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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy and Natasha May (earlier)

Nation records 13 Covid deaths as WA and ACT reduce official reinfection period – as it happened

Pat Conroy Australia New South Wales
People wear masks in Melbourne CBD
People wear masks to protect themselves from coronavirus infection in the Melbourne CBD. The nation recorded 13 Covid deaths on Monday as both WA and ACT reduced the official reinfection period to 28 days. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

What we learned: Monday, 11 July

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening.

Here were today’s major developments, starting with Dinesh Chandimal in Sri Lanka, who remained unbeaten on 206 tonight against Australia in the second cricket test – a special moment for fans across the nation. Closer to shore:

  • Prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced a jobs and skills summit to be held 1 and 2 September - a promise foreshadowed prior to the federal election. Around 100 people from business, unions, civil society groups and other levels of government will be represented, including ACTU secretary Sally McManus who has welcomed it as a step forward emerging from Covid lockdowns.
  • On Covid, Australia has recorded 13 deaths to the virus today. The ACT and Western Australia has reduced the infectious period from 12 weeks down to 28 days as BA.4/BA.5 continues to spread.
  • In a throwback to the early days of the pandemic, an outbreak of Covid-19 has been confirmed on a cruise ship docked in Brisbane.
  • In other disease news, Queensland has detected its first monkeypox case, citing minimal risk to the community. New South Wales has detected 11 cases of the illness so far including two cases of possible community transmission.
  • And still in NSW, Jenny West, who was originally offered the New York City trade job that eventually went to former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro, has told an inquiry examining the appointment that she was told the job would be “a present for someone”.

Updated

Japan’s ambassador to Australia ‘deeply touched’

Yamagami Shingo says he is “deeply touched” by the prime minister and foreign minister’s messages of support in the wake of Shinzo Abe’s death.

Updated

BA.4 and BA.5 now dominant strains of Covid-19 in Victoria

Clinical genomic samples in wastewater catchments have detected the strains rising to 70% in the two weeks prior to 8 July.

Cases and hospital admissions are also rising, the department of health has noted in its daily report, in trend with other states and territories:

This is because the strains have a greater ability than BA.2 to evade immunity provided by vaccination and earlier Covid-19 infection.

There is no evidence at this stage that the BA.4/BA.5 sub-lineages cause more severe disease, but the department is closely monitoring the situation.

The infection period has not been reduced down to 28 days, as Western Australia and the ACT announced today. Instead, the department is strongly encouraging Victorians to remain up to date with vaccines and wear masks in at-risk settings.

Updated

Science reporter Donna Lu has written a very nifty explainer on oral antiviral treatments Lagevrio and Paxlovid after a string of Australians including over 70s became eligibile for the drugs on the PBS.

Have a read here.

First monkeypox case detected in Queensland

The public health risk is considered “very low”, health authorities say:

The positive case is currently self-isolating at home in Brisbane under virtual monitoring.

Contract tracing is now under way to identify anyone who may have come into contact with the positive case. Potential close contacts will be contacted directly.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness spread person-to-person via close contact.

Previously, 11 cases have been identified in New South Wales residents, nine likely to have been acquired overseas.

Updated

Queensland Parliament will be among a string of Brisbane landmarks lit in red and white this evening in tribute to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will meet with the Japanese Consul-General tomorrow, when she will sign the official condolence book.

A night vigil is being held in Tokyo this evening ahead of a private funeral tomorrow.

Palaszczuk:

Mr Abe was at the forefront of forging closer ties between his people and ours. Close ties promote peace and prosperity. Mr Abe’s loss has shocked and saddened us all.

Sally McManus says jobs summit is ‘a big opportunity’

The ACTU secretary Sally McManus was on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing earlier discussing the jobs and skills summit, confirmed by the federal government today to take place in September of this year.

She will be among around 100 invited guests.

We think it’s a big opportunity for our country. There’s a whole lot of serious issues to address and have been neglected for a decade now. And right at the top of that is the issue of workers’ share of our overall wealth. Labour’s share in GDP is at its lowest level and hasn’t been at this point since 1960. That’s a shameful situation for us to be in as a country. We’d like to see all Australians have quality jobs and we’re a long way away from that at the moment.

McManus says there’s a “huge difference” between discussions being had during the pandemic and discussions being had now.

The main difference is there’s a new government and that government is bringing things to the table in terms of addressing the issues of skills, addressing the issues of productivity ... and secondly, the scope we had to operate back then during that crisis period was so small, effectively the previous government said you’ve got these narrow things that you can talk about ... our whole thinking had to be shrunk to sort of micro things that could possibly be done. So we want to approach this in a different way and the way we always wanted to approach it with big picture.

Updated

Scott and Charlene reunited

Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell are officially back, decades after their whirlwind wedding.

It was one of Australia’s most iconic television moments, up there with Molly Meldrum’s Prince Charles meltdown and that time Pauline Hanson was on Dancing with the Stars.

It even inspired a Melbourne punk band’s name.

This afternoon, the first pics of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan have dropped, ahead of the Neighbours finale to air on 10 later this month. I’m so happy for them.

Updated

Some good news for flood-affected communities in the Hunter

While we’re on the topic, the SES is warning residents to avoid floodwater hazards as the water recedes.

If you need support, head here.

Updated

Pacific Islands Forum: rising water, building relationships and China

Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Liberal senator Hollie Hughes are appearing on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing. On foreign affairs, McCarthy is asked what results she hopes to see in Suva, where the Pacific Islands Forum is taking place.

She says the foreign minister and prime minister’s extensive travels have been “important” for the nation in the initial months of their office.

The Pacific Forum is about reaffirming the position .... that they matter ... and their sense of feeling that they don’t want to be patronised and don’t want to be looked down to and want to be treated as equals. And I know that Senator Wong and the prime minister will be doing that.

