PoliticsNow: ‘Delusional’ NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian faces heated Question Time
As Gladys Berejiklian defends herself amid jeers in parliament, an associate of the Premier’s former lover admits in ICAC to deleting messages, emails at his request.
- ‘She’s delusional’: Premier faces heated Question Time
- Berejiklian has PM’s ‘absolute support’
- Coal exports under threat from China
- Victoria records 12 new cases
- New UK lockdowns as cases rocket
- Losing patience with lockdowns
Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of Federal, state and territory politics amid the ongoing pandemic. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has faced a heated Question Time ahead of a no-confidence motion moved by Labor into her leadership. Scott Morrison has backed embattled NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with the Prime Minister saying she “showed a lot of courage” revealing her relationship with disgraced ex-MP Daryl Maguire. Meanwhile, the Premier spoke to her party room as NSW cases spiked with 13 new infections, surpassing Victoria’s 12.
Rachel Baxendale 11.35pm: Three cases detected in Shepparton
Three coronavirus cases have been detected in the northern Victorian town of Shepparton, with health authorities warning they expect to find more, almost four weeks since the last known active case in the area.
The news prompted the Department of Health and Human Services to send out a late-night statement on Tuesday urging local residents to get tested.
Over the past fortnight, the only other known new cases in regional Victoria have been in Kilmore, in the Mitchell Shire immediately north of Melbourne. All have been linked to the Oddfellows Cafe in the town after a Melburnian linked to a cluster of cases at the Chadstone Shopping Centre in the southeastern suburbs illegally ate at the venue, infecting a waitress.
Shortly before 11pm on Tuesday, DHHS Commander of Testing and Community Engagement Jeroen Weimar urged Shepparton residents to get tested following the three positive results, which will be included in Wednesday’s coronavirus figures.
“We have three active cases that are self-isolating at home and are being monitored by Goulburn Valley Health,” Mr Weimar said.
“Extensive contact tracing has commenced by local authorities. We expect, as part of that effort, further cases will be discovered.
“To everyone locally - even if you haven’t been near these locations - if you feel unwell at all, please get tested as soon as possible and stay at home until you get your results,” Mr Weimar said.
“If you need additional support to stay home, there are financial payments available to assist those who need it.”
The current list of high risk locations in Shepparton are:
- Central Tyre Service, Welsford Street Shepparton from Wednesday 30 September 2020 to Tuesday 13 October 2020.
- Bunnings Warehouse, Midland Highway Shepparton Friday 30 September 2020
- McDonalds Shepparton North, 175 Midland Highway Shepparton Saturday 3 September 2020
- Mooroopna Golf Club Members Bar, Sunday 4 October and Pro Shop and Members Bar Sunday 11 October
- Shepparton Market Place Medical Centre, Midland Highway Shepparton Thursday 8 October 2020
- Lemon Tree Café, Fryers Street Shepparton
- Thai Orchid Restaurant, Nixon Street Shepparton on Wednesday 7 October 2020 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.
- Bombshell Hairdressing, Fryers Street Shepparton on Wednesday 7 October 2020 from 9:30am to 10:30am.
From Wednesday, Shepparton residents will be able to be tested at GV Health’s Acute Respiratory Clinic at Graham Street, Shepparton, seven days per week from 9:00am to 5:30pm.
Further testing sites will be established on Wednesday and publicised through the media and on the GV Health website, with a pop up site to be established at the Shepparton Showgrounds from 12.30pm.
Mr Weimar said GV Health was not aware of any other cases in the nearby local government areas of Benalla, Campaspe, Moira and Strathbogie.
Information regarding COVID-19 is available at the Department of Health and Human Services website or by calling 1800 675 398.
The GV Health hotline can also be contacted on 1800 313 070 between 8am and 8pm.
John Ferguson 10.05pm: Senior Liberals cleared of office rorts
Two senior federal Liberals have been cleared of wrongly using taxpayer-funded staff for party political purposes after factional opponents tried to destroy their careers.
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar and former federal minister Kevin Andrews have been cleared of wrongly using taxpayer-funded resources for branch-stacking.
The Finance Department revealed on Tuesday it had hired an independent reviewer to examine the allegations, which were made in the context of internal Victorian Liberal Party brawling among rival right-wing members.
The review examined office records and investigated the employment arrangements in both offices.
“Further investigation of the matters within the scope of the review is not warranted as there is not a sufficient basis to form a view that there was serious misuse of commonwealth resources under the (relevant legislation),” it found.
Amanda Hodge 9.35pm: Anwar has earned his shot at helm
Anwar Ibrahim has never been closer to securing Malaysia’s prime ministership.
The 73-year-old, who has paid such a high price for his political ambitions, has been uncharacteristically circumspect in recent months as he has patiently built a support base for what could be his final tilt at power.
Few in Malaysia know how to do that better than he does. The former Islamic firebrand-turned-technocrat, who Mahathir Mohamad recruited into his government in the 1980s to boost his appeal with religious conservatives, quickly rose through the ranks of the ruling United Malays National Organisation to become Mahathir’s deputy in the 1990s.
Richard Ferguson 9.05pm: Unis cop a battering for China tie-ups
University chiefs have told senators that Scott Morrison’s push to veto the sector’s deals with foreign entities is a foreign interference “elimination strategy” that will hurt the economy, as upper house MPs pummeled higher education leaders over their members’ links to China.
A Senate hearing into the government’s foreign relations bill on Tuesday turned into an interrogation of university chiefs over research partnerships with the Chinese military and their failure to register Beijing-backed Confucius Institutes as foreign agents.
Both the Group of Eight and Universities Australia want parliament to reject the legislation, which will give the foreign minister power to veto state government, local government and university deals with foreign powers, unless it is seriously amended.
Sarah Elks, Charlie Peel 8.36pm: Watchdog warns of lobbyist risk
Queensland’s corruption watchdog has said the lines between government, lobbyists, consultants, and business executives are blurring, as Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington defends attending fundraisers with property developers banned from making political donations.
In an open letter to all October 31 election candidates, Crime and Corruption Commission chair Alan MacSporran said the lead-up to an election was a “high-risk period” in which people could try to “buy influence” through ¬donations and exploiting “personal associations”.
Mr MacSporran said the CCC was monitoring donations being made to political parties and candidates for “new and emerging corruption risks”.
“The CCC’s own intelligence assessment indicates that the lines between government and the private sector are blurring, with overlapping networks of associations involving consultants, influencers, lobbyists and executives,” he said.
Marcia Langton, Tom Calma 8.05pm: We must grasp this chance for equity
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have an unrivalled 65,000-year history of continuous occupation that should be regarded as foundational in the fabric of our nation.
Our cultures help shape our national identity. Yet in our nation’s recent history our voices have been largely absent in the decision making processes that govern our daily lives.
The government acknowledges this. In a recent interview, Australia’s most respected paediatric epidemiologist, Professor Fiona Stanley, stated that because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people took control to protect our communities in response to COVID-19, our communities are doing better than almost any other in the world when it comes to resisting the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The tiny number of positive cases is a result of governments working with and listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. It is testament to our voices bringing local knowledge, and our extraordinary ability to meet challenges, as the decisive factor in the successful fight to keep our people safe.
An Indigenous voice is not a scary proposition. As the pandemic response demonstrates, a direct line from our diverse communities to decision-makers is effective and has, to date, beaten the biggest crisis to face our nation in generations.
Sarah Elks, Jack McKay 7.35pm: Trad firms as marginal winner
Labor strategists are increasingly confident Jackie Trad will win her marginal seat of South Brisbane, as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk struggled to explain why she did not want her former deputy back in cabinet.
Ms Trad is facing a major challenge from the Greens in her inner-Brisbane electorate, which she holds by 3.55 per cent, but several Labor insiders say the minor party’s support is dropping off in the city, and Ms Trad “will hold her seat”.
One strategist said Ms Trad’s fortunes in South Brisbane had improved since her resignation from cabinet in May, allowing her to focus on winning her seat.
