Category: Australian News

The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response and the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.
National Cabinet continues to work together to address issues and find solutions to the health and economic consequences of COVID-19.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the latest epidemiological data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19. There have been 29,390 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 909 people have died. More than 16 million tests have been undertaken in Australia.
To date Australia’s existing systems built around social distancing, testing, tracing, local health responses and quarantine have effectively mitigated the broader spread of COVID-19 virus and new variants of COVID-19 into the Australian community. COVID-19 vaccines will further strengthen Australia’s ability to control the virus.
Australia has done well on both the health and economic fronts compared to most countries around the world. National Cabinet noted the significant increase in COVID-19 cases in many countries and the comparative strength of Australia’s effort in addressing COVID compared to most other developed economies.
Globally there have been over 133 million cases and sadly over 2.9 million deaths, with around 816,000 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out is expanding. To date 1,077,511 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australians, including 81,297 in the last 24 hours.
National Cabinet received a detailed update from Professor Brendan Murphy, Chair of the Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly on the Australian Vaccination and Treatment Strategy and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. National Cabinet agreed to continue the Australian Vaccination Strategy for 1A and 1B priority populations. National Cabinet agreed that the new ATAGI advice will require a recalibration of the Australian Vaccination Strategy for future phases, with changes worked through in consultation with states, territories and medical experts over the coming weeks.
The Commonwealth Government has allocated over $7 billion to support the COVID-19 vaccine strategy with contracts for over 170 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, through a diverse vaccine portfolio including the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novavax and through the COVAX facility.
National Cabinet welcomed the announcement of a two-way quarantine free travel arrangements with New Zealand. National Cabinet further reiterated support for the ongoing outbreaks in PNG and Timor Leste.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 7 May 2021.
Respect@Work
National Cabinet considered the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work report, along with the Australian Government’s response, Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces. States and Territories have now agreed to provide a formal response to the Respect@Work report including recommendations specifically relevant to their jurisdiction by the end of June.
National Cabinet also considered the next phase of the $150 million COVID family and domestic violence package. The Commonwealth provided $130 million of this funding to States and Territories for frontline services to 30 June 2021. State and Territory Governments will now urgently provide updated reports on their acquittal of this spending, as well as future spending on these priorities and ongoing spending. This will assist the Commonwealth as it considers funding commitments and also ensure the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments are all working together on this important issue.
National Cabinet noted that Women’s Safety Ministers met this week and discussed the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, including a National Summit scheduled for 29 and 30 July. In July, National Cabinet will discuss women’s economic security and consider all of the Commonwealth, State and Territory initiatives, programs and spending. As part of that discussion, National Cabinet will also consider establishing whether we embark on a National Plan process for women’s economic security.
National Cabinet’s work on women’s safety and economic security recognises that all governments have responsibility for these important issues.
Update on Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) Advice on AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines
National Cabinet noted the advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19.
The ATAGI advice is clear that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe disease caused by COVID-19.
The medical advice to the Government is that the risk of blood clotting side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine is around 5 in one million people, in the first four to 20 days post the vaccine. This is a rare but serious side effect.
The ATAGI advice is that the Pfizer vaccine is preferred for adults under the age of 50. The AstraZeneca vaccine should be given as a first dose to adults under the age of 50 where the benefit clearly outweighs the risk for that individual.
AstraZeneca is recommended for those over the age of 50.
National Cabinet agreed that the new ATAGI advice will require a recalibration of the Australian vaccination strategy, with changes worked through in consultation with states, territories and medical experts over the coming weeks.
The vaccination program for 1A and 1B Priority populations will continue, particularly for the most vulnerable Australians in Phase 1B including those over the age of 70 who are not impacted by this revised advice. Changes will be made to allow Australians under 50 years of age in priority populations 1A and 1B to receive the Pfizer vaccines reflecting the new ATAGI advice.
COVID-19 Data Releases
National Cabinet agreed to release daily and weekly COVID-19 vaccination data. Detailed daily data will be released from today with weekly data released from next week.
Daily data will include a breakdown of doses delivered by the Commonwealth and by states and territories, and also by administration source.
Weekly data will also include:

• State, territory and Commonwealth weekly breakdowns of vaccines distributed, available and administered and dose utilisation
• State and territory weekly breakdowns of doses administered, as well as to aged care and disability residents and primary health care (GPs)

