What we learned today, Monday 21 August
Thanks for joining us on the Australia news live blog today. That’s where we’ll wrap up our coverage – here are some key developments:
Anthony Albanese has criticised the no campaign’s decision to give Gary Johns a prominent position in its campaign as the Liberal MP Matt Kean accused the top voice critic of treating colleagues Warren Mundine and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price with “complete disrespect” and “cowardice”.
The prime minister also said his son “is not a public figure” in response to media reports claiming that he helped Nathan Albanese land a two-week, unpaid internship at consultancy firm PwC Australia.
Victoria’s Loy Yang A power station will remain available to operate until mid-2035 under an agreement signed between its owner AGL Energy and the Victorian government aimed at providing certainty to workers, the community and industry.
Prize money for the AFLW will almost double in the coming season, bringing it in line with the men’s competition for the first time.
Shark nets will be retained on New South Wales beaches despite widespread opposition to what environmentalists say is an “ineffective” safety measure.
Qantas is facing a class action lawsuit over its refund policy for flights cancelled due to the pandemic, with lawyers alleging the airline’s use of travel credits allowed them to treat their customers’ money as more than “$1bn in interest-free loans”.
Thanks so much for joining us today. See you bright and early tomorrow.
Updated
NZ election to deliver fewer women MPs: polling
New Zealand’s parliament will feature far fewer women after the October 14 election, with both major parties contributing to a drop-off, an analysis suggests. AAP has this report:
Last year, New Zealand hit a historic majority of female MPs for the first time, with 61 women among the 120-member house. That representation will fall away following the October poll as the centre-right National party increases its share.
A fresh poll out on Monday from TVNZ confirmed National was in the box seat to govern after the 14 October election. The TVNZ-Verian poll has National on 37%, up two percentage points, and Labour on 29%, down four – Labour’s worst result in the TVNZ poll under Chris Hipkins’ leadership.
On those numbers, National would lead a coalition government in partnership with the right-wing libertarians ACT, which polled 13%, which would return them more MPs than ever before.
Updated
Payout for kids in SA hospital hearing implant bungle
The South Australian government will pay compensation to the families of more than 200 children caught up in the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s hospital cochlear implant bungle, AAP reports.
The decision follows the release of an independent review on Monday that uncovered longstanding systemic problems with the cochlear implant service, dating back almost two decades.
The report identified 208 children who had received care through the service since 2006. It found there were significant gaps, including inadequate processes, policies, competency frameworks for staff and a lack of appropriate clinical training dating back many years.
The health minister, Chris Picton, ordered the review after an internal inquiry found as many as 30 children had issues with implant mapping at the hospital dating back several years.
Updated
Qantas weighs in on Qatar Airways air rights debate
Qantas has hit back at the controversy surrounding the Albanese government’s refusal to allow Qatar Airways to almost double its capacity into Australia and suggestions it benefits the Australian carrier, claiming the “debate on traffic rights completely distorts” market realities.
Qatar Airways currently flies 28 weekly services into Australia’s four major airports – daily services into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – as well as an additional seven into Melbourne via a loophole that forces it to run an onward near-empty flight to Adelaide each day.
The government rejected Qatar’s request to expand its bilateral air services agreement to allow for a further 21 weekly services to the major airports, citing a variety of reasons including the “national interest”, as well as local jobs, and more recently, Qantas’ investment in new aircraft. Qantas remains capacity-constrained, and questions have also been asked about the airline granting Anthony Albanese’s son’s access to its chairman lounge.
Cam Wallace, the CEO of Qantas International, issued a statement on Monday claiming that other airlines such as Singapore Airlines and China Southern had in recent weeks announced more new flights than Qatar was seeking. Wallace said:
The current debate on traffic rights completely distorts the broader dynamics in the market at the moment and how competitive it is. We understand people always want cheaper fares but that will come in a sustainable way from the recovery that is already in full swing.
We all want more international tourism but an important difference between Qantas and virtually every other airline is the millions we invest each year in marketing Australia as a destination. As the national carrier, we back our flights with a message to come and visit.
Wallace also said Qantas had been rejected expanding to countries such as Fiji due to a lack of further air rights, and that carriers from countries with an open skies agreement with Australia – which means no limit on services – can bring more flights if they choose to.
Tourism operators, airports, and state premiers all supported Qatar’s application, with international airfares to Australia remaining stubbornly high. The Australian Airports Association’s CEO, James Goodwin, has said that Australia needs more competition in the market, noting that the Qantas Group accounts for 27%, or over 1 in 4 of every international passenger carried. Qantas was understood to have opposed it, as did a group of five women suing Qatar Airlines over a 2020 incident at Doha airport.
Updated
Daniel Andrews to appear before royal commission into defence and veteran suicide
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, will appear before the royal commission into defence and veteran suicide later this month.
The royal commission, launched by the Morrison government in 2021, already had its reporting period extended in April 2022, from June 2023 to 2024.
Here’s a statement from a Victorian government spokesperson:
The royal commission into defence and veteran suicide is a critical step to ensuring the experiences of our veteran community are heard and acted on and presents an opportunity to identify issues and make real changes.
The premier offered to appear before the royal commission and his session will be on the morning of Wednesday, 30 August.
The Victorian government welcomed the royal commission when it was established and we welcome it to Melbourne for its 11th hearing block.
Updated
AGL agrees to keep Victoria’s Loy Yang A power station available until mid-2035
Going back to energy news for a moment…
Australia’s Loy Yang A power station will remain available to operate until mid-2035 under an agreement signed between its owner AGL Energy and the Victorian government aimed at providing certainty to workers, the community and industry.
In a separate development, EnergyAustralia said it would shift its Mount Piper coal-fired power plant – New South Wales’s newest – to a “reserve role” to be used “only as needed” before its scheduled 2040 closure date.
AGL on Monday said it had signed a so-called structured transition agreement with the Victorian government for the operation, maintenance and retirement of its Loy Yang A power station and nearby brown coalmine in the Latrobe Valley.
The plan would support “the respectful, orderly and constructive retirement” of the plant and mine, Markus Brokhof, AGL’s chief operating officer, told a media event. Along with $50m to support the transition, the agreement would provide “certainty and clarity to all employees, communities, the energy market and the state government”, he said.
Updated
Grattan Institute says Victorian government missed early red flag on Commonwealth Games
An analysis of Victoria’s axed Commonwealth Games showing the costs could outweigh the benefits was an early red flag the event should not have proceeded, an infrastructure expert says.
The Andrews government over the weekend revealed Victorian taxpayers would pay $380m for the state’s cancelling of the games. It also released the original business case for the event, which revealed an estimated cost-benefit analysis of between 0.7 and 1.6, meaning for every dollar invested by the government it would receive a return between 70c and $1.60.
The transport and cities program director at the Grattan Institute, Marion Terrill, said major sporting events like the Olympics often resulted in cost blowouts. She said this meant it was vital to be “realistic” and err on the side of caution when estimating a project’s cost-benefit:
Any prudent government would focus on the worst case number rather than the best case number and the worst case number tells you that this was not worth going ahead with.
To proceed with a BCR of 0.7 would destroy value.
Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie says Qatar request for more flights shouldn’t have been blocked
Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie has told the ABC the Albanese government should not have rejected a request from Qatar Airways to fly an additional 21 services into Australia’s major airports, beyond the 28 flights a week it currently operates under existing bilateral air rights.
International air fares remain stubbornly high as demand for seats from travel-hungry Australians outstrips supply, and industry leaders have claimed allowing Qatar more capacity would have helped lower air fares.
