What happened on Thursday 30 June, 2022
That was quite an eventful end to the day, and with that, we’ll be wrapping up our live news blog. Here’s a summary of the main news developments:
- Former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro has stepped down from a controversial $500,000-a-year trade role based in New York, days before he was set to begin, amid an inquiry into his appointment.
- Channel Seven is seeking a court declaration to allow them to terminate a multimillion dollar Test cricket and Big Bash League broadcasting rights deal with Cricket Australia. The governing body reacted with astonishment to the move from its broadcast partner on Thursday and vowed to vigorously defend its position.
- Witness accounts that Lynette Dawson was seen bruised before she vanished in January 1982 were small pieces of a larger picture showing she was murdered by her husband Chris Dawson, prosecutors have told a court.
- The aged care sector is warning almost half of the nation’s home care providers will be increasing fees by up to 20% after a new two-hour minimum shift for carers comes into force on Friday, prompting complaints from older Australians and advocates.
- The winter dry spell is set to end this week with the east coast of Australia set to receive a deluge leading up to the weekend, while record-breaking rainfall is expected for parts of northern Australia.
- The Albanese government has ordered an independent review into Australia’s existing procurement contracts for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments “to ensure that they are fit-for-purpose” now and into 2023 as new subvariants emerge, as 60 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded across Australia on Thursday. Meanwhile, the TGA has given provisional approval for children aged between six months and five to receive the Pfizer Covid vaccine.
Thanks for following along.
We’ll be back to do it all over again tomorrow, a day which marks the start of a new financial year. Happy new year to all those who celebrate, and have a pleasant and sensible evening seeing out the financial year that was!
Just following on from that news that John Barilaro has stepped down from his controversial trade role based in New York.
Amy Brown, the chief executive of Investment NSW who was responsible for filling the role, has released a statement. It says:
This evening Mr John Barilaro notified me that he is withdrawing from the role of Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Americas, effective immediately.
I request that his privacy be respected at this time.
Investment NSW is assisting the Department of Premier and Cabinet and NSW Legislative Council Inquiry in reviews of the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Americas recruitment process, and as such it is not appropriate to make any further comment.”
You can read more about the latest developments in this saga here:
John Barilaro withdraws from controversial NY job
Former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro has stepped down from the $500,000-a-year trade role he was controversially appointed to.
After weeks of controversy over the appointment, Barilaro announced late on Thursday that he was withdrawing from the job, saying his position had untenable after intense media scrutiny.
In a statement he said:
I’m withdrawing from the position of STIC for the Americas. It is clear that my taking up this role is now not tenable with the amount of media attention this appointment has gained.
I have always maintained that I followed the process and look forward to the results of the review.”
His withdrawal comes amid an inquiry into the appointment.
You can read more here:
Updated
Australia upgrades safety advice for travellers to the UK
Terrorism fears have led Australia to upgrade its safety advice for those planning a trip to the UK, reports AAP.
The federal government’s SmartTraveller website said it had reviewed advice for travellers to Britain, urging them to “exercise a high degree of caution”.
The UK safety advice was upgraded on Thursday from the lowest level - recommending normal safety measures - to level two, where travellers are told to exercise caution.
“At level two, there are more or higher risks than what you would typically find in a large Australian city,” the SmartTraveller advice said.
“We’re not saying don’t go to this location, but you should do your research and take extra precautions.
“The level may reflect a weak law-and-order system, where violent crime is common.”
Other countries currently on level two for travel advice include the US, Thailand, Peru, Gabon and India.
The UK’s terrorism level is currently at “substantial”, the third-highest level in the country, meaning an attack is considered likely to happen.
Updated
Anthony Albanese and Justin Trudeau meet on Nato summit sidelines
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has met with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Madrid.
Standing in front of each country’s flags and making brief remarks in front of the media, Trudeau made some general comments about looking forward to working with the new Albanese government.
Trudeau also called Albanese “Tony”.
Albanese did not appear to bring up his new nickname, but told Trudeau that Australia would no longer be in the “naughty corner” in regards to climate action.
Updated
I’m deeply disappointed @markdreyfusQCMP has refused to exercise his public interest power to stop the prosecution of ATO whistleblower and hero, Richard Boyle. No-one in the public service will blow the whistle on illegal or improper conduct knowing persecution follows. #auspol pic.twitter.com/PTKDrY742y
— Rex Patrick (@Senator_Patrick) June 30, 2022
Monkeypox detected in South Australia
South Australia has reported its first case of monkeypox in a man who recently returned from overseas, reports AAP.
Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the man was in a stable condition and was isolating at home.
She said no close contacts had been identified in SA so there was no risk to the wider community.
“This is somebody who has picked up the infection overseas, has seen the travel advice, got diagnosed and is stable and there is no further risk to us,” prof Spurrier said on Thursday.
“We don’t expect this to be spreading widely.”
Updated
Senate committee says Western Sydney Airport project land buy ‘breached social contract’
The Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee has issued a report on the Western Sydney Airport project, which includes some criticism of the Leppington Triangle purchase.
The Australian National Audit Office found the $30m price tag paid by the infrastructure department was almost 10 times its fair value.
The committee, chaired by Labor senator Tim Ayres, said in its report:
It is clear that this transaction has breached the social contract between the commonwealth and the public, by not providing any clear value for money and by creating arbitrary differences between landholders with varying degrees of access to decision-makers.”
The committee called for:
- Ongoing scrutiny of the Western Sydney Airport project through the 47th parliament
- An update on how the department is implementing ANAO recommendations
- A federal integrity body must be established as a matter of priority
It said:
The incoming Labor government has committed to establishing an independent and powerful national integrity commission. This commission will promote proper public administration and provide a vital accountability measure to rebuild public trust in the administration of commonwealth funds.
It will also ensure that any future significant commonwealth transactions, like that of the Leppington Triangle, represent value for money for the taxpayer and adhere to the relevant Commonwealth Procurement Rules.”
Updated
Channel Seven seeks court ruling to end cricket broadcasting deal
Channel Seven is seeking a court declaration that would allow them to terminate a multi-million dollar Test cricket and Big Bash League broadcasting rights deal with Cricket Australia.
Seven West Media Limited on Thursday filed court proceedings in the federal court in relation to “multiple quality and standard breaches by CA” of the existing $450m media rights agreement.
“The SWM (Seven West Media) proceedings will seek both a court declaration that Seven is entitled to terminate the MRA (media rights agreement) on the basis of material contract breaches by CA which were not remedied, and damages arising out of past breaches,” a Seven statement read.
