PoliticsNow: Greg Hunt admitted to hospital with infection
Health Minister Greg Hunt has been admitted to hospital with a suspected infection.
- Daniel Andrews in intensive care
- Porter won’t return for parliament
- Inquest next logical step: Bishop
- Reynolds yet to withdraw remarks
Welcome to our rolling political coverage from around the nation amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Scott Morrison says his government will push on with planned industrial relations reform, even if the minister in charge, Christian Porter, isn’t in parliament to oversee it. The PM has confirmed Mr Porter will not return to parliament on Monday when the next sitting fortnight begins.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is in hospital after a “nasty’’ fall at his home.
Charlie Peel 10.10pm:Personal emails none of your business: Palaszczuk
Queensland’s Solicitor-General has told Annastacia Palaszczuk emails sent through her personal account are not public records because they were “party political” in nature, prompting the Premier to reject calls to disclose them.
But Gavin Thompson’s advice is at odds with an assessment by the state archivist outlined in the same document tabled by Ms Palaszczuk on Tuesday.
The Liberal National Party is pursuing Ms Palaszczuk over the personal account, which they suggest could show she misled parliament in 2017 after denying it was used for government business.
On Monday, the LNP asked state archivist Mike Summerell to investigate the handling of the possible ministerial records
However, Mr Summerell finished his role with the Queensland State Archives on the same day.
A government spokesman said Mr Summerell’s resignation, which came weeks earlier, was unrelated to the email matter.
David Penberthy 10.10pm:Libs row on SA emergency powers
The South Australian government would give the state’s police commissioner power to issue directions affecting social and family gatherings, crowd numbers and business operations under plans making pandemic emergency powers permanent, unreleased draft legislation shows.
Liberal Party MPs are baulking at the short timeframe allocated to discuss what they consider serious changes, and have leaked the entire bill to The Australian.
The bill also gives the state’s chief public health officer the power to issue detention orders and have people “apprehended or restrained if necessary” to comply with those orders.
Richard Ferguson 9.40pm:Vaccine overdoses, wastage ‘merely noise’
Australia’s top public servant, Philip Gaetjens, has dismissed the botched administration of vaccines and wastage in the first week of the national rollout as “noise”, as Scott Morrison stands by his plan to have all willing Australians inoculated by the end of October.
More than 81,000 Australians have received their first dose of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines, but most states have not used their full allocation of doses and the federal government failed to meet its vaccination targets by almost half in the first week.
The injection of four times the recommended dose of the vaccine to two Queensland patients and the destruction of 150 Pfizer doses not stored at the proper ultra-cold temperatures also hampered the rollout’s first week.
Patrick Commins 9pm:‘Faster than expected’ rebound upgraded
The OECD expects the Australian and global economies in 2021 will grow about 1.3 percentage points faster than forecast in December, as a new survey revealed Australian businesses were more confident the post-COVID recovery was on track.
The rollout of vaccines and massive new stimulus under newly elected US President Joe Biden and a V-shaped rebound in many countries in the second half of 2020 underpinned the upgrades contained in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s interim world economic outlook, released on Tuesday evening.
With the emergency JobKeeper wage subsidy terminating at the end of March, Scott Morrison said the government’s $6.5bn vaccination program marked “the start of a new phase of Australia’s comeback from COVID-19”.
The Prime Minister said on Tuesday that about 100,000 frontline workers would be vaccinated by the end of this week and acknowledged the nation’s “continued economic recovery is inextricably linked to our ongoing success in combating the virus”.
In its latest economic update, the OECD predicted that after contracting by 3.4 per cent in 2020, the world economy would rebound by 5.6 per cent this year — 1.4 percentage points more than anticipated in December.
Paul Garvey 8.15pm: McGowan no mate of ours: union
The union leader behind an unprecedented advertising blitz against Western Australia’s Labor government says Premier Mark McGowan has forgotten his union supporters and become too close to big business.
Christy Cain, who stepped down as the WA branch secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia in January as he prepares to become the national secretary of the CFMEU, said tensions between the Premier and other Labor MPs could emerge if his COVID-inspired popularity began to wane and he continued to ignore the union movement that helped bring him to power.
The CFMEU has been bankrolling weeks of attack ads against Mr McGowan and his government in the lead-up to this weekend’s state election, in an escalation of the tensions that first emerged when union delegates walked out of Mr McGowan’s address at the 2019 state Labor conference.
Stephen Lunn7.35pm:Migrants’ choice: food or medicine
Gaps in the safety net for temporary migrants in Australia during the COVID crisis put their health and safety in jeopardy, forcing some to choose between medical care and food, a report from the Red Cross warns.
While asylum-seekers and temporary visa holders benefited from some government emergency support over the past few months, more consistent access to a safety net was needed, it said.
The report, part of a global look at the impact of the COVID response on migrants, also calls on governments to ensure asylum-seekers and temporary visa holders are allowed to participate in the vaccine rollout.
Greg Brown6.55pm:Hunt in hospital with infection
Health Minister Greg Hunt has been admitted to hospital with a suspected infection.
The office of Mr Hunt announced he was being kept overnight “ for observation and is being administered antibiotics and fluid”
“The minister is expected to make a full recovery. His condition is not considered to be related to the vaccine,” the statement said.
