Category Archives: Australian politics

Australia Covid live updates: Victoria to have freedom of movement from Friday as state records 1,935 cases; 296 cases in NSW

Posted on by

Victoria may reach jab milestone allowing greater freedoms this week, while figures show worrying number of school closures from outbreaks

The full rundown on Covid in NSW today, brought to you by AAP:

NSW has added a further 296 locally acquired infections to its Covid caseload along with four more deaths.

Some 480 people with the virus remain in hospitals across the state, 119 of them in intensive care.

Meanwhile, Halloween enthusiasts are being warned to keep trick-or-treating Covid-safe.

“If you and your family are planning to celebrate Halloween this year ... aim to keep the celebrations outside, provide closed packaging for treats and instead of communal lolly bowls consider other ways to distribute your treats,” NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty advised on Saturday.

Continue reading...

Australia wants deeper energy ties to help Taiwan decarbonise, amid China tensions

Posted on by

Trade minister Dan Tehan sees ‘real opportunities’ to help Taiwan, as he hopes relationship with China has not become permanently adversarial

The Australian government says it wants to help Taiwan decarbonise its economy, flagging this as the next area of cooperation with the democratically ruled island, amid ongoing tensions with China.

The trade minister, Dan Tehan, said he saw “real opportunities” to deepen energy ties with Taiwan, while arguing there was bipartisan recognition in Australia of “the greater assertiveness that we’re seeing from China”.

Continue reading...

Australian politics live: climate debate heats up question time; national 70% Covid vaccine milestone hit; Victoria records 1,841 cases, NSW 283

Posted on by

Morrison government to announce more funding for global climate finance as Bridget McKenzie says Coalition adopting net zero without the Nationals ‘will be ugly’; Christian Porter will not be referred to privileges committee; Victoria records 1,841 local cases overnight, NSW 283 – 19 people have died with Covid across both states; Australia hits 70% vaccination target. Follow updates live

AAP has an update on the resumption of the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial:

The resumption of Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial has been put off until at least the middle of January but no date has been set due to COVID-19 disruption.

Australia’s tax commissioner, Chris Jordan, faces an inquiry into whether he “disobeyed a lawful order of the Senate” by declining to release information about jobkeeper payments.

The Senate voted on Tuesday to refer the issue to the powerful privileges committee, the latest development in a long-running battle between non-government senators and the Coalition over the key pandemic economic stimulus measure.

Continue reading...

Australia politics live: Scott Morrison in last-ditch talks with Nationals on net zero

Posted on by

Prime minister expected to push Liberals and Nationals to find agreement on emissions roadmap in meeting on Tuesday. Follow the latest updates live

And also worth keeping in mind – the Liberals don’t actually need the Nationals to move ahead with the climate commitments. Nothing is going to parliament (at least at this stage – because we are talking a 2050 plan) which means there is no danger of people crossing the floor.

Scott Morrison told the Liberal party room yesterday he planned on taking Australia’s commitment to net zero by 2050 to Glasgow as an NDC – a a nationally determined contribution – which doesn’t need the parliament either. It’s essentially a pledge which says ‘we intend to do this’, and makes it a little more official, rather than just a speech. He doesn’t need the Nationals for that either.

Continue reading...

Australian politics live: Victoria records 1,903 Covid cases, NSW 265; Liberals hear climate plan; Gladys Berejiklian Icac hearings begin

Posted on by

Liberals hear climate plan; Victoria and NSW release Covid numbers; Tasmania snap lockdown to end tonight; Icac hearings begin into Gladys Berejiklian; Barnaby Joyce ‘hopes’ climate won’t split the Coalition – follow the latest updates live

The federal treasurer and Victorian Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg has once again ramped up his attacks on the Victorian Labor government over lockdowns (you may remember some of his speeches on the Victorian lockdown last year) a theme he continued yesterday, even as the state government announced an earlier than expected loosening of restrictions.

Daniel Andrews responded to that on ABC News Breakfast this morning:

Well, look, I would just say to Josh, this is not about you and your breathless political rants don’t work against this virus. This day and this week, and the weeks to come, are all about Victorians who have done an amazing thing.

They’ve got vaccinated in record numbers and in record time. And this is their moment. It’s not for Josh. And his endless criticism and negativity, I just don’t think it goes down very well in Victoria because it doesn’t work against this virus. So, I will say no more about him.

Continue reading...

Malcolm Turnbull on Murdoch, lies and the climate crisis: ‘The same forces that enabled Trump are at work in Australia’

Posted on by

Systematic partisan lying and misinformation from the media, both mainstream and social, has done enormous damage to liberal democracies, the former PM writes

The United States has suffered the largest number of Covid-19 deaths: about 600,000 at the time of writing. The same political and media players who deny the reality of global warming also denied and politicised the Covid-19 virus.

To his credit, Donald Trump poured billions into Operation Warp Speed, which assisted the development of vaccines in a timeframe that matched the program’s ambitious title. But he also downplayed the gravity of Covid-19, then peddled quack therapies and mocked cities that mandated social distancing and mask wearing.

Continue reading...

Australia Covid live news update: Victoria records 2,297 cases, 11 deaths; NSW records 406 cases, six deaths ahead of plan for 80% opening

Posted on by

Victorian roadmap may be released as early as weekend; NSW to outline next reopening steps; ACT to end lockdown tomorrow. Follow all the day’s news live

Wilcannia locals are celebrating the news there have been no new Covid cases for two weeks but say they are now on the long path to recovery after the virus hit “like a cyclone” in August.

Yesterday was the 15th consecutive day of no new cases, an “incredible” outcome according to Brendon Adams, who runs Wilcannia River radio and who worked on the frontline during the crisis.

We are actively considering our MIQ settings in light of the fact that we are unlikely to get back to zero cases ... You can expect to see us talking more about that fairly soon.

Continue reading...

Ibac branch stacking inquiry told publicly funded staffer spent 80% of time on factional work

Posted on by

An executive assistant in Adem Somyurek’s office tells commission she was told to work on ALP factional activities instead of minister’s portfolios

A Victorian ministerial staffer being paid by the taxpayer spent as much as 80% of her days doing factional work as part of a vast branch stacking operation, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Committee has been told.

Ellen Schreiber, who was employed as the executive assistant in the ministerial office of Adem Somyurek between January and August 2019, said that instead of dealing with work associated with Somyurek’s small business or local government portfolios, the minister advised her and other members of his staff to work on factional activities of the moderate faction.

Continue reading...

Australia Covid live update: Victoria records 1,890 cases, five deaths; NSW 477 cases, six deaths; 10,000 vaccinated people to attend Melbourne Cup

Posted on by

Victoria records 1,890 new cases and five deaths; NSW records 477 cases and six deaths; 30 new cases in ACT; 10,000 vaccinated people to attend Melbourne Cup; Perrottet says NSW wants ‘to open international borders as quickly as possible’, as lockdown for those fully vaccinated set to lift at midnight. Follow updates live

Speers pivoted from asking communications minister Paul Fletcher about holding social media companies to account to holding the federal government to account.

There was a lot of back and forth and at one point Fletcher referenced the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian as NSW premier as evidence of the failings of an anti-corruption authority.

The government’s proposed federal integrity commission wouldn’t be allowed to hold any public hearings. Why not? What’s there to hide?

David, the proposed federal integrity commission would have the powers of a royal commission to deal with criminal corrupt conduct at a commonwealth level. And of course ...

No public hearings, which is my question. Why not?

It will go through an investigation process.And then, if appropriate, it will refer material to the director of public prosecutions, and then you go through an open-court process.

This commission wouldn’t have public hearings. I mean, don’t you think voters, taxpayers, deserve to see what’s going on? I mean, we wouldn’t know about Daryl Maguire’s business dealings from his parliamentary office and kickbacks he was receiving. Don’t we need to see this stuff?

I think the outcomes last week where a very popular and highly competent premier stood down highlights some of the flaws in the model. So we don’t support a model where you are presumed guilty unless you can prove your innocence.

Your government, of course, tried to scrap Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. You were worried about protecting free speech. Now it sounds like you want to go in the other direction and make it harder to say things that can be considered racist.

The test, David, will be the impact on the individual. If a reasonable person would consider that it was intended to harm and if it’s menacing, harassing or offensive – those words, by the way, taken from an existing provision in the criminal code dealing with online content. So what we’re doing is leaning in on this issue and all of the issues that arise in relation to online safety. Our government’s taken a leadership position on this since we came to government. The Australian eSafety Commissioner, set up in 2015, is world-leading ...

Continue reading...

China lambasts Tony Abbott for ‘despicable and insane performance in Taiwan’

Posted on by

Embassy in Canberra describes former Australian PM as ‘a failed and pitiful politician’ after he raised concerns that Beijing ‘could lash out disastrously’

China’s embassy in Canberra has denounced the former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott for what it called a “despicable and insane performance in Taiwan”.

On a visit to Taipei to address a regional forum last week, Abbott raised concerns that Beijing “could lash out disastrously very soon” amid growing tensions over the future of Taiwan – and argued the US and Australia could not stand idly by.

Continue reading...

Victoria reports record cases and Virgin Australia crew member tests positive – as it happened

Posted on by

NSW passes the 90% first-jab milestone for its 16-plus population and reports 580 new cases. This blog is now closed

Looks like there was another earthquake overnight near the Vic-SA border.

Not quite as large as the one in Victoria a few weeks ago.

Continue reading...

