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The Morrison Government has comprehensively failed to deliver anything meaningful for universities, staff or students in its 2022-23 Budget. Instead, it has continued to cut public funding per student in real terms.

Government funding per student has been slashed by 5.4 per cut in real terms in the next year and 3.6 per cent in the following two years. This is a shocking $3 billion lost from 2017-18 to 2025-26.

Despite 35,000 job losses in public universities last year, there are no measures to restore jobs nor rectify the damage inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Morrison Government has also refused to address the proliferation of insecure work, with only one in three university staff in secure, permanent employment.

“The Treasurer claimed this is a ‘budget for all’ but this is certainly not a budget that will benefit the 200,000 people employed in tertiary education nor the 1.6 million students who are taught each year,” said NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes.

“Tertiary education is Australia’s fourth largest export industry contributing $40 billion to Australia’s total exports, yet this Government largely abandoned public universities during the COVID-19 crisis.

“In fact, the only action the Government took was to reduce the proportion of government funding per student even further and to increase tuition fees for the majority of students.

“Beyond its colossal contribution to the Australian economy, universities are vital institutions that provide critical research and education for the public good.

“Despite this, the Morrison Government has continued to strip funding from blue sky, curiosity driven research while tipping money into narrowly defined areas of research that suit its re-election strategy.

“This Government’s anti-university agenda is incomprehensible and frankly embarrassing. A Government that refuses to recognise the value of tertiary education should not be permitted to govern.

“The spotlight is now firmly on a future Government to deliver the urgent reforms and funding the higher education sector needs to restore jobs and recover from the pandemic.

“We need a higher education funding strategy that includes additional research funding to make up for the millions cut by the Coalition, a strategy to address the proliferation of insecure employment and a unified plan to address sexual harassment at universities.

Today the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) released its Spotlight, Wellbeing in Australian Schools, detailing the importance of wellbeing for school leaders, teachers and students, and the critical role educators and school communities play when it comes to supporting a learner’s wellbeing.

The continuing pandemic of recent years as well as various natural disasters have honed the focus on resources and programs addressing the wellbeing of learners, educators and leaders, acknowledging that various initiatives and programs already exist that aim to understand and strengthen their wellbeing.

AITSL CEO Mark Grant states, “We’ve had two years of dealing with the challenges presented by fires, floods, and COVID-19 – where many schools and their staff have experienced severe disruption, and been in and out of extended periods of lockdown and online learning. This has impacted the wellbeing of not just the 4 million school students across Australia, but our nearly half a million educators and leaders.”

The Spotlight report highlights a 2021 survey undertaken by 571 educators across Australia where 80% felt their work-life-balance was either ‘less or non-existent’ and job satisfaction had dropped from 91% in 2017, to 63% in 2021.

“This data shows that the wellbeing of our educators and leaders is just as important as it is for children and young people, and is vital to a well-functioning education system, especially so in a period of workforce pressures,” Mr Grant said.

The research also highlights the wellbeing of those just starting in their education career and the value of good quality induction and ongoing support programs for graduate educators and those moving to new positions.

“Building and fostering strong and trusting relationships with colleagues is key, and can contribute positively to a person’s wellbeing.

“If educators are satisfied and feel supported and positive about their work, they are more likely to engage in continuous professional development and remain in the profession for longer.”

Wellbeing programs for educators are being rolled out across Australia and there are other tools and resources available to help teachers, leaders and communities work together to support the learner’s wellbeing.

“This Spotlight showcases many different wellbeing resources that our educators and leaders can access. Some of the programs available provide professional learning, and I encourage all educators to consider those,” said Mr Grant.

To read the report and discover the resources visit: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/wellbeing-2022

Australia and the UK have announced joint plans to provide humanitarian assistance to people in Ukraine impacted by President Putin’s illegal war.

Under the Australia-UK humanitarian partnership, the first of two chartered flights carrying hygiene kits, solar lights, kitchen sets and blankets along with other basic necessities will leave on Tuesday (29 March) to help the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) meet the immediate needs of people displaced by the conflict.

This humanitarian relief involves the UK providing and organising delivery of the supplies, with Australia contributing to the funding, and is part of both countries’ broader humanitarian support to Ukraine. This ensures that the aid can reach Ukraine in the quickest and easiest way and is an example of the close partnership between Australia and the UK in action.

The items will arrive by plane to Poland and UNHCR will distribute in Ukraine and Moldova to support the growing number of refugees. Diesel-powered heaters, heavy duty groundsheets, generators and shelters are some of the other items being delivered and distributed.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said:

“Australia is appalled by Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians who have borne the brunt of these illegal and reprehensible actions.

“Australian assistance will ensure over 8,000 relief items, such as blankets, hygiene and kitchen sets, and lighting, reach displaced Ukrainians facing cold temperatures.

“As we do in the Indo-Pacific, Australia is proud to work with the United Kingdom to alleviate human suffering wherever it occurs.”

The UK and Australia call on Russia to allow the safe passage of civilians from conflict affected areas in Ukraine and safe access for the provision of humanitarian assistance.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

“The UK is working with our great friends Australia to support the people of Ukraine who have had their lives destroyed by Russia’s brutal, unprovoked invasion.

“We call on Russia to enable safe humanitarian access and safe passage for people to flee the violence.”

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP, says temporary Federal Budget cuts to fuel excise may not even make it to people’s pockets, and that rather than proceeding with Stage 3 tax cuts and temporary excise cuts, the government should tackle major cost of living pressures by building affordable housing and wiping student debt. The Greens have said they will reserve their position on any government fuel excise announcement until the details are released.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said:

“A temporary Budget cut to fuel excise may not even make its way to people’s pockets. There’s every chance that world oil prices or profiteering from oil corporations will wipe out any gains to motorists overnight, at very substantial cost to the budget. 

