LABOR MAKES STUDENT DEBT CRISIS WORSE, WITH ARTS DEGREES EXCEEDING $50,000 ON THE HORIZON

Greens Deputy Leader and Higher Education Spokesperson has responded to recently released student contribution rates which reveal a standard three year arts degree will cost around $51,000 while a law degree will cost around $85,000.
 

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

“The Albanese government’s refusal to scrap the disgraceful, punitive fee hikes of the Coalition’s job-ready graduates package is making the student debt crisis much worse. Students are graduating with bigger and bigger debts.

“In opposition, Labor spoke a big game against the Morrison Government’s fee hikes for degrees like arts, business and law. In Government, they’ve shown their true colours, continuing the Coalition’s crusade against young people and students.

“Labor’s student debt relief policy is a bad joke. It still means student debts rising by 11.5% in their first term of Government and arts degrees costing over $50,000. That’s not a solution, that’s a disaster for people already crushed by a housing and cost of living crisis. 

“Soaring student debt is already locking people out of the housing market, crushing dreams of further study and stopping people from starting a family, and Labor is making things worse.

“With the Albanese Government backing Morrison’s university fee hikes, and student debt ballooning out of control, young people are telling me that they’re finding it harder and harder to tell Labor and the Liberals apart.

“The Universities Accord Final Report was scathing in its assessment of the Job-ready Graduates package, stating that it was a failure that needs urgent remediation. The Government is completely ignoring this advice and students will pay the price for years to come.”

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO JUSTICE

New Legal Aid client liaison officers to provide support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and cultural and linguistically diverse Canberrans are among projects that Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury has funded from the Confiscated Assets Trust (CAT).

The funding will support a range of initiatives designed to empower victims, strengthen community connections and ensure a fairer legal process for the community.

The Attorney-General said that CAT funding ensures that proceeds of crime recovered under the Confiscation of Criminal Assets Act 2003 can be used productively to address the impact of crime on the community. These projects invest proceeds of crime in activities that will support criminal justice activities, crime prevention, and assistance to victims of crime.

“Access to justice is a fundamental right,” the Attorney-General said. “This investment reflects our commitment to ensuring that all Canberrans have equal opportunity to navigate the legal system. We are proud to support these important initiatives that will make a real difference in the lives of many.”

Projects aimed at increasing access to justice to receive CAT funding in this round include:

  • Women’s Legal Centre: $30,000

Supporting the development and distribution of a Sexual Assault Legal Service handbook, providing essential information and resources to sexual assault survivors navigating the criminal justice system.

  • Expansion of the Witness Assistance Scheme: $404,346

Immediate expansion of the Witness Assistance Scheme within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), providing essential support and guidance to witnesses and complainants throughout the criminal justice process.

  • Legal Aid ACT: $369,000

Strengthening Legal Aid’s capacity by employing three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse client liaison officers, who will provide targeted support to vulnerable members of the community.

  • Extension of Embedded Prosecutor Initiative: $107,000

Extending the placement of a senior prosecutor within the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT) in the ODPP, ensuring the provision of high-quality, pre-charge advice and support for the implementation of the new Threshold to Charge policy. 

Dr John Boersig PSM, Legal Aid ACT Chief Executive Officer

“Legal Aid ACT is strongly committed to the delivery of services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities. As a mainstream service provider to the ACT, we understand the importance of communication and the key role of allied professionals in the justice system.  This will allow us to better provide legal assistance by engaging liaison officers from these communities.”

Quote attributable to Elena Rosenman, Women’s Legal Centre ACT Chief Executive Officer

“The first step to making the criminal justice system more responsive to people who have been affected by sexual violence is to provide clear, accessible information about what to expect in the process. Information, accompanied by specialist legal assistance and support, can be part of rebuilding community trust in the policing and criminal justice responses to sexual violence. . If you need help, please contact Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377.”

GREENS SLAM LABOR FOR STEAMROLLING AHEAD WITH PUBLIC HOUSING DEMOLITION AND PRIVATISATION

The Victorian Greens have slammed the Victorian Labor Government for steamrolling ahead with their devastating plans to demolish and privatise Melbourne’s public housing while residents still remain in the towers.  

It follows reports in the Guardian that the Victorian Labor Government will sign a contract for demolition works to commence on or after 19 July at three towers that are the focus of a class action – 33 Alfred Street and 120 Racecourse Road in North Melbourne, and 12 Holland Street in Flemington. 

