mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for higher education providers
Clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic
As health service providers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, some student
placements have been paused or cancelled. The Australian Government, the
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), national boards and
accreditation authorities, want to encourage student placements to continue
where this is safe and possible, recognising that health services and
supervising clinicians will need to balance the risks and benefits to students
and the health workforce.
A set of principles for student clinical education have ben
developed to help guide these decisions.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for higher education providers
Higher Education Relief Package
On 12 April 2020, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, the Minister for Education and
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and
Family Business, announced the Higher Education Relief Package.
The package will support workers displaced by the COVID-19 crisis to upskill
or retrain, and support universities and other higher education providers to
continue teaching
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for international students
Support and wellbeing
Access to superannuation for international students
On 4 April 2020 , the Government announced international students who have
been in Australia for longer than 12 months and who find themselves in
financial hardship during the coronavirus crisis will be able to access their
Australian superannuation.
For more information see the
announcement.
Health and wellbeing support
To find out how you can seek help if you are experiencing distress, anxiety or
concern as an international student as a result of COVID-19, read the Support
for international students affected by coronavirus fact sheet.

Support for international students affected by coronavirus
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for job seekers
Jobs Hub
In this rapidly changing jobs market the Australian Government is supporting
businesses and those Australians looking for work.
While many businesses have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and are
reducing their workforces, there are some areas of the economy which have an
increased demand for workers.
This includes jobs in health and care sectors, transport and logistics, some
areas of retail, mining and mining services, manufacturing, agriculture and
government sectors, among others.
The Jobs Hub helps you find advertised vacancies.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for job seekers
Exisiting job seekers
If you are a current job seeker or participant, this fact sheet provides
important information about mutual obligation requirements, appointments with
your provider, and what to do if you are self-isolating:

Information for job seekers and participants

If you are participating in the ParentsNext program, this fact sheet provides
important information about your activities and appointments.


Information for ParentsNext participants


ParentsNext participants Frequently Asked Questions


If you are a New Business Assistance with NEIS participant, these Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) provides information about accessing the Coronavirus
Supplement and what support is available during this time:

New Business Assistance with NEIS participants - Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a New Business Assistance with NEIS provider, these Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) provides information about supporting NEIS participants
during the Coronavirus situation.

New Business Assistance with NEIS providers – Frequently Asked Questions

*[NEIS]: New Enterprise Incentive Scheme
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for job seekers
Mutual obligation requirements for job seekers will recommence, in a limited capacity, from Tuesday 9 June 2020
Mutual obligation requirements for job seekers will recommence, in a limited
capacity, from Tuesday 9 June 2020.
During this period, suspensions and financial penalties will not apply.
Mutual obligation requirements remain suspended up to and including Monday 8
June 2020 to ensure job seekers and employment service providers are given
time to prepare for the new arrangements.
From Tuesday 9 June 2020 job seekers will be required to undertake at least
one appointment with their employment services provider. This can be done
online or over the phone.
Job seekers are encouraged to maintain contact with their employment services
provider at this time to ensure they are aware of opportunities available for
training, upskilling or employment.
Special circumstances exemptions will continue to be available from Services
Australia for job seekers who require them.
Sole traders and those who are self-employed will continue to be exempted from
requirements to allow them to work to re-establish their business.
These arrangements are supporting Australians through the challenges presented
by COVID-19.
Details of further changes to mutual obligation requirements will be made
available in the coming weeks.
You can also visit jobactive.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
AHPPC Statement: Risk management for re-opening Boarding Schools and School-based Residential Colleges
On 1 May 2020, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)
released health advice for the re-
opening of boarding schools and school-based residential colleges. This advice
is designed to assist boarding and school-based residential colleges to plan
for the safe re-opening of their facilities and lower the risk of transmission
of COVID-19 in these settings.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
Reducing potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools
On 24 April 2020 , the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee
(AHPPC) released health advice in relation to
reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. This
practical guidance and advice has been prepared for school leaders engaging
with children, parents, teachers and support staff to reduce even further the
relatively low risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in schools during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
This updated advice supersedes the advice issued on 16 April 2020.
You can read more on the Department of
Health’s website.
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment has developed a series of
posters with information and tips for school staff, high school and secondary
school students, and primary school students on how to minimise the risk of
COVID-19 transmission in schools. The posters may be downloaded and printed
for use in schools.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Help stop the spread – resource for teachers and
school staff
Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Help stop the spread – resource for primary school
students
Coronavirus (COVID¬-19) — Help stop the spread – resources for high school
and secondary school students
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
Senior secondary arrangements and university admissions
On 7 April 2020 the Education Council
met by teleconference to discuss options for senior secondary arrangements and
university admissions. The council agreed that students will be able to
achieve a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education this year, and that
certificate will facilitate access to university, further education and
employment. The Council also endorsed a set of national principles to be
considered by the National Cabinet to support continued delivery of high-
quality school education for all students during COVID-19. For more
information read the Council’s
Communique.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
Information about 
Education Ministers met on 20 March 2020 and decided that NAPLAN will not
proceed in 2020. The NAPLAN test window was scheduled to be held from 12 to 22
May.
The decision to not proceed with NAPLAN in 2020 has been taken to assist
school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of
students and continuity of education, including potential online and remote
learning. Further, the impact of responses to the COVID-19 virus may affect
the delivery of NAPLAN testing, including the operation of centralised marking
centres and the implications for nationally comparable data if an insufficient
number of students are available to do the test.
Further detail regarding this
decision
is available.
*[NAPLAN]: National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
New Research
The Australian Government commissioned six pieces of research to examine the
potential impact of remote learning from home on educational outcomes for
vulnerable cohorts of children, and barriers to access and evidence-based
actions to respond.

