Summary
We are going to put this little news blog to bed now. Thanks all for your comments, company and correspondence today. Be well, all of you.
As we go, a recap of the major stories:
- Australia recorded 102 Covid deaths, including 44 in Victoria, and 41 in NSW (if you can, please mask up, if not for you, for others)
- Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil said the former Morrison government subverted Australia’s democracy, undermined the public service and endangered members of the defence force when it pressured public servants to reveal details of an asylum seeker boat on election day.
- Australian javelin champion Kelsey-Lee Barber has won gold at the world athletics championships, joining Cathy Freeman as the only Australian to successfully defend a world athletics title.
- Australian anti-China activist Drew Pavlou has been arrested in the UK over a false “bomb threat” delivered to the Chinese embassy in London, that he claims came from a fake email address designed to frame him.
- It is still wet at Splendour in the Grass
🇦🇺 Gold for Australia in the women's javelin as Kelsey-Lee Barber throws 66.91m.
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) July 23, 2022
🇺🇸 Kara Winger snatches silver with a dramatic last round 64.05m.
🇯🇵 Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan wins bronze with 63.27m. #Oregon2022 pic.twitter.com/cbPiUPav9L
Updated
Drew Pavlou arrested in London
Australian anti-China activist Drew Pavlou has been arrested in the UK over a false “bomb threat” delivered to the Chinese embassy in London, that he claims came from a fake email address designed to frame him.
Updated
Labor lambasts Coalition over election day boat statement
The former Morrison government subverted democracy and undermined the public service and the defence force when it pressured public servants to reveal details of an asylum seeker boat on election day, the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has said.
Lambasting the former government for its “disgraceful” actions, O’Neil said those involved should “hang their heads in shame” and apologise for pressuring public servants and defence officials to issue the statement over the intercepted boat – an occurrence that was then used as a final-hours campaign tool.
“I think the actions here would be reprehensible on any day of the year,” O’Neil said. “But the fact that the former government chose to put pressure on our public servants, put pressure on our members in uniform, to undermine our democracy, on the day of an election, is unprecedented in this country.”
Updated
Incredible shot of Australia’s world champion:
🇦🇺 Gold for Australia in the women's javelin as Kelsey-Lee Barber throws 66.91m.
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) July 23, 2022
🇺🇸 Kara Winger snatches silver with a dramatic last round 64.05m.
🇯🇵 Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan wins bronze with 63.27m. #Oregon2022 pic.twitter.com/cbPiUPav9L
Splendour up and running (sort of)
Splendour in the Grass is going ahead on Saturday after Friday’s cancellation due to wild weather and muddy conditions, but hundreds of people have been stuck in queues for hours trying to get to the event.
Hilary Randall has been lined up at the Byron Events Farm since 1pm on Saturday in an effort to catch a mini bus to the event.
She estimates there are still 600 people in the queue in front of her.
It is the Sydney woman’s fifth Splendour in the Grass and she says this year “everything just seems to have fallen apart”.
“I think the difference this year is the lack of organisation or communication,” she said from the queue.
“We find out most things from people who aren’t at the festival, people who aren’t camping. I know Splendour has been putting things on Instagram but reception here is so shoddy, nobody is checking Instagram.
“Some direct text to ticket purchasers would be amazing.”
Having been forced to cancel live performances on Friday, Splendour’s organisers said the festival was up and running on Saturday
“The site is weather affected,” organisers conceded.
“The ground is soft - so please wear your gumboots and rug up for at night. We’re working hard to prepare the grounds around you so please be alert and allow our staff to get the work done.
“However don’t let it wash away your spirit! We have waited three long years for this and have worked so hard to bring you the show.
“Be patient, kind and safe.”
Fill your boots...
Making the most of it yesterday:
Splendour patrons handling the situation with caution and maturity. #SITG pic.twitter.com/UpZv3MJHV2
— Isobel Roe (@isobelroe) July 22, 2022
Updated
Fascinating piece from Joe Hinchliffe, on not-for-profit real estate agencies.
