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The Morrison Government will invest up to $4.3 billion to deliver Western Australia’s first large-vessel dry berth, creating a world-class precinct at the Henderson shipyard and supporting thousands of local jobs.

The Henderson dry-dock will enable the construction and sustainment of large naval vessels in Australia and support an even stronger commercial shipbuilding and sustainment market in Western Australia.

Government-owned Australian Naval Infrastructure will oversee the design and build of this nation building infrastructure, with work to start in 2023 and initial operations to commence in 2028.

The Commonwealth will work closely with the Western Australian Government and industry to develop a comprehensive master plan for the defence precinct at Henderson to ensure this investment fully supports our national naval shipbuilding enterprise effectively.

This project is likely to create at least 500 direct construction jobs at its peak and thousands more through local sub-contracts and the national supply chain.  Once completed, this infrastructure will help support at least 2,000 direct shipbuilding jobs at Henderson, particularly as continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia comes to fruition as part of the national naval shipbuilding enterprise.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Western Australia was a central pillar to the Government’s commitment to growing sovereign capabilities and turbocharging our national naval shipbuilding.

“This is a $4.3 billion vote of confidence in Western Australia’s shipbuilding capabilities, jobs, training and the critical role that Western Australia plays in defending Australian and powering our national economy,” the Prime Minister said.

“This multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment will transform the Henderson maritime precinct into a world-class shipbuilding powerhouse, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to naval capability in the West.

“This investment in WA’s future will ensure we can build, as well as sustain larger vessels in Australia, turbocharging our national naval shipbuilding endeavour and creating thousands of job opportunities for West Australians.

“Henderson, HMAS Stirling and Fleet Base West all form a key part of our maritime capability and our nation’s security, particularly given the  strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, and will continue to do so for decades to come.”

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said the project builds on the Government’s previous $1.5 billion commitment to infrastructure improvements at HMAS Stirling and the Henderson maritime precinct. 

“The Morrison Government is committed to delivering the sovereign shipbuilding outcomes outlined in the 2020 Force Structure Plan and the 2017 National Naval Shipbuilding Plan, and Western Australia is central to them,” Minister Dutton said.

“This decision will ensure that we can meet the Navy’s future requirements as we undertake the enormous investments in the maritime capabilities we need to keep our nation safe in the decades ahead.”

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the investment would generate economic and jobs growth in Western Australia, building sovereign defence industry in the region, with Australian industry requirements being built in from the beginning.

“This is a significant infrastructure project that Australian industry is already supporting through concept work and there will be significant future job opportunities for Australian industry throughout design and construction, and once it’s up and running,” Minister Price said.

“The project will build the capacity and capability of sovereign defence industry in the region, particularly in the advanced manufacturing sector, with Australian Industry Capability requirements in contracting arrangements.

“The infrastructure will also support Defence’s $90 million Regional Maintenance Centre due to be operational in Henderson in the second half of 2022 to enable a level of maintenance to be conducted on all surface fleet units and creating 40 jobs.”

Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham said that utilising Australian Naval Infrastructure for the design and build of this advanced facility would be crucial to maintaining sovereignty in our shipbuilding and sustainment infrastructure.

“Using ANI as our partner in the Henderson dry dock ensures we capture their experience from the Osborne Shipyard and maintain maximum sovereignty and flexibility in design, construction and management of this future facility in the decades to come,” Minister Birmingham said.

Requiring Big Tech to enforce its own safety standards is among the key recommendations​ of the report by the Select Committee on Social Media and Online Safety into online harms on social media platforms, which has been released today.

In its unanimous report, the Committee found that the safety of people online is being threatened by individuals who engage in harmful behaviour and conduct. The harms experienced by victims of online abuse leave a long trail of trauma and suffering, as expressed by many witnesses in evidence to the Committee.

Committee Chair Lucy Wicks MP said, the evidence received by the Committee highlighted the necessity of a three-part response: social media platforms focusing on user safety and enforcing their policies; the Government appropriately regulating and monitoring the sector; and users understanding that while respectful dissent and disagreement is a part of online discourse, abuse isn’t, and it should not be tolerated.

‘The recommendations in this report are an important next step in making our online world and social media platforms safer for all,’ Ms Wicks said.

‘The Australian Government is leading the world in online safety, but technology and online predators evolve quickly, so the Government must continue to hold social media companies to account and support victims of abuse.

‘For too long social media platforms have been able to ‘set the rules’, enabling the proliferation of online abuse. The balance of responsibility for the safety of users online, which until recently has been primarily on users, must be ‘flipped’ to ensure that social media platforms bear more of the burden of providing safety for their users.

