16 News – Page 1183 – Newcastle and Australian News

NSW OPEN FOR BUSINESS WITH NEW AGENCY- INVESTMENT NSW LEADING THE WAY

Investment NSW, a new NSW Government agency, is open for business from today, reinforcing the State’s position as the economic engine room of the country.
Premier Berejiklian says the new agency will drive local and global investment and create the jobs of the future for NSW, showing the world that the State is open for business.
“Investment NSW is a one-stop-shop for the private sector – attracting and growing Australian and global companies, overseas capital, talent, tourists and students,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“From today, Investment NSW is up and running, with a mission to enhance NSW’s global position as a safe place to do business, attracting investment capital and creating jobs for our State.
“It will act as a concierge for businesses and investors to help them navigate the many options available for partnering with the NSW Government, whether that’s payroll exemptions, co-funding great ideas, providing connections to global export markets and more.”
Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism Stuart Ayres said the Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan is the blueprint that will reinforce NSW’s position as the economic engine room of the country.
“The NSW community has shown extraordinary resilience in the face of many challenges – bushfires, drought, flood and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Ayres said.
“Now is the time to be confident and on the front foot in attracting investment, talent and visitors who will drive us to new heights as we look beyond economic recovery to growth.”
Investment NSW will be led by Chief Executive Amy Brown, who was previously Deputy Secretary at the Department of Premier and Cabinet, heading the economic and commercial leadership team.
“As a central agency, Investment NSW will drive all trade and investment attraction activities as a one-stop-shop to maximise economic benefits and jobs growth across NSW,” Ms Brown said.
“From day one we will be reaching out to key industry partners and investors – both domestic and international – to start work on their top priorities for government to partner through the COVID recovery.”
The establishment of Investment NSW brings together a number of groups from across government into the Premier and Cabinet cluster including the Jobs, Investment and Tourism group from NSW Treasury (includes Jobs Plus and the 24 Economy Commissioner), Destination NSW, Study NSW, R&D NSW and Global NSW.
Investment NSW will be jointly responsible to the Premier, the Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional NSW, Industry and Trade and the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney.
For more information about Investment NSW visit https://www.investment.nsw.gov.au/

NEW PRESIDENT OF THE NSW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The NSW Government congratulates Natasha Maclaren-Jones MLC on her election as the NSW Legislative Council’s 22nd President.
The Presidency became vacant after John Ajaka MLC announced his retirement and the House was compelled to elect a new President before conducting any further business.
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council Don Harwin said Ms Maclaren-Jones was an outstanding and highly competent member of the Legislative Council and would make a fair and impartial President.
“Ms Maclaren-Jones has the demonstrated temperament, character and expertise to be the President of this House. She was elected to the House 10 years ago in 2011 and has served for a decade with distinction.
“As Government Whip, Ms Maclaren-Jones has been remarkably capable, with a flair for organisation of government members and also has shown a level of leadership to ensure the Chamber and its processes function effectively,” Mr Harwin said.
The Government’s position, reinforced by legal advice from the Crown Solicitor, is that Natasha Maclaren-Jones is the legitimately elected President of the Legislative Council. The Government relies on the construction of the standing orders – specifically standing order 13(2) which says,
“When 2 members have been proposed as President, ballot papers will be distributed by the Clerks to all members in their places. Members must write on the ballot paper the name of the candidate for whom they wish to vote, and deposit it in the ballot box provided by the Clerk. The candidate who has the greater number of votes is to be declared elected President, and will be conducted to the Chair.”
The Government notes that standing order 13(3) – under which the Clerk declared the ballots on Wednesday – only applies where there are more than two candidates.
The legal advice received by the Government from the Crown Solicitor has been sent to the Clerk of the Parliaments and distributed to members of the Legislative Council.
Minister Harwin said, “The Standing Orders are clear. In the case of a ballot where there are only two candidates, the candidate with the greater number of votes is to be declared elected President.”
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council Sarah Mitchell congratulated Ms Maclaren-Jones.
“Ms Maclaren-Jones is a champion for female representation – not only in Parliament but in politics generally. She is a great role model, especially for the next generation of women and is an exceptional choice for the Presidency of the Legislative Council,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Her wealth of experience includes five years as a Temporary Chair of Committees, working with boards of women’s refuges in the Northern Beaches community and being a part of the Parliamentary Friends for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.”

