Category: Australian News

The Greens have called out the Morrison Government’s refusal to mandate waste and recycling targets as a key reason Aussies will again be found cleaning up the mess of big packaging companies this Clean Up Australia Day. 
 
Greens spokesperson for waste and recycling, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said: 
 
“It shouldn’t be up to citizens to pick up the mess big packaging companies make, but every Clean Up Australia Day that’s exactly what we’re left doing because of our Government’s refusal to mandate waste and recycling targets. 

“History shows that voluntary targets will never be met by big packaging companies because it’s simply too easy for them to avoid change and their social responsibility.

“Our government could mandate waste and recycling packaging targets with the stroke of a pen. This would go a long way towards keeping waste from choking our oceans and polluting our landscapes. 

“The Greens have a waste and recycling policy that legislates a national approach to phasing out key single-use plastics by 2025, legislates a national approach to container deposit schemes, supports a Global Plastics Treaty, and mandates national packaging targets in law. 

“In the balance of power after the federal election, we will push the next Government to adopt the Greens’ plan and end the waste and recycling crisis for good.”

For the first time in Victorian history, a First Nations Senator is bringing an entirely Aboriginal Senate Ticket to a federal election. The Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung woman, will be backed by First Nations activists and community leaders.

“Everyone benefits from First Nations knowledge. It’s time to put us in the driver’s seat to build a better future and safer climate for everyone in this country. As the oldest living culture in the world, we have the solutions.” Said Thorpe. 

The ticket features Taungurung man Adam Frogley: the National Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Team at the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). Adam’s passionate about free education, First Nations justice and a carbon neutral future.

Gunditjmara, Keerray Wurrung, Peek Wurrung, Djab Wurrung woman Sissy Austin has a long history of campaigning, community organising and navigating Blak politics. As a kinship carer for over seven years, she’s a strong advocate for children and families in the child protection system.

Wiradjuri, nonbinary person Zeb Payne is proud to be in a party that’s rooted in First Nations understanding and respect for the intersectional values of all people who call this country home.

“Your vote is powerful. Greens voters put the first Aboriginal woman in the Victorian parliament and the first Aboriginal representative of this state in the federal parliament. Voting Green at the next election ensures that grassroots people have a seat at the table.” Said Thorpe.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt will today announce the Greens’ plan to make coal and gas corporations pay for recovery, including doubling the Disaster Recovery Payment to $2000 for adults and $800 for dependents, and expanding the eligibility criteria.

Bandt will call for a flood levy on coal and gas corporations to foot the bill for the mess they have made.

The government’s failure to index the payment means it has been cut in real terms by about 30%.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:

“Coal and gas are fuelling these floods. The Government should make coal and gas corporations pay to clean up the mess.

“In real terms, people are getting less money than in previous floods and fewer people are eligible for the payment.

“The current Disaster Recovery Payment is woefully inadequate and smacks of a government trying to downplay the breadth and scale of this climate disaster. The payment should be lifted to $2000 and the government should reverse its restrictions on who can get it.

“Instead of downplaying these weather events, we need to tell the truth – dangerous climate change is going to mean more tragedies each year.

“Last time we had major floods in Brisbane the bill was over $5 billion and the Government made everyday people pay a levy to clean it up. This time they should just go straight to coal corporations like Glencore and Whitehaven with the bill. 

“During the pandemic, billionaires and mining corporations posted billions of profits and collected tax breaks. Now, people who’ve lost their home or lost a loved one due to years of climate exploitation and negligence are being offered $1000. It’s outrageous.

Background – Disaster Recovery Payments

From Gympie to Ballina, entire towns have experienced the devastation of climate breakdown, and coal and gas corporations must pay for the damage. People have lost houses, cars and furniture. Tens of thousands of residents in Queensland and the Northern Rivers have been without power and drinking water for days. Many people have had to find temporary accommodation. First Nations communities are in many cases on the frontline of the devastation. They are under-resourced and hurting, and sites of significance have been impacted, like the Bundjalung Country Bora Bora ring and Banyam Baigham in Lismore.

The Disaster Recovery Payment available to people is unchanged from when the scheme was first introduced 18 years ago in 2006. Without indexing, the payment in real terms is now in fact less than 2006, representing approximately a 30% cut. The payment is not available to any temporary visa holders and therefore excludes student visas, seasonal workers and other temporary workers.

