Category: Australian News

The Australian Greens will move in the next parliament to establish an Independent Debates Commission to oversee live television election debates, with last night’s leaders’ debate once again proving to be a farce.

Greens spokesperson for media and communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Last night’s debate was woeful and a disservice to voters.

“Those of us who suffered through it watched two grown men – so-called leaders – shouting at each other, interrupting, smirking and aggressively talking over the top of others including the female moderator.

“Australians shouldn’t be subjected to this unseemly squabble again. An election debate should be a contest of ideas and vision for our country, not chest-thumping.

“We need an Independent Debates Commission that oversees the official election debate. I will move for this in the new parliament. 

“The decision making over election debates must be taken out of the hands of political parties and politicians. Each election we go through this farce. Parliament simply needs to agree to having an independent umpire, and not have the negotiating over the rules by the parties on the eve of the election.

“The nation’s official election debate should be on the nation’s public broadcaster. Instead, Morrison has once again snubbed the public broadcaster in favour of Murdoch’s Sky News and Channel Nine.

“As the only minor party, the Greens should also be represented in a leaders’ debate. With the Greens included, we would also get a guaranteed debate about climate and environment policy, unlike last night.”

The Greens have called on the Morrison Government to intervene and rule out using explosives on protected seals during its three-year trial of fish farms in Commonwealth waters.  

The call comes following the release of Government data which revealed Huon Aquaculture used more than 8057 underwater explosives against seals in the 15 months to the end of March.

Seals in Commonwealth waters are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. It is an offence to kill, injure or move them without a permit.

The Greens will be writing to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Commonwealth Environment Department to seek advice on this matter.

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Whish-Wilson said: 

“The big salmon companies – including Huon Aquaculture, Tassal, and Petuna – should voluntarily stop this practice, it shouldn’t be up to the community to force this issue. 

“If JBS wants to get off on the right foot with Tasmanians then Huon Aquaculture should lead by example and immediately and publicly declare an end to this barbaric practice. 

“It’s a lazy and lethal business practice to blast a protected species in its habitat for profit. 

“Our precious marine life is already under enough pressure from warming oceans and a raft of other environmental pressures – it’s essential that the expanding salmon industry is more tightly regulated, and far more accountable for any environmental damage it creates.”

Labor will lift teacher entry standards and boost teacher numbers, as part of a plan to raise the status of the teaching profession, fix teacher shortages, and improve student results. 

The Morrison Government has let our children down with a school system that’s falling even further behind countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Korea. 

This is a serious problem for students, who aren’t being properly prepared for high-skilled, well-paid jobs, and it’s a handbrake on the economy.

Our hardworking teachers do a terrific job. They stepped up during COVID to make sure our kids could keep learning. But far fewer high achievers in Australia choose teaching today. That needs to change. 

If the federal government doesn’t act now, we’re going to have a massive teacher shortage in coming years – we’re already facing shortages and Australia will be about 4,000 teachers short by 2025, according to Senate testimony from the federal education department. 

To tackle these issues, Labor will:

• Seek to double the number of high achievers studying teaching over the next decade. To help achieve this we will pay 5000 students who get an ATAR of 80 or above a bursary of up to $12,000 a year to study an initial teacher education degree.
• Boost the High Achieving Teachers Program to support 1,500 qualified professionals in other fields – including mathematicians and scientists – to retrain as teachers through an employment-based pathway that will pay a part-time wage while they complete an intensive master’s degree in education. The 1,500 extra places will include 700 new Teach for Australia teachers and 60 new teachers through LaTrobe University’s Nexus Program.
• Labor will work with States and Territories, through the next National School Reform Agreement, to make sure teachers have a better career path with more opportunities to become recognised and rewarded as experts, and to pass on their skills to other teachers without having to leave classroom teaching.

Labor will invest $146.5 million to deliver the plan, over four years. This investment will improve outcomes for our kids, and lift education standards for our nation – helping to secure a Better Future for Australians.

Anthony Albanese said:

“We want to make sure our kids get the best education they can. That means we have to make sure they get the best quality teaching.
 
