Category: Australian News

Australians suffering from melanoma and multiple sclerosis will soon have new treatment options, with new and amended PBS listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) coming into effect on 1 November.
The Morrison Government will expand the current PBS listings of Tafinlar® (dabrafenib) and Mekinist® (trametinib) to include subsidy for post-surgery treatment for patients who have Stages IIIB, IIIC and IIID melanoma.
Over 260 patients per year are expected to benefit from this listing each year. Without the PBS subsidy, patients might otherwise pay more than $128,900 for each course of treatment for these medicines.
Stage III melanoma means that cancer cells have spread into skin, lymph vessels or lymph glands close to the melanoma but they haven’t spread to other parts of the body.
Australia has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world – 11 times higher than the worldwide average; more than twice the rate than the UK or USA.
It is estimated 15,229 Australians will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2019, and approximately 400 will have Stage III resected BRAF mutation positive melanoma.
Additionally, paediatric patients being treated for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis will benefit from the extension of two medicines listings.
The current PBS listing of Gilenya® (fingolimod) will be amended to include a new strength of this medicine for treatment of patients weighing 40kg or less, including paediatric patients.
Up to 17 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis are expected to benefit from this listing each year. Without the PBS subsidy, patients might otherwise pay more than $28,800 for a course of treatment.
The PBS listing of Tysabri® (natalizumab) will be extended to remove the age restrictions for this medicine, to subsidise use in paediatric patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.
Without the PBS subsidy, patients might otherwise pay more than $17,500 each year and it is expected that an additional 10 patients per year will have access to this medicine.
These PBS listings were recommended by the independent expert Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).
Through the PBS patients will pay a maximum of $40.30 per script, with concessional people paying just $6.50 per script for these medicines.
Since 2013, the Morrison Government has made more than 2,200 new or amended medicines listings on the PBS. This represents an average of around 30 listings per month – or one each day – at an overall cost of around $10.6 billion.
Unlike Labor, we are listing all medicines recommended by the medical experts on the PBAC. In 2011, Labor stopped listing medicines on the PBS because they could not manage the economy.
Our commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.
We are able to provide unprecedented levels of support to health and medical research because of our strong economic management.
About Tafinlar® and Mekinist®

• Tafinlar® and Mekinist® is the first treatment targeting the BRAF gene mutation to be reimbursed for patients with Stage IIIB-D melanoma following surgery.
• Whilst survival rates for those with early stage disease are very high, without treatment nearly one in two people with Stage IIIB-D melanoma at diagnosis will experience a recurrence within one year of surgery.
• Tafinlar® and Mekinist®, known as targeted therapies, work on different proteins involved in tumour cell growth that are active in patients with a melanoma carrying the BRAF gene mutation.
• By targeting and blocking growth signals from these proteins, Tafinlar® and Mekinist® can slow down or stop cancer growth.

Australia is at a crucial intersection.
From a weakening economy and growing job insecurity, to the challenge of climate change and an ageing population – Australia needs a plan.
But Australia has a government that has no agenda, let alone a plan for the future.
It’s a government that is characterised by being scared of the present and terrified of the future.
So Labor is turning its focus forward – to what the Australian people need so they can build a safe, prosperous and secure future.
And we’ll be guided every step of the way by our values: Labor values.
That’s why today, I began laying down the framework that will guide the policies that Labor will take to the election.
This one focused on the very heart of Labor’s mission: jobs and the future of work.
And I wanted you to hear directly from me about how Labor can lead Australia confidently into the future.
In my speech today, I outlined the ways that Australia can prepare for the future of work, including:
Embracing a new manufacturing boom — and all the jobs that will come with it — by becoming a green energy superpower
Exporting the minerals that will fuel the clean energy economies of the future – minerals like lithium, which is used in electric cars and batteries
Beginning a new national project to repair our TAFE and training system by establishing Jobs and Skills Australia – a real, genuine partnership between unions, business, government and TAFE to make sure workers are getting the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow
Changing the culture of workplaces so unequal pay, segregation, sexual harassment and discrimination are things of the past – and that women can be seen on construction or mining sites as equally as men are seen in our places of care
Supporting Australia’s creative industries – hamstrung by cuts, lack of investment and outdated policy settings – because imagination and creativity are two of Australia’s other great renewable resources
Making sure workers in the gig economy are protected just as much as workers in more traditional industries
We know Australia can’t assume economic success is inevitable.
We can watch the tidal wave of change coming and be swept away by it – or we can protect our citizens by giving them a fair shot at a prosperous future.
But Labor doesn’t believe that Government should simply get out of the way and leave it to the market alone. We know that trickle-down economics only rains down misery on working people.
Australians can build a safe, prosperous and secure future if we establish the conditions in which their own efforts are rewarded.
In the coming decades, we need to create the conditions to prosper in our changing and dynamic world.
There is absolutely no sign that the Morrison Government even understands this challenge, let alone possesses the will to tackle it. They are complacent and have no plan.
Labor is prepared to take it on.
We know we can do this as long as we work together and present a vision for the future.
Because whatever the economic challenges we face, a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay is still a concept worth aspiring to

