The Greens have secured legislation that will enforce civil penalties of up to $1.1 million for bankers who do not ensure proper conduct within financial institutions.
“The Greens have secured million dollar fines for dodgy bank executives,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
“We recently had a once in a century Royal Commission that uncovered a litany of misconduct. But most bankers who ripped off their customers went unpunished, or even left with massive payouts.”
“The new Financial Accountability Regime will require bankers to take reasonable steps to ensure that banks are not ripping off customers.”
“The amendments secured by the Greens will ensure that if bankers breach their accountability obligations then they will get hit hard in their hip pocket.”
“The Morrison Government used the cover of the pandemic to go soft on the banks – the Greens will not allow the rot set in again.”
“We recently forced the government to commit to implementing outstanding Royal Commission recommendations after running dead on them during the election campaign.”
“We’ve also just secured the inclusion of dividends paid by bank owned super funds in a new super transparency report.”
The government’s response to ‘A Way Forward: Final report into the destruction of Indigenous heritage sites at Juukan Gorge’ is welcomed by The Greens, but the need for cohesive First Nations cultural heritage laws shouldn’t have taken global outrage at legal desecration to be acknowledged.
Greens spokesperson for resources Yamatji-Noongar Woman Senator Dorinda Cox said:
“It is disappointing to hear the government didn’t consult with the Traditional Owners before tabling their response to the reports. It seems the Minister is more concerned with positive media than consulting the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people and building “genuine partnerships” through listening and learning.
“I asked in estimates whether the government would adopt recommendation 1 of the ‘A Way Forward’ report. I am disheartened to hear this is not the case. I don’t know how they can claim to respect First Nations culture when the ultimate say doesn’t lie with the Indigenous Minister.
“Senator Thorpe’s bill to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) must be fast-tracked if the government wants to “do better”.
“Stopping manufactured consent is paramount, as is consulting all stakeholders – this was highlighted in the recent ruling against Santos for failing to consult with all Traditional Owners regarding their Barossa Gas project.
“If the world hadn’t shown outrage at Rio Tinto’s actions, would there still be a push from Labor to reform cultural heritage laws?
“The Minister has the opportunity now to prevent another disaster by protecting the Murujuga artwork and seven sisters songline that are currently under threat.”
Addressing skills shortages and leveraging future opportunities for jobs and economic growth will be on the agenda when City of Newcastle (CN) meets with local business leaders today.
Around 90 representatives from across the region’s business community will come together for CEO Connect, a Business Hunter event hosted by CN which will shine a light on economic opportunities for Gateway Cities such as Newcastle in a post-COVID world.
The meeting will also be used to highlight initiatives being delivered as part of CN’s economic development strategy including a new digital tool, ‘Imagine Newcastle’, developed to attract people to live, work and study in Newcastle.
With job advertisements in Newcastle at record levels and local businesses experiencing chronic skills shortages, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said investing in people and their skills is key to the city’s economic growth.
“City of Newcastle’s Economic Development Strategy focusses on long-term actions to help create new jobs, drive investment and promote innovation,” Cr Nelmes said.
“We believe that Newcastle and the Hunter region’s economic future will be built on the talent, skills and ingenuity of our people.
“We have invested significantly in infrastructure, support programs for local business people and initiatives aimed at attracting skills and talent to the region as well as supporting the development and growth of Newcastle businesses and their employees.
“Our new digital platform ‘Imagine Newcastle’ provides another avenue to help address future skills shortages and growth industry job opportunities, delivering the insights and information needed to encourage people to live, study, invest or grow their business in our creative, culturally rich and innovative global city.”
Cr Nelmes said ‘Imagine Newcastle’ would leverage the migration trend that is seeing more people than ever before relocating to Newcastle from metropolitan centres like Melbourne and Sydney, including a predominance of young professionals.
Research shows that better quality of life is one of the key drivers to people choosing to relocate to a new area.
“Newcastle is perfectly positioned to cater for this need, offering a destination with the lifestyle, community and culture people are searching for, enhanced by the career and business opportunities available in our city’s innovative industries and future-focused economy,” Cr Nelmes said.
Newcastle’s much-loved ocean baths will notch up another significant milestone tomorrow with the 100th anniversary of their official opening.
While swimmers have made the most of the popular ocean-front facility since as early as 1912, the pools, promenade and pavilion were not completed and formally opened until 25 November 1922.
Described at the time as “the finest in the Commonwealth”, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Newcastle Ocean Baths remain one of the city’s crowning coastal assets, playing an integral role in the recreational pursuits of locals and visitors alike.
“The Newcastle Ocean Baths have been a treasured part of our community for the past 100 years, creating lasting memories for generations of Novocastrians and visitors who have flocked to swim, sunbath or simply relax and take in the spectacular views off our coastline,” Cr Nelmes said.
“They have played host to countless swimming carnivals, life-saving demonstrations and learn to swim lessons, and like so many Novocastrians, I hold wonderful memories of spending my childhood with family and friends at these beautiful baths.”