Andrew Kidd Fraser 7.05pm: Lynham a curiosity in Queensland cabinet
Outgoing Queensland government minister Anthony Lynham never really looked comfortable in the Palaszczuk government — not surprisingly, as he is the only one who was not a political adviser, a union official or a teacher before entering parliament.
For the Palaszczuk government is one of the most extreme examples in Australia of how the potential talent for parliament is coming from a very limited pool of work experience.
In a party branch heavily dependent on union backing, no fewer than 10 cabinet ministers — or over half the cabinet of 18 — were either union officials or union delegates before they entered parliament. A further five were political advisers, while two were school teachers.
Rachel Baxendale 6.25pm: Cases linked to aged care drops to 30 in Vic
Victoria 30 active cases of coronavirus linked aged-care facilities as of Tuesday — a decrease of one since Monday but down from 66 last Tuesday.
As of Tuesday there have been 645 coronavirus deaths linked to aged-care facilities in Victoria, including the death of a man in his 70s, which brought the state’s total death toll to 811.
The aged-care outbreaks with the highest numbers of active cases as are:
● 17 active cases linked to Estia Keilor in Melbourne’s outer northwest — the same as on Monday (52 total — an increase of one since Monday). It is understood this cluster began when a resident returned from being treated for an unrelated condition at Footscray Hospital, having contracted coronavirus;
● Three active cases linked to Embracia Moonee Valley in Melbourne’s northwest — the same as on Monday (82 total);
● Three active cases linked to Opal Hobsons Bay Altona North in Melbourne’s southwest — the same as on Monday (46 total);
● Three active cases linked to Uniting Age Well Preston, in Melbourne’s north — the same as on Monday (three total).
Non-aged care outbreaks with the highest numbers of active cases on Monday include:
● 17 active cases linked to The Butcher Club outbreak involving a worker at the butcher’s shop at the Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne’s southeast — down from 19 cases on Monday (total cases: 35 — up from 33 on Monday);
● 14 active cases linked to the Box Hill Hospital outbreak in Melbourne’s east, up from 11 on Monday (total cases: 14);
● Eight active cases linked to a “south-eastern community outbreak”. This is the first time DHHS has mentioned this outbreak (Total cases: eight);
● Seven active cases linked to a Frankston Family outbreak which as linked to the Chadstone cluster, down from eight on Monday (total cases: 13);
● Five active cases linked to the Oddfellows Cafe in Kilmore, north of Melbourne, where a Melburnian linked to the Chadstone cluster ate illegally and infected a waitress (total cases: six — the same number as Monday);
READ MORE: Scientist says herd immunity the answer
Rachel Baxendale 6pm: Coronavirus cumulative cases in Victoria hits 20,305
The cumulative number of coronavirus cases in Victoria since the pandemic began has increased by 10 since Monday to 20,305.
This is due to the reclassification of two previously reported cases.
There have now been 4281 cases in Victoria since the pandemic began where contact tracers have been unable to identify a source of infection - an increase of one since Monday.
The two most recent mystery cases have been in the following postcodes:
- 3025: Altona East, Altona North, in Melbourne’s southwest (from a test processed on Friday);
- 3024: Fieldstone, Mambourin, Manor Lakes, Mount Cottrell, Wyndham Vale, in Melbourne’s outer southwest (from a test processed on Thursday).
Of 20,305 people who have had coronavirus in Victoria since the pandemic began, 19,243 have recovered - an increase of 14 since Monday.
Of 186 active cases in Victoria on Monday, 180 are in people from metropolitan Melbourne, and six are in people from regional Victoria.
Of the total number of cases since the pandemic began, 18,907 have been in people from Melbourne, while 1198 have been in those from regional Victoria.
There have been 9684 cases in men (an increase of six since Monday) and 10,608 in women (an increase of four since Monday).
The total number of cases in health workers is 3586 - an increase of eight since Monday, and 42 in the past seven days, although it is believed these are predominantly reclassifications of older cases.
The number of active cases in health workers has decreased by one since Monday to 16.
READ MORE: NSW’s daily infections exceed Victoria’s
Rachel Baxendale 5.50pm: Altona Beach among venues on Vic’s high risk list
Locations recently added to the DHHS “high risk” list of places visited by positive cases include:
- Altona Beach foreshore and pier in Melbourne’s southwest where a positive case visited between 1pm and 5pm on October 2 while infectious and without wearing a mask;
- Fiesta Market by Circle in Altona North, where a positive case shopped in store between 10:13am and 10:30am on October 5;
- Aldi Altona North, where a positive case shopped in store between 6:34pm and 6:55pm on October 5;
- Aldi Box Hill South, in Melbourne’s east, where a positive case shopped in store between October 3 and 6;
- Coles Chadstone, in Melbourne’s southeast, where a positive case shopped in store between October 5 and 6;
- Ferguson Plarre Chadstone, where a case worked between 5:30am and 2:30pm between October 5 and 8;
- Coles Westfield Southland in Cheltenham, in Melbourne’s southeast, where a case shopped between 4:45pm and 5:15pm on October 2;
- Priceline Cheltenham, where a case attended to have a prescription filled between 12:50pm and 1:05pm on October 5;
- Fitzroy to Preston tram, in Melbourne’s north, where a case travelled on Tram Number 11 from Stop 16 on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, to Stop 41 on the corner of Bruce Street, Preston, between 6:10am and 6:35am on October 8;
- Chemist Warehouse Forest Hill, in Melbourne’s east, where a case got a prescription filled between 11:30am and 11:50am on October 5;
- Aldi Heidelberg in Melbourne’s northeast, where a case shopped between 5:15pm and 5:30pm on October 5;
- Bus Number 200/207 from Kew in Melbourne’s east to Fitzroy in the inner north after a case travelled between Studley Park Rd, Kew, and Brunswick St, Fitzroy, between 5:45am and 6:10am on October 8;
- Bus Number 200/207 from Studley Park Rd, Kew, to Victoria Park railway station in Collingwood, in Melbourne’s inner northeast, after a case caught the bus between 5:45am and 6:10am on October 7;
- Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre in Mulgrave, in Melbourne’s southeast, where a case shopped between 11:00am and 11:30am on October 3;
- Waverley Gardens Dry Cleaners in Mulgrave, after a case worked at the back of the store between 10am and 2pm on October 3;
- Coles Oakleigh in Melbourne’s southeast, after a case shopped there between 10am and 10:25am on October 2;
- Victoria Park Railway Station to Kew, after a case caught the Number 200/207 bus from the station to Studley Park Rd between 4:50pm and 5:15 pm on October 7;
- Coles Manor Lakes and Manor Lakes Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s southwest, after a case shopped at both locations between 11am and 12pm on October 6.
READ MORE: Dumb excuses Victorians continue to use
Rachel Baxendale 5.25pm: Vic by the numbers: one of 12 new cases still a mystery
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services has linked two of the state’s 12 new cases on Tuesday to known outbreaks, with a further nine provisionally linked to known outbreaks, and one under investigation.
Of the two cases officially linked to outbreaks:
— One is a household contact of someone linked to an outbreak at the Butcher Club butcher’s shop in the Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne’s southeast which now totals 35 cases, 17 of which remain active.
— One is linked to the Estia Keilor aged care facility in Melbourne’s northwest, where there have been 52 coronavirus cases, 17 of which remain active.
Of the nine cases provisionally linked to outbreaks:
— Seven are being investigated for links to a cluster of 14 cases at the Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne’s east, all of which remain active. Four of these seven people live in the same household.
— One is being investigated for links to the Chadstone cluster;
— One is being investigated for links to the Uniting Age Well aged care facility in Preston, in Melbourne’s north, where there have been three cases, all of which remain active.
The case which remains under investigation is in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the case was in a person who authorities believed was unlikely to still be contagious, with retesting underway.
