The week(ended): In case you missed this

All the news that's fit to mint

All the news that's fit to mint

Babies, the birthing of new ventures and some beat up sneakers have broken many brains (and bank accounts) this week.

 

It's like 2001 up in here right now, with national security front and centre of the federal election campaign.

 

Back then it was a boat called Tampa, now it's a Chinese war ship spotted about 200km off of the WA coast which is...unusual.

 

The Intelligence Collection Vessel Haiwangxing was spotted near WA this week.

 

Our national and official relationship isn't exactly rosy with the CCP.

 

Communication between Canberra and Beijing has become increasingly frosty. However, as uncovered after a three-month investigation by The Australian, deputy Labor leader Richard Marles has had 10 meetings with officials over the past five years, including with the former feisty ambassador Cheng Jingye - the bloke responsible for issuing Australia with a list of "demands" before he left his post here.

 

"Mr Marles met officials from the Chinese embassy or consul-general three times in 2017, once in 2018, twice in 2019, once in 2020, twice in 2021 and a meeting was scheduled with new Chinese ambassador for March 2022 but was postponed," The Australian confirmed. 

 

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has met with Chinese officials twice since she took the gig in 2018.

 

So too has opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong.

 

Payne, speaking alongside Wong at the National Press Club on Friday said, Marles only disclosed "a small number" of his visits to the Chinese embassy with her office.

 

Foreign Affairs minister Marise Payne

 

"In relation to specific approaches from Mr Marles, my understanding is a small number of those meetings were advised to my office. It’s not my role to 'clear' them or otherwise. I would describe them as being noted," Senator Payne said.

"Can we fix it?"

All this talk of ships and spies has rubbed off on the federal election campaign with both the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Another Albanese leaning hard into Bob the Builder live action rhetoric to describe their leadership styles.

 

Morrison said he would have to move away from his “bulldozer” approach to leading government if he were to win the vote on May 21.

“I admit that hasn’t enabled Australians to see a lot of other gears in the way I work, and I know Australians know that I can be a bit of a bulldozer when it comes to issues and I suspect you guys know that too,” Morrison said.

While Albo confirmed his management style is more productive. Like Edward Lewis at the end of Pretty Woman - he wants to build stuff.

“I’m a builder. That’s what I am and if I’m elected prime minister, I’ll build things in this country [from] build infrastructure to climate change that is in partnership with our allies, including the Biden administration. I’ll build the skills capacity of this nation up. I’ll build people’s living standards up as well,” Albo said.

Transparent supply chains 

Walk Free's Grace Forrest is been calling on Australian governments and businesses to do more to eradicate slavery

One of Australia's most vocal advocates for ending the slave trade, Grace Forrest, has applauded the ALP's proposal to establish an independent anti-slavery commissioner - a position that would be located within the Attorney-General's department - if it wins the election.

Speaking exclusively to The Oz, Forrest said all of the research conducted by the Walk Free organisation shows governments must work closely with business to eradicate slavery.

"Business must be part of the solution and these proposed changes would put the onus on companies to ensure their supply chains are slavery free," Forrest said.

"That means CEOs must take modern slavery seriously, particularly if they are manufacturing in high-risk countries or sourcing high-risk products, and empower every worker in their supply chains to call out forced labour when they see it."

The opposition will also ensure that companies that import goods from China will have to guarantee their supply chains were free from Uighur forced ­labour.

Crime does pay

If the Morrison government is re-elected foreign criminals who are in Australia will have to cough up when the consequences of their actions come knocking.

 

Under a "six point boarder protection policy" the coalition will "beef up" character tests to ensure more cashed up crims from overseas are either booted out of the country quicker while they'll also be forced to pay for their own immigration detention, which costs the Australian tax payer about $456 a day.

 

Meanwhile the Greens released an immigration policy, which includes abolishing the Australian Boarder Force and ending offshore detention.

We see you in the NT 

The NT has a new chief minister.

 

Former health minister Natasha Fyles, 43, will succeed Michael Gunnar, who resigned this week.