It is understood the court proceedings will start early next year and the upcoming summer of cricket is unlikely to be affected, with Seven intent on performing its obligations in terms of broadcasting a busy summer of Test and BBL cricket.
There are two summers remaining on the six-year deal but it is understood that the BBL is the sticking point for Seven, after the past two seasons were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Seven previously obtained preliminary discovery proceedings in the federal court relating to the claims,” the Seven statement added. “Seven’s intention is to terminate the MRA, conditional on the federal court granting a declaration that Seven is entitled to do so. Seven has the right to waive this condition. The damages action is not conditional.
“Seven has pursued the informal dispute resolution procedure under the MRA but the procedure failed to resolve the dispute.”
Updated
Senate committee repeats call for ‘disassembly’ of Administrative Appeals Tribunal
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has reported back on the future of merits review, and has simply reiterated that its view in March is the same: that the Administrative Appeals Tribunal should be “disassembled”(and replaced by another merits review body).
In a brief note the chair, outgoing Labor senator Kim Carr, wrote:
A substantive interim report was tabled on 31 March 2022, which took account of the 38 submissions received and outlined the committee’s views and recommendations.
This process enabled the committee to consider the issues raised in, and conclude its examination of, the terms of reference. As such, the committee is of the view that re-referral of the inquiry in the 47th Parliament is not necessary.”
We’ve asked the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, if this is the government’s view.
The committee has also handballed two further inquiries:
- One on a Centre Alliance bill about altering the constitution to recognise freedom of the press, which was started in 2019 and got 30 submissions but did not conduct any hearings. Thanks for submitting, no need to bother the 47th parliament with it, was the gist.
- One on missing and murdered First Nations women and children, which was only referred in November but did not progress due to parliament being prorogued in April. The committee said it will be up to the new Senate to decide whether to proceed.
Updated
First warnings of possible flooding in NSW as the big wet returns. Sydney dams are already nearly full, and the outlook is for a quite a bit of rain in the next week. @BOM_au @BOM_NSW https://t.co/RKUf6VhUEw pic.twitter.com/TNlapqqUZq
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) June 30, 2022
Accounts of bruising on Lynette Dawson part of bigger picture, prosecution alleges
Witness accounts that Lynette Dawson was seen bruised before she vanished in January 1982 were small pieces of a larger picture showing she was murdered by her husband, prosecutors have told a court.
As the murder trial against Christopher Michael Dawson, 73, enters its closing phase, crown prosecutor Craig Everson SC said that evidence of the bruising could lead the NSW supreme court to find Lynette Dawson had been killed instead of having left home.
Dawson has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and denies having any involvement in his wife’s disappearance.
Read more:
Updated
Heavy #rainfall is forecast to develop and may cause minor to moderate flooding and is expected to intensify further in the new week with major flooding possible.
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) June 30, 2022
❗️MINOR TO POSSIBLE MAJOR FLOODING FOR PARTS OF THE MID NORTH COAST TO THE ILLAWARRA@BOM_NSW https://t.co/svH9b17YC3 pic.twitter.com/AyUXrjGs7X
National Covid summary
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 60 deaths from Covid-19:
ACT
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 1,250
- In hospital: 122 (with 2 people in ICU)
NSW
- Deaths: 23
- Cases: 11,504
- In hospital: 1,534 (with 37 people in ICU)
Northern Territory
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 354
- In hospital: 15 (with 2 people in ICU)
Queensland
- Deaths: 10
- Cases: 5,286
- In hospital: 642 (with 14 people in ICU)
South Australia
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 3,129
- In hospital: 237 (with 8 people in ICU)
Tasmania
- Deaths: 2
- Cases: 1,268
- In hospital: 44 (with 3 people in ICU)
Victoria
- Deaths: 17
- Cases: 9,926
- In hospital: 465 (with 21 people in ICU)
Western Australia
- Deaths: 7
- Cases: 5,548
- In hospital: 219 (with 11 people in ICU)
AMA president criticises government for ending Covid-19 telehealth services
President of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid, says the federal government has failed an early test of its pandemic response by refusing to extend Covid-19 telehealth services, despite the ongoing challenges to the health system.
Without telehealth services being extended from 1 July, vulnerable patients’ will be impacted in particular, he said.
This decision means telephone access to doctors will be significantly limited and this will hit vulnerable patients hardest, including those who do not have access to high bandwidth internet and those who can’t operate the necessary IT systems.
This means that older patients, those with chronic health conditions including cancers and those who are immune-suppressed will have less access to care from tomorrow and may be put at increased risk of contracting Covid if they now have to attend their doctors appointment face to face.”
Earlier on Thursday the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) issued a similar statement. They want specialist telehealth items, especially items by phone, to be made a permanent feature of the healthcare system.
RACP president Dr Jacqueline Small said:
We’re approaching the deadline, but there’s still time for the government to make a positive change at the eleventh hour”.
Updated
Pfizer Covid vaccine provisionally approved in six-month-old children
As posted earlier, Australia’s drugs regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration [TGA] today provisionally approved the Pfizer vaccine in children from six months old.
Provisional determination is just the first step in the registration process and it means that Pfizer is now eligible to apply for registration of their vaccine for children under five.
Associate Professor Hassan Vally, an epidemiologist at Deakin University, said it means that Pfizer has been given the go-ahead to apply for provisional registration for the use of this vaccine in young children.
When they do this, the TGA will go through all of the available information with a fine tooth comb before making a decision whether to approve the vaccine for this age group,” he said.
If this were to happen, it would then be up to ATAGI [Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation] to take on board all that we know about Covid-19 in this age group and the relevant vaccine safety and effectiveness data to decide whether to recommend this vaccine for children this age group.
As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic ATAGI is very thorough in reviewing the data and very cautious when it comes to recommending vaccines. Despite this, there is little reason to expect that the vaccine wouldn’t be recommended as all of the available data from clinical trials suggests that the vaccine in the doses selected for young children is very safe and effective.”
Updated
Penny Wong winds up trip to Malaysia
The minister for foreign affairs, Penny Wong, is about to finish her trip to Malaysia. She has spoken with reporters in Kota Kinabalu, where she spent the early years of her life.
Wong is clearly seeking to deepen Australia’s ties with south-east Asian countries:
I think it matters that Australia speaks to south-east Asia in a way that recognises that we are part of this region and that our futures are shared. These are challenging times in the world, we’re all seeking to navigate these challenging times and we do it best when we do it together. And that collectivity comes from an understanding that our future prosperity and security is shared.
