Category: Australian News

Today I announce the appointment of five career public servants to lead Australian posts in Makassar, Athens, India, Bengaluru and Papeete.

Australia’s representatives overseas prosecute our national interests and through their diplomatic engagement help uphold the norms and rules that have underpinned decades of peace and prosperity.

I am pleased that these individuals will take up the following positions:

• Mr Todd Dias as Australia’s next Consul-General in Makassar, Indonesia.
• Ms Alison Duncan as Australia’s next Ambassador to Greece. Ms Duncan will also be accredited to Bulgaria and Romania.
• Mr Philip Green OAM as Australia’s next High Commissioner to India.
• Ms Hilary McGeachy as Australia’s first Consul-General in Bengaluru, India.
• Ms Alison Shea as Australia’s next Consul-General in Papeete, French Polynesia.

I thank the outgoing Ambassador, High Commissioner and Consul Generals, for their contributions to advancing Australia’s interests.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is no longer a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS). Australia’s coordinated response to the outbreak is being wound back, with states and territories well placed to continue to manage any ongoing risk.

JEV is spread to humans through bites from mosquitoes which have previously bitten pigs and waterbirds infected with the disease. Infection in humans is usually asymptomatic, but on rare occasions it can cause severe illness and even death.

In March 2022, the first JEV outbreak in mainland Australia led to the declaration of a CDINS.

The coordinated national response focused on minimising the public health risk posed by JEV by securing immediate access to vaccines to protect those at greatest risk of infection (more than 125,000 doses of JEV vaccine have been administered since February 2022), raising awareness with health professionals, informing the public about the importance of avoiding mosquito bites, and improving understanding of spread through enhanced mosquito surveillance and control.  

Since 1 January 2021, 45 people have been infected with JEV in Australia. Sadly, seven people died as a result. There have been no new human cases identified in Australia since December 2022.

Based on the current epidemiological risk, collaboration across agencies, the maturity of response activities and Australia’s preparedness, the need for a nationally coordinated emergency response has reduced, allowing the CDINS declaration to be stood down at this time.

The Department of Health and Aged Care has worked closely with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and state and territory human and animal health agencies, to ensure a consistent and dedicated One Health response to JEV.

One Health is the paramount approach to managing diseases that cross the health, animal, and environment sectors.

Lessons from the national JEV response will inform the development of the future Australian Centre for Disease Control’s One Health agenda to strengthen Australia’s capacity and preparedness to respond to similar outbreaks in the future.

While the national emergency response has ended, JEV remains a nationally notifiable disease in humans and animals. States and territories will continue to manage the risk of JEV in line with local arrangements, including ongoing disease and vector surveillance activities.

Australia is well placed to continue to manage the risk of JEV and, while the immediate threat from this outbreak has passed, it is important people continue to take these steps:

• Remain vigilant to avoid mosquito bites and be aware of JEV symptoms
• If you live in a high-risk area, you may be eligible for free vaccination through state and territory vaccination programs
• Contact your public health authority for information on the local risk of JEV and steps you can take to prevent infection.

General information about JEV is available at www.health.gov.au/jev/.

The Albanese Government is partnering with local government to deliver energy upgrades and bill savings for community facilities like local pools, sporting clubs and community centres, so they can spend more on what they do best.

A new $100 million Community Energy Upgrades Fund will co-fund upgrades with local councils and has the potential to unlock over $200 million in high-impact energy upgrades to save community facilities on bills over the medium and long term.

Local councils own and operate many of the public sporting, community and cultural facilities Australians use every year, and we know that 8 million Australians use community sport infrastructure annually.

This new funding will unlock energy saving upgrades for community facilities around the country, and could include upgrades like replacing energy-intensive heating in council pools with heat pumps and energy efficient lighting and battery storage at sporting fields, libraries and community centres.

The Albanese Government is committed to delivering cheaper, cleaner energy to more Australians, and this $100 million funding boost from the Albanese Government, adds to the $1.6 billion Energy Savings Package delivering upgrades for homes and businesses in the 2023-24 Budget.

The guidelines for the Fund will be designed in close consultation with key stakeholders, including the Australian Local Government Association.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Local Government is central to the lives of all Australians. This investment will help local councils save on their power bills while upgrading facilities that serve their communities.

“The Albanese Government is committed to supporting local communities, and this includes helping them save on energy and save on power bills.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen said:

“Local councils run many of the sport and public facilities that keep our communities and clubs thriving. We want facilities that Australians know and love, like cricket grounds and local pools, to be able to save on their energy bills and spend more on the things they do best.

“The Albanese Government is not just providing short term relief on power bills, with our Community Energy Upgrades Fund and Energy Savings Package, it is also making the investments needed to deliver cleaner, cheaper power for the long-term.”

