Monday, 31 March 2014

DOCTORS' CONTRACT CRISIS REACHES A NEW LOW

Media Release

The Newman Government must today fix its escalating public health crisis by dumping the unfair WorkChoices-style contracts it is forcing doctors to sign.
Shadow Health Minister Jo-Ann Miller said as doctors planned a mass meeting in Brisbane tonight to discuss the on-going stand-off, the crisis was escalating because the arrogant Premier and his belligerent Health Minister refused to fix a dispute they created.“They created it – they need to fix it,” Mrs Miller said the government was still refusing to listen despite a poll today which shows Queenslanders are overwhelmingly opposed to the forced contracts.

The poll of residents across four electorates throughout the state shows 67.7 per cent of Queenslanders opposed the contracts and just 17.5 per cent supported them, while half of those polled said they believed the health system had deteriorated under the LNP.
“It’s now been five months since the Opposition first raised the issue of these unfair forced contracts in the State Parliament and the Premier and the Health Minister have continued on their arrogant path, refusing to do the right thing,” Mrs Miller said.
“The Premier clearly is still not listening to the medical fraternity or to Queenslanders – that’s clear from the poll today which was partially undertaken in his own electorate."

“Campbell Newman and Lawrence Springborg face a clear choice today – they either start listening and get rid of these unreasonable and unfair contracts today or they allow the deadline for signing at the end of April to come and cause mass resignations."
“The Premier and the Health Minister will have no-one but themselves to blame for the very real possibility that our hospitals will be doctorless and the public health system as we know it will grind to a halt."

“Queenslanders are on the side of the doctors. Queenslanders value our medical professionals unlike this Premier and this Health Minister who are incapable of negotiating without picking an unnecessary fight, just as they did with the legal profession and just as they did with the thousands of public servants they have sacked.”
Mrs Miller said the Premier and his Health Minister had reached a new low today by launching a Federal Court action to have the medical community silenced.
“Instead of staging unnecessary bullying legal fights, they should be sitting down with the doctors and making a legitimate attempt to sort this fiasco out,” she said.

“Instead of attempting to shut down the fundamental right to negotiate on work conditions, the Premier should be personally meeting with the doctors to fix the mess he has created along with his Health Minister.”

UN climate committee 'optimistic' on chances of managing climate change risks

Extract from ABC News

By environment reporter Jake Sturmer and Jeanavive McGregor

Updated 45 minutes ago

Photo: The IPCC has warned of a breakdown in infrastructure such as electricity due to extreme weather events. (AFP: Philippe Huguen)

External Link: Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability link

Map: Australia

The world's leading climate science organisation has found no community or region anywhere in the world has avoided the impacts of climate change.

The latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned of serious threats to the planet's ecosystems, infrastructure and agricultural production.
For the first time, the IPCC report focuses on the risks posed by global warming, concluding that in many cases the world is ill-prepared.
But the report also highlighted what governments can do to adapt to key vulnerabilities.
Speaking at the press conference in Yokohama, Japan, IPCC chair Dr Rajendra Pachauri said it was clear climate change had already had widespread impacts.
"We have assessed impacts as they are happening, impacts on natural and human systems, on all continents and oceans, and I would like to emphasise that in view of these impacts and those that we have projected for the future nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change," he said.
Chris Field, the co-chair of Working Group II, said it was clear climate change had already had widespread impacts.

Eight key risks identified

Low-lying coastal zones and small islands will be vulnerable to storm surges, coastal flooding and sea-level rises
More frequent flooding in urban areas
Breakdown in infrastructure and critical services such as electricity, water supply, health and emergency services due to increases in extreme weather events
Increase in deaths and illness due to extreme heat
Risk of food insecurity due to warming, drought and flooding
Significant drops in agricultural production and rural livelihoods
Loss of marine and coastal ecosystems with significant impacts on fishing communities and industry
Threats to native species and ecosystems

"Many of these have real consequences. Many of them occur in low latitude areas, high latitude areas, deserts, mountains, the oceans, the coasts really around the world," he said.
Mr Field said managing climate change needed to be understood in terms of managing risks.
"Too many times in the past we have conceptualised the climate challenge in finding out exactly what the temperature is going to be in exactly what year, and that matters much less than being smart about dealing with the things we know and the things we don't know," he said.
But Mr Field said the key message of the report was an optimistic one.
"There are a wide range of things that individuals, firms, governments can do to be smart about dealing with the climate challenge. Some of this involves mitigation and some of this involves adaptation.
"A good example is when you go to buy a new car. You are more than happy to pay for upgraded brakes and airbags, not because you think that you are going to crash on the way home, but because in the low probability of a crash you are as protected as possible," he said.
The Working Group II report details the impacts, risks and opportunities for action and adaptation, and lists eight key risks across the regions (see above).
The report highlights that adaption is happening in both the public and private sector and "that governments at various levels are starting to develop plans and policies and to integrate climate-change considerations into broader development plans".

Australian risk list identified

The World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef has topped the local risk list, with the IPCC warning that permanent damage is inevitable.

Australia a 'canary in a cage'

Climate change will increasingly harm people's health and Australians will be particularly vulnerable, according to Canberra authors of the latest IPCC report.

Australia's leading coral reefs marine scientist and lead author Ove Hoegh-Guldberg says mitigation strategies, such as improving water quality and reducing fishing pressure, will only "buy time" for the reef.
But he remains hopeful.
"We are at a point where we really are choosing a direction. If we delay any longer we won't have that choice anymore," he said.
"On one hand, we've got a hopeful and quite an optimistic scenario ... where corals will be doing [it] tough, but if we treat them right and get these changes going on, they'll survive."
While the report says planning for sea level rises and reduced water availability is getting better and is becoming more widely adopted in Australia and New Zealand, implementation is a little piecemeal.
However one of the lead authors, Professor Lesley Hughes, says there are opportunities within the report.
"It's not all doom and gloom if we get a wriggle on and do a lot about it," she said.
"If we have very strong mitigation, that is reduced greenhouse emissions, we can hope to stabilise the climate in the second half of this century."

The rigorous report process

The report includes 310 lead authors from 73 different nationalities.

