Media Releases
Federal Budget Supports Tasmania's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
Tasmania continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Key projects to be funded include:
$80 million for the Tasmanian Roads Package – Bass Highway Safety and Freight Efficiency Upgrades Package – Future Priorities;
$48 million for the Algona Road Grade Separated Interchange and Duplication of the Kingston Bypass;
$44 million for the Rokeby Road – South Arm Road Upgrades;
$37.8 million for the Midland Highway Upgrade – Campbell Town North (Campbell Town to Epping Forest);
$36.4 million for the Midland Highway Upgrade – Oatlands (Jericho to South of York Plains);
$35.7 million for the Midland Highway Upgrade – Ross (Mona Vale Road to Campbell Town);
An additional $24 million for the Port of Burnie Shiploader Upgrade; and
$13.2 million for the Huon Link Road.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make Tasmanian roads safer, reduce travel times and support thousands of jobs across the state.
“From continuing upgrades on the Bass and Midland highways, to delivering a better Port of Burnie Shiploader - these projects will support more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across Tasmania,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government’s ongoing record of delivery is enhancing transport connectivity, underpinning economic growth and helping Tasmanians get home sooner and safer.
“In this year’s Budget, the Government is announcing our future Midland Highway priority investments for critical works north of Campbell Town, Ross and Oatland,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“Major projects delivered since April last year include the Perth Link Roads project, to which the Australian Government committed $83 million to duplicate the Midland Highway around the township of Perth.
“This investment has improved safety and enhanced transport efficiency between the southern and western regions of the state and this year’s Budget builds on this record of delivery.”
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Government is driving the delivery of major infrastructure projects to map the economic road back from the pandemic, building the economy and providing certainty for business over the long term.
“The Australian Government will continue to invest in the Tasmanian economy in the coming years,” Minister Fletcher said.
“Major investments will include projects such as upgrading the Algona Road interchange and duplicating the Kingston Bypass.”
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the Tasmanian Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across Tasmania.
For more information on investments in Tasmania visit Infrastructure Investment Program
Federal Budget Supports South Australia's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Minister for Finance, Senator for South Australia
South Australia continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Key projects to be funded include:
$2.6 billion allocation of funding for the North-South Corridor – Darlington to Anzac Highway;
$161.6 million for the Truro Bypass;
$148 million for the Augusta Highway Duplication Stage 2;
An additional $64 million for the Strzelecki Track Upgrade – Sealing;
An additional $60 million for the Gawler Rail Line Electrification;
$48 million for the Heysen Tunnel Refit and Upgrade – Stage 2
An additional $27.6 million for the Overpass at Port Wakefield and Township Duplication;
$32 million for the Kangaroo Island Road Safety and Bushfire Resilience Package, and
$22.5 million for the Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive Intersection Upgrade
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make South Australian roads safer, improve public transport, reduce travel times and support thousands of jobs across the state.
“From continuing upgrades on the North South Corridor, to delivering the roads needed for the recovery of Kangaroo Island from devastating bushfires - these projects will support more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs across South Australia,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said nationwide, the Budget will further extend the Government’s already unprecedented rolling investment pipeline, supporting jobs across the country.
“This includes supporting more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in SA over the life of the new projects announced through the Budget, boosting businesses and communities as part of the Government’s National Economic Recovery Plan,” the Prime Minister said.
“The substantial injection of funding delivered in this year’s Budget is a key plank of the Government’s plan to help Australia bounce back stronger than ever from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Federal Budget was supporting South Australians to continue building back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Government is driving the delivery of major infrastructure projects to continue South Australia’s comeback from the pandemic, building the economy and providing certainty for business over the long term.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and the Federal Government is playing our part by improving local roads and infrastructure across the State to get South Australians home sooner and safer.
“Investing more than $160 million for the Truro Bypass is just one example of our ongoing commitment to building the infrastructure South Australians need, want, expect and deserve.”
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Budget is also delivering additional funding to progress delivery of priority projects.
“We are committing $60 million in additional funding for the Gawler Rail Line Electrification and $3.1 million in additional funding for Goodwood and Torrens Junctions,” Minister Fletcher said.
“The Government will continue to invest in the South Australian economy in the coming years, including through key congestion-busting projects such as the next North-South Corridor priority between Darlington and the Anzac Highway, as well as priority intersection upgrades.”
Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham said this funding injection would support projects in Adelaide as well as those across regional SA, including the APY Lands – Main Access Road Upgrade between the Stuart Highway and Pukatja, and the Port Wakefield overpass and township.
“This massive investment in major infrastructure will generate thousands of jobs, better connect our state and help South Australians get home sooner and safer,” Minister Birmingham said.
“Our Government is helping to deliver a steady pipeline of infrastructure projects across the state that will play a critical role in the ongoing economic recovery and jobs revival.
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the South Australian Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across South Australia.
For more information on investments in South Australia visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au
Federal Budget Supports ACT's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minster, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator for the Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Key projects to be funded include $26.5 million to duplicate the remaining sections of William Hovell Drive, an additional $5 million for Gundaroo Drive Duplication and $2.5 million for upgrades to Beltana Road in Pialligo.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make Canberra roads safer, improve public transport, reduce travel times and support hundreds of jobs.
“From the duplication of Williams Hovell Drive, to supporting the extension of light rail in Canberra - these projects will support more than 200 direct and indirect jobs across the ACT,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the substantial injection of funding delivered in this year’s Budget is a key plank of the Government’s plan to help Australia bounce back stronger than ever from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Government is driving the delivery of major infrastructure projects to map the economic road back from the pandemic, building the economy and providing certainty for business over the long term,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“The new $26.5 William Hovell Drive Duplication project will bust congestion for commuters from West Belconnen and surrounding suburbs, while also supporting more than 170 jobs in the ACT at a time when it is needed most.
“This is on top of the Australian Government’s recent commitments of $137 million to upgrade Commonwealth Avenue Bridge (delivered by the National Capital Authority) and $132.5 million for Canberra Light Rail – Stage 2A.”
Senator for the ACT Zed Seselja said that this year’s Budget continues the Government’s commitment to critical infrastructure across the Territory.
“The Liberal-National Government’s infrastructure bonanza continues for Canberra, with more than $300 million of new investment in projects right across our city announced in this calendar year alone and more than $1.5 billion announced in recent years,” Senator Seselja said.
“Regular users of the Beltana, Kallaroo and Dapu Place road corridor in Pialligo will benefit from $2.5 million in much needed safety upgrades in this week’s Budget, and we are boosting our commitment for the congestion-busting duplication of Gundaroo Drive to $25 million.
“We are backing jobs and boosting our economic recovery by investing in infrastructure projects for the future of Canberra. This includes our commitment to $88 million for the Molonglo River Bridge, $50 million for upgrades along the Tuggeranong Parkway corridor, and $115 million for the Monaro Highway.”
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the ACT Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across the ACT.
For more information on investments in the ACT visit Infrastructure Investment Program.
Federal Budget Supports Queensland's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
Queensland continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Key projects to be funded include:
$400 million for the Inland Freight Route (Mungindi to Charters Towers) Upgrades
An additional $400 million for Bruce Highway Upgrades
$240 million for the Cairns Western Arterial Road Duplication
$178.1 million for the Gold Coast Rail Line Capacity Improvement (Kuraby to Beenleigh) – Preconstruction
$160 million for the Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade (Packages 1 and 2)
An additional $126.6 million for Gold Coast Light Rail – Stage 3
$35.3 million for the Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road and Pialba-Burrum Heads Road Intersection Upgrade; and
$10 million for the Caboolture – Bribie Island Road (Hickey Road-King John Creek) Upgrade.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make Queensland roads safer, improve public transport, reduce travel times and support thousands of jobs across the state.
“From continuing upgrades on the Bruce Highway, to increasing our investment in rail on the Gold Coast - these projects will support more than 2,800 direct and indirect jobs across Queensland,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said this Budget demonstrated the Federal Government’s ongoing commitment to investing in generation-defining projects right here in Queensland.
“These initiatives will enhance transport connectivity, underpin economic growth and help Queenslanders get home sooner and safer,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“We are backing Queensland jobs, we are backing Queensland businesses, we are backing Queensland to keep being its best self as the State helps drive our economic recovery.
“Our $400 million investment for the Inland Freight Route will transform the way freight moves across the State, all the way from Mungindi to Charters Towers, increasing productivity right through the Queensland economy.”
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Government is driving the delivery of major infrastructure projects to map the economic road back from the pandemic, building the economy and providing certainty for business over the long term.
“The Australian Government will continue to invest in the Queensland economy in the coming years, through projects such as $178.1 million for capacity upgrades along the Gold Coast Rail Line from Kuraby to Beenleigh and $10m for the Caboolture – Bribie Island Road Upgrade,” Minister Fletcher said.
“Major projects delivered over the past year include the Mackay Ring Road – Stage 1 ($398 million federal investment) and the M1 Pacific Motorway – Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes Upgrade ($195 million federal investment).”
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the Queensland Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across Queensland.
For more information on investments in Queensland visit Infrastructure Investment Program
Federal Budget Supports NT's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minster, Minister for Infrastucture, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator for the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make Northern Territory roads safer, reduce travel times and support hundreds of jobs across the Top End.
“From continuing our upgrades on major highways, to improving roads which support the expansion of the Beetaloo Basin - these projects will support more than 900 direct and indirect jobs across the Territory,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government was investing in the future of the Top End by providing $150 million for Northern Territory National Network Highway Upgrades (Phase 2).
“This significant investment builds on the $46.6 million provided for Phase 1 upgrades to priority sections of the Stuart, Victoria and Barkly highways,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“This upgrade is supported by recent commitments of $173.6 million for Northern Territory Gas Industry Roads Upgrades and $260,000 to fund a development study for the proposed Tennant Creek Multimodal Facility and Rail Terminal.”
Senator for the Northern Territory Sam McMahon said the new funding built on the Government’s strong record of infrastructure delivery in the Top End.
“Just in the past year, we have completed a number of crucial infrastructure projects, including the Keep River Plains Road Upgrade, to which the Australian Government invested $63 million under the Northern Australia Roads Program,” Dr McMahon said.
“This investment sealed around 30 kilometres of road in the north-west of the Territory, through to Legune Station, including two bridges over Keep River and Sandy Creek, benefitting regional communities and the agricultural and pastoral industries through enhanced freight capacity, improved flood immunity and boosted access, supporting economic development.”
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the Northern Territory Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across the Northern Territory.
For more information on investments in the NT visit Infrastructure Investment Program.
New Projects Total Australian Government Funding Total Funding
($ million) ($ million)
Development Study for a 0.3 0.3 Proposed Tennant Creek Multimodal Facility and Rail Terminal
Northern Territory National 150.0 150.0 Network Highway Upgrades (Phase 2)
Northern Territory Gas 173.6 217.0 Industry Roads Upgrades
Total 323.9 367.3
Total Australian Government Funding in 2021-22 Budget $323.9 million
Roads of Strategic Importance Total Australian Government Total Funding (ROSI) Allocations of Existing Funding ($ million) ($ million) Funding
Alice Springs to Darwin Corridor
Arnhem Highway Upgrade 25.3 31.7 at Beatrice Hill
Roper Highway Upgrade (Stage 1) 4.3 5.4
Alice Springs to Halls Creek 3.3 4.1 Corridor Upgrade - Scoping and Investigations
Total 33.0 41.2
Federal Budget Supports Victoria's Recovery Plan
10 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Treasurer, Minister for Communications, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
Victoria continues to benefit from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s record infrastructure investment, with funding for major new projects to be announced in this week’s 2021-22 Budget, securing Australia’s recovery.
Key projects to be funded include:
$2 billion for initial investment in a new Melbourne Intermodal Terminal;
An additional $307 million for the Pakenham Roads Upgrade;
An additional $203.4 million for the Monash Roads Upgrade;
An additional $20 million for the Green Triangle and $15 million for the Melbourne to Mildura Roads of Strategic Importance corridors;
An additional $56.8 million for the Hall Road Upgrade;
An additional $30.4 million for the Western Port Highway Upgrade;
$17.5 million for the Dairy Supply Chain Road Upgrades; and
$10 million for the Mallacoota-Genoa Road Upgrade.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these projects will make Victorian roads safer, reduce travel times and support thousands of jobs across the state.
“From building the intermodal Melbourne needs for a better future for freight and productivity, to improving the key road connections in the outer suburbs and regional areas - these projects will support more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs across Victoria,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our record funding commitment is creating jobs, boosting business investment, while securing Australia’s COVID recovery.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the substantial injection of funding delivered in this year’s Budget is a key plank of the Government’s plan to help Australia bounce back stronger than ever from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our $2 billion investment in a new Melbourne Intermodal Terminal will transform the way freight moves, not just in Victoria but right across the country,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“The new Intermodal Terminal in Melbourne will create around 1,350 jobs during peak construction and a further 550 jobs during peak operation – that’s delivery in action.
“This Budget commits funding for various projects under key Roads of Strategic Importance initiatives on the Ballarat to Ouyen, Echuca to Robinvale, Green Triangle, Melbourne to Mildura, Stawell to South Australian border and Toowoomba to Seymour corridors.
“We are supporting Victorian workers and businesses to thrive in the post-pandemic future, backing them to lead the nation’s economic recovery.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Government would make an initial investment of $2 billion to build a new intermodal terminal to meet the country’s future freight needs and to link up to the inland rail taking up to 5,500 trucks off Melbourne’s roads every day.
“Our record infrastructure investment not only creates jobs now, it also sets Australia up for the future,” the Treasurer said.
“An intermodal terminal in Melbourne will help to boost the productivity of the nation by helping businesses get their products to domestic and international markets faster following the completion of inland rail.”
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Morrison Government will deliver a $510 million funding boost for two major infrastructure projects that will significantly improve congestion along a key commuter artery in south east Melbourne.
“An additional $307 million has been committed to the Pakenham Roads Upgrade project along with an additional $203.4 million allocated to the Monash Roads Upgrade project,” Minister Fletcher said.
“These projects will improve traffic flow at two sets of pinch points along the Monash Freeway, which build upon previous commitments and provide for more efficient, integrated delivery.”
The Australian Government looks forward to working constructively with the Victorian Government to deliver this infrastructure, supporting jobs and businesses right across Victoria.
For more information on investments in Victoria visit Infrastructure Investment Program
New Projects Total Australian Government Funding ($ million) Total Funding ($ million)
Dairy Supply Chain 17.5 34.9 Road Upgrades
Mallacoota-Genoa 10.0 10.0 Road Upgrade
Monash Roads Upgrade 250.0 250.0
Outer Metropolitan 10.0 20.0 Ring / E6 Corridor Detailed Business Case
Pakenham Roads Upgrade 380.0 380.0
Melbourne Intermodal Terminal – 61.8 123.6 Planning and Development
Melbourne Intermodal Terminal – 2,000.0 4,000.0 Delivery
Total 2729.3 4818.5
Existing Projects Additional Australian Total Australian Total Funding Receiving Additional Government Funding Government Funding ($ million) Funding ($ million) ($ million)
Commuter Car Park Upgrade
Belgrave/Lilydale Lines - Heathmont 3.9 18.9 18.9
Berwick Railway Station 49.2 64.2 64.2
Ferntree Gully 1.0 16.0 16.0
Frankston Line - Frankston 19.0 43.5 87.0
Ringwood 14.7 29.7 29.7
Forest Drive and Nepean Highway Intersection Upgrade 5.0 10.0 10.0
Green Triangle – Future Priorities 20.0 100.0 125.0
Hall Road Upgrade 56.8 141.3 282.5
Hume Freeway - O'Herns Road Interchange Upgrade 24.2 27.8 52.0
Melbourne to Mildura – Future Priorities 15.0 75.0 93.8
Plymouth Road Improvements 0.6 3.1 3.1
Princes Highway East 13.2 64.0 64.0
Princes Highway West 9.4 39.6 39.6
Uralla Road and Nepean Highway Intersection Upgrade 5.5 10.5 10.5
Western Port Highway Upgrade 30.4 57.5 115.0
Total 267.7 701.0 1,011.3
Total Australian Government Funding in 2021-22 Budget $2.997 billion
Roads of Strategic Importance Total Australian Government Total Funding (ROSI) Allocations of Existing Funding ($ million) ($ million) Funding
Ballarat to Ouyen
Birchip-Rainbow Road - McLoughlans Road Intersection Upgrade 2.4 2.4
Scoping and Development 1.9 1.9
Echuca to Robinvale - Project Scoping 2.5 2.5
Green Triangle
Road Surface and Intersection Upgrades 7.4 7.4
Bridge Upgrades 9.4 9.4
Scoping and Development 0.4 0.4
Melbourne to Mildura
Baileys Road Intersection, Sea Lake 3.0 3.0
Overtaking Lanes 12.5 12.5
Project Development and Preconstruction 4.4 4.4
Wide Centerline Treatment between Sunraysia Highway and Red Cliffs 2.8 3.8
Stawell to South Australian Border
Horsham Junction Upgrade 4.0 4.0
Nhill-Jeparit Road Intersection Upgrade 1.5 1.5
Project Scoping and Development 5.2 5.2
Seaby Street Intersection Upgrade 3.1 3.1
Toowoomba to Seymour - Victoria
Project Scoping and Development 3.0 3.0
Safety Barriers between Seymour and Shepparton 28.0 35.0
Total 91.5 98.5[1]
[1] Due to rounding, totals do not add.
Doorstop - Williamtown NSW
7 May 2021
SENATOR HOLLIE HUGHES, SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES: Well, how good is it to be here at Newcastle Airport today. The Hunter region is such a dynamic area and we're seeing this part of New South Wales really leading the post-COVID recovery, and it's absolutely fantastic to have the Prime Minister here with us again in the Hunter region. If I can just first acknowledge though the Prime Minister, obviously, and David Gillespie, Member for Lyne, as well as Dr Peter Cock, General Manager, CEO, sorry, of the Newcastle Airport, as well as Kirby Clark, the Chair. I'd also like to welcome and acknowledge the support and attendance here today of Ryan Palmer, the Mayor of Port Stephens, one of the beautiful areas set to have a tourism boost, as well as an export industry boost thanks to this upgrade. Representatives from Newcastle Council, as well as Andrew Macdonald from Chair, the Chair of Destination Port Stephens, Kent Warren, Chair of Newcastle Tourism Industry Group, and Bob Hawes, the CEO of Hunter Business Chamber. This is a great announcement today and I'm so excited to be here to see as we bring civil aviation together with the Defence industry and ensure that the future for the Hunter region's incredibly bright, and continues to grow as a lead destination in New South Wales. If I can hand over now to David Gillespie. Sorry, the Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you very much Hollie, Senator Hughes, it's great to be here with you and everyone, and I join in acknowledging all of them as we gather here today for this important announcement, which I'll come to in just a second.
