Category: Australian News

The Australian Government is placing new sanctions on Moscow’s propagandists and purveyors of disinformation, who are trying to legitimatise Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified invasion with false narratives such as the “de-Nazification” of Ukraine.

The targeting of propaganda and disinformation is one of the latest steps in Australia’s work with international partners to impose a high price on those responsible for, and complicit in, Russia’s war on Ukraine. Together with partners, we will drive Russia out of our economies, supply chains and airwaves.

This new round of sanctions will impose targeted financial sanctions on the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against an additional six senior Russian military commanders responsible for implementing naval, ground and air attacks on Ukraine. Last week, Australia also imposed targeted financial sanctions on a further 11 financial institutions of economic significance to Russia, including the Central Bank of Russia.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign, both within Russia and internationally. Tragically for Russia, President Putin has shut down independent voices and locked everyday Russians into a world characterised by lies and disinformation.

The addition of sanctions on those responsible for this insidious tactic recognises the powerful impact that disinformation and propaganda can have in conflict.

The Australian Government is sanctioning 10 people of strategic interest to Russia for their role in encouraging hostility towards Ukraine and promoting pro-Kremlin propaganda to legitimise Russia’s invasion.

This includes driving and disseminating false narratives about the “de-Nazification” of Ukraine, making erroneous allegations of genocide against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, and promoting the recognition of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as independent.

The Australian Government continues to work with digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google to take action to suspend the dissemination of content generated by Russian state media within Australia. SBS and Foxtel have already announced the suspension of Russia Today and NTV broadcasting.

Our designation of the Russian Armed Forces covers the Russian Ground Forces, Russian Navy, and Russian Aerospace Forces, as well as the Strategic Missile Troops and Russian Airborne Troops, and has the effect of prohibiting the export of goods from Australia to all Russian military end users. The Russian Armed Forces are directly responsible for undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hundreds of civilian deaths.

With our global partners, we will collectively work to remove Russia’s ability to continue financing its war by targeting its most significant banks, including those critical to its defence sector.

Australia and partners will continue to impose costs on Russia’s egregious, unlawful and completely unjustified war on Ukraine. We again call upon Russia to withdraw its military forces immediately from Ukraine.

This International Women’s Day, the Greens have announced a plan to deliver economic security for Australian women and work to close the persistent gender pay gap that sees too many women struggle to make ends meet, juggle multiple jobs, live in poverty or without a home, or to stay in abusive relationships. 

Australia has dropped to 50th place on the Global Gender Gap rankings and the gender pay gap has barely shifted in a decade. Without more effective and targeted strategies, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency estimates that it will be 26 years before the gap closes completely. Australian women cannot afford to wait that long.

Studies consistently show that women’s workforce participation and earning capacity are higher where they have access to a strong parental leave scheme, flexible working arrangements and affordable childcare. 

The Greens will invest $24.5 billion over ten years to provide a 26-week parental leave package, paid at the carer’s replacement wage (pro rata up to $100,000 annual, with superannuation), with “use it or lose it” provisions to encourage parents to share care more equitably.  Single parents will be entitled to the full 26 weeks.  

We will also require workplaces to consider flexible working arrangements and fund free and universal childcare to give families more options to juggle work and caring responsibilities. Because giving more women the option to return to work is good for women, good for families, and good for the economy.

Other measures in the Greens’ comprehensive plan include:

• Lifting the minimum wage, boosting superannuation for low-income earners with caring responsibilities to address the ‘parenting penalty’, and doubling low-income super offsets
• Reversing the unfair Stage 3 tax cuts which disproportionately benefit men
• Increasing the transparency of pay data and giving WGEA more power to act when employers fail to take action to close their gender pay gap 
• Investigating long-term options to value unpaid care work 
• Supporting female-led businesses
• Requiring a Women’s Budget Impact Statement to consider the gendered impacts of budget allocations before they are made 
• Implementing all recommendations of the Respect@Work and Set the Standard reports to ensure women are equal and respected at work
• Addressing the housing crisis where older women are the fastest growing group of homeless, by building one million social homes over 20 years

Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said:

“It’s pretty simple: women are busier than ever and they just aren’t paid enough.