Theirs is a success measured by a different set of numbers – the amount of lower-income earners and vulnerable people they help shelter, the women and children whose escape from domestic violence they help fund.
Afternoon. More on Kelsey-Lee Barber’s second world championship:
I’ll leave you now in the very capable hands of Ben Doherty, who will see you through the rest of the afternoon.
Go well and wear your gumboots.
Restaurants on a knife edge
Spiralling produce costs are eating into the already thin profit margins on running a restaurant or cafe in Australia, with a number of businesses saying they have changed their menus to try and account for price hikes.
Chef Daniel Wilson told reporter Cait Kelly that most restaurants do not have the option to pass on price increases to customers. But in order to be profitable, he says, produce costs cannot make up more than 20% of the menu price of a dish.
If something is $10 it should cost you $2 to put it on the plate. Then you’ve got GST, that’s $1 … then you have companies tax, which is 30%, based off the $10 that’s $3. Now you’re at $4 – you then have wages.
You can read Cait’s full piece, talking to a number of restauranteurs, here:
Updated
Kelsey-Lee Barber on back-to-back javelin title: ‘I’ve wanted it for a really long time’
Australian Kelsey-Lee Barber has told reporters in Eugene, Oregon, where the athletics world championships are being held, that she had dreamed of being able to win a back-to-back world javelin title.
The 30-year-old won gold at the event with a throw of 66.91 metres, defending the title she won in 2019.
She told reporters:
I have definitely dreamt of this moment.
It’s one thing to win it once, but to go back-to-back is totally different. And I’ll be honest in saying I wanted to do it, I’ve wanted it for a really long time. It’s part of my dreams within this sport.
About a month ago I nailed it down. I was chatting to [coach and husband] Mike [Barber] and said ‘I can do this, I can win the world championship’. That self-belief just really drove my training and it didn’t falter from there.
Updated
Oil tanker barred from Australian ports for six months
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has banned an oil tanker from operating in Australian ports for six months after it allegedly underpaid 21 seafarers by a total of $123,000.
AMSA officers inspected the Liberian-flagged oil tanker AG Neptune while it was in port in Gladstone, central Queensland, on 17 June.
In a statement, it alleged that inspectors found evidence the employment agreement with 21 seafarers onboard had not been met, and also found evidence that food and drinking water were not of appropriate quality, quantity and nutritional value.
It also alleged a seafarer was not provided with adequate medical care after being injured onboard.
AMSA detained the ship for multiple breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and directed the operator to pay the outstanding wages.
AMSA executive director of operations, Michael Drake, said:
Australia has zero tolerance for the underpayment of crew. This type of behaviour is unethical and in contravention to the MLC. The international conventions that protect seafarers’ rights are very clear.
Ships visiting Australian ports are on notice that if we find deliberate underpaying of crew they can expect penalties.
Updated
Australia records 102 Covid deaths
Australia has recorded 102 deaths of people with Covid-19 on Saturday.
- Victoria has recorded 44 deaths, 820 people in hospital, and 10,812 new cases.
- New South Wales has recorded 41 deaths, 2,176 people in hospital and 14,953 new cases.
- Queensland has recorded eight new deaths, 1,061 people in hospital and 7,644 new cases.
- South Australia has recorded three deaths, 354 people in hospital and 3,864 new cases.
- The Australian Capital Territory has recorded three deaths, 145 people in hospital and 1,044 new cases.
- Western Australia has recorded two deaths, 430 people in hospital and 5,051 new cases.
- Tasmania has recorded one new death and 1,363 new cases.
- The Northern Territory has reported 422 new cases and 89 people in hospital.
Updated
South Australia records three deaths, 3,864 new cases of Covid-19
South Australia has recorded three deaths and 3,864 new cases of Covid-19.
As of Saturday there are 354 people in hospital with Covid in SA and 12 in intensive care.
South Australian COVID-19 update 23/07/22.