The following local government areas have new coronavirus cases on Tuesday:
— Banyule (northeast): 4
— Hume (outer north): 2
— Casey (outer southeast): 1
— Darebin (northeast): 1
— Greater Dandenong (outer southeast): 1
— Manningham (east): 1
— Melbourne: 1
— Greater Geelong (southwest regional Vic): 1
There were 8201 coronavirus tests processed in the 24 hours to Tuesday, taking the total number processed since the pandemic began to 2,858,794.
Tuesday’s positive test rate was 0.15 per cent – the same as Monday’s but almost four times the recent low of 0.04 per cent last Wednesday from six positive cases and 16,429 tests processed.
As of Tuesday, all but six of 186 active cases are in metropolitan Melbourne.
Of the six in regional Victoria, five are linked to the Oddfellows Cafe in Kilmore, north of Melbourne, where a waitress contracted the virus from a Melburnian linked to the cluster of cases at Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne’s southeast, who ate at the regional Victorian venue illegally.
There are 30 active cases linked to aged care, down from 31 on Monday, and 16 active cases linked to health workers, including those in aged care – down from 17 on Monday.
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David Ross 4.20pm: More woes, new list of venue warnings for Sydney cluster
NSW Health has released a list of affected venues in South West Sydney that were visited by people infected by COVID-19 in recent days.
Anyone who attended the following venues is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop. After testing, they must remain in isolation until a negative test result is received:
— Woolworths Oran Park, 351 Oran Park Dr, Oran Park on the following dates:
Wednesday 30 September from 5.30pm to 6.30pm; Thursday 8 October from 5.15pm to 6pm; Friday 9 October 6pm to 6:30pm
— Prasadi Nepali Emerald Hills, 2 Hurricane Drive, Raby on Friday 2 October from 3.30pm to 4pm
— Emerald Hills McDonalds 101 Raby Rd, Leppington on Friday 2 October from 5pm to 5.15pm
— Aldi Emerald Hills, Shop 2/03, 5 Emerald Hills Blvd, Leppington, on Friday 2 October from 5.30pm to 6.15pm
— Fantastic Furniture Campbelltown, 4 Blaxland Rd, Campbelltown, on Friday 9 October from 3.30pm to 5.20pm
— Bunnings Gregory Hills, 2 Rodeo Rd, Gregory Hills, on Tuesday 6 October from 7pm to 8pm
— Ikea Tempe, 634-726 Princes Hwy, Tempe, on Wednesday 7 October from 1.30pm – 5.30pm.
In response to the outbreak NSW Health has opened another pop up testing clinic in addition to the clinic opened in Lakemba yesterday.
South West Sydney residents are encouraged to come forward to get tested at the new clinic at Julia Reserve Community Centre walk-in, Peter Brock Drive, Oran Park from 1pm today. The clinic will be open daily until Sunday 18 October between 8am and 6pm.
READ MORE: Pharma giant pauses vaccine trial
Yoni Bashan 2.52pm: ‘She’s delusional’: Berejiklian faces heated Question Time
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has faced another heated question time in NSW parliament ahead of a no-confidence motion moved by Labor into her leadership.
Ms Berejiklian was asked repeatedly why she failed to report the behaviour of former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire to authorities following discussions in which he boasted of receiving commissions for the sale of land.
Labor has also moved a no-confidence motion in the premier’s leadership which will be debated on Wednesday, as Mr Maguire takes to the witness box for the first of three hearings at the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
During an at-times raucous Question Time, in which jeers and shouts of “delusional” were directed repeatedly at the premier, Ms Berejiklian insisted that despite the conversations with Mr Maguire she was unaware of any wrongdoing.
“At any stage, had myself or if any of my colleagues who were in contact with him, picked up any wrongdoing, it would have been reported,” she said.
READ MORE: Gladys phone call you didn’t get to hear
Max Maddison 2.49pm: Maguire’s devices met with ‘unfortunate accident’
Daryl Maguire told his offsider that his phones and iPad had an “unfortunate accident in the paddock”, as she admits to deleting messages and emails between the pair at the former Liberal MP’s request.
In an intense afternoon examination, Maggie Wang said while she was on a trip to China, Mr Maguire had passed on a message through acquaintance Doo Wae, telling Ms Wang to delete emails and messages between the pair.
Then during a meeting at a Sydney cafe, after he had resigned from parliament, Mr Maguire told Ms Wang his phone and iPad had an “unfortunate accident in the paddock” involving “tractors”. She agreed this meant they had been destroyed.
Under questioning from counsel assisting the inquiry, Scott Robertson, Ms Wang was brought to tears, admitting that she’d lied to ICAC investigators at multiple private and public hearings, before eventually coming clean at a later date.
“I was panicked, I was shamed … I couldn’t cope,” Ms Wang told Mr Robertson. “I want everything to be at the end … I needed to tell the truth.”
READ MORE: Shocks galore in relentless probing
Samantha Bailey 2.41pm: Another Covid vaccine halted due to participant’s illness
Johnson & Johnson has temporarily paused its COVID-19 vaccine trial due to an unexplained illness in a study participant.
The phase three trials have been suspended as the participants illness is reviewed by the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board as Johnson & Johnson’s own clinical and safety physicians.
“At Johnson & Johnson, there is no greater priority than the safety and wellbeing of the people we serve every day around the world,” the company said in a statement.
“We are committed to providing transparent updates throughout the clinical development process of our vaccine candidate, in compliance with regulatory standards and our own high ethical and scientific principles.”
It comes after AstraZeneca Plc temporarily stopped tests of its vaccine after a trial participant fell ill. That study has since resumed in a number of countries but remains halted in the US, where the Food & Drug Administration typically sets a higher standard for such trials than many other countries.
READ MORE: Telstra moves to calm jittery investors
Perry Williams 2.34pm: China coal bans extended to ‘steel mills’
China has restricted coal imports back to 2017 levels with Australian producers forced to sell distressed shipments to other countries, consultancy Wood Mackenzie said.
“We understand that the previous bans on utility purchases of Australian coal have been extended to steel mills and the bans for utilities reaffirmed. As of yesterday, almost all major steel mills had been informed of the ban on Australia coal, including coal waiting to offload and sitting on port stockpiles,” WoodMac analyst Rory Simington said.
“We believe the Chinese government is trying to restrict overall coal imports to 2017 levels. This would mean around 270 million tonnes of imports of all coal types and sources.”
Both thermal and metallurgical coal prices will take a hit with Australian producers having to find new buyers for their shipments.
“While coking coal prices have not really been impacted to date we expect there will be significant short-term weakness due to distressed cargoes that will be redirected to other markets. For thermal coal, high ash prices are down $US5/t since mid last week and are likely to be pushed back to the distressed levels we saw in the third quarter. Benchmark quality thermal coal prices will also inevitably be impacted,” Mr Simington said.
Confusion over quota levels continues to create ructions in the market with many utilities and steel mills already using up their annual limits.
“For much of this year there has been a complete lack of clarity, even among Chinese port authorities, about how much quota is actually still available and when and whether additional quota will be released. This is generating huge uncertainty and consequently since May when import controls were tightened and large utilities instructed not to buy Australian coal, many Chinese buyers switched away from imported thermal coal,” Mr Simington said.
“However at the same time Chinese thermal coal prices have been increasing strongly as concerns about the ability of domestic supply to keep up with strong demand. During September there was an expectation that additional quota would be released and this led to a surge in buying activity for Australian high ash coal – prices increased by $US8/t to $US44/t. However as we understand it, probably due to political tensions this has not eventuated.”
An eventual easing is more likely for metallurgical rather than thermal coal, WoodMac said, given China’s reliance on Australia for the steelmaking commodity.
“A relaxation of these import controls is much more likely for coking than thermal coal because Australia supplies over 40 per cent of China’s premium coking coal whereas Australian coal represents less than 2 per cent of China’s thermal coal market.”
READ MORE: China’s ‘invasion’ rattles Taiwan
Richard Ferguson 2.23pm: PM, Imran Khan swap notes on virus, peace, cricket
Scott Morrison and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have swapped notes over coronavirus, peace in Afghanistan, and the former cricket superstar’s fondness for Australia.
