What we learned today, Monday 10 July
With that, we’ll wrap up our live coverage of the day’s news. Thanks so much for following along.
Here’s a summary of today’s main developments:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, arrived in Berlin and will meet Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz tonight (Australia time). This afternoon Australia and Germany signed a deal to send 100 Brisbane-made armoured vehicles to Germany as part of a $1bn deal, one of the largest defence export deals in the country’s history.
There have been growing calls for Scott Morrison to resign since the findings of the robodebt royal commission were released. Liberal MP Bridget Archer said the former PM’s presence in parliament is “hampering the party’s attempt to enter a new era”, while Nationals leader David Littleproud suggested it may be better for the people of his Cook electorate if he resigned.
Morrison said he “completely” rejects adverse findings in the report, saying they were “wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence”.
NT rangers confirmed a man was attacked by a 2-metre saltwater crocodile at Wangi Falls in the Litchfield national park today. A team is working to remove the animal and the man has been taken to hospital for medical treatment.
The search for missing 31-year-old Belgian woman Celine Cremer in the Tasmanian wilderness has been formally suspended by Tasmanian police after three weeks of search efforts.
Independent MP Lidia Thorpe announced she will quit politics when her term expires in 2028, telling 60 Minutes “I’ve been able to make big changes in the short time that I’ve been here” but “we need new [and] younger people coming in with fresh ideas”.
More than 1,000 people were evacuated from a Westfield shopping centre in Sydney’s south-west after an electrical fire broke out. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and most of the centre has re-opened.
Updated
‘Unprecedented’ demand for meals in Tasmania, federal inquiry told
Half of Tasmanian households experienced some degree of food insecurity in 2022, with several charities recording unprecedented demand for free meals, AAP reports.
A Senate inquiry examining cost of living pressures in Australia on Monday held a public hearing in Hobart.
A 2022 report by the University of Tasmania found 50 per cent of homes had suffered some degree of food insecurity in the previous month, with 20 per cent experiencing “severe” insecurity.
Senior economics and finance lecturer Mala Raghavan said “severe” insecurity includes missing meals, reducing food intake or in extreme cases, going without food for days:
This is quite acute compared to other states.
Anglicare Tasmania’s Mary Bennett said people from the state’s lowest socio-economic demographic were having to decide between food and heating:
We’re hearing anecdotally … people are faced with, when they talk about what fuel they are going to buy, they are choosing between food and paying the heating bill.
In Tasmania where our winters are colder, that’s a much more serious issue.
Foodbank Tasmania chair Stuart Clutterbuck said over the past nine months there had been an average increase of 21 per cent in people seeking help on the organisation’s website:
We just do not have enough food and groceries to meet demand.
The inquiry, tasked with investigating cost-of-living pressures and government responses, is expected to finalise a report by November.
It’s been quite a busy afternoon, so you can catch up on the biggest headlines so far with today’s Afternoon Update from Antoun Issa:
Greens call for national gambling regulator
The Greens have welcomed the upcoming launch of ‘BetStop’ next month to help end gambling harm in Australia, but say more must be done to protect vulnerable people and communities.
In a series of tweets, Greens senator Janet Rice has called on Labor to back the gambling inquiry’s recommendation to establish a national gambling regulator.
She said:
We need a consistent national approach to gambling, not a patchwork of regulations and loopholes that gambling companies can exploit.
Genuine gambling reform is an issue the Labor Government can no longer shy away from. The time for action is now. The longer Labor delay, the more harm the gambling industry can inflict on thousands of Australians.
— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) July 10, 2023
You can read more on the BetStop scheme here:
Holidaying Tasmanian detective and her sisters render first aid to croc attack victim
An off-duty Tasmanian police detective currently on holiday with her family in the Northern Territory rendered first aid to the man attacked by a crocodile at Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park.
Senior Constable Taneka Starr was swimming with her family at the popular tourist destination at around 11:30am when fellow onlookers raised the alarm.
She said:
My family and children were swimming in the water when people started yelling for everyone to get out. We formed a circle together to make sure we all made it out of the water safely as a group, especially the children.
We then saw that a man had suffered injuries to his arm and together my sisters and I provided first aid.
I’m so glad that everyone was ok. It was a pretty terrifying experience.
Updated
Two-metre crocodile attacks man at popular NT waterfall
Northern Territory rangers have confirmed a man was attacked by a saltwater crocodile at a popular waterfall site this afternoon.
Earlier the department of environment, parks and water security confirmed Wangi Falls in the Litchfield National Park was closed following reports of an incident with a crocodile.
Director Dean McAdam said the crocodile is approximately 2m long and rangers are working with the crocodile management team to remove the animal.
McAdam said:
Further crocodile surveys will then be undertaken prior to reopening.
We have closed access for safety reasons. Please obey all closures and do not enter the water.
The man has been taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Updated
Westfield Liverpool fire broke out in shoe shop
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has just provided an update on the fire that broke out inside a major shopping centre in Sydney’s south-west today.
Around 1000 people were evacuated from Westfield Liverpool at 12pm after an electrical blaze broke out in a shoe shop.
FRNSW responded with 28 firefighters and seven fire trucks. A spokesperson said:
Prior to their arrival, sprinklers within the building activated and doused the flames, containing the fire to the shop it started in.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze a short time later.
Firefighters have credited the automatic sprinkler system for limiting the spread of the fire.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated three people for smoke inhalation but no other injuries were reported.
Most of the shopping centre has since re-opened, however management will keep some sections sealed off to enable further clean-up efforts.
LIVERPOOL | Fire sprinklers prevent blaze from tearing through major shopping centre. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has credited an automatic sprinkler for limiting the spread of a fire today inside a major shopping centre in Sydney's south-west.... https://t.co/zsRawYoQNV
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) July 10, 2023
Updated
Reported crocodile attack in the NT
A popular waterfall in the Northern Territory has been closed following reports of a crocodile attack.
A spokesperson from the NT Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security confirmed that Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park is closed following “unconfirmed reports of an incident with a crocodile”.
A man was attended to by an off-duty nurse at the scene following the incident.
St John NT ambulance crews are on their way.
The spokesperson said access to the site has been closed for safety reasons.
Please obey all closures and do not enter the water.
Updated
Matt Thistlethwaite weighs in on Morrison’s future
Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite also weighs in on whether or not Scott Morrison should resign while appearing on the ABC.
He suggests opposition leader Peter Dutton would not want Morrison running due to a “risk of losing the seat of Cook” and “broader damage” to Liberal seats:
His future is a matter for him but I think that the opposition leader and the Liberal Party will not want him running at the next election.
Not only for the risk of losing the seat of Cook but the broader damage that it could do to other seats, not only Sydney but across the nation.
