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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Nino Bucci and Emily Wind (earlier)

Severe weather warnings for parts of NSW and Victoria – as it happened

RBA Interest Rates Michele Bullock Reserve Bank
People inspect damaged bathing boxes at Shire Hall beach in Mornington
People inspect damaged bathing boxes at Shire Hall beach in Mornington on Tuesday. Damaging winds are expected to hit Victoria’s Surf Coast, Wilsons Promontory and Gippsland from Thursday night. Photograph: Daniel Pockett/AAP

What we learned; Thursday, 5 September

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories:

  • Bill Shorten announces his retirement, leading to tributes from Anthony Albanese and former PMs. He will become the University of Canberra vice-chancellor;

  • The Reserve Bank governor, Michelle Bullock, warns some owner-occupiers may be forced to sell their home if they’re in “cashflow shortfall”;

  • The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for a large part of south-eastern Australia, saying a front that is expected to hit Victoria and NSW later tonight could bring dangerous winds;

  • Kat McNamara has unseated the former NT chief minister Natasha Fyles in the electorate of Nightcliff, becoming the first Greens MP elected in territory history;

  • The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says former union boss John Setka’s appearances at two taxpayer-funded projects have been referred to police; and

  • The Australian Electoral Commission has officially abolished the Higgins electorate in Victoria and created the Bullwinkel electorate in Western Australia.

    Thanks for reading. We will see you back here again tomorrow.

Updated

The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, also pays tribute to Shorten.

Updated

Julia Gillard honours Shorten’s achievements in parliament

And another former PM weighs in on Bill Shorten’s departure

Updated

ACTU thank Shorten for ‘unwavering commitment to working people’

In more ACTU news, they have also put put a statement in honour of the outgoing Bill Shorten.

Updated

Law Institute of Victoria pays tribute to outgoing chief justice

The Law Institute of Victoria has paid tribute to the outgoing chief justice, Anne Ferguson, describing her as an inspiring leader and role model.

Matthew Hibbins, the institute’s president, said:

The Hon Chief Justice Anne Ferguson has been an inspiring leader of the legal profession in Victoria and on behalf of the Board, staff and more than 20,000 members of the LIV, we thank her for her service and wish her well upon her retirement.

The Chief Justice has been a role model for what a solicitor on the Bench can be, and there are many across the profession who have been inspired by her professional journey. The LIV wishes her well on her retirement.

The Chief Justice has been a spearhead for change in the legal profession, including with respect to integrity, courtesy, and, importantly, the elimination of sexual harassment within the profession. We applaud her leadership of cultural change in the legal profession.

Updated

Tradies union walks away from ACTU, saying it only represents white-collar workers

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union has met today and decided to disaffiliate from the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Allen Hicks, the New South Wales and ACT secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, said that given the ACTU had supported special laws to put the construction union into administration it is clear the “CEPU doesn’t align with the ACTU at this point in time”.

The CEPU, which represents 100,000 workers, has proposed that blue-collar unions including metalworkers and construction union representatives should hold a summit within three months to discuss forming an alternate union grouping. Together this grouping represents at least 250,000 workers.

Hicks said that blue-collar construction unions needed “a peak body to represent all unions, not just the select few”.

Troy Gray, the ETU Victorian secretary, said the vote was “overwhelming” although not unanimous. He accused the ACTU of representing “white collar unions”.

Gray said blue-collar unions “didn’t want to take our bat and ball and go home” and had decided it was more responsible to propose an alternative after disaffiliation, citing the US and UK as examples of other jurisdictions with different peak bodies.

Updated

The former prime minister Tony Abbott wishes Bill Shorten well.

Updated

Ananda-Rajah bemoans reduced diversity as seat abolished

Michelle Ananda-Rajah has released a statement about the Australian Electoral Commission confirming the decision to abolish her seat of Higgins at the next election.

She has paid tribute to the history of the seat in Melbourne’s inner east, and bemoaned the fact that abolishing it could reduce diversity in the parliament.

It may not, however, be the end of her time in parliament, given that two Labor MPs, Bill Shorten and Brendan O’Connor, have announced they will be vacating their Melbourne seats (albeit in different parts of the city to Higgins).

Ananda-Rajah said:

As the first Labor Member for Higgins in its 75 year history, I am honoured to have served this lionhearted community.

As a first generation migrant and public health professional with no political background, I am proud of my record of service and will continue to serve my country and the people of Higgins in whatever way I can.

As is too often the case, this leaves the Commonwealth Parliament more male and less culturally diverse at a time when underrepresented people need to be seen and heard.

My hope is that this diversity is not reduced in the 48th Parliament. I commit to doing everything in my power to make that happen.

Ananda-Rajah also paid tribute to the two former prime ministers, Harold Holt and John Gorton, who were members for Higgins, and to Australia’s longest serving treasurer, Peter Costello, another former member.

Updated

Independent candidate says ‘killing civilians is never OK’ after social media furore

Dr Ziad Basyouny, the independent taking on Tony Burke in his western Sydney seat of Watson, has responded to a piece in the Sydney Morning Herald that alleged he shared a Facebook post celebrating the October 7 attacks, saying he supports “Palestinian resistance to oppression”.

It comes after the piece alleged he shared a post on Facebook in the aftermath of the attacks that contained a machine gun-wielding paraglider, according to screenshots given to the paper.

In response, Basyouny told the Guardian that “killing civilians is never OK”.

I support the inherent right of Palestinians to take back and defend their land, but I do not support the attacks on civilians. As a doctor, a Muslim and a human, I obviously abhor attacks on civilians.

The occupation of Palestine for more than 75 years and the violence the Palestinians have been subjected to, should be opposed by all. Palestinian resistance pre-dates Hamas, their struggle has been ongoing for decades, and I support the freedom of the Palestinians.

But Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the sharing of the post was not about “Israeli policy” and called on Dr Basyouny to apologise.

“He should either apologise or be open about his support for terrorist atrocities targeting civilians. But claiming now his posts weren’t supportive of Hamas when the attacks he posted about were carried out by Hamas is taking the public for fools.”

  • This post was corrected on 5 September 2024. An earlier version stated Sky News had reported on the post in question. Sky News had reported on a separate post.

Updated

Winds to buffet huge part of south-eastern Australia overnight, BoM warns

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for a large part of south-eastern Australia, saying a front that is expected to hit Victoria and NSW later tonight could bring dangerous winds.

While it is expected that there will be a lull in gusts this afternoon, the wind is forecast to pick up overnight and early tomorrow morning, buffeting areas including western, central and eastern ranges of Victoria, and the southern part of the Great Dividing Range, including the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.

The Bureau also warned of damaging winds covering the Surf Coast in Victoria, Wilsons Promontory and Gippsland, as well as much of south-eastern NSW, including parts of the Illawarra.

The dangerous winds are expected to last for the next 24 hours.

Updated

King Island Dairy to close, 58 jobs at risk

Saputo has said in a statement that it has made “the difficult decision” to close Tasmania’s King Island Dairy, and will be closing the facility and retiring the brand by mid-2025.

In a statement, Saputo Dairy Australia (SDA) said it had done a 10-month review of the Bass Strait business, and had also been unable to find a buyer.

About 58 impacted employees had been told of the decision, and SDA said it would identify “redeployment opportunities, and where alternative roles are not available, employees will be provided with their full entitlements and outplacement support”.

Leanne Cutts, the president and chief operating officer (international and Europe) of Saputo Inc, said the decision had not been taken lightly.

Cutts said:

As King Island Dairy’s historic roots are deeply embedded in the region, it was hoped the strategic review would identify a potential buyer for the facility. It is a unique brand, with a plant that is nearly 100 years old and designed to produce hand-made specialty cheeses.

Updated

Don’t even get him started on New South Wales …

Updated

That’s me signing off for the day, Nino Bucci will be here to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage into this evening. Take care!

Australia may delay release of 2035 climate target until after US election

The Australian government may delay the announcement of a 2035 climate target until after the February deadline and beyond the next federal election, in part due to uncertainty about the ramifications of the US presidential election.

Globally, governments are watching the US election before finalising their 2035 commitments. Observers believe Kamala Harris will quickly announce a target if successful but Donald Trump, who has called the climate crisis a “hoax”, has said he would again pull the US out of the Paris deal.

Read the full story for all the details below:

Updated

BoM flags potential further river rises in Tasmania tomorrow

The Bureau of Meteorology says Tasmania is continuing to see flooding impacts from last week’s rainfall.

Flood warnings have been downgraded to minor, but cold fronts could bring moderate falls to northern and western parts of the state, the Bureau said, which could lead to renewed river rises from tomorrow.

Updated

Reactions flow after Bill Shorten’s resignation announcement

Reactions have been coming in from across the political spectrum all afternoon, after Bill Shorten’s announcement he would retire from politics in February to take up the role of vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra.

