Category: Australian News

The next phase of the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccination communications campaign launches today, reminding people that the first thing they need to do is get vaccinated.
With the arrival of millions more vaccines, easier access through an expanded network of GPs and pharmacists, and opening up the vaccination program to everyone aged over 12, the campaign kicks off this major ramp up of the vaccination program.
The First Things First campaign will air from tonight and encourages Australians to get vaccinated so they can start enjoying the things they are missing or to keep enjoying the things they love.
The campaign has two key themes, to speak to those who have been living in areas of lockdown and are looking forward to our first tastes of freedom again, and to those who are already enjoying the things we love to get vaccinated in order to keep them without the risk of lockdowns.
It mobilises all Australians to make the decision to get vaccinated. It particularly speaks to a younger age group.
The Australian Government’s comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination communications campaign is being supported with an additional investment of almost $50 million to extend the suite of elements through 2021–22.
The latest research shows the continuing positive trend in attitudes to being vaccinated.  81 per cent of people say they will be or intend to be vaccinated.  This is extremely encouraging as we strive to reach the 70 and 80 per cent vaccination rates as important targets in the phases for re-opening.
This campaign targets those who are still unsure to be vaccinated, as it will enable them to do things they enjoy, such as being with family, attending weddings, going to concerts and travelling.
To date, more than 66 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 and over has had at least one vaccine dose, and more than 22 million doses have been administered across the country.
We are setting vaccination records on an almost daily basis – and the next phase of the communications campaign will seek to keep this momentum going.
More broadly, committees representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, people with a disability and the multicultural communities are being consulted regularly to ensure the vaccination messaging is clear, appropriate and disseminated through the best communication channels to reach all Australians.
The communications campaign also supports on-the-ground engagement with the public, including information kiosks at shopping centres and events, and community in-reach activities with CALD and Indigenous communities.
First Things First campaign assets can be viewed at Australia.gov.au from 9am Sunday 12 September.

BreastScreen Australia is celebrating 30 years of service in the Australian community.
In just the six years alone between 2013 and 2018, BreastScreen completed around 5 million mammograms with approximately 44,000 cancers detected.
Australia’s survival rate following a cancer diagnosis is one of the highest in the world and reflects the high quality of Australia’s health system. This includes effective early cancer detection and treatment based on the translation of robust research.
Cancer is a major cause of illness in Australia and accounts for the largest burden of disease in our community. In 2021, it is estimated that 151,000 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women, with 1 in 7 likely to be diagnosed in their lifetime.
Breast cancers detected through BreastScreen Australia have a 54–63% lower risk of causing death than breast cancers diagnosed in women who have never been screened through the program.
The Australian Government remains committed to improving health outcomes for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia.
We do this through significant investment in early detection screening, access to low cost medicines and treatments through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and ground breaking medical research.
In the last 30 years, the Australian Government has provided ongoing funding to support the states and territories to operate the BreastScreen Australia program. From 2013 onwards the Australian Government provided an extra $120 million to expand the program to actively invite women aged 70-74 years.
We continue to make major investments in research projects across the nation to ensure BreastScreen Australia is able to adopt cutting edge techniques to give Australian women the best possible chance of early detection and survival.
The Government provides $1.5 million a year to support critical national research for BreastScreen, including the development of tailored screening to further optimise the early detection of breast cancer.
The St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research has received $2.26 million to work with BreastScreen Victoria and other experts to research the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer screening technology.
Just as mammograms were a breakthrough medical discovery to aid the detection in breast cancer, AI will further advance that ability.
AI is expected to enable mammograms to be accurately read faster, supporting highly skilled radiologists to invest their time in analysing high-risk scans.
The University of Queensland (UQ) has received $2.8 million to undertake research into Whole Genome Sequencing in high-risk breast cancer patients.
This would enable treatments to be personalised and more effectively target specific cancers.
Personalised screening may allow screening to be adapted to match a person’s specific risk of breast cancer.
This may reduce exposure to unnecessary screening for women at low risk of breast cancer and free capacity for women at high risk to have increased screening to detect early abnormalities.
The funding in cutting-edge AI and genome research comes from the Government’s $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund which supercharges medical research for the benefit of all Australians.
The Government thanks the thousands of people—the radiographers, researchers, management and staff—who have contributed to the lifesaving work of BreastScreen Australia over the last 30 years.
BreastScreen Australia is a joint initiative of the Australian and state and territory governments and aims to reduce illness and death from breast cancer by detecting the disease early.
The BreastScreen Australia program provides free mammograms every two years for women over 40 and actively invites women 50-75 to screen.

