AN INQUIRY into whether Australia should adopt Magnitsky-style laws to impose sanctions upon individuals who commit human rights abuses will hold its first public hearing this week, via teleconference.

Kevin Andrews MP, Chair of the Human Rights Sub-Committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, said the inquiry would continue despite the spread of COVID-19, using technology to enable witnesses and Sub-Committee Members to perform their roles while maintaining social distancing.

"It’s important that the Australian Parliament continue its work in these difficult times," Mr Andrews said.

"This teleconference hearing will enable the Human Rights Sub-committee to advance our inquiry. This is important work and we will be pressing on to deliver a comprehensive report later this year."

The public hearing will provide an opportunity for the Sub-committee to hear from human rights advocates and community groups.

"These groups have overwhelmingly expressed their support for Australia to expand its targeted sanction laws and give the Australian Government more options in dealing with human rights violators," Mr Andrews said.

In light of the current circumstances arising from the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Sub-committee will be holding its public hearings via teleconference until further notice.

Due to the current circumstances the Sub-committee is continuing to take submissions. To make a submission, contact the Secretariat on 02 6277 2312 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Public hearing details

Date: Tuesday 31 March 2020
Time: 9am – 1.15pm
Location: Via teleconference

The hearing will be streamed at aph.gov.au/live.

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THE Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) is aware that unscrupulous operators have already begun targeting super fund members and offering to assist them in taking up the new early release super measures announced last Sunday.

The new measures – part of the Federal Government’s Coronavirus economic support package – allow qualifying individuals suffering financial hardship to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in 2019-20 and a further $10,000 in 2020-21.

AIST CEO Eva Scheerlinck said everybody needed to be on their guard if they receive unsolicited calls about their superannuation.

“Unfortunately, as we’ve seen before with any early release super measure, there are unscrupulous operators who take advantage of people in financial hardship either through outright fraud in an attempt to steal their super or by offering unnecessary services for which a fee is charged,” Ms Scheerlinck said.

“The ATO is managing the new early-release process though its MyGov website. There is no need to involve a third party and there are no fees involved.”

“Nor is there a need to panic and rush through an application. Anyone who is considering applying for early release superannuation under the new financial hardship provisions should be aware the scheme does not commence until mid-April.”

Ms Scheerlinck suggested that, in the interim, those who were planning to apply through MyGov for early release should firstly ensure their personal details were up to date by visiting their super fund’s website.

AIST is urging people suffering financial hardship to explore all the various Government income-support measures available before accessing their superannuation through an early release measure, which should be a last resort.

Any suspicious behaviour relating to superannuation can be reported to Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) through its online complaint form.

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THE Australian Government has been urged to acquire the soon-to-be retired ship Aurora Australis to address critical shortages of food and other essential supplies on Norfolk Island, which has been placed in isolation to avoid an outbreak of COVID-19.

The Aurora, affectionately known as the 'Orange Roughy', this week returned from its final voyage for the Australian Antarctic Division where it delivered 12 months worth of cargo, food and fuel to remote Macquarie Island.

Norfolk Island is dealing with a growing crisis following the loss of one of two vessels that previously supplied the island, along with a massive reduction in air travel, resulting in chronic shortages of food, stock feed, building materials, and other essential supplies needed by the island’s 1800 residents.

With no port, and without the ability to handle containerised freight, the island has been left dependent on a single small vessel sailing once every two months from Auckland. For the limited goods that are supplied, freight costs have led to the doubling of prices compared with mainland Australia.

The Maritime Union of Australia argues the Aurora Australis is uniquely suited to addressing the crisis facing Norfolk Island. Not only does it have the capacity to carry 1790 cubic metres of non-containerised break bulk cargo, along with an additional deck capacity for 700 tonnes of containerised freight, but it has three decades of experience delivering supplies to remote locations.

The vessel can also carry and transfer nearly two million litres of fuel, meaning it would be able to provide all the fuel needed by vehicles, heavy machinery, and the airport on Norfolk Island.

MUA assistant national secretary Ian Bray, who spent two decades as a merchant seafarer including several years on the Aurora Australis, said the union believed the vessel should be urgently acquired by the Australian Government, with an initial mission to deliver essential supplies to Norfolk Island.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the isolation of Norfolk Island, the community was already in crisis, with supermarket shelves bare, local contractors unable to get supplies, and farmers running critically low on stock feed and other essential supplies,” Mr Bray said.

“The island has seen a reduction of more than 75 percent in the amount of freight arriving, while the cost of many products that are available more than double the price of mainland Australia due to a complex arrangement that requires them to be shipped to Auckland before they can be forwarded to Norfolk Island.

“There are very few appropriate vessels capable of delivering break bulk cargo to remote locations, but the retirement of the Aurora Australis provides a unique opportunity for the Australian Government to acquire a ship that is perfectly suited to Norfolk Island’s unique needs," he said.

