Category: Australian News

The Morrison Government is supporting new local jobs in Australia’s innovative medical sector and investing to secure local manufacturing of life-saving medicines.

Under the Collaboration Stream of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, the Government has today announced $23 million support for the $71.2 million Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise.

Global Medical Solutions Australia will work with partners Monash University and Telix Pharmaceuticals for the production of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, kidney disease and other illnesses here in Australia.

Currently Australia imports more than 90 per cent of its medicines. This project and its facility to be built in Clayton, Victoria will secure Australia’s sovereign capability, while its economic impact is expected to be $461.8 million over the next 15 years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investment demonstrated the Government’s commitment to building Australia’s medical manufacturing capability.

“Making medicines like these right here means more security from disruptions, more homegrown skills and more local jobs,” the Prime Minister said.

“Building up our ability to make products like these is key to our plan for a stronger future.

“The pandemic has shown us more than ever before we need access to what Australians need here at home and this project will help ensure we have critical precision medicines for our patients.

“The Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise will help cement precision medicine development here in Australia, also helping deliver a stronger economy by growing opportunities for our medical sector and the highly-skilled jobs it supports.”

The 2022-23 Budget demonstrated the ongoing commitment to manufacturing with an additional $1 billion for the Morrison Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, including an extra $750 million for the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said these projects will help onshore technology and expertise not currently in Australia, while securing new sovereign capability.

“This project will see the construction of a new facility that will house a high energy 30 mega-electron volt (MeV ) cyclotron, which will be a new domestic source of critical radioisotopes – which are currently imported into Australia – and will be used in the treatment of cancer, kidney disease and other illnesses,” Minister Taylor said.

“By combining research and development and the manufacture of precision medicines locally we are shoring up our supply chain resilience.

“These projects will also create highly-skilled jobs in the medical sector, such as radiochemists, radio pharmacists and engineers, while also reducing our reliance on overseas suppliers of vital medications.”

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said the project will see incredible collaboration with the Monash Biomedical Imaging Centre, National Synchrotron and the Victorian Heart Hospital.

“Not only will this facility and the precision medicines it will help lead to better patient outcomes, it will help bolster Australia’s entire medical ecosystem,” Minister Hunt said.

“This project will help realise the incredible potential of medicines that are customised to patients, all the way from clinical trials to their local manufacture right here at home.”

The facility will directly support 42 jobs with 105 additional along the supply chain.

The next Australian Government could help lift a million people out of poverty by implementing several simple and affordable changes to our tax and welfare system, according to modelling released by the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP).

These strategies, analysed in a new report A Fairer Tax and Welfare System, by the Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Social Research and Methods, would only marginally affect the most well off and have no net impact on the nation’s Budgetary position.

The report examines three options for helping families and individuals at risk of deep poverty and financial stress. Every day the Society’s members hear stories about housing and homelessness concerns, low incomes and job insecurity, and challenges faced by refugees and First Nations people. These issues are covered in the Society’s newly released election statement, A Fairer Australia.

All three options increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 50 per cent.

The ‘low’ option increases JobSeeker by $150 per fortnight. The ‘medium’ option increases JobSeeker, Disability Support and Carer Pensions by $200 per fortnight, and increases the Parenting Payment (Single) to a new JobSeeker rate for single parents ($886 per fortnight).

The ‘high’ option increases JobSeeker by $436 per fortnight, Disability Support and Carer Pensions by $200 per fortnight, Parenting Payment to the new JobSeeker rate and Family Tax Benefit Part A by 20 per cent ($40 per fortnight for children under 13 years).

‘The Society strongly supports the ‘high’ option identified in the ANU report,’ said Claire Victory, SVDP National President.

‘This would help to lift one million people out of poverty and restore their dignity, and in many cases help them move towards re‑entering the workforce.