Australian scientists are heavily involved as authors and reviewers of the Working Group reports.

Lesley Hughes, the lead author of the paper on Australasia, says Australia "punches above its weight".

"We are disproportionately a larger group than you might otherwise think based on our population in the IPCC authorship team," she said.

"We have a lot of scientists working on climate change issues and that is because we see Australia as being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change."

The reports take up to five years to produce, undergoing a rigorous review process.

For example, 48,000 review comments were received on the upcoming report.

Professor Hughes says the process is not really a matter of achieving consensus, but rather is about evaluating the evidence.

The Australasia chapter alone has 1,000 references.

The report has also singled out Australia's alpine region, which has suffered a significant drop in late-season snow depth at three of four alpine sites.
Ski resorts say they are already adapting but it will impact on the billion-dollar industry.
"For winter, our strategy is particularly focused around the snow-making capability," acting chief executive of the Victorian Alpine Resorts Coordinating Council Alex Shilton said.
"Over ... the last decade or so the machinery has been improved to the extent that it can cope with conditions that are perhaps not as favourable as it has been in the past.
"So they're able to make snow at slightly higher temperatures and slightly higher moisture conditions.
"Then we've got a summer strategy... [involving] things like downhill mountain bikes, road cycling events, festivals - that type of thing."
There might be more of those festivals, with the CSIRO predicting shorter ski seasons.
But there is still optimism from the industry.
"We had a really fantastic season in 2012, it was followed up by a pretty poor season in 2013," Mr Shilton said.
"But we're like farmers. We're just used to dealing with the variability in the weather, the variability in the climate.
"It's just part of the business we're in."

International effort needed for 'global problem'

Environment Minister Greg Hunt says "Australia is committed to addressing the challenges through direct and practical policy measures. This includes reducing emissions by 5 per cent from 2000 levels by 2020".

Heatwaves hurt disadvantaged

There are calls to act early to save lives, writes Greg Foyster for ABC Environment.

Scientists say that even if Australia acts on climate change, damaging effects could be felt locally if the rest of the world does not act.
Former United Kingdom government climate change advisor Nick Rowley says it is truly a "global problem".
"We shouldn't let that level of difficulty and challenge be an excuse for disengaging with it, because that will impose far greater cost," he said.
"If I were to stand around and say 'I'm going to increase taxes by 1 cent in the dollar and that will all go directly to school education', that would be very difficult to sell.
"But you could say it was about improving school education.
"In climate change, you can impose a cost, but you can't actually sell the benefit, because the reduction of emissions has to take place not only in Australia but in South-East Asia, in India, in Europe, in the United States."

Saturday, 29 March 2014

Machinery

*THE WORKER*

Brisbane, February 16, 1895.

Machinery and Production.

As an illustration of the marvellous effects of machinery on production, a correspondent of the Age gives the following:

Cotton alone has doubled its production inside 15 years, being in 1873 three and eight-tenths million bales, and in 1886 – 87 (with less labour, mind you!) six million and a half bales. In the same time the transport both by rail and steamer went down by by one-half. The economics introduced were equally marvellous. The cotton gin worked by one man can clean cotton equal to 1000 working by hand; the spindle that in 1873 made 4000 revolutions per minute now makes 10,000; the weaver of 30 years ago, working 14 hours per day, made some 9000 yards of sheeting, while his brother weaver of today, working 10 hours, is able to turn out 30,000 , thus being able by one year's work to clothe some 1600 fully clad Chinese or some three thousand half clad Indians.

Again, turn to iron, England was formerly the world producer. In 1855 the output of pig iron was 3,218,134 tons, but in 1891 it was 7,406,964 tons. Its value in 1855 was £8,045,385 and in 1891 £19,440,918 England between 1870 and 1883 increased her production by 239 per cent. The economics here introduced play an important part in lowering prices. In 1870 the labour of an English worker produced 173 tons, and he now produces 261 tons. The introduction of the Bessemer principle of making steel lowered the cost from £14 to £4 per ton. Here neither gold nor silver had anything to do with the great fall of prices. Take again wheat. The cost of sowing an acre of wheat was some 30 years ago from 15s. to 20s. Per acre; to-day its cost is not more than 2s. to 3s. Almost every step in wheat culture is now done by machinery.

The economy of labour in production and distribution, Mr. Atkinson assures us, is so great that the labour of four men for one year will grow, grind, mill and transport, 14,000 miles from the seaboard as much flour as will keep 1000 persons for one whole year. This in itself is a potent factor to cause a great fall in prices.

The duplex steam engine that was introduced into our ocean going steamers gave greater speed, and the space occupied by coal could now be given to cargo. While it drove 2,000,000,000 tonnage of sailing vessels out of the trade, the Suez canal made the local almost a national market; and the importance of the telegraph as an agency for reducing charges in the old methods of commerce must not be overlooked. The revolution that machinery has made in the boot industry is so great that little or no skill is required in their production, and three men and two boys now produce what it took 40 men to do without the new inventions.

A factory hand can turn out from 20 to 25 pair of trousers, that is, do all the machining required to be done. In some industries of to-day no labour is required but super superintendence. The lace machine has displaced thousands of women, and as the cost of labour enters largely in the price, its displacement must govern the rise or fall of prices.

Medibank Private executives could gain million-dollar pay rise in proposed health insurer sell-off: expert

Extract from ABC News

By the National Reporting Team's Lorna Knowles

Updated 1 hour 12 minutes ago

Senior executives at Medibank Private are set to be the big winners if the insurance company is sold off, an expert says.

The Federal Government has announced the health insurer will be sold through an initial public offering in the next financial year, 2014-15.
The company's top earners could join the multi-millionaires club after the planned share float, but the union representing Medibank workers fears such salary hikes will lead to big job losses.
Medibank Private managing director George Savvides and a handful of other top executives could reasonably expect to triple their already generous salary packages after the sale.
Corporate governance analyst Martin Lawrence says history has shown that when publicly owned companies go private, executive pay packets skyrocket.
"There's a reason why executives are really big fans of privatisation," Mr Lawrence said.

