PoliticsNow: Seize this ‘transformational moment,’ Anthony Albanese says in budget reply speech
Australia must not emerge from the pandemic with nothing to show but the ‘biggest debt and deficit of all time’, the Labor leader said in his budget reply.
- Australia inks deal for 25m Moderna doses
- China’s threat over Defence budget
- Overseas students set to return
- Frydenberg sets tax battlelines
- Porter barrister faces legal action
Welcome to PoliticsNow, our live coverage of the latest headlines from Canberra, as well as developments in our battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Minister Greg Hunt is confident mRNA vaccines will be produced on Australian soil in the near future as Moderna inks 25m-jab deal.
Beijing has threatened Australia with “economic carnage” over defence spending unveiled in Tuesday’s federal budget, warning LNG exports could be China’s next target for diversification. It comes as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg draws election battlelines with Labor over his $130bn phase three tax cuts, warning that a failure to support them would leave middle-income earners hundreds of dollars a year worse off.
Carla Mascarenhas 10.30pm:Q+A focus on debt
A budget special on ABC’s Q+A tonight began with host Hamish McDonald declaring the program had been “inundated with questions on whether young people will be paying off debt” from the federal budget.
Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he had concerns there was “not enough to show for the debt”.
“We need to build something that lasts for you, you are right to see this budget, and this moment, in generational terms,” he said.
Minister for Superannuation Jane Hume said it was encouraging employment was “bouncing back” but acknowledged youth unemployment at 16.4 per cent was still too high.
“If we can get unemployment below 4 per cent that will increase wages and we believe that is the way to make the economy sustainable,” she said.
Greens senator Larissa Waters argued that while it was appropriate for the federal government to spend money, addressing climate change should have been at the forefront of that spending.
This budget gives subsidies to big oil, big coal and big gas companies over four years,” she said.“That is a massive handout to big corporations”.
Independent member for Indi Helen Haines said there should have been money for an integrity commission to monitor how the money in the budget was spent.
“While billions of dollars was going out the door and is going out the door, there was zero dollars, zero, for the integrity commission that was promised to us by this government at the last election”.
The failure of the federal budget to commit adequate money to quarantine facilities was also addressed in the episode.
Indi MP Helen Haines said she saw what happened to regional communities every time there was a border closure.
“It shuts down our economy in regional Australia,” she said. “I really believe we need to be investing in a commonwealth-funded quarantine centre.”
Senator Hume defended the federal government over the Howard Springs facility.
“We believe that Howards Springs is adequate for now,” she said. “But hotel quarantine continues to work and we will bring Australians back as soon as it’s safe to do so from India and from other places as well. We have repatriated hundreds of thousands of Australians already throughout 2020.”
Senator Waters said the federal government should spend less time arguing with the states about quarantine facilities and work together to build a “publicly owned quarantine facility fit for purpose….but they just love a barney”.
“They hate to take responsibility,” she said. “It is really tragic.”
Simon Benson9.50pm:ALP assumes the defensive position
Less than 12 months ahead of a federal poll and Anthony Albanese has moved to a defensive political posture framed around a character assassination of Scott Morrison and a soft-target Labor policy strategy.
At this stage of the electoral cycle, this is a worrying sign for the opposition and a recognition of the realities the Labor leader faces with the power of incumbency weighing so heavily in the Prime Minister’s favour.
It reflects a lack of confidence in his ability to re-establish Labor as an alternative government as the Coalition continues to beat the pandemic drum.
The Labor leader’s budget reply speech appeared aimed principally at keeping Labor’s people in the tent while trying to undermine the integrity and competence of the government.
This is not an election-winning formula or an expression of conviction that Albanese has marked out a broad coalition of voters that he can appeal to in a time of crisis.
The centrepiece, a $10bn social housing program, may be noble in its intent but it is anti-aspirational in its messaging.
It symbolises a party that is equally if not more concerned about maintaining the guardianship of its own base than it is about winning over the voters it would need to return to government.
While the task facing Albanese was always going to be challenging, by his own admission this was his opportunity to present Labor’s vision for a post-pandemic Australia.
That is not to say he has failed. In some ways, it appeals to the very fears that the Morrison government is also speaking to but from the other side of the fence.
Joe Kelly, Geoff Chambers 9.05pm:Coalition scoffs at ‘unrealistic’ plan
The Morrison government has hit back at Anthony Albanese’s $10bn future fund aimed at delivering affordable homes, saying it unrealistic and requires the fund to generate a 20 per cent return.
Housing Minister Michael Sukkar took aim at the proposal, unveiled in the Opposition Leader’s budget reply address, saying Labor would “need to more than triple the current benchmark return for the Future Fund of 6.1 per cent to be able to deliver his (Mr Albanese’s) 20,000 dwellings”.
But Nicholas Proud, chief executive of PowerHousing Australia, the peak body for social and affordable housing, said Mr Albanese’s future fund was a “landmark proposal”.
“This future fund proposal will shore up jobs (and) boost the economy whilst safeguarding social and affordable housing rental outcomes for generations,” he said.
“We know there is pent-up demand for social housing and there was an affordability crisis prior to COVID that low wages growth and double-digit house price increases has only exacerbated.
“This type of proposal would support dwelling investment and jobs at a time of significant decline which, as estimated in Tuesday’s federal budget, will start later in 2021 with further declines in housing in 2022.”
Carla Mascarenhas 8.20pm: ‘Insecure work driving down wages’
Anthony Albanese has blamed “insecure work” for “driving down wages”.
the Opposition Leader said he would make sure job security is recognised in the Fair Work Act and enforce reporting on the gender pay gap from large companies.
He also committed to improving wages for Australians working in aged care.
“At the moment, in an industry like aged care, you can earn more stacking shelves than you can looking after our older and frail Australians, who are aged care residents,” he said on the ABC’s 7.30 on Thursday night after his budget reply speech.
Labor would reveal its full economic plan at the next election, he added.
“Tonight, we have a very modest cost to the promises we have made,” Mr Albanese said.
“That compares with the government’s approach”.
Carla Mascarenhas 8.20pm: Coalition ‘bungled’ rollout and quarantine
Anthony Albanese has doubled down on his criticism of Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the vaccination rollout and quarantine program.
“Tonight I put forward a plan for the Australian government involvement in quarantine around the nation with appropriate facilities,” he said in an interview with the ABC’s 7.30 on Thursday night after his budget reply speech.
“One included outside of Darwin that is currently being used by US Marines.
“The fact is that we need to get those two things right and the government has bungled both of them.
“We were told four million people would be vaccinated by the end of March. We are now in mid May and we still are not up to that figure”.
Carla Mascarenhas 8.05pm: We must not miss ‘transformational moment’
Australia must not miss this “transformational moment” to emerge from the pandemic with nothing to show but the “biggest debt and deficit of all time”, Mr Albanese says.
“If you see this pandemic as a chance to build back stronger, Labor is on your side,” the Opposition Leader concluded in his budget reply speech on Thursday night.
“If you believe economic policy should deliver higher wages, Labor is on your side.
“If you want more security at work, Labor is on your side. If you support equality for women, Labor is on your side. If you support cheaper childcare, Labor is your side.
