Media Releases
New Mental Health Clinics to Support Victorians During the COVID-19 Pandemic
17 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Health
The Australian Government will provide an additional $31.9 million to create 15 mental health clinics across Victoria and further enhance essential support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian Government recognises the ongoing Victorian restrictions needed to stop the spread of the virus are having a significant impact on the mental health of individuals and communities in Victoria.
$26.9 million of the new funding will establish 15 dedicated mental health clinics across Victoria, with nine clinics in Greater Melbourne and six in regional Victoria.
The clinics will be located at existing GP clinics, headspace centres or other community sites where people usually access general health care. A list of these locations will be announced within the coming weeks.
The clinics will support GPs by providing access to multidisciplinary teams of mental health workers, including psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, and alcohol and drug workers.
The clinics will provide on-site mental health support, but may also arrange referrals to more intensive mental health care or social supports if needed. This could include referral into emergency care or into an in-patient facility in a private hospital.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there had been a concerning rise in self-harm injuries presenting to hospital, and a spike in the use of services like Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Kids Helpline.
Data shows there has been a 33 per cent rise in children and young people in Victoria presenting to hospital with self-harm injuries over the past six weeks, compared to a year earlier. In the past 4 weeks, Victorian use was 90 per cent higher than the rest of the country for Beyond Blue, 22 per cent higher for Lifeline and five per cent higher for Kids Helpline.
Victorian demand for Medicare Benefit Schedule mental health services is also up six per cent on this time last year.
“While we’re fighting the spread of this virus in Victoria we also need to guard against the devastating mental health impacts it is having,” the Prime Minister said.
“That’s why I asked Dr Ruth Vine as our Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, and our Mental Health Commissioner Christine Morgan, to look at what else we could do to support the mental health of Victorians in the face of the latest outbreak and the effect it is having.
“This package is about helping people access mental health support as early as possible and as conveniently as possible.
“To assist co-ordination on the ground in Victoria, Premier Andrews and I have agreed to establish a new Victorian Mental Health Taskforce to ensure the latest initiatives are implemented quickly.
“Our investment in these new mental health clinics and targeted digital and phone services builds on the more than $500 million we’ve invested since the start of this year in mental health services and support, including 10 extra Medicare-subsidised psychology therapy sessions, dedicated phone services and the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan.”
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said: “The clinics will play a key role in supporting our emergency departments, hospitals and GPs by providing accessible mental health care.”
Dr Ruth Vine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, said: “It means when you feel you need to see someone quickly about your mental health, you don’t have to go straight to the emergency department. There will be places in your community you can go. There will be trained professionals ready to help you.”
The 15 clinics will also enable Commonwealth funded Primary Health Networks (PHNs) in Victoria to provide mental health support to older Victorians and those in the aged care system. Residents, their families and carers, will be able to access mental health workers, including psychologists, at these clinics either in person, or via telephone or digital services where needed. This is in addition to the $82.5 million the Australian Government has provided through PHNs for in-reach psychological services in residential aged care facilities.
The Government has already committed $19 million nationally in 2020-21 for PHNs to commission additional mental health nursing services or equivalent support for older people who are experiencing social isolation or loneliness as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government also provided $10 million nationally over two years from 2019-20 to expand the Community Visitors Scheme to further support older Australians to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, with telephone and digital contact provided where physical visits are not possible.
The dedicated mental health clinics will also provide a place to go for those with family and friends in the aged care system who are worried about their loved ones and require mental health support.
The PHNs based in Victoria will be tasked with the establishment of the new clinics, and will work closely with key GP clinics, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) and designated headspace centres. The clinics will be funded for 12 months.
In addition to the clinics, $5 million in funding will be provided to enhance digital and phone services for specific groups that are experiencing significant challenges during the additional restrictions. This includes those living with an eating disorder where physical isolation at home can greatly exacerbate their mental illness. The funding will ensure services such as the Eating Disorders National Support line, 1800 ED HOPE, have the capacity to provide the specialist support needed. An additional $2 million will help evaluate the impact of this investment and target any emerging mental health needs.
Christine Morgan, CEO of the National Mental Health Commission said: “While the Government has substantially increased funding for national phone lines and online services to meet increased demand during the pandemic, we know that some groups within our population require more specialised online support. This initiative will provide that vital additional care.”
These new measures recognise that many people in areas impacted by the second wave of the pandemic will be facing escalating mental health challenges. They build on the recent additional mental health support provided – including 10 additional Medicare subsidised psychological therapy sessions for people subject to further restrictions; $12 million to bolster mental health support lines and headspace outreach; and the more than $500 million additional funding for mental health and suicide prevention announced since January, including Medicare subsidies for telehealth consultations.
Our Government has responded early and rapidly to address the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to demonstrate our firm commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians, with estimated expenditure for mental health services and suicide prevention to be more than $5.2 billion in 2019-20.
Australia Delivers Humanitarian Supplies to Beirut
15 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women, Minister for Defence
Australia is delivering urgently needed humanitarian supplies to Beirut to help the people of Lebanon recover from the devastating impacts of the Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020.
An Australian Defence Force C-130J Hercules aircraft based in the region has collected Australian funded supplies from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai and is delivering them today.
These supplies include mobile warehouses to help replace storage facilities destroyed in the blast, and shelter kits and tools to help address urgent needs for the 300,000 people left homeless.
The shelter kits and supplies will be distributed by trusted NGOs, including the Red Cross, and our UN partners, who are delivering humanitarian assistance to those most in need. The mobile warehouses will help sustain operations of humanitarian partners managing large logistic support operations.
Once this important mission is completed, the C-130J will remain in the Middle East to continue providing essential logistics support to our military personnel in the region.
This assistance comes in addition to the $5 million the Australian Government has committed to support humanitarian efforts, including the World Food Programme, the Red Cross Movement, and UNICEF.
The Australian Embassy in Beirut and our consular staff in Canberra will continue to support Australians in Lebanon affected by the explosion, including by helping those who wish to return home to access available commercial flights.
Interview with Tom Elliot, 3AW (Copy)
15 August 2020
CHRIS SMITH: Good morning to you, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Chris.
SMITH: Commemorations like these don't come around every day. This one holds so much significance for today's Australian, doesn't it?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah it does. And it reminds us of a time and a generation that was like none other. We're certainly confronting our own challenges today with what's happening but that was a completely different experience and the fortitude and the strength and the resilience of Australians whether they were at the frontline or whether they were working in munitions factories or they were looking after who was left behind. You know, it was just an incredible generation and I'm always humbled by them.
SMITH: It's interesting when you trace back the stories, what their generation went through, both on the battlefield and I'm glad you mentioned back home, you realise that this was a period of time where Australians were so willing to sacrifice and they had tremendous resilience. And we can learn so much from that generation, can't we?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, totally. And that was- and I have no doubt that they were frustrated, that they were angry, that they got down hearted, and I often think at these times, and I was this morning, I was reflecting on my own grandparents this morning, as I was having a cup of coffee. And I remember the stories my grandmother told me about growing up in the Depression. And then when she was at home with my grandfather off at war and she had to look after his father as well, who was elderly. And, you know, they just went through unimaginable anxiety and uncertainty. And there are a lot of lessons there for us and a lot of strength we can draw from.
SMITH: I spoke to my teenage son last night about all of this and what we were doing on the programme today. And I said to him, ‘you know what it tells me mate’, and it was a personal conversation. But I said to him, ‘it makes me think that a lot of younger people today need to harden up a bit and realise the history of those generations’.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, history is important and it informs us and it inspires us. And I suppose my message would be slightly different and a bit more generous, but it would be to be inspired. To take the positive of those stories. And whether it's Teddy Sheean who we thankfully were able to see honoured by the Queen acceding to the recommendation we made, these people are just incredible. Their stories, I remember when I walked Kokoda, it was over a decade ago now and and that has that has stayed with me. And the treks that I did, the Sandakan death march, and around the Black Cat track, up around Salamaua and Lae. And to hear those stories, they never left me. And we took young people with us. I did that with Jason Clare a Labor member. We did it as a bipartisan many years ago and we just loved how it inspired young people. There's a lot to be inspired by.
SMITH: Very, very true. Very, very true. Just a couple of things off the commemoration today. I've just received a release coming out of your office, Marise Payne's office, Linda Reynolds’ office. Australia is delivering urgently needed humanitarian supplies to Beirut. The reality is there are 300,000 people there who are left homeless.
PRIME MINISTER: It is devastating. I think the images of that explosion, which was about 20 per cent of the scale of Little Boy, the big bomb in Japan. That's something to reflect on. It is just horrific. We've been doing a lot of work with the Lebanese community in Australia, Australians with Lebanese heritage, and they're amazing people. I know many of them incredibly well. They're raising money. They're looking to help how they could help in Lebanon. But there are people who'll be making their way back from Lebanon and we’re facilitating that, we’ve put $5 million dollars down and into internationally coordinated aid efforts. I joined a call the other night, with President Macron, and about 30 others, countries, about how I mean, we're a long way away and we're not going to solve the problems of the Middle East all the way here from Australia. But there are things we can do directly to help people. And we are. And the communities are opening up their hearts, as I know the Lebanese community does in Australia, they're amazing people.
SMITH: On another issue, the report into the handling of the Ruby Princess was handed down late yesterday. The ship has been linked to 900 cases of coronavirus and 28 deaths. The commissioner cleared Australian Border Force of any wrongdoing, but found staff from New South Wales Health made some serious mistakes. There are some apologies, I would have thought, need to be up front and centre, including one from Senator Kristina Keneally?
PRIME MINISTER: Well look it is as we said it was Chris, because, I mean, we were being straight with people about what happened. The inquiry has borne that out. The Labor party, wanted to snipe and sledge and throw stones, and that's been their approach. It's disappointing. I don't dwell on it terribly much, I’ve got too much else to focus on as has Peter Dutton and David Littleproud and Michael McCormack and Josh Frydenberg and Greg Hunt. You know, we're just getting on with the job and look, for the issues in New South Wales, at the same time, it was a very difficult time and officials will make mistakes in pandemics that none of us have had to manage before. And so I think there's been some humble learnings out of New South Wales. And I've seen New South Wales just go from strength to strength in managing the pandemic. And you are seeing that right now. In times like this, there will be errors made. But what you've got to ensure is that you learn from every single one of them and you emerge stronger each time. And so I'd say to people in New South Wales, that's what I've seen Gladys Berejiklian doing. She just doubles down, goes back to work and just makes sure it doesn't happen again. And that's that's her attitude. And I’ve been, I really thank her for taking that leadership role.
SMITH: There are some lessons too to be learned at your level over aged care. I was really impressed with the health secretary, Professor Brendan Murphy, yesterday putting some context into this debate about the handling of aged care during this pandemic.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, it's a very complex issue. And I think at the end of the day, the reason we are having this challenge is because there's widespread community transmission in Victoria. I mean, that's why, we're not having those problems in New South Wales or in Queensland or elsewhere, because there's not widespread community transmission. I mean, it's impacting hospitals. It's impacting healthcare services all over Victoria. And aged care is no exception to that. There's not some special force field, but the aged care response centre that we've set up down there. There's a bloke doing a terrific job, a guy called Joe Buffone out of Emergency Management Australia. He's leading that task force team down there. And you know they are just getting a mountain of work done to just protect people, protect our elderly residents, to ensure work forces are properly trained. He's just working those issues with all of us every day. I just got off a call from him about fifteen minutes ago. We go through these issues every single day, with Brendan and with Paul Kelly. And Greg Hunt and the whole team, Richard Colbeck, they are very complex issues. And, you know, we've just got to work hard to stay on top of them. As I said yesterday, some days, the virus gets the better of us. But other days, they're the better ones and they're the ones we're trying to increase the frequency of.
SMITH: I often think to myself, what an era to be the Prime Minister of the nation. Good luck with all of those challenges. We'll be listening to your commemorative address and putting it live to air, Prime Minister thank you very much for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot mate and lest we forget.
SMITH: Thanks.
Opinion Piece - 75th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific
15 August 2020
World War II was the greatest national effort in Australia’s history. Out of a population of seven million people, one million Australians put on our uniform and made the silent promise to give their lives for their country if need be. Almost 40,000 gave their lives.
Their mission was clear: to defeat Hitler and the evils of Nazism; stop the aggression and conquest of militaristic Japan; defend our sovereignty, freedom and our way of life; and to prevent an attack on Australia.
Everyone had a role to play. As wartime prime minister John Curtin said, “No one else can do your share.” It was a call Australians embraced. It was clear what was at stake.
As Nancy Wake, the “white mouse” who outwitted the Gestapo, put it: “Freedom is the only thing worth living for … without freedom there is no point in living”.
Faith Bandler, best known for her work supporting the 1967 referendum, first expressed her willingness to live out her beliefs by joining the Australian Women’s Land Army. She said of her service, “I was determined that I should do something. Something in a very positive way, because it was a war against fascism.”
Faith’s brother Edward Mussing also signed up. He was part of 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion and died on the notorious Thai-Burma Railway. In total, 5000 Indigenous Australians served during World War II.
At home, the war effort was bolstered by the 200,000 women who joined the workforce. Thousands more joined the services. All understood that if tyranny was not confronted together, eventually it would be confronted alone.
In the Pacific, we fought alongside friends and allies in pursuit of that goal. The bonds we forged made us more than neighbours; they made us family.
It wasn’t just the armed forces who played a role; we remember the resistance fighters and the local people in so many places who risked their own lives in the defence of freedom.
This week we were reminded of the courage of those times with the decision to award the Victoria Cross for Australia to Ordinary Seaman Edward “Teddy” Sheean.
Sheean was the youngest on HMAS Armidale. He was just 18. On December 1, 1942, the Armidale was attacked by Japanese bombers and incurred significant damage. After the order was given for the crew to abandon ship, Japanese aircraft strafed the Australian sailors who were overboard. Sheean then turned back, made for the gun, strapped himself in and returned fire to the Japanese. He fought to the very end.
The story of World War II is the story of a generation standing up and giving all.
It is the story of “Bull” Allen carrying the wounded to safety; Roden Cutler and the campaign for Syria; Vivian Bullwinkel and the nurses of Banka Island; Bluey Truscott and the defence of Milne Bay; and every battle in the air, on land and at sea where Australian blood was shed.
All of which was part of one great national effort.
From that wonderful victory, the most remarkable thing happened — sworn enemies became our devoted friends.
As I think of the peace won 75 years ago today, I think of Darwin, which suffered the overwhelming bulk of the attacks on mainland Australia. In 2018, I had the honour of spending time in Darwin with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It was an incredibly moving experience.
So from war came peace; from peace came rebuilding; from rebuilding came reflection; from reflection, forgiveness; and eventually friendship.
That is the world the generation of the second world war created.
Today, only a fraction of that generation remains. Today we say thank you to them. They helped win a war, secure the peace and, along with so many more, saved humanity.
Their deeds will not be forgotten. In our time, with our own struggles, we will draw strength from their example.
Lest we forget.
Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean
12 August 2020
The Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has advised me that Her Majesty The Queen has given approval for the award of the Victoria Cross for Australia to Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean for his actions on 1 December 1942, when he sacrificed his life to save his shipmates during the sinking of the HMAS Armidale.
Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean was an extraordinary Australian and Australia will remain eternally grateful for his service, dedication and sacrifice.
In June I established an Expert Panel, chaired by Dr Brendan Nelson AO, to resolve the contradicting advice regarding the case for an award of the Victoria Cross to Teddy Sheean.
There was never any question to the extent of Teddy’s heroism and valour. It was exceptional. But the Government was faced with two previous findings of equal standing from two reviews that had concluded different results. It was important that the Expert Panel settle this conflicting evidence and determine whether there was new evidence to help dispel any ambiguity.
The Panel’s report found there was compelling new evidence, including new evidence discovered by the Panel, in support of higher recognition for Teddy Sheean, and that Sheean was done a substantial injustice in consideration of his actions in the original decision making period in 1942 to 1943. It found Sheean's courageous sacrifice of his life to save his shipmates makes him eligible for the Victoria Cross for Australia, and the highest level of recognition should be accorded in this exceptional case.
I accepted this advice and I had asked the Governor-General to convey the Government’s recommendation to Her Majesty The Queen.
I welcome the approval of Her Majesty.
The Victoria Cross is the highest award that can be provided to any Australian serviceman or woman for their valour. As Prime Minister and as a Government, we have a very special responsibility to ensure that the integrity of the Victoria Cross is upheld for all of those who've been honoured by being bestowed.
The decision formalises what we already know: that Teddy Sheean is an Australian hero.
78 years might have passed since he died but his story will always be part of us.
After the order was given for the crew of the HMAS Armidale to abandon ship, Japanese aircraft strafed the Australian sailors who were overboard. Sheean then turned back, made for the gun, strapped himself in, and returned fire to the Japanese. He fought to the very end.
He chose to save the lives of his shipmates rather than his own.
A week after the sinking, 49 men from the HMAS Armidale were rescued. Many of these men owed their lives to the actions of Teddy Sheean.