But before I do that, I'm also here today and will be for the first time chairing the National Cabinet right here in the Hunter. So that's a first for the Hunter, and I'm pleased that, able to be able to have the facilities here to do that today. Obviously at National Cabinet there'll be some important matters discussed. Yesterday, the National Security Committee of the Federal Cabinet met to consider the restoration of repatriation flights of, after the 15th of May. We received advice from the Chief Medical Officer, who is here with me today, and a couple of points I need to make.
First of all, the pause that we put in place for travellers coming back from India is working. The medical advice we have and the evidence that we have in our quarantine facilities, in particular up in the Northern Territory, is showing that the number of cases there is moving back to more manageable levels and will be at a level by the 15th of May to ensure that, as planned, we will be able to return to having those repatriation flights from India, from the 15th of May. There'll be no change to the biosecurity orders that we have put in place, which were put in place to run till the 15th of May. That biosecurity order is working exactly as it was intended to, and that will remain in place with no change until the 15th of May. The National Security Committee of Cabinet has, has confirmed that it will have done its job by then, and as a result we see no need to extend it beyond that date. So the original decision to put in place that biosecurity order until the 15th of May has proved very effective and it will run its full course until that time without any change.
What we will be doing is receiving our first repatriation flight into the Northern Territory as part of the charter arrangements that we have with our airlines to bring back those first people from India at that time. There'll be three flights, we envisage, in the course of May going into the Northern Territory, bringing back the most urgent of cases, as that's worked through by our High Commissioner and our consular officials in India. We have some 900 people listed as vulnerable as part of the group that we have registered in India, and our charter flights will be focussing on them.
In addition, there will be rapid antigen testing put in place for everyone getting onto those flights. The challenge we've had, in terms of previous arrivals out of India, has been the higher incidence of infection that we were seeing in those arrivals and the stress that that was placing on the quarantine system, whether at the national resilience facility that we fund to the tune of some half a billion dollars up in the Northern Territory, or elsewhere around the country. So I'll be advising the premiers and chief ministers of that decision this morning and then we'll be working on the many other matters that we need to attend to.
The Government has made no decision yet on the restarting of normal commercial flights from India. We will take further advice on that next week. I will consult with the premiers and chief ministers today as part of that National Cabinet meeting. And the National Security Committee of Cabinet will consider those matters further next week and in the weeks ahead. But what's important is that the biosecurity order that we have put in place has been highly effective. It's doing the job that we needed it to do and that was to ensure that we could do everything we can to prevent a third wave of COVID-19 here in Australia, but also to ensure that we can put ourselves in a stronger position to bring Australians, Australian citizens, Australian residents and their direct families, home safely to Australia. This has put us on a much stronger footing to do that in a sustainable way. And so other matters we will discuss with the National Cabinet today.
But here in Newcastle, it's an exciting day. It's great to be back in the Hunter - $66 million dollars will be announced in the Budget on Tuesday night by the Treasurer to invest in widening the runway here and various other works here at Newcastle Airport, to ensure that we can take larger flights here in Newcastle and we can back in the future of the Hunter for the considerable potential that this region has. This decision will see works, subject to it going through the normal parliamentary processes, starting in August and completing in 2022. What this will mean is jobs. We're advised by Newcastle Airport that some 4,400 jobs, half of them in the tourism industry alone, others reaching out across the region here in the Hunter and more broadly. And what is exciting about this project is our commitment to it backs in, what I know, is the great level of confidence and belief about where the Hunter is going. This is part of our plan to support the Hunter region realise its potential. We are seeing jobs here in the Hunter. This will add more jobs in the Hunter and this will be the backup that is needed for the commercial side of the industry, the commercial side of the region, to really realise its potential.
I particularly want to thank the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack for his leadership on this project, and I want to thank Michael. We were talking to Penguin Air here before, Pelican Air here before, for the great work that they have done in keeping their pilots, their crews and everyone in jobs. And that's been supported by the facilitation programme that the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack put into place. So I want to acknowledge his leadership here today, his support for this project, and his broader support for the aviation industry that has kept planes in the sky, which means we've been able to keep jobs on the ground right across the COVID pandemic, as we will going into the future.
It’s a seven and a half metre extension on either side of the runway, just to give you the details, that will allow twin-aisle planes to land, such as the Boeing 787, the Boeing 777, the Airbus A350. These aircraft can carry between 251 and 382 people. The runway works will maximise the benefits of works already completed for the terminal, to upgrade the international arrivals and departure processing facility. We've also committed some $3.8 billion, I should say, more broadly, to supports in the aviation sector since March of 2020. This will also support the works that are underway here and the projects and programmes that are being run in our Defence industry here, with the F-35s and other operations at Williamtown. So this is a win win win. It’s a win for the commercial aviation industry. It's a win for the Hunter and it's a win for the Defence operations that we run here from the Hunter, and I’ll ask now David to speak on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister.
THE HON. DR DAVID GILLESPIE MP, MEMBER FOR LYNE: Thank you, PM. We might just wait a few seconds. Another mighty Pelican Air arriving at Newcastle. Thank you, PM. It's my great honour to be here with the Prime Minister and Senator Hughes, but also, as PM mentioned, Michael McCormack couldn't be here. But it is a great announcement, not only for the increased capability for RAAF Williamtown, it is going to be a real turbocharger for the broader Hunter economy. The region that I represent sees this as their, not only their regional airport but their departure point for international travel, and extra international tourists will therefore be able to come here. Travel times, freight costs will shrink, as a result, for all the regional primary producers and food processors in the Hunter and northern New South Wales. The commercial growth, the corporate interest, manufacturing, all the industries in aerospace that will want to co-locate in Astra Aerolab, will now be turbocharged. I've worked very closely with Newcastle Airport, Ryan Palmer and Newcastle Mayor as well, to lobby for this wonderful project. And without further ado, the people of the Mid-North Coast and the Hunter region and northern New South Wales thank the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and Michael McCormack for making this project go forward. My constituents will love this announcement, as well as all the other people in the broader Hunter region. So I would now like to introduce Peter Cock, the head of Newcastle Airport. Over to you Peter.
PETER COCK, CEO, NEWCASTLE AIRPORT: Thank you, David, and thank you, everyone. I have to pinch myself. I think if I was 10 years’ younger I'd jump and click my heels, or do something like that … That’s right. Prime Minister, thank you. Having wide body aircraft come in and out of this location will change the lives of the people of the Hunter forever, for the better. This is truly a cathartic project. I'd like to thank our local members, Dr David Gillespie and Senator Hollie Hughes. Hollie, I keep, I almost say the patron saint of the, of the Hunter, but it’s actually patron senator. So, but I think that's a Freudian slip. I would also like to thank the RAAF. I think that the assistance that have been given throughout this project has been enormous, and it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the guys over the other side of the runway. I particularly like to thank Group Captains Peter Cluff and Ron Tilley. Huge achievements like this are never one organisation or one part. We had every organisation has in some way contributed, from down in the Central Coast right into Armidale, and every membership organisation. What the PM didn't know is this was a full-court press and this was, this was going to succeed. As a region we were really behind this. Newcastle Airport is already the second international gateway into New South Wales, Australia's most populous state. This has given us the chance to dream and have a vision. We're now thinking Singapore. We're now thinking the Middle East. We're now thinking the US. All these have become possible. The Prime Minister's announcement has unlocked potential of this region, the 4,500 jobs, the $12 billion of economic activity. They all add to the confidence this Government has in the Hunter region. The benefits of this will be increased connectivity. So it's felt by the local people, being able to travel internationally much more easily, and international tourists. And as has been made mention, the freight activity shouldn't be underestimated. The new jobs and the new industries that this will create, [inaudible] in our region, we probably don't even know what they are today. But this will enable them. This is a very future, forward looking project. But finally, my biggest thanks goes to the people of the Hunter region. Without your help and assistance, this project never would have happened. The speed with which the people have come back post-COVID shutdowns has blown us away. The confidence of people of our region show in our airport by our new routes and existing routes actually gives us strength. This has been a four-year effort. The strength we get from the way the people use this airport has, just keeps us going, sustains us. We exist to be the airport the region deserves and we know our region deserves to have the world at its doorstep. Finally, once again, thank you, Prime Minister. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, Peter. Jobs, jobs and jobs, up, up and away. Okay, happy to take some questions on particularly the announcement, and obviously on the other matters, but let’s start particularly while Peter is with us for questions that relate to the announcement today.
JOURNALIST: A question for Peter, actually.
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
JOURNALIST: How, how much extra noise is this going to create for communities around here?
PETER COCK, CEO, NEWCASTLE AIRPORT: The wide body aircraft are often more modern, and so more modern aircraft actually produce less noise than older aircraft. So we already have the ability to fly in additional aircraft, and in some ways a bigger aircraft with more people means there’s less actual movement. So there's noise contours across the site that are being worked up with the RAAF, so it's well within those noise contours that have already been published.
JOURNALIST: Are there going to be any additional impacts on the surrounding communities?
PETER COCK, CEO, NEWCASTLE AIRPORT: Yeah, they'll be able to fly internationally easily. Their children will be able to get jobs. The economic uplift will be amazing.
PRIME MINISTER: Other questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, there was a suggestion that you were going to announce the Kurri Kurri gas project today. Can you give us an update about what the Government's intentions for that are.
PRIME MINISTER: Well when we’re in a position to make further announcements on that then we will.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, just a related question. Last time you were here you indicated that you didn't support the extension of gas exploration licence PEP 11.
PRIME MINISTER: Correct.
JOURNALIST: Have you seen or heard anything since that time to change your mind on that?
PRIME MINISTER: No, not at all, that is firmly and absolutely [inaudible].
JOURNALIST: So, onto the Kurri Kurri gas plant, given the Tallawarra plant has been approved in the Illawarra, what impact will that have on any potential approvals of the Kurri Kurri plant?
PRIME MINISTER: Those matters are being considered separately, and I welcome the Tallawarra announcement. I think that's a great contribution to the task that we have to replace the capacity that will be lost as a result of Liddell. But the Energy Minister Angus Taylor and I know what the task is, and that means there's a lot more that still needs to be done. And that's what will be guiding our decision on Kurri Kurri. And as I said before, when I was here in the Hunter earlier in the year, this is about ensuring we have a gas-fired recovery, and that's what the Hunter needs. And I can assure you we'll be taking decisions consistent with that, and when we’re in a position to make further announcements on those matters, then we enthusiastically will.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, good morning. [Inaudible] from Sky News.
PRIME MINISTER: Hi.
JOURNALIST: With the 900 vulnerable Australians that are hoping to return home, are you aware of any vulnerable, sorry acute health cases in India at the moment of Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that advice hasn't been provided to me, but at any given time, anywhere in the world, we have lists of vulnerable Australians, and those cases are worked on with our medical professionals and, and with our posts. And we seek to provide whatever support we can in those circumstances. Where, it has been our task now for many, many months. We have already facilitated the return of around 20,000 Australians from India, and this has been a big task. And that task will commence again on the 15th of May and it will be done so safely, safely. There was a great risk when we put the border security arrangement in place through the Health Minister that we would have undermined our medium to longer term capability to bring people home. And so it was the smart, sensible, wise and compassionate thing to do to put the pause in place to ensure that it was done in a way that would have the right effect, so we'd be able to safely resume repatriation flights. So that is what the task was. That is what it's doing. The biosecurity arrangement will remain in force unchanged until the 15th of May, as it was designed to do, and then we will commence those repatriation flights again.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] people returning from India ...
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: Will they have to be tested and tested even if, before they get on a repatriation flight or?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes. Yes.
JOURNALIST: Okay. So even if they are an acute case, they’re going to be left there, in India?
PRIME MINISTER: Rapid antigen testing is a requirement and a negative test to get on board a flight to Australia. I’m sure that’s what all Australians would expect.
JOURNALIST: Regarding those flights coming back from India, which states need to do more in terms of quarantine?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the flights that we're bringing back that I've announced today will be coming into the National Resilience Facility in Darwin, at Howard Springs. That is effectively the shared Commonwealth-Territory facility that was put in place on the recommendation of Jane Halton when she did her national review of quarantine. She said that a National Resilience Facility, a facility, should be established and it has been at a cost of some half a billion dollars to federal taxpayers. And so I appreciate Michael Gunner’s, as Chief Minister, work in the Northern Territory to enable us to make this announcement today. And working with his team there at Howard Springs, as well as the AUSMAT team, have been doing a terrific job up there. Obviously, I'll be consulting with the states and territories about what they may wish to do and inviting them to participate in how we might repatriate Australians in a way that they believe they're able to assist within. But I'll have those discussions with them first.
JOURNALIST: Last time you were here, you went for a tour of the Port of Newcastle. Do you support the establishment of a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle which, by the way, would complement this announcement?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I support things that create jobs in the Hunter. So where projects are supporting jobs in the Hunter, I'm a big fan of those projects and I always try to clear away any obstacles to job creating projects in the Hunter.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you support or does Australia support waiving the patents for COVID-19 vaccines?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's a matter we're still considering.
JOURNALIST: This is something that could potentially boost global production.
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
JOURNALIST: Is that something that Australia is going to support?
PRIME MINISTER: I welcome the announcement of the United States, as I did yesterday and any decisions on Australia's part we will consider further through our own process.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you know how many of the 9,000 Australians have tested positive to COVID-19?
PRIME MINISTER: We don't have that information, but that's why they are tested before they get on the flight, and that's a necessary part of these arrangements. This is how you bring Australians safely home on a sustainable basis. And it is a requirement, as it currently is, to have PCR testing before uplift into Australia. That's true in the United Kingdom. It's true in the United States. It's true in Japan. It's true in other parts of the world, Singapore and other places that have people returning to Australia. So the requirement to have a test before getting on a flight is an existing requirement. What we're doing in relation to these repatriation flights is ensuring that we have rapid antigen testing in place as well to give ourselves a greater sense of surety that when we're bringing people back to Australia, we are minimising the risk of COVID cases being brought into the country.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can I just clarify, you mentioned the three repatriation flights through May.
PRIME MINISTER: In May.
JOURNALIST: Is that going to be enough to deal with these challenges?
PRIME MINISTER: We're going to have to deal with this flight by flight. Flight by flight, and as we have been doing now for over a year. I said we have brought back 20,000 people from India alone. 20,000, that's obviously done within the constraints of ensuring that we have a very sound quarantine system across the country. I remind you that 99.99 percent is the effectiveness of the hotel quarantine system, including the work of Howard Springs in that of our quarantine system in Australia. If I told you over a year ago we would have put in place a quarantine system that had 99.99 per cent effectiveness, I'm sure you wouldn't believe me. But that is what Australia has achieved. That is what Australia has achieved.
That is why Australia is living in a way that the rest of the world largely isn't. And I'm going to do everything within my authority to ensure that we continue to keep Australians safe, that we continue to protect the way of life we're living here in Australia, that we keep seeing the jobs coming back, that we protect the jobs from the incursion of COVID into our communities. And that means that Australians can continue to plan for their future with some confidence in a world that's incredibly uncertain. So they’re the decisions we're putting in place and the decision we've made here today to back in the Hunter, $66 million of funding to support the expansion of this effort through the widening of the runways means that we're not just protecting Australians for the here and now in the middle of COVID. We are building for the future. That's how you secure the COVID economic recovery. That's what next week's Budget is going to be all about. Securing the COVID-19 economic recovery for Australia. And right here in the Hunter, that means $66 million being invested to back the Hunter in with the widening of the runways here and supporting their future plans. Thanks very much everyone.
Resumption of Indian Repatriation Flights to Howard Springs
7 May 2021
Prime Minister, Northern Territory Chief Minister
Government chartered repatriation flights to the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs for Australians returning from India will resume on May 15, after the completion of the current temporary ban on re-entry, the Morrison and Gunner Governments confirmed today.
Since the pause on flights from India commenced there has been a sustained reduction in COVID-19 positive cases originating from India in Australia’s quarantine system.
The National Security Committee of Cabinet was advised yesterday that the pause was working and that this would allow the repatriation flights to resume after May 15.
The temporary ban will remain in place until that time, as intended.
The number of COVID-19 positive cases in the Howard Springs has fallen to 21, from more than 50 cases a week ago, and positive cases associated with previous facilitated flights from India are on track to reach zero by 14 May.
Repatriation flights into the Howard Springs will resume on May 15 with one flight per 7-9 days, with an estimated 1,000 Australians returning by the end of June. Vulnerable Australians will be prioritised on these flights.
An initial repatriation flight to Darwin will leave India on May 15. Two further repatriation flights to the Northern Territory from India will be scheduled during May.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the flight pause has given the quarantine system space to operate safely and to protect Australians from the COVID-19 pandemic, with the travel pause remaining in place until May 15 with no changes.
“The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage outside Australia’s borders and the temporary pause on flights continues to give our quarantine facilities time to reduce infection rates and reduce the risk of COVID escaping into the community,” the Prime Minister said.
“Closing our international borders and the use of quarantine for returning Australians has protected the health of all Australians during the pandemic and given us a way of life that is the envy of the world.
“I have written to state and territory leaders to invite their participation in receiving direct repatriation flights from India over the coming weeks to further assist the efforts in Howard Springs.
“I want to thank the Gunner Government, NT Health and our AUSMAT teams for continuing to provide safe and effective quarantine facilities at Howard Springs that is the best facility in the world.”
New measures will be in place for all resuming flights from India into the Northern Territory, which will require passengers to return both a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and a negative Rapid Antigen test before boarding.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said these measures ensure the Commonwealth and Territory Governments can continue to get Australians home from India safely, while ensuring the case load at Howard Springs remains manageable.
“The Territory always stands ready to help our fellow Australians and we were there to help those first Aussies home from Wuhan at the start of this pandemic,” Chief Minister Gunner said.
“There is a humanitarian crisis in India and we have the gold standard facility with the health care heroes the country needs at our Centre for National Resilience to help get Australians home safely.