McKenzie agrees:
I think anyone who has flown internationally or even domestically in recent times knows that we need more competition in our aviation industry.
Allowing Qatar Airways to actually deliver 28 flights from the Middle East would have been a way to deliver that, put downward pressure on international air prices, and increase the range of options available for Australians.
I think customers are best served by a sustainable and competitive aviation industry. One where we have flights, choice of destination, but also competitive prices.
AuDA says no evidence hackers have stolen its data after investigation
The non-profit organisation responsible for managing Australia’s .au domains raised alarm over the weekend after it said it had been contacted by a hacker who claimed to have accessed data held by auDA.
The ransomware gang NoEscape claimed to have obtained 15GB of data from auDA, including passport numbers, and customer bank account information.
The organisation received a screenshot of the data from the alleged hackers, and after reporting it to the authorities, and beginning an investigation over the weekend, said late on Monday that it wasn’t data held by auDA.
AuDA said it had determined the source of the data breach was an Australian sole trader who had registered an Australian domain name, whose server suffered a malware attack earlier this month.
The data was encrypted and the alleged hackers sought payment from the sole trader, but when the ransom wasn’t paid, auDA was informed that the hacker was claiming to have auDA data.
AuDA said “there is no evidence that cyber criminals have accessed auDA systems, or have obtained auDA data”.
Defence minister to visit Philippines
The defence minister, Richard Marles, will fly to the Philippines as two Australian warships join exercises with the south-east Asian country.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels HMAS Canberra and HMAS Anzac are participating in Exercise Alon, at a time of increasing tensions between China and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea.
The exercise is expected to include 1,200 personnel from the Philippines, 1,200 Australian defence force members, and 150 US Marine Corps personnel from the Darwin rotational force.
The Australian involvement in Exercise Alon is part of a broader series of regional exercises under the banner of Indo-Pacific Endeavour, which started last month.
At a press conference this afternoon, Anthony Albanese was asked about the presence of the two Australian warships in the South China Sea after joint exercises with Japan. Asked if he was worried about them being in the middle of a potential regional flashpoint, the prime minister replied:
No, this is business as usual. Australia conducts activities in our region, this is a part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023, which is our flagship program.
Marles will visit Malaysia and the Philippines this week for meetings with his counterparts in both countries. He will also meet ADF personnel at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth.
Marles said in a statement:
I look forward to visiting Malaysia and the Philippines, and working with our partners to ensure our region continues to support our collective security and prosperity.
My visit underlines the government’s commitment to investing in our partnerships in south-east Asia - partnerships that support a more peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will also visit Vietnam this week.
Updated
Queensland sets new energy record
The Australian Energy Market Operator is due to release an update before the end of the month on the state of the electricity sector ahead of a potentially trying summer. In the meantime, they are reporting another during the day in Queensland thanks to a lot of sun and wind on Sunday.
At 12:30pm Saturday 19 August, QLD hit a new minimum operational demand record of 3,459MW. Mild temperatures and clear skies at the time saw rooftop solar contribute to 42% of QLD’s total electricity generation, followed by black coal (40%), grid-scale solar (12%), and wind (6%). pic.twitter.com/MUpQRB76bZ
— AEMO (@AEMO_Energy) August 21, 2023
Updated
Shark nets stay afloat as premier says tech lacks bite
Shark nets are likely to remain at Sydney beaches this summer despite opposition from councils and conservation groups as NSW weighs up alternatives to keep swimmers safe, AAP reports.
Consultation between the state government and coastal councils has been under way, with many local governments calling for the nets to be permanently replaced with proven non-lethal shark management alternatives.
These include drones and alert systems already used at multiple beaches.
The premier, Chris Minns, said a final decision had not been reached about the nets, but he was not confident emerging shark protection technology was a good enough replacement:
It’s a good ambition to remove shark nets in Sydney, but we’ve got a ways to go when it comes to that shark detection technology.
I don’t think that work will be done in enough time this summer, particularly when you consider the nets need to be rolled out in September.
Updated
Liberals respond to intergenerational report: ‘a Trojan horse for higher taxes’
The shadow finance minister, Jane Hume, is now responding to the Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ release of the latest intergenerational report.
The report, which forecasts what the next four decades will look like, has found population growth is projected to slow to an annual average of 1.1% over the next 40 years, compared with 1.4% over the past four decades.
Here’s Hume’s first response on the ABC this afternoon:
I get a sense of the early reports of this intergenerational report, that this is essentially a Trojan horse for higher taxes.
We know that the cost of aged care, that the cost of health, the cost of the NDIS are going up. Blind Freddie knew that. It was specified not just in the last intergenerational report, but in the May budget.
It sounds to me like a review rather than a plan to do something about it.
Hume has also not been drawn on what’s reported to be factional fight for top spot on the Liberal party’s Victorian senate ticket with James Paterson. Here’s what she told the ABC:
I would never comment on anyone else’s preselection. I would certainly never comment on my own. Suffice to say that I am absolutely certain that both James and I will be there in the next Coalition government, hopefully after 2025.
Of course, it was never in doubt that Hume and Paterson would secure the safe top two spots. The contest is over who gets the prestige of the number one ticket.
Updated
NSW government accused of ‘shameful’ privatisation of public housing
The NSW Greens have accused the government of breaking an election promise with what they claim is the “shameful” privatisation of the Waterloo public housing estate with its imminent redevelopment.
The government announced earlier on Monday it would make half of the 3,000 apartments built in the first stage of construction of the Waterloo South precinct in Sydney’s inner south into social or affordable housing.
Under the government’s revised plans, the precinct will be made up of 50% social housing and affordable homes, up from the 34% promised by the former Coalition government, as well as hundreds of private apartments.
The NSW Greens MP, Jenny Leong, said the plans meant the existing 749 public dwellings at the estate would be demolished to make way for 3,000 new apartments. 30% of these dwellings would be social housing, which is a small increase from the current stock, but only 2% more than what the Coalition had promised, she said.
Leong said:
NSW Labor had a chance to end the Liberals’ privatisation agenda, instead they are continuing this shameful legacy of evicting public housing tenants from their homes, for insulting increases to social housing stock that barely touch the sides of the housing crisis.
The local Labor MP, Ron Hoenig, said the redevelopment was crucial because the residents couldn’t keep living in the homes in the state they were in, even though he said the estate had been improved from the “terrible” condition it was in when he was first elected 11 years ago:
The renewal of Waterloo south estate will help ensure constituents have a far better quality of life than they could possibly have in the current state of the area.
Sydney MP Alex Greenwich welcomed the government’s revised plans, tweeting his praise for the Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, for her “sustained advocacy” and the housing minister, Rose Jackson, for her “leadership in delivering this increase in social and affordable housing for Sydney”.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the Waterloo model could be used for future housing redevelopments across metropolitan Sydney:
We’re looking at other housing precincts to increase the amount of social and affordable housing close to the CBD.
Updated
International students need migration reform to protect from exploitation, peak body says
A racial justice body has called for an urgent overhaul of Australia’s “broken” migration system as some education agents continue to capitalise on international students.
Democracy in Colour’s national director, Neha Madhok, said Australia’s unregulated system had allowed exploitative and harmful behaviour from “dodgy” agents to run rampant, in large part due to the complexity of migration.
International students and temporary migrants are forced to rely on ‘loopholes’. We see many migrants who come to work and contribute to our economy having to resort to these particular pathways.
Madhok said Australia had a “duty of care” to ensure while people were living and working in our country, they could do so with the same workplace protections as citizens.
