Forrest breaks with big miners to push for tax credit overhaul
The Andrew Forrest-founded mining giant is lobbying key government figures to reform the diesel credit system and had been preparing to use the support of crossbench MPs to add pressure on the government.
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Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Staggering new figures show 16 per cent of all six-year-old boys on NDIS as government aims to design new pathway for families
The latest figures from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) have been released, with more than 739,000 participants now receiving support as the government aims to design a new pathway for families. As per the latest fresh figures show, approximately 11 per cent of children aged five to seven years are NDIS participants. Participation rates for males and females differ at younger ages, with six-year-old boys participating at a rate of 16 per cent compared to girls at seven per cent. For NDIS participants younger than 18, the most prevalent disability types are autism and developmental delay. Both disability types have higher diagnosis rates in males. Of the 739,000 current NDIS participants, 26,500 entering the scheme during the quarter. In the last 12 months, 80,000 people joined the scheme. Rising participation numbers run parallel to the rising costs of NDIS, which the Albanese government has in focus for the upcoming economic roundtable next week. Quarterly figures showed the scheme costs grew by 10.8 per cent last financial year, lower than the projected growth rate of 12 per cent, which meant its $46.3 billion cost to the federal budget was $520 million below predictions. The government plans on designing a new pathway to help families leave the rapidly growing $46 billion program. NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister told The Sydney Morning Herald further reforms are needed to make the scheme sustainable. The scheme is one of the budget's biggest pressures, being the third-latest expense. The latest figures project the scheme to reach an 8 per cent growth target set for mid-2026. 'But as the Independent NDIS Review [from 2023] found, the NDIS needs a broader ecosystem of disability supports outside the scheme to make sure it is sustainable,' McAllister said. 'Scheme growth is declining. That's good news. We are getting closer towards the 8 per cent target, but we know there is more work to be done.' The government's reform plans are to fund a deal with states and territories, establishing a new system of 'foundational supports' which will help people with less intense needs still access disability support. Children are a particular focus area of the changes, which were supposed to start on July 1 but have been deferred until the end of the year as negotiations continue between federal and state governments. In July at the Sky News forum, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was not happy with the number of young children on the scheme. 'We need to make sure that it is made more sustainable,' he said. 'We are working through the reform issues as well, with state and territory governments. 'Certainly, the vision of the NDIS wasn't that those sort of numbers ... quoted, go on the system.' Mr Albanese added the reform must be worked through carefully, 'because it's very easy for vulnerable people to feel like their support is threatened'. 'We don't want that. People who need the NDIS need to keep it, but also there were massive rorts in the system. That's the truth,' he said. The latest scheme report stated that the agency has begun developing an early intervention pathway for children under nine with developmental delays or disabilities. It is also working to enhance the monitoring of progress toward early intervention goals and to support children in transitioning out of the NDIS when long-term support is not required.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Huge call on childcare ‘ban' reform
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has revealed it could take up to 12 months to ensure convicted criminals applying for working with children checks (WWCC) cannot evade notice by applying interstate. Ms Rowland said reform was possible 'within certainly the next 12 months' so long as she secured support from state and territory counterparts at a meeting of the country's attorneys-general today. 'We envisage that the most immediate and urgent outcome is to achieve that 'banned in one, banned in all' aspect in the near term,' Ms Rowland told ABC Radio National on Friday morning. 'In the longer term, there needs to be a bar raised right across the states and territories to strengthen those criteria for working with children risk and exclusions. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said reforms to working with children checks could take up to 12 months. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'In terms of timing, these are matters that will be discussed today, so I don't want to pre-empt those outcomes … (but) in terms of the most immediate one to achieve — 'banned in one, banned in all' — I would like to think that this is something that is certainly capable of being done within certainly the next 12 months, if we can have a better sense of that following today's meeting, then that will be a good thing.' The Albanese government has proposed banning nationally anyone barred from working with children in one jurisdiction. Opposition leader Sussan Ley said a 12 month wait for reform of the WWCC system was unacceptable and 'completely unsatisfactory'. She claimed the government's response to reports of alleged child abuse lacked urgency, despite Anthony Albanese calling them a 'wake up call' for governments nationwide. 'The PM has talked a big game on fixing these issues but twelve months to deliver this isn't good enough,' Ms Ley said. 'We've done our bit in the federal parliament to work with the government to pass new laws but it is now up to the Prime Minister to lead and finish the job. 'The States and territories need to get their act together and accelerate this critically important piece of work to protect our kids.' Opposition leader Sussan Ley said a 12 month wait for reform of the WWCC system was unacceptable. NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier Credit: News Corp Australia Ms Ley said there needed to be 'stronger leadership' on the issue, and that the states and territories must be forced to act faster. 'Given the crisis we are seeing in our childcare centres, twelve months for the first set of changes is completely unsatisfactory,' she said. Multiple states and territories are grappling with the fallout from multiple high-profile cases of alleged abuse at childcare centres, namely in NSW and Victoria. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan last month announced measures for all childcare centres in the state to be required to ban personal mobile devices from September 26, and launched an 'urgent review into child safety' the findings of which are due on Friday. Further north, a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the childcare sector in NSW was told by a senior cop managing the child abuse squad that offenders 'shop around' for centres to offend at and urged for a database to be establish for police to be able to access.
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
Albanese plays down US ‘disgust' over Palestine recognition
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says there is disgust and disappointment in the Trump administration at the Albanese government's decision to recognise a Palestinian state, deepening the rift with Australia's closest security partner. Huckabee, a former Republican presidential candidate and major supporter of Israel, said he had spoken to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and both men were unhappy with the decision Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday. 'There is an enormous level of disappointment, and some disgust,' Huckabee said on the ABC's 7.30 on Thursday. He did not confirm the exact words used by Rubio or Trump, saying he would not reveal private conversations. 'I think it does express, though, the emotional sentiment, a sense of: 'you've got to be kidding. Why would they be doing this? And why would they be doing it now?'' The comments build pressure on Albanese, who has already faced a storm of criticism this week after Hamas officials praised Australia's decision to recognise a State of Palestine at a United Nations meeting in September. Albanese played down Huckabee's comments, saying the former governor represented the United States in Israel, not Australia. The prime minister told ABC radio on Friday that his role was to represent Australia's interests. 'Australians have been disgusted by what they see on their TV every night,' Albanese said. 'They were disgusted by the terrorist actions of Hamas on October 7, the slaughter of innocent Israelis, the taking of hostages and the ongoing holding of those hostages have outraged Australians, but Australians have also seen the death of tens of thousands of people.
