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Friday 25 June 2021

 

This Newsletter covers Federal and State policy and legislative developments in the area of health. Copies of documents referred to can be obtained by clicking on the reference in this Newsletter or through Capital Monitor's collection at www.capitalmonitor.com.au or from the source quoted.

Major Announcements

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

25 June

NSW: Public health alert - Inner city venue
NSW Health has been notified of a new venue of concern in inner-city Sydney which was visited by a confirmed case of COVID-19. Anyone who attended the following venue on the days and at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result, and call 1800 943 553 unless already in contact with NSW Health Anyone who attended the same venue at the times listed, but only ordered, paid and sat outside, is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
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24 June

NSW: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics
NSW Health recorded 18 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm, 13 of which were already announced. NSW Health has also been notified of six new locally acquired cases. These cases will be included in 25 June's numbers. There are now 36 cases linked to the Bondi cluster. One new overseas-acquired case was recorded in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,495. There were 48,402 tests reported to 8pm, compared with the previous day's total of 44,640.
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23 June

QLD: Hotspot declaration extended in Sydney
The Queensland Department of Health said that following additional COVID-19 cases in New South Wales, Queensland is declaring a further six Local Government Areas in Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot. The Local Government Areas of City of Sydney, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick will be a declared hotspot, joining the Waverley LGA. Waverley LGA has been a hotspot since 19 June 2021. Anyone who is allowed to enter Queensland from these locations will be required to go into 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said Queensland was continuing to take a cautious approach as positive cases increased in Sydney.
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NSW: Public health alert - venues of concern
NSW Health has been notified of new venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately call NSW Health on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result. If you have received an SMS from NSW Health, please follow the advice, and NSW Health will call you directly. Please check the NSW Health website regularly, as the list of venues of concern and relevant health advice will be updated as investigations continue.
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NSW: Public health alert - transport routes, venues and sewage detections
NSW Health has been notified of new transport routes and venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19. NSW Health has also been notified of detections of the fragments the virus that causes COVID-19 in the state's sewage surveillance program. Anyone who travelled on the following bus routes at the times listed is a close contact and must immediately call NSW Health on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result. If you have received an SMS from NSW Health, please follow the advice, and NSW Health will call you directly.
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NT: COVID-19 Update: NSW hotspots declared
Chief Minister for the Northern Territory Michael Gunner said that the Chief Health Officer has declared Greater Metropolitan Sydney and the City of Blue Mountains and the City of Wollongong Local Government Areas as COVID-19 Hotspots for the purposes of travel to the Northern Territory from 6pm on 23 June 2021. The Waverley Council and Woollahra Council Local Government Areas also remain as declared hotspots. These hotspot declarations follow on from a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases and the spread of the virus across a broader geographical area in NSW. The COVID-19 outbreak in NSW has now grown to include 39 cases including three mystery cases that have not yet been linked epidemiologically.
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TAS: Vaccinate to protect family and community
Tasmanian Deputy Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff said that anti-vax messaging being distributed by Clive Palmer is deeply irresponsible and dangerous, and goes against the expert advice of Public Health. Fortunately, I expect most Tasmanians will see Clive Palmer on the pamphlet and throw it in the bin. Vaccination is an important way to protect people's family and the community against COVID-19, and I'm pleased Tasmanians have been so positive and eager to receive their jab. 197,389 doses have been administered across the state, with more than 35 per cent of eligible Tasmanians having had at least one dose.
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WA: Roll up to Joondalup for the Pfizer vaccine
Western Australia Minister for Health Roger Cook said that: 'Joondalup's Community Vaccination Clinic is now offering the Pfizer vaccine to eligible people, which now includes those aged 50-59. The clinic - with a capacity to vaccinate up to 5,800 people a week - aims to boost access to vaccination for people living in Perth's northern suburbs. The Pfizer vaccine is available for Western Australians aged 40-59 and AstraZeneca for those 60 and over. People who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are 16 years and over are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and should register and book in now.'
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WA: COVID-19 update 23 June 2021
The Department of Health has reported no new cases of COVID-19 in WA. The State's total remains 1020. WA Health is monitoring two active cases of COVID-19 - 1009 people have recovered from the virus in WA. Western Australia is reintroducing a hard border, transitioning NSW to a 'medium risk' State in the wake of the escalating situation and NSW COVID-19 outbreak. Following updated advice from the WA Chief Health Officer, NSW will transition from a 'very low risk' with a quarantine and test regime to 'medium risk' under WA's controlled interstate border regime, from 11am June 23.
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22 June

ACT: Reconsider travel to Greater Sydney
The ACT Department of Health said that: 'We're currently advising you to reconsider travelling to Greater Sydney due to the evolving COVID-19 situation in NSW. If you choose to travel to Greater Sydney, you may have to follow updated travel requirements when you return. With school holidays starting this weekend we know many Canberran families will have travel plans. You must abide by all public health directions wherever you go. You must also follow all our public health directions when you return to the ACT.'
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NSW: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics
NSW recorded five locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm, two of which were already announced. NSW Health has also been notified of seven new locally acquired cases. These cases will be included in 23 June's numbers. No new overseas-acquired cases were recorded in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,465. There were 28,645 tests reported to 8pm, compared with the previous day's total of 25,252.
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NSW: Public health alert - flights and venues of concern
NSW Health has been notified of flights and venues of concern associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Passengers who flew on the following flights at the times listed are considered close contacts and must immediately call NSW Health on 1800 943 553, get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result Anyone who attended the following venues at the times listed is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
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21 June

National Cabinet Statement
The National Cabinet met to discuss Australia's COVID-19 response to the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy. National Cabinet continues to work together to address issues and find solutions for the health and economic consequences of COVID-19. There have been 30,356 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 910 people have died. More than 19.7 million tests have been undertaken in Australia. Globally there have been over 178.4 million cases and sadly over 3.8 million deaths, with 305,611 new cases and 6,700 deaths reported, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
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19 June

Australian support for COVID-19 vaccination in Tuvalu
Tuvalu is on track to achieve comprehensive vaccination coverage of its adult population, with a delivery of 11,800 COVID-19 vaccines. The Australia-facilitated charter flight carried 7,000 Australian-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines, as well as 4,800 doses allocated to Tuvalu by New Zealand as part of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). Australia is working closely with international partners to respond to the shared challenges of the Pacific region in facing the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. Australia has contributed $130 million to the COVAX AMC to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt.
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18 June

Helping multicultural communities share COVID-19 vaccine info
The Government is investing over $1 million for targeted communication campaigns to ensure multicultural communities throughout Australia have the information they need about the COVID-19 vaccination program. Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt said it is essential that the Government partners with the Multicultural communities and support them in promoting the uptake of vaccinations. Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Alex Hawke said the Government is empowering community groups to design and lead grassroots consultations tailored to meet individual community needs.
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Aged Care

25 June

$10.1 million to reduce number of younger people in residential aged care
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck and Minister for Government Services Linda Reynolds said the Government is investing $10.1 million in a national network to help younger people and their families find age-appropriate accommodation and additional support. 'The aged care system was designed to best support the needs of senior Australians, not younger people,' Minister Colbeck said. 'We remain deeply determined to ensure younger people in need of care can find the support outside of the aged care environment.'
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24 June

Government's legislative agenda continues to deliver for all Australians
The Government has passed important legislation through the Parliament this sitting fortnight. It passed the first stage of the aged-care reforms developed in response to the Royal Commission to help ensure senior Australians receive the high-quality and safe aged-care services they deserve. New superannuation reforms are set to save Australians $17.9 billion over ten years and will ensure the system works in the best financial interests of all Australians. Parliament also passed the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill, providing a $2.4 billion boost to the economy by enabling licensed workers to operate across jurisdictions, said Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham.
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Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

None this edition.

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Allied Health

None this edition.

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Children's Health

22 June

ACT: Government remains committed to Coombs Walk-in Health Centre
The National Health Co-operative (NHC) announced that it has entered into voluntary administration and an Administrator has been appointed. The NHC is an important model of healthcare and a major contributor to bulk billing services in the ACT, providing affordable and accessible healthcare to thousands of Canberrans. The NHC will continue to trade on a business-as-usual basis for the time being, with no disruption to services. ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said that the ACT Government has been working collaboratively with the NHC towards delivering a new Walk-in Health Centre in Coombs, offering maternal and child health services in the growing Molonglo region.
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Clinical Governance

24 June

ACT: Clinical Leadership Forum expanding
The ACT Government is seeking expressions of interest from health experts to fill three new positions on the advisory ACT Clinical Leadership Forum. The Clinical Leadership Forum was established in 2019 to provide expert advice to the Minister for Health and the Minister for Mental health about public health services in the ACT. ACT Minister for Health Rachel-Stephen Smith said the Clinical Leadership Forum was a valuable group that contributed greatly to the planning of policies and services in the ACT public health system.
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23 June

NSW: Dr Ronald Chin - ENT Surgeon - Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct
The Health Care Complaints Commission brought a complaint against ENT Surgeon, Dr Ronald Chin before a Professional Standards Committee ('the Committee'). In its decision dated 3 June 2021 the Committee found that Dr Chin inappropriately delayed the patient's care, for a period in May 2018, July 2018 and in August 2018. The Committee also found that Dr Chin delayed surgery from 13 to 20 August to await the availability of a part for the Flex robot. The Committee found Dr Chin's conduct to be significantly below the standard expected of him which amounted to unsatisfactory professional conduct. The other particulars of the complaint were not proven.
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18 June

QLD: Queensland Health launches quality and safety information site
Queensland Health's Inform My Care website was launched, providing the community with safety and quality information about Queensland's public and private hospitals and residential aged care facilities. Inform My Care allows Queenslanders to search across public and private hospital facilities for information on maternity options and outcomes, post-surgery infection rates, elective surgery wait times and other performance indicators. Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath said the website would greatly assist in those wanting more information on their local facility, enabling them to make informed healthcare decisions.
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Construction and Health Infrastructure

None this edition.

