16 News

Today I have appointed Mr Pablo Kang as Special Envoy to continue our efforts for progress in the investigations into the methanol poisoning deaths of Australian citizens Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones.

Since their November 2024 deaths, the Albanese Government has been clear to the Lao authorities of the need for transparency and accountability.

We have consistently conveyed our expectations that charges should reflect the seriousness of the tragedy that killed Holly, Bianca and four other foreign nationals.

I have asked Mr Kang to depart for Laos as soon as possible this week and explore all avenues to progress the case.

Mr Kang heads the Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has previously served as Ambassador to Cambodia, Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and High Commissioner to Vanuatu.

We understand the heartbreaking grief of the families of Holly and Bianca, which has been exacerbated by the delays and lack of transparency over the legal processes in Laos.

The Albanese Government will continue to press the Lao authorities on Holly and Bianca’s cases and will continue to support their families in their pursuit of justice.

Hardship applications from Aged Care participants have more than doubled since the introduction of Labor’s new Aged Care Act, figures disclosed during Senate Estimates reveal.

The Aged Care Act, and the new Support at Home program came into effect on 1 November. In the two months since the commencement of Support at Home and the new Aged Care Act, Services Australia received 2,598 aged care hardship claims. [November: 1326 claims, December: 1272 claims – presented to Estimates at 5:45pm here]. 

In the two months immediately prior to the new Act, there were 1,429 claims, a more than doubling since the new act was introduced. [September: 571 claims, October: 858 claims – presented to Estimates at 6:40pm here].

Officials from Services Australia told the Greens’ Penny Allman-Payne that increased hardship claims were an ‘anticipated’ outcome of the new Support at Home program, which has seen the cost of essential aged care services dramatically increase, including help with showering, meals, and around the home.

Around one in three hardship applications were rejected by the government. In the quarter ending in December, just 67.7% of hardship claims were successfully approved, with 24% of hardship claims rejected and the remainder withdrawn (5:47).

The form to apply for aged care hardship is sixteen pages long and requires the participant to give three months of evidence of expenses. Experts have warned that the process of navigating this bureaucracy, for someone who definitionally is of low means and already needs help with their daily care, is a near-impossible task. 

Next Monday, the government’s aged care plans will face more scrutiny at a Senate hearing in Brisbane, chaired by Greens Spokesperson for Older People Senator Penny Allman-Payne.

Greens Spokesperson for Older People, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:

“Exactly as designed, Labor’s new Aged Care Act is pushing older Australians into financial ruin to boost the bottom line of private aged care providers.”

“We’re hearing from pensioners under Support at Home who can no longer afford the help they need with showers, meals and medications, continence pads, or keeping a safe and clean home.”

“Forcing people in their 80s and 90s to go through an onerous 16 page form to apply for help so they can have showers and meals each day is just ridiculous and cruel. It’s a system that’s been designed to deny people care.”

“It would be much more straightforward to simply make sure that everyone can access the help and care they need – but instead Labor are jacking up the price of care and shaking down pensioners for all they’ve got.”

“In a wealthy country like Australia, we can afford to look after our most vulnerable, and make sure everyone can access the help and care that they need.”

In the midst of a housing crisis, the big banks’ obscene profits have been taken directly out of the pockets of mortgagees and renters.

The CBA has reported a mammoth $5.4b profit in its half-year results and the ANZ’s profit rose to $1.94b in its first quarter, as mortgages rise, with the average mortgage up $70,000 over the last 12 months.

The Greens say Labor cares more about the profits of the banks than it does about first-home buyers.

Greens spokesperson for Finance, Housing and Homelessness Senator Barbara Pocock:

“In the midst of a housing crisis it’s clear who the winners are – the big banks and wealthy property hoarders.

“The big banks are profiting off rising house prices and increased mortgages, while homeowners struggle in the face of rising interest rates.

“Labor’s policies – such as the 5% deposit scheme and the $181b tax breaks for property hoarders, is adding fuel to the fire, driving up house prices while the banks take all the profit.

