The day that was, Thursday 3 August
As another sitting week draws to a close, we will leave the live blog there for the night.
Here are the main points for today:
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton sparred over the Indigenous voice referendum, apology to the stolen generations and the prospect of treaty during a heated parliamentary debate.
Unidentified human remains and debris were observed at the location where an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed off the Whitsunday Islands last Friday.
Two cases of mpox were recorded in Victoria for the first time since November last year.
According to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, retail sales volumes fell 0.5% in the June quarter of 2023. It follows a 0.8% drop in the March, and a 0.4% fall in the December 2022 quarter.
A climate activist arrested over Woodside protest says the company CEO’s safety was never under threat.
Nationals senators Bridget McKenzie and Matt Canavan have urged Victorian premier Dan Andrews to “front up and explain” his decision to cancel the state’s hosting of the Commonwealth games in 2026.
Former NSW minister Tim Crakanthorp told NSW parliament he had self-reported to the premier after discovering he had failed to declare a number of properties owned by his wife and extended family in Newcastle.
The Great Barrier Reef is likely to suffer impacts from climate change that will be irreversible from mid-century regardless of whether global emissions stabilise, a new report has concluded.
The Business Council of Australia has backed the yes vote in the referendum on a voice to parliament.
We’ll be back with you again tomorrow morning with all the latest. There will be a spillover hearing for Senate estimates featuring the Australian federal police and the administrative appeals tribunal tomorrow morning.
Until then, enjoy your evening.
Updated
Government agency to investigate 16 robodebt referrals of past and present public servants
The government’s central public service agency has revealed it has received 16 referrals relating to the royal commission’s robodebt report.
Commissioner Catherine Holmes handed down the report last month, describing the robodebt scheme as a massive failure of public administration.
In an update on Thursday afternoon, the Australian Public Service Commission – which is tasked with dealing with code of conduct referrals – said it would not publicly name those referred but had written to the individuals to notify them.
The referrals include current APS employees named in the report’s sealed section, as well as former employees referred by their most recent agency boss and former agency bosses referred by the most relevant minister.
The commission said findings against those adversely named will be made on the balance of probabilities:
In line with their legislated duties, agency heads have determined the most appropriate action to improve or change behaviour, including ongoing management of performance through counselling, training, mentoring or closer supervision for those employees not referred to the APS Code of Conduct processes.
Updated
Qantas ‘mayday’ flight landed safely thanks to effective flight crew, report finds
“Effective decision-making” from a Qantas flight crew has been found to have contributed to the safe landing of a flight which issued a mayday call when one of its two engines abruptly shut down over the Tasman Sea earlier this year.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, in its investigation into Qantas flight 144 from Auckland to Sydney on 18 January, also found voice recordings in the aircraft’s black box were “inadvertently overwritten” during maintenance after the plane landed safely in Sydney.
Updated
NDIS-connected fraud on the rise
More than $400m in NDIS payments are being investigated for fraud, AAP reports.
The number of criminal investigations linked to payments from the disability support scheme had risen to 46, up from 38 in April, the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, told parliament.
The investigations are being overseen by a fraud task force which was set up in October to examine rorts of the scheme. Since April, an extra $100m worth of possible fraudulent payments are being looked at by the task force.
Shorten said:
When there is government money, sometimes people – opportunists, criminals, others – become attracted to trying to siphon that money off for their own good, rather than the best interests of participants.
There is an element in the Australian community who were basically taking money from participants, robbing people on the scheme, and sometimes not only in an unethical manner, but indeed in a criminal manner.
The NDIS is on track to be one of the federal budget’s biggest expenses, projected to cost more than $50bn by 2025/26 and overtaking the annual spend on Medicare. Shorten had previously announced a review of the NDIS in an attempt to rein in spending and reduce fraudulent payments.
Updated
Hazard reduction burns are underway across NSW. This includes a number of burns in and around Sydney
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 3, 2023
Smoke from these burns is likely to settle locally with broader impacts expected overnight & early Friday & Saturday mornings. Rain likley on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/XJicmSvzzF
Flashing back to question time and the debate on the Indigenous voice: the referendum working group member and Uluru Dialogue campaigner Marcus Stewart doesn’t seem particularly enamoured of the opposition leader’s contributions today.
Peter Dutton in question time #auspol pic.twitter.com/I9xLBCTKnw
— Marcus Stewart (@marcusbstewart) August 3, 2023
Updated
‘Business as usual’ no longer an option for reef, experts say
Leading national experts on the Great Barrier Reef have called for an urgent reassessment of the way the world’s biggest reef system is managed, saying current approaches are too inflexible in the face of “unremitting global warming.”
An established independent expert panel, chaired by the former chief scientist Ian Chubb, wrote to the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, saying “business as usual” is no longer an option.
Updated
Per the earlier post.
The Speaker has informed the House that, following a request from the Prime Minister, the Presiding Officers have approved Parliament House to be illuminated in green and gold on Sunday and Monday evenings, ahead of the @TheMatildas vs Denmark match. ⚽️🇦🇺🦘
— Australian House of Representatives (@AboutTheHouse) August 3, 2023
More Qatar Airways flights to Australia would go against ‘national interest’
The Australian government has said that approving Qatar Airways’ push to increase flights to the country would go against Australia’s “national interest”, as seats on international flights remain scarce and expensive.
The Albanese government has in recent weeks defended its decision to reject a request from Qatar to fly an additional 21 services into Australia’s major airports, beyond the 28 flights a week it currently operates under existing bilateral air rights.
International airfares remain stubbornly high as demand for seats from travel-hungry Australians outstrips supply, and industry leaders have claimed allowing Qatar more capacity would have helped lower air fares.
While carriers including Qantas and other global giants are posting record profits, for many the number of seats and flights they can offer remain constrained, partly due to aircraft orders, workforce shortages and strong demand in other continents. However, Qatar Airways has been one of few airlines in a position to operate increased services to Australia.
Read more:
Updated
⚠️Severe Weather Warning issued for damaging #wind over Alpine peaks (>1900m). Winds increasing early Friday morning ahead of a cold front, with average wind speeds of 80-90km/h & gusts up to 130km/h possible. Locations include #ThredboTopStation. Warning: https://t.co/YsP67M0k3I pic.twitter.com/lUUeSR7ZDd
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) August 3, 2023
Retail sales worst since GFC days while trade sector to pump up GDP growth
We knew last week that June retail sales were in retreat, and today the ABS gave us a bigger picture of the quarterly performance. And it’s just as grim.
From the March quarter, retail volumes for the April-June period were down 0.5%, as the market expected. With revisions to the December quarter 2022 now showing a 0.4% decline and the March quarter off 0.8%, we now have three quarters of declines for the first time since the global financial crisis days back in 2004.
Ben Dorber, ABS head of retail statistics, said:
Retail sales volumes are down 1.4% compared to the June quarter last year. Outside of the pandemic period, this is the first time since 1991 that sales volumes have fallen compared to the previous year.
Results like that give more ammo to the “RBA has done enough” brigade. Still, the declines were largely as expected and it will be future CPI and wage increases that will likely determine what the central bank does next.
On the trade front, meanwhile, there’s bad and good news.
Australia’s trade surplus came in at $11.3bn in June, up from a revised $10.5bn for May (but the latter had initially been reported as $11.8bn).
For the June quarter, the trade balance came in at a $32.1bn surplus - down from $39.4bn in the March quarter. Falling energy prices were a big factor as our terms of trade (prices of exports vs those of imports) sank about 6%.
However, because of the shifts in volumes, CBA expects net exports (the difference between what goes out and what comes in - not actually nets) will add 0.5 percentage points to June quarter GDP. That’s some good news, at least.
Updated
Woman and toddler rescued from Tasmanian river after crash
Tasmanian police say a woman and a toddler were rescued from Tamar River this morning after a vehicle crash near the Tailrace Centre, Riverside at around 10.30am this morning.
The pair were quickly rescued from the vehicle, with no injuries, but were taken to hospital as a precaution.
Inspector Craig Fox said while the experience was traumatic for the woman and the child, emergency services acted quickly.
The quick thinking and actions of emergency services prevented a potentially devastating outcome.
Police remain in contact with the woman, and are providing support to those involved.
Police are making inquiries, but said initial investigations “suggest that inattention was a contributing factor”. The vehicle is still in the river, but there is no ongoing danger.
Updated
NSW education minister ‘pretty disappointed’ by stalled negotiations with union
The New South Wales education minister is “disappointed” by stalled negotiations with the union but is “not walking away” from reaching an agreement for improved pay conditions of teachers.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Prue Car said the government had entered office on the commitment of addressing shortfalls in the education sector and she had made it clear Labor wanted to “get to the bottom” of why there was a chronic teacher shortage in the state.
Part of that systemically and structurally is our pay and conditions for teachers … we have always done this in good faith with the aim of significantly uplifting teacher salaries, because we must do that. We want to do that. I personally want to do that.
Car conceded she was “pretty disappointed” about where things had landed with the NSW Teachers Federation after it alleged she walked back on a deal, but urged the union to continue to negotiate with the government following threats of industrial action in September.
Asked if the union’s claims that a deal was reached at the end of April and reconfirmed in June, Car said there had been “many meetings … and many conversations”.
