Category Archives: Michaelia Cash

Coalition and employers back David Pocock over splitting contentious industrial relations bill

Posted on by

ACT senator wants to move forward with workers’ compensation for PTSD and banning discrimination against employees experiencing domestic violence

Employer groups and the Coalition have backed calls from David Pocock to split Labor’s industrial relations bill and deal with uncontentious parts this year, including workers’ compensation and discrimination law reforms.

The influential crossbencher is considering moving a private senator’s bill to move forward with provisions improving access to workers compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder in the ACT as a priority.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Coalition’s wounded feelings over Brittany Higgins will sink debate to new lows

Posted on by

The opposition is out for vengeance over what it sees as ‘collusion’ and ‘weaponisation’ but Labor will no doubt push back

What an edifying spectacle parliament is going to be this week.

The Coalition’s two-year old wound caused by accusations it mishandled Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation has been reopened, and they’re out for vengeance.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Michaelia Cash accuses Labor of ‘weaponising’ Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation

Posted on by

Shadow attorney general says Katy Gallagher has questions to answer about her knowledge of the claim before it became public

The shadow attorney general, Michaelia Cash, has accused Labor of “weaponising” Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation, insisting finance minister Katy Gallagher still has questions to answer about her knowledge of the claim before it was aired publicly.

Cash’s comments on Sunday came after Gallagher sought to explain her claim that she did not mislead parliament about the allegation. The continued attack on Gallagher is likely to dominate Coalition questioning in parliament when it resumes this week.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

National ban on Nazi salute and insignia would help prevent far-right radicalisation, Asio says

Posted on by

Australia’s intelligence agency tells parliamentary inquiry that racist groups are using extremist symbols to raise their profile

Australia’s domestic intelligence agency Asio has welcomed a Coalition bill to ban Nazi symbols including the Sieg Heil salute, telling a parliamentary inquiry it would help prevent recruitment and radicalisation by far-right extremists.

The bill was introduced by shadow attorney general, Michaelia Cash, days after a group of men from the Nationalist Socialist Network repeatedly performed the salute on the steps of Victoria’s parliament last month.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Government pays Rachelle Miller $650,000 to settle bullying, harassment and discrimination claims

Posted on by

Miller’s claims relate to when she worked for former ministers Alan Tudge and Michaelia Cash, who both reject allegations of adverse treatment, while government has not admitted liability

The federal government has paid former Coalition staffer Rachelle Miller $650,000 in a settlement for hurt, distress and humiliation she alleges she suffered while working for former ministers Alan Tudge and Michaelia Cash.

No admission of liability was made by the government.

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

Continue reading...

Bernard Collaery trial: Coalition tells high court release of judgment would risk national security

Posted on by

Collaery won ACT court of appeal case lifting previous secrecy orders and declaring importance of open justice

The full publication of a key judgment in the trial of Bernard Collaery would prejudice Australia’s national security and must not be allowed, the federal government has told the high court.

Prior to October, significant parts of Collaery’s trial were to be shrouded in secrecy after some of Australia’s most senior intelligence and foreign affairs officials convinced a court of the risk an open hearing posed to national security.

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

Continue reading...

Religious discrimination bill: moderate Liberals strike deal to protect gay students

Posted on by

Proposed amendments to Sex Discrimination Act may not be enough to see legislation pass lower house this week

The Morrison government has struck a deal with some moderate Liberal MPs to support its contentious religious discrimination bill, agreeing to make immediate changes to protect gay students from discrimination in religious schools.

But the proposed amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act, which were negotiated between Queensland MP Angie Bell and the attorney general, Michaelia Cash, may not be enough to win over all moderate MPs and see the bill pass through the lower house this week.

Continue reading...

Michaelia Cash says no child should be suspended or expelled under religious discrimination laws

Posted on by

Exclusive: Attorney general asks law reform commission to help ensure children are not discriminated against in faith-based schools

The attorney general, Michaelia Cash, has requested “detailed drafting” from the Australian Law Reform Commission to ensure children are not discriminated against in faith-based schools, as the government pushes ahead with its revised religious discrimination laws.

But as the crossbench reveals they will either oppose the revamped bill or seek to reinstate the ability for doctors to refuse patients on religious grounds, the government looks likely to need Labor’s support to pass the legislation before the election.

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

Continue reading...

Furious Mark McGowan accuses Morrison government of ‘mission to bring Covid into WA’

Posted on by

Premier goes on offensive as federal treasurer warns same economic support won’t remain if states and territories continue lockdowns

The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, has accused the Morrison government of being on a “mission” to bring coronavirus into the state as the federal treasurer doubled down on warnings state leaders should not expect financial assistance if they failed to deliver the national reopening plan.

McGowan responded furiously on Wednesday to a suggestion from the federal attorney general, Michaelia Cash, that the legal scope for the premiers to keep their borders closed would decrease once local vaccination rates increased.

Continue reading...

Morrison government announces return to mutual obligation for jobseekers

Posted on by

Michaelia Cash says there will be a three-phase restart of welfare requirements

The federal government has announced a “limited capacity” return to mutual obligation requirements for Australia’s welfare recipients from next week.

The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, announced mid-May that mutual obligations for jobseekers, which had been put on pause at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, would be further suspended until 1 June, after which a three-phase reintroduction would commence.

Continue reading...

Coalition refuses to say how much Scott Cam is being paid as ‘national careers ambassador’

Posted on by

Labor criticises government for hiring The Block star, claiming it’s cut $3bn from vocational education since coming to office

Labor has blasted Michaelia Cash for refusing to say how much taxpayers are paying The Block star Scott Cam to promote vocational education in his new role as “national careers ambassador”.

At a press conference on Thursday the skills and employment minister said Cam’s pay for the 15-month role was “commercial in confidence” but suggested spending was “about outcomes” and reflected the fact the government had secured “one of the highest profile people in Australia”.

Continue reading...

Michaelia Cash demands apology after Senate grilling – politics live

Posted on by

Senate estimates continue, with three senior ministers in Labor’s spotlight. All the days events, live

Ugh. Now that I have wrestled with tech demons, I can tell you that as expected, the motion to suspend standing orders goes down, 69 to 74.

The division is called – to see if Labor can suspend standing orders.

It does not look like the Nationals will be backing it.

Continue reading...

Labor caucus signs off on medical evacuations bill – as it happened

Posted on by

Labor has been holding talks all day and has agreed on three principles. All the day’s events, live

And that is where we are going to call it quits tonight.

But fear not – we’ll be back in about 12 hours. It is going to be that sort of year, me thinks.

Scott Morrison and Marise Payne will hold a press conference at 8.45 tonight to talk about Hakeem al-Araibi.


Continue reading...