PoliticsNow: Britain to rollout Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine ‘next week’
Britain has become the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week.
- US stands with Australia over China
- NSW dramatically lifts restrictions
- Andrews sticks to belt and road deal
- PM bypasses Beijing in WeChat appeal
Welcome to live coverage of the latest Australian political news, as well as our response to the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
Josh Frydenberg says the deteriorating trade relationship with China is very serious, but domestic consumption will remain the key driver of Australia’s post-pandemic economic recovery. His comments come as new figures show the Australian economy grew 3.3 per cent by in the September quarter.
The US State Department has declared that the US stands with Australia in calling out China for what it called a “new low” for the Chinese Communist Party.
AFP 9.45pm: Biden to keep Trump’s China tariffs
Joe Biden will keep Donald Trump’s trade-war tariffs on China for the time being when he moves into the Oval Office next month, the president-elect has told US media.
Rancour and recrimination have defined the relationship between the world’s two biggest economies over the past four years, with the US President slapping import fees on billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese goods with tariffs.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has been a strident critic of China’s human rights record and analysts had predicted his administration would maintain a hawkish posture towards Beijing.
“I’m not going to make any immediate moves, and the same applies to the tariffs,” Mr Biden told the New York Times in an interview published on Wednesday.
“I’m not going to prejudice my options.”
Since winning last month’s presidential election, Mr Biden has hinted at a trade policy that would mend Washington’s alliances with Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
He has said the US must join forces with other world democracies to present a united front in global trade policy as a counterweight to China.
Mr Biden has targeted Beijing on several fronts and singled out Chinese President Xi Jinping during a debate with other presidential candidates in February.
“This is a guy who doesn’t have a democratic — with a small d — bone in his body,” he said then. “This is a guy who is a thug.”
His campaign also referred to the crackdown on the Muslim Uighur minority in China’s Xinjiang province as a “genocide,” provocative language to Beijing with potential ramifications under international law.
READ MORE: ‘Offensive’ Biden pick could be blocked
David Ross 9pm: Warning for northwest Sydney
A warning has gone out for Sydney’s northwest after traces of COVID-19 were found at a treatment plant in Riverstone.
The samples, taken on 29 November, come from a system that drains parts of Riverstone, Vineyard, Marsden Park, Shanes Park, Quakers Hill, Oakville, Box Hill, The Ponds, Rouse Hill. Nelson, Schofields, and Colebee.
The detection comes as the NSW government announced plans to further relax restrictions and social distancing measures.
Authorities warned people who may have cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose or scratchy throat, cough, tiredness, fever or other symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.
After testing people must remain in isolation until a negative result is received.
READ MORE: Trump’s delusions aren’t yours to bear
Tom Dusevic, Glynis Traill-Nash 8.40pm: A ‘frock and awe’ spending splurge
When the going gets tough, the tough go dining … and shopping, for everything from dresses and shoes to dishwashers, devices and home office paraphernalia.
Consumer spending roared back in the September quarter as Australians bought clothing online and in-store, kitted out their no-commute workplaces with furniture and office equipment, and were freed to splash out on all manner of services, from eating out to elective surgery.
Jacquelin Magnay 8.20pm: Vaccine boosts battling Brits
The news that Britons will begin getting a coronavirus vaccine within days has boosted a nation that has been weighed under by a flaccid government flapping over virus countermeasures.
With the two dose jabs beginning early next week the public can finally see some light at the end of a very dark and confining tunnel.
On Wednesday just as shops were due to open again in some parts of England, including London, for the first time in a month, with tier measures keeping others still in harsh lockdown; people heard that the much promised vaccine was actually about to happen. It sparked an immediate lift in the mood across the nation that wasn’t the side-effect of being able to queue to buy some Christmas wrapping paper.
The Brits have been dealing with the gloom, the mask wearing, the stay-at-home edicts, the changing rules, bans on socialising for most of the year.
They are fed up and many have been blatantly ignoring the government’s closures and restrictions.
In Wales on Saturday I stayed in a hotel, kept awake by a 40th birthday party held downstairs.
Most have made their own assessments about the risk the virus offers and act regardless of the government’s rules.
In Australia, Victorians may have some idea of the pervasive claustrophobia that has enveloped the country for nine months with government overreach in dictating who you may speak to, sleep with, hug and exercise alongside.
The upcoming jabs, unpleasant as the side effects may be, offers the most welcome return to a semblance of sanity.
AFP, Natasha Robinson 7.45pm: Boris hails vaccine push
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed UK approval for the use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine as “fantastic” news that would help life get back to normal.
“It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again,” he said on Wednesday, after regulators gave the green light in a world first.
Australia has a deal with Pfizer to purchase 10 million doses of its mRNA vaccine, with the Therapeutic Goods Administration here currently working with overseas regulators to fast-track its approval. The TGA has said it expects to grant provisional approval to the Pfizer vaccine by late January, and health minister Greg Hunt said he expects the first Australians to begin receiving the vaccine some time in March.
Health workers, the elderly and aged-care workers in Australia are in line to receive jabs first.
Australia also has deals to purchase the Astra Zeneca-Oxford University vaccine, the Novavax vaccine and the University of Queensland’s protein-based vaccine, if those candidates also prove successful.
However, Australia currently has no deal to purchase one of the other frontrunner mRNA vaccines being developed by US biotech Moderna, which is set to receive emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration within weeks.
READ MORE: What makes Biden’s right-hand man tick?
Jacquelin Magnay 7pm: Medical workers, elderly first in vaccine line
British medical workers,the most vulnerable and the elderly will be the first in the world to get the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine from next week after regulators approved its use.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted on Wednesday: “Help is on its way. The MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19.
“The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week. The UK is the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply.”
Help is on its way.
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) December 2, 2020
The MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19.
The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week.
The UK is the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was the first in the world to officially approve the use of the vaccine for a population.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The overnment has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use.
“This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.”
The National Health Service and the military have been preparing for the vaccination rollout over the past few weeks with dedicated vaccination centres established at stadiums, convention centres and across thousands of medical practices.
They include the Nightingale hospital at the London ExCel centre which was set up to deal with the pandemic, but which was barely used.
AFP 6.35pm: UK vaccine approval a ‘historic moment’
Britain’s approval of BioNTech-Pfizer’s vaccine against Covid-19 marks a “historic moment” in the battle against the pandemic, the US pharma group’s chief executive says, after his company won the first such authorisation in the West.
“Today’s Emergency Use Authorisation in the UK marks a historic moment in the fight against Covid-19,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Wednesday.
The US company and Germany’s BioNTech added that they expected further regulatory decisions from other countries “in the coming days and weeks”.
AFP 6.22pm: UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for rollout ‘next week’
Britain has become the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week.
“The government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use,” the department of health said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week,” the statement said, with priority groups including care home residents, health and care staff.
After months of “rigorous” clinical trials and thorough analysis of the data, the MHRA “concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness”, the statement added.
“To aid the success of the vaccination program it is vital everyone continues to play their part and abide by the necessary restrictions in their area so we can further suppress the virus and allow the NHS (National Health Service) to do its work without being overwhelmed.”
The announcement came as England exited a month-long coronavirus lockdown, but most of the country remained under restrictions as a new regional system for cutting infection rates kicked in.
The four-week lockdown, which began in November, was imposed to stop surging rates of infection, ease pressure on health services, and to allow families to gather for Christmas.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a Covid survivor, succeeded in winning a vote on the measures in parliament late Tuesday, despite significant opposition within his own Conservative ranks.
“All we need to do now is to hold our nerve until these vaccines are indeed in our grasp and indeed being injected into our arms,” he told lawmakers before the vote.