"You get usually somewhere in the order of a two to four-times increase depending on what you were paid beforehand and how lucky you are in the process."
According to the latest Medibank Private annual report, Mr Savvides is paid $1.2 million.
Mr Lawrence says that after the sale his total salary package could balloon to $5 million.
Medibank group executives Dr Andrew Wilson and Dr Matthew Cullen are now paid $1.85 million. Mr Lawrence expects their salaries could increase to $3.2 million.
"The way that CEOs and senior executives of big listed companies get paid is based on what other CEOs and senior executives of listed companies get paid, of a similar size or a similar type," Mr Lawrence said.

A recent, stark example of an executive salary increase after a public company sell off is QR National.
The rail company was sold in 2010 and the salary of chief executive Lance Hockridge increased from $1 million to $6 million.
CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood says any executive salary increases at Medibank could lead to job cuts.
"What we could see is more jobs going to pay fat executive salaries and to provide a return to the new owners."
Medibank Private declined the ABC's request for an interview.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the Government will prepare for an initial public offering of Medibank Private subject to market conditions.
The Commonwealth is set to reap an estimated $4 billion from the sale.

Race law debate touches emotional chord – in parliament and out

Extract from The Guardian

‘For people who have experienced racism, it is a deeply personal debate,’ says Labor senator Penny Wong

Gabrielle Chan
theguardian.com, Friday 28 March 2014 15.31 AEST

Every so often, issues arise on the political landscape that offer a window into political representatives who are most deeply touched by them. Race is always one of them. It inspires a passion unseen on most other subjects.
Consider the Abbott cabinet where, up until now, leaks have been rare. Yet proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act inspired a wholesale leak this week.
In unison, quiet government backbenchers such as the Indigenous MP Ken Wyatt have seen fit to speak out, as has Zed Seselja. Indigenous Labor senator Nova Peris was never so eloquent than when she described how it felt to be called a “nigger” by a fellow athlete.
Each of these members talked from experience of racism. The danger of this debate for the government is that it has taken them, and many other Australians, straight back to that moment – in the schoolyard, on the oval, in the pub – and forced them to relive it all over again.
Under attack, some politicians have a natural inclination to come out swinging. While others close down and consider their best option.
On Monday the attorney general, George Brandis, was hurling haymakers against those critical of his unravelling of the Racial Discrimination Act. “People do have the right to be bigots you know.”
It sent the Senate chamber into an uproar and Penny Wong interjected.
“I will take that interjection, Senator Wong,” said Brandis.
“Senator Wong interjects, 'Yes, George, you go out there and defend the right to be bigoted.' Well, you know, Senator Wong, a lot of the things I have heard you say in this chamber over the years are, to my way of thinking, extraordinarily bigoted and extraordinarily ignorant. But I would defend your right to say things that I consider to be bigoted and ignorant. That is what freedom of speech means.”
Wong turned her back on him. She was angry. So angry she thought better of responding on the day, lest she say something that she would regret. She saved it up.
“When he described me as bigoted, I turned around. As someone who has been the target of bigotry before, it was a difficult thing to hear. There’s no doubt there is a personal emotional response, an evoked emotional response.”
Wong is famously reluctant to talk about her personal life. Her mother is Anglo Australian, her father Malaysian Chinese. In her maiden speech, Wong credited her parents and some of the influences in her life. Her paternal grandmother, Madam Lai Fung Shim, known to her and her brother Toby as Poh Poh, was a barely literate woman who raised her family in Malaysia alone in postwar poverty.
Wong moved to Australia in the seventies, to a semi-rural area on the outskirts of Adelaide. There, the Wong children were the only Asian kids in the school. In public and in private, she will not go into any incidents but anyone who grew up a migrant kid in the seventies intuitively knows the score. Her formative political years prior to entering the Senate in 2002 were intimately entwined with the explosive entry of Pauline Hanson into the political scene in 1996.
And those memories came back to her on Monday.
“It does bring back …”, but the words trailed off for a more careful reflection of her childhood. “I really had to think about whether I wanted to get up and speak because I was actually really emotional,” she said.
“It does bring back … for people who have been the subject of racial abuse, when we are reminded of that, when we hear an echo of it in the parliament or public debate, of course it brings back some of those emotions.
“You remember how you felt as a child, you remember how, watching my younger brother, who was much less resilient than I, watching how he responded.
“You emotionally react to those things and I had to think about whether I actually gave that speech because I wanted to make sure when I did make a contribution that I was in a place where I could do the subject matter justice and say what I wanted to say and not be too caught up in my own response.”
Wong said the experience of marginalisation drove her into politics and her first speech paid tribute to her brother Toby: "I want to make special mention of my younger brother Toby, who turned 30 on the day that I was elected to this place and died ten days later.
"Your life and death ensure I shall never forget what it is like for those who are truly marginalised."
So when she came back to the Senate for a debate on the Brandis draft, she described the hurt and the damage.
“I’m thinking of the young me today, the kid who is being abused or the person on the bus,” she told the Guardian. “It’s not just protecting me, I feel a responsibility to speak for people who don’t have the platform I have or being able to stand on the floor of the parliament.
“You hope, on issues of race, that we have gone somewhere different as a nation and then you have a debate like this and you realise those of us who believe in acceptance, standing up against prejudice, thought we have moved on from that debate.
“I think George saying this is about the rights of the bigots really laid bare the philosophy behind these changes.
“For them, it seems to be an abstract philosophical or legal argument. For them it’s a game, it’s a debate about words and abstract principles.
“For people who have experienced racism, it is a deeply personal debate, and it’s actually a debate about real people and real hurt.
“It’s a debate about real people in Australia, what happens on our buses and our trains, in the pubs on the football fields and on our streets. It’s about the message that our parliament sends and what I find missing, apart from the very offensive things in the debate, is empathy and compassion."

Friday, 28 March 2014

Which Far North schools will be closed Mr Langbroek?