Labor’s plan will incentivise the best graduates to join the teaching profession, leading to a brighter future for our students and for the nation.”

Tanya Plibersek said:

“One of the most important things we can do to stop the slide and boost student results is to lift teaching standards. 

“I want students competing to get into teaching like they do to get into medicine or law. 

“If we want a better future in Australia, we need a smart, skilled workforce so we can compete for jobs and growth with our neighbours.”

An Albanese Federal Labor Government will partner with the Malinauskas State Labor Government to deliver a major expansion of Flinders Medical Centre and upgrades for the Repat.

This equal partnership will deliver a once-in-a-generation $400 million expansion of Flinders Medical Centre, delivering 160 extra beds for the south of Adelaide: 136 extra beds at Flinders Medical Centre and a further 24 beds at the Repat. 

Through major expansions of the western and southern wings of the hospital, this investment will tackle ramping and reduce bed block by providing the space for patients to move out of the emergency department. 

Key elements of the plan will include: 

• Over 136 extra beds at Flinders Medical Centre: These additional beds will substantially increase the hospital’s capacity, meaning fewer patients will be stuck on the ramp or in the emergency department. Key features of the upgrade include:
  • The majority of the new beds will be single rooms – improving patient privacy and infection control – preventing the spread of existing disease such as COVID-19 and flu and preparing for the future. 
  • Approximately two thirds of the additional beds will be overnight beds, with one third same-day beds, both of which are essential for increasing capacity at the hospital and meeting the needs of more patients.  
  • A major upgrade and expansion of the Margaret Tobin Centre for mental health. This will increase both mental health intensive care and general ward beds. Mental health access block is a leading cause of ramping. 
  • The project will also upgrade outdated wards.
• An expanded Intensive Care Unit: increasing the capacity of the Intensive Care Unit, which has been under sustained pressure.
• New modern operating theatres: building additional operating theatres as part of the redevelopment, increasing the capacity for emergency and elective surgery.
• Expanded medical imaging: upgrading and expanding medical imaging services and bringing angiography services in-house – resulting in improved access to scans for Flinders patients.
• A brand-new eye surgery clinic: Providing high-quality and faster ophthalmology surgery and services such as cataract removal.
• Upgraded care for older people: Establishing a new 24-bed older person’s unit at the Repat as a hub for older person’s health and wellbeing, creating critical extra beds that will help while the redevelopment of Flinders Medical Centre takes place. 

The full upgrade plan is expected to be completed by 2028, with a staged development to deal with the site infrastructure challenges and the need to progressively increase bed availability. Detailed planning works will commence in partnership between Federal and State governments immediately following the election of a Federal Labor Government.

This investment is part of Labor’s plans to improve health care for South Australians, which also includes:

• 24/7 nurses in aged care – which will help take pressure off emergency departments.
• Investing $77 million in the Bragg Comprehensive Cancer Centre in South Australia, continuing Labor’s long history of supporting SAHMRI.
• Delivering a new mental health and wellbeing centre in Bedford Park, with a $12.6 million investment that will provide children up to 12 years of age, their parents and carers with high-quality, multidisciplinary mental health and early intervention services.
• Investing $13.7 million in better and expanded access to vital suicide prevention services in Adelaide.

Anthony Albanese, Federal Labor Leader said:

“Over a decade in office, Scott Morrison has failed to invest in the future of Flinders Medical Centre or help South Australia fix its unprecedented ramping crisis.

“I want to partner with Peter Malinauskas to give people in southern Adelaide the medical care they deserve.

“It’s a choice between more of the same, or a better future.”

Peter Malinauskas, SA Premier said: 

“South Australians know how determined I am to fix the ramping crisis. 

“This is the partnership we need to reduce ramping and ensure Flinders is well-equipped to deliver high quality care. And it will dramatically reduce pressure on the overall hospital network.

“This represents the first major stage of a generational investment needed to replace the ageing infrastructure at Flinders Medical Centre.”