“If you believe older Australians deserve dignity and care in their later years, Labor is on your side.
“If you believe a roof over your head is up to more than market forces, Labor is on your side.
“If you get that action on climate change is an opportunity for us to emerge as a renewable energy superpower and create jobs, Labor is on your side.
“If you share our ambition for advanced manufacturing, high-value industries, a world-class services sector in a prosperous, outward-looking, ambitious Australia, Labor is on your side.”
“And if you think sharing our continent with the oldest continuous civilisation on Earth is a source of national pride and First Nations people should be recognised in our Constitution, Labor is on your side.”
Carla Mascarenhas 8.03pm: Integrity Commission to clean up politics
Albanese has promised to clean-up politics by creating a National Integrity Commission.
“Over these eight long years the government has focused on itself, too often treating taxpayers’ money as if it were the Liberal and National parties’ money,” he said.
“Sports rorts, community safety rorts, abuse of infrastructure and regional funding has grown with each year.
“If you want to clean up politics, you need a National Integrity Commission.
“If you want a fair dinkum National Integrity Commission, it will take a federal Labor government.”
Carla Mascarenhas 8pm: Labor pledges $10bn public housing fund
Anthony Albanese has committed his Labor government to creating a $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund.
The fund will build social and affordable housing and create thousands of jobs.
“Over the first five years this will build around 20,000 social housing properties, places like the home I grew up in,” he said.
Mr Albanese said this initiative would create 21,500 jobs each year and one in 10 construction jobs created will be for apprentices.
The Opposition leader said 4000 of the 20,000 social housing properties would be allocated to women and children experiencing domestic and family violence and older women on low income.
“We will also provide $100m for crisis and transitional housing, for these women at risk,” he said.
Carla Mascarenhas 8pm: Morrison ‘failed on aged care’
The Morrison government has failed to implement recommendations from the Aged Care Royal Commission, Anthony Albanese says.
“The Prime Minister must now explain why he has rejected so many of those important recommendations,” the Labor leader said in budget reply speech on Thursday night.
“Like the recommendation to require a nurse on duty in nursing homes at all times.
“Or support for increasing the appallingly low wages of hard-working aged care staff.”
Mr Albanese said a Labor government would deliver care by supporting the Fair Work Commission to lift the wages of aged-care workers.
“And we will ensure that dementia care management is core business, given that up to two in every three aged-care residents is affected,” he said.
Carla Mascarenhas 7.58pm: Push for energy apprenticeships
A Labor government would create a New Energy Apprenticeships Program, Anthony Albanese pledged in his budget reply speech on Thursday night.
The program would train 10,000 young people “for the energy jobs of the future”.
“This will support them with up to $10,000 over the course of their apprenticeship,” he said.
Mr Albanese said the 10,000 apprenticeships would be available in renewable energy generation; storage and distribution, including in emerging technologies such as green hydrogen; energy efficiency upgrades; renewables manufacturing like batteries; and relevant agricultural activities.
Carla Mascarenhas 7.55pm: Jobs and skills body pledged
Anthony Albanese says a Labor government would create Jobs and Skills Australia body to advise on the “future work opportunities and to ensure Australians can benefit from them”.
A Labor government would establish a National Reconstruction Fund to “transform existing industries and industries of tomorrow”, he added in budget reply speech on Thursday night.
“We will partner with the private sector, including the superannuation industry to revive our ability to make products and be more self-reliant,” he said.
“Australia has always produced scientific innovations, but we always haven’t been good at commercialising them.”
Carla Mascarenhas 7.49pm:Labor’s job creation plan
Anthony Albanese has outlined a number of steps for job creation in Australia during his budget reply speech on Thursday night.
These include
● Writing job security into the Fair Work Act;
● Properly defining casual work
● Cracking down on the abuse of cowboy labour hire firms to ensure people who do the same job get the same pay;
● Public reporting on the gender pay gap for large companies;
● 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave.
Carla Mascarenhas 7.44pm:Push to create ‘pharmaceutical hub’
Australia should be expanding existing quarantine facilities and building new ones across the country, Anthony Albanese says.
The Labor leader also said Australia should be making mRNA vaccines in Australia.
A Labor government would “prioritise support for this production through our National Reconstruction Fund”.
“We believe Australia can be a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub and never again should the health of Australians be put at risk because of the government’s refusal to invest in manufacturing”.
Carla Mascarenhas 7.39pm: JobMaker scheme panned
Anthony Albanese has denounced the federal government’s JobMaker scheme.
“That promised to create 450,000 new jobs,” he said in his budget reply speech on Thursday night. “It fell short by 449, 000.”
“Like so much with this government, it was all smoke and mirrors. This week the chasm between announcement and delivery didn’t even make it to Budget night.
Carla Mascarenhas 7.35pm: Budget an election ‘patch-up job’: Albanese
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has criticised the federal budget for offering “low growth, low productivity and a low wage future”.
Mr Albanese said he wanted Australia to emerge from the pandemic “stronger, smarter and more self-reliant”.
He says Australia has a “once-in-a-century opportunity to reinvent the economy” but described the federal budget as a “patch-up job for the next election”.
Mr Albanese asks Australians five simple question:”Do you feel better off than you did eight years ago? Do you feel more secure at work?. When did you last get a wage rise? Are you finding it easier to pay your bills? Are you more certain of your future?”
Carla Mascarenhas 7.30pm: Albanese pays tribute to mother
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has begun his budget reply speech by describing his childhood.
“I grew up in a council house in Camperdown, the only son of a single mother on a disability pension,” he said.
“I’m here because of the sacrifices my mum made to give me chances she was denied by disadvantage. I’ll never forget that.”
Mr Albanese said he was “here tonight because good government changed my life”.
“A good government, building a strong economy, and a fair society, opens the door to education, to employment, to decent housing, to proper healthcare, and a better life.”
Carla Mascarenhas 7.20pm:Watch Albanese’s budget reply live
Labor Leader Anthony Albanese’s budget reply speech.
Guillame Lavallee6.39pm: Biden looks to broker ceasefire in Israel, Gaza
Israel faced an escalating conflict on two fronts on Thursday, scrambling to quell riots between Arabs and Jews on its own streets after days of exchanging deadly fire with Palestinian militants in Gaza.
Despite diplomatic efforts to ease the crisis, which US President Joe Biden said he hoped would end “sooner than later”, hundreds of rockets flew across the Gaza Strip overnight on Wednesday.
An emergency UN Security Council meeting on the tensions has been requested for Friday. The council has already held two closed-door videoconferences since Monday, with the US — a close Israel ally — opposing adoption of a joint declaration, which it said would not “help de-escalate” the situation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday AEST to Mr Biden, who said “Israel has a right to defend itself”.
Mr Biden said US diplomacy was in high gear with national security and defence staff “in constant contact with their counterparts in the Middle East — not just with the Israelis, but also with everyone from the Egyptians and the Saudis to the Emiratis”.
Yoni Bashan6.16pm:NSW Families Minister stands aside amid police probe
NSW Families Minister Gareth Ward is being investigated by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad over allegations of “sexual violence related offences” dating back to 2013.