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, described him as one of “Labor’s greats” and said:

He’s always been a champion for fairness – standing with workers in the Beaconsfield mine disaster, supporting Robodebt victims [and] implementing and fixing the NDIS. Thank you for your service to the labour movement [and] the Australian people.

The assistant foreign minister, Tim Watts, said Shorten had “limitless energy for the good fight”, while assistant minister to the PM, Patrick Gorman, said Shorten would “be missed from both the caucus and the parliament”.

The shadow minister for home affairs, James Paterson, said he suspects “history will be kind to [Shorten] in a similar way it has been to Kim Beazley”.

Bill is a Labor patriot who wanted the best for our country, and was responsible and constructive on matters of national security to his great credit.

The shadow minister for social services, Michael Sukkar, sent Shorten his best wishes:

While he’s been a fierce opponent, he’s also been willing to work in a collegial way with the Coalition in the best interests of Australia.

Updated

AWU recognises Shorten’s service to labour movement following resignation announcement

The Australian Workers’ Union has released a statement congratulating Bill Shorten on 30 years of service to the Australian labour movement.

Shorten began his career with the AWU’s Victorian branch in 1994, and four years later was elected Victorian state secretary. In 2001 he became national secretary, six years before being elected the MP for Maribyrnong in 2007.

The AWU national secretary, Paul Farrow, said in a statement:

Bill led the union defining moments, including the collapse of Ansett and the Beaconsfield mine disaster. His leadership during these crises showed his relentless drive to support workers and ensure their rights were defended. He was always there — whether standing with families who had lost loved ones or advocating for thousands of members who found themselves out of work overnight.

Updated

More strong winds expected tonight for south-eastern Australia

The Bureau of Meteorology has published a severe weather update, with more windy conditions set for south-east Australia as another front approaches tonight:

Updated

Peter Dutton appears to launch TikTok account despite calls for ban on platform

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, appears to have opened a TikTok account, under the handle peter.duttonmp.

He currently has two followers on the verified account, both private accounts.

This comes after Dutton has spent months calling on the government to ban the app. In March, he called for a US-style ban for Australian users, telling Sky News at the time:

If data is being scraped by the terabytes off these accounts and young people are being exposed to extortion at some point, or just their personal data being collected, it’s not a safe platform.

The shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, also in March, labelled TikTok a “bad faith actor” and a “serious threat” to Australia’s national security, urging a US-style crackdown:

Updated

Bullock warns some owner-occupiers may be forced to sell home if they're in 'cashflow shortfall'

Just circling back to the speech by Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, earlier:

Bullock said that for owner-occupiers with variable loans, the RBA estimates 5% are in the “particularly challenging situation” where the combined total of their essential spending and mortgage payments is more than their income.

She described this as a “cashflow shortfall”, and said:

Although this group is fairly small overall, those in it have had to make quite painful adjustments to avoid falling behind on their mortgage repayments. This includes things like cutting back on their spending to the more essential items, trading down to lower quality goods and services, dipping into their savings or working extra hours.

Some may ultimately make the difficult decision to sell their homes. A really important point to note here, is that lower income borrowers are over-represented in the group of people who are really struggling.

Updated

Sophie Scamps throws support behind Pittwater candidate

Teal independent and federal MP Dr Sophie Scamps has thrown her support behind her former staffer’s campaign for the New South Wales state seat of Pittwater at an upcoming by-election.

Scamps released a statement a short time ago backing Jacqui Scruby’s bid for state parliament. She said:

The people of Pittwater deserve honest and competent representation, and Jacqui will always put the community first. On the Northern Beaches people have the opportunity to elect leaders who will work constructively together and across the political spectrum.

Scruby managed Scamps’ own successful campaign for the 2022 federal election and went on to work for her as an adviser.

Scruby announced her candidacy this morning for the Pittwater by-election on 19 October, in what will be her second attempt at winning the seat on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Updated

Teal independent says she is ‘underdog’ in contest for Pittwater

Teal independent Jacqui Scruby says she is the “underdog” in the contest for the New South Wales seat of Pittwater, but believes she can run a strong campaign for a community that “deserves better”.

Scruby today announced her candidacy for the upcoming by-election in the electorate on Sydney’s northern beaches, following the resignation of former MP Rory Amon after he was charged with 10 child sexual assault offences.

Speaking to Guardian Australia this afternoon, Scruby said the community was “incredibly shocked” and thinking about what could come next.

It’s this idea of people deserving better, wanting a fresh start, and raising the bar of NSW politics. It’s not only the scandals, but it’s also sort of the ineffective mess that the Liberal party is in at the moment from an administrative point of view and no doubt, from a policy point of view as well.

A former environmental lawyer who has worked for federal teal independents Sophie Scamps and Zali Steggall, Scruby ran against Amon at the 2023 state election. Amon won the seat by just 606 votes, with Scruby achieving a historic 22% swing against the Liberals.

Earlier today, Scruby said:

I have amazing volunteers and people from all walks of life from across Pittwater who are giving their support. We can run a really strong campaign, and I can get out there and listen and be supported, but at the same time I’m not taking anything for granted.

Updated

Woman charged after injured baby found outside home

A woman has been charged after a newborn baby was found seriously injured outside a Melbourne home, AAP reports.

The boy was discovered outside a Dandenong North address in Melbourne’s south-east at about 2.40am on 30 August. The newborn was initially taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Police have today said the baby remained in hospital with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries”.

A 25-year-old woman was taken from the scene on Gladstone Rd to hospital under police guard. She remains in hospital and has since been charged with conduct endangering life and recklessly cause injury.

She has been released on bail and will appear before Dandenong magistrates court on 5 December.

Updated

Michele Bullock’s speech and Q&A has now wrapped up.

Michele Bullock said she “wouldn’t say that high interest rates are worse than the problem of high inflation”.

The RBA governor said that inflation “hurts everyone, and it hurts the most vulnerable”, and that using interest rates to bring it down to target is “absolutely worth achieving”.

We’ve tried to raise interest rates to get them restrictive enough to bring inflation back down to target without overdoing it, and we’ve been sometimes criticised for that. Some people have said you should have gone as far as the Fed have gone, we haven’t. We’ve tried to maintain a interest rate that is as high enough as it needs to be to bring inflation back down, and I do believe – and I know the board believes – that that is the best course of action.

Updated

RBA governor rebuffs opposition’s suggestion of ‘war’ with Chalmers

Michele Bullock was asked if she agreed with comments from the opposition today that she and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, are “at war”.

She responded:

He’s doing his job and I’m doing mine. I wouldn’t use those sorts of words.

Updated

Q: Given the RBA has just one blunt instrument, as you put it, in interest rates, does the federal government need to be doing more to bring down inflation?

Michele Bullock responded:

The federal government and the treasurer said a number of times that he’s doing his bit to try and bring down inflation. My job is to focus on what I can do, which is only the interest rate. I think all the governments are conscious of it, because, quite frankly, all of their constituents are suffering from high inflation, so I think they are focused on it.

Updated

Bullock has ‘no comment’ on Chalmers’ suggestion interest rate hikes are ‘smashing the economy’

Michele Bullock has now been asked about comments made by the treasurer at the weekend that the RBA’s higher interest rates is “smashing the economy.”

She acknowledged “people are hurting from high interest rates”, but argued it is “actually high inflation that is really causing trouble for people”.

It’s affecting everyone. So the role of interest rates in this is to try and temper demand. That’s what monetary policy does – and it’s working, clearly working – but we need to see the results in the inflation numbers. That’s [why] we need to see inflation coming down, because … if we don’t get inflation down, it’s bad for everyone, absolutely everyone.

On Chalmers’ remarks, Bullock said that she had “no comment to make on the comments”.

Updated

Why is RBA not adjusting down interest rate predictions if people are spending less?

The RBA governor, Michele Bullock, has wrapped up her speech in Sydney and is now taking questions from reporters.

A reporter asks, in simple terms, if people are spending less – according to yesterday’s national accounts – why is the RBA not adjusting down its predictions about what it’ll do with interest rates?

Bullock said that inflation needed to subside before it can do that, stating:

In simple terms, it’s the difference between growth rates and levels.

It’s true that the growth rate of GDP has slowed. GDP itself was around about where we forecast it would be, but the components were a little different.

Consumer consumption was a little softer, but part of monetary policy’s job has been to try and slow the growth of the economy, because the level of demand for goods and services in the economy is higher than the ability of the economy to supply those goods and services. So there’s still a gap there … Part of it is that demand was so strong coming out of the pandemic that its level is still above the ability of the economy to supply the goods and services. That’s why inflation is still there.

So I understand why people would think that as things are slowing that should be a reason to lower interest rates, but we need to see the results in inflation before we can do that.

Bullock later added that if inflation doesn’t come down, “then it might be that the best medicine is in fact that we have to end up putting more restriction into the economy”.

