Former Australian Medical Association president Dr Kerryn Phelps has called on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to enforce a mask mandate.
It comes as the state recorded 4,655 new infections on Sunday, with 762 people in hospitals – 28 of those are in ICU.
Queensland has a massive 53,100 active infections.
The one-time independent MP for the Sydney seat of Wentworth replied to a tweet from Ms Palaszczuk who urged anyone over the age of 30 to book in for their fourth COVID-19 vaccination.
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“If you have downtime this weekend, book that booster shot,” the Premier wrote.
“Everyone over the age of 30 is eligible for a fourth vaccination. Getting a booster is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19.”
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) updated its recommendation for people aged 50 to 64 years to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot if they wish to.
ATAGI reiterated that people who had already been eligible for the fourth dose, including those aged 65 years and over, remain at “high risk of severe disease and death” from COVID-19.
But Dr Phelps warned that vaccination alone is not enough to control the pandemic.
“Whatever advice you are receiving @AnnastaciaMP, vaccination alone will not control this #covid19 pandemic,” she wrote on Sunday.
“People will continue to get reinfected without other measures.
“The healthcare system around the country is struggling: hospital staff, paramedics, GPs.
“Please mandate masks.”
It’s not the first time Dr Phelps has weighed in on the need for stronger rules.
Earlier this month she called out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for not wearing an N95 face mask when receiving his fourth jab.
It is not against the rules to enter a New South Wales pharmacy without a mask.
“Where are the N95 masks @AlboMP?” she tweeted.
Dr Chris Moy, Vice President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said the Prime Minister should stop with the “contradictory messaging” and start to be more transparent about the emerging COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly launched an impassioned plea for Australians to “take action” and wear face masks amid a surge in COVID-19 cases this winter – but stopped short of advising the Albanese Government to mandate the measure.
Dr Kelly appeared on Sky News Australia where he warned COVID-19 cases are expected to peak in August as the country endures a third Omicron wave.
“In terms of a mandate, that’s really a decision for government and that’s something they need to consider,” he said on July 20.
I’ve never felt more helpless as a parent than I did during the black summer bushfires.
Rushing my two-year-old son to hospital, I was overwhelmed with worry: there was no escape from the toxic smoke, even where we lived in inner-city Sydney. It went on and on. As any parents would be, we were terrified about what the next few days would hold.
The call came from his childcare centre. Our baby boy had been choking on the air. For months we felt as though we had nowhere safe to go and no way to adequately protect him.
Our son was just one of more than 4,000 people who ended up in hospital due to the smoke from bushfires that summer – almost 450 people died from smoke inhalation and I’ll be forever grateful that he was not one of them.
I was reminded of just how disempowered I felt at that time when news of the latest state of the environment report came last week.
The report confirmed what we already knew from experience: climate change is having a real impact on the environment and we are seeing the effects now.
Extreme weather events including bushfires are only getting more frequent and more intense – and the health impacts of future bushfire smoke and heatwaves are among my biggest concerns for my children.
The environment we live in and that we are raising our children in is in decline because we have neglected it for generations. That trend is set to continue without substantial nature restoration and ambitious climate action.
While my son was in the hospital it was already clear that our youngest and most vulnerable were feeling the impact of our negligence.
The state of the environment report said: “Environmental degradation is now considered a threat to humanity, which could bring about societal collapses with long-lasting and severe consequences.”
While the natural world is in decline, the impact of extreme weather on all of us will increase, and our food and water security are at risk.
So I have again been thinking about what kind of environment we are trying to raise happy, healthy and safe children in, as well as the world they and their children will inherit. What does the future look like for them?
Today’s world is already deteriorating before our eyes. But it’s not too late to turn this story around.
To keep our children and wildlife safe into the future, we need a covenant that acknowledges two key Australian values: that we love and value our unique natural environment; and that older Australians hold a duty of care for our young people.
Australians are so proud of our environment. We take our international visitors to feed kangaroos and see koalas, or we take our families on bucket-list trips to the Great Barrier Reef and the red deserts of central Australia.