Wong is also seeking to present a picture of modern Australia. She notes that one in two Australians were either born overseas or have parents who were born overseas:
I hope that my personal story can contribute to the relationship but more importantly what I want to emphasise is that it is not only my story - this is a story that many Australians can tell.We have so many Australians who were born overseas or whose parents were born overseas who have connections with south-east Asia and other countries around the world.
We are a multicultural and diverse nation. And I hope in part my story can contribute to reminding people in this region and throughout the world that Australia is a modern, diverse multicultural society which is keen to continue engaging with the region.”
Updated
Reforms to parliament rules flagged
Tony Burke, the leader of the house, has met with crossbench MPs this morning about new proposed standing orders for the House of Representatives.
Burke signalled early in the term of the new government that he was “determined to fix” how parliament works in response to a long list of demands to give the crossbench more say.
Guardian Australia understands the new rules include more opportunities for the crossbench to speak including more questions in question time, a move criticised by manager of opposition business, Paul Fletcher, who thinks the opposition are better at scrutinising the government than the crossbench.
On Thursday, Burke said:
I have been conducting productive consultations with Labor, the crossbench and the manager of opposition business about potential changes to standing orders. These changes have also been informed by the Jenkins review. Final drafting is not yet complete but I am hoping to introduce changes in the first week of parliament.”
Regarding the signal about the Jenkins review, it’s worth noting that it recommended:
- A “review of the Parliamentary sitting calendar and the Order/Routine of Business with a view to enhancing wellbeing, balance and flexibility for parliamentarians and workers in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces”. Could that mean shorter sitting hours? Allowing MPs to vote remotely, as the Senate allowed during covid?
- A committee to establish a code of conduct for parliamentarians - an idea that has been taken up with enthusiasm by independent MP Kylea Tink
Independent MP Zoe Daniel said the meeting was “productive and collaborative”. So sounds like things are going more smoothly than the cut to crossbench staff, which will be revisited when Anthony Albanese returns from his Nato trip.
Updated
Government announces review into Covid vaccine and treatment contracts
The Albanese government has ordered an independent review into Australia’s existing procurement contracts for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments “to ensure that they are fit-for-purpose” now and into 2023 as new subvariants emerge.
Announcing the review in Canberra, health minister Mark Butler said that Jane Halton – who led the national review of hotel quarantine earlier in the pandemic and is co-chair of the Covax initiative – will conduct the independent review “as a matter of some urgency”.
Butler said the review will “take stock of current contracts and the existing supplies we have in country of vaccines and treatments” for all different age groups.
He has also asked Halton “to cast forward and to provide us with some advice about likely developments in (Covid variants and treatments) over the rest of 2022 and into 2023”. Halton will also be asked to advise the government if she believes any existing arrangements should be altered.
Butler stressed that the review is “not about looking back and examining the rights and wrongs of the former government’s approach to negotiating these contracts in the first place”. Rather, he said, it is to “ensure that arrangements that might have been fantastic three months ago are fit-for-purpose for the rest of this year and into next year”.
Butler said there is no deadline for the review, but that the government wants it conducted “in weeks, not many months” due to the urgency of the risk posed by emerging variants and subvariants of Covid. He said:
We are determined as a government to stay on the front foot in the fight against this virus and ensure that the Australian community has priority access to the best possible vaccine protection against this virus and all of its variants, and the best possible cutting-edge treatments to prevent severe illness and death for vulnerable Australians.”
Updated
Federal government urges people to get third and fourth Covid vaccinations
Health minister Mark Butler has called for Australians to get their third Covid vaccine doses, and fourth for those eligible, amid community spread of new subvariants throughout winter.
Butler issued the plea as the Therapeutical Goods Administration announced provision approval of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for use in children aged six months up to five years. (This is only the first step – for the vaccine to be provided, it will also need to be recommended for administration to this age group by Atagi.)
Speaking from Canberra, Butler said:
Two doses does not give you sufficient protection against these new variants. I have also talked about the need to lift our efforts in getting fourth doses into the arms, particularly of aged care residents.
I’m pleased to say that that rate has increased by about 10% since I was last before you a week or so ago. There’s still more to do, there’s no question about that. Only 64% of aged care residents eligible for their fourth dose have now got it. I want to see that rate increase dramatically.”
Butler said the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron are starting to become the predominant infections on the eastern seaboard, and “they are starting to see not just case numbers increase in a number of jurisdictions, but very worryingly hospitalisation numbers increase as well.”
Butler said:
We’re only still starting to understand the impact of BA.4 and BA.5 in terms of its transmissibility, in terms of the ability for people who might have had one of the other subvariants of Covid earlier in the year to become reinfected with this new subvariant.
And also whether or not this new subvariant is or is not more severe than some of the other subvariants with some research indicating that it might impact the lungs a little bit more than others.”
Updated
South Australian football great Neil Kerley dies in car accident aged 88
Australian Football Hall of Fame member and “proud and passionate South Australian” Neil Kerley has died in a car crash. He was 88.
Kerley made his mark on Australia’s home-grown football code as an outstanding player, coach, administrator and media figure.
Even long after his retirement as a player, Kerley’s passionate support for South Australia – especially in State of Origin clashes with arch-rival Victoria – was unrivalled.
Kerley – affectionately nicknamed “Knuckles” – played 276 games for West Adelaide, South Adelaide and Glenelg, and represented his state 32 times. He also coached five SANFL clubs to a total of four premierships.
Read more:
Updated
NSW transport minister calls on John Barilaro to quit New York trade job
It’s been revealed John Barilaro contacted NSW deputy Liberal party leader, Stuart Ayres, to enquire about “the status” of a $500,000 New York trade commissioner job prior to it being publicly advertised, as pressure grows on the former deputy premier to withdraw from the role.
On Thursday, the NSW transport minister, David Elliott, broke ranks and called for Barilaro to “do the honourable thing” and quit of his own accord.
“My very, very strong view is that he shouldn’t be going to New York and I’m pretty sure that that’s the view of the majority of people in this state,” Elliott said.
Read more:
Updated
And that’s where I’ll leave you for today. You’ll be with my esteemed colleague Elias Visontay from here on out – enjoy your afternoon!
More Australians living in apartments, census data shows
Australians are turning to apartment living in record numbers, as the gap between private property rental prices and apartments continues to widen.
About 1.3 million people now live in flats according to the 2021 census, an increase of 1.1% compared to 2016. At the same time, the number of Australians living in terraces and townhouses has stagnated, staying flat at 1.1 million people.