Our migration system needs to provide robust protections for migrants to speak out against worker exploitation without the fear of visa cancellation.
We see countless stories of international students who have come here to study, not being able to cope with the rising cost of living despite juggling both work and their education. They need to have access to the right support to avoid further exploitation at the hands of migration agents and potential employers.”
Updated
Intergenerational report due out on Thursday
“Difficult” budget decisions are on the cards for the Albanese government after the intergenerational report warned Australia’s ageing population will place a greater burden on taxpayers, AAP reports.
The report will be released on Thursday by treasurer Jim Chalmers. It will share good news – that Australians live longer, healthier lives – but an ageing population also increases demand for care and support services.
Chalmers told reporters in Canberra today:
We’ve shown and demonstrated a willingness and an ability to make difficult decisions to put the budget on a more sustainable footing.
He said the “most fertile ground” for tax reform included multinationals, high-balance superannuation compliance, cigarettes and changes to the petroleum resource rent tax.
Updated
Thanks for joining me on the blog today! I’ll leave you with my colleague Henry Belot, who will take you through the rest of today’s news.
The prime minister Anthony Albanese just spoke to the media in Melbourne, joining a number of politicians who have today called out Gary Johns for comments made at the CPAC conference over the weekend.
Albanese said it is a “concern” Johns has been given a significant role in the no campaign due to his views:
I am concerned about a whole range of comments that Gary Johns has made, not just on the weekend but over a long period of time when it comes to a failure to show any respect for Indigenous Australian.
The fact that he has been given a significant role in the no campaign is of concern. The yes campaign is about recognising the great privilege we have of sharing this continent with the oldest continuous culture on earth but it is also about making sure that we listen to Indigenous Australians so as to get better results.
Updated
Daryl Maguire pleads not guilty to lying to Icac
Former Wagga MP Daryl Maguire will fight a charge of lying to the state’s corruption watchdog over his business dealings, AAP reports.
Maguire, who is the ex-boyfriend of the former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, today pleaded not guilty at Downing Centre local court to one charge of giving false or misleading evidence at a public inquiry.
The charge revolved around his communications with the former Canterbury councillor Michael Hawatt about the sale of a property in Sydney’s south-west.
Maguire denied to the Independent Commission Against Corruption that he had sought or would receive any financial benefit for his role in brokering a deal linked to the property.
But he was caught on phone taps asking for payment if he secured millions in investment from a Chinese developer.
Icac later recommended Maguire face criminal charges over his evidence.
His July 2018 testimony was given during Operation Dasha, which investigated whether former councillors dishonestly exercised their official functions over planning proposals and applications.
The watchdog made findings of serious corrupt conduct against several former councillors, including Hawatt, and recommended the director of public prosecutions be consulted regarding charges against six people.
Updated
Fifa Women’s World Cup numbers are in
The numbers have been counted and the stats are in, showing that the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup was the biggest and most successful to date.
The tournament fell just short of two million attendees and, helped by the Matildas’ golden run to the semi-final, captivated Australia.
Another full house of 75,784 for the Spain-England final at Stadium Australia topped it off, bringing the end tally to 1,978,274 – and the average crowds for the tournament to 30,911.
Sunday night’s final reached 5.54 million people via broadcaster Channel Seven alone and had an average audience of 3.08 million. The broadcaster confirmed 18.6 million people watched the tournament across their platforms.
The Matildas’ semi-final loss to England last Wednesday broke new ground and became the most-watched TV program in more than two decades. It had an average audience of 7.2 million and a reach of 11.15 million – which didn’t include viewers on partner Optus Sport.
Seven confirmed it was also the most streamed event in Australian history, with 957,000 viewers on 7plus.
- with AAP
Updated
Climate organisations sign open letter supporting Indigenous voice
43 climate organisations representing over two million Australians have signed an open letter in support of the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum.
The open letter, signed by organisations including Oxfam, GetUp, Greenpeace, the Climate Council, AYCC, the Australia Institute and Farmers for Climate Action, reads:
First Nations communities are at the front line of climate impacts in this country. There is no climate justice without First Nations justice. By ensuring that First Nations communities are represented in shaping national policies, we can achieve better health, environment and climate outcomes.
GetUp’s CEO and Widjabul Wia-bal woman Larissa Baldwin-Roberts argued a yes vote gives First Nations communities greater decision-making authority to create change that centres their strength and solutions in climate policy, for generations to come:
First Nations people are on the front lines of fossil fuel extraction and climate change but the solutions to these issues exist in our communities.
When we listen to our elders, when we support and work with Indigenous rangers – these are examples of our adaptive capacity and effectiveness in applying First Nations knowledge to respond to climate challenges.
Updated
Uluru Dialogue heads call on no campaign to stop using ‘racist’ jokes
Professor Megan Davis and Pat Anderson have called on the leaders of the No campaign to stop using what they believe to be racist jokes and misinformation.
The anti-Indigenous voice campaign leader Warren Mundine’s organisation, CPAC Australia, has defended a comedian who referred to traditional owners as “violent black men” and called the Indigenous leader Bennelong a “woman-basher” at a conservative political conference.
It came hours after another no campaign spokesperson, Gary Johns, claimed some people in Indigenous communities lived in a “stupor” and recommended they “learn English”. Those claims were described as “nasty rubbish” by the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
The statement from Davis and Anderson, on behalf of the Uluru Dialogue, reads:
Today, our young people around the country will be seeing supposed jokes on their social media feeds portraying Indigenous Australians as ‘rent-seekers’, ‘violent’ and ‘woman bashers’.
Sadly, this sort of abuse is not uncommon on social media, weaponised by trolls and sham accounts that the No campaign does little to nothing to discourage or condemn.
The statement writes that the “jokes” were told by a performer paid to appear at the CPAC conference:
To be clear: it is never funny to mock or vilify a group of people on the basis of their culture. When a group of people suffer a significantly lower life expectancy than others in the community and suicide at a significantly higher rate, as Indigenous Australians do, such humour must be called out as abusive form of ‘punching down’ and bullying.
You can read more on this from my colleague Josh Butler:
Updated
A smoke warning has been issued for Townsville, along with a number of locations in Queensland, with residents told to stay inside and close their windows and doors as smoke could be harmful:
AVOID SMOKE - Townsville - fire as at 12:44pm Monday, 21 August 2023.
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) August 21, 2023
For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/vqyJTUPBhe. pic.twitter.com/7wQKPFOnfg
Last week, the Queensland Bureau of Meteorology warned that the fire season was getting under way early with warm, dry weather forecast.
Qantas announces extra capacity as it faces allegations and lawsuit
Qantas has announced it will offer more seats for sale on international routes over the next year as it battles accusations of misleading advertising and learned of a class action lawsuit against it over flight credits.
Ahead of unveiling an expected multibillion dollar profit in its full year results on Thursday, Qantas announced plans to introduce an additional 250,000 seats into its international operations over the next year, achieved by flying larger aircraft as well as increasing flight frequencies.
The earliest capacity increase will begin in October, when it will start running Airbus A330s on daily flights between Sydney and Bali – which can accommodate more premium seats and lie flat beds than the Boeing 737s that currently run the route. Other increased capacities come online from July 2024.
Qantas International’s CEO, Cam Wallace, said “we know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will put more downward pressure on fares”. The international capacity of Qantas Group – which includes budget carrier Jetstar – is at about 80% of pre-Covid levels, and is expected to reach 100% by March.
