Category: Australian News

The Australian Greens condemn the violence and breakdown in the UN-backed ceasefire in Western Sahara. Any acts of aggression by the Moroccan government are unacceptable, and the Australian Greens are profoundly concerned at reports that the Moroccan government has launched a military operation in a United Nations-patrolled buffer strip in Western Sahara.  The Australian Greens urge the UN to broker a renewed cease-fire as soon as possible.
The Australian Greens strongly support the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination. They have been waiting for decades for a long-awaited referendum, and the United Nations should finally organise a free and fair referendum on independence in Western Sahara without further delay.
The Australian Government must use all diplomatic channels available to advocate for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and support all efforts to organise a free and fair referendum on independence in Western Sahara.

Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton, chaired the ninth special rural health COVID-19 roundtable on 27 August 2020, with members of the Rural Health Stakeholder group.
Minister Coulton recognised the work of rural and remote health workers and communities, particularly those in Victoria, in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Coulton raised the service of 146 General Practice Respiratory Clinics (GPRCs) across Australia, which have conducted over 500,000 COVID-19 assessments since they began earlier in the year and especially the 82 that serve regional communities. Minister Coulton spoke of the aged care sector’s challenges with COVID-19 and urged recognition that 97% of aged care homes are COVID-19 free thanks to the efforts of aged care providers.
State border restrictions continue to be a challenge for health services operating across borders and the communities who seek their care. Minister Coulton has raised these challenges with various jurisdictions and efforts continue on many fronts to limit the impact on border communities.
Minister Coulton reported 27 million telehealth services have been delivered to 10 million people (40% of the population) since implementation.  MBS Telehealth items are more likely to be refined rather than removed in the longer term. Minister Coulton spoke of the importance of demonstrated, established, and continuing relationships between GPs and patients to ensure telehealth remains a viable tool to improve health outcomes in the long term.
Minister Coulton invited the National Rural Health Commissioner, Prof Ruth Stewart, to update the group on the work of her office. The Commissioner reported she continues to Chair the Rural GP-led Respiratory Clinic National Leaders Network, which meets fortnightly, providing a direct line of communication between clinics and the Government.
Senior Department staff provided updates on the Commonwealth COVID-19 response. Participants provided valuable feedback to the Minister on the current focus and efforts of their own organisations in response to the outbreak.
An introduction from the Chief Allied Health Officer 
Since beginning in the role as Chief Allied Health Officer, Dr Boxall has been focussed on COVID-19 with particular focus on the allied health and disability sectors. Dr Boxall has also started to meet regularly with the National Rural Health Commissioner. In the short term,
Dr Boxall will focus her work on improving the profile of the allied health sector and professions. Dr Boxall has been in discussions with other Departmental staff as well as with the state based Chief Allied Health Officers around the increasing need of rehabilitation services for COVID-19 patients and the importance of allied health professionals in this work.
Update on the COVID-19 pandemic response in the primary care setting
Department officials reported GP-led Respiratory Clinics had provided over 500,000 consultations since implementation and have rapidly responded to keep communities safe. GPRCs in Victoria doubled their capacity in a week. Primary Health Networks have recently increased distribution of PPE to allied health providers in Victoria and New South Wales. The Department continues to monitor the availability of PPE and provide supplies through Primary Health Networks where required.
Indigenous Health Update
Department officials reported COVID-19 positive cases in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations remains very low, with no deaths reported. There have been no COVID-19 cases in remote communities. Sixty-three point of care testing sites are in place in remote communities, with the final 22 sites to be rolled out over the next month. Royal Flying Doctor Service continues to provide early and primary evacuations, testing and swab transfer, and fly-in respiratory clinics to rural and remote sites.
The CDNA National Guidance for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for COVID-19 was updated on 10 August, including findings from recent modelling work on COVID-19 in remote communities, undertaken to better guide response strategies.
