16 News

Australia is extending a life-saving partnership that supports Papua New Guinea’s health system, by providing antivenom doses and training for PNG healthcare workers.

The PNG Snakebite Partnership has been extended for a further three years until 2027 and will continue the strong ties built between the Australian Government, Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health, Australian company CSL Seqirus and now St John Ambulance PNG, a new partner on the project.

As part of the agreement, CSL Seqirus will provide an annual donation of up to 600 vials of Australian-made antivenom to PNG. St John Ambulance will distribute antivenoms to more than 65 healthcare clinics, train healthcare workers in snakebite patient management and collect epidemiological data to improve snakebite care in PNG.

Since 2018, the partnership has helped save over 2,000 lives, provided almost 3,000 doses of antivenoms for venomous snakes and marine creatures, and delivered training to 1,500 healthcare workers.

The funding complements the Australian Government’s broad and long-standing support for the health sector in PNG.

The Australian Government has a strategic partnership with CSL Seqirus for the production and supply of antivenoms, pandemic influenza vaccines, seasonal flu vaccines and Q fever vaccines.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Many Australians know all too well the impact of bites and stings from venomous creatures and this is a significant health challenge for our Pacific neighbours as well.

“Australia is proud to support communities in our region, including through sharing our life-saving medicines, knowledge and experience, allowing them to be treated sooner and closer to home.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“With one of the highest incidences of snakebite in the world this partnership provides critical support to improving patient outcomes in PNG.

“The Albanese Government is proud to partner with a leading Australian organisation like CSL as well as St John Ambulance PNG to improve access to life-saving treatments in PNG.”

On World Environment Day, the Greens have called on the Albanese Government to back a ban on native forest logging in order to protect nature and a climate trigger in environment law to stop new fossil fuel mines making the climate crisis worse. 

The Greens are in balance of power on environment law reform as experts and environment groups call for real action to stop worsening biodiversity decline and climate change.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for the Environment and Manager of Business in the Senate:

“This World Environment Day, we need urgent action to protect nature and the climate from more destruction and pollution.

“Around the world the extinction and climate crises are getting worse. The time for window dressing and weak slogans is over: we need a ban on native forest logging and a climate trigger in our environment laws to stop new coal and gas.

“Environment laws that allow more fossil fuels and the destruction of our forests are not worth the paper they’re printed on. 

“The Greens won’t be rubber-stamping any new laws that simply pander to the fossil fuel lobby, fail to protect nature, and do little to cut pollution.”

The Department of Social Services confirmed in estimates last night that there were no plans to reconsider eligibility criteria for the Escaping Violence Payment, or the Leaving Violence Program which is due to replace it in July 2025, despite more than 17% of applicants being deemed ineligible, and up to half never receiving the payment.

Australian Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on women, Larissa Waters

“Restrictive criteria doesn’t help keep women safe, it forces them to stay in unsafe relationships and living situations.

“The Department confirmed last night that at least 17% of women seeking the current escaping violence payment are being rejected, but there are no plans to change the criteria.

“One of the reasons for ineligibility for the program is a lack of a safety plan to move soon – this is not an inherent skill, it should be standard practice to support women to establish one, not a reason for rejection.

“Six women killed by violence this year were allegedly murdered by their sons. Escaping violent homes is not limited to escaping intimate partners, so the payment shouldn’t be either. 

“Even though it takes an average of seven times before a woman is able to finally leave an abusive relationship, you can’t get the Escaping Violence Payment more than once within a 12 month period.

“The Department was also unable to provide details about the time women have to wait between first request for payment and actually receiving it.

“Meanwhile the Leaving Violence Program’s well-meaning referral pathways will lead to frontline services who have received no extra funding – what good is it to refer someone to a support service that is already full? 

“And we are still no closer to understanding how many women are turned away from frontline services due to funding constraints, because despite me asking for 2.5 years what’s being done to quantity unmet need, there is not even a timeframe for when a scoping project will complete.

“If the Leaving Violence Program is the best this government can do for women experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence, they aren’t taking the issue seriously.”

BACKGROUND
Senate Community Affairs Committee: ParlView | Video 2510073 (aph.gov.au)

New research reveals a majority of Australians believe sport should be free to watch for all Australians, not locked behind subscription paywalls. The new data comes as pressure builds on Labor to fix their sports paywall scheme so that sport is free regardless of whether people watch via an old school aerial TV, or via the internet on a smart TV, iPhone, tablet or computer.

Around 60% support free sport on all platforms, with only 12% opposed. Around 30% still don’t know that Labor’s sports scheme will lock sport behind paywalls.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for Communications and Manager of Business in the Senate:

““These polling results show the majority of Australians agree that sport should be free, regardless of whether it’s on an old school aerial or on a smart TV, iPhone, computer or digital device. The Greens amendment will fix it and protect free sport for all.