We are clearly still negotiating … late into last night, both the Teachers Federation and the government were swapping offers … we have reached many agreements with the Teachers Federation about what we agree on, but there are some things that we haven’t yet reached agreements [on].
We are not walking away.
Updated
Question time ends – and go Matildas!
And after a run of dixers from government MPs, question time ends for another week with a statement from the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, on a lighting change for parliament this weekend.
Albanese says he wrote to the presiding officers to ask them to light up the front of Parliament House in green and gold on Sunday and Monday to support the Matildas in the World Cup on Monday night.
He says:
Our nation will come together on Monday night to be cheering the Matildas and I think that we should show leadership and this is one practical way, by lighting it up in the magical green and gold of Australia. So that we cheer them on, and that we show leadership on this issue.
The Speaker, Milton Dick, says the request has been approved:
I am pleased to inform the House that the presiding officers have approved your request to illuminate the facade of Parliament House in green and gold this coming Sunday and Monday in honour of Australia’s next match in the women’s football World Cup on Monday night. I encourage all members to take a look and good luck to the Matildas.
Updated
Just on the last vote on the motion to suspend standing orders, I’ve confirmed from the live minutes that Liberal MP Bridget Archer voted against the rest of her party and with the government.
Bill Shorten gives Coalition advice about Scott Morrison: ‘Cut him loose’
As expected – ayes 52, noes 90. The motion to suspend standing orders introduced by the opposition fails.
You’d think they’d end question time there, but we are now getting another robodebt question for the government services minister Bill Shorten about the former prime minister Scott Morrison’s refutation of the royal commission report.
Shorten says Morrison’s speech used 22 of the 2,114 words in his speech for the impact of the program on the victims, with the rest of the speech devoted to himself.
Shorten says the report shows the robodebt report found that the program’s consequences were entirely foreseeable. He says he had to watch Morrison’s speech twice because Morrison said “I stopped robodebt.”
“The sheer chutzpah. The trademark shamelessness!” Shorten says.
Shorten says: “How dare you take credit for stopping robodebt when you started robodebt. How dare you minimise the courage of the victims.
He says:
I say to the Coalition, the member for Cook leaves you in an untenable position. You broke the law and you hurt people, you broke the law and wasted taxpayers’ money and you broke the law and continue to defend the indefensible. You have a simple choice. Cut him loose, cut him loose or he will damage the whole Liberal herd. Cut him loose now.
Updated
Albanese on voice: ‘Australians will vote yes and they will advance reconciliation’
Albanese ends his speech on the motion, saying the voice to parliament and to government will lead to better outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
Makarrata means coming together after struggle. It is simple as that. A process of bringing people forward in the nature of reconciliation. And the fact he [Dutton] is not prepared to front up at the Garma festival this weekend, at the Garma festival, in order to explain his position that we would receive politely if he attends. It would be because one of the things about the Yothu Yindi foundation, about that event, is that it is about respect, it is about being people together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.
This is an opportunity to do just that, and that is why Australians will vote yes for the referendum, when it is held in the last quarter of this year. They will vote yes and they will advance reconciliation.
Liberal frontbencher Michael Sukkar was booted for asking how the prime minister’s “week at the Australian Open was” in the middle of the PM’s speech about how nobody from the Liberal frontbench is going to Garma.
As the vote on the motion gets under way, the opposition and the government swap sides of the chamber (so the opposition can vote yes for the motion and vice versa).
Dutton is now in the PM’s chair, and my colleague Paul Karp says he looks very pleased in the big chair.
The motion will go down. Labor is voting against it, with almost all of the crossbench voting with Labor, including Andrew Gee. Dai Le is abstaining and Bob Katter is not in the chamber.
Updated
Albanese says Dutton so divisive he ‘could not stomach’ apology to stolen generations
In his speech responding to the opposition’s motion to suspend standing orders, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, harks back to opposition leader Peter Dutton’s boycott of the apology to the stolen generations in 2009.
He said:
In the lead-up to this parliamentary sitting week we were told it was going to be about cost of living. But they have given up on cost of living and decided to stick with dividing. They decided to stick with division. From someone who we thought could not be more divisive than the former prime minister that he replaced as leader of the Liberal party, but of course, the leader of the opposition is managing it.
The same person who when, as he mentioned Kevin Rudd, the former prime minister, when he stood at this dispatch box and gave the apology to stolen generations, it was a proud moment to be in this parliament … That moment to lift up our nation. The leader of the opposition not only opposed it, threatened to resign from the front bench over it, and walked out. Walked out. On that event. So terrible was it that in that moment of national unity, there were only a few people who were so determined to sow division that they just couldn’t cop the concept of saying sorry for the wrong thing being done, for children being stolen from mothers, fathers and grandparents, families and communities.
Could not stomach it. Could not stomach it.
Updated
Many thanks for following with me on the blog. I’ll leave you in the hands of my colleague Josh Taylor to take you through the rest of today’s news.
Peter Dutton says ‘best-case scenario’ for voice is ‘51-49 yes outcome’
Opposition leader Peter Dutton put forward a motion to suspend standing orders and has been speaking about the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum.
He has put forward a number of motions, including that the house note prime minister Anthony Albanese is “dividing the nation” with the voice proposal.
The best-case scenario of this incompetent prime minister’s approach to the voice is that he might get a 51-49 yes outcome, bearing in mind that you need a double majority.
That puts our country straight down the middle … no prime minister in good conscience would decide over such a process, unless he was seeking political advantage or unless he was out of his depth.
Dutton argued a question on constitutional recognition for First Nations people would receive bipartisan support in Australia:
It would receive 80% support across the nation. That can be put to the people in October of this year. It would not divide but unite the country and yet our prime minister knowingly rejects that proposition. Why?
Updated
Audit committee chair asked about government procurement inquiry
In question time the chair of the audit committee, Julian Hill, has fielded a question about progress of the inquiry into government procurement.
Last week, Guardian Australia reported that businessman John Margerison, an associate of former minister Stuart Robert, had declined to appear at the committee, with his lawyers explaining he had severed all ties with Australia and now lives overseas.
Hill told the House of Representatives that the committee had met and considered this turn of events and resolved to “write to his lawyers seeking advice as to Mr Margerison’s whereabouts”. He noted this could result in referrals to “other investigative bodies”.
He said:
The committee will shortly publish information from Infosys, given they paid Synergy360 in the order of $16 million including success fees and held 11 meetings with former minister Stuart Robert, sometimes without public servants present. The committee has reached no conclusion at this stage and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the committee and is welcome to make a submission.
The committee has heard allegations – which Robert strenuously denies – that lobbying firm Synergy 360 proposed a structure that would benefit Robert financially.
Robert has rejected the allegation “in the strongest possible terms” and says there is “zero evidence” for it.
Updated
NSW education minister says she is ‘committed’ to achieving deal with teachers union
NSW education minister Prue Car has reiterated her commitment to achieving a deal with the NSW teachers union after her counter-offer for 2.5% pay increases over four years was rejected.
In a statement this afternoon, she says she had been engaged in “active and productive” negotiations and hadn’t walked away from the bargaining table.
I am committed to this process and serious about improving teachers’ pay and conditions. I urge the federation to come back to the table and continue working towards an agreement.
President of the NSW Teachers Federation Angelo Gavrielatos said his message was “very simple” – “honour the agreement”.
This goes to the fundamental question of credibility. On the agreement, we will commence a program of intense political action targeting every single member of the government … this is unheard of. This is unprecedented. In my decades of experience never before has a government walked away from a deal in the way that we are experiencing now.
Gavrielatos said the counter-offer “reads more like an insult” and was conditional on it being a four-year agreement, with increases of 2.5% per annum in years two, three and four.
The government has just revealed its state wages policy moving forward of two and a half percent … when inflation and cost of living pressures, let alone uncompetitive teacher salaries, are denying us the opportunity to recruit and retain the teachers we need. This is an insult … it’s a kick in the guts for every teacher in New South Wales, but it’s worse for our students.
Updated
Chalmers says cost-of-living relief being delivered in ‘targeted way’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is speaking about cost-of-living relief measures during question time.
He says global economic uncertainty combined with high interest rates is slowing our economy:
We saw that in the retail figures out today, which were very soft.
He says the government’s “number one priority” is rolling out cost-of-living relief:
That assistance is being delivered in ways that addresses the most pressing part of our inflation challenge and [in a] targeted way that makes the job of the independent Reserve Bank easier, not harder.
Updated
Plibersek blames Coalition’s ‘irresponsible management’ for cancelled Antarctic research
The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has accused the former government of “irresponsibly managing Australia’s Antarctic program”, as dozens of crucial climate and ecological research projects are scheduled to be cancelled, delayed or restricted.
Earlier this week, Guardian Australia revealed dozens of crucial climate science projects including studies of record low sea ice and rapidly declining penguin populations are set to be cancelled, delayed or restricted due to budget pressures at the Australian Antarctic Division.
Internal documents seen by Guardian Australia also reveal the “cleaner Antarctica program”, which remediates the damage caused by human activity including diesel spills, cannot be supported “due to budget constraints”.
In a statement, Plibersek did not address the specific projects that are scheduled to be axed and stressed the division’s overall budget was not being cut:
The sad truth is the former Liberal government was irresponsibly managing Australia’s Antarctic program. As a result, we’ve had to have two inquiries into the program in less than a year. The Albanese government is working hard to clean up Scott Morrison’s mess - to put the Antarctic program on a more secure footing.