The Australian understands the Prime Minister and Mr Khan agreed any COVID-19 vaccine must be widely shared by any country that finds one, and their own containment strategies.
Mr Morrison and Mr Khan also discussed a potential negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan.
Mr Khan also reflected his fondness for Australia and his tour there as a 23 year old, and invited Mr Morrison to visit Pakistan.
READ MORE: Healy confirms CA board approach
Richard Ferguson 1.40pm: Albanese a ‘reheat of Shorten on tax’, PM says
Scott Morrison has blasted Labor’s signals they will roll back stage three of the personal income tax cuts, saying Anthony Albanese is a “reheat” of Bill Shorten and will tax Australians more.
Opposing stage three — which would flatten the top tax bracket to a maximum rate of 30 per cent for all workers earning between $45,000 and $200,000 — would give Labor an extra $130 billion in its spending arsenal but leave the party vulnerable to accusations it wants to increase taxes.
The Opposition Leader told the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night that it would be “very hard to argue in the current circumstances” the stage three tax cuts were worthwhile.
The Prime Minister said in Brisbane on Tuesday that Labor’s opposition would see people pay more.
“I’m not surprised Anthony Albanese wants to take away people’s tax cuts,” he said.
“These tax cuts mean if you’re earning $50,000 a year, then you’ll be paying 30c on every extra dollar you earn, not 32.5c. These tax cuts ensure 90 per cent of Australians won’t pay more than 30c for every dollar in tax.
“This is just a reheat of Bill Shorten … when you always hear they want to spend more, always know that they want to tax you more. That’s how it always works with Labor.”
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Richard Ferguson 1.26pm: PM ‘assumes quotas involved’ in China coal issue
Scott Morrison says reported Chinese bans on the use of Australian coal at state-owned steel mills are likely part of the communist government’s longstanding domestic quota regime.
Shares in Australian coal exporters have been hit hard amid speculation coal exports have again become the target of Chinese coal bans amid ongoing trade tensions.
Reports suggest Chinese power stations and state-owned steel mills have been verbally told by authorities to stop using Australian coal, potentially slowing and restricting the flow of Australian shipments of both thermal and coking coal amid ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Canberra.
The Prime Minister said on Tuesday that Trade Minister Simon Birmingham was seeking more information, and he assumed quotas were involved.
“It’s not uncommon for domestic quotas to be in place in China. That often happens in relation to coal,” he said.
“I can only assume based on our relationship and the discussions we have with the Chinese government that this is just part of the normal process.”
READ MORE: Miners hit as China puts brakes on coal
Richard Ferguson 1.12pm: Morrison backs ‘courageous’ NSW Premier
Scott Morrison has backed embattled NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with the Prime Minister saying she “showed a lot of courage” revealing her relationship with disgraced ex-MP Daryl Maguire.
The NSW Premier has apologised to her state party room over her relationship with Mr Maguire — who is at the centre of a major corruption probe — and is resisting pressure to stand down.
Mr Morrison said in Brisbane that Ms Berejiklian is a “tremendous premier” and that she had shown humility in her declarations to ICAC.
“She has my absolute support, and I thought she showed a lot of courage yesterday, but I also thought she showed a lot of humility,” he said.
“We are all human, and particularly in those areas of our lives, and Gladys is an extremely private person and a person of momentous integrity, a great friend.
“And I know she has been getting many messages of support from her friends and colleagues, — including me yesterday and from Jenny – and that would have been really tough, to have that all out there in front of everybody yesterday.
“I can guarantee you one thing. Gladys is one person who keeps on keeping on.”
Yoni Bashan 12.48pm: Berejiklian defends herself against Maguire allegations
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has defended herself against allegations she did not do enough to distance herself from the business dealings of Daryl Maguire, the former Wagga Wagga MP with whom she was in a relationship.
“I reject that assumption. I’ve not done anything wrong and the matters you’ve raised have already been looked at.
“At all times I’ve acted in the best interest of this state. I’ve acted very swiftly when I’ve had to.”
Asked whether she would apologise to the people of NSW, the premier said:
“I’ve already made my comments quite extensively yesterday.”
Ms Berejiklian went on to further defend herself against questioning of whether she should have done more to report Mr Maguire to authorities.
Mr Maguire had told Ms Berejiklian in phone calls that he was seeking a financial benefit from the sale of land at Badgerys Creek.
“I was absolutely unaware,” she said.
Asked whether she had misgivings, she added: “I remain firm in my absolute resolve. If I was aware of any wrongdoing I would have reported it.”
Asked whether she had been forgiven by her party room, which she addressed this morning, Ms Berejiklian said she expected some colleagues would likely have a range of views.
“I don’t blame my colleagues for feeling shocked — that’s a normal feeling to have.”
But Ms Berejiklian insisted that while she made mistakes in her personal life, professionally her behaviour was above board.
Max Maddison 12.44pm: Maguire offsider admitted to witness tampering
Daryl Maguire’s offsider had admitted to witness tampering, saying she reached out to Riverina based businessman involved in the “cash for visa” scheme, asking them not to mention the “cash payments” to ICAC investigators, a corruption inquiry has heard.
On Tuesday afternoon, Maggie Wang, the central figure in Mr Maguire’s illegitimate visa scheme, told the counsel assisting the inquiry, Scott Robertson, she made contact with multiple witnesses in early 2019, encouraging them to lie to investigators.
“You were seeking to encourage him to tell a particularly false story to this Commission, do you agree?,” Mr Robertson asked.
“Yes, I panicked,” Ms Wang replied.
Mr Robertson suggested that Ms Wang had scrambled to convince witnesses to alter their story, imploring them to tell the Commission that the visa scheme was in fact “legitimate”, after she lied to ICAC investigators in a private hearing, part of the Operation Keppel probe.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption had previously heard Ms Wang paid Riverina businessmen tens of thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for signing falsified immigration documents.
Yoni Bashan 12.35pm: Restrictions ease for NSW outdoor venues
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that from Friday outdoor venues will be able to adopt a two square metre rule, allowing them to host more patrons.
The current rule of four square metres will continue to apply to indoor areas of the same venues, and others.
Ms Berejiklian said the action was taken in response to positive reductions in the number of COVID-19 cases being seen statewide.
The premier will shortly address further questions regarding her appearance at Monday’s ICAC inquiry.
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Staff writers 12.20pm: Berejiklian apologises to party, set to address media
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has apologised to her Liberal party colleagues, pleading with them to “forgive” her, following Monday’s explosive evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Ms Berejiklian opened the Liberal party room meeting by apologising over yesterday’s revelations of her five-year secret affair with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire.
She said words to the effect of: “I hope you can find it within your heart to forgive me,” according to Liberal MPs in the meeting.
Max Maddison 11.52am: Disgraced MP ‘tried to use influence across Pacific’
Disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire allegedly attempted to use his parliamentary position to help a Chinese business group find commercial opportunities across a raft of South Pacific nations, a corruption inquiry has heard.
On Tuesday morning, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard from Maggie Wang, Mr Maguire’s offsider and linchpin of the “cash for visa” scheme his company G8wayinternational ran.
Across a series of intercepted telephone calls, emails and messages, Ms Wang and her former boss discussed his efforts to set up meetings with South Pacific prime ministers and consul generals – all to assist a Chinese business group obtain investment funds from the Shenzhen regional government.
“So put it on letterhead, let him sign it and basically yep we’re ready for the next stage, you know we want to meet with the Prime Minister … I can make that happen,” Mr Maguire said.
One of the key sticking points for businessman Ho Yuen Li was signing memorandum of understandings with South Pacific nations – Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu – which would reassure the Shenzhen government he had cultivated a relationship with them.
“The situation has changed, it’s very difficult to get money out of China to invest,” Ms Wang told Mr Maguire in one intercepted phone call.
“Samoa needs to understand that.”
“It’s causing a lot of problems,” DM replied.
The revelations come just a day after an explosive examination heard Mr Maguire and Premier Gladys Berejiklian had a secret, five-year relationship, during which Ms Berejiklian was privy to the former Wagga Wagga MP’s financial position and his alleged crooked business dealings.
