PoliticsNow: PM readies for virus economic response
The Coalition will unveil an economic plan for the coronavirus, amid a warning it could linger ‘for years to come’.
- PM readies for virus economic response
- PM gets assurance on loo paper
- S Korea, Italy travel bans possible
- Layover student lands with virus
- Labor to pursue sports rorts
- Biosecurity laws widened
- Constance ‘still not sleeping’
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have met with RBA leaders and will unveil an economic plan for the coronavirus, on the heels of today’s rate cut.
Angelica Snowden 9.10pm: Economic plan for virus ‘before’ May budget
Scott Morrison said his government’s fiscal response to the economic impact of coronavirus will be announced before the May budget.
“What we need it to do is ensure that the fiscal response that we will provide... is very targeted, it is scalable and it is measured so we can continue to respond to these issues as they emerge,” he said on the ABC’s 7.30.
In response to questions about extending the travel ban to other countries because of the rapid spread in countries like South Korea and Italy, Mr Morrison said his government would continue to follow the health advice of Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy.
“The health advice at this moment has not suggested going beyond the existing travel bans that we have,” he said.
“That said, today particularly with the information we are seeing coming out of Korea and of Italy, then we are looking again at those measures right now.”
On climate change, Mr Morrison said that Australia and Britain had different economies when asked why Australia did not have specific long term targets like Boris Johnson’s government, which has a net-zero by 2050 policy.
“We’re ahead of New Zealand, we’re ahead of Canada. Particularly when you compare us to Canada I think you’re talking more about like for like economies.”
The Prime Minister also said sports funding processes should be more transparent in the future and that this was one of the recommendations by the Australian National Audit Office into the sports rorts affair.
“What occurred on this occasion was that the minister had complete discretion around these issues,” he said.
“They made recommendations that that should change and we agreed with that.”
In response to a statement that the public still does not know how the decisions to allocate funding to sport clubs were made, Mr Morrison responded that “they were made on the discretion of the minister”.
Angelica Snowden 4.09pm: Houston was on White House invite list: PM
Scott Morrison confirmed that he asked the Trump administration to invite Hillsong pastor Brian Houston to a White House state dinner in Washington last September.
Mr Houston is currently under investigation by NSW police for not reporting child sex abuse allegations involving his father.
“I have known Brian for a very long time and Hillsong has a very big network of churches across the United States and the ministry when it comes to their music have been a very big - the single largest church organisation that is known in the United States,” Mr Morrison said in an interview on 2GB.
“Brian Houston actually turned up to the White House a few months later at the invitation directly of the White House. On that occasion we put forward a number of names that included Brian, but not everybody whose names were put forward were invited,” he said.
Mr Morrison originally claimed that reports he had asked that Mr Houston attend the dinner was “gossip”.
Elias Visontay 3.55pm: QT focus on sports grants … again
Labor has used question time to pursue Scott Morrison over his role in the sports rorts scandal, with every question asked on Tuesday about the Prime Minister’s role in the approval of grants.
Anthony Albanese took the direction in response to revelations from Senate estimates that Mr Morrison’s office was involved in the correspondence of documents recommending different projects to what Sport Australia advised, which were sent by then-Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie after caretaker mode had begun before the 2019 election.
The Opposition Leader accused Mr Morrison of misleading the Parliament and the Australian people over his role in the scandal, with Mr Morrison responding by rejecting the suggestion.
“Isn’t it absurd to claim a decision was made on 4 April when the list determining which projects were funded and which missed out was still changing a week later?” Mr Albanese asked.
Mr Morrison responded to several of the questions saying: “I’m not responsible for the email service in the former minister’s office.”
Several questions into the attack, Mr Morrison accused Mr Albanese of attempting to smear him with the repeated accusations.
“Those opposite want to come in here and engage in political smears, I know they’re used to doing that in their own caucus against each other.”
Labor then attempted to suspend standing orders to emphasise Mr Morrison’s role in the saga, but failed in a division.
