The Greens say the Federal Government’s plan to fast-track interns into classrooms would further entrench education inequality while doing very little to solve the teacher shortage crisis in our public schools.
Greens spokesperson on schools, Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:
“A decades-long bipartisan commitment to the privatisation of education has driven thousands of passionate, experienced teachers out of the public school system.
“Instead of trying to encourage these skilled educators back into the classroom the government is proposing to fast-track non-teachers into schools.
“Not only will this place additional burden on current teachers to support these unprepared trainees, it will lower the overall quality of education in the public system, further entrenching the already-yawning gap between the richest and poorest students.
“There are no shortcuts to saving public education in Australia. The government should be encouraging good teachers back into the classroom by properly funding public education. That means better salaries, lower student-teacher ratios and world-class equipment and infrastructure.
“In a speech today, Education Minister Jason Clare said, ‘I don’t want us to be a country where your chances in life depend on who your parents are.’
“I couldn’t agree more. But if Minister Clare’s solution to the crisis in public education is filling classrooms with unprepared teachers and increasing workloads then he’s doing nothing to change that.”
A Greens-initiated Senate Inquiry into the fisheries quota system has recommended an ACCC inquiry into market concentration and potential abuses of market power in the Australian fisheries and the seafood sector.
Australia’s fisheries management system is set out under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Fisheries Administration Act 1991 and promotes the use of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) which assign access rights and ownership over fishery stocks.
The inquiry held hearings over nearly 18 months and collected information on whether ITQs result in good fishing practices. Of particular focus was how the decades-old ITQ system affects community fishers, whether it disempowers small fishers and benefits large interest groups, and whether the system is ecologically sustainable.
Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:
“The Greens welcome the release of this important report. This has been one of only two parliamentary inquiries in the last 40 years to scrutinise who actually owns our fishery resources, and if the system is working fairly for the Australian public and fishing communities.
“The evidence clearly shows that many in the fishing industry don’t feel the current system is working for them, and the Greens believe this report demonstrates a significant opportunity for reform.
“One of the most damning revelations from this inquiry is that in Australia we do not know who ultimately owns the right to our fishery resources across multiple fisheries – and frankly this is simply not good enough.
“The committee heard evidence that the fisheries management system is stacked in favour of big quota owners and foreign investors who don’t even fish, while hundreds of smaller fishers are struggling to make a living, or even access fishing rights.
“I find it disturbing that there is no real transparency on who these big quota owners are, how much profit they are making from buying and trading our fish stocks, or what economic benefits the Australian public is receiving from the commercial owners of their fish stocks.
“The Senate committee received confidential submissions alleging market power abuses, and has recommended the ACCC conduct a broad inquiry into market concentration and potential abuses of market power across the sector, and I implore the Government to respond to this recommendation with urgency.
“While fisheries quotas were in-part brought in to control overfishing, over half the fishers who made submissions to the inquiry believe the system has had a negative impact on sustainability. Similarly, expert evidence to the Committee revealed more focus was needed on the environmental impacts of fishing and climate change.
“These are all important findings, and the Greens will be working in both federal and state parliaments to see this inquiry’s recommendations implemented.
The Greens have made additional comments to the Senate Inquiry report. Our key recommendations include:
Full transparency on the ultimate beneficial ownership of Commonwealth fisheries quota, so bans or restrictions can be placed on foreign investment in Australian ITQs, as has occurred in New Zealand and other countries. The Greens would also like to see similar restrictions put in place to ban or limit ‘non-fisher’ investment in ITQs (e.g.: by professional investors), such as has happened in countries like Iceland and Canada.
Make more fishing quota available for smaller and lease fishers, by for example by Governments buying back quota from foreign and other investors, pooling then leasing to local communities at competitive rates, helping maximise economic returns to those communities.
The Fisheries Managements acts should be amended to give equal weighting to environmental objectives, and safeguarded by having AFMA’s processes properly accredited and subjected to performance review by both the fisheries and environment ministers, as recommended by the 2012 Borthwick Review.