The Labor Government plans to demolish and privatise all 44 public housing towers across Victoria, which would displace over 10,000 residents, forcing people out of their homes and tearing communities apart. The majority of this public land looks set to be handed over to wealthy property developers for expensive private housing instead of retaining it for public housing. 

A class action to protect the North Melbourne and Flemington towers was launched in January and just last week the court ordered that it would go to a two-day trial commencing 28 October. A parliamentary inquiry into Labor’s privatisation plans is also set to begin within months.

Labor has previously used the awarding of demolition contracts to force residents to leave their homes using the threat of eviction and legal proceedings. This move shows a complete disregard for the existing class action and is a callous betrayal of residents still living in the buildings. 

Labor’s plan to demolish these homes while more than 120,000 people remain on the state’s public housing waiting list demonstrates its contempt for public housing. 

Greens spokesperson for Public and Affordable Housing, Samantha Ratnam: 

“Labor steamrolling ahead with this demolition and privatisation plan completely undermines the rights of residents who are being forced from their homes. People have called these towers home for decades and yet Labor is determined to rip these communities apart. 

“Since this project was announced, I’ve had hundreds of conversations with residents who are angry, heartbroken and want answers. 

“Labor fast-tracking this project while a class action is underway and residents remain in the buildings demonstrates a complete disregard for the rights and welfare of the residents and is a stark example of this government’s total contempt for public housing in Victoria.”

Justice Jane Paingakulam welcomed to Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court

Justice Jane Paingakulam has been formally welcomed as Deputy President of the Industrial Relations Commission and a judge of the restored Industrial Court.

The Industrial Court covers matters from the regulation of unions, such as applications for administration, to disputes over wages, conditions and safety.

Justice Paingakulam’s experience includes the Enforcement Directorate at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), where she contributed significantly to investigations of criminal matters including fraud, market manipulation and insider trading. 

Justice Paingakulam experienced a distinguished career in public service before coming to the bench, for which she was awarded an Australia Day Medal for Public Service.

Admitted as a solicitor in 1996, Justice Paingakulam worked for Emil Ford & Co before moving to the Office of the Employment Advocate, where she became a senior lawyer in legal and compliance.

After her work at ASIC, Justice Paingakulam joined the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), where she led investigations into significant whistleblowing cases.

In 2009, she was called to the Bar and practised in predominately criminal and work health and safety matters. This included appearing as junior counsel in the $105 million Plutus Payroll tax fraud trial, which ran for eleven months.

A ceremonial sitting to welcome Her Honour was held at the Chief Secretary’s Building in Sydney.

Acting Minister for Industrial Relations Daniel Mookhey said:

“I congratulate Justice Paingakulam on her appointment to the Industrial Relations Commission and the Industrial Court.

“Justice Paingakulam is held in high regard by the legal profession.  Her expertise in work health and safety law will ensure the re-established Industrial Court is well placed to deal with these matters.”

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“Justice Paingakulam brings a wealth of experience to her new role – she is a committed public servant with the highest levels of integrity.

“The re-established Industrial Court will play a critical role in our state’s industrial relations framework.

“Justice Paingakulam will be essential to its success.

“I warmly welcome Justice Paingakulam to the Industrial Relations Commission and to the Industrial Court.”

More Muswellbrook roads to benefit from energy shift

The NSW Labor Government is helping take the pressure off Muswellbrook Shire Council by assuming responsibility for two local roads critical to the state’s future energy needs.

Bengalla Road and Wybong Road, between Bengalla Road and the Golden Highway, will soon be reclassified from local to state roads, opening the door to more potential investment from the NSW Government.

The reclassification comes after the former Liberal and National Government ignored the council’s requests for help and failed to deliver on its promise to reclassify 15,000 kilometres of road.

Both of these roads are important freight transport routes that have previously been tasked with handling over size and/or over mass (OSOM) vehicle movements for the mines in the Muswellbrook local government area.

With more OSOM vehicles increasingly needing to access Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) in the Central West Orana and New England Regions, the NSW Labor Government has stepped up to support council through a road reclassification and agreed to take responsibility for management of the roads given the critical role they play in securing the state’s future energy supply.