“We are pleased with the drop in the active COVID-19 case load we have seen at Howard Springs since the temporary pause on re-entry from India, and our clinical advice is that it is now safe to resume flights.”
Commonwealth and Northern Territory health experts will assess the effectiveness of new pre-flight testing and isolation measures on infectivity rates in returning Australians on these May repatriation flights from India.
While Howard Springs has managed the current COVID-19 peak without a single breach, it was important to reduce the high rate of incoming active cases during the second half of April to avoid putting pressure on the facility and NT Health systems.
As a close friend and comprehensive strategic partner, Australia stands with India as it battles a surge in COVID-19 cases. More than 20,000 Australians have returned home on repatriation flights since the beginning of the pandemic. The Commonwealth and Territory governments are committed to continuing to get Australians home safely.
The Commonwealth Government’s Biosecurity Act 2015 Determination has been effective in stemming the flow of positive cases into Australia to ensure the safety of Australia’s quarantine system. The Determination was designed to be a temporary measure and the medical advice provided to the Minister for Health is that it will be safe to remove the Determination on 15 May.
The current ban on direct commercial passenger flights between India and Australia remains in place and will be reviewed shortly.
Restrictions on travel exemptions for Australians seeking to travel to India will continue.
Jobs Boom Takes Off in the Hunter with Newcastle Airport Investment
7 May 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Defence
The Morrison Government will upgrade the Newcastle Airport runway generating thousands of local jobs while creating new domestic and international travel and export destinations for Hunter and Central Coast residents and businesses.
The runway will be widened with a $66 million investment to accommodate longer range domestic and international passenger services as well as significantly increased large freight capabilities to benefit local exporters. This will maximise the benefits of works already completed on the terminal to upgrade international arrivals and departures processing.
Newcastle Airport estimates these improvements could create around 4,400 full-time jobs, deliver an additional 850,000 visitors to the region and add $12.7 billion to the local economy over the next 20 years.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the airport investment was a game changer and would provide significant economic benefits for the Hunter and Central Coast community.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to the Hunter economy, its workers and businesses and will deliver a jobs boom for the whole region,” the Prime Minister said.
“This investment will also deliver hundreds of thousands of extra tourists to the region, spending money in local businesses, while exporters in the region will be able to access increased freight flights into new international markets.
“This funding leverages our significant defence investments at RAAF Base Williamtown, not only creating local economic benefits but also making it easier for the entire local community to travel domestically, and once open again, to travel internationally to many new locations.”
The upgrades to Code E status would mean larger aircraft like Boeing 777s and Airbus 330s could land in Newcastle, with twice daily international flights expected alongside increased daily direct domestic flights.
The work will be done alongside RAAF’s scheduled runway maintenance at the Williamtown base.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government was committed to the aviation sector and maintaining Australia’s aviation infrastructure, as part of its ongoing support to ensure the sector recovers and thrives.
“This is another example of the Government backing our aviation industry, including airports, to support planes in the air and jobs on the ground,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“This has included close to $3 million in support to Newcastle Airport to assist with security screening costs, supporting half-price flights to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast through Qantas and FlyPelican and funding to maintain essential flights to and from the airport through the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This has ensured activity is sustained at the airport and today’s announcement continues to back in this support to drive the economy and to maintain jobs for the Hunter region.”
The Department of Defence will ensure local businesses are contracted through a Local Industry Capability Plan.
Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said the Government is committed to position Defence to increase our strategic competition, now and into the future.
“The upgraded lighting and runway will ensure the airfield remains in line with modern industry aviation standards. This is critically important to support the operation of fifth generation aircraft into the future,” Minister Dutton said.
“The improved drainage will allow the Australian Defence Force to support operations through heavy weather events, such as seen in NSW with the recent floods.”
Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said this was a great initiative that would lift the capability of Williamtown RAAF Base and open up new international markets for tourism and trade, boosting the region’s economy.
“Our tourism operators know what an amazing asset the airport is and as we reopen flights within Australia and later to the world the Hunter and Mid North Coast are all set to benefit,” Dr Gillespie said.
“This project will reduce cost and travel times for air-freight movements benefitting our primary producers and attract more Corporate, Defence and Aerospace to the Hunter.”
Pending parliamentary approvals, construction is expected to start later this year and be completed in 2023.
National Cabinet Statement
7 May 2021
The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response and changes to the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.
National Cabinet continues to work together to address issues and find solutions for the health and economic consequences of COVID-19.
There have been 29,897 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 910 people have died. More than 17.1 million tests have been undertaken in Australia.
Globally there have been over 155.6 million cases and sadly over 3.2 million deaths, with around 842,000 new cases and more than 13,000 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world. Sadly in India there were more than 400,000 confirmed cases in the previous 24 hours.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues to expand. To date 2,554,531 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including 81,000 in the previous 24 hours. Around 10 per cent of the Australian adult population have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 30 per cent of over 70 year olds.
The number of administration sites has expanded, with more than 5,000 general practices, general practice vaccination centres, Aboriginal health services and state clinics now administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Today, National Cabinet received a briefing from Professor Brendan Murphy, Chair of the Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly on the vaccination program and current status of the outbreak in India.
National Cabinet agreed the imperative to work together to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to Australians as quickly as possible.
National Cabinet will return to monthly meetings. The next meeting of National Cabinet will be on Friday 4 June 2021.
Recommencement Of Facilitated Commercial Flights
National Cabinet noted that since the temporary pause on flights from India commenced there has been a sustained reduction in COVID-19 positive cases originating from India in Australia’s quarantine system. The number of COVID-19 positive cases in the National Centre for Resilience at Howard Springs has fallen to 21, from more than 50 cases a week ago. Positive cases associated with previous facilitated flights from India are on track to reach zero by 14 May.
National Cabinet thanked the Indian Australian community in Australia and in India for their support and understanding during the temporary pause in passenger flights between Australia and India.
National Cabinet noted the advice that the Biosecurity Act 2015 Determination has been effective in stemming the flow of positive cases into Australia to ensure the safety of Australia’s quarantine system. The Determination was designed to be a temporary measure and the medical advice provided to the Minister for Health is that it will be safe to allow it to expire as planned on 15 May.
National Cabinet noted the agreement between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Government that facilitated commercial flights into the National Resilience Centre at Howard Springs will resume on May 15 with one flight per 7-9 days, with an estimated 1,000 Australians expected to return under these arrangements by the end of June. Vulnerable Australians will be prioritised on these flights. Passengers on flights will require mandatory PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT).
National Cabinet noted the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland Governments’ offer to accept further facilitated flights from India in May, with mandatory PCR and RAT in place and within existing quarantine capacity. South Australia will consider the arrangements over the next two weeks.
Post 15 May, transit points into Australia will be monitored carefully to ensure that positive case numbers remain within manageable levels. In particular the Commonwealth Government will work with the Sri Lankan Government to monitor the situation in Sri Lanka and whether further measures including RAT may need to be put in place to address transit point risks.
The current pause on direct commercial passenger flights between India and Australia remains in place and will be reviewed by the Commonwealth Government next week.
The Commonwealth will also consider tightening Australian Border Force (ABF) outbound travel restrictions for Australians travelling overseas and continue the restrictions in place in respect of applications for travel to high risk countries. National Cabinet agreed to vaccinate essential outbound Australian travellers with ABF travel exemptions approvals. This includes only people travelling in response to the COVID-19 outbreak including in the Pacific; urgent medical treatment; national interest; critical industries and business; compassionate and compelling grounds; urgent and unavoidable personal business.
Passenger Caps
National Cabinet noted that future agreements on capped flights between jurisdictions and the Commonwealth will be discussed bilaterally.
Q&A, Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce - Southbank, VIC
6 May 2021
LEON KEMPLER: I’m really thrilled about the $13.2 billion going into NDIS. I’m told that 20 per cent of NDIS is for mental health. What particular approach will we have in terms of NDIS and mental health? Thank you so much, I love the initiative.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks Leon. I’m actually going to leave most of that answer to Josh in the Budget next week. Mental health has been a key focus of mine as Prime Minister and particularly addressing the issues of national suicide prevention, and can I say that of the many things that have been achieved in this country over the last 14 months, and particularly here in Victoria, what was particularly achieved is that we surged support, surged support into the wonderful mental health services that we have available across the country. Whether it's Headspace or whether it's Lifeline, Beyond Blue, all of these services we surged support into. And we saw the demand for those services absolutely rocket. And it was Professor Hickey I think observed that there were at least 500 deaths by suicide that he believes we avoided over that period of time. And that is something that I can tell you is very, very good news to hear when there's been so much difficult and hard news for us to hear over the course of the last 14 months. Those mental health responses, I think have worked very, very effectively. I want to thank, without going into any one in particular, there has been so many that have to have contributed to us achieving that. But there is a lot more work to do and the intersection between mental health and the National Disability Insurance Scheme is very important. That's one of the reasons, I think why you're seeing some of the changes in participant costs in the future.
LEON KEMPLER: Thank you. On my right, Professor Duffy and then Alex Goodman on my left and then Antonio afterwards. Thank you very much, Professor Duffy.
QUESTION: Thank you so much, Leon, Prime Minister, thanks for your address. I also want to acknowledge the incredible work of the Motor Manufacturing Initiative and kickstarted it with space, from Swinburne University the director of the new Space Technology Industry Institute. Wonder if you could speak a little bit about the national space strategy. How are we going to build our national focus, a sovereign capability and in collaboration with partners, the US, Israel, and most notably, how do we become world leading and relevant to that world, an endeavour that grows faster than almost any other sector?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you for the question. The National Space Agency is now well established in South Australia in Lot 14, well led and it is already doing the work of both integrating with our many space industry sectors in collaboration together, but also with our universities and research sector, but also linking up as part of the global space community. And we're moving, I think, quite quickly and they're already well advanced on launch facilities in a number of locations and for the return of spacecraft to Australia, I should say space vessels or vehicles, and you can give me the precise term. I am not the scientist, you are. But the Space Agency, I think has proved to be a very a catalytic and binding initiative that is really giving the sector, I think, a lot of focus and a lot of direction. This is why, as part of the six priority areas that we established for our Modern Manufacturing Initiative, space was one of them, and that's been backed up by significant grants to support modernisation and collaboration and technology development in the space sector. When I was in the United States back in 2019, one of the announcements we made was our anticipation of the Mars mission. And that was exciting, very exciting to be part of that. And one of the reasons why the United States was so interested in having us involved in that was because of the sophistication of our technology when it came to digging holes in the ground. We're very good at that here and we can do it in incredibly remote places. And that was a key part of the Mars mission. And so the experience gained from being part of such a global, globally ambitious initiative I think is tremendous. And that's why we committed resources to support Australian companies and Australian industry to be part of those types of initiatives. So that the space industry now under the leadership of Minister Christian Porter, I think will only go from strength to strength both by combining the integration of our manufacturing plans and initiatives with the broader national space strategy, which is then led by the National Space Agency in South Australia.
QUESTION: Thank you for your very interesting speech Mr Prime Minister. Alex Goodman from [Inaudible] Cyber Security. As someone who does [inaudible] to Israel, can you give us any insight into when we might be able to travel again and in particular do you see a travel bubble with Israel who are now vaccinated?
PRIME MINISTER: The next step we have in dealing with COVID in terms of people being to travel, having entered the arrangements with New Zealand, is the ability for Australians who are vaccinated to be able to travel freely. Now, that includes potentially you know, in Australia where from time to time, there might be restrictions in place. But also to be able to travel to non-red countries. By that I mean, it’s not a political comment, it’s countries that are obviously not experiencing the worst of the pandemic. And that is what the AHPPC, the medical expert panel is now working on with the National Cabinet to determine when we could meet such a threshold. And while Israel is a great example of a country that is quite comprehensively through the vaccine arrangements with a much smaller population of course, that does not necessarily mean that we have yet clinical full confidence in the vaccines to prevent transmission, transmissibility. That is still not known. We have good leading indicators on that. But until we can get some firm clinical evidence that it is preventing transmissibility, that presents a great risk for Australia. So we will continue to proceed very cautiously there. The next step is ensuring Australians can do that. Australians that have been vaccinated and registered and approved vaccines in Australia to be able to return home potentially with different quarantine arrangements, preferably home quarantine arrangements or contracted quarantine arrangements where we are not there yet. The next country I have referred to that could potentially be part of an arrangement like New Zealand has been Singapore. But of course, with Israel's vaccination record it lends itself, but I wouldn't want to indicate that that is something that is yet on our agenda.
Doorstop - Melbourne VIC
6 May 2021
DR DEAN FREESTONE, CEO SEER MEDICAL: Thank you all very much for coming in today. Thank you, Prime Minister, for checking out what we’re doing here in Seer. We're certainly very excited about the future of healthcare and what AI can do to drive that journey and the future of the economy here in Australia. We're making big bets on this future and we're really glad to hear that the Australian Government is also backing us and backing the future of the economy in this area. So with that, I'd like to hand over to the Prime Minister. Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you very much, Dean. Thank you, Professor Cook and to everybody here at Seer. Thank you for the amazing job you're doing, not just for this great innovative company, but for Australia, a pioneer in this technology. Not just also, I’ve got to say, for Australia, but for the world more broadly because the applications that we've been witnessing this morning are truly magnificent and they're going to make a big change, I think, right around the world. It's great to have Jane Hume here with me, the Minister for the Digital Economy, amongst other things, and Stuart Robert, who continues to hold responsibility for Digital Agency of Government.
Our goal is to ensure that Australia is one of the top ten digital economies in the world. We have been working towards this goal now for many years. From many years ago when we started putting in place major innovations and reforms like the consumer data right, moving towards open banking arrangements. We’re particularly focused on many areas of the fintech sector to really start ramping up what we are doing. The data 61 initiatives from our Government, all designed to ensure that we were getting on the front foot to move forward into the digital economy. In last year's Budget, we put $800 million into supporting our digital transformation strategy. In this year's Budget, we’ll be putting a further $1.2 billion to give effect to that strategy. Now, that strategy is for every Australian, every single Australian. Digital transformation is not just about being able to book an Uber on your phone or to order a pizza. It's about the technology that we've seen here which enables those suffering under conditions such as epilepsy and potentially heart conditions and others, to have wearable technology that enables them to manage their condition. But more importantly, to support those who are treating them and seeking to support them with that treatment. Whether it's in the medical area, whether it's in the mining and resources area, whether it is in the financial services area. There are so many areas of our economy, well in fact, it's all about economy. If you don't think you're a digital business you soon will, because over the course of COVID we saw the rapid escalation of the digital elements of our economy become a reality in this country and we as a Government are seeking to take hold of that and ensuring that continues to propel us forward.
The digital economy is central to our Government's economic plan. We are such strong believers in doing the right things for our economy for one very straightforward purpose. With a strong economy, you can fund aged care services. With a strong economy, you can fund the pension. With a strong economy, you can fund pharmaceuticals at affordable prices for people who, if they didn't have access to them, would not live. That is the reason why a strong economy is so important in this country. If you believe in disability services, if you believe in strong health system, school education, child care, you need a strong economy to be able to drive the performance needed to pay for those world class services and we have them here in Australia. A strong economy guarantees the essential services that Australians rely on. One of our biggest challenges as part of our economic plan as we seek to secure Australia's economic recovery is in the area of digital transformation. Energy is another, as is workforce demands and skills development, but particularly digital transformation is central to Australia's economic plan and securing our economic recovery.
And so that's why I'm very pleased to be here today with Seer to see what they are doing. Because our job is to enable them. Our job is to put the right platforms in place to ensure we're supporting the incentives, the technology development. We're bringing together the collaboration. We're putting the skills together, whether it's in cybersecurity or in advanced AI technology and seeing that being realised into the future. This is all going to happen here in Australia. It's happening right here where we are in the old Repco warehouse, as I understand or plant. And now it's producing products which are going to change the way that medicine and treatments are delivered all around the world. So that's exciting. Jane, I know you're excited about it in taking on this new role and driving this digital transformation is what this $1.2 billion investment is all about, and I'll ask Jane to take you through the more specifics of that package. I'll then ask Stuart to talk about how, as a Government we're engaged in the digital transformation in how we are delivering our services to Australians and enabling our engagement of Australians so they can propel forward with the digital economy. Jane.
SENATOR THE HON. JANE HUME, MINISTER FOR SUPERANNUATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY, MINISTER FOR WOMEN’S ECONOMIC SECURITY: Thank you, Prime Minister. Is there anybody in this room that hasn't been touched by the digital economy, not just last year during COVID, but even today. Have you used contactless payments. Have you swiped in using a QR code. Have you bought something online. Is your business online? Everybody is touched by the digital economy every day and last year we saw that vaulted forward by five years in the space of just eight weeks, according to McKinsey. So how do we grasp the nettle? How do we leverage our newfound willingness to adopt digital technology and to integrate it into our lives and into our businesses. The digital economy strategy is all about that. Digital economy strategy is not just about economic empowerment for businesses and economic transformation. It is about growing the economy certainly, it is about growing more and better jobs, better and higher paying jobs. But it's also about making Australians lives better.
The digital economy strategy essentially gathers together initiatives from right across government, initiatives that we've already begun, initiatives that we want to begin now and paves a roadmap for a way forward. It starts with the infrastructure investments, those foundational investments and things like NBN and 5G and cyber security, getting the settings and the systems right for things like the consumer data right of single touch payroll. And the next step then is building capabilities in new and emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, Internet of things, exciting things that will essentially allow businesses to leverage those newfound capabilities. And then this third step is establishing our digital growth priorities in areas like small and medium enterprises. How do we get small and medium enterprises to embed digital into their businesses and take that next productivity leap. It's about our existing capabilities in things like construction, mining, agriculture. How do we embed digital technology there to make that next great productivity leap. It's about new and emerging industries like fintech and regtech and of course the gaming industry as well.
And finally, it's about digital, I nearly forgot Stuart, it's about digital government services. Sorry, who could forget, Stuart. It's about digital delivery, frictionless government services. Now, the digital economy strategy isn't just a Budget document. It's a living document that will follow us throughout our mission to make Australia a leading digital economy by 2030. It's not just a mission statement, although it is. It's not just a set of initiatives, although those initiatives are so exciting. It's also a living, breathing document that will, like technology itself keep evolving with time. 2020 was a crisis, there's no doubt about that. But 2021 is a precipice. How can we now grasp the digital and improve our lives, make our jobs again more exciting, better and higher paid, and make our economy grow faster and more sustainably? This is the time to make that next great productivity leap. The digital economy strategy is the roadmap to get there.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Jane. Stuart?
