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The Morrison Government’s more than $1 billion defence contract for new self-propelled howitzers for the Australian Army has marked a significant milestone with the start of construction of an Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Avalon, near Geelong.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today led the sod-turning for the Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence, which will build the self-propelled howitzers and armoured ammunition resupply vehicles.

The Prime Minister said the project would deliver a major economic boost for Geelong with more than 300 jobs to be delivered over its lifespan.

“With the turn of the sod today at Avalon we are keeping our promise, securing Geelong’s rightful place in our country’s advanced manufacturing and defence industry, creating skilled jobs and delivering huge economic benefits for the region,” the Prime Minister said.

“As construction ramps up it will create up to 100 jobs, and once this cutting edge facility is up and running around 300 locals will be employed at the site.

“Importantly, several local businesses will be engaged along the way to help deliver this critical $1 billion defence project. This includes an Australian-owned Victorian-based construction company that will build this $170 million facility with completion by 2024.

“This project is a clear demonstration of my Government’s commitment to securing a strong economy and a strong future for all Australians, with investments in both our economic and national security.

“When Labor was last in Government they delayed this project, before cancelling it entirely when they drove down defence spending to its lowest level since before the Second World War.

“In contrast, Australians know they can trust my Government to make the tough decisions and make strategic investments that secure Australia’s interests in an increasingly uncertain world. Since we have come to office we have rolled out our plan to protect Australians, and this $1 billion contract is a key part of that plan.”

The turning of the sod today follows the signing of a $1 billion defence contract in December last year for the new self-propelled howitzers, which was awarded to Hanwha Defence Australia.

Based in Greater Geelong, the contract will procure self-propelled howitzers and armoured ammunition resupply vehicles under the LAND 8116 Phase 1 project. The Government committed to this project in May 2019.

Hanwha will build 30 of the self-propelled guns and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles used to replenish stocks of artillery shells on missions.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the $1 billion contract again demonstrated the Morrison Government’s commitment to supporting jobs in Australia’s growing defence industry.

“This project will create hundreds of jobs, with more than 90 per cent of vehicle sustainment to be completed in Australia,” Minister Price said.

“The opportunities for our defence industry are significant and will benefit local companies until the late 2040s.

“The self-propelled howitzers are just the latest step in the Morrison Government’s 10-year plan to invest $270 billion to increase Defence capability, not only securing the defence of our nation but bringing enormous benefits to our defence industry.

“The big advantage of these highly mobile, hard-hitting weapons is that they can fire, and immediately move, before any enemy can accurately locate them.

“The new guns, mounted on tracks and with heavy armour, offer much better protection to their crews in the face of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological threats.

“The result is that our troops have a mobile and versatile weapon system that gives them the best possible chance of successfully completing their mission and returning home safely.”

The Australian Government will provide further military support to the Government of Ukraine in response to Russia’s unrelenting and illegal aggression.

This $26.5 million package of anti-armour weapons and ammunitions for the Ukrainian Armed Forces will further boost the capabilities Australia has supplied that have proven critical on the battlefield so far.

This will bring Australia’s total military assistance to date to approximately $191.5 million. 

This extra support comes on top of the 20 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles we announced today that our Government is gifting the Government of Ukraine.

The Government will not disclose specific details of the new package, or delivery arrangements, at the direct request of Ukrainian officials and our other partners.

Our Government will continue to identify opportunities for further military assistance where it is able to provide a required capability to the Ukraine Armed Forces expeditiously.

Australia may be thousands of kilometres away but we’re standing side by side with Ukraine against this illegal invasion with arms, equipment, aid and even energy sources.

This fight is important because not only are Ukrainian lives and their lands at stake, but so are the principles of freedom and the rule of law.

Australia stands with the people of Ukraine, and again calls on Russia to cease its unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Australia will partner with the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence to help strengthen NATO’s capacity to address hybrid threats and to counter disinformation.

The Centre, based in Riga, Latvia, is a multinational organisation whose mission is to carry out research, analysis and training, and develop technical expertise, in order to build the strategic communications capabilities of NATO, NATO allies and NATO partners.

Australia will initially contribute to research conducted at the Centre through a seconded Australian official who will arrive in May. Australia has also begun the process of becoming a longer term contributing partner of the Centre.

The importance of improving strategic communications has been underscored by Russia’s use of disinformation and propaganda during its illegal and unprovoked war against Ukraine. I discussed these challenges today with the NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg.

Australia’s cooperation with the Centre will deepen our insights into the strategic communications and security challenges facing NATO, NATO Allies and partners, and reinforce Australia’s support for NATO. We will offer the Centre a clear-eyed view of the geostrategic dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and implications for NATO.