Lorraine Finlay had been appointed as the nation’s new Human Rights Commissioner. Formerly an upper house candidate for the West Australian Liberals and president of the state’s Liberal women’s council, Finlay was appointed to the role without it being advertised.
This could affect the Australian Human Rights Council’s “A status” with the United Nations.
Senator Lidia Thorpe, The Greens Justice and First Nations Spokesperson said:
“Lorraine Finlay’s appointment flies in the face of the United Nations Paris Principles, which require ‘a clear, transparent and participatory selection and appointment process of commissioners.’
“The Morrison government should be looking for the candidate with the most in-depth experience and expertise, instead of parachuting their mates who are clearly inappropriate for the role. If Finlay has any integrity, she should decline and step down.
“This is someone who wrote a book calling for Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act to be abolished, opposes gender-based quotas and called affirmative consent laws ‘dangerous’ in an interview with men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt.
“The Morrison government announced this on the same day that the Women’s Safety Summit began. So often, violence against women is the result of an abuse of power. This appointment is an abuse of power.
“People in this country deserve an independent, objective Human Rights Commissioner who won’t play party politics with people’s rights!”

Australian Greens International Aid & Development spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that the Australian Government will support the waiver of intellectual property provisions on Covid-19 vaccines. The next meeting of the WTO TRIPS Council is on September 14.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This is a big relief, but it has taken far too long. This proposal came before the WTO almost a year ago and quickly amassed the support of dozens of countries committed to supporting vaccine production worldwide.
“Australia hindered global efforts while millions were infected with the virus across the Global South. It’s been completely indefensible behaviour.
“Now, after months of pressure from civil society and across the parliament, the government appears to have changed its tune.
“We now need a clear and unambiguous commitment from the government: not only that Australia will back the waiver but will endorse it wholeheartedly and work to get other hold-outs on the same page.
“Every month that goes by without WTO agreement on this matter, more people across poorer nations will unnecessarily get sick and die. It’s beyond time for global consensus and for Australia to pull its bloody weight.”

The second First Nations person to die from COVID–19 has passed away in Dubbo Hospital, this comes after an Aboriginal man in his 50’s died from COVID-19 on August 30.
Senator Lidia Thorpe, Australian Greens First Nations Spokesperson said:
“First Nations people have the right to live their lives without the negligent and incompetent Morrison government exposing them to disease,” said DjabWurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe.
“Our communities are in mourning. These deaths are completely preventable tragedies. The Maari Ma Aboriginal Health Corporation warned the Morrison government 18 months ago about the consequences of COVID-19 in western New South Wales.
“They came with solutions, they came with strategies on how to prevent and contain an outbreak of the disease. They were ignored. No tangible plan was put in place to protect First Nations people in western NSW.
“The pandemic has thrown a spotlight on decades of failed government policies that have left First Nations people in poverty, in overcrowded housing and without access to a properly resourced healthcare sector. Our people are quarantining in tents and washing clothes in creeks, while Scott Morrison can fly himself to Sydney for Fathers Day.
“The Morrison government needs to close the gap between non-Indigenous and First Nations vaccination rates. Our children need to be included in vaccination targets. Failing to do this will put First Nations people in danger.
Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens said:
“Scott Morrison’s failure to get First Nations communities vaccinated is an indictment on his leadership through the pandemic.
“First Nations communities have been warning about the potentially disastrous implications of inaction throughout the pandemic. Their calls for a plan have fallen on deaf ears.
“When they needed leadership most, Scott Morrison was nowhere to be seen. If the primary goal of any government is to keep its people safe, Scott Morrison has failed.
“Communities have been torn apart by preventable deaths, and that should weigh heavily on Scott Morrison’s conscience.”

