wales.

“Our commitment to rebuilding public education will now be underpinned by an agreement that delivers full funding for public schools.

“The Minns Labor Government inherited a teacher shortage crisis and falling outcomes after a decade of under funding by Federal and State Liberal and National Governments that saw 10,000 merged and cancelled classes daily and over 3000 teacher vacancies.

“With teacher vacancies now down 40 per cent and the number of cancelled classes halved, we are delivering tangible results.  

“This investment will enable us to restore public education in New South Wales to the world-leading standards that families deserve.”

I am pleased to announce the recipients of the ASEAN-Australia Centre’s 2024-25 grants program and the 38 schools selected for the BRIDGE school partnership program.

The Centre’s initiatives support the implementation of Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, through practical action that increases Australia’s business, cultural and community connections with the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste.

The Centre is funding grants across three priority areas – creative industry exchanges, business and education initiatives and practical research to strengthen shared understanding and connection between Australia and Southeast Asia.

Successful grant recipients will be listed on GrantConnect, and include:

• support for young women entrepreneurs from Australia and ASEAN countries to scale-up their start-ups through business and investment connections
• a visiting fellowship for ASEAN business and community leaders to share trends and opportunities with Australian businesses and communities
• exchanges for Southeast Asian and Australian music industry professionals to enhance two-way trade
• a football diplomacy program for women’s football administrators and players to strengthen cultural, professional and sporting connections in the lead up to Australia hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026; and
• an initiative to enhance the supply of premium Australian horticultural produce to Southeast Asia and introduce the region’s next generation of chefs to the sustainability, traceability and quality of Australian produce.

I also congratulate the 38 exceptional primary and secondary schools from Australia and Southeast Asia selected for the ASEAN-Australia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program – providing structured learning opportunities and building cross-cultural connections between educators and more than 300 students.

These schools join a prestigious network of more than 1,200 schools that have participated in BRIDGE across the Indo-Pacific region since 2008.

I look forward to seeing the enduring friendships that will emerge from the expanded program.

Greens Treasury spokesperson Senator Nick McKim has accepted Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ challenge for a debate on the economy.

“Mr Chalmers has challenged shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor to a debate, which would be an absolute snorefest as they are in lockstep on the big issues,” Senator McKim said.

“Mr Taylor has gone quiet so the  Treasurer now has a chance to  debate someone who will actually disagree with him.”

“He should debate the Greens so some of the big challenges and opportunities in our economy get the exposure they deserve.”

“The Treasurer has had three years and is still failing to make billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax.”

“If he were prepared to take these obvious steps to increase revenue he could fund genuine legacy-defining reforms like putting dental and mental health into medicare.”

“He’s had three years and is still giving wealthy property speculators massive tax handouts so they can outbid renters trying to buy their first home.”

“He’s had three years and has failed to introduce economy-wide divestiture powers to increase competition and bring prices down.”

“Neoliberalism needs to be challenged, which won’t happen unless the Greens are involved.” 

“Mr Chalmers’ first term as Treasurer has been a litany of missed opportunities and he needs to be held to account. Mr Taylor won’t do that but the Greens certainly will.”

A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will build on its historic investment in Medicare to expand the availability of free, urgent care, with a $644 million commitment to open another 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, with more clinics in every state and territory.

• New South Wales: 14 clinics
• Victoria: 12 clinics
• Queensland: 10 clinics
• Western Australia: 6 clinics
• South Australia: 3 clinics
• Tasmania: 3 clinics
• Northern Territory: 1 clinic
• Aust. Capital Territory: 1 clinic
• Australia: 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

The Albanese Labor Government went to the last election promising to open 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, and we have delivered 87 clinics.

The new clinics will open during the 2025-26 financial year. A full list of the locations of the additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics is available below.

Once all of Labor’s clinics are open, 4 in 5 Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, according to analysis by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

All you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.

More than 1.2 million Australians have already been treated at one of Labor’s existing 87 Urgent Care Clinics, which provide bulk billed care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, seven days a week, for extended hours, with no appointment needed.

Parents and families swear by them: one third of patients are under the age of 15.

The Liberals say the Albanese Labor Government’s Urgent Care Clinics are “wasteful spending”. Peter Dutton will close every Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, forcing over a million Australians a year back into the waiting rooms of busy hospital emergency departments.

Doctors have embraced the clinics, with a survey finding 7 in 10 GPs support Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, and 8 in 10 GPs say they have a positive impact on hospital emergency departments.

Around 2 million Australians are expected to make use of an Urgent Care Clinic each year, getting the free urgent care they need, fully bulk billed, without waiting hours in a busy hospital emergency department.

This extends Labor’s election commitment to strengthening Medicare, with the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago:

• $644 million for 50 more Urgent Care Clinics, with more in every state and territory.
• $7.9 billion for more bulk billing, with 9 in 10 GP visits bulk billed by 2030.
• $617 million for more doctors and nurses, with the largest GP training program ever.
• $573 million for more choice, lower costs, and better health care for women.

The $644 million investment for 50 more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics was provisioned for in 2024-25 MYEFO.

Video – Patient case studies | Sarah Hunstead’s visit | Bhavana’s visit
Video – Health professionals explain | Inside the Rockhampton Urgent Care Clinic
Animated explainer – When should you visit | What do Urgent Care Clinics offer
Advertisement – That’s a case for a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“This announcement of 50 additional Urgent Care Clinics if we are re-elected will provide the urgent care people need – and all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.