Charlie Peel 11.30am: Frecklington denies LNP referred her over donations
Deb Frecklington has denied allegations that her own party referred her to the electoral commission after concerns were raised about the possibility of illegal property developer donations finding their way into party coffers.
The embattled Opposition Leader also denied she had appeared at functions to seek donations from developers, saying she attended dinners and meetings with a wide range of business leaders but did not expect donations from them.
She said she was unaware of any investigation or referral to the Electoral Commission Queensland about the matter and characterised the party’s raising of the matter with the agency as “seeking advice”.
“Any donor who donates to political parties, must complete a declaration form, it’s on the ECQ (website) for all to see,” Ms Frecklington said.
“I attend dinners all the time, I’m a politician, I attend supporters’ dinners, of course I do.
“It’s on the ECQ website that prohibited donors can attend fundraising events, they just cannot donate.”
Asked whether developers had been encouraged to donate to the LNP via third parties, Ms Frecklington said, “absolutely not”.
She denied the party was aware of any allegations or evidence that it had received donations from developers via third parties.
She also denied LNP state director Michael O’Dwyer had warned her about the issue before she attended a dinner at the home of property developer Nic De Luca.
The Australian understands the LNP has submitted an 11-page document detailing the concerns to the ECQ, which Ms Frecklington said she was unaware of.
“The party routinely seeks advice from the ECQ because the donation laws that we put in place by the Labor party are complex,” she said.
“There are various matters that the parties advises me they have sought ECQ advice for.”
The accusations that property developers had illegally donated was first revealed by The Australian last month.
It was also revealed on Monday that Ms Frecklington had met with property developers at a business leaders forum and boasted about her campaign, in concert with Scott Morrison, for Queensland’s borders to be reopened in July.
Ms Frecklington said she stood by her integrity and turned the heat back on Labor party ministers who have been investigated over corruption complaints.
“The Labor party has been plagued by integrity scandal after integrity scandal,” she said.
“The premier of Queensland has been found in contempt of parliament, the first premier in Australia to do so.”
The allegations have threatened to derail the LNP’s campaign and overshadowed Ms Frecklington’s key policy announcement on Tuesday.
She visited a caravan manufacturer in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, to announce a policy to scrap Labor’s so-called “grey nomad tax”.
The luxury car tax introduced by Labor has been applied to motorhomes and other recreational vehicles.
“This will save grey nomads around $2300 when they go out and buy a motorhome,” she said.
“We know that the tourism industry in Queensland is really struggling.
“It contributes billions of dollars into our great economy and we must support it.”
Deputy Leader Tim Mander said the nine taxes introduced by the Labor party during the last term had taken $4bn out of the state economy.
The swing seat of Redcliffe is held by Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath on a margin of 4.9 per cent.
READ the full story here
Imogen Reid 11.21am: More bad news for Premier as NSW cases spike
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has another battle on her hands as local cases spike with 13 new infections, surpassing Victoria’s 12.
The rise in cases comes just one day after Ms Berejiklian’s explosive ICAC hearing in which it was revealed she had a five-year relationship with disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.
NSW has reported seven new cases of locally transmitted #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 13, 2020
Six cases in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine were also diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 4,106. pic.twitter.com/vFzkycqvyN
While Ms Berejiklian has been praised for her response to the COVID-19 crisis and has the support of Liberal MPs, calls for her resignation have been piling up based on the evidence given during the hearing.
In an update provided by NSW Health, an additional seven locally acquired cases were reported on Tuesday, two of which are doctors who worked at the A2Z Medical Clinic and are linked to a previously reported case of unknown source. NSW Health said the cases have no known links to other clusters.
Five of the locally acquired cases are members of the same household in South Western Sydney. They have now been identified as part of the ongoing investigation into four previously reported unlinked cases, including a nurse from St Vincent’s Hospital.
“NSW Health can advise one of these new cases is a disability support worker who has worked at three small group homes in South Western Sydney. Contact tracing and investigations with seven clients and their staff is underway,” NSW Health said.
One of these new cases attended the Great Beginnings Oran Park childcare centre on 1,2,8 and 9 October while there were infections. The centre is closed today while contact tracing is carried out.
“NSW Health can now also advise the five new cases provide a link between the previously four unlinked cases that include a nurse from St Vincent’s Hospital, and a previously reported cluster of five people in South Western Sydney linked with Liverpool Hospital. This means 14 people reported between 8 October to today are now linked,” NSW Health said.
Six cases were diagnosed in hotel quarantine, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 4106.
READ MORE: Voters floored by the company Mr Can-Do kept
REBECCA URBAN 11.12am: Tutors to help Victorian kids who have fallen behind
More than 4100 tutors will be sent to Victorian schools next year at a cost of $250 million, amid concerns that one-in-five students have fallen behind due to extended school closures.
Announcing the policy on Tuesday morning, Education Minister James Merlino said it was the “biggest boost to individual learning support” in the state’s history, targeting more than 200,000 students.
Mr Merlino said the funding, which would be available to all schools but weighted according to disadvantage, would ensure that every student who may have experienced learning losses received the help they deserve.
“We know some students thrived during remote learning, but we also know some struggled,’ said Mr Merlino.
“This is about ensuring that no student is left behind.”
The package comes as more than 500,000 students returned to school across the state this week, having spent most of term two and all of term three learning from home.
The Department of Education has urged schools to prioritise student wellbeing ahead of the academic curriculum throughout term four, with the tutoring programs to kick off in 2021.
The Grattan Institute has been pushing for a significant investment in tutors, citing research suggesting that small group tutoring can boost students’ learning by five months.
Schools will be able to determine how tutoring support is best implemented in their school, with tutors providing targeted teaching to students, with a focus on literacy and numeracy.
The Victorian Government is calling upon pre-service teachers, teachers on leave, retired teachers and casual relief teachers to sign up to be tutors.
READ MORE: Returning schools to major in Wellbeing 101
Rachel Baxendale 10.43am: Victorian mystery cases dry up
Victoria now has 186 known active cases of coronavirus, down from 191 on Monday, and 189 on Sunday.
Of 12 new cases on Tuesday, two have been linked to known outbreaks, nine have been provisionally linked to known outbreaks, and one case linked to the regional city of Geelong is in a person who previously tested negative but has retested as positive and whose case is under review but deemed unlikely to be active, Premier Daniel Andrews said.
One death of a man in his 70s has taken Victoria’s coronavirus death toll to 811.
The man’s death was linked to an aged care facility, bringing the toll linked to aged care to 645.
There are 23 people in Victorian hospitals on Tuesday with coronavirus, none of whom are in intensive care.
This compares with 21 in hospital on Monday, none of whom were in intensive care.
READ MORE: Andrews’ aide latest scalp in fiasco
Imogen Reid 11.04am: Tasmania set to make announcement on borders
Premier Peter Gutwein said health officials will decide whether Tasmania will open its borders to travellers from New South Wales next Monday.
At the moment, travellers from the “low-risk jurisdictions” of South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory and the ACT will be able to enter Tasmania from October 26.
Mr Gutwein said the situation in NSW was being “monitored closely” and an announcement will be made on October 19 based on the advice of public health officers.
“I’m certainly not ruling out easing restrictions with NSW at this stage, as I’ve said it’s important, as we have done right through this, to sensibly, responsibly, cautiously consider the best pathway forward,” Mr Gutwein said.
READ MORE: Andrews won’t shoulder blame, Liberals say
Cameron Stewart 10.59am: Trump: ‘I’ll give you all a big fat kiss’
Donald Trump has roared back onto the campaign trail with plans to hold multiple rallies a day in the weeks ahead in a last-ditch push to reverse the growing lead of his Democrat opponent Joe Biden.
The president held his first campaign rally since his recovery from the coronavirus on Tuesday (AEDT), telling thousands of supporters in central Florida: “I feel so powerful, I’ll kiss everyone in the audience … I’ll give you a big fat kiss.”