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain said:

“Local governments are trusted delivery partners of a range of services communities rely on, which is why we continue to provide them with targeted assistance to help them meet the needs of their local communities.

“We know that every dollar local governments save goes back into their community, which is why the Community Energy Upgrades Fund is great news – it will mean more energy efficient operations and better experiences for communities to enjoy.”

Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Jenny McAllister said:

“Local governments are on the front line of combating climate change, which is why we’re partnering on major projects to save energy and decarbonise public facilities.

“More than 1,000 council pools in Australia are owned or operated by local government. They’re big energy users and efficiencies can make a real difference on the path to net zero.

“We want to make every watt count. This fund will help local councils install efficient systems, reduce energy bills and lower emissions.”

The Australian Government has today delivered on an important election commitment for the local government sector, with the Australian Council of Local Government held in Canberra for the first time in a decade.

The forum brought together mayors and council leaders from every corner of Australia to engage with Albanese Government Ministers about the shared vision of these levels of government. Productive discussions across the day highlighted the common goals of the Australian Government and local government leaders.

The forum highlighted the Government’s refreshed approach to local grant programs, including new community infrastructure grant opportunities Growing Regions and Thriving Suburbs. These programs mean every local government area across Australia is now eligible for to apply for transparent, merits-based community infrastructure funding.

It reinforced the urgent challenge of housing supply and affordability as a priority for all participants. The forum discussed the role of local government in driving local solutions to the housing crisis, and their role in the upcoming Planning Ministers Meeting as well as the delivery of the Housing Accord.

Achieving net zero emissions was a significant theme across the forum. Local government was acknowledged as leaders in the renewable energy transition and this role was supported by the announcement of the Community Energy Upgrades Fund. This $100 million Australian Government investment will co-fund energy efficiency projects with local councils.

The Australian Council of Local Government will be a regular event, with announcements of future events to be made in coming months.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Local government is fundamental to the lives of each and every Australian, and that is why I was proud to establish the ACLG in 2008 when I was the Minister for Local Government.

“My Government committed to bringing local government back to the table by re-establishing the ACLG – and that is exactly what we delivered on here today.”

“Local governments are a trusted delivery partner of the services communities rely on. My Government’s priorities for cleaner, cheaper energy, more affordable housing, skills and training, as well as smart infrastructure cannot be achieved without the vital role of councils.”

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King said:

“The Albanese Government is committed to continuing to work closely with councils in identifying how we can work together to overcome challenges facing our country.

“This includes delivering on our commitment to establish a new regional grants program focused on integrity, transparency, accountability and collaboration – which is what we are doing through the new Growing Regions Program.

“We heard loud and clear that our suburbs are under pressure, which is why I’m so glad to be working with the local government sector on key issues in urban policy and community infrastructure funding.”

Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain said:

“Local governments should not be an afterthought when it comes to whole-of-government policies, which is why hearing from so many local leaders at today’s Australian Council of Local Government is an incredibly important step in forging fit-for-purpose programs.

“We are committed to building strong partnerships with our local governments to improve service delivery, capitalise on our strengths, and tackle the big challenges in our communities – especially in our regions.

“Today’s renewed collaboration underpins our commitment to ensure money delivered through Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants is equitable and goes where it is needed most – which will be critical to the future of local governments effectively delivering for our communities.”

President of the Australian Local Government Association, Linda Scott said:

“It was wonderful to be here with so many mayors, ministers and other colleagues discussing progress on shared visions we’re already working on, such as net zero emissions by 2050, while opening dialogue on new ideas.

“I look forward to our ongoing collaboration to support councils across the country to continue delivering for Australians – from our most northern communities to the very south of Tasmania.”

I am delighted to announce I will meet with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei when he visits Australia as a Guest of Government from 18 to 21 June.

Australia and Brunei Darussalam enjoy a close relationship based on our shared history, strong people-to-people links and mutual interest in taking action on climate change, strategic defence collaboration and food security in the region.

The Sultan’s visit provides an opportunity to elevate the bilateral relationship with Brunei and highlights Australia’s commitment to strengthening engagement with Southeast Asia, and working together with ASEAN throughout the region.

I look forward to welcoming His Majesty to Australia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“I am delighted to welcome His Majesty to Australia. Australia and Brunei share a commitment to a stable, peaceful and prosperous region.”

“I am committed to forging stronger relationships with our neighbours in Southeast Asia and working together and through ASEAN to meet our shared challenges.”

“I look forward to meeting with His Majesty in Canberra to reinforce our warm and longstanding relationship.”

In response to the latest ABC job cuts, Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“I am devastated to hear that more than 100 jobs will go from the ABC. 

“This is shocking for public interest journalism and for the hardworking, talented staff of the ABC.