Media Release

Shadow Education Minister Yvette D’Ath has called on the Education Minister to come clean and tell Far North residents which 14 schools are on his secret closure list.
In Cairns for the first time as Shadow Minister, Ms D’Ath said John-Paul Langbroek shouldn’t keep parents in the dark.
“Parents need to know if their kids’ school is staying open or if it’s on the LNP’s hit list to be sold for a real estate grab which is what has already happened to six schools,” Ms D’Ath said.
“Mr Langbroek claims those six are the only ones to close in the current term of government. But because the LNP said nothing about school closures before the last election, parents need to know now before the next election if their children’s school is staying open or not.
“The LNP’s secret list revealed under RTI showed 14 schools in the Far North region were under threat, but didn’t identify which schools.
“The hiding and the secrecy from the LNP must end.
“Mr Langbroek should immediately tell Far North parents which schools he plans to shut down and outline the contingency plans he has in place to ensure families aren’t affected by his decision.”
Shadow Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said there were $58 million in Education Department property asset sales in 2012-13, a departmental record.
"The department has budgeted to raise more than $30 million each year for the next four years through sale of school land and property. This would mean the LNP increasing the number of properties on the disposal plan to ensure its annual targets are met.
“It’s not good enough that Mr Langbroek is hiding this list of schools that may be closed and it would be even worse if the LNP are planning to sell off some of our schools.
“I call on the Newman Government to rule out the sale of any further education facilities or land in the Far North, in this term of government or the next.”
Ms D’Ath also said she would continue to highlight Member for Cairns Gavin King’s broken promise to secure funding for the Cairns Special School.
“Mr King has failed to deliver on his promise to provide a better future for kids with special needs in Cairns.

“I will continue to hold him to account for promising those families that the LNP would deliver a new facility for them and failing to do so.”

Paying down debt or funding new infrastructure? Get your story straight, Mr Nicholls: Pitt

Media Release

Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the LNP’s misinformation campaign on debt has been revealed as a sham by the Treasurer himself.
“If the LNP are going to try and spin their way towards Queensland’s biggest ever asset sell-off, they should at least get their story straight,” Mr Pitt said.
“For years, Mr Nicholls has been saying Queensland has a debt problem. He went to the last election saying he had a plan to fix that problem without resorting to asset sales.
“Once elected, he broke that promise and began his campaign to sell off assets to pay down debt, with the help of his taxpayer-funded $20,000 a month spin doctors he’s brought in from outside Treasury.
“Now, he’s travelling around the state promising new football stadiums to the regions and discussing plans with the Federal Treasurer to fund new infrastructure with his asset sales proceeds.
“Queenslanders will be asking, ‘what happened to paying down debt Mr Nicholls’?
“The Treasurer’s realised that Queenslanders aren’t buying his spin around debt, so now he’s resorting to political bribery by promising everyone a prize.
“Mr Nicholls knows that Queenslanders don’t want asset sales, which is why he went to the last election saying he wouldn’t sell any.
“Along with promising lower electricity prices, lower unemployment and no job cuts, this is clearly another broken promise from Campbell Newman, Tim Nicholls and the LNP.”
Mr Pitt said the Newman government was working with the Abbott government to pull the wool over the eyes of Queenslanders and sell off our assets but Labor’s message to the Federal Treasurer was clear.
“When Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey promised they’d be an ‘infrastructure-focused’ government, they said nothing about holding an ‘asset sales loaded gun’ to the head of Queenslanders.
“The Federal Government must deliver on each and every one of their pre-election infrastructure promises to Queensland, without relying on the sale of Queensland assets. Labor will be holding them to account every step of the way.
“Queenslanders want public assets to stay in public hands. Labor has heard that message and will fight any attempts by the LNP to flog off state assets.
“If Queensland sells off its income earning assets there will be less money in the future to invest in infrastructure and to pay down debt. Once the assets are sold their profits are lost to taxpayers forever.
“Let’s be clear about what this will mean. The federal Treasurer’s proposal would see profits from these businesses go to the private sector and any infrastructure funding to Queensland equalised away through the GST redistribution process.
“If Mr Hockey denies Queensland infrastructure funding it will be made up for with higher GST payments anyway.
“Mr Hockey’s proposal is nothing more than a money go around designed to trick voters into thinking that privatisation can stack up.

“This means no gains for Queensland whatsoever. We would lose our assets, we would lose our profits and we would lose GST payments.”

Cost of living keeps going up under the LNP

Media Release

Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt said Queenslanders would again feel the pain from Campbell Newman’s broken promises, with water bills set increase again on 1 July.
“At the last election, Campbell Newman promised to lower electricity and water bills for all Queensland households, and to lower unemployment,” Mr Pitt said.
“He’s dismally failed on all three counts."

“News yesterday that Brisbane water bills will increase by $72 on average next year is more hip pocket pain for Queenslanders who were promised relief by the Newman Government."
“The LNP promised Queenslanders an $80 a year rebate on their water bill to households across the state, but once elected they restricted that rebate to south-east Queensland residents only, and then cut it after one year."

“The increased water bills will be added to the $460 increase to electricity bills over two years, not to mention the deeper impact of an ever-increasing unemployment rate under this Government."
“All this while the LNP revels in self-indulgence, especially when it comes to the $2.6 billion wasted on the Premier’s personal skyscraper in the Brisbane CBD."

“The Premier said he had a plan to tackle the rising cost of living in Queensland, but instead it’s just broken promise after broken promise.”

Joe Hockey looks to convince states to sell public assets to invest profits in infrastructure

Extract from ABC News website:

Updated 13 minutes ago

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey will today attempt to convince his state counterparts to sell public assets and invest the profits in infrastructure.

The ABC understands the incentive the Federal Government is planning to offer the states could, in part, involve giving the company tax the newly privatised businesses pay to the states.
Federal Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs is confident most states will get on board.
"Most of the states are receptive to that; most of the states want to work with us to get more infrastructure built.
"I think you'll see a very cooperative approach, particularly from the big states," he said.
Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls is also keen.
"Anything that the Federal Government can do to help us both pay down that debt or achieve a pay down of that debt and invest in infrastructure is most welcome."
But new South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis says that move would see the Federal Government shirking its responsibilities.
"[Public assets] belong to the people of South Australia. They paid for them and no Federal Treasurer's going to force me to sell them," he said.
"We don't pay our taxes and charges to see our state-owned assets sold to fund infrastructure that the Government should be funding anyway."
Western Australia wants use the proceeds of asset sales to pay down debt.

The Worker
"Out of the frying pan into the fire" and I say no more.

