PoliticsNow: Urgent search for ‘missing link’ in Victoria
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to find a ‘missing link’ after four people in Melbourne’s north tested positive for Covid.
- Four new cases confirmed in Victoria
- Victoria scrambles to probe new infections
- Wake-up call for Labor: Fitzgibbon
- Jab, go plan to beat lockdowns
- ‘Workers more aligned with Coalition’
Welcome to PoliticsNow, our live coverage of the latest headlines from Canberra as parliament resumes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Contact tracers have swung into urgent action as four local transmissions across two Melbourne households include a pre-school aged child.
Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has threatened to quit at the next election in the wake of a woeful result in the NSW Upper Hunter by-election.
Scott Morrison will take a draft proposal for travel exemptions, allowing vaccinated people to move between states in the event of Covid-19 lockdowns, to next week’s national cabinet under the next phase of Australia’s opening-up strategy.
Paul Garvey11.15pm: State rejects Palmer’s discrimination claim
The extraordinary legislation Western Australia introduced to kill off a $30 billion legal claim from Queensland billionaire Clive Palmer had nothing to do with the former MP’s state of origin, the state will argue.
WA solicitor-general Joshua Thomson has filed the state’s defence to Mr Palmer’s High Court challenge against the legislation, attacking Mr Palmer’s assertion that the state chose to legislate against him because he was a resident of Queensland.
The WA government last year successfully passed a law killing off Mr Palmer’s rights to sue the state over the state agreement governing his undeveloped Balmoral South iron ore project in the Pilbara. The two parties had been locked in legal arbitration over a claim from Mr Palmer that he was entitled to tens of billions in compensation due to WA’s rejection of two of his development proposals.
Yoni Bashan 10.20pm:Contenders test waters for NSW Labor leadership
Pressure was building against NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay on Monday as MPs considered her future and candidates lined up to put themselves forward as replacements.
The most likely contender, Kogarah MP Chris Minns, was known to be working the phones at the weekend to gauge internal support.
He and others, including opposition health spokesman Ryan Park, were said to lack sufficient numbers for a spill.
Matthew Denholm9.35pm:Pay for our green power: Premier
Mainland taxpayers should be willing to help pay for a second $3.5 billion power interconnector under Bass Strait, given it will provide access to Tasmania’s dispatchable green energy, says Premier Peter Gutwein.
Mr Gutwein said he believed private investors would back the project, pointing to private ownership of the current Basslink interconnector. However, he said funding from other states and federal taxpayers would be justified, given the benefit of more fully accessing Tasmania’s “Battery of the Nation”: renewable, dispatchable hydro power.
This would act as a “firming” power source, he said, supporting other states when the wind was not blowing nor the sun shining sufficiently to support their non-baseload renewables.
Nicholas Jensen 8.50pm: States update advice over Vic outbreak
South Australia and Western Australian have joined other states in issuing updated advice for travellers arriving from Victoria following the detection of four new Covid-19 cases in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
SA Health is instructing anyone who has visited any of the exposure sites listed on the Victorian Department of Health website to self-quarantine immediately and get tested for the virus.
Following the detection of new local cases of COVID-19 in Victoria, WA Health has issued advice for recent travellers from Victoria.
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) May 24, 2021
Anyone now in WA who visited exposure sites must get tested immediately for COVID-19 and quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure. pic.twitter.com/3J9rFdmXqh
In a statement, SA Health said: “If you have been in Victoria since May 6, monitor yourself for symptoms and get tested as soon as they develop, no matter how mild.
In Western Australia, acting chief health officer Paul Armstrong has introduced similar measures, saying anyone who had visited exposure sites in Victoria at the relevant times should also get tested and quarantine for the two weeks from the date of exposure.
“All other travellers from Victoria since May 6 should remain vigilant,” Professor Amstrong said.
“If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.”
READ MORE: Many reasons for us not be cheerful
AFP 8.30pm: Boris Johnson sets wedding date
Boris Johnson and his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, have set a wedding date for next year after delaying plans due to the pandemic, The Sun tabloid reported on Monday.
Known for his colourful love life, Mr Johnson will be only the second British prime minister ever to marry while in office, following Robert Jenkinson in 1822.
The couple have sent “save the date” cards for July 30 next year, The Sun reported.
When elected in 2019, the 56-year-old became the first prime minister to live at Downing Street as part of an unmarried couple.
Ms Symonds, a 33-year-old former head of communications for the Conservative Party, gave birth to their son, Wilfred, in April last year.
This was just weeks after Mr Johnson left intensive care as he recovered from a severe case of coronavirus.
The couple have lately been hit by a scandal over the costly redecoration of their Downing Street flat, which is being probed over allegations that contributions by a Tory party donor were not declared fully.
Mr Johnson has been married twice before. He had four children with his previous wife, lawyer Marina Wheeler, before they split in 2018. The couple only finalised their divorce last November.
Johnson also reportedly has a daughter born as the result of an affair.
READ MORE: Harry wanted therapy session filmed for Oprah
Adeshola Ore 8pm:Greens push for companies to repay JobKeeper
The Greens have joined forces with crossbench MP Craig Kelly to urge the Morrison government to force the repayment of JobKeeper from companies who made a profit during the pandemic.
Greens leader Adam Bandt on Monday tabled amendments to the federal budget appropriations bill. The amendments – seconded by Mr Kelly – called for the government to require companies, with an annual turnover of more than $50 million, that received JobKeeper and increased profits over the past year to repay the amount received from the government.
It would also apply to companies with the same turnover who paid executive bonuses or issued increased dividends. Earlier this month, the Senate supported a similar motion by the Greens.
AFP7.15pm:‘We are at war’ against Covid: UN chief
The world is “at war” against Covid-19, the UN chief said on Monday, urging the international community to adopt a war logic to halt the pandemic.
“We are at war with a virus. We need the logic and urgency of a war economy to boost the capacity of our weapons,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the opening of the World Health Organisation’s main annual meeting of member states.
READ MORE:‘Bring back buffet’ push to counter lack of staff
Rachel Baxendale 6.29pm:Victorian health authorities scramble to find ‘missing link’
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to find what they believe may be a “missing link” after four people in Melbourne’s north tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.
Thousands of Melburnians have been forced to quarantine after a swim school in the city’s northeast and the busy Highpoint shopping centre the west were listed as exposure sites visited by members of the cluster — who are from the same family but spread across two households.
The four cases have been identified as being in a man in his 30s, a
man and a woman in their 70s and a preschool-aged child, spread across
three households
No direct link has yet been established between any of the four and a man in his 30s who returned three weeks ago to Wollert, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts, having contracted coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel.
However, Health Minister Martin Foley said authorities’ “working thesis” was that the cluster was linked to the Wollert case, with genomic sequencing results expected to confirm or rule out that theory in coming days.
“The dates don’t line up immediately, so we can’t rule out if there is a missing link out there,” he said.
The cluster comes after Victoria‘s Health Department revealed on Friday that it had made a mistake almost a fortnight earlier when it declared Woolworths Epping, rather than Woolworths Epping North, as an exposure site the Wollert man had visited.
