PoliticsNow: Live news from Canberra, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg warns coronavirus impact ‘greater than bushfires’
Josh Frydenberg has sent a warning on ‘considerable uncertainty’ over COVID-19’s economic effect.
- Virus warning: impact ‘greater than fires’
- Labor moves Arndt motion
- PM puts focus on security funding
- Labor moves motion against Arndt
- Foreign powers ‘unprecedented threat’
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned that the impact of coronavirus will be more damaging to the Australian economy than the summer bushfire crisis as he refused to confirm that the government would still likely to achieve a surplus in the May budget.
Elias Visontay 3.11pm: Senate condemns Arndt
The Senate has overwhelmingly voted to condemned men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt, after Coalition senators supported a Labor motion saying comments she made about the murder of Brisbane mother Hannah Clarke and her children are not consistent with her retaining her Member of the Order of Australia honour.
The Coalition’s support for the motion came after Liberal Senators James Paterson, Sarah Henderson and Hollie Hughes spoke out against Arndt.
The controversial activist drew fierce backlash online after tweeting that it was important to be “keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence” about the incident where a Brisbane father set on fire a car with his estranged wife and children, saying he “might have been driven too far”.
The motion, introduced by Labor Senators Kristina Keneally and Penny Wong, came after Arndt hit back at a campaign to strip her of the honour, that led to the Governor-General’s office confirming it had referred complaints made by state and federal MPs over her comments to the Council for the Order of Australia - the body that oversees award appointments - to review her honour.
The motion went to a division in the senate, with Pauline Hanson being one of two senators to vote against it.
Elias Visontay 3.55pm: Naval contracts, sports grants dominate QT
Labor has used question time to pursue the government over its handling of naval infrastructure contracts and funding decisions in a grants scheme, with the government staunchly defending its actions.
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles also asked Scott Morrison why he had not listed any right-wing extremist groups as terrorist organisations, in light of ASIO director general Mike Burgess noting far right-wing terrorism as a significant threat to Australians in his first annual threat assessment on Monday.
“Whatever their cause of hate, whatever their motivation to do Australians harm, this government is standing up to them with the resources and the commitments and the legislation and the powers and the tools that those opposite never had the stomach to put in place,” the Prime Minister said.
Anthony Albanese later asked Mr Morrison why he claims only eligible projects were funded under his government’s controversial sports grants scheme.
“Why has he failed to correct the record when the Auditor-General has given evidence to the senate that his claim is just not true?” the Opposition Leader asked.
The Prime Minister responded: “The comments that I made on that matter were made on the basis of the information that was available to me from the ANAO report.”
He then went on to attack Mr Albanese over a scheme he had previously overseen.
“The hypocrisy of him to come into this place, when his hands themselves are blackened by his own failures in this area, is disgraceful,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Albanese spent a further two questions on the topic, asking Mr Morrison if he accepted as fact evidence given by the Australian National Audit Office in relation to ineligible sporting grants projects being funded.
Mr Morrison answered by again bringing up a separate historical program administered by Mr Albanese.
“What I am aware of is that the Leader of the Opposition threw the rule book away when he ran projects for infrastructure when he was the minister. How dare he come here and throw mud, when he’s covered in it himself.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles then pursued Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price over a controversial projected shortfall of Australian content in the Futures submarine project.
Mr Marles asked why the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort and an Adelaide French language school have been marked as Australian content under the Futures submarine initiative.
Ms Price defended this, saying: “Our $50 billion investment in the Futures submarine program has economy-wide benefits. They extend beyond the defence industry. And I think that goes to the answer for the question.”
“This investment across the Australian economy will support Aussie jobs in the decade ahead,” she said.
“This is a generational job-creating program, and any investment in Australian companies is a good investment, in my eyes.”
Dennis Shanahan 3.29pm: The defence of the budget surplus retreat begins
COMMENT
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg are prepared like never before to accept a May budget surplus may not be possible.
From the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and Greg Hunt there is a unified message that the “global health crisis” of the coronavirus is the Morrison government’s first priority and the cost of keeping Australians “in the best possible position” in the world to deal with the virus will be counted later.
