PoliticsNow: Mike Pezzullo agrees to stand down: PM

PM reveals Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo has stood aside after being referred  to the Public Service Commissioner over text messages to Lib powerbroker Scott Briggs.

Mike Pezzullo, Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

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5:49 pm September 25, 2023

Wages in pay deals rise to 4.7 per cent

Ewin Hannan

Average pay rises in new enterprise agreements have risen to 4.7 per cent, the highest for 2023, with wage increases in new deals at four per cent or more for six consecutive weeks.

New fortnightly data released by the Fair Work Commission shows average pay rises in agreements lodged in August increased from 4.4 per cent to 4.7 per cent across 174 agreements covering 65,553 workers.

The headline number was influenced heavily by six 22-month agreements in educational services which delivered average annual pay rises of 7.6 per cent to a combined 5395 workers.

Pay rises were smaller in other sectors including 4.1 per cent in the banking and building sectors; 3.8 per cent in manufacturing; 3.7 per cent in the amusement, events and the recreation industry; and 3 per cent in the retail sector.

However, two agreements covering almost 11,000 state and territory public servants had average annual pay rises of just 2.6 per cent.

The average 4.7 per cent pay rise compared to 4.4 per cent in the previous fortnight and four per cent two weeks earlier.

According to treasury forecasts in the federal budget, economy-wide wages growth is tipped to be four per cent this financial year before falling to 3.25 per cent in 2024-25.

Inflation is forecast to fall to 3.25 per cent by June 30 next year and 2.75 in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, the SEEK Advertised Salary Index rose 4.8 per cent in the year to August, including month on month rise of 0.5 per cent.

SEEK Senior Economist, Matt Cowgill said: “We’re nearly at a point where advertised salary growth is outpacing the cost of living, with the SEEK ASI up 4.8 per cent in the year to August and inflation up 4.9 per cent in the year to July.

“However, this increase is not common across all industries – most are still seeing moderate growth after the highs of 2022.

“The increase in the overall ASI has been driven in large part by the Community Services & Development industry, where minimum wages for certain occupations in aged care have increased by 15 per cent.”

He said given the pick-up was not common across many industries, the acceleration in the ASI was unlikely to continue in upcoming months.

3:41 pm September 25, 2023

Energy grid 'at risk from El Nino summer'

Rhiannon Down

Bureau of Meteorology chief executive Andrew Johnson has warned that a hot, dry El Nino summer will increase the bushfire risk and create vulnerabilities in the nation’s energy grid due to the penetration of renewable energy.

Dr Johnson said the arrival of El Nino – a natural weather pattern associated with increased temperatures and low rainfall – would increase sunshine in some parts of the country and decrease wind levels in others, impacting solar and wind generation.

Speaking at Australia’s first National Disaster Preparedness Summit on Monday, Dr Johnson said the bureau had a “strong eye” on the 2024-25 summer but it was also concerned about this coming summer due to the increased risk of bushfires and heatwaves.

The two-day summit convened by Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt in Canberra will see 250 crisis management, response and recovery specialists fine tune the nation’s disaster response and complete a range of scenario exercises.

“In terms of critical infrastructure vulnerability in the summer ahead, we‘re going to face some challenges,” Dr Johnson said.

“The other thing I‘d add is that probably since the last really hot summer, we’ve had a complete step change in the penetration of renewable energy in our system.

Read the full story here.

3:37 pm September 25, 2023

Labor failing indigenous kids: Henderson

Staff writers

Liberal Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson has said the Albanese government has failed to listen to the problems of indigenous children in remote communities, and that a voice to parliament would not solve this problem.

This comes after the Daily Telegraph revealed that funding for two out of four boarding schools in remote Northern Territory and Western Australia were being scrapped by the Labor government.

The funding package from the former Coalition government was listed at $75 million, but the Labor government said the full project could not be completed due to rising costs.

"We had a range of initiatives that have been axed by this government," Ms Henderson said, regarding initiatives to assist poor-performing schools in the Northern Territory.

However, Ms Henderson disagreed that a voice to parliament would help raise these concerns. "We are hearing the voices that matter right now," she said.

