Category: Australian News

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of New Zealand, The Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, to Australia on 7 February.

This visit will mark Prime Minister Hipkins’s first international trip as leader.

Australia values the priority that both countries place on the bilateral relationship. As partners and allies, our bilateral agenda is unparalleled in its scope.

Australia and New Zealand will celebrate important milestones in 2023, marking 40 years of our Closer Economic Relations Free Trade Agreement – one of the most comprehensive free trade agreements in the world – and 80 years of diplomatic representation.

Prime Minister Hipkins’s visit comes as New Zealand begins its recovery from the serious flooding and loss of life in Auckland. Australia stands ready to support New Zealand as needed.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“I am delighted to welcome Prime Minister Hipkins to Australia. Australia and New Zealand have an extremely close relationship, underpinned by our shared history and generations of personal, business and government links.

“I offer my condolences to all those affected by the devastating floods and loss of life in Auckland. We stand ready to support our family and friends in New Zealand, if needed.”

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Hipkins to Canberra and discussing ways to build on trans-Tasman cooperation.”

The Greens welcome the announcement of family law amendments aimed at putting children’s welfare first in family law matters.

After years of inaction, and unnecessary, damaging inquiries, we welcome the government’s willingness to listen to the experts instead of the political grandstanding that has traumatised survivors of family and domestic violence and provided a platform for hate and misinformation.

Fair, child-safety focussed outcomes can only be achieved with adequate resources, yet both the Federal Circuit and Family Court and the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children remain woefully underfunded.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:

“Finally, after years of wasted time and damaging misinformation campaigns – including Pauline Hanson’s toxic family law inquiry – we may start to see real improvements to the family law system.

“The evidence has repeatedly shown that gendered violence is a core problem at the heart of the family law system, and that children frequently bear the brunt of violent relationships and protracted legal matters.

“The sector has long called for removal of the presumption of equal shared parenting, strengthening the obligations of Independent Children’s Lawyers (ICLs) and family report writers, and definitions of family that respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and kinship. We are pleased to see the Labor government listening to the experts and implementing these changes to centre children’s safety.

“Children’s safety must be a key consideration in all situations, including matters under the Hague Convention. We know that many perpetrators of family and domestic violence have been able to weaponise the court process to continue their abuse and control. The proposed amendments will give the courts more capacity to identify and prevent systems abuse, and help to keep women and children safe.

“The Greens will review the proposed amendments and work with stakeholders and the government to ensure a strong, fair, and safe family law system.

“Failing to adequately fund the courts and frontline family and domestic violence services has created delays and gaps in the system that continue to put women and children at risk.

“The only way to strengthen the outcomes and timeliness of family law matters is to ensure they are heard by experienced, specialist judges. Funding for judicial training, as well as wraparound support services including safe rooms, risk screening and triaging programs, and cultural liaison workers are essential to the success of any reform.

“The National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, released last year to great fanfare, has laudable goals. But ambitious aims need to be backed with funding.

“The women’s safety sector has repeatedly called for a $1B per year investment to ensure funding meets demand, and the Greens support these calls. The Government’s budget response was nowhere near this amount, leaving frontline services about $700m short.

“If the Attorney General wants these reforms to work, his government needs to stump up the funding for them to do so, as well as properly resourcing frontline domestic, family and sexual violence support services and prevention programs including age-appropriate education.”

The Albanese Government will invest $8.5 million to support those with a lived experience of mental health to shape the policies and programs that affect them.
 
Funding of $7.5 million will establish and operate two independent national mental health lived experience peak bodies – one representing consumers and the other representing carers, families and kin.
 
Lived Experience Australia will also receive $900,000 to continue its work to lead lived experience research and build the capacity of consumer and carers. Funding of $100,000 will establish a regular stakeholder forum to increase transparency, accountability and partnership with the sector.
 
These steps address recommendations made in recent inquiries including the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health and work undertaken by the National Mental Health Commission.
 
The announcement of two independent national peak bodies comes as the Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride hosted people with lived experience alongside experts, clinicians and service providers at the Mental Health and Equity and Access Forum in Canberra.
 
People with a lived experience of mental ill-health made up the largest cohort of the more than 80 attendees, sharing invaluable insights into a system in need of repair.
 
The Forum recognised the shared goals of Government, the mental health sector, and those with a lived experience, and a commitment to working together to continue to build an equitable mental health system.
 
Discussions at the Forum focussed on how to make services more affordable and accessible to those who need them most, as part of broader system of care.
 
