Category: Australian News

Australia needs political leadership that will ensure we emerge from the recession stronger than we were before it began.
History tells us attempting to deal with recessions by restoring pre-crisis conditions is a sure path to failure.
We need reform. Real reform.
Effective economic reform, as always, should focus on the three Ps – population, productivity and participation.
With the pandemic meaning that more people are leaving Australia than arriving, population will not be increasing.
Childcare reform is needed to boost participation in the workforce and productivity. That motivates Labor’s plan to address the absurd design flaw in our tax and childcare systems which discourages many working mothers from working full time.
Caps on childcare subsidies mean women who want to work more than three days a week often see the cost of childcare consume the bulk or even all of their wages.
For so many working women, it’s simply not worth working more than three days a week.
This derails careers, it deprives working women of opportunities they’ve earned.
This makes no sense.
It’s holding back families from getting ahead and it’s holding back our economy.
It means we are not fully utilising our nation’s greatest resource – our people.
A Labor government will fix this.
We will remove the $10,560 a year annual cap on the childcare subsidy from July 1 2022.
We will also increase the maximum childcare subsidy to 90 per cent – cutting costs for 97 per cent of all families in the system.
We will require the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to design a price regulation mechanism to ensure every taxpayer family benefits from this reform.
Families should be able to work out their own working arrangements without one gender being disadvantaged.
The economic payoff will be huge. Modelling shows that clearing the way for greater female workforce participation will boost economic growth by $4 billion a year.
Then there is the benefit to children.
The human brain develops 90 per cent of its capacity in the first five years of life.
Our reform will give children greater access to early childhood education, which will improve their prospects in later life.
This will benefit workplaces – not just day-to-day productivity but years of valuable experience and knowledge and skills.
Labor’s childcare change represents fundamental structural reform that will not only change lives, but also turbo charge economic growth.
This underlines the difference between Labor and the conservatives.
While the Liberals resist reform, Labor governments drive change in the national interest.
We take on the tough reform tasks that change our nation for the better.
Universal health care. Affordable university education. Compulsory superannuation. The National Broadband Network. The NDIS.
Then there are the great economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating era which set the platform for three decades of economic growth and prosperity.
Our childcare initiative is cut from the same cloth.
It is not just about fairness. It will transform our national economy for the better.

 
The Morrison Government has officially opened Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Redbank, Queensland, which will see hundreds of long-term jobs created for Queensland workers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the new defence industry facility in Redbank is part of the Economic Recovery Plan to create jobs as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are committed to keeping Australians safe, while protecting the nation’s interests in a rapidly changing global environment,” the Prime Minister said.
“This week’s budget has seen the Federal Government bring forward $1 billion worth of capability projects and reservist days to support jobs, the Australian defence industry and the wider economy.”
“This Queensland centre will be where some of the most advanced armoured vehicles in the world will be produced, by Australian workers.”
“The MILVEHCOE will create more than 450 long-term jobs and become a national asset for military vehicles.”
The Prime Minister also congratulated Rheinmetall Defence Australia for securing work to export at least 30 Lance Turrets from MILVEHCOE to Hungary.
“This is a significant export order, and a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to supporting Australian defence industry to achieve export success,” Mr Morrison said.
“We make things in Australia. We do it well. And this is an example of how we are continuing to make things in Australia.”
“Defence is one of six priority areas under our $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy and is backed by measures from Tuesday’s budget. This includes the JobMaker hiring credits to boost employment, a $2.8 billion programme to support apprenticeship and trainee jobs through wage subsidies and tax incentives so businesses can deduct the full cost of any eligible assets and to offset loss against previous profits, for businesses with a turnover of under $5 billion.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the vehicles from MILVEHCOE represent a new level of capability for the Army.
“As outlined in the 2020 Force Structure Plan, the Boxer will provide enhanced mobility, firepower, protection and situational awareness to our troops,” Minister Reynolds said.
“They will allow our Australian Defence Force personnel to rapidly deploy, achieve their missions and importantly, return home safely.”
“I join the Prime Minister in congratulating Rheinmetall Defence Australia on securing new export opportunities. A resilient and internationally competitive defence industry is essential to Australia’s national security.
Minister for Defence Industry, Hon Melissa Price said MILVEHCOE represented a watershed in Defence self-reliance, backed by a secure domestic supply chain provided by home-grown Australian businesses.
“Australian industry will play a vital role delivering and sustaining key Australian defence capabilities at the facility,” Minister Price said.
“Rheinmetall will use suppliers across Australia to design, build, assemble, test and support the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles and training systems.”
“The work at this facility is terrific news for Queensland workers and defence companies across the country.”
Rheinmetall will use the MILVEHCOE facility to build and assemble the majority of Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, which are being delivered to the Australian Army under the $5 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 project.
The facility will also be used to conduct integration, support and heavy grade repair for the logistics trucks and modules being delivered under the LAND 121 Phase 3B and 5B projects.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt & Economic Justice Spokesperson Nick McKim have today slammed a deal between the Labor and Liberal parties to ram through tens of billions of dollars in tax cuts and corporate welfare.
Liberal & Labor also opposed Greens amendments that would have excluded millionaires from the tax cuts, and ensured goods purchased with company tax credits were made in Australia.
“Liberal and Labor have put the millionaires ahead of the million unemployed,” said Mr Bandt.
“In the middle of a recession, it is rampantly obscene that Liberal and Labor have fast-tracked tax cuts for millionaires.
“Instead of fighting Tories, Labor is cuddling them.
“Liberal and Labor have rammed through major changes to Australia’s tax system with zero pause or time for scrutiny.
“This budget is a trickle down con-job that spends big, but spends badly, and will prolong the recession. It favours millionaires over the millions, and puts corporate welfare ahead of helping people recover from the pandemic.
“This was a chance for our government to invest in delivering full employment and meaningful work in clean industries, as well as investing in the care economy, education, affordable housing, renewables and sustainable infrastructure. Instead, Liberals and Labor chose a gas-powered future that delivers billions in corporate welfare and tax cuts for millionaires.”
Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Nick McKim said:
“The Government and Labor worked together to block amendments that would have excluded millionaires from the tax cut, and ensure goods purchased with company tax credits were made in Australia,” Senator McKim said.
“Last night Anthony Albanese said the budget didn’t go far enough to boost Australian manufacturing – but today rejected a chance to fix it.
“These tax cuts deliver $2500 for millionaires, $250 for the working poor and a kick in the teeth for the unemployed.”

