SBS News in Easy English bulletin 25 July 2022

Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Gareth Boreham

The federal government will take the first step to abolishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission by stripping back its powers from tomorrow.

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says the ABCC has been politicised, and was setup by the coalition to undermine unions and fair pay for workers.

But employer and construction groups say the move will delay infrastructure projects and increase their cost.

Opposition workplace relations spokeswoman Michaelia Cash says it will create chaos in the construction industry and has accused Labor of being beholden to the construction union.

"This decision by the Labor government at incredibly short notice for industry is going to mean a huge economic impact right across Australia. At a time of rising inflation and rising interest rates, why, why would you put this type of economic hardship on the construction industry?"

Australia's agriculture minister says calls to close the country's borders to Indonesia due to the threat of foot and mouth disease are damaging.

The Federal Government has already tightened quarantine measures to stop the spread of the disease into the country, labelling it the biggest biosecurity response in Australia's history.

But Opposition Immigration minister Dan Tehan says the government has failed to respond to the concerns of farmers.

"Farmers are incredibly concerned that the government is not taking the action that's needed and the action on the ground to protect them from Foot and Mouth Disease. We've been told sanitising mats would be rolled out. They're not there at the airport, there are reports of travellers coming in this morning, still no sanitising mats in place, still no proper inspections taking place. Deep concern because we're hearing a lot of talk but no action."

Agriculture minister Murray Watt insists industry experts support the government's action.

"On Friday I did a press conference with the president of the National Farmer's Federation where she backed in the measures we're taking and opposed the border closures. We've seen public comments from meat processors, from cattle council, from every possible farm group saying the government is doing the right thing and it's the opposition who are driving hysteria."

The Federal Government is expanding defence force support to Australia's aged care sector, as more than a third of the country's aged care facilities battle COVID-19 outbreaks.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has announced up to 250 defence force personnel will support aged care homes during the winter wave.

The move is in response to requests from aged care providers and trade unions for more support with the ADF due to withdraw its workforce from August 12th.

Richard Marles says after a meeting between federal health and defence officials, ADF medics will now be deployed until late September,

"It's increasing from 30 to 250 so it's a considerable increase in the number of defence personnel involved in clinical and non-clinical care. It's not a situation that can be there permanently but we are seeing a really significant outbreak in our aged care sector and so it is a really important step to be taking in the next few months."

The Pope has arrived in Canada to deliver an apology for the Catholic Church's involvement in a series of brutal residential schools that targeted Indigenous children for generations.

But First Nations leaders say the visit seems to be more about the church than the thousands of children that are thought to have died in the residential schools, and the scores of others who survived.

Victoria Arcand, an elder from Alexander First Nation, says the visit has been long overdue, while Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald says their people were not included in the planning of the trip, and that their concerns had not been adequately addressed.

She says she plans to attend the apology.

"It's the only event I'll attend. Because it's on one of the former institutes of assimilation and genocide, and so I think it's important to be there with survivors."

To sport,

And most of the Australian cyclists who competed in this year's Tour de France say they are happy with their performances, despite two riders having to pull out because of COVID-19.

Nick Schultz was the top-placed Australian in 23rd place.

Simon Clarke won a stage of the tour before both he and Luke Durbridge both had to withdraw after testing positive to the coronavirus.

I'm Gareth Boreham and this is SBS News in Easy English.