PoliticsNow: China says Scott Morrison, Australian media misreading, overreacting to fake photo post
The Chinese embassy calls on the Morrison government to ‘face up’ to the breakdown in relations with Beijing.
- WA reopens border to Vic, NSW
- Afghanistan probes fake image
- Ardern raises concerns with China
- China escalates war of words
Welcome to rolling coverage of Australian political news and the nation’s response to the continuing coronavirus crisis.
The Chinese embassy has accused Scott Morrison, Australian politicians and the media of “misreading and overreacting” to a fake social media post shared by senior Beijing official Lijian Zhao and harming the chances of a reset in the relationship.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has chided China for its heavy-handed imposition of tariffs on Australian wine, as the US State Department weighs its response to the posting of the provocative tweet.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan has reignited the energy wars within the Coalition as he called on Scott Morrison to tear up its energy agreement with the NSW government and instead build a coal-fired power station in the Hunter Valley.
Patrick Commins 11.15pm: OECD forecasts bright future
The OECD has sharply upgraded its growth forecasts for Australia and declared there is “hope for a brighter future”, ahead of Wednesday’s national accounts figures, which will confirm the country roared out of the COVID-19 recession over the three months to September.
Scott Morrison said Australia was now “opening safely” in time to meet his Christmas deadline as Queensland dropped restrictions with NSW and Victoria, and Western Australia flagging that it would move next week to drop its travel restrictions with the nation’s two largest states.
“A very important milestone has been reached in this comeback from the COVID-19 recession. Today is the day when the borders are tumbling down,” the Prime Minister said.
Jacquelin Magnay 10.30pm: Call for Australia to join G7 to counter China
Australia should join the G7 countries, along with India and South Korea, to form a Democratic 10 and create a new diplomatic and economic counter to China, an influential British parliamentary group has proposed.
The China Research Group of Conservative MPs has called for a coherent China strategy from the world’s democratic nations, including a new trading bloc.
The group wants the Democratic 10, or D10, to include Australia, India and South Korea, plus the current G7 countries of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the US.
AFP 9.45pm: Italy’s growth jumps in third quarter
Italy’s economy, which plunged into recession by the coronavirus outbreak, returned to growth in the third quarter as GDP jumped 15.9 per cent on the previous quarter, the national statistics agency estimated on Tuesday.
This is a slight downgrade on the initial estimate of 16.1 percent made by Istat in late October.
While the economy rebounding strongly from the northern spring, when many businesses were closed, economic output was still 5 per cent smaller than during the third quarter of last year.
In the first nine months of the year, GDP in the eurozone’s third largest economy fell by 8.3 per cent.
Italy was the first country in Europe to be hit by the coronavirus outbreak this year.
As a result, Italy suffered its worst recession since World War II and GDP is expected to fall this year between 9 per cent and 11.5 per cent.
Cases of COVID-19 fell over the summer but a surge in recent months has taken the death toll to more than 55,000, and sparked new restrictions that risk again hitting growth.
AFP 9pm: BioNTech/Pfizer file for EU approval of vaccine
Germany’s BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer on Tuesday said they had applied for EU regulatory approval for their Covid-19 vaccine, raising hopes that the first jabs could be administered in December.
The two companies said in a statement that they had submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency on Monday “for Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA)” for their vaccine, after tests showed it was 95 percent effective against the novel coronavirus.
If approved, the jab could potentially be rolled out “in Europe before the end of 2020”, the statement said.
AFP 8.15pm: Hong Kong, Singapore ‘travel bubble’ bursts
Hong Kong and Singapore have indefinitely delayed a “travel bubble” in a new blow to their hard-hit tourism and aviation industries as the Chinese city battles a coronavirus surge.
The arrangement allowing people to travel between the financial hubs without quarantining had been due to launch on November 22, but was postponed for two weeks as Hong Kong saw a sudden spike in cases.
The delay was not just a blow to the cities, but also other countries which had been hoping the scheme might be a model to replicate during the pandemic.
On Tuesday, both cities announced that the bubble would be further deferred to an unspecified date beyond 2020.
The decision was taken “in view of the severity of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong with the number of local cases of unknown sources increasing rapidly,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement.
Singapore is a major market for Hong Kong’s tourism industry, with more than 450,000 arrivals from the city-state recorded in 2019, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Hong Kong was among the top 15 visitor sources for Singapore last year, with nearly half a million arrivals, official data showed.
Hong Kong on Monday reimposed social distancing measures at some of their strictest levels since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as daily cases rise sharply.
Restrictions on public gatherings were tightened with a maximum of two people allowed to meet, down from four, while non-essential civil servants were asked to work from home.
READ MORE: China never forgot Gough, and they will always remember Morrison
AFP 7.30pm: Ireland leaves second lockdown
Ireland ended a second partial coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday, with non-essential shops, hairdressers and gyms unlocking their doors after six weeks of tough restrictions.
Museums, galleries, libraries, cinemas and places of worship also reopened as the nation lifted virus curbs in place since October 22.
On Friday, pubs and restaurants serving food will follow, although drinking-only establishments will remain shuttered.
Ahead of Christmas, the government is also urging people to wear masks outdoors on “busy streets”, starting on Tuesday.
Infection rates are bound to rise in the run-up to the festive season, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE.
“The challenge is to keep that increase as low as possible,” he said.
According to latest official figures, there have been 2053 deaths from coronavirus in Ireland, a nation of five million.
The daily death toll peaked at 77 in mid-April and in recent weeks has frequently remained in the single digits.
But the Republic was the first nation in Europe to return to a partial lockdown mirroring the first in March as the rate of “second-wave” infections surged.
According to latest data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Ireland now has the second-lowest 14-day incidence rate of the virus in the EU behind Iceland.
READ MORE: Covid forces $12.3bn collapse in Queensland revenue
AFP 6.45pm: F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton positive
World champion Lewis Hamilton has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, Formula One’s governing body FIA says.
“In accordance with COVID-19 protocols and public health authority guidelines in Bahrain he (Hamilton) is now isolating,” an FIA statement said on Tuesday.
“The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula 1 will ensure no wider impact on this weekend’s event.”
Hamilton, who on Sunday won the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first of back-to-back races in the Gulf state, has already secured a record-equalling seventh world championship this season.
“He woke up on Monday morning with mild symptoms and was informed at the same time that a contact prior to arrival in Bahrain had subsequently tested positive,” a statement from Hamilton’s Mercedes team said.
“Lewis therefore took a further test and returned a positive result. This has since been confirmed by a retest.
“Lewis is now isolating in accordance with COVID-19 protocols and public health authority guidelines in Bahrain.
“Apart from mild symptoms, he is otherwise fit and well, and the entire team sends him its very best wishes for a swift recovery.”
Mercedes added that Hamilton had been tested three times last week and returned a negative result each time as part of the sport’s strict anti-virus protocols, the last of which was on Sunday afternoon at the Bahrain circuit.
Hamilton sealed his seventh title in Turkey two races ago to equal the all-time record of Michael Schumacher.
He then cruised to his 11th win this year and record-increasing 95th victory on Sunday in a race overshadowed by Romain Grosjean’s horrific crash, which left the Frenchman receiving hospital treatment for burns after his car exploded in flames after ploughing into a barrier.
“It was such a shocking image to see,” said Hamilton, who like all of the drivers had a near 90-minute wait for the restart after the opening-lap crash.
Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were having to “live like hermits” earlier this season to avoid COVID-19, revealed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after the team recorded two positive cases at the Eifel Grand Prix in Germany in October.