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Dental

None this edition.

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Disabilities

24 June

VIC: 'Not my responsibility': Disability Minister the handball king
Young people with a disability are missing out on extra support in the classroom under restrictive Victorian guidelines. Disability Minister Luke Donnellan has been lobbied to change the rules which are preventing many young people with autism from qualifying for in-school support, but instead of standing up he's ducking for cover. At Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC), the Minister handballed responsibility for the issue to the Education Minister - despite students being denied support in contradiction to the Disability Minister's own Victorian Autism Plan, said Victorian Shadow Minister for Disability Tim Bull.
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21 June

Empowering NDIS participants' decisions
Work starts to better support National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants to take control of the decisions that impact them. Minister for the NDIS Linda Reynolds said the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) released a consultation paper on improving decision making support for participants. 'Everyone has the right to be involved in decisions about their life and to have choice and control,' Minister Reynolds said. The paper, 'Supporting you to make your own decisions', and accompanying survey was developed with input from participants, nominees, families and carers through the NDIS Participant Reference Group, as well as a range of stakeholders.
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Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

None this edition.

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E-Health

24 June

Telehealth funding reforms must prioritise value for patients
'Telehealth should be supported and continued beyond the immediacy of the pandemic, but funding reforms are needed to ensure the extension of telehealth services focuses on delivering improved health outcomes and value,' says Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) Chief Executive John Gregg. An issues brief, Towards a sustainable funding model for telehealth in Australia, published by the AHHA's Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research examines how telehealth can be funded to achieve improvements in health outcomes in a cost-effective manner.
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SHG transforms the way diagnostic images can be transferred globally with blockchain based Medical File Transfer Protocol (MFTP)
Through numerous methods, Singular Health's team has been able to compress raw DICOM files by up to 85% whilst still retaining the original quality and metadata. This allows for MFTP to be used with lower speed networks and enables low-cost storage. Relating to file storage, Singular Health is utilising private cloud infrastructure with dedicated in-country data centres where possible to ensure in-country storage and best-practice for global file transfer when sending scans between countries through encryption and multifactor authentication.
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23 June

TAS: Working together to deliver better healthcare
Tasmanian Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff said that: 'It is vital we all work together to implement solutions to the challenges in health, to ensure Tasmanians get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Collaboration requires the sharing of information, as well as ideas. As an initial step to improving the transparency and currency of health information, the next Health Dashboard, which will be released on Friday, will show data for March, April and May. From then on, the Dashboard will be released monthly, meaning in late July, data for June will be made publicly available.'
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Education and Training

18 June

Online GP training to support Australians with eating disorders
GPs will be provided with free online training to help them better identify and treat Australians with eating disorders as part of a $211,000 program delivered in partnership with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt, said the Government was deeply committed to helping Australians affected by eating disorders and body image issues. Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention David Coleman, said GPs are crucial in the early detection of, and intervention for, eating disorders.
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Funding

23 June

QLD: Kidney transplant services to expand into state's north
Queenslanders living in the state's north will soon have access to lifesaving kidney transplant services closer to home with the expansion of the Statewide Kidney Transplant Service. Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said COVID-19 had clearly demonstrated how protecting the health of Queenslanders was an integral part of the wellbeing of the state's economy. 'The Palaszczuk Government has always and will continue to put the health of Queenslanders first,' the Treasurer said. Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath said the Kidney Transplant Service North Queensland will be established and based in Townsville to offer the state's second Kidney Transplant Unit.
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22 June

NSW: Record $30.2 billion for health care in NSW
NSW Health has received $30.2 billion in the Budget, demonstrating the NSW Government's commitment to ensuring world-class health services for the community said NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard. More than $3 billion will be invested this year to build and redevelop hospitals and health facilities across NSW. This is in addition to the more than $27 billion in recurrent funding. NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the record investment demonstrates the NSW Government's commitment to the health of its people.
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SA: Operation Health Recovery - massive $7.4 Billion spend on health in 2021-22 to fix ramping, ease pressure on emergency departments
South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said that: 'In a huge shot in the arm for the state's health system, the SA Government next year will commit a record $7.4 billion in health spending to fix ramping, ease pressure on hospital emergency departments and boost resources to support all South Australians. The investment - which includes hiring 74 additional ambulance staff, fast-tracking elective surgery and delivering a landmark mental health package to further tackle bed block in hospitals - is almost $900 million more than was spent in the final year of the former Labor government, including $28 million more for the SA Ambulance Service.'
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SA: Healing health system at heart of State Budget 2021-22 which charts path out of COVID for a stronger South Australia
South Australian Treasurer Rob Lucas said that the final State Budget of the South Australian Government's first term secures South Australia's strong ongoing economic recovery, with a record $17.9 billion job-creating infrastructure spend over four years and a substantial investment in health to support the State's continuing management of the pandemic, ease pressure on emergency departments, reduce ramping and improve the lives of all South Australians. In addition to job creation, the centrepiece of the State Budget 2021-22 is a record $7.4 billion in health spending next year, with a plan to fix ramping, ease pressure on hospital emergency departments and boost resources for important health services.
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21 June

NSW: $21.6 million to build specialist cardiac capacity for patients across NSW
People with a type of debilitating heart valve disease will have greater access to specialist treatment, wherever they live in NSW, thanks to a $21.6 million funding boost from the NSW Government. NSW Treasurer Perrottet said the funding in the upcoming 2021-22 NSW Budget will help patients with aortic stenosis, particularly the elderly, who may have no or extremely limited treatment options. NSW Minister Hazzard said TAVI is one of the great success stories in interventional cardiology and this funding offers opportunities to expand this treatment option to the most complex patients.
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Health Professionals

24 June

Ongoing improvements to Victorian NDIS Check worker screening processes
Since the introduction of the new national NDIS Worker Screening requirements for registered NDIS providers on 1 February, NDS members have reported significant delays in recruitment due to NDIS Check processes. The new system requires all workers starting in risk assessed roles to obtain an NDIS Check prior to commencement unless they have a Working with Children Check (WWCC). It is also noted that NDIS Checks are now recognised in the Aged Care Sector.
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Voluntary disability worker registration commences 1 July
This is one element of the Disability Worker Regulation Scheme which forms part of the Victorian Government's response to a recommendation of the Victorian Parliament 2016 Inquiry into Abuse in Disability Services. The Disability Worker Regulation Scheme regulates all disability workers in Victoria, irrespective of the service funding source. The main purpose of the Scheme is to ensure the quality, safety, responsiveness and sustainability of the disability workforce, said the NDS.
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21 June

NSW: Pay boost for public sector workers
Hospital workers, paramedics and police who helped fight the pandemic are among the public sector workers who will receive a significant wage increase of up to 2.5 per cent in response to NSW's economic rebound from COVID-19. The financial 'thank you' will come into effect for all public sector workers due to be renewed from 1 July 2021. This change in the NSW Government's wages policy is forecast to cost approximately $2.7 billion over the four-year forward estimates. This increase is significantly above current private sector wage growth, said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
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18 June

Online GP training to support Australians with eating disorders
GPs will be provided with free online training to help them better identify and treat Australians with eating disorders as part of a $211,000 program delivered in partnership with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said the Government was deeply committed to helping Australians affected by eating disorders and body image issues. Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman said GPs are crucial in the early detection of, and intervention for, eating disorders.
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Hospitals

24 June

Most hospital patients are dying 'without suitable care'
A new national study shows most patients in Australia are not getting suitable end-of-life care. The paper, which looked at nine hospitals across Australia and tracked 1,693 dying patients, showed only 41 per cent of dying patients will ever see a member of the palliative care team. The findings show a majority of patients were recognised as dying only late in their hospital stay and only 12 per cent had an advanced care plan, which outlines patients' wishes for when they die, said lead author Professor Imogen Mitchell from the Australian National University.
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Moving patient stories highlight opportunities to strengthen healthcare systems for all Australians
The nearly 200 in-person and online attendees at Parliament House heard from patients openly sharing their personal stories. Their message was simple: the time is right for evolution. Patients, advocacy groups, politicians, Government officials and industry representatives came together in Canberra for the event, titled 'Room for the Patient View'. Dr Anna Lavelle, Chair of Medicines Australia, said it was wonderful to see patients represented at the event and at the centre of discussions.
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22 June

SA: Building a better Women's and Children's Hospital
The South Australian Government will invest $1.95 billion on a landmark new Women's and Children's Hospital (nWCH), securing the project for South Australian women, children, babies and their families for generations to come said SA Premier Steven Marshall and Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade. Through the 2018-19 to 2020-21 State Budgets, the SA Government committed $685 million to commence the planning, design and construction of the nWCH. The new state-of-the-art hospital, to be built next to the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) on Port Road, will include 500 treatment spaces - nearly 60 more than the current hospital. It will also include 170 outpatient consultation rooms, a multi-level carpark and two air bridges linking the nWCH to the RAH.
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18 June

