Category: Australian News

The Australian Greens have demanded Prime Minister Albanese rule out the use of national interest exemptions to sidestep environment laws for the benefit of salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour.

“This would be an outrageous abuse of power and the Prime Minister needs to immediately rule it out,” Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

“After his capitulation to logging and mining interests last week, Mr Albanese is now dancing to the tune of multinational salmon farming corporations.”

“Protecting mutinational corporate profits and driving an ancient species to extinction is most certainly not in the national interest.”

“Whenever there is a choice between protecting nature or enhancing corporate profits, Labor can be relied on to side with the big polluters.”

“Mr Albanese is trying to use what are essentially emergency powers to respond to natural disasters to protect corporate interests.”

“He is in a dangerous race to the bottom with Peter Dutton when it comes to trashing the environment.”

“Mr Albanese needs to learn that he can’t outflank Dutton to the right on nature and that trying to do so will lead to extinction for the Maugean skate.”

I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has accepted my recommendation to appoint Mr Michael Lye as Secretary of the Department of Social Services.

Mr Lye has had an extensive career in the Australian Public Service and has a proven track record of implementing complex reforms, particularly in the area of social policy.

He has served as Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care, at the Department of Health and Aged Care since 2019, and has previously held senior positions at the Department of Social Services from 2013 to 2019.

Mr Lye’s five year appointment will commence on 11 December 2024. His appointment as Secretary of the Department of Social Services follows a publicly advertised, merit-based selection process.

The current Secretary of the Department of Social Services, Mr Ray Griggs AO CSC, will retire on 10 December 2024, having served as Secretary since 2021.

Mr Griggs has had a long, decorated career in the public sector and Australian Defence Force, as Chief of Navy, Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

On behalf of the Australian Government, I thank Mr Griggs for his dedication, leadership and service to the Australian community.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering vital support to Australia’s critical minerals sector by providing up to $475 million in additional finance to develop the Eneabba Rare Earths Refinery project in Western Australia.

This project is Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery and will support 900 jobs at its peak during construction, and an additional 250 secure, well-paid jobs once operational.

This investment will boost global rare earths supply chain resilience, while unlocking Australian deposits of key critical minerals which are essential in a range of defence and renewable energy technologies like electric vehicles, wind turbines and mobile phones.

Australian company Iluka Resources is delivering the project which ensures more value is captured onshore, and more Australians benefit from our unique minerals endowment.

This additional support reinforces Australia’s commitment to supporting secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chains, making us an indispensable part of the global net-zero economy.

The Government’s support ensures Iluka will deliver additional outcomes to maximise project benefits in Australia’s national interest including additional commitments from Iluka to diversify supply chains and deliver broader community benefits aligned with the new Future Made in Australia Act.

The support will be provided by Export Finance Australia (EFA) through the Government’s $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility (CMF).

Australia’s rare earths refining sector will also benefit from the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive which will provide a tax offset for eligible critical minerals processing costs.

The Albanese Government’s commitment to a Future Made in Australia is all about seizing the vast economic and industrial opportunities from the global net zero transformation and strengthening our economic resilience.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Critical minerals are the building blocks for a clean energy future and we are determined to seize this economic opportunity to support local businesses and local jobs.

“A strong resources sector means a healthy economy and good, well paid local jobs.

“We will back WA’s resources sector, through our plan for a Future Made in Australia and our Production Tax Credits.”

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell

“Our Government is committed to becoming a renewable energy superpower, not just to tackle the global challenge of climate change but also to harness the opportunity to create significant high paying, secure jobs for Australians.

“Our country is blessed with an abundance of critical minerals and the Albanese Labor Government wants Australians to benefit from this emerging sector.”

Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King

“Supporting our critical minerals and rare earths industry is about Australia taking responsibility to lead on critical minerals globally.

“Not only are critical minerals and rare earths key to the energy transition, they are essential to the defence industry and our national security.

“We stand at an important moment in time where the world wants what we have and we just happen to have the most advanced mining sector in the world.”

