Is the National Vocational Education and Training System an abject failure?

In 2011 the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act came into being. It is administered by the Dept. of  Education and Training whose current minister is the Liberal Senator for South Australia, Simon Birmingham.

The system was allegedly designed to deliver workplace-specific skills and knowledge, vocational education and training (VET) covers a wide range of careers and industries, including trade and office work, retail, hospitality and technology. 

It wasn't too long before government-owned Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges/institutes across Australia began to complain they were being starved of funding and courses in order to feed this new education strategy and private ‘colleges’ began to multiply swiftly.

Every so often one of these dodgy private colleges hits the headlines and commentators tut-tut furiously and futilely.

However, most private VET service providers don’t rate much of a mention in mainstream media so the scale of this system failure is not readily apparent, except perhaps to the many thousands of fee-paying students affected.

This is a short and incomplete list of some of the more recent private-sector failures to provide quality further education and vocational training:

ASA (Australian Sports Academy) Pty Ltd, terminated for providing incorrect information in the application.
Australian Vocational Training Academy Pty Ltd, terminated for: failure to provide compliant Training and Assessment Strategies, non-compliance with record keeping requirements; and failure to provide records and evidence to the Department upon request.
Careers Australia Education Institute Pty Ltd, terminated for: failure to properly train and assess students in accordance with training package requirements, non-compliance with record keeping and failure to provide records and evidence upon request.
Careers Australia Institute of Training Pty Ltd, terminated for: failure to properly train and assess students in accordance with training package requirements, non-compliance with record keeping and failure to provide records and evidence upon request. Careers Australia group now in voluntary administration
Industry Education and Training Services Pty Ltd, terminated for: providing incorrect information in the application.
Seluna Pty Ltd, terminated for: failure to comply with training and assessment requirements of the VET Quality Framework, and submitting training activity and receiving subsidies for learners where there was no evidence of commencement.
Western Institute of Technology Pty Ltd, terminated for: providing incorrect information in the application.
Wise Education Group Pty Ltd, terminated for: failure to meet Standards for RTOs 2015 and non-compliance with record keeping requirements.

Group314 Pty Ltd, terminated for: Termination of S and S due to previous termination of APL; and,

Donna Mere Morrell-Pullin, terminated for: providing incorrect information in the application. [my red annotation]

[http://coastcommunitynews.com.au/2017/02/terminated-vocational-education-providers-named-and-shamed/]

Conwal and Associates Pty Ltd, non-compliant with the requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

Online Courses Australia Pty Ltd, non-compliant with the requirements of the VET Quality Framework. registration cancelled

Australian Vocational Learning Institute, non-compliant with the requirements of the VET Quality Framework. registration cancelled

 Clover Educations trading as Cool Body Institute of Massage, not operated consistently with the applicable requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

AITE Pty Ltd Australian Institute of Technical Education, not operated consistently with the applicable requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

Get Qualified Australia-Adelaide Pty Ltd trading as Get Qualified Australia Trades Academy and Get Qualified Trades Academy, not operated consistently with the applicable requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

Get Qualified Australia-Canberra Pty Ltd trading as Get Qualified Australia College, not operated consistently with the applicable requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

Get Qualified Australia-Brisbane Pty Ltd trading as Get Qualified Australia Institute, not operated consistently with the applicable requirements of the VET Quality Framework, registration cancelled

CTM Training Solutions Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Green Pty Ltd trading as Green Training, VET services registration cancelled

Switch On Learning Pty Ltd trading as Australian Institute of Technology & Trade, VET services registration cancelled

Australian Tertiary Academy Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Equalis Pty Ltd trading as Equalis, VET services registration cancelled

Amana International Training Academy Pty Ltd trading as Zenith Education & Training, VET services registration cancelled

ASCET Institute of Technology, critically and systematically non-compliant with the requirements of the vocational education and training (VET) quality framework, registration cancelled

5 Star Training Institute Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

AJK Image Pty Ltd as trustee for The Nicole Kratzmann Family Trust trading as AKISS (Advanced Knowledge in Skin Science), VET services registration cancelled

Australia-Wide Business Training Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Childs Training Pty Ltd as the trustee for the Childs Family Trust trading as Quality Unlimited, VET services registration cancelled

