What we learned, Wednesday 22 June
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big stories from today:
- Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro ‘will do a great job’ as New York trade commissioner, says premier Dominic Perrottet
- Head of Aemo announces suspension of electricity market will lift at 4am tomorrow, saying priority is ‘connecting new generation sources’
- NSW opposition leader Chris Minns says state budget predicated on ‘heroic assumption’ of growth
- NSW premier Dominic Perrottet urges teachers to ‘act reasonably’ ahead of planned strikes
- Federal energy minister Chris Bowen said Aemo market move ‘prudent’ and ‘careful’
- Former attorney general George Brandis joins ANU
- Crown wins conditional approval to operate Sydney casino
- Anthony Albanese says Adam Bandt should ‘reconsider his position’ on displaying national flag
- Anthony Albanese says former energy minister Angus Taylor was ‘minister for talking nonsense’
- Dominic Perrottet urged to halt John Barilaro trade job appointment pending inquiry
- Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia encourages Anthony Albanese to visit Kyiv while in Europe
Thank you for spending the day with us - we will be back tomorrow.
Updated
Canberra Health Services has warned there will be long wait times in emergecy tongiht
Canberra, our emergency department is under extreme pressure tonight. Please, keep the emergency department for emergencies. We will always give priority to the most urgent cases and there will be long wait times for less urgent cases.
— Canberra Health Services (@ACT_CHS) June 22, 2022
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia has encouraged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to visit Kyiv on his trip to Europe next week, saying it would send a “strong message of solidarity” in the country’s war against Russia.
Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko warned that Australia would suffer its own geostrategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region if Russia won the war, and said Ukraine needed a “constant supply” of weapons, drones, long-range missiles and tanks.
“Bushmasters are good but they’re not for fighting,” he said, at an event hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, in Canberra on Wednesday night.
“We need real tanks, we need jets.”
Albanese has been invited to visit Kyiv to see President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during his trip to Europe for the NATO summit in Madrid. The new PM has not confirmed whether he would travel to Ukraine, but Myroshnychenko said Zelenskiy would be “delighted” to host Albanese.
The ambassador praised Australian design company Canva for choosing to stop doing business in Russia, and called on other Australian companies to follow suit. He also flagged that he planned to “name and shame” companies that didn’t do so.
Myroshnychenko added that Australia had a financial interest in the Russian war, due to spiking prices of oil and other goods. He said that if the federal government sent more help to Ukraine in its fight, it would be of benefit to Australia in a cost of living sense.
George Brandis endorses Labor’s call to move AFP to attorney general’s portfolio
The former attorney general, George Brandis, has weighed into the debate about the break-up of the home affairs portfolio, endorsing Labor’s call to move the federal police out of the portfolio – something Peter Dutton had criticised.
Brandis, most recently the high commissioner to the United Kingdom, is returning to Australia after being appointed a professor in the practice of national security at the Australian National University.
Brandis told Guardian Australia:
I think it’s a good thing the AFP has come back into the attorney general’s portfolio. In relation to Asio … Asio sat very comfortably within the attorney general’s portfolio when the restructure of government that Mr Turnbull introduced in 2017 came about.
There were some misgivings about Asio moving out of attorney general’s, now it’s a matter for the new government and Mr Dreyfus to see whether he wants to prosecute that case, it’s not for me any more to make these decisions. But I wouldn’t be sorry to see it [come back], no.
Brandis also commented on Australia’s climate ambition. Asked whether the Liberals were sent a message at the election over climate and the UK wanted to see more progress by 2030, he said:
In the UK at time of the Cop26 conference. Australia’s announcement [by] Mr Morrison ... of net zero by 2050 target was well received. There had been some impatience in Australia in getting to that position, and Morrison delivered it. There is always pressure for there to be an elevated level for climate ambition, and that means higher targets and sooner target dates.
The Liberal party ... has succeeded best when it has had a very healthy liberal voice in its counsels and a healthy conservative voice. When either the more conservative or liberal wing of the party is diminished then the entire party is diminished. It was John Howard who may have said ‘the Liberal party is like a plane, it can only fly when it has two wings in good shape’.
Updated
Nurses and midwives to stop work in protest at state budget
From AAP:
Hundreds of nurses and midwives in NSW will stop work to protest the state budget saying it has failed their sector over staffing and wages.
“The government has ignored the need to address the extra extreme workloads nurses and midwives are juggling,” NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association General Secretary Shaye Candish said.
“We asked for one extra nurse every evening and night shift in remote sites, and the government has said no to this request.”
More than 70 union branches have voted to stop work for various hours ranging from two to 24 hours on June 28.
Members will participate in a mass meeting at Sydney Town Hall.
The government injected a record $33 billion into the health system on Tuesday with $1.76 billion allocated to NSW Ambulance to recruit 2128 new staff and almost $3 billion for mental health services.
The nurses’ union decision comes a day after some 85,000 school teachers said they would strike next week over pay issues.
Updated
All 151 lower house seats officially declared
More on the new parliament from AAP:
The results of the federal election have been made official, with all 151 lower house seats being declared.
The Western Australian seat of O’Connor, won by Liberal Rick Wilson, was the last electorate to be declared by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The declaration on Wednesday confirmed the new Labor government will have 77 seats in the 47th parliament, the Coalition will have 58 and the Greens four. There will be 12 seats shared among minor parties and independents.
In the Senate, the government will have 26 seats and the opposition 32, with Greens senators numbering 12 and two seats each for the Jacqui Lambie Network and One Nation.
The remaining two seats have been declared for the United Australia Party and independent David Pocock.
With the results confirmed by the commission, the final two-party preferred vote was Labor on 52.13 per cent, compared to the coalition’s 47.87 per cent.
Updated
Final two-party preferred for the election has worked out at Labor 52.13%, Coalition 47.87%, a swing to Labor of 3.66%. #auspol
— Antony Green - elections (@AntonyGreenElec) June 22, 2022
Twitter has handed over account and IP address information linked to the pro-Labor PRGuy17 account as part of a defamation case brought by a far-right figure.
The tech company complied with the orders from the Australian federal court earlier this month as part of defamation proceedings brought by Rebel News’s Avi Yemini against the anonymous account in an attempt to “unmask” the person behind the PRGuy tweets.
Victorians who engage in grossly offensive conduct in public are set to face up to five years in jail under a bill introduced to state parliament, raising concerns among lawyers who say the proposed new offence could unintentionally impact vulnerable people.
The state’s attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, on Wednesday announced the introduction of the crimes legislation amendment bill, which creates a new offence of “engaging in conduct that is grossly offensive to community standards of behaviour”.
The Western Australian government has pardoned and apologised to the Yamatji family of a baby who was brutally murdered by Mervyn Bell after his mother was arrested by police who had been called to assist her in an assault.
After nine years of lobbying by the devastated family and their legal advocates, Tamica Mullaley and her father, Ted Mullaley, were officially pardoned on Wednesday by the WA attorney general, John Quigley. Tamica Mullaley was pardoned for resisting arrest and Ted Mullaley for obstructing arrest, charges they received that day while enduring “the unthinkable”, Quigley said.
“I am sorry by the way you were treated by the government and the WA police,” Quigley said.
“The granting of such pardons is a truly exceptional step. It is so exceptional that I could not find a case in modern Western Australian history, where pardons of this nature have been granted.
“These pardons are a show of mercy … and it has been a long time coming.
“As a government and the state we must acknowledge that the response at the time was clearly deficient.
“For that I am truly sorry. You deserved much better.”
