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Health department examining reports of medicare rorts
ABC Radio is speaking to the health minister Mark Butler about the findings of an ABC and Nine papers investigation that up to $8bn is being defrauded each year from Medicare by health professionals including doctors. The story is one that Guardian Australia’s medical editor Melissa Davey brought to attention in May that gap fees often aren’t recorded.
The Australian Medical Association has said the claims are unjustified.
RN breakfast host Patricia Karvelas asks Butler which side he comes down on?
I want to come down on the side of truth obviously.
He says has asked his department for an analysis of Dr [Margaret] Faux’s PhD thesis, which is the basis of the ABC and Nine investigation.
He says has also requested a report on the current audit compliance and professional services review process.
He says the figure of $8bn “does seem extraordinarily high… it’s way out of whack with any other figure provided to government.” But he says he is taking it seriosuly.
Echuca community keep spirits high at evacuation centre
With the community of Echuca told to evacuate, residents have been preparing their homes and moving to evacuation centres.
ABC Radio has shared the heartwarming story of Margie who celebrated her 83rd birthday with the entire centre singing Happy Birthday to her.
Did not expect myself to get slightly emotional so early in the morning but then @RNBreakfast reported on people at the Echuca flood evacuation centre singing happy birthday to Margie who turned 83 after her home was damaged, and, well… 🥲
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) October 17, 2022
Rising Murray River puts towns on edge
Residents in Victoria’s north are building walls from sandbags to protect thousands of homes as the Murray River rises, AAP reports.
Evacuation warnings are in place for people in Echuca and other towns along the river, with the Murray expected to peak from Wednesday. Emergency services are concerned the river levels could exceed the 94.77 metres recorded in Echuca during the 1993 floods.
People in the northern Victorian town spent most of Monday building a makeshift sandbag levy in an effort to protect thousands of homes and businesses. More than 1000 Echuca properties were already inundated with floodwaters on Sunday after the Campaspe River broke its banks.
There are also concerns the rural town of Kerang, about 95 kilometres northwest of Echuca, will become isolated due to floodwaters. Major flooding at Kerang along the Loddon River is expected overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday, with the water forecast to peak around the January 2011 peak soon after.
A sandbag levee is expected to help keep the majority of the town dry but it could be cut off for up to seven days, Victoria’s State Emergency Service warned.
A warning has also been issued for the Wimmera River, with Horsham residents told major flooding is possible on Tuesday.
Four-day inquiry into anti-corruption bill begins today
The government’s proposed national anti-corruption commission (Nacc) bill will come under examination as public hearings into the legislation start in Canberra today and will continue to Friday.
The Labor senator Linda White is chairing the parliamentary committee with the independent MP Helen Haines as deputy.
White said she wanted to hear as many voices as possible during the hearings, while Haines said there had been strong community interest in the bill.
The attorney general Mark Dreyfus introduced the legislation into the lower house and said he wanted it passed by Christmas. He said the body would bring trust and integrity back into politics after years of lies and rorts.
Our aim is to create a lasting body, one that not only causes our government to be better, but all future governments to be better too.
The bill will set aside $262m over four years for the independent body to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the commonwealth public sector.
The committee will hand down its report by 10 November.
The opposition has provided in-principle support for the commission, but leader Peter Dutton says he’s waiting on the committee’s report before making a final determination.
For those following along at home here is the witness list for today’s hearing into the Federal anti-corruption commission. Whistleblower protections, the test for public hearings, jurisdiction over third parties and the role of politicians are all in play today ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/hr0mJlqvrT
— David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) October 17, 2022
– with AAP
You can read more about the Greens’ concerns about the bill from my colleague Paul Karp:
Widespread rain forecast for the coming eight days
Good morning! Natasha May now on deck with you.
Guardian Australia’s economics correspondent (and weather enthusiast) Peter Hannam has shared this image from the Bureau of Meteorology which shows the rain isn’t going away any time soon.
Outlook continues to look grim for more widespread rain over the coming 8 days. And of course, this won’t be the last bout of rain with a lot more expected before this ‘classic’ La Nina/negative Indian Ocean Dipole is done. (Source: @BOM_au ) pic.twitter.com/sQIXqjxEmV
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) October 17, 2022
PM meeting with Singapore counterpart over decarbonisation push
Daniel Hurst
A green economy agreement between Australia and Singapore will be top of the agenda when Anthony Albanese meets with his counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in Canberra today.
The two prime ministers had dinner at the Lodge last night before their formal meeting today:
We were so pleased to welcome Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee to Canberra tonight.
I look forward to discussing how we can strengthen the ties between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/su1nguOm5w
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) October 17, 2022
They are expected to hold a press conference this afternoon, when they are likely to announce the signing of a deal to reduce barriers between the two countries in environmental goods and services as part of the push to decarbonise their economies. The agreement is expected to include a number of elements, including harmonising labelling standards for green certification.
And some of the key headlines from around the world:
In other news around Australia:
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to the Guardian Australia’s live news blog for Tuesday 18 October. Natasha May will be in shortly to take you through the morning, but here’s an update on the continuing flood emergency in Victoria.
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