Category: Australian News

It has never been harder or more expensive to see a doctor than under the Albanese Labor Government, as the data continues to point to a primary care system at crisis point.

It was reported in the Guardian on Thursday that Australians have lost access to more than 400 dedicated bulkbilling GP clinics over the past 12 months.

The number of Australians accessing bulk billed GP appointments is currently at the lowest level in a decade, and now this sobering new statistic makes it clear that access is only getting worse.

The Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston, said that affordable healthcare has never been more important than during the current cost-of-living crisis, but bulk billing is still collapsing despite all the taxpayer funds the Government has thrown at it.

“Once again, the Government clearly prioritised headlines with their bulk billing incentive measure, instead of delivering real and practical solutions like addressing the current workforce crisis.

“We know that 1.2 million Australians avoided seeing a doctor last year due to cost, as they were forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying their bills or visiting their GP.

“Mark Butler is misleading Australians about the Government’s success on affordable healthcare, but the statistics tell the real story,” Senator Ruston said.

Right now, the GP bulk billing rate right now under Labor is 77.7% – This compares to 84% under Peter Dutton as Health Minister and 88.5% when the Coalition left office.

Australians cannot afford for the Government’s inaction on this crisis to continue. Not only is it pushing up out-of-pocket costs for struggling households, but a weakened primary care system will also place additional pressure on already over-burdened hospitals.

The Albanese Labor Government continues to shroud the future of the aged care sector in secrecy as more than two months have passed since the Government received their sustainability report.

Senate Estimates confirmed that the final report from their Aged Care Sustainability Taskforce was completed and provided to the Government before Christmas. However, despite being months behind on their deadline, Labor continues hiding the report from the Australian public.

The level of secrecy around the outcome of the Taskforce is astounding, with even the Government’s own acting Inspector General of Aged Care revealing that he has not received a briefing on the report despite requesting one.

Labor’s continued refusal to be transparent with the report has reaffirmed suspicions that it is concealing plans for financing the aged care sector until after the Dunkley by-election.

This deliberate delay creates additional stress for providers, who already have to grapple with serious financial pressures caused by an unaddressed workforce shortfall.

Over the last quarter, we have only seen an additional 44 nurses enter the aged care workforce, which means almost 6,000 additional nurses are needed before October 2024 to implement new mandated staffing requirements.

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston, said that the Coalition understands the pressures aged care provider face under Labor.

“Estimates revealed that 30% of aged care providers are already failing to meet current care requirements, and we are seriously concerned that this will only get worse from October as the Government continues to sit on their hands.

“The fact that Labor has not managed to reduce the staffing shortfall by even 1% shows critical failings in their approach to the current challenges.

“The last thing that aged care providers need when they are trying to care for our older Australians is for the Government to inflict even greater uncertainty on them regarding their future financing and sustainability,” Shadow Minister Ruston said.

The Coalition is calling on the Albanese Labor Government to be transparent about their plans for the aged care sector by releasing the Taskforce’s report. Otherwise, we are left to ask – What are they hiding?

At 11pm on 28 July last year an Australian Defence Force MRH-90 Taipan Helicopter crashed into waters around the Whitsunday islands.

The Royal Australian Navy had six ships in the area including two helicopter-capable ones, HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Choules.

Instead of being ordered to turn around the ships continued to sail in the opposite direction, away from the search and rescue operation, out to sea for at least eight hours after the crash.

What was the mission that was so important? Two helicopter-capable ships out of the navy’s total six in the area needed to be sent to instead of turning around and helping with what at the time was a search and rescue for four air crew still assumed to be alive?

Well, the ships had a photo shoot to attend with partner allies.

Instead of helping with the search and rescue, they were hundreds of kilometres off the coast to take some promotional pictures.

There may well be valid reasons why the photo shoot wasn’t cancelled, and the ships turned around. It was early in the operation, maybe there were too many assets already in the search area, but it’s what Defence did next that’s the issue.

They tried to cover up that the photoshoot ever happened, rather than admitting they sent two of their six ships in the area further out to sea.

These images were initially posted to images.defence.gov.au, but at some point, someone ordered them to be scrubbed from the site completely. There are zero photos of the photo shoot from July 29 available.

