What we learned: Thursday 17 August
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the day.
If you, like me are still in Matildas Mourning, remember they’ll be back on Saturday, and eventually, English people will have to return to their terrible weather.
Here were today’s major developments:
Nuclear materials were discovered at a Sydney property by the Australian Border Force. Fire and Rescue Hazmat crews and most Australian Border Force officers have now left the street in Arncliffe.
Teachers in NSW held a rally outside the New South Wales premier’s office this afternoon following an “insulting” pay offer from the state government as negotiations for a deal that would have made teachers the highest paid in Australia broke down.
The deputy police commissioner at Victoria police, Wendy Steendam, has told ABC radio that the circulation of Erin Patterson’s statement has been “unhelpful” to the police investigation.
Police have charged two men over allegedly damaging transport infrastructure in Sydney’s inner west overnight.
The July jobless rate has risen to 3.7% as the economy sheds 14,600 jobs.
And crowds will no longer be able to gather at Melbourne’s Federation Square to watch remaining women’s World Cup matches after a small group of fans breached temporary security fences at the site during Wednesday’s semi-final.
Updated
BoM outlook predicts higher than usual temperatures nationwide
The Bureau of Meteorology has posted its latest climate outlook, predicting lower than average rainful throughout spring in large parts of Australia including the north, the south-west and south-east.
Maximum temperatures are also very likely to be higher than usual for almost all of Australia.
For September to November, minimum temperatures are likely to be warmer than median for most of Australia, with chances increasing to very likely for western and eastern areas.
The long-range forecast is influenced by several factors, including likely El Niño development, potential positive Indian Ocean Dipole development, and record warm oceans globally.
Updated
Martin Foley to chair Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation
A retired Victorian Labor frontbencher has won a second taxpayer-funded board role amid a probe into the politicisation of the public service, AAP reports.
Martin Foley will chair the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, replacing experienced company director James MacKenzie. The body is spearheading a project to revamp the arts precinct, including a new $1.7bn contemporary art and design gallery.
Chairs of commercial governance boards in Victoria command salaries between $80,313 to $150,656 a year, according to current appointment and remuneration guidelines.
The Victorian Ombudsman is investigating if the state’s public service has been compromised by the hiring of more than 30 former advisers to premier Daniel Andrews and his ministers.
It comes after Foley, a former health minister, and ex-police minister Lisa Neville were named chairs of Alfred Health and Barwon Health respectively in June.
Later that month, former deputy premier James Merlino was selected to head the authority overseeing Labor’s signature Suburban Rail Loop. All three of those positions are taxpayer-funded.
Andrews confirmed Foley’s latest appointment was a cabinet decision but insisted it was based on merit, pointing to his time as creative industries minister.
Updated
Beachwear recalled over fire hazard concerns
In heartbreaking news for fans of blending comfort attire with beachwear, the Kids Beach Oodie has been recalled by Product Safety Australia (PSA) due to not having the required fire hazard labelling.
Kids Beach Oodies in the prints: Blue Tie-Dye, Charcoal, Fruit Faces, Avocado, Happy Flowers and blandly named ‘Stripe’ have been recalled.
PSA said in a statement:
The product does not comply with the requirements of the mandatory safety standard for nightwear for children. There is a risk of serious burn injuries if exposed to a heat or flame source.
Consumers should immediately stop wearing the product and contact The Oodie to be provided with either: a fire warning label with product attachment instructions to attach on the Beach Oodie; or a replacement Beach Oodie from the Kids Beach product range, in exchange for the non-compliant product on hand.
Updated
Federation Square axed as Women’s World Cup live site after fan misbehaviour
Crowds will no longer be able to gather at Melbourne’s Federation Square to watch remaining women’s World Cup matches after a small group of fans breached temporary security fences at the site during Wednesday’s semi-final.
On Thursday evening, a Federation Square spokesperson confirmed the decision, flagging safety concerns after consultations with Victorian police.
The spokesperson said:
During the Women’s World Cup, Federation Square has hosted 140,000 people – and there have been many memorable scenes with thousands throwing their support behind the Matildas.
However as a result of disappointing behaviour by a small group of people, Federation Square management has made the decision that there will no longer be a live site at Federation Square, due to safety concerns.
It is clear that if there was a repeat of last night’s behaviour it would be unsafe for families, fans and staff.
Fans will now be directed to Melbourne Rectangular Stadium/AAMI Park as a live site for remaining games.
Updated
High prices behind lag in international flights, Airports Association says
International flights serving Australia remain at 60-70% of pre-Covid levels, lagging behind the recovery in domestic flights, and with airfares remaining stubbornly high, the aviation industry has issued a plea to the Albanese government to prioritise increasing competition.
The figures released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics on Thursday revealed passengers from India have reached 103% of pre-pandemic levels, while travel between Australia and New Zealand is also leading the recovery. Tourist numbers from China are also predicted to surge following Beijing’s decision last week to resume Australia as a destination for group tours.
However with international passenger numbers still far from a full recovery, the Australian Airports Association CEO James Goodwin, said the issue needed urgent attention. Goodwin said:
For the sector to fully recover, the federal government needs to prioritise increasing airline competition into the market to help the recovery of the Australian aviation and tourism sectors. Australia needs more competition in the market with the Qantas Group accounting for 27%, or over 1 in 4 of every international passenger carried.
Goodwin’s comments come amid an ongoing saga over Qatar Airways’ application to run an extra 21 weekly services to Australia on top of the 28 it already operates. The Albanese government refused the request, citing several reasons in recent weeks including national interest concerns, local jobs and Qantas’ order of new aircraft.
While Qantas, as well as a group of five women taking legal action against Qatar over invasive body examinations at Doha airport in 2020, were among those who lobbied the government to block Qatar Airways expansion, a broad coalition of aviation and tourism groups, as well as various state premiers, supported the extra flights.
Guardian Australia revealed Qatar Airways has been operating ghost flights everyday between Melbourne and Adelaide to exploit a loophole allowing it to run extra flights to Australia. Unlike Qantas and other carriers suffering aircraft and other shortages, Qatar is one of few airlines currently in a position to boost capacity to Australia.
Updated
ACCC flags concern over Qantas and Emirates partnership, but authorises continuation
The competition watchdog has granted authorisation for Qantas and Emirates to continue their codeshare agreement for a further five years, despite concern the partnership could affect competition on a key route between Australia and New Zealand.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission had previously signalled its intent to authorise a continuation of the coordination between Qantas (including Jetstar) and Emirates until 2028, and on Thursday afternoon, confirmed its authorisation.
The codeshare alliance was first authorised in 2013, and has allowed the airlines to coordinate passenger and cargo transport operations across their respective networks.
The ACCC commissioner, Anna Brakey, said “we think this continual coordination will benefit travellers by facilitating connectivity between a wide range of destinations as well as optimising earning and redemption opportunities from their respective loyalty rewards programs.”
However, the ACCC flagged the continued alliance could harm competition on flights between Sydney and Christchurch, because Air New Zealand is the only other airline operating on that route.
“We have granted authorisation with a condition that Qantas and Emirates must provide regular updates on passenger revenue and operating costs to enable us to monitor competition on this route over the next five years,” Brakey said.
Updated
SCG to open as live site for Matildas playoff match
The New South Wales government has announced it will open the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for the Matildas third place playoff game on Saturday.
