What we learned today, Thursday 7 March
And with that, I am going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Victoria police arrested and charged a 22-year-old man in relation to the disappearance of the Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy more than one month ago.
The Australian soldier who was in a serious condition after a parachuting incident last night has died, the Australian Defence Force has confirmed.
The family of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, who died last May after allegedly being Tasered by police in an aged care home, has reached a confidential settlement in their civil case against the NSW government.
Bankwest has announced it will be closing all of its branches and going digital.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said Labor had to “find room in the budget” for its superannuation initiative.
Gallagher also launched Australia’s first national strategy to achieve gender equality, Working for Women.
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, said he wouldn’t consider it racist if he were called a “stupid white bastard”, the comment that got the Matildas footballer Sam Kerr into legal trouble.
National progress on Closing the Gap on Indigenous life outcomes is improving, but several crucial indicators are not getting better and in some cases are getting worse.
The climate and energy minister, Chris Bowen, said lifting Australia’s nuclear ban would prompt a decade-long regulatory overhaul.
The Australian financial crime watchdog has commenced a formal enforcement investigation into global betting giant Bet365 over allegations it did not comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws.
Virgin has announced its intention to become Australia’s first airline to operate flights with pets on board, as part of a plan unveiled today.
The sentencing date for the former army lawyer David McBride has been pushed back to May following a dispute over sentencing submissions.
Tesla is quitting Australia’s main auto industry lobby group and has asked the consumer watchdog to investigate what it says are the organisation’s “demonstrably false claims” about the impact of the Albanese government’s clean car policy.
The prominent ex-Victorian MP Fiona Patten has officially called time on her political career after moving to wind up her party.
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, gave a stern rebuke to western countries about the response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, saying the “gut-wrenching tragedy” had “laid bare the self-serving nature” of the much-vaunted international rules-based order.
The Queensland Greens MP Michael Berkman said a report clearing him of contempt while comparing his actions to those of congressmen who celebrated the storming of the US Capitol building on January 6 is “offensive in the extreme”.
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Family of Clare Nowland reach settlement over alleged Tasering death
The family of Clare Nowland, who died last May after being allegedly Tasered by police in an aged care home, has reached a confidential settlement in their civil case against the NSW government.
The Nowland family sued the government over the alleged actions of police while the 95-year-old was still fighting for her life in hospital, and continued the case after her death after the Tasering incident caused her to fall and hit her head.
The family’s lawyer, Sam Tierney, said in a statement:
The Estate of the late Mrs Clare Nowland confirms that the District Court proceedings against the State of New South Wales have been discontinued on confidential terms.
The Estate and Nowland family will not be making any further comments at this time in view of the ongoing criminal proceedings involving Kristian White.
White will face trial in the NSW supreme court, and the officer’s solicitor has indicated the senior constable would plead not guilty to manslaughter.
White is alleged to have used a stun gun on Nowland at an aged care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma in the early hours of 17 May 2023. Nowland, who weighed 43kg and lived with dementia, was confronted while using a walking frame and holding a steak knife.
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Big fine for man who illegally cleared wetlands to build a road to his property
One of the world’s most important ecosystems may take years to recover after a man illegally cleared wetlands to build a road to his property, AAP reports.
The Townsville man has been fined almost $145,000 for destroying more than 19,000 square metres of Bowling Green Bay national park in north Queensland.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said the man had been told he could not interfere with the national park and its protected wetlands.
Yet he proceeded to clear an area the equivalent of “almost three football stadiums-worth” of the national park’s Cape Cleveland section near Townsville.
The department said the man destroyed thousands of mangrove trees between October 2019 and June 2020 to build the 2km road from his property to Alligator Creek.
He also used a combination of earth, rocks, concrete, bricks and used pipes to build a boat ramp and several causeways across creeks.
It not only caused further harm to the national park but also blocked tidal water flow to the Cleveland Bay declared fish habitat area.
“The damage that has been wilfully done to these wetlands will take years to fully recover and could create flow-on affects to wider ecosystems including the Great Barrier Reef – it’s heartbreaking,” said Craig Dunk of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Bowling Green Bay national park’s wetlands are among five Queensland sites listed as an “ecological area of international importance”.
It provides a habitat for threatened species such as green, loggerhead and flatback turtles as well as migratory shorebirds.
Known also for its diverse fish and crustacean populations, many species depend on the wetlands during critical stages of their life cycles.
“The brazen actions of this person ... caused wilful serious environmental harm to one of the world’s most important wetland ecosystems,” Dunk said in a statement.
The parks and wildlife service launched an investigation in April 2020 after reports of an illegal track, uncovering evidence of heavy machinery used to clear large sections of mangroves.
The man pleaded guilty to 11 offences brought by the state’s environment department and its Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The man was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine, almost $5,000 in costs and $120,000 towards restoration of the damaged area in Townsville magistrates court on Wednesday.
“We hope this court outcome sends a strong message that we won’t hesitate to hold people accountable for damaging our precious environment,” Dunk said.
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Comparing support for climate protest to congressmen celebrating US Capitol attack ‘offensive’: Greens MP
A Queensland Greens MP says a report clearing him of contempt while comparing his actions to those of congressmen who celebrated the storming of the US Capitol building on January 6 is “offensive in the extreme”.
The member for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, was referred to a parliamentary ethics committee after expressing support for a climate protest in the parliament’s public gallery in 2022.
During the protest on 30 November, 12 activists chanted and unfurled banners while another two protesters, seated in the speaker’s gallery, livestreamed the protest to the Facebook page of Extinction Rebellion.
Following the event, Berkman posted in support of the protest on Facebook, saying: “So to those who took a stand today, I just want to say: you are absolutely right.”
In an interview with ABC Brisbane, Berkman later expressed shock over reports the activists faced charges – not laid in more than 30 years – of disturbing the legislature during a protest.
A report published on Thursday by the committee recommended Berkman not be held in contempt for “encouraging or inciting protest” – an allegation that has never previously been considered by the committee or its predecessors.
But the report claimed “the effect on democracy of celebrating such behaviour, such as that which occurred when protestors stormed the US Capitol building on 6 January 2021, is all too easy to see.”
“While the member, no doubt, would be aghast to have his behaviour compared to those congressmen, who celebrated a violent disruption in their own House of assembly, in reality, his actions were little better.
“Naivety is not a sufficient excuse.”
Berkman claimed the process had been “a politically-motivated farce.”
“It’s not only ridiculous but offensive to compare my Facebook post ... with the incitement of the deadly storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.
“Peaceful protest is an essential part of our democracy, particularly when our political representatives refuse to listen.”
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Barnaby Joyce on paid parental leave super: ‘where does the money come from?’
Nationals frontbencher Barnaby Joyce is on the ABC this afternoon, and has begun by addressing super contributions on paid parental leave:
It is an entitlement that comes from the government, the taxpayer. Governments do not have money, you have money. When you come up with a new new idea for more money to cover the taxpayer, you have to say which taxpayer you want to take it from and where it comes from, it does not just fall out of a tree.
You have to realise that you to stand by your colleagues or your own experts, stand behind the gas exports and stand behind the mums and dads that pay taxes.
People say is it good that people get superannuation when they have children? Well, as a virtue thing, I suppose it is, but you cannot stop there. Where does the money come from?
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Marles backs ADF leadership despite comments on culture within service
Tough questioning over issues relating to defence and veteran suicides have been directed at the defence minister, Richard Marles, and the veterans’ affairs and defence personnel minister, Matt Keogh, AAP reports.
Marles was grilled during the defence and veteran suicide royal commission on Thursday about comments he had made relating to the culture within the senior leadership of the Australian Defence Force.
He confirmed issues regarding the timeliness and accuracy of advice, but defended the people working in his department.
That does not translate to me thinking that people in defence are hopeless, that’s a wrong conclusion
I’m continually impressed by the quality of the people that I’m dealing with both in the department and the defence force generally. The quality of the humans involved is high.
Marles said the secretary of defence, Greg Moriarty, and the defence force chief general, Angus Campbell, had been “very important collaborators” in implementing what he described a “standard of excellence”.
Asked why he chose to extend their terms if there were cultural problems, Marles pointed to his previous answer where he spoke of their collaboration.
Matt Keogh described the performance of his department as “greatly improved”.
This was a department that was frankly under-resourced when we came into government; it’s now the best resourced it’s been in three decades.
Asked about evidence heard earlier in the week that Defence didn’t have a reliable dataset for sexual misconduct, Keogh said it was a “current shortcoming”. He said he had been briefed on the issue and was concerned he may be getting an incomplete picture.
Jeff Sengelman, a former commander of Australia’s special forces, earlier said the inquiry had been built on a foundation of sadness. The retired major general was a driving force in the establishment of the Brereton war crimes inquiry, which found 25 Australians committed up to 39 murders in Afghanistan.
The royal commission is holding its final public hearings this month, with a final report to be handed down in early September.
An interim report released by the royal commission in August 2022 made 13 urgent recommendations to the federal government.
- Lifeline can be contacted on 13 11 14, while the veterans and family counselling organisation Open Arms is on 1800 011 046
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Good afternoon, Mostafa Rachwani with you to take you through the rest of the day’s news.