FREE HYGIENE PRODUCTS FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS

Free menstrual hygiene products will be available to students in two pilot regions in NSW ahead of a wider rollout.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell and Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor announced the locations of the trial today at Birrong Girls High School.
Ms Mitchell said the pilot will run in 30 schools across Western Sydney and Dubbo for two terms.
“It’s important no female student feels like they can’t fully participate in all aspects of school life because they do not have access to menstrual hygiene products,” Ms Mitchell said.
“I want to make sure there are no barriers to education for female students just because they get periods.
“Once the pilot is finished we can look at how we roll this service out to all schools in the state.”
Dispensers will be provided with sanitary products including pads and tampons at no cost to schools or students. The department will trial two types of dispensers, which will be placed in the female student’s bathrooms.
Minister for Regional Youth and Women, Bronnie Taylor said this is something that many young girls have been asking for.
“I know that women and girls’ physical, social and economic potential is maximised when they are healthy, and their health needs are addressed,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Providing sanitary products has the potential to positively impact educational engagement and attainment, whilst reducing shame and embarrassment.”
Information about the products and their availability has been supplied to principals and schools will educate students who are likely to access the products as well as distributing materials to their community.

NSW OPEN FOR BUSINESS WITH NEW AGENCY- INVESTMENT NSW LEADING THE WAY

WORK STARTS ON MAJOR CITY-SHAPING PROJECT

Work has started on the upgrade to the Warringah Freeway, which will pave the way for the future Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link, and transform the way the community moves between western Sydney and Sydney’s north.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said more than 15,000 jobs will be created during construction for the NSW Government’s Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link Program, with about 600 people working on the freeway upgrade.
“Workers are donning hard hats for the first time on this city-shaping project to begin work on the Warringah Freeway, which includes service and utility relocations, before major work starts later this year,” Mr Constance said.
“The Warringah Freeway upgrade is just the first stage of this massive program, which will connect western Sydney to Sydney’s north and help slash travel times for thousands of commuters by up to 56 minutes.”
Member for North Shore Felicity Wilson said the four kilometre upgrade, between North Sydney and Naremburn, will reduce lane merging, boost safety, and improve traffic flow for the 250,000 vehicles who use the freeway every day.
“This upgrade is part of our commitment to ease congestion on local roads and it will streamline the Warringah Freeway to connect to the future Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link,” Ms Wilson said.
“Transport for NSW will deliver a continuous southbound bus lane from Miller Street to the Harbour Bridge, which will improve bus links to the North Sydney CBD and the new Sydney Metro, while also building new pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.”
Member for Manly James Griffin said the community will be kept updated throughout all phases of this massive program.
“The Warringah Freeway is the main artery from Sydney’s north into the heart of the CBD, and this game-changing project will help people spend less time sitting in traffic and more time with family and friends,” Mr Griffin said.
“Community feedback on the entire program has been valuable in helping understand and deliver positive changes. We will continue to work closely with the local communities through every stage of this major program.”
The Western Harbour Tunnel will deliver major travel time savings, including

Up to 20 minutes from Sydney Olympic Park to North Sydney.
Up to 20 minutes from Leichhardt to North Sydney.
Up to 15 minutes from North Sydney to the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
Up to 20 minutes on the city commute from locations such as Chatswood, Roseville, Lindfield, Forestville, Belrose, Frenchs Forest, Cromer and North Narrabeen.

Combined with improvements to the wider network, future forecast travel time savings for Beaches Link include:

Up to 38 minutes from Balgowlah to Sydney CBD.
Up to 56 minutes from Dee Why to Sydney Airport.
Up to 54 minutes from Frenchs Forest to Rozelle.