The Forum follows the release of the independent Better Access evaluation by Melbourne University, which showed that while the program delivers promising outcomes, many Australians continue to miss out.
 
In 2022, less than half of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds in major cities were able to access treatment they needed – despite most services being delivered in these areas.
 
Minister Butler said:
 
“Mental ill health can affect every Australian, but we know that it hits some of us harder than others. Which is why we brought together people with lived experience alongside experts and clinicians to discuss how to improve mental health for everyone, whether you live in the wealthiest suburbs of our capital cities or the poorest parts of regional Australia.”
 
“Hearing from those with lived experience is incredibly important to making improvements in mental health. Progress will come from putting consumers and carers first.”
 
“These two independent national bodies will amplify the voices of consumers and carers to drive equitable reform in mental health.”
 
Assistant Minister McBride said:
 
“The further you live outside a big city the worse your access to mental health care is likely to be – this needs to change.”
 
“We are committed to build a system that works well for everyone, wherever they live and whatever they earn.”
 
“This investment puts the voices of people with lived and living experience at the centre of decision making as we work together to create a fairer, improved, system that meets the needs of Australians.”

Labor’s proposal to remove the equal shared parental responsibility provision from family law will lead to more broken families and unjust outcomes for both children and parents.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson said Labor had form in supporting an unbalanced family law and child support system.

“Labor has tried to remove this provision before, when Graham Perrett introduced family law amendments in 2020,” Senator Hanson said. “It ignores the truth that both parents are equally responsible for bringing a child into the world, and therefore share equal responsibility for raising that child no matter what.

“Labor may have examined the recommendations of the family law inquiry I recommended the Coalition establish, but it doesn’t appear to have looked at the evidence presented in submissions and hearings by parents who’ve been through the system like I have.

“That evidence was quite clear – the system is weighted heavily against fathers. Lawyers take advantage of this, creating a highly adversarial system which can be weaponised by vexatious or vindictive partners.

“Under this system, step-fathers have more parental rights than actual fathers and children are treated as footballs. It’s in no-one’s interest – especially the child’s.”

Senator Hanson said that while she welcomed Labor’s support for expanding and extending the Lighthouse Project, she was disappointed sensible changes to the child support system were not being considered.

“The system needs to be made much fairer,” she said. “My recommendations would have done that: assessing net rather than gross incomes; ensuring parents weren’t left with annual incomes below $27,000; assessing salaries on a 38 hour week; basing child support on the number of children at the time of separation and not on additional children to other partners; assessing residential costs individually; including Family Tax Benefit in assessing incomes but excluding lump sums such as Workcover, TPI or superannuation payments; and having payments paid to a separate child support account.

“I will continue to advocate these measures to fix Australia’s broken child support system, and continue to advocate for a fairer family law system.”

A new chapter in Australia’s cultural story has begun.

The Albanese Labor Government’s new National Cultural Policy – Revive – has been released today and will set the course for Australia’s arts, entertainment and cultural sector for the next five years.

Revive will empower our talented artists and arts organisations to thrive and grow – unlocking new opportunities, reaching new audiences and telling stories in compelling new ways.

It will bring drive, direction and vision back to the $17 billion industry – which employs an estimated 400,000 Australians – after a lost decade of federal policy drift and funding neglect.

Backed by $286 million in dedicated funding over four years, Revive’s centrepiece is the establishment of Creative Australia.

Creative Australia will be the Government’s new principal arts investment and advisory body.

The governing body of Creative Australia will continue to be known as the Australia Council.

Creative Australia will expand on and modernise the Australia Council’s work with additional funding of $200 million over four years – restoring the money cut by the former Liberal and National Government.

Funding decisions will be made on the basis of artistic merit and at arm’s length from Government.

Within Creative Australia four new bodies will be established:

• A new First Nations-led body that will give First Nations people autonomy over decisions and investments
• Music Australia, a dedicated new body to support and invest in the Australian contemporary music industry
• Writers Australia, to support writers and illustrators to create new works
• A new Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces to ensure creative workers are paid fairly and have safe workplaces free from harassment and discrimination

Revive is built on five pillars but puts First Nations first – recognising and respecting the crucial place of these stories at the heart of our arts and culture.