It came as the president ordered his advisers to dramatically expand his campaign schedule to allow him to criss-cross the country with multiple rallies despite only recently recovering from COVID-19.
READ the full story here
Samantha Bailey 10.55am: Coal miners losing ground after China threat
Shares in Australia’s major listed coal miners have lost ground in morning trade after China’s customs authorities reportedly told steel mills and power plants to stop buying Australian coal.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg responded to the reports this morning, saying the nation would work through any issues with China.
Whitehaven last down 5 per cent at 94c while South32 was 1.8 per cent lower at $2.15 and New Hope had fallen 4.2 per cent to $1.25.
READ MORE ASX live coverage at Trading Day
Imogen Reid 10.36am: Frydenberg: ‘We’ll work through China coal issues’
Josh Frydenberg has addressed reports that Chinese power stations and state-owned steel mills have been directed to stop importing Australian coal, saying the nation will work to resolve any issues it has with China.
“There have been, in the past, issues around in relation to coal, and we’ve worked through those,” the Treasurer said.
“And we’ll continue to work through these and in the future there will be other issues and we’ll continue to work through those as well and we’ll do so in a constructive way.”
READ MORE: China puts brakes on coal
Imogen Reid 10.21am: Budget includes jobs programs for all: Treasurer
Josh Frydenberg has backed the new JobMaker scheme targeted at young Australians aged 16 to 35, insisting the budget included a “number of programs for people of various ages”.
“For example, we have a Restart program which is for those who have been unemployed for six months or more who are aged 50 or above and we provide an incentive of up to $10,000 to business to take them on,” the Treasurer said.
He said the focus on young people stemmed from trends from previous recessions which have indicated it takes a long period of time to get younger people back into work.
“In fact in the 1990s, it took a full decade to get unemployment back below 6 per cent from where it started, but it took an incredible 15 years to get the unemployment levels for young people back to where it started before that recession,” he said.
“And we know the youth unemployment rate today is double the rate across the rest of the economy.”
READ MORE: McManus — IR reform a ‘danger’ to workers
David Swan 10.17am: Penn among Telstra chiefs hit with 10pc pay cut
Three Telstra executives including chief executive Andy Penn have been hit with a 10 per cent pay cut, as a result of misconduct involving some of the telco’s partner stores.
“There is one key area this year where the Board did exercise its discretion and three executives including Andy had a 10 per cent reduction in their individual outcomes, reducing payments to these executives collectively by $758,000 as a result of an issue relating to sales practices in a small number of our partner stores,” chairman John Mullen said at the company’s AGM.
READ MORE: Trading Day — ASX set to rise
Imogen Reid 10.10am: Jobs ‘a priority over national corruption watchdog’
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has deflected calls for a federal integrity commission, saying the government’s top priority is to “keep people safe” and saving jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our government has worked through the process in relation to an integrity commission. That process we’ve been engaging and consulting in terms of how that is developed but our focus is squarely on the economic recovery plan for COVID,” he told Sky News.
“That’s about saving the jobs of fellow Australians.”
On Monday night’s ABC QandA program, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Australia needed a national integrity commission to “restore faith in the political process.”
“I’ve seen enough evidence about a whole range of issues, sports rorts and other scandals at the federal level, to know that one of the things ICAC has done is expose corruption,” he said.
READ MORE: Will watchdog claim a hat-trick?
Rachel Baxendale 9.52am: Andrews to address media at 10.30am
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to address the media at 10.30am alongside Deputy Premier and Education Minister James Merlino.
Mr Andrews’s press conference comes as parliament resumes on Tuesday, with the Coalition expected to move a motion of no confidence in light of the Andrews government’s management of the second wave of coronavirus, which has now killed 792 people and prompted the resignation of Jenny Mikakos as health minister and Chris Eccles and secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
READ MORE: It’s all in the numbers for Premier Andrews
Agencies 9.35am: Trump tests negative, heads to Florida
US President Donald Trump has tested negative for COVID-19 on consecutive days, White House physician Sean Conley said in a memo released Tuesday morning (AEDT) as Mr. Trump travelled to Florida for his first formal campaign rally since being treated for the virus.
Dr Conley said tests and other measurements “have informed our medical team’s assessment that the president is not infectious to others.” The memo didn’t specify when Mr. Trump was tested.
“Repeatedly negative antigen tests, taken in context with additional clinical and laboratory data, including viral load, subgenomic RNA, and PCR cycle threshold measurements, as well as ongoing assessment of viral culture date, all indicate a lack of detectable viral replication,” Dr Conley wrote.
An update from President @realDonaldTrump’s physician: pic.twitter.com/XTxs2BjImt
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 12, 2020
— Dow Jones newswires
READ the full story here
Nick Evans 9.16am: Coal exports under threat from China restrictions
Australian coal exporters could again be the target of Chinese coal bans, according to international media reports, which suggest China will slow or restrict the import of Australian shipments amid ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Canberra.
Reports suggest the import restrictions on Australian coal could extend to metallurgical product used in China’s steel mills, with Bloomberg reporting Chinese power stations and state-owned steel mills have been verbally told to stop using Australian coal.
Thermal coal import restrictions were last put in place in May, as China looked to support its domestic mining sector amid tumbling global prices and many Chinese ports are also believed to be closing on import caps in coal products.
Shares in coal exporters such as BHP, Whitehaven Coal and Yancoal are likely to take a hit on the back of the speculation on Tuesday, irrespective of their exposure to the Chinese market, as uncertainty around the potential price impact on one of Australia’s biggest export earners hits the Australian market.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said on Tuesday the federal government had not been able to confirm the reports of coal bans, despite querying the situation with the Chinese government.
“Australia remains an important supplier of energy resources to many countries across our region and we certainly seek to continue to do so in a reliable manner,” he said.
Senator Birmingham said he had sought discussions over trade tensions with his counterparts in China on a number of occasions so far this year, but Chinese authorities had not been receptive to requests for a ministerial meeting.
The latest talk of Chinese trade bans comes as tensions rise in the Queensland state election, where the future of the industry in Australia’s major production centres is a perennial election issue.
China imported about $9.7bn worth of Australian metallurgical coal last financial year, according to the Department of Industry’s chief economist, with the Chinese market second only to India in importance to Australia’s industry.
Exports to India also took a hit earlier this year as the coronavirus took hold and forced widespread closures in the country’s steel industry.
READ MORE: Australia high on China import list
Imogen Reid 9.000am: Berejiklian ‘evasive at ICAC’: NSW Labor leader
New South Wales Labor leader Jodi McKay says Premier Gladys Berejiklian was being “evasive” while giving evidence during Monday’s ICAC hearing.
Speaking on Today, Ms Mckay said it was unfortunate Ms Berejiklain was “focusing on a bad decision she made in a relationship”.
“I think that is unfortunate, but we all make bad decisions in relationships. I have made bad decisions in relationships. But that doesn’t mean that stops you from making reporting where necessary and taking action and she didn’t do that,” she said.
Ms McKay later told Sky News she believes it is a significant concern for every resident of New South Wales that Ms Berejiklian was “complicit” in the wrongdoings of former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.
“But what she’s [Berejiklian] is not entitled to is the failure to report misconduct and the deeds of Daryl Maguire which she knew about as far back as 2014,” she said.
Ms McKay said she had “a sick feeling” that the state was accepting standards “we shouldn’t be accepting”.
“The Premier has turned up for work every day. I have praised her for the job that she has done in parts but I will not sit back and accept that simply because she says she was in a bad relationship that it is why this corruption was allowed to occur,” Ms McKay said.
“We shouldn’t accept that.”
READ MORE: Editorial — Gladys we thought we knew unravels in minutes
Robert Gottliebsen 8.54am: Courts, Canberra can fix Victoria’s mess
Victoria desperately needs the transfer of proven corporate practices to government by replacing those in the cabinet (the equivalent of boards) and public service (the “management”) who contributed to so many deaths. Understandably, they are now simply unable to fix the problem. Many know they have made horrendous mistakes and will not be sleeping.
