Category: Australian News

Local economic recovery plans will help towns and regions hit by bushfires get back on their feet as part of a new $650 million package of support from the Morrison Government.
As part of the Regional Bushfire Recovery and Development Program, bushfire affected communities will share in $448.5 million from the Morrison Government to support the delivery of local recovery plans with priority given to the most severely impacted regions, drawing on local voices and local governments in close partnership and as part of cost-sharing arrangements with states.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the National Bushfire Recovery Agency (NBRA) would lead work to drive a strong economic recovery so the more than 18,600 families and businesses in bushfire-affected areas could get back on their feet.
“The same communities that were hurting most from the bushfires are hurting from the impacts of COVID-19. The impacts have been devastating,” the Prime Minister said.
“This funding injection comes as the damage from the bushfires has made itself clear in the weeks and months after they passed and regions have been finalising the sorts of projects they want to get underway to build back better.
“Every community is different and every community is at a different point in their recovery. That’s why the projects that these funds will support are not one-size-fits-all – they will reflect community needs.
“This is about locals leading the recovery with the NBRA and our state and local partners ensuring our support gets to where it’s needed most.”
“I urge local communities to work with their state governments and to provide the National Bushfire Recovery Agency with their priority projects as soon as possible.
The support will back local projects and recovery plans, in specific areas, as well as initiatives that benefit all bushfire-affected communities. The projects could include those that build community capability and wellbeing, including through workshops and events, projects that focus on the landscape and water, replacing produce and stock, supporting local jobs and building future resilience.
Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said I’ve always wanted a locally led recovery not a Canberra led recovery. This is the mechanism to deliver that and to build it back better.
“We’re working side-by-side with families, small businesses, primary producers and the tourism sector to deliver a well thought-out economic recovery as quickly as possible,” Minister Littleproud said.
“We know and have seen firsthand just how severe the impact from the bushfires and now COVID-19 has been. The past six months have been incredibly tough for so many Australians.
“To date, the efforts of every level of government have been focused on emergency relief, the restoration of basic services, clean-up operations and the immediate wellbeing needs of people in the most severely impacted communities.
“While we recognise not all communities are at the same point of recovery, some communities are starting to consider longer-term planning. We’re here to support them with opportunities to rebuild.”
Minister Littleproud said the Government’s assistance came on top of more than $1.33 billion dollars rolling into bushfire affected communities which includes around half a billion dollars of grants and loans that has already flowed to families and businesses, as well as $214.9 million in disaster recovery payments and $240 million in Community Recovery Packages.
“We’re also stepping in to help regenerate Australia’s wildlife and habitats, better prepare our telco network for future emergencies, boost mental health support and help our forestry industry salvage their products,” Minister Littleproud said.
“These bushfires affected Australia in many ways and we’ll be dealing with the aftermath for a long time to come, but communities should know that our government will be with them every step of the way.”
The new support also includes:

• Forestry Transport Assistance ($15 million): To assist the forestry industry with the increased costs of transporting burned salvaged logs over longer distances to surviving timber mills or storage sites in bushfire affected areas in Victoria and New South Wales.
• Community Wellbeing and Participation ($13.5 million) – backing Primary Health Networks with additional funding to provide critical, localised emotional and mental health support for bushfire affected individuals.
• Bushfire Recovery for Species and Landscapes ($149.7 million) – supporting efforts that go beyond the immediate devastation on species and natural assets through habitat regeneration, waterway and catchment restoration including erosion control, weed and pest management.
• Telecommunications Emergency Resilience ($27.1 million as well as $10 million from the mobile blackspots program) – strengthening telecommunications capabilities prior to future natural disasters, including the deployment of approximately 2000 satellite dishes to provide a link if other connections are damaged, plus batteries and solar panels, to rural fire depots and evacuation centres.

The $2 billion Bushfire Recovery Fund has been committed to programs and initiatives to support bushfire recovery in affected communities. This is in addition to those funds already available through existing disaster recovery measures.

• Over 16,700 applications for the $10,000 small business support grant have been approved – worth $167 million.
• More than 1300 applications for the $50,000 small business grant have been approved – worth $37 million.
• 1700 applications for the Primary Producer Grant have been approved to date, with a total of $106 million provided to primary producers to date.