“It’s clear who the government is working for and it’s not renters or first-home buyers – it’s the banks and wealthy property investors.

“Without tackling the root causes of the housing crisis – which are the tax breaks for wealthy property hoarders and the lack of social and affordable housing – house prices will continue to spike, and banks will continue to rake in the profits.”

Greens spokesperson for Economic Justice Senator Nick McKim:

“This is the story of the last few years in a nutshell – misery for mortgage holders and renters and obscene profits for the banking corporations.

“The banks have been let loose by a hands off government and an RBA that only has one lever to pull.

“Labor needs to get serious about tackling inflation as well as the corporate price gouging that is causing it.”

Premier Chris Minns and his Ministers have lost control of their own Government with contradictory statements from the Premier and his Leader of the Government in the Upper House within minutes of one another during question time today about the call for an independent investigation into the police response to the Sydney protest.

Greens MP and spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson said:

“The Greens in both the Lower and Upper Houses are seeking simple answers, does the Government support an independent investigation into the Police violence last Monday night – all we got was contradictions,”

“The Premier has doubled down stating that he doesn’t support the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) investigating Police misconduct from this week, while his Leader in the Upper House declared that it would be inappropriate to take a position in relation to what the LECC does,”

“It is clear there are many members of the Government who do not want the police actions at Town Hall on Monday to go unchecked, but the Premier Chris Minns is doubling down in defiance. There must be support for an independent investigation, people have lost trust in police and it needs to be restored,”

“The turmoil between Minns and his Government is getting worse. Just last night, the Government opposed and lost a motion calling for greater integrity powers for the ICAC, and yet this morning the Premier is standing up to announce a reintroduced version of investigation laws that failed to pass last week,”

“The Premier is playing a dangerous game, you can’t run a Government through command and control. If he wants to head off rebellion in his Party and within his own Cabinet, then this is the time to take stock and realise that he is not the King in a castle,”

“He is a Labor Premier in a democracy, he should start acting like it and leave peaceful protest and civil liberties alone,” Ms Higginson said.

In the wake of the second consecutive Closing the Gap report which shows only four of 19 targets on track, the Australian Greens urge the Labor government to show ambition and courage to get real outcomes on First Nations justice.

The report comes as First Nations people around the country are still reeling from the attempted bombing of an Invasion Day rally in Boorloo Perth, an incident which was shamefully underreported in media and which was not immediately designated a terrorist attack, despite the crowd of more than 2500 people being predominantly First Nations people.

The Greens urge the Labor Government to respond with stronger leadership to this escalation in racist violence by prioritising Closing the Gap through Truth and Treaty, ending the epidemic of over-incarceration and deaths in custody, and urgent action on child removal and cultural heritage laws.

The Greens have previously called for a Makarrata truth commission leading to a Treaty, with genuine First Nations leadership, guaranteed staffing and a clear timeline for delivery.

The Greens reiterate the urgent demand that all 339 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody be implemented.

The Commonwealth must use every lever to end the disproportionate incarceration and preventable deaths of First Nations people, including raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility. 

Leader of the Australian Greens and First Nations Justice spokesperson, Larissa Waters:

“The report today is sobering reading. More First Nations people are incarcerated and dying by suicide than last year. More First Nations kids are out of their homes and not on track to meet developmental milestones.

“I am deeply distressed that the outcomes today show almost no progress from last year’s report. First Nations people deserve much bolder action from the Government on Truth, Treaty and deaths in custody. Yet the government has stripped funding for a truth-telling commission and refuses to step in to end draconian States and Territory laws that put First Nations kids behind bars at alarming rates.

“We need to be real about the impacts of systemic racism, intergenerational trauma and chronic under-investment in Aboriginal-led responses. Labor must move beyond incremental measures if they are to close the gap by 2031 as promised.