For more information, the Department of Health directed members to the following webpage: https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/support-for-remote-indigenous-communities-at-high-risk-from-covid-19
Mental Health update
The Department continues to recognise the burden experienced by those where COVID-19 restrictions are in place. In response to this, the Government announced provision of 10 additional Medicare-subsidised psychological therapy sessions for people in areas impacted by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure was announced on Sunday 2 August with a focus on Victorian communities. More information can be found at: https://www.health.gov.au/news/additional-covid-19-mental-health-support-for-people-subjected-to-further-restrictions
Stakeholders were advised the Prime Minister had recently requested the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, Dr Ruth Vine, and Mental Health Commissioner, Christine Morgan, provide advice regarding further measures that could be taken to support the mental health and wellbeing of COVID affected communities. As a result, the Australian Government will provide an additional $31.9 million to create 15 mental health clinics across Victoria and further enhance essential support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/new-mental-health-clinics-support-victorians-during-covid-19-pandemic
Further Government funding has been provided to Headspace, Beyond Blue, Lifeline, and the Kids Helpline to manage an increase in demand for their online and phone services. Stakeholders raised the need for a mental health phone service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Reports of rural and remote health workers experiencing fatigue and exhaustion continue. The Roundtable agreed that any support Governments can provide to facilitate the movement of health workers across borders is important for the mental and physical wellbeing of the rural and remote workforce. Department officials agreed to further discuss actions to address this issue.
Primary care reform update
The Government is considering extending the COVID telehealth measures and options to link them with voluntary patient enrolment in GP practices in the future. Discussions with the sector and representative groups have resumed to inform the 10 Year Primary Health Care plan. The primary care steering group will next meet at the end of September 2020. The 10 Year Plan will include discussions on reforms for improved health service integration, digital infrastructure and funding for rural areas. The Department is currently working with New South Wales PHNs and Local Health Networks on joint planning of primary care services, including opportunities in virtual health.
Stakeholders discussed post-COVID considerations including the potential for rural and remote Australians to suffer poorer health outcomes as a result of many important services being unavailable. It was agreed that monitoring impacts on services and programs is important for future planning with different situations likely across the country.
Update on training and workforce matters
Stakeholders were informed the Rural Multidisciplinary Health Training (RHMT) Program Evaluation has been published on the Department’s website at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/rural-health-rhmt-evaluation.  Government is undertaking consultation with stakeholders to guide future policy change and implementation. The National Rural Health Commissioner will assist with consultations and advise Government.
Access to locums to allow rural health workers to take leave was raised by stakeholders as a challenge due to border and travel restrictions. Demand for locums is likely to increase as we get closer to Christmas
Medical placements continue to be impacted primarily in Victoria. There is, however, a sense of optimism as new ways of training and delivery of services are opening up. Teaching students on how to deliver telehealth consultations is an example of this. Graduation numbers and the availability of rural and remote placements for allied health students has been impacted by COVID-19 travel and border restrictions.
The continued establishment of the National Rural Generalist Pathway and the additional 100 rural generalist placements were noted as important to address rural workforce issues.
Meeting summary
Minister Coulton noted the important reversal of the decision to increase fees for university courses including Social Work and Psychology. Minister Coulton also noted crucial role rural GPs play as the first point of contact for mental health services and the importance for local communities to see their GPs.
Minister Coulton advised that any immediate concerns can be raised directly ahead of the next meeting and thanked stakeholders for their engagement and advocacy supporting rural communities as the COVID-19 situation develops.
The most up-to-date information on the Australian Government response to COVID-19 can be found at www.australia.gov.au.
Twenty-one rural stakeholder organisations are members of the group, along with the National Rural Health Commissioner and the Commonwealth Department of Health.
Participant list
Members participating in the teleconference for the 24 July 2020 were:

• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
• National Rural Health Commissioner
• Indigenous Allied Health Australia
• Australian Dental Association
• Royal Flying Doctor Service
• National Rural Health Alliance
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association
• Rural Health Workforce Australia
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia
• Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health
• Allied Health Professions Australia
• Australian Rural Health Education Network
• CRANAplus
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
• Rural Doctors Association of Australia
• Rural Workforce Agencies Network
• Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators
• Australian Medical Association
• Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association

Apologies:

• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners- Rural Faculty
• National Rural Health Student Network
• Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives

Key findings of the 2020 Australian Jobs report show that employment for women and young people is rebounding strongly from the economic impact of COVID-19.
Launching the annual report today, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said it was clear that the pandemic has radically affected Australia’s labour market.
“We know this year has been tough for everyone, but there are promising signs of employment recovery now beginning to emerge,” Minister Cash said.
“The Australian Jobs report shows us that the labour market has, and is, undergoing significant changes, and job seekers may need to rethink training and career pathways.”
Australian Jobs is the National Skills Commission’s detailed guide to the Australian labour market. It includes information about industries and occupations as well as states, territories and regions. The publication highlights trends in the Australian labour market and provides guidance about searching for a job and the skills employers value.
“What really stands out in this year’s report is that a large cohort of Australians will likely need to update or change their skillset to stay competitive in the labour market,” Minister Cash said.
Australian Jobs can help, providing an easy-to-read overview of industry and occupation trends in the labour market. It is designed to meet the needs of students, career advisers, people looking for work and those involved in the national employment service, jobactive.
“This simple to use publication is a powerful tool to help inform what training you might need as well as where the jobs are going to be, especially as Australia works through the COVID-19 recovery phase,” Minister Cash said.
Key findings include:

• Many labour market indicators are now improving since the low in May 2020. Encouragingly, employment for women and youth, who were initially affected the most, is rebounding quite strongly.
• Health Care and Social Assistance (aged and disability carers, registered nurses, child carers) is Australia’s largest employing industry and is an area proving to be the most resilient. Demand is expected to continue for this industry, given the COVID-19 pandemic and Australia’s ageing population. Females comprise 78 per cent of this workforce.
• Post-school study is highly advantageous – data shows that in Health Care and Social Assistance, more than 80 per cent of employees have a post-school qualification and carers and aides are the top emerging occupations, with more than 50 per cent of these workers holding a certificate III or higher VET qualification.
• Occupations identified as resilient throughout the pandemic and that are expected to experience more growth are in groups such as: Professionals (Speech Professionals and Audiologists, Other Medical Practitioners and Midwives), Community and Personal Service Workers (Aged and Disabled Carers and Security Officers and Guards) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators and Delivery Drivers).

Australian Jobs 2020 uses data from a range of sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the National Skills Commission’s own research, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
The full report is available at https://www.nationalskillscommission.gov.au/australian-jobs

A research discussion paper released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), confirms what millions of Australians already know – that the Morrison Government’s JobKeeper program was a country saving moment.
The RBA paper titled, How Many Jobs Did JobKeeper Keep, shows the temporary payment helped to reduce “total employment losses by at least 700,000.”
Underlining the incredible impact JobKeeper had in helping to keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs, the RBA found that “overall employment losses would have been twice as large over the first half of 2020 without JobKeeper.”
The report further stated that “JobKeeper played an important role in cushioning the decline in employment over the first half of 2020.”
For the six months to the end of September, around $70 billion in JobKeeper payments were made to around 900,000 businesses supporting more than 3.5 million jobs.
As part of our Economic Recovery Plan the Government extended the temporary JobKeeper Payment by six months through until 28 March 2021.
The extension of the temporary payment recognises that while the economic recovery is underway, some parts of the economy continue to be particularly affected more than others due to health restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19.
With 650,000 jobs created over the past five months, 80 percent of those Australians who either lost their jobs or saw their working hours reduced to zero at the start of the pandemic are now back at work.
This has seen the effective unemployment rate come down from around 15 per cent in April to 7.4 per cent today.
Our Economic Recovery Plan outlined in the 2020-21 Budget will help to create more jobs, boost our economic recovery and secure Australia’s future.

A koala census won’t save our national treasure and a moratorium on the clearing of critical habitat is still urgently needed, the Greens say.
Responding to the Environment Minister’s announcement today of a koala census to identify key habitat, Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“A koala census won’t save our national treasure from the Morrison Government.
“Koalas have been counted in critical habitat areas only for the Government to ignore that data and approve mining and development projects that imperil the koalas calling that land home.
“Just last month, the Environment Minister approved a quarry at Pt Stephens which will destroy 52ha of critical habitat for the endangered species.
“Unless habitat clearing is stopped, koalas will soon be extinct.
“The Greens will move in the Parliament for a moratorium on habitat clearing to save the koala from extinction.
“Off the back of the worst bushfires in history which killed a third of NSW’s koala population and destroyed millions of hectares of habitat across the country, no approvals for developments on koala land should be given.
“The Morrison Government has had seven years to develop a recovery plan for the koala, a census isn’t enough, the species needs real protection under our national environment laws.
“It’s clear the government isn’t serious about saving the koala and cannot be trusted to protect it with or without a census.”

