The day that was, Wednesday 27 September
We’re going to wrap up the live blog today right here.
Here’s a recap of the news of the day:
Jacinta Allan has been sworn in as the 49th premier of Victoria, with Ben Carroll as her deputy.
Carroll was voted as deputy after he initially put up his hand to run against Allan, but ultimately agreed to the deputy position and the caucus vote for the pair was unanimous.
Allan says her number one issue for what is facing the state is housing.
The Fair Work Commission approved multi-employer bargaining, meaning that negotiations for a pay rise for about 12,000 educators across the country can commence, with the aim of extending any funded outcome to the rest of the sector.
Qantas faced a Senate inquiry, where CEO Vanessa Hudson apologised for the frustration at the airline in the community.
Former competition watchdog Allan Fels has said there is a “really strong case” for the federal government to undertake a review into its decision to reject the Qatar Airways bid to run extra flights to major cities.
Indigenous leader and yes campaigner Noel Pearson says the voice referendum represents the “last best hope for a lasting settlement” on reconciliation, and the chance for a “new chapter” in the nation’s history.
League’s 2023 Dally M Ceremony got under way in Sydney with the best players and their companions dressed to impress.
Until tomorrow, enjoy your evening.
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Adam Reynolds of the Broncos looking cool, calm, and collected on the red carpet ahead of finding out whether he’ll take home the award for captain of the year.
Reynolds is up against Warriors captain Tohu Harris, and Panthers captain Isaah Yeo, who he’ll also face in the NRL grand final this weekend.
Reynolds told a reporter as he entered the event:
Tonight’s all about celebrating the season.
More NRLW players arrive dazzling, as always:
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The black dress is indeed timeless.
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Kezie Apps of the Wests Tigers, who is nominated for Second Row of the Year, has arrived with her partner. If Apps is not successful in taking home the award tonight, she will at least win my award for perfectly mixing elegance and comfort.
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Shaun Johnson of the Warriers, a hot contender for the Dally M award, has arrived in a suede suit with his partner.
Nicholas Hynes of the Sharks also got the suede suit memo. A coincidence he’s rocking the Sharks colours of blue, white, and black? I think not.
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Red is my favourite colour, and I have not been left disappointed tonight. Ashley Camenzuliarrive, the partner of Panthers player Isaah Yeo, is wearing a stunning two piece gown.
The partner of Warriors player, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, is radiating in red.
Sunia Turuva, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o of the Panthers with their partners.
Dominic Young of the Knights has arrived, looking very sharp in his suit.
South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou and his partner, looking dazzling in a one shoulder burnt orange dress.
NRL stars and partners arrive at Dally M awards
Haumole Olakau’atu of the Sea Eagles and his partner have arrived ahead of the 2023 Dally M Awards.
So too has Fox Sports commentator Lara Pitt, who is wearing a sparkling sequin dress.
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A big thank you to Josh Taylor for guiding us through this afternoon’s news.
I’m Jordyn Beazley and we will be carrying on with the blog later than usual to bring you the latest from the NRL and NRLW’s night of nights – the Dally M Awards.
If you’re keen to tune in to the awards yourself, it will be televised via Foxtel channel 502 or the streaming service Kayo.
The coverage will begin at 6.30pm (AEST) before the awards kick off at 7:30pm.
ACTU says early childhood educators will have ‘seat at the table’ after bargaining win
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has welcomed the win by the United Workers Union, the Australian Education Union and the Independent Education Union of Australia to bargain across multiple employers in the early childhood education sector.
ACTU president Michele O’Neil said:
This victory will mean that early childhood educators will now have a seat at the table through their unions.
For years early childhood educators’ real wages have gone backward, forcing them to leave the job they love to put food on the table for their own families in this cost-of-living crisis. Over 90% of workers in the sector are women who in the past have been locked out of the bargaining process and had their work undervalued.
Lifting early childhood educator wages is crucial to recognise the value of their work and put a stop to the workforce crisis that is devastating the sector.
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Qantas CEO and chair say they had no discussions with government on Qatar ruling
New Qantas boss Vanessa Hudson and chairman Richard Goyder both say they had no discussions with the federal government about its decision over Qatar Airway’s requested expansion.
Nationals senator and committee chair Bridget McKenzie asked the top executives whether they had formal, or informal, discussions with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, regarding the ruling that would impact their market share if agreed to.
Both said they hadn’t.
Hudson was then asked about why Qantas began lobbying in January 2023 regarding the Qatar Airways bid to run an extra 28 flights a week to Australia’s major cities.
Earlier in the day, Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka told senators she had met with transport minister Catherine King in January 2023, who had mentioned former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce had been in touch regarding the Qatari request and was “not happy”.
Hudson denied knowing anything about it:
It’s my knowledge that we weren’t told that a decision was imminent, and we actually weren’t formally told a decision had been made.
McKenzie asked Goyder to check with Joyce: “I’m sure he’d take your call.”
Qantas took on notice when it was first told about the pending Qatar application.
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New South Wales has raised concerns about the “volume of gambling advertising” but declined to endorse an inquiry’s call for a total ban within three years, prompting concerns federal Labor may use state resistance to opt for a cap rather than ban.
State and territory ministers responsible for the regulation of gambling were consulted about the mooted ad ban on Tuesday, with no definitive decisions taken as they are still waiting for the commonwealth to state its position.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who has labelled the ads “annoying”, told the Guardian’s Australian Politics podcast that gambling ads “have become more obtrusive now”.
Read more below:
A West Australian man has faced court after he was accused of fleeing police and trespassing onto the tarmac at Perth Airport on Monday.
The Australian federal police (AFP) said officers were speaking to the 18-year-old at the airport when he allegedly gave them false information and then fled. Police allege he ran from police using an emergency exit door to run into a restricted area at the airport, and then used another exit to get onto the tarmac.
AFP officers arrested him on the tarmac, and he has been charged with giving false personal details, using false identification information, and trespass. He could face a fine of $3130 or up to 12 months in jail.
He was released on bail after his court appearance, on conditions including that he cannot go near Perth Airport. He is due to reappear in court on 3 October.
Some endorsements of the new incoming Victorian premier from federal politicians.
Congratulations to @JacintaAllanMP and @BenCarrollMP, as the new Premier and Deputy Premier of Victoria.
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) September 27, 2023
Two great Labor people I have known for decades.
They will do us proud.
I look forward to working with them in their new roles.
How excited are we in #Bendigo that our Jacinta is now the Victorian Premier!
— Lisa Chesters MP (@LMChesters) September 27, 2023
Jacinta has the most amazing spark and such a good friend. She is inclusive, smart and a fabulous member of Parliament.
Congratulations @JacintaAllanMP! We know you’ll do a fantastic job. pic.twitter.com/PWdj3agLhk
Congratulations to Jacinta Allan - the 49th Victorian Premier. pic.twitter.com/pYdEZ5WZww
— Libby Coker MP (@LibbyCokerMP) September 27, 2023
Monique Ryan ditches Qantas Chairman’s Lounge membership
Monique Ryan is the latest politician to ditch her membership to the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge as the domestic carrier faces tough questioning in a Senate inquiry today.
Ryan told Guardian Australia she ditched the coveted invitation-only membership last week because she was planning to introduce a private member’s bill later this year to regulate lobbyists who “swarm parliament”.
The Australian public wins when we regulate lobbying. We all know that the relationship between Qantas and the Morrison and Albanese governments has been too close. It’s not been transparent. It’s harder to do the right thing when you’re being wined and dined by expert lobbyists like Qantas.
The bill, if passed, would force ministers to publish their diaries and strengthen the lobbying code of conduct to stop the revolving door between Parliament House and lobbying firms.
Ryan isn’t the first MP to give up their membership, with at least two lower house MPs having already done the same.
Queensland Greens MPs Elizabeth Watson-Brown and Stephen Bates both relinquished their access to the lounge on 14 September.
Watson-Brown also ditched her access to the Virgin Australia equivalent, ‘Beyond’.
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PwC scandal an example of ‘greed let loose in an old boys network’, Barbara Pocock says
In response to the release of the PwC Switkowski report, the Greens senator Barbara Pocock says the company is “a case study of what happens when uncontrolled greed is let loose in an old boys’ network that does not tell the truth”.
She said:
PwC are trying to win back public confidence after an egregious breach of our trust. The voluntary, unregulated measures contained in the Switkowski report will not ensure the level of transparency and accountability that the Australian public expects and deserves.
A few independent directors, audited accounts and ASX governance principles don’t cut it. What happens when these don’t happen or things go off-course? Absolutely nothing - because they are not backed by regulation or public accountability. PwC’s partnership model of aggressive profit pursuit means that ethics fall at the first hurdle without proper regulation. PwC have lost their right to the benefit of the doubt: they have form.
Pocock said if PwC wants to convince Australians they are serious about cleaning up their act they need to come clean and reveal all who were involved in the confidential leaks and who benefited.
Exonerating international partners from any culpability and throwing a few local fall guys who have already left the firm under the bus, won’t wash. Australians – and the Senate – need to see to all the evidence.
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Qantas CEO questioned about Qatar and flight traffic rights
Asked by Senator Simon Birmingham if Qantas would make a version of the submission public, Hudson backed Finch’s reasoning for not wanting it released, saying “we think that that’s an important part of democracy”.
Hudson reiterated that Qantas’s opposition to extra Qatar Airways capacity was due to fears of market distortion when, in October 2022, the aviation market was earlier in the Covid recovery. She acknowledged Qatar wanted to almost double what was just 2% of market share of flights between Australia and the Middle East.
However, Hudson repeatedly dodged answering questions from Birmingham who was asking if Qantas’ position on Qatar Airways’ expansion had changed, given that the market had recovered since.
“As I said before senator, traffic rights are a matter for the government to decide. These are not decisions that Qantas makes.
“If the government were to reopen the traffic rights debate and were to ask Qantas for an opinion, we would provide it at the time but that is not happening at the moment.”
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Jacinta Allan sworn in as Victorian premier
It being 5pm and with Daniel Andrews officially resigned as premier of Victoria, his successor Jacinta Allan has now been sworn in.
Jacinta Allan has been sworn in as Victoria’s 49th premier. @SkyNewsAust #springst
— Simon Love (@SimoLove) September 27, 2023
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Qantas does not want its submission on Qatar Airways made public
Qantas executives are unwilling for their submission opposing Qatar Airways’ extra air rights to be made public, claiming it would deter corporations from making submissions to government inquiries in the future.
Appearing before a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson and general counsel Andrew Finch gave permission for the submission – which the airline prepared in October 2022 after an invitation from the transport department – to be provided in redacted form and kept confidential to the Senate committee members.
Finch said this was due to a “desire to ensure that corporates and individuals feel comfortable when they make submissions to the government on matters of these things and particularly when they’re invited to do so that their submissions are kept confidential”.
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Circling back to some news we flagged earlier on the blog:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the latest available data on the causes of death, with Covid-19 deaths a significant contributor and entering the top three causes of death.
The data reveals there were 190,939 deaths in 2022, almost 20,000 more than 2021, and Covid-19 caused 9,859 of those deaths.
There were a further 2,782 people who died of other causes but with Covid-19 mentioned as a contributory cause of death on their death certificate.
While it is normal for the number of deaths to increase each year due to an ageing population, Australia recorded higher than expected mortality, significantly driven by these Covid-19 deaths, the ABS said.
There was a change in the top five leading causes of death in 2022 for the first time since 2006, with Covid-19 entering the top three. Ischaemic heart diseases remained the leading cause followed by dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), with cerebrovascular diseases and lung cancer rounding out the top five.
For those who died from Covid-19, their median age at death was 85.8 years.