‘To protect Australians, social media companies have to take responsibility to enforce their terms of service, prevent recidivism of bad actors, prevent pile-ons or volumetric attacks, prevent harms across multiple platforms and be more transparent about their use of algorithms.

‘The inquiry has also focused on what more can be done to address individual actions and behaviours online by building on the eSafety Commissioner’s existing education programs and government awareness campaigns to give Australians, and especially children, more information about how to safely engage in online discourse.’

Key recommendations include:

The establishment of a Digital Safety Review to review all online safety legislation and government programs, with a view to simplify regulations into one framework and make recommendations to the Australian Government on potential proposals for mandating platform transparency;
Requesting that the eSafety Commissioner examine the extent to which social media companies enforce their policies in relation to users experiencing harm, in addition to requiring them to report to Government regarding reducing harm caused by their algorithms;
Addressing technology-facilitated abuse in the context of family and domestic violence, including the recommendation of significant additional Australian Government funding for support services;
Mandating that all social media companies set as a default the highest privacy settings for people under the age of 18 years; and
Increasing the reach of educational programs geared at both adults and young people regarding online harms, with a focus on the eSafety Commissioner’s powers to remove harmful content and the mechanisms through which victims can report harmful content and online abuse.
Ms Wicks thanked the witnesses and submitters who provided evidence to the inquiry, and in particular noted the bravery and resilience of victims of online abuse who shared their stories with the Committee.

Ms Wicks further expressed her thanks to her fellow Committee members, including the Deputy Chair, Tim Watts MP, for their thoughtful and constructive engagement throughout the inquiry.

Over the course of the three-and-a-half-month inquiry, the Committee held eleven public hearings with nearly sixty witnesses, and received over 100 submissions from individuals, organisations and government bodies. Further information about the Committee and a copy of the report can be found on its website .

While the report is unanimous, Labor Members and Mr Kelly also provided additional comments on the Committee’s findings.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hear evidence from critical industries and government agencies on proposed new laws to protect Australia’s infrastructure from sophisticated cyber attacks.

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022 addresses outstanding elements of new cyber laws passed by the Parliament last year, as recommended by the PJCIS in its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 and Statutory Review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018.

The Committee will hear from witnesses representing a range of industry sectors including: IT, telecommunications, education, health care, logistics, energy, utilities, and key union groups. The Committee will also hear from key government agencies, such as the Australian Signals Directorate and the Department of Home Affairs.

‘Australia’s security outlook has never been more uncertain, and so it’s critical that government and industry are working hand in glove to identify and counter sophisticated cyber attacks,’ PJCIS Chair Senator James Paterson said.

‘The second tranche of cyber laws aims to achieve just that, and I look forward to hearing from the government and private sector alike to ensure a unified response to threats against our nation,’ Senator Paterson said.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Wednesday, 16 March 2022
​10.00am – 5:00pm (AEDT)
​Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra

A program for the hearing is available online and the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

For background information:

For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) today released the 15th report of its National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program (the Program).

An estimated 15.7 tonnes of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin was consumed in 2020–21, the fifth year of the Program. Consumption of methylamphetamine is still dominant, well ahead of cocaine, the next biggest market of the four major drugs.

ACIC Chief Executive Officer Michael Phelan APM said the estimated street value of the four major drugs was $10.3 billion last year, up from $8.9 billion the previous year, due largely to general increases in street prices. Methylamphetamine accounted for 77 per cent of this expenditure.

“We saw the second lowest annual consumption of the four major drugs since our national wastewater drug monitoring program began, yet the second highest spending by Australians over the same period. It is clear that Australians are prepared to pay top dollar to line the pockets of organised criminals, generating significant health and other harms to our community,” Mr Phelan said.

“Through wastewater analysis we gain insight into the serious and organised crime groups that supply illicit drug markets. Regular and near-real-time wastewater reporting enables the ACIC and our partners to detect and respond to increasing drug threats in a timely way and monitor the impact of responses.”

Report 15 provides a 12 month and five-year overview of drug consumption in Australia which includes years where there have been COVID-19 restrictions in place. The national consumption of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin increased year on year in the first four years of the Program (2016–17 to 2019–20), followed by a marked reduction in total consumption in year five (2020–21). The drop of approximately 4.7 tonnes from the previous year’s levels, represents a 23 per cent decrease in overall drug consumption across these markets.

A key driver of the national drug market reduction over the last year was COVID-19 movement and border restrictions, law enforcement interventions and supply and demand. COVID-related border restrictions did not cause immediate major interruption to Australia’s drug markets, but wastewater data strongly indicates that the cumulative effect of these restrictions led to some substantial market interruptions.

