What we learned; Tuesday 7 November
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Government should review Medicare access for ADHD, says Senate report
Shorten labels Greens’ Senate walkout ‘political grandstanding’
Big emitters must ‘pay for the damage’ of climate crisis, Pacific envoy say
Turnbull: question to PM on whether he trusts Xi was ‘stupid’
Turnbull says Scott Morrison was ‘showboating’ with trip to IsraelAustralians rallying for Israel-Hamas ceasefire ‘in their tens of thousands’: Greens senator
Li Qiang announces resumption of annual meetings with Australian PM
RBA signals it will increase interest rates again, if needed
Jim Chalmers says RBA responding to ‘inflationary pressures’
Thank you so much. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again.
Updated
Earlier we reported Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek had written to the Tasmanian government to flag she may reconsider the future of decade-old salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour due to concern about their impact on a critically endangered species.
In response the Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff Tweeted he would “not stand by and allow bureaucrats in Canberra to kill off our Salmon Industry”
Our Government backs our salmon industry 100%.
— Jeremy Rockliff (@jeremyrockliff) November 7, 2023
We back the businesses that it supports.
Green’s Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who has been campaigning on this for years, has also weighed in:
The toxic industrial salmon farming industry is on a warpath and is determined to let nothing – not even the extinction of a wild and endangered marine species – get in the way of its corporate profiteering. And the Tasmanian Government shamefully backs it! https://t.co/JC8uQ5Vh60
— Peter Whish-Wilson (@SenatorSurfer) November 7, 2023
Australia Post defends ‘obscene’ executive bonuses
An Australia Post spokesperson has said bonuses paid to senior executive staff have fallen by 47.2% compared with last year, which appears to be due to the government-owned company’s financial performance.
Earlier this year, Australia Post revealed a $200m loss, its first since 2015, renewing political debate about increasing the cost of stamps, cutting the frequency of letter delivery and closing post offices in metropolitan areas.
Australia Post’s latest annual report reveals the chief executive’s bonus has increased slightly to $887,819, despite the financial result. Paul Graham‘s total remuneration is now $2.38m, which is four times more than the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is paid.
Here’s the statement from the Australia Post spokesperson:
The remuneration for the chief executive is set by the board and in accordance with the Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal. Total executive-at-risk remuneration [bonuses] in 2022-23 was 47.2% lower than the previous year.”
All 11 senior executives were paid a collective $11.5m last financial year, with $4.4m paid in bonuses, despite senior ministers urging government-owned companies to reflect on community expectations during a cost-of-living crisis.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said some of the salaries were “simply obscene” in what she described as the “worst cost-of-living crisis in decades”. She referenced a 2020 scandal when it was revealed Australia Post spent nearly $20,000 on watches as gifts for executives:
Australia Post belongs to the Australian people. These eye-watering salaries might buy a lot of Cartier watches, but there’s no guarantee they provide a better service to the Australian people.
Updated
Socceroos World Cup qualification match against Palestine moved
The Socceroos’ upcoming World Cup qualification match against Palestine has been moved to a new venue. The second of the Socceroos’ second-round Asian qualification had been designated as a home fixture for Palestine but will now be played in Kuwait due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The qualifier on Tuesday 21 November will be held at Jaber Al-Ahmed International Stadium in Kuwait City, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.
The Socceroos play Bangladesh in the first game of qualifying at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Thursday 16 November and will be broadcast on Network 10 and Paramount+.
Updated
Police to seek to interview driver allegedly involved in Daylesford pub crash
Police said the driver allegedly involved in the Dayelsford data crash, a 66-year-old Mount Macedon man, will remain in hospital overnight.
In a short statement, police said they will seek to interview him on Wednesday.
Updated
Optus aiming to fix outage by end of the day
The Optus outage we mentioned earlier has been attributed to a malfunctioning air conditioner, Nicholas Gibson, Optus local general manager said.
Gibson said teams are working on restoring service by the end of the day.
Updated
Prime minister’s office releases statement on annual leaders meeting
Following on from Anthony Albanese’s remarks at a press conference just now, the prime minister’s office has just released a statement on the “joint outcomes of the China-Australia annual leaders meeting” – which includes the countries navigating “their differences wisely”.
In the eight-point statement, both China and Australia said they “welcomed the successful recommencement of the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between Premier Li and Prime Minister Albanese.” The statement said the leaders “restated their commitment to their respective national policies and positions contained therein, including mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, stable development and Australia’s commitment to its one-China Policy.”
“They agreed that both nations could grow the bilateral relationship and uphold their respective national interests if they navigated their differences wisely,” the statement goes on.
“The two sides acknowledged the importance of political dialogue and welcomed the continuing stabilisation and development of the bilateral political relationship.”
The statement reaffirmed further political dialogue, bilateral trade, cooperation on climate change and energy, better people-to-people links, and better facilitation of exchanges such as multi-entry visas for visitors and business people.
Better trade ties will be pursued through means “including through holding the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Joint Commission meetings in Australia at an early date, holding China-Australia CEO Roundtable meetings, reaffirming commitment to the Authorised Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement, progressing the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and working towards MOUs on standards, measurement, intellectual property, competition, education and food safety”.
Updated
CEO of National Shelter Emma Greenhalgh said today’s RBA rise highlights the urgent need for rental reform to moderate rent increase, so they are fair and prevent price gouging.
Greenhalgh said:
The National Cabinet’s rental reforms that were put forward in August did not include a fairness equation for rental increases. It only included moving to no more than one rent increase per year - but did not include limiting the amount of rent increases.
Rental increases are a significant contributor to inflation leading to interest rates increases. What is needed is a circuit breaker limiting the amount of rent increases, similar to the ACT.
If these policies continue to be left unrealised as rates rise, more low-income households across Australia are going to face serious economic distress and housing insecurity.”
2/2
At that press conference at Botany Bay, the Australian Border Force commissioner Michael Outram appeared alongside the health minister.
Of the illegal vapes seized, Outram said most were coming in through New South Wales, through Sydney, followed by Victoria, then Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
There will also be logistical challenges in disposing of the illegal vapes which contain batteries, plastic, “horrible chemicals,” metal and glass, he said.
Outram acknowledged “we will never find everything… there’ll be some vapes getting past, no doubt.”
Vaping reforms timeline
As the Australian Border Force has seized more than 35 tonnes of illegal vapes entering Australia the health minister, Mark Butler, is facing questions of the timeline of when the reforms announced in May will come into effect.
At a joint press conference with the ABF at Port Botany this morning, Butler acknowledged the pressing problem of vapes containing nicotine hooking young Australians, even though they are labelled as non-nicotine:
We hear stories right now as a year 12s are doing their exams, they’re having to put nicotine patches on to be able to get through an exam without taking a vape.
Asked at the press conference when the announced reforms will come into effect, Butler said the import control regulation will be in place by the end of the year, which will be aimed at stopping the supply of vapes coming in in the first place.
The legislation which will see a suite of reforms including controls to ensure only pharmacies are supplying vapes to those with prescriptions will be put in place over the course of 2024, Butler said:
Then we need to work with states to have a comprehensive regulatory framework that they will also be able to enforce as state authorities and we can do that through a single piece of legislation at a Commonwealth level. And we intend to do that over the course of next year.
All health and police ministers will meet later this month to work together on that single regulatory framework to remove vapes from the market.
More to come.
PM responds to RBA interest rate hike
Anthony Albanese also spoke to reporters in China about the Reserve Bank’s decision to raise the official cash rate to 4.35%.
The RBA of course are independent but they have referred to, in their statement, that they are examining the impact on the global economy. We need to be engaged because we know that impacts of the global economy on energy prices, for example, feed through into the Australian economy.
That’s why a major focus of this visit has been on Australian job creation, on the effort we can get – benefit by dealing with the impediments to our trade which have been there. We are very focused on Australian jobs and the Australian economy and Australian living standards which is why we continue to have as our number one priority cost-of-living relief.
Updated
‘Very handsome’ Albanese struggles to respond
The PM was also asked about the premier saying the people in China think you are a very handsome.
I think … I’m not quite sure how to respond to that, well, but I think I’ll let that one go through to the keeper. It was a ... Shanghai is a wonderful city. It is just a glorious city. It opens up that city to what is an extraordinarily beautiful landscape and river.
Updated
PM cites ‘respect’ when asked about China’s role in Pacific
Albanese says he will now travel to the Cook Islands to join the Pacific Leaders Forum. He was asked about how concerned he was about China’s intentions in the region.
One of the things about the Pacific Islands Forum is that we have recognised in last years statement of the Pacific family looking after our security interests of the region … but the Pacific family is also made up of sovereign states, so we respect the fact that sovereign states have a right to make their decisions.
I look forward to engaging positively and constructively with prime minister Brown, but others as well of the Cook Islands as the host of the forum. It will be an opportunity to engage with our nations.
