What we learned today, Friday 9 December
The federal government is not going gently into the end of year festivities – just when you thought it was all over, they’re heading back to Canberra for some more law making. Here are today’s top stories:
National cabinet struck a $1.5bn energy deal as soaring power prices bite.
The robodebt saga just keeps going, as the royal commission sifts through the evidence.
We also haven’t seen an end to the Bruce Lehrmann/Brittany Higgins news.
Star has been fined $100m after “major failings” by the casino operator.
Weekly beast did the rounds from Lachlan Murdoch to Toni Collette and plenty more.
And if you’re looking for some couch action this weekend, everyone’s been talking about White Lotus.
We’ll be back, doing it all again tomorrow. See you then!
You know what you need right now? Some First Dog. You’re welcome:
Definitely the last one … right?
federal MPs have been told to come back to Canberra on Thursday (Dec 15) to deal with the energy plan, for one final FINAL sitting day for 2022
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) December 9, 2022
no Question Time scheduled for that day pic.twitter.com/rtIzfiDMDh
Updated
Here’s prime minister Anthony Albanese giving a Covid-style press conference at Kirribilli House – note his masked press secretary keeping his distance as he holds out his phone for the journalists calling in with their questions.
Bruce Lehrmann’s defence team adds to calls for a public inquiry
Varying calls for an inquiry have now been made into the handling of the case by all parties by the police union, prosecutors, and now the defence team.
Steven Whybrow, the barrister who represented Lehrmann at trial, said:
We would welcome an inquiry into every aspect of this matter.
The rift between the director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold SC, and elements of the police force were exposed this week, after the Guardian revealed Drumgold had complained to police chief Neil Gaughan about the alleged conduct of his officers during the trial and investigation.
Drumgold alleged that he had been subjected to a clear campaign of pressure to agree with the police position, which was not to charge Lehrmann.
He also alleged Brittany Higgins had been bullied by investigators and had to insulate herself from contact with them.
Drumgold’s allegations are being examined by the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.
The Australian Federal Police Association has described the allegations as a smear and hit out at the freedom of information process used to release Drumgold’s letter of complaint.
Lehrmann has consistently maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent.
He says no sexual activity occurred with Higgins, a fellow political staffer. The collapse of the trial due to juror misconduct last month leaves him with the presumption of innocence.
Updated
Power bills to shrink via lower wholesale prices and rebates
We have some clarity from officials about how things are supposed to work. Price caps will apply to gas and coal this side of Christmas.
As these fuels help set wholesale power prices across the national electricity market, the caps will nudge spot prices lower and eventually that will benefit electricity users big and small. (Lower gas prices also help users of gas.)
This fiscal year’s power price increases are basically already in the bills. Next fiscal year (eg July 2023 onwards) instead of rising 36%, they will only rise 23%, treasury has modelled.
Average households will be $230 better off next financial year than they would otherwise have been.
The benefits will be increased if you’re a household or small business eligible for the $1.5bn of rebates that the Commonwealth and state/territory governments will divvy up. That will vary across the states (and no doubt be a source of complaints).
It’s not very clear where the $12/gigajoule price gap for gas came from but there is some logic apparently for the $125/tonne for black coal. That’s the price that generators were paying (outside long-term contracts) for coal in 2021 before Russia invaded Ukraine and distorted energy prices everywhere.
The $125/t figure is apparently the marginal price that thermal coal miners were getting, so they won’t have an incentive to cut back on production. (Global prices have been running at about $600/t so they’ve also been minting money.)
As for the inflation effects. Well, by pushing down wholesale power prices and channelling the money via usual benefit payments, it’s apparently NOT going to push up inflation. In fact, treasury estimates it could lop half a percentage point off inflation next year (presumably the fiscal one).
Updated
Now Dutton’s accusing Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of selling out Queenslanders as a political favour to prime minister Anthony Albanese.
Energy minister Chris Bowen was “probably the most hopeless” minister in the Rudd/Gillard cabinet, Dutton says. This will turn out to be a “catastrophic decision”, he says.
Dutton says Albanese promised the public 97 times that power bills would come down by $275. “The prime minister can’t have it both ways. I think the Australian public is starting to see here a real pattern,” he says. “Everything is going up.”
Queensland’s shadow energy minister, Ted O’Brien, says Labor’s package will push supply down. “They are introducing measures to kill off the supply of gas,” he says.
Albanese broke promise on power bills, Dutton says
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says prime minister Anthony Albanese’s promise to bring power bills down by $275 is a “significant broken promise”.
“It’s obviously there’s a fracturing between the states and territories and the commonwealth,” he says, calling the prime minister’s press conference a “train wreck”.
(That’s not exactly how it’s been portrayed so far.)
He’s attacking the government over cost of living, inflation, and interest rises.
Power prices are going up and up under the Labor party and Australian families and small businesses who thought they were going to get relief under this government are not.
Updated
Australia’s defence buildup a direct response to China, defence minister says
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, has explicitly blamed China’s rapid military buildup for Australia’s own ramp-up in defence spending.
It is no secret that concerns about China - including its intentions towards Taiwan and its militarisation of disputed features in the South China Sea - have been driving Australia’s defence strategy.
But Marles put it very directly in a speech in Japan this afternoon, saying Australia’s increasing investment in its defence capabilities was “a prudent and necessary response to the arms buildup we see occurring in the Indo-Pacific”.
He told the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo:
One of the most consequential features of our region today is the scale of China’s military power. It is the largest military buildup since World War Two. And it is occurring without transparency or reassurance to the region of China’s strategic intent.
This is the most significant factor shaping the strategic landscape in which Australia and Japan exist.
Years after Tony Abbott labelled Japan as Australia’s “best friend in Asia”, Marles put it this way: “When it comes to friends for Australia, Japan stands in the front row.”
The Australian government position is to oppose any unilateral change to the status quo in Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that China claims as its province and has not ruled out taking by force.
Marles said Australia and Japan condemned Russia’s “immoral and illegal invasion [of Ukraine] in the strongest possible terms”. He said it was also important to “make sure such a conflict does not repeat, particularly within our own region, which is now at the centre of global strategic competition”.
He said navigating this more complex period would require “wise, sober and responsible statecraft” and cited the ongoing efforts to “stabilise” the relationship between Australia and China. He mentioned “the stabilising influence of guardrails and dialogue”, adding:
I am pleased that two weeks ago in Siem Reap, China and Australia agreed to reactivate longstanding defence talks. Australia is committed to resolving differences through dialogue, and investing in inclusive regional architectures such as ASEAN - to ensure we can continue to protect our collective security and prosperity.
But we must also deal frankly with the risks we face - and that is what Australia is doing.
Marles also spoke positively about the idea of Japan participating in Aukus initiatives related to advanced technologies. This is not the nuclear-powered submarines part of Aukus, but the other advanced capabilities. It is not a new idea, but Marles is clearly keen on advancing it:
Aukus will also drive the development of other advanced capabilities, allowing our three countries to pursue advantage in undersea and electronic warfare, hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, advanced cyber and quantum technologies and artificial intelligence.
Aukus is a capability and technology partnership; one which we hope will form part of a broader network Australia seeks to build, in which Japan is central.
My intent is to grow defence industry integration with Japan: bilaterally, through our trilateral mechanisms with the United States, and, when ready, via our advanced capabilities work in Aukus, as well.
Updated
Andrew Barr, the ACT’s chief minister, says his government welcomes the federal government’s $1.5bn package. He says:
Through the ACT government’s investments in long-term renewable energy contracts, ACT residents and businesses are far less likely to experience the sort of energy prices rises other jurisdictions are anticipating in the coming years.
