What we learned, 18 August 2024
This is where we’ll close the blog for this evening, but first a summary of the main events:
The acting New South Wales electoral commissioner, Dr Matthew Phillips, has rejected the Liberal party’s second request for an extension to lodge their missing council candidate nominations;
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, earlier said the electoral commission made the “correct decision” to reject the Liberals’ first request for an extension;
David Littleproud says the Coalition would send “market signals” to favour gas and nuclear investment over renewables;
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has doubled down on his demand Australia refuse Gaza refugees entry in an editorial;
The industry minister, Ed Husic, says Dutton has “turned his back” on Palestinians;
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has thanked Turkish firefighters for their efforts to protect Anzac graves at Gallipoli.
We’ll pick things up again tomorrow.
Updated
NSW electoral commission reject Liberal Party extension call
The acting New South Wales electoral commissioner, Dr Matthew Phillips, has rejected the Liberal party’s second request for an extension to lodge their missing council candidate nominations.
The Liberals released a statement earlier this afternoon threatening legal action unless Phillips reconsidered their plea for a one-week extension in which to lodge the paperwork for more than 130 of their candidates.
The electoral commission has now released its own statement, which says:
On the basis of the available information, the commissioner was not satisfied that it is possible to lawfully extend the nomination period in line with the request and, even if it were, it would not be appropriate to do so given the very significant ramifications it would have for the conduct of the elections.
Additional correspondence from the Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division was received by the commissioner today.He has reviewed the information and communicated to the party his decision remains unchanged.
The Liberal party also accused the commission of having breached election regulations by only providing five days of official notice before the close of nominations, instead of the necessary seven.
But the electoral commission has said:
The commissioner does not consider there could have been a realistic possibility that officials of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, or persons proposing to run as candidates endorsed by that party, could have been unaware of the nomination day or of the processes by which nominations could be made.
Updated
Man dies in go-kart crash in South Australia
A man has died after the go-kart he was driving left a track and collided with a truck in South Australia.
SA police said in a statement that officers would prepare a report for the coroner after the death at Loxton about 11.30am on Sunday.
Police and paramedics were called to a go-kart club on Karoonda Highway after the accident.
“The go-kart driver, a 74-year-old local man, sustained serious injuries in the crash and sadly died at the scene,” police said.
“Police are investigating the circumstances that led to his death, including whether a medical episode was a contributing factor.”
Updated
Auction activity remains stable
Auction activity has remained stable this weekend with 1,995 auctions to be held.
This is a little above the 1,891 held last week and modestly lower than the 2,037 auctions that occurred at the same time last year.
Based on results collected so far, CoreLogic’s summary found that the preliminary clearance rate was 70.7% across the country, which is slightly higher than the 70.4% preliminary rate recorded last week but well above the 63.5% actual rate on final numbers.
Across the capital cities:
Sydney: 562 of 738 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 74.6%
Melbourne: 622 of 837 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 67.4%
Brisbane: 121 0f 165 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 62.8%
Adelaide: 92 of 151 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 83.7%
Canberra: 62 of 88 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 66.1%
Tasmania: One auction held.
Perth: Eleven of 15 auctions held.
Updated
RBA governor downplays chances of rate cut before 2025
The Reserve Bank of Australia is growing increasingly frustrated with “false prophets” attempting to pre-empt its cash rate strategy, but that won’t stop analysts from poring over every word of the board’s latest meeting minutes for signs of weakness.
After the central bank left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% earlier in August, the RBA governor, Michele Bullock, all but ruled out a rate cut before the end of the year when speaking to the federal parliament’s house economics committee on Friday.
Ultimately, our full employment goal is not served by letting inflation stay above the target indefinitely, so the board will remain focused on the potential upside risks to inflation.
The minutes of that board meeting will be released on Tuesday and will provide fodder for those eager to read the monetary tea leaves.
Whether they will provide any fresh revelations is debatable, given Bullock and the deputy governor, Andrew Hauser, have both since publicly poured cold water on hopes of an impending rate cut.
With no substantial domestic data releases other than Westpac’s leading index of economic activity on Wednesday, eyes will turn to the US mountain resort town of Jackson Hole.
From Wednesday through Saturday, dozens of central bankers and policymakers will converge on the Jackson Hole symposium, where a speech from the US federal reserve chief, Jerome Powell, may reinforce expectations of a September rate cut.