All Australians can share in the joy of this award.
All who have served and who serve in the Royal Australian Navy can take satisfaction that the valour of one of their comrades has been recognised by the highest honour.
This week, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. Teddy Sheean never saw war’s end, never saw the peace he helped secure, and did not enjoy the long life that many of his crew mates did. That was the price he paid for his valour.
I honour the Sheean family and Tasmanians who faithfully kept the case of Teddy Sheean before us all.
Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean
10 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Defence
The Australian Government recognises the extraordinary service, dedication and sacrifice of Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean and the Prime Minister has written to the Governor-General requesting he seek the approval of Her Majesty The Queen to posthumously award a Victoria Cross for Australia.
Our view and policy has always been that consideration of the awarding of a retrospective Victoria Cross would only occur in light of compelling new evidence or if there was evidence of significant maladministration.
There was a clear conflict of advice between the 2013 Inquiry into Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts of Naval and Military Gallantry and Valour (the Valour Inquiry) and the 2019 review of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal as to whether the case of Teddy Sheean met those standards.
There were further differences of opinion in the interpretation of what was contained in those reports. This conflict prevented a clear recommendation from being made and needed to be resolved before proceeding further. That’s why the Prime Minister commissioned an expert panel to provide further advice on the subject.
The panel has identified maladministration in the consideration of Teddy Sheean’s actions, as well as compelling new evidence that his previously awarded Mention in Dispatches should be replaced with a Victoria Cross.
Overturning a decision relating to a Victoria Cross nearly 80 years later requires compelling reasons. The panel has articulated those reasons clearly.
This is an exceptional case for an exceptional Australian.
The panel found that:
Teddy Sheean was done a substantial injustice in consideration of his actions in the original decision-making period of 1942-45, constituting maladministration;
On the basis of all the evidence now available, higher recognition for Teddy Sheean is supported;
Teddy Sheean’s courageous sacrifice of his life to save his shipmates meets the eligibility criteria for a Victoria Cross for Australia; and
the highest level of recognition should be accorded in this exceptional case.
This report is also testament to the dedication of Teddy’s family and friends, as well as Tasmanian Veterans' Affairs Minister Guy Barnett and Member for Braddon and ex-serviceman Gavin Pearce to ensure that Teddy received the recognition he deserved. The frustration they have felt at times should not be underestimated but it is the Government’s duty to uphold the highest evidentiary standards for the awarding of a Victoria Cross. We are pleased this process has provided an avenue for their efforts to be validated and rewarded.
The Government thanks the expert panel for their detailed work in preparing their report and recommendations, particularly the efforts of panel’s chair Dr Brendan Nelson AO.
The panel’s report can be found at Historic Victoria Cross Report of the Expert Panel
National Cabinet Statement
7 August 2020
The National Cabinet met today for the 25th time to discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response, the Victoria outbreak, easing restrictions, helping Australians prepare to go back to work in a COVID-safe environment and getting the economy moving again.
The Acting Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been over 20,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 266 people have died.
The outbreak in Victoria has meant that there are now around 8,000 active cases in Australia. Daily infection rates have remained low in all states and territories, other than Victoria. Testing remains high, with more than 4.6 million tests undertaken in Australia.
National Cabinet also discussed the Victorian outbreak, the health response underway and recommitted to providing as much support as necessary to Victoria during this very difficult time. The National Cabinet noted that there had been a relaxation in community attitudes towards social distancing in some states and territories.
Despite the success in suppressing the virus, the Victorian outbreak has shown that social distancing rules must be maintained at least until a vaccine or effective treatment is found. The reduction in adherence to social distancing amongst younger Australians is a particular concern, and recognised by the AHPPC.
Further, we need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and respond to local outbreaks when they occur.
Seven of Australia’s eight states and territories are successfully implementing the suppression strategy for COVID-19, with the goal of no community transmission, enabling Australians in those jurisdictions to live and work in a COVID-safe economy.
National Cabinet discussed the updated economic outlook following the additional restrictions imposed in Victoria and the changes to the JobKeeper program announced in response to these restrictions.
National Cabinet acknowledged the economic deterioration and that the national unemployment rate is now expected to peak at closer to 10 per cent in the December quarter of 2020. National Cabinet welcomed the additional $15.6 billion provided for the JobKeeper program with the changes to the employee reference date and turnover reference period benefiting nation-wide, particularly in Victoria where the economic deterioration will see more firms and employees relying on JobKeeper. Combined with the health response, the Commonwealth economic and balance sheet measures now total more than $314 billion and along with the response from the state and territories of $45 billion, significant economic support is flowing into the economy.
National Cabinet will meet again on 21 August 2020.
Aged Care
National Cabinet acknowledged the aged care workforce and the tremendous work that they are doing during the crisis to support older Australians.
National Cabinet agreed to a paper on Aged Care Preparedness: Lessons from Victorian Response to COVID‑19, and committed to further actions and an audit of state and territory aged care emergency response capabilities.
Over the next two weeks joint Commonwealth-State plans will be developed that include four elements:
activities such as face to face infection control training with aged care facilities even where there are no cases of COVID-19;
compulsory use of face masks, workforce controls and the use of private hospital resources that will be actioned in locations where there are active cases of COVID-19; and
preparing for the establishment of Coordination centres (similar to the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre) including identifying key staff who will be deployed; and
the audit of state and territory aged care emergency response capabilities.
Quarantine Arrangements
Jane Halton AO PSM, who is leading the National Review of Hotel Quarantine Arrangements, provided National Cabinet with an Interim Report including early observations about areas of risk and opportunities for improvement based on initial findings from New South Wales and Queensland.
The Review has sought information from each state and territory, and is also undertaking site visits of facilities across the nation. After completing site visits in Queensland and New South Wales, the Interim Report notes openness from stakeholders across the hotel quarantine system in those two states, as well as a strong desire to learn from past experiences and to ensure best practice.
The Final Report is due to be provided to National Cabinet in October 2020.
COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy
National Cabinet strongly welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategic Approach that provides a framework for securing early access to safe and effective vaccines and treatments. This will save Australian lives, allow us to consider reopening borders, rebuild the economy, and assist our region.
The strategic approach is focused around research and development; purchase and manufacturing; international partnerships; regulation and safety, an immunisation administration and monitoring.
There are currently over 160 COVID-19 vaccines in preclinical and clinical trials; it is vital that Australians have access early and that we are able to support our neighbours.
The Commonwealth Government is undertaking an audit of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine and treatment manufacturing capability and capacity, building on the data from the Therapeutic Goods Authority and Defence Materials Technology Centre. The audit will assess current domestic industry capability and identify where opportunities exist to expand, modify or repurpose capability and capacity to support the manufacture, distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Relevant supply chains and support for regulatory approvals for expanded or repurposed manufacturing may also be considered. The results of the audit will inform the Australian Government’s consideration of how to maximise the Australian manufacturing industry’s role in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
The Commonwealth is well progressed in a number of areas:
Advance purchase agreements to secure direct purchase of vaccine or treatment doses.
Manufacturing agreements to establish arrangements to utilise and expand Australia’s manufacturing capability and capacity.
International and multilateral agreements to support and facilitate access for Australia and its region.
Procurement contracts to facilitate the purchase of goods, materials or services necessary for the distribution or deployment of vaccines and treatments.
The Commonwealth Government will advise on further progress on agreements once specific negotiations have been finalised.
Freight Code
National Cabinet agreed to the formalisation of the Freight Movement Code following the previous agreement of the Freight Movement Protocol on 24 July.
The Code will enable the consistent enforcement of a range of health measures that support the safe and efficient movement of freight across Australia.
It will be implemented and enforced by jurisdictions no earlier than in five business days, and no later than 10 business days.
The Code was developed with the agreement of all jurisdictions through the Transport and Infrastructure Council, and was also endorsed by the AHPPC.
Caps on international passenger arrivals
National Cabinet agreed that existing caps on international passenger arrivals would continue in order to manage and maintain quarantine arrangements across jurisdictions.
Until 24 October the following will apply subject to further advice on quarantine capacity:
Sydney – limit of 350 passenger arrivals per day;
Perth – limit of 525 passenger arrivals per week;
Brisbane – limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week;
Adelaide – limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week;
Canberra, Darwin – passenger limits on each flight to be discussed with jurisdictions on a case-by-case basis;
Hobart – no international flights.
The suspension of international flights into Melbourne will also continue.
National Cabinet agreed that information relating to quarantine capacity and passenger demand would continue to be exchanged and support flexibility within the caps to as much as possible to minimise disruptions to returning Australian citizens and permanent residents.
These arrangements will continue to be reviewed by National Cabinet.
Restrictions on outbound travel by Australian citizens and permanent residents remain in place, in accordance with the health advice to the Government.
JobMaker - National Skills Reform Agenda
National Cabinet noted the progress made on skills reform, with seven states and territories having signed the Heads of Agreement for Skills Reform and the commencement of bilateral negotiations between the Commonwealth and states and territories on the $1 billion JobTrainer Fund to provide support and up to 340,700 training places to help school leavers and job seekers develop new skills.
The Skills National Cabinet Reform Committee was established by National Cabinet today to support the ongoing reforms to vocational education and training outlined in the Heads of Agreement.
National Cabinet was also briefed by interim National Skills Commissioner Adam Boyton on the state of the labour market and the role of the National Skills Commission.
Other Border Arrangements
The Commonwealth Government agreed to consider options for enhancing contact tracing of passengers on domestic flights.
The Prime Minister briefed First Ministers on enhanced border management arrangements in place in the Torres Strait to minimise the risk of COVID-19 being communicated. He also outlined his recent virtual summit with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and the support Australia is providing to help PNG respond to the pandemic.
More Support for More Businesses and Workers
7 August 2020
Prime Minister, Treasurer
Following the introduction of stage four restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and stage three restrictions across regional Victoria, the Morrison Government will help more businesses qualify for JobKeeper.
Key adjustments include:
A change to the employee reference date - from 3 August 2020 the relevant date of employment for an eligible employee will move from 1 March to 1 July 2020, expanding employee eligibility.
A change to the turnover reference period - to be eligible for JobKeeper post 28 September 2020, organisations will only have to demonstrate that their actual turnovers have significantly declined in the previous quarter.
As a result, organisations that are able to demonstrate a significant decline in turnover in the September 2020 quarter will be able to access the JobKeeper extension in the December quarter. An organisation able to demonstrate the requisite decline in turnover in the December 2020 quarter would be able to access the JobKeeper extension in the March 2021 quarter.
The combined effect of the economic deterioration in Victoria which will see more firms needing to rely on JobKeeper and the eligibility changes being made to the program will see the cost of JobKeeper increase by around $15.6 billion in 2020-21.
While these changes will apply nation-wide, it is expected that more than 80 per cent of the increased payments will flow to Victorian businesses and employees.
These changes, combined with a deterioration in the economy as a result of the stricter restrictions imposed in Victoria will see the total cost of the JobKeeper program increase to $101.3 billion.
It is now expected that around 4 million Australians will be benefiting from JobKeeper Payments at the end of the September quarter, falling to around 2.24 million in the December quarter and 1.75 million in the March 2021 quarter.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government was doing whatever it took to save lives and save livelihoods.
“Australia is facing a situation that is constantly changing. Our response is to get the right support to all those Australian families, workers and businesses that need us, as these circumstances change,” the Prime Minister said.
“This means more support for more workers and more businesses for longer, as we battle this latest Victorian wave.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the introduction of stage four restrictions by the Victorian Government will have a severe economic impact on the Victorian and Australian economy.
“Already more than 270,000 businesses covering around 975,000 employees in Victoria are being supported by the Morrison Government’s JobKeeper Payment.”
“To help keep more businesses in business and Australians in jobs through this incredibly challenging period, the Government will ease the eligibility criteria to make it easier for organisations to qualify for the JobKeeper extension from 28 September 2020.”
“These change will add to the $15 billion the Morrison Government has already contributed to the Victorian economy through JobKeeper and small business CashFlow boost payments.”
Every arm of government is working to keep Australians in jobs and businesses in business.
The Morrison Government will continue to do what it takes to cushion the blow and help Australians get to the other side of the coronavirus crisis.
https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42970
Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB
7 August 2020
BEN FORDHAM: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just called in, PM happy Friday to you.
PRIME MINISTER: You too, Ben.
FORDHAM: I’ve just gone through the JobKeeper changes in detail. This is going to cost us more money, but it's all about saving jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, saving lives and saving livelihoods, the JobKeeper programme is there when the virus hits and it's hit hard in Victoria in particular, I mean, these changes apply right across the country, by the way, not just in Victoria. And there'll be some additional people who get access to it, we expect in other states and territories. But it's principally Victoria. And, you know, if the same thing had happened in New South Wales, and New South Wales are doing a terrific job in preventing that. But, you know, when these things happen, that's what the federal government's responsibility is and it is a significant amount, just as all of JobKeeper has been. It takes the total bill now over $100 billion dollars. But it's been one of the most successful programmes of its kind in the world.
FORDHAM: On the virus and in particular, Victoria, is your intel telling us that we're in for a better week next week or worse?
PRIME MINISTER: It's still hard to say. That's what we aren’t getting told. I mean, we hopefully see, would like to see things improve over the next seven days, but we certainly haven't seen that up until now. So it's, these changes have got to get locked in down there in Victoria. We’ve done a lot of work this week, just trying to make sure that those measures were as balanced as they could be. I mean, you've got to keep the economy at least at some form of pilot light operation. Otherwise, it's very hard to start it up again on the other side. And that would extend the economic damage from what is a terrible set of circumstances. But, you know, that's the challenge to get that balance right. And that's where we've been focused. You know, we've done things on childcare, we’ve done the pandemic leave disaster payment. And of course, now the changes we’ve made with JobKeeper. We've also, putting additional resources into things like Headspace and BeyondBlue and Lifeline and Kids Helpline. I mean, I know today with people coming back from Melbourne, they'll be quarantining in New South Wales. But in Victoria, it's a very, it's a bad scene in terms of just where people's anxiety levels are at. And we've got to do what we can to help them out.
FORDHAM: I know you’re short on time this morning but a few other ones to go through, ammonium nitrate, we all saw what happened in Lebanon this week. I've got listeners in Newcastle who are concerned that there's thousands of tonnes of the same chemical stored a kilometre away from homes?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, firstly, that's a matter for the state government to regulate, and the regulations here in Australia are very strong. I mean, what happened in Beirut is just, it's just the most awful of tragedies and a terrible accident. But you had that material sitting around in the same place, I understand, for about six years and next to a fireworks dump in a Hezbollah-controlled port. These are not the circumstances in Australia. Those materials, there are very strict regulations on how they are used. Those materials in Newcastle as well, in particular, they move through that fairly quickly. So it's just not sitting there dormant. But there are very strict controls on that. But I'm sure the New South Wales Premier or others could give you more information.
FORDHAM: Islamic State has put out a new recruitment video this morning telling followers to deliberately light bushfires in places like Australia. I suppose this just reminds us what sick people we deal with.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s right, Ben. It's a reminder that while there is the great threat of the pandemic to Australia at the moment, the other threats haven't gone anywhere and we need to remain vigilant about that. Yesterday with Peter Dutton, we launched the cyber security strategy. That's keeping families safe from the dark web and the paedophiles and other creeps that go around trying to get into our kids’ lives through the internet. Not just that, but protecting major infrastructure and services and all those things and businesses and the economy and our banking system. There are plenty of creeps out there who would want to hurt us, mate, and we remain very vigilant against that, as always.
FORDHAM: The University of New South Wales has been caught out deleting information that was critical of China and they have now been caught out offering two different apologies. So in Australia, the university apologised for cancelling free speech in China. In China, they've apologised for causing distress with misleading posts. What do you make of what's happened at the University of New South Wales?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I’m an alumni of the University of New South Wales, and I think people have always got to tell the same story wherever they are. That's certainly my practise when it comes to managing these sensitive issues. And I find in managing the relationship with China, you've just got to be consistent. And I always am. The Government is always and Australia always is. And I think everyone should follow that path.
FORDHAM: I know you follow the NRL. Just a quick one. The South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has been suspended for breaching the NRL’s quarantine rules by going to a cafe. He's admitted it might have happened more than once and he says he didn't know the rules. Is that an acceptable excuse?
PRIME MINISTER: No. I mean, and I'm sure Wayne would probably agree with that. I mean, the rules are there to protect everybody. And importantly, so the NRL can keep functioning. I think Peter V’Landys has done a great job in getting the NRL up and running and the fact that it's still running now. I'm looking forward to the game against Parramatta on Sunday night. I won't be there, I'll be down in Canberra. But it's great that the NRL is running and it's important everyone who's involved is supporting that. I'm sure Wayne would agree.
FORDHAM: I know what you'll be doing Sunday night, because whenever Australia Ninja Warrior is on, I get messages from someone saying, ‘I’m watching this show.’