“Labor is building Australia’s future with the largest investment in Medicare in over 40 years.

“Whether your family needs urgent or ongoing health care, under Labor, Medicare will be there for all Australians, in every community.

“Four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk billed Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, once all Labor’s clinics are open.”

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler

“Australia’s doctors voted Peter Dutton the worst Health Minister in Medicare history for a reason.

“The Liberals had nine years to open Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, and they never opened a single one. Now they call Labor’s clinics ‘wasteful spending’ and want to close every single one of them.

“Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are an Albanese Government initiative because we believe in Medicare and in free urgent care, fully bulk billed.

“You can’t trust the Liberals with Medicare: you can’t trust them to open Urgent Care Clinics and you can’t trust them to keep them open.”

Locations of the additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

The locations of the additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been determined according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) geographic areas. More information on the SA3 locations for the 50 additional Medicare Urgent Care Clinics is available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/locations-of-the-additional-50-medicare-urgent-care-clinics

• New South Wales (14 clinics)
  • Bathurst
  • Bega
  • Burwood
  • Chatswood
  • Dee Why
  • Green Valley and surrounds
  • Maitland
  • Marrickville
  • Nowra
  • Rouse Hill
  • Shellharbour
  • Terrigal
  • Tweed Valley
  • Windsor
• Victoria (12 clinics)
  • Bayside
  • Clifton Hill
  • Coburg
  • Diamond Creek and surrounds
  • Lilydale
  • Pakenham
  • Somerville
  • Stonnington
  • Sunshine
  • Torquay
  • Warrnambool
  • Warragul
• Queensland (10 clinics)
  • Brisbane
  • Buderim
  • Burpengary
  • Cairns
  • Caloundra
  • Capalaba
  • Carindale
  • Gladstone
  • Greenslopes and surrounds
  • Mackay
• Western Australia (6 clinics)
  • Bateman
  • Ellenbrook
  • Geraldton
  • Mirrabooka
  • Mundaring
  • Yanchep
• South Australia (3 clinics)
  • East Adelaide
  • Victor Harbor
  • Whyalla
• Tasmania (3 clinics)
  • Burnie
  • Kingston
  • Sorell
• Northern Territory (1 clinic)
  • Darwin
• Australian Capital Territory (1 clinic)
  • Woden Valley

The locations and providers of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will be determined through independent commissioning processes conducted by Primary Health Networks or state and territory governments.

The commissioning process typically involves a competitive open tender or expression-of-interest, to determine the most appropriate private provider to operate the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in that location.

The Albanese Labor Government will freeze the indexation on draught beer excise for two years, in a win for beer drinkers, brewers and hospitality businesses.

Indexation is applied twice a year under arrangements in place for decades. While the February indexation accounted for a small percentage of the cost of a pint, this change will help pubs and their patrons.

We will freeze indexation on draught beer for two years from the next indexation date of August 2025.

This will take pressure off the price of a beer poured in pubs, clubs and other venues, supporting businesses, regional tourism and customers across Australia.

The Government will consult with the sector on the implementation of this measure.

This announcement comes on top of new tax relief announced last week for Australia’s distillers, brewers and wine producers.

Currently brewers and distillers get a full remission of any excise paid up to $350,000 each year.

We will increase the excise remission cap to $400,000 for all eligible alcohol manufacturers and we will also increase the Wine Equalisation Tax producer rebate cap to $400,000 from July 1 2026.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“My Government is building Australia’s future and to do that we need to support our small and medium local businesses to thrive.

“Freezing the excise on draught beer is a common sense measure that is good for beer drinkers, good for brewers and good for pubs.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers:

“This is a modest change but will help take a little bit of the pressure off beer drinkers, brewers and bars.”

The Australian Government strongly disagrees with the decision of the Thai Government to transfer a cohort of 40 Uyghurs to China against their will.

Australia expects all countries to adhere to their domestic and international legal obligations, including non-refoulement obligations. We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Thai Government and have also now raised our expectations about the group’s treatment with the Chinese authorities.

The Australian Government has consistently expressed our grave concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, and the treatment of Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in China. We continue to raise these concerns at the highest levels with China.

We urge China to uphold its international human rights obligations, including to ensure due process and proper treatment are afforded to these individuals.

The Greens have called on Employment Relations Minister Murray Watt to immediately suspend the Targeted Compliance Framework (TCF) after Greens questioning during estimates revealed the Department had no confidence in the system.

Greens spokesperson on Social Services, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:

“It’s clear from their responses to my estimates questions that both the Department and the Minister have serious concerns about the TCF.

“Neither were able to provide any assurance that the mutual obligations regime is operating lawfully, which is a remarkable thing to admit given they continue to impose it on hundreds of thousands of people on income support.

“We know as many as a thousand people may have had their Centrelink payments cancelled illegally after welfare payments were incorrectly cut off due to Departmental mistakes, 10 of whom have subsequently died. 

“People on income support and their advocates are sick of Labor’s hand-waving about employment services reform. The Minister must immediately suspend the TCF so it can no longer inflict harm on people on some of the lowest incomes in the country.

“The Greens will continue fighting to eliminate for-profit providers from the employment services system, to restore the Commonwealth Employment Service, and abolish all mutual obligations.”