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An Albanese Labor Government will extend health and wellbeing support for our nurses across the country with a new National Nurse and Midwife Health Service.

Nurses have been the heroes of this pandemic. They have been dealing with the COVID crisis for more than two years – they are stressed, burned out and leaving the profession. 

They deserve our help. 

The new National Nurse and Midwife Health Service will provide nurses and midwives with a range of personalised and professional support services to help them manage burnout and stress.

This will build on the successful Nursing and Midwifery Health Program already available in Victoria, which has been inundated with calls from nurses struggling with wellbeing during the pandemic.

As restrictions ease around the country, there is no end in sight for our nurses. Many of them are close to breaking point – one survey of 7,800 Australian healthcare workers found 40 per cent had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. It is estimated that one in five frontline workers, including nurses, are considering quitting their job because of the pandemic.

Australia is already facing dire nursing shortages – we can’t afford to lose any more due to unnecessary burn-out.

Labor will ensure these heroes of the pandemic get the help they need, when they need it most.

The program will be open to enrolled and registered nurses, midwives and students. Labor will commit up to $23 million to the National Nurse and Midwife Health Service to keep nurses in the job, and keep them caring for Australians.

The Morrison Government’s plan for a stronger economy will help secure the forestry industry’s 73,000 jobs with a $219.5 million package that invests in new technologies to expand the sector.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said as the country tackled building material shortages and uncertainty around global supply chains, the jobs and skills in Australia’s forestry industry in regional areas were critical to a stronger future.

The Prime Minister said under the Liberals and Nationals, the Government would never support shutdowns of native forestry and would work with state government to create permanent timber production areas.

“Global demand for wood products is set to quadruple by 2050 so this investment in the jobs and future of the forestry industry is critical,” the Prime Minister said.

“The pressures on the building industry and the uncertain international trade situation has made it clear that local wood products and local skills are critical. Just ask any tradie who has been trying to get wood products.

“We can turbocharge this $23 billion industry with the right skills development and the right cutting edge research that our plan delivers.

“Only the Liberals and Nationals have a plan to secure and grow Australia’s forestry industry as we build a stronger economy and a stronger future.”

The Morrison Government’s plan for forestry includes:

• $100 million to establish an Australia-wide National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, including a central host hub located in Launceston and up to five regionally-located Centres of Excellence across Australia
• $6.6 million to extend funding for the 11 Regional Forestry Hubs that help local industry and business connect with cutting edge research
• $112.9 million in grants to accelerate adoption of new wood processing technologies in Australia’s manufacturing and processing businesses that will maximise log recovery, process smaller diameter logs and create new and innovative wood products

That plan builds on recent Budget measures including:

• $86.2 million in a new Plantation Establishment Program to help reduce the upfront costs of establishing new plantations and get more trees in the ground in key regions around the country
• $4.4 million to strengthen Australia’s illegal logging system and stop illegal timber imports from undercutting Australian producers

Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam said the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation would be centred at the heart of Australia’s forestry industry in northern Tasmania.

“We want to increase our self-reliance when it comes to wood supply and that means more job opportunities, more research and more manufacturing processing right here in Australia,” Assistant Minister Duniam said.

“Instead of importing products from overseas, we want to grow the trees here, process them here and add value to them right here in Australia.

“These investments mean helping our businesses and workers develop new timber products for buildings, turning wood waste into useful materials, and replacing plastics with wood-based bioplastics.

“Our forestry workers and industry are key to successful regional communities around the country and our plan helps deliver a stronger economy for their future.

“On our watch we’ve set up programs to make plantation expansion easier, we’ve invested $40 million to help the sector recover from the Black Summer bushfires, we’ve committed to planting 1 billion trees, and we’ve beefed up our moves to stop illegal timber imports from undercutting Australian producers.

“Australia’s forests aren’t just the basis of a critical industry supporting 73,000 jobs. They also store around 22 billion tonnes of carbon. Our investments are good for jobs and good for the climate.

“Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party have been silent while the Victorian and WA Labor Governments shut down native forestry.

“No matter what they tell you at this election, their actions speak louder than words and they’ll sell out regional communities at the first opportunity.”

Australia’s local refineries will receive support from the Morrison Government for major infrastructure upgrades to strengthen local production and supply better-quality fuels.

Through the Refinery Upgrades Program, the Morrison Government is providing $250 million to Australia’s domestic refiners, the Ampol refinery in Lytton, Brisbane and the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong, Victoria.