The slow return of capacity for Qantas comes as other airlines are rebuffed in their attempts to increase flights to a market where international airfares remain stubbornly high. Most notably, the Albanese government rejected Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its services into Australia, leading to accusations of preferential treatment for Qantas and the continuation of ghost flights from Qatari carrier to exploit a loophole.
On Monday, proceedings were lodged in the federal court against Qantas over its refund policy for flights cancelled due to the pandemic, with lawyers alleging the airline’s use of travel credits allowed them to treat their customers’ money as more than “$1bn in interest-free loans”.
Earlier on Monday, Qantas denied it was engaging in misleading conduct after Guardian Australia revealed it had been promoting a special return fare to London on its website that was scarcely available and which its own sales staff were unable to book for customers.
Updated
Sky-high airfares on the radar to meet emission targets
Travellers may need to brace for rising ticket prices as airlines attempt to cut their emissions, AAP reports.
The government’s updated safeguard mechanism, which came into effect in July, limits greenhouse gases from large industrial facilities to reduce emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
Virgin Australia’s chief of corporate affairs, Christian Bennett, agrees with the aims of the mechanism but says the path to a cleaner carbon footprint will come at a cost. Here’s what he told a parliamentary hearing:
There is no escaping the challenge of sustainable aviation fuel. The technology is not the problem – actually making sustainable aviation fuel is not the problem. Economics is the problem.
To align with limits, the airline will need to reduce its emissions by 4.9%.
Updated
Chalmers says if we get economic policy settings right we can be beneficiaries of climate change shifts, not victims
Chalmers is asked about a report in the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia could lose its triple-A credit rating by the end of the decade as climate change undermines the economy.
He acknowledged that climate change is a “big risk” to Australia’s economy, budget and credit rating, but remains optimistic:
We have an optimistic view about the future and one of the reasons we are optimistic about the future is if we get the policy settings right in this defining decade, then we can be major beneficiaries and not victims of the shifts under way.
He said renewable energy policy and net zero targets are essential to this, providing industrial opportunities and lifting the living standards for Australians.
Updated
Treasurer says Dutton ‘looking for a fight where one does not exist’ on having a union representative on the RBA board
Chalmers is asked about comments made by the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, that union representation on the RBA board would compromise its independence.
We brought you this on the blog earlier.
Chalmers argued that it isn’t “especially controversial” for the Labor movement, or anyone, to say that board appointments should consider a range of perspectives.
Indeed, the three appointments I’ve made so far … I have weighed up a range of different experience and different perspectives and I would expect future treasurers of either political persuasion to do that also.
[I think] Peter Dutton is looking for a fight where one does not exist. He is always looking to ferment division. He is always looking to have a fight. He’s always looking for an excuse to get angry about something. I don’t think what we are talking about is especially controversial.
Updated
Chalmers: ‘There is more than one thing that matters when it comes to making our economy more productive’
Chalmers is now taking questions. In response to one about IR reforms and whether they will lift productivity, Chalmers said we need to broaden our view of what productivity entails:
You read some of the commentary about [productivity] and it feels like the productivity frontier has evolved substantially but the contributions … have not evolved substantially since the 1980s.
We need to take a much broader, more modern agenda when it comes to productivity, whether it be data and digital, the whole dynamism and resilience agenda, the workforce issues particularly around skills, the care economy and services and particularly when it comes to energy, there is more than one thing that matters when it comes to making our economy more productive.
Updated
Treasury to release first draft of PRRT reform bill today
Chalmers said that Treasury will be releasing the first tranche of a draft petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) legislation today.
He said they have taken a “responsible, methodical approach” to PRRT tax reform in order to fund priorities such as strengthening Medicare and bulk billing, and providing cost of living relief.
Chalmers:
This will be an important test for the Coalition and for the Greens.
If the Greens want the industry to pay more tax sooner, then they will vote for that legislation and if the Coalition wants a model that best safeguards international relationships, [then] they will vote for it as well.
Updated
Jim Chalmers says intergenerational report will help us understand the ‘five big shifts’ underway in the economy and society
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is addressing the media right now from Parliament House in Canberra. He spoke about the upcoming intergenerational report due to be released on Thursday.
The population will grow more slowly, our people will live longer and healthier lives and our care economy will become an even more central focus in the decades ahead.
What the report intends to do … is to build our understanding of the five big shifts that are underway in the economy and our society. From globalisation to fragmentation, from hydrocarbons to renewables, from IT to AI, from younger to older and what that means them for our industrial base and in particular for a bigger role for the care economy.
I’m optimistic about the future but we need to adapt and understand the big challenges which are under way in our economy and our society and the intergenerational report will help us do that.
Updated
Caravan carjacked while occupants still inside in Victoria
A man has described the frightening ordeal he and his girlfriend, plus their two dogs, endured when their vehicle and camper trailer were stolen whilst they were asleep inside.
20-year-old Brock Momcilovic told 3AW radio the couple had been camping at a Cumberland River rest stop when they heard the car start and begin driving off around midnight on Saturday night.
Momcilovic was in the camper trailer, but his girlfriend had jumped down into the annexe with their dogs:
By the time I realised what was happening the car was already on the move. She was dragged for about 200m up the road, and I just held on for on the camper trailer for about 8[km] until the car clutch blew out and the car finally came to stop.
His girlfriend sustained gravel rash, but other than that was “very lucky”, he said.
Momcilovic described how he thought he was in a dream at first, but once he realised what was happening he found his phone, called the police and brought up Google Maps to tell them where he was – all while the car was still being driven.
After the car came to a stop the person who allegedly took it fled on foot, Momcilovic said.
And as for the dogs – they found one on the night of the ordeal, but couldn’t find the other. After driving more than two hours home, they drove right back after someone located their second dog.
He was up on a cliff face, we got him down. Very scared obviously.
Police are appealing for anyone with information or dashcam/CCTV footage to come forward.
Updated
Training, trade and tax key to building productivity
The Business Council of Australia has released a report outlining a series of policy shifts it believes will drive productivity growth and help the nation seize its economic future, AAP reports.
If implemented, the council expects the package of reforms to leave every Australian $7,000 better off each year after a decade.
BCA’s chief executive, Jennifer Westacott, said Australia needed a coordinated approach to strengthen its economic resilience:
We cannot continue to experience record low levels of business investment as a share of GDP where more money leaves the country than comes in.
Investment drives innovation, which drives productivity and drives higher wages. We cannot continue to have an underperforming skills system that is failing to prepare Australians for the huge changes in the tasks that make up their jobs as the world of work changes.
The council proposed deepening trade ties with India and south-east Asia, broad-based tax reform to incentivise investment and a commitment between federal, state and territory governments to decarbonise the economy by 2050.
It also proposed moving away from a “fragmented” education system and transforming it into a sector that encouraged lifelong learning and skills development to prepare workers for future jobs.
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Defence reject criticism of $8.4m EY deal to oversee Aukus safety regulator
The defence department has said it complied with all “appropriate security and conflict-of-interest” arrangements before awarding an $8.4m contract to the consultancy firm EY to oversee the creation of the Australian nuclear-powered submarine safety regulator.
A department spokesperson said the regulator would be “independent of the Australian Defence Force chain of command and direction from the Department of Defence”. The $8.4m is for 12 months of work.
Greens senator David Shoebridge has argued the contract is inappropriate and accused the global consultancy firm of having links to the nuclear power industry. EY has been contacted for comment.
Here’s Shoebridge:
It’s unbelievable that defence has gifted an $8.4m contract to EY, one of the big four consultants, to design a new national nuclear submarine regulator, slap bang in the middle of a national scandal about outsourcing core government functions.