NDIS price limits to rise by 9% from next month
From AAP:
Price limits for support as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will increase from next month.
The NDIS sets maximum prices registered providers can charge people for disability support and services, to ensure participants receive value for money.
The limits will rise by 9% from July 1.
The decision comes following an annual pricing review of the scheme, with all current NDIS plan budgets rising as a result of the changes.
The limit increase will also include a 2% temporary loading during the 2022/23 financial year.
The NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, said people using the scheme would have better access to support as a result of the increase.
“These improvements will better support participant outcomes and reduce workforce turnover by funding better conditions for NDIS workers,” Shorten said.
“This price review finally recognises the true cost of continuity of support, keeping participants safe and improving systems to drive productivity.”
Updated
Ben Doherty here, minding the blog a wee while...
National treasure (TM) First Dog on the Moon dares to boldly go where no cartoonist has gone before
(don’t @me about the split infinitive, I know, I know...)
The horribly twee adventures of Commander Toto – Space Cavoodle | @firstdogonmoon https://t.co/kF5M3TROJk
— Svetlana Stankovic (@SvetlaStankovic) June 22, 2022
A senior staff member of former MP Craig Kelly told a young woman that no man she could marry would ever love her more than he did, despite her telling him she had no romantic interest in him and repeatedly rebuffing his requests for physical contact, a Sydney court has heard.
Francesco “Frank” Zumbo, 55, is facing 20 charges, including sexual touching and indecent assault, linked to accusations by five women between 2014 and 2020.
Albanese announces four new secretaries for government departments
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced four new secretaries for government departments, continuing the new Labor administration’s clearout and restructuring of the public service.
As expected (and reported earlier this week) Jan Adams, currently the ambassador to Japan, will become the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The current secretary, Kathryn Campbell, “will be taking up a senior appointment in the Defence portfolio in an Aukus-related role”, Albanese said in a statement today.
Natalie James will become the new secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Jenny Wilkinson, currently deputy secretary of the Treasury department, is the new secretary of the Department of Finance.
Jim Betts will become secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
David Fredericks, secretary at the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, will move over to lead the new Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. A new secretary for the Department of Industry, Science and Resources will be announced “shortly”, Albanese said.
Simon Atkinson, current secretary of the infrastructure department, and Campbell will finish up their jobs on July 1.
“I thank them both for their service to the Australian Public Service over many years. They have both brought great professionalism and deep experience to the range of roles they have held, and I wish them both the best,” Albanese said.
“I congratulate Mr Betts, Ms Adams, Ms James and Ms Wilkinson on their appointments,” the PM added.
Updated
Alarmingly, in Tasmania, the freedom to protest is under threat.
On Tuesday a small public protest was held in Devonport, a coastal city in northern Tasmania. It was, as someone described on social media, a protest by “shop-keepers, farmers, fisherman, bakers, retirees and accommodation operators” who felt they were “left out by decision makers”.
Updated
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, says his party will not support legislating a more ambitious medium-term emissions reduction target over the coming parliamentary term because the “big hand of government” isn’t necessary to drive the transition to low emissions.
In the wake of the Coalition’s devastating election loss, moderate Liberals are now urging Peter Dutton to let the party room adopt a more ambitious position on climate change policy, and at least two MPs have signalled they would be prepared to cross the floor to support Labor’s 2030 target of 43%.
Green and golden bell frog restoration project celebrates birth of 100 frogs
From AAP:
Conservationists are celebrating the birth of 100 endangered green and golden bell frogs that were once abundant around Sydney.
The green and golden bell frog project was established last year by Aussie Ark, in collaboration with Macquarie University, with the aim of breeding the endangered species in large enough numbers to return to the wild.
The frogs, known for their striking bright green backs with gold patches, are being monitored in tanks at the Australian Reptile Park on the NSW Central Coast before being released into the wild.
Like many Australian frog species, they are declining rapidly.
Amphibians are among the hardest hit by the planet’s extinction crisis, with at least 2000 species in danger of disappearing. According to a United Nations report, 40% of amphibian species are threatened.
Aussie Ark’s head of reptiles, Jake Meney, said frogs acted as environmental health indicators, “so the disappearance of our amphibian species is a definite cause for concern”.
“In just a short time we have already had incredible success,” he said. “We know that long term we can make a real difference to the species.”
Updated
The use of excessive force against Victorian prisoners is “persistent and endemic” in the state’s remand centres, with an ombudsman’s report concluding a culture of silence is a barrier to uncovering the full extent of the problem.
The report by the Victorian ombudsman, Deborah Glass, which was tabled in state parliament on Wednesday, found officers were failing to use body-worn cameras as required and that incidents often occurred in “CCTV blind spots”, which raised suspicion about officers’ actions and motives.
Former veterans’s affairs minister admits no attempts were made to adopt urgent reforms
From AAP:
The previous veterans’ affairs minister has conceded no serious attempts were made under his watch to adopt urgent reforms in his department in a series of hostile exchanges before the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Darren Chester, who served as the federal minister for veterans’ affairs and defence personnel for two years until July 2021, came under attack as he attempted to defend the coalition government’s failure to act on a series of reforms recommended by the Productivity Commission in 2019.
Pressed repeatedly about what steps he and the Morrison government had taken, Chester struggled at times to explain why work had not progressed beyond his call for a “legislative roadmap” in May 2021, two months before he left the portfolio.
He also wasn’t sure that the notoriously complex Department of Veterans’ Affairs claims system, and a huge backlog of claims, could be directly linked to a high suicide rate among defence members and veterans.
Chester insisted it wasn’t “entirely accurate” that the government had made no progress.
He pointed to his request for the department to develop a “legislative roadmap” in May 2021 to simplify compensation and entitlements legislation for veterans and defence members.
“I hope I’m not trying to hedge my bets, but I do believe there has been some decision in that regard that government is seeking to pursue through the normal process, through DVA and consultation,” Chester told the inquiry.
Updated
The operator of Australia’s main electric grid plans to conduct a “detailed investigation” into the breakdown of the country’s wholesale power market that triggered an unprecedented suspension during last week’s energy crisis.
The Australian Energy Market Operator said on Wednesday it plans to resume trading in a two-stage process starting with the market-setting prices again from 4am AEST on Thursday. After monitoring conditions for 24 hours, Aemo will decide whether the market suspension will be formally lifted.
New ad campaign to encourage Covid-19 vaccine uptake to begin from Thursday
From AAP:
A fresh advertising blitz will be rolled out in an effort to increase Australia’s uptake for Covid-19 vaccines.
The health minister, Mark Butler, said the campaign would target the six million Australians who have yet to get their third vaccine dose to be fully protected against the virus during the winter period.
The ad campaign will also focus on the Indigenous community as well as parents, encouraging them to get their children aged five to 11 vaccinated.
The advertising will be rolled out nationwide from Thursday, and the message targeting parents will begin next week.
Butler said it was critical for as many people to get their booster dose as soon as possible.
“If you have only had two doses of the vaccine, you are not fully protected,” Butler told reporters in Canberra.
“We’re still seeing an enormous loss of life, enormous dislocation and massive pressure on our health and our hospital systems, and on top of that, influenza has returned to the country as well.”
Updated
Australia has provided funding to install tracking devices on more than 4,000 Sri Lankan fishing vessels, a move partly aimed at detecting asylum seekers journeying to Australia.
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has repeatedly emphasised during her visit to Sri Lanka this week that Australia maintains its hardline Operation Sovereign Borders policy, despite the change of government last month.