Alcohol is also an increasing cause of death, the data shows. The rate of alcohol-induced deaths has increased by 9.1 per cent between 2021 and 2022. This is the fourth consecutive year that there has been an increase in the rate of deaths from alcohol in Australia and this is the greatest year-on-year increase. This is also the highest rate of alcohol deaths in a decade.
Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education CEO, Caterina Giorgi, said:
It is absolutely devastating to see the ways that alcoholic products cause so much harm to so many families and communities.
Behind these deaths are alcohol companies that are experiencing bumper profits at the expense of people’s lives.
A passenger on an Australian cruise ship has died while ashore in Vanuatu, P&O Cruises Australia has confirmed.
A spokesperson said:
P&O Cruises Australia can confirm a guest of Pacific Adventure has tragically passed away while in port at Mystery Island, Vanuatu.
The Pacific Adventure is billed as the cruising company’s “newest and largest ship yet”.
The spokesperson added:
We extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones and are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.
Trams diverted in Melbourne CBD for rally celebrating Dan Andrews resignation
Melbourne commuters may face travel disruptions on their journeys home, with trams to be diverted in the city due to a planned rally.
Melbourne city council has confirmed three city intersections will be closed due to a rally at state parliament celebrating the resignation of outgoing premier Daniel Andrews.
The intersections are Spring Street and Albert Street, Exhibition Street and Bourke Street and Collins Street and Bourke Street.
Trams will be diverted on Bourke Street in the blocked off area.
A small group of protesters have gathered at state parliament ahead of the rally. The council confirmed preparations have been made for up to 1,500 protesters.
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Fair Work Commission approves multi-employer bargaining in childcare
In May Guardian Australia revealed that early childhood education would be the first sector to face a claim for multi-employer bargaining, with unions seeking a 25% pay rise in the sector.
On Wednesday the Fair Work Commission approved multi-employer bargaining, meaning that negotiations for a pay rise for about 12,000 educators across the country can commence, with the aim of extending any funded outcome to the rest of the sector.
Employer peak bodies the Community Child Care Association (CCC) and Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) supported the union application.
CCC’s acting executive director Daniela Kavoukas said:
Paying minimum wage does not reflect the value, qualifications or responsibilities of the early education and care workforce and the sector is united on the need to address this. We know that multi-employer bargaining can help make our sector a career of choice, based on current successful Victorian agreements that have significantly raised wages and conditions. Today’s decision allows our sector to come together to negotiate the professional wages that early educators and teachers deserve.
Cela’s chief executive Michele Carnegie said:
This is an historic opportunity to take an inter-generational handbrake off our economy. This agreement can finally deliver professional pay to thousands of educators and improve access to quality early education for children and families.
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Monaro MP Steve Whan promoted to NSW skills, Tafe and tertiary education minister
Monaro MP Steve Whan will be the next New South Wales minister for skills, Tafe and tertiary education when he is sworn in later today.
The premier, Chris Minns, has promoted the veteran politician into the position after the sacking of Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp over his failure to declare a number of properties owned by his wife and her family.
Neither Crakanthorp’s wife nor her family have been accused of any wrongdoing.
Whan was a minister in the previous Labor government before taking a break from politics only to return after Labor’s endorsed candidate for the regional seat pulled out just weeks before the election in March.
Finance minister Courtney Houssos will have domestic manufacturing and government procurement added to her job as part of the changes announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Minns said:
[Steve] will bring his considerable skills and experience to helping rebuild TAFE and the VET sector after decades of underfunding.
I have asked Courtney to step into the highly important area of boosting domestic manufacturing and to end the exodus of jobs and ideas offshore.
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Hudson backs Joyce claim about Qatar flights and market distortion
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has denied the airline lobbied the government to oppose Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flights to Australia to benefit its own finances, as she backs claims from predecessor Alan Joyce that the extra flights would have distorted the aviation market.
Asked about the claim the extra flights would distort the market – a claim first aired by Joyce – Hudson told the Senate select committee on bilateral air agreements:
I can’t talk on behalf of Alan Joyce but what I understand in terms of the submission that we made with regard to Qatar [in October 2022, when Qantas opposed the expansion].
The international market had not yet recovered from Covid and our submission pointed to that, awarding a 200% increase in traffic rights to Qatar when the market hadn’t even returned to 100%, we felt that it was important that the market returned to 100% before we structurally changed.
Senator Ralph Babet asked Hudson if the decision “was important to your bottom line?”.
Hudson replied:
No, not at all. We actually could see that the market was coming back, that that was an important part, that there are many competitors now back in the market, 52 competitors are back in the market now. The market will be at 100% by early next year.
Hudson said she welcomed competition. “We think it’s important though that you strike the right balance between growth and growth in tourism, but also maintaining a healthy Australian aviation market at the same time”.
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Ballot to select Victorian premier would have been ‘messy process’: Brumby
John Brumby says that if the Victorian Labor leadership had gone to a membership ballot, it would have been a “messy process”, but he says it did not and that shows the “strength of the relationships within the caucus” and the strength of the relationship between incoming premier Jacinta Allan and her incoming deputy Ben Carroll.
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‘Firm but fair’: John Brumby says Jacinta Allan a ‘fabulous choice’ for Victorian premier
The former Victoria Labor premier John Brumby says the party choosing Jacinta Allan as premier is “a fabulous result”.
He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing:
She grew up in Bendigo, has raised her family in Bendigo. She is the first Labor premier to be born in Bendigo since Albert Dunstone, right back in 1935.
So she brings a bit of history. She has a wonderful way with people. She will be a firm but fair leader. She has got enormous experience in the parliament, more than 20 years in the parliament.
She has been the leader of the house. She understands the people’s side of politics through her role as member for Bendigo East, she has experience as a minister under Steve Bracks’ government, under my government, and Daniel Andrews’s government.
You put all that together, she is a person who gets on extraordinary well. She has great people skills. She is great on her feet and she is just a warm, friendly person but she will be firm but fair. So I think she is a fabulous choice.
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Victorian opposition leader questions if ‘anything will change’ under Allan
Victoria’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, is questioning if “anything will change” after Jacinta Allan was elected to become the state’s premier.
Pesutto urged Allan to “take action on the budget” and accused Allan of ignoring the record debt the state faces when she gave her first press conference as premier-elect:
Not one word on how the new premier will address mounting debt.
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Qantas chair defends decision to stay on in position
Embattled Qantas board chairman Richard Goyder has defended his decision to ignore broad calls to step down from his position, telling a Senate inquiry that major shareholders back him.
Goyder, appearing before the Senate select committee on bilateral air agreements hearing in Canberra on Wednesday, was asked by Senator Ralph Babet if his position as chairman was tenable given the multiple sagas engulfing the airline.
Goyder said he had met with major shareholders last week, after Joyce’s retirement and other crises were known, and that:
The feedback I got from our major shareholders was that they want the continuity of leadership of me as chair of the board, and particularly with the new CEO [Vanessa Hudson]. So I and the rest of the board take our roles very seriously.
It’s primarily to look after the interests of Qantas, and that’s what we will do.
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Victoria’s deputy premier Ben Carroll says he was ‘always keen to rise’
One last update from the Victorian premier press conference. Incoming deputy leader Ben Caroll is asked about his earlier intention to challenge Jacinta Allan for the top leadership position and how it reflects on the unity of the party.
He says he is proud to serve as Allan’s deputy and stresses they have worked together well as colleagues.
Pressed on why he intended to challenge Allan, he says these are “matters for our party”:
I really wanted to make sure that with Jacinta as premier and myself as deputy premier we have the most strongest team leading into the next election and that’s what I think we have.
Caroll says he was “always keen to rise”, noting he has held 14 portfolios over his time in politics.
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Qantas chair Goyder questioned about Joyce’s bonus pay
At the Senate committee, Qantas chairman Richard Goyder has dodged questions as to whether the board sufficiently docked the remunerations of former CEO Alan Joyce in line with the reputational damage sustained.
Committee chair Bridget McKenzie repeatedly asked Goyder if he thought docking Joyce’s bonus by about $440,000 was sufficient, but Goyder instead outlined how this amount was arrived at through pre-existing clawback provisions.
McKenzie then asked if Goyder stood by his claim from some years ago that Alan Joyce was the best CEO in Australia by the length of a straight.
Goyder said:
I made that comment some years ago? I think Alan Joyce did an excellent job … over 15 years in what is a demanding industry. I recognise everything Vanessa just said about our need to rebuild trust with our customers and with our shareholders and our stakeholders.
And I’m not going to walk away from Alan in terms of the contribution he made over a significant period of time, understanding which I do that we’ve got some work to do to recover trust.
You can read more about Joyce’s pay here:
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Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has addressed the airline’s opposition to Qatar Airways request for greater flight capacity.
Hudson said:
Much has been made of our objection to Qatar wanting to double its traffic rights. And we were asked our view as a matter of course by the department in October 2022.
The fact that there is a consultation process shows that these requests aren’t simple, and there are many factors at play.
She added:
We said the rest of the market should be given a chance to recover before such increases were considered. And that is exactly what’s happened.
It’s public knowledge that governments have rejected Qatar applications more than once over the past few years. Those who have made those decisions are best placed to explain why.
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder said he had had no discussions with the prime minister or transport minister about the Qatar Airways decision, formally or informally. “I’ve spoken to no government minister, no opposition minister or member of parliament.”
New Qantas CEO apologises for community frustration
Turning now to Qantas’ appearance before the airline inquiry.
New Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has opened her appearance at the Senate inquiry by issuing an apology.
Hudson said:
First I want to speak directly to the committee. In the same way that I did to customers last week, which is to say sorry, there have been times when we have let the wider Australian public down and we understand why people are frustrated and also why some have lost faith in us. As the new CEO. I am determined to fix that.
Hudson addressed high air fares, saying “those quoted in headlines are often the most expensive on the plane, they rarely reflect the average price that everyone on that flight pay”.
She also addressed high rates of flight delays and cancellations. “We recognise there are still issues and cancellations are higher than they should be. And we understand the frustration this causes,” she said.
Hudson cites a string of reasons that Qantas executives including predecessor Alan Joyce have been raising in recent months as justification for service deteriorations, including air traffic control shortages and weather incidents, the prominence of which has been disputed by airports and other airlines.
Hudson said “the charge that Qantas is slot holding (at Sydney airport) is simply wrong”.
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Jacinta Allan says housing ‘number one issue’ for Victoria
Asked about the biggest challenges Victoria is facing, Allan says housing is the “number one issue”.
The state government last week unveiled its major housing and planning statement.
Outgoing premier Daniel Andrews touched on the housing statement during his resignation speech, describing it as a “profound” policy shake-up.
Speaking to reporters, Allan says the government will work alongside community housing providers and industry to implement the reform:
That is really the number one issue … whether it’s in my community of Bendigo east, or more broadly around the state.
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Allan ‘absolutely determined’ to walk with First Nations leaders on path to treaty
Allan touches on the state’s path towards an Indigenous treaty, saying she looks forward to walking alongside First Nations leaders to achieve this agreement.
The state’s First Peoples’ Assembly is due to begin negotiations with the government for a state-wide treaty in the coming months.
Allan says she looks forward to having conversations with the assembly’s leaders:
I am absolutely determined to walk with them on the path to treaty. It is a big and important piece of work that we are doing right now as a government and I intend to walk alongside them with respect with dignity.
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Allan says she looks forward to working alongside the state’s treasurer, Tim Pallas.
Pallas had earlier been expected to run to be the party’s deputy, amid a morning of factional brawling between the party’s left and right factions over the leadership positions.
Allan says she expects Pallas to stay on as treasurer.
