What we learned today, Sunday 28 July
Many thanks for joining us on the blog today, that’s where we’ll leave things. Here were the main stories making headlines today:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, unveiled a number of changes to his cabinet ministry today, which saw Andrew Giles and Clare O’Neil dumped from their portfolios and Tony Burke appointed to home affairs. You can read the entire list of changes here and analysis of the changes from Amy Remeikis here.
A knife-wielding man was shot dead in Sydney’s south-west after allegedly attempting to stab a police officer, who narrowly avoided “catastrophic injuries”.
Day two of the NSW Labor conference took place in Sydney, where the premier, Chris Minns, announced an end to no-ground evictions in the state. Legislation is due to be introduced in September. At the same time, a motion to repeal youth bail laws and anti-protest laws in NSW was defeated at the conference. The motion also called for a charter of human rights to be enacted in the state.
A rally against gendered violence was held outside the Labor conference, as part of 26 rallies across the country this weekend.
A pro-Palestine protest was also held outside of the conference in Sydney. A Palestine flag was lowered inside the conference when the premier was speaking earlier this morning.
Updated
Labor delegates speak against motion to repeal youth bail and anti-protest laws
Labor delegate Jack Ayoub, who has previously run for the federal seat of Parkes, spoke against the motion put forward at the NSW Labor conference. He said that by calling for the repeal of bail and anti-protest laws, and for a charter of human rights in the same motion, this “conflated” the issues:
Some people in this room may support the Human Rights Act, but it’s not going to be achieved by conflating it with unrelated issues. They should not have been conflated …
We cannot allow small groups of determined individuals – like Just Stop Oil in the UK and individuals that we’ve seen here – to cluster together with our public support and damage the causes which we ourselves want to advocate for.
Steve Fraser – a retired paramedic of 41 years and member of the Health Services Union – was another Labor delegate to speak against the motion. Noting that he had three minutes to speak, he detailed the importance of three minutes when it comes to an emergency response, and told the conference:
Three minutes, delegates, can sometimes be the difference between life and death. Protests that randomly block streets without notice, actions and that result in the chaos that strands ambulance and emergency responders – or forces those responders to back and change and scramble to find a way around the unplanned mayhem – that’s not our right.
Delegates, we have an obligation to speak out when things are wrong. It is also our obligation to care [and] protect each other. This legislation has not stopped protests and rallies, look outside. It prevents behaviour and thoughtless actions that cause chaos, that will cost lives.
Updated
Labor anti-protest law opponents say it disproportionately affects Indigenous youth
Labor delegate Bradley Pigeon also spoke in favour of the motion calling for bail laws and anti-protest laws in NSW to be repealed.
Pigeon said that as a person with Gomeroi heritage and growing up in Moree, in northern NSW, he “know[s] firsthand” that Indigenous youth are “suffering [and] facing systematic discrimination and injustice that cannot be ignored”.
He argued that the state’s anti-protest laws “restrict our fundamental right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly” and “stifle dissent”, and that repealing the law was “essential to uphold the principles of democracy”.
Moving to the youth bail laws, Pigeon argued they disproportionately impact Indigenous youth and “perpetuate cycles of disadvantage and incarceration”:
These laws lead to the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system, denying them the opportunity for rehabilitation and a fair chance at a better future.
Removing these oppressive laws is crucial to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, are given a chance to thrive and succeed and not just survive.
As mentioned a moment ago, the motion was ultimately defeated.
Updated
Motion to repeal youth bail laws fails at NSW Labor conference
A motion to repeal youth bail laws and anti-protest laws has been defeated at the NSW Labor conference.
As my colleagues reported yesterday, today’s conference was the first time youth bail laws – passed by the state government earlier this year – were debated amongst party members. You can read more on these laws below:
The motion put forward today condemned the “recent trend of Labor ... supporting legislation that erodes rather than advances civil liberties and human rights in our state”, calling for both the youth bail laws and anti-protest laws to be repealed.
The motion also called for a charter of human rights to be enacted in the state.
The mayor of Inner West council, Darcy Byrne, has been a vocal opponent of the laws and said they target First Nations children. He told the crowd that the policy of “putting more juveniles in detention goes against the very ethos of the Uluru Statement from the Heart”:
Whatever problem we think we’re solving, this is not the answer. There are very deep and serious social and economic problems and disadvantages in remote communities, and youth crime is one symptom of that – one symptom of a much bigger problem that it’s the Labor party’s job to address, to overcome inequality and Indigenous injustice…
In the wake of the referendum, it’s a kick in the guts for Aboriginal people to see the Labor party doing this. There’s no mandate from this conference for this policy. Aboriginal leaders, the legal community, the human rights advocates and rank and file Labor party members do not support incarcerating more Aboriginal kids, and will fight against it to the end.