Updated

Here’s a clip from Bill Shorten’s announcement earlier that he would be resigning from politics next February, for those who missed it:

Victoria’s chief justice announces retirement

Victoria’s chief justice, Anne Ferguson, has announced she will retire from the supreme court, AAP reports.

The supreme court of Victoria announced her retirement, which will take effect from February 2025, today. Justice Ferguson was first appointed as a supreme court justice in 2010, she moved to the court of appeal in 2014 and then stepped into the chief’s role in 2017.

She was involved in some of the state’s most high-profile cases, including Cardinal George Pell’s appeal over child sex abuse charges. Chief Justice Ferguson said in a statement:

It has been a privilege to have served the Victorian community. I thank the judicial officers and staff from across this court, other jurisdictions and Court Services Victoria, together with the legal profession, for their commitment and dedication during my time as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Justice Ferguson also served as chair of Courts Council, which oversees Court Services Victoria, and chair of the Judicial Commission of Victoria.

Updated

Lidia Thorpe calls for questions on gender identity and sex characteristics to be reinstated in 2026 census

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe is calling on the federal government to commit to including questions on gender identity and sex characteristics in the 2026 census.

In a statement, Thorpe highlighted recent findings made by the Victorian coroner into the suicide deaths of five young transgender women. In her report, coroner Ingrid Giles noted a resounding theme of the inquest was the need for improved data collection on the trans and gender-diverse community.

Thorpe said the decision to exclude questions on gender identity and sex characteristics is “appalling” and the government should “stick to their promise and reverse this decision.”

This irresponsible and divisive decision will harm intersex, trans and gender diverse people. Not only because it singles them out to be left uncounted, but because it will have real impacts on people’s access to healthcare and services …

We need accurate information that can tell us where intersex, trans and gender-diverse people are living so governments and organisations know where services are most needed.

Updated

Court case should be expedited to help CFMEU fight election, former officials say

Former construction union officials have cited the upcoming federal election as cause to urgently hear their case against a law appointing administrators, asking the high court to expedite the matter to prevent them being politically sidelined.

In court documents, seen by Guardian Australia, lawyers for Michael Ravbar and William Kane Lowth asked the court to direct the commonwealth to file its defence within a week, with a reply and agreed facts to follow in weeks for a case to be heard “as soon as possible”.

The grounds of the case are that the law: breached the implied freedom of political communication; did not have a sufficient connection to a commonwealth power; and amounted to taking union property without “just terms” compensation.

The plaintiffs argue that the act “has an impugned purpose of limiting or preventing” the construction union from making political donations, incurring expenditure and engaging in political communication.

They noted the Coalition helped pass the bill in part because of a letter from the prospective administrator, Mark Irving, indicating he intended for the union not to promote candidates or make donations.

In submissions arguing for the case to be expedited, lawyers said the case “involves pressing consequences” for the plaintiffs and the union and if the challenge is unsuccessful the administrator would benefit from “dispelling any concern” promptly.

The construction union “intended to be involved – by way of advocacy, support of political parties, incurring electoral expenditure and making political donations – both prior to andduring the next federal election” which it can only do if the case is heard “expeditiously”.

Guardian Australia understands the matter has been listed for directions on Friday. The government has said it will defend the case, and believes its law is constitutionally sound.

More from the RBA governor’s speech in Sydney

Continuing from our last post: The gist of Michele Bullock’s speech is mostly a recounting of the reason why the fight against inflation is the RBA’s priority, including over employment.

While Bullock makes it clear the RBA is conscious of the pain being felt by households and businesses from higher interest rates, so far most are coping.

“[D]espite the pressure on household budgets, only a small share of borrowers is currently at risk of falling behind on their mortgage repayments,” Bullock says, with the ongoing “strong” labour market key for people meeting their debt repayments.

“Around 5%” of owner-occupiers with mortgages “are in a particularly challenging situation”, she said, echoing a number the RBA has used before.

Stay tuned for the Q&A session, where Bullock will no doubt be asked about GDP and whether the RBA is really “crashing the economy” as treasurer Jim Chalmers has said.

Updated

Bullock repeats view that RBA not expecting rate cuts 'in the near term'

In her first comments about the state of the economy since yesterday’s release of June quarter GDP figures, Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock doesn’t look like shifting from her view that interest rates aren’t about to be cut.

Bullock has told the Anika Foundation Fundraising Lunch in Sydney:

Circumstances may change, of course, and if economic conditions don’t evolve as expected, the board will respond accordingly. But if the economy evolves broadly as anticipated, the board does not expect that it will be in a position to cut rates in the near term.

As Bullock herself notes, her assessment echoes the comments she made after the RBA’s most recent board meeting a month ago. Back then, “near term” meant not this year and since the board typically doesn’t meet in January, a rate cut would seem unlikely until February at the earliest.

After yesterday’s GDP figures (which may mark the weakest point for the economy), investors were only giving about a 10% chance of a rate cut when the board meets on 23-24 September, according to the ASX rates tracker. There’s about a three-in-four chance of a cut by December.

More to come in a moment.

Updated

NTEU says Shorten’s first act as vice-chancellor should be review of institution’s governance

The National Tertiary Education Union says Bill Shorten’s first act as the new vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra should be to undertake a review of the institution’s governance.

The ACT division secretary, Dr Lachlan Clohesy, said Shorten needed to “know what he is walking into”, pointing to the previous vice-chancellor’s 71% pay increase prior to his resignation in January. Paddy Nixon’s package was $1.8m in 2023 compared with just over $1m in 2022.

UC’s previous vice-chancellor received an unexplained $700,000 pay increase at a time when the university is financially starving … governance reform is necessary and overdue.

We look forward to a productive and collaborative relationship with the new vice-chancellor, built on a basis of respect for staff and our shared union values, and based on our shared commitment to the future success of the University of Canberra.

Asked to explain the increase, the university’s chancellor, Lisa Paul, told the Canberra Times the vice-chancellor’s salary and entitlements were “confidentially negotiated” with the University Council and would not comment further.

Updated

Western Sydney University urging government to address $50k arts degrees

The vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University says student debt is a “broken system” in a new call for the federal government to reduce the cost of skyrocketing arts degrees.

Data released by the Department of Education in July confirmed the student contribution for a range of degrees including society and culture, communications, law and economics would jump to $16,992 annually from 2025, five years on from the widely condemned jobs ready graduates (JRG) scheme.

Prof George Williams AO said the debt worked against the government’s stated aim of encouraging more diverse students into university.

Two-thirds of students at Western Sydney University are the first in their family to attend university, while it also has the highest number of low SES students of any university.

Western Sydney University urges the government to urgently act to fix a broken system, which has now pushed the cost of a three-year arts degree above $50,000. How does this imbalance, impacting equity groups, serve the minister’s commitment to make the system ‘fairer’?

Updated

Greens claim first ever NT seat

Kat McNamara has unseated the former NT chief minister Natasha Fyles in the electorate of Nightcliff, becoming the first Greens MP elected in territory history.

McNamara is leading Fyles by only 33 votes on a re-count but is expected to claim the seat, in Darwin’s suburbs.

Fyles, who resigned as chief minister last December, held the seat on a margin of more than 20%.

Updated

Shorten’s departure fuels electoral excitement

Bill Shorten’s election announcement has kickstarted the usual round of well-wishes from political friends and foes (everyone drops the hostilities for the farewells).

Peter Dutton has wished Shorten well and Labor colleagues such as Victorian premier Jacinta Allan have paid tribute to the former Labor leader.

Shorten, of course, is not leaving until February, and will remain in cabinet right until the end.

But that doesn’t mean there are not eyes which have immediately turned to what the long time Maribyrnong MP’s departure will mean, electorally.

The Greens are feeling invigorated – the party doesn’t have a candidate for Shorten’s electorate as yet, but are now eyeing it as a seat where they could cause some trouble for Labor.

But Labor now has to defend Maribyrnong and Calwell in the north. There is also a strong campaign against Peter Khalil in Wills, which will stretch Labor resources even further.

With the Victorian Labor government also starting to fall in popularity, Victoria is not looking so safe for Labor at the moment. Keep an eye on all of those moving parts.

Updated

Greens preselect Ratnam replacement

The Victorian Greens have preselected a Pacific health campaigner for the state seat vacated by the former party leader Samantha Ratnam.

In a statement, the party says members have preselected Anasina Gray-Barberio for the northern metropolitan upper house seat – the party’s safest in the state. Ratnam, who announced earlier this year she would resign from state parliament, is contesting the federal seat of Wills at the next election.

Gray-Barberio, who will take over the seat in October, says she wants to fight for secure and affordable housing and climate issues:

As a Pasifika woman, I have a deep understanding of the threats posed by climate change, coming from a community that is on the frontline of the climate crisis.

We’re in a critical decade for the climate, and people with lived experience and unique perspectives like mine deserve a seat at the table.

Updated

Jacinta Allan reacts to Bill Shorten retirement news

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has been asked about Bill Shorten’s retirement from federal politics.