Eligibility has also been significantly narrowed compared with the 2011 floods: payments are now restricted to people whose homes have been majorly damaged by the floods, completely disregarding people who are stranded in their homes or have been without essential services.

$1.8 billion was raised and invested in the clean up efforts by the Gillard Government in 2011 through an increase in the Medicare Levy. However, the mining and burning of coal and gas has helped turn these once in a hundred year floods into once a decade – and they will accelerate. Coal and gas companies, profiting from the climate crisis, should have to pay to clean up from the disasters they are turbocharging.

80% of the coal mined in Australia is exported overseas. Coal exports are Australia’s greatest contribution to the climate emergency.

Commonwealth Disaster Recovery Payment Eligibility Criteria 2011 v 2022

2011 Eligibility Criteria

A person will be eligible for this payment if they:

1. was seriously injured, or
2. is the immediate family member of an Australian killed as a direct
3. result of the disaster, or
4.  their principal place of residence has been destroyed, or
5. their principal place of residence has sustained major damage, or
6. is unable to gain access to their principal place of residence for a period of 24 hours or more, or
7. is stranded in their principal place of residence for a period of 24 hours or more, or
8. their principal place of residence was without electricity, water, gas, sewerage services or another essential service for at least 48 hours (a utility failure) and the utility failure was caused by damage to public or private infrastructure

2022 Current Federal Government Eligibility Criteria

A person will be eligible for this payment if: 

1. you were seriously injured
2. you’re the immediate family member of an Australian citizen or resident who died or is missing
3. the flood caused major damage to your home

Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck and Australian Sports Commission Chair Josephine Sukkar have encouraged Australians to throw their support behind our Paralympic squad.

The small but dedicated squad of nine will today kick-start their campaigns at the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games 2022.

Minister Colbeck said the Australian Government had been proud to provide record support to Australia’s Winter Paralympics team in the lead-up to Beijing.

“It may be a small team in numbers, but we couldn’t be prouder how they have overcome huge challenges to be in Beijing representing Australia,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The Australian Government, through the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), has invested almost $5 million in Winter Paralympic sport over the past four years – an increase of some 73 per cent since the 2018 Games in PyeongChang”.

“This includes more than $800,000 in direct AIS grants to athletes”.

“It’s fantastic to see every single athlete on this Australian Paralympics team has been supported by these direct grants, along with other emerging athletes who will be targeting the 2026 Games in Milano-Cortina.”

Minister Colbeck also acknowledged the work of support teams who work behind the scenes to support athletes including Chef De Mission Kate McLoughlin and Paralympics Australia.

Australia has a proud history at the Winter Paralympics, having competed since 1976, in all collecting 34 medals – including 12 gold.

Ms Sukkar said AIS support extended beyond funding and was always about supporting athletes to progress.

“One of the most experienced athletes on the team is downhill skier Mitchell Gourley, who has worked with the AIS Engineering team since 2018 on customised 3D printed arm guards that attach to his arm prothesis and help him deflect the gate poles on course.

“Para-snowboarder Ben Tudhope was 14 when he made his Paralympic debut. At 22 he’s still the youngest member of the team, but has now progressed to be a co-captain alongside Melissa Perrine.

“We can’t wait to watch this team in action and the AIS is proud to support them, through funding and investment, innovation and technology, medicine and sport science, wellbeing and community engagement, and coaching and leadership.”

Australian Winter Paralympics Athletes

• Rae Anderson – alpine skiing
• Mitchell Gourley – alpine skiing
• Josh Hanlon – alpine skiing
• Patrick Jensen – alpine skiing
• Amelia Hodgson – sighted guide for Patrick Jensen
• Melissa Perrine – alpine skiing
• Bobbi Kelly – sighted guide for Melissa Perrine
• Sam Tait – alpine skiing
• Ben Tudhope – snowboarding

Students studying medicine in Orange are a step closer to taking up jobs in the bush and helping address the shortage of health professionals in regional areas, with the number of students now training at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Rural Medicine doubling.

As part of the Nationals’ push to increase the number of health professionals working in our regions, the Federal Government has provided more than $22 million to make the school a reality.

A new cohort of 37 students started their studies last month, taking the total number of students studying for a Doctor of Medicine to 74 after the school opened last year.

Growing evidence shows that medical, nursing and allied health students who undertake training in regional, rural or remote areas are more likely to stay once they become qualified.

This makes the early interest in the program all the more promising.