These two $125 million grants will be matched by both refineries and will allow them to begin major construction works to upgrade their facilities. This will bring more than $500 million of public and private sector investment into these local communities.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government’s investments would secure fuel production and supply for Australia in the face of global uncertainty.

“COVID-19, the Russian war in Ukraine and trade restrictions have disrupted global supply chains and Australia is not immune,” the Prime Minister said.

“Oil refineries literally fuel a stronger economy and these investments will help keep our truckies, miners, defence force and farmers moving across Australia.

“Our plan for a stronger future locks in Australia’s refining capabilities and will ensure upgrades are made to improve the quality of our fuel.

“These investments also protect the 1,250 existing refinery jobs and support the creation of around 500 more construction jobs across Lytton in Brisbane and Geelong.

“Cutting the fuel tax and this fuel security package put Australian motorists and businesses first. Our support for local refineries ensures we have the local capabilities to produce fuel even in the most challenging of times to keep our economy running.”

This funding is part of the Government’s comprehensive fuel security package announced in the 2021-22 Budget, which has locked in both the refineries operations into the future.

Strong supply chains underpin Australia’s economic security and Australia’s living standards.

The Government is focused on securing essential supply chains with our $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative, including key investments through our Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.

Last year we secured production of Adblue at Gibson Island in Brisbane – an essential input to keep trucking fleets operating. This followed China’s sudden decision to suspend urea exports, from which we make AdBlue.

The grants will enable the local production of ultra-low sulfur petrol products in Australia and allow the Government to bring forward the introduction of a new standard from 2027 to 2024.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the grants would not only support our local refining capability and safeguard fuel security, but also provide health benefits for Australians.

“Bringing forward the roll-out of ultra-low sulfur fuel from 2027 to 2024 will deliver significant health benefits for Australians through improved air quality. This is estimated to result in $1.02 billion in avoided health costs,” Minister Taylor said.

“These grants are the next step in the Morrison Government delivering on our commitment to support Australian domestic refiners to keep producing local fuel for Australian motorists.

“As well as enabling the production of better quality fuels, our landmark refinery production payments continue to provide taxpayers with lower than budgeted payments, with both refineries not needing any support in the second quarter.

“We will continue to ensure Australian families and local industry can access the quality fuel they need, when they need it through our fuel security package.”

The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources has further confirmed that Ampol and Viva Energy will not need to receive any payment for the second period of the Fuel Security Services Payment because the refineries were doing well. This follows on from quarter one, where only Viva Energy received payment, totalling $12.45 million.

The Refinery Upgrade Program is a key part of the Government’s comprehensive fuel security package, announced in the 2020-21 Budget, to secure Australia’s long-term fuel supply by ensuring our sovereign refining capability meets our needs during an emergency and into the future.

These grants will cover up to 50 per cent of total eligible project expenditure up to the maximum grant of $125 million. Projects are expected to be completed before the end of 2024.

This is in addition to the Morrison Government’s action to halve the fuel excise for six months to ease pressures at the petrol pump and cost of living concerns for Australian motorists.

The Morrison and Perrottet Governments have agreed on a further recovery package for people and communities affected by the recent flooding disasters.

The package builds on nearly $3 billion already committed by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments to support recovery efforts, including nearly $1.4 billion that the Commonwealth has already paid direct to people in affected areas.

This package includes:

• $312.5 million for a Stage 1 Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package to rebuild the road networks, particularly in the Northern Rivers. Funding will be provided under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) Category B and, where needed, Category D. This initial stage of works addresses the most immediate needs with both governments committing to future regional road and transport recovery, investment and repair
• $168 million for the Land and Housing Corporation to deliver urgent social housing solutions and replace social housing lost during the floods. NSW will fund new infrastructure, while the Commonwealth will co-fund the cost to repair damage to existing social housing
• $70 million for Aboriginal housing solutions for communities such as Cabbage Tree Island. The cost is to be shared with the Commonwealth
• $100 million for the repair and reconstruction of community, arts and cultural infrastructure such as libraries, youth and senior citizens facilities, playing fields and courts, playgrounds and parks (including amenities restoration and equipment replacement), with the Commonwealth supporting the funding (50:50) for community-owned assets through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements Category D
• $50 million funded 50:50 for the repair and reconstruction of Aboriginal community infrastructure and access needs owned by Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• $64 million for the urgent repair and restoration of key wetlands and riverbank sites and landscapes where there is a threat to public safety and infrastructure
• $36 million for urgent works required to assess and repair flood levees across northern NSW, with costs to be shared 50:50 through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements Category D
• The Commonwealth will also contribute $56.25 million for the NSW Back Home program to support damaged dwellings within the seven Northern Rivers LGAs and the Hawkesbury LGA.