Cliona O’Dowd 3.35pm: Banks jump to pass on RBA rate cut
Two of Australia’s major lenders have pledged to cut their home loans by 25 basis points within minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) slashing the official cash rate to a record low of 0.5 per cent.
CBA and Westpac on Tuesday both announced they would reduce variable rates for home loan customers by 0.25 per cent.
The announcement came immediately after the RBA followed through with a widely expected 0.25 per cent cut to the official cash rate.
Westpac will also slash its rate for small business customers by 0.25 per cent, the bank said.
Elias Visontay 3.25pm: AAP closure a ‘tragedy’
Before question time ends, both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese pay tribute to Australian Associated Press journalists in the press gallery who learned on Tuesday afternoon the newswire would be closing in June.
“AAP has had a proud history here in this parliament,” the Prime Minister says.
The Opposition Leader called AAP’s closure a tragedy.
“Today is a tragedy for our democracy,” Mr Albanese says.
“We wish you well, we thank you for your contribution over such a long period of time in terms of holding us to account and informing the Australian people.
“You got out everywhere … you will leave a massive void in terms of information and coverage.
“Democracy should not be taken for granted … The Australian public will be less informed as a result of the decision today,” Mr Albanese says, as Labor MPs hold up handwritten signs thanking AAP.
Elias Visontay 3.20pm: Labor attempt fails
Labor’s effort to suspend standing orders goes to a division, and fails.
Greg Brown 3.14pm: Coronavirus could linger for ‘years to come’
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has warned Coalition MPs the coronavirus could be in Australia for “years to come” as he briefed members of the Morrison government on the global outbreak.
Professor Murphy told the joint party room meeting of Coalition MPs in Canberra on Tuesday morning it was possible the virus would outlast the flu season.
“He said it was possible it could run the course like a flu season or it is possible it could become something that is endemic and sit in the background of the population for years to come,” a government spokesman said.
There were 19 questions from Coalition MPs about the issue, including Liberal MP Tim Wilson asking about countries that should be avoided.
A Liberal Party source said Professor Murphy said it was unwise to visit Italy, Japan and South Korea.
There were also concerns raised about how the virus will impact indigenous people, the aged, children and pregnant women.
The Liberal MP, who was not the official government spokesman, also said Professor Murphy told MPs Australia had managed the virus better than other nations given Canberra’s strong trade and people links with Beijing.
“His view is that it will probably rumble on for 12 months so there is no need for panic buying,” the MP said.
Scott Morrison told MPs the government had been “getting ahead” of the coronavirus issue as it emerged globally.
“But the challenge was getting harder and harder each day,” Mr Morrison told MPs, according to a government spokesman.
“We should be emphasising that people need to act with basic common sense as people do during the normal flu season.
Mr Morrison said the virus could be a shock to the economy.
“This shock is not like the GFC, which had substantial threat to the financial system and structural threats, but this will nonetheless be tough,” he said.
Michael Roddan 3.05pm: Economic response to coronavirus imminent: Cormann
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government would be announcing an economic response to the coronavirus crisis after the RBA reduced interest rates to a new record low.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg on Monday met with Dr Lowe and RBA deputy governor Guy Debelle to talk about the impact of the coronavirus on the economy.
“We are both making judgments in relation to that,” Mr Cormann tells a Senate Estimates committee on Tuesday.
“The Reserve Bank has announced its judgment today. The government will be announcing our decisions in relation to this in due course,” he says.
“This is a time when all sides of politics need to come together and focus on what needs to be done to maximise our strength and resilience.
“The government is absolutely focused on what needs to be done. The RBA has done their bit. We will be doing our bit.
“There is a time for political rhetoric and political spear throwing — I don’t think now is the right time.”
Elias Visontay 2.55pm: Another attempt to suspend standing orders
Labor attempts to suspend standing orders over the government’s answers to sports rorts scandal.
Anthony Albanese speaks, trying emphasise Scott Morrison’s role in the saga.