New public reporting requirements for standardised profitability metrics in ITQ fisheries, including effective subsidies or any royalty payments (rents) paid in Commonwealth ITQ fisheries. This would help guide government policy making to achieve maximum economic returns for the Australian people.
Responding to the Albanese Government’s response to the ‘Samuel Review’ released today, Australian Greens Spokesperson for the Environment Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“We need immediate action, action must include climate action and stopping the destruction of native forests and habitat. Sadly, this package does not deliver on these points, but the Greens are willing to work with the government to fix it.
“The Greens welcome this long-awaited response to the biggest review of Australia’s environment laws in a decade. The Albanese Government is moving in the right direction. However, the government lacks any sense of urgency to halt and reverse the unsustainable environmental trajectory Professor Samuel described in his report.
“The Greens will not be rubber stamping this legislative reform and will be pushing the Albanese Government to go harder and faster to protect our environment.
“There is nothing in this package to save our iconic koala. There is nothing in this package to protect our native forests. There is no climate trigger, indeed there is very little to address the impact of the climate crisis on the environment at all. The Minister also retains far too much power to influence environmental approvals with no truly independent cop-on-the-beat.
“The timeframe for reform is far too long, and does not future-proof our environment laws. The Regional Planning trials will run until 2028, leaving Australia’s most high-value environmental areas and the wildlife that call them home without protection for years, and well into future election cycles.
“The Albanese Government has missed an opportunity to protect critical habitat right now with a moratorium on land clearing. It remains unclear how the Government will deliver on its zero new extinctions pledge while land clearing is allowed to continue.
“The Albanese Government has missed an opportunity to announce it will establish a ‘Climate Trigger’ to guarantee the emissions from a polluting project are considered in environmental assessments. Without a climate trigger, Australia’s environment laws will remain unfit for the crisis we are in.
“The Greens consider the package of reforms announced by the Environment Minister to be a floor when it comes to strengthening environment laws, not a ceiling. We will continue to push for an urgent moratorium on clearing of critical habitat, an end to native forest logging and a climate trigger. We will also work to improve the proposed EPA so that it is a true cop-on-the-beat, not just an excuse for the government when it makes unpopular decisions.”
City of Newcastle (CN) has become the first organisation in the Hunter to embrace a mobile phone app that empowers people with vision impairment to navigate new spaces.
Implemented as part of CN’s commitment to improving access at its cultural facilities, BindiMaps is a wayfinding/interpretive app that provides an audio ‘map’ of a building that can help people with low or no vision better navigate their way around.
The technology was successfully trialled at Newcastle Museum in 2021 and has now been rolled out to several other CN sites including Museum Park, Civic Theatre, City Hall, and Newcastle Library.
BindiMaps utilises a network of Bluetooth beacons, a mapping and route guidance system and smartphone sensors to describe to the user where they are, what’s around them, and the best way to get to their chosen destination.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the technology provides a more user-friendly experience for people with vision impairment visiting our cultural facilities by making unfamiliar spaces easier and more efficient to navigate.
“The implementation of BindiMaps is part of our commitment to ensuring Newcastle is a liveable, sustainable and inclusive global city for all who live, visit or work here,” Cr Nelmes said.
Councillor Margaret Wood, co-chair of the Access Inclusion Advisory Committee, said it was pleasing to see positive outcomes from the Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2022-2026.
“Improving accessibility at our cultural facilities is one of the actions of our DIAP, which outlines how we can further enhance access and inclusion for the entire community,” Cr Wood said.
“The BindiMaps program will augment our plan to improve building access and accessibility features, and to provide more accessible and inclusive programming.”
Director Museum Archive Libraries and Learning Julie Baird said BindiMaps had boosted efforts to make Newcastle Museum an accessible, vibrant, and inclusive centre for everyone.
“We launched BindiMaps just before a Sea, Space & Beyond exhibition, which featured artworks created by the blind, low vision and sighted communities, and there was a huge upswing in satisfaction rates,” Ms Baird said.
“BindiMaps enabled us to practically support improvements in other areas and we found it was the icing on the cake to help make vision impaired visitors more comfortable within the space and meet their needs.
