The Australian Government’s latest COVID-19 ad, launched today, delivers a blunt wake-up call to young people, that their actions can put the lives of their loved ones at risk. The ‘How the virus spreads’ advertisement features a young man whose mother is in intensive care with COVID-19 after catching the virus from him. He…
E&OE… Topics: COVID-19 vaccine trials; aged care outbreaks; NDIS. GREG HUNT: I want to give the Australian Government’s update on COVID-19 and the national actions to help prevent the spread and to contain the disease. In particular today, I want to note that at a time when the world has reached…
E&OE… Topics: COVID-19 vaccine; Inquiry into the Ruby Princess outbreak; Aged care Royal Commission; REFF in Victoria; State border closures; Rise in immunisation rates. KIERAN GILBERT: Let’s go live now to the Health Minister Greg Hunt who joins us via Zoom. He’s still in quarantine ahead of Parliament sitting. Minister, thank you very…
Australia’s childhood immunisation rates have risen to record levels, with coverage for all five year olds now at 94.77 per cent. Immunisation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have increased even more. All six categories made positive gains, with coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at five years 96.90…
Today is Red Nose Day, a day to remember loss and to spread the message to future mothers that the risk of stillbirth and neonatal death can be reduced. While there has been a reduction in SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in Australia, almost 3,000 young babies still die suddenly and unexpectedly each year.…
Public and private service providers are invited to apply for grants totalling $45.5 million, to develop regional radiation treatment centres for local cancer patients in ten regions across four states. The Australian Government is providing the funding to improve access to radiation therapy for thousands of cancer patients in rural and regional areas of…
E&OE… Topics: Update on the COVID-19 response in Australia; Flattening the curve; Aged Care; Language translation; ADF Deployment; Vic State Control Centre meeting on 27 March. GREG HUNT: We know at a time when the world has past 20.5 million cases and very sadly, agonisingly, almost three-quarters of a million people have officially…
The Australian Government is providing an additional $2.6 million to assist Victorians with severe mental illness whose access to psychosocial supports has been impacted by COVID-19. This funding will provide support to a vulnerable group of people, ensuring that they receive assistance in accessing day to day support, and in accessing more extensive support…
The Australian Government is providing an additional $12 million to ensure people in Victoria can access 24/7 mental health support through digital and telephone counselling services during this difficult time. Our Government recognises the mental health impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on individuals and communities, particularly those in Victoria, where regrettable but necessary…
E&OE… Topics: New mental health support package; Aged care patients and workers in Australia; National database agreement; St Basils reopening; Mystery cases in Vic; Vic MPs returning to Parliament. GREG HUNT: Thank you very much to everybody for joining us today. This is a day when so many Victorians will be feeling…