Six-month silica safety blitz to protect workers’ health

Media Release from the NSWMinister for Work Health and Safety

MEDIA RELEASE | 5 December 2023

The NSW Government has launched a 6-month campaign targeting silica dust exposure in the construction and tunnelling industry.

While manufactured stone is the leading cause of silicosis, workers can also be exposed to silica dust during tunnelling, demolition and excavation work, or from uncontrolled cutting, grinding and drilling of common building materials including bricks, concrete, sandstone and tiles.

SafeWork NSW inspectors will target these areas to prevent a false sense of security ahead of the coming ban on manufactured stone in NSW.

Inspectors will ensure businesses are compliant with regulations and speak to workers about managing the risk of exposure to silica dust.

Silicosis is a deadly disease that has devastating effects on the lungs and is becoming increasingly prevalent in Australian workers, especially those in the engineered-stone industry.

SafeWork inspectors take a zero-tolerance approach to workers’ lives being placed at risk through exposure to silica dust and can issue stop work notices for activities that generate high levels of dust, or when a worksite hasn’t got adequate dust control measures in place.

If these notices are not complied with, employers can face penalties of up to $130,000.

The Minns Labor government also recently passed laws to establish a silica worker register, to track and trace exposed workers and enable early intervention.

The NSW Government will be supporting a ban on engineered stone at the upcoming national meeting of Work Health and Safety ministers on the 13 December and will act unilaterally if no agreement is made.

Boosting building quality in NSW

Media Release from the NSW Premier, and the NSW Minister for Building

MEDIA RELEASE | 4 December 2023.

Homebuyers have a new reason to be confident about building quality in NSW with the official opening of Building Commission NSW this week, the state’s first ever dedicated building regulator.

From today Building Commission NSW, led by Commissioner David Chandler, will open its doors.

The newly established agency will lift the existing Office of the Building Commissioner out of NSW Fair Trading to give staff dedicated resources and a clear focus on the building sector.

Delivering a standalone regulator was a key election promise of the Minns Labor government, ensuring builders and the homes they construct in NSW are compliant, safe and durable.

The change means NSW will go from just 40 staff dedicated to enforcing quality and standards in the building industry to more than 400.

Funded by a $24 million down payment in the NSW Budget, Building Commission NSW will be a one stop shop for regulation, licensing and oversight of the sector.

While the NSW Government is committed to tackling the NSW housing supply crisis after over a decade of inaction, the government will not allow quantity of homes to come at the expense of quality.

This is another milestone in the work the NSW Government has already completed to lift standards across the industry, including:

• new laws to dramatically expand the Building Commissioner’s powers over freestanding residential homes.

• elevating the sector to cabinet level with the first ever Minister for Building.

• boosting the capacity of smaller builders to deliver quality medium-density housing through initiatives like BuiltIt NSW.

Today also marks the official completion of Parq in Bexley, the first building in Australia to be covered by Decennial Liability Insurance (DLI), a decade-long guarantee against serious defects.

Parq’s builder Urban Property has also announced that DLI will be rolled out across all future projects.

Owners in buildings covered by DLI can make a claim to get defects repaired for up to a decade after completion, whether their builder is still operating or not.

NSW is the first state in the nation to offer decennial liability insurance and the NSW Government recently passed laws to encourage more builders to sign up and protect buyers.

More than $46 million builds back more resilient Aboriginal-owned assets

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Regional Health, Minister for Regional NSW

MEDIA RELEASE | 30 November 2023

Nearly 30 programs will share in $46.3 million to repair, restore and improve First Nations-owned social and cultural assets, directly damaged by floods in flood-impacted regions across New South Wales, through funding from the Federal and State Governments.

The Aboriginal-owned Assets Program was open to 19 of the most flood-affected Local Government Areas, impacted in the February and June floods last year, through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The program will enable Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs), Aboriginal Corporations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations to undertake repair, restoration and betterment of community infrastructure.

The 27 projects being funded include the restoration of Aboriginal-owned community centres and service buildings, playgrounds and recreation areas, and the rebuilding of access roads and walkways to areas of cultural significance directly damaged by floods, including:

• More than $6.9 million will fund two Rekindling the Spirit projects in the Lismore Local Government Area (LGA). These projects will support the restoration of damaged facilities, which provide critical social support, health support and counselling services. These two projects will deliver new facilities at the existing Lismore site and repair and provide additional infrastructure to an existing facility which was destroyed in the floods, allowing services to return to full capacity.