The Australian Greens have said Labor has again capitulated to the big corporations after the federal government refused requests to consider the climate impacts of three proposed coal mining projects.

The ‘reconsideration requests’ were made by the Environment Council of Central Queensland, represented by lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia. However, it was revealed today that the government has rejected those requests.

The three proposed coal mine projects – Boggabri, Caval Ridge and Lake Vermont Meadowbrook – will now await a final decision by the government without a prior assessment of their climate harm.

The refusal to assess climate risk comes a week after Labor caved to big mining corporations and refused to agree with the Greens on laws to protect nature and forests.

The Greens say Labor must reject these projects if it is serious about climate change.

If the three projects are approved, Idemitsu’s Boggabri coal project in NSW would produce 242.86 million tonnes of carbon emissions, BHP Mitsubishi’s Caval Ridge coal project in central Queensland would produce 473 million tonnes, and Jellinbah Group’s Lake Vermont coal project in Queensland would produce 347 million tonnes.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:

“Twice in two weeks, Labor is doing the bidding of the coal and gas corporations. 

“Emissions are higher under Anthony Albanese than Scott Morrison, Labor has approved 28 new coal and gas projects since coming to power, and the government has pushed setting 2035 climate targets back until after the next election.

“Scientists say new coal and gas must be stopped to protect Australia from dangerous climate change. Pacific leaders are demanding Australia stop approving new coal and gas to give their islands a fighting chance.

“Labor is too afraid to stare down the coal billionaires and polluters, and as a result climate pollution is up, new coal and gas mines are getting approved and our communities are at risk from worsening fires, floods, and extreme weather. 

“Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek must immediately reject these three new coal projects.”

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the Environment & Senator for South Australia:

“This is the latest reminder that Labor has failed to fix Australia’s broken environment laws

“The Environment Minister’s job is to protect the environment, not cave in to the fossil fuel and logging lobby. The Albanese Government should reject these coal mines and work with the Greens to fix our broken environment laws.

“A climate trigger and an end to native forest logging is desperately needed if we are to stop the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

“The Greens will make this election a referendum on nature and a rejection of the coal and gas lobby.”

The Federal Labor Government has issued a notice today confirming that the Boggabri Coal Mine Modification 8 will not be assessed for the impact it will have on climate change as part of its assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The notice comes 5 days after the NSW Labor Government received the first Annual Report from the State’s Net Zero Commission that stated new coal mines “pose a major challenge” to reducing emissions in line with the law.

Greens MP, environmental lawyer and spokesperson for the Environment, Planning and Climate Change, Sue Higginson, said “Labor is lost when it comes to acting on climate change and protecting the environment. We have already hit 1.5 degrees of global heating, we are not on track to meet our emissions reduction targets here in NSW and now federal Labor refuses to consider the impacts of climate change from the continuation of mining coal on the environment,”

“Climate change is the single biggest threat that we face, and is a primary driver of the biodiversity and extinction crises, and yet Labor still refuse to consider the impacts on the climate from waving through massive new coal expansions,”

“The decision by Labor to disregard the impacts of the Boggabri Coal mine on climate change has cleared the path for the project to be approved before the new year, a truly terrible outcome for our emissions reduction targets in NSW,”

“If the mine is approved for expanded operations, an additional 62 million tonnes of coal will be dug up and burnt in Australia and overseas. Labor cannot expect to be trusted when they say they want to act on climate while pushing ahead massive mines like Boggabri to be expanded,”

“It’s not too late for the NSW Labor Government to take action and to halt this project from going any further. NSW has the power to intervene and stop projects from going ahead where there is a clear need to do so. If tens of millions of tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions generated from expanded mines isn’t a good reason, while we face another summer of record breaking heat waves, then Labor shouldn’t be taken seriously when they say they want to act on climate change,” Ms Higginson said.

Australian Greens announce plans for Federal expansion of drug checking to help save lives.

The Australian Greens are announcing a plan to establish a drug testing agency that would run a number of drug testing sites in capital cities and regional hubs and provide free testing services at Australian music festivals. This also includes additional funding to the Department of Health and AgedCare to coordinate data collection, analysis and communication of results of the drug tests.

