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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Mostafa Rachwani and Natasha May

Government establishes new measures at airports to stop FMD; 63 Covid deaths – as it happened

Australia Abortion Katy Gallagher Mark Butler

What we learned: Friday 22 July

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. Here are today’s major developments:

Updated

Red Meat Advisory Council: ‘unfathomable’ Subway paid fine for passenger who accidentally broke biosecurity law

Speaking of biosecurity laws, it appears the Red Meat Advisory Council is livid that Subway has paid the fine for someone who inadvertently broke the law.

An individual accidentally brought in a Subway sandwich from Singapore, and the sandwich chain has decided to pay that fine themselves, which the RMAC say makes a “mockery” of the law.

In a statement, the RMAC independent chair, John McKillop, says it was “unfathomable” that Subway would chose to pay the fine, saying they were “rewarding” a passenger for breaking the law:

This absolutely sends the wrong message and is especially concerning against the current backdrop of heightened disease threats facing Australia’s agriculture sectors.

It’s a national disgrace that Subway has thumbed their nose at Australia’s biosecurity arrangements and potentially encouraged a dangerous precedent for other to do the same by reimbursing this passenger for their mistake.

Updated

So the identity of the reporter who ticked off new US Ambassador-designate Caroline Kennedy for speaking over a woman was Channel 10’s national affairs editor, Hugh Riminton:

Angus Taylor: government’s handling of foot-and-mouth disease like ‘a nuclear bomb’

The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, has taken a swipe at how the government has handled foot-and-mouth disease, saying its spread was like “a nuclear bomb going off in our agricultural sector.”

It’s worth noting that despite viral fragments found in meat products, the live virus has not yet been detected on Australian soil.

Speaking to 2GB earlier, Taylor called on the prime minister to reveal his plan, adding that he hasn’t heard the PM address the issue at all:

This is the equivalent to a nuclear bomb going off in our agricultural sector.

We haven’t heard Albanese say a word about it, he has not turned up on this issue.

It has to be something the prime minister is engaged in and communicating on.

Updated

So it appears some artists in Byron for Splendour in the Grass will not be deterred by the weather or mud, with some playing at the Beach hotel tonight instead:

Updated

Government establishes 'biosecurity response zones' at airports in response to FMD

The government has announced that ‘biosecurity response zones” will be established at international airports, as part of their response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

The measures were announced in a statement released this afternoon, and are part of the government’s response to the disease, which has been spreading in Indonesia.

Agriculture minister Murray Watt said the new zones were being established in response to reports that some travellers arriving from Indonesia were “not doing the right thing”.

These zones strengthen the ability of biosecurity officers to direct passengers to use foot mats and other biosecurity control measures such as the cleaning of shoes.

We have wasted no time in getting on top of this issue and have been consistently ramping up measures at our airports and mail centres around the country.

Updated

Officials told to draft statement on boat interception ‘within 15 minutes’

In his report, the home affairs department secretary Michael Pezzullo said the caretaker conventions do not have the force of law, and therefore it was “for the responsible minister” to assess the public interest in making the announcement. Pezzullo also reveals the Australian Border Force was requested to put the announcement on blast, but it declined.

Pezzullo said:

The apolitical character of the public service was preserved in this instance by the refusal on the part of departmental officials to amplify the public statement by sending it directly to journalists and to post it on social media.

The transparency and deterrence effect was already available from the original public statement.

Any domestic amplification was judged by officials to be primarily for political purposes. Accordingly, they declined the relevant requests.”


Further in the report, we discover:

The detailed chronology of events indicates there was pressure placed on officials to release a public statement regarding the interception of SIEV 915 prior to the conclusion of the operational activity. The pressure was exacerbated by the direction to draft and publish the statement within 15 minutes.

Updated

Labor releases report on 'disgraceful, shameful' politicisation of election day boat arrival

The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has released a report by the department’s secretary, Michael Pezzullo, into the Morrison government’s decision to direct the public service to announce the arrival of an asylum seeker boat (SIEV 915) on election day.

O’Neil said:

The former government had a duty to protect Australia. Instead, they sabotaged the protocols that protect Operation Sovereign Borders for political gain. Their actions undermined the integrity of this complex operation, making it more difficult and dangerous.

The report found uniformed border force and defence force members, and public servants, acted with integrity and at the highest standards at all times. They should be commended for doing so.

The profound compromise of a military-led operation is without precedent in Australia’s history. It was disgraceful, shameful, and characteristic of a national government which frequently pursued political interests above the national interest. That is something the Albanese government will never do.

Labor has released a report into the Morrison government’s decision to direct the public service to announce the arrival of an asylum seeker boat on election day.
Labor has released a report into the Morrison government’s decision to direct the public service to announce the arrival of an asylum seeker boat on election day. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Daniel Andrews’ Ibac testimony to remain private

Victoria’s corruption watchdog says it will not release the full transcript of premier Daniel Andrews’ private testimony given at a parliamentary integrity hearing following a scathing report handed down this week.