The revelation coincided with the detection of coronavirus fragments in sewage from the Epping and Wollert areas, with Mr Foley confirming on Monday that the wastewater result corresponded with the address of at least one of the new cases.
The cases have also emerged almost exactly a year after leaks from Melbourne quarantine hotels into communities of essential workers in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs sparked Victoria’s second wave of coronavirus, killing 800 people and prompting an 111 day lockdown.
Nicholas Jensen6.27pm:NT, Queensland update travel advice for Victoria
The Northern Territory and Queensland have joined NSW in updating their travel advice for anyone arriving from Victoria’s listed exposure sites, following the detection of four new Covid-19 cases in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Queensland Health says anyone who has entered the state after attending any of the Victorian exposure sites will need to quarantine for two weeks in state-arranged accommodation.
In a statement QLD Health said: “From 1am Wednesday May 26, if you are entering Queensland and have been to any of the Victorian exposure sites at the time specified, you will need to quarantine for 14 days in government-arranged accommodation.”
BREAKING: New requirements are in place after four people from the northern suburbs of Melbourne tested positive to COVID-19.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 24, 2021
Find the list of locations here: https://t.co/T0b6Rt0UMI#COVID19pic.twitter.com/uk0DUHiCRN
“You must also get tested immediately and quarantine in your home or accommodation.”
The Northern Territory’s chief health officer has also announced new testing and quarantine requirements in response to the Melbourne cases.
From midnight tonight, NT Health will be instructing anyone who has attended a Tier 1 exposure site in Melbourne to undertake two weeks of supervised quarantine.
“Anyone who attended a Tier 1 site then arrived in the NT between May 16 and midnight tonight will also be required to get tested and self-isolate until two weeks have passed from the date of your visit.”
Further updates from state and territory health departments are expected later this evening.
Adeshola Ore 6.06pm:Greens join forces with Craig Kelly on JobKeeper
The Greens have joined forces with crossbench MP Craig Kelly to urge the Morrison government to force the repayment of JobKeeper from companies who made a profit during the pandemic.
Greens leader Adam Bandt on Monday tabled amendments to the federal budget appropriations bill. The amendments — seconded by Mr Kelly — called for the government to require companies, with an annual turnover of more than $50 million, that received JobKeeeper and increased profits over the past year to repay the amount received from the government.
It would also apply to companies with the same turnover who paid executive bonuses or issued increased dividends. Earlier this month, the Senate supported a similar motion by the Greens.
Mr Bandt told the lower house that the federal government’s budget had delivered “hand outs to the big corporations” and “tax cuts for billionaires.”
“This government, in this budget, is allowing big corporations who have made giant profits and handed over bonuses to their executives and wealthy directors to keep public money that was meant to be for worker’s wages,” he said.
Richard Ferguson6.01pm:Kiwis to get earlier residency path
New Zealanders on temporary visas will be given an easier path to permanent residency in Australia in the coming months.
From July 1, the Morrison government will amend the New Zealand pathway scheme to allow temporary visa holders greater flexibility to meet residency income thresholds if their work was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
New Zealanders on temporary arrangements who had to spend time offshore due to COVID-19 will also not be penalised by the Department of Home Affairs for leaving the country.
The visa changes come days before Scott Morrison prepares to fly to Queenstown this coming weekend to meet with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said on Monday the changes reflected the closeness of the Australian-New Zealand relationship, marked by the fact the two countries now have a world-first pandemic travel bubble between them.
Matthew Denholm5.40pm: Tasmanian restrictions on Whittlesea visitors
Tasmania has imposed quarantine restrictions on anyone who has been in certain areas of Melbourne’s City of Whittlesea.
“Anyone intending to travel to Tasmania who has been to any of these locations will not be permitted to enter the state unless approved as an essential traveller,” said Public Health Director Mark Veitch.
“Any affected travellers will need to apply to the deputy state controller to enter the state via the G2G PASS system. If allowed to enter they will be required to quarantine for 14 days and be tested in the first few days and last few days of this period. Hotel quarantine fees may apply.
“Anyone who has been in Melbourne, and in particular the City of Whittlesea area, since 5 May and who is now in Tasmania, should closely monitor themselves for any symptoms. If they develop any cold or flu symptoms, they should immediately isolate and get tested for Covid-19.”
READ MORE:SA offers Covid vaccine to teens
Shae McDonald5.35pm: Premier gets jab ... but not for Covid
Annastacia Palaszczuk has finally rolled up her sleeve after days of outrage – but not for the vaccination you might think.
The Queensland premier and chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young received the flu vaccine on Monday afternoon.
Ms Palaszczuk confirmed the pair would get their Covid‐19 jabs in two weeks time.
Pressure has been mounting on Ms Palaszczuk to get the vaccine, after she became Australia’s only eligible premier not to roll up her sleeve.
Despite being over the age of 50, it’s unclear whether she will get the AstraZeneca vaccine or the Pfizer one.
“I’ll be talking to my GP in two weeks’ time,” she said on Monday.
“I’m happy with either.”
Ms Palaszczuk said it would depend on whether she was required to go to Tokyo with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the coming weeks.
Rhiannon Tuffield5.25pm: Exposure site alerts for Melbourne amid new cases
A shopping centre and a swim school in Melbourne are the most recent exposure sites listed for Melbourne amid its new Covid-19 outbreak, but there are warnings there are more to come.
The Health Department is also looking into whether the infected people were vaccinated.
Two new sites have been listed as exposure sites: the Jump swim school in Bundoora on May 21 from 8.55am – 10.15am, and the Highpoint Shopping Centre on May 20 from 5-8pm.
Further investigations may lead to more primary close contacts and other second rings of contacts being identified, as well as further exposure sites.
Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton said the first case to test positive, a man, was likely highly infectious.
“The viral load was high and with close contacts becoming positive, he is likely to be quite infectious,” Professor Sutton said.
“There (was) not a huge number of close contacts but we have to go through the interview process to identify anyone else.
“We have to ready ourselves for any other positives and when there are close contacts who do become positive, that raises the possibility that even a casual contact could become positive as well.”
Genomic sequencing is being done to determine if the cases are linked to the infected-man who flew to Melbourne after being released from hotel quarantine in Adelaide.
It comes after Professor Sutton issued a warning on Friday about a “worrying” situation in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Traces of COVID-19 were last Thursday picked up in wastewater in the Epping and Wollert areas, almost three weeks after the city reported the positive COVID case of the man who became infected in Adelaide hotel quarantine.
In light of the wastewater results contact tracers reviewed the man’s movements.
This led to them realising they had missed Woolworths Epping North supermarket as an exposure site.
It is located at the corner of Epping Road and Lyndarum Drive and the man went there from 5.40pm to 6.38pm on May 8.
The original exposure site – which was an error – was Woolworths Epping, at the corner of Cooper and High Streets, which is adjacent to other exposure sites.
READ MORE:Urgent virus alert for shopping centre
Nicholas Jensen4.55pm: New cases prompt NSW update to Vic travel advice
NSW Health has updated its advice on travellers from the Greater Melbourne area and reminded travellers they must complete a declaration confirming they have not attended any of the exposure sites listed by the Victorian Health Department.