NSW Health releases plan to eliminate hepatitis C as public health concern by 2028
NSW’s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said the new strategy is centred on prevention, testing, treatment and addressing stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.
The strategy aims to reduce hepatitis C infections by 60%, decrease the number of deaths linked to hepatitis C, remove the stigma linked to the virus and increase testing and treatment.
Between 2016 and 2020, more than 30,700 people began treatment for hepatitis C in New South Wales.
More than seven in 10 people living with hepatitis C in Australia have reported experiencing stigma and discrimination, which can be a major barrier to receiving treatment.
The strategy addresses this through reducing structural barriers, increasing education, and strengthening the peer workforce to support those in the community with hepatitis C through care.
Hepatitis C disproportionately affects Aboriginal people in NSW. In 2019, the notification rate for hepatitis C was 11 times higher in Aboriginal people compared with the rest of the population.
The NSW Government invested $6.2m in services to strengthen testing, treatment and prevention of hepatitis C in 2021/2022.
Updated
Blockade Australia activists say arrests are a ‘weaponization of the legal system’
Blockade Australia has said its climate activists have been slammed with extreme bail conditions and imprisoned for weeks after being arrested in a chaotic raid of a property west of Sydney over the weekend.
Seven people were arrested and given charges with maximum sentences of up to ten years.
The remaining two arrestees have been refused bail and will be imprisoned for weeks until their court hearings on the 12th of July.
Of the seven, five have been released. Their bail conditions include: Residing only at their designated bail address, reporting weekly to the local police station, remaining within the state, and not entering the Sydney CBD.
This comes in the leadup to Blockade Australia’s Sydney mobilisation to resist climate destruction from July 27th.
In addition, activists have been given unprecedented non-association orders which prevent them from interacting with designated members of their community.
Blockade Australia said:
This is an extremely concerning escalation in the repression of climate activists by police. It is intended to intimidate those who seek to challenge climate destruction on this continent with the threat of imprisonment, and to protect the systems destroying our future from community resistance.
It is a weaponisation of the legal system to attack and disempower activists. The fact that these sorts of responses by police are becoming increasingly frequent presents a huge threat to democracy and must be actively resisted by communities.
Updated
ANZ raises fixed rates by up to 0.9%
Australia’s fourth-largest lender, ANZ, has today hiked fixed rates by up to 0.90% points.
This comes a day after Westpac hiked fixed rates by 0.50% points for customers looking to lock in their rate.
From RateCity:
Fixed rates aren’t the only loans undergoing a major transformation. Yesterday, [the] RBA governor, Philip Lowe, said the Board would consider hiking the cash rate again next month by either 0.25% points or 0.50% points.
If the RBA hikes by 0.25% points in July, someone with a $500,000 loan could see their repayments rise by an additional $68 a month.
If the RBA hikes by 0.50 % points, that same borrower would see their monthly repayments rise by an extra $137.
Updated
National Covid summary
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 63 deaths from Covid-19:
ACT
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 1,085
- In hospital: 85 (with 1 person in ICU)
NSW
- Deaths: 26
- Cases: 9,472
- In hospital: 1,499 (with 51 people in ICU)
Northern Territory
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 248
- In hospital: 12 (with 1 person in ICU)
Queensland
- Deaths: 6
- Cases: 4,802
- In hospital: 497 (with 7 people in ICU)
South Australia
- Deaths: 4
- Cases: 2,686
- In hospital: 223 (with 7 people in ICU)
Tasmania
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 1,157
- In hospital: 45 (with 3 people in ICU)
Victoria
- Deaths: 24
- Cases: 7,769
- In hospital: 402 (with 29 people in ICU)
Western Australia
- Deaths: 2
- Cases: 5,770
- In hospital: 259 (with 9 people in ICU)
Bob Carr: NY trade commissioner job ‘an expensive joke’
On Twitter, Bob Carr has weighed in on Peter Hannam, Michael McGowan and Tamsin Rose’s story from this morning revealing the NSW government offered a plum trade commissioner job to a senior public servant with a stellar resume, only to rescind the offer and later appoint the former deputy premier John Barilaro.
Carr’s Tweet:
I never created such a job when I was Premier because I knew an expensive NY office won't deliver a single new trade contract or dollop of investment. Savvy US business will make its own decisions, not listen to a retired hack spruiking payroll tax concessions. Expensive joke.
— Bob Carr (@bobjcarr) June 22, 2022
The story:
Updated
SA records four Covid deaths and 2,686 new cases
From SA Health:
There have been 2,686 new cases of Covid-19 reported in South Australia today. There are currently 15,718 active cases in South Australia.
Sadly, SA Health can confirm a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 80s, a man in his 60s and a man in his 80s, who tested positive for Covid-19, have passed away.
There are 223 people with Covid-19 in hospital, including seven people in ICU. Of those hospitalised, 132 people have received three or more vaccine doses and 87 people are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and four have an unknown vaccination status.
Due to a reconfiguration of the data, the total number of cases has been readjusted.
South Australian COVID-19 update 22/06/22.
— SA Health (@SAHealth) June 22, 2022
For more information, go to https://t.co/XkVcAlWPSN or contact the South Australia COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. pic.twitter.com/vFOl3YzK1a
Updated
Our own Daniel Hurst is up asking a question in the Press Club.
Hurst: Shortly after the Aukus deal was announced, Senator [Penny] Wong made some public comment seeking assurances for Australia as we get more technologically dependent on the US … to maintain our strategic autonomy, autonomy to defend ourselves as we choose for ourselves. So how do you see the Aukus arrangement when it comes to the nuclear-powered submarines? How do you see that in terms of Australia maintaining our autonomy to make our own decisions in war?
Well, all these capability decisions should be about increasing Australian independence and sovereignty. That’s the whole reason you have a Defence Force. So that’s absolutely critical.
I would say that to me the larger threat to Australian sovereignty and independence doesn’t come from a like-minded democracy, it comes from a huge superpower in our own region that is run by a Leninist political party. To me, the Aukus arrangement will strengthen our independence and sovereignty because it will give us access to technologies that increase the deterrent power that we have.
Updated
Lowy Institute: only 1-in-10 Australians trust China
Fullilove says we need to reset relations with China, revealing that our trust in the country has slipped even further:
Four years ago, over half of Australians, 52%, trusted China. But ... by last year that figure had dropped to 16%.
And I can reveal today that in the 2022 Lowy Institute poll, that number has fallen further to 12%. So while 9-in-10 Australians believe our alliance with the United States is important to our security, only 1-in-10 Australians trust China.
This is no cause for celebration. It is in our interest that relations between Canberra and Beijing are stable and ... productive. This is in China’s interest, too. We should certainly be on speaking terms with China, as are all our Quad partners. So it’s good the defence minister, Richard Marles, met with his counterpart at the Shangri-la dialogue 10 days ago. This is just a first step to a difficult path.
Updated
WA records two Covid deaths and 5,770 new cases
WA has recorded two deaths and 5,770 new cases.
Today’s report includes two deaths, dating back to 6 June, which were reported to WA Health yesterday; a man in his 90s and man in his 80s.
Active cases: 28,770
Cases in hospital: 259
Cases in ICU: 9
This is our WA COVID-19 update for Wednesday, 22 June 2022.
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) June 22, 2022
For official information on COVID-19 in WA, visit https://t.co/zTYXZD1B7R https://t.co/LafLnOj9ih pic.twitter.com/ZzkJAyI0Xv
Updated
Lowy Institute: Australia can make a meaningful contribution to both climate change and regional security
Back to Fullilove quickly, who is now speaking on the divisiveness of climate change policy in Australia’s recent history:
The Albanese government has indicated it intends to work through the UN to promote global action to tackle the climate crisis including by bidding to cohost the 29th Conference Of the Parties (Cop29) in 2024.