Our priority is supporting critical science and permanent jobs, especially in Tasmania. Australia’s Antarctic scientists are doing terrific research on the Denman Glacier, the million year ice core, the icecap, greenhouse gases in the southern atmosphere and so much more.
I have been given clear assurances by the Australian Antarctic Division that there is no plan for redundancies, that a number of contractors are being transitioned into secure, permanent jobs, and that critical science will continue.
Updated
Linda Burney invites Sussan Ley to come to Garma festival
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney has called on the deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley to attend Garma festival this weekend.
She was responding to a question on whether she supports a treaty.
Burney:
The Australian government supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart … the first request is for a voice to parliament, which is what the referendum will be about later this year.
And then it refers to Makarrata, for truth-telling and agreement making … progress on Makarrata will not occur until after the referendum.
… The prime minister has issued an invitation to the leader of the opposition to come to Garma this weekend and I now issue an invitation to you, deputy leader, to come to Garma this weekend.
Burney joked at the end of her answer:
Not only am I inviting the deputy leader to come to Garma, I will even make sure that there is some bug spray available for you.
Updated
Minister for housing tells Coalition and Greens to ‘get onboard’ with Housing Australia Future Fund
Julie Collins says if those opposite were listening to the “thousands” of Australians waiting for a home, they “would not be standing in the way” of the bill:
They are blocking homes for people that need them the most, we want to build them.
And if they listened to the housing experts, to the sector, to those working on the frontline who all say that we need the homes that this fund would build, they would not be blocking it.
… I say to those opposite and to the Greens, get onboard, let’s build more homes.
Updated
Albanese says ‘outrage’ of opposition to Uluru Statement from the Heart is ‘confected’
The PM was responding to a question from opposition leader Peter Dutton on Garma festival, and seeking to clarify his position on a treaty.
Albanese said:
This confected outrage by those opposite with regard to the Uluru Statement of the Heart is just that, confected.
… They know when it comes to treaty, David Crisafulli said this in the Queensland parliament, the leader of the Queensland LNP: ‘I rise to support the path to treaty bill 2023. Path to treaty is a genuine opportunity for our state to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians.’
I support the Uluru Statement of the Heart, and the first part … is a voice as requested, constitutionally enshrined, so that it can’t be gotten rid of with the stroke of a pen.
Updated
Question time begins
First, opposition leader Peter Dutton asks the prime minister about Garma festival this weekend.
Anthony Albanese invites Dutton to attend Garma, repeating a phrase he said yesterday:
I invite him to go to Garma [and] move away from his dirt unit and sit in the red dirt … and he can explain his position on the Uluru statement from the heart.
Let’s be very clear, both sides of parliament are saying that they support constitutional recognition. Both sides of parliament say that they support a legislative voice. The only difference between the two positions is that we are putting forward the position of constitutional recognition in the form that has been requested by Indigenous Australians themselves, over a period of two decades.
Updated
Zali Steggall says sea dumping legislation ‘fails to ensure climate-positive outcomes’
The government’s sea dumping bill has passed through the house this afternoon.
In a statement Independent MP Zali Steggall said she and members of the crossbench proposed a number of amendments and voted against the bill, arguing it “fails to ensure climate positive outcomes and adequate protections”.
While not surprising to see the Coalition support this legislation, it is telling that so many Labor MPs, avowed supporters of climate action, fail to stand up today and demand better legislation of their government.
Earlier today environment minister Tanya Plibersek defended the proposed changes as strengthening protections for oceans.
Plibersek said the process is already legal and the bill would put in place stronger regulations to prevent marine pollution.
Updated
More on Taipan recovery operation
Lt Gen Bilton said poor weather conditions have continued to affect recovery efforts.
The weather is expected to remain a challenge until mid next week.
He said the debris field was located approximately 40m below the surface, and collecting as much debris as possible was key to fully understanding how this incident occurred:
Everything is handed over to the Queensland police service as they will [bring] together relevant agencies so they can undertake the investigation.
Updated
Update on recovery operation after Taipan helicopter crash
The Australian Defence Force’s chief of joint operations, Lt Gen Greg Bilton, is addressing media at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane to give an update on the recovery operations after the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed off the Whitsunday Islands last Friday.
Bilton confirmed that further debris has been located, including the cockpit of the helicopter, using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
The debris field is consistent with a catastrophic, high impact.
He also confirmed that unidentified human remains were observed in the same location:
Due to the nature of the debris field, positive identified location of the remains is unlikely to occur until we recover more of the wreckage.
The army has spoken with the families of the missing soldiers and is providing them with support.
The Australian government said on Monday that hopes of finding the four crew members alive had been lost, and promised to ensure a thorough investigation into the cause of the “catastrophic” incident.
- with Daniel Hurst
Updated
Greens MP compares Labor’s rental crisis response to Scott Morrison’s ‘I don’t hold a hose mate’
Max Chandler-Mather has sensationally compared prime minister Anthony Albanese to one of his predecessor Scott Morrison’s most controversial moments, claiming the federal government was “pretending” it can’t do more on coordinating rent freezes.
The Greens housing spokesperson said today:
It’s getting dangerously close to the ‘I don’t hold a hose mate’ type of response to one of the worst rental crises this country has seen.
The government and Greens remain at loggerheads over the Housing Australia Future Fund (Haff) bill, which the minor party wants Labor to substantially beef up before it supports it - including $2 billion more in guaranteed annual spending on social and affordable homes, plus calling for the government to use national cabinet to encourage state governments to implement rent caps and freezes.
Chandler-Mather wouldn’t say if the Greens had met with the government for more negotiations, but slammed comments yesterday from Albanese when he said the government couldn’t make the rent caps happen.
Chandler-Mather:
The prime minister is pretending like there’s nothing he can do on rents, when he can.
The PM could go to national cabinet, take national leadership, put money on the table and incentivise a freeze and cap on rent increases.
Chandler-Mather noted national cabinet was already considering broader action on renters’ rights, and that the meeting of state leaders had already instituted caps on gas prices.
Replace caps on energy prices with caps on rents, and that’s what we’re proposing happens.
Asked about Albanese’s comments yesterday that rent freezes are “completely within the domain of state and territory governments, so that’s something that can’t be done”, Chandler-Mather referred to Morrison’s infamous comments during the black summer bushfires after he returned from a secret Hawaiian holiday, where he defended his absence during the disaster by saying “I don’t hold a hose”.
Updated
Strong and damaging winds are forecast today across the Queensland coast and in parts of Victoria:
💨Another blustery day along the QLD coast, with strong wind warnings for waters between Cape York & Bundaberg. The culprit? A large high pressure system in the Tasman Sea extending a ridge and tight pressure gradient across QLD. Learn how to read a chart: https://t.co/dGkZYu8NAf pic.twitter.com/Cobvm3sYaz
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) August 2, 2023
This severe Weather Warning for damaging winds is for people in parts of Central, East Gippsland, North Central, North East, West and South Gippsland and South West Forecast Districts.
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) August 2, 2023
Stay informed: https://t.co/T05ONtx8bB pic.twitter.com/yvRXP7xQQV
More on the two new mpox cases in Victoria
Via AAP:
Symptoms of mpox can arise up to three weeks after a person is exposed.
Infected people may experience a fever, chills, tiredness, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, pain on urination, rectal pain, bloody stools and/or diarrhoea. They may also develop a rash, which can appear as vesicles, pustules or ulcers on any part of the body.
Acting chief health officer Prof Ben Cowie urged people to get vaccinated against mpox if they were eligible, and said people could reduce their risk of exposure to the infection by limiting their number of sexual partners:
Exchange contact information with your sexual partners to assist with contact tracing if needed.
People who are eligible for the mpox vaccine include high-risk close contacts of existing cases, sexually active gay and bisexual men who are both cis and trans, their sexual partners, sex workers, certain lab workers and health workers.
Two doses of the vaccine are required to ensure optimal protection from the infection.
Updated
Victoria reports two new locally acquired cases of mpox for first time this year
Prior to this, the most recent case was reported in November 2022.
Mpox (previously called monkey pox) is a viral infection that usually results in a mild illness. Most people recover within a few weeks, however some people may develop severe illness and require hospitalisation.
There has been a large international outbreak of mpox since May 2022 that is predominantly impacting men who have sex with men. There has been a recent increase in cases in south-east Asia and western Pacific regions.
The Victorian Department of Health said:
These trends and recent local cases show that there is an ongoing risk of mpox in Victoria from both local and overseas transmission.
Updated
Australian retail sales fall for third quarter in a row
According to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, retail sales volumes fell 0.5% in the June quarter of 2023. It follows a 0.8% drop in the March, and a 0.4% fall in the December 2022 quarter.
ABS head of retail statistics Ben Dorber said the fall demonstrates the extent consumers have fulled back on spending in response to cost of living pressures.
It’s the first time since 2008 that retail sales volumes have recorded three consecutive quarterly falls.
Retail sales volumes are down 1.4% compared to the June quarter last year. Outside of the pandemic period, this is the first time since 1991 that sales volumes have fallen compared to the previous year.
Retail prices rose 0.9% this quarter, however, up from 0.7% in March (based on data from the Consumer Price Index).
Updated
And some animal news for your Thursday afternoon:
Fire and Rescue NSW have rescued a cow on a rural property in Sydney’s west after it became stuck up to its neck in thick mud.