I think this has been disgraceful policy and that has been proven by the findings in the royal commission. We should make sure that it is never ever repeated again.
Ultimately that will be decision for the member for Cook himself.
Updated
Scott Morrison can speak for himself, Duniam says
Jonathon Duniam is also asked about calls for Scott Morrison to resign from parliament following revelations from the robodebt royal commission:
Whether Scott Morrison calls time or should be calling time in his career or not is going to be a matter for him, not for me.
I’m sure if he has something to say on that front he’ll be able to speak for himself.
… There is no excuse for a lot of what happened. It is our job now to look forward and to make sure we event the sort of thing by way of government policy of the future. For Scott Morrison though I’ll let him speak for himself.
Updated
Jonathon Duniam reacts to Paul Keating
Speaking on the ABC, Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam responds to comments made by former MP Paul Keating about Nato’s position on the Asia-Pacific.
The former prime minister, I think he is widely respected by many the community, but he is starting chip away at that respect when he does not just talk about Nato and scope of their work and have a role to play in the Indo-Pacific or not, he made personal attacks on its leadership and the work that it does.
I do not agree with his view and the fact is Nato is a peace-loving, stability-loving organisation that share our interests and I would have thought having Nato come into this region by way of an office placed in Tokyo, if that is what they decide to do … that could only aid our aim is to have stability and peace in our region and have make sure that we have that continuing on into the future.
I do not share the prime minister’s views and I do not think he should be let off the hook by such bizarre commentary that when he has been.
Updated
Australia ‘batting above our average’ on Ukraine
Assistant minister for defence Matt Thistlethwaite is speaking on the ABC and said it’s “encouraging” that the prime minister has been invited to Nato.
I think it reflects the view that the world appreciates Australia’s view on what is one of the world’s most dynamic regions, the Indo-Pacific at the moment. The work that we have been performing through the Quad … and our re-engagement with China, I think that the world appreciates Australia’s view on these issues at the moment.
He is asked whether we can expect to see more military support announced for Ukraine from Australia while the PM is in Europe:
Australia is already one of the largest non-Nato contributors to the effort in Ukraine and we recently announced that new assistance package.
I think it very much reflects that we are batting above our average when it comes to our support for Ukraine. We need to also recognise that the international community is certainly contributing as well…
Also appearing on the ABC, Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam said Australia needs to “up our game” in terms of support for Ukraine:
It is great that the PM is able to go get Australia’s view and contribution there. We do really need to up our game and make sure that whatever resources we as a developed and stable country can provide to the Ukraine are sent over and in a faster fashion as promised by the prime minister and defence minister.
Updated
Albanese hails biggest defence deal in Australian history
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has just shared some photos from the signing ceremony of Australia’s $1bn defence deal with Germany.
Albanese witnessed the signing of the agreement by Ambassador to Germany Philip Green and Benedikt Zimmer, State Secretary and Federal Ministry of Defence.
Albanese wrote on Twitter:
Today I’m in Berlin announcing one of the biggest defence deals in Australian history.
We’ve signed an in-principle agreement to build Boxer Heavy Weapon Carriers for Germany in Queensland. The project will create well paid manufacturing jobs for Australians. And mean a boost of more than $1 billion to the Australian economy.
Today I’m in Berlin announcing one of the biggest defence deals in Australian history. pic.twitter.com/ayYyJuIU8x
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 10, 2023
We’ve signed an in-principle agreement to build Boxer Heavy Weapon Carriers for Germany in Queensland.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 10, 2023
The project will create well paid manufacturing jobs for Australians.
And mean a boost of more than $1 billion to the Australian economy. pic.twitter.com/kNVeMUNzBN
Updated
Lithuania wants Ukraine brought closer to Nato
Lithuania’s foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis spoke to the ABC on why it’s important for countries like Australia to be at the Nato meeting discussing issues like the war in Ukraine.
He said the war is not just a European continental issue, but a world issue:
Australia was one of the first countries outside of Nato to support Ukraine with equipment that Ukrainian soldiers are still using on the front.
So not just Australia will be represented but also South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand. There will be a special session devoted for the conversation with what we call the Asia-Pacific partners. I think it is also an opportunity to bring the two parts of the globe closer together.
Landsbergis said the “first thing” they want to achieve is bringing Ukraine closer to Nato:
Ukraine made an application, an official, formal application to join Nato. And therefore the question cannot be neglected. It has to be debated … and a decision has to be made as to how do we treat Ukraine from after the summit. Our vision is that Ukraine has to have a clear path of when and how it joins the alliance.
Earlier Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked about this and said “that is a matter for Nato and what Nato have said is that they’re dealing with the immediate issues which are there”.
Updated
Housing activists set up camp at Barak Beacon
A group of housing activists set up camp over the weekend in the empty dwellings at Barak Beacon public housing estate, saying they will occupy the site until the Victorian government agrees to reverse its decision to knock it down.
The demolition of the estate, which has already begun, is part of the Victorian government’s “big build” program, which will replace the historic, brutalist-style dwellings with new developments that will be a mix of community housing, affordable housing and private rental.
Last year, not-for-profit architectural and research firm, Office, found the government could save more than $88m, increase housing capacity by 238 dwellings, and avoid causing distress to residents forced to leave their homes, by refurbishing Barak Beacon instead of demolishing it.
The activists are occupying the building in solidarity with the sole remaining resident, Margaret Kelly, a 68-year-old retired teacher, who has been a staunch campaigner for the estate to remain as public housing and who has been attempting - unsuccessfully so far - to secure a meeting with the state housing minister. Kelly is also currently awaiting a decision from VCAT on whether she will be evicted.
Other activists are keeping a daily vigil on the site. They are calling for:
The Victorian government to retain 100% public housing at Barak Beacon, which is publicly owned and run
Demolition works cease immediately and the office recommendations to be implemented
Margaret Kelly to retain her home on the estate and all other residents to be able to return within 12 months
Kerrie Byrne, from the save public housing community network, said:
Margaret has taken a principled stand to highlight the senseless demolition of her estate and we are supporting her. At a time of deep housing insecurity, with 30,000 homeless Victorians and over 120,000 people on the public housing wait list, the Andrews Government has gone full-throttle on privatising valuable public housing assets.
I’ve looked at the costings for the Ground Lease Projects [the scheme under which the estate is being redeveloped] and they honestly don’t add up. This is not a financially viable scheme.
You can read more about Barak Beacon here:
Updated
Ukraine membership of Nato 'a matter for Nato': Albanese
As his press conference wrapped up, Anthony Albanese was also asked whether Australia has a position on whether Ukraine should be given membership to Nato after the war ends?
He responded that it was a matter for NAato:
That is a matter for Nato and what Nato have said is that they dealing with the immediate issues which are there.