Wolff said both drivers were confined to their rooms. “They are the most restricted of the whole group, of the whole team,” he said.
“It’s certainly not a great situation for them because you need almost to live like a hermit -- and that is what they are doing.
“They are at home, they are not going out for dinners and they are not meeting other people. When we do de-briefs, by Zoom or Microsoft Teams, they are not sitting with their engineers in the room.”
READ MORE: US has interest in helping Canberra
AFP 6pm: Global aid needs rise to record $47bn
The UN says a record $US35bn ($47bn) would be needed for aid next year as the coronavirus pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis.
With the risk of multiple famines looming, the world body’s Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 235 million people would need some form of emergency assistance next year — a staggering 40 per cent increase compared with 2020.
“The increase arises almost entirely because of COVID-19,” UN emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock said on Tuesday.
READ MORE: White House chides China’s wine tariffs
Rosie Lewis 5.20pm: Labor fights reduced supplement
Labor will attempt to keep the coronavirus supplement at $250 next year, as it tries to amend a government bill that extends the payments until March 31.
Opposition sources confirmed the party would try and stop the government from cutting the supplement, which is paid on top of an individuals’ income support such as JobSeeker or Youth Allowance, from $250 to $150 per fortnight from January.
It will also ask Social Services Minister Ann Ruston to urgently consider a permanent increase to the base rate of JobSeeker without nominating a number.
JobSeeker payments are $565.70 a fortnight.
Labor wants to keep more generous income test rules that were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic so that a person and their partner can earn more before their payments begin tapering off. And it thinks the liquid assets waiting period, which means people who have assets above a certain amount are ineligible for income payments or may have to wait before receiving them, should be revoked.
Under the government’s proposed changes, Senator Ruston would be able to set the coronavirus supplement rate after December 31 via regulation, but she would need to amend the Social Security Act to gain those powers.
READ MORE: Qld turns debt into a political weapon
Jane Flanagan 5pm: Lockdowns make malaria a bigger killer in Africa
Malaria will kill more people in sub-Saharan Africa this year than COVID-19 because of lockdowns and a shift in funding that has disrupted efforts to tackle the mosquito-borne disease.
Young children will account for most of a top end estimate of 100,000 excess deaths from the preventable disease in 2020, according to the World Health Organisation. It warned of “considerable loss of life” due to stalled programs.
The UN agency’s global malaria report projected that the 2020 target for reductions in cases will be missed by 37 per cent, while the the goal to cut deaths will fall short by 22 per cent.
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to fight Aids, Turberculosis and Malaria, said the WHO findings reflected how “transfixed” by the coronavirus pandemic political and health leaders had become.
“A child dies of malaria every two minutes and half the world’s population is at risk from the disease.
“Yet we pay very little attention to a disease that is still killing over 400,000 people every year, mainly children … this is a disease we know how to get rid of — so it is a choice that we don’t,” he said.
The Times
READ MORE: Home prices bounce back from Covid
Alex Ralph, Gurpreet Narwarn 4.10pm: China on course for economic bounce back
Factory activity in China is expanding at its fastest pace in more than three years and growth in the country’s services sector also has hit a multi- year high, according to new data.
The latest figures raise the prospect of China becoming the first country to fully bounce back from the shutdowns triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the manufacturing sector back to pre-outbreak levels.
The purchasing manager’s index increased to 52.1 in November from 51.4 the month before, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. It was the highest PMI reading since September 2017 and is above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction. The figure was also higher than the 51.5 forecast in a poll of analysts by Reuters.
The figures briefly lifted Chinese stock markets, with the Shanghai Composite index up 0.7 per cent before reversing and closing 0.5 per cent down.
China’s PMIs were boosted by positive new export orders, which have benefited from foreign demand for medical supplies and electronic goods, and online shopping promotions.
Julian Evans-Pritchard, senior China economist at Capital Economics, the consultancy, said: “Strong foreign demand for Covid-19-related products amid fresh lockdowns is likely to have been a key factor behind the latest rise in the reading, although Chinese exports also continue to do well more broadly.”
The Times
GEOFF CHAMBERS 3.35pm: ‘Misreading and overreacting’: China responds to PM
The Chinese embassy has accused Scott Morrison, Australian politicians and the media of “misreading and overreacting” to a fake social media post shared by senior Beijing official Lijian Zhao and harming the chances of a reset in the relationship.
The tweet depicting a Australian soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child was described by the Prime Minister on Monday as an outrageous and appalling slur on the Australian defence forces which would diminish the international standing of Beijing.
A Chinese embassy spokeswoman on Tuesday called on the Morrison government to “face up” to the breakdown in relations with Beijing and “take constructive practical steps to help bring it back to the right track”.
The spokeswoman said China’s ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye — who was called-in by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson on Monday — rejected the Morrison government’s “unwarranted accusations as absolutely unacceptable”.
“Yesterday, Secretary of DFAT made a complaint to the Chinese Ambassador over a phonecall about the twitter post of Mr Zhao Lijian. The Ambassador refuted the unwarranted accusations as absolutely unacceptable. Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Hua Chunying clearly stated China’s position on the matter later in the day,” the Embassy spokeswoman said.
“We would like to further stress the following: the rage and roar of some Australian politicians and media is nothing but misreading of and overreaction to Mr Zhao’s tweet. The accusations made are simply to serve two purposes. One is to deflect public attention from the horrible atrocities by certain Australian soldiers. The other is to blame China for the worsening of bilateral ties. There may be another attempt to stoke domestic nationalism.
“All of this is obviously not helpful to the resetting of bilateral relationship. It’s our advice that the Australian side face up to the crimes committed by the Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, hold those perpetrators accountable and bring justice to the victims.”
READ MORE: Durie — Away from the noise, business goes on
Richard Ferguson 3.30pm: When federal parliament will sit in 2021
Parliament’s 2021 sitting calendar leaves a six week-long spring gap if Scott Morrison decides he wants an early federal election after all.
The Prime Minister has publicly said he is inclined to go to a full term election in 2022, but speculation still abounds in Canberra that there will be a federal poll next year as Mr Morrison still feels the effect of his post-pandemic popularity boost.
Parliament will come back in February next year with two large gaps in July (the traditional winter break) and an unusually long gap in September-October.
sitting calendar for 2021 #auspol pic.twitter.com/JgkrXHZcvP
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) December 1, 2020
In the last non-election year — not including this pandemic year — of 2018, there was only a three week break at the end of September.
Mr Morrison is able to call a full House and half-senate election pnly after August next year.
Ben Packham 3.20pm: Public fury led to medals backflip: Reynolds
The public backlash over the stripping of Meritorious Unit Citations from 3000 Afghanistan veterans was behind the government’s move to overrule the decision by the Chief of the Defence Force, senior ministers have confirmed.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said she and Scott Morrison responded to the community anger over the move, which saw a petition to overturn the decision rapidly amass 55,000 signatures.
“The Prime Minister and I have a responsibility, as all Australians would expect, to listen to the community, to listen to veterans, to listen to service personnel,” Senator Reynolds told Sky News.
“And we have done that, and we have expressed our opinions to the Chief of the Defence Force.”
Defence Personnel and Veterans’ Minister Darren Chester said the reaction from the veterans’ community and families of those who served “has been obviously quite strong”.
“It called for the actions of the minority to not impinge on the rights or the opportunities of the majority,” Mr Chester said.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 3.06pm: Minister pressed over robodebt victim’s suicide
Government Services Minister Stuart Robert has defended the federal government’s illegal Robodebt scheme.