We are also united by our sense of fairness and a desire to protect children and our most vulnerable members of the community.
The federal court judge Justice Mordecai Bromberg described the impacts of climate change as “the greatest intergenerational injustice ever inflicted by one generation of humans upon the next”. He said this during his (since-overturned) judgment in a class action challenging the former environment minister Sussan Ley’s approval of a coalmine expansion. The approval went ahead.
Will the new environment minister honor the duty of care one would expect of the role?
The fact that older Australians are bequeathing this deep ecological debt to younger and future generations should trouble us all deeply.
If we truly hold those values close, we can have an impact. With better education, attention, collaboration and advocacy from all sectors, we can stop the endless destruction and hold our leaders to account.
We can introduce regulations that protect the air we breathe, the soil our farmers work, the water we drink.
But most importantly we can call on our leaders to rule out approving any new coal and gas projects – any new projects are incompatible with a safe climate. This egregious commitment has to stop now.
Any development project approvals must consider the comprehensive climate impacts of all projects and activities that threaten our ecosystems, not each project in isolation.
We could follow the Welsh example of a law that ensures that listed government bodies consider the quality of life of current and future generations in their decisions. The Well-Being of Future Generations Act acknowledges the duty of care that those in power have for young people, and the stewardship we have for our environmental, social and cultural heritage.
The solutions are available but we need bold and decisive action and support at all levels of government and across party lines.
The story I tell my son, who is now four, about our natural environment is simple: if we want to enjoy the beautiful nature that Australia has to offer, we must be the ones to take care of it now.
If our leaders in government and business share our Australian values of fairness, pride in our natural environment and care for our children, they will listen to that same story.
The New South Wales Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading, Eleni Petinos, has been sacked, plunging the State Government further into crisis.
Key points:
The Miranda MP was removed from cabinet by Premier Dominic Perrottet after his return from overseas
On Friday, Ms Petinos denied any wrongdoing after an anonymous complaint was made against her
It came from a staffer within her office, reportedly alleging bullying by Ms Petinos
The Premier has dumped the Miranda MP from state cabinet, a day after returning from an overseas trade trip.
On Friday, it was revealed an anonymous complaint had been made by a staffer from Ms Petinos’ office, reportedly alleging bullying.
The Minister denied any wrongdoing, releasing a statement saying “I reject any allegations of improper conduct”.
Speaking from India, the Premier confirmed an investigation had taken place into the complaint but he was satisfied with the outcome.
The Premier now says her position has become untenable.
Mr Perrottet says Ms Petinos’ service as a NSW minister will end with immediate effect.(abcnews)
“Today I spoke with the Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading Eleni Petinos after some further matters concerning her were brought to my attention,” the Premier said in a statement.
“In light of these matters, Ms Petinos’ service as a Minister will cease with immediate effect, and I will write to the Governor in this regard tomorrow.”
Ms Petinos was elevated to the Ministry in December last year, as one of three new Liberal women promoted to cabinet.
The Premier has now lost one of the seven Coalition women in his 26-person cabinet.
Her sacking comes as the Trade Minister, Stuart Ayres, has been under increasing pressure over the former Deputy Premier, John Barilaro’s appointment to a lucrative trade role in New York.
Documents released publicly to the parliament, have called into question his involvement in the recruitment process and whether he misled parliament.
Ms Petinos has been a state MP for seven years.(AAP: Bianca De Marchi)
Mr Ayres, who is also the deputy Liberal leader, maintains the process was conducted at arm’s length from Government and the Premier is standing by his Minister.
Ms Petinos has been the member for Miranda since 2015.
The Customer Service Minister, Victor Dominello, will take over her ministerial responsibilities.
“Tonight, the Premier informed me I would no longer be a Minister in his Government,” she said.
“I would never intentionally offend anyone or make them feel uncomfortable, and if I did I am truly sorry.”
She says she intends to stay on as the member for Miranda.
“I pursue politics to make a positive difference,” she said.
