Skilled workforce for aged care will be strengthened with the Morrison Government extending the ability for student visa holders to work longer hours across the sector in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The temporary extension of the removal of working hour restrictions applies to all student visa holders working in the aged care sector, regardless of when they commenced that work.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Government understands the increase in staffing pressures across aged care.
“While the vaccination program means we are seeing fewer hospitalisations and deaths, our workforce continues to be placed under pressure because of COVID-19,” Minister Hunt said.
“Many aged care workers, nurses and other staff have been working at a higher intensity during the pandemic. All Australians are thankful for their efforts, and the Australian Government is working to ease that pressure.
“The Government is ensuring student visa holders working in aged care can take on additional hours, and this provides an important extra workforce.”
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said it was an important mechanism that offered reassurance to providers.
“We understand the uncertainty providers have been facing during this challenging time,” Minister Colbeck said.
“This extension will help reinforce staff rosters, ensuring providers will have continued access to skilled and compassionate workers and ultimately ensure the health and wellbeing of our loved ones in care is a priority.”
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs, Alex Hawke, said the extension of the temporary relaxation of working hour restrictions will provide certainty for workers.
“This will continue the arrangement where student visa holders have been able to perform more than 40 hours of work a fortnight in aged care without impacting their visa status, which was introduced in response to the pandemic,” Minister Hawke said.
“We want student visa holders to have the flexibility to take on extra work with aged care providers, which will increase the capacity of their employers and colleagues to respond to the pandemic.
“Previously, student visa holders who had started with their employer after 8 September 2020 were excluded from this arrangement, however that condition has now been removed.”
All aged care approved providers or Commonwealth funded aged care service providers that have been issued with a RACS ID or a NAPS ID have been given access to the temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders.
Student visa holders already enrolled in nursing can undertake work at the request of health officials to help and support the health effort against COVID-19. No enforcement actions will be taken against student nurses working in these circumstances.
$8m to prevent suicides among high risk groups
Older people, the LGBTIQ community and people living in regional NSW are among the at-risk groups who will now have improved access to mental health support thanks to the NSW Government’s Suicide Prevention Fund.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said that $8 million in funding has been allocated to six organisations committed to engaging with communities known to have higher rates of suicide.
“We know that there are some groups of individuals who are at greater risk of suicide due to issues such as past trauma, stigma or isolation,” Mrs Taylor said.
“These experiences not only destabilise their mental health and sense of connectedness, they also make it extremely hard to ask for support.
“This is all about encouraging safe conversations around suicide and suicidal behaviour so people in these priority groups know how and where to access the help that is right for them.”
The NSW Government is also in the final stages of identifying an Aboriginal-owned organisation to deliver targeted suicide prevention activities to First Australians.
The funded services and activities are:
| Organisation | Priority Group | Activity / service funded |
| ACON | LGBTQ+/ People of diverse sexualities and/or genders | Expansion of ACON’s Suicide Aftercare Service to provide a statewide service for people of diverse sexualities and/or gender who have attempted suicide. ACON will also deliver a Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Online Hub for this community, their families, friends and other support networks, including health professionals. |
| Anglican Community Services | Older people | Delivery of online suicide prevention training for people who work with older people across NSW (including those in aged care, allied health and mental health). |
| HealthWISE – New England North West Health | People who have previously attempted suicide | A suicide aftercare service in the New England North West region of NSW. The service covers Mehi, Tablelands and Peel clusters of the New England North West region and provides outreach services in smaller towns. |
| Grand Pacific Health | People who are experiencing suicidal crisis and require immediate support, and people who have previously attempted suicide | A suicide aftercare service in Illawarra Shoalhaven and Southern NSW. The primary focus will be supporting people over the age of 16 years who have attempted suicide, are at significant risk of suicide or in suicidal crisis. The locations of hubs in Illawarra Shoalhaven are Wollongong and Nowra. The locations of hubs in Southern NSW are Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Bega and Moruya. All hubs can provide outreach services to surrounding regions. |
| Suicide Prevention Australia | Men | An evidence-informed public health campaign to break down the stigma of help-seeking among men, as well as promote safe conversations around suicide and suicidal behavior, and improve access to existing suicide prevention services. |
| Wellways Australia | Young people | Delivery of local and state-wide social media campaigns to build awareness of support pathways available to young people in times of increased stress, suicide risk or isolation. This will include a range of culturally diverse video campaigns. |
The $8 million investment is in addition to the $87 million Towards Zero Suicides investment. Towards Zero Suicides is a NSW Premier’s Priority.