During a heated Question Time on Tuesday, opposition government spokesman Bill Shorten pressed Mr Robert on his response to the suicide of a victim of the scheme.
Mr Robert said the man had a “legitimate debt” and said governments on both sides of politics were required to pursue these arrears.
“It is a lawful part of what we have been required to do and we do it sensibly and respectfully,” he said.
He added that averaged income data from taxation has been “widely used” in Australia, dating back to the Keating government.
READ MORE: Robodebt minister ‘needs to go’
Sarah Elks 3.01pm: Covid forces $12.3bn collapse in Queensland revenue
Queensland’s total debt will hit nearly $130bn for the first time by the middle of 2024, as COVID-19 forces a $12.3bn collapse in revenue over the next four years.
Delivering his first full budget as Treasurer, Cameron Dick said the huge increase in borrowings – a forecast hike of $28bn in three years – was unavoidable due to the pandemic-sparked economic downturn, warning it was possible Queensland could be put on a “negative outlook” by ratings agencies.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also warned the escalating trade tensions with China could force coal mines in the state to close, threatening the forecast rebound in employment and economic growth. — With Charlie Peel
READ the full Queensland budget story here
ADESHOLA ORE 2.43pm: Fitzgibbon lashes party over pensions bill
Rogue Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has lashed his party for supporting a private senator’s bill that would take away retired judges’ pensions if they engaged in serious misconduct during their time on the bench, warning the public will see politicians as hypocritical.
In a heated debate at Tuesday’s caucus meeting, Mr Fitzgibbon was the only MP to speak out against crossbench senator Rex Patrick’s Pension Not Payable for Misconduct Bill and is believed to consider supporting it “nuts”.
It is understood Mr Fitzgibbon said the public would perceive the bill as a response to former High Court judge Dyson Heydon, who has been accused of sexual harassment of young female associates.
He added that the bill could be viewed as revenge for Mr Heydon’s treatment of Bill Shorten after he questioned the former Labor leader’s credibility as a witness during the royal commission into trade unions.
Mr Fitzgibbon is understood to have said the bill was hypocritical because politician’s pensions could become the next target, at which point he was heckled by colleagues.
First elected in 1996, Mr Fitzgibbon will be eligible for a generous pension only available to MPs who entered parliament before October 2004 when he retires.
Labor MPs Peta Murphy and Tony Sheldon rose to support Senator Patrick’s bill, saying the party should be standing against alleged mistreatment of women by Mr Heydon and support equality.
Support for the legislation was carried on the voices, after opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus — with whom Mr Fitzgibbon has had recent run-ins — recommended Labor back it. — With Rosie Lewis
Adeshola Ore 2.34pm: We’re on road to recovery: Frydenberg
Josh Frydenberg says the economic comeback from the coronavirus pandemic is underway, as Labor accused the Treasurer in question time of congratulating himself over an incomplete post-COVID recovery.
The Treasurer pointed to the latest JobKeeper figures which revealed two million fewer Australians were on the wage subsidy scheme in October compared to September.
“It has been a remarkable program and they are not my words, they are the words of the governor for the Reserve Bank of Australia,” he said.
Mr Frydenberg said the latest consumer confidence figures,, which showed a 2.9 per cent rise this week, highlighted Australia was on the road to economic recovery.
“The fact that 178,000 jobs were created last month — that is something that goes to the heart of the Australian economy and its resilience.
“Our focus has been on jobs, creating more jobs and helping Australians get back into work and that is what has occurred and that is what the numbers are showing.”
READ MORE: Sloan — The truth about the rush to phase out stamp duty
Adam Creighton 2.31pm: RBA ends dramatic year with rates on hold
The RBA kept what remains of its powder dry at the final meeting of a year that witnessed the most dramatic loosening of monetary policy on record.
READ the full story here
Greg Brown 2.15pm: Entsch hopes PM will adopt zero emissions by 2050
Liberal National MP Warren Entsch says he hopes Scott Morrison adopts a net-zero emissions by 2050 target.
Mr Entsch, the member for the north Queensland electorate of Leichhardt, said Australia was in a position to adopt a 2050 target.
“I certainly believe that looking at a 2050 target is not unreasonable, I was certainly opposed to 2030, I thought the timeline was too short,” Mr Entsch told the ABC.
“I think we certainly are in a position, I think, to be able to give that commitment and I hope that down the track we do that.”
Cameron Stewart 1.58pm: White House chides China over treatment of Australia
The Trump administration has chided China for its heavy-handed imposition of tariffs on Australian wine, saying it will feature Aussie labels at a White House function this week.
It comes amid deep concern in Washington about the sharp deterioration in Australia-China relations after Beijing tweeted a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to the throat of an Afghan child.
Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week. Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!
— NSC (@WHNSC) December 1, 2020
The State Department has been angered by the image and is debating how it will respond to China’s provocation which has sparked widespread outrage in Australia.
Meanwhile the White House National Security Council took aim at China over its decision to slap heavy tariffs on Australian wine imports.
“Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week,’ the White House National Security Council tweeted. “Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie voters, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!’
The NSC’s message of support follows Beijing’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 212 per canton Australian wine imports to China.
Richard ferguson 1.54pm: WWII hero receives VC 78 years after death
World War Two hero Teddy Sheean has been remembered as a “beacon” and a shining light for all Australian defence serviceman, as his family was finally handed his Victoria Cross 78 years to the day he died saving his mates from Japanese air fighters.
Sheean – the youngest member of the HMAS Armidale – died on December 1 1942 strapped himself onto an anti-aircraft gun and distracted Japanese forces while his shipmates escaped their sinking ship, but he was only recognised by the Queen for his bravery in August.
After a years-long campaign to award Sheean the VC, his family finally went to Government House on Tuesday for the investiture ceremony led by Governor-General David Hurley.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 1.41pm: PM wants to move on after China tweet
Scott Morrison says China’s tweet featuring a doctored image of an Australian soldier should not be given further amplification.
On Monday, the Prime Minister demanded China and Twitter remove a post from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman which includes a fake photo of an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan girl’s throat in response to allegations of war crimes.
In Tuesday’s party room, the Prime Minister acknowledged the seriousness of Australia’s relationship with China and called for dialogue that would foster a working relationship between the two countries.
He said Australia must uphold its interests and values and be patient in its approach.
READ MORE: Trading Day — China PMI at all-time high
WSJ Editorial Board 1.27pm: US has interest in helping Canberra resist China
Beijing is signalling that it can inflict economic ruin if Australia doesn’t bend the knee; if China prevails, the Pacific balance of power will drift away from the US.
READ The Wall Street Journal’s full editorial board opinion here
Richard Ferguson 1.15pm: Veteran suicide needs royal commission: Albanese
Anthony Albanese will oppose the establishment of a national commissioner on veteran suicide prevention, saying the only option to help suffering defence personnel is a royal commission.
Labor has warned the scope of the national commissioner was too narrow and the families of Australian Defence Force personnel who had taken their lives had not been heard.
Standing with veteran suicide prevention campaigner Julie-Ann Finney, the Opposition Leader said on Tuesday that defence families did not want a national commissoner and he was on their side.
“The legislation would effectively provide for someone to be almost like ... an additional coroner that would look at an event, a tragedy when it occurs,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra.
“It wouldn’t examine in any systemic way what families have asked for. And I take a view on
this issue that I haven’t served and worn the Australian uniform.
“Therefore, when it comes to these issues, what I do is — I listen to those people who have served, and the families of them.
“And it couldn’t be clearer. And I’m sorry if it’s Julie-Ann, or Scott Morrison — I’m on her side.”