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I’ll now hand the blog over to Mostafa Rachwani, who will take you through our rolling coverage until this evening.
Minister for Indigenous affairs says imagery of three Aboriginal children cable-tied ‘completely comfronting’
Linda Burney has called the image of three Aboriginal children cable-tied in a Broome driveway “completely confronting”.
On Wednesday, a 45-year-old Western Australian man was charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly tied the children together with cable ties in a Broome driveway on Tuesday afternoon. Police were called to the home about 2.15pm on 5 March after an alleged trespassing incident.
Speaking on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, the minister for Indigenous Australians said:
It seems to me that we have got to be very careful and clear about not meshing this incident into youth unrest and all the other dialogue that is going on. This was the actions of an individual that took it upon himself to undertake what happened. But at the end of the day, these are very young children. It was completely confronting and I know that it is being taken very seriously.
It is very upsetting to see three young children cable-tied together and crying and scared. Of course, it is confronting, but the person has been arrested. The law enforcement in WA is taking it very seriously and that is appropriate.
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Police commissioner thanks Ballarat community for assistance in search for Samantha Murphy
Patton thanked the Ballarat community for their assistance in the search for Murphy:
I want to thank all members of the public and Ballarat surrounding communities, they’ve been fantastic in a way they assisted volunteers particularly members of the SES, the CFA, they help in searches and continuing searches and the information that has been provided. I know that Samantha’s disappearance has a profound impact on the Ballarat community.
Some cases, some disappearances, some murders, bring out outpourings of grief and we have seen that here. Thank you to the community and all those involved, all those who provided assistance in all those areas.
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Victoria police allege Samantha Murphy murdered in 'deliberate attack'
Police will allege Murphy was murdered on the day of her disappearance at Mount Clear in a “deliberate attack”, but Patton would not be drawn on detailing how she died:
I’m not going to any further detail other to say it we are alleging a deliberate attack which has caused the death of Samantha.
Patton said it is believed that Murphy’s alleged murderer was not known to her or the family.
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Victoria police say investigation into alleged murder of Samantha Murphy ‘far from over’
The police are now giving an update on the investigation to the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy, where Victoria’s police commissioner, Shane Patton, has said the “investigation is far from over”.
Patton said police arrested a 22-year-old man at his home address and have charged him with murder.
The man was interviewed over a number of hours, a number of search warrants have been executed, as a result of those investigations, he has today been charged with the murder of Samantha.
Will be alleging that murder occurred at Mount Clear the day she disappeared. In the interview with the suspect, he has not disclosed to police where her body is. I want to be very clear on limiting what I can say given there has now been a charge of murder laid.
This investigation is far from over though. Obviously we will continue to gather further evidence and will be taking further statements and investigations ... Importantly, doing everything we can [to locate] Samantha’s body for the family is absolutely vital and something we focus on.
I would call the public, we had amazing assistance in terms of intelligence, reports being made, anyone who has any information, even the slightest bit of information that you think might not be that relevant.
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The man charged with the murder of Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy, who vanished more than a month ago, has appeared in court for the first time.
The man, 22, appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.
Victoria Police on Thursday charged the man with the murder of Murphy.
Flanked by two security guards, the man said “yes your honour” when asked by magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz if he could hear her.
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PM expresses condolences to family of LCpl Jack Fitzgibbon
Anthony Albanese has shared his condolences for the family of Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, who died following a parachuting accident last night.
The prime minister said:
Our thoughts are with our friend Joel Fitzgibbon and his family following the tragic death of his son, Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, in a Special Forces training accident.
The extraordinary men and women who volunteer to serve in the Australian Defence Force do our nation proud every day. Every death in the service of Australia carries the heavy weight of loss and sadness. The tragedy of a life cut cruelly short.
This tragic accident is a harsh reminder that there are no easy days for those who defend our nation. We are so grateful to every Australian who serves and puts themselves on the line for all of us.
Today the burden of grief falls on a dear friend to so many in the Labor family. Our hearts are filled with sorrow for Jack, and his loving family – Joel, Dianne and his sisters - who are now holding on to his precious memory.
We think also of all who served with Jack and are now coming to terms with the loss of their friend and mate. May Jack rest in peace.
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Anwar Ibrahim says he is ‘inclined to support’ reopening of MH370 crash investigation
Answering questions at the Australian National University in Canberra, the Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, said he was “inclined to support” the reopening of an investigation the disappearance of MH370 10 years ago.
He said a cabinet session was scheduled for Friday morning. This comments follow his promise on Monday that “whatever needs to be done must be done”.
Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the Asean summit in Melbourne on Monday, Anwar said:
We have taken the position that if there is a compelling case, evidence that it needs to be re-opened, we’re certainly happy to reopen.
More details on this story here:
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Australia does not have ‘faintest idea’ of how to build nuclear power plant, scientist says
Earlier in the day, the federal energy minister, Chris Bowen, told the Smart Energy Council’s conference in Sydney it could take as long as 10 years to set up the regulatory oversight needed for a nuclear power industry in Australia.
Bowen’s assessment has had some indirect endorsement from Hugh Durrant-Whyte, a professor and also NSW’s chief scientist. Durrant-Whyte has been appearing before the NSW estimates today, and was peppered by Liberal Democrat member John Ruddick.
Ruddick was pursuing a line of hypothetical questions about whether power sector emissions would be lower today if the state had embarked on a nuclear energy strategy 30 years ago. (He tacked on some references to “crony capitalists” in the renewable industry and some mythical trillionaire who might pick NSW of all places in the world to build nuclear plants. No kidding.)
Given the state government owned the coal-fired power plants back then, it’s not just hypothetical, it’s also ahistoric. Durrant-Whyte, something of a nuclear expert himself, was dismissive of the whole idea, noting that the tab of setting up regulations for the board would be costly and end up being picked up by the taxpayer. Moreover, countries like Canada had built up a nuclear energy industry of 70,000 people and Australia would be starting from scratch.
“Nobody in this country has even the faintest idea how to build a nuclear power plant,” Durrant-Whyte said.
I’m guessing NSW’s chief scientist won’t be asked by the federal Coalition to join comment or join any panels on their proposal for large and small nuclear power plants.
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ADF confirms investigation into death of Jack Fitzgibbon following parachuting incident during training
During the press conference, the defence spokesperson read out a statement from Jack’s father former, defence minister, Joel Fitzgibbon:
We are devastated and heartbroken by the loss of our wonderful Jack. Serving in the special forces was Jack’s dream job and we take comfort from the fact he died serving his nation in the uniform of the Australian Defence Force. Jack was a dedicated, highly skilled and courageous soldier, an experienced parachutist. Our lives will never be the same without Jack but we will always remain proud of him and his many achievements.
The defence force said an investigation is underway into Fitzgibbon’s death, and it Is too early to speculate what went wrong:
We acknowledge military training is inherently risky and we remain committed to constantly training at the highest standards to achieve the level of excellence we know our nation demands of us. Nonetheless, that investigation is under way and we will be able to provide further information in due course.
We train parachuting exercises and operations with regularity. I am a special forces qualified parachutist. I know first-hand how difficult particular military skill is and we demand our paratroopers to reach the highest standard. As I note, however, it is too early to speculate on what may have occurred in detail.
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Cpl Jack Fitzgibbon, son of former defence minister, named as soldier who died after parachuting incident
The Australian soldier who was in a serious condition after a parachuting incident last night has died, the Australian Defence Force has confirmed.
Speaking on ABC now, a member of the defence force said the soldier’s name was Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, the son of former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
The accident happened during a “routine training activity” last night at the RAAF’s base in Richmond, 50km north-west of Sydney’s CBD. The ADF spokesperson said:
Jack was a much loved and respected soldier within the second commando regiment which is part of the special operations command within army. Jack was loved for his courage and known for his sense of humour and his service to the country.
Members of the second commando regiment have ceased and paused training at this time and they are mustering at Holsworthy barracks to process this news I am now sharing.
Jack had served his country on operations abroad and also closer to home, serving his country and local communities as part of natural disaster responses.
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Advocates for older Australians welcome new gender equality strategy but urge further improvements
Cota Australia, the leading advocacy organisation for older people, has welcomed the government’s new gender equality strategy – but said more needs to be done to improve the lives of older women.
The group’s CEO, Patricia Sparrow, said in a statement that super for paid parental leave will help bridge the gender retirement savings gap, but more needs to be done to properly support older women.
The intersection of ageism and gender inequality is incredibly harsh. We don’t have gender equality in Australia and that hits women hard at every age.
The statistics around the wage gap and retirement savings are shocking. As women climb the career ladder, the wage gap widens. We tend to outlive men and retire earlier, compounding financial insecurity.
According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, women aged 55-64 can face up to a 31.9% gap in earnings, paving the way for retirement on shaky financial ground.
The introduction of superannuation on government paid parental leave is a game-changer and will make a big difference to the lives of many women, as will a range of the other initiatives announced, but if we’re really going to address the inequity facing older women we also need to look further into the systemic barriers holding many older women back.
Older women are the fastest growing group at risk of homelessness in Australia. Any discussion around gender equality needs to include older people too.
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Thank you Emily Wind, and hello blog readers. I’ll now be with you for the next little while.