The water level is rising. And people have raised that time and time again, even here in our own country, as much as they’ll hear it internationally. In terms of credibility, this is what this trip is about. Building the relationship. We have a new government in Australia that’s determined to ensure that there is respect and respectful relations, but also firm about what our country stands for.

Hughes says the Pacific is made up of sovereign nations with their “own rights and responsibilities” and “fractures within themselves”, in part due to “wedging” with China.

We need to make sure those understandings are clear that if countries line up with China [and] allow that investment to come in, there’s an awareness of what that can mean in the future.

Updated

Jetstar flights went without passenger baggage due to ‘technical issue’

Amid ongoing issues with luggage in the airline industry as a result of staffing issues over the school holiday period, Guardian Australia has confirmed Jetstar left an entire plane’s worth of luggage destined for Singapore at Darwin airport over the weekend, due to a “technical issue”.

A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed the 8 July flight from Singapore to Darwin, and the 9 July Darwin to Singapore flights went without passenger baggage due to the technical issue:

The decision was made to operate the flights without all bags to avoid significant delays to our customer’s travel plans.

Jetstar has said the bags were placed on the next flight the following day to be reunited with the passengers. However, one of those who were on the flight told Guardian Australia she had yet to receive her luggage almost two days after the flight.

We are told the issue was not related to the ongoing woes in airline baggage.

Updated

Emergency declaration in Molendinar on Gold Coast has been revoked

Declaration came following a major structural fire in an industrial area.

Queensland Police confirmed local diversions would remain in place tonight as emergency services continued to fight to contain the blaze.

A 50-year-old man has suffered burns and was transported in a “serious but stable condition” to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital.

No one else has been injured, and the fire isn’t being treated as suspicious.

Updated

The Antipoverty Centre has welcomed the federal government announcement of a jobs summit to take place in September while expressing fears unemployed advocates will be left out of key conversations.

Around 100 people will be invited from unions, community sector, government, business and industry, with the invitation list to be issued next month.

Spokesperson and JobSeeker recipient Jay Coonan said the he was glad the promised summit would go ahead and the prime minister had expressed commitment to address barriers to employment.

[But] Jobs and Skills Australia will never fulfil its purpose if the government excludes unemployed advocates, as it did with the design and rollout of Workforce Australia. It is not enough to limit their consultation to peak bodies, charities and service providers.

The prime minister has said he is determined to deliver solutions and to do that he must take seriously those of us who are locked in to poverty wages or locked out of the labour market entirely. The real experts are those experiencing poverty and the barriers to employment we face.

Long-term unemployed, people with disability, First Nations people, trans folks and others who are marginalised are massively over-represented on unemployment payments, and any solutions must respond to the structural issues keeping us in poverty. We deserve a better future too.

Sopoaga: Australia must accelerate climate action to gain trust of Pacific Island leaders

Whilst the commitment announced by the new government of Australia is encouraging, I think in order to get and gain the trust of the Pacific Island leaders on the commitment and actions of Australia, [Australia] needs to do more.

He also expresses disappointment Kiribati has decided to withdraw from the Pacific Islands Forum.

I’m on record in suggesting that as early as last year, at the beginning of last year, this matter has to be properly handled by the Pacific Island leaders. And it is very sad to hear that one of our founding members of the Pacific Island Forum is leaving us as a family. We don’t have this often in the Pacific. We need to reach out and find ways to bring all the family members together. Do not allow others to divide us and these influencers to rule over us.

We are 14 members of the United Nations, 16 including Australia and New Zealand, and I certainly hope the leaders .... restore the collectivity amongst Pacific Island countries.

Updated

Former Tuvalu PM Sopoaga: good to hear Australia’s climate commitment after years of ‘dragging its feet’

Former prime minister of Tuvalu and climate campaigner Enele Sopoaga is appearing on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing as the Pacific Islands Forum gets under way.

Sopoaga says it is positive Australia’s new government is committed to climate action but for the past several years the nation has “dragged its feet”.

I think right now the key word would be urgency [on climate action]; the need for urgent actions to be done. Actions that are meaningful and concrete. And that would provide the long-term security for the survival of Pacific Island peoples and communities.

This is the continuing message that we have been calling out. We, the Pacific Island leaders and peoples ... I’m very pleased that the leaders, after almost three years because of Covid, have finally come together in Suva, Fiji, to talk and continue to collaborate more on how we can achieve these urgent actions of addressing climate change.

I think we need to see much more ambitious actions from the new elected government of Australia. So it is a positive to hear that the Albanese government is really committing to step up Australia’s actions on climate change. This is quite promising and encouraging. But we know that Australia over the past several years have dragged its feet, sidetracked its targets from meeting its emission reductions target and
especially continued a coal-based economy ... we know that.

Updated

Queensland remains firm on Covid reinfection period

The Queensland government hasn’t reduced the Covid reinfection period from 12 weeks to 28 days as the ACT and Western Australia have announced today.

Instead, the premier is urging eligible Queenslanders to get their booster in response to rising case numbers.

Updated

Catcalling in Canberra

The ACT government has released a deeply disturbing list of registered Canberran cat names including, among others, “Catrick Swayze”, “Romi Princess Sass Sooky La La Hissy Pants” and “Chorizo”.

As a dog person, it disgusts me.

Read the top ten cat names here.

Updated

Rock fisher dies in Wollongong

A rock fisher has died after being swept away at Wollongong Harbour this afternoon.

NSW Police said about 12.50pm, emergency services were called to Belmore Basin following reports a man had been swept off the rocks.

They said another man in a small boat went to his aid before a constable jumped in to assist.

The 73-year-old man was brought back to shore, but he was unable to be revived and died at the scene.