READ MORE: Not the Aussie way to punish all Diggers
PATRICK COMMINS 12.52pm: Figures point to end of recession
The final two pieces of the GDP puzzle for the September quarter dropped this morning, with economists tipping the economy rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 recession.
Balance of payments data from the ABS showed a jump in imports as the economy reopened and supply chains restarted sent the current account surplus down 40 per cent to $10bn, with border closures and Chinese trade restrictions dragging on the country’s export performance.
Net exports will detract 2 percentage points from real GDP growth over the three months to September, BIS Oxford Economics chief economist Sarah Hunter said.
“Despite this and the lockdown in Victoria, the economy almost certainly expanded, with consumer spending able to rebound sharply as a result of the relaxation of restrictions and control of the disease,” Ms Hunter said.
“Indeed today’s data confirms the anticipated strength in private consumption – imports of consumer goods rose 13.1 per cent on the quarter in volume terms.”
The ABS also released public spending figures showing public expenses exceeded revenues by an extraordinary $93.6bn over the quarter as the Morrison government continued to pump money into the economy — a key driver for what is expected to be a very strong rebound in consumption after the June quarter lockdowns.
Economists will finalise their forecasts real GDP growth today, with Westpac already flagging it expects tomorrow’s national accounts will show the economy expanded by 3 per cent after collapsing by 7 per cent in the June quarter.
READ MORE: Bitcoin hits all-time high
Max Maddison 12.40pm: China ‘initially suppressed details of Covid cases’
Leaked documents have revealed Chinese authorities intentionally suppressed the number of positive coronavirus cases at the beginning of the pandemic, with the official public number less than half the actual figure, CNN reports.
The revelations, stemming from leaked documents from the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, confirm what many believed to be true but didn’t have any evidence of until now. The Chinese government has categorically rejected allegations by Western governments it concealed the true extent of the virus in the early stages.
The investigation found in a report labelled “internal document, please keep confidential,” Hubei’s local health officials listed a total of 5918 newly detected cases on February 10 - more than twice the official figure of 2478 reported on the same day.
“This larger figure was never fully revealed at that time, as China’s accounting system seemed, in the tumult of the early weeks of the pandemic, to downplay the severity of the outbreak,” the article said.
READ MORE: China on course to bounce back
Adeshola Ore 12.23pm: Wages, aged ‘among Labor’s pandemic achievements’
Anthony Albanese has sought to highlight his party’s key achievements in 2020 amid rising pressure on his leadership.
In Labor’s second last caucus meeting of the year, the Opposition Leader said wage subsidies during the coronavirus pandemic was a major win after the ALP came out first in calling for such a scheme.
Mr Albanese added the royal commissions into disability and aged care would not exist without Labor’s advocacy.
He summarised Labor’s key themes for 2020 as pressing the federal government on its gap between policy announcement and delivery, government waste and corruption and Australians being left behind.
Mr Albanese announced he will travel to Queensland soon to meet with the state’s Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and work with opposition veterans’ affairs and defence personnel spokesman Shayne Neumann.
Labor will also establish a new pandemic recovery, jobs and industry taskforce. The caucus taskforce will be chaired by Lisa Chesters.
READ MORE: One rate to cover all in IR reforms
Rosie Lewis 12.21pm: Labor won’t back PM’s suicide prevention bills
Labor’s caucus has confirmed it will not support the government’s bills that help set up and support Scott Morrison’s proposed national commissioner for defence and suicide prevention, with the legislation facing defeat in the Senate.
Addressing caucus on Tuesday, opposition veterans’ affairs and defence personnel spokesman Shayne Neumann told colleagues: “A glorified coroner doing desktop reviews in a corner office is a not a royal commission and we support a royal commission.”
READ MORE: Likely Senate defeat for suicide prevention role
PATRICK COMMINS 12.13pm: Latest jobs figures point to Victorian recovery
Four times as many employee jobs were added in Victoria than nationally over the two weeks to November 14, the latest evidence of a revival in the state’s fortunes following the successful suppression of its second wave of COVID-19 cases.
The ABS data draws on payroll figures from the ATO’s single-touch payroll system, and captures around 80 per cent of the labour market.
Payroll jobs climbed by 0.4 per cent in Victoria over the fortnight to mid-November, the data showed, and by 0.1 per cent nationally.
Payroll jobs have lifted for three fortnights in a row, pointing to a continued labour market recovery after official labour force statistics showed a solid lift in employment in October and added to hopes that unemployment has peaked at around its current level of 7 per cent.
That said, the recovery remains incomplete: the ABS data showed payroll jobs remain 2.9 per cent lower than before the pandemic, and 5.4 per cent lower in Victoria.
Hospitality and arts sector workers remain the hardest hit by the recession. Despite regaining around three in five payroll jobs lost since March, there are still 6 per cent fewer food and accommodation jobs and almost 12 per cent fewer arts roles. In Victoria, those deficits stretch to around 20 per cent.
READ MORE: Trading Day — ASX higher, regulators hit Westpac, CBA
PATRICK COMMINS 11.59am: House building approvals hit 20-year high
More houses were approved to be built in October than in any month since 2000, new ABS data has revealed, as easing COVID-19 restrictions, record low interest rates, a resurgent property market and government incentives supercharged demand to build new homes.
The number of dwelling approvals — including houses and apartments — lifted 3.8 per cent to 16,584 in October versus the month before, according to the seasonally adjusted figures. Approvals are now up by a third versus a low of 12,459 recorded in June around the height of the COVID-19 disruptions, and are 14 per cent higher than a year before.
Detached house approvals increased 3.1 per cent to 10,692 to hit a 20-year high, and are up 32 per cent against October 2019.
The number of apartment approvals lifted by 6.2 per cent in the month to 5529, but remained 10.6 per cent lower than a year before.
ABS director of construction statistics Daniel Rossi said “the continued strong demand for detached housing follows the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in most states and territories”.
“Record low interest rates and a range of federal and state-based incentives are also providing support for the housing sector,” Mr Rossi said.
READ MORE: Home loans for less than $50 a day
Sharri Markson 11.38am: Explosive ‘please explain’ letter to Four Corners
The Morrison Government has fired off a missive to ABC Chair Ita Buttrose with a litany of complaints about the Four Corners program that delved into the private lives of Cabinet ministers Christian Porter and Alan Tudge.
The letter from Communications Minister Paul Fletcher explosively accuses the ABC Board of failing to meet its duty to ensure the broadcast of “accurate and impartial” news and information according to “recognised standards of objective journalism.”
The program by the public broadcaster’s flagship current affairs program in early November exposed a consensual affair between Mr Tudge, then human services minister, and his former media adviser, Rachelle Miller, and broadcast unfounded allegations that Mr Porter is sexist and had kissed a woman in a Canberra bar. Mr Porter has strongly denied the allegations.
Mr Fletcher’s letter to Ms Buttrose questions how the ABC complied with its duty of impartiality by only investigating the private lives of Liberal Party politicians and not delving into relationships involving Labor, Green or independent politicians.
Today I have written to ABC Chair Ita Buttrose with questions concerning the Four Corners program “Inside the Canberra Bubble†that was broadcast on 9 November 2020. pic.twitter.com/7acqFpdAL4
— Paul Fletcher (@PaulFletcherMP) November 30, 2020
The letter formally demands the ABC Board answer why it felt it was newsworthy to broadcast a story on the “personal lives of politicians” at all.
READ the full story here
Paul Garvey 11.34am: WA’s border to Victoria, NSW to come down at last
Western Australia’s hard broder with Victoria and NSW will finally come down on December 8, opening the door for families across the country to reunite in time for Christmas.