If that cost, even greater as the IMF downgrades its global growth forecasts further because of the virus, is abandonment of the 2020 budget “surplus” of the Mid-Year Economic and Financial Outlook in December then so be it.
Richard Ferguson 3.14pm: Naval contract still in ‘design stage’
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles asks Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price if there is a 60 per cent Australian industry content guarantee in any contract with French submarine builder Naval Group.
READ MORE: Questions remain over French Naval Group’s submarine jobs pledge
Ms Price says the contract is still in the design stage.
“At the end of the design phase we will then be in a position to agree what the AIC contribution was going to be,” he says.
“The good news is that our own Minister for Defence (Linda Reynolds) has now met with her French counterpart. And now they have agreed that the AIC in the submarine contract will be no less than 60 per cent.
“We will work hard to ensure that it’s beyond 60 per cent. I repeat, once the design phase is finished, we will then progress to that.”
Richard Ferguson 3.09pm: PFAS contamination mediation continues
Opposition MP Meryl Swanson asks Scott Morrison when he will give a response into a report on PFAS contamination. The report was finalised in December 2018.
The Prime Minister says the government is currently in mediation with different parties on the contamination.
“The issues surrounding PFAS have been going back over many, many government administrations,” he says.
“This government decided to actually take action on this issue. And as the member would be aware, we are currently engaged in mediation with the parties.”
Richard Ferguson 3.03pm: ‘Guaranteed Aussie jobs’
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles asks Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price why the government has counted an Adelaide French language school as Australian industry content as part of the submarines deal.
Ms Price says the submarine deal has had wide benefits for the domestic economy.
“This investment across the Australian economy will support Aussie jobs in the decade ahead,” she says.
“This is a generational job-creating program, and any investment in Australian companies is a good investment, in my eyes.
“That’s what a long-term investment will deliver us, Mr Speaker. Guaranteed Aussie jobs and opportunities for small businesses.”
Elias Visontay 2.57pm: Labor presses Price
Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles asks Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price “why she counts nights in the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort as Australian industry content for the Future submarines?”
Ms Price responds: “Our $50 billion investment in the Futures submarine program has economy-wide benefits. They extend beyond the defence industry. And I think that goes to the answer for the question to the member opposite.”
“This does include those businesses and organisations that were mentioned by the member opposite,” she says.
Rosie Lewis 2.54pm: Virus to hit Olympics?
The caution over the budget comes as Australia considers how to plan for the Tokyo Olympics in July, amid a significant outbreak of the coronavirus in Japan.
Sports Minister Richard Colbeck said athletes were ready to “make their mark” but they should not participate in the games “at the risk of their health and wellbeing”.
“We continue to work with the relevant authorities both here and overseas to ensure our athletes remain safe and protected as the response to the coronavirus continues,” he said.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said it was too early to predict whether preparations for the Olympics may increase the spread of the virus.
“We still haven’t seen the full impact of the Diamond Princess cruise ship outbreak. The Japan health system is strong. They’re working very hard to try and contain their outbreak at the moment and we’ll be watching that situation closely,” he said.
Elias Visontay 2.50pm: ‘How dare he come throw mud, when he’s covered in it himself’
Anthony Albanese again asks Scott Morrison whether he accepts as fact evidence given by the Australian National Audit Office in relation to ineligible sporting grants projects being funded.
The Prime Minister attempts to again bring up a separate historical program administered by the Opposition Leader.
“What I am aware of is that the Leader of the Opposition threw the rule book away when he ran projects for infrastructure when he was the minister. How dare he come here and throw mud, when he’s covered in it himself?”
Richard Ferguson 2.46pm: Sports grants question out of order
Anthony Albanese again asks Scott Morrison about the controversial sports grant scheme, saying an Auditor-General’s report did say some projects were ineligible.
“I refer to his previous answer, where he again misled the parliament, when he said there was nothing in the audit office report that contradicted his previous statement to the parliament,” the Opposition Leader says.
