Category: Australian News

The Morrison Government is continuing to support Australians through the pandemic and is encouraging employers and employees to work together on the issue of COVID-19 vaccination for Australian workers.
Minister for Industrial Relations, Michaelia Cash has welcomed the release of the latest guidance on workplace vaccination, published today by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).
Minister Cash said the Morrison Government recommended that all eligible Australians get vaccinated as soon as they can and encouraged employers to assist wherever possible.
“We are seeing record numbers of Australians coming forward for vaccination and we thank each and every person vaccinated and all of our medical workforce for their dedication and hard work,” Minister Cash said.
“Vaccination is free, voluntary and an important way to ensure the Australian community and economy can emerge and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Cash said.
Minister Cash said some workers in high risk settings—such as aged care and quarantine facilities—are required to be vaccinated to protect vulnerable people and the broader community. These are requirements set by state and territory public health orders.
Minister Cash said it was important that workplaces take a collaborative approach with their workers on discussing, planning and facilitating COVID-19 vaccination in the workplace.
“It is important that both employers and employees continue to work together to get vaccinated as soon as possible. This will benefit not only our workplaces, but help our nation return to normal as soon as possible,” Minister Cash said.
Minister Cash also encouraged employers to visit the Safe Work Australia website for detailed guidance on workplace health and safety. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has also published guidance for employers on the privacy implications of workplace vaccination.

Significant new support from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will bolster businesses most affected by the extension of the public health lockdown in Melbourne.
The need to combat the Delta strain of coronavirus means restrictions will remain in place in 31 metropolitan local government areas until 11:59pm on Thursday, 19 August – severely impacting the trade of businesses across a range of sectors.
Grants from the $367 million joint Commonwealth-Victorian package announced today will flow to more than 100,000 businesses across Melbourne.
The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments have combined to allocate $1.16 billion over the past two weeks alone to back Victorian businesses that are doing it hard, so they can continue to pay their bills and the wages of workers and be in the best shape possible to recover.
Under the new initiative, businesses including sole traders who have received or been approved for a Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two or Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two July Extension grant, or a Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund grant, will receive an automatic payment.
A significant boost to the new Small Business COVID Hardship Fund that opens today will take the one-off payments for eligible businesses that do not qualify for existing programs to $10,000.
The Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Morrison Government has delivered more than $45 billion in direct economic support to households and businesses in Victoria.
“This is a very difficult and challenging time for all Victorians,” the Treasurer said.
“Along with the state government we will continue to support Victorians through the crisis to ensure households and business can bounce back from this latest set of restrictions.”
“Victorian businesses have shown remarkable resilience during the pandemic. We will continue to stand by them during this crisis with support they need to get through.”
“During the most recent lockdowns the Federal Government has provided significant economic support delivering more than $245 million of COVID-19 Disaster Payments and in conjunction with the Victorian Government, we are delivering almost $1.2 billon to support small and medium sized businesses.” Treasurer Frydenberg said.
The Victorian Government has provided more than $7 billion in direct economic support for businesses over the course of the pandemic, including $1.4 billion in cash grants paid to more than 97,000 businesses since the May/June restrictions period.
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said that the Victorian Government will continue to directly support businesses affected by restrictions.
“As we continue to fight the Delta strain, we are not forgetting the toll that this has taken on our business community,” Mr Pallas said.
“We’ve backed businesses with direct, targeted and consistent support where it has been needed most and we’ll continue to do so.”
Victorian Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said that the funding will provide vital support and reassurance.
“Thousands of businesses will benefit from this new injection of support and we know that the funds are essential to back businesses through this difficult period. We’re acting decisively to get on top of the Delta outbreak and also to give businesses the best chance to emerge in decent shape on the other side,” Mr Pakula said.
The new package contains three main elements, with agreement also reached between the two Governments to extend Commonwealth COVID-19 Disaster Payment arrangement for workers and eligible businesses affected by the metropolitan Melbourne lockdown extension.
COVID-19 Disaster Payments
Eligible workers across the state who lose hours due to the lockdown will be able to access the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Disaster Payment, as will individuals who are sole-trader businesses who lose work and that do not qualify for Victorian Government support programs.
The COVID-19 Disaster Payment is administered through Services Australia, with the Federal Government funding the areas declared a Commonwealth hotspot and the Victorian Government assuming responsibility to fund payments in the rest of the state.
The payment is set at $450 for people who have lost from eight and up to 20 hours work or a full day of work (over seven days), and $750 for 20 hours or more of work lost. People who receive certain Commonwealth income support are eligible to receive a $200 payment.
Small Business COVID Hardship Fund
An allocation of $41 million will boost the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund to $180 million, with grants of $10,000 available to small- and medium-sized businesses across the state.
The fund opens for applications today through the Business Victoria website and will help up to 18,000 businesses that have been ineligible for business support programs and have experienced a reduction in revenue of at least 70 per cent.
Businesses that are legally allowed to operate but are restricted in their ability to generate revenue – such as a food store located at a shopping centre or a manufacturer supplying goods for closed venues – will be among those that that could be eligible.
Businesses that have lost custom due to restrictions affecting foot traffic – such as pharmacists located in the CBD – could also be eligible.
Business Costs Assistance Program
More than 95,000 businesses in metropolitan Melbourne will automatically receive payments of $2,800, with grants scheduled to be paid within seven business days.
This new $271 million Business Costs Assistance Program assistance will allow businesses across multiple sectors to continue paying overheads and other costs despite significant impacts on revenue.
Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021
Automatic payments of $5,000, $10,000 and $20,0000 will be made in coming weeks to more than 7,000 licensed hospitality venues in metropolitan Melbourne that have previously received or been approved grants under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund program. A total of $55 million has been allocate to the new licensed venue initiative.
Payment amounts will be tiered according to premises capacity: $5,000 for a capacity of up to 99 patrons, $10,000 for a capacity of 100 to 499 patrons and $20,000 for a capacity of 500-plus.
More information about the business programs is available at business.vic.gov.au