Until then “we cannot afford to relax, especially during the cold months of winter”, he warned.
David Ross 6.20pm: SA pizza worker escapes charges
The man accused of lying to contact tracers about his job at an Adelaide pizza restaurant has escaped charges.
The man is believed to have told authorities he had only been to the pizza restaurant to pick up a takeaway order, sparking fears about the potential infectiousness of the South Australian COVID-19 viral strain.
The Spanish national was accused by police of not telling the truth, with SA premier Steven Marshall threatening to “throw the book” at him.
But SA police said SA Health had refused to provide details of the man’s conversations with authorities, which prevented them from verifying if the man had lied.
Olivia Caisley 6.05pm: Greens Senator calls for Indigenous treaty
Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has called for an Indigenous treaty to “reframe the story of Australia”, declaring such an agreement would protect the rights of First Nations people and move the country forward as one “united by truth and common purpose.”
In a powerful maiden speech to parliament on Wednesday, Senator Thorpe said a treaty between the commonwealth and Indigeous Australians would be a step towards healing.
Senator Thorpe said such a treaty should take priority over other high-profile issues such as constitutional recognition, a voice to parliament or changing the date of Australia Day.
“The disadvantage and inequality we face as a community are not due to inherent failings in our character. They are symptoms of the persecution and oppression, this country and its constitution were founded upon,” she said.
“We can’t be included in the constitution before this chapter in Australia’s history has been resolved via a treaty.”
She said such an agreement should not erase existing legal mechanisms such as Native Title and would elevate Aboriginal voices and reframe Australia into a more caring society “where nobody is left behind”.
“We need to make that shift because the gap between rich and poor is growing wider,” she said.
Senator Thorpe, who is Victoria’s first Indigenous senator, said the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement had mobilised the world to address inequality and it was time for Australia to step up.
“We must address the inequality and injustice faced by Aboriginal people. Black Lives Matter needs to be more than a trending hashtag,” she said.
“It must be a reckoning a line in the sand, a call to action to those whose skin color affords them greater safety and justice. It’s time to stop looking away from systemic racism and stand with us and say no more.”
She cited the incarceration of indigenous Australians, climate change and standing up for the voiceless as her key areas of focus.
“People like me were not meant to end up in places like this,” she said. “The colour of your skin should not limit your potential, your safety or your life expectancy”
READ MORE: Asylum-seekers win ‘major’ legal fight
Greg Brown 5.55pm: McManus rejects Fitzgibbon on climate
ACTU secretary Sally McManus has warned Labor against lowering its ambition on climate change action, declaring Joel Fitzgibbon’s focus on blue-collar workers was “narrow” and “old fashioned”.
Ms McManus said climate change would impact all workers as she pushed back against the Hunter MP’s call for the party to take a more pragmatic approach on the issue to win back voters in the regions.
“Climate change is not an issue that affects just one group of workers. It does impact on people more or less, but when there is a bushfire and it surrounds your whole city and everyone is choking on the toxicity of that, which happened around this time last year in Sydney, it affects everyone,” Ms McManus told the National Press Club in Canberra.
“In many different ways, a whole lot of industries like our tourism industry and others, are going to be affected by climate change.
“So whenever we narrow our thinking and we have some idea, old-fashioned idea
actually, of blue-collar workers, we are really narrowing who we are talking about because climate change affects everyone.”
Ms McManus said Labor could appeal to both inner-city and regional voters by focusing on industrial relations issues, particularly job security.
Rosie Lewis 5.30pm: Porter weighs changes to defence-suicide bill
Attorney-General Christian Porter will consider amendments to the government’s national commissioner for defence and veterans suicide prevention bills, as they face defeat in the Senate.
Outside the Coalition, only One Nation senator Pauline Hanson — who controls two Senate votes — supports the legislation, leaving the government one vote short of formally establishing the new national commissioner role.
Mr Porter’s spokesman said the government was considering a Senate committee report into the bills and whether any recommendations provided the basis for “sensible and appropriate amendments” to improve the legislation.
Amendments would be provided to the Senate “at the appropriate time”.
“The government has always said it would entertain proposals which improve the bill in meeting its fundamental purpose — of giving families of defence members and veterans who have taken their own lives some of the answers they seek and helping prevent such loss of life in the future,” the spokesman said.
“Once any amendments have been settled and presented, it will be incumbent on Labor to stop playing political games with this issue and back the bill and restore the traditional bipartisan support parliament has shown to serving defence force members and veterans.”
While Coalition senators involved in the committee report said the bills should be passed, they recommended the government clarify if the national commissioner would cover attempted suicide.
They also wanted to know whether the effectiveness of the commissioner’s role should be reviewed at a certain time and stressed the importance of independence in appointing the ultimate commissioner.
Former magistrate, coroner and brigadier Bernadette Boss was appointed interim national commissioner. Labor, the Greens, crossbenchers and some veteran families don’t like the appointment because of Dr Boss’s links to the military and her connections to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds.
Julie-Ann Finney, whose veteran son David took his own life in February last year and who has become a prominent advocate for a royal commission into defence and veteran suicides, lashed Mr Porter for attacking Labor for opposing the national commissioner role.
“If (the national commissioner role) has got powers broadly equivalent to a royal commission, why not have a royal commission?” she said.
“Don’t slam Labor. Labor should be slamming you for putting through something that is nothing. It doesn’t do anything to help veterans.”
READ MORE: Albrechtsen: Brereton has undermined the rule of law
AFP 5.10pm: Allies raise a glass to Australia amid wine row
Australia’s global allies voiced support for the country’s beleaguered wine industry on Wednesday, vowing to down a glass to lessen the impact of choking Chinese sanctions.
China on Friday announced it would impose anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine, the latest salvo in a barrage of trade sanctions that critics say are politically motivated.
In response, supporters including Taiwan and the US pledged to buy Australian wine, now subject to tariffs of up to 212 per cent in China.
“We stand in solidarity with #Australia by serving #FreedomWine,” Taiwan’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a tweet.
In Washington, the National Security Council said: “Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week.” It added: “Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!” Already strained China-Australia relations have worsened since Canberra moved to crack down on Chinese operations in the country and called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 after its emergence in central China last year.
Australian winemakers said the latest tariffs would mean the lucrative Chinese market was likely to dry up.
Treasury Wine Estates — which produces the popular high-end Penfolds brand — said it would look to other “key luxury growth markets” and cut costs as sales accounting for 30 per cent of earnings fall away.
Members of the Inter-parliamentary Alliance on China, a global bloc of legislators from 19 democratic nations, said they would help, with several pledging to switch their New Zealand pinot noir, Norwegian aquavit or Japanese sake for an Aussie tipple.
In Hong Kong, #SolidaritywithAustralia trended on Twitter and the city’s exiled democracy activist Nathan Law said: “I don’t really drink, but I guess I am moved to buy a bottle of Australian wine”.
READ MORE: Mistakes, cover-ups: How we lost China’s respect
Nicola Berkovic 4.30pm: Legal firms shed jobs
Legal jobs at the nation’s top law firms have been slashed over the past six months, with the worst-hit firms cutting one in five non-partner legal roles since July.
Partnership growth halved this year compared to the previous year, but still grew 1.9 per cent in 2020, according to The Australian’s partnership survey conducted by ECP Legal.
Two of the largest firms reduced their partnerships by more than 10 per cent.
Agencies 3.51pm: Ardern declares climate emergency
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a “climate emergency” on Wednesday, telling parliament that urgent action was needed for the sake of future generations.
Ms Ardern said the science on climate change was clear and New Zealand had to acknowledge the threat.