There were loud cheers in favour of, and against, the motion, but it was ultimately defeated. We’ll bring you more from the speakers in response to the motion soon.
Updated
Amy's analysis: key takeaways from Albanese's cabinet reshuffle
Hello from Canberra where Anthony Albanese has just completed his much mooted ministry reshuffle.
A couple of takeaways from the announcement: Albanese wants everyone to know that this is only occurring because two ministers, Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney, decided to step down from the frontbench ahead of their retirements at the next election and he is very focused on “stability”.
In the days leading up to this announcement, Albanese has been keen to point out how few changes he has had to make up until this point. Today he said he had much the same team for “two years and two months” before this change.
At the same time, there has been a need to reshuffle to reset the ministry – and some problem areas – ahead of the coming election. That election can be held any time between now and May next year and it’s obvious that Albanese wants focus to shift from some exposed weak spots with his government to the narrative on cost-of-living relief and the energy transition Labor is crafting.
Those portfolio weak spots – home affairs and immigration – have been tackled in this reshuffle by removing both Clare O’Neil and Andrew Giles, the ministers who held the portfolios, and installing Tony Burke to both. Burke is one of Albanese’s best-performing ministers and a long time ally: he will now carry the load of the government’s troubles as senior minister in what are two troublesome areas, but he’s been allowed to keep arts as a bit of a sweetner.
Burke will have two assistant ministers to help share the load, but it is going to be a challenge to keep across.
O’Neil has been moved into housing – another challenging area for the government, with Julie Collins now taking carriage of the portfolios she held in opposition: agriculture, forestry and fishing. It’s a comfortable fit for a Tasmanian MP, but O’Neil will now have lead in negotiating with the Greens on housing policy, an area they have set up as an election battlefield.
Queenslander Murray Watt was probably the biggest winner. He’s been rewarded for his work in agriculture with a call up to the industrial relations portfolio, where Burke has already completed much of the hard work.
Having announced these changes well ahead of the next parliament sitting in mid-August, Albanese is hoping for a fresh start and some clean air. But, as always in politics, that’s out of his control.
Updated
Victorian Liberals target housing delays
From AAP:
The Victorian Liberals are ramping up housing rhetoric, promising to slash planning approval delays to build homes quicker and cheaper if they return from the electoral wilderness in 2026.
The state opposition leader, John Pesutto, unveiled a plan to cut “red tape” connected to cultural heritage and what he referred to as “Melbourne Water processes” at the Victorian Liberal state council on Sunday.
These were imposing a burden on residential housing developers which, in turn, were passing the extra costs on to buyers, he said.
The Coalition would establish clear timelines and costs for cultural heritage procedures, commit to annual published audits of cultural heritage approvals linked to housing developments and introduce annual performance audits for Melbourne Water, Presutto said.
Updated
Greens call for new housing minister to reopen negotiations on bills
Over on X [or Twitter, if you prefer], the Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has called on the new housing minister to reopen negotiations with the Greens:
If Labor wants their housing bills passed, I call on the new housing minister, Clare O'Neil to immediately reopen negotiations with the Greens on rent freeze/caps along with phasing out tax handouts for investors and real investment in public housing.
— Max Chandler-Mather (@MChandlerMather) July 28, 2024
Updated
Huonville gas leak declared safe
We have an update about the gas leak in Huonville, with the Tasmania fire service saying it is now safe. Main Road, Huonville is back open to the public after the gas leak.
Updated
A summary of Anthony Albanese's cabinet reshuffle
To recap: the changes are as follows:
Tony Burke MP – minister for home affairs; minister for immigration and multicultural affairs; minister for cybersecurity; minister for the arts; and the leader of the House.
Julie Collins MP – minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry; minister for small business.
Senator Murray Watt – minister for employment and workplace relations.
Clare O’Neil MP – minister for housing; minister for homelessness
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy – minister for Indigenous Australians
Pat Conroy MP – minister for defence industry and capability delivery; minister for international development and the Pacific
Ministry changes:
Andrew Giles MP – minister for skills and training
Senator Jenny McAllister – minister for cities; minister for emergency management.