Senator Malcolm Roberts asked questions about all of the ships at Senate Estimates, including seeking details of exactly when each ship was tasked to the search and rescue operation.

Defence refused to answer, likely because they were too embarrassed to admit they did not task Adelaide and Choules to the search and rescue operation and it would reveal they were off on a photo shoot instead.

In Senate Estimates last week, the Chief of Defence Force, General Campbell, was evasive again, claiming he didn’t have further details about the unanswered questions from October.

That was until he was confronted with a picture from the photo shoot that the United States Navy had shared, with HMAS Adelaide pride of place in the front row. Defence scrubbed all their photos from the website but obviously forgot to send the memo to the US.

It is a worrying sign that the chief of our defence force is evading questions. Australia is built on a core democratic principle; that civilians are in control of the armed forces. The point at which the armed forces become a law unto themselves is the point at which our democracy will perish.

This defence force chief is too embarrassed to own up to the fact they had ships on a photoshoot. Instead of helping with the search and rescue, the admirals and generals at the top of Defence tried to cover it up. Either they come clean, answer parliament’s questions, or they go.

The upcoming departure of Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci will change nothing while the supermarket duopoly retains its market dominance and current pricing practices,  the Greens say.

“It is appropriate that Mr Banducci is leaving, however that will by no means solve the problems in the food and grocery sector” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim, who is chairing the Senate Select Inquiry into Supermarket Pricing, said.

“CEOs come and go, but the supermarket duopoly will continue to ruthlessly use their market dominance unless forced to change.”

“Farmers, workers and shoppers are going to keep getting smashed regardless of who wears the CEO badge.”

“It is price gouging, corporate power and market dominance that are the real problems, and that is exactly what the Senate inquiry will focus on.”

The Greens will move an amendment in Parliament to retain s11 of the RBA Act which gives the Treasurer the power to override Reserve Bank decisions.

“As the Reserve Bank was smashing renters and mortgage holders with interest rate rises, Jim Chalmers was working on a scheme to remove his own power to intervene, “ Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“Dr Chalmers wants to throw renters, first home buyers and mortgage holders under the bus by getting rid of his powers to set interest rates.” 

“His attempt to wash his hands of responsibility for interest rate rises is looking increasingly friendless and self interested.”

“Not one of the 78 public submissions to the Review of the RBA recommended removing section 11 and yet bizarrely it seems to be Dr Chalmers’ top priority.”

“The Greens will move an amendment in Parliament to ensure that this power is retained.”

“We now have three current and former RBA Governors who say that the bank is independent enough.”

“We also have Dr Chalmers’ hero Paul Keating, and former Liberal Treasurer Peter Costello who are against this move.”

“It seems that the only person who wants this change is Dr Chalmers himself.”

The Albanese Government today launched the Stronger Medicare Awards, to honour those who have made a significant contribution to Australia’s primary care sector.

The Stronger Medicare awards will recognise and honour Medicare Champions from around Australia: outstanding individuals and practices that provide exceptional care, embrace innovation, and work together to improve the health of their community.

First and foremost, these Medicare Champions are individuals and practices that go above and beyond to benefit patients.

Nominations will be open to individual health professionals, practices or health centres and multi-disciplinary teams working across the full range of primary care services.

They can also extend to the many hard-working people who do not have professional qualifications in healthcare, but work for primary care services to help patients access the care they need, when and where they need it.  

Anyone can nominate an individual, team or practice for a Medicare Champion Award and highlight what makes that person special and deserving of national recognition.

This could be their contribution to patient care, innovation, multidisciplinary care or work with diverse communities or vulnerable patients.

An independent panel of respected health experts will review eligible nominations to determine the result.

Nominations will be open in coming weeks and the Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Canberra in October 2024. 

The awards are part of the commemorative activities in 2024 to mark Medicare’s 40th anniversary and celebrate all those who work to benefit patients.

For further information visit: Celebrating 40 years of Medicare

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Our nation owes an incredible debt to all those who dedicate their lives to protecting and improving the health and wellbeing of their fellow Australians.

“As we celebrate 40 years of Medicare and all that it has delivered for Australia, let’s also take time to celebrate the health workers who are the backbone of the system and the heroes of the pandemic.”