Professor Natalie Brown – The Peter Underwood Centre
Professor Geoff Masters – ACER
Professor Janet Clinton - Centre for Program Evaluation, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Professor Stephen Lamb – Centre for International Research on Education Systems
Professor Sarah O’Shea National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education
Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA FTSE FAHMS - Rapid Research Information Forum
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for schools and students
COVID-19 support available to non-government schools
The Government is providing assistance of up to $100,000 to help eligible
small and medium sized businesses and not-for profit organisations with their
cash flow so they can keep operating.

COVID-19 support for non-government schools

Early Access to Recurrent Funding
The Government will also bring forward the July 2020 recurrent school funding
payment for non-government schools that were providing a physical learning
environment for students from the commencement of Term 2, 2020 and at 2 May
had a plan to be open and delivering education in a standard classroom setting
by 1 June 2020. Non-government schools can find out more about this by
visiting the Schools Hub.
Families should continue to talk with their school about operational matters.
Special Circumstances – School Hygiene Assistance Fund
To help ensure non-government schools can put appropriate hygiene measures in
place, the Australian Government will provide an additional $10 million to
improve COVID-19 hygiene measures in non-government schools that plan to have
50 per cent of their students back in the classroom by 1 June 2020. Special
Circumstances funding will to help offset hygiene costs for items such as
soap, hand sanitiser, classroom cleaning products and additional cleaning that
may be required.
More information is available on the Special Circumstances - school hygiene
assistance page.
Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme - supporting the flow of credit
Allocation principles for the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme
The Commonwealth will initially allocate the majority of the total $40 billion
guaranteed loan allocation following an expression of interest process.
The Commonwealth may allocate the guaranteed loan allocation on the basis that
some or all of the allocation must be utilised, or expected to the utilised,
by a specified date.
For example, if a large lender were to seek a $8 billion allocation, the
Commonwealth may provide an allocation to a lender of:

$6 billion on an unconditional basis; plus
$2 billion on a conditional basis, to be available only if the unconditional component is utilised, or expected to utilised, over the six month period.

The Commonwealth will in its discretion re-allocate unused conditional
allocation amounts as required.
Lenders should provide information to Treasury which they consider appropriate
to support their application.
Treasury may request further information from lenders to support their
application. Lenders should be in a position to provide additional information
if requested, for instance:

the lender's expertise extending SME credit on an unsecured and secured basis;
the lender's organisational capacity to quickly extend SME credit (using current business portfolio size and market share as a proxies);
the implications of lender’s proposed allocation in terms of percentage and absolute growth in their business lending portfolio;
the lender’s financial strength and the robustness of the lender’s credit risk management framework; and
for mid-sized and smaller banks, and non-bank lenders, the lender’s ability to meet underserviced regional areas or other specific needs.

Non-bank lenders may submit expressions of interest. However, such
applications will be subject to additional scrutiny compared to bank lenders,
which are licenced and supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation
Authority (APRA).
The Commonwealth is unlikely to grant an allocation to non-bank lenders or
other entities with:

less than $50 million in assets, and/or
limited pre-existing SME lending experience.