To access support and to find further details, visit the National Bushfire Recovery Agency website at www.bushfirerecovery.gov.au

The Australian Greens have called on the government to establish publicly funded vaccine manufacturing capacity in Australia to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is available to all Australians.
A recent Defence science technology report outlined in today’s media has warned of a shortage in vaccines in Australia during a pandemic because of the lack of production capacity in Australia.
Speaking in Melbourne Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP and Greens Health spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale called on the Morrison government to immediately invest $70 million in expanding the CSIRO’s vaccine manufacturing facilities and to develop a plan to stand up a publicly funded manufacturing capacity by working with the Australian medical industry.
The Greens also want the Australian government to ensure the vaccine is available free of charge and have repeated their call for the flu vaccine to be fully available and free.
Adam Bandt said:
“We need a publicly backed vaccine manufacturer.”
“Currently most vaccine manufacturing happens in the United States, China and Germany. Australia risks being at the back of the queue.”
“Australians shouldn’t have to rely on Donald Trump putting us ahead of his reelection chances and expect that vaccines made in the United States will come here quickly.”
“We have wonderful medical scientists who are already working on vaccine candidates and some manufacturing capacity at the CSIRO and elsewhere that could be scaled up with the right investment from the Commonwealth.”
“If we can’t get the vaccine through other means, a publicly-owned COVID vaccine manufacturer may be the only way to save lives.”
Dr Richard Di Natale said:
“The government has a responsibility to ensure that Australians have timely, secure and free access to any COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. We know that the pandemic will likely disrupt existing supply chains for vaccines at a time when unprecedented supply will be required.”
“In past pandemics we have seen uneven and unfair distribution of vaccines in which wealthy nations have placed huge early orders and squeezed out smaller nations. By producing the vaccine locally Australia can secure domestic access for vulnerable Australians and also assist in ensuring access in our region.”
“The government also needs to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is free and widely available.”

Scott Morrison must order a full review of the early access to superannuation scheme and explain to Parliament next week how it came to be rorted by fraudsters who have stolen retirement savings of at least 150 Australians.
The Government’s failure to listen to warnings from Labor and the superannuation industry that there were serious flaws in the early release superannuation program has now cost people up to $10,000 of their hard-earned retirement dollars.
Yesterday it was nothing to see here. Today the Government has been dragged into action
Money should be going to people in dire financial need, not fraudsters and crooks.
We welcome the news that the scheme has been frozen. It should have happened a week ago when this fraud first came to light.
The Government has designed a system for speed not accuracy.
If you want to implement major reforms quickly you need to listen to stakeholders. The Government has placed the hard-earned savings of Australians at risk because they refused to listen to advice.
 
We expect a full explanation from Government Ministers on what measures they are taking to protect the integrity of our superannuation system and to ensure no further fraud takes place.
Just like the automated Robodebt fiasco, this is a Government error which requires a Government solution. Individuals and super funds should not be left thousands of dollars out of pocket because the Government did not heed warnings from Labor and industry.
No one should be out of pocket because of a Government mistake. They must fix it and compensate those affected.
Australia has a world class superannuation system. We must protect the integrity of retirement savings at all costs.

It is a failing of the Morrison Government that the Banking Royal Commission recommendations were not implemented in full before the COVID-19 crisis.
We join with consumer groups in holding the Government to account until they keep their promise with the Australian people and implement the recommendations.
Labor calls for the Royal Commission implementation delays to be limited to no more than 6 months.
The Government resisted the Banking Royal Commission for years, voted against it 26 times and have dragged their feet on implementation.
After receiving the Banking Royal Commission’s final report, Prime Minister Morrison and Treasurer Frydenberg took six months to release an implementation timetable.
One year after the report was on their desks, the Government had only completed 6 out of the 76 recommendations made by Commissioner Hayne.
Labor acknowledges the role that the banks are playing in the current crisis.
We support a strong banking system and the recent measures that have added needed liquidity and financial support during COVID-19.
But the Australian public also have an expectation that the Banking Royal Commission recommendations will be implemented.
With almost half the workforce on JobKeeper or JobSeeker, consumers need to be sure that they are protected from financial misconduct.
We agree with consumer groups who wrote to the Treasurer on 16 April 2020 expressing concerns.
While there is a reasonable case for a six-month extension to deadlines, the Australian community still expects to see action on the Banking Royal Commission.
Australians just want fair treatment from our financial institutions.
It is Josh Frydenberg’s job to make sure that still happens.