Updated
Albanese outlines differences between assistant ministry and special envoy
The PM has been asked what the difference is between being an assistant minister and being a special envoy:
An assistant minister is someone who is making decisions. They are in the executive. What I have done with the envoy positions is put in place people who can give thought to things that might not lead to an immediate policy decision … they are certainly not funding any programs.
Updated
PM defends Labor record on immigration
The PM has been asked about if Labor is better at managing immigration:
What my job is to do is to make sure that we implement good policy. That’s what we’ve done, in spite of the rhetoric … from the former government.
The truth is we have maintained border security. The resources that have been allocated have never been higher than they are today. We have made sure we have put in place Operation Sovereign Borders, [which] continues today.
And what we have done as well [is] put in place a measure to reduce the migration numbers going forward. There was always going to be of course an uplift in numbers after the pandemic, after the borders that were shut were reopened.
Updated
PM defends scrapping assistant minister of the republic
The PM has been asked why Labor have scrapped the republic as a portfolio (that was Matt Thistlethwaite’s portfolio). He said he inherited the position:
I said before I was elected prime minister, I intended to have one referendum. It is the only thing I committed to. Previously, the Labor party went to elections committing to multiple referendums.
At the moment, the only person who is committed to another referendum during the next term if he’s elected is Peter Dutton.
Updated
PM says Tony Burke is ‘up for it’ after being appointed to five roles in ministry
The PM has been asked if Tony Burke is going to be overloaded in his new roles:
He is certainly up for it, and what it means is that in terms of a department, there will be one person who will be responsible for it. I gave a lot of thought to the appropriate structure.
That is one of the reasons the structure is there. One minister and then two junior assistance to them is, I think, the right structure.
Updated
PM says Giles moved from immigration porfolio due to knock-on effects
The PM has been asked why he moved Andrew Giles from the portfolio?
Because there is a reshuffle. What we had to do, what you do when there is a reshuffle is, that there is a change, that then has a knock-on effect.
The fact is that we have been a very stable government.
I have noted some of the comments. I mean, again, Peter Dutton has been pretending there wasn’t a high court decision [on immigration]. There was a high court decision, notwithstanding some of the commentary that has been made, which would have taken place regardless of who was in government.
Updated
PM predicts ‘Dutton will be negative’ on portfolio shuffle
The PM was asked if the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, will “claim the scalps of Andrew Giles and also Clare O’Neil”:
Peter Dutton will be negative, I will give you that big tip. He will be destructive, he will attack people, he will engage in the sort of vilification which is his speciality.
His team keep telling him to smile more but I’ve seen no evidence that any of that is working. What I see is his relentless negativity, and the fact is that Peter Dutton left a mess in the portfolios that he held.
Updated
Anthony Albanese: ‘This is the team that I will take to the election’
The PM:
These combined changes, I think, represent a significant move forward. I would expect that this is the team that I will take to the election when it is held sometime in the future, and it is a team that I think tomorrow, the swearing-in will take place.
I will recommend that the swearing in take place at 9am tomorrow, and then there will be a full meeting of the new ministry.
Updated
PM details assistant ministry changes
The PM has announced there are a range of assistant ministry changes as well. These are:
Matt Thistlethwaite as the assistant minister for immigration. Julian Hill as the assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs.
Patrick Gorman will, in addition to his role supporting the PM, become assistant minister to the attorney general.
Ged Kearney will also become the assistant minister for Indigenous health.
Senator Anthony Chisholm will take on the role of assistant minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
Senator Tim Ayres will have a change to his title from assistant minister for manufacturing to the assistant minister for a Future Made in Australia.
Kate Thwaites will be the assistant minister for social security, assistant minister for ageing and assistant minister for women.
Josh Wilson will be the assistant minister for climate change and energy
Peter Khalil will be the special envoy for social cohesion.
Luke Gosling takes up the post of special envoy for defence, veterans affairs and Northern Australia.
Andrew Charlton will be the special envoy for cybersecurity and digital resilience.
Updated
Andrew Giles now minister for skills and training
The PM:
Pat Conroy enters cabinet as the minister for defence industry and capability delivery and the minister for international development and the Pacific.
Andrew Giles will be the minister for skills and training.
Senator Jenny McAllister becomes the minister for cities and the minister for emergency management.
