Senator David Fawcett

2 days ago

RECORD LOW UNEMPLOYMENT IN SA, NATIONAL RATE DOWN TO 4.2%Reported through the Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australia’s unemployment rate has fallen to 4.2% in December (from 4.6% the month prior) – the lowest unemployment rate since August 2008, more than 13 years.Approximately 65,000 new jobs were created, of which two thirds were full-time, and more than half went to young people aged 15-24.South Australia’s unemployment rate decreased to its lowest level since 1978 – just 3.9%.Data released by the Australian Department of Social Services in late December indicated that 60,000 Australians moved into work and off welfare programs – such as JobSeeker or Youth Allowance – between the end of October and December 10.Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has committed $314 billion in direct economic support – to keep Australians in jobs, businesses afloat, and our economy active. Australia’s world-leading economic and health outcomes have been supported by a further $25 billion in direct economic and health support committed during the Delta outbreak.In the latest Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) released in December, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced $896 million to support a strong labour market recovery, address workforce shortages and build workforce capability, equipping Australia’s workforce with the skills needed now and into the future. More information on MYEFO: bit.ly/3H4ufyKMore information on the ABS Labour Force statistics: bit.ly/3Kvplxi ... See MoreSee Less

Senator David Fawcett

5 days ago

TGA APPROVES NOVAVAX AND ANTIVIRAL COVID-19 TREATMENTSThis morning, the TGA announced provisional approval has been granted for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for use as a primary vaccination for Australians aged 18 years and older.The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is now undertaking a review of the Novavax vaccine, with shipments of the first of 51 million doses expected to arrive in the coming weeks.The approval of Novavax offers Australians a protein subunit vaccine, which is administered in 2 doses, each dose given 3 weeks apart. More information on Novavax: bit.ly/3IlCB5HAdditionally, the TGA has also now provisionally approved two anti-viral COVID-19 treatments, the first oral treatments for COVID-19 in Australia, Lagevrio®️ (molnupiravir) and Paxlovid®️ (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir).These treatments have been found to effectively treat people experiencing mild to moderate COVID-19 with a high risk of progressing to severe disease – reducing hospital admissions and potential deaths. 300,000 treatment courses of Merck Sharp & Dohme’s Lagevrio®️ and 500,000 courses of Pfizer’s Paxlovid®️ have been secured for use throughout 2022, with first deliveries expected soon. More information on the antiviral treatments: bit.ly/3tI8GR3 Australia now has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. To date, more than 47 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the nation, and approximately 5.7 million Australians having already received a booster shot. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout: www.australia.gov.au/For those who have concerns about getting vaccinated, I encourage a discussion with their GP. For answers to common questions on COVID-19 vaccines: bit.ly/3edp0RuBook your vaccination online here: bit.ly/3jKEgY0 or call 1800 020 080. ... See MoreSee Less

Senator David Fawcett

1 week ago

TELEHEALTH CHANGES AND MORE PPE TO ENSURE CONTINUED SAFETY OF GPs, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITYThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services have offered Australians reliable access to GPs, allied health providers and specialists from the safety of their own home – and continue to be a fundamental part of the health response.With Omicron case numbers growing, the Coalition Government has made temporary changes to Telehealth to give GPs and specialists additional flexibility to support their patients safely, including the continued supply of PPE and online support. More information: bit.ly/3FzcAOsAn additional $24 million has been committed to fund these changes and builds on the $34 billion provided since the pandemic began.The Government will introduce temporary specialist inpatient telehealth MBS items (video and phone) and initial and complex specialist telephone consultation items, and longer telephone consultations for GP’s (level C) until 30 June 2022 – enabling Australians to see specialist medical practitioners, consult their GP, renew scripts, and seek mental health support online or over the phone.Over the next 3 months, over 20 million units of PPE are being provided for primary care, including 9 million p2/n95 masks for GPs and 3 million for pharmacists across Australia. These are being prioritised for rural, regional and remote areas where access to PPE can be challenging. Shipments began before Christmas and are continuing nationwide.In December 2021, Health Minister Greg Hunt MP announced that the Morrison Government is delivering telehealth on an ongoing basis, as part of a $308.6 million investment in strengthening Australia’s primary care health system. In addition to telehealth, the $308.6 million investment includes, among other measures, 58.8 million to support Australians' mental health, $77 million to improve access to Medicare, and $41.2 million to deliver better health services in regional and rural Australia. More information: bit.ly/3ITJnk4 ... See MoreSee Less

Senator David Fawcett

1 week ago

INVESTMENT IN RARE CANCER AND DISEASE RESEARCH Through the Morrison Government’s $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), we’re providing 27 research projects with a combined $63.4 million for research into rare cancers and diseases.Rare cancers and rare diseases are specific, life threatening or chronically debilitating health conditions that affect fewer than 1 in 2,000 people and for many Australians, there are limited treatment options and patient outcomes. Almost $2 billion in ground-breaking medical research has been funded through the MRFF to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians.Through the 2021 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need Grant Opportunity, 2 SA universities – The University of Adelaide and Flinders University – received a combined $11,357,341 for 5 research projects. More information and a full list of grant recipients: bit.ly/33svPvPMedical research is 1 of 4 pillars of our Government’s Long Term National Health Plan. More information: bit.ly/3o01mxvOur Government’s 2021/22 Federal Budget guarantees essential health services that Australians rely on with record funding for Medicare, mental health, aged care, and hospitals. In 2021/22, SA’s hospitals and health system benefit from $1.6 billion in Federal funding. More information on health funding in this year’s Budget: bit.ly/2SBJ9Fw ... See MoreSee Less

Senator David Fawcett

2 weeks ago

DRAFT NATIONAL PLAN RELEASED FOR CONSULTATIONThe Morrison Government has today released the draft National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32 for public comment.The draft National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 outlines a shared long-term commitment to a future free from all forms of gender-based violence in Australia built on 4 pillars: Prevention, Intervention, Response and Recovery.This draft National Plan builds on the Morrison Government’s commitment to a future free of gender violence, which is supported by the more than $2 billion investment in women’s safety since 2013. Ministers Senator Anne Ruston and Marise Payne announced that the Morrison Government is also investing $1 million to ensure ongoing engagement with victim-survivors throughout the life of the next National Plan in support of the foundation principle. The development of this draft National Plan was informed by the first National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022, the National Summit on Women’s Safety, the Parliamentary Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence, the [email protected] report, among other reports and inquiries.Evaluations of the first National Plan found that it helped bring family, domestic and sexual violence to the nation’s attention, demonstrated a collective commitment to address it and supported a positive shift in levels of collaboration including between the Commonwealth, states and territories, government departments, organisations and services.To give your feedback on the draft, via the online survey: bit.ly/3Gr0Uyw Feedback is open until 31st January 2022.To read the draft plan: bit.ly/3I4LnVGIf you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au ... See MoreSee Less