Mr Hunt was given the AstraZenica vaccine last weekend.
The Morrison government is already working without Defence Minister Linda Reynolds as she seeks treatment for a heart condition, while Attorney-general Christian Porter has taken a break for his mental health after naming himself as the subject of historical rape allegations.
The Health Minister entered hospital hours after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was placed in intensive care after a fall left him with vertebrae damage and several broken ribs.
READ MORE: Biden’s dogs banished after ‘biting incident’
Jared Lynch6.20pm:The rise and fall of Lex Greensill
Late on Monday evening, UK-time, Lex Greensill — the Bundaberg farmer turned global financier — hosted a call with his global staff of more than 1000, at the end of which, his message was clear: “Goodbye”.
With that one simple word, Mr Greensill farewelled his global empire — worth an estimated $7bn before it collapsed, entering voluntary administration on Tuesday morning.
Before the call, Mr Greensill had filed for administration stating it was in “severe financial distress” and unable to repay a $140m loan to Credit Suisse, following “defaults” from its key customer Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance.
Finn McHugh5.30pm:Concerns over Covid vaccine simply ‘noise’
A top public servant has dismissed concerns over issues in the government’s COVID-19 rollout, including two elderly Australians overdosing, as “noise”.
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC) secretary Phil Gaetjens fronted the Senate’s COVID-19 committee and was pressed on issues arising in the fortnight since Australia’s vaccine rollout began.
Two elderly Queenslanders were hospitalised in February after receiving four times the recommended dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, administered by a doctor who had not completed mandatory training.
The pair were released from hospital after suffering no ill effects.
Around 150 Pfizer doses were also discarded out of “an abundance of caution” after uncertainty over their storage.
But under pressure from Labor senator Katy Gallagher, Mr Gaetjens played down the incidents as “teething issues”.
“I would raise those issues in the category of noise. I think above that there is a very strong signal the vaccine is going out OK,” he said.
“I think they’re teething issues that can happen in any rollout of the logistical proportions that this one is.
“In terms of the overdose, that had been done in trials, and there was no harm to people.”
— NCA NewsWire
READ MORE:Millionaire’s secret to picking stocks
Ticky Fullerton5.05pm:Gonski secures lucrative business coup
In one of the great business coups of the year, the social impact investor has landed $US500m of funding from Singapore giant Temasek. Read more here
Agencies4.40pm:Biting incident puts Biden pooches in doghouse
Joe Biden has sent his two dogs back to his family home after the younger of the two German Shepherds was involved in a ‘biting incident’ with a White House security agent. Read more here
Heidi Han4.20pm:Wanted ex-Hong Kong politician lands in Australia
Ted Hui Chi-fung has announced that he has arrived in Australia, hoping to lobby Australia to take a stronger stance against Beijing and support Hong Kong’s freedom.
The former legislator revealed on his Facebook page that he arrived early on Tuesday after a 16-hour direct flight from London, where he sought political asylum after facing charges under Beijing’s new security laws.
“Although there are many Hongkongers living and studying in Australia, there are relatively few Hong Kong political leaders who are in exile here and are engaged in lobbying work. This is one of the reasons why I decided to move to Australia,” Mr Hui said.
Thanking Australian authorities for a Covid exemption and co-ordinating his flight arrangement, Mr Hui said he entered the country on a tourist visa but did not rule out applying for asylum.
“I am not considering applying for political asylum at the moment, unless there is no other choice in the future that applying for asylum would be my last option,” said the father of two, now in mandatory quarantine.
“Australia and New Zealand, both as important members of the Five Eyes Alliance, have many conflicts and see-saw battles with Beijing coming to universal values like democracy and freedom, and trade.
“I hope my lobbying work will make the two countries take stronger stances towards China, provide stronger support and take substantive actions for Hong Kong’s freedom.”
Mr Hui’s Facebook post did not reveal which city he was in.
The 38-year-old was among the 19 pan-democrats who resigned en masse on November 11 last year in response to the disqualification of pro-democratic legislators under China’s security laws in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Police put the former Central and Western District Councillor on the wanted persons list after he jumped bail and arrived in Denmark in early December, before travelling onto the UK.
Robert Gottliebsen3.50pm:End of JobKeeper poses skills challenge
It is vital that JobKeeper not be further extended. Arguably, JobSeeker should have been reduced further in the last round of change. But there are still many areas of depressed activity, particularly in relation to overseas tourists and students, plus events. Read more here
Ellie Dudley3.30pm:Trump asks Republicans to send money to him
Donald Trump has encouraged Republican donors to send money to his political action committee, rather than directly to the RNC. Read more here
The Times3.15pm:Children’s book pulped over ‘China virus’ outrage
A barrage of criticism from Chinese diplomats and parents has forced the axing of a children’s book, which was aimed at explaining the origins of the Covid crisis. Read more here
Angelica Snowden2.40pm:Injured Andrews to remain in hospital for days
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed he will be in intensive care over the next few days after suffering vertebrae damage and “several broken ribs”.
Mr Andrews said he fell on a set of “slippery stairs”.
“Early this morning, I was admitted to hospital after slipping and falling on wet and slippery stairs,” Mr Andrews said in a statement.