Imagine if Australia were to become a leader in international climate negotiations, seeking to shape outcomes rather than a laggard seeking to stymie them. I hope this election signals the end of Australia’s climate wars which destroyed several prime ministers and nearly broke our politics.
I must tell you I have long been perplexed by the inconsistent approaches ... that Australians, conservatives and progressives, take to the two different issues of hard security and climate. Many on the right believe, apparently, that we should lead on security and free ride on climate. And many on the left believe we should lead on climate and free ride on security.
But these are both good fights and I’m in favour of fighting both of them. Australia can’t stop global warming alone and neither can we ensure stability in this region. But in both cases, we can make a meaningful contribution, and a sure route to failure is if countries such as Australia stand down rather than standing up.
Updated
Perrottet urged to halt Barilaro appointment pending inquiry
The Labor opposition managed to pass a motion on Wednesday calling for the NSW state government to delay former deputy New South Wales premier John Barilaro’s appointment to a $500,000-a-year trade commissioner job until an urgent upper house inquiry reports its findings.
Terms of reference for the upper house inquiry – which is expected to begin in a matter of weeks – have yet to be published, but it will focus on the circumstances, process and probity of the appointment.
The motion passed 20 votes to 18, despite opposition from the government and One Nation. While it is not binding, Labor’s upper house leader, Penny Sharpe, said there were questions that needed to be answered before the former deputy premier moved.
“This has been one of the murkiest appointments that we have seen in this 12-year-old government,” she said.
The education minister, Sarah Mitchell, said it was “inappropriate” to block the move.
“By calling on the government to delay his appointment pending an inquiry, the motion is asking the government to interfere in the appointment and employment of a public servant,” she said in parliament.
“This is highly inappropriate. It is not in place of elected officials to be interfering in the engagement or employment of public servants and to call on the government to do so be highly unconventional.”
Updated
The executive director of the Lowy Institute, Michael Fullilove, is speaking at the Press Club right now.
He has just shared some findings from the 2022 Lowy Institute poll which will release next week.
This year, when thinking about world events, only five-in-10 Australians say they feel very safe or safe.
This represents a 17 point fall from last year and a 39 point fall from 2010, when 9-in-10 Australians felt safe. So in a bit more than a decade, we have gone from 9-in-10 to 5-in-10.
It’s not all bad news, however.
The United States is now being led by a decent human being – something that wasn’t true until relatively recently. In the defence of Ukraine, the Biden administration has led by example, providing weapons, intelligence and funds to Kyiv.
Other western countries, the scales falling from their eyes, have also stepped in. Sweden and Finland have applied to join Nato. There has been a quickening of connections between like-minded countries in the face of challenges from Russia and China.
Updated
Hello everyone - this is Cait Kelly, you know the drill - if you want to flag soemthing you can ping me @cait__kelly or email cait.kelly@theguardian.com.
Let’s get into it!
Updated
And with that, I will hand the blog over to Cait Kelly. Thanks for reading.
Updated
NT records 248 new Covid cases; ACT reports 1,085 new cases
The Northern Territory is reporting 248 new Covid cases overnight, while the Australian Capital Territory has recorded 1,085 new cases:
ACT COVID-19 Update – 22 June 2022
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) June 22, 2022
💉 COVID-19 vaccinations
◾ Aged 5-11 years (1 dose): 80.6%
◾ Aged 5-11 years (2 doses): 68.6%
◾ Aged 5+ years (2 doses): 97.3%
◾ Aged 16+ years (3 doses): 77.1% pic.twitter.com/LyMKKZNNQT
So Anthony Albanese’s press conference has come to an end, but not before the PM launched into another attack on the former government, saying he is “not focusing on the politics” and that he will operate with an eye on the next election:
What I’m doing is focusing on good policy, because I believe that when Australians see a government that’s actually doing its job, it’s not issuing media releases don’t lead to anything that’s actually making childcare cheaper, as we said we would that’s investing in housing and creating the housing Australia Future Fund, because we said we would. That’s creating jobs and skills in Australia and dealing with the skills crisis, because we said we would that’s dealing when it comes to energy.
Can you imagine the other mob? That would have had four different policies in the last week. They would have had announcements and declarations that things were going to change. We didn’t. We got together state and territory ministers. We supported Aemo to take the action in which they did. We acted in a way that ensured that they weren’t blackouts that we dealt with a crisis that was not of our creation. That was the former government’s creation and responsibility. But we dealt with it.
And I said during the election campaign that I had my eye on two dates. One was the 21st of May. There are a range of people who made comments 18 months ago that we couldn’t win this election. I said that we had a plan.
The plan that I also said we had was an eye on the election in 2025. An election in which we will go to the people saying that we have acted responsibly, that we haven’t acted on a 24-hour political cycle basis every day that our announcements actually lead to something happening and we will go to the people including here in Tasmania with that record.
Updated
Perrottet urged to halt Barilaro appointment pending inquiry
#BREAKING The NSW Upper House has just passed a motion calling on Dominic Perrottet to halt the appointment of John Barilaro to NYC.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) June 22, 2022
This would be until an inquiry can be conducted.
The people of NSW deserve to know the truth about this appointment.
Updated
Queensland reports six Covid deaths and 4,802 new cases
Queensland is reporting 4,802 new Covid cases and six deaths overnight:
Today we have recorded 4,802 new COVID-19 cases.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) June 22, 2022
Sadly, we have reported 6 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Full details➡️ https://t.co/rKHIwrGADi pic.twitter.com/wr1Riy9sVX
Updated
Angus Taylor was 'minister for talking nonsense', PM says
Anthony Albanese has gone on here, blasting the opposition and the previous government for climate inaction and for treating Australians as “idiots”:
Seriously, the Australian people aren’t idiots. They know the sort of nonsense we have seen …
That is what Angus Taylor did. He was the minister for talking nonsense and nothing happening. He was the minister for make sure that because he was talking nonsense, the investment didn’t happen from business.
What business are saying is that they want policy certainty in order to invest. That is what we are providing them. I signed the nationally determined contribution of 43% by 2030 last week in parliament.
I signed it with, behind me, the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the Clean Energy Council, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Conservation Foundation – we are bringing people together to provide that investment certainty going forward.
And what we need is a government that is less interested in a headline that lasts for 24 hours and puts in place proper policy mechanisms that deal with the real challenges. It is time that the indulgence of the 24-hour media and political cycle ended and it ended on 21 May.
I will lead a government that actually makes a difference, doesn’t just release media releases.
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‘The future is renewables,’ PM says
Asked when Australians can expect there will be enough renewables to prevent another energy crisis, Anthony Albanese repeats his line about a “decade of denial and delay”.
He says the previous government spoke many times about additional capacity, without doing anything:
The future is renewables … the market has spoken.
What hasn’t happened is the grid hasn’t been fixed and yesterday, you had the revelation that the pre-announcement that was made three years ago of $1bn for additional capacity has resulted in precisely nothing. Zip. Zero. Just a media release.
One of the things we know is that you don’t get new energy or power supplies with a media release. That is all we got from the previous government. $1bn talked about and nothing happened. Tasmania, how many times could they announce it was happening without anything being done? Without a hole being dug? On land, let alone beneath the sea for that power supply.
This is a government that is dealing with a complete failure of the former government …
Seriously, these people need to have a look in the mirror and have a think about their failure and what they did and compare that with the response, the mature response that Chris Bowen and the state and territory energy ministers have had in the last week.