“I am proud of my work while I served the people of NSW as Minister for Small Business and Minister for Fair Trading.”
West Australian Liberal Leader David Honey has told the party faithful he’s “optimistic” about the future, after members agreed to significant pre-selection reforms yesterday.
Key points:
West Australian Liberals have met for day two of their state conference after passing significant reform on Saturday
State Liberals Leader David Honey sought to inspire the party faithful
He says it is unlikely the party will adopt a female quota
At the first Liberal state conference since the federal election, members yesterday voted to overhaul the way the party chooses its candidates and take control off powerbrokers.
It was seen by many in the party as a landmark moment, which illustrated it had listened and learned from two devastating election results at the state and federal level.
By comparison, the second day of the conference was described as “flat” by one member, with far more seats left empty for Dr Honey’s opening address than the day before.
David Honey’s address drew a smaller crowd than the numbers attending the first day of the conference. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
In his speech, Dr Honey set out a clear agenda for the next three years: to demonstrate that the state and federal Labor governments should be “sacked” and prove the Liberals are a “credible alternative.”
“I’m not pessimistic about our political future. I am realistic. We face an enormous challenge to return as a major political force in Western Australia,” he said.
“What makes me optimistic for the future of the Liberal Party in Western Australia is the good work that is being done at this conference to get our internal affairs in order, a strong foundation for the future.
“We have clearly demonstrated that we are willing to embrace progressive change as part of our continued evolution as a dynamic political force in Western Australian politics.”
Party falls short of supporting quotas
After this year’s federal election result, some former female Liberal MPs urged the party to adopt quotas for women in parliament.
Federal deputy leader Sussan Ley has previously expressed her support for a target, rather than a quota.
Deputy state leader Libby Mettam said she was of the same view.
“We just want, in each seat, to see the best people come forward,” she said.
“If that is a quota and not a target, that will be something that the Liberal Party as a whole considers, and there will be much debate around that.
“Up until now, I’ve been very supportive of targets. I’m yet to be convinced that we necessarily need quotas at this stage.”
Libby Mettam (right) says her preference is for the party to set targets for gender representation.(ABC News: Keane Bourke)
Her colleague, Dr Honey, said he was “not averse” to a quota, but would wait to see what the party decided.
“Knowing the nature of the party, it’s probably unlikely we’re going to have quotas, but there will be a really high expectation [that] we have significantly more excellent women candidates, but also candidates that represent the diversity of our society,” he said.
Long reform journey ahead, party elder says
The Liberal Party has dozens of other recommendations to work through from its election review.
One of those recommendations — to require candidate pre-selections to be accompanied by a statutory declaration — also passed this weekend.
However, there are many others still being worked through, prompting former party president Norman Moore to describe the changes as “a small step, not a giant leap.”
Former state president, Norman Moore (third from right), says he’s hopeful about future reform.(ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“The president (Richard Wilson) has said that he’s interested in ongoing reform of the party, and we’re going to have another conference, I think, in the next 12 months,” Mr Moore said.
“I think that’s a great opportunity to look at some of the other issues that the Road to Reform report talked about, which haven’t been addressed yet.
“I’m very comfortable about the president’s position and I hope that we’ll be able to make further progress in the future.”
Motions put forward by the Curtin branch — to implement other recommendations — were voted down, while changes to who can pay for party memberships passed.
Dr Honey said he remained confident the party was moving quickly enough.
“If we did nothing else but [reform pre-selections]this whole process would be a success,” he said.
The WA government has announced three new marine parks, covering thousands of kilometers of the Kimberley coastline in Western Australia’s far north.
Key points:
The marine parks will cover more than 600,000 hectares of the Buccaneer Archipelago
The parks have been jointly designed by the area’s traditional owners
The state government wants to create 5 million hectares of new conservation estates in total
Formally unveiled this morning, the Bardi Jawi Garra, Mayala and Maiyalam Marine Parks cover more than 600,000 hectares of the Buccaneer Archipelago.