The department spokesperson confirmed the contract would not be scrapped and pushed back against claims it would have control of the safety regulator:
The new regulator is independent of the Australian Defence Force chain of command and direction from the Department of Defence.
EY has been engaged through a competitive tender process for a 12-month period, to support the design and development of the regulator.
As part of the scope of the contract, specialists, including in naval nuclear power, will complement the defence workforce to understand the requirements of the regulator, including against international standards.
For any engagement, appropriate security and conflict-of-interest arrangements are put in place and regularly reviewed throughout the tender evaluation and negotiation process.
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Police investigate Fitzroy Gardens death
Homicide squad detectives are investigating following the death of a man in Fitzroy Gardens this morning.
It’s believed a man was involved in a physical altercation with another man in Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne about 6.50am today.
The man was treated at the scene, but passed away shortly after.
A second man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody. At this time police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident and both men are yet to be identified.
The exact circumstances are yet to be determined and police would like to speak to anyone in the area who may have witnessed the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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Tasmania is experiencing unusually warm weather today, according to the Bureau of Meteorology:
It's not even lunchtime yet, and #Hobart is already up to 17 °C. The August average maximum temperature is only 13.7 °C - it doesn't feel like winter today in southeast #Tasmania! pic.twitter.com/cKFA4AoB2h
— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) August 21, 2023
Hobart is already up to 17°C today, the BoM said, but the August average max temp is only 13.7°C.
Katter’s Australian party proposes to relocate Queensland youth offenders to bush ‘rehabilitation’ facilities
Queensland youth offenders would be sent to the bush under a relocation sentencing proposal by Katter’s Australian party.
KAP’s leader, Robbie Katter, said on Monday the program would target repeat youth offenders who would undergo “intensive rehabilitation” in remote facilities in north Queensland.
Up to 30 children would be housed in each “demountable” centre and would receive vocational training and schooling, as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation, mental health and “cultural and life skill programs”.
Offenders would be sent to facilities for six to 12 months and those who commit sexual or serious violent offences would not be eligible.
Monthly programming would include camping, cultural activities, sports and bush walking. Children would be expected to assist with the day-to-day functioning of the centre, including with cooking, cleaning, general maintenance and animal husbandry.
Upon release, children would receive support to ensure they are engaged in school, completing a training course or apprenticeship or have paid employment.
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AMP pays $110m to settle shareholder class action
AMP will pay $110m to settle a class action lawsuit with shareholders who allegedly lost money after the company’s share price fell due to allegations of misconduct at the financial services firm.
The settlement was reached earlier today, the same day that a trial was due to start. The case is tied to allegations flowing out of the 2018 inquiry into the financial services sector, which uncovered widespread poor practices.
AMP shareholders claimed to have lost money when some of those practices were made public, which depressed the value of their shareholdings.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers said in a statement the action was taken on behalf of shareholders who purchased stock from mid 2012 to 2018.
AMP said that in reaching the settlement, it made no admission of liability.
AMP said in a statement:
The majority of the settlement amount will be met by available insurance proceeds.
AGL extends life of biggest polluting coal-fired power station out to 2035
AGL Energy, the largest electricity producer in Australia, has signed an agreement with the Victorian government to keep its biggest coal-fired power station, Loy Yang A, open until as late as 2035.
The plant, which is also the biggest carbon polluter among power plants, will “collaborate” on a scheduled closure date as late as 30 June of that year. Billionaire AGL investor Mike Cannon-Brookes may be among those disappointed since he had previously been pushing for a 2033 shutdown date.
The “structured transition agreement” is “to provide AGL, the state, the energy market, employees and consumers with a higher level of certainty around the ongoing operations, future closure and subsequent remediation” of the power station and nearby brown coalmine, the company said in a statement.
“This binding agreement avoids uncertainty where the changing plans of power companies can deter new renewable generation entering the market, increasing electricity prices to customers,” was the Victorian government’s response.
Working alongside the government, AGL has also agreed to provide a $50m community and economic development Fund – on top of AGL’s rehabilitation obligations – to help repurpose the Loy Yang A site and provide broader community benefits.
It’s been well publicised the renewable transition is going slower than expected (eg Snowy 2.0 and Marinus Link), and today’s extension of LYA’s life might not be the last. We expect the NSW government to release its “health check” on the power sector within days, and an extension of the Eraring power plant owned by Origin Energy beyond August 2025 is looking like a likely outcome.
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PM denies jinxing Matildas’ World Cup run by promising public holiday
Anthony Albanese has denied he “jinxed” the Matildas in their World Cup campaign by promising a public holiday too early.
Speaking to Nova Melbourne radio today, Albanese said the public holiday proposal was part of the “momentum” the Matildas were creating around the country:
I just think they inspired all of us, but particularly young girls and young boys. It was just fantastic to see, not just the game sold out, but the live sites completely packed, the entertainment venues and the pubs and clubs packed as well. And to see blokes walking around in Matildas jumpers, who would have thought that twenty years ago? It was fantastic.
Speaking on the Matildas matches more broadly, Albanese said it was the most excitement he has ever felt at a sporting event “in my whole life”:
I just think that the Matildas were great ambassadors for us on the field, but also off the field. The way they carried themselves, the way that they took the country with them, the fact that there are so many people now who probably could have named Sam Kerr but not named other Matildas, and now they’re all household names.
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‘That is a role for parliament’: Public service ‘purpose statement’ criticised during inquiry
A parliamentary inquiry has heard more criticism of the government’s proposal for department secretaries to write and review a “purpose statement” for the Australian public service every five years.
The issue is being debated at a parliamentary inquiry into the Public Service Amendment Bill 2023. Earlier this morning, former public service commissioner, Andrew Podger, argued the change could lead to Utopia-like navel-gazing.
Greens senator Barbara Pocock has argued the purpose statement should be determined by elected politicians, not bureaucrats:
I am very concerned about the possibility of secretaries defining the purpose of the APS every five years. That is not, in my view, the function of the secretaries. That is a role for parliament and the government to determine rather than have secretaries determine that every five years.
Prof Adam Fennessy, from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, said there may be occasions where department secretaries should respond to emerging trends. He mentioned artificial intelligence and climate change as examples. But Fennessy said politicians should have oversight:
I think that accountability through parliament is the most appropriate approach if there are longer term trends that require a specific rethink.
New laws could lead to Utopia-inspired navel-gazing in public service, former commissioner warns
Former public service commissioner Andrew Podger has warned against one of the federal government’s proposed changes to the bureaucracy, arguing it will deliver Utopia-inspired episodes of navel-gazing.
Podger is appearing before an inquiry into the Public Service Amendment bill 2023. The proposed laws would require senior public servants to meet every five years to review “a written statement that sets out the purpose of the Australian public service”.
Podger has told the inquiry this is unnecessary and departments should instead focus on delivering the federal government objectives:
It is a recipe for diluting the understanding of the role of the APS. Indeed, it is Utopia-like in his diversion of APS resources every five years to navel gaze when section three of the act already has a clear purpose.
An agency ought to be getting on with their plans to address people’s health, or the defence of the country or building roads, as the Utopia episode I’m thinking of highlighted.
Moreover, I’m very uneasy about the APS setting its own purpose without parliamentary approval.
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Households keep spending on coffee machines and air fryers, Breville results show
Consumers are buying coffee machines and air fryers, even as household budgets tighten, but pulling back on juicer and blender purchases.
The buying habits are evident in the financial results released by Breville Group, which posted a 4.2% lift in net profit to $110.2m in the financial year.
