The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Scott Ryan) took the chair at 12:00, read prayers and made an acknowledgement of country.
That the Senate take note of the minister's response.
You can't see that it's information that relates to matters of state interest. It can only relate to matters of party interest. If it relates to matters of party interest then he's using his influence as prime minister to try to obtain the information so that he can make the politically correct decision – that is, whether to keep Taylor or to fire him.
I don't think that's appropriate.
Plainly, any documents of the kind requested, if they existed, would not be able to be produced, as they would probably be the subject of public interest immunity. That immunity would arise because the matter concerns police inquiries by State authorities.
Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019
There have been six people approved who have been transferred to Australia and two people who have been approved still awaiting transfer to Australia, who have adverse security or character holdings in departmental databases.
Five people have refused treatment of some kind including the treatment for which they were referred, and a further 43 have refused an induction check, chest X-ray or pathology on arrival as part of the screening into the country.
… people of bad character can come, are able to come and in fact are required to come under Labor's laws that they passed. That's the reality.
… someone who is a paedophile, a rapist, who has committed murder, any of these other crimes, can just be moved on the say so of a couple of doctors on Skype.
People who need medical services are going to be displaced from those services, because if you bring hundreds and hundreds of people from Nauru and Manus down to our country, they are going to go into the health network, let’s be frank about it.
The current law enables a medical transfer where two or more treating doctors believe it is necessary. The minister can refuse a transfer on medical, security or community safety grounds. [Independent Health Advice Panel (IHAP)] can review the minister's decision but only on the ground of medical necessity. IHAP cannot challenge the minister's decision if it relates to security or community safety. In other words, as the government retains primary control over medical transfer decisions, the commission considers that the bill is not necessary to achieve the stated aim of ensuring the integrity and efficacy of the regional processing framework and returning decision-making power to government.
As former medical and healthcare staff who worked in Australia's offshore detention centres, we support the call from Australia's leading medical authorities to #SaveMedevac.
Every person should have access to necessary and appropriate medical care and, as health professionals and clinicians, we have a duty to uphold this basic human right.
The Medevac Legislation has improved access to appropriate healthcare for refugees and asylum seekers being held offshore. It allows medical professionals to make decisions about health care for seriously ill individuals and ensure that they receive the medical treatment that they need in a clinically appropriate timeframe.
We saw ourselves, in our work offshore, that delays and failure to transfer ill asylum seekers resulted in preventable suffering.
The RANZCP is also concerned that the new bill allows for the removal of a person before medical treatment may be completed or may be adequate. We feel that decisions such as this should always be medical decisions, not ministerial ones.
These people are under Australia's care. It is Australia that pays the governments of Nauru and PNG to house offshore detention centres to create the disincentive for others to travel by boat to Australia. It is Australia that pays the security companies to keep them detained. And so it is Australia that is responsible for the dramatic decline in their mental and physical health.
It is the narrowest of concessions to offer emergency medical treatment in Australia to people we have so mistreated.
The medevac legislation has saved lives, and delivered people health care they had previously been deliberately deprived.
The government's refusal to transfer sick people from offshore detention to Australia under previous arrangements caused death, mental anguish and untold suffering among refugees and people seeking asylum.
The medevac repeal Bill shows that the government puts political imperatives ahead of people's medical needs.
They have made the crass calculation that some lives are worth sacrificing for broader political outcomes, despite their legal and moral obligations.
This calculation should be intolerable in a liberal democracy like Australia.
Decisions about medical care should be made by medical experts, not politicians or bureaucrats.
UNHCR considers that these measures enhance transparency and predictability in the provision of healthcare in critical situations. In particular, it is appropriate that Australian law contain safeguards for the protection of the refugees and asylum-seekers subject to the offshore transfer arrangements, reflecting the position that cooperative bilateral and/or multilateral arrangements should enhance the capacity of the States concerned to provide protection to refugees, and should not represent an attempt of any State to divest itself of responsibility or limit jurisdiction and responsibility under international law. Measures of the kind established by the medical provisions are all the more necessary in light of UNHCR's observations of the shortfalls in protection standards in respect of both Papua New Guinea and Nauru. The resulting conditions have led to the deterioration of the health of refugees and asylum-seekers throughout the life of the offshore transfer policy, and this deterioration can be expected to continue until long-term solutions are achieved. UNHCR recommends that the Bill not be passed.
The physical transfer of asylum seekers from Australia to Papua New Guinea and Nauru does not extinguish Australia's legal responsibility for their protection. Australia is jointly responsible (with Nauru and Papua New Guinea, respectively) for ensuring that the treatment of all asylum-seekers and refugees transferred to those countries is compatible with each state's respective obligations under the Refugee Convention and other applicable human rights instruments. While international law does not prohibit bilateral transfer arrangements involving asylum-seekers where relevant standards under international law are met, the primary responsibility for providing protection rests with the State from which asylum is sought.
The Bill would explicitly authorise the forcible return (to Nauru or Papua New Guinea, and to countries of origin) of refugees and asylum-seekers who have been transferred to Australia under the medical provisions, irrespective of whether the purpose of their transfer to Australia has been achieved.
Australia clearly has international legal obligations in respect of these refugees and asylum seekers. UNHCR continues to urge that asylum seekers and refugees presently in Australia should not be returned to Nauru or Papua New Guinea.
The legislative framework for Australia's offshore transfer policy contains few safeguards for the protection of the people to whom it applies. The Bill would abolish two of the most significant of these safeguards. The health of the refugees and asylum-seekers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea will continue to deteriorate in the absence of a long-term solution to their situation of forced displacement. Until durable solutions are found outside those countries, both regular monitoring of health services and timely access to necessary medical care are safeguards that enhance confidence in efforts to address the health needs of those who remain. Accordingly, UNHCR recommends that the Bill not be passed.
The AMA advises the Committee that we affirm our position that those who are in the care of the Australian government and who are seeking, or who have been granted, asylum within Australia have the right to receive appropriate medical care without discrimination, regardless of citizenship, visa status, or ability to pay. Like all people seeking health care, asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, or under the protection of the Australian Government, should be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity.
The AMA views refugees, asylum seekers and individuals in detention facilities or detailed in offshore in Nauru and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to be under the protection of the Australian Government.
… … …
1. In addition to suffering the same health problems as the general population, asylum seekers and refugees are at particular risk from a range of conditions including psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and the physical effects of persecution and torture. They may also suffer the effects of poor dental hygiene, poor nutrition and diet, and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, which may be more common in their countries of origin.
