What we learned; Thursday 12 September
Here is a wrap of the day’s politics news, in case you missed a bit:
Anthony Albanese announced a major reform to aged care, including a new support at home program by 2035, changes to affect the funding availability of residential aged care, and new laws to protect older Australians in care.
The Albanese government will cancel the awards and honours of a small group of former military officers who commanded others that were accused of war crimes. Richard Marles says the award removal stems from “credible information” in the Breteron report.
The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed it will abolish the electorate of North Sydney, now held by independent Kylea Tink.
Tanya Plibersek labelled anti-war protests in Melbourne as “disgraceful” and condemned violence against police. Disrupt Land Forces, a coalition of activist groups involved in the protests, criticised the police response, saying they had been “attacked”, including with pepper spray and “rubber bullets”.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission has passed into law.
And you can read a wrap of question time from Amy Remeikis here.
Thats all for today. See you back on the blog tomorrow.
Updated
NSW police an ‘escalating factor’ in mental health crisis call outs, internal review finds
New South Wales police have admitted that when they attend mental health incidents they are often “an escalating factor” and it would be better if experts were deployed instead.
An internal review conducted by NSW police has called for better resourcing so officers are only involved if a crime has occurred or a person is at immediate risk of serious harm.
A summary of the review, released today, said officers would be “unlikely” to be able to properly respond to mental health incidents even if they received significantly more training.
Read the full story from Tamsin Rose and Catie McLeod here:
Miles makes voter pitch as parliament wraps before poll
The countdown to the Queensland election has begun, with the premier, Steven Miles, making his final parliamentary pitch to voters.
Behind in the polls, the premier warned Queenslanders “the stakes are high” at the 26 October election as the Liberal National party threatens to end Labor’s nine-year reign.
Miles claimed Labor was “turning a corner” in the biggest challenges facing Queenslanders – youth crime, health, cost of living and housing.
He believes Queensland would be heading toward the great unknown if LNP leader David Crisafulli was elected as premier.
Miles appeared to be making his last stand in heated scenes as Queensland’s 57th parliament sat for the final time on Thursday, offering voters a choice. He told parliament:
Queenslanders know me. They know that I will do what matters, and I will always listen and deliver – the alternative is void of any plans at all.
So in 45 days, that’s the choice, a choice between my clear and detailed vision and the unknown.
Let’s get locked in now. It’s time to hit the road. Our plan is hot to go.
Miles has been premier for nine months, since Annastacia Palaszczuk’s tearful resignation in December.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Australia could be global launch pad for green flights
Australia has the potential to be a global green aviation superpower if airlines, manufacturers and governments made major policy changes in the next 12 months, a conference has heard.
But Airbus Australia chief representative Stephen Forshaw warned delays or a failure to act could make the federal government’s plans for a future made in Australia look “more like a future made in Singapore”.
The predictions were made at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Brisbane today, which attracted more than 450 representatives from the travel industry.
Forshaw told attenders Australia had a host of advantages for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), including ready access to the agricultural waste needed to create it. But despite efforts to investigate its production, Australia had yet to launch a refinery:
We have the feedstock in Australia to be a SAF superpower but if we don’t make decisions in the next 12 months and get those decisions flowing into the investments required to build production facilities, a future made in Australia policy will actually look more like a future made in Singapore.
We really are in a global race for decarbonisation and Australia needs to step up and play a leadership role.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Matthew Newbould had spotted the Garry the gorilla statue at the retirement village in Melbourne’s north-east while buying a chest of drawers with a friend. He then grabbed the statue and loaded it on to a ute hired from Bunnings, the court heard.
An onlooker called police after spotting Garry perched in the vehicle’s tray.
Victoria police’s Airwing helped locate the 1.5m statue in a back yard.
Newbould was arrested on 5 July and a search of his phone revealed text messages to friends, including one that said:
LOL I stole a gorilla, so what?
Magistrate Michael Wighton considered Newbould’s mental health issues and substance abuse struggles in his decision, and opted not to extend the offender’s driving ban, which had almost three years remaining. The magistrate said:
If you breach the order through further offending or through not complying with the order, then you can be returned to court and re-sentenced.
In early July, police returned Garry the gorilla to the Leith Park retirement village where he has lived peacefully ever since.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Retirement village gorilla thief gets community service
In a slight shift away from the serious business of politics – a gorilla named Garry (a statue, not real) was stolen from a retirement village, and its captor has been charged with community service. Here is the story, courtesy of Australian Associated Press:
Matthew Newbould last month pleaded guilty to stealing a 20kg garden ornament (Garry the gorilla) from a retirement village at St Helena in Melbourne’s north-east on 6 June.
He was also disqualified from driving at the time after losing his licence in July 2023.
Magistrate Michael Wighton convicted Newbould for theft and driving disqualified, sentencing him to 100 hours of unpaid community work over 12 months.
Wighton noted Newbould had already served jail time over more serious charges, and had previously breached a court order. He said:
You’re still getting yourself into trouble for pretty silly things.
I mean, really, really stupid decision making, like stealing things like the gorilla, land you in pretty serious trouble.
(More to come on the abduction of Garry the gorilla in the next post – keep an eye out.)
Updated
Thank you to Amy Remeikis for taking us through another packed day on the Australian politics live blog.
I’ll update you with any news that rolls in this evening – stay tuned.
The parliament still has a little to go, but I will hand you over to Rafqa Touma who will guide you through the evening. It is general news blog tomorrow, given that the parliament will rise, but Politics Live will be back with you on Monday for the Senate-only week.
Can’t. Wait.
Until then, please – take care of you.
Updated
Dreyfus details anti-doxing laws
On the proposed doxing legislation, Mark Dreyfus tells the ABC:
There are serious criminal offences created here for the malicious release of personal and private data, [the] online release [of data].
[The penalty] will be six years and where it is directed at someone’s personal characteristics, their religious or race or some other attribute, there will be more serious and carry a penalty of seven years.
It is important we set standards here. Most people would have heard that very often it is directed at women, as part of family and domestic violence and causes tremendous suffering in many cases.
We have other examples of doxing directed at other particular groups and we are determined to get rid of this practice … one way to do that is to criminalise conduct.
The prime minister and I said earlier … we will be bringing a law to parliament to criminalise doxing and that is a lot I have introduced into the parliament today. Another part of the privacy bill gives a legal basis for compensation if someone suffers a serious invasion of privacy.
Updated
Cash says Coalition will consider Labor’s proposed laws but has concerns about enforcement
The shadow attorney general, Michaelia Cash, has also responded to the government’s hate speech bill, telling our Paul Karp:
The bill has been changed significantly from Labor’s original version, which was heavily criticised. For months now, the Coalition has called for our laws to properly deal with the abhorrent rise in antisemitic attacks that we have seen since October 7.
We have asked why existing offences weren’t being used, and whether they should be reviewed. So we will look at these laws carefully.
But the question isn’t just about the words on paper. It’s about how the government will police and enforce these laws.
What is the government doing on the ground? Are we going to see action to help the Jewish community feel safe? Or are we going to see more distraction and false equivalence?
Updated
Attorney general defends proposed hate speech laws
Mark Dreyfus has addressed some of the criticism on the ABC:
We’re legislating as we promised to prevent and criminalise the urging of violence, hate speech and chants. It is a very important step forward. It will go to the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee and no doubt there will be further submissions because this is a contentious area but we are keeping to the commitment the prime minister made earlier this year, to bring forward legislation to criminalise hate speech.
We have got to draw lines here and set standards, we have to resolutely say to everyone that there is no place in our society for hate speech, no place for urging force or violence, particularly when there are more serious penalties for this, particularly when it is directed at someone’s race, religion or who they [love].
Updated
LGBTQ+ and Jewish groups disappointed in Labor abandoning plans to outlaw vilification
LGBTQ+ and Jewish groups have expressed disappointment at Labor’s decision to abandon its plan to outlaw vilification, warning hate speech will not be prohibited under new laws.
On Thursday the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, introduced the Albanese government’s hate crimes bill, which he said “responds to the increasing prevalence of hate speech and hateful conduct in our society”.
“This conduct cannot, and will not, be tolerated,” he said.
The bill expands the existing offence of urging violence and establishes new offences of threatening to use force or violence against groups or individual members of a group. These offences would now protect people on the basis of their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, national or ethnic origin or political opinion.
However, despite promising a bill to criminalise vilification and hate speech more generally, the government opted to not criminalise conduct such as inciting hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule.
Updated
Josh Taylor has taken a look at the doxing laws Mark Dreyfus introduced to the parliament earlier today:
What’s at stake in the environmental laws fight?
Much has been written in recent weeks and months about what the mining industry, particularly in Western Australia, has to say about potential reforms to Australia’s nature laws.
It is worth a reminder that the very reason any reform is being proposed is that a statutory review in 2020 – that occurred under the previous Coalition government with a chair it selected – found successive governments had completely failed to protect Australia’s unique wildlife and beloved animals, plants and ecosystems were in unsustainable decline.
That review recommended an overhaul of Australia’s nature laws, including new national environmental standards. That broad reform is not even what is on the table here. It was delayed earlier this year after the government decided to split up its planned bills and begin with legislation to establish the proposed new regulator and another new agency to handle environmental information.
When his report was released in 2021, Graeme Samuel said the government would be accepting “the continued decline of our iconic places and the extinction of our most threatened plants, animals and ecosystems” if it shied away from the fundamental reforms he recommended.
Updated
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on Anthony Albanese “to stand up to the mining industry” and negotiate with the Greens and cross bench to improve a bill to establish a national environmental protection agency (EPA).
Speaking before question time, the Greens environment spokesperson criticised the mining industry for pressuring MPs over promised nature reforms:
All week here in this building, the mining industry have been putting pressure on Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek to weaken their already weak environment protection agency.
We’ve seen this movie before. We know what happens when the mining industry wants to get their way. They get heavy, they lobby hard, and they start to bully parliamentarians.
Earlier this week the Greens and the crossbench offered to work with the government to secure a better deal for the environment. It followed remarks by the prime minister last week that he would consider watering down the proposed EPA model to secure support for the legislation from the Coalition.
Hanson-Young said this afternoon she had been talking to the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, about a pathway through the current gridlock. In comments aimed specifically at the prime minister, she called for the government to “make a choice” to protect the environment.
Do they want to protect nature and save the koalas, protect the climate, or do they want to roll over and be a patsy for Gina Rinehart and the mining lobby?
Peter Dutton is calling the prime minister’s bluff today. He’s having a good old time making it very clear that this prime minister is going to water [the laws down] to get a deal with the mining industry.
I’m sorry, the mining industry don’t have seats in the Senate. The mining industry are not democratically elected. The mining industry have been in here, lobbying and heavying, and the prime minister needs to stand up to them.
Updated
The Coalition benches, through the Bowers lens
And this is some of the Coalition during that same question time, as seen by our own Mike Bowers:
Updated
Today’s question time, through the Bowers lens
The mood from the government side of the benches this week was very different from what we saw from the last parliament sitting. Here is just some of Anthony Albanese’s good mood from this question time, as seen by Mike Bowers:
Updated
What did we learn in question time?
Well that is the last House of Representatives question time until October and, once again, the Coalition struggled to find a landing point.