National Cabinet noted that the Commonwealth had previously provided states and territories with a 12-week forward plan and dose distribution under the revised vaccination program. National Cabinet agreed that the Commonwealth will now provide states and territories with a 10-week forward vaccine dose supply schedule, updated every four weeks.
COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response
National Cabinet received an update from the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response – led by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Phil Gaetjens and comprising his State and Territory counterparts.
Based on this update, National Cabinet agreed to principles for reopening Australia, updated for the current risk environment.
The first principles prioritise the vaccine rollout. The rollout should occur as quickly as possible and take up be encouraged as a priority, with safety as a paramount objective. Progress on an effective vaccine rollout will be key to maintaining the easing of domestic restrictions, easing and opening international borders, and unlocking economic opportunities.
The second principle is to maintain readiness to ensure suppression. Even as the vaccine rollout accelerates, we will continue to minimise community transmission through our key lines of defence: high quality quarantine, contact tracing and testing.
These lines of defence are working well. Australia has received over 430,000 arrivals into quarantine since March 2020. Of these, over 3,000 have tested positive for COVID-19, with only 14 transmission events.

• The remaining principles echo the principles adopted in November:
  • Proportionate measures | Responses to new outbreaks are proportionate to the risk of harm and transmission.
  • Consistent approaches | Wherever possible, consistent approaches will be used, linked to transparent risk assessment to retain public confidence, while maintaining health protection and supporting economic recovery.
  • Protect national wellbeing | While protecting the community, decisions should minimise the impact on jobs, businesses, mental health and social isolation.
  • Effective and coordinated communications | We will continue to strive to provide clear and balanced communication of risks and responses to the pandemic.
  • Maintain and support confidence | Maintaining community, business and consumer confidence is key.
• The National Cabinet also made several specific decisions to take us further down the path of reopening Australia. Each of these decisions were based on AHPPC advice prepared for the Taskforce.
  • Density restrictions: easing venue restrictions to be no stricter than the 2 square metre rule.

• • Capacity restrictions: Large, ticketed and seated gatherings can have 100 percent capacity.
  • Outbreak responses: Jurisdictions will prioritise local containment measures and aim for outbreak responses that keep internal borders open.

National Cabinet tasked First Secretaries to work with AHPPC to provide advice on the implications for quarantine arrangements and reopening Australia following the successful vaccine rollout to the most vulnerable Australians (phase 1A and 1B).
Data Sharing
National Cabinet agreed that jurisdictions will work together to capitalise on the value of public data to achieve better outcomes for Australians. In order to achieve this, First Ministers committed to develop an intergovernmental agreement which will be considered at a future National Cabinet meeting.
International Passenger Arrival Caps
National Cabinet welcomed the recommencement of international passenger flights into Melbourne. Victoria is initially receiving 800 international arrivals per week, increasing to 1000 arrivals per week as soon as possible.
National Cabinet agreed that the existing arrangements on International Passenger Arrival Caps in other jurisdictions would remain in place until 17 June with the exception of Queensland.
Until 11:59pm on 13 April the cap in Queensland is set to a maximum of 650 international arrivals with a return to 1,000 arrivals combined with a surge capacity of 300 arrivals, as soon as possible.

On behalf of the people of NSW, I extend my deepest sympathies to The Queen and all members of the Royal Family, following the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Duke of Edinburgh had a strong and lengthy relationship with NSW, visiting our state many times during his life.
While we mourn his passing at the age of 99, it is the occasion to offer thanks for a very long and dedicated life of service.

Gladys Berejiklian
Premier of NSW

Australian Greens Anti-Racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that police have arrested two Australian men and found a bomb during raids on the homes of members of a neo-Nazi group.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This is a downright terrifying development. There can be no more denials or deflections of the violent far-right threat. These people are deadly serious.
“While the threat has escalated dramatically in recent months, the government is no closer to presenting any sort of coherent strategy for combating far-right extremism. This is negligence of the highest order.
“There is violence inherent to far-right, fascist politics. Muslims, Jews and other targets of far-right terror know this all too well. Our government ignores it at all our peril. And then it will be too late.
“We require a zero tolerance approach. Laws on extremism and hate speech must be enforced and strengthened. Governments must unambiguously commit to anti-racism. Community programs to counter the far-right require significant investment. There is no time to waste.”

