PoliticsNow: Fresh transmission case suspected in Sydney hotel; sick NZ worker cleaned planes to Australia
NSW Health urgently contacting returning travellers who stayed on the same floor of CBD hotel but have since been released from quarantine.
- Infected NZ worker cleaned planes to Australia
- PM unveils $540m clean energy plan
- China diplomat’s stinging attack over Huawei
- Victoria set for local Pfizer production
- ABC makes second apology in a week
- Bosses brawl over ‘political bastardry’
- NZ eases tensions ahead of talks
Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of political news amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
NSW Health is investigating another potential transmission of COVID-19 between returned travellers in a Sydney CBD hotel.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has unveiled a $540m clean energy plan aimed at cutting emissions and boosting jobs.
Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Xining has launched a blistering attack on Australia’s involvement in banning Huwawei in other countries, saying “Australia connived with the United States in a very unethical, illegal, immoral suppression of Chinese companies”.
The Victorian government has announced it will provide $50m to develop mRNA Covid vaccines capable of manufacturing Pfizer and Moderna jabs locally.
The ABC has been forced to correct reports it aired relating to JobKeeper claims made on behalf of fictitious employees.
Geoff Chambers11.30pm:Business on frontline in cyberspace ‘war’
Assistant Defence Minister Andrew Hastie says businesses face having their entire systems crippled by cyber criminals and has called for a shift in thinking to protect the nation’s digital sovereignty, as the Australian and US governments push back against state-sponsored hackers. The step-up will be supported by a new international cyber and critical technology engagement strategy, which puts Australia at the forefront of efforts by Western nations to resist attempts by countries, including China, to undermine democracies.
Amid a wave of cyber attacks targeting Australian companies, critical infrastructure operators and governments, Mr Hastie told The Australian that “increasingly we’re going to see war, or coercive activities, carried out in cyberspace”.
The government’s cyber security industry advisory committee, chaired by Telstra chief executive Andy Penn, met on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing cyber-crime threat to businesses.
The Biden administration last week warned of new Microsoft Exchange server vulnerabilities, linked to China, and imposed sanctions against Russia over the devastating SolarWinds cyber attack, which compromised US government agencies and companies. Mr Hastie, who is urging Australian businesses and individuals to patch their Microsoft Exchange systems after initial security updates were ineffective, said he strongly backed the increased international focus on cyber attacks.
“This is a critical recognition that cyber is the new battlefield and we must continue to co-operate to counter threat actors,” he said. “We’ve always talked about sovereignty in territorial terms, but we need to start thinking and talking about what it means for Australia to retain and protect its digital sovereignty.
“Cyber is low cost, it’s hard to attribute when someone conducts a cyber attack, and you can do it anytime, anywhere.”
Jess Malcolm 10.50pm: Oxygen leak kills 22 hospital patients
An oxygen leak killed 22 patients in a New Dehli hospital after cutting off supply to 60 ventilators.
Oxygen supply is running low in major hospitals in Indian cities as healthcare workers struggle to deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The country set another record on Wednesday, with more than 22,000 deaths in the previous 24 hours. It recorded 295,000 new cases on the same day.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country of 1.3 billion people was “once again fighting a big fight”.
“The situation was under control till a few weeks back, and then this second corona wave came like a storm,” he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted late on Tuesday that some hospitals in the capital “are left with just a few hours of oxygen”.
Health officials say mass gatherings, political rallies, lavish weddings and cricket matches against England are to blame for the surge in cases.
READ MORE:State rolls up its sleeves on home-made vaccines
Ewin Hannan10.30pm:‘Wage freeze needed’ because of vaccine delays
The restaurant and cafe sector has blamed the Morrison government’s “lagging” vaccination rollout for delaying the economic recovery, citing problems with the program to justify its call to impose a real wage cut on low-paid workers this year.
The Restaurant and Catering Industry Association said logistical challenges and public safety concerns about side-effects from certain vaccinations had hindered and substantially delayed the expected timeline for the vaccine rollout.
“The vaccination program was the foundation for the subsequent economic recovery, which has been delayed as a consequence,” the association said in a new submission to the Fair Work Commission’s minimum wage review.
Charlie Peel 9.45pm:Stand-off over Olympics funding
The federal government is refusing to bow to a deadline set by Annastacia Palaszczuk to commit to funding half of the Queensland Olympic Games bid by Monday.
Negotiations between the governments are at a stand-off as they prepare to finalise their joint bid for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics after the Queensland Premier announced on Tuesday that the Gabba cricket and AFL ground would be demolished and rebuilt as a 50,000-seat venue for $1bn — making it the smallest Olympic stadium in 100 years — and asked for the federal government to pay for half of it.
Ms Palaszczuk said time was running out to meet a deadline to provide assurances to the International Olympic Committee — which has identified Brisbane as its preferred bidder — by Monday, including a 50 per cent funding commitment from the federal government.
Max Maddison9pm: I did not pressure council, says MP
Councillors asked whether an email sent by former Berejiklian government minister John Sidoti was a veiled “threat”, as he pushed them to “deliver the vision” of shopkeepers — a vision that would have also benefited the Sidoti family’s property interests.
After pleading ignorance on his first day at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, telling the corruption watchdog he regularly signed legal documents without reading or understanding their content, during a heated hearing on Wednesday the Drummoyne MP was forced to deny that he had threatened City of Canada Bay councillors.
In an email tendered as evidence, counsel assisting the commission, Rob Ranken, took Mr Sidoti through an email he had sent to Liberal councillors on Canada Bay council, in Sydney’s inner-west, in which he strongly urged them to reconsider two requirements in the Five Dock Town Centre Urban Design Study.
Jess Malcolm8.20pm: Two cases transmitted in Perth hotel
Two new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Western Australia, after the coronavirus was transmitted between rooms in a Perth hotel.
Genomic sequencing returned to confirm that the two guests, in opposite rooms to each other, had the same virus despite arriving from different countries at different times.
All guests who previously stayed on level six of the Mercure Hotel, Perth and had been released are being re-tested and self-isolating.
The previously reported infections were initially listed as being overseas acquired and have now been reclassified as locally acquired cases.
READ MORE: Payne cancels Andrews’ deals with China
Angelica Snowden, Adeshola Ore8pm:State rolls up its sleeves on home-made vaccines
The Victorian government will invest $50m to develop new manufacturing capabilities for COVID vaccines, while the state’s Chief Health Officer rolled up his sleeve to open three mass vaccination hubs.