The calf wandered into a Kemps Creek dam around 6pm last night when it found itself “unable to ‘moo’ve’”, FRNSW said in a statement.
Three FRNSW crews and the Rural Fire Service responded, having to trudge more than 350-metres, with their heavy equipment and lighting in tow, to reach the animal.
Rescuers placed slings around the calf’s legs and a slide board underneath it, safely wrangling the creature and ‘steering’ it to a nearby paddock.
FRNSW said:
The calf was freed after the ‘high steaks’ two-hour operation and returned to its herd.
The RSPCA and local vets continue to monitor the cow’s wellbeing.
KEMPS CREEK | Firefighters rescue cow stuck in thick mud in Sydney's west - VIDEO. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has rescued a cow, stuck up to its neck in thick mud, on a rural property in Sydney's west.
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) August 3, 2023
The calf had wandered into the dam on Mam... https://t.co/ietd8HrdKe
Visiting teachers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing among jobs to be cut by Victorian education department
Move leaves advocates and parents of children with disabilities worried that they will fall behind.
About 325 full-time equivalent positions are set to be slashed from Victoria’s education department after the government signalled up to 4,000 public servants could lose their jobs in an effort to improve the state’s bottom line.
While the government promised no cuts to frontline staff, visiting teachers that assist students with disabilities appear to be targeted, with the number of full time equivalent visiting teachers (VTs) in the state to be slashed from 117 to 32.
In a letter sent to the department this week, Dr Kaye Scott, chair of the National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf, said:
Although cutting VT staff can be classified as ‘not affecting the staff within schools’ it does affect front line services and direct support to students in schools. In just one of the four regions in Victoria, nearly 1000 students at over 300 schools receive regular support from a VT. Under the proposed changes many of these students will receive no support or, at best, highly reduced specialised educational support from a VT.
The association estimates the reduction in assistance to children who are deaf or hearing impaired to be between 30-50%.
A spokesperson for the Victorian government said they had invested $1.6bn into disability inclusion measures in Victorian government schools.
When it’s fully rolled out, the reforms will create up to 1,730 new jobs across the state by 2025.
This includes 82 Inclusion Outreach Coaches, who do an extremely similar job to the Visiting Teachers - making sure we can support teachers and schools working with students with additional needs.
To avoid duplication of services, the current Visiting Teacher program based out of regional offices will be scaled back – and we’re supporting teachers in those roles to be redeployed into school-based positions.
The 32 specialised vision and hearing-impaired Visiting Teacher roles will be maintained to support students in these specialised areas of expertise.
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Uluru Dialogue ‘to take back the conversation in Queensland’ about voice referendum
Group plans to ramp up campaigning efforts in a state expected to be tough ground for the yes campaign.
Signatories of the Uluru statement from the heart are boosting campaign work in south-east Queensland, with local community events and conversations about the voice. The Uluru Dialogue campaign is hosting several events in Brisbane tomorrow (Friday).
Queensland has been seen by some as one of the states more likely to oppose the referendum, but the increasingly progressive area around Brisbane is expected to be more fruitful for the yes campaign.
The Uluru Dialogue says its focus would be on “factual and true information” and education around the referendum, rather than necessarily pushing people to vote yes.
Further QLD information sessions will be held this month and next, in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Inala.
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NSW government to review all Hunter developments involving state agencies
The New South Wales government has ordered an urgent review of all development plans it is involved with in the Hunter region after local member Tim Crakanthorp was referred to the state’s corruption watchdog.
Asked about the Hunter Park project in Broadmeadow, Newcastle, the lands and property minister, Steve Kamper, told parliament the cabinet office was doing the review.
He said:
The acting secretary of the cabinet office has been instructed to arrange for an urgent examination of all current major Hunter region development processes involving state government agencies. We want to be sure that governance, assurance and decision-making processes are sound and when the government receives advice on this matter we will provide an update.
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Banks get green light to work together to combat scams
As Australians continue to lose billions of dollars to scammers, the competition watchdog has given banks the go-ahead to work together to develop an industry-wide standard to combat the scourge.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has granted conditional authorisation to the Australian Banking Association, giving banks the ability to work together without fear of accusations of collusion.
Australians lost $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, up from $2 billion in 2021. The real numbers are expected to be significantly higher because an ACCC report found about a third of victims don’t report their losses.
ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said Australia’s financial industry could not wait to act, adding the banking sector had a key role to play in combating scams and recovering losses:
A coordinated response across government, law enforcement and the private sector is essential to effectively combat scams that are evolving rapidly and with increasing sophistication.
Lowe said the authorisation was granted on the condition banks kept the ACCC informed of their progress.
Earlier today, assistant treasurer Stephen Jones announced legislation for a cross-industry code to prevent bank scams was anticipated “early next year”.
- with AAP
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NSW has recorded 1,856 cases of Covid-19 in the latest reporting period
According to NSW Health, the “rapid decline” in flu activity during the past few weeks has stabilised.
The number of flu cases declined by 9% overall during the past week, however a small increase occurred in those aged 5-16 years.
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report for the week ending 29 July 2023 provides a summary of the week’s COVID-19 and other respiratory virus data. pic.twitter.com/PtUE6uePc6
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 3, 2023
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Advocates for student safety on campus want to see new policies meaningfully applied to sexual violence
Student safety advocates say accountability is key to university reform measures announced by the education minister, Jason Clare, today in response to sexual assault and harassment on campuses.
Clare today announced the convention of a working group to consult with advocacy groups and offer immediate actions on student safety. The changes were recommended in the universities accord interim report, handed down a fortnight ago.
Some 275 students are assaulted on campus every week according to the latest data.
Fair Agenda and End Rape on Campus Australia have been leading the campaign for an independent taskforce on campus sexual violence.
Renee Carr, executive director of Fair Agenda, said there were concerns the policy to support students were meaningfully applied to sexual violence:
The minister spoke about the importance of identifying students who need help, or are at risk of falling behind. We know there’s a whole cohort of students who are in that category right now – as a direct result of their university’s appalling response to their report of sexual violence.
Sharna Bremner, founder and director of End Rape on Campus Australia, was waiting to see who would be appointed to the working group and whether they had expertise in prevention and response.
She said students who had been sexually assaulted were at higher risk of dropping out as a result of their result and “how harmful university responses tend to be”.
We’re pleased to hear the minister wants to review the standards. We could tell him right now, that none of those components are working when it comes to sexual violence.
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Chris Minns says he has concerns about further breaches of ministerial code by Tim Crakanthorp
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has added to comments he made this morning regarding the firing of minister Tim Crakanthorp from the cabinet yesterday.
Speaking in question time, Minns said he had concerns about undisclosed properties and Crakanthorp’s “actions as a minister” that could be further breaches of the ministerial code.
He said:
I do have concerns and I do have to report to the house that there may have been matters over the preceding four months that may have caused other breaches or cause for an investigation by the corruption watchdog, particularly in relation to those undisclosed properties and his actions as a minister. That’s a matter for the Icac to investigate. We’ve referred it to them as per our responsibility and I want them to do their job.
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Sussan Ley says domestic violence rates in Australia are a ‘national disgrace’
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has described domestic violence rates as a “national disgrace”, claiming in a parliamentary speech that “more Australians have had a meaningful debate about Barbie versus Oppenheimer than about respectful relationships and stopping domestic violence.”
Speaking on Thursday morning, Ley welcomed the reform of small business employees getting access to paid domestic and family violence leave - but said governments needed to do better. She said:
We want to live in a society where women do not need to rely on family and domestic violence leave. And right now we are not seeing the improvements we need to be seeing.
But 30 weeks into 2023 and we are seeing the numbers get worse.
Ley noted at least 38 women had been killed in 2023 due to family and domestic violence.
That is a national disgrace and frankly we are not talking about it nearly enough. We all need to do better.
Prefacing with a note that she was “in no way trying to be political”, Ley said she was looking forward to seeing progress on the Labor government’s pledge to end domestic violence within a generation.
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Dutton not attending Garma, says it will be ‘largely occupied by CEOs’ supporting yes vote
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has said he won’t be attending Garma festival this weekend to “try and get pats on the back from CEOs”.
He was responding to comments made by prime minister Anthony Albanese yesterday, who said Dutton should “get out of his dirt unit on these issues and go to the red dirt land” at Garma.
Speaking to Ray Hadley on 2GB radio, Dutton said Garma is a “celebration and a good thing” but will be “largely occupied by the CEOs” and companies who are funding the yes campaign on the Indigenous voice to parliament.
He also said he has been to Arnhem Land, Darwin and Alice Springs, and “know[s] what people in Aboriginal communities are saying”:
I’m not going up there to pretend that I’m somebody that I’m not. I’m a genuine person. Straightforward. I’ve looked at this meticulously, I’m not supporting the voice.
… I’m not going up there to try and get pats on the back from CEOs of all of these major Australian companies. I’ve told them what I think of their position and I’m not supporting it because I think it’ll be a devastation for our country. I think we’ll divide Australians.
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Antarctic cuts may have impact on Australia’s treaty obligations and territorial claim, Andrew Wilkie warns
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is the latest federal politician to raise concerns about planned cuts to climate change research in Antarctica.