Updated
‘This is one of Australia’s most important relationships’
Albanese says they had a banquet lunch where the band played five Australian songs including I still call Australia Home and Click Go The Shears.
In our joint outcome statement, we also agreed some practical steps to advance dialogue in areas of common interest, including climate change trade and people to people links. While there are differences between Australia and China, we agree that our differences should not define us.
Dialogue was at the heart of my conversations and I used his visit to advocate for Australia’s interests including on trade, consular human rights and global issues.
I thank president Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang for hosting me and I look forward to continued engagement on areas of mutual interest and in support of regional stability and security. This is one of Australia’s most important relationships.
Updated
Anthony Albanese speaking in Beijing
He says he met with premier Li Qiang today and had ‘constructive dialogue’.
It provides an opportunity for us to move forward with common interests in the interests of Australia and in the interests of China, has been stabilising the relationship and there is no doubt this visit has helped to assist that process.
The next step if you like towards stabilising the relationship. Which is so important for Australia’s economy and also important in terms of security and stability in the region.
Dialogue is always a good thing and when China represents more than one in four of our export dollars and more than one in four of Australian jobs depends upon our exports, this is an important relationship stop our meeting marked as well a recommencement of our annual leaders meetings and today I of course invited the premier to visit Australia, a country he has visited on a number of occasions.
Updated
Mobile service outage in country New South Wales
Optus customers in five towns across regional NSW are without mobile service, following a fault in mobile towers across the Central West.
Towns including Young, Cowra, Grenfell, Canowindra and Eugowra have been affected by the outage. Rural areas north of Cowra at Woodstock and Mandurama, south at Barwang and east at Bulla Creek are also without phone and mobile internet access.
Residents in Cowra travelled to the local McDonalds after the outage began on Monday afternoon, using wifi to contact family and friends.
Optus customer service has shared on social media that they are aware of an issue affecting mobile customers in the region.
@amelizajane Hi there, We’re aware of an issue impacting our mobile towers for some Optus mobile customers in NSW (REF# 26067233). We understand connectivity is important and are working to restore services as a priority. - Tam
— Optus Help (@optus_help) November 6, 2023
Updated
Hume says Labor should pull funding from suburban rail loop in Victoria
Hume was asked about the government’s announcement yesterday to curb infrastructure spending. She said the government shouldn’t be taxing “farmers or truckies” – instead, it should be pulling out of projects such as the Victorian rail loop.
If they are still planning to fund the suburban rail loop in Victoria – which is a Dan Andrews’ boondoggle – it should be the first thing to go, the first thing to go. If they’re not cutting the suburban rail loop, quite frankly, they’re not taking these infrastructure cuts seriously. They’re simply trying to blame somebody else for rising inflation, once again.
Updated
Acting shadow treasurer says Australians ‘crying out for help’ on inflation
Hume says Australians are having to make tough decisions, trying to spend less on what they can:
Unfortunately, the government hasn’t done the same. It’s failed to make the tough decisions that it needs to make with its budget – tackling inflation needs to be priority No 1, priority No 2 and priority No 3 for this government. But Australians are crying out for help and Labor’s lack of a plan to bring down inflation means that hardworking Australians are going to pay more.
Interest rates will be higher for longer if inflation stays higher for longer. Labor’s lack of a plan is gambling with hardworking Australians’ money, and with our economy.
Updated
Labor can’t blame others about rate rise: Jane Hume
The acting shadow treasurer, Jane Hume, has been speaking in Canberra, about the rate rise:
The RBA’s trying to cool the economy. It’s doing its very best. But at the same time, Labor has added $188bn more, fuelling expenses.
That’s further fuelling inflation. The RBA has its foot firmly pumping the brakes but, at the same time, Labor has its foot on the accelerator.
The government’s continuing to point the finger at everybody else other than themselves – but, in fact, the treasurer wants to blame international events. Now, it wasn’t that long ago that the treasurer said that he couldn’t give a stuff – that Australians give a stuff – as to what global factors had on the cost-of-living crisis.
But, in fact, Jim can’t keep blaming everybody else.
Updated
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today – and what a big day it has been. I’ll hand you over to Cait Kelly to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage, with plenty more still to come.
Updated
Without A Fight sliced through the field to win the 2023 Melbourne Cup and give jockey Mark Zahra a second victory in “the race that stops a nation” over 3,200m at Flemington Racecourse.
Without a Fight, trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, overhauled pre-race favourite Vauban down the home straight to win by a comfortable margin ahead of Soulcombe in second and Sheraz in third.
Victory completed a Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup for Without A Fight and put to bed memories of a miserable race last year.
Race seven of the annual festival was run in front of more than 80,000 racegoers, with forecast rain holding off for the main event as temperatures topped 30C on a warm spring day in north-west Melbourne.
Updated
Zahra says Melbourne Cup win ‘unbelievable’
Mark Zahra speaks following his 2023 Melbourne Cup win:
Unbelievable. If I could have thought I’d have that run from 16 I would have said he’s unbeatable but [trainers] Sam and Lee and all their team, he was a gentleman for me today. Went to rail and switched off and probably got to the front earlier than last year.
In front of him was Gold Trip and Vauban. I thought I’d stay here. They all made their moves and it opened up for me. I was on a horse you can sit on. He’s got an electric turn of foot and he pulled me all the way to the line.
Updated
Without a Fight wins the 2023 Melbourne Cup
Mark Zahra has won the 2023 Melbourne Cup on Without a Fight. Soulcombe came in second and Sheraz third.
Updated
And they’re racing!
For anyone tuning in last-minute for the Melbourne Cup, we’ve got you covered:
Meanwhile, race seven of the 2023 Melbourne Cup festival – the main event – is just about to start.
We’ll bring you the latest here on the blog.
Dollar dips, shares rise after RBA hike as pundits ponder whether rates have peaked
The market’s reaction to today’s RBA rate rise of 25 basis points to 4.35% has been to sell off the Australian dollar modestly and for shares to perk up a bit.
The Aussie dollar dropped to about US64.65c from above 64.8 or so just prior to the 2.30pm AEDT rates decision. Shares pared their losses of 0.4% for the day to be recently trading off 0.2% for the day.
That implies investors are betting there’s a slightly reduced chance of another rate rise than prior to today. Perhaps we have peaked ... but let’s see.
Traders were parsing the RBA’s statement and didn’t see an exact repeat of October’s wording that “some further tightening of monetary policy may be required”. Now it’s a softer “whether further tightening of monetary policy is required”.
Seems a bit of a hair-split but it’s enough for traders to speculate about.
Anyway, here’s our running story:
Updated
Chalmers refuses to be drawn on pre-Christmas rate rise
Can Australians expect another rate rise before Christmas?
Chalmers:
I’ll leave it the economists and to the market to make their own predictions. I don’t predict or pre-empt or second-guess decisions taken by the independent Reserve Bank board. That is a matter for them.
I have my own job to focus on. I have been focused on my own job, providing cost-of-living relief, getting the budget in better nick, investing and in skills and energy on housing and that is our contribution to this fight against inflation.
Updated
Chalmers says government will update inflation forecast before Christmas
Chalmers said the government will update its forecast in the midyear budget update between now and Christmas:
In a speech last week, I said that Treasury had already changed some of their expectations for inflation in the near term, because of this volatility we have seen in fuel prices and in other areas. But their expectations for when inflation will come back to the target band have not materially changed after those inflation figures that were released a couple of weeks ago.
Updated
Jim Chalmers defends government action on inflation
The treasurer said “we all want inflation to moderate further and faster”, and the government has the same goals as the Reserve Bank “but we have different jobs”.
Jim Chalmers:
The Reserve Bank’s job is to address this inflationary challenge without crunching the economy. I am focused on my job, which is a distinct and complimentary job when it comes to fighting inflation. We are doing our bit [when] it comes to addressing this inflation challenge.
He pointed to cost-of-living relief, plus investment in energy, skills and housing.
The Reserve Bank governor has said that our fiscal strategy is quote ‘very helpful, very positive and it is good and that it is enough’ and the International Monetary Fund says that we are helping rather than hampering this fight against inflation by ensuring that fiscal and monetary policy are working together.
Updated
Jim Chalmers says RBA responding to 'inflationary pressures'
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is now speaking to the media following the RBA’s decision to increase interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.35%.
He acknowledged “this will make life harder for people who are already doing it tough”:
Inflation has moderated in our economy since those peaks that we saw last year, and our economy has slowed, but inflation is still a feature of our economy and inflation has been persistent in recent months as the Reserve Bank has identified.
Now, the primary driver of inflation in the most recent data was petrol, but there are other inflationary pressures in our economy as well as the Reserve Bank is responding to that.
As I said, they take these decisions independently, they can explain those decisions and I refer you to the statement for the explanation of what has happened today.
