Category: Australian News

Thousands of Australians with debilitating back and joint pain will have access to a life changing treatment option through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.
From December 1, access to Taltz^® (ixekizumab) on the PBS will be expanded for patients with active ankylosing spondylitis.
Without the PBS subsidy, up to 8,000 patients would pay more than $22,000 per year for this treatment.
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory condition, which can cause some small bones in the spine to fuse.
Ankylosing spondylitis leads to reduced flexibility and can lead to severe back and neck pain.
There’s also good news for almost 50,000 Australians suffering from heart and cardiovascular conditions.
Access to Xarelto^® (rivaroxaban) will be expanded to include the treatment of patients at high risk of recurrent cardiovascular events with coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease.
Without PBS subsidy, these patients would pay more than $790 per year for treatment. Up to 46,900 patients every year could benefit from this listing.
Coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease are types of atherosclerosis, which occurs when arteries that supply blood to the heart or limbs become hardened and narrowed, due to a build-up of cholesterol and/or plaque fatty deposits.
Coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease increase risk of blood clots and reduce blood flow to key areas of the body such as the heart, brain or limbs.
Australians who are living with these conditions have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke which can lead to disability, amputation or death.
The Morrison Government is continuing to make important medicines available to Australians at affordable prices.
These PBS listings have been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
Since 2013, the Government has approved more than 2,500 new or amended listings on the PBS at an overall investment by the Government of $11.8 billion.
The Government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.

Patients living with one of Australia’s most common forms of leukaemia are set to benefit from expanded access to a breakthrough medicine through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
From 1 December, access to Venclexta® (venetoclax) will be extended in combination with obinutuzumab for the first-line treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia who have co-existing conditions and are unsuitable for fludarabine-based chemo-immunotherapy.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a relatively uncommon type of cancer however it is the most common type of leukaemia diagnosed in Australia with around 1,000 people diagnosed each year.
Based on a landmark research discovery by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Venclexta was also co-developed and trialled in Australia, showcasing the great work of our nation’s medical researchers.
Up to 500 patients every year are expected to benefit from this listing.
Without PBS subsidy, these patients would pay more than $69,250 per course of treatment. Thanks to PBS subsidy, they will pay $41 per script or $6.60 with a concession card.
The Morrison Government is continuing to make important medicines available to Australians at affordable prices.
These PBS listings have been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
Since 2013, the Government has approved more than 2,500 new or amended listings on the PBS at an overall investment by the Government of over $11.8 billion.
The Government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.

The decision by the big four banks to do nothing for homeowners risks putting families out on the streets, Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP, and Housing spokesperson, Mehreen Faruqi, said today, calling for the government to get big banks to give vulnerable homeowners a residential ‘mortgage holiday’ to make sure families don’t lose their homes.
At a time of unprecedented financial stress and rapidly rising unemployment, the decision by the big four banks to limit their deferred loan repayments to small business customers is insufficient and risks furthering workers’ budgeting woes.
The Greens today called for the national cabinet to impose a ban on mortgage foreclosures during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a freezing of homeowners’ credit ratings. The Greens also called on the government to get the big 4 banks – who have just been the beneficiaries of significant support from the Reserve Bank – to give vulnerable homeowners a mortgage holiday, just as they have with business.
Adam Bandt, Leader of the Australian Greens said:
“Thanks to COVID-19, millions of workers are wondering if they’ll have a job tomorrow, and this cowardly inaction from the big banks will now have them wondering if they’ll be able to pay their mortgage too.
“People expect the banks not to be bastards through this crisis, but they’re leaving homeowners out in the cold.
“By deferring payments for small business, banks have shown they recognise the scale of the financial crisis ahead of us. Deciding to leave homeowners out in the cold is either greed or laziness.
“No one should be forced out onto the streets during a global pandemic.
“The national cabinet must look at making the big banks give vulnerable homeowners a mortgage holiday. If banks won’t show compassion, the government must step in.”
Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson said:
“Banks have reaped huge profits for years. If they want to keep what little is left of their social license after the Royal Commission they have to do the right thing by families at risk during this crisis.
“Housing is a human right, no matter the circumstances. Not one person should be made homeless during this crisis, and the banks have a big role to play in that.
“This crisis highlights how messed up housing in Australia is. Urgent action now needs to be followed by massive investment in rebuilding social housing, an expansion of crisis housing and reforming the tax loopholes that advantage wealthy investors over the community.”