Flinders University has been awarded the contract to develop the first stage of the Australian Government’s new $34 million Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translation Research.
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Richard Colbeck, said the centre, would draw on world best practice and examine new ways to deliver care for senior Australians, and training and education for aged care providers.
Stage 1 will establish the model for the centre and set the research priorities for the first year of operation.
“We expect to see improvements in aged care practice, as well as workforce efficiencies and the use of technology to continue to improve aged care,” Minister Colbeck said.
“It will promote workforce reforms based on evidence from research, provide an incubator to fast-track research into practice, and provide a forum to ensure that innovations can be taken up by the sector.”
The centre is one of the strategic actions from Australia’s Aged Care Workforce Strategy – A Matter of Care.
It will be pivotal in enhancing and fast-tracking the reform required to ensure the delivery of quality aged care services.
Minister Colbeck said the centre’s priorities will be informed by the findings from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and lessons learned through the COVID -19 pandemic.
It comes on top of the 2020-21 Budget allocation of $10.3 million over three years for the Aged Care Industry Council to implement an aged care workforce strategy.
The Council will be a significant partner in guiding the operation of the centre and disseminating its work to the sector.
“Older Australians deserve the best care possible, delivered by a skilled and capable workforce, using best-practice models of care and the latest technologies,” Minister Colbeck said.
Following establishment of the model, a request for tender will be released seeking a consortia to establish and operate the Centre from early 2021. Australian Government funding will continue through to 30 June 2024.

The Central West of New South Wales is set to benefit with 37 medical student places to be funded by the Australian Government at Charles Sturt University’s new medical school in Orange.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said it was important to ensure students and communities shared in the benefit that locally offered medical degrees would bring to the region.
“Regional Australia needs more doctors,” Mr Tehan said.
“Charles Sturt will be able to deliver a fully rural medical program that will allow students who grow up in country Australia to complete their medical degree at a rural university campus.
“This will also bring students from the cities to study and work in regional locations.”
The Orange medical school is one of five new rural medical programs that form the  Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network, and are sharing in $74 million in funding to help attract and retain doctors who understand local issues and concerns.
With building activities underway at Orange, students will be able to take advantage of cutting-edge learning facilities as well as student accommodation.
“As most medical training currently happens in the cities, this will mean students in Orange and the Central West of NSW can train within their local area,” Mr Tehan said.
“These new rural medical schools ‘flip’ the current model of medical training and students can do most of their training in regional Australia.”
Authorised by The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Parliament House, Canberra
Minister for Regional Health Mark Coulton said regional Australian communities needed more doctors in the right place, at the right time.
“The Government is investing in the Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network to help attract and retain doctors in rural and regional Australia,” Minister Coulton said.
“We know greater exposure to rural training opportunities leads to more doctors and health professionals choosing rural careers.”
Minister for Regional Education and Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee said he was excited to see Charles Sturt University’s new medical school open next year with 37 medical student places.
“We fought long and hard for this medical school which will train doctors in the bush for practice in the bush,” Mr Gee said.
“It is only fair that country students have the same educational opportunities as their city cousins and that includes training to become a doctor.
“Orange’s new medical school has lasting significance and will be training our country medical workforce for generations to come.”
Once all rural medical schools are operating, around 140 students will begin their medical studies across the Murray-Darling region of New South Wales and Victoria every year.
Charles Sturt University, one of the Network members, is partnering with Western Sydney University to deliver a fully rural medical program at Orange.