‘That comes with some emotion’: Jacinta Allan on becoming Victoria’s second female premier
Allan is asked about becoming Victoria’s second female premier.
She will be the first female premier in the state since Joan Kirner’s Labor government lost the 1992 election.
Allan says Kirner was a “wonderful mentor and support to so many of us”:
It’s not lost on me that I am only the second woman to lead this state and that comes with some emotion.
Allan says she hopes her appointment sends a message to younger women and women from different backgrounds across this state.
She says she hopes it shows that “leadership takes on different shapes and sizes”
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Allan vows to continue Victorian government’s ‘strong reform agenda’
Incoming Victorian premier Jacinta Allan says she will continue the government’s “strong reform agenda” and “chart a future course for the state”.
Allan says in the coming days and weeks she will outline her policy priorities as premier.
Ben Caroll says it’s a privilege to be elected deputy leader. He says he’s known Allan for more than twenty years and considers her not just a colleague but a friend.
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'Deep honour and privilege': incoming Victorian premier Jacinta Allan speaks
Victoria’s incoming premier Jacinta Allan says it is a “deep honour and privilege” to be chosen to lead the state.
Victorian Labor MPs have voted to appoint Allan as party leader and the 49th premier of the state, after Daniel Andrews announced his resignation on Tuesday. Cabinet minister Ben Carroll has been elected deputy leader.
Allan was elected unopposed but caucus members confirmed Caroll had initially flagged an intention to run against his colleague for the leadership.
Speaking to reporters, Allan says she was endorsed unanimously to succeed Andrews. She vows to continue to work “incredibly hard” as Victorian premier:
Can I say 24 years ago, almost to the day, when I walked into this place as a much younger woman from regional Victoria, I never expected to have this length of service or indeed to be able to have had the honour and privilege of serving the Victorian community in various ministerial roles.
Allan also pays respect to outgoing premier Daniel Andrews.
The appointments will come into effect when Andrews officially resigns as premier at 5pm.
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Asked whether Allan’s appointment looked doubtful, Andrews replied:
No no, [she was] unopposed – a great outcome.
He said he had some packing up to do and headed off in his car.
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Many thanks for joining me on the live blog today – it’s been a busy morning and is shaping up to be an equally busy evening.
I’ll leave you with my colleague Josh Taylor to guide you through the rest of today’s news. Take care!
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‘It’s time for someone else’: Daniel Andrews praises Jacinta Allan as he leaves parliament
Outgoing Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has made a brief comment outside parliament:
As I said yesterday, this is the greatest honour and privilege of my life, and I am sad to go, but at the same time, I know this is the right thing to do.
It’s time for someone else, and I couldn’t be more happy that my colleagues have unanimously endorsed and chosen Jacinta Alan to be the 49th premier. She’s always worked hard for the people of Victoria and she always will.
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Rod Sims blasts ‘frankly ridiculous’ aviation laws governing Sydney airport
The legislation governing access to Sydney Airport are “extremely problematic” and “frankly ridiculous” in benefiting Qantas and Virgin, former ACCC chair Rod Sims has said, as he blasts governments for failing to reform the system.
Sims, appearing before the Senate select committee on bilateral air service agreements on Wednesday, blasted the laws that favour larger, incumbent carriers by allowing them to strategically schedule then cancel flights and make it difficult for new entrants to introduce rival services.
He stressed the importance of access to takeoff and landing slots for airline competition, and noted the government-ordered Harris review that recommended reforms to take away slot allocation powers from incumbent airlines.
Sims said:
It is extraordinary public policy that that occurs. I really am not quite sure why that hasn’t been taken forward.
Sims said there should be no role for Qantas and Virgin in working out how slots are allocated.
That is just frankly ridiculous … I honestly just don’t know how many people are aware of that. Frankly, it is outrageous.
If you can’t get slots at Sydney airport, you just cannot enter the industry. And yet, the benefit of having Bonza and Rex entering in a more substantive way would be enormous for the travelling public.
Asked about Qantas and Virgin’s duopoly in Australian aviation, Sims said:
I’d be stunned if they haven’t taken advantage of their market power to raise prices.
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Labor’s returning officer Paul Hamer says the appointments will come into effect as soon as soon as Daniel Andrews’ resignation comes into effect at 5pm.
Asked why it took so long – almost 90 minutes since the outgoing premier arrived and two and a half hours since it was scheduled to start – Hamer said:
There’s always good discussions between colleagues and, as I said, the positions were elected unopposed.
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Jacinta Allan elected unopposed, Labor's returning officer confirms
Labor’s returning officer, Paul Hamer, has confirmed the appointment of both Jacinta Allan and Ben Carroll. He said:
All positions have been elected unopposed. The new premier is Jacinta Allan, the deputy premier is Ben Carroll, the new ministerial cabinet position will be filled by Vicki Ward.
This follows Daniel Andrews announcement of his resignation yesterday, after nearly nine years in office.
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Ben Carroll elected as deputy Victorian premier, sources say
Public transport minister Ben Carroll has been elected deputy Victorian premier, Labor sources say.
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Virgin ‘very confident’ COVID flight credits will be used by Christmas 2024
Virgin boss Jayne Hrdlicka is “very confident” the remaining $120m of COVID flight credits will be used by the end of 2024.
The airline head told senators on Wednesday afternoon just $120m of the initial $1.2bn in flight credits issued during the pandemic remained.
The credits were issued to passengers who could not fly due to flight cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers were not provided with cash refunds.
Virgin’s COVID flight credits are due to expire at the end of June 2025 and Hrdlicka said Virgin was “very confident” the credits “will be entirely expired and used by the time we get to June of 2025”. She expected most would be used by Chrstmas 2024.
Hrdlicka said:
The burn rate to be down at 10% of the value of the $1.2bn is extraordinary. You won’t find another airline in the world with that kind of burn rate on COVID credits. That’s because we’ve made them so easy to use.
Jacinta Allan elected as new Victorian premier
Jacinta Allan has been elected as 49th premier of Victoria, according to several Labor sources in the party room.
After a bit of last-minute bluster from the right faction, who were planning to put Ben Carroll up as their pick for premier, it looks like Allan has been elected unopposed.
We’re yet to hear what’s happening with the deputy position, or if Allan will immediately become premier or instead have to wait a couple of days.
Updated
Geraldton in Western Australia has broken its temperature record for September, according to Weatherzone.
Geraldton’s maximum temperature of 38C by midday was its highest September temperature on record, “easily” beating the previous record of 36.1C from 2010.
This is an impressive record, with data at Geraldton dating back to 1907.
Perth had only reached 30.3C by midday, but the city is expected to reach around 34C in the afternoon, which could challenge the city’s September record of 34.2C from 2014.
This comes as a searing air mass spreads across the state’s north and west, Weatherzone reports.
#Geraldton in WA is having its hottest September day in more than a century of records.
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) September 27, 2023
Its running maximum as of midday is 38.0ºC, which EASILY beats its previous September record of 36.1ºC from 2010. Data in Geraldton dates back to 1907.
Details: https://t.co/kVjmXdgRR4 pic.twitter.com/rHDhg7mBa6
Virgin ‘naively assumed’ benefits of Qatar flights would be obvious
Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has said she had “naively assumed” the federal government would green light granting extra flights to Qatar Airways because of the economic and consumer benefits.
Hrdlicka told a Senate hearing that Virgin, which is a partner airline to the Qatari carrier, believed it was an “easy decision” to make and therefore didn’t see the need to aggressively lobby for it.
Hrdlicka said:
I do remain confident that we can find a sensible way to resolve this impasse. One that allows Qatar Airways to expand its services to Australia benefiting not only Virgin Australia’s competitive standing against its far larger rival [Qantas], but more importantly, Australian consumers, the economy and the many sectors that rely heavily on Australia’s international connectivity, international competitiveness and the substantial benefits that flow from both.
Hrdlicka said she had spoken with transport minister Catherine King a few weeks ago, who had told her the decision was in the “national interest”.
The hearing dipped into in-camera (which means broadcasting stops and witnesses speak confidentially) for about 20 minutes to hear details about the “informal discussions” Virgin officials had with ministers since 21 August.
Updated
No progress on deciding Andrews’ successor
The outgoing Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has been in the Labor party room for about 50 minutes but we still have no result.
The view is mixed in the party room – unsurprisingly on factional grounds. The left reckon we will get a resolution today, but the right say it could take weeks for a result.
If Ben Carroll formally puts his hand up for leader, it could lead to a ballot of members, which those in the Jacinta Allan camp suspect she’d easily win. They’re urging him not to drag out the process.
It’s safe to say it hasn’t been as smooth a transfer of power as Andrews was hoping it would be.
Updated
Poultry processing workers end strike
Chicken is back on the menu after workers at Australia’s largest poultry producer declared victory in a pay dispute that threatened to disrupt the nation’s chook supply, AAP reports.
Workers at processing plants at Bolivar in South Australia and Osborne Park in WA today brought a five-day strike to a close after reaching an in-principle agreement with employer Inghams.
More than 1000 members of the United Workers Union (UWU) and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union initially rejected a three-year deal which would have resulted in a 3.9% pay rise in the first year and 3.5% in subsequent years.
But management’s improved offer of a 5.12% increase in the first year and 4% increases in the two years after went down a lot better with staff.
Inghams also committed to changing labour hire practices, improved breaks and an audit of senior management behaviour.
UWU national secretary, Tim Kennedy, said the deal would provide some of Australia’s hardest workers with a well-deserved $100 more each week.
The workers that kept Australia fed during Covid took a pretty admirable stance just over a week ago and because they stuck together, they’re now going to have a nice little bonus ahead of Christmas holidays.
Analysts had raised concerns on Friday that the strike could spell a shortage of chicken and potential price rises ahead of footy finals season.
Inghams supplies about 40% of Australia’s chicken and counts popular brands McDonald’s, KFC and Woolworths among its customers.
Updated
Fire alert issued for Flagstone in Queensland
Residents of Flagstone in Queensland, near Jimboomba, have been advised to prepare to leave due to the fire risk.
PREPARE TO LEAVE - Flagstone (near Jimboomba) - fire as at 12:04pm Wednesday, 27 September 2023. For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/vqyJTUQ96M pic.twitter.com/vcjlulmcox
— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) September 27, 2023
The warning area includes properties between the Undullah nature reserve and the railway line, including Flagstonian Drive.
The Queensland Fire and Emergency service said:
Conditions could get worse quickly. Prepare to leave and start taking protective action now.
Updated
‘I remain unconvinced’: Labor senator responds to scathing PwC internal review
The Labor senator who was instrumental in revealing the extent of misconduct at PwC Australia, Deborah O’Neill, has responded to the release of the review by former Telstra boss, Ziggy Switkowski.
The review, published on Wednesday, found PwC partners who make the firm money are known as “untouchables” and “rainmakers” to whom “the rules don’t always apply”.
It found many staff believe “revenue is king” at the firm and that partners who exceed financial expectations are considered “heroes” who are not always held accountable for their business practices.
Here’s the statement from O’Neill.
PwC, and other large consulting firms, have always maintained that they have appropriate governance standards to manage conflicts of interest and ensure the integrity of their business practices.
The changes proposed in Mr Switkowski’s report are modest in comparison to the misconduct in which PwC engaged.
Whilst these structural and governance adjustments may have some positive impact, I remain unconvinced that these challenges meaningfully reform the structure or culture within PwC which led to [...] misconduct and the subsequent inaction in addressing this matter by PwC.
PwC, and the audit, assurance and consulting sector more broadly, have had the grave cultural, regulatory, and structural issues within their industry exposed at length over the past months. Mr Switkowski’s report merely scratches the surface of these issues.