PRIME MINISTER: Well, apart from watching the footy, mate, it is the Morrison household’s favourite show. We've liked it since the first series. And I've got a few tradies with the golfing - I always forget his name, the golfing ninja -
FORDHAM: Charlie Robbins.
PRIME MINISTER: Charlie Robbins. We love Charlie Roberts. But also I really like the tradie ninja. And of course, the girls love Olivia. I mean, she's fantastic. I like how she goes over the wall with that cheeky sort of salute. So I'm looking forward to it, it should be great. I like the little handkerchief in your breast pocket too, mate. Very, very snappy.
FORDHAM: I know that you don't get a lot of spare time. So unless you get some time with the family. Enjoy the weekend. We'll catch up soon.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Ben. All the best.
FORDHAM: Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling in live.
Interview with Oly Peterson, 6PR
7 August 2020
OLY PETERSON: Let's go to Canberra right now, joining me live on the programme from Parliament House the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Welcome to Perth Live.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day Oly.
PETERSON: I’m sure Mathias Cormann, Michaelia Cash, Linda Reynolds, Christian Porter, Ben Morton, you name them, the WA Liberals they've sent the message Prime Minister, West Australians overwhelmingly love the hard border. So was it a captain's call? Was it your call to withdraw the federal government support of Clive Palmer's High Court challenge?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, yes, this is the decision we came to. And a lot has changed since Clive Palmer first brought that action. We didn't bring the action it was brought by Clive Palmer. And it's very normal in those circumstances when you've got a constitutional case, I mean, it is actually the convention that the federal government just participates in those proceedings. But given the very significant changes that had taken place, particularly in Victoria, in the eastern states, I mean, I didn't want to see there to be any anxiety amongst the Western Australian public. And that that struck me is the right thing to do. And so I've had a number of chats with Mark McGowan about this, and we were just working the issue through constructively. So I've got no quarrel with Mark. And it's important that we do everything we can to protect the public health situation. And so that's exactly what we're doing and we're just getting on with it.
PETERSON: Why did the federal government back the Clive Palmer case in the first place?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I just answered that. I mean, it is the normal practise on any constitutional case like this. I mean, it's all the legal stuff. But I mean, when any constitutional case of this nature goes before the high court, the high court expects the Commonwealth to actually participate. That's the expectation on us. So we were following the normal legal precedent in these cases.
PETERSON: But now you’ve pulled out?
PRIME MINISTER: But in this one, in this one, we, I made the exception. I made an exception. I suspect the High Court doesn't like we’ve done it. I imagine they'll give me a bit of chip for doing it.
PETERSON: So why did you pull out, Prime Minister? Because the talkback lines, the overwhelming feedback from West Australians, is they’re going to punish the federal government. Did you do this because the political ramifications for your government were so severe here in Western Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: No, and I don't think that's what people should believe either, because that's not how it played out. I mean, things changed a lot between when this case was first brought by Clive Palmer. So Mark McGowan has a quarrel with Clive Palmer. Not with me. And a lot has changed since then. I mean, remember, it was in August that the Premier himself said he was going to lift the border. So a lot has changed since then. And what I've learnt and know as I've sought to manage this crisis from a national perspective is you've got to move as events change it, and as circumstances change. I didn't want there to be any anxiety in Western Australia, and I didn't want that juiced up by any, anyone seeking to create any panic or anxiety. I think that would be very harmful. So I thought this was the sensible and wise thing to do.
PETERSON: Do you regret it though now, if you had your time over again, would you have stayed out of Clive Palmer's challenge?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that would have been to not do my other first responsibility to follow the constitutional conventions that a Prime Minister has to follow. I mean, I have many responsibilities Oly, and I have to manage all of these together. And remember when we first participated, back then, the situation was completely different. So as circumstances change, then we made a change to our position, which I believe was in, not just in the benefit of Western Australians, but all Australians.
The WA Premier wants this federal court challenge withdrawn. Is that something that the Commonwealth will make representation on tomorrow?
PETERSON: Well, we're out of the case. I mean, the Premier when he wrote to me on, he asked me to get out. So we got out just like he asked. He didn't ask us to do a whole range of other things. He just said, will you get out now? And so I said, yes. So we've done that. And so we're quite, I'll be writing a letter back, which I think will help him in the petitions he's making before the Court. And we've got no issue with that being redone or restarted or however they, you know, I know I'm aware of what he's taking forward. So we don't have any objection to that.
PRIME MINISTER: So you will be making a submission tomorrow in WA’s favour this time?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look it’s legalese and all the rest of it. And the Attorney-General I know has made some comments on this as well. But I mean, basically the court is, as I understand it is going to simply ask us, you've pulled out of this and to explain how that was done. And that's simply what we'll do. I mean, we're doing exactly what Premier McGowan asked us to do, which was to get out. So we did.
PETERSON: So will you be doing a 180 and back the WA position?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I just said we have no problem with what the WA submission is putting forward, but I'll be in a position to argue that and the letter I'll provide, I'm sure, should assist their case. But the other thing is when I wrote back to Premier McGowan last week and I said to him, I said, look, Mark, there are a couple of things you could do to help your own case here. And they were pretty simple things. I said, first of all, if we all acknowledge that no one should be out there just doing something indiscriminately, I mean, that's not a particularly hard thing to agree to. Secondly, that when you do something like this to consult with others, and particularly your neighbouring states, and fourthly, when you put arrangements in place, make sure you think through the implications so there are no unintended consequences. Now, as yet, the Premier hasn't yet agreed to all of those things. I mean, he says they're a starting point for negotiation, they seem pretty commonsense to me. So I think, as I said to him, I said, you agree to these things, we think that'll actually help your case. We wanted to help. So there we are.
PETERSON: So are your worries and concerns still that the repercussions of the Clive Palmer case is if he wins, then all of the state borders have to come down. So Queensland banning the southern states, New South Wales forcing anyone who's been in Victoria to hotel quarantine, that the high court could say that they’re unlawful, it's a free for all Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that's a pretty extreme set of circumstances you've just outlined. I mean, my advice is that's pretty unlikely at that level. But, I mean, the High Court will have its own mind, and it has discretion to make its own judgements. I can't read their mind as to what they're going to do. And so we have made some suggestions about what we think would actually strengthen the position of the W.A. government and to deal with any sort of issues or questions that are there. And we haven't, we're not making any requests of them, as I wrote to Mark last week, that we're not asking them to change their border arrangements. A lot has changed since the original case came forward. And we're dealing with the situation as it is. And the other point I made, which I know Mark agrees with and- a border of itself doesn't keep you safe. You've got to have a strong public health system. You've got to have a strong testing and tracing regime as well. And you've got to keep practising the social distancing and you've got to keep ensuring that the COVIDSafe workplaces are in place. I mean, you get a breach out of hotel quarantine or something like that, then Western Australia's no safer than anywhere else when those things happen, I mean, in New South Wales, they've been dealing with this, I think, extremely well. And they've been able to avoid this big wave in New South Wales so far and that's a tremendous job. But we've seen the catastrophe in Victoria. So I'd just sort of make the point and I know, Mark understands this, the Premier understands this, we’ve got to keep making sure that your tracing and testing capability is match fit.
PETERSON: Let's be crystal clear, Prime Minister, what is your position now on the borders? Because do you still want to see some movement beyond Western Australia's borders to areas of the country or states in the country where there is no spread of COVID-19?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I'll tell you exactly which was what was in the letter I sent to Mark. And what he put in the letter back to me. It said, “the Commonwealth is not requesting the Western Australian government to change its current border settings”. I could not be any clearer.
PETERSON: And now you'll be assisting the case for the WA government in its fight against Clive Palmer?
PRIME MINISTER: We’re sending a letter back to Mark, it'll be there tomorrow. And we have no problem with what they're putting to the Court at all.
PETERSON: When do you see yourself being able to visit WA again? And could you be on the hustings perhaps with Liza Harvey perhaps before the March state election?
PRIME MINISTER: You'd have to ask Mark. I'm not allowed to come at the moment, mate. So I'd love to come. You know how much I love coming to Western Australia. But I look, I'll be there when everyone else can be there.
PETERSON: Turning to Victoria, where the crisis is now, is that a disaster? Recording another 434 cases today, eight more deaths, 42 patients in ICU. Is it going to get worse before it gets better, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I hope not, but that is our concern. The reason why the Victorian government has had to take these unprecedented and terribly, terribly dramatic steps is because what was happening up until there wasn't working, and that was also our assessment. They’ve put in even stronger measures now and we certainly hope they do and we're doing everything we can to help make that work. It needs to work not just for Victorians, but for all of us right across the country. It's having a terribly devastating impact, not only on the Victorian economy, as I've said today, but that is spreading out now beyond the Victorian economy. As I mentioned in my press conference today, I mean, the total cost of this to our economy just in the September quarter has the three months to the end of September, we anticipate to now be around $10 to $12 billion. I mean, that's devastating. It’s 250,000 to 400,000 people who will either be out of work or reduced to zero hours and out of the workforce. So these are terrible impacts. That's why we've done everything we have; JobKeeper, JobSeeker, cashflow allowance support, pandemic leave support, payments so people are allowed to isolate when they're told to when they've had a positive test or they're having to be separated from work for having to isolate. I mean, we've done everything from help feed the animals in zoos, to supporting the entertainment industry who are particularly affected by these issues, through to helping people build their homes. And we have a great partnership with Mark McGowan on the HomeBuilder programme over there in the West and that's proving to be very successful. So there's no shortage of things we're doing to address what this is, but this pandemic, this virus, is having a terrible impact. But in Australia, we've been doing better than many and most. Even with the outbreak in Victoria, we are still performing extremely well at a global level.
PETERSON: There are some pretty frightening statements that you just made about the state of the economy. Might it suggest as well that the COVID benefits which we outlined, JobKeeper, JobSeeker, that might need to be expanded even further into next year, beyond March? Would you even consider easing the requirements for those businesses which are not eligible so that more can either stay or join the scheme?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'll have a bit more to say about that in the next few days. But we've already extended out till the end of March from the end of September. So we've already extended it by six months and we just announced that a few weeks ago.
PETERSON: Might leave the rate at $1,500 a fortnight, not the planned cut to $1,200 from September?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, in Western Australia, I mean, this is a national scheme, right? So in Western Australia, things are getting better and better. So that's tremendous. We want to see that continue. The same should be true in Queensland, South Australia and the rest of the country. There are specific issues happening in Victoria and it's important that where there are specific issues in a particular state, you know, obviously, we want the states and territories to do their share of the heavy lifting in this as well. Let me give you a few figures. I mean, we've already put in $289 billion on direct support and balance sheet support to the Australian economy. That's about 15 percent of the size of our economy. In Victoria, they've put in $10.5 billion. All the states and territories combined all together, they've put in $43.7 billion, which is 2.2 percent of GDP. So, you know, we want the states to continue to do what they're doing. I welcome the fact that Mark McGowan made that announcement he did the other day with the additional support package for Western Australia. Western Australia is now at $5.4 billion of investment. That's about 1.8 percent of GDP. As I said, the Commonwealth is at 15 percent of GDP. So that is just under 2 percent of the size of the state economy. So that's what WA is doing. So that's great there's going in there. But there's still, obviously, if there is more that needs to be done, I'm sure that that Mark will be putting his hands in his pockets with Ben Wyatt over there in the state coffers to make sure that the WA economy gets what it needs.
PETERSON: Labor has been hounding you for Parliament to sit. Now, it is happening again August 24th. Might you try and shorten the next sitting period or are Victorian MPs, are they going to have to isolate in Canberra for two weeks before the next sitting of the House of Representatives?
PRIME MINISTER: They will, they will have to isolate either in Canberra or in Melbourne. And it isn't sitting in this sitting fortnight, that was against the medical advice. I don't quite understand why Labor were carrying on about that, because they said we should follow the health advice. When I rang Anthony Albanese and said, well, the health advice is that we shouldn't sit, he agreed. And now he says we should be sitting when the health advice says we shouldn't. So that's having a bit each way, I think, and I think that's just a bit of politics.
PETERSON: Before you go, Prime Minister. Clive Palmer, one last question on the Clive Palmer hard border case. Should he just drop it altogether?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we never wanted him to bring it in the first place. I mean, it was our preference that this case never had appeared. But once it had, well, it created quite a few issues for us. I'm pleased that we're out of it. I'm pleased that's happened. So I've got no beef with the Western Australian government on this. We're all working together, as the Premier and I have been from the get go on this through the National Cabinet. We've been working extremely well together and we're going to keep doing that and I wish them very well with how they have to, well, how they'll be considering these issues further. But I'd prefer it had never arisen and I'm pleased we're out of it and we'll keep doing what we can to support Western Australians wherever we can.
PETERSON: Prime Minister, appreciate your time from Canberra this afternoon. You have a good day.
PRIME MINISTER: You too, Oly. All the best and to all of your listeners. Cheers.
PETERSON: Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia.
Australia's 2020 Cyber Security Strategy
6 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs
Keeping Australians secure online is key to protecting our economy, national security and sovereignty.
The Morrison Government’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy outlines how we will keep Australian families and businesses secure online, protect and strengthen the security and resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure and ensure law enforcement agencies have the powers and technical capabilities to detect, target, investigate and disrupt cybercrime, including on the dark web.
The 2020 Cyber Security Strategy is the largest ever Australian Government financial commitment to cyber security and builds on the strong foundations established by its predecessor.
The Strategy invests $1.67 billion to build new cybersecurity and law enforcement capabilities, protect the essential services upon which we all depend, assist businesses to protect themselves and raise the community’s understanding of how to be secure online.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the role of the Australian Government is to keep Australian’s safe, and it is important now, more than ever to protect Australians online from those who seek to do us harm.
“The 2020 Strategy means that cyber security is a fundamental part of everyday life, so Australians can reap the benefits of the internet and the digital economy safely, and with confidence,” the Prime Minister said.
“The digital economy is the future of Australia’s economy. This has been demonstrated by the coronavirus pandemic. We are seeing how much Australian’s are interacting online – for work, healthcare, education, entertainment and shopping.
“We want to enlist all Australians in the fight to create a more cyber safe Australia – you are our secret weapon in our cyber security strategy. And we want to give you the tools to protect your family and your business.
“We will protect our vital infrastructure and services from cyber attacks. We will support businesses to protect themselves so they can succeed in the digital economy.
We will track criminals in the darkest corners of the internet to protect our families and children.”
The Government is determined to disrupt the serious criminal activity saturating the dark web.
The Government will introduce legislation to bolster the powers of the Australian Federal Police and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to identify individuals and their networks engaging in serious criminal activity on the dark web.
Powers that allow offensive disruption capabilities will allow law enforcement to take the fight to the digital frontdoor of those using anonymising technology for evil purposes.
The Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said the protection of children and the Australian community from reprehensible criminal activity remains the Government’s highest priority.
“Paedophiles are targeting kids on line in chat groups. Cyber criminals are scamming money off our elderly by stealing their internet banking details and businesses are being locked out of their systems by ransomware attacks,” Mr Dutton said.
“Families and businesses are all spending more time working and studying online and we need to make it safer. They are stealing the identities and data from unsuspecting Australians.
“We will continue to ensure agencies have the powers and capabilities they need to identify and disrupt threats to the safety of Australians – particularly children, the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Not all cyber security risks can be addressed by government. The strategy outlines steps businesses of all sizes can take to protect themselves and their customers.
To support improved cyber security in the community, the Government will:
Expand our efforts to raise awareness of cyber security threats and drive uptake of safe and secure online behaviours across the community;
Expand our 24/7 cyber security advice hotline for families and older Australians;
Increase funding for victim support; and
Introduce a voluntary Internet of Things Code of Practice to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
Improving the security and resilience of critical infrastructure entities is crucial to protecting our economy, security, and sovereignty.
We are introducing a security framework to bolster the nation’s resilience and ensure we can act quickly in an emergency. The framework includes security obligations for critical infrastructure providers and Government assistance to industry in response to immediate and serious cyber attacks on Australia’s most critical systems.
Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said reforms to strengthen the security and resilience of Australia’s critical infrastructure would significantly boost Australia’s ability to deter, prevent and respond to the most significant cyber attacks.
“The Government will work with owners and operators of critical infrastructure to update legislation to ensure that critical infrastructure sectors deliver their essential services with security front of mind,” Mr Dutton said.
“Agencies will be equipped to help address sophisticated threats, particularly to the essential services all Australian’s rely on - everything from electricity and water, to healthcare and groceries.
The Strategy has been informed by extensive community consultation and expert advice from Government’s Industry Advisory Panel, chaired by Telstra CEO Andy Penn.
Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy is available at www.homeaffairs.gov.au/cybersecurity.
Q&A, Aspen Security Forum
5 August 2020
Margaret Brennan, Moderator: Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. And I will dive right in. You called COVID-19 an unmitigated calamity. Today we heard from the World Health Organisation that their investigators had begun conversations in Wuhan, China about the origins of COVID-19. Australia was the first country to come out and really press the World Health Organisation to open such a probe. Do you know when the world will find out its conclusions? Will there be Australian investigators included in any part of this team? And what do you plan to do with the information you receive?