“The restrictions put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, severely constrained these markets. However, organised crime groups continued to find ways to supply illicit drug markets during the pandemic and to generate significant illicit revenue through this activity,” Mr Phelan said.

“Our report helps address harmful drug consumption through improving knowledge about these influences so that tailored supply, demand and harm reduction efforts can be developed and implemented by decision makers on a range of drug and public health issues.”

The latest report presents data on Australia’s drug consumption for 12 substances. The August 2021 collection covered around 57 per cent of Australia’s population—about 13.3 million Australians. Result of note include:

· Consumption of methylamphetamine in capital cities and regional sites decreased in August 2021 to the lowest levels recorded by the Program, followed by an increase in capital cities in October 2021.

· Consumption of MDMA in capital cities decreased in August 2021 to the lowest levels recorded by the Program.

· Consumption of cocaine also decreased in August 2021, after which it increased in capital cities.

· Consumption of oxycodone and fentanyl appears to have stabilised, but at low levels.

· Consumption of heroin increased from April to August 2021, before decreasing in capital cities in October 2021.

· Consumption of cannabis in August 2021 in capital cities and regional areas was the highest recorded by the Program.

The Program’s data continues to demonstrate the challenges facing different cities and towns and highlights the unique characteristics of local drug markets, forming a meaningful part of bespoke solutions for each region.

“We are improving our understanding of external factors that affect consumption of drugs and the resilience of the respective drug markets,” Mr Phelan said.

The report is available from the ACIC website: www.acic.gov.au

Note to editors

In accordance with current wastewater analysis conventions, the terms of the contract, and to protect the integrity of the Program, the exact sampling locations cannot be publicly released by the ACIC. To maintain the confidentiality of the participating site, each site was allocated a unique code to de-identify their results, however trends in particular states and territories can be identified.

Media are encouraged to include help-seeking information in stories about illicit drugs to minimise any negative impact on people in the community. The following services provide people with access to support and information.

· For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.

· Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online.

· For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to the Turning Point website.

Flooding damages homes

Australia is facing a rental crisis that has been exacerbated by the recent flooding events, according to Pete Wargent, co-founder of Australia’s first national marketplace for buyer’s agents, BuyersBuyers.

Mr Wargent said, “rental markets were already in a tightening cycle. The floods in New South Wales and Queensland have added further pressure in certain markets, such as the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, where there was already a housing shortage, and for family-suitable housing in Brisbane.”

“All of the eight capital cities were already seeing a trend decline in vacancy rates with the honourable exception of Darwin, while many regional markets are, practically speaking, at full capacity” Mr Wargent said. 

Figure 1 – Rental vacancy rates

“Brisbane saw an estimated 15,000 homes flooded in this event, rendering potentially thousands of homes uninhabitable, and vacancy rates were already at decade lows there too. So the disruption is going to cause a good deal of friction in the rentals market.”

“More broadly, nationally the rental vacancy rate has fallen to around 1 per cent for the first time in over a decade-and-a-half, and there are further declines in the post as the international borders finally reopen and as total employment surges to record highs at over 13½ million this year” Mr Wargent said. 

Building crunch

BuyersBuyers CEO Doron Peleg said fewer new homes will be completed in 2022 as building approvals decline and the rising cost of materials and construction labour discourages development.

Mr Peleg said, “not only are financing costs set to rise but the cost of building materials and trades labour has also already jumped. The problem when you have a disaster with widespread impact such as flooding over two states is that this typically adds further pressure to the cost of labour and materials.”

“The HomeBuilder stimulus package was successful in getting more homes built for a period of time – and major renovation activity has been running hot – but approvals are now dropping away.”

Figure 2 – Detached house approvals by capital city

“Furthermore, there is considerably less demand from overseas investors, which means that attached dwelling approvals, in particular for high-rise unit developments, have failed to gain as much traction through this market cycle” Mr Peleg said. 

Figure 3 – Attached dwelling approvals by capital city

Construction insolvencies inevitable

BuyersBuyers co-founder Pete Wargent said, “the recent announcement that Probuild may be heading into administration appears likely to be canary in the coalmine for the construction sector.

Mr Wargent said, “profit margins are typically thin for developers and overlapping supply shocks have put a great deal of pressure on the cost of materials and labour.”

“Insolvencies have been exceptionally low for two years in the construction sector, but we can see that is now already changing, and further insolvencies will see many projects left incomplete as funding costs rise.”

Figure 4 – Construction insolvencies by state

“Overall, there were already a range of factors which were conspiring to put a good deal of pressure on rental markets.” 