Acting Premier James Merlino said the outlay would deliver on a national priority to kick-start the development of onshore capacity to manufacture messenger RNA — or mRNA — vaccines, including the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 jabs.
“We have seen the challenges of global supply. We know the benefits of onshore manufacturing and we know the benefits of this technology,” he said.
Jess Malcolm7.30pm: Keneally urges minister to visit Biloela family
Kristina Keneally has called on Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews to travel to Christmas Island to visit the Biloela family held — and to reconsider their visa status in Australia.
Speaking to the Project from Christmas Island, where she travelled to visit the family, the Labor senator said detention has been highly stressful for the family.
“The father is quite a quiet man but there’s this deep and profound sadness in him, he fears deportation and that if he is returned to Sri Lanka he will be killed and his children will be orphans,” Senator Keneally said. “The mother is lonely and distressed as an extrovert.”
Senator Keneally said she was pleased the new minister has received a “high-level detailed briefing” but urged her to visit their rural Queensland community to “understand how well-loved the family is”.
“We have spent four years and $50 million of taxpayer money trying to deport and keep in detention this family. And this is exactly the time of the case where a minister should use their discretion to bring this expensive sorry saga to an end.”
READ MORE:Stand-off over Olympics funding
AFP 6.45pm:Putin sets date for herd immunity
Vladimir Putin says Russia is aiming for herd immunity against the coronavirus by the northern autumn and hailed his country’s development of three vaccines.
“Vaccination is now of paramount importance... to allow herd immunity to develop in the fall,” the Russian President said on Wednesday during his annual state of the nation address.
“Our scientists have made a real breakthrough. Now Russia has three reliable vaccines against the coronavirus.”
The 68-year-old received his second dose of a coronavirus vaccine last week without specifying which of Russia’s three jabs — Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona or CoviVac — he had been administered.
On Wednesday, he reiterated an appeal he has made multiple times in recent weeks for all Russians to get a vaccine.
“I appeal to all citizens of Russia: get vaccinated. This is the only way we will get rid of this deadly disease,” he said.
Despite beginning its vaccination campaign in early December ahead of most countries, Russia has struggled to inoculate its citizens.
Many Russians are sceptical of the vaccine, with a recent opinion poll showing fewer than a third are willing to get inoculated.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said last week that “significantly” more than eight million of Russia’s 144 million people have been vaccinated.
The country has been among the hardest hit by COVID-19, with health officials reporting more than 4.7 million cases and 106,000 deaths as of Wednesday.
But Mr Putin reiterated a claim he has made throughout the pandemic — that Russia has handled its outbreak better than most countries.
“Healthcare in many leading countries was not able to as effectively ward off the epidemic as we have.”
READ MORE:Alarm at Russian troop build-up
Jess Malcolm6.00pm: NSW investigates fresh possible hotel transmission
NSW Health is investigating another potential transmission of COVID-19 between returned travellers in a Sydney CBD hotel, after returning travellers returned the same genomic testing to the virus.
Health authorities are urgently contacting returning travellers who were staying on the same floor of the Mecure Hotel in George St during what is believed to be the infectious period but have since been released from hotel quarantine.
Genomic testing shows travellers who entered Australia on April 3 and subsequently stayed in adjacent rooms, have tested positive for the South African strain of COVID-19.
The new cases are two family members who were in connecting rooms, and a third person who was staying in an adjacent room. The family members tested positive on days seven and 10 of their stay, while the person in the adjacent room tested positive on day 12.
Their infectious period is believed to be from April 7 to April 12.
Hotel staff working on the 10th floor are now being tested, and NSW Health has moved the positive cases to Special Health Accomodation where they will remain until no longer infectious.
“NSW Health urges everyone in NSW with even the mildest symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, to come forward immediately for testing, then isolate until they receive a negative result,” the statement read.
Angie Raphael5.10pm: Sick NZ worker cleaned planes to Australia
A coronavirus-infected airport staffer who cleaned planes from high-risk countries also worked on aircraft bound for Australia.
There are now fears the staffer may have passed the infection on just two days after the trans-Tasman bubble opened.
New Zealand’s director of public health Caroline McElnay said authorities believed the case was linked to a returning passenger from Ethiopia.
“The person who has become infected works at cleaning planes from international flights,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
“This includes countries that are deemed red zone where COVID-19 is widespread, but also includes having cleaned green zone planes flying back to Australia on Monday.”
Dr McElnay noted it was the same protocol used in Australia.
“The person wore full PPE while cleaning and we have been in touch with Australian authorities to notify them about this case,” she said.
“Our assessment is that there is no additional risk to any passengers who travelled on those flights cleaned by the infected person.”
The worker has received both doses of the COVID-19 jab, which means the risk to the community is low.
READ MORE:Law change closes travel bubble loophole
Adeshola Ore4.10pm: Domestic mRNA tech won’t help this year: PM
Scott Morrison has warned the development of mRNA technology will not help Australia’s COVID vaccinations needs this year, after the Victorian government’s announced it would provide funding to kickstart domestic manufacturing.
The Victorian government has announced a $50 million funding commitment to help develop technology to produce mRNA COVID vaccines domestically. Australia does not currently have the technology to produce mRNA vaccines at scale. The technology allows vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna to be manufactured.
The Prime Minister said mRNA was “exciting technology” and said the commonwealth would be “moving in this area.”
“No one is going to be in a position to manufacture through mRNA to deal with the needs we have this year. That is not in the discussion,” he said.
“A year ago, mRNA vaccines were a theory, largely, around the world.”
Mr Morrison said Victoria’s decision was “great” but stressed it was not done “in the place of the commonwealth.”
He said he predicted that other state governments would move in a similar direction.
Adeshola Ore3.50pm: Plans to meet Brittany Higgins ‘in process’: PM
Scott Morrison says plans for a meeting date with Brittany Higgins are “in process” after the former Liberal Party staffer said she was disappointed she’d received no contact from the Prime Minister’s Office for two weeks.
Ms Higgins said she was “hopeful” a meeting with Scott Morrison will go ahead but was disappointed she has not had a response from the Prime Minister’s office since their initial contact on April 6.
The former Liberal Party staffer, who alleged she was raped by a colleague in then Defence Minister Linda Reynolds office in 2018, said her decision to meet with Mr Morrison had not been made lightly. She noted it had been made in the “spirit of reform.”
