What we learned today, Monday 24 April
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 government released the first strategic review of Australia’s military structure in 10 years, which warned Australia’s military capability is structured for “a bygone era”. The cost of the DSR over the forward estimates will be around $19bn, deputy PM Richard Marles said.
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie argued Labor has “failed” with the defence overhaul and said the timing, right before Anzac day, was “tricky politics”.
For a full breakdown on the announcement, you can read this article and this explainer.
The government pledged $50m for research into long Covid after a parliamentary inquiry called for the establishment of a single Covid-19 database and a nationally coordinated research program into the condition.
A plan for Queensland to transition to a fully decriminalised sex work industry has broad support from the state government.
Jockey Dean Holland has died, aged 34, after a fall during a race in western Victoria.
A large undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred at 10.41am AEST near the Kermadec Islands region in the Pacific, north of New Zealand. There was no tsunami threat to Australia or New Zealand.
Updated
China has hit back at Australia’s unveiling of a defence force revamp, saying it is striving for a peaceful region, AAP is reporting.
Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China’s unprecedented military buildup policy is “defensive in nature”, when asked about Australia’s new posture towards long-range strike power.
After the announcement on Monday, she said:
We are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the whole world.
We do not pose any challenge to any country. We hope relevant countries will not hype up the so-called China threat narrative.
Updated
Anzac Day weather forecasts
The Bureau of Meteorology has released the forecast for sunrise across the country tomorrow ahead of Anzac day, with dry and pleasant weather expected.
Sydney
Sunrise (6.26am): 15C
Midday: 23C
Melbourne
Sunrise (6.56am): 13C
Midday: 23C
Brisbane
Sunrise (6.10am): 18C
Midday: 25C
Canberra
Sunrise (6.35am): 8C
Midday: 19C
Adelaide
Sunrise (6.47am): 17C
Midday: 26°C
Perth
Sunrise (6.44am): 8C
Midday: 17C
Hobart
Sunrise (6.54am): 9C
Midday: 19C
Darwin
Sunrise (6:54am): 25C
Midday: 32C
Updated
‘Low risk for high return’: Robert French on voice
Meanwhile, Robert French submitted a paper he wrote alongside Prof Geoffrey Lindell. In it, they describe the voice as “low risk for a high return”.
It is consistent with the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. Suggestions that it would contravene that Convention are wrong.
French and Lindell write that while “there is no constitutional legal obligation for the Parliament or the Executive to accept or be bound by such submissions or advice”, that there would be “a high democratic obligation to respect them and take them into account”.
Ruddock says that “like many of my Liberal friends and colleagues, I would like to be in a position to vote for” the voice but claimed he had “grave concerns” about the proposal for the voice to speak to executive government. He took issue with what he described as an “extraordinarily broad” proposal, repeating the claims of critics that the voice would be able to make representations to the Reserve Bank and other entities including the defence force and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service.
Many Liberals like me will not support such a far-reaching transfer of responsibility, even though they might support the voice in principle.
Updated
Notable submissions made to parliamentary inquiry into voice referendum
A stack more submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into the Indigenous voice referendum have just landed, including notable contributions from the former PM Tony Abbott, former attorney general Philip Ruddock, the Law Council of Australia, and former high court judge Robert French.
It won’t surprise you to know that the former Liberal MPs Abbott and Ruddock are against the proposal; but the Law Council, representing tens of thousands of lawyers, wrote in its submission that there was a “compelling case for a constitutionally enshrined Voice”.
Its submission said:
The Law Council supports the Constitution Alteration being passed in its present form, as an appropriate means to provide for the Constitutional enshrinement of the Voice. It considers that the constitutional amendment, as proposed, is just and legally sound.
It follows the federal solicitor general giving a similar tick of legal endorsement to the voice last week. The Law Council said constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians would be “important and long-awaited”, adding that “a successful referendum will have significant value as a symbol of recognition and unity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians”.
The Law Council also notes the proposed constitutional alteration “is not framed as a duty to consult the Voice”.
Abbott’s four-page submission claims the voice would be “something akin to a house of lords”, describing it as “a power distinction based on ancestry”. Abbott also claims that the 11 Indigenous MPs in parliament is a sign that a separate voice isn’t needed. He said the referendum would “leave our country embittered and divided”. He recommended the government “restart the whole process of Indigenous constitutional recognition”.
Updated
Catch up on today’s biggest headlines so far with this wrap from my colleague Antoun Issa:
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Using defence resources should be last resort: Liberal MP
The shadow emergency management minister, Perin Davey, said that states, local governments and the commonwealth should have resources and capabilities in place to respond to emergencies before “sidelining” the defence force.
As part of the defence strategic review released today, it was recommended that states must be prepared to fight all but the most extreme natural disasters without calling in the ADF.
In a statement, Davey said she agreed with the recommendation of the review that defence should be the force of last resort but said there are capability gaps that to date only defence can fulfil:
There is no doubt that in recent disasters, defence has been crucial in both emergency response and aiding clean up.
Defence have the equipment and they are self-sufficient, so they don’t drain local government or other emergency management resources.
In restructuring our emergency response, we need to make sure we don’t exacerbate the problem.
Updated
LIberals say 1.5% to 2% of GDP ‘appropriate’ for defence
Speaking on the financial side of the defence strategic review on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, the Liberal MP Russell Broadbent said 1.5% to 2% of GDP for defence was “appropriate”:
[The government is] going for 1.5% of GDP to 2% which is historically, when Australia has been under any sort of threat at all, we have gone to 2% spending on defence, and that is appropriate for the nation to look after its sovereignty and its people first.
The Labor MP Kate Thwaites was asked whether the government was prepared to take spending beyond this, and said:
I think we have been clear that beyond the forward estimates we know that spending of defence will have to increase, and that is what this review is partly about.
It is giving us a strategic framework for that spend so that we know that the money that we are putting in is going to the things that our country does need in our defence …
Updated
Jockey dies after fall in western Victoria
The jockey Dean Holland has died, aged 34, after a fall during a race in western Victoria.
Holland was in the final sprint to the finish line during a race at Donald around 1.30pm on Monday when his horse crashed into the side rail.
He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene, Victoria police said.
A police statement said:
Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a jockey in Donald.
The male was riding in a race at a track on Racecourse Road when he fell around 1.30pm. He was worked on by paramedics but sadly died at the scene.
Work Safe have been notified and will investigate. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Updated
Explain or pay fine: Victorians who failed to vote in November to be queried
Almost 300,000 Victorians who failed to vote in November’s state election will have the opportunity to explain why they didn’t before they cop a $92 fine.
The acting Victorian electoral commissioner, Dana Fleming, says the enrolled voters should expect to receive an “apparent failure to vote” notice by post in the coming days. They will have 28 days to respond with a detailed explanation of why they didn’t vote or risk a $92 fine.
Fleming said in a statement:
An ‘apparent failure to vote notice’ is not a fine – it’s a chance to explain why you appear not to have voted. If you respond to the notice, you are much more likely to be excused.
Fleming said the VEC worked to make voting in the 2022 State election as convenient and accessible as possible by increasing the number of early voting centres, extending opening hours and offering telephone assisted voting for some Victorians.
The option to vote by post was also available to all electors, and a drive-through voting centre was offered to Covid- positive voters who were unable to vote in the last three days of the election and hadn’t voted early or applied for a postal vote before applications closed.
Despite this, there was a drop in voter turnout from 90% in 2018 to 88% in 2022.
At a parliamentary inquiry hearing last month, the outgoing commissioner, Warwick Gately, said election fatigue was a possible cause of lower turnout, as well as the impact of Covid, with some voters reluctant to enter crowded spaces.
He also noted the large number of campaign workers outside polling stations, with some engaging in aggressive behaviour.
Updated
More to come from opposition on defence review
By Hastie’s comments, we can expect more response from the opposition to the defence strategic review in coming days:
I have only just been briefed 30 minutes before the prime minister stood up today. It is a large document. We will work through it over the next couple of days, but the headline for me is there is no new money and there is a deferral of strategy, and there is also a cannibalisation of army mobility.
Updated
Coalition concerned about ‘cut to the infantry fighting vehicle program from 450 vehicles to 129’
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie is also speaking on Afternoon Briefing about the defence strategic review.
He says the opposition agrees with the government on some things, such as the development of long-range precision strike missiles, but points out one main area of difference:
… there are things we agree about but what we are concerned about, and this is the biggest cut of all, is the cut to the infantry fighting vehicle program from 450 vehicles to 129.