The last week in particular has shown that when the government puts forward policy – and prosecutes its arguments (and this is not a comment on whether the policy is good or not) and advocates for a position – it can actually manage to take control of the agenda.
The Coalition spent the week asking about the government fighting with the RBA, before today switching to the economy itself. Which is much firmer ground than asking about nonexistant issues around security checks for Palestinian visas.
But as we saw in almost every answer, because the Coalition has voted down or abandoned the negotiating field on legislation addressing the cost of living, the government was able to turn the tables in the answers.
We also saw a new line emerging from government ministers: “I take responsibility for …” which is obviously geared towards slipping into voters’ subconsciousness.
You have to remember that most voters only take in tidbits of information, which is why there is such a battle over winning the 6pm news with the snazziest news grab.
We also didn’t see too much of Peter Dutton this week. On Monday he asked no questions and beyond that, we only saw him pop up once or twice a QT session.
Nothing is accidental in this place. There’s a reason Dutton laid low for the major political setpiece of the day, and while we aren’t privy to the internals of Coalition tactics, it’s usually because when voters see too much of a politician, they tend not to like them.
Updated
Question time ends
Question time ends and the chamber moves immediately to the introduction of the aged care reform legislation.
Updated
PM says review of Online Safety Act will be brought forward to examine algorithms
Anthony Albanese continues:
They want their young ones off their devices and on to those footy fields and on to those tennis courts or swimming pools.
Whatever it is, they want their young people, their children and their grandchildren for that matter, to have real experiences with real people. And that is why we have taken the decision that we have now on the matter of algorithms that the member raises our statutory review of the Online Safety Act, led by Delia Rickard, is currently looking into algorithms and will recommend systems that empower them and will report next month.
The review is a broad ranging examination of the effectiveness of the Act, and will consider whether additional protections are needed for harmful online material.
We brought forward this review early because we do recognise the need to keep up with changing technology and keep up with emerging harms in the meantime, we funded and commenced a new phase of our stop it at the start campaign to tackle online misogyny.
But we have also established the joint select committee into social media to continue the important policy development work. I know that this is an issue that concerns every member of this Parliament, and I know more important than that is it concerns every parent out there. This has been raised with me over recent years, more than any other issue, more than any other issue.
And that is why my government is determined to act and to get that action right, which is why we’re doing the trial that was funded in the budget in May.
Updated
PM defends social media age verification decision despite expert’s criticism
Zoe Daniel asks:
Mental health organisations like Reachout, Headspace, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and others say an age ban on social media won’t work, that it may cut young people off from support and expose them to new harms.
EU countries have moved on big tech’s algorithms, while Australia falls behind and constituents in Goldstein and across the country battle everything from misogynistic content to gambling and eating disorder triggers. Why doesn’t the government properly deal with this and make the social media companies take responsibility for their algorithms?
Anthony Albanese:
I thank the member for Goldstein for her question, and I know that she’s genuine about her concern on this issue and issues of youth, mental health, body image and eating disorders, and social media and its impact, in particular.
I would like to acknowledge her genuine and tireless engagement with a very broad range of stakeholders, including young people themselves, into these issues. I also acknowledge the member’s joint report with the Butterfly Foundation that I’ve had a look at, from May 2024, where the member for Goldstein had a round table, it would appear from the photo here in Parliament House in order to engage directly about these issues.
And I do note, though, that the report recommends very clearly recommendation ten social media platforms be required to have accurate age verification for all accounts and clearly articulate what these are, and measure and report on their efficacy.
So the people as well, who I’ve engaged with, who the Minister for communications have been engaged with, who members of our cabinet and members of the government have engaged with parents on the sidelines of footy games and netball courts on the weekend.
Updated
‘Rang me yesterday’: Chalmers says person quoted in the Australian as criticising him was not
Jim Chalmers builds to his big finish:
…The other thing that I say to those wonderful people, and if I may particularly to my great friend Nicky Pati, I say to Nicky and to Tyson and all of those people, thank you. Thank you for your leadership in our local community.
And I’m asked about those great friends in the Australian yesterday. I want to say this about Nicky.
I want to tell the whole House about Nicky because he rang me yesterday mortified that he had somehow given a different impression to the impression that he wanted to give.
But I reassured him that if those opposite, if those opposite, read the to the end of the story – and it doesn’t appear that they have – this is what Nicky said about myself and the state treasurer of Queensland. This is what Nicky said, and I’m quoting: ‘How good is it? Two Logan boys are running the finances for the country and for Queenslanders.’
They understand, he said. They see the struggle, he said. I know that Jim and Cameron [Dick] are doing such a great job, he said. Those two boys are doing the best they can to ease the cost of living for people.
I say to you, Nicky – and Nicky is a red-hot chance to be watching from Spasifik Cuts in Kingston in my electorate – I say, how are you doing Nicky? Thanks for the kind words.
Updated
Chalmers says issues raised by his constituents are impetus behind cost-of-living relief
Jim Chalmers:
You know, yesterday I was saying to the infrastructure minister and the defence minister, I really hope they ask me about the front of the Australian and I didn’t think that I would be this lucky, but it turns out that a day later, Mr Speaker, I am.
And they’re asking me about some wonderful people in my local community, Joe, Mabrouk and Kate and my great friends Nicky and Tyson, and the story on the front of the Australian yesterday.
And I welcome the interest from the Australian.
I welcome the visit and they spoke to. Some of the business leaders and business owners in my local community, and I want to say to each of them, all five of them, and to every small business person in my electorate, I’m proud to represent you.
I’m proud to represent you and the issues raised by Joe and Mabrouk and Kate and Nikki and Tyson were issues that are raised with us right around Australia right now, and they are part of my motivation.
They are part of the inspiration for the cost of living help that this government and this prime minister are rolling out, because unlike those opposite, we don’t hear that people are under pressure and then ignore their very real needs and concerns.
When we hear that people are under pressure, we act to do something about it and we give every taxpayer a tax cut.
We give every household energy bill relief and a million small businesses energy bill relief, which those opposite don’t support.
We make early childhood education and medicines cheaper, and we provide help with rent, and we get wages moving again.
Updated
Ley joins attack lines on Chalmers
The deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley delivers Jim Chalmers an early Christmas present. In fact, she might have given Chalmers the greatest gift he has ever received (in parliament).
Ley asks:
Joe Massih owns a furniture shop in the treasurer’s electorate of Rankin and told the Australian he believed the RBA might need to raise rates further to get on top of inflation. He said, quote, ‘the Treasurer should not be spending more money’.
Will the treasurer take responsibility for Labor’s bad decisions over the last two years, which have taken our country in the wrong direction and hurt Australian families?
Chalmers looks like the Cheshire cat.
There are two things you have to know about Chalmers. One – he loves going up against Angus Taylor in the same way a 12-year-old loves hitting a totem tennis ball. And two – he knows his electorate. And the people in it.
Which means he personally knows the people in the Australian article Ley is referencing and most likely is in contact with them. Regularly.
Updated
Education minister says tertiary education commission will help address unfair cost of university degrees
Independent MP Monique Ryan brings some decorum back to the chamber, asking:
The Morrison government massively increased the cost of arts, business and law degrees from $16,000 to $51,000, $85,000 for a combined degree. At the time, Labor said that this change would make it harder and more expensive for young people to get an education, and the University Accord agreed.
When will this government address the unfair cost of university degrees?
Jason Clare:
You’re right. The universities accord made specific recommendations about this and made the point that the former government’s job ready graduates program had failed, and it made recommendations about how to address this.
I’ve announced that we will establish an Australian tertiary education commission that will help to steer reform here and that includes the setting, of course, fees. I’m consulting with the university sector and the broader community at the moment about how we establish that … commission and its roles and responsibilities.
So I hope that directly addresses the question that you have asked. The universities accord is a blueprint for reform of higher education for the next decade and beyond. It’s bigger than one budget, but we’ve bitten off a big chunk of it in this year’s budget, about 29 of the 47 recommendations in full or in part.
(He then goes into the rest of the university accord reforms.)
Updated
Chalmers tells Cecil to consider Coalition’s cuts
Jim Chalmers is asked a question about a person named Cecil, who has seen an increase in their gas bill. We very quickly enter into Cecil sells sea shells by the seashore territory as Chalmers tries to bring in Cecil’s name into every sentence.
The Coalition’s Aaron Violi asks:
Cecil from Badger Creek in Casey contacted me about his gas bill and said, and I quote, ‘Just received our gas bill, double the price. Now $582.’ How does this PM in Canberra think pensioners are going to stop from freezing? Will the Treasurer take responsible for Labor’s bad decisions over the last two years, which have taken our country in [the] wrong direction and hurt Australian families?
Chalmers:
… Now, the difference between this side of the House and that side of the House is: we’re trying to help Cecil ... and those opposite, every time we try to help Cecil, those opposite try to stand in the way.
And every time we point out to the parliament, and to the people beyond the parliament, that the $315bn they want to cut would do untold damage to the pensioners of this country, including by the sounds of it, Cecil. Every time we say that those opposite need to come clean on these cuts, Cecil... Cecil... Cecil!
Cecil should keep an eye out. He should even an ear out. He should keep an eye out for when those opposite come clean about … their cuts on those household budgets. This side of the House, the Labor side of the House is trying to help him. That side is trying to harm him, with $315bn in cuts including the indexation of the pension.
Updated
James McGrath attempts to use suicide prevention day to criticise Labor
Shortly before question time kicked off in the Senate, Liberal senator James McGrath attempted to make an eyebrow-raising two-minute statement before he was cut short. McGrath started:
It’s R U OK day today and, actually, most Australians aren’t OK because they’ve got a terrible Labor government. And what they’ve got to remember is that they’ve got a cost of living crisis – get rid of them ...”
The Senate president, Sue Lines, cuts McGrath off to begin question time but the Senate government leader, Penny Wong, addresses the comment. “It’s probably not the thing to trivialise,” Wong said, flashing a stern look.
“Oh, really?” McGrath shots back.
“Yes, really ... it’s about suicide,” Wong said.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, also interjected from the frontbench: “It’s about suicide prevention.”
McGrath responded:
Oh, here we go.
The Liberal senator said something else inaudible but was cut off by Lines.
Updated
Chalmer says interest rate rises began under Liberals’ watch
Angus Taylor asks Jim Chalmers:
Does the Treasurer take responsibility for 12 interest rate increases?
Chalmers:
He forgot one. He forgot one. Interest rates started going up on the watch of those opposite. Isn’t it interesting! Isn’t that interesting, Mr Speaker, that he forgot the first one.
Isn’t that interesting that he forgot the first one! I don’t think that that was an accident, Mr Speaker. I don’t think that that was an accident. He was hoping that nobody noticed that interest rates started going up on their watch, and they started going up on their watch because when they were in office, it was 6.1% and it was rising Mr Speaker. And that’s why interest rates started going up when he was the most embarrassing member of a bad government.
Taylor has a point of order:
That was very deliberately a very, very tight question which he has been completely unwilling to engage in and be even slightly relevant towards.
Milton Dick rules Chalmers as being in order. Chalmers:
The interest rates which began rising before the change of government are putting substantial pressure on people, and that’s a point that I’ve been making ...
Taylor interjects. Dick tells him to shut it.
Chalmers then launches into the “here are our responsibilities” script, which I will save you, because I like you.