NO CONFIDENCE IN ABBOTT'S SUPPORT FOR CHILD DENTAL

Media Release

Catherine King

Federal Member for Ballarat

Shadow Minister for Health

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

This morning Tony Abbott’s health minister signalled the government plans to go back to the bad old days of zero support for children’s dental health.

Labor initiated the Growing Up Smiling Scheme (renamed by the Abbott Government to the Child Dental Benefits Scheme) because we have a major problem in Australia with children’s dental health. This problem completely neglected by the Liberals when they were last in office, and addressed by Labor.

According to the AIHW, in 2009 the proportion of children who had experienced decay in their baby (deciduous) teeth ranged from 42% for 5 year olds to 61% for 9 year olds. The proportion of children with permanent teeth affected by decay ranged from 5% for 6 year olds to 58% for 14 year olds.

In the first month of this scheme more than 18,200 children were able to access dentists. The scheme provides $1,000 per child over a two calendar year period for dental services and provides access for millions of families who would otherwise not have it. It is a scheme that has been desperately needed, and Labor was proud to deliver it.

$2.7 billion has been budgeted for the package to provide access to dentists for at least 3.4 million children aged 2 to 17.

This government is determined to restrict access to health services and has no plan for the families who cannot afford dental care for their children.

Despite not opposing the scheme in opposition, it seems the Government is already planning to cut dental benefits for millions of kids.

This morning the Minister for Health told the Parliament:

“I put on the record some early concerns about the way in which the Child Dental Benefits scheme was structured… we will continue to monitor that program very carefully because I do have some concerns about the way in which this scheme was designed".

Labor notes that the scheme’s operation has commenced under the Abbott Government and that the Minister for Health, if he had concerns about the schemes structure, had the opportunity to amend it prior to its commencement in January 2014.

This is just yet another example of the Abbott Government laying the ground work for cuts and destroying universal healthcare in Australia. They are pulling the same trick they did with their new GP Tax, and Australian families won’t fall for it.

What the Minister if really trying to say is that he intends to cut the Child Dental Benefits Scheme. This is from a government that is not upfront with the Australian public.

Instead of releasing the report by its Commission of Audit so every Australian knows what cuts are planned, decisions that will hurt families are being made in secret – something that is fast becoming a characteristic of this government.

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT VOTES TO CUT SCHOOLS FUNDING

MEDIA RELEASE

THE HON BILL SHORTEN MP

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG

KATE ELLIS MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD

MEMBER FOR ADELAIDE

27 March 2014

Tony Abbott has once again betrayed Australian students and displayed his twisted priorities with the Government voting against a move that would guarantee education funding could not be cut.

Today Labor moved to introduce legislation into the Parliament that would guarantee schools funding could not be cut. Labor's legislation meant that to secure Commonwealth education funding, state governments had to agree not to slash their own education budgets.

The Abbott Government voted to block Labor's legislation - they wouldn't even debate it, and Tony Abbott didn't even show up.

Before the election the Prime Minister pledged:

"...we will honour the agreements that Labor has entered into. We will match the offers that Labor has made. We will make sure that no school is worse off."

The Prime Minister told parents, students and teachers that he was on an:

"absolute unity ticket when it comes to school funding."

Today, the Prime Minister had an opportunity to reverse his broken promise on schools funding and support Labor's legislation. Instead, he and his colleagues walked away from the Gonski reforms, and cemented his betrayal of every parent, teacher and school community in Australia.

Today's vote by the Government is a display of Tony Abbott's twisted priorities.

The Prime Minister will give bigots the right to hate-speech, but he won't give our students the best possible chance of success.

The Prime Minister will bring backs knights and dames, but he won't support our teachers in the classroom.

The Prime Minister can find $5.5 billion so wealthy people can get $75,000 to have a baby, but he'll let state governments slash their education budgets.

Labor's Gonski reforms would have delivered $14.65 billion in additional funding for schools over six years, including over $10 billion in federal funding. In contrast, Tony Abbott is offering just $2.8 billion over four years.

Today's vote will mean more cuts for Australian schools and will mean every school will be worse off.

The Prime Minister might not remember the promise he gave on school funding before the election, but every parent and teacher in Australia will never forget it.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PARENTS TAKE THEIR CONCERNS TO SCHOOL GATES

Media Release

THE HON KATE ELLIS MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION

SHADOW MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD

MEMBER FOR ADELAIDE

SUE ELLERY MLC

WA SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION

MEMBER FOR SOUTH METROPOLITAN REGION

26 Mar 2014

Concerned parents and community members in WA today continued their campaign against drastic budget cuts in our schools at school gates.

Federal Shadow Education Minister Kate Ellis and State Shadow Education Minister Sue Ellery accepted an invitation from concerned parents from Boyare Primary School in Mirrabooka to join them at their school gates to hear first hand how budget cuts are affecting their school.

"Parents across WA are concerned about Liberal cuts to schools," Ms Ellis said.

"Prior to the election, Tony Abbott promised that no school would be worse off under his Government.

"But we now know that Tony Abbott changed the rules, meaning state governments can cut school funding, just like Colin Barnett has done.

"Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett have teamed-up to cut school funding and parents across WA are saying enough is enough."

Across Western Australia, more than 700 state government schools are suffering from $183 million worth of budget cuts.

"These Liberal cuts are hurting every school, every student in WA in some way," Ms Ellery said.

"Student numbers are growing in WA, not declining. This isn't the time to be cutting 700 teachers and education assistants out of WA schools.

"Only a Liberal Government would ever think that cutting 30% of support school programs for children with learning difficulties and literacy and numeracy programs would be a good idea. The rest of us just see this as madness.

"These Liberal cuts would never have been allowed under the Gonski school reforms."

This week, the full impact of Tony Abbott's broken election promise on school education funding was revealed with the release of new school-by-school funding data. The data showed the stark difference between what Tony Abbott promised for schools before the 2013 election and the harsh cuts that schools are currently facing.

On average, each school in WA should be $400,000 better off a year under the Gonski Better School reforms. Instead, this year, WA schools are on average $135,000 worse off.

For example, WA's largest school, Willetton Senior High School, should be receiving on average $3.6 million more a year under the Gonski Better School reforms. Instead, Willetton is facing a $669,000 funding cut this year.