Mr Morrison said his office was following up on arranging a meeting date with Ms Higgins.
“We heard from Brittany last week, it is an important meeting and I look forward to having it,” he said.
READ MORE:Women abandon Coalition in droves
Adeshola Ore3.40pm: Scott Morrison unveils $540m clean energy plan
Scott Morrison says the government’s funding for clean energy projects will cut emissions and support jobs across Australia, as he tries to assure workers in regional areas they won’t be hurt by the Coalition’s climate policies.
The Morrison government has pledged more than $500m to help cut emissions through energy projects, which includes $275.5 million for new hydrogen production hubs in regional Australia. Almost $264 million will also fund carbon capture storage projects to reduce emissions.
The announcement comes just days before US President Joe Biden’s two-day climate summit this week. Mr Morrison said the world was moving towards a net zero economy and declared Australia had an important role to play in this future.
“The way we’re going to play a huge part in that is ensuring that we are backing the scientists, the best entrepreneurs, the best pioneers and those who are doing that in our heaviest industries,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the investment in clean energy would see regional Australians “propelled’ forward and “transformed”.
“All of these jobs are going to be supported and they are going to grow even more in the new energy economy because of the investments and because of the science and technology,” he said.
“It is our government’s plan to ensure that we are meeting that challenge through technology, not taxes.”
READ MORE:Morrison pushes jobs on way to net zero
Jess Malcolm3.15pm: Total vaccinations top 1.7 million across country
A total of 1,718,107 vaccines have been administered as part of the federal government vaccination rollout, with 64,821 doses given in the past 24 hours.
The commonwealth has administered 1,039,147 with 48,756 given in the past 24 hours up to Tuesday night.
The states and territories have given 678,960 with 16,056 completed in the past 24 hours.
NSW has administered the most with 181,435 followed by Victoria with 172,308, Queensland with 128,555, WA with 80,662, Tasmania with 30,573, South Australia with 49,349, ACT with 22,619, and the Northern Territory with 13,459.
A total of 855,609 have been administered in primary care clinics by the commonwealth, and 183,538 given in aged and disability facilities.
The figures are part of a commitment by the commonwealth to release daily numbers in a bid to increase transparency in its rollout.
Adeshola Ore2.57pm: ‘Inexplicable’ ABC took so long to correct report
Josh Frydenberg says it’s ‘inexplicable” it has taken the ABC three months for correct reports it aired about JobKeeper claims made on behalf of fictitious employees.
The public broadcaster said reports that were published across its radio, television and online channels failed to make clear issues relating to JobKeeper payments made by employers trying to cheat the system. The reports were aired and published on January 29 were updated this week.
It’s inexplicable @abcnews took nearly 3 months to correct the record after inaccurate claims about JobKeeper published on all platforms.
— Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) April 21, 2021
These claims were immediately rejected by the ATO on 30 Jan. Australians expect a higher standard of reporting.https://t.co/1H1ToEvKur
The Treasurer slammed the public broadcaster, saying “Australians expect a higher standard of reporting.”
“It’s inexplicable @abcnews took nearly 3 months to correct the record after inaccurate claims about JobKeeper published on all platforms,” he said on Twitter.
“These claims were immediately rejected by the ATO on 30 Jan.”
Paul Garvey2.52pm:Looser international arrival restrictions mad: McGowan
Western Australian premier Mark McGowan has slammed calls to loosen restrictions on international arrivals as “mad”, amid an uptick in returned overseas travellers infected with COVID-19.
With daily international infection rates continuing to climb, led by a growing surge of cases in India, Mr McGowan said apparent deficiencies in international testing of passengers ahead of their return presented a real danger to Australia.
“There is a serious risk and this is one of the riskiest periods we are facing since the height of the virus in the first half of last year, simply because of the numbers of returning Australians who are positive,” he said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week flagged the possibility of returned vaccinated travellers going into quarantine at home as the next step in allowing more Australians back into the country.
But Mr McGowan said the risks were too high to consider an easing of restrictions.
“These calls from NSW to bring down the international borders are mad,” he said.
“I don’t understand why they are pursuing this. Haven’t they seen what’s happening in India? Haven’t they seen what’s happening in Britain? Haven’t they seen what’s happening in France? In Brazil?
“Bringing down the international borders at this point in time, or having reduced measures where people just quarantine at home, en masse when they return from overseas, is just a recipe for disaster.”
While WA has not had a case of community transmission of the virus in over a year, there are currently 28 COVID-positive cases in Perth’s six quarantine hotels – a sharp increase from the single-digit figures earlier this year.
Mr McGowan flagged concerns about the integrity of the pre-flight COVID testing required of each traveller before they return to Australia.
“You are meant to be COVID-negative before you get on the plane, and yet we keep having lots of people coming in that are COVID-positive,” he said.
“I don’t know why that’s occurring, I don’t know if people are providing fraudulent certificates, I don’t know if they’re getting COVID on the aircraft, I don’t know if the COVID testing clinics, they’re negative when they get there then they’re acquire it and get on an aircraft back to Australia.”
READ MORE: India’s crematoriums buckle as Covid dead pile up
Adeshola Ore2.29pm:Brittany Higgins disappointed at lack of PM response
Brittany Higgins says she is “hopeful” a meeting with Scott Morrison will go ahead but is disappointed she has not had a response from the Prime Minister’s office since their initial contact two weeks ago.
Last week, Mr Morrison confirmed the former Liberal Party staffer had agreed to meet with him to discuss a “range of issues” she raised with his office. A date for their meeting has not been finalised yet.
In the spirit of reform, I have publicly and privately accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to meet.
— Brittany Higgins (@BrittHiggins_) April 21, 2021
This decision wasn’t made lightly. However, things cannot be improved unless people are willing to come together and speak plainly about these difficult issues.
The former Liberal Party staffer, who alleged she was raped by a colleague in then Defence Minister Linda Reynolds office in 2018, said her decision to meet with Mr Morrison had not been made lightly. She noted it had been made in the “spirit of reform.”
“Things cannot be improved unless people are willing to come together and speak plainly about these difficult issues,” she said on Twitter.
“After two months, a national protest and countless other horrifying stories – the time for action is now.”
READ MORE: ‘Bizarre’ milkshake consent video pulled
Angelica Snowden2.22pm:Slow start at Victoria’s mass vaccination hub
Melbourne’s three vaccination hubs have clocked up a quiet start on day one of their opening, despite hopes they could speed up the roll out.