Australia is an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO, under which we work together on interoperability, take part in some NATO military training and exercise programs, and share views on issues of mutual interest.

Australia’s engagement also highlights our strong bilateral relationship with Latvia and our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and the international rules-based order.

The Australian Government looks forward to working with our partners in the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence to combat the scourge of disinformation and other hybrid threats.

The Australian Government has decided to impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on a further 67 individuals for their role in Russia’s unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

This latest round of sanctions follows the emergence of evidence of war crimes committed by Russia in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv. Australia condemns these atrocities in the strongest possible terms.

Those sanctioned include prominent Russian military official Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who has been described as the “Butcher of Mariupol”, for attacks including the bombing of the theatre in which innocent civilians were sheltering in Mariupol.

They also include Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Aleksander Babakov, and other senior Russian government officials.

In addition, we are also listing the Kremlin-installed so-called “mayor” of Melitopol, Ukrainian Galina Danilchenko, and a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Oleg Voloshyn, who has been working with Russia to undermine the Ukrainian Government.

With these latest listings, the Australian Government has now sanctioned close to 600 individuals and entities in relation to Russia’s illegal war.

The Australian Government is committed to imposing the highest costs on those who bear responsibility for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine or hold levers of power.

The Australian Government reiterates our strongest support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the people of Ukraine.

“We need to protect all athletes from CTE: chronic traumatic encephalopathy,” said The Greens spokesperson for Sport, Senator Lidia Thorpe. CTE is a neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated head traumas including concussion.

This comes as a leading researcher into concussion in sport has claimed the AFL hindered a two-year-study into the long-term health impacts on its players. Senator Thorpe has joined Associate Prof Alan Pearce’s call for the AFL to be more transparent over its research. 

Senator Lidia Thorpe said:

“Sportspeople at all levels must be informed about the symptoms of CTE and encouraged to speak up if they experience any symptoms, they can’t be penalised for reaching out for support.”

“The AFL must be transparent about the evidence that informs the league’s concussion policies and set the standard for community sports to follow.”

“CTE was found in more than half of the sportspeople who donated their brains to the Australian Sports Brain Bank. Research found that amateur athletes face the same risk as professional sportspeople. The Greens are calling for community and professional sports associations, as well as our colleagues in policy-making, to make sports safer”. 

“Symptoms of CTE include cognitive impairment, impulsive behaviour, depression, suicidal thoughts, short-term memory loss and emotional instability. Our athletes deserve better than this.”

“Noongar man Graham Farmer was one of the greatest players in AFL history. Unfortunately, he was also the first AFL player diagnosed with CTE. We need to make sure we don’t have a new generation of athletes carrying the same injury.”

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is receiving $400,000 from the Morrison Joyce Government to address health issues in Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett by developing a new primary care model.

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said the funding will help to research, develop, and co-design a multidisciplinary model of primary care to better service patients in these areas.

Mr Coulton said the Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) will receive the $400,000 investment to address the health care challenges of geographically isolated rural and remote communities with limited primary health services.

“The flying doctor will work with the local communities and health professionals to develop long term solutions to plug gaps in primary care services for the benefit of patients and their families living here,” Mr Coulton said.

Federal Regional Health Minister Dr David Gillespie said The Nationals in Government continue to invest in innovative health care trials to ensure people living in regional, rural and remote Australia have access to safe, quality and targeted health care services.

“Delivered through the Primary Care Rural Innovative Multidisciplinary Models (PRIMM) grant program, this funding will help with research, development, and co-design of a multidisciplinary model of primary care for people in the Walgett, Bourke and Brewarrina areas,” Dr Gillespie said.

“As a doctor who practiced medicine in regional Australia for many years, I know that communities can have diverse health care needs and face different challenges.

National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart said tackling the health inequities faced by people living in rural and remote Australia is about ensuring access to quality healthcare.

“It’s critical that no matter where you live in Australia you have access to safe, quality health care services,” Professor Stewart said.

“With this grant, people living in outback NSW will benefit from the design of targeted, appropriate multidisciplinary health care models that benefit their local communities and lead to better health outcomes.”

PRIMM grants provide funding of up to $400,000 over two years, for six sub-regions across Australia. The PRIMM program is part of the Morrison Joyce Government’s Health Workforce Program, which aims to deliver improved health workforce outcomes and support rural outreach health services.

Plans for the new Manning-Great Lakes Cancer Care Centre have been significantly bolstered with the centre to be built as a stand-alone facility, delivering comprehensive cancer care services including outreach services for the region. 