Prime Minister: Well, I'm pleased that it's underway and we’re not naive to the challenges of these types of reviews and enquiries conducted by such organisations, it will be challenging. We do welcome, though, the appointment, particularly of the former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark. We also also welcome Ellen Sirleaf’s appointment to these roles of co-conveners of this panel. Helen Clark is well known to us here down under, with our cousins across the ditch in New Zealand. And she will understand, I think, very acutely of what the expectations are of this enquiry and how much is at stake for the WHO in getting to the answers that are necessary, answers that are simply necessary. Which was the sole motivation of our call for such enquiry that we understand what happened so we can ensure it doesn't happen again. I mean, we live in a part of the world where these types of viruses can spawn from in any number of different locations. These can happen in many countries around the world. And so it's important we just simply learn the lessons. It is a practical task and it should not be seen in any political lens whatsoever. And any suggestion it is, I think is very unhelpful. This is an honest and practical request by sovereign nations through an important multilateral fora, to find out what happened and how we can prevent it going again. So that's our aspiration. That's our ambition. Whether the task being pursued by those who are now running it can meet that aspiration and ambition is really a matter for them. Now, Australia will support that in every which way we can. We've made suggestions and in response to nominations and we'll follow that through. But whether we're formally part of the process or not is really not our concern. We just want to make sure it's a success. But I do welcome the appointments of the panel co-chairs. They're very respected individuals, and I'm sure they'll both do a great job. And we're very pleased that someone from Down Under was particularly involved at that senior level. Helen has a lot of experience at the multilateral international level as well with the work that she's done previously with the UN. And so I particularly took a lot of encouragement from that appointment.
Brennan: Will you be able to trust the results and the conclusions of this investigation if Australia experts aren’t a part of it?
Prime Minister: Well, we are part of the international system that has produced this. And so we have to. We have no choice but to. And that's why there's such a heavy burden I think that falls on those who are driving it. They understand I would, I am sure, the world's expectations of them and this process, now Australia is happy to play a role in that. We don't consider that our direct participation is a necessary prerequisite for that to be a credible process. I mean that would be an arrogant thing to view, to say from Australia's point of view that is not how we’re wired. But we welcome how it started. But whether it, whether it achieves its job well, that'll be determined by the job it does.
Brennan: I want to talk about how you have handled the pandemic within your own borders. Australia had some initial success with some strong actions off the, at the beginning, with establishing this emergency Cabinet for the states to make decisions, focusing on a unified message there, schools in parts of your country have reopened, we're debating whether to do that in this country. Why do you think your country had that initial success?
Prime Minister: Well, firstly, we moved very quickly, I mean we called it a pandemic weeks out, weeks before the WHO. We were acting in early January. We moved at the start of February on shutting down our borders, particularly for mainland China. As the virus came out of Wuhan, came out of China. We had a very large flow of people between China and Australia. And those border changes were critical in preventing the first wave in Australia and particularly our wonderful Chinese Australian community here. And we have over a million, out of a population of 25 million people, with Chinese heritage. And as they came back home after the Chinese New Year, the discipline they showed in self isolation in their communities was outstanding. And so we were able to contain it. And as you rightly say, we we pulled together a National Cabinet, as I called it, of all of our states, our provinces, states and territories, because under our constitution they’re the level of government that makes decisions about whether schools open or closed or whether businesses open or closed and all of this was very important that we got a nationally consistent approach to these things, which provided a sense of national calm. Calm has been critical. Now, seven of our states and territories now are pretty much Covid-free. There is some cases that have occasionally come, we have strong quarantine arrangements for Australians returning. But we have and are experiencing right now a very serious community outbreak in our southern state of Victoria, particularly in Melbourne, which should be known to all I'm sure, many would have contacts in Melbourne, today we actually go into a further stage of lockdown in Melbourne that will run for the next six weeks, which means schools of Melbourne will be shut and all of those facilities. The other part of our response has been the economic response. Our health response has been very strong. We don't have concerns about emergency centres being overrun or anything like that. We built up our ICU capacity, respirator capacity in the first wave very significantly. And so we're in a good place there. But what we also did was put massive economic supports in. Over $300 billion balance sheet and direct fiscal interventions to support the economy, income support payments, stimulus payments to welfare beneficiaries, cash flow supports for businesses and supports for childcare centres, and the list goes on and on. I won't be tedious about it, but they are commensurate and similar to what's been done in Japan, for example, in many other countries. That's necessary because I've said from the outset on the first G20 call and Prime Minister Trudeau was kind enough to sort of acknowledge this as well, that we can't just see this as a health crisis. Of course it is. It's the worst pandemic we've seen in 100 years. But it is also the worst economic recession, possibly a lot worse that the world has seen since the Great Depression. And these two things are happening at once. And these things are happening at the same time at a time of quite considerable strategic competition. So you have the overlay of a strategic instability factor, particularly in our part of the world, which indeed makes these regrettably interesting times.
Brennan: I know, we're well aware of those very same debates here. It's been, it’s strategically some different decisions made. And I am curious as to, you know, as a conservative, how you made those decisions to do things like expansion of unemployment benefits and childcare aid in particular. It's painful to have to spend like that. But you are saying in the midst of the crisis, you can't cut back on spending. Fundamentally, that's your conviction?
Prime Minister: Well, conservatives are practical. I am a conservative and I'm practical. You use the tools you have to deal with the problem that you've got. You do it cautiously. You do it carefully. But you are very understanding of the circumstances you face. These are not things we would normally do in the normal run of events, but these are not normal times. You know, people like Teddy Roosevelt many years ago, I think had a very similar approach to the world which he faced. And and he was I suppose you'd describe him as a progressive conservative. But that said, ideology just doesn't matter in times like this, and that's certainly our approach. Australians want their governments to help them through the worst circumstances they've seen in their lifetime. And what we've also done, particularly to your point, is we've time limited all of this. These are not things that go off into the never never. What we are doing is, for a time limited support, to get Australia pushing through because of the failures we're seeing in the private economy and the private economy is experiencing that not because of any weaknesses or failures on their part. And I think this is important to understand this point. The world has gone into a recession not because of some failure of the economic system. Capitalism hasn't failed. That's not what's happened here, there is a global pandemic that has necessitated the introduction of artificial restrictions on the private economy. And as a result, when government does that, well, it also has to turn up to make up the difference to ensure that people can stay in their jobs and keep their businesses. And a lot of our interventions has been about maintaining the viability of businesses because we know, what I want on the other side of this is businesses to be viable and to be able to move again, to employ people, to invest. And at the same time, Australia is pursuing a series of longer term economic reforms on the supply side, on skills training. We'll be doing more on industrial relations, infrastructure, energy, gas, all of these things very important to our future.
Brennan: I want to move on to China, but before I do, quickly, I would like to get your read on where we are with vaccine diplomacy. If we are lucky enough to get a vaccine on the timeline that's projected, you know if the US or UK, get there first, if China gets there first. Will Australia have access to that? Do you know who will be first in line?
Prime Minister: Well, no one knows who's going to get there first, but through initiatives like Gavi and COVAX and others, we're very involved in ensuring that Australia, we have the ability to produce most of these vaccines ourselves. Not all the various strains, because there are some elements to the vaccine research which are quite unique to a production capacity in only the United States or places like that. That said, in all the discussions I've had with other leaders, there is, I think, a very strong view that whoever finds it, must share it.
Brennan: Share it, make it patent free is that what that means? Or how would sharing it work?
Prime Minister: It should be out there as widely and freely available as possible to ensure that the world can deal with this. That's certainly our view. And we press that view. I think the idea of any country hoarding or seeking to restrict the vaccine in these circumstances would be, in our view, unimaginable. And it's important, I mean, all countries, we're investing over $300 million in these these initiatives. We're doing it through other multilateral agencies as well as here in Australia. And we're working cooperatively and with like-minded countries, I would see no impediment to what I'm suggesting. And we've had outstanding discussions whether it’s with France, or the United Kingdom or the United States or others. We would hope any country, that found this, owes it to the global community to be as open and transparent. I mean Australia was the first country to be able to reproduce the genetic code for COVID, and we shared it with the world. We didn't try to sell it. We didn't try to capitalise on it or leverage it. We shared it. So we've led by example there.
Brennan: And you've had this conversation with President Trump? Have you received reassurances that that is how the U.S. will approach it as well?
Prime Minister: We have [inaudible] this matter with all discussions we've had with all leaders. And I've said that publicly on many occasions now, I think the world would look very dimly on any country that found the vaccine, that did not take a global response out of compassion and out of the global interest.
Brennan: When is the last time you spoke with Xi Jinping?
Prime Minister: It was at the G20 last year.
Brennan: Last year? You noted in your remarks there, and I've noted just in preparing for this conversation, how much Australia has been investing in trying to refurbish its military to counterbalance China's influence in that region. What is driving that? Do you think that Australia needs to be able to assert itself more independently from the United States, which remains a key ally? Why do you feel you need to do this right now?
Prime Minister: Well, it's not just now. We've been, since we came to government back in 2013. We've been building up, again, our defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP. That was one of our core commitments when we came to government and it's taken us a while to get there and we're now there, this year. And as I say, that's now a floor, not a not a target. So we have been building that capability for some time that we have one of the largest capability investment plan well the largest since the Second World War. And we've been following through that, whether it's our submarine fleet, our Joint Strike Fighter capability or many other investments, our land based capability, with our carriers and so on. So this is a very big investment. The strategic update on our defence plan built the capacity to keep our potential adversaries further away for longer. And this was an acknowledgement, I think, of the broader threats that we have to deal with going forward. And even in a shorter timeframe possibly than we'd considered. These are all precautionary. These are all preventative steps. These are all steps that are taken with like minded partners. I mean, we've been elevating the level of our Quad relationship with Japan and India, the United States and Australia for some time now. We work closely with ASEAN, the other Indo-Pacific nations. All of this is about achieving this strategic, I think, counterbalance within the region. What we want is peace and stability in the region. What we want is trade with China and all countries in our region to continue to grow and develop and for that to be done in a stable, peaceful environment. That's what we want. And I would hope that all countries in our region would want that their own economic development doesn't lead to an opportunity to alter the strategic balance of the region.
Brennan: Well, Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, has an article this week talking about and predicting that he says for the first time, actual armed conflict between the US and China now appears possible for the first time since the end of the Korean War. We are confronting the prospect of what he called not a new Cold War, a hot one as well. Is this hyperbolic or do you view what's happening in your backyard, is what he's laying out?
Prime Minister: Well, our defence update expresses it differently and certainly not as dramatically as Kevin has, but in our own defence update, we've acknowledged that what was previously inconceivable and not considered even possible or likely in terms of those sorts of outcomes is is not considered in those contexts anymore. So there has been a change. There has obviously been a change, and I don't think that's terribly remarkable. And as a result, I think the alignment, the activities of countries that share similar outlooks and sometimes not even the same outlook. I mean, one of the, I mentioned in my remarks that the tremendous relationship we had, we have with Vietnam. Now, you couldn't have two systems more different to Australia's and Vietnam’s. But that said, we totally share views on things like the South China Sea, on trading relationships within our region and many other important issues. And I look forward to the time when I can go and join Prime Minister Phuc again. It was a very warm visit and a real high point in our relationship with Vietnam. So it's not just those with whom you'd say you have like minded political outlooks in terms of how we structure our societies. It's also where we share outlooks about the future of our region and in the Indo-Pacific one thing I know for sure, regardless of what someone's political system is, they all want to be, quite rightly, independent sovereign nations free of any coercion or interference. And with the opportunity to develop and enhance their economies and their societies for the benefit of their people. And the United States’s presence in the region has always been a very positive force to achieve that. I would like to see, as China has grown as an economy, which we welcome very much. And I suppose that's a bit of a different point of view from some of those views expressed in the United States. We welcome China's growth. It's been great for Australia. It's been great for our region. We just don't want to see that growth translate into any broader instability in the region because we believe that will undermine prosperity in the region. And undermine,
Brennan: And what do you mean, instability? What are you thinking of when you use that phrase?
Prime Minister: Well, it's very important, I think, to look at this in, at two levels. There's strategic competition between the United States and China. And the great difficulty I think the rest of the nations face in the region is that every action taken by one of us is only seen through the lens of that strategic competition between those two very large states. And the truth is, we're all we're all countries with our own agency. We're all countries with our own interests and our own participation. And and we're not shy, particularly when we get around the East Asia Summit table or the ASEAN Plus dialogues that take place, that it's an important opportunity, I think, for the United States and China to hear the views of the many other countries that live in this region and they, and China and the U.S. both have a very strong role to play, which I think the United States has done benevolently now for a very long time. And I know that the presence of the United States is very welcome because it provides that stability. We just simply want to see that these issues are managed in such a way and ambitions are managed in such a way so as not to undermine regional stability. And that's our national interests. It's the interests of so many countries in our region. And that's why I think we have such an excellent relationship with so many countries in our region.
Brennan: I take your point, particularly that Americans always think it's about us. But,
Prime Minister: No, no!
Brennan: If you will indulge me, we're self-aware on that point, but we are right now in a very heated political climate and race in the United States. And I'm not going to ask you to talk about U.S. politics, but I do want to frame it, because right now both candidates are trying to argue that they will be tougher on China than the other one. Joe Biden is saying that, he's called Xi Jinping a thug and Donald Trump is campaigning and certainly has upped his rhetoric along with his administration in terms of the threat posed by China. So putting the race aside, just look at the few months ahead of you and how concerned are you that in this environment that this is not going to be possible to dial back tension and that there is a collision course that you're in the middle of?
Prime Minister: Well, firstly, just there's a political overlay that you've identified to a lot of the commentary that's running at present. And I believe that other nations, particularly in our region, are quite capable of understanding that, and the context in which many comments are being made, there is an understanding of that dimension of the, if you like, the heat of some of these comments. That's not to say there aren't very real and genuine intent and meaning behind those statements. But you know language is dialled up and down. And I have no doubt that whether it's here in Australia or, you know, in Indonesia or China or Japan or anywhere else, we get there's politics and we get the context in which comments are being made.
Brennan: But directionally, it describes growing tension, strategically the approach may be different?
Prime Minister: The point I make about the United States and Australia is we have a different lens on the issue because our economic relationships with China, are different. I mean, as the President has pointed out on many occasions, I mean, the US has a deficit with China. We have a surplus. And that changes the nature of the relationship. Certainly on the economic side of it. Now, that doesn't mean that makes us hostage to that economic relationship at all. The reason we have such a good trading relationship with China, despite all the talk of what is perceived to be tensions, our level of trade with China has never been stronger. Why? Because we make and sell things that they need, and they make and sell things that we need. And it's a mutually beneficial economic relationship. And it does go broader into a strategic partnership. But there is a reason, a mutual benefit. It is a two way mutually beneficial relationship for Australia and China. And we want to see that preserved. But it can't be preserved in any imbalanced way. It is preserved by each partner, respecting each other's interests and outlooks. And I believe that can be achieved. The United States has a different lens on this problem because of the nature of their relationship with China. And what is, what the nature of the trading relationship is. And there are many issues raised around intellectual property and in the way joint ventures, we face that as well. The scale is just different because of the nature of what makes up our relationship, which is predominantly resources and commodities and in volume and both dollars and units. So, you know, to assume Australia and the United States has an identical outlook on China would be false because the circumstances are completely different. The geography is completely different. And while we are highly integrated, and aligned on our overall macro view, how we pursue that and express it and do it will be always uniquely Australian, as it should be. We're an independent, sovereign nation. And I think one of the errors that is made about analysing Australia's position, and one of the criticisms that is made of Australia is that somehow that it's tied inextricably to the precise rhetoric of what is done in the United States. Now, that is just simply not true. And to look at it in that way would be to misunderstand Australia and to miss out on the opportunity of working in Australia, with Australia in a more constructive way.
Brennan: What did you mean when you said recently in a speech, we need to prepare for a post-Cold War world that is poorer, that is more dangerous, and that is more disorderly. And you talked about the region facing an existential threat unseen since the 1930s and 1940s?
Prime Minister: I mean, exactly what I said. I mean, we have,
Brennan: What is that threat?
Prime Minister: Well, what we're seeing is three highly destabilising elements in the world today. And for Australia's point of view, they coalesce all here in the region in which we live. We have the biggest economic recession, if not depression, since the Great Depression. We have the largest health crisis the world has seen in 100 years. We have a strategic instability in the Indo-Pacific principally that goes back to the strategic competition between the United States and China that has been expressed through the region. There are obviously strong ambitions that follow economics, the economic rise of China, that is putting a lot of pressure on the system. Now, while the precise circumstances aren't the same in what we saw in the 1930s, the combination of forces are very similar. Now, I am more optimistic, way more optimistic that the outcome of the 1930s doesn't need to be the same today. And that's why in the remarks I've made today is about ensuring that doesn't occur by the like-minded alignment, by the actions of independent sovereign states working together to avoid those outcomes and to create the necessary balances that are needed to keep the system working, to tend the garden. As I've been saying, I mean multilateral fora, we support. Australia has been part of their inception. Australia has supported the continued funding of the WHO, why? Because I know the work it does in our region, in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and places like that, sure, we've got our criticisms about what happens further up the tree. But on the ground, it makes a big difference. And we want to support that. We accepted it’s, I'll rephrase that, we acknowledge its imperfections and we think they should be fixed and we'll call it out as we see it. But we remain constructively engaged. But multilateral fora, you know can't get ahead of themselves and think they can run around as institutions and bureaucracies telling the world how they should run their own countries. Sovereign states are still sovereign and there needs to be, I think, a greater appreciation of that. I think that's what's been behind some of the frustration with global institutions that they feel they have a mandate that extends beyond what is given to them by sovereign states. And certainly, as, you know from my perspective on these things that’s been a view I’ve consistently put for for many, many years.
