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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy and Natasha May

NSW Liberals members suspended for ‘elaborate’ branch-stacking scheme – as it happened

Santos Wieambilla Anthony Albanese Kevin Gallagher
Liberal party logo
The Liberal party’s NSW division says ‘disciplinary action’ is being taken against a number of party members. Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP

What we learned – Friday, 16 December

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening.

This time next week, it’s Christmas-eve-eve!

Here were the major developments of the day:

Updated

Adorable puppy pics incoming!

Guide Dogs Victoria held an event at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne today to celebrate its graduating class of 2022.

Part of the celebrations included a 12-foot guide dog float, Goldie, in his ceremonial cap and gown.

A guide dog puppy
Guide Dogs Victoria graduation event in Melbourne, Australia Photograph: Luis Ascui/EPA

In total, 81 dogs are graduating from this year’s class and will go on to careers that help Victorians live a life without limits, including qualified guide dogs, therapy dogs, companion dogs, ambassador dogs and more.

Congratulations to all these little sweeties! And thanks to my labrador Murphy for helping me with this post.

A Guide Dog puppy and a Guide Dog black labrador
Guide Dogs Victoria graduation event in Melbourne, Australia Photograph: Luis Ascui/EPA

Updated

Smoke warning for south of Brisbane

In Tara, south of Brisbane, residents are being urged to avoid smoke amid an “advice” warning for Butterfly Road and surrounding areas.

What you should do:

  • Follow health guidance and monitor live air quality information by using the links below.

  • Avoid driving through smoke where possible and be aware of firefighters working in the area.

  • Stay indoors, and close windows and doors.

  • Keep respiratory medication close by.

  • If you have a bushfire survival plan, refer to it now.

Updated

Australia records 112,219 new weekly Covid cases

The seven-day average of Covid cases in Australia appears to be stabilising.

But in a sign of the decline in testing, PCR tests now have a 20.83% – or a one in five – positivity rate.

There were 112,219 new cases across the country recorded this week.

Updated

Today’s Afternoon Update is now live.

Read all the headlines of the day here, including more chaos from Elon Musk and disturbing revelations about the Queensland shooters:

Updated

Google reinstates MSI Australia's abortion-related ads

Abortion and contraception provider MSI Australia’s ads have been reinstated by Google after the platform said changes were made to the organisation’s website to allow the ads to run.

Guardian Australia reported on Thursday that the ads had been banned under rules preventing the promotion of abortion-inducing drugs in advertising.

MSI Australia has said the website did not promote specific medication, but in a change overnight, MSI Australia has removed the word “medication” from its landing page in order to allow the ads to run.

Guardian Australia understands Google pushed to have the word “medication” removed from the site completely but MSI Australia argued it was an accredited healthcare provider and needed to provide that information on its website.

A spokesperson for Google said the ads were now compliant:

We have longstanding policies that govern abortion-related ads on Google’s platforms. Abortion inducing drugs are not allowed to be advertised in Australia. After reviewing the ads in question, we communicated with the advertiser, and their ads are now compliant and showing again.

Updated

NSW branch of Liberal party expels members over branch-stacking system

The New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party has expelled about half a dozen members and referred itself to the state’s election watchdog over an “elaborate and complex” branch-stacking system deployed during last year’s council elections.

In a late Friday afternoon statement, a spokesperson from the party’s NSW division said “disciplinary action” was being taken against a number of party members following an “extensive investigation” into claims of email-based attempts to “circumvent party rules regarding branch membership”.

It is understood a handful of members were booted from the party on Friday afternoon.

The spokesperson said:

The NSW Liberal party became aware of an attempt to circumvent party rules regarding branch membership through the use of an elaborate and complex system of imitation domain names. After carrying out an extensive investigation, the party is taking disciplinary action against a number of our members. The party has also referred its findings to the NSW Electoral Commission.

The statement said the party takes governance “seriously” and would not tolerate conduct uncovered in its investigation.

“As these matters have been referred to the NSW Electoral Commission, we are unable to make any further comments,” the spokesperson said.

Updated

Private sector nurses and midwives postpone NSW stop work

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has postponed stop work meetings planned for two major Sydney private hospitals until 22 December.

The NSWNMA applied to the Fair Work Commission late last month for a protected action ballot, after bargaining stalled on two separate enterprise agreements with the St Vincent’s Health Australia group.

NSWNMA members at Mater private hospital in North Sydney and St Vincent’s private hospital in Darlinghurst today postponed their protected stop work until next Thursday.

The private sector nurses and midwives are seeking improvements to their enterprise agreements, including mandated shift by shift ratios to ensure safe patient care, and a fair pay offer to acknowledge their work and rising cost-of-living expenses.

Updated

Over in South Australia, the Murray River isn’t expected to peak until mid-to-late January in some parts of the state.

And now for something completely different.

The latest First Dog is out, with everything you ever wanted to know about the magical world of marsupial landlords:

Greens question Google’s decision to ban abortion ads

The Greens are pushing to for an explanation over Google’s decision to ban medical abortion ads in Australia at the upcoming Universal access to reproductive healthcare Senate inquiry.

The Greens leader in the Senate, Larissa Waters, said the blanket ban was an “outrageous restriction of women’s rights” and must be immediately overturned.

We’ve written to Google to demand the ban is overturned, and push for a representative to appear at the upcoming Senate inquiry so that we can question why and how the ban on abortion ads happened in the first place.

When you Google the inquiry, a promoted snippet – with my name in it – equating abortion to murder from an anti-choice organisation is the first result. It is beyond belief that Google is OK having this sort of misinformation promoted at the top of its search results, but is banning ads for a basic health service.

Updated

Queensland police request video from shooters be taken down from media sites

Queensland police has issued a statement on the publishing of media articles today that included video from the Wieambilla offenders.

Police say the footage is distressing to the families involved and request the content be removed:

The Queensland Police Service understands some platforms and Australian media outlets have chosen to publish video content related to the shootings at Wieambilla.

This footage is distressing to the families of those involved and police.

We respectfully request media outlets, including social media platforms and traditional media outlets, to remove this content from their platforms and discontinue broadcast, if they have not already.

We also urge members of the public not to repost or share this content.

Updated

Antipoverty Centre calls for better representatives on economic exclusion committee

The Antipoverty Centre is calling for a boycott of the economic inclusion committee (EIC) after the government announced its members today.