Police have started an investigation and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Updated

WA reduces Covid reinfection period

Western Australia has also reduced the reinfection period from Covid-19 down to 28 days in line with a recommendation from the AHPPC late last week.

In a statement, the WA government confirmed Western Australians who had recovered from Covid-19 would need to test again from 12 weeks down to 28 days after recovery if experiencing symptoms:

With increasing cases of new Covid-19 variants spreading in the community, the chance of reinfection is now more likely.

For this reason, the window for potential reinfection of Covid-19 has been reduced from after 12 weeks to after four weeks ... based on the latest expert advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

This means that effective immediately, recovered Covid-19 cases will be required to test for Covid-19 after 28 days if experiencing symptoms, and follow the relevant advice if they test positive.

Understandably, this may have an impact on people and local businesses throughout the community, with more people expected to be isolating in the coming months.

Updated

PM describes Shinzo Abe as ‘good friend’ of Australia

Still in Canberra, the prime minister has left a condolence message following the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, describing him as a “significant global leader” and a “good friend” of Australia.

Previously, Anthony Albanese confirmed official flags would fly at half mast in Australia on the day of Abe’s funeral, while monuments across the nation have been lit up in red and yellow in tribute to the former politician.

Updated

Covid reinfection period reduced in Canberra

In the ACT, chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman has announced the official reinfection period for people who have Covid will be reduced from 12 weeks to 28 days from 11.59 tonight.

She said it reflected “emerging evidence” people could become reinfected as early as 28 days after a previous infection:

Please do not ignore symptoms after this time. Wear a mask when you are in crowded indoor environments where it is difficult to physically distance from others, and wash and sanitise your hands regularly.

It comes as Coleman urged Canberrans to brace for an increase in Covid cases in coming weeks, projecting daily numbers of up to 3,000 infections per day in late July and early August:

Canberrans should take steps to help reduce the spread and lessen the impact of Covid-19. This new wave ... combined with the ACT’s first influenza season in three years and increases in other respiratory illnesses, are already impacting our community and workplaces.

Coleman said the new wave was being driven by the rise of BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, which were quickly becoming the dominant strains:

These subvariants are ‘escaping’ some of the immune defences we have developed to Covid-19, making them more transmissible. We are coming into a very challenging period and we need Canberrans to share the responsibility of minimising the impact within our community ... it is now time that we all refocus our efforts.

Updated

Many thanks Natasha May, I’ll be with you for the rest of the evening.

With that much-needed dog content on a Monday afternoon, I hand you back over to Caitlin Cassidy.

‘Round of a-paws’ for SES after dog rescue

As the flood response moves to the recovery phase, the SES has indicated that animal rescues make up a big part of their work.

The emergency service has shared images of Savvy and Marley’s rescue, along with some excellent dog puns.

Updated

Cold front on the way for Australia’s south-east

If you’re in the south-east don’t put those hot water bottles away, a cold front is expected in the coming days.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a “wintry mix” of snow, brisk winds and showers in the east.

Updated

Koala deaths investigated

Sixteen koalas have died at a Victorian tree plantation and investigators don’t know why, AAP reports.

Victoria’s conservation regulator launched an investigation after the bodies of 13 koalas were found at a plantation on 14 June. The regulator has said it was alerted to the deaths by the plantation’s operator.

The bodies of three more koalas have since been found in an unharvested area on the site, with various stages of decomposition ranging from an estimated two weeks to 12 months, it the regulator said today.

Updated

What will Labor do about coalmine applications?

The Albanese government could face decisions on whether to approve up to 27 coalmining developments, based on applications lodged under national environment laws.

An analysis by the Sunrise Project, a climate activist group, found 13 greenfield coalmines and 14 extensions of existing mines had been referred to the federal government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Not all proposals are likely to come across the desk of the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek – some are paused, others still require approval from state authorities – but the analysis of fossil fuel proposals suggests it could be a significant issue in this term of parliament.

Updated

Victoria commits $13.7m to regional mental health program

The Victorian state government has committed $13.7m to improve regional mental health, with grants available to address service gaps in remote areas.

The minister for mental health, Gabrielle Williams, said the program would aim to attract and retain workers in state-funded mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) services across rural and regional Victoria.

Regional mental health workforce incentive grants will provide up to $20,000 with the aim of attracting metropolitan Melburnian, interstate and overseas workers to the regions, covering costs including accommodation, relocation, childcare, school fees and vehicle costs.

The program comes in response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, which recommended addressing significant workforce gaps in regional and rural areas.

Updated

With that, I’ll pass you back to the lovely Natasha May. See you this afternoon!

Stamp of approval for Socceroos

Today is a good day to be a duel fan of stamps and football.

Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold has unveiled new stamps to commemorate 100 years of the men’s national football team, known since the 1970s as the Socceroos.

In that time, Australia has qualified for the World Cup finals on six occasions: 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and this year - 2022.

Australia’s first national team formed following a tour invitation from New Zealand.

The first stamp photograph has been colourised with the original uniform and pocket emblem, while the second shows the current football team in action in Kuwait.

Let’s go!

Updated

NSW flood clean-up continues

The clean-up is continuing in New South Wales as residents return to flooded homes in parts of western Sydney and the Hunter valley.

While the wild weather has mostly receded, there are still nine mild-to-moderate flood warnings in place across the state, and a hazardous surf warning remains active for large parts of the coast.

The state opposition leader, Chris Minns, has been touring the flood wreckage in Maitland.

Along the Wollombi Brook, minor flooding continues at nearby Bulga, where the river level peaked last Wednesday well above the March 2022 flood and a metre higher than the 1952 flood.

River levels are falling along the lower Hunter River at Maitland with minor flooding.