Brennan: I have another few questions, but I just want to remind those listening and watching that they should get their questions ready for the Prime Minister shortly and get in that queue. You know, the rest of the world watches, particularly what Australia decides to do on the technology front with an eye towards China. Last month, you said your government was looking very closely at TikTok, the social media company, and you directed your intelligence agencies to look at it. Just this past week, we had Microsoft announce that it was looking to buy not just the US company, but the Australian entity as well. Is that an acceptable solution to the risk that you saw posed by TikTok?
Prime Minister: Well, we have had a look, a good look at this, and there is no evidence for us to suggest, having done that, that there is any misuse of any people's data that has occurred, at least from an Australian perspective, in relation to these applications. You know, there's plenty of things that are on TikTok which are embarrassing enough in public. So that’s sort of a social media device. That said, I think our response is that Australians have to be very aware and it's not just with TikTok and things like that. The same is true with, you know, Facebook and all these other social media platforms. Enormous amounts of information is being provided that goes back into systems. Now, it is true that with applications like TikTok, those data, that data, that information can be accessed at a sovereign state level. That is not the case in relation to the applications that are coming out of the United States. But I think people should understand and there's a sort of a buyer beware process. There's nothing at this point that would suggest to us that security interests have been compromised or Australian citizens have been compromised because of what's happening with those applications. But people should know that the line connects right back in to China and that they should exercise their own judgement about whether they should participate in those things or not. There is a greater level of transparency. I would argue about how applications like WhatsApp and things like that, you know, if you go on to those that, how the data is used and handled and managed, that's pretty upfront, relatively speaking, compared to TikTok and things like that. So, look, I think that letting the sunshine in on all of these things is the best way to handle them and for consumers to be aware of what they are using.
Brennan: So to be clear, your intelligence agencies concluded that there was no security threat?
Prime Minister: There's no reason for us to restrict those applications at this point. We'll obviously keep watching them. But there's no evidence to suggest to us today that that is a step that is necessary. But I would stress strongly to any Australians listening to this and those who are reporting on it, that people need to understand where the extension cord goes back to.
Brennan: Australia was the first of the Five Eye members to ban Huawei, and ZTE and the rest of the Western allies looked closely at that decision. How do you balance that, that decision to deal with all the economic realities that you laid out in terms of having to have good relations with China on that front, with your concerns about the potential risk and potential espionage?
Prime Minister: Well, 5G is different to 4G. I mean, the Internet of Things opens up a broad array of applications and uses for that technology well beyond what has gone previously. And so the integrity and security of Australia's sovereign systems, I think, has to be protected above all else. So this was a decision not directed necessarily at any one supplier. It just ensured that as Australia builds its 5G network, which is happening as we speak, it can be done, be done in a sovereign way. And that is what is occurring using the technology that we believe can best support those objectives. So that's what we've done. We've done it in own national interest as I said, we were, we haven't said that others should do this. Others have made the same decision. We made the decision for Australia's interests and we followed through on that. But let me stress this, because the point often comes up with foreign investment. Australia has the most liberal foreign investment rules of any country in the Indo-Pacific. I mean I mean, the United States is our biggest investment partner and countries like the United Kingdom also. I mean, China, while it has been a growing, the fastest growing element of foreign investment in Australia. It doesn't come close to the level of foreign investment there's been, in a direct sense, out of the United States and the United Kingdom. But you can invest in Australia in things that Australians can’t invest in, in many countries in our region, including China. Now, these aren’t direct, reciprocal arrangements we have in place. We set our foreign investment rules, our technology rules, our foreign interference rules, our trade rules. We set all of these in Australia’s interests. And that's what judges, that's what determines our judgement and nothing else. But we do have the most pro-trade, pro-investment set of policies I'd argue, of any country in the Indo-Pacific.
Brennan: Did you do a review of Chinese diplomats or do you think one needs to be done, given the decision in this country to shut down the Houston consulate that the Trump administration carried out just a few weeks ago? They specifically, in briefings, pointed out that the consul general in that station had previously been posted in Australia and talked about Houston as a hub for espionage. How should we understand that, and was there something you shared?
Prime Minister: Well, you wouldn't expect me to go into in any of these details. I'd understand why you'd ask. But obviously, Australia doesn't go into how we manage our security affairs in a public forum and never do. We obviously have the intelligence relationships that we have through the Five Eyes partnerships which are which were well known. But I can assure you that Australia is very, very conscientious about protecting Australia from foreign interference. And so that our citizens can live freely and without coercion. We are a big multicultural society, in Australia. I would argue that we are the most successful immigration country in the world. And clearly so, that means we bring people from all over the world, from many different languages and cultures. And it works here in Australia. We are a very successful multicultural society and we want to protect all of our citizens.
Brennan: But this is specifically people accredited as diplomats?
Prime Minister: And I understand that. But I'm not going to be drawn on on how we undertake our security operations in Australia and how we work with partners. I don't, as I say, I’m sure you would want to know. And that's a reasonable question to ask. But it's also appropriate for me to not give a detailed response.
Brennan: Okay. We do have questions from our viewers who will be unmuted in the queue as they are called on. And the first I see here is from Siddhartha Sarma, can you make sure you’re unmuted? If Siddartha is there and unmuted.
QUESTION: Good morning Prime Minister, Siddhartha here, [inaudible] The COVID pandemic in many countries, I have two questions, it’s regarding the other two points you have mentioned about the threat of disinformation to free societies. So in recent time, we have observed that strategic corruption has been used by sovereign states and not weaponized and was being poured into emerging countries, and as a member of the Five Eyes alliance, and as a strategic force in the Indo-Pacific, how will Australia act in preventing strategic corruption, and resolving free societies developing low and middle income countries? And how does Australia plan to engage with India going forward? Apart from its Cricket [inaudible] and the Commonwealth, [inaudible] confronting just back to China?
Prime Minister: Well, thanks for those questions. There's a lot in all of that. Let me start by saying that our relationship with India has gone to a whole new level, and that has principally been, I must put down to the great friendship we have with Narendra Modi, who has been an extraordinary participant on the global stage and a great partner in the sort of things that I've been talking about today. The alignment, the appreciation and the understanding of the world in which we live and what like-minded countries need to do to ensure stability and peace and prosperity in the future. That's why we've upped the relationship with India at a strategic level, and we want to see the economic dimension of that relationship grow. The defence relationship, the intelligence relationship, all of this is on an upward curve and it's done in a shared appreciation of the very strategic issues that I've outlined today. And the Quad, in particular, is an important part of that relationship and that is elevating. But it is doing it at its own pace and respectful of the pace of all partners, how they want to pursue it, particularly India. And so that's all been a very positive thing. So that is the principal means by which we would be working together to create this balance in the region and I see India is absolutely central to that process. India's own development growth is something we are invested in, supportive of and we want to see flourish. But there are many challenges in the Indian economy. Narendra knows that better than anyone. And his pro-growth policies, his pro-investment policies have been very aggressive and right and going back to his time as a governor in Gujarat, I mean, they are the sorts of things that we welcome and would like to see continue. So all I can really say is India is a huge part, a massive part of this strategic balance that's necessary to ensure not only India's success and growth in the future, but all of our success. And I'd say China's as well. Getting the right balance is good for China. I think this is an important point, Margaret. A strategic balance in the region is good for China. It's good for people living in China. It's good for their jobs. It's good for their investment. It's good for their education. It's good for their outlook. We want that. And we believe that is achieved through a balance in the region which enables everybody to share and grow.
BRENNAN: The next question we have in the queue is from Edward Luce. Edward, please unmute yourself.
Question: Thank you, Margaret, and thank you, Prime Minister, first for sharing your thoughts today. I’m with the Financial Times. I wanted to ask you just to deepen a little bit your comments you just made about China and China's interest to have balance in the region. Do you share that pretty much consensus view in Washington nowadays that we are in a new Cold War with China? And if so, how would you like the next American administration, whether it's a Trump administration or a Biden administration, to handle this Cold War?
Prime Minister: I don't know if I'd use that term and the mention was made of Kevin Rudd earlier. And he's made some comments on this and made some, I thought, some very good observations about the differences between what we knew of the previous Cold War and today. I think it was Kevin who did that. So I wouldn't use the same terminology. I think the circumstances are quite different. But to go to your point about the United States, and again, this is no commentary on the political situation in the United States one way or another, that would be highly inappropriate. But I would say this - our relationship in alliance with the United States is independent, frankly, of whoever sits in my chair or ever sits in the President's chair. We made this point when we were together last year. It's up to all leaders on both sides of the relationship to make sure it remains as strong as possible and that has always been the case. I think it's, you know, we've been celebrating a century of mateship between the United States and Australia, most recently. And the United States’ focus on our region and its understanding of the priority of that focus is very important to us and I think it's important to all countries in the Indo-Pacific. And so that is, I think, the key issue. The defence position that the United States is able to fulfil within the world and its deployment and its interests in the Indo-Pacific is obviously a very important issue that contributes to the stability that is here in our region. So, you know, without commentating on the specific views of the Republicans or the Democrats going into this election, that commitment to that relationship, that commitment to the capability that is necessary from the United States into the future to support global stability is highly important. And obviously, we'd be keen to see that mark would be met.
Brennan: And we have time for an additional question from Nick Burns, who will be hopping on shortly as well to wrap us up. But I want to piggyback on that and ask you, Mr Prime Minister, as I hand it off to Nick, why you haven't spoken to Xi Jinping since last year?
Prime Minister: Well, there hasn't been an opportunity to do so. But the welcome and the invitation for such a discussion is always there from our perspective. I spoke to Premier Li Keqiang, we had our last leaders dialogue under the comprehensive strategic partnership. That was late last year in Bangkok alongside the East Asia Summit and we welcome that and I've been having those discussions with him annually. So there's been a continuation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Leadership Dialogues over this period and so that's important. But look, I don't get hung up on these things, to be honest, Margaret. The phone, the phone is there, it works. And obviously, I mean, we've been engaging with countries quite consistently. We have engagements through our embassies, those sorts of things are of less concern to me. What matters is that the trading relationship, the economic relationship is able to be pursued. That is occurring. It has its frustrations from time to time. But I'm simply just trying to say that global stability, particularly regional stability in the Indo-Pacific, is in everyone's interest. That's Australia's objective. How we express that will differ from time to time with the way the United States does. But I believe that's the absolute objective of the United States as well. The strategic competition issues between the United States and China are different to our relationship with China and that would explain many and most of the differences that you might see. But we welcome greatly involvement of the United States in the region for that.
Question: Prime Minister, thank you very much for the interview. Margaret, thank you for being such a great moderator. Prime Minister, there is a lot of faith here in Australia, I think, in both of our political parties as we face a real threat from China. I think that's how most people here perceive it. And we're bullish on the alliance with you and your government, as well as with the Quad, with the Indians and Japanese. I just wondered if you had any final thoughts on how we should be handling this big push for power. If we look at the Indian border, the Uyghurs, Hong Kong, South China Sea, by the Chinese military.
Brennan: I think that line may be muted at the moment, Mr Prime Minister. Can you unmute your line?
Prime Minister: Yes. Thank you, Nick. What I was saying is that that is the question about all of these things and I was saying that I'm an optimist. Australians are indefatigable optimists about these things, that it's our world view. It’s how we are always able to push through, whether it's COVID, floods, fires, depressions. That's just how we roll. And I think we have to take an optimistic attitude, but not an unrealistic or naive attitude. We are not naive about these tensions, these pressures, these issues. But we've got to set out, I think, and wed ourselves to be objective here. And that is not the suppression or the containment of any one state. It's about the productive and strategic balance that can be achieved. And that's why we're in the Quad. That's why we're engaged in ASEAN. That's why I went to Vietnam. That's why we're doing all of these things. There is an objective here which we genuinely believe benefits all interests here. But it does mean - and I made this comment at Lowy last year, and I suppose you read Lowy - that there is a recognition that the balance has shifted based on just the practical issue of China's economic growth. Which, by the way, we all championed and we all encouraged and I don't regret, not for a second. I think it's great. But I think there were different perspectives on what that would lead to, both from the rest of the world and from China themselves. And so I think it's time to sort of take stock of that and say, well, how can that all be accommodated appropriately and ensure that we have a strategic balance that does not impinge on the independence and sovereignty of nations in this part of the world. And that's why things like the South China Sea, trading relationships, our foreign interference, what's happening terribly in Hong Kong. All of this is very important because it goes to how this new strategic balance will play out. And our very strong view is it's in everybody's interests, it's in everybody's interests, that that strategic balance is achieved. Not to have one, one group up against another or vice versa, but to ensure that citizens of all our countries can have a more peaceful future.
Nick Burns: Prime Minister, thank you for being with us. All the best to you and your government and the Australian people at this difficult time. Thanks so much.
Prime Minister: Thank you. And all the best to our friends in the US.
Burns: Thank you so much.
Brennan: Thank you.
Burns: Margaret, thank you so much.
Prime Minister: Thank you, Margaret.
Burns: And ladies and gentlemen, this is going to conclude our programme for today.
Interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB
5 August 2020
Ray Hadley: Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He's been very, very busy, but he's got some time to talk to us right now. Prime Minister, good morning to you.
Prime Minister: G’day, Ray, sorry I couldn't get on earlier. It has been a very busy morning, as I'm sure everyone understands.
Hadley: No, there's no apology required here. I mean, you're running the country and I think you've been dealing with international matters as well as domestic matters. And we have many, many Australians of Lebanese origin who are most concerned as this death toll keeps rising after that explosion. For all the world, it looks like some sort of dreadful accident. Have you got any other information on it?
Prime Minister: No, I don't. Not at this point. And the latest information I have is that the casualty figures are at least 63 fatalities and 3,000 injuries. I've seen, as I'm sure most people have, the vision of this blast. It was quite, quite extraordinary. And the number, I mean, there's 20,000 we understand people who are Australian residents, dual citizens and so on who would normally be in Lebanon. Now, that may be less because of COVID and people coming home and things like that or they may not be. We don't know. But obviously, I can understand the high level of concern in the Lebanese community in Australia. The number to call is 02 6261 3305 for people seeking urgent consular assistance for Australians. I'd also note, as I did on the morning programmes today, that our Embassy was affected as well in the blast. And so, obviously, we've got our own challenges in securing our communications there and they're there, but all our people are fine. But you’re obviously dealing in what is a very difficult set of circumstances and it's just, it's heartbreaking. I mean, there has been a lot of heartbreaking news lately, Ray, 2020 has been quite a shocker.
HADLEY: Yeah it has been a shocker. Now, while you've been locked in, Annastacia Palaszczuk has decided - and no one's going to blame her for this - that as of one o'clock Saturday morning, New South Wales and the ACT will be locked out of Queensland in all regards. And she's done that. We're about to hear, I think, from Daniel Andrews that we now have 725 more cases in Victoria. And just on that, I notice that and I spoke to Dennis Shanahan about this this morning, you wouldn't have heard it, but you're copping plenty as a Federal Government from the Opposition. Now, I know it's about, you know, targeting people and trying to take advantage. You've been very measured. I've given you an opportunity on this programme to take a pot shot at Daniel Andrews on a number of occasions and you haven't taken that option. You've been very dignified and, you know, you basically the mantra is we're all in it together. Why would Anthony Albanese and the former leader, Bill Shorten, decide all of a sudden this is all your fault, as a Government, I mean?
PRIME MINISTER: Politics. It’s that simple. And that's why I just ignore it. I mean, honestly, engaging in self-serving political partisan point scoring is, I think, the public will make their own ruling on that. This situation in Victoria is extremely serious and the best way I can help is to help them get it right. Now, the media will do its job and that's what their job is and they'll ask questions and they'll make commentary and they'll do all that. Every politician understands that. But if politicians don't have something constructive to say or helpful to add to the conversation, then I think the public would prefer that they just allow those who have responsibilities to get on with the job and that's what we're seeking to do in as constructive a way as we can.
HADLEY: I think people have to understand that just because you're Prime Minister of the country, you can't unilaterally walk into Victoria and say to Daniel Andrews and the Health Minister, ‘Look, we're here not to help. We’ve got to take things over.’ You've got to be invited and when you're invited and asked, you provide the support. But you can't simply walk into the place and say we're now in charge.