WA Premier Mark McGowan announced on Tuesday morning that arrivals from Australia’s two most populous states would no longer need to go into quarantine for two weeks.
Victoria officially eliminated coronavirus last week, while NSW is on track to achieve the same milestone by Saturday.
This morning I can now announce our next cautious and safe step as part of WA's controlled interstate border.
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) December 1, 2020
Subject to no further outbreaks occurring and based on updated health advice, Victoria and NSW will be classified as 'very low risk' states from 12.01am, Tuesday 8/12. pic.twitter.com/7mQHLAIjac
“I can announce the following, based on updated public health advice and pending no further community outbreaks, effective from 12.01am Tueday, December 8, Victoria and NSW will be categorised as very low risk under our controlled borders,” Mr McGowan said.
The announcement came as Queensland officially reopened its border to Victoria and NSW on Tuesday. Queensland’s reopening is expected to trigger a $3.5 billion tourism splurge in the state over the next month.
READ the full story on WA’s border reopening here
Rosie Lewis 11.26am: Labor puts Darwin Port on agenda in foreign bill push
Labor will attempt to amend the Morrison government’s proposed new laws giving it the power to scuttle agreements struck by the states, local councils and universities with foreign governments, demanding Foreign Minister Marise Payne provide reasons for any vetoed decisions.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong also wants Senator Payne to prepare a report into the lease of the Port of Darwin, accusing the government of “very obvious double standards” by attacking Labor government agreements with foreign powers and not the Liberal National Party’s decision to “lease this critical strategic asset to a foreign company”.
Labor has tabled several amendments to the foreign relations bill, including that Senator Payne make an annual report to parliament outlining how the government has engaged with affected entities and explain how they should be engaging with foreign powers in Australia’s national interest.
The party is concerned about a lack of an oversight mechanism for decisions made by Senator Payne under the bill and warned an entity will have “no idea what it should do differently” without proper review processes.
Labor also wants to understand why private universities are exempt from the bill while public universities are not.
“Private universities, which, for reasons still not explained, will not find any international agreement they engage in subject to scrutiny to assess whether it is in the national interest, while public universities will,” Senator Wong said.
“So Bond University can go about doing whatever foreign deals it likes, but the University of Western Sydney has to meet a higher standard.”
The ALP is also calling for clarity in the definition of key terms in the bill such as “arrangements”.
The Morrison government wants to push the foreign relations bill through the parliament this week.
READ MORE: Bramston — Smart politics to hold the super line
Max Maddison 11.19am: NSW inches towards eradication with zero local cases
NSW has taken another step closer to eradicating coronavirus, after reporting zero new locally acquired cases for the 24th day in a row.
While five new cases were reported, they were all returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, meaning NSW is only four days away from the 28 days required for a clinical definition of eradication.
WATCH: Dr Jeremy McAnulty provides a #COVID19 update for Tuesday 1 December. pic.twitter.com/78cJjFWYUj
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 1, 2020
“While NSW has had 24 days without a locally acquired case of COVID-19, there still may be transmission among people who have unrecognised infections with mild or no symptoms,” a NSW Health statement said.
There were 6635 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with 6,106 in the previous 24 hours. There remain 75 active cases across the state, none of which are in intensive care.
READ MORE: Editorial — Time to maximise our economic recovery
Matthew Denholm 11.12am: Tassie set to open up to South Australians
Tasmania will open its border to quarantine-free arrivals from South Australia from 12.01am Thursday, the state government has announced.
The decision, reducing SA from “medium risk” to “low risk” coronavirus status, means Tasmania will have no blanket quarantine border restrictions in place for arrivals from any jurisdiction in Australia.
READ MORE: Creighton — Work from home a mixed blessing
GREG BROWN 11.00am: Canavan reignites Coalition energy wars
Nationals senator Matt Canavan has reignited the energy wars within the Coalition as he called on Scott Morrison to tear up its energy agreement with the NSW government and instead build a coal-fired power station in the Hunter Valley.
The Queensland senator lashed out at the Berejiklian government’s energy roadmap, which passed state parliament last week and encourages investment in low emissions energy to replace ageing coal-fired power stations.
Senator Canavan accused NSW of passing “radical legislation” without consulting the federal government.
He said the policy undermined the Morrison government’s program to underwrite new energy projects, with gas projects being put on hold.
Senator Canavan questioned why rural people would have to be kept up at night by “noisy wind farms just so guilt ridden inner-city people can sleep”.
The former resources minister said the government needed to tear up its $2bn energy agreement struck in January and instead built a new coal-fired power station in the Hunter Valley.
Partyroom sources say Senator Canavan was supported by Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce and Liberal MP Craig Kelly.
READ MORE: LNP brass facing a grassroots revolt
Max Maddison 10.50am: Restrictions to remain in SA despite no new cases
Despite recording another day without a new case, Premier Steven Marshall says the South Australia’s current COVID restrictions will remain in place until at least Friday, while public health officials are forced to defend their handling of the outbreak.
While announcing the reopening of the Victorian border, Mr Marshall said there had been no change to the public health advice, but that would be reviewed before the weekend.
“We have said from day one that we don’t want to keep any of our restrictions in place for any day longer than we need to but at this stage, the unequivocal health advice as we need to keep the current, new lower level of restrictions in place for the time being,” Mr Marshall told a press conference on Tuesday morning
However, SA chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier was forced to defend the messaging of her office after she announced another communication mishap in which a positive case quarantine wasn’t mentioned publicly.
“We were in the middle of this very serious cluster. We had an absolute focus on providing the public with the information they needed at the time so that as a society, we could get over this and look at Christmas in going back to normal,” Professor Spurrier said.
“Unfortunately, we have got this case that hasn’t been on the public record. I am making it clear today that it is now on the public record and as I said, there is nothing tidy about a pandemic.”
Professor Spurrier apologised publicly on Monday after wrongly suggesting a man who attended several Adelaide shopping centres had breached coronavirus rules.
READ MORE: Sunshine State debt may hit $120bn
Max Maddison 10.30am: ‘Tis the season to stay home and safe’
Being with family and friends during the festive period is not worth the risk, says the head of the World Health Organisation, warning now is not the time “for complacency” over COVID-19.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged people to reconsider their travel plans and instead make preparations to stay home over Christmas, saying multiple households should avoid coming together to celebrate in one home.
“We all want to be together with the people we love during festive periods, but being with family and friends is not worth putting them, or yourself, at risk. We must all consider whose life we might be gambling with in the decision we make,” Dr Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday morning.
“Do you need to travel? Do you really need to travel? For many people this is the season for staying at home and staying safe.”
Richard Ferguson 10.20am: Reynolds, PM ‘expressed opinions’ on citations
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds says she and Scott Morrison have “expressed their opinions” on stripping 3000 Afghan War veterans of their meritorious unit citations to defence chiefs.
Chief of the Defence Forces Angus Campbell has walked back moves to strip meritorious unit citations from the unit linked to alleged war crimes in the Bereton inquiry.
While she would not say what her opinion was, Senator Reynolds said on Monday that General Campbell would take it on board in his final decision.
“The Prime Minister and I have a responsibility to listen to the community, to listen to veterans, to listen to service personnel,” she told Sky News.
“We have done that and we have expressed our opinions to the Defence Force
“Ultimately this is a decision for the Chief of Defence Force.
“He has also heard those same opinions and thoughts and is considering the matter further.”