The Australian Greens support the Kashmiri community on 27 October as they commemorate Black Day.  Kashmir is a disputed territory and it is now almost three months since the Indian Government decided to revoke its special status and further erode Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
The Indian Government must restore basic human rights in Kashmir, including freedom of speech and communication.  The Indian Government must also lift curfews and restrictions placed on political leaders, end arbitrary detentions and disappearances, allow humanitarian organisations to resume their work, and reverse the decision to drastically reduce the autonomy of Kashmir.
Once again, the Greens urge the Australian Government to speak out and call on the Indian Government to respect the human rights of the people in Kashmir and their right to self-determination. The people of Kashmir have been waiting long enough for a free and fair plebiscite to determine their future.

Greens Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to Racing Victoria’s announcement of a $25m “equine welfare” plan.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The racing industry is attempting to head off a meaningful scrutiny with nice-sounding words and the bare minimum in funding.
“Any move to improve animal welfare for horses is a step forward but the plan from Racing Victoria is not good enough. They’ve moved barely an inch after being exposed as an industry whose business model relies on the industrial scale slaughter of horses.
“The public has seen the horrific abuse and slaughter of racehorses and are rightfully demanding that the industry show responsibility, accountability and transparency.
“The racing industry must safeguard the wellbeing of the horses they breed for the whole of their natural lives.
“Racing Victoria’s plan to subsidise ‘on farm euthanasia’ shows the industry isn’t prepared to tackle their over-breeding.We must introduce breeding caps and give all racehorses a dignified retirement funded by the industry that breeds them.
“The Federal government must urgently establish a Royal Commission to lift the lid on the dirty secrets of this billion-dollar racing and gambling industry. A piecemeal approach by the states is not going to get to the bottom of what the industry knew and when,” she concluded.

Greens spokesperson for education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has said the release of new data today shows the harm the Liberal Government’s neglect and austerity has done to universities.
The selected Higher Education Statistics – 2018 Student data shows Commonwealth supported student places growing by only 0.5% in 2018 compared to an average of 2.1% across the three years prior.
The undergraduate Applications, Offers and Acceptances 2019 data shows:

• “In 2019, applicants from a low SES background recorded a larger decrease (-3.9 per cent) in applications than applicants from a medium SES and high SES backgrounds, -2.0 per cent and -1.0 per cent respectively.”
• “In 2019, offers to applicants from a low SES background decreased by 5.0 per cent followed by those from a medium SES background (-2.9 per cent) and high SES background (-0.3 per cent).”
• “There were 276,489 unique offers made in 2019, a decrease of 1.5 per cent on the previous year. This follows a decrease of 1.9 per cent in 2018.”

Senator Faruqi said:
“This data shows the terrible impact of the Liberal Governments’ punitive funding freeze, with Commonwealth supported student places growing by only 0.5% in 2018 compared to an average of 2.1% across the three years prior.
“Students have missed out on the opportunity to study because of the Liberals cuts to funding over the last few years. The measly funding increase the Liberals have now tied to misguided performance measures isn’t going to fix the problem.
“The Liberals’ cuts are hitting low SES students the hardest. While offers for admission reduced overall, offers to low SES students decreased by 16 times the decrease in offers to high SES students in 2019.
“The Government has to take responsibility for years of vicious cuts to education, including their short-sighted decision to abolish the Education Infrastructure Fund a fortnight ago.
“As with TAFE, Government austerity and neglect is undermining our public universities which are crucial to all of our futures.
“Instead of running higher education into the ground, the Government should get on board with the Greens’ plan to fund free undergraduate university and TAFE for all and boost university funding by 10 per cent. Our plan would improve learning and teaching conditions, reduce class sizes and enable researchers to pursue solutions to the big problems of our time,” she concluded.