THE HON. STUART ROBERT MP, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, WORKFORCE, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: Yeah, thanks, PM. It's great to be here at Seer. Dr Freestone was telling us that his father started his life as a mechanic with Repco here in the building. How far we've come from servicing machines now to creating wearable tech that is centred around the individual. One of the impressive parts of Seer is the person is at the centre of what they do. It's a person centred design construct that integrates hardware, software, advanced AI, all connected wirelessly through to your phone, into the cloud to actually serve Australians. And it's part of where Government wants to head as well in terms of being a person centred government. We spend $7 billion a year on tech and IT and computing systems in Government. We're now going to spend that money with a consumer focused sentiment. And a core part of today's announcement is where we're going with the enhancement now to MyGov to make it a single front door for Government. The intent is citizens won't go to 30, 40, 50 different websites, portals, vortals, applications to try and get the data they need. They'll go to a single location, not dissimilar to what Services New South Wales has done with their world leading approach to a single front door to Government. And that's where MyGov is going. A single front door for a citizen to provide services at a simple, helpful, transparent and respectful, authenticated by a single digital identity across a federated model so Australians have got options. They can get in, do what they need to do quickly and seamlessly and then get on with their lives. It is a great package and it is taking Government forward. And more importantly, it's taking Government to where it's putting people first and the person, the citizen, at the absolute centre, rather than being Government departments at the centre. I think it’s a great announcement. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Stuart. Let’s take some questions on this issue and of course, as those from Seer are here with us, taking any questions you like from them as well before we move on to other issues.
JOURNALIST: Obviously, telehealth is a really big change last year. What role do you see digital services providing here in the provision of health care, particularly around mental health?
PRIME MINISTER: Massive. Absolutely massive. This is, we will have a bit more to say about this soon. But what we did see, particularly during COVID, but I’ve got to say before that. I've just come back from North Queensland where we had the devastating floods that took away about half a million head of cattle. And if you can imagine what it would be like to lose an entire generation of work on one of those stations, and the devastation that hit those communities, not just physically but mentally as well, that is where we once again really understood the value and power of using digital and telephone and other services to reach people in remote places. We saw the same thing during COVID here in Melbourne. And I know that, as we worked through the great challenges of the second wave here in Victoria, it was the reach out that we did by expanding those services. Whether it was telehealth or areas in Headspace or many other programs, we were able to ensure we reached out to Australians in need at that time. So, one of the things you'll see in next week's Budget is we will be demonstrating that we will keep doing what works. The things that we know have worked during COVID, I think, have unleashed new opportunities for how we deliver services in this country, and will enable us to double down in many of these areas. And in mental health, the ability to use these types of facilities and services is significant. And for a big, remote country like Australia, where not everybody can just pop down the road to the local high street and pop in to see someone, in remote parts of this country, that is extremely difficult. So the use of digital services and technology to support whether it's in mental health or physical health, or the most simple of things, you'd think when it comes to remote sensing of water temperatures and crops, or in pastures and places like that. At Beef Week, and it sounds a bit odd to be talking about Beef Week in Rockhampton here in Melbourne, but it isn't really, because you all consume what comes out of Beef Week here in Melbourne at some of the best restaurants in the world, as well as some of the best home kitchens, I'm sure. But the innovation I saw at Beef Week with the agricultural sensing, the capturing of the data, the analytics that went behind that, is transforming our agricultural industries. And it's also helping them to reduce emissions at exactly the same time with how they're reviewing how they're consuming feed and things of that nature. So, every business is a digital business. Every health operation is a digital health operation now. And I think COVID has reinforced that more than any other time that I can recall.
JOURNALIST: Just on the Government's digital ID being rolled out to private companies, what's the point of that? How would those companies use it in practice. And what sort of privacy protections will be in place.
PRIME MINISTER: Great question. Stuart?
THE HON. STUART ROBERT MP, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, WORKFORCE, SKILLS, SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS: Thanks. The great nirvana when it comes to identity is to have a single digital identity framework. No country in the world has cracked this, but Australia has. A single trusted digital identity framework that all the state and territory Ministers have now agreed to. It's a federated model which means MyGov ID, created by the Commonwealth Government. Australia Post has created Digi ID. Pharmacies are looking at Pharmacy ID. The Australian Payments networks are looking at EFTPOS ID. So any Australian can choose any of those digital identities and you can sign seamlessly into Australian Government computing. With states and territories now on board, it means as they build out their authentication frameworks, with a single digital ID you can sign in to all of Australian Federal Government systems, you’ll be able to sign into state government systems, banks, telcos will all follow to build out a same authentication framework, a 100-point check, no more user ID and passwords, in a perfect world. I've got 320 user IDs and passwords. In fact, I've got an application I use just to store my user IDs and passwords, and I bet everyone here has. But a single digital secure identity can replace all that and with the nation signed up, it’ll be the world's first country as a whole to have a single digital identity. If you do a national police check with Queensland Police right now, you'll use your digital identity. If you go and look at your unique student identifier, you will use your digital identity. If you go to MyGov, you'll use it. Protections are extraordinary. We're up to the fourth issue of it. The Privacy Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, have all been through it. The tightness of it, it's a double blind system, whereby no personal information is being presented when the digital identity is used to ensure the privacy is paramount. This is really world leading, what we're doing here.
PRIME MINISTER: I'm really pleased you asked that question, because it goes to what is the role of Government in this space. So much of the innovation and the commercialisation rightly takes place in places like Seer. That's where we want it to take place. But for that to occur, that has to be a platform upon which the industry can operate. That means the cyber security framework, the regulatory framework. One of the biggest innovations to enable the digital economy in this country was the new payments platform, where we go to 24/7 instantaneous payments through our banking system that enables the attaching of any amount of information that you want to design, to ensure that that can facilitate the type of transactions that are taking place in the digital economy. Now, that is enabling. And that is our job, to enable. As both Jane and as Stuart have said, having those systems whether it's the digital identity, whether it is the regulatory framework, the fintech support, the consumer data right, all of this means that then the industry that knows what to do with this and gets on and does it, and they develop amazing technology like we see here. And then we kick in again, whether it's through the export market development grants or the work that we do to support our exporters around the world. Right now, we are literally we are paying for flights to take this stuff around the world, whether it's beef or whether it's technology, we're keeping Australia connected to the world through COVID. Ok. I think we might be moving on other items, that was predictable. Ok well, thank you very much, guys. It's really exciting to be here with you, please.
JOURNALIST: I just wanted to know when you are likely to make a decision on the travel ban to India?
PRIME MINISTER: The travel ban is in place until the 15th of May. It was always put in place as a temporary ban. A temporary ban to ensure that we will be able to sustainably bring Australians home safely to Australia, both protecting them and protecting Australians. And so it has always been a temporary pause. The National Security Committee of Cabinet is meeting this afternoon. We will get an update on how that pause is progressing and the information I already have is the pause is working. The pause is putting us in a place to ensure that we'll be able to safely bring people home. And the early evidence indicates that that temporary pause to the 15th of May is on track and that we are very hopeful and confident that on the other side of the 15th of May we will be able to start restoring those repatriation flights. But that decision hasn't yet been taken. We will do it on the basis of the evidence, on the basis of the medical advice. And so as I said, this afternoon the National Security Committee of Cabinet is meeting on these matters, joined by the Health Minister, of course. Tomorrow the National Cabinet is meeting and I will update them on where that is at. In terms of the direct flights, there were only direct flights that come into Sydney, that is a matter that we'll continue to work through with the New South Wales Government. They've got obviously some challenges right at this moment that they're dealing with and we'll work through those issues, as we always do with the New South Wales Government. Equally, if state governments are in a position to want to be able to take repatriation flights back into Australia, whether here in Melbourne or elsewhere, that opportunity will obviously be there for them to take that in. We'll be bringing our repatriation flights when they restore into Howard Springs, where we are already seeing the number of cases fall. And we're on track.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, just when you are likely make that decision about lifting the travel ban?
PRIME MINISTER: Before the 15th of May.
JOURNALIST: Just some time before then?
PRIME MINISTER: What I've said is there will be a meeting today and there will be a meeting tomorrow and we will further review that evidence and that advice. And when we're in a position to confirm the restart of repatriation flights based on that advice, then I can assure you, as has always been our practice that I will be quick, as will the Health Minister to relay that information. As we always have been.
JOURNALIST: You spoke this morning about Michael Slater and you understand his frustrations about Australians in India. David Littleproud said Michael Slater was a spoilt brat and should grow up. Is that appropriate?
PRIME MINISTER: I've made my comments regarding what Michael has said. I understand his frustration and I understand his deep concern for the people of India. What I have to say though, is I'm even more understanding of the many, many, many hundreds of thousands, millions of Australians of Indian descent or heritage and have so many family members who are affected, who aren’t Australian citizens, who aren’t Australian residents, and will be remaining in India. That's why I'm pleased that the more than 40 oxygen concentrators, over 1,000 ventilators have already touched down in India and that has been welcomed by the Indian Government. The Foreign Minister of India and our Foreign Minister met yesterday virtually in the UK. That was a very positive meeting and the Indian Government was very appreciative of the great support that Australia is giving to India. They understand the arrangements we have in place and we welcome the very, very strong diplomatic engagement we've had with them.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we heard overnight that the number of vulnerable Australians in India has now been escalated from 600 to 900. Obviously, we're going to have flights starting at some point again.
PRIME MINISTER: Very soon.
JOURNALIST: Hopefully in a few weeks, but until then, what is the Australian Government doing to help vulnerable or even sick Australians in India at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: The same thing we have been doing for over a year. And that's to provide the support through our consular offices. We have a hardship fund that already has extended over $30 million of support to people all around the world, not just in India. We have brought already just 20,000 Australian citizens and residents home from India through repatriation flights, directly arranged repatriation flights, and other facilitated flights. 20,000. And the challenge is, as it is all around the world, that as we bring more people home, there are more people who still want to come home and they get added to those lists. So, through our Consular offices and through the High Commission there, led by High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell, they are providing that support directly to people who are in those situations, as they have done now, and as we have done in many countries, not just in India. In Brazil, in other parts of the world, in Indonesia, in Papua New Guinea. And even in places where there are not as many Australians but we provide support through our network of missions and consular offices all around the world, be it in Africa, in Europe, in the United States. Our diplomatic corps have been doing an extraordinary job, often at great risk to themselves. You'll remember that it was consular officials who got in a car and drove from Shanghai to Wuhan, went themselves, personally, volunteered, went there, supported and set up those first repatriation flights when we took people out of Wuhan at the start of the pandemic. So, our consular staff and diplomatic staff around the world will keep doing the great job supporting Australians that they've been doing not just recently, for a very long time.
JOURNALIST: Is there much that they can offer, though, if India’s health system is really suffering and Indians themselves are having a really hard time accessing consular support?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course it's challenging. It's challenging in many countries. It's challenging in Pakistan. It's challenging in Papua New Guinea. It's challenging in many countries around the world. But they're highly trained, they're highly skilled, and they provide whatever support they can. Australia will be bringing people back home from India soon, as we already have some 20,000 registered Australian citizens and others for travel and we look forward to doing that. Had we not taken the decision that we've taken most recently, we would have been putting at risk our ability to do that on a sustainable basis. We took this decision in the interests of Australians' health and safety and national interests, as well as the health and safety of those we want to be able to bring home.
JOURNALIST: The Biden Administration said overnight said it would support waiving intellectual property rights on the development of COVID-19 vaccines. Will your Government support that as well?
PRIME MINISTER: It's great news. It's tremendous news. You've heard what the New South Wales Government has said about mRNA vaccines. You've heard what we’ve said about it. It was last night I was on one of my regular calls with many of the European leaders, as well as from Israel and New Zealand and a few others, and we regularly discuss these issues and setting up our own manufacturing capabilities. As you know, here in Melbourne, we've done that with the AstraZeneca vaccine already, which is a very good vaccine, and I would encourage Australians, over 50s now, you can go and get that vaccine. Jenny had hers yesterday. And what's important is you can do that through your GPs. In Victoria, there's almost 600,000 Victorians in aged care and right across the state who have already been vaccinated. More than half of those have been done by Victorian GPs. And I want to send a special shout out to all those Australians of Indian heritage and Indian ancestry who are working in our health system. While they're worried about family members back in India, they're there supporting Australians in their GP clinics, in our health system, and I want to say a special thank you to you, alongside all of the other health workers. More than half the vaccinations now, over 300,000 here in Victoria, have been done by Victorian GPs. And right across the country now we'll soon approach 2.5 million. And that vaccination program, yesterday we had figures approaching just shy of 80,000. And so I want to thank Australians for coming out and getting vaccinated. It's important that you do. We are doing everything we can to prevent a third wave here in Australia. And it's very important that we vaccinate, particularly the most vulnerable of Australians, and we're making great progress on that with our aged care population. But if you're over 70 in particular, please book your vaccination. Please get there for your vaccination, go and see your GP, and ensure you will be given priority as someone aged over 70 in that priority group, to ensure that you are safely vaccinated. Anyway, well it's great to be here.
JOURNALIST: One more question for you, Prime Minister. Victorians who are very keen to see hotel quarantine or quarantining of overseas arrivals moved out of hotels. What can you tell Victorians about the likelihood of the Federal Government taking up the Victorian Government on their offer about a new facility?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I can understand the anxiety, given the second wave. But let's not forget here in Victoria, while there was absolutely the breach of quarantine that occurred here and the reports of that and the reviews that have been done set that out, but that is not the only protection. Even more importantly, because there will be occasionally outbreaks from quarantine, is the further ring of containment, which is the testing and the tracing. There have been outbreaks in New South Wales, there have been outbreaks in Western Australia, in Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, but it didn't progress to the second wave proportions that we saw here in Victoria. Quarantine is one link in the chain. It's not every link in the chain. And Australia's hotel quarantine has a 99.99 per cent success rate. If you'd asked me to put in place with the states and territories a year ago a system that I could tell you would have a 99.99 per cent success rate in Australia for breaches from quarantine, you would have said that I was over promising. But that's what this country has achieved in the past more than 12 months. That's what's been achieved. So, there can be outbreaks that occur from any quarantine system anywhere in the world. Fortunately, in Howard Springs we still have 100 per cent success rate there, but no one's complacent about that. It's not just about quarantine, it's about the testing and it's about the contact tracing. And there were serious issues that had to be addressed there during the course of that second wave as well. We're looking very seriously at what is a comprehensive proposal that's been put forward. As always, any proposal that comes from a state government comes with a big request for a large amount of funding. I welcome the fact though, the Victorian Government is putting this forward and saying, No, we'll run it. We'll put our people there to run this system. I welcome that. I think that's a very good move, because it understands that they are enforcing a Victorian State Government public health order. That's what quarantine does, I should stress. Quarantine is enforcing state public health orders. That's why state governments are the ones actually delivering it. That's what we agreed at National Cabinet in March of last year. So, we will look at this proposal. We'll look at it carefully. But I do remind, when it comes to the investment the Commonwealth Government has made in COVID, if you add up every single dollar every single state and territory has spent, both in economic supports and health supports, double it, go a bit further, and that's what the Commonwealth has invested in COVID, some $267 billion. In Victoria, I think it's around $44 billion. So, I think there is room for all states and territories to do more, just like there is room for the Commonwealth to keep doing our bit. We've invested half a billion dollars in the Howard Springs facility, which this month goes to 2,000 capacity. And that's where we'll be bringing Australians from India home. Thanks very much.
Interview with Neil Mitchell, 3AW
6 May 2021
NEIL MITCHELL: Scott Morrison, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Neil.
MITCHELL: Prime Minister, Australians in India, you're planning rescue flights next week. We're told 9,000 there, up to 900 to 1,000 vulnerable. How vulnerable? Are their lives at risk?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, India is a very difficult place to be, there's no doubt about that. That's why we've already brought back 20,000 Australians registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and many more. And that's included in 28 specific flights with Qantas from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Calcutta and we've been doing this for a long time. And we put this temporary pause in place. That pause is working. The number of cases is coming down. Our National Security Committee meeting this afternoon, National Cabinet meets tomorrow. We'll look at that evidence again. But the 15th of May is looking good. And the reason we did this is so we can resume those repatriation flights safely and do it sustainably so we could get more people home, that's what this is about.
MITCHELL: But how urgent is it? Are these Australian lives in danger at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that if someone has COVID and-
MITCHELL: 900 vulnerable people there, we're told.
PRIME MINISTER: Of course, of course. But, Neil, we have to make decisions at the end of the day which ensures we do everything we can to prevent a third wave also here in Australia-
MITCHELL: I understand that, I understand that entirely. I agree with it. But I'm getting to the point of how many of the people there have to be got out urgently?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there is the capability for medevacs, that already exists. And there are exemptions that were built into the order which was put in place by the Health Minister based on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer. So these risks, the chief medical advisers advice was, was that they can be mitigated and the fact that it's a temporary arrangement, that means that is the best mitigation. And that's why we're moving quickly to improve the rapid antigen testing arrangements that are in place, not just for people coming through those direct flights, but in other parts. This is a matter I discussed with other prime ministers last night on a hookup with European leaders, and we were talking about the India situation. The good news is, is that those respirators, over 1,000 of them, arrived yesterday. The oxygen concentrators, that's been warmly received by the Indian government in a meeting with the Foreign Minister, our Foreign Minister just last night.
MITCHELL: Good. Just before I leave the issue of the Australians there, if their lives are in danger, can they be medevaced out?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, those arrangements are always in place when we have situations like this, but we don't have any of those cases. Barry O'Farrell is the High Commissioner there. He monitors all of this very carefully and if there are serious issues, then we manage those through the High Commission and our consular offices. So that is not a new arrangement, I should say, that is an arrangement, which they do all the time.
MITCHELL: So when would you hope to have the first rescue flight on the ground in India?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we are, I'm not going to commit to that at this point because we still have to review the evidence. The pause finishes on the 15th of May. I'm very confident that after the 15th of May thereafter, those repatriation flights are going to be able to be restored. But I'm not going to make that announcement until we've gone through the evidence, taken the medical advice, reviewed that and put in place what we need to ensure that happens. But I can tell you, the pause is working. It was the right decision for Australia's health and safety, but it was also the right decision to ensure that we can sustainably and safely bring Australian citizens, residents and their direct families back from India.
