16 News

The Greens say that State, Territory and Federal Governments need to provide more financial support to people on income support and low incomes in lockdown if we are to succeed in fighting the delta variant.
“Last year we had the JobSeeker supplement and the JobKeeper payments which changed people’s lives and enabled them to manage some very difficult times”, Senator Rachel Siewert said.
“The Federal Government took those supports away cruelly and prematurely.
“State and Territory leaders need to start extending the $1500 isolation payment to everyone who has been diagnosed with COVID, or is a close contact. Right now, income support recipients are excluded, this is unfair.
“We need positive measures and incentives in place. Punitive measures do not boost morale, they don’t create good will in the community and they harm people on low incomes the most.
“There is too much blaming of individuals, we need Governments to step in with strong support packages, for everyone, not the very bare minimum they think they can get away with.
“If we want people to be able to stay home and keep themselves and their communities safe, then they need financial payments so that they can keep paying the bills and pay for any additional services they might need during a lockdown.”

The Morrison Government is investing $2.4 million to help parents, early childcare workers, GPs and other health professionals improve the nutrition of Australian children up to five years of age.
Our Government recognises the importance of establishing healthy eating habits in early childhood because these can continue into adulthood, reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Unfortunately, many Australian children do not eat enough nutritious foods such as vegetables, grains, legumes, proteins, and dairy products.
More than 95% of children aged up to 3 years see a GP or health professional each year.
Our Government is providing $1.2 million over three years to the University of Queensland to develop online nutrition resources called Nutritious Tools.
The online tools will include short videos, written information, quizzes and discussion boards, targeted at children of different developmental ages under 5 years.
Karitane, a leading not-for-profit health service, is being funded with $1.2 million over three years for the project Connecting the Dots for Healthy Beginnings in Early Childhood – A National Approach.
Connecting the Dots will improve early childhood nutrition literacy and provide practical knowledge for children, parents, carers, health professionals and care providers, through live nutrition education classes for parents; accredited training for GPs; and resources targeted at a range of health professionals.
This project recognises that GPs are well placed to provide nutrition information for parents of young children during consultations that already occur during early childhood, such as for immunisations.
The resources of both projects will be provided online and for free to make them accessible across Australia, including rural and remote locations.
I congratulate the recipients of the Early Childhood Nutrition Grants and look forward to seeing their projects come to fruition.

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce made a telling admission that exposed a lot about what has gone wrong with the federal government.
Asked about what plan the Morrison-Joyce government had for reducing carbon emissions, Mr Joyce said: “We don’t actually come up with the plan.”
Really? This man is the Deputy Prime Minister. Their job is to plan.
Mr Joyce’s attitude provides context for the many failures and lost opportunities of the Coalition government, which has been in office for almost a decade.
Scott Morrison doesn’t think ahead. He has no agenda. He simply occupies space. And if things go wrong, he refuses to take responsibility.
First, Mr Morrison had no plan for the Black Summer Bushfires, even though former fire chiefs and scientists had explicitly warned him of the danger before the tragedy.
Then Mr Morrison bungled the two main jobs he had this year – rolling out vaccinations and ­fixing our broken quarantine ­system.
As a result, millions of Australians are in lockdown as the rest of the developed world begins to get back to normal. Australians are sick. Jobs are being lost. Students can’t go to school.
Then there is economic management.
While the Covid pandemic has hammered our economy, the truth is that before we even had heard of Covid, debt was at record high levels and growth in family incomes had stalled while costs like healthcare bills were still rising. It was already hard for families to get ahead.
Federal Labor understands the ­importance of planning. Over the past two years, we’ve developed a blueprint for an Australia that will be stronger and more resilient than it was before the pandemic.
Our plan is focused squarely on jobs and economic growth and it ­begins with modernising our ­employment system.
As things stand, our labour market has serious deficiencies that don’t come through in each month’s unemployment figures.
About 1.7 million Australians are unemployed or underemployed, meaning they can’t get the hours they need to look after their families.
Meanwhile, four million Australians are in insecure jobs. They don’t know how much they will earn each week, which makes it hard to plan or get a bank loan.
A Labor government will prepare a White Paper on Full Employment to provide a road map for the redesign of our employment system so it better serves the needs of Australians and their families.
I want to work with employers and workers so more people can get work and the hours they need.
In the quickly changing 21st ­century, we need flexibility and ­security.
We need an economy that works for Australians, not the other way around.
We must revitalise Australian manufacturing.
The pandemic has exposed the need for us to be more resilient and we have extraordinary opportunities to build back stronger if we are smart.
Our abundance of renewables can drive down power prices, boost productivity and make us more com­petitive.
A Labor government would help businesses capitalise on this gain with our $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, providing loans and other help to kickstart new manufacturing ­ventures or modernise existing businesses.
We would target sectors including renewable technology, resources and food production, with a special focus on value adding and regional Australia.
For example, Australia is among the world’s largest exporters of lithium, which is used to make batteries.
Instead of exporting the raw ­material, we should further develop our own battery industry here, ­providing thousands of jobs and boosting our national income.
New industries need skilled workers. So a Labor government would create Jobs and Skills Australia, an independent body that would work with employers, unions and TAFEs to ensure we are teaching young Australians the skills needed for these new industries.
Right now there are 115,000 fewer Australians in apprenticeships and traineeships than there were when the Coalition took office.
That’s not good enough.
Labor would further boost training with our Australians Skills Guarantee, requiring that 10 per cent of all jobs on government-funded worksites be apprentices, trainees or cadets.
We would also harness the power of government purchasing to ensure that when we need to purchase defence supplies or new trains for public transport, we make them here, rather than sourcing them overseas.
Australia has the capacity to manufacture more of what we need.
But we need a government prepared to step up to the responsibility of leadership.
In the 21st century, our nation is perfectly placed to prosper. We sit at the heart of the region that is undergoing the fastest economic growth in human history.
We face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our economy and build back from this crisis stronger, fairer and more united as a country.
But to seize these opportunities, we must reach out and grab them.
It’s not enough to cross our fingers and hope. We need a solid plan.
Mr Morrison has no plans. And Mr Joyce thinks it isn’t his job.

The Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Governments are working together to extend the COVID-19 Business Support Grants in line with the extension of the ACT lockdown to 2 September.
The ACT COVID-19 Business Support Grants will deliver support of up to $10,000 for employing businesses and $4,000 for non-employing businesses over the three week lockdown period where those businesses’ turnover has declined by 30 per cent or more as a result of the COVID-19 health restrictions.
Businesses must be registered in the ACT and able to demonstrate their primary operation in the ACT, have an annual turnover of more than $75,000, be registered for GST and have a total payroll of less than $10 million. They will also need to provide evidence of a 30 per cent reduction in their turnover.
The package will be split on a 50/50 basis between the Commonwealth and the ACT Governments, with the Territory government to administer the program.
This is a similar arrangement that has been in place for businesses in other jurisdictions impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns.
With news of this extension, the detailed guidelines and the application process are now being finalised and will be made available as soon as possible.
Businesses can register their interest for the grants and the Covid-19 Business Hardship Scheme on the Business Hub website.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Morrison and ACT governments were working together to ensure households and businesses are supported during this challenging time.
“The Morrison Government recognises the announced extension of the lockdown will have a significant impact on households and businesses in the ACT,” the Treasurer said.
“That is why we are providing the necessary economic assistance in the form of the COVID-19 Disaster Payments for individuals and expanded businesses support along with the ACT Government.”
“This support builds on the $2.1 billion the Federal Government has delivered to households and businesses in the capital.”
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the extended package would help to keep businesses in business and people in jobs.
“We know that extended lockdowns are particularly hard for businesses, especially those who have been experiencing a downturn in trade for some months due to restrictions interstate, the Chief Minister said.
“The ACT Government will continue to work constructively with the Commonwealth Government to support businesses and keep people in jobs.”
Senator for the ACT Zed Seselja said the Federal Government was committed to supporting the needs of businesses across the Territory at this challenging time.
“Ensuring our support is as accessible as possible is important to provide certainty and confidence for Canberra businesses impacted by this lockdown,” Senator Seselja said.
“The next few weeks will be tough for many businesses and small business owners, and this support together with the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Disaster payment will assist businesses to stay connected with their employees, and be able to reopen and recover as quickly as possible when lockdown ends.”
“The Federal Government remains committed to co-funding additional business support measures on a 50/50 basis with the ACT Government, should they put forward further proposals.”
More details are available via www.act.gov.au/business/business-support/covid-19-economic-support-for-business

A shocking investigation by Nine into Australia’s largest white supremacist group has uncovered the most horrific evidence yet of a growing far-right movement, the Greens say.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens anti-racism spokesperson, said:
“The investigation is shocking but not entirely surprising for those of us who have followed the rise of the far-right closely and are impacted by racism and its deadly consequences.
“These men want nothing less than a white ethno-state and violence against any minorities and anti-racists who seek to stand in its way. If not dealt with now, they will pose an existential threat to our multicultural society.
“We have to deal with the extremists themselves, but also the political environment in which they are emboldened and led down a path of hate. Too often, racism is given a free pass in media and mainstream politics.
“The government must develop, fund and roll out a far-reaching anti-racism plan. We know white supremacy and racism is festering in society. There is no time to waste. We need an unambiguous commitment to anti-racism.
“There must be a zero tolerance approach. Laws on hate speech must be enforced and strengthened and community programs to counter the far-right require significant investment.”
Senator Lidia Thorpe, Greens First Nations and justice spokesperson, said:
“First Nations people have faced the violence of white supremacy since colonisation. Will the Morrison government take a stand against the latest threat, or be complicit in their silence?
“We need to be clear about who and what constitutes a threat to our communities.
“In 2019, an Australian was responsible for two mass shootings at Mosques in Aotearoa (New Zealand). In 2020, ASIO revealed that 40% of counter-terrorism cases involve far-right violent extremism. In 2021, what is the Morrison government doing to keep Aboriginal people and multicultural communities safe?