Drivers are encouraged to visit the online portal at nswroads.work/whtportal to have a virtual experience of what their commute will look like when the program is complete.

RAAF 100 EXHIBITION TAKES OFF AT ANZAC MEMORIAL

Aptly named after the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) motto ‘Per Ardua Ad Astra’, meaning ‘through adversity to the stars’, a new exhibition featuring veteran treasured memorabilia has launched at Anzac Memorial to celebrate the RAAF’s 100^th birthday.
Minister for Veterans Geoff Lee said the exhibition is a celebration of RAAF personnel past and present, and a way to recognise the service and sacrifice of those who have helped to shape the modern force we know today.
“Australia was among the first nations to create an independent branch of its defence forces dedicated to military aviation in 1921”, Mr Lee said.
“From 1920s aerial survey flights to modern peacekeeping, every individual who has served over the past 100 years has contributed to the vital defence service of our nation and helped to form the state-of-the-art force we know today.”
Visitors can view invaluable items such as souvenirs of a pilot who bombed German positions at Hamel just days before a battle that influenced the Great War outcome.
The Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to Flight Lieutenant Doug Millar for his daring low-level flight will also be on display, along with an extremely rare Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force uniform worn by a nurse at the RAAF Hospital in Tocumwal.
The commemoration is a partnership between the NSW Air Force Association on its 101^st birthday and the Anzac Memorial Board of Trustees. In addition to the launch of the RAAF Centenary exhibition, the event also included a ceremony and the donation of the RAAF Memorial Book to the Royal United Services Institute of NSW Library of Military History.
For more information, visit: anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/event/raaf-centenary-exhibition

Greens push for 700% renewables

Under a Greens shared power parliament Australia will strive to generate 700% of existing electricity demand with renewables, Adam Bandt MP has declared, outlining a key electoral policy ahead of the launch of a new policy vision document this weekend.
Part of a pitch to voters in Queensland this weekend, this policy will be a key part of Greens election campaigning in the coming months ahead of the election.
These key policies will be focused on combating inequality, and be central to any negotiation in a power sharing Parliament, which is the most likely outcome after the election, with the Greens in the balance of power in the House and the Senate.
This 700% renewable energy target would have Australia generate all of its domestic electricity needs through wind, solar, and other renewables, with a massive green energy surplus to electrify the rest of our economy, grow energy intensive manufacturing sectors like green steel and aluminium and power new export industries in green hydrogen.
At this week’s Senate Estimates, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) boss Darren Miller reconfirmed the agency’s assertion that 700% renewables was an achievable goal.
With severe weather events – made more frequent and powerful by climate change – causing death and destruction, the Greens want to make renewables and global heating a significant election issue.
Meeting this 700% goal will require major leadership from the Commonwealth including:

A $20 billion Grid Transformation Fund starting with implementation of AEMO’s Integrated System Plan
A major public investment in renewable energy generation and storage in renewable energy zones
A clean energy and green materials government procurement program and a renewable export strategy.
An accelerated electrification plan for transport, buildings and industry