Speaking to reporters, Allan thanked Shorten for representing his constituents in the Melbourne seat of Maribyrnong:

I’ve also known Bill personally for a really long time. We haven’t always seen eye to eye. We’ve had disagreements as federal and state politicians sometimes do but Bill has always come to his representative roles, as a union leader, as a local member of parliament and as a minister with a determination to make change. He’s always poured his heart and soul into that task.

Updated

Victorian premier says Setka's appearance at taxpayer-funded project referred to police

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says former union boss John Setka’s appearances at two taxpayer-funded projects has been referred to Victoria police.

The Age reported that Setka, the former Victorian construction secretary, delivered a speech yesterday to workers at the $1.5bn Footscray hospital project.

The speech, which attacked the Albanese government, comes after Setka resigned from the union in July before the Age published allegations of criminal links within the union. Separately, Allan has confirmed Setka spoke to workers at a Metro Tunnel project site on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Allan says the director general of Victoria’s Big Build has referred Setka’s appearances to Victoria police for further investigation:

I want to be clear at the outset that there is no place on Victorian Big Build work sites for John Setka.

Updated

Dutton continues nuclear push despite latest report showing it ‘cannot make timely contribution’ to net zero

Peter Dutton was also speaking about energy policy. This comes after the Climate Change Authority released its report today, identifying six things Australia must do to get the country largely off fossil fuels and reach net zero emissions.

Adam Morton had all the details on this earlier in the blog, here.

Despite evidence that nuclear “cannot make a timely contribution” to replacing retiring coal-fired power stations or helping achieve net zero by 2050 (see earlier comments from Matt Kean), Dutton is continuing his nuclear push. He told reporters:

We’ve looked at the top 20 economies in the world and, in 19 of those, they are either adopting or have adopted nuclear power and Australia is the only country that has not.

He also claimed that the “overwhelming … majority of Australians” now support nuclear energy, and “they do it because they know that when the prime minister says that the wind is free and the sun is free, that is rubbish.”

Data from the Smart Energy Council, however, shows that the Coalition’s nuclear plan could cost taxpayers as much as $600bn while supplying just 3.7% of Australia’s energy mix by 2050.

Updated

Dutton claims that a vote for a teal independent is a vote for Labor

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has been speaking with reporters from Sydney. He has been taking aim at teal independents, and argued:

What we know about the teals is that the majority of them are actually Green teals. They made themselves out to be disaffected Liberal voters that they are not.

We know the green Teals vote consistently with the Greens are with the Labor party in the parliament, and if you are voting for a green Teal know that you are voting for Anthony Albanese.

Updated

Queensland public transport patronage soars after fares slashed

Public transport patronage has soared by up to 40.6% in Queensland, after the state government slashed fares to just 50 cents.

According to an update by the transport department, all four transport modes have seen spikes compared with last year, and the number of trips overall have finally surpassed the pre-Covid peak.

According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads:

  • Bus ridership is up 12.1%

  • Rail ridership is up 16%

  • Light rail ridership is up 18.6%

  • Ferry ridership is up 40.6%

The number of trips overall is 2.4% higher than the pre-Covid average, and is 14.5% higher than a comparative period last year. About 30% to 40% more people are using public transport on weekends, compared with pre-Covid.

The state government slashed fares from among the country’s most expensive to by far the cheapest on 5 August, as part of a six-month trial.

Queensland goes to the polls on October 26.

Updated

University of Canberra chancellor welcomes Bill Shorten after VC announcement

The chancellor of the University of Canberra, Lisa Paul, has issued a message after news the former Labor leader Bill Shorten would become vice-chancellor from February next year.

She said Shorten was unanimously chosen after an “exhaustive search and a rigorous merit-based selection process overseen by a selection committee of seven”.

In February, Shorten will leave the government and politics to take up the positions of vice-chancellor and president. Paul said:

Bill has made an enormous impact on Australia over his years in office. His advocacy for people with disability and for all who need support aligns perfectly with our university that has a firm commitment to reducing inequalities.

Bill is passionate about the transformative power of education in changing lives – this is a value that is also close to my heart. Like many universities across Australia, UC is going through a significant time of change and many opportunities and challenges lie ahead of us.

Bill’s wealth of experience will set us apart and situate UC to tackle the future from the strongest possible position.

Interim vice-chancellor Prof Lucy Johnston will continue in the role until Shorten starts next year, Paul said.

Updated

AEC abolishes Higgins electorate in Victoria and creates Bullwinkel in WA

The Australian Electoral Commission has officially abolished the Higgins electorate in Victoria and created the Bullwinkel electorate in Western Australia.

The new WA electorate is named after Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, sole survivor of the 1942 Banka Island massacre.

In a statement, the AEC said there would be “a very small increase in the number of electors who will change their electoral division” in Victoria. The AEC wrote on X:

As the names [and] boundaries announced today are not considered to be significantly different from the initial proposal there will be no further public input.

The new [Victorian] names and boundaries will be formally determined on 17 October 2024 with overview maps also becoming available.

Updated

Competition watchdog give Optus and Vodafone network sharing nod

Optus and Vodafone have cleared a major hurdle in expanding their mobile network coverage through a network sharing arrangement, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission did not oppose the deal.

The $1.6bn deal announced in April between Optus and Vodafone parent company TPG will see Optus using TPG spectrum in regional areas while TPG will be allowed to use Optus mobile network equipment in regional areas leading to a boost of mobile coverage for both companies in regional Australia.

The ACCC said the agreement was unlikely to lessen competition in the mobile sector, and would allow better choice for consumers in regional locations.

Vodafone said the move will allow it to double its mobile coverage – from around 400,000 square kilometres to around 1,000,000 square kilometres – across Australia from 2025.

Kieren Cooney, Vodafone’s consumer executive director said:

This is a huge win for customers and regional Australia, with our award-winning mobile services soon to be available in thousands of holiday destinations and regional communities across the country.

Optus interim CEO Michael Venter said it would allow Optus to “press the fast forward button” on its 5G rollout in regional communities.

The deal came after the competition tribunal knocked back a proposed network sharing arrangement between Vodafone and the largest provider, Telstra, last year.

Bill Shorten says robodebt ‘should never have happened’

Taking his final question, Bill Shorten was asked about robodebt and whether he can reflect on the issue of accountability, what he says to victims and who will champion this inside government in future?

Shorten said that “every Labor member is a champion for people who experience disadvantage”. On robodebt, he said it “should never have happened” and continued:

The best thing I can say to victims is we invented the DeLorean and we can go back in time and make sure the law was never broken, but the DeLorean hasn’t been invented. What we can do is seek compensation for that, which we did in the class action, and we can hold the previous government to account, which we have.

There is Coalition ministers who forever in their Wikipedia entry will have ‘they were robodebt ministers’. Most importantly, the public service and ministers need to learn that we have to understand the implications of policies before we do it.

We will never again I hope see a chapter in Australia’s modern history we assume that people on welfare are cheats or second class. Access to our social service system is a human right backed by our commitment to United Nations conventions.

I’m confident with the modern Services Australia we are reducing the waiting times on the phone, we’re getting the payments out. There is a definite change in culture … but we have more improvements to make. But if we never forget robodebt, that is our best chance never to forget it.

Updated

A reporter asked for clarification on the date of the next election, and whether Bill Shorten had inadvertently “belled the cat” on a February election?

Anthony Albanese said he hadn’t, and this is just when the academic year starts. He said he wasn’t going to tell Shorten to wait to begin the role “sometime between May or whenever it is” next year.

Bill Shorten says his platform was ‘ambitious’ in 2019 election

Bill Shorten was asked whether his “manifesto” in the 2016 and 2019 “was so ambitious, it turned people off”?

In 2019, we did have an ambitious platform. The verdict came in, I accepted that. But I am proud that we put our propositions forward.

Shorten said that Labor is “at its best when we know what we stand for and we will fight for things”. He was also asked about his legacy and said:

I’m pleased that we brought the previous government justice over robodebt and I’m pleased also to have had the opportunity to lead Labor in 2013, and some of the years after. They were tough years but the whole team pulled together. It was never just me and each of my accomplishments, it’s not just me and I’ve been fortunate to have a lucky role in it.

Updated

Albanese says there may be a gap between Shorten retiring and new member being elected

A reporter asked Bill Shorten whether there is someone he has in mind to replace him in the seat of Maribyrnong? He responded:

There are a lot of great locals in Maribyrnong who could replace me. One thing is for sure: that I will be replaced. The national executive nomination close next week and I know of a couple of good candidates but I think today is about this and let’s see what emerges in coming days.

The PM, Anthony Albanese, said a process would begin to select a candidate:

The election is due by next May. There is some precedent for there being a gap for a short period of time. Minister Shorten will continue to serve until February.

It is possible there will be a small gap where the electorate office continues to serve the interests of the people, but of course Bill had this opportunity come before him.