A required licensed has been applied for, with the gates to open at 5.30pm for the 6pm kick off.
Tickets are not required to enter the ground. The Members Pavilion and Ladies Pavilion will be open, as well as some food and beverage outlets.
The match will also be screened at the live site in Darling Harbour, which has been attended by more than 224,000 fans throughout the tournament.
Once again, the Sydney Opera House sails will be illuminated green and gold on Saturday night from 5:50pm, along with other key landmarks.
Gooooo Tillies!!
Updated
The child reported missing in Queensland has been discovered safe and well.
Toddler missing in Queensland
In Queensland, police are seeking urgent public assistance to help locate an 18-month-old toddler missing from Bellara, Moreton Bay this afternoon.
The girl was last seen in Pumicestone Street at about 4.20pm.
She was wearing a blue shirt with rainbow leggings and is described as Caucasian, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who has seen her or has further information has been urged to contact the police.
Updated
Chandler-Mather has dodged confirming a final position on the Housing Australia Future Fund, telling the ABC the Greens will “continue to negotiate over the next few months”.
Beyond a rent cap or freeze, he said the Greens had also been pushing for more investment in public and affordable housing.
I’m disappointed to find out this $3bn they put on the table was not for public and affordable housing and would be willing to continue to negotiate down that avenue … hopefully out of this process over the next few months we can push at least some recognition that there needs to be some limit on the amount by which rents can go up.
Updated
Greens critical of Labor’s housing proposals
Greens spokesperson for housing, Max Chandler-Mather has also been on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing today, and he is still not a fan of Labor’s housing policies.
It is important to note they still have not done anything for renters. They have locked in unlimited rent increases once a year when we already know 62% of renters are in financial stress.
With regard to the $2bn, we are pleased we are able to secure the funding for social housing. Let’s be clear, the additional $3bn, no conditions attached to it. As far as we can tell, the states were allowed to spend that money however they like, to incentivise private development, and the last thing we need is to get more private penthouses.
Chandler-Mather said the priority should be investment in public and affordable housing, calling the Help to Buy scheme a “reheated election policy from 2022”.
Only allocated for 40,000 people over the next four years. … if you want to tackle housing affordability like that, you need to face our capital gains tax concessions and negative gearing.
Asked if he acknowledged the rent freeze or cap proposal had been rejected by basically everyone in national cabinet, he replied it was “extraordinary” a group entirely represented by the Labor party could conclude it was okay to continue with rent increases.
We hope over the next few months they change their mind but the reality is the prime minister put money on the table to incentivise planning reforms … private developers to build homes no one can afford.
Updated
Labor national conference wraps up for Thursday
Speaking of the Labor conference, it has wrapped up for today. Don’t fear, though, they’ll be back at it at 10am tomorrow!
Here were the major takeaways from our Canberra colleagues:
And if you want a full-blown breakdown, Amy Remeikis has been madly typing away on the dedicated live blog:
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Treasurer acknowledges some opposition to Aukus among Labor rank and file
Finally, Chalmers was asked about the Aukus program, forecast to cost $268bn to $368bn, which has had some opposition from Labor rank and file including former prime minister Paul Keating.
The group Labor Against War today proclaimed “this is the start of our campaign”.
Chalmers said it was not “especially troubling”.
One of the reasons why we have these conferences is to give people the opportunity to express a view … it would be pretty strange if we invited thousands of people here to Brisbane for a conference where everybody already agreed with everything.
There is not a unanimous view in party rank and file about … a number of issues around the country and in the community at large. I think it is entirely appropriate and not especially troubling that people will raise issues like that. We will see that tomorrow.
The Labor cabinet decides the policies of the Labor government.
Updated
Treasurer says 3.7% unemployment rate ‘not a bad outcome in the circumstances’
Chalmers said it “remains to be seen” whether the historic record low levels of unemployment are behind us.
Today, it was confirmed unemployment had risen to 3.7% for the month of July.
Our expectation for some time … in the Treasury forecasts has been the unemployment rate will go up a bit and that is what we have seen in the numbers released today.
But it is still pretty remarkable giving everything coming at us from around the world, with the unemployment rate … with a three in front of it, which is an extraordinarily strong foundation from which we face the uncertainties ahead.
Yes, unemployment has gone up a bit, that has been our expectation for some time, that that would happen but 3.7% is not a bad outcome in the circumstances.
Updated
Chalmers questioned about shared equity scheme
Asked about the shared equity scheme ‘Help to Buy’, set to start next year, Chalmers acknowledged there was “legislative work between now and then” to coordinate the program via state legislation.
The cost of the program has risen from $320m over four years to $555m with inflation. A final estimate will be released in the midyear budget.
One of the main things we need to get right and take the time to get right is the referral of state powers, which is that state legislation … it is beyond doubt we can provide this assistance to people, programs like this exist in some of the states and territories already.
What we’re doing is 10,000 homes every year [for] four years, we are making the proportionate amount of those available to each of the states and territories, our intention is it starts in every place at the same time and that is what the legislative program for the rest of the year is about delivering.
Greens leader Adam Bandt has jestingly dismissed the scheme as ‘Hard to Get’, not ‘Help to Buy’.
Updated
Jim Chalmers speaks about additional $3.5bn for housing and construction
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has joined ABC Afternoon Briefing from Labor’s national conference, chatting all things housing.
After national cabinet yesterday, it was announced that an additional $3.5bn would be invested into housing and construction.
Chalmers said $500m would be provided upfront to try and get “approved developments going”, while we’ll have to wait for the other $3bn until 2029.
Five hundred million at the start, in addition to the billions of dollars we are investing in housing supply, and all of the steps I’ve taken in my treasury portfolio: tax breaks for build to rent, some incentives for superannuation to invest more and more affordable housing, in addition to all of that an extra incentive to try and get another couple hundred thousand homes built over the time.
Of the housing accord which is 2024 to 2029, of states that over-perform on their original million [homes], they can get their hands on that incentive to build some extra homes. Our economy and communities desperately need more housing as you know and this is another way we are prepared to come to the table to incentivise that.
Updated
Woman charged after weapon allegedly found in car near Coffs Harbour
A woman has been charged after a weapon was allegedly discovered during a vehicle search near Coffs Harbour.
About 9.20am last Thursday, police from attended a street in Urunga following reports of an unauthorised protest.
At the scene, police made inquiries with the driver of an SUV, an 18-year-old woman, and her passenger, a 17-year-old man.
Following a search of their car, a gun was allegedly located and seized by police, before the pair were released pending further inquiries.
Today she was served a court notice for the charge of possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm. She will appear in court next Wednesday.
Updated
AMA tells University of Sydney to ‘read the room’ over research funded by gambling industry
The Australian Medical Association has demanded the University of Sydney “read the room” and reconsider its decision to accept hundred of thousands of dollars from the gambling industry, while the Greens want the money immediately returned.
The university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research was launched this week after receiving a $600,000 funding commitment from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.
The ICRG’s major funders are some of the world’s biggest casino and gambling companies. They include MGM Resorts International, Caesars Foundation, Bally’s Corporation, Sands Inc, Wynn Resorts, Boyd Gaming Corporation, DraftKings, FanDuel, poker machine company IGT and many other entities. Its board of directors includes executives from US-based casino resorts.