The ACT… agreed to be involved in the development a co-funded national energy bill rebate to help soften the impact of rising energy prices on low income consumers through temporary and target on-bill rebates.
Antoun Issa has rounded up all the news and whipped it into shape for you – here’s today’s afternoon update:
Here’s a statement from prime minister Anthony Albanese on today’s meeting:
Statement @AlboMP: Meeting of National Cabinet https://t.co/pgV9rJPqz1 pic.twitter.com/kqXQy8PthK
— Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (@pmc_gov_au) December 9, 2022
Benefits of government energy plan will take time to sort out
Those hoping for immediate energy price relief from today’s national cabinet meeting will be disappointed. Any direct benefits will only flow from the second quarter (April-June) next year.
Still, there may be some benefit from capping the gas price at $12/gigajoule and coal at $125/tonne. PM Anthony Albanese cited Clare Savage, chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, as saying having the Commonwealth talking about the issues had put “downward pressure on prices”.
That we’re guessing the PM was referring to the wholesale electricity market - where coal and gas can be the price-setter. Wholesale prices make up about a third of retail bills.
Putting a lid on those fuels will help. But we weren’t told what the modelling tells the governments will happen.
The fact the support will be for households and small businesses, when the $1.5bn in rebates start to flow to consumers.
There’s no definition of what counts as a small business, which means big firms won’t get any direct aid. Sort of what we anticipated here:
The govt is saying that the forecast gas price increase of 20% this year and next, will now be 18% and 4% (that’s this fiscal year and next).
The $125/t coal price was based on the price paid in 2021 for black coal in NSW and Queensland before the Russian invasion.
It’s also the highest cost of thermal mining, so the cap would NOT discourage production. The coal cap will take effect next week.
More soon when we get additional details.
Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, is talking now. She says she’s glad the caps are a temporary measure and that Queensland and the Commonwealth will work to get pumped hydro works up. And there will be the energy bill relief as well, she says.
“There’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes discussions,” she says. “But at the end of the day we work best when we work together and I’m absolutely pleased with the outcome that’s been achieved today.”
Updated
Nationals ‘premature’ on voice decision, says Pyne
On another topic, Pyne says the Nationals have been “a bit premature” with their opposition to the voice to parliament. Most people are in favour, he says (including himself) but says the federal government will need to carefully consider its strategy to get it passed at a referendum.
Updated
Former Liberal minister, Christopher Pyne, is – unsurprisingly – critical of the government’s plan. “It could well unravel,” he says. And “it has a lot of hairs on it”, he tells the ABC’s afternoon briefing.
Updated
Albanese winds up by saying the treasurers will work through the details in the coming weeks and report back to national cabinet early next year, before the payments start in the second quarter of next year.
Albanese is asked if the government is considering a longer term gas reserve, but he says they’re focussing on the immediate issues:
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the changes that have occurred as a direct result of that, and of where we were in the market. Can I also say that as a result of the measures that we have taken, one of the things that we were very careful of doing was to not deal with or not interfere with any of the existing export systems that are in place.
So, we wanted to make sure there were [no] issues of sovereign risk, Australia remains a country where you can trade with certainty.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will work with state premiers on how the payments will be delivered to those who already receive a Commonwealth payment.
The prime minister is asked how much of the projected 56% increase in power bills the government’s plan will knock off. He says:
What it will do is put downward pressure on those increases which were envisaged. If we sat back and didn’t take action, then we know that that impact would occur as was predicted by treasury.
But we make this point as well - we heard today from Clare Savage (the energy regulator). And one of the things that she reported was that there has already been some downward pressure on price as a result of the Commonwealth saying that we would take action.
So, we have already seen that downward pressure as a direct result of the statements that the Commonwealth has made since the budget.
Albanese says the caps will be in place for 12 months, and that Queensland (which owns its own generators, unlike other states), will get extra support through the Rewiring the Nation project.
Updated
Albanese pauses for some water – must be tough having to talk all day with Covid. He has been asked about variation between the states on the amount of actual power bill relief delivered. He says:
What we know is that in WA, for example, because of the [former] Carpenter government having the vision, frankly, to make sure that there are domestic gas reservations, then the impact on their price of WA as well as Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania, is less than the states which are at the heart of the national energy market.
That is why the relief will be worked through … that is why there will be a differentiation across states, but we are providing that $1.5bn (up to that) because we are looking at providing support for households but also, for small businesses.
With households as well, part of working through with states and territories is that because it is a dollar-for-dollar contribution we will be asking states and territories to contribute, there is built into the mechanism an incentive so that those states and territories that are looking to have the highest increase will have an incentive to put in more themselves as well.
Updated
The prime minister is explaining how the bill relief plan will not fuel inflation. He says:
There are two ways that you could provide some relief. The first is the idea of cash payments to people which would potentially have an inflationary impact. Treasury advice was to not go down that track, but to reduce power bills so we will work with each of the states and territories.
It will be not the same plan in each state and territory, given each of them have different systems and indeed that is part of the complexity of what we have been dealing with, is the fact that we have eight different systems around the country.
So what it will do is to reduce people’s power bills. There’s a range of programs that some states and territories have now which is to take an amount off people’s power bills. We will be providing support for those in receipt of Commonwealth payments. That is pensioners, for people who are receiving family tax benefits, people who are receiving Jobseeker, people who are receiving payments.
For some background:
Updated
Albanese says:
Together this package is a constructive plan. It’s a constructive plan to deal with the challenges that households and businesses are facing. And it is an example of the Commonwealth working hand in hand with states and territories, working these issues through to achieve an outcome to ensure that the energy price relief does occur.
We’ll bring you more details on that package shortly.
PM announces four-point plan to target power prices
Albanese confirms what Amy Remeikis wrote below – parliament will be recalled to deal with the legislation. He says there are four components to the government’s strategy. There will be a mandatory code of conduct on the gas industry, with a cap of $12 a gigajoule in place for 12 months – the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will monitor that.
Then there will be a temporary coal price cap of $125 a tonne, “nationally targeted bill relief” with the Commonwealth providing up to $1.5bn to the state governments to reduce power bills (which will be “deflationary” rather than inflationary), and “securing our energy future” by investing in capacity and energy transmission.
Updated
It wasn’t just energy prices in national cabinet. The leaders also discussed early learning, and the ongoing Covid pandemic. But it was “mostly” about the energy price relief, Albanese says:
And I’m pleased to announce that there was agreement at the national cabinet on a way forward to provide the energy price relief for households and for businesses.
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. And we know with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, what we’ve seen is a massive increase in global energy prices. And because of Australia not investing in enough of our own energy assets, what we have is a vulnerability to those international price movements, and that’s placing pressure on businesses here but also on households going forward.
The federal government, together with state and territory governments, is determined to provide some relief. And to take what are extraordinary measures to deal with these extraordinary times. We’re taking urgent action to shield Australian families from the worst impacts of these price hikes.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has started the press conference in Kirribilli, following the virtual national cabinet. He’s thanking the premiers and chief ministers for the “ongoing constructive spirit in which they’ve engaged in discussions”.
Updated
Federal parliament recalled after states agree on deal to target power prices
We are waiting for the official press conference with the prime minister to begin (it is dial-in, obviously, as Anthony Albanese is still in isolation) but here is some more of what our spies are telling us.
A coal cap price of $125 has been decided on, which is designed to make power cheaper at the source.