• More than $1.7 million to Tweed Byron LALC to restore the flood damaged “Walk on Water Track” in Tweed Shire LGA, providing access to cultural sites where schools and community groups often attend education activities.

• Almost $1.3 million to Tricketts Arch Aboriginal Corporation will reinstate safe vehicle access to the significant cultural site, Tricketts Arch, in the Oberon LGA, which includes a riverbank area, camping sites, a yarning circle and activity areas. Tricketts are committed to protecting the biodiversity of the land as well as its cultural and geodiversity.

The full list of successful projects is available here: www.nsw.gov.au/aboriginalownedassetsprogramlaunch

Assets will be rebuilt to withstand future natural disasters, as well as improve accessibility and inclusion for community members.

The Albanese and Minns Governments are continuing to help the long-term recovery of disaster-impacted Aboriginal communities and assisting them towards greater flood resilience, while also delivering positive economic and social outcomes.

Industrial relations reform bill passes parliament

Media Release from the NSW Treasurer, and NSW Minister for Industrial Relations

MEDIA RELEASE | 1 December 2023

New laws which pave the way for a better industrial relations system in NSW have passed parliament today, creating the structure needed to deliver meaningful improvements to wages and conditions for hundreds and thousands of workers in the state.

The passage of the new laws, on the final sitting week of parliament for the year, marks the beginning of a more considered and independent way of settling industrial relations disputes, and negotiating wages and conditions.

Agencies and unions are now able to sit down together and find mutually agreed improvements to pay and conditions in NSW, a style of negotiation that was alien under the former government.

The new laws remove the power to cap wages for good, meaning the government’s meddling in the work of the Industrial Relations Commission which sets awards and settles disputes, is over.

The NSW Industrial Court, which was weakened and dismantled under the former government, will also be re-established, including the appointment of expert judges, who will preside over workplace health and safety matters and underpayments. 

The Minns Labor government was elected with a clear mandate to scrap the wages cap and sit down for genuine negotiation with our frontline workers. 

This government is committed to improving working conditions, stopping our frontline workers quitting and attracting more people to these vital roles.  

NSW Health signs Paris declaration to end HIV epidemics by 2030

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Health

MEDIA RELEASE | 1 December 2023

“NSW is a leader in HIV prevention and treatment in Australia and continues to reduce the number of new transmissions each year thanks to the hard work of health staff, the community, and community groups,” Mr Park said.

“This World AIDS Day, I want to remind the community that HIV doesn’t discriminate, and neither should we.

“Stigma and discrimination are barriers to HIV prevention, testing and treatment, and by signing this commitment, I’m pledging to eliminate HIV-related stigma in healthcare settings so that we can improve the quality of life for people living with HIV.

“The Fast-Track Cities website will report on NSW’s progress against targets and will enable others in the 500-strong network to share knowledge to ensure we meet the 2030 targets.”

The Fast-Track Cities Declaration commits NSW to delivering zero HIV-related stigma and targets of 95% of people living with HIV knowing their status, 95% of people who know their HIV-positive status to go on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 95% of people on ART with suppressed viral loads.

NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant said NSW Health has a long-standing partnership with several organisations that will support NSW to reach the targets of the Fast-Track Cities agreement, including ACON, the Bobby Gold Smith Foundation, Positive Life NSW, NUAA and the Kirby Institute.

“NSW aims to meet the Fast-Track Cities Agreement of the virtual elimination of HIV transmissions as well as zero AIDS-related deaths before 2030,” Dr Chant said.

“We need the community to support us to meet these ambitious targets which is why I’m urging the community to undertake regular STI screening that includes HIV to allow for early diagnosis and linkage to care.”

ACON CEO, Nicolas Parkhill said ACON had a strong role to play working with state government to harnessing an effective HIV response for the NSW community.

“We have a strong heritage in New South Wales of addressing health issues together and the state’s effective HIV response is a testament to what can be achieved when affected communities, researchers, clinicians and governments unite for a common goal,” Mr Parkhill said.

“The inclusion of New South Wales in the Fast-Track Cities initiative and in the Paris Declaration to end HIV epidemics by 2030 will further support our response to HIV, solidify our commitment and accelerate our journey towards of a future where HIV transmissions have ended and people with HIV are living healthy and happy lives.” 

President/CEO of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care and Fast-Track Cities Institute, Dr. José M. Zuniga, said the declaration would be a significant milestone for Australia to end its national HIV epidemic.