Updated
NSW teachers picket premier over 'insulting' pay offer
Teachers are currently holding a rally outside the New South Wales premier’s office following an “insulting” pay offer from the state government as negotiations for a deal that would have made teachers the highest paid in Australia broke down.
The continued pressure follows a rally held outside the office of NSW education minister, Prue Car, yesterday, with more than 100 teachers in attendance.
Yesterday we were at the Minister’s office. Today we’re in Kogarah to deliver a message directly to the Premier @ChrisMinnsMP. #HonourTheDeal pic.twitter.com/NxVBcApC8Y
— Teachers Federation (@TeachersFed) August 17, 2023
Today’s protest is expected to be larger with the presence of the state union for Catholic schools.
Teachers are angry!
— IEU NSW/ACT (@IEUNSWACT) August 17, 2023
The numbers are growing outside @ChrisMinnsMP’s office as @TeachersFed and IEU members make their voices heard!
📣 #HonourTheDeal
📣 #TakeTeacherPaySeriously pic.twitter.com/azXhluSJqG
The government has offered teachers a multi-year deal of 2.5% pay rises over the next four years in addition to a salary boost of up to 12% for some teachers on year one.
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Pandemic drives uptick in Australia’s health workforce
A record number of health practitioners are working in Australia, according to the peak regulatory body who say the national workforce has increased by almost a fifth of its size before the pandemic.
Each month, almost 3,000 new nurses and 700 new medical practitioners are joining the workforce from a combination of Australian graduates and internationally trained health workers, according to new data from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
The number of psychologists has grown by more than a fifth since the pandemic, which is helping to address one of the nation’s most pressing areas of need, the agency said.
In total, there are now 877,119 health practitioners registered in Australia across all professions – up 18% on the 744,437 practitioners registered in June 2019, according to Ahpra.
The new figures come as a federal government report, led by the former New South Wales health secretary Robyn Kruk, is expected to be handed down before the end of the year, reviewing the regulatory settings for health professionals to further accelerate the workforce growth.
Martin Fletcher, the CEO of Ahpra, said the review is expected to build on actions already being rolled out, including cutting the time taken to assess registration applications, increasing exam places for internationally qualified registered nurses, and consulting on greater flexibility for practitioners to meet English language requirements.
Ahead of Kruk’s final report, the peak body for general practitioners said it would simplify assessments that compared the skills of overseas doctors to local ones, often requiring doctors to undergo expensive additional training. Read more about these changes here:
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NSW premier bemoans vandalism on Sydney trains on Wednesday night
The New South Wales premier has taken to social media to bemoan an “unacceptable” act of vandalism on Sydney trains overnight.
What occurred last night on our train network is unacceptable.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) August 17, 2023
Two vandals broke into signal blocks at Ashfield Station and damaged a critical part of our train infrastructure that left thousands of people stranded across Sydney.
Police have charged two men over allegedly damaging transport infrastructure in Sydney’s inner west overnight. The incident caused chaos on the train lines just as the Matildas game was ending, leaving many fans stranded.
Chris Minns said as soon as he heard about the incident, he joined the control centre from which Sydney Trains and the NSW police were coordinating its response.
I met with workers and commuters – and I want to thank everyone for how well they responded to a very frustrating situation.
These acts of vandalism will not be tolerated and we will be conducting an urgent investigation into ways we can secure our transport network. We will also continue to work around the clock to turn around years of failure to address the issues plaguing our transport system.
Updated
Transport boss Barilaro comparisons ‘completely absurd’
The man in charge of NSW’s transport network has defended his appointment to the top job as the government rejects comparisons to a former deputy premier’s controversial trade posting, AAP reports.
Former corporate affairs chief Josh Murray was appointed to the role of transport secretary in July, but government documents released on Wednesday revealed recruiters were concerned he lacked the required experience.
But Labor leaders have furiously defended the choice, saying it bears no comparison to ex-deputy premier John Barilaro’s contentious and short-lived appointment to a $500,000-a-year trade ambassador role.
It was earlier revealed Murray was shortlisted after transport minister Jo Haylen’s office requested he be interviewed.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, denied the circumstances were similar to those of Barilaro’s 2022 appointment, saying former Liberal trade minister Stuart Ayres repeatedly denied playing any role in that recruitment in comparison to his own government’s transparency.
Opposition transport spokesperson Natalie Ward said Murray was “dangerously underqualified” for the role.
She will call for a parliamentary inquiry to probe whether there was any improper intervention in the selection process.
Updated
Health experts call on NSW government to phase out gas in homes
A coalition of health professionals in New South Wales is issuing an open letter to the state government calling for a phase-out of gas in homes and public building by 2025.
Healthy Futures, a health advocacy organisation and NSW Doctors for Environment (DEA), have gained the support of health organisations nationally and statewide, along with dozens of health professions.
They say gas poses a serious risk to human health, releasing multiple pollutants that can cause respiratory problems, cancer and other health issues. They say the burning of gas also contributes to climate change, the “greatest threat to public health”.
Bronwyn McDonald, NSW campaigner at Healthy Futures, said gas should be phased out “as soon as possible”.
Gas is a dirty and dangerous fuel that is harming our health and our climate. We must switch to clean, renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. The time to phase out gas is now.
The letter will soon be issued to the NSW ministers for Health and Environment.
Updated
‘Rarer than Willy Wonka tickets’: Adam Bandt says Labor’s housing scheme does not go far enough
Meanwhile, Greens leader Adam Bandt held a doorstop this afternoon, continuing to push for rent caps as Labor’s national conference continues.
He said the ALP “does not have the ticker” to pass the reforms needed to fix the housing crisis.
Labor premiers and prime ministers and delegates have gathered from all over the country and they’ve agreed to back unlimited rent increases. Labor has just signed off on every renter facing unlimited rent increases forever.
When Labor’s gathering together from across the country in the middle of the worst housing crisis in a generation, they should have frozen and capped rents and made housing more affordable for everyone.
Bandt said under Labor’s announcements, rents would keep going up, housing would get more expensive and the housing crisis would worsen.
Now Labor’s announced a reheated election policy from the October budget, with 8 million people renting and only 40,000 of these new places on offer. These new places being offered by Labor will be rarer than Willy Wonka golden tickets.
This is not a Help to Buy scheme. It is a Hard to Get scheme.
A reminder, you can keep up with all the latest at the Labor shindig here.
Updated
Australia’s nuclear regulator is “supporting relevant state and federal agencies in the ongoing management and resolution of the situation”, a spokesperson said in answer to questions about the nuclear isotopes found in Arncliffe.
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (Arpansa) did not directly confirm that the isotopes were found but said it was aware of the Australian Border Force operation and the associated media reports.
Asked what the procedure was if someone found nuclear isotopes, the spokesperson said:
If a member of the public discovers or suspects they have discovered nuclear isotopes, they should safely remove themselves from the vicinity and contact triple zero.
‘Hot zone’ tape remains around Sydney property where border force found nuclear materials
Fire and Rescue Hazmat crews and most Australian border force officers who were stationed outside the apartment block in Sydney where ABF officers uncovered nuclear materials on Thursday morning have now left the street in Arncliffe.
The apartment block on Kelsey Street remains cordoned off with “hot zone” warning tape. Journalists and camera crews are camped outside waiting for the ABF to confirm the details of the operation.