Updated

Shorten quotes Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ when asked about regrets

Bill Shorten was also asked on his role in the removal of Kevin Rudd in 2010 and Julia Gillard to a lesser extend in 2013.

How do you reflect on those now? Do you have regrets about that all they are necessary part of the process of politics?

Shorten responded by quoting My Way by Frank Sinatra:

Regrets ... I might borrow from someone else. Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do but much more than this, I did it my way.

Updated

Shorten says Australians weren't ready for tax reforms he proposed in 2019

Our own Paul Karp asked the following question:

The 2019 election platform to reform franking credits, negative gearing and capital gains tax, it is full of ideas which now have support not just from the Greens but also the lower house and the Senate crossbench. Were these ideas before their time, and is that a road map for Labor to do more on housing affordability and inequality?

Bill Shorten said he was proud of taking policies to the 2019 election “where we were honest and upfront.”

Some of the ideas, and I’m not referring particularly to yours, were bold and audacious. But this government has been able to succeed because they got elected and implementing some of the threads of the hard work from climate change, to A Future Made in Australia, to training our apprentices.

In terms of the tax reform propositions, the reality is that the verdict of the people was that they were not ready for that and where we were going on focusing on supply, building more housing, I think is the sensible, realistic proposition which brings people together and we have got a very ambitious program which we are rolling out.

Q: Not everybody survives mentally when they lose leadership, or they lose power. What is your advice to fellow politicians on how to survive that?

Bill Shorten responded:

No one in my family was ever a politician. Some of my British relatives came to see me before the 2019 election and they knew my grandmother. She lived in public housing … She was an air raid warden in the second world war, she was a cleaner …

My English family said it would be unimaginable to my grandmother, the idea that her grandson had the opportunity to run in parliament and to indeed run for prime minister.

I don’t worry about what hasn’t been, I think I am really lucky. I have had the chance to help create, defend and improve the NDIS. I have had the very privileged position to lead Labor. I have had the chance to help the victims of robodebt.

Every day in this job and I’m sure every member of parliament agrees, is a privileged day and as I said earlier, despite the ups and downs, there is not a single day I would hand back in the 17 years.

Updated

Bill Shorten is now taking questions from reporters.

He said the council of the University of Canberra unanimously approved him yesterday at 4pm, and he will be moving to Canberra next year to complete the role of vice chancellor.

Bill Shorten to be vice-chancellor of University of Canberra

Bill Shorten said that like many people in their 50s, he has started to think about what comes next – whether to seek another term, or step into a new career while he is “relatively young enough to make that choice”.

From February next year, he will be vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra.

Education is the modern means of taking someone from disadvantage to advantage in a way that no other method can. Universities have a critical role to play …

I’m looking forward to joining university that had been rated number one in the world for reducing inequalities, where 40% of graduates of the first in family to obtain a degree.

That was my mother’s story, so for me this is the fair go in action.

Updated

Bill Shorten said there is “not a single day in the last 17 years” that he would hand back, amid “some extraordinary political highs … [and] let’s face it, some extraordinary political lows.”

Every day I know how lucky I have been to have the privilege to serve the Australian people …

Updated

Bill Shorten also sent a message to people with disability, their carers and people who love and work with them.

The NDIS minister said he helped create and prepare the scheme, and “will always defend it.”

I will use every minute left in this job to secure the future of the scheme and ensure it continues to empower with choice and control and give Australians with disability the chance to fulfil their potential, and the same goes for every Australian who relies on Services Australia.

Shorten on his time as Labor leader: ‘We didn’t win every battle but Labor never stopped trying’

Bill Shorten is now reflecting on his time as Labor leader, coming in after the 2013 election.

He said the party was reduced to 55 seats and had suffered its “worst result since 1996”.

We were up against an ascendant Abbott government with a fierce ideological agenda and the 2014 budget was the centre of that … They were walking away from renewable energy, turning our back on climate action. If you look back at the commentary at the time, there were many who said Labor should simply roll over … [and] there were some who argued it would be smart politics for us to let people feel the pain of these cuts but instead, a united team, we decided to back ourselves …

We look to Australians not just for their approval, we trusted in the instinct for fairness … Not every idea succeeded, I understand that. We didn’t win every battle but Labor never stopped trying.

Whether it was defending Medicare or real action on climate, marriage equality, advancing First Nations representation in our ranks, championing wages and conditions, setting a target of 50% women MPs by 2025, the banking royal commission or tax reform. These were hard fights or worth having.

Updated

Shorten says there is ‘plenty more work to be done’

Bill Shorten said that his career would not have been possible “without the tremendous love, patience, support from Chloe (his wife), Rupert, Georgette and Clementine.”

The sacrifices they have made. Chloe has been a tower of love and strength and I think she has shown more courage than I’d dream could exist.

I will thank others later, because today is not valedictory. There’s plenty more work to be done.

Bill Shorten: 'In the end we're all just passing through'

Bill Shorten is now speaking to reporters in Canberra, saying “I have decided not to seek a seventh term in parliament”.

He said that when he joined the Australian Workers’ Union more than 30 years ago, he did so “driven by the belief that everyone, regardless of circumstance, deserves an equal opportunity”.

The same principle that brought me here in 2007. A determination to always stand up for the underdog.

Shorten said politicians in the end are “all just passing through” and what matters is “whether we leave the place better than we found it”.

That is a challenge I have always been up for. It is why we are so proud to serve in the Albanese government. I genuinely consider myself to be one of the luckiest people in politics.

Updated

Albanese on Shorten: ‘No one worked harder than Bill. No one brought more energy’

Continuing, Anthony Albanese told reporters:

I want [Bill Shorten] to finish the work is to secure the best possible outcome for people with disability, their and carers. Equally, I know that Bill is very determined to see the job through.

The PM said only a few people are given the “extraordinary privilege of leading Australia’s oldest and greatest political party” and Shorten took over “in the wake of a demoralising 2013 defeat”.

He united the party, he re-energised the caucus, he saw off two prime ministers and rebuilt Labor into a strong opposition and a genuine alternative government.

Through his years as leader, no one worked harder than Bill. No one brought more energy, enthusiasm, ideas and ambition to advocating the need for a Labor government.

It is a measure of Bill’s character that he channelled the disappointment of 2019 into fighting for justice for the victims of robodebt.

Albanese thanked Shorten for his contribution as a minister in his government, and or his “decades of service he has given to the Labor movement”.

Updated

Bill Shorten fronting media to announce he will retire at next election

The government services and NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, is now fronting the media in Canberra alongside the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.

As Amy Remeikis just reported, Shorten will retire from federal politics at the next election.

Albanese is first to speak, and said he and Shorten had had a number of conversations around this:

I think it is a credit to Bill that this news will come as a surprise because at no point in the past two and a bit years would any observer of Australian politics think that Bill Shorten was taking it easy or slowing down.

Albanese has asked Shorten to remain in cabinet until he departs in February “because he and I agreed there is important work still to be done to put the National Disability Insurance Scheme on a sustainable footing”.

Updated

Bill Shorten to retire from federal politics at next election

Bill Shorten will retire from federal politics at the next election, it has been confirmed.

Labor sources said the former Labor leader had been speaking about leaving for some time. It was known to be happening before the next election, but the timing was not confirmed.

Anthony Albanese is expected to make the announcement at a press conference in the next 10 minutes.

Shorten is believed to be making the announcement now to give the party time to embed a new candidate in his Melbourne seat of Maribyrnong, which he has held since 2007.

More to come.

Updated

Christie Whelan Browne settles sex discrimination case with theatre company outside of court

Actor Christie Whelan Browne says she has settled her sex discrimination case with Oldfield Entertainment outside of court.

Last year, Browne brought a lawsuit against the theatre company alleging victimisation after she complained of alleged harassment by Craig McLachlan, her castmate in a 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Show.

The federal court lawsuit has been filed against the theatrical company and did not seek relief from McLachlan.

In a statement shared to Instagram today, Browne said she was “extremely happy with the outcome” and that she was able to “avoid the pain of another trial.”

The past 18 months has taken a huge toll on me. But there will come a day, in the future, when I have healed, where I will be able to look back and be proud that I stood up for myself.

There is nothing more to say on the subject. It’s done. And I’m free.

Updated

Teal independent says Pittwater by-election opportunity to ‘raise the bar’

As we reported earlier, teal independent Jacqui Scruby has today announced her candidacy for the upcoming Pittwater by-election in New South Wales.

In a post to X, Scruby said the 19 October by-election would be “a much needed chance to raise the bar” on issues such as “the cost of raising a family today, running a business, and protecting our beautiful corner of the world.”

As an Independent, my focus will be on serving the local community, not party politics… As a local mum who knows what it’s like to run a small business, I have seen how hard the past couple of years have been for families and businesses on the peninsula.