“Sydney, NSW joining the Fast-Track Cities network marks a significant milestone in Australia’s collective commitment to ending its national HIV epidemic. With Adelaide, SA; Brisbane, QLD; Melbourne, VIC; and Perth, WA as fellow Fast-Track City-members of the network, NSW consolidates a critical mass of Australian cities whose efforts can have a substantial impact on the lives of people living with and affected by HIV nationally,” Dr Zuniga said.

“Sydney, NSW, like its counterparts, has made remarkable progress in its HIV response, laying a strong foundation for further advancements, including in going the last mile by leveraging social transformation to ensure the HIV response reaches all HIV-affected communities.”

About Fast-Track Cities

Fast-Track Cities is a global partnership between more than 500 cities, the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the City of Paris. The partnership’s aim is to end urban HIV epidemics by getting to zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero HIV-related stigma. Launched on World AIDS Day 2014, the partnership also advances efforts to end tuberculosis (TB) epidemics and eliminate viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) in urban settings by 2030. Learn more about Fast-Track Citieslaunch.

About IAPAC

Representing 30,000 members, IAPAC is the largest association of clinicians and allied health professionals working to end the epidemics of HIV and tuberculosis, as well as eliminate HBV and HCV, by 2030. IAPAC is also a core technical partner to the Fast-Track Cities network and the Secretariat for its Fast-Track Cities Institute. For more information visit the IAPAClaunch website.

About the Fast-Track Cities Institute

The Fast-Track Institute was created to support cities and municipalities worldwide in their efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 (ending the epidemics of HIV and TB), the World Health Organization goal of eliminating HBV and HCV, and SDG 11 Sustainable Development Goal 11. Find more information about the Fast-Track Cities Institutelaunch.

NSW Shared Equity housing initiative expands to support DV victim-survivors

Media Release from the NSW Premier, NSW Minister for Finance, and NSW Minister for Women

MEDIA RELEASE | 1 December 2023

The NSW Government is today taking a meaningful step to better support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, with the expansion of the Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper trial.

From 1 December, the eligibility criteria for the initiative will expand to include specific reference to domestic and family violence victim-survivors.

The expansion of the program means that domestic and family violence victim-survivors and other eligible applicants can now access the scheme.

The program delivers on the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to take meaningful action to combat domestic violence and support victim-survivors.

Domestic violence victim-survivors who participate in the Shared Equity program will see the NSW Government contribute up to 40% of the purchase price for a new home, or up to 30% for an existing home.

This will allow eligible applicants to secure a property with as little as a two% deposit.

Removing many of the barriers to home ownership, domestic and family violence victim-survivors who apply for the initiative will pay no interest on the government’s share of equity in the property they purchase. They will also not require lenders mortgage insurance.

Housing instability and homelessness are a major barrier for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.

Women and children escaping domestic abuse account for 39% of specialist homelessness service users.

While domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women, annually in Australia it is estimated that 7690 women a year return to perpetrators due to having nowhere affordable to live.

The NSW Government has expanded the Shared Equity program’s eligibility criteria after accepting the recommendations of the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Shared Equity Taskforce.

The taskforce was co-chaired by Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison and Chief Executive Officer of Domestic Violence NSW Delia Donovan.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey was also a member of the taskforce.

Lower income single parents, single people aged 50 years or older and first home buyer key workers who are nurses, midwives, paramedics, teachers, early childhood educators or police officers are still eligible for the Shared Equity program.

Get more information about eligibility on Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper.

1.3 million reasons to celebrate people with disability

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Disability Inclusion

MEDIA RELEASE | 3 December 2023

The NSW Government is celebrating the contributions and achievements of more than 1.3 million people with disability across NSW, as the state marks International Day of People with Disability.

The day promotes community awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability, who play a valuable role in society.

Whether through employment, sport, advocacy, or public life, people with disability continue to help NSW become a more accessible and inclusive state for all.

Organisations are removing barriers for people with disability to find work including the public sector, with NSW Government departments increasingly able to harness the skills and experience of people with diverse abilities.

The NSW Government is committed to improving accessible and inclusive communities by:

• Ensuring government websites and online services are easy to access, including through Easy Read.

• Providing children with disability learning support in school.

• Improving the recruitment and retention of the NSW Government workforce with disability.

• The NSW Government also provides programs to support people with disability, carers and service providers, including the Companion Card and Disability Advocacy Futures Program.

This is in addition to the $3.9 billion invested in 2022-23 to support the NDIS and $15.9 billion over four years to 2025-26. This funding is leveraged with Commonwealth contributions leading to record investment in specialist disability services across NSW.

The NSW Government recognises that there is still a lot of work to be done, however, and is committed to working to improve the lives of people with disability.