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments are delivering reliable and affordable energy, making the New South Wales-Queensland Interconnector (QNI) happen.
The Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments will jointly underwrite up to $102 million of the QNI upgrade to ensure the security of electricity in NSW.
This will allow TransGrid, the network transmission service provider for NSW, to fast track critical early works for QNI ahead of the final regulatory determination of the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision to underwrite QNI will unlock important transmission infrastructure and back the future of the New South Wales energy grid.
“This is about putting downward pressure on wholesale prices to make sure businesses and households have access to reliable and affordable power.
“Industry needs certainty. They need to know their electricity won’t cut out, and their power bill won’t suddenly double. You can’t run a business like that, and you can’t employ people.
“That’s why we are underwriting this interconnector. It’s a practical step to make sure it happens, and it happens quickly,” said the Prime Minister.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government is committed to providing reliable and affordable electricity to the people of NSW.
“The QNI upgrade will ease cost of living pressures for people across NSW, providing reliable and affordable power to households and businesses,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Last year, the NSW Government announced its Transmission Infrastructure Strategy which outlined our commitment to accelerate the delivery of key interconnector projects, including the QNI.”
Mr Taylor said the support will put downward pressure on wholesale prices and deliver essential transmission for the NSW industries and jobs that rely on affordable, reliable energy.
“The QNI upgrade will facilitate greater competition between generators in the electricity market, helping to reduce wholesale prices,” said Mr Taylor.
“This is great news for the energy-intensive industries, and the jobs and regional economies that rely on them. With wholesale prices making up around a third of an average retail electricity bill, this will also deliver price relief for households and small businesses.
“Along with the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI), this will strengthen the backbone of the National Electricity Market, reduce network bottlenecks and make the energy market more efficient.”
Mr Kean said the new agreement with the Australian Government and TransGrid is the most cost-effective option for the people of New South Wales up to, and after, the closure of the Liddell power station in April 2023.
“Fast tracking QNI is just one of the ways we’re delivering on our commitment to keep the lights on and to keep power costs down as the energy market transitions,” Mr Kean said.
This program compliments work that TransGrid will progress on the VNI – which will further increase competition as well as removing constraints that prevent generation from getting to where it’s needed.
The Commonwealth Government will share the underwriting liability with New South Wales through a 50/50 split.
The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments are working closely as part of the Liddell Taskforce to mitigate other potential supply risks from the closure of Liddell.
The NSW–Queensland transmission interconnector was declared a high-priority project under the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan. Through this joint agreement, upgrades to QNI will be brought forward to late 2021, delivering an extra 190 MW of capacity into NSW during peak demand periods.
Regulatory approval processes for QNI are already well progressed due to the New South Wales Government’s Transmission Infrastructure Strategy, with further action needed to ensure QNI is fully operational by the summer of 2022–23.

The Coalition Government has today released for consultation the draft Investment Mandate for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (the Scheme) which will help eligible first home buyers enter the property market sooner.
The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) Investment Mandate Amendment (First Home Loan Deposit Scheme) Direction 2019, sets out the core elements of the Scheme and NHFIC’s housing research function, including the property price caps.
The Scheme provides a guarantee that will allow eligible first home buyers on low and middle incomes to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent. The Scheme will support up to 10,000 loans each financial year, starting from 1 January 2020.
Applicants will be subject to eligibility criteria, including having taxable incomes up to $125,000 per annum for singles and up to $200,000 per annum for couples. The Scheme will apply to owner-occupied loans on a principal and interest basis.
Property price caps under the Scheme set appropriate price thresholds in capital cities, large regional centres with a population over 250,000 and regional areas;

State/territory	Capital city and regional centres	Rest of state
NSW	$700,000	$450,000
VIC	$600,000	$375,000
QLD	$475,000	$400,000
WA	$400,000	$300,000
SA	$400,000	$250,000
TAS	$400,000	$300,000
ACT	$500,000	–
NT	$375,000	–

The capital city price caps will apply to large regional centres with a population in excess of 250,000, namely the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Sunshine Coast, Illawarra (Wollongong) and Geelong, recognising that dwellings in large regional centres tend to be significantly more expensive than other regional areas.
The Scheme complements other Coalition Government initiatives to reduce pressure on housing affordability in Australia and support local communities. This includes:

• The First Home Super Saver Scheme which helps Australians build a deposit for a first home inside their superannuation fund by making voluntary contributions.
• Investing $1 billion in local infrastructure to unlock new housing supply, in partnership with local councils through the National Housing Infrastructure Facility.
• Releasing suitable Commonwealth land, including defence land, for housing development.