In a first for Western Australia, the parks have been co-designed and will be jointly managed by the area’s Bardi Jawi, Mayala and Dambeemangarddee traditional owners.
The new parks cover waters surrounding the Dampier Peninsula, north of Broome, land and coastline to the north of Derby, and the thousands of islands that make up the Buccaneer Archipelago.
This island in Yaloon (Cone Bay) is part of the newly created Maiyalam Marine Park.(Supplied: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions)
Through amalgamations with existing parks, the new reserve includes high-profile Kimberley locations such as Horizontal Falls and Yaloon on the shore of Cone Bay.
Speaking at this morning’s announcement in Broome, Bardi Jawi traditional owner Kevin George said the formal recognition was a significant step forward.
“We’ve got a duty of care to the environment, and a duty of care to our people,” he said.
“It’s very much important to our people to be part and parcel of designing all of this … and we’re pretty happy with the process.”
Dambimangari Corporation director Leah Umbagi said the park was an important recognition of her people’s connection with the sea.
Rowena Mouda, Kevin George, and Leah Umbagi at the signing on Sunday morning.(ABC Kimberly)
“By doing this in collaboration with the other groups … I think coming forward as a group as the saltwater people it’s a big [step] forward,” she said.
Mayala Inninalang Aboriginal Corporation chair Rowena Mouda said the cultural health of the coastline was imperative to the health of traditional owners.
“The cultural belonging, the cultural maintenance and preservation is so important. If we lose sight of that, then we’ve lost sight of our identity of who we are,” she said.
“With this process, there have been families that have returned to the country for the first time.
“There’ve been families that have returned after many years and been able to plant their feet on that country, and we’ve seen healing take place with people who have not gone back to country since they were there as a child.
“There’s a healing in oneself, your body, your spirit, your mind that comes into play, and it’s hard to explain when you don’t have that belonging.”
Dambeemangarddee traditional owners hold a smoking ceremony at Yaloon Bay.(Supplied: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions)
Parks’ troubled birth
While the mood at today’s announcement was celebratory, the planning process for the marine parks had been divisive.
Draft plans to ban and restrict recreational fishing from nearly 40 per cent of the park were met with a tense reaction from local and statewide fishing groups, who argued they had been left out of the consultation process.
The government returned to the drawing board to consider their concerns, which ended in concessions including access to Dam Creek, the Graveyard, Kimbolton Creek, Strickland Bay, and areas of reef near the Cone Bay Barramundi Farm.
Broome fishing club members were briefed on the proposed marine park for the Buccaneer Archipelago.(ABC Kimberley: Erin Parke)
Recfishwest chief executive Andrew Rowland says the government needed to learn lessons from the process.
“We were really disappointed with the original draft plan. The government essentially railroaded the process and fishers were excluded from putting in comment,” Dr Rowland said.
“We’re pleased fishers got to sit down with traditional owners following the draft plans, and we’ve now, as of today, seen a much better outcome for fishing.”
But the conservation group Environs Kimberley dismissed concerns from the recreational fishers’ lobby about access restrictions.
“We’ve got a very balanced marine park,” Environs director Martin Prichard said.
“More than half of it is open to recreational fishers.”
Mr Pritchard said the co-design process involving traditional owners was a “shining light” for the rest of Australia when it came to designing conservation areas with Indigenous people.
“This is an outstanding win for conservation in the Kimberley and conservation in Australia,” he said.
“The thousand islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago have coral reef systems, seagrass beds, really productive river mouths, very important cultural areas.”
Martin Pritchard says the marine parks are a welcome first step in protecting at-risk parts of the Kimberley.(ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)
Mr Pritchard said the group was now lobbying for the state government to extend protections to more areas of the Kimberley coast.
“What we’ve got left now is an opportunity for the McGowan government to actually put the whole of the Kimberley coast in a marine park,” he said.
“What we would have would be the Great Kimberley Marine Park to rival the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.”
One million hectares protected
Environment Minister Reece Whitby said he understood the concerns of fishing groups but said he made no apologies for the government’s commitment to the co-design process.