The Greens are warning water ministers not to put up the white flag on saving the Murray-Darling Basin and the environmental flows needed to secure its future at tomorrow’s Ministerial Council meeting.
Australian Greens Spokesperson for Environment and Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Water Ministers must not go to tomorrow’s meeting waving a white flag on saving the Murray-Darling Basin and the environmental flows needed to secure its future.
“Last year’s meeting of water ministers was a dramatic farce and a communique couldn’t even be agreed upon at the time and was later released by the MDBA who should be independent of this process.
“This bad behaviour when it comes to the management of our biggest river system cannot continue.
“The Murray Darling Basin Plan is due to recover a total of 2,075 GL/year of water plus 450 GL/year of efficiency measures by 2024. If the MDB is going to survive then the Plan must be delivered in full and on time.
“For seven years, the Liberal-National Government has let corporate irrigators run amok with water at the expense of from river communities, small family farms and the environment. It’s time to rein them in, for everyone’s sake.
“The Greens will keep pushing for a Royal Commission in the MDB to get to the bottom of the trillions of litres of missing water, theft, corruption, greed and lack of action on climate change that is plaguing the river. We also back a High Court challenge to fight for South Australia’s water and the Murray-Darling Basin if the Federal Government won’t deliver it on time.”

Greens Media and Communications Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“We have seen two positive steps forward on media reform from the Government today; the announcement that there will be further investment in public interest journalism through the establishment of the PING Trust and
the announcement that the Government is intending to introduce Australian content obligations for online video streaming services.
“While these are positive steps forward, we will consult with stakeholders and the community and consider the details of the proposals before coming to a final position on the reforms.”
PING Trust
“The PING Fund has played an important role in supporting public interest journalism and rural and regional news. I’m delighted to see that the Government is proposing an extension of this fund that will be able to support the future of public interest journalism in Australia.
“Funding through the original PING Fund was used to save the AAP from closure earlier this year after the Greens made the protection of AAP a key priority before opening any negotiations with the Government on the News Media Code.
“AAP plays an essential role in the Australian media landscape and I hope to see the long term future of AAP secured through this trust.
Local content obligations for online video streaming services
“There is good news for the Australian screen industry at the end of an extremely tough year. We welcome the introduction of local content quotas for online video streaming services. Not only is the telling of Australian stories on our screens essential in shaping our national identity and reflecting the diversity of our community but local productions create Australian jobs.
“Reform to regulate online streaming services in Australia is well overdue. The Greens have long been calling for the Government to regulate streaming giants like Netflix that are making billions of dollars from Australian subscribers without any obligation to host any Australian content on their screens.
“The Greens already have a motion before the Senate next week calling on the Government to take action and regulate online video streaming services. I call on other Senators to show their support for the Australian screen industry and support this motion.
“The question of the rate of investment obligation on streaming services will be crucial to the success of this policy reform and I urge the Government to look around the world for effective examples to follow. France has recently brought in a quota for 20% of local revenue to be spent on local productions and I hope to see Australia go down a similar path. Sub quotas to ensure that streaming services are commissioning drama, documentary and children’s content will also be an important part of policy discussions.
“There is a lot of detail to be considered in this proposal and we will be working with stakeholders in the industry over the coming months to ensure that we are able to get the best outcomes to tell Australian stories and secure Australian jobs.”

The Morrison Government’s new environment-wrecking laws do not have enough support to pass the parliament the Senate Inquiry report into the legislation released this afternoon shows.
The Greens, Labor and crossbench senators Patrick, Lambie and Griff all declared their opposition to the Bill leaving just the Morrison Government and One Nation in support.
Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Morrison Government’s environment-wrecking laws are dead in the water.
“The Government shamelessly tried to smooth the path for their big mining and developer mates to get their environment-destroying projects approved even faster while completely ignoring the independent review of environment laws that was underway.
“These laws are nothing more than a rehash of Tony Abbott’s 2014 bill which failed to pass the parliament then and will fail again now.
“The Environment Minister should announce today that the Government will not be pursuing this Bill any further.
“We have a once-in-ten-year opportunity to reform our environment laws to protect our wildlife and our wild places. Any new laws must be informed by a full and proper consideration of the final Samuel Report and include strong national environmental standards and an independent regulator to enforce them.”