In the corporate arena, shareholders and regulators can force the changes but in the Victorian parliamentary arena there is no election until 2022. So there is grave risk of a “third wave” until a vaccine or cure is developed. This is not only disaster for Victoria but the nation as well.
Victoria’s current problem is that it’s contact tracing system is simply still not up to the standard of other states. For example, it is still only testing those with symptoms where infection breaks out, instead of testing everybody in the area. Sometimes up to half of those infected, and who will infect others, have no symptoms so are not discovered. Private security guards are still involved in some quarantine areas.
There are legal means for relieving key figures in the Victorian government from duty, which appears to be the only way to sort this mess out.
READ Robert Gottliebsen's full commentary here
Rachel Baxendale 8.46am: Victoria records 12 new cases, 1 death
Victoria has recorded 12 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to Tuesday, and one death.
Yesterday there were 12 new cases & the loss of 1 life reported. Our thoughts are with all affected. More information will be available later today. Info: https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz#COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/Ht13o6PrOk
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) October 12, 2020
The 12 cases follow 15 on Monday, and represent the sixth straight day of double digit new case numbers and the 15th straight day of daily case numbers above five.
Victoria was supposed to record a 14 day daily average of below five, with no more than five cases with an unknown source of infection by next October 18 in order to move to the next stage of easing restrictions on Monday.
The single death brings Victoria’s coronavirus death toll to 811.
All but 19 of these deaths have occurred as a result of the state’s second wave of coronavirus cases, sparked by breaches in the Andrews government’s hotel quarantine program.
Melbourne’s 14 day daily average number of new cases is now 10.0, up from 9.9 on Monday and a low of 9.4 on Friday, and down marginally from 10.6 last Tuesday.
This compares with a 14 day daily average of 0.4 in regional Victoria – the same as on Monday – and up from a low of 0.3 on October 3.
All five active cases in regional Victoria are linked to the Odfellows cafe in Kilmore, north of Melbourne, where a Melburnian linked to a cluster associated with the Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne’s southeast illegally ate breakfast.
As of Monday there were 191 active cases of coronavirus statewide, up from 189 on Sunday – the first time the number of active cases in Victoria had risen since August 15.
There have been 13 cases with an unknown source of infection in metropolitan Melbourne in the most recent fortnight for which this statistic is available – up from 11 on Monday and a low of 10 over the weekend.
Regional Victoria has had no unknown source cases over the same fortnight, which spans September 27 to October 10.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday signalled Monday’s planned easing of restrictions will not be as substantial as previously planned, given Victoria will not reach the threshold of a 14 day daily average of fewer than five cases, with fewer than five unknown source cases over the fortnight.
The previous plan was set to see stay-at-home rules relaxed for the first time since July 7, and hospitality businesses able to reopen to predominantly outdoor service, subject to density limits and a limit of 10 people per group.
Melburnians are currently under stay at home restrictions allowing them to leave home only for permitted work, medical care, essential shopping, exercise and public outdoor gatherings of up to five people from up to two households for up to two hours.
READ MORE: What’s plan B, business asks Dan
Sarah Elks 8.29am: Frecklington faces heat over developer fundraiser
The LNP is in “ongoing discussions” with the Electoral Commission of Queensland, after revelations Opposition leader Deb Frecklington hosted fundraisers attended by property developers who are banned from making political donations.
LNP campaign director Lincoln Folo this morning issued a statement denying a report on the ABC, which said the LNP had been forced to refer Ms Frecklington to the ECQ over the events.
“The ABC’s allegation that the LNP has referred Deb Frecklington to the ECQ is false. It has not,” Mr Folo’s statement said.
“The LNP regularly communicates with the ECQ to ensure that we comply with the Act.”
The ABC reported that Ms Frecklington, along with senior Queensland LNP federal minister Peter Dutton, hosted a number of fundraisers attended by property developers. There’s no evidence those developers made donations to the party.
At least one of the events was hosted at a home of a property developer.
The Australian revealed last month that the LNP had breached state electoral law by hosting at least one prominent Brisbane property developer, part-owner of the Brisbane Broncos Phil Murphy, at a fundraiser. — With Michael McKenna and Charlie Peel
READ the full story here
Yoni Bashan 8.14am: Don’t blame Gladys while she’s blaming boyfriend
Right, so Gladys Berejiklian can thunder on about the misdeeds of Daryl Maguire, sack him from parliament, issue a statement brimming with anger that he “let down the people of NSW”, his constituents, the Liberal Party, bloody everyone … then carry on seeing him in secret for two years.
This latest scandal continues a long tradition of reality distortion by Gladys Berejiklian in a political crisis.
READ Yoni Bashan’s full commentary here
Imogen Reid 7.40am: Liberal figures standing by Berejiklian
Senior Liberal figures are publicly standing by Gladys Berejiklian but reserving judgment after yesterday’s bombshell ICAC hearing.
New South Wales Minister for Transport Andrew Constance has defended the Premier after the hearing revealed she had a five-year relationship with disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.
Speaking on Sunrise, Mr Constance said there is no reason Ms Berejiklian should resign, insisting she has done nothing wrong.
“It was a personal relationship and the ICAC put the question to her yesterday and she has done absolutely nothing wrong and that’s the key point,” he said.
Asked whether he would step into her role as Premier should she resign, Mr Constance said: “That’s ridiculous because she is going nowhere. I will tell you now.”
“She is not going anywhere. I’m not going to go down that path because she is going to continue to be the rock-solid Premier she is. She is wonderful,” he said.
Meanwhile, NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay is preparing to move a motion of no confidence today against the Premier.
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says Ms Berejiklian should “certainly not” resign her leadership, describing her relationship with former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire as “out of character”.
“Gladys is one of the most diligent leaders in Australia today, she is diligent, she is honest,” Mr Turnbull told Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast, adding that he had known her “for most of her life”.
READ the full story here
Imogen Reid 7.20am: COVID-19 numbers highest since start of pandemic
The World Health Organisation has warned the number of new COVID-19 cases has reached its highest level since the start of the pandemic.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Monday, the organisation’s Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the last four days had seen the “highest number of cases reported so far.”
“Around the world, we are now seeing an increase in the number of reported cases of COVID-19 especially in Europe and the Americas,” he said.
During the same meeting, Tedros said the herd immunity concept was “not an option”, arguing that allowing a dangerous virus “run free” was simply unethical.
“For every country experiencing an increase, there are many others that have successfully prevented or controlled widespread transmission with proven measures. Those measures continue to be our best defence against COVID-19,” he said.
“There has been some discussion about the concept of reaching so-called ‘herd immunity’ by letting the virus spread. Herd immunity is a concept used for vaccination, in which a population can be protected from a certain virus if a threshold of vaccination is reached.
“For example, herd immunity against measles requires about 95 per cent of a population to be vaccinated. The remaining 5 per cent will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated.
“In other words, herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus, not by exposing them to it.”
READ MORE: Albrechtsen — A great Covid reckoning is coming
Paige Taylor 7.12am: Rio ‘betrayed us’ over Juukan caves
Traditional owners of the ancient Pilbara caves destroyed by Rio Tinto have told how they wrongly believed the company was taking steps to save the precious rock shelters just a day before they were blown up.
The Puutu Kunti Kurrama Pinikura, known as the PKKP, told a parliamentary inquiry they were given hope at a meeting with Rio Tinto employees on the morning of May 23, 2020 – 24 hours before the blasts – that Rio Tinto was trying to remove unexploded blast materials from holes in the area.
“Our understanding from that discussion was that they were removing, they were attempting to remove blasts so that it would mitigate the impact on the rock shelters,” Ms Meredith said.
Rio Tinto did successfully remove unexploded blast material from seven of the 382 holes in the area in last-minute works.
According to evidence at the inquiry, the consistent advice of blast experts was that “the entire shot could not be unloaded”. In other words, it was too late to save the caves once the blast material was in the holes, so the company continued to load holes in preparation for the May 24 blast.