Direct rebates, jointly funded between the states and the commonwealth, are coming in the short term to take out the sting of the increased bills.
Queensland already gives power bill rebates, so Queenslanders might get a little luckier than the rest of the east coast (Queensland never sold its power network, so has a little more control over prices).
Federal parliament and the NSW parliament will have to be recalled to pass some of the necessary legislation to make all that happen. That is going to happen very, very soon. It will be in and out, we are told.
Everyone is said to be very happy with the negotiations and happy to have helped come together for a solution.
Awwwww.
We will have more for you very soon.
Updated
Hello from Canberra
The last national cabinet for the year has wrapped up with most people in the (virtual) room happy.
Federal parliament is going to have to be recalled though, to work through some of the decisions. It should be pretty quick, we are told, but the MPs are going to have to get a wriggle on.
Direct assistance for power bills is coming in the short term as well, our spies tell us.
We will have more for you very soon.
Catch up on what today’s meeting was all about here:
Updated
Richard Marles and Penny Wong meet with Japanese prime minister
Australia’s defence and foreign affairs ministers have met with Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida on the final leg of a two-nation trip.
Richard Marles and Penny Wong have been in the United States for security talks, including the first three-way defence ministers’ meeting with the UK.
In Japan, they are expected to progress the renewed Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, signed by prime minister Anthony Albanese and Kishida in October.
Senator Wong said the relationship with Japan was “more comprehensive and important than ever”.
Mr Marles is due to deliver a speech to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation seminar.
Later on Friday, the two ministers will meet with their Japanese defence and foreign ministry counterparts.
– AAP
Updated
35 Covid deaths in South Australia:
South Australian weekly COVID-19 update 9/12/22.
— SA Health (@SAHealth) December 9, 2022
For more information go to https://t.co/XkVcAmeZ6V pic.twitter.com/qXq7dyVM5N
Lisa Cox reports on the threat to Tassie devils, orange-bellied parrots, and the eastern curlew:
Australia-China thaw continues
A senior Australian official has told an event at the Chinese embassy in Canberra that the two countries are seeking to navigate their differences wisely.
Later this month marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, and the Chinese embassy held an event today attended by hundreds of people including other ambassadors, business people and academics.
The most senior Australian official in attendance was Elly Lawson, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The secretary, Jan Adams, couldn’t attend because she has accompanied the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, to the US and Japan this week.
In a speech, Lawson said that over the past 50 years both countries had seen changes in their national situations and the region around them. She said they had an economic relationship “of serious consequence”. She said the benefits of that cooperation were evident to both countries. Australian benefited from welcoming Chinese tourists and students here and benefits also flowed to Chinese consumers “who enjoy our quality Australian produce”.
Without directly mentioning Beijing’s tariffs and unofficial bans that had disrupted some of that produce getting to China, Lawson noted that the past 50 years had also had “their challenges”. She said:
As well as bilateral differences in recent years, we have faced rising geostrategic competition, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, a global food and fuel crisis, supply chain shocks and climate change. As the foreign minister has said, such times of geopolitical competition and stark divisions call for nations to work together to ensure competition does not descend into conflict and chaos.
And so we have sought to stabilise the bilateral relationship, upholding our national interests and seeking to navigate our differences wisely. We welcome renewed dialogue at senior levels of our governments.
Lawson also said the relationship had “flourished when supported by a stable international system, in which agreed rules constrain power and underpin peace and stability”. She added: “And we have each benefited greatly when engaging, frankly, and directly as comprehensive strategic partners.”
China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, gave an upbeat speech reflecting once again on last month’s meeting between China’s president, Xi Jinping, and the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
Using very similar language to comments he made at other public events earlier this week, Xiao said:
That meeting was successful, it was positive, it was constructive, it was encouraging.
Xiao said looking to the future, he had reason to believe China and Australia would continue to be friends and partners. He vowed to act “as a bridge” between the two countries.
Ian McConville, the chief of protocol for Dfat, was among attendees at today’s event. The former Labor trade minister, Craig Emerson, also addressed the gathering.
While no Australian ministers were in attendance at today’s event, there was a 50th anniversary reception held in Sydney a couple of weeks ago which included China’s ambassador and consuls from across Australia and was addressed by Wong and her Coalition shadow minister, Simon Birmingham.
Updated
Royce Kurmelovs reports some understandable fury from the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria:
Discussion on household energy rebates likely to stretch into 2023
Given the complexity of the energy sector, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise at the end of today if national cabinet left a few loose ends to tie up.
There has been speculation about some sort of rebate for households , with the AFR’s Phil Coorey lately reporting that such support will be co-funded by federal and state governments.
The report doesn’t have the size of the rebate yet. We’ve heard it will vary across the states, not least because some have lower prices than others (and hence won’t need so much).
Coorey says meetings between treasurers and energy ministers will roll into January in order to sort things out.
Guardian Australian has also heard that the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will be tasked with settling the details (I can imagine a few holiday plans are now being shredded).
We’re hearing the officials will hold their press conferences at about 3.45pm AEDT - or in about an hour’s time. Let’s see if that timing holds.
Updated
Here are some more details on the soft plastics, from the ABC’s interview with Environment Protection Authority chief, Lee Miezis:
The size of the stockpiles varies from about a thousand tonnes down to less than a hundred tonnes.
To give a sense of that, I think a plastic bag is 6 grams, so we’re talking half a billion plastic bags. We’d love to see these recycled as intended, but if we need to remove them from the site to manage risk and go to landfill, we’ll work with operators of landfill to ensure they’re properly and safely managed.
Investigators have found six Melbourne warehouses full of soft plastics after a recycler stopped operations and warn there could be more.
Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority says about 3000 tonnes of soft plastics have been found across the six sites after REDcycle suspended its recycling program a month ago.
A notice issued to the scheme’s operators led investigators to the warehouses, managed by logistics companies in Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs. The EPA said:
The soft plastics found in the Melbourne warehouses are thought to have come from outside of Victoria ... it is believed that additional sites could exist across Victoria and the country.
Officers are inspecting the sites and working to manage fire risks.
“Although the operators of REDcycle did tell us about some of the sites, intelligence from logistics companies and others is assisting EPA’s investigations,” the authority’s CEO Lee Miezis said.
“If you have any of these soft plastic wastes at your warehouse, we need to know.'’
Miezis told the ABC this afternoon the plastic amounted to about half a billion plastic bags.
AAP is seeking comment from REDcycle.
In early November, the company blamed unforeseen circumstances for its decision to suspend its soft plastics recycling scheme, which involved collecting waste from Coles and Woolworths stores.
The statement came after it was revealed millions of plastic bags are being stored in warehouses instead of being recycled, posing environmental and safety risks.
“Consumer recycling of soft plastic has grown exponentially in recent years, with a 350% increase in plastic returned since 2019,” a REDcycle spokeswoman said.
“However, due to several unforeseen challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, REDcycle’s recycling partners have temporarily stopped accepting and processing soft plastics. This combination has put untenable pressure on the REDcycle business model.”
REDcycle provides the only consumer-facing soft plastic recycling for the majority of Australian households.About half a billion plastic bags, meant for recycling, have instead been found in warehouses in Victoria.
– AAP
Back on Star, Ben Smee reports Queensland attorney general, Shannon Fentiman, said she was “appalled at the extent” of Star’s actions in welcoming excluded persons to their casinos and “the exorbitant incentives on offer for questionable gamblers”. She said:
Queensland casinos must operate with integrity – and it is clear that there have been major failings by the Star group and its entities.