The body will be chaired by former Labor MP and community services minister Jenny Macklin, while the board includes the trade union chief, Sally McManus, the Business Council boss, Jennifer Westacott, the Australian Council of Social Services chief executive, Cassandra Goldie; academics and representatives of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, and the chair of Victorian NDIS community advisory, Leah Van Poppel.

The Antipoverty Centre wrote to the treasurer and social services minister last week urging them to appoint people with direct experience of economic exclusion to the committee.

Antipoverty Centre spokesperson and DSP recipient Kristin O’Connell:

With Macklin leading it, this committee can be nothing but a fig leaf for the government to hide behind while its decisions leave welfare recipients desperate, homeless and hospitalised for poverty-related illnesses.

David Pocock had good intentions in negotiating this committee. He and the rest of civil society need to stand with unemployed people and call out this process for the sham it is.

We wrote to the government last week urging them to make the Economic Inclusion Committee inclusive because we feared the composition of the committee would not represent us.

The people who seek to represent those of us on low incomes must stand with us and refuse to give the EIC legitimacy until the government appoints people who are economically excluded.

Updated

In lighter news, rogue camels have escaped a nativity scene north of Brisbane.

They do not appear to be accompanied by the three wise kings.

South Australia records 21 Covid deaths

South Australia has released the state’s weekly Covid update.

There have been 10,754 cases detected in the week to 16 December from 25,087 tests.

There are 187 people being treated in hospital with the virus, including 10 people in intensive care.

Updated

Western Australia records 12 Covid deaths

WA Health has released its weekly Covid update.

There have been 11,624 new cases in the week to 4pm yesterday. There are 242 people with in hospital with the virus, including 12 in ICU.

The reported deaths date back to 2 November and include people aged between 75 and 96.

As of 4pm yesterday, there were 7,019 active cases in the state.

Updated

‘Ending jobs for mates’ bill will stop ‘politicisation of public appointments’: Sophie Scamps

Independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps has released a statement on the attorney general’s decision to abolish the administrative appeals tribunal (AAT).

Despite the important role the AAT played in our democracy, the weak appointment process, lacking transparency and accountability, allowed it to be manipulated and stacked with ‘friendly’ political appointments.

The appointment of many former MPs, unsuccessful political candidates, staffers and factional allies to these highly paid taxpayer-funded jobs led to the body being politicised rather than independent.

Scamps said the politicisation of AAT was a key driver behind her ‘ending jobs for mates’ bill, which she planned to introduce to parliament early next year.

The institutions that underpin our democracy, like the AAT, cannot and should not be politicised.

Our democratic integrity infrastructure needs to be strengthened. We must build back trust, transparency and integrity in all aspects of our democracy including the process by which governments appointment people to the institutions that underpin our democracy.

My ‘ending jobs for mates bill’ will … ensure that the politicisation of public appointments that we’ve seen with the AAT can never happen again.

Updated

Big thanks to Natasha May for keeping us abreast of today’s news. I’ll be with you for the rest of the afternoon, with the help of my sidekick and secretary Murphy the labrador.

Updated

Thanks for your attention today. This is where I say goodbye and leave in you in the hands of the lovely Caitlin Cassidy. Have a good weekend!

News Corp ends year on a low note

Amanda Meade’s always excellent column, the Weekly Beast, is out.

This week’s media digest takes a look as another senior figure at News Corp is investigated over alleged behaviour at staff drinks.

Have a read for yourself:

ING bank fined by ACCC for missing deadlines and misleading consumers

The competition watchdog has handed out more than $50,000 in fines to ING bank over missed deadlines and misleading website statements.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleged ING missed three deadlines for its consumer data right (CDR) rollout and misled consumers on the reliability and security of its service.

The CDR is a program that allows consumers to opt-in to share their institutionally held data via third parties to get better deals on products or consolidate multiple services in one place.

It is available in the energy and banking sectors.

ING said a compatibility issue had forced the bank to temporarily suspend its open banking platform, but this was not reflected on its website.

An ING spokesperson told AAP:

While we accept and have paid the fine, not resolving the compatibility issue would have jeopardised our ability to transfer customer data to the open banking ecosystem in a safe and secure manner.

This is not something we were prepared to compromise on, even if it meant falling behind on delivery timelines.

ING’s commitment to open banking remains a key priority for the organisation.

The ACCC commissioner, Peter Crone, said ING customers were not able to fully benefit from the services of businesses using their CDR data.

Allowing consumers to share CDR data … is important, especially given current cost of living pressures and rising interest rates.

All CDR participants are warned that any claims about the CDR must be accurate and able to be substantiated, or they risk breaching the Australian consumer law, which can attract significant penalties if the ACCC commences court proceedings.

ING said it would continue to work with the ACCC to deliver its remaining open banking capability in 2023.

– from AAP

Updated

Python with very full belly slithers through Gold Coast suburb

Any fans of The Little Prince out there?

One of the most memorable parts of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic is the narrator’s drawing of the elephant swallowed by the boa constrictor.

Well, in Queensland this python probably hasn’t swallowed an entire elephant but whatever he had for lunch was fairly hefty. Nine news captured the incident which took place in the Gold Coast suburb of Elanora on camera:

For context below is the drawing from The Little Prince which gets mistaken for a hat.

I showed the grownups my masterpiece, and I asked them if my drawing scared them. They answered: “why be scared of a hat?”

Updated

Albanese government to replace AAT with review body

The Albanese government has announced it is abolishing the administrative appeals tribunal (AAT) and will replace it with an administrative review body which will include a “transparent and merit based” selection process for members.

Appointments to the AAT have been controversial for some time, with Labor criticising the former government’s appointment process, accusing the Coalition of using the body to ‘reward’ “mates”.

At least 85 former Liberal MPs, candidates, staffers and associates have been appointed to the tribunal over the last nine years.

The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, a longtime critic of how the former government handled the review board, said that the AAT was “not on a sustainable financial footing, was beset by delays and had an extraordinarily large and growing backlog of applications”.

He said:

This comes at a very real cost to the tens of thousands of people who rely on the AAT each year to independently review government decisions that have major and sometimes life-altering impacts on their lives – decisions such as whether an older Australian receives an age pension, whether a veteran is compensated for a service injury, or whether a participant of the NDIS receives funding for essential support.

The AAT once commanded universal respect. As attorney general in the Howard government, Philip Ruddock declared the AAT led the world “in administrative law innovation and best practice”. It is inconceivable that any commonwealth attorney general, Liberal or Labor, would make remotely similar comments today.