Under DRFA, the Commonwealth and states share costs 50:50 for relief and recovery programs falling under Categories A, C and generally D. For Category B, the amount of reimbursement depends on the State’s total spend and can increase up to a 75 per cent Commonwealth contribution.

Both governments agree that these works will commence as quickly as possible to give communities support and certainty as they work through the recovery from the disaster.

Though full details of some elements of this package are yet to be settled, final costs for each level of government will be finalised in due course.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his Government was committed to the long-term recovery of flood-affected communities.

“These are strong communities with huge hearts and we’ll have their backs on the journey to recovery,” the Prime Minister said.

“With $1.4 billion already out the door from my Government and in the pockets of residents and businesses, these further commitments will help set up the longer-term recovery and future resilience of communities in northern NSW and western Sydney.

“I also look forward to working with all state and territory governments to establish clear and transparent reporting processes so that anyone affected by disasters in the future can see how much assistance is flowing into the pockets of families and businesses from the various levels of government.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the extra assistance was the next step in the rebuilding and recovery efforts being rolled out to communities devastated by the floods.

“This isn’t the start and it won’t be the end of the assistance our governments are delivering for the clean-up, recovery and future reconstruction of these communities,” the Premier said.

“Communities across NSW have been hit hard by these extraordinary events and as we move from the emergency response and disaster relief efforts to the recovery and resilience priorities we will work closely with local community groups, businesses and councils to ensure nobody is left behind.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the investments to restore local roads and infrastructure was just the beginning.

“Going to the flood-devastated areas has such an overwhelming effect on you and we must work together to get people in these areas back on their feet, back in their homes and the vital infrastructure they rely on repaired as quickly as possible,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“We are ensuring funding flows to projects that will help these communities recover and build back stronger.”

NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the latest round of funding would support the hardest-hit communities as they moved from recovery into reconstruction.

“This latest support highlights the ongoing efforts to help these communities get back on their feet, and we‘ll continue to throw everything at helping them bounce back stronger than ever in the weeks, months and years ahead,” Deputy Premier Toole said.

“This package will put more roofs over heads, restore the road network to keep people better connected, and roll out targeted and practical support to some of our most vulnerable communities.”

Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Bridget McKenzie said this next package of assistance highlighted that both the Federal and NSW Governments were focused on getting the right outcomes for flood-affected communities.

“Our Governments are getting on with the job of supporting people who need it,” Minister McKenzie said.

“This next phase of recovery and resilience assistance isn’t just about helping rebuild the bricks and mortar of businesses, community halls or the roads and highways that have been damaged, it’s also about backing the courage and hope in those communities.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said as flood waters had receded and debris removed, the priorities for the rebuild had become clear.

“Both federal and state agencies are on the ground every day and embedded with communities in the Northern Rivers region to understand where our resources can help and what is needed to tackle the difficulties communities are facing,” Minister Cooke said.

“The additional support being announced today will provide secure shelter for thousands of flood-affected people.

“Rebuilding a community is also about restoring the places where people come together, which is why we are funding the replacement of sporting grounds, galleries and other community hubs.”

This further support is in addition to $3 billion in support already announced from the Commonwealth and NSW Governments, including:

• An additional two disaster payments for the catastrophe zones, automatically paid for those who have already claimed and received the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment, at the current rate of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child
• $285 million Temporary Housing Support package
• $75,000 primary producers and the $50,000 small business and not-for-profit grants extended to all disaster declared LGAs
• $150 million Primary Industries Support Package
• $6.5 million for Community Recovery Officer
• $35 million for Rural Landholder Grants
• $150 million Northern Rivers Support Package for businesses
• $142 million Property Assessment and Demolition Program
• $1 million grants to impacted councils to assist with their immediate social, built, economic and environmental needs
• $350 million to assist with the clean-up and removal of flood and storm-related damage, debris and green waste
• $10 million to support the mental health of school-aged children in the Northern Rivers region affected by the recent flood event under the Resilient Kids program
• $800,000 to extend the Regional Small Business Support Program to include small businesses impacted by the recent flood event in NSW and QLD for two RFCS regions, with a six-month extension until 31 December 2022, as well as free and independent case-managed financial counselling through the Rural Financial Counselling Service
• $5.4 million to boost existing legal assistance services operating within affected communities
• $25 million for emergency relief, food relief and financial counselling services
• About $6.9 million in support payments of $10,000 to assist early childhood education and care (ECEC) services affected by the floods where they have been closed for more than seven days. More severely impacted services will also be able to apply for Community Child Care Fund Special Circumstances grants
• $7 million to expand the Commonwealth’s business recovery and resilience service, Strengthening Business, into at least 30 of the most flood affected regions of northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland
• $31.2 million to deliver immediate and longer term local mental health support services for individuals, families, and communities impacted by the disaster and to support communities to recover and build resilience across the flood affected communities
• $4.7 million to ensure the immediate continuity of primary health care services for flood-impacted Australians.

The rapid electrification of our homes, businesses and vehicles, powered by renewable energy, must be urgently pursued by the next federal Government as a new scientific paper reveals the world can still keep global warming below a catastrophic two degrees.

The scientific journal Nature has produced the first study to rigorously quantify the climate impact of emissions reduction pledges made before and during the global COP26 conference in November. It finds there is a 50 per cent chance of keeping warming below 1.9 or 2 degrees by the end of the century.

Research released last year by Rewiring Australia chief scientist, Dr Saul Griffith, demonstrated that rapid price reductions in already available technologies enables rapid decarbonisation of the domestic economy and that this would be more cost effective than other forms of carbon reduction, in fact financially positive for consumers over this decade.

Dr Griffith said no nation was better placed than Australia lead the way, through decarbonising the domestic economy by replacing fossil fuel powered cars, heating and stove tops with renewable powered, electric versions.

“Australia can lead the world in harnessing the power of the sun to run our homes and cars, smashing carbon emissions and obliterating energy bills at the same time,” Dr Griffith said.

“The national pledges made by Australia, America and other countries fail to factor in how the declining costs of EVs, solar, batteries and efficient household appliances can combined as a package that zeros energy emissions for households.

“Electrifying our homes and vehicles is the fastest and cheapest path to decarbonising our domestic economy. By 2030 it will save close to $5,000 per year per household on their energy bill and reduce domestic emissions by 40 per cent.

“This election is the perfect opportunity for a party or candidate to commit to electrification. The first step is to pilot the electrification of an entire suburb or street, where we replace all gas appliances and combustion engine vehicles with renewable powered electric versions.

An analysis released by the Australia Institute found that for the 2020-2021 financial year, different levels of Government provided more than $11.6 billion in fossil fuel subsidies.

“This is entirely counter-productive,” Dr Griffith said. “We are doling out subsidies to energy sources that are choking the planet while we leave proven technologies sitting on the bench. Subsidising fossil fuels also makes the world more unstable and dangerous, strengthening the hand of petro-states and oligarchs.

“Redirecting just a fraction of fossil fuel subsidies to households would allow them to rewire their homes and adopt the latest zero-emission technology while saving thousands every year on their energy bills.

“This should be a no-brainer.

The decision of both major parties not to lift JobSeeker is brutal and has relegated millions of Australians to continuing to live under the poverty line, said the St Vincent de Paul Society.

Yesterday, Labor confirmed it will go to the federal election with a policy that maintains the JobSeeker payment of just above $640 per fortnight for a single person without children – an identical position to that of the Coalition.

St Vincent de Paul Society National President Claire Victory said the decision was both cruel and unnecessary.

‘It is crushingly disappointing that voters at this election will not be able to choose a party of government that wants to lift Australia’s brutally low JobSeeker rate,’ Ms Victory said.

‘It is simply immoral for a nation as wealthy as Australia to allow millions of people to languish beneath the poverty line.

‘We’re constantly told that lifting the JobSeeker rate would act as a disincentive to work, but the research doesn’t bear that out and in my decades of engaging with people experiencing poverty I’m yet to find anyone who’s able to work but chooses to remain on JobSeeker. It’s clear that the current JobSeeker rate is actually designed to punish people.’

Ms Victory said while it was understandable that both parties were cautious about increasing national debt, there were ways to boost JobSeeker without impacting the budget bottom line.