2. To determine their specific health needs, all asylum seekers and refugees need to undergo comprehensive and timely health assessments in a culturally appropriate manner by suitably trained medical practitioners as part of a primary health care team. This assessment should be used to establish ongoing care with appropriate and descriptive records of asylum seekers' health being recorded on a regular basis to enable multidisciplinary teams and healthcare providers to give effective ongoing care.
3. All asylum seekers and refugees should have access to the same level of health care as all Australian citizens.
4. All asylum seekers and refugees, independent of their citizenship or visa status, should have universal access to basic health care.
5. Immigration policies that restrict the basic human rights of disadvantaged groups of people, such as asylum seekers and refugees, can have adverse impacts on their health and wellbeing.
The AMA supports a body of clinical experts, independent of government, with the power to investigate and advise on the health and welfare of asylum seekers and refugees.
We maintain that health and medical services in immigration detention centres should only be provided by organisations, in facilities accredited to Australian standards, that have the full capacity to provide an appropriate range of health and medical care to all detainees as needed, and according to best practice standards in health care delivery (as would apply in the general community).
Adherence to these standards should be guaranteed through a process of ongoing monitoring of detainees' health by an independent statutory body of clinical experts with powers to acquire information and investigate conditions in centres as it determines.
It is essential that the assessment and provision of medical care to asylum seekers in detention must be undertaken by medical practitioners.
In the absence of any other alternative independent medical panel that is demonstrably superior, the AMA affirms its support for the IHAP, in assessing the needs of asylum seekers and refugees for transfers for medical and psychiatric assessment and treatment.
… supplementary questions are appropriate only for the purposes of elucidating information arising from the original question and answer. They are not appropriate for the purpose of introducing additional or new material or proposing a new question, even though such a question might be related to the subject matter of the original question.
… I facilitated a meeting today between members of the convoy and the Minister for Water Resources, David Littleproud, and the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley.
I wish that those arrangements had been in place when her son was in the Defence Force. I wish they had been in place for all of those Australians who have served in our defence forces and have passed away by their own hand.
… had accused McKenzie of allowing One Nation to take credit for … the dairy code of conduct, and said it had been his intention to call a spill against her.
That the Senate take note of the Minister's response.
Minister, how many Australians have died whilst waiting for their home package in the last financial year?
This is a legitimate question. It's one of the reasons why the government takes the issue of aged care and the growth of aged care home care packages so seriously.
That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Agriculture (Senator McKenzie) to questions without notice asked by Senators McCarthy, Sterle and Bilyk today.
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Waters today.
That on Wednesday, 4 December 2019, consideration of the business before the Senate be interrupted at approximately 5 pm, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to enable senators to make valedictory statements relating to Senator Bernardi.
That the Senate notes:
(a) that 3 December 2019 is the International Day of People with Disability;
(b) that the theme for 2019 is 'Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality';
(c) that 3 December is recognised each year as the day for the celebration of the achievements of people living with disability;
(d) that it is also the day when we promote awareness of the challenges faced by people with disability, and the role that communities and society can play in accelerating the eradication of barriers to social inclusion, equality, participation and citizenship;
(e) that approximately 1 billion people worldwide, and 3 million people in Australia, live with disability – this represents 15% of the global population and 20% of the population of Australia; and
(f) the remarkable contributions people with disability make to Australia, and congratulates all of the organisations and communities throughout Australia that are celebrating this important day.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the road transport industry is Australia's deadliest industry,
(ii) a 2016 report by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics stated 'Heavy trucks are disproportionately involved in casualty crashes: approximately 16% of road crash fatalities and 4% of injuries involve these vehicles' – this is despite Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics data that trucks make up only 2.45% of registered vehicles, and
(iii) the latest Safe Work Australia statistics show there have been 138 workplace deaths since the start of the year, of which 51 have been transport workers;
(b) recognises that:
(i) a significant driver of the road transport task is retail supply chains – all major retailers in the supply chain should be accountable for their impact on safety, wages and fair dealings with transport operators,
(ii) on 15 October 2019, Channel 9 News aired shocking evidence of a disregard for safety: safety doors blocked, fire equipment hemmed in, chaotic food storage, filthy floors, faulty electrics, poor lighting for truck drivers delivering goods and a flooded yard outside a loading dock at Aldi stores across Australia, and
(iii) on 16 October 2019, truck drivers across Australia took part in nationwide protests to highlight concerns they have with safety at Aldi; and
(c) congratulates transport workers and their worker representatives, the Transport Workers Union of Australia, on helping bring the safety issues in the retail supply chain to light.
That the Senate—
(a) records its deep regret at the death, on 27 November 2019, of Mr Sam Watson, a proud member of the Munnenjarl and Biri Gubba Juru tribal nations, with blood ties to the Yuggera, Kalkadoon and Noonuccal peoples and one of Queensland's most significant Indigenous leaders;
(b) recognises the lifelong activism, leadership and advocacy for social justice and the rights of his people;
(c) places on record its appreciation of the long and tireless contribution Mr Sam Watson Senior made to the advancement of the rights of Indigenous Australians; and
(d) offers our condolences to his wife Cathy, his children Nicole Watson and Sam Wagan Watson, and the many Australians whose lives he has touched—we are all the poorer for his passing.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the Federal Government continued with the draconian robodebt program long after the harrowing evidence of the Senate inquiry in 2017 and the recommendation that it be put on hold while issues of procedural fairness were dealt with, and long after the major flaws with the income averaging process were identified,
(ii) despite the announcement of the changes to income averaging via leaked emails, the silence by the Minister for Government Services on the way forward is once again leaving people worried and anxious,
(iii) the Federal Government needs to be transparent about the new review process so that people know what is going on, and
(iv) it will take extensive resources to identify and compensate the thousands of people who have been caught up in the robodebt scheme, and who have paid debts that were incorrectly calculated; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to:
(i) stop trying to evade responsibility for their systemic targeting of people on income support through income averaging and robodebt, and
(ii) address the reduced revenue raising as a result of the new process, the cost to review income averaging cases of the robodebt program, including the projected number of people who may be eligible for compensation and/or a refund, as well as the staffing required to investigate these cases in the 2019-20 MYEFO.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the Department of Home Affairs employs over 240 dedicated and hardworking Australians to process visa applications in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory,
(ii) this is crucial work that ensures the integrity of our visa processing system and is the cornerstone of our sovereignty as a nation,
(iii) the Federal Government's plan to privatise Australia's visa system threatens the livelihoods of over 240 Australians and their families in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and
(iv) privatising Australia's visa system will lead to increased costs of visas, greater risks of worker exploitation, data security breaches and will make protecting national security more difficult;
(b) condemns the Federal Government for auctioning Australian jobs off to the highest bidder, and for undermining the integrity of our visa processing system and our nation's sovereignty; and
(c) calls on the Federal Government to guarantee the protection of these 242 jobs in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and the 2000 jobs across Australia, which will be lost under the Morrison Government if they persist with their efforts to privatise Australia's visa system.