“All stakeholders are involved, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“The traditional owners have said that they’ve found time to listen to the commercial fishers, the recreational fishers, and the other users of this country.
“It needs to be managed in a way that everyone’s interests are taken note of. There will be areas that are set aside in terms of zones to protect conservation values and Aboriginal heritage values.
Traditional owners sign official marine park declarations at an event on Sunday.(ABC Kimberly)
“But there are zones also that acknowledge that this is about recreation, it’s about tourism, it’s about commercial businesses.
“My experience with commercial operators is they actually want this environment protected for the long term so that their industry is sustainable — the best way to do that is with the marine park where the conservation estate is recognized and protected.”
As part of the government’s plan, a sector support package will be provided to support commercial, charter, and recreational fishers operating in the park and impacted by its boundaries.
“[The package] will be developed with the community to ensure the continuation of sustainable fisheries, high-quality fishing experiences, and support for local industries,” Fisheries Minister Don Punch said.
Cascade Bay is a popular destination for recreational fishers in the archipelago.(ABC Kimberley: Ben Collins)
The creation of the parks also marks a key milestone for the McGowan government, with more than 1 million hectares of new conservation estate established since it took office in 2017.
The government has set a target of 5 million hectares in total.
The three marine parks’ borders take effect on July 1, 2023.
Police say a man allegedly ran towards an officer while carrying two knives before he was shot in the torso in a small Western Australian town this morning.
Key points:
A man in his 20s is in a stable condition in hospital after being shot by a police officer in Pingelly
Police say the incident was captured on the officer’s body camera
An investigation is underground into the incident
The man in his 20s is in a stable condition in hospital following the incident in the Wheatbelt town of Pingelly, about 150km south-east of Perth.
Police allege the man ran from a property towards the officer and was shot just before 5am.
Deputy Police Commissioner Allan Adams said a constable used a taser on the man, which was “ineffective”, before he shot him in the torso at a range of about 1 metre.
Deputy Commissioner Adams said police were called to the home after reports of a disturbance, including a call from a family member inside the house.
“Upon arrival, the man in his 20s ran from the address armed with knives towards police who told him to stop, deployed taser, which was ineffective, and then fired a single shot, which hit and stopped him from proceeding any further towards police, “he said.
Deputy Commissioner Adams said he had viewed the incident, which was recorded on a police body camera.
“Watching the vision I’m extremely thankful that their training came to the fore in their response to the incident,” he said.
“While there is an investigation still to be undertaken, my assessment of the vision [is] I don’t think I would’ve done anything any differently than the police in attendance.
“From the moment the man walked out of the front door to the moment the event was completed was a matter of seconds.”
The officer provided first aid before the man was transferred to hospital.
Shooting under investigation
Deputy Commissioner Adams said the incident was under investigation.
He said it was not “normal practice” to have one officer respond to a serious incident, but praised the constable’s response.
“There were some resourcing issues in the immediate vicinity at that time that precluded the attendance of more,” he said.
“Whilst it’s not desirable a single officer attend an event like this… I don’t sit here in any way saying that the police officer shouldn’t have gone.
“The officer made an assessment at that time that it was in the best interest of the community to attend straight away. He could not have foreseen what was to eventuate and I’m sure if he did, he would’ve waited a bit longer .”
Counseling has been offered to the officer and family members of the injured man.
Great Southern police were meeting with Indigenous community leaders in the town this afternoon.
A teenage boy who murdered a 15-year-old girl as she was walking home from school almost two decades ago will be released from Cessnock Jail in Sydney on Monday.
The parents of Tania Burgess are now fighting to change the law, which has kept the identity of their daughter’s killer a secret from the public.
Tania’s parents are pushing harder than ever to make his identity known.
The teenage boy who stabbed Tania Burgess 48 times is now a man who is about to walk free, 17 years after the frenzied attack at Foresters Beach on the NSW Central Coast. (Nine)
The teenage boy who stabbed their daughter 48 times is now a man who is about to walk free, 17 years after the frenzied attack at Foresters Beach on the NSW Central Coast.