This is something that the people of Ukraine have confronted each and every day … Russia’s behaviour in this war has been reprehensible, it has been an attack on the rule of law and just common decency.
Housing areas when I visited [that] were high-density and medium density housing communities have been bombed and attacked. You had tanks rolling down the streets of suburban streets just outside of the city, you’ve had atrocities committed across Ukraine, we stand with the people of Ukraine.
That is the priority at the moment and I will have more to say in just a few hours.
Updated
Albanese flags more collaboration between Australia and Germany
Speaking in Berlin, Anthony Albanese said there are opportunities for collaboration between Australia and Germany in many areas, particularly around green energy.
He said he has had phone conversations with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in the past which laid the groundwork for their meeting that will take place in just a few hours:
I see enormous opportunity for Australia to benefit from the shift to clean energy that is occurring, including countries like Germany, and we know that there has already been substantial discussions between the private sector in Australia with our counterparts here in Germany looking at the transition and the opportunity that it creates an Green hydrogen and in other new industries.
When asked about the Australia-EU free trade agreement negotiations, Albanese said:
Australia is clear that we want an agreement … that is mutual benefit for Australia and the European Union. We are confident that we’ll be able to get there but we will not sign up to a deal that is not in Australia’s interest.
Updated
Albanese speaks at Brandenburg Gate
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is now speaking in Berlin from the Brandenburg Gate after the $1bn defence deal between Australia and Germany was signed.
He said this is one of Australia’s largest ever defence deals in history, creating more than 1000 jobs for Australians:
This is good for … our national sovereignty, but also good for our local economy.
These jobs will make a difference for Australia and these arrangements are part of the productive arrangement we’re developing with Germany.
Updated
$1bn defence deal signed
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is currently attending a signing ceremony with Germany. It is currently around 7:30am in Berlin.
Albanese witnessed the signing of the defence agreement by Ambassador to Germany Philip Green and Benedikt Zimmer, State Secretary and Federal Ministry of Defence.
The more than $1bn defence deal involves an in-principle agreement for Australia to supply more than 100 Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles, built in Brisbane.
Albanese then posed for photos as the signed documents were exchanged and joked:
My onerous duties are done.
Updated
WA expected to be crucial battleground in voice referendum
Yes23 has taken its campaign to Perth, whipping up support for the Indigenous voice in Western Australia - expected to be a crucial battleground in the referendum later this year.
Yes23 director Dean Parkin brought together a cross-party group of supporters including former Liberal minister Ken Wyatt, Labor government minister Patrick Gorman, Greens senator Dorinda Cox, independent Kate Chaney and others for an event on Monday afternoon, talking up the voice’s prospects for success in the west. Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney will also spend several days campaigning for the voice in regional WA this week.
Chaney talked up an event in her electorate with 500 guests, saying people “were seeking out the facts” about the voice, criticising “political point scoring” around the referendum.
Parkin said ordinary voters were expressing “curiosity” and “generosity” toward the campaign, claiming they were getting different responses from regular citizens than “what we’ve been hearing in the media and in Canberra.”
Parkin shrugged off a question about whether WA would be the most challenging state to convince, saying he thought residents “are up for this... we’re very optimistic about WA, we think this is a critical state that will get behind and very strongly vote yes.”
Remember, that for a constitutional alteration to succeed, the referendum must be carried with a majority nationally, plus in a majority of states - that’s four out of six. Broadly, NSW and Victoria are expected to support yes, and Queensland to support no, leaving three states as major epicentres for campaigning.
South Australia, Tasmania and WA are all seen as up for grabs in the referendum, and both the yes and no campaigns are focusing much of their attention (and money) there. Burney is in TAS now, and heading to WA. The minister told the National Press Club she planned to become “an honorary sandgroper” by the end of the referendum, highlighting WA’s importance to the yes campaign.
Updated
Voice misinformation to be factchecked
Assistant treasurer Stephen Jones has welcomed news that Meta will factcheck misinformation surrounding the voice to parliament referendum.
In a tweet, he said:
Misinformation and abuse should not be tolerated, and I look forward to seeing how this is rolled out.
I welcome the decision by Meta to factcheck misinformation surrounding the upcoming Voice to Parliament Referendum.
— Stephen Jones MP (@StephenJonesMP) July 10, 2023
Misinformation and abuse should not be tolerated, and I look forward to seeing how this is rolled out.
You can read the latest on this from my colleague Josh Butler here:
Updated
‘Every student deserves to go to a school in which they are included,’ Equality Australia says of puffer jacket row
More on the Melbourne school that drew the ire of some parents after it introduced a new optional puffer jacket as part of its uniform which features the Aboriginal and pride flag on the sleeves.
Equality Australia has said the reactions by some parents to the pride flag featured on one of the sleeves shows why “symbols of inclusion are as important as ever”.
The Age had reported that some parents accused Melbourne’s Cheltenham Secondary College of using the jacket - which has a small pride flag on one sleeve, and an Aboriginal flag on the opposite - to make unnecessary political statements, and urged the school to “let the kids go and be kids”.
But Equality Australia legal director, Ghassan Kassisieh, said featuring the pride flag was an important gesture to show LGBTQI+ students and families at the school “they are seen, welcome and safe”:
We shouldn’t need flags to remind people that they are loved and valued as they are, but as the reaction from some people to this jacket again demonstrates, these symbols of inclusion are as important as ever.
Every student deserves to go to a school in which they are included, and this is a wonderful student-led initiative setting an example for other schools to consider.
The school said the new jacket was initiated by the school community after a survey among parents and students, and it is not a compulsory part of the uniform.
Updated
Celine Cremer’s family devastated
Commander Wilkinson said that throughout the search period for Celine Cremer, Tasmania Police had been in constant contact with her family:
It’s obviously a distressing situation, and they’re understandably devastated.
As we suspend the formal search, I extend our thoughts to Celine’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
Despite the search being suspended, Wilkinson said that missing person investigations in relation to Cremer remained active.
I’d like to acknowledge everyone involved in this extensive search, with particular thanks to our SES volunteers, who helped us cover a wide expanse of tough terrain – on the ground on foot and on ATVs.
Any further information relevant to Celine will be thoroughly followed up and we still hope to bring closure to her family and loved ones.
Updated
Search for Belgian tourist Celine Cremer in Tasmanian wilderness called off
Tasmania Police have confirmed that the search for missing 31-year-old Belgium woman, Celine Cremer, has been formally suspended.
Commander Stuart Wilkinson said:
Considerable search efforts have been undertaken in difficult terrain and treacherous weather conditions but unfortunately Celine has not been located.