Dreyfus said the decision was made to abolish it and replace it with a review body which would ‘work for the Australian people’.

Consultation will begin over the coming months for the new body, with former high court justice Patrick Keane AC KC leading the government’s expert advisory group.

High on Dreyfus’s list of reforms is how people are appointed.

A central feature of the new body will be a transparent and merit-based selection process for the appointment of non-judicial members. Existing non-judicial members of the AAT, many of whom continue to embody the best traditions of that once-celebrated institution, will be invited to apply for positions on the new body in accordance with that process.

Updated

Decision on republic ‘won’t be made on the basis of a Netflix special’: Husic

Husic was asked to weigh in on the republic debate in light of the overnight revelations from the final part of Harry and Megan’s netflix series.

Husic says “there are a lot of people particularly in the Labor party that has great ambition for the nation that we should have our own head of state.”

But ultimately:

The decision about how we make the republic won’t be made on the basis of a Netflix special but what I can say is that we have a longer term ambition.

Our priority is that we get in 2023, we are very keen to see a referendum supported by the Australian republic that delivers a voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and it is the proper and just one.

Updated

Executives want to hold on to ‘Putin profits’ but energy reform saves jobs, Husic says

Circling back to the press conference with the industry and energy ministers, Ed Husic was asked how many jobs could have been at risk if the energy reform hadn’t passed:

Manufacturing delivers around 900,000 jobs to the nation. It is a big part of the economy. And the ability to make things across sectors is going to be very vital for our longer-term economic growth.

So we were very conscious of that in designing an energy reform package they get it right. And making sure businesses can keep doors open and jobs.

There are a lot of lippy executives out there at the moment making all sorts of claims in the aftermath of the parliament joining to get these laws through.

They won’t really there with a lot of suggestions beforehand about how to rein in prices that were basically proposing to skyrocket.

My issue was all along that there are some gas executive that propose nothing and oppose everything. Some of those executives might want to hold on to every single dollar of their Putin profits but we are making what is right in the national economic interest.

Updated

Political appointments to AAT rose to 40% under Morrison government

If you’re interested in that research from the Australia Institute, here are a few more key facts around the administrative appeals tribunal:

  • AAT political appointments were as high as 40% under the 2019-2022 Morrison government, up from 6% under Howard, 5% under Rudd/Gillard.

  • AAT senior members who are political appointments are much more likely to have no legal qualifications than senior members who are non-political appointments (26% v 1%)

  • Political appointees were more likely to be appointed on a full-time basis (47% of political appointees) than non-political appointees (22%)

Updated

Australia Institute welcomes abolition of administrative appeals tribunal

The Australia Institute’s Democracy and Accountability Program has welcomed attorney general Mark Dreyfus’s announcement of the abolition and replacement of the administrative appeals tribunal (AAT) – a move the institute’s research recommended earlier this year.

The Australia Institute research showed political appointments to the AAT increased from six in 100 under John Howard to two in five under Scott Morrison, published shortly before the May 2022 election.

The director of the program at the Australia Institute, Bill Browne, said:

The attorney general should be commended for grasping the nettle on this urgently needed integrity reform.

A pattern of political appointments to the AAT, particularly in the last nine years, has undermined confidence in the tribunal and made a complete overhaul necessary.

The AAT is responsible for reviewing life-changing decisions, like deportations, NDIS payments, child support, visas, veterans’ entitlements and commonwealth workers’ compensation, which means its members must be totally above reproach.

Whatever body replaces the AAT must be robust and independent, and that means the AAT’s replacement must be carefully designed with an open and transparent appointment process that ensures only qualified, independent members are appointed.

Updated

ACT records one Covid death and 81 people in hospital

There were 3,018 new cases in the weekly reporting period, and no people are in intensive care.

Queensland records 33 Covid deaths and 515 people in hospital

There were 16,600 new cases in the weekly reporting period, and eight people are in intensive care.

Unlike in NSW and Victoria, case numbers and deaths appear to still be accelerating rather than peaking.

Deaths have more than doubled in the past week and cases have risen by more than 3,000.

Updated

Greens justice spokesperson welcomes abolishment of AAT

Reactions are coming through to the government’s announcement that the administrative appeals tribunal will be abolished. The Greens’ justice spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge, has taken to social media to welcome the move.

Updated

Tony Burke has got his support behind the national broadcaster and pressed he is down with the kids in one sublime Tweet.

The minister for employment and workplace relations and minister for the arts has compiled his top 10 for the upcoming Hottest 100, which he reckons is pretty edgy.

Pub rock isn’t meant to be ministerial.

Mark Dreyfus commits funds to fix backlog of cases

Dreyfus says the new body will be “properly funded.”

We will reduce the ongoing delays, currently experienced by those seeking review of government decisions.

The new body will have a modern, reliable and fit for purpose case management system that delivers administrative efficiencies for all users.

As part of this reform, the government is committing $63.4m over two years for an additional 75 members to address the current backlog of cases and reduce wait times while the new body is being set up.

And $11.7m over two years for a single streamline case management system.

Updated

Dreyfus says new body will have ‘transparent’ appointment process

Dreyfus:

The AAT’s dysfunction has had a very real cost to the tens and thousands of people who rely on the AAT chair to independently review government decisions that have made major and sometimes life-changing impacts on their lives.

Decisions such as whether an old Australian receives an aged pension, whether a veteran is compensated for a service injury or whether a participant in the NDIS received funding for support.

The Albanese government is committed to delivering a new, accessible, sustainable and trusted administrative review tribunal that serves the interests of the Australian people.

A central pillar will be a new transparent merit-based appointments process.

Updated

Albanese government will abolish the administrative appeals tribunal

The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has stepped up and he gets straight to the point:

I’m announcing the Albanese government will abolish the administrative appeals tribunal, the AAT, and replace it with an administrative review body that better serves the interest of the Australian community.

The AAT’s public standing has been irreversibly damaged as a result of the actions of the former government over nine years.

By appointing 85 former Liberal MPs, former Liberal staffers and other close Liberal associates without any merit-based selection process, including some individuals with no relevant experience or expertise, the former government fatally compromised the AAT, undermined its independence, and eroded the quality and efficiency of its decision-making.

This was a disgraceful exhibition of cronyism by the Liberal party.