Earlier this week, Guardian Australia revealed dozens of crucial climate science projects including studies of record low sea ice and rapidly declining penguin populations are set to be cancelled, delayed or restricted due to budget pressures at the Australian Antarctic Division.
Internal documents seen by Guardian Australia also reveal the “cleaner Antarctica program”, which remediates the damage caused by human activity including diesel spills, cannot be supported “due to budget constraints”.
So far, the environment minister Tanya Plibersek has not commented on the division’s plans to cut some science projects. That’s despite lawyers and environmentalists warning the cuts may impact Australia’s international reputation and influence.
Here’s the statement from Wilkie:
That the Australian Antarctic Division is under pressure to cut $25 million from its budget this year is extremely concerning. Australia’s Antarctic programs are vital in helping us understand the frozen continent and the impact climate change is having on our planet’s ecosystems and species.
Moreover the physical presence of Australian facilities and personnel in Antarctica is essential if we are to credibly uphold our treaty obligations and maintain our claim to the Australian Antarctic Territory. Cuts to the Australian Antarctic Division would not just hinder important scientific research, but also cause damage to our international reputation.
Australia must remain a world leader in Antarctic research and engagement, and that means fully funding the Australian Antarctic Division’s programs. Every dollar that is cut from the program will have a disproportionate effect on Australia’s on-ice research in particular which is already underfunded.
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NSW Greens say government inaction on teacher salaries ‘will only exacerbate’ staff shortages
NSW Greens education spokesperson Tamara Smith has lashed out at Labor over its reported backtracking from an agreement with the teacher’s union that would improve salary conditions and address workplace stress.
Negotiations commenced in April with an agreement reached in June. But months from coming into effect, the union has accused the government of watering down the offer, described by the NSW Teachers Federation as an “act of betrayal”.
Smith:
The government’s failure to address the salaries and conditions of teachers will only exacerbate the chronic teacher shortage which is having a significant impact on students.
The government can’t stem the exodus of teachers from our schools by offering a pay cut. Ensuring good outcomes for students depends on supporting the profession with adequate conditions and competitive salaries.
By walking away from these critical reforms the government is not only betraying teachers but students, and their families, and a generation.
Education minister Prue Car has been approached for comment.
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NSW government walks back pay rise offer for teachers, union says
The teachers union says their negotiations between the NSW government have broken down after reforms were poised to improve teacher’s salaries.
President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Angelo Gavrielatos, wrote to members announcing the executive reconvened this morning following “developments” in relations to negotiations with the state government, describing it as an “act of betrayal” and threatening industrial action.
During the state election campaign, the union secured a commitment from the then-opposition that negotiations over salaries and conditions would begin immediately with the union once it was elected to office. They began in late April, with an agreement reached at the end of June.
From 9 October, NSW teachers were to be the highest paid in Australia, with the starting salary increasing from $75,791 to $85,000 and the salary for a top of the scale teacher to increase from $113,042 to $122,100.
But Gavrielatos wrote that on 28 July, the union was advised the government had walked away from the agreement and instead offered a four year agreement introducing a condition of a 2.5% cap in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years.
The union is demanding the government honours the original agreement and will determine an “escalation of action” at its September meeting if the stall continues.
Effective immediately, and until such time as the government honours the negotiated agreement, any school visit by the premier, deputy premier/minister for education and/or treasurer will be met with the welcome such an act of betrayal deserves. Members are authorised to walk out for as long as they remain on site.
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WA police charges against protestors outside Woodside CEO’s home
On Tuesday WA police confirmed the State Security Investigation Group charged four individuals following “an incident in City Beach” - being the climate protest outside Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s home.
A 21-year-old man, 31-year-old man, 34-year-old man, and 19-year-old woman have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, according to a police statement.
The two eldest men appeared in Perth magistrates court yesterday. Jesse Noakes, Disrupt Burrup Hub’s media advisor – who was one of the arrested – confirms they have been released on bail.
The 21-year-old man is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on 14 August, and the 19-year-old woman is due in the same court on 15 August.
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Alleged victims of Gold Coast childcare worker may be able to seek compensation from centres
Consumer law firm Slater and Gordon says the families of the 87 alleged victims of a Gold Coast childcare worker may be able to seek compensation from the centres where he worked.
“Multiple families” have engaged the firm Slater and Gordon after the arrest of a 45-year-old man, it announced this week.
Queensland abuse law senior practice leader at the law firm, Tiffany Marsh, encouraged other families who have been contacted by police to come forward for advice on their rights. She said:
It is well known that many survivors of childhood sexual abuse do not remember or disclose the abuse until years later, and in some cases decades, but the fact is, the centres may be vicariously liable for any harm the children suffered under their care.
It’s vital that the families involved in this devastating situation know their legal rights so they can make educated decisions about whether they want to seek justice.
She said alleged victims would need to prove that there had been a duty of care between the alleged victim and the organisation, which had been breached, and that breach had caused damage to their children.
Marsh said the parents of the alleged victims may also be able to pursue nervous shock claims for any psychological impact the alleged abuse may have had on their children.
The man is alleged to have committed 1,623 offences against children over a 15 year period, against 91 children in Australia and overseas. All his alleged victims were prepubescent girls. Police are confident all victims’ families have been contacted.
He will face Brisbane magistrates court on 21 August.
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Climate activist details music choice of WA police after being taken into custody
When being driven from the scene of the protest by police, Jesse Noakes’ statement detailed how they blasted the song ‘Every Breath You Take’ by The Police through the car’s sound system.
He said:
‘I’ll be watching you’ – highly amusing.
The Disrupt Burrup Hub’s media advisor was released from WA police custody last night, two days after the climate group protested at Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s home.
Today he released a statement to address “falsely propagated” points by Woodside and WA police.
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Government ‘serious’ about addressing sexual safety at universities, education minister says
The actions universities have taken to address sexual assault “have not been good enough” and action needs to be taken to reform the system, education minister Jason Clare has told parliament.
The 2021 National Student Safety Survey found one in 20 students had been sexually assaulted since starting university, while one in six had been sexually harassed.
Clare:
We have the research. We have the evidence. We know the scope of the problem. We have to act.
Clare said he met with members of the STOP campaign on Wednesday, an advocacy group who said in residential colleges there was no consistency of a process to make complaints and no formal feedback process once a complaint was made.
He said the group “didn’t just feel unheard - they felt blocked”.
Clare has asked his department to nominate an expert on prevention and response to sexual harassment and sexual violence as part of a working group on university governance, providing advice to Clare and his state and territory counterparts on the measures to improve student and staff safety on campus.
I have also asked my Department to make sure the working group consults with groups like STOP, End Rape on Campus and Fair Agenda. The government is serious about this.
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Education minister introduces group to improve university governance
Education minister Jason Clare has written to his state and territory counterparts to convene a working group on improving governance at Australian universities, he told parliament today.
The group will be headed by Ben Rimmer, the deputy secretary of higher education in his department.
The working group will focus on immediate actions that can be taken, including ensuring universities are good employers where staff can “have confidence that they will not be underpaid”, ensuring governing bodies have the right expertise in the business of running universities and ensuring universities are safe for students and staff.
Improving university governance is one of the five priority recommendations in the university accord interim report, which raised concerns over the increasingly corporate nature of university governance and the extensive Fair Work Ombudsman investigations into underpayments at universities.
It follows a Guardian Australia investigation which found universities were at “breaking point” as cost cutting, casualisation and teaching loads took its toll.
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If uni bill passes First Nations students fully funded and 50% pass rule removed
University places to First Nations students will be fully funded regardless of where they live and the Coalition’s “punitive” 50% pass rule will be removed if a bill handed down to parliament by education minister Jason Clare today is supported.
The bill will enact the five priority recommendations of the universities accord interim report, an “important first step” before a final report is handed down in December.
Clare told parliament the report highlighted that in decades ahead 55% of jobs would require a university degree, well exceeding the 36% of the Australian workforce who currently hold tertiary qualifications.
The only way to so significantly boost the percentage of the workforce with a university qualification is to significantly increase the number of students who are currently under-represented in our universities: students from our outer suburbs and the regions; students from poor backgrounds; students with a disability; and Indigenous students.
While almost one in two Australians in their late 20s and early 30s have a university degree, that drops to 23% in outer suburbs, 13% in regions and 7% amongst Indigenous Australians.
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Olympics 2032: Queensland to knock down 124-year-old school for $100m rebuild
Queensland will spend $100m to knock down and rebuild East Brisbane State school on the nearby Coorparoo Secondary College site.
The 124-year-old school currently sits in the shadows of the Gabba stadium in Woolloongabba and will be demolished to make way for a rebuild of the facility for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The state’s education minister, Grace Grace, said the new school on the 11-hectare college in Coorparoo will be ready by 2026 and will include a swimming pool.
Years four, five and six students will finish their studies at the existing site, while younger students will move to the new site.
All heritage buildings at the existing school will be incorporated into the Gabba redevelopment.
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Media adviser for Woodside protest confirms no involvement or input by ABC
More from Jesse Noake’s statement – the Disrupt Burrup Hub’s media advisor confirmed the protest at Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s home was organised with no prior involvement or input from the ABC.
This clarification comes after Western Australia’s premier Roger Cook hit out at the public broadcaster, who filmed the planned protest.
