What we learned, Thursday 31 October
And with that we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Up to 55% of schools and childcare centres are unsafely close to main roads in some Australian suburbs, exposing children to deadly car pollution, a new report found.
The Greens announced an ambitious plan to offer unlimited mental health sessions on Medicare, expected to cost about $5.9bn over the next 10 years, as it narrows in on inner-city Labor seats ahead of the next federal election.
Consumers and small businesses reported more than 10,000 scams in 2023/24 – an 81% increase from the year before, according to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s annual review.
Anthony Albanese insisted he never contacted then Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce directly, nor through an intermediary, to share travel plans or seek flight upgrades, rejecting the claim in a new book that he solicited them from the airline’s boss while he was transport minister.
Protesters gathered outside the Woolworths Group Limited annual general meeting. The chair, Scott Perkins, was asked a question about Tim Tams in the meeting, after it was recently disclosed that shoppers in the UK pay less for the Australian-made chocolate biscuit.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission began proceedings in the federal court against Optus.
A woman snorkelling in the middle of the ocean off the coast of Queensland was bitten by a shark.
Peter Dutton admitted his office asked mining billionaire Gina Rinehart for a lift on her private jet to a Bali bombing memorial, after claiming the government wouldn’t help him get a flight on a government plane.
NSW Health has issued a public health alert for blood-borne virus risk, advising clients of Fresh Cosmetic Clinic to get tested “due to infection control breaches in the clinic,” as put in a media release.
The Victorian government will cut more than 130 positions from its bushfire forest service and close six regional locations, acknowledging budget restraints.
We will be back tomorrow to do it all again!
Updated
A little weather update from Guardian Australia’s economics correspondent:
October was relatively dry in parts of the southeast and southwest, and wetter than usual across much of WA. (Via @bom_au) pic.twitter.com/oT885jehKj
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
(While much of Sydney is about to get a bit wetter: pic.twitter.com/SAGG8TK1EW
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
Australian diplomat’s partner charged with assault in New Zealand
An Australian diplomat’s partner at the centre of an alleged drunken fight and immunity storm in New Zealand has been charged and summoned to face court, AAP reports.
A 37-year-old man, who has not been publicly identified, has been charged with summary offences assault, according to Wellington newspaper The Post.
The offence can lead to a jail sentence of up to six months or a fine of up to $4,000.
The charge follows an alleged street fight in the aftermath of Australia’s Bledisloe Cup loss in the Kiwi capital in September.
Police detained the man but released him after finding a diplomatic immunity card in his wallet, according to The Post. .
Updated
More than 700 new ranger jobs across the country reserved for Indigenous women
The addition of 1,000 new ranger jobs across the country has been welcomed by Indigenous land management groups but they say more funding is needed to support their work.
Patrick O’Leary, the chief executive of Country Needs People, which supports ranger groups across Australia, welcomed the $355m funding commitment.
It’s great to see the first stage of rollout of the new Indigenous ranger positions announced and the federal government delivering on their long-term commitment.
This won’t be the last funding round and there will need to be further rounds of ranger job funding following the next federal election.
Up to 770 of the new ranger roles will be set aside for Indigenous women, who play an important role in protecting women’s sites, preserving cultural knowledge and practices.
Updated
Victorian government cuts more than 130 bushfire forest service jobs
The Victorian government will cut more than 130 positions from its bushfire forest service and close six regional locations, acknowledging budget restraints.
A restructure document presented to staff on Wednesday outlined a “need to fit within a sustainable budget envelope” and to “refine our operating model”.
According to the document obtained by Guardian Australia, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s bushfire forest services group will be cut from 1,932 positions to 1,795.
Most jobs (47) will go from the forest fire operations unit, 33 will go from the conservation regulation division, 41 from infrastructure and resources and 16 from policy and planning.
Staff at Lysterfield, Wangaratta, Mount Beauty, Rainbow, Shepparton and Plenty Gorge will be transferred to other locations. Staff will only be based at Tidal River, Wonthaggi and Nelson seasonally.
The restructure was influenced, in part, by the transfer of the Parks Victoria fire program to the department in July 2023. Here’s how the document outlines the change:
We have not reviewed our whole operation model since 2017. We need to update our operating model and adjust to changed priorities, context, technologies and ways of working.
Updated
Emergency fire warning for north Queensland
There is an emergency warning for fire in north Queensland.
A large fire is burning near Warruma Swamp Road between Onyx Street and Harrison Road. It is expected to affect the Kennedy Highway very soon.
The Queensland fire department is advising residents to leave immediately and warns that it will soon be too dangerous to drive.
Go to the department’s website for latest updates.