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Albanese says Bandt should 'reconsider his position' on flags
Anthony Albanase has begun taking questions after discussing social housing in Hobart, and the first question is about Greens leader Adam Bandt and the decision to move the Australian flag from out of sight before a presser this week.
Albanese said he wouldn’t say much but did say Bandt should “reconsider” his position:
I saw that yesterday and I am not a commentator. I will leave others to make comment. I will make this point. I’m always very proud to stand in front of the Australian flag and I think anyone who is a member of the Australian parliament should do so as well. I was quite surprised by the comments that were made.
Reconciliation is about bringing people together on the journey that we need to undertake. It is undermined if people look for division rather than look for unity. A range of people I respect have made strong comments. I respect them. And I just say to Mr Bandt that he needs to think about the responses that have been made and reconsider his position and work to promote unity and work to promote reconciliation.
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Victorian parliament debates treaty bill
Victoria’s lower house is debating the treaty authority bill, which will establish an independent authority to oversee treaty negotiations between the government and traditional owners.
The bill comes after the government struck an agreement with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, the body elected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop a treaty framework.
Assembly co-chairs Geraldine Atkinson and Marcus Stewart addressed the Legislative Assembly on the importance of the bill.
Stewart said:
We’re asking you to pass the bill and breathe life into this agreement. Show the rest of Australia that Victoria is ready to right the wrongs of the past and create a better future ... The sad truth is there are not many indicators that show positive outcomes of government involvement in Aboriginal people’s lives.
On the flipside, there’s overwhelming evidence that shows when Aboriginal people are in charge of the programs, the policies that affect our lives, that they succeed. If you believe that Aboriginal people should succeed then vote for this bill. If you believe that Aboriginal people should have the ability to make the decisions that disproportionately impact our lives, support this bill ...
The journey to treaty might not always be easy. It might push some beyond their comfort zones. But it’s a journey we need to take and it’s a journey best taken together.
Deadly to be welcomed to Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country today to see the Treaty Authority legislation debated in @VicParliament. Let’s get this done! pic.twitter.com/xwGoheNtpI
— First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria (@firstpeoplesvic) June 22, 2022
Yesterday the opposition announced it will be supporting the bill but Liberal MP Tim Smith has vowed to cross the floor and vote against it.
Here’s yesterday’s story:
Updated
We are expecting the PM to step up for a presser in a couple of minutes.
Victoria to criminalise ‘outrageously’ offensive conduct
New laws criminalising grossly offensive conduct will be created in Victoria after a campaign by the husband of Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, one of the four police officers killed on the Eastern Freeway in 2020.
Attorney general Jacyln Symes today announced the introduction of the crimes legislation amendment bill 2022, which creates a new statutory offence of engaging in conduct that is grossly offensive to community standards of behaviour.
The new offence will carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
She said the Eastern Freeway tragedy highlighted a gap in responding to instances of grossly offensive conduct.
Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Joshua Prestney and Constable Glen Humphris were detaining driver Richard Pusey for speeding offences when they were struck by a truck and killed.
Pusey went on to film the officers as they lay dying while making vulgar comments. He was ultimately sentenced to 10 months’ jail after pleading guilty to drug possession, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, speeding and outraging public decency – an extremely rare charge.
Only three months of his sentence was related to his actions in filming the dying officers.
Symes said the common law offence of outraging public decency that was used in that case was archaic, unclear in its scope and did not have a clear maximum penalty. It will be abolished as part of the new offence’s introduction.
She told reporters outside parliament:
What we had in the Eastern Freeway tragedy was conduct that Victorians were appalled by, and what police officers and the director of public prosecutions found was there wasn’t an offence that fit that behaviour. So they drew back to the old common law offence that hadn’t been used for a long time ... There was very little guidance on how to apply it, what sentence to apply and there was disappointment, particularly from Lynette Taylor’s husband, Stuart Schulz, in relation to that sentence. He came and saw me, I gave him the commitment that I will not be in a position of just creating a rule for the sake of creating a law.
So we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what sort of events could be brought into the statute. To give the courts a bit more guidance ... This is not designed to target low-level offensive general behaviour. In Victoria we have very high thresholds for offensive language, offensive behaviour ... [It is for] such a high level where everyone pretty much agrees that that is just outrageous, and there should be some consequences for that.
The new offence will apply to the conduct of any person in a place where their behaviour can be seen or heard publicly. It will also require an accused person to know, or that a reasonable person would have known, that their conduct was grossly offensive. Being intoxicated or using only indecent, obscene or profane language will be excluded from the offence.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy and shadow attorney general Michael O’Brien support the bill, so it will easily pass parliament.
The law also includes safeguards to ensure that the offence is not used to target anyone unfairly, including the director of public prosecutions’ agreement to a charge being brought.
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Crown wins conditional approval to operate Sydney casino
Crown Resorts has been granted a conditional licence to operate its Barangaroo casino.
This comes just days before shareholders, including James Packer, will pocket a multibillion-dollar payout from the gambling giant’s new owners, Blackstone.
NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority chairman Philip Crawford said Crown will be able to operate the casino on a “conditional basis”:
After more than one year’s work with Crown, the Authority is pleased to have reached a stage where Crown can open its casino operations on a conditional basis.
Given the need to observe the changes in operation as well as ensure changes are embedded in the business, the Authority will consider approval of Crown’s suitability until the end of the conditional gaming period, which could run between 18 months and two years.
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Former attorney general joins ANU
In an interesting appointment, the Australian National University has announced it has hired former attorney general George Brandis to “help drive the University’s vital work on national security and the law”.
Brandis has been appointed a “Professor in the Practice of National Security” and will be primarily based at the national security college in the ANU college of Asia and the Pacific. He will also be teaching at the ANU’s college of law.
ANU calls the appointment an “opportunity” for students:
The position of Professor in the Practice of National Security brings to ANU the opportunity for students to engage directly with former senior officials who have practical experience at the highest levels of national security policymaking and law reform.
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Two home affairs officers used fake medical certificates to claim sick leave
Two officers at the former department of immigration and border protection engaged in corrupt conduct by using fake medical certificates to claim sick leave on dozens of occasions between 2011 and 2017, an investigation has found.
The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity has published the results of an investigation into two officers, Officer Q and Officer H, who repeatedly used fraudulent medical certificates to claim personal leave.
Officer Q claimed personal leave 28 times using the fraudulent certificates, obtaining a benefit of about $9,270, while Officer H used fake medical certificates six times, gaining a benefit of $384. The pair worked in a corporate services area in the department.
Jaala Hinchcliffe, the integrity commissioner, said:
The evidence demonstrates that both officers engaged in conduct during the performance of their duties as Home Affairs employees to dishonestly benefit themselves and cause a financial detriment to the Commonwealth.
Officer Q has been convicted and sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour order.
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Dutton urged to let Liberal party room decide climate policy
I just wanted to take a moment to highlight a story from Sarah Martin and Katharine Murphy earlier this morning, reporting on how Liberal MPs are urging opposition leader Peter Dutton to let the party room decide a new position on climate change policy.
This of course comes after Dutton has said this week that he will maintain the Coalition’s climate policy it took into the election.
Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer told Guardian Australia she believed a bipartisan approach to the target should be considered, while senior Liberal Anne Ruston said a party room debate was required:
It’s up to the party room to reframe our position now we have got through the election for our policy position going forward.