Updated
National weekly Covid update
Here’s a summary of the latest Covid statistics (with much more information in the link):
This weekly📅infographic provides an overview of the current #COVID19 situation in Australia.
— Australian Department of Health and Aged Care (@healthgovau) December 9, 2022
Find out more here💻 https://t.co/xomakKtvzE pic.twitter.com/a7DzIrJeCg
Updated
NSW government seeks to expedite pipeline to proposed gas field
Since Friday is shaping up to be a big day for energy, it’s worth noting that New South Wales has weighed in to show it’s doing something.
The Liberal-National government on Friday elevated the planning priority of a gas pipeline to the proposed $3bn-plus Narrabri gas field being developed by Santos.
The pipeline, a 50km link between the gas region in northern NSW and the Hunter gas pipeline running nearby, is now deemed critical state significant infrastructure (CSSI).
Some might wonder why it hasn’t had that status before, since the proposal for 850 wells has been in the works for about a decade. NSW imports almost all the gas burned in the state, and Narrabri with its 70PJ of annual production (assuming it goes ahead one day) would meet about half of NSW demand. The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, said:
The Narrabri project will be vital to securing affordable and reliable gas for more than 1 million NSW households and thousands of businesses, who rely on natural gas for heating, cooking and power generation.
Once up and running Narrabri will be the backbone of our state’s gas needs, supporting our transition to renewable power sources.
Anyway, only the planning minister can grant CSSI status, and the impact is mostly that it restricts legal action (such as blocking third-party appeal rights) on decisions. The minister also can also reject any judicial reviews if he (Anthony Roberts) decides.
Still, getting the status doesn’t necessarily mean the project will proceed.
As Guardian Australia has noted before, Santos itself has yet to give final investment nod to the gas field project, and doesn’t expect to until its 2023-24 business year (ie next year).
Similarly, upgrades such as raising the wall of Wyangala Dam may also have CSSI status, but if the cost (perhaps $2.1bn) is so large it may not go ahead even if its flood-mitigation help would be been welcomed in recent months.
Still, don’t be surprised if other energy projects get a similarly high priority listing in coming months – both at the state and federal level.
Updated
Public servant denies ‘manipulating’ truth in robodebt inquiry
A public servant briefly involved in the creation of the robodebt proposal has denied “manipulating the truth” to hide departmental knowledge about its illegality from a federal watchdog.
In the most explosive questioning of the royal commission so far, former Department of Social Services (DSS) official Catherine Halbert was repeatedly questioned about her involvement in a 2017 ombudsman’s investigation into the scheme.
Halbert, who had briefly acted as a deputy secretary in the Department of Social Services, had also been involved in providing feedback on initial briefing documents for the robodebt proposal. Those documents warned the central method of the program – known as income averaging – were unlawful and required legal change.
The royal commission heard when the Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2017 requested to see the department’s legal advice from 2015, Halbert was involved in a letter that put forward DSS’s position to the watchdog. Another staff member had drafted a letter which Halbert then sent to another top official.
The letter told the ombudsman that as the robodebt plan was being developed in early 2015, DSS had formed a view that it would be lawful.
The inquiry heard the way Halbert had represented this was “simply not true”.
The senior counsel assisting, Justin Greggery KC, said it was a “abundantly clear” from the evidence that she had sought to “manipulate the truth” to the ombudsman.
Halbert replied:
I was not trying to mislead the ombudsman’s office and if I had written it incorrectly, that’s my responsibility.
I didn’t feel any obligation to justify the legality of the scheme. What I was explaining to the ombudsman was that the proposal in our minds … sufficiently changed that it was no longer was in breach of the legislative requirements.
The commissioner, Catherine Holmes AC SC, interjected several times during Halbert’s evidence to bring her back to the question.
On one occasion Halbert was told by Holmes: “You are on affirmation, you are required to tell the truth.”
Halbert replied: “I am attempting to tell the truth, commissioner.”
Halbert insisted repeatedly that the department was “not trying to hide this from anyone”. She said the information she provided to the ombudsman was based on advice provided to her by others. She said she was not directed to portray the situation in the way she did.
The royal commission continues. Read more about the robodebt saga here:
Updated
Arshak Makichyan writes:
If Australians don’t have the right to peacefully protest and demand the government protect its citizens and take climate action in line with science, it is a dire outlook for everyone.
Integrity watchdog to examine allegations of police misconduct during Lehrmann case
The ACT attorney general says complaints surrounding the prosecution of Brittany Higgins’ allegation has been referred to the federal integrity and corruption commission.
Here’s the latest from Christopher Knaus:
Updated
Woman throws mattress out window and jumps from burning building in Sydney
A woman has escaped a fire by jumping from the second storey of a unit complex, while her pet cat has received oxygen treatment.
The blaze had taken hold at the Neutral Bay complex in Sydney’s lower north shore about 5am on Friday.
The woman threw a mattress out the window after becoming trapped by flames and smoke in the hallway.
Neighbours who evacuated when alerted by smoke alarms placed the mattress on top of bins before the women leapt on to it.
A pet cat was also rescued from the scene by firefighters who placed it on oxygen before rushing it to a veterinary clinic.
Fire and Rescue NSW would not reveal the cat’s condition.
NSW Ambulance treated the woman for lower leg injuries and another woman who suffered burns to her legs.
Both were taken to Royal North Shore hospital.
Authorities believe a spirit burner started the blaze that broke out in a ground-floor unit.
– AAP
Updated
Flood-affected NSW residents still without services, volunteers say
“There’s still people living at worst in tents, people that are definitely living in caravans, sheds, their laundries.” Fleur Connick reports:
Updated
Indigenous Australians experience more psychological distress due to everyday racism
Most Australians wouldn’t think twice about going to the shops, but many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people worry about being followed by security, a researcher says.
These experiences of everyday discrimination – such as receiving poor service, being accused of theft and unwarranted police attention – contribute to half of the psychological distress experienced by Indigenous people, according to the latest study.
An Australian National University study has found 30% of Indigenous adults experience very high psychological distress compared to 13% of non-Indigenous adults.
Half of the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people could be closed if everyday discrimination was eliminated, the lead author, Prof Ray Lovett, from the Ngiyampaa mob in western New South Wales, said:
We need accountability. We can’t switch off what has happened to each individual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. We still have that memory and that will last a lifetime.
Lovett said Indigenous people worry about being followed by security, given racial stereotypes still abound. “There’s no biological reason why we have the inequity that we do have around health,” he said.
Almost 10,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults were surveyed as part of the study. Based on the survey results, the researchers suggested 74,000 Indigenous people in Australia were severely distressed, solely from racism.
While all levels of government have committed to eliminating racism under the Closing the Gap agreement, every day Australians tackling racism is just as important, co-author Tom Calma said:
If the contribution of interpersonal discrimination, let alone the whole system of racism, could be this big, how can we justify inaction? If we could wave a magic wand and get rid of racism tomorrow, we would still see the lasting damage it has caused.
If you need help, call 13YARN on 13 92 76; Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.
– AAP
Updated
The weekly beast is here! Thanks to Amanda Meade, as always, for providing such tasty morsels for our Friday afternoon:
Queensland records 15 Covid deaths in last week
In its weekly Covid update, Queensland has reported 13,632 new cases and 15 people died:
From 1 December to 7 December, we recorded 13,632 new COVID-19 cases.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) December 9, 2022
Sadly, 15 deaths were reported during this time.