‘Far too many Australians are struggling to put food on the table, pay the rent in often unsuitable housing, and ensure that their children get the start in life they deserve. Increasing social security improves health, wellbeing and social outcomes, and also benefits the economy – so it’s an all round win-win.

‘The recent $4.00 a day increase to JobSeeker will make no impact on poverty and the 2022 Federal Budget contained no long-term solution to the nation’s chronic poverty,’ Ms Victory added.

According to the report’s key author, Associate Professor Ben Phillips, the ANU modelling highlights strategies to reduce poverty without running up national debt or requiring anyone to make significant sacrifices.

‘Our modelling shows you could make a massive difference to the lives of the bottom 20 per cent of income earners while only making a minimal change to the earnings of the top 20 per cent,’ Assoc Prof Phillips said.

‘Under our proposed changes the highest income earners would still retire with very healthy superannuation savings and continue to benefit strongly from their other investments. But up to a million people would get their heads above the poverty line.’

St Vincent de Paul Society will present its suite of election policy papers to sitting MPs and the half Senate, as well as other candidates when they are announced.

‘We’ve put a lot of work into developing compassionate and practical policies that we hope will start the conversation about how a fairer Australia can be achieved,’ Ms Victory said.

The Offshore Alliance has condemned oil and gas contractor Legeneering over the shoddy treatment of two workers, one of whom contracted COVID on a Woodside floating production storage and offloading facility.

Two members of the Offshore Alliance who work for contractor Legeneering were recently removed from Woodside’s Ngujima Yin FPSO after one tested positive for COVID and the other was deemed a close contact. Both had tested negative prior to mobilising to the site.

The Offshore Alliance, a partnership between the AWU (Australian Workers’ Union) and the MUA (Maritime Union of Australia), covers all workers in the offshore oil and gas industry in Western Australia.

Brad Gandy, AWU WA branch secretary and Offshore Alliance spokesman, said Legeneering had taken both workers off shift at the start of a three-week pay cycle and ordered them into quarantine.

The close-contact worker was paid a single payment equivalent to 7.6 hours of work and sent to a company camp without subsequent pay. The worker who contracted COVID at work was paid nothing, put in a Woodside-owned house and told to live on a $50 a day allowance.

“This flies in the face of the idea of common decency for workers. This is a serious workplace health issue,” Mr Gandy said

“Legeneering claims its key core value is ‘integrity’, but what kind of integrity is shown by refusing to pay workers who have come into contact with COVID-19 at the workplace?

“To add insult to injury, Legeneering is paying a miserly $50 a day per diem for food while the employee is in isolation. That’s just not enough to live on, particularly without any income and in an expensive place such as Karatha.”

Mr Gandy said Legeneering employed over 100 workers but claimed it couldn’t afford to pay employees who become ill after contracting an illness at work.

“Our member wasn’t COVID positive when he mobilised on the chopper, but he has subsequently become positive once on the FPSO. In the circumstances it is untenable that Legeneering is refusing to pay his wages,” he said. “It’s wage theft.”

“Legeneering’s bosses say they are simply following the direction of their client, Woodside.

“If this is correct, Woodside management is out of control and massively out of touch with their oil and gas workforce – including the contractor crews helping generate Woodside’s super-profits during the global energy crisis.

“It’s time companies such as Legeneering stopped trying to convince workers and the union that their hands are tied when it comes to looking after their workers.”

Leading class action firm, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, has reached a $56.3 settlement on behalf of a hundred thousand super fund members with Colonial First State who had alleged that Colonial’s delays in transferring them to MySuper products left them languishing in high-fee accounts, bearing the cost of commissions to financial planners, and receiving lower investment returns.

The class action was filed in October 2019 in the Federal Court (Victoria), against Colonial First State Investments Limited, the trustee of the Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust.  The lead applicant bringing the claim, Lesley Coatman, was a street sweeper driver who retired with less than $35,000 in superannuation.