The investigation – carried out by the state’s ombudsman and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) – uncovered widespread misuse of taxpayer resources for political purposes and a “catalogue” of unethical behaviour in the Victorian branch of the Labor party.

Andrews fronted a private hearing as part of the investigation but his full testimony was not made public. Ibac commissioner Robert Redlich on Wednesday said he would consider releasing it.

But in a statement on Friday, Ibac said it would not release any further private hearing transcripts from the investigation, titled Operation Watts.

“Evidence given during private examinations considered relevant to the performance of IBAC’s functions is contained in the Operation Watts Special report,” the statement said.

IBAC is not otherwise able to publish private examination transcripts of witnesses because the IBAC Act restricts the way in which information can be disclosed.

The report found Andrews was aware of widespread branch stacking – the recruiting of non-genuine members – over the previous few decades and that people had paid for the memberships of others over a long period. But he said he had no personal knowledge of or involvement in the practice.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Updated

Discussion over post-pandemic work arrangements needed, Marles says

Sticking with conversations about working from home, earlier today defence minister Richard Marles said unions wanting to enshrine flexible work arrangements was “understandable”.

Marles gave little else away at a press conference this morning, but appears to be supporting a move towards cementing flexible work as part of future agreements:

[It’s a discussion] we’re all having in the aftermath of the pandemic about the way in which we work, particularly given so many people have worked from home over the last few years.

We’re not looking at changing the system now, but I think what we need to do is – in a way – see where the new normal rests as we emerge from the pandemic.

I think questions about how we work and whether we work at home are going to be ones that end up being thrashed out. It’s an important conversation to be had.

Updated

National Covid summary: 63 deaths reported

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 63 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

  • Deaths: 1
  • Cases: 891
  • In hospital: 152 (with 4 people in ICU)

NSW

  • Deaths: 15
  • Cases: 18,669
  • In hospital: 2,202 (with 55 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 523
  • In hospital: 81 (with 3 person in ICU)

Queensland

  • Deaths: 10
  • Cases: 9,023
  • In hospital: 1,050 (with 26 people in ICU)

South Australia

  • Deaths: 7
  • Cases: 4,373
  • In hospital: 358 (with 12 people in ICU)

Tasmania

  • Deaths: 4
  • Cases: 1,416
  • In hospital: 172 (with 2 people in ICU)

Victoria

  • Deaths: 25
  • Cases: 12,278
  • In hospital: 840 (with 33 people in ICU)

Western Australia

  • Deaths: 1
  • Cases: 6,056
  • In hospital: 452 (with 24 people in ICU)

CMO expecting highest-ever Covid hospitalisations

Federal chief medical officer Paul Kelly has told a conference earlier today that he expects hospitalisations today to be the “highest ever”.

Kelly was speaking at the Australasian Covid-19 Conference in Sydney, and said he believed there would be more people in hospital with Covid today than at any other point in the pandemic:

Today, probably, we will have the largest number of people in hospital at any time during the pandemic.

It’s challenging our health system in many ways.

Kelly went on to say he was still optimistic about increased antiviral usage as well as uptake of the fourth dose of the vaccine, adding that he encouraged people to wear masks indoors.

An ambulance drives through the CBD on July 21, 2022 in Melbourne

Updated

Working from home is ‘here to stay’, Daniel Andrews says

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews waded into discussions around working arrangements amid surging waves of Covid, saying flexible work is “here to stay”.

Andrews was fronting a press conference this morning, and said flexible work arrangements, that would include working from home set-ups, should be enshrined in enterprise bargaining agreements.

Enterprise bargains are always best when they are accompanied by a sense of good faith, a sense of partnership, and there’s a bit of give and take and you’ll find a balanced outcome,” he told reporters in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat on Friday.

I know that there are challenges with working from home ... but some changes, I think they’re here to stay.

It’s not a concept any more, it’s a lived experience of people for two, three years.

Updated

Good afternoon, and quick thanks to Natasha for another stellar shift on this rainy Friday. Mostafa Rachwani with you this afternoon, with much still going on, so let’s dive in.

Thanks for following along this Splendour in the Grass live blog (with a bit of politics thrown in for good measure). Handing you over to my colleague Mostafa Rachwani who will take you through into your weekend!

Dominic Perrottet says he’ll face questions on John Barilaro’s appointment to NY trade job next month

The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, said he is standing firm on not appearing before an upper house inquiry into the appointment of former deputy premier John Barilaro to a $500,000-a-year New York trade posting, AAP reports.

Perrottet, who is in Japan as part of a 10-day trade mission to Asia, said he was waiting for recommendations from an independent review he had set up to look into the now-abandoned appointment before facing questioning at the budget estimates in a month.

Disappointment from those turned around after 14-hour wait at Splendour in the Grass

Some understandable frustration from festival goers who were told they would have to go to Byron Events farm 15 minutes away from the festival after waiting 14 hours in the queue to enter Splendour in the Grass’ camp ground.

That announcement that the site wouldn’t be taking any more campers or vehicles came through earlier this morning.

The wet and muddy conditions at the music festival continue to inspire jokes online.