Updated

AFP say they have apologised to Drew Pavlou

Australian federal police say they have apologised to Drew Pavlou for asking him to leave Parliament House last month, admitting officers had “insufficient reasonable grounds” to escort him out.

However, police have still not detailed exactly why he was asked to leave in the first place.

Pavlou, an activist who has staged prominent protests against the Chinese Communist party, attended federal parliament in November to meet with several politicians. While sitting in a public area of the building, eating lunch, Pavlou said he was asked to leave the premises.

Police initially wouldn’t say why they had made the direction.

On Friday, the AFP released a statement saying a review into the incident had concluded, and that an apology had been issued:

The internal review found that AFP Protective Services Officers acted professionally and in good faith in seeking to maintain the order and decorum of the parliament, however there were insufficient reasonable grounds to ask the individual to vacate APH.

The AFP is of the view that an apology is owed to the member of the public. That apology was issued in person today by the AFP.

The statement says its officers “recognised an individual” but did not detail exactly why Pavlou was asked to leave.

Pavlou was contacted for comment.

The AFP said someone can be asked to leave Parliament House “if an appropriate authorised officer considers on reasonable grounds a person is disrupting or might disrupt the order or decorum of, or the security arrangements in, the parliamentary precincts”:

The AFP will implement all recommendations of the review, which relate to improving processes, procedures and training.

Updated

Albanese says he texted Macron over World Cup final

The press conference ends with an amusing little question on the World Cup.

Will you help further improve our relationship with France by supporting Les Bleus in the final?

The crowd laughs in delight.

Albanese says he has had a text exchange with Macron about the big dance but is, naturally, a diehard Socceroos supporter.

I have had a contact, I know that I am not someone who will ever release private text messages between myself and President Macron but I think he would not mind me saying that I sent him a congratulations message on reaching the final and he sent me back an acknowledgement and a thank you for that message.

Look, I hope it is a fantastic game. I don’t have a horse in this race. I was a strong supporter, of course, of Australia and the Socceroos performed magnificently.

I was questioned yesterday by a journalist, off the record, of whether I had actually stayed up and watched the match, because I was tweeting out when I did, and my evidence for that is that none of the young people who sometimes are involved in my social media will ever do a hashtag woo-hoo at 3.30 in the morning which I was admonished by from the young people but as someone who, I assure you, that any of my tweets or Instagram messages that have multiple emojis and hashtags, I am the only person who will ever do that in my team.

Updated

Albanese says gas companies have had ‘massive returns’

Back to energy.

Putting aside the confidence that gas companies won’t decrease investment in the country, is it something that your government will be monitoring … in the chance that you could act quite quickly to reduce investment.

Albanese says he sees “no reason whatsoever to jump at shadows”.

If Australia was a good place to invest in 2021, when the average price was $9.70, it’s a pretty good place to invest in 2023, when there is a 12-month limit of $12. You know, we need to recognise here that, from time to time, some people will want extraordinary profits to continue into the future.

But bear in mind that overwhelmingly most of our resources are exported. And those export prices that for coal have seen in excess of $400 a tonne … [Gas has] seen massive increases in the returns to companies for resources that are Australia’s resources that have gone to companies that have had record profits.

Updated

Albanese encourages media outlets not to publish video of Wieambilla shooters

Albanese is asked about footage which emerged today of what appeared to be the individuals who killed the two police officers in Queensland, boasting about the incident.

He says it was a “shocking and devastating crime” and encourages media outlets and others on social media not to publish the material.

What I say is all Australians are mourning at this time. I was today … at an event where members of the New South Wales police force were in attendance and other emergency services and every police officer knows that, when they put on the uniform, or when they are engaged in service, that they take a risk.

But this should never have happened. This was a dreadful atrocity and my heart goes out to those family and friends of the police officers directly involved but to every police officer who joined up and are part of a family, and they are doing it tough at this time and my thoughts are with them. I have nothing but contempt for those people involved in this atrocious crime.

Updated

Albanese rejects Soviet comparison over energy changes

A journalist tells Albanese that Santos has labelled the energy changes as “Soviet-style intervention”.

What is your response to that? If gas companies start pulling investment from Australia, would that force you to reconsider your energy price control measures?

Albanese says the production costs in Australia haven’t changed.

Those businesses were profitable, will continue to be profitable and they will also gain the windfall gains that are on the international market. So I say to business don’t talk yourself down. And I do think that there is some irony in the fact that you have references given to Russia when it is the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has had devastating impact on the people of Ukraine but has also led to record profits and returns for these businesses, a long way from Ukraine and Russia, but they have benefited from the global spike in prices.

What our action does is say that yes, manufacturing here in Australia, and households, should be shielded from those windfall gains. And if those companies had a look at what is happening internationally, by the UK Conservative government that has put a windfall tax on those companies, we have chosen to not go down that road. We have chosen a modest intervention to make sure that Australian manufacturers are not driven out of business as a direct result of these high global prices being imposed in Australia, even though these are Australian resources with no increase whatsoever in Australian production costs.

Ahem …

Updated

Albanese tells energy companies ‘don’t talk your industry down’

Turning to the energy legislation, Albanese is asked if there will be anything else planned in the budget to help ease steep increases to power prices over the following 18 months.

Albanese says there will be “less of an increase” because of the measures taken by the government, which he says has been confirmed by Treasury analysis, and turns to the opposition.

I do note some of the rhetoric which is out there from the opposition on this issue. This is the same opposition that said that gas companies and suppliers should be threatened with a big stick. Remember their big stick legislation they carried on about? That, in its first form, would have the power to break up companies. That’s what they threatened companies with, just a short time ago, when the now shadow treasurer was the minister.

This ceiling is a reasonable decision to make, based upon the advice of the ACCC, and I say to those people in industry as well, don’t talk your industry down. This is an industry that is profitable. It’s an industry that will continue to benefit from the quite extraordinary prices that have been got on the global market, which are resulting in extraordinary profit levels and extraordinary bonuses to executives. Now, I stand for households and Australian manufacturing. Peter Dutton yesterday chose to stand for sitting back and watching these extraordinary prices come through to damage those businesses and those households, and I make no apologies for being prepared to stand up for Australian interests.

Updated

PM says Coalition ban on citizenship ceremonies outside Australia Day was ‘ideological’

Albanese is asked about the government’s removal of a controversial clause introduced by former prime minister Scott Morrison to force local councils to run citizenship ceremonies on 26 January.

Asked why the party made that decision, he reiterates Labor thinks “councils should conduct citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day”.