Historic records show that the Baths were initially leased to an operator, with an entrance fee charged from 1918 until 1953, when Council took back control of the Baths.
“City of Newcastle is committed to revitalising this iconic facility to ensure it remains a free asset, and vital part of Novocastrian life for generations to come,” Cr Nelmes said.
Stage one of City of Newcastle’s upgrade to the Newcastle Ocean Baths is well underway focusing on the pools, lower promenade and pumping system to provide improved safety and accessibility.
City of Newcastle worked closely with the Newcastle Ocean Baths Community Reference Group and other stakeholders during the planning and design phases of the stage one upgrade and will meet with community representatives in the coming weeks for a tour of the site and discussion on the project’s progress.
The $9.5 million recovered from the sale of City of Newcastle’s Fred Ash building is helping fund the $15.8 million Newcastle Ocean Baths Stage One upgrade along with $3 million in funding from the NSW Government’s Public Spaces Legacy Program. The NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program is an investment in high quality public open space, and delivers vital infrastructure for communities to love the place they live.
The second stage of the Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade will focus on the pavilion and surrounding public areas. This phase is subject to community consultation, which will continue over the coming months.
NSW businesses seeking to commercialise their innovative ideas can now help tackle some of the State’s most complex challenges through the second round of the NSW Government’s Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program.
As part of the program, NSW Government agencies outline specific problem areas that need to be addressed, with small business given the opportunity to propose solutions.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the $12 million program would provide small businesses with grants of up to $100,000 as part of the first phase, to work alongside government and undertake feasibility studies into their proposed solutions.
“This program is about leveraging our incredible local businesses to improve social, environmental, health and economic outcomes while also creating high-value jobs, which will help grow the economy and secure a brighter future for NSW,” Mr Henskens said.
“The SBIR program has already seen 10 exciting new technologies, addressing a wide range of issues, progress to a proof-of-concept phase. This next round of the program will deliver more solutions and outcomes for our community.”
Challenge areas outlined for round two of the program include:
Biosecurity Surveillance Challenge – NSW Department of Primary Industries is seeking innovative technology solutions that leverage the power of citizen surveillance to more accurately identify and validate threats to the biosecurity of primary industries and the environment in NSW.
School Zones Alerting System Challenge – Transport for NSW is seeking innovative solutions to improve the existing School Zones Alerting System to further improve road safety around schools.
Vital Sign Monitoring Challenge – Corrective Services NSW is seeking non-invasive technology solutions to monitor the vital health signs of inmates while in their cells. This technology will be used to monitor ‘at-risk’ inmates and help prevent inmates committing self-harm, which could result in suicide.
Recycled Content Verification Challenge – The Office of Energy and Climate Change is seeking a solution that could trace and verify recycled material to help NSW Government agencies procure local recycled products.
Waste Recovery and Management Challenge – NSW Health is seeking resource recovery technologies and waste management solutions that: offer an innovative design for new facilities; redesign and reconfigure existing facilities; and uncover ways of modernising our waste collection and processing systems separation and collection of waste that can be implemented across NSW Health.
Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Services Challenge – NSW Health is seeking Artificial Intelligence powered solutions to support the delivery of health services to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities.
Urban Heat Island Challenge – the Greater Cities Commission is seeking innovative solutions that could be trialled at the Westmead Health and Innovation District to mitigate urban heat island effects and/or improve the resilience of our systems in response to extreme heat events.
Minister for Small Business Victor Dominello said the program is harnessing the power of local innovation and supporting small businesses by investing in ideas to grow high-tech industries now and into the future.
“Small businesses are a vital pillar of our economy, and this funding will help many SMEs to realise their potential and make the difficult leap from great ideas to commercial products and services that meet critical needs,” Mr Dominello said.
Proof-of-concept grants will be available to businesses that complete a successful feasibility study. Full details of the program and how to apply can be found online.
A $7.9 million investment will help the dairy industry recover and rebuild from floods, and better prepare for future natural disasters.
The Dairy Sector Recovery Strategy will help the dairy industry recuperate and build long-term resilience after the February-March flooding event earlier this year.
Funding provided from the jointly Commonwealth and NSW Government-funded Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (Sector Recovery and Resilience Grants) under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and $1.6 million from industry co-contributions will help the sector get back on its’ feet.
The funding will deliver 12 projects across three working packages focusing on:
Better Response and Short-Term Recovery
Better Preparedness, Lower Risk and Improved Resilience
More students than ever before are set for a cooler summer as the rollout of the first dedicated school air-conditioning program continues to deliver for public schools across NSW.
The $500 million Cooler Classrooms Program, which began in 2018, is being rolled out to 1,000 NSW public schools and prioritising those in the hottest parts of the state.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell joined Member for Holsworthy Melanie Gibbons at Lurnea High School, which was added to the program earlier this year.
Ms Mitchell said the five-year program has prioritised some of our hottest schools, improving the learning environments for both students and teachers.
“So far through our Cooler Classroom Program we’ve delivered air-conditioning to more than 7,100 learning spaces and 460 libraries,” Ms Mitchell said.
