What we learned; Thursday 18 May
That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today – thanks so much for joining us. Here is a wrap of the day’s biggest stories:
The Chinese ambassador, Xiao Qian, announced that starting today China will resume import of Australian timber. The ambassador also expressed “personal sympathy” for Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist in prison awaiting trial for alleged national security charges in China.
The South Australian government has flagged that the government will pass anti-protest laws as Extinction Rebellion protesters enter their fifth day of action against an oil and gas industry conference in Adelaide.
The unemployment rate edged higher to 3.7%, easing RBA rate rise concerns.
ACT’s director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, is on leave as an inquiry into the handling of a case against the former Liberal staff Bruce Lehrmann continues.
Melbourne mayors met today to discuss the rising risk to councillors and staff from far-right fringe groups.
The independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich launched defamation proceedings against the New South Wales One Nation leader, Mark Latham, over a homophobic tweet he posted in March.
The Greens called on Labor to regulate plastic packaging.
The CEO of National Australia Bank, Ross McEwan, said he’s still predicting “another one or two” rate rises from the RBA.
The federal government has lodged the official Help repayment thresholds for 2023-24, with the minimum repayment threshold lifting marginally by $3,189.
The AFL and Rugby Australia announced their support for the voice to parliament.
An open letter, signed by the former Labor ministers Peter Garrett and Carmen Lawrence, calls for an urgent parliamentary inquiry into the Aukus nuclear-powered submarine plan.
Western Australia’s department of fire and emergency services issued an emergency bushfire warning for parts of Whitby.
North Melbourne AFL senior coach Alastair Clarkson stepped away from the role, effective immediately, to focus on his physical and emotional wellbeing, the club says.
Police are investigating an incident after a man died at Melbourne train station.
Updated
Health Sector Union says industrial stoppages will continue unless wages cap lifted
AAP is reporting that the Health Services Union has flagged it wants the 3% public sector wages cap lifted, followed by a 6.5% wage increase before the agreement expires at the end of next month.
Eight weeks into a state Labor government, paramedics and patient transfer officers on Thursday imposed a 24-hour ban on transporting patients discharged from hospitals. Union NSW’s secretary, Gerard Hayes, said there would be more industrial action until the issue was resolved.
We will be holding industrial stoppages right around the state with every hospital ... industrial action will continue and it will not stop.
The premier, Chris Minns, needed to reform all health services awards so they were fit for purpose, he said.
Paramedics in NSW are the highest injured and lowest paid … Paramedics can go to Queensland tomorrow, and I guarantee they will, after the NSW government spent $100,000 training them.
Paramedics in Melbourne earned about 30% more than their NSW colleagues.
Minns said he was committed to removing the wages cap but it was important to do so “in a legislative way”.
“We have made progress. We know it’s a priority and I’m confident that we can get an agreement,” he said. But Hayes said he saw no movement on the issue.
All pigs are fed and watered and ready to fly. There is no progress.
Updated