‘You have lied to us’: Furious senators accuse KPMG Australia of cover up during inquiry hearing
KPMG Australia’s chief executive, Andrew Yates, has clashed with Greens senator, Baraba Pocock, who has suggested the firm sought to conceal its power mapping the public service.
Earlier this year, Labor senator Deborah O’Neil asked KPMG Australia whether it records “which public servants in government departments hold influence, what the relationships of public servants are to one another, what the attitude of individual public servants is towards your firm and/or external consultancies more generally, or any similar information?”
KPMG Australia told the senate it “does not engage in ‘power mapping’ or any other similar practice”.
At a senate inquiry hearing in Canberra, Pocock produced a document that showed a map of public officials at a government department. Yates acknowledged the document contained the photos and names of dozens of public servants at an agency where KPMG Australia was operating. He also acknowledged the map showed the strength of the public servants relationship with the firm.
The admission prompted this exchange:
Pocock:
This is contradicting your comment, very directly, that you do not do this practice. Are you not in contempt to the senate? You have lied to us, have you not?
Yates:
No, senator, that’s not my view. I don’t believe this is consistent with the question. So I’ll stand by that answer... Across our firm, we have an inconsistent approach to things like this. There is no standard way of power mapping, as the word was.
For us to be efficient and effective in what we do, we need to understand who works in a place at a point in time, and what the strength of relationships are. And that’s what this is showing.
Pocock:
This is a breach of trust. You were asked whether you did this and you said you did not do it. You were asked in general terms about what you did.
You have talked about trust. We are sick of cover ups in this place. You are a multi-billion dollar operation for the public sector. And you come here and tell us you do not do it. And then you do it. And how are we expected, how is the Australian public expected to trust you, when you come here and do not tell us the truth?
Voice is the ‘perfect balance’ of recognising Aboriginal people and respecting constitution, Pearson says
Noel Pearson answers his final question at the press club.
He is asked to give a pitch to undecided voters as “the current level of misinformation and fear is much worse”, one reporter says, particularly around native title and land ownership.
Pearson responds that “not one square inch of land was lost because of Mabo … [or] because of Wik”.
All of these scare campaigns that have looped around and revisited this referendum campaign are just saying the things that never happened. Nobody lost any land. The high court’s genius in native title was to balance the rights of the Indigenous peoples with the rights of the new Australians. And we got the balance right.
… Now [it is] the Australian people’s chance to get it right in relation to the constitution, and what we are going to vote on on October 14 is the perfect balance. It is a balance that respects the constitution, but also, for the first time, seizes the opportunity to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first peoples of Australia.
Updated
Pearson: voice referendum will be ‘test of democracy’ in Australia
The Indigenous voice referendum is a “test of whether our democracy can sustain a discourse for good”, Noel Pearson has said, after arguing that “distractions” and disinformation will only become more extreme as October 14 approaches.
He asked these questions:
Can we do good things in our democracy by talking to one another? In a situation where bots and robocalls and the sheer filth in the sewers of the internet come into play, can we still do good things in the democracy through putting our case to other citizens in our country? And appealing to [their] intelligence and their hearts? Can we do good things? Can we rise to the occasion given the new circumstances we’re in? It’s going to be a test.
He said it is “completely crucial” for our democracy that Australians have the ability to listen to one another and put the case for change forward.
Updated
Noel Pearson: ‘We want to put cultural war behind us’
Responding to a question about no campaign tactics, Pearson claims they have been “unrelenting” in “creating controversies beyond the actual thing we’re dealing with”.
He claims it is a “tactical” move to “distract from the simple words of the [constitutional] alteration that we’re voting on”.
The crucial thing in these next 14-19 days is to maintain our focus on the promise and the reform that we’re working on. We have to keep our eyes on prize. And over the next while, these kind of distractions are going to become more and more extreme.
We’re engaged in a process where the no campaign don’t want the country to move forward. They want the country to stay in the status quo. And the status quo is really one of cultural war. They want us to fight about these things forever. About history, about colonisation, about whether Aboriginal people are worthwhile or whether they should abandon everything about themselves and become white.
All of these are distractions … and it serves their political interests to engage in cultural war. We don’t want that. We want to put cultural war behind us.
Updated
Virgin CEO outlines timeline over Qatar Airways decision
Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has revealed she found out about the federal government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ bid through media reports eight days after the decision was made.
In her opening statement at a Senate hearing, Hrdlicka outlined in detail the timeline of her involvement with the government in relation to the Qatari carrier’s bid.
The Virgin boss said she met with transport minister Catherine King twice - once in January 2023 and again on 1 May 2023.
Hrdlicka said the Qatar Airways bid was raised at the end of a nearly one hour discussion for “five minutes at best”.
Hrdlicka said King had told her that former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce had been in touch and was “not happy” and had asked to speak with the minister.
Hrdlicka said:
Nonetheless, I was left with a very clear impression that the decision to proceed was very compelling and imminent. Based on this conversation, I felt comfortable that Qatar would be granted additional air rights. I was so sufficiently comfortable that I did not raise Qatar with the prime minister when I hosted him at the Australian Open in January as part of my responsibilities as the chair of Tennis Australia.
The May meeting with King indicated there was “some challenge” to granting the flights due the 2020 Doha airport incident, where women were subject to invasive searches without consent.
The Virgin CEO said she had requested a chat with prime minister Anthony Albanese and they met on 13 July. Hrdlicka said Albanese raised the concerns but did not indicate a decision had been made.
Allegedly unbeknownst to Albanese, King had made the decision to reject the Qatar bid three days earlier. Virgin Australia then found out eight days later on 18 July after the Australian Financial Review made a media inquiry about it.
She later told senators that she regretted that Virgin “did not lobby on this issue more actively and aggressively”.
Updated
Virgin remains ‘confused’ over Qatar Airways decision
Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has said the domestic airline remains “confused” over the federal government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ bid to offer an additional 28 flights to major cities.
Virgin is a partner airline to the Qatari carrier so transport minister Catherine King’s decision to reject the bid was a blow to business.
In her opening speech to the inquiry, Hrdlicka said:
We remain confused about what has actually happened in relation to this matter.
And that to this day, there is still no coherent logic for this decision when all of the data suggests that supporting the Qatar Airways rights expansion is strongly in the national interest. It is certainly in the interests of consumers, the tourism industry and exporters.
Updated
Pearson: what happens after a referendum loss ‘not something I’m contemplating now’
Noel Pearson is taking questions from reporters, following his press club speech.
He says he does not want to speculate about October 15, with his “ability to talk” ending on the night of October 14 – the date of the referendum on the Indigenous voice to parliament.
He says we’re at “the pointy end of this thing” and he does not see a scenario where this specific question is “ever going to arise again”.
Pearson argues the no campaign is “saying we should wallow in this debate and division maybe for another 122 years”.
The conservatives have already said there will not be another referendum on this. Peter Dutton proposed it one Sunday two weeks ago, [and] it was dead on the Thursday, because his spokesman said no.
And the National party’s position is very clear - there will not be a referendum supported by the Nationals.
So there will be no constitutional opportunity to revisit this question. What happens in the event of a loss is not something I’m contemplating now.
Updated
Daniel Andrews arrives at Labor caucus meeting
Outgoing Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has arrived to the Labor caucus to applause from his colleagues.
Everyone is in the party room now.
Daniel Andrews has arrived to applause from his caucus colleagues. Everyone’s in the party room now @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/84ipMgXeQ9
— Benita Kolovos (@benitakolovos) September 27, 2023
Updated
Victorian Labor caucus, continued
I’ve been told the right are going to run Ben Carroll for Victorian Labor leader, up against Jacinta Allan.
Then police minister, Anthony Carbines, will go for deputy against the left’s pick, Tim Pallas.
Updated
Victorian Labor caucus meeting, continued
A senior Labor source has just told me there’s been no deal, which means there’s going to be a vote.
The question is whether this will be for both leader and deputy leader positions.
Updated
Pearson: ‘No gets us nowhere and yes makes it possible’
Noel Pearson finished his speech at the National Press Club to warm applause and an apparent standing ovation.
His closing remarks were as follows:
On October 14, we get a chance to begin a new chapter of Australian history, to bequeath our children the future they want - not the past that burdens us.
On October 14, we whisper into the wind of time that no gets us nowhere and yes makes it possible.
On October 14, we can carve our generation’s name into the bed rock of history. And for as long as there is history in this land, it will be recorded - we were asked and we proudly voted yes.
We can do this for the love of our country. The love of Australia. My land. Your land. Our land. Thank you.
He is currently taking questions.
Updated
Jacinta Allan has arrived, flanked by factional allies, including Lily D’Ambrosio, Dylan Wight, Paul Hamer, Sonya Kilkenny and Mat Hilakari.
Must mean they’ve managed to strike a deal.
Back to the Victorian Labor caucus meeting
Some grumpy Labor MPs - from both sides of the party’s faction - have been in touch.
The party’s caucus meeting, which was slated to begin at midday, is now almost an hour late, with Jacinta Allan and Daniel Andrews not planning to arrive until a deal has been struck.
The consensus seems to be that Ben Carroll - from the right - is saying he’s running for premier to secure the deputy position.
The Labor left had earlier met and decided to run Tim Pallas as its deputy candidate after it failed to strike a deal with the right over the position.
“It’s getting messy,” one MP says.
Updated
Pearson: Australia could become ‘beacon of light’ with yes vote
In his speech, Noel Pearson says Australia has the potential to become a “beacon of light to the world”, and it is this nation’s “quiet capacity for greatness” that gives him faith the nation will vote yes.
This referendum is the largest mirror we will ever look into as a nation. [25.7] million people will look into the mirror on October 14 and see ourselves like we never have before.
Pearson called back to comments made by Paul Keating at Redfern, that acknowledging the truth of Australia’s history is not about guilt but opening our hearts.
The referendum is testing the idea that a nation conceived in the lie of terra nullius, a continent empty of owners, can come to a new understanding of who we are. A nation blessed with an Indigenous heritage spanning six millennia. A British democracy captured in its constitution, and a multicultural triumph that is a beacon to the world.
Updated
‘Really strong case’ for review into Qatar Airways decision, Allan Fels says
Former competition watchdog Allan Fels has said there is a “really strong case” for the federal government to undertake a review into its decision to reject the Qatar Airways bid to run extra flights to major cities.
The former chair of the Australian competition & consumer commission, who appeared at the Senate inquiry after midday, also said there was strong public interest in the government making public its reasons behind the decision, which has benefited domestic carrier Qantas.
This morning Qatar Airways officials described the decision as “very confusing” and revealed they had learned about it through the media.
Fels said it seemed from the outside the federal government’s decision had been “very protective” of Qantas.
When we talk about protection, the most frequent scenario is a business is in trouble, failing [or] making low profits and the government comes in to save it. You can argue against that. But when a business is making $2.5bn in profits, protecting it is a very different kettle of fish.
Updated
Pearson: ‘There is no peace dividend if we vote no’
Pearson said it would be untruthful to say he doesn’t have a mixture of “hope and terror” about the outcome of the referendum.
No one wants their invitation of friendship and love to be unrequited.
One may sometimes feel it would have been easier to have never extended the hand of invitation from the heart. But whether, out of naivety or faith, we had to ask Uluru’s question - will you walk with us on this journey to a better future?
Pearson also told the press club that “voting no is not a neutral choice”.
Voting no is an active choice to take us nowhere.
Voting no leaves us suspended in the never-land that exists when two peoples love the same homeland but have not yet learned to love each other.
There is no peace dividend if we vote no. There is only the continued acrimony of endless debate. The harsh penalty of division, which will be paid in shame and mutual suspicion.