“We know how important it is to provide students with a comfortable learning environment and this investment has seen works completed at more than 570 schools, with another 420 underway.”
Ms Gibbons said this ensures that students in Lurnea, and right across NSW, are benefitting from this investment.
“Students at Lurnea High School students will soon have to access to more comfortable learning spaces in the summer and winter.
“It’s all thanks to the Liberals and Nationals in government, investing in every aspect of our public schools. From fresh paint jobs to air-conditioning and security fencing to accessibility works, this government understands the importance of maintaining and upgrading our schools.”
The program also improves the air quality of indoor spaces and libraries with “smart systems” that offer heating, cooling and the provision of outside fresh air to ensure adequate ventilation at all times.
Where feasible, solar PV systems and battery storage technology is being installed to offset energy usage. More than 210 systems have been installed with a further 460 underway.
The NSW Government is investing $8.6 billion in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This builds on the more than $9.1 billion invested in projects delivered since 2017, a program of $17.7 billion in public education infrastructure. This is the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland, Sanna Marin, to Australia next week. This will be the first visit by a Finnish Prime Minister to Australia.
Prime Minister Marin will be accompanied on her visit to Australia by a business delegation. She will also address the Lowy Institute.
Australia and Finland share a common vision based on equality, trust and shared values. In addition to enjoying warm bilateral ties, Australia works closely with Finland in multilateral forums and through engagement with the European Union.
Australia appreciates Finland’s strong support in seeking to finalise the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement – a key priority for the Australian Government.
Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has permanently altered the geopolitical landscape, culminating in Finland’s historic decision to seek NATO membership. As an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO, Australia recognises the strong capabilities Finland will bring to the alliance.
Russia’s actions only seek to reinforce the importance of likeminded partners working together to defend the international rules-based order.
Prime Minister Albanese said:
“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Marin to Australia on Friday.”
“Although a world apart geographically, Australia and Finland are united by shared values and a strong desire to uphold the international rules-based order.”
“Australians and Finns have a mutual appreciation for fostering sustainable growth, investing in clean energy and resilient supply chains and social and political stability.”
Documents reveal executive positions within the Education Department has ballooned from 305 in 2019 to 354 in 2022 – a 16 per cent increase in the last 3 years, at the same time as they are unable and unwilling to deal with the teacher shortage crisis and teacher pay.
The number of executive directors increased from 34 to 58 in the span of three years, while there has been an additional Deputy Secretary added since 2019. The midpoint salary of an Executive Director is $324,250 while the midpoint for a Deputy secretary is $435,275.
The ballooning bureaucratic team contrasts with Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell and her department’s teacher recruitment program. The number of teachers in schools grew just five per cent, from 66,801 to 70,279.
In September 2021 the NSW Government promised under their Recruitment Beyond NSW that “460 teachers will be recruited between 2022-23”.
However as of Term Four 2022, only three teachers had successfully been recruited.
As at 10 October 2022 (start of Term 4, 2022) there were 2,458.70 FTE vacant permanent teaching positions.
In Parliament, the Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell defended the program saying: “The reality is that this is a good program.”
In fact, Sarah Mitchell even tried to refute her own Government’s data saying: “For Labor to use these to claim that there is some kind of shortage of thousands and thousands of teachers is just not true. The data doesn’t stack up”
Well, as they teach you in school, the numbers don’t lie.
Only 27 teachers have been hired across all 2,216 public schools under the entire Teacher Supply Strategy. We now also know that:
20 of these are existing teachers in the FASTstream program, a program which includes reducing teachers to a part-time teaching load while putting them on a pathway to become principals.
The remaining 7 are casual teachers working under the Casual Supplementation Program – a program that is meant to provide 260 remote, regional and rural NSW schools with a “dedicated local pool of relief teachers”.
“This is just proof that after 12 years in power the Perrottet Government has run out of ideas on how to fix the teacher shortages.”
“The Perrottet Government has been great at recruiting department staff, and abysmal at getting teachers into classrooms.”
NSW Labor has a plan for a better NSW education system for a better future for our kids.
“Labor will stop the class cancellations by making 10,000 existing casual teachers permanent to give them the security of job they are asking for to stay in teaching.”And we’ll reduce the admin burden of teachers by 5 hours a week to ensure teachers are in classrooms not bogged down by paperwork.”
NSW Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Education Prue Car:
“The results speak for themselves – this tired 12-year-old government has become internally focused and lost sight of the severity of the teacher shortages”
“Every day across NSW classes are being merged or cancelled and children are sitting on playgrounds instead of learning maths or English – yet Minister Mitchell and her bureaucratic team continue to oversee an exodus of teachers from classrooms.”
In her proposal for the bill in 2020, Pauline Hanson said that banning curriculum materials which mention gender diversity would prevent children from becoming trans or non-binary.
‘The preoccupation with gender identity by some teachers and schools is correlated with an increase in children identifying as transgender, which is why I say these educators are transgendering our children,’.