Elsewhere, communities are still struggling to recover from the March flooding events that engulfed Lismore and parts of Queensland.

Updated

Emergency declaration in Molendinar on Gold Coast

Queensland Police have issued an emergency declaration in Molendinar following a large fire and “loud explosions” at a scrap yard.

The declaration, issued under the Public Safety Preservation Act, was called at around 11.45am due to “smoke and potential hazards”, with an exclusion zone covering Precision Drive, Export Drive, Activity Crescent, Production Avenue and a nearby section of Smith Street.

Members of the public have been advised to avoid the area and remain indoors if within the zone with windows closed.

Updated

More on the disability royal commission

The commission today begins a five-day set of hearings in Alice Springs, focused on the experience of the NDIS for First Nations people with disability in remote communities.

After a smoking ceremony, the hearings this morning commenced with counsel assisting the commission, Patrick Griffin, outlining the evidence that will be hearing during this week’s hearings.

The hearings will cover the barriers First Nations people face in getting onto the NDIS, and then, when they are approved for a package, getting the support they need.

The issue of “thin markets” – a shortage of services in particular parts of the country – is one of the longstanding issues that affects First Nations NDIS participants in remote communities.

Griffin said a major area of focus would be the “limited availability of NDIS
providers in remote communities and the experience of First Nations people with disability who have to move away from their home country to receive NDIS services and supports”.

Aside from “thin markets”, the hearings will also look at the NDIA’s cultural competence and whether the agency has been effective in reducing barriers to support for First Nations people with disability.

Griffin said only 66% of First Nations applicants are accepted as being eligible for the NDIS, while 72% of non-First Nations applicants are deemed eligible.

Government data indicates that as of 31 March 2022 there were 37,313 NDIS participants who were First Nations people with disability and about 10% of those live in remote locations.

Updated

I’m handing you over to my wonderful colleague Caitlin Cassidy!

Updated

Disability royal commission hears about First Nations people who have to leave communities to access NDIS

Today is the first day of hearings held by the disability royal commission in Alice Springs to examine the operation of the NDIS for First Nations people with disability in remote communities.

Mick Fallon, the Northern Territory manger for the National Disability Services, is speaking to the ABC about the hearings:

The access to the NDIS is fraught in some remote locations by virtue of shortage of workforce and qualified and skilled people to support people with disabilities. Plus the opportunities to support people’s complex needs in remote locations.

Fallon says some recipients have had to leave their remote communities permanently to access services because they’re simply not available where they are, which can have a devastating effect on First Nations people losing access to their families and culture:

On lots of occasions people can’t return home, even for short visits, to reconnect with their family and culture and country. It’s a really scary scenario where people can become disabled or removed from their communities and sometimes are never able to return.

So for those people who aren’t able to reconnect back with their culture and their community, they become really isolated. And have to live full-time in a town that’s not their own town, in the way they don’t want to live.

So, there’s lots of people living in Darwin and Alice Springs, for example, that simply don’t want to be there, they have a burning desire to be home. Their families have a burning desire for them to be home but they’re not able to be supported adequately and safely.

It’s an issue Guardian’s rural network has previously covered:

Updated

Dangerous surf conditions on NSW coast

Updated

More on the Covid outbreak on the cruise ship in Brisbane

The outbreak among the crew and some passengers on the Coral Princess in Brisbane on Sunday led to Princess Cruises offering refunds to those booked on its next 12-day cruise, AAP reports.

Queensland’s health minister, Yvette D’Ath, said on Monday that Covid protocols were in place on the ship before the outbreak.

She said some passengers were now isolating at home or in other accommodation, while authorities were helping the company manage infected staff on board.

Updated

National Covid-19 update

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 13 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

  • Deaths: 2
  • Cases: 1,143
  • In hospital: 136 (with 5 people in ICU)

NSW

  • Deaths: 8
  • Cases: 7,586
  • In hospital: 2,002 (with 63 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 323
  • In hospital: 25 (with 1 people in ICU)

Queensland

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 4,804
  • In hospital: 782 (with 10 people in ICU)

South Australia

  • Deaths: 1
  • Cases: 3,300
  • In hospital: 284 (with 9 people in ICU)

Tasmania

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 1,439
  • In hospital: 28 (with 4 people in ICU)

Victoria

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 8,689
  • In hospital: 717 (with 30 people in ICU)

Western Australia

  • Deaths: 2
  • Cases: 4,882
  • In hospital: 282 (with 9 people in ICU)

Some NSW beekeeping restrictions eased

NSW beekeepers outside of varroa mite eradication zones are beginning to work their hives again after some restrictions, put in place to contain the varroa mite, were eased, AAP reports.

The mite has been found in 38 properties in NSW, with new detections at the weekend at Jerrys Plains, Denman and Heatherbrae in the Hunter region.

The mite, which was first identified during routine surveillance at the Port of Newcastle on 22 June, has also been found along the central coast, around Bulahdelah on the north coast, and at a property at Narrabri in the north-west of the NSW.

As of Monday 1,567 hives had been euthanised, with more than 15 million bees destroyed.

A statewide emergency order remains in place in NSW which stops hives being moved, but beekeepers outside of eradication zones can now work their hives, removing frames for honey extraction as well as place empty supers on full hives.

Danny Le Feuvre from the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council welcomed the latest changes to the emergency order and said authorities are still hopeful they can eradicate the mite.

The area is growing in size but at this stage we’re still confident that we can contain it, and then work through the eradication process.

The NSW government said it’s putting on an additional 26 compliance and surveillance officers to manage risk to facilitate key pollination events and ensure business continuity.

Updated

Victoria records no Covid deaths and 717 people in hospital

There were 8,689 new cases in the last reporting period, and 30 people are in intensive care.