Updated
Albanese: Malarndirri McCarthy ‘obvious person’ to move into Indigenous Australians portfolio
The PM on McCarthy’s new positon:
I read a range of speciation over the coming days about portfolios. That is one you all got right. Malarndirri McCarthy was the obvious person to move into that portfolio, building on the legacy of Linda Burney, while bringing her own lived experience and advocacy to the Cabinet table.
Updated
PM names Malarndirri McCarthy as new Indigenous Australians minister
The PM:
Murray Watt will become the minister for employment and workplace relations.
Malarndirri McCarthy will become the new minister for Indigenous Australians.
Updated
Anthony Albanese announces cabinet reshuffle
The PM has announced the cabinet reshuffle.
Tony Burke is to become the minister for home affairs; minister for immigration & multicultural affairs; minister for cyber security; minister for the arts; and the leader of the house.
Julie Collins to become minister for agriculture, fisheries & forestry and the minister for small business.
Clare O’Neil is to become the minister for housing and the minister for homelessness.
Updated
The PM:
Good governments aim high, they work out of a drawer on a diversity of talent, and that certainly is what drives me, and that’s what drives the changes I’m announcing today.
Carol Brown also stepping down as infrastructure assistant minister
The PM:
I am very proud of the fact that we have gone now two years and two months with precisely the same team in place.
When team members stepped down, though, it does provide an opportunity for others to step up, and I do once again pay tribute to Brendan O’Connor and Linda Burney for their extraordinary contribution to our nation over a long period of time.
I also want to thank Carol Brown. Carol Brown is stepping back as an assistant minister to prioritise her health.
Updated
Albanese has also congratulated the winners of Olympic medals in Paris:
We were so proud to see Australia at the top of the medal tally, snagging five medals. Some have suggested we should stop the games there, while we’re on top.
Here’s how we’re doing on day one, if you’ve missed it:
Updated
Albanese has started by saying his thoughts are with the family of four defence officers who were killed last year in a Taipan helicopter crash. He has been at a memorial for them.
Updated
Anthony Albanese holds press conference
And the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking now.
Updated
The PM is expected to be up in a matter of minutes…
Community groups organise to say no to Dutton’s nuclear plans
Community organisations from the seven regional communities where Peter Dutton proposes to house nuclear reactors, representing thousands of members, have launched a joint campaign addressed to the Coalition and the opposition leader to say no to nuclear.
In addition, the alliance is asking Australians around the country to support them and sign the petition, using Peter Dutton’s own words from the voice referendum: “If you don’t know, say NO.” Robyn Wood, spokesperson for Don’t Nuke Port Augusta, said:
We have a cost-of-living crisis right now. We need affordable clean energy quickly through a rollout of renewable energy, not an expensive, half-baked nuclear fantasy. Our future is in renewable energy.
Marianne Robinson from the Latrobe Valley:
Mr Dutton can’t tell us how much it would cost, what it would mean for our power bills, how and where nuclear waste could be safely stored for 10,000 years.
Japan, Brazil, USA, Russia and the UK have all had significant nuclear safety disasters and our communities don’t want to be next.
Julie Favell, from Lithgow Environment Group:
We can see this is a half-baked idea intended as a distraction and delay tactic to slow down the real work of building renewables and storage.
Updated
PM’s press conference expected at 2pm
We are expecting the PM to be up around 2 PM, announcing the cabinet reshuffle. We will bring you that as it comes.
Updated
Gas leak reported in Huonville, Tasmania
The Tasmania fire service is attending a hazardous gas leak incident at Legs & Breasts Takeaway on Main Street, Huonville.
Tasmania fire service advises residents within 100 metres of this area to remain indoors and close the windows and doors. There is no immediate danger, but police are asking the public to:
Stay indoors, close all doors, windows, and vents, and turn air conditioners to recirculate or off.
If you are away from home, do not try to return to the area.
Non-residents should stay away from the affected areas.
Monitor ABC Local Radio and visit tasalert.com for further information.
Updated
Palestinian flag unfurled during Minns conference speech
The Palestinian flag was rolled down during the Minns speech at Labor’s state conference today.
You can see footage here from 6 News:
WATCH: Palestinian flag unfurled as NSW Premier Chris Minns enters the Labor Party state conference ⬇️
— 6 News Australia (@6NewsAU) July 28, 2024
Watch live: https://t.co/mtwfdKIIrV pic.twitter.com/DGqpgNIz8N
The flag was also rolled down for the duration of the PM’s speech yesterday.