READ the full story here
John Carroll2.16pm:Seeking a saviour in a cultural vacuum
We are fortunate today that the cultural vacuum left by a High Culture that has largely abandoned its mission is being consummately filled by cable and internet television. That mission was, once upon a time in the West, exemplified variously by Homer, Plato, Raphael, Shakespeare, Bach, Jane Austen and Nietzsche all wrestling in their different ways to make sense of the human condition, its woes and tragedies. The grand tradition worked through stories and their interpretation. A century or more ago this High Culture began to lose its nerve, collapsing into such dismal art as Duchamp’s porcelain urinal, the theatre of the absurd, the philosophy of linguistic pedantry, and university humanities courses gone ideological, blinkered to see exploitative power politics and nothing else writ everywhere. The search for truth had been replaced by the impulse to tear down and shock. In effect, the tantrums of the unstable teenager, all scream and no content, had taken over as the defining mood of once serious art.
Popular culture has blithely resisted corruption from its assumed superiors. Two decades ago, it set a very high bar with The Sopranos, followed by Deadwood. Both addressed the existential threat faced by characters trying to make sense of lives stripped of traditional religious belief — lives challenged by an ordeal of unbelief.
READ the full commentary here
Ellie Dudley1.59pm: Warning for Adelaide as virus detected in wastewater
SA Health have confirmed a second “strong” result for levels of COVID-19 in wastewater in the Adelaide CBD.
Tests returned last night showed positive results for the virus, forcing the state health authority to urge anyone who has been in the Adelaide CBD in the past week and is exhibiting symptoms to be tested.
“At this stage, given that there is as yet no clear explanation to the wastewater detection result, it’s imperative that anyone who has been in the Adelaide CBD in the past week seek immediate testing if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild,” a statement from SA Health read.
Today, South Australia reported no new cases of community transmitted COVID-19, and two in hotel quarantine.
The two positive cases include a female in her teens and a male in his 60s. Both recently returned from overseas and have been in a medi-hotel since their arrival.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Emily Kirkpatrick said that while the positive wastewater readings could be attributed to returned travellers in hotel quarantine, the health authorities are “still alarmed”.
“It is important that we remain alert,” she said.
“While we’re not saying there is any indication there is community transmission here in South Australia, it is very important that if you are out and about visiting [the Adelaide Fringe Festival] or going about your normal daily activities that you do get tested if you have even the slightest of symptoms.”
READ MORE: Palace in turmoil over Meghan’s racism claims
Adeshola Ore 1.50pm: Social media making politics ‘nastier’
Senate president Scott Ryan says social media has caused politics to become “nastier” and says the experience is worse for women.
Allegations of sexual assault that have engulfed the Morrison government for weeks have sparked a national conversation about federal parliament’s workplace culture for women. On Monday, former foreign minister Julie Bishop revealed a group of Liberal MPs who called themselves the “big swinging dicks” had tried to block her career during her time in parliament.
This morning, Senator Ryan told a webinar for The Australian Institute that politics had become “nastier” on both sides.
“The stuff that they [parliamentarians] get through their offices and social media and the observations, they’re nasty to everyone, they are worse for women,” he said.
“It’s unpleasant for all of us but some of the stuff on social media has really surprised me...
social media has allowed some people to express views that I didn’t think really existed that much anymore. “
“Some of my friends who are women and have been ministers, some of the stuff I’ve seen them cop had just been extraordinary and I didn’t see that 20 years ago.”
READ MORE: Oprah’s Sussex chat wins huge audience
Adeshola Ore1.24pm: Rudd backs independent inquiry over Porter claims
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says an independent judicial investigation into the historic rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter should be conducted to test the integrity of the nation’s top law officer.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has broken ranks with the government and backed an independent inquiry, which Labor and the Greens support. But the Prime Minister has resisted the calls for an independent probe.
Mr Rudd said the position of Attorney-General should be held to a standard “above those which are simply determined by the criminal code.”
“We’re dealing with positions of state in this country which are of the highest significance, and therefore, require people of unimpeachable integrity,” he said at the National Press Club.
He said it would give Mr Porter an opportunity for an independent reviewer such as a retired judge to “draw their own conclusions”
“I think if I was Mr Porter in these circumstances, it would be wise to voluntarily step aside while that occurred.”
Mr Porter has denied the allegation that he raped a 16-year-old in 1988.
Mr Rudd acknowledged that former Labor leader Bill Shorten did not stand aside from his position when he faced a historic rape allegation in 2014.
“But then again, that investigation was undertaken by the police and, of course, the person making the allegation was still alive and it was tested along those lines.”
“If I were Christian Porter, this would probably be the best opportunity to clear your name through such a judicial inquiry as arm’s length.”
READ MORE: Secret wedding, no title for Archie. True or False?
Patrick Commins 1.06pm: Business faith in rebound builds
Businesses are increasingly confident the economic recovery is on track and better times are ahead, as NAB’s sentiment survey lifted to over a decade high in February.
Companies were more optimistic across all states and industries, besides retail, while business conditions rebounded to their best since August 2018.
NAB chief economist Alan Oster described the latest insight as “a very positive survey result”.