After more than a year of delays, it’s about time Scott Morrison did something to respond to the Respect@Work report about sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.
Labor will look carefully at the detail of the Government’s response. We are glad that the Government has agreed to a number of the report’s recommendations. But we need to see what actions the Government will actually take, and what funding they will actually provide.
We sincerely hope that the announcements made today will lead to lasting, positive change for Australian women. It is long overdue.
This can’t just be another Scott Morrison political fix. Australian women want action from Mr Morrison, not just words.
It shouldn’t have taken an alleged rape in Parliament House and a litany of scandals to get the Liberals to act. There’s no excuse for their delays.
In the last 12 months, Scott Morrison could find time to introduce laws designed to cut people’s pay, but he apparently couldn’t find time to help stop sexual harassment. Talk about having his priorities all wrong.
There’s no doubt that women have fallen behind under the Liberals.
Over the last eight years, the Liberals have cut family benefits, childcare, schools, and Medicare. They’ve abolished the Family Court. They’ve tried to cut funding from respectful relationships education in schools. And they’ve tried to make women in crisis drain their own superannuation accounts to be able to escape a violent relationship.
Australia has slipped 26 places in the World Economic Forum’s gender ranking since 2013. Australia is now in 50th place worldwide – the worst result ever.
Australian women want real leadership.
Women want a government that’s on their side. That’s what Labor will deliver with:

1. A drive to close the gender pay gap and increase pay for women workers – particularly in caring jobs;
2. A guaranteed 12 per cent superannuation – and a more secure, dignified retirement for Australian women;
3. Cheaper childcare for Australian families – increasing women’s participation in the workforce; and
4. Ten days of paid domestic violence leave – so that women leaving a violent relationship can stay connected to their employment.

Today the Morrison Government announces its response to the Respect@Work Report.
The Report provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for preventing and addressing sexual harassment. It also highlights that the Australian Government, states and territories, employers, and industry groups all have an important role to play in supporting cultural change and creating safe workplaces.
In ‘A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces’ (the Roadmap for Respect), the Government provides its response and sets out its long-term commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment.
The Australian Government has agreed to (in full, in-principle, or in-part) or noted all 55 recommendations in the Report.
Our response to the Respect@Work report is about creating a new culture of respectful behaviour in Australian workplaces.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said we all have a role to play in stopping sexual harassment and creating safe workplaces.
“It is not only immoral and despicable and even criminal, it denies Australians, especially women, their personal security and their economic security by not being safe at work,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our response is based the Government’s values of respect, dignity, choice, equality of opportunity and justice.”
“This is a culture that we all have to change for the better across our society, by changing our behaviour.”
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said sexual harassment is unacceptable in any context – whether in the workplace or elsewhere.
“Building a culture of respectful relationships in the workplace is a key focus in responding to the Report. Everyone has the right to feel safe at work,” Attorney-General Cash said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said respect had to be a national commitment, with governments, workplaces, communities and individuals owning the problem of sexual harassment and the solutions.
“Ending sexual harassment is everyone’s business,” Minister Payne said.
“We can all find ways to show leadership to ensure women can contribute fully in our national life without being held back by sexual harassment.”
The Respect@Work Report was the product of the landmark National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces commissioned by the Coalition in June 2018 and conducted by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins. The Government thanks Commissioner Jenkins for her leadership and work in this role.
To lead this national effort, the Government has outlined a number of measures and reforms set out in the Roadmap, including:

• The creation of the Respect@Work Implementation taskforce to deliver legislative and regulatory reform;
• Simplifying and strengthening the legal framework, existing rights and obligations for employees and employers;
• Supporting greater coordination between agencies and services to ensure workers and employers have access to consistent information.

The Government’s response also places an emphasis on preventative measures, acknowledging more can be done to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the first place. To support preventative action at the national level, the Australian Government is also committed to:

• delivering education and training programs across a range of sectors;
• supporting targeted research and evidence development on prevention strategies;
• enhancing data collection and evidence gathering mechanisms.

Leadership from all levels of government and industry is crucial for ensuring that recommendations are successfully implemented.
To support national action, the Australian Government is committed to leading and facilitating discussions with state and territory governments, as well as the private sector.
The Roadmap for Respect is designed to complement existing work under the current National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (2010‑22) and ensure alignment with the development of the next National Plan. The National Plan is the cornerstone of national collaboration to prevent and address violence against women and their children.
Work is already underway to implement the Report’s recommendations. In 2020, the Australian Government committed $2.1 million, to fund the implementation of nine key recommendations from the Report.
This included the establishment of the Respect@Work Council, which will provide the foundation for implementing other recommendations in the Report.
Action has already commenced on:

• developing the Respect@Work website as an online platform to provide free, practical information and education resources for employers and workers
• developing a package of training and education resources on the nature, drivers and impacts of sexual harassment as well as the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers
• preparing for the fifth National Survey on Sexual Harassment in Australian workplaces.