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute managing director, Dr Michael Fotheringham, said Australia needed to catch up to the fact the 1950s dream of raising a family to the backdrop of a back yard and a Hills hoist was increasingly out of reach for low to middle-income households – particularly in the middle of a rental crisis.
Read the whole story here:
Updated
Some images are trickling in now from the teacher strike in New South Wales.
Despite #Sydney's driest June in 36 years, the city just had its wettest first half of a year on record.
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) June 30, 2022
Full story at https://t.co/OLj9z5O3PL pic.twitter.com/qUcp3OfN7I
Job vacancies jump by 14% in the last three months
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported another big jump in job vacancies, with almost half a million jobs on offer as of May.
That tally’s double the level of pre-Covid times, if you can recall what the world looked like in February 2020. Of all the forecasts around the economy during the height of the pandemic, predictions about the labour market – in many nations – have proven to be the most off the mark.
Up, up and away...job vacancies near half a million, ABS says. (Have to think it will feed into higher wages sooner or later...) pic.twitter.com/iRYlfZOZIP
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) June 30, 2022
Anyway, in the past three months, job vacancy numbers have jumped by 14%, with “customer-facing” roles the most in demand, according to the ABS. (Perhaps that’s a sign of heightened absentee rates given the rapid spread of Covid and now flu in many workplaces.)
So about one in four businesses say they are looking for employees, or double the pre-pandemic proportion:
More than a quarter of Australian businesses now reporting job vacancies, ABS says. pic.twitter.com/PAn61xVa8n
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) June 30, 2022
Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics, at the ABS said:
The large growth in vacancies through the pandemic has coincided with a decline in the number of unemployed people.
As a result, there was almost the same number of unemployed people and vacant jobs in May 2022.
That’s about 1.1 unemployed people per vacant job. Back in early 2020, the ratio was closer to three jobless people per vacant position.
Victoria has had the largest jump in vacancies since February, rising 18%, ahead of NSW’s 12% rise. The Northern Territory, though, has the biggest share of companies looking to fill roles, with almost one in three on the hunt.
The industries with the highest growth in vacancies over the quarter were retail trade, up 38%; information media and telecommunications services, up 18%; and arts and recreation services, up 16%.
Perhaps now might be the time to put in that resume or ask for a pay rise?
Updated
TGA provisionally approves Pfizer vaccine for children from six months old
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, for use in children aged six months up to five years.
This is only the first step – for the vaccine to be provided, it will also need to be recommended for administration to this age group by Atagi.
In a statement, the TGA said:
Provisional determination is the first step in the provisional registration process. Approval and potential supply in Australia would only commence should the vaccine be approved as safe and effective by the TGA and recommended for administration to this age group by ATAGI (the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation). It does not mean an application for use in this age group has been made and it does not mean any subsequent application would be approved.
On receipt of an application to provisionally register COMIRNATY for use in this age group, the TGA will undertake a rigorous assessment of the safety, efficacy and quality of this vaccine with the highest priority.
Updated
Environment Victoria says energy roadmap ‘not fast enough’ in face of climate crisis
Environment Victoria has responded to the roadmap to renewable energy, released by the Australian Energy Market Operator today, saying while it’s not fast enough to avert catastrophic climate crisis, it’s “more realistic”.
Environment Victoria’s chief executive, Jono La Nauze, said in a statement:
Australia’s Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is now predicting that 60% of Australia’s coal will be closed by 2030, all of Victoria’s coal will be closed by 2032 and the very last coal power station will shut by 2042.
Although still not fast enough to meet Paris Agreement goals of averting catastrophic climate change, AEMO’s report at least provides a more realistic timeline for rapidly shifting to clean renewable power and ramping up storage technologies as an urgent national energy security priority.
Each time this roadmap is updated the market operator shows that the shift to renewables is happening quicker than they previously thought.
... Australia’s renewable capacity needs to grow nine-fold to meet our future energy needs. Environment Victoria agrees with AEMO’s description that the energy transition is ‘irreversible’ and both a ‘challenge and an opportunity’, and that the energy transition is urgent but achievable, but we need to act now.
Updated
Queensland cabinet papers to be released in 30 days, not 30 years as part of Coaldrake report recommendations
The Queensland government will release cabinet papers within 30 days instead of 30 years, in what the premier has described as a “revolutionary” response to a damning integrity review, AAP reports.
The premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who was publicly absent on Wednesday while undergoing dental surgery, has faced a barrage of questions two days after the review report found major issues within the public service.
Palaszczuk said:
It means that cabinet papers, which are usually held for 30 years, will be released in 30 days. This is revolutionary.
Prof Peter Coaldrake’s landmark report, handed down on Tuesday, pointed to a tolerance of bullying within the state’s public service and a reluctance to deviate from the perceived official government line.
Palaszczuk described the review process as a “health check”, adding all governments benefit from scrutiny. The report also called for the access and influence of lobbyists to be reigned in, including an explicit ban on “dual hatting” by lobbyists during election campaigns.
To every single member of the business community out there, you do not need to employ a lobbyist to have a meeting with my government.
But on “dual hatting”, the premier said every state and federal political campaign run by the major parities employed a lobbyist.
That has been the practice for many years – in fact, many decades.
Within hours of the release of the Coaldrake report, Palaszczuk committed to adopting all 14 of his recommendations. But her absence the day after was noted, forcing the premier to reveal she had dental surgery and couldn’t speak.
Updated
NSW Health urges booster uptake as Omicron subvariants spread
NSW Health is urging people to keep their Covid-19 vaccinations up to date as a report is published showing the overall proportion of Omicron BA.4 or BA.5 sub-lineages is growing.
Those variants increased to 35% in total in the week ending 25 June, compared with 32% in the previous week. There were 55,510 positive tests reported during the week.
In a statement on Thursday, NSW Health said the BA.2 sub-lineage was “the dominant variant of concern” in NSW, but they expected BA.4 and BA.5 to become dominate in the next few weeks and that would come along with an increase in Covid-19 infections and reinfections.
NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, implored the public to limit the spread of Covid-19 and protect the most vulnerable:
There is no evidence yet of a difference in disease severity for those infected with BA.4 and BA.5, but there is evidence that they are better at evading the body’s immunity.
Any potential increase in infections will depend on a combination of factors, including immunity levels in the population and behavioural factors, so it is vital that anyone who is eligible for a booster dose who hasn’t yet received it does so as soon as possible.