An innovative nasal treatment to fight COVID-19, common colds and flu is being taken to the next stage of testing, thanks to the Morrison Government’s $500 million Biomedical Translation Fund.
Developed by Australian biotech company Ena Respiratory, INNA-051 works by stimulating the innate immune system, the first line of defence against the invasion of pathogens into the body.
The Government, alongside Brandon Capital Partners has committed $11.7 million to test the nasal spray treatment that targets the primary site of most respiratory virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and influenza.
The program has been designed so that if successful, INNA-051 will be manufactured and formulated in Australia, creating manufacturing jobs into the future.
In addition, four further projects will also share in almost $30 million dollars to commercialise their ideas. Each of these projects provide the potential to greatly improve the treatment for issues such as respiratory diseases, chronic pain and autoimmune diseases.
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said successful outcomes of the projects will improve the lives of Australians and potentially millions of people around the world.
“Australia’s health and medical researchers are world class and this investment will continue the proud Australian tradition of discovery and translation that saves lives and improves lives,” Minister Hunt said.
“The Morrison Government is backing Australia’s next generation of medical advances and this investment means these businesses have the potential to take their technology to the next level.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this funding underpins the Morrison Government’s determination to deliver better health outcomes, while also encouraging economic growth and creating jobs.
“The Biomedical Translation Fund fosters potential breakthroughs that will not only improve people’s lives, but also help Australian companies create more jobs and grow into new markets,” Minister Andrews said.
“The Morrison Government is looking to develop our manufacturing capacity in medical products and this fund is yet another way we can help commercialise great Australian ideas right here at home.”
Funding consists of equal parts Commonwealth and private sector funding and is operated by three private sector fund managers: Brandon Capital Partners, OneVentures Healthcare Fund and BioScience Managers.
The other four investments made through the Fund are:

• OneVentures Healthcare Fund has committed $9.5 million to Kira Biotech. Kira Biotech is researching treatments for autoimmune disease, a condition where the immune system attacks healthy cells or the body’s organs. Kira Biotech’s research directs components of the body’s normal immune response to the impaired cells of a person suffering from an autoimmune disease, allowing the immune system to work properly.
• BioScience Managers has committed $10 million to medical device company Closed Loop Medical. Closed Loop Medical’s technology aims to improve treatments for conditions of the body’s nervous system. The technology being developed will record and measure a person’s unique response to stimulation and provide a tailored outcome for the patient. The technology has the potential to be applied to disorders including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and bladder dysfunction.
• BioScience Managers has also committed $5 million to Adherium. Adherium is developing a digital medication monitoring system for people with respiratory diseases. The monitoring system will initially help people with conditions like asthma, by tracking their drug usage and issuing reminders to ensure they take their medication.
• Brandon Capital Partners’ MRCF BTF Fund has invested more than $5 million in Polyactiva. Polyactiva’s novel polymer technology delivers medication to the eyes. Its lead product will be used for treating glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness affecting 70 million people globally. Polyactiva’s novel delivery technology will provide six months of therapy from a single treatment, overcoming many of the challenges of delivering medication with eye drops.

The Morrison Government continues to invest in the cutting-edge medical technologies and treatments that will save lives, while growing a sector that can create jobs for Australians now and into the future.

Today is DonateLife Thank You Day – an annual day where we pause, reflect, and thank donors and their families for generously giving the gift of life.
Federal Minister responsible for organ and tissue donation, Mark Coulton, said the gift of organ and tissue donation is a generous act that is life-changing for another person.
“On DonateLife Thank You Day we stop and give thanks to those who have given someone hope and an opportunity to continue life,” Minister Coulton said.
In 2019, 1,683 lives were transformed by the generosity of 548 deceased and 239 living organ donors and their families that said ‘yes’ to organ donation. A further 12,000 Australians benefited from eye and tissue donation.
“Australia has a world class transplant clinical system but ultimately the gift of a transplant is not possible without donors and their families,” Minister Coulton said.
“Because over 4,500 donors and their families said ‘yes’ to organ and tissue donation since the national program began in 2009, more than 13,000 transplant recipients and their families say thank you.”
“For those waiting for a transplant, organ and tissue donation can mean the difference between life and death, being healthy and sick, between seeing and being blind, or between being active and never walking again. It means that people can resume an active life with their family, in their workplace, their school and their community.
“Australians of all ages, faiths and cultural backgrounds might one day be in need of an organ or tissue transplant.
“I encourage all Australians to reflect on the life-changing benefits of organ and tissue donation and to show your support by joining the Australian Organ Donor Register at donatelife.gov.au – it’s easy and takes less than a minute – and have the all-important conversation with your family, so they know your intentions.”