Here is what Noakes said:
I did not confirm the location of the Disrupt Burrup Hub protest to the ABC until after 6am on Tuesday 1 August. I was not at or near the City Beach location of the protest at any point the previous evening, and thus nor was the ABC. Instead, we had been filming interviews with Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigners at the Fremantle home of one of those campaigners on Monday afternoon and evening.
The protest on Tuesday morning was organised by Disrupt Burrup Hub without any prior involvement or input from the ABC.
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Climate activist arrested over Woodside protest says company CEO's safety was never under threat
Last night Jesse Noakes, Disrupt Burrup Hub’s media advisor, was released from WA police custody - two days after the climate group protested at Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s home.
In a statement, he addressed “falsely propagated” points by Woodside and WA police.
Namely, he said there was no intent to enter O’Neill’s home, that the protest was peaceful, and that the safety of O’Neill and her family was at no point under threat:
There was - of course - never any intent to enter Ms O’Neill’s home during the peaceful protest attempted on 1 August.
The courageous 19-year-old campaigner who was ambushed by more than a dozen counter-terror police lying in wait on Tuesday morning had a spray can and some water balloons outside the front of Ms O’Neill’s house. The only intent police have alleged at any stage was to paint a message about her future and then blockade the Woodside CEO’s front gate.
Previous reconnaissance had confirmed there is a rear exit to the property that was deliberately left accessible to enable Ms O’Neill to leave the premises if she wished to. At no point was the safety or security of Ms O’Neill or anyone else under threat from one 19-year-old with a spray can.
Any intimidation felt can perhaps be more reasonably attributed to the presence of more than a dozen counter-terror police camped out overnight inside Ms O’Neill’s home.
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Public servants accused of ‘strong-arming’ sporting bodies not to front Commonwealth games inquiry
Keeping on the Commonwealth games inquiry press conference, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie also accused federal public servants of “strong-arming” sporting bodies into not appearing before the inquiry.
McKenzie said she had heard some organisations had been told to stay quiet by bureaucrats in federal departments due to the inquiry’s “politicisation” and would be investigating the rumours in the inquiry.
That is unconscionable behaviour from the Australian public service, if that is true. Senate inquiries are set up so that the public can see and hear from witnesses around specific issues of concern, and that that transparency and accountability measure is present in our political system.
McKenzie singled out the departments of health, home affairs and infrastructure, along with the Australian Sports Commission, as those needing to answer questions.
The Victorian senator called on witnesses who had signed non-disclosure agreements to speak at the inquiry under parliamentary privilege.
We want to encourage those people that we have mechanisms within the Senate inquiry to ensure their anonymity, to ensure their confidentiality of their submissions and their evidence or so that they can be confident that in giving us evidence, they won’t be in breach of their non-disclosure agreements.
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Nationals dare Andrews to ‘front up and explain’ Commonwealth games decision in senate inquiry
Nationals senators Bridget McKenzie and Matt Canavan have urged Victorian premier Dan Andrews to “front up and explain” his decision to cancel the state’s hosting of the Commonwealth games in 2026.
A Senate inquiry into the decision will attempt to look at the reasons behind the sporting event’s shock cancellation and will deliver a report in December this year.
McKenzie said the decision to drop the sporting event was “disappointing”, adding the state government wasn’t being transparent about the factors contributing to it.
The Victorian premier cannot be compelled to appear before a federal senate inquiry but Canavan said he had written to Andrews and some of his ministers to invite him to attend.
McKenzie said he should appear before senators “in the interest of openness and transparency and accountability”.
If he believes that he’s made the right decision, if he believes that it’s actually one of the best decisions he’s ever made, the least difficult decision he’s ever made, then he should front up and explain it, and subject himself to genuine necessary questions that senators from across the country have to ask.
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Greatest reform in 15 years: legislation to implement top recommendations from universities report
The federal government has introduced legislation to implement the priority recommendations outlined in the universities accord interim report, set to be the greatest reform to the sector in 15 years.
The report highlighted five priority actions, two of which required legislative change. Labor has committed to implementing all of them.
The bill, introduced today will abolish the 50 per cent pass rule, introduced as part of the former government’s job ready graduate scheme.
The rule, which removed Commonwealth assistance from students who failed more than half of their studies, had a disproportionately negative impact on low socioeconomic students, regional students and First Nations students.
Under the changes, demand-driven funding will also be extended to all Indigenous students if qualified for admission, not just students from regional areas.
The bill will also strengthen accountability and reporting requirements of higher education providers.
Education minister Jason Clare said the report had made it clear more jobs would require university qualifications in the future:
Almost one in two Australians in their thirties have a university degree today. But not everywhere. Not where I grew up. Not in the outer suburbs of our big cities. Not in the regions. Not in poor families.
Only 15 percent of people from poor families have a university degree today. And it’s even lower if you are Indigenous. This will help to change that, opening the door of opportunity wider for more Australians.
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Police freeze $4m in bank accounts from alleged daycare fraud
The Australian Federal Police has restrained a Perth property and more than $4m from bank accounts following an investigation into alleged family daycare fraud.
The AFP alleges the assets are owned by a daycare provider suspected to be claiming fraudulent child care subsidy payments, with the money held in the accounts suspected of being the proceeds of crime.
The AFP launched an investigation after the Department of Education uncovered alleged false subsidy claims coordinated by a Perth-based family day care service provider.
As part of the Department’s ongoing investigation, the AFP today assisted it with the execution of multiple criminal search warrants across Perth’s northern suburbs.
AFP acting commander Amelia McDonald said the AFP worked closely with criminal investigators from multiple agencies in relation to the alleged crime:
We want to remind offenders that crime doesn’t pay.
In a time of rising cost-of-living pressures, it is crucial we target, identify and prosecute those breaking the law. Their actions drive up costs and hit the pockets of hardworking, honest Australians – and it will not be tolerated.
Furthermore, this is not a victimless crime and robs the Australian public of government funds that support essential services such as health and education.
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Aged care funding proposal looks to superannuation
Australians must brace for a serious conversation about how aged care can be sustainably funded into the future, the government says.
This includes proposals that could require wealthy individuals to “ring-fence” a portion of their superannuation to pay for their own aged care.
In June, aged care minister Anika Wells announced a task force of economic, finance, public policy, First Nations and consumer advocacy representatives would be set up to advise the federal government on how to get more funding into aged care.
Assistant treasurer Stephen Jones said the task force would consider a range of funding options. However, he said a proposal for wealthy Australians to use their superannuation was a conversation the nation would need to have, telling ABC News:
It strikes me as odd in a system which is about retirement income ... that a third of the value of cheques that superannuation funds are writing at the moment are bequests.
It’s not the purpose of superannuation to have a tax-preferred estate planning mechanism, it’s about providing for people at the end stages and in their retirement.
Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said she did not think taxes were the answer to funding the aged care system.
The task force is preparing an interim report, due in October, before its final report is handed to the government in December.
- from AAP
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A car appears to have been swallowed by a sink hole in Southport on the Gold Coast early this morning:
Not a sight you see everyday! This car swallowed up by a sink hole in Southport early this morning, luckily no one was inside at the time @9NewsGoldCoast pic.twitter.com/HLm3OreDI6
— Jessica Worboys (@JessicaWorboys) August 2, 2023
9News is reporting that no one was inside the vehicle at the time.
Circling back to NSW premier Chris Minns’ earlier press conference, he said yesterday’s revelation from Tim Crakanthorp was “disappointing”:
It’s disappointing. I’m not going to pretend otherwise.
Obviously, we expect better and … we want to have a higher standard delivered to the people of New South Wales. We want them to have confidence in the Labor government.
I’m hoping that the quick to action, the fact that we brought it to the public’s attention in the initial instance and took decisive action is demonstrative of the fact that we are going to be very strict when it comes to the ministerial code compliance and of course, integrity in public life, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. This is not the start that we wanted …
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New podcast series on voice referendum launches by Canberra academics
Two leading Canberra academics have launched a podcast series about the voice and Australia’s constitution ahead of the upcoming referendum.
Professor Kim Rubenstein from the University of Canberra (UC) and James Blackwell from the Australian National University (ANU) are leading the series, titled ‘It’s not just the Vibe: It’s the CONSTITUTION’.
ANU and UC were among the first universities to publicly back the Indigenous voice to parliament earlier this year.
As it stands now, more than half of Australia’s 41 universities have formally announced their support of the voice and the Uluru Statement from the Heart, while 18 haven’t taken an official position.
The Australian Education Union and the NSW Teachers Federation have also supported the yes campaign, while Universities Australia has abstained.
Blackwell said the referendum was “one of the most important votes Australians will likely ever make”.
It’s so vitally important that Australians not only understand what the Uluru Statement says, and what a voice to parliament will mean for Indigenous peoples, but also that they understand the role of the constitution, not just for us as Indigenous peoples but themselves also.
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New measures for older patients receiving healthcare at home
At the beginning of Minns’ press conference, he and NSW health minister Ryan Park announced new measures to allow older patients to receive healthcare in their own home.
A new Urgent Care Response Team in south-west Sydney – plus an expansion of existing teams – will allow 10,000 older patients to receive tailored and timely healthcare from home, relieving pressure on hospitals and avoiding unnecessary trips to the emergency department.
Teams will see patients treated in their own homes or aged care facilities at no cost, operating seven days a week.
Park said:
What we’re trying to do here is make sure we deliver the right care at the right place at the right time, and if we can avoid emergency department presentations for older people, that’s good for them. That’s good for their family. And that’s great for the system.