Expert medical advice has been received that given consideration to poor weather conditions and cool temperatures, Celine could not have survived the conditions she has been exposed to since she was reported missing.
Cremer has been missing for three weeks in remote Tasmanian wilderness.
A major search for her began on 27 June in the Philosophers Falls area and included police and SES ground crews, specialist swift water rescue personnel, ATVs, drones and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
Updated
Albanese government confirms new code for gas industry kicks in from tomorrow
Email timelines can deceive but it was a little odd to receive a comment from APPEA, the gas industry lobby, declaring the mandatory gas code was out today about 15 minutes before the confirmation landed from the federal government.
The code itself (see here) is supposed to “ensure Australian gas is available for Australian users at reasonable prices, give producers the certainty they need to invest in supply, and help to ensure Australia remains a reliable trading partner”.
Of the three, Australia users seem to have come off the worst despite the gas belonging to us. Anyway, producers have already “offered indicative domestic supply commitments” of at least 260 petajoules a year to 2027.
As stated earlier, gas will be capped at $12 a gigajoule, a price reviewed next in July 2025. (The government introduced limits on gas and black coal prices in December 2022 and has since ditched the coal cap.)
However, gas producers particularly small ones could negotiate exemptions from the cap if they make “satisfactory ACCC and court enforceable supply commitments” for local customers.
In their speedy media release, APPEA said the government should now prioritise supply shortfalls “to avoid black outs and further cost-of-living pain”. (One way, of course, would be to reserve a proportion of local gas for local use, as in WA, but that’s not what they have in mind.)
APPEA CEO Samantha McCulloch said:
After more than six months of uncertainty as the code was developed, investment in new gas supply is now urgently needed to avoid shortages that will add to energy security concerns and cost of living pressures for Australian households and business.
As it happens, global gas prices have been on the wane as Europe finds alternatives to sanctioned Russian supplies, and last winter in the north was relatively mild in big markets.
Gas prices don’t just show up in gas bills. As the fossil fuel is often a price setter in the wholesale electricity market, gas can have a big influence on power prices.
For a range of reasons, particularly windy and sunny ones, electricity prices have lately be sinking, at least according to wholesale future prices for the present quarter:
Notable retreat in wholesale electricity price futures for the current quarter during the past week. All that wind and a lot of sun have been playing their role. (Source: ASX) pic.twitter.com/7BDWdmq4Z0
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) July 10, 2023
ANZ leads big four on climate-aligned banking: report
ANZ Banking Group is the leader among Australia’s “big four” in reducing exposure to big polluters, according to an international report.
The report issued on Monday found ANZ was in front on scaling back exposure to companies that are unwilling to engage on climate change, compared to Westpac, NAB and CBA.
ANZ was also leading the Australian pack on backing green sectors, working more closely with clients that have begun the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, and vying for new low-carbon clients, according to the report by ratings and research firm Fitch.
In real estate, banks are financing energy efficiency through retrofits or by requiring minimum standards for new buildings, supporting renewable energy equipment, and promoting electrification of construction sites.
Agriculture, where methane and nitrous oxide emissions are significant, is the toughest sector for banks for data gathering and emissions measurement, the report explained.
In the power sector, banks are increasing loans to renewable energy producers and equipment manufacturers, electricity grid companies, and reducing thermal coal exposure.
- from AAP
Clear, dry and sunny days ahead
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its weather outlook for the week ahead.
It says that after a few weeks of unseasonable widespread rain, Australia will now begin settling into a much more standard winter pattern, with clear, dry and sunny conditions forecast for large parts of the country.
Weather Update: Weather forecast. Find out what to expect across the country over the coming days. Video current 12.30pm AEST, Monday 10 July 2023. Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/Ra4yal2Y3h
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) July 10, 2023
Updated
Gary, the Gold coast Airport ambassaPAW, has passed away
Gary, the Gold Coast Airport therapy dog who brought support and joy to so many, has sadly died after a short battle with a life-threatening disorder.
In a statement, the airport said its team and wider community are “deeply saddened”:
The GCA team are thinking of Gary’s family during this difficult time.
Gary has been a valued member of the airport’s volunteer team since 2018, when he joined as the first official AmbassaPAW. He was a comforting presence to anxious passengers before their flights, offering emotional support and helping to ease fears.
Gary was recently awarded a five-year service medal in recognition of his contribution to the airport and those who passed through its doors.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that a crowdfund for Gary’s emergency surgery raised almost $14,000.
The AmbassaPAW program started in 2018 and was one of the first of its kind of an Australian airport. Quincy the labrador is currently working at the GCA as an AmbassaPAW, and will be joined by five more therapy dogs later this month as part of the program’s expansion plans.
Updated
Exclusion zone declared on WA beach
A team of experts have been called to Madora Bay beach in Western Australia following reports an item – potentially a flare – had washed ashore.
WA police confirmed that the Australian Defence Force and bomb response officers are attending the scene where an item had washed ashore, “possibly a type of flare”.
As per protocol, an exclusion zone is now in place.
Updated
Protest calls on Plibersek to save 400-year-old trees
Protesters outside environment and water minister Tanya Plibersek’s Sydney office are calling on her to intervene in the development of defence housing in the Northern Territory, AAP reports.
Environmental Justice Australia made an emergency application to the minister on behalf of traditional owners last week, urging her to halt bulldozers at a culturally significant site in Darwin, which includes trees that are hundreds of years old.
Binybara, also called Lee Point, is significant to the Danggalaba clan of the Larrakia people but the land is due to be cleared for a Defence Housing Australia project.
The application asks Plibersek to determine whether Aboriginal cultural heritage is present and whether it will be damaged by the development.
A Defence Housing Australia spokesperson confirmed they have stopped work while the minister considers the application.
Protesters today handed Plibersek’s office a letter from Mililma May, member of the Danggalaba clan, on behalf of traditional owners, calling on her to stop the development immediately.
May told AAP she has invited Plibersek to come to Binybara, explaining traditional owners’ “heartbreak and devastation”:
I would ask her to sit down with my elders of the Danggalaba clan and hear us and our alternatives as to why she should protect Lee Point and Binybara.
And to take on board our alternatives that still mean housing can be built, that Defence can have houses, community can have houses, but not at the cost of significant sites and not the cost of the endangered species that live there.
Major tech platforms to account for foreign interference through social media
The Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media will probe social media companies and government agencies in its final round of public hearings in Canberra on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Tomorrow, the Committee will hear from TikTok, Meta, Twitter, Google, YouTube and LinkedIn on what they’re doing to prevent foreign interference in Australia’s democracy from taking place on their platforms.
Then on Wednesday the Committee will hear from a number government authorities tasked with tackling foreign interference online.