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link route will take travellers into the heart of the CBD in less than 30 minutes following an historic agreement announced today between the Australian and Victorian governments
Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined Premier Daniel Andrews to announce the route for the project, which will connect Victoria’s regional and metropolitan rail networks to the airport for the first time.
From 2029, Victorians will be able to catch a train directly from the CBD to the airport.
“The airport link is a nationally significant project and Victorians have been waiting a long time for it to become a reality. With construction to start in 2022, the agreement will support up to 8,000 jobs during construction,” the Prime Minister said.
“When complete, the link will slash travel times, bust congestion and be a major boost to the economy.”
Airport trains will run through the Metro Tunnel, meaning families in the booming south-eastern suburbs can get to the airport without changing trains, and the majority of Victorians can get to the airport with just one interchange from their closest station.
It also means that tourists visiting Victoria will be able to get from the airport to regional Victoria in a hassle-free way – meaning more visitors and jobs for our regions.
Melbourne Airport Rail will see 10-minute turn-up-and-go services running from Melbourne Airport through the heart of the city, providing direct connections to key sites including Melbourne University, the Parkville medical precinct, Melbourne Central and Flinders Street stations and the St Kilda Road business precinct.
Premier Daniel Andrews said today’s announcement was a historic day for all of Victoria.
“This project has been talked about for a long time, its key to our recovery and this design means it will benefit all Victorians,” Mr Andrews said.
“As we continue our recovery, we need a long-term plan. We need a pipeline of jobs for Victorians looking for work now, and for those who will need jobs in the future. We said we’d deliver this project, and we’re keeping our promise.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said this vital piece of infrastructure would transform travel to and from Melbourne Airport.
“The aviation industry is so important to Australia’s economy and by investing in this rail link, we’re making it even easier for Victorians to travel to and from Melbourne Airport,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“This investment is an important part of the economic road back – it will be a job-creator for Victorians and a huge boost to so many local businesses across the construction industry.”
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said a rail line to the airport was long overdue for Melbourne.
“Our objective has always been to deliver a rail connection that is fast, affordable and built as quickly as possible,” Mr Tudge said.
“For those in the south east it will mean a trip to the airport without changing trains, and for others just one change.”
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said that Airport Rail via Sunshine means that the majority of Victorians can access the airport by rail, as quickly as possible.
“This will give Victorians the fastest, most direct trip to the airport through the Metro Tunnel which will deliver more trains, more often.”
Melbourne’s west will also have direct airport access via a single interchange at Sunshine Station, or Footscray Station for Werribee and Williamstown line passengers.
Passengers on all city loop trains will be able to connect to airport trains at Flinders Street and Melbourne Central.
Passengers from the regional centres of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo will travel to the airport via a single interchange at Sunshine, while passengers from Gippsland will be connected via a single interchange at a choice of locations along the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
It delivers the best possible integration with the existing network and paves the way for future improvements to regional and western metropolitan lines.
Melbourne Airport Rail will use the new fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains – the biggest and most passenger-friendly trains on Victoria’s train network.
The Victorian and Australian governments have committed $5 billion each in funding. Detailed planning and development work is currently underway, which will inform more detailed cost estimates.
Construction will begin in 2022, with a target completion date for Melbourne Airport Rail of 2029 – subject to the business case and relevant Victorian and Federal planning, environmental and other government approvals.

