Politics latest: Setka 'risks breaking law' with AFL campaign

Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke call on John Setka to drop the push to oust Stephen McBurney, the Prime Minister saying it was 'common sense' for the union boss to 'give up' the position.

CFMEU union members march in the annual Labour Day in Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

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8:03 pm June 13, 2024

Chancellors 'doing nothing' 'complicit' in anti-Semitism

Staff writers

Liberal MP Julian Leeser says university chancellors who do not get tough on pro-Palestine protests are “complicit” in anti-Semitism.

It comes as Mr Leeser and fellow politicians urge universities to adopt an internationally-accepted definition of anti-Semitism amid the rise of anti-Israel slogans such as “from the river to the sea” and “intifada” being used across Australian campuses.

“Australia has 39 universities, only five have adopted this definition and it just beggars belief," Mr Leeser said.

"It speaks of the problems we have at universities at the moment where universities are failing to recognise anti-Semitism, they are failing to call it out, and they are failing to do anything about it.

“It’s often tempting for us to think that anti-Semitism is something that is confined to the undereducated, but the sad truth of the history of anti-Semitism is that some of the best educated people have been the greatest propagators of anti-Semitism.

“What the vice chancellors are doing here – they know exactly what anti-Semitism is, they know exactly what phrases like “river to the sea” and “intifada” means – the fact that they know this and are doing nothing means they are deeply complicit in this.”

By Elizabeth Pike

6:57 pm June 13, 2024

Israel the 'target' of 'unparalleled bias': Ryvchin

Staff writers

Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin says Israel has been the target of unparalleled "bias" within the UN and comparable international organisations.

It comes after a UN investigation accused Israel and Hamas of allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity on and since October 7, the date of Hamas’ attack on Israel.

“For the last eight months, since October 7 Israel, the local Jewish community has been accused of everything under the sun…. These latest accusations are scandalous, they equate Hamas’s crimes with Israel’s legitimate war of self-defence to root out a terror force and rescue its hostages,” Mr Ryvchin told Sky News.

“And unless the UN is going to actually step up and do something and dismantle Hamas and liberate the hostages, I think they should sit this one out.

“(This) just shows the way the UN works. It works based on a majority and the majority of states are non-democratic. They are despotic, they’re anti-liberal and they gang up and they target Israel.

“We’ve seen bias and we’ve seen commissions of inquiry levelled at Israel (like) no other country on Earth fighting similar wars.”

By Elizabeth Pike

5:21 pm June 13, 2024

Paul Barry to leave Media Watch in December

Staff writers

Media Watch's longest serving host Paul Barry.

Media Watch host Paul Barry has announced he will leave the ABC show in December.

Barry confirmed his departure in a statement released on Thursday after more than a decade in the role, as reported in The Sydney Morning Herald.

“Thanks to all our viewers. I’ll be with you until December. And I’m sure the program will go on to great things without me,” Barry said.

The ABC is yet to find his replacement.

By Elizabeth Pike

5:01 pm June 13, 2024

Setka campaign an attempt to 'settle old scores'

Staff writers

Liberal MP Jenny Ware has labelled John Setka’s campaign against the AFL an attempt to “intimidate” and “settle old scores”.

“John Setka has blatantly threatened the AFL and has said that he will delay the construction times on key stadiums that are watched by… Australians that love their AFL,” she said.

“This is bullying and intimidatory behaviour at its absolute worst. It is him trying to settle old scores. And it has come as a direct result of the Labor Party's industrial relations policy."

Ms Ware suggested Mr Setka’s campaign to oust the former ABCC head and AFL head of umpiring Stephen McBurney could be linked to previous power plays.

“One of the first acts of (this) government was to roll back the ABCC and to empower unions such as the CFMEU, which I should say also donates around about $4.3 million every year to the Labor Party, so if Labor ministers are silent, maybe there is a link there,” she said.

By Elizabeth Pike

4:42 pm June 13, 2024

'Taxpayer to foot bill': Malinauskas' ban under fire

Staff writers

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham has poked holes in South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas’s proposed ban on political donations, questioning why taxpayers should be the ones to "foot the bill".

The move would involve moving to a public-funding model for political campaigning in the state, when “third-party campaigning” is thrown in the mix.

“I think taxpayers would be somewhat concerned that the taxpayer has to foot the bill for all aspects of political party operations and campaigning,” he said.

“Premier Malinauskas' proposal only applies to political parties and doesn't do anything about third-party campaigning, including unions who are affiliated with the Labor Party who send voting delegates to Labor Party conferences and Labor Party preselections, whose stated objective is to help the political objectives of the Labor Party.

“If you're going to be fair dinkum about this then you have to find a way to constrain their spending and their activities. Otherwise you're just creating a biased electoral environment.”

By Elizabeth Pike

4:33 pm June 13, 2024

Views split between Luxon and Qiang

Staff writers

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says regional security and human rights concerns were raised at a joint-press conference with Chinese Premier Li Qiang held in Wellington on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters Mr Luxon said discussions were split "probably 50/50" between points of difference and shared interest.