Elias Visontay 2.52pm: Labor engaging in ‘political smears’: PM
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison about sports rorts again.
“Isn’t it absurd to claim a decision was made on 4 April when the list determining which projects were funded and which missed out was still changing a week later?” the Opposition Leader asks.
The Prime Minister responds by accusing Mr Albanese of smearing him.
“The evidence provided today that Sport Australia advised the committee this morning they received a brief from Senator McKenzie dated 4 April, 2019. That was the evidence. That’s what I said,” Mr Morrison says.
“The authority and a later question, the authority for approving the projects was signed, dated, 4 April, 2019. The testimony today from Sport Australia and other response was they received a brief from Senator McKenzie dated 4 April, 2019. It was authorised by the minister for April 2019, that’s when the approval was given.
“I’ve been very clear in this House about when that authority was provided for that brief, which was on 4 April. And so, Mr Speaker, I don’t think it would be any clearer.
“Those opposite want to come in here and engage in political smears, I know they’re used to doing that in their own caucus against each other.”
Elias Visontay 2.42pm: ‘That’s what we’ve done’
Another question from Anthony Albanese, another question about sports rorts, again asking Scott Morrison how he could claim revelations emerging from Senate estimates of his office’s involvement in approving grants were no more than “passing on information”.
The Prime Minister responds: “I just simply say what I have said consistently on this matter, my office provided information based on the representations made to us, including information about other funding options and programs relevant to project proposals. That’s exactly what we’ve done.”
Elias Visontay 2.39pm: Albanese ‘comes and makes assertions’: PM
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison two more questions about sports rorts, including if he will apologise for “repeatedly misleading Australians” and the parliament over his office’s role in the scandal.
The Prime Minister responds that he doesn’t accept the Opposition Leader’s assertion that past comments denying his office’s involvement were incorrect.
Mr Morrison then criticises Mr Albanese, saying he “comes and makes assertions”.
Eli Greenblat 2.29pm: Costco sells out of toilet paper
US warehouse retailer Costco has completely sold out of toilet paper in two of its big-box stores in Australia, with its shoppers also stripping the shelves of staples such as rice and flour, as panic buying due to the feared spread of the coronavirus threatens to deplete retailers of key supplies.
Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone told The Australian that its Costco stores in Auburn, NSW, and Canberra, had completely sold out of toilet paper as its customers leave its shelves empty.
Elias Visontay 2.27pm: Labor go again on sports grants
Anthony Albanese asks Labor’s fourth question and again it is to Scott Morrison about sports rorts.
“Can the Prime Minister confirm that, contrary to his repeated statements that Senator McKenzie alone determined sports rorts funding on 4 April, at 12:35 on the 11th of April, Senator McKenzie’s office sent a list of projects to the Prime Minister’s Office with one project removed and nine new projects added, and minutes later at 12:43pm, Senator McKenzie’s office sent the final revised list of projects to Sport Australia?” the Opposition Leader asks.
The Prime Minister responds: “As I’ve said before, I’m not responsible for the email service in the former minister’s office.”
“I refer the member to the evidence by Mr Boyd that was provided regarding the issues that he’s just raised. It says that the changes made later that day – the 12:43 version – none of them were evident as at being at the request of the Prime Minister’s Office rather than the minister’s office.”
Dennis Shanahan 2.26pm: Why PM wants to talk about virus
Scott Morrison doesn’t want to talk about else anything but coronavirus.
Bushfire recovery measures? Nuh.
Budget surplus? Nuh.
Sports rorts? Nuh, definitely.
Anthony Albanese wants to talk about anything but coronavirus.
Bushfire recovery measures? You bet.
Budget surplus? All the time.
Sports rorts and the Prime Minister’s office? Yep, definitely.
The explanation as to why Australia’s political leaders want to talk about different things is simple: politics.
Elias Visontay 2.14pm: Sports grants probe continues
Anthony Albanese again asks Scott Morrison about the sports rorts scandal.