The home appliance company, which has an international customer base, reported strong sales in its coffee and cooking categories, while meal preparation appliances, like food processors, lagged.
The company said:
In category terms, both coffee and cooking grew well, the former benefitting from the continuing trend to premium espresso coffee and the latter supported by the air-fryer tailwind.
Air fryers, which cook food with a high-powered fan, became a popular pandemic item as people experimented with more home-cooking appliances.
Breville noted in its results that items like blenders are proving to be discretionary, with interest rates and living costs represented a headwind.
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Liberal Matt Kean condemns Gary Johns’ comments on Indigenous Australians at CPAC
NSW Liberal MP Matt Kean has slammed comments made by no campaigner Gary Johns at the CPAC conservative political conference over the weekend.
During the conference, Johns claimed some people in Indigenous communities lived in a “stupor” and recommended they “learn English”. He also called for greater “integration” of Indigenous communities and appeared to quote the father of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
In a tweet, Kean said Johns was disrespecting Price and Warren Mundine:
[Gary] Johns is treating Jacinta Price & Warren Mundine with complete disrespect, deliberately making revolting statements knowing that Jacinta & Warren will have to clean up his mess. No political campaign should ever indulge that [sort] of cowardice.
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Health minister condemns CPAC comedian’s comments on Closing the Gap
The health minister, Mark Butler, has condemned comments made at the CPAC conservative political conference held over the weekend.
CPAC Australia, an organisation chaired by Indigenous voice to parliament no campaigner Warren Mundine, defended comedian Rodney Marks who joked that “Closing the Gap” should be the name of Sydney’s suicide prevention program.
Closing the Gap is the federal Indigenous health and welfare program seeking to close gaps in life expectancy and other outcomes.
On Twitter, Butler said that such comments “cannot be tolerated”:
This cannot be tolerated. Indigenous Australians die by suicide at twice the rate of non-Indigenous Australians. There is no joke to be made about Closing the Gap.
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Dutton slams union push for RBA board changes
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has blasted a union push to have worker representatives appointed to the board of the Reserve Bank, AAP reports.
The powerful CFMEU moved a successful motion at Labor’s national conference last week amending the party platform on the consideration of the central bank’s future board members.
Under the changes, Labor will now “consider” appointing board members to the Reserve Bank with a mix of skills and experiences, including worker representatives.
But Dutton said the skill set needed for the bank’s board was crucial. He told 2GB radio today:
We want to retain the independence of the Reserve Bank of Australia and I think it’s one of the institutions that we need to protect.
Less than 10% of the Australian working population outside the public service are members of the union, so the disproportionate influence of the unions within the Albanese government is quite remarkable.
… Having [CFMEU] involved in one of the central economic policies in our country, I think, frankly, it says that this government’s gone off the rails.
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Former childcare worker faces 1,623 charges in Queensland court
A former childcare worker accused of being one of Queensland’s worst ever paedophiles was mentioned in court today on 1,623 charges of sexual offences against children.
The 45-year-old has yet to enter a plea on the charges, which relate to offences allegedly committed in several Queensland childcare centres between 2007 and 2022.
It’s the first time the former childcare worker has faced all of his charges.
The Gold Coast man has spent the last year behind bars after being charged with two counts of distributing child abuse material and a count of distributing child abuse material in August 2022. He cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The man is also alleged to have committed offences in NSW and in another country.
Police charged the man after a lengthy investigation, Operation Tenterfield, which involved officers from NSW, Queensland and the Australian federal police.
He did not appear in court in the Brisbane magistrates court, where he was represented by McGinness and Associates.
Magistrate Anthony Gett ordered the man be remanded in custody until appearing for a further mention on 20 November.
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Government officially launches national gambling exclusion register BetStop
The government has officially launched BetStop today, the national gambling self-exclusion register.
BetStop allows Australians at risk of experiencing gambling harm to self-exclude from all licensed interacting wagering services. It covers both online and telephone-based providers and means they are not allowed to open an account or accept a bet from self-excluded individuals, or send them marketing material.
Through the register, Australians will be able to self-exclude for a minimum of three months to a lifetime.
Complementing the launch of BetStop, the government will also introduce mandatory customer pre-verification, requiring wagering service providers to verify a customer’s identity when they register for a new account and before they can place a bet.
The minister for communications, Michelle Rowland, said BetStop is the last of 10 measures to be implemented under the national consumer protection framework for online wagering.
Meanwhile, the minister for social services, Amanda Rishworth, said for many people, BetStop would change their lives:
We know minimising the harm caused by online gambling is not a set and forget exercise and I look forward to working with my state and territory counterparts on what comes next to continue this positive change.
Read more on the register from our reporter Henry Belot:
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Man arrested following series of fires in Frankston, Victoria
Officers from Victoria’s transit safety division have arrested a man after a series of 12 fires across Frankston’s CBD over the weekend.
The 31-year-old man was arrested in Park Lane on Sunday around 9pm after an extensive search by local police, detectives and officers from transit.
The man of no fixed address has been charged, at this stage, with:
Reckless conduct endangering serious injury
Lighting fire in the open air (x4)
Possessing anything with intent to destroy or damage property
Negligently dealing with proceeds of crime
Possessing controlled weapon with excuse
Conveying, carrying or packing an animal in a manner or position or in circumstances which subjects, or is likely to subject, it to unnecessary pain or suffering; (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act).
The investigation remains ongoing and further charges are expected following the series of small bin, grass and rubbish fires, according to Victorian police.
The man was also charged with a Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act offence after two live ducklings were allegedly located in his underwear after a search.
The man has been remanded in custody to appear before Frankston magistrates court today.
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Westpac posts robust $1.8bn profit as households struggle
Westpac has recorded a quarterly cash result of $1.8bn, and was able to increase its profitability even as a growing number of customers fall behind on their mortgages.
The major bank said the percentage of its Australian mortgage book more than 90 days late on repayments increased to 0.80%. Mortgages that are more than 30 days behind rose to 1.5%.
While the delinquency levels are still below pre-pandemic levels, they have been ticking upwards since late last year, after a rapid-fire series of rate increases started to hit households.
Westpac’s key measure of profitability, net interest margins, increased 10 basis points to 2.06% in the three months to the end of June.
The banking sector has been able to lift profit margins during the inflationary period by increasing borrowing rates at a faster pace than deposits.
Margins tightened recently after lenders started competing more aggressively for new mortgage borrowers, but that competition has now moderated.
Westpac did not release an equivalent third quarter profit result in 2022.
Earlier this month, Australia’s biggest lender, Commonwealth Bank, posted a record $10.2bn cash profit for the full financial year.
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The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, said his state needs to massively accelerate its construction centre to meet Australia’s new national housing target and provide homes for people who are otherwise moving away.
Under an agreement signed off at national cabinet last week, the federal government pledged to pay states and territories a “new home bonus” of up to $3bn if they help reach an updated target of 1.2m new homes over five years.
Speaking to ABC Radio, Minns said NSW would need to build 75,000 new houses every year for the next five years, up from the 48,000 it has been building.
Minns said:
Now we’d do this whether the federal government wanted us to do it or not. If they want to give us money to do it. We’ll take their money.
But we have to do this in NSW because inbound migration out of NSW is seeing our best and brightest leave the state and search for other jurisdictions.
Minns called for an end to the mentality that every high rise building had to be “tall and crappy”, saying there were some “beautiful” high rise buildings being built in NSW and that he wanted to see more of them.
My argument is we can do that in Sydney and it’s a far better way of drawing the city than adding another strip to the western fringe of Sydney every other week.