An innovative nasal treatment to fight COVID-19, common colds and flu is being taken to the next stage of testing, thanks to the Morrison Government’s $500 million Biomedical Translation Fund.
Developed by Australian biotech company Ena Respiratory, INNA-051 works by stimulating the innate immune system, the first line of defence against the invasion of pathogens into the body.
The Government, alongside Brandon Capital Partners has committed $11.7 million to test the nasal spray treatment that targets the primary site of most respiratory virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and influenza.
The program has been designed so that if successful, INNA-051 will be manufactured and formulated in Australia, creating manufacturing jobs into the future.
In addition, four further projects will also share in almost $30 million dollars to commercialise their ideas. Each of these projects provide the potential to greatly improve the treatment for issues such as respiratory diseases, chronic pain and autoimmune diseases.
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said successful outcomes of the projects will improve the lives of Australians and potentially millions of people around the world.
“Australia’s health and medical researchers are world class and this investment will continue the proud Australian tradition of discovery and translation that saves lives and improves lives,” Minister Hunt said.
“The Morrison Government is backing Australia’s next generation of medical advances and this investment means these businesses have the potential to take their technology to the next level.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this funding underpins the Morrison Government’s determination to deliver better health outcomes, while also encouraging economic growth and creating jobs.
“The Biomedical Translation Fund fosters potential breakthroughs that will not only improve people’s lives, but also help Australian companies create more jobs and grow into new markets,” Minister Andrews said.
“The Morrison Government is looking to develop our manufacturing capacity in medical products and this fund is yet another way we can help commercialise great Australian ideas right here at home.”
Funding consists of equal parts Commonwealth and private sector funding and is operated by three private sector fund managers: Brandon Capital Partners, OneVentures Healthcare Fund and BioScience Managers.
The other four investments made through the Fund are:

• OneVentures Healthcare Fund has committed $9.5 million to Kira Biotech. Kira Biotech is researching treatments for autoimmune disease, a condition where the immune system attacks healthy cells or the body’s organs. Kira Biotech’s research directs components of the body’s normal immune response to the impaired cells of a person suffering from an autoimmune disease, allowing the immune system to work properly.
• BioScience Managers has committed $10 million to medical device company Closed Loop Medical. Closed Loop Medical’s technology aims to improve treatments for conditions of the body’s nervous system. The technology being developed will record and measure a person’s unique response to stimulation and provide a tailored outcome for the patient. The technology has the potential to be applied to disorders including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and bladder dysfunction.
• BioScience Managers has also committed $5 million to Adherium. Adherium is developing a digital medication monitoring system for people with respiratory diseases. The monitoring system will initially help people with conditions like asthma, by tracking their drug usage and issuing reminders to ensure they take their medication.
• Brandon Capital Partners’ MRCF BTF Fund has invested more than $5 million in Polyactiva. Polyactiva’s novel polymer technology delivers medication to the eyes. Its lead product will be used for treating glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness affecting 70 million people globally. Polyactiva’s novel delivery technology will provide six months of therapy from a single treatment, overcoming many of the challenges of delivering medication with eye drops.

The Morrison Government continues to invest in the cutting-edge medical technologies and treatments that will save lives, while growing a sector that can create jobs for Australians now and into the future.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, says the Government is right to reconsider its 2030 climate ambitions, but needs to do far more than just drop the Kyoto-credits loophole if Australia is to join the rest of the world on climate action.
“The government’s terrible 2030 targets leave Australia exposed. We’re in the critical decade and domestic political games will provide no cover for Australia’s climate-pariah status on the world stage,” Bandt said.
“Scott Morrison’s 2030 targets are consistent with Australia warming by over 4 degrees, which means civilisational collapse. The Liberals’ 2030 targets are not consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees.
“With Europe and the United Kingdom looking to cut pollution by well over half by 2030, and the United States having already agreed to cuts of 26-28% on 2005 levels by 2025, five years earlier than Australia, we’re becoming increasingly isolated.
“President-Elect Biden has committed to hold a global climate summit in the first 100 days of his Presidency to increase national emissions pledges, and both the Liberal and Labor parties must align Australia’s 2030 targets with the science.
“The Liberals’ 2030 targets have Australia on track for over 4 degrees of heating and Labor is letting Scott Morrison off the hook by having no 2030 targets at all.”
The Greens adjusted their 2030 and net-zero targets in July to take into account recent science and the reversal of progress since the repeal of the price on carbon – see here.