“At a time when trust in news is at its lowest, it is essential that we have a strong national broadcaster delivering quality local and national news. 

“Under the Coalition Government we saw $783 million cut from the ABC’s budget. That funding has never been fully restored.

“Tony Abbott broke his promise of no cuts to the ABC, but Labor never promised to fully restore ABC funding.

“It’s now time for Labor to fully reinstate ABC funding to fix more than a decade of Coalition cuts.

“I will be writing to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and calling on her to intervene and save jobs and journalism at the ABC.

“We cannot wait another 5 years for the funding to be reviewed. The Albanese Government must urgently intervene to ensure that our public broadcaster is properly funded.”

Introduction

Given the negligible net overseas migration (NOM) in the year leading up to March 2021, the conventional question of whether voters wanted more or less immigration became less relevant. However, this unique period provided an opportunity to gauge the Australian voting public’s opinions on the level of immigration post-pandemic. Let’s summarise the fourth TAPRI national survey conducted in late July 2021, focusing on voters’ attitudes towards population growth and immigration.

A July 2021 summary of voting opinions is as relevant today as it was a few years ago.

The Context and Natural Experiment

Between March 2020 and July 2021, Australia experienced minimal net migration due to the pandemic. During this period, interest groups advocating for a return to pre-pandemic levels of immigration, approximately 240,000 per year, had ample opportunity to present their case. These groups, including influential business organisations, the property industry, and the overseas student sector, received strong support from the Coalition Government, which expressed its intention to restore NOM levels once the pandemic was under control. This situation set the stage for a natural experiment: would voters support a “Big Australia” policy after experiencing over a year without it? Have advocates successfully persuaded them that high rates of population growth are desirable?

Survey Results and Shifting Attitudes

The survey results revealed that advocates of a “Big Australia” policy did not convince most voters. Only 19% of respondents supported a return to NOM levels of around 240,000 per year, while the rest preferred significantly lower levels of immigration, including 28% who favoured nil net migration.

Notably, there has been a noticeable hardening of attitudes towards immigration. Before the pandemic, there was a relatively even split between voters wanting to maintain or increase current immigration levels and those favouring a decrease. However, as of July 2021, only a small minority wished to restore “Big Australia” levels, with the majority opposing it.

Reasons for Opposition and Alternative Solutions

Advocates of substantial immigration often argue that addressing labour shortages and stimulating economic growth is necessary. However, when respondents were presented with this proposition, only 26% supported it. Instead, a majority (61%) chose an alternative proposition: “We should deal with worker shortages by raising wages and improving skills training for locals.” This shift in sentiment indicates that voters are not convinced that increased immigration is the sole solution to labour market challenges.

Furthermore, most voters do not support a return to previous levels of overseas student recruitment, suggesting a more comprehensive scepticism towards population growth.

Drivers of Opposition and the Impact of the Pandemic

The survey findings indicate that most voters do not believe Australia needs more people. Approximately 69% of respondents held this view, citing concerns such as congestion, overcrowding of hospitals and schools, environmental deterioration, and the high cost of housing as reasons for their stance.

It is worth noting that the hardening of voters’ views may have been influenced by their fears surrounding the virus. Strong support was observed for keeping international borders closed to foreign travellers and for state governments’ restrictions on interstate movement. These factors suggest that apprehension about further infections and disruptions to everyday life significantly shapes public opinion.

Conclusion

The TAPRI national survey conducted in July 2021 provides valuable insights into the changing attitudes of Australian voters towards immigration and population growth. The results demonstrate a notable shift from supporting a “Big Australia” policy, with a majority favouring lower immigration levels or nil net migration. Voters expressed concerns about the negative consequences of population growth and highlighted alternative strategies for addressing labour shortages. The pandemic has played a crucial role.

A bill to establish a Royal Commission into the Murdoch media empire was introduced into the parliament today by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. 

The bill establishes a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry and has the full powers of a Royal Commission, including resources and ability to compel witnesses. It would report to the Parliament, rather than the Government.

The Greens will move to refer the bill to a senate inquiry following its introduction.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Today I introduced a Greens bill to establish a Royal Commission into the Murdoch media empire and the state of media diversity in Australia. 

“The influence of the Murdoch media on Australian democracy is unaccountable and dangerous. It is time politicians stop being afraid to question the Murdoch press.

“Only an inquiry with the powers of a Royal Commission can uncover the extent of the Murdoch media’s influence and control over our democracy and fully examine media concentration in Australia.

“Even today we’ve seen the Murdoch press use leaked text messages from an alleged rape victim to prosecute an attempted political attack with little regard to the welfare of Brittany Higgins or for the public interest.

“The revelations in the Dominion case against Fox News was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the influence of the Murdoch media.