Loy Yang A coal-fired power station to officially close in June 2035
A closure date of 20 June 2035 has officially been set for the coal-fired Loy Yang A power station in Victoria.
Last year it was announced that AGL Energy would shut it down in 2035, earlier than the previously announced closure target 0f 2045.
As part of the structured transition agreement, Loy Yang will be required to operate at certain agreed minimum operational levels until its closure date. Additionally, frameworks have been put in place to avoid the unplanned closure of the power station before 20 June 2035.
Loy Yang’s official closure date set at June 20, 2035. pic.twitter.com/IGwQ7BoGvX
— Heidi Murphy (@heidimur) August 20, 2023
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EY's $8.5m nuclear contract should be 'torn up', says Greens' David Shoebridge
Greens senator David Shoebridge said it is “unbelievable” Defence has given EY an $8.5m contract to design a new national nuclear submarine regulator “slap bang in the middle of a national scandal about outsourcing core government functions”.
In a series of tweets, Shoebridge called for the contract to be “torn up” and for any regulator instead be designed by an independent government agency.
It’s unbelievable that Defence has gifted an $8.5 million contract to EY, one of the big four consultants, to design a new national nuclear submarine regulator, slap bang in the middle of a national scandal about outsourcing core government functions https://t.co/Ch2FN4ZQPZ
— David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) August 20, 2023
The contract was first reported by the SMH this morning. The minister for the defence industry, Pat Conroy, was asked about the contract on ABC RN earlier, but admitted he had no knowledge it existed prior to being asked about it.
Official government contracts show EY will provide “management advisory services” to the department of defence for “future nuclear regulator office design”. The contract notice states EY were engaged after a competitive tender process.
The department of defence and EY were contacted for comment.
Shoebridge has argued the contract is inappropriate given EY’s links to the nuclear industry. He claims the global consultancy has worked with the NuScale Power Corporation, China General Nuclear Power Co and TEPCO.
- with Henry Belot
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Chris Minns on Matildas and women’s sport
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has said governments need to invest more in women’s sport and improve women’s sporting facilities.
Minns comments come after a promise by the Albanese government to invest $200m in upgrading women’s facilities following the Matildas’ historic Women’s World Cup run.
Speaking to ABC Radio the morning after Spain beat England in the World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday night, Minns said:
I know that that $200m from the federal government, the lion’s share will be spent in NSW. But we’ve got more to do.
A lot of female athletes have told me you can’t be what you can’t see – that’s been tipped on its head over the last month with the Matildas being probably the most beloved supporting team in the country.
But Minns said his government would not budge on its decision to pare back the Active Kids voucher program and make it means tested rather than available to all children in the state.
Providing the vouchers for children’s sporting and recreational activities to all families would mean cutting other programs because the state budget is so tight, Minns said.
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Fifty fires burning across NSW with eight yet to be contained, says RFS inspector
The NSW Rural Fire Service inspector Ben Shepherd appeared on ABC News Breakfast to give an update on active fires across the state.
As of this morning there are still 50 fires burning across NSW, he said, with around eight of those yet to be contained.
Shepherd said warm and windy weather late last week fanned the blazes, but more favourable weather over the next few days should allow firefighters to get the remaining blazes under control:
It should act as a wake up call for people across the state now that we are entering, and some areas are, in bushfire danger period.
Broadly across Australia, fire services have been warning people living in fire-prone areas to begin preparing for an elevated fire risk as Australia faces its first dry summer in three years.
Reporter Emily Middleton has put together an explainer on how best to prepare for the fire season ahead:
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Midwives to rally at Queensland parliament for funding
Midwives from across Queensland will march on state parliament to highlight unsafe conditions and call for immediate funding, AAP reports.
Regional midwives frustrated with the Palaszczuk government’s budget failure to commit to their profession will be bussed in for the parliament house rally on Monday.
The government provided $42m in maternity funding in the budget but made no allocation for midwives and midwife-led models of care, the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union said.
Angry midwives warned that staff were severely overloaded, resulting in unsafe conditions for both mothers and babies, and are calling for immediate action from health minister Shannon Fentiman.
Australian College of Midwives chief Alison Weatherstone said:
Queensland women aren’t currently able to consistently access maternity care close to home – they deserve choice, continuity of care and services where they live.
The protest will culminate in a meeting with the health minister on Wednesday, the union said.
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AEC launches 2023 referendum advertising campaign
The Australian Electoral Commission has launched its main phase of referendum education advertising, telling voters that “your answer matters” in the lead-up to the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum later this year.
The campaign, which will be shown on a range of channels, aims to educate Australians to get vote ready for the referendum. It includes information resources, translated and accessible material.
The Australian electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, said the campaign is deliberately starting before the referendum voting date is announced:
It’s been 24 years since we last had a referendum.
Approximately 6.4 million enrolled Australians weren’t of voting age when we had our most recent referendum in 1999 – for a lot of people the role of a referendum won’t be familiar.
This campaign ramps up the public education we’ve been doing all year, educating Australians about the importance of referendums and how to cast a formal vote.
The campaign will also encourage people to update their enrolment details or enrol to vote. Rogers said:
We’ve seen record growth over the past six months but we’re conscious there’s still more to do – and it’s also important that newly enrolled Australians turn out to vote at the referendum as well.
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Australia’s RNA technology industry could produce new vaccines for the world, Husic says
The government is turning its attention to Australia’s RNA technology industry (think vaccines) to see where the gaps are, where we could be doing better and what technologies are under development across the country.
A discussion paper, “Understanding our RNA potential”, is being released along with a stakeholder survey so the government can get a handle on what’s out there.
You may remember this became a pretty big deal during the lockdown stages of the pandemic. The Morrison government then said it was going to support developing a RNA industry within Australia so the nation wouldn’t be get caught short when it came to vaccine manufacturing, again.
But when Ed Husic took over the portfolio, he wanted to know where the work was being done. Skip forward 15 months and Moderna and the Victorian government have established a mRNA manufacturing facility in Melbourne. State governments are investing in the sector all along the east coast. And Husic says there is the $1.5bn in the national reconstruction fund, $1bn for advanced manufacturing and $1bn for critical technologies which can all help fund the sector.
So now they’re having a nationwide look at what’s being done, so they can see what needs work.
Husic says it’s about building on the breakthroughs Australia’s researchers made during the early stages of vaccine development during the pandemic:
Australia could be a global producer of new RNA vaccine treatments for conditions ranging from Covid-19 to cardiovascular disease and influenza in humans, as well as vaccines for animal illnesses.
You can find the paper here.
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Conroy says he was unaware of reported EY contract with Defence
Conroy also told ABC RN he isn’t aware of a contract between EY and the defence department, as the Sydney Morning Herald reported this morning.
As SMH reports, EY will receive almost $8.5m in taxpayers’ money to design a new agency to monitor safety issues associated with Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under the Aukus pact.
Conroy said he hasn’t seen the contract and wasn’t aware of its existence until questioned about it:
[But] what I can say to you, is that the Albanese Labor government is committed to rebuilding capability with the Australian public service … we’ll use consultancies where it makes sense, where they add value, or bring specialist technical expertise … we have to get the balance right.
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Conroy says comments at Labor conference about strategic balance in Pacific
Conroy is asked about comments he made at the Labor conference, saying it is against Australia’s interest to have one power dominate our region, especially one that breaches international laws.
Explaining his comments, Conroy said he was referring to the need to have strategic balance in the region, where no one power dominates.
Hamish McDonald:
And is it your view that China is trying to do that, dominate our region?