There are still border force officers inside the property behind a gated area at the entrance to the units.
Neighbours have said police, hazmat crews, the fire brigade and border force officers were all at Kelsey Street earlier today but they remain in the dark about the details of the operation including whether radioactive materials were found at the property.
Nasser, who lives two houses down from the property that was raided and asked that his last name not be published, said emergency services cordoned off the street early in the morning and said only that residents should stay inside or leave the area.
To have border force and guys walking out hazmat suits and that, it’s a bit scary. You don’t know what’s going on and the police won’t tell you anything. No one has said anything. But I’m assuming it’s serious when you’re blocking off the street and telling residents to leave their houses.
Nasser said there were four units in the apartment block that was raided and he knew the couples who lived in two of them.
But the actual gentleman in question. I know of him, but I don’t know him personally. If I saw him in the street, I wouldn’t know he’s my nextdoor neighbour.
Updated
QCOSS says right to housing should be enshrined in law
The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) has called for a right to housing to be enshrined in law, on the sidelines of the Labor party conference.
The chief executive, Aimee McVeigh, compared the idea of a universal guarantee of a decent home to the guarantee of healthcare delivered though Medicare.
It’s time for Australia to provide the same guarantee around housing that it does for healthcare. Every Australian should have guaranteed, universal access to a safe and secure housing. Housing is the cornerstone of a person’s wellbeing.
McVeigh delivered the call as part of panel discussion at the national Labor conference fringe program this afternoon. The event takes place alongside the party’s conference, which is being held in Brisbane for the first time since the 1970s, and features a dizzying program of trade unions, academics, thinktanks and politicians. Unlike the rest of the conference, it is open to the public.
She said yesterday’s decision by national cabinet not to adopt national rent caps was disappointing and would make it hard for many Queenslanders.
Given the current housing crisis we are in, yesterday’s national cabinet outcomes will be disappointing for renters in particular. It is good to see all governments focused on building more houses more quickly, but it’s now time for them to get on with the job.
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Wages ticked higher by $68 a year but not as much as inflation
Along with the July jobless numbers (see earlier posts), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) also released some wage numbers but for the period to May (so a little lagging).
Anyway, they showed average weekly earnings for full-time employees were up 3.9% for the year, with the gap between men and women continuing to narrow to – a still too high – 13%.
Average weekly earnings for full-time adults rose 3.9% in the year to May to $1838, @ABSStats says. If you squint you may spy the male-female gap has narrowed to a record low 13%. pic.twitter.com/UfMfMXStVl
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) August 17, 2023
Some of that narrowing was due to teachers and nurses getting paid more – two professions typically dominated by women.
Overall, the increase translated to $68 more a week, or the strongest annual growth since May 2013, excluding a burst during early Covid days. Inflation, though, has been running at the highest since the early 1990s, so the champers is remaining bottled, and we saw on Tuesday that real wages continued to sink.
UBS, an investment bank, says the weekly earnings data is a bit dated since it doesn’t capture the 8.6% minimum wage and 5.75% increase in award wages from 1 July.
As chief economist, George Tharenou notes, the ABS has lately revised its methodology of weights so the actual impact of the minimum wage decision on labour costs will be larger than the Fair Work Commission’s assumption it only “directly contributed less than 10% of total wages growth in 2022”. UBS puts that contribution to more like 15%.
It’s not clear how much those wage increases contributed to the almost 15,000 jobs lost last month but, on the margin, they would have dimmed some employers’ enthusiasm to hire more staff or keep the ones they have.
Updated
The Australian federal police (AFP) has charged two men alleged to be part of a Melbourne-based criminal syndicate in connection to a series of alleged attempted firearm imports.
As part of an investigation between the AFP and the United States’ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), officers arrested a Tarneit man, 37, and an Altona North man, 30, with assistance from the AFP tactical response team and Victoria police, as part of the operation in Melbourne’s west on Wednesday.
The Altona North man was charged with the attempted import of prohibited tier 2 goods (firearms parts) without approval, unlawful possession of ammunition, possessing a drug of dependence and falsification of documents.
The Tarneit man was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity in a drug of dependence, trafficking in a drug of dependence, possessing a drug of dependence, possession of a precursor chemical and handling stolen goods.
AFP detective acting superintendent James Cheshire said the operation should serve as a significant reminder that the AFP and its law enforcement partners would not tolerate the import and use of illicit weapons in Australia.
The importation of illegal firearms and weapons not only has the potential to endanger our community, but they could have also enabled serious criminal activity on our streets.
Updated
Many thanks Mostafa Rachwani for carrying us through today’s news. I’ll be with you for the rest of this fine afternoon.
And with that I leave the blog in the hands of Caitlin Cassidy, thanks for reading.
Australian Border Force officers have taken over from Fire and Rescue New South Wales hazmat crews who have been stationed outside a property in Arncliffe where nuclear materials were uncovered during a raid earlier on Thursday.
Fire and Rescue crews left the area about 1.30pm but left the block of units on Kelsey Street cordoned off with tape warning that the area is a “hot zone” and “contaminated” with radioactive materials.
The ABF is yet to confirm anything publicly apart from that it has been undertaking an “operation” in the area.
A group of local students who had gathered at a friend’s house a few houses down from the cordoned off apartment block said they had walked past a raid being carried out on the property on their way to school that morning.
Fire and Rescue Hazmat crews have cordoned off an apartment block in Arncliffe where @GuardianAus understands
— Catie McLeod (@catiemcleod) August 17, 2023
radioactive materials were found in a border force raid this morning @Rachwani91 pic.twitter.com/JHJuLvOMcr
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Queensland social housing income threshold limits to be reviewed
Queensland will review the income threshold limits for social housing residents which are vastly lower than other Australian states and have been unchanged for almost two decades.
The maximum income for two single adults and a child sits at $877 a week in Queensland. The threshold was last reviewed 17 years ago in 2006.
In Victoria, the closest equivalent classification is for two adults and a dependent child, for which the maximum weekly income threshold is $2,284 a week – more than $1,400 higher than in Queensland.
When asked by Guardian Australia about the thresholds in April, the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said she wasn’t “aware that it’s different to the other states”.
On Thursday, the state’s housing minister, Meaghan Scanlon, said she had asked the department to review the thresholds to “ensure social housing eligibility is responsive to the changing needs of Queenslanders”.
She said this will form part of the department’s response to the Queensland Audit Office recommendations.
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Suspected mushroom poisoning: circulation of Erin Patterson’s statement ‘unhelpful’, police say
The deputy police commissioner at Victoria police, Wendy Steendam, has told ABC radio that the circulation of Erin Patterson’s statement has been “unhelpful” to the police investigation.
Steendam emphasised that it was not a police statement, or a statement to police, but a “statement taken by her legal representative provided to us and also provided to media outlets”.
Patterson is the woman at the centre of the mushroom lunch that left three people dead and a fourth fighting for his life.
Steendam added that while there was lots of interest in the police investigation, it has not yet been changed from being an investigation into unexplained deaths:
We have been very careful to indicate we have not confirmed that they are murders and we’re keeping an open mind about what has actually occurred. And I understand the interest and the desire to have more information about this.
Given it’s an active investigation, I am limited in what I actually can say about the matter except to say it’s not going to be quick. This needs to be investigated thoroughly.
