Major changes announced to employment services for jobless Australians; Westpac fined $26 million over financial hardship cases; And in sport, more than $12 million announced to fund this year's Rugby League World Cup.
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TRANSCRIPT:
- Major changes announced to employment services for jobless Australians
- Westpac fined $26 million over financial hardship cases
- More than $12 million announced to fund this year's Rugby League World Cup
The Federal Government is announcing the biggest changes to the employment services system in three decades.
Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth will use her speech at the National Press Club today to unveil the changes that will include three tiers of support; and bring an end to the tougher Coalition-era welfare rules for working-age Australians.
The mutual obligations system has been plagued with complaints, including in two Commonwealth ombudsman's reports which have found the suspension of many people's welfare payments for failing to meet their job-seeking requirements may have been unlawful.
Labor senator Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah says the changes are long overdue.
"We definitely want to be lifting up people in that long-term unemployed category. I used to treat a lot of those people in hospital. I mean it has not just economic impacts, but physical and mental health impacts so any program that gives people the opportunity to climb up that ladder, particularly after long-term entrenched disadvantage is welcome."
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Westpac has been fined $26 million for grossly negligent conduct after failing to adequately respond to customers in financial hardship.
Federal Court judge Timothy McEvoy has found that while the bank's conduct was not deliberate, it impacted many vulnerable customers and continued over an extended period.
The bank received 200 online hardship requests over six years from its customers struggling to keep up with repayments on home loans, credit cards, personal loans, car loans and other responsibilities.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission deputy chairwoman, Sarah Court, says the penalty sends a clear message to Westpac and other lenders that they must do better in responding to customers seeking assistance.
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Police and joint counter-terrorism taskforces says investigations will continue into a group of Australian women and children with links to the IS group who have returned to Sydney and Melbourne.
The group are understood to be the last Australians in the al-Roj camp in Syria where families of IS group fighters have been held since 2019.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says no assistance was provided to the group; and any individuals who have committed crimes would face the full force of the law.
Liberal MP Phillip Thompson says he does not support the group's return to Australia.
"I am from Townsville. I don't want any of these ISIS members there. We do not support this. This is a national security risk. To have them come back here to Australia - or to come to Australia - demonstrates this government has no spine and lacks the fortitude to do what's right."
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The eligibility for the free nasal spray flu vaccine has been expanded in New South Wales.
All young people from 2 to 17 years of age will be able to get their immunisation from community pharmacies and GPs.
Children under 5 years of age are at the highest risk of severe influenza, while older children and adolescents can also have severe complications.
Health Minister Ryan Park says access has been expanded following the worst flu season on record.
"This is about free healthcare, but it is also about stopping a trip to a hospital. Get access to this free flu mist. Make it as easy as you can; as affordable as we can. And most importantly, protect their family, as we head into a winter that is likely to be very challenging."
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The National Anti-Corruption Commission has received a referral to investigate how media outlets appeared to know in advance about Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith’s arrest at Sydney Airport last month.
The director-general of the Office of the Special Investigator, Chris Moraitis, has told Senate estimates, the organisation has made a joint referral with the Australian Federal Police to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Mr Roberts-Smith has rejected the charges laid against him, which include multiple counts of war crimes.
The Victoria Cross recipient was arrested in April and charged with murdering or ordering the murders of five unarmed detainees while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012..
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Police in Indonesia say the collapse of a bridge that killed two Austrian tourists in the resort town of Labuan Bajo was due to its severely deteriorated condition.
Police chief Christian Kadang has told news site Kompas.com, the bridge's wooden supports were rotting, with the foot-boards coming loose, and safety nets damaged or missing.
Rescue authorities say the two tourists, aged 55 and 57, died on Sunday, after falling about 10 metres into a river gorge when part of the bridge gave way.
The incident has renewed scrutiny over tourism safety in Labuan Bajo, a fast-growing destination that Indonesia has promoted as one of its 'super priority' tourism hubs outside Bali.
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The Albanese government has announced $12.4 million in funding to support this year's Rugby League World Cup in October.
Federal Sport Minister Anika Wells says the funding will allow Australia to showcase itself as a leader in delivering international sporting events, ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Games.
The tournament will be hosted in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, featuring 26 teams from 16 nations playing 51 matches across five weeks.
Australia and New Zealand open the men's competition on October 15, while the Jillaroos play Samoa in the first women's pool match a day later.