Updated
Four in custody following pro-Palestine protest outside Melbourne Cup
Victorian police say four people are in custody following the Pro-Palestine protest outside Epson Road, which affected entry to and traffic around the Melbourne Cup earlier today.
In a statement, police said a female protester arrived in a white van and climbed on to the roof where, for some time, “she failed to obey police instructions to come down”.
Police pepper sprayed protesters before arresting three of them, who were all male.
The female on top of the white van has also since been arrested, police said, with police arranging for the van to be towed away.
The four protesters who were arrested have been taken to Melbourne West police station “to be processed for resisting and hindering police”.
Updated
Greens ask government to specify which military equipment sent to Israel
Greens senator David Shoebridge has asked the government to outline what military equipment has been sent to Israel this year.
As Guardian Australia reported recently, the defence minister, Richard Marles, has granted a number of permits for the export of Australian-made weapons and ammunition to Israel.
However, details of what was sold remain under wraps.
A group of Palestinian human rights groups has launched legal action in federal court in an attempt to reveal further information.
Murray Watt, who is representing Marles in the senate, said defence exports don’t include just arms and munitions but also things like radios and other technology:
So you shouldn’t assume, Senator Shoebridge, through the president, that the existence of a permit means that a weapon has been exported to any country. Whether that be Israel or any other. But for very good reason we don’t go around broadcasting details of export permits that we have with any particular country, because there are national security issues at stake. This is a government that takes national security seriously.
Updated
RBA signals it will increase interest rates again, if needed
The RBA has also made it clear that it is prepared to increase interest rates again if needed.
Governor Michele Bullock said in the RBA statement:
Whether further tightening of monetary policy is required to ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable timeframe will depend upon the data and the evolving assessment of risks.
Updated
RBA slugs borrowers with an unlucky 13th rate rise
Australia’s borrowers have been dealt another blow with the Reserve Bank lifting its key interest rate for the first time in five months to ensure inflation keeps falling.
The RBA board on Tuesday decided to hike its cash rate 25 basis points to 4.35%, a 12-year high. The increase, widely anticipated by economists, was the central bank’s 13th rate rise since May 2022.
The new governor, Michelle Bullock, and the board had lately sent repeated signals they were poised to resume rate rises if inflation didn’t slow as expected.
The quarter-point increase will add roughly $100 to monthly repayments for a standard loan of about $600,000. Since the rate-increase cycle began, such borrowers will be paying about $1,450 more each month to lenders once the latest hike is passed on, according to RateCity data.
More soon.
Updated
Unless we do something about climate change “right now” it will be difficult for people born today to lead lives they can value and have a sense of control over, Prof Sharon Friel said.
Speaking at a public health conference hosted by the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, Friel said “we have to prevent emissions going into the atmosphere” and said this means holding businesses and industry to account for the harms they are causing.
Institutions, policies, commercial activities and norms that incentivises the excessive production and consumption of goods and services are harming our health and the planet, she said.
Friel is director of the planetary health equity hothouse at the Australian National University and said governments, commercial entities and corporations are “let off the hook” when it comes to addressing climate change.
So the dominant ideas in our current market economy means that we get lifestyle drift in our policies.
We say; ‘Here’s a leaflet promoting healthy, sustainable food, and don’t turn on the lights, and it’s all about individualism’.
There are important moves overseas to tax transnational corporations, Friel said.
We need much more mandatory government regulation.
Liberals pressure government over inflation
Question time in the Senate has begun and, following yesterday’s theme, it kicks off with a shouting war.
The two government ministers in the house are the trade minister, Don Farrell, and the agriculture minister, Murray Watt.
Liberal senator Paul Scarr asked:
Why has the treasurer and the prime minister still not released a comprehensive plan to get inflation under control and put downward – rather than upward – pressure on interest rates?
Farrell stood up to answer, listing off the times the Coalition voted against the government’s proposals to lower inflation.
But it was tough to hear much of it with Coalition senators heckling things like “that’s Don-enomics”.
On a side note, a fellow journalist has figured out why a number of opposition senators are wearing yellow roses – it’s apparently the flower for Melbourne Cup Day.
Updated
Chinese premier says Albanese ‘a handsome boy’
One more from the pool with premier Li and the PM. Li said Anthony Albanese’s visit had been shared widely on social media:
On our way into the hall I shared with you that I see on social media of China that there are many sharing videos about your trip to China including your speech, including the video of you running along the … river [in Shanghai] with a yellow jersey.
Li said people had said we’re seeing that “we have a handsome boy coming from Australia”.
Yes, that happened.
Updated
Li Qiang announces resumption of annual meetings with Australian PM
Back in the Great Hall of the People in China and in the bilateral meeting between China’s premier, Li Qiang, and Anthony Albanese. Li has announced the resumption of annual leaders’ meetings between the Chinese premier and Australian prime minister.
Pool reporters say Li acknowledged the Australian media in the room and said Wednesday was journalists’ day in China.
Our hopes are journalists will give objective and fair reports on the two countries.
China has blocked visas for Australian foreign correspondents for more than three years.
Li described Albanese as an “old friend” after meeting him four times in the past year.
Updated
Many thanks to Amy for being on the blog the past hour! You have Emily Wind back with you for the next little while.
Greens say Melbourne Cup should be shut down
The Senate sitting is still ticking along (the Senate is sitting alone this week, catching up on legislation and parliamentary business after the estimates hearings) and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi and her colleagues welcomed the “Nup to the Cup” protest outside Parliament House.
Faruqi said in a statement:
People can see right through the advertising glitz and glamour of the Melbourne Cup to the cruelty and misery horse racing inflicts on animals.
The Melbourne Cup is an anachronism that is becoming less and less relevant every year. The clock is ticking on the Melbourne Cup. It’s time to shut it down.
Let’s make this Melbourne Cup the last cup of cruelty.
Updated
With the formalities concluded, the two leaders will retire for a bilateral meeting, followed by a banquet.
Two giant tapestries depicting the Great Wall of China are rolling, slowly, out of view.
The troops depart, replaced by servers in black tie.
Updated
Albanese meets with Li Qiang
Anthony Albanese is arriving in the Great Hall of the People for the ceremonial welcome.
One hundred and forty-four military personnel are standing to attention, bayonets fixed.
Albanese and the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, stand on a podium as the anthems of the two countries are played. The acoustics in this cavernous chamber are sensational.
Albanese and Li are now walking along the red carpet to inspect the troops.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is about to meet with Li Qiang, who is the premier of China. Murph will have more for you very soon.
Updated
Gold Coast police officer threatened with gun at Mermaid Beach
A Gold Coast police officer was allegedly threatened with a revolver and “grabbed” by a man during a routine welfare check on Tuesday.
The man had been found “slumped over” inside a vehicle at Mermaid Beach about 6am. Senior police said he was clearly agitated, produced a firearm, threatening two officers with it, and briefly grabbed a female officer before fleeing.
He was arrested nearby after approaching a taxi driver. No shots were fired by the man or police.
The female officer who was allegedly “grabbed” was uninjured but taken to the Gold Coast university hospital for “precautionary” reasons.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Insp Kayleen James said police had gone to the scene after calls about a man slumped inside a vehicle.
Police attended and spoke to that male person who was clearly agitated at the time.
The male person produced a firearm and grabbed one of the officers, threatening both officers at the time.
Asked whether the man had held the officer “and put a gun to her”, James said the man “was in possession of a firearm at the time and had threatened both of the officers with that firearm”.
The male person has [then] either let her go, or [the female officer] struggled out of his grip.
James said the man was known to police.
Updated
Four senior executives at Australia Post got pay increases of up to $482,000
Four senior executives at Australia Post secured pay increases of up to $482,000 last financial year, despite senior ministers urging the government-owned company to reflect on community expectations during a cost of living crisis.
The pay increase also comes months after Australia Post revealed a $200m loss, its first since 2015, renewing political debate about increasing the cost of stamps, cutting the frequency of letter delivery and closing post offices in metropolitan areas.
Chief executive Paul Graham’s total remuneration increased from $2.08m to $2.38m due predominantly to an increase in base salary as he had not worked all of the previous financial year in that role. His performance-based bonus increased slightly to $887,819, despite the financial result.
The general manager of retail, brand and marketing’s base salary increased by $483,800, taking her pay from $705,297 to $1.18m, although she had not worked all of the 2021-22 financial year. Her performance-based bonus increased from $304,811 to $327,381.
Not all salaries increased. The chief financial officer’s salary dropped from $1.5m to $1.2m due to a smaller bonus. The head of parcel, post and eCommerce’s remuneration also dropped from $1.4m to $1.1m. All 11 senior executives earned a collective $11.5m last financial year.
When the salaries were released last year, the finance and communications ministers expressed concern and called for more transparency about bonuses. Months later, Labor senator Carol Brown told a Senate estimates hearing that she agreed the “community would expect better”.