Australia Covid live news update: Victoria records 1,420 cases, 11 deaths as year 12s return to school; NSW nears 70% double vaccination target

Posted on by

Banking regulator tightens rules on home loans; ‘dozens’ of construction protesters have Covid, John Setka says; Brittany Higgins appointed to Global Institute for Women’s Leadership; NSW to reach reopening vaccine rate today or tomorrow – follow all today’s news

The numbers are out in Victoria and there has been a bit of a drop, with 1,420 new cases recorded.

Sadly, the state has recorded 11 deaths overnight.

There’s a number of areas within the roadmap can be looked at.

There’s a number of issues that I want to raise with our health officials this morning. Whatever we do, we want to make sure it’s done in a way that keeps people safe.

That’s an incredibly positive thing. There’s been a slowdown, but there’s naturally going to be a slowdown if the vaccination rate gets to a high point.

Continue reading...

Australia urged to support Asian Development Bank plan to end fossil fuel financing

Posted on by

Thirty-five organisations implore Australia, which is ADB’s fifth-largest shareholder, to help the region ‘make a just and equitable low-carbon transition’

The Australian government is being urged to support an end to the financing of fossil fuel projects as the Asian Development Bank prepares to signs off on a new energy policy later this month.

The ADB “will not support coalmining, processing, storage, and transportation, nor any new coal-fired power generation”, according to a draft version of the policy, which also endorses “the early retirement of coal-based power plants”.

Continue reading...

Tony Abbott arrives in Taiwan to address regional forum amid rising tensions with China

Posted on by

Former Australian prime minister, who has said China is ‘asserting itself aggressively’, will meet Taiwanese president and foreign minister

Australia’s former prime minister, Tony Abbott, has jetted into Taiwan to speak at a regional forum as tensions with China escalate following recent air incursions.

Abbott is in Taiwan to deliver a keynote speech at the Yushan forum – an Asian-regional dialogue conference organised by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation.

Continue reading...

Australia told French submarine firm it didn’t have green light to proceed hours before deal cancelled

Posted on by

Letter, sent to Naval Group on 15 September, is at the heart of diplomatic rift between France and Australia

Australia cautioned the French contractor – hours before the $90bn submarine deal was cancelled – that its achievement of a key contractual milestone did “not provide any authorisation to continue work”.

The letter, sent to Naval Group on 15 September, is at the heart of an extraordinary diplomatic rift between France and Australia, with the French foreign minister telling a parliamentary hearing this week that “someone lied”.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

Australia Covid live news update: FTA negotiations with Europe postponed after submarine snub; national cabinet meeting

Posted on by

Trade negotiations with Europe postponed; Scott Morrison expected to discuss international travel rules; outbreak in Newcastle maternity ward grows. Follow all the latest news

Victoria’s case numbers are delayed:

No clue if this is a good sign or not. Here’s hoping.

Continue reading...

‘Someone lied’: French foreign minister accuses Australia of submarine betrayal in latest broadside

Posted on by

Jean-Yves Le Drian says Australia reassured France everything was fine right up to the day the Aukus pact was announced

France has accused Australia of lying shortly before Canberra cancelled a major submarine contract, with the French foreign minister declaring “someone lied”.

With no sign of any imminent easing of tensions between the two countries, Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing that Australia had never expressed doubts about the €56bn (A$90bn) submarine contract or the strategic Indo-Pacific pact before breaking the contract.

Continue reading...

Tony Abbott says China tensions should not prevent Taiwan joining trade pact

Posted on by

The former PM calls on the Australian government to urge the US to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership and backs the UK to join

The former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott says the government should not allow a fear of inflaming tensions with China get in the way of accepting Taiwan’s bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Abbott also called on the Australian government to urge the US to “reconsider their aloofness from the TPP, which was originally their own idea”.

Continue reading...

Pacific nations face ‘lost decade’ due to economic cost of Covid

Posted on by

Pacific Islands face greatest economic contraction in four decades, according to a new report from the Lowy Institute

Countries in the Pacific risk a “lost decade” following the Covid pandemic, with the region facing its greatest economic contraction in four decades, according to a new report into foreign aid.

The latest Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map, which sets out aid spending and donations to the Pacific Islands region, shows US$2.44bn in foreign aid reached the Pacific in 2019, which is about 8% of the region’s GDP.

Continue reading...

Future Fund worth $250bn says FoI requests ‘administratively burdensome’

Posted on by

Fund says ‘hundreds of hours a year’ are required to process requests that would be shielded under proposed Coalition legislation

• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

The $250bn Future Fund says receiving 10 to 20 freedom of information requests a year is “administratively burdensome” and has confirmed proposed changes by the Morrison government would have shielded it from the kind of request that exposed investments in a company linked to the Myanmar military.

Last month, the Coalition introduced a bill granting wide-ranging exemptions to the Future Fund from freedom of information law, prompting criticism that it was a “calculated response” to an FoI that revealed its $3.2m investment in an Adani company criticised by the United Nations for an arrangement that gave financial support to the Myanmar military.

Continue reading...