If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling 000 (Triple Zero).
For anyone who is struggling, you can call the below helplines for support and advice:
Lifeline 13 11 14 | Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 | NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511.
Let's do this campaign launched to encourage NSW to get vaccinated
The NSW Government has launched the next phase of its statewide COVID-19 advertising campaign aimed at encouraging people across NSW to get vaccinated.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the ‘Let’s Do This’ campaign is designed to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations so we can all get back to doing the things we love.
“NSW has done it tough over the last 18 months but we can’t lose sight of what we’re all aiming for, which is to open the state back up again,” Mr Dominello said.
“This ad hopes to capture what we’re working towards and the importance vaccinations play in that recovery.”
The campaign will include metropolitan and regional television and newspapers, as well as radio, digital, social media and out of home advertising across NSW from Sunday 29 August with material translated into 19 languages and adapted for Aboriginal media channels.
“NSW recently passed six and a half million vaccinations and it’s vital we keep this momentum going,” Mr Dominello said.
“Vaccinations don’t just protect ourselves, our family, our friends and our community – they will get us back doing the things we love to do.
“Anyone that is yet to make a booking for their first vaccination can get online and book an appointment.”
COVID-19 vaccines are free for everyone in Australia regardless of Medicare or visa status and are available to book at more than 2,000 locations in NSW including GPs, pharmacies, and NSW Health vaccination clinics.
To make a COVID-19 vaccination booking go to www.nsw.gov.au
Supplier Hub Invoicing Portal goes live
Small and medium businesses working with the NSW Government can now track their invoices more easily and get paid faster, thanks to the launch of the Supplier Hub Invoicing Portal.
The invoicing portal, launched on Buy.NSW’s Supplier Hub, gives more than 20,000 suppliers a centralised source for all invoicing information; allowing them to submit invoices to e-Invoicing enabled agencies and check the status of submitted invoices.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the portal is an important step leading up to next year’s e-Invoicing mandate.
“We are putting the customer at the centre of the process. The Hub will save suppliers time and money by reducing payment times, paperwork, and manual errors,” Mr Dominello said.
“This is a one-stop shop for suppliers to register to sell to NSW Government, update their information, view opportunities and share procurement-related information.
“We want to reduce the amount of time businesses have to deal with government, so they can instead focus on running their operations.”
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the new portal would reduce red tape and make the invoicing process easier.
“Cash flow is one of the most important issues for businesses and often it can take time to receive payment,” Mr Tudehope said.
“This portal will facilitate faster and on time payments to businesses to cut down on unnecessary stress for those who just want to get on with the job.”
The e-Invoicing service has been enabled across the 42 agencies that are part of the Customer Service, Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and Stronger Communities & Justice clusters.
Businesses with a Supplier Hub account, and which do not use any accounting software, can use the Portal to quickly send their invoices to agencies that are enabled for e-Invoicing.
All State Government agencies will be expected to receive e-Invoices by 1 January 2022.
Based on the 4.2 million invoices across NSW Government in 2019, a shared saving between the suppliers and NSW Government is estimated to be $71 million.
Missing Eastern Suburbs cycling link on the way
Cyclists will soon be able to ride safely from Sydney’s east to the CBD, with work now underway on new pathways through Queens Park.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the new bike and pedestrian paths along Darley Road will form a critical link in the active transport network.
“This project will be welcome news to the many people who visit Centennial Parklands or cycle from the east to the CBD as their journey will no longer be along a goat track on the edge of the park,” Mr Stokes said.
“We’re replacing it with wider pathways for cyclists and pedestrians, providing safe bike access through the Parklands as well as providing an alternative to driving a car.”
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the works were the result of collaboration between Transport for NSW, Greater Sydney Parklands, and Randwick and Waverley councils.
“This is a fantastic active transport link that will make the journey between the eastern suburbs and the CBD much safer, and will also attract new cyclists,” Mr Constance said.
“It will run along Darley Road, connecting York Road to Carrington Road, and will be complete early next year.”
Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton said there had been strong demand from local residents, park users and cycle advocacy groups for the project to go ahead.
“This is great news, particularly for kids and parents who use Queens Park for weekend sport. Now they will be able to cycle to sport instead of getting caught in traffic jams,” Ms Upton said.
Project details can be found on the Centennial Parklands website.
More Jobs More Care for people with disability
People with disability will benefit from a more robust care sector as part of a NSW Government initiative which aims to accelerate worker recruitment and enhance on-the-job training and support.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Alister Henskens said up to 2,500 new workers will be upskilled through the first phase of More Jobs More Care.