That’s why in addition to the Creative Australia First Nations body, Revive commits the Government to:

• Introducing legislation to protect First Nations knowledge and cultural expressions, including the harm caused by fake art
• Developing a First Nations creative workforce strategy
• Funding the establishment of a National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs and an Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Perth
• Providing $11 million to establish a First Nations Languages Policy Partnership between First Nations representatives and Australian governments

Revive also commits the Government to regulating Australian content on streaming platforms; improving lending rights and incomes for Australian writers; increased funding for regional art; and dozens of other measures.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“After a decade of neglect and funding cuts, today we start a new chapter in Australia’s art and culture sector.

“Our new cultural policy Revive will provide the support Australian artists need to thrive and grow.

“I am excited by the potential it will unleash, and to see our extraordinary and diverse Australian stories continue to be told with originality, wit, creativity and flair.

“It builds on the proud legacies of earlier Labor governments that recognised the importance of art and culture to Australia’s identity, social unity and economic prosperity.”

Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said:

“Under Revive, there will be a place for every story and a story for every place. It is a comprehensive roadmap for Australia’s arts and culture that touches all areas of government, from cultural diplomacy in foreign affairs to health and education.

“Our artists are creators and workers. This sector is essential for our culture and for our economy. As the sector recovers from years of neglect followed by the tough pandemic period, Revive will set the arts sector on a new trajectory with fresh momentum.”

To read the National Cultural Policy in full, visit: A new National Cultural Policy

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, will travel to France and the United Kingdom.

The second Australia-France Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations (2+2) will take place on 30 January in Paris and the Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) will be held from 1 to 2 February in London and Portsmouth.

In France, discussions with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu will develop and align French and Australian responses to the increasingly challenging strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific and in Europe. Ministers will progress work towards a bilateral roadmap to strengthen collaboration across defence and security, resilience and climate action, and education and culture.

The meeting with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will focus on modernising the bilateral relationship, elevating cooperation to tackle climate change, building economic resilience and contributing to global peace and security.

Senator Wong will also meet with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in Brussels. Australia’s partnerships with Europe and the UK work to foster a world that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, and in which sovereignty is respected.

Following these meetings in France and the United Kingdom, the Deputy Prime Minister will travel to the United States to meet with his counterpart, Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III.

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

“In an increasingly challenging strategic environment, our longstanding defence relationships with France and the United Kingdom are essential to promoting stability, protecting the rules-based order and avoiding further conflict.

“I look forward to working with my French and UK counterparts to continue supporting Ukraine and ensure an inclusive, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

“The visit to the United Kingdom also provides an important opportunity to discuss AUKUS.”

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

“The Australian Government is committed to an enduring and productive bilateral relationship with France.

“Deepening practical cooperation with France in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting the priorities of our partners, is critical to our vision of regional stability.

“Close coordination with the EU is essential as we stand together to face challenges in Europe and in our region.

“We are modernising our longstanding relationship with the United Kingdom to face a changing world.”

Australia unequivocally condemns the horrific terrorist attack that claimed the lives of at least seven worshippers in Jerusalem on Friday evening.

Terrorism and violence against civilians can never be justified.

That such a cowardly and callous attack occurred on a day where we remember the atrocities of the Holocaust is utterly reprehensible.

Our thoughts are with the victims’ families, friends, and the Jewish community.

We are deeply concerned with escalating violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

We call on all sides to exercise restraint, and to refrain from actions that harm civilians. 

Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security.

The Australian and Tasmanian Governments are making it easier for Tasmanians to see a doctor by delivering an innovative four-year program to support stronger rural healthcare in the state.

Under the program, GP Registrars, including Rural Generalist trainees, will have the option of being employed by the Tasmanian Health Service as salaried employees, allowing them to do their final placement in GP practices across the state instead of changing new employers with each placement of 6 or 12 months.

By providing GP Registrars with guaranteed income and entitlements such as annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and other remuneration and benefits received by doctors working in hospital settings, the single employer model (SEM) will make working in rural and general practice more attractive and improve recruitment and retention of GPs in rural communities.

This will give medical graduates the best opportunity to build their careers while supporting our medical workforce in rural areas, making it easier for Tasmanians to see a doctor.

This is a model that has worked in its previous trials, we know it offers the security that many young doctors are after, and it provides a sustainable pathway to increase the number of rural GPs and highly skilled Rural Generalists across Tasmania.

The Australian Government will provide $8 million to support the program from 2022-23. This funding is part of the Australian Government’s commitment in the 2022-23 October Budget to work collaboratively with states and territories to co-develop and pilot innovative primary care models that aim to improve care pathways and reduce pressure on emergency departments.