PRIME MINISTER: No, we can't do that in any state or territory. Couldn’t do it in New South Wales, couldn’t do it in Queensland. And that's how that's how Australia runs. But I can assure you, we're pressing firmly on the supports that are needed and any issues that need to be addressed. These lockdowns in Victoria have a lot of consequences. In many cases, they're unintended consequences and we need to sort those out. In the last 48 hours, we've put a pandemic leave a disaster payment in place. Already today, I think, we've had over 350 of those calls being processed just in the few hours since we opened it up this morning. That payment, if other states and territories want to enter into it, then they can do that with the Commonwealth. But there's obviously a fiscal, there's a cost to them as well in doing that, which Victoria are meeting. So we can do that. Also, childcare this morning in Victoria, we ensured that there was a guarantee for parents and people working in childcare facilities and the facilities themselves. So we've had to move quickly to respond to their announcements and we have been doing that and we're working closely with industry to try and a) ensure that we can keep things flowing as best as possible in Victoria. But also, we have got to understand that in Victoria, there are major distribution centres that impact on the supply chains for the rest of the country. And so I have an interest there to ensure that those supply chains aren't cut to New South Wales and South Australia and everywhere else. So it's all hands on deck here, mate.
HADLEY: Now, in relation to what Annastacia Palaszczuk announced almost three hours ago, I mean, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I think you'd rather see the borders open rather than closed. But given what we have in Victoria and what Gladys Berejiklian has been forced to do in New South Wales, do you have an understanding of what Ms Palaszczuk is trying to do, protect her state from infection south of the border, so to speak?
PRIME MINISTER: She’ll make her decisions and I’ll leave her to explain them and the medical advice upon which it’s based. These decisions should be driven by that advice and nothing else and there should be transparency around that. I mean, the arrangements between New South Wales and Victoria came as a result of very open discussion between Gladys Berejiklian, Dan Andrews and myself, and then that then flowed onto, well, how are we going to manage those things on the borders, which has actually been quite difficult in a lot of those border towns. It is not without some frustrations. So, I mean, what happened, there was this incident of a returning diplomat. Well, I don’t think he was a diplomat, he was a contractor.
HADLEY: No, security guard there.
PRIME MINISTER: So the arrangement was that those diplomats who were returning into Australia, where they could go directly into a private vehicle and they're going to Canberra, and transfer immediately and commit to self isolation in their residence. But what happened with this is Queensland gave an exemption for people to go and get on a plane out of the Sunshine Coast and go to Toowoomba. Well, that's got nothing to do with the arrangements the Federal Government has. So, look, that's just what happened. I'll leave it to Queensland to, you know, put what they think is necessary in place. But I think we've all just got to be transparent about what the medical advice is, because obviously, when you put restrictions in place, they have a very real economic impact. I’m sure the Premier understands that but there's an accountability for the decisions we take and the transparency of how we make them.
HADLEY: But strangely enough, even allowing for the mistakes that have been made by everyone, I mean, there are mistakes.
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
HADLEY: I mean, this was all foisted upon her by six of her own residents, three young women who went to Melbourne, came back, lied, and then three young blokes who went to Melbourne for a seven week holiday - I don't know how anyone in the current circumstances could afford a seven week holiday - and did the same thing. So six Queenslanders have basically put Queensland into lockdown, that's what's happened?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this was the same early on in the pandemic. I mean, the reason we had so many cases in the first wave was because people came home. It is that simple. And the quarantine arrangements were our first line of defence for returning Australians and we obviously shut the borders off to others who were coming to Australia and that was critical in surviving and doing so well out of the first wave. Now, we know what's happened in Victoria. That's a matter of public record about the quarantine issues there and what that's meant as it sort of moves through Victoria. So I suppose the point I'd make about borders is that they're not a substitute for having a strong public health response. And, you know, you can't just put the border up and think, oh, well, we'll be fine back here. We don't have to social distance. We don't have to be careful about how we engage in workplaces. And, you know, we can all shake hands and hug up here. No, you can't. You've still got to do all those things. Your tracing capability, which I've got to say in Queensland, proved to be very, very effective. That's what really, I think, protected them and particularly some aged care facilities in Queensland and that was very well done. I'm happy to commend the Queensland government on that. So I think you've got to realise there's all these protections and one is not a substitute for the other.
HADLEY: Do you get frustrated, like everyday Australians who contact my program, about the numbskull behaviour you see, I mean, you know, and I'm not blaming younger Australians because there are other older Australians. But there's people who don't seem to get it. And I mean, we still got people in the mainstream media telling us it’s just the flu, it’s not a problem, despite all the deaths in Victoria, despite 725 again today. And you know, the fact that because they didn't behave as they probably should have in Victoria, we’ve got a whole range of problems. Do you get frustrated generally about people's behaviour and the opinions of people that should know better?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, it’s a fair question. I think everyone feels frustrated. But no one elected me to be frustrated. They elected me to get on with it and deal with it. But I can understand people's frustration, Ray, and I've been trying to sort of make this point to Victorians. And there'll be things that will still lack clarity. There'll be confusion. There'll be… it will feel unfair and in many cases, it is unfair. But we've got to try and push through it and get through it and I think that's the attitude we have to adopt. I mean, the one thing, though. I mean, where I've seen this tried to be turned into some sort of ideological thing, I just don't get that. And what happened to that poor police officer in Victoria. I mean, I just said on television this morning, people have got to get real about this. I mean, the absurdity of someone protesting their liberty by offending someone else's by thumping them in the head. I mean, seriously. Get real.
HADLEY: Exactly. Anyway, look, you've got a big day in front of you. It's only just started, really. We're only halfway through it. So I appreciate you coming on the program and I appreciate you've had a very busy morning and we'll talk again soon. And all I can say is, thank God you're doing what you're doing because without you and your colleagues, both federally and state, we're all buggered because we need leadership and that's coming in large lumps at the moment. So thanks for all you’re doing.
PRIME MINISTER: New South Wales is still looking pretty good, I’ve got to say, they've done a great job there and just that number again if I could Ray, 02 6261 3305 for all of those Australians who are concerned about their family in Lebanon. Our hearts really go out to you, you and I know that community very well and we know how ripped they’ll be on this. And I'm just thinking, I've spoken to some of my friends in that community this morning, it's bad, mate, it's really bad.
HADLEY: Take it easy. Thanks very much.
PRIME MINISTER: Cheers.
HADLEY: All the best. Thanks. Scott Morrison, Prime Minister.
Support for Victorian Families, Childcare Workers and Services
5 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Education
The Morrison Government has stepped up to provide childcare relief for thousands of Victorian families while ensuring services can remain viable and staff are retained during the Stage four lockdown.
From today, the Victorian Government’s restrictions mean children, except for vulnerable children and those of permitted workers, in metropolitan Melbourne will no longer be able to attend childcare for six weeks.
To ease the burden, the Morrison Government will invest $33 million so childcare services remain open for vulnerable families and permitted workers, while helping Victorian parents keep their child’s enrolment while they must keep their child at home.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government had listened and responded with support to help Victorians get through their second, more difficult, lockdown.
“We are providing a triple guarantee for childcare in Victoria, supporting thousands of Victorian parents and hundreds of jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“That guarantee means that parents will not lose their child’s place as long as they stay enrolled at the centre while their child is at home. Parents will not be required to pay a gap fee when their children are not attending and we will continue to pay their subsidies to childcare facilities.
“We will also make direct payments to childcare centres so they stay operational and staff are kept with an employment guarantee, while remaining open for workers and vulnerable families.
“Many people will be worried and stressed in Melbourne right now and our support hopefully eases the burden for parents already juggling working from home, looking after other children or concerns about their job.
“Our Government stepped up to support all Australian families and childcare workers at the start of this pandemic and we’re stepping up again to support Victorians during this very challenging time.”
Melbourne families in Stage Four lockdown will receive an additional 30 days, or six weeks, of allowable absences from childcare.
In conjunction with the gap fee waiver, families should not be charged fees for keeping their children at home so will not have to withdraw from the system.
By increasing the number of allowable absence days, the Government can continue to pay its contribution to services through the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which can be up to 85 per cent of the total cost of care.
This will guarantee revenue to childcare services through the Government’s CCS contribution, even if children are not attending care.
To further assist services to keep workers employed, the Government will provide $16.3 million to fund a higher Transition Payment of 30 per cent of pre-COVID revenue for Melbourne childcare services.
The Government will provide a further $16 million to fund an additional top-up payment for eligible services that receive low CCS payments and are experiencing very low attendance.
For regional Victoria, that is now under Stage Three lockdown, the Government will provide an additional 30 absence days and extend the gap fee waiver and the Outside Hours School Care (OSHC) payment.
The gap fee waiver for non-metropolitan Victorians will ensure that if a child is absent from care for COVID-related reasons, the childcare service can waive their gap fee. Which means fee relief for families and certainty they do not have to withdraw from care and lose their place.
OSHC services, in regional Victoria, will be paid 15 per cent of their revenue from 6 August, in addition to the 25 per cent Transition Payment and the Child Care Subsidy.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the Morrison Government had worked closely with the sector and the Victorian Government to understand the impact of the extended lockdown measures on families, workers and services.
“We all owe a debt of gratitude to our early learning and childcare workers who have done such important work this year as our country has dealt with the coronavirus - every parent values your commitment to their children and their early education,” Mr Tehan.
“Across Australia we saw 99 per cent of services remain open and viable during COVID-19 as a result of the temporary, emergency measures our Government put in place.
“We are now focusing on supporting Victorian families, workers and childcare services to help them get through their Stage Four lockdown. Our temporary package will ensure families receive continuity of care and services remain viable.”
Our Government has already announced measures to support Victorian families and child care providers, including:
Child care providers who signed up are receiving an additional Transition Payment of 25 per cent of their fee revenue during the relief package reference period (17 February to 1 March) from 13 July until 27 September, which is estimated to deliver $708 million to providers.
Families experiencing financial hardship, for example through a loss of income, may be eligible for additional support through the Additional Child Care Subsidy (temporary financial hardship).
Up to 31 December, child care services that are open in areas subject to stage 3 or higher ‘stay at home’ restrictions can waive families’ out of pocket fees for families where a child is not attending due to COVID-19.
Up to 31 December, child care services are able to waive families’ out of pocket fees if the service is forced to close on public health advice due to COVID-19.
We are providing about $6 million to support Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services to continue providing care for the children of essential workers and vulnerable children.
The activity test to access the Child Care Subsidy has been eased until 4 October to support eligible families whose employment has been impacted as a result of COVID-19. Families will receive up to 100 hours per fortnight of subsidised care during this period. This will assist families to return to the level of work, study or training they were undertaking before COVID-19.
Under transition arrangements already in place, service fees remain frozen at pre-COVID levels.
The support package announced today is in addition to the $511 million already provided to Victoria through the Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package.
Interview with Today
5 August 2020
KARL STEFANOVIC: Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins us now from Canberra, PM good morning to you. First up to that explosion in Lebanon. Terrible situation. We know there are many Australians who live there and many more here who have relatives there.
PRIME MINISTER: That's true. There’s about 20,000 Australians at any one time who are in Lebanon. Karl, and it's my deep regret to inform you that one Australian has been killed in this horrific blast. We obviously can't confirm details of that at this stage because there's contacts with families and others. But our hearts go out to all of those in Lebanon and in Beirut in particular at the moment. You can see from the image of the blast, it is just absolutely devastating. But beyond that, as we know, there are hundreds of thousands of Australians who have Lebanese descent and they'll be concerned about family members. We provided the number to you that I hope is on the screen now that people can call if they are worried about family members. And I can say, though, please be patient. Our Embassy in Beirut has been impacted significantly and, but I can report all our staff there are okay. Some cuts and some scratches and these sorts of things. But they'll be seeking, I know that people were sleeping, will be sleeping there to ensure that the facility is not compromised. So they're doing a great job there and they'll be doing all they can. But our hearts really go out to our Lebanese Australian community. I know there’ll be many prayers in the Maronite churches and the mosques in Australia. But again, given the COVID restrictions, I would just urge the appropriate response, those private prayers this morning, I think will be the ones that people will be offering and so will I.
STEFANOVIC: Well said, PM, that's the number there for loved ones to reach out to the Department of Foreign Affairs. That is below me on your screen, 02 6261 3305. That's the number there. But one Australian, as confirmed by the Prime Minister has been confirmed, has died in that explosion. Terrible news. Okay, let's move back to Australia now, if we can. Victoria is a state in crisis. The death toll, rising. Loved ones are burying family. Others are just separated at the moment. The economy is being battered. Some of us are broke and others are right on the edge. PM, where do you even start?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you start by providing all the support you possibly can, today those pandemic leave disaster payments will be available, 180 22 66, we've been able since I made the announcement on Monday to come to the agreement with the Victorian government that that applies to all those who are impacted and have to go into isolation. So whether you’re a short term visa holder, those costs are borne by the Victorian government and for Australian residents and citizens they are borne by the Commonwealth, where other states want to move into those disaster payment arrangements then that offer is made to them, that will be formally made to them. But those payments are in place, also in child care we've been working since that announcement, as I said, to get arrangements in place for child care. We're giving a triple guarantee. That is to parents they keep all their places, we will keep paying for the childcare facility, the subsidies related to their child's attendance at childcare facilities so they can keep them home but not lose their place. They won't be up for any gap payments or anything like that. That means the facilities with an additional sustainment payment from the Commonwealth will mean those facilities will remain viable. And that means the staff who will have an employment guarantee from those facilities will mean that they continue to be supported. So a triple guarantee on childcare in Melbourne. And that was those arrangements we were able to settle late last night. But there are many others that still need to be put in place. And the Victorian government I know is working on those and ensuring supplies, distribution centres, industry has been raising many issues, both directly with the Victorian government and with us. And we've been putting those issues directly to the Victorian government to address them in putting these restrictions. And we want to help them to try and get them right.
STEFANOVIC: Look, the RBA seems to indicate unemployment will reach at least 10 per cent, 70,000 jobs lost in Victoria’s stage four lockdown alone, that seems staggering to me. And the RBA wants even more stimulus. Will you provide it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we haven't been shy doing any of that, as you know, Karl. We've well over $300 billion dollars now in balance sheet and direct fiscal support. The payments I’ve already announced this week, the additional support for childcare. So I don't think anyone can suggest that the Commonwealth Government has been in any way anything other than providing every support that's needed and necessary. We're careful, of course, how we do it in its design and because we just want to make sure we get it right and we can get it to people who need it. And I think the pandemic disaster payment that you can get from eight o'clock this morning over the phone, I think is a good example of that. But the real unemployment rate we know is a lot higher than what the what they call the measured rate. I mean, we already know I mean, in the last figures we had was over 11 per cent that had already fallen from 13.9. But I obviously fear that what we're seeing in Victoria and in Melbourne, in particular, will set us back there. There's no doubt about that and that's, they’re numbers. But it's hard news for the people who lose their job and lose their businesses. That's the bit that really grips me.
STEFANOVIC: Oh, it's just terrible. And the reality is that many Victorian businesses are going into a coma and some just won't make it out. I mean, Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott, as you would know, says the Victorian government has left businesses concerned, confused and frustrated. He said scaling down construction was deeply problematic. This is startling and a brutal assessment. No one wants to play the blame game here, PM, as you would know. But those criticisms raise some serious questions. And it seems like this morning you're asking some of those same questions of the Victorian government?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've been putting these issues directly to Victoria, and I think it's best that I just put it that way. I know also industry. I know that the Treasurer, our Treasurer last night, Josh Frydenberg, was having hook-ups with a lot of industry players. Those issues are being relayed directly on to the Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas.
STEFANOVIC: Are they listening?
PRIME MINISTER: We're working closely with the Victorian government. But these are very real issues and we'll look to see their responses, Karl. I mean, these issues are being raised directly. Some of them are very urgent, particularly around distribution centres. The issues around major construction projects, there's some serious issues raised there and we'll be relaying those further on today. I know the Premier was working on these last night. I know that for a fact. And so it's important that they get these restrictions right. They’ve brought them in and we need to make sure they're as practical as possible and that's why we've moved so quickly on the childcare. I mean, that's something we can do something directly about and straight after those announcements, I spoke to Dan Tehan, the Education Minister, and I said, get on it, mate. We need to move on this very quickly and I'm pleased that he was able to do that and I got the email at about eleven o'clock last night.
STEFANOVIC: Sounds to me like you're all over the Victorian government like white on rice this morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, we got to work together. We've got to make this work. I think the report that I saw of a Victorian police officer being assaulted by someone pretending to do this in the name of liberty was just disgusting. I mean, people have got to get real, too. I know this is tough. I know it's frustrating. I know it's hard to understand and it's confusing. I understand all that. But we've got to make this work and we've got to push through that and I know there's going to be things that really test people's patience. I get that. And we're going to try and put everything we can to support Victoria to get this right as best as they can. But we’ve also got to do the right thing by each other, and that's up to us.