- AAP
Updated
Brisbane draws short straw as Cricket Australia releases Test fixtures for next seven years
Brisbane is set to miss out on a Test match in the 2026-27 summer for the first time in 50 years while Cricket Australia has handed long-term security to Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.
Officials unveiled their plans for the next seven summers on Sunday, with Melbourne to retain the Boxing Day Test and Sydney the New Year’s fixture.
The Gabba is expected to go without a Test during the 2026-27 season, for the first summer since 1976-77.
That in part is due to fewer Test matches on offer that summer, with New Zealand to arrive for a four-Test tour and a 150-year anniversary Test to be played against England at the MCG in March.
The trade-off could potentially be north Queensland hosting winter Tests against Bangladesh on one side of that summer, with a chance a two-Test series against the Tigers will move from its current slot in the Future Tours Program.
But regardless, the CA chairman, Mike Baird, said the Gabba also faces a period of uncertainty beyond that summer.
In Brisbane it is harder (to plan) because of the infrastructure. There is just uncertainty, so we’re not sure of the long-term solution.
What we do know is the Gabba has a use for life that ends in 2030. We need a solution, and are working with the AFL as well on a long-term solution.
- AAP
Updated
Zali Steggall hits back at Coalition comments over visa security checks
Independent MP Zali Steggall has hit back at attacks from the Coalition about her stance on helping refugees from Gaza.
In two posts to social media, she said she had helped the Coalition assist those fleeing Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, where those seeking safety were helped with additional security checks.
🚨I worked with the Coalition to assist refugees fleeing Afghanistan in 2021. It was chaotic, disorganised & often very fast & difficult but no one suggested that gave rise to a security risk as further checks occur here. Absolute prejudice to suggest it now. #insiders #auspol
— 🌏 Zali Steggall MP (@zalisteggall) August 17, 2024
She says that it is “absolute prejudice” to suggest that the same processes cannot be applied now and that suggestions by the Coalition to the contrary are the “same old playbook”.
Updated
Anthony Albanese was in Five Dock this morning to celebrate Ferragosto – a public holiday celebrated across all of Italy on 15 August – with the Italian-Australian community.
Buon Ferragosto! Celebrating with Sydney’s incredible Italian-Australian community in Five Dock 🇦🇺🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/l0sKBavdVF
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 18, 2024
Updated
Anthony Albanese has accused Peter Dutton of making up his call for Australia to refuse to process refugee applications of those fleeing Gaza on the fly at a press conference.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Albanese dismissed the opposition leader’s proposal.
Unlike the opposition, we don’t make policy at a press conference in response to a question. That’s what happened Wednesday morning when Australians were celebrating our Olympians coming home. No moment is too big for Peter Peter Dutton to show how small he is.
Updated
In its statement, the Liberal party has urged the electoral commission to reconsider and accused it of having “admitted to a significant error” in its response to Harwin’s request for an extension.
The statement says:
In its Election Notice dated 9 August 2024, the NSW Electoral Commission wrongly published the formal notification of the election and called for nomination proposals five days before the close for nominations, instead of the required minimum of seven days as mandated by clause 288(1) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (NSW).
This mistake is not just a technicality – it goes to the heart of ensuring a fair and transparent election.Despite acknowledging this error, the NSW Electoral Commission has chosen not to extend the nomination deadline by seven days, a simple remedy well within its powers under clause 286 of the same regulation.
The Liberal Party of Australia NSW Division has urged the NSW Electoral Commission to urgently reconsider this decision.
Updated
PM thanks Turkish firefighters protecting Anzac graves
Turkish firefighters are continuing to battle wildfires that have spread through the west of the country, threatening Anzac war graves on the Gallipoli peninsula.
Helicopters and water bombers have been grounded due to strong winds, as the fire licked the edges of the historic Anzac Cove site but otherwise left the graves unaffected.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Anthony Albanese said he was grateful for efforts to protect the site.
I thank all those firefighters there in Turkiye who have struggled against what was a massive bushfire on the peninsula.
Updated
NSW Liberals may mount legal action unless electoral commission extends council deadline
The New South Wales Liberal party says it will have “no other option” than to mount a legal challenge against the state’s electoral commission unless it grants it an extension to lodge the nominations of all its council candidates.
The Liberal party’s NSW president, Don Harwin, had asked for a week-long extension to lodge nominations for more than 130 candidates for the 14 September local government elections, after the party missed last Wednesday’s deadline.