An additional 12 new MH-60R Romeo maritime helicopters and 29 new AH-64E Apache Armed Reconnaissance helicopters will join Australia’s Navy and Army to help keep Australians safe while creating around 300 jobs.

The Government will expand our maritime helicopter fleet with an additional 12 MH-60R Romeo maritime helicopters to be acquired and based at HMAS Albatross, along with a 13th Romeo to replace one lost in 2021. This investment is worth more than $2.5 billion and will replace Navy’s existing Taipan fleet. The Government has also set aside up to $360 million to expand facilities at HMAS Albatross to house the expanded fleet.

The Government has also finalised a more than $5.5 billion investment to acquire and operate 29 new AH-64E Apaches helicopters for the Army, replacing Army’s existing Tiger helicopters. The Government will also invest up to $500 million to upgrade facilities to support the new Apache helicopters.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investments were key to the Government’s plan for a safe and secure Australia in the face of regional and global uncertainty.

“Our world and our region are changing but we’re investing a record $270 billion in the defence and security of Australia over the decade to 2030,” the Prime Minister said.

“Australia and our region is now in the midst of the most consequential and challenging strategic realignment since the Second World War.

“But these investments don’t just support the Australian Defence Force, they support local jobs and skills right here.

“The more than $8 billion we’re investing in helicopters and facilities means 290 new jobs on the ground for electricians, mechanics and engineers to support their maintenance, along with hundreds more jobs in the small business supply chain that supports these fleets.

“A safe and secure Australia also means a strong economy and a stronger future for defence industry jobs.”

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said the Romeos and Apaches were proven helicopters that would deter and respond to the threats Australia faced.

“We’re expanding the size and capability of our helicopters to meet the threats Australia faces,” Minister Dutton said.

“We’re following the 2020 Force Structure Plan that outlined the need to expand our naval operations in particular and the Romeo fits that role as a next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, and can also assist with search and rescue and transport like they have during recent bushfires and floods.

“The Apache is a proven and reliable attack helicopter which is already in use by the United States Government and United Kingdom, and has improved sensors, communications and networking systems, attack capabilities and survivability.”

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said economic analysis showed the Romeo program would create 90 new job and support 510 workers, particularly in the communities around HMAS Albatross.

“These investments are about our strategic security, and about the security of Australian skills and jobs,” Minister Price said.

“Navy already operates Romeo helicopters and using a single type of helicopter for all maritime roles offers value-for-money and significant efficiencies through the use of common maintenance, training, and other sustainment services.”

Minister Price said the Apaches would complement the Army’s Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems and Air Force’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, further enhancing these capabilities when deployed in combination.

“The Apaches will be a key part of Australian air capability across our services,” Minister Price said.

“The Apache will also have a highly skilled blended maintenance workforce comprising a large proportion of Australian industry contractors within both the Operational and Deep Maintenance organisations.

“Defence is working closely with Australian industry, primarily Boeing Defence Australia, to deliver a support system for the Apaches that maximises Australian Industry Capability and builds a strong domestic industrial base with local maintenance, engineering, logistics and training services.

“Under our Government Defence spending has almost doubled. That stands in stark contrast to Labor that slashed Defence spending to 1.56 per cent of GDP – the lowest level since 1938.”

The Romeos and Apaches will be delivered from 2025.

The Morrison Government is backing South Australian manufacturers to grow their businesses, create more jobs and compete internationally as part of its plan for a strong economy and a stronger future.

Seven innovative South Australian businesses will share in more than $48 million of funding through Round 2 of the Integration and Translation Streams of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

South Australian icon Bickford’s Australia will receive up to $2.95 million to establish a new manufacturing facility which will be dedicated to the production of highly sensitive beverage product categories such as dairy, electrolyte replenishment, prebiotics, protein milk and ready to feed baby formula

The new facility will significantly raise quality and material management standards to meet Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirements, upskill Bickford’s workforce and create new skilled employment opportunities. It will also increase Bickford’s demand for locally sourced raw materials and ingredients, providing benefits right across the supply chain.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said this funding would bolster the state’s thriving manufacturing sector and unlock further significant investment.