South Australia records one Covid death and 284 people in hospital

There were 3,300 new cases in the last reporting period, and nine people are in intensive care.

Updated

Skywhale grounding – help on its way

Those following the saga of Skywhale will be heaving a sigh of relief to find out that help is on the way after the hot air balloon was grounded.

The ABC is reporting that Skywhale is set to undergo repairs after developing a tear “in one of her breasts”.

The incident occurred in Ballarat where Skywhale and its partner, Skywhalepapa, were touring as part of the Every Heart Sings project.

Updated

Covid outbreak on cruise ship docked in Brisbane

In a throwback to the early days of the pandemic, an outbreak of Covid-19 has been confirmed on a cruise ship docked in Brisbane.

Queensland health minister Yvette D’Ath confirmed the outbreak on the Coral Princess cruise ship, which is currently docked in Brisbane after returning from the state’s far north.

The cruise ship outbreak comes as Covid-19 cases are rising in Queensland with D’Ath saying the virus was “widespread” in the community.

Updated

Western Australia records two deaths from Covid-19 with 282 people in hospital

There were 4,882 new cases in the last reporting period, and nine people are in intensive care.

The department noted that the two new deaths reported to WA Health yesterday but dated back to 5 July.

Albanese: we need better pathways to permanent migration

Albanese clarifies the jobs summit is “not a tax summit ... this is a jobs and skills summit, which is very much focused on the need to have secure employment that’s focused on skills, that’s focused on future economic growth.”

When asked about the changes to the Migration Act that the government is considering, Albanese affirms the need for better pathways for permanent migration:

The government has inherited, along with its list of problems, a massive backlog in the visas. It is absurd at a time of skills shortages, there are people who have been waiting for such a long period of time.

We do have some short-term skills shortages that will always need to be filled by temporary migration. That will continue to play a role. But ... we have a global labour market. We need to acknowledge that. And we need to make sure that we have better pathways as well to a permanent presence in Australia for people to give us the skills that they need.

Updated

Albanese on enterprise bargaining, manufacturing and green energy

Albanese says he is concerned about how enterprise bargaining is currently working:

Quite clearly, it’s not working ...as effectively as it could, and both players and unions are saying that. So where we can get cooperation, that’s a good thing. There was some progress made by the process that was set up by the former government, and then legislation appeared that didn’t reflect the discussions that had taken place. So we want, wherever possible, employers and unions to work together. They have a common interest and it’s called the national interest.

Albanese says he wants to see greater productivity as the need for Australia to be more self-sufficient is one of the lessons of the pandemic.

Manufacturing is very much a part of where we want Australia to go. We want a future made in Australia, more things to be made right here.

That’s one of the lessons of the pandemic is that we will remain vulnerable as long as we are at the end of the supply chains. Because we’ve seen across so many areas, even the war between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it’s having an impact on supply chains. We’re vulnerable.

Now, one of the things about new technology and its ubiquitous nature, is that the proportion of the costs of production that comes from labour is less now than it used to be. So whilst a production process might result in less employment per unit, that’s because of productivity benefits that are available.

What makes our future, I believe, very bright, if we just seize the opportunity is that clean energy is cheap energy. We have access, better than anywhere in the world. We are the best country in the world for solar. We’re one of the best for wind. We are developing areas like green hydrogen. We can make more things here, driven by that, with high value, high-skilled jobs being created. That’s part of the objective here. It’s one of the themes that we had in the election campaign and one we’ll continue with.

Updated

Albanese on Pacific nations: ‘we’re determined to put the relationship back on track’

Albanese is asked whether he is worried that China is “hijacking” the Pacific Islands Nations forum, with the departure of one nation (Kiribati) already, and he responds by saying the government is determined to put the relationship with Pacific nations back on track.

He says ministers Wong and Conroy are leaving for the forum today.

This is an important meeting ... It’s obvious that we had dropped the ball. The deal that occurred with Solomon Islands represents Australia not so much as having a step-up in the Pacific, as a stuff-up in the Pacific.

We’re determined to put the relationship back on track. We will be participating at ministerial level, and myself as prime minister, having bilaterals with a range of countries there on Wednesday and Thursday. Can I say this - the Fijian prime minister has done a wonderful job in trying to bring the Pacific island forum together.

There had been some division in the past from time to time. That will occur. It’s unfortunate the decision that Kiribati has made but we’ll continue to work constructively and we’ll have a concentration on the national security issue, but also our renewed commitment on climate change has meant that we’ll be received far better than if that had not occurred.

Updated

Jim Chalmers: jobs summit to involve ‘whole government’

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says that the summit will be led by the prime minister and himself, but will involve “the whole government, the whole caucus.”

Individual ministers will be asked to lead particular work streams.

Minister Gallagher will coordinate work on the women’s labour market experiences.

Tony Burke will coordinate job security and wages, Clare O’Neil on migration.

Amanda Rishworth will coordinate work on barriers to employment.

Brendan O’Connor will coordinate work on skills and training.

And Ed Husic will focus on renewables, digital and manufacturing as well as the other industries where we have big opportunities before us.

Look, we believe by bringing people together to solve our big economic challenges in the near term, that’s the best way to grab the opportunities in our economy in the medium term as well .

Updated

Albanese: productivity can boost growth without putting pressure on inflation

Albanese says “Jobs and Skills Australia” will drive employment changes to boost growth without putting pressure on inflation.

We will be creating Jobs and Skills Australia to drive those changes in the labour market and make sure that there’s better coordination and planning of development of skills so that Australians can fill those jobs. But we also need to have some real discussions about productivity and how we move it forward.

We know that the way that you boost growth without putting pressure on inflation is to ensure that productivity is the real focus. That’s a way to boost profits and boost wages whilst boosting the economy. And that productivity has been a forgotten element over recent years.