The National Cabinet met today to further discuss options for easing restrictions over the coming months, helping prepare Australians to go back to work in a COVID-19 safe environment and getting the economy back to a more sustainable level.
The Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been 6,899 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 97 people have died. There are now only around 1,000 active cases in Australia, and over the past week, daily infection rates have remained low. Testing remains high, with more than 730,000 tests undertaken in Australia.
We need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and respond to local outbreaks when they occur. These are precedent conditions to enable Australia to relax baseline restrictions and enable Australians to live and work in a COVID-19 safe economy.
National Cabinet again encouraged Australians to download the COVIDSafe app to ensure that we can protect Australians and reset baseline restrictions. More than 5.3 million Australians have already downloaded the COVIDSafe app. This is an enormous achievement, but more is needed.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 15 May 2020.
Re-opening a COVID-safe Australia and economy
The National Cabinet met today to finalise the three-step plan to gradually remove baseline restrictions and make Australia COVID-safe.
Australia has so far been highly successful in ‘flattening the curve’. The number of new COVID-19 cases in Australia each day is very low. We can now begin to take careful steps to ease some of the restrictions that have helped us suppress the spread of this virus.
We are confidently and cautiously taking the first step to lifting restrictions. Our success so far means we have slowed the spread of COVID-19 and built the capacity in our health system to manage the impact of the virus. We can now start to progressively ease the restrictions we have in place. The AHPPC has provided strong advice on the conditions that must be met as we establish COVID safe ways of working and living so that we can reopen parts of the economy in the safest possible way while living with COVID-19. This means that many Australians can start getting out to the shops, undertaking some local trips and travel, visiting playgrounds and public parks, and having friends and family around with a bit more freedom.
But the National Cabinet is very clear: continued suppression of COVID-19 is about collective action. Success depends on maintaining our new community norms – physical distancing, good hygiene practices and downloading the COVIDSafe app to keep us all safe while we are out and about.
For businesses, this also means taking the time to prepare and develop a plan to operate in a COVID safe way to protect their customers and workers. With every one of us playing our part, we should all feel safe and confident in leaving the house and starting to do some of the things we’ve missed in the last few months – like getting back to work, having a quick bite in a restaurant or cafe, attending auctions and open houses, and participating in group exercise.
Each step we take needs to be underpinned by a strong commitment from all of us to:

• stay 1.5 metres away from other people whenever and wherever we can
• maintain good hand washing and cough/sneeze hygiene
• stay home when we’re unwell, and getting tested if we have respiratory symptoms or a fever,
• download the COVIDSafe app so we can find the virus quickly, and
• Develop COVID safe plans for workplaces and plans.

Our success depends on us making these behaviours part of our daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep us COVID safe.
Australian governments are taking a measured approach. Our three-step plan provides a pathway for jurisdictions to move towards COVID safe communities in a way that best suits their individual circumstances. States and territories are able to move between the steps on the pathway at different times, in line with their current public health situation and local conditions. They’ll need to maintain steady case numbers and be able to rapidly contain outbreaks, which we’re set to do – with our enhanced testing regime, strengthened health surge capacity, and improved ability to quickly identify people who may have been exposed to the virus.
For each of the major areas of restrictions we have set out three key steps between where we are now and where we want to be.

• Step 1 will focus on carefully reopening the economy, and giving Australians opportunities to return to work and social activities, including gatherings of up to 10 people, up to 5 visitors in the family home and some local and regional travel
• Step 2 builds on this with gatherings of up to 20, and more businesses reopening, including gyms, beauty services and entertainment venues like galleries and cinemas.
• Step 3 will see a transition to COVID safe ways of living and working, with gatherings of up to 100 people permitted. Arrangements under step 3 will be the ‘new normal’ while the virus remains a threat. International travel and mass gatherings over 100 people will remain restricted.

A detailed plan of the steps, as well as a summary, is attached.
Under the three-step plan, states and territories continue to make decisions to their individual circumstances and local conditions.
Jurisdictions may ease restrictions at a different pace. Individuals and business should look to local authorities for the most up to date information, or visit www.australia.gov.au to be linked to state and territory resources.
Special arrangements will need to be continued in Indigenous biosecurity areas and for vulnerable groups.
National Cabinet also committed – as part of the three-step plan – to regular reviews and stocktake assessments of our progress every three weeks. We will be closely monitoring the situation as restrictions are eased. This will enable us to assess the impact of changes, track progress against our agreed precedent conditions, determine the pace of moving through the steps, and make any further decisions. The AHPPC and National Cabinet were very firm on this. We are prepared for an increase in case numbers or possible outbreaks, but relapse should not be an option. A second wave is not something we can afford to go through. The cost to our people, our economy, our social fabric, is too high. We should look to build success in each step, and move forward safely and with confidence.
So long as Australians keep living and working in a COVID safe way, we’ll be able to keep case numbers low and continue taking steps on the pathway to relaxing more restrictions.
National Cabinet’s goal is to have a sustainable COVID safe Australia in July 2020. We’ve shown what we can achieve when we work together – we flattened the curve. Now, let’s work together to get Australia COVID safe.

