What we learned: Sunday 21 August
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, I’ll be spending it riddled with anxiety watching the conclusion of the Collingwood Carlton game.
Here were today’s major developments:
Speaking on Insiders this morning, Barnaby Joyce said he “wasn’t aware at the start” of Scott Morrison’s secret ministries because it happened before he became the Nationals leader. Asked about Morrison’s taking over of additional portfolios, he said he arrived there “obliquely”.
It came as prime minister Anthony Albanese flagged reform and inquiries in the wake of the revelations former prime minister Morrison secretly swore himself into five ministries, to ensure it never happens again.
New South Wales has detected its first community transmission of monkeypox after recording three additional cases of the virus. “About half” of Victoria’s cases are of community transmission, prompting health authorities to issue an alert for high risk members of the public. There have been almost 100 cases recorded nationwide.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has issued a personal apology by video to members of the airline’s Frequent Flyers program after passengers were left dealing with delays, cancelled flights, long queues and lost baggage.
And in Covid news, there have been 36 deaths to the virus across the nation today including 18 in Victoria and 16 in NSW.
Updated
A man has been shot by police in the Gold Coast this afternoon, Queensland Police has confirmed.
Police officers attended an address at around 3.20pm and allege they were confronted on arrival by a man armed with a knife.
Negotiators were notified to attend the scene and speak with the man.
The 29-year-old man allegedly advanced at officers and was subsequently shot just after 4pm. He was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition.
A crime scene has been established as an investigation by the Ethical Standards Command continues. The investigation is subject to oversight by the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
Updated