“South Australia has a long and proud history in manufacturing. This funding is a big win for jobs and another vote of confidence in South Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability,” Minister Taylor said.

“We are backing these businesses to turn good ideas into commercial success stories and build critical capability for the future. Our $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy is all about helping home-grown manufacturers break into new markets and turn innovative ideas into a reality.

“The election on May 21 will be a choice, between a Coalition Government which delivers a strong economy that enables investment in Australian manufacturing capability, or a Labor Government that will weaken the manufacturing sector by making Australia a harder place to do business with higher taxes and higher energy costs.”

Other business that will share in the funding include:

• Hallett Concrete will receive up to $20 million for a $109 million project to build an integrated green cement business, consisting of a slag granulating plant at Whyalla Steelworks, a grinding, processing and distribution hub at Port Augusta, and a product receival, blending and distribution hub at Port Adelaide. The project will take industrial waste products from three existing mineral processing operations into low carbon cement products, replace imports and secure low carbon cements for the Australian construction industry.
• Orora will receive up to $12.5 million to construct a new low carbon clean energy glass melting furnace to replace the current G3 glass gas/air red furnace. This project will be the first oxygen red glass furnace in Australia, create more than 150 new jobs and will deliver low carbon wine and beer glass containers to support the Australian food and beverage industry.
• Mayne Pharmaceuticals will receive up to $4.8 million to expand its advanced manufacturing capability and ensure the Salisbury site remains one of Australia’s leading solid oral dose manufacturing facilities. The project seeks to double the production of chronic pain medications such as Kapanol, boost encapsulation capacity from 56 million to 104 million doses per annum, and increase blister packaging capacity from 7.9 million to 21.3 million boxes per annum.
• Southern Launch will receive up to $4.95 million to develop a local facility in Adelaide to support the development of the AT Space rocket, extend test facility for the rocket testing and develop the orbital launch complex. It aims to attract foreign launch providers to Australia and grow the local supply chain. It will deliver a vertically integrated sovereign space launch capability within two years and create new mature value chains that do not currently exist in Australia.
• Inovor Technologies will receive up to $1 million to expand their current electronics test and integration labs and clean rooms to accommodate larger spacecraft as well as grow the batch manufacture of smaller cube satellites.
• Samuel Smith & Son will receive up to $2.1 million to adopt an in-house de-alcoholising system to produce and bottle low alcohol products to meet the rapidly increasing consumer demand in low alcohol/no alcohol wines and increase efficiencies for quality and cost for competitiveness in global supply chains. The project will also enable up to 50 smaller wineries to access the common user infrastructure through packaging operation technology.

Together these projects are delivering a pipeline of jobs and economic benefits for Australia, creating more jobs, more investment, more exports and more Australian companies leading the way.

A re-elected Coalition Government will provide targeted support for regional newspapers to assist them in the face of dramatically rising costs driven by global pressures affecting print production.

The establishment of a new $10 million round of the Public Interest News Gathering program will allow eligible regional newspaper publishers to apply for funding to support their sustainability in the face of newsprint prices rising by up to 80 per cent from 1 July 2022.

We will move quickly to consult on and finalise the guidelines, to call for applications and to make funding decisions. Support payments are expected to be made early in the new financial year.

In addition to this support, the Government will undertake further work following the election

on the long-term sustainability of the sector.

Up to $2 million will also be provided to fast-track an investment ready analysis for the replacement of the coal-fired boiler at Norske Skog’s Boyer Mill. The analysis is part of a larger investment in partnership with the Tasmanian Government and Norske Skog to help secure the Boyer Mill’s long-term future as Australia’s only producer of publication grade paper.

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the Coalition Government had provided critical support for regional media during the COVID-19 pandemic and is standing with them again now.

“Ongoing volatility overseas is having an impact back home, which is why Australians need a Government with strong economic management that can steer the Australian economy through

uncertain times,” Minister Fletcher said.

“Regional newspapers provide a vitally important role in bringing regional communities together and keeping them informed of local news and events.

