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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Mostafa Rachwani and Natasha May (earlier)

PM warns against reduced Covid isolation period as nation records 31 deaths – as it happened

Australia Chris Bowen Sydney Cameron Smith Inflation Jim Chalmers

What we learned: Monday 18 July

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. Here are today’s major developments:

  • ANZ agreed to buy Suncorp’s banking business for $4.9bn, in what could be Australia’s biggest banking deal in more than a decade.
  • A teenage boy from south-west Sydney who was taken to Syria at the age of 11 is believed to have died in an attack on the adult prison where he has been held for three years.
  • Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned of a “confronting” budget update, adding that fuel excise reduction was “too expensive to continue”.
  • Employment minister Tony Burke has called for an end to jobs for mates, after Grattan Institute’s report called for fundamental reform to political appointments to government boards.
  • Under a new plan being launched by the ACT government, nine in 10 cars sold in the territory will be zero emissions by 2030.
  • Prime minister Anthony Albanese said now is “not the time” to start winding back the Covid isolation period to below seven days, after NSW premier Dominic Perrottet floated the idea.
  • NSW premier Dominic Perrottet said isolation payments should be linked to legal isolation requirements, and that if government is legally requiring people to stay home for seven days, financial assistance has to be provided.
  • It comes as 31 coronavirus deaths were recorded across Australia.

Updated

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has been criticised for earlier today saying the flu is “more severe” than Covid.

Speaking on 2GB, Perrottet said that the current strand of influenza was affecting people more than the “current strands of Covid”:

In many cases at the moment, the current strand of influenza is more severe than the current strands of Covid.

As we move through the next phase of the pandemic we need to balance out the competing health issues, … mental health issues, educational outcomes for our children, allowing people the opportunity to go to work.

Government evaluating further use of defence force in aged care facilities

Aged care minister Anika Wells said the federal government is closely monitoring the Covid situation in aged care amid fears of a winter outbreak, after Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, called for the extension of a program putting defence force troops into facilities as a surge workforce.

The surge program, instituted by the former Coalition government, is to end in mid-August. With health minister, Mark Butler, warning of “millions” of Covid cases in coming months, some aged care providers have raised concerns about their workforce amid potential furloughing. On Monday, Andrews said aged care was “in difficult times now ... and I think it’s only going to be even more challenging”.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for it to end in August,” he said at a press conference.

Federal government sources said only a very small number of ADF staff were actually requested by aged care facilities at the moment, numbering in the low double-digits each day.

The federal government last week released a “winter plan” for the aged care sector, providing advice and procedures for facilities on infection control, workforce and communication. Wells said her department was closely monitoring the situation.

“The ADF is on hand to support residential aged care homes around the country based on need when requested,” she said.

The Department of Health and Aged Care is also increasing the pool of deployable surge workforce available to facilities with an outbreak. I am taking an active role in monitoring the current situation. I have made it clear that I want no stone left unturned in responding to this latest Covid wave.

Wells said she will meet with the Aged Care Advisory Group of the Australian Health Principal Protection Committee and the deputy chief medical officer on Wednesday for a status report on the government’s response.

“I am talking with all my ministerial colleagues about what is required for our older Australians in care,” she said.

Guardian Australia understands the ADF has not yet received an official request to extend the surge workforce program.

Updated

Shane Rattenbury doubles down on ACT’s 2035 petrol car ban

ACT emissions reduction minister, Shane Rattenbury has backed his announced policy of banning petrol cars by 2035, and said that the ACT will work with other states to make it work.

Rattenbury was on the ABC earlier, and said this was “where the world is going”, adding that he expected most states to also end the sale of petrol vehicles by around the same time:

We’re going to have to work very closely with other state governments but this is where the world is going. [Many] carmakers have indicated they are going to stop making petrol vehicles, the likes of General Motors, Ford, Mercedes, these sort of companies, by 2035 and so this is where the world is going.

We need to work with those other governments on what the legal mechanisms will look like.

This will be a transition coming, there won’t be petrol vehicles being made.

We’re not talking about if you’re still driving in your older secondhand or petrol vehicle in 35, we will pull you off the road. This is about stopping the entry of new vehicles. It’s tag transition and making sure we’re not making the problem worse.