NSW Health said it continues to monitor the situation in Victoria, as local health authorities and contact tracers investigate four COVID-19 cases detected in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Travellers who have been in the Whittlesea area should not visit residential aged care facilities, or hospitals unless seeking medical attention.
The Whittlesea area includes Beveridge, Donnybrook, Doreen, Eden Park, Epping, Humevale, Kinglake West, Lalor, Mernda, Mill Park, South Morang, Thomastown, Whittlesea, Wollert, Woodstock and Yan Yean.
The declaration form is available on the Service NSW website, and can be completed in the 24-hour period before entering NSW or on arrival.
NSW Health will be contacting people who have completed declarations to ask them to check the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services website and immediately follow the outlined public health advice.
PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT - MELBOURNE pic.twitter.com/boA86UH9tX
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 24, 2021
Adeshola Ore4.30pm: More than 5800 disability care residents now vaccinated
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has provided parliament with updated figures on the number of disability care residents that have been vaccinated against coronavirus, telling parliament that more than 5000 people in this cohort have been inoculated.
At a disability royal commission hearing last week, federal health bureaucrats revealed less than 1000 or 5 per cent of Australians with a disability who live in supported accommodation had been vaccinated against coronavirus, despite being in phase 1a.
But Mr Morrison told question time the initial estimates had been revised through “directly contacting people within the National Disability Insurance Scheme program which hadn’t been picked up in the earlier reviews.”
“That is 8400 doses that have been delivered in that setting for some 5875 people,” he said.
Mr Morrison also acknowledged that the commonwealth was not making enough progress on its vaccine rollout for Australians with a disability living in care and said the government was working to ensure the in-reach services would be “better targeted.”
Nicholas Jensen4.15pm: Expect more exposure site alerts: Sutton
Professor Sutton said Victorians should expect more tier one sites to be listed in the coming days.
“When we go through the interview process with these additional cases there will be further exposure sites,” he said.
“We are working on a hypothesis of local transmission and (the) special focus is in the city of Whittlesea but everyone across Victoria really needs to be mindful of symptoms.”
Professor Sutton has urged Victorians to continue to get tested and look for exposure site updates.
Greg Brown4.10pm: Paterson Labor MP fears for her Hunter seat
Paterson MP Meryl Swanson says she is “absolutely” concerned her Hunter Valley seat was at risk of being lost by Labor at the next election.
Ms Swanson said she would be a “fool” to not take lessons from Labor’s disastrous loss in the Upper Hunter.
“Of course I am concerned. And that is why I am working my guts out to represent my community as well as I can,” Ms Swanson said.
“Every election is a timestamp on how people are feeling and faring, their opportunity to send a message. So you ignore them at your own peril.”
Ms Swanson said Labor needed to reassure people that “that we are not leaving them behind, that they are not forgotten, that we value them, we value the jobs they do”.
“I think we have mucked up that message in the past,” Ms Swanson said.
“We are getting back on with it and we need to keep reassuring people that we stand for them.”
READ MORE:Nationals’ win deepens ALP disarray on energy
Nicholas Jensen4.05pm: Alert as child who tested positive had swimming lesson
Victorian Health Minister Foley says that one of the individuals who tested positive lives within the waste water catchment areas “that produced the strong detection that we reported last Friday”.
However, he said there was no indication that these individuals are linked to any of the exposure sites from the previous alert case.
“Officials are going to continue investigating the situation and will continue to interview and test all of the individuals and their contacts over the coming hours and days,” Mr Foley said.
Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton said the child who tested positive for the virus attended a swimming lesson.
“We don’t know the number of attendees and that’s why we are putting the call out now.”
Nicholas Jensen3.50pm: Four new local cases hit Victoria
The Victorian Health Department has confirmed four local cases of Covid-19 after health authorities investigated two likely infections in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
The two new cases have been detected in a woman and a pre-school aged child, both of whom reside in the Melbourne town of Whittlesea.
The new positive cases are family members of the first case recorded earlier today.
Case one presented for testing on May 23 due to symptoms he was experiencing which he had from May 20. The man was joined at the testing centre by a male relative who was asymptomatic.
The Jump Swim School in Bundoora on May 21 has been added to exposure sites. The Highpoint Shopping Centre on May 20 has also been added to the list.
Victorian Minister for Health Martin Foley says genomic sequencing is currently underway to work out the source of the infection.
The Victorian Health Department is not ruling out a link to hotel quarantine and the new cases, particularly the case who completed quarantine in Adelaide and then later tested positive in Melbourne.
Victoria’s Health Department revealed on Friday that it had made a mistake almost a fortnight earlier when it declared Woolworths Epping, rather than Woolworths Epping North, as an exposure site the man had visited.
Rachel Baxendale 3.02pm: One more Victorian outbreak and ‘minister should lose job’
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien says that if a coronavirus outbreak results from a bungle by contact tracers who named the wrong supermarket as an exposure site, Health Minister Martin Foley should lose his job.
Mr Foley and chief health officer Brett Sutton are due to address the media at 3.30pm on Monday after the health department learnt of two likely coronavirus cases in Melbourne’s northern suburbs on Monday morning.
It is yet to be confirmed whether the cases are linked to that of a man in his 30s who contracted coronavirus in South Australian hotel quarantine before travelling back to his home in the outer northern Melbourne suburb of Wollert almost three weeks ago.
On Friday, Victoria’s Health Department revealed it had made a mistake almost a fortnight earlier when it declared Woolworths Epping, rather than Woolworths Epping North, as an exposure site the man had visited.
The revelation coincided with the detection of coronavirus fragments in sewage from the Epping and Wollert areas.
Mr O’Brien said the Andrews government had “created” Victoria’s second wave of coronavirus “through its own incompetence”.
“They promised us they’ve learnt the lessons, and it seems that they haven’t. If we get another outbreak in Melbourne because this government didn’t do the basics right, then frankly, the Health Minister, and other ministers, need to lose their jobs because Victorians should not pay the price for a government that just gets it wrong too often,” he said.
“The government didn’t work hard to secure our recovery, Victorians have worked hard to secure our recovery, and every time the government makes another stuff up that puts the rest of us at risk, they’re putting at risk all that hard work that Victorians did throughout 2020.”
David Ross 2.57pm:Pandemic class action looms against insurers
Law firm Gadens is about to launch a class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against a suite of insurers who have blocked pandemic related business interruption claims from Victorian businesses.
A number of pubs and restaurants with claims nearing $20m have engaged Gadens, backed by litigation funder Court House Capital, to take on the insurers.
Gadens has also indicated it would file a number of further business interruption claims in the Supreme Court from more Melbourne based businesses.
The move comes after months of back-and-forth battles in the courts between insurers and insureds over insurance claims arising from business shutdowns and closures relating to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Major listed insurer QBE is currently running a test case in the Federal Court examining a question of Victorian property law in a bid to determine whether claims from the virus-hit state should be accepted.
READ MORE: Probe uncovers failings in commercial insurance
Adeshola Ore2.53pm: PM defends domestic vaccine passport proposal
Scott Morrison has defended his proposal for a domestic vaccine passport, despite resistance from several state premiers about the initiative.
The Prime Minister will take a plan to next week’s national cabinet to allow vaccinated Australians to move between states in the event of covid-19 lockdowns,
Mr Morrison told parliament the proposal was put to him by the president of the Australian Medical Association during his trip to Western Australia.