NSW leads the way in tackling digital skills shortage

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education

MEDIA RELEASE | 29 November 2023

The NSW Government is joining leaders across government, the digital industry, and education and training providers to address the projected shortage of 85,000 digital workers in NSW by 2030.

Today, the Minister for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, officially launched the NSW Digital Skills and Workforce Compact at NSW Parliament House.

This collaborative effort involves the participation of 37 compact partners, spanning across the highest levels of industry. Combined, compact partners have a reach of 1.7 million students and represent over 340,000 digital workers in NSW.

The compact will promote digital careers across the state to students, parents, and advisors, advancing tech careers in traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, First Nations people, and those residing in regional and remote areas.

The partnership will support industry in developing and implementing new employment pathways, giving new workers on-the-job training experiences to start a long-term career in the digital industry. 

The digital compact aspires to achieve the following milestones:

• Transform the perception of digital careers, enhancing diversity in the sector, fostering welcoming and productive workspaces.

• Collaborate with industry partners to expand and enhance new pathway programs for tech roles, including traineeships and work experiences.

• Extend the reach of mentoring and networking programs to engage a more diverse audience.

• Provide increased opportunities for the people of NSW to reskill or upskill in tech-related roles.

• Establish a collaborative platform with universities, TAFE, school curriculum providers, and industry experts to create a Digital Education Forum dedicated to enhancing tech education and industry partnerships.

• This collaborative effort marks a significant step forward in addressing the digital skills gap in NSW, ensuring a robust and inclusive digital workforce for the future.

For more information visit the NSW Digital Skills and Workforce Compact.

Government takes next step in fight against scams

Joint Media Release from the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, Minster for Communications; and the Hon Stephen Jones MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

MEDIA RELEASE | 30 November 2023

Today, the Albanese Government takes the next step in its commitment to fight scammers, announcing public consultation on proposed tough new, mandatory industry codes for the private sector.

The proposed Scams Code Framework is the next stage in the Government’s fight against the scourge of scams, which cost Australians over $3.1 billion last year.

Government, regulators, and industry have a mutual interest in making sure scams are identified and stopped before they can harm Australian consumers and businesses.

The proposed Framework would set clear roles and responsibilities across the scams ecosystem, with an initial focus on banks, telecommunications providers and digital platforms, to make Australia an even harder target for scammers.

The proposed Framework would introduce minimum, consistent obligations for all regulated businesses to prevent, detect, disrupt, and respond to scams. This would be complemented with sector-specific obligations that are tailored to the role of each sector.

Regulated businesses would be expected to have robust measures in place to address the risk of scams on their services. Strong penalties would apply if businesses fail to comply with their obligations.

The consultation paper released today seeks feedback on:

• the design, structure and scope of the proposed Framework

• proposed obligations for regulated businesses to prevent, detect, disrupt and respond to scams, including in the sector-specific codes

• requirements for regulated businesses to develop and maintain an anti-scam strategy

• improving reporting and information sharing arrangements

• establishing clear complaints handling and dispute resolution pathways for consumers, including redress where applicable for consumers when regulated businesses have breached the code

• the role of the regulators that will monitor and enforce the Framework.                                                                                            

The consultation paper can be found on the Treasury website. Individuals interested in participating in the consultation, but who do not wish to make a formal submission, can complete a five-minute survey available here.

Submissions to the consultation and the survey will close on 29 January 2024.

Activating regional, rural and remote communities

Joint Media Release from the Hon Kirsty McBain MP, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and the Territories; and the Hon Catherine King MP, Minster for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

MEDIA RELEASE | 30 November 2023

The Albanese Labor Government continues to invest in the liveability, sustainability and resilience of regional, rural and remote communities – with over $1.5 million in grants flowing to 55 local-led projects across the country.

Delivered through the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) Strengthening Rural Communities program, the grants will support local organisations to uplift their communities, following significant disruption from COVID-19.

From workshops and education programs that will increase community engagement, to improving equipment and facilities at community hubs, – these small-scale projects will be high impact, including:

·         At Beechworth (Victoria), where $10,000 will be used to boost economic and cultural recovery after COVID-19 by holding a festival showcasing public art installations at 15 key locations throughout Beechworth.

·         At Numeralla (NSW), where $9,673 will support the installation of reverse-cycle air conditioning at Numeralla Hall to improve the comfort of this community space.

·         At Dalwallinu (Western Australia), where $10,000 will help vulnerable residents reduce post-pandemic debt by expanding intensive financial counselling to additional Wheatbelt communities.