“I refer him to sections 4.32 and 4.33 of the report, which says, “In addition to
program ineligibility, this situation suggests, particularly in respect of the eight completed projects so selected for funding may not have required the Australian government funding to deliver the project.”
Speaker Tony Smith says there was no direct question in Mr Albanese’s statement and rules it out of order.
The Prime Minister earlier said he was relying on a different section of the report when saying all projects were eligible.
Elias Visontay 2.40pm: Sports grants returns to QT
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison why he claims the only eligible projects were funded under his government’s controversial sports grants scheme.
“Why has he failed to correct the record when the Auditor-General has given evidence to the senate that his claim is just not true?” the Opposition Leader asks.
The Prime Minister responds: “The comments that I made on that matter were made on the basis of the information that was available to me from the ANAO report.”
Mr Morrison then attempts to talk about a similar response from Mr Albanese as member for Grayndler.
“The hypocrisy of him to come into this place, when his hands themselves are blackened by his own failures in this area, is disgraceful,” Mr Morrison says.
Richard Ferguson 2.30pm: ‘NSW has 2050 plan, Labor does not’
Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler asks Scott Morrison if he is angry with the NSW government for adopting a zero net emissions target for 2050, as Labor has.
The Prime Minister says he is happy with the NSW government as they have a plan to achieve those targets, including using more gas.
“It’s about getting access to the gas that this country needs to ensure that we can firm up renewable investments in this country, which is at record levels, to put stability into our electricity grid,” Mr Morrison says.
“That’s a plan, Mr Speaker.
“The problem with what the Labor Party is proposing with their 2050 commitment, net zero target of 2050, is they have no plan. Where’s the $22 billion going come from every year for the next 30 years?
“All of this is about is trying to avoid the hard question about what is Labor’s (emissions reduction) commitment to 2030.”
Elias Visontay 2.24pm: Treasurer responds to economic criticism
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers asks Josh Frydenberg about economic performance before the bushfire crisis and the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“Why won’t the Treasurer admit that since he took over economic growth has almost halved, wages growth has stalled, consumption growth has weakened, business investment and productivity have declined, underemployment has increased, government debt and household debt have reached new record highs, and that all of this happened before the fires and the coronavirus hit?”
The Treasurer responds: “In January of this year … the IMF has said that Australia’s economic growth will be higher than the United States’, higher than the United Kingdom, higher than France, higher than Germany, higher than Japan, higher than Canada in 2020 and 2021.”
“The facts tell the story that the Australian economy has grown on the Coalition’s watch,” he says.
“More small businesses are being created. More people have found jobs, and, importantly, we have delivered lower taxes.”
Richard Ferguson 2.13pm: Labor goes on terror
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles asks Scott Morrison why he has not listed any right-wing extremist groups as terrorist organisations.
The Prime Minister attacks Labor for cutting funds from Australia’s intelligence agencies and says he is prepared to tackle any terrorist threat, right wing or otherwise.
“That includes right-wing extremists, Mr Speaker. That includes extremist Islamic terrorists,” he says.
“Whatever their cause of hate, whatever their motivation to do Australians harm, this government is standing up to them with the resources and the commitments and the legislation and the powers and the tools that those opposite never had the stomach to put in place.
“And on each occasion, Mr Speaker, it would seem that every time we’ve sought to get stronger national security legislation achieved in this place, those opposite have sought to water it down.”
ASIO director general Mike Burgess noted far right-wing terrorism as a significant threat to Australians in his first annual threat assessment on Monday.
Elias Visontay 2.10pm: QT begins with Coalition’s thalidomide response
Shadow health spokesman Chris Bowen kicks off question time, asking why the government hasn’t responded to a report into a parliamentary report into thalidomide handed down in March 2019.
Health Minister Greg Hunt says “no government in the last 50 years” has taken support for thalidomide survivors “as seriously as us”.
“Those Australians who suffered from thalidomide and all of the consequences were given a grave injustice,” Mr Hunt said.
“We are now working very carefully through a once in a generation response to an issue which has not been dealt with previously by any Australian government in any systemic fashion over 50 years. And we will provide that response in a way that no other government has ever done.”