It is only by voting yes that we choose a responsible middle path for our national story. A story that accords Indigenous Australians a rightful place in our own country.
Updated
Pearson: ‘Let’s not prolong the alienation’
Back to Noel Pearson’s speech at the National Press Club:
He states that it is not inequality to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the owners of Australia since time immemorial.
It is simply the truth. Friendship can increase empathy. We are 3%. And you, 97%. It’s understandable we mostly don’t know each other as friends. If we shared meals, we could rely on the empathy of friendship. Empathy is so important. But only love can move us now. Not the love of family. Unlike other campaigns - we don’t have the love of family to join our hearts with our heads. Not the love of familiarity. Only few are familiar with us.
He said this is no one’s fault, it is only the fact that “we are so few, and you so many”.
Pearson said Australian’s mostly don’t know First Nations cultures, languages, and the “things that make us the same as you” and “the things that make us so unfamiliar, even after two centuries”.
He said Australia’s Indigenous people are not “yet like our New Zealand friends who have brought the cultures of the Maori and the Pakeha together.”
My people are a good people. They’ve done nothing to deserve contempt and disdain. They should not be feared or despised. They have suffered much. Let’s not prolong the alienation. They have much to contribute to their country, if only they be given the chance to.
This is a modest proposal, but profound.
Updated
RBA expected to hold rates steady despite CPI rise
Australia’s inflation may have picked up in August to an annual rate of 5.2%, but it doesn’t represent an automatic trigger for the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates again.
Much of the increase in the consumer price index, the first jump in four months, is linked to rising fuel prices responding to recent upheaval in the global oil trade.
When some of the more volatile CPI components are stripped out, such as fuel, holiday travel and fruit and vegetables, the index eases to an annual 5.5% in August from 5.8% a month earlier.
This has prompted IG Australia market analyst Tony Sycamore to suggest the CPI data won’t “move the dial” ahead of the Reserve Bank meeting next week, when the RBA is expected to keep the cash rate at 4.1%.
Diana Mousina, the AMP deputy chief economist, also expects the RBA to hold.
Most economists expect the RBA to wait for quarterly jobs and inflationary data before any potential move, which would push out a potential rate rise to later in the year should policymakers deem it necessary.
Back to the Victorian Labor caucus room:
I suspect we’re going to be here for a while, staff are bringing huge jugs of water into the caucus room.
Noel Pearson: ‘Love of country’ the driving motivation for Indigenous recognition
Noel Pearson says he has met with “tens of thousands” of Australians around the country while on the campaign trail for the voice.
Reflecting on what he has learned from those conversations, which varied from constitutional law, politics, race, equality, disinformation and fears, he has realised it is a love of our country that joins all Australians.
… it’s not the same as patriotism, because there’s nothing political about this love of country. Rather, it is about the wondrous land and seas, all of the nature and culture that makes this country so beloved of us all, and its effect upon ourselves. No Australian can fail to feel this in the presence of Uluru, and a million other places each of us call our special homes.
I say today - it is the love of country that is our driving motivation for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australian Constitution.
He says it is not a love for each other that joins us, but a mutual love of country, because “too many of us have grown up strangers”.
But when you bring your children to come to know our children, they will each be the better for it. That is the promise of the future. So let me turn to love and the strongest motive for voting yes.
Updated
Noel Pearson at the National Press Club: ‘absolutely vital that we win this referendum’
We will keep bringing you news on the Victorian Labor caucus meeting as it comes through, but for now, let’s move to the national press club where Indigenous leader and yes campaigner Noel Pearson has just begun speaking.
As we flagged earlier, Pearson is arguing that the Indigenous voice to parliament represents the “last best hope for a lasting settlement” on reconciliation, and offers the chance for a “new chapter” in the nation’s history.
He begins his speech by saying with three and a bit weeks to go until the referendum, it is “absolutely vital that we win this referendum”.
With the referendum not long now, I want to talk with you, my fellow Australians, about the largest motive for voting yes. And why a voice is so important for Indigenous Australians.
My speech is titled For The Love Of Country. I mean not love in a … sentimental way, nor romantic or patriotic love. I mean in the sense the late English philosopher Roger Scruton called oikophilia. Oikos, the Greek for home. And philia for love. The love of home.
Updated
What does the CPI rise mean for rates?
For those worried today’s inflation news might lead the Reserve Bank to hike rates next week, my colleague Jonathan Barrett has been speaking to experts about it.
Michelle Marquardt, head of prices statistics at the ABS, said the CPI rate was in line with expectations.
Today’s inflation data won’t move the dial ahead of the October RBA meeting, where the RBA is widely expected to stay on hold.
You can read more here:
Updated
Gabrielle Williams has walked out of the party room - but says not to read into it:
It’s a bathroom break! Don’t get excited!
Vic Labor leadership: Ben Carroll meets with member of Jacinta Allan faction
Victorian Labor minister Ben Carroll has left the caucus room and is holding a side meeting with Lily D’Ambrosio - a key member of Jacinta Allan’s socialist left faction.
Apparently she’s trying to talk him out of officially running against Allan.
He then walked back in. Still no sign of Allan or Dan Andrews here. Clearly they want this resolved before they show up.
Still no sign of Daniel Andrews or Jacinta Allan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/JWcxNzhhww
— Benita Kolovos (@benitakolovos) September 27, 2023
Updated
ABS says Covid was third top cause of death in 2022
Covid was the third-leading cause of death in Australia in 2022, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The ABS reported that there were 190,939 registered deaths in Australia in 2022, an increase of almost 20,000 deaths from 2021, and the all-cause mortality rate was the highest recorded since 2015.
Deaths due to Covid caused just under 10,000 deaths, and were a contributing factor in a further 2,782 reported deaths. The ABS said it was the third-leading cause of death after ischemic heart diseases and dementia. Cerebrovascular diseases and lung cancer rounded out the top five.
The ABS said it is the first time in over 50 years that an infectious disease has been in the top 5 leading causes of death in Australia. In 1968 and 1970, influenza and pneumonia was the fifth leading cause of death.
Updated
Ben Carroll to put hand up to be Victorian Labor leader
In a turn of events, I’ve just heard from Labor MPs in the caucus room who say minister Ben Carroll is going to put his hand up for Labor leader.
Up until now it was expected Jacinta Allan would be elected unopposed.
Allan is yet to arrive and the meeting hasn’t officially kicked off but it clearly means any prospect of a united decision – where the left secure leadership and right the deputy position – is off the cards.
Updated
Here is the full report on the Tesla battery fire we mentioned earlier.
Disability royal commission final report to be presented tomorrow
After four and a half years, the disability royal commission’s final report is ready to see the light of day.
The DRC has confirmed the report will be presented to governor general David Hurley at Government House in Canberra, tomorrow at 10am.
This is the first part of the process by which the report will become public. Before it can be read by you and I though it needs to be tabled in parliament by the government. While the timing on that is up to the government and open to change, we’re expecting it to happen on Friday morning.
It’s going to be a hefty report when we finally get it too. In their final ceremonial sitting two weeks ago, the commissioners described pulling together the multi-volume report as “a monumental undertaking”.
A little reminder of just how much material went into its composition: since 4 April 2019, the DRC held 32 public hearings in which they heard from 837 witnesses; they received 7,944 submissions; they held 1,785 private hearings; and prior to this final report, they released 14 issues papers and published 28 research reports.
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Renting inquiry hears tenants have ‘close to no power’
AAP has the latest on today’s hearing in Melbourne as part of the parliamentary inquiry into the rental crisis:
Tenants have “close to no power” in challenging the use of rent tech platforms which ask for huge amounts of personal data, the inquiry heard, leaving them exposed to massive data breaches.
Digital Rights Watch program lead Samantha Floreani told the inquiry that renters were being coerced into handing over a wealth of personally sensitive information to third-party sites, with little to no regulation.
A lack of protections for rent and digital rights and a largely unregulated rent-tech sector is already hurting renters.
Floreani said these platforms rarely served renters, and left them with “close to no power” to stand up for their rights in a tight market, and that thousands of real estate agents had admitted to needing support to ensure they could adequately protect data.
This left a raft of data vulnerable to being hacked.
If they are going to collect that information and use that information ... then it is absolutely vital that they should be protecting that.
If they fail to do so there should be repercussions.
The final report on the rental crisis will be handed down by November 28.
Updated
Lift in CPI to 5.2% driven by cost of petrol
The lift in the August consumer price index to an annual 5.2% was driven by a steep rise in the cost of fuel.
Automotive fuel prices are up 13.9% over the past year, according to the Bureau of Statistics, hurting both households and businesses. This has been reflected at the pump, with unleaded petrol prices averaging $2.11 a litre across the country last week, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, compared with an average $1.86 over the past year.
Food prices are rising at an annual rate of 4.4%, while housing costs are up 6.6%.
The Reserve Bank meets next week to decide whether another rate rise is required to help subdue inflation now that it has picked up again.
Updated
Australian bird of the year 2023 – vote now!
It’s day three of the 2023 Australian bird of the year poll and we’ve already seen some shock eliminations.
The emu: out. The black swan: gone. And on Tuesday we said goodbye to the masked lapwing, spangled drongo, scarlet honeyeater, eastern koel, and pink-eared duck.
The tawny frogmouth and gang-gang cockatoo are neck and neck today - an idiom that works even better with birds given the relative size of their necks – and the Tasmanian native-hen, known locally as the ‘turbo chook’, is making a surprising bolt for the top gong.
At the other end of the field, the New Holland honeyeater and satin bowerbird are both facing elimination unless they get a last-minute surge in support.
Whether you’re saving the underbirds or backing the leaders, vote now in the Guardian and Birdlife Australia bird of the year poll 2023:
Updated
CPI rises to 5.2% in August, propelled by high fuel prices
The August result is up from 4.9% a month earlier, denting recent progress in bringing headline inflation back to the Reserve Bank’s 2% to 3% target range.
Updated
CPI expected to rise
The latest inflation reading is due out shortly, with expectations the monthly consumer price index will rise in August, erasing recent progress in subduing growth in household costs.
The market consensus is for the rate to come in at an annual 5.2%, up from 4.9% in July, led by rising fuel prices.
Global oil prices have been rising due to mounting worries over a supply deficit following output cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia. This has led to a significant rise in the cost of petrol, currently averaging $2.11 per litre across the country.
Any CPI rise could stir debate around the need for another interest rate increase to combat inflation, taking the official rate beyond its current level of 4.1%. The Reserve Bank board is due to make a rates decision next week.
Monthly figures can be volatile and monetary policy makers may overlook the spike if they believe it represents a temporary increase.
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Qatar Airways decision inquiry: ‘We should be putting the red carpet’
Australia’s aviation sector was taken by surprise by the Albanese government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flights into Australia, a Senate inquiry has heard, including claims the extra capacity would have lowered airfares and boosted jobs.
James Goodwin, CEO of the Australian Airports Association (AAA), told today’s hearing:
More flights means more jobs. It’s as simple as that. Every flight that arrives at a gate at an airport needs about 20 to 25 workers to service that, to service that airline to turn it around. And so more services means more jobs for Australians.
Goodwin said “certainly it was a surprise that we would be rejecting a carrier that would want to fly into and out of Australia more regularly” and that “the sector generally has been surprised by the decision and would like more transparency and more information about how and why the decision was made”.
[Rejecting Qatar Airways’ request] is not in the Australian interest to airports or consumers. We should be putting the red carpet out for any carrier that wants to fly into and out of Australia ... to get more carriers into and out of Australia, that’s good for Australians wanting to visit family and friends. It’s good for inbound tourism, and it’s also good for freight exports as well.
