Category Archives: Australia news

Federal government seeks to change law that has become central to Sydney train strike dispute

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NSW government had threatened to terminate existing enterprise agreement with rail workers over ongoing industrial action

The federal government has put the Fair Work Commission on notice that it plans to restrict the power of employers to terminate enterprise agreements, something the state Coalition in New South Wales this week threatened to do in its ongoing dispute with rail workers.

After months of bargaining and Sydney train strikes, the NSW government announced on Thursday it would seek to terminate its existing agreement covering thousands of rail workers in the state if the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) failed to cease industrial action.

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Father who survived crash caused by black ice killed moments later when another vehicle hit same patch

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Scott Roderick Glanville was waiting for help after his van rolled in 2019 when struck and killed by ute, Tasmanian coroner rules

A Tasmanian father of three who walked away from a car crash caused by black ice was killed moments later when he was struck by a ute that lost control on the same section of road, a coroner has ruled.

Scott Roderick Glanville, 46, died on the side of a road in the state’s north on the morning of 25 June 2019.

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‘Million megawatt smile’: Friends pay tribute to Victorian MP Jane Garrett at state memorial service

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Former Labor minister celebrated as one of the state’s ‘most respected daughters’

Victorian Labor MP Jane Garrett has been remembered as a courageous and principled politician and a doting mother of three during a memorial service in Melbourne.

Family, friends and state and federal parliamentarians from across the political divide gathered at a state memorial at the Brunswick town hall – in the MP’s former electorate – on Friday morning to pay tribute to Garrett.

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Victoria lifts work from home recommendation but public transport mask mandate to stay

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State government cites falling Covid case numbers and the end of winter as it announces decision

The Victorian government has lifted its recommendation that people work from home but has vowed to maintain its public transport mask mandate, despite the requirement due to be dropped on domestic flights from next week.

Citing falling Covid case numbers and the end of winter, the state’s health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, said Victorians were now encouraged to cease working from home.

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Casino regulator launches investigation into Crown Resorts for providing credit to gamble

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Royal commission found bank and blank cheques had been exchanged for chips at Crown in Melbourne in breach of restrictions

Victoria’s casino regulator has taken action against Crown Resorts for the third time this year, launching an investigation into the use of bank and blank cheques by gamblers that could result in a fine of up to $100m.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) is investigating Crown after findings by a royal commission that it provided credit to gamble at its Melbourne casino, which is against the law in Victoria.

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Close of business: NSW government gives rail union deadline to end industrial action

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Government to seek termination of enterprise agreement unless further action is ruled out before weekend

The New South Wales government will seek to terminate the enterprise agreement of thousands of rail workers and scrap a deal to modify a multi-billion dollar fleet of trains unless the union agrees to end all industrial action by 5pm Friday.

In a dramatic step that could set the stage for a prolonged court battle, the government wrote to the head of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), Alex Claassens, and threatened to file an application with the Fair Work Commission to terminate the agreement.

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Concern ‘culture of fear’ will remain within NSW Health after new watchdog ruled out

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Creation of new ombudsman was recommended by damning inquiry into regional health services

Experts worry that a “culture of fear” within the New South Wales health system will not be stamped out and patients will be at risk, after the state government ruled out the creation of a new independent watchdog as recommended by a recent inquiry.

Handing down its response to the damning parliamentary inquiry into regional health on Thursday, the government said it supported in part, or in full, 41 of 44 recommendations, and “noted” the remaining three.

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Labor pledges ‘immediate’ workplace changes at jobs summit – as it happened

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The first day of the jobs and skills summit is under way in Canberra. This blog is now closed

Every Australian ‘holds a stake’ in outcome of jobs and skills summit, PM says

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, finishes his opening address at the jobs and skills summit on a note of wanting to promote unity. He says:

Australians have conflict fatigue.

Every Australian holds a stake in the outcome of our discussion.

The work of building a stronger economy should include everyone, should lift everyone up.

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Nearly 2,000 Australian children have lost parents to Covid

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For every 100 Covid-related death in Australia, around 13 young people lost one or both of their parents, ANU study finds

Nearly 2,000 Australian children have lost a parent to Covid-19 during the pandemic, according to new data.

A global study by the Australian National University (ANU), based on 2021 data, has estimated that for every 100 Covid-related death in Australia, around 13 young people lost one or both of their parents.

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Burning native forest wood waste for electricity shouldn’t be classed as renewable energy, Senate report suggests

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Climate bill inquiry says government should consider establishing a transition authority for coal and gas workers

A Labor-led committee has recommended the government consider changing a controversial law classifying electricity from burning native forest wood waste as renewable energy after the Senate votes for its climate change legislation.

The Senate committee inquiry into Labor’s climate change bill also recommended the Albanese government consider how to help with “transition arrangements” for fossil fuel workers affected by the shift to a cleaner economy.