Updated
Local shares down to round out worst month since April
The local sharemarket has fallen in its final session of October to end the month lower before a pivotal week for markets, AAP has reported.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Thursday down 20.4 points, or 0.25%, at 8,160, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 17.4 points, or 0.21%, to 8,422.1.
After reaching a record high of 8,384.5 earlier in October, a two-week losing streak saw the ASX200 end the month down 1.3% – its biggest monthly fall since April.
Consumer staples were the worst performers on Thursday, down 1.6%, with supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths both falling after reporting softer trading.
Market-moving developments next week include the US election, interest rate decisions from the Australian, US and UK central banks and more details on China’s fiscal stimulus package.
The Australian dollar was buying US65.65 cents, from US65.40 cents at Wednesday’s ASX close.
Updated
Woolworths shareholders vote to keep selling farmed salmon despite alleged threat to Maugean skate
Woolworths will continue to sell farmed salmon that allegedly threatens the existence of a rare fish after shareholders voted down a resolution to stop the practice, AAP reports.
A handful of protesters outside the company’s annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday held signs accusing Woolworths of killing the Maugean skate, a prehistoric ray estimated to number between 40 to 120 individuals in the wild.
Inside, the chair, Scott Perkins, assured shareholders the board took the issue very seriously:
Responsible sourcing of seafood is important to our business, and underpinned by our seafood sourcing policy, our policy requires all own-branded seafood sold in Australia to be third-party certified or independently verified as ecologically responsible.
The remaining wild skates live exclusively in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, where salmon farming has been linked to problematic drops in available oxygen.
Perkins said Woolworths “is not perfect” but rejected allegations it misled customers by inflating prices on products before lowering them and calling it a discount.
Updated
Labor accused of playing down drug reform summit
Labor has been accused of trying to minimise the impact of a once-in-a-generation drug reform summit amid last-minute changes and sector concern over its handling, AAP has reported.
The long-promised NSW Drug Summit begins on Friday in the regional city of Griffith, before hearings in Lismore and Sydney.
All but the opening speeches in Griffith had been closed off to media until a late decision to allow in reporters to hear the co-chairs summarise each session.
Lists of the 49 groups attending were also circulated to media on Thursday as the government sought to hose down complaints of some stakeholders being left out, including a Griffith homelessness organisation.
Advocates want serious consideration of community drug checking, improved funding of addiction services and changes to policing.
Updated
NSW woman dies after being run over in her driveway last week
A woman has died in hospital a week after being run over in the state’s west, NSW police have said in a statement:
About 5.50pm on Wednesday (23 October 2024), emergency services were called to Agland Crescent, Orange, following reports a woman had been run over in her driveway.
The 70-year-old woman was treated by NSW Ambulance before being airlifted to Liverpool hospital in a critical condition.
The driver – a 73-year-old – was taken to Orange hospital for mandatory testing.
On Thursday (31 October 2024), police were informed the woman had died at the hospital.
A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.
Updated
Victoria’s V/Line reports highest ever patronage
V/Line has reported its highest ever patronage after the government capped fares on all regional train and coach services in Victoria.
In its 2023-24 report, tabled in parliament today, the regional rail provider said 23.8m trips were taken in the financial year - the highest patronage ever recorded on the V/Line rail network.
In his foreword, V/Line’s chief executive Matt Carrick wrote:
This growth has been spurred by record investment in our network and the introduction of the regional fare cap, which capped the daily price of a regional fare to the price of a metropolitan fare. Since the introduction of the regional fare cap, patronage on our service has continued to go from strength to strength, with many of our passengers taking advantage of reduced fares to travel around the state for major events and festivals, and to connect with family and friends.
The annual report said its busiest day ever was 24 April 2024 – the day before the Anzac Day public holiday. The biggest increases in patronage were on the long-haul routes including the Albury, Echuca, Swan Hill and Warrnambool lines.
It said by the end of the 2023-24 financial year, the fare cap had saved passengers $74m since it was introduced.
Under the fare cap, which was introduced following the 2022 state election, anyone can travel anywhere in the state serviced by the V/Line without paying more than $10.60 a day – even less on weekends and for concessions.
Updated
Thanks for joining me on the blog today! Handing over to Cait Kelly, who will keep you updated with the afternoon’s news.
ABC journalist Matt Peacock dies aged 72
Matt Peacock, the ABC journalist who uncovered the corruption and spin of the asbestos industry over three decades, has died aged 72 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
Peacock was the author of Killer Company: James Hardie Exposed, which detailed his role in uncovering the asbestos scandal. In 2012 his dogged ABC journalism was portrayed by actor Ewan Leslie in the ABC miniseries Devil’s Dust.