— SA Health (@SAHealth) July 23, 2022
For more information, go to https://t.co/XkVcAlWPSN pic.twitter.com/zURs4mfTjM
Cruise ship with 2,000 passengers reportedly stranded off Brisbane coast due to high swells
The Coral Princess is circling off the Caloundra Coast, up to 40km out to sea, after Brisbane Harbour was closed due to bad weather, with waves of up to 6.5m reported.
Caloundra Coast Guard commander Roger Pearce told ABC Sunshine Coast that the Coral Princess was one of eight boats waiting to enter the harbour. The other boats have been instructed to float or drift, he says, but because the cruise liner has passengers it has had to keep moving.
“So it’s just motoring, in circles at a very low speed so it keeps moving,” Pearce said.
The website vesselfinder.com shows it is still circling.
A passenger, Julie Ives, told the ABC that people were coping with the rough seas.
“The crew are brilliant and many of them, too, are suffering with sea sickness,” she said. She said the experience had not put her off: she has another cruise booked for three weeks’ time, on the same ship.
Updated
O’Neil defends home affairs officials as ‘great patriots’
Earlier, O’Neil stood by the report from the secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Mike Peluzzo, which said the former government pressured the department to swiftly release a statement. The former home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, this morning denied the department had been pressured.
O’Neil said:
Australian defence force personnel and my department acted apolitically and in fact with great bravery in standing up against being asked to do something which really would have undermined the independence of the Australian public service. They are great patriots for the way that they acted and I want to put on record my commendation and the government’s commendation for their actions on that day.
Updated
O’Neil: former government’s actions show why Australia needs a federal Icac
I think the actions here would be reprehensible on any day of the year. But the fact that the former government chose to put pressure on our public servants, put pressure on our members in uniform, to undermine our democracy, on the day of an election, is unprecedented in this country.
She added that if an example is needed to say why Australia needs a federal integrity commission, “this is it”.
Updated
Clare O'Neil: Coalition should apologise and 'show some sense of shame' over election-day boat statement
O’Neil says the former government needs to come forward and apologise for their actions in releasing the statement about the boat interception on Monday, saying they have politicised both the public service and Australian military officers and should “show some sense of shame”.
Updated
Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil is speaking now in Melbourne
Updated
Kelsey-Lee Barber defends world javelin title
Australian javelin champion Kelsey-Lee Barber has won gold at the world athletics championships, joining Cathy Freeman as the only Australian to successfully defend a world athletics title.
KELSEY-LEE FOR THE REPEAT 🥇🥇@kelseyleebarber 🇦🇺 throws a world-leading 66.91m to defend her world javelin title!#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/tzxM5G4NQG
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 23, 2022
Barber secured the title with a third-round throw of 66.91 metres, more than 2.5m more than the US’s Kara Winger, who won the silver medal.
The 30-year-old won gold at the 2019 world championships, and bronze in the Tokyo Olympics.
Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil to speak shortly
O’Neil will speak about the report released yesterday on the election day statement about the interception of a boat carrying asylum seekers.
Updated
Splendour in the Grass under way, mud and all
The opening acts have begun playing at day two of the Splendour in the Grass festival, after the first day was cancelled due to flooding.
Revellers have squelched through the mud to get to the main stages, which as we reported earlier resembled a pond this morning and had to be pumped.
Event organisers have urged patrons to stay safe and to expect delays in travelling and in setting up the event, as people work around the mud.
They’ve also been urged to dress appropriately: “The ground is soft! Please wear your gumboots and rug up for the night”.
Big tips for day 2! #SITG2022 pic.twitter.com/6E3Evlw3YC
— SplendourintheGrass (@SITG) July 23, 2022
It does not seem to have dampened the vibe.
Updated
Labor ‘flat-footed’ in response to foot-and-mouth threat, Coalition says
The federal opposition has accused the Albanese government of being caught out on the threat posed by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Indonesia, despite the government yesterday using a never-before-used biosecurity law to introduce response zones at Australian airports.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, who yesterday offered to personally wash the shoes of travellers returning to Australia from Bali, said the measure was not enough.
She told Channel Nine this morning:
The government now has been flat-footed on this.