(a) notes that:
(i) on 1 December 2019, the Federal Government submitted the State Party Report on the state of conservation report of the Great Barrier Reef (the Reef) World Heritage Area,
(ii) the State Party Report responds to the World Heritage Committee Decision in 2015, requesting the Government to outline how the Reef's Outstanding Universal Value is being protected to avert a World Heritage In Danger listing,
(iii) the State Party Report recognises that mass coral bleaching events in 2016 and 2017, tropical cyclones, flooding, and crown-of-thorns starfish have impacted the Outstanding Universal Value of the Reef since 2015,
(iv) the Great Barrier Reef outlook report 2019 found that the long-term outlook for the Reef 's ecosystem has deteriorated from poor to very poor, and climate change and land-based run-off remain the key threats,
(v) the State Party Report states that the Government is 'actively managing the pressures over which we have direct control through investment and regulation based on the best available science',
(vi) United Nations scientific reports have confirmed that if global temperature rises by 1.5°C, 90% of coral in the Reef will be lost and 100% of coral will be lost at 2.0°C,
(vii) the Government has established a Senate inquiry questioning the water science informing regulation of land-based run-off into the Reef,
(viii) Government representatives have advocated for the removal of climate change threats as a consideration for World Heritage In Danger listing decisions, and
(ix) fossil fuel companies have donated nearly $5 million to the Liberals, Nationals and Labor parties over the past four years; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to:
(i) implement a climate policy to limit global warming to 1.5°C to protect the Great Barrier Reef,
(ii) manage the key pressures over which it has control by revoking all federal approvals for the Adani Carmichael mine and not approve any new coal in Australia, and
(iii) ban corporate donations to political parties from the fossil fuel industry, an industry which financially benefits from this Federal Government's lack of action on climate change.
The Senate divided. [16:00]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, by 9 am on 5 December 2019:
(a) all correspondence between the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) and Equinor on its request for Equinor to modify and resubmit its environmental plan in relation to the Stromlo-1 Exploration Drilling Program;
(b) all correspondence between NOPSEMA and Equinor in relation to the notice issued by NOPSEMA on 8 November 2019 requesting further information about matters relating to consultation, source control, oil-spill risk and matters under Part 3 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ; and
(c) all correspondence between NOPSEMA and Equinor, up to 2 December 2019, in relation to the Stromlo-1 Exploration Drilling Program since the issuing of the notice on 8 November 2019.
The Senate divided. [16:04]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
That the Senate—
(a) notes that, for the first time since 1952, the ABC will not have a live radio broadcast of the Olympic Games; and
(b) expresses disappointment that the ABC has indicated that it will not reverse its decision not to broadcast the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
1. After paragraph (b), insert:
(c) notes that the ABC cited 'budget pressures' and 'competing budget priorities' as part of its decision not to pursue the non-commercial radio rights for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games; and
(d) notes that the ABC warned that the Government's decision to impose an indexation pause of $83.7 million over the next three years would make it very difficult for the ABC to meet its Charter requirements and audience expectations.
The Senate divided. [16:12]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
(1) That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, by no later than 12.45 pm on 4 December 2019, the following documents:
(a) the copy of the City of Sydney annual report 2017-18 the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction (Mr Taylor) claims was downloaded directly from the City of Sydney website in September 2019; and
(b) any documents that support the Minister's claim.
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) the Federal Government has announced $10 million in Special Circumstances Funding to drought affected schools, but has specifically excluded public schools from receiving this funding, and
(ii) more than 80% of students in rural and remote areas are enrolled in public schools and they are also deeply impacted by the drought; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to establish a fund for government schools facing hardship as a result of ongoing drought conditions.
The Senate divided. [16:24]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
(1) That the Senate notes the hardship and financial difficulty being faced by dairy farmers in many parts of the country.
(2) That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Agriculture, by no later than 11.45 am on 5 December 2019, a legislative instrument giving legal effect to a dairy code, and if the instrument has not been tabled prior to the appointed time, the Minister be called on to table the instrument before petitions are called on that day.
(3) That if the legislative instrument required by paragraph (2) is not tabled, the Senate requires the Minister for Agriculture to attend the Senate at 3.30 pm on Thursday, 5 December 2019 to provide an explanation, of no more than 20 minutes, of the Government's response to paragraph (2).
(4) That following the Minister's explanation, or in the event the Minister fails to provide an explanation, any senator may move to take note of the response required by paragraph (3).
(5) That any motion under paragraph (4) may be debated for no longer than 60 minutes, shall have precedence over all business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 10 minutes.
The Senate divided. [16:28]
(The President—Senator Ryan)
Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move that, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:
"That people on Newstart and Youth Allowance do not enjoy the same Christmas spirit as other Australians and struggle during the summer holidays due to the low rates of the payments and the Government's punitive compliance programs."
That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:
That people on Newstart and Youth Allowance do not enjoy the same Christmas spirit as other Australians and struggle during the summer holidays due to the low rates of the payments and the Government's punitive compliance programs.
I am on Newstart. It's coming up to the time of year where we will see commercials on television about Christmas. They will show happy people all celebrating, all enjoying each other's company and all sharing gifts with their loved ones. They'll all be in large homes with copious amounts of food for the traditional Christmas dinner. Television commercials are designed to present an ideal. However, they do not represent my reality. I cannot afford to buy all the gifts I am told my loved ones deserve. I cannot buy all the food I am told will make my Christmas the best it can be. This is not unique to Christmas. This is how I live all year round.
I feel exhausted because, on top of all those things, there is the rego once every three months. I lost my pension card because I had to go onto Abstudy when I started uni five months ago—and I can't believe I'm at uni; I never went to high school. It is going to be about $200 per month. Parking is $100 per month. Child care is about $120 per month.