More than $100 million has been paid out to almost 13,000 employers assisting 22,035 apprentices and trainees remain on the job since the Morrison Government launched the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees measure on 2 April 2020.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said apprentices and trainees are vital for our ongoing economic growth and building a sustainable future workforce.
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the Australian economy. This support measure ensures employers can keep their apprentices and trainees despite the economic setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Cash said.
The support is through a wage subsidy which covers 50 per cent of wages paid to apprentices and trainees. Subsidies will cover wages paid from 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020 and businesses will be reimbursed up to $7,000 per quarter, up to a maximum of $21,000, per eligible employee.
The support package is part of the Morrison Government’s Economic Response to COVID-19. The wage subsidy is available to small businesses that employ fewer than 20 full-time employees and retain their Australian apprentice or trainee. In addition, employers of any size and Group Training Organisations that re-engage an eligible out of trade apprentice or trainee are also eligible.
Apprentices and trainees who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are also being connected with new work and training through the new Apprentice and Trainee Re-engagement Register as part of this measure. The re-engagement register can be found here.
Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, The Hon Steve Irons MP, said the Morrison Government is committed to delivering targeted, scalable support in the face of COVID-19 and the first priority is those businesses that are most vulnerable.
“This critical measure will help ensure the Australian economy recovers well and continues to enable employers to be more competitive, more innovative and to create more job opportunities. Most importantly, it is keeping apprentices connected to work,” Minister Irons said.
Further information on how to apply for the subsidy, including information on eligibility, is available at:

• The Department of Education, Skills and Employment website dese.gov.au
• Australian Apprenticeships website australianapprenticeships.gov.au

More than two thirds (68%) of Australians want stronger laws to protect our wildlife and environment, new research shows.
Poll figures released today, come after the Federal Government announced plans to amend Australia’s environment laws in a bid to fast-track applications for developments such as new mines and land-clearing as part of its post-COVID-19 agenda.
Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Government thinks it can use the cover of COVID-19 as an excuse to scrap environmental protections, but this polling shows they are barking up the wrong tree.
“Two-thirds of Australians want stronger environmental laws, not weaker ones that favour the Government’s big mining mates.
“The poll results show little support for the Morrison Government’s attack on the environment, with respondents rejecting the push to cut ‘green tape’ before the scheduled 10-year review of environmental laws is even complete.
“Australians have just experienced and witnessed overwhelming destruction of our environment with the catastrophic bushfires and so many of us have turned to nature to help us through the Coronavirus pandemic.
“They know our precious wildlife is endangered and our pristine wilderness and native bushland is being pummelled by miners and developers, and they want it protected.
“There was more than 1700 threatened species in Australia before the bushfire crisis including our beloved koalas and Victoria’s faunal emblem the Leadbeater’s possum, and with so much more habitat lost from the summer fires, many more species are expected to now be endangered.
“The EPBC Act is already failing in its purpose of protecting conservation and biodiversity with flora and fauna becoming threatened, endangered and even going extinct.
“Fast-tracking applications will do even more damage. As it is, only about 2 per cent of applications under the existing laws get knocked back.
“Worse still, many applications to clear potential habitat for threatened species and ecological communities are not even referred to the Federal Government for assessment, which has resulted in 7.7 million hectares being cleared between 2000 and 2017.
“Australia is losing more and more of our precious environment and the public want change that protects wildlife and habitat.
“The public will not fall for the lazy argument that sacrificing the environment is necessary for economic recovery, particularly when so many industries like tourism, accommodation and hospitality – some of the hardest hit by COVID-19 shutdowns, depend on our environment.
“This poll shows only 5% support the Government’s plans to weaken environment laws. It’s time the Morrison Government started listening to the people rather than the mining lobby, and protect what makes Australia such a great place to live and visit.”
Question: The Federal Government wants to make the process for approving developments and projects faster by changing laws that protect the environment and wildlife. Under the new laws, do you believe the environment and native wildlife should have …? Base: Australians 18+ (n=1,008)

The national poll of 1008 adult Australians in all states, was commissioned by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and conducted by Lonergan between 30 April and 4 May 2020.