Joe Kelly 1.57pm: ‘Virus on its own doesn’t explain weakness’
Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has warned that “coronavirus on its own doesn’t excuse or explain economic weakness which has persisted on Scott Morrison’s watch.”
Speaking shortly after the Prime Minister and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg gave the strongest signal yet that a surplus may not be possible, Dr Chalmers argued there was no economic plan to deal with the economic impact of the bushfires or the unfolding coronavirus crisis.
“Scott Morrison should acknowledge that because of his economic mismanagement we approach this substantial challenge of coronavirus from a position of relative economic weakness and not strength,” he said.
“The nation is crying out for an economic leadership and crying out for an economic plan and Scott Morrison is giving people neither … The surplus is a test that they set for themselves and it remains to be seen whether they will meet that test.”
Dr Chalmers said that Labor had repeatedly argued that the government’s priority should be on helping affected bushfire communities and business and families
Elias Visontay 1.31pm: Labor’s 2050 target ‘particularly troubling': PM
The government will continue to criticise Labor over a lack of detailed planning when announcing its zero net emissions target by 2050.
Scott Morrison told his Coalition colleagues in a party room meeting on Tuesday that he found Labor’s approach to announcing its target “particularly troubling”, according to a Liberal spokesman.
“I won’t commit to anything I don’t know the cost of, if I don’t know the impact on jobs. It’s not about being for or against a target,” the Prime Minister said.
“The leader of the opposition has got no plan, he’s got no clue what the impact would be. To help himself deal with division in his own party he’s leapt to this decision.”
Mr Morrison also noted Labor doesn’t have an emissions reduction target by 2030, and told his colleagues the opposition would struggle answering questions on this.
“Australians want jobs and they want lower emissions. They want both and we’ve got a plan,” he said.
Richard Ferguson 1.13pm: Virus warning: impact ‘greater than bushfires’
Josh Frydenberg has warned that the impact of coronavirus will be more damaging to the Australian economy than the summer bushfire crisis.
The Treasurer – who has returned from a G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Saudi Arabia – said in Canberra that Treasury is still modelling the full effects of the virus.
Mr Frydenberg would also not confirm that the government is still likely to achieve a surplus in the May budget.
READ MORE: The economics of COVID-19
“Treasury have told me they haven’t finalised their advice on the economic impact of the virus. They say there’s considerable uncertainty around what exactly that impact will be,” he said.
“But they are continuing their discussions with the key players in the economy who are impacted.
“But the message is very clear. The impact will be more significant than the bushfires, and it plays out more broadly across the Australian economy.
“It will have an impact on the economy, but our focus is, of course, ensuring that the broader fundamentals of the Australian economy remain strong.”
Richard Ferguson 1pm: ‘It’s not a financial crisis, it’s a health crisis’
Scott Morrison has revealed all 15 Australians who were diagnosed with coronavirus in the general population have been given the all clear and sent home.
The Prime Minister also said in Canberra that the seven Australians who were found to have the disease after being evacuated off the Diamond Princess cruise ship have mild cases.
As the economic shocks of the epidemic continue, Mr Morrison said that the virus was “not like a global financial crisis, it’s a global health crisis.”
“Australia has not been complacent. In fact, Australia has been proactive with the measures that we have put in place in relation to the coronavirus,” he said on Tuesday.
“The world economy has become increasingly interconnected and interdependent over many, many years. And what this impact is doing is putting up walls and blockages between those connections, between all of these countries.
“Even without a travel ban, there would have been a significant reduction in the movement of people, as we’re seeing all around the world.”
Elias Visontay 12.45pm: Albanese concedes policy challenge
Labor will talk up the prospect of new jobs as it sells its zero net emissions by 2050 target, while Anthony Albanese attempts to pressure the government over the cost of inaction on climate change. The Opposition Leader was questioned at Labor’s caucus meeting on Tuesday over how the party was ensuring it focused on jobs and opportunities that came from climate action. According to a party spokesman, he conceded “there is both a challenge and an opportunity for enormous numbers of jobs”.
