In his first national cabinet, Anthony Albanese agreed to a three month extension of pandemic-related health arrangements and revealed urgent action on visas.
The federal government will continue paying the states 50 per cent of the extra medical costs associated with the pandemic for another three months, in a goodwill gesture by Anthony Albanese at his first national cabinet meeting as prime minister.
Mr Albanese said the decision to extend the temporary funding arrangement from September to December recognised there were almost 3000 people in hospital with COVID-19. National cabinet also agreed to establish a First Secretaries Group, chaired by Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis, to review health funding and the operation of the hospital system.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was a “refreshing change to be able to discuss health” at national cabinet, while NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet described the meeting as “refreshingly collaborative”.The prime minister also flagged on Friday urgent action to address Australia’s crippling visa backlog.is set to further blow out already stretched visa waiting times and heap more pressure on businesses waiting on the arrival of workers and tourists.
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