The centre-left leader said the challenges posed by global warming meant parliament’s declaration -- an act undertaken by more than a dozen other countries -- was warranted.
“In those cases where we do issue declarations, it is often where there is a threat to life, a threat to property, and civil defence emergencies,” she told parliament.
“If we do not respond to climate change, we will continue to have these emergencies on our shores.” Lawmakers passed the largely symbolic emergency declaration by 76 votes to 43 after Ms Ardern urged them to back the move.
“Vote in favour of this declaration, be on the right side of history, be part of the solution we must collectively deliver for the next generation,” she said.
Britain’s parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the motion in May last year, followed closely by Ireland. — AFP
READ MORE: All the world news coloured by journos’ views
Rachel Baxendale 3.16pm: 3000 Victorian quarantine staff to be tested daily
Victoria’s Commander of Coronavirus Testing and Community Engagement says the state expects to test at least 3000 staff daily as part of its revamped hotel quarantine program.
International travellers are due to begin returning to Victoria from Monday, for the first time since the state’s hotel quarantine program was shut down in June after coronavirus clusters in security staff sparked a second wave of the virus.
Jeroen Weimar said his team would be testing “every single person” working in the program to be tested “every single day”.
“We expect a total of around 2500, 3000 Victorians to be working in the hotel quarantine program,” he said.
“Everybody who is working in the hotel quarantine program will be tested every day using our new saliva testing modality.
“We expect by the time we have all the staff up and running, by the time the hotels are fully staffed up and we have all the overseas arrivals coming in, that we’ll be testing in excess of 3000 people a day, just around the hotel quarantine program.
“It is critically important to us that we support those frontline workers who are doing what they need to do to ensure that we can return people safely into our community, and that we keep COVID contained within, within any quarantine system, and that we ensure the rest of us can maintain our freedoms.”
Initially Victoria will be receiving up to 160 travellers per day, all of whom will be required to pay $3500 per adult for the compulsory quarantine stay.
READ MORE: Police, ADF to enforce strict new quarantine
Rachel Baxendale 3.06pm: Likely source of Colac ‘positive’ revealed
Victoria’s Commander of Coronavirus Testing and Community Engagement says a “strong positive” test result detected in sewage in the southwest Victorian town of Colac is believed to be linked to a man previously diagnosed with the virus who recently returned to the area.
“There’s been some excellent detective work by our colleagues in Barwon Health in the last 24 hours, and we have identified somebody who has moved back into the area, who may still be shedding the virus and we believe they may be the cause of the recent detects we’ve seen,” Jeroan Weimar said on Wednesday afternoon.
“The individual we’ve identified was a an old COVID case, but we know that they’ve had a significant tail of shedding the virus from other medical work we’ve done with them.
“We know they’ve moved back into the area and they’re likely to be a significant source of that positive that we saw last night.”
Mr Weimar confirmed the person was a Victorian.
“Look, we have no concern about that individual. He’s been on our radar for a while,” he said.
“So we are very comfortable with their health status, and we’re very pleased that they’re back at home.”
However, Mr Weimar urged anyone with coronavirus symptoms to get tested immediately.
“What wastwater tells us is where there are still traces of virus lingering in our community, and it’s important that we are alert to those symptoms, so if anybody in the Colac area is not feeling well, then please come forward to get tested. We are expanding testing hours at the Colac testing station,” Mr Weimar said.
READ MORE: How over 40s can avoid surgeon’s knife
Adeshola Ore 2.48pm: Why does PM need a photographer in quarantine?
Deputy opposition leader Richard Marles has asked why a photographer is in quarantine with Scott Morrison, accusing him of always being focused on “photo opportunities”.
Last week, the the Prime Minister’s office published images of Mr Morrison quarantine in the Lodge, including photos of him exercising on a spin bike.
During Wednesday’s question time, Mr Marles asked Josh Frydenberg to confirm the Prime Minister was spending two in quarantine with his photographer after returning from a diplomatic trip to Japan.
“Can the Treasurer confirm the Prime Minister is spending 14 days in quarantine with his photographer, not the head of his department, not his Chief of Staff, not his senior health or economic advisors, not his national security advisor? Why is the Prime Minister always focused on photo ops and marketing?”
Attorney General Christian Porter said Mr Marles’ claims were inaccurate and there were several staffers in quarantine with the Prime Minister.
READ MORE: Shanahan — Albanese’s superficial act at the wrong time
Cameron Stewart 2.20pm: We stand with Australia over China: US
The US State Department has declared that the US stands with Australia in calling out China for what it called a “new low” for the Chinese Communist Party.
“We stand with our Australian partners in calling out (China’s Foreign Ministry) for spreading disinformation by fabricating an image of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan,” State Department spokesman Cale Brown tweeted.
We stand with our Australian partners in calling out @MFA_China for spreading disinformation by fabricating an image of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. This is a new low, even for the Chinese Communist Party.
— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020
He said the CCP’s latest attack on Australia was “‘another example of its unchecked use of disinformation and coercive diplomacy.”
“Its hypocrisy is obvious to all. While it doctors images on Twitter to attack other nations, the CCP prevents its own citizens from reading their posts,” he said..
“As the CCP spreads disinformation, it covers up its horrendous human rights abuses, including the detention of more than a million Muslims in Xinjiang. The CCP seeks to change the subject to avoid accountability. We can’t let them,” the spokesman said.
The CCP’s latest attack on Australia is another example of its unchecked use of disinformation and coercive diplomacy. Its hypocrisy is obvious to all. While it doctors images on @Twitter to attack other nations, the CCP prevents its own citizens from reading their posts.
— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020
As the CCP spreads disinformation, it covers up its horrendous human rights abuses, including the detention of more than a million Muslims in Xinjiang. The CCP seeks to change the subject to avoid accountability. We can’t let them.
— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 2.14pm: ‘Australians have worked hard for this rebound’
Josh Frydenberg has told parliament every Australian has worked hard for today’s economic rebound, despite warning the road ahead will be long and bumpy.
In Wednesday’s question time, Anthony Albanese accused the federal government of congratulating itself on a premature economic victory and using positive marketing slogans despite 1.4 million Australians under-employed and almost one million unemployed..
The Treasurer pointed to the creation of 178,000 new jobs last month as signs of an improving jobs outlook for the nation.
“The Australian economy is showing remarkable resilience, but this is due to the achievements and to the sacrifices of millions of Australians across the country.”
“We have seen very strong labour market growth, even stronger than has been expected.”
READ MORE: Andrews’ key man won’t condemn tweet
Rachel Baxendale 1.56pm: ‘Strong positive’ of virus in Victorian town
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed Sunday’s planned announcement on relaxing coronavirus restrictions will detail arrangements for the entire summer.
The Premier’s comments came as he revealed “strong positive” viral fragments have been detected in sewage in Colac, in Victoria’s southwest, with residents and recent visitors to that community urged to get tested.
Victoria has now had 33 consecutive days with no new known cases of coronavirus, and nine with no known active cases.
There were 12,177 coronavirus tests processed in Victoria in the 24 hours to Wednesday.
“On Sunday I’ll have more to say about changes to the rules. We’re finalising those later in the week, some meetings yesterday, there’ll be further meetings throughout the week, and I think that’ll be good news for many people right across Victoria, and it’ll mark a really important phase as we lock in a set of rules for a few months for that COVID-safe summer,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews said authorities had detected “what are termed strong positives” in wastewater in the Colac area.
Colac experienced two waves of coronavirus within Victoria’s second wave. The first wave peaked at 92 cases on August 6, largely as a result of a cluster of 83 cases linked to the Australian Lamb Company abattoir in the town, while the second was sparked in early September after a resident returned from medical treatment for an unrelated condition in Melbourne, having contracted the virus, which spread to workers at Bulla Dairy - one of the largest employers in the town of 13,000.