“Is the Prime Minister aware that, after the election was called, Senator McKenzie’s office sent not one, but two emails to Sport Australia allocating sports rorts funding? One at 8:46am and another at 12:43pm? Is he also aware that the second email at 12:43pm removed one project and added nine more?” the Opposition Leader asks.
The Prime Minister responds briefly: “The Leader of the Opposition has simply just set out evidence that was provided in the Senate today.”
Elias Visontay 2.12pm: ‘What my office did was very straightforward’
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison about sports rorts gain.
“How can the Prime Minister claim he simply passed on information on the corrupt sports rorts scheme when the Audit Office told parliament last night the list of sports rorts projects was changed after the election was called? I quote the Audit Office here: ‘at the request of the Prime Minister’s Office’,” the Opposition Leader asks.
The Prime Minister responds: “I simply say again as I’ve said in this House before, and going back to my Press Club address earlier in the year, what my office did was very straightforward.
“They passed on information based on the representations made to us, and that included information about other funding options or programs relevant to project proposals, Mr Speaker. That statement is completely consistent with all of the matters that have come before this House and in other places.” he says.
Elias Visontay 2.04pm: QT begins on sports grants
Anthony Albanese begins question time by asking Scott Morrison about the sports rorts scandal and revelations from Senate estimates on Monday that the Prime Minister’s office was more directly involved.
“Can the Prime Minister confirm that, after Senator McKenzie wrote to him about sports rorts on April 10 – the day before the election was called – his office requested changes to the list determining which projects were funded and which projects missed out?” the Opposition Leader asks.
Mr Morrison responds: “I’ll confirm, as I always have on this matter, that my office provided information based on the representations made to us, including information about other funding options or programs relevant to project proposals.”
Elias Visontay 1.42pm: PM gets assurance on loo paper
Scott Morrison has labelled it a “great relief” that local toilet paper production will be ramped up, as he sought to reassure Australians that supermarket supplies don’t run out as citizens stockpile essentials in fear of a potential coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Morrison confirmed he had spoken with Coles and Woolworths about securing their supply chains, and announced toilet paper production would be ramped up in South Australia in response to concerns.
“The prolific nature of this may be being presented on social media and things like that is not as widespread as those images suggest. They have got measures in place to deal with that,” Mr Morrison said of his discussions with supermarkets.
“There are obviously some lines which will be more tested in the short term, but they are working on those.
“The other thing I will be doing is working with the ACCC, and this is something we did during the recent bushfires, to ensure that we enable these companies to work together a bit to ensure that they can maintain supply.
“A very good example is Kimberly Clark, which produces toilet paper. They have now opened up their line of manufacturing in South Australia. I welcome that, and that is a direct response, having worked with the retailers about what they need.
“I am sure that will come as a great relief to everybody. That’s how this works. That is the economy in motion.
“That is private companies actually assessing their own risk plans and responding to them. But what greatly assists is, I think, as Australians, as I said, just going about their business in the normal way.
“We have got ahead of this. We are staying ahead of this. And to keep staying ahead of it we need to keep responding in the way that we have.”
Rosie Lewis 1.30pm: PM ‘just a naughty boy’
Anthony Albanese has labelled Scott Morrison a “naughty boy” as he accused the Prime Minister of misleading federal parliament over the sports rorts saga on “at least seven” occasions.
Ramping up his attack against Mr Morrison’s character, the Opposition Leader told the House of Representatives: “This Prime Minister, who said on election night that it was a miracle, has been exposed not as the messiah but just as a naughty boy, just a naughty boy.
“This Prime Minister has been caught misleading this parliament, misleading the Australian people and using taxpayers’ funds as if they were the funds of the Liberal and National Party.”
Mr Albanese claimed the Australian National Audit Office gave evidence in Senate estimates on Monday “that the Prime Minister was involved” in a decision to add and remove two projects to the third round of sports grants after parliament had been dissolved.