Albanese says that arising out of the summit, Treasury will develop a white paper.

I think that it will be a very successful meeting and I say in advance, there’s a lot of good will and a real enthusiasm from business groups such as the BCA, ACCI and the Australian Industry Group as well as from the ACTU, to ensure that we do have successful discussion and dialogue going forward.

I’ve said before that people have conflict fatigue. People want less argument and they want more solutions. My government is determined to deliver that.

Updated

Albanese says jobs and skills summit to be held 1 and 2 September

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has begun the press conference, announcing more details about the jobs and skills summit:

Australia during Covid-19 faced a once in a generation challenge. But it opens up as well a once in a generation opportunity for how we grow back stronger from the Covid pandemic.

We also spoke during the campaign about bringing Australians together in order to secure that better future. And I foreshadowed at the National Press Club some time ago that we would hold a jobs and skills summit.

Today I announced that that jobs and skills summit will be held here at Parliament House in Canberra on September 1 and 2.

We intend to bring together business, unions, civil society groups, other levels of government, to discuss how, as we move forward, we can maximise, not just the benefit for the economy that comes with new industries, that comes with good jobs, [but] how we make sure that Australians can fulfil those jobs of the future.

Updated

Victoria to move against workplace sexual harassment

The Victorian government will move to limit the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for dealing with incidents of workplace sexual harassment in a bid to stop survivors being silenced.

The Australian-first reform was recommended by a ministerial taskforce on workplace sexual harassment that has been released today, alongside the government’s response.

Victoria’s workplace safety minister, Ingrid Stitt, said the NDA recommendation would involve consultation with victim-survivors, unions and businesses before legislation was introduced to parliament. The government has also accepted the recommendation to treat sexual harassment as an occupational health and safety issue.

Stitt said the reforms would help employers understand they have occupational health and safety obligations to protect workers from sexual harassment:

A workplace that is not free from sexual harassment is not a safe workplace.

Updated

Dubbo water alert remains

Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson says the boil water alert, which was issued Thursday morning last week, is still in place in the western NSW region.

Dickerson said the council has been working with NSW Health after the recent flooding caused problems with local water treatment, making drinking water unsafe.

Updated

Queensland records no Covid-19 deaths but 782 people in hospital

There were 4,804 new cases in the last reporting period, and 10 people are in intensive care.

Updated

PM and treasurer to hold press conference

Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers are due to front the media soon. I’ll bring you those updates as they come in.

Updated

NSW floods easing

Authorities are confirming that flooding is no longer occurring at Singleton, site of major floods at the end of last week.

Updated

Investment NSW chief executive sent celebratory text after job offer, Jenny West says

Amy Brown, the chief executive of Investment NSW, sent Jenny West a text message with a Statue of Liberty and champagne emoji when she was first told she had gotten the job.

The text included a photo of a signed brief from then premier Gladys Berejiklian confirming her appointment.

She wrote in the text: “This is one to frame”.

As I told you earlier, a month later the job offer was revoked and Brown told West that the job would be a “political appointment”.

We’ve heard that the submission to change the role to a political appointment was taken to cabinet by the then deputy premier, John Barilaro.

When that happened, Brown told West she would no longer be getting the job and that the role would be “a present for someone”.

West says:

I thought it was an unusual turn of phrase so I took note of it.

Updated

Jason Roberts acquitted of murder of two Victorian police officers after nearly two decades in jail

Jason Roberts will walk free from prison after nearly two decades for the murders of two Victoria police officers after a fresh jury found him not guilty, AAP reports.

After a four-month trial in Victoria’s supreme court, jurors on Monday returned their not guilty verdict for the murders of sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller.

Updated

Woman who was initially offered NYC trade role says she was told job would be 'a present for someone'

Jenny West, who was originally offered the New York City trade job that eventually went to former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro, has told an inquiry examining the appointment that she was told the job would be “a present for someone”.

West was originally offered the job on 12 August last year, only to have the offer rescinded a month later after a cabinet decision to make the job a “political appointment”.

In her opening statement to the inquiry, West described the offer, and retraction, as “a very disappointing episode in my life”.

West told the inquiry that on 14 October she had a meeting with Amy Brown, the chief executive of Investment NSW, in which she was told she would no longer be getting the job offer.

West said:

Ms Brown said the position, and this is a quote, ‘will be a present for someone’. She added, and I again quote, ‘you are an extraordinary performer and I am upset this has happened’.

She reads from notes she took at the meeting which state that Brown told her she would not be receiving the job after a meeting with the new minister, deputy Liberal party leader Stuart Ayres.

Ayres took over the portfolio after Barilaro’s resignation in early October.

West:

I was shocked.

Jenny West speaks during the inquiry into the appointment of John Barilaro as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas at NSW Parliament House in Sydney, Monday, July 11, 2022.
Jenny West speaks during the inquiry into the appointment of John Barilaro as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas at NSW Parliament House in Sydney, Monday, July 11, 2022. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Updated

Reporter Michael McGowan is covering the inquiry and will be bringing you more on West’s evidence.

‘I thought I would be starting the new role in a matter of weeks’, says Jenny West

West is detailing her excitement at the announcement:

On 14 August, 2021, Ms Brown approved my request regarding my contract terms. I was so excited about the appointment, I immediately shared the news with my family and friends. They were so happy for me.

I began taking steps to relocate and had engaged a relocation company. I locked at rental accommodation in New York and researched colleges for my family. I thought I would be starting the new role in a matter of weeks and I wanted to have my affairs in order.