“Business conditions and confidence are both at multi-year highs and, importantly, we’re starting to see an uptrend in business hiring and investment activity,” Mr Oster said.
“The survey continues to point to a robust recovery in the business sector, despite some tapering of government support beginning in late 2020.”
Importantly, the survey showed firms’ capacity utilisation was back at 82 per cent and at pre-COVID levels – a positive sign that, if maintained, employers will increasingly look to hire and invest in the months ahead.
The widely followed NAB survey showed the business confidence index lifted by 4 points to 16pts – the highest since early 2010. Reported conditions recovered following a January dip to 15 points, equalling its December level.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 12.54pm: Game is now up for Australian men: Rudd
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says the Morrison government should provide resources for sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins to launch workplace inquiries into institutions beyond federal parliament.
The Morrison government has appointed Ms Jenkins to head a review into the workplace culture at Parliament House in the wake of a 2019 rape allegation by a former Liberal Party staffer. The inquiry will scrutinise parliament’s process of handling allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
Mr Rudd said the federal parliament must set the standard for workplaces across the nation.
“The sex discrimination commissioner should be resourced to hold further inquiries across, for example, national media organisations and other parts of corporate Australia as necessary where she considers it appropriate. Let the sunshine in,” Mr Rudd said at a speech at the National Press Club.
“That’s the way we begin to fix this. The uncomfortable truth for all Australian men is this — the game is now up. The age of male sexual entitlement is over. Australian women must be safe in all workplaces.”
Mr Rudd said he was not aware of any complaints of harassment or assault made against his staff or ministers while he was prime minister.
“I cannot in all conscience state that there were no such cases. I simply do not know,” he said.
READ MORE: Victoria to probe colonisation ‘injustices’
Charlie Peel12.41pm: Palaszczuk won’t release private emails
Annastacia Palaszczuk has formally rejected calls to publicly release emails from her personal email accounts to the state archivist after seeking advice from the Solicitor-General.
The Premier has faced questions from the Liberal National Party Opposition about whether she misled parliament in 2017 when she denied using her personal account for government business.
The matter was reignited in December when the Liberal National Party opposition tabled a document during an estimates hearing.
It showed Ms Palaszczuk received an email from energy Minister Mark Bailey in 2015 about the ideological stance of Paul Simshauser, who later became director-general of the Department of Energy and Water Supply.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 12.07pm:October remains deadline for Aussie vaccinations
Scott Morrison says his government is sticking to its goal to have every Australian receive a COVID vaccination by the end of October, despite the commonwealth already behind in its inoculation targets.
The latest national figures show 86,369 Australians were vaccinated in the first two weeks of the rollout. The government previously said it would initially aim to vaccinate 80,000 people each week.
“This week, we expect to go over the 100,000 mark,” Mr Morrison said.
“In the early phases of the rollout, as we anticipated, there are some early issues that have been quickly identified and resolved.”
The first doses of the locally made AstraZeneca vaccine doses will be rolled out from March 22.
Mr Morrison said the Australian-produced vaccines would ramp up the country’s distribution of vaccines.
READ MORE: Russians ‘spreading false vaccine claims’
Ellie Dudley11.59am: IOC to rule on spectators for Tokyo games
A decision on whether international spectators will be permitted to attend the Tokyo Olympics will be made by the end of March, the International Olympic Committee revealed today.
The Olympics, postponed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to run from July 23 through to August 8, and the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5.
“In terms of spectators there will be a decision towards the end of March, at least regarding international spectators,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a virtual news conference this morning.
“Beyond that it is too difficult to say.”
Most Japanese people do not want international visitors to attend the events amid fears that a large influx of travellers would spark a resurgence of coronavirus infections, a Japanese newspaper survey showed.
The poll showed 77 per cent of respondents were against allowing foreign spectators to attend.
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Adeshola Ore11.39am:Morrison: Why I didn’t read Porter document
Scott Morrison says a document detailing a historic rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter was provided to his office when he was in Sydney, as he defended why he had not read the dossier.
On Monday, former foreign minister Julie Bishop questioned why the Prime Minister had not read the document detailing the allegation in its entirety.
“The actual formal documents provided to my office were provided on a Friday afternoon in Canberra when I was in Sydney,” Mr Morrison said.
“Those documents were immediately passed on to the Federal Police as they should be.”
“I had been briefed on their contents earlier.”
Mr Porter has denied the allegation that he raped a 16-year-old in 1988.
READ MORE: Unreconcilable teenage memories
Adeshola Ore 11.24am:Bishop attack ‘referring to decade-old’ matters
Scott Morrison says Julie Bishop’s attack of the culture in Parliament House was related to matters that occurred a decade ago.
On Monday, Ms Bishop revealed a group of Liberal MPs who called themselves the “big swinging dicks” tried to block her career during her time in parliament.
“I would agree with Julie Bishop that, if that were the case, they weren’t very successful,” Mr Morrison said on Monday.
Asked if Ms Bishop’s experience pointed to a “cultural problem” in Parliament House, Mr Morrison said Ms Bishop had been referring to “issues about a decade ago.”
READ MORE:Andrews hospitalised after ‘nasty’ fall
Adeshola Ore 11.19am: IR bill to proceed without Porter: PM
Scott Morrison has flagged that the government will proceed with its industrial relations reforms next week without Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter in parliament.