QLD: Queensland delivers world-class care in the face of rising demand
Queensland's public hospitals continue to deliver world-class healthcare in the face of rising demand for health services. Across the state, there were 622,609 emergency department presentations and 36,781 elective surgeries between January and March 2021 - an increase of 14 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively from the same period last year. Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath applauded health staff for continuing to deliver excellent care despite the increase in patient numbers.
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Insurance

24 June

AMA redoubles efforts to stop Honeysuckle and nib introducing US-style managed care
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has redoubled its call for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to block a proposal to allow a major buying group, which threatens to introduce costly and inefficient United States-style managed health care in Australia. The AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said the AMA had made a further submission recently to the ACCC calling on it to abandon its draft authorisation to allow Honeysuckle Health and nib to form a buying group to collectively negotiate and manage contracts with healthcare providers on behalf of private health insurers and other health care payers.
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23 June

Greens slam changes to Private Health Act that will only give coverage to disabled people on NDIS
The Greens have criticised changes to the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, saying they set a dangerous precedent for how disabled people can access Private Health Insurance. Under these changes Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, who is not yet a participant of the NDIS, would not be considered a disabled person. Greens spokesperson on Health Senator Rachel Siewert said 'I am disappointed to see that the Government has succumbed to the pressure of private health insurers.'
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Medicare

23 June

PBS listings to support patients with mesothelioma
From July 1, thousands of Australians and their families suffering from rare cancers and genetic disorders are set to benefit from expanded listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), according to Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt. 'We are expanding the listing for Opdivo and Yervoy (nivolumab and ipilimumab), for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma. More than 700 patients a year will benefit from this listing. Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay more than $130,000 per course of treatment for this medicine. Our Government is also expanding the listing of Kuvan (sapropterin) on the PBS to include treatment of maternal phenylketonuria (MPKU),' said Minister Hunt.
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Men's Health

21 June

Government turns down $545,000 support to Men's Sheds
The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, has announced grants to appoint regional coordinators in each state and territory to promote men's health through men's sheds. In doing so he has turned down $545,000 of in-kind support from four leading Australian universities that were partners with the Council of Australian Men's Shed Associations (CAMSA). The estimated value of the contributions is based on the time of the staff who would have been involved with the projects, plus the administration, IT and other support provided by the universities.
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Mental Health

24 June

Suicide Prevention Research Grants to Improve Crisis Response
Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention David Coleman said that the Government is investing $2.53 million in two research projects to improve support for Australians experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis. Suicide prevention is a key priority for the Morrison Government. In 2019, 3,318 Australians lost their lives to suicide. Each death is a national tragedy and has a devastating effect on friends, families and communities. The Suicide Prevention Research Fund supports research into suicide prevention and is managed by Suicide Prevention Australia, the national peak body for the suicide prevention sector.
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23 June

Ombudsman launches mental health program awareness campaign
A national awareness campaign about a free tailored mental health support service for small business owners has begun, amid new research revealing the emotional toll on small business owners during the past year. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson said the awareness campaign will raise awareness about Beyond Blue's New Access for Small Business Owners program, which offers free one-on-one telehealth sessions with specially trained mental health coaches. 'It is vital small business owners know that help is available if they need it' Mr Billson said.
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Highways over health: is major infrastructure planning neglecting its impact on public health?
The Sax Institute said that from air and noise pollution, to residents' mental health - what are the real health impacts of major transport projects? And are they getting the scrutiny they deserve? The authors of a new paper published in the health journal Public Health Research & Practice are calling for more focus on public concerns in the assessment and review processes. With governments across Australia continuing to commit record sums to infrastructure funding, including numerous large road and rail transport projects, the paper's authors say it is vital that approvals and review processes adequately consider health impacts while there is still time to address them.
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22 June

AIS and AOC partnership supporting athlete mental health
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) encouraged athletes and their support networks to continue reaching out for help as the AIS meets unprecedented demand for its mental health support services. In a positive step to support even more Olympic athletes, past and present, the AIS and Australian Olympic Committee have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will increase accessibility to the AIS Mental Health Referral Network. 'It's completely understandable that nerves and anxiety will grow in the build-up to events like the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, especially given these Games will be like no other,' Clements said.
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SA: Landmark $163 million Mental Health Package
South Australians seeking urgent and ongoing mental health care will be further supported with an unprecedented $163.5 million package of measures in the State Budget 2021-22, that will also help ease the pressure on the state's emergency departments. South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the SA Government is committed to short, medium and long-term measures to support mental health reform to provide more mental health services and services which better meet the needs of people needing mental health care.
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NSW: Investment in community mental health and wellbeing welcome
NSW Mental Health Commissioner Catherine Lourey has described the 2021-22 NSW Budget as a positive step towards greater community-based prevention and care for those experiencing mental health issues. The budget announcement includes funding for a range of priorities identified by the Commission in its Living Well in Focus 2020 - 2024 strategic plan for mental health reform over the next five years. Ms Lourey said the Safeguard multi-disciplinary teams to provide rapid and flexible community care responses to children and adolescents in acute mental health distress are an excellent example of an inclusive and responsive approach to those in need.
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21 June

Government turns down $545,000 support to Men's Sheds
The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, has announced grants to appoint regional coordinators in each state and territory to promote men's health through men's sheds. In doing so he has turned down $545,000 of in-kind support from four leading Australian universities that were partners with the Council of Australian Men's Shed Associations (CAMSA). The estimated value of the contributions is based on the time of the staff who would have been involved with the projects, plus the administration, IT and other support provided by the universities.
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19 June

$26 million to boost headspace services for young Australians
The Government is investing an additional $26 million in headspace services to ensure that young people can access mental health services where they need them and when they need them. One in four young Australians are affected by a mental illness every year. Many young people have also been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, making it more important than ever to ensure access to youth mental health services. headspace provides free or low cost youth-friendly support in four areas, said Minister Hunt and Assistant Minister Coleman.
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18 June

Online GP training to support Australians with eating disorders
GPs will be provided with free online training to help them better identify and treat Australians with eating disorders as part of a $211,000 program delivered in partnership with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. Minister Hunt said the Government was deeply committed to helping Australians affected by eating disorders and body image issues. Assistant Minister Coleman said GPs are crucial in the early detection of, and intervention for, eating disorders.
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Veteran health boost with Fussell House opening in NSW
Veterans and their families will have improved access to health care with the opening of Fussell House at Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Sydney. Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester said the 19 room residential accommodation facility was available to current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families as they access comprehensive mental and physical health services at the world class National Centre for Veterans' Healthcare (NCVH). 'Fussell House is named after 25-year-old Lieutenant Michael Fussell who was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan when he was killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device,' Mr Chester said.
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Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System

None this edition.

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Pharmaceuticals and Regulation

25 June

Notification of decision on application DIR 184 from Avance Clinical Pty Ltd
The Regulator has issued licence DIR 184 to Avance Clinical Pty Ltd, authorising a clinical trial with a genetically modified human adenovirus COVID-19 vaccine. The finalised RARMP concludes that this clinical trial poses negligible risks to the health and safety of people and the environment. However, licence conditions have been imposed to limit the number of trial participants, limit the location of the clinical trial to hospitals and clinical trial sites, limit the duration of the trial, and specify a range of controls to minimise the potential for the GMO to spread in the environment, said the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).
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24 June

Palmer's junk mail belongs in the bin
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is deeply disturbed by flyers that have been distributed to Australians. Over recent days, Australians have been receiving mail from Clive Palmer, encouraging the public not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A/Prof Chris Freeman, PSA National President expressed his disgust over the material being distributed. 'Mr Palmer must feel quite foolish distributing this marketing material just as Australia's largest city is on the brink of another COVID-19 outbreak. Never has there been a more inappropriate time to communicate such false and misleading messages.'
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23 June

NSW budget commits to improving safer, more supportive care
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomed the NSW Government's budget initiatives that will improve medicine safety and outcomes for patients across NSW. The 2021-22 NSW Budget commits $37.3 million to the implementation of Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM), and $82.8 million over four years to bolster palliative care services across the state. PSA has long advocated for a nationally consistent RTPM system across the country in order to reduce inappropriate medicine use and the harm it may cause. PSA NSW President, Chelsea Felkai, welcomed this commitment.
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22 June

Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme appointment
The Coalition Government has appointed Graeme Barden as the new Executive Director of the nation's industrial chemicals assessment and regulatory body, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Minister for Regional Health Mark Coulton said he was pleased that AICIS will be in the capable and experienced hands of Mr Barden for the next five years. Mr Barden distinguished himself during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as First Assistant Secretary in the Office of Health Protection and Response in the Department of Health. Minister Coulton said Mr Barden's appointment follows the retirement of the inaugural Executive Director, Dr Brian Richards.
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Australia-Canada-Singapore-Switzerland-United Kingdom (Access) Consortium
The Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said that the trend towards globalisation of therapeutic product industries and the rapid emergence of new technologies have created an increased need for regulatory bodies to communicate with each other routinely. This maximises the use of up-to-date technical expertise, and ensures a consistent, contemporary approach to assessing the benefits and risks associated with the use of therapeutic products. The Access Consortium Strategic Plan 2021-2024 (//www.tga.gov.au/resource/access-consortiumstrategic- plan-2021-2024) was endorsed by the five regulatory authorities and published in June 2021. The consortium's goal is to maximise international cooperation, reduce duplication, and increase each agency's capacity to ensure consumers have timely access to high quality, safe and effective therapeutic products.
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Correction of chemical names
The Department of Health and National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) updated the names of the following chemicals in the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC) to the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) name. These corrections do not change the identity of the chemical substances themselves.
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Research