“Our Government has been there to support regional media over the past three years. The Public Interest News Gathering program is a tried and tested model that supported regional newspapers and broadcasters during the pandemic.

“I have met with major regional publishers on the issues they are facing and the support they require. We will move urgently to deliver this new round following the election, working closely with the sector, with payments expected to be made from 1 July when newsprint prices are due to increase.”

Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education, Bridget McKenzie, said the support package is part of the Coalition’s plan for stronger regions.

“Our regional newspaper publishers employ thousands of people in regional Australia and regional manufacturers like Norske Skog employ many more,” Minister McKenzie said.

“Locally printed newspapers are so important for our regional communities because they tell local stories that will never be covered by the bigger publishers.

“While the Coalition is standing up for regional jobs, the Labor Party is implementing a carbon tax by stealth. It needs to come clean on how its harmful safeguard mechanism will impose higher costs on large regional employers and what that will mean for the future of paper manufacturing in this country and the future of our regional newspapers.”

The package today builds on the significant support the Coalition Government has delivered

for regional media to date. This includes $50 million through the Public Interest News Gathering Program and legislating the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code that has seen Google and Facebook strike commercial deals with a wide range of Australian news media companies across the country.

The Coalition has also established a new $10 million Journalist Fund for regional media organisations to hire new cadet journalists and upskill existing journalists.

Newsprint costs are rising worldwide, with international demand, COVID, the war in Ukraine, rising input costs in Europe, oil prices and global shipping issues all affecting the supply and cost of paper.

Funding will be contingent on no newspaper closures or job losses due to increased newsprint prices. Funding amounts will be determined based on the demonstrated cost impacts to eligible applicants of newsprint cost increases.

Only the Coalition will deliver a better future for Australia, and this is part of our plan to build a strong economy and a stronger future.

The new Australian Curriculum website, hosting the updated and approved Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0, has been launched. The specially built website, v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au, has been designed with teachers for teachers and is one of the few digitalised curriculums in the world. 

ACARA CEO, David de Carvalho, said the new website was going to give teachers control over the way they view the curriculum and make their work easier.

“Teachers will be able to quickly and intuitively find relevant information, and lessons can be more easily planned,” he said.

The new Australian Curriculum sets high expectations and standards for what all students should know and be able to do, and was endorsed by education ministers on 1 April 2022. 

Mr de Carvalho said the new national curriculum is a “more stripped-back and teachable curriculum” that supports deeper conceptual understanding and improvement in educational performance.

“A key aim of reviewing the curriculum was to give teachers time to teach for deeper understanding. For the curriculum to be effectively delivered in the classroom, it also has to be presented in a way that is useful,” he said.

“Teachers from across Australia have been involved in the design and user experience testing,” ACARA’s Director of Curriculum, Sharon Foster, said.

“The website has been designed so teachers can clearly see and explore the connections between the 3 dimensions of the curriculum – the learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities. 

“They can view multiple learning areas side by side and see the alignment of achievement standards to content descriptions. There is also an inline glossary showing definitions for key terms as pop-ups if needed.” 

Teachers have easy access to all areas of the curriculum through a selector tool and the website includes advice about planning and implementation, exploring the different dimensions, and how to access various resources.

Updates to the functionality of the website and further teacher resources will be rolled out in subsequent releases as they are developed to support teaching the new curriculum.

The website meets the terms of reference of the Australian Curriculum Review, which included improving “the digital presentation of the Australian Curriculum in line with agreed content changes and user experience requirements”.  

The new curriculum will be implemented by schools according to the timelines and approaches set by each state and territory education authority. Some jurisdictions may start supporting their teachers to become familiar with Version 9.0 in 2022 in preparation for starting to teach some or all learning areas from 2023.

ACARA will maintain the existing Australian Curriculum website with the Version 8.4 curriculum and all support resources while Version 9.0 is now available on the new website. Both websites will remain live until all states and territories have transitioned fully to the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0. 