“Women do more unpaid family work, including childcare, than men, and they’re punished for it with smaller pay packets, missed promotions, insecure employment, and tiny super balances. It’s shameful that in one of the richest countries in the world, the reward for taking time out of the workforce to raise children is lower wages, fewer opportunities, and, too often, poverty in retirement. 

“The current parental leave scheme tends to lock mums into the role of primary carer and the loss of work opportunities that comes with it. We need to do much more to encourage both parents to share the parenting load, and to normalise working arrangements that help families juggle work and caring responsibilities. 

“We know from the experience in other countries that more equitable parental leave, coupled with free childcare, has a significant impact on women’s workforce participation. It also helps to shape long term sharing of childcare and unpaid household tasks.

“The Greens’ plan will reduce the amount of time women are missing a pay cheque and provide families with more incentives, and more support, to share caring responsibilities more fairly. 

“The Greens will also work to close the gender pay gap by lifting the minimum wage, boosting superannuation balances for low income earners, who are disproportionately women, reversing the sexist Stage 3 tax cuts which go largely to men, removing pay gag clauses, and increasing the penalties on employers who fail to close their gender pay gap.

“And we’ll get the Productivity Commission to examine options for valuing unpaid caring responsibilities and domestic labour, and reinstate the Women’s Budget Impact Statement to analyse the gendered impacts of budget allocations.

“We know the Liberals aren’t interested in improving the lives of women. That’s why Tony Abbott removed the gender lens on the budget in the first place, and it’s why they continue to pay nothing but lip service to women’s demands for fairness and equality.

“Australian women can no longer afford a government that cries poor when it comes to meeting women’s economic needs, while spending billions of dollars on failed military technology and subsidies to their coal and gas donors.

“At the next election the Greens will help send the Coalition scuttling to the opposition benches, and we’ll push the next government to deliver the economic security that all women deserve.”

The Australian Greens are calling on the Morrison Government to immediately extend the suspension of mutual obligations for jobseekers and others on income support in flood-affected areas across New South Wales and Queensland.

Australian Greens spokesperson for community affairs and social services, Senator Janet Rice said: 

“Morrison’s decision to reinstate mutual obligations today for people on income support in flood-affected areas is a cruel joke.

“People across NSW and QLD are dealing with an ongoing natural disaster and the impacts have already been devastating. People in these areas have been battered by more than a week of catastrophic weather conditions, their lives as they’d known them have been destroyed, and they’re struggling to rebuild their homes and communities. More than ever they need the support of their government.

“Yet after only seven days, the Morrison Government has ended the suspension of mutual obligations for jobseekers and people on income support.

“Clearly, Morrison and his government have not even an ounce of empathy or understanding for the hell people are living through. 

“People should be focusing on healing from the disaster and repairing their lives. Instead, those on income support are once again being forced to fulfil mutual obligations or risk their payment being cancelled.

“The government must immediately extend the suspension of mutual obligations to ensure that these communities aren’t further devastated.”

Sporting events across rural and regional Australia are set to benefit from the Morrison Government’s Regional Sport Events Fund.

Now open for applications, the fund will support community sporting events with an aim of kick-starting local economies and encouraging visitors back after the impacts of the pandemic.

The grants will also assist rural and regional communities across New South Wales and Queensland affected by flooding.

Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, said local government areas outside major cities would benefit from the $1.9 million investment from Sport Australia.

“Sport is often the glue that brings rural and regional communities together and this program aims to fast-track the recovery from what’s been a very challenging period for these parts of Australia,” Minister Colbeck said.

“Local sporting clubs and associations play an incredibly important role in regional Australia and through this fund, the Australian Government is encouraging communities to come together and celebrate through sport.

“Staging these events in regional and remote communities will also benefit the small businesses that are central to local economies across the country.”

More than 400 eligible LGAs across Australia can apply for funding of up to $50,000.

Local government areas are encouraged to work with local sporting clubs and organisations to deliver fantastic sports events to their respective communities.

Events can range from “come and try days” to larger events including elite sporting exhibitions and state level competitions that engage the broader community.