But the rules, the way that they were fashioned, meant that citizens who are not part of the decisions of when ceremonies would be were missing out on becoming Australian citizens. We want people to become Australian citizens. And that is why we should not place red tape for ideological reasons in front of that opportunity.

Turning to the possible groundwork to change the date of national celebration from 26 January, he says “I support Australia Day”, and comes up with the most generic name I’ve ever heard.

The government supports Australia Day, there are no changes here. What should not happen, though, is that someone who is John Smith, a new migrant from the United Kingdom, is denied the opportunity to become an Australian citizen because of a decision made by a local council. That, quite frankly, is unfair on individuals and it was punishing individuals and nothing less than that.

Updated

Albanese says Coalition’s opposition to energy legislation was ‘sad’

Albanese says it’s “sad” the Coalition decided to vote against Labor’s energy legislation, which was passed yesterday.

I find it extraordinary that in spite of the rhetoric that the Coalition have had, that they were not prepared to say enough is enough when it comes to the increases which are directly linked to the global spike in prices for energy that are a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These companies have not seen an increase in their production costs but what they have done, because of the link to international prices, as we have seen quite extraordinary increases. We make no apologies for standing up for Australian jobs, Australian businesses and our national interest. And that’s what we did yesterday and, by a margin of 85-40, the House of Representatives voted for our legislation and then a majority in the Senate as well.

He turns to 2023, a year he says Labor will “continue to stand up for Australia’s interest”.

You will see the delivery of the commitments as they flow through but you will also see a government that is prepared to meet the challenges that we are confronted, some of which inevitably are unforeseen, such as we’ve seen in recent years. We will deal with those immediate issues but will plan for the future.

I’m very optimistic about Australia’s future. I’m optimistic that we can seize the opportunities that are there through cleaner energy, to revive manufacturing in this country, to be a more inclusive country as well. And of course, in the second half of next year, we will give Australians the opportunity to recognise First Nations people in our nation’s birth certificate, our constitution, and that will be a moment of unity if that is passed.

Updated

Albanese says first six months of government included ‘an extraordinary level of work’

Anthony Albanese is speaking in Sydney now. He runs through the changes the party have made in its first six months of office:

My government, in its first six months, has done an extraordinary level of work to deliver on the commitments that we gave in the lead-up to the 21 May. The funding that was available for the upgrade here at Epping was put into the budget, like other commitments that we have done.

As a direct result of the election of the Labor government, you now have 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave, you now have the creation of a national reconstruction fund, to make more things here. We lifted wages for people on the minimum wage by $1 an hour, but made a difference. That the Coalition said would be catastrophic if that occurred. We have now legislated for net zero by 2050 and a 43% reduction by 2030. We have rejoined the world community and re-engaged with our neighbours in the Pacific.

We have passed industrial relations legislation that will see a lifting of wages and that will see better bargaining … Our first six months have been characterised by delivering on our promises and our commitments, and that’s what we intend to do into 2023.

Updated

Days of citizenship being used as a culture war are over under this government: Bowen

Reporter:

In relation to the decision to allow councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day or not… Why is this necessary – when we have seen this become a political football

We have seen councils threatened if they don’t hold these ceremonies.

Why should it be up to councils?

Bowen:

Why shouldn’t it be? Why shouldn’t communities be trusted to make their own decisions?

The days of citizenship being used as a culture war are over under this government. We trust communities to consult and make their own decisions.

Councils in their own areas will make their own decisions, they are perfectly mature enough and sensible enough. They don’t need the minister in Canberra telling them how to do their jobs, community can make those decisions.

Updated

Bowen says Santos will ‘charge Australians fair prices for Australian gas’

He’s asked about the Santos boss’ other comments that stability agreements will be needed with government going forward.

Bowen:

He is entitled his views. People can talk down the gas industry if they want. We talk up Australian prospects.…We are optimistic about the future.

I understand gas companies want to maximise their profits. Fine. Our job is to step in and respond on behalf of all Australians. It is Australian gas under Australian soil and Australian seas.

And Santos can charge as much as they want for exports, they can charge the rest of the word as much as they want. They will charge Australians fair prices for Australian gas. We insist on nothing more and nothing less.

Updated

Bowen brushes off 'Soviet-style intervention' comment as ‘laughable’

Bowen is now taking questions and is asked what he thought about the comments that came this morning from Santos boss Kevin Gallagher calling the plan a “Soviet-style” policy in an interview with the Australian newspaper.

Bowen says he’s not fazed, calling Gallagher’s comments “laughable.”

That sort of shrill response is just laughable. Governments around the world – whether they are rightwing governments, leftwing governments – governments around the developed world are acting and responding.

I understand chief executives’ desire to maximise their profits. That is their job. We have a different job. Our job is to act in the national interest. Not in Santos or any other company’s interest, in the national interest, to protect Australian industries, to protect Australians.

Mr Gallagher has a different job. It’s his job is to maximise his profits, it is our job to maximise national interest.

That sort of shrill commentary is water off a duck’s back. We will get on with the job.

Updated

Bowen says Dutton ‘does not want the country to succeed’

Bowen is saying it’s not Australians’ fault that energy prices soared and he’s highly critical of the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who he says “does not want the country to succeed” given what he and Husic are saying how vital the energy package will be for industry.

We know that Australians did not cause the war in Ukraine, and Australians should not pay the entry price of Vladimir Putin’s war.

Peter Dutton has a different view. He does not want the country to succeed, he always has an excuse and an alibi to do nothing. He has to justify that the Australian people.

Updated

Bowen says bill protects Australian workers from effects of Putin’s war

The energy minister, Chris Bowen, follows Husic. He continues to emphasise how important the energy legislation passed yesterday will be for industry in Australia.

Bowen says:

Members and senators who voted for the energy relief bill voted to shield Australian industry and Australian workers from the impacts of Vladimir Putin’s war.

Those who voted against it voted to let those high energy prices roll on the next year without government response.

Updated

Ed Husic says energy laws were about protecting Australia’s economic interests

The industry minister, Ed Husic, has stepped up to speak in Sydney following the passing of the government’s laws to cap energy prices. He’s talking about how bringing power prices down will help industry as part of the government wanting Australia to be “a country that makes things”.

For us as cabinet ministers in a week where parliament agreed to the Australian government’s energy reforms, we are very conscious Chris [Bowen] and I that manufacturing matters.