Goodwin reiterated the AAA’s plea for the government to direct the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to resume its monitoring of the airline industry, noting the 95% market share enjoyed by Qantas Group and Virgin, and the fact the ACCC already monitors airports.
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Wife of Australian in Baghdad jail fears ‘he will not get home alive’
Australian engineer Robert Pether has now spent about 900 days in a Baghdad jail cell after being arbitrarily and unlawfully detained during a contract dispute between his employer and Iraq’s central bank.
His family told the Guardian overnight his health has continued to deteriorate. Pether has a history of skin cancer and scans this week revealed seven moles of significant concern, nodules on his lungs, and a gallstone, according to his wife, Desree Pether.
She said her husband is continuing to lose weight, is blacking out, and has lost several teeth.
She told the Guardian:
We are extremely worried about Robert. He has a serious skin condition and a history of melanoma. He has been reporting that several moles have changed, that his lymph nodes are inflamed, and that he is experiencing pain. His emotional state is rock bottom. At this point, we genuinely fear he will not get home alive. A death sentence for an innocent man.
Pether was working on a project to build Iraq’s new central bank headquarters when he and his colleague Khalid Radwan were arrested and detained in April 2021. A UN working group found their detention was arbitrary and breached international law. A separate international tribunal found Iraq’s central bank was to blame for the contractual dispute that led to the pair’s detention.
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Senators question Qatar Airways timeline
Observers of a Senate inquiry into the Albanese government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flights to Australia are questioning a timeline offered by one of the airline’s senior vice-presidents.
Qatar Airways’ senior vice-president of aeropolitical and corporate affairs, Fathi Atti, claimed the airline – which began the process of applying for the extra permissions on 22 August 2022 – first learned about the rejection via media reports on 10 July. He said the airline received a letter on 20 July informing them of the rejection.
The letter had been sent to the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), dated 14 July. As the government regulator, the QCAA is the party that lodges such requests with foreign governments, and communicates any decisions to an airline.
However, senators at Wednesday’s hearing noted the first media report on the decision only appeared by 18 July. They asked Atti to clarify the dates he provided, which he agreed to do after the hearing.
A letter that transport minister Catherine King sent to Australian women suing Qatar Airways over a 2020 Doha Airport incident, where female passengers were invasively examined without consent, informing them that Australia was not considering further bilateral air rights, was dated 10 July but not sent until 17 July.
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Victorian attorney general throws support behind Jacinta Allan
Victorian attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, has arrived at parliament and thrown her support behind Jacinta Allan – who is tipped to become the new premier following a vote today.
Symes is part of a faction linked to the Australian Workers Union, which is currently not in the unity deal struck between other rightwing MPs. It means she’s unaligned and her position as upper house leader could be under threat.
But it hasn’t stopped her from supporting Allan. She told reporters:
It’s a really difficult job and I think she’s up for it. She’s been a great support to me over my journey so I want to repay that.
Symes said she was yet to form a position on the deputy position:
I haven’t heard all of the candidates yet. So I’ll reserve my opinion until I’ve learned who is putting their name forward.
Reporter: Would you be voting along factional lines or based on personalities?
Symes:
Ah, that’s a really good question. We’ll see who the candidates are, there’s a lot of depth in our cabinet. There’s a lot of depth in our caucus and looking forward to a new minister, a new deputy and Jacinta as premier.
She said she was confident - despite changes to the party’s rules - that Labor would have a new leader by the end of the day:
I’m not an expert on party rules. Others might be better placed on that but my understanding is that there is a view - that I hope is the prevailing view - that we can emerge today with a premier.
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Doubling flights into Australia would have generated $3bn in economic benefts, Qatar Airways says
Qatar Airways believes that almost doubling its flights into Australia’s major airports would have generated about $3bn in economic benefits over five years.
Qatar representatives told today’s hearing of the Senate select committee on bilateral air service agreements that its estimates were lower than those offered by other economists and advocates for its extra flights, but that its $3bn over five years figure was based on seat expectations, current demand and average hotel length stays.
Fathi Atti, Qatar Airways’ senior vice president of aeropolitical and corporate affairs, also said he believed the application for extra flights had “been unfairly rejected”.
Atti said the Australian government did not raise issues such as the 2020 Doha Airport incident where female passengers were invasively examined without consent, its employee conditions, its ability to fly to secondary city airports or larger planes under existing permissions.
Atti also claimed that between beginning the formal application in August 2022, and learning of the rejection in July this year, the government had communicated very little about the process, including delays due to an end of year budget as well as ongoing negotiations for air rights with other countries suggesting a “whole package will be signed together”.
Atti and Matt Raos, Qatar Airways’ senior vice president of global sales, had flown in from Doha for Wednesday’s hearing. Asked about a curfew for foreign staff of the airline in Doha, Atti said:
We need to ensure that these foreign young men and women in Doha … they come back home.
Asked if the airline could guarantee no repeat of the 2020 Doha Airport incident, Raos said:
We’re completely committed to ensuring nothing like this ever happens again … we see this as a one-off, isolated incident.
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A Labor source has confirmed that Victorian treasurer Tim Pallas will be the left faction’s only candidate for the deputy premier position.
Another possible candidate, Gabrielle Williams, has pulled out.
Bus fire on Sydney Harbour Bridge, no injuries, traffic delays ongoing
A bus fire on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been causing commuter chaos this morning, with traffic delays expected to be ongoing.
A bus caught fire earlier this morning on the bridge, with emergency services rushing to extinguish the blaze.
NSW Police said the fire had been extinguished and that motorists could expect ongoing traffic delays.
At this stage, NSW Police said there appeared to be no injuries and the fire was due to a mechanical failure.
We will bring you more on the blog soon.
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Victorian treasurer puts hand up for deputy premier position
As we previously flagged earlier, Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, has put his hand up for the deputy premier position.
Pallas, formerly a leader in the right faction, defected to the left late last year. He told a socialist left meeting this morning he intends to run for the deputy position, according to two Labor MPs in the room.
It comes after the left and right of the party failed to strike a deal overnight on the deputy position.
Pallas could be seen as a safe pair of hands and an ally to Jacinta Allan, who is expected to take on the leadership position.
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Tesla batteries involved in storage fire in Queensland
Genex Power has confirmed that Tesla batteries were involved in the fire at a Queensland power sub-station overnight.
Genex Power owns and operates the $60m Bouldercombe Battery Project, where a fire broke out around 7.45pm last night.
The company confirmed that one of the 40 Megapack units caught fire, and no-one was on site at the time.
Following advice from the Queensland fire and emergency service and “established protocols”, the fire is being allowed to burn out under supervision, with no water required to be used on the fire itself.
No other Megapack modules have been impacted.
The fire is currently contained and the site has been disconnected from the grid.
Genex said it is working with Tesla to investigate the root cause of the incident.
The Bouldercombe Battery Project is one of the first standalone large-scale battery energy storage systems (Bess) in Queensland. Tesla was the battery integrator and supplier for the project, according to the Genex website, utilising the Tesla Megapack 2.0. It went live in July.
Queensland emergency services advise nearby residents to their keep doors and windows shut due to low-lying smoke, which is expected to persist in the coming hours.
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Victorian GPs thank outgoing Victorian premier Daniel Andrews
The peak body for general practitioners has paid tribute to Daniel Andrews’ leadership, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Anita Munoz, the Victorian chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs, said Andrews “had to make tough decisions to save lives and protect our frontline health workers”.
The Andrews Government has been supportive of general practice, including providing additional funding for state GP-led respiratory clinics, GP urgent care clinics, and grants supporting GPs to deliver influenza and Covid-19 vaccinations.
It has also provided incentives to boost the number of GPs in training, including $30,000 top-up payments, available for those applying for next year’s training intake.
Munoz said she looks forward to working with Victoria’s next premier to ensure general practice remains “strong and sustainable in our state, and we have enough GPs in every community”.
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Federal government still investigating ethical frameworks of PwC Australia spinoff, Scyne
The finance department is still investigating whether federal government contracts should be awarded to PwC Australia’s new spinoff, Scyne.
In June, PwC Australia announced it would divest its entire government services division for just $1 to Allegro Funds, which has led the creation of the new consultancy firm Scyne. The divestment was triggered by a reputation crisis due to the misuse of confidential government information by a former PwC Australia partner.
Finance deputy secretary, Andrew Jaggers, has told a senate inquiry that his colleagues are continuing to examine whether Scyne has appropriate ethical standards and practices in place to ensure it does not replicate misconduct that occurred at PwC Australia.
The department is also reviewing staff transferred from PwC Australia to Scyne and whether there are any conflicts of interest that need to be declared. It is also waiting for Scyne to respond to any findings contained in a review of PwC Australia by former Telstra boss, Ziggy Switkowski, which is expected to be released later today.
Here’s what Jaggers told the inquiry:
We have been working to assess whether Scyne, as a new entity, has the right governance structures and arrangements in place to deal with the issues in PwC’s performance that have been identified.
Because of the issues with the ethical standing of PwC ... we have commenced a thorough examination of Scyne to determine whether it is a reasonable organisation for those contracts to be given to and to be on the panel as a replacement PwC.
We issued a procurement policy note that reminded all procuring entities that they should be taking into account the ethical standing of entities and in relation to the PwC to Scyne transition, we are doing that examination.
Updated
Queensland battery fire sparks online energy policy spat
A fire at a power sub-station in Queensland, which broke out in a battery storage bank last night, has only fuelled Australia’s energy debate as politicians clash on social media.
As we brought you earlier on the blog, the fire near Rockhamptom is believed to have started in a lithium battery storage unit around 7.45pm on Tuesday.
The fire has been contained to one unit, emergency services confirmed, with a smoke hazard still present.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan jumped on the fire as a reason to discredit renewables, writing online:
Our new energy grid is worse than our old energy grid.
Climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen responded that the “LNP will find any excuse to demonise renewables”.
A gas bottle caught on fire at a service station in my electorate last week. It set off a series of explosions and a major fire. I don’t remember you drawing a conclusion about energy safety from that?
A gas bottle caught on fire at a service station in my electorate last week. It set off a series of explosions and a major fire. I don’t remember you drawing a conclusion about energy safety from that @mattjcan? The LNP will find any excuse to demonise renewables.
— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) September 26, 2023
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Rental crisis hearing continues, today’s focus on homebuyers and renters’ data
A parliamentary committee will continue its examination of the worsening impact of Australia’s rental crisis during hearings in Melbourne today, AAP reports.
Digital technologies are set to be probed today, with educational organisation Digital Rights Watch saying real estate is “one of the most data invasive industries”.
The increasing use of digital technologies and automated systems in real estate have allowed the sector to accumulate huge amounts of information on homebuyers, renters and those looking to inspect homes.
Renters specifically are often coerced into signing up to third-party sites and submitting sensitive information like birth certificates, passports and drivers licences as a condition to rent a home.
An April survey by consumer advocacy group CHOICE found 41% of renters were pressured to use a third-party platform and about two-thirds of users were uncomfortable with the amount of information disclosed.
But many renters have no choice but to use these platforms.
The parliamentary committee will also hear from renters’ associations, public policy think-tank the Grattan Institute, property owners groups, homelessness organisations and those with experience of the rental market.
Its final report on the rental crisis is due by 28 November.
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Plenty of MPs are arriving at state parliament this morning ahead of the vote to determine the next Victorian premier at midday.
Ahead of that vote, the powerful socialist left faction is meeting to determine their game plan. Members of the faction including ministers Steve Dimopoulos and Gayle Tierney, backbencher Gary Maas, and Shaun Leane from the plumber’s union, all backed Jacinta Allan as they arrived.
