Category: Australian News

Today the Albanese Government announced details of the Defence Strategic Review, including the Terms of Reference and the independent leads who will conduct this Review for government.

In 2020, the Defence Strategic Update identified that changes in Australia’s strategic environment are accelerating more rapidly than predicted in the 2012 Force Posture Review. As our national security landscape changes, it is vital that our defence force remains positioned to meet our global and regional security challenges.

To meet these challenges, the Review will examine force structure, force posture and preparedness, and investment prioritisation, to ensure Defence has the right capabilities to meet our growing strategic needs.

This is a large task, and it is for this reason we have appointed two eminent leads to conduct the Review; former Minister for Defence, Professor the Hon Stephen Smith and former Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC (retired).

The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring we have a capable and sustainable Australian Defence Force, which is informed with the best possible strategic assessments.

As independent leads, Professor Smith and Sir Angus will ensure the Review’s recommendations to government meet this criteria.

Professor Smith and Sir Angus will deliver the Review and its recommendations to government in early 2023.

Submissions to the Review from all interested parties are welcome until noon AEST, Sunday 30 October 2022.

For more information or to submit a paper for consideration as part of the Review, visit Defence Strategic Review.

A copy of the Terms of Reference can be found on the Defence website.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said:

“This work will help ensure that the Australian Defence Force is well positioned to meet the nation’s security challenges over the next decade and beyond.”

“Professor Smith and Sir Angus bring a unique blend of knowledge and experience to their role as independent leads.

“Their depth of expertise will be invaluable in informing the Review.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles said:

“In 2020, the Defence Strategic Update identified that changes in Australia’s strategic environment are accelerating more rapidly than predicted in the 2012 Force Posture Review.

“This necessitates an immediate analysis of where and how Defence assets and personnel are best positioned to protect Australia and its national interests.

“It also requires an assessment of Defence’s force structure and Integrated Investment Program.

“Exploring how our capabilities can better integrate and operate with the United States, the United Kingdom and other key partners will also be an important element of the Review.

This week I welcome Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Edgars Rinkēvičs to Australia.

Australia and Latvia enjoy warm relations based on strong people-to-people links and the pursuit of common interests.

Our countries are firm supporters of multilateralism, human rights, gender equality and free trade.

Minister Rinkēvičs and I will discuss our shared interest in supporting Ukraine and holding Russia to account for its unilateral, illegal and immoral aggression against the Ukrainian people.

We will also discuss the urgent challenge of climate change and the how an Australia-EU free trade agreement can accelerate our clean energy transition.

Minister Rinkēvičs will open Latvia’s first embassy in Canberra. Australia welcomes Latvia’s growing footprint in the Indo-Pacific.

The Greens say a proposal by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership to parachute inexperienced staff into classrooms and give pay rises to a mere handful of teachers is an insult to hard-working educators across the country and will do very little to address teacher shortages.

“It’s also incredibly insulting to the thousands of hard-working teachers across the country who are forever being told to do more with less, while their real wages continue to shrink.

“Over the past ten years, government funding for private schools in Australia has increased at nearly five times the rate of public school funding. By the end of the decade, private schools will be overfunded relative to the Schooling Resources Standard benchmark, while public schools won’t even hit 91%. 

“It’s really quite simple: If we want to attract more teachers to public schools and provide a world-class education for our kids we need to properly fund all public schools and pay all public school teachers more.

“And we could pay for that simply by canning the stage 3 tax cuts that will rob the public coffers of $224 billion and deposit $9,000 a year into the pockets of the super rich.

“Ahead of next week’s Education Ministers Meeting I urge federal, state and territory education ministers to reject proposals that merely fiddle at the margins and commit to genuine investment in teachers and schools.”

Greens Treasury spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim, has responded to today’s decision by the RBA to increase interest rates.

“The RBA is smashing workers, renters and recent homebuyers to try to bring down inflation that is being driven by supply shocks and corporate profiteering.

“We are hearing plenty from the government and the RBA about supply pressures.

“What we aren’t hearing from the government or the RBA is about the role of corporate profiteering.

“Profit’s share of national income was already at a record high and workers’ share of national income was already at a record low.

“Now big companies are using the cover of inflation to gouge prices and further drive up inflation.

“This is why raising interest rates is the wrong medicine.

“To tackle the cost of living crisis, we need government action to make big corporations pay their fair share of tax. 

“We need corporate super profits taxes to help rein in corporate profiteering and to help fund cost of living relief, such as by putting dental and mental into Medicare, building 1 million new affordable homes, and providing free childcare.”