This week, Colonial settled the class action for $56.3 million, inclusive of legal fees, subject to Court approval. A trial was due to start next week but it has now been vacated. The agreement means class action members should start receiving compensation proceeds into their superannuation accounts this year.  Colonial has not admitted wrongdoing in the case. It is the first superannuation class action to settle.

The class action alleged contraventions of superannuation law in Colonial’s slow implementation of the MySuper reforms for members of the FirstChoice Employer Super division, in particular that Colonial breached its duties to super members, because it failed to:

·                         exercise the degree of care, skill and diligence required of a prudent superannuation trustee;

·                         perform its duties and exercise its power in the best interest of beneficiaries; and

·                          give priority to the interests of beneficiaries where a conflict of interest arose.

Miranda Nagy, Principal Lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, said the case had alleged that Colonial failed to transition $3.2 billion of accrued default amounts (ADAs) over to the lower-cost, higher-performing MySuper product in a timely way and did not act in the best interests of superannuation fund members. 

“As the High Court has recognised, superannuation is often the greatest asset Australians have.  It is deferred pay and it is critical to a dignified retirement.  Fund members are entitled to expect that superannuation trustees put their interests first.

This is the very first settlement of a super class action since the Financial Services Royal Commission shone a light on the conduct of retail super fund trustees.  We are very pleased to have secured a settlement that will see fund members’ accounts augmented to the tune of millions, and their retirement incomes protected.

“The whole point of the MySuper reforms was to make sure that millions of everyday Australians who hadn’t made an active decision about their super, were not ‘getting charged for valet parking when they were taking the train’, as Minister Shorten said at the time.

“MySuper was introduced to protect the retirement outcomes of Australians by ensuring that consumers weren’t losing money on unnecessary fees and products, and Colonial had a legal obligation over and above a basic moral obligation to move default member balances into MySuper at the time that best met their members’ needs, not their own,” Ms Nagy said.

The conduct was the subject of a case study in the Financial Services Royal Commission.  Commissioner Hayne made the following reference with respect to Colonial: “the trustee’s covenant to act in the best interests of members. Absent reason to the contrary, and none was identified, trustees were bound to transfer ADAs promptly. CFSIL [Colonial] did not.”

An Albanese Labor Government will introduce tough penalties to stop dodgy aged care providers neglecting and mistreating their residents. And we will ensure full transparency for Australian taxpayers and aged care recipients about where public and private funds are being spent. 
 
Labor will:

• Introduce criminal penalties – including jail time – for dodgy aged care providers who seriously and repeatedly facilitate or cover up abuse and neglect of older Australians, and who deliberately breach the general duty of care they owe to their residents. 
• Introduce a new duty of care, owed by providers, to recipients of aged care services, including a compensation regime when the duty is breached. This will create a path for class actions against dodgy providers. 
• Create a new aged care complaints commissioner, to ensure complaints against providers are properly and thoroughly dealt with. 
• Introduce new civil penalties for aged care providers who punish aged care workers, residents and families in retaliation for complaints. 
• Give stronger investigative powers to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, including powers to enter and remain in an aged care facility at any time to ensure the safety of residents, as well as full access to documents and records.
• Introduce measures to ensure the 215 minutes of care and nursing that Labor has pledged per resident per day is actually spent on care and clinical support – not on marketing, administration, maintenance or other activities that are not direct care.
• Require providers to publicly report on the expenditure of residents’ and taxpayers’ money – including a breakdown of money spent on caring, nursing, food, maintenance, cleaning, administration, and profits. 

Since the Royal Commission was called, we’ve heard one shocking example after another of outrageous and unacceptable breaches of care standards, including: 

• Homes re-serving left-over food from one resident, pureed, to other residents.
• Delays in identifying and treating wounds leading to severe pain and chronic conditions.
• Overuse of restraints.
• Demeaning practices such as ‘floor time’.
• Management ignoring family complaints.
• Failures in clinical standards and audits.

