Category Archives: Australian politics

Coronavirus Australia live update: Daniel Andrews says ‘now is the time to open up’ after Victoria records no Covid cases

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From midnight tomorrow night Melbourne businesses will be able to start reopening as restrictions ease. Follow all the latest updates

If I could shout you all one, I would.

Unfortunately, I don’t get paid that much.

the culture pic.twitter.com/mfUM4aFIFc

Daniel Andrews is asked if he would have done anything different in hindsight:

I don’t have hindsight. None of us do.

All we have his hard work and an absolute determination do not listen to the loudest voices, not be pushed to ignore the science, not listen to those who would appeal for us to act out of absolute frustration and nothing more than that.

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John Kerr’s letters to the Queen’s private secretary: ‘A raw display of devastation’

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Newly released letters written by the former governor general show he regarded his forced resignation under the Fraser government as the ultimate betrayal

In the cryptic taxonomy of archives, the relationship between Sir John Kerr and the Queen stretches beyond the palace letters and into obscure files scattered throughout the National Archives of Australia and elsewhere. The most surprising of these is a new set of letters between Kerr and Sir Martin Charteris in the National Archives of Australia.

From all these archives – in personal letters, Kerr’s rambling handwritten notes, and his unguarded personal reflections – a common theme emerges: the involvement of the palace in every step Kerr took, and every decision he made, regarding the dismissal of Gough Whitlam and its gathering aftermath, including even his own resignation. It is impossible to separate Kerr’s decisions from his intractable view of his “duty” to the monarch and the monarchy, presented to him so clearly in the months before the dismissal by Queen’s private secretary, the unctuous Charteris.

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Australian production of non-protein Covid-19 vaccine may take an extra year, minister says

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Industry minister says, depending on type of vaccine approved, ‘significant work’ may be required before production

It could take up to a year for Australian biotech company CSL to develop the capability to make a Covid-19 vaccine if a non-protein-based version proves safe and effective, the country’s industry minister has said.

Karen Andrews said CSL would be able to immediately start making a protein-based vaccine, but “significant work” would be required if it was another type based on mRNA, or messenger ribonucleic acid.

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Australia Post reveals luxury Cartier watches for senior managers actually cost $20K

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A federal government investigation into the scandal may cost more than the lavish gifts purchased in November 2018

Four Cartier watches given to Australia Post senior managers were worth nearly $20,000 in total, $8,000 more than the organisation’s chief executive told a parliamentary hearing this week.

Christine Holgate told Senate estimates on Thursday the watches, purchased in 2018 as a reward for the executives, were worth about $3,000 each.

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Coronavirus Australia live updates: 800 people forced to self-isolate after outbreak at Melbourne college

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Today’s meeting between federal, state and territory leaders will focus on removing social and border restrictions to jumpstart the economy. Follow live

On the bonuses that aren’t blingy watches.

In just the year to June, Australia Post paid $1.95 million in bonuses to 35 of its executives earning over $520,000 a year. That’s 648 Cartier watches - or 162 times the total Cartier watch spend. (Or about 27,850 Casio watches...) https://t.co/S8mmcqJmhh

We will probably be in a bit of a news lull while national cabinet is meeting and the US presidential election debate is on in about 25 minutes.

You can follow the debate in our other live blog here.

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‘Thinly disguised political research’ fed into Morrison government’s pandemic ads

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Officials are unable to say how much was spent on taxpayer-funded campaigns based on surveys by a longtime researcher for the Liberals

Officials from the Department of Finance have acknowledged that taxpayer-funded research undertaken by Jim Reed, a long-term researcher for the Liberal party pollster Crosby Textor, fed into two publicly funded advertising campaigns relating to economic measures launched in response to the pandemic.

But officials told the estimates committee they were unable to quantify or disclose the budgets for the two taxpayer-funded advertising spends.

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Australian politics live: five Melbourne suburbs on Covid alert as Victoria and NSW premiers still under pressure

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A school student in Melbourne’s north tested positive to coronavirus, putting the suburbs of Dallas, Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows, Preston and West Heidelberg on high alert. Follow live

Australia Post is up in the communications estimates committee hearing - that starts at 9

NSW has reported just one locally acquired case - another six are in hotel quarantine.

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Labor says scandals are behind federal Icac delay as Coalition blames Covid

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Scott Morrison says focus must be on public health crisis, despite passing more than 90 other bills this year

Scott Morrison claims the sustained pressure of managing the coronavirus pandemic has prevented the government from landing its longstanding commitment to establish a national anti-corruption body.

