Rating agency S&P Global has affirmed Australia’s AAA credit rating, citing Australia’s strong economic recovery from the pandemic and track record of sound economic and fiscal management. Australia remains one of just nine countries to hold a AAA credit rating from the three major rating agencies. After balancing the Budget for the first time in 11 years, Australia entered the crisis from a position of strength that provided it with the capacity to respond to the crisis.

Free Use of Aboriginal Flag Secured for All
The Aboriginal Flag is now freely available for public use after the Morrison Government completed negotiations with Harold Thomas, with the copyright transferred to the Commonwealth. The Aboriginal Flag will now be managed in a similar manner to the Australian National Flag, where its use is free, but must be presented in a respectful and dignified way. In reaching this agreement to resolve the copyright issues, all Australians can freely display and use the flag to celebrate Indigenous culture. 

Backing our Queensland Communities with Reef Investment
The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1 billion in protecting the Great Barrier Reef while supporting 64,000 Queenslanders and their jobs which drive the Reef economy. The new funding will back world-leading marine science, the deployment of new climate adaptation technology, major investments in water quality programs, on-the-ground projects with Traditional Owners and state of the art on-water management practices to reduce threats from Crown of Thorns Starfish, protect key species and prevent illegal fishing. 

More headspace Centres on the Way
One in four young Australians are affected by a mental health illness every year, and as we continue to battle COVID-19 it’s more important than ever that we prioritise mental health. That is why the Morrison Government is providing an additional $44 million to increase access and reduce wait times at headspace services across Australia. We encourage Primary Health Networks across the nation to apply for up to $1.8 million each in wait-time-reduction grants. In addition, grants of up to $940,000 are available for capital and infrastructure improvements to existing headspace services.