Large numbers of Australians have consumed or actively consumed alcohol and other drugs with nearly half of the community using an illicit substance at some point.

13.6% of Australians aged 14 and over have used MDMA/ecstasy, which is the most common drug present at existing pill testing sites.

Drug checking and pill testing is a common sense and health based approach to minimise the risk of drug use and has the support of the public health sector including the Public Health Association andAustralian Medical Association.

Quotes attributed to Senator Jordon Steele-John, Greens Spokesperson for Health and Mental Health

“Nearly half of our community has taken an illicit substance at some point in their life and the use of these drugs in our community is inevitable, it is our job to minimise risk and harm not criminalise and stigmatise.”

“At the moment the biggest danger facing young people using drugs at festivals isn’t the substance itself but a failure of government policy that doesn’t allow people to be able to check what is in that drug and access education and medical services when needed.”

“We have a system designed to criminalise and stigmatise people who take drugs in our community which has led to tragic outcomes. It is time we listen to the community and the experts and implement common sense approaches to minimise harm and risk.”

“The Greens plan will see drug testing sites set up in capital cities and regional hubs across the country through the establishment of a federal drug testing agency. This agency would also be responsible for providing free testing services at music festivals.”

“Nearly half of our community has taken an illicit substance at some point in their life and the use of these drugs in our community is inevitable, it is our job to minimise risk and harm not criminalise and stigmatise.”

“At the moment the biggest danger facing young people using drugs at festivals isn’t the substance itself but a failure of government policy that doesn’t allow people to be able to check what is in that drug and access education and medical services when needed.”

“We have a system designed to criminalise and stigmatise people who take drugs in our community which has led to tragic outcomes. It is time we listen to the community and the experts and implement common sense approaches to minimise harm and risk.”

“The Greens plan will see drug testing sites set up in capital cities and regional hubs across the country through the establishment of a federal drug testing agency. This agency would also be responsible for providing free testing services at music festivals.”

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, will travel to Auckland, for the second Australia–New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Consultations (ANZMIN).

Australia and New Zealand have a uniquely close relationship. Trans-Tasman cooperation has never been stronger, with close alignment in our strategic, foreign and trade interests and deep links between our people.

ANZMIN is an important opportunity to strengthen our partnership and discuss evolving international and regional security and strategic issues. 

Ministers will also meet their respective counterparts for a bilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting and Foreign Ministers’ Consultations during the visit.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

“I look forward to reconnecting with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, and again meeting with my close colleague, Defence Minister Judith Collins, in New Zealand.

“ANZMIN is a valuable opportunity to reflect on our deep and longstanding alliance while discussing ways to increase cooperation in support of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Australia and New Zealand are family. Working together has never been more important as we confront the global economic and geostrategic challenges that affect both our countries.

“Our meeting will be an opportunity to discuss our joint interests in the Pacific and opportunities for greater collaboration into the future – because we are stronger when we work together with our Pacific neighbours to create a region that is peaceful, prosperous and resilient.”

The Greens today unveil a transformative election policy ensuring that women can get free contraceptives, removing financial barriers to reproductive health.

Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and Spokesperson on Women, said:

“We are in a cost-of-living crisis and in the face of financial stress and gender inequality, the Greens will take to the election a commitment to provide women with free access to contraceptives.

“There are 4.8 million women in Australia using contraceptives, and making them free would save women hundreds of dollars a year and empower women to make decisions about bodily autonomy despite a difficult financial climate. 

“Oral contraceptives can cost hundreds of dollars annually, especially the modern pills with fewer side effects, and long acting reversible contraceptives are in the hundreds, leaving many women to cut corners and use cheaper options, or go without contraception.

“The Greens policy would eliminate the PBS co-payment, and subsidise non-PBS listed contraceptives plus the cost of inserting IUDs, as well as creating a contraceptive counselling MBS item so that all parts of the process will be free to the patient.