The Australian has reported that the government has been warned against allowing small businesses to become “collateral damage” from the controversy surrounding the Attorney-General, amid expectations it would not proceed with its industrial relations bill next week.
Mr Morrison has confirmed that Mr Porter will not return to parliament next week. Mr Porter is currently on medical leave after he identified himself as the cabinet minister at the centre of a historic rape allegation which he has denied.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is currently acting Industrial Relations Minister and Attorney-General.
“She is a very accomplished lawyer in her own right and a former industrial relations minister who has got some experience getting important industrial relations reforms through the Senate on other occasions when she previously held that portfolio,” Mr Morrison said.
READ MORE: Ministers out of action — IR, defence stall
Ellie Dudley 11.15am:NSW, Queensland record zero local virus cases
New South Wales has reported no new cases of community transmitted COVID-19, and six in returned travellers.
WATCH: Dr Jeremey McAnulty provides a #COVID19 update for Tuesday 9 March 2021. pic.twitter.com/98vtcXrfuz
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) March 9, 2021
One previously counted case has been removed from the tally upon further investigations from NSW Health, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 5026 since the beginning of the pandemic.
A total of 6825 tests have been conducted over the past 24 hours to 8pm last night, down from 10,092 to day prior.
NSW is treating 54 people with COVID-19, one of whom is in intensive care and requires a ventilator.
Meanwhile, Queensland has recorded no new local cases of COVID-19, along with five in hotel quarantine.
A total of 5155 tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, pushing the state’s total number of tests since the beginning of the pandemic over the 2 million mark.
Queensland has 33 active cases.
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Adeshola Ore11.09am:‘If people can party at Mardi Gras, we can honour Anzacs’
Scott Morrison says Anzac Day marches should “return to normal” after Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebrations went ahead with more than 30,000 attendees over the weekend.
Australia’s veteran community in NSW have expressed concerns that Sydney’s march will be limited to 500 people.
“I want Anzac Day on,” the Prime Minister said.
“If people can party, and if people can protest, then we can remember as a nation, and honour our veterans on Anzac Day. And I would like to see that done as fully and as safely as
possible”
“This year I would like to see us return to normal as much as we possibly can, and so we can gather together and honour our Anzacs.”
READ MORE: Melbourne cancels Anzac Day march
Adeshola Ore 10.38am: Porter ‘won’t return for next sitting fortnight’
Scott Morrison has confirmed Attorney-General Christian Porter will not return to parliament on Monday when the next sitting fortnight begins.
Mr Porter is currently on medical leave after he identified himself as the cabinet minister facing a historic rape allegation. Mr Porter has emphatically denied the allegation that he raped a 16-year-old in 1988.
Mr Morrison said Mr Porter had not advised him when he would return to parliament.
“He’ll give me further updates as we go through the course of this week,” Mr Morrison said.
“We’re making arrangements to ensure that next week in the parliament, that his responsibilities are handled by other ministers.”
Mr Morrison said there was no “separate legal process” for Mr Porter as he rejected calls for an independent inquiry into the historic rape allegation against him.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has broken ranks with the government and backed an independent inquiry, which Labor and the Greens support. But the Prime Minister has resisted the calls for an independent probe.
“There’s only one rule of law here. And I’m standing firm on that principle of the rule of law,” Mr Morrison said.
“I’m not going to indulge in other extrajudicial processes that suggest that one Australian is subject to a different legal process to any other Australian. If we do that, we are eroding the very principles of the rule of law in this country.”
Mr Morrison played down concerns that two of his cabinet’s critical national security committee members are currently on medical leave.
On Sunday, Defence Minister Lynda Reynolds extended her sick leave amid ongoing controversy over her handling of a rape claim by a former Liberal Party staffer.
Mr Morrison said he had full confidence in Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and Foreign Minister Marise Payne taking on the duties of his two frontbenchers who are on medical leave.
“I’m just very pleased that in the case where we’ve had two ministers who have had to stand down for health reasons, I can turn to two very good other female cabinet ministers who can confidently take up their jobs,” he said.
“As Prime Minister, I maintain a very close watch on all of these issues, chairing the national security committee, as you would expect me to do.”
READ MORE: Anderson makes Nationals comeback
Adeshola Ore 10.34am: $1.2bn in wage subsidies to boost recovery: PM
Scott Morrison says the federal government’s expansion of its wage subsidy scheme will bolster the country’s recovery from the COVID pandemic will help more Australians pivot into new careers.
The government has announced it will give businesses $1.2b in wage subsidies for up to 70,000 more apprentices to protect the out of work from an imminent jobs cliff.
An existing 50 per cent wage subsidy for trainees that has run in parallel from October will now be uncapped and extended for another year ahead of JobKeeper ending this month.
“I’ve met plenty of people around this country who have changed course during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve been working in one sector and now they’re working in another sector,” Mr Morrison said.
“That’s what this program is designed to support.”
READ MORE: JobTrainer’s $1bn boost to hire apprentices
Angelica Snowden10.27am:Andrews expected back shortly after ‘nasty’ fall
Victoria’s Deputy Premier says Daniel Andrews suffered a “nasty” fall this morning.