It provides secure, full-time work and helps fulfil a vision which is that Australia should be a country that makes things but to be able to do that, you need to ensure that the input costs are right and that is the energy is priced fairly.

Given what we have at the moment, the energy costs predicted to soar in the coming year, we needed to take definite action and the Australian national economic interest which is what we did to bring prices down.

Husic says both he and the energy minister, Chris Bowen, have been focused on the impact of government decisions in terms of industry, particularly manufacturing.

We need to get the balance right. Gas companies will still make their profits, they will still be able to make their investments, but what we need to do as an Australian government was in the national economic interest protecting households, protecting businesses, protecting jobs.

Updated

Australia promises more cash for nature, but remains vague on commitment

Australia has promised ongoing funding to help developing countries protect nature as the environment minister heads to crucial biodiversity talks in Canada. But exactly what that will look like hasn’t been spelled out.

Tanya Plibersek is attending COP15 in Montreal – a UN gathering attempting to thrash out a new deal to halt and reverse devastating declines in nature by 2030.

Independent senator David Pocock has gone with her, saying Australia must show strong leadership in negotiations, and not let ambition falter in the closing stretch of the two-week conference.

Money is one of the big sticking points. During a session on mobilising finance for protecting nature earlier this week, delegates from countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa walked out over the reluctance of wealthy nations to discuss stumping up new cash.

In Montreal on Thursday, a group of donor nations including Australia restated their intention to provide ongoing financial help to developing nations protect the biodiversity they still have, for the benefit of the world.

Through a joint statement, nations including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, US and the EU together committed billions of dollars to support the protection and restoration of the natural world.

Donors committed to substantially increase their investments by 2025, but were also clear that funding must be mobilised from other sources too.

Some donors offered specific commitments such as France, which will double its international finance for biodiversity to reach 1 billion euros per year by 2025.

But Australia’s commitment was relatively vague, with the statement saying:

Australia plans to increase its international public finance for nature through to 2030 to support developing countries implement an ambitious GBF (global biodiversity framework).

This builds on the commitment to double its development assistance funding to $2 billion over 2020-2025 for climate including environment and biodiversity projects.

Donor nations broadly promised to “continue increasing international biodiversity finance and align relevant international development flows, commensurate with ambition” of the framework.

We also recognise that international development finance alone will never be sufficient to bridge the biodiversity finance gap.

Mobilising domestic and international finance from all sources remains essential to deliver on the GBF. However, international development finance is critical to unlock further domestic public finance, as well as private and philanthropic finance.

- from AAP

Updated

Linda Burney announces 52 new Indigenous health infrastructure projects

We brought you the news earlier on the blog that the minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, would be making an announcement in Sydney today about building the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector.

Burney, and the lead convener of the Coalition of the Peaks, Pat Turner – who are co-chairs of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap have now made that announcement of more than $120m for major capital works at community‑controlled organisations.

Updated

McCormack 'feeling much better' after ceremonial Pacific drink lands him in hospital

Kava has been used as a ceremonial drink in the Pacific Islands for hundreds of years, known for its relaxing properties.

However, it hasn’t agreed with the former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack. The shadow minister for the Pacific has been part of the bilateral visit to Micronesia and says he drank an entire bowl of kava (also known as Sakau) to show respect.

In a bid to show my respect to local traditions I drank the whole bowl of Sakau.

McCormack had to be helped to his car after falling ill from the drink, and taken to hospital for medical treatment.

In a statement posted to social media last night, McCormac said he was “feeling much better now”. The former independent MP Tony Windsor replied, advising “Michael, stick to the Tooheys”.

In more optimistic times, McCormack had demonstrated his enthusiasm for trying the drink in an earlier Twitter post:

Updated

Australians play key role in new space mission

Not far from Los Angeles, one of Elon Musk’s rockets is about to blast off carrying a satellite with extraordinary capabilities.

It’s a piece of kit scientists have dreamt about for decades and will be used to survey nearly all the water on the surface of Earth for the very first time.

The data will provide an unprecedented depth of knowledge about the substance covering 70% of the planet: things like the height of oceans, rivers and lakes, and ocean functions linked to climate change.

And two experts in Australia will be front and centre, making sure the SWOT satellite, short for surface water and ocean topography, is beaming back accurate data.

Dr Christopher Watson, from the University of Tasmania, and the CSIRO’s Dr Benoit Legresy say the advanced radar satellite is ground-breaking.

Designed and built at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory near LA, it will fill huge gaps in ocean monitoring by surveying the planet’s surface at least once every 21 days.

It will measure rivers, lakes and reservoirs whose water volumes and flow rates have not been observed before and offer a view of ocean features such as currents and eddies, and ocean height with unprecedented clarity.

The satellite will also provide information about how the ocean is taking up atmospheric heat and carbon dioxide. It’s a process that moderates climate change but can’t continue forever and humanity needs to know when the tipping point will come.

Dr Legresy said Australia stood to gain much from the SWOT mission.

It will help us better understand where we are in the climate system, monitoring how the ocean around us stores the extra heat from climate change - 90% of it goes into the oceans.

And the majority of this goes in the southern side of the ocean.

A Falcon 9 rocket, owned and operated by billionaire Elon Musk’s commercial launch company SpaceX, will carry the satellite into orbit.

The launch is expected to occur late on Friday, Australian time, at the Vandenberg US Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.

– from AAP

Updated

Terry towelling’s time in the sun

Do yourself a favour and have a read of Guardian Australia fashion guru Lucianne Tonti’s piece on the terry towelling trend before you hit the beach this summer.

I got myself a terry towelling shirt dress last summer and have never looked back. Unlike a lot of trends in fashion, this one is actually extremely functional and comfy.

Updated

Sophie Scamps calls for end to native forest logging exemption

Independent MP Sophie Scamps has taken to social media to back the government’s reversal of the Abbott-era decision to classify burning native forest as a renewable source of energy.

Scamps said the next step was to end the fact that regional forestry agreements are exempted from our national environmental laws, allowing native forests to be logged and putting the animals that rely on that habitat at risk.

After the environment minister unveiled the government’s response to the Samuel review, the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Paul Sinclair also raised the issue, as a further step the government needed to take:

With national environmental standards, we need to see those standards incorporating all sectors, including the native forrest logging sector. For too many years, that sector has been excluded from national environmental laws at great expense to species and some of the world’s greatest forests.