"The voices of indigenous people only matter when you have a government prepared to listen."

– Nicholas Finch

1:44 pm September 25, 2023 Highlight

'Unacceptable': NT Chief Minister on pancake hit

Staff writers

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has described as "unacceptable" an alleged aggravated assault by a protester in Darwin.

Ms Fyles was hit with a cream pancake to the face as she was leaving an event at the Bendigo branch in the northern suburb of Nightcliff on Sunday.

Footage has emerged of a woman wearing a green dress throwing the cream-loaded pancake at Ms Fyles.

The incident has since raised the alarm for police to bolster protection for the country's politicians.

"Violence is never acceptable and police are investigating and I will leave them to their job," Ms Fyles told the media in a press conference on Monday.

"Here in the Territory, members of parliament from both sides of the political spectrum and Independants, we make ourselves available, we love the role in the Territory and we are out and about, and we are a part of that community.

"No member of parliament should have to deal with that."

Ms Fyles said Sunday's alleged attack would not deter her from being a part of the community "because that is what is so important to me is listening and talking with Territorians".

The motivation for the alleged attack remains unclear and police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

– Tayla Couacaud

1:35 pm September 25, 2023

PM announces $70m for SA hydrogen export terminal

Staff writers

Anthony Albanese and SA premier Peter Malinauskas. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $70 million investment for South Australia's first hydrogen export terminal.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and the Prime Minister spoke to the media today on the combined $100 million investment into infrastructure at Port Bonython.

The terminal is set to be the first large-scale export terminal for hydrogen in Whyalla.

"Whyalla has an opportunistic future by being a part of the production of green steel, by taking advantage of the enormous opportunities that are here," Mr Albanese said.

"We know the world is in transition and that is why economies and indeed businesses that get ahead of shaping the future will be successful."

Along with private sector funding, the redeveloped Port Bonython was expected to host projects worth up to $13 billion and projected to generate as much as 1.8 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030.

Mr Albanese told ABC North and West South Australia on Monday "because there's such available land there, of course there's abundant solar and wind resources, South Australia is primed to become a world class, low cost hydrogen supplier."

1:25 pm September 25, 2023

Education support key to future skill needs: Clare

Sarah Ison

Jason Clare said the employment white paper was "scoping out the work that we can do to help provide more support for early educators, for teachers, for nurses, when they are still at university" Picture: Bloomberg News

Education Minister Jason Clare said Australia would need a better and fairer education system to address the skills needs of the future.

"I hear story after story from people who tell me they get put in an almost impossible position where they have to choose between the part-time job that they need to pay for the rent and to pay for food, and the unpaid prac that they have to do to finish their course and get their qualifications," he said.

"These are areas where demand for these jobs is growing faster than almost anywhere else in the economy, where we've got bigger shortages than almost anywhere in the economy, and there are lots of reasons for that but one of them is this.

"Part of this white paper is scoping out the work that we can do to help provide more support for early educators, for teachers, for nurses, when they are still at university."

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said people with disabilities and caring responsibilities needed to be able to find work if they wanted it.

"We need to look right across the board about how we actually support people with disability take up working opportunities, carers take up working opportunities, and
indeed older Australians to take up working opportunities," she said.

"There has never been a better time with our low unemployment figure for those that have been excluded from the workforce to get the opportunity to try work, and that is why removing the barriers to work is one of the key outcomes of this white paper."

Ms Rishworth pointed to allowing pensioners to do more work before their pensions were affected was key in getting older Australians into the workforce.

"The key element here is that this is not forcing anyone to work longer, however, what it provides is for those pensioners who do want to do work, they will be able to do more work before their pension is affected," she said.

"Especially as people move from work into retirement, we are seeing some people do want to do the odd shift here or there, perhaps some seasonal work, and what our measures we are announcing today permanently puts in the measures that allows those pensioners to do that work."

1:17 pm September 25, 2023

'It's personal': Chalmers on employment

Sarah Ison

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says addressing the inequalities in the economy was "personal" for many Labor ministers.

As he released the white paper on Monday, Dr Chalmers said it was clear that even with unemployment at record ow rates, employment opportunities were not reaching all Australians.