We have known that this outbreak occurred just across the waters in Indonesia from May.
We are only just now seeing measures where they’re starting to take it seriously with mandating shoe cleaning and the like.
Updated
Western Australia records two deaths and 5,051 new cases of Covid-19
Western Australia has recorded two deaths and 5,051 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday. The deaths, both of men in their 60s, date back to 16 July.
As of 6pm last night there were 430 people with Covid in hospital in WA and 21 in intensive care.
Queensland records eight deaths, 7,644 new cases of Covid-19.
Queensland has recorded eight new deaths and 7,644 new cases of Covid-19.
There are currently 1,061 people in hospital and 30 in intensive care.
Today we have recorded 7,644 new COVID-19 cases.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) July 23, 2022
Sadly, we have reported 8 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Full details➡️ https://t.co/rKHIwrGADi pic.twitter.com/ilm9asMZAI
Relocation of critically endangered eastern bristlebirds
Seventeen critically-endangered eastern bristlebirds have been flown from NSW to Victoria as part of an effort to re-establish the species in areas burned during the 2019-2020 bushfires.
AAP reports:
Their relocation from Booderee National Park and Jervis Bay National Park in NSW to Wilsons Promontory on Saturday is the result of a joint effort between the NSW, Victorian and federal governments.
Eastern bristlebirds are ground-dwelling birds known for being timid and poor flyers.
They are suffering under the impacts of climate change, feral predators and a lack of genetic diversity.
The birds have been relocated from NSW to Wilsons Promontory National Park, the southernmost tip of the Australian mainland, where it’s hoped they’ll mate and increase the species’ genetic diversity.
Victoria’s only other remaining population of eastern bristlebirds is at Howe Flat in East Gippsland. That population had to be temporarily evacuated from the area during the 2019-20 bushfires.
The head of the rehoming project, Beau Fahnle from the Environment Department, said relocation of populations was only ever considered as a last resort.
“For the eastern bristlebird, translocation is necessary despite the risks,” he said.
“Through this operation, it is hoped that the eastern bristlebird can flourish in a location where such challenges (from extinction) are less prominent.”
Updated
Police refer deaths of three men in Victoria’s south-west to coroner
Two of the men, a 50-year-old and a 49-year-old, both local to the area, were found fatally injured at Kirkstall-Koroit Road in Kirkstall, 22km outside Warrnambool, on Friday morning. Both died at the scene.
The body of another man, aged 45, was discovered a short time later at a house in Chamberlain Street, Kirkstall.
Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths are yet to be determined, but they are not looking for anyone else involved in the incident.
A report is being prepared for the coroner.
Anyone with information or CCTV or dashcam footage from the area has been asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
- Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Updated
Zoe Daniel’s battlegrounds
The new MP for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, has spoken to Guardian’s Victorian state correspondent Benita Kovolos ahead of the opening of parliament next week.
Daniel said the election result, which saw her and five other independent candidates sweep to victory in safely held Liberal seats, showed that voters were hungry for action on a range of issues, including climate change – and she intended to deliver.
The dismissal of independent candidates in both the mainstream press and among the major parties would not be forgotten, she said.
It took ages for the media to even take candidates seriously. It was like, ‘why are these people getting attention? It’s not meaningful, they aren’t going to win.’
The focus [of the media was] on the attack lines and the sort of optics of winning the game. And this is not a game. This is people’s livelihoods. This is our environment. This is the future of our country, of our world.
I would like to think that there’s a little bit of a reset. And I do I remain very determined not to become that political person. I feel like even after 27 years of journalism, I’m still not a cynical human. I carried that into this role, I’m trying to be real and open-minded and [to] listen and respond. And not get caught up in the vortex.
You can read the full interview here:
Updated
The show must go on ...
Let’s just check in with Splendour in the Grass, where it is still rather wet. The organisers have confirmed the acts are going ahead today, and the main stages have been pumped.