Don’t know what you call a selfie post-vaccine. But here’s my #vaxxie and couldn’t be happier. Caring, professional and efficient approach of everyone at the Royal Exhibition Buildings, especially the â¦@StVincentsMelbâ© staff. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/gmAKMDeuI8
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) April 21, 2021
While Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton visited the Royal Exhibition Building to receive the AstraZeneca jab, there were no big crowds at the centre.
For about half an hour from midday, about five people could be seen entering the building for their jab.
A quiet start to the opening of one of Victoria’s mass COVID vaccination hubs at the Royal Exhibition Building @australianpic.twitter.com/ARoScjbgEd
— Angelica Snowden (@ang3snowden) April 21, 2021
From about 1pm, there was a queue of eight people.
Tents with queue barriers had been constructed on either side of the entrance to the building, to cope with larger crowds who may have had to wait outside.
A small anti-vaccine protest took place in front of the building.
Two other centres have also opened at the Melbourne Convention Centre and the former Ford Factory in Geelong.
READ MORE: Trading Day — ASX trims losses
Emily Cosenza 2.07pm: NZ escape loophole slammed shut
Australians looking to use New Zealand as a port to go overseas could be slapped with a massive fine or even be jailed under newly changed laws.
Since the two neighbouring countries entered into the quarantine-free arrangement on Monday, thousands of people have travelled between the ANZAC nations.
Some were quick to point out the Kiwi nation could be used as a port to travel further abroad, as New Zealand does not have laws forbidding overseas travel without an exemption like Australia does.
But Health Minister Greg Hunt was quick to put an end to the scheming, amending the Biosecurity legislation to specify that Australians could not use NZ as a port to go overseas.
Ben Wilmot2.03pm:Dreamworld hopes riding on vaccine rollout
As Ardent Leisure’s Main Event chain enjoys a comeback in part thanks to the US vaccine rollout, its Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast is still bracing for “challenging” conditions ahead.
As Ardent named Greg Yong as it new CEO of theme parks and attractions, it said attendances had been hit by the snap lockdown in Greater Brisbane before the Easter school holidays.
Departing theme parks chief executive John Osborne warned of lean times for Dreamworld until conditions are more certain.
“It is expected that conditions will remain challenging for the remainder of fiscal 2021 and the first half of fiscal 2022,” he said.
While “optimistic” about trading in the second half of fiscal 2022, this was “largely contingent on the Australian vaccine rollout, no COVID-19 outbreaks and resultant domestic border confidence”, Mr Osborne said.
READ the full story here
Nicholas Jensen1.57pm:China ‘doesn’t have a bad relationship with the US’
China’s deputy head of mission in Canberra has insisted that relations between Washington and Beijing remain stable and consistent, saying “we don’t have a bad relationship with the US”, adding China’s policy has always remained the same.
“What we want is non-confrontation and mutual co-operation and have that principle be adhered to by both sides, China and the US,” Wang Xining said.
Asked about the Five Eyes relationship, Mr Wang said China had good relations with its members, highlighting its present links with New Zealand.
“We have issues but the issues should be handled according to a standardised, mechanised, bilateral or international forums, like the WHO and WTO.”
“Why don’t we follow the mechanism and get things done within that mechanism?,” Mr Wang asked. “You want a rules-based international system and you want rule-abiding countries … So what we (China) do is just follow the rules.”
Mr Wang also railed against journalists and the shallow understanding of China that prevails throughout much of Australia and the west.
“I want to say the correct wording in English is the Communist Party of China. It’s CPC, not CCP … You make (the mistake) because there is a very shallow understanding of the role of – the Communist Party of China.
“It’s amazing to see how the western journalists love to see more trouble and more unrest in China, where my party, my government, my people, look forward to a peaceful influence in society and in the country.”
READ MORE: Ardern eases Five Eyes tension ahead of Payne talks
Nicholas Jensen 1.34pm: China diplomat’s stinging attack over Huawei
Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Xining has launched a blistering attack on Australia’s involvement in banning Huwawei in other countries, saying “Australia connived with the United States in a very unethical, illegal, immoral suppression of Chinese companies”.
“Australia has no glorious role in this regard … Australia was among the first to forcefully accuse Huawei of possible security threat,” Mr Wang said.
In an effort to ban Huawei, Mr Wang said “the US has mobilised a state power to suppress a particular Chinese company in order to prevent any challenges to traditional businesses.”
“They (the US) even went so far as framing and detaining senior executives … such dirty tactics took place in France and also from Toshiba in Japan.”
China’s deputy head of mission in Canberra accused Australia of turning other countries against China on the rollout of Huawei, saying “Australia was the first to ban Huawei in the domestic telecommunication industry building and then persuaded others”.
“This bewildered me because as far as I know there’s not a single Australia tech communication equipment company that’s on par with Huawei or any other internationally-renowned company in terms of technological advancement … Australia ranked second from the bottom in terms of market digitisation among OECD countries and broadband speeds.”
READ MORE: Why Chinese envoy ducked critics on Q&A
Nicholas Jensen1.22pm:China not a cow to milk, senior diplomat warns
China’s deputy head of mission in Canberra Wang Xining has said Australia must resist “the monolithic presentation of China” and embrace a more truthful, objective and sophisticated understanding of Beijing.
Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra, Mr Wang rejected claims that China no longer welcomes foreign journalists, saying “those journalists who we have been reprimanded failed to present a truthful image of China. We never discriminate against any journalists. We only hope foreign journalists in China will present a truthful view of China”.
“I think China represents the positive force because we adhere to science, adhere to radical thinking and practice to building social solidarity domestically, and resorting to international collaboration,” Mr Wang said.
Mr Wang said he was proud that China had continued to grow and develop, despite the effects of the pandemic, suggesting a strong China translates to a strong Australia.
“We like to share our yoke with all partners through the difficulties caused by COVID-19 and sail through this trying time,” he said.
However, he warned: “China is not a cow. I don’t think people should fancy the idea of milking China when she’s in her prime and then plot to slaughter it in the end.”
Mr Wang defended China’s foreign policy approach to Australia, saying it has always been consistent.
“We have done nothing intentionally to hurt this relationship,” he said. “We have seen too many incidents over the past few years that China’s interest has been hurt.”
READ MORE: The art of improving our China ties
Gerard Cockburn1.01pm:How Aussies used their early super funds
Australians who accessed their superannuation during the coronavirus pandemic spent their funds to pay down debt and meet household bills.