 

New NT leader Natasha Fyles

 

Gunnar's resignation shocked a few. But after a surviving a heart attack, the pandemic, an election and the birth of his second child, he's tapping out.

"My head and my heart are no longer in the job. They are at home," Gunnar said.

Fyles is from Labor's left faction and is the second woman to lead the Territory.

WA: the state of emergency

Before WA Premier Mark McGowan handed down an obscenely cashed up Budget this week he also announced plans to extend his government's State of Emergency powers by six months.

 

The Emergency Management Act holds additional powers and provides a framework for the government to exercise additional powers during emergencies, like natural disasters and pandemics, so they can be dealt with quickly and effectively. They are on a rolling fortnightly extension right now but are due to expire in July.

 

However due to an explosion of Covid case numbers this week and how well WA (and its economy) has done since they were installed in March 2020, McGowan wants the ability to continue to easily reintroduce things like mask mandates in high risk areas like public transport and hospitals and restrict movement in and out of Indigenous communities.

 

Given the government has a majority, the extension will be ushered through parliament next week.

"A pleasure doing business with you" 

The crushing guilt of relying too heavily on the gig economy to make your life easier should be eased by the new agreement that the Transport Workers Union and DoorDash have signed that sets out how Australia can ensure safety and fairness for contract workers.

It's the first of its kind between an Australian union and a delivery platform. It's a statement of principles which is essentially a more official version of the handshake emoji. The agreement recognises the nature of work in the "on demand" economy as well as the need for industry wide standards set by an independent umpire.

History repeats

The pink wave of vice president Leni Robredo's campaign crashed and Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jnr has won the Philippines election. He's the son of the late (and notorious) dictator Ferdinand Snr and shoe enthusiast, Imelda.

 

Inflated and broke bros

Prices are soaring in the US at the fastest rate in 40-years. But in good news for those just needing to buy food, fuel and pay for a home, it's only rising at a monthly rate of 0.3% in April, down from 1.2% in March. It's the first time cost of living has been off the boil since August last year. 

 

Despite this though, it could mean more interest rate hikes over there will be introduced to cool the economy. The markets freaked out for a few days, which sent waves of panic around the world. 

 

The most injured were tech stocks and RIP crypto, with Bitcoin diving below US$30,000. 

Curry for the country

While our pollies, like the Prime Minister and Michealia Cash, love espousing the virtues of curries, a pint and curry could bring down the Opposition Leader, and his 2IC, in the UK.

 

@jzandt

Losing it over @faunhub’s mix of Curry For The Country. #fyp #foryou #auspol

♬ original sound - minorfauna

 

Given the heat (sorry) on Boris Johnson for breaking lock down rules during the height of the pandemic to have a party, Sir Keir Starmer has said he will quit if the police find he broke the rules too. The one thing BoJo hasn't entertained.

Deputy Opposition Leader Angela Rayner also confirmed she would step down if fined.

The alternate PM has been under pressure after UK police announced a probe into an event held in April 2021, when the Labour leader had curry and beer at another MP's office during an  election campaign visit.

Putin on the fritz

Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week his country (read: he) had no choice but to invade Ukraine.

He said he was defending the motherland from an “absolutely unacceptable threat” as he opened (without a hint of irony) the annual parade marking victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Both Ukraine and Russia have likened actions by each other side’s army to those of Nazi Germany, whose defeat by the Soviet Union in 1945 is celebrated in former ­Soviet countries on May 9

Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden have indicated wanting to join NATO. It would be the quickest induction ever and would redraw Europe's security map.

Rumours are now swirling about Putin's health as photos of the 69-year-old leader were circulated of him needing a blanket while seated next to elderly soldiers on a 9 degree day in Moscow during Russia's Victory Day celebration.

Putin on May 9th with a bunch of old war veterans... he's the only one with a warming blanket.

You okay Putin? pic.twitter.com/jpVI9KVnh5

— Gissur Simonarson 🇮🇸🇺🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@GissiSim) May 10, 2022

 

He'll be back 

Looks like Trump may get that Second Coming after all.