A member of the public Splendour in the Grassers 2022 Facebook ground has shared some photos of the inside of the festival grounds this morning. Pump trucks have been going around the area all night. pic.twitter.com/lk7L68We98
— Tobi Loftus (@tobiloftus) July 22, 2022
Updated
Man extradited from Thailand
A man has been extradited from Thailand back to Australia over the murder of a Sydney father eight years ago, AAP reports.
Bradley Dillon, 25, was found shot in the inner city suburb of Leichhardt on the evening of August 11, 2014.
NSW Police found the Abbotsford man collapsed on a road and despite attempts by paramedics to revive him he died at the scene.
In 2014, a then 23-year-old man was charged over his murder and has since been sentenced.
Now, police have extradited a man, 33, from Thailand over the murder.
Detectives applied for and were granted an arrest warrant for the man, who had been remanded in prison in Thailand.
The man was handed over to NSW Police and escorted by detectives on a flight from Bangkok, which landed at Sydney International Airport at about 6am on Saturday.
He was taken to Mascot police station where he was charged with an outstanding arrest warrant for alleged murder.
The man will appear at Parramatta bail court on Saturday.
Updated
Body of woman who died sleeping rough in Adelaide parklands not found for three weeks
The 48-year-old woman, discovered by a man who knew her, was found in a tent in the eastern end of the parklands along South Terrace at 2pm on 22 May.
A spokesperson for the South Australian police confirmed patrols had been called to the area to investigate. Police believe she had not been seen for several weeks prior.
She is believed to have made the decision to travel interstate at the start of year but had since returned to South Australia. Police do not consider her death to have occurred in suspicious circumstances and are currently preparing a report for the coroner.
Read more:
Updated
Data collection key part of plan to tackle violence against women and children, minister says
Implementing consistent data collection practices will be part of the national plan to eliminate violence against women and girls, the federal minister for social services, Amanda Rishworth, has said.
The national plan was discussed at a meeting of ministers for women and women’s safety in Adelaide yesterday.
Rishworth told Weekend Sunrise this morning that data collection was a key part of the plan:
Actually trying to get the goals in place is one thing but collecting data is really important and so all states and territories and the commonwealth resolved to work on that data collection to make sure that there is data that is consistent across states and territories in terms of reporting. Because if we don’t collect data in a consistent way, then we won’t know if we are making progress.
So in addition to the goals that were broadly set out, the states and territories all had a resolve, along with the commonwealth, to collect data so that we can tell whether we’re making a meaningful difference and make sure that we’re on track to end violence against women and children. Obviously, sometimes prevalence can go up if more people are reporting. But we’ve got to see that more reporting is a good thing in some circumstances because it means women and children are feeling comfortable to go to organisations or authorities to report their violence.
It comes as the Northern Territory police minister criticised the media for a lack of coverage of the domestic violence death of a First Nations woman and her child on Sunday.
Had this incident occurred in Sydney or Melbourne, not an outstation 25km from Alice Springs, police and domestic violence minister Kate Worden said, it would have been “all over the news”.
Updated
NSW reports 41 deaths, 14,953 new cases of Covid-19
New South Wales has reported similarly high numbers, with 41 deaths and 14,953 new cases in the 24-hours to 4pm yesterday.
There are 2,176 people with Covid-19 in hospital, and 59 in intensive care. Just over 68% of people have received their third shot, despite a fourth booster now being available.
COVID-19 update – Saturday 23 July 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 22, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
- 96.8% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 95.3% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/ACcYJBwECJ
Victoria reports 44 deaths, 10,812 new cases of Covid-19
Victoria has recorded a staggering 44 deaths of people with Covid-19 on Saturday, some of which date back earlier than today, and 10,812 new cases.
There are 820 people in hospital, 29 in ICU and six on ventilators. There are more than 70,000 active reported cases of Covid-19 in the state.
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 22, 2022
Today’s total number of COVID-19 deaths includes some historic cases.
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAchah pic.twitter.com/otjnvGBgdX
Perth police allege racehorse shares fraud
Police in Perth have charged a 27-year-old man for allegedly fraudulently selling shares in racehorses.