Police confirmed in a statement they had formed a strike force to investigate allegations against the 39-year-old minister which occurred from 2013.
“As investigations are continuing, no further information is available,” a police spokesman said.
Mr Ward released a statement addressing the matter late Thursday afternoon.
“Today I have been made aware by a journalist of an investigation into me by NSW Police,” Mr Ward said.
“I have not been contacted by Police in relation to any allegations. I deny any wrongdoing. Until this matter is resolved, it is appropriate I stand aside from my role as Minister. I will also remove myself from the Liberal Party room.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued a statement saying she accepted his decision to step aside.
Angie Raphael5.48pm:Perth, Peel regions to return to pre-lockdown life
The Perth and Peel regions will entirely return to pre-lockdown life this weekend, including ditching face masks, after successfully “crushing” COVID-19.
Western Australia has not had any new local cases since May 1 after a hotel security guard and two of his housemates tested positive.
Premier Mark McGowan said that meant the coronavirus restrictions would be lifted from 12.01am on Saturday, pending no further cases.
It means masks will only be required at the airport, which is a national rule.
There will be no capacity limits for funerals and weddings, and gatherings at homes will no longer be limited either.
Restrictions on the number of people visiting aged care facilities and hospitals will also be lifted.
Stadiums will return to 100 per cent capacity too.
“This is fantastic news for our community, businesses and the state’s economy,” Mr McGowan told reporters on Thursday.
Carla Mascarenhas5.17pm:Unemployed need to fill labour shortages: Minister
Employment Minister Stuart Robert says labour shortages caused by an absence of migration should be filled by Australians on JobSeeker.
“We need to skill those on JobSeeker payments get them into work and use mutual obligations effectively,” he told Sky News.
“We are reframing the entire job active network.”
Mr Robert said increased hours for people on student visas would also help fill labour shortage gaps in regional Australia.
He said wages would increase once Australia hit “full employment”.
“My job is to skill Australians and drive unemployment down to four and that is when we will see changes to wages,” he said.
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Carla Mascarenhas4.55pm:Coalition hasn’t been upfront on jab rollout: Labor
Labor’s Industry and Innovation spokesman Ed Husic says the federal government has not been upfront with the public about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
“The government said we were first in the queue to get the vaccines,” Mr Husic told the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas. “They had not negotiated the deals properly, their targets have been shot, they stuffed up securing supply.”
Scott Morrison said last night during an interview with the ABC’s Leigh Sales he could not say when all Australians will be vaccinated. But Mr Husic said that is not good enough.
“Australians want to have the economic security and a general sense that we are going to get on top of this quicker if we get vaccinated and we need to see it happen in a faster way.”
Mr Husic said the Australian government needs to invest further in manufacturing facilities in Australia to speed up the vaccine rollout.
“It goes to show you there is a longer-term issue about how we have run down manufacturing in this country to an extent that we are always dependent on global supply chains, that we haven’t reconceived the way that we need to reform the economy,” he said.
READ MORE:Australia’s Moderna vaccine deal explained
Rachel Baxendale4.45pm:A snapshot of Victoria’s Covid position
It has now been 76 days since Victoria’s last known community acquisition of coronavirus, despite this week’s scare after a man in his 30s contracted the virus from his neighbour in a South Australian quarantine hotel before travelling back to Melbourne.
The state recorded one new case in hotel quarantine in the 24 hours to Thursday, a woman in her 50s.
There have now been 20,538 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria since the pandemic began.
Victorian authorities have now identified six people in addition to the man in his 30s who have recently entered Victoria after leaving Level 3 of the Playford quarantine Hotel in Adelaide during the man’s neighbour’s potential coronavirus transmission period.
All six have been contacted and are now undertaking 14 days quarantine since their departure from the Adelaide hotel. Victoria’s Health Department said all were undergoing testing on Thursday.
Of the Melbourne man’s 118 known close contacts at a Melbourne CBD restaurant, his Altona North workplace in Melbourne’s southwest and a Woolworths and spice shop in the northern suburb of Epping, 87 have so far returned negative test results.
State commissioned services administered 7955 COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday, bringing the total administered by Victoria’s Health Department to 290,864.
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Adeshola Ore4.30pm:What the latest vaccine deal means for the rollout
The federal government has struck a deal with Moderna to secure 25 million of its vaccine doses. Here’s how it will impact the federal government’s rollout.
Joseph Lam4pm:Anti-CCP protesters march in Sydney
A sea of people in yellow shirts carrying signs and banners in protest of the Chinese Communist Party marched across the Sydney CBD on Thursday in celebration of world Falun Dafa Day.
Falun Gong is a spiritual practice drawing on China’s tradition of qigong, a combination of controlled breathing and gentle physical movement.
It was banned by China in 1999 after thousands of members appeared at a protest in Beijing.
About 500 Falun Gong practitioners marched more than 2km from Customs House to Belmore Park, following meditation and speeches from notable members.
Multilingual signs and banners calling to “help stop persecution of Falun Gong in China” as well as citing the country’s “unscrupulous nature” and calling it an “evil cult” were held in the air.
Falun Dafa Australia president Lucy Zhao said it was a special day for organisation members.
“Today is the 29th year since the Falun Dafa was introduced to the public by Mr Li Hongzh in China on May 13th 1992,” she said.
“People were very interested. A few people said they heard of the Falun Gong because of the human rights abuses that are happening.”
A NSW Police spokesperson said they were not aware of the parade, however Ms Zhao said the organisation had been given permits by police, City of Sydney and traffic control.
Yoni Bashan3.39pm:Police investigating alleged NSW MP sex assault
NSW Police are investigating an allegation of sexual assault involving a male member of NSW Parliament.
The investigation, known as Strike Force Condello, is being led by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad and is examining an allegation of “sexual violence related offences” dating back to 2013.
“As investigations are continuing no further information is available,” police said.
READ MORE:Police gender quota ‘discriminatory’
Adeshola Ore3.28pm:Higgins review has recommenced, PM confirms
Scott Morrison has confirmed an internal review to discover what his staff knew about the alleged 2019 rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins recommenced last week.
The inquiry, led by the head of his department, had been put on hold following advice from the Australian Federal Police. Appearing before Senate estimates in March, Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens said AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw had advised he “pause” his review amid concern it would interfere with a criminal investigation into the allegation.
But on Thursday, the Prime Minister said Mr Kershaw had told Mr Gaetjens his review could resume. Mr Morrison said he had not been told a date for when Mr Gaetjens would conclude his inquiry.
READ MORE:Higgins’ ‘difficult’ conversation with PM
Adeshola Ore 2.29pm: Our plan is keeping taxes low: Morrison
Scott Morrison has used question time to lash the Labor Party for not committing to supporting its stage three tax cuts.
In his post-budget speech on Wednesday, Josh Frydenberg drew election battlelines with Labor over his $130bn phase three tax cuts, warning that a failure to support them would leave middle-income earners hundreds of dollars a year worse off.
The Prime Minister attacked Labor for not giving guarantees on the stage 3 tax cuts.
“We need to keep doing what is working in this country because it is working and that is what the plan is doing, keeping taxes low, keeping taxes low so businesses and workers can keep more of what they earn,” Mr Morrison said.