“We discussed regional issues and global issues, including the South China Sea and also the Taiwan Strait, and again our desire to see a de-escalation so there is no miscalculation or accident that would threaten the peace and stability in the region,” Mr Luxon said.

"We have long-standing differences about human rights and foreign interference and they were two big topics we talked about."

Premier Qiang said China will “open its door still wider to the outside world” seeking "common ground" and "common understanding".

“Given our different national realities and stages of development it is natural that we don’t see eye to eye with each other on everything, but such differences should not become a chasm that blocks exchanges and cooperation between us, instead it should be a driving force for us to learn from each other and grow together," Premier Qiang said.

“The two sides should jointly abide by the basic norms governing international relations such as non-interference in internal affairs, promoting common understanding and tolerance through equal-footed dialogue and exchanges, seeking common ground…and pursue harmony instead of uniformity.

“China will continue to provide new opportunities for the world with its greater development. China will open its door still wider to the outside world and is ready to work with New Zealand and other countries on the basis of mutual respect.”

By Elizabeth Pike

3:47 pm June 13, 2024

NACC's Robodebt investigation to be probed

Rosie Lewis

Australia’s anti-corruption watchdog's decision not to investigate six public officials involved in the Robodebt royal commission will be scrutinised by an independent inspector.

One week ago the National Anti-Corruption Commission announced it wouldn’t investigate referrals from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme because it was unlikely to obtain significant new evidence.

But NACC Inspector Gail Furness SC on Thursday said she’d received nearly 900 individual complaints about that decision.

“Many of those complaints allege corrupt conduct or maladministration by the NACC in making that decision,” she said.

“I also note that there has also been much public commentary. Accordingly, I have decided to inquire into that decision. I anticipate that I will make my findings public, in due course.”

The NACC inspector is independent of the anti-corruption body and oversees its operations and conduct "to ensure it complies with the law and acts fairly".

3:36 pm June 13, 2024 Highlight

Setka 'risks breaking law' with AFL campaign

Ewin Hannan

The Albanese Government has called on John Setka to drop his campaign against the AFL, warning the Victorian CFMEU leader risked breaking the law if he acted on his threats to wage a work to rule campaign on league projects.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was "common sense" for Mr Setka to "give up" the campaign to oust the former ABCC head and AFL head of umpiring Stephen McBurney.

"That's a matter for the AFL, frankly. I don't think there's too much except to say that's the case. Common sense tells you that."

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said the government did not support Setka’s position.

He said while the government abolished the ABCC because it was a “bad, politicised organisation”, the government did not support going after public servants who worked there.

Mr Burke highlighted that the laws governing industrial action were unchanged and that legal action was limited to specific bargaining periods “not because you don’t like someone who is running umpires”.

He suggested Setka’s work to rule threats could come under the definition of unprotected industrial action because they would be a ban.

Mr Burke added: "Anyone making any threat to Australian sport, it’s not the way to win over the Australian people."

3:19 pm June 13, 2024

Migration system an 'inherited mess': PM

Staff writers

Anthony Albanese has pointed the finger at the Coalition for creating a “mess” of the migration system.

It comes after the Prime Minister was asked if tightened caps on student visas would affect jobs and university funding at a press conference on Thursday.

“Not at all,” he said. “(The policy is about) stopping the abuse of the system that had been allowed to get out of control under the former government, where people were using the visa system in order to get an entry into Australia in order to work here and to stay here for a period of time.”

“Foreign students continue to play an important role. It’s an important export for Australia and it’s good for our economy. It’s good for our universities, but it’s also good for our international standing.

“The migration system though was a mess that we inherited, and we make no apologies for fixing it.”

By Elizabeth Pike

2:56 pm June 13, 2024

Dutton addresses Hollie Hughes's dumping

Staff writers

Peter Dutton has defended his treasury spokesperson Angus Taylor, describing him as “very smart” and a “great treasurer” after Liberal frontbencher Hollie Hughes suggested Mr Taylor was gunning for party leadership.

Speaking to 2GB on Thursday, the Opposition Leader addressed the fall-out from Ms Hughes’s demotion to third spot on the Liberal’s NSW Senate ticket on Tuesday – a move she blamed on Mr Taylor.

It comes after Ms Hughes accused Mr Taylor of “disrupting the team" and putting ambition before unity by endorsing a rival in the Senate preselection.

“I work with him (Mr Taylor) very closely. Obviously, he’s my shadow treasurer and I’ve known him for a very long period of time and we’ve been in the trenches together for a long period of time,” Mr Dutton said.

“He’s a very smart guy and I think he will be a great treasurer of our country. And he’ll be an integral part of trying to get our country back on track after three years of Albanese disaster.”

Nonetheless, Mr Dutton said it was understandable Ms Hughes was upset about losing her spot on the Senate ticket and vowed to support her continuation in parliament.

“That’s a conversation I’ve had with Hollie. It’s hard, obviously, to find a space that’s just sitting vacant, or an opportunity that can open up,” he said.

“But we’ll continue to work with her and I hope that she can contribute in some way to the parliamentary party at some point into the future because she is a very valued member of that team. She’s a good friend of mine as well and I want the best for her as we all do.”

By Elizabeth Pike