All of this said, Christmas is coming up and I feel really frightened that I can't afford to buy anything for my children. Since moving over to Abstudy from Newstart a few months ago, I've lost my pension card, so I'm no longer eligible for the rebates that I used to get on my utilities, on my registration, on my licence. Essentially all of my costs have gone up greatly, and yet my eligibility for any rebates has gone down.
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle
That the Senate adopt the recommendation of paragraph 1.5 of the report.
That the Senate take note of the report.
… people with disability and their families feel like they're trapped in some NDIS version of Groundhog Day where they keep saying the same things over and over and over again about what the problems are and what the potential solutions are but they wake the next morning to find that very little has changed. If I could summarise our submission it would to make a plea to the committee, to say that the problems with the NDIS are well known and the solutions are well known—what we're really missing is action.
There appears to be an emphasis on the unspent funds and plans, particularly at the moment, given the underspend evident in the budget recently. In our case we would have loved to have been able to spend all of our allocated funds, but the reality is that we have to book therapy 12 months in advance. There's no flexibility, due to the severe skills shortage of allied health professionals in Tasmania …
… I haven't even touched on the emotional burdens that attach to this damn system! There's a lot of work that needs to be done. It's hard, it's emotional and you just keep going, because you can't give up.
Introduction
The Australian Government welcomes the Committee's report and its recommendations to support the responsiveness of Australia's regulatory system to the needs of the digital economy, and the cyber resilience of Australia's trade-focused business sector. The Government supports the direction of all the recommendations, noting that work is already underway to address them.
The Government recognises that new technologies are transforming Australian industries, workforces and communities. Our ongoing success depends on our ability to harness technological advances to improve existing businesses, create new products, services and markets, and enhance daily life.
The Government also recognises that a cohesive and coordinated approach to digital economy policy is necessary to enable businesses and citizens to take full advantage of an increasingly globalised and digitised world. This is why the Government released the digital economy strategy, Australia's Tech Future (Rec. 3 of the Committee's report) on 19 December 2018.
The Government developed Australia's Tech Future in consultation with a wide range of businesses, community groups and academics, integrating input and feedback from agencies responsible for issues related to the digital economy. There is substantial work on the digital economy occurring across all sectors, including trade. The digital economy strategy will improve the coordination and cohesion of digital economy policy and awareness. The Government will continue to work with key stakeholders, including state and territory governments to discuss, coordinate and collaborate on activities to strengthen Australia's tech future.
Responses to individual recommendations are set out below.
Response to recommendations
Recommendation 1
4.75 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government as a matter of priority, creates a single portal of information, with particular regard to exporting digital goods and services, including information about the development of digitally native processes.
The Australian Government supports in principle this recommendation.
The Australian Government notes that a single portal of information for businesses already exists business.gov.au. The portal is a trusted one-stop shop for small business with relevant links to specific exporting information (Austrade), customs information (Department of Home Affairs) and free trade agreements (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade).
The Government will consider expanding trade-related information on business.gov.au to include exporting digital goods and services.
Recommendation 2
4.76 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, as a matter of priority, creates a single window trading system, with particular regard to exporting digital goods and services. This single window must be developed with a focus on interoperability to ensure rich data flows can be maintained and transmitted across borders.
The Australian Government supports in principle this recommendation.
The Australian Government is already committed to a single window through its obligations under the World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement, which entered into force in
February 2017. Australia already has a "customs" single window, the Integrated Cargo System (ICS). The ICS enables electronic reporting of legitimate physical goods that move across Australia's borders.
The Department of Home Affairs is leading an agenda to transform and modernise trade that flows through Australia's international supply chain (e.g. air cargo, sea cargo and international mail). This agenda aims to create a future international trade system for Australia that is seamless, digital, interoperable, automated and user-friendly. This system would be underpinned by an enhanced single window for international trade for physical goods only.
As digital goods and services are currently not subject to customs treatment at borders, the ICS and future single window are not relevant to digital goods and services.
Recommendation 3
4.77 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government release its Digital Economy Strategy.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
The Australian Government released its digital economy strategy, Australia ' s Tech Future, on 19 December 2018.Australia ' s Tech Future highlights the significant economic and social benefits that digital technologies will bring to Australian individuals and businesses. The whole of government strategy details how Australia will maximise these opportunities of technological change through policies focused on people, services, digital assets and the enabling environment.
Recommendation 4
4.78 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to take future workforce needs into account in Australia's education system, from school through to tertiary education.
The Australian Government supports in principle this recommendation.
The Australian Government is committed to ensuring Australia's education and training system remains well-functioning in supplying industry skills needs.
Australia already produces a wealth of reliable information about the labour market and takes account of this when shaping policies, including education and training policies, to reduce skills imbalances.' The Australian Government is developing a framework for forecasting long-term skills needs including digital skills, to help prepare Australians for the changing labour market.
Australian Curriculum and Supporting STEM in schools and the early years
Responding to the challenges of the twenty-first century, with its complex environmental, social and economic pressures, requires young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable.
In September 2015, all education ministers endorsed the Foundation to Year 10 Australian Curriculum, which sets the standards for what all students should learn, regardless of where they live or their background, and is designed to help students thrive in the twenty-first century.
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills are important in this context. Through its National Innovation and Science Agenda, the Australian Government has allocated over $64 million for school and early years STEM initiatives aligned to the Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework.
The National STEM School Education Strategy 2016-2026, endorsed by all education ministers in 2015, outlines an agenda to support all young people to become more STEM capable and to increase participation in challenging STEM subjects in the senior secondary years!
The Australian Government is also committed to addressing the gender imbalance in STEM education and careers to ensure all Australians have the skills and opportunity to participate in the future workforce. In the 2018-19 Budget, the Australian Government committed $4.5 million over four years to support long-term strategic approaches to encourage girls and women's participation in STEM (refer Department of Industry, Innovation and Science).
National Career Education Strategy for school students
The Australian Government has a number of initiatives that aim to support students to transition from school to further education, training or work. The Government committed to develop a National Career Education Strategy, under Quality Schools, to prepare students for life beyond school and the jobs of the future.