Sport Australia Acting CEO Rob Dalton said the resumption of these events will have wide-ranging benefits for regional and remote communities.

“Like so many sectors of our economy, community sport has been hit hard by the pandemic and this fund will support many of the events that were cancelled or postponed to resume,” Mr Dalton said.

“This program encourages LGAs to be creative in how they re-engage with their communities through sport and will have substantial flow on effects throughout the rest of the community.”

Applications for the Regional Sport Events Fund are now open.

More details about the program, including the Fund Guidelines and closing dates can be found on Sport Australia’s Grants and Funding page, here.

Australia wide

For up to date weather information and warnings

Specifically for weather warnings

For non-life threatening assistance call the SES on 132 500 or in a life threatening emergency call 000. 

Queensland

For assistance, call the Queensland SES on 132 500

In an emergency call 000.

Queensland emergency updates: https://www.qld.gov.au/alerts 

Federal Government financial support for people in flood-affected areas in Queensland: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/south-east-queensland-floods-february-2022?context=60042 

State Government Personal Hardship Financial Assistance: https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/disasters/money-finance/eligibility-apply/seq-flooding-february-2022 

Regional Community Support services: https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/disasters/resources-translations/regional-support-brochures or call the Community Recovery hotline on 1800 173 349

SES website: https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/about-us/frontline-services/state-emergency-service 

Queensland schools closures: https://closures.qld.edu.au/ 

Social Media to follow: 

• QFES: https://twitter.com/QldFES https://www.facebook.com/QldFireandEmergencyServices 
• Premier: https://www.facebook.com/annastaciamp https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP 
• BOM: https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld https://www.facebook.com/bureauofmeteorology 
• Police: https://twitter.com/QldPolice https://www.facebook.com/QueenslandPolice 

New South Wales

For assistance, call the New South Wales SES on 132 500

In an emergency call 000.

Financial support for people in flood-affected areas in New South Wales: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/nsw-floods-february-2022?context=60042  

State Government Disaster Relief and support https://www.nsw.gov.au/disaster-recovery/disaster-relief-and-support 

SES website: https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/ 

Info on schools https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety 

NSW Floods updates https://www.nsw.gov.au/floods 

Social Media to follow: 

• Fire and rescue NSW https://www.facebook.com/frnsw https://twitter.com/FRNSW 
• Premier: https://twitter.com/Dom_Perrottet https://www.facebook.com/domperrottetmp 
• BOM: https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW https://www.facebook.com/bureauofmeteorology 
• Police: https://twitter.com/nswpolice https://www.facebook.com/nswpoliceforce 

Australian schoolkids will learn more about respect and relationships as part of a new Labor plan to prevent violence and improve child safety. 

Labor’s $77 million plan will train teachers how to best talk to students about respect and relationships in a way that’s appropriate for their age. It will ensure students and families who’ve experienced violence get the help they need.

The plan will also allow principals to hire extra expert support, and develop respect and relationships education programs that are based on evidence and tailored to their school. 

Recent changes to the national school curriculum have strengthened the mandatory minimum standards for Australian children to learn about consent and respectful relationships.

But delivery of high quality respectful relationships education programs is patchy and inconsistent across the country. For example, there’s nowhere near enough support to train teachers properly in this kind of education, and some schools don’t have access to programs developed by experts. Too many school students are missing out on education that can help keep them safe. 

Labor’s investment will change that. We will partner closely with state and territory governments, and school systems, to deliver these improvements to respect and relationships education. 

When students are younger, teaching respect covers things such as how to have healthy, happy relationships with friends and family – learning kindness, and how to share and take turns. 

It’s also about teaching kids how to seek help if they feel unsafe. Alarmingly, parents say only one in five Australian schools have programs that do that. That leaves our children vulnerable. 

As students get older, teaching respect covers issues such as consent, and additional education to help stop sexual harassment, sexual assault, and family and domestic violence.

Age-appropriate respectful relationships education can also help promote equality between women and men and improve classroom behaviour.

Too many school students experience sexual harassment and assault. The Teach Us Consent campaign, led by Chanel Contos, saw more than 6,700 young women share their experience of being sexually assaulted.  Labor’s plan to teach schoolkids more about respect and relationships will help put a stop to this. 