Clear Fountain Pty Ltd trading as NITE School and Nationwide Instructors, Trainers and Educators, VET services registration cancelled

DJ Howle Pty Ltd trading as Onsite Training Services, VET services registration cancelled

Entertrain Institute of Technology Pty Ltd trading as Entertain Interactive Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Excellent Training Institute Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

June Dally-Watkins Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Master Group (Aust.) Pty Ltd trading as Master Group, VET services registration cancelled

Optimal Progression Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Todd Rutherford trading as Drilling Skills Australia, VET services registration cancelled

Aus-Com Training Services Pty Ltd trading as Aus-Com Training Services, VET services registration cancelled

Ausietech Investments Pty Ltd trading as Australian College of Management & Technology)

Professional Training College Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Nailtech Training Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

Project Management Partners Pty Ltd, VET services registration cancelled

[See latest regulatory decisions of Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)] 

Gurkhas Institute of Technology Pty Ltd, registration cancelled

DIY Training Services Pty Ltd, registration cancelled

Get Qualified Australia-Adelaide Pty Ltd trading as Get Qualified Australia Trades Academy and Get Qualified Trades Academy, registration cancelled

Sage Academy Training Pty Ltd, registration cancelled

Premier Training Institute Pty Ltd, registration cancelled

Safety and First Aid Education Pty Ltd, registration cancelled

Full list of Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) decisions.

And Australia wonders why it has a skills shortage?

Remembering Julia Gillard - Part Two

Julia Gillard became Prime Minister of Australia on 24 June 2010. After the federal election in August 2010 she formed a minority government. Ms. Gillard ceased to be prime minister on 27 June 2013.

Below are the measurable effects of her government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, June Quarter 2012

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2012, with trend emissions growth subdued at 0.0% and seasonally adjusted and weather normalised emissions increasing 0.4% on the

previous quarter (Figures 1-3).

The fugitive emissions sector increased in trend emissions for the June quarter 2012 (section 2.4). This increase was offset by decreases in emissions from the electricity (section 2.1) and industrial processes (section 2.5) sectors, which resulted in zero trend growth for the quarter.

Annual emissions for the year to June 2012 are estimated to be 551.0 Mt CO2-e. This represents a small decline in emissions of 0.1% when compared to the year to June 2011.

                                                                    

The national carbon pricing mechanism (popularly known as the carbon tax) introduced by the Labor Gillard Government began on 1 July 2012.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, June Quarter 2013

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2013, with both trend and seasonally adjusted emissions growing by 0.3% (Figures 1-3).

Agriculture (section 2.6), industrial processes (section 2.5) and transport (section 2.3) sectors contributed to the quarterly trend increase in emissions. This was partially offset by trend decreases in emissions in the stationary energy excluding electricity (section 2.2) and fugitive emissions (section 2.4) sectors.

Annual emissions for 2012-13 are estimated to be 545.9 Mt CO2-e. This represents a 0.1% decline in emissions when compared with the previous year.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: June 2014

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2014, with trend emissions growing 0.4% on March 2014; increases in the stationary energy (section 2.2), electricity (section 2.1) and agriculture (section 2.6) sectors were partially offset by decreases in transport (section 2.3) and fugitive emissions (section 2.4). Seasonally adjusted emissions increased 0.2% (Figures 1-3).

Annual emissions for 2013-14 are estimated to be 542.6 Mt CO2-e3. This represents a 1.4% decline in emissions when compared with the previous year.

Over 2013-14, there was a decline in emissions from electricity (section 2.1), reflecting lower electricity demand and changes in the generation mix. Emissions from transport (section 2.3), industrial processes (section 2.5) and agriculture (section 2.6) also declined over the year. These declines were partially offset by increases in the fugitive emissions (section 2.4) and stationary energy (excluding electricity) (section 2.2) sectors.

The national carbon pricing mechanism was ended by the Abbott Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government on 1 July 2014.

Professor of Geology and Director of Melbourne Energy Institute at University of Melbourne, Mike Stanford, 4 November 2014

Across the National Electricity Market (NEM) we are tracking towards an extra 14 million tonnes CO2 for FY2014-15 compared to FY2013-14. If we get lower than average rain, electricity sector emissions might grow by a few more million tonnes and exceed 10% over the year.