Towards the end of his 40-year career at the ABC he was a senior reporter on 7.30 and the staff elected director on the ABC board.
ABC chair Kim Williams said Peacock was dedicated to pursuing the health impacts of asbestos in different communities, defending the marginalised and giving a voice to people who needed their story to be told.
“Our audiences trusted him and knew him as a courageous and principled journalist who pursued those who hid from their responsibilities,” Williams said.
He loved the ABC and believed in its integrity and standards, and he urged his colleagues to uphold these values without compromise. Matt further represented these values as staff elected ABC Board member from 2013 where he tirelessly advocated for the role of the ABC and the importance of the journalism it delivered. After retiring from the ABC, he was just as vocal as a member of the ABC alumni.
Updated
NSW health warning over potential virus risk at Sydney cosmetic clinic
NSW Health has issued a public health alert for blood-borne virus risk, advising clients of Fresh Cosmetic Clinic to get tested “due to infection control breaches in the clinic,” as put in a media release.
Dr Vicky Sheppeard, director of South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit (SESLHD PHU), said clients who had injections or underwent any invasive procedure – such as breast implants, facial or nasal line carving – should “see their GP as soon as possible and ask to be tested for blood-borne viruses”.
Fresh Cosmetic Clinic is no longer operating at 630 George Street, according to the statement.
Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) notified SESLHD PHU of concerns relating to “potential risks to public health arising from practices at the Fresh Cosmetic Clinic”.
SESLHD PHU inspected the clinic on 22 October and reviewed evidence provided by the HCCC. They identified some procedures conducted the clinic “may have posed a risk to clients of exposure to blood borne viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV”.
Sheppeard said:
Blood borne viruses can be spread between clients where injections or invasive procedures are carried out without stringent infection control.
People infected with blood borne viruses may not show symptoms for many years, so it is important to be tested to see if there is silent infection. There are effective treatments for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
NSW Health and the HCCC are working to consider whether any other action needs to be taken.
Updated
Dump day at Victorian parliament
For those who celebrate, today is dump day at Victoria’s parliament.
As I wrote last year, dump day is when the government releases a bewildering number of annual reports at once, presumably so that journalists and other interested parties are rendered physically incapable of taking them all in.
Today though, 131 annual reports, including dozens of reports from Victoria’s health services and emergency service agencies, have been delayed until next sitting week.
The opposition finance spokesperson, Jess Wilson, says it’s “simply unacceptable”.
She said:
With so many government agencies sinking further into debt and services continuing to deteriorate under Labor, Victorians deserve to know the exact financial position of their frontline health, emergency service, justice and environment authorities.
We’ll let you know what we find as we trawl through the other 173 documents that have been tabled in parliament.
Updated
Peter Dutton's office asked Gina Rinehart's company for lift on private jet
Peter Dutton has admitted his office asked mining billionaire Gina Rinehart for a lift on her private jet to a Bali bombing memorial, after claiming the government wouldn’t help him get a flight on a government plane.
Just days ago, Dutton said “no” when asked by a journalist if he’d personally asked Rinehart for help with flights. But on Thursday he conceded his office had in fact made such a request to Australia’s richest person.
Dutton declared the flight on his register of interests in November 2022, disclosing flights between Rockhampton, Sydney and Mackay “to attend Bali bombing memorial ... courtesy of Hancock Prospecting”, Rinehart’s mining company.
He said on Thursday that his office was unable to secure commercial flights for that route, and that a charter jet would have cost about $40,000. Dutton claimed his office had requested a special-purpose flight, or a VIP jet available to politicians under some circumstances, but alleged the government “played games, and they didn’t offer that flight”.
“The cheaper option for the taxpayer was for my office to speak to Mrs Rinehart’s office as to whether the plane might be available. That was at zero cost to the taxpayer,” he said.
Just two days ago, Dutton had shrugged off questions about that flight. According to a transcript distributed by his office on Tuesday, at a press conference Dutton was asked by a journalist: “Have you ever personally asked Gina Rinehart to fly around Australia?”
His answer, according to the transcript, was a flat “no”.
Dutton’s answer on Thursday was that his office had spoken to Rinehart’s office about flights, a distinction to the question on Tuesday about whether he’d “personally” asked Rinehart herself.
Updated
Australia Institute recommends five changes to anti-corruption commission
The Australia Institute has recommended five changes to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, including:
Bringing forward the statutory review of the Nacc
Allowing public hearings whenever it is in the public interest to do so.
Implementing a Whistleblower Protection Authority.
Ensuring the parliamentary committee which oversees the Nacc is not controlled by the government of the day.
Broadening the powers of the Nacc inspector.
Bill Browne, director, Democracy & Accountability Program at the Australia Institute:
A review into the Nacc is already planned, but for years in the future – bringing it forward would allow the Nacc to course correct before it goes too far adrift.