Scott Morrison has seriously dropped the ball on respect education in schools.

In the 2020 Budget, Mr Morrison tried to halve funding for respect education in schools.

Just months later, his Government released the widely panned “milkshake and taco” respect education video for schools. The video had to be dumped after experts described it as “bizarre, concerning, confusing” and “harmful.”

Australians have woken in shock and sadness to the awful news of the death of Shane Warne.

Shane was one of our greatest cricketers of all time, one of only a few that could approach the extraordinary achievements of the great Don Bradman. His achievements were the product of his talent, his discipline and passion for the game he loved.

But Shane was more than this to Australians. Shane was one of our nation’s greatest characters. His humour, his passion, his irreverence, his approachability ensured he was loved by all. Australians loved him. We all did.

There was something magical that he brought to our summers. The bleached blonde hair, the almost casual way he moved to send down a delivery, and his engagement with the crowd. He was one of a kind.

He inspired so many girls and boys to try their hand at cricket. He made it all look so easy. At some point, in most Australian backyards, we all tried to deliver a flipper.

As we heard as a commentator, behind the playfulness that we associated with Shane, there was a player who understood the strategies and intricacies of cricket as few others. A brilliance that will always be remembered alongside that of Bradman and Benaud.

There was also a generosity to so many people away from the cameras. With a smile and a g’day he’d bridge every gap.

Shane was his own man, following his own path. In those times when he could have been knocked down by the headlines, he got back up. He always did.

Shane was the “King of Spin” because there was none like him. The “ball of the century” will be talked about forever.

Our love and condolences go to Shane’s family and particularly his children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer.

We have lost one of Australia’s greatest cricketers and today we are bewildered by this sad and sudden loss.

In recognition of Shane Warne’s national achievements his family will be offered a state funeral by the Commonwealth Government. This will be done in consultation with the Warne family, Cricket Australia and the Victorian Government to ensure we honour Shane’s passing and memory.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP and QLD Greens Senate candidate Penny Allman-Payne have announced the latest Greens policy to support jobs and development in coal regions as coal is phased out in the coming decades. 

The Greens are announcing their plan to create Green Metals Australia in Townsville today, driving $5.9 billion of investment and coordinating strategic development of the critical minerals and green metals processing and manufacturing industries. 

The announcement is part of Adam Bandt and Penny Allman-Payne’s regional tour of Queensland coal mining areas where the pair will also outline how the recently announced job-for-job guarantee wage for coal workers would secure coal workers’ wages as they move into new mining, metal processing and manufacturing industries. 

Australia has an abundance of critical minerals and metal ores that are crucial to the shift to electrification and decarbonisation of the world’s economy, in particular the lithium, copper, nickel and cobalt resources that are behind the boom in lithium-ion batteries and renewable energy. 

The Greens have also previously announced that government owned Snowy Hydro would build $40 billion of new renewables and storage supported by a $25 billion Future Grid plan to support the development of new transmission infrastructure to link renewable energy zones across regional Australia. 

Adam Bandt, Leader of the Australian Greens said: 

“The best job for a coal miner is another mining job, or a job in metals processing or manufacturing.” 

“Coal workers should be guaranteed well-paid secure jobs in energy, manufacturing and mining. As we move out of thermal coal over the next decade and metallurgical coal over the next two, we need to invest in jobs and industries in regional Queensland now.” 

“Coal is fuelling the climate crisis and making the floods in Queensland and New South Wales worse, but that’s not the workers’ fault. Coal workers need to be supported, not demonised. 

“Australia cannot only become a renewable energy superpower, we can become the foundry of the world, making green steel and aluminium and processing our copper, lithium, cobalt and nickel to make batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage.” 

“As the world goes through an energy transition, we have all the minerals and metals the world wants, but instead of just shipping it off we should be processing the metal and making what the world needs right here in Queensland. 

“And if we power this mining, manufacturing and processing with renewables, not only will the metals and products be green, we will be one of the world’s lowest cost producers, supporting the rest of the world to decarbonise with our exports.” 