Mr Albanese mentioned a potential hydrogen hub in Fremantle and a solar power plant in Gladstone to power an aluminium refinery, and said the outcome of carbon neutrality meant more jobs, cheaper power and lower emissions.
He also told his colleagues there were more solar panels installed on roofs in Blacktown, in Sydney’s west, than there were in Mr Albanese’s more affluent home suburb of Marrickville.
“People are choosing cheaper energy with renewables,” he said. “We also need to talk about the cost of inaction.”
Mr Albanese claimed many in the government wanted to support net zero emissions but could not because of internal divisions. Labor has committed to the target but has not yet outlined its plan to reach it.
Mr Albanese also said he would continue challenging Scott Morrison to a debate on climate policy. “If Morrison had confidence in his arguments he wouldn’t always avoid debates,” he said, according to the spokesman.
12pm: Albo: This must be above politics
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has confirmed Labor will move a motion to have Bettina Arndt’s Order of Australia withdrawn. “This must be above politics – and Bettina Arndt’s comments must be condemned,’’ Ms Albanese said. “Today Labor will move to have her Order of Australia withdrawn. Because victims of family violence should never, never be blamed for family violence.’’
This must be above politics – and Bettina Arndt’s comments must be condemned.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) February 25, 2020
Today Labor will move to have her Order of Australia withdrawn.
Because victims of family violence should never, never be blamed for family violence.
Greg Brown 10.45am: ‘Climate stakeholders make it clear’
Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler says “stakeholders have made it clear” that global negotiations over climate change action will be based around a medium-term target of 2035, as Labor moves to pin down the next stage of its policy. Mr Butler said Labor would consult with businesses and scientists about its medium term target, which was 45 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030 at the last election.
“Stakeholders have made it clear that by 2022 the global discussion, the global negotiation won’t be around 2030 they will be around a 2035 target. That is obviously a factor that is taken into account but it is not a decision we are taking at this point in time. We want to engage people about it,” Mr Butler said in Canberra.
When asked if Labor could retain a 45 per cent target but push the timeline back to 2035, Mr Butler said he was “not going to get into hypotheticals”.
“What I have said is we will have an open discussion with all of those groups I have talked about,” Mr Butler said. “We want that discussion to start with everyone having a very clear understanding what our end game is and that is the implementation of the Paris Agreement.”
Elias Visontay 10.15am: Paterson on Arndt
Liberal Senator James Paterson has joined a chorus of government and other senators criticising controversial men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt, saying she has brought the Order of Australia awards into disrepute and should be stripped of her recent honour.
Arndt has come under fire after tweeting it was important to be “keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence” about the incident in which a Brisbane father set alight his estranged wife’s car as she drove her children on their regular school run.
Senator Paterson’s comments come as Labor Senators Kristina Keneally and Penny Wong announced they will introduce a motion to the Senate on Tuesday criticising Arndt’s remarks and calling for the award to be rescinded.
“In short, I agree with Kristina Keneally that her comments are reprehensible, that they are abhorrent and they deserve to be condemned and criticised and I’m quite comfortable for politicians to do that,” Senator Paterson told Sky News. “On the actual handing out and rescinding of Order of Australia awards, I think appropriately that shouldn’t be done by politicians. I think that should be done as it is by the Australia Day Council and there are reports in the media that they are considering whether Ms Arndt has brought the awards into disrepute, and I think that’s appropriate.”
Comments from Senator Paterson as well as Liberal colleagues Senator Sarah Henderson and Hollie Hughes raise the prospect the government could support the motion.
Elias Visontay 9.47am: ‘ASIO is blind as to somebody’s ideology’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has refused to say right-wing extremism or Chinese espionage pose a greater threat to Australia in the aftermath of ASIO revelations about a major spy ring and foreign agents in the country.
“I’ve said this before, I don’t really care where people are on the spectrum. I don’t care what country it is we’re talking about, whether it’s China or Russia or Iran. If people pose a threat to our country, they will be dealt with according to the level of that threat,” Mr Dutton said.