These measures implement and build on the Royal Commission recommendation to establish a General Duty of Care for aged care – which will set minimum standards to protect residents and workers. Labor will work with residents, families, workers, unions and the sector on the implementation of these measures.
 
These measures are in addition to those announced in Labor’s Budget Reply on Thursday night designed to fix an aged care system which is in crisis – a problem ignored by the Morrison-Joyce Government for far too long.
 
Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Australian Labor Party said: 
 
“The neglect of our aged care residents has gone on for too long. The people who built Australia deserve more protection from their Government. I will act to ensure the sorts of shocking stories we heard during the Aged Care Royal Commission are no longer tolerated.
 
“These measures will build on those announced in my Budget Reply speech to ensure older Australians get the care and dignity they deserve.”
 
Clare O’Neil,  Shadow Minister for Aged Care Services said: 

“Most aged care providers do a great job and put the health and wellbeing of their residents above all else. 

“But there are dodgy providers out there who have been allowed to continue shocking practices which hurt residents, such as re-serving uneaten food from one resident – pureed for other residents – as well as delays in medical treatment and overuse of physical restraints and drugs. 
 
“Labor will throw the book at dodgy aged care providers who hurt and abuse older Australians.”

Australia today signs an historic trade agreement with India, the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, that will further strengthen our relationship while making Australian exports to India cheaper and creating huge new opportunities for workers and businesses.

Tariffs will be eliminated on more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exports to India (valued at more than $12.6 billion a year), rising to almost 91 per cent (valued at $13.4 billion) over 10 years.

Australian households and businesses will also benefit, with 96 per cent of Indian goods imports entering Australia duty-free on entry into force.

India is the world’s largest democracy and the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with GDP projected to grow at nine per cent in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and 7.1 per cent in 2023-24.

In 2020, India was Australia’s seventh largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $24.3 billion, and sixth largest goods and services export market, valued at $16.9 billion. Our Government’s goal is to lift India into our top three export markets by 2035, and to make India the third largest destination in Asia for outward Australian investment.

The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI ECTA) signed today will further strengthen that relationship.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the agreement would create enormous trade diversification opportunities for Australian producers and service providers bound for India, valued at up to $14.8 billion each year.

“This agreement opens a big door into the world’s fastest growing major economy for Australian farmers, manufacturers, producers and so many more,” the Prime Minister said. 

“By unlocking the huge market of around 1.4 billion consumers in India, we are strengthening the economy and growing jobs right here at home.

“This is great news for lobster fishers in Tasmania, wine producers in South Australia, macadamia farmers in Queensland, critical minerals miners in Western Australia, lamb farmers from New South Wales, wool producers from Victoria and metallic ore producers from the Northern Territory.

“This agreement has been built on our strong security partnership and our joint efforts in the Quad, which has created the opportunity for our economic relationship to advance to a new level.”

Benefits of AI ECTA include:

• Sheep meat tariffs of 30 per cent will be eliminated on entry into force, providing a boost for Australian exports that already command nearly 20 per cent of India’s market
• Wool will have the current 2.5 per cent tariffs eliminated on entry into force, supporting Australia’s second-largest market for wool products.
• Tariffs on wine with a minimum import price of US$5 per bottle will be reduced from 150 per cent to 100 per cent on entry into force and subsequently to 50 per cent over 10 years (based on Indian wholesale price index for wine).
• Tariffs on wine bottles with minimum import price of US$15 will be reduced from 150 per cent to 75 per cent on entry into force and subsequently to 25 per cent over 10 years (based on Indian wholesale price index for wine).
• Tariffs up to 30 per cent on avocados, onions, broad, kidney and adzuki beans, cherries, shelled pistachios, macadamias, cashews in-shell, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants will be eliminated over seven years.
• Tariffs on almonds, lentils, oranges, mandarins, pears, apricots and strawberries will be reduced, improving opportunities for Australia’s horticulture industry to supply India’s growing food demand.
• The resources sector will benefit from the elimination of tariffs on entry into force for coal, alumina, metallic ores, including manganese, copper and nickel; and critical minerals including titanium and zirconium.
• LNG tariffs will be bound at 0 per cent at entry into force.
• Tariffs on pharmaceutical products and certain medical devices will be eliminated over five and seven years.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said AI ECTA would also further strengthen the people-to-people links between our countries. India was Australia’s third largest market for services exports in 2020.