In a statement, Committee chair and shadow minister for home affairs James Paterson said:
Major tech platforms need to address growing concerns that their platforms can easily be weaponised by foreign regimes to undermine Australia’s democracy. These are not theoretical concerns.
… Confronting this problem is no easy task. It will require a concerted effort from governments and social media platforms on which this conduct is taking place.
Paterson said that WeChat – a Chinese-owned messaging and social media app – is now the only social media platform that has declined on three occasions to appear before the Committee:
The Committee had important questions for WeChat to answer, which we believe can only be canvassed in a public hearing. I wrote to WeChat on 4 July 2023 to advise them that their refusal to appear before the committee sends a clear message about the company and its willingness to comply with Australian law.
.@WeChatApp & its parent company @TencentGlobal has been repeatedly invited to appear before the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference Through Social Media, & repeatedly declined. Their refusal to engage with the parliament reflects very poorly. pic.twitter.com/DOprOAxLwn
— James Paterson (@SenPaterson) July 9, 2023
More than 300 Victorian health jobs could be slashed
The Victorian health department is considering cutting more than 300 jobs in the public service, as top bureaucrats prepare to swing the axe in a bid to balance the state budget.
A video shows the Department of Health’s secretary, Prof Euan Wallace, outlining the scale of health sector cuts after the May budget flagged up to 4,000 job losses as part of a plan to unlock $2.1bn in savings.
Read more:
Updated
Puffer jacket not compulsory at Melbourne school, department of education says
Victoria’s department of education has responded to media reports that some parents accused a Melbourne school of making unnecessary political statements after it introduced a puffer jacket that features the pride and Aboriginal flags.
A spokesperson for the department said the jacket at Melbourne’s Cheltenham Secondary College was initiated by the school community and is not a compulsory part of the uniform.
They added:
Like all our state schools, Cheltenham Secondary College is proud to be a safe and welcoming school.
The jacket features a small rainbow flag on one sleeve, and the Aboriginal flag on the opposite sleeve. On the front is the school’s logo and its motto: ‘Respect, responsibility, personal best and community’.
The Age had reported one school parent said the flags were “virtue signaling”, and said the school should “let the kids go and be kids”.
In a post to the school’s Facebook in January, the school said the puffer jackets were being introduced to the school uniform after conducting a uniform survey with the students and parents last year. It also said the jacket was an additional and optional school uniform item and would not replace the school’s softshell jacket.
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Free off-peak power for WA families doing it tough
Western Australian families doing it tough amid cost of living pressures will be supplied with free power during off-peak times, AAP reports.
The Community Energy program will provide electricity at no cost between 9am and 3pm to eligible households experiencing financial hardship, with the benefit capped at $500 per year.
Premier Roger Cook said on Monday:
Right around the world we are seeing inflationary pressures, supply chain shortages and higher interest rates.
This new program will save potentially hundreds of dollars for thousands of Western Australians who might be struggling to pay their electricity bills.
The program gives about 9000 eligible households 10 units of zero-cost electricity in off-peak times, which is about three-quarters of an average household’s daily usage. It also encourages customers to shift their consumption away from evening peak times to the middle of the day when household usage is traditionally low.
Sydney shopping centre evacuated after fire
More than 200 people have been evacuated from a Westfield shopping centre in Liverpool, Sydney and two are being treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out this morning.
A spokesperson from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) confirmed they were called just after 12pm following reports of a fire. Seven firetrucks attended and the fire has now been declared out.
Firefighters remain at the scene and are working to clear smoke from the premises before reopening the area to the public.
A FRNSW spokesperson said:
We’ll try and get that area back up and functioning as quickly as possible.
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Strong winds wreck havok over weekend: NSW SES
The NSW State Emergency Service has had a busy weekend clearing trees down and assessing roof damage following strong winds across the state from Friday, with volunteers still active today:
The NSW SES had a busy weekend, with our volunteers responding to 300 incidents of trees down & roof damage since Friday afternoon. The storm damage has been localised across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands and Hunter regions. Volunteers are still active today. pic.twitter.com/2jV4xHXyLu
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) July 10, 2023
The gusty winds appear to have largely passed in NSW, with a wind warning only in place for the Eden Coast according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Meanwhile, a westerly airstream with a front is driving strong, gusty winds over southern Victoria and Tasmania today, according to Weatherzone’s daily forecast.
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Queensland, SA and NSW experiencing high rental pressure
An analysis of the Australian rental property landscape shows that Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales are currently experiencing the greatest rental pressure, according to data from Suburbtrends.
The analysis focussed on the top 25 results per state, comparing factors such as the percentage of advertised rentals, vacancy rates, average 12-month rent increases and average rent as a percentage of income. The results: the financial strain of renting is highest in Queensland, followed by SA and NSW.
Suburbtrends’ founder, Kent Lardner, said:
The significant increase in rental prices over the past year in Queensland is a clear contributor to the heightened rental pain felt by residents. Similar trends are observed in SA and WA, where rental prices have risen by approximately 15.95% and 15.37%, respectively.
While these numbers give us a snapshot of the current state of affairs, it’s crucial to remember that the rental market is complex and ever-changing. Factors such as economic conditions, population growth, and housing policies all play a role.
The data also showed that the ACT and Tasmania have the highest average percentage of advertised rentals, suggesting a high turnover of rental properties. Meanwhile, the ACT also has the highest vacancy rate, with over 2.22% of properties sitting empty for 21 days or more.
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Thanks to Rafqa for taking us through the morning! I’ll be with you for the remainder of today’s news.
Thanks for joining me on the blog this morning! I’ll be handing over to Emily Wind now, who will take you through the afternoon’s news.
Vaccine to protect babies against respiratory virus being trialled
Researchers hope the successful trial of a one-shot vaccine will reduce hospitalisation rates for premature babies at risk of complications from a common respiratory virus, AAP reports.
In the past six months, more than 43,000 cases of respiratory syncytial virus have been recorded nationwide. It is one of the most common hospital admissions in infants younger than one, doctors say.
If a preterm baby with underlying lung conditions contracts the virus, there is greater risk of serious complications.
Mater Mothers’ Hospital’s director of neonatology, Pita Birch, said:
Preterm babies who go home on oxygen are much more likely to require admission to a paediatric intensive care unit for breathing support and are more likely to die of RSV infection than healthy term babies without underlying lung problems.
If the trial is successful, the new vaccine will better protect babies against developing RSV infection compared with the current vaccine and reduce hospitalisations, intensive care admissions and deaths.
The trial vaccine is comparable to existing respiratory syncytial virus vaccinations given to at-risk babies. Currently, up to five vaccine doses are administered via injections at the start of the winter respiratory syncytial virus season.
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Australia’s annual plastics emissions equal to 5.7m
The plastics consumed yearly by Australians have a greenhouse emissions impact equivalent to 5.7m cars.