The acting electoral commissioner, Dr Matthew Phillips, knocked back Harwin’s request. He did not publicly disclose his reasons for the decision.
The Liberal party has issued a statement saying it is prepared to take the commission to court.
The statement says:
Should the NSW Electoral Commission fail to act, the Liberal Party of Australia NSW Division will be left with no other option but to pursue legal avenues to compel it to extend the nomination deadline.
Urgent action is the only way to potentially preserve the 14 September 2024 election date and potentially avoid wasting taxpayers’ money and resources.
The integrity of our democracy is at stake. Voters across NSW deserve the right to choose from a full range of candidates, including those endorsed by the Liberal Party, rather than being limited to an economically reckless Labor Party or a radical Greens agenda.
Not allowing Liberal-endorsed candidates back on the ballot is bad for our democracy.
Updated
Labor ‘hopeful’ of striking deal on NDIS changes
A deal on NDIS reform that would see the disability scheme’s funding capped each year is close to being reached, a federal minister says.
Finance minister Katy Gallagher told reporters in Canberra on Sunday that the government was optimistic a bargain had been reached with the Coalition on changes to the NDIS to rein in spending.
Under the reforms, growth in the NDIS would be capped at 8% per year, to counter forecasts showing the scheme’s annual cost would balloon to $50bn by 2025/26, higher than the annual cost of Medicare.
Changes would also reduce the number of eligible new participants and change the criteria for funding under the NDIS.
While legislation had previously been delayed in passing the parliament due to the coalition and the Greens deferring the laws to a further inquiry, Gallagher said she was confident a deal had been reached.
We are pretty close and very hopeful.
Obviously, we’re got some work to do with states and territories as well, but that’s a really important bill to start trying to control that scheme to an eight per cent growth cap, as opposed to the speed with which it’s been moving.
I don’t want to pre-empt some decisions that have been taken in party rooms and the rest, but I’m hopeful that we should see that through this week.
– via AAP
Updated
Mike Baird says NSW Liberal party bungle ‘hard to believe’
Former New South Wales Liberal premier Mike Baird says his party’s failure to lodge the nominations of more than 130 local council candidates is “hard to believe”.
Baird took questions from journalists at a press conference with the premier, Chris Minns, at the Sydney Cricket Ground this morning to announce that NSW had secured the rights to hold the New Year’s Test for the next seven years.
Asked to weigh in on the Liberals’ administrative fiasco, Baird said:
Baird said:
For me, when I think of administrative challenges or stuff-ups, this is right at the top of the list.
How it happened, I don’t know … There is talk of an independent inquiry – I support that. Because you have to get to the bottom and make sure that that never happens again
But the other side is the heartbreak, because I know many candidates who have put their heart and soul into their communities, and they’re not going to be given the chance.
Baird, who served as premier from 2014 to 2017, was appointed chair of Cricket Australia in 2022.
Updated
Minns also said he didn’t know whether the Liberal party would have any grounds to launch a legal challenge against the electoral commission’s decision.
He said:
I’ve got no idea. It’s obviously up to them if they want to take up that supreme court appeal.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Saturday that the party was preparing to take legal action against the electoral commission if they weren’t granted an extension to lodge the nominations they missed.
Updated
Electoral commission made ‘correct decision’ to reject Liberals’ request for council nomination extension, NSW premier says
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, says the state’s electoral commission made the right decision in rejecting the Liberal party’s request for an extension to lodge its council candidate nominations.
The Liberal party’s NSW president, Don Harwin, had asked for a week-long extension to lodge nominations for more than 130 council candidates after the party missed the deadline to do so.
The acting electoral commissioner, Dr Matthew Phillips, considered the grounds for the request on Saturday afternoon but determined not to grant an extension.
Addressing the media in Sydney this this morning, Minns said:
It’s very important that we’ve got an independent umpire here … it’s not, I don’t think, appropriate for major political parties to referee their own game.
I think the correct decision was made. It’s pretty fundamental. You can’t change the rules after the game’s begun. So I support his decision, but I would have accepted it if he’d made the opposite call as well.
Updated
Houdini the elusive crocodile returns to outback Queensland town
The residents of Hughenden in Queensland’s outback have two questions:
How did a freshwater crocodile come to be living in their local swimming spot – and when is it going to move on?