24 June

Suicide Prevention Research Grants to Improve Crisis Response
Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention David Coleman said that the Government is investing $2.53 million in two research projects to improve support for Australians experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis. Suicide prevention is a key priority for the Morrison Government. In 2019, 3,318 Australians lost their lives to suicide. Each death is a national tragedy and has a devastating effect on friends, families and communities. The Suicide Prevention Research Fund supports research into suicide prevention and is managed by Suicide Prevention Australia, the national peak body for the suicide prevention sector.
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23 June

ACU research leads to a new standard dose in cannabis research in the US
The work of Australian Catholic University (ACU) neuroscientist Valentina Lorenzetti has led the top US federal health agency to announce a new standard dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main chemical responsible for the psychotropic and addictive properties of cannabis. The standard dose will be used by researchers to enable more accurate and useful research into the effects of cannabis use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has advised researchers of the new requirement to measure and report results using a standard THC unit of five milligrams in all human subjects' research.
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22 June

VIC: Superbugs arrested by Victoria's genetic super-sleuths
The Victorian Government's investment in a world-first genomics sequencing trial is stopping hospital superbugs in their tracks - preventing outbreaks and saving lives. The $35 million in funding for the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance announced last November is already producing better patient care for Victorians and promising continuing advancements in patient diagnosis and treatment. Melbourne Genomics' expertise has also played a crucial role in tracking the transmission of coronavirus in Victoria. In hospitals, scientists and doctors are winning the war against potentially fatal outbreaks of superbugs - antibiotic-resistant bacteria - through Melbourne Genomics' Controlling Superbugs clinical project, said Victorian Acting Premier James Merlino and Victorian Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford.
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21 June

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease found in over one-third of rural Victorians
The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - a major cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer - may be as high as 45% in rural Victoria, according to research published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA). Researchers led by Professor Stuart Roberts, Director of Hepatology at Alfred Health in Melbourne, analysed data from 705 invited adults from four towns in the Goulburn Valley of Victoria. Participants completed clinical, laboratory and questionnaire evaluations of alcohol use. Of the 705 participants, 274 met the fatty liver index criterion for NAFLD (crude prevalence, 38.9%; age- and sex standardised prevalence, 35.7%).
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Type 1 Diabetes: Need for equitable access to technology for patients
All people with type 1 diabetes should have equitable access to the most effective management systems, including technology where clinically appropriate, regardless of age, concessional status or level of private health insurance cover, according to the authors of a consensus statement published by the MJA. A working group comprising of representatives from the Australian Diabetes Society (ADS), the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA), the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group (APEG) and the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) produced the consensus statement to be read in conjunction with the Australian living evidence guidelines in diabetes.
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20 June

$74 million investment in Australian-led clinical trials
A study involving 15,000 Australians which aims to develop a next-generation, standardised diagnosis for melanoma is one of 30 clinical trials and cohort studies to be funded through the Government's $74 million investment to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat disease. The $3.2 million melanoma cohort study will be the first in the world to document on such a large scale the whole skin surface of participants with histopathology images and other patient details. Minister Hunt said the trial would help to discover more effective diagnosis options thousands of Australians who are tested for skin cancer each year.
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Rural, Regional and Remote Health

24 June

Boost to rural health training
The Australian Government will extend one of the nation's premier rural health workforce initiatives, following an evaluation of the programme highlighted its effectiveness in addressing workforce shortages. Minister for Regional Health Mark Coulton said Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program will continue to provide more than $200 million per year over three years to fund a network of rural clinical schools, university departments of rural health, and regional training hubs across rural and remote Australia. The reforms, to be phased in from 1 January 2022, will focus on key program outcomes such as student selection and quality placements, strengthening research networks, and responding to community and workforce need.
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Update on Norfolk Island health services
'I am pleased to confirm that the New South Wales Government has agreed to a final extension of its delivery of health services on Norfolk Island to the end of 2021,' said Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino. 'I thank the NSW Government for the six-month extension which will allow time for a managed and staged transition of health service delivery arrangements under the new, enduring partnership with the Queensland Government. This also aligns NSW's health service provision with the previously announced extension of education services on Norfolk Island to the end of 2021.'
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Women's Health

18 June

Greens renew call for publicly funded abortion after private clinic closures
The Greens have renewed their call for publicly funded abortions after private service Marie Stopes announced it was shutting down four regional clinics in Queensland and New South Wales. Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on women Senator Larissa Waters said: 'The news that Marie Stopes is shutting down four regional clinics in Queensland and New South Wales is a massive blow for women's reproductive health. Access to sexual and reproductive health services such as long-acting contraception, medical and surgical abortions and counselling is already difficult in remote and regional areas, with many women forced to travel long distances, at significant expense, to get care.'
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Transcripts

Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews
25 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Alison Langdon and Karl Stefanovic, Today Show, Channel Nine
Subjects: Victorian Government, Terrorism related offences, Courts, Crime, COVID-19, Public health, AFP, National security

Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation Ed Husic
25 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Peter Stefanovic, Sky First Edition
Subjects: COVID-19, Pandemic, Sydney outbreak, Immunisation, Vaccine rollout, NSW Premier, Delta variant

Prime Minister Scott Morrison
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Karl Stefanovic & Allison Langdon, Today Show
Subjects: COVID-19, NSW, Quarantine, Lockdowns, Hotspots, Vaccinations, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, New Zealand, G7

Prime Minister Scott Morrison
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Natalie Barr, Sunrise
Subjects: NSW COVID-19, Vaccinations, AstraZeneca, Aged care

Prime Minister Scott Morrison
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Neil Breen, 4BC
Subjects: G7, Deputy Prime Minister, QLD, Power, Net zero emissions, NSW, Quarantine, Tourism

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese
24 JUN: Speech to the Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra - 'Winning the race'
Subjects: Economic recovery, Renewable energy, Skills, Education, Pharmaceutical production, Income & earnings, Wage suppression

Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party Richard Marles
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Tom Connell, Sky News
Subjects: COVID-19 in NSW, Purpose built quarantine, COVID-19 vaccination rollout, Net Zero by 2050, Emissions reduction, Energy policy, Coalition divisions, AFL

Shadow Minister for Northern Australia Murray Watt
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Peter Stefanovic, Sky News
Subjects: COVID outbreaks, PM, Vaccine, Quarantine, Murray Darling Basin amendments

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Tony Burke
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Laura Jayes, Sky News
Subjects: NSW Budget, Sydney COVID-19 outbreak, Vaccine rollout, AstraZeneca health advice

Shadow Minister for Defence Industry Matt Keogh
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Jade MacMillan, ABC News Capital Hill
Subjects: Alcohol in Parliament, COVID-19 vaccine rollout, NSW COVID-19 outbreak

Shadow Assistant Minister for Financial Services Matt Thistlethwaite
24 JUN: Transcript of Doorstop Interview, Canberra
Subjects: NSW COVID-19 outbreak, Vaccine rollout, Quarantine

Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury Andrew Leigh
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Virginia Trioli, ABC Radio
Subjects: JobKeeper, Economy, NDIS, Welfare, Centrelink

Shadow Assistant Minister for Western Australia Patrick Gorman
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Tom Connell, Sky News
Subjects: Net zero, Emissions reduction, Nuclear power, NSW outbreak, COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Labor Member for Solomon Luke Gosling
24 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Katie Woolf, Mix 104.9 360
Subjects: Deputy Prime Minister, Veterans' wellbeing centres, Quarantine, COVID-19, Wellbeing, Mental health

Minister for Women Tanya Plibersek
23 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Laura Jayes, Sky News
Subjects: Parenting, Child care policy, Women's issues, Affordability of child care, Climate change policy, Deputy PM, Vaccine rollout, Slovenian Independence

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers
23 JUN: Transcript of Doorstop Interview, Parliament House, Canberra
Subjects: Wages, National leadership, Regional Queensland, Emissions reduction, Child care, COVID-19 vaccines, Quarantine

Labor Member for Canberra Alicia Payne
23 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Jane Norman, ABC Capital Hill
Subjects: Child care funding, Deputy PM, National Party leadership, Climate change policy, Agriculture, COVID-19 outbreak, Vaccine rollout

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)
23 JUN: Speech by General Manager, Insurance Division, John Huijsen, to the Health Insurance Summit
Subjects: Recovery, Private health insurance, COVID-19

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese
22 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Lisa Millar, ABC News Breakfast
Subjects: Member for New England, National Party, COVID-19, Public health, Vaccine rollout, Hotel quarantine, PM, Climate change, Net zero by 2050, Great Barrier Reef

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese
22 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Murray Jones, 4CA Cairns
Subjects: G7, Member for New England, National Party Leader, COVID-19, Vaccine rollout, Hotel quarantine, Public health, Climate change, Net zero by 2050, Great Barrier Reef

Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen
22 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Fran Kelly, ABC RN Breakfast
Subjects: COVID-19, Environment, Great Barrier Reef, National Party, Member for New England, Net-zero by 2050, Climate change

Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness Jason Clare
22 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Peter Stefanovic, Sky News First Edition
Subjects: National Party leadership spill, Member for New England, Climate change policy, Net zero emissions, Sexual assault, Women, Vaccine targets, NSW Budget

Member for Canberra Alicia Payne
22 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Rod Henshaw, 2CC Breakfast Show
Subjects: Vaccine advice, Public health campaign, Environmental laws review, National Party leadership spill, Aged care

Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler
22 JUN: Transcript of Doorstop Interview, Canberra
Subjects: Vaccine rollout, Moderna, COVID Taskforce, Pfizer vaccine demand, GP clinics, Quarantine facilities, Lieutenant General John Frewen, National Cabinet