“This agreement will turbocharge our close, long-standing and highly complementary economic relationship in areas such as critical minerals, professional services, education and tourism,” Mr Tehan said.

“It will create new opportunities for jobs and businesses in both countries, while laying the foundations for a full free trade agreement.”

Both countries will facilitate the recognition of professional qualifications, licensing, and registration procedures between professional services bodies in both countries.

Australian services suppliers in 31 sectors and sub-sectors will be guaranteed to receive the best treatment accorded by India to any future free trade agreement partner, including in: higher education and adult education; business services (tax, medical and dental, architectural and urban planning; research and development; communication, construction and engineering; insurance and banking; hospital; audio-visual; and tourism and travel.

Australia will also provide new access for young Indians to participate in working holidays in Australia. Places in Australia’s Work and Holiday program will be set at 1,000 per year and Australia will have two years to implement the outcome. This is expected to contribute to both workforce requirements and to boost tourism to support our post-COVID recovery.

In a boost to our STEM and IT workforces, the length of stay for an Indian Student with a bachelor’s degree with first class honours will be extended from two to three years post study in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors.

Australia and India have also agreed to undertake cooperation to promote agricultural trade as part of the agreement and will now work toward concluding an enhanced agricultural Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Mr Tehan today signed AI ECTA on behalf of Australia during a virtual ceremony with India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, attended by Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Narendra Modi.

Today’s announcement builds on the Morrison Government’s $280 million investment to further grow our economic relationship and support jobs and businesses in both countries, that includes:

• $35.7 million to support cooperation on research, production and commercialisation of clean technologies, critical minerals and energy;
• $25.2 million to deepen space cooperation with India and
• $28.1 million to launch a Centre for Australia-India Relations.

AI ECTA is an interim agreement and both countries continue to work towards a full Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

The Morrison Government is unlocking Tasmania’s renewable energy powerhouse potential and thousands of new jobs through a significant new Commonwealth investment in the Marinus Link electricity interconnector and Tasmania’s Battery of the Nation project.

Marinus Link will export 1,500 MW of fast-start, reliable hydro-electricity from Battery of the Nation and across Tasmania into the other regions of the National Electricity Market (NEM) when it is most needed, delivering an expected $4.6 billion in benefits across the market.

The Government is investing a further $75 million, on top of a previous $66 million already invested, to progress the Marinus Link to a Final Investment Decision and through the next stages of planning, design and approvals.

The Government is also providing $65 million to fund upgrade works on the Tarraleah hydro power scheme redevelopment in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, the first of the Battery of the Nation projects.

These projects will deliver reliable increased renewable capacity to the NEM and brings the Commonwealth Government’s total commitment to $206 million.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said ensuring Australians have access to affordable reliable energy is part of our plan for a stronger future, and addressing cost of living pressures.

“Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation are true nation building projects,” the Prime Minister said.

“This will have enormous benefits for Tasmanians and Victorians, strengthening the economy, creating thousands of jobs, driving down power bills and easing cost of living pressures. More energy in the market means lower prices for everyone.

“Together these game-changing projects will generate thousands of jobs, particularly in regional Tasmania and regional Victoria, and unlock new investment in other renewable energy projects across Tasmania.

“Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation are what a Morrison Government is all about – taking real action to deliver job-creating projects, unlocking economic opportunities, securing our supply of essential services, and ensuring Australians have more money in their pockets to pay for the things they want and need.