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt:
“At the next election Labor is very unlikely to win majority government in its own right, but with the Greens in balance of power we can turf the Liberals out and take the action voters demand on the climate crisis and economic inequality,” Mr Bandt said.
“700% renewables means not just 100% renewable electricity as we replace coal and gas power stations, but switching transport, buildings and industry to clean energy too, as well as exporting our renewable energy to the rest of the world through renewable hydrogen, solar electricity and green metals.
“In a shared power government, the Greens will push for Australia to generate 700% renewable energy, turning Australia into a renewable energy superpower, exporting clean energy to the world and fighting the climate crisis.
“There’s no time to waste. We are in a climate emergency that threatens to catastrophically overwhelm our society and economy. Under the Liberals, we’re also failing to take advantage of a renewable energy revolution that could create hundreds of thousands of jobs exporting Australia’s sun and wind to power our region with clean, green energy.
“On current trajectories, clean energy exports will eclipse our coal exports to India within a generation. That is $11b by 2040, but it’s still a shade of what’s possible without the Liberals in charge. Imagine what we could achieve if we had a government that wasn’t backed by the fossil fuel industry.
“Over the next decade, we need to rapidly transition our power grid to wind and solar backed by storage, and electrify our transport, industry, businesses and homes to run on clean energy.
“We will attract massive new international investment in clean manufacturing and industries to Australia.
“This clean energy revolution will create hundreds of thousands of well-paid, long-term jobs, enabling workers in fossil fuel industries in QLD and elsewhere to transition and farmers to be paid to farm carbon and protect the land.
“To unlock this revolution the government will need to lead the way with public investment in renewable generation, storage and transforming the power grid.
“Putting in 110% effort to stop the climate crisis is no longer enough. Let’s aim for 700%.”

Greens announce billionaires tax to fund schools, dental, and jobs for all

The Greens will today announce key election policies, including a ‘billionaires tax’ to help fund genuinely free public schools, dental into Medicare and a job for everyone who wants one.
With the party considering an election in November of this year still a possibility and a minority parliament the most likely outcome, Mr Bandt will push for a tax on billionaires & corporate super profits as part of dealings with a future shared power government.
Leader Adam Bandt, Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters and local Greens candidate Max Chandler-Mather will speak with voters in Griffith today about how the policies will reduce inequality and improve their lives.
The policy is part of the Greens’ ‘Fight for the Future’ plan being launched today, a vision statement for the next decade that outlines 15 key policies the Greens will take to the upcoming election, including:

A treaty with First Nations people
A billionaire’s tax and a corporate super profit tax
A Jobs and Income guarantee
Bringing dental and mental health into Medicare
Restoring fee free education to public schools, universities and TAFE
A goal of 700% renewable energy, creating a jobs bonanza in renewables exports

The Greens will aim to win 3 new Senate seats and will target up to nine Liberal and Labor lower house seats at the next election, including Griffith, with success in any seat strengthening the Greens’ balance of power position and the likelihood of a minority government after the next election.
The Greens will seek to elevate economic issues as part of their campaign to win lower house seats, attributing their continued success in Melbourne and recently in the state seat of South Brisbane (which sits within Griffith) in large part to providing a clear progressive alternative on issues like schools, healthcare and jobs.
A 6% annual wealth tax on billionaires will help fund genuinely fee-free public schools, free dental care by getting dental into Medicare and a ‘jobs and income guarantee’, which will lift the Jobseeker rate above the poverty line to $80 a day and fund government employment programs.
With two million people without jobs or enough work, the jobs and income guarantee will ensure that everyone who wants a secure and well paid job will get one working on exciting, planet-saving, nation-building programs in industries that will tackle the climate emergency and build a more creative, inclusive and caring society.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has concluded that the billionaire’s tax will raise over $40b in the next ten years, a figure that could be higher if billionaires could be pursued for the full entrant of their wealth.
Quotes attributable to Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens:
“The next election will be closer than people think. At the last election, Australia was only 828 votes away from a minority Parliament. At the next election, people can kick the Liberals out and put the Greens in balance of power in both Houses of Parliament, where we will push the next government to go further and faster on tackling inequality and the climate crisis.
“In balance of power, the Greens will make billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax to help put dental into Medicare, get rid of public school fees and give a decent job to everyone who wants one on planet-saving, nation-building projects.
“The Liberals are turbocharging inequality and the Labor Party’s national conference is sounding the retreat on big reforms.
“Billionaires and the big corporations have been buying influence over the Liberal and Labor parties with political donations, which is how they avoid paying tax, keep wages low, send their profits offshore and keep on polluting.
“While everyone else has been doing it tough during the pandemic, the billionaires have been making out like bandits.
“If we want to fight inequality and the climate crisis, we need to tackle the wealth and power of the billionaires and the big corporations and make them pay their fair share.”
Quotes attributable to Senator Nick McKim, Greens Economic Justice spokesperson:
“Billionaires massively increased their wealth during a pandemic, while hundreds of thousands of people lost their job or had their hours slashed at work.
“They have amassed truly obscene amounts of wealth, often through companies that have plundered our natural environment and made the climate emergency worse.
“The very least they can do is start paying their fair share of tax.”