“The response has been so positive that it’s provided new opportunities to reach audiences who perhaps thought we weren’t available or suitable for them.”
Civic Theatre will take audiences on an emotional rollercoaster next year with a diverse line-up of theatre, dance, music and comedy set to grace the stage in 2023.
With performances that will have you rolling in the aisles with laughter one moment and reaching for tissues the next, the new subscription season offers plenty of memorable moments.
Families will giggle along together with Roald Dahl’s revoltingly-funny classic The Twits reimagined on stage, whilst David Walliams’ award–winning book Mr Stink comes to life in a twisted and hilariously smelly tale.
The 2023 Season will also see the return of the hugely popular Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festivals, whilst local theatre company Tantrum Youth Arts will explore a young family’s grief in Good Mourning, scheduled during City of Newcastle’s New Annual festival.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Civic Theatre’s 2023 Season has been carefully curated to bring a stellar line-up of live performances to Newcastle for audiences to enjoy.
“Newcastle’s historic 93-year-old theatre is gearing up to wow audiences in 2023 with the launch of Civic Theatre’s new subscription season,” Cr Nelmes said.
“The Civic Theatre team has curated this season to bring live performances to Newcastle that may not have necessarily planned to tour here in 2023 as part of their national touring circuit, allowing us to present a wide variety of hand-picked shows with something for everyone.
“It’s the perfect time to purchase a 2023 live performance as a Christmas gift or a gift for yourself, with a range of exclusive subscriber benefits available. The season is packaged to make subscriptions affordable and available to as many in our community as possible.”
With the purchase of three shows or more in one transaction, theatregoers immediately become a Civic Theatre subscriber and enjoy exclusive benefits including free parking, discounted tickets, access to the best seats and discounted pre-show drinks in the foyer.
Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said the 2023 program includes both local and national touring productions and covers many genres and styles offering memorable moments that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
“The true story of four young siblings and their father’s cancer diagnosis is explored in Good Mourning by local Newcastle playwriter Sonia Dodd, whilst Australian author Colleen McCullough’s book Tim will be brought to life on stage by Christine Dunstan Productions as they delve into love, loss and acceptance,” Ms Wallace said.
“HIT Productions’ The Sunshine Club will shower you in joy with its uplifting message and Sydney Dance Company’s, Ascent, tempers contemporary classical dance with futuristic experimentation in three innovative works.
“The Wharf Revue’s satirical Looking for Albanese together with the rambunctious Sydney and Melbourne Comedy Festival roadshows are guaranteed to deliver the laughs.”
Civic Theatre’s Subscription Season 2023 goes on sale to the general public today, following a special presale for current subscribers.
Visit Civic Theatre Newcastle’s website to view the full 2023 Season program and to purchase tickets.
Four innovative NSW companies who are solving some of the State’s complex challenges are set to share in $5 million to help translate their research into commercial products, as part of the NSW Government’s Physical Sciences Fund.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens announced the successful companies at an event held at Fishburners in the Sydney Startup Hub.
“NSW is home to some of the most brilliant researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs, who are working across a range of sectors, creating new jobs and growing our high-tech industries,” Mr Henskens said.
“The Fund, now in its fourth year, exemplifies the NSW Liberals and National Government’s commitment to supporting research and development (R&D) that underpins the commercialisation of technologies.
“The successful recipients are developing devices and applications which will deliver real-world benefits to our State in agriculture, communications, clean energy and construction, which will help grow the economy and secure a brighter future for NSW.”
The Fund aims to deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits to NSW by providing financial support across the branches of physical sciences and engineering, including physics, chemistry, astronomy and the earth sciences.
NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte said the Fund continues to champion the growth of innovative industries in NSW.
“This year we released our 20-Year R&D Roadmap, which provides a blueprint to prioritise investment in areas where NSW has competitive R&D advantages nationally and internationally,” Professor Durrant-Whyte said.
“It is great to be able to celebrate four young companies who are developing technologies with great potential and starting out on their commercialisation journey.”
Applications for the 2023 round will open early next year, with $10 million available through the next round of the Fund. More information about the 2022 successful funding recipients can be found online.