Future Ready: A student focused National Career Education Strategy focuses on the importance of building skills and general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum, strengthening school and employer collaboration, and developing students' career management and navigation skills so they can make informed choices about post school study and manage multiple careers in their lifetime. To bring the strategy to life, a number of projects are underway including a report on the STEM and digital literacy skills students leaving school will require. More information is available at www.education.gov.au/nationai-career-education-strategy.
The Australian Government is trialling the Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) pilot program, which involves establishing long-term partnerships between employers, schools and tertiary education providers that enable industry to play an active role in supporting young people to develop the skills they need for the jobs of the future. P-TECH offers secondary school students an industry supported vocational education and training (VET) pathway to a STEM related post-school qualification.
Industry engagement in the development of vocational training
The Australian Government supports strong industry engagement in the development of national competency standards (training packages) for vocational training. Training packages underpin the design and delivery of qualifications to ensure graduates have the competencies required by employers. To develop training packages, the Australian Industry and Skills Committee draws on advice from a network of over 60 Industry Reference Committees (IRCs), representing key industry sectors across the Australian economy. A recent report by the OECD3 commended the work of the IRCs in reviewing and developing VET training packages.
In 2018, the AISC announced that it would establish an Industry 4.0 IRC to identify the competencies need in areas such as big data supply chains, automation, digital skills and cyber security. A Digital Transformation expert panel of industry leaders has been convened to provide advice to the AISC on how to coordinate and align the work of the IRCs in relation to digital skills needs across multiple industries.
Cyber Security
Training package development is currently underway to develop 25 cyber security units of competency to add cyber security specialisations to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) qualifications. Additionally, a further eight units of competency about enhancing cyber security awareness have been developed for non-ICT specialists for use across multiple industries.
Higher education
A wide range of professional associations are involved in the accreditation of higher education courses and thus are able to influence the design or delivery of higher education courses to ensure graduates have the skills and knowledge to meet future job requirements in their specific disciplines.
A National Strategy on Work Integrated Learning, which commenced in 2015, has enhanced the understanding of the skills that employers value most in university graduates, thus enabling universities to better tailor courses to meet the future job market needs.
Improving our tertiary system
Australia has a high quality tertiary system that delivers strong results for individuals, businesses and the economy. However, the Australian Government acknowledges that with globalisation, technological progress and demographic pressures we must continue to ensure the tertiary system is coherent, sustainable and fit for the future. A number of initiatives are currently underway in the tertiary, future of work and lifelong learning space.
The VET Information Strategy is the first Australian Government-led long term communications and stakeholder engagement program to raise the status of VET as an equal choice pathway, showcase its multiple training and career opportunities, and to improve national information publically available about the benefits of VET.
The Expert Review of the VET sector, Strengthening Skills: Expert Review of Australia ' s Vocational Education and Training System identified the need to raise the standing of VET to which the Government has responded as part of its $525 millionDelivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow skills package announced in the 2019-20 Budget. Key measures announced in the package include:
National Skills Commission
The Commission will drive research and analysis of future skills needs across industry to ensure the VET system addresses national labour market priorities including those arising from developing technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence.
Pilot Skills Organisations
The Government will pilot two Skills Organisations, including in the digital technologies industry (with a particular focus on cyber security), to trial new, industry-led methods of qualification development and assessment, and develop standards for industry to endorse Registered Training Providers.
The National Careers Institute
The National Careers Institute (the Institute) will provide leadership in the delivery of high quality, evidence-based career development to enable Australians to make informed decisions about their learning, training and work pathways. The Institute is commissioning research on the state of the Australian and international careers sector which will then inform and shape its strategic priorities and incorporate the needs of industry.
National Careers Ambassador
The National Careers Ambassador will support the National Careers Institute to improve the quality of and access to career education nationally and, in particular, raise the profile of VET as a way of training for a job, retraining and upskilling for a new career.
Recommendation 5
4.79 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate options to fund and deliver training for those already in the workforce, to give them the skills to fully participate in the digital economy.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of skills and life-long learning for workers of all ages and is cognisant that supporting workers to re-skill and up-skill so they can move quickly into new jobs is fundamental to responding to technological change.
In November 2018, the Government announced that from 1 July 2019 it would extend the Support for Adult Australian Apprentices (SAAA) payment to employers who commence an eligible Australian Apprentice aged 21 years and over. From 1 July 2019, eligible employers of an adult Australian Apprentice will receive $4,000 once the apprentice has successfully completed 12 months of training.
As part of its 2019-20 Budget package the Government allocated $156.3 million over four years for an Additional Identified Skills Shortage payment of $4,000 for eligible employers and $2,000 for eligible apprentices in ten shortage occupations in Australian with an Australian Apprenticeships pathway. The skills package also included $44 million to streamline incentives for employers of apprentices and trainees, and modernise the National Skills Needs List.
As part of the Australian Government's More Choices for a Longer Life Package announced in the 2018-19 Budget, the Government is investing $17.4 million over four years into the Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program (the Program) to provide up to 20,000 eligible Australians aged 45-70 with advice and guidance on transitioning into new career opportunities. The Program targets those currently employed but who may be at risk of unemployment, or those recently unemployed, and not registered for assistance through an employment services program.
The Program uses individually tailored assessments and referrals, to provide workers with advice on how best to use their existing skills in the workforce, or identify opportunities for upskilling. It can also refer participants to educational and training opportunities to assist with transitioning to a new role in their current industry or switching to an entirely new career. From 1 January 2019, older Australians are also able to access up to $2,200 (GST inclusive) to undertake training opportunities identified through the Program. The individual or their current employer must match the Government's contribution, ensuring a joint investment in the skills development of older Australians. The $19.3 million Skills and Training Incentive will provide funding for up to 3,600 places per year.
Continued and ongoing access to education and training is at the forefront of Government policy. As such, as part of Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment (Student Loan Sustainability) Act 2018, a renewable component will come into effect from 1 January 2020. That is, starting from the 2019-20 income year, repayments of income contingent study loans will re-credit a person's Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) balance (including for VETStudent Loans) which will enable amounts that are repaid to be re-borrowed in the future, up to the current HELP loan limit. This will allow individuals to pursue further study to retrain, change careers or further specialise in their current profession.
Recommendation 6
4.80 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to promote digital trade standards, both technical and regulatory, with an emphasis on openness, technological neutrality and interoperability.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
The Australian Government will continue to take a leading role in promoting digital rules and standards globally that support business while ensuring adequate protections for consumers, as set out in the International Cyber Engagement Strategy.