We all have a role to play in reducing the spread and burden of respiratory infections this winter and protecting our most vulnerable, so I strongly encourage everyone to keep doing the little things that make a big difference, such as staying home when you are sick, washing your hands regularly and indoor mask-wearing.
Currently, only 64.5% of NSW residents have received a booster shot.
Updated
The banks aren’t waiting for the RBA to raise interest rates
More signs today that the banks aren’t waiting for more Reserve Bank rate rises to adjust their own offerings.
The CBA has lifted the interest it charges on its fixed-rate loans for both owner-occupiers and investors by a “massive” 1.4 percentage points, RateCity.com.au says. (Australia’s biggest bank also cut its lowest variable home loan rate by 15 basis points, to 2.79%, with the major catch that the rate only applies to new customers who stump up a 30% deposit.)
Here’s how the rates stack up across the banks:
CBA has nudged interest on its fixed-rate loans 140 basis points higher, a fortnight after a 50bp increase, @RateCity says. pic.twitter.com/xaKwTNGEfD
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) June 30, 2022
RateCity’s research director Sally Tindall said:
We haven’t seen one-off hikes of this size and scale from CBA in our records.
Less than a year ago, CBA was still offering one fixed rate under 2%. Today the bank’s lowest fixed rate is just under 5%, while the majority are well over 6%.
We expect other banks will follow in CBA’s wake. Westpac and NAB’s fixed rates are now, in many cases, over a percentage point lower. It’s only a matter of time before these banks hike fixed rates again.
As for what the RBA is up to, we can expect another rate rise next week, which would make it three months in a row. (The two previous hikes surprised in their size, so we’ll see if there’s a three-peat there too.)
Meanwhile, investors are punting that there's just over a four-fifths chance that the Reserve Bank will lift its cash rate by 50bp when its board meets next Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/7BlpWYJYt7
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) June 30, 2022
The CBA’s chief economist Gareth Aird is among those expecting the central bank’s cash rate target will be raised half a percentage point to 1.35%.
One reason is that it would be better to set a pattern, rather than chopping around. He said:
Put another way, a potential sequence of rate hikes of 25bp in May, 50bp in June, 25bp in July and 50bp in August would be unwelcome.
It is much better to move by 50bp in July and make a judgement around 25bp or 50bp in August based on the evolution of the data and the outlook for both inflation and the economy.
Meanwhile, Aird also notes home prices have begun their descent, and tomorrow “we expect the CoreLogic data to indicate that national home prices fell by about 0.9% in June. Sydney, our biggest market, is forecast to be down 1.5% over the month.”
A perfect excuse to highlight this article we ran earlier this week:
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How many caravans are there again?
On the day the census results were released, there was discussion on radio and in other media about how either the number of people living in caravans increased between 2016 and 2021, or the number of caravans in total increased between 2021.
However, it turns out that this is not the case – there were in fact both fewer people living in caravans and fewer caravans overall in 2021. Caravans also had a lower percentage share of the total number of dwellings in 2021.
where did that caravan story from yesterday come from? just got around to looking at private dwellings for 2021 v 2016 and caravans are actually down both in total and as a proportion? pic.twitter.com/eKFfjuDAj3
— Nick Evershed (@NickEvershed) June 28, 2022
When I asked the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for clarification on caravan-related counts, an ABS spokesperson said:
There was an error identified in the article published regarding the increase in caravans and a correction has been issued.
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Australia taking major backwards steps in closing the gap on early development
Australia is already off target to meet a key Closing the Gap goal, just two years after the revised targets were introduced.
Data released by the Productivity Commission on Thursday shows that progress toward a 10-year target of having 55% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children meeting national early development goals took a backward step in 2020-21, with just 34.3% meeting the threshold, down from 55.2% in 2018.
To meet the target, children need to be assessed as developmentally on track in all five domains of the Australian Early Childhood Development Census, a metric taken just before children start school.
It is one of three targets covered in data released on Thursday. The rate of imprisonment for Indigenous children also fell in 2020-21, to 23.3 per 10,000.
Read the full story here:
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Aged care sector outraged at 'patently inadequate' subsidy increase
On Wednesday, the federal government announced that the subsidies paid by government to providers of aged care would increase by just 1.7% in 2022-23.The news is prompting a furious response from the sector, who say it is “patently inadequate” and “doesn’t go nearly far enough to keep up with rising costs in aged care”.
Recent figures show that two-thirds of Australia’s aged care providers are operating at a loss. MyHomecare Group, the biggest home care provider in Australia, said the subsidy increase would mean that many older Australians “can’t afford to continue living at home”.
Chief executive, Stuart Miller, said:
Inflation is rising significantly and more needs to be done in the aged care space to match these increases for older Australians. It is estimated the cost of care has gone up 20%, so while this 1.7% subsidy increase will assist Home Care Package recipients, it will mean many can’t afford to continue living at home.
Aged and Community Care Providers Association, a national peak body, labelled the subsidy increase as perplexing, given Labor’s focus on aged care in the lead-up to the election.
Interim chief executive, Paul Sadler, said:
This figure is patently inadequate, particularly as we know that two thirds of aged care facilities are currently operating in deficit.
We have had positive engagement with the new government on the problems facing the sector, and the prime minister has nominated fixing aged care as key priority, so we are perplexed by this news.
We understand that the indexation figure was part of the budget prepared by the previous government so we are keen to hear the new government’s plan to fix this issue consistent with its commitment to implement the recommendations of the royal commission.
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Family of Queensland woman missing in Mexico for almost two months holding out hope
The brother of a Queensland woman missing in Mexico for almost two months says his family is clinging to the possibility she is still alive, AAP reports.
Dan Shanks, brother of missing woman Tahnee Shanks, told the Nine Network’s Today program:
We can only keep hoping ... Until she’s found or a body’s found, we are just holding out hope for as long as we can. We will just keep throwing resources at it until we find her one way or the other.
Shanks said although Mexican authorities continued to probe the case, his family had hired a private investigator to further their search for answers.
Quintana Roo state attorney general, Oscar Montes de Oca Rosales, said last month he believed Tahnee Shanks’ disappearance was linked either to drug cartels her husband “was involved with” or domestic violence.
Police issued alerts for the couple, both 32, after their toddler, Adelynn, was found wandering the streets near a church in the resort city of Cancun.
They have not been seen since 2 May.
Dan Shanks said:
It is terrible not knowing. That is why we are pushing as hard as we can with the embassy and the Mexican authorities and engaging our own private investigator to keep things happening.
We are not going away until we get answers.
It was hoped a breakthrough in the case was not far off, he said.