Right now we have three mechanised battle groups in the Australian Army. We have three in Townsville, we have six in Brisbane and we have seven in Adelaide. We are going to lose two mechanised battle groups and drop down to one.
That means we have got no redundancy and God forbid our troops ever have to go into close combat. One mechanised battle group is just not enough …
Updated
Conroy asked if precision longer-range missiles will be built entirely in Australia
Conroy:
We’re looking at establishing our missile manufacturing capability in Australia – not for every single missile we have, but for critical ones where we either see a competitive advantage or where there are supply chains overseas that are a bit fragile.
The DSR is all about investing in a long-range strike to deter any future adversary and having missiles made in Australia is a critical part of that.
I am talking to missile manufacturers regularly … I’m confident we will have a very advanced missile manufacturing industry here as soon as we can.
Updated
Conroy says government is committed to naval shipbuilding in Adelaide and Henderson in WA
He says nothing that has been said today interferes with that.
He also says the government has to “solve” the industrial structure in Henderson:
… the last government stuffed up the contracting arrangement so we have one shipbuilder there who has a contract to build ships but does not have a lot of direct staff, and we’ve got another contractor who has a very highly skilled workforce, but no contract. We have got to solve that issue.
Conroy says he has been speaking to the WA government and shipbuilders themselves about consolidating Henderson:
There’s a logical solution – we have a highly skilled workforce at Henderson, we have got great infrastructure; that’ll be the centre of excellence for building minor war vessels. We just need to make sure we have the industrial and commercial structure supporting.
Earlier, shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie called on the government to honour the previous government’s $4.3 bn commitment for the Henderson dry dock to be built.
Updated
Defence industry minister asked about ‘highly legalistic’ tender processes
Pat Conroy is speaking on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing following the government’s defence overhaul announcement today.
He is asked about “highly legalistic” tender processes which, whilst fair, have gummed up projects in the past, and what a new pathway for a really big project would look like:
Some of the opportunities are around smarter contracting structures.
Sometimes we have a competition that is pretty artificial, where everyone knows who is likely to win and everyone spends money competing and, in the end, the winner wins.
So in some circumstances we will be doing more sole-source where the project is complex or beneath the equipment faster, and you can do that while maintaining value for money for the commonwealth.
Updated
Western Australia to spend $77m to protect Indigenous cultural heritage
The Western Australian government will spend $77 million in a bid to better protect and manage the state’s Indigenous cultural heritage following the destruction of Juukan Gorge rock shelters.
The funding, which will be included in the 2023-24 state budget in May, includes support for Aboriginal organisations to make decisions about their Country and cultural heritage.
It will be rolled out over the next four years and supports so-called Local Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Services under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021, that comes into effect on July 1.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said:
For the first time in more than 50 years, (WA) will have a modern legislative framework for the protection and management of Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Indigenous heritage groups will be eligible for up to $300,000 per year to help them provide advice on Aboriginal cultural heritage and negotiate and facilitate agreement-making on land-use.
The funding will also support government services, including management of protected areas, maintaining a database of culturally important places and supporting the repatriation of ancestral remains.
Mining giant Rio Tinto blew up 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge caves in May 2020, devastating the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people in the Pilbara.
- from AAP
Updated
Hazy Anzac Day likely in Victoria, fire authority warns
Planned and agricultural burns across regional Victoria will likely make for a hazy Anzac Day across the state, AAP reports.
The Country Fire Authority said Victorians could expect smoke haze in Melbourne and the regions from fuel-reduction burns, agricultural burns and thousands of domestic wood heaters across the state.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said the CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria were working with the Environment Protection Authority and Bureau of Meteorology to minimise smoke impact:
Along with the important planned burns that are conducted in our forests, parks and reserves led by FFMV and the many kilometres of road, rail and grassland burns that are led by the CFA, this time of year also sees a large amount of smoke coming from the necessary burn-offs that our farmers and rural property holders complete.
These are part of traditional farming practices where burning off of crop stubble is often needed to kill off weeds and return nutrients and carbon back into the soil.
Landowners are urged to register their burn-offs online or call 1800 668 511.
More on Queensland sex work reforms
Circling back to Queensland’s plan to transition to a fully decriminalised sex work industry.
As reported by the AAP, sex-work businesses will be treated the same as other lawful businesses – with the same general laws applying to all – under law reform commission recommendations.
The plan has broad support from the state government, with changes including:
Making it lawful to operate a sex-work business, to work as a sex worker and to obtain the services offered
Making it lawful for sex workers to operate alone or in a group
The same general laws, standards and codes that regulate all advertising apply to sex-work businesses
Sex workers will be protected by anti-discrimination laws, and accommodation providers will not have specific exemptions
Planning rules will allow sex work services to operate in commercial and mixed-use zones, not just in industrial zones
Local governments must not use local laws to single out sex-work businesses
Newly defined criminal offences for those who coerce individuals or involve children in commercial sexual services
The Prostitution Licensing Authority will be abolished and there will be no sex-work-specific industry regulator
The same work laws that apply to other workers and businesses apply to the sex-work industry, including work health and safety laws
The same public nuisance laws and police move-on powers will apply to everyone, including sex workers
The Queensland government will go through public consultation on any future legislation to implement a decriminalised framework.
Updated
Unit prices rise nationally for first time in 11 months, led by Sydney; rents also jump
Sydney unit prices started rising in February and the uptick has spread nationally, according to industry data group, CoreLogic.
Six of the eight capitals are now recording a rise in units, bringing the average monthly rise over March to 0.6%. Sydney’s units rose 1% for the month, with those in Melbourne up 0.4%.
Unit prices have turned higher nationally for the first time in 11 months, @corelogicau says. pic.twitter.com/EK80fDXbZC
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) April 24, 2023
Kaytlin Ezzy, an economist at CoreLogic, said:
With a median value of more than $775,000, units across Sydney are more expensive than the median house values of Brisbane ($772,020), Adelaide ($694,818), Hobart ($691,859), Perth ($593,385) and Darwin ($582,415).
National unit rents, meanwhile, continue to rise at roughly twice the pace of house rents, up 1.6% and 0.8% over the month and 3.9% and 2.0%, respectively, over the first quarter.
A spurt in overseas students and migrants meant the combined capitals recorded the strongest quarterly increase in unit rents on record, rising 4.4% over the three months to March. Average rents jumped $23 a week to $550 a week.
Ezzy said:
The mismatch between rental supply and demand has seen capital city rental growth re-accelerate, which will be unwelcome news to many tenants already struggling to find affordable rental accommodation.
Unit rents have been trending higher too, with increases running at about twice the pace of house rents. (Source: @corelogicau ) pic.twitter.com/uIjbVHaVfI
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) April 24, 2023
Not surprisingly, the national unit vacancy rate dropped to a fresh record low of 0.8% in March. Landlords though may be cheery.
When preparing this week’s Full Story podcast on the Reserve Bank Review, we wondered whether those lambasting Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe over comments in 2021 that interest rates probably wouldn’t rise until 2024 might be worse off if they stayed renters. Listen to it here:
Updated
Chinese officials briefed at lunchtime today on defence strategic review
Guardian Australia understands more than 30 countries were offered briefings on Australia’s defence strategic review by the Australian government. Officials from China and a number of other countries were briefed in Canberra today, sources said.
The public version of the final report did not label China a direct military threat to Australia, but said China’s assertion of sovereignty over the contested South China Sea “threatens the global rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in a way that adversely impacts Australia’s national interests”. It labelled the competition between China and the United States “the defining feature of our region and our time”.
A spokesperson for the deputy prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles, said:
The deputy prime minister, minister for international development and the Pacific [Pat Conroy] and government officials have engaged comprehensively with our regional neighbours and key partners about of the release of the defence strategic review.
The Chinese embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment.
Updated
Queensland government to decriminalise sex work
The Queensland government is set to decriminalise sex work in response to a Queensland Law Reform Commission review.
The Queensland government says it will decriminalise sex work.
— Eden Gillespie (@edengillespie) April 24, 2023
Currently, private sex workers in Queensland cannot work together, hire a receptionist or text each other for safety after a booking, under the state’s laws.
More to come @GuardianAus
In a report released on Monday, the Queensland Law Reform Commission suggested eliminating sex work offences against consenting adults, with general work health and safety rules to apply, AAP reported.
The law reform review says advertising would not be prohibited on TV or radio, with the same codes and standards as all other businesses to apply.