Irrigators will save water, time and money at the same time as protecting native fish populations now and well into the future, thanks to the NSW Government’s $20 million Fish-Friendly Water Extraction project.
Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said as part of the program, state-of-the-art fish protection screens would be installed on 49 water pumps across the State, not just contributing to the health of the river systems and the longevity of fish populations, but also increasing farmers’ productivity.
“These modern fish screens are fitted with fine mesh and self-cleaning technology that effectively filters unwanted debris and fish out of pumps and pipes, delivering cleaner water onto properties and reducing the need for farmers to spend time unblocking sprinklers,” Mr Saunders said.
“Research has shown us that these modern fish screens also protect up to 90 per cent of native fish passing through, which is critical as we continue to restock them in waterways after millions were killed during the drought.
“This project is a great example of how the NSW Government is supporting the agriculture industry to adopt modern, on-farm technology, translating innovative research into practical measures.”
Minister for Water Kevin Anderson said the fish screens would not only protect millions of native fish and the environment, but also deliver cleaner water to farms.
“The state-of-the-art irrigation screens will deliver 2,900 megalitres per day of cleaner water by eliminating debris from the irrigation systems,” Mr Anderson said.
“Farmers and properties with fish screens have already reported a range of benefits, including a reduced need to backflush, reduced costs of in-line filtration and energy savings of up to $3,000 per month.
“This project will also boost employment in the region, with local businesses to be engaged to assist with the screen installations. It’s about looking after the environment, farmers and businesses at the same time.”
NSW DPI Fisheries will manage the fish screen installation process in partnership with Water Infrastructure NSW, with construction to begin next year.
The fish screening program is part of a suite of complementary measures being used to bolster native fish stocks in the northern Murray-Darling Basin, which also includes the measures to improve fish passage up and down the river.
For more information about the fish screening project, visit the Fish Screens Australia website www.fishscreens.org.au
The Parramatta Light Rail has reached a major new milestone with the arrival of the first vehicle in the new fleet and construction on the light rail stops nearly complete.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Government was continuing to deliver world-class transport to support the growing communities of Western Sydney.
“Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing regions in our country, with the population of Greater Parramatta alone set to climb by 50 per cent by 2041. That is why we are investing billions of dollars in transport and infrastructure now, to support this projected growth and ensure the region and its residents continue to thrive,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Once complete, the new Parramatta Light Rail will provide frequent, reliable transport services between Westmead and Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD, supporting residents, local businesses and the nearly 14,000 students who attend the nearby university.”
The new light rail vehicles will be fully accessible with low floors; air-conditioned; dual electric and battery-powered with roof-mounted rechargeable batteries to operate in two ‘wire free’ zones; bicycle racks; and real-time passenger count information.
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the majority of the main infrastructure work was now complete, with 100 per cent of track installed and construction of the light rail stops nearly complete.
“The Perrottet Government continues to deliver major transport infrastructure to our Western Sydney commuters with a transformation taking place in Greater Parramatta as the Light Rail rapidly takes shape,” Mr Elliott said.
“The new 45-metre-long vehicle will be able to hold up to 400 passengers – the equivalent of six standard buses – taking cars off local roads and reducing traffic, giving people more time back in their day for the things they enjoy.
“It’s great to see overhead canopies for weather protection installed at 14 of the stops, with canopies to be in place at all 16 stops by the end of the year.
“Importantly, this project is providing a major boost to the local economy, supporting 5,000 local jobs and using around 4,000 tonnes of Australian steel. Silverwater-based manufacturing company Icon Metal has also been engaged to manufacture and install the prefabricated light rail stop components.”
Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee said delivery of the light rail project will connect places and help locals and visitors move around and explore what Greater Parramatta has to offer.
“We’re launching a new Summer in Parramatta activation with a range of family-friendly events, including interactive street art, activities for kids of all ages and entertainment, providing a much needed economic and visitor boost for businesses,” Mr Lee said.
“This is a great opportunity for families to head outdoors and enjoy the vibrant activations revitalising the Parramatta CBD this Summer.”