He said it would be “very helpful” if vaccinated Australians were exempt from state border restrictions.
“I would have hoped that would be a good suggestion particularly for those living in border communities where they have been fully vaccinated and in the rather extreme situation if border arrangements were put in place by state governments, not by the federal government,” he said.
READ MORE: Premier against quick border reopening
OLIVIA CAISLEY2.46pm: Department ‘heavily focused’ on Leppington land company
The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development was “heavily focused on maintaining a positive relationship” with the company from which it purchased a 12.26-hectare land parcel, known as the Leppington Triangle, for 10 times more than its value, an independent review has found.
The federal government was criticised last year after a report from the Auditor-General found it had paid almost $30 million for a parcel of land next to the proposed Western Sydney Airport, which was only valued at $3 million.
It was purchased with the aim of eventually using the land as part of the airport’s second runway in 2050.
A separate independent probe from Sententia Consulting, tabled in Senate estimates on Monday, supports many of the conclusions of the ANAO regarding poor process around the acquisition, however found “no evidence” of “poor integrity, criminal activity or personal benefit for officers involved in the transaction”.
However, the independent review acknowledges that government officials “exposed the acquisition to unnecessary risk” and “failed to apply key process controls” to ensure the government’s outcomes were achieved.
The independent review said department officials were “heavily focused on maintaining a positive relationship with Leppington Pastoral Corporation, and was less clear on how broader risks to the success of the acquisition, including the risk of not achieving value for money, would be managed”.
“...While there is no question that the likely future benefit from the acquisition is significant, it has come at a high reputational cost to the Department.”
Adeshola Ore2.42pm: Frydenberg lashes labor over tax cuts
Josh Frydenberg has used question time to lash the Labor Party for not revealing its stance on the Morrison government’s stage three tax cuts.
The Treasurer accused Labor of being divided over its position on the tax cuts.
“The leader of the opposition said in March that by the budget he would tell us their position on stage 3 tax cuts,” he said.
“Now, the member for Rankin tells us that he’s in no rush. He is no big fan. He is no big fan of the legislated tax cuts.”
The Treasurer also lashed Labor for warning that the ending of the JobKeeper wage subsidy would have severe consequences for workers and small businesses.
“The only thing that came crashing down with the end of JobKeeper was the leader of the opposition’s economic credibility or whatever he thought he had,” he said.
READ MORE:Coalition to savage Labor tax wobbles
Adeshola Ore 2.31pm:Review into Higgins rape allegations ‘being finalised’
Scott Morrison says an internal review about workplace incidents in parliament house, prompted by Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation, is close to being finalised.
The Prime Minister tasked Cabinet Deputy Secretary Stephanie Foster to review the processes for workplace allegations and establish an automatic reporting process for department officials.
During question time on Monday, Anthony Albanese seized on a revelation from Senate estimates which he said revealed two years since the alleged there had been “no changes in the way this building responds to serious incidents.”
“I am expecting very shortly a report from the Deputy Secretary who is very close to finalising her report,” Mr Morrion said.
Mr Morrison said he looked forward to working with Labor to implement the recommendations in the report and flagged the establishment of an independent complaint process.
He also said soon after the reporting of Ms Higgins’ allegation a counselling service had been set up with expanded hours.
Joseph Lam2.23pm: SA to offer vaccines to under 18s from tomorrow
South Australia has become the first Australian state to offer Covid-19 vaccines to those under the age of 18, with those in regional areas eligible from Tuesday.
State Premier Steven Marshall announced the decision on Monday telling the ABC it would help South Australia ramp up its vaccine rollout.
“It’s really important that when people are eligible to go and have their jab, that’s exactly and precisely what they do,” Mr Marshall told the ABC.
“We’ve worked very hard to increase our country capacity.”
It’s understood that at least 35 country clinics will offer the vaccine, some of which may only offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to over 50s and the Pfizer vaccine to under 50s.
Across all other states, the vaccine is not yet approved for anyone under the age of 18 however Australia Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid on Monday said they expect children will be eligible for vaccines before the end of the year.
Nicola Berkovic2.14pm: Porter’s barrister: Conflict ‘storm in a tea cup’
Lawyers for Christian Porter’s high-profile barrister say allegations she has a conflict of interest representing him in his case against the ABC are a “storm in a teacup”.
However, a court has heard defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC was warned by another barrister not to accept Mr Porter’s brief because she was conflicted.
Jo Dyer, director of the Adelaide Writers Week, has sought orders in the Federal Court to stop barrister Ms Chrysanthou from representing the former attorney-general in his defamation action against the ABC.
Ms Chrysanthou has been accused by Ms Dyer of having access to confidential information related to Mr Porter’s case against the ABC, provided while she was advising Ms Dyer on another matter.
Ms Dyer is not a party to Mr Porter’s defamation case against the ABC.
However, she 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. Kate committed suicide in June last year.
Mr Porter’s barrister Christopher Withers SC told the Federal Court on Monday that Ms Chrysanthou gave “some very limited advice” to Ms Dyer at a meeting on November 20 that lasted about an hour or an hour-and-a-half.
The advice related to an article that appeared in The Australian newspaper, written by columnist Janet Albrechtsen, that had caused concern to Ms Dyer, he said.
Ms Dyer’s legal team had not properly provided any detail of what was said to have been confidential at that meeting, to assess whether it was in the public domain or already known to the ABC and Mr Porter, or if it was relevant to the defamation case, Mr Withers said.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 2.01pm: Melbourne cases ‘stark reminder’ for vaccination
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says two likely positive cases of coronavirus in Melbourne’s north is a “stark reminder” about the importance of getting vaccinated.
Professor Kelly said Australia had been in a “good position” regarding the low number of locally acquired cases, but warned it could change quickly.
“Do not wait to get your vaccine, we are approaching winter very quickly,” he said.
“We’ve seen these two cases now emerging in Melbourne, it’s a stark reminder if you are on the list to get a vaccine.”
“Please do not hesitate to do that.”
The Morrison government has warned Australians aged over 50 they would not be at the front of the queue for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they delay getting vaccinated with an AstraZeneca shot.
READ MORE: Is this the answer to cruising’s big problem?
Adeshola Ore 1.48pm: Updated health safety advice on AstraZeneca jab
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says Australia’s vaccine safety body’s updated advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine has provided greater certainty on who can receive the jab, as the federal government urges the over 50s age group to get inoculated.
Over the weekend, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation issued new advice, affirming the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people with a history of many blood clotting disorders
Professor Kelly said the updated advice meant “most people over 50” were eligible for the shot.
“There are very few contraindications that have been narrowed down significantly from the statement for people who shouldn’t have the vaccine,” he said.
“As we increase the number of vaccines, we expect to have more cases of this disorder but there are 25 so far, we had one unfortunate death that was reported in the media when it happened up in the Hunter.”
“There are only two remaining in hospital, all the others have gone home, they responded to the treatment and it’s really testament to the information is gone out to all doctors and to people that are having the vaccine about what symptoms to watch out for, to get looked at quickly to be diagnosed properly, and to be treated properly.”
More than 3.6 million covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the country.