A total of 824 students applied for the initial intake of 37 Commonwealth Supported Places in 2021 and more than 1,000 students applied to study this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee and Minister for Regional Health Dr Dave Gillespie today attended the school’s official opening.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the Nationals were committed to increasing the number of health professionals in regional and rural communities.

“We build our regions and make them strong by ensuring those who call them home can access the same services and opportunities as people living in capital cities,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“Aspiring doctors from the bush shouldn’t have to leave their home town to pursue their dream, nor should regional Australians have to travel to receive the care they need.

“Our investment in the School of Rural Medicine will help deliver Australia’s future regional health workforce while ensuring locals can access timely and appropriate care in their own communities.”

Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee said the program will enable the next generation of students to provide excellent healthcare to our country communities.

“Country people deserve the same access to medical services as people in the cities,” Minister Gee said.

“We know that when students undertake training in a regional or rural area, like Orange or Bathurst, it means they are more likely to choose to live and work in the bush once they are fully qualified.

“The CSU Medical School will play a key role in making sure country people, including those from our region, can become local doctors.

“That’s why I’m proud the Federal Government provided capital works funding of $22 million from 2019 to 2022 to help establish the centre.

“Our region fought for years to get this medical school established against entrenched opposition. We can all take pride in the fact that it will be training doctors in the bush for practice in the bush for generations to come.”

Former regional doctor, Minister for Regional Health Dr Dave Gillespie said the program was hugely popular, which was going against the current trend of many doctors wanting to stay to train and then practice in the cities in subspecialties.

“Investing in high quality rural health training is how our Government is making a measurable impact on addressing the maldistribution of the rural health workforce,” Dr Gillespie said.

“It now takes around 12 years for a doctor to be full trained, meaning doctors on training pathways created by our government are still undertaking training, but these programs will go a long in getting more doctors practicing in the country.

“Far too many young doctors are practicing in city hospitals or choosing sub-specialties, but regional programs like the Joint Program of Medicine are providing superior, hands-on training for those wanting to be GPs or rural generalists, which are doctors with an advanced skill like obstetrics or anaesthetics.”

The Doctor of Medicine is offered jointly between CSU and Western Sydney University (WSU), and takes five years to complete.

The Liberal and Nationals Government has also provided more than $13 million to CSU to deliver dental, allied health and nursing training through the Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health.

An additional $18 million was provided for CSU and WSU for the joint institute for Regional, Rural and Remote Health and Medical Research.

To mark World Obesity Day, the Morrison Government is launching Australia’s first National Obesity Strategy, which will help address overweight and obesity across the nation.

Australia’s strategy has two ambitious goals—to halt the rise and reverse the trend in the prevalence of obesity in adults and to reduce overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by at least five per cent by 2030.

Obesity is a complex health condition. It is influenced by social, environmental, and economic factors which can impact a person’s ability to maintain a healthy weight and, in turn, increase the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Making healthy choices is not always easy. The strategy recognises the importance of ensuring all Australians are empowered, enabled, and supported to make the best possible decisions about their health.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ National Health Survey from 2017–18 revealed that 67 per cent of Australian adults were overweight or obese (12.5 million people), an increase from 63.4 per cent since 2014-15.

If the current trend continues, more than 18 million Australians will be overweight or obese by 2030.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the strategy will have a multi-faceted, community-wide approach, working with a range of initiatives, sectors, and organisations.

“Our primary focus is on prevention and the factors which contribute to this major health issue. It will also support the 14 million Australians living with being overweight or obesity, to live a healthier life,” Minister Hunt said.

“We know Australians in good health are better able to lead fulfilling and productive lives, and can participate fully in their community, their jobs, and their education. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of our health and the economic benefits health can bring.”

Consistent with the Government’s National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030, no single action will be enough to prevent and reduce obesity, instead, a systems-based approach that tackles the environmental influences and empowers individuals will be critical.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the strategy had been endorsed by the Morrison Government, as well as all state and territory health ministers.

“We will continue to work with our state and territory counterparts to identify key activities to drive the successful implementation of this strategy,” Minister Colbeck said.

Early consultation on the strategy included the Select Senate Committee Inquiry into the Obesity Epidemic (2018) and a National Obesity Summit (2019). This was complemented by two national public consultation processes (2019 and 2021) as well as additional targeted consultations.

The Morrison Government thanks the 2,750 individuals and organisations which participated in these consultations.