Updated

Pitt: ‘Right decision’ to oppose 43% emissions target

Liberal MP Keith Pitt was on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing earlier, and amid a series of answers I’m sure you can predict, Pitt was asked about climate change and Liberal party leader Peter Dutton’s insistence he will “sit out” any voting on a 43% target.

Pitt, though, was unmoved in his support for Dutton:

I agree with Peter.

That is the right decision to oppose what in my view is absolute madness from the Labor government.

We took a proposition to the election, the Australian people and the majority didn’t accept our proposition but this is about what it will cost. Right now mum and dad is reaching for the wallet and it is empty.

Interest rates are going up, they are spending their food money on fuel to be able to get the kids to school and to get to work. Cost of living is the issue and any additional impacts on them which is the majority of Australians, they don’t have that much cash to throw around, it is bad for them and bad for the country and right now Labor is not saying what it will cost.

The Aemo proposal was over $300bn. That is an enormous amount of money, all of which needs to be returned to consumers.

Updated

Mandatory isolation is ‘good for business’, medical expert says

Burnet Institute director and CEO, Brendan Crabb was on ABC News earlier, and was asked what he thought of suggestions the mandatory isolation period should be shortened.

Crabb was not having it:

There is a lack of logic to that, for starters. It’s the amount of Covid in the community that is affecting our workforce and our businesses and our social life and our lives more generally. It is not the length of isolation, what the length of isolation is doing is it is a fair period that is keeping Covid from transmitting in our community.

That is good for business, not bad for business. So any notion we can somehow bend the science and reduce the isolation period, it doesn’t make logical sense to me from a health perspective but also from a labour market and business perspective.

Asked what he thought of the take-up of the fourth vaccine doses, Crabb said their importance needed to be highlighted:

Vaccination is one of those key tools and its absolute top of the list. We stagnated our third dose and definitely now our fourth booster dose which is incredibly important for people to take if they are eligible and of course our kids, kids are still way under vaccinated, those who can get vaccinated.

Vaccines are incredibly powerful, even as the virus keeps evolving, to keep people safe from severe disease and hospitalisation, what we have learned, though, is that it is not the only thing you should do, it is not enough to keep the numbers down, it is not enough to protect everyone in our community but it is most definitely the most important thing you can do and we have stagnated our vaccination rates.

Updated

Demands on Queensland health system increasing as Covid cases rise

Queensland’s Health minister Yvette D’Ath says the health system is under pressure but coping, as Covid cases continue to rise.

D’Ath said that up to 7% of staff have been sick with Covid, when on average the system copes with about 3% of staff being out sick.

When you look at the beds being taken up with Covid and the reduced staffing, you get an idea of the pressures being faced across our hospital systems.

There is a lot of good work happening out there. But there is no mistake, the demand is outstripping everything we bring in. That demand keeps increasing because of what we’re seeing with particularly Covid at the moment.

We have just exhausted all avenues of trying to find locums.

When a doctor who is due to do an important surgery that day wakes up feeling unwell, takes a test and finds out they’re positive they can’t walk into this hospital. They can’t walk into their operating theatre and do that surgery that day.

Queensland recorded 6,692, with 2,477 Queensland Health staff off work sick with the virus.

An Queensland Ambulance in Brisbane.

Updated

Sussan Ley hits back at Labor’s criticism of Morrison government’s budget

Deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, has hit back at Labor blaming the previous government for the state of the budget and outlined what I am sure will be a recurring criticism of the government.

Ignoring that much of the damage was done during the Coalition’s time in government, Ley charged ahead, telling reporters earlier today that “Labor is coming after your money”:

Jim Chalmers confirmed that under Labor, the deficit will be bigger, the debt will be larger and the path back to budget repair will be longer.

Labor is coming after your money and we know that they can’t manage theirs.

When you listen to Jim Chalmers, what you hear is, it’s all too hard and that’s not good enough.

It’s not good enough for everyday Australians who know the cost pressures they are facing, small businesses that I have met here today, for those who are struggling with electricity prices, the cost of doing business, the cost of labour, the cost of food and wages – it is not good enough to hear Jim Chalmers simply say it’s all too hard.

Where is the Labor government’s plan? Jim Chalmers is spending a lot of time effectively saying it’s all too hard and looking backwards. What’s the plan? What’s the plan that reassures Australians who are managing, struggling, dealing with the challenges every day that this government has a plan for them?