An early adverse finding against the Nacc commissioner by the Inspector poses a serious risk to public confidence in the anti-corruption watchdog.
Expanding the scope of the Nacc inspector and allowing for a non-government majority on the committee scrutinising the Nacc would improve oversight of this important body.
Updated
Canberra Liberals leader ousted by deputy after election loss
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee has been ousted by her deputy as the party engages in soul-searching while facing a quarter century in opposition.
Leanne Castley has taken over the Canberra Liberals leadership and becomes the ACT opposition leader in a Halloween spill at the local Legislative Assembly.
Conservative Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson – himself a former opposition leader – announced his intention to challenge for the leadership almost immediately after it became clear his party couldn’t form government.
Numbers were always going to be tight in a partyroom of nine, with lines split between moderates backing Lee and conservatives backing Hanson.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Woman rescued after being bitten by shark off Queensland coast
A woman who was snorkelling in the middle of the ocean off the coast of Queensland has been bitten by a shark.
Paramedics were called to assist a woman in her 50s who was bitten by a shark about 10 hours offshore – or 200 km – from Mackay on Wednesday afternoon.
It’s understood she was on a boat in the middle of the ocean and snorkelling when the attack occurred.
She suffered lacerations to her lower leg.
Navy vessel HMAS Warramunga was in the area and caught up with the woman’s boat to provide medical assistance before sailing to Mackay Harbour.
Paramedics took over when she arrived at 12.45am on Thursday and transported the woman to Mackay Base hospital in a stable condition.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Australia’s export prices extend their retreat and why your cuppa is getting more costly
We usually focus a lot on demand in Australia but, as a trading nation, what’s happening globally has a big influence on our growth prospects.
As a commodity exporter, in particular, we can mostly thank China for pushing up the value of energy and mineral exports for the past couple of decades. And since China’s economy is now struggling – particularly the real estate bit that uses a lot of resources – commodity prices are generally sinking, as the ABS’s September quarter data shows:
Meanwhile, the prices for Australia's main exports continue to decline (except for gold). (Via @ABSStats ) pic.twitter.com/CNNNG8NAwu
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
Lower prices mean smaller mining profits (to the extent they remain in Australia) and smaller royalty payments (harder to avoid) flowing into government coffers. (Translation: there’s little chance of a third federal budget surplus in a row)
Weak Chinese demand extends to oil, which is why import prices of petroleum products are on the skids (despite Middle East tensions). The fact that electric vehicles account for half of all auto sales in China (easily the biggest car market nowadays), suggests oil demand there has peaked too.
And if you’re about to grab a coffee or tea, it’s worth noting how much prices of those commodities are rising.
On the import side, falling oil-related products is notable (despite tensions in the Middle East). Coffee, tea and cocoa price increases point to bad weather in farming regions (with climate change lurking in the background). (Via @ABSStats ) pic.twitter.com/rcKNTHAbr8
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
Hope the charts don’t put you off your lunch.
Updated
Weak retail sales suggest people are holding on to their tax cuts
Whether the Reserve Bank will cut interest rates soon hinges mostly on how it sees demand aligning with supply in the economy.
RBA staff have repeatedly said there remains “excessive” demand so, until that ends, it won’t be confident that inflation will remain “sustainably” within its 2%-3% target.
As we saw with yesterday’s September quarter inflation figures, the annual headline consumer price rate had dropped back to 2.8% (a tick), but core inflation was still at 3.5% (better than 4% in the June quarter, but not a tick).
Today, we’ve had a couple more ABS data points to consider, including retail spending. It was basically flat for September, or less than the 0.3% growth economists had tipped.
Weak retail sales numbers for September, with spending up just 0.1% for the month. Economists had expected a 0.3% increase. (Via @ABSStats ) pic.twitter.com/xO7xQkB8MJ
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
From a year ago, spending was up 2.3%, and hence a shrinkage of about a 0.5 percentage point if we deduct inflation. That’s telling us, it would seem, that households are saving most of their stage three tax cuts that started from 1 July (which will please the RBA).
A separate ABS release on building approvals saw an uptick in September of 4.4%, reversing the revised drop of 3.9% in August.
Building approvals, meanwhile, ticked up 4.4% for September, a bit better than economists had expected. (Via @ABSStats ) pic.twitter.com/VBoPGSfFSf
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 31, 2024
The more approvals the better, but as the above chart shows, the numbers fluctuate a lot.
Victoria, by the way, easily led the number of approvals last month, countering perhaps some of the financial commentary lately about its poor economic prospects and performance.