Only known by his initials, “DL”, the 32-year-old has had his identity sealed because he was just 16 when he committed murder.
“He gets to take no responsibility for anything that he’s done,” her father, Chris Burgess, said.
Tania’s mother, Mandy Burgess, said she would never forget the face of her daughter’s killer, and says she has not had justice.
“Whether he was a youth at that age or 16 or now in this thirties as a man. I’ll never forget it,” she said.
Only known by his initials, ‘DL’, the 32-year-old has had his identity sealed, because he was just 16 when he committed murder. (Nine)
“What I care more about is that he will not hurt any other family again like he did to us.
“There’s no justice. It’s just a legal system we abide by.
“What happened to Tania, there is no justice. Nothing to what happened to her and what we saw that day is justice.”
The parents of Tania Burgess are now fighting to change the law, which has kept the identity of their daughter’s killer a secret from the public. (Nine)
Victim’s advocate Howard Brown believes people convicted of murder, rape, and gang crimes where kids are between 14 and 18, need to be named.
“When they hide under a veil of anonymity there is no encouragement for them to participate in rehab programs because as far as they’re concerned no one knows, so no one cares,” he said.
A petition for law reform which would see exceptions made for the most heinous of crimes now has almost 150,000 signatures.
Once released, “DL” will be under intensive supervision.
A total of 15 bail conditions including wearing an electronic monitoring ankle have been considered “imperative” by the state Parole Authority for the protection of the community.
Taxpayers in queensland are footing the bill to fly in doctors as desperation mounts to keep the health system afloat.
Health experts are calling it a “desperate attempt” to Band-Aid a larger problem within the health sector.
Australian Medical Association Queensland president Maria Boulton said the doctor shortage was due to the “neglected state” of the health care system.
“There was chronic under spending in health care by the Morrison government,” Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said. (Nine)
Boulton pointed the finger at the state government, which has responsibility for healthcare, but Labor was blaming the former federal government.
“There was chronic under spending in health care by the Morrison government,” Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.
“Some of this does fall under the remit of the Commonwealth when it comes to university qualifications.”
Fly-in doctors are being offered thousands of dollars a day to fill gaps across the state.
The total bill was more than $100 million last year.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said it was “costing the state government money that could be used elsewhere in the health crisis.”
Fly-in doctors are being offered thousands of dollars a day to fill gaps across Queensland. (Nine)
“When a young doctor chooses to go to a regional area, let’s make it a pathway towards a specialist sooner,” he said.
Currently, Toowoomba is after psychiatrists who are paid $2000 a day. Obstetrics and gynecology consultants can earn a little more than that in Far North Queensland.
Boulton said the issue wouldn’t be solved overnight and more commitment was needed to ensure enough doctors were being trained.
Work has begun on the first stages of the South Australian government’s plan to build 400 new public houses as advocates say the housing shortage is worsening by the day.
Key points:
In South Australia, 17,000 people are on the waiting list for public housing
The state government has signed contracts to build 44 new homes
It’s part of a $177 million plan to build 400 new public houses
There are currently 17,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in South Australia, with nearly 4,000 of those in category one, deemed in urgent need of shelter.
The state government has budgeted $177 million on its plan to build 400 new public houses across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia.
So far, the construction of 44 homes has been given the green light in Kilburn, Woodville Gardens, Parafield Gardens, Salisbury Downs, Elizabeth Park, Elizabeth East, Elizabeth South, Elizabeth Downs and Morphettville.
The state government has confirmed contracts will soon be signed for another 33 homes in metropolitan Adelaide and regional areas, including Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge and Mount Barker.
Out of the 400 new homes, 200 will be built in greater Adelaide, 150 in regional areas and 50 will be built for people experiencing homelessness.
Housing Trust Tenants Association assistant secretary Julie Macdonald says rent relief is desperately needed to prevent more people becoming homeless. (abcnews)
‘It’s getting worse’
Housing Trust Tenants Association assistant secretary Julie Macdonald said the extra houses were a “good start” to address the worsening situation.