Labor is calling on the Morrison Government to create work for thousands of tradies in almost every suburb and town across Australia by investing half a billion dollars to fast-track urgent repairs to social housing.
This is what we would do if we were in Government right now.
Twenty-five per cent of Australia’s social housing needs urgent repair and maintenance. That’s 100,000 homes.
Some of these homes have problems such as mould, leaking roofs and water damage, while others are simply unfit for people to live in.
Repairs could start almost immediately, providing work for local plumbers, chippies, sparkies, plasterers and painters as well as companies that manufacture building supplies and materials. This would also provide opportunities for apprentices.
This should involve an immediate $500 million contribution from the Commonwealth and a partnership with the states, with the expectation they would contribute up to the same amount in new funding.
Housing construction is expected to plummet this financial year from 170,000 to as few as 125,000 new home builds.
This investment would be a win-win. It would provide work for local tradies, and fix homes that need to be fixed.
Data shows women over the age of 55 are the fastest growing demographic facing homelessness. Two-thirds of primary social housing tenants are women on low incomes.
A range of industry experts have called for more investment in social housing, including the Housing Industry Association, Master Builders Association, Property Council of Australia, Equity Economics and Commonwealth Bank.
This work needs to be done now.
Ahead of the next election, Labor will bring forward a comprehensive plan for the repair and construction of social housing.

Women are at the heart of Labor’s plan to kickstart the economy and get Australians back to work.
An Albanese Labor Government will introduce the Working Family Childcare Boost to cut child care fees and put more money into the pockets of working families, straight away.
Child care fees in Australia are some of the highest in the world. Under this plan, Labor will:

• Scrap the $10,560 child care subsidy cap which often sees women losing money from an extra day’s work;
• Lift the maximum child care subsidy rate to 90 per cent; and
• Increase child care subsidy rates and taper them for every family earning less than $530,000.

This means 97 per cent of all families in the system will save between $600 to $2,900 a year. No family will be worse off.
Importantly, Labor will keep working to fix Australia’s broken child care system, which currently locks out more than 100,000 families because they just can’t afford it.
The Productivity Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of the sector with the aim of implementing a universal 90 per cent subsidy for all families.
The ACCC will design a price regulation mechanism to shed light on costs and fees and drive them down for good. The ACCC will examine the relationship between funding, fees, profits and educators’ salaries.
Taxpayer dollars spent on child care should flow directly through to savings for Australian families.
The Coalition’s system has failed parents – particularly women. It has created a financial disincentive for many second wage earners to work full time, or even increase their hours.
On top of that, since this Government was elected in 2013, child care fees have skyrocketed by almost 35 per cent. Now, families pay on average $3,800 more per year.

An Albanese Labor Government will rebuild the nation’s manufacturing industry with a comprehensive plan to create jobs, boost vital skills, bring industry expertise back onshore and supercharge national productivity.
As part of his budget reply speech in Canberra tonight, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese unveiled A Future Made in Australia ­– Labor’s blueprint for local manufacturing jobs and skills – which includes:

• A National Rail Manufacturing Plan to see more trains built in Australia by local workers and ensure every dollar of federal funding spent on rail projects boosts local jobs and industry;
• A Defence Industry Development Strategy to leverage our $270 billion investment pipeline, develop sovereign industrial and research capabilities and build skills and expertise within the Australian workforce; and
• An Australian Skills Guarantee to give apprentices, trainees and cadets a foot in the door when it comes to work on major Commonwealth projects.