The Australian Greens have called on the government to establish publicly funded vaccine manufacturing capacity in Australia to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is available to all Australians.
A recent Defence science technology report outlined in today’s media has warned of a shortage in vaccines in Australia during a pandemic because of the lack of production capacity in Australia.
Speaking in Melbourne Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP and Greens Health spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale called on the Morrison government to immediately invest $70 million in expanding the CSIRO’s vaccine manufacturing facilities and to develop a plan to stand up a publicly funded manufacturing capacity by working with the Australian medical industry.
The Greens also want the Australian government to ensure the vaccine is available free of charge and have repeated their call for the flu vaccine to be fully available and free.
Adam Bandt said:
“We need a publicly backed vaccine manufacturer.”
“Currently most vaccine manufacturing happens in the United States, China and Germany. Australia risks being at the back of the queue.”
“Australians shouldn’t have to rely on Donald Trump putting us ahead of his reelection chances and expect that vaccines made in the United States will come here quickly.”
“We have wonderful medical scientists who are already working on vaccine candidates and some manufacturing capacity at the CSIRO and elsewhere that could be scaled up with the right investment from the Commonwealth.”
“If we can’t get the vaccine through other means, a publicly-owned COVID vaccine manufacturer may be the only way to save lives.”
Dr Richard Di Natale said:
“The government has a responsibility to ensure that Australians have timely, secure and free access to any COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. We know that the pandemic will likely disrupt existing supply chains for vaccines at a time when unprecedented supply will be required.”
“In past pandemics we have seen uneven and unfair distribution of vaccines in which wealthy nations have placed huge early orders and squeezed out smaller nations. By producing the vaccine locally Australia can secure domestic access for vulnerable Australians and also assist in ensuring access in our region.”
“The government also needs to ensure any COVID19 vaccine is free and widely available.”

Australia’s first regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service-led GP respiratory clinic has opened today in Toowoomba to provide locals with culturally safe place to be tested and treated for COVID-19.
The clinic, at Carbal Medical Clinic, will also take pressure off local hospital emergency departments and other GP clinics within the Toowoomba area.
Federal Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton said the clinic is best placed to support people with a fever, a cough, a sore throat, and other respiratory symptoms and help to minimise the risk of infection in the communities.
“The respiratory clinic will enable members of the community with symptoms to receive the appropriate medical advice and get tested, without posing a risk to other patients in the clinic who may be seeing their GP for a non-COVID19 related reason,” Minister Coulton said.
“While the pandemic is not widespread in regional areas as yet, it’s important we have local doctors leading the local response and preparation for their communities.
“I want to assure regional Australians that our number one priority is protecting and supporting communities through COVID-19.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said sadly, Indigenous Australians are more likely to suffer from a serious illness if they contract COVID-19. There are higher rates of chronic conditions and other health issues in regional communities and it can be hard to access health care.
This means that an outbreak of COVID-19 in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community has the potential to be very serious. This testing program will help protect Indigenous Australians against the virus.
Federal Member for Groom, Dr John McVeigh said the opening of the region’s first respiratory clinic was a very important step in the community’s ongoing fight against COVID-19.
“The Federal Government has been working with Carbal Medical Service, Darling Downs & West Moreton PHN, local GPs and Aspen Medical — which has significant health emergency management experience in Australia and overseas — to rollout the Toowoomba ACCHS clinic,” Dr McVeigh said.
To access the clinic GP respiratory clinic, patients can visit health.gov.au and use the online booking system or phone Carbal Medical Centre on 07 4639 7300.
The Federal Government has invested $206.7 million to establish around 100 respiratory clinics across Australia, including in rural and regional areas in each state and territory. Additionally, more than 200 fever clinics, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, are also in operation across Australia.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has labelled the government’s latest change to JobKeeper eligibility rules farcical and sinister as it bends over backwards to deny wage subsidy support to Australian universities.
In the latest twist, Sydney Uni has been denied access to the scheme despite having believed to have qualified due to a significant drop in revenue, and having paid staff additional money in anticipation of receiving government support.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The government is bending over backwards to deny universities access to the JobKeeper wage subsidy. This is farcical and sinister stuff.
“Universities have been dealing with huge uncertainties for months now. Constantly shifting the goalposts is not only enormously unfair to them in this crisis, but reveals the Liberals’ malice towards higher education.
“The clear intent to lock universities out of JobKeeper can only be explained by the Liberals’ ongoing hostility to higher education and their commitment to starve universities of funding.
“The government is fully aware that up to 30,000 university jobs are on the line, but they just don’t seem to care.
“In addition to JobKeeper, the government must back universities through a new package which would massively boost funding, save jobs and improve universities for staff and students,” she said.