What’s the business about three days?: Labor rule may leave Victoria with acting premier
When Victorian treasurer, Tim Pallas, arrived at parliament earlier he was asked about a new Labor party rule that could mean the premier’s position has to remain vacant for three days.
According to Labor MPs, this was a weird quirk introduced to the party’s rules in the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd era to ensure we don’t see another repeat of 2013. Another rule introduced at the time was the requirement of a vote of the Labor membership if two candidates put their hand up for the leadership position.
Some MPs I’ve spoken to, however, are unsure whether the rules apply to a Victorian leadership spill. This is expected to be fleshed out in the caucus meeting at midday.
Whether from the right or left, all agree they’re keen to avoid a drawn-out membership vote, which would likely be won by Jacinta Allan.
One Labor MP told me last night:
No one wants to see a three-month process that would give us the same answer that caucus will. Jacinta Allan has the most backers in the party room and of members too - she’s a regional MP with a high-profile. Let’s not waste everyone’s time.
As for the possibility of a three-day vacancy, MPs say this could be worked around by having an interim acting premier.
We’ll know more at midday.
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Federal government sought to overhaul hundreds of contracts after PwC confidentiality breach
The Finance Department has revealed the changes it introduced after becoming aware that a former partner at PwC Australia misused confidential government information about tax changes and passed it on to private clients.
Deputy secretary, Andrew Jaggers, has told a senate inquiry that in May the department contacted 414 businesses that work with the government seeking to amend their contracts. The department wanted to include a new clause requiring them to immediately notify the government of any regulatory action, legal proceedings, or adverse findings against staff that may impact the Commonwealth’s reputation.
Here’s what Jaggers told the inquiry:
What that would enable the Commonwealth to do is to terminate the contract from material breach. Or, if there was an adverse event, the contract manager might ask for a remediation plan and if they’re not satisfied with that remediation plan, there’s potential for the procuring agency (...) to cancel or terminate those contracts.
Qatar finds extra flights decision ‘very confusing’, inquiry hears
Qatar Airways representatives have told a senate inquiry the reasons for rejecting their request to add extra flights to Australia remains “very confusing”, and that the Qatar regulator is still waiting for explanatory consultations from Australia’s department of transport and infrastructure.
Fathi Atti, Qatar Airways’ senior vice president of aeropolitical and corporate affairs, criticised the various reasons the government had provided for the rejection.
He told the senate inquiry:
This is a very confusing status because we don’t know the reason …but of course we read the media.
Earlier, Atti spoke of how the airline first learned of the rejection through media reports. He added:
It was shocking for us to get the decision through the media and it was more shocking that we received the letter later which does not describe why.
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‘Surprised and shocked’: Qatar Airways tells inquiry they learned about government’s rejection of flights through media
Qatar Airways was “surprised and shocked” by the Albanese government’s decision to reject its request to almost double flight to Australia, and first learned about the rejection via media reports, its leaders have told a senate inquiry.
Matt Raos, Qatar Airways’ senior vice president of global sales, is appearing before a hearing of the senate select committee on bilateral air service agreements – set up to examine the rejection of the carrier’s request. He said:
We were surprised and shocked by the decision of the Australian Government to reject our application for additional flights to Australia. Even more surprising was that the government gave us no reason for rejecting our application.
Raos noted the airline had served Australia during the strict pandemic hotel quarantine arrival cap era:
We were there when Australians faced tough times. When other airlines turned their back on Australia, Australians turned to us. During Covid the Australian Government asked us to help Australians return home.
Fathi Atti, Qatar Airways’ senior vice president of aeropolitical and corporate affairs, claimed the airline – which began the processing of applying for the extra permissions on 22 August 2022 – first learned about the rejection via media reports on 10 July.
He said the airline received a letter dated 14 July six days after that date, on 20 July, informing them directly of the rejection.
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Qantas’ reputation ‘has been trashed’, Bridget McKenzie says
Earlier, Bridget McKenzie spoke to ABC RN ahead of Qantas chairman Richard Goyder’s appearance at a senate inquiry today into the Qatar airways decision:
Asked whether Goyder should resign, McKenzie reiterated her view that it is a matter for shareholders. She told host Patricia Karvelas:
I think you are right that our once great national carrier, that we’re all very proud to call the spirit of Australia’s reputation, has been trashed. And not just by the board, but by the former CEOs behaviour and perceived cozy relationship with the Albanese government.
Speaking of today’s hearings, which just began, McKenzie said:
We have found that the [Qatar airways] decision was not made in national interest, but in the interest of the most dominating player in Australian regulation.
If one of our supermarkets had the market share that Qantas has in aviation, when you combine it with [Jetstar], we’d be ripping it apart.
Updated
Victorian treasurer Tim Pallas hasn’t ruled out tilt for deputy premier
Arriving at parliament he said:
We’ve got a ballot on and the most important thing, I think at the moment, given that this is a difficult time for the party, is that we respect the processes of caucus and therefore, I don’t think publicly canvassing what’s going to happen does any good.
Asked if he thinks we’ll have a new premier by the end of the day - there’s some questions around whether the role has to be vacant for three days - Pallas says that’s up to Labor MPs:
Well, we are entirely within the hands of the caucus about what the outcome is and when they see it’s appropriate to determine the matter. So sorry, I’d like to give you some clarity, but it’s entirely within the hands of the caucus.
Reporter: Even if there’s one nomination do we have to wait three days for nominations to open and close?
Pallas:
Don’t know, I’m sure there’ll be plenty prognosticators on the rules of the caucus who will be able to give you a more informed view than I can.
He also confirms he’s speaking to colleagues about the deputy position:
I’m still consulting with my colleagues about that. And of course, it’s important to see who the leader is … and that person gets the opportunity to pick the person that they want to be the deputy.
Covid-19 inquiry is ‘independent’, to work with states when necessary, Albanese says
Anthony Albanese was also asked about the government’s Covid-19 inquiry, and calls for state lockdowns to be included within the scope of what is investigated.
Albanese told ABC Melbourne radio that because it is a Commonwealth inquiry, it will examine how the Commonwealth interacted with the states and territories:
State governments, of course, can have inquiries and can examine their own actions as well. You would need effectively nine different inquiries, because each state did some things that were different. And we want to learn about what worked, what didn’t work, and to project about the future.
When pressed further, Albanese said the inquiry will be “independent” and work with the state governments where needed.
Updated
Albanese calls front page photo of Dan Andrews’ fall a ‘low point in journalism’
Prime minister Anthony Albanese was also asked about “conspiracy theories” surrounding Daniel Andrews during his time as premier, and things said about him on social media – whether it was scrutiny, or memes.
Albanese said people going into politics today would have to look at “some of the activity that is now a part of public life” and pause for thought.
He referenced the time he went to Andrews house for “a political chat and a barbecue”, where the pair posted a photo online and had people – including federal MPs – questioning whether the steak was cooked.
I’m not quite sure why you would have a fake steak or plastic [steak], I’m not quite sure where the conspiracy theories were coming from there. I mean, it’s just bizarre.
Albanese said it was a “low point in journalism” when a front page photo was published, showing the stairs that Andrews fell down while on a family holiday.
[That accident had] real consequences for his health and to have to put up with that sort of nonsense that was going on at that time, I just found quite extraordinary the level of vitriol.
It’s unfortunate that some people, who should know better, help to push that sort of activity, but it will put off people going into public life.
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‘No doubt’ Andrews was a ‘very strong leader’, Albanese says
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is speaking to Raf Epstein on ABC Melbourne radio.
When asked if Victoria had a Labor government or Andrews government, Albanese said, “it was a Labor government led by Daniel Andrews”.
No individual can actually run a government by themselves. So I’ve seen some of the commentary, but that’s just not possible.
Albanese said Andrews helmed a “very loyal and competent” team that changed over time, but also had consistency with people like Tim Pallas and Jacinta Allan “major parts … from the very beginning”.
… But there’s no doubt that he was a very strong leader.
The prime minister credited Andrews for having a good relationship with his fellow premiers and chief ministers, noting that he worked closely with former NSW premiers Dominic Perrottet and Gladys Berejiklian during the pandemic.
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Jacinta Allan arrives at parliament ahead of Victorian premier vote
Jacinta Allan - the most likely successor to Daniel Andrews as Victorian premier - has arrived at parliament ahead of a vote later today.
She was joined by her upper house colleague and factional ally, Sheena Watt, as she walked into parliament.
Allan:
There’s caucus meeting this morning, I’m looking forward to joining the caucus with my colleagues and letting the usual caucus process run its course.
Asked if she had the support of her Labor colleagues, she said:
I’m going to respect my colleagues and let the usual caucus process run it’s course.
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NSW pharmacies to prescribe oral contraceptive pill
Women in NSW will soon have easier access to the oral contraceptive pill as the government expands a state-wide clinical trial to ease pressure on GPs, AAP reports.
Under the changes, women will be able to obtain a prescription for resupply of the pill from their pharmacist without having to see a doctor, except if it is the first time they have taken the medication.
The pilot phase of the community pharmacy prescribing trial to treat basic health complaints at local pharmacies launched in May.
In July it was expanded to include treatment for women suffering urinary tract infections or UTIs.
The state’s chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the scheme had been particularly popular in regional areas, which often had fewer GPs available.
Health minister Ryan Park is set to join Dr Chant in an announcement on Wednesday.
Allan would make a ‘fantastic premier’, Victorian government minister says
Victorian government minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, has thrown her support behind her factional ally, Jacinta Allan, to replace Daniel Andrews as premier.
D’Ambrosio - key figure in Labor’s socialist left faction - told reporters outside parliament Allan would make a “fantastic premier”:
She’s gotten a hell of a lot of experience and has served us very well in the roles that she’s played and certainly that’s where my support will be.
She says all of the Labor caucus wants a “smooth” transition, though acknowledged the team will look different:
Obviously it’s going to be a different look in terms of the leadership team with Jacinta Allan [as premier] but I’m very confident we’ll work our way through it in a way that gets us back to governing and governing well
Despite her colleagues floating her as a possible deputy, D’Ambrosio says it was “never on my agenda”:
I’ve been very clear to my colleagues it’s not something I have pursued, I’m not interested in pursuing. We’ll get through the process today and see what we come up with.
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‘A lot of work to do’ for new Victorian premier, opposition leader says
Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto told ABC News Breakfast was not surprised by outgoing premier Daniel Andrews’ announcement yesterday as he’s been “under enormous pressure this year”.
Whilst I do recognise … that the premier has served the people of Mulgrave and this parliament for 21 years, we do have to face facts and the facts are that the place is falling apart and there are a lot of challenges that the Victorian government faces … Victorians are paying for [it] because of that waste and incompetence.
We were expecting something. As to the day, no-one could have predicted that, but there’s a lot of work to do for the new leader, whoever it is, and frankly I’m not sure that much will change, it will still be the same Labor party running the government.
Pesutto was questioned on his own party, after criticising the Labor party on a range of measures. Asked whether the Victorian Liberals are united, he said they have a “diversity of views” like any party.
Q: Can you guarantee to be the Liberal Party leader at the next election?
Pesutto:
… The only guarantee anybody can give you is are they prepared to work as hard as they can to get the best outcome for the people. And Michael, I promise you, I promise all of our viewers around the country, I’m doing the best I can for the Victorian people.
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Qantas has ‘big job’ in regaining ‘trust and credibility’, Chalmers says
Jim Chalmers also answered questions about Qantas ahead of today’s airline industry hearing.
He said the national carrier has got a “big job to do to regain trust and credibility” amongst customers and the nation more broadly.
This parliamentary inquiry is an important way to make sure that the leader[s] of Qantas are accountable and have to explain what happened here. And I think that the new CEO, Vanessa Hudson, understands that Qantas has a lot of work to do. And that’s important to try to regain that trust and credibility.