Shanks said Adelynn, 2, had been staying in Brisbane with her aunts for the past month but was now in the care of her grandmother in Mackay.
She’s safe. We are doing the best we can to provide for her.
Montes de Oca Rosales said it was possible Shanks’ husband, Jorge Luis Aguirre Astudillo, was a cartel member.
He, Tahnee and Adelynn were last seen on a toll road out of Cancun the day of the disappearance but their car didn’t return via the same checkpoint, leading to suspicions they were being followed.
Montes de Oca Rosales said Astudillo had previously been threatened and had at one point hired a bodyguard.
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SA police commissioner praises efforts that delivered NCA bombing verdict
More on the NCA bombing verdict, the SA police commissioner is speaking now about Domenic Perre being found guilty of murder and attempted murder:
I couldn’t be more proud of the efforts that have gone into making sure we got a result and a positive result in what was a complex and protracted investigation and a complex and protracted trial ...
I’m incredibly proud of our major crime investigation team and I’m relieved for the family that we got a result that they were obviously hoping for and I’m hopeful this result gives the family some ability to move on.
You never get over something like this, and we can’t even begin to imagine the impact this has had on the families of Geoff Bowen and Peter Wallace over the past 28 years. It is a shame that Peter couldn’t be here to see this result but I’m sure their families are very happy with the outcome today.
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SXSW festival coming to Australia
Renowned music and culture festival, South by Southwest – better known as SXSW – is coming to Australia next year, setting up in Sydney.
Usually held in Austin, Texas, SXSW Sydney will mark the first time the festival has left the US since it was established in 1987. The event will pivot around the Sydney Convention Centre and take place in October.
Producer of the Sydney edition, Geoff Jones, told media on Thursday:
SXSW is the Olympics of events for the creator industries, and we are thrilled to bring this legendary festival of gaming, music, screen, tech and innovation to Sydney in 2023.
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Domenic Perre found guilty of 1994 bombing of NCA headquarters
Perre has been convicted of murder and attempted murder in the SA supreme court after a long-running trial. He sent a parcel bomb to the National Crime Authority building on 1 March 1994, which detonated, killing Det Sgt Geoffrey Bowen and injuring lawyer Peter Wallis.
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Beekeepers to be compensated for hives destroyed in fight against parasite
Compensation will be paid to commercial beekeepers whose hives and bees are destroyed as attempts to contain the deadly varroa mite continue, AAP reports.
The NSW and federal agriculture ministers met on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the response to the discovery of the mite, which was first detected at the Port of Newcastle last week.
About 600 beehives have so far been destroyed and eight properties infected as NSW continues attempts to contain the outbreak.
Eradication zones are in place from the city of Newcastle north to Seaham, with another around Bulahdelah.
NSW agriculture minister, Dugald Saunders, says about 600 hives have been destroyed so far, with as many as 30,000 bees affected in each hive.
Around 440 beekeepers have been affected, with Saunders telling AAP that commercial operators who have had their hives destroyed will be compensated:
Registered commercial beekeepers will be compensated for all essential equipment, hives and bees that are destroyed through this process. This support will be shared by industry and the state and commonwealth governments.
But the minister said at this stage no compensation is on offer for recreational apiarists:
We know that recreational beekeepers will play a big role in helping to help prevent the further spread of varroa mite. They aren’t included in the current compensation agreements. We are looking at what support we can provide them if there is a need for it.
Neither federal nor NSW ministers were able to confirm how much would be paid to commercial beekeepers or the size of the compensation package on offer, but discussions on reimbursement costs are underway.
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Hearing in ACT to discuss documents for trial of Brittany Higgins accused
The prosecution of Bruce Lehrmann for the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins was in the ACT supreme court on Thursday for a brief return of subpoena hearing, which is a procedural hearing to discuss who documents are being sought from and when and how they’ll be produced.
The subpoena list includes: Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, who conducted the first TV interview with Higgins; Samantha Maiden, who won a Gold Walkley her for work on news.com.au on Higgins’ allegation and is writing a book; the Australian Federal Police; and Laura Tingle, who had a story in April about Higgins’ complaint about the AFP’s handling of evidence in the case.
On Thursday Maiden’s counsel said there had been “technical difficulties” producing some audio, and asked for a further week to return material by 7 July.
Before the hearing, ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold was heard observing that “the interview was 21 January [2021]” and questioning “what facilitated the interview” – which gives an idea of what sort of communications they’re after.
At the bar table mid-hearing, Drumgold asked about a subpoena to Penguin. Lehrmann’s counsel replied it was “still coming back”.
Higgins has signed a book deal with Penguin, one of several books about the specific allegation or treatment of women in parliament that now can’t be published until after the trial is over.
At an earlier hearing, Lehrmann’s counsel had suggested that Wilkinson’s husband, Peter FitzSimons, had acted as a “go-between” in facilitating the Higgins book deal.
Lehrmann’s trial has been delayed until at least October. He denies any form of sexual activity took place and is pleading not guilty.
The matter returns on 14 July for another return of subpoena hearing.
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Whooooo loves winter mornings?? 🥶#Melbourne pulled out all the stops for our last day of June with the city seeing its coldest morning so far this year: down to 4.3°C at 7:17am!
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) June 29, 2022
Last time it was this chilly was 10th July 2021.
Melbourne climate stats: https://t.co/TPpijm74kC pic.twitter.com/0GZCYOUdkf
Victoria records 17 deaths from Covid-19, with 465 people in hospital
There were 9,926 new Covid cases recorded in the state yesterday, with 21 people in intensive care.
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 29, 2022
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAcOZP#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/pA3YDeE0dY
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NSW records 23 deaths from Covid-19, with 1,534 people in hospital
There were 11,504 new cases recorded the state in the latest reporting period, with 37 people in intensive care.
COVID-19 update – Thursday 30 June 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 29, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
- 96.6% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 95.1% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/8SuEhaxs6t
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Call for work to begin urgently on five big transmission projects
Work must begin urgently on five big transmission projects if Australia’s main power grid is to succeed in its “once-in-a-century transformation” away from fossil fuels without shortages and energy cost blowouts, the market operator said in its blueprint report.
The integrated system plan, updated biennially by the Australian Energy Market Operator and released today, estimated the grid serving eastern states would need at least 10,000km of new transmission lines to link up a nine-fold expansion of wind and solar farm capacity by 2050 under its mostly likely scenario.