Updated
Optus in court for alleged unconscionable sales and debt collection
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has commenced proceedings in the federal court against Optus, alleging the telecommunications company engaged in unconscionable conduct “when selling telecommunications goods and services to hundreds of consumers, that they often did not want or need, and in some cases then pursuing consumers for debts resulting from these sales,” as put in an ACCC statement.
The ACCC said many of these customers were experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage:
… such as living with a mental disability, diminished cognitive capacity or learning difficulties, being financially dependent or unemployed, or having limited financial and legal literacy.
ACCC also said many impacted customers were First Nations Australian from regional and remote areas, or were people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said:
This case concerns allegations of very serious conduct, as our case is that Optus sold goods to consumers experiencing vulnerability which they did not need, did not want and could not afford.”
We also allege that Optus’ unconscionable conduct continued after management became aware of deficiencies in its systems that were being exploited by sales staff, and despite this, failed to implement fixes.
An Optus spokesperson said:
Optus acknowledges the ACCC’s media release.
We are currently reviewing the claims made by the ACCC and will respond in more detail in due course.
Updated
Woolworths chair asked about price of Tim Tams and why they've shrunk
Woolworths chair Scott Perkins has been asked a question about Tim Tams at the company’s annual meeting, after it was recently disclosed that shoppers in the UK pay less for the Australian-made chocolate biscuit than those shopping at Coles and Woolworths.
The shareholder also asked Perkins why Tim Tam pack sizes are sometimes smaller than they used to be, an issue known as “shrinkflation”.
Perkins responded: “We work with our suppliers on all sorts of packaging formulations the whole time, but we don’t control the price of Tim Tams overseas.”
Provided we are transparent, customers can make their own minds up and actually adjust their budget spend on unit price and units themselves.
The ability of Australian supermarkets to charge more for locally produced products than overseas retailers has been linked to the limited competition in the local sector, dominated by Coles and Woolworths.
Updated
Woolworths chair says company ‘disappointed’ with ACCC court action
The Woolworths chair, Scott Perkins, told shareholders today that the supermarket chain disagrees with the consumer regulator’s assessment of its promotional activity that has resulted in court action.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is suing Woolworths and rival Coles in the federal court over allegations they misled shoppers by offering “illusory” discounts on hundreds of common supermarket products.
Perkins said in his opening address at the annual general meeting that:
Woolworths Group is not perfect, and I’m sure we will learn things from some of these inquiries, but we remain firmly supportive of our teams and their conduct and the customer-first culture that so strongly underpins Woolworths Group today.
Specifically, we were disappointed with the ACCC’s announcement to commence proceedings, and while we disagree with their assessment that the price dropped program was misleading, we are committed to working constructively with them. I want to stress that we take our responsibility on pricing very seriously.
The major retailers are accused of inflating the prices of groceries for a short period, before placing them in their “Prices Dropped” or “Down Down” promotions.
The regulator has said it would seek “a significant penalty” after the major retailers allegedly profited from the sale of tens of millions of products sold through promotions the regulator claimed breached consumer law.
Updated
Coles announces plans for third automated distribution centre, to be built in Melbourne
Coles has announced it will spend $880m to expand its use of automated distribution into Victoria, with its third centre to be built in Melbourne’s west.
The supermarket giant announced plans for the Truganina site this morning as it released quarterly results that showed sales revenue grew 2.9% across the Coles group to $10.5bn.
In a statement to shareholders this morning, Coles said it was ramping up the use of its automated distribution centres (ADC) in Queensland – which opened in 2023 – and NSW – which opened earlier this year.
The company said it expected construction on the Victorian ADC to begin in 2025, which would increase its overall capital expenditure by $100m to $1.3bn this financial year.
In a conference call with journalists this morning, the Coles chief executive, Leah Weckert, said:
We’re excited for this further investment in technology to enhance product availability and improve efficiency across our supply chain.
Updated
Wesfarmers to reshape e-commerce Catch business
Perth-based conglomerate Wesfarmers has issued an upbeat assessment of its performance, with Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks proving to be popular destinations for households and businesses grappling with rising costs.
But not all of its business units are doing so well. In 2019, Wesfarmers paid $230m for e-commerce company Catch Group, which is known for its daily deals.
After some initial success, Catch’s annual revenue has fallen sharply in recent years, prompting Wesfarmers to reshape the business.
Wesfarmers said today that Catch’s transaction value “continues to be impacted by weaker discretionary demand and increasing competitive intensity”.
Plans are under way to increase the utilisation of Catch’s e-commerce distribution centres to support growth and improve the efficiency of Kmart and Target home deliveries.
Updated
Rising electricity use pushes up emissions even as renewable records fall
Australia has a target of reducing 2005-level greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030, and much of that reduction is supposed to come from the electricity sector.