"For me and other colleagues here this is a bit personal because we see in communities right across this country, where disadvantage and perhaps unemployment has become intergenerational," he said.

"It should not be beyond country like ours to recognise that challenge, to care enough about it, to look to do something about it… We do not consider it acceptable in a country as good as ours, to have this intergenerational disadvantage in unemployment cascading through generations."

1:14 pm September 25, 2023

Be upfront about Pezzullo, Dutton tells PM

Joe Kelly

Peter Dutton says that if Anthony Albanese lacks confidence in Mike Pezzullo, he should say so.

The Opposition Leader also said he found the Home Affairs Secretary to always be professional .

"He was my secretary when I was in Home Affairs. I found him to always be professional.

"I found him, particularly as a person who had served both a Labor government and a Liberal government, he has plenty of friends on the Labor side – he was obviously deputy chief of staff to Kim Beazley – and he conducted himself in a thoroughly professional way in my dealings with him.

"And that was my experience of dealing with Mr Pezzullo … I can tell you from my time as minister Mr Pezzullo served the government faithfully as he did the Labor Party when they were in power. And he was able I think in all of his interactions put the country first.

"If the Prime Minister doesn't have confidence in Mr Pezzullo then he should say so."

1:06 pm September 25, 2023

Chalmers flags 'more inclusive' employment focus

Sarah Ison

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the government’s employment white paper “is mostly about action”, declaring full employment, recharging productivity and addressing the barriers preventing some people from getting work as key areas of focus for Labor.

“In this white paper today, you will see 70 policies we have already implemented … There are 31 future reform directions, and there are nine new policies,” Dr Chalmers said.

“This is only the third time since the Second World War that a national government has set out a vision for work like this … This is all about grabbing the opportunities of the future.”

Dr Chalmers said the white paper was about making sure the “big shifts” in the economy worked for Australian workers, not against them.

“Our objective here is a more dynamic and a more inclusive labour market as part of a more dynamic and more inclusive economy where more workers and businesses and communities can adapt and thrive and benefit from change,” he said.

Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor said he expected a national skills agreement to be signed by the end of the year, which would be critical to achieving the aims of the white paper.

“We need to see a much greater collaboration with the two tertiary sectors, the VET sector and universities, working closely to provide the skills that workers need, that businesses are crying out for,” he said.

“The only way we can deliver these skills today and tomorrow is firstly anticipate the changing nature of the economy and labour market, and we will do that in a large way through the creation of Jobs and Skills Australia and the ten jobs and skills councils.”

12:49 pm September 25, 2023 Highlight

Mike Pezzullo agrees to stand down: PM

Joe Kelly

Anthony Albanese has revealed that Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo has stood aside after being referred for investigation to the Australian Public Service Commissioner, Gordon de Brouwer, over hundreds of text message exchanges he sent to Liberal powerbroker, Scott Briggs.

The Prime Minister said that Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil had spoken with Mr Pezzullo on Monday morning and "asked that he stand aside whilst this investigation takes place".

"He has agreed to stand aside. That action is appropriate. We'll await the findings of the investigation which we will expedite," Mr Albanese said.

"We have a cabinet meeting this afternoon where no doubt I'll be able to get further reports about that. We will make no further comment on the specifics for obvious reasons. It's important that these processes are allowed to take their course."

The Australian Public Service Commission told The Australian that it "takes referrals seriously."

"At this stage it would be inappropriate to provide commentary that preempts any processes."

Mr Albanese said an independent inquiry would examine Mr Pezzullo's conduct and would be headed up by former Australian Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs.

"Lynelle Briggs is someone who is a very experienced public servant," he said. "It is appropriate that Lynelle Briggs look at this.

"And (she) will look at it in an independent way. I think this requires a full and proper disclosure. That needs to be done in an expeditious way."

Mr Albanese also revealed in a statement that Stephanie Foster would act as the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs while the investigation was conducted.

Ms Foster commenced as Associate Secretary Immigration at the Department of Home Affairs in October 2022 and previously worked as Deputy Secretary Governance in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from December 2017.