A new report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has found the majority of funds accessed through the early release of super scheme were used to meet bills and pay down existing debts, such as home loans.
At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government allowed Australians to access their super if they had claimed financial hardship because of the downturn.
The scheme enabled fund members to access $10,000 in both the 2020 and 2021 financial years.
ABS director Dean Adams said 29 per cent of people paid down their mortgage, while 27 per cent used funds to pay bills.
A further 15 per cent used the money to pay down personal debt, such as credit cards.
“We found that for people who accessed the scheme twice, the average total amount withdrawn was $17,441,” he said.
“The average single withdrawal was $7728 for the first opportunity and $7536 for the second.”
The ABS also found one-in-five households were being supported by JobKeeper payments during the pandemic. — NCA Newswire
READ MORE:Super shines as economy rebounds
David Swan12.43pm:Regulators unite against Big Tech
Australia’s competition tsar Rod Sims will urge the federal government to amend competition laws to make it easier to block mergers and acquisitions, particularly by Big Tech, with the ACCC joining with regulators in Europe to issue a rare joint statement about the issue.
The ACCC joined its counterparts and the UK and Germany to issue a warning about the dominance of the world’s tech giants, warning that COVID-19 was no reason to allow mergers that should otherwise be blocked.
“Competition can only be maintained by ensuring anticompetitive mergers do not happen. This is even more so in a fast-developing digital world impacted by the coronavirus pandemic,” the statement reads.
READ the full story here
Agencies12.18pm: China’s Xi to attend Biden’s climate summit
China’s President Xi Jinping will attend a virtual climate summit this week hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as political tensions between the two countries remain high.
Mr Biden has invited 40 world leaders including Xi and Russia’s Vladimir Putin to the meet starting on Earth Day, meant to mark Washington’s return to the front lines of the fight against climate change after former president Donald Trump disengaged from the process.
READ the full story here
Nicholas Jensen11.58am: NSW records zero new local virus cases
NSW has recorded no new local cases of COVID-19, with eight cases detected in hotel quarantine.
There were 11,943 tests received yesterday, with NSW Health treating 78 cases, one of whom is in ICU.
More than 92 per cent of these cases are being treated in non-acute, out-of-hospital care, including returned travellers in the Special Health Accommodation.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) April 21, 2021
Eight new cases were acquired overseas to 8pm last night, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,206. pic.twitter.com/3WuQkyDIoW
NSW Health says investigations are continuing into how COVID-19 transmission occurred between two families of returned travellers in adjoining rooms during hotel quarantine at the Adina Apartment Hotel, Town Hall.
All contacts tested have returned negative results, with no further transmission identified to date.
3702 vaccines were administered across the state in the 24 hours to 8pm, bringing the total number of vaccines administered by NSW Health to 181,435.
READ MORE: Kristina Keneally — Please, send this family home to Biloela
Adeshola Ore11.41am: ‘Morrison government too slow on mRNA vaccines’
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler says the federal government is dragging its feet on the development of mRNA technology for COVID vaccinations after Victoria announced it would provide funding to kickstart domestic manufacturing.
The Victorian government has today announced a $50 million funding commitment to help develop technology to produce mRNA COVID vaccines domestically. Australia does not currently have the technology to produce mRNA vaccines at scale. The technology allows vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna to be manufactured.
Mr Butler said the Morrison government had been too slow to act on developing the technology, forcing the Victorian government to step in.
“All we have seen in this government is millions of dollars handed over to private consultants to prepare a business case that they won’t release to the Australian public but no real action,” he said.
“We welcome the announcement by the Victorian government, but Scott Morrison should have acted on this before now.”
Mr Butler also urged the federal government to provide an updated vaccine rollout timetable.
READ MORE: Biden stimulus could mean end of low interest rates
Angelica Snowden11.36am: More vets allowed to march in Anzac parade
An extra three thousand veterans will now be able to march in Melbourne’s Anzac Day parade, which until Wednesday had been capped at 5500.
After the Victorian state government was criticised for speculating it could allow 100,000 fans to attend the annual Anzac Day AFL clash between Collingwood and Essendon, it agreed to lift the number of marchers permitted under a COVID safe plan to 8000.
RSL Victoria also revealed on Wednesday the state government had approved onsite QR code registration facilities which will mean unregistered marchers can now log their details on the day.
On Tuesday the RSL announced the deadline to register for tickets for the march had been extended until 12pm on April 24, after only about 1300 had recorded their attendance.
RSL Victoria Jamie Twidale said the organisation’s priority was veteran safety.
READ MORE:Veterans threaten Anzac boycott
Evin Priest10.50am:Brisbane man develops blood clot after Pfizer shot
A man in Brisbane has been rushed to hospital with blood clots just days after receiving the Pfizer vaccine.
The 40-year-old man received the Pfizer shot on Sunday, 9 News reported.
He is the fourth person in Australia to develop blood clots following a COVID-19 vaccine, however the other three people received the AstraZeneca vaccine. — NCA Newswire
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore10.42am: Hunt says state adding to jab production welcome
Health Minister Greg Hunt says Australia is already on a pathway to “encourage mRNA plants” after a funding announcement from the Victorian government kickstarted the possibility of manufacturing the Pfizer and Moderna jabs on shore.
The Victorian government has announced a $50 million funding commitment to help develop technology to produce mRNA COVID vaccines domestically. Australia does not currently have the technology to produce mRNA vaccines, such as the Pfizer and Modern jabs, at scale. .
Mr Hunt said the commonwealth supported “anything” the states or territories could add to the federal government’s scoping of mRNA technology.
“We’ve already struck a 12-year agreement, a billion dollar agreement, with CSL which is for long-term uptake from their vaccine plant. That allows them to re-invest. They’re considering whether they do cell-based or mRNA … we’ll leave that to them,” he told 3AW radio.
“There are other options that could emerge for Australia.”
Mr Hunt said mRNA was not preferable but a “fundamental” technology in vaccine development.
Australia currently manufactures AstraZeneca vaccines domestically, with the initial plan for the CSL facility to make more than 50 million doses.
Changed federal health advice, which states that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for Australians aged under 50, has increased pressure on Australia to manufacture other types of vaccines.
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Nicholas Jensen10.34am:SA Covid patients moved into hospital
Two people infected with COVID-19 in South Australia have been moved from a medi-hotel to hospital, South Australian health officials have confirmed.
They include a man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s, both of whom acquired the virus overseas and remain in a stable condition in hospital.