You can read more on the story at the link below:
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Press conference ends
The press conference has wrapped up, but not before Chris Bowen gives a final answer to a question on a capacity mechanism, saying the government believes it is “necessary and important”:
Ministers were unanimous in their view a couple of weeks ago that a capacity mechanism is necessary and important. We have a deal of work to do to get the design principles right.
We all want it to support storage and new technologies and the massive transformation to an 82% renewable grid which the government is committed to, that is what we will continue to work on and we will implement that.
The market is under stress but prudent careful management will
ensure that we maximise the chances of keeping the lights on and keeping reliable service to consumers across the board. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
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Aemo says priority is 'connecting new generation sources'
Continuing to emphasise the importance of renewables for the future, Daniel Westerman says that over the last year thousands of megawatts worth of solar and wind projects have been connected to the grid:
Australia’s got an enormous job to do in connecting new generation sources, particularly solar and wind. As well as battery storage.
Over the last 12 months, we will have connected 4,000 megawatts of solar and wind projects and by the end of this calendar year, hopefully 5,000 megawatts.
Yes, we might have had a delay in the last couple of days while we have focused on keeping the grid secure for homes and businesses. Our priority will be to continue to connect the new generation sources at pace.
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Move to renewables 'needs to get moving', Bowen says
Next, Chris Bowen is asked what the “overall plan” looks like, with some states discussing various moves. The minister says the government wants a capacity mechanism to help “provide that safety net” under the energy grids:
A capacity mechanism is very important going forward. Yesterday, or the day before, the ESB put out its latest thinking and consultation paper which will help inform ministers make decisions. Ministers have instructed that this be proceeded with as a matter of pace. We will do that, ESB’s work will inform the next round of ministers’ consideration.
I want to see this done right. As I have made clear, there will be a degree of flexibility as to how states implement the capacity mechanism with particular regard to their own state’s circumstances. This is a transformation which we need to get moving on.
We need to make faster progress on the transformation and we need the capacity mechanism to help us do that to provide that safety net underneath as we engage in this significant transformation to a more renewable economy, a more renewable energy system with more storage.
I have made clear, and ministers have made clear, we want the capacity mechanism to focus on new technology, storage being prime amongst it. That is what we will deliver. There will be further discussions between me and the state ministers but I am confident we will deliver a good national framework because we have to be getting on with the job because this transformation which is so important to the new government’s agenda is actually so important for the country.
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Aemo to undertake detailed investigation with aim of preventing another suspension
Daniel Westerman says the measures taken by Aemo was “not where the market operator wants to be”:
We will be working very closely with the regulator and the energy markets commission on a series of actions that do take steps to prevent this from happening again.
It is not a place where the market operator wants to be in suspending the market and we are looking at – we will undertake a detailed investigation, together with the regulator and others to understand comprehensively the lessons learned and put in place actions so it doesn’t happen again.
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Transition to firmed renewables ‘will protect from international price shocks’
Daniel Westerman says the longer-term plan is to move away from “international price shocks”:
This situation is caused by a multitude of factors. Yes, ageing plants which break down and have more maintenance issues is an issue.
The war in Ukraine and the impact of global commodity prices is an issue, yes. It points to the long-term answer which is a transition to firmed renewables and transmission.
That is the long-term answer to delink us from international price shocks, as well as ageing infrastructure.
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Engagement with generators cordial, Aemo chief says
Daniel Westerman has said Aemo’s engagement with generators has been cordial, and highlighted by the fact that generation under Aemo direction has reduced:
At an operational level, we have exceptional working relationships with each generator and, to quantify that, we have been able to reduce the amount of generation that is under direction from Aemo from about 5,000 megawatts down to less than a thousand megawatts.
That has been reprofiling of generation and collaborative working and a trajectory back towards making the market more functional and restoring normal order to it.
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‘I am not here to comment on the particular activities of any particular generator’
Chris Bowen is asked if the “dysfunctional” behaviour of generators this past week have damaged their social standing:
I think it was referred to as a dysfunctional market. In relation to the generators, I have made clear Aemo has our full support in the actions they have taken.
The Australian energy regulator, through Ms Savage, remains vigilant to their behaviour. I am not here to comment on the particular activities of any particular generator, other than to reinforce the federal government’s expectation that all generators, and I am sure I am joined by my state and territory colleagues, that generators bid into the market as they are required to do as a matter of law.
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Aemo move 'prudent' and 'careful', Bowen says
Before taking questions, Chris Bowen has just added a comment, saying the government backs Aemo in its move to return to normal market conditions:
What the chief executive has outlined today is, I think, a prudent and carefully managed approach to return to more normal market conditions. Risks remain in the system and I know that Aemo remains vigilant about what needs to be cared for in the coming days but the process laid out by Aemo, which Mr Westerman says has been briefed to state and territory ministers in the lead-up to today’s announcement is a prudent, carefully managed and staged return with the same prudence that Aemo has shown over recent days.
Also, I have spoken this morning to the Australian energy regulator Clare Savage who will continue her close activity and monitoring of behaviour of generators and ensure that consumers’ interests are put first and I say the Australian energy regulator has the full support of the federal government as we go through this period for any action that she deems necessary to take.
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Aemo to monitor market closely for 24 hours
Daniel Westerman has continued, listing three things that he expects to happen once the suspension is lifted:
After taking that first step, I would expect to see three things. First, the system that we use to schedule generation into the grid at the lowest cost to consumers, the dispatch engine will be working without failure.
Second, that Aemo will be able to reduce the number of directions that we are giving to generators and, third, we would expect to see a reduction in the forecast shortfalls of energy or low reserves as generators respond to those market signals.
We will monitor the market closely for at least 24 hours and if we see normal market behaviour again, then we will formally lift the suspension.
We know that a well-functioning national electricity market is key to ensuring the lowest cost energy to Australian homes and businesses. This step-by-step approach minimises the risk of seeing the dysfunctional behaviour that led to the market suspension last week.
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Head of Aemo announces suspension of electricity market will lift at 4am tomorrow
Head of Aemo Daniel Westerman has stepped up and announced that the emergency suspension of the electricity market will lift in a staged response:
We know many generators are working hard and closely with governments to improve the confidence of their fuel supply, to ensure that they are able to operate at their desired level of output.
I have said that we will not keep this market suspended for a minute longer than is needed and today, I can confirm that we are activating a staged approach to lift the suspension of the national electricity market.
The first step will take place at the end of trading day today and that is 4am tomorrow morning. When we will allow the market to set the price again. The second step will happen 24 hours after that, when we will be able to formally lift the market suspension.
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Chris Bowen press conference
Energy minister Chris Bowen has just stepped up for a press conference in Sydney, beginning by saying Australian’s should have confidence in the market regulator:
As I said at the outset of this challenge, Australians could take comfort in some key points. Firstly, the federal and state governments across the national energy market were working closely together to ensure that the lights stayed on.
Secondly, we have world-class energy market operators and energy regulators, ensuring that the consumers’ interests were put first. As a result of all those things, we have avoided blackouts and load shedding over recent weeks, despite very considerable challenges.
The actions taken by Aemo last week were very significant and very necessary and, as I said at the time, had my full support. I also said they would stay in place for not a day longer or a day shorter than the chief executive of Aemo judged as necessary.
The Australian people can have confidence in their regulators and market operator who works closely with state and territory and the federal government to ensure that consumers’ best interests are protected and that our energy system remains reliable, despite the very considerable challenges that have been faced in recent weeks.
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Energy news incoming …
Expecting energy minister Chris Bowen to make a monumental announcement shortly ... well, he is doing a standup in front of some statue in a park in Sydney’s CBD.