By mid-century, almost two-thirds of Australia’s detached homes will have their own solar panels, up from about 30% now. To support the rapid expansion of energy sources that vary according to the sunshine and wind, the grid will also need to triple the amount of firming capacity, such as pumped hydro or gas plants.
Read the full story here:
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Hospital recruitment failure
Just 24 medical practitioners received direct assistance to come to Australia under a travel program announced by the Morrison government which promised to bring an extra 2,000 doctors and nurses into the country.
As Australia faces skills shortages across the health and aged care sectors, information obtained from the Department of Health shows that a program set up by the former health minister Greg Hunt in October last year that promised to bring in an extra 2,000 health practitioners over six months was discontinued after just two months.
At the time of the announcement, Hunt said the scheme would allow 2,000 extra doctors and nurses to sidestep travel restrictions to secure flights and take up hospital jobs as part of the government’s pandemic response in a “one-off boost” to the system.
But according to the Department of Health, just 24 health practitioners received direct travel assistance, with the lifting of border restrictions allowing practitioners to travel “without the need for Australian government assistance”.
Read the full story here:
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From Moreland to Merri-bek: Melbourne council ready to vote on name change
A Melbourne council is poised to pick an Indigenous word as its new name, cutting its ties with an 18th-century Jamaican slave estate, AAP reports.
Moreland city council in Melbourne’s inner north will consider changing its name to Merri-bek in a special meeting on Sunday after residents picked it as their preferred option.
The name, which means “rocky country”, was one of three presented by Wurundjeri elders and was supported by 59% of ratepayers who filled out a survey.
Moreland mayor Mark Riley said:
Many residents shared that they felt most connected to Merri-bek as it linked to the iconic Merri Creek and the rocky country where we live.
Jerrang, meaning “leaf of tree”, and Wa-dum-buk, meaning “renew”, were the other two name options, garnering 22% and 13% of the vote respectively.
The council last year voted to start consultation with traditional owners and the community on changing its name after discovering that it came from land between Moonee Ponds Creek to Sydney Road that Farquhar McCrae acquired in 1839.
He named the area after a Jamaican slave plantation his father and grandfather operated from 1770 to 1796, which produced sugar and rum, and traded slaves, with 500 to 700 enslaved people there in any one year.
Uncle Andrew Gardiner, deputy chair of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, said the survey results showed people wanted to change the name “to something that brings people together”:
The impressive numbers choosing Merri-bek is significant and shows the spread of post codes, that it wasn’t just a cluster who responded.
If endorsed by the council on Sunday, the new name will be submitted to newly appointed local government minister Melissa Horne for consideration, with final approval at the discretion of Victoria’s governor Linda Dessau.
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David Elliott calls on John Barilaro to 'withdraw and do the honorable thing'
NSW Liberal MP David Elliott was on Sky News just now, calling for former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro to withdraw from the $500,000-a-year trade commissioner job that was first offered to businesswoman Jenny West.
He’s asked by Peter Stefanovic, “Are you expecting John Barilaro to go to New York?”
Elliott:
Well, I expect him to withdraw and do the honourable thing, because quite clearly when you become the story over an appointment, well, then the appointment might be not in the best interest of the people of New South Wales …
My very, very strong view is that he shouldn’t be going to New York and I’m pretty sure that that’s the view of of the majority of people in this state.
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‘I had a very constructive discussion with President Macron,’ PM says
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was also asked in Madrid about his forthcoming meeting with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris.A journalist asked about Malcolm Turnbull’s comment that Albanese’s big advantage in repairing the relationship was that he is not Scott Morrison.
Albanese said he had already had a constructive conversation with Macron in Madrid, before the formal meeting later in the week:
I had a very constructive discussion with President Macron last night. He’s a warm character and we have had phone conversations previously. I very much look forward to my visit to Paris. I thank President Macron for his welcome, and I thank him for the discussion that we had last night.
Last night was a real opportunity for Australia to engage in a less than formal setting with a range of people from President Macron, President Biden, [German chancellor] Olaf Scholz, a range of the leaders who were there. I took the opportunity to talk about Australia’s national interest, to talk about our different plans.One of the things that is clear to me is that the whole world has noticed that Australia has a different position on climate change. What that does is give Australia a seat at the global table of opportunity and I intend to seize that opportunity.
For more on Albanese’s call for greater global cooperation to tackle the climate crisis, see Katharine Murphy’s story from last night:
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‘The international community must show the same resolve and courage that the people of Ukraine are showing’
Anthony Albanese welcomed Sweden and Finland’s plans to join Nato as “a very positive development” that showed “just how wrong Vladimir Putin’s judgment and ongoing actions have been in advancing what he saw as the cause of Russia”. He told reporters in Madrid:
I also had a meeting this morning with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato, and congratulated him on the successful outcomes we have already seen from this summit and recommitted Australia to providing support for Nato and for participation in some Nato exercises that we will do later this year.
A journalist noted that Stoltenberg was asking nations to support Ukraine for the long haul. Asked whether Australia was ready for the long haul, Albanese said:
Australia is certainly here for the long haul. We’ve already been Australia’s largest non-Nato contributor with $285m of military assistance, but also $65m of humanitarian assistance.
This is a struggle that must be won because it’s not just about Ukraine and Russia. It is also about whether the rules-based international order will continue to apply. It’s about a breach of that order by one of the UN permanent security council members. It’s about whether the UN charter means something.
And that’s why this attack, unprovoked, by Russia, must be resisted. And the international community must show the same resolve and courage that the people of Ukraine are showing.
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China must condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Albanese says
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has renewed his calls for China to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, declaring that Vladimir Putin “has made a strategic mistake because what his actions have done is unite the democratic world”.
Albanese – who has been in Madrid for a Nato summit – spoke to reporters yesterday after having a meeting on the sidelines with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
He said this meeting of “the Asia-Pacific four” had been “very successful”:
There we discussed the important focus of this Nato’s summit on the Asia-Pacific region. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has solidified the support amongst democratic countries for the rules-based international order and a determination to continue to provide support to the government and the people of Ukraine who are suffering as a result of this breach of international law and this brutal invasion by Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Vladimir Putin has made a strategic mistake because what his actions have done is unite the democratic world and provide a real determination to make sure that the resilience being shown by the Ukrainian people is backed up by resilience and support from democratic countries, including Nato, but also countries throughout the world.
When asked about China’s accusation that Nato – and the AP4 – are constructing an imaginary foe in China, Albanese noted the announcement of a partnership between Beijing and Moscow in early February:
Well, what we saw is prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we saw a without-limits partnership between Russia and China. We’ve seen a failure of China to condemn any of the Russian aggression that has occurred against Ukraine. China must look at what is happening and look at the resolve that is there from throughout the world and should be condemning Russia’s actions.
