Farmers promised more fertiliser imports

Australian farmers are being promised more fertiliser imports under a deal struck between the federal government and two major companies, aimed at securing supplies in response to a global bottleneck, AAP reports.

The federal government has reached an agreement with chemical companies CSBP and Incitec Pivot, to underwrite the financial risk importing fertiliser from overseas.

The deal was struck using the government’s strategic reserve powers – designed to shore up supplies of crude oil, fuel and fertiliser, which have been impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Much of the world’s fertiliser usually travels through the key waterway, and the Iran war has sent prices for the crucial agricultural commodity soaring.

Under the new agreement, government funds will effectively be put up as insurance for importers who are facing rapid, volatile price changes because of the war.

Reversal on co-payments for showering and dressing help came after listening to older Australians, aged care minister says

Sam Rae, the minister for aged care, said the system for older Australians needed to be “sustainable for generations to come”, saying government reform was centred on creating a robust program.

Rae spoke to RN Breakfast, saying the government had listened to older people when it decided to reverse controversial changes that have required some co-payments for “independent support” for home care, including help with showering and dressing. The change, which costs some older Australians up to $50 an hour for basic care, began in November. The co-payments will no longer apply from October this year.

Rae said:

We’ve always said through this generational reform process that we’d listen to older people and we’d respond to their experiences. … What they’ve made clear is that they want showering and dressing.

We’ve got a $40 billion aged care system … and it needs to be sustainable for generations to come. And that’s what this reform process has been about. … We can’t be in a situation where we’re making a promise to the people of Australia about the dignity that they’ll receive through the aged care system if we can’t deliver on it and we can’t keep it sustainable.

Thousands of traffic fines linked to AI cameras withdrawn in WA

Officials in Western Australia have withdrawn thousands of AI-camera traffic fines for seatbelt misuse in the six months since the technology went live in the nation’s largest state, Australian Associated Press reports, but the government will press ahead with more of the controversial devices.

More than 53,000 seatbelt infringements worth more than $29m have been issued to Western Australian drivers since the cameras went live in early October.

The state’s transport department has withdrawn about 2,050 of those, meaning about $1m in fines have been waived.

But WA police and road safety minister, Reece Whitby, told ABC Radio yesterday that the cameras were saving lives and the system was working.

These new safety cameras have actually changed [driver] behaviour … on our roads. We’re seeing offences being picked up at a scale we’ve not seen before because the cameras actually look down into the [vehicle] cabin. That’s a good thing.

Less than 4% of all seatbelt fines issued had been withdrawn, he said, and the vast majority of fines are accurate.

A total of 3,381 fines were appealed and about 60% of those were cancelled.

Drivers are unhappy about the cameras with some caught multiple times for the same offence.

The road safety commissioner would conduct a review of all infringements issued across the state, Whitby said, but AI traffic cameras would continue to be rolled out.

Greens say community has ‘no confidence’ proposed savings from NDIS will help disabled Australians

Jordon Steele-John, the Greens’ spokesperson for disability inclusion, said there is “no confidence” in the community regarding proposed savings from the NDIS, set to be revealed by health minister Mark Butler today.

Steele-John told RN Breakfast this morning:

People cannot understand, quite rightly, in my opinion, why a government facing a budget, which is ultimately always about choices, would choose to cut their services rather than make the gas exporters pay their fair share of tax, tax Gina Rinehart or Clive Palmer a bit more, or maybe … buy one fewer submarine from Donald Trump rather than take away their ability to connect with their community or get the absolute basics they need to live.

Steele-John went on to say disabled people and their families are “sick of being used as political footballs”.

We’re in a situation right now where the state government is saying we cost too much. The federal government is saying we cost too much. And in the middle are disabled people and our families who will end up receiving less services and support. We will end up without the supports that we need to live.

And while we’re on the subject of a tax on gas exports, check out more on the views coming out of Labor’s environment action network (Lean).