Updated

Queensland flood water risk continues

Queensland Fire and Emergency is reminding people not to travel through moving flood waters, following – as we told you on the blog earlier – a man’s death after being swept away in floodwaters in South East Queensland.

Queensland police are still working to formally identify the man, with police divers and forensic officers at the scene near Sandy Creek, the ABC is reporting.

Updated

Reactions to Splendour cancellation

As the news came through this hour that the first day of Splendour in the Grass has been cancelled, reactions are ranging from disappointment to solidarity with artists dealt another blow after the industry struggled through Covid-19 lockdowns. And of course a bit of poking fun at the expense of festivalgoers.

And for some the day has only gotten worse as they lose personal items amidst the mud ...

Updated

Almost half of young women in Australia report mental health disorder, study finds

The first national study of its kind in more than a decade has found almost half of all young women in Australia suffered an anxiety, depression or substance abuse disorder last financial year.

For males in the same age bracket (16 to 24), it was about one in three.

No plans to challenge Nintendo over trademark application for ‘NSW’ in EU, state government says

The New South Wales government won’t be taking any immediate action against gaming giant Nintendo applying for the trademark “NSW” with the European Union intellectual property office.

Earlier this month, gaming sites noticed Nintendo had sought to register “NSW” as a trademark in Europe as a shorthand designation for its Nintendo Switch console.

This caused some in Australia to raise an eyebrow, given its the acronym for our most populous state.

Guardian Australia asked the NSW government a few weeks back whether it planned to do anything about it and today we’ve been told there are no plans at this stage to challenge it.

A NSW government spokesperson said:

The NSW Government is aware Nintendo has applied for registration of the initialism NSW for its Switch product under the Goods and Services category in the European Union.

This registration is in the European Union and pertains to the electronic games programs and games descriptor categories there.

The Government will monitor any future registrations of the initialism of NSW.

Nintendo did not respond to a request for comment.

Updated

Splendour in the Grass cancels first day

Splendour in the Grass organisers have confirmed that the first day of the festival has been cancelled due to weather conditions.

In a statement just released, they say the day has been cancelled in the “interest of patron safety” and that Moshtix will be in contact with ticket holders for refunds in the “coming week”.

A significant weather system is currently sitting off the east coast and may reach land later today bringing more rainfall. In the interest of patron safety and in consultation with all relevant emergency services, we have decided to err on the side of caution and cancel performances on the main stages today only – Amphitheatre, Mix Up, GW McLennan and Park(lands) Stages. All of our destination spaces (Global Village, Tipi Forest, Forum, Comedy and Science tents etc.) will remain open today for patrons who are already onsite as well as those at our satellite campground at Byron Events Farm. Please relax and enjoy what is open.

Day patrons are asked not to attend to the festival today while we work on repairs.

In the coming week Moshtix will be in contact with the ticket holders affected directly, via the email address used to purchase their ticket, for further information on refunds. We ask for patience while we work through the refund process.

Please be assured that our event team is working very hard to provide the best experience possible under the current circumstances.

We look forward to Saturday and Sunday programming moving ahead as planned.

Festivalgoers are seen in the rain and the mud on the first day of Splendour in the Grass 2022.
Festivalgoers are seen in the rain and the mud on the first day of Splendour in the Grass 2022. Photograph: Marc Grimwade/WireImage

Updated

Splendour stages ‘being packed up’

There are unconfirmed reports emerging that the first day of Splendour in the Grass festival has been cancelled due to wild weather, with multiple acts due to perform today being told their shows will not go ahead.

ABC reporter Tobi Loftus has tweeted that he has been “told by security all four main stages at Splendour in the Grass are cancelled for today”.

“Several other staff members telling me the same thing. Severe weather warning for the area, winds etc, mean it’s unsafe to run the event. This is currently unconfirmed by event organisers. Only word from security and sound engineers. But stages like the GW McLennan tent are being packed up,” he added

We’re trying to get official confirmation from the organisers and the SES – we’ll update as soon as we hear.

Muddy conditions are seen at the Splendour in the Grass campsite.
Muddy conditions are seen at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham

Updated

All four main stages at Splendour reportedly closed due to wild weather

Local ABC journalist Tobi Loftus has tweeted that all four main stages at Splendour in the Grass will be cancelled today:

We have reached out for confirmation, and will bring you the latest as it comes.

Updated

New measures to stop foot-and-mouth disease

Screening at airports will be ramped up in a bid to stop foot-and-mouth disease from coming to Australia, AAP reports.

Speaking from Brisbane, the agriculture minister, Murray Watt, announced the strengthened biosecurity measures, saying he had directed his department to investigate other control options.

Response zones could be established at airports as soon as today, where travellers would be directed by biosecurity officers to comply with measures, including removing their shoes or walking over sanitation mats.

It would be the first time the powers under the Biosecurity Act would be used in Australia, Senator Watt said.

I’ve directed my department to step up its visibility at the border and step up the number of inquiries of passengers, particularly in baggage halls, and that should be starting to occur right now.