·         At Wonga Beach (Queensland), where $9,658 will promote post-pandemic social connection by equipping Wonga Beach Primary as a community hub with a defibrillator and outdoor entertaining equipment.

·         At Kingston (South Australia), where $10,000 will support weaving workshops and the creation of a public artwork, led by local First Nations artists – promoting social connection and creative recovery.

·         At Cygnet (Tasmania), where $10,000 will support the Cygnet Living History Museum to purchase new cabinets for the display of cultural artefacts – celebrating and enhancing connections to local history.

·         At Katherine (Northern Territory), where $10,000 will support Camp Quality to deliver educational puppet shows in remote schools – enhancing the wellbeing of children affected by cancer.

The funding is part of the Albanese Government’s $5 million investment from 2022 to 2024 in the Rebuilding Regional Communities stream of the FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program.

The full list of funded projects and additional information about other grants awarded by the FRRR can be found at: www.frrr.org.au/funding/place/src-rebuilding-regional-communities/

$3 million delivered to help prevent online abuse of women and children

Media Release from the Hon Michelle Rowland, Minster for Communications

MEDIA RELEASE | 30 November 2023

Seven organisations will share in $3 million in initial grant funding to prevent the abuse of women and children online, as part of a $10 million package funded by the Australian Government.
 
The Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program administered by eSafety supports initiatives aiming to curb technology-facilitated gender-based violence and abuse directed at women and children. This includes abusive technology-facilitated behaviour such as stalking, threats and coercion.
 
Seven grants worth a total of $3 million will be made to a number of community, health and research institutions including:

•  The Settlement Services International’s project to co-design online safety resources for culturally and linguistically diverse women and children;

• The University of Melbourne’s anti-online harassment "AI Ally" software, co-designed with young women to detect and challenge abuse, and link users to victim support services and human-facing resources; and

• The Gippsland Women's Health prevention of violence program, that features a digital platform for community engagement and rural-focused communication and media campaign.

The grant program will deliver $10 million of funding to eligible organisations over at least three funding rounds. eSafety leads the grant program and is responsible for decision-making around successful applications.
 
The Government is also progressing a broader review of Australia’s Online Safety Act to ensure the laws are fit-for-purpose and can meet new and emerging harms. Public consultation on the review will commence in early 2024, and will seek views on any gaps in the existing laws, and what steps Government could take to improve safety online.

More information about the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program, visit: esafety.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/our-programs/esafety-grants

Results in on testing fuel consumption in the real world

Media Release from the Hon Catherine King, Minster for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

MEDIA RELEASE | 29 November 2023

The first results of testing to give better information on how much fuel a car may use when it leaves the showroom and goes onto the road have been released.

The Albanese Government is providing $14 million to the Australian Automobile Association over the next four years to test the real-world fuel usage of a range of popular cars, SUVs and utes sold in Australia.

The testing gives consumers information they haven’t previously had about how a car may perform. It is intended to help buyers looking for more efficient and cheaper-to-run cars.

It also helps provide policymakers in Australia and overseas with insights to help develop more accurate laboratory tests for the future.

The first test round of nine vehicles found three vehicles outperforming their lab test results, using less fuel in the real world tests, and five vehicles that used 8 to 13 per cent more than in the laboratory tests.

Three of the vehicles tested produced higher noxious emissions on the road than would be permitted in the applicable laboratory tests for Australian regulated pollutants.

These first tests were conducted in August using strict protocols developed in consultation with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts and industry.

Vehicle manufacturers have been consulted prior to the publication of results.

The cars – the first of 200 to be tested – were the Hyundai Kona, Mitsubishi ASX, Toyota RAV4 (petrol) and the Toyota RAV4 (Hybrid), Ford Puma, MG ZS, Hyundai Tucson (diesel), Nissan X-Trail and the GWM Haval Jolion.

The results are available online here.

Modernising Australia's media laws - for all Australians

Media Release from the Hon Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications

MEDIA RELEASE | 29 November 2023

The Albanese Government is delivering on its election commitment to support access to local TV and free sports coverage in the streaming era, with legislation to establish a new prominence framework and reform the anti-siphoning scheme introduced to Parliament today.
 
The Communications Legislation Amendment (Prominence and Anti-siphoning) Bill 2023 marks an important step in bringing the Australia’s regulatory framework for media services into the 21st century.
 
The new prominence framework will ensure consumers can easily find and access free television broadcasting services and broadcasting video-on-demand services on connected television devices.
 