“Talk of potential hikes in interest rates will naturally tilt the balance from buying to renting for many marginal households, and with landlords less eager to invest then the result is likely to be a rental crisis and double-digit growth in rental prices” Mr Wargent said.

United States (US) Marines have begun arriving in the Northern Territory to commence the eleventh annual rotation of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D). 

The 2022 MRF-D will see up to 2200 US personnel conduct combined training with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) including crisis response exercises and engagement with regional partners. 

This year, for the first time, US Army personnel will deploy to work alongside and support the MRF-D. 

Commanding Officer Headquarters Northern Command, Colonel Marcus Constable said that the rotation would build on the success of last year’s deployment which coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Australia, New Zealand, and United States (ANZUS) treaty.

“Australia’s alliance with the United States is our most important defence relationship and is central to Australia’s strategic and security arrangements.” He said.

“The MRF-D is a key way we increase regional cooperation with partners in the Indo Pacific and deepen interoperability between the ADF and the US Marine Corps.”

“Together we conduct a comprehensive range of training activities including humanitarian assistance, security operations and high-end live fire exercises. These better position our forces to respond to crises in the region,” Colonel Constable said.

MRF-D Commanding Officer Colonel Christopher Steele said it was an honour to build upon the continuing legacy of the U.S. – Australia Alliance. 

“This year our Marines will be coming from Camp Pendleton in Southern California as the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force assumes this mission, working alongside our US Army and Australian Defence Force counterparts,” Colonel Steele said. 

“We are excited to serve as the first regimental headquarters to lead MRF-D, and integrate two highly capable and interoperable forces that advance our shared goals, demonstrate the strength and endurance of our alliance, and contribute to regional security.

“Being able to continue MRF-D rotations while making the necessary adjustments to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the alliance relationship and the discipline of our forces,” Colonel Steele said.

The procedures for managing MRF-D’s arrival, border entry protocols and possible cases of COVID-19 have been developed and agreed in full consultation with NT Health authorities and will strictly adhere to all Australian Government requirements to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

The US Marines are expected to complete the rotation in Australia in October 2022. 

MRF-D is one of the United States Force Posture Initiatives that sits alongside an expanded program of Enhanced Air Cooperation between the Royal Australian Air Force and United States Air Force.

The Morrison Government has launched a ten-year plan to increase the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan 2021–2031 (National Workforce Plan) was released today by the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt.

The National Workforce Plan is the first of its kind. It seeks to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people equally represented alongside non-Indigenous workers across the health sector by 2031.

It will mean an unprecedented increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, health workers and health practitioners working across the health system through the next decade, providing culturally safe and responsive health and medical care.

The plan aims to lift the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the sector from the current 1.8 per cent to 3.43 per cent by 2031, better reflecting overall population numbers.

The plan has been designed in close partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including health leaders from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies and the community-controlled health sector.

It commits all governments to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to grow and strengthen the workforce through a consistent, yet flexible, approach to increasing employment, training and leadership opportunities.

Under the plan, a wide range of actions will be implemented at a national, state and territory, and regional level across the health system. These will attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all roles, levels and locations. Structural, systemic, organisational and personal barriers to growing and retaining a skilled workforce will be removed. There will be clear pathways for health students.

“The National Workforce Plan sets an ambitious and achievable, target,” Minister Hunt said.
Authorised by Greg Hunt MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Somerville, Victoria.

“Not only will it expand access to culturally safe care and significantly improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it will also increase economic prosperity by having First Nations people in well paid, secure employment.”

To help implement the plan, the Morrison Government has committed $53.1 million from 2022-23 to 2025-26.

This includes $11.9 million for the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association, $12.7 million for the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives, $18.9 million for Indigenous Allied Health Australia and $9.3 million for the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners. $0.3 million in support for the National Health Leadership Forum (NHLF).

This investment builds on the $159.1 million committed since 2021-22 to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce.

The National Workforce Plan complements the 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the refreshed National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan. Like them, it encompasses an approach that acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership is fundamental to drive real action and change to achieve its vision.

“One of the most important features of this National Workforce Plan is that it was developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Minister Hunt said.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said the National Workforce Plan is a strong example of governments working in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector and communities so that policy and action are designed and delivered by those who understand community best.

“Growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce participation across the health sector will help ensure culturally-safe, trauma-informed and responsive care is available for families and communities,” Minister Wyatt said.

“It will mean Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel more comfortable to access health services and experience better outcomes when they do.

“Increasing employment, training and leadership opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and embedding Indigenous knowledge and culture in our health services, will help deliver prevention-focused health services that are free of racism.”

Ministers Hunt and Wyatt thanked state and territory ministers, and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector, for their continued commitment to the plan.