Anything that’s in the media, working on an investigation through media, is unhelpful to our investigation. The matter needs to be dealt with by us and determined by us what what’s actually occurred and using the evidence that we have to determine and understand exactly what’s happened and if we can explain what caused the deaths.
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AMA president criticises gambling funding, urging University of Sydney to ‘read the room’
The president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Steve Robson, has also raised serious concerns about the gambling industry’s funding of a new research centre at the University of Sydney.
The Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research was launched this week after a $600,000 funding commitment from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.
The ICRG’s major funders include MGM Resorts International, Caesars Foundation, Bally’s Corporation, Sands Inc, Wynn Resorts, Boyd Gaming Corporation, DraftKings, FanDuel, poker machine company IGT and many other entities. Its board of directors includes executives from US-based casino resorts.
The university has disclosed the centre’s research will also be supported by Australian wagering giant Sportsbet, which is owned by Dublin-based company Flutter, and Entain, which runs the Ladbrokes and Neds brands in Australia. The value of that support was not disclosed.
The university has defended the sponsorship and told Guardian Australia the partnership would deliver more useful research informed by de-identified data supplied by gambling companies. It also said bookmakers would not be given any opportunity to “constrain or edit the research in any way”.
But Robson said there was evidence that gambling industry funding was associated with favourable policy decisions. He highlighted a 2020 study by Maggie Johnson and Charles Livingson published in the journal Addiction Research and Theory, titled “Measuring influence: an analysis of Australian gambling industry political donations and policy decisions“
Here’s his statement:
As both the federal president of the Australian Medical Association and a University of Sydney alumnus, I am calling on the university leadership to reflect on the credibility that industry-funded research will have with the community and read the room.
Problem gambling is a major public health issue in Australia. NSW in particular has the highest per person gambling spend in the world.
Problem gambling inflicts misery on many of the most vulnerable Australians and their families.
I’d be very concerned about industry funding of gambling research. This is exactly the issue we see with tobacco companies funding vaping research, big alcohol funding research, and fossil fuel ‘think tanks’.
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Nuclear materials discovered at Sydney property by ABF
Nuclear materials were discovered at a Sydney property by the Australian Border Force.
The Guardian understands the officers were at the Arncliffe property looking for something else when they discovered the materials.
Police and officers in hazmat suits remain at the scene.
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Rent freezes could reduce housing stock, Daniel Andrews says
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, says rent freezes and “capping all rents” could reduce housing stock.
Andrews’ comments come after national cabinet on Wednesday agreed that states and territories would receive a new house bonus of up to $3bn if they help reach a target of 1.2m more homes in the next five years.
Andrews said calls to “freeze all rents” and “cap all rents” were popular ideas but could limit the number of new homes being built:
Don’t by being a populist, make it worse.
Andrews said he had received feedback from developers and the social housing sector about rent freezes:
They make the point that people will not build housing in a jurisdiction where potentially rents are frozen. They will go to another part of Australia where they are not frozen.
The federal Greens have pushed for rent freezes and caps to tackle the country’s housing crisis. The ongoing dispute about a cap or limit on rent increases means Labor’s $10bn housing Australia future fund, which pays out at least $500m a year for social and affordable housing, is still not guaranteed to pass the Senate.
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Exclusion and bullying of students with disability running ‘rampant’, advocates say
Advocacy groups say the exclusion and bullying of students with a disability is running “rampant” in Australian schools.
Children and Young People with Disability released surveys on Thursday showing 29% of family members with children with disabilities in early childhood centres reported exclusion from excursions or activities. About 28% said their children had suffered bullying in early childhood centres.
In schools, the rates were much higher. About 70% of families said their children had been excluded from school activities and 65% said they had suffered bullying.
CYDA chief executive officer, Skye Kakoschke-Moore, said the impacts of such discrimination “can be lifelong”:
The results are disappointing and show discrimination is significantly impacting the education and wellbeing of Australian students with disability.
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Teachers to rally outside office of Chris Minns
Teachers will hold a rally outside the New South Wales premier’s office this afternoon following an “insulting” pay offer from the state government as negotiations for a deal that would’ve made teachers the highest paid in Australia broke down.
The government has offered teachers a multi-year deal of 2.5% pay rises over the next four years in addition to a salary boost of up to 12% for some teachers on year one.
The continued pressure follows a rally held outside the NSW education minister, Prue Car’s office yesterday with more than 100 teachers in attendance.
Today’s rally is expected to be larger as the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch (IEU) joins their colleagues at the NSW Teachers Federation to “stand united”. The IEU represent’s the state’s Catholic schools system.
Almost 3,500 emails have been sent to Chris Minns and Car via an IEU petition.
Mark Northam, secretary of the IEU NSW branch, said “all teachers” in the state would be affected by the government’s “disappointing move”.
Teacher shortages remain at crisis point and not starting the process to rebuild the profession is totally unacceptable. School communities across NSW deserve better. The time to act is now.
The IEU has threatened industrial action if the negotiations aren’t resolved tomorrow. Car has committed to reaching a deal.
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Greens demand University of Sydney return hundreds of thousands in funding from gambling companies
The Greens have demanded the University of Sydney return hundreds of thousands of dollars received from some of the world’s biggest gambling companies and casinos to bankroll a new gambling research centre.
The Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research was launched this week after a $600,000 funding commitment from the International Center for Responsible Gaming, which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.
The ICRG’s major funders include MGM Resorts International, Caesars Foundation, Bally’s Corporation, Sands Inc, Wynn Resorts, Boyd Gaming Corporation, DraftKings, FanDuel, poker machine company IGT and many other entities. Its board of directors includes executives from US-based casino resorts.
The university has disclosed the centre’s research will also be supported by Australian wagering giant Sportsbet, which is owned by Dublin-based company Flutter, and Entain, which runs the Ladbrokes and Neds brands in Australia. The value of that support was not disclosed.
The university has defended the sponsorship and told Guardian Australia the partnership would deliver more useful research informed by de-identified data supplied by gambling companies. It also said bookmakers would not be given any opportunity to “constrain or edit the research in any way”.
But the deputy leader of the Greens, Mehreen Faruqi, did not accept that assurance. She has called for the money to be returned.
This stinks to high heavens! This is a shocking example of a morally bankrupt, ruthless industry getting its dirty tentacles into university and research institutions.
These sorts of partnerships are just one toxic feature of the broken corporate university model.
Sydney University needs to hand back the money and rule out any future partnerships with the gambling industry, which only serve to launder the industry’s reputation at the expense of research integrity.
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What’s an isotope again?
Need a quick primer on nuclear isotopes (while we try to get more detail on the Arncliffe raid)?
Physics and nuclear waste expert, emeritus professor Ian Lowe, is from Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science. He says an isotope is “just a form of atom that is radioactive”:
All of the isotopes of uranium are radioactive but it’s more likely to be a tracer that was used in industry for measuring things, metal or something like that or a radioactive substance used in medical imaging or cancer treatment.
If law enforcement officers discovered such a substance, he says, they would pass them on to the regulator – the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
Lowe says such a discovery would be “unlikely to be intensely radioactive” but that no one could know for sure until it was known exactly what was found.
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Uranium isotope reportedly found in Arncliffe home
Channel 10 is reporting that a uranium isotope was discovered in an Arncliffe home amid a raid led by the Australian Border Force.