Free-to-air television broadcasting services play a vital role in reflecting Australian culture and supporting our democratic processes by providing local news, current affairs, emergency broadcasting, sport, entertainment and events of public significance – to all Australians and for free.
 
The prominence framework will introduce ‘must carry’ obligations to reduce the risk of free-to-air broadcasting services being crowded out by the larger, international services operating in the Australian market.
 
Following a transition period, manufacturers of connected television devices will have to meet minimum prominence requirements for new devices supplied to the Australian market. The requirements will not apply retrospectively to existing television sets, and will not affect hardware or other ancillary equipment, such as remote controls.
 
The framework will enhance consumer choice and promote a level playing field for Australian free-to-air broadcasters, but will not constrain device manufacturers from promoting or recommending other content and services, or affect the search or customisation functions of a device.
 
Exposure draft regulations will be released in early 2024 to provide greater detail on the specific prominence requirements.
 
The Government is also taking steps to modernise the anti-siphoning scheme – which has been in place for close to 30 years – with a ‘broadcast safety net’ approach that affirms the ongoing importance of free-to-air broadcasting services for access to televised coverage of iconic sporting events for all Australians.
 
A review of the scheme found that its objective to promote free access to televised coverage of events of national importance and cultural significance remains relevant and appropriate, but that the scheme needs to be broadened to incorporate online services.  
 
Streaming services are not currently subject to the scheme, and there is no legal impediment to them acquiring the rights to iconic sporting events ahead of local free-to-air broadcasters.
 
This regulatory gap risks iconic events slipping behind online paywalls, and means Australians could miss out on sports coverage they might otherwise enjoy for free.
 
The reforms will expand the scope of the restriction on the acquisition of rights under the anti-siphoning scheme to include online services, as well as subscription television broadcasting licensees.
 
The Government also proposes to modernise and expand the anti-siphoning list with respect to women’s sports and Para-sports, consistent with the findings of the review of the anti-siphoning scheme.

To view the Exposure Draft list, visit: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/publications/broadcasting-services-anti-siphoning-list-instrument-year

Online Safety (Basic Online Safety Expectations) Amendment Determination 2023

The Australian Government is seeking your feedback on an instrument to amend the Online Safety (Basic Online Safety Expectations) Determination 2022.

As the online environment evolves, so too must the expectations on digital platforms to protect Australians online. This is your chance to have a say on the new and amended expectations that the Australian Government has for online service providers.

You can read the draft Online Safety (Basic Online Safety Expectations) Amendment Determination 2023 (Amendment Determination) and Consultation Paper, and provide a submission by 5pm AEDT on 16 February 2024

Skills Priority List – Stakeholder Survey

Jobs and Skills Australia are requesting your feedback help better understand the skills profile in Australia, which informs the development of the 2024 Skills Priority List (SPL).

If you have on-the-ground knowledge and experience of recruitment activity in your industry and your participation in this survey will enhance the evidence base used to identify occupations in shortage and produce the 2024 SPL.
 The SPL assists policy makers to understand the skills needs of the Australian economy and informs the Jobs and Skills Australia's analysis and advice on potential policy responses to shortages in the Australian labour market.

You can provide your feedback by completing the Jobs and Skills Australia 2024 Skills Priority List (SPL) Stakeholder Survey. The survey collects information on all occupations in the 2022 Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). More information on ANZSCO classifications and skill levels is available at the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.

Consumer Affairs Ministers committed to protecting consumers

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading

MEDIA RELEASE | 27 November 2023

Commonwealth, State and Territory Consumer Affairs Ministers met on Friday 24 November 2023 with a renewed commitment to collaboration across borders and to strengthen consumer protections.

Ministers attending the meeting, chaired by New South Wales Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, the Hon Anoulack Chanthivong, discussed and agreed on priorities for future work, which include:

• consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification provisions

• protecting consumers and small business from unfair trading practices across the economy

• improved collaboration to combat scams and online fraud

• establishing a designated complaints mechanism within the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for consumer and small business advocacy groups to raise systemic issues under consumer law

• implementation of the unfair contract terms reforms and Australian Consumer Law penalties harmonisation.

“Ministers are committed to ensuring that consumers will benefit from improvements to protections, at a state, territory and national level, as part of a nationally coordinated approach,” Minister Chanthivong said.

“It is important that we remain focused on progressing reforms to the Australian Consumer Law to strengthen protections for consumers and small business and improve consumer confidence.”

“The agreed priorities for 2024 build on the important enhancements to consumer protections that have been delivered in 2023, such as strengthening Unfair Contract Term Protections, increasing penalties for breaches of the competition and consumer laws, and establishing the National Anti-Scam Centre.”