Full details ➡️https://t.co/KjEKBzWY9v pic.twitter.com/VaVgbc6Qwm
Updated
Who are you gunning for in the World Cup now Australia’s out?
Guardian Australia staff explain how (and why) they have shifted their loyalties.
Updated
Kerri Hartland named new Australian spy boss
Australia has a new spy boss. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, have announced that Kerri Hartland will be the new director general of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) – the team that deals with overseas spycraft.
Hartland was deputy director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) from 2011 to 2017 (the domestic intelligence agency), and has held a series of other top-tier public service roles.
She replaces Paul Symon in the position.
Hartland said:
I am incredibly honoured to be appointed as the 13th director general of ASIS.
With an increasingly complex geostrategic landscape, intelligence will continue to be critical to securing Australia’s safety, prosperity and sovereignty.
To lead an organisation that so significantly contributes to Australia’s national security is a true privilege.
Updated
Thanks, Royce Kurmelovs, for everything you do! I’m Tory Shepherd, and I am stepping in for a bit now, and will try to readjust my brain. I’ve been deep down a rabbithole on … well, you’ll find out when I write it …
Updated
NSW Health encourages parents to be aware of vaping dangers
New South Wales Health is warning parents to be aware of the risks of young people vaping.
In a statement on Friday NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said she wanted parents to have early conversations with young people to discourage the habit.
We are encouraging parents to be aware of the dangers vapes pose and to be on the lookout for devices which could look like USB sticks, pens or highlighters.
Vapes contain dangerous ingredients which could cause irreversible damage to the health and development of young people. There is no such thing as a safe vape.
We are also aware that there are links between mental health concerns and vaping among young people.
The health minister, Brad Hazzard, said the flavours offered by vaping companies covered up how smokers were inhaling the same harmful chemicals found in weedkiller and nail polish remover.
The potential harm is enormous and we need to share this information with our kids.
The New South Wales government has been cracking down on retailers who sell illegal vapes and liquids containing nicotine. In the last four months Chant said the government had seized 53,000 products estimated to be worth $1.6m.
Earlier this year we put retailers across the state on notice, if they were selling illegal vapes, they would be caught, illegal items seized and destroyed, and they could face prosecution. We continue to make good on this commitment with NSW Health seizing more than 166,000 e-cigarette products totalling an estimated street value of over $4.6m from February 2021 to September 2022.
For more on how nicotine addiction from vaping is damaging the lives of Australian kids, read the full report the Guardian Australia medical editor, Melissa Davey.
Updated
Queensland government recommends $100m in fines for casinos
The Queensland attorney general, Shannon Fentiman, says Star Casino has 12 months to “get their house in order” after the Queensland government moved to impose $100m in fines and penalties.
The gaming group has been found unsuitable to hold a licence in Queensland with the state government imposing a 90-day suspension of its casino licence which will be deferred for 12 months until December 2023.
Fentiman said a special manager will also be appointment to oversee efforts to bring the casino’s operations up to code.
These penalties have been considered very carefully following the damning findings from the review as well as considering the responses from Star as part of the show cause process. These disciplinary actions, of course, aim to strike a balance between ensuring that thousands of Queenslanders can remain employed but also, sending that very strong message that what happened here in Star Casino’s is completely unacceptable.
This special manager will also be assisted by a manager with experience in counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering.
This is a significant penalty, $100m which sends a very strong message to Star that they absolutely have to get this right and have to get back to suitability.
As I’ve said, that 90-day suspension deferred until December next year, essentially means that is hanging over their heads so that they get the remediation right and they return to suitability as soon as possible.
Updated
Weather warnings
Thunderstorm warning for far north Queensland with potential for wind gusts, large hail and heavy rainfall.
⛈️Thunderstorm forecast: Severe thunderstorms likely for the Capricornia District including #Rockhampton, and possible from Gayndah to north of Moranbah, with damaging wind gusts (>90 km/hr), large hail (>2cm), and heavy rainfall. Warnings if needed: https://t.co/uFerbbeIoQ pic.twitter.com/wGoWjZ4Acn
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) December 9, 2022
Meanwhile, in South Australia, state emergency services will live stream a community meeting in Blanchetown for residents along the River Murray as flood waters from the eastern states make their way through the system.
Blanchetown - River Murray Flood - Community Meeting
— SASES (@SA_SES) December 9, 2022
🕐 Friday 9 Dec, 6:30pm
🗺️ Blanchetown Sporting Complex, 12 Godley St, Blanchetown
This community meeting will be live-streamed on the SA State Emergency Service Facebook page.
📹 Videos of meetings https://t.co/62OcrOzpKe pic.twitter.com/FSHeiNjzOy
Updated
ACT attorney general backs top prosecutor Shane Drumgold
The ACT’s attorney general, Shane Rattenbury, is continuing to back his top prosecutor, Shane Drumgold SC, as tensions between the Director of Public Prosecutions and ACT Policing reach boiling point over the Bruce Lehrmann case.
According to the ABC, Rattenbury was asked on Friday morning whether he was concerned about the tensions between the two agencies.
He responded:
I was asked during the week whether I had confidence in the director [Mr Drumgold], and I have not seen anything to this point that has me [questioning] otherwise.
But the director has raised these concerns with me briefly, and I am certainly in the process of seeking out more details.
Given the serious nature of the allegations, obviously the government will contemplate this quite seriously and consider the best way to proceed.
On Thursday, the Guardian revealed that Drumgold had made a complaint to the chief police officer Neil Gaughan in November, just after the trial of Lehrmann collapsed due to juror misconduct.
He alleged police engaged in a clear campaign to pressure him to agree with their position that charges should not be laid and subsequently aligned themselves with the successful defence of the matter at trial.
The police union, the Australian Federal Police Association (AFP), has since hit back, describing the criticism as a smear.
Both the DPP and the AFPA support a proper inquiry into the matter. Rattenbury is yet to confirm whether he supports any inquiry.
Lehrmann has consistently maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent. He says no sexual activity occurred with fellow political staffer Brittany Higgins. The collapse of the trial leaves him with the presumption of innocence.
Updated
Award for dedicated Australian cancer researcher
A Queensland scientist at the forefront of international genetic cancer research has been recognised for her groundbreaking study of breast, ovarian and other cancers.
Prof Georgia Chenevix-Trench, from the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, has been awarded the 2022 GSK Award for Research Excellence for developing personalised risk prediction methods and accelerating cancer research worldwide.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian women, with approximately 57 people diagnosed every day in 2022.
Chenevix-Trench’s said she had dedicated her life’s to helping those at risk of hereditary cancers.
“I’ve had an interest in helping those affected by hereditary cancers my entire life,” she said.
My focus has been to understand how genetic variants act as a determining factor in developing breast cancer. Unless we know how these genomes operate in relation to cancerous cells, we won’t be able to translate the knowledge we have gained into tangible treatment options and preventative solutions for patients.
Chenevix-Trench will use the $100,000 grant to purchase equipment for real-time cell analysis.
– AAP
Updated
Farmers fined for exploiting vulnerable workers
Farmers across the country have been fined for defying workplace laws designed to protect vulnerable workers, including failing to provide them with proper payslips.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has fined growers and labour hire providers in north-west Victoria’s Sunraysia region, South Australia’s Riverland, and NSW’s Coffs Harbour and Grafton a combined $78,362 for breaching payslips and record-keeping laws in the last year.
In contrast, there has been high levels of compliance found in the Queensland growing regions of Wide Bay and Moreton Bay.