Earlier this year, Guardian Australia reported Australia Post considered scrapping bonus payments but the board eventually decided they were needed to “incentivise” senior staff:
Updated
Call to ‘disentangle’ pharmaceutical industry funding from healthcare professionals
Prof Barbara Mintzes, the lead of the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre’s Evidence, Policy and Influence Collaborative, says there is the need to “disentangle” pharmaceutical industry funding from healthcare professionals.
Studies from the US and France have found ubiquitous pharmaceutical gift relationships associated with higher prescribing of drugs, and a US study even found that regulating pharmaceutical sales activities reduced off-label prescribing of children’s antidepressants more than FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) approval did.
Speaking at a public health event hosted by the Charles Perkins Centre, Mintzes says there are both traditional pharmaceutical promotion including sales representatives meeting with doctors and providing free samples, as well as non-traditional methods such as sponsored continuing medical education and sponsored guidelines.
Taking questions from the audience, Mintzes said Ozempic is an example of marketing of prescription medicines to clinicians influencing health care, with obesity increasingly being described as a disease.
There are people who are well meaning and actually really genuinely believe that’s a good idea because it will help people who are obese, particularly morbidly obese, to get medical care – on the other hand, it’s really pushing away from the idea of social solutions and political solutions and towards the idea of drug treatment.
Updated
Fiji pragmatic on Australia’s climate policy
Fiji’s prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, has express a pragmatic view about Australia’s climate policy, saying his country has benefited from Australia’s economic progress and “we do not want to quickly kill that cow”.
Rabuka spoke to reporters about the issue on the first official day of talks at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in the Cook Islands. He said he was “realistic” about the pace of decreasing Australia’s reliance on fossil fuel consumption.
The comments comes amid calls from some governments in the region, such as Vanuatu, along with civil society groups, for Australia to take stronger action against coal and gas. That is particularly pressing in light of Australia’s bid to host a future UN climate conference in partnership with the Pacific.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is due to arrive in the Cook Islands tomorrow and there is speculation he could use his appearance this week to announce details of Australia’s planned new contribution to the Green Climate Fund.
Vanuatu’s climate change minister, Ralph Regenvanu, has argued that while Pacific nations welcomed Australia’s stronger stance on climate action after the 2022 election, its commitment to reduce emissions still “falls short”. In an op-ed for Climate Change News late last week, Regenvanu said Australia’s continued embrace of fossil fuel exports was at odds with the spirit of the Paris agreement:
Pacific Island nations, including my home country, Vanuatu, sit on the front lines of the climate crisis. We face rising sea levels that threaten to swallow our homes and increasingly frequent and increasingly destructive weather events.
Our ability to adapt will be made impossible by Australia’s hypocritical gas expansion plans.
Updated
Switching gears for a moment for a dispatch from Murph, who is with Anthony Albanese in China:
Hello again from Beijing.
Preparations are underway in the Great Hall of the People for the ceremonial welcome for the Australian prime minister. PLA soldiers, bayonets fixed, are practising their parade before the leaders arrive. The army band is also warming up by practising the Australian national anthem.
Updated
Victoria police arrest three pro-Palestine protesters
Victoria police have released a statement on the pro-Palestine protest at Epsom Road, which has disrupted entry to the Melbourne Cup race day.
The statement says three protesters have been arrested, including two who were sprayed with pepper spray.
Police say that the protest is on-going, with about 80 protesters and traffic flow has “improved” although the statement says the “incident caused traffic disruptions at an important intersection on Melbourne Cup Day”.
Updated
As you know, the Reserve Bank is meeting today and economists and the market are largely in agreement that the RBA will break its five-month pause and increase the cash rate (the rate at which banks buy money) to 4.35%.
Jim Chalmers has already announced he will be holding a press conference at 2.40pm.
Updated
You have Amy Remeikis with you for a very short moment while Emily takes a well-earned break.
Two arrested following fatal crash in Sydney’s southwest
Two men have been arrested over their alleged involvement in a fatal crash in Sydney’s south-west yesterday.
About 10.50am yesterday, emergency services were called to Ashcroft following reports of a crash.
On arrival officers were told a grey sedan crashed into a tree and power pole, before two people allegedly exited the vehicle and ran from the scene.
Two passengers of the vehicle – two boys, aged 13 and 14 – died at the scene.
A crime scene was established, which was forensically examined.
Following inquiries, two men, aged 23 and 27, were arrested at Wetherill Park police station about 12.30pm today.
Both were then taken to Liverpool hospital under police guard for assessment and injuries allegedly sustained during the crash.
Investigations are continuing.
Updated
Weather bureau releases October climate data
The Bureau of Meteorology has released the October climate summaries for each state and territory today:
In Victoria rainfall across the state was 69.45mm, 7.5% above the 1961-1990 average. The mean maximum temperature of 0.52C was also above the average.
Rainfall in NSW in October was 49% below the 1961-1990 average and the mean temperature for the state was 1.33C above average.
Western Australia recorded its driest October in record since observations began in 1900, with rainfall 83.5% below the 1961-1990 average.
Rainfall in the Northern Territory for October was 87.9% below the 1961-1990 average, making it the 5th driest October on record.
Queensland marked its sixth-driest October on record, and driest since 2006, with rainfall 83.6% below the 1961-1990 average. Parts of the south-east experienced their lowest October rainfall on record.
Rainfall in South Australia was below to very much below average across most areas, and was 76% below the 1961-1990 average overall.
The rainfall total for Tasmania was 18% below the October average and the mean maximum temp was 0.32C warmer than the 1961-1990 average.
October rainfall in the ACT was below average at most sites, and maximum temperatures were mostly above average.
Updated
Victorian homicide squad investigating death of teenage boy
Victorian homicide squad detectives are investigating the death of a teenage boy who was struck by a car in Melbourne’s north-west last night.
A group of teens were crossing Chichester Drive at Taylors Lakes when it’s believed they were deliberately struck by a vehicle about 6.55pm, a police statement says.
Three youths were struck by the vehicle, which then fled the scene.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services, a 16-year-old Keilor Downs boy died at the scene.
Two other boys, a 16-year-old from Melton and 15-year-old from Keilor Downs, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police are working to establish the exact circumstances of the incident. Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Updated
Police investigated after Tasering man at care home
Two South Australian police officers are being investigated for criminal wrongdoing after they tasered and capsicum sprayed a man while arresting him at a care facility, AAP reports.
The incident happened when police were called to the southern district facility on 26 October.
While trying to arrest the man aged in his 60s, the officers used a Taser and OC spray, leaving him with minor injuries.
A complaint was made about the officers’ conduct to the Office for Public Integrity that day and SA police was made aware of the complaint on Monday.
After assessing footage from the officers’ body-worn cameras, a criminal and disciplinary investigation was initiated.
The two officers have been removed from duty while the investigation takes place.
Updated
Pro-Palestine rally underway at Flemington Racecourse
A pro-Palestine rally appears to be taking place at Flemington Racecourse, with protesters blocking traffic at a roundabout near the Melbourne Cup.
A caller to 3AW Radio said traffic is impacted at the roundabout of Epsom Road, Ascot Vale Road and Racecourse Road.
The caller said police were on the scene, where there are about 50 protestors:
Theres no traffic moving at all practically … they’re all blocking the road, they’ve got cars blocking the road as well
No traffic’s getting through.
Pro-Palestine protest happening at Melbourne Cup pic.twitter.com/IWuTFZcBqQ
— Antoun Issa (@antissa) November 7, 2023
According to footage posted to X (formerly Twitter), protestors are chanting “ceasefire now” and two vehicles with “Free Palestine” painted on them appear to be parked on the road.
A person standing atop one of these vehicles also appeared to light a flare earlier:
And a flare has been lit by the person standing atop the van. pic.twitter.com/tvxHsnGyzs
— Matt (@MattH093) November 7, 2023
Victoria Police have been contacted.
Updated
Likely Reserve Bank rate rise will add to financial stress of borrowers
The eight members of the Reserve Bank are meeting just now to decide whether to lift its key interest rate later today, a move that would mark the unlucky 13th increase since May last year.
(There should be nine members, but the deputy governor’s position has been vacant since Michele Bullock took over as the boss on 18 September and won’t be filled until next month, treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Sunday.)
As it happens, decisions tend to be by consensus so there won’t be a casting vote as such.
Anyway, as has been clear since inflation numbers for the September quarter popped a bit a fortnight ago, analysts’ expectations have been pointing strongly to the RBA hoisting the cash rate today by another 25 basis points to 4.35%.
Of 39 economists surveyed by Reuters, 34 have pencilled in a quarter-point rate rise, with one tipping it will be a more modest 15bp to 4.25%. Nice and round, to be fair, but actually a bit unlikely if the central bank is trying to demonstrate its inflation-fighting credentials today.