An exemption that allows accommodation providers to discriminate against sex workers would also be scrapped.
The report makes a distinction between sex work and sexual exploitation, which should be subject to newly defined criminal offences for coercing individuals or involving children in commercial services.
Updated
Some more stunning images are being shared of this morning’s Aurora Australis, which was visible as far north as Dubbo!
Some amazing photos being posted to various Aurora groups on Facebook. Visible in NSW, images taken from #Kiama and #Dubbo at 5am. Severe G4 KP8 Geomagnetic Storm event.
— scanSydney (@scanSydney) April 23, 2023
#aurora #southernlights #AuroraAustralis #spaceweather #kp8 #geomagnetic pic.twitter.com/fwaHjwzC8P
Queensland’s double jeopardy provisions will be enacted for the second time as police seek to have a man re-tried for a 2009 murder, AAP reports.
Detectives reopened the investigation after receiving fresh and compelling evidence in December 2022.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on Monday was charged a second time over the death.
It is only the second time in Queensland the double jeopardy legislation will be exercised.
Application has been made to the Queensland Court of Appeal to apply for a previously acquitted person to be retried for the offence of murder.
Police Detective Inspector Chris Knight said this arrest showed the persistence of investigators to achieve justice for victims of crime.
Hastie ‘disappointed’ by ‘cost-shifting and cuts’ in defence review
Wrapping up Hastie’s press conference, when asked how soon Australia could expect war in the Indo-Pacific, he says “the last thing we want is war, we want peace”:
It’s no use talking about war but one thing we must do is always be prepared to defend Australia, our interests and that of our neighbours as well, which is why Aukus is such an important uplift in Australia’s capability …
That is why we are so disappointed today with the government’s response to the defence strategic review because what we are seeing is no new money being invested in defence, we’re seeing cost-shifting and cuts and a degradation to army’s capability.
When asked where this money should come from, Hastie said that is “a decision for the government”.
Updated
Andrew Hastie asked if WA should be building and hosting long-range missiles
Hastie:
WA has done incredibly well out of the Aukus announcement and we are yet to hear much from Mark McGowan in terms of advocating for WA and encouraging investment here as we uplift HMAS Stirling from a conventional base to a nuclear base over the next four years.
It is huge opportunity for education, for businesses, for the development of the supply chain in WA and he is playing silent on these issues. We want to see advocacy from the state government and that is certainly something I will be doing as I play the role of the dual opposition in the state.
When asked where long-range missiles would go, Hastie says:
That is a decision for government, but I support having the best possible defence force and that includes long-range strike capabilities.
Updated
Hastie on Mark McGowan’s ‘cold-war pills’ comment: ‘Loose lips sink ships’
Hastie is asked about criticism he’s received from WA premier Mark McGowan about his rhetoric on China.
Last week McGowan was caught on camera in China saying that Hastie “swallowed some kind of, you know, cold war pills back when he was born and he couldn’t get his mindset out of that”.
Responding to comments today, Hastie said:
I don’t want to get into another squabble with Mark McGowan.
He should know after last week that loose lips sink ships and I’m not going to get into another dispute with [him].
Suffice to say, he is well outside the consensus across government and across the opposition that we have to respond to the challenges in our region and that includes a rising China that is both expansionist and revisionist in its aims, and he is the one left without a chair now that the music has stopped.
Updated
Hastie says commitment to second dry dock ‘absolutely critical’
Hastie says the previous government committed $4.3 billion for the Henderson dry dock to be built, and the opposition wants to see the government honour this.
The second dry dock is absolutely critical. We only have one on the east coast and it’s really important, particularly with the special place that WA will be taking in our defence strategy going forward.
We have Aukus, we have the forward rotation west being established here, we’re going to see more allied ships coming alongside in Perth and it is really important that we have a dry dock that can support our own navy and also the navies of our allies in the future years.
Updated
Andrew Hastie says defence review timing ‘tricky politics’
Hastie argues that today’s announcement didn’t provide any sense of urgency, and its timing on the eve of Anzac Day is “tricky politics”.
I want to make a point about this process. Today’s announcement on the eve of Anzac Day is tricky politics. The Albanese government is using Anzac Day as a smokescreen hoping the Australian people would not notice some of these trade-offs and cuts to capability.
But we are calling them this magician’s trick and we will hold them to account over coming days and months. We will be having more to say about this as we digest this large document which is only briefed to the opposition half an hour before the minister for defence went live with the announcement.
Updated
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie says Labor has ‘failed’ with defence overhaul
Hastie says that the Albanese government has “failed” to deliver “the sort of action that our strategic circumstances require”:
If you are hoping for unprecedented coordination and ambition [from] the Albanese government today, you have every right to feel let down.
Hastie said we will not see a national strategy document until 2024 and because of this, “we have lost another year of defence preparedness without a guiding strategic document”.
Updated
Review into navy’s surface fleet needs to report back later this year
The retired US Navy vice-admiral William Hilarides – who has long been a source of advice to successive Australian governments on naval matters – will help conduct a new review.
The Albanese government today opened the door to potential changes to the number of Hunter class frigates and offshore patrol vessels to be purchased by Australia. It agreed to a recommendation of the defence strategic review to order an independent review of the navy’s surface fleet needs, with a report due back later this year.
The three people conducting the review will be Hilarides, former Department of Finance secretary Rosemary Huxtable, and retired Royal Australian Navy vice-admiral Stuart Mayer.
The idea is to look at whether any changes are needed to the navy’s surface fleet plans in light of the decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Updated
Albanese asked about future risk of US isolationism
Returning to one point from the defence strategic review press conference for a moment. The government has repeatedly argued that the plans will make Australia more “self-reliant”.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, also said challenges to Australia’s national security were “always evolving” and warned “we cannot fall back on old assumptions”.
In light of these comments, Albanese was asked to share his assessment of the reliability of the United States as an ally in the decades ahead, and whether there was a risk of US isolationism growing in the future.
Albanese gave a very short response, without weighing in on future risks:
The US remains an important ally. It’s a relationship between nations, it’s a relationship between peoples and it’s based upon our common values.
Updated
Julian Leeser makes three recommendations to raise support for voice
Meanwhile, former Liberal frontbencher Julian Leeser – who quit the shadow cabinet in order to support the voice – said the voice proposal would help shift the dial on Indigenous health, education, housing, safety and economic opportunity, AAP reports.
He said in his submission:
As a Liberal, I support the idea of a voice because I believe in the dignity of the individual.
I believe better policy is made when people affected by it are consulted on that policy.
Leeser made three recommendations he said would secure more support from Australians when they went to the ballot box.
These included removing the clause which would allow the voice to make representations to the executive government as well as parliament, and a preamble statement recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia.
Leeser said:
The voice can be just as effective without ‘constitutionalising’ the function of making representations to the executive government.
Fewer Australians will vote for a proposal which creates ‘room for argument’ that there are constitutional problems which must be fixed by legislation.
He also urged the government to commit to and fund the rollout of local and regional voices in the upcoming budget, which he feared had become lost in the national debate.
Updated
Tony Abbott urges PM to restart Indigenous voice process
Former prime minister Tony Abbott is urging the federal government to reconsider its commitment to enshrine an Indigenous voice in the constitution, AAP is reporting.
A referendum on the Indigenous voice will be held between October and December and a parliamentary committee is examining the proposed wording to alter the constitution.
In a submission to the committee, Abbott said the voice would introduce a “power distinction based on ancestry”.
He said:
The parliament itself is the national voice and it’s where the voices of Australian citizens in all their diversity should be heard.
Win or lose, [the referendum is] likely to leave our country embittered and divided. Yet constitutional change should be unifying and bipartisan.
Abbott said the process of constitutional recognition had “run off the rails” some years ago and urged the government to restart its efforts.
He rejected the principle of the voice which would advise the government on matters that affect Indigenous people.
Sometimes a right to be consulted amounts to a right to veto.
Updated
Greens senator David Shoebridge responds to government’s defence overhaul
Shoebridge says the defence strategic review has Australia “spending countless billions on projecting lethal force into the South China Sea apparently to keep us safe”:
It fails to explain how our key national interests are served by us going to war in the South China Sea. War does not make us safer.
The “threat” from China’s increased military capabilities is said to be “China’s assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea.” This is doubtless a serious issue but how is it an existential threat to Aust Sovereignty? Why are we gambling our future on a US-led war there?