Commodore Eric Young who is managing the logistics of distributing vaccines, said 512,000 doses were administered last week.
“Last week was our biggest week,” he said.
“That included a record day last Thursday of 101,146 doses recorded.”
READ MORE:Feds need a shot of leadership on borders
Rachel Baxendale 1.28pm:Victoria scrambles to probe new infections
The Andrews government’s cabinet is expected to receive a briefing from health authorities at its regular meeting on Monday afternoon as contact tracers scramble to investigate two likely coronavirus cases detected in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said the pair, who are connected to one another, were being urgently retested, isolating, and participating in extensive contact tracing interviews, as she appeared at a press conference on Monday morning to mark the completion of tunnel boring on Melbourne’s Metro rail project.
“As we receive more information from those investigations and from those interviews, we will be updating the Victorian community on whether those likely cases have become positive or negative, and also any information that needs to be provided, for example any potential exposure sites. This information will be provided once those interviews and investigations have concluded,” Ms Allan said.
“Cabinet is meeting today, where we receive a report from the healthcare staff about the Covid situation here in Victoria, and we’ll get that update this afternoon from the Health Minister, also too remembering that the teams are working around the clock right now to gather the additional information that’s needed to most importantly provide that information to the Victorian community.”
Ms Allan said she had not been briefed regarding the connection between the two likely cases, and it was “too soon” to draw any conclusions about a connection between them and the case of a man in his 30s who contracted coronavirus in South Australian hotel quarantine before travelling back to his home in the outer northern Melbourne suburb of Wollert almost three weeks ago.
She encouraged Victorians to monitor themselves for coronavirus symptoms, get tested, ensure they check in to public venues using QR codes, and wear masks on public transport.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore12.54pm: Payne condemns Belarus hijacking of blogger
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says Australia “strongly condemns” the Belarus government’s interception of a Ryanair flight carrying a wanted opposition activist and is calling for his immediate release.
World leaders have described the intervention and subsequent arrest of the opposition blogger Roman Protasevich on Sunday as a “hijacking” and an “act of state terrorism”
Senator Payne said Australia supported a full investigation into the incident and would engage with its allies in response to the act.
Australia strongly condemns the interception and forced landing of a commercial flight by the Government of Belarus, and the subsequent arrest of a Belarusian opposition blogger. Australia will engage with allies and partners in the response to this act.https://t.co/nFnODTydde
— Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) May 24, 2021
She said the government was also concerned about reports the Belarusian Government allegedly grounded the flight on the false pretence of a security threat.
“This unprecedented action put innocent lives of airline passengers at risk and was a clear breach of the international standards that underpin civil aviation,” Senator Payne said.
“It forms part of a campaign of repression against free speech in Belarus — including electoral manipulation, and arrests of journalists and free speech advocates.”
READ MORE: Belarus ‘hijacks’ plane to arrest journalist
Agencies 12.48pm: Coup claims as Samoa PM-elect locked out of parliament
Samoa’s prime minister-elect was locked out of the Pacific nation’s parliament in extraordinary scenes Monday, as her political rival refused to accept electoral defeat prompting claims of a coup.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa arrived at parliament ready to be appointed Samoa’s first female prime minister, accompanied by judges in formal robes and horsehair wigs whose job was to witness her swearing in.
Instead, they were barred from entering the parliamentary chamber as police looked on while her supporters sang hymns and called for the results of an April 9 general election to be honoured.
“We need brave Samoans right now ... to uphold our election,” Mata’afa told the crowd gathered in the parliamentary grounds.
After 22 years in office, incumbent Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has refused to relinquish power, even though the courts have confirmed Mata’afa secured a narrow one-seat majority in last month’s vote.
Mata’afa has accused Malielegaoi of threatening Samoa’s democracy. “This is an illegal takeover of government, that’s what coups are,” she told New Zealand’s Newshub on Sunday.
“We have to fight this because we want to retain this country as a country that is democratically ruled, premised on the rule of law.” Parliament was supposed to convene on Monday morning with a ceremony led by Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese.
He led a procession of judges from the Supreme Court to parliament, but when confronted with a locked door they turned around and headed back to the courthouse.
Mata’afa and hundreds of supporters remained in the parliamentary grounds for about an hour, singing and making speeches.
—AFP
READ MORE: Healthy Suu Kyi ready for court
Joseph Lam 11.55am:Vaccinated to get protections others won’t: Premier
Gladys Berejiklian says Australians should not even begin to think about international travel before the majority of the country is vaccinated.
The NSW Premier on Monday said getting the majority of her state vaccinated as soon as possible was a “Team NSW” goal.
“We can’t think about opening international borders or using restrictions or going back to normal or a COVID normal state until the vast majority of our vaccinated population is vaccinated,” she said.
While Ms Berejiklian maintained she did not “believe” in domestic borders, there would be benefits outside of protection against the virus for those who get vaccinated.
“I think moving forward there is no doubt that people who are vaccinated will have extra protections that others don’t,” Ms Berejiklian said.
However, what those protections are, are not yet on the radar.
“I think it’s too early to weigh into that at this stage. Our focus is to build-up our systems, get people coming through the doors, whether it’s the GP clinical one of the hubs around the state as much as possible and our conversation we can have over the next few months.”
READ MORE:New vaccine promise for Australians
Joseph Lam 11.30am: NSW strategy: as many jabs in arms as possible
NSW recorded two new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, both which were along overseas returned travellers.
The news arrived as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklians confirmed that GPs in her state are struggling to access Covid-19 vaccines.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 24, 2021
Two overseas-acquired cases were reported in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,383. pic.twitter.com/C940yvKdup
“As the GPs have outlined, there are some issues in terms of GPs getting access to all the doses they want,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The premier said she would seek to settle issues of access in the National Cabinet but ultimately it was a decision in the federal government’s hand.
“As soon as possible we would like to get as many jabs in arms but I’m fortunately the states don’t control the number of doses we get when we get them but we do know until the end of September we have enough doses to meet demand.”
Ben Packham11.25am:‘Drums of war’ message not meant to be alarming
Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo says his “Drums of War” Anzac Day message was not intended to be alarming, or be “a warning of imminent danger”.
Mr Pezzullo said the message, in which he declared Australia must be prepared “to send off, yet again, our warriors to fight” – was not a statement of policy but a guide to staff “to give them a contextualised view of how I see the world and how they should think about their activities”.
“It is clearly on its face not a statement of policy – that is a matter for ministers to outline - nor I would contend is it an assessment or a warning of imminent danger,” Mr Pezzullo said.
“The chances of miscalculation … are such that you always have to be vigilant. There is no point in being panicked or alarmed, but always have to be vigilant, and alert and prepared.”
He said he provided a copy of the speech to Home Affairs Minister Kafren Andrews as a courtesy, but did not require her approval to publish it.
He said he did not discuss it with his former minister Peter Dutton or his office.
Under questioning from Greens Senator Nick McKim, Mr Pezzullo declined to name China as the source of the “beating drums”.
He also declined to comment on the inconsistency between his message and the 2020 Defence Strategic Update which found the prospect of a high-intensity conflict in the Indo-Pacific was unlikely.
“It’s not really in my portfolio,” Mr Pezzullo said.