Updated
Rally against gendered violence held outside Labor conference
There are 26 rallies organised across the country this weekend against gendered based violence. One is currently being held outside the New South Wales Labor conference in Sydney, where the premier, Chris Minns, is speaking.
Organisers want trauma-informed training for first responders, including the police and paramedics, and more funding for grassroots organisations, including men’s behavioural change programs.
Updated
NSW Greens welcome Labor move to end no-grounds evictions
On X, Greens MP Jenny Leong has said she welcomes the no-grounds reform, but drew attention to the fact it was “490 days since Labor ran on a promise to change this and in that time more than 40,000 renters have been evicted for no reason”.
About 30,000 households in NSW receive a no-grounds eviction each year.
Big news renters! I am thrilled that today the Labor Government will finally announce new laws to end unfair no grounds evictions for all renters statewide👏
— Jenny Leong MP 梁珍妮 (@jennyleong) July 28, 2024
This is a massive breakthrough in our campaign to bring some relief to renters in NSW. 🧵(1/7)
The no-grounds announcement comes a day before a public hearing chaired by Leong into the bill is set to start. In February, Leong introduced a bill to end no-grounds evictions for periodic and fixed-term tenancies. The Labor government went it to an inquiry which begins on Monday.
Leong said it was “no accident” the announcement came a day before the hearing. She said:
We are expecting to hear evidence of strong support for this reform from a wide-range of experts and organisations backing this change.
She said the Greens “look forward to continuing to work across party lines to deliver more changes to expand renters’ rights” including, allowing pets in all rentals, controlling rent increases, and implementing minimum standards for rental homes”.
Updated
Chris Minns announces $250m injection for apprenticeships across all NSW council areas
Earlier in his address to the conference, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, spoke about a $250m injection for apprenticeships in local government – which he says is the “biggest direct state government in new apprentices in decades.”.
The funding will see 1,300 apprentices hired across every LGA and council across the state, Minns said. He told the crowd:
We’re up against two problems here – an ageing workforce and a skills shortage. These apprenticeships will start to plug the gaps while letting young Australians learn from more experienced workmates. Every council will benefit from this injection of new talent but it will be a major boon for the regions and the bush in the state.
The United Services Union welcomed the move, with the general secretary, Graeme Kelly, saying in a statement the funding is “desperately needed”:
Over 1,000 young people across NSW will soon start their first job thanks to this scheme, and in the bush that’s especially valuable as it means they’ll stay put rather than move to our swollen cities looking for work or training opportunities.
Updated
Premier given standing ovation when announcing end to no-grounds evictions at conference
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has been speaking at the state Labor conference at Sydney’s town hall.
He received a large applause and standing ovation from the crowd when announcing a proposal to end no-grounds evictions, which we flagged earlier in the blog here.
Minns said the reforms were not taken lightly, but acknowledged there are two million renters in the state who are “far too often … forgotten about in our political discussions”.
When I was young, the question used to be asked whether you’d ever be able to afford to buy a place in a city like Sydney. Now many people ask whether they’ll even be able to afford to rent a place in a city like Sydney and many other places across the state.
As things stand, renters can be evicted for no reason at all. Of course, there’s still going to be reasonable grounds to end the tenancy – if the house is damaged, if the property is going to be renovated, if the owners are moving back in, or if they’re just not paying – it just can’t be to put up the rent.
Minns told the crowd that “something has to change” because “we’re losing twice as many young people as we’re taking in and the next generation feel locked out from the place they were brought up”.
Updated
Mutual obligation requirements paused on Friday due to IT issue
On Friday, mutual obligations were paused for jobseekers due to an IT issue, the department has said. Participants should not have had their payments suspended for this.
In a statement, the department said:
Due to an IT system issue related to slow response time for users, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations paused mutual obligation requirements for participants in Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services, and the Community Development Program on 26 July 2024.
The issue is now resolved.
Updated
Victorian Liberal leader Pesutto centre stage at state forum
The Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, is hoping to avoid a frosty reception from the Liberal masses ahead of a looming defamation trial.
Grassroots party members and MPs are gathering in Melbourne for day two of the Victorian Liberal state council, with Pesutto the headline speaker.
The Hawthorn MP was booed and dozens of rank-and-file members walked out as he rose to give a speech at the same event at Bendigo in May 2023.