“Today’s announcement is the result of the strong partnership I share with Premier Peter Gutwein and his team, and reflects our shared long term commitment to the Marinus Link and delivering for Tasmania.”

Premier Peter Gutwein said the historic agreement would deliver thousands of jobs for Tasmanians while cementing Tasmania’s renewable energy future.

“This is a significant agreement for a clean energy highway, helping to reduce emissions, deliver reliable and affordable energy for consumers, and strengthen Tasmania’s economy through new jobs and investment.

“Tasmania is already a world-leader in renewable energy.  We can already generate 100 per cent of our energy from renewables with a target to double that by 2040. 

“Through Marinus Link, we will take this to the next level, helping to cut at least 140 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2050 – the equivalent of taking around a million cars off the road. During construction it will deliver 1400 direct and indirect jobs in Tasmania.

“But most importantly, for Tasmanians and Tasmanian families, it will put downward pressure on electricity prices, helping to ease the cost of living for Tasmanian families into the future.

“I would like to acknowledge the Morrison Government for its support and collaboration in this game-changing infrastructure, that will underpin Tasmania’s continued leadership in renewable energy and the benefits that has for Tasmania.”

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said Marinus and Battery of the Nation are key parts of our balanced plan to deliver a more reliable electricity supply, a more secure grid and lower prices.

“Support of critical reliable generation, like Battery of the Nation, and support of transmission projects that stack up for consumers, like Marinus Link, are key parts of our plan to ensure Australians continue to have the affordable, reliable power they deserve as we bring down our emissions,” Minister Taylor said.

“This is why, in addition to the $140 million in direct support we are providing today, we have also committed to a clear pathway for progressing underwriting of the Tarraleah Battery of the Nation Project through our Underwriting New Generation Investments program.

“Labor have opposed the Underwriting New Generation Investments program, choosing to vote with the Greens in the Senate against this program. On-demand reliable power is critical to keep the lights on and prices low, and Labor’s actions show that all they stand for is a less reliable grid and higher prices.

“Labor’s vote is a vote against Battery of the Nation, against thousands of jobs and economic gains for Tasmanians, and a vote against new generation to power a Tasmanian hydrogen industry.”

Energy and Emissions Reductions Minister Guy Barnett said this was another important step in delivering this nationally significant infrastructure, as well as providing Tasmania with further energy supply and storage capacity – giving us even greater energy security.

“Marinus Link is expected to inject billions into the Tasmanian economy, create thousands of jobs, and provide broader renewable energy opportunities,” the Minister said.

“Its construction is expected to create 1400 new direct and indirect Tasmanian jobs alone, with a further 1400 in Victoria, unlocking projects such as Battery of the Nation which will enable thousands of jobs and opportunities across the supply chain. 

“Complementary to our green hydrogen plans, this will deliver the confidence in our renewable energy future that investors have been looking for, unlocking a further pipeline of projects in Tasmania.”

The Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments will provide strong oversight of both projects through a Joint Ministerial Governance Committee and a Joint Committee of Senior Officials to monitor delivery milestones. Commonwealth nominees will also join the Marinus Link Pty Ltd Board to reflect our 50 per cent investment and partnership in the project.

A Final Investment Decision on the Marinus Link project is anticipated in 2024.

The project, which involves 250 kilometres of undersea cable and 90 kilometres of underground cable in Victoria, will deliver around 2,800 jobs at peak construction, and will stimulate investment in hydro and wind generation. Battery of the Nation is expected to deliver a further 1,120 jobs across Tasmania.

Community coaching in Australian sport is undergoing its biggest transformation in more than 40 years with Sport Australia unveiling a modern coaching approach that focuses on the participant, their individual needs, aspirations, and motivations to play sport.

Developed in collaboration with the sport sector, the new coaching approach is about educating and empowering coaches to create safe, fun, and inclusive environments where participants, volunteers and community sport can thrive.

“We know that in 2022, Australians engage with sport in a different way, and the national coaching model developed in the 1970s doesn’t meet today’s expectations,” Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said.