Meanwhile, the budget at Joondalup Primary School has been cut by $203,000 this year. But, under the Gonski Better School reforms, Joondalup should be receiving $316,000 more funding a year on average.

"This April 5 election gives WA a chance to send a message to Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett that you don't support their cuts to education," Ms Ellis said.

For a full list of school-by-school cuts, please visit: markmcgowan.com.au/edcuts

GOVERNMENT DEFENDS THE INDEFENSIBLE: BARNETT'S SCHOOL CUTS

Media Release

Kate Ellis MP.

Shadow Minister for Education

26 Mar 2014

In an extraordinary display of trickery, Minister for Education Christopher Pyne used Question Time today to claim a victory for Western Australian schools, claiming both the Abbott and Barnett Governments are good for education in WA.

But the truth is Tony Abbott changed school funding rules, meaning state governments can cut school funding just like Colin Barnett has done.

The simple facts are that Tony Abbott broke his election promise that no school would be worse off, and Premier Barnett has cut $183 million from his education budget.

Minister Pyne spruiked giving $120 million of federal funding for WA, but neglected to mention the WA government had already cut significantly more than that from WA schools.

"Western Australians deserve to know the truth - Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett are on a unity ticket to cut education funding for WA schools," Shadow Minister for Education Kate Ellis said.

"Christopher Pyne is loose with the truth - he should forget his petty personal attacks and guarantee what he promised before the election - that no school will be worse off."

"The truth is that if the Liberals are given a rubber stamp in the Senate after 5 April, both Colin Barnett and Tony Abbott will cut even more from our schools."

"Western Australians want to see less politics and game playing - our children's education is just too important."

"The election on April 5 is an opportunity for Western Australians to send a message to Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett that they do not support their cuts to WA schools."

SENATE INQUIRY RECOMMENDS GOVERNMENT ABANDON DIRECT ACTION IN FAVOUR OF EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME

Media Release

Mark Butler MP

Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water

Date: 27 March 2014

A Senate Inquiry into the Abbott Government’s Direct Action policy has found the policy is deeply flawed, unlikely to achieve its goals within its budget and will be far less effective than an emissions trading scheme.

“The Inquiry heard from a range of experts including two of Australia’s leading economists, a number of leading climate scientists and industry representatives, most of whom provided extensive evidence of Direct Action’s inadequacies,” Shadow Climate Change Minister Mark Butler said.

“Most notably, expert after expert recommended the Government not repeal Labor’s Clean Energy legislation and adopt Labor’s emissions trading scheme from 1 July 2014 which will ensure a legal cap on pollution.

“This advice reflects the policy activities of some of the biggest economies in the world including China and the European Union,” Mr Butler said.

“How many times must the Prime Minister be told that he’s going the wrong way on climate change?”

The Committee also recommended the Climate Change Authority and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, agencies the Government has failed to have abolished, be retained and the current funding to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency be retained, despite Government plans to reduce its funding.

The Committee made several recommendations for the Government to provide more detail on certain aspects of their underdeveloped policy.

“After four years, three Senate Inquiry hearings and two Senate Estimates hearings, no one, not least the Government or the Environment Department, can describe how Direct Action is going to achieve its goals.

“Direct Action is nothing more than a dressed up slush fund with a pretty name.”

Peter Greste

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development

25 March 2014
Canberra

It’s time for Prime Minister Abbott to call for the release of Australian journalist Peter Greste from prison in Egypt.
Being a journalist is not a crime.
A free press is critically important. Journalists shouldn’t be put on trial or locked up for doing their job.
At this terribly difficult time, our thoughts remain with Peter, his parents, family, and friends.
I commend the significant efforts of the Australian diplomats who are working so hard on this matter.
The Labor Opposition stands ready to assist the Abbott Government to do everything it sensibly can to secure Peter’s release.
Prime Minister Abbott has made much of his support for free speech. If Mr Abbott really does support free speech, he must do more for Peter Greste.

Peter faced court again overnight and has been held in prison for nearly three months.

Abbott Government Reveals Further Cuts to Overseas Aid

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development

Abbott Government reveals further cuts to overseas aid

25 MARCH 2014

CANBERRA

In Question Time today, the Abbott Government was forced to reveal it will cut a further $9 billion in overseas aid.
Mr Abbott described overseas aid funding from 2017-18 detailed in his Government’s own Budget update, the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook*, as just an ‘aspiration’.
This is yet another example of the Abbott Government misleading the Australian public about its real plans – to cut.
Today’s revelation comes on top of the Abbott Government’s earlier decision to rip $4.5 billion out of the overseas aid budget in the four years to 2016-17.
The extra $9 billion cut will put many outstanding international development programs at serious risk. The impact will be particularly acute given the devastating effects of the Abbott Government’s first $4.5 billion cut are already being felt in our region, and around the world.

- See more at: http://tanyaplibersek.com/2014/03/abbott-government-reveals-further-cuts-to-overseas-aid/#sthash.JOZouPWv.dpuf

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development

25 March 2014
Canberra

In Question Time today, the Abbott Government was forced to reveal it will cut a further $9 billion in overseas aid.
Mr Abbott described overseas aid funding from 2017-18 detailed in his Government’s own Budget update, the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook*, as just an ‘aspiration’.
This is yet another example of the Abbott Government misleading the Australian public about its real plans – to cut.
Today’s revelation comes on top of the Abbott Government’s earlier decision to rip $4.5 billion out of the overseas aid budget in the four years to 2016-17.
The extra $9 billion cut will put many outstanding international development programs at serious risk. The impact will be particularly acute given the devastating effects of the Abbott Government’s first $4.5 billion cut are already being felt in our region, and around the world.

LABOR SAVES INCOME SUPPORT BONUS FOR WAR VETERANS’ CHILDREN AND ORPHANS

Media Release

Bill Shorten MP.

Leader of Opposition

Mar 26, 2014

Labor has successfully put a hold on the Government’s cruel cuts to the children and orphans of war veterans who have been killed or injured.

Two disallowance motions in the Senate have stopped the Government scrapping the Income Support Bonus payments to veterans’ children under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme (VCES) and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme 2004 (MRCAETS) programs.