READ the full story here
Sharri Markson 6.45am: Numb and dumber: Gladys’ affair to forget
The plotting began even while NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was still giving evidence on the stand at the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
She had told her close colleagues her appearance at the inquiry would be short and uneventful. Routine.
The subsequent revelation of her close personal relationship with the disgraced former MP at the centre of the corruption probe, Daryl Maguire, spanning several years, blindsided MPs.
It was explosive.
“Most of us are numb. Everyone was like ‘What the hell?’ ” one MP said.
Another MP remarked: “No one was ready for it.”
A third said of his shock over Berejiklian’s decision to grow close to Maguire: “I wouldn’t give him the time of day, let alone anything else.”
The NSW Premier’s political future is uncertain.
Her position is weak and despite her efforts to hang on, she may not survive the week.
Incredulous ministers ask how Berejiklian could have continued a relationship with Maguire until just a few months ago when she had sacked him over corruption allegations two years ago.
READ the full story here
David Ross 6.35am: New alerts as Western Sydney cluster grows
NSW Health has listed two more venues linked to the latest COVID-19 outbreak in the Lakemba area that came to light after two healthcare workers at A2Z Medical Centre, 96 Haldon Street Lakemba tested positive.
PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT: NSW Health is alerting the public that confirmed cases of #COVID19, reported in today’s earlier health alert, have attended venues in South West Sydney.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 12, 2020
Full list of locations linked to known cases: https://t.co/pqkRdfh3cR. pic.twitter.com/ORlhRRuayZ
Anyone who attended the following venues is considered a close contact and must be tested immediately and isolate for a full 14 days from exposure regardless of the result:
Ali Dine Inn and Take Away Lakemba, 158 Haldon Street Lakemba, on Friday 9 October, from 7:30pm – 8:30pm
A2Z Medical Centre, 96 Haldon Street Lakemba, on Tuesday 29 September – Saturday 10 October
Anyone who attended A2Z Medical Centre between 25-28 September must get tested for COVID-19 immediately, however, as the full 14 days since exposure has elapsed these contacts do not need to continue to isolate once a negative test result is received.
Anyone who attended ISRA Medical practice, at 102A Haldon Street Lakemba, on Monday 5 October 6pm to Tuesday 6 October 6am is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop. After testing, they must remain in isolation until a negative test result is received:
READ MORE: Don’t blame Gladys while she blames boyfriend
Sarah Elks 6.20am: Palmer mines family, staff for seats
Clive Palmer’s flagship private company Mineralogy has paid the fees for his United Australia Party candidates to stand in the Queensland election, with one third of those running either employees or relatives.
Mr Palmer, who is facing fraud charges over his political spending at the 2013 federal election, has registered Mineralogy with the Electoral Commission of Queensland as a third party organisation, which means he is able to spend an extra $1m under the state’s strict expenditure cap.
An investigation by The Australian has discovered Mineralogy’s Visa credit card was used late last week to pay the ECQ $13,750 for the registration of 55 candidates to stand for the UAP at the October 31 state election.
Analysis of ECQ records shows at least 17 of the 55 candidates are either relatives of Mr Palmer, employees or former employees. For each candidate who stands for the UAP, the party can spend an extra $150,000 on campaigning, meaning Mr Palmer’s family and staff’s willingness to stand has added an extra $2.55m to his campaign war chest.
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Jacquelin Magnay 6.00am: Dismay in UK north with strict three tier restrictions
Boris Johnson has avoided putting the United Kingdom into a fresh national lockdown, but has introduced a three tier system of lockdown measures in regional areas to try and suppress the spread of coronavirus.
Areas in the north of England, including Liverpool, Nottinghamshire, East and West Cheshire and a small area of the High Peak District in Derbyshire where the virus infections are increasing at a high rate, have been categorised in the “very high’’ tier and will face tougher new restrictions from Wednesday. Pubs and bars, gyms, leisure centres and casinos and betting shops will close and “social mixing” indoors and in private gardens will be banned for these areas.
The news has been received with dismay. Liverpool Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Paul Cherpeau, said businesses across the city were “bewildered, frustrated and angry” and confidence has been badly damaged.
“Whilst our visitor economy will bear the brunt of these new restrictions, the percolating effect on supply chains is hugely concerning, in addition to the psychological impact upon our citizens, business owners and investors,’’ he said.
Mr Johnson said there were now more people in hospital with coronavirus than when the country went into a full lockdown on March 23 and in the past week deaths had increased six-fold.
On Monday 50 people with coronavirus died and 13,972 new infections were announced.
But the Prime Minister said there should not be another full lockdown, nor an easing of restrictions.
He said “bleak mathematics’’ would lead to deaths and the National Health Service being overwhelmed if restrictions were abandoned and the disease left to run its course.
Mr Johnson also told parliament that while there is “a good chance of a vaccine, it cannot be taken for granted’’, highlighting that there is still no vaccine for SARS which first emerged 18 years ago.
Mr Johnson said £1bn would be made immediately available to local authorities including provision of military services and support for test and trace in local areas in England.
Most of England is under the “medium’’ tier which involves restrictions on socialising to six people and closure of pubs at 10pm. The next tier of ‘’high’’ will ban social mixing indoors, while the “very high’’ tier will shut down commercial venues such as pubs and clubs, a ban on wedding receptions and restricted movement within and out of the area.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish system would align as closely as possible with the rest of the UK, but that Scotland would decide its own rules.
A spokesman for the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “As of today, London is at ‘medium’ in the Government’s new alert levels. However, Londoners should understand that this could change very quickly – potentially even this week.”
Meanwhile health secretary Matt Hancock has mobilised some Nightingale Hospitals in Harrogate, Manchester and Sunderland on standby if cases increase beyond the capacity of local hospitals.
READ MORE: UK plan for nets to catch migrant boats
Simon Benson 5.45am: Losing patience with slow return to normal
Australians are running out of patience with state imposed border closures and strict lockdowns with almost half of all voters now claiming governments are moving too slowly and causing unnecessary damage to the economy and mental health.
An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian reveals the once strong support for stopping the spread of the virus as a priority over economic recovery has swung significantly over the past few months.
The number of people now supporting a faster return to lifting restrictions, still in place across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, has more than doubled since July when peak concern was sparked by Victoria’s second wave outbreak.
In July, 76 per cent of voters nationally claimed to be most concerned about governments moving too quickly to relax COVID-19 restrictions.
That number has now fallen to 54 per cent.
But the movement among those seeking a faster way out of the economic paralysis was more dramatic. In July, 20 per cent of voters cited their chief concern as being harm to the economy, jobs and mental wellbeing arising from a slow relaxation of lockdowns and restrictions. That number has grown to 43 per cent in the latest poll.
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Jamie Walker 5.30am: Palaszczuk warned: Trad call not yours
The boss of Queensland’s dominant Labor faction has contradicted Annastacia Palaszczuk’s declaration that her former deputy and treasurer, Jackie Trad, won’t return to cabinet if the government is re-elected.
United Workers Union state secretary Gary Bullock insisted the makeup of the ministry would be determined by the ALP’s “democratic processes”, a clear warning to the Premier about the limits of her power in the factional system.
Ms Trad’s immediate future will be decided by a battle with the Greens for her marginal seat of South Brisbane, where the Liberal National Party will preference Labor last to boost the minority party’s chances on October 31.
Ms Trad on Monday ruled herself out of a post-election recall to the ministry after the Premier refused to be drawn on whether this was on the cards after the election.
Ms Trad posted on Facebook that she had “only ever put myself forward to represent and fight” for her local community.
“Let me make clear, I am not seeking a return to cabinet,” she said.
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CFMEU reprieve for ‘rip your head off’ rep
CFMEU administrator Mark Irving has decided to keep employing Joel Shackleton, despite him being charged by police with threatening to kill an owner of an Indigenous labour hire company.
Human rights body raises free speech concerns in Labor’s bill
The human rights commission has warned Labor’s laws to combat online misinformation do not ‘strike the appropriate balance’ between protecting free speech and moderating content.