— David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) April 24, 2023
The decision to spend so much on far-distant nuclear submarines is the real reason so many other current Defence programmes are being cut.
— David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) April 24, 2023
Assuming the logic of an imminent threat of war (which we don’t) someone, somewhere needs to explain how this works for the govt's agenda.
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Some people with long Covid so sick ‘they can barely get out of bed’ for many months
As reported earlier, the government has pledged a $50m funding boost for research into long Covid as a parliamentary inquiry called for the establishment of a single Covid-19 database and a nationally coordinated research program into the condition.
In a statement, the inquiry’s deputy chair Melissa McIntosh said that she nominated long Covid for inquiry due to her own experience with persistent symptoms after contracting Covid in April last year.
She said she wasn’t able to find adequate information about what she was experiencing, and wasn’t alone in this:
I have also come to realise the relatively short-lived symptoms I had of breathlessness and fatigue were very mild compared to how much some people are suffering from long Covid around the country, so sick they can barely get out of bed many months after the onset of their symptoms. Long Covid is having a major impact on lives and livelihoods.
One of the recommendations made by the committee is that the government provides funding for coordinated and thorough research into long Covid:
As deputy chair of the committee, I would highly encourage this includes research into the serious diseases that are developing in people that have contracted Covid. It’s a public health imperative.
She also wants to see mental health support for those with long Covid prioritised and provided in an affordable and timely manner:
We are experiencing a mental health crisis in this country, and the seriousness of this should not be underestimated or ignored.
Updated
This morning’s Aurora Australis
Stunning photos are being shared across social media, snapped from Tasmania as well as Victoria.
Nope, not Hobart. This is south-west Victoria. Supposedly this is what happens when you get a G3 storm near Port Fairy. Pretty amazing snap by @portfairygolf pic.twitter.com/JuWm8BMPW4
— Daniel Miles (@danielmiles) April 23, 2023
AURORA AUSTRALIS!
— LARRYN | SR💎 Edition Part 2 Coming soon 🔥🔥 (@shadowanshadenz) April 23, 2023
This mornings BIG display right before dawn.
Worth the all night wait although it did kick off a few times during the night… what started out as horrible conditions became clear and calm just when it mattered!
Love this dancing lady!
🩷💙💚 pic.twitter.com/THrEPfH9d4
WOW! The Aurora has lit up the skies this morning! Bellerive, Tasmania 😍
— Victorian Storm Chasers (@VicStormChasers) April 23, 2023
What did you see?
📸 Robbie Moles#photo #photography #photooftheday #stormhour #Aurora #AuroraAustralis #Tasmania Via Aurora Australis Tasmania Facebook group pic.twitter.com/ElmyaS7f2y
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RACP calls on Victorian government to raise age of criminal responsibility to 14
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has written to Victoria’s attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, to urge her to raise the age of criminal responsibility in the state to 14, rather than 12.
Guardian Australia understands cabinet is meeting on Monday afternoon to discuss a proposal to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.
Such a move would defy advice from the United Nations and human rights, medical and Indigenous organisations that have pushed for it to be raised to 14, with no exceptions. RACP president and paediatrician, Dr Jacqueline Small, says she wrote to Symes on Friday to reiterate this.
In a statement on Monday, Small said:
Children under 14 years may not have the level of maturity and cognitive function to be considered criminally responsible. Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years is critical to protecting the health and wellbeing of children and young people at risk of incarceration, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children with developmental disabilities. There needs to be a nationally consistent minimum age of criminal responsibility of 14 years with no exceptions or carve-outs.
It comes as 126 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, legal, community and human rights organisations today reiterated calls to attorneys general to raise the age to 14. All state and territory attorneys general are set to discuss the matter when they meet on Friday.
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More on defence strategic review
Following this morning’s announcements on the defence overhaul, my colleagues Dan Hurst and Paul Karp have put together these fantastic pieces on everything you need to know:
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No tsunami threat to New Zealand following Kermadec Islands earthquake
There is no tsunami threat to New Zealand following the Kermadec Islands earthquake, the National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed.
There is no tsunami threat to New Zealand following the M7.1 Kermadec Islands earthquake. Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to New Zealand.
— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) April 24, 2023
This morning a large undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred at 10.41am AEST near the Kermadec Islands region in the Pacific, north of New Zealand.
The earthquake poses “no tsunami threat” to the Australian mainland, islands or territories, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology confirmed earlier.
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Thanks Natasha for leading us through a busy morning! I’ll be with you for the remainder of the day – let’s get into it.
That’s a wrap from the press conference launching the defence strategic review, and also where I say goodbye for now and pass the baton to Emily Wind!
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Is a federal civilian natural disaster agency still on the table?
My colleague Paul Karp tries to get Albanese to expand on what’s happening with natural disaster preparedness:
Is a federal civilian natural disaster agency still on the table to ensure that the ADF is a true last resort? Or is it better cooperation with the states that’s the preference?
But Albanese is staying tight-lipped:
We’ve got a pretty big announcement for today. I think that this will do for today, frankly. We’re dealing with it pretty comprehensively and this is what we’re dealing with today.
Albanese says there will be other media opportunities later in the week.
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Albanese: ‘Commonsense’ says ‘we need to strengthen our northern bases’
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says he wouldn’t characterise Australia’s northern bases as vulnerable, despite them being a big focus in the review:
I think it’s fair to say that one of the themes of the review is … we need to strengthen our northern bases. And commonsense tells you that that is the case. So that’s the theme. It’s something that the government is very conscious of and, in our response to the review, that will be something that is undoubtedly a focus.
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Conroy on shift to ‘minimum viable capability’
Conroy goes on in answer to that same question about this notion of whether Australia’s defence can be aiming towards perfection:
You’re looking at a shift in paradigm towards what’s called minimum viable capability. So instead of trying for the perfect, instead of refusing to accept into service the capability of 100% of what is contracted, we are engaging in an iterative process where the contract could be 80% of what is contracted and the 80% is better than what we are currently using.
And we’ll accept it into service and improve it steadily through grades as you’d expect. So the ADF gets their equipment quicker. They can use it where they need to and we involve the upgrade process to deliver on what’s been promised.
That’s a very different approach, but it reflects the change in our strategic circumstances and lessons, where a lot of projects have gone into trouble trying for that final 10% of capability.
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Marles: ‘We simply have to speed up our capability process’
Marles expands on something Conroy said, which is that Australia needs to accept more risk in its defence procurement process. He says it needs to speed up to meet the “urgency” of the moment:
It’s also important that we change our relationship with risk in order to get capabilities online quicker, where we do need to be taking or accepting more risk in engaging procurement.
Now we’re really aware of the legacy, in a sense from those who have been operating in this space in the years past, and defence ministers have stood up here and talked about the fact that we need a more nimble and quicker procurement process, and in a sense we’re doing the same today.
The one point I’d simply make is this - that in order to meet the moment, in order to meet the circumstances and the sense of urgency, which is described in the DSR and by the government’s statement today, we simply have to speed up our capability process.
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Australia will have to move away from relying on Defence Force to deal with natural disasters
The review was quite critical of the increasing use of the ADF for domestic disaster response, including natural disasters and Covid. Asked if the report’s suggestion is realistic that state and local governments and the commonwealth have to put in the plans, resources and capabilities to do this separately from defence, Albanese says:
It’s a serious suggestion arising out of the review. And we know that one of the national security issues we’re dealing with is climate change. Because climate change results in, as the science predicted, more frequent and more intense natural disasters.
And the role of the Australian Defence Force is primarily not to deal with our natural disasters and those domestic issues, and that’s something that’s reflected in the review.
As a result of this review and the transparency in which we’ve conducted it, obviously, there will need to be further consideration of how we deal with these natural disasters, which I think Australia, in my time as prime minister … I don’t think that there’s been two months when I haven’t been visiting Tasmania and northern NSW, the Riverina, the Riverland in South Australia, up in the Kimberley, northern Queensland. There have been multiple events now.
We need to, as a government and as a nation, work out an appropriate response and the review is really indicating very clearly that the context can’t just be saying ‘Oh, well, we’ll rely upon the Defence Force’.
The Defence Force is always very willing to participate, it must be said. And they have done an extraordinary job. And we’ll continue to do so. But the review indicates that there’s a need to consider the broader issues in that context.
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Albanese says review does not change Australia’s position on tensions in Taiwan Strait
ABC’s defence correspondent Andrew Green asks the PM:
The declassified version of this report does not discuss the possible invasion of Taiwan. In a scenario like that in our Indo-Pacific region, what of the recommendations here changes any possible Australian response to that eventuality, if it were to occur?