“And ASIO is blind as to somebody’s ideology. If they pose a threat to human life in our country, then they can expect a knock on their door from ASIO, the Australian Federal Police or our other agencies.
“If we have people who are interfering with our diaspora communities here in Australia or they’re interfering with the democratic process or they’re stealing intellectual property, they can expect to face the full force of the law, regardless of whether they’re a state actor or a sophisticated non-state actor.
“If the proliferation of information into the hands of right-wing lunatics or left-wing lunatics is leading to a threat in our country, then my responsibility is to make sure our agencies are dealing with it, and they are.”
On coronavirus, Mr Dutton said Australia had so far “done a pretty remarkable job” in dealing with the virus so far, and said he hopes World Health Organisation that the virus could become a pandemic doesn’t eventuate.
“We’re cognisant of the fact this has a big hit on our economy. There will be lots of businesses that are worried about supply chain issues and frustrations at the moment. We can’t change what the domestic response is in China where workers aren’t going to factories or schools aren’t open.”
Elias Visontay 9.20am: PM puts focus on security funding
Scott Morrison has stressed the importance of sufficiently resourcing security agencies as ASIO revealed it uncovered a “sleeper” agent running a major spy ring and providing logistic and financial support for foreign agents engaged in intelligence-gathering missions and harassing dissidents in Australia.
“This is a priority and it’s one of the things that they’ve (ASIO) been looking at not just recently but over a long period of time,” the Prime Minister said today.
ASIO has revealed it uncovered a “sleeper†agent running a major spy ring and providing logistical and financial support for foreign agents engaged in intelligence-gathering missions and harassing dissidents in Australia. https://t.co/FlrJ1JwTG4
— joe kelly (@joekellyoz) February 24, 2020
Asked about what the government was doing to counter right-wing extremism, Mr Morrison said: “Terrorism comes in, and extremism comes in, in many different flavours and many different colours and it’s important that all of our efforts are keeping Australians safe.”
Asked if he thought the biggest threat to Australia in terms of espionage was coming from China, Mr Morrison said: “We deal with foreign interference in all its forms wherever it comes from, and each and every day we ensure that our agencies are well resourced to counteract that threat. The legislation we’ve put in place, the resources we’ve put in place, and we’ll keep doing that, every single day to protect Australia’s national interests.”
Elias Visontay 8.40am: Labor moves motion against Bettina Arndt
Labor will introduce a motion to the Senate on Tuesday criticising men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt, saying comments she made about the murder of Brisbane mother Hannah Clarke and her children are not consistent with her retaining a recent Member of the Order of Australia (AM) honour.
The motion, to be moved by Senator Kristina Keneally, comes after Arndt hit back at a campaign to strip her of the honour — the Governor-General’s office confirming yesterday it had referred complaints made by state and federal MPs over her comments to the Council for the Order of Australia.
Arndt induced fierce backlash online after tweeting it was important to be “keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence” about the incident in which a Brisbane father set alight his estranged wife as she drove her children on their regular school run.
Speaking on the motion she will move with Senator Penny Wong, Senator Keneally said “Bettina Arndt’s comments are not reflective of the values that underpin the Order of Australia”.
“There is nothing plain and simple about using your position with an Order of Australia to spread comments that could be seen to be inciting violence that could seem to be condoning violence,” Senator Keneally said.
“I note that Liberal Senators such as Sarah Henderson and Hollie Hughes have been speaking out on this and I welcome their comments.
“I look forward to the Senate later today voting on this motion and I encourage all senators to reflect upon it and vote to recognise and to endorse that Bettina Arndt’s comments are not reflective of the values that underpin the Order of Australia.”
My letter to the Chairman of the Council of the Order of Australia Shane Stone. Ms Bettina Arndt’s award as a Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division should be cancelled. pic.twitter.com/8vlUdJFtdy
— Senator Sarah Henderson (@SenSHenderson) February 24, 2020
The Labor motion states Arndt has the potential to bring the Order of Australia “into disrepute”, labels her comments “reckless and abhorrent” and that “the values that underpin Ms Arndt’s views on this horrific family violence incident are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia”.