In the multilateral context, Australia continues to lead efforts at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to establish an agreement that specifically governs digital trade. More than 70 WTO Members signed on to the Australian-led Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce (Davos Statement) in the margins of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos in January 2019. The Davos Statement signals members' intention to commence WTO negotiations on trade related aspects of electronic commerce.
Australia will continue to pursue rules that promote openness in our regional and bilateral trade agreements. Our most recent free trade agreements (FTAs)—including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, our bilateral agreements with Peru, Indonesia and Hong Kong, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the 2017 review of our Singapore agreement—contain some of the most ambitious e-commerce provisions in the world, including rules targeting restrictions on data flows such as data localisation requirements. We are also pushing for high standard e-commerce outcomes in ongoing negotiations, including with the Pacific Alliance, and with the European Union.
In shaping these rules, Australia will remain mindful of the importance of technological neutrality and interoperability. These considerations will guide, for example, our approach to rules on electronic authentication, electronic signatures and legal frameworks governing electronic transactions.
The Australian Government engages in multilateral economic bodies including the OECD, G20 and APEC, to advocate the development of rule-making on digital trade. In these fora, we are taking practical steps to help build consensus on digital trade rules, including supporting initiatives on digital trade measurement, consumer protection, and undertaking research on enablers of digital trade.
Together with rules, technical standards play an important role in shaping an enabling environment for digital trade. Harmonising these standards between countries improves the conditions for global digital trade by making it easier to do business across borders. The Australian Government will continue to promote the development of interoperable global standards, including by supporting Standards Australia's contribution to the development of standards through the International Organisation for Standardisation and the International Electrotechnical Commission.
The Australian Government will continue to support cooperation between national standards bodies and regulatory agencies across the Indo-Pacific. This includes supporting work through the ASEAN-Australia Digital Trade Standards initiative, which provides a framework to cooperate with ASEAN in
developing, adopting and using international digital trade standards that support inclusive economic growth in the region.
The Australian Government is working with the New Zealand Government to implement a common approach to electronic invoicing (e-Invoicing) ), progressed most recently at a meeting between Prime Minister Morrison and Prime Minister Ardern in February 2019.4This is based on a shared technical standard and will enable interoperability of e-Invoicing systems. [-Invoicing will allow direct, electronic exchange of invoices between suppliers' and buyers' financial systems, improving the ease of doing business between Australia and New Zealand.
Recommendation 7
4.81 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to support a permanent moratorium on duties for data flow.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
It has been the Australian Government's long-standing position to support a permanent moratorium on customs duties and to advocate this position in the WTO. Australia views the WTO moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions as applying to all goods and services transmitted electronically, and we do not see any benefit in WTO members applying customs duties on these. Any move to apply customs duties would increase the costs of goods and services purchased online and may act as a disincentive for business and consumers to engage in e-commerce.
The Australian Government believes the moratorium acts as a driver for growth in e-commerce as it maintains liberalising trading outcomes and provides predictability for businesses and consumers. This supports our ambitious trade agenda and ensures Australian businesses have the opportunity to access key international markets.
The Australian Government has already made the moratorium permanent with some trading partners through commitments in FTAs.
Recommendation 8
4.82 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work within the WTO to develop an internationally consistent system of measuring data flow.
The Australian Government supports in principle this recommendation.
The Australian Government will continue to work through a range of relevant international organisations, including the OECD, to bring about an internationally consistent system for measuring data flows.
Research into measuring digital trade, including data flows, is already being carried out by international organisations, in particular through the Inter-Agency Task Force on International Trade Statistics whose members include the OECD, the WTO and the IMF. Complementing this work, the
10 I OECD has developed a Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (Digital STRI). Building on the existing OECD STRI, the Digital STRI aims to identify, catalogue and quantify barriers to trade in digitally enabled services.
Recommendation 9
4.83 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure that all Commonwealth agencies comply with the Australian Signals Directorate's Essential Eight cyber security and resilience mitigation strategies.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
The Australian Government is committed to ensuring all Commonwealth entities raise their level of cyber security and understand the risks they face. The Essential Eight represents the Australian Signals Directorate's (ASD's) best advice on the measures an entity can take to mitigate the threat of a cyber incident and manage their risks.
The Government is working with all agencies to improve their cyber security maturity, including:
In addition, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Cyber Security Centre will take more proactive steps to establish effective behaviours and lift Commonwealth agencies' cyber security.
As noted in the response to Australian National Audit Office Report No.53 2017-18 Cyber Resilience tabled on 28 June 2018, the Department of Home Affairs, Attorney-General's Department and ASD will also work together to strengthen the standard of cyber security of Australian Government networks through enhanced technical guidance, improved verification and increased transparency and accountability.
The Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Audit has made similar recommendations and the Government responses to this will be tabled shortly.
Recommendation 10
4.84 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate ways to assist Australian SMEs to improve their cyber security awareness and resilience levels.
The Australian Government supports this recommendation.
The Australian Government recognises the important role that cyber security awareness and resilience plays in protecting small businesses operating in the digital economy, and is working to lift the cyber security awareness and resilience of Australian small to medium-sized enterprises.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) helps Australian small business owners operate safely and successfully online. The Australian Government has committed $26 million to support the ACSC to expand its assistance to the community, including small businesses. The ACSC will develop a comprehensive online cyber security training program providing practical cyber advice for small business, older Australians and Australian families. The ACSC's 24/7 cyber hotline will be expanded to include a dedicated helpdesk for small and medium sized businesses, older Australians and families to report cyber security incidents. Specially trained staff will be able to provide tailored technical advice in preventing and responding to incidents.
The Stay Smart Online campaign provides topical, relevant and timely information on how small businesses can best protect themselves from cyber threats.'
Other Australian government support mechanisms are available through the Business Management element of the Entrepreneurs' Programme (EP). Under this program, eligible businesses have access to a national network of experienced business advisers and facilitators to help firms improve their business practices, including in cyber security.
The Australian Government has also announced the development of Australia's new Cyber Security Strategy for delivery in 2020 (the Department of Home Affairs is the responsible department). The Strategy's development underscores the Government's commitment to keeping Australians safe from cyber security threats and it will succeed the 2016 Strategy.
The Australian Government will continue to look at new ways to improve cyber security awareness for all Australians and ensure that it leads to behavioural change on cyber security.