The additional support for Muswellbrook Shire Council is part of a suite of measures the NSW Government is delivering to help regional councils improve their road networks by:

  • rolling out a $390 million Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund to help pay for urgent repairs
  • providing a further $224.5 million in grants to councils for local and regional road maintenance and upgrades through a range of programs and subsidy arrangements
  • investing $49.7 million to finish Fixing Local Roads projects announced by the former government but never delivered.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The NSW Labor Government is proud to be getting on with the job of preparing roads in the regions for our future energy needs and supporting local councils with challenges change can bring.

“In addition to our $128.5 million investment in planning and delivering port to project upgrades announced in the budget, the ongoing investment that will be released through the reclassification will take the financial burden off Muswellbrook Council, whose ratepayers contribute so much to the wealth of our state.

“Unlike the former government who forked out a fortune on a failed road reclassification review, ignored its recommendations and kept the final report secret – the NSW Labor Government is actually delivering what councils need and not making unfunded promises.

“I thank Muswellbrook Shire Council for its advocacy, patience and commitment to working together to improve roads in the region.”

Labor’s spokesperson for Upper Hunter Emily Suvaal said:

“Residents of Upper Hunter know that certain local roads are critical to support over size and/or over mass (OSOM) vehicle movements.

“The reclassification of these roads to state roads will remove a significant financial and administrative burden on Muswellbrook Council from a planning and operational perspective, as these movements will continue for many years.

“This is a welcome and necessary step in the NSW Government’s plan to transform the way the state moves renewable energy equipment throughout the state.”

Muswellbrook Mayor Steve Reynolds said:

“Improving the current condition of our roads and bringing them to an acceptable standard before these truck movements begin is crucial.

“Council’s priority, as always, is the safety of residents and we welcome the reclassification of these roads from local to state.

“Road conditions must be fit for purpose, and strategies in place to minimise the impact on road users, such as laybacks. Continual maintenance is paramount so as our ratepayers don’t carry the burden.”

NSW Government invests $4.5 million to help reduce and replace animals in medical research

The Minns Labor Government has announced a $4.5 million funding package that will be a significant step in helping reduce and replace animals in medical research.

Images of the announcement available here.

The funding will be used to establish the Non-Animal Technologies Network (NAT-Net), a NSW-led body that will work to develop innovative alternatives to using animals and advise on the required medical research infrastructure and regulations to support these as alternatives.

Non-animal technologies, such as using human cells or tissues, are more biologically similar to the patients being treated, and so medicines being tested are less likely to fail in clinical trials. These technologies are beginning to exceed the performance of animal models in drug development and medical research.

NAT-Net will include experts from the University of NSW, University of Wollongong, University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney and the University of Newcastle, as well as the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Children’s Medical Research Institute and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

The funding comprises three pillars. The first, a research pillar to accelerate research progress, which will include a competitive research grant program, with recipients set to focus on developing solutions to reduce animals in medical research. The second, to develop infrastructure to establish NAT-Net and the third to set up a working group to develop regulatory approaches for non-animal technologies.

This may include complex multi-organ models, organs-on-chips, or approaches using machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“This is the first time a network of this kind has been established for non-animal technologies in NSW, and it will significantly enhance the state’s ability to make scientific breakthroughs. I am excited to announce this wonderful initiative alongside our partner institutions.

“By investing in cutting-edge, non-animal technologies, researchers may be able to better predict which therapies work in humans, accelerating discoveries that could save people’s lives.

“We know that non-animal technologies in medical research are the way forward and NAT-Net will be a driving force behind these exciting Australian-first developments led by NSW.”

Benefits to Central Coast commuters outlined in toll review

The NSW Government will weigh up benefits to Central Coast commuters as it considers the final report of the Independent Toll Review handed down by Professor Allan Fels and Dr David Cousins this week.

The report exposes the full impact of toll road privatisation by the former government, and shows how Central Coast drivers could save money under the scenarios it modelled

The report highlights Sydney’s toll road network is a poorly-functioning patchwork of numerous different price structures that will cost motorists $195 billion in nominal terms in tolls over the next three and a half decades on top of the billions they have already paid.

The report notes the lack of a unified tolling system has created complexity, inefficiency, inequities and unfairness.

There are a range of recommendations presented to Government by Professor Fels and Dr Cousins for consideration including:

  • Tolls should be based on a declining distance basis charged on a per kilometre basis but with the per kilometre rate declining the greater the distance travelled. This would deliver greater fairness to motorists in the Central Coast.
  • Two-way tolling on the two current Harbour crossings and the Eastern Distributor, with this additional revenue gained being put into the lowering of tolls on the remainder of the network. This will also ensure a consistent tolling and traffic integration approach when the Western Harbour tunnel opens around 2028.
  • Decisions on toll setting should be overseen by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
    The NSW Government will now consider the report and respond in due course.