“The Yoorook Justice Commission’s truth-telling work established a treaty pathway in Victoria; the Commonwealth should adopt and scale that approach nationally.

“Labor’s failure to implement the recommendations from the Deaths in Custody Royal Commission has led to the highest Aboriginal deaths in custody in over 40 years. 

“Additional funding is welcome, but without accountable delivery plans and genuine community partnership the gap will not close.

“The recent alleged murders of two First Nations women in Lake Cargelligo were not isolated incidents. First Nations women are more likely to be killed by a current or former partner, more likely to be hospitalised by violence, less likely to access support to leave violent relationships, and too often ignored when they report violence. We welcome the Our Ways, Strong Ways, Our Voices plan this week, but it should not have taken so long for government to listen to First Nations women calling for a standalone, community-led plan to end violence.

“The Greens are also alarmed by the continuing delays in meaningful cultural heritage reform while major projects continue to be approved against community wishes. It has been years since the destruction at Juukan Gorge and First Nations people still have to sue to defend their cultural heritage and water rights. The law must be reformed now so consent, self-determination and First Nations decision-making are central to approvals.

“And outside the report outcomes, the attempted bombing of an Invasion Day rally in Boorloo was a chilling reminder that racism and far-right hatred targeting First Nations people is escalating. The time for leadership is now.

“Communities have the solutions, Labor needs to show the political will to implement structural reform led by First Nations people toward truth, treaty and justice.”

The Minns Labor Government has provided the Aboriginal not-for-profit Twofold Aboriginal Corporation, located 10 kilometres north of Eden, with more than $248,000 to install a new solar energy system at Jigamy Farm, helping take the site off-grid and reduce operating costs.

Jigamy Farm is an important cultural hub on the Sapphire Coast, incorporating a campground, training centre, art studio, cultural learning, and Aboriginal employment opportunities.

The funding was used to install a 62-kilowatt-hour solar energy system with battery storage, significantly reducing energy costs at the site and improving long-term sustainability.

NSW Government support has also enabled Twofold Aboriginal Corporation to work with a business mentor, strengthening the organisation’s capacity and ensuring it is well positioned to take advantage of new opportunities following completion of the project.

The Aboriginal Economic Development Package is funded under the Minns Government’s Regional Development Trust to support Aboriginal businesses deliver new commercial opportunities and training to improve economic and employment outcomes for Aboriginal people.

For more information, go to: nsw.gov.au/regionaldevelopmenttrust

Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“This project is a great example of how targeted support can help Aboriginal organisations take practical steps toward long-term sustainability.

“By going off-grid, Twofold Aboriginal Corporation is reducing their energy costs and reinvesting those savings back into community programs.

“The NSW Government is proud to support projects like Jigamy Farm, which is a hub for culture, training and opportunity, with this investment helping to strengthen that role in supporting local jobs and skills development.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said:

“This investment is a great example of empowering Aboriginal organisations to lead the way in sustainability and economic growth.

“We know that Aboriginal organisations and people implementing initiatives in partnership with the NSW Government result in better Closing the Gap outcomes.

“Taking Jigamy Farm off-grid is not just an environmental milestone—it’s an investment in cultural and economic resilience.”

Local Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland MP said:

“This investment is a win for the Twofold Aboriginal Corporation, the local community and everyone who visits Jigamy Farm. By reducing energy costs and moving off-grid, the organisation can reinvest savings into growing tourism, training and employment opportunities on the Sapphire Coast.

“Jigamy Farm is a valued cultural and economic hub, and this project shows how targeted NSW Government support can deliver lasting benefits for Aboriginal organisations while strengthening local jobs, skills and sustainability.”

Co-CEO of Twofold Aboriginal Corporation Elvis Amair said:

“The AEDP funding was crucial to the completion of our project and its economic sustainability, the funding has set us on the path towards making our site totally green and lowering our operating costs.

“The next stage of the journey which this funding has allowed us to focus on will be providing glamping accommodation that will see us continue to grow our operations and broaden our services offered to the community.”