Greens around the world have lambasted revelations that Australia has vetoed Paris Agreement climate goals being included in a trade agreement, and that the UK acceded to those demands.
But it’s not just progressive voices: UK Tory Lord Deben, who heads up an independent climate advisory body, decried Australia as “one of the recalcitrant nations” on climate action.
In defense of Australia’s position, Dan Tehan continued to beat the drum of technology that will prolong the reign of fossil fuels in Australia: gas and coal-derived hydrogen, carbon capture and small nuclear reactors.
With COP26 (the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow) fast approaching, it suggests Australia will continue to resist international pressure and seek once again to veto global climate action.
Greens leader Adam Bandt MP said:
“Australia is lagging behind the UK, US and the European Union on climate, and now we’re dragging the rest of the world down with us.
“Refusing to sign the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement if it included climate goals shows just how far the Liberals are willing to go to placate their fossil fuel donors.
“Australia has sabotaged global climate talks in the past and Scott Morrison looks set to do the same at the Glasgow climate summit.
“With disaster after disaster unfolding across the world we need strong climate action before 2030, but instead Australia is gearing up to veto action at the Glasgow climate summit.”
The Greens’ Climate Policy:

1. Net zero emissions by 2035 and 75% cuts by 2030, consistent with the science and the independent Climate Targets Panel.
2. Lead the world on climate action by phasing out coal stations and exports by 2030 and legislating against new coal mines and gas fields.
3. Achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030 and work towards 700% renewables, funding a massive investment in infrastructure that will transform our energy system over the next decade and grow a new export industry.
4. Phase in 100% electric light vehicle sales by 2030, with subsidies to make them affordable for all
5. Reduce bills by $200 a year by creating a publicly owned energy provider and subsidising investment in solar power and batteries.
6. Build a multi-billion dollar clean energy export industry to replace coal exports.
7. Invest in local coal and gas communities so they can attract the jobs and new industries they want, retain, upskill and ensure these local communities can continue to thrive.

“What do the NSW government want? More deaths in custody? Why aren’t they applying safe decarceration strategies for non-violent offenders?” Said Greens Justice and First Nations spokesperson: DjabWurrung, Gunnai and Gunditjmara Senator for Victoria Lidia Thorpe.
“NATSILS and other justice advocates called for this over 12 months ago. We knew this was a risk then and now we’re at a crisis point.
“There are nearly 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Parklea Correctional Centre, 50 at Silverwater Correctional Facility and two prison officers have tested positive at Bathurst Correctional Centre.
“There’s a state-wide prison lockdown to control the outbreaks, but people can’t safely self-isolate in prison. Communal showers mean they won’t have access to basic hygiene. Extended solitary confinement has serious impacts on people’s mental health.
“The NSW government needs to consider the health and humanity of people in custody. They have a duty of care, especially after redirecting vaccines for people in custody to HSC students. The state has only managed to vaccinate around 24.9% of First Nations people.
“We could start applying safe decarceration strategies now. The Corrective Services NSW Commissioner has the power to release low-risk inmates on parole. As it stands, no one has been released, despite NSW Corrections failing to manage this outbreak.
“We demand the implementation of the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as a matter of urgency, or we will have more Blak deaths in custody on their watch.” Said Thorpe

A third First Nations person has died from COVID-19 in less than two-weeks. This comes as infections in western New South Wales have ballooned to 885 and 63% of cases are First Nations people.
Senator Lidia Thorpe, the Greens First Nations Spokesperson said:
“First Nations people are in mourning because the Morrison government failed to follow their own guidelines and treat First Nations vaccinations as a priority. This level of incompetence and neglect is having devastating impacts on our communities.
“How many more people need to die before this inept government figures out how to do their job and protect First Nations people from this disease? They were given culturally safe and geo-politically relevant strategies on how to do this 18 months ago, but they’re still not listening.
“The Morrison government has created a new gap between non-Indigenous and First Nations vaccination rates and new dangers are emerging.
“Predatory conspiracy theorists like John Huntley have targeted Wilcannia, trying to coax people into taking ivermectin. Huntley literally called the town a “petri dish” and told the press he was planning on “getting around” attempts to stop the drug being used in the town. What’s the Morrison government going to do about this?
“This government has continued decades of neglect that has left people in regional areas without access to a properly resourced healthcare sector. Scott Morrison needs to spend less time on private jets and more time addressing how his government has put First Nations people in danger.
“The people deserve better than this.” Said Thorpe