Ministers heard from the Consumers’ Federation Australia, the peak body for consumer organisations in Australia, about key issues impacting consumers and possible areas for policy and law reform.

Ministers welcomed the impending release of the 2023 Australian Consumer Survey, which contains insights from consumers and businesses into existing consumer issues, including lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the survey will be published on the Australian Consumer Law website (https://consumerlaw.gov.au/launch) in coming weeks.

Ministers further welcomed work to develop industry codes outlining the responsibilities of the private sector in relation to scams.

Australian Ministers also committed to improving transparency for consumers by supporting the introduction of country-of-origin labelling requirements for seafood in hospitality settings.

Australian Ministers further agreed to allow tobacco legislation currently administered under the Australian Consumer Law to be consolidated under a more streamlined national tobacco control legislation.

Ministers look forward to continuing to work together closely on progressing these issues.

Attendees to the meeting included:

• Commonwealth Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones

• Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Yvette D’Ath

• South Australian Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, Andrea Michaels

• Tasmanian Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs, Madeleine Ogilvie

• Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gabrielle Williams

• Western Australian Minister for Commerce, Sue Ellery.

Senior departmental officials from the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory were also in attendance.

New planning rules to fast track low-rise and mid-rise housing

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

MEDIA RELEASE | 28 November 2023

The Minns government is confronting the housing crisis with bold reforms to create tens of thousands of new, well-located, low-rise and mid-rise homes.

The government is announcing changes that will fast-track a greater diversity of homes like residential flat buildings of 3 to 6 storeys, terraces, townhouses, duplexes and smaller 1-storey to 2-storey apartment blocks in suburbs where they are not currently allowed.

The reforms create capacity for industry to deliver up to an estimated 112,000 new homes across the Greater Sydney region, Hunter, Central Coast and Illawarra.

This represents 30% of the number of homes NSW needs to meet under its Housing Accord target of 377,000 new homes by 2029.

Currently, each local council has its own rules for what kind of homes can be built in their area. In many local government areas, these rules do not allow the types of homes that we need for the next generation, housing close to transport, infrastructure and social amenity.

In October the government identified a significant gap in the approval of density, with terraces and 1-storey to 2-storey unit blocks allowed under R2 zoning in only 2 of 32 Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) – that’s just 6% of the LEPs across Sydney.

R2 is a zone for land which is made up of low-density housing.

This ‘missing middle’ has meant that low-rise density has been ignored in the face of a growing housing crisis.

Additionally, 60% of R3 zones across Sydney (where multi-dwelling housing is appropriate and should be encouraged) presently prohibit residential flat buildings of any scale.

Details of the proposed changes include allowing:

• dual occupancies (2 separate homes on a single lot), such as duplexes, in all R2 low-density residential zones across all of NSW.

• terraces, townhouses and 2-storey apartment blocks near transport hubs and town centres in R2 low-density residential zones across the Greater Sydney region, Hunter, Central Coast and Illawarra (the Six Cities region).

• mid-rise apartment blocks near transport hubs and town centres in R3 medium-density zones and appropriate employment zones. This will mean more housing just a short 10-minute walk (800m) from transport hubs, shops and amenities.

The government will amend a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) to enact these changes while simultaneously encouraging councils to add these types of dwellings to their own planning rules.

If a local government’s planning rules match – or go further than – this new NSW Government policy, the state government changes will not apply.

The government has previously written to councils, asking them to review local policy settings to allow for more housing in low-density and medium-density zones across their local government area.

National Housing Accord targets were set at the National Cabinet with all 3 levels of government represented.

The plans will go on public exhibition for public feedback from next week.

Terms of Reference for Optus outage post-incident review

Media Release from the Hon Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications

MEDIA RELEASE | 28 November 2023

The Albanese Government will undertake a review of what industry, government and the community can learn from the recent Optus outage, with a specific focus on emergency calls, customer communications, and complaints handling.
 
The Terms of Reference released today will provide Optus – and the broader telecommunications industry – the opportunity to proactively address key underlying issues that arose in relation to the network outage, while providing the Government with an evidence base for any potential reforms.
 
The Government has appointed Mr Richard Bean to lead the Review. Mr Bean was the Deputy Chair of the ACMA for over seven years, including a period as the Acting Chair.  He has a long and distinguished history of involvement with the communications sector and is currently serving as an Executive Director for Ad Standards and on the Nominations committee of auDA.
 