My promise to Pittwater is that honesty, fairness and integrity will be at the heart of everything I do… As an Independent I’ll have a seat at the table to tackle these issues, rather than being ineffective from opposition.

It’s going to take an almighty effort to win this one.

Queensland premier says casino rescue ‘might not work’ and government concerned for 1,400 jobs

Queensland’s premier Steven Miles has defended his government’s decision to consider bailing out casino operator Star Entertainment for the second day in a row.

The state government is reportedly considering delaying a $300m tax bill from the company, which opened part of the giant Queen’s Wharf casino and resort precinct in Brisbane last week.

Miles today said the government’s first priority is to “try to protect these 1,400 jobs.”

It might not work, and those 1,400 Queenslanders would lose those jobs, but I think it’s appropriate for the government to look to what we can do to try to protect those jobs.

Miles said if the company goes into administration after offering a tax deferment the government would become a creditor “and we’d be treated the same way as other creditors”.

The United Workers’ Union, which represents casino employees, yesterday called on the governments of both New South Wales and Queensland to do “everything they can to keep Star’s doors open.”

Miles said:

My message to them is that we’re working hard to try to ensure we can keep their jobs. But we are concerned, just as they are, this is a very concerning situation; 1,400 Queenslanders who had been counting on having long term secure jobs at a fantastic new integrated resort facility, right now, need to be concerned for their jobs, and we’re concerned for them too.

Updated

ACTU calling on financial companies to drop prices amid increasing profits

The Australian Council of Trade Unions is calling on the country’s biggest financial companies to drop prices, after the ABS released data showing a 46% increase in profits since March 2021.

According to a statement from the ACTU, the cost of insurance and financial services has been one of the key drivers of inflation over the past 12 months, increasing by 6.4% from higher premiums and mortgage rates.

The union said companies have hiked insurance premiums by 36% since March 2021 and according to the Australia Institute, the banks have pocketed $212bn from raising interest payments on households and businesses.

Recent announcements show the Commonwealth Bank posted a $9.48bn profit; IAG recorded insurance profits of $1.42bn, up 79.1% from the previous financial year; Suncorp posted a $801m profit from its insurance arm, a 17% increase; and QBE posted a nearly 100% increase in profits, of $802m for its half-yearly results.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus argued in a statement that “banks and insurance companies are having a lend of Australians.”

They have put up prices, not because they need to, but to fatten their profits. This type of profiteering and price gouging is deeply offensive to working people who continue to struggle with cost of living pressures.

Big businesses like banks and insurance companies are keeping inflation higher than it should be and they need to be held responsible for this. The evidence is clear that corporate profiteering and price gouging are fuelling inflation… Unions have no tolerance for these big businesses cashing in on the struggles of working people.

Uniting Church backs Victorian treaty process

The Uniting Church has backed Victoria’s treaty process in a public statement of support, ahead of negotiations beginning in the coming months.

The First Peoples’ Assembly – a democratically elected Indigenous body – will begin negotiating a state-wide treaty with the Allan government in the coming weeks. The treaty will focus on issues affecting all First Nations Victorians.

The statement by the Uniting Church’s Victorian and Tasmania synods says it will commit to supporting and advocating for the treaty process:

We acknowledge that the past cannot be altered or erased, but we choose to take steps today that will foster healing in the enduring pain caused by injustices.

Church leaders appeared at Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling inquiry earlier this year and discussed the role the institutions had played in running missions that harmed First Nations people.

Updated

The Star says it is 'reviewing its financial and liquidity position'

Star Entertainment’s board of directors says the company is currently reviewing its financial and liquidity position, seeking to finalise its preliminary financial report for 2024.

Last week, The Star entered a trading halt after an inquiry into the casino operator handed down its report. And earlier this week, it was suspended from trading by the ASX “for not lodging the relevant periodic report by the due date”.

In a market announcement today, the board said it is working to finalise its FY2024 preliminary financial report “although the timing of its release has not been finalised”.

The release said:

The Star is currently reviewing its financial and liquidity position with various advisers in the context of seeking to finalise its preliminary financial report for the financial year eded 30 June 2024 (FY24), including holding discussions with various stakeholders in relations to its liquidity position in light of adverse trading and other conditions.

The Star said it would provide a further update in line with the release of the report.

Upon release of the FY2024 preliminary financial report, the Company’s shares would resume trading in accordance with the ASX Listing Rules.

Updated

Maritime union joins CFMEU’s ‘fight for justice’

Unions are banding together to support a high court challenge after the CFMEU was placed into administration, AAP reports.

The Maritime Union of Australia will join other trade unions to help fund the CFMEU’s legal battle, claiming the federal government’s decision was “unjustified, chaotic and reckless”. Putting the construction union into administration had both short and long-term consequences, the maritime workers’ group warned.

It could jeopardise progress on enterprise bargaining agreements, send a green light to “bad and abusive employers” or set a precedent for moves against other unions based on “untested media allegations”.

The MUA said in a statement yesterday:

We are supporting … and backing them in as they fight for the right of their division to exist. We are also concerned by the near certainty that similar future legislation will be used by governments of either stripe against other militant blue-collar unions, including the MUA.

We have been on the receiving end of these calculated political and media smears in the past and will support our fellow members … as they seek to clear their names and fight for the principles of natural justice, presumption of innocence, the rules of evidence and procedural fairness.

Updated

B-double fire on Sydney’s M5 causing heavy traffic and delays

A B-double truck is on fire on the M5 at Moorebank, creating heavy traffic conditions approaching the Hume Highway.

Fire and Rescue NSW says its firefighters are working to extinguish the fire.

According to Live Traffic NSW, three of four westbound lands have closed and there are heavy traffic conditions.

Emergency services, Transport for NSW and motorway crew are attending, it said.

Motorists are advised to reduce their speed to 40km/h, expect delays and prepare to merge.

Updated

Final NSW firefighters return from Canada after assisting to battle wildfires

The New South Wales RFS says its final contingent of personnel have returned from Canada, landing back in Sydney earlier this morning.

The first deployment left NSW for Canada in July, to assist in battling more than 650 severe summer wildfires in the country.

The RFS wrote on X today:

The team were met by Deputy Commissioner Peter McKechnie, who thanked all for their work in supporting the Canadian communities.

What does Australia need to overcome to reach net zero? Climate Change Authority sets out path

Here are some more details on that report from the Climate Change Authority, as we just flagged, which has identified six things Australia must do to get the country largely off fossil fuels and reach net zero emissions.

They are included in a review of what needs to happen in different parts of the economy to cut climate pollution.

The report, called a sector pathways review, says getting to net zero is heavily reliant on the power sector, which needs to both rapidly cut emissions and double its output to support increased demand for electricity.

That has not been going well recently. After years of rapid reductions, emissions cuts from the electricity grid have stalled. You can read more on that here.

The government has responded by backing a substantially boosted capacity investment scheme – an underwriting program for renewable energy and storage – to deliver 32 gigawatts by 2030.

The authority’s report is not policy prescriptive. It says the country needs to overcome an unwillingness to pay a “green premium” (the relatively higher price of some green technologies when the cost of emissions are not factored in), slow and complicated development approval processes, a lack of community support for new technology, supply chains constraints, workforce shortages and data gaps.

The authority is tasked with advising the federal government on policy and targets.

Updated

Kean says outcome of US election would impact Australia in ‘global effort to get to net zero’

Matt Kean suggested the outcome of the upcoming US election would impact upon Australia’s climate change ambitions, and was asked to expand on this:

We’ll be interested to see the result. Obviously, the Biden administration is leading the way when it comes to moving towards net zero. They have clearly ambitious plans which Australia is aligned with…

Australia doesn’t operate in isolation. We operate in a global environment. There’s a suggestion, if a Trump administration steps back from their commitments that other nations will step up to the plate. We’re expecting countries in Europe, across the Asias, to do more of the heavy lifting. So we’ll have a look at what the context is that Australia will be operating in.

This is a global effort to get to net zero, not just an Australian effort. We’ll do our bit. We want to make sure we’re doing our bit in the context of the geopolitical environment.

Nuclear cannot make 'timely contribution' to replacing coal or achieving 2050 targets: Kean

Ahead of the next election, Matt Kean was asked about the two very different energy policies being presented – nuclear, by the opposition, and renewables, by the government – and how net zero by 2050 can work amid such a big political contest?

Kean said he would “leave that to the political actors” and said:

We’ve been asked by the Australian parliament to provide independent and technical advice on how the major sectors of the Australian economy can decarbonise. This report that we’re releasing today sets out that pathway … We’re going to effectively need to reorganise our public and private finances, supply chains, production systems, industrial zones, energy sources, infrastructure, workforces within Australia – it is absolutely possible, though, we set out a clear pathway to how to achieve that.

Pressed for his thoughts on how nuclear would fit into this, Kean said the report makes it clear “Australia has a lack of experience in building and managing nuclear power stations, and that will reasonably lead to additional costs”.