Unfortunately, the trend so far this year hasn’t been heading in the right direction, with emissions rising in each of the first three quarters of this year (although the March quarter was only marginally higher), as we note here this morning:
That we are flush with clean energy resources is obvious if you cast a glance out your window right now (renewables are providing two-thirds of the National Electricity Market, according to the OpenNEM website).
As the Australian Energy Market Operator notes, the pace of construction of new solar and wind farms is picking up. Part of the problem, though, is we’re not that great at harnessing the extra generation, with curtailments of output from solar farms on the rise in the September quarter.
Curtailment of some renewables, though, continues to curb the contribution of clean energy in the NEM. (Via @AEMO_Energy ) pic.twitter.com/9udv6jdYa9
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) October 30, 2024
The power sector accounts for about a third of our emissions and happens to have the most competitive non-fossil fuel alternatives (compared with, say, industry and farming). We need to do a better job if we’re to cut emissions at the pace implied by our targets.
Protesters gather outside Woolworths AGM
Protesters are gathered outside the Woolworths Group Limited annual general meeting, at the Woolworths Group support office in Sydney – here are some pics:
Updated
ATO reminder to do your tax returns
The Australian Taxation Office is urging Australians who haven’t lodged their income tax returns yet to hurry up and lodge before 31 October “to avoid potential penalties”.
The ATO assistant commissioner, Rob Thomson, said more than 9.4 million Australians have already lodged them – and a further 1.5 million self-preparer taxpayers are expected to need to lodge this year.
Thomson said:
A reminder to those who’ve done the right thing and deliberately held off finalising their tax return until pre-filled information is available, now’s the time to log back into the app or myTax, finalise and press lodge.
For those who haven’t yet started, it’s not scary or complicated. People with simple affairs will find that you should be able to lodge your tax return in the time it takes to cook a frozen pizza.
Updated
British band Coldplay opened their Australian tour in Melbourne last night without all four members on stage for the first time.
Their bassist Guy Berryman had fallen ill, and couldn’t perform. The band posted on Instagram:
Tonight was the first time in our band’s history that we’ve played a show without all four members onstage. Guy was taken ill unexpectedly just before the show. Thank you for carrying us through it.
Young man dies in multi-vehicle crash in Queensland’s Bundaberg Region
A fatal multi-vehicle traffic crash last night at Elliot in Queensland’s Bundaberg Region last night is being investigated by the police forensic crash Unit.
Police said three vehicles – a Toyota Hilux and two Yamaha motorcycles – crashed at the Cedars Road and Childers Road intersection around 6pm last night.
“Sadly, a 20-year-old Thabeban man died at the scene, and two other men sustained minor injuries,” the police statement said.
Updated
Albanese denies directly soliciting Qantas upgrades from Joyce or a proxy
Anthony Albanese insists he never contacted then Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce directly, nor through an intermediary, to share travel plans or seek flight upgrades, rejecting the claim in a new book that he solicited them from the airline’s boss while he was transport minister.
The prime minister’s office says Albanese did not contact Joyce by phone, email, text message or any other direct means and also did not directly contact Qantas government relations executive Andrew Parker, as has been alleged in some media reports.
The clarification comes after Albanese’s office issued a statement on Wednesday evening saying that “the prime minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade”.
All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.
Albanese is arguing he booked flights using Qantas’ booking systems in the normal way. He has not clarified whether this included using the direct line available for members of the invitation-only Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, to which most federal MPs have been gifted membership.
He has also not clarified whether Parker or any other executive may have been involved in arranging upgrades in the background – only that Albanese did not directly ask Parker, Joyce or anyone representing them personally, about upgrades.
In his book The Chairman’s Lounge, published this week, the journalist Joe Aston alleged that Albanese had asked Joyce multiple times to upgrade his class of travel while he was serving in the transport portfolio.
The government has described Aston as a former Liberal adviser who attended a Liberal party fundraiser earlier this year.
Having avoided directly confirming or denying the specific allegation for several days, Albanese has now clarified his position in a conversation reported by 2GB presenter Ben Fordham and confirmed by the prime minister’s office.
His explanation for the delay in responding is that it has taken some days to go back through decades of records of what is understood to be more than 6,000 flights to check the circumstances of any upgraded travel.
A spokesperson for Albanese said it was the Coalition which had questions to answer about travel.
The only people that need to look at the rules are [shadow transport minister] Bridget McKenzie and Peter Dutton. They’ve got some serious explaining to do.
Updated
Shadow transport minister investigating her own history of flight upgrades
The shadow transport minister, Bridget McKenzie, is investigating her own history of flight upgrades, the Australian Financial Review reported this morning.