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, Jordyn Beazley will be here for the next little while to take you through our rolling coverage. Take care.
Malaysian PM criticises western countries for 'self-serving nature' of rules-based order on Israel
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has given a stern rebuke to western countries about its response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, saying the “gut-wrenching tragedy” had “laid bare the self-serving nature” of the much-vaunted international rules-bases order.
Delivering the 2024 Gareth Evans oration at the Australian National University in Canberra – with the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, in the audience – Anwar said countries should not be selective in the application of international law. He said the differing responses from the west “defy reason”.
Anwar asked why the west had been so unequivocal in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “while remaining utterly silent on the relentless bloodletting inflicted on the women and children of Gaza”. He added:
Sure, there are exceptions but they are few and far between.
Anwar contended that the west had given Israel “carte-blanche” for decades. He said some countries had criticised South Africa’s application to the International Court of Justice alleging Israel has breached the genocide convention, but he asked:
What could be more consistent with any reasonable conception of a rules-based order than an appeal to those very rules before a panel of 17 judges?
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PwC Australia partners vote to strengthen independent oversight
Partners at PwC Australia have agreed to overhaul the firm’s partnership agreement and ensure there is an “exhaustive due diligence process” before a chief executive is appointed.
The changes, which required a vote of all partners, came after heavy criticism of the firm’s internal culture and government standards, as outlined in a report by former Telstra boss, Ziggy Switkowski.
PwC Australia will now be able to appoint an independent, non-executive to lead its internal governance board. Two non-executives can serve on the board, in addition to the chair.
The change also ensures the firm’s governance board plays a bigger role in the selection of chief executives. It brings the firm in line with ASX standards.
PwC Australia’s chief executive, Kevin Burrowes, has released this statement:
This will result in a much more robust and comprehensive means of governing our firm, aligned to our vision of becoming the leading professional services firm built on the highest ethical standards with integrity at our core.
Our people, clients and the community expect us to lead by example and this vote enables us to embed the measures we believe are necessary to rebuild trust. It reiterates our firm’s commitment to the changes outlined in our Action Plan and signifies the next stage of implementation.
Construction union joins calls for rent-to-buy expansion
The Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) has called for the federal government to expand build-to-rent-to-buy schemes.
The Greens announced its housing policy yesterday, calling for the government to build 360,000 homes over five years that would be available to rent and buy at discounted rates.
The CFMEU’s national secretary, Zach Smith, said the Albanese government was already involved in building houses to rent and buy in the ACT and should expand this initiative:
Federal Labor should look at the ACT scheme and expand it so we can give more Australians access to the right to affordable home ownership.
Just because you’re a low-income worker doesn’t mean you should be stuck in a never-ending cycle of renting and locked out of home ownership forever.
Housing is a fundamental human right that our society is failing to provide.
Smith said that build-to-rent or buy schemes are “just one piece of the complex housing puzzle Australia must solve”, and argued for a “massive increase” in public housing and affordable housing stock.
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Penny Wong continues Labor line on Israel-Gaza ceasefire ahead of address by Anwar Ibrahim
The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has spoken about the conflict in the Middle East as she welcomed the Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, to deliver a speech at the Australian National University. Wong said:
We both live in countries that have communities deeply affected by the conflict in the Middle East. While neither of our countries are in the Middle East, we both have voices which are respected, so it is so important for us all to continue to use our voices to advocate for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and humanitarian access, the release of hostages and protection of civilians.
(These ceasefire comments are in line with Australia’s vote at the UN general assembly in December.)
Wong said it was also important “to use our voices for pathway out of this conflict” and an enduring peace based on an “independent Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel”.
Wong made some observations about the need for peaceful and respectful dialogue at home. Without naming anyone, she said it was regrettable that, in Australia, some people who championed human rights and justice were engaging in “shocking attempts at intimation and character assassination”.
Wong also mentioned the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia. She said some were intent on stoking “social conflict here, pushing absolutist agendas ahead of respect for peaceful disagreement that healthy democracy demands”.
She said Australia was “not a country where we are pushed to adopt an absolutist position on one side or the other side”. She spoke instead of a pluralist society with “many different viewpoints” but “united by respect for each other’s humanity and for each other’s right to live in peace”.
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Pro-Palestine protest outside Malaysian PM’s event
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is about to address the 2024 Gareth Evans oration at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Three current or former foreign ministers of Australia are here: Evans, in whose name the oration is held, along with former minister Julie Bishop and current minister Penny Wong.
A group of pro-Palestine protesters have rallied outside the venue, holding signs such as “ANU students stand with Gaza” and “Labor: blood on your hands”. A notice from Students for Palestine Canberra - which organised the protest - called a “snap rally” with the theme “Penny Wong off campus! Fund UNRWA now!”
That’s a reference to Australia joining with other western countries, including the US and the UK, in suspending funding to the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees after Israel alleged that 12 of its staff were involved in the 7 October attacks. As Canada prepares to reinstate funding, the Australian government has signalled it is also considering reinstating funds.
At least one counter-protester can be seen near the rally holding an Israeli flag.
Malaysia doesn’t maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and its government has been outspoken in criticising Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
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Police conference over disappearance of Samantha Murphy due at 3.45pm
Police say they will hold a press conference at 3.45pm.
In the meantime, Det Acting Supt Mark Hatt has released a statement:
Our thoughts today are with Samantha’s family and friends.
Since Samantha’s disappearance at the start of February, a significant search and investigation has been undertaken in an effort to find her. This has included a dedicated and committed investigative effort led by the missing persons squad and also involving detectives from right across crime command, counter terrorism command and western region. This has been further supported by a range of specialist resources from across Victoria police.
To get to a position where we have been able to charge someone is testament to the commitment and dedication from all those areas.
We have also had exceptional support from many people in the Ballarat community, particularly local search volunteers and members of the SES and CFA.
I know that Samantha’s disappearance has had a profound impact on the Ballarat community and I want to thank all of those people who have assisted police in many different ways over the past month.
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Investigation ongoing over disappearance of Samantha Murphy
Police say they are yet to recover Samantha Murphy’s body and their investigation remains ongoing.
Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her Eureka Street home to go for a run about 7am on Sunday, 4 February.
Police say the charge follows a “significant investigation” and extensive searches of the Canadian Forest area over the past month. The searches have involved a range of specialist units from across Victoria police and many volunteers from the local community.
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Man charged with murder of Samantha Murphy
A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder of missing Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy.
He had been arrested yesterday morning and was interviewed by police before being charged with one count of murder.
Police say the man will face Ballarat magistrates court this afternoon.
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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has shared some photos to social media with the Vietnam prime minister Pham Minh Chinh following today’s strategic partnership announcements.
Australia and Vietnam are bringing our relationship closer.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 7, 2024
Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will mean closer cooperation between our countries.
We're working together in areas like climate change, digital transformation, defence, trade and education. pic.twitter.com/F8xocs2dOW
It was a pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Chính to Canberra.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 7, 2024
Australia and Vietnam are enduring friends, and now even closer partners. pic.twitter.com/9nE0kyKmUl
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Bushfire that threatened homes in Tasmania deliberately lit
An out-of-control bushfire that threatened homes in northern Tasmania was deliberately lit, authorities say.
The blaze at Ravenswood, a Launceston suburb, was reported around 3.20pm yesterday and sparked a watch and act alert.
Crews were working to contain the bushfire, which had burned 184 hectares at midday today. Tasmania Fire Service operations officer Rick Mahnken said:
Crews are expected to remain on the ground for several days, with fire weather forecast to be moderate [today] and high across the weekend.
Investigators have determined the bushfire, which didn’t cause any structural damage, was deliberately lit and has been passed to police for investigation.
Tasmania police are encouraging anyone with information to come forward and have flagged an increased officer presence in the area.
- from AAP
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Weak home lending figures raise doubts price rises can be sustained
The ABS today has released another set of numbers that are not so positive for the economy, with the total of new owner-occupier dwelling loans down 2.6% in January for a second consecutive month of declines.
Excluding refinancing, the value of new housing loans fell 3.9% for the month alone, though that was still 8.5% higher than a year earlier. The drop compared with market expectations of a 2% rise, and added to the 4.1% retreat in December.
In January, all groups posted a drop, with new lending for owner‑occupiers (off 4.6%) and investors (easing 2.6%). First-home buyers registered a 6% decline, extending a similar fall in December, CBA noted.
Other lending numbers were more positive, with new loan commitments for total fixed-term personal finance up 6% to $2.5bn. Borrowing to buy a vehicle rose 5.7%.
We’ve seen dwelling prices rise further so far in 2024, and some pundits have forecast higher prices still once interest rates start to be cut by the Reserve Bank (assuming they are passed on by the commercial banks).
Shares of CBA, the biggest mortgage lender, hit a fresh record today of $119.33, in a hint of confidence in that sector. Sydney, the most expensive city, looks likely to get more so with forecasters tipping increases in 2024 of as high as 7%.
Weakness in the economy, though, suggests home price increases shouldn’t be taken for granted. GDP continued to slow across 2023 and the rebound may need a quarter or two more to kick in.
Across the states, NSW looks like being the biggest drag for now, as ANZ has noted.