Our agriculture industry is at stake and it’s vital that we continue to work together to ensure Australia is foot and mouth disease free.

Viral fragments of foot-and-mouth disease were detected in pork products at a Melbourne retailer.

But Australia remains free of the disease, as the live virus hasn’t been detected.

Watt rejected calls from the opposition to ban flights from Indonesia.

Updated

Greens want integrity commission remit broadened

The Greens have responded to confirmation that Labor’s national integrity commission bill will include contracted private service providers, which the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, revealed for the first time publicly today.

The Greens justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said:

This is a useful first step but it does not answer the question about how far the new commission’s jurisdiction needs to extend. There are countless third parties, especially corporations, who can gain enormous financial advantages from the commonwealth government through policy or legislative changes rather than just through contracts.

Right now fossil fuel corporations and mining multinationals are opposing efforts to remove more than $10bn in annual fossil fuel subsidies. The potential for these organisations to seek to corruptly retain or extend these benefits is real and these kind of relationships must be in the new commission’s remit.

Updated

South Australia records seven Covid deaths and 358 people in hospital

There were 4,374 new Covid-19 cases in South Australia the last reporting period, and seven deaths. There are 358 people in hospital in the state and 12 are in intensive care.

Updated

Body found in Queensland flood waters

Rescue teams have recovered the body of a man who had been swept away in flood waters in Queensland’s South Burnett region on Friday morning, AAP reports.

Queensland police say they have yet to identify the man, who was reportedly in a car that was washed away outside of Brooklands, north-west of Brisbane, at about 5.30am.

Beaches are closed and there have been multiple reports of cars in flood water as a powerful offshore weather system moves south along Australia’s east coast.

Flash flooding has been affecting areas of the South Burnett region and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads.

Emergency crews responded to two separate incidents when drivers found themselves in trouble in the region.

A woman was assessed at the scene and didn’t need to be taken to hospital after an incident on the Bunya Highway near Kingaroy early on Friday morning.

Two people in their 50s also avoided injury when a car entered flood waters on Kumbia Road in Brooklands.

The local school in Nanango will be closed on Friday, Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said.

Updated

Musicians send ‘dry sock energy’ to Splendour festivalgoers

Musicians are taking to social media to tell fans they will still be playing at Splendour in the Grass despite the chaos being caused by torrential rain and staff shortages.

Melbourne indie rock bank the Rolling Blackouts C.F had this message for fans ahead of their performance this evening:

Updated

Class action filed against NSW police over music festival strip searches

A class action lawsuit against the state of New South Wales over what lawyers allege were a series of illegal strip searches by police at music festivals has been lodged in the state’s supreme court.

In a statement of claim filed on Friday lawyers for the plaintiffs allege the police carried out a series of “unlawful acts” during searches conducted at music festivals, including “assault, battery and false imprisonment”.

Group members also allege that some people who were searched – including minors – were directed by police to lift or remove items of clothing, lift their breasts or genitals, or strip naked and squat and cough so officers could visually inspect body cavities.

Women were ordered to remove sanitary products so they too could be inspected. Group members are seeking damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages from the state. This could be in the order of tens of thousands of dollars for those subjected to particularly invasive or distressing searches.

The lawsuit, launched by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre, has been years in the making. The Guardian first revealed plans for the action in May 2020.

It followed an inquiry by the NSW police watchdog which cast doubt on the legality of strip search powers used in the state.

The inquiry heard heard evidence a 16-year-old girl was fearful and in tears after she was forced to strip naked and squat in front of a police officer who then “looked underneath” her at the Splendour in the Grass festival in 2018.

But in the absence of parliamentary reform, lawyers decided to launch the case to challenge the use of the powers.

The lead plaintiff, Raya Meredith, alleges that she was also strip searched by police at the 2018 Splendour in the Grass festival. In a separate incident to the 16-year-old girl, Meredith, who was 27 at the time of the search, alleges the search took about 30 minutes. The search did not locate any drugs or prohibited items and she was allowed to go on her way. The statement of claim states a male officer entered the room while she was still undressed.

She said in a statement:

What police did to me was wrong.

I don’t want what I went through to happen to anyone else. I’ve heard all sorts of stories about minors being searched and people being inappropriately searched – made to bend over and cough and things like that. These practices are unlawful, they need to stop and those responsible for allowing it to happen should be held to account.

Updated

Splendour in the Grass: people sleep in cars waiting to enter festival

We’ve been keeping you up to date about the situation at Splendour in the Grass where festival-goers are experiencing extremely muddy and wet conditions due to an east coast low.

My colleague Sian Cain brings you the full story below, including personal testimony from Miles Herbert, a Guardian Australia audio producer, who shares his experience in the car standstill attendees experienced last night:

There were literally cars breaking down, running out of fuel, people pulling over on the side of the road because their car’s battery has died.

Tow trucks were coming in and pulling cars out of the queue, and people were peeing on the side of the road. Truly horrible, literally the whole night.

