Category Archives: Liberal party

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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Icac NSW inquiry: Daryl Maguire gives evidence as Gladys Berejiklian refuses to resign – live

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Former Wagga MP questioned over corruption allegations including that he misused public office to broker property deals in western Sydney that would financially benefit him. Watch and follow the live stream

• Berejiklian faces questions about meeting with convicted criminals
• Maguire asked business associate to delete messages and emails
• Anne Davies: the Liberals have failed to learn from Labor’s mistakes
• Richard Ackland: NSW would be a more unsavoury place without Icac

We’re back and Robertson dives straight into grilling Maguire over an invoice sent to the Chinese delegation on a G8Way International letterhead which included a “fee for introduction”.

Robertson asks if the fee was raised with Maguire, who says he doesn’t remember.

I don’t recall seeing it ... I would have thought so.

We’re now taking a 15 minute recess adjournment.

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‘One of the most difficult days in my life’: Gladys Berejiklian vows to fight on

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NSW premier is under pressure to resign after disclosing secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire

The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has admitted she “stuffed up” in her personal life, but has stared down calls to resign following extraordinary revelations she had for years maintained a secret “close personal relationship” with the disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

In a press conference following her explosive appearance before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Monday, Berejiklian declared she had not considered resigning “because I haven’t done anything wrong”.

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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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NSW Nationals MP Leslie Williams to defect to Liberals over ‘politically reckless’ koala saga

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Port Macquarie MP’s move comes after Nationals MP John Barilaro threatened to implode the Coalition if concessions were not made over koala policy

The New South Wales Nationals MP Leslie Williams has quit the party as the fallout from the koala policy saga rolls on.

In a statement, the Port Macquarie MP revealed she has applied to join the NSW division of the Liberal party.

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Berejiklian warns Nationals against further public posturing over koala protection policy

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NSW premier implores John Barilaro to stick to agreement after he refused to rule out further threats to dismantle the Coalition

The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has made it clear she will not tolerate any further public posturing by the Nationals over koala habitat protections or new threats by the junior partner to leave the Coalition.

Berejiklian on Thursday also implored her Liberal colleagues to move on and refocus on their jobs following last week’s near split in the government, brought on by the Nationals leader, John Barilaro, threatening to move to the crossbenches with his MPs.

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John Fahey: former NSW premier and federal finance minister dies age 75

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Liberal premier played key role in bid for Sydney Olympics and also helped thwart attack on Prince Charles

John Fahey, the former premier of New South Wales and federal finance minister, has died aged 75.

In a statement on Saturday morning, the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, paid tribute to Fahey and offered his family the option of a state funeral for the former premier.

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Coronavirus Australia live update: NSW Coalition in crisis as Covid-19 border row intensifies – latest news

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NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian gave Nationals leader John Barilaro ultimatum after stoush over future of koala population. Follow live

We will get additional details, like test numbers, very soon

#COVID19VicData for 11 September, 2020.
Yesterday there were 43 new cases reported. Sadly, 9 lives were lost and our thoughts are with those affected. More information will be available later today. pic.twitter.com/Y5dxX1ixEK

It is just one week short of a year since this photo was taken – which was the last time Gladys Berejiklian’s colleagues tested her leadership over legislation. When the Ched debate happened, Tanya Davies, Matthew Mason-Cox and Lou Amato had announced they were calling a spill motion over the state’s abortion laws.

Berejiklian stared them down as well. There was no spill motion. But what there was, was a debate over whether she was carrying Saladas (as reported in the Tele) or Cheds for breakfast.

big day in NSW politics and you know what that means - the Cheds are back pic.twitter.com/rjdUatDGgV

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Australia coronavirus live update: Victoria records 73 new cases and 41 deaths as NSW records 10 new cases

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Figure of 41 deaths in Victoria includes 33 people who died in aged care but not reported until yesterday; legislation to extend but reduce jobkeeper and jobseeker payments will be considered by the Senate today. Follow all the latest news and updates, live

This report from AAP earlier today:

NSW deputy premier, John Barilaro, is calling for a national code to allow agricultural workers to cross state borders without permits.

Twenty Victorian aged care providers have been found to be non-compliant with standards under the Aged Care Act since July.

My colleague Melissa Davey has this report:

Related: Twenty Victorian aged care homes ordered to improve 'inadequate' standards after Covid outbreaks

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Liberal party branch-stacking: fears push for virtual state council could kill off audit

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Insiders say campaign for digital Victorian council could scuttle forensic audit of new members

Federal electorate conference chairs in 14 Victorian seats are campaigning for a virtual state council of the Liberal party – a sortie which party insiders fear is an effort to scuttle a forensic audit to deal with fresh branch stacking allegations.

Labor has ratcheted up pressure on Scott Morrison to take action after fresh allegations were aired by the Nine network last weekend about Liberal party branch-stacking orchestrated by a conservative party powerbroker with links to the Victorian frontbencher Michael Sukkar and veteran MP Kevin Andrews.

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Victoria reports 113 new cases, NSW nine and Queensland two – as it happened

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Labor grills the Coalition on aged care and the PM discusses the foreign relations bill. This blog is now closed

That is where we will leave the live blog for this evening. If you want to follow the latest global coronavirus news you can follow our other live blog here.

Here’s what we learned today:

#breaking Sports rorts: 70% of grants from separate fund went to Coalition seats, Greens say #auspol #sportsrorts https://t.co/iej3ex14JO

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Coronavirus live update Australia: Victoria records 116 new cases and 15 deaths as NSW reports three new cases

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Brisbane watches hotspots after youth detention centre outbreak, Victoria’s hotel inquiry continues and politicians gather in Canberra for the first time in 10 weeks. Follow today’s latest updates

Virtual parliament has so far gone off without a hitch.