Responding to the release of the Second Water for the Environment Special Account (WESA) Report, Greens Spokesperson for the Environment and Water, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“This Report bells the cat – the Liberal-National Party have spent a decade ripping off both the taxpayer and the environment, failing to deliver water to the River and instead funnelling billions of dollars into bogus projects. 

“Billions of dollars have been wasted on efficiency measures that would never, and as the Report states, will never, deliver the 450GL water needed and promised to save the River.

“This is a massive breach of faith to South Australians. The Plan was actively undermined for the last nine years by the last government who never intended on delivering the full Plan.

“The time for draining the River and the public purse is over. We need urgent action to return flows to the environment and keep the River alive. Anything short of the 450GL is unacceptable. 

“My message to Minister Plibersek is: go and buy the water.  

“Water buybacks must be reinstated immediately. Putting up the white flag is surrendering to big corporate irrigators. The Minister has tools in her toolkit to start returning large amounts of water to the system right now with voluntary buybacks. 

“The only way to end the ‘water wars’ is to return the water to the River that it needs for the whole system to stay alive.”

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) July 2022 interim report on its gas inquiry confirms the east coast energy crisis is likely to last beyond the winter of 2023.

A forecast 70 per cent increase in gas demand for electricity generation (forecast to increase by 52 petajoules (PJ) to 126 PJ in 2023) and sustained, high international gas prices means that both electricity and gas prices on the east coast of Australia are likely to remain elevated for at least the next 12 months.

While no one is blaming the Albanese Labor Government for a surge in international gas prices, it is the Government’s responsibility to come up with a plan to address this crisis.

The best the resources minister Madeleine King could muster today was a discussion paper and a promise to set in motion the process of triggering the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM).

Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien MP said the energy minister Chris Bowen is in hiding and doesn’t support bringing on new gas supply because it will jeopardise his chances of a deal with the Greens on his climate legislation.

“This report shows the energy crisis is here to stay and this Labor government is unwilling or unable to make the tough decisions needed to decisively address it,” Ted O’Brien said.

“That’s why the Prime Minister has abandoned Labor’s election promise to cut household power bills by $275 by 2025.

“The best long-term fix to disconnect domestic gas prices from high global prices is more supply.”

“The report also forecasts a reduction in demand from Australian manufacturers. This could be the beginning of a jobs crisis in the manufacturing sector.”

Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Senator Susan McDonald said the Coalition had a plan in government to unlock new supply to keep prices low and the lights on.

“The Coalition’s Strategic Basin Plans and National Gas Infrastructure Plan were backed by more than $300 million of funding,” Senator McDonald said.

“The resources minister Madeleine King’s hands are tied behind her back. She knows the answer is more supply but she’s not supported by her Cabinet colleagues. The Labor Government must put aside their politics and support projects like the Beetaloo Strategic Basin Plan introduced by the Coalition.

“Short-sighted bans on developing unconventional onshore gas are coming home to roost. The Labor Government should be doing everything in its power to encourage rather than undermine new gas development.

“Yet Labor appears hell bent on halting development and reducing supply to pander to the Greens by undermining investment vehicles like the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) from supporting new gas supply projects.

In opposition, the now energy minister Chris Bowen labelled the Coalition’s plan to unlock new gas supply “BS” and “a fraud”.

Asked today whether she supported a ban on new coal and gas projects in the federal environmental approvals process, the resources minister Madeleine King could only say “I’m not going to state a view.”

While the Albanese Labor Government dithers, businesses are going to the wall and households are choosing between heating and eating.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has today raised interest rates for the fourth consecutive month in a row.

Australians with a $610,000 mortgage are now paying over $500 more per month on their repayments since May.

The Government still does not have a plan to deal with this.

Nothing outlined in the Treasurer’s economic statement last week will help Australians with these rising cost of living pressures. The Treasurer continues to sound more like a commentator than a Treasurer. Australians need a real plan, not just hollow words.

All the Government has done so far is walk away from promises abandoning its commitment to cut power bills by $275 and real wage increases.

Australians are already paying the price for Labor’s lack of a plan.

If the Treasurer fails to act, it will mean more pressure on inflation, more pressure on interest rates and higher cost of living for Australian families and small businesses.

In the absence of a plan from the Albanese Government to deal with rising inflation and interest rates, Australians will get a plan from the Reserve Bank.

That plan will be to raise interest rates even further and Australians with a mortgage will pay the price.

History has been made with the Albanese Labor Government passing its first bill through the 47^th Parliament, delivering on commitments to reform aged care. Today, the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022 was passed, enabling major improvements to aged care in line with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The Albanese Labor Government made a promise to restore dignity to our most vulnerable citizens and this bill is a critical first step in improving aged care service.