Updated
Guardian Australia takes responsibility for pointing out this new QT tactic
There is absolutely a new format in how to answer questions cooked up by the government’s tactic’s team.
“I take responsibility for the fact …” is being adopted by all ministers in answering the question about what the government is doing about the economy. And what do they take responsibility for?
Well you heard Anthony Albanese in the first answer – here is the Jim Chalmers remix:
I take responsibility for our part in the fight against inflation and that means taking responsibility for the fact that when we came to office inflation was 6.1%, in the year that we were elected, 7.8%.
It’s half that now and so I take responsibility for our part in that effort. I take responsibility for turning two big Liberal deficits into two big Labor surpluses and I tell you by the end of the month how big that second surplus is. I take responsibility, for almost $80bn in savings.
I take responsibility for the fact that we have banked and not spent almost all of the upward revision to revenue.
I take responsibility for the fact that the governor of the Reserve Bank has herself said that our couple of surpluses we have already delivered are helping in the fight against inflation.
I take responsibility along with the prime minister and [our] colleagues for the cost-of-living help that we are rolling out to people right now, Mr Speaker. I take responsibility for the fact that despite the opposition of those opposite, every Australian taxpayer is getting a tax cut. I take responsibility for the fact that every household is getting energy bill relief.
I take responsibility for the fact that early childhood education is cheaper. And medicines are cheaper and real wages are growing again, I take responsibility for our part in the fight against inflation.
Updated
Greens and Labor spar over ‘broken promises’ and environmental record
Adam Bandt asks Anthony Albanese:
Emissions are now higher under you than when Scott Morrison left office. You have broken promises to protect people against discrimination and to recognise Palestine, you have said you’ll gut your own weak environment laws and won’t ban gambling ads, cap and free rent increases, or stop supermarket price gouging. Small targets won’t fix Australia’s big problems, so does the prime minister understand why so many people are disappointed in Labor?
There is a reason it is Adam Bandt asking this question and not Max Chandler-Mather. Anyone who has observed how much Chandler-Mather gets under Albanese’s skin could tell you why.
Albanese:
I think Australians understand that I lead a government that gets things done. That makes a difference.
Unlike the Greens political party who are quite happy to have members of Parliament who attend demonstrations that are violent, that throw things against police, that engage in disruption because the big difference between a party of government and a party of protest is that we are responsible, that we work through issues constructively across this chamber in order to make a positive difference.
(He goes through what he says is the government’s record and ends with):
We are dealing with the immediate pressures which are there while also having a plan for the future. That includes taking advantage of the global transition to net zero that is so important. We have a 43% reduction target by 2030 that’s legislated and net zero by 2050 that’s legislated. You don’t get there by hoping and a wishing. You get there by having serious policies that drive the change through.
Hence the safeguard mechanism, the capacity investment scheme, the national reconstruction fund, all of these programs making a difference as we go forward as well. That’s how you take advantage, as well making sure that communities aren’t left behind. That’s why we have the net zero authority as well making a difference, that communities aren’t left behind so we train australians for the jobs of the future.
Updated
Plibersek reads quotes from Coalition members welcoming renewable projects to their electorates
Tanya Plibersek is asked to withdraw her final comment about Angus Taylor, and does out of “respect” for the speaker.
She is handed a piece of paper (this is usual during question time – staff sit along the sidelines of the chamber and are ready to go with what is known in the biz as a “shit sheet” which usually has quotes or examples that ministers can use in their answer. During all the point of orders, government staff have found a sheet with information about renewable projects that the Coalition approved while in government and handed it to the prime minister, who gets it to Plibersek at the despatch box).
The Liberal’s Paul Fletcher asks for that paper to be tabled (this is the parliamentary version of being a brat, though not the Charli XCX type, because it is making the point that they know what has happened), but Plibersek says it is a confidential document.
But she would like to share some elements of it:
One of them is a quote from the member for New England, ‘We have made massive investments in the New England into renewable energy. I made sure it happened.’ Another is from the member for Maranoa, ‘We actually want Maranoa to become the renewable energy electorate. Western Downs shire is screaming at me to become the renewable energy shire of the country with solar and wind.’ We[’ve] got another one from the member for Farrah – ‘I am so proud the biggest renewable energy producer is right here in ...’
Mr Speaker, each one of these projects required some land clearing. And, of course, if the projects … are good projects, then they go ahead. That’s how we make decisions.
Updated
Back to the questions and David Littleproud asks Tanya Plibersek about land clearning. Which is brave.
Minister how many hectare of native vegetation are designated to be cleared to develop the 60 new renewable energy projects you announced in question time yesterday?
Plibersek:
I want to thank the leader of the National Party for that question. And I want to say that it’s obvious that it depends on the renewable energy project itself how much vegetation would have to be cleared. In some cases, very little vegetation will be cleared.
It depends on the project. There’s 60 of them right across the country. But I can understand why the Nationals are so sensitive about this because while they were in government, while they were in government, there were 22 separate energy policies [and] they didn’t land a single one of them.
… We’re working with proponents on all of these projects to minimise any impact on matters of national environmental significance and that would … include land clearing where it’s necessary.
But it’s interesting that the leader of the opposition – the leader of the nationals is only interested in land clearing when it comes to renewable energy projects. He’s not interested in land clearing if it’s mining project, he’s not interested in land clearing if it’s a housing project.
And he’s not interested in land clearing when it’s the shadow treasurer poisoning grasslands where there’s companies ...
Cue numerous objections from the opposition.
(That’s a reference to a story on Angus Taylor and land clearing – a starting point to Guardian Australia’s work on the issue is below.)
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Aged care sector welcomes bipartisan reforms
Several major voices in aged care have quickly welcomed the deal on funding the system struck between the government and opposition, urging the changes to be passed quickly through parliament.
The Aged and Community Care Providers Association called the changes “historic reforms that will be vital to all Australians now and in the future”, congratulating federal MPs for putting “the future of aged care above party politics”. The association’s CEO, Tom Symondson:
Minister Anika Wells, [the] minister for health and aged care, Mark Butler, and [the] shadow minister for health and aged care, Senator Anne Ruston, should all be congratulated for working through such complex legislation and delivering a genuinely bipartisan outcome.
St Vincent’s Care described the reforms as “the most impactful changes to aged care in a long time”. Their CEO, Lincoln Hopper, said:
It will raise standards and ensure the system can be adequately funded to deliver the aged care our parents and grandparents deserve and need. Now and in the future.
Importantly, both sides of politics have agreed to a plan that maintains fairness as a core tenet.
We’re still going through the changes and learning exactly what they mean for consumers and will bring you more on the specifics soon. For a couple of top-line statistics, the government says “all fully supported residents will not contribute more”, while seven in 10 full pensioners and one in four part pensioners “will not contribute more”.
The inverse of that, of course, indicates three in 10 full pensioners and three in four part pensioners will pay more under the changes. There’s also some changes to the refundable accommodation deposit, which will allow facilities to keep 2% of that payment for each year a person is in aged care.
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Sukkar kicked out of question time again
Michael Sukkar extends his lead over Tony Pasin as the most kicked out member in the parliament under 94A, after interjecting nine times in one anwer.
Sukkar’s lead over Pasin is back to eight.
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Question time begins
Peter Dutton opens today’s questions with the same question we have heard all week:
Under the Coalition, interest rates went up once. Under your government, they’ve gone up 12 times. The Business Council warns Labor’s economic credibility is on the line. Will the prime minister take responsibility for Labor’s bad decisions over the last two years, which have taken our country in the wrong direction and hurt Australian families?
The last time the RBA raised interest rates was June. Anthony Albanese, who has had all week to perfect an answer to this, says:
I take responsibility for the fact that Australia has faster economic growth than Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK. I’ll take responsibility, Mr Speaker, for the fact that Australia has a lower unemployment rate than the G7 countries – Canada, France and Italy, the same as the United States.
I’ll take responsibility for the fact that we have faster economic growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the UK. That is all seven G7 countries. That Australia has a higher participation rate than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States, and the United Kingdom.
And I’ll also take responsibility for the fact that we, unlike every single G7 nation, has produced budget surpluses
All of them are in deficit as we go forward. I will also take responsibility for the fact that we had delivered a tax cut for every taxpayer.
And that those opposite said that we should take that to an election. I’ll take responsibility for the fact that next week we might ...be in a position ... of having 1m jobs created on our watch since we came into government.
I’ll take responsibility for the fact that we have put in place cost-of-living measures including – including our power rebates for every household, not one … but two – both of them opposed by those opposite. I’ll take responsibility for the fact that if you’re a pensioner, you can get cheaper medicines as a direct result of the policies that we have put in place.
I’ll take responsibility for the fact that over half a million Australians have benefited from fee-free Tafe. And that 1.2 million Australian families have benefited from cheaper childcare.
That’s what I’ll take responsibility for. The fact that at a time where there is global inflation and many countries have gone into recession, that we have kept Australia in the black, that we have kept our economy growing, that we have kept jobs being created and that wages are rising. That we want people to earn more and keep more of what they earn – the precise opposite of what those opposite want.
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Aged care legislation to be introduced to the House today
The aged care legislation will be introduced into the house this afternoon and then it will be sent to a Senate inquiry process.
But with bipartisan support, it will be passed without issue.
In a trick both major parties use, the announcement was made just before question time, which limits how many questions can be asked – because after all, MPs have to get to question time.
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Chalmers says aged care spending will continue to grow but changes are ‘more sustainable’
Jim Chalmers continued on the numbers of it all:
Our approach has been to deliver a couple of big surpluses in the near term without ignoring our responsibilities to deal with some of the structural issues in the budget at the same time.
This is how we improve aged care and strengthen the budget at the same time. A change in care and meaningful structural reform in the budget at the same time. A combination of new investments and new contributions but with generous transitional arrangements.
It shows that we can still grow investment and aged care, we can still be the main funder when it comes to aged care but to make it more sustainable.
The net impact of the changes is expected to be … $930m spent over four years but a $12.6bn save over the next 10 years.
Aged care spending will continue to grow at an average of 5.2%, not 5.7% over the next decade and that means there is a share of GDP over the next decade, it will moderate from 1.5% of the economy down to 1.4% even with more people in the system and a higher standard of care at the same time.
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Treasurer lays out the numbers on aged care reforms
Jim Chalmers spoke on the economics of the reforms:
Our thinking here has been guided by the conclusions of the intergenerational report.
The number of people in home care has increased more than four times in just 10 years. Over the next 40 years, the number of people over 65 will double and people over 85 will triple.
The government spending in aged care over that period is expected to double as a share of the economy and that makes it one of the fastest-growing areas of spending along with health, [the] NDIS, defence and interest costs on debt.
Together, those big five spending pressures that Katy Gallagher and I talk about frequently were expected to grow from 8.8% to 14.4% of GDP over the period analysed in the intergenerational report.
We’ve made really substantial progress on interest costs because of those two surpluses. We made progress on the NDIS and defence and today we make further progress when it comes to aged care.
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Anita Wells speaks on experience working in aged care as she prepares to bring sector ‘into the light’
Anika Wells spoke about her experience working in aged care:
This is a new age of the Aged Care Act that will modernise a the aged care system.
The 1997 Aged Care Act was put in place with the primary focus of how to find aged care providers, but our new act [is] going to put the people at the heart of care.