“Everyone’s confused,” says Constance Holden, who works in the Great Western hotel, one of the town’s two pubs. “I didn’t fully believe it was there until I saw the photos.”
The town, population 1,100, is more than 300km from the coast and its main river, the Flinders, is now dry. Its human-made recreational lake – now home to the croc – is not connected to any big waterways and the area has not flooded significantly this year.
There’s no way you’d usually see a croc here, especially in the lake. I have no idea how a croc would get there. I’ve heard some rumours about someone putting it there but I don’t know what to believe.
The animal was first spotted in the Hughenden recreational lake in June. It was believed the reptile could not have survived a cold snap the next month, with three below-zero nights. But a sighting last week, confirmed by the council, proved that theory wrong.
For more on this story, read the full story by Daisy Dumas:
Updated
Man injured after boat struck by whale tail off Gold Coast
A man has suffered serious injuries after being struck by a whale tail while in a tinny in waters near the border between Queensland and NSW.
Jetski riders off the coast of Coolangatta called emergency services just before 9am on Sunday when a whale reportedly collided with the man in his boat.
Queensland police say the man in his 40s didn’t know the whale was there until it appeared in front of him.
He was knocked unconscious when he was struck by the whale’s tail, police say.
The man was brought to shore by paramedics and taken to Gold Coast University hospital where he was treated for facial and spinal injuries.
Queensland Ambulance Service says he is in a stable condition.
A spokesperson from Queensland police said: “[We] urge all boaties to always wear life jackets, fortunately this man remained in his boat.”
- AAP
Updated
Firefighters battle blaze at Melbourne fireworks factory
Victorian firefighters have responded to a fire at a fireworks factory in Dandenong early on Sunday morning.
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at 1.48am on Sunday morning with firefighting teams arriving within seven minutes.
A 20m by 20m factory was engulfed in flame.
Fire Rescue Victoria said crews initially worked on the fire from the outside over concerns that the building might collapse.
A total of 15 appliances responded to the fire.
The fire was bought under control at 3.22am with teams of firefighters working for several hours to fully extinguish the blaze and clear the building of smoke.
The incident was being treated as suspicious and the scene was handed to Victoria police.
Updated
Knife-wielding man arrested at western Sydney shopping centre
A man is facing charges after allegedly brandishing a knife in alarming scenes at a busy Sydney shopping centre.
Police arrested the man at Westfield Parramatta after he allegedly stole a number of items from stores on Saturday morning, allegedly arming himself with a knife and threatening a shopper.
The shopper, a 36-year-old man, confronted the alleged attacker who then left the scene and the knife behind.
Police say the 24-year-old man allegedly attempted to assault officers when they arrested him.
The officers searched the man and seized 69 gift cards and a pair of earrings.
He was taken to Parramatta police station where he was charged with shoplifting, goods in custody, use knife in public place – cause person to fear for safety, and intimidate police officer in execution of duty.
He was refused bail and expected to front Parramatta local court on Sunday.
- AAP
Updated
Volunteer firefighter dies after being struck by a police car in Tasmania
The death of a volunteer firefighter struck by a police car on Flinders Island will have an impact on the “whole community”, a senior officer says.
Tasmania police say the man was on foot when he was hit by the police vehicle driven by an on-duty officer on Saturday night.
Emergency crews were called to the town of Lady Barron at 9pm.
The police officer involved was not injured, but the Lackrana man, aged in his 60s died at the scene.
Tasmania police assistant commissioner Adrian Bodnar said the incident would have a profound impact on the man’s family, emergency personnel involved, and the entire Flinders Island community.
This is a tragedy involving two people who worked together in a small community, and it will no doubt have an impact on everyone involved for some time to come.
A full Professional Standards investigation will take place to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash, and a report will be delivered to the coroner.
- AAP
Updated
Labor announces cheap loans for energy efficient home upgrades
The Albanese government will offer cheap loans to homeowners and investors looking to make energy efficient upgrades as part of a $160m scheme announced on Sunday.
This funding was committed to Westpac’s sustainable upgrades home loan scheme through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, with borrowers able to access loans with a 4.49% interest rate.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said Australians could save $3,475 on a 10-year, $30,000 loan.
These competitive-rate loans will give customers the freedom to choose how to upgrade their homes and to make them more energy efficient and save on their bills.
The initiative forms part of a billion-dollar household energy upgrade fund, and will allow applications to take out low-interest loans to install solar arrays, batteries, EV chargers, double-glazed windows and insulation.