In a statement, detectives from the Joondalup branch claimed the man “offered shares in multiple racehorses, but did not have control of the horses or a licence to do so”.
“It is further alleged the man received multiple payments for shares in a number of racehorses, totalling more than $4,900,” police said.
The alleged incident took place between April and May this year. Police said the person who purchased the shares reported the incident to police after they sent transfer of ownership documents to the accused but did not receive any correspondence in return.
Updated
Call for new national framework to step up efforts to combat racism
The race discrimination commissioner, Chin Tan, is calling for a new national framework to combat racism after the past two years has seen spikes in anti-Asian sentiment and discrimination against Indigenous, Jewish and Muslim groups.
Unlike the UK and the United States, Australia does not have systems to collect data on racist incidents and instead relies on ad hoc indicators. All of those indicators point to spikes in racism since the start of the pandemic, AAP reports.
Chin says there is limited understanding of anti-racism and racial equality measures and their impact across Australia, increasing the need for improved data collection, evaluation and sharing.
“A national anti-racism framework will provide a central reference point for actions on anti-racism to be undertaken by all sections of Australian society,” he told AAP.
“It will identify opportunities to address racism through coordinated strategies, set measurable anti-racism targets and provide tools and resources to address racism.
“It’s not enough to simply condemn racism. We need clear goals and the means to ensure accountability to commitments if we are to make progress on tackling racism.”
Over the past year, the commission has held more than 100 consultations for the framework with about 300 organisations nationwide and received 171 submissions.
Updated
Not so splendid in flooded tents
Reporter Cait Kelly spoke to a number of wet and muddy revellers at Splendour in the Grass who spent Friday night not sleeping in flooded tents ahead of the festival’s programming resuming today.
Liam Bourke told Cait he and his friends have spent two nights sleeping in their car. On Friday morning they woke up to find the car surrounded by floodwater.
We have a gazebo and two tents attached, one of the tents is totally flooded, the other one is a bit luckier … but we won’t sleep in it....
Some of the people are underwater, it’s not just like a bit of mud, you can’t camp there, people are parked in and they can’t get out.
You can read Cait’s full piece here.
As an aside, amidst all the rain-soaked videos from Splendour on TikTok, I have seen some describing the unusual feeling of JOMO: Joy of missing out. Good luck to all artists and attendees for the next two days, I suspect it won’t be comfortable.
Updated
Statement from families of children who died in Port Hedland house fire
The families of the three children who died in a house fire in Port Hedland on Tuesday have asked the media to show sensitivity in reporting the incident, saying some coverage is “adding to the grief and trauma that we are experiencing”.
The statement, issued through WA Police last night, says:
Our family is going through a very traumatic grief process.
We are unable to put into words the shattering loss that we are all feeling at this time.
We request that people do not speculate and make comments on the events surrounding the passing of our beautiful children.
We ask that people respect our cultural protocols and not mention our children’s names, or share their images without our permission.
Some of the media stories and actions have been insensitive at a time when our family is just trying to cope with the reality of this loss.
This is adding to the grief and trauma that we are experiencing.
There is an investigation under way and everyone should respect that process without making further comment.
We are quietly paying tribute to our three little angels, and just supporting each other at this time.
Please let us do this without adding to our grief.
Updated
You know this already, but just to hammer it home: the emergency physician Dr Stephen Parnis says there is another wave of Covid coming.
Parnis told ABC Weekend Breakfast:
The entire population, not just health workers, are tired — indeed, exhausted. And that makes it just that much harder to do the things that we need to do to try to protect each other.
He then listed things we could do to curb the wave, which you also know already, because we have been here many times before:
We know from our experience over the last two years that when we do the things that reduce transmission of this virus, things like having our vaccinations, using masks in indoor settings, testing early and staying home from school and work when we get symptoms, that does make a difference and it does protect that finite and fragile and precious health system that we have.
They’re the things that I want to see done. But I recognise that people are tired, scared, sick of having to do this. But we have no alternative if we’re to make sure that we can look after people as best we can. That’s the sort of thing that I want to see for myself and from all of us in the community, despite our fatigue.