READ MORE: PVO — The Coalition let us fall into recession
Adeshola Ore 1.42pm: Claims of economic victory ‘premature’: Chalmers
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has accused Josh Frydenberg of patting himself on the back for a premature economic victory.
National accounts figures released today showed the economy grew 3.3 per cent in the September quarter - beating forecasts of 2.5 per cent by most economists. In the previous quarter, the economy shrank an extraordinary 7 per cent in the three months to the end of June as it absorbed the impact of coronavirus restrictions.
“Australia’s economy is no bigger today than it was three years ago,” he said in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon.
“A key driver off the rebound was that most of Australia reopened, having been more or less closed down in the months before.
“It’s also not surprising because the economy is coming from an extremely low base.”
Mr Chalmers said his biggest concern was for Australians in rural areas who faced enduring challenges in the “patchy” economic recovery from the pandemic.
Mr Chalmers said the federal government had failed to look beyond the headlines of today’s GDP figures.
“What you discover is the same sort of stagnant wages and weak consumption and stagnant living standards which have defined the economy for most of this government’s tenure,” he said.
“A recovery in GDP is a good thing, but it will mean nothing for many Australians if it’s not accompanied by a substantial improvement in the jobs market as well.”
READ MORE: Labor’s bipartisan heat on China cools
Richard Ferguson 1.21pm: China not key to nation’s recovery: Frydenberg
Josh Frydenberg says the deteriorating trade relationship with China is very serious, but domestic consumption will remain the key driver of Australia’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
China and Australia’s trade tensions have escalated in recent weeks with huge tariffs slapped on Australian wine and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham considering going to the World Trade Organisation over Chinese barley tariffs.
The Treasurer on Wednesday said he was optimistic about the success of increasingly diversified trade around the world, but consumption was still the key GDP factor.
“Consumption is 60 per cent of GDP. So consumption is absolutely key. Consumption is the largest contributor to GDP, 4 percentage points today. Whereas the detraction from net exports was 1.9 per cent,” he said in Canberra.
“But trade is absolutely critical for Australia of 25 million people, we look to be trading with the larger populations in our neighbourhood and beyond and we have been very successful at that.
“And we have great produce and we have great services and we have great resource sectors and I’m very optimistic about the opportunities for our exporters around the world.
“But that being said, the situation with China is very serious.”
READ MORE: Tom Dusevic — Why the recessionn isn’t really over
Yoni Bashan 1.14pm: NSW eases restrictions for restaurants, weddings
The NSW government has announced a significant easing of COVID-19 restrictions, with the state moving to a long-awaited “two-square-metre” rule for restaurants, weddings and funerals and other major events.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the adjustment as the state recorded its 25th day without any cases of community transmission.
She said the state’s four-square-metre rule would be eased to two-square-metres, meaning there would be no upper cap on attendees at restaurants, cafes, weddings and funerals from Monday.
It will also mean stadiums and theatres will be able to be filled to 100 per cent capacity if the event is held outdoors, and 75 percent if it is held indoors.
Only gyms and nightclubs will have to abide by ongoing restrictions, with a maximum of 50 people allowed inside at a given time.
READ MORE: Farm jobs go begging despite $6k lure
Richard Ferguson 12.52pm: Consumer spending ‘trend is our friend’
Josh Frydenberg says the “trend is our friend” on consumer spending increasing into the next economic quarter, aiding the post-pandemic economic recovery.
The record bounce in economic growth this quarter of 3.3 per cent was partly fueled by increased spending on transport services and hotels, cafes and restaurants.
The Treasurer said consumer confidence had been revived by the re-opening of states like Victoria and the government’s economic support measures.
“I’m not going to make a prediction about what happens in the next quarter other than to say that the trend is our friend here,” Mr Frydenberg said in Canberra.
“ And what we are seeing is improvements on a range of economic indicators. Today’s national account numbers are not an isolated event. I
“It’s the cumulation of the significant government support, it’s the reflection of the virus being suppressed across the nation and it’s — you’re seeing business confidence, consumer confidence coming back.”
READ MORE: Ballet company’s new boss off to a flying start
Rachel baxendale 12.45pm: Andrews to sticks with belt and road China deal
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has sarcastically dismissed Morrison government legislation aimed at allowing the commonwealth to intervene in agreements such as Victoria’s Belt and Road deal as concerning “matters of massive international intrigue like sister city arrangements”.
The legislation is set to go before the Senate as soon as tomorrow, and would enable the federal government to review and cancel agreements that state, territory and local governments and other government-funded organisations such as universities have entered with foreign governments.
Mr Andrews’ comments come after he discussed Australia’s relationship with China with Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday, amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Asked for his position on the legislation at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Mr Andrews said: “That’s a matter for the federal parliament.”
Challenged over the fact that it could impact Victoria’s Belt and Road agreement, Mr Andrews responded, “well, I wouldn’t enter into agreements unless I thought they were in the interests of our state, so you can logically deduce that”.
READ the full story here
Richard Ferguson 12.40pm: Frydenberg hails quickest GDP recovery on record
Josh Frydenberg says Australia’s economy is coming back after the September quarter saw a record recovery in GDP figures from the coronavirus slump, ending the official recession.
The economy grew 3.3 per cent over the three months to the end of September – better than the 2.5 per cent most economists had expected – the ABS said on Wednesday, partly reversing the 7 per cent drop in the second quarter.
The Treasurer said on Wednesday that the bounce back from two negative quarters was the quickest GDP recovery on record.
“The Australian economy is coming back. Facing a once-in-a-century pandemic that has caused the greatest economic shock since the Great Depression. Australia has performed better on the health and on the economic fronts than nearly any other country in the world,” he said in Canberra.
“This is the largest quarterly increase since 1976. Today’s increase in the September quarter of 3.3 per cent is the largest quarterly increase in GDP since 1976. It follows a 7 per cent fall in the June quarter.
“From the very beginning of this crisis, the goal of the Morrison government has been to keep
Australians in work and to help those Australians out of work get a job. And this is what is happening.”
READ MORE: Subsidies drain power from electricity market
Adeshola Ore 12.29pm: New Greens senator to call for Indigenous treaty
Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe will use her first speech in the Senate today to highlight calls for an Indiegnous treaty.
“To truly bring this country together, we must not only treat the symptoms of disadvantage, but the cause. We do this with a Treaty,” Senator Thorpe said in a statement.
“A national Treaty would make clear that we, the First Nations Peoples of these Lands, deserve to have our rights, our knowledge, and our Sovereignty respected. It would acknowledge the truth of our past, and bring us together to heal as a nation.”
Senator Thorpe became the sixth Indigenous person in the Australian parliament when she was sworn in to the Senate in October.
READ MORE: Leader’s step back from the voice plan
PATRICK COMMINS 12.24pm: State credit rating no concern to Lowe
There has been talk (in this paper) of Victoria’s AAA credit rating being at risk in the aftermath of the state’s big spending and big borrowing budget, but towards the end of his parliament appearance this morning, RBA governor Philip Lowe says “a downgrade of credit ratings doesn’t concern me”.
“AAA credit ratings have more political symbolism than economic importance,” Dr Lowe says. “What is of more concern is that people don’t have jobs.”
“What I want to see is strong public finances in Australia and I think we have that and we are going to continue to have that.”
States collectively have recorded budget deficits of 5 per cent, and that’s “exactly the right thing to do,” Lowe says.
Of course there is a limit, and the governor says it would “not be prudent to bake in high levels of expenditure indefinitely”.
