COVID-19 has revealed deep social fault lines within countries -- with the poor, those dealing with casual employment, high levels of debt, poorer access to health and social services, and social marginalisation also most devastated by the impact of the pandemic.

In the US, African Americans are dying at a greater rate than white people while in many rich countries like Australia, governments have provided income support for people who have lost or are at risk of losing their jobs, but in low and middle income countries, such support isn’t available.

Professor Fran Baum, director of the Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity at Flinders University, said recovery from the pandemic provides an opportunity to address the inequitable distribution of power, money and resources with transformative goals which require a social vaccine.

"A social vaccine is a metaphor designed to shift the dominant biomedical orientation of the health sector towards the underlying distal factors that cause disease and suffering," Prof. Baum said. "Such a vaccine would be applied to populations rather than individuals. It will also have to be applied in multiple sectors that affect health, including education, employment, welfare and housing.

“It comprises government and other institutional policies that aim to keep people well and mitigate the structural drivers of inequities in daily living conditions, which make people and communities vulnerable to disease and trauma.”

In an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia today, Prof. Baum explained the target of the social vaccine would be the conditions that underpin four basic requirements for global health and equity to flourish:

• a life with security;
• opportunities that are fair;
• a planet that is habitable and supports biodiversity; and
• governance that is just.

Prof. Baum said biological vaccines require an efficient supply chain to ensure their delivery and effectiveness so in a similar way, the delivery of public policies at the heart of a social vaccine require considerable civil society advocacy to ensure their development and effective implementation.

“With or without a vaccine, the COVID-19 pandemic will come to an end at some point, but the inequities highlighted by it will remain unless a social vaccine is developed and applied," Prof. Baum said.

“A global social vaccine will enable a new way of living that is healthy, just, convivial and sustainable, and will inoculate future society against a return to a world growing increasingly less healthy, sustainable and equal.”

www.flinders.edu.au

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THE Australian non-alcoholic drinks industry has launched an ambitious post-coronavirus recovery agenda to complement the Australian Government’s pro-growth and pro-jobs policies, identifying nine key areas for positive change, to help business and the wider economy get back on their feet quickly.

Underpinned by a commitment to support widespread economic rebuilding and recovery, the report compiled by KPMG Australia details a number of proposals that have broad appeal beyond the drinks industry, including harmonisation of Container Deposit Schemes [CDS], incentivising key groups to meet sustainability goals, increasing recycling infrastructure, reforming the tax system, simplifying the industrial relations system and improving energy policy.

"As the drinks manufacturing and supply industry continues to adapt to the challenges caused by the coronavirus, the industry will continue to be focussed on more efficient use of resources through more sustainable practices and by minimising its environmental footprint," Australian Beverages Council chief executive officer, Geoff Parker said.

"This will be achieved in partnership with governments through targeted action. As a priority, governments must ramp up the harmonisation of CDS and fast-track the development of reprocessing and remanufacturing infrastructure to handle post-consumer beverage containers and other waste here in Australia to close the domestic loop," Mr Parker said.

The KPMG policy report identifies the potential in extending CDS to all sectors that use and generate recyclable waste that would lead not only to higher job creation, but contribute to a more efficient and well-functioning national recycling industry in Australia.

"Where possible, steps should be taken to increase the efficiency of existing and planned infrastructure, including CDS that is found in, or planned, for every State and Territory," Mr Parker said.

"The drinks industry supports the Australian Government’s focus on creating incentives and infrastructure at every step of the waste supply chain," Mr Parker said.

The KPMG report also highlights high and volatile energy costs borne by businesses across the country, which negatively affects the manufacturing sector, reduces the competitiveness of Australian industry and makes sectors particularly vulnerable during times of crisis.

"There is broad recognition by the industry of the government’s efforts to transition towards renewable energy, but there is also a need for increased incentives to adopt sustainable energy and co-generation schemes that focus on reliability and efficiency of energy supply as highlighted in the KPMG report," Mr Parker said.

The Australian Government is supporting the non-alcoholic drinks industry’s initiative in proposing key reforms and commitment to minimise its environmental footprint even further while investing in infrastructure that provides economic, environmental and social benefits to communities across the nation.