Neat @ANZ_Research chart on how the states and territories are faring economically. Is NSW become the nation's growth drag? pic.twitter.com/fO2m36KAD6
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) March 7, 2024
Early days, of course, for 2024 but perhaps housing might start to get a little bit affordable soon.
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Australian solder in serious condition after parachuting incident
An Australian soldier is in a serious condition this afternoon after being injured in a parachuting incident last night.
The Australian Defence Force has confirmed the injury happened during a “routine training activity” last night at the RAAF’s base in Richmond, 50km north-west of Sydney’s CBD.
The soldier was taken to hospital by NSW Ambulance. The ABC has reported that the incident occurred just after 6:30pm last night and the soldier was taken to Westmead hospital.
Defence said first aid was rendered at the scene.
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Fiona Patten rules out political comeback, winds up Reason party
Prominent ex-Victorian MP Fiona Patten has officially called time on her political career after moving to wind up her party, AAP reports.
The Victorian Electoral Commission has confirmed it had received an application from Patten’s Reason Party to voluntarily deregister it. It would mean a party with that name or something closely resembling it cannot re-register as a political party until after the 2026 state election.
Patten confirmed there was “absolutely no chance” of running in 2026 in an attempt to make a comeback to state parliament. She told AAP:
I will continue to encourage others. I actually said at the beginning that two terms was all I wanted and now hopefully [I’ll be] using my skills to affect change outside parliament.
Patten, a former independent fashion designer and sex worker, founded the Australian Sex party in 2009 before changing its name to the Reason party in 2017.
We ran for 14 years and have a lot to be proud of.
Throughout her two terms in Victorian parliament, Patten championed social reform including anti-vilification legislation and also led an inquiry into voluntary assisted dying laws.
She was first elected to Victorian parliament in 2014 and narrowly re-elected in 2018.
Patten left parliament at the end of 2022 after losing her seat to disgraced former Labor minister-turned-Democratic Labour party hopeful Adem Somyurek. Earlier that year, the former Reason party leader was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery to remove one of her kidneys.
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And that is where the National Press Club has wrapped up. For the full details around what has been announced, Paul Karp has you covered:
Gallagher says ‘commitment is real’ to getting businesses to make progress on gender equality
Staying on the topic of representation, our own Paul Karp has asked:
In your speech you talked about progress towards the gender equality indicators, but the document says the big businesses will need to commit to and achieve them. Which is it, by when do they have to achieve that, and given you have said it builds on the current system, has any big businesses ever lost a government contract for failure to make progress so far?
Katy Gallagher:
I am not sure on that last bit. Finance, while it is all-powerful across government, it doesn’t actually conduct all of the procurement across government, that happens in individual departments …
We are serious about it. The document – we may have used slightly different language in the way my speech reads to what is in the document, but the commitment there is real. We will be doing this. That is the announcement the government has made.
…We will work with companies. We will encourage companies, we are being clear and up-front that we want to see this rule that is in place, we will be up-front with them.
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Gallagher sets 50% target of women’s representation on advisory boards
As part of the national strategy Katy Gallagher is announcing today, she wants to strengthen women’s representation on government advisory boards.
A reporter asks what the specific targets are? Gallagher said there has been a 50% target for a while, and they are slightly above this.
We see areas where we fall below and it won’t be any surprise, we see women overrepresented on government boards and advisory committees in health and education, and in some of the other areas, finance being one of them, some of the economic boards, industry and science, we haven’t had as much luck.
We are looking across that, trying to reduce that, and also have 50% for chairs and deputy chairs, which has also been an issue.
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Gallagher characterises super changes as ‘workplace entitlement’, not ‘welfare measure’
Gallagher said she hopes the new paid parental leave policy would be “politically uncontroversial”, when asked whether the government is seeking assurances from the opposition that it would implement the policy if it wins the next election.
We will legislate this. It will be in our budget. If the opposition sees it as a way to return money or doesn’t support it, they will have to make that clear before the election. That is over to them.
I have seen some of the comments today about it being a welfare measure from the opposition and I would like to say it is not a welfare measure. It is a workplace entitlement. The early rumblings aren’t strong from the opposition but I would hope they would come to their senses and read the tea leaves in this room and many others across the country who see this as a very uncontroversial and welcome step to ender gender inequality in the super system.
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Gallagher says new system about bolstering gender equality ‘for the future’
Back to the press club, where Katy Gallagher is still taking questions from reporters.
She is asked what is being done to compensate the gap for women who have already had their children, and won’t be able to get their super back.
Gallagher responded that this measure is specifically for people who are going to be taking paid parental leave. She noted there are “a range of reasons why older women have less super than younger women”, and said many older women with low super balances didn’t have a paid parental leave system in place.
They have missed out on a lot, that is for sure.
That is why the improvements we are putting in place are about bolstering it for the future, acknowledging that there is a gap and making sure we are doing what we can do to address it…
Not every problem can be solved about women’s financial insecurity through the super system but this is a good way of dealing with one of those issues. For older women with low super balances, we look at a range of other levers to support them.
We recognise older women in this country … it is one of the toughest groups in terms of financial insecurity and poverty and links to housing [insecurity].
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Tammy Tyrell says carers should also be paid super in line with new paid parental leave scheme
Breaking out of the national press club for a moment, and Jacqui Lambie Network senator Tammy Tyrell has weighed in on the government’s announcement it will pay super on paid parental leave.
Tyrell said this was welcome news, but questioned what is being done to help the 200,000 women across the country who are on carers payments, and not receiving super on this.
In a series of tweets, she said:
People who take on caring responsibilities often take time out of the workforce to look after a loved one. They don’t deserve to retire in poverty because they were caring for their sick mum.
Paying super on carers payments could actually save the government money in the long run. And it’d cost a lot less than the proposed super on paid parental leave. I’ve been talking to the government about it, and have a way for them to start small.
A policy that helps people helps close the gender gap on superannuation and saves the government money. Surely it’s a no-brainer.
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Reforms to end ‘postcode lottery’ around access to reproductive healthcare
Taking questions from reporters, Katy Gallagher is asked whether the government’s reforms to make access to sexual and reproductive healthcare easier would include abortion.
Gallagher said:
There is a Senate committee report – ending the postcode lottery, I think it is called. The government’s finalising its response to that report.
This is an issue that many women have raised with me around access to healthcare but including access to reproductive healthcare, including termination of pregnancy or abortion. We will consider that. There was recommendations around it in the Senate report and we will have a comprehensive response to that.
Gallagher said she has been a “long-term supporter” of abortion access, and issues around this is one of the reasons she first got into politics.
It is an issue for women about how they access reproductive health services and governments need to look at what they can do to support women, particularly in regional and rural communities where access to reproductive healthcare is not as accessible.
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Businesses to set targets for gender equality and ‘show progress towards them’ under ‘Working for Women’ strategy
Gallagher said the strategy will also make it a rule that, in order to win government work, businesses with 500 or more employees must commit to targets to improve gender equality in their workplaces:
Every year, the government spends $70bn to procure goods and services and we think there’s more that can be done to make sure women are getting a fairer slice of that spending.
These targets will focus on the gender makeup of their boards and the workforce, equal pay, flexible working arrangements, workplace consultation on gender equality, and efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment.
Not only will businesses have to set targets, but they will also have to show progress towards them.
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Continued from last post:
Gallagher has outlined the main areas raised by women that the strategy will work to address:
Across the board, the same themes kept coming up – themes which aren’t new, but reflect the enduring challenges that persist for so many women: Violence, unpaid and paid care, economic security, access to health services and leadership and representation.
Gallagher then highlighted the government’s announcement today that 12% superannuation that will be paid on paid parental leave (PPL) as one of they “keys to unlocking gender equality”:
Because the government values the work that women do caring for children and we don’t believe they shouldn’t be penalised with financial insecurity in retirement just because of those caring roles.
Whilst there are a number of factors that cause the gender super gap including women working in lower paid jobs, part time work and time out of the workplace to care for children, the fact that super hasn’t been paid on PPL has resulted in women paying another financial penalty that has an ongoing impact on their retirement savings throughout their career.
Paying super on PPL builds on the changes we made in 2022, to deliver the biggest boost to Australia’s paid parental leave scheme by adding an additional six weeks of paid parental leave for families, bumping the total leave to a full six months.
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Katy Gallagher launches Australia's first national strategy to achieve gender equality, 'Working for Women'
The minister for women, Katy Gallagher, has launched Australia’s first national strategy to achieve gender equality ahead of International Women’s Day – it’s titled “working for women”.
Speaking now at the National Press Club, Gallagher said:
Despite it being 2024, women in Australia still face barriers which mean they work less, earn less, and retire with less. And when they take time out of work for children, ‘the motherhood penalty’ kicks in.
Women are less likely to work in senior management positions and more likely to work in insecure part-time roles in jobs where the pay is less and the work is less valued.
Women experience unfathomably high rates of domestic, family and sexual violence – with more than one in two women experiencing sexual harassment in their lifetime and a quarter of women having experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. For some women these rates are even higher, with First Nations women six times more likely to die from assault related to family violence than non-indigenous women.
It is absolutely chilling to know that since 1989 more than 2,369 women were killed in this country by their intimate partner or other family members.