“They can’t give any guarantees because we know how much they like to increase taxes on working Australians and hard working small businesses.”
Mr Frydenberg said more than 12 million Australians who would get a tax under stage three were waiting on Labor’s verdict.
“For those Australians watching today’s broadcast, if they are earning $70,000 as a teacher, they will be $620 worse off if the leader of the opposition wants to get his way and abolish the tax cuts,” he said.
READ MORE: Frydenberg sets battlelines over tax cuts
Rhiannon Down 2.20pm: Vaccine protection still unknown
Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett says Australia’s supply deal with Moderna will boost the nation’s inoculation efforts in the long term.
“Now with the supply challenges with the Pfizer vaccine, having more vaccines in the basket is a good thing,” she told Sky News.
“But equally too it’s not just the ten million doses this year but the 15 million next year that will be tweaked to these new variants so this will mean the updated vaccine and the start of the next phase of the vaccine rollout.”
Professor Bennett said it was not yet known how the vaccine would respond longer term, and booster shots will likely be necessary.
“We don’t know yet about waning protection; it’s still within the first year of the doses being given at the trial period for any extended period of time to understand what happens to their immunity,” she said.
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Natasha Robinson 2.12pm: TGA reveals seven new blood clot jab cases
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has revealed there have been seven additional cases of blood clots with low platelet counts following the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The new cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome were revealed in the TGA’s COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report. Three cases are confirmed TTS and four are deemed probable.
In addition, there have been six reports of Guillain-Barre Syndrome following the AstraZeneca vaccine, the first time this kind of adverse event has been reported, but a link with the vaccine has not been established. Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare immune system disorder that causes nerve inflammation and can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking.
Greg Brown 2.07pm: Wyatt slams ‘mythology’ on Indigenous agenda
Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt has hit out at the “mythology” that Coalition governments are not proactive on Aboriginal affairs, declaring the conservative side of politics “quietly get on” with key reforms in the sector.
Mr Wyatt defended the history of the Coalition on Indigenous issues in Parliament House in Canberra as he launched a book by Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, who is calling for a referendum on an Indigenous “voice to parliament” in the next term of government.
Mr Wyatt said it was wrong to suggest Coalition governments did not take Indigenous issues seriously, noting the 1967 referendum to include Aboriginal people in the census was championed by the Holt government despite being controversial at the time.
Ewin Hannan2.04pm: Employers urge ‘modest’rise for low-paid
The Australian Industry Group has urged the Fair Work Commission to limit this year’s minimum wage rise to $8.29 a week, and wants any increase for low-paid workers in covid-stressed industries to be delayed until January.
The national minimum wage is currently $19.84 per hour or $753.80 a week and Ai Group’s proposed 1.1 per cent increase equates to 22 cents an hour.
Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said it was critical that the commission took a very cautious approach.
READ the full story here
Rhiannon Down 1.33pm:Albanese ‘a cloud hanging over lower taxes’
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has accused Anthony Albanese of not supporting lower taxes for families ahead of the Opposition Leader’s budget reply speech tonight.
Senator Birmingham spruiked the government’s record of low tax, saying the government had already put $2bn a month into the “pockets of hardworking Australian families”.
“Our future tax cuts that are outlined are going to ensure that around 95 per cent of hardworking Australians pay no more than 30 cents in the dollar,” he said.
“Tax cuts are all about reward for effort. They’re all about ensuring we get growth across the Australian economy and indeed, our tax breaks for Australian businesses, in particular, the full expense measures at present, are seeing a surge in investment activity that is seeing jobs for today and productivity competitiveness for the future.”
Senator Birmingham said the opposition cast a “cloud” over working Australians, demanding that Mr Albanese make a decision on tax.
“And yet there’s a cloud that hangs over lower taxes for Australia and that cloud is Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party,” he said.
“At the AFR Summit earlier this year, Anthony Albanese said he would be able to make his mind up about lower taxes for Australians after the budget was handed down.
“Well, the budget was handed down two days ago, yet Anthony Albanese is still unable to say whether he supports lower income taxes for Australians.
“He’s even unable to say whether or not Labor will junk it’s housing tax policy on negative gearing or whether or not Labor has a position in relation to higher taxes and levies to fund aged care.
“The Morrison government’s position is crystal clear. We always stand for lower taxes and we are delivering economic recovery through lower taxes for hardworking Australians.”
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Rachel Baxendale 1.27pm: Businesses face heavy fines for failing to us QR codes
Victorian businesses that fail to use the state government’s QR code check-in system will be fined $1652 on the spot, under new enforcement powers announced on Thursday.
The new fines come after it emerged that a significant number of people found to have attended sites visited by the state’s latest coronavirus case had failed to check in.
While other states introduced an official QR code app when they made it compulsory to check in at venues in September last year, Victoria did not introduce its app until November 30, meaning many businesses have been continuing to use their own systems, making checking in less straightforward for patrons.
From Friday May 28, it will become compulsory for all businesses to use the government app to keep electronic records of all visitors.
Acting Police Minister Danny Pearson said a three-week “COVIDSAfe Blitz” by authorised officers in April had seen compliance checks conducted at more than 4000 hospitality and retail businesses across Victoria.
“More than 165 enforcement notices were issued throughout the operation and a further 300 verbal warnings – with common issues including failure to use QR codes, no COVIDSafe Plan and no density quotient signage,” Mr Pearson said.
“Enforcement checks over the past week alone continue to show a worrying trend of complacency, with 37 per cent of businesses visited flagged as non-compliant with QR code check-in rules.
“Authorised officers will be out and about throughout May and June, targeting compliance with record-keeping and QR code requirements. Businesses not doing the right thing will be issued with the $1,652 fine, along with an Improvement Notice which triggers a follow up visit.
“Where there are repeated breaches, a further $9,913 fine can be issued and businesses may be prosecuted in court for continued, blatant or wilful noncompliance with the rules.”
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Natasha Robinson 12.44pm: Why the Moderna vaccine is crucial
The deal the federal government has struck with Moderna addresses a major gap in Australia’s vaccine strategy.
While the Pfizer vaccine that will be given to those under 50 shows efficacy against variants including the UK variant and the South African variant, both of which have arrived in Australia, an initial study has shown that while the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective against the UK strain, it is virtually ineffective against the SA strain.
Nicola Berkovic12.38pm: Friend of Porter accuser hits back at ‘false’ claims
A friend of the woman who accused Christian Porter of rape has hit back at suggestions she had not acted quickly to try to stop a high-profile Sydney barrister from acting for him in his case against the ABC.
Lawyers for Jo Dyer, director of the Adelaide Writers Week, said any suggestion she had not acted in a timely manner was “false”.
Ms Dyer launched legal action in the Federal Court on Monday to restrain barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC from acting for the former attorney-general.
This was on the ground that Ms Dyer had given Ms Chrysanthou confidential information in the course of a lawyer-client relationship that was relevant to Mr Porter’s defamation case against the ABC.
Mr Porter, now Industry Minister, is suing the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan over an online article published on February 26, which reported that an unnamed cabinet minister was facing historical rape allegations.