READ MORE: Why Biden will be good for stocks
Mackenzie Scott 10.11am: Home prices bounce back from Covid
House prices are likely to surpass pre-COVID levels in early 2021 after all capital cities reported a surge in growth through November, a first since the pandemic began.
Property researcher CoreLogic’s latest national property price index showed a 0.8 per cent climb last month.
The second consecutive month of rises has all but locked in a recovery in housing prices. It also confirms the coronavirus’s impact on the market resulted in a 2.1 per cent national drop between April and September.
CoreLogic’s head of research, Tim Lawless, said the pace of current growth trends suggests housing prices might have recovered from the COVID-19-induced downturn as early as January or February next year.
“The five smaller capital cities are all up more than one per cent. Among those, Darwin and Canberra are approaching 2 per cent growth – that‘s moving into boom conditions,” Mr Lawless said.
READ the full story here
Gerard Cockburn 10.07am: Virgin to add 80,000 seats by January
Virgin Australia is expecting close to 80,000 additional seats will be added to its east coast flight routes by January 2021.
As Queensland opens its borders to Victoria and Sydney on Tuesday, the country’s second airline carrier says it is anticipating an extra 78,000 seats per week will be available on flights between the three major eastern capital cities.
With coronavirus restrictions easing across most of the nation, Virgin said it believes its capacity will be at 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
It also noted on Tuesday flights from Victoria and NSW to Queensland are at near capacity, with high demand stretching through for the rest of the month.
Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the decision by the Queensland government to open borders will mean families will be able to reunite for the holiday season.
“We’re seeing strong demand throughout December across all of our Queensland services from Victoria and New South Wales, so we know many Australians have been itching to visit Queensland to reunite with their loved-ones or do business,” Ms Hrdlicka said.
“The broader economic contribution that open borders will bring cannot be underestimated in what has been the most difficult year for many businesses, particularly in the tourism and hospitality industries.”
Known as the Golden Triangle, the Brisbane — Sydney — Melbourne flight corridor is one of the busiest flight routes in the world. —NCA Newswire
READ MORE: Qantas swings axe on 2000 more jobs
Adeshola Ore 10.00am: Afghanistan investigates doctored image
Afghanistan’s ministry of foreign affairs has responded to China’s doctored image of an Australia soldier, saying it has begun “investigating the case.”
On Monday, Scott Morrison demanded China and Twitter remove a post from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman which includes a fake photo of an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan girl’s throat.
Press Release on publication of an image depicting an Australian Soldier’s misconduct Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/6nTBoR08ee
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Afghanistan 🇦🇫 (@mfa_afghanistan) November 30, 2020
In a press release, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign affairs said it was “aware of a photo showing an Australian soldier’s misconduct” and had begun “investigating the case.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Government are jointly working to investigate the misconduct of the Australian soldiers in Afghanistan,” the statement read.
“The aim of the investigation is to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice.”
The ministry said Afghanistan wanted to “strengthen cooperation” with Australia and China.
READ MORE: Paul Dibb — How should Australia deal with an aggressive China?
Adeshola Ore 9.47am: Stripping veterans’ citations ‘a complex issue’
Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester says stripping Afghanistan veterans of their unit citations involves a “complex matrix of decisions.”
It comes after Chief of the Defence Forces Angus Campbell backed down on his pledge
to revoke the unit citations of 3,000 special forces soldiers who served in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013.
“Those who are guilty of doing the wrong thing will be held to account and they will be punished,’’ Mr Chester told Sky News.
“What good would come from taking away the citation? So I think it’s a complex issue.”
READ MORE: Defence Chief rolled over bid to strip medals
Richard Ferguson 9.32am: Ardern raises concerns with China over tweet
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has raised concerns with China over the government-sanctioned posting of a fake image depicting an Australian soldier holding a knife to a girl’s throat.
Ms Ardern — one of Scott Morrison’s Five Eyes intelligence network partners — said in Wellington on Tuesday that the image posted by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was unfactual and concerning.
“Whether it is Canada or Australia or indeed the United States, we observe closely relationships with our major trading partner China and others. But, of course, we always conduct our relationship in our own interests,” she said.
“I have seen some of the latest discussion over what was a Twitter image… New Zealand has registered directly with Chinese authorities our concern over the use of that image.
“It was an unfactual post and, of course, that would concern us. So, that is something that we have raised directly in the manner that New Zealand does when we have such concerns.”
READ MORE: Sobering reminder of the perils of politics
Adeshola Ore 9.22am: Diversify steel production away from China: Canavan
Queensland senator Matt Canavan says Australia will emerge as stronger from the escalating trade spat with China.
“Even if the Chinese relationship was to go back, I’m pretty sure Australia will still be a great country with great people and great cities,” Senator Canavan told Sky News.
“This sort of difficulty is nothing compared to what previous generations of Australians have faced and we go into this with enormous amounts of wealth and opportunity. I’m sure we’ll be doing that now and come out stronger.”
Senator Canavan called for a global diversification of the production of steel away from China.
“Over half of the world’s steel production is concentrated in China through a raft of subsidies and assistance the Chinese government provides to domestic steel producers.”
“I think there’s a real task around the world, you need to diversify the supply chain so the world is not reliant on one country for such a commodity.”
READ MORE: $1m coal power station yields $62m dividend
Jack Paynter 9.11am: Border war comes to an end as Queensland opens
After 250 days strict closures and heated exchanges between state leaders, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has reopened the border to Victorians and Sydneysiders.
Cars queued up at the border between NSW and Queensland on the Gold Coast as the closure was lifted at 1am today, while travellers on the first flight into Brisbane from Melbourne will be greeted with a train of Christmas gifts at the baggage carousel.
Thousands of travellers are expected to descend on the Sunshine State from Sydney and Victoria as the requirement to quarantine is lifted.
Queensland has had some form of border control in place since March 26 when the coronavirus pandemic first took hold in Australia.
Ms Palaszczuk celebrated the border reopening by tweeting: “From 1am tomorrow, Queensland will open to Greater Sydney and Victoria and anyone who has travelled here from those places will be able to leave hotel quarantine.”
It comes after a tense past month between Ms Palaszczuk and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian after Ms Berejiklian hit out at the Queensland leader for rubbing in the Maroons’ State of Origin victory over a text message instead of taking the state border issue seriously.
More than 1 million vehicles have been intercepted at Queensland road borders since late March.
Queensland Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said it had been an “incredibly complex and mammoth operation” and thanked the community, especially those in Tweed Heads and Coolangatta, for their patience.
The first flight from Melbourne will arrive in Brisbane just after 8am with travellers on the flight VA309 set to receive more than 200 pairs of bright red Havaianas thongs to welcome them back to the Sunshine State.
A Virgin Australia spokesman said airline staff were excited to see so many Victorians travelling to Queensland on the first day the closure was lifted.
“We know it’s been a particularly tough few months for Victorians, and in true Virgin Australia style we wanted to bring extra joy to their journey,” he said.
There are 12 flights in total scheduled to arrive in Brisbane and the Gold Coast from Melbourne on Tuesday.
All Australians, except those in greater Adelaide, will be able to visit Queensland without quarantining from Tuesday.
— With Anthony Pivesan, NCA Newswire
READ MORE: $128m rescue deal arrives for travel agents
Max Maddison 9.03am: Victoria goes another day with zero virus cases
Victoria has recorded 32 days without a new case of coronavirus.
Yesterday there were 0 new cases, 0 deaths reported, and 6,874 tests received. There are no active cases. Thank you to everyone for helping Victoria #StaySafeStayOpen. https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #EveryTestHelps #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/tMDsUCMM1E
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) November 30, 2020
With 6874 coronavirus tests conducted failing to detect a positive case, the streak of days without a locally acquired infection continued. No deaths were recorded either.