ANAO executive director Brian Boyd told Senate estimates that there was a change in the projects given approval to Sport Australia on April 11, following an exchange of emails between then sports minister Bridget McKenzie’s and Mr Morrison’s offices.
“We compare the 8:46am version sent on the 11th, and the version sent the day before on the 10th, so that had one project added and one project removed,” he said.
He went on to confirm that between 8:46am and 12:43pm on April 11 – by which point the election had been called and the government had gone into caretaker mode – there were approvals for a further nine new projects sent to Sport Australia by the Minister’s office.
Robyn Ironside 1.15pm: Call to relax airport rules
International airlines are reporting “no shows” by 50 per cent of passengers as the coronavirus crisis deepens.
The International Air Transport Association has revealed the extent of the impact on member airlines, with one reporting a 108 per cent fall in bookings to Italy, as demand collapses to zero and refunds grow.
Another carrier had experienced a 26 per cent reduction across their entire operation compared to last year, people cancel bookings as far in advance as October.
Click here for the full story.
12.55pm: South Korea, Italy travel bans possible
Scott Morrison has requested Australia’s coronavirus travel bans be reassessed to consider expanding the restriction to South Korea and Italy.
“I have also today asked that issues around travel and border control be reassessed again in relation to higher risk groups from nations. That obviously includes looking at the issues in the Republic of Korea and in Italy,” the Prime Minister said.
“But I would note that those cases are quite different to some of the others because we are dealing with more advanced health systems in those places.”
Mr Morrison’s comments come a day after Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy warned it was “no longer possible to absolutely prevent new cases coming in” through travel bans.
Mr Morrison’s request to reassess travel restrictions comes after a travel advisory was raised to reconsider the need to travel for towns in northern Italy, and for health and aged-care workers returning from the countries to not attend work for 14 days.
Travel bans remain in place for China and Iran, for non-Australian citizens.
Elias Visontay 12.50pm: Virus now in 75 countries
Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed the coronavirus has now been identified in 75 countries or regions, including new cases in Saudi Arabia and Portugal.
Mr Hunt also announced that Indonesia, a country of more than 250 million people, had now recorded its first case.
Mr Hunt also sought to reassure families that the coronavirus would have a “mild impact” on children, and that transmission was limited among this age group.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy also said: “There is no reason for people to stop going to mass gatherings or stop going about their normal business”.
Professor Murphy said authorities’ focus was on travellers returning to Australia, after Queensland’s newest recorded case on Tuesday was a man who had travelled from China to Dubai.
Elias Visontay 12.40pm: PM tells banks ‘do right thing’
Scott Morrison has urged the big four banks to “do the right thing” for Australians and pass on any rate cuts in their entirety if the Reserve Bank makes such a decision on Tuesday afternoon.
The Prime Minister said he expected the banks to act no differently to how Qantas had when helping evacuate citizens from China, calling the airline “a great Australian company”.
Mr Morrison said he hoped “the big banks would do their bit, just like Qantas did their bit and that they would follow through”.
“This is the same callout, on behalf of all Australians,” Mr Morrison said of his plea to the banks.
Mr Morrison said he had also spoken with Coles and Woolworths as supermarkets battle to secure supply as Australians look to stock up on essential supplies ahead of a potential outbreak.
“They (the supermarkets) would send the same message I am sending you today. It is important that people just go about their business and their normal processes in a calm manner.
“They (the supermarkets) had spoken to me about the arrangements they have in place around their supply lines and things like this, but I would just urge people to be going about their business in the normal way.”
Charlie Peel 11.55am: Layover student lands with virus
A Chinese university student has been isolated in a Brisbane hospital after being confirmed with coronavirus after an apparent lay-off in a third country, potentially raising doubt about the quarantine mechanism universities are using to bring Chinese students into Australia.
The 20-year-old had been in Dubai for at least 14 days before he entered Australia via Brisbane on February 23.
He started showing symptoms two days later.