Mr Porter outed himself as the unnamed minister five days later while vigorously denying the allegations and launched the defamation action on March 15.
On Wednesday, Mr Porter said it had been “widely known for two months” that Ms Chrysanthou was acting for him, and he was concerned about the timing of Ms Dyer’s legal action, ahead of a key hearing in his defamation case against the ABC starting on June 1.
READ the full story here
Anton Nilsson12.03pm:Relief at last for mouse-plagued farmers
Farmers have secured a victory in their battle against a devastating infestation of mice after pressuring the NSW government into releasing $50 million in financial aid.
Farming advocates hoped the money, which would come in the form of free grain treatment for farmers and rebates for rural residents buying bait, would help stem the ongoing mouse plague.
The rebates would be worth $500 for households and $1000 for small businesses.
The pests have multiplied rapidly for several months, helped by the same summer rains that came as a relief for drought-stricken farmers.
The rodents have overrun rural towns and farms, and destroyed entire crops in some cases. Many farmers have sunk tens of thousands of dollars into buying poison to kill the rodents chewing through their feed, plants and equipment. — NCA Newswire
READ MORE: GrainCorp bumper harvest boosts profit
Ben Packham 11.53am: PM ‘vindicated’ over weapons inspector call
Scott Morrison says he has been vindicated in his call for “weapons inspector” powers to fight pandemics by an independent report calling for the World Health Organisation to be able to rapidly intervene to stop dangerous viral outbreaks.
The report calls for a new global surveillance and alert system to provide early warnings of potential pandemics, and short-notice access to affected sites by international experts.
The Prime Minister said he called last year for the WHO to be given the authority to make such interventions.
“I made exactly this point when I called for this very inquiry,” he told 2GB.
“I mean, I even used that example of things like weapons inspectors that you have in other areas. I was mocked, I was bagged, the Labor Party mocked me when I said it.”
Mr Morrison said it was vital the world learned the lessons of COVID-19.
“We all know how this started, but what it’s about is ensuring that we protect against future pandemics,” he said.
The review of the WHO’s pandemic response, co-chaired by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, found the organisation was too slow in declaring a public health emergency, and a “lost month” of inaction allowed the disease to spread out of control.
The report urged major reforms to strengthen the WHO’s independence from its member states, and recommended heads of state lead a new Global Health Threats Council to ensure leadership on pandemic preparedness.
It also called for rich nations to fund vaccines, drugs and medical supplies for the world.
READ MORE: WHO ‘too slow’ to act in Covid fight
Rachel Baxendale 11.48am:‘Crazy’ number of Aussies exempted to fly overseas
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino says it’s “just crazy” that commonwealth authorities have allowed almost 14,000 Australians to leave the country multiple times during the pandemic.
Border Force data revealed in Thursday’s Herald Sun shows 134,758 Australian citizens and permanent residents have received exemptions to fly overseas, including 37,456 for compassionate or humanitarian reasons.
Of the 13,762 Australians who returned from overseas more than once between March 20 last year and April 20 this year, some had departed and returned five times.
Mr Merlino said the data was “very concerning”.
“We’ve got community transmission under control in Victoria and around the country,” he said.
“Our greatest risk are flights coming into our nation, whether it’s people returning to Australia, or people leaving and coming back to Australia.
“To see multiple trips is extremely concerning, and it’s appropriate that the commonwealth is reviewing this.
“This is our greatest risk as a nation. Flights out of Australia and coming back here should only be for the most compelling of reasons. There is not a compelling reason that an individual, indeed thousands and thousands of individuals, are doing multiple trips in and out of the country at this time. It’s just crazy.”
The Morrison government’s national security committee is meeting on Thursday to consider tightening the exemption process, with Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews saying she was “concerned” by the figures.
Jade Gailberger11.37am:Private sector to build onshore vaccine supply
Health Minister Greg Hunt is “confident” mRNA vaccines will be able to be produced on Australian soil in the near future.
His comments came as Moderna also announced it would supply 25 million vaccine doses to Australia under a new supply deal.
The drug manufacturer also announced its interest in building manufacturing capability in Australia, as the government allocated money for it in this week’s federal budget.
Mr Hunt today said he hoped Australia would have at least one, if not more than one, manufacturing operation.
“I won’t make a guarantee on that, but I am confident that over the future period, we will have mRNA production in Australia,” Mr Hunt said.
“There are a range of potentially very viable approaches and proposals.”
Industry Minister Christian Porter will lead the approach to market in the next 10 days.
Moderna joins CSL and Biosena who have publicly acknowledged their interest in establishing mRNA capability in Australia.
Mr Hunt said there was also others, but the government didn’t know if they would be put forward.
“Certainly we would prefer private-sector owned and operated. That is an important way to do it,” he said.
Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy said it was unlikely capability would be established this year.
“It is going to be some time next year, I would imagine, before mRNA vaccines can be produced here,” Prof Murphy said.
“MRNA vaccine technology is likely to be much broader than COVID vaccine. So it is something that we in Australia need to have anyway.
“Our primary vaccination strategy is in no way dependent on this.”
Prof Murphy said the capability would also aid flu and other novel vaccine manufacturing in the future.
“We are one of the small number of countries that have onshore sovereign vaccine manufacturing capability and we want to keep ahead of the game in that space,” he said.
Moderna chief executive Stéphane Bancel said it plans to open a commercial subsidiary in Australia in 2021.
“We appreciate the partnership and support from the government of Australia with this first supply agreement for doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and our variant booster candidates,” Mr Bancel said in a statement.
“We look forward to continuing discussions with Australia about establishing potential local manufacturing opportunities.”
CSL will continue to manufacture doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, which does not use mRNA technology, in Victoria. — NCA Newswire
READ MORE: Moderna deal key to booster strategy against Covid
Rachel Baxendale 11.24am:Victoria questions NSW quarantine plans
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino says he does not understand how NSW plans to begin accepting international students within months can proceed without commonwealth approval.
The Australian revealed on Thursday Berejiklian government plans to go it alone in permitting overseas students to enter NSW and quarantine in Sydney using purpose-built housing, after police and health officials signed off on a plan to accept arrivals using a quarantine system likely to be paid for by the university sector.
Mr Merlino said he had “read that report with interest”, having written to the Morrison government a fortnight ago proposing Victoria’s own scheme, which would see the state accept a further 120 economic arrivals a week under a new Australian Open-style hotel quarantine system designed to bolster the tertiary education, major events and stage and screen sectors.
“The very clear advice from the commonwealth is that any economic cohort, whether it’s international students or others, any incoming flights, require commonwealth approval,” Mr Merlino said on Thursday.
“That is why the commonwealth have said, ‘put a proposal forward’. We’ve put that proposal forward to the commonwealth. We’re awaiting their answer.
“We can deliver 120, per week, international students and other economic cohorts. If it’s the case that the commonwealth doesn’t require that approval, then we are ready to go, but I found that report very, very interesting.
“The commonwealth is responsible for our borders, the commonwealth issues visas, so it’s got to go through the commonwealth … If there’s a different set of rules for New South Wales, that has not been advised.”