MITCHELL: So how long will it take to get the 9,000 back?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this has been the challenge all the way through. Every time, you know, you get a thousand people come home, another thousand people go on the list. And that's been the challenge. Neil, I'll tell you something, since the 24th of April, 687 people living in Australia have applied to go to India. All of those 687 applications have been rejected, I should stress. But this is one of the challenges that we have. There is about 9,000 Australians who are registered there. There were 20,000 that we've already been able to bring home and because of the very serious situation. I mean, John Hopkins University says there were more COVID cases reported last week than in the entirety of the first four months of 2020. So this is a pandemic we're dealing with and we've got to take decisions in the national interest, which I know you've been very understanding of that. And I want to thank the Indian community here in Australia, in particular, for their understanding. I particularly want to thank those who are members of our medical profession. As you know, we have so many Australians of Indian heritage who work in our health system, and they are heroes along the way alongside all the rest of our health workers in this country.
MITCHELL: I would argue you've perhaps made a mistake in emphasising punishment, which is what happened. Would you agree that that was a mistake?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we didn't. The media did.
MITCHELL: Oh, I think, I mean, there was a press statement put out on it, wasn’t there, on the weekend, by Greg Hunt?
PRIME MINISTER: There was simply a statement of what the Biosecurity Act does as a way of fact.
MITCHELL: Ok.
PRIME MINISTER: This is not something that was accentuated by Greg Hunt or me or anyone else. It was picked up on in the media and they've highlighted that. But as I've said, it's highly, highly remote that the extremes of those sanctions would apply in these circumstances because they've been in place for 14 months, and no one's been to jail.
MITCHELL: The UN High Commissioner on human rights says there are serious concerns we may have breached human rights obligations. Your reaction?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't believe we have. We're doing the right thing not only by Australians here, but I believe we're doing the right thing by the Australian residents and citizens we're trying to bring home to ensure that we can do that safely. I mean, one of the things that we had to be careful of, Neil, was that if we hadn't done this, then we would have probably had to pause flights coming out of Doha, out of Dubai, many other ports where Australians are coming back from many other places. So this ensured that we could keep those flights going and those Australians coming home and that's what we continue to do.
MITCHELL: So when these people come back and hopefully the 9,000 as quickly as possible, if they all want to come, where do they go? Where will you put them?
PRIME MINISTER: They'll be coming principally into Howard Springs and that's the facility that we've set up there. It has cost around half a billion dollars to set up that facility with the Northern Territory Government. The expansion of their capacity from 850 to 2,000 this month will greatly assist us in doing that. This was the facility that was recommended by the Halton Review, when Jane Halton did a review of all about our quarantine facilities. She said a national facility needed to be set up. We agreed. We've done it in the Northern Territory, 2,000 capacity and at a cost of half a billion dollars to the Australian taxpayer.
MITCHELL: Ok. But if you're handling 2,000 there, they've got to be there two weeks don’t they, in quarantine?
PRIME MINISTER: You roll them through and one of-
MITCHELL: So it’s going to take quite a while to get the 9,000 back, isn't it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that there has been direct flights that have been going to New South Wales and we'll be discussing that with the New South Wales Premier. She's been incredibly supportive there. I mean, the suggestion I mean, there is-
MITCHELL: Will any come to Victoria?
PRIME MINISTER: That would be a matter we'd have to discuss with the Victorian Premier. If any of the other states and territories wish to take repatriation flights into their states then, of course, we would welcome that. We're focusing our attention on bringing them through the facility we've established with that 2,000 person capacity. But I know that in New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian has been very supportive of these efforts and of the pause. And I know she will be keen to sort of restore that when we're in a position to do that as well. But they're commercial flights that have been coming in to New South Wales.
MITCHELL: Michael Slater has had another go at you today. He says how about you take your private jet, come and witness the dead bodies in the street. Now, he's clearly emotional and he's stuck in the Maldives. Have you thought of giving him a call?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, to be honest, I haven't. Of course, I've been a bit focused on actually managing the pandemic itself and the many other challenges we have here. I understand, though, that he's upset. I understand that he's frustrated. I understand that many people are. And I understand that particularly those in our cricketing community have deep connections with India. I mean, I think of the work Steve Waugh has done over there and many other cricketers supporting charitable causes, both there and here in Australia to support them. So I understand the deep feeling. But as Prime Minister, Neil, I have to make decisions in Australia's national interests. I have to make sure we keep Australians safe and that we can bring Australians safely home. And that's what this is doing. I understand that Michael disagrees with my decision. I respect that. He's a fellow Australian and I look forward to him being able to return safely home after having spent the time where he's had to spend it in the meantime.
MITCHELL: Do we still have to face the risk when we start bringing people back that the mutant or the variant, perhaps a triple mutant of the virus, gets into Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is what we're seeking to protect against-
MITCHELL: I know, but people tell me it’s inevitable. Is it inevitable?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's very challenging, Neil. I mean, this is what I keep saying about the pandemic. Just because we could put 100,000 people in the G does not mean the pandemic is over. And that's why we have to be very cautious. I accept that this is a highly cautious decision that the Health Minister and I have made. But cautious decisions have proved very effective for us over the course of the last 18 months. I remember when we put the flight ban out of mainland China at the start of the pandemic. I was attacked for that at the time. I don't think anyone thinks that was an unwise decision 14 months later.
MITCHELL: There's a 73 year old man, Australian man, stuck in Bangalore who's taking legal action against you, I think today. Will you fight that or can you somehow negotiate that through and save the money?
PRIME MINISTER: That matter is before the courts and so I don't propose to offer any comment on that. I mean, we will work with the court process.
MITCHELL: You mentioned the possibility of Victorian hotel quarantine being used. In the Australian newspaper had ugly detail on breaches in the system this year. Are you confident that the Victorian hotel quarantine system is operating adequately?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's the confidence that is expressed by the Victorian government. That has been-
MITCHELL: But they said that last year, they said that last year and 800 people died, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: I understand. I understand, Neil, very acutely. And that's why further reviews were done again by Jane Halton and others to look at that system. Many improvements have been made. And so we welcome all of those. The proposal that has been put to us, I take it, is a very serious and well considered and comprehensive.
MITCHELL: This is the Mickleham one?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah.
MITCHELL: They didn’t consult Jane Halton on that.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, I think it's not inconsistent. I don't think it's inconsistent when you put it in Jane's-
MITCHELL: So will you put money into it?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll consider these things. What I do welcome, though, is this is a very comprehensive proposal. It says the Victorian Government would run and operate those facilities. And that sort of reinforces the role that state governments have in enforcing their own public health orders. And so we look at it carefully. I'm not tipping my hat on this one or the other at this point, but I do consider it a very constructive proposal.
MITCHELL: Is it possible you could fund the whole thing, as they want?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm not indicating on that, at this point, Neil. We're considering it at the moment. It's being assessed by the Home Affairs Department. We'll talk to the Victorian Government. I mean, the Australian Commonwealth Government has, when you add up everything that all the states and territories have done to support COVID, both on health and on their economic supports, double it and then add a bit more and that's what the Commonwealth Government has done. $267 billion. So there is capacity, I'm sure, for all states and territories to continue to do their own lifting when it comes to the economic and health support. They've been doing it here in Victoria. They've been one of the states that actually have spent a lot.
MITCHELL: It would have to be a shared expense by the sound of it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll work that proposal through. Neil. I'm not about to-
MITCHELL: It's not, it's not smoke and mirrors. Peter Dutton described it as smoke and mirrors. It's got more substance than that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Home Affairs Department is assessing it carefully. The Home Affairs Minister is doing that work with the Victorian Government. I look forward to what they say and what they bring back and then take it from there. But I do think it's a fair dinkum proposal.
MITCHELL: Good. When do you think every Australian will have had their first shot of the vaccine?
PRIME MINISTER: Hard to say at this stage. Well, it's also every Australian who wishes to have one, I should stress. That number is a bit hard to determine. I mean, Jenny had hers yesterday and we've seen the over 50s now. I mean, maybe people didn't think she was, and I would agree. But that's it. She's had her vaccination yesterday. And I've got to say, Victoria's doing a very good job on this new rollout and-
MITCHELL: Well, that’s true, but it has stagnated around the country. I noticed Peter Collignon, some of the others, saying let's get the over 70s back in there quickly. Let's focus on the over 70s.
PRIME MINISTER: We are and what we've seen, we've had 2.4 million people. There was 80,000, just under that, who were vaccinated past 24 hours to yesterday. Victoria now has the highest number of people vaccinated through their state system. That's over 230,000. But right across Victoria, there's just shy of 600,000 who have been vaccinated and I've got to say, more than half of those have been vaccinated by Victorian GP's through the Commonwealth system.
MITCHELL: What's your view, what's your view of the vaccination passport so you can travel more freely or go more freely if you've been vaccinated? You've had the vaccine.
PRIME MINISTER: I do like this idea. I have been saying this for a while, but we've got to make sure that the health systems can support that. I mean, what I would, the next step is this and when it can be taken is not yet clear. But if you are fully vaccinated that you would be able to, be able to travel and certainly around Australia but even potentially overseas without having to go through the hotel quarantine and some other form of a bridged quarantine in Australia. But, Neil, there's two things that need to be satisfied to do that. One is we need more evidence that the vaccine protects against transmissibility and that is still not at the clinical standards needed to do that. So we don't know that yet. Secondly, we also need to be confident that the isolation quarantine arrangements that you put in place outside hotels, say, in a person's home, that that could be done effectively. Now, that is what the medical expert panel is working on right now. And ultimately, that will be up to each state and territory because they administer these things. That's their public health orders that would have to be satisfied to get us to that next step. So I think that is the next step. But I still think that's that step is still some way away.
MITCHELL: Prime minister, I might quickly, something else. China, the Taiwanese Foreign Minister in the Financial Review today says Taiwan is getting ready for a final assault from China. He wants our support. Do we stand with Taiwan?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've always honoured all of our arrangements in the Indo-Pacific, particularly our alliance with the United States. We're very cognisant of the uncertainties in our region, Neil, and I'm not one to, you know, speak at length on these things because I don't wish to add to any uncertainty. But that's why we have the security arrangements we have in place. We've always understood the one system, two countries arrangement and we will continue to follow our policies there.
MITCHELL: So does that mean we stand with Taiwan?
PRIME MINISTER: One country, two systems, I should say.
MITCHELL: We stand with Taiwan?
PRIME MINISTER: We’ve always stood for freedom in our part of the world, Neil.
MITCHELL: Ok. You might not be using the language, but a few in your government are, including bureaucrats and the Defence Minister, Peter Dutton. Is it correct that what the head of Home Affairs had to say about the drums of war beating were, in fact, authorised by the Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that's not the case.
MITCHELL: Not the case? Alright.
PRIME MINISTER: No.
MITCHELL: Do you accept that China is a destabilising influence in the world?
PRIME MINISTER: We want China and Australia and the whole region to work together. And the best way to do that is to ensure the rule of law and how we operate, that we respect trade laws, that we keep the South China Sea free and open for transit. I mean, that's what ensures that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open. That's what we're for, a free and open Indo-Pacific. And whoever is in favour of that, we're working well together with them.
MITCHELL: Are you aware the Andrews Government's got a second secret deal with China, which encourages investment in Victorian infrastructure?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I haven't seen any details of that. We've just done the review of all of those things. As you know, we terminated the arrangement of the BRI in Victoria-
MITCHELL: Will you review this one, it was signed in 2017?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, any arrangements that are inconsistent with Australia's foreign policies, well, the Foreign Minister will cancel them, and that's what she's already done in Victoria. And you can expect us to continue to act consistent with that.
MITCHELL: The Energy Minister told me this week China was welcome to apply to help rebuild the energy infrastructure in Victoria. Are you comfortable with China building our energy infrastructure?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, regardless of who it is, all of those situations are subject to Australian federal foreign policies and foreign investment settings and that's where those decisions are ultimately taken and that's what will happen on any such proposal. They would have to satisfy the review of the Foreign Investment Review Board, headed up, I should stress, by the former head of ASIO and ASIS, David Irvine. I appointed him there myself as Treasurer, who I know has a very keen eye for protecting Australia's security interests when it comes to foreign investment.
MITCHELL: And that would need a close look if they're going to build our electricity system?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course it would but what I need to stress here is that state governments can have opinions on these things, but the Federal Government has the authority and the responsibility.
MITCHELL: Was it a mistake to lease the Port of Darwin to China?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that was a decision by the Northern Territory government, not the Federal Government.
MITCHELL: It was endorsed by the Federal Government.
PRIME MINISTER: No, it was not, it was not.
MITCHELL: Was not? Ok, I thought it was approved. I thought it wouldn’t get through otherwise.
PRIME MINISTER: No, no, it wasn't. Dennis Richardson, who was the then Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, sorry, the Secretary of Defence, said things at the time at an Estimates hearing, which was not critical of that decision and was, in fact, somewhat supportive.
MITCHELL: So it was a mistake. Wasn’t it? Was it a mistake?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, Neil, this is something that the Defence Department is looking at again, along with our security agencies. A lot has changed since now and then. My simple point is it wasn't a Federal Government decision. There was a decision of the Northern Territory Government. That is a decision that they took under their own authority. As Treasurer, following that, I worked with the states and territories to change the laws so that those decisions that hadn’t been subsequently have to come to the Federal Government. That was a good change. Now, if the defence and security agencies have strong views or their view has changed from what the secretary of Defence Dennis Richardson said all those years ago, then I would expect them to tell the Government.
MITCHELL: Have you seen the latest Chinese propaganda aimed at our armed forces again, accusing Australia of sanctioned massacres, covering up murders in Afghanistan, having a death list. Have you seen that?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I think I've been pretty clear about my view on those sorts of things in the past. And my views are consistent with that.
MITCHELL: Nuclear power, Boris Johnson says he wants he's urging Australia to have zero emissions by 2050 and nuclear power is the way to go. Could we go nuclear?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I mean, I think from memory in the UK, it's about almost 20 per cent, it might be 15 to 20 per cent of their total power generation there. In France, it's 70 per cent. And that's why in Europe they're in that position where they can do that. Now, as you know, in Australia, there's a moratorium on that. It's always been our view that if the moratorium like that were to be lifted, it would require bipartisanship. The Labor Party are completely opposed to that. But I mean, Bill Gates makes a very similar point about nuclear. I think the one that we're focused very much on is on hydrogen and that has enormous, enormous potential. But I mean, Boris's point about the role of nuclear and getting to net zero will be experienced that in both Europe, the United States and Canada, UK, I think is fairly clear. But that is outright opposed by the Labor Party so that doesn't leave us too much option for bipartisan support on that.
MITCHELL: Thank you so much for your time, I appreciate it. I'm sorry we haven’t got longer, I could go all day. But I know you're busy and thank you for your time. Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
A Modern Digital Economy to Secure Australia's Future
6 May 2021
Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy
The Morrison Government is investing almost $1.2 billion in Australia’s digital future through the Digital Economy Strategy, as part of this year’s Federal Budget.
The strategy outlines the policies and actions the Government is taking to grow Australia’s future as a modern and leading digital economy by 2030.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said one of our biggest challenges and opportunities turns on how we respond to the digital transformation occurring in every sector and every facet of our lives.
“Every business in Australia is now a digital business. The tradesman or woman who seeks work through AirTasker. The landscaper who finds most of their new business through search engine placement and social media. The farmer who keeps track of their herd with electronic tags or drones. The local Thai restaurant that sells through UberEats, MenuLog, Deliveroo, or any one of half a dozen different food apps. The gym where members book their classes through an app,” the Prime Minister said.
“This transformation is not merely a national one that needs to happen – it’s a global one that is happening.
“We must keep our foot on the digital accelerator to secure our economic recovery from COVID-19.”
The Strategy targets investment in emerging technologies, building digital skills, encouraging business investment and enhancing Government service delivery.
Through the Strategy the Morrison Government is investing in jobs for Australians now and into the future with key initiatives including:
Over $100 million to support digital skills for Australians including a new pilot program for work-based digital cadetships that offer a flexible way for workers to build digital skills, investments in the cyber workforce, and scholarships for emerging technology graduates.
Building Australia’s capability in Artificial Intelligence with $124.1 million in initiatives, including a National Artificial Intelligence Centre led by CSIRO Data 61, supported by a network of AI and Digital Capability Centres to drive adoption of AI across the economy.
Enhancing Government services through a $200.1 million investment to overhaul myGov, making it easier than ever for Australians to find the services they need, as well as a $301.8 million investment to enhance the My Health Record and an expansion of the digital identity system.
Investment incentives to support business growth, including a Digital Games Tax Offset of 30 per cent to support Australia taking a greater share of the $250 billion global game development market, and changes to the way Australian businesses can claim depreciation of intangible assets like intellectual property and in-house software.
Helping small and medium businesses build their digital capacity through a $12.7 million expansion of the Digital Solutions - Australian Small Business Advisory Service, and $15.3 million to drive business uptake of e-Invoicing.
$35.7 million to support emerging aviation technologies like drones, including grants to support the use of these technologies to address priority needs in regional Australia.
Unlocking the value of data in the economy and setting the standards for the next generation of data management, including $111.3 million to accelerate the rollout of the Consumer Data Right in banking, energy and telecommunications.
Strengthening safety, security and trust with over $50 million to enhance cyber security in government, data centres and future telecommunications networks.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said a vibrant digital economy is key to Australia’s economic future.
“Our Digital Economy Strategy will allow Australian businesses to capitalise on the opportunities that digital technologies are creating,” the Treasurer said.
“Greater digital adoption will improve our competitiveness and lift our productivity – driving job creation and higher wages.”
Minister for the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Jane Hume, said the 2021-22 Budget represents a landmark investment in Australia’s digital future.
“So many Australians are already participating in the digital economy, some without even realising it. Every contactless purchase, e-Invoice, business website or small business going online – it’s all part of it and it’s growing rapidly,” Minister Hume said.
“This is a really exciting announcement, which will drive investment and uptake of emerging technologies, unlock the value of data, build skills for a modern economy, and enhance Government service delivery.
“We want to improve Australians’ standard of living, create jobs and make access to Government services easier.
“Twenty years ago you might have looked in the phone book to find a plumber, now we turn to Google and comparison services – we get quotes within the same day and pay software generated invoices on our mobiles. Think about how much time and administration work that saves. Australians rightly expect the Government to keep up with them, and to help chart the next step forward, and that’s exactly what we are doing with this Strategy.”
The Strategy builds on the Morrison Government’s investments in infrastructure, skills, cyber security, regulations and digital trade, taking the digital economy spend to around $2 billion over the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Budgets, on top of the $1.67 billion Cyber Security Strategy 2020, $1 billion for JobTrainer and the $4.5 billion investment in NBN upgrades.
The full Digital Economy Strategy will be released on Budget night, alongside further measures that support and complement the Strategy.
For more information visit: digitaleconomy.pmc.gov.au
Doorstop - Garbutt, QLD
5 May 2021
PHIL THOMPSON OAM, MP, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: Thank you all for coming here today. And it's always good to be joined in Townsville with the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison. The PM is a frequent flyer to this region. He spends a lot of time in Townsville and I'm sure that he'll be up again soon to come to a Cowboys game, since we've poached Townsend from the Sharks. But I'll get him in a Cowboys jersey very soon, I'm hoping.
PRIME MINSTER: You hope.
PHIL THOMPSON OAM, MP, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: We're here at Simsha, with Sharda. This local business was affected during the floods, the monsoonal event. But this is a great story. It's a story that started in a garage, a story that has seen local engineering, local produce, and locals that are working here with a plan. And the plan is to send out Australian grown bananas to the whole nation. This is something that I think is a great story for Townsville, because it shows local innovation. It shows people that did it a bit tough, got impacted by the floods, were able to get a grant through the Federal Government to be able to get back on to their feet, get out in ‑to a different shed and to grow bigger and better than ever. The PM's been here and we've spoken about a reinsurance pool, that's fantastic for our region, and the announcement today about the Recovery and Resilience Agency. And also Shane Stone is standing behind me, who's leading that agency. This is about looking at making our communities in northern Australia resilient for the inevitable. We know that we get cyclones. We know we get natural disasters. But we need to be prepared, because we've been spending a lot of time and a lot of money always on the recovery. We need to flip that. We need to be spending the appropriate amount of money on the resilience ‑making sure that our communities are ready. And this takes in all three levels of government. The Federal Government has stepped up and put a great deal of money on the table for this agency, but local councils ‑local and state governments also need to step up, because this isn't about politics; this is about three levels of government doing what's best for the people to ensure that when the next cyclone comes ‑because it will ‑that we are ready, we are resilient and we can adapt for the minimal damage that we see throughout northern Australia. So, PM, thank you so much for coming to Townsville.
PRIME MINSTER: Thanks, mate.
PHIL THOMPSON OAM, MP, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: And I'll hand over to you.
PRIME MINSTER: Thanks, Phil. And a shout out to everyone here at Simsha. This is a great multicultural business success story, like so many all around the country, something that I know Shane Stone knows a lot about, because multicultural businesses and communities in the north of Australia, whether it's in Darwin or whether it's here in North Queensland, or indeed in other parts of the country, a great multicultural business success story. And it's great to have Joe Buffone here as well, who's the head of Emergency Management Australia. Together we made a major announcement this morning to establish the National Recovery and Resilience Agency. Now, "recovery" and "resilience" are two words that people who live in North Queensland know all about. And Sharda knows all about it here, because it wasn't that long ago, as the floods hit and his business was hit ‑their family business was hit, the six employees who work here ‑that he needed the support through the flood agency, which Shane has been the Coordinator-General of, to help their business get back on its feet. So through the $50,000 grant that was supporting businesses like Sharda's here, and all across the north where they were affected, that has enabled the north to rebuild after those terrible floods. And we've learnt so much as a result of so much loss as well, as we've been dealing with these disasters over these many years. And the establishment of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency will mean working together with Emergency Management Australia, working together with the highly capable ‑particularly here in Queensland, I've got to say ‑the highly capable other emergency response agencies and those who provide support here in the state. That is enabling people to get back up on their feet.
These disasters, sadly, are things that people who live in northern Australia particularly deal with. They understand that it's part of the cycle of what can impact on their businesses and their livelihoods and their homes. That doesn't make the loss any less, it doesn't make the job any less difficult, but these are things that we need to plan more for and we need to have the supports there for when those disasters come about. These disasters we're seeing happen more frequently. I mean, that's why building our resilience is a key plank of our government's response to climate change. And I want to commend Minister Littleproud on the work that he has done, together with myself and Shane Stone and the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, and Joe Buffone, and all those over at the Bureau of Meteorology and the many other agencies that have come together to ensure that we are preparing for Australia's future, and particularly here in northern Australia. The announcements on the reinsurance pool that we made yesterday, the great work that's been done here by Phil ‑but, of course, Warren Entsch and so many others in North Queensland ‑have got us to that position, and I think that's going to make a great difference for certainty for businesses and for households and families living here in the north of Australia. But the multicultural success story here of this wonderful business ‑ come as a migrant ‑came first as an engineer, and you can see his handy work on some of the equipment there in this facility, all done from tinkering in the shed, no doubt. But to be able to establish this business and a livelihood for themselves and their families, and so many others, I think is just a great success story. And we don't want that to be taken away by floods and cyclones and all of those other disasters, and that's why we're doing exactly what we are with the resilience and ‑the Recovery and Resilience Agency. So, look, I'm happy to take a couple of quick questions. We've had quite a few press conferences in the last few days, but I'm happy to take a few questions here while I'm in Townsville.
JOURNALIST: Queensland obviously has quite a lot of natural disasters. Did you have any conversations with the Queensland Premier prior to this funding or anything?
PRIME MINSTER: This has been an iterative process. I mean, we've worked hand in glove with the Queensland Government and I've got to ‑and, Shane, you might want to comment on this as well, as you ‑as well you, Joe. I mean, when disasters hit, the states and the territories work very closely together with the Commonwealth. And, you know, when we were deploying our ‑particularly our programs for the flood - affected areas out west, QRIDA was a critical delivery agency for us in getting that support out there. So, what you see here is the culmination of the lessons of all of those various responses we've been through, and putting it on a permanent footing and ‑so that becomes part of the permanent planning arrangement. So, I know this is strongly welcomed by state and territory governments. It's a result of the work done by the Royal Commission that all the states and territories also participated in with their joint Letters Patent but, Shane ‑I mean, this is a product of a working relationship with the state and territories.
THE HON. SHANE STONE AC QC, COORDINATOR GENERAL, NATIONAL RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE AGENCY: Very much so. Our cooperation with QRA and QRIDA has been defining in the way that we've dealt with the floods in the north and the north‑west, and that's certainly on the public record. So, I pay tribute to that state agency for the way that they have worked with us. But can I just also say, ladies and gentlemen, today is historic in the sense that for those of us who have lived and worked ‑and, in my case, been in government in the north ‑to finally have a single agency and to have a government, led by the Prime Minister Morrison, who had political will to say, "Let's do it." And we're doing it. And this will make such a difference. As you heard this morning, we spent 97 per cent on cleaning up ‑really good with cleaning up. Not real good on the preparation. So, we've got to get better.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when will Australia lift the ban on flights from India and are you concerned that this has done damage to our relationship with India?
PRIME MINSTER: Yes, I'm happy to address those questions, but I just want to deal with the things we're here to talk about today. But I'll come back to those.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, with the reinsurance pool coming into play in July next year, what can the Federal Government do in the short term and will you have to introduce new legislation to get it in place.
PRIME MINSTER: Well, a couple of points there. The first one is there's a consultation program we're now going through and we expect a draft [indistinct] before the end of this year. And we've already had a very good response from the insurance industry. And two particular companies, as Minister Sukkar indicated yesterday, have already indicated their preparedness and willingness to now reenter the market in northern Australia. And so, by taking the step now, this enables those companies to plan. And so, the process has already begun. It's becoming part of the furniture now [indistinct] it will come into effect on the 1st of July of next year. But between now and then, the certainty of its arrival and its preparation to engage with the sector will already mean that we I think we'll start to see [indistinct] starting to flow through. Now, we, of course, will have to take this through the normal parliamentary processes that are associated with these arrangements, and that's all part of the budget process as well.
JOURNALIST: When will this national agency be set up?
PRIME MINSTER: It's happening now. It's underway. There are eight people ‑and Shane might want to talk a bit about this. Where is it going to be? All over Australia. All over Australia. And that's the way that both the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and the Flood and Drought Agency have operated; people working in mobile offices, out of their vans. As I said today, "Boots on the ground and a beating heart on the other side of the table," as they're sitting down in people's farms, in their businesses, in their homes, working through the challenges and connecting them to the significant support and services that are available. One of the biggest challenges we often have when you're dealing with the recovery from a natural disaster is the people you need to help are people who never ask for help. They're very self-reliant. They've built their businesses. They have taken their risks. They love being self-sufficient. They've never put their hand out for their government and it can be really hard for them to do that. Now, I was talking with the beautiful Greek family I met in western Sydney, and I had to implore them to get on the phone that day to access the disaster recovery payments. He was refusing to do it. So, I got his son to do it for him. But that's the pride. And I get that. And so that's why you need the human dimension to the recovery. And that's what these agencies do, 80 of them across the country connecting with communities. And this also includes the Rural Financial Counsellors as part of the agencies' network now, which I think will be really important. And so, of course, their headquarters ‑operations are in Canberra and Brisbane and that's ‑you know, that's appropriate, given that the back end of the operation and linking up particularly with Emergency Management Australia, with Joe and the other climate research agencies, and so on. You need that connection at that level, but on the ground you need people on the ground, and that's how it will operate.
JOURNALIST: Now, Prime Minister, the announcement mentions a new Australian Climate Service. How is this different to the government funded Climate Change Agency and whose job will it be to provide a quote ‑provide expert advice to the Australian Government on climate [indistinct] issues?
PRIME MINSTER: Well, this will come through multiple agencies, including the agency that Shane will operate with the administration of the $600 million fund which they'll be putting in place, but we continue to take advice from the chief of the CSIRO ‑ the chief scientists, the agencies which are being established as part of this arrangement, the Bureau of Meteorology. Australia is well ‑well blessed with the best scientific advice in the world, and particularly for our part of the world. And so we will continue to look ‑to be informed by all of those agencies. Yes?
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when will Australia lift the ban on India and are you concerned that this has damaged the relationship that Australia has with India?
PRIME MINSTER: No, not at all. I'm not concerned about that. Today the humanitarian support, the very significant humanitarian support for India has already departed Sydney, in the 100 oxygen concentrators we're working to deliver for them, the ‑the masks, the respirators, the humanitarian support. And Minister Payne is over, actually, at the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where also the Foreign Minister for India, Mr Jaishankar ‑he'll be connecting with Minister Payne there. No, there's a ‑there is a partnership effort with India to support them as they deal with this terrible crisis. Our pause will be in place until the 15th of May, as we said, and that pause has already working ‑this pause is enabling us to get on the right footing to be able to restore those repatriation flights, and we're making good progress to that. We're already starting to see, as a result of the pause, the incidence of those cases at Howard Springs starting to come down. We've got a bit more distance to travel there, but the pause is working, and that means the pause will enable us to get Australian citizens and residents and their immediate families back to Australia under those repatriation flights. Had we not done the pause, we would have been eroding our capability to do that over the medium to longer term. So this was a necessary step to ensure that we could help more Australian citizens and residents get home and, at the same time, bring them home safely in a way that did not risk a third wave here in Australia. Now, that's what we want to achieve. So, we're working closely with the Indian community. Minister Hawke is engaging regularly with the Indian community and explaining these decisions and ‑as are members of Parliament and others in engaging with the community, and we thank them for their patience and understanding and continue to work closely with them, but I'm pleased that that humanitarian support is getting out and getting to India and it's on its way even as we speak. India is a great friend of Australia. We form many partnerships. And most recently ‑not just our own comprehensive strategic partnership which I signed with Prime Minister Modi only last year, but also through our new quad relationship at a leaders' level, and working together with the other quad partners to provide whatever support we can provide to India in this time of their great need. Thanks very much, everyone. It's great to be here with you today. Cheers.
Helping Communities Rebuild and Recover from Natural Disasters
5 May 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, Minister for the Environment
The Morrison Government will establish a new national agency to help support local communities respond to large-scale natural disasters and undertake new initiatives to manage the impact of future events and the changing climate.
The National Recovery and Resilience Agency will provide support to local communities during the relief and recovery phases following major disasters.
The new Agency will also provide advice to Government on policies and programs to mitigate the impact of future major disaster events.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said $600 million would be invested in a new program of disaster preparation and mitigation, managed by the new National Recovery and Resilience Agency.
“The new Agency will help communities rebuild and recover from natural disasters, helping many Australians in their greatest time of need, while strengthening our defences against future major disasters,” the Prime Minister said.
“Immediate funding will support resilience projects across the community and for individuals’ homes, such as bushfire and cyclone proofing houses, building levees and improving the resilience of telecommunications and essential supplies.
“In the past two years Australians have faced floods, bushfires, cyclones, drought and now the COVID-19 pandemic and I’m determined to keep Australians safe and support the recovery of communities and regions right across Australia.”
The National Recovery and Resilience Agency will be led by Coordinator-General Shane Stone and bring together the former National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency and the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, including the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund.
The Agency will also take responsibility for supporting the long-term recovery of communities rebuilding after the recent storms and floods in New South Wales and Queensland and cyclones in West Australia.
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said Emergency Management Australia will also receive support to upgrade their National Situation Room to include a real time ‘common operating picture’, for all natural disasters.
“We will also provide $4.5 million to support disaster recovery scenario training to help regional communities prepare for high-risk hazards,” Minister Littleproud said.
“This funding will provide accredited training for people working in disaster recovery and two pilot Resilience Hubs to coordinate regional training and capability development across all levels of government when responding to a natural disaster.”
Minister Littleproud said the final, critically important part of these national reforms was the establishment of a world-class climate service with detailed climate and disaster information.
“Through the Australian Climate Service we will draw on the expertise of our best and brightest scientists to help us better anticipate, manage and adapt to climate impacts to inform the work of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and Emergency Management Australia,” he said.
“I am proud of the reforms to our federal emergency management architecture that have been announced today, along with the ongoing work to implement all of the Royal Commission’s other recommendations.
“This national approach to policy reform will carry all the way through to peoples’ front doors.”
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said that the Australian Climate Service would strengthen Australia’s position as a world leader in anticipating and adapting to the impacts of changing climates for decades to come.
“We do face more extreme weather events due to changing climate and this is about being prepared, and being able to take steps to make our communities more resilient,” Minister Ley said.
“By bringing together critical data from the nation’s key climate research institutions, the Australian Climate Service will not only help save lives and money through a more informed emergency response, it will inform long-term planning for infrastructure, housing and basic services like power, telecommunications, and water.
“It will help shape the way we build communities and underpin Australia’s future adaptation strategies, including the new National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy announced in January.
“The collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, ABS and Geoscience Australia is critical to delivering rich insights drawn from an expanded range of data sources.
“It will be further complemented by the Morrison Government’s investments in adaptation and resilience through initiatives such as the National Environmental Science Program and Great Barrier Reef Restoration and Adaptation initiatives.”
Doorstop - Cairns, QLD
4 May 2021
THE HON. WARREN ENTSCH MP, MEMBER FOR LEICHHARDT: Look can I say, first of all, thanks everybody for being here today at the Cotton Club a very positive place to be. A great small family owned business here that has struggled for a long time under the burden of high insurance premiums (inaudible). So I think it's a great example of what we've been facing here in northern Australia for almost a decade. Great to have the Prime Minister here. Great to have our Minister Sukkar. And of course my good friend and colleague all the way up from Brownsville, sorry Townsville, Phil Thompson - sorry a bit of rivalry here. And to be able to be part of the announcement that has been a decade in the making. This is something that we have been asking for a long time, and that is a reinsurance pool. The challenge, of course, and the reasons it's taken so long is that we had to build a case to prove market failure for government intervene. And we've been able to do that. And thanks to Minister Sukkar and the Prime Minister who stepped up to this and made it happen. So I want to thank you, Prime Minister (inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you, Warren, and it's great to be here with you, and all the colleges who are with me. And Dom, thanks for having us here. It's great to be back here in Cairns. Living in northern Australia is unlike any other part of the country. And that brings challenges that the rest of the country don't face and that is particularly in relation to natural disasters. All too often have we see the devastation of these terrible events impact all the people of northern Queensland, tropical northern Queensland, but also right across the Top End, whether it is here or in the Territory, or over in Western Australia. And for some time now, we have been working and I've got to say, largely at Warren's great encouragement, to ensure that we address what has been a very big disadvantage for people living and running businesses here in northern Australia. Phil's understood that too, from the day he has come into the parliament and I'm sure beforehand, and I want to pay credit to Michael Sukkar, the Minister Assisting the Treasurer, who working with the Treasurer and I over the last couple of years, has been putting our head under the bonnet on this to make sure that we get the right solution. And that solution is a $10 billion dollar underwrite guarantee on the reinsurance pool for insurance here in northern Australia for the next decade. And what that means is that it reduces the risk to get more commercial insurance providers into this market. The number of providers has dwindled, particularly as each disaster hit and the few of them that were around, and the premiums just go higher and higher, and forcing people either into retirement or out of business and making life just that much harder for businesses as well as those in their own residencies. And so this decision, which is in next week's budget is ensuring that we can start turning that around. And we can see premiums fall and we can see more operators, more insurance companies coming into the northern Australia market, to get that competition back. That will ensure that people living and working, running their businesses here in northern Australia should get a fair deal and get the same sort of opportunities that people in the southern parts of the country can have.
Now, the other thing I'm really pleased about is we're not doing this by levying every other insurance holder in the country. That's not what we're doing. And so what this is about is reducing the premiums for those in northern Australia, not increasing the premiums for others elsewhere in Australia. We are the party of lower taxes and the government lower taxes. And we're also the government dealing with increasing costs of living. And by doing what we're doing here today, I think addresses that issue, I think, fairly and squarely. There is also a significant investment and a new pilot program to mitigate risk in strata developments. And I'll ask Michael to speak more about that. What that really is about putting adaptations into buildings and premises that reduce the risk of damage, which, of course, in turn leads to a reduction in the insurance risk and also can lead to a reduction in premiums. Mitigating the effects of what's happening in our climate, mitigating the impacts of these disasters. It's all about resilience. We want people to be able to live in northern Australia. We want them to be able to run successful business in northern Australia and we want to boost their resilience and give them the tools they need to ensure that they can look after themselves, because they're a great pioneering, entrepreneurial community. We love this part of the world and they just want those same opportunities to be able to keep on doing what they're doing. So it's great to be here. I'm going to let Michael speak more to that. Phil's going to have a few words to say and then Dom's going to tell you what it means for his business.