The pertinent numbers are shown in the figure below. In the first hundred days since the repeal NEM emissions were up 4 million tonnes on the equivalent period last financial year according to figures from the market operator AEMO.

CEDEX Carbon Emissions Index, November 2014

In the June 2014 CEDEX® report we said “it now appears that June 2014 may mark the low point of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions for the foreseeable future”.  That is what is now happening. 

New Generation Medicines Added To The PBS

 

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP

Minister for Health

MEDIA RELEASE

30 June 2013

NEW GENERATION MEDICINES ADDED TO THE PBS

A new medicine that can significantly extend the life of people with deadly melanoma (skin cancer) has been approved for inclusion in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek said the inclusion of ipilimumab, sold as Yervoy^® on the PBS would save patients requiring the treatment more than $110,000 a year on average.

“Australia has the highest skin cancer incidence rate in the world, with one in 17 Australians at risk of contracting the disease,” Ms Plibersek said.  

“While prevention is always the best option, the PBS listing of ipilimumab is a major step forward for people who have developed malignant melanoma.

“It is the first in a new class of medicines for melanoma and the first effective treatment in over a decade.”

In clinical trials, more than 60 per cent of patients with very advanced melanoma who were treated with ipilimumab were still alive after one year and notably, some 10 per cent of them were still alive after five years.

A new and effective drug for treating prostate cancer, abiraterone (Zytiga^®) will also be listed on the PBS. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men, with about 20,000 new cases diagnosed each year.  

“The PBS listing of abiraterone will benefit more than 1,000 Australians each year who would otherwise have to pay around $27,000 a year to access the drug.  This medicine offers an important treatment option for patients who are not well enough to tolerate further chemotherapy,” Ms Plibersek said.

Subsidies for vinorelbine (Navelbine®) which treats advanced breast cancer will also be extended to allow the drug to be used when other therapies have failed.

Provided orally, vinorelbine offers an important treatment option for patients but currently costs around $17,314 for an average of six prescriptions a year.

The new subsidies for these three cancer medicines will cost the Australian Government more than $430 million over four years.  

“Cancer is the number one cause of sickness and death in this country and fighting it has always been a top priority for this government,” Ms Plibersek said.

“With these new listings the Government has committed around $3.9 billion to improve the detection and treatment of cancer, including nearly $2 billion on subsidies for new cancer medicines since 2007. This brings the number of new or amended listings subsidised for cancer treatment since 2007 to 36, for 17 different types of cancer.”

More than a hundred thousand Australians will also benefit from the extension of PBS subsidies for a new generation oral anticoagulant medicine, on the PBS.

Rivaroxaban – marketed as Xarelto® – will soon be subsidised as a treatment for the prevention of stroke in patients with irregular heartbeat and treatment of blood clots in the lungs and legs.  

Irregular heartbeat or non-valvular atrial fibrillation is common among older people and increases the risk of severe stroke.  

The extension of the PBS subsidy will cost the Australian Government more than $450 million over four years and will benefit around 120,000 patients per year. Without PBS subsidy, rivaroxaban cost around $1200 per year for the average patient.

Ms Plibsersek said two drugs used to terminate pregnancy for medical reasons would also be available through the PBS from 1 August 2013.

Mifepristone (Linepharma®) and misoprostol (GyMiso200®) will be subsidised for medical terminations up to 49 days of gestation.

“While termination of pregnancy is always difficult, the listing of these drugs provides women and their doctors with greater choice at an affordable price,” Ms Plibersek said.

A total of 17 new and amended PBS listings will come into effect between 1 August and 1 October this year at a cost to the Government of almost $1 billion over four years. Almost 350,000 people a year will benefit.

Patients will only have to pay $5.90 or $36.10 per month to be treated with these medicines.  

“These listings reflect the Government’s continuing commitment to consumers and industry to ensure that effective medicines are readily available to Australians as soon as possible after they are proven effective,” Ms Plibersek said.

“We are able to provide these medicines at a subsidised price because of our diligent work to ensure that the PBS also provides good value for taxpayers and is sustainable.”