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Rhiannon Down 11.09am: NSW goes another day with zero local virus cases
NSW has recorded zero new cases of local transmission and five new cases in hotel quarantine.
It comes as NSW Health administers its highest total number of vaccines one day, after 7552 vaccines were provided on Wednesday, including 2554 at the Sydney Olympic Park mass vaccination centre.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 13, 2021
Five new cases were acquired overseas to 8pm last night, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,362. pic.twitter.com/Q0ScU33IS4
Health authorities are continuing their investigation into the source of two community cases last week, with the “missing link” of infection still undetermined.
Some 17,806 tests were received in 24 hours up until 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 23,224 tests.
“It is important that we maintain high rates of COVID-19 testing, as this is the best way of finding undetected cases in the community and preventing further transmission,” NSW Health said in a statement.
READ MORE: Time’s up for second-rate homes
Rhiannon Down 10.51am: Why are we so late with Moderna deal, Labor asks
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler has criticised the government for its delay in striking a vaccine deal with Moderna, months after the rest of the world.
Mr Butler also accused the government over the “confusion” surrounding the vaccine rollout, after Tuesday’s budget indication the entire population should be inoculated by the end of the year.
“The Moderna vaccine has been a mainstay of the vaccine rollout strategies of almost every other nation to which we usually compare ourselves,” he said.
“The US struck a deal with Moderna as early as August 2020. Deals were struck last year with Canada, with the UK, with the European Union, Korea, Japan in January, Israel well into last year.
“Tens and tens of millions of doses of this state-of-the-art vaccine have already been delivered to the people in those countries, a mainstay part of their vaccine rollout strategy.
“So if the rest of the world struck deals with Moderna as early as last year for access to
this state-of-the-art vaccine, why do Australians have to wait to the end of this year?”
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Richard Ferguson 10.34am: PM to face more heat in reformed question time
Scott Morrison will be forced to answer all questions directed to him in parliament and phones could be banned in a radical overhaul of question time proposed by both Liberal and Labor MPs.
An inquiry into the highlight of the parliamentary sitting day — where opposition MPs grill the Prime Minister and his cabinet — has recommended the curb of “dorothy dixers”, new time limits on answers, and extra questions for the opposition.
Liberal MP and question time inquiry chairman Ross Vasta writes in the final report that the public and politicians are united in the desire to fix question time.
“While opinions differed on how question time could be improved, the need for improvement was conveyed clearly from every quarter,” he says.
“In particular, enhanced accountability, better questions and answers and a higher standard of behaviour were sought.”
Currently a prime minister can refer any questions directly to him or her to a minister without answering themselves. Under the proposals from the bipartisan inquiry, Mr Morrison would have to answer all questions to him first.
The committee also wants a trial to limit the use of phones in the House of Representatives to curb images on television of MPs paying more attention to their mobiles than parliament.
It also calls for questions from government MPs to no longer include the phrase “are there any alternative approaches?” This phrase is often used by government ministers to attack opposition policies.
While Labor and Liberal MPs have signed off on the proposal, it will ultimately be up to Leader of the House Peter Dutton to sign off on any changes.
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Rachel Baxendale 10.30am: Contacts of Melbourne virus case test negative
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino says 115 people have so far been identified as close contacts of the state’s latest coronavirus case, of whom 67 have so far returned negative tests, with test results for the remainder pending.
Mr Merlino welcomed genomic sequencing results received on Wednesday afternoon which confirmed suspicions the man in his 30s had contracted the virus from his neighbour in an Adelaide quarantine hotel, before travelling home to Melbourne’s outer north on May 4.
“That’s a good thing because we’re not chasing an unknown source, which is always one of the biggest risks and one of the biggest concerns when we are doing that contact tracing,” Mr Merlino said.
“Of the 115 primary post contacts, 67 have returned a negative test. That was from overnight, and we’ll have the remainder of those tests over the next 24 to 36 hours. All of those 115 primary close contacts are isolating, they’re being supported, but they’re doing a great job and doing everything that we ask.”
There were 21,984 coronavirus tests processed in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday night, with a further 8600 returned since then, all of which have come back negative.
This compares with 21,461 tests processed on Tuesday, amid news breaking that morning of the new case, and 12,918 tests processed on Monday.
“We’re getting great testing numbers so I really want to thank the community,” Mr Merlino said.
“So a broad message today is so far so good, pretty positive.”
READ MORE: Pandemic-era spend is new normal
Rhiannon Down10.25am:Albanese invokes Higgins in pre-budget reply speech
Anthony Albanese has criticised the government’s track record on women’s issues, ahead of his budget reply speech tonight.
The Opposition Leader attacked the government for its handling of a rape allegation made by former staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House earlier this year, as well as shortfalls in women’s services in Australia.
“It shouldn’t be any surprise that the then-Minister for the Status of Women abolished the women’s budget statement,” he said.
“Over the past year there has been a focus on women’s issues, there’s been a focus because a reported sexual assault occurred in the defence minister’s office just 50m from the Prime Minister’s office.
“The Prime Minister said despite the fact that cabinet ministers, staff members, parliamentary staff the AFP all knew there had been an incident no one told him until the Monday.”
Mr Albanese also said too many women were being “turned away” from overstretched domestic violence refuge.
READ MORE:Margin Call — Treasurer’s best bits not child’s play
Lachlan Moffet Gray9.56am: Regulator strikes cashless deal with casinos
The NSW Gambling regulator has reached an agreement with Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment Group to make all gaming on their premises completely cashless and cease dealing with international gambling “junkets.”
The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority on Thursday said that Crown Resorts had agreed to “make all gaming in its casinos cashless with card technology linked to identity and a recognised financial institution” and to “not operate any international junket operations.”
Star Entertainment group has also made the same undertakings, applicable to their casino at Pyrmont.
READ more at Trading Day
Rhiannon Down9.12am:Moderna key to fighting virus variants: Hunt
Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed a landmark new deal securing an order of the Moderna vaccine for Australia has been struck.
“I am pleased to be able to announce that Australia has completed a contract with Moderna for the purchase of 25 million mRNA vaccines,” he said.
“These vaccines would be provided on the basis of up to 10 million during the latter part of 2021 and 15 million during 2022.
Mr Hunt said the Moderna vaccine was the key to fighting emerging variants of concern and secure the vaccine supply into the future.
“They serve two purposes, firstly, as a reserve supply for this year if other elements of the supply chain were to run into any challenges,” he said.
“Secondly, they are our foundation of a booster and variant strategy. Moderna is on the advice that we have, the most advanced of the vaccine products with relation to the capacity to adapt to booster all variant requirements.”
Mr Hunt said Industry Minister Christian Porter would unveil details of an approach to market this morning.
He also confirmed that conversations were underway to allow Moderna to be produced in Australia.
“Today is the next stage of future proofing and of preparing for the future,” he said.
“The agreement with Moderna … is focused primarily on our ability for 2022 to have a booster and variant strategy, but it reinforces our ability to meet our objectives this year.”
Mr Hunt said the first doses were set to arrive during the third financial quarter, between July and September, this year.
“We understand their production capabilities are very strong and then this provides an additional back-up if required during the course of the last part of 2021,” he said.