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NSW rail industrial action continues
And here’s some more on the latest developments in the NSW rail workers’ industrial dispute, from our state political reporter Michael McGowan:
The NSW government on Wednesday agreed to demands from the state’s rail union to make hundreds millions of dollars in modifications to a new train fleet after a years-long industrial dispute.
The transport minister, David Elliott, announced that the government would make changes worth about $260m to the new Intercity fleet in a bid to avoid the union taking further industrial action later this week.
But the head of the RTBU, Alex Claassens, said the planned industrial action would continue until “further notice”, saying the union would wait until it saw “the complete package” in a “legally enforceable document” before agreeing to the proposal.
Read more here:
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Albanese ‘resetting relationships everywhere’
My colleague Katharine Murphy is on RN now too, and has given a neat little analysis of the prime minister’s goals in Europe at the moment:
What Anthony Albanese is doing is resetting relationships everywhere: in the United States, in Europe, in our region, in the Indo-Pacific and south-east Asia. This reset is rapid fire and it’s being supplemented by what Penny Wong is doing in the Pacific and in south-east Asia – at the moment she’s in Malaysia.
In this European trip thus far, he’s tried to focus the northern hemisphere on the two theatres of strategic competition – one’s in the Ukraine, the other is closer to home – the Indo-Pacific. He’s trying to focus European and North American minds on China as being the second risk to prosperity security in the world at the moment. So that’s the big-picture level.
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Striking teachers to rally outside NSW parliament
On the teacher strike, here’s a bit of background on the issue from AAP.
It reports that teachers are angry at the NSW government putting forward a budget that offered no more than a 3% pay rise this year, with the possibility of 3.5% the following year.
They’ll rally outside the NSW parliament today, while on strike for 24 hours – the third strike in six months called by the NSW Teachers Federation and Independent Education Union NSW/ACT, representing 85,000 teachers.
It’s the first time in more than 25 years both unions have joined forces to strike for 24 hours.
NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos told reporters on Wednesday:
We have a crisis in the form of a teacher shortage, a crisis that is the government’s own making ... The government has known for years the causes of this crisis: uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads.
Education minister Sarah Mitchell said she was disappointed by the decision to strike and said it was politically motivated. The government’s public sector wages policy was “the most generous” in the country.
Most schools will have some minimal supervision but a number of schools will be closed for the day.
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A rainfall warning for parts of NSW:
Over the next 4 days parts of #NSW could see consecutive days of heavy rainfall. River rises are possible and there is the potential for flooding. People should consider their travel plans for the school holidays and monitor forecasts and warnings. See: https://t.co/SPHgGeisGZ pic.twitter.com/cSjGmF22j9
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) June 29, 2022
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He’s also asked, “are the striking teachers greedy?”
“Absolutely not,” says Tony Burke.
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Minister says he hopes to introduce legislation to regulate gig economy by year's end
Tony Burke says he’s hoping to introduce legislation before the end of the year to regulate the gig economy and provide basic conditions for workers, but he says it requires extensive consultation and planning, the details of which haven’t been worked out yet:
We are not a nation where we’ve worked on the basis that you should need tips before you can make ends meet. We’ve always worked on the basis that there should be minimum wages. We have a section of the economy at the moment where there’s effectively no minimum and that can’t go on.
I’d love to be in a situation where I’m introducing the legislation on it this year. And I need to work through whether we would deal with the whole gig economy at once, or whether we would work through sections of the economy one at a time. So there’s a big piece of consultation that hasn’t yet started but I’ve spoken with, I’ve started the conversations with the department about how we might put that together.
So it’s a big step. For the whole history of Australia. We’ve basically had this clear line, if you’re an employee you get rights. If you’re not an employee you don’t. But technology has now gone in front of us so we need to take a step. It is a big step.
The changes might result in some “small increases” to some prices for some things, he says.
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Gig economy needs minimum standards, minister says
Tony Burke continues, saying that a lot of people might not be aware just how widespread the gig economy is now – it’s not just Uber:
It’s not only the apps that people might have on their phone, a whole lot now of the caring, cleaning, is delivered through the gig economy. So many people on the national disability insurance scheme, for example, who are working there are in fact working with their employer effectively as an algorithm. Many people in the security industry are effectively working in the gig economy now and increasingly in hospitality as well.
So this is an area where if we just continue to let it rip without minimum standards, a whole lot of the rules that we’ve presumed were part of working in Australia will fall away and we can’t leave it any longer before we have a process to set minimum standards here.
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Deal between Uber and TWU hailed
Minister for employment and workplace relations Tony Burke is on ABC RN this morning talking about the massive, landmark deal between Uber and the Transport Workers Union.
Burke says it’s important to note that it’s going to address “a safety issue here as well as an entitlements issue”:
There was a direct line between the risks they were on on the road and the algorithms they were using to compete ... It would mean they’d run red lights. They’d form an extra lane of traffic between official lanes knowing every minute there was a risk …
I was so happy yesterday … this is a very big shift. It’s not that long ago that we were bing told not only by the platform provider but also the fed gov that this was too complicated to deal with … [it’s] a huge change.
I don’t think 21st-century technology should come with 19th-century working conditions.
Updated
Good morning
Welcome back to our rolling news coverage for this Thursday 30 June.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is in Madrid this week for the Nato summit, where he said free trade talks with the European Union could resume as soon as October, after he met with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
The trade deals had hit a roadblock after the Morrison government damaged Australia’s relationship with France by dumping a $90bn submarine contract, and compounded it with Australia’s lack of climate action. Albanese has flagged the climate crisis as one of the areas where his government has “an opportunity to break through” in negotiations.
Albanese also escalated his rhetoric on China, saying Australia had been subjected to “economic coercion” by its neighbour, which aimed to become the “most powerful nation in the world”.
We’ll bring you more developments on that this morning.
Meanwhile, in NSW, large-scale industrial action continues with thousands of public and Catholic schools going on strike today for 24 hours, calling for more than the 3% pay rise offered to them by the NSW government. Action continues from rail workers over safety concerns with new, imported Intercity trains.
And our data journalists have been busy scrutinising the details of the census data released on Tuesday this week, so we’ll have some more analysis of that for you too.
As always, if you see something that you think needs my attention, you can reach me at stephanie.convery@theguardian.com or on Twitter, where my handle is @gingerandhoney.
Nearly at the end of the week! Let’s go.
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