READ MORE: State’s $500bn debt binge risks credit ratings
Adeshola Ore 12.15pm: GDP rebound ‘cold comfort for jobless’
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers says Australia’s GDP rebound is “welcome but unsurprising” due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
The latest ABS figures showed the economy grew by 3.3 per cent in the September quarter – beating the forecast of 2.5 per cent most economists had expected.
Today’s headline number is cold comfort for millions of Australians looking for work, or more work. For many people what looks like a recovery on paper will still feel like a recession. #auspol
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) December 2, 2020
On twitter, Mr Chalmers said the new figures were “coming off an extraordinarily low base.”
“Today’s headline number is cold comfort for millions of Australians looking for work, or more work.”
READ MORE: Economy bounces back, growth up 3.3pc
Max Maddison 12.11pm: Europe sweats on vaccine approval before new year
Europeans will discover whether the emergency use of a coronavirus vaccine will be approved by regulators before the new year.
European Medicines Agency said a meeting would be convened by December 29 to decide if there is sufficient safety and efficacy data for the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine to be approved.
A decision whether to approve a rival vaccine shot made by Moderna could be made by January 12, EMA said.
The joint venture of Pfizer and BioNTech, one of the lead contenders to deliver a vaccine to market first, have already sought approval from European and US regulators.
READ MORE: Third vaccine raises hope for 2020 rollout
Ben Packham 12.02pm: US Ambassador blasts China over fake image
US Ambassador Arthur Culvahouse has blasted China for spreading “disinformation through fabricated images and disingenuous statements” about Australian soldiers.
Mr Culvahouse, in a statement on Wednesday, said Australia had been transparent in investigating and disclosing war crimes allegations against special forces soldiers.
“The PRC would do well to follow Australia’s example and disclose to the world all it knows about the origins of the COVID-19 virus,” he said.
“And the world can only wish that the Chinese Communist Party were to bring the same degree of transparency and accountability to credible reports of atrocities against the Uighurs in Xinjiang.”
The comments are the first official statement from the US government on China’s use of a doctored image featuring an Australian soldier with a knife to the throat of an Afghan child.
Adam Creighton 11.44am: Economy defies expectations, grows 3.3pc
The economy is bouncing back strongly from recession, posting the fastest growth since the late 1970s on the back of a surge in consumer spending as coronavirus restrictions unwind.
The economy grew 3.3 per cent over the three months to the end of September – better than the 2.5 per cent most economists had expected – the ABS said on Wednesday, partly reversing the 7 per cent drop in the second quarter.
“Australia experienced a partial recovery in the September quarter. As a result, economic activity fell 3.8 per cent through the year to September quarter,” said the ABS’s head of National Accounts Michael Smedes.
The improvement signals the end of “recession”, which is informally defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.
Household spending, which plunged almost 13 per cent in the second quarter, rose almost 8 per cent, driven by spending on hotels, restaurants and cafes, which began to resume more normal trading in the quarter.
Victoria was the only state to record a fall in household spending, of 1.2 per cent, owing to a second lockdown that began in August.
“Despite record quarterly growth in household spending, the level in September quarter was 6.8 per cent lower than that recorded in December Quarter 2019,” Mr Smedes said.
The latest set of national accounts, which also revealed a near record high household saving ratio of 19 per cent, put the economy on track to grow faster than the Reserve Bank had forecast as recently as last month.
Hours earlier Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe told a parliamentary committee he expected GDP growth to be “solidly positive” in both the September and December quarters. “And then, next year, our central scenario is for the economy to grow by 5 per cent and then 4 per cent over 2022,” he added.
Commonwealth Bank economist Gareth Aird said the GDP figures were “backward looking” and the more interesting question was “what the strength and duration of the economic recovery will look like in 2021 and beyond”.
“On that score we are optimistic and there is plenty of evidence in the forward looking data that signals strong outcomes next year are more likely than not,” he added.
More recent data, including surging in building approvals and elevated levels of consumer and business confidence, point to a continuation of strong growth in to the fourth quarter.
The OECD earlier this week revised up its forecast growth rate for 2020 for Australia from minus 4.1 to minus 3.8 per cent, which compared to an expected economic contraction this year across advanced countries of 5.5 per cent.
FOLLOW live ASX updates in Trading Day
Max Maddison 11.18am: NSW goes another day without local transmission
NSW is just three days away from eradicating coronavirus, after the state chalked up 25 days in a row without a locally acquired case.
The six new cases announced by NSW Health were all overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, taking the active cases in the state to 76, none of whom are in intensive care. Health officials conducted 13,327 tests in the last 24 hours.
NSW recorded no new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 2, 2020
Six cases were reported in overseas travellers. This brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4,399 since the start of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/MSwqVGJObS
“Though restrictions have been eased in NSW, we must continue to be vigilant,” a statement said.
“NSW Health continues to ask everyone to continue to come forward immediately for testing if they have even the mildest symptoms that could signal COVID-19, such as a runny nose or scratchy throat.”
READ MORE: Mines hit by China stoush may shut
PATRICK COMMINS 11.10am: Housing tide ‘not lifting all boats’
RBA governor Phil Lowe is now answering questions about the housing market, where prices have taken a turn for the better and have generally been significantly more resilient than expected.
Lowe says we “shouldn’t be surprised” that some property prices have responded to record low rates — but that this is a tide that is not lifting all boats.
Most regional markets are doing better than capital cities, while prices in Sydney and Melbourne have been “affected by the rapid slowdown in population growth”.
Indeed, the slowest rate of population growth since 1916 - when tens of thousands of soldiers marched off to WWI — “is going to have a first order effect on housing prices”.
“You are seeing this very clearly in Sydney and Melbourne in the apartment markets where the vacancy rates are the highest in more than a decade and rents are falling at a rate that we haven’t seen before,” Lowe says. “Whenever that remains the case, it’s hard to see a generalised widespread lift in housing prices.”
Clearly Lowe is not worried about a new housing bubble.
READ MORE: Home prices ‘up far earlier than thought’
Cameron Stewart 11.06am: US Senator says ‘despicable’ China should apologise
A former chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has labelled China as “despicable” and says it should apologise to Australia for tweeting a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to the throat of an Afghan child.
“This is despicable and beneath the dignity of a nation with 5,000 years of culture and history,” Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, tweeted.
“The Australian people deserve an apology – and the Chinese Foreign Ministry needs to demonstrate it understands how to conduct diplomacy as a constructive member of the international community.”
READ the full story here
PATRICK COMMINS 10.51am: ‘Rates won’t lift until jobless drops below 5pc’
RBA governor Philip Lowe is back speaking again after a short break for MPs to rush off to vote, and he has said “we’ve got to get back to unemployment at 4-point-something to get the type of wage pressure that will deliver inflation outcomes consistent with 2.5 per cent”.
Remembering he just said the jobless measure will still be at 6 per cent in two years’ time, in Lowe’s words: “That still seems a long way away, doesn’t it?”.
“We will not be adjusting rates until we are confident inflation will be back solidly between 2 and 3 per cent - that’s why we are confident rates are unlilkey to go up for three years.”
“Things would have to turn up very positively on the upside to get back there any time soon,” Lowe said.
READ MORE: We have now turned a corner: Lowe
Adeshola Ore 10.50am: Chinese media turns blowtorch on Ardern
China’s state-run Global Times has now accused New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of shifting the blame after she raised concerns over the false war crimes image posted by a Chinese government official.
On Tuesday, Ms Ardern said the false image, which showed an Australian soldier holding a knife to a child’s throat, was unfactual and concerning.