I say all of this to make the simple point that in 2024, women in this country, as a general rule, continue to be less safe, have less choice and be less economically secure than men.
And this is something that the Albanese government is absolutely determined to change.
That’s why today, ahead of International Women’s Day, we are launching working for women, our country’s first national strategy to achieve gender equality.
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Chris Minns says he would not consider it racist if he were called a ‘stupid white bastard’
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says he wouldn’t consider it racist if he were called a “stupid white bastard”.
Minns has been asked how he would feel about the description following reports alleging that it was this comment that got Matildas footballer Sam Kerr into legal trouble.
Kerr, who plays for Chelsea in the English premier league, is to face trial in the UK accused of the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
According to sources with knowledge of the case, the 30-year-old allegedly called the officer “a stupid white bastard” during a dispute over a taxi fare in southwest London on 30 January last year.
At a press conference earlier this morning, a journalist asked Minns if he would find the comment racist. He replied:
No.
The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, gave a similar response when he was asked if he’d find the comment offensive:
I’ve been called a lot worse than that.
Kerr appeared in court on Monday accused of using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to an officer. She entered a not guilty plea.
Kerr is scheduled for trial in February 2025, more than two years after the alleged offence. According to reports her legal team is planning to have the charge downgraded or dismissed at an April hearing.
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2024 Paris Olympic uniforms unveiled
As we flagged earlier, the uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics have been unveiled in Sydney.
Here are some photos of the uniforms, which have just landed:
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Schools encouraged to schedule Naplan tests ‘first thing in the morning’ during Ramadan
Australia’s testing body has encouraged schools to schedule their Naplan tests as soon as possible to accommodate for students participating in Ramadan.
A spokesperson for Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (Acara) said testing dates were set several years in advance to accommodate different term dates in all states and territories, hence the possibility of clashing with Ramadan and Eid.
That’s why Acara consults with the Islamic Schools Association of Australia to ensure we support schools and affected students completing Naplan in years when it may overlap with Ramadan and particularly Eid.
Schools are encouraged to schedule their tests as soon as possible in the testing window and encouraged to schedule Naplan tests first thing in the morning to ensure fasting students’ energy levels are at their highest.
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Kerr’s alleged comment to UK police officer might ‘not meet legal threshold for criminal prosecution in Australia’, Liberal senator says
Liberal senator James Paterson has weighed in after Matildas captain Sam Kerr pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment of a London police officer.
According to sources close to the case, Kerr is alleged to have called a British police officer a “stupid white bastard” during a taxi fare dispute after a night out in south-west London:
Paterson told the Today Show:
I’ll be careful about how I comment on legal proceedings in another country. It’s certainly not an appropriate thing for someone to do and someone in public life like Sam Kerr or a politician are rightly held to a high standard.
What I would say … is if conduct like that occurred in Australia, I’m not sure it would meet a legal threshold for criminal prosecution.
New science and labour agreements between Australia and Vietnam, PM says
Albanese said Australia and Vietnam’s marine science agencies have signed a new agreement, strengthening their ability to monitor the impact of climate change on the marine environment.
He also announced arrangements allowing 1,000 Vietnamese workers to work in Australia’s agriculture sector, filling labour shortages.
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PM says Australia-Vietnam partnership includes ‘pillar’ of ‘climate, environment and energy cooperation’
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to the media from Canberra, announcing that Australia and Vietnam will elevate its strategic partnership ties.
He said the two countries celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. Albanese and the Vietnamese prime minister, Pham Minh Chinh, had a productive discussion spanning climate change and energy cooperation, digital and innovation, trade and investment, agriculture, education and defence, Albanese said.
I’m proud that our new partnership has a specific pillar on climate, environment and energy cooperation. Both Australia and Vietnam have committed to that.
The two leaders have agreed to establish an annual dialogue between Australia’s resources minister and Vietnam’s industry and trade minister, Albanese added.
This will be a platform for greater collaboration in our energy and resources sector, including critical mineral supply chain and support of our targets.
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EV experts voice support for new vehicle efficiency standard
Electric vehicle experts have thrown their support behind the government’s new vehicle efficiency standard.
Liam Davies, a senior transport analyst at the Institute for Sensible Transport, said “nowhere in the policy does it target any individual brand, model or vehicle”.
Car manufacturers will continue to sell a mix of vehicles, just like they do today. The majority of the world has been moving towards a cleaner fleet that is cheaper to run for decades now – an effective New Vehicle Efficiency Standard will encourage our market to do the same.
Bryce Gaton, the founder of EV Choice, said the market has been moving “for decades” and the standard sends a “clear signal to automakers that it’s time to offer Australians cleaner cars that are cheaper to run”, like they already do overseas.
Every day we don’t have a smart fuel efficiency standard in place, Australians are being kept at the back of the queue for the best new cars, and missing out on cheaper bills and cleaner air.
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Chris Bowen welcomes Tesla’s support of vehicle emissions standards plan
The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, said he had only heard this morning about Tesla’s exit of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, adding it was up to the company to decide which groups it wanted to be a member of.
(You can read more earlier in the blog here.)
However, Bowen said he welcomed the support of Tesla for the government’s vehicle emissions standards plan. Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and peak motoring groups such as NSW’s NRMA, RACQ and RACWA were also backing the proposal, he said on the sidelines of the Smart Energy Council conference in Sydney.
It is incumbent on everyone in the debate to provide full facts, proper facts, truthful facts.
The government has provided full analysis; the Liberal party and others have engaged in misinformation.
Bowen declined to comment on Tesla reporting the FCAI to the ACCC, the competition watchdog.
It will now be a matter for the ACCC to investigate.
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Reward of $500,000 dollars announced in NSW for information on disappearance of Pauline Sowry
The NSW government and police force have announced a $500,000 reward for information into the suspicious disappearance of Pauline Sowry more than 30 years ago.
The last confirmed sighting of Sowry – also known as Pauline Lawrence by marriage, then aged 49 – was by family in the northern suburbs of Wollongong in December 1993. Despite extensive investigations since, her whereabouts remain unknown, police said in a statement.
A coronial inquest found in 2008 that Sowry had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994.
A strike force was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. To assist with ongoing investigations, the police minister, Yasmin Catley, has announced a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Sowry’s disappearance or death.
Acting assistant commissioner southern region, Darren Brand, said he hoped the reward announcement would lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.
Sowry’s son Jason Lawrence flew from WA for today’s appeal, and said:
Mum has missed the birth of her five grandchildren and my niece. There is a lot of happy memories that she has missed in the last 30 years and we want to bring her home, or know what happened to her.
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Australians ‘dumpster dive’ as food prices rocket
Australians are being forced to dumpster dive, steal or skip meals due to relentless increases in food prices at the same time as the major retailers print healthy profits, a Senate inquiry into supermarkets has heard.
Speaking at the first public hearing of the inquiry, activist and university lecturer Danny Carney said the major supermarkets were often the only providers to a community of essential items, such as food and sanitary items.
He said some people were forced to look for discarded items in supermarket bins or steal. Carney, from Grassroots Action Network Tasmania, said:
The other way that most people have power to control their grocery bills is by just not eating.
… The really damning thing that makes us all really angry is that supermarkets are making more and more money as it gets harder and harder for the rest of us.
The Senate inquiry is holding its first public hearing today in Tasmania, where unemployment levels are above the national average, putting a particular strain on youth.
The inquiry is designed to investigate how big supermarkets set prices and use their market power. Coles and Woolworths have consistently defended their practices, describing competition as fierce.
Community members told the inquiry earlier today that the supermarkets were dumping good food due to minor issues such as cosmetic blemishes on packaging. The major chains do send some items to food retrieval organisations.
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Tesla quitting Australia's main auto industry lobby group
Tesla is quitting Australia’s main auto industry lobby group and has asked the consumer watchdog to investigate what it says are the organisation’s “demonstrably false claims” about the impact of the Albanese government’s clean car policy.
In a letter to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) today, Tesla said it had serious concerns about the lobby group’s public claims that the government’s proposed vehicle efficiency standard would significantly push up the price of most popular cars and utes, and significantly reduce the price of Tesla models.
(We had more on this earlier in the blog here.)
Guardian Australia revealed on Wednesday that Tesla had used a submission to the federal government to accuse the FCAI of representing only those car companies that wanted to delay action on the climate crisis, and not members that backed Labor’s position.
The Australian arm of Elon Musk’s electric car company said FCAI had argued for a policy design that it described as “ambitious” despite knowing it would not cut vehicle emissions before 2030, and could lead to a substantial increase in CO2.
It also said the lobby group had told media outlets that the government’s policy could increase the price of popular utes by up to $13,000 next year but knew this was not how the system worked.
In the letter today, Tesla asked the FCAI to publicly correct its “false claims” and acknowledge that they do not accurately reflect what car companies intend to do.
Tesla said it had asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate claims by the lobby group that it believed were “likely to deceive Australian consumers”. It said it would no longer be an FCAI member after the 2023-24 financial year. Its company director, Thom Drew, had been a member of the FCAI board until this week.
Responding to Tesla’s accusations earlier this week, the FCAI said it had encouraged successive governments to introduce an efficiency standard for more than a decade, and that its members “want to continue to play their role in combating climate change and providing Australians with the zero and low emission vehicles they can afford”.