Our new Research with @WWF_Australia shows why we must reduce plastic consumption.
— Australian Marine Conservation Society (@AustMarConsSoc) July 10, 2023
Plastics are feeding the climate crisis, with emissions set to double by 2050 if we continue on our current path:https://t.co/25ufDpym7u
A report by the Australian Marine Conservation Society and WWF Australia has quantified the footprint of the production, transport and waste management of plastics consumed in Australia – it projected that emissions would more than double to 42.5m tonnes annually by 2050.
You can read the full story from Donna Lu here:
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Review commissioned into natural disaster governance in Australia
An independent review of National Natural Disaster Governance Arrangements has been commissioned by the federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, and his ACT counterpart, Mick Gentleman.
The review is in an effort to “prepare government for the demands of increasing future natural disasters,” according to the ministers’ statement. It will examine how national governance arrangements could more effectively serve national natural disaster preparedness, response, recovery, resilience and long-term policy requirements.
Watt said:
All ministers responsible for disaster response understand that we do better through strong cooperation and by planning ahead, not waiting for disasters to strike.
If we are as prepared as possible at a government level, we can ensure communities get help fast.
The commission is being led by former commissioner of the Australian federal police Andrew Colvin, and the governance review is being led by climate change and disaster management expert Dr Robert Glasser.
Glasser will consider establishing an authoritative disaster advisory body and expanding the remit of the National Emergency Management Ministers’ Meeting.
The review is due for completion by 30 November this year.
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Warnings of dangerous bushfire season ahead
Authorities are warning people to brace for a dangerous bushfire season ahead, AAP reports.
The La Niña weather system brought record rain and floods to much of the country over the past two years, causing enormous vegetation growth. This becomes a concern, with a return to the hot and dry El Niño system expected in summer.
About 200 firefighters attended more than 60 grassfires, bushfires and spot fires across the state over the weekend after strong westerly winds fanned blazes, Inspector Ben Shepherd from the NSW Rural Fire Service tells ABC TV.
He warns it’s a harbinger of things to come:
We’re now starting to see conditions dry quite rapidly across NSW.
So it is going to be problematic in the coming weeks and months and we just need people to be prepared.
Once this El Niño really takes hold and we start to see that real shifting of drier and warmer conditions, we may actually see that window of opportunity start to close and we start to see conditions become too dangerous for hazard-reduction burns.
This is why there’s going to be an onus very much back on property owners to ensure that their level of preparedness is at the highest level.
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Victorians to have highest property tax in the country
Victorians are expected to be hit with the most property tax in the country this year, AAP reports.
A Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office report reveals that both Victoria and NSW generate more revenue per person through stamp duty and land tax than other Australian jurisdictions.
In 2022-23, NSW just surpassed Victoria in making the most total revenue from property taxes.
Total property tax revenue is expected to be similar for both states from 2023-24. But until 2026-27, Victoria is expected to rake in the highest per-capita property tax revenue of all the states.
Victorians are set to fork out $2120 in property taxes per person from 2023-24. That is compared with $1646 in NSW, and $1343 in QLD, the report said.
In 2025-26, Victoria’s combined property tax revenue per person is expected to be about 21% higher than in NSW.
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Six additions to Australia's threatened species list
Three birds and three plants have been added to Australia’s growing list of threatened species or have had their conservation status updated.
The listings, made last week, include the Mukarrthippi grasswren, a subspecies of grasswren found in New South Wales. It has been listed as critically endangered.
Two other wrens – the Murray Mallee striated grasswren and the Eyre peninsula population of the southern emu-wren – have been listed as endangered.
Guardian Australia has previously reported on the southern emu-wren population on the Eyre peninsula and concerns it will be threatened by proposed rocket launches at Whalers Way in SA. The population was previously listed as vulnerable, meaning the endangered listing is an upgrade to a more serious conservation status. Fire is a major threat to this bird and the government’s new conservation advice states the proposed rocket launch site may increase the fire threat as a result of failed tests and launches.
The New England gentian, a small herb found in the New England tablelands of NSW, has been listed as critically endangered. The shrub styphelia perileuca and the herb veronica lithophila, both found in NSW, have been listed as endangered.
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Lidia Thorpe to quit politics when term expires
Independent MP Lidia Thorpe will quit politics when her term expires in 2028.
She says in a 60 Minutes feature:
I’m really serious about my job, I love my job. And I’ve been able to make big changes in the short time that I’ve been there.
I don’t intend on running again. Definitely not.
I’m 50 next month … I don’t want to become an old crusty politician with old daggy ideas. We need new people, younger people coming in with fresh ideas. It’s their future.
But in the next five years I’ll do as much as I possibly can to bring justice to First Nations people, and to make sure battlers out there aren’t struggling the way they are.
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Westpac hires senior RBA economist, shifts chief economist Evans to ‘senior’ role
It’s not uncommon for senior Reserve Bank staff to leave – it’s rarer for them to return. Still, Monday’s announcement by Westpac that it had poached Luci Ellis to be its next group chief economist will raise a few eyebrows.
Ellis is currently assistant RBA governor (Economic) and is a relatively public central bank official. The RBA says Ellis will go on “gardening leave” almost immediately although she will be joining the gathering of G20 deputies in India.
Hers might not be the only swansong on that trip. Governor Philip Lowe is headed to the talks, along with treasurer Jim Chalmers, the latter expected to name a new governor soon. (Out of niceties, you’d have to assume a decision to replace Lowe – if that’s what is planned – would be made after they return from Ahmedabad.
Marion Kohler, a senior RBA economist, will act in Ellis’s role until the position is filled. (Ellis has occupied her current role since 2016, similar to Lowe’s time in the hot seat.)
Westpac’s bait for the move is to appoint Ellis as its group chief executive, a role she’d take up on 9 October after downing those secateurs.
Veteran economist Bill Evans will make way, taking up a new role as senior economic advisor for Westpac, effective in from next January, the bank said.
“Bill Evans has served as Westpac’s chief economist since 1991 and is one of the nation’s pre-eminent economic analysts and forecasters,” Westpac CEO Peter King said, adding Evans had “defined the role of a major bank chief economist in Australia”.
Evans joined Westpac in 1991, roughly the time of Australia’s last recession (if you exclude the Covid pandemic dip). Perhaps he’s moving on just ahead of the next one?
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RBA assistant governor to join Westpac
Assistant governor at the Reserve Bank Luci Ellis will take over from the chief economist at Westpac, Bill Evans, AAP reports.
Evans has been in the high-profile role for more than three decades. He will remain at the bank as senior economic adviser.
Ellis has been the RBA’s economic assistant governor since 2016. She will start in the private sector role in October.