Prime Minister Scott Morrison
21 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB
Subjects: Foreign affairs, G7, UK Free Trade Agreement, China-Australia relations, Coronavirus WHO origins investigation, Vaccination rollout, QAnon, National Party leadership

Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja
21 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Tahlea Aualiitia, ABC Pacific Beat
Subjects: Support for Fiji, Vaccine distribution in the Pacific, Travel bubbles, Agriculture ASEAN visa, Pacific labour migration, Pacific governance

Senator for NSW Tim Ayres
21 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Monte Irving, 2NZ Inverell
Subjects: National Party leadership, Mouse plague, NSW, Member for New England, Prime Minister, COVID-19, Public health, Economic recovery

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
18 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Michael Rowland, News Breakfast, ABC
Subjects: Vaccine rollout, ATAGI advice, Labour force figures, Unemployment, Wage rises, Superannuation reforms

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
18 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Sabra Lane, AM, ABC
Subjects: Superannuation reform, ATAGI vaccine advice, AstraZeneca vaccine hesitancy, Unemployment figures, Minimum wage boost, Wages growth

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
18 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Peter Stefanovic, First Edition, Sky News
Subjects: Superannuation reform, Super industry regulation, Unemployment, Labour force figures, Wages growth, AstraZeneca vaccine hesitancy

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt
18 JUN: Transcript of Press Conference with Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for Australia, Professor Alison McMillan, Canberra
Subjects: COVID-19, Vaccine rollout, National Cabinet, AstraZeneca, Pfizer

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan
18 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Kelly Gudgeon, ABC Pilbara
Subjects: COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, Agriculture visa, Quarantine, Storm damage in Victoria

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese
18 JUN: Transcript of Doorstop Interview, Canberra
Subjects: Vaccine rollout, National quarantine, Health pandemic, Wellcamp proposal, Vaccine hesitance, AstraZeneca, MRNA vaccines

Shadow Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones
18 JUN: Transcript of Interview with Marcus Paul, 2SM
Subjects: Superannuation reform, Industry regulation, Medicare cuts, MBS fee schedule changes, Vaccination rollout, Quarantine

VIC: COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry
08 JUN: Transcript of Proceedings - Melbourne
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Reports

Vyepti
Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Eptinezumab is a humanised immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody that binds to α- and β- forms of human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) ligand with low picomolar affinity preventing its activation of the CGRP receptors. Elevated blood concentrations of CGRP have been associated with migraine. Eptinezumab is highly selective and does not bind to any of the related neuropeptides amylin, calcitonin, adrenomedullin and intermedin.
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Nicotine Vaping Products & Vaping Devices - Guidance for the Therapeutic Goods (Standard for Nicotine Vaping Products) (TGO 110) Order 2021 & Related Matters - Version 1.1
Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
The purpose of this guidance is to help health practitioners, consumers, importers and other sponsors, wholesalers and manufacturers to understand the minimum safety and quality requirements for unregistered nicotine vaping products and the regulation of vaping devices. This guidance includes:
- general information about Therapeutic Goods (Standard for Nicotine Vaping Products) (TGO 110) Order 2021 (TGO 110)
- information on the requirements for unregistered nicotine vaping products under TGO 110.
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Personalised medical devices (including 3D-printed devices) - Regulatory changes for custom-made medical devices - Version 3.0 - Paper
Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Personalised medical devices typically fall into one of two categories:
- those that are commonly used in clinical practice, but for which it is ideal to either produce or adapt/modify/assemble on a case-by-case basis to suit the anatomy or physiology of the patient (for example orthotics, dental crowns or sockets for prosthetic limbs); and
- those that are produced in circumstances where an individual's needs are so rare and unique that they cannot be catered to by any mass-produced medical devices.
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Fees and charges: summary
The Therapeutic Goods Administration
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Provisional Mortality Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
Key statistics
-33,575 deaths occurred by 31 March 2021 and were registered by 31 May.
-Numbers of deaths were above historical averages for each month of 2021.
-Numbers of deaths due to cancer, dementia and diabetes were above historical averages.
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Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Financial Transparency) Bill 2020
Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
The committee recommends that the Bill not be passed. The Bill seeks to introduce additional financial reporting requirements for providers of residential aged care in Australia in receipt of Commonwealth funding, with the aim of increasing financial transparency in the sector. The Government's aged care reform plan will be slow and, with respect to transparent financial information, is not responsive or detailed enough to meet the needs of residents and their families and does not meet community expectation.
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Drug use monitoring in Australia: Drug use among police detainees, 2020
Australian Institute of Criminology
The Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program involves the routine collection of survey and urinalysis data from police detainees across Australia. In 2020, almost half of the detainees reported using cannabis (47%) and methamphetamine (45%) in the past 30 days. Fewer detainees reported using benzodiazepines (21%), cocaine (8%), heroin (7%) or ecstasy (5%) in the past month. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability and quality of methamphetamine and heroin declined. Past-month methamphetamine use, as confirmed by urinalysis results, also decreased from 55 percent in January-February to 38 percent in April-June.
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National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) began in 2006. It aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality from bowel cancer by actively recruiting and screening the eligible target population, aged 50-74, for early detection or prevention of the disease. This monitoring report is the sixth to examine the NBCSP using the current key performance indicators. In 2021, it is estimated that about 7,365 people aged 50-74 will be diagnosed with bowel cancer (around 47% of all bowel cancers diagnosed) and 1,908 people in this age group will die from the disease (around 36% of all bowel cancer deaths).
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Australia's youth
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW)
Adolescence and young adulthood is a critical period in a person's life. It is a time for finishing school, pursuing further training and education, entering the workforce, transitioning from dependence to independence and forming relationships. The foundations for future health and wellbeing are also laid down at this time. This report brings together a wide range of data on the wellbeing of young people aged 12-24. It also provides an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on young people. Highlights are presented in Australia's youth: in brief.
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Cancer Screening Programs - Quarterly Data
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW)
This report presents the latest available activity and participation data for the 3 cancer screening programs: Activity data are presented to March 2021 for cervical and bowel cancer screening (breast cancer screening activity data are not available). Activity data are updated quarterly and were last updated on this page in June 2021. Participation data are presented to 2018-2019 for all 3 programs. Participation data for cervical and breast cancer screening were last updated in December 2020 and participation data for bowel cancer screening were last updated on this page in June 2021.
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NHMRC statement on iBlastoids
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Monash University's Polo Laboratory published research in the scientific journal Nature on 18 June 2021 (online) that demonstrates the creation of human embryo-like structures by reprogramming adult human skin cells. These structures are called iBlastoids by the research group because they are artificially induced and closely resemble human blastocysts (an early stage of human embryo development). iBlastoids can be created in large numbers in the laboratory, which is expected to allow researchers to more easily study early human development, and could be used for a number of other applications, such as development and/or mass screening of various drugs and therapies.
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VIC: Clinical Governance: Health Services
Victorian Auditor-General's Office
The safety and quality of Victorian health services is vital to all patients and their families and carers. It is therefore crucial that health services have rigorous clinical governance systems and cultures to deliver safe, person-centred and effective care. In 2016, the Victorian Government commissioned an independent review to assess how the then Department of Health and Human Services was overseeing the quality and safety of patient care across the state. This review, known as 'Targeting Zero', made many recommendations to improve the health sector and requested us to audit progress in addressing them.
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Hansards

Federal

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Adjournment - Child Care - Medicare - Aged Care

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Quarantine

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Adjournment - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Motor Neurone Disease

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Medicare

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Bills - Medical and Midwife Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 - Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Amendment Bill 2021 - Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 - Assent

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Constituency Statements - Lyne Electorate: Health Services

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Bills - Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021 - Returned from Senate

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Adjournment - Silicosis

24 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Bills - Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021 - Second Reading, Third Reading

24 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Constituency Statements - Palmer, Mr Clive - COVID-19: Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Adjournment - Euthanasia

23 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Aged Care

23 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination

23 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Take Note of Answers - COVID-19: Vaccination

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Private Members' Business - Veterans: Veteran Wellbeing Centres

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination - COVID-19: Quarantine

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - COVID-19: Vaccination

23 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Motions - COVID-19

22 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Adjournment - Hospitality Industry

22 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Motions - Medicare Benefits Scheme

22 JUN 2021: SENATE HANSARD: Documents - COVID-19: Vaccination - Order for the Production of Documents

22 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements by Members - COVID-19, Vaccination

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Statements By Members - Goldstein Electorate: Sandringham Hospital

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Petitions - Health Care

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Adjournment - Shortland Electorate: Health

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Petitions - Private Health Insurance

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Health Care

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Groom Electorate: Mental Health

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Constituency Statements - Health Care

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Petitions - Responses - Rural and Regional Services: Health

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Petitions - Responses - Men's Health and Wellbeing

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Rural and Regional Health Services

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Federation Chamber - Adjournment - South Australia: Health Care

21 JUN 2021: REPS HANSARD: Statements By Members - Gilmore Electorate: Health

New South Wales

24 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Announcements - COVID-19

23 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Announcements - Emergency Services Medal

23 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Announcements - COVID-19

23 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Private Members' Statements - Canterbury Hospital

23 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - COVID-19

23 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Community Recognition Notices - Tweed Vaccination Clinic

22 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - State Budget and Health Infrastructure

22 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Community Recognition Notices - Shoalhaven Emergency Services Community Awards