STEFANOVIC: One final question, finally. The threats from China, you allude to establishing an alliance of like-minded nations in a speech you'll give today and in the Indo-Pacific region to combat increased militarisation and cyber attacks in the region. Is China part of a like-minded alliance?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I say in this speech that as China's economic growth has increased, they have a special responsibility like any large power. I mean, the United States have always had those responsibilities and they have responsibilities to ensure peace and stability within the region. And you do that by, I mean, we welcome China's growth, but that growth should not be leading to instability in the region. It should be promoting stability in the region. And that's what is the view that I get from like-minded countries all around the region who I speak to all the time to ensure that we achieve that.
STEFANOVIC: Sounds like you've got a sniffle today, PM. Are you okay?
PRIME MINISTER: No, it's just cold out here mate. The courtyard is very cold this morning. I can tell you, other than that, I am fighting fit.
STEFANOVIC: Good on you. We need you fit, too. Thanks, PM. Really appreciate it.
Interview with Sunrise
5 August 2020
DAVID KOCH: Prime Minister, good morning to you.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.
KOCH: Those restrictions start at midnight in Victoria. Thousands of businesses are closing, 250,00 people out of work and the Reserve Bank yesterday said that unemployment will now peak at 10 per cent. How is Victoria's economy going to survive and come back from this?
PRIME MINISTER: It is a terrible blow to the Victorian economy, to the national economy as well. But it is a terrible blow to Victorians themselves, and particularly to Melburnians that are facing the restrictions of this lockdown. It’s going to be a tough six weeks ahead. We are doing all we can to support Victorians and Melburnians, specifically, through this very difficult time. Today, this morning, as of very late last night, we will be able to provide a triple guarantee to childcare in Melbourne. That guarantee means that parents will not lose any of their places in childcare and we’ll continue to pay the subsidies to those childcare facilities for those places. Secondly, there will be further sustainment payments made to childcare centres so they can stay operational and that means for their employees that they will have the employment guarantee. So a triple guarantee for parents, for the services themselves as well as for the employees. This is necessitated by this big lockdown in Melbourne and so I want to thank Minister Tehan who will have more to say about this today when he makes that announcement. But we have been working on that since, obviously, we got the news of the changes on Monday afternoon.
KOCH: That is great news. A lot of support going into Victoria. The pandemic leave payment, disaster payment that you introduced for Victoria, a lot of people are saying yes, they absolutely need it because we want people to stay home when they’re self isolating and not have the financial pressure. Why not do it for the rest of the country as well to stop it escalating? To stop other states getting to Victoria's level?
PRIME MINISTER: First of all, those payments, as you said, they will start from 8:00am today. 180 22 66. We’ve also been able to agree with the Victorian government, because it is a shared initiative, that anybody who does not have or has run out of their sick leave and is being ordered to isolate can access the payment in Victoria today. 180 22 66. Now, it is a shared cost arrangement with the Victorian government, they pay for the short term Visa holders in Australia and the Commonwealth pays for the Australian residents and citizens. Now, if other states or territories want to enter into a similar arrangement, then I will be making an offer to those states and territories if they wish to do that. Of course, they are not facing the same level of challenge and the health advice we had out of Victoria was to do this. So we are pleased to do it. That option is there for other states and territories where they believe they need to move to that stage.
KOCH: well, that is good news because this is such an insidious, insidious virus going around at the moment. People have got to be so vigilant. These figures beggar belief yesterday. 3,000 home visits of people supposedly self isolating and 800 were not at home. That is staggering, isn’t it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well it’s disappointing. The work that is being done by the Australian Defence Force, which has been another big part of our effort in Victoria with the tracing and tracking down of those in isolation, it’s ADF offices out there with Victorian police and other knocking on doors and around 25 percent, is the advice I have had consistently, is where they’re finding people not at home. That’s just not on. Now today, obviously, with the lockdowns as they come into effect, we hope to see much greater compliance and, frankly, I welcome and urge the Premier and I'm pleased that he was going down this path that there would be further fines. So there is the financial support for you to stay home in isolation. But if you refuse to do that, well obviously, you will get hit by a fine and I think that is pretty fair under circumstances.
KOCH: And these groups that call themselves sovereign citizens and just defying any of the regulations and we saw a disgraceful attack on a female police officer just yesterday. What do you say to these idiots who say we're sovereign citizens? You can't tell us what to do.
PRIME MINISTER: Get real, is my message. Get real. I know this is a very difficult time for everybody. I know people are angry. They're frustrated. There's been a lot of confusion and still to be worked out on some of these restrictions and particularly in relation to suppliers and we’re working with the Victorian government. I know the supermarket sector as well on the distribution issues, many issues have been raised with the Victorian government there and I hope they're addressed. But for everyone else, I know it's tough, but we've got to get through this and we've got to make this work. And what we don't need is those sorts of disgraceful incidents we saw with that attack, that assault, on a police officer just doing their job. Let's just remember people are doing their job, seeking to have these arrangements followed and complied with. It's not an unreasonable thing to wear a mask. It's not an unreasonable thing to do those basic things around distancing. I know the tougher stuff is that you can't go to work, the tougher stuff is to close your business. The tougher stuff is for your kids not to be able to go to school. That's tough and that's going to be really difficult. And that's why we're providing the scale of support that we are.
KOCH: Yeah, well said. Now, aged care centres are the focus again. Vast majority of deaths centred around aged care facilities. One of the worst hit, St. Basil’s. It's been revealed the Federal Government did not know about that outbreak for five days. Is that right?
PRIME MINISTER: There have been delays in us being made aware through the testing programme in a number of facilities, and that has obviously contributed to the problems that we've had. There's also been the issues of the immediate stand-down of staff, which has also significantly exacerbated the ability of these facilities to provide that continuity of care. Over the course of just over the last week after I returned from Queensland, the Aged Care Response Centre in Victoria has done an extraordinary job. We've got a watch list of facilities that we're reviewing every single day and every single evening. We've been able to take people out of facilities and put them in hospitals. We've been able to get access to staff. Now, continuing to get access to staff in aged care is a real challenge. But I do want to express my sincere condolences to the families and apologies, frankly, to those families in those centres that were most severely and acutely affected. And it was, they were unacceptable outcomes. But what I can say, David, is there's over 430 aged care facilities in Melbourne and what we've had is some horrible outcomes in a couple. There's been about half a dozen that have been in an acute sense. But the balance, even those with COVID cases, have been managing very well. And the aged care response centre that we put in place working with the Victorian government, ADF, AUSMAT teams, others, that is making a big difference to stabilise the situation.
KOCH: Okay. I know you've got to go to another commitment. Just quickly, have you seen these pictures from that deadly blast in Beirut this morning? Obviously, our thoughts go to everyone here. Do you know what caused it, have you had any information?
PRIME MINISTER: No, there's no information on the cause. I've been receiving briefings on that overnight. Normally, there's around 20,000 Australians there at any time. And we couldn't say with COVID restrictions how many of those have returned to Australia. But it is very distressing. I can confirm that there has been one Australian who has been killed, which is terribly devastating, and we obviously can't reveal details of the specifics of that at this time. But our sympathies to all the people of Lebanon. There is such a large Lebanese Australian community here and they will be worried about loved ones. The details, hopefully we provide that number to you before going on air. That should be on your screen if you have concerns about relatives, that's the number you can call. And that's where our efforts are, where our Embassy is. It was significantly impacted, but we can report all the staff there are well. But the building that the Embassy is in has been significantly compromised. But I'm pleased that apart from some cuts and scratches, our staff are all okay.
KOCH: Prime Minister, very much appreciate your time. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, David.
Papua New Guinea-Australia Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership
5 August 2020
Papua New Guinea and Australia are sovereign partners who share unique and enduring connections that span decades. Ours is a special relationship underpinned by a shared history, geographic proximity, common strategic interests, deep community links, mutual respect, and cooperation across all spheres.
This Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership (CSEP) reinforces the strong bonds between our two countries and strengthens our ambitious vision for the future. Through it, we commit to elevate our relationship, accelerate our strategic and economic cooperation, and build on the close connections between our people, institutions and communities. We enter into this Partnership at a time when the mutual value of our friendship has been clearly demonstrated through our response to natural disasters and a global pandemic, and the impacts these have had on our economies.
The CSEP provides an enduring and overarching framework for deepening bilateral cooperation across security, trade and investment, governance, development cooperation, health, education, gender equality, climate change, people-to-people and institutional links, underpinned by a commitment to achieving concrete outcomes by 2030. Our progress in these areas will be reviewed periodically, with a comprehensive review in 2030. Our partnership will build on strong foundations: the 1987 Joint Declaration of Principles Guiding Relations between Australia and Papua New Guinea (amended 1992), and the 2013 Joint Declaration for a New Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership. It will be guided by the following principles:
Respect for the laws, regulations and established processes of our individual sovereign States
Open communication to ensure we understand our respective points of view
Shared responsibility to achieve joint strategic, economic, security, and social goals
Support to assist each other in times of need
Commitment to inclusive, sustainable and effective delivery of policies and programs, including as informed by research and development priorities
Flexibility to respond to emerging priorities, including capacity building, as they arise.
Together we commit to advancing shared bilateral, regional and global objectives under the following six pillars:
Pillar 1 – Strong Democracies for a Stable Future
Pillar 2 – Close Friends, Enduring Ties
Pillar 3 – Economic Partnership for Prosperity
Pillar 4 – Strategic Cooperation for Security and Stability
Pillar 5 – Social and Human Development
Pillar 6 – Near Neighbours, Global Partners
We acknowledge our shared interests in a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous and democratic region; one in which safeguarding the sovereignty of each state is of critical importance. Through this Partnership, the elements outlined under its six pillars, and an Action Plan, we give practical effect to our ambitious vision for the benefit of our people and for future generations.
Pillar 1 – Strong Democracies for a Stable Future
Papua New Guinea and Australia share strong traditions of participatory democracy reflecting broader shared values. We recognise and respect our sovereignty, and the fact that our democratic institutions, which are free from coercion and interference, form the foundations of our security and stability.
We reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law and support Papua New Guinea in its efforts to address law and order issues through mutually agreed programs and mechanisms. We will strengthen cooperation to support Papua New Guinea’s law and justice agencies, while also protecting our independent judicial systems, strengthening our institutions and governance and safeguarding human rights.
We commit to supporting the full participation of all people in our societies, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief or any other attribute, consistent with our international human rights obligations. We commit to empowering women and girls, increasing the number of women in visible leadership roles, and ensuring gender equality in all aspects of the economy, politics and government.
We will strengthen partnerships to promote gender equality and empower women and girls in Papua New Guinea through all Australia-funded development programs, as well as the effective implementation of Government of Papua New Guinea programs and policies such as the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence 2016-2025.
We recognise that functional, affordable and accountable institutions are fundamental to service delivery and good governance. We will continue to cooperate to share knowledge, skills and experience to improve the accountability, transparency and capability of institutions, including through institutional twinning arrangements.
We acknowledge the Bougainville Peace Agreement is a national priority of the Government of Papua New Guinea. We commit to continue supporting the post-referendum process through the ongoing collaboration of Papua New Guinea and Autonomous Bougainville Government.
Pillar 2 – Close Friends, Enduring Ties
We commit to further expanding and deepening our ties in all sectors and at all levels of our societies.
To promote ever-closer relations, we reaffirm our commitment to the annual Leaders’ Dialogue and Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum, as well as high-level meetings on security, economic, development, Torres Strait Treaty and other issues. We will also conduct regular high-level visits and parliamentary exchanges.
We recognise the diversity of the cultures that make up our societies. We will foster stronger links between Australia’s Indigenous peoples and Papua New Guinea. We acknowledge the special status of the Torres Strait and Treaty villages as places of cultural exchange throughout our history and into the future.
We commit to promoting contemporary views of each other through the media, the arts and cultural exchange programs.
As two sporting nations, sport plays a critical role in connecting our people, promoting development and unity, building leadership skills, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and maximising economic opportunities. We commit to increasing the connections between our sporting institutions and teams, including by supporting promising athletes to achieve their potential and broadening participation in sports at all levels.
We commit to support the role of faith-based institutions, including churches, in national development, strengthening communities, and delivering vital social services. We commit to building more links between these institutions, including exchanges of visits between the leaders and members of churches. We will strengthen relations between Australia and rural Papua New Guinea communities, including through church partnerships.
Connectivity is critical to promoting cooperation and allows for citizens of both countries to take full advantage of the opportunities in education and training, business, employment, sports development, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people links.
We commit to working together towards streamlined travel facilitation to foster greater travel, exchange and people-to-people linkages.
We commit to working together to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s document identity systems and enhance levels of travel document integrity.
We commit to support institution-to-institution partnerships and collaborations that forge people-to-people links. This includes programs such as the New Colombo Plan, the Australia Awards Program, the Papua New Guinea-Australia Network, the Emerging Leaders' Dialogue, and institutional partnerships at the tertiary level. We also commit to reviving and strengthening sister-city relations between towns and cities of both countries.
We note the importance of Kokoda in forging the bonds and friendship between the two countries and we will continue the existing partnership under the Kokoda Initiative, with a focus on protecting the region's unique environmental, cultural and military heritage.
We welcome Papua New Guinea’s commitment to ensuring the Kokoda Track is well managed, and agree to continue cooperation under the Kokoda Initiative to expand opportunities for communities along the Track.
Pillar 3 – Economic Partnership for Prosperity
The economic relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia is one of mutual partnership aimed at fostering growth and the development of our economies, taking into account each other’s special economic needs and opportunities.
We recognise the value of close cooperation and information sharing to address public health crises, and commit to further strengthen our cooperation, including to help mitigate the adverse impacts of pandemics such as COVID-19.
We acknowledge the importance of free and open trade and stable investment regimes for the development and prosperity of our peoples. We commit to exploring new options for trade arrangements between our two countries and a joint feasibility study to inform the process. We will work jointly to address impediments to trade and develop a bilateral trade framework arrangement for better market access.
As a necessary first step towards strengthening our current bilateral trade architecture, we commit to reviewing and modernising the Australia-Papua New Guinea Bilateral Investment Treaty (1990) to enhance business confidence and investor certainty, which should also benefit Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
We commit to upholding international trading rules, in accordance with our commitments and obligations as World Trade Organisation members, and will explore options for greater economic engagement, including through bilateral and regional trade arrangements.
We recognise that the tourism and hospitality industry plays a significant role in directly improving the livelihood of local societies whilst maintaining sustainable development and growth of our economies, and undertake to consider how we can work more closely together to encourage the industry’s development.
We commit to support macroeconomic and fiscal reforms that contribute to stability and strengthened financial management, including monetary policy reforms that are aligned to Papua New Guinea’s economic and development priorities.
We will work jointly to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services delivered through Papua New Guinea’s State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), with emphasis on governance, accountability and debt management.
We commit to continued cooperation on agriculture, food and water security; and to improve nutrition and promote agricultural trade.
To protect our unique natural environments and agricultural ecosystems, we commit to improve sanitary and phytosanitary measures and strengthen biosecurity systems and standards, while also seeking to facilitate increased trade.
We recognise that strategic and high-quality infrastructure projects are vital for economic prosperity. We commit to deepen cooperation on, and increase investments in critical economic infrastructure, including through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific. We will jointly determine infrastructure priorities for cooperation, and support the financing and implementation of priority projects where appropriate.
We commit to work together on Papua New Guinea’s Connect PNG Program, including the Coral Sea Cable Project and the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership for infrastructure connectivity across the region, and work together on Papua New Guinea’s domestic telecommunications strategy and infrastructure to fully realise the benefits of the Coral Sea Cable Project. We commit to working together with other partners on joint infrastructure priorities, such as the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership.
We commit to ongoing cooperation on development assistance, including through ensuring transparency and visibility in the determination of development cooperation priorities and funding allocations. We acknowledge Papua New Guinea’s ambition to see 50 per cent of donor programs dedicated to supporting improved, high-quality social and economic infrastructure consistent with Medium Term Development Plans. We commit to continue to prioritise infrastructure support through grant and other funding, balanced against other development priorities.
We recognise the mutual benefits of improved labour mobility for our countries and commit to expand cooperation in resourcing and capacity building, including increasing the number of Papua New Guineans participating in the Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Worker Programme.
We acknowledge the private sector as key to driving economic cooperation and development and recognise the role our governments play in facilitating vibrant private sectors. We will continue to engage with the private sector in both countries, including through cooperation with business councils and the Papua New Guinea-Australia Ministerial Forum Business Dialogue.
We commit to exploring and developing our natural resources sustainably for the benefit of our peoples and future generations. We will promote closer business-led collaboration between our natural resources sectors, including in mining equipment and technology services, standards and research.
As Blue Pacific Ocean nations, we commit to maximise gains from our fisheries resources through sustainable management, and collaboration in surveillance of our Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in our waters. We support clean, healthy and productive oceans, the sustainable use of marine resources, the reduction of plastic and waste in our oceans, and the growth of the global blue economy.