News of their hospitalisation comes after another infected man in his 40s, who was admitted to an ICU ward at Royal Adelaide Hospital in March, has recovered and been moved to a COVID-19 ward.
He is believed to have contracted the South African strain of COVID-19.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Emily Kirkpatrick said the man’s condition continues to improve with no one in South Australia currently in ICU.
Dr Kirkpatrick said the number of COVID-19 positive cases was climbing as more Australians returned from overseas, adding it was “a reminder of what we’re seeing overseas”.
READ MORE: Senior lawyers’ ‘brazen sex abuse’
Angelica Snowden9.48am:Victoria set for local Pfizer, Moderna vaccine production
The Victorian government will throw $50 million at developing mRNA COVID vaccines locally, acting Premier JamesMerlino has announced.
The money will mean vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna could be manufactured on home soil.
University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely said he thought the federal government would be the first to announce an investment in mRNA technology and was surprised Victoria beat them to the punch.
“My gut feeling is CSL would be involved in this somehow,’’ Professor Blakely told 3AW. “It does require setting up a new capacity somewhere,”.
“CSL would be an obvious place to do it but it could be done at a warehouse,” he said.
“About six months ago people were starting to think about this and talking about a one to two year timeline. In the last couple of weeks people were saying maybe we could do it in about nine months.”
The investment will allow the vaccines to be developed in Melbourne, in partnership with Monash University, the University of Melbourne and the Doherty Institute.
Mr Merlino said developing the mRNA manufacturing capability would provide vaccine security for the country, avoiding global supply chain issues.
“It’s vital that we can develop and manufacture mRNA vaccines and treatments locally to ensure we have vaccine security here in Australia and across our region,” he said.
It comes after rare cases of clotting linked with the AstraZeneca vaccine has forced the government to cease administration of the viral vector jab to everyone under the age of 50.
Yesterday Department of Health secretary Brendan Murphy said the international supply of Pfizer, which was “even more important” to our rollout now, was “subject to ongoing reassessment with Pfizer”. But with local manufacturing capability, that difficulty would be eliminated.
Sophie Elsworth9.34am: ABC apologises for unclear JobKeeper reporting
The ABC has been forced to correct reports it aired relating to JobKeeper claims made on behalf of fictitious employees.
The public broadcaster said reports that were published across its radio, television and online channels failed to make clear issues relating to JobKeeper payments made by employers trying to cheat the system.
The reports were aired and published on January 29 and have now been updated this week.
The correction said the reports, “did not make clear the ATO’s investigations into employers’ JobKeeper claims for potentially fictitious employees including prisoners and the dead were occurring at the application stage, prior to JobKeeper payments being made”.
The JobKeeper wage subsidy program was rolled out in April last year and ended in March, to assist businesses to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and pay their employees.
In the ABC’s correction issued on Tuesday, it conceded the reports were not accurate.
“The ATO has stated that it is not aware of any ultimately successful JobKeeper claim for deceased or other fictitious employees,” the correction said.
“The ABC’s online report has been corrected.
“Content which was originally broadcast on radio and television has been removed.”
The online version of the story now includes a statement from the ATO that clearly explains it is not aware of any successful JobKeeper claims being made for deceased or other fictitious employees.
It’s the second correction the ABC has made in the past week – last Wednesday they apologised after publishing a video of a dance performance at a commissioning ceremony for the HMAS Supply in Sydney.
The video included vision of the Governor-General David Hurley and Chief of the Navy Michael Noonan, but the ABC confirmed both men did not arrive at the ceremony until after the dance performance had ended.
The video was updated to remove the vision in dispute.
READ MORE: ABC grows ‘woefully bloated’ legal team
Nicholas Jensen 9.10am: Victoria records zero local virus cases
Victoria has recorded no local cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, with three new cases detected in hotel quarantine.
Victorian health officials received 12,606 test results yesterday and are currently monitoring 17 active cases.
Yesterday there were no new local cases and 3 new cases acquired overseas (currently in hotel quarantine).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) April 20, 2021
- 4,006 vaccine doses were administered
- 12,606 test results were received
Got symptoms? Get tested.
More later: https://t.co/2vKbgKHFvv#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/mOlZ6pcUUW
Yesterday health officials administered 4006 vaccine doses, bringing the state’s total to 172,308 inoculations.
READ MORE: Families in limbo over health cover policies
Nicholas Jensen8.56am: Hubs capable of vaccinating 100,000 in a fortnight
Epidemic Preparedness chair Jane Halton says she is confident that Victoria’s new vaccination hubs can inoculate 100,000 people in the next two weeks.
“It’s always difficult at the beginning of a complicated rollout and people have been a bit confused and also a bit anxious,” Professor Halton told channel Nine’s Today program. “But I think the hubs will be well attended and our target is achievable.”
Professor Halton urged federal and state government’s to better communicate the benefits of the vaccine, saying it’s crucial people understand that “it is much, much safer to be vaccinated than not and I think if we can reset this with the national cabinet, we’ll be in a stronger position”.
“We need to just stand back for a second and say to ourselves ‘we’re not going to be able to keep COVID out of our country forever’ and we need to protect everybody in our country from this disease through vaccination.”
Professor Halton said people need to consider risks associated with vaccines and consult their GPs, but added “we now actually need some immunity out there in our community so lets get on and do it”.
“If you have the AstraZeneca vaccine you have a one in a million chance of dying, so I think the thing to do is just say to everyone: ‘calm down, we’re getting the delivery up and organised’,” she said.
Victoria’s three mass vaccination hubs open today, allowing anyone in categories 1A and 1B to attend the Melbourne Convention Centre, The Royal Exhibition Building and the former Ford factory in Geelong.
READ MORE: Backlash brews on school funding
Nicholas Jensen8.49am:Vaccinating people with disabilities set to ramp up
Health Minister Greg Hunt says the ramping up of inoculating Australians with a disability living in residential care will commence next week after it was revealed less than 10 per of people in this category had been inoculated despite being in phase 1a.
A COVID committee yesterday heard that just 6.5 per cent of the 25,000 Australians living with a disability in residential facilities had been vaccinated. Health Department chief Brendan Murphy told the committee he hoped all vulnerable Australians in phase 1a, including people at disability residential facilities, would be vaccinated by the middle of the year.
Mr Hunt rebuffed the suggestion that Australians living with a disability in residential facilities were the “forgotten” people in the rollout. He said vaccinating aged-care residents had been the “highest of the priorities.”