Albanese:
Our position is clear, which is that we support the status quo. And that’s not changed by this. We call for peaceful resolution through dialogue. That’s not changed by this.
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Albanese: ‘no apologies’ for cuts being part of review
Taking questions, Albanese says the government is making no apologies for the defence strategic review having to make cuts and “not being all pluses”.
Reporter:
There’s clear warnings in here that more money for defence will be needed, but it sounds like the government is going for a cost-neutral position over the forwards. Are you just kicking the can down the road here? And what sort of level of defence spending as a proportion of GDP do you think that we’re going to need?
Albanese:
What we’ve done here through the defence strategic review is look at - what assets do we need and where do we need them?
So we make no apologies for that just not being all pluses.
In some cases, what it means when you have a reassessment of what’s required, it would be a pretty, frankly flawed review, that just added things on.
And that’s been the problem with the former government’s approach. They haven’t had that comprehensive plan going forward.
… We as a government have made very clear that over a period of time, we see that there will be a need for defence expenditure to increase above that which had previously been budgeted for. We make no apologies for that.
But what we don’t do, what you shouldn’t do with any project, with any expenditure, is just have a target and then try to spend to meet your target. What we’re about is - what are the defence assets we need? And we will do whatever is necessary to make sure that that is provided for our country.
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Army’s range for firing projectile munitions to increase from 40km to 300km
Conroy repeats some of the details he already mentioned this morning about new acquisitions which will include more long-range firing weapons (Himars) and land-based maritime strike capabilities, with the army’s range for firing projectile munitions to increase from 40km to 300km.
He ends:
This is about giving the Australian Army the firepower and mobility it needs into the future to face whatever it needs to face.
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Conroy says government ‘embracing wholeheartedly’ need to strengthen innovation
Conroy says the government has accepted the review’s recommendation to strengthen defence innovation:
The review goes to innovation and the need to strengthen and sharpen defence innovation.
That is something that this government is embracing wholeheartedly.
Towards the end of this year, we’ll be releasing a defence industrial development strategy that articulates how we’ll grow that sovereign industrial base to support the ADF, not just today but into the future.
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Defence industry minister Pat Conroy on procurement recommendations
Pat Conroy is up next and says the release of the defence strategic review and the government’s response is a “vote of confidence in the Australian defence industry”.
Importantly, this review also recommends, and the government has accepted, significant reforms to defence procurement.
To increase the speed of our acquisitions, with the disappearance of the 10-year warning horizon for a major regional conflict, defence acquisition must speed up.
We must also embrace more risk in that process with good policies to surround that risk, but we need to give the ADF the equipment that they need as soon as possible.
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First national defence strategy to occur next year, Marles says
Marles ends his speech announcing that the government will be introducing a biannual national defence strategy, as per the defence strategic review’s recommendation:
The DSR provides for recommendations around the future articulation of national defence and strategic policy. It does so by recommending to dispense with intermittent white papers. We agreed with this recommendation.
And they recommend a biannual national defence strategy. So today, we are announcing that the first national defence strategy will occur next year, and that will be a document which will contain a more granular articulation of a range of the programs that we will be pursuing going forward.
All of this is a watershed moment for defence policy in our country’s history. And what it will provide for is an Australian Defence Force befitting of a much more confident and self-reliant nation.
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Implementing defence strategic review will cost $19bn, Marles says
Marles gets into the numbers behind what this review will cost the nation’s bottom line:
The cost of the DSR over the forward estimates will be around $19bn.
Much of that is already provided for in the budget. But as a consequence of the DSR and the government’s response to it, we’re reprioritising $7.8bn worth of programs to enable us to put a focus on the six priorities that I have described. And we can do that over the course of the forward estimates within the current resources which are provided for defence.
Beyond that, however, defence spending will need to grow. A recommendation of the DSR is that we do need to see a growing defence budget, and it is absolutely our expectation that defence spending over the medium term, over the decade, will grow above the existing trajectory of growth that we inherited from the former government.
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Marles says he wants to address the ‘speculation over the last few days in relation to army’
This review and the government’s response to it does provide for a reshaping of the Australian Army. But in a way which gives it a much greater strike capability and a much longer-range strike capability. But also a much greater ability to operate in a literal environment.
Ultimately, what the DSR recommends and what the government is going to put in place will give rise to an army with a much more focused mission, with much more enhanced capability.
There are a lot of decisions that we have taken to reprioritise programs to put a focus on the six priorities that I have just described. And there are difficult decisions associated with these and Minister Conroy will speak to some of them.
But I do to highlight that the review makes a recommendation, which the government accepts, of establishing a short, sharp review into Australia’s surface fleet. And that is a review that we will undertake, and it will report in the third quarter of this year.
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Marles says government to have six priorities in response to review
Now, the Defence Strategic Review contains many recommendations which give expression to that change of posture. But in exchange, today, the government will be focusing on six priorities.
The first of those is Australia developing a nuclear-powered submarine capability and we made significant announcements about that last month. [***that’s Aukus***]
The second is to provide for a much longer-range strike capability for our Defence Force, including through the manufacturing of munitions in the Australian Defence Force to operate.
The third is to better enable the Australian Defence Force to operate out of our northern bases.
The fourth is to provide for a much quicker transition of new innovative technologies into the service, and that is particularly with respect to pillar two of the Aukus arrangement.
The fifth is investing in the recruitment and the retention of our Defence Force personnel.
And the sixth is to improve our defence cooperation with our neighbours in the region, particularly in the Pacific.
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Marles outlines five elements to ‘re-casting’ Defence Force mission
Today, for the first time in 35 years, we are re-casting the mission of the Australian Defence Force, which will have five elements to it.
Firstly, to defend our nation and our immediate region.
Secondly, to deter through denial any adversary that seeks to project power against Australia or our interests through our northern approaches.
Thirdly, to protect Australia’s economic connection to the region and the world.
Fourthly, with our partners to provide for the collective security of the Indo-Pacific.
And fifthly, for providing the maintenance of the global rules-based order.
Now, most of those objectives as part of the new mission of the Australian Defence Force are well beyond our shores. And so we need to have a Defence Force which has the capacity to engage in impactful projection through the full spectrum of proportionate response.
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Marles: current defence posture ‘no longer fit for purpose’
Deputy prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles, steps up following Albanese:
Today’s defence statement observes that we are facing the most challenging set of strategic circumstances that we have for decades, and we do so at a time where Australia’s economic connection with the world has never been greater.
We are enormously proud of the Australian Defence Force, which is a fantastic Defence Force. And the defence posture that we have had for the last few decades has served our nation well.
But in the circumstances that we now face, that defence posture is no longer fit for purpose.
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Albanese: aim is to make Australia ‘more self-reliant, more prepared and more secure’
Albanese goes on to say the core of the defence strategic review is to make Australia more self-reliant, prepared and secure in an evolving national security environment:
It demonstrates a world where challenges to our national security are always evolving, we cannot fall back on old assumptions.
We must build the strength in our security by seeking to shape the future rather than waiting for the future to shape us.
That’s just as true for defence capability as it is for energy security, cybersecurity and, indeed, our economic security.
And that’s why the work we’re undertaking as a result of this review fits together with everything that our government is doing to repair our supply chains, upgrade our energy grid, boost our cybersecurity systems and rebuild faith in our public institutions.
The recommendations of this review will underpin our work, bolstering relationships with our international partners and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in our region and our world.
At its core, all of this is making Australia more self-reliant, more prepared and more secure in the years ahead.
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Albanese says defence strategic review ‘most significant’ defence report since second world war
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has stepped up to speak in Canberra launching the defence strategic review. He’s joined by the deputy prime minister/minister for defence, the minister for defence industry and minister for international develop in the Pacific, the chief of the defence force and the secretary of the Department of Defence.
He begins:
National security is the most solemn responsibility of any Australian government.
We confront the most challenging strategic circumstances since the second world war both in our region and around the world.
That’s why we’re investing in our capabilities and investing to our relationships to build a more secure Australia and a more stable and prosperous region.
The scale and significance of the Defence Strategic Review and my government’s response shows the strength of our determination to keep Australians safe.
… This represents a document for today and tomorrow. It is the most significant work that’s been done since the second world war, looking in a comprehensive way at what is needed.
Albanese thanks Sir Angus Houston and Steven Smith for their “extraordinary work”.