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Minns says conflict of interest likely among all parliament members who must declare it
Minns also said it’s important to note for context that “every member of parliament is likely to have a conflict of interest” as a result of them owning property and assets:
Conflicts of interests in and of themselves are not reason for expulsion or a breach of the ministerial code, its declaration of those interests and ensuring that you don’t breach your conflict of interest while acting as a minister in the New South Wales Government.
Minns said this is an “important principle” to note, given that people want to go into public life.
They’ve got to know that they can have assets before they seek elected office [but it’s about declaring them].
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NSW premier Chris Minns continues, saying he does “have concerns” Tim Crakanthorp may have taken actions in his public capacity that could have led to a private benefit, but is “not going to speculate”:
I’m not trying to be coy about it, but having referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, it’s important that they’re able to do their investigation, free of an ongoing commentary from me.
Minns' 'concerns' about Tim Crakanthorp were behind referral to corruption commission
NSW premier Chris Minns and health minister Ryan Park are holding a press conference in North Sydney after cabinet minister Tim Crakanthorp was yesterday sacked for failing to disclose private holdings.
Minns said if there are concerns about Crakanthorp acting in his public capacity with private interests, that needs to be investigated.
I do have concerns about that. I’m being honest about it.
That’s why we’ve referred it to the [Independent Commission Against Corruption], but I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to speculate on those … circumstances, I need the corruption watchdog to do that job.
When questioned on his decision to sack Crakanthorp Minns said he wouldn’t go into too many specific details:
I have to provide all that information to the [ICAC]. I’ve got responsibilities to ensure that they’ve got the information in their hands and they can conduct a full investigation …
Updated
NSW premier Chris Minns and health minister Ryan Park are holding a press conference in North Sydney.
Premier Chris Minns is speaking in North Sydney. pic.twitter.com/Gd0Xp57sCZ
— Tamsin Rose (@tamsinroses) August 2, 2023
We will bring you the latest very soon here on the blog.
Coles to invest in renewable energy and battery assets across 100 stores
Coles has announced an agreement with Origin to invest in renewable energy and battery assets at up to 100 Coles supermarkets across the country.
Over the next three years, Coles says it will install 20 megawatts of solar panels on top of 100 stores, with batteries installed at one-third of the stores.
The initiative aims to reduce each participating stores’ electricity use from the grid by around 20% and work towards Coles’ goal of 100% renewable energy by June 2025.
Coles head of energy, Jane Mansfield, said:
Not only will this investment in renewables help us reduce our emissions, it will also lower our operational costs and allow us to meet more of our energy needs from our own on-site solar generation.
Updated
Petroleum tax: Ley wants ‘reduced red tape’ around new energy projects
Deputy leader of the opposition Sussan Ley also spoke on proposed changes to the petroleum resource rent tax on ABC RN this morning.
Earlier, industry and science minister Ed Husic defended the changes – which would limit the proportion of income that can be offset by deductions to 90% – saying he believes it strikes the “right balance”.
Ley said she hasn’t seen the legislation so couldn’t comment specifically, but did say:
We want to see reduced red tape and we do want to see streamlined approval times for new energy projects.
Everything that this government has put forward is about over-regulation and approval timelines that if they blow out too far, are actually going to work against Australia’s national interests when it comes to investment in important energy projects and the resources sector.
Updated
Former NSW Labor minister's breach of a ministerial code identified by self-reporting
The former New South Wales minister, Tim Crakanthorp, last night made a statement on the floor of parliament after he was sacked from the ministry and referred to the state’s corruption watchdog by the premier, Chris Minns, over a breach of a ministerial code.
Crakanthorp told the house he had self-reported to the premier after discovering he had failed to declare a number of properties owned by his wife and extended family in Newcastle.
He said had had initially omitted a property owned by his wife and had then made a number of disclosures before this week providing the premier’s office with a complete list.
The Newcastle MP said:
In recent days, I notified the premier’s office that I have now spoken to both my in-laws and my siblings-in-law to assemble a full list of each of their interests and I’ve provided those to the premier’s office. I appreciate and firmly believe the ministers must be held to the highest standards and we would like to note that this oversight was identified due to my own self-reporting.
Crakanthorp said in his initial disclosure he had omitted property owned by his wife but subsequently declared it, alongside property owned by his father-in-law in Broadmeadow, Newcastle.
He said:
I also took steps to subsequently notify the premier that I now had become aware of the properties owned within Broadmeadow by my in-laws also now represented a conflict of interest.
The matter has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Updated
Assistant treasurer anticipates code of conduct for scam victims early 2024
Assistant treasurer Stephen Jones just appeared on ABC News Breakfast to discuss bank scams, and whether a code of conduct needs to be developed to protect scam victims.
Jones said the issue is “a crisis” and more needs to be done with business, telecommunications companies, banks, social media platforms and government working together.
Tough codes of practice will have to be part of it.
Jones said he is anticipating legislation to develop a code of conduct “early next year”, but that doesn’t mean work can’t be done to protect victims on a voluntary basis beforehand.
There’s already work going on in some of the sectors I’ve mentioned [but it’s] not enough.
[We need to] ensure that we get this moving quicker and with more detail.
Jones said a code would include protections required to be put in place by banks in respect of their customers, and where compensations should be paid when those protections are not adhered to.
That’s a bare minimum I would have thought.
Updated
‘Colossal attempt at greenwashing’: Scamps wants amendments on sea dumping bill
In a statement, Independent MP Sophie Scamps has argued the government’s sea dumping bill is a “colossal attempt at greenwashing”, creating a pathway for new gas mines to proceed if passed in its current form.
If passed, the legislation would allow the minister to offer permits to fossil fuel companies allowing them to generate carbon dioxide and store it under the seabed in another country’s waters.
The process, known as carbon, capture and storage (CCS), has not produced meaningful emissions reductions.
In a statement, Scamps argued that the bill is being “rushed through parliament in an attempt by the government to enable new gas projects, such as the Barossa mine, to proceed”.
If developed, the Barossa project will likely be the most polluting gas mine in the world, because of its enormous size and the very high CO2 content of its gas.
Scamps said she is proposing a number of amendments to the bill, including measures to prohibit CCS being used to store carbon from fossil fuel mines.
Her amendments would also prohibit public money being spent on CCS for fossil fuel mines, and impose “both liability and heavy penalties” on operating companies in the event “anything were to go wrong”.
I have urged the government to accept these very sensible amendments.
Updated
All-electric homes: a ‘powerful’ way to reduce cost-of-living pressures, Independent NSW MP says
Independent NSW MP Michael Regan believes NSW should follow Victoria’s lead and transition to all-electric homes, expressing disappointment that premier Chris Minns ruled out banning gas connections in new homes like Victoria has.
Regan said that while there may be “powerful vested interests” who want gas to become a dominant feature of NSW’s energy system, “the reality is fully electric homes are cheaper to run, are healthier for families and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.
He also argued that a plan to electrify homes would be a “powerful” way for the government to help people reduce their energy bills amid rising cost-of-living pressures.
It’s important to recognise that we are not going to immediately switch off NSW’s gas supply - nor is anyone proposing that.
However the Minns Government must recognise the role that gas is playing in both the climate crisis, and the cost-of-living crisis that is impacting NSW, and deliver a plan for an all-electric future.
Updated
Plibersek defends sea dumping changes
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek has defended proposed changes to Australia’s sea dumping laws as strengthening protections for oceans.
In comments to Guardian Australia, the minister said the process is already legal and the bill would put in place stronger regulations to prevent marine pollution.
The amendments in this bill are necessary to ensure we have a comprehensive regulatory framework that protects our oceans, including environmental impact assessments, risk assessment and management frameworks to ensure best practice is adopted.
Updated
Industry and science minister calls petroleum resource rent tax ‘fair deal’
Ed Husic is asked about debate surrounding the petroleum resource rent tax.
The government’s PRRT proposal is to limit the proportion of income that can be offset by deductions to 90%.
Under a crossbench compromise offered to the government yesterday, the changes would sail through the Senate with the support of the Greens, the Jacqui Lambie Network and David Pocock if deductions cap is reduced from 90% to 80%.
Speaking to RN Breakfast, Husic said the government has inherited work commenced by the Coalition towards refreshing the PRRT and “it’s certainly interesting to see that the Coalition has not responded to what industry has said is a fair deal”.
He also said that debates on what type of tax level should be brought in “preceded us well and truly generations before”:
We believe this is the right balance, [but] understand that people have different views. It’s now [at] a point for being able to get what we believe is a sizeable contribution, to get that locked down.
Updated
Australia should manufacture EV batteries to not ‘thoroughly’ depend on China, science minister says
Industry and science minister Ed Husic is speaking on RN Breakfast about how soon Australia could begin EV battery manufacturing.
Last week he visited Indonesia, who have set up an EV manufacturing plant outside of Jakarta. He said Indonesia has large stores of nickel and Australia has large stores of lithium, with critical minerals key to the batteries of today.
Countries are well in advance of us in getting their act together and transitioning towards net zero … there is a lot of work to be achieved in manufacturing the renewable energy equipment that’s required for that transition, and finding ways to work with one of the biggest countries on our doorstep.
Husic clarified that Australia would, in the first instance, look at manufacturing components of the batteries as we are “thoroughly dependent” on China for certain materials.