22 JUN 2021: NSW ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Community Recognition Statements - Cancer Council

22 JUN 2021: NSW COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice: Take Note - Banksia Mental Health Unit

22 JUN 2021: NSW COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice: Take Note - Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct

22 JUN 2021: NSW COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Banksia Mental Health Unit

22 JUN 2021: NSW COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - State Budget and Mental Health

Victoria

24 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice and Ministers Statements - COVID-19

24 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Members Statements - COVID-19 Vaccination

24 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice and Ministers Statements - Melbourne Medically Supervised Injecting Facility

24 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Adjournment - Dental Services

24 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Adjournment - Mental Health Funding

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19

23 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Petitions - Breast Screening

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Motions - Alcohol and Other Drug Programs

23 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Adjournment - Mental Health Funding

23 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Members Statements - Emergency Services Workers

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Statements on Reports, Papers & Petitions - Department of Health - 14th Report to Parliament on the State of Emergency

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice & Ministers Statements - Medicinal Cannabis

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Adjournment - mRNA Victoria

23 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Members Statements - Loddon Campaspe Health Workforce

23 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19 Vaccination

22 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Members Statements - COVID-19 Vaccinations

22 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Announcements - COVID-19

22 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19

22 JUN 2021: VIC ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19

22 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Members Statements - Men's Health Week

22 JUN 2021: VIC COUNCIL HANSARD: Adjournment - COVID-19 Vaccination

South Australia

22 JUN 2021: SA ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - Medicare Rebate Scheme

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - Ambulance Ramping

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - Women's and Children's Hospital

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - COVID-19, Hotel Quarantine

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - Cystic Fibrosis

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout

22 JUN 2021: SA ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - Women's and Children's Hospital

22 JUN 2021: SA ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - Ambulance Ramping

22 JUN 2021: SA ASSEMBLY HANSARD: Question Time - COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout

22 JUN 2021: SA COUNCIL HANSARD: Question Time - Disability Services

Western Australia

24 JUN 2021: WA COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Voluntary Assisted Dying - Practitioner Training

24 JUN 2021: WA COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Medical Cannabis - Opioid-Related Mortality Rates

22 JUN 2021: WA COUNCIL HANSARD: Questions Without Notice - Coronavirus, Vaccination Clinics, Regions

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Court Cases

None this edition.

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New Regulations

Federal

Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Section 3C General Medical Services - Medicare Indexation & Extension of Remote Service Options) Determination 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00822
The purpose of the Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Section 3C General Medical Services - Medicare Indexation and Extension of Remote Service Options) Determination 2021 (the Amendment Determination) is to extend access to certain medical practitioner and allied health telehealth and phone services until 31 December 2021, change the types of general practice telehealth and phone services available to patients, and to apply annual indexation of Medicare benefits.
Explanatory Statement

Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services - Anterior and Posterior Pelvic Ring Disruption) Determination 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00821
The Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services - Anterior and Posterior Pelvic Ring Disruption) Determination 2021 (the Determination) lists one new item 47491, which is an orthopaedic paediatric item for the treatment of a fracture by a pelvic ring disruption. This change is part of the Government's response to recommendations from the MBS Review Taskforce (the Taskforce) relating to orthopaedic services.
Explanatory Statement

National Health (Take Home Naloxone Pilot) Special Arrangement Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Instrument 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00820
The National Health (Take Home Naloxone Pilot) Special Arrangement Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Instrument 2021 (PB 69 of 2021) (the Amendment Instrument) amends the National Health (Take Home Naloxone Pilot) Special Arrangement 2019 (PB 97 of 2019) (the Arrangement) to continue the arrangements of the Take Home Naloxone Pilot Program (the Pilot) in 2021-22.
Explanatory Statement

National Health (Closing the Gap - PBS Co-payment Program) Amendment Special Arrangement 2021
Legislative Instrument Compilation - F2021L00819
The National Health (Closing the Gap - PBS Co-payment Program) Amendment Special Arrangement 2021 (Amendment Instrument) amends the National Health (Indigenous Chronic Disease - PBS Co-payment Measure) Special Arrangement 2016 (Special Arrangement). The Amendment Instrument makes changes associated with reforms to the Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Program. These amendments resulted from changes to enhance the CTG PBS Co-payment Program announced through the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA) in June 2020.
Explanatory Statement

Health Insurance (Bonded Medical Program) Amendment (Extension of Transitional Provisions) Rule 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00816
This Rule (the Amendment Rule) amends the Health Insurance (Bonded Medical Program) Rule 2020 (the Principal Rule) to extend the time during which the transitional provisions in section 19 apply. Part VD of the Act establishes the Bonded Medical Program, which is an Australian Government initiative designed to address the doctor shortage across regional, rural and remote areas.
Explanatory Statement

Health Insurance (Quality Assurance Activity - Australian and New Zealand Audits of Surgical Mortality) Amendment Declaration 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00815
The Health Insurance (Quality Assurance Activity - Australian and New Zealand Audits of Surgical Mortality) Amendment Declaration 2021 (the Declaration) is an amending declaration made under subsection 124X(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act). Part VC of the Act creates a scheme to encourage efficient quality assurance activities in connection with the provision of health services. Those activities help to ensure the quality of health services that are funded by the Government, including through the Medicare Benefits Schedule, public hospital services, and Health Program Grants.
Explanatory Statement

Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services - Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair) Determination 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00800
The Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services - Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair) Determination 2021 (the Determination) lists four new items (6082, 6084, 38461 and 38463) to enable symptomatic patients who have moderate-severe or severe degenerative (primary) mitral valve regurgitation, or symptomatic patients who have moderate-severe or severe functional (secondary) mitral valve regurgitation to undergo a transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) with the MitraClip system.
Explanatory Statement

National Health (Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services Program) Amendment Special Arrangement 2021 (No. 1)
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00787
The National Health (Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services Program) Amendment Special Arrangement 2021 (No. 1) (the Amendment Instrument) amends the National Health (Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services Program) Special Arrangement (PB 107 of 2017) (the Special Arrangement). The Amendment Instrument increases the bulk handling fee and the patient specific medicine supply fee that is payable to an approved pharmacist or an approved hospital authority in respect of the supply of a pharmaceutical benefit to an approved Aboriginal Health Service in accordance with the Special Arrangement.
Explanatory Statement

Social Security (Special Disability Trust - Discretionary Spending) Determination 2021
Legislative Instrument - F2021L00784
The purpose of the Social Security (Special Disability Trust - Discretionary Spending) Determination 2021 (this instrument) is to set out the maximum amount of a special disability trust's income and / or assets that can be spent for purposes that are primarily for the benefit of the principal beneficiary, but are purposes other than the primary purpose of the special disability trust (the Discretionary Spending Limit) described in subsection 1209N(1) of the Social Security Act 1991 (the Act).
Explanatory Statement

Victoria

18 JUN 2021: VIC SPECIAL GAZETTE No. S 313: Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 - Section 200 - Directions from Chief Health Officer in Accordance with Emergency Powers Arising from Declared State of Emergency

Western Australia

18 JUN 2021: WA, GOVERNOR IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Health Services Act 2016 - Health Services (Health Service Providers) Amendment Order (No. 3) 2021 - SL 2021/97

18 JUN 2021: WA, GOVERNOR IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 - Commencement Proclamation 2021 - SL 2021/83

18 JUN 2021: WA, GOVERNOR IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911 - Health (Aquatic Facilities) Amendment Regulations 2021 - SL 2021/72

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Proclamations

None this edition.

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Gazette Notices

New South Wales

20 JUN 2021: NSW GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 264: Government Notices - Health and Education

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Consolidated Legislation

Private Health Insurance (Prostheses) Rules (No. 3) 2020
Legislative Instrument Compilation - F2021C00552
Rules/Other as amended, taking into account amendments up to Private Health Insurance (Prostheses) Amendment Rules (No. 1) 2021.
Download

Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations (No. 2) 2020
Legislative Instrument Compilation - F2021C00551
Regulations as amended, taking into account amendments up to Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Regulations 2020.
Download

Records Principles 2014
Legislative Instrument Compilation - F2021C00531
Principles as amended, taking into account amendments up to Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Service Staff Vaccination Recording and Reporting) Principles 2021.
Download

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New Bills

Federal

A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to aged care, and for related purposes

The purpose of the Bill is to provide urgent amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997 (Aged Care Act) and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018 (Quality and Safety Commission Act) in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission).

The Bill provides the first stage of aged care reform in response to the Royal Commission's final report, strengthens the Australian Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring senior Australians get the high quality and safe aged care services they deserve.

The amendments introduced by Schedule 1 of the Bill will strengthen the responsibilities under the Aged Care Act on approved providers of aged care of a type specified in the Quality of Care Principles 2014 (Quality of Care Principles) by including enhanced safeguards and conditions on the use of restrictive practices. The Bill undertakes to emphasise person-centred care in relation to the use of restrictive practices through inserting a new definition of 'restrictive practice' and requiring the Quality of Care Principles to provide legislative detail on the requirements approved providers are to comply with prior to, during, and after the use of restrictive practices.

The Bill will also enhance compliance of approved providers by including civil penalties for those providers who fail to comply with compliance notices produced by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner (Commissioner) in relation to a breach of restrictive practice responsibilities under the Aged Care Act.

Schedule 2 of the Bill amends the Aged Care Act to empower the Secretary to conduct reviews (assurance reviews) to assure the arrangements for the delivery and administration of home care are effective and efficient. Assurance reviews will inform the continuous improvement of home care policy and the education of approved providers in relation to home care and home care services.