This legislation will replace the outdated Aged Care Funding Instrument with a new aged care subsidy funding model – the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) model, for full implementation from 1 October 2022.

AN-ACC will offer a more equitable approach, with funding that better matches the provider’s costs of meeting the care needs of residents.

The legislation will also enable the Department of Health and Aged Care to publish star ratings for all residential aged care services by the end of 2022.

The Star Ratings system will put a spotlight on the sector, allowing older Australians and their families to compare quality and safety performance of different services and providers.

The legislation also includes measures to extend the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) to all in‑home care providers, commencing from 1 December 2022.

The legislation also introduces a new Code of Conduct for approved providers, aged care workers and governing persons from 1 December 2022.

the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said:

“The final report of the aged care Royal Commission was titled ‘Care, Dignity and Respect’. Those three little words are the least we can provide our older Australians who built this country.

“With today’s passage of the Royal Commission Response Bill the Government has taken a significant step to ensure older Australians receive the care, dignity and respect they deserve.

“Having an aged care bill in response to that Royal Commission become the first to pass through Parliament shows how seriously we take reform in the sector.

“I made promises to the Australian people to improved aged care and inside our first ten weeks we have begun delivering on those promises.

“The Labor Government is committed to improving the care and support of our older Australians. This bill will usher in a new standard

Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells said:

“We made a promise to Australians that we would take better care of their loved ones and the fact the first bill being passed through the 47^th Parliament helps reform aged care shows how determined we are to improve the sector.

“After nine years of neglect, reform in aged care has finally begun and will continue to be driven so our most vulnerable people are treated with the dignity they deserve.

“The task to reform aged care will take years but this bill passing is a critical first step.”

Greens Treasury spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim, has responded to the news of steep falls in house prices ahead of tomorrow’s RBA meeting.

“The RBA needs to hit pause.”

“Inflation is being driven by supply side shocks and corporate profiteering.

“Jacking up interest rates will not fix these problems.

“The RBA needs to be honest about this with the Australian public.

“Monetary policy cannot curb inflation without punishing workers, renters and new homeowners, none of whom are the cause of the problem.

“They should not increase rates tomorrow.

“And the Treasurer needs to step in and use the levers that the Australian public have given him.

“We need a super profits tax to reign in corporate profiteering and to fund cost-of-living relief, such as free childcare, and putting dental care and mental health into Medicare.

“We can’t wait for the government’s review to get fiscal and monetary policy working together.

“A failure to use fiscal policy will only increase the likelihood of the RBA overreaching.

“The government also needs to step in to help new-owners and renters.

“Having lured new home-owners into taking on record levels of debt, the RBA is now punishing them doubly.

“Interest rate rises reduce the value of their asset and increase their monthly mortgage repayments.

“Getting rid of negative gearing and capital gains tax would reduce demand in the housing market without affecting mortgage repayments for homeowners.

“And the additional revenue could help fund 1 million new social houses that will provide renters with an affordable and secure alternative to the Hunger Games that is Australia’s private rental market.”

Following the Albanese Government’s announcement at the Garma Festival, Greens First Nations spokesperson, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung Senator Lidia Thorpe, has announced that she will seek discussions with the government about their proposal for a Voice, with the aim of seeing other areas critical to First Nations justice also progressed.

Senator Lidia Thorpe said:

“I’ll be seeking discussions with the Albanese Government about their proposal for a Voice to Parliament and putting urgent, critical matters for First Nations people on the table. These are things that will save people’s lives, before any referendum. 

“I want the government to support our Bill to back the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, implement the remaining recommendations from the Stolen Generations and Deaths in Custody Royal Commissions, and back the Greens’ plans for concrete steps towards a Treaty. 

“We don’t have to wait until next year to have our rights legislated. Labor can support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, which is being debated in Parliament on Monday, to help guarantee that our rights will be protected. 

“Labor has an opportunity to show us that they’re committed to action, not just symbolism, by implementing all of the recommendations in full from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the 1997 Bringing them Home Report. This is urgent, and overdue.

“The Greens also want to see the Government make meaningful progress towards Treaty, the potentially more difficult but ultimately more transformative part of the Uluṟu statement.

“The Greens will be bringing these critical reforms to the table in discussions with Labor about justice for First Nations people.

“First Nations sovereignty has never been ceded. The Greens will always honour that.”

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BACKGROUND: 

• Greens 2022 Election commitment is to ensure progress towards Treaty, as well as action to save lives now. Read more here