Minister Mark Butler said:

“These awards are another way to support the talented health practitioners that work to keep Medicare strong, alongside the historic investments the Albanese Government has made in new rebates, tripled bulk billing incentives, 58 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and reforms like MyMedicare.

“The Stronger Medicare Awards are an opportunity to recognise and honour the outstanding health professionals and other workers in clinics, health centres, general practices and primary care settings, all around Australia.

“Doctors, nurses and other health professionals don’t do the important work they do for the limelight, instead they are driven to improve the lives of their fellow Australians. The Stronger Medicare Awards are one more way that we can honour and say thanks for their effort and their excellence.”

Assistant Minister Ged Kearney said:

“As a former nurse, I know the life changing but often unrecognised work healthcare professionals do day in day out.

“This is a simple, yet powerful way to acknowledge the workers in primary care who have gone above and beyond to make a positive difference to our lives, our families and our communities.”

While Labor tries to spin and spend its way out of a cost of living crisis, the Coalition is focused on finding real solutions to this crisis.

The Cost of Living Committee is holding a hearing in Gladstone to hear how Labor’s dual cost of living and cost of doing business crises is impacting the regions.

Chair of the Committee, Senator Jane Hume, will hear from local business groups and Master Builders Australia about Labor’s industrial relations changes. Senator Hume will seek to understand how Labor’s anti-productivity agenda and high energy prices have impacted their ability to deliver lower prices for consumers.

The Committee will also hear evidence from the Gladstone Regional Council and Gladstone Women’s Health Centre, as well as not-for-profit organisation Aussie Helpers, about how the cost of living crisis is taking its toll on the community.

Senator Hume said that while the Albanese Government has been focused on the wrong priorities, Australian households, particularly those in regional Australia, have been left behind.

“The Prime Minister has finally admitted that Labor’s policies to tackle the cost of living haven’t worked. But he’s still not listening. With Australian households hurting, the Coalition will continue to pursue finding sensible solutions to Labor’s cost of living crisis.

“Everywhere we go, from suburban Melbourne to Port Augusta to Alice Springs, we hear that cost of living is the number one issue facing Australian households and businesses. Yet Labor has no plan to help them.

“Labor knows the Australian public can see through their spin on the cost of living, that’s why they’re looking to spend $40 million on a PR campaign to explain why they lied.

“Australians are paying the price for a government that has no economic plan and can’t keep its promises.”

Senator Matt Canavan said Labor’s policies are pushing up the cost of doing business, and have already cost 1000 nickel jobs in WA.

“It’s only a matter of time before our aluminium, and other manufacturers start to struggle under the weight of the extra costs of policies like the safeguard mechanism.

“We need to be listening to these businesses, and make sure that they can keep people employed in Central Queensland.”

The full Cost of Living Committee program is available here: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Cost_of_Living/costofliving/Public_Hearings.

Anthony Albanese’s claims that he will not touch Western Australia’s GST are completely worthless because they come from a Prime Minister who breaks his promises, particularly when it involves tax.

The Prime Minister’s weakness on protecting our borders, despite his claims to the contrary, has also been exposed with the arrival of an illegal boat in Western Australia.

The Prime Minister and the Treasurer promised more than 100 times they would deliver the stage 3 tax cuts but have gone back on their word, leaving the important piece of taxation reform in tatters.

“If the Prime Minister and Labor can perpetrate such a huge lie, how can anyone ever believe anything they say, ever again?” Senator Cash said.

“Western Australians certainly should not believe him when he talks about not touching the GST deal, delivered by the previous Coalition Government which finally gave our State a fair share,’’ she said.

“Mr Albanese’s word is worthless. Watch him fold to pressure from other States and come after our GST money when he needs it,’’ Senator Cash said.

Mr Albanese has become the liar in the Lodge. Before the election, he promised a $275 reduction in people’s power bills, “cheaper mortgages”, and he promised that families would be “better off” under him. Yet in just 18 months: Food has gone up more than 9%; housing has gone up more than 12%; electricity has gone up more than 23%; gas has gone up more than 29% and rents are experiencing the highest increase since 2009.