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that early learning and care services impacted by lockdowns must be supported through relief payments.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Thousands of early learning centres came to the brink of collapse in 2020 and we don’t want to see the same situation repeating itself.
“Centres are struggling to keep their doors open. Relying on the gap-fee waiver is unsustainable. In the end, families, children and early educators will be impacted.
“Relief payments can be made to ensure centres remain open and viable. It’s beyond time for the Education Minister to announce a scheme for all those centres affected by lockdowns across the country.
“With the current wave hitting many parts of the country, this system should be flexible and able to be switched on when lockdowns are ordered. This should be top priority.
“At the end of the day, this grim situation just underscores how broken the system is. Early learning and care should be universal and free, well-funded by the government, and not run for profit.”

One in four young Australians are affected by a mental illness every year. Many young people have also been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, making it more important than ever to ensure access to youth mental health services.
The headspace program aims to improve access for young people aged 12 to 25 years who have, or are at risk of, mental illness. headspace provides free or low cost youth-friendly support in four key areas—mental health, related physical health, substance misuse, and social and vocational support.
This new headspace service is part of the Morrison Government’s $111.3 million funding commitment to establish 30 new headspace services.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said young people have been significantly affected by the impacts of bushfires, floods and COVID-19, and access to mental health services and support was more important than ever.
“headspace offers a safe, welcoming place where young people can get non-judgmental professional help and peer support and provides quality frontline support, ensuring the best possible care for people who are at risk,” Minister Hunt said.
“Our Government is committed to ensuring young Australians can get information, advice, counselling or treatment, when and where they need it.”
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said mental health and suicide prevention remained one of the Morrison Government’s highest priorities.
“To date, headspace has provided 3.6 million services to people around Australia, and we are committed to ensuring young Australians can continue to get information, advice, counselling or treatment, when and where they need it,” Assistant Minister Coleman said.
“In the 2021-22 Budget, we provided an additional $278.6 million to strengthen the national headspace network by establishing new services and significantly enhancing those that already exist to ensure young people get the support and care they need. This will bring the Government’s investments in the headspace network over the next four years to a record $873.2 million.”
Senator for Victoria, Senator Sarah Henderson said the official opening of the Ocean Grove site will provide localised, tailored support for young people close to home.
“There are more pressures on young people today than ever before and the expansion of headspace will be vitally important in providing additional services for young people in Ocean Grove,” Senator Henderson said.
“We know intervention at the earliest possible stage is important to reduce the duration and impact of mental illness, so I encourage young people in our community to reach out if they need help.
“This support for young people suffering mental health challenges will be very welcome in the Ocean Grove community and across the Bellarine.”
This headspace satellite service has been commissioned by the Western Victoria Primary Health Network and is designed to meet the needs of young people in Ocean Grove.
The Morrison Government continues to make mental health a national priority, investing a record $2.3 billion in the 2021-22 Budget for the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan to lead landmark reform of the mental health system.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through headspace (https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (13 11 14), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
If you are concerned about suicide, living with someone who is considering suicide, or bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is available at 1300 659 467 or on their website.

The situation on the ground in Kabul, as in the rest of Afghanistan, is evolving rapidly.
As in any crisis situation, the Australian Government’s priority is to ensure the safety of its citizens. We have over 130 Australians in Afghanistan, working in the UN, NGOs, and elsewhere, and we are working to bring them and their families home.
We are also assisting those who have been granted humanitarian visas, and others who are in the process of applying for protection.
We are closely connected to the US, UK, Canada, and other allies and partners.
As a partner committed for many years to helping Afghanistan build its future, we are deeply concerned at the potential for further loss of life and suffering.
The Taliban must cease all violence against civilians, and adhere to international humanitarian law and the human rights all Afghans are entitled to expect, in particular women and girls. The Taliban will be held fully accountable for any killing or other mistreatment of Afghan military and other security forces who have surrendered or been captured. Afghan Government officials and elected political leaders are fully entitled to be treated with safety, respect and dignity.
The Taliban’s leadership is responsible and accountable for the conduct of its forces.
Those preparing to leave the country must be able to do so without threat or hinderance. We will continue to work with key partners in the days ahead to enable this safe passage.