Currently, the state has zero active cases and zero cases with an unknown source.
Having surpassed the clinical definition of virus eradication, Victoria is expected to move to the next step of its roadmap, COVID Normal, later this month.
READ MORE: Cops baulk at hotel quarantine ruling
Adeshola Ore 8.53am: PM ‘failing to bring stranded Aussies home for Christmas’
Opposition foreign affairs affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong says Scott Morrison has failed in his aim to bring thousands of Australians stranded overseas home before Christmas.
In September, the Prime Minister said he hoped to have as many Australians, if not all of them, home by Christmas. At the time, there were about 26,000 Australians overseas. The number of Australian residents stranded abroad has now surpassed 35,000.
“The reality is the Prime Minister is not going to deliver on his promise,” Senator Wong told the ABC.
“That is because he is refusing to take responsibility, he’s refusing to ensure that the federal government takes some responsibility for quarantine, that it sets up a federal facility. It was told months ago by its own adviser it could do so”
“Not only have more people been added to the list but more people have been classed as vulnerable, and they will not be home by Christmas. Now, that is, I think, a great sadness for them and their families, and a great abdication of responsibility by Mr Morrison.”
READ MORE: Police, ADF to enforce strict new quarantine
Gordon Lubold 8.41am: Trump to name Indo-Pacific commander
The Trump administration is preparing to name a new head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, which oversees operations and strategy for China and elsewhere in Asia, US officials said.
President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Admiral John Aquilino, currently the commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, to head all military operations in Asia, the officials said.
If confirmed by the Senate, Admiral Aquilino would succeed the current commander, Admiral Philip Davidson, who is expected to retire. The incoming Indo-Pacific chief would execute military policy in the Pacific Asia region, expected to be a prominent feature of President-elect Joe Biden’s foreign and national security policy as tensions continue to rise between the US and China.
— Dow Jones Newswire
READ the full story here
Max Maddison 8.32am: ‘Arrogant aggression a huge setback for China’
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says China’s “aggressive and arrogant” behaviour is actually a “huge setback” for the country’s global standing.
What China doesn’t realise is that it’s behaviour towards Australia will be seen as abhorrent throughout the world. This is a huge setback for China’s global standing. It says a lot about the aggressive and arrogant Chinese Communists
— Alexander Downer (@AlexanderDowner) November 30, 2020
After senior Chinese Communist Party figures took to Twitter to attack Scott Morrison for his call for an apology, Mr Downer said it was a mistake to believe a trade war and “disgusting tweets” would “break our resolve”.
“What China doesn’t realise is that it’s behaviour towards Australia will be seen as abhorrent throughout the world,” Mr Downer tweeted on Tuesday morning. “This is a huge setback for China’s global standing. It says a lot about the aggressive and arrogant Chinese Communists.”
Twitter took down @realDonaldTrump tweets it didn’t like. We Australians expect it to take down deeply offensive Chinese Communist tweets
— Alexander Downer (@AlexanderDowner) November 30, 2020
READ MORE: Treasury wine cuts Chinese exports
Chris Griffith 8.25am: Twitter says it won’t ban China’s offensive post
Twitter won’t ban or hide China foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao’s tweet but it has marked its image as sensitive, the company says.
The social media network will not hide the image by default.
Twitter instead has told The Australian that the image will be marked as “sensitive media”. Further, Twitter has labelled Lijian Zhao’s account as an “official government account”.
According to Twitter, tweets by world leaders, politicians, and official government accounts, direct interactions with fellow public figures, comments on political issues of the day, and “foreign policy sabre-rattling” on economic or military issues are generally not in violation of the Twitter Rules.
READ Chris Griffith’s full story here
Max Maddison 8.18am: AstraZeneca vaccine available in weeks: Johnson
Boris Johnson has said the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine could be available “in a few weeks”, in what he hopes will be the “salvation for humanity”.
After early results for several vaccines — including Oxford AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech — found over 90 per cent efficacy, the UK Prime Minister said “if we’re lucky, if everything goes right” the Oxford vaccine could be available “in a few weeks”.
“This could, and I stress could, really be the salvation for humanity these vaccines, not just this one, but all the vaccines being developed at the moment,” Mr Johnson said on Monday.
“What we need now is the approvals - no vaccine has yet got NHRA approval. But we’re hoping that both the Pfizer BioNTech and the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine will be approved in the course of the next few days and weeks.”
READ MORE: Plea for help to get students back
Adeshola Ore 8.10am: China attack ‘unites Australian politics’
Opposition Assistant Treasury spokesman Stephen Jones says China’s attack on Australia’s war crime allegations has resulted in political unity in the country.
China has doubled down on its fake image of an Australian soldier, with a CCP Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying questioning Scott Morrison’s response to the tweet.
“If the intent of the tweet was to sow political division then it’s done the opposite of that,” Mr Jones told Sky News on Tuesday.
He said “some of the heat” needed to come out of the diplomatic spat between China and Australia.
“A big challenge for the government is that we’re going to have to start doubling down on reaching out to a lot of multilateral forums.”
“There’s going to have to be a lot of working through those international forums with our allies.”
READ MORE: Editorial — Mockery made of human rights
Richard Ferguson 7.55am: Labor backs Defence Force chief backflip on citations
Labor has backed Chief of the Defence Forces Angus Campbell’s moves to walk away from a pledge to strip 3000 Afghanistan veterans of their unit citations as a result of alleged war crimes.
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles said he did not believe General Campbell bowed to pressure from Scott Morrison over the controversial recommendation in the Brereton war crimes inquiry, and that he needed time to go through all of the inquiry’s recommendations.
“I don’t think that’s clear (that he bowed to pressure),” Mr Marles told ABC radio.
“There is a desire to take some time to get this right. And I think that’s appropriate and labor supports that.
“I can understand the recommendation ... I can obviously also understand the feelings of the thousands of Australians who served in the Special Operations Task Group with distinctions - who had nothing to do with the allegations that have been made.”
General Campbell said more than a week ago when he released the Brereton war crimes report that he would write to the Governor-General asking him to revoke the Meritorious Unit Citation for special forces soldiers who served in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013.
READ MORE: Ex-SAS leaders face scrutiny
Max Maddison 7.15am: Labor says China action a ‘classic troll attack’
Senior Labor figures have stood beside Scott Morrison, labelling China’s behaviour as a “classic troll attack” while calling for a “calm and measured” response.
With both sides of politics “one on this issue”, former leader Bill Shorten said the Chinese were “acting like bullies”, and questioned Twitter’s decision to leave the doctored image up overnight.
“Perhaps China feels they can be the big authority in the big power. But I think they’ve underestimated our resolve,” Mr Shorten told Nine’s Today Show.
“I also think what is Twitter doing? You know, it’s not their job to be a social media arm of the Chinese propaganda unit. So they should put that image down.”
Labor Senator Penny Wong called for a calm and strategic response in response to what was a “deliberately provocative image”.
“We have economic challenges … which is obviously a major issue for the Australian economy, for jobs, and for all the Australians who rely on those industries,” Ms Wong told ABC’s News Breakfast
“And we have this deliberate provocation. I think it’s very important that we respond in a calm and measured way, and make very clear what we believe is acceptable. This isn’t the behaviour … of a responsible, mature international player.”