“Just so as we have the full understanding we have the potential for one million late in the third quarter, another nine million in the fourth quarter, which matches at the same time as Pfizer and then 15 million next year.
Mr Hunt denied that the announcement had caught him off guard, after Moderna issued its market notification overnight, ahead of confirmation from Australian health authorities.
“No, these things are ready when they are ready,” he said.
“Yesterday, the government signed. Overnight Moderna filed their market notifications. This morning we are announcing.”
The Moderna supply deal comes just days after rival vaccine maker Novavax announced it was delaying seeking regulatory approval until the third quarter, further pushing back the rollout.
Mr Hunt said the government had “conservative expectations” when it came to the Novavax vaccine.
Though AstraZeneca, which had previously been spruiked as the “workhorse” of the vaccination effort, was still recommended for the over 50s, Mr Hunt said the Moderna deal meant the mRNA vaccine would be available to the entire populations.
“If our Pfizer vaccine follows through with the contracted amounts of 40 million, then we will have enough for all Australians to have access to mRNA irrespective of the age,” he said.
READ MORE: How Covid left Coke rockin’ in the suburbs
Rhiannon Down 9.03am: ‘Real wage cuts show budget is Liberal, not Labor’
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has rejected the assertion that Tuesday’s federal budget was a “Labor budget”, ahead of Anthony Albanese’s reply speech tonight.
Dr Chalmers also accused the government of showing a “deficit of vision” in its budget, which he said would be addressed by the opposition leader in his address.
“I think it’s a Liberal budget in this important regard, workers actually go backwards,” he told Sky News.
“The core of the budget is a cut in real wages for Australian workers and I think that makes it a Liberal budget.
“Only a Liberal government could spend $100m in one night and rack up to a trillion dollars at best and still have workers go backwards.”
READ MORE: Wage rises are the only battle left for Albanese
Rhiannon Down8.59am: Moderna jabs unlikely to arrive until end of year
Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy says the vaccination program should continue to roll out according to plan, following the announcement of a new deal with Moderna.
Dr Moy said the Moderna jabs were unlikely to arrive until the end of the year, meaning it was important to continue to administer the country’s existing supplies of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs until then.
“It is for later in the year so it shouldn’t delay what’s going on now,” he told Sky News.
“So when you get your shot, and your time comes up, go get it.
“It is good news. We need to get the jabs actually landing here, and then the next job is getting them into people’s arms. This is good news for later into the year and next year in the next phase of potential vaccinations.”
Dr Moy said the Moderna jabs could be vital in plugging gaps in the vaccine rollout that may come to light in the next six months.
“It’s nice to have this as an insurance for later, and also the possibility that we may need to cover off on variants,” he said.
“But it’s almost like an insurance policy and it’s important to have that, as we’ve seen throughout the vaccine program there are changes to the vaccine supply. It gives a bit of protection if there are changes that occur later.”
READ MORE: Tasmanian Liberals secure majority
Adeshola Ore 8.26am: Moderna deal ‘diversifying’ vaccination program
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar says the country’s vaccine deal with Moderna will help ensure all Australians get the opportunity to be vaccinated.
The commonwealth has signed a deal for 25 million of the jabs which will offer a significant boost for the nation’s supply.
“It’s obviously diversifying, the sources of the vaccinations and, you know, 10 million vaccinations and 15 million boosters in addition to what we have been able to secure through Pfizer, obviously through AstraZeneca and our sovereign capability with respect to manufacture as well,” he told the ABC.
“It is diversifying, it’s another step along the road of keeping Australians and ensuring that in the end we are able to offer all Australians the opportunity to be vaccinated.”
On Wednesday, Labor attacked the Morrison government for what it said were mixed messages on budget assumptions regarding the vaccine timetable.
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Rhiannon Down 8.21am:Nation faces vaccine ‘sprint’ to Christmas
Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely says the pace of the nation’s vaccine rollout remained largely unchanged, despite reports overnight that Australia had secured 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine.
“It’s good to have another vaccine, so that’s good,’’he told Channel 7’s Sunrise. “They’re also giving us a vaccine that has been updated for new variants, so that’s good,”
“As far as getting all adults offered the vaccine by Christmas, it doesn’t change the maths on that too much.”
Professor Blakely said at the current rate of the vaccine rollout, the government still faced a “sprint” to vaccinate the whole population by the end of the year.
“We’re still having this big sprint from October through to Christmas where we’ll have to vaccinate 250,000 people a day,” he said.
“But it’s good to have diversity here with the mRNA vaccines with both Pfizer and Moderna.”
READ MORE: ABC demanding viewers reveal their details
Rhiannon Down8.14am:Victoria records zero local virus cases
Victoria has reported zero locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and one new case in hotel quarantine.
Reported yesterday: No new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 12, 2021
- 7,955 vaccine doses were administered
- 21,984 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/2vKbgKHFvv#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/x4DnRLhhw4
It comes just days after a Victorian man tested positive for the virus after leaving hotel quarantine in South Australia, leaving contact tracers scrambling to identify potentially hundreds of contacts after train routes, restaurants and shops were listed as exposure sites.
Authorities said potentially “many hundreds” of people were on the same train as the state’s latest coronavirus case following Friday night’s AFL clash between Geelong and Richmond.
Victoria recorded another day of zero cases on Wednesday, as the state braced for further infections to emerge.
READ MORE:‘Many hundreds’ on Covid-case train
Robert Gottliebsen8.07am: The dangers of taunting superpower China
Behind the 2021-22 budget is the stark realisation that there are few nations in the world more dependent on China than Australia.
And at the same time, as the Australian budget makes it clear to China that its “punishment” of Australia is not working, Chinese rhetoric is coming more threatening, with the Communist party’s People’s Daily accusing Australia of having a “pathological obsession” with war against China.
We are not going to allow our dependence on China to turn us into a China lapdog and we should stand up for our interests and our beliefs while working with our friends in the region.
READ Robert Gottliebsen’s full commentary here
Rhiannon Down 7.54am: Warning as Australia strikes deal for Moderna doses
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness chair Jane Halton has welcomed a new supply deal that will bring 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine to Australia.
Ms Halton said plans to manufacture mRNA vaccines onshore would be key to securing the country’s supply.
“That is the new technology we have seen both with Pfizer and Moderna and certainly I think Australia would be really advised, if possible, to think about having this kind of manufacturing onshore,” she told Channel 9’s Today.
“We have seen the disruption to supply and the delays that it causes if you can’t have vaccines made close to home.”
Ms Halton cautioned that developing manufacturing capacities would take “well over 12 months”.
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Rhiannon Down 7.46am: Thousands of Aussies allowed to leave, some many times
Tens of thousands of Australians have been permitted to leave the country during the pandemic, with many returning and departing multiple times.
Almost 14,000 travellers have been allowed to leave Australia more than once, with some coming and going as many as five times, according to Border Force data, the Herald Sun reports.
Some 134,758 Australian citizens and permanent residents were issued exemptions to travel overseas, including 37,456 for compassionate or humanitarian reasons, the data showed.
Another 13,762 Australians returned from overseas on more than one occasion between March 20 last year and April 20 this year.