With Federal funding of $4.47-million, the centre will be built close to Manning Base Hospital in the centre of Taree and will complement and substantially expand the hospital’s existing oncology services.

On Thursday, Minister for Regional Health and Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie joined operators Cancer Care Partners to announce the upgraded plans, with the facility expected to be in operational in the first half of 2023.

“This is an incredibly exciting development for cancer care in our region,” Dr Gillespie said.

“The new stand-alone centre will be comprehensive in its service delivery – providing radiation oncology through a high-tech linear accelerator, on-site medical oncology services including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a dedicated oncology pharmacy, as well as regular outreach services for new and post-treatment patients in the Foster-Great Lakes area.

“This is an exponential upgrade on the original plans we had supported, with far-reaching benefits for our community. The integrated centre will significantly increase access to radiation therapies close to home, reducing the need for family and friends to travel extensively, minimising the impact on health, time, and expense.

“Importantly, the service will be a bulk-billing service for radiation therapy treatment, meaning that patients will not have a financial burden associated with accessing world-class treatment and utilising state-of-the-art equipment.

“I’m delighted to be here today making this announcement with Cancer Care Partners and look forward to delivering this vital medical infrastructure for our community.”

Cancer Care Partners’ Chairman Dr Tony Noun said the stand-alone centre was based on a regional model first established in the Riverina back in 2002.

“Cancer Care Partners’ facilities will be delivering comprehensive regional cancer care centres in both Taree and Griffith, NSW over the next two years. Our service model is customised to regional cancer patients and we have the experience of working with regional communities dating back to 2002 in the Riverina,” Dr Noun said.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to establish comprehensive cancer care assessment, treatment, follow-up and outreach services for the community of the Manning-Great Lakes.

“We’re close to reaching agreement on a site for the cancer care centre, which will be close to the Manning Base Hospital, and we will be updating the community about this, in coming weeks.”

Federal Coalition Government funding for the Manning-Great Lakes Cancer Care Centre is part of the $63.4 million 2019-20 Budget ‘Fighting Cancer’ initiative, to expand cancer treatment capacity across regional Australia.

An Albanese Labor Government will deliver a faster and safer commute for residents in Perth’s south-east by removing the William Street level crossing and building a new elevated Beckenham Station. 
 
Currently, the boom gates at the William Street level crossing close 266 times a day. This means that they can be down for 3 hours and 43 minutes per day.   
 
This doesn’t just slow commuters down, it also poses a serious safety risk to drivers forced to rapidly slow down from high speeds. 
 
Perth’s south-east is growing quickly, and with more traffic on the roads these problems are only going to get worse. 
 
By partnering with the McGowan Labor Government to jointly fund this $175 million project, an Albanese Labor Government will make this level crossing a thing of the past by raising the rail line over the road and constructing a brand new station. 
 
Federal Labor’s injection of funds will allow the McGowan Labor Government to go ahead with adding this level crossing removal to the five others already announced that will be removed along the Armadale Train Line, meaning even more commuters across Perth can get home more quickly and safely.  
 

Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Australian Labor Party said:  

“We’ll partner with the McGowan Labor Government to deliver this important project for Perth’s south east. 
 
“Only Labor will stand up for a better future for families in Perth’s south east.” 
 

Catherine King, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development said:  

“This level crossing isn’t just frustrating for locals, it is unsafe. 
 
“By partnering with the WA Government, we will make the William Street the sixth level crossing to be taken out along this rail line, allowing even more Perth residents to get home more quickly and safely. 

An Albanese Labor Government will help revitalise Glenelg, giving new life to one of Adelaide’s most iconic destinations.

Known Australia-wide for its beach, heritage, shops and entertainment, Glenelg is both a major attraction for visitors to Adelaide and a vibrant place for local families.

Receiving over one million visitors each year and with over 330 businesses stretching along Jetty Road, the region already makes a significant contribution to the South Australian economy.

The truth is though, that Glenelg could be even better. That is why an Albanese Labor Government will contribute $10 million to the City of Holdfast Bay’s Jetty Road masterplan. 

Earlier stages of this project have already delivered a brand-new public space in Chapel Plaza, with the next stage to upgrade Jetty Road from the Corner of Colley Terrace to Partridge Street.

Works will include increasing outdoor dining, better prioritisation of pedestrian use and a range of streetscape upgrades.

This project will deliver a better future for Glenelg locals and businesses alike – leading to more local jobs and making Glenelg an even better place to live.

Local businesses will be consulted closely throughout planning and construction.