Even without a rate rise, the share of households forking out at least 30% of their income to repay a mortgage will reach 48.5% by the end of the year. A record high for this measure of implied financial stress, as we noted here:
A 25bp rate rise today will nudge that tally to 49.3%, Ben Phillips, a principal research fellow at ANU’s Centre for Social Research and Methods says.
About a third of the population has paid off their mortgage and a similar number are renting. For them, the focus may well be how much the interest rate on their deposits rises and how soon.
As the RBA noted last month, banks typically pass on about 75% of interest rate rises to deposit-holders, and 100% to borrowers. That’s not great (and helps to explain big bank profits) but it’s worse in places such as New Zealand and the US, where the ratio is more like 35%–50%.
Anyway, look out for today’s RBA decision at 2.30pm AEDT, right here on your favourite blog.
Updated
Good morning from Beijing
Anthony Albanese will shortly kick off his final day in the Chinese capital.
Australia’s prime minister will leave his accommodation shortly for a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People. He will then meet Chinese premier Li Qiang and afterwards there will be a banquet marking the visit.
Albanese will then speak to the travelling media before flying on to the Pacific Islands Forum. As you can see from the state media this morning, the Australian visit has gone down well:
You can also see from today’s front-page story that China has an interest in projecting a sense of reconnecting with the world.
This desire on the Chinese side has been very obvious during this visit.
Updated
Australia asked six countries to take man challenging indefinite detention
The high court has begun hearing the case of NZYQ, a stateless Rohingya man who is challenging the legality of indefinite immigration detention.
As Guardian Australia revealed in October, NZYQ arrived in Australia by boat in September 2012, but had his bridging visa cancelled in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse with a 10-year-old minor.
The court hearing this morning focused on last-ditch efforts by the Australian government to deport him after 30 May 2023, the date on which it agreed in the special case that he could not be removed at that time and there was no real likelihood of that changing in the foreseeable future.
Craig Lenehan, counsel for NZYQ, revealed that since 30 May the Australian government has approached Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and the Five Eyes countries (Canada, UK, US and New Zealand) asking them to resettle his client.
Lenehan said this was done “under the shadow of this litigation” and appears to have been done “under the direction of ministers”.
Responses from all countries were negative – except the US, which committed to take a “hard look” at his case. Departmental documents read by Lenehan into evidence concluded it was “impossible to predict” whether the US would take NZYQ or to identify a clear pathway for him to resettle there.
Lenehan submitted that NZYQ is an “inadmissible alien” under US law because of his crime of “moral turpitude”, so would need a series of “uncertain” discretions to be exercised in his favour to go to the US. That was not enough for the commonwealth to hang its hat on to argue he has any real prospect of removal, Lenehan submitted.
If any country were to agree to resettle NZYQ, it would weaken his case, although Lenehan submitted he would still be entitled to a declaration that his detention on 30 May was unlawful.
The hearing continues.
Updated
Tobacco, food and pharma industries using “distracting” research to downplay harms, scientist says
The chief scientist for the University of Colorado’s Centre for Bioethics in the US, Prof Lisa Bero, has spoken about how harmful industries including tobacco, food and pharmacy engage in “distracting” research to divert attention away from negative health impacts.
Sugary food and beverage industries, for example, will fund research into exercise and its impact on health to take the focus away from the harmful ingredients in their products that are contributing to chronic diseases, she said.
Speaking at a public health event hosted by the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, Bero said scientific and medical research that is sponsored or funded by harmful industries are more likely to lead to results that favour the harmful product and downplay risks or side effects.
Bero has examined internal documents from powerful industries and interviewed whistleblowers from large corporations, and has found companies suppress data about harms.
Companies “know about harms well before it ever comes out in the scientific literature,” she said.
It’s disheartening because it happens across companies, it’s been happening for decades, and it’s still happening.
These conflicts of interest and funding sources for research should be eliminated, Bero said.
We need independent publishers of research.
Updated
Severe thunderstorms are forecast in central and southern interior Queensland today:
Severe storms in central & southern interior Queensland today, including areas like Barcaldine, Blackall, Longreach, and Charleville. Large hail, strong winds, and heavy rain are major concerns. Widespread thunderstorm activity in other regions. Monitor for warnings ⚡🌧️ pic.twitter.com/oaSPRL1tPd
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) November 7, 2023
The Bureau of Meteorology said large hail, strong wings and heavy rain are all major concerns.
CCTV footage shows two men fleeing scene of fatal Ashcroft crash in Sydney as manhunt continues
The hunt for two men who fled the scene of a car crash that killed two boys has entered its second day as officers piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
You can read the full story with latest details here:
Updated
Melbourne ‘Wall of Hope’ dedicated to Israeli hostages vandalised
The Jewish community of Melbourne says it woke this morning to “distressing images” of the desecration of the ‘Wall of Hope’ dedicated to the 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The wall is located outside the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre in Caulfield and was unveiled last Friday. It features the slogan “Bring Them Home Now” and photos of hostages:
Devastating to see the desecration of our memorial to the missing hostages at Beth Weizmann. The perpetrators of this vandalism demonstrate a complete lack of humanity and their support for the most heinous of terror organisations. pic.twitter.com/tuc3FCPGov
— Zionism Victoria (@ZionismVic) November 6, 2023
Overnight, the words “Free Palestine” were written across the photos on the wall. Staff have since cleaned the wall.
Chair of Beth Weizmann, Sam Tatarka, who established the wall with fellow Zionism Victoria board member Baron Katranski, said:
It’s a great shame that some people are so filled with hate that a display in aid of hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza has been defaced.
This will not stop us from publicising their plight. Our community is unbowed by this act of wanton destruction directed at the heart of their community centre.
Zionism Victoria president, Yossi Goldfarb, added:
While people have a right to protest the current war or call for the establishment of a Palestinian state – something which we, indeed, would welcome as part of a two-state solution – it was truly devastating to see the desecration of the wall, which only serves to highlight the plight of innocent civilians – the elderly and babies – seized from their homes.
Updated
More than 35 tonnes of illegal vapes seized by border force
A joint operation between the Australian Border Force and the drugs regulator have detected more than 35 tonnes of illegal vapes entering Australia worth more than $11m in street value.
Campaign Obelia saw officers from the ABF target consignments entering across four states over the past month. The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s laboratories then tested 287 samples and found 85% contained nicotine.
Based on that testing, the TGA estimates 376,000 products were unlawful. In a joint statement from the health minister, Mark Butler, and the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, said:
The labelling of the majority of these products falsely implied they were nicotine-free, yet subsequent testing at the TGA laboratories found they contain nicotine, which will result in their formal seizure.
Nicotine vaping products that are not imported or supplied under a TGA pathway pose a significant public health risk, particularly to young Australians.
The government says the reforms announced in May will make illegal vapes easier to detect by measures including regulating all vapes and requiring licences and permits to import any therapeutic vape.
University of Sydney tobacco control expert and lead investigator of the Generation Vape study, Prof Becky Freeman, said: “While enforcement of existing laws is welcome, what we need now is for the vaping import and sales laws to be tightened as was promised in May”:
Meanwhile, flavoured and nicotine laced vapes continue to be sold openly in child-friendly convenience shops all across Australia - hooking a whole new generation on nicotine. Our Generation Vape study continues to find children trying and using these products - we are not seeing declines, we need to urgently address access.
Updated
Daylesford crash victim Pratibha Sharma remembered as ‘lovely soul’
A friend of one of the Daylesford pub crash victims is speaking to ABC TV, honouring Pratibha Sharma as a “lovely soul, dedicated volunteer [and] a good mother”.
Sharma, 44, her daughter, Anvi, and her partner, Jatin Chugh, 30, were named among the dead on Monday night.
A 38-year-old man from Tarneit, named by state and federal MPs as Vivek Bhatia, and his 11-year-old son were also killed.
Daljeet Bakshi from the Australian Sikh Support Foundation told the ABC that Sharma was a public personality and dedicated volunteer, always raising her hand to help out with community initiatives:
… especially during Covid she helped us a lot, [delivering] food packs and ration packs for the needy ones across Melbourne, she used to deliver it in her own car, risking her own life and her family’s life.
And her beautiful daughter, she was so regular with her, visiting the Sikh Temple in Craigieburn and helping her mum in the community service out of there.
It was a lovely family and their life has gone … Pratibha was a lovely soul, dedicated volunteer, a good mother who was taking care of her beautiful girl.
Bakshi said that Sharma was also an immigration lawyer who helped young people and students with visa issues.
Updated
WA bushfire warnings
Here are the current bushfire warnings for Western Australia, which experienced increased fire activity and threat over the weekend:
A Watch and Act is in place between Bruboodjoo and Yardi Creek campgrounds, along the Ningaloo Coast in Exmouth.
Campers are being urged to stay at their campsites and move to the beach if the fire approaches.
The fire started near the intersection of Winderabandi Point in Ningaloo, and a second fire is burning to the south and north of Ningaloo Road. The bushfire is moving in a northerly direction and is not contained or controlled.