 

Details of changes to the PBS 1 August to 1 October 2013

 New listings

·        ipilimumab (Yervoy^®) - for the treatment of certain types of malignant melanoma

·        abiraterone (Zytiga^®) - for the treatment of prostate cancer

·        mifepristone (Linepharma^®) and misoprostol (GyMiso200^®) - for the termination of pregnancy for medical reasons in women who are up to 49 days of gestation

Amended and extended listings

·        vinorelbine (Navelbine^®) - for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, to extend the current listing to include treatment after failure of standard prior therapy

·        botulinum toxin type A (Botox^®) – for the treatment of urinary incontinence, to extend the current listing to include patients with specific neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and adult spina bifida

·        cephalexin (various brands) - for use as an antibiotic in the treatment of urinary tract infection, to amend the current listing to increase the maximum quantity and number of repeats available

·        corifollitropin alfa (Elonva^®) - for use as part of infertility treatment in women, to extend the current listing to remove the weight restriction

·        diazepam (Orion Diazepam Elixir^®) - for the treatment of chronic spasticity in children, to extend the current listing to include an oral solution

·        imatinib (Glivec^®) - for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumour, to extend the current listing to change the maximum duration of treatment to three years

·        lacosamide (Vimpat^®) - for the treatment of epilepsy, to extend the current listing to remove a restriction for continuation of treatment and amend the listing to a Streamlined Authority

·        lenalidomide (Revlimid^®) - for the treatment of patients with a rare blood and bone marrow disorder (a certain type of myelodysplastic syndrome)

·        risedronate (Actonel^®) - for the treatment of osteoporosis, to extend the current listing to include patients that meet certain age and bone mineral density criteria

·        rivaroxaban (Xarelto^®) - for the prevention of stroke in patients with irregular heartbeat (non-valvular atrial fibrillation)

·        rivaroxaban (Xarelto^®) - for the treatment of blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and prevention of recurrent blood clots in the legs and lungs (venous thromboembolism)

·        sorafenib (Nexavar^®) - for the treatment of a type of liver cancer, to amend the current listing to a Streamlined Authority

·        trimethoprim (various brands) - for use as an antibiotic in the treatment of recurrent urinary tract infections, to amend the current listing to increase the maximum quantity and number of repeats available

All PBS listings and price changes are subject to final arrangements being met by the suppliers of the medicines.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220

 

Post-Budget 2013 reaction on the NSW North Coast? Yawn......

 

After all that pre-Budget heat in the national media over the last few weeks, a quick Google search this morning revealed a surprising level of what might be described as post-Budget apathy here on the NSW North Coast.

 

Two days after the Federal Treasurer’s 2013 Budget Speech the Nationals candidate standing for election in the Page fereal electorate in four months time, Kevin Hogan, had no post up on his Twitter account that even mentioned the budget. While his Facebook entry was barely more than a photo opportunity and a mention of a televised NBN interview. Hogan’s campaign website has one lonely post which merely responds to a pre-Budget Pacific Highway funding newspaper article and he had a brief highway funding quote in local media on 16 May.

 

Luke Hartsuyker, the National’s Federal Member for Cowper, had a single website post on Budget night and nothing else two days later. His Twitter account is still tweetless and the Facebook page carrying his name remains silent.

 

Curiously both men appear to have sent out almost identical media releases, which probably means that there was a Budget night Coalition cheat sheet for sitting MPs and candidates.

 

A point picked up by APN media the day after the Budget speech:

 

Both National party members today put out eerily similar press statements attacking the budget delivered by Treasurer Wayne Swan last night.

While Mr Hartsuyker and Mr Hogan's statements focus on different elements of Pacific Highway funding, both use the same dot points and even an identical direct quote…..

While it is common for members of the same party to "stay on message", it is unusual that the two men have said almost exactly the same thing.

 

Similarly Janelle Saffin, Labor’s Federal Member for Page, was very low key post-Budget. With no media releases concerning the Budget posted on her personal web page by the morning of 16 May. Ms. Saffin’s Twitter account and Facebook page also had nothing to say on the subject. However, she was quoted in local media on 16 May concerning health and education measures contained in the 2013 Budget.

 

Labor's Richmond Federal MP Justine Elliot was quoted in The Northern Star as backing the Budget the day after its delivery, but appears to have had nothing to say on the subject on her Facebook site.

