What we learned: Tuesday, 9 August
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. See you back first thing tomorrow.
Here were the major developments of the day, starting in New South Wales, where the John Barilaro saga is still chugging along full steam ahead.
- The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, has recommended prominent Sydney barrister Bruce McClintock SC lead a review into possible breaches of the ministerial code by Penrith MP Stuart Ayres over the John Barilaro saga. He has also conceded if he had his time again, he “would have asked” Barilaro not to run for the New York trade job had he known about the “flawed” hiring process. Meanwhile, the state treasurer Matt Kean has been elected unopposed as the new deputy leader of the Liberal party in the state.
- Minister for the environment Tanya Plibersek has listed two Australia animals, the south-eastern glossy black-cockatoo and the mountain skink, as threatened. The species were devastated by the Black Summer bushfires.
- The agriculture minister, Murray Watt, says Australia will send $10m in further aid to Indonesia to assist in fighting its foot and mouth disease outbreak. It comes as shadow minister David Littleproud lashed out at his counterpart for allegedly “misleading” Australians, claiming the Labor minister is “taking credit” for the work of the former Coalition government on biosecurity.
- The Greens have publicly backed a referendum on Indigenous voice but want action on treaty and truth-telling as a priority, Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe has confirmed.
- In Covid news, there were 104 deaths to the virus reported around the country today, including 44 in Victoria, 25 in NSW and 24 in Queensland.
- And Australia woke to the death of beloved entertainer Olivia Newton-John today, with everyone from the prime minister to Kylie Minogue paying tribute to her incredible legacy.
Updated
Plibersek lists glossy black-cockatoo and mountain skink as threatened
The federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek today formally declared that both the south-eastern glossy black-cockatoo and mountain skink are under threat.
The Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20 took a heavy toll on both animals, with an estimated 38% of the cockatoo’s range affected. The concerns are even greater for the mountain skink, which lives in isolated patches of rocky habitat in the mountains and subalpine areas of Victoria, NSW and the ACT that were also hit by the fires. It’s now listed as endangered.
They join the koala, greater glider and gang-gang cockatoo as Australian species recently categorised as under threat of extinction.
Sophie Power, from the Australian Conservation Foundation, says the combined effects of land clearing, logging, invasive species and climate change are taking a devastating toll on Australia’s unique biodiversity.
She says Australia has one of the world’s highest extinction rates and that will only change with stronger environment laws, an independent regulator to enforce them and adequate funding for species recovery.
Plans are now in place to protect both species and Plibersek has promised sweeping reforms of Australia’s environment laws after the recent release of the shocking State of the Environment report.
– with AAP
Updated
Woman dies after house fire in Queensland
A woman has died as a result of injuries sustained at a house fire in northern Queensland this morning.
The 47-year-old was transported to a Townsville hospital in a critical condition after the blaze. A 65-year-old man remains in hospital with severe burns.
Police investigations are continuing.
Updated