A Watch and Act is also in place on the Goldfields Highway between Kalgoorlie and Menzies in the Comet Vale area.
This alert has been downgraded due to a reduction in fire behaviour. The bushfire is stationary, but is not contained or controlled.
Updated
ADHD recommendations from Senate report would result in ‘meaningful change’, psychology body says
The peak body for psychologists, the Australian Association of Psychologists, said the Senate report into the assessment and support services for people with ADHD tabled yesterday will result in “meaningful change”.
The chief services officer, Amanda Curran, urged the government to accept the recommendations from the report:
If adequate Medicare rebates were available to support ADHD assessment to occur with a psychologist, this would significantly reduce access barriers and ensure that medications are prescribed safely and only when necessary.
Assessment is unaffordable for so many, due to low Medicare rebates and requirements for specialist medical practitioners to refer for assessments and to enable drug prescriptions. This disproportionately affects those in rural and remote regions, First Nations people and those on lower incomes.
Lived-experience director of the Australian ADHD Professionals Association, Louise Brown, said it was important that the report recommends a national ADHD framework along with education and resources, and that these be co-designed with people living with ADHD.
All the recommendations are definitely a move in the right direction.
Updated
Indo Pacific 2023 International Maritime Exposition to welcome military delegations from more than 40 countries
The Indo Pacific 2023 International Maritime Exposition will open its doors to a record number of defence industry businesses and international delegations in Sydney this week.
Indo Pacific 2023 is the region’s premier commercial maritime and naval defence exposition, encompassing the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea Power Conference.
Military delegations from more than 40 nations and more than 700 Defence industry organisations will participate in strategic conversations on the maritime domain. Leaders will meet over three days.
This includes the UK minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who will attend the exposition and highlight UK-Australia collaboration, including through Aukus.
Chief of the navy, vice admiral Mark Hammond, said:
Our navy provides a crucial role in Australia’s national and regional security. Billions of people across the world rely upon the natural resources drawn from or transported on the oceans for their livelihood, and take for granted the seabed cables, which connect the modern world and enable our prosperity.
Indo Pacific Sea Power Conference 2023 provides an opportunity for Navy to discuss shared maritime challenges, which impact our national security and economic prosperity.
Updated
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its Melbourne Cup forecast:
We're expecting a partly cloudy day for the #MelbourneCup with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, most likely during the afternoon and early evening. The temperature will be 20°C when gates open and a temperature of 27°C when the event ends.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 6, 2023
Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/bXGn15u4pW
WA to roll out thousands more electric vehicle chargers under new grants
Thousands more electric vehicle chargers could be rolled out across Western Australia as part of a $12.5m project to encourage their use in the workplace, AAP reports.
The Western Australia energy minister, Bill Johnston, announced the latest round of Charge Up workplace grants after awarding $2.4m to install 403 electric car chargers earlier this year.
The announcement comes after the state opened another three charging stations in its 7,000km EV network and after Western Australian motorists bought a record number of electric cars in the year to October.
Johnston said the latest round of electric vehicle infrastructure funding would be open to not-for-profit organisations and small and medium businesses, as well as local councils:
The program encourages daytime charging, enabling EV owners to utilise abundant solar energy during sunny hours, which also assists in stabilising our electricity grid.
Across the nation, motorists have bought 71,800 electric vehicles this year compared to 23,869 last year.
Updated
China joining CPTPP would be ‘a good thing for the world economy’: Watt
Q: What conditions would China have to meet for Australia to support it joining the CPTPP?
Murray Watt:
There’s obviously a very large number of conditions and requirements under that trade agreement, but the key point is that all parties that seek to join and remain parties to that agreement need to be able to demonstrate that they do follow the rules set out by that agreement.
Q: Can China demonstrate that and get your support?
Watt:
That’s a matter obviously for all the members of the trade agreement … obviously China has indicated an intention to abide by those sorts of rules and if it can do that, then that’s a good thing for the world economy [and] it’s a good thing for the Australian economy.
Updated
Australia ‘can’t count on China as our only market’: agriculture minister
Murray Watt was asked whether the government wanted to see trade with China return to pre-2019 levels.
He told ABC RN Australia would “always look to make the most of any possible market in China”, because even with the impediments it has remained Australia’s biggest agricultural export market over the last few years.
However, Watt said this has shown why we “can’t count on China as our only market”:
One of the things that was so important about losing those markets was that for particular products like wine and lobster, China was far and away our biggest market and the premiums they were prepared to pay were just not possible to get elsewhere.
I think what we have learned from that experience is that we can’t count on China as our only market. And that’s why we are putting so much effort into developing alternative markets for our products.
It was disappointing that the EU negotiations fell over but as we’ve said before, we weren’t prepared to sign up to that deal that was going to do over Australian producers.
Watt reiterated it isn’t a matter of “choosing China or other markets” but doing both, and developing other markets, so we are “not so reliant on one”.
Updated
Murray Watt says PM’s meeting with Xi an ‘important step forward’
Earlier this morning, the agriculture minister, Murray Watt, spoke to ABC RN about Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Xi Jinping and Australia’s relationship with China more broadly.
Watt said the meeting was an “important step forward” in the ongoing stabilisation of the relationship, and while he doesn’t expect the nations to be “universally in agreement”, the relationship is “much better than it was even 12 months ago, let alone two or three years [ago]”.
We won’t give one thing and expect one thing back equally, China aren’t looking to us to deliver one thing in return to something they give us.
But as I say, if you look at the benefits that have accrued, the prime minister actually said that even the products where we’ve been able to restore trade in the last few months, we’ve actually generated $6bn worth of exports in between about January and August this year in those products compared to $85m last year. So it’s restoring valuable exports, valuable jobs for Australians, and that’s why it’s so important that we stabilise this relationship.
When will those last barriers be removed?
Watt said he met with trade minister Don Farrell upon his return to Australia yesterday, who had a positive meeting with his Chinese counterpart “particularly around lobster”.
Based on that … I know [Don Farrell is] hopeful that we will see some movement before too long there.
… Of course, China is now committed to review their wine tariffs and they have a five month period to do that … We expect that will be resolved within that time period, just as it was for barley, and that leaves lobster, and some beef and sheep abattoirs which are still blocked. We have raised that at every possible occasion … and we want to see them lifted as quickly as possible.
Updated
Body found after fire destroys boat in far north Queensland
A man’s body has been found by police investigating a boat fire in far north Queensland, AAP reports.
Police had been looking into the blaze that destroyed a boat in Innisfail on Saturday, with a 66-year-old man reported missing.
He was last seen onboard the vessel a day earlier.
A body was found in the Johnson River late on Monday with forensic examinations ongoing, police said.
Investigations into the circumstances are continuing.
Updated
Australians rallying for Israel-Hamas ceasefire ‘in their tens of thousands’: Greens senator
The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John just spoke to ABC News Breakfast and was asked what yesterday’s walkout from Senate question time achieved. He first questioned the use of that language:
… we very specifically used the language of having left or exited the chamber because obviously I’m sitting … in a wheelchair, I didn’t walk anywhere.
Speaking on the broader action, Steele-John said the Greens were trying to raise awareness about the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza with “thousands being killed by the war crimes and crimes against humanity that are being perpetrated by the state of Israel”.
The global community is coming together and calling for a ceasefire. That is something which the Australian community is rallying for in their tens of thousands and yet the Australian government is refusing to back that call.
So our action yesterday was about bringing attention to that reality and placing pressure on the government to call for a ceasefire which is the end of the killing of civilians, overwhelmingly as well children, since Gaza’s population is about 40% under the age of 15.
Steele-John said the call for a ceasefire is a basic call the government “should have backed from day one”.
It’s a real shame upon them that they haven’t done it and the Greens will continue to work with the community to bring about that ceasefire, to place pressure on the government to do more to bring that situation to become a reality, and we won’t be apologetic about the actions that we take to draw attention to what is happening right now to the people of Gaza.
Updated
Turnbull says Scott Morrison was ‘showboating’ with trip to Israel
Malcolm Turnbull also spoke about the former PM Scott Morrison’s visit to Israel with the former UK prime minister Boris Johnson.
Speaking on ABC RN, he was asked about comments from the former Wentworth MP Dave Sharma that Anthony Albanese should be doing the same and visiting Israel.
Is Sharma right?
Turnbull replied, “No, he’s wrong”:
Dave’s a good bloke, he was a good ambassador in Israel … but he’s running for a Liberal Party preselection …
Albanese going on, what is it, a sympathy visit, a solidarity visit to Israel? What’s Australia going to do other than, you know, provide sympathy and solidarity?
No, Albanese has got to keep his eye on the ball, which is being prime minister of Australia and advancing the interests of the Australian people that put him into office. That would be my advice to him.
… Leave the showboating for Scomo and Boris.