Adeshola Ore11.08am:Melbourne cases ‘highlight need to get vaccinated’
Trade Minister Dan Tehan says two likely positive cases of coronavirus in Melbourne’s north highlights the importance of Australians over 50 getting vaccinated as soon as possible.
Media statement: two likely positive cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 24, 2021
To see where to get tested, visit https://t.co/WZI0U7BRyWpic.twitter.com/MrmiPpqMiF
The federal government promised two million Pfizer doses would be available each week from the start of October, meaning every Australian who wants to get the jab could have both doses by the end of December. But the Morrison government also warned Australians aged over 50 they would not be at the front of the queue for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they delay getting vaccinated with an AstraZeneca shot.
“What this potential outbreak of these two cases in Victoria shows is that the virus can’t be contained through borders,” he told Sky News.
“It’s a very good first step against it but, obviously, we still have to make sure we’re vaccinating our population against that and we need to be encouraging everyone to get out there and get vaccinated as quickly as possible for over 50s.”
READ MORE: Intelligence on Wuhan sick staff fuels lab leak theory
Geoff Chambers11.01am: Labor MP Conroy pushes back against Fitzgibbon
Senior Labor MP Pat Conroy - whose Shortland electorate is being targeted by the Coalition - has pushed back against Joel Fitzgibbon on the Upper Hunter by-election result and declared there were zero federal implications for Anthony Albanese.
Mr Conroy, who suffered a 10 per cent primary vote swing in Shortland at the 2019 election, said he disagreed with Mr Fitzgibbon on the government’s $600m Kurri Kurri gas power plant in the Labor-held seat of Paterson.
“I agree with what Chris Bowen said that this is a massive white elephant that will employ ten people. I have the biggest gas-fired power station in NSW in my electorate. Last year it ran for 54-hours,” Mr Conroy told The Australian.
Mr Conroy conceded pandemic incumbency played a role in NSW Labor’s poor result on Saturday and said it was “ultimately about how Gladys Berejiklian handled the pandemic”.
“Federally, it’s about secure jobs, when do we get our next payrise, it’s about cost of living and it’s about repairing Medicare that people feel everytime they go to a doctor and pay a massive gap. They’re the bread and butter issues that people care about,” he said.
“Obviously the Opposition gets less media focus than they used to and that’s understandable. That makes it more difficult. But if you look at the public polling all the state Premiers have seen a massive boost in their approval ratings and that’s translated through to a massive boost in their two-party voting intentions. That hasn’t occurred at the federal level.
“The voting intentions at a federal level have been very static and very close for two years now.”
Mr Conroy, an ally of Mr Albanese, said he was on the Upper Hunter booths on Saturday and “not a single person raised federal issues with me”.
“If this has federal implications how does the massive Labor victories in Queensland and Western Australia not have federal implications?”
“It’s worth pointing out in Muswellbrook, which is one of the two most significant coal mining parts of the seat, we got a very healthy swing towards us. Anyone who’s saying there’s massive federal lessons out of this I think is not being accurate.”
Rachel Baxendale10.47am: Wrong Woolies declared a Covid exposure site
Victoria’s two new likely cases of Covid-19 follow a health department issued late on Friday, urging people who had visited the outer northern Melbourne suburb of Epping to be vigilant for coronavirus symptoms, after the department declared the wrong supermarket as an exposure site almost a fortnight ago.
The department became aware of its mistake after coronavirus fragments were detected in wastewater in the Epping and Wollert areas late last week.
Victorians were urged to get tested a fortnight ago, when it emerged on May 10 that a man in his 30s had contracted coronavirus in South Australian quarantine hotel before travelling home to Wollert on May 4.
More than 100 close contacts of the man subsequently isolated, as did those who had visited the Woolworths Epping supermarket, which was classified as an exposure site due to its proximity to another shop the man had visited and the fact that his bank records listed the store he had visited as “Woolworths Epping”.
It was not until Friday that the health department realised the man had in fact visited Woolworths Epping North.
The health department is expected to call a press conference to discuss the likely new cases later on Monday.
READ MORE: Victoria reveals two ‘likely’ new Covid cases
Adeshola Ore 10.20am:Travel passports a ‘thought bubble’
Anthony Albanese has slammed Scott Morrison’s proposal for domestic travel passports, accusing the government of merely delivering “thought bubbles” to distract against delays with the vaccine rollout.
The Prime Minister will take a plan to next week’s national cabinet to allow vaccinated Australians to move between states in the event of COVID-19 lockdowns, despite several state premiers questioning the timing and effectiveness of an internal vaccination passport.
The Opposition Leader accused Mr Morrison of trying to conceal “debate about his failure when it comes to the rollout of the vaccine.”
“They [the federal government] still haven’t met the target of four million they say would be vaccinated by the end of March,” he said.
“We have a Prime Minister who criticises state governments for having borders closed but now wants passports for Australians to travel across state boundaries. What are you going to do? Have passport police set up between Tweed Heads and the Gold Coast?”
READ MORE:Oriel – Unsure about the vaccine? Check your privilege
Greg Brown 10.24am:Albanese plays down coal role in by-election result
Anthony Albanese has played down any impact of the coal sector on the Upper Hunter by-election result, while sticking by his decision to oppose a gas-fired power station in the region.
“The biggest election commitment that the state Coalition gave during this by-election was $200m to not build a coalmine in the electorate of Upper Hunter; the Shenhua coalmine,” Mr Albanese said.
“That was the biggest commitment they gave in this election campaign.”
READ MORE: Ticky Fullerton – Gas plant a no-brainer politically
Rachel Baxendale 10.12am:Two likely Covid cases identified in Melbourne
Victoria’s Health Department has been notified of two likely positive cases of coronavirus in Melbourne’s north.
The department issued a press release shorting after 10am on Monday, saying the two individuals were connected.
Media statement: two likely positive cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 24, 2021
To see where to get tested, visit https://t.co/WZI0U7BRyWpic.twitter.com/MrmiPpqMiF
“A full investigation is underway into these results, and initial public health actions are being put in place while both individuals isolate and are urgently tested,” the department said.
“We will communicate any specific public health actions the community needs to undertake as soon as possible when investigations and case interviews are complete.
“Until then, remember to observe key COVIDsafe behaviours: get tested if you hae any symptoms at all, check in at venues, and always wear masks on public transport, including rideshare vehicles.”
Greg Brown 10.03am:Fitzgibbon threatens to quit if Labor doesn't ‘wake up’
Joel Fitzgibbon has threatened to quit parliament at the next election if the federal Labor party doesn’t “wake up to itself”.
“I plan to run for parliament at the next federal election. I was out doing the inevitable fundraising last week. I’m still working as hard in my election as I ever have,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“But I will say this: I won’t stick around if the Labor Party doesn’t wake up to itself.”
NSW Labor’s primary vote slid backwards by 7 per cent as the Nationals increased their margin and secured a victory in the crucial Upper Hunter by-election on Saturday.
Adeshola Ore 9.44am:Travel exemptions for the vaccinated ‘provides certainty’
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham says a draft proposal for domestic travel exemptions for vaccinated people will provide greater certainty for inoculated Australians.