The lobby group said it stood by its analysis of how vehicles sold in 2023 would be affected by the government’s preferred policy if last year’s sales patterns were repeated in 2025.
FCAI has been asked for its response. More to come on this shortly.
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Women shouldn’t have to wait until 2025 for super payments on PPL, Greens say
The Greens have also welcomed Labor’s move to pay parents superannuation on paid parental leave, but said women shouldn’t have to wait until 2025 for the change to kick in.
Greens leader in the senate and spokesperson on women, Larissa Waters, said women shouldn’t have to wait until 2025 when Labor has a paid parental leave (PPL) bill before the senate right now:
Parental leave is the only leave entitlement paid without superannuation. Making people wait until after the next election to receive it is an outrage.
Labor is still making people wait for super on PPL, for a replacement wage and for 12 months of paid parental leave – as recommended by their own Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.
Labor have been dragging their feet on all things PPL throughout their first term of government, and now they want women to wait until after the next federal election to get super paid on it.
Lifting nuclear ban would prompt a decade-long regulatory overall, Bowen says
The climate and energy minister, Chris Bowen, is among friends for the most part this morning in Sydney, addressing the Smart Energy Council’s main conference.
Bowen offered a “confession” that a visit to the event last year resulted in him shelling out $15,000 on an Australian-owned RedEarth battery. (In a later walk around the packed exhibition hall – exhibitors increase in numbers each year – Bowen made a beeline to other Australian-owned products, though there were no signs of credit cards being presented, etc.)
Anyway, Bowen laid into what he called the new form of climate denialism of his political opponents to something potentially more dangerous, “it’s-all-too-hardism”.
Just go nuclear because switching to renewables instead was “all too hard”, as was shifting to vehicle emissions standards. (Even Saudi Arabia managed to do it, Bowen noted.)
On the Coalition’s plans to build nuclear reactors as its net-zero plans, Bowen was asked after his speech about why shouldn’t the government just lift the ban on nuclear energy (initiated during the Howard government in 2006-7).
Apart from three states having bans of their own, the minister said in his experience setting up the necessary regulatory regime would take 10 years to develop.
To do so would also send the wrong signal even though nuclear energy was “utterly uneconomic”, Bowen said.
The Coalition was seeking a distraction “but we choose not to be distracted”, he said on why the Albanese government won’t be exploring a lifting of the ban.
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Schools urged to ‘offer flexibility’ to Islamic students undergoing Naplan testing during Ramadan
The national curriculum body is again under fire for scheduling next week’s Naplan tests to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan, with experts urging fasting students should be given additional support through the testing period.
From next Wednesday, students in years three, five, seven and nine will sit the Naplan tests, which were recently moved from May to March for earlier publishing times. It clashes with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which is observed by fasting from dawn to sunset and timed by the lunar calendar.
The founding director of the University of South Australia’s Centre for Islamic Thought and Education, professor Mohamad Abdalla, said the scheduling would present “unique challenges” for students in the Islamic community, who may be at a disadvantage.
Similar clashes occurred in 2018, 2019 and 2021 – leading to a petition for the dates to be changed.
Abdalla says:
Given the rigorous nature of standardised testing like Naplan, where focus and cognitive function are paramount, fasting may exacerbate feelings of fatigue and reduce students’ ability to perform at their best.
Abdalla says schools could offer flexibility by providing alternate testing times or allowing students to take additional breaks.
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Financial crime watchdog launches formal enforcement investigation into Bet365
The Australian financial crime watchdog has commenced a formal enforcement investigation into global betting giant Bet365 over allegations it did not comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws.
In late 2022, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) ordered the company, along with Entain and Sportsbet, to produce an independent audit of their accounts for assessment. The audits were requested after a lengthy “supervisory campaign” by Austrac. The watchdog has now assessed the internal independent audit of Bet365 and decided to escalate its investigation.
Austrac is yet to respond to the independent audits of Entain and Sportsbet.
The group’s chief executive, Brendan Thomas, said gambling companies had a significant role to play in combating financial crime:
Corporate bookmakers must have robust systems in place to ensure they can manage and mitigate risks associated with money laundering and terrorism financing.
Businesses without adequate processes in place to manage those risks leave themselves vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.
Betting companies are required to assess customers and monitor their financial transactions in order to identify, mitigate and manage the risk that they might be engaging in money laundering or terrorism financing. Companies are also required to engage in regular reporting of any identified risks.
Last month, Dr Jamie Ferrill, an expert on financial crimes at Charles Sturt University, said money laundering was “absolutely a significant concern in the online gambling industry”, and that companies should be prepared for possible regulatory action.
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David McBride hearing pushed back to May
The sentencing date for former army lawyer David McBride has been pushed back to May following a dispute over sentencing submissions.
At a directions hearing in the ACT supreme court this morning, the parties agreed to a two-day sentencing from 6 May.
McBride was originally slated to face his sentencing date next Tuesday but it was vacated yesterday after his legal team requested more time to consider a last-minute commonwealth sentencing submission.
Justice David Mossop noted both parties had failed to adequately assist the court with planning after the original sentencing date was confirmed in November last year.
McBride pleaded guilty to three charges last November, including stealing commonwealth information and handing it to ABC journalists.
The documents McBride handed to the ABC formed the basis of its investigative series exposing war crimes in Afghanistan, titled The Afghan Files.
The sentencing submission - much of it classified - contains the expert opinion of a senior military figure and is expected to outline the hypothetical harm the public release of those documents could have caused.
Mark Davis, McBride’s solicitor, has argued the contents of the submission contains new evidence and has said his client is considering his options.
McBride said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon:
I did not plead guilty to [the contents of the submission] and never will.
A disputed facts hearing could occur before May if key facts in the sentencing submissions are contested between the parties.
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Adam Morton on why carmakers and the Coalition are standing in the way of cheaper EVs
There have been reports this morning that half of Australia’s car brands will be non-compliant in the first year of the government’s new vehicle emissions standard.
Under the standard, car companies would have to reduce the average emissions from their fleet of new cars each year until it eventually reaches zero. This would mean companies importing more efficient models.
There have been mounting attacks on the standard, including from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, who are arguing the cost of the most popular utes and SUVs could increase by as much as $13,000.
But as our environment editor Adam Morton explains, this isn’t exactly the case:
This isn’t how the scheme works. A company that sells a ute that emits more than the allowed average in a given year can offset that pollution by selling an EV that emits nothing. This flexibility as emissions from new cars are reduced over time is a key part of the design.
So, this essentially means the premise of those numbers indicating half of Australia’s car brands would not be compliant is based on the car fleet remaining unchanged. The reasons the law exists in the first place is to change the mix in the car fleet.
You can read the entire piece from Morton below, which provides a fantastic explanation around this:
Climate and energy minister Chris Bowen is set to urge an industry audience to get behind the new standards today at the Smart Energy Conference.
Head of advocacy at the Climate Council, Dr Jennifer Rayner, said the fact the standard incentivises car brands to change its fleet in coming years “is a feature, not a bug, of this policy”.
Delaying or watering down the scheme would mean more climate pollution pumped into our air, and more dollars drained from Australians at the bowser. Car brands are asking for more time to keep doing harm with their high-polluting cars, but we can’t afford to wait.
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Superannuation on paid parental leave ‘a significant win for all workers’, says ASU
The Australian Services Union (ASU) has welcomed the government’s announcement it will pay superannuation on paid parental leave.
This follows a seven-year campaign from the ASU, kickstarted with the 2017 “Not so super for women” report. The campaign was led by the late Victorian senator Linda White, who spent a decade as assistant national secretary of the ASU before going to Canberra.
The ASU assistant national secretary, Emeline Gaske, has lauded the leadership of her predecessor White, and credited her for putting the issue “on the national agenda and [keeping] it there for almost a decade”.
This is a fitting legacy that honours her work and memory.
Gaske said the current super system had let down women “for a generation”, with women having half the superannuation of men on average:
A key reason women retire with half the super of men is because they don’t earn super on every dollar they earn.
In fact, paid parental leave is the only type of leave a worker will earn in their lives that does not attract super and addressing this loophole is long overdue.
This is a significant win for all workers, but particularly for women who work in female-dominated industries such as those represented by the ASU.
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Continued from last post:
Victoria police say the 22-year-old Ballarat man was arrested shortly after 6am on Wednesday morning at his home.
In a statement, Victoria police said the man remains in custody and no charges have been laid at this time:
Despite a significant investigation and extensive searches of the Canadian Forest area, no trace of the 51-year-old [Samantha Murphy] has been located.
We understand that there is a continued high level of interest in this investigation and concern about Samantha’s disappearance, however it remains critical that any speculation does not impede any aspects of the investigation.
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Man arrested in relation to disappearance of Samantha Murphy
Victoria police have arrested a man in relation to the disappearance of missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy more than one month ago.
Guardian Australia has confirmed the arrest with Victoria police.
Murphy was last seen when she left her home in Ballarat on 4 February.
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Further inquiries into historic child abuse to be considered, says Victorian premiere
On the prospect of another inquiry, Allan said:
It is a deep concern to all of us that there appears to be more people who have had these life-changing, devastating experiences in some of our education institutes. So we’ll consider that as part of our response.