“It’s getting worse. We’ve got so many homeless people because they can’t afford to rent privately so there’s more people out there waiting for housing,” she said.
“The people on this list are couch-surfing. They’re living in their cars. They’re on the street. They’re desperate for housing.”
Ms Macdonald said more hostels and supported accommodation was needed and that rent relief was crucial to prevent more people becoming homeless.
“Rent relief needs to rise because people just can’t afford the rents that have gone up so badly,” she said.
“We have got so many people in this state who are vulnerable and homeless and absolutely just torn apart with the way housing costs are rising at the moment.”
Human Services Minister Nat Cook says her department is working day and night to get more people into housing. (abcnews)
Human Services Minister Nat Cook said people in the most-urgent category include those who have fled domestic violence, children, people with disabilities, elderly people and people with complex mental health problems.
“All of those co-existing situations are taken into account when we are assessing who requires the most-urgent attention,” she said.
“Every day my office works in collaboration with community service providers, local advocates, families and the housing authority to ensure that people’s situations are truly and accurately reflected within that category.
“You see people jumping up in categories overnight because of some sort of catastrophe that happens in their life and we have to make sure that we have a service-provision model that is able to be proactive and reactive at the same time and that’s what I believe we’re doing now with the investments.”
Upgrades and maintenance
In addition to building extra public houses, the government is also planning to carry out major upgrades on 350 vacant homes and fix up 3,000 properties so they can be made available.
“We live in a great state, in a First World country, and we can’t have a situation where people are literally homeless. We can afford to do more,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
“That’s why we went to the election with a substantial increase in funding for public housing in the state and we’re now rolling it out as quickly as we can because we know the urgency that exists within the community.”
Shadow Minister for Social and Community Housing Michelle Lensink says she’s concerned the costings don’t add up. (abcnews)
Shadow Minister for Social and Community Housing Michelle Lensink said she had concerns about the government’s proposal.
“While we welcome initiatives to get South Australians into a home, there are huge concerns [that] properties previously allocated for affordable housing have been swiped to help prop-up Labor’s poorly costed public housing policy,” she said.
“Smoke and mirrors aside, this could be a case of Labor cutting off its nose to spite its face and that there aren’t really any additional homes coming online.”
She called for the government to check the costs on the initiative to ensure “all the figures still stack up”.
“We are also worried Labor’s costings don’t take into account huge price hikes in supplies and labour.”
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has sacked his small business and fair trading minister Eleni Petinos, after allegations she bullied workers emerged during a horror week for his government.
The premier said he had confidence in Petinos last week after alleged media reports the MP berated staff with offensive language including the words “retarded” and “stupid”, triggering the departure of multiple staffers since she was promoted in December.
But in a statement issued on Sunday night, Perrottet said he had spoken with Petinos after “some further matters concerning her were brought to my attention” and moved to stand her down immediately.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has sacked his fair trading minister, Eleni Petinos, following bullying allegations.Credit:AAP/Rhett Wyman
“In light of these matters, Ms Petinos’ service as a Minister will cease with immediate effect, and I will write to the Governor in this regard tomorrow,” Perrottet said.
He said Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello would assume Petinos’ portfolio responsibilities.
The bullying allegations against Petinos came during a week of crises for the Perrottet government that saw pressure mount on Trade Minister Stuart Ayres over his potential involvement in the controversial appointment of John Barilaro to a New York trade role.
The state’s first building commissioner David Chandler – whose role was overseen by Petinos – also quit his position prematurely last Monday, leading Labor to demand that the Miranda MP explain the reasons for Chandler’s “dramatic” resignation.
Labor’s better regulation spokeswoman Courtney Houssos said Chandler had “worked for more than 40 years in one of the toughest industries, yet barely lasted seven months working for this minister”.
Last week the premier said Petinos had denied the allegations reported by News Corp, as he stressed that an anonymous complaint to the Department of Premier and Cabinet about her conduct had been dealt with appropriately.