Updated
Shamikh Badra is one of many Palestinian Australians hurt by the Coalition’s recent push to impose a temporary blanket ban on granting visas to those escaping the deadly conflict in Gaza.
The Sydneysider, who is undertaking his PhD, has been desperately trying to get his elderly mother out of Gaza City after Israeli tanks destroyed the family home last year.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, escalated the opposition’s rhetoric against Palestinians fleeing Gaza this week, criticising the security checking process for visa applications and urging a temporary blanket pause.
The comments have stirred furious debate over whether the approach is discriminatory, shortly after Asio’s director general, Mike Burgess, cautioned politicians “to be careful about their robust political debate”, warning it could “drive violence in our society”.
Badra says Dutton and the opposition’s comments are “deeply troubling” and provoke a “strong reaction” in him.
He would not make such statements if, as an Australian citizen, he had family trapped in Gaza, suffering from a lack of medicine, water and food due to the ongoing conflict, and if his family had died under those dire circumstances.
For more on this story, read the full feature story by Sarah Basford-Canales:
Michael Sukkar accuses Labor of ‘cavalier attitude’ towards visa security checks
The opposition’s housing spokesperson, Michael Sukkar, is accusing the government of a “cavalier attitude” to the security vetting process.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Sukkar has repeated the Coalition attack on the government saying “you’ve got to put the interests of Australians first”.
They think that there’s nothing wrong with bringing Hamas sympathisers and supporters potentially to this country.
You’ve got to put the interests of Australians first … and their interest is not supported by Hamas supporters and sympathisers being granted visas into this country.
- AAP
Updated
Tourist visas granted to Palestinians in order ‘to get people out as quickly as you can’, Husic says
Ed Husic has defended the government’s decision to grant tourist visas to those fleeing Gaza as they were able to process the visas faster.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military campaign carried out by Israel in the Gaza strip since the October 7 terrorist attack.
Refugee visas take longer, and given what’s happening right now and the dangers presented, the view was to try and get people out as quickly as you can.
We are trying to assist at some of the toughest points in time that people are facing.
The federal government has insisted the security vetting process for issuing visas is the same as when the Coalition was in office.
- AAP
Updated
Dutton has ‘turned his back’ on Palestinians, Ed Husic says
The industry minister, Ed Husic, has accused Peter Dutton of having “turned his back” on those fleeing Gaza during an interview on Sky News on Sunday.
Dutton has been urging the government to undertake a pause in the visa intake from the region until security vetting processes could be ensured, claiming terrorist sympathisers had been admitted to Australia.
Husic accused the opposition leader of politicising the issue.
Peter Dutton was in [government] where he provided support for Syrians, for Afghans and for Ukrainians, and then all of a sudden, just shut the door in one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes we’re witnessing.
That speaks volumes about Peter Dutton, someone who is seeking to be an alternative, where he can turn his back on parents that are trying to save lives of their kids, all for the sake of him shoring up his political situation.
Department of Home Affairs figures showed 7,100 visas from Palestine had been rejected, and of the 2,922 that had been approved, 1,300 had arrived safely in Australia.
Husic’s comments come after the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, accused the opposition leader of deliberately stirring division with his views on Gaza.
- AAP
Updated
Dutton doubles down on refusing Gaza refugees in editorial
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has published an opinion piece in News Corp papers, doubling down on his views that Australia should refuse to allow refugees from Gaza into the country.
The editorial repeats attacks against the government over what the opposition claims is a failure to provide proper security checks for refugees arriving in Australia from Gaza.
Dutton says “we need to be clear-eyed about Palestinians in Gaza” as “the problem” is that “we cannot tell who’s who, unless thorough background checks are done.”
Some Gazans are Hamas terrorists. Some will have been accomplices in holding hostages.
Some may not be violent, but support Hamas – a declared terrorist organisation – and its use of violence. Some may have no fondness for Hamas, but will be anti-Semitic.
And some Gazans will be people of good character, potentially able and willing to integrate into a democratic nation and subscribe to its values.
The editorial concludes by accusing Labor, the teal independents and the Greens of being “useful idiots” for Hamas over allegations that the Coalition’s position is “racist” and that they have demonstrated a “complete disregard for our national security”.
The border crossings in Gaza are currently controlled by the Israeli Defense Forces and no one is being allowed in or out.