The Secretary, or appropriate delegate, will be able to issue 'notices to give' and 'notices to attend' to approved providers that are corporations to collect information in relation to an assurance review. Approved providers that are corporations will be required to provide all reasonable facilities and assistance to the Secretary, and persons assisting the Secretary, in their performance of the reviews. Failure to comply with these notices or provide reasonable assistance will incur civil penalties. The Secretary will also be able to request that a person (or approved provider that is not a corporation) to provide any information or documents that are relevant to an assurance review. The person is not required to comply with the request.

The Secretary or persons assisting the Secretary may prepare and publish reports on assurance reviews, dealing with findings, conclusions or recommendations made as a result of the reviews. The report may be published where no identifying personal information is included. The Secretary may publish information on providers who do not comply with notices to produce information or provide reasonable assistance. The assurance reviews will provide transparency for consumers and increased program oversight for the Government.

On 13 May 2021, the provisions of the Bill were referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 11 June 2021.

Reps: Intro 27/05/21, 2R 27/05/21, 21/06/21, Passed 21/06/21
Senate: Intro 23/06/21, 2R 24/06/21, Passed 24/06/21

Awaiting assent

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement:

  • Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table - The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.
  • Schedule 1 - 1 July 2021.
  • Schedule 2 - The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.
  • Schedule 3 - 1 July 2021.


A Private Member's Bill (Griff) for an Act to amend the law in relation to financial transparency in the aged care sector, and for related purposes.

This Bill amends the Aged Care Act 1997 to require residential aged care providers to give an annual financial transparency report to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, who would then make them public. The Bill also amends the Corporations Act 2001 to ensure residential aged care providers include detailed financial information in their annual financial statements.

The Bill requires aged care providers to disclose their income, their spend on food and medication, the amount spent on staff and staff training, accommodation, administration, and how much they pay out to their parent bodies.

This will enable families of loved ones, stakeholders and the public to have a clear view, for the first time, on the proportion of income that providers actually spend on costs of care and how much is just being pocketed or wasted.

On 18 June 2020, the Senate Selection of Bills Committee referred the Bill to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 23 November 2020.

The reporting date was extended to the last sitting day in March 2021.

Senate: Intro 12/06/20, 2R 12/06/20, 30/11/20, Passed TBA
Reps: Intro TBA, 2R TBA, Passed TBA

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

 

A Private Member's Bill (Kelly) for an Act to protect the right of Australians to make their own health decisions in relation to COVID vaccination, and for related purposes.

This Bill prohibits the Commonwealth, States and Territories and other non-government entities from issuing domestic vaccine passports or certification and also prohibits discrimination on the basis of whether a person has had a COVID vaccination in the provision of goods, services and facilities and also in employment, education, accommodation and sport.

A system of vaccine passports risks creating two classes of citizens and this Bill is necessary to protect the fundamental rights and privacies of all Australians and the free flow of people and commerce throughout the nation.

Reps: Intro 21/06/21, 2R 21/06/21, Passed TBA
Senate: Intro TBA, 2R TBA, Passed TBA

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: The whole of this Act - The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, and for other purposes

The Bill implements the 2020-21 Budget measure, 'Supporting Our Hospitals - simpler and more affordable private health cover for all Australians', of which 'Private Health Insurance - increasing the age of dependants' was an element.

The Bill amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 and associated legislation to:

  • change the maximum allowable age for people to be covered under a family private health insurance policy as a dependent from up to 24 years old to up to 31 years old;
  • allow people with a disability, regardless of their age, to be covered under a family private health insurance policy as a dependent.

Reps: Intro 25/02/21, 2R 25/02/21, 18/03/21, Passed 18/03/21
Senate: Intro 18/03/21, 2R 18/03/21, 22/06/21, Passed 22/06/21

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: The whole of this Act: 1 April 2021

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to taxation, social security, veterans' entitlements and the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation, and for related purposes.

Schedule 1 of the Bill amends the Medicare Levy Act 1986 and the A New Tax System (Medicare Levy Surcharge - Fringe Benefits) Act 1999 to:

  • increase the Medicare levy low-income thresholds for individuals and families (along with the dependent child-student component of the family threshold) in line with movements in the CPI;
  • increase the Medicare levy low-income thresholds for individuals and families eligible for the SAPTO (along with the dependent child-student component of the family threshold), in line with movements in the CPI; and
  • increase the Medicare levy surcharge low-income threshold in line with movements in the CPI.

This will ensure that low-income individuals, families, seniors and pensioners who were exempt from the Medicare levy in the 2019-20 income year continue to be exempt in the 2020-21 income year if their income has increased in line with, or less than, movements in the CPI.

Schedule 2 of the Bill amends the NHFIC Act to expand the objects of the Act to include NHFIC improving housing outcomes for Australians by assisting earlier access to the housing market by eligible single parents with dependants. The amendments to the objects will enable the Minister to issue directions to NHFIC through its Investment Mandate.

Schedule 3 of the Bill amends the ITAA 1997, the SS Act and the Veteran's Entitlements Act 1986 to provide that annual and lump sum payments made by the Commonwealth to Thalidomide survivors are exempt from income tax and do not count as income for the purposes of any income support payments.

Reps: Intro 13/05/21, 2R 13/05/21, 26/05/21, 27/05/21, Passed 27/05/21
Senate: Intro 15/06/21, 2R 15/06/21, 22/06/21, Passed 22/06/21

Awaiting Assent

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement:

Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table - The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedule 1 - The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedule 2 - The later of:

(a) 1 July 2021; and

(b) the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedule 3, Part 1 - The first 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October to occur after the day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedule 3, Part 2 - The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

Schedules 4 and 5 - The first 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October to occur after the day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

 

ACT

A Bill for An Act to amend the Senior Practitioner Act 2018.

The Senior Practitioner Act 2018 (the Act) commenced on 1 September 2018. The Act created the role of the Senior Practitioner, as well as providing a formal framework for the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices.

The amendments contained in the Bill are administrative and delay the review of the Act until after its fifth year of operation. Currently, a review of the Act must be presented by the Minister for Disability as soon as is practical after the Act's third year of operation. Without amendment, this would be due in September 2021.

In addition to delaying the review and report on the operation of the Act, this Bill necessarily delays the expiry of the corresponding sunset provision as follows:

  • Section 54 (1) states that 'the Minister must review the operation of this Act and present a report of the review to the Legislative Assembly as soon as practicable after the end of its 3rd year of operation'. The Bill amends this time frame to the 5th year of operation.
  • Section 54 (2) states that 'this section expires 4 years after the date it commences'. The Bill extends the expiry of Section 54 to the 6th year of operation.

Intro 24/06/21, 2R 24/06/21, Passed TBA

Notified TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: This Act commences on the day after its notification day.

 

South Australia

A Private Member's Bill (Maher) for An Act to provide for and regulate access to voluntary assisted dying, to establish the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board, to make related amendments to other Acts, and for other purposes.

The main purpose of this Bill is to introduce a voluntary assisted dying scheme, modelled on that implemented in Victoria. The essential elements, as described by the Victorian health department, for someone seeking access to the Victorian scheme include:

  • they must have an advanced disease that will cause their death, and is likely to cause that within six months, or 12 months if a neurodegenerative disease, that is causing that person suffering that is unacceptable to them;
  • they must have the ability to make and communicate a decision about voluntary assisted dying through the formal request process; and
  • they must be an adult over 18 years, have been living in the state for at least 12 months, and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

LC: 1R 02/12/20, 2R 02/12/20, 17/03/21, 31/03/21, 05/05/21, Passed (with amendments) 05/05/21
LA: 1R 06/05/21, 2R 12/05/21, 26/05/21, 09/06/21, Passed (with amendments) 09/06/21
LC: Consideration of amendments 10/06/21, Agreed to amendments 1, 2, 4, & 5 and amended amendment 3 23/06/21
LA: Consideration of amendments 23/06/21
LC: Final Stages TBA

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: This Act comes into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation.

Download: 2R Speech

 

Western Australia

A Bill for An Act to amend the Health Services Act 2016; and the Mental Health Act 2014; and the Motor Vehicle (Catastrophic Injuries) Act 2016; and the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre Act 1966; and the University Medical School, Teaching Hospitals, Act 1955.

The Health Services Amendment Bill 2021 (the Bill) amends the Health Services Act 2016 (the Act) to refine the Act's effectiveness. The Bill amends the functions and powers of the Minister for Health (the Minister), the Department CEO and health service providers (HSPs) to improve the functioning of the WA health system and to overcome operational and administrative burdens that have been encountered since the Act commenced. It also rectifies drafting errors and amends the parts of the Act that have not been operationalised effectively due to ambiguous interpretation.

LA: Notice of Motion 23/06/21
LA: 1R 24/06/21, 2R 24/06/21, Passed TBA
LC: 1R TBA, 2R TBA, Passed TBA

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: This Act comes into operation as follows -

(a) Part 1 - on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent;
(b) the rest of the Act - on a day fixed by proclamation, and different days may be fixed for different provisions.

 

A Bill for An Act to amend the Public Health Act 2016.

The Bill amends the Public Health Act 2016 (the PHA) to create safe access zones around premises at which abortions are provided. These zones will ensure that those who want to access abortion services can do so in a safe and private manner. The Bill also prohibits publication and distribution of certain recordings to protect the privacy and dignity of those who access abortion services.