The Review will report on and make recommendations regarding: 

1. The functioning of Triple Zero during the Outage, including whether changes are required to ensure continued access to Triple Zero during outages, as well as the interactions between industry participants and the Triple Zero Service;

2. The role of Government in managing and responding to national service outages;

3. The adequacy of requirements for customer communication in national service outages;

4. The adequacy of how customer complaints and compensation processes performed for consumers and small business following the outage;

5. The circumstances in which other networks may be relied on to support a network that is subject to a major outage; and

6. Other telecommunications sector implications, including resilience and interdependencies between telecommunications networks.

The Optus outage impacted approximately 10 million people, causing significant disruption to the ability of Australians to communicate, run small businesses, and left some people unable to call emergency services.
 
The Review will consult widely with industry and consumer stakeholders as well as with Australian Government and state and territory agencies, and will provide a report to Government by 29 February 2024.
 
The independent regulator – the Australian Communications and Media Authority – has commenced an assessment to investigate Optus’ compliance with the existing regulatory framework including with the rules requiring that emergency calls are successfully carried from mobile carriers to the Emergency Call Person (Telstra).

Successful mid-band spectrum auction promotes connectivity

Media Release from the Hon Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications

MEDIA RELEASE | 23 November 2023

The Federal Government congratulates the independent Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for the successful completion of the 3.4/3.7 GHz bands auction.

574 of the 588 available lots have been allocated to support the rollout of 5G and fixed wireless services in Australia.

Telstra, TPG, Optus and NBN Co all secured spectrum licences as a result of the 3.4/3.7 GHz bands spectrum auction announced today – raising a total of $721.8 million.

Licences for winning bidders in the 3.4 GHz band will commence immediately and will be valid until December 2030. Successful bidders in the 3.7 GHz band will enjoy 20-year licences, commencing in January 2024.

This auction is a great outcome and delivers increased investment opportunity for both 5G mobile services and fixed wireless broadband deployment across Australia. Mid-band spectrum, including the 3.4 and 3.7 GHz bands, is a highly valuable component of mobile and fixed wireless networks, given it can provide a good balance between capacity and coverage in metro and regional areas.

The 3.4/3.7 GHz bands auction was the first spectrum allocation to use the new auction capability funded by the Government in the October 2022-23 Federal Budget. High value spectrum licences are allocated via auction to secure the best outcomes for the Australian economy.

Spectrum is a finite natural resource most electronic devices use to carry information, including smartphones, satellites, tablets, televisions, radio and radars. The Government aims to promote the long-term public interest through the efficient use of spectrum, best achieved through competitive allocation.

The full auction results have been published on the ACMA’s website: www.acma.gov.au.

Fresh approach to funding digital solutions to target housing supply and frontline services

Media Release from the NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government

MEDIA RELEASE | 22 November 2023

Community is at the heart of the NSW Government’s reset of the Digital Restart Fund (DRF), with $100 million now aimed at finding digital solutions to address the state’s biggest challenges including housing supply, frontline service delivery and climate change.

As part of a major shift in how the NSW Government prioritises digital investment, funding will be targeted at 5 new focus areas that better align with the needs of the state’s residents as cost-of-living and environmental pressures rise.

Under the changes, digital investment will focus on housing supply, support for frontline and essential workers, efficient energy use and protections for biodiversity and the natural environment, reducing cyber risk, and the accessibility of government services.

Under the changes, projects prioritised for funding under the DRF will include:

• Projects which make it easier, safer, and simpler for frontline and essential workers to deliver services.

• Projects with outcomes targeted at speeding up the supply of housing and acceleration of the housing planning cycle.

• Projects which increase accessibility of government services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, regional, remote and rural communities, seniors, people with a disability, and people experiencing social issues and disadvantage.

• Projects targeted at driving more efficient energy use and supporting biodiversity and the natural environment.

• Projects aimed at reducing cyber security risk.

NSW Government agencies have been asked to submit applications to the DRF with a focus on the new priority areas.

Major projects delivered through the DRF include a project to uplift the digital literacy of western Sydney residents, and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to irrigate and cool Sydney Olympic Park and mitigate the ‘Urban Heat Island effect’ in surrounding areas.

A project using AI to help prevent rubbish entering Sydney Harbour has also been funded under the DRF. Smart sensors, which have been rolled out to the Blacktown, Parramatta and Northern Beaches local government areas, detect the types of rubbish entering waterways and inform stormwater managers when rubbish collection points need to be emptied. 

Through the DRF, the NSW Government is working to enhance digital innovation and transform services by streamlining planning, funding, risk mitigation and delivery processes to ensure government agencies meet the needs of NSW residents.