The Morrison Government is supporting six new COVID-19 research projects across four institutions, allowing researchers continue to examine the virus and our response to the pandemic.
More than $4 million will be distributed from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) through two grant rounds to institutions including Monash University, Deakin University and Macquarie University.
These grants aim to develop high priority digital health infrastructure, improving the speed and features of health system responses during acute crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of these projects has the ability to assist and inform government responses to the pandemic and continue our improvements to health outcomes for all Australians.
Three projects will receive funding through the 2020 Rapid Response Digital Health Infrastructure Grant Opportunity, worth approximately $3.5 million.
This includes $1.9 million to support Monash University’s work to create a national data management platform and Learning Health System, alongside real-time monitoring of Australia’s COVID-19 response.
A further three projects will also share in $600,000 through the 2020 Communication Strategies and Approaches during Outbreaks Grant Opportunity, focusing on understanding people’s communication needs, in order to improve community engagement and responsiveness to information and advice about pandemics.
A project through Deakin University will identify communication priorities and effective support for people with an intellectual disability living in high risk specialist disability accommodation during disease outbreaks.
As part of the Morrison Government’s Coronavirus Research response, over $96 million from the MRFF has been invested in COVID-19 research, including vaccine, anti-viral and respiratory medicine research.
Investing in health and medical research is a key priority of our Government’s Long Term National Health Plan. Research continues to play a critical role in ensuring Australia maintains its world-class health system, particularly as the world continues to respond to COVID-19.
The Morrison Government’s MRFF is a $20 billion endowment fund, allowing for long-term investment and support for Australia’s best and brightest researchers. Further information about the MRFF is available at www.health.gov.au/mrff.

The community of George Town has welcomed improvements at its football club, thanks to the Federal Government’s investment in community sporting infrastructure.
The George Town Football Club received $250,000 through the Community Development Grants (CDG) Program.
It aims to improve local community infrastructure to encourage greater participation in sport and physical activity.
Minister for Sport, Senator Richard Colbeck and Member for Bass Bridget Archer said the George Town Football Club Ground New Lights Project, will allow for wider use for local footy teams and the wider sporting community.
“The investment in the George Town Football Club has allowed it to install new AFL standard lights,” Mrs Archer said.
“This includes towers to house the lights, footings for the towers and an upgrade to the power supply.
“The club is a hub for community sport, fielding teams in all levels and age ranges, and this upgrade has made the George Town oval even more accessible to the local community.
“The grounds are used by Auskick, junior competitions, under 18’s, reserves, senior men’s and women’s squads.”
The George Town project is one of 125 funded under the Australian Government’s CDG program, part of its 2019 election commitments.
Minister Colbeck said hundreds of sporting clubs across Australia had benefited.
“We know how important sport has become in strengthening communities, especially during what has been a challenging year,” Minister Colbeck said.
“This vital funding measure has granted clubs and organisations the opportunity to complete projects like this, ultimately encouraging more Australians to participate in community sport.”
Construction commenced on the George Town Football Club in December 2019, and the new oval lighting will be unveiled on Thursday, 26 November.
“The completion of this project signals an exciting new era for this region as more people take advantage of the upgraded facilities,” Ms Archer said.
 

On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters, has called for cultural change to stop gendered violence, more funding for frontline domestic violence services, and the criminalisation of coercive control.
Senator Waters, along with Dr Anne Aly MP (ALP member for Cowan) and Dr Fiona Martin MP (Liberal member for Reid), today launched the Parliamentarians for Action to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children to encourage a multi-partisan commitment to stopping violence against women.
Speaking at the launch event, Senator Waters said family and domestic violence is a national emergency, and the new group offers an important forum to discuss ways to address it.
“Violence against women is at epidemic levels. One woman has been violently murdered almost every week in 2020, and the sector predicts that elevated levels of violence will continue with the financial and social stress of Covid recovery.
“I welcome the cross-party support for today’s event.  But we cannot keep turning up to events like this, reading news stories, hearing statistics, and say we are shocked.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of safety advocates, we know what needs to be done.  If we are serious about eliminating violence against women, we need immediate action on the key gaps.
“Frontline emergency response services must be adequately funded so that no woman is turned away when she seeks help – the sector says this means $1 billion each year,” said Senator Waters.
“We need a national approach to understanding and criminalising coercive control.  The community needs to recognise the serious risks of conduct like Hannah Clarke and her children were subjected to before their murder, and police need to be able to act.
“We need all parliamentarians to contribute to the cultural change that will eliminate violence against women, stand up to violent behaviour, and act to address the gender inequality which drives gendered violence.”
Today’s event was co-hosted by Our Watch and marked the start of their 16 Days, 16 Ways campaign to encourage bystanders to do something to show that violent behaviour is never OK.
“The primary prevention education and advocacy work done by Our Watch is crucial at driving behaviour change, as is respectful relationships education in schools.  This work must continue to be funded,” said Senator Waters
“Words on the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women will not be enough – we need action and full funding from the federal government.  I look forward to working with the Parliamentary group to keep these issues on the agenda throughout the year.”