The staged reaction was prompted by first-term MP Moira Deeming being expelled from the parliamentary party after she threatened Pesutto with defamation action.
More to come.
– from AAP
Updated
Australia's Ethan Ewing and Tyler Wright through in Olympic surfing
Ethan Ewing has shown no fear on his return to the same waves that broke his back last year, qualifying for the third round of Olympic surfing.
The Queenslander fractured two vertebrae in 2023 at the feared Teahupo’o break in Tahiti, which as part of French Polynesia is hosting surfing for the Paris Games.
He had no such problems on Saturday (early Sunday AEST), topping a low-scoring heat to reach the last 16.
Joining him in round three is two-time world champion Tyler Wright, who survived mighty surf to win her heat.
Ewing caught the first wave of the Olympics after being drawn in the first heat, disappearing in a typical Teahupo’o barrel for a score of 7.33.
He needed to score late points to win the heat and did so with just 82 seconds left, his 2.57 enough to post 9.90 – the lowest winning score of the men’s field.
“I got a really good wave first up. It set up the heat,” Ewing said.
“I’m really happy to get that first win and skip into the next round.”
The women’s field took to the Pacific Ocean water hours later, and found conditions tough going.
Wright bailed from an early run which packed plenty of punch but rides of 4.17 and 3.50 – for a combined 7.67 – were enough to get her through.
Australia is celebrating its most successful opening day in Olympics history. Two gold medals in the pool, and one in cycling, has Australia on top of the medal tally.
– via AAP
Updated
We are expecting NSW police to hold a press conference at around 11am about the man who was shot by police last night.
We have a story with more information here:
Updated
NSW premier says rental reforms will give tenants ‘more certainty, more peace of mind’
Continued from previous post:
For those on fixed term agreements of less than six months, the termination notice period to tenants will be increased from 30 days to 60 days. For fixed term agreements of more than six months, the termination notice period will be increased from 60 days to 90 days.
There will be no change to notice periods for those on periodic agreements.
Minns said:
Bad tenants will still be able to be evicted. We don’t want homeowners to have to put up with bad behaviour.
But anyone who rents in NSW knows just how anxious and challenging renting can be at the moment. We’ve all seen the lines on a Saturday morning with hundreds of people waiting to inspect new properties.
We believe this reform gets the balance right, but importantly, this will give both homeowners and renters more certainty, more peace of mind, so they can build a home and a life on surer ground.
2/2
Updated
NSW government’s proposed reforms to no-grounds evictions
And we have the release from NSW premier Chris Minns about the changes to no-grounds evictions here.
Under the proposed reforms, homeowners will now need a reason to end a tenancy for both periodic and fixed-term leases:
These will include common sense and reasonable reasons such as:
– The existing rules where the renter is at fault, because of a breach of lease, damage to the property, or non-payment of rent.
– Where the property is being sold or offered for sale with vacant possession.
– Where significant repairs or renovations make inhabiting the property too difficult or it will be demolished. If a homeowner seeks to renovate or repair a home, it cannot be relisted for a period of at least 4 weeks.
– If the property will no longer be used as a rental home, i.e a change of use.
– Where the owner or their family intend to move into the property.
– If the renter is no longer eligible for an affordable housing program or if the property is purpose-built student accommodation and the renter is no longer a student.
1/2
Updated
Greber on Kamala Harris:
Newt Gingrich said the Republicans are at the risk of underestimating how good she is.
She’s likened her as an athlete who doesn’t do well in training but when you put them on the field they’re very, very good.
The Republicans have framed this entire year being about Joe Biden’s age and competence. There’s really not been much policy in this election so far in the United States.
Updated
Turning to US politics, Greber says:
It’s a massive shift. You can see it in the way the Democrats feel the momentum.
One of my old sources, I used to be a correspondent in DC, one of my old sources it was as if a month ago the doctor walked in and said, “I’m sorry the test results are terrible, you got three months to live.”
Three or four weeks later he came into the room saying, “I got I wrong. You’re going to be OK.”
It’s interesting watching how the Republicans are trying to figure out how they now change tact.
Updated
On Insiders the presenters are discussing the possibility of another rate rise from the RBA. Jacob Greber says it’s a “diabolical” situation:
They don’t have many options other than hitting people with mortgages to reduce demand in the economy, which by the way has been driven by an awful lot of federal and state government spending.
The RBA needs to get on top of this and unfortunately people who have mortgages will be the ones who are hit hardest.