Scott Morrison will take a plan to next week’s national cabinet to allow vaccinated Australians to move between states in the event of Covid-19 lockdowns, despite several state premiers questioning the timing and effectiveness of an internal vaccination passport.
Senator Birmingham said ensuring the domestic borders remained open was a key priority for the government.
“It’s not unreasonable though to be talking through with the states whether those vaccinated Australians can move more freely. It has to be based firmly and squarely on the health advice,” he told ABC Radio.
READ MORE: Covid affecting generations differently
Joseph Lam9.34am:GPs frustrated over ‘slow and deliberate’ vaccine rollout
Medical practitioners are frustrated over the “slow and deliberate fashion” of the vaccine rollout which has left some GPs booked out weeks in advance and others with piles of vaccines sitting in a fridge.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners director Charlotte Hesby on Monday told Sky News there were a number of issues surrounding GPs, especially those who did not register early interest in vaccinating the public.
“They’ve actually said they’re not going to increase the number of GPs doing it,” Dr Hesby said.
“It’s very frustrating from where I sit because I can see the GPs have the capacity to roll this out.
“There is a number of practises with large numbers of vaccines sitting in their fridge with no one to give it to.”
Dr Hesby said while vaccination hesitation presented a small issue, part of the issue remains in how the rollout “was dribbled out in such a slow and deliberate fashion”.
“There are some populations where there is concern but that really does need a bit of sitting down and talking to for those particular communities.”
READ MORE: Ticky Fullerton – Gas plant a no-brainer politically
Rosie Lewis9.26am: Labor senators to probe Brittany Higgins case
A fortnight of Senate estimates hearings has begun, with Labor particularly keen to ask questions about the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and what the government and departments knew about the incident.
The parliamentary departments are appearing before the finance and public administration legislation committee this morning.
Senate clerk Richard Pye has told the committee there was “some consideration” of using Parliament House as a Covid-19 vaccination site “possibly later on in the rollout program”.
No arrangements have been locked in.
READ MORE:Coalition to savage Labor tax wobbles
Joseph Lam 9.21am:Labor uni group march against Israel labelled ‘stupid’
A Melbourne University ALP student group have been called “stupid” for marching against “settler-colonial power of Israel”.
The student ALP group had initially posted on social media that “these attacks upon Palestinian civilians are part of Israel’s ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine”.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
I'm pleased to report that post has been deleted. Everyone can make mistakes, it takes courage and integrity to correct them.
— Kimberley Kitching🇦🇺🦘 (@kimbakit) May 23, 2021
Senator Kimberly Kitching took to social media to call out the student group and federal Labor member Ged Kearney, accused them of being unsupportive of Israel.
“After the horrors of the Holocaust, Labor supported Israel’s founding & always will. There is no place in Labor for anyone calling on Israel’s destruction,” Senator Kitching wrote.
“No Labor MP supports this. Uni Clubs do stupid things at times. As the Liberals know all too well.”
The post was later deleted.
READ MORE: Chris Mitchell – Australian media’s Middle East blind spot
Adeshola Ore8.57am: Don’t read too much into by-election result: Birmingham
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has cautioned against drawing federal lessons from the Saturday’s Upper Hunter by-election.
NSW Labor’s primary vote slid backwards by 7 per cent as the Nationals increased their margin and secured a victory in the crucial by-election.
Scott Morrison accused Labor of losing touch with blue collar voters, as the Coalition eyes the Labor-held seats in the Hunter Valley region.
But Senator Birmingham said a “range of different factors” contributed to the NSW Nationals victory, noting “many of them were very much local, very much state politics.”
“It is a state byelection and I wouldn’t read too much into it myself,” he told ABC Radio.
READ MORE: Nationals’ win deepens ALP disarray
Robert Gottliebsen8.51am: Green shoots from China on carbon reduction
For the first time in countless months the tiniest “green shoots” have emerged from Beijing pointing towards at least some form of business to business reconciliation with China.
Those “green shoots” were coated in highly critical remarks about Australian politicians but nevertheless they were there. In my view the business community needs to test the possible opportunity.
Like Australia, China’s major carbon problem is in steel and cement. Surely this is an area we can start to work together because our interests are aligned and there’s no political baggage.
READRobert Gottliebsen’s full commentary here
Joseph Lam8.43am:Vaccines possible for children by year end
Australian children could begin to receive Covid-19 vaccinations by the end of the year according to predictions by the Australian Medical Association.
AMA President Omar Khorshid on Monday told the Today Show that as the vaccine rollout ramps up, he expects children could soon join the queue.
“I suspect by the end of the year we will see our program opening up to children,” Dr Khorshid said.
Asked when international borders would open, the AMA president said, “we need enough (people vaccinated) to avoid a catastrophic outbreak”.
“Well we’re not going to get a 100 per cent vaccination rate and we don’t need that to open the borders,” Dr Khorshid said.
Instead, it would happen once the country reaches “a more realistic figure” of about 80 per cent, he said.
READ MORE: Job Ready program ‘holding the country back’
Adeshola Ore8.36am:Labor will go the way of Kodak brand, Fitzgibbon warns
Federal Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has warned Saturday’s Upper Hunter by-election is a wake up call for the Labor Party.
NSW Labor’s primary vote slid backwards by 7 per cent as the Nationals increased their margin and secured a victory in the crucial by-election.
Mr Fitzgibbon - the federal MP for the Hunter - told 2GB radio that Labor’s brand was “in trouble.”
“It’s a wake up call to all of us in the Labor Party and indeed the Labor movement,” he said.
“If we’re not careful it will go the way of the Kodak brand.”
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay conceded the party needed to undergo “soul-searching”, but has vowed she will not step down.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he didn’t have a “bad word” to say about Ms McKay.
“I think she looks good, sounds good, she took a narrative into the Upper Hunter by-election I could not pick fault with. She backed jobs and job security and talked up a lot about TAFE, education and the local hospitals,” he said.
“But she was fighting with one hand tied behind her back...They [voters] were coming booths, still, saying on the question of job security ‘you say one thing but we don’t believe you.’”
Mr Fitzgibbon said federal Labor’s opposition to the Kurri Kurri gas-fired power plant in the Hunter region fueled skepticism among voters.
“Federally, if the Labor Party can’t persuade not just mine workers but everyone in those regions whose jobs depend on mining, then you can expect a similar result whenever Scott Morrison goes to the polls,” he said.
READ MORE: After this, the only talk is of ‘transition’
Erin Lyons 8.27am:‘Small country’ Australia should all be vaccinated: Branson
Sir Richard Branson has shamed Australia for its slow vaccine rollout, saying given it’s a small country everyone should have been jabbed by now.
Speaking to the Today show hosts, the Virgin founder was asked about opening up to the rest of the world in mid-2022.
“That’s up to our prime minister,” he said.
“Countries that have got everyone vaccinated, liked Britain and America … (and) especially when you have all the vulnerable people vaccinated, they can open up right away.”
Sir Richard said he was in New Mexico with “lots of people” who are all hugging and shaking hands because “we’re all vaccinated”.
“It’s a lovely, (a) lovely feeling to be free again,” he said.
“If your government can speed up the vaccination program so everyone is vaccinated, there’s no reason at all why you shouldn’t be able to open up.”