Elias Visontay 7.58am: Universities wary of foreign agents
Chief executive of the Group of Eight universities, Vicki Thomson, confirmed today that universities had worked with security agencies to develop foreign interference guidelines.
Her comments come after Education Minister Dan Tehan confirmed universities were facing an “unprecedented threat” following ASIO’s discovery of a major spy ring was supporting foreign agents engaged in intelligence-gathering missions.
“What we’ve done with government and with the security agencies is develop the University Foreign Interference Guidelines,” Ms Thomson told ABC radio.
“That process has already occurred. We’re very comfortable as a group of universities that has been a positive approach.
“We certainly have briefings from the security agencies around the level of foreign interference from a range of actors.”
Elias Visontay 7.50am: Foreign powers an ‘unprecedented threat’
Education Minister Dan Tehan has warned “we all need to take account” of the “unprecedented threat” posed by foreign powering interfering in Australia.
Mr Tehan was responding to reports that ASIO has revealed it uncovered a “sleeper” agent running a major spy ring and providing logistic and financial support for foreign agents engaged in intelligence-gathering missions and harassing dissidents in Australia.
“It (foreign interference) is obviously at unprecedented levels and I think we all have to take account of that,” Mr Tehan told Channel 9.
“In my portfolio we have already put in place policies to address it when it comes to our universities. We’re doing it right across the government. It’s something we all have to continue to focus on. It is a warning we all need to take account of.”
Speaking in a following interview, Mr Tehan said intelligence agencies had a history of working with universities.
“We will make sure we monitor the situation. We said … that our intelligence agencies continue to work on a regular basis with our universities to make sure we’re doing everything we can to deal with this unprecedented threat.”
Elias Visontay 7am: What’s making news today
ASIO has revealed it uncovered a “sleeper” agent running a major spy ring and providing logistic and financial support for foreign agents engaged in intelligence-gathering missions and harassing dissidents in Australia.
ASIO has revealed it has uncovered a “sleeper†agent running a major spy ring and providing support to foreign agents in Australia https://t.co/PTRrxipcXC
— The Australian (@australian) February 24, 2020
Nuclear energy options will be canvassed in the Morrison government’s technology investment plan, amplifying pressure from senior ALP figures and unions for Anthony Albanese to reconsider his opposition to nuclear in support of Labor’s zero net emissions target.
More jobs. Lower emissions. Lower power prices.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) February 21, 2020
Australia can become a clean energy superpower – harnessing the wind and sun to spark a new manufacturing boom and power generations of jobs.
That’s the carbon neutral future that we can seize – together. pic.twitter.com/uibk3lenNY
The French company building Australia’s $80bn Future Submarines says Australian companies will get at least 60 per cent of work on the boats but it won’t make a contractual commitment to the target for another two years.
Naval Group is delivering Australia’s Attack Class submarines. We have committed to a level of Australian Industry Capability of at least 60 per cent of the Naval Group contract value spent in Australia. We will deliver on this. #deliveringforaustralia pic.twitter.com/90itJKTi8N
— Naval Group AU (@navalgroup_AU) February 24, 2020
Markets were shaken overnight, with shares in Germany and London sliding more than 3 per cent on opening amid fears the coronavirus would cause a deeper hit to the global economy than previously expected.
TRADING DAY BLOG: ASX set to plunge for a second day after world markets tumbled on coronavirus fears. The Dow fell as much as 1000 points and oil sank up to 5pc. https://t.co/NRuDjKvruG
— Business Review (@aus_business) February 24, 2020
Monday night’s Q&A saw a senior Chinese diplomat subjected to an unprecedented level of grilling over topics including detention camps and coronavirus.
Why has the communist party locked up one million Uyghurs, and when can Uyghur Australians like Sadam and Almas expect to see their families again? #QandA pic.twitter.com/HxRU6MNM26
— ABC Q+A (@QandA) February 24, 2020
Alice Workman ’s Sketch: Staring at goats — methane and other political emissions.
Dennis Shanahan writes: Scott Morrison has plenty of climate change ammunition in leftover Bill Shorten shells.
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