16 News

The Greens have today backed an expert report from the Climate Council calling for climate change to be a key objective in new environment laws, as Labor signs off approval for the new South Wambo coal project in NSW. The Greens have slammed the Government for approving more fossil fuel projects as we head into a hot dry summer.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson for the Environment:

“Another day, another new coal project approved by the Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.

“The Greens welcome the Climate Council’s expert report today calling for climate change to be a key objective within our environment laws. That’s why we are calling on the Government to work with us on our Climate Trigger Bill currently before the parliament.

“Every time the Minister approves a new coal or gas project it makes the climate crisis worse. That means more frequent and extreme bushfires and extreme weather events.

“Coal and gas approvals wreck our River Murray and our Great Barrier Reef

“Australia’s environment laws are broken. We need laws that stop pollution from new coal and gas projects. The Labor government should work with the Greens to fix them with a Climate Trigger that would new stop coal and gas in its tracks.

“Minister Plibersek has one job as the Environment Minister, but rather than protecting the environment, she keeps giving green light to big coal and gas mines and making pollution worse.”

Today’s monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data has shown the impact of inflation on everyday Australians is real and it is acute.

The headline inflation rate of 5.2% remains well above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target band of 2-3%. Soaring prices of electricity, gas, insurance, rent and automotive fuel mean what Australians are feeling is far worse than the headline figure suggests.

Excluding volatile items, CPI also remains well above the headline rate at 5.5% with annual trimmed mean inflation at 5.6%.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said household budgets are being squeezed at every possible angle under Labor.

“Soaring energy bills, rising grocery prices, sky high mortgages and rents and now escalating fuel prices. How much more can Australians cop?” Mr Taylor said.

“Despite promising day after day to bring the cost of living down before the election, Labor has made a bad situation worse.

“The Coalition has been calling on the government for over a year to rein in its spending to take pressure off prices but Deutsche Bank analysis this week has shown Labor governments around the country increasing spending by 2% of GDP.

“Families are paying a hefty price for Labor’s failure to take inflation seriously.

“Energy companies told the Cost of Living Committee there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of Australians struggling to pay their energy bills with more people now accessing hardship programs than during the COVID pandemic.

“Despite the real pain families are feeling, the Treasurer started the week claiming balancing growth with keeping inflation low was a ‘narrow’ and ‘technical’ objective.

“This is a government missing in action on the fight against inflation and is distracted by its Canberra Voice and repaying favours to its biggest donors – the unions.

“Labor must treat inflation as priority one, two and three. Unfortunately that’s not what we’re seeing and it’s hardworking Australians paying the price.”

The number of Australians on energy bill hardship programs is now higher than the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the greatest concern for customers being the risk of another interest rate rise.

Representatives from EnergyAustralia, AGL Energy and Origin Energy told the Cost of Living Committee at its hearing in Perth that there has been a “significant increase” in the number of customers on hardship plans.

One energy retailer reported that the number of customers on hardship plans had almost doubled from the peak of the pandemic, and they expected the number to increase into the future.

The Committee heard that “more supply is critical” to reducing energy prices, but that the Albanese Government’s interventions in the gas market “tend to discourage supply”.

An “unprecedented demand” in the number of Australians seeking charitable assistance is also being reported across various organisations in the West Australian charity sector.

Foodbank WA said they were now providing food assistance to dual income households, a demographic they said they “never expected to support”, with the number of eligible Foodbank cardholders recently skyrocketing from 5,000 to 14,000 due to the cost of living crisis.

The Salvation Army said it had seen a 60% increase in wage earners seeking assistance, while the Anglicare WA said employed people coming to it for assistance had tripled in the last three months.

Exasperating the challenges charities are facing is the fact that the sector is not seeing donations increase at the same rate as requests for assistance, and it is harder to find volunteers.

Chair of the Committee Senator Jane Hume said that the increase in the number of Australians accessing hardship programs and charities, shows the very real impact the cost of living crisis is having on families.