“The success of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has driven immense growth in the disability care sector across our state, resulting in enormous demand for workers,” Mr Henskens said.
“More Jobs More Care will future-proof the sector, by fast-tracking recruitment of new workers and equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to have a long and successful career.”
The first phase of the $17 million program will focus on regional areas and will support service providers to ramp up recruitment, training and on-the-job support.
Apprenticeship Careers Australia has been contracted to deliver the first phase of the program, which also includes a focus on providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the program will deliver fee-free courses through registered training organisations and provide mentoring and practical supports for new workers.
“A skilled workforce will pave the way for a prosperous disability care sector,” Mr Lee said.
“More Jobs More Care will break down barriers to entering the workforce, by waving expenses like the cost of an NDIS Working Screening Check, and offer service providers practical support to help onboard and train new workers.”
The NDIS is delivering unprecedented social and economic benefits for NSW, with more than 146,000 people eligible for supports through the NDIS, including over 80,000 who are receiving support for the first time.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Alister Henskens said up to 2,500 new workers will be upskilled through the first phase of More Jobs More Care.
“The success of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has driven immense growth in the disability care sector across our state, resulting in enormous demand for workers,” Mr Henskens said.
“More Jobs More Care will future-proof the sector, by fast-tracking recruitment of new workers and equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to have a long and successful career.”
The first phase of the $17 million program will focus on regional areas and will support service providers to ramp up recruitment, training and on-the-job support.
Apprenticeship Careers Australia has been contracted to deliver the first phase of the program, which also includes a focus on providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the program will deliver fee-free courses through registered training organisations and provide mentoring and practical supports for new workers.
“A skilled workforce will pave the way for a prosperous disability care sector,” Mr Lee said.
“More Jobs More Care will break down barriers to entering the workforce, by waving expenses like the cost of an NDIS Working Screening Check, and offer service providers practical support to help onboard and train new workers.”
The NDIS is delivering unprecedented social and economic benefits for NSW, with more than 146,000 people eligible for supports through the NDIS, including over 80,000 who are receiving support for the first time.
Driver dies after being shot – Port Stephens
A homicide investigation is underway after a man was fatally shot at Port Stephens today.
Emergency services were called to Hideaway Drive, Salt Ash, just before 1.45pm (Sunday 29 August 2021), after reports a vehicle had hit a tree.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended along with NSW Ambulance paramedics.
The male driver of the Ford Ranger utility was found suffering a gunshot wound. He could not be revived and died at the scene. The man is yet to be formally identified.
A crime scene has been established at Salt Ash and Masonite Road, Heatherbrae, after a second vehicle was located burnt out. Both will be examined by specialist forensic officers.
Detectives – assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad – have established Strike Force Breve to investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s death, which is being treated as suspicious.
Support for Shepparton’s senior residents in lockdown
The Morrison Government is acting to ensure older and isolated residents of Greater Shepparton have access to support services as the impact from the latest COVID-19 outbreak continues.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck and Member for Nicholls, Damian Drum, have acknowledged the situation facing Shepparton residents, particularly for seniors who may be isolated and unable to get their essentials easily or safely.
Staff are on standby on the Government’s My Aged Care hotline (1800 200 422) for any locals aged 65 or over and Indigenous residents over 50 who are worried about shopping for groceries or having trouble preparing meals.
“I urge anyone in that situation to call the My Aged Care team, who will arrange support by a local Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provider,” Minister Colbeck said.
The My Aged Care hotline is available on Saturday from 10am to 2pm, and weekdays from 8am to 8pm.
The CHSP is an entry-level home support program. It helps people over 65 years to live safe and independent lives in their own homes and communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over 50 years are also eligible for support under the program.
Eligible senior Australians can access CHSP services for up to six weeks in an emergency – such as a COVID-19 outbreak – without an assessment.
Importantly, if ongoing support is needed, the CHSP service provider will help people arrange a formal assessment of their care needs.
Mr Drum said in difficult times residents across Shepparton and surrounding districts pulled together.
“The people of Greater Shepparton have already showcased the strength needed to get through this challenge,” Mr Drum said.
“But it is vital we look out for one another.
“In every street and down every road there is somebody you can talk to, who is willing to offer assistance or put you in contact with somebody who can.”
Minister Colbeck said the mental toll of COVID-19 and the social isolation of lockdowns was of particular concern for older Australians.