Updated
Turnbull welcomes end to China’s ‘coercive control’ attempt
Malcolm Turnbull was asked how different Australia’s relationship with China is now compared to when he was prime minister and met with Xi Jinping.
Turnbull argued that China was unhappy with Australia over a number of things, including the decision to ban Huawei, pass laws protecting our security, and Scott Morrison’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of Covid-19, in response to which they “chose to really go completely over the top”.
Now that was an exercise in coercive control. You hear about a lot of that in personal relationships; well, this is seeing it between countries.
China breached their trade obligations to us … They just had the attitude, ‘we’re big, you’re small, we’re going to make you pay for being insufficiently, you know, obsequious or compliant’.
Turnbull said that “exercise [in] control failed” and didn’t result in any change to Australian policy, and moved us closer to the United States:
China then needed an exit ramp, and the obvious exit ramp was a change in government. So yes, Albanese can take credit for this change, but it is really a change – Albanese has done nothing. All he’s done is he’s won the election, and he and Penny Wong have stopped using, you know, belligerent language about China [which] was done and Morrison did from time to time.
Simply, the change of government provided the exit ramp, Xi Jinping has recognised the coercion failed and so we’re back to, I think, a more conventional, standard sort of relationship, which I absolutely welcome.
Updated
Turnbull: question to PM on whether he trusts Xi was ‘stupid’
The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull just spoke to ABC RN about Anthony Albanese’s visit to China and meeting with Xi Jinping last night.
Turnbull labelled questions to Albanese about whether or not he trusts Xi as “stupid questions”.
I think you’ve got to trust other countries [and] other the leaders that you deal with. It’s a stupid question to ask an Australian prime minister just before he goes into a meeting with Xi Jinping, and it’s designed just to trip him up and embarrass him.
The reality is that all international dealings have to be based on trust, but obviously trust is tempered by experience. And no Australian prime minister is going to get into a situation where they say I trust this guy, but I don’t trust that guy.
It’s crazy. It’s gotcha journalism … We’re talking about China and you want to talk about how Albanese responds to gotcha journalism. I think he handled it as well as he could, but it was a stupid question.
Updated
Just like yesterday, there is an extreme grass pollen forecast for all of Victoria today. Don’t forget your medication as you leave the house this morning!
#Melbourne grass #pollen forecast for today (Tuesday, Nov 7) is Extreme. Get the App for more pollen forecasts: https://t.co/9tGM9OKvvQ
— Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast (@MelbournePollen) November 6, 2023
Note: Other locations within Victoria have an Extreme forecast today. pic.twitter.com/7woetK9Zkw
Emergency bushfire warning for WA highway
An emergency warning has been issued for people travelling along parts of Western Australia’s Goldfields Highway between Kalgoorlie and Menzies, AAP reports.
The warning for the Comet Vale area in the shire of Menzies was issued by WA’s Parks and Wildlife Service early on Tuesday after the fire crossed the highway. It reads:
You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.
It advised travellers north of the out-of-control fire to return to Menzies and those south of the fire to return to Kalgoorlie.
The Goldfields Highway has been closed from north of Kalgoorlie through to Menzies.
The parks service is managing the fire that was reported on Monday afternoon and is believed to have been sparked by lightning.
Teenage boy dies in Melbourne’s north-west after being found injured in the street
Victorian police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a death in Melbourne’s north-west yesterday evening.
Emergency services were called to Taylors Lakes at about 6.55pm after a teenage boy was found injured in the street.
The boy is yet to be formally identified. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.
A statement from police says investigators believe the boy may have been struck by a car.
Two boys were also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Updated
Big emitters must ‘pay for the damage’ of climate crisis, Pacific envoy says
The world’s response to Pacific leaders’ repeated pleas for action on the climate crisis has been “underwhelming”, says the Cook Islands’ special envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum, Tepaeru Herrmann.
As the Pacific Islands Forum begins its annual leader-level political gathering, Herrmann told a media briefing in Rarotonga that there had been “no lack of advocacy from our Pacific leaders for many, many years” about the impact of the climate crisis on the region. She said the response had been inadequate:
Those global frameworks have not delivered for the Pacific. Our islands are still going under. Our people who live in coastal communities are still having to replace their little coral walls so their houses don’t get overwhelmed by water …
We see these political pledges and commitments and they’re counted as billions of dollars given to the Pacific. Nobody does any assessment on the execution rates. We know what those rates are for us: negligible.
Herrmann said this week’s meetings would discuss “Pacific solutions to these challenges”, including the Pacific Resilience Facility – an initiative seeking finance to “build Pacific resilience in the face of more frequent and severe disasters and ongoing climate change threats”. Herrmann said:
We know what the solutions are. We need the emitters to – compensate is not the word – well, basically to deliver, to pay for the damage.
Herrmann said the Pacific’s partners should be “recalibrating how they deliver their support”. She said delivery “must be in the hands of Pacific countries”. Those Pacific mechanisms would help communities to bolster climate and economic resilience.
Updated
Pacific Islands Forum begins first day with leaders’ meeting
Good morning from Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, where the Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) leaders’ meeting kicks off its first day of official activities today. The week-long talks are the region’s most important annual political gathering.
The Australian minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, is due to land here today, whereas the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is scheduled to arrive tomorrow once he wraps up his trip to China.
Pacific leaders are expected to focus on the climate crisis, in addition to how to manage growing strategic rivalry between Beijing and Washington. Overnight, the Cook Islands’ special envoy to Pif, Tepaeru Herrmann, delivered a stark warning about the Pacific’s growing frustration at the region being at the “forefront” of the climate crisis. We’ll have more from that intervention shortly.
The prime minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, who is hosting this week’s talks, alluded to the growing contest for influence in the region. In a statement, he said the Pacific’s own voices must not be lost in those power plays:
Amidst a rapidly evolving geo-political landscape, it is more important than ever that our Pacific Leaders chart our own course towards a legacy of prosperity, sustainability, and unity for the generations that will follow.
Pif has 18 members, but four of their leaders will be absent. Instead, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Zealand will send senior delegates. More on that here:
Updated
Simon Birmingham: child deaths in Israel-Hamas conflict ‘a terrible function, sadly, of war’
The shadow foreign affairs minister, Simon Birmingham, spoke to ABC RN just earlier and responded to the Greens’ walkout from Senate question time yesterday.
Last month, the prime minister put forward a motion in question time condemning Hamas. The Greens voted against the motion because they had not succeeded in adding a line also condemning “war crimes perpetrated by the state of Israel” and seeking “an end to the state of Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories”.
Birmingham argued that because the Greens voted against this motion, they have “no credibility in this space”:
… and based on their pathetic actions, just to see to weaken Australia and undermine our position.
Birmingham said “the humanitarian concerns are real” and the loss of any child, whether Palestinian or Israeli, is a “tragedy”:
It is a terrible function, sadly, of war. And the challenge here is trying to see Hamas removed as quickly and effectively as possible from a position of power … and we want to see that happen as quickly as possible so hopefully we can see a stabilisation, and ultimately, peace discussions between Israel and Palestinians to work to establish a viable peaceful outcome for the future.
Updated
Shorten: Government ensuring ‘spending policies aren’t putting upward pressure on rates’
Bill Shorten also responded to questions around infrastructure spending.
This comes as the infrastructure minister, Catherine King, confirmed that some of the 250 projects that have not begun construction in the $120bn pipeline will need to be cancelled or delayed as a result of an infrastructure review to be released “shortly”.
Shorten told ABC TV it was important Australia kept building infrastructure, but “we need to make sure that they’re value for money”.
Some of challenges for the inflation market at the moment in Australia is that we’ve got terrible things going on in the Middle East, petrol prices are up, that is a spike, and that’s on top of the Ukraine war and challenges around energy prices globally. So it is tough. And I know that the government is doing everything it can to try and help with cost of living, but make sure that the spending policies aren’t putting upward pressure on rates.
Updated
The government services minister, Bill Shorten, was also asked about the Reserve Bank’s upcoming decision on interest rates later today.
He acknowledged the Reserve Bank is independent of the government but said “I hope it stays static”:
[I] just know a lot of mortgage holders are doing it tough, but the bank will make its decision independently.
For the Albanese government, we know that inflation is a cost of living issue. We have put in a whole heap of measures from childcare to parental leave and energy support. People are doing it tough at the moment, I think it’s hard out there.
Updated
Shorten labels Greens' Senate walkout 'political grandstanding'
Government services minister Bill Shorten has labelled the Greens decision to walk out of Senate question time yesterday as “political grandstanding”.
Yesterday, the Greens stormed out of Senate question time to protest what they say is Albanese government inaction over the conflict in Gaza. You can read more from my colleague Paul Karp here:
Speaking to the ABC just earlier, Shorten argued the Greens’ walk out doesn’t help “a single soul anywhere”:
I think that is just political grand standing. I don’t know how that helps. And you know, no-one thinks that that helps.