 

Matthew Fraser, the Nationals candidate standing in the Richmond electorate at the September federal election, was quoted by APN media the day after the Budget speech and was predictably staying on message allegedly big debt and broken promises. His campaign website has had nothing to say since 10 May. Fraser’s Facebook page links to that APN article and a campaign propaganda site, with one lonely post on alleged overspending.

 

By Wednesday 15 May 2013 ABC North Coast’s Facebook page could barely give ABC News a handful of budget quotes from local residents and the Clarence Valley Rate Payers, Residents & Business Owners had nary a mention of budget issues by Thursday morning.

 

Also on Thursday morning the Rural Doctors Association of Australia had what was essentially a generic response on budget changes to indexation of Medicare Benefits in a brief The Northern Star article and, in the same issue there was a mixed response to health, education, superannuation, housing and cash transfers by two members of the business and community sectors .

 

No local residents appear to have been so hot under the collar on Budget night that they fired off letters to editors in time for inclusion in Northern Rivers newspapers over the last two days and, the main online community newspapers haven’t caught up with the budget details yet.

 

Perhaps tonight’s Budget Reply Speech by Opposition leader Tony Abbott will draw more of a response from voters on the North Coast?

Yamba and other Clarence Valley towns to be connect to the National Broadband Network by 2016

Federal Labor's NBN plan promises broadband speeds of 100 megabits per second by 2021 and Yamba at the mouth of the Clarence River on the NSW North Coast should be connected by 2016.

According to Federal Labor MP Janelle Saffin, 20,700 homes and businesses across the Page electorate will have an NBN connection or one underway by 30 June 2016, including those in Angourie, Iluka, Wooloweyah, Yamba, Clarenza, Grafton, Junction Hill, South Grafton, Waterview Heights, Coraki, Evans Head, Gulmarrad, Harwood, Maclean, Townsend and Woodburn.

Ballina affordable housing stock grows by 120

THE HON MARK BUTLER MP

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing

Minister for Housing and Homelessness

Minister for Social Inclusion

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform

JANELLE SAFFIN MP

Member for Page

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

120 MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR BALLINA

26 April 2013

North Coast residents will soon have access to 120 more affordable homes in Ballina, thanks to a $5 million investment by the Labor Government under its Building Better Regional Cities program.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Mark Butler, Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin, and Ballina Mayor, Cr David Wright, said the funding would help reduce the cost of building local infrastructure needed for a new housing development in Ballina.

“We know that housing shortages are creating challenges on the North Coast and The Ballina Heights Estate will deliver much needed affordable housing for the region.

“I gave strong support to Ballina Shire Council's submission, given the community need for affordable housing and the Council's great work and planning.  Mayor Cr. David Wright and his team of Councillors and General Manager Paul Hickey and his team are to be commended," Ms Saffin said.

“This funding will help reduce the cost of the development by delivering essential infrastructure such as stormwater drainage and street lighting in the estate, and these savings will be passed on to home buyers with a $25,000 rebate from the purchase price of land in the Estate.”

Cr Wright said the funding would help more low income earners in Ballina gain access to affordable housing.

“I know how challenging it can be for people on low incomes to get a start in the property market and tohis project will increase the supply of affordable homes for sale and rent and help alleviate housing supply pressures in our community,” Cr Wright said.

“The Ballina Heights development is about more than just housing. It’s about creating a community, with a new school, shops, and public parks, all at the residents’ doorsteps.”

Mr Butler said the Building Better Regional Cities program is part of the government’s record $26 billion investment in housing programs to help address housing affordability around the nation.

“We’re investing in regional centers like Ballina, where rapid population growth is forcing up house prices and rents,” Mr. Butler said.

“This funding is in addition to the $4.5 million we provided Ballina Council under Building Better Regional Cities for the development of sports fields in Wollongbar.”

He said the funding is part of the Labor Government’s $114 million investment over three years to support local infrastructure projects for new housing developments in 16 regional communities across Australia.

“We believe all Australians deserve a safe, secure home, and we will continue to work to provide affordable housing for Australia’s most vulnerable people.”

Media contacts:

Tim O’Halloran (Butler) – 0409 059 617

Lee Duncan (Saffin)      – 0448 158 150

NSW first to sign up to National Education Reforms in April 2013

Australian Government

NSW first to sign up to National Education Reforms

Media Release

Tuesday 23 April 2013

The Australian and New South Wales Governments have today reached an historic agreement which will benefit over 1.1 million students across the state.