“For the people of Shepparton, and indeed across the country, help is at hand if you’re feeling lonely, anxious or depressed,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Too often senior Australians go it alone when they need a helping hand.
“Please, put pride aside and pick up the phone if you need assistance in any way. There are services and support available.
“Importantly, if you have an elderly neighbour, friend or relative – it is more important than ever to check in with them across the fence, via phone or video call to ensure they are receiving the support they need.”
Mental health resources available to senior Australians include the Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line on 1800 171 866, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or online at headtohealth.gov.au
No Fault COVID-19 Indemnity Scheme
The Scheme will provide Australians with quick access to compensation for COVID-19 claims related to the administration of a Therapeutic Goods Administration approved COVID-19 vaccine delivered through a Commonwealth Government approved program.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme offers protection to Australians receiving a TGA approved COVID-19 vaccine, irrespective of where that vaccination occurs.
“Side effects, or adverse events, from COVID-19 vaccinations can occur, but most are mild and last no longer than a couple of days. Serious and life-threatening side effects are very rare, but it is important that we provide a safety net to support those affected,” Minister Hunt said.
“It also ensure that health professionals administering vaccines will be able to continue with their crucial role in the vaccine roll out with assurance that the claims scheme will offer them protection.”
The Scheme will be administered by Services Australia and will provide Australians with a single front door to a simple and quick administrative process for compensation. The TGA will provide guidance on recognised adverse reactions as part of their established surveillance program.
From 6 September Australians who suffer injury and loss of income due to their COVID-19 vaccine will be able to register their intent to claim from the COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme webpage.
The Scheme will cover the costs of injuries above $5,000 due to a proven adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination. Claims will be assessed by independent experts, and compensation paid based on the recommendations.
The cost of compensation payments under this Scheme will be fully funded by the Commonwealth and is designed to help the small number of people who unfortunately experience a moderate to significant adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Scheme will be backdated to February 2021 and provide Australians with an alternative, administrative option to seek compensation, rather than a complex and costly court process.
Australians who receive a COVID-19 vaccination and have an adverse event are encouraged to report it to their doctor who can provide the information to the TGA to ensure such events are included in its reporting.
Breakthrough PBS listings to benefit thousands of Australians
From 1 September 2021, thousands of Australians living with schizophrenia, liver disease, lymphoma and anaphylaxis will have access to new treatments through new and amended listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
For the first time, Australians with schizophrenia will have access to the antipsychotic Reagila® (cariprazine).
Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition with a wide range of symptoms and affects about 1 in 100 people.
The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, and symptoms usually begin in late adolescence or early adulthood. Generally a long‑term illness, schizophrenia cause serious disability if left untreated.
It is expect that over 39,500 Australians will benefit from this new treatment option. Without PBS subsidy, Australians might pay more than $1,200 per year for treatment.
In another first, Ocaliva® (obeticholic acid) is being listed from 1 September for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a chronic disease which causes inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts within the liver.
Women are 10 times more likely to develop PBC than men and while there is currently no cure, treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and ease symptoms.
If left untreated and as liver damage worsens, primary biliary cholangitis can cause serious health problems, including liver cancer, liver scarring, high cholesterol and decreased mental function amongst other conditions.
Without PBS subsidy, around 890 Australians per year might pay more than $60,500 per course of treatment.
Anapen®, an alternative brand of adrenaline auto-injector, will also be listed on the PBS for the first time for Australians with anaphylaxis, the most severe form of allergic reaction.
When injected, adrenaline works rapidly to reduce throat swelling, open up the airways and maintain heart function and blood pressure.
In addition, Australians will also have access to a new strength of this medicine in the auto-injector form. Over 126,000 people would otherwise pay approximately $80 for this treatment without PBS subsidy
Australians living with previously untreated CD30 positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) will also benefit from the extension of Adcetris® (brentuximab vedotin) on the PBS.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s germ-fighting network. PTCL is an aggressive cancer and affects both adults and children, however it is more common in those aged 60 years and over.
Around 65 Australians per year will benefit from this listing, which without PBS subsidy might pay more than $85,000 per course of treatment.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said since 2013, the Coalition Government had approved more than 2,700 new or amended listings on the PBS.
“This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month – or one each day – at an overall investment by the Government of $13.6 billion,” Minister Hunt said.
“Without PBS subsidies many Australians would be thousands of dollars out of pocket, instead they’ll only pay $41.30 per script or $6.60 with a concession card for these medicines.
“The Morrison Government’s commitment to ensuring Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.”
These PBS listings have been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.