“Green Metals Australia will be able to invest in existing industries and help create new ones in the years ahead and our job-for-job guarantee will mean coal workers who move to these new sectors will have their wage supported for a decade with no loss in pay.” 

Essential medical care is more affordable than ever before with the number of Australians receiving essential medical care with no out of pocket cost continuing to rise.

Across all Medicare services, the bulk billing rate reached a record high of 83.5 per cent in the December quarter 2021, an increase of 6.5 per cent since 2012-13. Over the 2021 calendar year, the overall bulk billing rate was 81.9 per cent, compared to 81.4 per cent in 2020. 

The number of services being bulk billed has also risen, with 413.2 million medical services being bulk billed to Medicare in 2021, 54.9 million more than 2020.

GP bulk billing rates remain at record high levels, sitting at 88.4 per cent in the December quarter 2021. This is 0.3 per cent higher than the December 2020 quarter and 6.4 per cent higher than the December 2012. Over the 2021 calendar year, the GP bulk billing rate was 88.7, 6.9 per cent higher than 2012.

This means almost nine out of 10 visits to the GP over the 2021 calendar year were provided with no out-of-pocket cost for the patient. This included 165.6 million fully subsidised GP services, a rise of 17 million or 11.4 per cent compared to 2020. 

The introduction of telehealth, which is now a permanent feature of Medicare, continues to have a critical role in maintaining patients access to care. Since its inception in March 2020, over 96 million telehealth services have been delivered to 16.8 million patients. Just under $5 billion in Medicare benefits have been paid (exclusive of bulk billing incentives).

In 2021, Medicare paid benefits for 4.1 million video consultations and 41.6 million phone consultations enabled in response to COVID-19 and provided by GPs, specialists, and allied health professionals.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Morrison Government’s commitment to Medicare is rock solid and we continue to support the health and wellbeing of Australians more than ever.

“Through the 2021-22 Budget, our Government is investing $125.7 billion, up over $6 billion over the forward estimates, as part of our ongoing commitment to guarantee Medicare,” Minister Hunt said.

“This increased investment in Medicare also includes more than $65 million from 1 January 2022 to boost bulk billing rebates and provide more affordable healthcare particularly for patients in regional, rural, and remote areas.

The Morrison Government also continues to modernise the Medicare Benefits Schedule as recommended by medical experts, to ensure that Medicare supports up to date, best practice care.

An Albanese Labor Government and Malinauskas Labor Government will together deliver new on/off ramps for the Southern Expressway at Majors Road.
 
With $60m coming from an Albanese Labor Government and $60m from a Malinauskas Labor Government, this $120m project will mean working families across Adelaide’s south can more easily quickly get to work, get home, get to the shops and get to weekend sport.
 
The investment will allow residents in Southern Adelaide to finally access the Southern Expressway, easing congestion on other arterial roads, particularly Brighton Road.
 
Residents of Southern Adelaide have been campaigning for these ramps to be constructed for years, yet they have been repeatedly ignored by the Morrison-Joyce and Marshall Governments.
 
Without these ramps, families in Hallett Cove, Sheidow Park, Trott Park and O’Halloran Hill are unable to access the Southern Expressway, the Darlington upgrade and the future non-stop north-south corridor, forced instead to head down the already busy Brighton Road.
 
It’s left coastal residents in Marino, Seacliff, Brighton, Hove, Somerton Park and Glenelg forced to sit in increased congestion, with motorists left with no alternative route to the city.
 
In addition, Labor will upgrade Brighton Road intersections at Brighton Road/Wattle Street/Dunrobin Road and Brighton Road/Edwards Street and upgrade signalling on the Seaford rail line to optimise train operations, reduce delays from speed limitations and closure of at-grade crossings.
 
These additional investments totalling $40 million will further address congestion on Brighton road, helping residents get home faster and safer.
 
Scott Morrison and Steven Marshall have failed to deliver for locals across Southern Adelaide, forcing working families to spend more time stuck in traffic and less time at home.
 
These projects will ease congestion, give Brighton Road back to locals and deliver a better life to commuters across Adelaide’s south.
 
Only an Albanese Labor Government and Malinauskas Labor Government will deliver real action to ease congestion.