Updated

Victoria records 84 Covid deaths and 675 people in hospital

There were 24,652 new cases in the weekly reporting period and 26 people are in intensive care.

The number of cases and deaths are both down on the previous week’s figures.

This week’s cases have dropped by more than 3,000 since last week’s high of 27,790.

The 84 deaths recorded are one less than last week’s 85.

Updated

NSW records 74 Covid deaths and 1,606 people in hospital

There were 40,695 new cases in the weekly reporting period, and 37 people are in intensive care.

Cases have only risen very slightly on last week’s 40,194, indicating the wave is decelerating though not yet ebbing.

Deaths, which always lag cases, have had a big jump since 48 last week.

Updated

Unseasonably cold weather in Sydney and Victoria

There is some unseasonably cold weather about this December.

This morning Sydney woke up to a frosty start, Victoria continues to shiver through its winter-style cold fronts the Bureau of Meteorology warned would be crossing the state on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Tasmania yesterday recorded its coldest December maximum since 1964.

Updated

Body found in search for missing teenager

A body has been found in the search for a missing teenager who fell off a boat while fishing at a lake on the Victoria-New South Wales border.

No formal identification has taken place but police believe it is that of the missing 16-year-old.

The boy and a friend were fishing in a tinnie on Lake Mulwala, at Yarrawonga, when they were hit by a wave and thrown overboard on Sunday morning.

A good Samaritan managed to bring one boy to shore using a flotation device but could not find the other.

The body was found in the lake at about 6.30pm on Thursday, four days after he was last seen.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

– from AAP

Updated

Front pages of Daily Telegraph and the Australian running ‘Soviet’ line on energy

The government’s laws for energy price caps to bring down Australians’ power bills passed through parliament yesterday.

Today, the backlash is coming from the fossil fuel companies with Santos boss Kevin Gallagher calling the plan a “Soviet-style” policy in an interview with the Australian newspaper.

The Daily Telegraph is also running the Soviet line on its front page.

Updated

New rules tightening definition of cosmetic surgeon

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting legal changes will see stricter rules on who can call themselves a cosmetic “surgeon.”

Adele Ferguson and James Massola report:

Doctors without suitable qualifications will be banned from calling themselves cosmetic surgeons under a series of major changes struck by state and federal health ministers.

And, in a significant reversal, the ministers also agreed that a ban on the use of patient testimonials by cosmetic surgeons – which several state governments had wanted wound back – will be retained.

The rules come after Australia’s multibillion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this year with investigations by the SMH and the Age, as well as my colleague Tamsin Rose:

Updated

Immigration minister scraps rule forcing local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day

Local councils will no longer be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, after Labor has reversed a Morrison government ruling.

SBS’s Finn McHugh reports:

Rules introduced in 2019 under then-prime minister Scott Morrison forced local governments to hold citizenship ceremonies on 26 January or be stripped of their right to conduct them. Mr Morrison at the time said compelling local councils to do so would stop them from “playing politics with Australia Day”.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles on Friday revealed Labor would walk back that restriction but said it remained the government’s “strong expectation” that councils would hold ceremonies on the date.

Councils will now be able to hold ceremonies three days before or after 26 January, in what the government described as a “pragmatic” decision to make processing more efficient.

Mr Giles has also reinstated the rights of the City of Yarra and Darebin City councils to hold ceremonies. Both were stripped of that right in 2017 by then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who blasted them as “out of step with Australian values”.

For some Australians, particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 26 January is not a day of celebration. It is seen as a day that commemorates the 1788 arrival of British settlers at Sydney Cove where they raised the Union Jack. For Indigenous people, it remains a day of mourning and is referred to as “Invasion Day” by some.

It comes after earlier this month Merri-bek became the third Melbourne council to stop holding citizenship ceremonies on 26 January. You can read more about that from Adeshola Ore:

Updated

Morning Mail: ‘foreign actors’ election warning, feral deer ‘plague’, Sussexes’ doco reveals palace wars

It might be the end of the year, but there is still a lot of news to keep up to date with at home and abroad. To get caught up on all the important headlines from the Wieambilla shootings to the front line of Ukraine, as well as the latest revelations from the Sussexes’ documentary, have a read of our Morning Mail.

If you want to get it in your inbox every weekday you can sign up for the Morning Mail here, and finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter.

Updated

Labor revokes Abbott government move allowing energy from burning wood waste to be counted as renewable

Electricity generated by burning native forest wood waste will no longer be allowed to be classified as renewable energy under a regulatory change adopted by the Albanese government.

The decision, which Labor had promised to consider after it was recommended by a Senate committee in September, reverses a 2015 Abbott government move which allowed burning native forest timber to be counted alongside solar and wind energy towards the national renewable energy target.

At the commemoration held yesterday, the Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, said:

The image of Tasmania’s broken heart became such a symbol of the outpouring of grief felt by Tasmanians.

[As well as] all the messages of love and comfort that came flooding in from across our nation and indeed across the world.

Rockliff read a message from the prime minister, Anthony Albanese:

This is the hardest of anniversaries. Your community is in the hearts and minds of Australia as we remember six beautiful children.

It is the end of a hard year. Grief may one day soften but it does not fade.

The Devonport mayor, Alison Jarman, said 16 December 2021 would be “etched into our memory forever”.

[It is] the day our heart broke. It rocked our close-knit community.

A coronial inquest, which is yet to set dates for public hearings, will investigate the tragedy and hear from witnesses including weather experts.

– from AAP

Updated

Tasmania marks one year since Hillcrest jumping castle deaths

Today marks one year since a freak wind gust hit a jumping castle during end-of-year celebrations at Hillcrest primary school.

Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones and Chace Harrison were killed while three of their classmates were badly injured.

The school is holding a private ceremony, a day after a public commemoration in Devonport.

Family, friends, first responders, members of the public and politicians paid their respects at the city’s Market Square, with flowers and messages of support placed at a heart sculpture.

- from AAP

Updated

Department bosses to face robodebt inquiry

More witnesses will face a robodebt royal commission to uncover what allowed the disastrous scheme to continue despite signs it was terminally flawed from the beginning.

Today, the former director and assistant director of the Department of Social Services, Catherine Dalton and Anthony Bradford will face the commission.

Dr Cassandra Goldie and Charmaine Crowe from the Australian Council of Social Services will also appear to help shed light on the impact felt by welfare recipients.

Also appearing at today’s hearing will be the chief customer officer of Probe Group, Jarrod Kagan.