As we were driving into the venue, to our left and right there were people who had just been like, ‘Fuck this, I can’t wait any longer’ and had pulled off to sleep in their cars. So I think that’s what opened things up for us.

Updated

Albanese government doubles foreign investment fees

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, also spoke about the Albanese government’s first meeting with the state and territory treasurers since it was elected in May.

Chalmers said treasurers were looking for a “new approach” and had demonstrated “terrific spirit” at the meeting on Friday morning, with treasurers from “both sides of the political fence looking for solutions not for conflict”.

Chalmers announced that the fees and penalties for foreign investors will be doubled, raking in an extra $455m over four years.

Earlier, in a statement, Chalmers said:

Australia welcomes foreign investment that is in Australia’s interests. Foreign investment application fees ensure the cost of administering the foreign investment framework is not borne by Australians, and penalties encourage compliance with our rules.

Australia continues to be an attractive place for investment. We have a lot to offer global investors including strong institutions, transparent regulations and a highly-skilled workforce. We welcome foreign investment in Australia because it plays a crucial role in Australia’s economic success and will continue to be important into the future.

Foreign investment fees will continue to make up only a small proportion of total foreign direct investment.

Decisions like this are made necessary by the state of the budget we have inherited from our predecessors.

Updated

Agriculture minister warns against foot-and-mouth disease 'scaremongering'

The agriculture minister, Murray Watt, has warned against “scaremongering” on foot-and-mouth disease at a press conference in Brisbane.

Watt said:

Despite what some might be hearing or saying Australia remains foot-and-mouth free and Australian meat products are safe to eat. We continue to enjoys the safest meat and dairy products in the world. Important we remain calm and work collaboratively … scaremongering and fanning the flames of genuine concern does nothing to help our $80bn agriculture industry remain strong, and retain its strong international reputation.

Watt also said Australia’s defences were “built up over many decades” but blamed the Coalition for “having allowed that wall to decay”. He gave the example of white spot disease, which entered Australia “under the last government”.

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said he had “a very high level of confidence in the minister’s efforts and industry’s effort to keep the challenge at bay”, saying they were “working around the clock to ensure Australia does the best we can” to keep foot-and-mouth disease out.

Asked if a support package would be given if foot-and-mouth disease does enter Australia, Chalmers said the government recognises livestock is a “really crucial industry for Australia” as a source of employment and food. Within the “bounds of responsible economic management” the cabinet would consider anything Watt asks for.

Updated

Foreign investment fees and penalties increased

Foreign investment application fees will double and penalties will be increased in a move that will add $455m to the budget’s bottom line, AAP reports.

The new fees range from $4,000 on investments valued at less than $75,000, to more than $1m for residential investments over $40m and commercial ones over $2bn.

While foreign investment in the nation’s interest is welcomed, application fees ensure the cost of administering the foreign investment framework is not borne by Australians, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said:

We welcome foreign investment in Australia because it plays a crucial role in Australia’s economic success and will continue to be important into the future.

We will always put Australian interests first. That means ensuring Australians benefit from foreign investment in Australia.

Chalmers said the increase, a policy that Labor took to the election, was necessary due to the state of the budget.

Residential properties up to $2m will have an additional fee of about 1.3%, while the maximum fee for commercial investments over $50m will generally sit at less than 0.1% of the transaction value.

This drops to an increase of less than 0.03% for large commercial investments, which make up the majority of foreign investment in Australia.

The new fees will come into effect from 29 July.

Updated

Queensland records 10 Covid deaths and 1,050 people in hospital

There were 9,023 new cases in Queensland in the last reporting period and 10 deaths. There are 1,050 people in hospital in the state with 26 in intensive care.

Updated

Possibilities of bilateral cooperation ‘really powerful’ – Kennedy

Caroline Kennedy was also asked about the length of time that’s elapsed since Australia had an ambassador from the US.

Q: “It’s been 549 days since the last time there was an American Ambassador to Australia. At that time, some people wondered whether the relationship had been downgraded, maybe it didn’t matter to the US. What do you say to people who have had that concern?”

Kennedy said it was “not true” that the Australia-US relationship had been downgraded.

I wish you could have been with me in DC. The sense of excitement about all the possibilities for bilateral cooperation is really powerful.

I think everybody feels that it’s unfortunate that it’s taken so long to confirm ambassadors but all my predecessors I’ve consulted with including Ambassador Culvahouse who have all given me great advice, and, you know, between Covid and all of that, I think it’s been a lot of that, but we’ve also seen that people can work remotely and I think that there’s been a lot of work ongoing, even though there hasn’t been an ambassador. So now we’ll see if having an ambassador makes a difference. I hope that I can tell you that it does.

Updated

US and Australia cooperation will have ‘big impact’ in the Pacific, new ambassador says

Circling back to the new US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, and her media conference following her arrival in Australia. Kennedy acknowledged that the US had stepped back from the Pacific region over recent years and said she was glad the US was once again refocusing its efforts.

I know there’s a lot of work to do in the Pacific ... after an absence of many years in terms of the US engagement.