The question is whether they are at that breaking point, you know. In previous episodes where policymakers have had to get on top of inflation, it’s resulted in recessions and high unemployment.
Updated
Asked why Labor’s primary vote is down, O’Connor says there is a trend across all parties:
The Australian Labor party is probably the only party on its own that can actually could form a majority in the House of Representatives and form government.
I mean, the Liberal party doesn’t rely upon the Nationals to form a government. Right now, the ALP of course forms a government on its own and we’re looking forward to doing that again after the election.
Updated
O’Connor has been asked if the CFMEU can fix its problems:
There is no tolerance for criminal behaviour and nobody’s above the law, and that doesn’t matter whether it’s the union official, a union, or a corporate director. And I think the Labor Party has been absolutely right and Minister Burke has been absolutely right in ensuring the appointment of an administrator in relation to that union.
Updated
Brendan O’Connor on Insiders
The retiring skills minister Brendan O’Connor is up and Speers has asked him about if Labor has changed in the past two years to become more “pragmatic”.
O’Connor says he is “very proud” of helping change Labor’s immigration policies:
After the disaster that happened on Christmas Island, of which I was having to respond to as home affairs minister, not long after that there was the 2011 national conference and I debated, along with Chris Bowen and others, the need to make changes – changes we made. And that really ensured in my view a political party that could be re-elected.
Updated
On the Insiders couch, they are talking about how no one wants the immigration portfolio. This was Savva’s recap of Andrew Giles’s performance amid the high court case on immigration detainees.
Whenever he went out there, he either made it worse or he never went out there at all to defend what had happened. So the situation just got worse.
If he went out, he looked like a frightened rabbit, he couldn’t handle the questions, he didn’t speak with any kind of confidence at all. So what you need is someone who knows how to handle situations when they get out of control and that’s definitely not him.
Murray Watt, I think, would be able to do that.
Updated
On Plibersek, Maiden says she agrees – she should be moved from “kissing koalas”. She says there was some consideration of putting her in housing instead:
Now, that would, if they go down that path, address the issue that (Savva raised) which is putting Tanya Plibersek in a more frontline role, getting her to take on the Greens.
That part of it wasn’t clear for the people that I spoke to because it wasn’t clear of whether they wanted to put Clare O’Neil into housing or into environment.
Updated
Savva:
There has been a lot of talk about moving Andrew Giles and Clare O’Neil. There’s no doubt that Giles needs to be shifted out of that portfolio, but if Clare O’Neil is moved, as some kind of camouflage for Giles’ incompetence in the immigration portfolio, then I think that would be grossly unfair and not warranted.
Savva says Plibersek should be put in a more frontline role:
The other grave mistake that Albanese made after the election was putting Tanya Plibersek in the freezer. That was a big mistake and it’s time that he rectified it and made sure that she was is in the front-line.
Cabinet reshuffle on agenda for ABC’s Insiders
And Insiders has started on the ABC – on the couch this morning is Samantha Maiden, Niki Savva and Jacob Greber.
They are discussing the changes to cabinet, with Malarndirri McCarthy and Jenny McAllister both in line for a promotion.
Immigration minister Andrew Giles and home affairs minister Clare O’Neil are reportedly going to be shifted.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning everyone. I will be with you on the live blog this morning.
In New South Wales, Chris Minns will announce the state government’s awaited changes to no-grounds evictions at Labor NSW’s state conference.
The premier will unveil proposed new laws to end no-grounds evictions in reforms that ensure renters must be provided with a genuine reason if they are being evicted.
In Canberra, Anthony Albanese will unveil a new look cabinet today for the first time in two years as senior ministers prepare to retire at the next federal election.
Two Labor parliamentarians are set for a promotion into cabinet after Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney and skills minister Brendan O’Connor announced they would step back from politics.
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, the assistant minister for Indigenous health, is expected to take over Burney’s role and Senator Jenny McAllister is also expected to be promoted into Albanese’s ministers.
Immigration minister Andrew Giles is expected to be moved sideways into a new job after the government faced strong criticism of his stewardship.
And a man has been shot dead in Sydney’s south-west after he allegedly attempted to stab a police officer with a knife.
Emergency services were called to Bird Walton Avenue in Middleton Grange, about 40km from the CBD, about 11 pm on Saturday after reports a man was armed with a knife.
We will bring more on those first two announcements and the rest of the day’s news as it comes – so let’s get into it!
Updated