“Now that it has returned from Macquarie Island, the Aurora should be immediately acquired with the initial task of undertaking a series of supply runs to Norfolk Island to rectify the critical shortages that are crippling the island’s economy and causing substantial hardship for residents.”

Mr Bray said the government acquisition of the Aurora Australis would not only provide a lifeline to Norfolk Island and other remote island territories, it would also allow the creation of a maritime emergency response capacity following natural disasters.

“For less than $10 million dollars, the Australian Government could purchase the Aurora, undertake maintenance and minor modifications, and have it in action as an emergency response vessel ahead of the next bushfire season,” he said.

“The Aurora could respond when natural disasters such as bushfires, cyclones and floods isolate or devastate coastal communities, arriving with fuel, food, fresh water, and a functional hospital.

“Specialist emergency vessels usually come with eye-watering price tags, but the Aurora provides a unique opportunity to acquire a vessel perfectly suited to this role, with proven capability and reliability, at a fraction of the cost.

“The Aurora is able to deliver essential supplies in challenging conditions to some of the most remote locations on earth. It is simply too valuable a vessel to lose from the Australian coastline.”

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THE CARAVAN Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) is calling on State Governments to review sweeping orders in some states forcing caravan park closures that will see self-contained cabin accommodation ideally suited for the management of the spread of COVID-19 sit empty.

ciaa ceo Stuart Lamont said caravan parks located in most rural and regional centres provide valuable and appropriate accommodation options for essential workers and yet these are being unnecessarily shut down, costing jobs and livelihoods.

“There are very clear instructions from various governments looking to stop the rapid rise of COVID-19 and to protect the public from community transmission.  This is something as an industry we are committed to, and can put measures in place to address this,” Mr Lamont said.

“We support the need for swift action, but in the haste, public policy has not accounted for the unique and diverse accommodation options available within caravan parks.

"Caravan parks in many cases make most of their revenue from cabin accommodation. Cabins are as self-contained as accommodation comes; they have ensuites, kitchens and independent air-conditioning systems.  

"In many cases they resemble homes rather than studios which are commonplace amongst other forms of accommodation, with multiple living spaces, and that is why they are the accommodation of choice for many contracted workers undertaking important work in regional communities.

“Unlike hotels and motels which in some jurisdictions have been allowed to continue operating, there are no shared hallways or elevators. Caravan parks are generally spacious gated communities within nature, where you can park directly alongside your cabin – they are ideal for self-isolation,” Mr Lamont said.

Australia’s tourism industry has been crippled by the summer bushfires, and COVID-19 has dealt the industry an even more devastating blow.

The majority of caravan park businesses are owned by Australian families, and this directive will see many of these businesses close, putting so many regional Australians out of jobs – unnecessarily.

“While we understand that many industries are suffering due to necessary restrictions, this decision has been made without a proper understanding of what a caravan or holiday park actually is," Mr Lamont said.

“Along with cabins, these parks also provide a safe space for motorhomes and caravans which have on-board bathroom and cooking facilities, and without the need for common amenities.  There are estimated nearly 80,000 caravanners on the road across Australia right now and through closing caravan parks these people will be forced to find public places to park their vans and unreasonably travel from place to place, with no way of knowing where they’ve come from, where they’re going or who they’ve been in contact with.  This is completely contrary to the health objectives that governments are trying to achieve.” 

“There’s also a strange contradiction occurring with State Governments – we’ve seen a surge in demand from departments making cabin bookings for patients, staff and clients while the very same agencies are trying to shut us down,” Mr Lamont said..

“Caravan Industry Association of Australia is appealing to governments to provide clarification that self-contained accommodation within caravan parks be permissible within current restrictions. For tens of dozens of tourism operators, this determination will be the difference between weathering this storm and being forced to close their business permanently.”

There are estimated to be 13,500 cabins in NSW parks, 7,500 cabins in Victorian parks and 750 cabins in Tasmanian parks, all of which will be de-commissioned as a result of the new rules. These cabins alone could provide vital self-isolation accommodation to Australians during this unprecedented time.

“We absolutely support and agree that non-essential travel should not occur at this time, however for accommodating essential travellers, as well as providing appropriate and managed accommodation for those already on the road and unable to get home, caravan parks have the record keeping ability and social distancing practices to be a practical part of the solution, not accentuating the problem," Mr Lamont said.

"This is consistent with the Federal Government’s objective of keeping people in work wherever possible and the national cabinet’s determination to manage the health and economic fall out concurrently.”

The Victorian, New South Wales and Tasmanian Governments have directed caravan parks to close to all except permanent residents and those with no place of residence.

www.caravanindustry.com.au

About CIAA

The Australian caravan and camping sector employs 53,000 Australians across manufacturing, retail, repair and service, and caravan parks – both short and long term. As the quiet giant of the tourism industry, it is worth $23 billion to the Australian economy. There are 36,000 cabins in caravan parks across Australia.

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