According to the network, a road has been blocked off by police and hazmat officers:
#Breaking: A road has been blocked off by police and hazmat officers after mercury and a uranium isotope were discovered in an Arncliffe home. 10 News First understands the raid is being led by the Australian Border Force | @hughriminton pic.twitter.com/Ulyo2KAg0N
— 10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) August 17, 2023
We will bring you more as it comes.
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Reversals in NSW and Queensland behind uptick in jobless rate
Blame two of the big states for the pickup in the jobless rate, with New South Wales and Queensland posting sizeable increases. (Tassie too, but it’s a tiddler.)
In June, NSW boosted a record low unemployment rate of 2.9%, seasonally adjusted. That’s popped higher to 3.3% last month, although still the lowest in the nation. (WA at 3.4% is next best.)
Queensland’s jobless rate also jumped, from 3.6% to 4.5%, to be trailing only Tasmania at 4.7%. The great state of Victoria trimmed its rate to 3.6% from 3.7%.
As it happens, the jobs numbers contain both up and down arrows. Unemployment numbers swelled by 36,000 (or more than a thousand a day) to 541,000. But that remains about 175,000 fewer than pre-pandemic times, the ABS said.
Underemployment was steady at 6.4% and hours worked actually rose 0.2% as it seems fewer people took time off (no wonder given air fares, etc).
“The strength in hours worked shows that it continues to be a tight labour market,” Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics, said. “Hours worked were 5.2% higher than in July 2022, well above the 2.8% annual increase in employment.”
Toilers, in other words, are toiling even more.
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And if you are looking for some guidance on what’s happening at Labor’s national conference, look no further than Amy Remeikis’ live blog:
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Border force confirm operation in Sydney suburb amid reports of nuclear material discovery
Australian Border Force have confirmed that they are undertaking an operation in Arncliffe, in Sydney today.
It comes amid reports we are trying to confirm of nuclear material being involved.
In a statement, the ABF only urged residents to follow directions from emergency services:
The ABF can confirm it is conducting an operation today in Arncliffe, NSW, with the support of NSW emergency services.
All appropriate safety measures are being implemented.
People in vicinity of the location are urged to follow all directions from emergency services.
Further updates will follow as appropriate.
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Dollar dives as investors pare back bets for another RBA rate rise
The Australian dollar’s recent tailspin got another gust of wind with the weaker than expected jobs numbers making another rate rise soon by the Reserve Bank a shrinking possibility.
The RBA has said a turning point was near and we might just about be there because it would be a hefty hiring month to send the jobless rate back down to 3.5%.
Turning point for the jobless rate, as it ticks up to 3.7%? Might not see 3.5% again for a while. (@ABSstat) pic.twitter.com/GnHczUD8hh
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) August 17, 2023
The dollar lost almost a quarter of a US cent to slip to 63.78 US cents. Speculators had already been cutting the likelihood of a September rate rise to about a one in 10 chance in recent days and that ratio is likely to fall further. (Stocks pared their losses for the day but are still down about 0.9%.)
“The fall in employment [of about 14,600 jobs] follows an average monthly increase of around 42,000 people during the first half of this year,” Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics, said. “Employment is still around 387,000 people higher than last July.”
“While unemployment increased by 36,000 people in July, to 541,000, it was still around 172,000 lower than before the pandemic.”
More soon, but you can also follow along at home or the office with this:
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Brian Houston acquitted of covering up his father’s abuse of young boy
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has been acquitted of covering up his father’s abuse of a young boy.
Houston pleaded not guilty and stood trial for allegedly not reporting to police his father Frank’s confession to repeatedly sexually assaulting and raping a young boy.
He was acquitted this morning in a Sydney court, and had maintained he had a “reasonable excuse” for not reporting his father’s offending to police, because that was in keeping with the victim’s wishes, who, he said, explicitly told him he did not want it reported.
You can read more here:
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Economy sheds 14,600 jobs, lifting jobless rate to 3.7%, ABS says
The unemployment rate in July was 3.7% with the economy losing a net 14,600 jobs, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has just reported. Economists had predicted the jobless rate would tick higher to 3.6% from June’s reported 3.5% rate, with a net 15,000 increase in jobs.
The increase in the jobless numbers will give the Reserve Bank more reason to extend their pause on interest rates to a third consecutive month when the board meets next month.
More soon.
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Jobless rate rises to 3.7% for July
The July jobless rate has risen to 3.7% as the economy sheds 14,600 jobs, according to the ABS.
Economists had expected the jobless rate to rise to 3.6% with 15,000 jobs added.
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Dan Andrews condemns rowdy fans at Matildas broadcast
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has condemned the behaviour of a Melbourne crowd who lit flares during a live broadcast in the city of the Matildas’ match against England on Wednesday evening.
Crowds broke through barricades and lit flares at the event held at Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD.
Speaking to reporters, Andrews stressed that flares were illegal and should not have been used:
I don’t reckon any member of the Matildas squad would want people behaving that way. I certainly don’t.
He said Victoria police would investigate Wednesday night’s event at Federation Square, but rejected calls to shut down large spectator events at the site:
I would not want to see a situation where a space that is owned by all Victorians can’t be used.
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The prime minister has been speaking at the Labor National Conference, and you can follow along with the updates at our liveblog:
Premier says NSW will look at the security of the transport network
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has labelled the alleged act of vandalism that caused public transport chaos last night a “violent act of vandalism.”
At a press conference this morning, Minns said it was important the government look at security of the transport network, with fans left stranded at Olympic Park as they waited for the network to come back online.
Clearly, the government has to look at security of the transport network, particularly in relation to critical infrastructure that’s dependent on the good order and management [of] the transport system in the state.
There are reasons for it, but there’s no excuse for it. We’ve got to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
At the same press conference, the NSW transport minister, Jo Haylen, apologised for the delays and said it was “not some minor act of vandalism” that caused the train delays.
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Victoria to allow betting on AFL Brownlow Medal count
Victoria’s gambling regulator will allow betting on the AFL Brownlow Medal count after the league agreed to a series of new safeguards.
An AFL umpire was among four people to have been arrested by Victorian police in November as they investigated allegations that someone with inside knowledge of the Brownlow medal tallies leaked information to a betting ring.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has written to the AFL’s chief executive elect, Andrew Dillion, to confirm it is satisfied with new integrity measures introduced by the league. Here’s the commission’s chair, Fran Thorn:
We are satisfied with the immediate control improvements but will continue to monitor the implementation of additional priority measures including a real-time transaction monitoring system, the prohibition of betting providers over compliance concerns, a monthly audit of unapproved bet types and the categorising of vulnerable player groups at a higher risk of being compromised, such as young players and those at the end of their careers.
And here’s how the VGCCC outlined the new restrictions and oversights:
Prohibiting any type of AFL betting by ‘all AFL persons, including umpires.
Payout limits of $250 on all Brownlow round bets.
All betting transaction data being provided to the AFL.
Strengthened surveillance of AFL umpires and their associates.
Spot audits of all AFL persons.
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Transport NSW says damage to server racks responsible for train delays overnight
Transport New South Wales is investigating how an act of vandalism could have caused the major delays for people coming come from the Matildas game last night, according to the transport department secretary, Josh Murray.
Speaking with 2GB on Thursday morning, Murray said he had this morning visited the site that was allegedly broken into and damaged last night.