McKenzie critiqued Anthony Albanese earlier this week after claims were made that he contacted former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce for flight upgrades while transport minister.
“I don’t know of another transport minister who had a hotline to the CEO of Qantas to request freebies for family holidays,” McKenzie said on the Today show on Tuesday morning.
McKenzie originally claimed she had received one upgrade in 2018, which she declared.
The AFR asked McKenzie about two more Qantas business class upgrades to Canberra and Auckland. She responded that she is reviewing her entire travel record since being elected in 2011, the paper reports.
The paper also says McKenzie is inquiring with three airlines to assist with her review.
Updated
Man dies after being hit by vehicle on NSW highway
A man has died after being hit by a vehicle at Harpers Hill, north-west of Maitland, last night.
Emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Harpers Hill about 9.30pm last night.
They found a man, believed to be in his 30s, who had been struck by a vehicle, which failed to stop, NSW police said in a statement.
The man was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.
A crime scene has been established, which specialist police from the Crash Investigation Unit with examine.
Updated
Albanese denies calling, texting or emailing Qantas staff or ex-CEO to ask for upgrade
Anthony Albanese has said he has not called, texted or emailed former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce for flight upgrades, Ben Fordham said in a 2GB segment this morning.
The PM on Wednesday denied ever calling Joyce for free Qantas flight upgrades during his time as transport minister and opposition leader.
This morning Fordham said “we spoke to Anthony Albanese last night” to “fill in some gaps”:
The question was asked, did you ever text Alan Joyce about flight upgrades? The PM’s answer: no.
Did you ever email Alan Joyce about flight upgrades? The PM’s answer again: no.
Did you ever share with Alan Joyce any flights or travel plans without specifically asking for an upgrade? The PM replied: no.
Was there someone else at Qantas you were seeking upgrades from or sharing your travel plans with? Again the PM replied: no.
Anthony Albanese says he had just booked the economy flights and get an upgrade to the front of the plane, and he wasn’t asking for anything. That’s what he’s told us.
Fordham also said he asked why Albanese has “waited to long to specifically deny the allegation”:
The prime minister says it’s taken a number of days to go through all of his records. He says he’s checked his history of text messages with Alan Joyce, and there’s nothing there about upgrades. He says it’s taken a long time to go through emails because they go back several decades. The PM says he didn’t want to come out earlier in the week and issue a complete denial in case he’d missed something. That’s why he ordered an internal audit of his records.
The PM tells 2GB breakfast, and I quote, over 30 years, there could have been a mistake, but we’ve gone through the records and there are none.
Now, several days after this first blew up, Anthony Albanese says it didn’t happen. No calls, no texts, no emails.
Updated
BHP defends coal and carbon capture plans amid questions from skeptics
Australia’s largest mining company defends its plans to continue digging up coal, arguing nascent green steel technology won’t be enough to meet global demand.
Chair Ken MacKenzie and chief executive Mike Henry defended BHP’s climate transition action plan at the company’s annual general meeting yesterday, arguing controversial carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) could help achieve its emissions reductions targets.
Climate activists Lock the Gate Alliance protested BHP’s “greenwashing” and shareholders questioned how the company could meet its goal of net-zero scope-three emissions, those produced indirectly up or down the value chain, while mining coal into the next century.
One shareholder asked why BHP was over-investing in a risky, unproven technology like CCUS when other commercial-scale technologies were more effective at reducing emissions.
MacKenzie said, as well as exploring other ways to reduce emissions from steel production, that:
“Yes, unapologetically, we’re looking at CCUS because it’s a potential solution to create near-zero blast furnace base, which is the dominant technology out there today,” he said.
Simon Nicholas, lead steel analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said there were no commercial-scale CCUS plants for coal-based steelmaking in the world.
He told AAP:
BHP is the only one that is a metallurgical coal miner.
It’s in their interests to convince people that CCUS is going to solve the problem and allow us to continue to using metallurgical coal and the low-grade iron ore that BHP is continuing to mine.
I don’t see how they’re going to meet their scope-three emissions goal.
You just can’t do that if you’re still mining coal and sending your low-grade iron ore to be processed in blast furnaces, because CCUS will never reduce emissions by enough.
– via AAP
Updated
Number of reported scams hit record highs despite recent fall in complaints
Thousands of Australians have been swindled out of their money as the number of reported scams hits record highs.
Consumers and small businesses reported more than 10,000 scams in 2023/24 – an 81% increase from the year before, according to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s annual review released today
While this spike in complaints was one of the most worrying trends in the past financial year, the authority’s chief ombudsman David Locke noted there had been a downturn in the last quarter that had continued into the new period.
“This is encouraging but definitely not a cause for complacency,” he said.