The Commonwealth will make allocation decisions at its discretion, taking into
account:

the factors referenced above;
the total quantum of all lenders' requested allocation at that point in time;
the benefit of promoting competition by mid-sized and smaller banks, and non-bank lenders.

The Commonwealth will consult with APRA in relation to expressions of interest
received from ADIs.
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Business bankruptcy & insolvency
During these challenging and unprecedented times, some businesses may need to
close because they are no longer profitable or run out of money.
This can mean that employees lose their jobs, and in some cases where a
business is bankrupt or goes into insolvency, employers may not be able to pay
their employees the wages and entitlements they’re owed.
When an employer is bankrupt, or goes into liquidation or insolvency,
employees may be able to get help through the Fair Entitlements Guarantee.
Sometimes, an employer might close their business and abandon it without
placing it into liquidation. Where this happens, the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission (ASIC) may be able to help recover unpaid employment
entitlements.
More information:

Bankruptcy & liquidation
Fair Entitlements Guarantee
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Using paid leave
Employers and employees are encouraged to explore options that enable an
employee to take their accrued leave entitlements during the coronavirus
outbreak. Options include:

taking accrued annual leave
taking any other paid leave (such as long service leave or paid leave available under an award, enterprise agreement or employment contract)
directing employees to take accrued annual leave in certain circumstances
taking any other paid leave by agreement between the employee and the employer.

Employers may also choose to give employees extra paid leave that is above
their minimum entitlements for a period of time (e.g. instead of standing down
the employee without pay).
Under the new JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act, qualifying employers can
request an employee take paid annual leave, and agree with the employee for
them to take leave at half pay.
Learn more:

JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act
Pay and leave during coronavirus
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Using unpaid leave
In many circumstances, employees won’t have access to paid leave during the
coronavirus outbreak. For example, if they are permanent but have already used
all their accrued leave entitlements. In these situations, employers and
employees can agree for an employee to take unpaid leave.
Under the Fair Work Act, unpaid leave is also available for employees in
certain circumstances, such as unpaid carer’s leave for casual employees.
Learn more:

Pay and leave during coronavirus

More information:

Unpaid carer’s leave
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Standing down employees & business closures
Employers may be able to stand their employees down without pay during the
coronavirus outbreak for a number of different reasons. These can include
where:

the business has closed because of an enforceable government direction relating to non-essential services (which means there is no work at all for employees to do even from another location)
a large proportion of the workforce is in self-quarantine meaning the remaining employees can’t be usefully employed
there’s a stoppage of work due to lack of supply for which the employer can’t be held responsible
a ‘qualified employer’ is using a JobKeeper enabling stand down direction in accordance with the new temporary JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act.

Enterprise agreements and employment contracts can have different or extra
rules about when an employer can stand down an employee without pay, for
example, a requirement to notify or consult.
Employees that are stood down remain employed during the period of the stand
down.
Learn more about:

JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act
Stand down during coronavirus
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Ending employment
If other options have been exhausted, or if they aren’t feasible, some
employers may need to make their employees’ positions redundant in response to
a business downturn caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Where this happens,
employers must make sure they comply with any requirement to notify and
consult about the redundancies under an applicable award, enterprise
agreement, employment contract or workplace policy. They also need to make
reasonable efforts to find their employees other jobs either within the
business or within one of its associated entities.
They also need to provide those employees with their correct entitlements,
which may include notice, redundancy pay and payment of any accrued leave
entitlements.
The Fair Work Act protects employees from being dismissed for a number of
reasons, including:

because they are temporarily away from work because they are sick (such as with coronavirus)
discrimination
any reason that is harsh, unjust or unreasonable or another protected right.

Flexibility in the workplace allows employers and employees to make
arrangements about working conditions that suit them. Employers and employees
need to consider and comply with any requirements under the Fair Work Act, an
applicable award, enterprise agreement, employment contract or workplace
policy.
Learn more:

Ending employment and redundancy during coronavirus

Tools:

Notice and Redundancy Calculator
Coronavirus and Australian workplace laws
Arranging flexible work
There are a range of flexible working arrangements that employers and
employees can explore together that may suit their individual needs and
circumstances. These include:

working from home
changing the number of hours an employee works
changing the start or finish times of employees' shifts
changing patterns of work, such as rostering arrangements
changing the type of work done by employees.