Recommendation 11
4.85 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government require all agencies when developing policy, legislation or trade agreements to consider whether what is proposed is technologically neutral and whether it could create barriers to the digital economy, including by limiting interoperability.
The Australian Government supports in principle this recommendation.
The Australian Government understands that adopting a technology neutral approach to policy and regulations will enable businesses to adopt approaches that best suit their business model and consumer preferences. It will also ensure that regulators can readily respond and adapt their oversight to take account of innovation and development of new technologies.
For example, in data policy, the Government is committed to ensuring that all new systems adopted by its agencies "support discoverability, interoperability, data and information accessibility and cost effective access to facilitate access to data." This is reducing barriers to data sharing and access.
The Australian Government will continue to address barriers to the digital economy through our trade agreements and our engagement in international fora. This includes pursuing trade rules that facilitate e-commerce and promote data flows across borders (including by limiting data localisation requirements), while providing adequate protections for consumers and ensuring sufficient public policy space.
In doing so, Australia will also continue to emphasise the importance of technological neutrality and interoperability including, for example, in developing rules on electronic authentication, electronic signatures and legal frameworks governing electronic transactions (as noted in the response to Recommendation 6 above).
The Australian Government continues to seek stakeholder input, to help assess current digital trade rules and possible improvement and will continue this engagement to ensure we pursue trade rules that fit the current and future operating environment for business.
http://www.oecd.org/australia/getting-skills-right-australia-9789264303539-en.htm
www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-statement-prime-ministers-rt-hon-jacinda-ardern-and-hon-scon-morrison-mp
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Public_Accounts_and_Audit/CybersecurityCompliance/Government_Response
Cyber.gov.au/business/
https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/aust_govt_public_data_policy_statement_1.pdf
That the Senate take note of that report.
That the Senate take note of the report.
That the Senate take note of the document.
Dear Mr President,
Further to my answer during Question Time in the Senate on 14 November 2019 relating to the Community Sport Infrastructure Program, I wish to table the following information provided to me by the Australian Sports Commission.
Senator Farrell asked whether an application under this program was sent back for reassessment at the request for Senator McKenzie or her Ministerial office?
The Australian Sports Commission has confirmed that no request for reassessment was made to them.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Colbeck
Dear Mr President,
Further to my answer during Question Time in the Senate on 14 November 2019 relating to access to Home Care Packages.
Senator O'Neill asked how many older Australians living in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia are waiting longer than 18 months to access their approved home care package?
I write to inform the Senate that the specific number is 5,832.
This is the equivalent of 14.3% of those awaiting an approved package in regional, remote or very remote Australia, which is commensurate with that of major cities. In addition, 93.9% (5,477) of these older Australians had been offered an interim level home care package.
Yours sincerely
Richard Colbeck
That senators be discharged from and appointed to committees as follows:
Environment and Communications References Committee—
Appointed—Substitute member: Senator Whish-Wilson to replace Senator Hanson-Young for the committee’s inquiry into the impact of seismic testing on fisheries and the marine environment
Participating member: Senator Hanson-Young.
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee—
Appointed—Substitute member: Senator Whish-Wilson to replace Senator McKim for the committee’s inquiry into the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019
Participating member: Senator McKim
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Payment Integrity) Bill 2019
That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.
That this bill be now read a second time.
The government is committed to ensuring our welfare system is sustainable into the future so that we can afford the essential services that Australians rely on.
This bill reintroduces three measures designed to improve the integrity and sustainability of the welfare payment system:
Together, the measures in the bill are estimated to improve the budget bottom line by $291.5 million over the forward estimates.
Enhanced Residency Requirement for Australian Pensions
From 1 January 2020, the first measure in this bill will strengthen the residency requirements for the age pension and disability support pension, (DSP).
Currently, to qualify for the age pension or DSP, a person must be an Australian resident for a total of 10 years, with at least five of those years being continuous. However, there is no requirement for those 10 years to be during a person's working life—that is, between 16 years of age and age-pension age—or for a person to demonstrate self-sufficiency during that time.
Under this measure, to qualify for the age pension or DSP, a person needs to have 10 years continuous Australian residence and either five years of this residence during their working life; or greater than five cumulative years residence while not in receipt of an activity tested income support payment.
The community reasonably expects that people choosing to migrate to Australia, including those who come later in life, should be self-sufficient to the greatest extent possible. It is estimated that less than one per cent of the people applying for the age pension or DSP will be impacted by this measure.
This measure is expected to result in savings of $32.3 million over forward estimates (DSS administered impacts only).
Changes to the payment of the pension supplement for permanent departure overseas and temporary absences
The second measure in the bill will cease payment of the basic amount of the pension supplement. The pension supplement is designed to alleviate the cost-of-living pressures for income support recipients living in Australia.
Currently, if a recipient goes overseas, their pension supplement is reduced to the basic amount after six weeks temporary absence from Australia, or immediately for permanent departures.
The basic amount of pension supplement is equivalent to the former GST supplement, which was introduced to compensate recipients for increases in the cost of living as a result of the GST. Income support recipients who are outside of Australia for more than six weeks, or who leave Australia permanently, do not need to receive this ongoing compensation.
This measure will provide savings of $154.4 million over the forward estimates based on a 1 January 2020 start date.
Increase to the liquid asset s test waiting period to increase self-reliance
The final measure in this bill will increase the maximum liquid assets test waiting period from 13 weeks to 26 weeks for new income support claimants from 1 January 2020.
The liquid assets test waiting period is the period of time that a person claiming youth allowance, Austudy, Newstart allowance or sickness allowance is expected to use their liquid assets—such as cash, bank deposits, shares—for self-support before relying on taxpayer funded income support.
The liquid assets test waiting period may be between one and 13 weeks, depending on the amount of liquid assets the person has. The length of the waiting period increases by one week for every $500 held above the threshold for single people with no children, or $1,000 for couples and people with children.
For example, a single person with no children and $5,500 in liquid assets would serve a one-week liquid assets test waiting period. A person with $6,000 would serve two weeks. This ensures that the liquid assets test waiting period better reflects the current profile of claimants and their capacity to support themselves.
Claims lodged on or after 1 January 2020 will be subject to the new maximum length of the liquid assets test waiting period. Claimants already serving a liquid assets test waiting period on 1 January 2020 will not have their liquid assets test waiting period extended.
This measure is expected to result in savings of $104.8 million over the forward estimates.