“We were also always going to do this in stages based on the highest risk. Sadly as we know 685 of the 910 people who were lost to COVID last year were in aged care homes,” he said.
“Now we move on to the in-reach next week in disability and that follows the order of priority that was always intended.”
READ MORE: Aged care ‘an opportunity, not a money pit’
Staff writers8.43am: True justice more than a single verdict: Obama
Barack and Michelle Obama said the Minnesota jury in the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd had done “the right thing” but called for “much more” to be done.
In a statement, the former president and first lady said: “True justice is about more than a single verdict. True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day … we will need to follow through with concrete reforms.”
Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied. pic.twitter.com/mihZQHqACV
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 20, 2021
Minnesota Attorney-General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution against Chauvin, described the verdict as “the first step towards justice.”
“I would not call today’s verdict justice, however, because justice implies true restoration,” Mr Ellison said. “But it is accountability, which is the first step towards justice. And now the cause of justice is in your hands.”
Adam Creighton8.20am:An idea aimed at cancelling the cancellers
“Cancel culture” has become so prevalent and damaging to free speech one of Australia’s top philosophers has set up an academic journal in which contributors can publish under a fake name.
Peter Singer, a professor of philosophy at the elite Princeton University in the US, together with two other academics, will launch the Journal of Controversial Ideas later this month, to allow researchers to publish articles without risking their careers or suffering intimidation on social media.
“Clearly there has been an increase in various forms of behaviour that can intimidate people from writing on controversial topics,” Professor Singer told The Australian.
“We have noticed it in many fields, including in philosophical writing, and this isn’t a good thing. We’ve all had personal experiences with harassment,” he added, referring to his two co-founders Jeff McMahan and Francesa Minerva at the universities of Oxford and Ghent, respectively.
The journal, which will include renowned thinkers such as Lawrence Summers, Jonathan Haidt and Philip Tetlock on its editorial board, comes amid growing concern that universities — including in Australia — are increasingly dominated by and beholden to extreme and aggressive elements, typically from the left, who demand conformity.
READ the full story here
Nicholas Jensen 7.52am:Committing to net zero ‘wishful thinking on steroids’
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has responded to government plans to spend an extra half billion dollars on new clean energy projects, saying “we have thousands of jobs in this country that rely on industries that release carbon emissions and that is not changing any time soon”.
“We simply don’t have these technologies, they’re not coming any time soon,” Senator Canavan told channel Nine’s Sunrise program. “I agree with what the Prime Minister said last year: until we can map out a way to get to net zero, net zero carbon emissions, we shouldn’t commit to it.”
“We don’t have that yet. I welcome these investments, but they’re a long way off.
“I like the old saying that when something sounds too good to be true it normally is.
“Trying to think otherwise is like the 10-year-old kid who gets up on his parent’s
roof, thinks he is Superman and jumps off … he doesn’t have the technology and falls flat on his face.”
Ahead of the Prime Minister’s virtual climate change summit with US President Joe Biden, Senator Canavan said committing to a net zero emissions target would only benefit China.
“It’s wishful thinking on steroids … I think what we need right now is practical and realistic thinking,” he said.
READ MORE: Morrison pushes jobs on road to net zero
Nicholas Jensen 7.28am: J&J to collaborate on blood clot study
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson says it will work in conjunction with a group of German scientists to study extremely rare blood clots linked to its vaccine.
The collaboration was announced after the European Medicines Agency said it would add a label to J&J’s vaccine, warning of rare side effects.
AstraZeneca’s shot has a similar warning.
On Tuesday, the group of German scientists, who have also undertaken research on the risks associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, said it believes the benefits of both vaccines outweigh the risks, but that it was important to understand any side effects that they might occur.
Co-lead of the collaboration, Andreas Greinacher, said the research should offer a potential explanation about how complications arise with the vaccine
“We agreed today with J&J that we will work together,” Dr Greinacher said in a press conference. “My biggest need, which I’ve expressed to the company, is I would like to get access to the vaccine because the J&J vaccine is not available here in Germany.”
Previous research undertaken by the group suggests some of the technology and ingredients used to develop the AstraZeneca shot can cause a powerful reaction that may compromise protective mechanisms in the human immune system.
However the paper has yet to be peer reviewed.
Since mid-March Dr Greinacher’s team has been “examining specimens from people who suffered clots after getting AstraZeneca shot”.
READ MORE: Frank Furedi — The other pandemic stalking the globe – fear
Staff writers 7.18am: US cop found guilty of George Floyd murder
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of 2nd and 3rd degree murder and second degree manslaughter over the death of George Floyd.
Chauvin, who was charged with murder and manslaughter after kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for more than nine hours, gazed at the jury as the convictions were read, after 10 hours of deliberation.
Nicholas Jensen 7.15am: 80pc of countries ‘no-go zone’ for US travellers
The US state department is preparing to advise Americans against travelling to 80 per cent of worldwide countries because of the current state of the pandemic, saying that COVID-19 continues to “pose unprecedented risks to travellers”.
The US state department said its decision to update its travel advice is intended to bring the organisation more into line with the Centre for Disease Control, adding that it “does not imply a reassessment of the current health situation in a given country”.
The department has already indicated that the change in advice would “result in a significant increase in the number of countries at ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel’, to approximately 80 per cent of countries worldwide”.
Anyone planning to travel to a country in the remaining 20 per cent is advised to reconsider before proceeding.
The state department has not revealed which countries will be added to the level Four Category, saying guidance will be issued for each country in the next few days.
The current US “Do Not Travel” advisory covers 34 out of 200 countries.
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Nicholas Jensen7.05am: Victoria’s mass vaccination hubs open today
Victoria’s three mass vaccination hubs are set to open today in a bid to accelerate the state’s inoculation program.
Anyone in categories 1A and 1B can make an appointment and attend a hub at the Melbourne Convention Centre, The Royal Exhibition Building and the former Ford factory in Geelong.
Victorian health officials have said it aims to administer jabs to people who were previously only covered by the commonwealth’s vaccine rollout, hoping to target individuals aged over 70 and those with underlying health conditions.
Excited to get my COVID-19 Vaccination tomorrow at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton. 🥳If you're eligible (including over 70s) then I hope to see you there. There are three high-volume vaccination centres opening their doors to eligible public tomorrow.
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) April 20, 2021
Earlier this week Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said there was “a renewed sense of urgency” regarding the pace of the vaccination program.