I think that the Government has the right line and length. We want to make sure that we are supporting the humanitarian pause, we want to see relief get through to innocent Palestinian civilians.
But you know, with the Greens, going back to that, they don’t walk out over Hamas. So I think that these guys are opportunists, and I don’t think it’s worth me spending much more oxygen on them.
Shorten was asked if the government needs to be firmer in calling for a ceasefire, but he replied, “No, I think we’re getting the messaging right”.
This most recent shocking conflict was triggered by Hamas crossing the borders into Israel. I think the government has made its position clear that Israel has a right to defend itself. We also want to make sure that [where] possible, the rules of war are followed. These civilians, these Palestinian civilians, it’s not their fault and it’s shameful. What we’re seeing is very difficult to watch
Updated
Six universities sign MoU to explore delivery of degrees in India
Six Australian universities have signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a trip to India to explore the delivery of Australian degrees in the nation.
Innovative Research Universities (IRU) members James Cook University, the University of Canberra, Western Sydney University, Griffith University, Flinders University and La Trobe University have all committed to the consortium, while its seventh member, Murdoch University, declined.
It’s the first time a group of Australian universities have teamed up to deliver offshore education in India, and comes just months after announcements that Deakin University and the University of Wollongong would open Indian campuses.
IRU chair and vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra, Prof Paddy Nixon, said Australia and India’s education ministers had “been clear” about the opportunity for the nation to play a greater role in reaching India’s goal of 50% higher education participation.
This new consortium approach builds upon the existing strong links that our universities already have with partners in India, including more than 100 joint programs with Indian institutions to support student mobility, dual degrees and research collaboration.
The IRU executive director, Paul Harris, has joined the delegation of 15 higher education leaders to present the education minister, Jason Clare, and his counterpart minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, with the signed MoU.
Updated
Good morning! Many thanks to Martin Farrer for kicking things off this morning. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on our live blog today.
If you see anything that needs attention on the blog you can send me an email: emily.wind.casual@theguardian.com.
With that, let’s get started.
Greens senators say ADHD should be included on NDIS access lists
The Australia Greens agreed with the 15 recommendations contained in the committee’s report into ADHD, and have recommended 12 more.
Senators Janet Rice and Jordon Steele-John said they were disappointed that the Labor and Liberal members of the committee did not include ADHD on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Access Lists A and B, which allow for faster assessments.
They said the National Disability Insurance Agency could improve the accessibility and quality of information around the eligibility of ADHD as a primary condition under the scheme.
Many personal and organisational submissions identified the National Disability Insurance Scheme as the best avenue for support.
Updated
Government should review Medicare access for ADHD, says Senate report
The government should review how Australians with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can access Medicare benefits for care and prescribing rules around medications, a parliamentary committee has recommended.
The “assessment and support services for people with ADHD” Senate inquiry has handed down its report after hearing of poor quality of care, inconsistent prescribing and high costs from more than 700 submissions, as well as 79 witnesses over three public hearings.
The committee has made 15 recommendations, including the development of a national ADHD framework.
It also recommended the government review the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, considering the requirements for a diagnosis to access some medications, age restrictions, dosage restrictions and the scope of practice for clinicians prescribing these medications in order to improve their safety and quality.
The committee recommended the government create and fast-track nationally consistent prescribing rules between states and territories.
It also recommended the government review the Medicare benefits schedule in order to improve the accessibility of assessment, diagnosis and support services for people with ADHD.
In its report, the committee said:
The committee is of the view that more can be done to remove barriers for people with ADHD so that they can receive the assessments, healthcare and support they need. The costs of the current system are too high, given the costs to the healthcare, education and justice systems, as well as to employers. However, above all these costs are the significant personal health, wellbeing and financial costs to people with ADHD and their families and carers.
The government now has three months to respond to the recommendations.
Updated
Jewish Australians call for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war
Hundreds of “heartbroken” Jewish Australians have put their names to a petition rejecting suggestions their community “unanimously supports” Israel’s actions and urging the Australian government to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The petition circulated among the Australian Jewish community on Monday as it marked 30 days since Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,400 people and kidnapping a further 230, with vigils in several locations and Israeli flags hoisted in Melbourne’s Federation Square.
Some 1,400 candles were expected to be lit across all states and territories on Monday evening, each representing a victim of the 7 October attacks.
The vigils come as a newly formed group, Jewish Australians for a Ceasefire in Gaza, said it had gathered nearly 700 signatures on a petition arguing Israel’s actions put the goal of sustainable peace in the region “further out of reach”.
“We urge the Australian government to call now for both the release of innocent hostages, and for a full ceasefire,” the petition says. “Australia cannot stand by while Israel continues to subject Palestinian civilians to its campaign of collective punishment.
“Our Jewish values are incompatible with the unjustified cruelty and reckless disregard for human life and dignity that the Israeli government is displaying.”
The Australian government does not endorse the claim that Israel’s action amount to “collective punishment” of Palestinian civilians, though some ministers have used the phrase.
Jewish Australians for a Ceasefire in Gaza’s members hold varying views on Israel and Palestine but are united in their call for a ceasefire.
The petition was sent to several high-profile politicians on Friday after it reached 500 signatures.
“The hope is that they begin to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.
“And this statement makes clear to them that there are many, many Jewish Australians who urgently want that to happen.”
In Melbourne, the Hamas attack was remembered 30 days after it happened with seven Israeli flags raised above Federation Square and a rally calling for the release of Israeli hostages before candle-lighting ceremonies.
Updated
Hundreds gather for vigil at Daylesford’s Victoria Park after deadly crash
More than 200 community members gathered at a vigil at Daylesford’s Victoria Park on Monday night, including the Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas and the federal infrastructure minister, Catherine King.
The emotional crowd was urged to reach out to support services if they were struggling with the aftermath of the crash at the Royal Daylesford Hotel.
The vigil was moved from the local community centre to the park to accommodate a large turnout.
Devastated mourners streamed through the area to lay flowers, teddy bears and leave messages of condolences at the site of the accident.
“[We] are broken. Rest in peace,” one message read.
The federal infrastructure minister, Catherine King, was among those paying their respects.
A counselling service has been set up at the community health centre for locals struggling to cope with the tragedy.
Politicians including the premier, Jacinta Allan, the opposition leader, John Pesutto, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, thanked those who went to the victims’ aid and offered their condolences to those affected.
Updated
Driver in Daylesford crash to be interviewed by police today
The driver of a car which ploughed through a regional Victorian pub is expected to be interviewed by police today as investigations into the fatal crash continue, Australian Associated Press reports.
Three families were sitting in the Royal Daylesford Hotel’s roadside beer garden when a BMW SUV mounted the kerb and hit patrons about 6pm on Sunday.
A 38-year-old Tarneit man and his 11-year-old son were killed at the scene while his 36-year-old wife and six-year-old son were hospitalised.
A 44-year-old Point Cook woman was killed along with her partner and nine-year-old daughter.
An 11-month-old boy was injured but is in a stable condition at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
More than 200 community members gathered at a vigil to mourn the crash victims.
The 66-year-old driver remains in hospital for shock and non-life threatening injuries and is expected to be interviewed by police today.
He did not have alcohol in his system and was not known to police.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight news before my colleague takes you through the rest of the action.
Anthony Albanese has declared that his landmark visit to Beijing was about “taking forward” Australia’s relationship with China, and has talked up the need to keep communications open with Beijing. His host, Xi Jinping, also spoke positively about relations and played along with Albanese’s efforts to cast the occasion as a reset alongside Gough Whitlam’s famous visit in 1973. Albanese raised sensitive trade and human rights issues but was guarded about Xi’s response. Here’s what we learned.
When the prime minister arrives home he could well be encountering a perilous political moment, as the Reserve Bank is predicted to resume its rate hiking again today. Most economists expect a rise despite a lot of commentary saying it’s a bad idea. We report today on modelling showing that almost half of Australia’s mortgage holders would be in financial stress if the expected Melbourne Cup interest rate rise goes ahead, concluding that those borrowers will be paying at least 30% of their income to service their loans. At the same time, an Essential poll today shows that 22% of voters said interest rate rises were having a “very negative” impact on them, up three points since February, with a further 31% saying the personal impact was “somewhat negative”.
Domestic political temperatures are also rising thanks to the Israel-Hamas war. After a passionate display in the Senate by the Greens’ deputy leader, Mehreen Faruqi, who staged a boycott of question time with 10 of her fellow senators to highlight the plight of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, former prime minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Israel the world should not get “suckered into” supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, calling it a “play from Hamas”. At home, Jewish Australians are calling for a ceasefire and assembling a petition to push back against the notion that they all support Israel’s attack on Gaza. More coming up.
And police hope today to interview the driver of a car that ploughed into the lawn outside a Daylesford pub on Sunday, killing three adults and two children, and injuring more.