 

Not in the White House (yet) but on the social media soap box that is Twitter thanks to incoming owner Elon Musk.

 

Even though I think a less divisive candidate would be better in 2024, I still think Trump should be restored to Twitter

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 12, 2022

Into my arms

“It seems to me that if we love, we grieve,” Singer Nick Cave once wrote in the letter to a fan. “Grief is the terrible reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable.”

He wrote this following the death of his son Arthur in 2018 when he was asked whether he was still communicating with him on the other side.

At the time he suggested the visiting spirits of loved ones are a product of “our stunned imaginations reawakening after the calamity”, he recommended following the spirits and listening to them because they help the bereaved to deal with the world; “better now and unimaginably changed”.

Cave is now through it all again. This week Jethro Lazenby, his 30-year-old son with an Australian former model called Beau Lazenby, died days after completing a jail sentence for attacking his mother.

 

Loaded imagery  

The 2022 Archibald winner

 

Blak Douglas (aka Adam Hill) has taken out the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens. 

 

He won the $100,000 prize with the portrait of Dickens, who is also an artist and based in flood-affected Lismore. However the buckets and mud are two-fold in terms of meaning.

 

“The buckets represent the 50 per cent commission that the galleries take,” Douglas said at the Art Gallery of NSW. “That’s the 50 per cent leaking out of your hard earnings, and the muddy water is the art world in general.”

Mani & Pedi(gree)

Australia’s most prestigious prize for young authors harbouring unpublished manuscripts, The Australian-Vogel’s Literary Award, has gone to 34-year-old Melbourne author Nell Pierce for her book, A Place Near Eden.

A work that took her seven years to write which borrows from her experiences working in the family court, where she witnessed dysfunctional families, heartbreak, sorrow and loss.

A must-read this weekend.

In conjunction with the Vogel’s company and @australian, Allen & Unwin is pleased to announce the 2022 winner of The Australian/ Vogel’s Literary Award, #APlaceNearEden by Nell Pierce pic.twitter.com/GhVGgKRbRL

— Allen & Unwin (@AllenAndUnwin) May 13, 2022

Trashed treasure

Nothing says get in the bin like paying more than $1500 for a pair of sneakers that look like they've come from the tip.

The latest in "povo chic" coming soon from Balenciaga.

Not a joke

This gives me Hope

AFLW legend Moana Hope is getting close to a birth day.

This will be hers and her wife, Isabella Carlstrom's second child.

What a lucky kid

In a classic case of pregnancy brain, Mo is actually 35-weeks pregnant, she corrected herself on Instagram on Friday.

Boss move

Tennis star and mental health advocate Naomi Osaka has quit her management company, IMG, and is starting her own agency, called Evolve.

She announced her Ari Gold-esquese move this week.

"I've spent my career doing things my way, even when people told me that it wasn't what was expected or traditional," the 24-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion said.

"Evolve is the natural next step in my journey as both an athlete and businesswoman, as well as a way to continue being myself and doing things my way...I strongly believe in the power athletes have to use our platforms to drive meaningful business."

Cold pies

The racism issues continue at Collingwood.

This week former president Eddie McGuire said he’s “sad for everybody” amid the latest developments in the Magpies’ racism saga and remains hopeful former player Heritier Lumumba will one day reunite with the club.

Lumumba’s issues with the Magpies, McGuire and former coach Nathan Buckley were detailed this week via the Herald Sun, which released sections of an extensive dossier Lumumba wanted to present to Collingwood as part of the "Do Better" reconciliation process last year before talks between all parties broke down.

Responding to the allegations former coach Buckley said: “I’m not going to be drawn into detail and I’m not going to say that ‘Heritier’s right here, wrong here’ – because that is his perspective of the truth. But there are other versions of the truth that are a long way away from the way that he perceives it.”

1/ I’ve given Nathan Buckley many years to grow and hopefully tell the truth. Unfortunately, he has used his platform and considerable profile to discredit me, including making insinuations about my mental health and being deliberately misleading about the past.

— Héritier Lumumba (@iamlumumba) May 10, 2022