(It’s been a long week ... )
We are expecting him to announce, alongside the boss of the Australian Energy Market Operator Daniel Westerman, the timing of the resumption of the national electricity market’s wholesale trading.
We learned yesterday that the suspension of the spot market for power was nearing an end, with Aemo saying it had held a briefing with industry on Tuesday “outlining the assessment criteria and a staged process to resume normal spot market operation in the Nem”.
The market serves most of Australia save the NT and WA, and its suspension a week ago amid forecasts of electricity shortfalls was the first in its 24-year history.
For one thing, the demand/supply balance is improving, thanks in part to more units at the coal-fired power stations come back online. Temperatures have improved a bit too and so demand has been reduced (but another cold front is always just around the corner if you’re in southern Australia).
Anyway, we should learn soon just how long it will be before Aemo can drop its “command and control” approach to ordering generators to switch on (and be compensated for it).
There may be some news about when the $300 a megawatt-hour price caps may be lifted across the five states in the Nem.
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Merlino hails expanded mental health program for children
Victorian education minister James Merlino is singing the praises of a children’s mental health program that was initially rolled out in 100 schools and will be scaled up across the state.
Merlino announced the $200m program yesterday, saying the initial rollout led to improvements in the handling of health, confidence and bullying issues.
Appearing on RN breakfast this morning, Merlino said the evidence was “quite exciting”:
It’s the single biggest investment in student mental health. We started with 10 schools. We ramped it up to 100 schools and now we’re going statewide and the evidence is quite exciting, with 95% of schools that participated said they saw a distinct increase in their capacity to deal with individual student mental health needs.
In terms of students, we saw a greater sense of confidence, better management of bullying, and a survey of parents showed that they felt that their child’s mental health and wellbeing at home was better than non-participating school parents.
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John Barilaro 'will do a great job' as New York trade commissioner, Perrottet says
New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottett has sought advice over the appointment of former deputy premier John Barilaro to a highly paid New York public service posting after Guardian Australia revealed that a senior public servant with a stellar résumé was offered it first, only for that offer to be rescinded.
The Guardian understands Jenny West was informed in August she had got the job by the then premier Gladys Berejiklian before Barilaro was tapped last week.
Speaking at a school in Sydney on Wednesday, Perrottet said:
I’m advised that there was two processes, the first process did not reach an outcome where the public service determined that there was an appropriate candidate … and so a second process was commenced. I’ve also spoken to the minister this morning to get further information in relation to background and timeline in relation to those matters but the advice I’ve received.
When asked if Barilaro was interviewed in the second process and determined to be the best candidate, Perrottet said:
Public service employment decisions go through the public service. The public service, during independent processes … appointed the former deputy premier.
I do believe, like all the trade commissioners, that he will do a great job.
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NSW records 26 Covid deaths and 9,472 new cases
Another rise in Covid-related deaths this week, this time in NSW, which is reporting 26 deaths overnight as well as 9,472 new cases:
COVID-19 update – Wednesday 22 June 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 21, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
- 96.5% 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/uOBhkJX8hp
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Queensland and NSW budgets will ‘make things worse’, Canavan says
Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan says the NSW and Queensland governments are experiencing a “Covid hangover” and that their promises will only “delay the inevitable”.
Canavan was on the Today show and dismissed both budgets as spending too much money, saying they will only make inflation worse:
It seems to me governments think the way of the hangover is to keep drinking. That is going to delay the inevitable and make things worse.
We have to get spending in control, and I’m not sure the states are doing that right now.
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Perrottet urges teachers to 'act reasonably'
The NSW premier is making the rounds today and I’m sure he intended it to be a morning where he gets to spruik the budget, but a planned teachers strike (and John Barilaro) has put a stop to that.
In his interview on RN Breakfast earlier this morning, Dominic Perrottet pleaded with teachers to “act reasonably” after they decided to strike next Friday in protest at a proposed 3% pay increase (which does not keep up with inflation):
The reality is that most people across our state will not be having pay increases. The wage bills for public service workers are paid for by the taxpayers of NSW who are also doing it tough.
We’ve led the way on wages. I think it’s their responsibility to act reasonably and consider everyone across the state. A 3% wage increase is the highest increase across any state or territory in the country. We’ve led the way on wages and have come up with something that’s fair and reasonable.
Everybody across our state is doing it tough in a higher inflationary environment.
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Ley says Coalition had ‘right rate’ of energy transition
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has denied the previous government fumbled the energy transition. She told Sky News that Labor does not understand “the transition takes time”:
We didn’t plan to accelerate it at a rate that pushed up power prices.
The heart of this problem is [Labor] not understanding that the transition takes time.
It comes back to Labor’s instincts which is always to put government into the centre of everything, rather than industry.
It’s ideology, it’s not practical action.
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NSW teacher strike ‘about politics, not pay’, Kean says
Matt Kean has hit out at plans by public and Catholic school teachers to strike next Friday after receiving a 3% pay rise offer, well below the rate of inflation.
The NSW treasurer was on the Today show and said the offer was “one of the most generous” public sector increases “anywhere in the country”:
Our 3% pay increase is far more than the Labor government’s 1.5% pay increase for public servants down in Victoria.
So the same unions complaining about our generous pay rise up here in NSW and protesting aren’t marching in the streets down in Victoria.
Which shows this is all about politics. And nothing to do with policy or pay.
Updated
AEMO's CEO, @dfwesterman, and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, @Bowenchris, will be holding a press conference to provide an update on the NEM and Market Suspension. 10am at Wynyard Park, 5040 Margaret Street, Sydney (northern end, near the statue of John Dunmore Lang) pic.twitter.com/waKToGC3Mh
— AEMO (@AEMO_Energy) June 21, 2022
'Something not right' about Barilaro role, Minns says
I just want to stick with Chris Minns for a second, because he was asked about John Barilaro as well, who was given a $500,000-a-year trade commissioner job after an offer to a senior public servant with a stellar résumé was rescinded.
Minns said Barilaro “set up and created the position” and that he could “think of far better ways to spend this money”:
A senior woman, a senior public servant with knowledge of financial markets and trade particularly with the United States was offered the job, it was rescinded by the New South Wales government.
We don’t know by whom. And then John Barilaro mysteriously was given it just last week.
At the end of the day this is $500,000 that could be going back into the New South Wales public health system, for example. I can think of far better ways to spend this money. Something is not right here and we’ll be asking questions.
He set up and created this position. It never existed before. He will be the first person appointed and he’s responsible for creating it. We want the position put on hold.
We’re having an upper house inquiry to see who actually approved this decision to send John Barilaro to the United States.
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Minns says NSW budget predicated on 'heroic assumption' of growth
NSW state opposition leader Chris Minns has attacked the state budget handed down by the government yesterday for blowing out the deficit and pinning hopes on what he describes as a “heroic assumption” of growth in the NSW economy over the next 12 months.
Minns says that for the budget to return to surplus, as the Coalition outlined yesterday, the NSW economy would need to grow at a faster rate than “at any point in the last 12 years”:
You have the United States and Europe concerned about a recession, interest rate rises in the US and Europe, and in Australia, the New South Wales government is predicting a huge increase in economic growth next year. It’s just not supported by the facts.
We need to prepare for all eventualities. You need to be straight with taxpayers. Those heroic assumptions are unlikely to come true.
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Perrottet seeking more information about Barilaro appointment
There’s likely to be a lot more scrutiny on the decision by the NSW government to grant a $500,000 a year (plus expenses) job to former Nationals leader and former deputy premier John Barilaro.