Pillar 4 – Strategic Cooperation for Security and Stability
We recognise that security challenges are increasing, including greater uncertainty in the geopolitical environment, greater contestability within our region, pressure on established international rules and norms, transnational crime, cyber security threats and global health pandemics. These challenges require strengthened cohesion and coordination between all areas of our security cooperation.
As longstanding security partners, we share a mutual strategic interest in keeping our region safe and secure. We acknowledge the strong and enduring relationships between our security agencies, and recognise their contribution to creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous region.
We commit to develop a Bilateral Security Treaty to further promote our shared security interests and cooperation, including through dialogue on emerging challenges and threats that affect our respective security interests. The Treaty will also address other common interests, including crisis and disaster management, enhanced information sharing, strengthened border management, transnational crime, cyber security and land, air and maritime security.
We commit to expanding cooperation, coordination, joint activities, information sharing, capacity development and mutual assistance across our policing, defence, immigration, customs, intelligence, border security and law and justice institutions. We also commit to strengthen our cooperation on terrorism prevention and transnational crime.
Through our longstanding initiatives, such as the Defence Cooperation Program, we commit to expanding cooperation and interoperability in maritime security, force capability and infrastructure investment, including the Joint Initiative to redevelop Papua New Guinea’s Lombrum Naval Base in Manus Province.
Through our Policing Partnership, we will continue to address challenges to law and order and build strong institutional linkages between our respective police forces.
We acknowledge the importance of safeguarding our critical infrastructure and industries, especially ports, power, roads and telecommunications. We commit to stronger cooperation to ensure our critical infrastructure remains resilient and secure. In this context, we recognise the importance of an open, free and secure Internet to drive economic growth, protect national security, and promote stability in cyberspace. We commit to continued engagement to strengthen our existing cooperation on cyber security, digital safety, and enhancing Papua New Guinea’s information and communication technology sector.
We acknowledge the importance of secure and open sea-lanes to facilitate trade and free navigation in our region in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We commit to increase cooperation in the management of our borders, including through joint activities such as the maritime border patrol programs operating along the Torres Strait.
Reaffirming our commitment to the Paris Agreement, 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the Papua New Guinea-Australia Climate Change Action Plan, we acknowledge the severe threat climate change poses to our people, our prosperity and the stability of our region. We commit to work together on climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation, including on sustainable forest management and the legal timber trade, coral reefs and fisheries, food security, blue carbon and climate finance.
Recognising that infectious diseases know no political boundaries, we commit to work together to strengthen health security and improve prevention, detection and response to communicable diseases and health threats, including through research and development.
We recognise the severe, immediate, and ongoing costs to people and economies affected by disasters. We commit to strengthen existing close cooperation to build resilience and assist each other when needed in response to natural disasters, including building capacity and strengthening institutional infrastructure.
Pillar 5 – Social and Human Development
We reaffirm our commitment to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to drive human and social development.
We recognise that high-quality education and research is fundamental to human and economic development. We will enhance our cooperation to strengthen accredited institutions for delivery of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET), secondary and tertiary qualifications. We will also support the work of research institutions, digitalisation of training and expanding professional connections, including the alumni networks.
Acknowledging the importance of health to growth and stability, we commit to strengthening cooperation between our health institutions, especially on financing, planning, infrastructure, information sharing and systems.
We will continue to work together to improve health care systems in Papua New Guinea, with a focus on strengthening health systems to deliver high-quality health services and to contain disease outbreaks. We acknowledge the importance of health security and enhanced cooperation to address challenges such as the COVID-19 threat to our people and economies.
We acknowledge existing work on social inclusion, including marginalised groups, persons with disabilities and the elderly. We will continue to promote social protection in the delivery of development programs.
Pillar 6 – Near Neighbours, Global Partners
As neighbours, we share many common challenges that require coordinated solutions. Through the decades, we have demonstrated a successful, collaborative approach to addressing these challenges. We commit to continue this approach and to work together closely both bilaterally and as global partners.
We commit to continuing our close collaboration in APEC, as well as other fora, including the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations, and multilateral development and financial institutions.
As members of the wider Pacific family, we commit to working together and in regional bodies to ensure our region is secure strategically, stable economically and sovereign politically. We acknowledge the Pacific Islands Forum as the key forum for collectively addressing regional challenges. We reaffirm our commitment to implementing the regional frameworks adopted by Pacific Leaders under the 2018 Boe and 2000 Biketawa Declarations.
Reaffirming and understanding the principles outlined in the Boe Declaration, we commit to open consultation, information sharing and building bilateral and regional institutional partnerships. Initiatives such as the Australia-Pacific Security College and Pacific Fusion Centre will help advance this cooperation.
An Enduring Partnership
We commit to strengthen cooperation on Papua New Guinea’s priority regions and economic corridors to drive growth, enhance stability and improve service delivery.
We commit to cooperate on strengthening accredited training institutions in all sectors.
We commit to continue refining the way we work together in the area of development assistance, including consulting on how best to address Papua New Guinea’s need for high-quality economic and social infrastructure. We will undertake a joint review on the use of Australian technical advisers to all sector programs.
We acknowledge our evolving relationship and commit to achieving our common objectives through the steps set out in this Partnership and through other mutually-determined bilateral arrangements as appropriate. To assist with implementing this Partnership, we also commit to officials developing an Action Plan to form the basis for reporting to Ministers on progress ahead of the annual Ministerial Forum.
Virtual Summit with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
4 August 2020
I am pleased to announce that I will join the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, the Honourable James Marape MP, for a Virtual Summit on Wednesday, 5 August 2020.
This will be our second Papua New Guinea-Australia Leaders’ Dialogue. In the year since our inaugural Dialogue in July 2019, we have supported each other as family.
This was on display through Papua New Guinea’s Operation Helpim Wantok support to Australia’s bushfire recovery and Australia’s ongoing support to help Papua New Guinea overcome the shared challenge of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Australia and Papua New Guinea share a broad-ranging and ambitious relationship. Discussions during the Virtual Summit will focus on the impacts of COVID-19 on our region and strategies for economic recovery. We will also discuss opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation across the breadth of economic and security issues.
I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Marape and building on Australia and Papua New Guinea’s shared interests in a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous and democratic region.
One in a Million - Recognising Our Second World War Veterans
2 August 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister for Defence Personnel
In the lead up to the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Australians are encouraged to capture and share the stories of our World War Two veterans as part of the Federal Government’s #OneInAMillion campaign.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the campaign is a way for every generation of Australians to learn about our veterans and also about their own family history.
“From the declaration of war in 1939, to the long awaited words of Prime Minister Ben Chifley, “the war is over” on 15 August 1945, almost one million Australians served in the Second World War,” Mr Morrison said.
“This service was at a time when our national population was only seven million people, making their story truly remarkable, and their service and sacrifice something we should never forget.”
To launch the #OneInAMillion campaign, Prime Minister Morrison shared the story of his grandfather, Gunner Leslie Smith who served in the 2nd/5th Field Regiment with Sir Roden Cutler in the Middle East before returning to the Pacific theatre in PNG and Borneo.
Australians can participate in the #OneInAMillion: Wall of Respect project by posting to their social media an image of them holding a photo of a family member who served in the Second World War, with the hashtag #OneInAMillion.
A second part of this campaign, #OneInAMillion Hearing their stories featuring eight compelling interviews in the form of short animated videos will also be released on social media platforms today.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester encouraged all Australians to listen to these stories of inspiration and courage of Australian men and women when faced with the unthinkable.
“The Second World War’s impact on Australians was far-reaching and has surrounded us with many truly powerful and unique stories of service,” Mr Chester said.
“Since 2 June I have been posting a daily social media series, 75 stories in 75 days, about Australians who lived through the Second World War, from those who served to the many who contributed on the home front.
“I encourage you to share the stories of your parents, grandparents or loved ones by using #OneInAMillion in your social media post so that their story lives on.
“If you don’t have a family member who served, take a moment to learn more about a veteran who did serve and their story.”
During the Second World War, some 39,000 Australians lost their lives during the war, many more were wounded.
More than 30,000 Australian service men and women, along with some civilians, were taken prisoner or were interned in the Second World War.
To learn more about the Australian Government’s commemorations and the #OneInAMillion campaign or the 75 days, 75 stories series, visit the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War page on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website and follow the Commemorations and War Graves Facebook and Twitter pages.
Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB
31 July 2020
Ben Fordham: Prime minister, good morning to you.
Prime Minister: G’day Ben.
Fordham: Victoria recorded a record 723 coronavirus cases yesterday, nearly 1,000 cases linked to aged care. 57 people have died in nursing homes since the start of July. I believe you spoke to the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, last night. He seems like a broken man, and I can understand why.
Prime Minister: Well yesterday was a very disheartening day for all Australians and in particular Victorians with cases rising to those levels. There were 16 additional cases amongst residents in aged care facilities out of that more than 700 cases. There were about 50-odd cases of staff that work in aged care facilities. And that's been one of the great challenges in managing the aged care centres in those that are most critical. But I'd stress there are over 430 aged care facilities across the Melbourne area and less than a half a dozen of those have been in a very serious situation, an acute situation. It's only been a couple where we've had those very unacceptable and very distressing outcomes. And that's why we've moved quickly working together with the sector, particularly also with the Victorian Government, to avoid those outcomes again.
Fordham: There's one in Victoria called Epping Gardens, and six people have died there. It's reported today that some of the deceased were left in their beds for six hours before being collected. I suppose it's overwhelming for people dealing with this in Victoria.c
Prime Minister: It is overwhelming. And there are a couple of cases in Victoria where the centres themselves were overwhelmed. We had entire staffs that had to be stood, that were stood down as by the public health unit. And if you shut down any workplace like that, you’re going to expect there's going to be some discontinuity. And there was some terrible events that followed from that. ADF officers and nurses went into those facilities. New workforces were dragged from all over the place to get them in there. And a lot of patients were then transferred to hospitals, private and public hospitals. That's been another thing we've been doing this week. And those facilities have now stabilised my advice is, I mean, Epping Gardens was still a lot of work being done on that yesterday and overnight. I'll get another update on that in about the next half an hour. But we were heading to that stabilised position in Epping Gardens, the other things in Epping Gardens. And this is what we learnt from it. There's a big difference between Newmarch, for your listeners, and what's happening in Victoria. In Newmarch, the staff weren’t all stood down and there was a way of handling how the change over occurred so you kept some continuity of service to the residents. And so that was one of the big challenges we were dealing with there, But there wasn't a community outbreak in, around Newmarch. The way that occurred was slightly different. When you've got that level of community outbreak that you've seen in Victoria, then it gets into every workplace. And whether you're running a newsagent or, you, you're running an aged care facility, or you're running a hospital. And so the level of community outbreak and community transmission in Victoria is the, is the great challenge down there. And there's still a lot of work to do and we’re not on top of it yet. And that, they were obviously the things that the Premier and I have been discussing very regularly.
Fordham: Yeah, you've been having regular discussions and you've been helping, the Federal Government can't just intervene in Victoria off its own bat, but states have the option of referring powers to Canberra, and that's happened in the past. So if Daniel Andrews needed to do that with any element of what's going on in Victoria, the Feds would be ready to do more?
Prime Minister: Well, we're always ready to support them with all the requests they've made and to be making further offers as we constantly do. But no those sorts of things haven't been in contemplation. We've got, you know, 1,500 almost ADF personnel on the ground in Victoria supporting the effort there doing everything from door knocking, I mean, we have cases where, you know, people will doorknock and people should be at home because they've got COVID and we've found cases where people have gone to work. So that door knocking has been very important, getting directly in contact with people. That's why we've expanded it in Melbourne and the ADF are doing a great job with that. But they're also working in the ops centre. They're assisting with tracing. They're actually supporting the testing centres. There's an enormous effort being put in by the ADF and up in New South Wales, they're helping as well where, around the border control and border towns and supporting those services there. New South Wales is a very different situation to Victoria. We've got some challenges, but so they're doing a terrific job.
Fordham: Queensland is dealing with a problem there after two girls allegedly lied about being in Victoria and then went into Queensland. And the family members of one of these girls are saying the only reason they're being named and shamed is because of race as opposed to what they've done wrong. Surely there's a lesson for everyone to learn out of this. This is about responsibility, not race?
Prime Minister: Well, of course it's about responsibility. But, you know, and those actions are terribly regrettable and I hope that is a lesson to everyone else about the real dangers of how this virus transmits. I mean, sometimes I think, you know maybe people think there's a golden ticket for Australia, that somehow we're immune from it. Well, we're not. And it does require everybody to work together and exercise responsibility, because where we see the most vulnerable in the community and they are not just elderly residents, they are people going under, other health issues, people going into chemotherapy, people who have suppressed immune systems. All of their lives depend on how all of us engage and do the responsible thing and support each other to do the responsible thing.
Fordham: PM, have you got a report card for Sydney, because we're watching these cases and clusters popping up all over the place and you can understand everyone's worried. We're looking at Melbourne and we're thinking, is that where we're headed or is New South Wales Health doing such a great job at contact tracing that we're not headed down that path?
Prime Minister: Well, they are, and they really did build their capacity to do this. And the key difference is, is that in New South Wales, based on the numbers we had from yesterday, I haven't seen what they are in New South Wales for today. I mean, the New South Wales Government will make those announcements as normal, but there are no cases that have an unknown source, none. And whereas in Victoria, you've got around about 50 cases a day where there is an unknown source. And that is the real area of concern. And that's why so much effort is being directed at trying to address these issues of unknown source. So that is one of the key reasons we feel much more confident in New South Wales. I spoke to Gladys Berejiklian yesterday and she and I talk very regularly as well. And they are on that completely. But that can change. And that's why, you know, I've known Gladys a long time and she's very determined and she's very careful. And those talents and natural instincts, I think, are playing very well to ensure that New South Wales is doing very well here.
Fordham: When it comes to borders the health advice can be a bit confusing because Greg Hunt tells us, the Federal Health Minister, that the health advice is that borders can remain open. But in Queensland, they're relying on health advice to keep other states out. In New South Wales, we're relying on health advice to keep Victorians out. There are some mixed messages there?
Prime Minister: Well, there is a difference with the New South Wales Victoria border, the New South Wales Victoria border, was shut after there was a discussion between both Premiers and myself and then a plan for how that border was to operate and the health advice that led to that was shared between all of those three jurisdictions, where states are making unilateral decisions about what they're doing on their borders then they're making statements about health advice it’s for those states to explain that to the public. And what that advice is and so I'm not making a judgement about that. All I'm simply saying is that there have been two ways in which borders have been set up. One has been just directly by states and the other has been, as was shown in New South Wales, and Victoria, together with the Commonwealth.
Fordham: Have you got a phone hook up with the state leaders today?
Prime Minister: We have a national security briefing to Premiers today. It's not a normal meeting of the National Cabinet, that will be next week. So today's focus is on another topic.
Fordham: You've been focussed on not throwing anyone under the bus and making sure that they've all got support, even when there's been criticism coming the way of the Commonwealth from Victoria. You've been really conscious, haven't you, on saying, look, there's nothing to be gained at the moment by giving people grief about things you just want problems solved?
Prime Minister: Well, that's exactly it Ben. And I'm just not interested in any of the politics. And there'll be a lot of things thrown this way and that way. And, you know, there's a lot of reports that are out there, but my job is quite straightforward, and that is to work with everyone I possibly can to keep Australians safe, whether that's in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, wherever it is. And that that's what the National Cabinet has been focussed on. And those bonds there and that working relationship between all the Premiers and Chief Ministers is strong. I know there's been a few stories out and about which has tried to exaggerate some tensions. I can tell you, everyone's picking up the phone and everyone's talking to each other. Everyone's asking the questions they need to ask of each other. And where the resources are needed, we're getting them there. A good example of that, the other day, when I knew we were having problems with the aged care workforce in Victoria, I rang Steven Marshall in in South Australia. I said, Steven, mate, can you, can we get some nurses? And he said, Yeah mate, sure. And they're working in Victoria now. So people are working together, New South Wales is helping doing all the testing, sorry all the tracing now for the border towns on the New South Wales Victoria border. That really helps Victoria and it'll help South Wales so that, you know, the examples of how everybody is just getting on with it made, I think, are fantastic. They don't always get out there every time, and, you know, we might have a slight disagreement here and there that gets blown out of all proportions. But the truth is, people are just working together because that's what we're all elected to do.
Fordham: I'm sure you won't have too much time off over the weekend, but enjoy it anyway and we'll talk soon.
Prime Minister: Thanks a lot Ben, just one last thing, if you don't mind. I know that the Eid festival is coming up over the next little while and today, and it's just really important, like Jenny and I haven't had the chance to be at our church since February. And I know faith is very important to people. And but even at times like this, it's even more important that, you know, we don't gather in those large groups that, as important as faith is that we really do think of the health issues here. And I just want to encourage everybody to make positive good decisions when it comes to how they choose to celebrate their faith over this important time for that community.
Fordham: Noted. Thanks for your time.
Prime Minister: Thanks, mate.
Fordham: Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia.