Interview with Neil Breen, 4BC

28 January 2022

NEIL BREEN: In Cairns today announcing a one billion dollar, one billion dollar injection for the Great Barrier Reef, the extra billion will bring funding for the Reef 2050 plan to more than three billion. There's already two billion there. This money will be spent over the next nine years. There'll be three billion all up. It will be delivered over those nine years and go towards improving water quality, fighting crown of thorns starfish. We've been fighting those buggers forever, the crown of thorns. And working with farmers and traditional owners in the area. It's a massive cash splash ahead of the federal election. The Prime Minister joins me on the line. Good morning to you, Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Neil.

BREEN: So the Barrier Reef, we know that around the world, some different authorities are looking at its status and everything about how threatened it is. Will this billion dollars protect the reef from those lists?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I believe so. But more importantly, I believe it will protect the reef, and that's what it's about. And I mean, the reef is, you know, one of the great natural wonders not only of Australia, but the world, but it's also an important livelihood for everybody up in north Queensland, far north Queensland. I mean, there are 64,000 jobs that depend on that reef. And so its health is about the economic health of that region, as well as the natural health of that region. And as you said in the introduction, this billion goes on top of the $2 billion we've already invested. As a government, we've taken our stewardship responsibilities for the reef incredibly seriously, and we've been able to ensure that the reef not only remains protected despite the many challenges, environmental challenges to the reef, but to ensure that its status has been able to be preserved.

BREEN: Is money the only thing that can fix it? Do attitudes need to change as well? If we keep throwing money at everything in Australia, we'll go broke.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's why you have to be careful about where you're investing. Your programmes have to be targeted, and that's why we've done the work over a long time with this package to ensure it's been directed where it needs to go. And as you said, water quality is the most important part of this package. So that's working with land managers, people who actually live off the land in this part of the world. Those who are, you know, doing that commercially. Those who do it to care for our national parks and places like this, land managers to remediate erosion, improve land condition, reduce nutrient and pesticide runoffs. There's serious investment going into research. The crown of thorns starfish, I heard you, we have been battling those little…

BREEN: Buggers, the buggers.

PRIME MINISTER: Back when I was a kid, we heard about that and it is a battle. But we've got more than 13,000 hectares of coral reef is protected under this programme. It covers 253 reefs. That is the programme that the crown of thorns starfish control programme focuses on and there's over 275,000 starfish that have been culled since we started that programme back in 2014/15. So there's a lot of work going on up there, and we've got the best reef scientists in the world and we've got the best reef managers in the world. And what we're doing is we're backing them in to ensure that they can do the best possible job they can for their, you know, their fellow Queenslanders up there in far north Queensland, but also for the country and the jobs and and the reef that depends on them.

BREEN: Back in 2018, there's been some commentary about this today, in April 2018, the federal government of which you were a part, but Malcolm Turnbull was the Prime Minister who gave $444 million to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Do we ever know what happened to that money?

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we do. I mean, it's reported on regularly to the government, and they've been able to also draw in private money to support that. And that was one of the many investments that we've made in the reef. See, to keep supporting the reef and ensure its health, you need to bring everybody in. And they're an important part of it. It's not just a job for governments, it's a job for everybody, and they play an important role in building that awareness as well. So, you know, plenty of people who criticised us back then for, you know, investing in supporting the health of the reef. But it's been an important part of keeping the health of the reef. We've just been getting on with it.

BREEN: Prime Minister, one of the things with this Omicron wave, there's a crisis going on in aged care across Australia. Can I asked if aged care was discussed at national cabinet yesterday?

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we discuss it at every meeting of national cabinet and and in particular, we got the update that 86 per cent of all the residential aged care facilities have now received their booster visits, which is very important, and the balance of those are occurring over the course of the next week. I mean, aged care and particularly residents in aged care, have been the key focus of the federal government, particularly since the start of this pandemic. And while we grieve the loss of those who have fallen victim to the disease, the fatality rates in Australia compared to Canada, they are 15 times higher in aged care, 15 times higher. And that's, you know, and the reason for that is we've worked so hard on the vaccination in aged care facilities. I remember the first big wave that we had that went through aged care in Victoria. You'll remember it, it was just terrible.

BREEN: Yes, I do.

PRIME MINISTER: There was no vaccine. But even then, only eight per cent of our aged care facilities were affected by those extreme events. And in the UK, it was 56 per cent. So it is a challenge to manage COVID in aged care facilities. I mean, we've sent out some 15.4 million N95 masks, seven million rapid antigen tests that we've been buying since last August to make sure we could respond to these outbreaks. And so what we're seeing this time around with the outbreaks is, yes, there are facilities that have COVID, but the way it's being managed, the use of the PPE equipment, the getting the rapid antigen tests in there, the training of the staff that we did, the boosters to the wages that we provided to keep staff in aged care facilities, getting private hospital nurses involved and bringing them in. All of this has been relieving the pressure. But Neil, I'll be honest, it is a hard challenge dealing with Omicron.

BREEN: Yes and there's no staff, there's no staff. They're all going down with COVID-19.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's happening right across the health system. And that's why, you know, we have put in, passed the boost to their wages to try and keep people in. But it's also why we changed the rules for close contacts so we could get more staff back to work. And it's also why we've been opening up the rules on hours that student nurses can work, as well as getting other people in to support that workforce. But it's a tough challenge. And you know, there's no easy way through COVID and in aged care the challenge is the greatest. But I am, you know, we are seeing results there that despite those challenges compared to other countries, the aged care system in Australia is holding up. And I really want to thank all those workers who are there. They're working double shifts. And it's not just the care workers themselves, it's the cleaners, it's those cooking the meals, it's those, you know, assuring that relatives for as long as possible can continue to come and visit their loved ones. And for those in palliative care, which is where 60, over 60 per cent of sadly we've seen fatalities in aged care most recently, we want their end of life, which is a tough thing for families to go through to be as peaceful and as comfortable as possible.

BREEN: The Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck doubles as the Sports Minister as well, and he went to the Test in Adelaide for three days, the Ashes Test and didn't appear before a Senate Committee hearing on the impact of Omicron on nursing homes. Should he have been at the cricket or at the Senate Committee hearing?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, he has appeared, as you know, at that hearing on many, many occasions. And you know, we set up that hearing. We set up that Committee at the start of COVID because we wanted to ensure there was an ongoing oversight and visibility on everything we've been doing. And he's appeared before that on countless occasions. And during the course of that week, I'm aware he was dealing not just issues when it was related to his Sports Minister, but he was having the regular contacts with the aged care sector with the AHPPC and all of those things. I mean, ministers have many responsibilities. I can understand the criticism and I'm sure ...

BREEN: Because it doesn't pass the pub test. Doesn't look good.

PRIME MINISTER: I think Richard has taken that, you know, on board. I have no doubt and but I can tell you, I mean, over the course of this pandemic and I know Richard very well and you know, there's been a few knockers of him, but I know what he does each and every day for the welfare of people living in our residential aged care facilities. And and so, you know, he will take that criticism on the chin and he'll get back to work, which he does every single day.

BREEN: Scott Morrison, did yourself and your wife Jenny feel disrespected by Grace Tame this week with the way she looked at you and didn't greet you at The Lodge?

PRIME MINISTER: Oh look, I've seen all that. When anyone comes to our home, when Jenny and I, we invite someone to our home we greet them with a smile and they're always welcome. And that day was actually about all the finalists that we came to celebrate. And the previous Australians of the year were there. Jenny and I were there, and that day was all about them. And, Dylan couldn't be there that day, he was actually playing at the time. But the others, Daniel Nour and Aunty Val and everyone ...

BREEN: Suppose she made it about herself though and she made a political statement.

PRIME MINISTER: Well look, that's for- I haven't raised any issues about this. All I'm saying is we were there that day to celebrate those who had done an incredible job for our country. And Jenny and I wanted to welcome them to our home and wish them all the best. Look, Grace is a passionate person who's raised important issues. She's had a terrible life ordeal, you know, things happen to her, her ordeals, the abuse. It's just awful. And I know a lot of Australians, me included, you know, support her efforts to ensure that these issues can be raised and addressed. Our government has done more than any other government on this issue, and that is in part because of the strong focus that has been brought to these issues and the response that we've made. So I thank her for her time as Australian of the Year and as I say, when you know, if people come to our house, Jenny and I always greet them with a smile.

BREEN: Well, when you come to our house today, to Queensland, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, you enjoy Cairns.

PRIME MINISTER: I will, looking forward to getting up there, a lot of jobs up there and and the reef is one of our greatest, one of our greatest assets in the country. We are going to take care of it as we always have. Thank you.

BREEN: Thank you, Prime Minister.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43760

National Cabinet Statement

27 January 2022

National Cabinet met today to discuss our response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, approaches to test, trace, isolate and quarantine including the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) and the vaccine rollout and booster programme.

The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the spread of the Omicron variant. Omicron case numbers continue to increase in Australia and globally. Omicron continues to show greater infectivity than the Delta variant, but with much less severity in terms of hospitalisations, ICU and ventilated patients.

National Cabinet noted that since the COVID-19 Rapid Test Concessional Access program began on Monday, approximately 1.4 million Rapid Antigen Tests have been distributed to eligible concession card holders through Community Pharmacies.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 1,816,597 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 3,402 people have died.

Globally there have been over 361.7 million cases and, sadly, over 5.6 million deaths, with 3,357,171 new cases and 9,994 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.

Lieutenant General John Frewen, DSC, AM, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (Operation COVID Shield) provided a detailed briefing on the major expansion in Australia’s vaccination roll out.

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues to expand. To date, 48 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including 82,709 doses in the previous 24 hours.

In the previous 7 days, more than 1.7 million vaccines have been administered in Australia. More than 95.5 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 years and over have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 99 per cent of over 50 year olds.

More than 93.1 per cent of Australians aged 16 years and over are now fully vaccinated, including more than 97.8 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of Australians over 70 years of age.

Over 7.1 million booster doses have been administered to over 65 per cent of eligible Australians. More than 61 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over have had a booster in the last 12 weeks since the booster program commenced.

More than 34 per cent of 5-11 year olds have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first 17 days of their vaccination program.

National Cabinet was briefed by the Director-General of Emergency Management Australia, Joe Buffone, on the work of the National Coordination Mechanism (NCM) and on supply chain arrangements and the improvements in activity as a result of the changes to close contact furlough arrangements.

National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 11 February 2022.

Essential Workforce

National Cabinet noted that recent changes in isolation requirements for essential transport workers have significantly eased the pressure points for transport operators.

National Cabinet also endorsed decisions agreed by the Infrastructure and Transport National Cabinet Reform Committee on 25 January 2022, including:

• agreement in principle i) as an immediate priority, all states and territories will enact arrangements to allow New Zealand citizens to use their equivalent New Zealand heavy vehicle licence in Australia for 12 months (or until the licence expires if sooner), before being required to obtain an Australian licence; ii) the states and territories will extend equivalent arrangements to interstate (Australian) drivers to ensure Australian drivers are not disadvantaged. These measures will be a temporary COVID-19 response measure to be reviewed 12 months after implementation.

• Austroads providing an interim National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework report by February 2022 to help jurisdictions introduce a competency-based licensing framework for heavy vehicle license class progression, with the final framework due in mid-2022 following consultation on framework development and implementation arrangements.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44155

Free use of Aboriginal Flag secured for all Australians

25 January 2022

Prime Minister, Minister for Indigenous Australians

The Aboriginal Flag is now freely available for public use after the Morrison Government completed negotiations with Harold Thomas.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Aboriginal Flag copyright has been transferred to the Commonwealth.

“We’ve freed the Aboriginal flag for Australians,” the Prime Minister said.

“Throughout the negotiations, we have sought to protect the integrity of the Aboriginal Flag, in line with Harold Thomas’ wishes. I thank everyone involved for reaching this outcome, putting the flag in public hands.

“The Aboriginal Flag will now be managed in a similar manner to the Australian National Flag, where its use is free, but must be presented in a respectful and dignified way.

“All Australians can now put the Aboriginal Flag on apparel such as sports jerseys and shirts, it can be painted on sports grounds, included on websites, in paintings and other artworks, used digitally and in any other medium without having to ask for permission or pay a fee.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said securing the free use of the Aboriginal Flag was profoundly important for all Australians.

“The Aboriginal Flag is an enduring symbol close to the heart of Aboriginal people,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Over the last 50 years we made Harold Thomas’ artwork our own - we marched under the Aboriginal Flag, stood behind it, and flew it high as a point of pride.

“In reaching this agreement to resolve the copyright issues, all Australians can freely display and use the flag to celebrate Indigenous culture. Now that the Commonwealth holds the copyright, it belongs to everyone, and no one can take it away.”

To ensure the flags themselves are of the highest quality and continue to be manufactured in Australia, Carroll and Richardson Flagworld will remain the exclusive licensed manufacturer and provider of Aboriginal Flags and bunting. While this ongoing arrangement covers commercial production, Flagworld is not restricting individuals from making their own flag for personal use.

As part of the copyright transfer, Harold Thomas will retain his moral rights over the flag and the Commonwealth has also agreed that:

• All future royalties the Commonwealth receives from Flagworld’s sale of the flag will be put towards the ongoing work of NAIDOC.

• The Australian Government will provide an annual scholarship in Mr Thomas’ honour worth $100,000 for Indigenous students to further the development of Indigenous governance and leadership.

• The National Indigenous Australians Agency will create an online history and education portal for the flag.

• An original painting by Harold Thomas recognising the flag’s 50th anniversary and the historic transfer of copyright will be gratefully accepted and displayed in a prominent location by the Australian Government.

Mr Thomas has indicated that he intends to use $2 million to establish an Australian Aboriginal Flag Legacy not-for-profit to make periodic disbursements aligned with interests of Aboriginal Australians and the flag.

Quotes attributable to Harold Thomas:

“I hope that this arrangement provides comfort to all Aboriginal people and Australians to use the Flag, unaltered, proudly and without restriction.

“I am grateful that my art is appreciated by so many, and that it has come to represent something so powerful to so many.

“The Aboriginal Flag design is my dreaming, intertwined with my wife’s family and mine, our ancestral belonging. The land, and the landscape, is indelible in my make-up; it courses through my consciousness and subconsciousness.

“The Flag represents the timeless history of our land and our people’s time on it. It is an introspection and appreciation of who we are. It draws from the history of our ancestors, our land, and our identity and will honour these well into the future.”

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43755

Papua New Guinea port upgrades to support trade and connectivity

21 January 2022

Prime Minister, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister James Marape met virtually today to sign agreements for $580 million in upgrades and refurbishments to several priority ports in Papua New Guinea, with a loan and grant finance package to be delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).

The two Prime Ministers recognised high quality, transformational infrastructure projects were vital to Papua New Guinea’s economic development and prosperity.

“This investment will improve trade and connectivity in the region, support economic recovery from COVID-19 and help safeguard the development of critical infrastructure in Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Morrison said.

“It builds on Australia’s record of supporting critical infrastructure in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region."

Prime Minister Marape welcomed the investment and said that this complements his government’s signature project, the “Connect PNG Program” and thanked the Australian Government for its continuous support rendered under the Papua New Guinea–Australia Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership (CSEP) arrangement, which strengthens the bilateral relationship.

“Upgrades to these key ports will facilitate trade and investment opportunities for PNG local products to reach designated domestic and international markets, create local employment, stimulate economies of scale, and build business confidence to grow our economy.”

Australia’s investment will help Papua New Guinea Ports Corporation Limited to undertake urgent repairs and upgrades to key Papua New Guinea ports, some of which are more than 70 years old.

We will work together to provide quality, climate-resilient infrastructure that will provide significant economic and social benefits to the people of Papua New Guinea.

Ports are critical for connectivity and economic growth in Papua New Guinea, where coastal shipping is the only access to goods and services, trade and passenger travel for many communities. The investment will also position Lae Tidal Basin, Papua New Guinea’s largest port, to become a regional hub to the Pacific by improving Lae Port’s capacity to service dedicated container ships from Southeast Asia.

The agreements will also see works undertaken on Kimbe on the north coast of New Britain, Lorengau (Manus Island), Kavieng (New Ireland), Vanimo (West Sepik) and Wewak (East Sepik).

The agreements recognise the critical importance of Australia and Papua New Guinea’s bilateral partnership and build on the joint ambition established through the CSEP.

We will continue working hand in hand with our broader Pacific family to advance our shared goals of a secure, stable, prosperous and resilient region.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43752

Hydrogen Industry Marks Milestone With First Shipment Of Liquid Hydrogen To Japan

21 January 2022

Prime Minister, Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Minister for Resources and Water, Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction

Australia is exporting the world’s first shipment of liquefied hydrogen, heralding the start of a major new energy export industry.

Australian-made hydrogen will be shipped from Victoria to Japan following the arrival of the Suiso Frontier carrier in Victoria as part of the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) pilot project, with the specially-built carrier ready to load super-cooled liquid hydrogen for transit to Japan.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the HESC project was a world-first that would make Australia a global leader, aiming to produce 225,000 tonnes of clean hydrogen each year in the Latrobe Valley.

“A successful Australian hydrogen industry means lower emissions, greater energy production and more local jobs,” the Prime Minister said.

“The HESC project is key to both Australia and Japan and our hydrogen industries. In addition to our Government’s support for HESC, we have recently established the Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program and committed up to $150 million to the first round that will focus on clean hydrogen supply chains with Japan.

“Last year, our countries affirmed our mutual ambitions and desire to work together to advance the development of low emissions technologies when we agreed the Japan-Australia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology.

“This project demonstrates the benefits of that cooperation.

“The HESC project puts Australia at the forefront of the global energy transition to lower emissions through clean hydrogen, which is a fuel of the future.”

The clean hydrogen will be produced from local brown coal, with carbon dioxide from this process to be captured and securely stored in the CarbonNet project’s offshore reservoir in Gippsland.

To coincide with the milestone, the Morrison Government is announcing $7.5 million to support the next $184 million pre-commercialisation phase of HESC. The Government is also committing $20 million for the next stage of the CarbonNet project. This funding is contingent on additional commitments from the Victorian and Japanese Governments, and the HESC business partners.

This brings the Australian Government’s total commitment to the HESC project to $57.5 million (leveraging $8 dollars for every Commonwealth dollar invested).

It is estimated the 225,000 tonnes of carbon neutral liquefied hydrogen (LH2) produced by HESC in a commercial phase will help reduce global emissions by around 1.8 million tonnes per year, or the equivalent of emissions from 350,000 petrol cars.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the arrival of the Suiso Frontier was an important milestone for Australia’s technology-led approach to reducing emissions.

“The HESC project and the arrival of the liquefied hydrogen carrier today cements Australia’s position as a world leader in hydrogen,” Minister Taylor said.

“Today’s achievement is a testament to Australian governments working with industry and our international partners to achieve a shared vision.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the HESC partners and Japan through the Government’s new commitments to the next phase of both the HESC and CarbonNet projects.

“The HESC project has the potential to become a major source of clean energy which will help Australia and Japan both reach our goals of net zero emissions by 2050.

“Not only this, but the HESC project is delivering jobs and economic activity for Victoria, with a clean hydrogen sector potentially able to generate more than $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050.”

Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt said the HESC project combined a number of technology elements, including a new way to use Latrobe Valley coal.

“The HESC project demonstrates the importance that Australian resources, such as local Latrobe Valley coal, will have in development of new low emissions industries,” Minister Pitt said.

“The development of HESC and CarbonNet will build on Australia’s reputation as a safe, stable and reliable exporter of resources and energy to the world, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Australia’s resources and energy exports are estimated to reach $379 billion in the current financial year and to continue to support Australia’s economic growth and jobs, particularly in regional Australia.”

Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Tim Wilson said: “The International Energy Agency projects hydrogen demand to double by 2030, and today’s arrival of the liquefied hydrogen carrier ushers in a new era of clean energy exports to create new jobs and opportunities for Australians.”

The Government is investing more than $1.3 billion to accelerate the development of Australia’s hydrogen industry, including $464 million to develop clean hydrogen industrial hubs in regional Australia, including a potential hub in the Latrobe valley.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43751

National Cabinet Statement

20 January 2022

National Cabinet met today to discuss our response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, approaches to test, trace isolate and quarantine including the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) and the vaccine rollout and booster programme.

The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the spread of the Omicron variant. Omicron case numbers continue to increase in Australia and globally. Omicron continues to show greater infectivity than the Delta variant, but with much less severity in terms of hospitalisations, ICU and ventilated patients.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 1,514,560 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 2,841 people have died.

Globally there have been over 333.4 million cases and sadly over 5.5 million deaths, with 3,281,678 new cases and 9,162 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.

Lieutenant General John Frewen, DSC, AM, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (Operation COVID Shield) provided a detailed briefing on the major expansion in Australia’s vaccination rollout.

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues to expand. To date 47 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including 332,808 doses in the previous 24 hours.

In the previous 7 days, more than 1.9 million vaccines have been administered in Australia. More than 95.2 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 years and over have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 99 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of over 70 year olds.

More than 92.7 per cent of Australians aged 16 years and over are now fully vaccinated including more than 97.5 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of Australians over 70 years of age.

Over 5.7 million booster doses have been administered to over 28 per cent of Australians. More than 53 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over have had a booster in the last 10 weeks since the booster program commenced.

More than 21 per cent of 5-11 year olds have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first 11 days of the children vaccination program. 

National Cabinet will meet again on Thursday 27 January 2022.

COVID-19 Treatments and Vaccinations

National Cabinet received an update from Adjunct Professor John Skerritt of the Therapeutic Goods Administration on approvals for the first oral treatments for COVID-19 in Australia, Lagevrio® (molnupiravir) and Paxlovid® (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir).

Lagevrio and Paxlovid are oral anti-viral treatments that have been found to be effective in treating people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who have a high risk of progressing to severe disease, reducing admissions to hospital and ICU and potential death. The Commonwealth Government has secured access to 300,000 treatment courses of Lagevrio® and 500,000 courses of Paxlovid® for supply throughout the course of 2022, with the first deliveries of both medicines anticipated over the coming weeks. These oral antiviral treatments need a prescription and are taken every 12 hours for five days. They are designed to interfere with the virus’ ability to multiply.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has further granted provisional approval of Novavax for its COVID-19 vaccine, NUVAXOVID for primary course vaccinations. This is the first protein COVID-19 vaccine to receive regulatory approval in Australia. The Commonwealth Government has ordered 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine which will be available as a primary course vaccine, with supplies available in coming weeks following deliveries and further batch testing. 

AHPPC Updated Advice on Use of Rapid Antigen Tests

National Cabinet agreed to the new AHPPC guidance on Rapid Antigen Testing for Current High Community Prevalence Environment. Rapid antigen tests are an important diagnostic tool to manage impacts on health system capacity, public health and safety, protect vulnerable Australians and minimise disruptions to daily life.

Rapid Antigen Tests are to be used for three purposes:

1. As a diagnostic test as an alternative to PCR for those at high risk of having COVID-19

2. To manage outbreaks

3. To help early indication of cases in high risk settings

Use of RATs to detect cases in high risk settings is recommended in residential aged and disability care settings where there is high community prevalence, healthcare settings managing very high risk patients (e.g. transplant ward, hematology unit, oncology ward, renal dialysis units) and other critical services (e.g. other parts of health care and emergency services). Rapid Antigen Tests are not routinely recommended to detect cases early for other industries, businesses and organisations.

Essential Workforce

National Cabinet considered the trucking industry’s proposals to support the freight and logistics effort including reducing the age of eligibility to apply for a forklift license, recognition of New Zealand truck driver licenses in Australia and having experience or competency based licencing for heavy vehicle driver licenses.

New Zealand and Australian driver license matters have been referred to the National Cabinet Infrastructure and Transport Reform Committee for consideration and National Cabinet agreed not to progress the industry’s proposed forklift license changes.

National Back to School Framework

State and Territory Governments will release their operational plans for schools. These plans will be in line with the National Framework for Managing COVID-19 in Schools and Early Childhood Education and Care that were agreed and released last week.

As part of these operational plans, and based on the needs of each particular jurisdiction, State and Territory Governments will determine what level of Rapid Antigen Testing is advised in school and early childhood settings. The Commonwealth will support these arrangements through 50:50 cost sharing under the COVID-19 National Partnership Agreement.

While surveillance testing has not been recommended by AHPPC, states and territories will make their own decisions on the best approach for their circumstances. Where States and Territories elect to do surveillance testing, the Commonwealth will negotiate bilateral agreements on payments.

All of this is consistent with our shared objective to get students back to school for Term 1, to keep schools open and to ensure access for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.

COVID-19 Related Requests for ADF Support

National Cabinet noted the revised Protocol for Defence Assistance to the Civil Community in COVID-19 (DACC) management support that the Commonwealth will apply when assessing requests for ADF support to the COVID-19 outbreak. These conditions and thresholds have been recalibrated following the changing operating environment arising from the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44154

Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB

17 January 2022

Ben Fordham: For our first chat of 2022. Happy New Year, PM. 

Prime Minister: Well, happy New Year to you, Ben. 

Fordham: Thank you for joining us on our first show back of the year. We will get through a few matters today, but we can't escape Novak Djokovic. Do you feel at all sorry for him? 

Prime Minister: Well, Australia has very clear rules and Australians have been following those rules. And that's one of the reasons why Australia has one of the lowest death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates in the world. And you know, we apply our rules equally in this country. And, you know, there was a very clear message sent. You want to come, you have to be vaccinated or you've got to have a valid medical exemption, and neither of those were in place. So people make their own choices. And those choices meant you couldn't come here and play tennis. 

Fordham: Should he have been granted an exemption in the first place? 

Prime Minister: Well, he didn't have one, and no is the bottom line to that. I mean, Australians here have been doing the right thing, they've made so many sacrifices. And you know, today we've gone, as of yesterday, gone past 25 per cent of our eligible population over 18 now boosted as well, which is fantastic. Those booster numbers keep rising. Australians are doing what they need to do. This is a challenging part of the pandemic, Omicron. It’s putting real stresses on the system, but we're getting through it. It's tough. But the idea that someone could come and not follow those rules was was just not on.

Fordham: But isn't part of the issue, though, that he was granted an exemption because he said, look, I've had COVID and therefore, you know, I'm able to come and play tennis. 

Prime Minister: Well, he was wrong. Simple as that.

Fordham: Well, were we wrong as well in in giving him an exemption? Or you're saying he wasn't given an exemption? 

Prime Minister: We didn't give, we didn't give him an exemption. The federal government gave him no such exemption. If you come in from overseas and you have a visa, whatever that visa is, you either have to be vaccinated or you have to have a valid medical exemption and show evidence of it. And those things weren't achieved. So they're the rules. 

Fordham: So these rules now last three years, this ministerial order. So unless there's a change of heart, he won't be allowed back for three years. What does he got to do to be welcome back next year? Get vaccinated, I suppose?

Prime Minister: Well. Well, that's a very good point. And I'm not going to sort of precondition any of that or say anything that would not enable the Minister to make the various calls they have to make. I mean, it does go over a three year period, but there is the opportunity for them to return in the right circumstances and that would be considered at the time. 

Fordham: We're joined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison about Novak Djokovic and we'll get to other matters in just a moment. You were concerned, or your government was concerned, that Djokovic remaining here would spark a rise in anti-vaccination talk. But won't this move whip up the anti-vax mob even more? 

Prime Minister: Well, I don't believe so, and because we've made it very clear that the rules are the rules. That has never been considered at any time, conceded at any time, during the course of working through these issues. I mean, for our government, ensuring the integrity of our borders has always been an extremely high priority. And it's not our first rodeo, Ben. Our government has dealt with border issues on many occasions. We've had to deal with them through the courts. They can be very delicate and sensitive and difficult issues to work through. But we've got experienced ministers and we've got a government that is very experienced in dealing with these issues and that's what we've done again on this occasion. And it's important that we've done that because that means that the government is able to ensure that we can put protections at the border and that they can't be overturned by someone seeking to to run it. 

Fordham: Is there a double standard here? Because we're worried about Novak's anti-vax message, we're told. But several Coalition MPs have been spreading anti-vax messages for months and seem to have gone unpunished, and they've been using their positions as Coalition MPs to spread anti-vax messages. So what action are you taking against them? 

Prime Minister: Well, you're conflating two different issues, Ben. In Australia, if you're an Australian, you're a citizen, your resident and you're a citizen, you can be here and you can express your views. If you're someone coming from overseas and there are conditions for you to enter this country, well you have to comply with them. And it's as simple as that. This is this is about someone who sought to come to Australia and not comply with the entry rules at our border. That's what this is about. Now, our government has dealt with those issues in many different scenarios over a long period of time, and we've always been very consistent and very strong and very effective in ensuring that we maintain the integrity of that border. And in this case, that border protection was principally about protecting the health of Australians. Remember, Australia was one of the first countries to close our borders to China at that time. I remember being castigated for it, bagged for it, saying, oh, this was racist. Well, it's one of the things that actually has ensured we saved over 40,000 lives in this country. And so I wasn't prepared to have this issue, our borders being compromised, challenge the way that Australia has been able to manage this virus so successfully. 

Fordham: The Novak Djokovic case has raised another issue. He was kept in a Melbourne hotel that also holds asylum seekers that have been denied visas. There are refugees in that same hotel who have been detained for more than nine years, and taxpayers fork out millions of dollars to keep them in limbo. How is that acceptable? 

Prime Minister: Well, the specific cases, Ben, I mean, it's not clear that to my information that someone in that case is actually a refugee. They may have sought asylum and been found not to be a refugee and have chosen not to return. And that's that's a very, that happens in this country, people aren't found to be refugees and they won't return. And they don't have a visa to enter Australia, then obviously they can't enter Australia. I mean, it comes back to these same issues, Ben. We have very clear rules about who can and who can't come into this country, and our government will always hold the line and could be counted on holding the line. I mean, even over the course of this past week, people were saying, oh, you should just let him stay. No. The border principle here was incredibly important and we were going to hold the line and we did, and it was effective. 

Fordham: Let's talk about Tonga. There are about 30,000 Tongans in Australia who are very worried about the volcanic eruption. A lot of people unable to contact their relatives back home. Australia is helping as of today?

Prime Minister: Yeah, key aid is being dispatched. And I spoke to Prime Minister Ardern yesterday and we're working with them as well. There's been a lot of challenges there with the ash cloud, with the disruption to communications. And so we're working together to get as much support to Tonga as we possibly can. And they're part of our Pacific family, beloved in our Pacific family by all of those island nations that we're always there to support and we certainly will be on this occasion. But obviously, because of the eruption there and what's occurring has made it very challenging, but we'll work through those issues. The Defence Forces are supporting and as our foreign affairs officials and working with other countries in the region to give them every support we can.

Fordham: We'll catch up with some of those relatives of loved ones in Tonga after eight o'clock this morning. On rapid antigen tests, the Australian Medical Association says it warned your health bureaucrats in September that we need a massive supply of RAT tests and now we've got these mass shortages. So whether they're free or sold over the counter, they've got to be on the shelves. Should we have been buying more of them six months ago?

Prime Minister: Well, we were buying them in August, as the federal government, to meet the requirements that we had in aged care facilities, and that's what's being used right now. And remember, back in August and even September, I mean, we were dealing with Delta then and the challenge and what we're focused on then and successfully was to get those vaccination rates up. Now Omicron has changed everything, Ben, changed absolutely everything. We're now dealing with the virus that is far more transmissible, but 75 per cent less severe. And most people listening to this programme now, I'm sure, now know someone or indeed have had COVID. Now, that wasn't true six months ago. It's been a very different virus. It's putting a lot of stress on our critical supplies, and we've made a number of changes to ensure we can try and alleviate that. Whether it's on changing the close contact rules that we've done with driving even harder the boosters into those critical areas, we've been working with our poultry producers and distributors. Josh is down there today with Coles working through more issues with them. They're telling us that the changes we've made are alleviating the situation. The rapid antigen tests are in short supply all around the world. This is not something that is unique to Australia going through it. It's part of dealing with Omicron. Omicron has disrupted everything, so we've changed so much to ensure we can get through what is a difficult period. And I want to thank Australians for their patience and pushing through. This is how we get through. We push through. 

Fordham: PM, you mentioned that most families have been touched by Omicron. Has the Morrison family managed to dodge it so far?

Prime Minister: So far, so far. But I'm receiving lots of news from friends and other family who have not. And that is, I think, a common experience for Australians. And and what they're what they're knowing is, as I'm knowing, is that in the overwhelming majority of cases, we're talking about a very mild illness. First couple of days, pretty unpleasant. But people coming through in overwhelming cases, not having to go to hospital, we're still well within what our hospital system can deal with. But that said, I know that our health workers on the frontline in our hospitals are under enormous pressure. And the reason for that is particularly because of the impact of people getting COVID or being close contacts, which takes them out of the health workforce, which puts more strain on the system. Now, a rapid antigen test doesn't cure you. So what does is the the antivirals that the government has brought into the country and more are coming. What does is is ensuring we're getting those booster shots in people's arms and that's happening, you know, back at those sort of record rates we were hoping to get to and we're already there in early January. So I want to thank everyone for going out there and getting their boosters. I want to thank everyone out getting their young kids 5 to 11. They've had a strong first week. And can I remind everyone who has a child aged between 12 and 15, we're over 75 per cent double vaxxed of that group, and we're very keen to click past that, that 80 per cent with that group who already had their first dose, particularly before school goes back. So we encourage people, not just 5 to 11s, but 12 to 15 year olds, if you have had your second jab, please go and get it. 

Fordham: We've got to run. We will catch up many times this year. I hope a big one ahead. We'll talk to you soon. 

Prime Minister: Well, we can get back to watching the tennis now. 

Fordham: Good luck! Prime Minister Scott Morrison joining us on the line for our first show of 2022.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43748

Media Statement

16 January 2022

The Full Federal Court of Australia unanimously decided to dismiss Mr Novak Djokovic’s application for judicial review which sought to challenge the Minister for Immigration’s decision to cancel his visa.

This cancellation decision was made on health, safety and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.

I welcome the decision to keep our borders strong and keep Australians safe.

As I said on Friday, Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected.

Over the pandemic, together we have achieved one of the lowest death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates, in the world.

Strong borders are fundamental to the Australian way of life as is the rule of law.

Our Government has always understood this and has been prepared to take the decisions and actions necessary to protect the integrity of our borders.

I thank the Court for their prompt attention to these issues and the patience of all involved as we have worked to resolve this issue.

It’s now time to get on with the Australian Open and get back to enjoying tennis over the summer.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44153

Media Statement

14 January 2022

I note the Minister for Immigration's decision in relation to Mr Novak Djokovic’s visa.

I understand that following careful consideration, action has been taken by the Minister to cancel Mr Djokovic’s visa held on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.

This pandemic has been incredibly difficult for every Australian but we have stuck together and saved lives and livelihoods.

Together we have achieved one of the lowest death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates, in the world.

Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected.

This is what the Minister is doing in taking this action today.

Our strong border protection policies have kept Australians safe, prior to COVID and now during the pandemic.

Due to the expected ongoing legal proceedings, I will be not be providing any further comment.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44152

National Cabinet Statement

13 January 2022

National Cabinet met today to discuss our response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, approaches to test, trace isolate and quarantine including the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) and the vaccine rollout and booster programme.

The Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly provided an update on the spread of the Omicron variant. Omicron case numbers continue to increase in Australia and globally. Omicron continues to show greater infectivity than the Delta variant, but with much less severity in terms of hospitalisations, ICU and ventilated patients.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 1,195,158 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 2,522 people have died. Australia’s fatality rate continues to be the second lowest in the OECD. Globally there have been over 315.4 million cases and sadly over 5.5 million deaths, with 2,265,922 new cases and 6,606 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The Omicron variant continues to surge in many countries around the world. The latest advice is the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, but significantly less severe than the Delta variant.

National Cabinet reaffirmed the National Plan to Transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response and continue work to suppress the virus under Phase C of the National Plan - seeking to minimise serious illness, hospitalisation and fatalities as a result of COVID-19 with baseline restrictions.

Lieutenant General John Frewen, DSC, AM, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (Operation COVID Shield) provided a detailed briefing on the major expansion in Australia’s vaccination rollout. 

To date over 45 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including 346,349 in the previous 24 hours. This was the third highest daily vaccination total on record with record numbers of 254,112, boosters and 55,570 5 to 11 year old vaccinations.

Almost 95 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 years and over have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over 99 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of over 70 year olds.

More than 92.3 per cent of Australians aged 16 years and over are now fully vaccinated including more than 97.3 per cent of over 50 year olds and more than 99 per cent of Australians over 70 years of age.

Over 4.3 million booster doses have been administered. Australia has sufficient supplies of boosters, with 24 million mRNA booster doses in stock in Australia. Yesterday over 242,000 boosters were administered across Australia. Over 48 per cent of those eligible for boosters have had a booster and almost 42 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over have had a booster in the last 9 weeks since the booster program commenced.

Vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds commenced on Monday 10 January. In only  three days over 140,000 vaccinations have been administered to 5-11 years olds accounting for 6.2% of all 5-11 year olds.

National Cabinet will meet again on Thursday 20 January 2022.

Rapid Antigen Testing

National Cabinet noted that testing for people suspected to have COVID-19 or close contacts will continue to be provided for free through joint funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, utilising either PCR or Rapid Antigen Testing technologies.

National Cabinet noted that jurisdictions had placed significant orders for supplies of Rapid Antigen Tests with increasing numbers of tests available over coming weeks through state and territory clinics and the private sector. PCR tests continue to be available in all state and territory clinics with significant reductions in testing times across all jurisdictions.

National Cabinet agreed that priority access to the public provision of Rapid Antigen Testing is for health and aged care settings as well as people who are symptomatic, close contacts as well as vulnerable populations, such as remote Indigenous communities. The guidance for close contacts was updated on 30 December 2021, with close contacts defined as household contacts of confirmed cases.

National Cabinet agreed to the final arrangements for the Rapid Antigen Testing Concessional Access Program, funded jointly by the Commonwealth and states and territories.

Through the program, eligible Commonwealth concession card holders will be permitted to receive a maximum of ten free tests in a three month period with a maximum of five tests in any one month through participating community pharmacies. Eligibility will include people with a Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold, White or Orange Card, Health Care Card, Low Income Health Card.

Community pharmacies will be reimbursed a set amount for the unit cost of the Rapid Antigen Tests (which will be $10 plus GST per test initially, with ongoing review of unit prices). For each supply transaction processed for an eligible person under this program (minimum of 2 tests and maximum of 5 tests per transaction), an Administration Handling and Infrastructure (AHI) fee of $4.30 per transaction will be reimbursed to the pharmacy, consistent with current AHI arrangements under the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement. Community Pharmacies will be responsible for sourcing supply for the program as they do for non-subsided rapid antigen tests.

Further implementation arrangements for the program will be published over the coming days following ongoing dialogue with the pharmacy profession.

The program to provide free Rapid Antigen Tests for concession card holders will become available through community pharmacies from 24 January 2022, noting that individual pharmacies will commence participation in the program as supply continues to become available in late January and early February 2022.

National Cabinet thanked community pharmacies and their representatives for their constructive efforts to date to implement this important program.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms and close contacts should attend a state clinic for free testing and not go to a pharmacy to receive a free test.

Essential Workers – Close Contact Furlough Arrangements by Sector and Workforce Impacts

National Cabinet received a detailed briefing from Secretary of the Commonwealth Treasury, Dr Steven Kennedy PSM on the impact of the Omicron variant on workforce availability.

Worker absenteeism due to symptomatic COVID-19 illness, identified asymptomatic infection and the required isolation of close contacts is impacting on critical supply sectors and supply chains across all states and territories.

Secretary Kennedy advised that current arrangements could see 10 per cent of Australia’s workforce including many workers in critical supply sectors withdrawn from the workforce. The potential impact of school closures on workforce absenteeism relating to caring responsibilities could see a further 5 per cent of Australia’s workforce withdrawn from the workforce.

The medical advice is that Omicron continues to show greater infectivity than the Delta variant, but with much less severity in terms of hospitalisations, ICU and ventilated patients. Given this it is important to continue to look at testing and isolation settings.

National Cabinet was briefed by the Director-General of Emergency Management Australia, Joe Buffone on the work of the National Coordination Mechanism (NCM) noting that transport, freight and logistics is a high priority. The Permissions and Restrictions for Essential Worker Interim Guidance will assist in workforce pressures across the supply chain.  The NCM will continue to work with all sectors across the Supply Chain to maintain essential goods and supplies.

National Cabinet agreed to the importance of keeping critical sectors open and agreed to extend the furlough arrangements in place for food and grocery supply chain workers to other sectors.

National Cabinet noted that the changes made to furlough arrangements for food and grocery supply chain workers is starting to improve supply chains.

Each state and territory will implement these changes to close contact arrangements for essential workers under respective state and territory public health orders and equivalent arrangements.

Changes will be made as soon as possible, where they have not already been made under state and territory public health arrangements, to include essential workers in:

• All transport, freight, logistics and service stations

Changes will be made shortly, where they have not already been made under state and territory public health arrangements, to include: 

• Health, welfare, care and support (including production and provision of medical, pharmaceutical and health supplies and pharmacy workers),

• Emergency services, safety, law enforcement, justice and correctional services,

• Energy, resources and water, and waste management,

• Food, beverage, and other critical goods (including farming, production, and provision but not including hospitality),

• Education and childcare; and

• Telecommunications, data, broadcasting and media.

A full list of sectors is attached.

National Cabinet agreed to further consider expanding these sectors to priority 2 cohorts, pending further health advice.

National Cabinet further endorsed the AHPPC Permissions and Restrictions for workers in health care and aged care settings to ensure close contact essential workers in these sectors are able to return to safely work and ensure continuity of care and effective operations.

National Cabinet agreed to seek advice from AHPPC on further measures including the role of symptom screening and monitoring in addition to PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests, as the next step towards longer term management of COVID-19 as an infectious disease.

National Framework for Managing COVID-19 in Schools and Early Childhood Education and Care

National Cabinet agreed the National Framework for Managing COVID-19 in Schools and Early Childhood Education and Care. The Framework is based on six National Guiding Principles:

• ECEC services and schools are essential and should be the first to open and the last to close wherever possible in outbreak situations, with face-to-face learning prioritised*;

• Baseline public health measures continue to apply;

• No vulnerable child or child of an essential worker is turned away;

• Responses to be proportionate and health risk-based;

• Equip ECEC services and schools to respond on the basis of public health advice and with support from public health authorities where required;

• Wellbeing of children and education staff to be supported.

All Governments will come back to National Cabinet next week to set out the practical implementation of this Framework so that families can plan with certainty. This will include detailed operational plans, such as mask wearing and surveillance rapid antigen testing, including for teachers.

*The Queensland and South Australian Governments have delayed the start to their school years by two weeks due to the forecast peaks of the virus in those states. These schools will still be open for the children of essential workers during this period.

Further information is available in the attached Framework:

• National Framework for Managing COVID-19 in Schools and Early Childhood Education and Care

• Permissions and Restrictions for Essential Workers – Interim Guidance

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44151

$40 million to support McGrath Breast Care Nurses

7 January 2022

Prime Minister, Minister for Health and Aged Care

The Morrison Government will provide an additional $40 million to increase support for breast cancer patients through the expansion of the McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurse Program.

The funding will ensure we continue to support around 20,000 Australians experiencing breast cancer with dedicated McGrath Breast Care Nurses for a further three years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the increased support would assist the McGrath Foundation towards its goal of providing a nurse to every breast cancer patient and their family, no matter where they live or what their financial situation.

“McGrath Breast Care Nurses provide vital clinical, psychological and emotional support to people facing their toughest days,” the Prime Minister said.

“Too many families around Australia are affected by this terrible disease, whether it be mums, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, co-workers or friends.

“The additional funding for the McGrath Foundation will help to ensure that as many of these people and their families can receive the support of a McGrath Breast Care Nurse, right from the moment of diagnosis.”

Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, thanked the McGrath Foundation for their exceptional work supporting and improving lives.

“Together with the Prime Minister, I express my deepest gratitude to McGrath Breast Care Nurses who have provided more than 250,000 hours of nursing in the last year alone,” Minister Hunt said.

“This $40 million commitment will extend support for the program for an additional three years and help to increase the number of Commonwealth-funded Breast Care Nurses from 102 to 114 by 2025-26.

“This will help to save lives and protect lives across our nation.”

The McGrath Foundation CEO Holly Masters was grateful for the funding and encouraged people across Australia to continue to support the Foundation.

“Australians will always come together for a good cause, which is why they have embraced the McGrath Foundation and the iconic Pink Test,” Ms Masters said.

“The community’s support is just as important in ensuring we can continue funding McGrath Breast Care Nurses to support people going through breast cancer right across Australia.”

Commonwealth-funded Breast Cancer Nurses have supported over 14,000 Australians fighting breast cancer since 2019. This commitment takes the total Commonwealth support for this program to $123 million.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43744

Australia-Japan clean hydrogen trade partnership

6 January 2022

Prime Minister, Minister for Industry, Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction

The Morrison Government is growing Australia’s clean hydrogen export industry through a new initiative aimed at attracting overseas investment into hydrogen supply chains originating in Australia.

The $150 million Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program (ACHTP) will support Australian-based hydrogen supply chain projects that secure overseas public or private sector investment.

The first round of the Program will focus on the export of clean hydrogen to Japan under the Japan-Australia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the $150 million program would help to deliver on Australia’s commitment to reducing emissions by working with other countries to get the cost of clean energy technologies down.

“It is critical that we work closely with our international partners such as Japan to deliver on Australia’s low emissions objectives,” the Prime Minister said.

“Clean hydrogen is central to both Australia’s and Japan’s plans to achieve net zero emissions while growing our economies and jobs.”

The ACHTP will support projects to develop export supply chains and commercialise production of clean hydrogen and derivative clean hydrogen-based compounds, such as clean ammonia.

Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said Australia is taking action to create new economic and employment opportunities on the pathway to net-zero emissions.

“Establishing clean hydrogen supply chains will facilitate investment into Australia and will create jobs for Australians, many in our regional areas,” Minister Taylor said.

“Australia is a world leader in clean energy and our high quality resources have long been in strong demand from our international partners. The Morrison Government is positioning Australia to become the international clean hydrogen supplier of choice and we are investing to make this reality.”

“Our Government is providing an innovative and economically viable solution to producing clean hydrogen not only for Australia, but also for our international partners.”

Clean hydrogen is one of the priority technologies in the Government’s Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan and Technology Investment Roadmap.

The Program will be funded over five years from the $565.8 million committed for low emissions technology international partnerships in the 2021-22 Budget.

Clean hydrogen could directly support 16,000 jobs by 2050, plus an additional 13,000 jobs from the construction of related renewable energy infrastructure.

Australian hydrogen production for export and domestic use could also generate more than $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43743

Australia-Japan Leaders’ Meeting Joint Statement

6 January 2022

1. Prime Minister Morrison and Prime Minister Kishida met virtually today. The two leaders reaffirmed the fundamental and enduring importance to both countries of the Special Strategic Partnership, which is based on a shared commitment to democracy, human rights, free trade and a rules-based international order, close coordination to contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific and beyond, longstanding trade and investment ties, and the deep affinity between the Australian and Japanese peoples. They reconfirmed that annual leaders’ meetings play a significant role in strengthening coordination to ensure that the Partnership continues to respond to the evolving strategic and economic environment.
   
   Security and defence cooperation

2. The two leaders today signed the landmark Reciprocal Access Agreement between Australia and Japan (Australia-Japan RAA), underscoring their commitment to further elevating bilateral security and defence cooperation in the interests of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The Australia-Japan RAA will establish standing arrangements for the Australian Defence Force and the Japan Self-Defense Forces to facilitate cooperative activities such as joint exercises and disaster relief operations, including those of greater scale and complexity, while improving the interoperability and capability of the two countries’ forces. They confirmed their intention to pursue the completion of respective domestic procedures necessary to give effect to the Australia-Japan RAA as early as possible.

3. The two leaders confirmed the importance of promoting cooperation between the Japan Coast Guard and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, including to facilitate information-sharing and cooperation on maritime domain awareness.

4. The two leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation between the two countries on economic security. They committed to deepening collaboration to address illicit technology transfers, build resilient supply chains and strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. They committed to significantly elevate our cooperation architecture on cyber and critical technology, including for promoting research and development of critical technologies such as AI and quantum, promoting the application of international law and agreed norms in cyberspace, and cooperating on standards setting in international fora. They further underlined the need to strengthen cooperation on resource security, including by developing resilient critical minerals supply chains.

5. The two leaders pledged to further deepen and broaden security and defence cooperation between the two countries to address current and future threats and challenges. In this regard, they looked forward to issuing a new Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation to serve as a compass for the two countries’ engagement for years to come, reflecting the significant development of bilateral security cooperation and the evolution of the regional strategic environment since the milestone Japan-Australia Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation signed in 2007. They instructed the respective relevant officials to expedite work toward issuing the new Joint Declaration at the earliest opportunity.
   
   Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and beyond

6. The two leaders concurred that Australia and Japan will play a significant role in realising a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is also inclusive and prosperous, and in strengthening regional resilience. Amid growing challenges to the fundamental values shared by the two countries and their partners, the two leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to a regional order where the rights, freedoms and sovereignty of all countries, regardless of size or power, are protected by international law, rules and norms. They recommitted to opposing coercive behaviour and to countering harmful disinformation.

7. The two leaders welcomed the strong and enduring contribution of the United States to stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and the US commitment to close cooperation with allies and partners. They reaffirmed the importance of reinforcing the two countries’ alliances with the United States and promoting Japan-Australia-US cooperation, including the enhancement of interoperability and the promotion of quality infrastructure, with a view to contributing to broader regional stability and prosperity. They looked forward to strengthening cooperation with the United States on security and defence, including through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue (TSD) and the Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting. They also welcomed the US intention to develop an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

8. The two leaders welcomed the growing quadrilateral cooperation among Japan, Australia, India and the United States, and looked forward to the next Quad leaders’ meeting this year to drive forward coordinated responses to the most pressing challenges faced by regional countries, including through supporting the production and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and the development of quality infrastructure.

9. Prime Minister Kishida reiterated Japan’s support for the Australia-UK-US security partnership, AUKUS, the development of which will contribute to regional peace and stability. The two leaders concurred on the vital role of the European Union and European partners in contributing to prosperity, stability and resilience in the Indo-Pacific, and to upholding international law and an open multilateral system based on shared values and shared interests.

10. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to partnering with Southeast Asia in pursuit of shared goals of prosperity and stability in the region, and reiterated their steadfast support for ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-led regional architecture, including the East Asia Summit as the Indo-Pacific's premier leader-level forum to discuss the region’s most pressing strategic challenges. They also reaffirmed their support for the principles of ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and for its practical implementation. The two leaders underscored their commitment to reinforce ASEAN’s efforts on COVID-19 response and recovery.

11. The two leaders affirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation with Pacific island countries to help them respond to the impacts of climate change and recover from the severe and ongoing health and economic impacts of COVID-19, including supporting these countries to safely reopen their borders. Prime Minister Morrison expressed his support for Japan’s cooperation with Pacific island countries under its Pacific Bond (KIZUNA) Policy. They welcomed trilateral cooperation with the United States on the East Micronesia undersea cable project, in partnership with the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati and Nauru, and reiterated their intention to explore further opportunities for infrastructure cooperation, noting that secure and quality infrastructure will serve as a foundation of sustainable and resilient economic development of Pacific island countries. Prime Minister Kishida welcomed Australia’s recent quick response, with Pacific family partners, to the civil unrest in Solomon Islands and its contribution to the restoration of order, following a request from Solomon Islands.

12. The two leaders reiterated serious concerns about the situation in the South China Sea, and underlined the importance of being able to exercise rights and freedoms consistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reaffirmed their strong objection to China's unlawful maritime claims and activities that are inconsistent with UNCLOS. They recalled that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal decision is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute. They strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.

13. The two leaders expressed serious concerns about the situation in the East China Sea, which undermines regional peace and stability. They shared the intention to remain in close communication about the situation in the East China Sea and expressed strong opposition to any destabilising or coercive unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo and increase tensions in the area.

14. The two leaders also underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

15. The two leaders shared serious concerns about reported human rights abuses against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. They also expressed their grave concerns over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system and the undermining of the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

16. The two leaders condemned North Korea’s ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, reiterating their commitment to achieving the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missiles of all ranges of North Korea. They urged North Korea to comply with its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and emphasised the importance of the international community fully implementing the UNSCRs. They called on North Korea to end human rights violations and to resolve the Japanese abductions issue immediately.

17. The two leaders reiterated their grave concerns about the situation in Myanmar and called for the immediate cessation of violence against civilian populations, the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including foreigners, and unhindered humanitarian access. They urged the Myanmar military regime to implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and encouraged the international community to work together to support an end to the violence, including by preventing the flow of arms into Myanmar.

18. The two leaders reaffirmed that the two countries will work closely with each other to maintain and strengthen the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, including through activities in the framework of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI). The two leaders stressed that the 40-year long decline in global nuclear arsenals must be sustained and not reversed. In this regard, the two leaders welcomed the extension of the New Start Treaty by the United States and Russia and looked forward to the development of future arms control frameworks that involve other countries and a wider range of weapon systems.
    
    Trade and economic cooperation

19. The two leaders confirmed their commitment to a free, fair, inclusive and rules-based trade and investment environment, noting that open and transparent trade settings build trust and prosperity and support economic recovery. They reaffirmed their resolve to uphold and strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, and concurred on the need to hold the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference at the earliest opportunity. They opposed the use of economic coercion, which undermines the rules-based trading system and the links between nations fostered by economic engagement.

20. The two leaders looked forward to the continued successful implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and its expansion to those able to fully meet, implement and adhere to its high standards and with a demonstrated pattern of complying with trade commitments. They reaffirmed the importance of the CPTPP to promote free trade, open and competitive markets and economic integration in the region. They recognised the strategic significance of the CPTPP and noted that economic coercion and unjustified restrictive trade practices are contrary to the objectives and high standards of the Agreement. They welcomed the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement on 1 January 2022 and determined to work towards full implementation of the Agreement. They further committed to continue working with like-minded countries to explore ways to strengthen ties on regional digital trade.

21. The two leaders welcomed the contribution the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) has made to boosting bilateral trade and investment since its entry into force in 2015, and reaffirmed that they will commit to the full implementation of the Agreement.

22. Prime Minister Morrison confirmed that Australia looked forward to participating in the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, as an opportunity to further strengthen and broaden the trade, investment and people-to-people links between the two countries. Prime Minister Kishida welcomed Australia’s participation and expressed his gratitude for Prime Minister Morrison’s wish for every success in preparations for the Expo.

23. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation under the Japan-Australia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology towards their common commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. Australia will dedicate funding from its A$565.8 million for strategic international partnerships to the bilateral partnership on decarbonisation through low emissions technology, while Japan will use its ¥2 trillion (A$24.5 billion) Green Innovation Fund to help Japanese companies invest in technologies contributing to carbon neutrality, recognising the potential of international cooperation with relevant countries such as Australia. Japan also welcomed Australia’s establishment of the Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program, which will commence with A$150 million to support projects to develop clean hydrogen (and hydrogen derivatives, such as clean ammonia) supply chains with an initial focus on the export of clean hydrogen to Japan.

24. The two leaders also reaffirmed their joint commitments, as well as the commitments of Japanese and Australian businesses, to the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project, and noted the importance of the project as a world-leading demonstration of a clean hydrogen supply chain. They also welcomed ongoing clean fuel ammonia projects in order to establish a stable and affordable clean fuel ammonia supply chain. They also reaffirmed their close collaboration on energy transition in the Indo-Pacific, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia, through Japan’s Asian Energy Transition Initiative and the Indo-Pacific Clean Energy Supply Chain Forum to be hosted by Australia in 2022.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44150

Doorstop - Canberra, ACT

5 January 2022

PRIME MINISTER: Well, a very moving time to be spending together here at the AIATSIS. This is a wonderful national institution. It started in 1964 under the Menzies Government. And today, to be taking it into a new phase and a new chapter not just for Indigenous Australians, but all Australians. It is tremendous to be part of this. Again I want to acknowledge Minister Wyatt in particular, to Craig and Jodie and everyone here who has been part of getting us to this day. A lot of work ahead of us. But this is going to be a day I think we'll remember for a long time and when generations come to this amazing cultural precinct, here in our national capital, they will come back to this day. The Government committed, the proposal was cleared, and then we did it together. 

After this, I'll obviously return to Parliament House, I'll be chairing the National Cabinet meeting later today. There are many issues as people are very aware, that we're dealing with at the moment. There's 160 million rapid antigen tests that are on their way to Australia. In addition to that, I want to stress once again that those who are required to have a test, be it a rapid antigen test or a PCR test, those tests are free. They are free. Essential tests - so if you're a close contact, if you're symptomatic, those tests are free to all Australians. Always have been. That has never changed. For what I call peace of mind tests, and others have called them that, these peace of mind tests where people are seeking to get them over and above what the essential requirements are, I'll be putting a proposal to the premiers and chief ministers today, how we can offset the cost for those who are on Commonwealth Seniors health cards and pensioners, and those on health care cards and things of that nature to defray the costs for those that they're seeking to get, where other Australians are buying. And we'll be talking through those issues today, as well as improving the access and supply of the rapid antigen tests. 

The Omicron variant has been a major disruption in many respects, not just here in Australia, all around the world. You'd be aware that in the United Kingdom, the tests that are supplied there, they've had to pull back from in terms of how they're getting to people. This massive demand, which is caused by the sheer volume of the Omicron variant. Under the Delta variant it was very, very different. It was extremely different. The volume of cases with different vaccine protection was different and the demand for testing was different. The Omicron variant was a game changer for that, and that is affecting countries all around the world, not just in Australia. So today, I'll be meeting with the premiers and chief ministers to ensure that we work together to work through these current challenges. They are a challenge, they are a problem. There's no silver bullet. Making everything free is not a silver bullet. There are no silver bullets here. You've just got to work the problem, work it together and push through. And that's what we'll be doing at National Cabinet. 

JOURNALIST: PM, so have you completely ruled out making these rapid antigen tests free, for all Australians, like they are in other countries? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that is only true in two countries that I'm aware of. 

JOURNALIST: Three as well as New Zealand.

PRIME MINISTER: There's the United Kingdom, and they are having very significant problems in the supply of those tests. And so that is proving to be very challenging. Singapore is a much smaller country than Australia, as is New Zealand. More broadly across the world, that is not what all the countries are doing. What we're focused on is ensuring that the tests are there for those who need them for health reasons. So if you need one for health reasons, then those tests are free and I encourage people to get that message out. The suggestion that tests are not free is untrue. The tests are free if you require one and are required to have one because you are a close contact or you're symptomatic. The challenge at present sits predominantly around the issue of supply, and as I said 160 million tests both state and federal governments have been out there and we've been in the market since August. We've been able to ensure that we've met all of our obligations and responsibilities for RAT tests to the aged care sector, those sectors that we're responsible for. The states are now working to acquire those tests. As you know, in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, they've all been moving on that. And so we have a challenge in the short term. We will overcome that challenge, like we've overcome all the challenges through COVID, which has put us in the situation where Australia has one of the lowest death rates, strongest economies and highest vaccination rates of any country in the world. 

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, with regards to today's announcement, how confident are you that Indigenous peoples from across the country, not just here in the capital, will be able to be consulted or have been consulted as far as the precinct goes?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, AIATSIS's reputation precedes it. This is where the Government has put our trust, and rightly so in the process that AIATSIS and the Minister will lead. That is what has brought us to this day and that that is what will take us forward. This is being driven by AIATSIS with the Minister, and I have every confidence that they will work through that way that they have for a very long time since 1964. They have the credibility and the reputation to take this project forward, with Minister Wyatt. And so I'm very confident about how that process will flow forward and we can look forward to an amazing precinct here in Canberra, where the shared stories of Indigenous peoples all around the country can be honoured, can be respected, can be learnt from, can inspire us. And of course, it's the stories of loss, but it's also the stories of dignity and hope as well and achievement and ensuring we tell the whole story. And I think it's going to be a very, very special place in Australia. 

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister just quickly on Novak Djokovic, how did he get an exemption to come into Australia and have we see his vaccination passport? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that is a matter for the Victorian Government. They have provided him with an exemption to come to Australia, and so we then act in accordance with that decision. 

JOURNALIST: Do you think that's appropriate? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's how it works. States provide exemptions for people to enter on those basis, and that's been happening for the last two years. So there's no change to that arrangement. The Victorian Government made their decision on that. And so I'd have to refer to the Victoria Government about their reasons for doing so. Thank you.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43738

Ngurra: The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Precinct

5 January 2022

Prime Minister, Minister for Indigenous Australians

The Morrison Government will build Ngurra, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural precinct, on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in the Parliamentary Triangle, on Ngunnawal country (Canberra).

Ngurra, meaning ‘home’, ‘country’ or ‘place of belonging’, will include a learning and knowledge centre, a national resting place to care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains and a new home for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new $316.5 million precinct would take its place among Australia’s premier institutions in the parliamentary triangle as a place of national pride and significance.

“Ngurra is the realisation of a long-held desire to have a home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories at the heart of our nation,” the Prime Minister said.

“It will be a national landmark of the highest order, standing proudly for us all to celebrate, educate, reflect and commemorate.

“It will be built in Commonwealth Place, on the primary axis in the Parliamentary Triangle – between Old Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial - demonstrating the importance and reverence this institution should hold.

“It will be built fully in accordance with the proposal developed by AIATSIS and presented to Government for approval, as a result of their consultation processes.”

“All Australians and visitors to our nation will be able to gain a deeper appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ diversity and cultures, and the richness this offers our country.

“This new world-class facility will contribute to our continuing journey of reconciliation, where Indigenous Australians can tell their stories, in the way they want, for all visitors to have a greater understanding of our shared history.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said the learning and engagement, exhibitions, research and curation that would occur at Ngurra would be significant acts of truth-telling.

“At its heart will be a national resting place where the remains of Indigenous Australians taken from their country will be cared for until they are able to be returned to their communities,” Minister Wyatt said.

“And in instances where provenance has been forgotten or erased, they will be cared for in perpetuity with dignity and respect.

“As new home to AIATSIS, the precinct will also house and make accessible the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and heritage items.

“Ngurra will provide a new perspective on our shared history, as a significant moment for truth-telling, and a new place where the diversity of Indigenous Australia and one of the world’s oldest living cultures will be celebrated.”

An architectural design competition will be run in 2022 to develop an iconic design fitting for the location and that reflects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ aspirations, achievements and deep connection to Country.

Further content is available at Ngurra announcement video (Dropbox).

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43737

National Cabinet Statement

5 January 2022

National Cabinet met today to discuss our response to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, new approaches to test, trace isolate and quarantine including the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) and the vaccine rollout and booster programme.

The Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly provided an update on the spread of the Omicron variant. Omicron case numbers continue to increase in Australia and globally. Omicron continues to show greater infectivity than the Delta variant, but with less severity.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 612,106 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 2,289 people have died. More than 56 million tests have been undertaken, with 1,643,841 million tests reported in the past 7 days.

Globally there have been over 294.9 million cases and sadly over 5.4 million deaths, with 2.6 million new cases and 7,169 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in many countries around the world.

National Cabinet received a detailed update on Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program from Lieutenant General John Frewen, Coordinator General of Operation COVID Shield.

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out continues to expand. To date 43 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australia, including 212,497 in the previous 24 hours.

In the previous 7 days, more than 754,500 vaccines have been administered in Australia. More than 94.5 per cent of the Australian population aged 16 years and over have now had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including 98.7 per cent of Australians aged 50 years of age and over and more than 99 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over.

More than 91.6 per cent of Australians aged 16 years and over are now fully vaccinated including more than 96.8 per cent of Australians aged 50 years of age and over and more than 99 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over.

Over 2.7 million booster doses have been administered. Australia has sufficient supplies of boosters, with nearly 18 million mRNA vaccines in stock in Australia. Yesterday, over 176,000 boosters were administered across Australia. Following the widening of eligibility for boosters on 4 January to those who had their second dose at least four months earlier, over 33.8 per cent of those eligible for boosters have had a booster and 28.6 per cent of Australians aged 70 years of age and over have had a booster in the last 8 weeks since the booster program commenced.

National Cabinet will meet again on Thursday 13 January 2022.

Rapid Antigen Tests

National Cabinet noted that COVID-19 tests are free and available at state testing clinics for people who have symptoms or are a close contact.

National Cabinet agreed that up to 10 Rapid Antigen Tests over three months (a maximum of 5 in a month) will be made available free through pharmacies to people holding the following cards:

• Pension Concession Card

• Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card

• Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold, White or Orange Card

• Health Care Card

• Low Income Health Card

These free tests will become available in the next two weeks. However, anyone with COVID-19 symptoms and close contacts should attend a state clinic for free testing and not go to a pharmacy to receive a free test. Costs for providing these tests will be shared 50:50 between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories consistent with COVID shared funding agreements.

National Cabinet noted the Commonwealth will provide 10 million RATs to states and territories (a combination of predominantly Point of Care Tests and self tests) to assist with testing and laboratory capacity. National Cabinet agreed to fund these in line with the existing National Partnership Agreement on the COVID-19 Response.

National Cabinet received a briefing from Joe Buffone, Director-General of Emergency Management Australia, on behalf of the National Coordination Mechanism (NCM). Supply chain issues continue to be one of the main disruptors of broad access to RATs. National Cabinet noted that the Commonwealth is working through the NCM to finalise anti-hoarding measures with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and other major retailers that stock RATs to limit the number of RATs available for sale to each individual.

National Cabinet noted the Commonwealth will prohibit price gouging of and the non-commercial export of RATs, similar to actions taken earlier in the pandemic relating to essential goods such as masks, other PPE and hand sanitiser. As was the case previously, price gouging will be defined as supplying or offering to supply essential goods at a price that is more than 120% of the initial purchase price (a 20% markup) and penalties for not complying with this direction will range up to five years imprisonment or $66,000.

Changes to testing requirements

National Cabinet agreed changes to testing requirements for all states except for Western Australia including:

• Removing the requirement for truck drivers to have rolling seven days tests.

• Testing will not be required before patients present to hospital.

• Confirmation PCR test will not be required after a positive RAT. Individual states and territories will provide further information on how a positive RAT will be recorded. Anyone who tests positive is encouraged to contact their GP for support as required.

• Testing before interstate travel will no longer be required except for Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, with Queensland and Tasmania to review these requirements in the coming weeks. State testing clinics will not be able to be used for interstate travel purposes.

• A second post arrival test for international travelers will not be required except for Queensland, who will review this requirement when they reach 90 per cent double vaccination rate.

Workplace Health and Safety

National Cabinet noted the impact on business of current state workplace Health and Safety laws  that could imply requiring employees to return a negative RAT test in order to present to work. National Cabinet agreed the Commonwealth Attorney General will convene a meeting of relevant ministers from all jurisdictions to consider workplace health and safety requirements with a view to removing any potential obligation to impose testing requirements in workplaces on employees

National Return to School Framework

National Cabinet tasked the First Secretaries Group (FSG) led by Mr Phil Gaetjens, Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to develop a national framework to enable students to return to school on day one of term one, and for schools to stay open with consistent requirements across all jurisdictions to be in place prior to the first day of the first term of school. The FSG will report back to National Cabinet at the next meeting.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44149

Landmark Security Treaty to be signed with Japan

5 January 2022

Australia and Japan will sign an historic treaty that will further strengthen defence and security cooperation between the two nations, during a virtual leaders’ summit on 6 January.

Australia and Japan are the closest of friends. Our Special Strategic Partnership is stronger than it has ever been, reflecting our shared values, our commitment to democracy and human rights, and our common interests in a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

The virtual summit with His Excellency Mr Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, will mark the opening of a new chapter of defence and security cooperation between our two countries, with the signing of a Reciprocal Access Agreement.

This landmark treaty will underpin greater and more complex practical engagement between the Australian Defence Force and the Japanese Self-Defence Forces.  It will, for the first time, provide a clear framework for enhanced interoperability and cooperation between our two forces.

This treaty will be a statement of our two nations’ commitment to work together in meeting the shared strategic security challenges we face and to contribute to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.

Our cooperation also includes an expanding agenda for the Quad with India and the United States, and our shared technology-led approach to reducing carbon emissions.

The virtual summit will also build on our Partnership for Decarbonisation through Technology, including identifying opportunities to deepen government and business collaboration on clean energy and critical technologies and materials.

I look forward to my summit with Prime Minister Kishida and welcoming him to Australia in the near future.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-44148

Interview with Charles Croucher and Sarah Abo, Today Show

3 January 2022

SARAH ABO: Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins us now from Kirribilli House in Sydney. Good morning, PM. 

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. 

ABO: Firstly, there was a positive case there at Kirribilli House last week. You've been monitoring symptoms, how are you feeling? 

PRIME MINISTER: I'm totally fine. It was at a press conference. It was all outside. Just like everyone else in these situations you monitor, there was no need for me to take a test. I'm not symptomatic. Because if you are symptomatic and you are a close contact, then those tests are free. I want to make that really clear. If you're a close contact or you're symptomatic, the tests are free. What's not free, of course, is where tests are used for other purposes. Casual. But if you're in aged care setting where we do it there, health settings where state governments are doing that, that's free as well. And also, we're looking at what we'd be doing with schools when they return next year, and that's one of the things we'll be discussing with the premiers. 

ABO: Well what's not free I guess PM, are those rapid antigen tests that people are trying to get their hands on around the country, they're flying off the shelves. I mean, we need to restock, don't we?

PRIME MINISTER: Well and they are restocking. And the decision we took last week, which meant that, you know, we were very clear about who needs to get a test and who doesn't. If you have to get a test, as I said, if you're a close contact or you are symptomatic, then you go to the testing centres and rapid antigen tests will be being made available through those distribution centres for at the testing sites. That's what we agreed last week. And so if you have to have a test, it is free and that's where you'll get it from. And by making that policy very, very clear, then that means the private market, whether it's in the big warehouse pharmacies or the other pharmacies or the supermarkets, they can now go and stock their shelves with confidence that they won't be undercut by the government. 

CHARLES CROUCHER: PM, COVID case numbers are jumping in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria. Hospitalisations in New South Wales have increased by almost 20 per cent in just one day. We're at a stage now where we've had 18 months to prepare for what's happening right now. Are we prepared? 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah. Well, I think you're saying that. I mean, we've got 51 people on ventilators around the country, you know, 148 people in ICU. I make the point on hospitalisation, and this is one of the things we're going to have to discuss this week, I'm heading down to Canberra today, with the premiers is this definition of hospitalisation. There are people being counted as being in hospital for COVID. They didn't go there for COVID. They went there for some other reason and that's why they were admitted and they've been tested when they're there and they've been found to have COVID. So we need to get a standard definition on that because these are the key things we have to track now. The case numbers, I mean, there'll come a time, and I suspect it shouldn't be too far away, where reporting case numbers is really not the point. What matters is the impact on the hospital system. And with 51 people on ventilators, 148, this is the entire country, who are in ICU. Every, you know, we've had around 60 meetings of the national cabinet, pretty much every single one of those meetings we were focusing on these preparedness issues around our public hospitals. That's why we have the agreement with the private hospitals. That's why we changed the definition of close contact to ensure we could get people back to work, particularly in our health system. And we're looking to make further changes on that this week so we can get more staff back into our hospitals and ensuring that we can deal with the need. Now, of course, over summer, I mean, our health professionals have been working incredibly hard. They're taking a bit of a break. That's understandable, and that's why we've got the arrangements with private hospitals and others to try and bridge that gap in the meantime. 

ABO: And of course, off the back of that national cabinet last week, it did come up with this definition of a close contact. Most states were on board. Now we know South Australia sort of walked back from that. Will the need for QR codes still exist, given that we have such a tight definition of a close contact, are QR codes redundant?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think there will become a time for that, but right now, the reason they're useful now is just to advise people to monitor their symptoms. I mean, exactly what happened here the other day. I mean, someone checked in. They proved later to have COVID, and so everyone was there, was advised. And so we monitor our symptoms. I mean, no one's been isolated now. No one's been kept away from work. No one's had to go and take a test. No one's had to do any of those things. It's just an alert system now, whereas before it was used for contact tracing through a formal method. We've gearchanged now. And I think that's the key point I think we've all got to come to terms with, is we've gearchanged with Omicron. And so the requirements for testing, the requirements for isolation, all of these things have changed because Omicron we now know is around 75 per cent less virulent, less severe than the Delta variant. Now if you were in hospital at the moment, the primary reason for that is you weren't vaccinated. The second reason for that is you've got Delta, not Omicron. And with Omicron there is only a very small number of cases that are in hospital. So we're now dealing with a very different virus. And so we've really got to change the way we think about it. And that's why talking about case numbers now is really not the point. The issue is how we're managing the impacts on the health system. And that's why ensuring we have sensible rules that allow people to go back to work, and that's what exactly what we're doing to ensure we can get on with it. 

CROUCHER: PM, the Opposition Leader told us less than an hour ago that it's always a little too late with your government. What's your response? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, he's always full of complaints after the fact,I've found with the Leader of the Opposition. He's like that person on the Monday morning who always says what the coach should have done and what all the players have done. But you know, I don't think you want that bloke running the team at any time. So look, we're just getting on with it, working with everybody. We have the lowest, one of the lowest death rates of COVID in the world. We have one of the strongest economies coming out of COVID. Around 500,000 jobs now back in the economy with the decisions that we've taken to secure this economic recovery. And thirdly, we've got one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, and our booster program yesterday had another record day, which is fantastic. It's running six times faster than the first dose vaccination. And there's 20 million vaccinations in the country for those boosters. So what everyone can do and I encourage them to keep doing is to go out and get those booster shots. And remember, on the 10th of January, we start the children's vaccination programmes for five to 11s. Now I want to also stress to people that the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation are the professional experts that we've always relied upon to guide these key decisions. And we've been doing that for the last two years, and that's why we've been able to achieve those results. Australia is faring better than most of the countries in the world.

ABO: PM, there is lot of confusion out there and the public is trying to do the right thing, but they're not quite sure what to do in each state. The rules do keep changing, especially when we have these national cabinet meetings where not everyone is agreeing to a national consensus. We know now that, of course, the boosters are being rolled out. We hear some premiers say there's not going to be any further lockdowns. Do we need a lockdown, just a short term circuit breaker lockdown to try and get us over this really this peak that we're seeing at the moment of the pandemic, just so that we can safeguard against even higher numbers?

PRIME MINISTER: No. Because it's not about numbers, I keep making this point. This is a different type of variant which requires an evolution of our response. The days of lockdown are gone. We're going forward. We're not going back. That's not how you manage this virus. There'll be high case numbers, but the severity is a lot less. And so you focus on your hospital system. Even over there in the United Kingdom, the number of people on ventilators, I think it's about 850, has remained pretty flat over the last couple of weeks. Their hospital admissions have gone up, but the number on what they call mechanical ventilators has remained fairly static over the period of the last few weeks. So this is another phase. We've changed gear. We've got to keep changing gear. We can't look back to some of these things we were doing before as the way to manage it. We're managing in a different way so we can live with the virus. People can stay at work, kids could go back to school when school starts again. People can keep their businesses open and people can earn a living. They don't have to depend on government payments to get them through. We can take that pressure off the budget and we can keep investing in the health care needs that we have. And for the Commonwealth Government's point of view, that's continuing to invest in the vaccines. We put $35 billion of additional investment in our health system over the last two years to fight this pandemic. That's a record level of investment. And it's not just on things like the vaccines, it's the treatments as well. Those treatments are very important because they lessen the severity when people are in hospital, so we can ultimately manage this like any other infectious disease. That's the pathway out. We're on the pathway out here and we're keeping the economy strong and keeping Australians healthy at the same time. 

CROUCHER: PM, we thank you for your time this morning. Wishing you and Jenny a very happy new year and looking forward to speaking to you throughout 2022. 

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot. Happy New Year everyone. Have a great New Year's Day holiday.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43736

Interview with Edwina Bartholomew, Sunrise

3 January 2022

EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW: Joining me now is Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Prime Minister, good morning to you. 

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Edwina. Happy New Year.

BARTHOLOMEW: Happy New Year to you. Lots to get to this morning. Let's start with that warning from paramedics and health authorities. We are being repeatedly told to look at ICU rates, but that doesn't really tell the whole story of the COVID crisis in our hospitals. A lot of worry out there in the community. Are you confident our health system can actually cope? 

PRIME MINISTER: This has been the major topic of premiers and chief ministers and I over the last two years, whether it was at the start of the pandemic and getting that surge capacity in place for hospitals for the worst that we might have feared at that time. Getting the ventilators, all of these things, all of those, all of those arrangements are still there. Right through to today where we have 51 people who are on ventilators across Australia, just around 148 who are in ICU. But what's important with the paramedics and particularly call outs and calling these triple 0 numbers, I was having this discussion with the New South Wales Premier, is that people only need to be calling that number if you have a medical emergency. Having some COVID symptoms, this is not a medical emergency. And it's important that with the rising case numbers we see, that the severeness of this illness is already being shown to be around 75 per cent less than what we saw with Delta. So rising case numbers is part of the Omicron variant, part of the new phase of the pandemic we're in. And so it's important just to monitor those symptoms, and the government is obviously providing those tests for those who are required to have them. Otherwise, it's just a matter of just monitoring those symptoms and then going about your business and observing all the commonsense controls and protections. 

BARTHOLOMEW: Well, there are plenty of people at home doing that right now because daily case numbers are going up, but testing rates are variable as well. We're hearing more people actually, Prime Minister, are skipping the PCR tests because they're riding out their illness at home with little support. Do you think the COVID situation here in Australia is actually much worse than we even realise, given that people aren't bothering to get tested? 

PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't think so. But what I think is people are managing their health. What we know is that this virus is less virulent and this strain is far less virulent of what we saw with Delta. The majority of cases that we're seeing in hospitals are people who are unvaccinated. You want to end up in hospital, the most likely way to end up there from COVID is not to be vaccinated. The second most likely reason is that they have Delta not Omicron. Omicron is overtaking now, the Delta variant of this virus. The Omicron cases that are finding their way into the health system are very, very, very small. And it's the same thing we're seeing, particularly overseas in the United Kingdom, where we've seen ICU rates and we've seen those on ventilators are remaining quite flat, despite the fact that even hospitalisation numbers have risen and even more so, case numbers. So we have changed now, and we have to stop thinking about case numbers and think about serious illness, living with the virus, managing our own health and ensuring that we're monitoring those symptoms and we keep our economy going. I mean, we've got almost half a million jobs have come back into the economy since the lockdowns lifted from times back in August, when it was at its bottom. So people getting back into work. The changes we've made to testing and close contact definitions are seeing businesses open up again, people getting back into jobs, people managing their exposure to the virus. I mean, most of us now probably know someone who has had COVID, and that wasn't the case at early parts of the pandemic, and we know the overwhelming number of cases they are telling them that it's been a mild illness. That doesn't mean to say it can't put pressure on the hospital system. It can. And that's what we're working very closely with the premiers and chief ministers to make sure those resources are there. 

BARTHOLOMEW: Prime Minister, one of the key ways that people can manage their own illness is through rapid antigen tests. You ruled out making them free last week because of the impact on the pharmacies and private business. But now we see price gouging on tests across the country, charities can't access them to do their key work, people can't afford them. Will you review plans to make them free and not just for aged care and the areas that you're responsible for?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we already make them free to everyone who is required to have one. Anyone who has to have a rapid antigen test, one is provided free and of course, PCR tests are provided free as well. They're also tax deductible. But we're at another stage of this pandemic now where we just can't go round and make everything free. We have to live with this virus. This isn't a medicine, it's a test. And so there's a difference between those two things. They are available at $15 and we are working on arrangements, as I flagged two weeks ago, for concessional access to those who are pensioners and others. And we'll be working through those issues. I'm heading down to Canberra today to do further work on that, and we hope to be in a position to be able to finalise those arrangements this week, as I've already flagged some weeks ago. So concessional access, we understand the need for that and we'll be doing that 50/50 with the states and territories. That was part of our meeting that we had last week. And so we can go further forward on that, just like we'll go further forward this week on managing the health workforce. We've already taken some decisions to get more aged care workers back and off being isolated and furloughed. There's more work to be done there. That needed further analysis by the health officials to ensure we got those settings right. And so we'll work those through this week. That's the task for this week. But when it comes to this pandemic, we've had JobKeeper, we've had business supports, we've had the COVID disaster payments. We've invested hundreds of billions of dollars getting Australia through this crisis. But we're now in a stage of the pandemic, where you can't just make everything free because when someone tells you they want to make something free, someone's always going to pay for it and it's going to be you. 

BARTHOLOMEW: Well, at the moment it us with those rapid antigen tests. We appreciate your time this morning, Prime Minister, we know it's a big year ahead with the election looming. Enjoy the rest of what appears to be a little bit of a break before we get right back into it. Thanks for your time. 

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much Edwina,  good to be with you.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43735

Australia to honour Platinum Jubilee with national events

1 January 2022

Australia will hold a range of national and community events in 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Platinum Jubilee celebrates The Queen’s 70 years of dedicated service to Australia and the Commonwealth.

“Seventy years of service is a truly immense achievement, and we are proud to join with other Commonwealth nations to celebrate this milestone,” the Prime Minister said.

“Her Majesty has always held a deep affection and close connection with the people of Australia.”

“We plan to hold a range of events to coincide with key dates throughout 2022, to show our respect and appreciation for seven decades of service.”

Celebrations will include the lighting of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon in Canberra, the release of commemorative stamps and coins, as well as illuminating monuments all around Australia.

Prime Minister Morrison said one of the key events would be renaming Aspen Island in The Queen’s honour.

“Aspen Island in Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin, the home of the National Carillon, will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island during a special event in June 2022,” the Prime Minister said.

“Given the National Carillon was officially opened by Her Majesty in 1970, it is only fitting that Aspen Island should be renamed in recognition of her many years of service to Australia.

“This ceremony will also include dedicating the new Queen Elizabeth Water Gardens, which will transform the nearby foreshore as well as improve water quality.”

The Island and Water Gardens will display the Commonwealth flags.

Further events, activities and celebrations to recognise the Platinum Jubilee will be announced throughout 2022.

Australians will also be able to submit a personal message of thanks to Her Majesty.

More information is available at platinumjubilee.gov.au and further details of celebrations will be published on platinumjubilee.gov.au throughout 2022.

Further information

• Her Majesty The Queen has visited Australia on 16 occasions:

  • 1954, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2011

• Further information and history about Aspen Island and the National Carillon, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, can be found on the NCA website.

• Platinum Jubilee celebrations will be held across Australia on key dates in 2022, including:

• 6 February – 70th anniversary of the accession of The Queen

• 14 March – Commonwealth Day

• 2 June – The Queen’s Coronation Day (held in 1953)

• 2 to 5 June – The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 

• Monday 13 June – The Queen’s Birthday holiday (NSW; VIC; SA; TAS; ACT; & NT) (WA 26 September; QLD 3 October)

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43734