The commission has heard from senior politicians and public servants, including former prime minister Scott Morrison, on Wednesday. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Luke Henriques-Gomes’ reporting:

- with AAP

Updated

Taskforce to review welfare payment rates meets for first time

More than a dozen academics, business leaders and social groups will work on a new government taskforce to review welfare payment rates before each budget, and issues for unemployed and disadvantaged Australians.

The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee will meet for the first time on Friday. It will be chaired by former Labor MP and community services minister Jenny Macklin. On the board are familiar faces including trade union chief Sally McManus, Business Council boss Jennifer Westacott and Australian Council of Social Services chief executive Cassandra Goldie; academics including Dr Angela Jackson, Prof Peter Whiteford and Prof Ben Phillips; and representatives of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, and Leah Van Poppel, chair of Victorian NDIS Community Advisory.

The economic inclusion group was set up after a request from senator David Pocock, as a condition for his support in siding with the government on its industrial relations bill.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and social services minister Amanda Rishworth said:

Its primary functions will be to provide advice on economic inclusion including policy settings, systems and structures, and the adequacy, effectiveness and sustainability of income support payments ahead of every federal budget.

The committee will also look at options to reduce barriers and disincentives to work, including in relation to social security and employment services. Further, it will explore options for tailored responses to address barriers to economic inclusion for long term unemployed and disadvantaged groups, including place-based approaches at the local level.

The group will meet “at least every quarter” and its findings or recommendations will be publicly released weeks before the May budget.

However, a statement from the government says the group’s review is “not binding on the government”.

Chalmers said:

I’m looking forward to engaging with this really impressive group of people to explore ways to tackle disadvantage in our communities in a responsible, meaningful way.

Rishworth added it would “give important advice to government in tackling systemic disadvantage and economic inclusion, including examining the adequacy of income support payments”.

We need to look at addressing complex social problems and entrenched disadvantage in new and innovative ways and this committee will help bring some of the creative solutions to deal with the systems and structures that are barriers for those facing disadvantage.

Updated

NSW Health warns of toxic spinach

Good morning! Natasha May on deck with you now.

NSW Health have put out a warning overnight not to consume Riviera Farms branded baby spinach following cases of possible food-related toxic reactions.

To date, nine people from four separate and unrelated households across Sydney have required medical attention after developing poisoning soon after eating the product.

The impacted baby spinach was sold through Costco with an expiry date of 16 December 2022, the authority said.

NSW Health have warned:

The product is not safe to consume and people who have it should throw it out.

Initial investigations suggest the presence of an accidental contaminant in the food product.

NSW Health is working with the NSW Food Authority, as well as other jurisdictions, to investigate the issue further.

Anyone who is concerned about exposure to the spinach should call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

NSW Health is urging anyone who experiences any unusual and severe symptoms to seek immediate medical attention by visiting their nearest emergency department. In the event of an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

NSW Health said reported symptoms can be severe, including:

  • Delirium or confusion

  • Hallucinations

  • Dilated pupils

  • Rapid heartbeat

  • Flushed face

  • Blurred vision

  • Dry mouth and skin

  • Fever

Updated

Australia lobbies China over detained journalist Cheng Lei

The Australian government is raising the case of detained journalist Cheng Lei with the Chinese government amid concerns she will face a third straight month without consular access, writes Daniel Hurst.

Guardian Australia understands the Australian embassy in Beijing has generally been able to visit Cheng on a monthly basis since she was detained, but the last such visit consular visit was on 23 September.

Chinese authorities have postponed Australia’s consular access to Cheng since October, citing Covid-19 measures in Beijing. There were hopes of a visit next week but this now seems unlikely.

Cheng’s partner, Nick Coyle, told Guardian Australia:

Apart from these consular visits being in line with bilateral norms, they are very important to the psychological wellbeing of Lei. Three months without this type of external access isn’t acceptable. I would urge the relevant authorities in Beijing to find alternative means of consular access, which in this technologically advanced age should not be particularly difficult.

A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said overnight:

The Australian government will continue to advocate at the highest levels for Australians detained in China, including Ms Cheng Lei. Australia expects Chinese authorities to provide regular access to Australian citizens in line with our bilateral consular agreement. We have repeatedly conveyed our concern to Chinese authorities about delayed consular visits.

The concerns come in the lead-up to next week’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. The Australian government has been pursuing what it calls a “stabilisation” of the relationship.

Linda Burney to announce 52 new health infrastructure projects

The Australian government is funding 52 new health infrastructure projects across the country – building and renovating clinics, improving staff housing and building the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector.

The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, and the lead convener of the Coalition of the Peaks, Pat Turner – who are co-chairs of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap – will announce more than $120m for major capital works at community‑controlled organisations.

They will announce the funding at the joint council meeting in Sydney today.

The projects aim to improve First Nations health services, as well as provide the facilities clinical staff need to deliver culturally safe and appropriate care.

Burney said: “This significant investment demonstrates the Albanese government’s commitment to Closing the Gap. With projects in almost every part of the country, this funding will help improve access to critical health services for First Nations peoples.”

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the Australian news day.

This is Martin Farrer getting the day under way and looking at some of the main stories overnight. Natasha May will be here to guide you through the day.

Anthony Albanese has warned the gas industry not to “talk down” its prospects amid furious lobbying against his government’s energy price caps, which passed through parliament yesterday. He has faced some pretty tough criticism this morning with Santos boss Kevin Gallagher calling the plan a “Soviet-style” policy in an interview with the Australian newspaper. Our political editor, Katharine Murphy, says in her column that the policy got through the Senate despite cynical politicking by the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who seems determined to fire up the climate wars.

The fallout from the Wieambilla shootings is focusing concern on the security threat posed by rightwing extremists and more general anti-government radicals. To this end, Andrew Wallace, the deputy chair of parliament’s intelligence committee, has suggested that “foreign actors” may have tried to fan rightwing extremism around opposition to Covid restrictions in an effort to influence the the May federal election. He points out the link between the Wieambilla shootings and anti-government sentiment, and said May had been the first election where some MPs needed personal security.

And in other news, conservationists have welcomed the reversal of a Coalition government policy to count burning native Australian timber as renewable energy, and the trade minister, Don Farrell, says he’ll be telling the European Union that our history as a migrant nation means they should let us keep calling feta feta and prosecco prosecco after we sign a trade deal. Plus: have you noticed a lot of deer around recently? No, not reindeer. This is serious.

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