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Australia’s defence lies in ‘collective security of the Indo-Pacific’
The government has outlined a five-point mission for the ADF to suit the current times.
In addition to defending Australia and the immediate region, the ADF will be required to “deter through denial any adversary’s attempt to project power against Australia through our northern approaches”.
The more expansive tasks for the ADF are: to protect Australia’s economic connections to the wold, contribute with partners to the collective security of the Indo-Pacific, and contribute with partners to maintain the global rules-based order.
In a new “national defence statement”, the government said these aims were grounded in the view that the defence of Australia “lies in the collective security of the Indo-Pacific”.
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Defence strategic review revealed
Australia will seek to project military power further from its shores after a review warned the Australian defence force was structured for “a bygone era” and the security environment was “radically different”.
The defence strategic review, released today, called for the ADF to develop the ability to precisely strike targets at longer range and develop a stronger network of bases, ports and barracks across northern Australia.
The Albanese government has also opened the door to potential changes to the number of Hunter class frigates and offshore patrol vessels to be purchased by Australia, with a snap review of the navy’s surface fleet needs to report back later this year.
The government also said it would consider options to increase stocks of guided weapons and explosive ordnance, including the rapid establishment of domestic manufacturing.
The defence strategic review, billed by the Albanese government as the most significant update of defence planning in nearly 40 years, was carried out by the former defence chief Angus Houston and the former Labor defence minister Stephen Smith.
The public version of the final report did not label China direct military threat to Australia, but said China’s assertion of sovereignty over the contested South China Sea “threatens the global rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in a way that adversely impacts Australia’s national interests”.
The review called for a renewed focus on “how we manage and seek to avoid the highest level of strategic risk we now face as a nation: the prospect of major conflict in the region that directly threatens our national interest”.
Announcing its response to the review, the government declared that the ADF must be equipped to “hold an adversary at risk further from our shores”.
Prime minister to announce defence strategic review
Just a reminder we are expecting the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to release the landmark defence strategic review in less than 10 minutes – at noon AEST.
My colleagues in Canberra Dan Hurst and Paul Karp are still in the review lock up but once they’re out, they’ll be bringing you everything you need to know about the defence overhaul.
What we know before the full details are released is here:
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Evacuation orders issued for parts of New Zealand coast after earthquake
A large undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.2 has occurred at 10.41am AEST near the Kermadec Islands region in the Pacific, north of New Zealand.
The earthquake poses “no tsunami threat” to the Australian mainland, islands or territories, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.
However, New Zealand’s emergency management agency is warning people near the coast where the earthquake was felt “long or strong” to evacuate.
The National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science are still assessing whether the earthquake has created a tsunami that could affect New Zealand, but in the meantime they have issued the warning “long or strong, get gone.”
People should be self-evacuating immediately from all places near the coast where the earthquake was felt either for longer than a minute or was strong enough that it was hard to stand.
In these areas a tsunami may have been generated and may arrive quickly, so evacuate immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as possible.
This evacuation advice overrides the current Covid-19 self isolation requirements. Do not stay at home if you are near the coast and felt the earthquake long or strong. Evacuate immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones or as far inland as possible.
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Australian rules footballer dies after on-field collision in Adelaide – reports
The Adelaide Advertiser is reporting that a 20-year-old Australian rules footballer has died after an on-field collision during a season opening game on the weekend.
Antonio Loiacono was treated at the scene Saturday night before speciality paramedics were called and he was flown to Royal Adelaide hospital just before 8pm, the paper reports.
The Advertiser says a family member of Loiacono confirmed he died on Sunday night.
The Great Southern Football League has released a statement offering its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Birdwood Football Club player Antonio Loiacono:
Community Football is what we live for and this is a truly sad time when a player is cut down by an unfortunate on field incident, no matter what level of the game.
Our collective thoughts are with his family and the Birdwood Football Club at this time of unbelievable sadness.
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Tax office to target employers for unpaid super
The government will use the budget to announce new targets for the tax office to chase down unpaid super from employers.
The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, says the problem should be treated the same as wage theft. Jones told ABC News:
We think that the tax office can lift its game in recovering unpaid super. So we’ll be setting them some targets in the context of the budget to ensure that we get more of that unpaid super finding its way back into members’ accounts.
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Access road to Victorian snow resort reopens after landslide
The arterial road to Victoria’s Falls Creek alpine resort has reopened more than half a year after heavy rains caused a landslide that isolated communities and businesses, AAP reports.
Single-lane access was restored to the Bogong High Plains Road between Falls Creek and Mount Beauty on Sunday afternoon after months of soil and debris removal by state authorities and a local construction partner.
The Falls Creek chief operating officer, Stuart Smythe, commended local businesses on their resilience and patience after more than three years of disruptions. Smythe said in a statement:
Bushfire, pandemics and then a landslip isolating the village and severely impacting their operations.
The light at the end of the tunnel is now in sight and they are rebounding to make sure our guests and community get to experience all that Falls Creek is famous for.
Last week Smythe said that winter bookings had been strong and recommended visitors plan a little extra time for their commute to the mountain, as the road will have traffic management in place.
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Minor flood warning for Johnstone and Tully rivers in Queensland
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning that minor flooding is occurring in Far North Queensland.
⚠️ Minor #Flood Warning for the Johnstone & Tully Rivers #FNQ, General Flood Warning for the Russell River. Minor flooding is occurring at Mourilyan Mill & is likely at Euramo today (Monday). Details & updates: https://t.co/0w5F59LsFg
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) April 23, 2023
Follow @QldFES advice #ifitsfloodedforgetit pic.twitter.com/G1qUSgmiTU
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Australian and New Zealand agriculture ministers met over weekend
Australia and New Zealand have both learned from each other’s recent natural disasters in the talks held over the weekend.
As well as the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, meeting his New Zealand counterpart, Chris Hipkins, over the weekend, the minister for emergency management and agriculture, Murray Watt, also participated in the talks.
Watt says while it has been a fraught period for both nations when it comes to natural disasters, both countries are seeking greater resilience of the future.
Australia & NZ have both had our share of natural disasters recently.
— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) April 23, 2023
Was great to join Gov officials to share experiences & lessons with NZ PM Chris Hipkins, Ag Minister Damien O’Connor & their delegation.
Keen to learn how to make our country more resilient for the future. pic.twitter.com/IyIfSVMY14
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No leads over newborn abandoned outside Sydney home
Investigators are no closer to discovering the identity of the woman who gave birth to a newborn girl found abandoned outside a home in Sydney, AAP reports.
The infant, believed to be days old, was found at a property at Blacktown, in the city’s west, on Friday afternoon and taken by police to Blacktown hospital.
The family who discovered the baby had moved to the area a week earlier and said they had heard a noise outside before making the discovery.
Investigating police have reiterated they were most concerned for the welfare of the child’s mother. Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pietruszka told Sydney radio station 2GB this morning:
We are concerned for her, both mentally and physically. We just want to make sure she’s OK.
He hoped forensic material and CCTV would provide some leads but urged anyone with information to come forward.
The baby is believed to have been left at the home between 12.30pm and 2.40pm on Friday. Pietruszka said
This person has obviously gone through something quite traumatic and to put your own child in this situation, obviously you do need some help.
The woman has been urged to attend a hospital, call an ambulance or attend a police station as soon as possible. The baby will enter state care upon discharge from hospital.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Call for national centre for disease control
Mike Freelander, the chair of the long Covid inquiry committee, continued:
There is a distinct difficulty in obtaining verifiable data about many of these issues and it is the committee’s view that the development of a national centre for disease control within the Department of Health and Aged Care would be the most appropriate mechanism for data collection and linkage with the states and territories.
Likewise, there is much that we do not understand about the virus, such as the fact that it is likely changing from being an acute pandemic virus to now an endemic form. Research will be very important in helping us understand the best ways and means of managing its ongoing effects, particularly including long Covid.
Research should include individuals from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and other high-risk groups including those who are immunosuppressed. A research program should be established to nationally coordinate and fund research into long Covid and Covid-19 generally. This could be led by the Department of Health and Aged Care – ideally the CDC – and should be the for the longer term.
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‘It is clear that long Covid is a significant problem’
Chair of the long Covid inquiry committee Mike Freelander said:
The primary focus of this inquiry was our national management of long Covid, with further attention being placed on additional effects of this condition including the economic and mental health impacts, potential treatment and management options, and repeated Covid infections.