Updated

Jenny West gives evidence at inquiry into John Barilaro's appointment to trade commissioner role

Jenny West has begun to give her evidence at the NSW Barilaro inquiry, revealing how her appointment was confirmed via a briefing signed by then premier Gladys Berejiklian:

In March 2021, I moved into Investment New South Wales, an agency within the Department of Premier and Cabinet. I remained Deputy Secretary, trade and international. I reported directly to Amy Brown, who had then been appointed as CEO.

On 12 May 2021, with the support of Ms Brown, I applied for the senior trade and investment commissioner role for the Americas. I sent a cover letter of my CV to NGS Global, the external recruitment agency.

On 21 July, 2021, I appeared before the interview panel ... On 12 August, 2021, Ms Brown told me I was the successful candidate. She sent me a briefing signed by Premier Berejiklian, noting my appointment as senior trade and investment commissioner for the Americas.

Updated

AMA vice president warns of mixed Covid messaging as 'worse phase' looms

Chris Moy, the vice president of the Australian Medical Association, was on ABC earlier this morning saying that Australians are receiving mixed messages from politicians rolling back Covid-19 measures when the threat is increasing.

The election gave us a false sense of security and unfortunately, to some degree, we have been like frogs boiled slowly and we are accepting this death rate which has continued on.

We are about to enter a worse phase. We have mixed messages from the politicians in the last few days, they have cut back on – they won’t return to things like the pandemic payments. They have cut back on telehealth to help GPs prescribe the antivirals and there is this discussion which I think the only thing people are hearing is we won’t do mask mandates again.

He said even though masks aren’t mandated any more, using them is a “no brainer”, offering a simple and effective mechanism to be able to prevent getting Covid-19 and the other flus and viruses around.

Updated

Public hearings to begin in inquiry into Queensland police’s handling of domestic and family violence

The commission of inquiry into Queensland police’s handling of domestic violence will hold its first week of public hearings today, with current and retired officers called to provide evidence.

The first week of hearings in Brisbane will examine officer training and the police’s capacity to respond to domestic violence incidents. It will also investigate the operation of the vulnerable persons unit and cultural issues within the state’s police force.

Subsequent hearings held in regional Queensland will invite experts, legal representatives, support workers and First Nations and regional officers to provide evidence.

The commission of inquiry was recommended by the state’s women’s safety and justice taskforce, which found “widespread cultural issues” affecting police responses to domestic and family violence.

Guardian Australia has written extensively about police failures related to domestic and sexual abuse victims in Queensland.

Queensland correspondent Ben Smee wrote a series of stories this month detailing concerns by former and current female officers after being sent several unpublished submissions to the inquiry.

In one submission a former officer said police chose not to pursue credible domestic violence allegations against a serving officer, after dismissing his wife as having “mental health issues”.

A Queensland police whistleblower claimed in another submission that detectives did not properly investigate the deaths of at least four First Nations women who had previously been subject to repeated violence by their partners.

Officers also spoke of widespread misogynistic behaviour, sexist comments and sexual harassment by male colleagues.

Updated

Woman who had trade commissioner role offer rescinded to give evidence at Barilaro inquiry today

A parliamentary inquiry into the appointment of former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro to a $500,000-a-year New York trade posting will resume today, with evidence from the woman who was first offered the job.

Jenny West was offered the job in August, only for it to be rescinded before Barilaro was eventually appointed to the plum gig.

The inquiry – one of two separate probes into the appointment – met last month when the chief executive of Investment NSW, Amy Brown, explained how West had been “extremely upset” when she was told the offer had been retracted.

Guardian Australia first revealed that the former senior public servant and businesswoman had been offered the job, despite the government insisting that “no suitable candidate” had been found for the job prior to Barilaro’s appointment.

West, we understand, raised her concerns about the appointment process in a dossier sent to the secretary of the department of premier and cabinet, Michael Coutts-Trotter. Her evidence is likely to go to those concerns.

Updated

The Uber files: explosive leak of more than 124,000 confidential documents

by Harry Davies, Simon Goodley, Felicity Lawrence, Paul Lewis and Lisa O’Carrol

A leaked trove of confidential files has revealed the inside story of how the tech giant Uber flouted laws, duped police, exploited violence against drivers and secretly lobbied governments during its aggressive global expansion.

The unprecedented leak to the Guardian of more than 124,000 documents – known as the Uber files – lays bare the ethically questionable practices that fuelled the company’s transformation into one of Silicon Valley’s most famous exports.

The leak spans a five-year period when Uber was run by its co-founder Travis Kalanick, who tried to force the cab-hailing service into cities around the world, even if that meant breaching laws and taxi regulations.

During the fierce global backlash, the data shows how Uber tried to shore up support by discreetly courting prime ministers, presidents, billionaires, oligarchs and media barons.

Keep following the Guardian for more stories to be published later today and tomorrow.

Australian navy assisting with flood clean-up efforts in NSW

The navy is among the defence agencies assisting the clean-up in flood-affected parts of NSW.

Labor indicated before the election that they would consider establishing a civilian natural disaster agency rather than use defence forces to respond to floods and bushfires.

You can read more about the idea of a civilian natural disaster agency from my colleague Paul Karp here:

Updated

NSW records eight deaths from Covid-19 with 2,002 people in hospital

There were 7,586 new cases in the last reporting period, and 63 people are in intensive care.

Tony Burke clarifies new measures for jobseekers after launch of Workforce Australia system

Tony Burke, the minister for employment and workplace relations, has taken to social media to tell jobseekers he hasn’t been blind to the difficulties they’ve experienced following the launch of the government’s new employment services system, Workforce Australia.

Burke also clarified the new measures in place.

He reiterated that there will be no suspensions this month for anyone using government employment platforms Workforce Australia, ParentsNext, Transition to Work and DES.

He also said there will be no demerits or suspensions for people in flood-affected areas this month or next month.