Kennedy highlighted the personal significance the Pacific region has for her because of links with her father John F Kennedy:

It’s certainly a big focus now, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to visit. Certainly, for me personally, it has great significance, since my father served in the Pacific and was rescued by two Solomon Islanders and an Australian coast watcher.

This is a critical area in the region, and I think the U.S. needs to do more. We’re putting our embassies back in and the Peace Corps coming, and USAID is coming back and we’re coming back. We haven’t been there for a while, but I think that, that that is all tremendously positive, and I think the U.S. and Australia working together will make a big impact.

US ambassador, Caroline Kennedy, speaks to the media after arriving in Sydney, she is standing in front of a US and an Australian flag
US ambassador, Caroline Kennedy, speaks to the media after arriving in Sydney. Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/EPA

Updated

Splendour in the Grass photographs

Heavy rain soaked the Splendour in the Grass campsite last night, making muddy conditions for campers. Organisers announced earlier this morning they are no longer accepting any more campers or vehicles.

Festival goer Maddie Denham, who is one of the attendees still at the site, shared these images with Guardian Australia showing the conditions.

Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite.
Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham
Muddy conditions are seen at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Wet weather has made camping difficult for festival goers in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia
The campsite has now been closed to new arrivals, who are being diverted offsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham
Muddy conditions are seen at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Wet weather has made camping difficult for festival goers in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia
Some attendees have raised health and safety concerns about the level of mud and water at the campsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham

Updated

Huntsman telescope launched to hunt for ultra-faint galaxies

A new telescope, called the Huntsman telescope, has been launched at Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, NSW.

Inspired by the Dragonfly telescope in the US, the Huntsman is the only telescope of its kind in the southern hemisphere and is designed to hunt for ultra-faint galaxies.

The telescope was unveiled by Macquarie University and supported by Canon Australia, who provided an array of 10 super-telephoto lenses that power the telescope.

The telescope’s principal researcher, Dr Lee Spitler, of Macquarie University, said in a statement:

The Huntsman telescope is pioneering the way in which we view our southern skies by capturing images of the faintest galaxy structures that conventional telescopes simply couldn’t.

The ability to [see] the faintest and smallest galaxies in the universe will help us understand the potential fate of the Milky Way in the far distant future.

Researchers believe the telescope will shed light on galaxy formation and evolution – how galaxies form, how they grow, and what happens when they collide.

Spitler said the telescope would help scientists understand what might happen if our galaxy – the Milky Way – collided with the neighbouring Andromeda galaxy, which is predicted to occur in 4.5bn years.

The Huntsman Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, NSW.
The Huntsman Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, NSW. Photograph: Canon Australia

Updated

Australian birthrate falls to lowest in over a decade

Australia has seen its lowest birthrate in more than a decade but stillborn rates have remained stubborn, based on the latest mothers and babies data.

In 2020, there were 295,796 babies born to 291,712 mothers. This represents a fall from 66 women per 1,000 giving birth in 2007 to 56 per 1,000 in 2020, according to the Australia’s mothers and babies report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], published today.

Updated

‘I’m ready to get filthy today’: muddy conditions at Splendour

Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite.
Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham

While many are disappointed by, and fearful for their safety, camping in the muddy conditions at Splendour in the Grass, others have decided to embrace the event regardless – que sera, sera.

Boomers have also taken to social media to remind the young ’uns about the mud at Woodstock in 1969.

Updated

Treasurer meeting with state and territory counterparts

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is today meeting state and territory treasurers before the new federal parliament sits for the first time next week.

The minister for women, Katy Gallagher, is also meeting with her state and territory counterparts today to discuss gender equality and policy priorities.

Updated

Victoria’s power-saving scheme gets a top-up

The Victorian government will inject an extra $205m to its $250m power saving bonus program.

The scheme allows Victorian households to receive a $250 payment if they seek out a better energy deal via a comparison website, in a bid to reduce the burden of rising costs of living.

The state’s energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said 1 million Victorians had already participated in the program.

We are proud to have supported 1 million Victorian households with their energy bills while helping them find the cheapest deal available.

D’Ambrosio said the extra $250m would be sufficient to cover the additional demand but that extra funding could be provided for the uncapped program. The program runs until 30 June.

Updated

Health and safety concerns at Splendour in the Grass

Attendees at Splendour in the Grass are expressing health and safety concerns as they are being asked to pitch tents amid deep puddles of water and mud, as well as over the lengthy wait times to enter the campground last night.

Updated

Flash flooding in Queensland

Flash flooding has occurred in areas of south-east Queensland this morning, according to the state’s fire and rescue service.

The wild weather comes as part of the developing east coast low, most prominently causing havoc at major music festival Splendour in the Grass.

Updated

NSW records 15 Covid deaths and 2,202 people in hospital

There were 18,669 new cases in the last reporting period, and 55 people are in intensive care.

Splendour in the Grass no longer accepting campers

Splendour in the Grass is banning any more campers or vehicles from entering the site near Byron Bay in northern NSW because of heavy rain and muddy conditions.

Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite.
Muddy conditions at the Splendour in the Grass campsite. Photograph: Maddie Denham

Those arriving to camp at the festival are being moved to the Byron Events Farm at Tyagarah.

A statement just posted to the festival’s Facebook page says:

Due to ongoing weather conditions we can no longer accept any campers or vehicles including day parking at North Byron Parklands (NBP).

All incoming camping patrons and day parkers should proceed to Byron Events Farm (BEF) at 35 Yarun Rd, Tyagarah NSW 2481.

This does not include Accessible, Flashcamp and Tent City patrons who will still be accepted at NBP.

Free bus shuttles between BEF to NBP will be available.

We thank you for your patience here and big shout out to our staff who are working around Mother Nature to get you in here safely.

Updated

Victoria records 25 Covid deaths and 840 people in hospital

There were 12,278 new cases in the last reporting period, and 33 people are in intensive care.

Splendour in the Grass organisers say show will go on

As popular music festival Splendour in the Grass is hit by the east coast low, festival-goers wade through mud after many spent hours waiting to gain access to the camp ground.

The campsite was left soaked by heavy rain last night.

The ABC is reporting that many attendees, despite arriving at the site in the afternoon didn’t get to their tents until the early hours of the morning after being made to wait in their cars to gain entry to the grounds.

The festival’s Facebook page made a post very late last night (approximately 10 hours ago) saying:

We are extending our campgrounds entry hours at NBP tonight so if you’re in the queue, we will get you in. Please be patient – we hear you.

The weather and staff shortages were all worse than expected.

We are doing the best we can – the show will go on rain, hail or shine.

Updated

In Kennedy’s media conference following her arrival in Australia, she has stood up for a female journalist whose question was interrupted by a male colleague.

US ambassador arrives in Australia

The new US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has arrived this morning and told the media she feels “lucky … to serve here and to live here.”

Kennedy has been in Washington DC for the past month and says “everybody is so excited about working together and the Quad and in the Pacific” especially following US president Joe Biden’s “great” meeting with prime minister Anthony Albanese in Tokyo.

There’s a big agenda and I can’t wait to get started. Personally this means a great deal to me. My my husband is here with me. We first came to Australia on our honeymoon 36 years ago, almost exactly, because three days ago was our anniversary. Then we are were fortunate to come back with our children when we were in Japan. So we met so many wonderful people and I can’t believe that I’m lucky enough to get a chance to serve here and to live here and get to know even more people.

Updated

Heavy surf and high winds on east coast

Beaches are closed and there have been multiple reports of cars in floodwater as a powerful offshore weather system moves south along Australia’s east coast, AAP reports.

Emergency crews responded to two separate incidents when drivers found themselves in trouble on roads about three hours north west of Brisbane.

A woman was assessed at the scene and didn’t need to be taken to hospital after an incident on the Bunya Highway near Kingaroy early this morning.

Two people in their 50s also avoided injury when a car entered floodwater on Kumbia Road in Brooklands.

Rainfall totals of more than 100mm have been reported in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, with the town of Maleny among the hardest hit.

Damaging winds averaging around 50 kilometres per hour are possible in exposed parts of the coast, and peak gusts may reach 110km/h on Fraser Island, also known as K’gari.

There is also a minor flood warning in place for the Stanley River at Woodford, about an hour north of Brisbane.

The low-pressure weather system is expected to move south on Friday and Saturday, and beaches have been closed on the Gold Coast because of the dangerous conditions.

Wild surf is forecast for the NSW north coast from Friday, with wave heights of more than five metres possible.

Dangerous beach conditions could affect the popular seaside towns of Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina and Yamba.

The warning comes as thousands of music fans make their way to Byron Bay for the Splendour in the Grass music festival, where campers faced long queues to enter.

A message on the festival’s Facebook page said late on Thursday:

The weather and staff shortages were all worse than expected.

We are doing the best we can – the show will go on rain, hail or shine.

Updated

Russia sanctions 39 Australians with security links

The Russian government says it has added 39 representatives of Australian officials, security services and defence firms to a blacklist of people barred from entering the country, AAP reports.

The Russian list issued on Friday morning includes Northern Territory Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, NSW Minister for Corrections Geoff Lee and members of the Department of Home Affairs.

Russia’s foreign ministry released the list in what it said was a response to Australia’s adoption of a sanctions law similar to the US Magnitsky Act that provides for targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against individuals.

The original act, adopted by the United States in 2012, is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who was arrested and later died in prison in Russia in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of a massive tax fraud.

The Magnitsky-style reforms were adopted in Australia in December 2021 and allow the government to target individuals who perpetrate human rights abuses and conduct egregious acts of international concern.

The Russian government last month barred 121 Australian citizens including business people, army officials, academics and journalists from the country in retaliatory sanctions.

with Reuters

Unions pushing for ‘work from home’ to become a long-term right

McManus is discussing the long term future of working from home arrangements, as unions push for ‘work from home’ to become a long-term right enshrined in workplace agreements.

She says there is the need to work out what arrangements should be in place, with the need to ensure that it doesn’t end up being only women working from home and being penalised by not being as visible in the workplace.