With controversy over the Leppington triangle land purchase continuing to reverberate, and questions being raised over contact between the deputy prime minister Michael McCormack and the disgraced New South Wales MP Daryl Maguire, Labor on Wednesday confronted the government over its persistent failure to establish a federal anti-corruption body.

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Western Sydney airport: families left in ‘indefinite limbo’ call for end to backroom deals

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Hundreds of residents are set to protest amid claims wealthier landholders have received favourable planning decisions

A group of families left in “indefinite limbo” by planning decisions that favoured wealthy landowners near the Western Sydney airport have called for an end to secretive backroom dealing as they prepare to stage public protests against their treatment by government.

Two separate scandals have now raised serious questions about the way land near the massive airport development is being handled, and the degree to which landholders are lobbying state and federal governments for favourable treatment.

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Parliament resumes as Victoria reports one new Covid case and NSW five – politics live

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Budget estimates continue with Australia’s coronavirus response on the agenda. Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will reconvene for an extraordinary session while in NSW testing rates drop below 7,000. Follow all the latest updates

Keith Pitt, bless him, attempts a dixer on the Queensland resources industry which LNP candidates in central and north Queensland can cut up and put on their facebook page for three people to look at, but the dixer isn’t the right question, so he can’t use his zinger, or get his time back.

Neither can we.

Steve Burt, he is a typical driller, he is big, he’s bearded, he is rough as hessian underwear to be honest

Catherine King to Michael McCormack:

The Australian audit office told Senate estimates last night that it provided AFP on 10 July potential evidence about potential defrauding of the Commonwealth.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Whilst I appreciate this is the subject of many inquiries being made by Senate estimates, as you would expect, this is an inquiry, the Australian Federal Police are looking into it and the ANAO has referred this matter to the AFP, as has the Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure.

And, of course, an independent investigation is also going into the matter, being conducted by the Commonwealth Ombudsman Dr Thomas, the former Inspector-general of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Dr Vivienne Thom.

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ALP pursues government over land deal as Coalition defends childcare scheme – as it happened

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Melburnians can now travel up to 25km and spend more time out of the house; and federal parliament resumes with Senate estimates. This blog is now closed

To recap:

In the off chance you aren’t completely fed up with Covid-19 data, the federal health department has been publishing a weekly snapshot of how each state is going.

This is an interesting tool for assessing the success of contact tracing in various states, especially as the case load in Victoria continues to drop.

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Australia’s refugee intake falls 30% below target as pandemic takes toll

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Home affairs department says 13,171 humanitarian places were given, well below target of 18,750, as applications drop across most visa categories

The home affairs department has reported a significant reduction in the number of visas being granted – including refugee visas, which have been reduced by almost a third – in large part due to the pandemic.

Despite the drop in visa numbers, the department still raised $2.2bn in revenue through applications.

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Victoria’s Covid restrictions ease as Daniel Andrews reveals 25km travel bubble and scraps exercise time limit

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Melbourne to resume real estate auctions and reopen hairdressers and outdoor sporting facilities as state records two new cases

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Melbourne’s 5km travel radius will expand to 25km from midnight under eased restrictions announced by the state’s premier Daniel Andrews.

From 11.59pm on Sunday, residents of the city who have been under lockdown for more than 100 days will be able to travel up to 25km for either exercise or shopping.

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Former MP didn’t know why he spoke in ‘code’ during conversation with premier – as it happened

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The former Wagga Wagga MP and the NSW premier have previously said it was 2015. This blog is now closed

And that is where I will leave you.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s investigation into whether Daryl Maguire improperly used his position as a politician for his own benefit concluded with admissions from the former Wagga Wagga MP on Friday.

To be clear, though, the transcript shows that later in the day Maguire seemed to walk that back a little, saying 2014 was “clearer in my mind”.

Robertson:

From your perspective the relationship was a close personal relationship on those two dates that you there identify. Do you agree?

I see that. But 14 was clearer in my mind – 14/15.

So is it right that at least from your perspective, you were in a close personal relationship with Ms Berejiklian in calendar year 2014, is that right?

I originally said 15 and I lean towards 15 still, or late 14. That was, that’s my recollection, somewhere there.