It is important to note that, during the inquiry, we were hampered by a lack of specific data and the lack of a concise definition of what constitutes long Covid.
At the present time, we accept the World Health Organization definition as the most useful for clinical practice; however, this may need to be modified as further information becomes available. It is clear that long Covid is a significant problem and estimates vary, indicating that between 2% to 20% of those infected with Covid-19 may develop long Covid.
Even if it is the lower figure of 2%, this is still many people requiring help and support. At this stage it does seem that specific treatments require more evidence of benefit before being specifically recommended, but this will become clearer over time. Certainly, most of the care needs to be provided by the primary care system, such as by GPs, nurses and allied health professionals.
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Long Covid inquiry report tabled
The House of Representatives standing committee on health, aged care and sport’s long Covid inquiry report has been tabled.
The committee made recommendations including that the Australian government:
Establishes and funds a single Covid-19 database to be administered by the soon-to-be developed Centre for Disease Control
Works with the states and territories to review the definition of long Covid as more research and information becomes available
Pharmaceutical benefits advisory committee regularly review the benefits of antiviral treatments for Covid-19 in accordance with emerging research with a view to expanding the list of groups eligible to access these treatments through the pharmaceutical benefits scheme
Establish and fund a multidisciplinary advisory body including ventilation experts, architects, aerosol scientists, industry, building code regulators and public health experts to improve air quality
Consider a comprehensive summit into the Covid-19 pandemic and Australia’s past and current response
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Criminalising sex work drives it underground, Albanese says
Anthony Albanese has commented on Queensland’s proposed decriminalisation of sex work on KIIS FM.
Asked about decriminalisation of sex work and drugs, the prime minister said:
The states look after all of that. But clearly criminalising prostitution doesn’t really work – it just drives it underground and leads to worse behaviour and worse treatment of people involved in what can be a dangerous industry.
Albanese spoke about the defence strategic review, conducted by Angus Houston and Stephen Smith and preparations for Anzac Day on Tuesday.
He also spoke about attending shock jock Kyle Sandilands’ wedding, the coronation of King Charles and the existence of aliens:
I liked The X Files as much as anyone else. We all liked watching Gillian Anderson all those years ago. But I know as much as you do, mate. I can assure you of this: there are not secret briefings given to the prime minister of Australia about aliens being in our midst.
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Queensland sex work overhaul to focus on safety
A sex work sector that protects more workers from exploitation and violence is expected to be at the centre of a Queensland government response to a major review of the industry, AAP reports.
The Queensland attorney general, Shannon Fentiman, wants sex work brought “out of the dark” through a properly regulated industry that prioritises the safety of workers. Fentiman told Seven News Brisbane last night:
Current laws stigmatise sex workers, it increases their vulnerability to exploitation and violence.
There are two legal forms of regulated sex work in Queensland: services provided in a licensed brothel, not including outcalls from the premises; and those provided by sole operators in-house or as outcalls.
Any other form of sex work is illegal, including services provided by escort agencies, unlicensed brothels, massage parlours and two or more sex workers operating from a single premises.
The state has 20 licensed brothels and most sex work occurs outside the regulated or licensed sector.
The attorney general asked the Queensland Law Reform Commission to review and investigate the regulation of a new framework for the industry in August 2021. The commission said in a review updated in November:
Decriminalising sex work will mean sex work is no longer a crime. But it does not mean no regulations or safeguards. People in the sex work industry will have protections and obligations under standard workplace, health, planning and other existing general laws.
The review received 160 submissions, with input from individual sex workers, brothel managers, clients and advocacy organisations. More information on the state government plan will be released today.
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‘I think it’s a bit sad,’ Zoe Daniel says of Anzac ceremony altercation
Continuing on from that altercation at the Anzac Day ceremony at the Beaumaris RSL from the last post, Ryan Batchelor, the Labor MP for Southern Metropolitan region, has tweeted:
I was standing next to them. It was unedifying behaviour, and disrespectful of him to pull a stunt like that at Anzac Day service.
Zoe Daniel told ABC Radio she doesn’t think it’s appropriate to politicise such an event, “I think it’s a bit sad”:
It’s not about me, and it’s not about Tim Wilson, quite frankly. It’s about veterans.
Daniel also released this statement thanking her volunteer and explaining she was attending an event with her teenaged son who is a volunteer surf lifesaver:
Today there was an incident at an important ANZAC related event at Beaumaris. My response is below. Thankyou to the RSL for all that you do. pic.twitter.com/EwsEvyQwCJ
— Zoe Daniel (@zdaniel) April 23, 2023
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Anzac ceremony clash in Goldstein
Zoe Daniel says she is sad a clash has occurred at an Anzac Day ceremony between her volunteer and Tim Wilson, the former Liberal MP she ousted from the seat of Goldstein as part of the independent teal sweep at the last election.
Daniel was unable to attend the event at Beaumaris RSL yesterday but it was organised with the RSL that one of her volunteers would lay the wreath on her behalf.
Speaking to ABC Radio this morning, Daniel said although she was not at the event and didn’t see what happened, she understands:
When my name was called, and he was called up to lay the wreath. I’m told that the former federal member for Goldstein took the wreath and would not return it to my volunteer. So there was a little bit of a remonstration and then they laid the wreath jointly.
Wilson has replied to Twitter comments saying that the incident only occurred because he was handed the wreath by an event volunteer:
It was only done because I was handed the wreath. It was not sought. Turning it down would have been disrespectful as well. All would have been avoided had the MP been present. I have not commented on their absence. Anzac Day should not be politicised.
Another reply from Wilson says:
I was there to show respect and lay a book. I was asked to lay the wreath by those handing them out in the MP’s absence. I did. A man then claiming he was the rep stood by me. We did it together. And I laid my book. Disappointing to see politicisation.
Journalist Lucie Morris-Marr filmed part of the altercation between the pair.
#breaking An official rep for @zdaniel has clashed angrily with @TimWilsonMP after an ANZAC March and service in Beaumaris, Melbourne, after Wilson came forward & laid a wreath which the MC had just announced would be laid by the representative for Daniels as she was absent. pic.twitter.com/VBOEwFX07w
— Lucie Morris-Marr (@luciemorrismarr) April 23, 2023
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Dan Tehan calls for ‘full transparency’ on solicitor general’s opinion on voice
Dan Tehan is also asked about the solicitor general’s opinion on the Indigenous voice to parliament which was released Friday and found it would not fetter or impede the power of the parliament or the executive. In his legal view, he found it would enhance Australia’s system of government.
Asked about if he accepts this, Tehan begins outlining his belief in the “fundamental principle that when it comes to the law, everyone should be treated equally”. He then goes on to repeat the Coalition line demanding the full advice be released given the significance of the decision.
ABC News Breakfast’s Michael Rowland questions Tehan:
Do you really think the full advice will be different to the key points of the advice that I just read?
Tehan:
Well, there are some elements and it goes to how you ask questions which will always deliver the responses you get.
For instance, if we said to the solicitor general, “Do you think there is a better way to do this?” then the advice he might give could be very different to what he’s given to the attorney general.
And that’s why we just want some full transparency around this. Just make sure that if other questions were asked of the solicitor general, what were the responses to that advice?
And given that we’re adding a chapter to our constitution, that’s what’s being proposed, we don’t see a problem with that full advice and the iterations of that advice being made public by the solicitor general and we think that would help the discussion and the debate.
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‘We might see New Zealand citizens come in here to access our welfare system’
Dan Tehan is worried more New Zealanders could affect Australia’s welfare system and worsen the housing crisis:
We have to look at the cost over time because one of the reasons that the current arrangements were put in place is because we have a much more generous welfare system here in Australia than they do in New Zealand.
So over time, we might see New Zealand citizens come in here to access our welfare system, that has a cost.
Obviously we’re seeing soaring rents, there’s a housing crisis at the moment. So additional New Zealanders come in here because of these changes, what impact will it have on our housing shortages at the moment? These are all critical questions that need to be asked.
Clare O’Neil will be at the Press Club on Thursday and hopefully she’ll be able to outline these costs and also demonstrate that Labor’s bigger Australia, which they seem to be doing by stealth, that there is some sort of plan to it.
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Tehan questions cost of NZ citizenship changes
Anthony Albanese met with his New Zealand counterpart at the weekend and ended a decades’ long sore spot, agreeing to ease citizenship rules for New Zealanders living in Australia.