Malcolm Roberts has been spotted on a screen - which means that no, he is not in Canberra. No sighting of Pauline Hanson either.

"I'm very proud to be the first senator to be using our remote facilities as the chamber finally enters the 21st century."

Greens Senator @larissawaters @SBSNews #auspol pic.twitter.com/XSV41x91WQ

The ACT has reported no new cases of Covid in the last 24 hours.

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NSW minister urges Morrison government not to ‘smash through’ conservation law changes

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State Liberal Matt Kean calls on his federal counterpart to drop opposition to an independent environment protection authority

The New South Wales environment minister has called on the Morrison government not to “smash through” changes to national conservation laws and to drop its opposition to an independent environment protection authority.

In a significant intervention from a Liberal government minister, Matt Kean questioned his federal counterpart’s rush to introduce draft laws to change the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act while a major review was still under way, saying it was more important to get the detail right.

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What’s really going on in the Australian economy? – Australian politics live podcast

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Katharine Murphy sits down with Guardian reporter Paul Karp and Nine senior economics correspondent Shane Wright to discuss the Australian economy and the government’s various stimulus packages. As conditions remain grim, with 992,300 Australians out of work, and the unemployment rate rising to 7.4% in June, how will the government navigate Australia’s recovery?

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Abortion drugs remain inaccessible, unsafe and unaffordable for many Australian women | Gina Rushton

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A dearth of political leadership means abortion drugs remain inaccessible, unsafe and unaffordable for many women

It has been 24 years since the federal government chose the partial privatisation of Telstra over the rights of Australian women to safely terminate a pregnancy with abortion drugs. In 1996, anti-abortion independent Brian Harradine, who held the balance of power in the Senate, agreed to support John Howard’s one-third float of the telecommunications company if the government amended legislation to give the health minister veto to prohibit the import, manufacture or use of abortion drug RU486 (mifepristone).

A perpetual dearth of political leadership in the subsequent quarter century has meant the drugs remain inaccessible, unaffordable and at times unsafe for many women in Australia outside of a certain income or major city.

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Coronavirus Australia live update: ‘extremely high’ chance Victoria outbreak has spread to NSW as Melbourne enters lockdown

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The NSW premier is expected to announce new restrictions today as the state tries to contain ‘high-risk situation’. Follow live news and updates

2020 motto: Please scream inside your heart

Japan’s theme parks have banned screaming on roller coasters because it spreads coronavirus. “Please scream inside your heart.” https://t.co/DJjC40H0Ap

Just re-upping, because it seems relevant

The Armchair Epidemiologist pic.twitter.com/t4CvJo3KCL

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Coronavirus Australia live update: prime minister Scott Morrison holds press conference on Covid-19 response as Victoria records 134 new cases

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Confusion over NSW-Victoria border closure as the state’s northern border closes for the first time in a century and Melbourne prepares for lockdown. Follow the latest news

Someone asks about some sort of foreign travel tax? I don’t know - there is a lot in the question, and it’s involving shiz that none of us can even think about until at least July next year, because I’m not sure if this is common knowledge or not - but Australia’s international borders ARE CLOSED.

Scott Morrison:

Well, there’s a lot of speculation on all those questions. So I don’t intend to engage in what is the normal budget speculation when you lead up to a budget.

Those matters will be addressed in the budget.

On what we are planning on doing with Hong Kong residents, Scott Morrison says:

We continue to be concerned about issues in Hong Kong as many nations are, and we have remained in close contact with other like-minded countries about this issue.

This is about how we, as a nation, are responding, domestically, to these issues.

On the issue of the broader shutdown of Melbourne - this is a matter that the Premier advised me of and, of course, based on their advice and the advice that I have received from the chief medical officer, then this was necessary.

I hope it isn’t for that long. I hope it’s for a shorter period as possible.

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Eden-Monaro byelection: Labor tipped to win NSW seat but yet to claim victory

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Postal votes are still to be counted but ALP’s Kristy McBain is just ahead of Liberal Fiona Kotvojs

Labor has pulled in front at the close of the count in the Eden-Monaro byelection on Saturday night – but the contest remains tight, with postal votes still to tally.

While senior Labor sources expressed confidence that Kristy McBain would get across the line, and the ABC’s respected election analyst Antony Green predicted a likely Labor win after a five week campaign conducted in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, the count remained in progress.

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Coronavirus Australia update: Melbourne’s hotspot suburbs in lockdown as Victoria struggles to contain outbreak – live news

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Residents of 10 postcodes in Melbourne’s north and west have been ordered to stay home from midnight tonight. Follow live

Scott Morrison was asked about Annastacia Palaszczuk’s comments about singling out Queensland on the Nine network this morning:

Well, I haven’t. There’s an election in Queensland, so I’m not surprised that the political rhetoric is amping up. Look, we’re keeping all of the country together to focus on this. I made similar comments about the changes in borders in South Australia yesterday. So, look, I think you can file that under a Queensland election.

Anthony Albanese was asked about Annastacia Palaszczuk’s comments yesterday, after she hit back on the border criticism (which included Scott Morrison) and said:

Well, look, I don’t believe that it’s appropriate, and I haven’t sought to politicise a response to the medical issues with regard to borders.

I’m not surprised that Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has shown tremendous leadership in Queensland, is frustrated at the comments of the Prime Minister given he has said time and time again it’s up to the states what happens.

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Australia coronavirus news: Victorians warned to avoid Melbourne hotspots amid fears of second wave – live updates

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Authorities ‘strongly discourage’ travel to and from six council areas that are home to most of the country’s new coronavirus cases. Follow live

Victoria has officially announced its new ministry.

Queensland has reported zero coronavirus cases overnight.

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