Training communities to monitor and recover critical mangrove habitat on the NSW south coast, the restoration of Macquarie Perch habitat in alpine waterways, and helping Greater and Yellow-bellied Gliders in South-East Queensland are among 111 new bushfire recovery Landcare grant projects.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the new projects are part of a $14 million Morrison Government commitment to deliver on-ground activities to aid in the recovery of native wildlife and habitat in seven regions severely impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.
“Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network are co-ordinating the grant projects, located in the worst bushfire impacted areas – from South-East Queensland to the NSW north and south coasts, the Blue Mountains, Australian alpine areas, East Gippsland and Kangaroo Island,” Minister Ley said.
“The work builds on a broad range of projects already being carried out by Landcare and other community groups in the wake of the fires.
“We are already seeing results from swift practical actions on the ground like the installation of hollows for species that lost their habitat in the fires, pest weed and feral animal control and erosion management.”
Successful projects include Conservation Volunteers Australia’s work to restore important habitat in the Barrington Tops and Grose Valley through weed control, citizen science wildlife surveys and monitoring, and construction and installation of nestboxes for wildlife.
Other projects include the conservation and repair of riparian areas along the Nymboida River – home to Platypus and critical habitat for threatened Eastern Freshwater Cod.
“There is also a project supporting an Indigenous-led native plant nursery to collect and propagate more than 100,000 native seeds to regenerate impacted habitats near Jervis Bay in NSW,” Minster Ley said.
“These new projects will not only directly support native species recovery, but also provide benefit for bushfire-affected communities and landholders.”
Out of the 111 grants, there are projects supporting landowners to work together on neighbouring properties to control foxes and replant native vegetation as well as funding to extend feral pig control on Kangaroo Island, reducing the impact the animals have on agriculture.
CEO of Landcare Australia Dr Shane Norrish said: “The large network of Landcare and other community groups are essential to the local recovery effort, and the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Program is supporting over a hundred great projects to restore significant areas of native habitat and assist recovery of threatened species.”
CEO of the National Landcare Network Jim Adams said: “The support of Landcare Networks, Groups and others by the Government to continue the important work they do is very welcome and has provided Landcare and communities in the fire affected regions with much needed encouragement to deliver environmental outcomes and build community resilience.”
To date, the Morrison Government has committed $200 million for wildlife and habitat recovery through the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. A list of the 111 Landcare grant projects can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfire-recovery/activities-and-outcomes

The Morrison Government has today passed legislation making permanent the temporary changes to Australia’s continuous disclosure laws in May 2020.
The Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Bill amends the Corporations Act 2001 so companies and their officers will only be liable for civil penalty proceedings in respect of continuous disclosure obligations where they have acted with “knowledge, recklessness or negligence”.
Introducing a fault element will more closely align Australia’s continuous disclosure regime with that of the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Government’s reforms follow a review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services as part of its inquiry into litigation funding and the regulation of the class action industry.
These changes will mitigate the risk of companies and their officers being subject to opportunistic class actions under our continuous disclosure laws and in doing so, will support companies and their officers to release forward-looking guidance to the market.
Importantly, during the period the temporary fault element was in place, Treasury identified that there was an increase in the number of material announcements to the market, relative to the same period last year.
The changes strike the right balance between ensuring shareholders and the market are appropriately informed while also allowing companies to more confidently make forecasts of future earnings or provide guidance updates without facing the undue risk of class actions.