The Prime Minister and Premier of NSW today signed the National Education Reform Agreement, kicking off the biggest change to school education in Australia for 40 years.

It’s an agreement that will drive long term improvements in NSW schools and a fairer approach to funding based on the needs of every student.

Building on recent Federal and NSW reform directions, the agreement incorporates the National Plan for School Improvement. This will see the two governments work together to achieve:

• Stronger requirements for entry to teaching courses and better induction and support for     new teachers;
•  Higher teaching standards and annual teacher performance appraisals;
• The Australian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12 in full;
• Publicly available school improvement plans and reports;
• Empowered school leadership through greater local authority in staff selection and roles;
• School readiness assessments for students on entry to school;
• A priority focus on reading instruction for students in kindergarten to Year 2; and
• Greater provision of Asian languages across all year levels.

Both Governments will adopt consistent needs-based funding arrangements, with the Federal Government moving to legislate its funding commitments over coming weeks.

This will provide NSW schools with additional investment totalling around $5 billion over six years. Of this, the Federal Government will contribute 65 per cent ($3,270 billion) and the NSW Government 35 per cent ($1,761 billion).

On top of this, the Federal Government has committed to grow its school education spending by 4.7 per cent per year from 2014 into 2015 and throughout the agreement. In return, NSW has agreed to grow its own school budget by 3 per cent per year from 2016 onwards.

Both Governments have agreed a year-by-year transition that will see funding for NSW schools reach at least 95 per cent of the new Schooling Resource Standard in 2019 in a fair and consistent way.

The NSW Government runs the largest school system in the country. Today’s announcement confirms that the National Plan for School Improvement, including new funding arrangements, can and should apply to all Australian students.

This agreement between the Federal and NSW Governments sets the benchmark for other states and will drive the reforms we need to see if Australia is to be in the top five in the world in reading, maths and science by 2025.

The Australian Government is determined to keep working closely with all remaining state and territories– and with schools, parents and communities right across the nation – to see these reforms agreed by 30 June 2013.

This will give schools the certainty they need to plan for next year.

These reforms are in the interests of all Australian children, and they are in our national interest so we can take economic advantage of the opportunities of the Asian century.

Quote of the Week

“In the end, all that transpired was that a bunch of self-entitled blokes finally cleared out of the cabinet and left Gillard to get on with the job of running the country instead of baby-sitting their egos.” {Corrine Grant How to burst a blood vessel 26^th March 2013}

Making sure that one remnant of the Howard era, NGO gag orders, never surfaces again

Introduced into the Australian Senate on 13 March 2013:

A Bill for an Act to prohibit Commonwealth agreements from restricting or preventing not-for-profit entities from commenting on, advocating support for or opposing changes to Commonwealth law, policy or practice, and for related purposes.

The Bill engages and promotes the right of freedom of expression as set out in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (ICCPR). The Bill will prevent the Commonwealth from including clauses in agreements that prevent or restrict NFP entities from advocating on Commonwealth policy issues.

Australian Government now has full responsibility for Home and Community Care (HACC) services

Department of Health and Ageing media release 1 July 2012:

From 1 July 2012 the Australian Government has full responsibility for Home and Community Care (HACC) services that support more than 500,000 older Australians to live independently in their own homes and communities.

Minister for Ageing, Mark Butler said the transfer of responsibility for HACC services for older people to the Australian Government rationalises the system and paves the way for the reforms outlined in Living Longer Living Better.

“Supporting older Australians to remain living in their own home is a key focus of our recently unveiled Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package.”

“We’re investing an extra $880 million over the next 5 years for 40,000 new home care packages to help older people stay living at home,” Mr Butler said.

“The HACC Program provides a foundation for future aged care reforms and is one of the first steps in the development of a consistent aged care system covering basic care at home through to high-level care in aged care facilities.”

The Commonwealth HACC program replaces the former joint Australian Government and state government-funded HACC program in all states and territories except Victoria and Western Australia, where basic community care services will continue to be delivered under the old arrangements.

State and territory governments will continue to fund HACC services for people under 65 (or under 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).