Fair Work Inspectors have issued a combined 31 fines totalling $35,964 in Sunraysia, $22,644 in the Riverland and $19,754 in Coffs Harbour and Grafton.
The Fair Work Ombudsman, Sandra Parker, said employers were expected to apply the rules correctly:
Record-keeping is the bedrock of compliance. Employers who fail to meet these obligations are more likely to be underpaying, whether intentionally or not. It is concerning that Inspectors have needed to issue close to $80,000 in fines to employers who breached payslip and records laws.
Since the regulator began its agriculture strategy in December 2021, it has investigated 237 businesses in hotspots across Australia where intelligence suggests non-compliance may be present.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has investigations into more than 80 agriculture employers ongoing nationally.
Updated
Hyundai issues recall after defect found in braking system
Some 19,500 Hyundai cars have been recalled over concerns they may spontaneously ignite if moisture reaches an internal component.
The recall affects Hyundai ix35 (EL) cars, built from 2014 to 2015, after a manufacturing defect was found in the circuit board in the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
The defect appears to be the same found in 200,000 other Hyundai models built between 2006 and 2021.
The defect could result in a vehicle fire “even when the vehicle is turned off”, the recall notice said. The notice said:
Affected vehicles should be parked in an open space and away from flammable materials and structures, ie not in a garage.
If your vehicle displays an engine warning light, please stop driving and contact your local Hyundai dealer.
Bannister Law on Friday said the ABS control module defect posing a possible fire risk had resulted in nearly 300,000 Hyundai and Kia models being recalled across Australia.
They urged affected owners to register for their class action against the car makers.
– AAP
Updated
ANU study finds everyday discrimination against Indigenous Australians
Everyday discrimination could make up as much of half the burden of psychological distress among Indigenous people.
In one of the first studies of its kind, Australian National University researchers have found 30% of Indigenous adults experience high levels of psychological distress compared with 13% of non-Indigenous adults.
They found about 47% of the gap between the two demographics was likely to be caused by different types of interpersonal racial discrimination.
These include those in everyday interactions, such as being treated with less respect by others or being unfairly targeted by police.
The study’s co-author, adjunct professor Janine Mohamed, said eliminating discrimination would help alleviate the higher burden of psychological distress experienced.
The potential harms from discrimination and racism must be recognised if we are to leverage policy reform that impacts the health of our peoples.
All levels of government have committed to work to eliminate racism under the 2021 national agreement on closing the gap – we are calling on policymakers, organisations and individuals to honour the national agreement and to make real change.
The findings of the research were based on submissions from 10,000 Indigenous adults in the Mayi Kuwayu study, a national examination of Indigenous wellbeing.
Dr Katie Thurber, one of the co-authors, said while the research was broad it was yet to capture the full extent of racism experienced by Indigenous people.
The experiences captured in our study are just the tip of the iceberg.
We have not captured all forms of interpersonal discrimination that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face, or the ubiquitous and insidious impacts of structural racism.
University of Canberra chancellor and study co-author Prof Tom Calma said addressing racism was a necessary first step to improve wellbeing and closing gaps with non-Indigenous people.
If the contribution of interpersonal discrimination – let alone the whole system of racism – could be this big, how can we justify inaction?
There is a clear need for supports for those who have experienced interpersonal discrimination and racism.
The study has been published in a special edition of medical journal the Lancet.
– AAP
Updated
Study finds 15,400 ‘excess deaths’ due to Covid-19 in Australia
A comprehensive analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on fatality rates has found there were 15,400 “excess deaths” across Australia in the first eight months of 2022, or 13% more than predicted.
The measure captures not only confirmed virus deaths but those incorrectly diagnosed and reported, and those from other causes attributable to the crisis such as health systems being overwhelmed, resources being diverted or fewer people seeking treatment.
The Actuaries Institute’s Covid-19 mortality working group estimates 8,200 of the fatalities were directly due to the virus, with another 2,100 having it as a contributory cause and the remaining 5,100 featuring no link.
The deaths peaked in the last week of July and fell across August.
Spokeswoman for the group, Karen Cutter, said all jurisdictions except the Northern Territory had “significant levels of excess mortality in 2022”.
Generally, about half of this was due to deaths from Covid-19, with the exception of Tasmania that had relatively fewer deaths from Covid-19 and more deaths from other causes.
She said a lower measured excess mortality for WA reflected the later introduction of the virus there compared with the eastern states.
With its relatively young and affluent population, the ACT experienced lower excess mortality than the larger states while the NT, also with a very young population, showed a low net impact.
The Working Group said it was notable there were excess deaths in almost all age bands.
While the number and percentage of excess deaths were higher in older Australians, they were notable in all age groups and generally higher for females.
- AAP
Updated
Discussions still ongoing over energy but NSW satisfied with outcome
With the “first ministers” not due to start their meeting until mid-afternoon, it’s possible we won’t get a clear outcome until 5pm (AEDT) or later. (Cue nervous TV and print news chiefs.)
Guardian Australia understands that NSW is “happy” with the outcome. While it won’t involve compensation for royalty losses, there will be final assistance to support some businesses and households.
Queensland remains the harder nut to crack, not least because state-owned power plants make up most of the electricity sector unlike in NSW where generators were privatised years ago by the Coalition government.
It remains to be seen whether a cap on gas and coal prices will have a lasting impact on the wholesale electricity market in eastern Australia – which is ultimately what the intervention is all about.
As we wrote this morning, there’s reason to be sceptical that the short-term impacts will be significant, and getting to longer-term solutions for high energy prices won’t be that easy, either:
Updated
US tip leads to arrest of alleged scammers
The alleged leaders of the Australian arm of a $150m global financial scam have been arrested at Sydney and Melbourne airports after an investigation sparked by a tip-off from the United States Secret Service.
The two men, aged 27 and 24, were arrested two weeks ago trying to board flights to Hong Kong, which had been purchased as one-way tickets.
More than $22m in 24 bank accounts allegedly linked to the criminal syndicate has been seized and two other Australian-based operatives have been arrested after the months-long investigation, Australian federal police said on Friday.
The group allegedly deployed a scam that involved manipulating legitimate online trading platforms to dupe victims into believing their investments were generating high returns.
While the majority of victims were based in the United States, the US Secret Service in August alerted the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre in August about Australian links.
Based on victim reports to police, more than US$100m (A$148m) in losses worldwide have been attributed to the syndicate.
The two Australian alleged controllers have been remanded in custody on serious money laundering charges. They are due to face Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on 18 January.
Two other men, both aged 19, have also been charged over their alleged roles. They are due to face a Sydney court in January on one count each of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime.
- AAP
Updated
Mourners fined during Archie Roach funeral
Grieving mourners who were fined for running red lights during late music icon Uncle Archie Roach’s funeral procession will not have them overturned.
Victoria police confirmed at least seven infringements totalling about $462 per driver were issued to mourners travelling as part of the motorcade, including the driver of a hearse carrying Roach’s body back to country in August.
Despite a request to have the fines dismissed ahead of Roach’s state memorial next week, a police review determined each of the drivers committed a “serious traffic offence”.
A police spokesperson said in a statement that “disobeying a red light signal is considered a serious traffic offence.”
It poses a significant safety risk both to the driver and other road users. Seven infringements were issued for disobeying a traffic control signal in relation to this matter.
Victoria police said it offered the funeral organisers police assistance for the cortege’s movement through the Melbourne area, which was declined.
Roach, a proud Gunditjmara and Bundjalung man, tragically died in July at age 66.