Dan Tehan, the shadow immigration minister, says he agrees in principle with the citizenship reforms but says he has questions about the costs and whether they are part of the permanent migration cap:
We agree in principle that those New Zealanders who are here in Australia who are working and who have made a contribution, absolutely, we need to make sure that we can welcome them here as Australian citizens …
But what we also want to ask the government is a few questions about this because they’re changing what has been rules that have been put in place for a long time and we want to know what the costs will be, whether this change – which will be 350,000 New Zealand residents becoming Australian citizens – whether that’s part of the permanent migration cap, how that will fit in with the net overseas migration that’s going to hit 650,000 people in the next couple of years. All of this has a cost.
The Reserve Bank is worried about the impact of immigration on inflation and what that might mean for interest rates and the government doesn’t want to set out any of these costs or show that it has a plan when it comes to its immigration strategy at the moment.
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Plibersek v Joyce on Newspoll
In their regular spot on Sunrise, environment minister Tanya Plibersek and Coalition frontbencher Barnaby Joyce weighed in on those Newspoll results.
Plibersek said despite the slight drop in support for the prime minister, his popularity remained high:
They’re very strong support numbers, and I tell you the reason is not based on polling but what people tell me when I’m out around the country.
People tell me that they’re pleased to see a government that is just getting on with the job, doing what we promised and they’re impressed that the prime minister is just sticking with what he said he’d do.
Joyce said he was unconcerned by the continued low numbers for the opposition:
We don’t have an election tomorrow and that’s a good thing.
A lot of people are starting to focus now on issues such as the voice and saying, “I don’t feel comfortable with this.”
– with AAP
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Labor increases lead in latest Newspoll
Labor has increased its lead over the opposition while both party leaders have suffered a drop in support, new polling shows.
The latest Newspoll has the government leading the Coalition 56 to 44, two-party preferred, with Labor’s lead increasing one point since the last survey.
Despite the shift in support, the primary vote for both major parties remain unchanged, with Labor on 38% and the Coalition on 33%.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has seen his support fall to its lowest level since he took on the role, as his net satisfaction rating dropped six points to minus 19.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese’s satisfaction rating also took a dive, going from 21 to 16. Albanese still leads as preferred prime minister 54% to 28%.
The latest Newspoll was conducted between Wednesday and Saturday as debate continued on the Indigenous voice referendum and as the government prepared for the federal budget.
– AAP
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Army to be reshaped
On what’s being trimmed in the defence strategic review, Pat Conroy says:
The Albanese government is committed to making the hard decisions and that means making necessary changes to scope out and the example that’s out there already is us accepting the recommendation of the strategic review to reshape the Australian army.
That means reducing the number of infantry fighting vehicles from 450 to 129. That’s a direct recommendation. And using the money freed up from that to invest in long range strike for the Australian army – more Himars rocket systems, and land-based maritime strike, and investing in greater mobility, including purchasing landing crafts for the Australian army.
So this is about getting an Australian army that’s shaped for our current strategic circumstances and going from a service whose greatest range for its artillery is 45km to one that can project power in excess of 500km. So this is about reshaping the army to modernise it, to be quite frank.
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‘Long-range strike is critical’
There’s reportedly an extra $1.5bn in spending over the next four years for a new domestic guided weapons industry, but in the short-term missiles will likely come from the US. On how quickly they will arrive Pat Conroy says:
We’re working very quickly to resolve issues around stocks of guided weapons missiles.
We’re dealing with the fact that the last government made lots of announcements but didn’t actually follow through. They cut $12bn from the defence budget. They transferred $2.7bn to other agencies, and they added $42bn of commitments through integrated investment programs – so the list of defence buys – without adding any more funding.
Top of this was the guided weapons enterprise or the plan for missiles. We are rapidly accelerating the funding to support that endeavour.
The Albanese government already made important decisions including accelerating the purchase of high mobility artillery rocket systems … and we’ve also accelerated the contracts in each of the naval strike missiles to go on to our frigates and destroyers. So we’ve already advanced this because long-range strike is critical to deterrence and supporting peace and stability in the region.
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‘A real focus on deterrence’
Pat Conroy says the recommendations of the review will see a focus on keeping potential adversaries at a distance from Australia:
You can see a greater emphasis on deterrence and a greater effort to contribute to collective security in the region and maintaining the regional balance of power.
Fundamentally, our strategic circumstances have changed. The last government released the 2020 defence strategic update, which said the 10-year warning horizon for a major regional conflict has evaporated – but unfortunately they did nothing to respond to the loss of that warning cycle.
So where you can see the DSR is reshaping the fed policy, a reshaping of our capabilities, so the equipment to support the ADF and a real focus on deterrence and keeping any potential adversaries at a distance from Australia.
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‘We face the greatest strategic uncertainty since world war two,’ Pat Conroy says
Pat Conroy, the minister for defence industry, international development and the Pacific, says the defence strategic review is about modernising Australia’s military.
The release of the review comes off the back of the Aukus deal. While that plan relied on partnerships with the US and UK, ABC Radio asks Conroy if the review is about Australia ultimately being able to stand on its own. He says:
Our alliance with the United States is the cornerstone of our security and if anything, we are strengthening that.
But the defence strategic review is also a recognition that we face the greatest strategic uncertainty since world war two and we need to significantly reshape the Australian defence force and how we do defence policy more generally, to face that uncertainty.
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Man charged over alleged role in drive-by shooting
A 26-year-old man has been charged over his alleged role in the murder of Taha Sabbagh outside a gym in south-west Sydney, AAP reports.
Detectives arrested the Fairfield East man at Sydney international airport about 3.30pm yesterday before he could fly overseas. Police said the man was “attempting to flee the country”.
He was taken to Surry Hills police station where he was charged with murder and refused bail. The man will appear in Downing Centre local court today.
Sabbagh was shot last month while sitting in a car with his son in what police described as a callous, gangland-style killing.
The 40-year-old father was outside the Elite Fight Force mixed martial arts gym in Sefton just after 6.30am on 2 March when he was shot multiple times in the chest, police said.
Despite the efforts of NSW ambulance paramedics, Sabbagh died at the scene.
His 12-year-old son, who was in the passenger seat of the vehicle at the time, was physically unharmed.
Police later found a burnt-out Mazda 3 about a kilometre away in neighbouring Birrong.
Police will allege in court that the Fairfield East man was involved in the planning and coordination of the murder of Sabbagh.
Investigations under Strike Force Pemak are continuing.
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Defence budget will grow, Marles says
The defence minister, Richard Marles, says it’s clear that the defence budget would grow, as the government prepared to release the strategic review of Australia’s military.
Yesterday he told Sky News:
And that, in many ways, is a function of the strategic landscape in which we exist.
In a rational world, defence spending is a function of strategic threat, strategic complexity – we have both of those, and we’re rational people.
– with AAP
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Barry Humphries’ family in talks over state funeral
The family of Melbourne-born comedy legend Barry Humphries is in discussions with the Victorian government about the possibility of a state funeral, AAP reports.
Humphries died on Saturday at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney after complications from hip surgery stemming from a fall this year. He was 89.
Creative industries minister Steve Dimopoulos says talks are under way with the entertainer’s loved ones about the best ways to honour his legacy.
A range of options are on the table including a state funeral. Dimopoulos said yesterday:
The primary mover of these things is the family because it’s their gift effectively to decide in conversation with government.
So, yes, it could be that [a state funeral]. It could be many other things.
Premier Daniel Andrews said Humphries would live on through his iconic writing and larger-than-life characters, particularly Dame Edna Everage, who put the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds on the map. He posted on Twitter:
But at the end of the day, he was a boy from Kew with big dreams. And he achieved them.
NSW counterpart Chris Minns says Humphries popularised Australian larrikinism on the world stage but he doesn’t want to “front run” any potential Sydney-based gesture or ceremony.
[He was] an Australian legend and someone we’d love to honour.
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Good morning!
On the eve of Anzac Day, the government will release the first strategic review of Australia’s military structure in 10 years.
A declassified version of the review and the Albanese government’s response will detail which programs will be trimmed and which will be expanded.
It’s expected to call for more long-range missiles and airpower – Amy Remeikis has the full details on what we know so far here:
In Victoria, the family of Barry Humphries is in discussions with the Victorian government about the possibility of a state funeral.
Humphries died on Saturday following complications from hip surgery after a fall earlier this year.
In Canberra the government will use the budget to announce new targets for the tax office to chase down unpaid super from employers. The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, says the problem should be treated the same as wage theft.
There’s plenty more coming, let’s get into it.