The aged care bill implements a number of election commitments, such as mandatory aged care food standards, statutory duty of care for registered providers of aged care, worker screening and stronger investigative powers for the regulator.
When we came to government, the prime minister wanted to put the care back into aged care. We appointed a former aged care worker to be the minister.
It was 20 years ago now but I still remember Peggy and Dorothy and the people on my tea trolley rounds. I remember how it made their day if they had their preferred afternoon tea. I remember the effect it would have if a loved one cancelled a scheduled visit.
And I wish I could have told them everything they said to that teenager in a dish cap would once contribute to generational care reforms for their children and their children’s children.
Because it is a real privilege to work in aged care, it is some of the most meaningful work you could ever hope to do and it has been an honour to return to this sector and have this opportunity as a minister to bring it out of the shadows and into the light and prepare it for a future that all older Australians can rely on without any more fear.
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Details on the aged care reforms
Here is the official announcement:
$5.6bn will be invested in a reform package which represents the greatest improvement to aged care in 30 years, and includes these major changes:
A $4.3bn investment in Support at Home, to come into effect on 1 July 2025.
Essential changes to improve the funding, viability, and quality of residential aged care.
A “no worse off” principle will provide certainty to people already in aged care that they won’t have to make a greater contribution to their care.
The treatment of the family home won’t change.
New laws to protect older Australians in aged care, with stronger powers to investigate bad behaviour and civil penalties for breaching standards.
The net impact of the changes is a $930m spend over four years and $12.6bn in savings over the next 11 years.
The reforms respond to the recommendations of the aged care taskforce, which brought together older Australians, experts and residential aged care providers and recommended that Australians make a reasonable means tested contribution to the cost of their care.
The reforms have bipartisan support.
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Prime minister announces major reforms to aged care
Anthony Albanese seems like he is having a good day. Anika Wells, Mark Butler and the economic ministers have struck a deal on aged care.
As a result of the reforms that we are announcing today, around 1.4 million Australians will benefit from a new support at home program by 2035, helping them remain independent in their home and the community for longer.
$5.6bn will be invested in a reform package which includes these major changes.
$4.3bn will be invested in support at home to come into effect on the first of July next year.
[There are also] changes to affect the funding availability of residential aged care, including providing certainty that nobody already in aged care will be asked to contribute more to the cost of their care.
And thirdly, new laws to protect older Australians in aged care with stronger powers to investigate bad behaviour and civil penalties for breaching standards.
Reforms like this don’t happen every day. They are once in a generation and this is very significant. I do want to thank the opposition for their constructive engagement in this process.
Updated
There has been a hastily called press conference from Anika Wells so looks like we will have some news on aged care very soon.
Parliamentary standards bill passes Senate
And after all back-and-forth in the Senate, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission has passed into law.
The Greens senator Larissa Waters said she was pleased its doors would finally be open but expressed disappointment that proposals to make the workplace enforcement body more transparent were knocked back.
Waters said:
That guidance and transparency was needed to give the public confidence that politicians won’t just close ranks and protect their own. Only time will now tell.
Australians need to trust that their elected officials will be held responsible if they misbehave, and a strong and transparent process is needed for that confidence.
It’s now up to parliamentarians to start setting the standard and not continue to be a national shame.
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Thorpe amendment to parliamentary standards bill voted down
Staying with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission bill in the Senate this afternoon and another amendment by the independent senator Lidia Thorpe has also been voted down.
Thorpe’s amendment, which was read by the Greens senator Larissa Waters in Thorpe’s absence, sought to transition current cases before the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service – a HR-like body for those working in Parliament House – to the new investigation and sanctions body.
Thorpe used parliamentary privilege in June 2023 to accuse David Van, then a Liberal senator but now independent, of “inappropriately” touching her in a Parliament House stairwell. Van denied the claims, which he described as false, and called for an investigation into the allegations.
The case is before the PWSS, which acted as an interim body until the IPSC could be established.
The Liberal senator Jane Hume and Labor minister Katy Gallagher both said they would not support the proposed changes, with Gallagher saying “we believe that ensuring that those investigations that are ongoing can be concluded through the transitional [PWSS] arrangements is preferable to this amendment”.
Van said he would support Thorpe’s amendment. He said:
The [PWSS] process, as it stands at the moment, is not working. There deserves to be an off-path to the IPSC for matters to be reviewed in a far more professional way than is being done currently.
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Here is some of Andrew Hastie’s speech to the house about the need to rebuild trust between the ADF and commanders (including those in parliament).
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Tink doesn’t rule out running in new electorate after North Sydney seat abolished
The independent MP Kylea Tink says she is considering her political options with her seat of North Sydney to be abolished by the electoral commission, not ruling out running for a new local seat or even trying to switch to the Senate at the next election.
The teal MP also voiced support for further expanding the parliament, saying the job of a federal politician was getting harder and that it was difficult to faithfully represent the number of voters enrolled in each electorate under current ratios.
Tink gave a press conference in Parliament House this afternoon after the Australian Electoral Commission said it would – as had been flagged months ago – officially abolish North Sydney in a redistribution of NSW boundaries. Voters in the current North Sydney electorate will be shuffled into neighbouring seats as the boundaries change.
Tink had been strongly against the change, naturally, but her protests were unsuccessful. Responding to the news today, she called the decision “deeply disappointing” – but hinted her political ambitions weren’t over.
Despite today’s announcement I feel like I have a lot more to give to Australian politics, but today isn’t about me. I will have more to say about my future at a later date,” she said in a statement.
Tink told a press conference “I haven’t made any decisions at this point” about her future. There had been speculation in some media that she may run for a seat which now includes parts of her old North Sydney electorate – such as the neighbouring Bradfield, held by Liberal MP Paul Fletcher – or even run for the Senate. Tink wouldn’t confirm any of those details, but also didn’t shut down questions about such changes.
Tink also said Australia could think about increasing the number of MPs and senators more broadly, saying: “To expect a parliamentarian to be able to represent upwards of 150,000 people, is a really tough job … it comes back to, what is the best ratio for representatives to population?”
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Qantas paid Joyce $3.4m in 2023-24 despite him only working for two months
The former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce made $3.4m from the airline in 2023-24, despite only working for two months during the financial year before his fast-tracked exit.
The amount consisted of $381,000 in base pay coupled with more than $3m from long-term incentive arrangements, according to the airline’s annual report, published today.
The pay could have been much higher, given the Qantas board cut Joyce’s final pay packet by $9.26m after his tumultuous final year in charge of the carrier that included a string of legal scandals.
Qantas subsequently struck a deal with the competition regulator to pay a $100m penalty and pay $20m to customers in compensation, after conceding it misled consumers by selling tickets for thousands of flights it had already cancelled.
Joyce had planned to step down from the chief executive role last November, but brought this forward to early September.
The new chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, earned $4.38m last financial year, down from the $5.98m she earned in 2022-23. The prior year’s pay, when she was chief financial officer, was inflated by a retention payment.
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‘Please. Let’s make this work’: Greens’ plea on parliamentary standards bill
An amendment by the Greens to allow the proposed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission to recommend sanctions against politicians for serious misconduct to the privileges committee has been knocked back.
The powerful privileges committees will be able to decide how colleagues are punished and will not need to justify any of its decisions under the proposal. The IPSC will not be able to offer the committee any recommendations on proposed sanctions for serious allegations against politicians.
The Greens, crossbenchers and a number of advocacy groups raised the alarm on the loophole earlier this week, saying it was “beyond disappointing”.
The Greens senator Larissa Waters told the upper house the IPSC should be able offer recommendations to committees and that committees should have to provide explanations if they choose not to follow the recommendations.
There’s a perception, and I fear that perception might become a reality, that this is not a transparent process, and that there is not going to be the strongest possible decisions taken by the privileges committee to not only discipline parliamentarians who breached the code, but deter others from breaching the code in future.
Now I perhaps naively assumed that this wouldn’t be a problematic amendment – lol – turns out this is such a big deal, and we’re not going to get support from anyone on it. What a crying shame. Please. Let’s make this system work more effectively. Please. Let’s ensure that the privileges committee can be armed with the best information to make the right decision.
The Greens and senators David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie and Tammy Tyrrell voted for the changes but were outvoted by Labor and the opposition.
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And rounding out our Senate focus (we are just preparing you for the Senate-only week), here is Mehreen Faruqi speaking on what she said were the flaws with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission which the government and opposition have agreed on:
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Greens move inquiry into youth justice
Sticking with the Senate – late last night, the Greens won support for an inquiry into youth justice across the nation.
The party’s justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said it was the first time the commonwealth parliament “has recognised it has a job to do to enforce Australia’s international obligations and keep children safe when State and Territory youth justice systems are so broken”:
The commonwealth has all the international obligations to protect the rights of children, First Nations rights and [to] stop torture and yet they have failed to act in the face of a national youth justice crisis.
It’s time to move on from the ineffectual handwringing from Labor’s federal attorney general and actually do something to stop the violence, isolation and torture that children face in state and territory children jails.
We spoke to the Queensland premier, Steven Miles, about why youth justice was always used as a political football last week in the Australia Politics podcast. You can hear him speak on that, here:
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Coalition senators vote with Hanson on anti-trans bills
Over in the Senate, Pauline Hanson introduced the latest in a series of anti-trans bills put forward by the right wing senator.
This one sought to amend the Sex Discrimination act to remove “gender identity” and replace it with “man” and “woman” to be defined as: man means a member of the male biological sex irrespective of age. woman means a member of the female biological sex irrespective 17 of age
Labor, the Greens and David Pocock voted down the first reading debate.
Coalition senators, including David Sharma – who made headlines when he was one of five Liberal MPs to cross the floor to vote for protections for trans kids in 2022, and once labelled Katherine Deves’ comments against trans people “reprehensible” – voted with One Nation. You can see how senators voted here (check the general business entry at about 11:50am).
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Privileges committee says threats of legal action were contempt but it is not making recommendations after notices withdrawn
(Continued from previous post)
On Thursday Rob Mitchell delivered an oral report of the privileges committee to the House of Representatives. Mitchell noted the other matters complained of included two Twitter posts, four Facebook posts, and a Youtube video, all in the name of Hill.
Mitchell said that “the question of whether the publication of material is likely to attract parliamentary privilege is clearer in some cases than others” but the privileges committee had concluded that “properly authorised” media releases of a parliamentary committee are proceedings of the parliament. He said:
It is the view of the committee that the threat of legal action contained in the concerns notice insofar as it pertains to the media release could have amounted to a serious contempt by both Mr Margerison and his legal representatives. This would be by way of improper interference for the free exercise of the JCPAA of its Authority and functions and the member for Bruce’s job as the chair of committee.
During the course of the inquiry Mr Margerison informed the committee that he had withdrawn the concerns notice given to the member for Bruce and apologised for the potential interference in the work of the parliament. Given these circumstances, the committee will not be making any formal recommendations to the House on the matter.
However, given a serious nature, the committee wished to record its views on this matter, including importantly to stress the threat, the legal proceedings based on material to which parliamentary privilege attaches, it amount[s] to a serious contempt of the house and that an individual bringing those proceedings or their legal representatives.
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Julian Hill addresses contempt claim against John Margerison
In August we reported that parliament’s privileges committee would assess a claim that John Margerison, a business associate of the former Liberal minister Stuart Robert, may have committed a contempt of parliament by sending a defamation concerns notice to the former audit committee chair Julian Hill.
Hill told parliament :
The notice raises concerns about a number of publications, including an official media release published by the parliament of Australia pursuant to a resolution of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (the JCPAA) and a video of me answering a question in question time.
In parliament, Hill argued the material in question was likely to be covered by parliamentary privilege. Therefore, he said, the threat may constitute a contempt of parliament “by way of improper interference with the free exercise” of his duties as an MP and the committee’s work.
(continued in next post)
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Plibersek says Melbourne protests ‘disgraceful’ and condemns violence against police
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek was asked about the Melbourne anti-war protesters and said:
It’s disgraceful. People, of course, absolutely have the right to protest peacefully in our country, in our democracy. But you don’t protest for peace by throwing missiles at police. I support the right of peaceful protest. I don’t support violence directed at police who are only doing their job.
Asked about what she saw yesterday, Plibersek said:
Oh, it’s disgraceful. I don’t know how you call yourself a peace protester and turn up and start throwing missiles at people who are just out there doing their jobs.
…. Look, I frankly don’t understand what some of these people are doing at the protests. I understand the old-fashioned sort of peace protests, Palm Sunday anti-nuclear protests where hundreds of thousands of people would march in the street with their kids and their dogs and homemade posters calling for peace. I get that. I was part of those protests against the Iraq war, calling for peace. I totally understand that. What I don’t understand is what looks like the extreme left and the extreme right teaming up in a violent protest, apparently for peace. I don’t get it.
Disrupt Land Forces, a coalition of activist groups involved in the protests, criticised the police response, saying they had been “attacked”, including with pepper spray and “rubber bullets”.
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AEC details electoral reallocations after division of North Sydney abolished
The Australian Electoral Commission has accepted recommendations to abolish the federal seat of North Sydney, formalising a plan set in motion months ago which will see New South Wales lose one seat at the next election.
The AEC announced the redistribution decision this morning, saying they had “carefully considered” a number of objections and feedback on the proposal. Presiding member Susan Kenny:
The augmented electoral commission has unanimously accepted the redistribution committee’s proposed abolition of the division of North Sydney, to retire the name of the division of North Sydney and to modify the boundaries of nine of the electoral divisions initially proposed in May 2024.
The name “North Sydney” will be “retired”, the AEC said. The remaining 45 electorates in NSW will be retained, but the seat of Cook will now “jointly honour” both Captain James Cook and former prime minister Joseph Cook, according to the AEC’s formal reasoning.
The changes to NSW boundaries and the abolition of North Sydney – held by independent Kylea Tink – means a number of people in that area and surrounding electorates will move into new electorates. The AEC also announced those details today, with new changes to be announced to Berowra, Bradfield, Blaxland, Watson, Robertson, Dobell and others. You can see the full detailed changes on the AEC’s website.
We’re expecting Tink to hold a press conference shortly after 12pm today. An alert from her office says she will “discuss what the decision means for the people of North Sydney and reaffirm her commitment to work tirelessly on the issues that matter most to the people of North Sydney”.
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AEC abolishes electorate of North Sydney
The Australian Electoral Commission has made it official – the electorate of North Sydney will be abolished.
Independent MP Kylea Tink, who holds the seat, will be holding a press conference on the final outcome a little later, but said she would continue “working tirelessly” for the people of her electorate until the next election.
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Faruqi says leaving sanctions to privilege committee is like putting ‘Dracula in charge of the blood bank’
The final speaker on the independent parliamentary standards commission bill is the Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.
The Greens senator said the culture in Parliament House needs a “desperate shift” with “hardly a day” going by without “bad or unacceptable behaviour, intimidation, bullying, racism and sexism”.
Faruqi added the conduct she experienced was often “toxic, cutthroat and hyper masculine, whitewashed and exclusionary on multiple levels”. She pointed out that leaving the privileges committee to deal with which sanctions could apply to politicians found to have misbehaved was like putting “Dracula being in charge of the blood bank”.
This is not going to improve public trust or transparency. And on top of this, and I have to point this out, the makeup of the privileges committees, and the complete lack of diversity on those, is a real issue. They are all white. There are no First Nations people, no people of color, no one with disability, as far as I can tell.
So how do we expect trust in decision making and issuing sanctions from committees that are so unrepresentative when it comes to the experience of unacceptable behaviors, of bullying, racism and discrimination that we all want to end?
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Gallagher says Parliament a ‘very traditional workplace’
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, says the proposed parliamentary behaviour watchdog will be an “impartial fact finder”. But the minister also acknowledged the Parliament was a “very traditional workplace”. Gallagher:
This is a very traditional workplace in many sense[s], where it was, you know, through Federation and decisions taken by people many years ago about how this building has come to operate and the culture that exists within and I think from my time sitting in parliaments, I have seen a noticeable change in the last two years about expectations of conduct and of responsibility taken as leaders in this place, to make sure that not only do we hold each other to account, but that we look after the people that work in this building, and that this should be the best workplace to work in, acknowledging that it is probably the most unique workplace in the country.
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David Van – accused by Lidia Thorpe – speaks in support of standards commission
Following Perin Davey’s contribution, the independent senator David Van rises to speak on the proposed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC).
Van said he fully supports the bill and “sincerely wish it had been brought in sooner”.
Senator Lidia Thorpe used parliamentary privilege in June 2023 to accuse Van, then a Liberal senator, of “inappropriately” touching her in a Parliament House stairwell. Van denied the claims, which he described as false, and called for an investigation into the allegations.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, referred the incident to the parliamentary workplace support service, which acted as an interim body until the IPSC could be established. The inquiry is believed to be ongoing with no outcome yet been made public.
Van told the Senate on Thursday:
It’s important that the processes within it uphold fairness for all involved. We must maintain rigorous standards when handling allegations of misconduct. This will help prevent vexatious allegations and hopefully prevent the political weaponisation of that complaints process. It will also … strengthen the procedural fairness in these complaint processes.
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Health authorities issue warnings as whooping cough cases rise
Health authorities throughout Australia are urging the community to get vaccinated as whooping cough cases rise.
NSW data published on Thursday shows notifications of whooping cough are at their highest level since 2016, with more than 12,000 cases reported between January and September 2024.
In Victoria, there have been more than 10 times the number of cases in 2024 than for the whole of 2023. There, children aged 9-12 years account for nearly 40% of all notified cases. In South Australia, cases are at a six-year high.
Pregnant women, parents and carers of babies, grandparents and other people in close contact with babies need to be vaccinated to protect babies from severe disease. NSW Health’s director of communicable diseases, Dr Christine Selvey, said vaccination in pregnancy is very important to help protect newborn babies who are most at risk of serious illness from whooping cough. She said:
Free whooping cough vaccines are available for all pregnant women. Pregnant women are recommended to be vaccinated between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy as this enables whooping cough antibodies to be transferred to their unborn baby.”
People with symptoms should contact their GP early. Parents and carers can call healthdirect for advice on 1800 022 222 if they or their child is unwell.
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Nationals deputy says standards commission is a ‘continuation’ of positive change in Parliament
Returning once again to the Senate, the Nationals deputy leader, Perin Davey, says people need to keep focusing on the “positive things” achieved in Parliament and that workplace culture change is an “evolutionary process”. Davey said:
Unfortunately, we have seen poor behaviour in this place, which, let us not forget, in a sitting week sees around 6,000 people working in this one little anthill here in the middle of Canberra. Six-thousand people in one building.
One thing I would say is I’m amazed we haven’t actually seen more poor behaviour, and that is testament to the fact that people who come in here because they want to see positive change in their communities. So that is not to say that we don’t need what is before us today, because I think today, this is a continuation of that positive change that we are seeing.
The NSW senator acknowledged while the independent parliamentary standards commission was a long time in the making, it was important to get the process right.
The body was one of the recommendations in the 2021 Set the Standard report by former sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins.
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The protest has been aimed at the military and defence expo, with protesters also calling for an end to war. For how it played out yesterday, here is a report on what happened on the day.
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Sukkar attempts to move motion to condemn Melbourne anti-military protests
Liberal MP Michael Sukkar tried to suspend standing orders in the house to condemn the protests against the military and weapons expo being held in Melbourne.
This is what he asked the House to condemn:
(a) the ongoing, violent and antisemitic protests taking place in Melbourne;
(b) the conduct of protestors, who yesterday threw acid, faeces, canned food and bottles at police, punched horses and destroyed property;
(c) the protestors for the effect of their actions on law-abiding Victorians, including business owners who have had their trade disrupted and property destroyed;
(d) the protestors for their attempts to jostle and manhandle journalists;
(e) the protestors for the physical and emotional toll that their actions are taking on police and emergency services, men and women who have a sworn duty to protect the community and should not be subjected to this sort of behaviour; and
(f) all those who take part in, encourage, or who gave comfort to these violent protestors; and calls on:
(a) state and federal authorities to charge and prosecute all people who engage in any sort of violent protest activity to the full extent of the law; and
(b) the Australian Greens to publicly condemn the actions of Victorian MP Gabrielle de Vietri who has taken part in the violent protests.
The government moved that the debate be adjourned, which the Greens supported. Teal MPs voted against the adjournment with the Coalition.
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Greens Senator raises concerns over privileges committee
Back to the Senate and Greens senator Larissa Waters is next to speak on the independent parliamentary standards commission. She says it’s the next piece of the puzzle.
Waters, who sits on the crossparty taskforce which oversaw the bill’s drafting, has raised concerns about the fact that politicians on the privileges committee will be deciding on how best to sanction their peers when it comes to more serious misconduct claims. Waters said:
The privileges committee are not trained professionals. They’re politicians. We ask for them to have compulsory trauma training, and I reiterate that anyone who sits on the privileges committee, who will now be in charge of regulating the conduct of MPs behaviour, should have the benefit of trauma-informed training.
The Greens senator also took issue with last-minute amendments made by the government in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The changes mean members of the privileges committee will also be placed on an IPSC oversight committee and the deputy chair needs to be a member of the opposition – not the crossbench.
The two-party system is on the decline, folks, your vote’s declining, and members of the public actually want to see a more representative parliament. So it’s a bit on the nose that you’re essentially earmarking the chair and the deputy chair position for yourselves. I mean, it’s a bit presumptive, to be honest.
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Marles says he followed Brereton report ‘to the letter’ in decisions he made
On why the decision was made, Richard Marles says:
Major General Brereton is detailed and thorough in terms of how he sees accountability across the entire chain of command.
… I really encourage those who are interested in this, to read what’s out there in the public domain in full, but the point I make is simply this: I have done that and I have made sure that in the decisions I have made, I have followed Major General Brereton’s report to the letter.
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Marles says medal stripping is a matter ‘between me and those people’
Richard Marles was asked about the decision-making process and said:
On the question of command accountability, I’m not going to go into numbers other than to say it’s a small number of people that we are talking about and because of that, to go into the specifics, [there is a] risk of walking down a path of identifying those [who are subject to handing back medals].
There are privacy issues in relation to that. Ultimately at the end of the day, the decisions that I make are really – and the letters I have written – are a matter between me and those people.
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Marles praises ‘acts of courage’ for those who provided evidence to Brereton report
Marles also held a quick press conference on his announcement:
Bravery comes in a range of forms. Those who have provided evidence have engaged in a moral courage of the highest echelon.
Their acts of courage in speaking the truth helps make our country better and they have made a difference. In closing out the report, I want to emphasise this is a moment in which our country has been able to hold ourselves accountable for our actions.
From here … any prosecution of war crimes will happen inside Australia by an Australian court. In the history of human conflict, that level of accountability is unusual.
The major general [Brereton] has led a process of global significance. In doing this, he has allowed us to take accountability for the past but to do so in a way that enables the whole country to have full confidence in the Australian Defence Force and for us all to cherish the service of those that have worn our nation’s uniform in the past and will wear it in the future.
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The video team have put together Richard Marles’ speech for you:
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NSW government announces results of south-west renewable energy zone tender
(continued from previous post)
Renewables and storage need to be built in a hurry if the Eraring supply hole is to be filled in time even for its delayed closure.
The NSW government, though, is hopeful investment will quicken. Today it’s announcing that the first tender for the state’s south-west renewable energy zone has been oversubscribed.
It sought almost 4,000MW of new generation and storage and got bids for 15,000MW. A spokesperson said:
These projects help smooth renewable energy supply and ensure a reliable source of electricity when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow.
And presumably, when Eraring’s four big turbines finally stop spinning.
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Origin Energy hosts journalists on future of Eraring coal plant
Spring, with its more reliable winds and a lot more sunshine, is just about the sweet spot for energy prices – not least because there’s usually less demand for heating or cooling.
In a few weeks, no doubt, the energy market operator Aemo will provide its preview of summer risks to the grid when the air conditioning load spikes and solar generation wanes as the sun sets.
This week, Origin Energy hosted journalists at its Eraring coal-fired power station near Lake Macquarie in NSW. The plant was supposed to close in August next year but the Minns state government couldn’t stomach the risks of a closing 2880-megawatts plant (the largest in the nation excluding the Snowy Hydro scheme) this side of the March 2027 elections and so pledged to subsidise its extension.
For coal plant aficionados, Eraring is in much better nick than AGL’s Liddell (which shut in April 2023) but it remains a hulking machine reliant on digging fossil fuels and carting them by train or conveyor belt, with annual emissions nudging 14m tonnes of CO2-equivalent.
Here’s what we found:
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Over in the Senate, senators are offering their views on the upcoming parliamentary workplace body.
Kicking things off, Liberal senator Jane Hume says the bill is not perfect but introduces accountability that “has never been given to the many people who have gone through this place and have been subject to conduct that is unacceptable in any workplace at any time”.
The independent body would have the power to investigate misconduct claims made against politicians, and staff in the building, and be able to sanction less serious offences, such as training, professional development and behaviour agreements.
For more serious complaints, the body will refer it to the privileges committee to consider sanctions. Those penalties can include a fine of between 2% and 5% of a politician’s annual salary, suspension from parliament or being sacked from parliamentary committees.
Hume says the opposition will support the bill. She said:
Make no mistake, the implementation of this reform places both the power and the responsibility for change in our hands. Institutions are only as strong as those who are inside it. It is incumbent on us then to police and protect ourselves, the people with whom we work with every day, and this institution through our conduct, always striving to be our very best selves, even when politics is, at its most combative, I believe that this bill manages to get the balance right.”
Birmingham says China relations cannot be binary and requires nuance
Simon Birmingham gave a speech to the Australia China Business Council this morning, where he dipped into the personal to make a point:
As always when I’m in Canberra, I called my kids last night. Our youngest, just turned 12, asked what I would be doing over the next day. I mentioned that I would be speaking to an important group about Australia’s relations with China. She said: “Will you be talking about how we like China, dislike China, or want to collaborate with China?”
I assured her it was the latter. Collaboration. Praised her for her vocabulary, and wondered if with questions like that, a career in journalism might await!
Too much China discussion here in Australia, and throughout much of the world, is binary, like the first two options my daughter gave me. Like, dislike. Love, hate. Good, bad. Growth, stagnation. Peace, war. Engage, decouple.
The truth is much more sophisticated and complicated. It requires honesty and analysis; resolve and nuance.
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Australia commits $3m for humanitarian relief in Vietnam after Typhoon Yagi
Australia has committed $3m for humanitarian relief in Vietnam following Typhoon Yagi, which has devastated northern Vietnam. Yagi was the most powerful storm to hit the mountainous area in more than 30 years and more than 150 people are now confirmed dead.
Rainfall is continuing to impact the devastated area which is home to more than 19 million people, causing evacuations, landslides and severe flooding.
Penny Wong said Australia is providing services delivered through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership in concert with local organisations supporting the most affected communities and the most vulnerable.
Last night Australia delivered emergency relief supplies on a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster, including essential provisions for families such as shelter and hygiene kits.
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Governement considers enforcible undertaking after Questacon plasma globe allegedly burns child’s hands
The federal government is considering whether to make a legally-binding agreement to change work practices at Questacon after a child’s hands caught fire while holding the facility’s plasma globe exhibit.
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources, which runs Questacon, is facing criminal charges over a 2022 incident in which a nine-year-old suffered serious burns after allegedly touching a hands-on plasma globe exhibit.
A Comcare investigation found a spark from the globe ignited an alcohol-based hand sanitiser used by the child. The department has been charged with breaching health and safety laws.
The case appeared in the ACT magistrates court on Thursday, where lawyers for the department requested more time to consider their options. One of those options includes accepting an enforceable undertaking, the court heard. Such undertakings generally compel defendants to change their workplace practices.
The matter will return to court on 19 November.
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Hastie says we ‘must restore trust’ with defence personnel
Andrew Hastie:
Again, I want to make clear that none of this context … absolves those facing allegations of grievous misconduct.
Those allegations will be tested by the office of the special investigator and in our courts, but we must restore trust with our fighting men and women by ensuring that we do better the next time we go to war by staying engaged, by asking the right questions, adjusting our policy and strategy as required.
We owe that to those who are willing to risk their life defending the nation.
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Hastie speaks on field experience of difficulties imposed by partner ratios
Andrew Hastie continued:
It was not easy planning combat missions where we had to make choices about whether we took our medic or EODS [Explosive Ordnance Disposal] on the job because of partner ratios that were imposed upon us from policymakers.
It meant that when we were determining who came on the helicopter, I had to drop off essential people in order to meet the policy objectives from our government. We assumed the operational risk, and we made it work.
But it is a reminder that war is not clean, nor is it coherent, even though it might look that way in Canberra from this house or over at Russell (where the Department of Defence is located)
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Hastie speaks to personal experience in Afghanistan
In delivering his own statement, Andrew Hastie recounted some of his personal experience within the ADF. Among his ADF service, Hastie was a troop commander in the SAS and deployed to Afghanistan. Hastie:
Trust needs to be rebuilt, both up and down the chain. It is the foundation of the sacred compact between the army and the Australian people and our government.
It was broken and needs to be restored. The chief of Army has made this clear, trust also needs to be rebuilt down the chain.
There were many contradictions in Australian policy that our troops had to reconcile on the ground in Afghanistan, often in morally ambiguous and demanding situations. And I say this with direct experience, it was not easy partnering with an Afghan warlord and his personal band of warriors.
We did not have aligned values or a moral framework that we shared, but we had to make our policy objectives work as best as we could. That had a moral impact on people at the tip of the spear.
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The Brereton report may now be officially closed, but the work to ensure the recommendations are followed through continues.
Here is what the chamber looked like as Richard Marles delivered his statement:
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Hastie says ‘we must look to the next ridgeline’ and ensure army stands ready for ‘harsh reality’
Andrew Hastie:
We must now march out of this valley and stand ready for the next challenge.
To quote the Chief of Army once more, we are a fighting force, but we fight only to defend Australia and its interests. We seek no glory in combat, but every soldier trains to be an expert at it. There is no substitute for victory in warfare, and therefore we strive to be able to fracture and defeat the will and cohesion of those who seek to do our nation harm.
That is the mission for Army, and it’s crystal clear.
We are living in a dangerous world, as the deputy prime minister has said multiple times, war could come sooner than we imagine. The Middle East and Europe remind us of this harsh reality.
That’s why we cannot allow this chapter to denude us of our fighting power or morale, we’ve been accountable for the wrongs that we’ve done in Afghanistan, as the Deputy Prime Minister said, and now we must look to the next ridgeline.
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Hastie calls for accountability in wake of reports
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie makes a statement in response:
We must insist on accountability from those in the heat of battle as well as those directing policy in Canberra.
Our soldiers must tell the truth, and those in leadership must seek it out.
If both our soldiers and our leaders had done so, we might not be in this place today, but here we are, and it has been a tough reckoning, and this week particularly has been a tough reckoning.
The royal commission report [into veteran suicide] has hit us hard, and the formal closure of the Afghanistan inquiry report will also be tough for many people.
The Brereton inquiry was painful as it unearthed painful truths about some of our conduct in the Afghan war, reputations, both personal and institutional, have been damaged.
The cost of war has been doubled and tripled as we retraced painful moments, but it was necessary for we believe in accountability and making things right when we uncover wrongdoing.
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Richard Marles also says:
At the same time the Brereton Report, its recommendations, and the actions of successive governments in implementing these recommendations, are a demonstration to the Australian people and to the world, that Australia is a country which holds itself accountable.
Any prosecutions of Australian War Crimes will happen inside Australia by Australian courts.
In the history of human conflict, it is worth noting that this accountability is very unusual. Major General Brereton has lead a process which has global significance.
And this accountability is profoundly important.
Richard Marles:
The allegations which are the subject of the Brereton Report are arguably the most serious allegations of Australian war crimes in our history. As the then CDF General Angus Campbell said:
“Such alleged behaviour: profoundly disrespected the trust placed in us by the Afghan people who had asked us to their country to help them; it would have devastated the lives of Afghan families and communities, causing immeasurable pain and suffering; and it would have put in jeopardy our mission and the safety of our Afghan and coalition partners.
These findings allege the most serious breaches of military conduct and professional values.
The unlawful killing of civilians and prisoners is never acceptable.”
This will always be a matter of national shame.
Marles says government to establish Afghanistan inquiry compensation scheme
Richard Marles continues:
In response to recommendations of the Brereton report, Defence has developed a whole-of‑government response to compensation.
The Government will establish the Afghanistan inquiry compensation scheme in regulation, under which compensation claims may be managed by the Afghanistan inquiry compensation advocate.
Most significantly, while the formal work of the reform program has concluded, the work of the taskforce continues and the work of transforming the culture of Defence is ongoing and enduring.
It remains essential.
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Marles says award stripping is ‘final step’ in actions in response to Brereton report
Richard Marles:
Two of the outstanding recommendations of the Brereton Report related to command accountability of commanders during the relevant period.
The last step in closing out these two recommendations was me writing to relevant commanders about my decision in relation to medals awarded to them as part of their service during periods proximate to the incidents which are at the heart of the Brereton report.
I have now written these letters.
My decisions on this matter are consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Brereton report.
In accordance with obligations owed to individuals involved, including under the Privacy Act, I am prohibited from disclosing the details and outcomes.
This is the final step in government action emanating from the Brereton Report.
Accordingly, of the 143 recommendations in the Brereton Report, 139 of these recommendations are now closed.
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Marles says award removal stems from ‘credible information’ in Breteron report
Richard Marles:
The Brereton report concluded there was credible information of unlawful conduct; the most disturbing of which was the identification of 23 incidents involving 25 Australian Special Forces personnel.
These incidents related to the alleged unlawful killing of 39 people by, or involving, Australian Defence Force members as well as the alleged mistreatment of two individuals.
The report also concluded there was credible information of a subculture of elitism and deviation from acceptable standards which was normalised over time and into which more junior personnel were inculcated.
These were findings of the most serious, disturbing and consequential nature. They warranted the most serious, considered and thorough response.
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Marles speaks on award removals for former military officers
Richard Marles has made a statement to the house.
Our own Daniel Hurst reported earlier that the Australian government has decided to cancel the awards and honours of a small group of former military officers who held command positions at the time that others under their command were accused of war crimes.
Their names and positions are not being released, for privacy reasons.
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Dreyfus introduces bill to close loopholes in money-laundering laws
Mark Dreyfus has introduced reforms targeted at gaps in money laundering laws.
The bill will cover “digital assets” – there’s currently a gap in the current legislation – and will also target the second tranche of money laundering, or organisations or professions which can be used to “wash” illegal money. (Basically, that means money that is obtained illegally is converted into assets of roughly equivalent value but without a history of being obtained illegally.)
That includes lawyers, trusts, real estate agents and accountants.
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Social media age limits play well for media but experts push back on effectiveness
The social media age verification proposal, which would ban teenagers under 14, is playing very well on breakfast television and FM radio stations. Advocates and experts have raised a lot of concern over the benefits of the policy, pointing out that it would be much more effective to regulate the social media giants rather than ban children, but that is being drowned out by some populist applause.
The education minister, Jason Clare, was given rousing support for the policy on the Nine network this morning after he said:
We’re already seeing some of the impact that this could have in our schools. We banned mobile phones in schools this year and we’re seeing the impact not just in the classroom, but in the playground now.
As kids don’t have phones in their hands, they’re playing with their mates, the playgrounds are louder and friendlier. Kids are being kids. But when school finishes, they get their phone back and they’re back in that social media cesspit.
If we can get that out of their hands when they’re home, they’ll be a lot safer, and I think we’ll probably be a better, friendlier country.
As many advocates and former children have pointed out – playgrounds are not safe environments for all kids, and many find community and acceptance in online environments.
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Child safety advocates endorse data privacy proposal
Sarah Davies, the CEO of the children’s safety group the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, also endorsed the proposal:
At present, when children go online they enter a ‘data economy’, where their personal information is collected, analysed and monetised – and in some cases exploited – on a vast scale. This data can be used to target children with personalised advertising, manipulate their behaviour, and exploit their vulnerabilities.
The commercial hunger for data has led to digital products and services which are ‘risky by design’, with features meant to maximise user engagement and data handling – this includes low-default privacy settings, location tracking, frequent notifications, ‘the infinite scroll’, weak age-gating of adult products like pornography and recommender systems that encourage contact with strangers and extreme content.
This situation exposes children to many risks, including harms to their concentration, mood and sleep; contact with strangers; viewing of age-inappropriate content; and serious breaches of their privacy.
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Advocates welcome proposed children’s privacy code
As part of the privacy bills Mark Dreyfus will introduce, a children’s online privacy code is being proposed. The proposal puts guardrails over how children’s data can be used and stored by tech giants.
That part of the legislation has been warmly welcomed by human rights and children advocacy groups. Human Rights Watch’s Hye Jung Han said it was an important first step:
The Australian government’s commitment to develop a children’s online privacy code is a meaningful first step towards protecting children and their best interests online. It should build comprehensive safeguards that would empower children to safely learn, grow, and play online as they do in the physical world.
Unicef’s Katie Maskiell also welcomed the move:
This code will ensure children’s data is only collected and used in a way that serves their best interests and will provide them with the protections they are entitled to.
It will hold tech companies accountable, ensuring they are transparent with how they use children’s data, and that terms and conditions of apps are clear and straightforward.
An overhaul is necessary and has been long-awaited – 35 years in the making – as old privacy legislation simply hasn’t kept up with the times.
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Parliament begins session for the day
Parliament began sitting at 9am.
The super on paid parental leave bill amendment debate is going through its motions (the government does not support the opposition’s amendments to make it voluntary, or the proposed changes which would allow parents to dip into their own super to make an early withdrawal – a move the government says will increase the super gap even larger upon retirement)
The hate crimes and privacy bills will be introduced by Mark Dreyfus in about an hour’s time.
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What didn’t make the farewells for Nine CEO Mike Sneesby
Now that the initial flurry of the announcement of Mike Sneesby’s departure from Nine is done, let’s take a look at some of what wasn’t mentioned in all of that.
There were the sexual harassment and toxic culture complaints from staff, which emerged from several areas of the business.
There was the announcement the company was looking to cut 200 jobs from the publishing arm.
There was the strike, where about 500 journalists from the publishing division walked off the job for five days after a breakdown in negotiations over pay and the redundancies.
The strike happened on the eve of the Paris Olympics, for which Nine was the Australian broadcast partner. Mike Sneesby went to Paris where he carried the Olympic torch while SMH, the Age and AFR journalists were on strike.
Senior talent took redundacies:
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Catherine West lists achievements of outgoing CEO Mike Sneesby
The Nine chair, Catherine West, also sent an email to staff about Mike Sneesby’s departure, where she listed what she said was his achievements over the past three-and-a-half years as CEO.
Among the achievements:
Initiated the development of the company-wide Values and Purpose, expanded Nine’s leadership programs and instigated the cultural review process to enable issues to be identified and addressed to ensure ongoing cultural improvement.
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Mike Sneesby says culture review ‘progressing’ at Nine
In his email to staff, Mike Sneesby acknowledged some of the cultural issues which have been revealed at the Nine network:
Our culture review is progressing, with Intersection compiling your input and conversations into their report.
It will build on the work we have done over the past three years to enhance our culture and employee engagement, including embedding our purpose and values to provide the foundation for a high-performance culture.
As I said from the start, we will share the findings of the culture review when Intersection has completed its work, which is expected to be in October.
Our board and leadership team remain committed to taking on the report findings and using them constructively to ensure we continue our path of cultural improvement.
I am grateful for the incredible friendships and personal relationships I have built with so many of you over the years – and I know those will continue in the years to come. We have shared some great adventures and achieved so much together – these are things I will remember fondly.
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Sneesby says he will ensure ‘seamless handover’ to acting CEO Matt Stanton
Mike Sneesby’s contribution to that announcement was:
It has been a privilege to lead this business but now is the right time to hand over to a new leader. I take great pride in the achievements of the company during my time as CEO and thank the board, the leadership team and everyone at Nine for their support during my tenure.
Together, we have navigated significant change in the media landscape in Australia. I firmly believe Nine is Australia’s best media business, with premium assets and the sector’s leading media professionals.
I am confident in the future of Nine and remain committed to ensuring a seamless handover to Matt.
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Nine chair thanks Sneesby for ‘significant contribution’
Mike Sneesby will officially step down on 30 September.
In the official announcement to the ASX, Nine chair Catherine West said:
On behalf of the board, I thank Mike for his significant contribution to Nine over more than a decade. As chief executive officer, his achievements include guiding the company out of the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, securing the rights to the Olympic Games through to 2032 and progressing the strategic and cultural transformation of Nine. The world-class coverage of Paris 2024 showcased the power of the Nine’s diversified portfolio of premium media assets. It’s also important to acknowledge Mike’s immense contribution to the success of Stan, building a successful streaming service that now boasts a broad entertainment and sport footprint with more than 2 million paying subscribers.
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Mike Sneesby’s departure comes after months of upheavel at Nine, which started when the former news and current affairs director Darren Wick abruptly left Nine in March after 29 years with the company after a formal complaint from a staff member.
Staff reported predatory behaviour was “known and tolerated” at the network.
In June, the chair of Nine Entertainment, Peter Costello, resigned, days after the former federal treasurer was accused of assaulting a News Corp journalist at Canberra airport.
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Mike Sneesby says he will ‘consider new opportunities in 2025’
Mike Sneesby sent an email to all Nine staff, saying that after 10 years (combining his time as chief executive of Nine and as the founder and CEO of the streaming service Stan) “I will be stepping down”.
I want to be completely open about the circumstances surrounding my departure. To give some context, this year has been one of the most challenging of my career – one where our resilience has been tested.
Despite the intensity of the scrutiny, my focus has not wavered from achieving the best outcomes for our people and for Nine.
In recent months, I have reflected greatly on my plans for the future, and in consultation with my family and those close to me, I made a personal decision to consider new opportunities in 2025.
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Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby stepping down
The Nine chief executive, Mike Sneesby, is stepping down, the Nine network has reported to the ASX.
The network says that after the end of the Olympics, it is the “right time” for the board to transition to new leadership.
Matt Stanton has been appointed acting CEO while the search for a new leader is undertaken.
Sneesby will officially step down at the end of the month.
More to come.
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Tim Costello says size of gambling losses is Australia’s ‘blind spot’
Tim Costello said the major issue when it came to gambling reform in Australia was the influence of the gambling industry itself:
I’ve said for a long time, the blind spot in America is guns.
The blind spot in Australia, when the rest of the world looks at us, is gambling, the greatest gambling losses.
And you have to explain how we have the greatest gambling losses and gambling in the world.
And it’s because the industry has claimed it culturally, it has said, this is a fundamental Aussie right. We’re baptised into eucalyptus oil at birth and a punt.
And actually the Chinese, the Kiwis, the Irish, all boast being the greatest gamblers on Earth.
This is not unique to Aussie DNA at all. So how come we’ve got the greatest gambling losses? Because the industry have wrapped that in being Australian.
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Costello says he hasn’t met with PM on gambling since July last year
Tim Costello said he has had very limited consultation with the prime minister on the issue:
I saw him in July last year, just after the [Peta] Murphy report had come down.
I was surprised that I was seeing him before he had actually seen Peta Murphy, because she was ringing me to ask, you know, how did it go? What did he say? She hadn’t seen him even though she brought down the report and was waiting.
That’s the only consultation I’ve had.
Not since July last year,
I bumped into him in a coffee shop in Frankston, in the Dunkley byelection, and we might have had 30 seconds on gambling, we talked about mainly other things, but no other consultation besides that, that’s been it.
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Tim Costello said this is his position on gambling:
I think all adults should be able to gamble. It’s a legal pastime. And when I started questioning the number of pokies we had, I never said we should abolish all pokies. I said we should slow them down. We should not have so many.
When I started questioning Jeff Kennett, who opened the casino in Melbourne, saying it represents the beacon of hope for Melbourne, the new spirit of Victoria, I said these words, spirit and hope, shouldn’t be applied to a casino but I’ve never said we shouldn’t have a casino.
When it comes to sports betting, absolutely, adults should be allowed to be bet.
And my point is very simple. Every if we ban the gambling ads, every gambler would still know exactly where to go to be able to place a bet.
And that’s entirely their right, and I support that right, without the adjustments, without the bonuses, without our kids being [targeted] and Albo knows, he knows that’s my position.
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Tim Costello says he is not a gambling prohibitionist and he is ‘disappointed’ in Albanese
The chief advocate of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Tim Costello, has spoken to ABC radio RN Breakfast, responding to Anthony Albanese’s comments in question time yesterday.
In case you missed it, Albanese was speaking about the consultations the government has had with anti-gambling advocates, including Costello, and some wanted a total ban of gambling.
Costello says he has never advocated for a total ban, so he would like to know who the prime minister was talking about:
I’m very disappointed – Albo knows exactly my view.
In 30 years of advocating reform, I’ve never been prohibitionist, never had and I actually don’t even know anyone who wants to prohibit all gambling.
So maybe Albo could explain who he’s talking about.
Look, I’m actually saddened for Albo. He should be better than that. Look, I respect him. He’s been to my home. He knows exactly what my position is. It’s for reform and banning gambling ads.
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Northern Beaches deputy mayor Georgia Ryburn to run as Liberal candidate in Pittwater
Northern Beaches deputy mayor Georgia Ryburn will run as the Liberal candidate against independent challenger Jacqui Scruby at the Pittwater byelection next month.
The seat was vacated when former sitting member Rory Amon was charged with child sexual assault offences, leading him to quit the Liberal party and the state parliament.
Amon was charged with 10 child sexual assault offences, including five counts of having sexual intercourse with a person aged over 10 and under 14. He has denied all charges.
Ryburn won the preselection on Wednesday night against fellow Northern Beaches councillor Michael Gencher.
Ryburn said:
Only the Liberals have the track record of fighting for and delivering for Pittwater. There is a lot at stake at this byelection and people need to use their vote to send a message to Labor that they won’t stand by while funding is cut to critical road upgrades, cost of living support and our local public schools.
Last week, Scruby announced she would re-contest the seat after narrowly losing to Amon at the state election last year.
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While we are on the topic of the proposed social media age verification policy, Prof Patrick McGorry, who helped establish Headspace, is also a critic:
Yes they should be concerned but the ban is misdirected & will invalidate young people. Target Musk & Zuckerberg instead. If the local park is unsafe with predators lurking, we don’t keep kids indoors. We clean up the park & make it safe to play in @AlboMP @PeterDutton_MP https://t.co/A59NvOJJ83
— Patrick McGorry (@PatMcGorry) September 11, 2024
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Josh Taylor has spoken to the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which Anthony Albanese name-checked in a News Corp opinion piece on the social media age ban to see what they think of the proposal.
You can read what he found out, here:
A child protection organisation cited by the prime minister in an opinion piece arguing for his government’s policy to ban younger teens from social media says the ban is unlikely to make any difference, and could create more harm for kids.
After his announcement the government would introduce legislation to ban younger teens and children from social media by the end of the year, Anthony Albanese wrote in a Wednesday opinion piece in the Herald Sun that the response had been led by “many mums and dads … pushing for change”, and a “strong campaign” from the paper.
Albanese said parents were seeking help on the issue of social media and that the government was partnering with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, a charity committed to protecting children from violence, on digital literacy programs in schools.
The foundation’s chief executive, Sarah Davies, told Guardian Australia that while it was not opposed to raising the age limits on social media, it did not believe it would make any difference.
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Helen Haines condemns ‘stitch up’ over Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission bill
Independent MP Helen Haines is furious at what she calls a “stitch up” between Labor and the Coalition that “weakens the transparency of the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission”.
The government bill, which has the agreement of the Coalition, has left it to the MPs who are in the privileges committee to decide the sanctions for MPs the IPSC upholds complaints against.
Haines says that goes against the spirit of what the IPSC was meant to achieve:
The bill as currently drafted means serious findings could be made about an MP, but they could face no sanction and the public could never know.
I want to see more transparency around this process.
Crossbenchers are trying to amend the bill so if the privileges committee does not follow the recommendations of the IPSC, those reasons have to be made public.
Haines is also calling out the government for making a last minute amendments to its own bill in the House on Wednesday:
The government made two last-minute changes to its own legislation that would reinforce the major party duopoly, ensuring no member of the crossbench can be deputy chair of the parliamentary standards oversight committee. What a stitch up!”
The bill was also changed to restrict members of the oversight committee of the commission to MPs who were also members of the privileges committee.
We’re going to have the same people on the joint select committee as on the privileges committee, meaning the people who are meant to make sure the whole system is working are the same people who are part of it.
I’m really staggered by this, and it isn’t right.
This move compromises the Parliamentary Standards Commission and I’m really disappointed in the government for doing this deal that tarnishes a significant and important piece of legislation.
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Greens plan to introduce anti price-gouging bill to Senate
The Greens are preparing to introduce an anti price-gouging bill to the Senate that would impose large fines on corporations that charge excessive prices.
Under the proposed legislation, the competition regulator could alert the courts if it believed a corporation had abused its market power through exorbitant charging practices.
If guilty, a court could impose fines of up to $50m. Greens senator Nick McKim said:
We’re taking a stand against the unchecked greed that’s fuelling the cost-of-living crisis, and we’re urging the parliament to support this critical reform.
Our bill will put an end to corporate price gouging by making it illegal for corporations with substantial market power to charge excessive prices for goods and services.
The Greens have been fierce critics of the charging practices of major corporations, including Australia’s big supermarkets, in a period of fast-rising household costs.
The party’s policies, which include plans to tax companies that generate “excessive profits”, have attracted criticism from the business community.
The Commonwealth Bank chief executive, Matt Comyn, has described the Greens’ tax policy as an example of “insidious populism”.
Several overseas authorities, including in Europe, have laws designed to prevent companies from taking advantage of certain situations, like a natural disaster, to make unreasonable price hikes.
The US Democrats are pursuing laws that would ban price gouging on groceries amid rising public concern over food prices.
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Liz Truss to appear at Cpac in Brisbane
The Conservative Political Action Network has announced former UK prime minister Liz Truss will be appearing at their October Cpac conference in Brisbane.
Truss was prime minister for 50 days and was famously outlasted by a live-streamed lettuce.
Cpac wants to know “was Prime Minister Liz Truss the last chance the UK had to save itself from economic and social dystopia?”
It will be her only Australian appearance, we are told. At a recent appearance on the conservative talking circuit, activists unfurled a lettuce sign above Truss – she left the stage.
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A lovely reader just asked – why do we have Senate only weeks?
It’s because the Senate needs to catch up on the legislative agenda after losing sitting days to estimate hearings.
When estimates is on, the House sits but the Senate doesn’t. So there can be a backlog of legislation that the Senate needs to get through, and the Senate only weeks even those sitting days out.
There have been times when the legislative agenda has been so thin the Senate has run out of bills to pass. When that happens, you tend to get a lot more filibustering from the government. (A filibuster is when members of parliament make very long speeches in order to push out time in a debate). That’s not the situation here – in this parliament the issue is the government is having trouble gaining support for some key bills (housing for instance) with negotiations remaining stalled.
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Good morning
A very happy good morning to you and a very big thank you to Martin for starting the blog off this morning and updating us on the morning news.
You have Amy Remeikis for most of the sitting day now. It’s the last joint sitting day until October, so it will be a bit of a busy one.
It’s a five-coffee day. Ready? Let’s get into it.
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Anti-war protesters vow third day of demonstrations outside Melbourne weapons convention
Fiery and violent scenes have “not deterred” anti-war protesters, who are vowing to be back outside a major weapons convention in Melbourne as police warn they are well prepared to hold troublemakers to account, AAP reports.
Pro-Palestine and anti-war protesters were planning a third straight day of demonstrations for Thursday, outside the entrance of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre which is hosting the Land Forces weapons convention.
Police were out in force again early on Thursday, maintaining no-go lines near the convention centre ahead of visitors to the expo arriving.
Chaotic scenes between protesters and police broke out on Wednesday.
Read more:
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Teenage gambling shows link to adult problem, survey shows
As mentioned at the top, we have a report on a survey about the gambling habits of more than 1,000 people aged 16-35. It shows how they are more likely to develop a gambling problem in adulthood if they start gambling before reaching the age of 18.
One such person was Jason. Not a day goes by when he doesn’t wonder how his life might have turned out if a fake ID had not fallen into his hands, setting off a gambling addiction he has been unable to escape. Now 44, he says:
I would have spent in excess of $1m on poker machines. Until the last 10 years, I used to spend every penny I had.
I’m much better with money now … but I think every day how much more I could have become if I never got that ID and never started gambling at such a young age. It’s hooked me for life. There is no escape for me, I just know I have to limit it.
Read our full report and Jason’s story here:
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Consultation open on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety plan
The federal government has opened a public consultation process on the design of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety plan aimed at eliminating family, domestic and sexual violence against First Nations women and children.
The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, said the public submission process would give victim-survivors of violence, and others, the opportunity to engage on priorities, challenges and solutions.
“Providing everyone the opportunity to contribute is an important part of the consultation and design process,” she said.
The minister for Indigenous Australians, Malaarndirri McCarthy, said the disproportionately high levels of family and domestic violence in Indigenous communities was unacceptable.
“This opportunity for First Nations people with lived experience of family violence, experts, the community-controlled sector and community members to inform the development of the … plan is key to ensuring practical outcomes and driving meaningful change,” McCarthy said. “It is essential these perspectives are heard.”
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, known as SNAICC, is managing the consultation process, which will close at 11.5pm on Friday 25 October.
Written and audio submissions are being accepted via the SNAICC website, snaicc.org.au, where a discussion paper on the proposed plan is being published on Thursday.
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Stand-alone fund to be established to cover childcare pay rise
The federal government is establishing a stand-alone fund to cover the cost of its planned 15% pay rise for early childhood education and care workers in a move it says is designed to make it harder for future governments to unwind.
Legislation will be introduced to federal parliament today to establish the Fair Pay Fund, to deliver an increase which will be tied to a commitment from childcare providers to cap their fee increases. The 15% rise will be phased in over two years, with a 10% rise from December this year and a further 5% from December 2025.
The government is citing Treasury modelling that it says shows that by 2050, Australia’s care economy could grow by more than 50% as a proportion of GDP.
The education minister, Jason Clare, said the pay rise would benefit the workforce, families and the economy.
“The childcare debate is over,” Clare said. “It’s not babysitting. It’s early education and it’s critical to preparing children for school.”
The opposition is yet to declare a position on the proposed payrise, although the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, and the shadow early childhood education minister, Angie Bell, said in a statement last month that they favoured higher wages for early childhood educators.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage from Canberra, where it promises to be another lively sitting day. In the meantime I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bring you the top overnight news before Amy Remeikis comes along to guide you through the day.
Anthony Albanese’s government will introduce a new bill today to outlaw online doxing – the malicious use or exposure of personal data – with the offence punishable by up to seven years’ jail. But Labor has backed down on its proposal to outlaw hate speech and vilification against minority groups. As Labor broadens its crackdown on big tech, including a proposal to ban children from social media apps, the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, will introduce its bill on mis and dis-information, which has been debated in exposure draft form for more than a year. More details coming up.
It’s a busy day for government initiatives with the federal government establishing a standalone fund to cover the cost of its planned 15% pay rise for early childhood education and care workers in a move it says is designed to make it harder for future governments to unwind. More coming up.
About a third of young adults who gambled in the last year started punting before the age of 18, a new survey shows, and those who start young experienced greater harms from gambling as an adult. The study by the Australian Gambling Research Centre, based at the government’s Australian Institute of Family Studies, also shows almost half of 16- to 35-year-olds had a bet in the past year and builds on a growing body of evidence of gambling as a public health problem. More on that also coming up.