Updated

Wastewater testing shows SA could have more Covid cases than reported

South Australia’s chief public health officer, Nicola Spurrier, told reporters earlier today that wastewater detection showed there could be more cases in the state than had been reported.

South Australia recorded 4,053 new cases overnight, with 306 people in hospital and 11 in intensive care.

Health minister, Chris Picton, was asked today if something was likely to emerge from the Emergency Management Council subcommittee meeting, to be held tomorrow, and said he didn’t think so.

I don’t believe so – we haven’t had any advice on that regard.

It comes after police commissioner, Grant Stevens, two weeks ago said that more than 300 people in hospital could lead to a “conversation” about potentially reinstating a state of emergency.

Updated

P&O cruise passengers say company handled Covid outbreak ‘extremely well’

Passengers onboard a P&O cruise ship docked in Sydney with isolating Covid passengers have defended the cruise company, saying they did everything right.

Sasha Pauline, from Cowra, said the ship was as Covid-safe as possible, but some passengers did not follow all the rules.

P&O and their staff were always friendly and doing their best with infection control.

There was hand sanitiser everywhere, and masks were handed out at the entrance to all the indoor areas. It was consumers getting in lifts, etc, without masks that were the problem.

The Pacific Explorer was about to finish a nine-day trip up the east coast of Australia when at least 100 passengers tested positive for Covid.

The company is now clearing out the ship before it embarks on another journey – with Covid-positive passengers who live close being moved home and others being placed inside a hotel.

The Pacific Explorer Cruise berthed at the White Bay Cruise Ship Terminal in Sydney.
The Pacific Explorer Cruise berthed at the White Bay Cruise Ship Terminal in Sydney. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

It is the second cruise ship in Australian waters to face an outbreak in less than a week after the Coral Princess reported 130 cases.

Another passenger, Leanne Mayer, said they first heard about cases onboard the ship on Friday – when the captain let guests know.

The positive passengers were then moved to a different deck and were confined to their cabins.

By Saturday we could see the tables and notes on the cabin doors of those positive and isolating.

P&O handled the situation extremely well, I wouldn’t have expected anything less.

She said the rapid antigen tests had been voluntary and said that passengers should be tested “in the terminal” before they board.

This is an honesty system that does need looking at. Cruise lines need to test in the terminal before passengers board.

This is just an unfortunate situation, but not unexpected.

Will I cruise again? You bet I will. I have four more booked within the next 12 months and cannot wait to get back on the ships to enjoy what is the most relaxing holiday one could have.

Updated

Covid putting pressure on WA hospital resources, health minister says

Western Australia’s minister for health, Amber-Jade Sanderson, has told reporters earlier that the state’s health system is under pressure amid a record high number of Covid-related hospital admissions.

411 people are in hospital with Covid, including 19 in ICU, with Sanderson saying staffing levels were the major issue facing hospitals:

ICU capacity is not of concern. We have ICU capacity, we have prepared for this.

The real number that is challenging is the furlough of staff now; the last figure that was reported to me was around 1,500 staff across the system were furloughed.

We still have tools available to us should we need to free up beds.

We’ve got surge capacity in the private sector, there’s elective surgery. I’m reluctant to use any of those, because we really need to be able to continue people’s elective surgery and continue that surgery through the private sector.

Updated

Treasurer says federal government has been ‘flexible’ in extending pandemic leave payments

I just wanted to go back to federal treasurer Jim Chalmers’ press conference earlier this afternoon, where he was asked about pandemic leave extensions.

Chalmers said the government has been “flexible” with the extension, and congratulated states for agreeing to co-fund the extension:

We’ve extended the paid pandemic leave to the end of September. We’ve been flexible about that for all of the best reasons.

Health advice was important to us, fiscal constraints were very important to us and states helped us out on that front.

I think what we’ve shown is a capacity to respond responsibly to the health advice as it evolves.

Updated

Thanks Natasha and good afternoon to everyone reading. I hope it has been a productive Monday so far.

Updated

I leave you with those idyllic images in mind, and hand you over to my excellent colleague Mostafa Rachwani who will be with you into the evening.

Overnight snowfall transforms Tasmanian scenery

Just when you thought Tasmania couldn’t get any more picturesque, the state gets covered in snow.

Rebekah de Brey captured the snow nestling in among the crevices of a masonry wall in Ferntree, and freezing vegetation. You could almost imagine the Snow Queen’s sled about to pull up down under.