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National cabinet meeting to discuss Darwin quarantine postponed due to ‘problem’ with PM’s plane

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Scott Morrison, who is temporarily stuck in Queensland, expects overseas arrival numbers to rise within weeks

A national cabinet meeting due to discuss a plan to bring back thousands of additional Australians stranded overseas has been postponed, after the prime minister himself became stranded in Queensland with “technical problems” grounding his RAAF plane.

Scott Morrison, speaking in Cairns on Thursday, confirmed that more citizens stuck overseas due to Covid flight caps would soon be able to return home with increased repatriation flights and use of the Howard Springs quarantine facility near Darwin.

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Coronavirus Australia latest updates: Andrews and Berejiklian face no-confidence votes, as Queensland election heats up

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Victoria’s premier weathers upset after his top public servant resigned and NSW premier holds on after Icac revelations. In Queensland, opposition leader Deb Frecklington faces questions over event with Peter Dutton. Follow live

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    • The Queensland Liberal National Party has categorically denied claims it referred its own party leader, Deb Frecklington to the electoral commission over concerns about her fundraising events.

    The ABC reported this morning that the party referred Frecklington to the Electoral Commission of Queensland over a series of events, one where Peter Dutton was a guest, involving property developers.

    NSW Health have set up a pop-up testing clinic, and alerted to more venues, after two GPs in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba tested positive for Covid-19.

    Both doctors worked at the A2Z Medical Clinic, and are linked to a patient who was previously diagnosed with Covid-19, who attended Lakemba Radiology.

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    Coronavirus Australia live: Victoria reports 15 new Covid cases as NSW on high alert

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    Victorian bar owner lodges legal challenge to the constitutionality of the state’s lockdown as fears in NSW grow over number of locally transmitted cases. Follow all the latest updates

    Australian scientists have discovered that the virus that causes Covid-19 can survive for up to 28 days on surfaces such as the glass on mobile phones, stainless steel, vinyl and paper banknotes.

    The virus survived longer on paper banknotes than on plastic banknotes and lasted longer on smooth surfaces rather than porous surfaces such as cotton.

    Related: Virus that causes Covid-19 can survive up to 28 days on surfaces, scientists find

    Today is the first day in more than two months that Victoria's statewide 14 day average has increased

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    Net zero emissions target for Australia could launch $63bn investment boom

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    Modelling shows moving towards a net zero emissions economy would unlock financial prospects in sectors including renewables and manufacturing

    Australia could unlock an investment boom of $63bn over the next five years if it aligns its climate policies with a target of net zero emissions by 2050, according to new economic modelling.

    The analysis, by the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), finds the investment opportunity created by an orderly transition to a net zero emissions economy would reach hundreds of billions of dollars by 2050 across sectors including renewable energy, manufacturing, carbon sequestration and transport.

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    Kevin Rudd petition calls for royal commission into News Corp domination of Australian media

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    Petition set up by the former PM caused problems for the Parliament House website after more than 38,000 people signed in 24 hours

    The former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has launched a petition calling for a royal commission into NewsCorp’s dominance of Australia media, arguing Rupert Murdoch’s media company employs tactics that “chill free speech and undermine public debate”.

    The petition, launched on the Australian Parliament website on Saturday, had gained more than 38,000 signatures by Sunday morning, with Rudd tweeting that the popularity of the petition had caused the website to suspect users signing it were robots.

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    Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 11 new cases and NSW 10 as Peta Credlin questions Daniel Andrews – live

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    The number of locally transmitted cases in Sydney is growing, dashing hopes of the Queensland border reopening next month. Follow live

    Scott Morrison says it is the GST top up with has allowed WA to declare a budget surplus.

    So, you’re welcome, Mark,” he says

    Q: The RBA has warned today that Australia’s historically low population growth rate will heighten the risk of falls in property values in the future. And Treasury has said your housing measures bring forward demand for future years. What will the Government do?

    Scott Morrison:

    Well, the impacts from the COVID-19 recession are obvious. Whether it’s programs like HomeBuilder and others, there will always be an excess of demand over the supply of housing in this country. Always has been. And that’s what has fundamentally driven house price values all around the country.

    And that is still true today. There is still a surplus of demand over supply. And that’s why our HomeBuilder program - and to give you an idea of its impact, what we’ve done in the housing sector is we’ve been unlocking and bringing forward the decisions that home builders want to make. And that will see some 20,000 homes built at a cost of around $500 million.

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