There are other parts of the world [that have] been able to work this out and be able to start moving on this. We want to be able to do the same.
Updated
Home prices to keep rising despite higher rates: REA
National property prices are expected to increase by up to five per cent in 2023, having already lifted more than two per cent since the start of the year, AAP reports.
The strongest growth is expected to be in Perth with growth of between four and seven per cent, according to a report by REA Group.
Sydney and Adelaide property prices are forecast to increase by between three and six per cent, while Brisbane is heading for between one and four per cent growth.
Melbourne prices are predicted to grow at a slower rate of up to two per cent, although they might record a small dip by the end of the year.
The forecasts are based on a prediction that the RBA’s series of interest rate rises is nearing its peak.
Report author Cameron Kusher said a limited supply of properties for sale remained a key factor contributing to buyer competition and price growth:
We saw price increases despite rising interest rates and reduced borrowing capacities and anticipate moderate price increases to continue over the coming months.
Voice referendum campaign: Linda Burney calls young people strongest allies
Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney says the voice referendum campaign “has already begun”, urging supporters to not wait until the confirmation of a voting day to participate.
She said:
Don’t wait for a flare to rise from Canberra, until you get started.
The campaign has truly begun. Get out there, talk to your family, talk to your friends.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has not yet locked in a referendum date, but it is widely expected for mid-October. He is likely to confirm the date in September.
Speaking at a voice forum event specifically for students at the Australian National University on Wednesday night, which was beamed to other universities, Burney called young people “some of our strongest allies” in the yes campaign:
This is your moment.
I urge you to campaign for a future you want to see.
Giving closing remarks after a panel discussion - which included Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin, Uluru Dialogue chair Megan Davis, Uluru Dialogue member Sally Scales, Labor senator Jana Stewart and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg - Burney said she was confident the referendum would pass.
Invoking Indigenous activist Charles Perkins, leader of the 1965 freedom ride for Aboriginal civil rights, Burney implored young people: “It takes only a handful of motivated students to change a nation. So do not miss this bus. Step right onboard.”
We will win this referendum, conversation by conversation. Silence doesn’t make history, people make history.
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Queensland will engage in ‘any national process’ to better protect children, state’s deputy premier says
Steven Miles was also asked whether the state would participate in a national process to better protect children, after a Queensland childcare worker was charged with 1,623 child abuse offences.
Yesterday, the NSW government said it would move to strengthen information sharing between state law enforcement agencies and is calling for an urgent meeting of state government agencies.
Speaking to ABC RN Breakfast, Miles said if there’s anything Queensland can do, “we will”:
The story is just absolutely horrific.
Anything we can do to strengthen child protections [we] will consider, because I just hope we never see anything like this ever again.
Miles said Queensland would participate in “any national process” that delivered better protection for children.
Updated
Queensland deputy premier speaks on 'ambitious' housing plan
Queensland’s deputy premier Steven Miles just spoke to ABC’s RN Breakfast about an ambitious plan Queensland has to address housing across the state, working towards almost 900,000 new homes by 2046.
Announced yesterday, he said this is the state’s “most ambitious plan” around housing, introduced as the state prepares to welcome around 2.2 million more people to Queensland over the next few decades.
This is all about trying to get the planning right and working with local governments to make sure that they’re approving developments that will deliver this number of homes [we need], but also affordable homes [so] people can live in close to where they work so that they don’t spend all of their time commuting.
He said the state government has “very substantial investment” ready for social housing, but the bulk of affordable housing will be delivered by the market at market prices - achieved by working with local councils:
The best way we can avoid people falling into housing stress, into homelessness [and] into public housing … is by making the market more affordable.
95% of people live in the private market, and so this is all about making sure that the private market is delivering products that people can [afford].
Updated
Teals express ‘distress and disgust’ at sea dumping bill
Teal independent MPs have expressed their “distress and disgust” at a government bill that would allow carbon dioxide to be pumped into international waters.
Kooyong MP Monique Ryan, Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, Warringah MP Zali Steggall and Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps all spoke against the bill introduced by environment minister Tanya Plibersek on Wednesday evening.
If passed, the legislation would allow the minister to offer permits to fossil fuel companies allowing them to generate carbon dioxide and store it under the seabed in another country’s waters.
The process, known as carbon, capture and storage (CCS), has not produced meaningful emissions reductions.
Ryan said the bill would “facilitate the greenwashing of fossil fuel expansion plans in Australia”.
Put simply, this bill is a key enabler of the gas industry’s plans to significantly expand Australia’s engagement with carbon capture and storage in Australia, particularly its import and export of CO2 across international borders.
CCS and the global trade of CO2 streams are crucial to the gas industry’s global strategy to gain social licence by appearing to act on climate, whilst simultaneously opening up new fossil fuel projects against the explicit advice of bodies such as the International Energy Agency and IPCC.
Good morning! Thanks to Martin Farrer for kicking things off this morning.
I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the blog today - let’s get into it.
Medium-term opportunities to slow decline of reef, report finds
Lisa Cox has got more on that report on the reef:
The president of the Australian Academy of Science, Prof Chennupati Jagadish, said the report makes clear that climate change is the primary threat to Great Barrier Reef:
It reminds us that sticking to that path we are currently on, simply because we started on it, will not offer the best solution for the Great Barrier Reef.
It highlights that in the medium-term, there are opportunities to slow the decline in the health of the reef, however this requires Australia to take further action now.
In the medium term, the low emissions scenario would still result in loss of habitats as well as economic impacts for reef and coastal communities. The impacts of the high emissions scenario would include “near complete or complete loss of key economic activities”, potential severe impacts on coastal areas and individual species approaching or exceeding their ecological thresholds.
The report was commissioned by the federal government and provided to the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) for the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan), a panel that advises the government.
The report identifies “opportunities” for the government, calling for a comprehensive review of the management of the reef, development of regulations and laws “which do not rely on political involvement to be implemented in full”, and improved use of traditional knowledge in reef management.
Climate change impact on Great Barrier Reef soon 'irreversible'
The Great Barrier Reef is likely to suffer impacts from climate change that will be irreversible from mid-century regardless of whether global emissions stabilise, a new report has concluded.
The report by the Australian Academy of Science comes days after UN scientific advisers recommended against placing the planet’s biggest coral reef system on a list of world heritage sites that are “in danger”.
The report says “irreversible impacts from climate change on GBR ecological and socio-ecological systems are probable”.
While the exact form of these impacts is undetermined, the report says they will be “observed in communities, habitats and ecosystems” and will challenge the system’s resilience and cohesiveness.
The academy convened groups of experts to assess the likely outcomes for the reef in three climate scenarios - near-term, and both low emissions and high emissions trajectories in the medium-term.
Under the near-term scenario, coral reefs, seagrass habitats and species groups including fish, turtles and dugongs would experience heightened impacts from heatwaves, bleaching and cyclones. The tourism industry will also suffer from “perceptions of declining GBR health” and there would be a loss of cultural totems and practices, loss of sacred Indigenous sites from flooding, and wider impacts on Indigenous cultures, values and practices.
The report finds these near-term impacts are already “baked in” to the system with a global average temperature increase of 1.2 to 1.8 degrees relative to 1850–1900.
Business Council backs yes vote in voice referendum
Australia’s peak business body will back the Indigenous voice, declaring its support for the “empowerment” of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, AAP reports.
The Business Council of Australia on Thursday announced its position and data showing its member companies spent more than $1 billion on Indigenous-owned businesses each year.
Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said:
We believe the voice is the right mechanism to give Indigenous Australians a stronger say on legislation, policy and programs that directly impact their communities and their lives.
We know that we get better results when we listen.
The council - whose members include BHP, Commonwealth Bank, Qantas and Woodside - joins a string of community, religious and sporting organisations lending their support.
The voice is a proposed advisory body which would make recommendations to the federal government and parliament on laws and policies affecting Indigenous people.
A vote proposing constitutional recognition of Indigenous people and enshrining a voice will be held between October and December this year.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the day in Canberra and beyond. I’m Martin Farrer with the best overnight stories before my colleague fires up to take you through the day.
Australia’s peak business body will back the Indigenous voice, it has announced today, declaring its support for the “empowerment” of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It comes as the Uluru statement from the heart architect Prof Megan Davis says information about the voice and treaty has been “in plain sight” since 2017, downplaying the Coalition’s concerns about treaties and noting such agreements are already in train across multiple states.
The Greens are continuing their opposition to the government’s housing bill with the release of data today showing that the annual value of tax breaks given to property investors is 78 times greater than Labor’s planned budget for social housing. Max Chandler-Mather, the Greens’ housing spokesperson, said the annual $39bn given to investors was “morally reprehensible” as the minor party digs in on opposing the housing Australia future fund (Haff) in its current form.
Teal independent MPs have expressed their “distress and disgust” at a government bill that would allow carbon dioxide to be pumped into international waters. Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall and Sophie Scamps all spoke against the bill in parliament yesterday after it was introduced by environment minister Tanya Plibersek. It looks set to be a live issue today and we’ve got more on this coming up.
Still with the environment and although there is some hopeful news today that the rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen by 60% in the past year, there is a more depressingly familiar message closer to home. In a report today, the Australian Academy of Science says the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef could be “irreversible” by mid-century regardless of the reduction or otherwise of carbon emissions. More coming up.