A funeral was held in August and his body was driven through his old stomping grounds in Melbourne, including Collingwood, Fitzroy and St Kilda before being taken back to Gunditjmara Country, near Warrnambool.
The premier, Daniel Andrews, announced a state memorial would be held in Roach’s honour at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on 15 December.
- from AAP
Updated
In a world full of troubles, take heart knowing that Brady the pooch is safe and well.
Queensland fire and emergency services rescued Brady after he fell into a hole.
There’s a joke in there about curiosity and cats, but I’m just not finding it right now.
The Burpengary Fire and Rescue crew were called out to help Brady the dog yesterday after he fell into a hole.
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) December 8, 2022
The crew worked for two hours while keeping Brady safe with oxygen, water and blankets.
After a huge effort, Brady was back in the hands of his family 🐶 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Exx43yncO0
Updated
NSW records 48 Covid deaths in past week
Forty-eight people with Covid-19 died in New South Wales over the last week, with the state recording 40,194 new cases, and averaging 1,526 people in hospital and 40 in ICU.
The previous week 32 deaths were reported, while 25 deaths were reported the week before that.
COVID-19 weekly update – Friday 9 December 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 8, 2022
In the 7 days to 4pm Thursday 8 December:
- 40,194 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded: 16,076 rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 24,118 PCR tests
- 48 lives lost pic.twitter.com/94kcICew2V
As at 4pm Thursday 8 December:
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 8, 2022
- 1,526 people with COVID-19 in hospital
- 40 people with COVID-19 in ICU
More info: https://t.co/stL6XYi4Gk
Updated
Victoria records 85 new Covid deaths in past week
Eighty-five people with Covid-19 died in Victoria last week, with the state recording 27,790 new cases on Friday morning, averaging 682 people in hospital and 28 in ICU.
This is an increase of about 50% on the number of deaths reported in recent weeks, with 54 deaths and 26,971 cases reported the previous week and 62 deaths and 22,281 deaths in the week before that.
This week we reported 27,790 new cases with a daily average hospital occupancy of 682 and 28 patients in ICU.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) December 8, 2022
85 deaths were reported in the past 7 days.
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/rf0RHOgyq7
More data here: https://t.co/OCCFTAcOZP #COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) December 8, 2022
Updated
‘Without coal and gas from Australia, I think Tokyo will go dark’: Japanese ambassador
The Japanese ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, has spoken to ABC radio this morning where he said Australia’s second biggest trading partner has confidence any coal or gas price won’t affect the export of energy to Japan.
Let me tell you that without coal and gas from Australia, I think Tokyo will go dark. So in that regard, we place high importance to maintain coal and gas, both in trade and investment relationship, between Japan and Australia.
We have been repeatedly assured by the Australian government, including prime minister Albanese, resources minister Madeleine King, trade minister Don Farrell that Australia will remain a reliable supplier energy and that Australia will remain a safe destination for Japanese investment. We count on this relationship to be maintained.
Updated
Tasmanian court decision due on native forest logging
The Tasmanian supreme court will hand down a decision on a court case against Sustainable Timber Tasmanian challenging the lawfulness of native forest logging in the state.
The case was brought by Blue Derby Wild against the Forest Practices Authority in April and alleges apprehended bias after Sustainable Timber Tasmania were delegated the role of approving and policing its own logging plans.
In response to the case, the Tasmanian government attempted to pass retrospective legislation to head off the case.
A decision is expected by 3.30pm today.
Updated
Home affairs minister says allowing rejected asylum seekers to stay ‘not the right solution’
O’Neil is asked now about what the government plan’s are for the 70,000 people in Australia who sought asylum, were rejected and are working.
The issue is significant as Australia’s complementary visa system has historically denied people on some visas the right to work in Australia and are not entitled to government support. Where people have fled a country due to violence but have not been granted asylum, they are left in a limbo and forced to work illegally in a shadow economy to survive.
O’Neil would not be drawn on how the government plans to tackle the situation, instead saying the immigration system was “an absolute mess” under the previous government. She says there were millions of unprocessed visas “in the system, in the middle of the worst labour shortage since the second world war, and no plan to process them”.
We’ve got something we’ve actively avoided as a country, which is a group of undocumented workers who are vulnerable to exploitation.
However, O’Neil said that allowing these people to stay indefinitely was “not the right solution here”.
Updated
Data protection standards needed for businesses that handle customers’ sensitive information: O’Neil
O’Neil says though the risk from cyber-attacks can never be eliminated, the government would work to beef up Australia’s cybersecurity capacity with “fewer hacks very much a KPI”.
What we need to do is make sure that we design a system that keeps attacks out as much as we can. And there’s a lot of work to be done on that. But something else that we really need to get good at is getting back off the mat when we’ve taken a hit from a cyber point of view.
We’ve just got to get a lot better at working with the private sector in partnership to quickly fix the effects of cyber-attacks.
O’Neil also flagged that the government will look at what personal information is being obtained by businesses.
We need to have a conversation with businesses of this kind [that] hold this very sensitive information and set minimum standards for them about what data protections will be in place.
Updated
Minister says technology bringing cybersecurity concerns into Australian homes
The minister for home affairs and cybersecurity, Clare O’Neil, says Australia’s “national security environment” has undergone a “very radical change”.
O’Neil lists a fast warming climate, a much more powerful China and a quickly changing global world order that is “literally reshaping things before our very eyes”.
In previous decades these changes wouldn’t have affected Australians much at home, but because of technology, this is bringing these problems right into the household of Australians and we’re seeing that with cyber-attacks.
The minister says Australia is witnessing this change with attempts to influence its political systems, universities and harassment of diaspora communities.
We’re going into this very difficult step for decades where there’s a lot of competition around the globe, and there are certain things Australia is going to have to do for itself and cyber[security] is one of those.
Updated
Ears to the ground as national cabinet meeting approaches
The rumour mill is running hot ahead of national cabinet. Here’s some of what people have been saying.
During an interview with Patricia Karvelas this morning, the climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, said:
Well, I’ve confirmed that certainly people will see a reduction in their bills … The reduction will happen not in a handout, but when they get their bill. It’ll be baked into the bill.
The Australian reported that the New South Wales government was “leading the push for” federally funded rebates for households.
The NSW government is leading the push for a rebate, which is believed to have in-principle backing of the Albanese government. The rebate in NSW could be worth as much as $280 for households.
The temporary rebate would be in addition to existing energy rebates already offered in NSW and Queensland for low-income households and are designed to cover the six to 12-month gap until price rises are projected to flatten under coal and gas price caps.
In the Fin, Phil Coorey – citing unnamed sources – writes that Anthony Albanese is “hitting the phone something fierce at the moment” and was wary of backlash if the federal government compensated Queensland which forecast a $52.bn surplus on Wednesday.
But Coorey also reports that it has not been decided how rebates requested by NSW will be paid, or whether to extend rebates to customers in other states.
Updated
Bowen says renewables transition ‘too slow’
Bowen says dealing with climate change and achieving 80% renewables means that coal-fired power will close.
The future is renewable. Let’s be very blunt. Coal-fired power stations are going to close. That’s a statement of fact. We need to replace them. The transition to renewables has been too slow, and too disorderly.
Bowen said yesterday’s announcement of a “unanimous” decision state and energy ministers to invest in new renewable energy generation would “unleash billions of dollars in investment” in renewable energy.
The task here is to ensure that new energy comes on not after coal-fired power leaves, because that’s too late, but before.
What this is, is the safety net under this transition to ensure we have reliable energy.