James Merlino confirmed the Premier was taken to hospital for X-rays as a precaution, although he could not confirm where he was injured.
“(The Premier) had a nasty fall this morning as he was preparing for work,” Mr Merlino said.
“He was taken to hospital for some X-rays,” he said.
“I expect he will be on his feet shortly.”
Mr Merlino could not confirm if the Premier was taken to hospital by ambulance or his security detail.
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Ellie Dudley10.17am:Victoria launches Indigenous ‘truth-telling’
Victoria has launched a “truth-telling” commission into the current effects of colonisation on the state’s Indigenous community.
Acting Victorian premier James Merlino announced today the Yaruk Justice Commission will begin in “the middle of the year” and are currently in the process of securing commissioners.
“Indigenous and non-indigenous people alike [will have] the opportunity to tell their whole story, for that to be a path to truth and a path to healing,” he told reporters today.
“You can’t have true reconciliation for all Victorians until we go through this process.”
Mr Merlino said the commission would take place “at arms length” from the government, and will have the full powers of a royal commission.
An interim report will be revealed in mid-2021 and a final report a couple of years after that, Mr Merlino said.
READ MORE: Big dreams build a path from school
Ellie Dudley10.10am:Queensland students in line for Barrier Reef bonus
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a funding initiative for students to discover the Great Barrier Reef to assist the ailing tourism sector.
BREAKING: More than 6,500 Queensland students will get to explore the Great Barrier Reef thanks to an exciting new initiative launched by the Palaszczuk Government. pic.twitter.com/9ptLRW9qIP
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) March 8, 2021
More than 6500 Queensland school students will be provided $150 to get to Cairns and explore the reef.
“Each year, thousands of Queensland kids travel interstate for school excursions but many haven’t had the chance to experience the beauties of their own backyard,” Ms Palaszczuk wrote on Twitter.
“We want more students to experience the Reef and understand its importance - and support our tourism operators.”
All primary and secondary Queensland schools can apply for the $150 boost.
READ MORE:Palaszczuk defends pace of vaccine rollout
Adeshola Ore9.55am:Canavan backs Anderson’s planned return
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has welcomed former deputy prime minister John Anderson’s announcement he will run for preselection in the Senate.
On Monday, the former Nationals leader revealed he would run for a NSW Nationals senate seat at the next federal election when preselections are held in July.
“He continues to be a thought leader for this country. I think he’d be a great addition for the Senate,” Senator Canavan told Sky News.
“It’s great to see someone of his calibre put his hand up. It will sharpen the contest.”
Mr Anderson was leader of the Nationals and deputy prime minister under John Howard. He stepped down as deputy PM in 2005 and left parliament in 2007.
Mr Anderson has insisted he would not seek the leadership of the party or a senior cabinet position.
READ MORE:Former deputy PM eyes comeback
Adeshola Ore 9.25am:Trainee wage subsidy to ensure skills not lost: PM
Scott Morrison says the government’s extension of its apprentice wage subsidy scheme will ensure key skills in the sector are not lost as the labour market recovers from the COVID pandemic.
More than $1bn in new wage subsidies for up to 70,000 more apprentices will be rolled out to protect the out of work from an imminent jobs cliff, as the Morrison government prepares to extend a further lifeline to employers for the hiring of new trainees. An existing 50 per cent wage subsidy for trainees that has run in parallel from October will now be uncapped and extended for another year ahead of JobKeeper ending this month.
The Prime Minister has this morning delivered a keynote address at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit in Sydney. Mr Morrison said the labour market had strengthened, but there were still Australians who faced unemployment.
“Our supporting apprentices and trainees program has successfully kept over 122,000 apprentices on the tools,” he said.
“These apprentices would have been the first to go. Such a loss would have been devastating for our economy as years of training would have been lost and I suspect never recovered.”
Mr Morrison said the government would reveal targeted post-JobKeeper support for the aviation and travel sectors and tourism-dependent regions “in coming days.”
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Adeshola Ore8.58am: Porter matter should remain closed: Cash
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says a historic rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter should not be probed further because the police investigation has been closed.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has broken ranks with the government and backed an independent inquiry, which Labor and the Greens support. Scott Morrison has resisted the calls for an independent probe.
Last week, NSW Police closed the case due to “insufficient admissible evidence.”
“Once the police have closed an issue like this, that is actually where the matter stops,” Senator Cash told Channel 9.
“The NSW Police have made it very clear – the matter is closed. They are not pursuing it any further.”
She said the decision to launch a coronial inquest into the woman’s death was a matter for the South Australian coroner.
The South Australian coroner David Whittle has deemed the investigation into the woman’s death “incomplete”. Mr Whittle has ordered further investigations be undertaken before he determines whether to hold a coronial inquest.
On Monday, former foreign minister Julie Bishop backed a coronial inquiry into the woman’s death, saying it was the “next logical step.”
The woman met NSW Police in February 2020. Hours before her death in June she informed the police she did not want to proceed with her complaint.
Mr Porter has denied the allegation he raped a 16-year old in 1988.
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Stephen Lunn8.47am: Daniel Andrews hospitalised after fall
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is in hospital after a fall at his home.