“Our policy would make sure people can access the contraception that works for them, regardless of their bank balance and whether they live in the city, the country, or are studying on a visa.

“Many countries already provide free contraceptives, like France, the UK, Ireland, British Columbia and multiple Scandinavian countries.

“Studies from countries that offer free contraceptives show that more young people use it when cost isn’t a barrier, leading to fewer unintended pregnancies and greater reproductive choices.¹

“With abortion rights in Queensland potentially under threat it has never been more important to ensure women are able to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

“Almost two years ago, I initiated the federal Senate inquiry into universal access to reproductive healthcare. It included a recommendation that contraceptives should be more affordable and accessible. The Greens are committed to that – and now it’s time for the government to respond to the 36 consensus recommendations from that report and fund free contraceptives for women.

“The Senate inquiry showed that cost and lack of information are major barriers preventing people from getting the best contraceptive method for their needs.

“The Greens policy addresses those gaps by funding a separate MBS item for contraceptive counselling, and also and directly supports recommendations from the inquiry to subsidise the non-hormonal copper IUD.

“The Greens are committed to empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without further financial strain.

BACKGROUND

The Greens will:

• Provide $250m per year (ongoing, indexed by CPI) to make TGA approved non-PBS contraceptives free, including subsidising the non-hormonal copper IUD.
• Remove the PBS co-payment to make PBS listed contraceptive methods free.
• Cover the schedule fee for reproductive procedures to make contraceptive insertion and removal free.
• Introduce a new Medicare item for contraceptive counselling, including training for all prescribers.

Link to full Senate Inquiry report Ending the postcode lottery: Addressing barriers to sexual, maternity and reproductive healthcare in Australia

REFERENCES

1. Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Free of Charge, Method Initiation, and Abortion Rates in Finland. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5844404/

The Greens will seek to legislate against banks charging exorbitant fees to customers for withdrawing their own money.

“The cost-of-living is smashing people across the country, with households struggling to cover basics like food and bills,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“The last thing they need is another expense when they’re just trying to take out money to pay for their weekly grocery shop.”

“The government cannot let banks price-gouge customers. People shouldn’t pay for the privilege of accessing their own money.“

“The Big Four banks just posted collective profits of more than $30 billion. This is greed at an unprecedented scale.”

“The Greens will seek to overrule this when Parliament returns.”

Tomorrow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, and Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, will meet with Singaporean counterparts for the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC).

The SAJMC is an opportunity to increase cooperation under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including across defence and security, trade and investment, the green and digital economies, science and innovation, education and the arts.

Ministers will also meet Singapore’s Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong, and conduct separate bilateral meetings. The Deputy Prime Minister will meet with his counterpart, Dr Ng Eng Hen, the Foreign Minister will meet with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and the Minister for Trade will meet with counterpart Deputy Prime Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong. 

Singapore is one of Australia’s closest partners, and next year we celebrate 60 years of bilateral diplomatic relations. We share an interest in a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, The Hon Richard Marles MP:

“Singapore is one of Australia’s closest defence partners, providing longstanding access for our ships and aircraft in the region.

“Singapore has also conducted military training in Australia for more than 30 years, supporting both of our armed forces, and providing significant economic opportunities for Australia.

“I am pleased the recent expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland will create more opportunities for our armed forces to train together and increase our interoperability.

“The bilateral relationship between Singapore and Australia is built upon shared values, deep trust and a commitment to the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region.”

the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Our partnership with Singapore is grounded in trust and respect.

“As we prepare to mark a decade since we launched our ambitious Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Australia and Singapore are charting the course for the next phase of our relationship.

“We are working together to foster peace, stability and prosperity in our region.”

the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell:

“Singapore is one of Australia’s closest trade and investment partners.

“As the region’s financial, trading and energy hub, Singapore plays a key role for Australian businesses seeking to deepen their engagement in Southeast Asia.

“Through Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, we are expanding Australian trade and investment to build shared prosperity.

“As a bloc, Southeast Asia is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, with a potential consumer market that is 10 times larger than Australia by 2040.”