“Rupert Murdoch seemed to do everything he could to get out of giving evidence, leaving us wondering what might have been uncovered. It’s now even more imperative that Rupert Murdoch is called to give evidence before a Royal Commission in Australia.

“Pressure is continuing to build to hold the Murdoch media mafia to account for the role they have played in the polarisation of politics and their rampant spreading of misinformation.

“Australia’s media regulatory framework is not fit for purpose and needs an overhaul. Media regulators in this country are toothless and powerless to act in the public interest under the huge political and market influence of the Murdoch machine.

“The first recommendation of the Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity in Australia was to conduct a judicial inquiry with the powers of a royal commission to investigate media regulation in Australia.

“I invite all members of parliament to support the bill and stand up for public interest journalism and truth in our democracy.”

Today, the Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFS, co-chaired by Senator Jordon Steele-John and Maria Vamvakinou, will be launched today at an event in Parliament House 11 am – 12 noon AEST. 

The friendship group aims to connect Members of Parliament with patient advocates and stakeholders from across the country, to improve outcomes for the community and ensure that people with Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are not left behind by the federal government during the 47th Parliament. 

At the launch event, people will hear from the Co-Chairs, Penelope McMillan from ME/CFS Australia, Anne Wilson from Emerge and a community advocate, Andrew Bretherton, to speak about their lived experience.

Members of the community from across the country will attend the event online.

WA Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, Greens spokesperson for Health and Disability said:

“It’s an honour to co-chair the Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFS. I hope this friends group will help bridge the gap between us all: people with ME/CFS, healthcare providers, and policy makers. 

“ME/CFS affects a huge number of people in this country and for decades has failed to receive the recognition and understanding within the healthcare system that it needs. Too many people have been misdiagnosed, not received access to specialised clinics and in some cases – treatment that has actively caused harm to the people it was supposed to support. 

“We know there are many actions the Federal Government could take to improve the lives of people with ME/CFS, including investing in research, better resourcing advocacy groups, and supporting healthcare providers to have a better understanding of the condition, its severity, and its impact. 

“The government must urgently ensure that current disability support systems, including getting access to the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are available to people with ME/CFS. It can be extremely challenging for people with ME/CFS to navigate processes due to the fluctuating nature of their symptoms and the lack of consistent diagnostic criteria.” 

The Albanese Government has today announced the Chair and Advisory Board of the Net Zero Economy Agency.

The Hon Greg Combet AM has been appointed as Chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency. As Chair, Mr Combet will guide the Agency to ensure that the workers, industries and communities that have powered Australia for generations, can seize the opportunities of the net zero transformation. The Chair will be supported by an Advisory Board to design and establish the legislated Net Zero Authority.

Members appointed to the Advisory Board:

• Professor Ross Garnaut AC – Professor Emeritus in Economics at the University of Melbourne and Professor Emeritus, College of Asia & the Pacific at ANU;
• Professor Paul Simshauser AM – CEO of Powerlink Queensland and Professor of Economics at Griffith University;
• Anthea Harris – CEO of the Australian Energy Regulator;
• Nicole Lockwood – Chair of Infrastructure WA, board member of NBN and former Shire President of Roebourne;
• Kellie Parker – CEO of Rio Tinto Australia;
• Michele O’Neil – President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions;
• Professor Robynne Quiggin – Pro-Vice Chancellor of UTS and part of Steering committee for the First Nations Clean Energy Network;
• Anna Skarbek – CEO of ClimateWorks, Director of the Green Building Council of Australia, the Centre for New Energy Technologies, the Sustainable Australia Fund, Impact Investment Group, and Sentient Impact Group;
• Tony Maher – General President of the Mining and Energy Union;  
• Laura Tyler – Chief Technical Officer, BHP.

Mr Combet is uniquely qualified to lead the Agency, with expertise in government, investment, climate policy and industrial relations, as well as holding qualifications in coal mining engineering. He will begin the role on 10 July 2023.

Mr Combet is currently the Chair of IFM Investors and Industry Super Australia and formerly served as Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Defence Personnel, Science and Materiel, and was a leader of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Advisory Board members were appointed for their significant expertise across a range of areas including workplace relations, energy markets, regional development, First Nations engagement and economic development.

In addition to the Chair and Advisory Board, stakeholder reference groups will be established to guide the Agency’s work with representatives to include regional experts, to engage with workers, industry and communities about the transition to net zero.

Last month the Government committed to legislate a national Net Zero Authority, which will work with state, territory and local governments, existing regional bodies, unions, industry, investors and First Nations groups to help key regions, industries, employers and others proactively manage the transformation to a clean energy economy.

To kickstart the Authority’s responsibilities immediately, the Net Zero Economy Agency will start work from July this year.