Australian manufacturers can now apply for a share of $800 million in funding for major job creating projects under the Collaboration Stream of the Morrison Government’s $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
Funding of between $20 million and $200 million is available, covering up to 33 per cent of eligible project expenditure.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said the Government will strategically invest in projects that will help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs, with investments targeted at projects within the six National Manufacturing Priority areas.
“As a Government we plan to harness Australia’s manufacturing capability to drive job creation and spur private investment, especially as we chart our economic recovery from COVID-19 and build our future resilience,” Minister Porter said.
“Through the Collaboration Stream, we are determined to co-invest in industry-led proposals that will transform our National Manufacturing Priority areas, by encouraging manufacturers to move up the value chain to higher value, higher margin activities, including drawing on our world class research.
“This is at the heart of our $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy which is all designed to support Australian manufacturers to scale-up, build resilience, become more competitive and create the jobs we need not only now but for generations to come.”
The six National Manufacturing Priority areas are: medical products; clean energy and recycling; food and beverage; defence; space and resource technology and critical minerals processing.
Applications are open until 9 September. More details and the guidelines are available at www.business.gov.au/mmic

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report on climate science reinforces the need for a coordinated, global effort to reduce emissions.
The report, released today, provides an update on the latest physical science on climate change, including the rates, causes and likely future trajectories of global warming and other changes to the climate system.
Overcoming these challenges is a shared responsibility.
Australia is committed to achieving net zero emissions as soon as possible, and preferably by 2050, and to meeting and exceeding our 2030 commitment, as we already have with our 2020 targets.
Since 2018, Australia’s 2030 position has improved by 639 million tonnes (equivalent to taking all of Australia’s 14.7 million cars off the road for 15 years). The Government will release updated forecasts ahead of COP26 which are expected to show a further improvement.
These improvements are driven by Australian households and businesses adopting new energy technologies at record rates. Australia now has the most solar per person of any country in the world, the most wind and solar of any country outside of Europe, and the highest uptake of household solar in the world.
The Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap is positioning Australia to be a leader in the next generation of low-emissions technologies that will make net zero emissions practically achievable.
The Roadmap will drive $80 billion of investment in low emissions technologies in Australia by 2030 and create 160,000 jobs.
We are reducing emissions in a way that transforms industries through the power of technology, not through taxes that destroy them and the jobs and livelihoods they support and create.
We are focused on getting low emissions energy sources to commercial parity with high-emitting alternatives to reduce emissions across all sectors of the economy while creating jobs and economic growth. This is a practical approach with global application.
Australia is driving increased global cooperation on low emissions technologies through new international partnerships with Germany, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom and constructive engagement in multilateral forms like Mission Innovation.
When it comes to emissions reduction, our record is one of delivery and achievement that Australians can be proud of.
Our technology-led approach to reducing emissions will see Australia continue to playing its part in the global effort to combat climate change without compromising our economy or jobs.

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report makes it clear the government’s current 2030 climate targets amount to a death sentence for Australia.
This major report exposes the stark reality that without emergency action and an increase to  2030 targets we will head past the 1.5 degree goal in the Paris Agreement, potentially within a few years.
The report must now force action from the government to lift Australia’s ambition by doubling to tripling our 2030 targets, and Labor must stop letting the government off the hook with its silence on 2030 targets.
The report highlights that we are already experiencing extreme weather, including more frequent and more intense heatwaves, fire weather, droughts and extreme rainfall events, and heading for much, much worse, including the threat of crossing tipping points in the climate system that will take us past the point of no return with “many changes irreversible for centuries to millennia” and having enormous impacts on Australia.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt said:
“The Greens, the G7, Joe Biden and Boris Johnson agree, while Liberal and Labor are with Saudia Arabia and Russia in 2030 denial.
“After this report, failure to lift 2030 targets is criminal negligence.
“This report shows Scott Morrison’s 2030 targets are a death sentence for Australia.
“Exceeding 1.5 degrees of warming means that we will lose the Great Barrier Reef, have widespread and sustained drought, more extreme weather events, and catastrophic bushfires will become the norm.
“The rest of the world understands that if we don’t do more by 2030, we all go over the climate cliff, so the Liberals’ 2030 denial and Labor’s 2030 silence are putting Australian lives at risk.
“Delay is the new denial, we can’t wait until 2050, and anything less than 75% emissions cuts by 2030 means giving up on the 1.5 degree goal in the Paris Agreement.”
The Greens’ Climate Policy:

• Net zero emissions by 2035 and 75% cuts by 2030, consistent with the science and the independent Climate Targets Panel, which found that cuts of 50% on 2005 levels by 2030 were needed for a 2 degree climate goal, and 75% necessary for a 1.5 degree goal.
• Lead the world on climate action by phasing out coal stations and exports by 2030 and legislating against new coal mines and gas fields.
• 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.
• Phase in 100% electric light vehicle sales by 2030, with subsidies to make them affordable for all
• Reduce bills by $200 a year by creating a publicly owned energy provider and subsidising investment in solar power and batteries.
• Build a multi-billion dollar clean energy export industry to replace coal exports.
• 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.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the release today of the Big Steps/United Workers Union report Exhausted, Undervalued and Leaving: The Crisis in Early Education. The survey of more than 3,800 educators finds a sector at ‘breaking point’, with high turnover, low pay, and no plan from the Federal Government to fix it.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This report makes for very alarming reading. This is a story of government neglect, an undervalued workforce, privatisation, and an essential service delivered on the back of burnt-out staff.
“It’s a national shame that early educators are taken for granted in this country. Staff are leaving in droves and frankly the sector is in crisis. We should not be in a situation of chronic understaffing and high turnover.
“The government needs to completely rethink its approach to early learning and care. That means strong and sustained investment to make early childhood education free once more, and a workforce strategy that deals directly with issues of low pay and understaffing.
“Perhaps not surprisingly, this report finds worse results for staff in for-profit centres as opposed to not-for-profit services. Education is not a business.
“The Greens back the Big Steps campaign and the call for a workforce strategy that delivers higher wages for early educators. Early learning is invaluable for children and educators deserve our utmost respect.”

The Greens say it is unconscionable for the Government to be chasing income support recipients for JobKeeper debts when billionaires collected millions in Jobkeeper while turning significant profits.
“There is a clear double standard between individuals receiving income support and businesses who claimed Jobkeeper”, Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said.
“I am certain the vast majority of these so-called debts will be genuine mistakes in a confusing system.
“It is outrageous that people on income support have debt notices – where are the debt notices for the billionaires?
“If billionaires can keep their JobKeeper payments while making huge profits, then people who sought support during the pandemic and have made a mistake should not be punished.
“What a joke for the Government to say both programs have strong compliance frameworks. We have huge corporations and exclusive private schools getting millions in handouts.
“The Government should focus on giving people on income support higher payments to get through the latest lockdowns.”

Australia’s personal care workforce is being strengthened and increased under a $91.8 million Morrison Government initiative helping older people live at home for longer.
In another comprehensive response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Home Care Workforce Support Program will help administrators attract, train and retain approximately 13,000 new personal care workers by mid-2023.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the program would rapidly increase the number and skills of people providing aged care in the home.
“The grants will support the employment of 6000 new personal care workers in 2021-22 and 7000 more in the following year, including an increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personal care workers,” Minister Hunt said.
“They will ensure new and existing personal care workers have the skills and support required to provide quality aged care services to all seniors who need them.”
It will also improve links with the training and recruitment, helping the broader aged care sector, including residential care, boost its work pool.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck, said expanding and improving the workforce was crucial for quality in home care.
“The Government is committed to ensuring older Australians can remain in their homes and in the communities they know and love, for as long as possible,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Making sure we have enough carers with the right skills to provide these services is vital as we expand the number of care packages and wipe out waiting lists.
“Our reforms will ensure all senior Australians can access the care they want and need, when they need it.”
The Home Care Workforce Support program will be provided through an open grant process, with one grant for each state and territory (NSW and ACT combined) and an additional two grants directed to regional and remote areas.
Applications are open now until Friday, 27 August 2021.
Recognising the importance partnerships and local solutions to address workforce needs, there are a range of eligible organisations who can apply for funding under this grant opportunity, including from the aged care, training and employment sectors.
Joint (consortia) applications are also welcome.
Grant recipients will use grant funding to support home care providers by:

• Screening candidates for suitability to promote training completion rates and job retention;
• Mentoring, support services and communities of practice to support workers who are new to the sector;
• Promoting and supporting work placements for people who are undertaking aged care training;
• Training existing staff so they can supervise students and new staff; and
• Helping providers attract and retain staff.

The size of each grant under the program will mirror the region’s demand for home care packages, with a loading to reflect increased costs in regional and remote communities.
The Home Care Workforce Support Program is part of the Morrison Government’s investment of $338.5 million over three years to grow, train and upskill the aged care workforce and drive improvements in the safety and quality of care.
The grants program will complement a range of activities by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment to encourage people to take up careers in the aged care sector, including residential and home care.
They include job fairs specific to the care sector, resources to help job seekers understand the sector and be more likely to get a job, and training for people who work with job seekers and employers.
Details of the grants program can be found on the Australian Government GrantConnect website.