The Roadmap for Respect provides a clear path for action to achieve meaningful cultural change across the nation and to create safer workplaces for all Australians.
More information about the Roadmap for Reform can be found at: https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/roadmap-for-respect.
If you need immediate assistance or support you can contact 1800Respect: 1800 737 732.

Former Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) CEO Mr Steve McCutcheon has been appointed to the role of acting FSANZ Board Chair following the term completed by Ms Robyn Kruk AO.
Mr McCutcheon will undertake the role while a recruitment process for a substantive Chair is completed.
Ms Kruk led the FSANZ Board as Chair from November 2016 to March 2021.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services and Minister for Sport Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck has welcomed Mr McCutcheon to the role.
“Today, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Steve McCutcheon as Acting Chair of FSANZ.
“Steve McCutcheon was previously the Chief Executive Officer of FSANZ from 2007 to 2017 and has experience in public administration, animal and plant health, banking and finance, with qualifications in economics and law.
“Mr McCutcheon’s knowledge of the operations and core business of FSANZ will be beneficial in ensuring a seamless transition.”
Food Standards Australia New Zealand CEO Mark Booth said Mr McCutcheon is highly regarded among sectoral stakeholders.
“As a former FSANZ CEO, Mr McCutcheon brings to the Chair role a wealth of experience and knowledge about FSANZ operations and its core role in developing standards for the national food regulatory system,” Mr Booth said.
“I look forward to working with him to advance key FSANZ and government priorities in coming months.”
FSANZ is a trans-Tasman agency that develops Australia and New Zealand food standards and is governed by a Board of 12 members.
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code regulates the use of ingredients, processing aids, colourings, additives and vitamins and minerals and covers the composition of some foods, such as dairy, meat and beverages.
The Food Standards Code also includes some labelling requirements for packaged and unpackaged food, such as specific mandatory warnings or advisory labels.
Minister Colbeck thanked outgoing FSANZ Board Chair Ms Robyn Kruk AO for her guidance and leadership.
“Ms Kruk has played a vital role in delivering robust food standards to ensure the ongoing safety and quality of the food supply in Australia and New Zealand,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The Australian Government thanks Ms Kruk for her service and wishes her future success.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded Australia’s economic growth outlook in its latest World Economic Outlook. Amid continued “high uncertainty” globally, the IMF has confirmed our economy is recovering from the COVID-19 crisis faster and stronger than previously expected.
Australia’s economy is forecast to grow by 4.5 per cent in 2021, one percentage point higher than the IMF’s interim outlook in January. The IMF then expects economic growth to reach 2.8 per cent in 2022, broadly consistent with its earlier projection.
In upgrading its outlook, the IMF notes that the “Australian economy continues to show a strong recovery momentum” and that a “favourable labour market recovery continues to support a strong rebound in private consumption, added by wealth effects from rising house prices”.
Australia’s GDP is “projected to reach the pre-COVID level by the March quarter 2021, limiting scarring effects of the pandemic” and compares favorably internationally with GDP remaining “significantly below pre-pandemic trends in most countries”.
These forecasts follow the Morrison Government’s unprecedented response to the crisis, providing $251 billion in direct economic support that has helped to keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs.
Australia also continues to compare remarkably well to other nations, with the IMF forecasting Japan’s economy to grow by 3.3 per cent, Germany by 3.6 per cent and Italy by 4.2 per cent.
Encouragingly, global growth has also been revised up by 0.5 percentage points to 6.0 per cent in 2021 and by 0.2 percentage points to 4.4 per cent in 2022.
The next stage of the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan will support private sector activity through a number of measures including tax cuts, unprecedented business investment incentives, record levels of investment in skills and training, infrastructure and targeted support for the aviation and tourism sectors.
These household and business incentives will help to unlock the more than $240 billion of savings accumulated throughout the pandemic and sitting on private sector balance sheets.
Having outperformed all major advanced economies on the economic front in the last 12 months, there is no other country you would rather be in than Australia.