“We think this is an important opportunity for us to start to rebuild the confidence of Victorians in our distribution and vaccination program,” he said.
“It’s up to us all to make sure that we do our part to start getting out of this by getting as many vaccinations as quickly and as safely into the arms of Victorians as we can.”
Only the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available at the vaccination hubs.
READ MORE: Home-grown vaccine fell only at final hurdle
Nicholas Jensen6.30am:UK sets up COVID taskforce for home medicines
The British government has launched a new taskforce to search for simpler COVID-19 medicines which can be used to treat the virus at home. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped pills or capsules could be made available by the autumn to help fight the prospect of a third wave.
The aim would be to provide the medicine to individuals who have tested positive for the virus or exposed to someone who has been infected. The taskforce has been established to undertake initial medicinal trials, identifying what treatments could be used.
For the first time since September figures show fewer than 2000 COVID-19 patients are in hospital.
“As we look at what is happening in other countries, with cases now at record numbers around the world, we cannot delude ourselves that COVID has gone away,” Mr Johnson said.
“But the majority of scientific opinion in this country is still firmly of the view that there will be another wave of Covid at some stage this year.”
READ MORE:COVID-19 variant shuts Indians out of UK
Nicholas Jensen6.15am:J&J vaccine resumes roll out in Europe
Drug maker Johnson & Johnson says it will resume rolling out its COVID-19 vaccine in Europe after the bloc’s regulator said the benefits of the shot far outweighed the risks of potential blood clots.
However, the European Medicines Agency has recommended adding a warning label about rare blood clots with low blood platelet count, which also say the benefits of the one-dose shot outweigh any risks.
Last week use of the J&J vaccine was halted by US regulators after rare brain blood clots combined with a low blood platelet count were reported in six women, prompting the company to pause its rollout in Europe.
The US company has confirmed it will change the package label to warn of the risk of rare side effects and, potentially, provide instructions on how to recognise and treat it.
“It’s an extremely rare event (lethal blood clotting). We hope by making people aware as well as putting clear diagnostic and therapeutic guidance in place that we can restore the confidence in our vaccine,” J&J chief scientific officer Paul Stoffels said.
J&J said it was working with EU countries to resume clinical trials for its shot, and expects to resume shipments to the EU, Norway and Iceland within weeks.
Meanwhile, the US is reviewing a handful of potential cases of severe side effects.
J&J is also working with US regulators to regain access to its vaccine production plant, and expects an outcome before the end of the week.
Nearly eight million people had received the J&J vaccine in the US prior to the halt.
J&J said it remains committed to shipping 200 million doses across the EU and 100 million in the US.
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Agencies6.00am:Italy approves J&J vaccine
Italy on Tuesday declared the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to be “safe” and said it would prioritise its use for people over 60.
The announcement came hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the vaccine.
In the light of that ruling, the US-made jab should be considered “definitely safe,” Italian health authorities said in a statement.
It “should be preferentially administered to people over 60 years old” and those particularly at risk from the virus, they added.
The same guidelines were previously issued in Italy for the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca jab, which has also been linked to very rare instances of blood clotting.
Separately, Italy’s coronavirus crisis commissioner said a first consignment of 184,000 J&J doses would be distributed across the country starting Wednesday.
The J&J vaccine is seen as easier to administer and transport than some of its rivals, because it requires just one dose and can be stored at warmer temperatures.
READ MORE:US vows to lead on climate
Ewin Hannan 5.45am:Bosses brawl over ‘political bastardry’
Small business has accused the Morrison government of an “act of political bastardry” by dropping plans to criminalise wage theft, saying the Coalition would be “morally bankrupt” unless it made a new bid to legislate tougher penalties for underpaying bosses.
Sparking fresh brawling among employers, the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chair Mark McKenzie said the Coalition should revive the higher penalties as stand-alone measures, given they attracted broad support when part of the government’s industrial relations omnibus bill.
Mr McKenzie, chief executive of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association, said his support for tougher penalties might seem odd given fuel retailers were the “poster child of wage underpayments” but ripped-off workers and businesses operating on lean margins were being hurt by dodgy companies.
He said a failure by the government to act “would be a complete abrogation of responsibility to all employees and businesses who are doing the right thing and have been undercut by a small number of businesses doing the wrong thing — to not do that would be morally bankrupt, in my view”.
The government’s decision to drop the wage compliance schedule “was an act of political bastardry, I think is the only way to describe it”.
READ the full story
Will Glasgow5.30am:NZ eases Five Eyes tension ahead of talks
The Ardern government has scrambled to ease concerns about a gap between New Zealand and its other Five Eyes intelligence partners on handling China, as Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne flies into Wellington.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sought to calm unease among fellow members about her government’s approach to the group after her Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, on Monday said New Zealand was “uncomfortable” with “expanding the remit of the Five Eyes relationship”.
“We should be banding together where we see issues globally that don’t align with our shared values,” Ms Ardern said on Tuesday. “But the point our Foreign Minister has rightly raised is, Is this best done under the banner of a grouping of countries around a security intelligence platform? Or is it best done under the banner of a group of countries with shared values, some of which may not belong to the Five Eyes partnership?
“We should be collectively raising issues, be it Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, or the US (the Five Eyes members) … those collective voices are important. But let’s just make sure we do it with the appropriate platform.”
READ the full story
Robyn Ironside5.15am:Bubble not burst by Auckland airport case
The day-old trans-Tasman bubble has survived its first test, with borders remaining open after a worker at Auckland Airport tested positive to COVID-19.
The fully vaccinated cleaner was believed to have become infected while cleaning an aircraft that carried passengers from a high-risk country into New Zealand.
Despite the initial alarm, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she would anticipate “movement continuing” across the Tasman.
“When we opened (the bubble) on both sides, we of course knew we would continue to have cases connected to our border,” Ms Ardern said. “We accept that’s going to be part of our journey together. I think Australia accepts that, and for both sides we’re always looking for a clear connection to the border and in this case there is.”
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Australian government had full confidence in the New Zealand health system, following a briefing by his Kiwi counterpart Chris Hipkins.
“They’re on to this,” said Mr Hunt. “We know how to deal with this, New Zealand knows how to deal with this.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said “a case or two was manageable” as she downplayed suggestions the travel corridor should be shut in response.
Travel industry leaders breathed a sigh of relief that the “panic button had not been pressed” as a result of the Auckland case.
READ the full story
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