“Labor went to the election promising a plan to lower the cost of living and reduce energy bills by $275, but the evidence we heard today is that energy bills are going up, and Australians are struggling to cope.

“The fact that there are now more Australians on hardship programs than during the peak of the pandemic and the fact that charities are now servicing dual income households, show that Australians are not better off under Labor.”

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Dean Smith said the charities and non-profits sector is operating in a perfect storm of record demand and rising overheads.

“Charities are working in overdrive, but their own costs are up – one told us today they’ve spiked 66% – while both donations and the supply of volunteers are generally down,” Senator Smith said.

“And a light is now being shone on ‘hidden’ hardship, households with two working parents, not eligible for Government financial and housing support, but living in cars with their kids and relying on food support.”

“These are the very human faces of the Albanese Government’s cost of living crisis.”

Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism, the Hon Kevin Hogan MP said the Albanese Government should have moved earlier on extending the 35% customs tariff on Russia and Belarus.

“I called on the Government to do this more than a month ago, saying on August 3 that with no end in sight to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine with Belarussian support, they had no choice but to extend Australia’s trade sanctions against these regimes beyond this month’s end date,” Mr Hogan said.

“Australia must continue to take whatever measures we can to denounce Russia and Belarus for their illegal aggression. This removal of most favoured nation status and the imposition of this customs duty is such a measure.

“Many Australians are becoming increasingly concerned that the Albanese Government is pulling back on Australia’s commitment to support Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as put in place measures that will support a future rebuild effort.”

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham stated all efforts should be made by the Albanese Government to utilise the mechanisms at its disposal to support Ukraine and extending these sanctions was the obvious course of action.

“While prolonging these sanctions was the only course of action this Government could have taken their delays in implementing a double tax agreement with Ukraine have been more than disappointing,” Senator Birmingham said.

“This is a government which seems incapable of being proactive on these sorts of issues and instead has to be dragged to the table with reactionary solutions that risk coming too late.”

“Australia must continue to send clear and strong messages of condemnation for Russia’s illegal invasion and abhorrent actions against Ukraine.”

The Coalition introduced the 35% customs duty on goods that are the produce or manufacture of Russia and Belarus from 25 April, 2022.

The 5 Urgent Care Clinics promised to be established in South Australia by 1 July this year remain undelivered, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finally confirmed their locations today.

On top of this broken delivery timeframe, today’s announcement is a shameful hollow promise.

At least four of the five SA clinics appear to be merely a rebadging of existing clinics, with the promised ‘extended hours’ already confirmed by the Department of Health to be a blatant lie.

Labor promised that every Urgent Care Clinic would be open during the extended times of 8am-10pm as a key part of their operation, but it was revealed in Budget Estimates that this will not be possible.

This is far from providing the promised improved access to critical healthcare and reduced pressure on hospital emergency departments.

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston said that Labor’s Urgent Care Clinics are a smokescreen that are not addressing the serious pressure on hospital systems across the country.

‘Ramping is at record highs in South Australia, and yet the only action we are seeing from either the State or Federal Labor Government is a handful of re-badged health clinics that are still months away,’ Senator Ruston said.

‘These clinics have not been delivered on time, they are unlikely to be open for the promised extended hours, and health experts have raised concern that they will not take significant pressure off emergency departments.’

‘Labor is misleading South Australians at a time when they need genuine and urgent support with accessing critical healthcare when they need it.’

This failed mismanagement of Labor’s headline health promise also comes at a time when bulk billing rates have fallen every single month under the Albanese Labor Government.

The latest data showing a total Medicare bulkbilling rate of 77%, and 80.2% for non-referred GP appointments, in the 12 months to June this year.

It is becoming more and more evident that Labor has sold the public a lie.

Under the Albanese Labor Government, less than half of their promised Urgent Care Clinics are operational, bulk billing rates are at the lowest levels since 2013, and it is harder and more expensive to see a doctor.