In an editorial, the state-run media outlet said Ms Ardern was “trying to shift people’s attention away from Australian troops’ brutality against Afghan civilians.”
“Ardern has demonstrated that New Zealand will not stop playing double standard tricks the West uses so often. This is also part of the so-called Western values — the freedom to be hypocrites,” it read.
READ MORE: Trump to name Indo-Pacific commander
Max Maddison 10:44am: China: Is Canberra that thin skinned and delicate?
The state-run Global Times has continued its attack against Australia, saying it will “use any silly pretext to smear China”, while accusing Scott Morrison of “double standards”.
Labelling the doctored image, created by Chinese artist Wuheqilin and reposted by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, a “satirical cartoon”, the Global Times editorial claimed the Prime Minister was intolerant of Mr Zhao practicing his “freedom of speech”.
“On what ground did Morrison feel angry over the use of the cartoon? Is Canberra that thin skinned and delicate?,” the editorial said on Monday night.
#Opinion: Canberra should apologize to the unarmed people who were brutally killed by Australia’s elite soldiers. It should also apologize to the Chinese artist, whose work was groundlessly smeared as a “false image.†https://t.co/xpGYzwNOC4
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 1, 2020
“Qian said this fully exposes the hypocrisy of the West on topics such as “human rights” and “freedom of speech” — mantras Australia is always bleating like a sheep.”
The opinion piece was accompanied by a cartoon which depicted a smiling Australian soldier, holding a sign with “human rights” written on it, while standing on top of a blanket with a dead person lying beneath it.
“Against this backdrop, Australia will use any silly pretext to smear China. Therefore, Australia exaggerated and distorted Zhao’s comment and use of cartoon over the crime of Australian troops, calling it ‘a false image,’” the article continued.
#GTCartoon A perfect picture of hypocrisy pic.twitter.com/OPhlOpS2NL
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 1, 2020
Another Global Time’s opinion piece argued Wuheqilin’s artwork had nothing to do with “political calculation”, but instead “reveals the wrath of Chinese people”.
“The news has brought back memories of innocent Chinese children living under the shadow of Western invaders’ atrocities,” the article said. “From the Opium Wars to World War II, China has seen enough killings on its soil. What’s wrong with an artist expressing his empathy through art?”
“If it was not for Australia’s constant provocations against China in recent years, Chinese people, not to mention Chinese artists, may not have noticed the land Down Under.
It is exactly the attitude and actions of Western countries like Australia that have awakened China.”
READ MORE: Tim Dodd — How to deal with Beijing blowback
Heidi Han 10.32am: ‘Wolf warrior’ artist steps up attacks from China
As Chinese media stepped up their fiery campaign against Australia and the Morrison government overnight, patriotic Chinese artists attacked the Prime Minister with new computer graphics and a “Diss” song.
The self-described “wolf warrior artist” behind the original doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to the throat of an Afghan child created and posted another image on Chinese social media last night, with a title “Dedicated to Mr Morrison”.
The new image by Chinese graphic illustrator Fu Yu, known as Wuheqilin, showed the artist facing a group of journalists in front of his artwork on a battlefield, while Scott Morrison in the background next to a body bag pointed at him, with a captain saying “apologize”.
In a music video released overnight, a popular musician with over 369k followers on Chinese video sharing website bilibili posted the “DISS” track , “dedicated to Old Morrison”.
“Pretend to apologise, the blood on your hands suddenly becomes graceful,’’ lyrics by the artist known as BoPeeeep read.
“When you said you wanted us to apologise, I wondered if I heard something wrong. It were not for the document, the mourning would have become your humour.”
The music video, which was published on multiple Chinese media platforms as well as YouTube, used unconfirmed battle footage and started with Mr Morrion’s speech to request China and Zhao Lijian, Chinese foeign ministry spokesman who posted the false image on twitter.
The new works came after “Wuheqilin” reportedly told Chinese state media he illustrated the cartoon “that pissed off Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison”.
“It is totally hard to believe that a head of state like Morrison got totally bent out shape about my computer graphics work. I am flabbergasted that he even organised a press conference to fume about it.” China’s nationalist tabloid the Global Times cited him.
READ MORE: Supreme wolf leads Xi’s warrior brigade
PATRICK COMMINS 10.20am: We have now turned a corner: RBA
RBA boss Philip Lowe is testifying in parliament this morning and has delivered his opening statement, saying “this year has been an extremely difficult one for many people and businesses. But we have now turned the corner and a recovery is underway”.
Lowe pointed to a bunch of good economic news, including that “over recent months, the number of people with a job has risen significantly”. That means the unemployment rate will peak between 7 per cent and 8 per cent, rather than close to 10 per cent as earlier forecast.
Ahead of national accounts figures at 11:30am, he said “we are now expecting GDP growth to be solidly positive in both the September and December quarters”, before growth jumps to 4 per cent in 2021 and 5 per cent in 2022.
But: “These figures, though, cannot hide the reality that the recovery will be uneven and bumpy and that it will be drawn out”.
“Some parts of the economy are doing quite well, but others are in considerable difficulty. And even with the overall economy now growing solidly, it will not be until the end of 2021 that we again reach the level of output recorded at the end of 2019.”
Unemployment will still be above 6 per cent in two years’ time, wage growth will be below 2 per cent in each of the next two years. That will cap inflation at 1 per cent next year and 1.5 per cent in 2022.
“It is certainly possible that the economy will do better than our central scenario,” Lowe said. A vaccine could be widely available before the end of next year, and international travel could be loosened sooner as a result.
READ MORE: Margin Call — Hemmes feels the Covid chills
Richard Ferguson 9.46am: Iran targets Aussie in propaganda war
Freed Australian hostage Kylie Moore-Gilbert has been the target of a mass Iranian propaganda campaign following her release, with Iranian media releasing personal photos of her and her husband Ruslan Hodorov and claiming both are spies.
The Herald Sun reports on Monday that three propaganda videos posted online since Dr Moore-Gilbert’s release from prison in Iran claim to show her in army greens at an Israeli training camp and show both photos of her Middle East travels and her wedding to Mr Hodorov – an Israeli of Russian origin.
READ the full story here
Cameron Stewart 9.38am: No evidence of voter fraud, Attorney-General tells Trump
US Attorney-General William Barr has directly rebuffed Donald Trump on election fraud, saying the Justice Department had not uncovered any wrongdoing which would have changed the poll result.
Mr Barr’s comments are the most senior repudiation yet of the president’s unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen from him by mass fraud orchestrated by the Democrats.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” Mr Barr said.
“There’s been one assertion that would be systemic fraud and that would be the claim that machines were programmed essentially to skew the election results. And the DHS and DOJ have looked into that, and so far, we haven’t seen anything to substantiate that,” Mr Barr said, referring to the departments of Homeland Security and Justice.
Mr Barr’s comments will infuriate the president who tweeted out renewed claims of fraud just minutes after Mr Barr’s words were reported.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 9.29am: ‘Coalition backbenchers inflaming China tensions’
Opposition assistant treasury spokesman Stephen Jones has accused government backbenchers of inflaming tensions with China, as the diplomatic spat between the two countries escalates.
Scott Morrison has used messaging platform WeChat to appeal to Chinese Australians, saying the fake war crimes meme by a Beijing official “does not diminish our respect for and appreciation of our Chinese Australian community.”
Mr Jones said government backbenchers were “throwing fuel on fire” in response to the false image which showed an Australia soldier holding a knife to a child’s throat in response to allegations of war crimes.
“You’ve got a series of government backbenchers in positions of influence who have for whatever reason I do not know are part of the machinery of inflaming tensions with China,” he told Sky News.