The NSW Government is committed to reforming Sydney’s toll network to restore fairness, simplicity and transparency to the system and put the interests of motorists above those of private investors.

The Toll Review confirms this will be a complex task but one that the state must embark on as the Government provides essential cost-of-living relief through Labor’s $60 toll cap.

Full final report of the Independent Toll Review: https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/toll-review

Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said:

“Central Coast commuters pay more than most, with a one-way trip into Sydney via toll roads costing close to $30 in peak times.

“The NSW Government has just received the report and we need to consider it closely before making any decisions, however I, and my fellow Central Coast Labor MPs will be working to ensure Central Coast commuters benefit from any moves to make the tolling system simpler and fairer.

“The previous Liberal Government became addicted to tolls and the Labor Government introduced toll relief, beginning with the $60 toll cap that has been helping Central Coast commuters.”

NSW Government to launch public inquiry into Liverpool City Council

The NSW Government has today ordered a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council after an interim report provided to the Minister for Local Government detailed serious concerns about widespread dysfunction and maladministration.

The Minister has also written to the Mayor of Liverpool advising of his intention to suspend the Council and postpone the elections due in September while the inquiry is being conducted. The Council has been given seven days to respond.

The interim report provided to the Minister forms part of an investigation announced in April 2024 under Section 430 of the Local Government Act 1993.

The scope of the Section 430 investigation focused on recruitment matters including whether the Council had complied with its statutory obligations, if conflicts of interest influenced staff appointments and any other matters that may have impacted the governance and effective administration of the Council.

However, investigators have identified matters sufficient in seriousness and volume to warrant an immediate public inquiry into the Council.

The report details a number of areas of concern with regard to recruitment and staffing practices, procurement irregularities, allegations of inappropriate record keeping and widespread evidence of a toxic work environment.

The interim report reveals a strong likelihood that there are additional issues affecting the operations of the Council that have not yet been identified.

The report also outlines evidence of direct interference from the mayor and councillors in the assessment of development applications and other compliance and regulatory activities.

The widespread and serious nature of the report has left the NSW Government with little choice but to intervene.

Under Section 438U of the Local Government Act 1993, a public inquiry will now be launched into the functions and operations of the elected Council and the Council’s administration.

Mr Ross Glover has been appointed as the Commissioner to undertake the inquiry. Mr Glover was appointed by the former government in 2021 to undertake the inquiry into Wingecarribee Shire Council.

Should the Council be suspended, an interim administrator will be appointed to perform the functions of a governing body.

The interim report from the Office of Local Government as well as the public inquiry Terms of Reference can be viewed here: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/misconduct-and-intervention/investigations/section-430-investigations/

Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

“Communities expect their council to be operating with the highest level of integrity and in their best interests.

“It has become clear that is not the case at Liverpool City Council and there is major dysfunction across the entire organisation.

“These are very serious issues which are causing distress among staff and impacting the Council’s ability to deliver for its community, and they must be urgently addressed.

“A public inquiry is therefore a necessary measure to get all the issues out in the open and start the journey of restoring confidence in the Council.

“I want to ensure the Commissioner can oversee this inquiry without the politically charged environment of an election, which is why I believe it is in the public interest to postpone the September elections for Liverpool.

“Liverpool City Council has a vital role to play in the development of the Bradfield City Centre and the overall growth and economic success of Western Sydney.

“This action announced by the Government today is necessary to get to the bottom of some very serious and concerning matters.”    

Newcastle police charge man over alleged parcel theft

Newcastle police have charged a man over the alleged theft of parcels in the Lambton area earlier this month.

On Thursday 11 July 2024, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District received a report that parcels had been stolen from the front of a New Lambton home.

Following extensive inquiries, police arrested a 38-year-old man at a shopping centre on Steel Street, Newcastle, about 11.30am today (Thursday 18 July 2024).

During the arrest police allegedly located methylamphetamine and cannabis on the man. All items were seized for forensic examination.

The 38-year-old was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with larceny, enter inclosed land not prescribed without law excuse and two counts of possess prohibited drug.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 15 August 2024.

Investigations are continuing.