THE HON. MICHAEL SUKKAR MP, ASSISTANT TREASURER: Well, PM, it's wonderful to be here and I want to thank Warren Entsch and everyone here for being here (inaudible). Phil and Warren had led the charge in relation to insurance issues in northern Australia. And as the PM said, today's announcement is quite monumental for everybody in northern Australia. A $10 billion dollar reinsurance pool will be operated by the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation, the existing entity that we operate in relation to terrorism risk will now take on cyclone risk as well. We've seen from around the world, whether it's in the UK or France or Japan reinsurance pools of this kind bring down premiums, improve accessibility and enhance [indistinct]. With respect to accessibility, the ACCC has seen more than 20 per cent of the buildings here in northern Australia are uninsured. We've also seen premiums skyrocketing over the last decade, as Warren Entsch has said. And in relation to today's announcements, I've already had two large national insurers say to me that they will be shortly announcing that they are re-entering the northern Australian market and now that they will be able to access reinsurance through the Australian government. The reinsurance pool will commence on the 1st July 2022. We will have a Treasury-led taskforce between now and then to work very closely with stakeholders, to keep working very closely with Warren and his community, to Phil Thompson and his community, and, of course, the insurance companies to make sure the reinsurance pool can maximise the benefits for everybody who lives in northern Australia.
As the PM said, we have an additional measure today, a significant announcement in its own site, which is in its own right, which is a strata reinsurance, a strata program to provide mitigation funding - $40 million over three years to assist owners of strata properties to fortify those strata properties against cyclone risk, whether it's retrofitting roofs, whether it's improving cladding, whether it's improving drainage. This funding will support strata sector, which has been disproportionately impacted by premium increases, so it will work hand-in-hand with the reinsurance pool to bring down premiums across the board, but to even enhance those premium reductions in those strata properties, because as a condition of that funding we have spoken to the Insurance Council, and where we can show that improvements to a particular strata property funded through this pilot are able to improve the insurance risk, their premiums will drop. So can I thank, again, Warren and Phil, and of course, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has backed northern Australia in, the whole way in relation to this $10 billion reinsurance pool. A significant announcement of its kind and we're really keen to work hard for the northern Australians now in delivering the reinsurance pool and making sure it brings down those premiums, improves accessibility and enhances competition.
PHIL THOMPSON OAM, MP, MEMBER FOR HERBERT: I won't be as good as that one, but what I want to start by saying is Warren, you're a bloody legend, mate. For the many decades that you've fought for this to get this across the line - thank you so much for continuing the fight. It's always good to have the Prime Minister in the north. He's a frequent flier to this region. I'd much prefer him to be in Townsville, but I suppose coming to Cairns is the next best thing. Minister Sukkar, once again, his leadership in this and really picking it up and taking it on board is just a credit to him at the level he is as a Minister.
What we've seen is market failure of an essential service - and the essential service is insurance. You need insurance to own a home, a business, a strata. It's as essential as having water and electricity. And when we saw the market fail in the north, we know we needed to act immediately. And with the leadership of Warren Entsch and my northern colleagues like Susan McDonald and other senators around and, of course, George Christensen, we formed a group, a group that will take up our message, what we live every day, with the community, having the voice like the business we're in now and to take to Canberra. Because our job is to listen, work and deliver. So we listened to the community on what we must do to improve the insurance failures. We go and we work in Canberra and then we bring the Minister and the Prime Minister up here to deliver it, because that's what the role of a Member of Parliaments is to do.
Now, this essential service that has failed will now be bolstered through a reinsurance pool. We've seen reports after reports after reports - you only just saw Warren Entsch show you table six of a report that was done in 2014. The time for reports has finished. The time for action is now. And that's why this reinsurance pool will bring a healthy competition into the market to take the burden away from the family businesses, the mum and dad businesses, the homeowners, the strata, everything like that because people don't deserve to be pushed out of the market because of market failure. And that's what the federal government has stepped in to do. Now today, I am going to call on the deputy - what's that - Miles, Miles ... that's right. He's too busy running his mouth down south and shredding stuff in shredders and talking a lot of garbage - the time for his talk is over as well. What I need the State Labor Government is to look at the different legislation with body corporate, and get rid of stamp duty. The federal government is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here and now we need the State Labor Government who is broke, and I know that they want to top their [inaudible] up on the hard work of mum and dad business, but to do their bit as well, because we are all in this together and the only thing that we need to be putting before all of ourselves is our communities and the businesses and the family homes and the stratas and everyone that has insurance because people need to be kept in the market, people need a road. And, you know, because they're the engine room of the economy. So, thank you PM. Thank you Sukkar. And of course, Entschy, really appreciate your hard work.
DOMINIC DAVIES, OWNER, THE COTTON CLUB: I'd like to thank the PM, and particularly Warren and Michael for working so hard to get this fund through what it means to our business and our team as a family run business in the north is that we can plan with certainty. It's not having to worry about the volatility that results from not many underwriters in the market and come insurance times you don't know what you're going to get. And so that transfers into certainty so we can reinvest in our business, and investments up here in the north, which is where we want to go, rather than mom and dad operators like ourselves having to sell out to larger corporations that have exposure across Australia and they can go well, if you take our northern risk, if you want the rest of our business. So it's really important to the moms and dads operators, which pretty much are a huge part that drive the Cairns economy. So it'll be welcomed across the board and it's great.
THE HON. WARREN ENTSCH MP, MEMBER FOR LEICHHARDT: I think we should we should wind it up here with the President of the Chamber.
SALLY MILKOTA, PRESIDENT, CAIRNS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Thank you Warren. Thank you Prime Minister. Look the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, we've been advocating for the reinsurance scheme for many, many years. And we've been working quite closely with the Townsville Chamber as well, because together, you know together our voices are louder. The thing is we're preaching we have been preaching to the converted with Warren Entsch. So he has been taking our cause, taking all the other businesses out there, their cause, to Canberra and it's so wonderful today that, you know, we can see a turnaround with hopefully COVID. And this is another positive story to give those business owners that have been struggling for the last 18 months, a small hope that the governments are listening. And more hope that there is support and some more hope for the future. So if they're really struggling business at the moment, we're saying to them insurance is going to come down soon. Hang in there, we're here to support you, we're here to listen to you. So thank you so much to this Government for bringing this forward. We're quite excited and I'm looking forward to sharing the news, obviously with our members and seeing how this will help impact their bottom line. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: I'd like to give a shout out also to Minister Price, the Member for Durack over in Western Australia and I was in Western Australia recently and touring in Kalbarri where the cyclone went through. Now that's a bit further south. But all through Kununurra, Karratha and all these places as well we saw it means just as much there as it means here. And Melissa Price from Western Australia, the Minister for Defence Industry has been doing also a very good job on highlighting these risks and while we were touring Kalbarri we had this exact conversation about this particular initiative so well done to you as well Mel. Ok happy to take some questions on some local issues, I would have done a national press conference today so Canberra can leave their text messages to you to another time and how about if we deal with some local questions.
JOURNALIST: What is the average level of saving homeowners and business owners can expect to make on their premium?
PRIME MINISTER: Look we would hope to see, you know, more than 10 per cent on this. And it really is a function of getting those additional players into the market. And I would hope for better than that. But it will take some time to achieve that. What, I think what Dom said was really important. This actually enables you to plan. Plan and to deal with your insurance brokers and other companies. And so, you know what the footing is going to be for the next decade, and I think for that uncertainty to be removed is a big deal, it's a very big factor. And so it's the combination of the certainty, the confidence and the reduced premiums that I would expect, that I think go together for the package. Michael, would you like to add anything to that?
THE HON. MICHAEL SUKKAR MP, ASSISTANT TREASURER: Yeah look in the end the premium reductions will be based on a number of factors. What we're very pleasantly surprised that just today, is the two national insurers have already indicated to us that they will now enter the market. So those sorts of things go to pushing the premiums even lower. It also insures against, pardon the pun, against ever rising premiums. As you've seen over recent years, each year you get home and you open the letterbox and you get that premium that's gone up quite significantly from the year before. This insures against that and provides that stability. So, yes, it will deliver undoubtedly premium reductions immediately, but will also insure against those premiums increasing in the future.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned under insurance, Minister. Will this rule that out or just improve the situation?
THE HON. MICHAEL SUKKAR MP, ASSISTANT TREASURER: Well we'd expect it to improve the situation. The ACCC report found that in northern Australia 20 per cent of properties are not insured at all. So that doesn't include under insurance, 20 per cent are not insured at all. And when you look at the national average it's 11 per cent. So it's nearly double the national average. Again with new players entering the market with the improved premium costs, I think we would all expect that would return somewhere towards the national average but it'll certainly be moving in the right direction.
PRIME MINISTER: The other part, Phil's right to say, the other part is the stamp duty on these premiums as well. There's a fair bit of gouging going on. And this is something I think state and federal need to work together on. We're stumping up on a massive underwriting of this and guarantee. $10 billion is a big commitment from the Commonwealth. And so we would encourage them to do that. You talk about the strata work you're doing, Michael, but the obligation on states and, indeed, local authorities, to ensure that they get their planning arrangements right, that we're building in the right places, that there's the appropriate building certification that's going on, all of that builds resilience. The north, that has just been getting stronger and stronger, I think, Warren over a long period of time. And as we saw over in the west in Kalbarri what can happen when you don't have homes built to that strength, when you don't have homes built to cyclone strength. To be fair to those people in Kalbarri, that's not where they would normally see a cyclone of that nature. You know we all have a role to play to make the north more resilient, what we’re doing today is doing our part.
THE HON. WARREN ENTSCH MP, MEMBER FOR LEICHHARDT: And of course, the amendments to the Queensland strata legislation, the compulsion at the moment to insure for full replacement value, if they were to amend that and put the option of full replacement or full market value, could see very, very significant reductions in costs as well. So there is a requirement there or for the state government to step up now and to start to look at this strata legislation as well as getting rid of 12 per cent on stamp duty on renewables.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) here have been talk of generating savings of up to 50%. Do you see that as a real possibility?
PRIME MINISTER: We're not making that claim, I should stress. We're putting this in place. We're quite conservative in the way we predict these things. But I would hope to see at least a 10 per cent fall, and better. I would hope to over-perform on all of those things. Michael has a confident smile there, which I think's great. There is no exact science about this. But what you've got to do? You have to have a reinsurance pool which gets other operators into the place which is going to happen. That's the change we see happen. We're seeing that response.
JOURNALIST: When can residents and locals expect to see results of this pool, money in their pockets?
PRIME MINISTER: Well it the starts from 1 July 2022 and so we expect to see things start to change at that point. Now the other part of this as Dominic said, once you put this arrangement in place and people know it's coming. The insurance companies know it's coming, then that changes their risk almost immediate and so they can start pricing this into their future policies. So making the change, they're making the announcement now, making it really clear that the Commonwealth government is standing there with a ten billion dollar guarantee for and reinsurance pool that is the game changer.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when you met with Lex Greensill in 2019, can you tell us what you discussed, whether that meeting was organised by Julie Bishop?
PRIME MINISTER: (inaudible) I must say, I don't think that meeting resulted in anything of memory or note.
JOURNALIST: Just back on insurance, sorry, Prime Minister, Labor insists you've been dragged kicking and screaming to this point. They want more detail about how will actually work. Is it just increasing competition that will guarantee those lower prices?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't feel the need to respond to the Labor Party about making political commentary on this. We're simply taking action. We're getting stuff done. That's what it's about. And that's welcomed by the community here and right across northern Australia. I didn't notice anyone other than our great local members here, particularly lead by Warren leading this charge. He's been the one (inaudible) determined because he has been right. And over the period of time, as we've seen the situation change I think it became very clear a couple of years ago now and the Treasurer and I have been determined to get moving. I spoke to the assistant treasurer, and here we are today. There’s a distance to travel still on the technical details that we need to put in place. These are not simple things. This is a $10 billion dollar guarantees to a reinsurance pool. It is not a small thing. It requires careful analysis and consideration, and that's what will responsibly be done.
JOURNALIST: What geographical area is covered by this scheme?
THE HON. MICHAEL SUKKAR MP, ASSISTANT TREASURER: The area will be the north of the tropic of Capricorn and really all of northern Australia. It will cover north Queensland, the northern Territory and northern WA.
PRIME MINISTER: Anyway, it's great to be here Dom, thank you very much and well done Warren, good job Entschy.
New Facilities to Support Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels at HMAS Cairns
4 May 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Defence Industry, Member for Leichhardt
The Morrison Government will invest in new and upgraded facilities at HMAS Cairns – a significant boost to the North Queensland economy.
This $155 million investment will support the new Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, part of the Government’s unprecedented investment in the defence of our nation.
Defence has engaged Watpac Construction Pty Ltd as its Managing Contractor for the NCIS-8A HMAS Cairns Building and Maritime Works package.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these investments are part of the Government’s $270 billion commitment to Australia’s defence capability under the 2020 Force Structure Plan.
“The upgrades at HMAS Cairns will create local jobs both during the construction phase and afterwards through ongoing sustainment,” the Prime Minister said.
“More jobs will be created through the supply chain and in off-site manufacturing. This investment will be a significant boost to the local Cairns economy as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said the upgrade is part of the $2.1 billion Navy Capability Infrastructure Sub-program to deliver maritime and landside facilities around the country to support operation of Navy’s new ships being delivered under the Government’s Naval Shipbuilding Plan.
“Works will include demolition of the existing Navy wharf and construction of a new wharf in its place, and an upgrade of the existing explosive ordnance loading buoy in Trinity Inlet,” Minister Price said.
“Landside operational support facilities will include a new office building, upgrades to maintenance and logistics facilities, and new storage facilities.”
Under the Government’s Defence Policy for Industry Participation, Watpac will implement a Local Industry Capability Plan to maximise opportunities for local businesses to supply goods or services.
In a boost for local jobs, the project sets a target of around 80 per cent of subcontract packages being awarded to local industry in the Greater Cairns Region.
Furthermore, each subcontract package will target 10 per cent Indigenous employment and at least one per cent of the total contract will be subcontracted to Indigenous Enterprises.
Designs will be finalised around July 2022, with on-site construction to commence in September 2022 and be completed by December 2024.
Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch welcomed Watpac’s commitment to the Cairns economy.
“With a commencement of 45 extra jobs and at its peak up to 180 personnel, this is just what we need in the region,” Mr Entsch said.
“This just isn’t onsite either, off site work is also carried out, so the positive flow on effect this creates in the supply chain is just great.”
Further information is available on the NCIS webpage at https://www.defence.gov.au/id/NCIS/Default.asp.
Doorstop - Rockhampton, QLD
4 May 2021
PRIME MINISTER: It's great to be here at Beef Week, something I've been looking forward to doing for many years. Michelle has invited me up here, both as Treasurer and now, of course, as Prime Minister.
It's great to be here just to simply say thank you to the people of the beef and cattle industry across Australia for the tremendous job they have done for Australia, particularly over the last 18 months.
During the course of COVID, it has been our agriculture sectors, our resource sectors, our primary industries in this country that have done so much of the heavy lifting economically for our country and they've been going through hard times as well before the pandemic. I've met people here that I've met after floods, through droughts and to see them here with more of a smile on their face than usual. It is a very welcome sight, and for the industry to be celebrating its own success and its perseverance, I think is a tremendous thing. And it's good to be able to say thank you to them for the great job that they're doing. But the best way that we can say thank you and to support the industry, as we've supported Beef Week here, is to be doing the things on policy that supports their success. It's been great to see here at Beef Week how this sector is taking such strong steps forward whether it comes to technology, whether it comes to how they manage their pastures, how they're contributing to the broader emissions reduction task, how they're contributing to jobs, how they're contributing to the success of our exports. But that performance of the livestock industry, just like with the grains industry, depends very much on what we do as a Federal Government, as a Commonwealth Government to protect the bio-security of this country. Border security has many elements to it, and you've heard me speak about border security on many occasions over a long period of time. But a key aspect of border security, how we keep our borders secure is to protect our livestock industry and how we protect our grains industry across Australia. $66 billion industry all depends on how well we keep the border secure from pests and from disease. There's some 2.5 million containers that came through this country last year, 19,000 commercial vessels, 60 million mail items that come through. Some 35,000 pests and diseases detections put in place by our border agencies and our quarantine, that's a fantastic job. But the risks continue to be out there and they're ever present.
And that's why today, we're announcing $371 million in additional investment in Australia's ring of steel on our border security for our agriculture industry. I'm going to ask Minister Littleproud to take you through the details of that, but these are very practical measures. They come on top of the significant investments that we put in last year's budget in this same area and that backs in also significant freight assistance that we've been putting into the industry, over $600 million to ensure that products continue to get to market from our world class producers. That $371 million covers things like new 3D x-rays and screening, as David says, boots on the ground and paws on the ground when it comes to detection dogs and others, which are keeping a secure agricultural industries. It is also involving the partnership between the states and territories in the Commonwealth because should there ever be a breach how we deal with any outbreak within the country is also incredibly important as the further rings of containment. We've seen how important that is in COVID. It's the same when it comes to African swine flu or lumpy skin disease, or any of these types of things, which can be absolutely devastating to our agricultural sector and particularly our beef and cattle producers that we see on display here. So we're very serious when it comes to border security on all the elements of border security.
And I want to commend David Littleproud for the great job he's done in leading the Government's efforts when it comes to border security and keeping our borders strong for our farmers, for our producers. I also want to thank Michelle Landry for the great leadership she has had for the cattle industry here in central Queensland, the resources sector more broadly and it's great to be here with you, Michelle. David, you've done a terrific job up here in Queensland, and it's great to be with you as well. And to Scotty Buchholz , he's as big as this show, and it's tremendous to be with him. He's a great advocate for the beef industry here in Queensland. And one of the things Scotty did with the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, which David won't mind me saying I'm sure, is as when we went into the pandemic they kept the trucks running across Australia. Between those borders when they were getting shut down, it was Scotty, it was the Big Mac, as I like to call him, Michael McCormack who was out there keeping those trucks running, keeping the stock running from state to state. And that kept Australia running, and the people who did that more than anyone else were our primary producers. So with that, I'll pass you onto David.