The estimated lead time, as identified in the report, says that it will take 15 to 20 years before a nuclear power plant would become operational. So the report suggests [nuclear] technology cannot make a timely contribution to replacing the generation capacity of retiring coal fired power stations, or to helping Australia achieve its carbon budget targets to 2050.

Updated

Kean says approval process ‘confusion’ across jurisdictions is a barrier to new energy projects

The review also suggests the government needs to reform development approval processes – what sort of reform is needed?

Matt Kean said one of the major barriers to getting new energy infrastructure approved is “the confusion of the planning processes across the different jurisdictions.”

Each of the states and territories has different approaches to approving major nation building infrastructure. What we’re suggesting is those planning approval processes need to be streamlined.

We don’t set out a clear policy to do that, but we identify the problem, and want to work with the different jurisdictions to ensure that we get a process that ensures that community consultation occurs, but also that investors and developers have certainty to build the new generation that we need, and we need it very quickly.

Updated

Climate Change Authority report identifies what highest emitting sectors must do to achieve net zero

The former New South Wales treasurer and chairman of the Climate Change Authority Matt Kean was on ABC RN earlier to discuss a long-awaited review, released today, identifying what the economy’s top six emitting sectors must do to achieve net zero.

Speaking about the report overall, Kean said it showed “we’re making good progress on decarbonising our economy, but there are opportunities for us to do more and go faster”.

Of the six sectors, Kean said electricity and energy could to the “bulk of the heavy lifting in the short to medium term”:

It contributes 35% of Australia’s total emissions, and we already have technologies available that can not only help reduce those emissions but if we deploy wind, solar, batteries and firming at scale for families and businesses across the nation [it will] grow our economy. So it’s a win-win.

Asked how to get broad community support around this, Kean stressed that by 2035, 90% of coal-fired electricity will be coming to the end of its technical life.

It has nothing to do with climate change. It has everything to do with the fact that these are old machines, and what we need to do is replace them before they come to end of life, to ensure not only a reliable system, but also affordable electricity that underwrites our economy for the next generation. We have technology available to do that right now.

Updated

NSW council crackdown coming after stack of trivial complaints

The “fundamentally broken” code of conduct applied to New South Wales local councils is set for reform, AAP reports, as officials blame a stack of trivial complaints for bogging down the system.

The state government has launched a discussion paper that also proposes banning private councillor briefing sessions and strengthening lobbying guidelines in a bid to improve transparency. The 100-page rule book governing council conduct would be re-written as a two- or three-page document similar to the one used to oversee state governments.

The move to trim down trivial complaints comes after nearly 4300 conduct complaints in the past three years, which local government minister Ron Hoenig said highlighted a “fundamentally broken” system:

It is too open to weaponisation, with tit-for-tat complaints diverting critical council resources and ratepayer money from the things that matter most to communities.

The paper suggests only ‘serious’ matters about conflicts of interest would be examined by the Office of Local Government. A local government privileges committee featuring former mayors would assess misbehaviour complaints, and private investigators would be removed from the councillor conduct process. Hoenig said:

For far too long the system has been abused. It’s time to restore public confidence in councils and ensure the dignity of this vital third tier of government is upheld.

Updated

Reynolds expresses relief defamation trial she brought against Higgins 'finally over'

Yesterday afternoon in Western Australia, the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds emerged from the David Malcolm Justice Centre in Perth’s CBD to express relief that the five-week defamation trial she brought against Brittany Higgins was “finally over”.

Reynolds, flanked by her lawyer Martin Bennett, said she was “very glad” to tell her truth in an attempt to “stop the publications”.

The former defence minister sued Higgins, her former staffer, over social media posts from July 2023 that she alleges damaged her reputation.

Reynolds said the trial had “absolutely” taken a toll on her and “everybody” she loved.

It was very good for me, after three-and-a-half years, to be able to tell my story and [for] my family and friends and colleagues to also be able to tell the truth … [I feel] a great sense of relief.

Higgins did not attend the trial in person and her legal team did not offer any media statement at the trial’s conclusion on Wednesday afternoon.

Updated

Independent to announce candidacy in Pittwater by-election

Teal independent Jacqui Scruby will today announce her candidacy for the upcoming Pittwater by-election in New South Wales, following the resignation of former MP Rory Amon.

Scruby ran against Amon at the 2023 state election, who won the seat by just 606 votes. Scruby achieved a historic 22% swing against the Liberal Party during the election.

Amon has been charged with 10 child sexual assault offences against a teenage boy after an investigation into an alleged assault on Sydney’s northern beaches. He said in a statement he denied all the charges and was resigning from state parliament. He also resigned from the Liberal party.

Scruby is an environmental lawyer and corporate climate change advisor, who will announce her candidacy this morning alongside federal Independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps and NSW Independent MP Michael Regan.

Taylor says ‘you don’t solve the cost of living crisis by throwing money at it’

Angus Taylor was asked if he would back relief for Australian households who are doing it tough? He said he would wait to see any specific proposal:

What I would say, as a matter of principle, is you don’t solve the cost of living crisis like this by throwing money at it.

The government is now fighting on two fronts … Number one is inflation is stuck. Core inflation hasn’t moved since January, unlike every other major advanced country in the world … and that’s why we’re seeing interest rate cuts in other countries, but not in Australia.

But at the same time, the GDP per capita going backwards now for 18 months, six consecutive quarters, [is] completely unprecedented … And just throwing some money at it … that’s the wrong answer. It’s not going to solve it.

Asked if he still thinks cuts are necessary, Taylor said “managing spending growth is critical”.

Updated

Shadow treasurer says Labor not using all levers to get economy ‘back on its feet’

Q: The RBA governor has said there will be no interest rate cuts this year, and the deputy governor talked about the economy running hotter. Did the RBA get those things wrong, if you look at the GDP number?

Angus Taylor says that was has been wrong is the government’s forecast of policies.

The Reserve Bank has one lever, it’s interest rates. The government has many, many levers – whether it’s productivity policies, industrial relations, immigration policy, energy policy. They have lever after lever available to them to get the economy back on its feet. They’re not using them, that is very very clear, and the result is we’ve got an absolutely disastrous situation for households.

Updated

'It’s a disastrous economic situation': Angus Taylor on economy

The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, was also up on ABC RN this morning to discuss yesterday’s GDP figures.

Asked if it would be dangerous to cut government spending back now, Taylor responded that what the economy is now experiencing is “worse than anaemic growth”:

What households or Australians feel in the economy isn’t the aggregate outcome, it’s the outcome per person, per household. And of course, that’s going backwards.

It’s gone backwards now for six quarters in a row, 18 months, and the result of it is that Australians standard of living has fallen by nine over 9% since Labor came to power. So it’s a disastrous economic situation …

Under those circumstances, if you add to spending … it adds to inflation. That’s the situation that economists are making very, very clear right now.

Updated

Gallagher details national cabinet package to address violence against women

The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, has been making the rounds this morning and also spoke with Patricia Karvelas on ABC RN.

She was asked to provide more detail on the “substantial package” the PM will take to national cabinet to address violence against women, as she flagged earlier this morning.

Gallagher flagged the package would be focused towards frontline services:

The PM will have more to say about it … but I think the approach we’ll see from the Commonwealth is that we don’t want this to be a states-versus-Commonwealth argy-bargy party … We want it to be the Commonwealth showing the leadership that we need to show, prepared to put some dollars on the table, and we want to shift the dial here. We want to see an end to gender based violence in this country, not only the social impacts of that but of the huge economic cost of that as well. And of course, for all those women and children who experience it, we want that to end…

I think we’ve heard loud and clear that people want extra investment in frontline services, and that is a real focus.

‘We are going to work on how those questions get presented’: Husic on census questions

Moving to the census issue, Ed Husic was asked whether he thought some of the questions around gender identity were too complex.

A report in the SMH yesterday stated that Anthony Albanese complained the new questions about a person’s gender identity were inappropriate and he had to step in to fix the problem.

Husic responded:

I think that the minister that is responsible, and particularly … off the back of the signal issued by the PM, we are going to be dealing with this issue. We are going to work on how those questions get presented, and we’ve got time between now and 2026 to do that.

Updated

Ed Husic said that AI is the “most complex public policy issue that governments the world over are dealing with”.

While we’re keen to work with business on improving AI safety, it recognises governments – and particularly the Australian government recognises that you need to have confidence that comes from having the rules set out properly…

Over the next four weeks, we’ll be working on the shape of the mandatory guardrails. [We’re] sending the signal now that businesses can get involved and use the voluntary standard, we need to have something concrete and that’s also what we’re flagging to business and also to the wider Australian public.

Ed Husic said bridge between ‘best intention and best practice’ needed when it comes to AI

As Paul Karp reported earlier this morning, the Australian government is considering a European Union-style Artificial Intelligence Act to regulate minimum standards on high-risk AI across the whole economy.