This will build on the jobs that will flow from Labor’s plans for an Australian Centre for Disease Control and a social housing repair program to get tradies back on the tools.
Labor’s National Rail Manufacturing Plan will undertake a national audit of passenger train capacity and condition, develop our rail procurement and manufacturing strategy, assess how we can grow jobs, bolster research and development and collaborate with innovation initiatives and organisations.
Importantly, it will reinstate the important role of the Rail Supplier Advocate cut by the Liberals in 2013 – to help small and medium-sized businesses identify export opportunities and get a foot in the door with government purchasing bodies.
The Defence Industry Development Strategy will put Australian industry, workers and security first with a framework to maximise and publicly disclose local content for all major defence material procurements and local defence contracts.
Finally, an Australian Skills Guarantee will ensure that one in 10 jobs on major federally funded infrastructure projects are given to apprentices, trainees or cadets.
This work will be supported by Jobs and Skills Australia – announced by Mr Albanese last year – an independent body designed to bring together the business community, states and territories, unions, education providers and regional organisations to match skills training with the evolving demands of industry.

Tax cuts for 11 million Australians will flow in the coming weeks after the Morrison Government secured the passage of the legislation through the Federal Parliament today.
The tax relief package, for both individuals and business, is part of our COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan for Australia to create jobs, rebuild our economy and secure Australia’s future.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will update its schedules next week, with software payroll companies to update over the coming weeks, to get more money into the pockets of hard-working Australians as quickly as possible.
Getting money into the pockets of Australians will give them more to spend at their local shops helping to create more jobs.
Our business tax relief measures will also help to keep businesses to stay afloat, to grow and to hire more people.
It is estimated our tax relief package to reduce the personal income tax burden and encourage business investment will create around 100,000 jobs by the end of 2021-22 and boost GDP by around $6 billion in 2020‑21 and $19 billion in 2021-22.
Tax relief for individuals
The package brings forward Stage two of our Personal Income Tax Plan by two years. From 1 July 2020:
The Government is also providing additional targeted support to low-and middle-income Australians.
In 2020‑21, low-and middle-income earners will receive a one-off additional benefit of up to $1,080 from the low and middle income tax offset (LMITO).
Together, bringing forward Stage two and providing the additional LMITO means more than 11 million Australian taxpayers will get a tax cut, with effect from 1 July this year.
Tax relief for business
Businesses with a turnover of up to $5 billion are now able to immediately deduct the full cost of eligible depreciable assets as long as they are first used or installed by 30 June 2022.
This will help to rebuild our economy and create more jobs by kick-starting activity in the private sector.
To complement this, the Government will also temporarily allow companies with a turnover of up to $5 billion to offset tax losses against previous profits on which tax has been paid.
This will provide a targeted cash flow boost to help keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs.
Businesses with an aggregated annual turnover between $10 million and $50 million will, for the first time, be able to access up to ten small business tax concessions.
This will reduce red tape and support around 20,000 businesses to attract workers and retain jobs.
Under the changes passed by the Parliament the Government will also enhance previously announced reforms to invest an additional $2 billion through the Research and Development Tax Incentive.
This will help more than 11,400 companies that invest in research and development to create the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Tax relief for hard-working Australians and businesses is part of the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan to create jobs, rebuild the economy and secure Australia’s future.

Today’s Australian Bureau of Statistics lending indicators data shows HomeBuilder is delivering the stimulus the construction industry needs, with the number of loans for the construction of new dwellings rising to its highest level in over a decade, and giving first home buyers confidence to enter the market.
In August 2020, the number of loans for the construction of a new dwelling increased by 22.9 per cent, up 34 per cent through the year.
HomeBuilder has seen first home buyers flood into the housing market with first home buyer loans rising dramatically in August to be 17.7 per cent higher, up 37.3 per cent through the year, the highest level since October 2009
The Housing Industry Association’s (HIA) Chief Economist Tim Reardon said that the data demonstrated the stimulus from HomeBuilder was emerging and protecting the jobs of tradies, quote;
“The short-term stimulus from HomeBuilder is emerging in the housing finance data released by the ABS today. This is particularly evident in the issuing of loans for the construction of new homes and in lending to first home buyers”
“There has been a substantial improvement in sentiment and confidence in the housing market.”
“It is evident in today’s data that there will be an increase in work on the ground in the December quarter this year which will protect jobs in the construction industry and the broader economy.”
Today’s results add to the growing number of leading indicators which show that HomeBuilder is delivering the support the residential construction industry needs. Recent data shows;

• HIA new home sales data in the three months to August 2020 shows sales have risen 61.3 per cent compared to the previous quarter since HomeBuilder was announced.

• ABS Building Approvals data shows private sector house approvals are at their highest level since February 2019, with over 9,000 approvals recorded.

The response to HomeBuilder from home buyers and tradies has been overwhelmingly positive and this data shows we are keeping the pipeline of construction flowing, which protects jobs.
The Morrison Government is committed to doing all we can to help Australians get into a home of their own as part of our Economic Recovery Plan for Australia.