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Victorian government to apologise to victims of historic child abuse
Jacinta Allan is asked whether the Victorian government will accept all the recommendations of the board of inquiry into historical child abuse at Beaumaris primary school and 23 others.
The inquiry handed down its report yesterday, which includes recommendations for a public apology and a broader truth-telling process for victims at other state schools.
Allan said:
Firstly, can I say the victim-survivors showed tremendous courage not just participating in the inquiry, but also for their courage [in] making sure this inquiry happened in the first place.
I was really honoured to meet with them and family members yesterday with the deputy premier and thank them for the way they have driven change. As a consequence of their bravery and courage they will drive long-term change for people into the future.
I’d also like to thank the chair of inquiry and the team [who] worked in a very thoughtful and careful way through such a difficult and sensitive matter and have provided, in very quick time, a strong report for the government to consider.
I want to respond as quickly as we can … I can confirm that the government will be providing an apology as per the recommendation of the inquiry and the other recommendations are being considered.
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Victorian premier welcomes Labor super changes
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has welcomed the federal government’s decision to pay superannuation for people on parental leave.
Q: Should Victorian businesses follow suit?
Allan replies:
How the private sector responds is obviously a matter for them, but I’d encourage them to see that this is a great practical way to support working families but particularly women … Because women leave the workforce for their caring responsibilities, whether it’s kids or older family members or other family members over their lifetime, they don’t have that level of superannuation that that men do. So there is that gender gap when it comes to long-term outcomes for superannuation for women.
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Soldier injured during parachute training exercise
An Australian Defence Force soldier has been injured in a parachute accident during a training exercise, AAP reports.
The incident occurred last night during what defence described as a “routine training activity” at the RAAF Base in Richmond, about 50km north-west of Sydney.
In a statement, defence confirmed the soldier had been injured:
First aid was rendered at the scene and the member was taken to hospital by NSW Ambulance.
Defence did not provide any details about the soldier’s current condition and said it would not provide further comment due to privacy.
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Angus Taylor claims Australians will see ‘the spigots opened’ on spending in budget
Earlier this morning, treasurer Jim Chalmers said fighting inflation wouldn’t be the sole focus of the upcoming federal budget and warned the slowing national economy can’t be ignored.
(We had some posts on this earlier in the blog, mainly here).
The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, has weighed in and said he would not be surprised to see “the spigots opened” on government spending in the May budget.
Taylor said additional spending was not the answer to the economic problems at hand and the focus should be on fostering a strong private sector, an area he said the government was lacking.
We need to restore our standard of living and build the foundations for continued prosperity.
A Coalition government will deliver policies that take pressure off small businesses and households, increase home ownership, boost productivity, and reward aspiration and hard work.
– with AAP
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Bankwest branch closures condemned as ‘disgraceful’
The president of the Finance Sector Union, Wendy Streets, said it is “disgraceful” that every Bankwest branch is being closed, with customers having no option but to go online.
(We had more details on this earlier in the blog here).
Speaking on Today, Streets noted that connectivity was a huge issue in regional areas:
Even if they’ve got the equipment and they know how to [use] it, which in lots of cases they don’t, the actual connectivity is an issue.
We’ve heard stories through the banking inquiry into the closure of regional and remote branches of people having to do their banking at midnight and one in the morning … especially small businesses, so that they don’t lose that connection and they can actually do the work that they’re trying to do.
But this affects all sorts of people, small business in particular is severely affected. And we see country towns actually die once banks have left that town, because everybody’s got to go to another town, sometimes hundreds of kilometres away, to actually carry out their banking.
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Australian Olympic uniform to incorporate Indigenous design
The chef de mission of the Australian Olympic Team for Paris 2024, Anna Meares, said this year’s Olympic uniform would incorporate an Indigenous design.
Speaking on Today earlier, she said:
[ASICS has] worked very closely with our Athletes’ Commission and our Indigenous Advisory Council, and I can tell you that the uniform is green and gold. And for the first time, does incorporate Indigenous design into the uniform … Today we’ll actually launch the ASICS competition wear and the delegation wear – so the uniform that we’re going to wear every day around the village.
Mears said preparation for the Olympics is ramping up, 141 days out:
We’ve got over 300 quota spots qualified now for athletes for Australia from over 22 sports, even though officially we’ve only selected 14, and we’re getting up to anywhere between 460 and 480 come July when the game starts. So big team, big aspirations, big heart of the country.
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Virgin CEO says ‘no snakes, rabbits, hamsters’ on flights
The Virgin chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, provided more details on the airline’s proposal for pets in cabin flights while speaking on Today just earlier.
As we flagged in our last post, the proposal would allow for small dogs and cats on flights only. Hrdlicka said:
So no snakes, rabbits, hamsters. Those guys, unfortunately, have to stay home. But [it would allow] small dogs and small cats in the carrier that sits in the compartment just underneath the seat in front of you … they won’t come out [in] the aircraft [or] the airport.
Asked about price, she said the airline is still “working through the details on that now”.
In terms of the space pets might take up, Hrdlicka said it is “pretty straightforward” because people will need to use pre-approved pet carriers, which are designed to fit underneath seats.
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Virgin Australia announces plan for pets in cabin flights
Virgin has announced its intention to become Australia’s first airline to operate flights with pets on board, as part of a plan unveiled today.
The service is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to launch within 12 months, the airline said in a statement.
Using a social media survey on Facebook in 2021, Virgin found 85% of respondents voted in favour of pets in cabin flights. More recent research found nearly 70% would travel with their pet in the cabin, and 57% would fly more regularly if the service was a reality.
The service would be limited to small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes, and pets must be carried in a Virgin Australia-approved carrier under the seat in front of the owner.
Chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said:
Overwhelmingly, our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality. It’s something that commonly happens overseas and is proven to work well.
The proposal would not result in any change to approved assistance animals being able to travel in the cabin at no additional cost, the airline said.
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Q: Are you obsessed with delivering a surplus?
Treasurer Jim Chalmers responded that he is “obsessed with responsible economic management”.
You know, I think the foundation of a good government is being responsible with taxpayer dollars … I think one of the things that we have been very successful at the first couple of years of this Albanese government is funding our priorities – running a tight ship but funding priorities, all of that [builds] on a really solid foundation of responsible economic management.
That’s what the expenditure review committee is charged with delivering, that’s what we’re doing. That doesn’t always make us popular, we know that there are more good ideas that can’t be funded, that’s just the reality of a good government [but we do] our best for people, we do our best for ministers, and we do our best for the country, and from time to time you get stories like this, so be it.
At the end here, Chalmers was referencing an article in the Sydney Morning Herald today, which claimed federal ministers are frustrated that key spending proposals are being rejected by prime minister Anthony Albanese’s “powerful inner circle”.
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Treasurer says he won’t ‘second guess’ November 2023 interest rate rise
Q: Was the November 2023 interest rate hike by the RBA unnecessary?
Jim Chalmers said he was not going to “second guess it”.
You know that I don’t engage in running commentary on [the RBA’s] decisions [in the] past and [what] they may or may not take in the future … I’m just not gonna take the bait.
I maintain this position for good reason. The Reserve Bank’s got a job to do, it does it independently. It has a lot of opportunities to explain the decisions that it takes and I have my own opportunity to explain the strategy that we are pursuing.
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Chalmers says inflation ‘still the main game’ in economy
Speaking about the economy, and the upcoming budget in May, treasurer Jim Chalmers said:
I think inflation is still the main game in our economy but the balance of risks is shifting and so will our strategy – not in fundamental ways but in terms of the difficult balances that we strike between cost of living help and budget repair, and investing in both in the budget.
We will maintain a primary focus on inflation but not a sole focus on inflation. Now as the risks shift in our economy, the balance shifts in our budget strategy as well and I think people will see that [in the May budget].
Asked if people can expect a stimulatory budget, Chalmers said there won’t be a “fundamental shift” with a focus remaining on inflation but “we can’t and won’t ignore the way that the economy is slowing”.
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Treasurer says final costings for super initiative will be announced in the budget
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is currently speaking to ABC radio about the new super initiative.
He said it makes up part of finance minister Katy Gallagher’s gender equality strategy, which she will launch at the National Press Club today. Chalmers said:
Our super system is the envy of the world but it’s not perfect and one of its imperfections is this gender gap in super. And what we’re announcing today will address that – it won’t eliminate that gap but it will help to address it.
Asked why the initiative would kick in after the next election, Chalmers said “we’ve got to get the systems right”.
You can’t just click your fingers and make this work immediately.
He said final costings would be announced in the budget.
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Super Members Council says changes a ‘major stride forward on gender equity’
The Super Members Council has also welcomed the government’s new initiative to tackle the gender super gap as a “major stride forward on gender equity”.
Chief executive Misha Schubert said this “watershed reform” would make a “powerful difference to the lives and retirement incomes of generations of Australian women in the decades ahead – and narrow the gender gap at retirement”.
It will powerfully propel Australia closer towards the goal of ending the financial ‘motherhood penalty’ in the early years of having children – which has a compounding effect across women’s working lives.