The success of Labor’s disallowance motions in the Senate will ensure these payments stay in place – recipients are receiving half their payment ($107.80) this fortnight.

Tony Abbott must now rule out once and for all re-introducing his heartless cuts to payments for 1,200 children and orphans of war veterans.

Shamefully, Coalition politicians in both houses voted against retaining support for the children of war veterans by backing the legislation to cut the $215.60 annual payment.

Coalition MPs and Senators should be standing up to the Prime Minister on behalf for the children of war veterans, not voting to cut their payments.

What sort of priorities does this Prime Minister have if he can find an extra $75,000 for a high-income earner to have baby but is cutting $215.60 from the children of war veterans?

Payments to these children are now protected even if the government passes its MRRT Repeal legislation in its current form.

To cut these payments, the Government will have to go out of its way to target the children of war veterans which is surely a callous step too far – even for the Abbott Government.

It would be beyond brutal if the Government again sought to callously reintroduce specific measures to again target these payments to veterans’ children.

ABBOTT MUST KEEP HIS WORD AND DELIVER THE NDIS

Media Release

Jenny Macklin MP.

Shadow Minister for Families and

Payments and Disability Reform

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Tony Abbott must keep the promise he made today in Question Time and ensure there are no delays to the rollout of the NDIS.

For months, all we have heard from this Government is negative and destructive comments about the NDIS, including the Treasurer’s false and outrageous claims in parliament yesterday.

This has led to widespread concern amongst people with disability that the government is planning to delay the rollout of the NDIS.

Today, the Prime Minister made a solemn promise that there would be no delays to the delivery of the NDIS.

He must now direct his Ministers – including the Treasurer - to stop talking down the NDIS and get to work with its delivery.

Right now, more than 2,500 Australians with disability are getting access to services they have waited their whole lives for thanks to the NDIS. And this number is growing every day.

Any delay to the NDIS will be devastating for people with disability, their families and carers.

The Prime Minister must ensure that the NDIS is delivered in full, on time, as promised.

People with disability are counting on him to do so.

ABBOTT AGAIN REFUSES TO RULE OUT CUTS TO THE AGE PENSION

Media Release

Jenny Macklin MP.

Shadow Minister for Families and

Payments and Disability Reform

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has again refused to rule out cutting the Age Pension in Question Time today, for the third time this year.

Today he was asked:

“Given the PM ruled out scrapping his $5.5 billion scheme in Question Time to 27th February, will the PM give senior Australians the same certainty and rule out any cuts to the aged pension?”

In Parliament on the 25^th February the Prime Minister was asked:

“Does the Prime Minister think it is fair to cut the Age Pension while at the same time paying $75,000 to wealthy women to have a baby under the Prime Minister’s Paid Parental Leave Scheme?”

- 25 February 2014

A day earlier, on 24^th February Mr Abbott was asked:

“Will the Prime Minister rule out any changes to the pension as a result of the Commission of Audit?”

24 February 2014

On each and every occasion Tony Abbott has refused to rule out cutting the Age Pension.

This has left retirees across Australia uncertain about whether their pension is going to be cut.

The Prime Minister must rule out any cuts to the age pension immediately.

Labor will not support savage cuts to age pensioners so Tony Abbott can plug holes in his unaffordable $5.5 billion paid parental leave scheme.

ABBOTT MUST STOP HOCKEY GETTING HIS HANDS ON THE NDIS

Media Release

Jenny Macklin MP.

Shadow Minister for Families and

Payments and Disability Reforms

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Tony Abbott must immediately rule out any cuts or delays to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), following Joe Hockey’s false and outrageous claims in the Parliament today. Make no mistake - the NDIS is fully funded into the future.

Labor made sure of it so that people with disability, their families and carers would have the certainty they deserve. That is why we introduced a half a percentage point increase in the Medicare levy, raising more than $20 billion between 2014-15 and 2018-19. Every cent of this money will go towards funding the NDIS. Legislation for this change was passed unanimously by the Parliament in May last year.

Tony Abbott voted for it. So did Joe Hockey. In last year’s Budget, Labor invested an additional $14.3 billion over seven years to rollout the NDIS across the country. Again, this money is in the Budget. Labor made a number of responsible decisions to ensure funding security for the NDIS, such as means testing the Private Health Insurance Rebate.

Joe Hockey’s disgraceful performance in the Parliament today has clearly put on notice his plans to cut funding from the NDIS. More than 2,500 people with disability and their carers are now getting the support and care they need because of the NDIS. Tony Abbott must pull the Treasurer into line and rule out making any cuts or delays to the NDIS.

ABBOTT RUSH ON JAPAN FTA JEOPARDISES OUTCOMES

SENATOR THE HON PENNY WONG

Labor Senator for South Australia

JOEL FITZGIBBON MP

Member for Hunter

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

25 March 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott must guarantee Australia’s farmers that they will benefit from genuine improvements in market access under any trade agreement with Japan.
Rural Liberal MPs have raised concerns in the Coalition party room that dairy and beef producers will miss out because of the Prime Minister’s rush to sign a free trade agreement with Japan.
According to news reports, Liberal MPs said the Government was “getting nowhere” on beef and dairy in negotiations with Japan.
The MPs said the Prime Minister was willing to accept a downgraded “economic partnership agreement” rather than a genuine trade agreement with Japan.
A trade agreement with Japan represents a unique opportunity for Australian businesses – but only if the Abbott Government negotiates sound outcomes.
This opportunity must not be squandered by a Prime Minister rushing to sign a deal with Japan at any cost.
Coalition MPs have now caught up with Labor on this issue.
Labor’s concern remains that Mr Abbott will accept a second-rate agreement for the sake of getting a deal for his political trophy cabinet rather than negotiating real benefits for Australian exporters.
Australia needs a comprehensive, high-quality free trade agreement with Japan which improves market access for our agricultural and non-agricultural goods sectors and our services industries.
What is important is not the size of the delegation Mr Abbott takes to Japan but the quality of the deal he brings home.

Earth Hour

Facebook/Tweets extracts:

Jackie Trad

Earth Hour started 7 years ago when 2.2 million people in Sydney shut their lights off for 1 hour to demonstrate a commitment to our planet.