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, thanks PM and can I say the investment that we're announcing today is another investment in Australia's security. This takes our investment in Australia's biosecurity since October last year to $1.25 billion. That's how serious the Australian Government is about protecting brand Australia, protecting those beef producers that are here today, making sure that we are using the cutting edge technology we need to, to make sure that we are keeping those pests and diseases out. There is a congestion of them sitting in South-East Asia that are threatening and are evolving, and we have to evolve our efforts with them.
And that's why the package that we're putting out today will go to evolve our biosecurity measures to make sure that they're fit for purpose, and fit for the future. It's also about working with the states and part of the money is about making sure we can run a national exercise whereby we can, we can simulate a outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or AFS across the country and make sure that our state counterparts are able to work with us to ensure that we can lock it down as quickly as we can. We can trace it and we can protect as many producers as we possibly can.
It's also about the more boots and more paws on the ground. We've increased the number of dogs in our quarantine centres right across our ports and airports. And we're also making sure we're putting more men and women out there detecting, making the detections. But also the scientists, it's important to understand we are able to be able to do the science quickly to identify the threat. And that means that we're then able to make real time decisions about how we're going to address that threat. But we're also now engaging for the first time in real technology that is going to give us increased capacity of being able to look at more parcels, more bags, more containers. 3D x-rays where we are now the first nation in the world to crack algorithms that will now be able to look at every port that comes to an airport, every parcel that comes through our mail centres, we'll be able to actually identify where there is organic matter. And in fact, we're going to take it to be able to identify whether there is any lives animals in it as well. We'll be then working with Border Force to make sure that we can use this technology to share so that we'll take the biosecurity risk, they'll take the risk to our nation with guns and contraband. So these are practical solutions about getting value for money to the Australian taxpayer, using the technology we need to continue to invest. And we're also working on our screening program and working with other nations so that if someone wants to come into this country, we will know what's in their bag before they even get here, and we will then act accordingly.
Our biosecurity is predicated on intelligence and technology. We need the intelligence to understand what's coming into this country, and that's making sure that we can understand what's coming in parcels, but also people's bags. And we'll also be going back and looking at the containers. We will be going into over 8.5 million containers that need to be checked, a percentage of those will have to be checked over the coming decade. And so we need to know where they've been beforehand. So we're not just looking at the trip they just made, we're going deep back into their history and their life to make sure that if they happen to be in a paddock in Africa some four or five years ago, then we know that that poses a risk to Australia and then we will obviously put the resources in to make sure that we can protect it. But what we're also saying is that to everybody, you all have a responsibility. And if you don't declare, we're going to square up with you. And in fact, we've already cancelled 14 visas of people who have failed to declare products in their bags and they are not welcome back to this country for three years. We have also increased the penalties from $444 to $2,664, and we now have legislation in Parliament for importers who also have a significant responsibility in this, in taking their fines from $400,000 odd dollars to over a million dollars, and the privilege to stay at Her Majesty's pleasure for up to 10 years.
We are taking this seriously and we need to understand the threats that biosecurity posed to not just agricultural but our environment. A foot-and-mouth disease would cost us around $52 billion and beef at this event would basically be non-existent for years to come. So these are the extreme measures that we're prepared to take and we're going to send a very strong message, not just with our dollars, but also our actions in making sure everyone understands that they have a responsibility if they don't declare we're going to catch you and we're going to come after you.
PRIME MINISTER: Happy to take some questions. I thank Bryce Camm for the wonderful job he’s done for Beef Week. This is really a showcase event and everyone at Meat and Livestock. And also was great to see Fiona Simpson from the NFF coming up from New South Wales. It's great to see the industry coming together. It really is tremendous to see them. Okay, happy to take questions. Let's start on the announcement and then we'll go from there.
JOURNALIST: With regards to agriculture, what reassurance can you give to cattle farmers that the Budget will incorporate drought funding? I mean, here in central Queensland we haven't had much rain all summer.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, I will ask David to add to this. But we have consistently been supporting our farmers through the drought over many, many years now. And just because we've seen rain in many parts of the country, which is welcome, we know that there are still parts of the country that are still impacted by drought including here in Queensland, the flood and drought assistance program, which Shane Stone leads has been there working with people on the ground all throughout the drought, and particularly in response to those floods we had up here in Queensland. And those supports will continue and we will continue to stand by our farmers, whether it's with drought whether it's with flood or whether the many other disasters that befall them and of course, to protect them from the biosecurity risk as well. But, David, as the Minister for Drought, I'm sure would like to add.
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Yeah well thanks, Prime Minister. And the drought is ongoing. In fact, your very next drought starts the very first day after it stops raining. And that's why the Government created our three pillars drought strategy, supporting in the here and now, through farm household allowance, making sure that we can put some dignity back into these families that are doing it tough that don't have income so they can put the bread and butter on the table. Making sure we also in our second pillar support the communities that are supporting these farmers because the drought extends past the farm gate into the communities that support them. We're putting stimulus into those communities and those small businesses to give them the opportunity to get through it. And we were the first Government to look to the future in understanding the next drought starts the very first day after it stops raining. The five billion dollar future fund, we're already paying down the hundred million dollar dividend that has been legislated. The other mob said trust us, we'll just keep it there. But what normally happens when the other mob gets in is they get a Treasurer that runs out of money pretty quick and all of a sudden then think it's easy to take it out of the agriculture industry, out of the drought fund, a hundred billion dollar dividend and reduce it. So we've legislated it. That hundred million dollars must be spent every year. And Brent Finlay is doing that. So these are the measures that we are saying that will be ongoing because we understand drought is part of the landscape of Australia, since we first put a till in soil. We won't take our foot off the accelerator on that. But we're also working to look at our packages, over 24 programs that we put out, we are making sure that they are fit for purpose, and I've asked the NFF and all the peak bodies, agriculture bodies around the country to come together and look at that nearly 11 billion dollar envelope that has been committed by this Government to be looked at and to see whether it's actually working the way that they expect and to make sure that it's fit for the future. Those are the practical steps that we are making drought will be there for time in memoriam and we will be there with them. This Government will stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers whether it be drought, fire or flood or anything else in between.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] what’s on the horizon for Central Queensland?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Three and a half billion dollars that was announced in the Budget that's all about water infrastructure. We are ready to dig holes and plumb the country. It is illegal for the Prime Minister and I to pick a shovel up and dig a hole in this country. The Constitution clearly says, the ownership of our resources belongs to the states and we respect that. We're not running away from our responsibility. We're going to cut the check. We're going to say if you want to come and do it we'll cut the check. And in fact of the last 20 dams built since 2003, 16 of those have been done in Tasmania. They have plumbed their state because they have been bold and courageous and they have partnered with the Commonwealth to make sure that we are plumbing that state. The opportunity is there for others. New South Wales is looking to build some dams, we are working up here in Rookwood. But there's an enormous potential in northern Australia if the Queensland Government will come with us. When you think about agriculture reaching 100 billion. It will be in the north of our country. That is where the development can take place. Our southern systems are mature. There are only incremental growth that we can get in our production systems in the southern parts of Australia. But our northern Australia is where the opportunity lies. And that's why we made the commitment of cold hard cash. We just need someone to come and get it. It's not hard. And we just want to see D8s and excavators digging them up now because people are sick of the talk, they just want to see some diesel boom.
JOURNALIST: Where would you like to see the next dam built in Queensland?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, on the Member for Maranoa, I'd love them to start at Emu Swamp. We've already committed 47 billion dollars, but we can't get the State Government to give a tick of approval to get the excavator moving. The cockies are down there putting in 23 million dollars of their own money and the State Government, god bless them, have only put in 13. That's okay, but just give us the approval, get out of our way and start digging.
PRIME MINISTER: I want to see the Hughenden irrigation scheme going, I'm passionate about this project. I think that going to really open up that part of the country and provide some great opportunities. There is no short of places we want to dig some holes here. But as David Crisafulli knowns we need a state government that's going to work with us to do just that. Now we're working with the Queensland Government, you know, we're working on many other projects we'd like to see a bit coming back the other way to ensure we get these dams built.
JOURNALIST: What have you learnt from walking around Beef Week? You’ve gone around to a lot of different stalls, you have met a lot of different people and what have you heard from the people here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've been inspired, that's my first message. I've been inspired by the resilience and the resourcefulness of people and just listening to their stories about what they've been doing over these last few years in between Beef Weeks. The struggles they've had, but some of the success they're now having. I think one of the things that really does excite me though, is the amount of attention that is now going into the technology side of this business and a realisation of the data analytics and the various tools that are available to the livestock industry working with quite extreme environmental challenges and really harnessing the use of technology to get on top of that and then using the data to make their farming methods even more productive. That's what will keep them at the leading edge of the world. And I think that's tremendous and how that relates to pasture driven soil carbon, and speaking to MLA abut that today and the level of interest that there is from the livestock industry wanting to understand how that works. And what's driving it, business, commerciality, improved pastures, better profits, stronger herds. That's what's driving that interest in these areas. And I'm just pleased to see it because it shows innovation. It shows passion. It shows vision.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: I'm confident that this sector and the Australian industry more broadly will achieve anything it puts its mind to, and they are certainly putting them onto this.
JOURNALIST: How was the steak last night?
PRIME MINISTER: It was beef cheek last night and steak this morning, it wasn’t bad. It was a bit early for a steak for me but I tell you what, if it was like that every morning I wouldn't complain. I got a few good tips on the cooking so I will take that back with me.
JOURNALIST: On India, Prime Minister. Is it possible that you might overturn the biosecurity measures by the end of the week?
PRIME MINISTER: As I have said all the way through from the outset, we will constantly review them. It is in place until 15 May, that is what the biosecurity order signed by the Health Minister is. We need that time. That is our advice, to ensure that we can prepare for the repatriation flights that we hope to start soon after the 15th of May. But we will take the health advice on that. We are already seeing at Howard Springs the number of confirmed cases starting to come off. That is what we want to see over the next couple of weeks. In the last flights that we saw come in, we had one in eight, one in eight of those who arrived had COVID. See the challenge we are facing here is not just the rampant spread of the pandemic in India, but it has been the accelerated rate of where we have seen infection of people coming from India. Now we didn't see that same high rate of infection in those flights coming at earlier times. And so that is what has sparked the concern from our health advisors and from the Government. And so that is why we have taken this temporary pause to ensure not only have we prevented those direct flights from coming for the time being, and they're only direct flights going into Sydney, but also the chartered flights for those next two weeks and preventing people coming through third countries. Because if we hadn't done that, then we were at risk of having to shut off the flights from Doha and from the Emirates and from other places, even potentially out of Japan. And that would have prevented other Australians coming home. And so it was a practical decision, made on health grounds, it is temporary, it is until the 15th of May. We will review that over the course of this week, we will review it again over the course of next week, as we do with all of our decisions. The biosecurity law enforcements that have been in place have been there for 14 months. The same rules apply to prevent people from going into remote Indigenous communities. They would have faced exactly the same fines and potential arrangements for those sanctions as is being applied here. But the extremes of those sanctions haven't been applied in those circumstances. It is there to support a policy decision of the Government to stop a third wave in Australia. We can't be complacent in this country. As I said this morning just because we can put 100,000 people in the G to watch a game of footy on ANZAC weekend doesn't mean that this pandemic is in any way shape over. The pandemic is raging. And so my Government will take the steps necessary and the actions necessary to protect Australians so we can also bring more Australians home safely.
JOURNALIST: Michael Slater says you have got blood on your hands because of this ban. Is he right and what do you say to those Australians in India now fearing for their health and their lives?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't agree with him. And I would just again, thank all of those who are in this difficult situation for their patience and their understanding. I am working to bring them home safely. The great risk of not taking the actions the Government has taken was that we could see the rate of cases that we're seeing come in only increase further and jeopardize our medium to long term abilities to bring more Australians home. So this is a decision that has been taken both in the interests of keeping Australians safe now but also to put us in a stronger position to safely bring more Australians home. So I respectfully disagree with the critics on this one, but the buck stops here when it comes to these decisions, and I am going to take decisions that I believe are going to protect Australia from a third wave and help me to be able to reach out and bring more Australians safely home from places where they are in difficult situations.
JOURNALIST: Have you had the chance to consider Victoria's proposal that has been sent to the Commonwealth for permanent quarantine facilities in Melbourne?
PRIME MINISTER: It is being assessed now. It is being assessed by our agencies now. I welcome the proposal. It is, in contrast to some others we have received, it is a very detailed and comprehensive proposal. I welcome the fact that the Victorian Government understands that, in any facilities when it comes to enforcing their public health orders, which is the quarantine order, that they would be running the operations and providing the support for those facilities to operate. There are question marks as to the investment that the Commonwealth would be required to put in place but we will look at that in good faith. I welcome the fact that the Acting Premier has raised it with us and we will deal with that as a Government. But we’ve all got responsibilities here. The Commonwealth I should stress though, the Halton review recommended that we establish a national resilience facility for quarantine and we have. It is called Howard Springs. It will have a capacity this month of 2,000 people. It is coming at a cost to the Federal taxpayer of half a billion dollars. So I won't have it said that the Commonwealth is not doing its fair share of the heavy lifting when it comes to putting those facilities in place. We have done that. That’s where we will be bringing those Australians home from India. And that goes from 850 last month to 2,000 this month. States are doing their job. They’ve got a 99.99% success rate in preventing breaches in their hotel quarantine. Howard Springs has 100%. I am hoping we can keep that.
JOURNALIST: Just on the investment, are you open to considering the Commonwealth making some contribution to this.
PRIME MINISTER: Well I am not getting ahead of myself basically James. They have submitted a proposal. I am treating that proposal with respect that it should have, because it has been, it is a very comprehensive and detailed proposal. So a lot of effort has gone into it and we will look at it seriously, any of the fiscal issues I am sure we would raise and discuss those first with the State Government. But I am not getting ahead and nothing should be read into that. We will just take it on its merits and will consider it as part of our broader policy position.
JOURNALIST: On biosecurity, why have a law if you're not going to impose penalties?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the sanctions are there. They exist. But they will be exercised proportionately and responsibly. Those sanctions have been in place now for 14 months and we haven't seen the extremes of those sanctions being required. And I think it would be remote, a very remote circumstance, that would see them imposed in these circumstances, but they're imposed seriously because we need to prevent people coming who have been in India, during the last 14 days, because the risk of infection that they're bringing is very high. That’s the medical advice. So I don't want to see them necessarily imposed anywhere because I don't want to see people breaching the rule. And if everybody cooperates, then we can get things in a stronger position and that means we can start those repatriation flights again. I think it hasn't been helpful for these things to be exaggerated. These powers have been around for 14 months and they have been used responsibly and proportionately and effectively and that’s what we are doing now. It’s my responsibility to do everything I can to prevent a third wave in this country. And so I make no apologies for that. And I thank, particularly the Indian community here in Australia and overseas, for their patience and their understanding. They are going through terrible hardship at present and we understand that. That is why we are working quickly to get ourselves in a position to safely bring more of their families, citizens, the residents, their direct family members back safely. We have already brought 20,000 people who are registered in our High Commission and Consulates across India back to Australia through facilitated flights and repatriation flights. So we have been doing the heavy lifting there. I want to get in a position where we will continue that shortly. But we won't be doing it in a way that will risk a third wave and put Australians' health at risk. Thanks everyone.
More Affordable Access to Insurance for Northern Australians
4 May 2021
Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, Minister for Resources, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing
Northern Australian residents would be offered more affordable and accessible home and business insurance, thanks to the establishment of a reinsurance pool by the Morrison Government.
The reinsurance pool would cover cyclone and related flood damage in northern Australia from 1 July 2022, and would be backed by a $10 billion government guarantee.
This would reduce insurance premiums across Northern Australia by over $1.5 billion for households, strata and small businesses over 10 years.
More than 500,000 residential, strata and small business property insurance policies in Northern Australia are expected to be eligible to be covered by the reinsurance pool.
The Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the plan shows the Government is listening to Australians who live in the North of the country.
“We believe in the future of Northern Australia. This means we need to take further action to boost the resilience for Australians to live and work in northern Australia,” the Prime Minister said.
“I’ve listened to our local MPs and senators, I’ve sat down with residents and discussed the issue. Homeowners and businesses have been faced with crippling insurance costs, and in some cases, can’t get insurance at all. It’s not ok, and we’re going to change that.
“Our plan will give more Australians in cyclone-prone areas access to affordable insurance.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said a Treasury-led Taskforce will continue work on this to develop the final design of the reinsurance pool in close consultation with industry, with details to be finalised following that consultation process.
“More affordable insurance means peace-of-mind for hundreds of thousands of Australians across Northern Australia, knowing that their economic livelihoods are protected,” the Treasurer said.
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said that while the Federal Government is not the insurer of last resort, a reinsurance pool would make insurance easier and cheaper for those in the tropical north.
“It will put more money back into the pockets of those in the cyclone and flood prone areas of far north Queensland and the savings will build in their bank accounts for years to come,” Minister Littleproud said.
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said high insurance costs in northern Australia have long been a problem.
“It’s been a problem for business, a problem for local economies and a problem for every person who lives in the North. The passionate advocacy that occurred by George Christensen, Warren Entsch, Phil Thompson, Michelle Landry, Susan McDonald and Sam McMahon in fighting for north Australians to address this issue has delivered for the region today. I want to thank them for their hard work,” Minister Pitt said.
The Government is also announcing a plan to specifically reduce insurance costs for strata properties, by committing $40 million for the North Queensland Strata Title Resilience Pilot Program, to start in 2022.
Strata properties face some of the worst insurance affordability pressures in Northern Australia. The ACCC noted that, in 2018-19, the average strata premium was $6,800 in North Queensland, compared with the Australian average of only $3,300. Strata residents have few options other than to pay this because strata properties are required to hold insurance under Queensland legislation.
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said this three-year pilot program will subsidise the cost of cyclone risk mitigation works to improve insurance affordability and access for strata title properties in North Queensland.
“Today’s announcement represents the most significant action taken by the Commonwealth to improve insurance affordability and accessibility in Northern Australia,” Minister Sukkar said.