Mr Andrews was due to appear at a media conference at 9am, but has been taken to hospital as a precaution.
He is understood to have fallen while getting ready for work.
There are understood to be no head injuries, but he has attended hospital for precautionary X-rays.
Deputy premier James Merlino will be acting premier today.
Adeshola Ore8.36am: Cash backs parliament workplace review
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has defended the Morrison government’s response to allegations of sexual assault and sexism after former foreign minister Julie Bishop attacked the culture of parliament.
Ms Bishop has revealed a group of Liberal MPs who called themselves the “big swinging dicks” tried to block her career during her time in parliament. She also questioned why Scott Morrison had not read a dossier detailing a historic rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter.
Senator Cash said she had not seen Ms Bishop’s comments but pointed to the government’s appointment of sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins who will head a review into workplace culture in parliament.
“The workplace should always be one that is respected. That’s why with the recent allegations that have been made the government has initiated the inquiry into workplace culture within Parliament House,” she told Channel 9.
“I look forward to seeing the report that she hands down so that we can take positive action to address what are workplace culture issues within Parliament House.”
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Adeshola Ore 8.07am: Inquiry in Porter’s best interests: Turnbull
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says it is in Attorney-General Christian Porter’s
“best interests” for a independent inquiry to investigate a historic rape allegation against him.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has broken ranks with the government and backed an independent inquiry, which Labor and the Greens support. Scott Morrison has resisted the calls for an independent probe.
Mr Turnbull said if the allegation was not considered by an impartial expert such as a retired judge it would remain unresolved.
“In practical terms, looking at this as both political and legal terms, the best thing that could happen for Christian Porter is for there to be an inquiry,” he told the ABC.
“That would enable there to be a process which would enable the issue to be resolved.”
Mr Porter denies the allegation that he raped a 16-year old in 1988.
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Ellie Dudley 7.55am: Victoria records zero new local virus cases
Victoria has recorded no new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19, and one in an overseas arrival.
The state conducted 8851 tests in the 24 hours to midnight last night.
Victoria now has six active cases.
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Ellie Dudley 7.52am:Frydenberg agrees with Bishop over culture
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says there is “certainly” a need to change the culture in parliament, after Julie Bishop revealed yesterday a group of men repeatedly tried to block her career.
The former deputy Liberal leader criticised the treatment of women in government on ABC’s 7.30 last night, drawing on her experience of “big swinging dicks” in parliament who tried to thwart her success.
Mr Frydenberg said in order to improve the culture, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has “reached across the political divide” to instigate a review into parliamentary culture.
The review will be led by Sex Discrimination Commission Kate Jenkins. Mr Frydenberg told Today that there would be “no stone left unturned in improving the culture.”
Ms Bishop also questioned the handling of multiple rape allegations by the Morrison government, saying in her experience an allegation of a serious offence “would have been brought to the attention of the prime minister immediately”.
“If someone had come to me with an allegation that a rape occurred … I would have felt a duty, not only to that person, but to others in the workplace to inform the police,” she said.
Ms Bishop backed a coronial inquest into the death of the woman who accused Christian Porter of rape, and Mr Frydenberg said “no-one is seeking to stand in the way of that.”
He maintained there would be no separate parliamentary inquiry led by Mr Morrison.
“We don’t think that is the right way to go and I understand that the former president of the Law Council of Australia has said a similar thing,” he said.
“You can’t have an independent inquiry where a criminal charge is being alleged.”
READ MORE: Questions over MPs’ code of conduct
Ellie Dudley7.19am: UK warned not to back Cormann for OECD job
The United Kingdom has been warned not to back the appointment of Mathias Cormann to the new head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The former finance minister is one of two final candidates to be the next OECD secretary-general, pitched against former EU commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.
On Monday, Matthew Pennycook, UK Labour’s shadow environment spokesman said it would send a terrible message if it was known the country was supporting Mr Cormann, The Guardian reported.
While rumours say British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Scott Morrison Mr Cormann would be backed by the UK, the country continues to insist they remain neutral on the topic, as the British Ambassador of the OECD is acting chair of the selection process.
However, Mr Pennycook warned US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, who was in the country to meet British ministers, that it was necessary that the OECD was led by someone who grasped the urgency of the climate crisis.
German Green MEP Michael Bloss also questioned the UK’s presumed decision to back Cormann.
“Acting on the climate crisis and economic co-operation must go hand in hand. The UK’s proposal to appoint Mathias Cormann is adding fuel to the fire and unnecessarily prolonging the fossil fuel era,” he said.
“Cormann is being directly supported by climate denyer and Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison. All our alarm bells should be ringing.”
The OECD membership will form a consensus decision on the new leader on March 15.
READ MORE: Cormann in final two for top OECD job
Ellie Dudley 7.00am:Turnbull uses interview to renew calls for republic
Malcolm Turnbull has used the explosive, tell-all Prince Harry and Meghan interview to renew calls for Australia to become a republic.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Monday accused the royal family of racism and other questionable behaviours, to which the pair attributed their departure last year from the royal family.