We have a duty to taxpayers and recipients alike to make sure that Australia's welfare payment system is fair and sustainable.
Together, the measures in the bill will make sensible changes to safeguard the long-term sustainability of our welfare payment system while still ensuring appropriate support for those who need it.
Customs Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
Customs Tariff Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 November 2020:
Australia's relationship with the People’s Republic of China.
… the single greatest counterintelligence threat we face. Period.
China is known globally for its efforts to influence Chinese communities and the politics of other countries. The Chinese government has a number of official organizations that try to influence Chinese communities and politicians to adopt pro-China positions, most prominently the United Front Work Department—
In the context of Chinese activities aimed at the Czech academia, security bodies and state administration, the BIS—
identified a growing number of Chinese invitations addressed to Czech citizens for trainings, seminars and excursions. China offers to cover all expenses for the invited individuals (transport, accommodation, food allowance, registration fees) and even to give Czech guests spending money. Such journeys ensure a whole range of benefits for China—the country thus establishes a contact network of individuals, who will regard it with favor, or more specifically feel that they "owe China something" and will be willing to be forthcoming towards China. From an intelligence point of view, the most risky aspect is the physical presence of the guest in China. Chinese intelligence services usually use the stay of persons of interest in China or in a third country … to approach them for cooperation.
Espionage and foreign interference is insidious. Its effects might not present for decades and by that time it's too late. You wake up one day and find decisions made in our country that are not in the interests of our country.
It is in Australia's national interest that we continue to contemplate China's role in the world and to debate how Australia should respond to the challenges posed by China. This is a conversation that needs to be conducted based on facts and the merits of the argument, not on insinuation of intention.
One of the Morrison Government's most senior figures has taken a direct swipe at Beijing, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of behaving in ways that are "inconsistent" with Australian values.
Mr Dutton said the Federal Government would call out state actors if it was in the national interest.
He said he wanted universities to be free from foreign interference—
The Home Affairs Minster also criticised China's Belt and Road Initiative and defended a ban on using Huawei to help build Australia's 5G network
… Minister Peter Dutton warned Australia would "call out" foreign interference in universities, as well as cyber hacks and theft of intellectual property … insisting it was the right thing to do.
It represents some of the strongest language yet from a Federal Government minister—
on the threat posed by China.
Our issue is not with the Chinese people—
not with the amazing Chinese diaspora community we have here in Australia, my issue is with the Communist Party of China and their policies to the extent that they're inconsistent with our own values," Mr Dutton said.
… has been held in harsh conditions without charge, with limited access to consular assistance. He has not been permitted to talk to his lawyers or see his family.
… it is the rule of law that most strongly drives economic performance.
Australia says the treatment endured by one of its citizens in criminal detention in China is "unacceptable".
Chinese-Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun has been held in Beijing since January. He has been accused of espionage—charges denied by him and the Australian government.
He now faces daily interrogations while being shackled and has been increasingly isolated, Canberra said.
Australia has also repeatedly requested that he receive "basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment" during his detention.
Australia's political class was rocked last week by allegations of Chinese espionage and interference in domestic issues. China has strongly dismissed the claims as "imaginary fears".
The Senate divided. [19:10]
(The Acting Deputy President—Senator Fawcett)
Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019
The latest casualty in the war on wage underpayment is an unlikely candidate. In an exquisite irony a law firm that holds itself up as the champion of workers’ rights, and is vocal in its criticism of underpayments at other companies, has underpaid hundreds of former and current part time workers, including university students, almost $1 million.
I was entitled to my Youth Allowance like all teenagers, but trading in $1 of my Youth Allowance for $2 and owing the $2 back seems like a scam.
As an Aboriginal woman who works with Aboriginal students, I hesitate to recommend university to students who will need to access HELP debts as I know that they will have this debt against their name for many years to come.
The intention of the Chilean security forces is clear: to injure demonstrators in order to discourage protest …
I feel I can't find the most significant change because PICYS has helped me with so much. Since being with PICYS I found a therapist I can connect with, a case manager who wants to see me strive and, because of this, I have now found my self-worth.
I mean, we've got to stop celebrating a culture that couldn't even invent the bloody wheel, for God's sake.
… tended not to see things in terms of Left or Right. Instead, I try to think about what is right and what is wrong.
I don't think it matters whether it is a dodgy regime. It matters what is in the law … We do not create any moral judgments on what we think is right or wrong.
… if you're a former MP, whether you're a minister or not. I think it's not unreasonable to disclose how much you're getting paid and how much lobbyists are getting paid for particular jobs.
… I think we need to know that. That's a level of transparency that I think is essential.
… my very first task as a new senator was to travel to northern Victoria to meet with farmers. Many are facing crisis. In the Murray-Darling Basin, managing the impacts of drought is extraordinarily complex. We must always ask what more we can do, whether it be a serious review of environmental water allocations for the Murray or new water-trading rules to combat the corporate water hoarders and price takers.
Many will go back to a world of silence, loss of independence, loneliness, particularly in the case of the elderly. It already costs the Federal Government millions of dollars a year for those with hearing loss: this move if it becomes reality on 31 January will cost the government many millions a year more.
Cancelling the service just doesn't make sense. Many of us just cannot understand why the government is so intent in forcing us onto an old, antiquated TTY system that is slow, cumbersome and would be no use in this society where an older, antiquated system can't survive.
Please wake up and own the difficulties that many aged people face and allow them the dignity to maintain a lifestyle and stop trying to unreasonably impose yours on them.
One day we are all likely to know what it's like not to hear, even if only to some small degree. In one sense, everyone will join this club.
I'm described as a high achiever and learner, hold a Bachelor's degree and work as a professional in the public sector for over 10 years. Since birth, I have a severe-profound hearing impairment. Fitted with my first pair of hearing aids before I was one, I started my education before I was two—learning lip-read, speak and integrate into "mainstream" society. I am fortunate, and consider myself lucky. I am no stranger to seeking and using the right forms of assistive technologies and tools for different situations, of learning to use new technologies, of doing tasks differently, of educating people day in, day out.
I remember trialling the TTY in school—an amazing invention, for its time. But having since used CapTel, CapTel has significantly succeeded the TTY in use and practicality.
Using CapTel has helped mitigate one mainstream workplace barrier. I pick up the phone, push a button, listen and read, and voice my response. Callers need to know nothing about my personal circumstances—they just dial the same number sequence, just like for everyone else.
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide.
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.