Today, on World Suicide Prevention Day, the Morrison Government is recognising this year’s theme of ‘Creating Hope Through Action’ by establishing the Australian National Suicide Prevention Office to lead a national mission to reduce the prevalence and impact of suicide in Australia.
World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and to promote action that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts. ‘Creating Hope Through Action’ is a reminder that there are actions that we can take that may provide hope to those who are feeling overwhelmed.
The Government is leading this work through record investment in, and concerted structural reform of, the national approach to suicide prevention. In a first for Australia, the new National Suicide Prevention Office will have the capability to work across all governments and sectors to drive a nationally consistent and integrated approach to reducing suicide rates.
Working as part of the National Mental Health Commission, the Office will take a comprehensive approach to cover policy implementation, investment, data collection, research and workforce reform.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Morrison Government is providing $12.8 million to create the National Suicide Prevention Office, as part of the commitment to prevent suicide and support Australians who have been affected by suicide.
“The creation of the National Suicide Prevention Office recognises that everyone plays a role in suicide prevention and that a collective national effort is required,” Minister Hunt said.
“The Office will be a significant step forward in the efforts to reduce suicide by helping to build capacity to address the social determinants that play a role in suicide, working to reduce fragmentation and duplication of efforts across governments, supporting better data collection and sharing, providing advice on research priorities and knowledge translation, and – critically – improving the ability of our system to deliver evidence-based compassion-focused suicide prevention interventions.”
National Suicide Prevention Adviser to the Prime Minister and National Mental Health Commission CEO, Christine Morgan, said it has long been the hope and ambition of many Australian advocates and those with a lived experience of suicide to have a comprehensive national approach to suicide prevention.
“We are committed to the clarion call made for a more connected and compassionate approach to suicide prevention which takes support to people – where they are when they experience distress.”
Establishing the Office is among recommendations and priority actions of the National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Final Advice report, all of which were accepted by the Government.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman MP, said the establishment of Australia’s first National Suicide Prevention Office to coincide with the annual World Suicide Prevention Day was a key part of the Government’s ongoing work to transform the mental health and suicide prevention system and ensure that it delivers high quality, person-centred care to all Australians.
“Our Government has made mental health a national priority, investing an unprecedented $2.3 billion in the 2021-22 Budget for the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, bringing the annual investment in mental health and suicide prevention services and support to a record $6.5 billion in 2021-22.”
Some of the Government’s key investments through the 2021-22 Budget include:

• a further $158.6 million to provide universal access to aftercare services which provide non-clinical follow up and support to Australians following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis;
• $22 million to provide national postvention services to ensure those bereaved or impacted by suicide have access to support;
• $31.2 million to directly help people experiencing psychological distress, including establishing a national distress intervention trial, implementing national standards for Safe Spaces services, and expanding the Roses in the Ocean CARE connect service; and
• an additional $61.6 million for the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program which delivers whole of population suicide prevention activities and services.

“This is delivering vital support for those experiencing a suicidal crisis or those bereaved by suicide. It is life-saving care for people when they need it most,” Assistant Minister Coleman said.
“But, each and every one of us can play a role in suicide prevention. We can all create hope for someone by reaching out and showing that we care, and I encourage all Australians to take the opportunity today to do so.”
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
If you are concerned about suicide, living with someone who is considering suicide, or bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is available at 1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au.

The Morrison Government is encouraging Australians to reach out to the people we care about for an important conversation about mental health this R U OK? Day.
R U OK? Day has been happening since 2009, but this year it is more important than ever before.
We all continue to face unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and these challenges can have significant impacts on our mental health.
This year’s R U OK? Day theme is ‘Are they really OK? Ask them today’.
Research has shown that around 22% of Australians don’t reach out to check on the people around them because there hasn’t been an occasion where they felt someone needed their help. However, a regular check in, or just starting the conversation – even when someone is not visibly distressed or in crisis – can make a real difference.
The conversation about mental health need not be difficult, it is as simple as asking if someone is okay, listening to them, encouraging action and checking back in.
As much of the country faces restrictions to lower the risk of COVID-19, there are numerous other issues that are testing our resilience as individuals and collectively. Whether it is fear for our physical health, uncertainty around businesses, employment or school, sadness over missed things like a holiday, a birthday or a wedding, or grief over lost loved ones, we are all carrying a significant emotional load.
In 2021, we know that an honest answer to ‘are you okay?’ is likely to be ‘no, I’m not’ and that is okay, it’s understandable in these circumstances. But it is not something that has to be carried alone.
Help is available. Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
The Australian Government is proud to support R U OK? Day and has committed $2.1 million to the work of R U OK? between April 2017 and 30 June 2022.
Mental health and suicide prevention are a national priority. Our Government has invested a record $2.3 billion in the 2021–22 Budget for the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. A record $6.5 billion will be spent in mental health and suicide prevention services and supports in 2021–22, doubling since 2012–13.
More information and resources to help support the conversation around mental health are available at www.ruok.org.au