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Big business and unions reveal shared policies on three big ticket items ahead of jobs summit

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Business Council and ACTU agree on need to boost paid parental leave, reform migration skills lists and set up an authority to support the clean energy transition

Big business and unions have agreed on three big ticket items ahead of the jobs and skills summit, including a boost to paid parental leave.

The Business Council of Australia and Australian Council of Trade Unions released their shared policies on Thursday, which include the need to extend paid parental leave, reform migration skills lists and set up an authority to support the clean energy transition.

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Australian house prices falling at fastest rate since 1980s as ‘sharp’ downturn widens

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CoreLogic says every capital city except Darwin fell in August, with Sydney dropping 2.2%

Every capital city in Australia except Darwin is now in a housing downturn, according to a new report, with values falling at a trajectory not seen since the 1980s.

CoreLogic’s home value index shows national housing values are falling rapidly, after rising about 29% during a period of sharp growth.

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Cosmetic surgery in Australia to be monitored by enforcement unit to improve patient safety

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Medical regulator and board agree to strengthen industry standards after review revealed unsafe practices and misleading advertising

Cosmetic surgery practitioners will be policed by a dedicated enforcement unit for the first time in Australia as part of an industry-wide crackdown by the national regulator.

The $1bn industry will undergo significant reform after an independent review highlighted cases of misconduct.

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Sydney train strikes: Dominic Perrottet bets the house on a public relations war

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The NSW government is hoping that frustrations over disruptions will turn sentiment against the rail union

Dominic Perrottet’s 11th-hour decision to press the nuclear button in the long-running dispute with rail workers is a high-risk gambit. The New South Wales premier has bet the house on his ability to win a public relations war against the union.

For months, the state government has insisted that rail strikes that have crippled Sydney’s transport network are “politically motivated”.

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Labor urged to improve work rights for people on bridging visas amid skilled migration push

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Call comes as one government MP says jobs summit focus must not detract from dealing with massive backlog of humanitarian visas

The government is being urged to look at improving work rights for people on bridging visas already in Australia, and not to neglect the backlog of humanitarian visas amid calls for an increase to the skilled migration intake.

There is widespread expectation the government will boost Australia’s skilled migration intake from around 160,000 people a year to 200,000 people, with consensus among unions and industry that the cap needs to be lifted.

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Australia news live: PM pays tribute to Gorbachev as ‘one of the true giants of the 20th century’

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Anthony Albanese will meet with premiers and chief ministers today for the national cabinet in Sydney

Jobs summit should support apprenticeships in female-dominated trades, independents say

Independents are calling for more investment in female-dominated trades like textiles and floristry ahead of the government’s jobs and skills summit to be held tomorrow.

This jobs summit must not become fixated on getting only the high-vis industries out to work and leave the pink workforce at home yet again … We have women who want to work. We must enable them.

There’s been too narrow a view of what are the apprenticeships and trades, it’s been a very bloke-centric approach.

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Queensland police who arrested author Chelsea Watego did not also approach ‘aggressive white man’ at scene, tribunal hears

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Indigenous academic alleges treatment by two officers during 2018 arrest amounted to unlawful discrimination on basis of her race, a claim the officers and state government denies

Two Queensland police officers who arrested and handcuffed prominent First Nations writer and academic Chelsea Watego have told a tribunal they did not also approach or investigate an allegedly “aggressive white man” who was also the focus of nightclub security guards at the time they arrived.

The Queensland civil and administrative tribunal heard this week that police arrested Watego, a Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman, within 18 seconds of arriving at the front of The Beat nightclub in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley in 2018.

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Sydney train strike: NSW premier says ‘this ends today’ as he threatens to tear up industrial agreement

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Dominic Perrottet says he will meet the rail union in court if workers reject government’s final offer

The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, has issued a sensational ultimatum to the state’s rail workers, vowing to tear up their industrial agreement and meet the union in court unless they accept his government’s final pay offer.

Amid the latest round of chaos on the state’s rail lines on Wednesday, a visibly angry Perrottet said that after 58 meetings he would no longer bargain with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) over a new enterprise agreement.

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Victoria passes laws banning stealthing and requiring affirmative consent

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Consent can include a nod, or reciprocating a move such as removing clothes, as well as verbal cues

Victoria has adopted an affirmative consent model, shifting scrutiny off victims and back on to perpetrators of sexual violence.

Under new laws, which passed Victorian parliament late on Tuesday, a person must have a clear and enthusiastic go-ahead for their belief in consent to be reasonable.

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Australian Monarchist League appoints former Liberal senator Eric Abetz as chairman

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The group aims to fight the Labor government’s plans to hold a referendum on a republic, should it win a second term

The Australian Monarchist League has called on the services of former Liberal senator Eric Abetz as it aims to fight the Labor government’s plans for a republic.

The staunch monarchist lost his seat at the May federal election after being demoted to third spot on the party’s ticket, ending a 28-year senate career.

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