These incentives have helped thousands of first home buyers enter the market. In the past year, around 110,000 Australians bought their first home – the highest level since 2009.
The Coalition Government’s plan to build a stronger economy will continue to help first home buyers own their first home sooner.
Stakeholders are invited to comment on the draft Investment Mandate Amendment and associated material, which are available on the Treasury website. Submissions close on Monday, 4 November 2019.

On the eve of the Agricultural Minister’s Forum (AgMin) on Friday, where the horse racing industry will be discussed, the Greens have said that the Federal Government has no other choice but to establish a Royal Commission into animal cruelty and ‘wastage’ in the horse racing industry and to get the States on board.
Greens Senator and Animal Welfare Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said that the industry cannot be trusted to clean itself up and their lack of action since the expose on the slaughter of race horses has shown that only a Royal Commission can resolve the issue.
Senator Faruqi said:
“There is a fundamental rot in the horse racing industry that needs to be exposed. Only a Royal Commission with the power to compel witnesses and open up the books will get to the bottom of the racing industry’s cruelty.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the industry has known where these horses end up, but have failed to take action. They simply can’t be trusted.
“Industrial slaughter of race horses is the business model of the racing industry. Too many horses are bred for them to be realistically rehomed, so the racing industry relies on cruel slaughterhouses to dispose of what they call ‘wastage’.
“The community is red hot with anger and have no faith in the racing industry to protect horses. It has been a week of buck passing and crocodile tears from the industry and they should hang their head in shame.
“They are clearly not serious about reform. Accountability will only come when a Royal Commission drags them kicking and screaming to the table.
“If the racing industry is serious about protecting the lives of the thousands of horses they breed, then they should support our call for a Royal Commission.
“Piecemeal state by state actions and inquiries won’t end the cruelty – it is part of the reason why we are in this mess in the first place. We know state and federal governments are too captured by the racing and gambling industries to undertake a genuine review of animal cruelty in the horse racing and gambling industry. That’s why we need a Royal Commission,” she concluded.

Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator for NSW Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to reports the federal Agriculture Minister has asked states to consider a national horse register at today’s meeting of agriculture ministers.
Senator Faruqi said:
“I established the inquiry into a national  horse traceability register to help prevent the kind of shocking cruelty we saw on our screens last week.
“The Greens were the first to champion a birth-to-death horse register, but any register must provide real transparency and real teeth.
“It’s good to see some movement from the Minister, but it’s not good enough to just ask states to consider a national horse register. No more buck passing.
“Minister McKenzie must step up and the Federal Government should lead on a national register without shifting responsibility to the states who have a poor record on animal welfare.
“The billion-dollar racing industry relies on breeding thousands of horses purely for their gambling profits through racing. They have completely abdicated their moral and financial responsibility to guarantee those horses a good life. A horse register will help change that.
“Tracing horses throughout their lives will solve part of the problem. We need strong enforcement and strong animal welfare laws as well. The Greens have long advocated for an independent office for animal welfare which can do this.
“At the end of the day, the racing industry’s neglect of racehorses and their attempts to mislead the public demand a Royal Commission to lift the lid on an industry that has long escaped scrutiny,” she concluded.

Today’s landmark campaign by media outlets is a welcome offensive against the erosion of media freedom and whistleblower protections, the Greens say.
“Whether it’s cruelty of horses as we saw last week, abuse in aged care, or misconduct of the banks, media freedom and whistleblower protection isn’t just about journalists, it’s about the public’s right to know,” Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications and chair of the Senate Inquiry into Press Freedoms, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“In just two years there’s been about 22 pieces of legislation the Federal Government has rammed through the Parliament that increase secrecy in our democracy, under a guise of ‘national security’.
“The truth is, those in power don’t want the public to know what they’re up to and are shutting down transparency and accountability to serve their own interests.
“This campaign by the Right to Know coalition provides many examples of wrongdoing and misconduct that would never have had a spotlight on them without whistleblowers and the protection of journalists’ sources and media freedoms.
“What’s really at stake here is one of the pillars of our democracy. The message to the government is very clear and it’s time they acted. Giving discretionary power to the Attorney-General just doesn’t cut it. Journalism is not a crime and legislation should protect them, not criminalise them.”