The figure includes Defence Force members, airline staff and medical personnel, as well as those using the travel bubble with New Zealand.
More than 270,000 arrivals have undergone hotel quarantine in the course of the pandemic.
READ MORE:Border policy ‘not smart way to do it’
Rhiannon Down7.44am:Get on with making our own vaccines: Lambie
Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has called for Australia to ramp up its vaccine manufacturing capabilities, following the announcement of a new deal for 25 million Moderna jabs.
Senator Lambie expressed concern about the vaccine rollout and the nation’s reliance on imported jabs.
“It is a matter of first of all can we make it happen, and secondly, when is it going to happen,” she told Channel 9’s Today.
“They have been going on about manufacturing, manufacturing. Get on with it.”
Senator Lambie said the pandemic had served as a “warning” for Australia to become more self-reliant in the manufacturing space.
“We can’t even make a pen in Australia,” she said.
“Most of it is made in China. If that is not a wake-up call then I don’t know what will give us the wake-up too to be honest.”
READ MORE: Homegrown mRNA jabs closer to reality
Ben Packham7.00am: WHO ‘too slow’ in declaring fight against Covid
The World Health Organisation was too slow in declaring a public health emergency following the emergence of COVID-19 in China, and a “lost month” of inaction allowed the disease to spread out of control, an independent review has found.
The WHO-commissioned evaluation of its response to the deadly coronavirus, co-chaired by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke, found “valuable time was lost” to the agency’s overly bureaucratic processes and the “wait and see” approach of many countries.
The report called for a new global alert system to rapidly warn of potential pandemics without the approval of affected countries, and major reforms to strengthen the WHO’s independence from its member states.
It recommended heads of state lead a new Global Health Threats Council to ensure leadership on pandemic preparedness and urged rich nations to fund vaccines, drugs and medical supplies for the world.
READ the full story
Rhiannon Down6.30am:Australia secures deal for 25m Moderna jabs
Vaccine manufacturer Moderna has inked a deal with Australia for 25 million jabs in a significant boost for the nation’s supply.
The company said 10 million doses would be delivered by the end of the year, with a further 15 million of its booster vaccine in 2022.
The mRNA vaccine has reported an efficacy rate of 94 per cent, and has already been rolled out in the US, Europe and the UK. Australia has existing supply deals with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Novavax.
We announced a new supply agreement with Australia for 25 million doses of our COVID-19 vaccine, including 10 million doses of our vaccine against the ancestral strain for in 2021 & 15 million doses of our variant booster candidate for delivery in 2022: https://t.co/pqjgTSKMDnpic.twitter.com/F9qXU7TuSc
— Moderna (@moderna_tx) May 12, 2021
“We appreciate the partnership and support from the government of Australia with this first supply agreement for doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and our variant booster candidates,” Moderna chief executive Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.
“As we seek to protect people around the world with our COVID-19 vaccine and potentially our variant booster candidates, we look forward to continuing discussions with Australia about establishing potential local manufacturing opportunities.”
The announcement comes just days after rival vaccine supplier Novavax announced serious delays in delivering to Australia its contracted 51 million doses.
READ MORE:SA manufacturing facility for Pfizer, Moderna vaccines
Anne Barrowclough6am:Defence spending ‘risks economic carnage’: China
Beijing has threatened Australia with “economic carnage” over defence spending unveiled in Tuesday’s federal budget, warning LNG exports could be China’s next target for diversification.
An editorial in the Global Times, the CCP’s mouthpiece, claimed Canberra’s $270bn plan to rearm the nation revealed in the budget showed Australia planned to “continue and even escalate its confrontational approach toward China.”
“The Morrison government appears to be dead set on further escalating regional confrontation by substantially increasing investment in defence and national security,” the newspaper wrote.
“Ultimately, the defence spending could mean more carnage for the Australian economy.”
Opinion: Australia appears to be dead set on stirring more regional confrontation by substantially increasing investment in defense – in lockstep with the US’ plan to contain China. Such a move could mean more economic carnage for the country. https://t.co/EqDoiiAud2
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) May 12, 2021
The GT accused Canberra of caring less for trade and economic issues than “provocative political stunts” that threaten relations with China.
Referring to Bloomberg reports this week that two small Chinese LNG importers were told not to purchase Australian LNG next year, the paper warned: “While China is unlikely to issue (an) export ban without justified reasons, it doesn’t mean China won’t seek diversification of LNG supplies.
“In fact, China’s diversification push may cover more products.”
Blaming Australia’s “Relentless and unreasonable provocation” for such a move, it added: “A comprehensive counter plan is necessary to not just protect China’s interests but also deter any potential provocation from Canberra.”
READ MORE:New China trade ban threatens LNG exports
Yoni Bashan5.05am:Overseas students finally cleared to return
NSW will begin accepting international students within months and act without the commonwealth to revive its ailing education industry, after police and health officials signed off on a plan to accept arrivals using a quarantine system likely to be paid for by the university sector.
The proposal, accepted by the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, will permit overseas students to enter NSW and quarantine in Sydney using purpose-built housing, as vaccinations begin to ramp up across the general population.
Initial arrivals are expected to begin imminently — NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said he was hoping students would be channelled back into lecture halls and tutoring sessions by the start of this year’s second semester, or around August.
The plan deviates heavily from the federal government’s intention to prioritise stranded citizens abroad and comes as Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg insist the country’s borders should remain shut for the foreseeable future.
Read the full story, by Yoni Bashan and Charlie Peel, here.
Geoff Chambers5am:Frydenberg sets tax battlelines for next election
Josh Frydenberg has drawn election battlelines with Labor over his $130bn phase three tax cuts, warning that a failure to support them would leave middle-income earners hundreds of dollars a year worse off.
As the Treasurer pressured Labor to support the tax cuts due in mid-2024, Anthony Albanese said the budget failed to predict a boost to real wages despite record spending, and the nation would be left with “a trillion dollars of debt but nothing really to show for it’’.
In a National Press Club address at Parliament House, Mr Frydenberg declared his big-spending economic statement, headlined by a $31bn services package for the aged-care sector and National Disability Insurance Scheme, as a “Liberal budget” that stayed true to the Menzian tradition of getting more Australians into home ownership.
Read the full story, by Geoff Chambers and Patrick Commins, here.
Nicola Berkovic4.45am:Porter barrister ‘had access to confidential information’
Christian Porter’s high-profile defamation barrister is facing legal action to stop her representing the former attorney-general in his case against the ABC.
Jo Dyer, director of the Adelaide Writers Week, is seeking orders to stop Sue Chrysanthou SC from representing Mr Porter.
Ms Chrysanthou, who has previously represented actor Geoffrey Rush and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, has been accused of having access to confidential information related to Mr Porter’s case against the ABC provided to her by Ms Dyer.
Ms Dyer was a friend of a woman, known as Kate, who alleged she had been raped by Mr Porter in 1988 when she was 16 and Mr Porter was 17. She committed suicide in June last year.
Mr Porter, now Industry Minister, is suing the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan over an online article published on February 26, which reported that an unnamed cabinet minister was facing historical rape allegations.
Read the full story here.
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