Click here for the full story
Elias Visontay 11.45am: ‘Direct involvement of PM in scandal’
Labor is planning to pursue the government over the sports rorts saga in parliament this week, as it uses revelations from senate estimates of Scott Morrison’s involvement in the scheme as fresh ammunition.
Anthony Albanese told colleagues at Labor’s caucus meeting on Tuesday the saga now embroils the Prime Minister directly.
The Opposition Leader was referring to revelations from senate estimates on Monday that Sports Australia received several different versions of then-sports minister Bridget McKenzie’s colour-coded sports grants spreadsheets the day the 2019 election was called, with projects added and removed following her office’s correspondence with Scott Morrison’s office.
The Australian National Audit Office told Senate estimates that following the spreadsheets of approved projects being sent to the Prime Minister’s Office by Senator McKenzie on the 10 and 11th April last year, Sport Australia then received amendments.
According to a Labor spokesman, Anthony Albanese said: “It is the most direct involvement of a prime minister in a scandal that I have seen.”
Mr Albanese went on to outline to his colleagues what the estimates had revealed, including a slew of amendments to the list of approved projects made within a few hours on April, after the government had gone into caretaker mode.
“This is in direct contravention to what the Prime Minister has repeatedly said. The Prime Minister last week claimed that this was all done on the 4th of April. We know this is not true.
“You can’t spin this, Morrison just lies. It is not conceivable when he gave answers last week that he didn’t know these facts.”
Mr Albanese also answered several questions from his colleagues keen to pursue the government on the scandal.
One Labor politician pointed out that social media posts about the sports rorts saga were performing “extraordinarily well” online, with others suggesting the party should follow up with sporting peak bodies.
Another Labor politician asked Mr Albanese whether Senator McKenzie had backdated documents in the approval process and what the legal implications would be if she had.
He responded: “You would have to believe that Bridget McKenzie signed on the 4th of April when the recommendations from Sports Australia only arrived on the 3rd of April, and in that time frame she overturned 76 per cent of the recommendations. Then did nothing until the 10th of April.”
Labor is understood to be focusing on obtaining a list of all projects that missed out on funding.
Adeshola Ore 10.35am: Cash limits bill ‘helps banks’
Malcolm Roberts has warned a bill to limit cash payments over $10,000 will inject money into the banking system.
Last week, a senate inquiry backed the bill to ban cash payments over $10,000 and impose two-year jail sentences for people who use cash for purchases above that limit.
The Currency (Restrictions on the Use of Cash) Bill 2019 passed in the House of Representatives last year, before being referred to a senate inquiry.
“It forces us to go to banks to make transactions, to transfer money electronically and that means we need to pay fees so the banks automatically get more control over cash,” Senator Roberts told 2GB on Tuesday.
“They get more control over what we spend, control from our fees and they also reduce the opposition, or competition because there is no cash anymore. These are critical things.”
“This bill would force people to use the banks and they would have to pay more in interest to the banks.”
The senate committee recommended that the bill be passed with some changes, including extending the start date to allow for a transition period for businesses.
The law was due to take effect on January 1, but Treasurer Josh Freudenberg has said the law would not be applied retrospectively.
Richard Ferguson 10.30am: McKenzie ‘changed spreadsheets’
Sports Australia received several different versions of then-sports minister Bridget McKenzie’s colour-coded sports grants spreadsheets the day the 2019 election was called, with projects added and removed following her office’s correspondence with Scott Morrison’s office.
The Australian National Audit Office has told Senate estimates that following the spreadsheets of approved projects being sent to the Prime Minister’s Office by Senator McKenzie on the 10 and 11th April last year, Sport Australia then received amendments.
Read the full article here.
9.55am: Biosecurity control orders imposed
Biosecurity control orders could soon be imposed to direct Australians suspected of carrying the coronavirus to remain in lockdown, says Attorney-General Christian Porter.