You bet. Australia’s head of state should be an Australian. First a plebiscite on how to choose the President (direct election vs bipartisan parliamentary vote. Second the chosen model in a constitutional referendum.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) March 8, 2021
With Prince Harry by her side, Meghan said during the two-hour interview she was denied help when she became suicidal and alleged that an unnamed member of the royals expressed concern about the skin colour of her unborn son, Archie. She also claimed he was denied a title because he was of mixed race.
The former prime minister, who served as the chairman of the Australian Republican Movement from 1993 to 2000, has taken to Twitter this morning to share why now is the time for Australia to depart from the Commonwealth.
“Australia’s head of state should be an Australian,” he wrote, replying to a thread from ABC’s Michael Rowland.
He then outlined the two steps he believes must be taken to transition the country:
“First a plebiscite on how to choose the President (direct election vs bipartisan parliamentary vote. Second the chosen model in a constitutional referendum.”
Republicans lost a 1999 referendum in Australia, when almost 55 per cent of the voting public chose the status quo.
READ MORE:Explosive tell-all divides Palace
Ellie Dudley6.30am:Countries too slow to heed pandemic warnings: WHO
Almost one year after labelling the novel coronavirus a “pandemic”, the World Health Organisation has complained that some countries were too slow to heed their urgent warnings.
The WHO sounded its highest level of alarm on January 30 last year, declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) hoping leaders would jump to action.
Only once the word “pandemic” was used on March 11, though, did many countries begin to realise the severity of the virus.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Monday that some countries were too slow to react to COVID-19 after the PHEIC declaration, when, outside China, there were less than 100 cases and no deaths.
“One of the things we still need to understand is why some countries acted on those warnings, while others were slower to react,” he said.
“We continued to warn that the world had a narrow window of opportunity to prepare for and prevent a potential pandemic.”
He added that the announcement that the virus was a pandemic was spread on March 11, after many countries had been well affected.
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Joseph Lam 6.15am: Inquest next logical step: Bishop
Julie Bishop says the next logical step in allegations made against Christian Porter is to have an inquest.
The former foreign minister on Monday told ABC 730 said while the allegations face certain challenges she believes an inquest logically would come next.
“The challenges of course is that the allegations are historic, that the woman who made the allegations took her own life, and now a serving cabinet minister has been informed that the police investigation is at an end,” she said. “So, there are no answers.”
“I do know, however, that the South Australian coroner is considering an inquest and to me that is the next logical step. It’s within the criminal justice system.
“There are checks and balances and there are statutory powers.
“It has legal standing. And so, that is the next step and I understand from media reporting that’s what the family would welcome.”
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Finn McHugh5.55am:Doctors revolt over vaccine costs, low-dose numbers
Doctors in revolt over COVID-19 vaccine payments and dose numbers have been told the situation will “settle down” as Australia ramps up its rollout.
GPs have complained low payments and smaller-than-expected dose numbers will not cover their costs as they administer the vaccine.
A group of GPs has threatened to withdraw from the vaccination rollout, some claiming they have received just 50 doses per week despite requesting 200 per day.
But Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Dr Karen Price said the COVID-19 vaccine was particularly “complicated” given it was administered in two doses and required staff training.
She said many clinics planned their finances around receiving a high volume of doses but hoped the situation would “settle down” as the rollout progressed.
“What has happened here is that we have got a low volume to start with,” she told Today on Monday.
READ the full story
Rosie Lewis5.45am:Reynolds yet to withdraw ‘lying cow’ remarks
Lawyers representing former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins are insisting Defence Minister Linda Reynolds immediately withdraw her controversial “lying cow” remarks, with negotiations so far unable to reach a resolution.
The Australian revealed last week that Senator Reynolds made the comments about her former media adviser in the open part of her office on February 15, the day Ms Higgins went public about being allegedly raped by a former male colleague in the minister’s parliamentary office.
It is understood a retraction has not formed any part of a settlement suggested by Senator Reynolds’ legal team, despite demands she take such action and make an unequivocal apology “for the hurt and distress caused”.
After receiving a letter from Ms Higgins’ lawyer last Thursday threatening defamation action, Senator Reynolds issued a statement saying she wanted to “express how deeply sorry I am for these (lying cow) remarks and for any hurt and distress they have caused”.
She did not withdraw the comments, which Scott Morrison said were not made in reference to Ms Higgins’ account of the alleged rape but about the suggestion there had been a lack of support offered to her former adviser.
READ the full story
Mackenzie Scott5.30am:Keen buyers’ hands up as property prices soar
Four in five properties taken to auction at the start of the year have sold, as rising heat in the market causes buyers to blow reserve prices out of the water.
While the number of homes offered over the past five weeks has been lower year-on-year, sellers who have tried their hand at auction have reaped the rewards.
Data house CoreLogic has recorded clearance rates holding above 80 per cent since the auction season began in the first week of February. Red-hot Sydney and Melbourne have nudged close to 90 per cent sales success, while buyers in the traditionally quieter Brisbane and Adelaide markets have purchased under the hammer at rates 30 per cent above the long-term average.
My Housing Market chief economist Andrew Wilson said the market was in catch-up mode after two years of disruptions from the banking royal commission, the 2019 federal election and the pandemic.
“It’s an extraordinary market, there is no weak link anywhere,” Dr Wilson said.
“You’d be a mug not to go to auction and let buyers fight it out on the nature strip.”
READ the full story
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