For context, John Howard intervened to allow 4,000 Kosovar refugees to enter Australia during the war in Yugoslavia.
Updated
The final question is on the Labor government’s backdown on a blanket gambling advertising ban, that was bipartisan.
I’m not a wowser, I enjoy a flutter, but I will introduce gambling to my kids when I’m ready, not because we want to watch football. We have to look after free-to-air TV, they are under threat and we need to make sure we get the balance right. There is an opportunity for a bipartisan approach here to get this right, but the community is clearly telling us that we have to do something and do something soon.
Updated
Littleproud says Coalition would send ‘market signals’ to favour gas and nuclear investment over renewables
The Nationals leader is now asked about renewable energy and whether or not the Coalition will seek to limit the setup of big projects.
Littleproud, citing the Grattan Institute, says that “the low hanging fruit” of renewable energy projects have been “done” – these are projects located around existing transmission lines and other infrastructure. The Nationals leader says that to go beyond this will “destroy the very thing we’re trying to protect”, being the environment.
Obviously once you go beyond that, you are going onto greenfield sites, destroying the very thing we’re trying to protect, the actual natural environment, and also impacting many of the land holders with the transmission lines. While the land holders might get turbines and solar panels, they might get financial benefit, but those with transmission lines don’t.
Speers: Will you put a cap on those projects?
We will have a mix. To have an all-renewables approach puts all your energy eggs in one basket.
Littleproud was then asked about the potential for a cap on renewable energy investment, at a time when the Coalition wants to set up nuclear power plants.
If you put in baseload power and shift some of that coal-fired into nuclear and you increase gas … and that will be our solution to that transition, is gas – then you actually do limit the amount of increased renewables put in it.
The Nationals leader was pushed on whether there will be a cap.
Well, the market, as I said, you will be sending the market signals. That’s what governments do, they send the market signals by sending those messages about how we will have the energy grid.
And a third time:
Not necessarily a hardline cap, but by us putting in place nuclear plants that the Australian people will own, that’s going to … pure mathematics tell you that in fact what will happen is you will need less renewables, but we’ll need more gas.
Asked whether the Coalition wants to tell investors that the government wants less renewables:
We will be sending the actual mix of what we’re looking for and what we want to achieve, and that’s about making sure we have reliable, affordable power. Regional Australia’s future shouldn’t be one determined by born billionaires with teal members of parliament that have an ideology telling regional Australia’s future is to be littered with transmission lines, solar panels and wind turbines. Regional Australia wants a different future to that. We want to be part of the energy transition. Renewables is part of that, but so too is gas and so too will be nuclear.
Updated
Asked about tax cuts for the wealthy, Littleproud says that the tax system needs to tackle “bracket creep” at “some point” or “we will have a tax system that doesn’t reward effort”.
So why wouldn’t we have the courage to say to Australians, “We want you to be aspirational, we want you to go out and have a red-hot go and get ahead in life and be rewarded financially, but not have the tax man sitting over the top of you.”
Updated
Littleproud is asked about his support for the idea of “zonal taxation” but says he is “not going to announce the policy today”, only that the part is “working through a suite of measures”. He also says he won’t be drawn on whether the party will push for lower taxes for people in regional areas.
Updated
Migrants should be encouraged to fill skills shortages in regions, Littleproud says
Littleproud says funding may help but any extra money for the states needs to be tied to specific outcomes.
As our federation’s changed, I think the funding that comes from the federal government needs to come with serious outcomes and I support the government if they are going to continue down that track, but we need to seriously look at the curriculum.
On the skills shortage now and the Coalition plan to cap migration rates, Littleproud says the Coalition wants to “encourage them to go to those parts where we do have shortages” rather than to major cities where they may become “dog groomers and martial arts instructors”.
When you have a housing crisis, you probably want to bring in a few roofers, tilers, builders, and those where you can bond them to regional Australia. What we’ve found, if you bond them for five to six years, invariably they’ve made a connection with the community and they don’t want to leave.
Updated
Poor Naplan results due to ‘cluttered’ curriculum, Littleproud says
The conversation pivots sharply now to concerns about the Naplan results and school curriculums. The Nationals leader says the poor results can be cured by “getting back to basics” and “decluttering” the curriculum.