Karen Andrews says she was asked by the prime minister's office to issue boat statement
The report released by the department yesterday showed that the statement from Operation Sovereign Borders went live after the then prime minister, Scott Morrison, was asked about the incident at a press conference in Sydney.
It included concerned texts from Andrews’s office, asking the department: “is it live?? PM is speaking” and “a lot of people are furious”.
On the Today show on Saturday, Andrews was asked to explain why people were “furious” and why people were so keen to have the statement published immediately.
She repeated that it was “a lawful request for that statement to go out”.
Andrews repeated an earlier statement, first made the day after the election, that she had “absolutely no knowledge” that the Liberal party was planning to send a text message about the boat arrival. The text had the kicker “Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today”.
Asked if the prime minister’s office was pressuring her to get the information into the public domain, Andrews said:
I was asked by the prime minister to issue the statement and that is exactly what I did.
She added:
My focus was on getting the statement live, to make sure there was briefing of the opposition, and both of those steps were critically important.
Now if you go back to the lead-up to the election, it was very clear that there was a lot of media reporting, there was a lot of social media reporting, about this being a scaremongering tactic by the Coalition government to create fear about whether or not there would be boat arrivals.
I was advised earlyish in the morning of election day that a boat had been intercepted. Later we then went down the pathway of issuing a statement. It was a statement that was very operational in its focus and I think that was the appropriate way for it to happen. So two things happened from my point of view: the issuing of the statement and the briefing of the opposition.
Updated
Karen Andrews says there was 'absolutely no pressure' to issue election-day statement about boat arrival
The former home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, has rejected suggestions that she pressured the department to issue a statement about an asylum seeker boat that was intercepted on election day.
Andrews made the comment in response to a damning departmental report, released late yesterday, which included text messages sent between Andrews’s office and the Department of Home Affairs requesting that a public statement on the boat arrival be issued within 15 minutes.
Speaking to the Today show on the Nine Network, Andrews said there was “absolutely no pressure put on the department” to issue the statement, framing it as a “lawful” request.
Asked if she put pressure on the department, Andrews said:
The report makes it very, very clear that there was no breach of caretaker conventions. I asked the department to lawfully put out a statement – and actually it wasn’t the department, it was the head of operation sovereign borders. I asked clearly for the statement to be put out in a very situational-awareness type of report so it really just stuck to the facts, it just needed to be brief, it was just needed to be put out there so that it was clear that there had been a vessel that had been intercepted.
She then added:
There was absolutely no pressure put on the department..
Asked if this was the usual way of doing things, she said:
I don’t recall that there has ever been a boat that has been intercepted on election day so we weren’t in circumstances that were every day of the week, thankfully, at all. So I think that it was appropriate to make sure that there was a very clear statement put out by the head of operation sovereign borders and that is exactly what happened.
Updated
House prices have slumped, Corelogic data shows
Good morning,
Two in five properties in Australia are worth less than they were three months ago, data released on Saturday by Corelogic shows, in what some are taking as a sign the property boom has finally come to a close.
But real estate agents insist that with interest rates set to rise again in August, those who wish to buy should not wait.
Corelogic says the rising interest rates are part of what is driving the market downturn, alongside rising inflation and weaker consumer confidence.
Nearly 42% of houses and units across Australia declined in value in the second quarter of 2022, compared with about 24% in the first, its data shows.
It says property prices have declined by 0.2% nationally, but in Sydney house prices have fallen by 3%, while unit prices have dropped by 2.1%. The median house price in Sydney remains above $1m, with no houses listed for under $500,000, in three out of four suburbs.
Meanwhile the organisers of the Splendour in the Grass festival are forging ahead, urging ticket holders to turn up today — replete with gumboots — with the line-up today expected to proceed as normal.
The first day of the long-running Northern Rivers music festival was cancelled due to heavy rain, which flooded campsites and left some festival-goers stranded. Tickets for Friday’s event will be refunded.
Let’s crack on. You can reach me at calla.wahlquist@theguardian.com or @callapilla on twitter.
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