- Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal government has overseen the best jobs growth of any new government in 50 years, with 234,000 more people employed in November than when Labor was elected in May. While the country’s business leaders are optimistic about the year, they are concerned about the tight employment market, with a new survey finding 90 per cent of chief executive officers expect to be affected by staffing shortages this year.
- A contingent of up to 70 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel will join counterparts from other nations to help train Ukrainian soldiers in tactics and skills. The deployment of troops as part of Operation Kudu marks a change in the nature of Australia’s military support for Ukraine, which to date has consisted of?hardware and humanitarian aid.
- Australia could become a major sustainment hub for United States Navy submarines under the AUKUS agreement, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lobbies US lawmakers to continue supporting the trilateral agreement. Mr Albanese told media he has been lobbying members of US Congress to stand firm on the submarine agreement, adding that he was confident US President Joe Biden would maintain the AUKUS agreement despite any domestic concerns.
- Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says a “comprehensive revamp” of Medicare is necessary to ensure local GP clinics remain viable, saying frozen Medicare rebates are behind the financial stress affecting numerous clinics across the country. While funding was a major issue for GPs, Mr Butler said there were deeper structural issues that also needed to be addressed, from better integration, to technology, and workforce shortages.
- A new study has found that one in 10 people will end up with “long Covid”, leading to calls for a rethink of Australia’s Covid-19 strategy. According to the research, at least 65 million people worldwide already have long Covid, or post-Covid conditions, when symptoms last for more than 12 weeks after the initial infection.
- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she will step down from the role, saying she does not have “enough in the tank”. Ms Ardern won praise for her handling of the nation’s worst mass shooting and the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, although her approval ratings have dropped. Recent polls have also put the Labour Party behind the conservative National Party, although Ms Ardern said that had not affected her decision.
- Tributes are flowing in for the late Senator Jim Molan, who died this week after battling cancer for several years. He has been remembered by both sides of politics, and many within the Defence organisation, as a great patriot and advocate, who lived his life in service to the country. His passing?has opened a casual vacancy in the upper house, with candidates already positioning themselves for the five-year spot.
For more on these and other developments, see today’s edition of CMAX Advisory’s?Australian Weekly Report.