To keep up to date with ACARA’s work and any developments on the new Australian Curriculum website, please subscribe to the ACARA Update, our e-newsletter.

The Australian Workers’ Union will today launch an ad campaign highlighting Clive Palmer’s controversial record as an employer, including legal wrangling involving workers seeking basic entitlements after the collapse of Queensland Nickel.

Mr Palmer and his United Australia Party have been spending record amounts of money positioning the billionaire and his team as friends of the average workers.

But AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton said the image being projected by the UAP marketing material was at odds with Mr Palmer’s form as an employer.

“Clive Palmer the politician likes to talk a lot about freedom, but Clive Palmer the employer is a very different character,” Mr Walton said.

“After the collapse of Queensland Nickel and the struggle workers had to go through to get their entitlements, many were silenced with strict non-disparagement clauses — not exactly ‘freedom.’

“We know the UAP has been successful in picking up support in regional seats, and I don’t blame blue collar workers for a second if they’re looking for an alternative from politics as usual.

“But the fact of the matter is Clive just ain’t it. He is no friend of the worker.

“We think it’s vital that voters understand who the real Clive is – and it’s not the big smiling thumbs-up character from his ads.”

Click here to view the ad

An Albanese Labor Government will support families to learn and build connections through play with funding to help playgroups recover from COVID and expand their network across Australia. This will mean more mums and dads can be part of a playgroup and connect with other parents, children and community members.

Playgroups shut down around the country during the pandemic, taking away an important source of connection, community and support for new mums and kids.

Playgroups are great for mums and dads – helping new parents connect with others on a similar journey, build support networks and learn more about raising kids – and they’re fantastic for children, boosting social, emotional and physical development.

Labor will invest $11 million over the forward estimates to:

• Support Playgroups Australia and Toy Libraries Australia to grow their membership, offer free playgroups and set up new playgroups in regional and remote areas. 
• Upgrade facilities and purchase new materials, like toys and books, for playgroups and toy libraries across the country.
• Help expand intergenerational playgroups – like those seen in the television series ‘Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds’ – many of which are yet to return to normal after COVID.

Around 1 in 3 children attend one of the 6,000 playgroups around Australia in the years before they start school. Community playgroups are often a child’s first educational experience outside the home, where they learn through social play with other children and adults.

Research shows children who are part of a playgroup are more likely to start school ready to learn with better communication, language and cognitive skills than those who aren’t part of a playgroup. This is particularly the case for children from remote parts of Australia.

Playgroups are also a valuable source of social support for parents and care-givers. 87 per cent of parents say one of the benefits of attending their playgroup is social support.

Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Australian Labor Party said: 
 
“We know that over 90 per cent of human brain development occurs in the first five years. Playgroups play a critical role in that development with kids learning together and developing social skills, as well as creating a vital network for parents. 
 
“On Mothers’ Day, I can’t think of a better way to come out of the pandemic than by strengthening the communities that are built for mums and kids through increasing funding to grow and support playgroups all over the country.” 

Amanda Rishworth, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development said:

“Labor knows how important playgroups are for families with babies and young children. Becoming a parent is one of the happiest but most challenging times in life.
 
“Playgroups help new mums forge new friendships and share experiences, and dads alike. 
 
“And the evidence shows children who go to playgroups do better on the key development indicators.
 
“Labor wants to help playgroups bounce back from COVID, and to reach more families.
 
“We also want older generations to share in the joy of playgroups by supporting the expansion of playgroups into aged care. 
 
“This is another way Labor is committed to a better future for Australian families.”

Nadene Lee, Playgroup Australia spokesperson said:

“Playgroup organisations nationally have long delivered intergenerational play programs that improve the health and wellbeing of older Australians, and provide rich learning experiences for families and young children. 

“Investment in Timeless Play intergenerational groups would support expansion of a range of program and service models, both digitally, at aged care sites and in community. 

“This would occur with Playgroup’s network of partners including aged care providers, universities, innovation specialists, technology companies and early childhood organisations, and serve as a collaborative commitment to enacting critical and meaningful impact for older Australians, families and communities.”