READ MORE: Simon Benson — Beijing weakened as world frowns at offensive actions
Max Maddison 7am: Moderna confirms COVID-19 vaccine 94.1% effective
Moderna’s final results confirmed its COVID-19 vaccine has 94.1 per cent efficacy, with no serious safety concerns, as the company prepares to ramp up distribution.
The positive results, which also found 100 per cent efficacy in preventing severe cases, led to the US based company asking European and American regulators to fast-track the emergency use of the vaccine, enabling it to be widely distributed.
We just announced the primary efficacy analysis in the Phase 3 COVE study for mRNA-1273, our COVID-19 vaccine candidate and that today, we plan to request an Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. FDA & conditional approval from the EMA. Read more: https://t.co/90FbcVHdWN pic.twitter.com/36tpY0QeFl
— Moderna (@moderna_tx) November 30, 2020
In a statement, Moderna said it expected to have 20 million doses of mRNA-1273 available in the US by the end of the year, while it “remained on track” to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021.
“This positive primary analysis confirms the ability of our vaccine to prevent COVID-19 disease with 94.1% efficacy and importantly, the ability to prevent severe COVID-19 disease,” said Moderna chief executive Stéphane Bancel.
“We believe that our vaccine will provide a new and powerful tool that may change the course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease, hospitalisations and death.”
READ MORE: Profits jump as industries bounce back
Max Maddison 6.40am: China escalates war of words with Australia
The war of words between China and Australia has continued to intensify, with senior Chinese Communist Party members and its state-run newspaper blasting Scott Morrison as “arrogant” while labelling Australia an “urban-rural fringe of Western civilisation where gangsters roamed”.
The Prime Minister used a press conference on Monday afternoon to condemn a tweet by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, which depicted an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan child, saying China should apologise and be “utterly ashamed”.
Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, &call for holding them accountable. pic.twitter.com/GYOaucoL5D
— Lijian Zhao èµµç«‹åš (@zlj517) November 30, 2020
In response, the CCP Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying questioned the basis for Mr Morrison’s response, tweeting that “Afghan lives also matter”.
“The details in this report are shocking and hair-raising, and the atrocities have been unequivocally and strongly condemned and deplored by the international community,” Ms Hua tweeted.
“The #Australian government reacted so strongly. Do they think the merciless killing of #Afghan civilians is justified while the condemnation of such ruthless brutality is not?”
The #Australian government reacted so strongly. Do they think the merciless killing of #Afghan civilians is justified while the condemnation of such ruthless brutality is not? Afghan lives also matter!
— Hua Chunying åŽæ˜¥èŽ¹ (@SpokespersonCHN) November 30, 2020
Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin also followed up an earlier editorial by the CCP mouthpiece, saying it was “ridiculous and shameless” that Mr Morrison had demanded China to apologise.
“Australia is ‘urban-rural fringe’ of Western civilisation where gangsters roamed. If the US wants to do something bad, it seeks thugs in such a place. Australian army’s killing of Afghan civilians and @ScottMorrisonMP’s attitude prove Canberra’s barbarism,” Mr Hu tweeted.
Another article by Mr Hu defended Mr Zhao’s tweet, saying “Morrison should kneel down on the ground, slap himself in the face, and kowtow to apologise to Afghans — all these should be done in a live telecast.”
It is a popular cartoon that condemns the Australian Special Forces ’s brutal murder of 39 Afghan civilians. On what ground does Morrison feel angry over the use of this cartoon by the spokesperson of Chinese FM? It’s ridiculous and shameless that he demanded China to apologize. pic.twitter.com/QkBSXyf1uY
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) November 30, 2020
Titled “China’s goodwill futile with evil Australia”, The Global Times’ editorial reiterated its position that Australia’s exporters were to blame for the tariffs that had been imposed, before saying Australia “is not worthy to argue with”.
“Canberra implements a wolf-style policy toward China and has become the most savage accomplice of US suppression of China. China, in response, needs to review its Australia policy and act according to the rules,” the article said.
“As a warhound of the US, Australia should restrain its arrogance. Particularly, its warships must not come to China’s coastal areas to flex muscles, or else it will swallow the bitter pills.”
Creator of the satirical cartoon that was slammed by Australian PM Morrison advised Morrison to focus more on domestic affairs, for example, making sure Australian troops stationed overseas to be more disciplined. pic.twitter.com/Bu2ZWdIqQ6
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) November 30, 2020
READ MORE: Dennis Shanahan — PM right to use this to reopen the door
Staff writers 5.30am: China tariffs put 6000 winemaking jobs at risk
Australia’s threat to launch action against China through the World Trade Organisation over its strategic assault on key export industries could occur within months, as winemakers warn up to 6000 jobs are at risk from new tariffs imposed by Beijing.
The Australian understands if the federal government proceeds with WTO action, it would be used as a test case over Beijing’s spurious complaints over the dumping of wine, barley and other exports.
The WTO is typically used to force countries into mediating direct outcomes, with the federal government recently dropping action against Canada after a deal was struck to lift restrictions on Australian wine exports.
Overnight, an editorial in China’s state-run English language newspaper The Global Times warned trade action would continue while Australia remained a “savage accomplice of US suppression of China”.
“The fact is that as China-Australia relations remained warm in the past, Chinese society did not find fault with imports from Australia,” the editorial said.
“But now, Canberra implements a wolf-style policy toward China and has become the most savage accomplice of US suppression of China. China, in response, needs to review its Australia policy and act according to the rules.”
READ MORE: Rowan Callick — Supreme wolf leads Xi’s warrior brigade
Geoff Chambers 5.15am: China-Australia ties sink to 50-year low
Australia’s relationship with China has sunk to its lowest point in almost 50 years after Scott Morrison lashed out at Beijing over its use of a “repugnant” and “appalling” fake image of an Australian soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child.
In a dramatic escalation of tensions between Canberra and Beijing, the Prime Minister demanded China immediately remove the offensive tweet and called on the Communist nation to reset its aggressive posture and engage in dialogue “without condition”.
Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, &call for holding them accountable. pic.twitter.com/GYOaucoL5D
— Lijian Zhao èµµç«‹åš (@zlj517) November 30, 2020
The social media post shared by Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy director-general Zhao Lijian continued Beijing’s increased aggression against Australia and plunged diplomatic relations with Communist China to its lowest level since Gough Whitlam established ties in 1973.
Mr Morrison said the government was seeking an apology from Beijing over the “outrageous post”, which followed months of trade and diplomatic threats and the release of a list of “grievances” criticising Australia’s foreign interference crackdown and calls for a global inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.
Responding to Mr Morrison’s demand for an apology, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday night called on Australia to “apologise” to the Afghan people.
The #Australian government reacted so strongly. Do they think the merciless killing of #Afghan civilians is justified while the condemnation of such ruthless brutality is not? Afghan lives also matter!
— Hua Chunying åŽæ˜¥èŽ¹ (@SpokespersonCHN) November 30, 2020
Read the full story, by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson and Dennis Shanahan, here.
Michael McKenna 5am: LNP brass face grassroots revolt in Queensland
Queensland’s Liberal National Party is facing a grassroots revolt after the recent state election defeat, with mounting demands for the resignation of top officials.
Two Brisbane-based LNP branches have moved motions calling for the immediate clean-out of party headquarters over its links with political rival Clive Palmer and poor performance at the October 31 election.
The branch motions were instigated as one of the LNP’s divisional heads, Jenny Goodwin, sent a scathing email to fellow state executive members saying the behaviour of the internal disputes committee, which oversees disciplinary actions against members, had created a culture of “anger, mistrust and bullying”.
Read the full story, by Michael McKenna and Sarah Elks, here.
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