He says Amanda Rishworth, the minister for social services, and he have “clean-slated” participants:

So if you were on the edge of receiving penalties, they have been wiped. It’s a new system and a fresh start.

You can read more about the pause on welfare penalties from Guardian Australia’s social affairs and inequality editor Luke Henriques-Gomes.

Updated

Police questioning three people after man’s body found near Brisbane train station

Three people are being questioned about the suspicious death of a man whose body was found near a train station in inner Brisbane, AAP reports.

The man’s body was found at the Valley Metro food court above the Fortitude Valley train station about 4am on Monday.

Queensland police are questioning three people about the death and have cordoned off the area as they investigate.

“There may be some interruption to rail services,” police told AAP in a statement.

Updated

95% of all Australia’s Covid cases have occurred since the New Year, according to the Medical Journal of Australia.

The authors say while the pandemic has largely faded from the news and public perception since borders opened late in 2021, “this perception doesn’t match reality”.

Updated

Australia and Fiji will work together to re-engage Kiribati in Pacific Islands Forum, Pat Conroy says

Natasha mentioned below that Kiribati has withdrawn from the Pacific Islands Forum. The forum (known as the PIF) is a critical meeting for the region. This year climate change and China’s role in the region are sure to dominate the schedule.

Kiribati, the tiny island country, is disproportionately affected by climate change, while 1News in New Zealand reports that Beijing is suspected to be behind Kiribati’s decision. Kiribati president, Taneti Maamau, said the decision was “not taken lightly” but was taken because a range of concerns had not been addressed, including that the Micronesian leaders’ candidate for secretary general was passed over in favour of a Polynesian candidate.

Pacific minister, Pat Conroy, will go to Suva today for the PIF, and said Australia will work with Fiji to convince Kiribati to re-engage in the process:

Pacific unity is incredibly vital. We’re very committed to Pacific unity, it’s very important … it’s a powerful voice for our region, it’s the central architecture for our region.

Conroy also said it was “not true” that Solomon Islands had blocked visas for Australian aid workers, after the Australian newspaper reported it had closed the door on Australians while opening another for Beijing. The five workers’ visa applications were complicated, he said, and had just been delayed.

Updated

AMA vice president says cutting longer telehealth consults will hamper rollout of antiviral treatments to older Australians

Chris Moy, the vice president of the Australian Medical Association, has supported the government expanding availability of antiviral Covid-19 medications, but is critical of the fact that it comes at a time when the government is cutting longer telehealth consultations.

Updated

Flood-affected NSW residents begin to return to their homes

After last week’s devastating floods in NSW the majority of victims are returning back to their homes.

The AAP reports that about 4,500 residents remained under evacuation orders on Sunday evening, down from about 37,000 the previous night.

The SES have indicated that most jobs at the moment have been animal rescues (including miniature horses), medical assistance and resupplying isolated communities.

In the 24 hours to Sunday evening, the State Emergency Service had responded to 355 calls for help and performed 13 rescues.

Updated

Aboriginal flag to permanently replace NSW flag on Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Aboriginal flag is set to replace the NSW flag as the government abandons plans to install a third flagpole.

The state premier, Dominic Perrottet, said flying the Aboriginal flag alongside the Australian and NSW state flags was an important gesture towards closing the gap, but the measure attracted questions after he revealed a third flagpole came with a $25m price tag.

Updated

Emissions target will not be raised from election commitment, Pat Conroy says

Climate change is set to be a focus of the forum. Asked if he would consider raising climate targets, Conroy stated the “election commitment is what we’ll implement”, but reiterated that the government’s “renewed and increased action of climate change has been welcomed”.

He said Vanuatu’s push to bring climate justice before the UN’s international court of justice was an important initiative to reduce major emitters into the future.

He said that Australia’s stance on climate refugees would need to be considered in the future, potentially in the same way that New Zealand is looking at specific measures to allow climate refugees into their country.

Updated

‘Strong desire’ to see regional approach to China restored in Pacific, says Conroy

Conroy has said the central architecture of the Pacific needs strengthening.

Asked whether the conditions China is asking of Australia are reasonable, Conroy says there is a “strong desire” to see a regional approach reinstated rather than than individual countries making decisions.

He has also said that reports that Solomon Islands has blocked Australian aid workers are“not true”, and that it is a matter of a delay in processing the visas.

In light of the withdrawal of Kiribati from the forum, Conroy said “unity is important”, and they are working hard to not lose the country’s participation.

Updated

Pat Conroy on Pacific's key message: security must come from within

Pat Conroy, the minister for international development and the Pacific, is on ABC Radio discussing the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum.

Conroy says that “key message” he’s hearing from Australia’s Pacific neighbours, and which he supports, is that Pacific security should come from within the region.

He said Pacific nations need to look to within the region to meet their security needs, and only look to neighbours when they aren’t met.

Updated

Good morning

It’s Monday and more Australians will be able to access Covid-19 treatments from today as another wave of cases continues to drive up hospitalisation.

People over 70 who test positive will be able to access antivirals on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. These treatments, if taken soon after symptoms appear, can prevent Covid from developing into severe disease. Those over 30 will be able to get a fourth Covid-19 vaccine from today, with people over 50 recommended to get the extra dose.

The Pacific Islands Forum is due to begin this week in Suva, with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, due to attend later in the week.

The forum, which is the key diplomatic body in the Pacific, has been dealt a devastating blow on the eve of its first in-person meeting since the pandemic, as Kiribati announced it would be withdrawing.

After last week’s devastating floods in NSW, many residents are now returning to their homes. As of last night, 4,500 people remained under evacuation orders, down from approximately 37,000 the previous night.

I’m Natasha May and feel free to reach out if there’s something you think needs to be on the blog - on Twitter @natasha__may or email natasha.may@theguardian.com.

Let’s get into it.

Updated

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