HACC consumers will continue to receive services from their current provider and remain in the most appropriate care setting regardless of their age.

The Australian Government has allocated more than $1 billion for the Commonwealth HACC program and will continue to support the joint HACC program in Victoria and Western Australia.

More information on the Commonwealth HACC program is available at: www.health.gov.au/hacc

Proud to be tackling climate change

O'Farrell Government confirms Carbon Price Modelling correct according to the Member for Page

 

NSW Government confirms the carbon price modelling is correct

Page MP Janelle Saffin has shown Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to be at odds with his State colleagues in NSW about the impact of the carbon price on the cost of living.

“I asked the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Industry and Innovation Greg Combet, in Parliament last week about the measures that the Federal Government is putting into place to help families, pensioners and communities with the effect of the carbon price,” said Ms. Saffin.

“The carbon price is designed to bring the level of polluting gasses down over time which will benefit generations for years to come,”

“It’s a complex scheme as it’s about restructuring the economy and I want to see that it has as little impact as possible on people.”

The Minister responded to the question from the Page MP by asserting that Mr Abbott’s claims that the price impact of the carbon price will be “unimaginable” were extremely deceitful.

“I note that in Page, the NSW Government said the carbon price impact on Ballina Shire Council will be $61,799. But what it failed to point out to locals is that this represents an increase of just 0.4 per cent of the council’s total rates income,” said Ms Saffin.

Mr Combet, in answering the question from Ms Saffin, advised that the NSW Local Government Minister recently issued a press release showing council rates will rise 0.4% as a result of the carbon price.

“For the average household, Deputy Speaker,  this is 6 cents a week,”

“The NSW Government, has actually confirmed the Treasury forecasts, .

“To help households, this Labor Government is providing tax cuts, increases in family payments, pensions and other benefits.

“All up, an extra $10.10 per week on average will be delivered through the Government’s Household Assistance Package.” said Mr. Combet.

In Page, more than 33,000 pensioners will receive extra $338 extra per year if they are single and an extra $510 per year for couples; more than 12,700 people will receive increase in family assistance payments and; 43,000 taxpayers will receive a tax cut.

Ms Saffin said the Federal Government’s household assistance package should be welcomed by people living in Page.

“Most families feel the pressure of modern costs of living but Mr Abbott’s negative scare mongering won’t do anything to help households cope with these pressures,”

“In contrast, the government’s payments will put extra cash into household budgets to provide real relief and help with cost of living pressures.” said Ms Saffin.

Wednesday 6 June, 2012   Media contact:  Matt Dunne 0417 287 456

Commonwealth Budget Papers 2012-13

Over at www.budget.gov.au the 2012-13 federal budget papers are available for those interested in delving deeper than tomorrow's tabloid newspaper headlines.

• Budget Speech
• Budget at a Glance
• Budget Overview
• Budget Paper No.1  Strategy and Outlook
• Budget Paper No.2  Budget Measures
• Budget Paper No.3  Australia's Federal Relations
• Budget Paper No.4  Agency Resources
• Appropriation Bills

• Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook
• Final Budget Outcome

• Portfolio Budget Statements
• Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements
• Portfolio Supplementary Additional Estimates Statements

• Ministerial Statements

Past Budgets

A public dental services federal funding boost the NSW North Coast will welcome

The Age 6 May 2012:

HALF a billion dollars will be injected into dental care for the poor, while families with schoolchildren will receive cash payments in two of the few big-spending measures in Tuesday's austerity budget.

The Sunday Age can reveal that 400,000 Australians stuck on the public dental waiting list because they can't afford a private dentist will be targeted for help in a $345 million blitz on the public backlog, starting on January 1.

Another $170 million will be used to lay the groundwork for a national dental scheme, funding more graduate training places and paying dentists to relocate to remote areas.

''Improving our dental health system has been a priority for me since I first became health minister and this package delivers hope to those who have waited too long on public dental lists,'' Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said. ''It will lay the foundation for a new way of providing dental services that will ensure that those most in need will get care when and where they need it.''…..

Hopefully the Gillard Government will so tightly constrain state governments in relation to this funding that they are unable to take this money into their coffers to swell their own budgetary bottom lines and, then stall implementing any real improvements to public dental health services.