When asked whether Australia risks being left behind, Sir Richard said he anticipated most Australians should have been vaccinated by now.
“It’s a small country, I suspect most people should have been vaccinated. If not, (they) should have been,” he said.
“It should be the number one priority of the government. Nothing else matters because every single business in Australia will be held back.
“Every single person in Australia will be held back. The economy will suffer.”
Australia has administered more than 3.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, well behind other nations like the US and UK which continue to forge ahead.
But a significant increase in supplies of the Pfizer vaccine could allow every Australian to be fully immunised against COVID-19 by the end of the year, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) boss said on Sunday. — NCA Newswire
READ MORE: Half of under 25s feel their finances are out of control
Joseph Lam 8.13am: Those who hang out for Pfizer to go to back of jab queue
Australians who hold off getting the AstraZeneca vaccine hoping for the Pfizer vaccine instead will join the end of the vaccine queue, doctors warn.
Australian Medical Association vice president Dr Chis Moy on Monday told Sky News that as the nation heads into winter “we can’t have this false sense of security” over hopes of a second vaccine option.
“What we have at the moment is a limited resource in terms of Pfizer,” Dr Moy said.
“Really at the moment what we need to do is get going and shoring up the front line because we are heading into winter.”
“It’s too important to have that sort of mentality at the moment, especially heading into winter. Ultimately the AstraZeneca vaccine is a great vaccine. I’ve had it myself.”
READ MORE: Second India repatriation flight brings 165 home
Liz Moyer 8.01am: Bitcoin extends decline with 12pc drop
Bitcoin plunged another 12 per cent overnight on Sunday, extending a week of declines after regulators in the U.S. and China ratcheted up scrutiny on cryptocurrencies.
After soaring earlier this year on a wave of investor interest, the price of cryptocurrencies slumped in the past week. Bitcoin has shed more than 30 per cent since May 16, including Sunday’s drop. It is also down 50 per cent from its all-time high of $64,788.34 set in April.
READ the full story here
Helen Trinca 7.45am: Working women big losers from pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has produced a dramatic collapse in the job satisfaction and mental health of Australian women, who overwhelmingly report a significant increase in their professional and domestic workload.
A survey by Deloitte finds the crisis has undermined decades of gender gains in the workplace; leaving one in four women considering leaving the workforce.
The report, Women @Work: A global outlook, released on Monday, covers 5000 women across 10 countries, with 500 of them in Australia.
It says “the stark reality for women in the workplace” is that “gender equality has regressed, stifling year of slow but steady progress. Increased responsibilities at work and at home during the pandemic, coupled with non-inclusive workplace cultures, are resulting in diminishing job satisfaction and employer loyalty for women.”
Among the findings, 76 per cent of women say their workload has increased since the pandemic and 61 per cent say household commitments have also increased; job satisfaction has dropped from 69 per cent to 47 per cent; 36 per cent of women say they are spending more time caring for children; and 25 per cent say they are spending more time caring for people other than children.
READ the full story here
Joseph Lam7.15am:Universities plead for return of international students
South Australian universities have made a desperate plea to the federal government to allow international students to return after new enrolments dropped 33 per cent.
Enrolments from the state’s two largest markets, China and India, have dropped 20 per cent and 35 per cent respectively since the beginning of the pandemic.
Flinders University’s vice president international Sebastian Raneskold told The Advertiser border closures had an immense impact on South Australia’s $2 billion international student market.
“The longer we delay their return, the slower the state’s economic recovery will be and the poorer our social fabric will be,” Professor Raneskold said.
“As we have come to understand the disease, it has become clear that with careful quarantining, supported by increasing rates of vaccination, our students should be able to return to SA to resume their studies.”
READ MORE:Uni of Adelaide and UniSA merger is on the agenda: Peter Hoj
Joseph Lam6.30am:Victoria crackdown on public transport face masks
Victoria Police will today begin a public transport blitz targeting commuters who fail to wear a face mask.
Department of Transport figures found mask wearing compliance is at just 52 per cent, a notable shift from the 88 per cent it was in November last year but a figure authorities say is not good enough.
From today until June 6, commuters who fail to wear a mask will be fined $200.
Hi, Victoria Police and Protective Service Officers (PSOs) will be enforcing the wearing of face masks in indoor settings and can issue $200 fines for those not wearing a fitted face mask without a valid exemption. This includes when travelling on public transport.
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) May 19, 2021
READ MORE:Unexpected, affordable face mask trend sweeing Hollywood
Geoff Chambers5.10am:PM’s jab-and-go bid to beat lockdowns
Scott Morrison will take a draft proposal for travel exemptions, allowing vaccinated people to move between states in the event of COVID-19 lockdowns, to next week’s national cabinet under the next phase of Australia’s opening-up strategy.
Federal and state departments have been working on a vaccine record plan to deal with the movement of vaccinated Australians when border restrictions are suddenly imposed, ensuring people are not left stranded.
Health Minister Greg Hunt now expects to have two million doses of the Pfizer vaccine supplied each week from the start of October.
Amid pushback from state leaders, the Morrison government now says the proposed exemption is not a “passport” but rather a practical measure where a person would not have to apply for a state entry pass to travel between states impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and outbreaks.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Victoria’s Acting Premier James Merlino and business leaders last week questioned the timing and effectiveness of an internal vaccination passport.
Read the full story, by Geoff Chambers and Matthew Denholm, here.
Greg Brown5am:‘Working class more aligned with Coalition’
Scott Morrison says the values of working-class voters are now more aligned with the Coalition than Labor as government strategists focus on ALP heartland seats ahead of the next federal election.
The Prime Minister, in an interview with The Australian, said lower- and middle-income voters wanted to be empowered to be “in charge of their own lives” and did not see themselves as “held back as some sort of a victim of the system” — signalling a push to win over voters in long-held Labor seats including the NSW Hunter Valley and Sydney’s western suburbs.
The Berejiklian government’s victory in the Upper Hunter by-election has left the ALP engulfed in a debate about how to appeal to its traditional voters after the party suffered a swing against it in the ultra-marginal seat, a result described by NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay as “terrible”.
Read the full story, by Greg Brown and Yoni Bashan, here.
Stephen Lunn4.45am:Transparency urged on NDIS cost forecasts
Disability advocates and the opposition are calling for greater transparency from the government and the National Disability Insurance Agency on their multibillion-dollar cost projections for the NDIS.
They also called out the NDIA and the government for highlighting million-dollar NDIS packages, with one advocate saying recipients “aren’t swanning around living the high life, (but) have extremely complex support needs”.
Debate over the future cost of the scheme has ratcheted up in the wake of the release late Friday of the NDIS quarterly report, which included a projected $40 billion annual cost of the scheme within three years, almost $10 billion higher than the federal budget estimate less than two weeks earlier.
“We are concerned about which figures can be believed,” said David Moody, chief executive officer of National Disability Services, the peak body for disability service providers.
“We need to understand all the assumptions the agency and the government are relying on when they talk about funding. We also need to understand whether those assumptions take into account the costs avoided for the Australian economy and the community as a result of investment in the NDIS, such as lower costs expended on healthcare and mental health.”
Read the full story here.
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