I get feedback from teachers and principals that there is just too much in the curriculum for them to cover, and they are not doing the basics well enough because they don’t have the time. We need to let the grassroots, which are the teachers out there on the ground to be able to articulate what is going to work. My father was a teacher, and I can tell you it’s getting back to the basics and giving them the tools, not cluttering the curriculum up.
Updated
Littleproud has refused to say whether he has confidence in statements by the head of Asio, Mike Burgess, that, following proper procedure, he is not worried about the security risk posed by refugees arriving in Australia from Gaza.
The Nationals leader was asked twice, saying only that it’s “beholden on government to give us that confidence”.
He is then asked a third time about whether he doesn’t have confidence in statements from the head of Asio that the proper checks have been done.
No, that’s not what I said at all … that’s more than likely been done, but I think it’s appropriate that the government gives that confidence to the Australian people and everybody else.
Littleproud also says he does not believe Dutton was “playing politics” on the issue.
You tell me if that is not a reasonable suggestion, to actually put forward a policy that has been utilised before, that has given Australians confidence and comfort about the people we bring to this country. That’s our primary responsibility, to keep Australians safe.
Updated
Littleproud says 24 hours not enough to conduct visa security assessments
Littleproud has cast doubt on the veracity of security checks carried out on Palestinians who have arrived in Australia, saying a 24-hour turnaround is not enough to conduct a proper security assessment.
On allegations that the Coalition has been politicising the issue, Littleproud says “it’s reasonable for the opposition to simply ask questions and put reasonable solutions to make sure we get that comfort and we’re doing more”.
Updated
David Littleproud speaking on Insiders
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, says the opposition “still welcomes members of the Islamic faith to this country” but the Coalition still has concerns about those travelling to Australia from “a war zone” given the “fluid nature of it”.
When you’re looking at a war zone and the fluid nature of it, that why wouldn’t you put in place the programs and the procedures that were put in place in the past and give Australians comfort and give those families, and those particularly bringing children here who want to have a safe existence, that we can promise them that, because we haven’t brought someone in that doesn’t have the hate that is permeating in some parts of the world to this country and utilising that to tear away at the very safety of our great country.
The Nationals leader says there “may be a juncture in the future where we can open up our borders again to those wanting to flee Gaza”.
It is worth remembering that, currently, Israel controls the only way in or out of the Gaza strip and people are not allowed to leave.
Updated
NSW electoral commission rejects Liberals’ demand for nomination extension
The New South Wales Liberal party has demanded a week-long extension to lodge nominations for more than 130 council candidates after the party missed the deadline in a “monumental stuff-up”.
But acting NSW electoral commissioner, Matthew Phillips, considered the grounds for the request and on Saturday rejected an extension.
The NSW Liberal party president, Don Harwin, sent a letter to the NSW electoral commission overnight Friday after the party’s head office missed the Wednesday noon deadline to lodge the necessary paperwork to nominate all of its candidates for the local government elections on 14 September.
Guardian Australia understands Harwin gave the electoral commission until 4pm on Saturday to respond, and that the letter detailed “issues” with the electoral process.
It is understood that the letter also pointed to a section of the Local Government Act outlining that there is discretion around the nomination deadline of the fifth Wednesday before polling day, with the election manager able to determine a different date “in a particular case”.
For more on this story, read the full report by Jordyn Beazley:
Updated
The federal Nationals leader, David Littleproud, will speak to ABC Insiders host, David Speers, on Sunday morning.
🎤 Coming up on #ABCInsiders with @David_Speers
— ABC News (@abcnews) August 17, 2024
• Nationals leader David Littleproud interviewed🔎
• 📸 Amanda Copp
• 🛋️ Charles Croucher, Jennifer Hewett and Anna Henderson.
See you at 9am #auspol pic.twitter.com/4nEWquws7l
We will bring you all the latest as it happens.
Updated
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday morning Guardian live blog.
The NSW electoral commission has rejected a demand from the NSW Liberal party for an extension after it failed to meet a deadline to register more than 130 council candidates. The party made the request on Saturday after it was reported the party was considering taking legal action against the commission if it failed to grant a week-long extension.
The Albanese government will offer cheap loans to homeowners and investors looking to make energy efficient upgrades as part of a $160m scheme announced on Sunday. The initiative forms part of a billion dollar household energy upgrade fund and will allow applications to take out low-rate loans to install solar arrays, batteries, EV chargers, double-glazed windows and insulation.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs and I’ll be taking the blog through the day.
With that, let’s get started ...