He said Foreign Minister Marise Payne had “vacated the field” regarding Australia’s relationship with China.
“We hear just about nothing from the Foreign Minister on this issue,” he said.
He added Australian businesses were expressing concern about the rising tension between China and Australia and potential fallout from government rhetoric.
READ MORE: Reprisals from China pose risk for universities
Richard Ferguson 9.17am: Albanese accuses PM over ‘breakdown with China’
Anthony Albanese has accused Scott Morrison of presiding over a complete breakdown of the Australia-China relationship, saying any further trade deterioration will hurt Australian jobs.
Labor has backed the Prime Minister’s pushback over a fake war crimes meme posted on Twitter by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, depicting an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan girl’s throat.
The Opposition Leader on Wednesday was more critical of the government’s handling of the China relationship, and said he was amazed cabinet ministers could not get Chinese counterparts to return their calls.
“Anything that hurts Australian jobs is not a good thing. So, we need to work on the relationship,” he told 2SM radio.
“That doesn’t mean compromising our values and our preparedness to speak up for them. But I remember Prime Minister Rudd giving a speech in China, in Mandarin, of course, which was critical of human rights issues, but done so in a way that also was designed to make clear our values but not designed to offend for offense sake.
“This government seems to have presided over a complete breakdown of relationships. The fact that ministers can’t pick up the phone to each other, I find that extraordinary.
“When I was a minister, Chinese ministers visited Australia and I visited there in our national interest about promoting Australian jobs.”
READ MORE: China’s tweet tests nation’s resolve
Adeshola Ore 9.04am: Our government hasn’t handled China well: Shorten
Opposition government services spokesman Bill Shorten says the Morrison government has not handled the country’s relationship with China well, as the fallout from the fake war crimes meme continues.
The Australian has reported embassy officials have met with Chinese counterparts in Beijing to seek a formal apology over the false image showing an Australian soldier with a knife to a child’s throat shared by a senior communist official this week.
“I think it’s a shame it’s got to this and I’m not sure our own government has handled this up to now as well as they could have,” he told the ABC.
“There’s no case for China to be bullying Australia. China is an important part of Australia’s future. We want the exports to recommence and we want to make sure we can work with China as they grow, but they need to know they can’t push Australia around.”
Mr Shorten said he agreed with the federal government’s position to escalate tariff disputes with the World Trade Organisation if it failed to reach an outcome through China’s domestic process.
READ MORE: Paul Kelly — PM needs a cool head to deal with Beijing
Adeshola Ore 8.53am: ‘Royal commission needed to probe Robodebt’
Opposition government services spokesman Bill Shorten says a royal commission into robodebt is necessary to identify responsibility for the botched scheme.
During Question Time on Tuesday, Mr Shorten pressed Government Services Minister Stuart Robert about the suicide of debt recipient.
“The government agreed to the payout because they don’t want to reveal when they knew it was unlawful, who knew it was unlawful and how long they knew it was unlawful,” he told the ABC.
“We want to know who’s responsible, we want to know how you can make these mistakes and what are the lessons that can be learnt.”
Last month, the federal government agreed to compensate 430,000 welfare recipients wrongly accused of misreporting income in a $1.2bn settlement.
READ MORE: Unions boss to fight for secure post-Covid jobs
Adeshola Ore 8.40am: ABC complaint part of ‘habit’: Shorten
Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten says Communications Minister Paul Fletcher’s objection to the ABC board about a recent Four Corners episode is part of the federal government’s “constant habit” of complaining.
Mr Fletcher has demanded answers from the ABC board regarding a Four Corners episode which alleged sexual affairs by government ministers Christian Porter and Alan Tudge. The terse letter accused the board of failing to meet its duty to ensure it broadcasts “accurate and impartial news”.
The Australian has revealed Four Corner is facing questions from the Morrison government over whether a private investigator conducted covert surveillance on senior ministers for the program.
Mr Shorten said the complaint by Mr Fletcher was an “unhealthy development.”
“This isn’t just one matter. This government doesn’t like scrutiny of its activity and the ABC doesn’t favour either political party,” he told ABC on Wednesday.
“I’ve been on the receiving end of tough questions. The ABC’s got its charter.”
READ MORE: ABC asked — did you have ministers tailed?
Max Maddison 8.28am: Shocking new pic of SAS incident in Afghanistan
New photographs apparently reveal senior Australian special forces drinking out of the prosthetic leg of a dead Taliban soldier in Afghanistan, Guardian Australia reports.
#EXCLUSIVE: Photo reveals Australian soldier drinking beer out of dead Taliban fighter's prosthetic leg https://t.co/ub6ZAI43bb
— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) December 1, 2020
The photos, taken at an unauthorised bar called Fat Lady’s Arms in 2009, show one senior soldier sculling from the leg, as well as other soldiers dancing with the prosthetic limb. The photos confirm previous reports of the practice of using the leg as a drinking vessel.
The solder in the photo is still serving. The practice was allegedly accepted and even involved officers at high levels, despite the leg potentially being a war trophy which Australian soldiers are forbidden from taking from the battlefield.
The leg allegedly travelled with the squadron, believed to be the SASR 2, at all times.
READ MORE: ‘Public fury led to medals backflip’
Robert Gottliebsen 8.23am: How Australia lost China’s respect
When China declared that Australia had been “evil” it suddenly became clear that the dispute between the two nations is more deep-seated than a trade spat involving wine coal, timber etc.
Today I want to explore the possible hidden agendas and motivations for the China stance. That exploration exposes situations that are a lot more scary then most Australians appreciate.
From President Xi down, there has been little respect for Australia for a long time and many in China believe we are a foolish country that makes mistakes at almost every turn, led by defence.
READ Robert Gottliebsen’s full analysis of the Australia-China relationship here
Max Maddison 8.10am: Victoria now at 33 days without a new virus case
Victoria has recorded 33 days without a new case of coronavirus, after another day of donuts.
No positive cases were detected in 12,177 coronavirus tests conducted across the state, meaning there remains zero active cases in Victoria.
Yesterday there were 0 new cases, 0 deaths and 0 active cases reported. #EveryTestHelps: 12,177 tests results were received – thanks to those who got tested, you’re helping Victoria #StaySafeStayOpen. https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/43MCiH7FS4
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) December 1, 2020
READ MORE: OECD forecasts bright future for Australia
Max Maddison 7.50am: Cyber-security technology ‘getting results’
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says a new telecommunications industry code designed to help prevent scam-calls is not a “silver bullet”, but new technology is getting “good results”.
The federal government has announced plans to detect, trace and block those annoying and sometimes expensive scam calls.
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) December 1, 2020
Cyber Safety Minister @PaulFletcherMP joined us with the details. pic.twitter.com/92ZRTjX9T6
Citing the $36m lost each year to scam-calls, the new technology is designed to detect, track and block fraudulent activity, Mr Fletcher said the government and telecommunications industry was working together in the “battle against global criminals”.
“A lot of them come from international criminals from overseas and if we can identify the numbers whether calls are coming from, they can be blocked. So the telco industry is taking steps to do that under this new code registered today,” Mr Fletcher told Seven’s Sunrise.
“We are working together to protect Australians against scam calls and it’s not a silver bullet, because the criminals keep finding new techniques but we are using technology to fight back and we are getting good results.”
READ MORE: Thousands of Covid phishing attempts foiled
Max Maddison 7.10am: ‘Do business with friends, not bullies’: Canavan
Nationals senator Matt Canavan says Australia needs to recalibrate its trade relationships away from China to “create business with friends not bullies”.
Senator Canavan used a spot on morning television to reiterate his call to put a levy on iron ore — one of the only Australian exports exempt from China’s trade war — but also said the conduct of the Chinese government proved diversifying the country’s trade relationships was vital.