NHLF Chair, Donna Murray, said: “A strong and empowered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce is central to improving our health outcomes.

“The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce brings culturally safe perspectives and practices into a western biomedical focused health system. Culture is a protective factor – a positive determinant of health – that strengthens our identity, and our connection to community and Country.

“We are committed to achieving health equity, and we draw strength from cultural integrity, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing. The NHLF welcomes the release of the National Workforce Plan and look forward to continuing to work in partnership with governments to develop the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.”

The Morrison Government is providing more than $35.9 million to ensure communities affected by the East Coast floods can continue to access vital health services and additional mental health support.

The widespread floods in Queensland and New South Wales have had a devastating effect – and the impacts on many thousands of Australians will be felt for years to come.

The Government recognises immediate health support is required to assist local residents to get back on their feet, support their families and rebuild their lives.

Mental health and trauma support for adults, youth and children

The Morrison Government is providing $31.2 million over two years for additional mental health support for Australians effected by the floods.

This includes

• $16.6 million for local mental health services to meet immediate psychological needs of communities, including:
  • $13.5 million to boost availability of psychological therapies delivered by local service providers.
  • $2.4 million for local Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations to deliver culturally appropriate, locally designed mental health services in impacted communities.
  • $200,000 to assist the Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma provide psychological support for current clients impacted by the floods.
  • $500,000 to ensure the Australian Psychological Society can continue to deploy its Disaster Response Network of over 500 trauma-trained psychologists.
• $9 million to support the mental health of children and young people, including:
  • $4.5 million to fund headspace services currently impacted by the floods, including funding to rebuild or relocate headspace Lismore and provide outreach services to Ballina and surrounding regions.
  • $4.5 million to provide dedicated services to impacted children and young people, with a focus on working through school communities, provided by Royal Far West.
• $1.2 million to accelerate the establishment of a Head to Health centre in Lismore, with a particular focus on trauma recovery and PTSD treatment.
• $3 million towards Wellbeing and Resilience Grants that allow communities the opportunity to choose their response to the loss, anxiety and distress they have experienced, as well as actively participate in their recovery

The Morrison Government recognises the significant impact multiple disasters, including the floods, the COVID-19 pandemic and bushfires, are having on individuals, families and communities, and is providing significant investment to better support recovery from this most recent disaster.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said these measures will ensure immediate and longer-term mental health support for individuals, families, and communities affected by the disaster, and will also include a range of community recovery initiatives.

“Importantly, this package of support will be provided over the next two years because we know support won’t just be needed in the next few months, and people living in flood-affected regions of QLD and NSW will need substantial ongoing support,” Minister Hunt said.

“Mental health is one of the Morrison Government’s highest priorities and we will continue to ensure that all Australians can access the mental health support and treatment they need, no matter where they are.”

Immediate healthcare supports

The Morrison Government is providing $4.7 million to ensure continuity of primary health care services for flood-impacted Australians, particularly in worst hit communities.

This includes:

• $2.5 million for primary health care emergency response teams to ensure urgent access to health services in flood-impacted regions.
• $1.5 million to establish a shared temporary business premises in Lismore for displaced local primary health care providers to ensure delivery of health services for Lismore.
• $700,000 to create a temporary surge workforce able to meet the current emergency need in Lismore and a longer-term capacity to meet demand if practices are inoperable or GPs need respite for the medium term.

“In the immediate term, our Government will provide support to help ensure continuity of primary health care services – including the vital services provided by general practices, pharmacies and mental health providers. This support is essential to help affected communities respond to the urgent challenges they face” said Minister Hunt.

MBS telehealth continues to be available across affected regions. An exemption has been made to normal MBS rules so people in flood-affected regions don’t have to have an existing relationship with a GP to access MBS-subsidised telehealth services (video and phone).

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) in significantly flood affected regions will be funded to support their emergency response activities. In particular, the PHNs will work with primary health care providers in their regions and with relevant state and local agencies to help ensure affected communities are able to access urgent primary and mental health care services.

In the severely impacted northern NSW community of Lismore, locum support for general practices and pharmacies will bolster the local workforce and assist in providing continuity of health care for residents where a number of general practices and pharmacies have been forced to close.

Temporary shared practice accommodation is also being established in Lismore for displaced primary health care providers, including general practitioners, pharmacists, allied health providers, mental health service providers and dentists.

Contacts for support

Anyone experiencing distress can also seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.

If you are concerned about suicide, living with someone who is considering suicide, or bereaved by suicide, the Suicide Call Back Service is available at 1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Young Australians needing support can access free services through Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), their local headspace or online through eheadspace.