Australia’s flight-path to recovery is well underway with the Australian Government welcoming the New Zealand Government’s announcement that it will join the Safe Travel Zone between Australia and New Zealand.
This announcement will enable quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand on both sides of the Tasman helping to reunite families and friends and giving tourism operators a significant boost.
It follows Australia’s opening of a one-way Safe Travel Zone from New Zealand to Australia six months ago, with more than 34,000 arrivals into Australia from New Zealand during that period.
This latest major step in the resumption of international travel has only been possible due to the internationally recognised, world-leading responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by Australia and New Zealand.
The Federal Government’s decisions to close Australia’s international border early last year, declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic before the World Health Organisation did and working with the States and Territories through the National Cabinet to suppress the virus has ensured we are the envy of the world today.
The importance of this announcement is demonstrated by the fact that the Trans-Tasman route is Australia’s busiest international aviation market with more than seven million passengers in the one year ending January 2020 before the effects of COVID-19 hit international aviation.
Throughout this pandemic, the Federal Government has supported more than 40,000 flights through various programs and initiatives. As of last month, flights on common routes in Australia were at 57 per cent of the pre-COVID average, up from a low of 3 per cent at the height of the pandemic and today’s announcement by the New Zealand Government will be a further boost to Australia’s aviation industry.
The announcement also represents a major boost to our tourism industry with around 18 per cent of all international air arrivals from New Zealand annually and with visitors to Australia now having the opportunity to travel without having to quarantine at either end of their journey. In 2019, New Zealand travellers spent $1.6 billion on travel and tourism in Australia.
Should temporary restrictions need to be applied due to a COVID-19 outbreak, both countries will provide as much notice as possible to Government agencies, passengers, airlines and airport operators affected by any such measures.
Given that Australian and New Zealand airlines had already been operating under a one-way Safe Travel Zone to Australia for the past six months operating “green” flights to Australia, we are optimistic that airlines will commence additional services to meet the demand generated by the two-way Safe Travel Zone.
Australian and New Zealand government health and border officials will also continue to work together to facilitate the safe and effective introduction of the two-way Safe Travel Zone.

As revealed in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Morrison Government’s proposed independent assessments changes to the NDIS were never originally recommended as part of the Tune Review, instead they were inserted by a public servant on behalf of the government.
Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said this shocking revelation was conclusive proof that independent assessments were about saving money, not about making the scheme work for disabled people.
“It is absolutely appaling that this government has the gall to claim that the Tune Review was independent when these documents reveal the government had a direct hand in ensuring the outcomes they wanted were written in by senior publiuc servants,” Steele-John said.
“The Tune Review, unfortunately, no longer has a place in shaping the direction of our NDIS over the coming years. It’s independence has been compromised and its authenticity has been demolished.
“Compulsory independent assessment are a concept that is being imposed on disabled people against our will and we’ve been calling for more trnsparency and consultation throughout this process, with good reason clearly.
“The Morrison government now has no choice but to scrap independent assessments and return to the drawing board, working with disabled people to co-design any changes to our NDIS.
“We should not have to fight the system that was created to support us. Our NDIS needs to be fixed and disabled people must be at the centre of the conversation because we know what the solutions are.”

Australia’s flight-path to recovery is well underway with the Australian Government welcoming the New Zealand Government’s announcement that it will join the Safe Travel Zone between Australia and New Zealand.
This announcement will enable quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand on both sides of the Tasman helping to reunite families and friends and giving tourism operators a significant boost.
It follows Australia’s opening of a one-way Safe Travel Zone from New Zealand to Australia six months ago, with more than 34,000 arrivals into Australia from New Zealand during that period.
This latest major step in the resumption of international travel has only been possible due to the internationally recognised, world-leading responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by Australia and New Zealand.
The Federal Government’s decisions to close Australia’s international border early last year, declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic before the World Health Organisation did and working with the States and Territories through the National Cabinet to suppress the virus has ensured we are the envy of the world today.
The importance of this announcement is demonstrated by the fact that the Trans-Tasman route is Australia’s busiest international aviation market with more than seven million passengers in the one year ending January 2020 before the effects of COVID-19 hit international aviation.
Throughout this pandemic, the Federal Government has supported more than 40,000 flights through various programs and initiatives. As of last month, flights on common routes in Australia were at 57 per cent of the pre-COVID average, up from a low of 3 per cent at the height of the pandemic and today’s announcement by the New Zealand Government will be a further boost to Australia’s aviation industry.
The announcement also represents a major boost to our tourism industry with around 18 per cent of all international air arrivals from New Zealand annually and with visitors to Australia now having the opportunity to travel without having to quarantine at either end of their journey. In 2019, New Zealand travellers spent $1.6 billion on travel and tourism in Australia.
Should temporary restrictions need to be applied due to a COVID-19 outbreak, both countries will provide as much notice as possible to Government agencies, passengers, airlines and airport operators affected by any such measures.
Given that Australian and New Zealand airlines had already been operating under a one-way Safe Travel Zone to Australia for the past six months operating “green” flights to Australia, we are optimistic that airlines will commence additional services to meet the demand generated by the two-way Safe Travel Zone.
Australian and New Zealand government health and border officials will also continue to work together to facilitate the safe and effective introduction of the two-way Safe Travel Zone.