“…to create business with friends not bullies, because the way the Chinese government has been acting is not one of a friend and we shouldn’t want to stay in business with that type of government and that type of country for too long,” Senator Canavan told Nine’s Today Show.
“They need our iron ore. It’s the one commodity they haven’t touched, because they can’t get it anywhere else and we export so much to them. A small levy would pay off all the exporters hurting from the tariffs.”
When pressed on the economic damage diversification could wreak on the Australian economy, the Queensland senator said Australia hadn’t always been so reliant on Chinese business.
“I think our freedom, our ... the fundamental principles and values that make us Australian are much more important than a little bit of business and a little bit of trade,” he said.
“Twenty years ago we basically did no trade with China. And I can remember what it was like in Australia 20 years ago, it was a pretty good place.”
READ MORE: Call for Australia to join expanded G7
Max Maddison 7am: Two vaccines submitted for European regulatory approval
BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna have both submitted applications for European regulatory approval, the next step towards distributing a coronavirus vaccine.
On Tuesday, the EMA said European regulators could approve the two coronavirus “within weeks”.
To all the participants in our COVID-19 vaccine trial around the world 🌠. . . Thank You. pic.twitter.com/o3eIGw7tge
— Pfizer Inc. (@pfizer) November 24, 2020
“If EMA concludes that the benefits of the vaccine candidate outweigh its risks in protecting against COVID‑19, it will recommend granting a CMA that could potentially enable use of [the vaccine] in Europe before the end of 2020,” BioNTech wrote in a press release.
The two submitted conditional marketing authorisation applications to the European Medicines Agency this week, although some data from both companies has already been examined by the agency.
We have submitted a formal Application for Conditional Marketing Authorization to @EMA_News for #mRNA vaccine candidate #BNT162b2 against #COVID19. It will be assessed according to #EMA’s normal stringent standards for quality, safety and efficacy. https://t.co/Sn1n4oJZ6S pic.twitter.com/2sadnJJLp9
— BioNTech SE (@BioNTech_Group) December 1, 2020
READ MORE: Third vaccine raises hopes for 2020 rollout
Jacquelin Magnay 6.45am: Boris bruised as Tory backbenchers reject tiers
Boris Johnson has been dealt a major embarrassment as his controversial tiered system to deal with the coronavirus passed 291 votes to 78 — but he suffered a bruising backlash from about 60 Tory backbenchers.
About 16 Labour MPs also rebelled against the whip directive to abstain.
In extraordinary scenes during the vote, the prime minister stood at the entry of the aye lobby, pleading with MPs to agree to his bill.
But a large number of backbenchers were not swayed by the UK Prime Minister’s begging as well as a raft of last minute promises, including reviewing the three tier system on a “granular basis” in mid-December, offering testing at care homes so people can visit elderly relatives and a payment of £1000 to pubs forced to stay closed in the higher tiers.
From tomorrow, areas in England will enter into tiers of restrictions.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) December 1, 2020
Use the postcode checker to find out which tier in England your area will be in.
🔠https://t.co/NkFmf7sFmh pic.twitter.com/cZy5X9FyOz
Read the full story here.
Max Maddison 6.30am: Morrison uses WeChat to appeal to Chinese people
Scott Morrison has used WeChat to directly appeal to the hearts and minds of Chinese Australians, as Beijing officials say Australia’s tough stance on China is an attempt to “shift the blame”.
With the intensifying war of words between the two countries deteriorating an already brittle relationship, the Prime Minister used multiple posts on the messaging service WeChat to reiterate Australia’s position and shore up support among the local Chinese diaspora.
“We acknowledge and greatly appreciate and value the contribution that generations of Chinese migrants have made to Australia,” Mr Morrison on Tuesday.
“Migrants from China have been arriving in Australia for more than two hundred years and Australians of Chinese background have added immensely to our nation.”
He also noted again the vital role the nation’s Chinese population had in stemming the flow of COVID-19, saying they provided “one of the greatest defences” to the pandemic in the early weeks.
In an earlier post, Mr Morrison said he hoped to use WeChat to establish “closer channels of communications” with Chinese Australians, in a bid to present “my work and national policies”.
However, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying used a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to continue to barb the government, saying their strong reaction was an attempt to deflect attention away from the profound issues raised in the Brereton report.
“I believe many people like me are wondering why the Australian side is reacting so surprisingly strongly and has been trying to shift the blame,” Ms Hua said.
“And tried to replace that with a tough stance on China.”
READ MORE: China tensions can be defused, says mine major
Simon Benson 5am: Australian embassy officials seek apology from Beijing
Australian embassy officials have met Chinese counterparts in Beijing to seek a formal apology over the offensive fake war crimes meme shared by a senior Communist official, as Five Eyes security allies rallied behind Scott Morrison.
Consular officials from Australia met Chinese Foreign Ministry representatives late on Tuesday, after a meeting planned the night before was suddenly cancelled.
The Australian understands the US State Department was expected to issue a strongly worded statement overnight in support of Australia, following similar moves by Britain and New Zealand condemning China’s action.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday urged Coalition MPs not to amplify the tweet posted by Chinese Foreign Ministry deputy director-general Zhao Lijian, which depicted an Australian soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child.
Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, &call for holding them accountable. pic.twitter.com/GYOaucoL5D
— Lijian Zhao èµµç«‹åš (@zlj517) November 30, 2020
Although Beijing has frozen contact between leaders and ministers over the past 12 months, The Australian understands back-channel relationships between diplomatic officials are still functioning.
Read the full story, by Simon Benson and Geoff Chambers, here.
Adam Creighton 4.55am: Debt-heavy states on path to credit downgrades
State government debt will more than double to nearly $500bn within four years, exceeding the peak level of borrowing as a share of GDP reached in the early 1990s recession and leaving states exposed to credit rating downgrades.
Borrowing by the six state governments, including their state-owned corporations, is on track to rise from $200bn in June this year to $491bn by June 2024, according to an analysis of state government budgets by The Australian.
As a share of GDP, combined state debt will rise to 23 per cent by 2024, above the previous peak of 20 per cent reached in 1992, according to analysis provided by the Centre for Independent Studies.
“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see a few downgrades of credit ratings in the next year or two,” said Robert Carling, a former senior NSW Treasury official.
Read the full story here.
Mackenzie Scott 4.45am: Home prices continue to rise as pandemic eases
Fears of a COVID-19 property market slump have failed to materialise after home values in Melbourne rose over the past month, the first increase since the start of the pandemic, while prices were up by 0.9 per cent across the nation.
The second consecutive month of price rises — from 0.4 per cent in Sydney to 1.9 per cent in Darwin and Canberra — has all but locked in an upward swing in home values as economic conditions improve and COVID-19 restrictions ease.
AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said a permanent and major impact on the housing market had been avoided, and that it had fared far better than anticipated, with early forecasts that home prices could fall by up to 20 per cent.
Mr Oliver said extensive government stimulus, record low interest rates, the desire to “escape from the city”, ongoing mortgage holidays and the further easing in lending standards flagged for next year had combined to soften the impact of the pandemic.
“As a result, property prices have turned up far earlier than I have been expecting and there appears to be a bit of (a fear of missing out) creeping into some markets — particularly outside of Melbourne and Sydney,” he said.
Read the full story here.
More Coverage
For ABC viewers, reality must come as quite a shock
The Auschwitz fail may be the last straw for our toxic, taxpayer-funded broadcaster and its warped anti-journalism.
Populist revolution may yet save elites from themselves
Progressives have, ironically, regressed so far into extremism that it’s at risk of dying.