Human health “response zones” could also be declared, banning people from attending places of mass gathering like schools and shopping centres. Mr Porter said the laws were already used in a “limited and narrow” way at border points, if incoming travellers were suspected of being sick.
“It’s very likely that these laws will get used on a larger scale,” Mr Porter told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“And it’s very likely that Australians will encounter practices and instructions and circumstances that they have not had to encounter before.”
Mr Porter acknowledged the laws would feel “strange and foreign” to many people. “But they will become very important, I would suspect, over the next couple of months.” South Australia is already rushing through new laws allowing for the immediate detention of people suspected of having coronavirus, including arrest powers that can be used against anyone who defies health orders.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says he’s not aware of any other states doing the same, but all jurisdictions are constantly reviewing their laws.
Australia’s efforts to contain the coronavirus have suffered a blow after the first person-to-person transmissions in the country.
Mr Hunt said one was a doctor from western Sydney, with the NSW government now scrambling to track down anyone he’s been in contact with.
It’s unclear whether he became infected in a work or community setting. The other case of person-to-person transmission involves a woman who’s brother recently returned from Iran, where the virus is rapidly spreading. Mr Hunt said more than 10,000 coronavirus tests have been carried out in Australia so far, with 33 people returning positive results. They include 15 linked to China, who have all cleared the virus, and 10 people who became infected after travelling on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, before being evacuated to Australia.
AAP
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.35am: Constance — ‘I’m still not sleeping’
NSW transport minister Andrew Constance has pleaded with prime minister Scott Morrison not to forget communities devastated by bushfire amid the coronavirus panic, telling Sky News that an economic depression in regional areas is causing a mental health crisis.
“We need to stimulate regional economies right now because there is a major, major regional depression,” he said.
“I’ve been very open about my journey through this mentally but I’m seeing it every day where small business people are very much starting to become depressed.”
Mr Constance urged the government to speed up the distribution of bushfire grants and interest-free loans for small businesses and farmers, and to engage in other forms of economic stimulus.
“I would like to see subsidies for apprenticeships, I would like to see the ability to assist business adjust out of this major tragedy,” he said.
“This is a major disaster. We can’t sort of have an unprecedented disaster with a precedented response.
“We had eight businesses close in Batemans Bay in the last week alone.”
Mr Constance, who has spoken about the mental health troubles he has suffered after seeing the damage the bushfires wrecked in his hometown of Bega on NSW’s south coast, urged anyone suffering from mental health issues to seek help.
“I’m still not sleeping. I’m doing my best, I’ve been to counselling,” he said.
“I’d urge everybody, regardless of their circumstance — whether they are a farmer, small business owner, you know, making sure our children get support, it’s an important discussion to have.”
Mr Constance also defended his statement that Mr Morrison “got what he deserved” when he was abused by Cobargo locals during the height of the bushfire crisis.
“He shouldn’t have been there,” Mr Constance said, adding that he had faith in the prime minister to come through with assistance.
“I think the prime minister every day since has had this top of mind but I would ask of him please ensure that we don’t continue to see a small business program that isn’t quite working.
“To the credit of the prime minister, he’s agreed to have a look at this.”
Elias Visontay 8.25am: Porter — Labor claims ‘out of control’
Attorney-General Christian Porter has said the opposition referring government politicians for investigation is “absolutely out of control”.
Mr Porter also said his proposed National Integrity Commission would not have the powers to investigate the controversial sports grants saga because there is no suggestion a criminal offence has been committed.
“All corruption and crime commissions have to investigate criminal offences, that’s what they do,” Mr Porter told ABC Radio.
“There hasn’t been any suggestion whatsoever that there’s been a criminal offence committed or reasonably suspected by anyone with respect to the matter (the sports rorts saga).
“The complaint that an integrity commission that we might design wouldn’t investigate things that weren’t offences is kind of a circular argument”.
He explained that under a proposed commission, the Auditor-General would first have to investigate a matter — in the same way the sports grants scheme has so far been dealt with – and then deem it worthy of referring to the commission.