Anti-scam initiatives launched by the federal government and big banks appear to have helped dampen numbers. “But there is still a long way to go,” Locke said.
Of the more than 10,000 complaints the authority helped resolve where consumers were scammed out of money, seven in 10 were dealt with in 60 days.
– via AAP
Updated
Up to half of school students exposed to deadly car pollution: report
Up to 55% of schools and childcare centres are unsafely close to main roads in some Australian suburbs, exposing children to deadly car pollution, according to a new report.
A Climate Council report, released today, finds that about one in six schools and childcare centres across our capital cities are located within 100 metres of a busy road. That equates to more than 2,300 childcare centres and 827 schools.
Children are particularly at risk from air pollution, because they inhale more air per kilogram of body weight and have faster breathing rates. The closer they are, the higher the risk.
Outdoor air pollution was blamed for 4,250 premature deaths in 2021, plus a rise in asthma, heart disease and lung cancer, among other ailments.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children globally. Air pollution costs about $6.2bn a year in Australia.
The Climate Council CEO, Amanda McKenzie, said it was time to phase out “polluting cars”.
Let’s give more people in our cities better travel options, so it’s easier for more people to use shared and active means of getting around our cities - like walking, riding a bike, or taking public transport - more often. This will rapidly clean up our neighbourhoods, reduce air and climate pollution at the same time, and create healthier and safer spaces for our kids to thrive in.
The suburbs of Perth City in Perth and Boroondara in Melbourne were the least healthy, with 55.3% and 51.9% of schools exposed to car pollution. The Victorian capital had the worst record of any capital city, with 24% of all schools exposed.
The Victorian planning system is often criticised for forcing new development on to main roads in order to avoid opposition by incumbent landowners living in safer and more attractive neighbourhood streets.
Updated
Greens announce plan for unlimited mental health sessions on Medicare
The Greens have announced an ambitious plan to offer unlimited mental health sessions on Medicare, expected to cost about $5.9bn over the next 10 years, as it narrows in on inner-city Labor seats ahead of the next federal election.
The minor party’s flagship election policy will be launched in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, held by Labor’s Josh Burns, on Thursday and expands on its push for 1,000 free local healthcare clinics across the country.
Under the proposal, the Greens would remove the cap of 10 subsidised mental health sessions a year as part of a person’s mental health plan after it was halved from 20 in late 2022.
It would also offer free psychologist sessions at the proposed local healthcare clinics.
In addition to removing the cap, the Greens say they would lift the minimum Medicare rebate for clinical or registered psychologists to $150 and extend the subsidised sessions to provisional psychologists.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Office’s analysis, the changes would cost $5.9bn over 10 years in addition to the $31.7bn for 1000 new local healthcare clinics.
The Greens say the cost would be covered under the party’s big corporations tax, which would raise $514bn in government revenue over the decade.
The party’s leader, Adam Bandt, said:
If you’re putting off mental healthcare because you can’t afford it, you’re not alone ... 1 in 3 big corporations pay no tax. The Greens will make big corporations pay their fair share of tax so you can see a psychologist for free and get unlimited mental health appointments through Medicare.”
The minor party is looking to pick up more seats in inner-city suburbs after its historic result at the 2022 federal election when it won four seats in the lower house.
With polls suggesting Labor and the Coalition could both fall short of a parliamentary majority next election, the Greens could be key to forming a minority government.
The party has said it is targeting the Labor-held electorates of Macnamara, Wills, Richmond, and Perth, and Liberal-held Sturt.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning, and welcome to another Guardian Australia live blog. Here are the top overnight stories:
Customers who have suffered through Broken Hill’s mass outages are set for a temporary reprieve on their bills as locals continue to be hit with night-time power cuts in sweltering conditions. Two power companies – Origin and EnergyAustralia – have agreed to defer bills to those who have been affected by the outages that crippled the region for the better part of a week.
The inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission released an excoriating review of the Nacc’s decision not to investigate robodebt corruption referrals, finding it to be “affected by apprehended bias”. The federal anti-corruption watchdog’s conflict of interest is “really concerning” because it relates to “the person at the top”, Geoffrey Watson SC, a former counsel assisting to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, has said.
New research has found people living in remote Indigenous communities are paying more than double the capital city prices for everyday groceries including flour, tasty cheese, apples and milk.
And a report by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO has checked “vital signs of Australia’s climate” – and they show Australia becoming hotter, more dangerous, and that temperature trends will only worsen. “It is a wicked problem,” Dr Karl Braganza at BoM said.
I’ll be taking you though the day’s news – if you see anything you don’t want us to miss, shoot it my way on X @At_Raf_. Let’s get into it.