"This report is very welcome and timely, and more industries should be thinking about the many opportunities that exist to capitalise on the Morrison Government’s strong commitment to supporting the circular economy," Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, Trevor Evans said.

"The partnership between industry and the Morrison Government is a clear sign that collaborative solutions are available to support economic recovery while meeting sustainability objectives."

The Australian Beverages Council said it would continue to consult widely with a range of industry and government stakeholders to increase understanding of the proposed reforms.

"The non-alcoholic drinks industry welcomes other sectors to join the Australian Beverages Council in supporting long-term reform and commitment to the economic recovery of Australia following the pandemic," Mr Parker said..

The full policy report can be found here.

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PEAK lodging Industry body, the Accommodation Association, has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement of a $3 billion support package of cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support as a much needed step in the right direction.

The Association has also thanked the Victorian Government for acknowledging the fact that Victoria’s hospitality businesses were “the bedrock of our economy, but right now, many are going through a tough time” and thanked them for the establishment of a $251 million dedicated Licence Venue Fund with additional relief via the waiving of liquor licence fees for 2021.

Accommodation Association CEO Dean Long said, “Our member hotels, motels and accommodation providers have been incredibly hard hit by COVID travel restrictions, border closures and the Victorian lockdown provisions. While we are still to work our way through the detail of today’s announcement, the Premier’s acknowledgement of the importance of our sector and the perilous reality we are now find ourselves in through no fault of our own is very welcome indeed..

“Fixed costs are driving hotels, motels and accommodation providers and  businesses right around Australia to the wall and we need relief there too.

“Our people, particularly those people and properties on the frontline supporting the government’s mandatory isolation program, are doing it incredibly tough and I know from the calls and emails received today that they too are very grateful for the acknowledgement," Mr Long said.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with government to find the way forward that strikes the best balance between protecting people’s health while also protecting their jobs and businesses.”

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WELD AUSTRALIA has partnered with Gotcha4Life to help build the mental fitness of Australia’s welders.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between 15 and 44 years of age, and men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. Workers in construction and other trades - including welding - are even more at risk. Tradies are 70 percent more likely to die by suicide than their behind-the-desk counterparts. This means that every second day an Australian tradie takes their own life.

Despite these alarming statistics, mental health definitely isn’t something that tradies talk about at smoko or after knocking off. Weld Australia and Gotcha4Life believe that, together, they can strengthen the emotional muscle to help build strong social connections, which in turn develops the resilience required to deal better with the challenges that life throws at us.

Gotcha4Life’s founder, Gus Worland, said, “Gotcha4Life’s vision is focused on a society where people are open, honest and supportive in their relationships and comfortable to express themselves when they are not ok. A society in which everyone has a Gotcha4Life mate who they can open up to and rely on no matter what.”

“Weld Australia's commitment to building this mental fitness amongst their members ties in perfectly with our aspirations and we’re so excited to be partnering."

According to Weld Australia’s chief executive officer, Geoff Crittenden, Weld Australia has made supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its members and the wider welding community a priority, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—partnering with Gotcha4Life was a natural extension of this.

“Weld Australia is proud to partner with Gotcha4Life," Mr Crittenden said. "Mental fitness is a complex issue and there is no one simple solution. However, it’s clear that Australian tradies, including welders, need more support. The statistics around suicide and tradies are frightening, and we recognise how important it is for us to take a leadership role in helping to spread awareness and education in the welding community.

“It’s vital that we work together, that we back one another, and that we remove the stigma associated with mental health issues. Remember: it’s okay not to be okay,” he said.

Gotcha4Life is a not-for-profit foundation that believes in the concept of 'prevention through connection' and raises awareness of the importance of identifying a close friend in life, someone you can speak openly and honestly to when times are tough.

Gotcha4Life enables this connection by funding educational workshops and training programs that build mental fitness in individuals and communities across Australia, to enable strong, open and binding relationships.

To do this, Gotcha4Life partners with programs such as Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman, Man Anchor and Rural Outreach Counselling to help build emotional muscle in communities across the country. 

Lifeline has 24 hour crisis support available on 13 11 14. 

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