“If the best Mr Albanese can do for Western Australia is leave our coastline vulnerable to people smugglers and offer hollow promises about our rightful share of the GST then I’m not sure why he’s bothering to come here,’’ Senator Cash said.

“He can pretend all he likes that he cares about Western Australia but those words count for nothing coming from a PM who keeps breaking promises,’’ she said

A new partnership between the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments will deliver more than 200 new homes in Perth, giving key workers and Western Australians in need, including older women at risk of homelessness, a safe and affordable place to call home.

A new apartment building, to be constructed on Pier St, Perth, will provide 219 new apartments, of which 30 per cent will be new social rental homes (66 apartments) and 20 per cent will be affordable rental homes (44 apartments).

The Albanese Labor Government’s Housing Australia will contribute funding of $88.6 million from the National Housing Infrastructure Facility (NHIF) to help build these new homes for Western Australians, while the Cook Labor Government will contribute more than $40.6 million.

The Federal Government unlocked up to $575 million in the NHIF for social and affordable housing in 2022, making this funding possible.

The Commonwealth funding represents the largest contribution to date from Housing Australia in Western Australia.

Across the state, the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments are continuing to work to ensure more Western Australians have a safe and affordable place to call home.

The Federal Government has already delivered more than $209 million through the Social Housing Accelerator, which will help to build almost 600 new social homes across Western Australia.

Last month, Housing Australia opened applications for the first round of funding for social and affordable homes under the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord.

In January, as part of the Cook Labor Government’s Housing Diversity Pipeline, lodgement of a development application was announced for the Pier Street project – the State’s second social and affordable Build-to-Rent project. This followed the identification of a site on Smith Street in Highgate in December.

The Pier Street development is part of the Cook Government’s record $2.6 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures, which includes delivery of around 4,000 new social homes and maintenance and refurbishments to many thousands more.

Project design is being led by International design practice Hassell and development approval is anticipated in late March 2024, with construction set to commence by mid-2024.

It is expected the project will create a sustainable and replicable model for future social and affordable housing, support around 200 jobs during construction and deliver significant financial stimulus to the state economy through its flow-on effects to other industries.

For further information visit: Pier St – Overview

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese said:

“This project ticks all the boxes and will deliver more than 200 new well-located homes for Western Australians.

“It will mean key workers can live and work in the same community and provide new homes to Western Australians in need, including older women at risk of homelessness.

“Our decision to unlock more funding for social and affordable homes is helping to deliver projects just like this across the country.

“It’s all part of our plan to give more Australians a safe and affordable place to call home.”

Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook said:

“My Government is getting on with the job of delivering around 4,000 new social homes as part of our record $2.6 billion in housing and homelessness measures.

“This crucial new partnership with the Albanese Government complements my Government’s investment and will help to deliver more than 200 new homes for Western Australians in the heart of Perth.

“Importantly, the more than 200 apartment development at Pier Street will include 110 social and affordable rental homes for those in need of support to put a roof over their head through the Build-to-Rent Model.”

Federal Minister for Housing Julie Collins said:

“These new homes underline the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to providing secure housing to more Australians. We’re proud to be working with partners on this important project in Western Australia.

“This is exactly what the Albanese Labor Government will achieve through our new historic investments in housing, including the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator.

“Our ambitious housing reform agenda is working across the board – with more help for homebuyers, more help for renters and more help for Western Australians needing a safe place for the night.”

Western Australian Minister for Housing John Carey said:

“The Pier Street development forms part of the Cook Labor Government’s Housing Diversity Pipeline where we are unlocking lazy government land to boost supply of social and affordable housing in WA.

“The Cook Government is investing an unprecedented $2.6 billion in housing and homelessness measures which includes the delivery of around 4,000 social homes.

“In partnership with the Federal Government, the Pier Street development is planned to deliver more than 200 new apartments with a mix of social housing, disability housing and affordable rentals through the Build-to-Rent model.

“Housing Choices Australia and Super Housing Partnerships have been selected as the preferred consortium to purchase the building on completion and to provide tenancy management to support the most vulnerable members of the community.

“This important project will also see the development of a new urban community close to major public transport hubs and local amenities – bringing more activity, vibrancy and importantly more housing diversity right here in Perth.”