Find out more about the Greens’ plans:

Landmark PBS medicines listings to provide hope for thousands of Australians

There is new hope for thousands of Australians living with breast cancer, lung cancer, osteoporosis and asthma with landmark new and amended medicines listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 April.
Breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in Australia and the second most common cause of death from cancer among women. In 2020, it was estimated that over 19,900 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed.
From 1 April, Kisqali® (ribociclib) is having its listing expanded on the PBS to be used in combination with Fulvestrant Sandoz® (fulvestrant) for patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) unresectable advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
Without the PBS subsidy, around 1,600 patients might pay more than $50,000 per course of treatment. Instead they will now pay $41.30 per script or $6.60 with a concession card.
Fulvestrant Sandoz® (fulvestrant) is also being made available on the PBS for the first time as monotherapy for those women in need of this targeted treatment on its own, for the treatment of hormone receptor positive (HR+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer.
Without the PBS subsidy, over 100 patients might pay more than $7,900 per course of treatment.
Lung cancer is also one of the top 10 most common cancers in both men and women in Australia.
To support over 130 Australians with previously untreated squamous Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, we are extending the listings for Opdivo® (nivolumab) and Yervoy® (ipilimumab) plus chemotherapy. Patients could otherwise pay over $100,000 per course of treatment without subsidy.
Around 2.7 million Australians live with asthma with many of them suffering from severe asthma. They experience episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness and fatigue caused by the widespread narrowing of the airways.
We are extending the listing for Dupixent® (dupilumab) which will provide a new treatment option to around 1,700 Australians suffering from uncontrolled severe eosinophilic or allergic asthma per year. Australians with these severe forms of Asthma will save around $20,600 per year through this PBS listing.
Atectura Breezhaler® (indacaterol + glycopyronum + mometasone), will provide a new treatment option for other severe forms of asthma for over 80,000 Australians suffering from this chronic disease with patients saving around $400 per year through this PBS listing.
We are also listing Evenity® (Romosozumab) on the PBS for the first time, for the treatment of severe osteoporosis in patients, providing relief to over 2,800 Australians. Patients may save around $6,300 per course of treatment.
Without these subsidies many Australians would be out of pocket thousands of dollars per treatment, instead, for all of the medicines listed or extended on April 1, patients will only have to pay $41.30 per script of $6.60 with a concession card.
Each of these listings has been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
Since 2013, the Australian Government has approved over 2,600 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 billion.
The Government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.

Over 500,000 Australians vaccinated against COVID-19

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program is well under way, with more than 500,000 Australians receiving a free jab as part of the Phase 1 rollout.
There have been more than 507,000 vaccines at the close of business on Friday. 329,000 vaccines have been administered in state and territory vaccination clinics, 97,000 vaccines have been administered in general practices and more than 80,000 aged care residents have been vaccinated.
Our GP’s have played a vital role in this expansion and have not only been vaccinating over the week, but many practices are continuing to vaccinate on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
Over 1,100 general practices, GP-led respiratory clinics and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services are already providing vaccinations to people eligible in Phase 1b.
This will grow to a broad national footprint of more than 4,000 general practices by the end of April. These will be complemented by more than 100 Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics and more than 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services.
The roll out for the next week and further expansion is now well underway. The first of the 50 million Australian made CSL doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have already been distributed and will now be distributed on an ongoing basis.
As part of our Vaccination Strategy, Australia placed an absolute priority on sovereign domestic vaccine production at CSL in August last year.
That decision has ensured that Australia is one of the few countries with strong, clear domestic supplies going forwards.