Q: Do you think Qantas chairman Richard Goyder should also go?
Chalmers:
… That is ultimately a decision for the Qantas board.
Our job is to make sure that we get the broader settings right in the economy … I think everybody associated with that company has a big job to do to regain trust and regain credibility, and that should be the focus.
Updated
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, treasurer Jim Chalmers said outgoing Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will go down in history as “one of the most consequential premiers since federation”.
Really, quite a remarkable contribution to that great state of Victoria. Remarkable in its longevity. Remarkable in its impact. And I think, really, of the almost decade now of giving absolutely everything to running that state, I think that he will go down in history as one of the most consequential premiers since federation.
And after all of that time, and after all of that total commitment, he’s earned the right to spend time with that wonderful family of his and I wish him well.
Eight-year-old critical, driver questioned after laneway collision
Victorian police have arrested a man after a collision in Braybook, Melbourne last night left a child with critical injuries.
Police understand a Toyota Prado collided with two parked cars in a rear laneway just after 5pm on Monday.
Police say the Prado then struck two children, who were playing in the laneway, before hitting another parked car.
An eight-year-old boy was pinned between the vehicles, and removed by emergency services who took him to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
A three-year-old boy was also taken to hospital, but with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Prado was arrested at the scene, and police say a 48-year-old Braybrook man is assisting police with their inquiries.
Investigations are ongoing.
Updated
‘Leader in her own right’: Victoria’s deputy premier tipped to replace Andrews
Jacinta Allan, Victorian transport minister and deputy premier, is tipped to replace Daniel Andrews as premier following a caucus meeting today. But there’ll be a tussle over whether her deputy comes from the left or right faction.
NDIS minister Bill Shorten told ABC RN that if Allan is successful, she’s a “very highly successful, accomplished woman [and] leader in her own right”.
She comes from the region, she’s a very experienced politician, so I think she’ll make sure that all of Victoria has a voice … But as I say, the Victorian Labor party will work out who their next leader is in the next few days.
I know all the ministers of the Victorian government are focused principally about the best interests of Victoria so whilst the news was quite sudden, one thing I know in politics is that there’s always a replacement for you.
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Andrews’ handling of pandemic ‘a legacy of his strength’, Bill Shorten says
NDIS minister and former Labor leader Bill Shorten has spoken highly of outgoing Victorian premier Daniel Andrews while speaking to ABC RN this morning.
Andrews yesterday announced his resignation from parliament after almost nine years as state leader, ending months of speculation about his political future.
A new premier will be voted in today following a caucus meeting.
Shorten said that Andrews’ handling of the pandemic will demonstrate a “legacy of his strength”.
I think the pandemic was the most unusual period in Victoria … and I think that we were learning a lot as we went along during that.
When I think back to those first few days, in March 2020, I think the aim was to ensure that we had enough hospital space to be able to treat people if they got very sick, and that required, I think, a high degree of central leadership.
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Fire at Rockhampton power-sub station being monitored
Emergency crews are continuing to monitor a fire at a power-sub station near Rockhampton in Queensland this morning.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (Qfes) said crews are monitoring the blaze, which broke out in a battery storage bank at the $60 million Bouldercombe Battery Project last night.
The fire is believed to have started in a lithium battery storage unit at 7.45pm, police say, and is causing hazardous smoke in the immediate area.
Qfes told the Guardian the fire has been contained to one unit, but the smoke hazard is still present this morning.
The Courier Mail is reporting that Tesla advised crews to let the fire burn out but we have not been able to independently confirm this.
Queensland police said last night:
Police will continue to monitor the situation as there are a large number of batteries on site … Nearby residents are urged to monitor [social media] and be prepared for police to door-knock homes in the area if the situation worsens.
Police also said the fire appears to be non-suspicious.
Updated
New Zealand PM optimistic country’s citizens living in Australia will vote Labour in upcoming election
As of today, overseas New Zealanders are able to vote in the country’s 14 October election, AAP reports.
The New Zealand Labour party is in the fight of its life to retain power, with polls pointing to a likely National-led government.
Prime minister Chris Hipkins told AAP he was hopeful of picking up votes in Australia:
For New Zealanders living in Australia, our track record is pretty good.
I’m very optimistic they’ll recognise that this is a government that’s delivering for them.
On Anzac Day this year, prime minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia would offer citizenship to any Kiwi migrants who had lived in the country for at least four years.
This will allow Kiwis to avoid costly international fees to go to university, to take up public service jobs, to serve in the defence force, to vote and more.
With just 63,000 overseas votes among the total 2.9 million ballots cast at the last election, Hipkins is realistic as to how much the Australian vote can sway Kiwi politics.
It has the potential to have an influence on the election, but it’s not going to be a deciding factor in the election.
Updated
‘Staggering’ 740 fossil fuels projects approved by flawed laws, climate council reveals
New research from the climate council reveals a “staggering” 740 fossil fuel projects have been approved through Australia’s main environmental law.
The council says this highlights a “fundamental flaw” in the legislation – its “failure” to address climate change.
A new report shows the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation is failing to protect Australia’s unique wildlife and iconic natural places from the “catastrophic impact” of climate change.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said our understanding of climate change has changed drastically in the 20 years since this law was written, but environmental protections haven’t kept up.
As climate impacts worsen around us, it’s urgent we fix this.
The Albanese Government promised to strengthen the law before the last election, but while this work seems stuck in limbo, more fossil fuel projects are being waved through – including four since the government came to office.
The Government can step in to genuinely protect our environment by strengthening the law to put climate at its heart.
Updated
Good morning everyone! Thank-you to Martin Farrer for kicking things off this morning. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you on the blog today.
If you see anything that needs attention, you can always email me at emily.wind.casual@theguardian.com.
And with that, let’s get into it – it’s shaping up to be another big day.
Long-term decline of dugong populations along Great Barrier Reef
Dugong populations along the Great Barrier Reef are in long-term decline according to the results of aerial surveys.
Researchers from James Cook University say surveys from Mission Beach to Moreton Bay that were conducted in 2022 confirmed a declining trend of 2.3% per year since 2005.
Lead dugong researcher, JCU TropWATER’s Dr Chris Cleguer said:
We observed a decline in overall dugong numbers, with the area of most concern being the southern section of the Great Barrier Reef from the Whitsundays to Bundaberg.
Alarmingly, we observed very few calves in this region, and only two mother-calf pairs spotted in the Gladstone area.
Our report reinforces the urgency in addressing threats to dugongs.
The 2022 aerial survey confirmed areas of high dugong numbers in specific regions, including Hinchinbrook, the Townsville area, and Shoalwater Bay.
Hervey Bay, located south of the Great Barrier Reef, showed the most significant estimated rate of population decline at 5.7% per year between 2005 and 2022.
Some of the decline is linked to floods in 2022 which caused extensive seagrass loss, depriving dugongs of their primary food source.
Gillnets are also a major threat to dugongs. Earlier this year the federal government announced it would phase out commercial gillnet fishing in the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area by 2027 and create new net-free zones.
Simon Miller, the Great Barrier Reef fisheries campaign manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said:
If that keeps on going you could be talking about local extinctions on the southern Great Barrier Reef, which is why we urgently need better protections for our dugongs.
The most pressing policy change I think we need to see is for dugong protection areas to be closed to gillnet fishing.
Updated
The departure of Daniel Andrews
There’s plenty of time before that Labor caucus vote in Spring Street later and what better way to spend it than to read some of our analysis and comment the departure of Daniel Andrews from the political stage.
The former ABC broadcaster Jon Faine salutes Andrews as the most progressive premier for decades and one who won two reelections despite the constant hostility of the Murdoch press. But Faine adds that it was his hardline pandemic lockdowns that polarised opinion among Victorians meaning that he will go down in history as much revered as he is reviled.
Talking of the press, our media expert Amanda Meade has been looking at the harsh coverage meted out by the Murdoch press to Andrews, the man they liked to call “Dictator Dan”. Although they pursued him over baseless “scandals” about a car crash and an accident in which he broke his back, the papers might actually miss their favourite hate figure.
Updated
Qantas chair Richard Goyder to appear at Senate inquiry into Qatar Airways decision
Mounting criticism of Qantas and the government’s move to block extra Qatar Airways flights into Australia will come to a head during the final day of spotlight on the decision, writes AAP.
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder, CEO Vanessa Hudson and general counsel Andrew Finch will all appear before the committee during its final public hearing in Canberra today.
Mr Goyder is facing growing calls to resign from pilots and shareholders.
The Australian Shareholders’ Association is the latest to add its voice to the call, with chief executive Rachel Waterhouse saying a slew of recent scandals meant his position was untenable.
The pilots union has also called for the chairman’s head, saying morale had never been lower following the illegal sacking of 1700 workers and allegations of illegally marketing cancelled flights.
Qatar Airways’ senior vice-president of corporate affairs Fathi Atti and senior vice-president of global sales Matt Raos will also front the inquiry on Wednesday, as will representatives from the Australian Airports Association and airlines Bonza and Rex.
Ex-Qantas boss Alan Joyce will be summoned to give evidence after knocking back a request to appear before the committee.
For more, read our story:
Updated
Voice is last best hope for reconciliation, Noel Pearson to tell press club
Indigenous leader and yes campaigner Noel Pearson says the voice referendum represents the “last best hope for a lasting settlement” on reconciliation, and the chance for a “new chapter” in the nation’s history.
The Cape York leader will address the National Press Club later today. An excerpt from his speech, shared with Guardian Australia, says that it is “never too late” for reconciliation.
Pearson is expected to say in his speech:
This referendum is testing the idea that a nation conceived in the fiction of Terra Nullius – a continent empty of owners – can come to a new understanding of who we are: a nation blessed with an Indigenous heritage spanning 60 millennia, a British democracy captured in its constitution, and a multicultural unity that is a beacon to the world.
The referendum words complete the three parts of what our 25th prime minister – Mr Howard – called ‘the profound, unfolding and compelling story of Australia’. If affirmed, this referendum will seize our first best chance and last best hope for a lasting settlement.
Pearson will say that a yes vote would see Australia “start a new chapter”.
And the nations of the Earth will learn, that with Justice, what remains wrong can be put right, and when people face the truth, they can open their hearts, and it is never too late for reconciliation.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you up to speed on our overnight stories ahead of my colleague steering you through the main part of the day.
Anthony Albanese has told Katharine Murphy, our political editor, that pressing ahead with the referendum will have been worth it even if Australians reject the voice on 14 October because it has brought Indigenous disadvantage front and centre in the national conversation. But he’s still hoping that there will be a yes vote that can unify the nation.
Noel Pearson is at the press club today and is expected to say the voice is the “last best hope” for reconciliation. More on that coming up. And we have an exclusive story about a divide in the no camp with Gary Johns calling the idea of a treaty “nonsense” and an “evil” that opponents “should fight” – contradicting his no campaign colleague Warren Mundine.
After yesterday’s humdinger of a day, we’ve got more political drama in Victoria where we expect Labor MPs to meet later to vote on a new premier after Daniel Andrews’ surprise resignation. That’s coming up at 5pm and Jacinta Allan, Andrews’ deputy and transport minister, is tipped to win that vote. But there’ll be a tussle over whether her deputy comes from the left or right faction.
The embattled chair of Qantas, Richard Goyder, will appear before a Senate inquiry today into the government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flights into Australia as he faces widespread calls for his resignation. Goyder, who will be joined by the new Qantas boss, Vanessa Hudson, will be called on to defend the national carrier against a series of criticisms by industry witnesses that the airline has been engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.