He said:
Access was gained to a room. Someone’s gained access to that and then set about going to work on the server racks that are in there. I don’t want to say too much because the police have fingerprinted that room.
He said it had brought the system down but crews on site got the network “up and running as quickly as possible”.
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Prof Megan Davis says Lidia Thorpe participated in voice dialogues and was not excluded
Yes campaigner and Uluru dialogue co-chair, Prof Megan Davis, has responded to claims from independent senator Lidia Thorpe that some people were excluded from the the Uluru dialogues.
Davis was on RN Breakfast and said Thorpe did participate in the dialogues and dismissed the idea the referendum should be called off, as she did yesterday at her National Press Club address:
Lidia Thorpe participated in the Uluru dialogues, she was at the Melbourne dialogue ... she was at the national convention as well where she famously walked out, so she wasn’t excluded from that process.
We are seeing an overwhelming sentiment of goodwill, and support for the referendum.
Australians aren’t getting the information that they need to have a fully informed vote and ... the landscape is really cluttered by this misinformation, disinformation that is prosecuting kind of outright lies and it’s just not getting any pushback.
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And on that note, our dedicated live blog on Labor’s National Conference has just gone live.
You can keep up at the link below:
Labor’s national conference to begin shortly
We’ve touched down in Brisbane where Labor is holding its national conference.
Thousands of Labor members, politicians, affiliated groups, observers and, of course, the media are in the Queensland capital to follow the discussions and debates.
This rainy morning has already seen a cast of colourful characters arrive with a climate coalition protesting out the front of the convention centre and the construction union CFMEU marching the streets around it.
It’s an interesting scene as federal politicians weave in between attendees on the streets. Even the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskus, zipped past us alone on the streets, heading for the delegate’s entrance.
The prime minister is expected to address the conference at 10am, followed by the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, who will drive the discussion on the economy.
Stay tuned.
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July labour market data to provide proof – or not – of ‘turning point’ for jobs
This morning we’ll get the labour market numbers for July from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that will tell us if the economy is becoming less of a jobs machine than it has been since the depths of the Covid pandemic.
The Reserve Bank, which will be watching closely no doubt, has described seeing “early signs that the labour market might be at a turning point” in its minutes from its August interest rates meeting.
Economists are forecasting employers added a net 15,000 jobs in July, or not enough to keep up with the extra people joining the jobs hunt. As a result, the jobless rate will likely tick up to 3.6% from 3.5% – but still remain close to half-century lows.
There’s always a few potentially competing numbers in the labour mix, such as whether jobs added or lost were mainly full or part-time ones, and whether the participation rate rose or fell.
Anyway, we’ll be across what you need to know – including interest rate implications – at 11.30am Aest.
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Origin Energy reports net profit of $1.06bn
Origin Energy has reported a net profit of $1.06bn for FY23 as one of the largest suppliers to the east coast domestic gas market, according to AAP.
“Operational performance right across Origin was strong this year, with higher earnings contributions from energy markets, integrated gas and Octopus Energy in the UK,” Frank Calabria, the company’s CEO, said on Thursday
“Australia Pacific LNG delivered record revenue and cash distributions to Origin as it benefited from elevated commodity prices, while continuing to meet the gas needs of export customers.”
The profit for the full year ended 30 June compared with a loss of $1.43bn a year ago on impairment charges. Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) surged to $3.12bn from $2.11bn.
Underlying profit increased to $747m, $340m more than the prior year, on higher commodity prices.
Electricity earnings rose as higher wholesale costs from previous periods were recovered through higher electricity tariffs, and coal supply costs declined following the introduction of the coal price cap.
Calabria said Origin had significantly increased support for customers, recognising cost of living pressures across the economy. Origin is targeting $45m to support customers in hardship this year, up from $30m spent helping customers who needed support in the past year.
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Two charged over allegedly damaging Sydey transport infrastrcture
Police have charged two men over allegedly damaging transport infrastructure in Sydney’s inner west overnight. The incident caused chaos on the train lines last night just as the Matildas game was ending, leaving many fans stranded.
About 11pm, officers from Burwood police area command were called to Ashfield railway station, following reports of malicious damage. After an investigation, a 47-year-old man was arrested shortly after midnight and a second man, aged 33, arrested nearby shortly after.
The 33-year-old was charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, endanger safety of person on railway, destroy or damage property, and enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse. The 47-year-old man was charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, endanger safety of person on railway, destroy or damage property, possess housebreaking implements, possess prohibited drug, enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, and breach of bail.
Both men were refused bail to appear at Burwood local court today.
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Peter Dutton on housing promises from national cabinet: ‘he makes the announcement but there’s no delivery’
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has questioned whether the homes promised at yesterday’s national cabinet will ever be built. Speaking at the Penrith Community Kitchen in western Sydney, he also questioned whether investors would still see housing as a viable option:
Increasing it to 1.2m [homes] might sound good, and the prime minister might be talking a big game, but the prime minister never delivers.
The trouble is that figures don’t mean anything under this prime minister. And as we’ve seen in relation to other issues, he just doesn’t get across the detail. He makes the announcement but there’s no delivery.
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Queensland police investigating death of man in Beenleigh watchhouse overnight
Queensland police service’s ethical standards command has launched an investigation into the death of a man who was taken to the Beenleigh watchhouse overnight.
The 21-year-old man was arrested in Logan around 5pm on Wednesday, August 17, on a return to prison warrant and taken to the Beenleigh watchhouse. The police report that he was taken to Logan Hospital after “experiencing a medical episode” while at the watchhouse.
He was pronounced deceased at 7.40pm.
The incident is under investigation by the ethical standards command on behalf of the state coroner, and is subject to oversight by the crime and corruption commission.
It comes only a couple of months after Queensland police launched another internal investigation into the death of a 30-year-old by suicide inside the Beenleigh police holding cells. The man was considered a serious suicide risk but was not checked on for more than an hour after he died, according to previous reporting by the Guardian.
Police said in a statement at the time the incident was under investigation by the ethical standards command.
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Telstra reports 13.1% increase in profits
Australia’s largest telecommunications company Telstra has reported a 13.1% increase in year on year profits, up to $2.1bn for the last financial year, largely off the back of growth in the company’s mobile business.
In results released to the Australian Stock Exchange on Thursday, Telstra reported a total income of $23.2bn for the 2023 financial year, up 5.4%, with underlying earnings before tax and other sundries (EBITDA) of $7.9bn.
There was strong growth in the company’s mobile business, with income up 8.3% to $10.3bn. The company reported an increase in the average revenue per user on postpaid mobile up from $48.53 to $51.15.
It comes after Telstra announced that from July this year (after the financial reporting period), it would increase mobile plans in line with the consumer price index, which resulted in most plans going up an average of $4 per month. The company at the time blamed the price rise on the increase in costs for businesses.
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Melbourne lord mayor threatens to cancel Federation Square viewing site due to rowdy behaviour of small group of ‘idiots’
And sticking with the flares, Melbourne’s lord mayor, Sally Capp, has threatened to cancel the live viewing site at Federation square due to the rowdy behaviour of a small group of supporters.
With the match for third place still to take place, the Matildas have one more game to go in this World Cup, but Capp has warned that the crowd’s behaviour could mean they’ll have to watch it at home.