We also thank the Queensland Department of Health, which led the development of the strategy, supported by the Morrison Government and all state and territory governments.

The strategy can be found here.

More than 400 hospitality and cookery students a year are set to benefit from a major kitchen upgrade at Bentley TAFE, which will better prepare students for the jobs of the future.
 
An Albanese Labor Government will invest $2 million to deliver a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, which will be used across a range of qualifications.
 
The large-scale kitchen will also be used by the TAFE’s Bentley Pines Training Restaurant, an interactive training environment for students preparing for work in the hospitality industry.
 
Labor understands the value of good education in preparing students for a great career and greater opportunities.
 
Right now, we have a skills crisis which is crippling the country, making it difficult for businesses to find the staff they need to keep their doors open.
 
To support homegrown skills and business growth, Labor is investing in skills and investing in TAFE.
 
Today’s announcement in Perth is the first from Labor’s $50 million TAFE Technology Fund, which will support improvements to facilities, workshops, laboratories and simulators across the country.
 
Under the Morrison Government, Australia is experiencing a skills shortage crisis where fewer apprentices and trainees are being skilled up for the jobs of the future.
 
State and territory governments deserve a strong partner and national leadership when it comes to skills.
 
An Albanese Labor Government will deliver that strong partnership.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is continuing its support to the Queensland and NSW governments across a range of search & rescue and recovery tasks under Operation Flood Assist 2022.

Initial clean-up tasks involved cleaning mud out of houses, removing damaged furniture, removing debris to allow for vehicle access, and cleaning local infrastructure.

Personnel from the Australian Army’s 5th Brigade are undertaking a range of tasks in support of emergency services in northern New South Wales. They have been sandbagging, providing evacuation support, cleaning up the Lismore CBD and ensuring food supplies get to remote communities cut off by flood waters.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has criticised the exclusion of international students and other temporary visa holders from the Commonwealth’s Disaster Recovery Payment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s cruel and unacceptable to use a person’s visa status to exclude them from vital financial support in the wake of disaster.

“Floods have devastated communities and people living in NSW and Queensland. Everyone affected should be financially supported regardless of their visa status.

“International students’ ineligibility for Disaster Recovery Payments smacks of Covid-era discrimination which harmed so many.

“During the pandemic lockdowns we saw international students neglected, abandoned and mistreated at every turn – excluded from critical schemes like JobSeeker and JobKeeper. Now, they are being locked out of disaster payments.

“The government has not learned its lesson and continues to treat international students as little more than economic opportunities to be exploited.

“International students must be supported and treated as full and valued members of our community.”

Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck has congratulated all 14 winners of the 2021 Sport Australia Media Awards.

Now in their 20^th year, the awards recognise excellence in sports journalism, broadcasting and production and are the only dedicated sports media awards in Australia.

“Whether it’s covering the local competition or reporting from the world’s biggest sporting events, the media play a crucial role in telling stories and inspiring all Australians to get active,” Minister Colbeck said.

“As we continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, I am delighted to be able to reflect and celebrate the hard work and wonderful sporting stories that have been told in the past 12 months.”

“The finalists and winners again highlighted some of the key and important issues and moments in sport of the past year.”

Mr Colbeck paid tribute to Mike Sheahan who was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports Journalism.

Mr Sheahan was recognised for his lengthy and influential career as a sports journalist and writer having dedicated 40 years of his career to covering AFL.

He spent 20 years as chief football writer for The Herald Suns and won dozens of major Australian football media awards across all categories – news breaking, features and columns as well as writing two books.

“Mike has had an incredible media career spanning decades and is a worthy recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award,” Minister Colbeck said.

“On top of his written work, he became a regular radio and television personality including 11-years hosting his own talk show Open Mike on Fox Footy, with his contribution to the game duly recognised having been made a life member of the AFL and having the media centre at AFL House in Melbourne named after him.”

Minister Colbeck also extended his congratulations to the journalists, producers, photographers and podcasters recognised as finalists across the 12 award categories.

“The incredible performances at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics topped what was a huge year in Australian sport in 2021.

“The work done in elevating issues of national interest and telling personal stories encourages Australians of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to get involved in sport.”

Mr Colbeck said the Australian Government is committed to supporting the sector as it recovers from COVID-19 and as momentum builds ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Sport has the power to drive positive social change and help all Australians lead happier, healthier lives. Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s Sport Australia Media Awards and for your continued support of Australian sport.”