She highlights there are many benefits for workers doing their job from home. They are often less stressed, save time and money on resources like fuel.

McManus says while international reactions from employers have been mixed, with some companies forcing all workers back into the office and others deciding to carry on the flexibility the pandemic showed was possible.

McManus says driving increased flexibility is employers’ recognition that “happier workers means more productive workforce”.

Updated

Trade union secretary urges employers to allow employees to work from home

Sally McManus, the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, is speaking to ABC Radio about how workers are faring amid the surging Covid cases.

She says the nurses’ union has reported dire conditions as staff struggle under the workload caused by the increase in cases. She has encouraged the rest of the working population to work from home because “we should all be backing our healthcare workers”.

However, she says the uptake of the government’s recommendation has been “patchy”.

It’s been a bit of a scramble because we don’t have health orders requiring it … it comes down to whether the employer is going to listen to the recommendation.

McManus says “unionised workplaces will be moving first,” because they will be able to put pressure on employers. However she says:

Every good employer until this wave recedes should be allowing employees to work from home.

Updated

Splendour in the Grass in the mud

One of Australia’s most popular music festivals, Splendour in the Grass, held near Byron Bay in northern NSW, starts today. But ticket holders are crossing their fingers that organisers will cancel and refund tickets.

Heavy rain has soaked the festival’s campgrounds and attendees have been left stranded. The campsite entry was closed last night and huge numbers of festival-goers were told they would have to wait 11 hours in their cars, some of which were out of fuel.

Updated

Aim to address gender pay gap within the year

Gallagher says the national plan for gender equality, which addresses the gender pay gap, is a key part of her work and “something we’d like to deliver in the first 12 months”.

I don’t want to have a long process of putting this together. States and territories have moved alone in a sense or move individually in this area, but we think there is the opportunity to pull it together and have a national plan.

We’ll be looking at ...those issues arise like gender, the gender pay gap but also leadership representation rights, some of those issues around care and caring responsibilities, and health and wellbeing as well.

Gallagher says she is also aiming within the next month to finalise the women’s economic security task force, who will help her develop the national plan for gender equality.

Updated

Minister for women happy for abortion to be on agenda

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said he won’t revisit a Labor policy requiring public hospitals to offer abortion services as part of the commonwealth funding arrangements.

When asked about the issue, Katy Gallagher, the minister for women is saying it’s an issue for the states to decide but that she was happy to put it on the agenda for today’s meeting where state and territory ministers responsible for women are gathering in Adelaide.

The state determines what they provide through the hospitals and surgical terminations are provided through public hospitals as required, but there are obviously private termination-of-pregnancy services that are offered across Australia.

The commonwealth doesn’t dictate what [public hospitals] provide. But I would also say that Minister [Ged] Kearney is actually responsible for putting together … a national women’s health plan. Working with Minister [Mark] Butler, reproductive health, access to reproductive health services will form part of that plan.

But we are happy to have the discussion with state and territory ministers today, noting that the issue they raised was about nationally consistent laws for the provision of termination of pregnancy services. And that is a matter that constitutionally rested with the states and territories.

But I think when it was raised with me about whether or not it could be discussed at this meeting, I was happy to facilitate that if this is the way we want to engage with states and territories. If they have issues they’d like to raise, then we should facilitate that through the agenda, have the discussion and work our way through but, you know, and that’s what we’ll do today on that matter.

Updated

Measurable targets and October timeline for new national domestic violence plan

Senator Katy Gallagher, the federal minister for women, is speaking to ABC Radio ahead of the meeting she will host today bringing together all the state and territory ministers responsible for women.

She says her colleague Amanda Rishworth, the social services minister, is leading the national plan to end violence against women and children.

She says she’s in favour of targets and measurable elements in the plan.

The issue of violence against women is so significant in terms of numbers and prevalence and impact. We have to be able to measure the implementation of this plan in some way

Currently there isn’t a national plan as the last one ended on 30 June, and Gallagher says the aim is to be able to have the new one ready by the third quarter of the year – around September/October.

Updated

Good morning!

Ministers responsible for women meet today for the first time under the new government to finalise the national plan to end violence against women and children.

Housing for women escaping violence is set to be a priority, as the ministers aim to add greater detail to the plan drafted under the Morrison government, which was criticised for lacking detail. Health experts are also calling for Medicare item numbers for abortions and pregnancy counselling.

Australia continues to battle its third Omicron wave, with the 89 deaths reported yesterday the highest single-day total since January during the height of the first Omicron wave.

The government is urging greater take up of antiviral medications amid concern about the shelf life of remaining treatments, after the health minister Mark Butler has criticised the Morrison government for allowing the drugs to “gather dust.”

It comes as Australia’s fourth-dose vaccination rate is likely to pass 30% of the eligible population within the next day, with data showing greater uptake for those 65.

The climate change minister, Chris Bowen, will release a new set of regulations today scrapping changes to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency introduced in the last days of the Morrison government that would have allowed it to fund some fossil fuel developments.

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