“We don’t want to see iconic sporting events like State of Origin, the Matildas, the footy or the cricket locked behind paywalls. 

“Australians shouldn’t need a credit card or a paid subscription to watch the State of Origin or other iconic sporting events and the Murdoch media should get their hands off free sport in this country.

“Imagine needing a credit card to watch the Boxing Day test, or the grand final. It’s not fair, it’s unAustralian – it’s just not cricket.

“We need rules fit for purpose in a digital world and that’s what the Greens amendments will fix.

“The other concerning part of these results is that a third of voters don’t even know that the Government is about to lock them out of watching free sport. That’s why we are going to keep blowing the whistle on Labor’s unfair sports paywall scheme.”

Labor’s attempts to blame the Greens for growing community disappointment over their support for the invasion of Gaza is nothing more than a deflection from their complicity in the unfolding slaughter.

Today, following Question Time, Labor and Liberal voted to gag the Members for Melbourne and Griffith so as to prevent them from suspending standing orders to highlight the recent sale of 25 F-35 fighter aircrafts to Israel that use Australian components to drop bombs in Gaza.

The Greens are clear: today’s abuse of Question Time by Labor is an attempt to silence criticism of Labor’s support for the invasion of Gaza, and to distract from Labor’s refusal to do anything meaningful to put pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the slaughter.

Statement from Adam Bandt MP:

Scorched by community rage over Gaza, Labor is now desperately trying to distract from their continued backing of Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

Labor continues to back the invasion, refuses to take any diplomatic actions against Israel and continues two-way arms trade with Israel. Just today, Israel has ordered another 25 F-35s that use components only made in Australia to drop bombs in Gaza.

Labor and Liberal abused Question Time to defend the invasion of Gaza and shut down any debate about Labor’s ongoing refusal to recognise Palestine, stop the two-way arms trade with Israel and call for a permanent ceasefire. 

People want a permanent ceasefire now, and as a party of non-violence that has repeatedly called for any protests to be peaceful, the Greens won’t be lectured about peace by a Prime Minister that backs the horrific invasion of Gaza.

In the same week the Fair Work Commission has told women to wait for another year while it considers whether feminised industries need a pay rise, the ACT Greens have today secured the support of the Legislative Assembly to address underlying factors behind a shortage in early childhood educators.  

“We need to ensure the best possible education and care for our children from the very start,” said Laura Nuttall MLA, the ACT Greens’ spokesperson for education.  

“This means supporting parents and carers, and it also means supporting our early childhood educators to provide this essential service.  

“To ensure quality and affordable care for local kids, early childhood educators aren’t just a means to an end. They are a skilled, highly valued and essential part of our community.  

“It’s critical we support people to get started and stay in this important work.” 

Miss Nuttall’s motion has seen the Legislative Assembly agree the ACT Government should: 

• Support and expand fee-free TAFE places for early childhood courses 
• Work with the Commonwealth Government to extend the fee-free TAFE program to temporary visa holders  
• Advocate to the Commonwealth Government to expand paid placements to students studying diplomas and Certificate III’s, not just degrees  
• Review with a view to increasing the number of scholarships awarded under the Early Childhood Degree Scholarship Program  
• Boost financial support to employers who need to backfill educators who are undertaking professional development 
• Collaborate with service providers and peak bodies no navigate increased demand for early childhood education and care  
• Develop a pathway for teachers already in the field to achieving Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) certification, in recognition of their expertise and the positive impact they have on the organisation. 

“Early childhood education is an incredibly important career and can be an incredibly rewarding one. Unfortunately, like many historically women-dominated industries, the sector hasn’t seen the care, investment and recognition it deserves,” Miss Nuttall said. 

“By tangibly and meaningfully investing in our early childhood education and care sector, we are helping both primary carers and existing early childhood educators and teachers to provide kids a high-quality play-based learning environment that develops their emotional, cognitive and social skills.  

“We will do this by placing the early childhood educators at the centre of our efforts, by comprehensively tackling the workforce crisis.  

“We must pull every lever at the ACT Government’s disposal and advocate to the Commonwealth Government to support early childhood educators.” 

Miss Nuttall is available for comment.  

My lawyers have written to the Attorney-General regarding what I consider to be defamatory statements he made about me and the Greens yesterday.

I understand a number of media outlets have chosen to stop broadcasting and publishing his statements because of legal concerns.  I welcome their restraint.

I think that the first law officer of this country should not make utterly unfounded statements and spread disinformation.  No politician should do that.

I would prefer not to have to pursue these matters legally, and I hope the Attorney will respond in a proper way. The Prime Minister and Labor are not the victims in these matters. The victims are the over 36,000 people killed in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the hostages, and the 1200 people killed on October 7, compounded by the failure of the Labor government to take action against the Israeli government’s invasion.

The Albanese Labor Government continues to waste taxpayers’ money, with revelations made during a Senate Estimates hearing that Services Australia is spending $620,000 over two years to fund a personal speechwriter for Government Services Minister Bill Shorten.

Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said the funding is a blatant waste of money amid a cost-of-living crisis.

“Australians are enduring skyrocketing call wait times and slow payment processing times at Services Australia. Yet Labor is more concerned about spin than improving its performance,” Mr Fletcher said.

“How a speechwriter can earn more than an MP or Senator is bizarre and makes no sense. Bill Shorten is treating the public like fools.

“Labor needs to get its act together and prioritise struggling families over its personal public relations.”

This is all while Bill Shorten, who also has the NDIS portfolio, is making cuts to plans after promising he wouldn’t, and claimed the Scheme was sustainable before the election.

Shadow NDIS Minister Michael Sukkar said: “Plan review wait times have doubled, NDIS participants are nervous about cuts and changes being made to their plans and Labor has failed to consult with them prior to releasing new legislation.

“Vulnerable NDIS participants deserve a Minister who is focused on developing meaningful change to the NDIS, not one who is willing to spend an exorbitant amount of time and money on his spin,” Mr Sukkar said.

It now takes 400 per cent longer for Prescription Shopping claims to be processed by Services Australia under the Albanese Labor Government than it did under the Coalition – up from 9 days in 2021-22 to 45 days on the most recent figures.

For aged care claims the blow out is 345 per cent, while Medicare eligibility claims are taking 242 per cent longer; and PBS Patient Refunds are taking 215 per cent longer.

The Opposition obtained the data following responses to the February round of Senate Estimates.

Shadow Minister for Government Services Paul Fletcher said the figures are a further reminder that Services Australia is in disarray.

“These figures are shocking, especially following a global pandemic in which you would expect the government to prioritise health claims,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Government Services Minister Bill Shorten needs to lift his game and improve the customer service experience at Services Australia. Australians deserve better.

“I reiterate my calls for there to be a root and branch review of Services Australia’s operations, to improve the agency’s performance.”

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston said that these figures come on top of Labor overseeing wait time and cost blow outs across the entire healthcare system.

“Right now, we know that it has never been harder or more expensive for patients to see a doctor and this is having serious consequences, with 1.2 million Australians avoiding seeing their GP last year due to cost concerns,” Senator Ruston said.

“The last thing our healthcare system needs is for Australians’ access to affordable healthcare to be further hindered with these serious wait time blow outs for health claims.”

The below table provides the average days to process a range of health work claims.

Claim	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	1 January 2024 to 29 February 2024	% deterioration
Aged Care	11	24	49	345%
Prescription Shopping	9	18	45	400%
PBS Pharmacy Claims	12	17	34	183%
PBS Patient Refunds	40	43	126	215%
Medicare Eligibility	19	22	65	242%
Medicare Entitlement Statement	38	15	119	213%
Adjustments	116	122	309	166%

Today’s National Accounts figures must be a wake up call for Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers.

It shows the slowest GDP growth since 1991, outside the pandemic. This is the fifth consecutive quarter of negative GDP per person growth.

Australia is in an entrenched household, consumer confidence, and productivity recession.

It did not have to be this way.

Labor’s $315 billion in extra spending, productivity killing workplace relations changes, and billions of off-budget funds are causing higher inflation, higher interest rates, and higher taxes.

This is a path to ruin, not recovery.

Had the Prime Minister and Treasurer taken inflation seriously from day one, Australia would not be in such a dire economic situation.

But Labor’s economic mismanagement and confused priorities have created this mess.

Under the Albanese Labor Government, there are no winners. Every single Australian is worse off:

• Real disposable income per capita has fallen 7.8% since before the election.
• Productivity has fallen 5.2% since Labor came to office.
• Household savings remain 9.9 percentage points lower than before the election.
• Personal income taxes are 20% higher since before the election.
• Mortgage payments have almost tripled since the election.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said the blame falls solely at the feet of Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers.

“Today’s data confirms what Australians feel – they are poorer under Labor. This is a shocking data set and absolutely devastating for Australian households.

“On any measure, Labor isn’t delivering strong economic management. The only thing keeping Australians’ heads above water in this cost-of-living crisis are their jobs.

“The RBA Governor today has confirmed that inflation is home grown, government spending is up and real wages have fallen under Labor.

“This is the consequence of a weak Prime Minister and weak Treasurer with no economic vision for our country.

“Labor has delivered three failed budgets that have added to inflation, and left households and small businesses struggling to make ends meet.

“Labor’s only fiscal strategy is to let bracket creep run and steal $60 billion from household budgets to bolster its own.

“Over the past few weeks – we have heard endless stories out of Senate estimates of government waste, poor process, and anti-small business policies.

“Labor only has a plan to spin, not a plan for a strong economy.

“We need to get the economy back on track and back to basics and restore Australian’s standard of living.

“We have a lot to be optimistic about, but not if we continue down the path of Labor’s economic destruction.”