More to come from our economics correspondent Peter Hannam.
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Industry peak body welcomes self-exclusion gambling register BetStop
The gambling industry’s peak body, Responsible Wagering Australia, has welcomed the announcement a long-awaited national self-exclusion register will launch next month. The register will allow Australians to ban themselves from gambling with, and receiving advertising from, every online wagering company in Australia.
Here’s RWA’s chief executive, Kai Cantwell:
BetStop is another tool in the tool kit for Australian wagerers to gamble responsibly – which is a priority for the industry, our members and the government.
Currently Australians can self-exclude from individual gambling sites but with BetStop they will be able to go through a process, instantly excluding them from using any online gambling services for a period ranging from three months to permanently.
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Communications minister and social services minister speak on new gambling register
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, and the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, have spoken about the gambling self-exclusion register BetStop.
Asked about the House of Representatives social affairs committee’s recommendations for bans on gambling inducements and trailing commissions, Rowland said:
We received this report less than two weeks ago and it’s an important piece of work done by this committee and we thank the chair in particular, Peta Murphy for this ... As the government has always said, we will use this report as the evidence-based for comprehensive reform in this area.
We’re therefore consulting with a wide range of stakeholders and ensuring that we do formulate a comprehensive response. This will be done expeditiously. I am on the record saying that the status quo is unsustainable, but we will have a comprehensive response in due course.
Rishworth noted that 27 of the 31 recommendations impact the states and territories, and there is “desire” in that group to do better.
Asked if the government wants a ban on inducements and commissions, Rowland said:
Let me be very clear about what this government wants to achieve. We want to fulfil the principal of harm minimisation. And as minister Rishworth has said, part of this includes the cooperation of the states and territories in a wide variety of areas. As a responsible cabinet government will be considering all of these recommendations exactly as we have committed and will be making further announcements in due course.
You can read more on the new register here:
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Two Queenslanders charged over alleged Canberra airport carousel ride
The Australian federal police has charged two Queenslanders after an adult allegedly encouraged a 14yo child to enter a restricted area by riding on a baggage carousel, according to an AFP statement.
The AFP will allege CCTV footage showed two men filming the child as he entered a secure area.
Police stopped a 58yo man and a 14yo child at Canberra airport on 9 July 2023 before their scheduled return flight to Queensland. A phone, allegedly containing footage of the incident, was seized for examination.
The two individuals were charged with entering a security restricted area at a designated airport through access control points.
Detective acting inspector Jon Horrocks said the AFP had zero tolerance for poor behaviour at airports.
Horrocks said:
Airport security is no joke and restrictions exist to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public and workers.
Canberra Airport Group, the AFP and industry partners take any security breaches at airports seriously and people can be prosecuted if they commit a criminal offence.
The man is scheduled to appear before ACT Magistrates Court on 3 October, 2023.
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Nationals leader suggests it might be Morrison’s time to resign
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, has defended Scott Morrison’s prerogative to retire from parliament at a time of his choosing, but suggested it may be best for the people of his electorate of Cook if he resigns.
Littleproud told Sky News:
I think it’s a matter for Mr Morrison to determine if he still has the heart to continue on. And, if he hasn’t, he should get out of the road because the people of Cook deserve someone who has the fire in the belly to stand up and to represent them in Canberra. That’s the role that he has now. He’s paid the ultimate price in losing his job as the prime minister of this country, that was done fairly and squarely and we have to accept that. But Mr Morrison now has to get back to first principles – he is there to represent the people of Cook, if his heart’s not in that it’s probably time for him to move on and let someone who does have the passion and the fire in the belly to do that.
Littleproud said he doesn’t have a personal relationship with Morrison.
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Independent MP Wilkie says Morrison should retire from parliament
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has endorsed calls for consequences for those with adverse findings in the robodebt royal commission report, including suggesting that Scott Morrison should retire from parliament.
Wilkie told Guardian Australia:
There is the big question about those who have been identified as incompetent, or acting improperly. I feel very strongly that they must be held to account, and strongest possible at least administrative or even legal action should be taken. But, proper process must obviously run its course.
The people who now stand accused of terrible misconduct or incompetence they deserve their day in court. Then ... findings of the royal commission – if they’re accurate, then frankly they should throw the book at these people. I do note that of all the people identified publicly, Scott Morrison is probably the only one still in parliament. But we all assume his days are numbered.
Morrison has said he “completely” rejects adverse findings, claiming they were “wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the commission”.
As the cabinet minister who brought the robodebt proposal to cabinet, Morrison said he had “acted in good faith and on clear and deliberate department advice that no legislation was required to introduce the scheme”.
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Shorten weighs in on Morrison robodebt debate
Bill Shorten adds to the pile-on of MPs commenting on whether former prime minister Scott Morrison should stay in parliament following the robodebt royal commission.
The NDIS and government services minister says Morrison should be embarrassed by the robodebt royal commission, AAP reports.
Shorten said it was up to Mr Morrison to stay and “protest his innocence” if he wished, on ABC RN.
That’s up to him, but anyone who reads the royal commission is going to form a different view about Mr Morrison’s proposed timetable for staying in parliament.
Shorten said any “self-respecting politician” would be “embarrassed, humiliated” by the final report.
He must live in a separate world to the rest of us.
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New childcare rebate begins today
From today, the federal government’s childcare rebate boost kicks in. It will see families that earn less than $530,000, with children under five, receiving childcare subsidies of up to 90%.
You can read more about childcare fees in Australia (and how their rise has outpaced inflation) here:
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‘I haven’t slept since I got off’: Sailor speaks out after incident
Xavier Doerr is also appearing on ABC TV this morning.
He says:
It was tough, but the weather is part of the game.
I have experienced that weather before … on multiple occasions and I’ve gotten through it. Then you add into the mix loss of communications devices, what I was experiencing.
I had a series of malfunctions even though I had six devices in their own respects, through water, through equipment failure, I had no communications, which was insane.
I haven’t slept a lot since I got off. So I’m a bit flustered.
He says the incident won’t stop him from competing in the Sydney to Hobart race this year:
The dangers are outlined. It was very unlikely that I was to have that collision. Especially in that area.
The water is 5,000m deep in that area. You don’t think you will come across an unidentified object, which was most likely a sunfish, but in some cases rarely yachts in the Sydney to Hobart suffer the same fate.
It’s an unknown. But I will be continuing to do the Sydney to Hobart race at the end of this year. This journey is over. We’re putting back together the pieces at the moment. But, yes, I will continue to keep my adventurous spirit alive.
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Young sailor rescued from rough seas in Great Australian Bight
Xavier Doerr is a 22yo sailor who was rescued in the Great Australian Bight over the weekend by an Indonesian cargo ship, after his sail boat was hit by rough weather and capsized.