Flexibility in the workplace allows employers and employees to make
arrangements about working conditions that suit them. Employers and employees
need to consider and comply with any requirements under the Fair Work Act, an
applicable award, enterprise agreement, employment contract or workplace
policy.
Under the new JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act, in certain
circumstances, qualifying employers can temporarily change employees’ usual
duties and locations of work, and agree with their employee to change days and
times of work.
Learn more about arranging flexible work during coronavirus:

JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act
Alternative work arrangements during coronavirus
Temporary changes to workplace laws during coronavirus

More information:

Flexibility in the workplace
Flexible working arrangements
Coronavirus and changes to bankruptcy laws
Impacts to people in a Debt Agreement
What can people in an active Debt Agreement do if they are affected by the
Coronavirus?
If you are in an active Debt Agreement and your circumstances have changed as
a result of the Coronavirus, you can contact your debt agreement administrator
to discuss your options, which may include submitting a possible variation
proposal.
For example, you may request that:

The payments you have made to date be accepted as the full payment (which would end the debt agreement)
The debt agreement to be extended for a specific period

For more information see What is a debt agreement?
Coronavirus and changes to bankruptcy laws
Impacts to people who are currently bankrupt
How will payments from the Coronavirus Economic Response Package affect people
in bankruptcy?

Economic support payments - are not claimable by your bankruptcy trustee as income or as an asset, regardless of whether you receive the payments before or after the date of bankruptcy.
COVID-19 supplement payments - are claimable by the trustee if you receive them before the date of bankruptcy and it remains in your bank account when you become bankrupt. During bankruptcy these payments are included in your after-tax income amount. If your after-tax income exceeds a set amount, you may have to make compulsory payments. For more information see Income and employment.

More information about these types of payment are available at Services
Australia.
Early access to superannuation – Should you receive payments from your
superannuation under the Coronavirus Economic Response Package, there is no
change to the way this payment is treated in bankruptcy. See Is my
superannuation affected? for details on
what happens to your super during bankruptcy. The Australian Taxation Office
has more information about super payments on their website at Early access to
your super.
Coronavirus and changes to bankruptcy laws
Seek free advice from a financial counsellor
You can get help from a free financial counsellor by contacting the National
Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
Financial counsellors provide free, independent and confidential advice to
help you manage your debts or negotiate with creditors.
Unlike financial planners or advisors, they do not provide investment advice
or recommend products. They do not receive commissions.
The National Debt Helpline website also has step-by-
step guides and useful information on how to deal with specific types of
debts.
Coronavirus and changes to bankruptcy laws
Temporary debt relief
On 25 March 2020, changes came into effect to support individuals and
businesses. The temporary debt relief measures include:

Six month temporary debt protection
Changes to bankruptcy notices
Impacts to people who are currently bankrupt

If you have been financially impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19), you may be
eligible to receive financial assistance - see the Services Australia website
Affected by
coronavirus for more information.
If your business has been impacted, you can find more information on the
business.gov.au website:

Coronavirus information and support for business – summary of all Australian Government information and support
Temporary relief for financially distressed businesses - temporary changes to bankruptcy and director liabilities for trading while insolvent

Six month temporary debt protection
We have increased the temporary debt protection period available for people in
financial difficulty from 21 days to six months. This protection now prevents
recovery action by unsecured creditors for a six month period.
You can use this time to:

Seek advice from a free financial counsellor - contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or see Where to find help.
Negotiate a payment plan with your creditors. You can do this yourself or authorise someone else to negotiate on your behalf.
Consider if any of the formal insolvency options would be right for you - see What are my options?

For more information see What is temporary debt
protection?
Changes to bankruptcy notices


We have increased the debt threshold required for creditors to apply for a bankruptcy notice against a debtor. The limit has increased from $5,000 to $20,000.


We have increased the timeframe for a debtor to respond to a Bankruptcy notice from 21 days to up to six months. This means that a creditor will have to wait until the six month period has passed before they can commence bankruptcy proceedings.


What happens to Bankruptcy Notices issued before 25 March 2020?
If the bankruptcy notice was issued before 25 March 2020, the debtor has 21
days to comply with the bankruptcy notice. For more information see
Bankruptcy notices.
These temporary measures will be available for six months.