“Our new approach will help Australia’s half a million community coaches reach their full potential and deliver the best possible experience for everyone involved. The new approach will reshape the sporting experience and encourage more people to play, coach and enjoy sport.

“We are now working closely with over 40 sports to help them revolutionise their coaching approach and developing a range of new offerings to support coaches at all levels.

“For Australia to succeed in the lead-up to Brisbane 2032, we must reimagine sport and the environment coaches create is central to this.”

Rather than focusing only on skill development, winning, and moving up through coaching accreditation levels, Sport Australia’s new approach involves ongoing learning and development for coaches. This enables them to continually improve their skills for the benefit of participants, whether they are learning a new sport, playing socially or wanting to compete at a higher level.

Water Polo Australia have embraced the new approach and have restructured their accreditation process to ensure their participants’ needs, motivations and aspirations are at the centre of everything they do.

“One of our biggest priorities is to support and strengthen our coaching workforce. To achieve this, we have removed the outdated accreditation processes, removed the cost barrier for learning and made our content available to all coaches,” CEO of Water Polo Australia Richard McInnes said.

“Evaluating coaches is also no longer about passing a test, it’s about their ability to create positive, engaging environments for their players which ultimately drives retention and growth and ensures our sport will thrive.”

Australian basketball great Carrie Graf says the new approach to coaching will be a game-changer for Australian sport.

“Over the last 20 years, the way we coach hasn’t changed a whole lot, but the participants we engage with as coaches have,” said Graf.

“They have changed a lot in how they think, how they consume information and how they expect information to be delivered.”

In another huge step forward, community coaches across the country will soon have access to free online education which will play a pivotal role in strengthening their essential skills.

“In the coming weeks we will be launching the first in a suite of online courses we have developed to help community coaches across the country deliver a whole new sporting experience,” Sport Australia Director of Coaching and Officiating Cam Tradell said.

“The free course, that will be available on our Australian Sport Learning Centre, will support coaches connect with their participants on a much more individual level, adapt to different coaching environments and increase motivation levels.”

More information about the new approach can be found at www.sportaus.gov.au/coaching/

Australia will commit an additional $40 million in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan for 2022.

This commitment made overnight at the UN Afghanistan Conference, builds on the $100 million in additional humanitarian assistance announced in September 2021.

Australia’s additional funding will provide life-saving food supplies to vulnerable Afghans including women and children, and address other urgent needs such as health, gender-based violence and shelter.

Economic collapse and a lack of essential services are exacerbating the impact of the conflict, as Afghanistan also faces the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing drought. Afghans across all 34 provinces face high levels of food insecurity. More than half of Afghan children under five are at risk of acute malnutrition.

Australia is committed to the Women, Peace and Security agenda including the full and meaningful participation of women in society and economic life.

Women have a vital role in addressing the crisis in Afghanistan. Their meaningful participation is necessary for the stability and prosperity of Afghanistan.

The Taliban has broken its commitment to allow women and girls access to education. We strongly condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal.

Australia joins international partners in condemning the deteriorating situation for women and girls in Afghanistan, including restrictions on education, work and freedom of movement.

Australia continues to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people.

The Prime Minister has taken the final step to reject the application for the Offshore Petroleum Exploration Permit PEP-11.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government’s decision under section 59(3) of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to propose to refuse the application has been formalised.

“PEP-11 is officially dead in the water,” the Prime Minister said.

“I said the project would not proceed on our watch, and that is exactly what has happened.

“The decision has been finalised to ensure PEP-11 will not go ahead as a result of the steps taken by my Government.

“I would like to thank our local Liberal Members and candidates and the coastal communities from Newcastle through to Wollongong for voicing their concerns and for working with the Government to ensure the local communities and environment remain protected.”

The New South Wales Government agreed with the Morrison Government’s proposed decision.

The National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) has advised the applicant of the decision.