In 2014, Earth Hour is a massive global event. This Saturday at 8:30pm people in cities and towns around the world will turn off the lights and help bring awareness for a more sustainable future. Earthhour

FNQ hurting after two years of broken promises from Campbell Newman

Media Release

March 24th, 2014

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said families in Far North Queensland had been let down by a series of broken promises from Campbell Newman and the LNP Government.
“Two years ago during the last election campaign, Campbell Newman promised to make electricity cheaper, to lower unemployment, invest in infrastructure and to lower the cost of living,” Mr Pitt said.
“Every family in Far North Queensland knows that under Campbell Newman’s leadership, electricity prices have skyrocketed, unemployment is through the roof, and other costs like water bills and insurance taxes have all increased."
“And while the Premier wastes $2.6 billion on his own personal skyscraper in the Brisbane CBD, the Cairns Entertainment Precinct is sadly long gone thanks to the LNP, they scaled back a $32 million CBD project to a $5 million contribution and hundreds of jobs have been cut from frontline health services."
“Our region has a youth unemployment crisis with the rate of unemployment for people aged 15-24 at 21.5% – significantly higher than the state unemployment rate of 13.4%. This is a crisis that not only affects our economy now, but has dire consequences for the future of our region."
“This isn’t helped by soaring TAFE fees which in many cases is pricing many of our young people out of studying for the qualifications they need. The Newman Government has no understanding of what ordinary people can afford and no understanding either of the value of Queensland’s TAFE institutions to the communities they serve."
“Here in Mulgrave, the LNP has no excuses as to why they can’t at least fund an investigation into the dredging of the Johnstone River. The Minister has ruled it out, even though money was promised by the former Labor Government."
“And in our region, the increase of the insurance tax, something Campbell Newman promised he wouldn’t do, has made insurance so expensive that many people now can’t afford to insure their homes."
“Campbell Newman promised Far North Queenslanders the world at the last election, but he’s broken almost every single promise and made life tougher for thousands of local families.”
Mr Pitt said Mr Newman was gearing up to break another promise and sell-off state assets.
“Mr Newman and Mr Nicholls went to the last election saying they had a plan to pay off debt that didn’t include asset sales."
“Now they’re going back on that promise, preparing to sell off ports, power stations and other state assets."
“Labor is listening to Queenslanders. We know that Queenslanders want public assets to stay in public hands for the long term, and we’re committed to delivering on that."
“What Queenslanders want is more jobs and services and a stronger economy – not more cuts and more asset sales.”

Thursday, 27 March 2014

Non compos mentis

Once again Tony Abbott has shown he is unworthy to have the high office of the Prime Minister of Australia, he is a joke, non compos mentis and by reinstating knights and dames to Australia's honours system, he is dishonouring the memory of many Australian people like Peter Lalor "Eureka Stockade."

and

W.J. Bennett, chairman Strike Committee

W. Fothergill, secretary Strike Committee

A.J. Brown, member Strike Committee

Hugh O. Blackwell, secretary Q.L.U.

F.H. Murphy, secretary Roma branch Q.L.U.

George Taylor, organiser C.D.C.

Alex. Forrester, organiser C.D.C.

W. Hamilton, delegate Strike Committee

W.H. Smith-Barry, delegate Strike Committee

P.F. Griffin, chairman Clermont Camp

A.J.S. Stuart, member C.D.C.

Robert Prince

The above mentioned were arrested in the month of April, 1891, amid a display of military with fixed bayonets and Gatling guns, chained together (some of them) like so many bullocks, and marched from place to place previous to committal. They were brought before Judge Harding at Rockhampton in May of the same year, abused by him as if they were scoundrels, and as if their lives had been one long drawn skein of wickedness, and finally convicted by a judge-bounced jury and sentenced to three years' hard labour, and to find sureties for good behaviour for another year.

The conviction of the strike leaders explains the rottenness of our judicial system as well as of society as a whole, and shows how easy it is in times of excitement for innocent men to be sent to gaol on trumped up charges, merely to gratify the whims of a despotic class Government, which, if it had acted impartially, could have averted all the bitterness, trouble, and expense of the Shearers' Strike of 1891.

Respecting the trial, an extract from an account written by Mr. W. Lane, (then editor of this paper)
i.e. THE WORKER

FREEDOM ON THE WALLABY.

(Written for “THE WORKER”)

Australia's a big country

An' Freedom's humping bluey,

An' Freedom's on the wallaby

Oh don't you hear'er cooey.

She's just begun to boomerang,

She'll knock the tyrants silly,

She's goin' to light another fire

And boil another billy.

Our fathers toiled for bitter bread

While loafers thrived beside'em,

But food to eat and clothes to wear,

Their native land denied'em

An'so they left that native land

In spite of their devotions,

An' so they come, or if they stole,

Were sent across the ocean.

Then freedom couldn't stand the glare

Of Royalty's regalia,

She left the loafers where they were

An' come out to Australia,

But now across the mighty main

The chains have come ter bind her,

She little thought to see again

The wrongs she left behuind her.

Our parent's toiled to make a home,

Hard grubbin' 'twas an' clearin',

They wasn't crowed much with Lords

When they was pioneerin'

But now that we have made the land

A garden full of promise,

Old Greed must' crook 'is dirty hand

An come ter take from us.

So we must fly a rebel flag

As others did before us,

And we must sing a rebel song

And loin in rebel chorus.

We'll make the tyrants feel the sting,

O' those that they would throttle;

They needn't say the fault is ours

If blood should stain the wattle.

Henry Lawson

Brisbane May, 1891.

The Worker

Monday, 31 March 2014

Extract from ABC News

Eight key risks identified

Australian risk list identified

The rigorous report process

International effort needed for 'global problem'

More on this story

Saturday, 29 March 2014

Extract from The Guardian

Friday, 28 March 2014

Extract from ABC News website:

Media Release

Catherine King

Media Release

Media Release

26 Mar 2014

Media Release

Abbott Government Reveals Further Cuts to Overseas Aid

Media Release

Media Release

- 25 February 2014

Media Release

Media Release

Thursday, 27 March 2014