The Tasmanian Government will contribute $5 million over four years including:

• $1 million in capital works for the Rural Medical Workforce Centre at the Mersey Community Hospital, and
• $1 million a year to support mandatory Rural Medical Officer rotations in paediatrics and anaesthetics, and additional skills posts.

Up to 20 GP Registrars will work across the state in regional, rural and outer metropolitan areas of need.

The Tasmanian and Federal Governments are working together to finalise the implementation arrangements for the trial, with opportunities for GP registrars, including Rural Generalist trainees, to commence from July 2023.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Australians in every postcode deserve access to world class health care.

“For too long we’ve seen communities across Tasmania like Huon Valley, Bridgewater, Deloraine and in Latrobe not be able to retain doctors.

“My Government is committed to making it easier for Australians to see a doctor by strengthening general practice, especially in rural areas.

“We will work in partnership with Tasmania and the other states and territories to provide the best possible support to our next generation of rural GPs.”

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said:

“This is all about making sure Tasmanians in rural and regional areas get what they deserve: access to local GPs and the health care they need.

“A single employer model will make rural practice more attractive for doctors and this agreement is a significant win for Tasmania. It will allow us to recruit more doctors and strengthen our rural communities.

“Our government has long been advocating to trial a Single Employer Model for GP registrars, including rural generalists, to make rural practice more attractive for doctors and we now look forward to making it happen. I’m committed to working in partnership with the federal government putting Tasmanians first and to deliver real solutions.”

Minister Butler said:

“Across the country we know after a decade of cuts from the former Government it’s never been harder for Australians to see a GP.

“And we know that here in in Tasmania, the situation is particularly challenging.

“This innovative program will make training and working in rural general practice a more attractive option for young doctors and importantly it will make it easier for Tasmanians to see a doctor close to home”

Australia Day is our chance to celebrate just how fortunate we are to live in the greatest country on earth.

Importantly, it is also an opportunity to reflect on how we can make it even greater.

It was in that spirit that we celebrated the Australians of the Year last night.

The winners and nominees represent the very best of our national character: our compassion and generosity, our courage and initiative, and our sense of service to community.

Today we welcome new citizens joining us in the great Australian family.

In choosing Australia as their home, they are embracing the values and qualities we hold dear: our belief in opportunity for all, the respect we have for hard work, the optimism that drives our aspiration and the Australian instinct for fairness, decency and care and respect for each other.

Australians uphold these qualities every day, in good times and bad.

As we’ve also seen in times of pandemic, fire, drought and the recent devastating floods, the worst of circumstances bring out the best in our people.

If there is an upside to tough times, it is that they have shown us we can be confident that whatever challenges the future brings, Australians will rise to meet them.

In our joys, our blessings and our hard-won triumphs, we celebrate what we have.

Just as importantly, we celebrate what we can be: the even greater Australia that is at our fingertips.

Later this year every Australian will have an historic opportunity to live the values that define us as a people.

And we can do it by heeding the gracious, patient call of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and answering it with a vote to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our nation’s birth certificate, the Constitution.

What greater way is there of celebrating our unique privilege of sharing this island continent with the world’s oldest continuous culture.

It would be an expression of pride that would also send to the world a message about our maturity and unity as a nation. 

We have so much to celebrate, so much to be proud of.

And we know we can be greater still. More prosperous, more equal, a country where the doors of opportunity are open to all.

An Australia where the spirit of the fair go is alive in all of us.

One thing you can always rely on Labor to do well is muck things up.  The federal Labor government has proposed a significant change to our constitution, known as “the voice”.

Unfortunately, the only aspects of their plans that have concrete information are:

1. Silence any dissent and refuse funding to opposing voices
2. Award themselves large amounts of taxpayer money to fund the “yes” side under the guise of “misinformation” campaigns
3. .. and if the Prime Minister loses the campaign he plans to legislate for a “voice to parliament” regardless of what Australians want

Anthony Albanese is on record as saying he hasn’t even sought the legal opinion of government lawyers about the ramifications of the “voice”.

Former High Court Judges have stated that a “voice” poses a significant risk of being hijacked by those who will tie the federal government up in legal challenges to everything parliament decides without first consulting the proposed third chamber of parliament (“the voice”).

We cannot rely on Anthony Albanese’s promise that everything will be okay. Although the radicals have all the money and support from extremist organisations, there is no certainty Labor will win a referendum.

It is crucial that we take action to stop this proposed change to our constitution.

The only way to defeat the “voice” is through hard work and effort. Our members, supporters, and volunteers are the very Australians who will stop Labor’s proposed changes.