Conroy:
I’m not going to be going into what other countries are doing but it’s clear that we’re seeing great strategic competition in our region, and it’s appropriate that we respond through increased diplomatic engagement and an increasing deterrence in the Australian Defence Force.
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Tomahawk cruise missiles for 'deterring conflict', defence industry minister says
The minister for the defence industry, Pat Conroy, is speaking to ABC RN about Australia’s investment in 200 long-range Tomahawk missiles.
He said the purchase is part of maintaining a strategic balance when it comes to defence – investing in Australia’s military capabilities to defer potential aggression, while also investing in diplomacy and international efforts through foreign aid.
They all play complementary roles in promoting peace and stability in our [region].
When asked about the capability of the missiles, Conroy reiterated that the purchase is about deterring conflict. He told the ABC’s Hamish McDonald:
So this is about peace and stability in our region by deterring conflict and I know you will respond that saying, well, aren’t we just engaging in military buildup, but in the end, the only way we pursue peace and stability is by presenting strength. This is what this is about.
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Man dead after fire engulfs Brisbane home
A 66-year-old man has died after fire ripped through his Brisbane home over the weekend, AAP reports.
Flames took hold of the property on Forbes Street in Hawthorne around 8pm on Saturday. When emergency services arrived, the blaze had fully engulfed the home and was impacting neighbouring properties, Queensland Ambulance Service said in a statement.
The man suffered serious burns to his head, chest, arms, back and legs and was transported in a serious condition to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
He died from his injuries on Sunday night.
Two other men, believed to be in their 30s, were transported to hospital in stable conditions and treated for smoke inhalation.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Police are appealing for anyone with information or footage of the fire to come forward.
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Australian defence looking to become ‘more self-reliant’, O’Connor says
Brendan O’Connor was also asked about Australia’s purchase of 200 Tomahawk missiles from the US.
As my colleague Amy Remeikis reported this morning, the Albanese government has announced a $1.7bn spend on long-range defence capability. $1.3bn will be spent on 200 Tomahawk missiles to boost the capability of the three Hobart-class air warfare destroyers.
The missiles have a strike range of 1,500km and were identified in the most recent defence strategic review as necessary, given the capability gap in Australia’s long-range defences.
O’Connor said the investment was important to ensure Australia is developing its own defence industry capability:
… whilst we are acquiring these from United States, we are looking at building our own defence industry capability because, over time, we need to be more self-reliant and to defend our nation and our citizens effectively.
This is an important decision, it is one that has been thought through carefully [and] given the circumstances we find ourselves, you only have to look at the illegal war in Ukraine, to know that we have to be prepared for any possible contingency.
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Fee-free Tafe places ‘pretty much filled already’, says skills and training minister
The minister for skills and training, Brendan O’Connor, spoke to ABC News Breakfast about national skills week, which kicks off today.
Speaking on skills shortages, O’Connor said that the 180,000 additional fee-free Tafe places announced last year have been “pretty much filled already”.
I am negotiating this Friday with ministers of states and territories to add to that 180,000 a further 300,000 starting from next year.
That is because wherever you look across the economy, whichever sector and whatever trade, there are shortages.
O’Connor said skilled migration pathways as necessary to complement investment in education and training. He also said the status of vocational education needs to be elevated:
There has been somewhat a wrong view that it is the lesser pathway to employment … I want to make sure people understand the opportunities for this week and beyond.
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Australia’s population to grow at slowest rate since federation
Australia’s population is forecast to grow at its slowest rate since federation, the latest intergenerational report from Treasury has found.
The report, which forecasts what the next four decades will look like, has found population growth is projected to slow to an annual average of 1.1% over the next 40 years, compared with 1.4% over the past four decades.
According to the report:
Australians are expected to continue living longer and remain healthier to an older age, while having fewer children. This is leading to an ageing and a slower-growing population.
Continue reading:
As Guardian sport reporter Jack Snape has reported, the 2023 Women’s World Cup was close to perfect for many millions of Australians, signalling a real change in the reordering of Australia’s priorities for football and women’s sport overall.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino dubbed it the “best and greatest and biggest” Women’s World Cup in history. An average of more than 30,000 fans attended each match, with only tournaments in the US in 1999 and China in 2007 averaging higher.
Almost 2 million tickets were sold – a record, and almost 500,000 more than initial targets. And we can’t forget that the semi-final between Australia and England out-rated the biggest television programmes since the modern ratings system was established in 2001.
As Snape sums up:
A perfect tournament? Not quite, but certainly one offering hope. And for Australians, it did help that England did not win.
You can read his full story here, reflecting on the month we’ve just experienced:
Gippsland offshore wind bid comes as ageing coal-fired power stations to close
As AAP explains, Gippsland is Australia’s first declared offshore wind zone and will host several mega projects to replace the state’s ageing coal-fired power stations.
EnergyAustralia operates the Yallourn coal power station in Latrobe Valley that provides one-fifth of Victoria’s power and accounts for eight per cent of Australia’s national electricity market
Yallourn is due to close in 2028 and will be partly replaced with a big battery project that should be completed by 2026.
The energy company’s head of portfolio development Dan Nugent said:
We see offshore wind as a clean energy source that can replace part of the capacity lost through the retirement of coal-fired generation.
EnergyAustralia has 1.6 million customers across eastern Australia and a future offtake agreement with Elanora Offshore would underpin the commercial viability of the project.
Victoria has set targets for at least 2GW of offshore wind to be in the electricity grid by 2032, 4GW by 2035 and 9GW by 2040.
A growing list of technically feasible options will be reduced to a shortlist of projects for detailed appraisal. The government will be confirming preferred bidders and next steps in late 2023 to early 2024.
Updated
More on the consortium of energy companies bidding to build an offshore wind farm off the coast of Victoria, via AAP:
EnergyAustralia and Dutch offshore specialist Boskalis are part of a consortium led by Elanora Offshore that is seeking to be one of the first to build offshore wind in Australia.
The new consortium will today announce the intention to develop a five gigawatt project, with funding commitments in place from leading global investors.
The Elanora Offshore project would create over 3000 jobs during the construction phase and 320 jobs during operations.
The grouping is led by the two founders of KIMAenergy, who have worked on over 15GW of offshore wind projects elsewhere and will manage the project out of Victoria.
Elanora Offshore CEO Maya Malik said:
We are deeply committed to the success of offshore wind in Australia and we want to see it done right.
That means sustainable technology, delivering benefits for local communities and minimising environmental impact, she said.
When fully operational, the project would provide enough clean energy to meet up to 40 per cent of Victoria’s present day energy needs and avoid over 600 million tonnes of carbon emissions over the life of the project.
Good morning
And happy Monday! Welcome back to another week on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you today. Here’s what’s making news early this morning, before we get into our rolling coverage:
AAP is reporting that a consortium of energy companies will bid to build an offshore windfarm off the coast of Victoria’s Gippsland region, which could provide enough clean energy to meet 40% of Victoria’s power needs when fully operational. EnergyAustralia, which operates the Yallourn coal power station in Victoria, is part of the consortium.
Last night the Fifa Women’s World Cup wrapped up after a month of matches, with Spain beating England 1-0 during the final match in Sydney. With almost 2m tickets sold throughout the duration of the Australia and New Zealand-hosted cup, attendance records were shattered. We’ll bring you more on this soon.
And ABC RN has just reported that the search for the third missing crew member off the coast of Indonesia has been called off. Four Australians and two other Indonesian crew members were safely recovered from the sea after their boat capsized, however the third sailor remained missing. We haven’t independently confirmed this and will bring you the latest as soon as we find out more.