Doerr said on Nine’s Today show this morning:
I appreciated the trouble I was in after the collision.
I started taking on water. My boat is built so it cannot sink.
In that situation I was also injured when my boat hit the object. I flipped and I had an injury where I was loaded on my head and I injured my back and all through my back.
You can read more on the rescue story here:
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Summary: Coalition on Morrison's future after robodebt inquiry
Shadow home affairs & cybersecurity minister James Paterson was also pressed on whether former prime minister Scott Morrison should leave politics after the robodebt royal commission.
Paterson said on ABC RN this morning:
I don’t really want to comment on my colleagues.
What I will say is that the royal commission report was very sobering for the government, which I was a member of, and for the entire political class and the bureaucracy and we do have to very carefully study the report and its recommendations, particularly so it doesn’t happen again.
Like Barnaby Joyce, Paterson didn’t budge when repeatedly questioned on the matter:
Neither me or any of my other colleagues are in a position to direct Scott Morrison on how he responds to this report.
He’s entitled to take whatever position he wants on the royal commission.
I’m not sure what else I can say to satisfy you. I’m not in a position to direct Scott Morrison say or do anything.
The discussion around Morrison’s place in parliament comes after he “completely” rejected the robodebt commission’s adverse findings on Friday. He called them “wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the commission”.
You can read more on that here:
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Liberal MP says Morrison’s presence is ‘difficult’ for party to move forward
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce being pressed over whether former prime minister Scott Morrison should leave politics on Seven’s Sunrise program this morning came off the back of Liberal MPs urging Morrison out after the robodebt royal commission.
Sydney Morning Herald report Bridget Archer warning the former prime minister’s presence in parliament is “hampering the party’s attempt to enter a new era”.
Archer said Morrison’s continued presence in parliament makes it “difficult for the party to draw a line under the past and move on”.
I personally think it’s always difficult for a former prime minister to stay on in parliament.
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‘Unhinged spray’: shadow home affairs minister calls out Keating’s Nato comments
Shadow home affairs & cybersecurity minister James Paterson called former prime minister Paul Keating’s comments on Nato an “unhinged spray”.
His critique on ABC RN this morning comes after Keating labelled the head of Nato chief a “supreme fool” for his push to increase the alliance’s ties with Asia in an attempt to contain China.
Well it’s an entirely legitimate debate about what the scope of Nato is, but Paul Keating wasn’t just engaging in a debate about the scope of Nato.
He was attacking Nato and its leadership and implying it was somehow responsible for conflict in Europe … It’s a particularly unhinged spray.
You can read more on Keating’s comments, from Paul Karp, here:
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Joyce responds to question of whether Morrison should resign over robodebt
Seven’s Sunrise host Natalie Barr pressed Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce over whether former prime minister Scott Morrison should leave politics after the robodebt royal commission.
Barr asks:
We are hearing this morning that Liberal MPs want Scott Morrison out over his role in [robodebt]. Do you?
Joyce responds:
I’m not here to speak for Scott Morrison, but absolutely there are people who died. They committed suicide affected by this, absolutely I apologise to them. Absolutely we must make sure we do the right thing.
You don’t have to ask me for contrition, I’ve been offering it in every interview this far.
Joyce then diverts to affirming that the scheme was stopped by the Coalition “as soon as we knew it was illegal”.
Barr tries again about a minute later: “The question was, do you think Scott Morrison should go, Barnaby?”
Look, I don’t like telling other politicians to leave politics, right. That’s their decision.
I just think, first of all, it has a whiff of not being earnest about it. It’s a decision best made by the person themselves, as to what they want to do with their career, not for other people. Otherwise you always get the inevitable. We tell all Labor party members they should leave politics, they tell us we should leave politics. There will be no one left in the place.
If you’re asking for contrition, you don’t have to ask me.
Of course we are sorry, of course we learn, of course we move on.
We don’t want to politicise this.
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Australia’s $1bn armoured vehicle deal with Germany
Here is some background on the $1bn deal to sell Australian-made armoured vehicles to Germany (which prime minister Anthony Albanese is expected to confirm while in Europe).
In one of the largest defence export deals in the country’s history, Australia will sign a deal to deliver 100 Brisbane-made Boxer heavy weapon carriers to Germany.
The German Boxer vehicles will be built at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence at Redbank in south-east Queensland, alongside the Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles being produced for the Australian defence force.
Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2025.
The “schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie” is based on the Australian army’s Boxer CRV. This is an 8x8 combat vehicle. Its main armament is the Rheinmetall MK30-2 ABM automatic cannon.
The German armed forces intend to use the Boxers to replace the current “Wiesel”. They will serve as a direct tactical fire support platform for its infantry units.
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Albanese will attend Nato summit in Lithuania
The prime minister’s one-on-one meeting with Sholz in Germany will take place before he travels to the Nato summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, AAP reports.
The talks with the German leader are expected to centre on manufacturing and clean energy, as well as security in the Indo-Pacific region and the war in Ukraine.
The education minister, Jason Clare, flagged on Sunday that more support for Ukraine could be on its way.
The three-day visit to Europe will also include a meeting between Albanese and the New Zealand prime minister, Chris Hipkins.
He will also meet with the leaders of Japan and South Korea, who have also been invited to attend the Nato summit.
The leaders of the so-called “Indo-Pacific four” are set to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, along with the role of the region in Europe.
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Australia to send 100 Brisbane-made armoured vehicles to Germany
The prime minister has touched down in Europe, confirming a deal worth more than $1bn to sell Australian-made armoured vehicles to Germany ahead of talks at a Nato summit, Australian Associated Press reports.
Anthony Albanese landed in Berlin on Sunday night, German time, before a scheduled meeting with chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday.
He said Australia would sign a deal to deliver 100 Brisbane-made Boxer heavy weapon carriers to Germany, one of the largest defence export deals in the country’s history.
Albanese told reporters on arrival:
This will increase our defence capability and boost our economy, this is a great outcome.
And it’s the first outcome of quite a few that we have ready to announce tomorrow with our friends here in Germany.
Albanese said the sale of the vehicles, made by German defence manufacturer Rheinmetall, would be worth more than $1bn to the Australian economy.
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Good morning
And welcome to a new week of the live blog.
We are kicking off with prime minister Anthony Albanese landing in Berlin overnight. Today he will meet with Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss Ukraine’s struggle against Russia’s invasion, as well as economic and business issues including clean energy. The trip comes on the 500-day anniversary of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
I’m Rafqa Touma, and I’ll be with you on the blog this morning. If you see anything you don’t want us to miss, let me know on Twitter or Threads. Let’s get into it.