Mr Porter then went on to attack the behaviour of Labor MPs over claims about the controversy.
“There’s been all sorts of allegations thrown around yesterday about documents being backdated and forged by ministers. Not that long ago there were allegations thrown around by the opposition about another minister forging a document. No evidence whatsoever of these allegations of what are very serious criminal offences.
“How many times do you have to accuse federal government ministers of serious criminal offences, with no evidence, with no one willing to undertake an investigation because there’s no evidence, do you yourself not have a case to answer?
“It’s absolutely out of control. Ten referrals from the Labor Party with zero results whatsoever. Of commonwealth ministers with allegations of serious offences
“When does this stop?”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.05am: Hazzard defends ‘don’t shake hands’
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has defended a statement he made on Monday advising that Australians should no longer shake hands to minimise coronavirus transmission, telling Today that the comment was based on medical advice.
“That (advice) was certainly in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer,” he said.
“We were discussing yesterday what steps people could take … We don’t know a lot about this virus but what we do know, if it is similar to the other coronavirus, it can survive on hard surfaces for quite a while.
“If you are out and about and you put your hand on a banister or a train or railway or bus, it is possible you end up with the virus on your hands.”
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has defended a statement he made on Monday advising that Australians should no longer shake hands to minimise coronavirus transmission, telling Today that the comment was based on medical advice. #auspol live from @LachMg https://t.co/r1UQuEA8Op
— The Australian (@australian) March 2, 2020
Mr Hazzard also urged members of the public to be “choosy” as to who they kiss and to stay calm and avoid panic buying supplies.
“I think we should be very cautious, washing our hands, but not rushing out and buying up. That’s unnecessary. I had dinner on Sunday night in a Chinese restaurant.”
The health care worker who was revealed as being infected with coronavirus on Monday night in the first person-to-person transfer of the virus was described by Mr Hazzard as being in a “quite stable” condition.
Australia’s number of coronavirus cases jumped on Monday from 29 to 33, with NSW recording three new cases and Tasmania one.
Elias Visontay 7am: What’s making news in Canberra
Australia’s $220bn building and construction industry faces a potential slowdown in some sectors within the next four to six weeks amid fears of an extended disruption to the supply chain of core Chinese-made materials triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.
Australia’s $220bn building and construction industry faces a potential slowdown in some sectors within the next four to six weeks amid fears of an extended disruption to the supply chain of core Chinese-made materials triggered by the coronavirus outbreak https://t.co/vRjpxEkxHz
— Geoff Chambers (@Chambersgc) March 2, 2020
The Victorian Liberal Party organisation is creating turmoil and defying its federal leadership and MPs over the prospect of electoral redistribution that could reduce the Morrison government to a minority going into the next election.
Small businesses affected by the coronavirus will be able to defer tax debts in the same way as firms hit by the summer bushfires, under a government plan to formalise eight-week deferrals for the business activity statements of companies squeezed for cash.
Health officials admit it’s no longer possible to contain the virus after the first Australian cases of community transmission.https://t.co/A4ptwgz7oS
— The Australian (@australian) March 2, 2020
Home Affairs is examining the claims of 23 immigration detainees who say they should be released on the grounds that they are indigenous Australians, following a landmark High Court decision that ruled Aboriginal people cannot be deported.
Alice Workman’s Sketch: Full of beans over $400,000 press gallery hole in wall.
Paul Kelly writes: Coronavirus: Why it’s vital to sing from same economic songbook
More Coverage
RBA leaves all options on the table in inflation fight
Despite keeping interest rates on hold at its September meeting, the RBA left the door open for additional tightening in its efforts to tame inflation, minutes show.
‘You should stand condemned’: Dutton refuses to back PM’s Oct 7 motion
In an impassioned address responding to the PM's motion condemning the Oct 7 attacks, Peter Dutton accused Anthony Albanese of 'trying to please all people' after repeated attempts to reach a bipartisan position broke down.