“To really reduce cost of living pressures, the government should wipe student debt and build 1 million affordable homes that people can rent for 25% of their income or buy for $300,000. 

“That would be much fairer, better and cheaper than proceeding with Stage 3 tax cuts and temporarily cutting fuel excise. 

“The lesson the government should be taking from skyrocketing petrol prices is that an economy based on coal, gas and oil is vulnerable to world events. By shifting to renewables and electric vehicles, Australia will be energy independent and motorists will be better off.
 

The Morrison Government’s new Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill looks set to fail Australia’s environment despite promises to help ecosystem restoration, the Australian Greens have said today.

The Greens will refer the bill to a Senate inquiry for review and have called on the Labor Party to back an inquiry, before voting on the bill.

Greens spokesperson for the environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“There are major flaws in the Morrison Joyce Government’s legislation that need to be reviewed and amended before the bill can pass the Senate. Setting our environment up to fail through the establishment of another inefficient offsets scheme without proper oversight is simply not acceptable. 

“Labor needs to work with the Greens to protect the environment and not run cover for Barnaby Joyce and his National Party mates. 

“The Bill in its current form is too similar to Australia’s carbon offset scheme, a scheme which has been revealed as severely lacking in integrity – little more than a wealth transfer with no additional emissions reductions.

“An inquiry will ensure that the biodiversity offsets bill is instead built on evidence, integrity and transparency, and contains sufficient protections to deliver the environmental outcomes it promises.

“Restoration of our ecosystems is vital. Any offsets market must have longevity to ensure that the scheme is not just providing short-term revenue for farmers without long-term biodiversity restoration.

“The Greens have major concerns with the large amount of discretion this bill gives the Minister for Agriculture to make long-term environmental decisions, without robust transparency or regulation. We already know what happens when Barnaby Joyce and the National Party give themselves unchecked power – the environment and our rivers suffer, and big, corporate agriculture get rich at the expense of everyone else.

“Why is the scheme administered by the Agriculture Minister, when the objects of the Bill are relating to protecting biodiversity? With an inquiry, we can look into these issues and ensure the best governance decisions are made to ensure the objects of the Bill are met.

“A system built with integrity and good governance will support farmers to undertake permanent land restoration and invest in biodiversity”.

Greens spokesperson for agriculture, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:

“We must support farmers wanting to do their bit for climate change – but parts of this Bill mimic the government’s blotched carbon credit scheme and that will support nobody.

“Few industries are more impacted by climatic disruption to ecosystems and biodiversity than farming and farmers are an important part of the climate solution – we can’t risk the goodwill of farmers by failing them now.

“It’s critical that this Bill is sent to a Senate inquiry for review. We have to get this right, our farmers’ futures depend on it.” 

New compulsory reporting on food and nutrition in residential aged care has revealed the amount providers spend each day, per person, has increased significantly.

Since 1 July 2021, the Morrison Government has provided an additional $10 per day per resident to eligible residential aged care providers.

By the end of December 2021, approximately $350 million was distributed to residential aged care providers to improve the delivery of care and services including food and nutrition.

To continue to receive this 2021 Basic Daily Fee supplement, providers are required to report to the Department of Health every three months on food and nutrition expenditure, and the quality of daily living services provided to residents.

Data collected through a new quarterly reporting system shows that the average spend on food and nutrition for residents has risen considerably since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety cited $6 per day as found in a 2017 study.

From July to December 2021, the average spend per person per day in residential care was more than $12.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the supplement should be used by providers to improve health and nutrition outcomes.

 “Aged care residents deserve food that is both nutritious and appetising,” Minister Colbeck said. 

“While providing appropriate food for some residents can be challenging, it is a fundamental responsibility of aged care providers and a right of all aged care residents.”

Of all 2600 residential care services which self-reported the data through My Aged Care the average daily spend was approximately $13.94 in Q1 and $14.27 in Q2.

Among the 75 per cent of services that reported expenditure on food and ingredients as on-site only, the average expenditure was $12.25 in Q1 and $12.44 in Q2.

Minister Colbeck said less than two per cent of providers reported spending under $6 per resident, per day despite the additional funding. 

He said the Department of Health will refer any provider spending less than $10 per resident per day, to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to consider regulatory action.

“Providers have a responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of residents – but also that this funding is being used appropriately,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The Basic Daily Fee supplement was provided to residential aged care services to improve the delivery of care and services to senior Australians, with a focus on food and nutrition – that is what residents and their families expect.

“A spend less than $10 by any provider is no longer a satisfactory outcome. Residents deserve more.”

Minster Colbeck said the Basic Daily Fee supplement is just one of several actions the Government is taking on food, and both Government and consumers will be expecting sector leadership to drive real change in response.

Additional actions being taken by the Government to improve food and nutritional outcomes include:

• Asking 20 per cent of senior Australians in residential aged care whether they like the food, as part of consumer experience interviews, and publishing the service level results on star ratings later in 2022;
• Requiring residential aged care providers to collect and report on the new Quality Indicators, including unplanned weight loss, and publishing the service level results on star ratings later from December 2022; and
• The urgent review of the Aged Care Quality Standards, which includes a focus on food and nutrition.

Minister Colbeck said the Australian Government remains committed to ensuring senior Australians not only receive high quality and safe care, but have the best possible quality of life.

“While there is no doubt the pandemic has created extra difficulties for all aged care services, these issues are being worked through in collaboration with the sector,” Minister Colbeck said.

The quarterly self-reporting on food and nutrition, including oral health and meal preparation, allows the Government to work more closely with the sector to improve food practices.

The reports were developed in consultation with dietitians, nutrition experts and the aged care sector.

Further information about the food and nutrition reporting can be found here.