LA: Notice of Motion 25/05/21
LA: 1R 26/05/21, 2R 26/05/21, 23/06/21, 24/06/21, Passed 24/06/21
LC: 1R 24/06/21, 2R 24/06/21, Passed TBA

Assent TBA, Act No. TBA

Commencement: This Act comes into operation as follows -

(a) sections 1 and 2 - on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent;
(b) the rest of the Act - on the day after that day.

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New Acts

Federal

Medical and Midwife Indemnity Legislation Amendment Act 2021

An Act to amend the law relating to medical and midwife indemnity, and for related purposes

The purpose of the Act is to ensure that claims made against all privately practising midwives are eligible under the Commonwealth's medical and midwife indemnity schemes.

The Act amends the Medical Indemnity Act 2002 to ensure that claims against all midwives in private practice whose registration is not endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to prescribe scheduled medicines (registered only midwives) are eligible under the Allied Health High Cost Claims Scheme and the Allied Health Exceptional Claims Scheme (Allied Health Schemes) where the claim relates to incidents that occurred on or from 1 July 2020. Previously, claims against some registered only midwives were not eligible for the Allied Health Schemes based on whether the midwife could be expected to be covered by an employer's indemnity arrangements.

These amendments ensure that the medical indemnity legislation reflects the Commonwealth's policy that claims against all registered only midwives have coverage under the Allied Health Schemes for claims made after the commencement of those Schemes on 1 July 2020, creating parity of arrangements with all other registered allied health professionals eligible under the Allied Health Schemes.

The Act also amends the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Act 2010 to expand eligibility of the Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme and the Midwife Professional Indemnity Run-off Cover Scheme (Midwife Schemes) to cover claims made against midwives in private practice whose registration has been endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to prescribe scheduled medicines (eligible midwives), irrespective of whether the midwife is covered under a professional indemnity insurance policy as an employee or in an independent capacity.

The Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services have requested Government support for access to an insurance product for their employed midwives. This cohort of midwives are unable to obtain indemnity insurance to extend their services to intrapartum care under an indemnity insurer. The Department has worked closely with a number of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and the provider currently administering the Midwife Scheme, Medical Insurance Group Australia Pty Ltd, to support the development of an appropriate insurance product to cover these health services and their midwifery services. This measure will open-up the Midwife Professionals Indemnity Scheme to all endorsed midwives irrespective of their employment status, and provide access to an insurance policy for this class of midwives that includes intrapartum care (with the exception of homebirths).

The Department also provided advice to key stakeholders to outline the changes to be made in the medical and midwife indemnity legislation and invited these stakeholders to provide written feedback. The stakeholders contacted during this process included the Australian College of Midwives and medical indemnity insurers including, Avant, Berkshire Hathaway, Guild Insurance, Medical Indemnity Protection Society, MDA National and Medical Insurance Group Australia Pty Ltd.

As a result of these amendments, the eligible insurer under the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Act 2010, currently Medical Insurance Group Australia Pty Ltd, will be able to indemnify employed endorsed midwives under the Midwife Schemes. This ensures that these midwives are covered by an insurance policy that has capped premiums and eligibility to the Midwife Professional Indemnity Run-off Cover Scheme.

Employed eligible midwives currently not participating in the Midwife Schemes will have the choice to stay under their current arrangements, and if an eligible claim was made in these circumstances the Allied Health Schemes would respond. This flexibility in arrangements supports midwives to work in a variety of different arrangements, without their indemnity insurance being a barrier.

Amendments made by this Act will mean that claims against all privately practising midwives will be eligible under the Commonwealth's medical and midwife indemnity schemes if an eligible medical indemnity claim is made.

Reps: Intro 27/05/21, 2R 27/05/21, 16/06/21, 17/06/21, Passed 17/06/21
Senate: Intro 17/06/21, 2R 17/06/21, Passed 17/06/21

Awaiting assent

Assent 23/06/21, Act No. 48 of 2021

Commencement:

  • Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table - The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.
  • Schedule 1 - 1 July 2020.
  • Schedule 2 - 1 July 2021.

 

Private Health Insurance Amendment (Income Thresholds) Act 2021

An Act to amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, and for related purposes

The Act continues the pause of the annual indexation of private health insurance (PHI) income thresholds for another two years, and adjusts the formula for recommencement of indexation at the current income thresholds following the end of the pause.

The Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) is the main law that sets out the requirements for PHI and health insurers. The Act allows for the setting and annual indexing of income thresholds. The income thresholds determine rebate amounts that may apply for consumers with eligible PHI cover (the PHI rebate), and the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) income thresholds and rates.

Indexation of income thresholds
Annual indexation of income thresholds is provided for under Subdivision 22-B (the Subdivision) of the Act. The thresholds for annual indexation of Singles and Family thresholds and the details of indexation are specified under Subsection 22-35, 22-40, and 22-45 provisions respectively.

The Act continues the pause of the annual indexation of income thresholds for another two years, and adjusts the formula for recommencement of indexation. The Government has announced that the continuation of the pause will provide an opportunity to undertake a detailed study of settings of the PHI rebate and the MLS.

With the pause, rebate income thresholds remain at $90,000 for the base single policy and at $180,000 for the base family policy. Base income threshold (under which a taxpayer is not liable to pay the MLS) remains at $90,000 for singles and at $180,000 for families.

Specifically the Act seeks to amend the Act to:

  • pause indexation for a further two financial years
  • recommence annual indexation thereafter
  • recommence indexation using current income thresholds
  • repeal consequential redundant Subdivision 22-B provisions.

Reps: Intro 12/05/21, 2R 27/05/21, 01/06/21, Passed 01/06/21
Senate: Intro 15/06/21, 2R 15/06/21, 17/06/21, Passed 17/06/21

Assent 25/06/21, Act No. 52 of 2021

Commencement: The whole of this Act - 1 July 2021.

 

Narcotic Drugs Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis) Act 2021

An Act to amend the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967, and for related purposes

The Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 (ND Act), as amended by the Narcotic Drugs Amendment Act 2016 (2016 Amendment Act), establishes a licensing scheme for the cultivation and production of cannabis and cannabis resin for medicinal and scientific purposes. The ND Act also makes provisions for licensing the manufacture of other narcotic drugs.

The 2016 Amendment Act introduced a requirement for a review of the medicinal cannabis scheme to be undertaken. This was completed by Professor John McMillan AO, and the Final Report of the McMillan Review was tabled in the Parliament on 5 September 2019.

The Act implements recommendations of the McMillan Review, and makes other minor including consequential amendments.

As a large portion of the amendments reorganise the scheme as set up by the 2016 Amendment Act, the human rights implications are materially the same as those identified in relation to the Act which became the 2016 Amendment Act.

The amendments in the Act contribute to ensuring that the regulatory framework strikes a balance between mitigating the risk to the Australian community of the diversion of cannabis and Australia's obligations under international law, with the need to ensure that medicinal cannabis regulation in Australia facilitates ease of compliance for industry participants and does not impede growth and productivity.

The two main measures in the Act are to:

1. consolidate the licensing structure into a single licence framework instead of the current three-licence structure, to reduce the regulatory burden on industry participants who are undertaking activities across the spectrum of cultivation, production and manufacture; and

2. undertake assessments relating to supply chains later in the application process, at consideration of applications for a permit rather than the earlier licensing stage, to support the long term nature of business investment decisions, whilst maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight.

Reps: Intro 03/02/21, 2R 03/02/21, 24/02/21, Passed 24/02/21
Senate: 25/02/21, 2R 25/02/21, 17/06/21, Passed 17/06/21

Assent 25/06/21, Act No. 56 of 2021

Commencement:

  1. Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table - The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.
  2. Schedules 1 and 2 - A single day to be fixed by Proclamation. However, if the provisions do not commence within the period of 6 months beginning on the day this Act receives the Royal Assent, they commence on the day after the end of that period.

 

Western Australia

An Act to protect the confidentiality of certain information obtained for the purposes of contact tracing relating to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The Act provides a statutory framework for regulating the use and disclosure, storage and destruction of entry registration information provided for the purpose of contact tracing in relation to an infectious disease emergency.

The Act introduces specific protection for entry registration information in recognition of the importance of this information for an effective public health response to a public health emergency and the critical importance of maintaining trust in measures imposed and mandated by government to combat the risks posed by community transmission of an infectious disease.

The Act limits the use and disclosure of entry registration information to contact tracing and purposes related to contact tracing, reflecting that public health is the paramount consideration.

Specifically the Act prohibits the use and disclosure of entry registration information supplied by individuals upon their attendance at a place, for any purpose other than:

  • conducting contact tracing;
  • purposes related to contact tracing (such as, but not limited to, the support, efficacy, integrity and security of contact tracing);
  • deriving de-identified statistical or summary information; or
  • investigating or prosecuting an offence related to an obligation to provide or record information for the purpose of contact tracing, an offence under this Bill; an offence related to compliance with an obligation related to the recording, use or disclosure of contact tracing information, or for an offence of giving false or misleading information when complying with obligations to provide or record information for the purpose of contact tracing.

The Act includes provisions for a storage period for entry registration records, an obligation for secure storage of entry registration records, and an obligation to destroy records after the storage period expires, by taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the entry registration information contained in the record cannot be retrieved.

LA: Notice of Motion 15/06/21
LA: 1R 15/06/21, 2R 15/06/21, Passed 15/06/21
LC: 1R 15/06/21, 2R 15/06/21, 17/06/21, Passed 17/06/21

Assent 21/06/21, Act No. 3 of 2021

Commencement: This Act comes into operation as follows -

(a) sections 1 and 2 - on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent;
(b) the rest of the Act - on the day after that day.

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