Recent modelling by the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, commissioned by the St Vincent de Paul Society, found an increase to JobSeeker of $150 per fortnight, along with a 50 per cent increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance, could be easily paid for through minor tax changes that would only marginally affect highest income-earners.

‘This research shows there is no justification for being so brutal with people who cannot find sufficient work. While acknowledging the need to be cautious about adding to national debt, there are many ways Australia could fund a boost to JobSeeker that lifts recipients out of poverty and restores their dignity, without affecting the budget bottom line.

‘There is abundant wealth in this country to fund an income increase to those who most desperately need it. The fact that neither party has the political courage to advocate for such a change is deeply disappointing.’

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s Federal Election statement includes a suite of practical and compassionate policies to create A Fairer Australia.

https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/News/National_Media_Releases/National_media_releases_2022/A_Fairer_Australia–federal_election_statement_2022/

Like Plato’s Cave, where fires reveal the portrait of an otherwise hidden reality, researchers have for the first time used a stalagmite’s chemical signal to reveal the nature of Australia’s historic wildfires, identifying differences before and after European settlement.

“For around 50 years, researchers have focused on the climate record contained in cave stalagmites,” says Prof Andy Baker, project chief investigator from UNSW’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. “However, hiding in the shadows all along was this geochemical record of past fires.”

The stalagmite used in the study, findings of which are published in the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, was extracted from Yonderup cave in Western Australia and preserved a record of fires, climate conditions and the intervening years since its formation, allowing researchers to link local fires with any climatic antecedents.

“We found that the largest fire event in the [stalagmite] record, in approximately 1897, coincided with a decades-long drought period known as the Australian Federation drought,” says Dr Liza McDonough from ANSTO and lead author of the study, conducted with UNSW and other universities. “The intensity of this fire was likely caused, at least partially, by these dry conditions.

“We also know that this [the largest fire] occurred a few decades after Indigenous cultural burning would have been suppressed by Europeans, so the fire was also probably exacerbated by a build-up of understorey vegetation and dry combustible material on the forest floor due to removal of Indigenous land management practices.”

The researchers interpret the pre-European period captured in the stalagmite record as characterised by regular, low-intensity fires, while its post-European record depicts infrequent, high-intensity fires, which they speculate could be due to management practices.

This is the first study in which a stalagmite’s geochemistry has been used to describe historical fires. The technique relies upon the stalagmite’s composition, the variation in its elements and the order in which they were laid down.

“Nutrients such as phosphorus, and trace metals are found in bushfire ash and, in theory, can dissolve into waters that eventually infiltrate underground caves. Our research provides the first evidence that water containing high concentrations of these dissolved ash-derived elements can also alter the chemistry of a stalagmite and result in the preservation of signals from past fire events,” says Dr McDonough.

Why had stalagmites not been previously discovered as archives of past fires? “We realised we needed to use the highest resolution geochemical techniques available, as stalagmites grow very slowly. In one year, a stalagmite increases in height by the same thickness as that of a sheet of paper. The geochemical trace left by a fire would be even thinner.”

It’s not just historical fires that are recorded in stalagmites but also the annual accumulation of years, much like tree rings.

“In regions with high seasonality,” Dr McDonough says, describing the stalagmite’s record of time, “wet winters can lead to a flush of organic matter into the dripwaters that form stalagmites. This causes annual dark bands alternating with light calcite bands in summer. This means that these stalagmites can be easily and precisely dated by counting back the annual layers.”

While the particular portion of stalagmite used in this study is relatively young, allowing scientists to peer back just 260 years, the range of time promised by other stalagmites and other speleothems (cave ornaments) stretches back much further, thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

This new technique opens the possibility of speleothems, and their chemical record, to describe historical fire and climatic events around the world “potentially anywhere we might find caves”.

Dr McDonough says the technique also grants new perspectives on climate change. “Speleothems record increasing or decreasing rainfall rates and changes in evaporation and their potential influence on local fire events, whether they’re becoming more or less frequent through time.

“Further investigation of the combined climate and fire records captured in stalagmites will allow us to understand the climatic conditions required for large bushfires to occur, which is essential to properly prepare for and mitigate the impacts of large fire events.”

The authors would like to respectfully acknowledge the Whadjuk Noongar people, the traditional custodians of the land at Yanchep where this study was conducted, for whom the land has strong mythological, ritual and ceremonial significance.