Speaking to 3AW Melbourne, Capp called the fans “idiots” who “ruin it for the rest of us”:
If we could find those idiots and make sure they don’t attend, then Fed Square will be going off again, but unfortunately sometimes the few ruin it for the rest of us.
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Four fined after over flares set off in Federation Square during Matildas game
Victoria police have fined four men after more than 50 flares were set off at a Melbourne spectator site where fans gathered to watch the Matildas’ Women’s World Cup semi-final against England, according to AAP.
Hundreds of fans flocked to Federation Square on Wednesday evening to cheer on the women in green and gold. Police were constantly trying to ensure fans’ safety, but were no match against spectators, who breached temporary fences multiple times.
More than 50 flares were set off, with multiple being thrown into the crowd. A Victoria police spokesperson said they were not aware of anyone being injured.
“Overall, it was a challenging night for our members out at Federation Square, where we saw a large, rowdy group of mainly male youths, part of the active supporter groups, discharge and throw a significant number of flares,” they said.
Police doled out fines of more than $960 to four males, aged between 16 and 23, for possessing flares at Federation Square. They also cautioned another 16-year-old boy for throwing a flare.
The spokeswoman said detectives would investigate the use of flares at Federation Square, and that police have secured CCTV of the incidents.
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SA premier says rent caps tell investors ‘we don’t want them to participate in the market’
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, has declared that the housing annoucememnt made after national cabinet yesterday will “marry quite well” with the efforts the SA government has been making to address the housing crisis.
Malinauskas also dismissed the idea of an “arbitrary” rent cap, saying it sends a signal to investors that “ we don’t want them to participate in the market”:
If we cap rents temporarily it will send a price signal to investor whose we want to participate in the market that now is not the time, and that would be a grave error.
I think what we will be doing is actually the opposite which is why in South Australia we’ve abolished stamp duty for new builds for new home buyers. That is a big step that sends an incentive in the right direction. This is a difficult policy area.
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CFMEU and climate group protest before Labor convention in Brisbane
In breaking news from Brisbane, the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining Energy Union as well as a climate group are protesting in the streets in the lead-up to Labor’s conference.
Thousands of workers are marching across Victoria Bridge and heading towards the convention centre where the conference will be held, with lots of roads in the city blocked off, reportedly causing traffic chaos.
In a press release earlier this morning, the CFMEU say they will address two campaigns, the first on the housing crisis and the second calling for a ban of engineered stone.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) August 16, 2023
Police are warning Brisbane motorists to prepare for traffic chaos as two separate groups march through the streets ahead of the Labor national conference being attended by PM Anthony Albanese. pic.twitter.com/WvZtLavJ9t
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Greens: ‘we are not going to stop fighting’ for renters
Finally, Bandt is pushed on whether these changes will push the Greens towards agreeing to the housing bill that is still before the Senate:
We talk about this all the time because we are in a fight to push Labor to deliver for renters rights and we are not going to stop fighting.
Rent controls and rent freezes work for renters. Maybe the property developers and property moguls, who get billions of dollars of handouts from the state and federal government, might not like it so much, but it works for renters and a third of the country who rent is who we’re going to fight for.
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Bandt dismisses rent control fears but says it must be matched by public housing
Sticking with Bandt for a moment, he was next questioned about experts who say investors will move out of the market if rent controls are introduced. The Greens leader dismissed the idea rent controls would put upward pressure on rent, but added the policy needed to be matched with more public housing:
Well if you put rent controls on, you can’t have upward pressure on rents. And then what you do is you match it side by side with a big build of public housing.
There hasn’t been a big build of public housing to keep up with population growth. And as a result, you’ve got a lot of people looking for a place to live and competing in the private rental market and without a big build of public housing and form of rent control, the situation is going to get worse.
On the announcement of no grounds evictions, again, Bandt was critical:
We’ve been pushing for that. And that is if states do that properly, it could make a difference. But … there’s lots of loopholes here.
So firstly, a lot of the states already have this.
Secondly, what they do in Queensland is they say they’ve got no grounds evictions, but you get put on a fixed term lease, which gives you an exemption at the end of 12 months.
They just say ‘oh, well if you want to sign up the rent goes up.’ And if you can’t afford the rent, you get kicked out so people can still be kicked out by landlords putting up the rent.
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Adam Bandt says ‘new home bonus’ likely to spur ‘$3m penthouses no one can afford’
Next up on RN was the federal Greens leader, Adam Bandt, who did not hold back in his criticism of Labor and their housing deal at national cabinet yesterday.
Bandt called much of their changes “weasel words,” asking what the point was of having Labor in almost every seat in national cabinet during a housing crisis. He first questioned whether the extra supply in the market that Labor has promised via its “new home bonus” would actually be affordable housing:
Are these houses and units going to be affordable? … building more $3m penthouse apartment developers that no one can afford is not going to address this.
On our read, that money will go to a state government if a developer builds a $3m penthouse that no one can afford. And I repeat, over the last five years we’ve seen close to a million homes being built. They’re not necessarily affordable, right? … we need a big build of public housing and we need a form of rent control because we’re in a full blown rental crisis.
You can read more on the housing deal struck yesterday at our story here:
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NSW housing minister says rent caps not solution to current housing issues
The NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson, has come out in support of the housing deal states and territories struck with the federal government at yesterday’s national cabinet.
The deal included national principles on renters rights, limiting rent increases to once a year and requiring a “genuine reasonable grounds for eviction” for termination mid-lease, but put no deadline on the plan.
Jackson told RN Breakfast she didn’t agree with the Greens, who called the announcements “smoke and mirrors”:
The Greens are wrong because these are significant measures.
Rent caps are not the solution to our crisis right now, they will work for a very small group of people who are already well set in the rental market.
They need more affordable rental supply, and that’s what we’re focused on, and that’s where the other elements of the national cabinet agreement really come into play, so I think this is a good deal for renters.
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King Charles praises Matildas
King Charles III has praised the Matildas, calling them “magnificent” in a letter congratulating England’s Lionesses for reaching the World Cup final. The king said the Matildas were an “inspiration on and off the pitch” as he celebrated England’s victory:
While your victory may have cost the magnificent Matildas their chance for the greatest prize in the game, both teams have been an inspiration on and off the pitch – and, for that, both nations are united in pride, admiration and respect.
No comment on the many Australian republican memes that flooded social media post-defeat.
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Welcome
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you on this sad day, bleary eyed and hoarse after screaming myself into a fit at last night’s World Cup semi-final.
It was a heartbreaking ending to an incredible run in the tournament, but was also a chaotic end for some fans who attended, with long delays on the trains home.
AAP reported that a suspected act of vandalism at Ashfield at around 10pm sparked chaos on the train network. Two men aged 47 and 33 are assisting NSW police with their inquiries after officers were told cables in a railway signal box had been cut and equipment damaged.
City-bound trains from Olympic Park were diverted via the T3 Bankstown line and there were flow-on delays at Lidcombe and Olympic Park stations, Transport for NSW said. According to reports, it took until midnight to clear the crowds at Olympic Park.
Elsewhere, Labor’s national conference begins today in Brisbane, with expectations discussions will turn to Aukus, tax cuts, the housing crisis, renewables and Hecs debt. You can get a great preview of proceedings in this piece by Sarah Basford Canales and Amy Remeikis, and we will bring you the latest from there as it comes in.
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