New Super Members Council analysis shows the gender super gap has narrowed for all age groups but women in their 30s have gone backwards – mostly due to not being paid super on parental leave.
Paying super on parental leave is a highly effective gender equity measure and could reduce the gender gap at retirement by around a quarter, the council says.
It is also advocating for a boost to the low-income super tax offset – a super tax refund that mostly benefits lower income women but has not increased in line with the tax brackets.
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Rest CEO praises super changes
Superannuation fund Rest says the government’s commitment to include super contributions on the paid parental leave scheme is a “major milestone” towards closing the gender super gap.
Chief executive Vicki Doyle said the change was a recommendation in Rest’s pre-budget submission, and it has long been an advocate for the change.
The gender super gap for Rest members nearing retirement sits at around 27%. In recent years, this gap has been wider than the national average and is progressively widening.
We know significant work is required to improve super settings to address this imbalance, including dealing with the motherhood penalty experienced by those who engage in unpaid caring work, such as time on parental leave.
Rest noted that modelling shows a mother of two children who received super on the paid parental leave scheme would be $14,500 better off in retirement.
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NSW government urged to double social housing by 2050
Homelessness NSW is urging the state government to spend $1bn each year for a decade to double the supply of social housing by 2050.
Chief executive Dominique Rowe said the state must build 5,000 dwellings annually to lift NSW’s share of social housing from one in 20 to one in 10 homes:
NSW has failed to invest in social housing for decades. Last year, just one-fifth of people seeking help from homelessness services could find long-term accommodation.
Right now, many of the 57,000 households on the social housing waitlist are forced to wait up to a decade for a safe and stable place to call home.
In its budget submission, Homelessness NSW is warning frontline services risked staff cuts and closure without a 20% funding boost.
Rowe:
Underfunded frontline providers are being flooded with calls for help and forced to turn away one in every two people who need accommodation. Services will be unable to keep staff on or their doors open without more funding.
Even for people who get through the door, help is limited. Half of those who need temporary or crisis accommodation cannot access it. That means women and children are forced to return to violent partners, seek shelter in a vehicle, on a couch or the street.
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Linda Burney says there has been ‘no improvement’ in closing the gap on life expectancy
Josh Butler has got more on the Closing the Gap data released overnight:
The Indigenous Australians minister, Linda Burney, cautiously praised “some progress” in the report, noting that five of the 19 targets were now on track – an uptick from four of 19 in previous reports.
“Encouragingly”, Burney said, “the proportion of First Nations babies born at a healthy weight has improved and is on track to meet the target of 91% by 2031. The target of a 15% increase in land and sea country covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples legal rights is also on track.”
But there has been no improvement in closing the gap on life expectancy, with Indigenous Australian males and females expected to live 8.8 and 8.1 years respectively, less than other Australians.
The target to reduce the number of children in out of home care is not on track, while the target to reduce adult imprisonment is not on track and worsening.
The report shows the life expectancy for Indigenous men is 71.9, and 75.6 for women.
Burney last month announced hundreds of millions for a new remote jobs program, a new national commissioner for Indigenous young people, and continued funding for Indigenous justice policies addressing incarceration rates. She said:
The government is committed to strengthening efforts to work in partnership with First Nations people to make progress on Closing the Gap and improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
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Finance minister says Labor had to ‘find room in the budget’ for super initiative
Speaking on the superannuation initiative, Katy Gallagher said it would be funded in the budget, the legislation will move through and the funding would flow from 1 July 2025.
The final cost would be decided through the budget process, she said.
She was asked whether Labor regrets previously dumping this policy at the 2022 election? Gallagher:
We have had to find room in the budget for it. We have taken the difficult decisions, finding savings and not spending in other areas to make sure we have got the room and we can do it in a responsible budget way. That is what has led to be in a position to make the announcement today. It is not in isolation of all the other work we are doing to improve the lives of women in this country.
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Katy Gallagher says super change to paid parental leave about valuing women
Making news overnight: parents will receive 12% superannuation, or about $106 a week, on their publicly funded paid parental leave from July 2025.
As Paul Karp reports, this is part of a major initiative to be announced by the Albanese government, expected to cost at least $250m a year to the federal budget and aimed at closing the retirement savings gap between women and men. You can read more below:
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, was talking about the initiative earlier on ABC News Breakfast and said:
This is an important announcement. We know women, because of their various caring roles primarily, but also because of the nature of the work that women predominantly do, retire with less super than men.
One of the issues that has existed for some time, or forever, has been super isn’t paid on paid parental leave, on the government’s paid parental leave. Many employers do it but on that scheme we haven’t paid superannuation. When you take time out of the work force to care for children, you don’t get super going into your super account. That contributes to the super pay gap.
This announcement, and it will be funded in the budget so it is not linked to the election, is about making sure we are sending women a message that we value the care that they provide for young children throughout their careers, and also that this will ensure we are doing what we can to close that super gender pay gap.
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Bankwest closing all branches and going digital
Bankwest has announced it will be closing all of its branches and going digital.
Bankwest, a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank, said on its website that its branch network would close by October this year. Fifteen branches will be converted to CommBank branches by the end of this year, it added.
Bankwest ATMs will also be closing. The website reads:
We recognise this may be difficult news if you or your loved ones bank in branch, or if you feel reassured knowing a branch is nearby. We’re committed to supporting you through this change.
This change enables us to invest in the digital channels the majority of our customers are increasingly choosing to do their banking with us.
This comes amid widespread bank closures across regional towns, leaving many having to drive hundreds, or thousands, of kilometres to access a branch. You can read more on this from the Rural Network, below:
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Good morning, and happy Thursday. Thanks to Martin for kicking things off! I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be bringing you our rolling coverage here on the blog today.
See something that needs attention? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s get started.
Some Closing the Gap indicators getting worse, new data shows
National progress on Closing The Gap on Indigenous life outcomes is improving, but several crucial indicators are not getting better and in some cases are getting worse.
The Productivity Commission overnight released a new data set for Closing The Gap, showing more bleak pictures on government efforts to improve outcomes for Indigenous people. Statistics on suicide, child protection and imprisonment rates were not on track to meet government-set goals, and are actually going backwards and getting worse.
Nearly 30 people per 100,000 population took their own life in 2022, according to the data; 57.2 children per 1,000 were in out of home care in 2023, and 2,265 adults per 100,000 were in prison in 2023.
There were 29.8 young people in detention per 10,000, a figure which represented “no change from the baseline”.
The overnight data is newly updated numbers, a separate dataset to that shared in last month’s Closing The Gap report in federal parliament, but showing broadly the same picture – some targets on track, others in limbo and some getting worse.
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Headspace survey finds loneliness reported by three in five young people
Young women are among the loneliest and most isolated group of people in Australia, according to a study that found four in five felt left out and lacking companionship, Australian Associated Press reports.
A Headspace survey released today – the eve of International Women’s Day – found young women suffered loneliness more than their male counterparts, even though young men were less likely to ask for help.
The Headspace National Youth Mental Health Survey found three in five young people reported feeling like they lacked companionship, felt isolated or left out.
But the rates of loneliness were highest among women aged between 18 and 21, with almost four in five reporting feelings of loneliness.
Headspace clinical leadership head Nicola Palfrey said the findings may reflect a challenging stage of life, in which young adults gain greater independence and leave primary school or the family home.
“People in their late teens and early 20s are doing many things for the first time,” Palfrey said.
But Palfrey said other factors could also challenge young women’s mental health, including a smaller likelihood to participate in community sport and the larger influence of social media for the group.
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Where now for the government’s fight against the overwhelming market power of Coles and Woolworths after the prime minister ruled out breaking up the companies?
Our business reporter Jonathan Barrett talks to retail analysts about the hurdles for new entrants such as finding suppliers who are already tied up with the big two, locating new stores in inner-city and suburban areas where property is very hard to come by and very expensive. He also looks at what can be done to help.
And the head of the competition watchdog will highlight today how she intends to help consumers struggling with the cost of living crisis and will demand more powers to take on companies.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the top overnight stories.
Having not donated to any Australian political party for more than a decade, one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies chose the moment the industry faced the biggest crackdown for years to gift the Nationals $55,000. The last time British American Tobacco donated to the Nationals was when the government planned to introduce plain-packaging laws for cigarettes.
Supermarket competition, energy prices, consumer protection and pricing are priorities for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, its chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, is expected to say in a speech today. With a full-blown investigation into supermarket pricing under way, Cass-Gottlieb will say that cost of living pressures and the push towards net zero emissions top the agenda based on complaints the agency received. “This new priority reflects significant price increases in food and groceries and the concerns of many Australian consumers and farmers about supermarket pricing,” she is expected to tell the audience at an event held by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. More coming up.
The New South Wales environmental watchdog will announce this morning that it has found 75 sites where mulch has been contaminated with asbestos. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has finished trawling through the state’s complex supply chain and will now turn its focus on its criminal investigation after the completion of contact tracing. The state’s environment minister, Penny Sharpe, has pledged to tighten regulations after the scandal, with “multiple lines of inquiry still live”, according to the government.
And a new survey has found that young women suffer loneliness more than their male counterparts, though men are less likely to ask for help. More on that, too, in a few minutes.