The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, spoke with ABC News Breakfast about this earlier and noted that 80% of businesses in Australia think they’re doing the right thing, but only about 30% are putting in place the responsible practices required to use AI.

So what we need to do is create that bridge between best intention and best practice. That’s what we’re trying to do with the work we’re releasing today around the guardrail, which is identify the risk and make business aware of those risks, and then show them the guardrails – the ways in which they can deal with those risks.

Updated

Thomas Mayo wants government to do more on truth-telling and not ‘walk away’ from Uluru Statement

The leading Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo was also up on ABC News Breakfast earlier this morning to speak about his new book, Always Was, Always Will Be: The Campaign for Justice and Recognition Continues.

Asked if he still felt as if he was being used as a political football, Mayo responded:

I think bipartisanship is important and it saddens and angers me when I see politicians using us for their own political opportunity. We saw that with the Coalition last year.

The biggest factor in the referendum failing – and you can see the analysis from 60% support for years because of the work that we did from 2019 to about 2022, flipping to 60% against in that time when one of the major parties decided to make it their opportunity.

Mayo said he would like to see leaders “have some backbone” and “stand up to those that don’t want truth-telling”.

I can’t understand why anybody would, you know, would be against some form of truth-telling about our past and that’s the best way to go forward with the best decisions about what can happen. So I really want to see the federal government do more on truth-telling and not walk away from the Uluru Statement.

Mayo penned this piece for Guardian Australia last week, which you can read below:

Updated

Gallagher flags package to address violence against women

Katy Gallagher, who is also the minister for women, was asked about tomorrow’s national cabinet and whether she would discuss with her state and territory colleagues the crisis facing women in violent relationships.

She said Anthony Albanese would be “taking a very substantial package to national cabinet and obviously trying to work with the states and territories on that”.

But we’re certainly very serious about responding to the crisis and part of that is putting, you know, extra investment on the table and the PM will have more to say about that over the next couple of days.

Updated

Gallagher says ABS already collects data on sex and gender through ‘number of different surveys’

Moving to the 2026 census, Katy Gallagher was asked about comments from some of Australia’s major health institutions who say data on gender diverse Australians will be critical to inform care.

Is that something the government will consider, given that this is the advice from a lot of major health bodies?

Gallagher responded that the ABS already collects data “including on sex and gender through a number of different surveys, so there’s already a lot of collection of information”.

It is, as you say, really important and it’s no surprise that health groups are saying that because, you know, it informs future health policy and identifies gaps and responses.

Gallagher said that on the census more broadly, “it’s in 2026” and her focus this week is on the cost of living.

But the PM has already said there will be questions. We need to work with people about what those questions are and we’ll be doing that, but I’m very positive there’ll be a good outcome here.

Updated

Treasurer’s comment that interest rates are ‘smashing the economy’ is ‘stating facts’, Gallagher says

The finance minister was also asked about those comments from treasurer Jim Chalmers at the weekend, that the interest rates set by the RBA are “smashing the economy” – comments he has stood by all week.

Katy Gallagher said “the language the treasurer used – and I used it myself – is really stating the facts as they are.”

You can see that from this data. You can see that household consumption, particularly on discretionary spending [which has] really declined substantially. I think that shows that household budgets are smashed and contributing to that, of course, is those 13 interest rate increases.

And the bank’s got a job to do to get inflation down, but we have also got a job to do to explain what we’re seeing in the economy and what we know is happening and that is that households are under huge pressure. So I think, you know, there’s been a lot said about this this week but it really is stating the facts and [that] played out for all to see in the national accounts yesterday.

Updated

Cost-of-living the number one issue in every Australian household: Gallagher

Q: Are you concerned about the electoral implications of this for Australians?

Katy Gallagher responded that “Australians want their government to make the right decisions for the right economic times”.

That’s been our focus. We are absolutely understanding of people’s pressures, those cost-of-living issues are the main issue right across the economy and in every household in Australia and that’s why, you know, trying to get wages moving and looking at what we can do on tax cuts, energy bill relief, is so important. But we’ve got to do it in a way [that] doesn’t add to the inflation challenge because that obviously hurts in the longer term.

Updated

Finance minister responds to yesterday’s GDP figures

The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, was on ABC News Breakfast just earlier after the release of the latest GDP numbers yesterday.

She said the data shows “obviously some clear challenges in the economy” and that public investment is needed and “appropriate when we’re going through such difficult times.”

Asked about claims from the opposition that the government’s support measures have been ‘a Band-Aid on a bullet hole’, Gallagher responded: “I don’t take economic advice from the opposition.”

Obviously, they’re there to make a political point. Our focus, Jim [Chalmers] and my focus, is really on making the right decisions for the right time. That’s why, you know, in the budget, we made some decisions about cost-of-living support.

I think some of the opposition policies, which is to make $100bn worth of cuts at a minimum, if they were in government and doing that, you would have seen a very different set of results.

Updated

Comparison site says mortgage stress at highest levels since 2019

The comparison site Finder says it’s consumer sentiment tracker last month recorded the highest level of mortgage stress since it began tracking in early 2019.

More than two in five (42%) of homeowners struggled to pay their home loan in August, and 13% missed one or more mortgage repayments in the past six months, Finder says.

Owner-occupiers are, on average, taking out larger loans than ever before despite the fact the cash rate is sitting at a 12-year-high, Finder says.

The average owner-occupier mortgage is now $634,479 – up by 1.3% from the previous month and up by 9.3% from the previous year, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Richard Whitten, home loans expert at Finder, says:

Million of mortgage holders have managed rate hikes so far, but now they’re facing severe financial strain as their savings and emergency funds dry up. Housing is increasingly becoming a major source of stress for Australians, with many struggling to keep afloat.

Finder’s figures are based on 19,137 mortgage holders between May 2019 and August 2024, and 333 mortgage holders for August 2024.

Updated

Good morning

Thanks to Martin for kicking things off for us this Thursday! I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.

As always, you can reach out with any tips or questions via X, @emilywindwrites, or you can send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

Let’s get started.

Updated

RBA boss in spotlight as economy posts anaemic growth

While the insipid 0.2% growth posted in the last quarter is unlikely to surprise Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock, weak productivity and strong public spending may prove cause for concern, AAP reports.

A slower economy is an expected consequence of higher interest rates, jacked up and kept elevated to weaken demand and bring down inflation.

With yesterday’s growth figures roughly in line with the RBA’s expectations, ANZ economists were not expecting a material shift in its thinking ahead of Bullock’s speech to the Anika Foundation today.

Household spending did come in notably weaker than forecasts but ANZ’s Catherine Birch and Adam Boyton said tax relief and energy bill rebates should give disposable incomes a boost. They wrote in a note:

Which should see a gradual lift in household spending growth.

EY chief economist Cherelle Murphy was unimpressed by Wednesday’s data, singling out weak productivity performance and strong government spending as reasons for the central bank to hold off on rate cuts.

This is the worst possible combination of statistics, as it means Australian businesses are gaining very little from government spending, which is focused on short-term cost-of-living relief for households and band-aid fixes to neglected problems.

Updated

Our reporter Luca Ittimani has been speaking to the owner of a once-bustling Sydney cafe who has seen his trade fall off a cliff.

Brett Harris, who runs the Balkan Butler in Surry Hills in Sydney, says:

People just aren’t here, there’s not as many bodies. Where are they? What are they doing?

Updated

Now the economy is on its knees, will the RBA start cutting rates?

Yesterday’s GDP figures were among the worst for years with only population growth and government spending keeping the economy afloat.

With his usual razor-sharp chart-based analysis, Greg Jericho identifies one of the key problems: in the March 2022 quarter, Australians were paying $479 a quarter per person in interest repayments compared with $1,112 now.

He argues the Reserve Bank must realise its mistake in hiking rates and start to cut them before the situation gets worse.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you some of the main overnight and breaking news stories before Emily Wind starts.

The controversy over the census questions takes a new turn today as several major health institutes have called for a rethink because the excluded data is “critical” for identifying health needs. The group, including the Kirby Institute, the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Australian Human Rights Institute, released a joint statement saying the questions were needed to fill in gaps in much-needed research.

After yesterday’s anaemic growth figures, attention will be on the Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, when she gives a speech in Sydney at midday. There are growing calls for the bank to start cutting interest rates after a sustained period of high borrowing costs has helped dampen inflation but sucked demand out of the economy at the same time. We have analysis coming up of yesterday’s numbers, and we’ll have details of Bullock’s speech when we get them.

A team of researchers at the University of Sydney have been awarded this year’s Eureka prize for environmental research for their work on how to protect crops and endangered species by using odours to confuse predators. The journey began two decades ago when Peter Banks noticed mice peeing when they escaped from rodents:

They were just putting their smell everywhere. And I went, ‘how about if we use that principle of the smell of prey being everywhere to stop predators from finding their food?’

Updated

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