The Parramatta Light Rail will provide high-frequency ‘turn-up-and-go’ light rail services seven days a week, every 7.5 minutes during peak periods (7am to 7pm) on weekdays.
On-track testing of the vehicles is expected to commence in mid-2023, with passenger services expected to commence in 2024.
A new and colourful NSW Government initiative will see Sydney join global cities London, Stockholm and Auckland in flying the purple flag for safety across night-time destinations.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said a pilot of the internationally successful Purple Flag Program is underway in the Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Marrickville and Lakemba.
“The NSW Government’s Purple Flag Program will build on Sydney’s thriving 24-hour economy and provide the community with even more ways to enjoy a safe night out across Greater Sydney,” Mr Henskens said.
“This program will help further position Sydney as a global night-life destination, joining cities like London and Stockholm, to create safe and fun after-dark destinations.
“The accreditation will allow people to easily identify precincts that have met high standards of safety, vibrancy, and diversity of entertainment and activities.”
The program will assess destinations against a set of criteria to achieve a Purple Flag status including public transport access, adequate street lighting and entertainment.
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said Purple Flag will become a recognisable tick of approval for going-out districts.
“We have so many great night-time districts in Sydney and Purple Flag will promote many of the fantastic things they offer,” Mr Rodrigues said.
“The pilot program is a key deliverable from our 24-Hour Economy strategy and will further enhance the revitalisation of Sydney’s nightlife.”
The pilot’s four locations are the YCK (York, Clarence and Kent) precinct in the Sydney CBD; Church Street in Parramatta; Haldon Street in Lakemba and Marrickville and Illawarra Road in Marrickville.
The four locations will be assessed as part of the program, ahead of a wider rollout next year. For more information, visit www.investment.nsw.gov.au/PurpleFlag.
The Fairy Meadow community is a step closer to a new ambulance station with the facility to be located on the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in delivering this vital service to the growing Fairy Meadow community.
“The new Fairy Meadow Ambulance Station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program and will support local paramedics to provide the best emergency medical care now and into the future,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The NSW Government is committed to significantly increasing the capacity of NSW Ambulance. Under the RAIR program, 54 new or upgraded stations are being delivered, with 39 already completed.
“In total, the Liberal & Nationals Government is investing more than $1 billion across three major NSW Ambulance infrastructure programs, with more than 100 projects announced since 2014.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Wollongong and the Illawarra Peter Poulos said the new Fairy Meadow station will bolster emergency care in the Illawarra and provide a first-class workplace for local paramedics.
“Our paramedics will have a purpose-built station with modern facilities, including internal parking for six emergency ambulance vehicles, an internal wash bay, relief accommodation for paramedics and a meeting and training room,” Mr Poulos said.
“This amazing new facility will support the existing station in Wollongong, along with the recently announced station in Warilla, and is only possible thanks to the NSW Government’s record investment in ambulance infrastructure across the state.”
NSW Ambulance identified the University campus location following a comprehensive service planning process using best practice modelling software that maps Triple Zero calls.
UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson welcomed the decision to base the new ambulance station on the UOW’s Innovation Campus.
“The co-location of this ambulance station on the Innovation Campus, where the University has plans to build and deliver a world-class Health and Wellbeing Precinct, aligns with our mission to support better health outcomes for our region,” Professor Davidson said.
Construction of the ambulance station is expected to commence early next year and be complete by late 2023.
As part of the NSW Government’s 2022-23 Budget, NSW Ambulance received a record $1.76 billion boost to frontline emergency care, with which it will recruit 2,128 new staff and build 30 more stations as part of the NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.
The NSW Government’s $1 billion investment in NSW Ambulance infrastructure includes:
Sydney Ambulance Metropolitan Infrastructure Strategy ($184 million) – 19 projects (18 projects completed to date with one due for completion late 2023). Program began 2014
Ambulance Infrastructure Program ($615.5 million) 30 projects (8 in early planning). Announced in 2022-23 State Budget.
RAIR program Stage 1 & 2($232 million) – 54 projects, 39 complete, 15 underway. Program began 2015.