As we reported here yesterday evening, the government had opted to give the job last August to a senior and highly experienced trade official, Jenny West, only to withdraw the offer the following month.
Barilaro, who was also trade minister for the state, resigned on 4 October and left politics.
The choice of Barilaro raised eyebrows when it was announced late last Friday, and the NSW upper house plan both an inquiry into the appointment and today is likely to vote on a motion to stall the job until that inquiry is completed.
Premier Dominic Perrottet is going to face ongoing questions about the appointment. Asked a few minutes ago on RN Breakfast by Patricia Karvelas about Guardian Australia’s report, he did not exactly resolve the issue:
I’ve spoken to the minister for investment [Stuart Ayres] in relation to getting some information in respect of the process and the details in relation to that. Once I’ve received those details, I’m more than happy to make them public.
There are quite a few details to unearth with one of them being: when did a public service job suddenly become a political appointment? And who made that call?
Perrottet will have a press conference later this morning and he is likely to face more grilling.
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Perrottet spruiks budget spending
So first off the bench this morning is NSW premier Dominic Perrottet on his government’s first budget, which included something of a spending spree on health and education.
Perrottet was on RN Breakfast this morning, and was asked if this budget, one that looks from some angles like a typical Labor budget, was a direct response to the electoral thumping the Liberals saw at the federal election:
Our budgets every year are focused where they should be and that’s on the families across NSW and ensuring we meet people where they are.
The public across the state want a sense of positivity and vision moving forward and if you’re not setting and looking at how you can better …
It’s been a really challenging time in our healthcare system, so we’ve had to keep further investing in health.
In addition, in our state we faced the floods in the northern rivers where we’ve continued to invest … Whilst we’re seeing a dip in the short term we’re on track to return to surplus in this budget … Also we see strong revenue growth here in our state.
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Further action flagged on online hate speech
The Labor government has flagged further action on online hate speech, with new communications minister Michelle Rowland saying she has “grave concern” about extremism in Australia.
It comes after media and politics experts told a Victorian state government inquiry into extremism that the federal government should further crack down on encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, a less-regulated breeding ground for far-right groups.
Rowland said Labor was concerned about misinformation and digital literacy, with several proposals being prepared for consideration by the federal cabinet. She also said the government was working with industry groups to progress new codes of practice under the Online Safety Act legislated by the former Coalition government.
But asked specifically for response to calls from the Victorian inquiry for the federal government to address encrypted social media platforms used by extremist groups, Rowland said Labor was looking at further action. She told Guardian Australia:
The rise of extremism in Australia is of grave concern and I’m keenly aware the Communications Portfolio has a role in addressing this scourge. I’m on the record as expressing concern that more should be done, particularly in relation to group hate speech online, and will pursue this matter.
The minister did not elaborate on what actions were under consideration.
Victoria’s extremism inquiry heard evidence from Dr Belinda Barnet, a media lecturer at Swinburne University, who said such groups were migrating to platforms such as Telegram after being removed from more mainstream social media platforms.
Swinburne academics told the inquiry that platforms like Telegram “should be subject to the same level of scrutiny and regulatory pressure as larger platforms like Facebook are”.
Rowland said Labor was keen to build on work done by the former Coalition government, and backed the role of the eSafety commissioner and the Online Safety Act to deal with the removal of harmful or illegal material online.
The eSafety commissioner has the power to demand the removal of such content within 24 hours, or level significant financial penalties against the service hosting that content.
Rowland:
Labor has announced policies that serve as an antidote to misinformation online, including funding support for trusted sources of news and information and the national rollout of digital and media literacy skills for young Australians. These commitments are currently being prepared for Cabinet consideration.
The Commissioner is not empowered to monitor messaging services for harmful content but can act on the basis of a complaint, and industry-led codes of practice are currently being developed that would see industry deal with illegal and harmful content before the eSafety Commissioner.
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Australians feeling less safe, poll shows
Just 12% of Australians trust China to act responsibly in world affairs, according to the latest annual Lowy Institute poll of public sentiment on international relations.
That reflects a four-point drop from the 16% result for the same question in last year’s Lowy Institute poll – and compares with 52% four years ago.
The full results of the 2022 poll are due to be released next week but the executive director of the Lowy Institute, Michael Fullilove, will provide some key findings when he addresses the National Press Club in Canberra today.
The last decade has also seen a steady decline in the proportion of Australians who feel safe when thinking about world events. In the latest poll, 53% of respondents said they felt “very safe” or “safe” – a 17-point fall from last year, and 39 points lower than the result in 2010.
Meanwhile, 87% of respondents said they saw the alliance between the US and Australia as “very” or “fairly important” to Australia’s security, a nine-point increase from last year.
Fullilove is expected to tell the press club that the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and his ministers have “shown energy, purpose and dispatch in the manner in which they have carried out their international responsibilities” over the past month.
He will say that the new government’s more ambitious approach on climate and the resetting of relations with France would both be warmly welcomed in Washington DC.
According to extracts distributed in advance of the speech, Fullilove will say Australia is “proximate to the world’s largest powers, its sharpest rivalries and its biggest opportunities” and the quality of its statecraft “needs to lift accordingly”.
He will say he agrees with “the broad thrust of the former government’s approach to China” but that doesn’t mean he is uncritical. He will say diplomacy requires shrewdness as well as strength:
In my view, we have not always been as smart as we might have been. Sometimes Australian ministers and parliamentarians strayed beyond protecting our interests and values, and allowed indiscipline and politics to creep into their public comments. There certainly seemed to be a lot of war talk.
The chief responsibility for the current state of the relationship, though, lies with the men in Zhongnanhai [in Beijing]. Their actions have changed the way Australians think about China.
The Australian government should be firm, circumspect and disciplined. We should cooperate with China when we can; disagree when we must; and always stand our ground.
See our latest piece on the end to the diplomatic freeze between China and Australia:
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Pledge to back World Bank pandemic fund
The federal government will contribute to a new fund established by the World Bank to help prepare for future pandemics.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and health minister Mark Butler made the commitment during addresses to a G20 meeting overnight, pledging that Australia would back the new financial intermediary fund.
The fund, a collaboration of financial and health institutions, aims to address shortfalls in financing for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Chalmers told the meeting:
While it has often been said that Covid-19 “doesn’t discriminate”, we all know our most vulnerable citizens were impacted most by both the health and economic damage of this awful virus. The G20’s collective action is important – and I urge all members and guests here today to continue to support Indonesia’s leadership in addressing systemic financing gaps for pandemic preparedness and response.
Butler and Chalmers said in a joint statement:
The pandemic has highlighted the weaknesses in the global health architecture and Covid-19 has also shown the disproportionate impact pandemics can have on the world’s most vulnerable.
The statement did not provide the financial contribution Australia would make to the fund but it’s understood the money will be drawn from existing federal funding for overseas development assistance.
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Good morning
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you on another cold Wednesday morning to take you through the day’s news.
We begin once again with the energy crisis, with the Australian Energy Market Operator indicating that the extraordinary electricity market shutdown could be lifted later tonight. In a statement, Aemo said it would act if it was satisfied generators can offer enough supplies to avert any shortfalls.
Meanwhile, scientists are urging authorities in NSW and Queensland to abandon major dam projects, warning of significant environmental and agricultural consequences. They include NSW plans to expand Wyangala near Cowra and build Dungowan dam near Tamworth, as well as the dam being considered at Hells Gates in north Queensland. ANU professor Jamie Pittock will tell a conference later today that the proposals are a waste of taxpayer money.
There is a lot going on, so let’s dive in.
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