Updated
Bowen says the government is determined to act on spiking coal and gas prices, even if some within the coal industry are “very happy” with the situation.
It’s not secret that some people in the coal industry are very happy with the current situation. But the Australian government and the state government and the Australian people are not happy with the situation.
Bowen has welcomed the participation of the “black coal states” in national cabinet discussions and said they are very close to working out a deal.
Australians didn’t decide to invade Ukraine, Australians didn’t decide the price of coal and gas will spike.
The prime minister has been very clear that we’re going to leave nothing on the field to ensure this is dealt with for industries, for workers and for consumers.
Updated
Chris Bowen non-committal on energy deal
The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, is speaking to RN Breakfast where he says he won’t pre-empt any decision of national cabinet but the government is determined to act.
Asked about whether he is certain that a deal will be done today, Bowen was non-committal.
This is what the work of government is. The adults in charge, working through the issues, as hard as they might be.
Patricia Karvelas says she has confirmed that Australians will get a reduction in their energy bills that will be “baked into” their energy bill – implying a deal will be done with some sort of direct transfer to energy producers.
Bowen says “there’s a number of ways” the government may look to lower power bills but again won’t be drawn on specifics.
Updated
Albanese seeks support on coal and gas plan
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will hold a virtual meeting with the premiers and chief ministers for national cabinet today to discuss how to best tackle rising energy bills.
The meeting is aimed at getting the support of state and territory leaders as they hammer out the details on a plan to cap coal and gas prices – and how coal-producing states may be compensated for loss of income.
The New South Wales energy minister, Matt Kean, said NSW would not be seeking compensation for lost coal revenues but said families and businesses should be compensated.
Queensland, meanwhile, has been calling for compensation.
The October budget forecast a 56% increase in electricity prices and 44% rise in gas prices for households in the next two years.
National cabinet will be held remotely after the prime minister tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday.
– with AAP
Updated
Victorian Labor on verge of increasing its ‘Danslide’ seat count
Labor has matched the 55 seats it won at the Victorian election four years ago and could go one better if the final contest falls its way.
The seat of Pakenham in Melbourne’s east was added to Labor’s tally on Thursday afternoon after final preference distributions.
In a post on Facebook, Labor’s Emma Vulin declared victory over Liberal candidate David Farrelly on social media after most recently trailing by fewer than 100 votes.
This afternoon the count was completed for Pakenham, and after a tight race I am pleased to say we won.
I will advocate for our community in Spring Street with the same fight that saw me rehabilitate after my stroke.
It means Labor has claimed at least 55 seats, equalling the total it won in 2018’s “Danslide”.
It will better that result if it adds Bass, where Labor incumbent Jordan Crugnale leads the Liberals’ Aaron Brown by 211 votes.
The Victorian Electoral Commission confirmed preference distributions for Bass would be finalised and published on Friday.
– AAP
Updated
Plibersek says current environment laws ‘aren’t working’
Plibersek said the government is looking for a “win-win” with its plan to establish a national environmental protection agency to protect the environment and streamline processes for business.
We know that our current environment laws aren’t working because the environment is just being destroyed and businesses continue to complain about the slow and bureaucratic processes that they’re faced with.
Plibersek said the reforms were needed because, if Australia continued on its current path, it could face more extinctions of native species.
Asked about the possibility of an “environmental trigger” that would see major projects have their environmental impact and contribution to climate change included as part of any approvals process, Plibersek said large projects “should disclose their carbon pollution”.
But Plibersek said the government did not want to set up a duplicate process.
What we’re not going to do is duplicate the safeguards mechanism that my colleague Chris Bowen, the climate change minister, is working on with large polluters. We’re not going to have two systems for determining a project’s carbon pollution and we’re not going to hold them to two standards. We’re going to hold them to one standard, that’s the safeguards mechanism.
The minister said “there should be be a transparency about the lifetime emissions of a project” but the government’s preference was to use the safeguard mechanism to “make sure that those large projects fit within Australia’s domestic target to reduce carob pollution to get to net zero emissions by 2050”.
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Tanya Plibersek rejects concerns about making fossil fuels cheaper
The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has spoken to the ABC this morning about government’s plans to bring down gas prices on the east coast.
The federal government has been edging closer to a deal with the states but Plibersek said she would not be drawn on whether the government is considering temporarily subsidising bills.
I’m not going to talk about the specifics that the prime minister and premiers might come up with today. I’d say that there is very broad understanding in the Australian community that something has to be done. We can’t keep seeing these sort of bills for families and businesses. Families are really struggling with cost of living and businesses are contemplating reducing hours, even closing their doors, if energy prices continue in the way they have – have been growing.
Plibersek rejected concerns by those calling for more action on climate change that making fossil fuels cheaper would further delay the transition to renewable energy, saying the Labor government is “targeting 82% renewables by 2030” through a range of measures, including more renewables, electric vehicles and new “measures on methane and ozone”.
There’s a lot going on right across our economy that will bring down carbon pollution, will bring down energy prices, as we get more renewables into the grid delivering cheaper, cleaner renewable energy to Australian homes and businesses.
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Key officials at robodebt hearing
Senior public servants will front the robodebt royal commission after it has heard evidence from one official who said he was “directed” to “tone down” legal concerns about the robodebt scheme when the proposal was designed in early 2015.
A human services department official, Mark Withnell, will give evidence today, a day after a social services official said he was frustrated when told the scheme’s “income averaging” debt calculation practice wasn’t lawful.
Andrew Whitecross said yesterday that Withnell seemed “particularly unhappy” a $1.2bn saving might be threatened if the scheme couldn’t happen.
Former human services secretary Kathryn Campbell – who is moving to head up the Aukus project team at the defence ministry – is also scheduled to appear for the second time this week.
On Wednesday, she told the commission she knew law changes were needed in 2015 to use an average income instead of actual income for debt calculation, but said social services was in charge of the matter rather than her own department.
And the robodebt scandal is the subject of today’s Full Story podcast with the Guardian Australia editor, Lenore Taylor, and head of news Mike Ticher.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the Australian news. My colleague Royce Kurmelovs will be taking the helm very soon but here are the stories making news overnight.
The aftershocks of the collapse of the Bruce Lehrmann rape trial continue. Our exclusive story yesterday reported a letter saying the director of public prosecutions felt that police investigators “aligned” with the defence in the trial. Now the police union has hit back at the claims and called for a judicial inquiry into the handling of the case in which Brittany Higgins alleged she had been raped by Lehrmann in the office of the then defence minister, Linda Reynolds, in Parliament House. Lehrmann pleaded not guilty at the trial that collapsed in October due to juror misconduct. He has consistently maintained his innocence and denies any sexual activity took place between himself and Higgins.
The national cabinet will meet today to discuss the federal government’s plan to cap coal prices to help reduce energy bills. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will meet virtually with the premiers and chief ministers and discuss how to ease pressures on households struggling with energy costs. But our economics correspondent, Peter Hannam, says big power users such as Tomago Aluminum and chemical manufacturer Qenos aren’t holding their breath that a solution can be found.
The Australian cricket ball-tampering scandal refuses to die. A day after David Warner angrily withdrew his application to have his leadership ban lifted, his manager made the sensational claim that the players were being told to tamper with the ball more than a year before they were caught in the act during a Test match in South Africa in 2018. “There was far more than three people involved in this thing, they all got a caning and David Warner was completely villainised,” James Erskine said. “This is injustice at its greatest level.”
And the robodebt royal commission continues, with senior public servants due to front the inquiry.