Snow has fallen in Tasmania overnight. Snow cover in Ferntree, an outer suburb of Hobart.
Snow covers paths and roofs in Ferntree, an outer suburb of Hobart. Photograph: Rebekah de Brey
Trees covered in a layer of snow in Tasmania.
Tasmania has been transformed into a winter wonderland by snowfall, turning trees and vegetation silver-tipped overnight. Photograph: Rebekah de Brey
Snow has fallen in Tasmania overnight, seen here forming patterns on paving stones.
Snow is seen here forming patterns on paving stones. Photograph: Rebekah de Brey
Trees covered in a layer of snow in Tasmania.
Trees covered in a layer of snow in Tasmania. Photograph: Rebekah de Brey

Updated

Hole in Sydney bank wall caused by demolition work

More details have come through on the circumstances which saw a large hole smashed through the wall of a Sydney bank.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) say their crews rushed to Bexley, in Sydney’s south, where demolition machinery crashed through a bank wall.

The demolition work was being carried out at a site next to the Forest Road bank around 1pm today when a piece of concrete, weighing about 20 tonnes, penetrated the building’s double brick wall.

Six people were safely evacuated from the bank and offices above.

NSW police are also at the scene, safeguarding the bank’s contents.

FRNSW officers and engineers are determining the stability of the building following the mishap.

Updated

Pissing rugby fan banned for life

Rugby Australia (RA) has condemned the “deplorable” behaviour of a Wallabies fan who climbed up the big screen during Saturday’s third Test against England and appeared to urinate from the roof of the SCG.

The intruder, who made his way to the roof of the Bill O’Reilly stand during the second half of the series decider, was charged by police after the game in Sydney; on Monday, RA handed him a lifetime ban.

RA’s chief executive, Andy Marinos, said:

Rugby Australia is disappointed with the reported incidents within the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the third Test of the Wallabies’ series with England.

The deplorable actions of the alleged intruder that made his way to the roof of the grandstand were disgraceful and dangerous. This individual has been issued with a life ban from Rugby Australia events – and we will continue to support the authorities in their handling of the matter.

RA also criticised the treatment of England’s coach, Eddie Jones, after the Australian was heckled and insulted a number of times by members of the crowd.

You can read the full story here:

Updated

Queensland treasurer says government will drive ‘a hard bargain’ to preserve Suncorp Bank’s presence in the state

Queensland treasurer, Cameron Dick, says the state government will drive “a hard bargain” before allowing ANZ to buy Brisbane-based Suncorp Bank, News Corp is reporting.

Dick told the Australian:

[Suncorp Bank] is a product of Queensland [and] wouldn’t exist without Queensland.

We will be driving a hard bargain to ensure the new entity’s Queensland presence is preserved. Queenslanders deserve nothing less.

You can read the full story of ANZ’s buyout here:

Updated

Sydney bank damaged from falling demolition concrete

A bank in the Sydney suburb of Bayside has been “structurally damaged from falling demolition concrete,” authorities say.

Fire and Rescue NSW say all money has been accounted for and “moved to a room with four complete walls!”

Officeworks underpaid staff, says union

The retail union has claimed in a new federal court lawsuit that Officeworks failed to roster staff properly or pay them the correct overtime, AAP reports.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association filed the case on Thursday seeking compensation for 70 employees who allege they were underpaid. The union is also seeking pecuniary penalties.

Officeworks allegedly breached its store operations enterprise agreement and the Fair Work Act by failing to roster staff for a prescribed maximum of 19 days in a four-week cycle, and then neglecting to pay overtime for hours worked in excess of this limit.

After employees at the store in Fairy Meadow, NSW raised concerns in August 2020, the union took the dispute to the Fair Work Commission.

Fair Work Commissioner, Bernie Riordan, ruled in the SDA’s favour in September last year, and an appeal by Officeworks was rejected by the commission’s full bench a few months later in December.

According to court documents, Officeworks engaged in “serious contraventions” by then refusing to follow the FWC’s decisions.

The union wrote:

By virtue of its conduct in refusing to be bound by the Riordan and the Full Bench Decisions, Officeworks’ conduct was part of a systematic pattern of conduct.

The SDA and Officeworks have been approached for comment.

Updated

Snow retreating in Tasmania

IPA criticises Victorian opposition’s emissions pledge

The Institute of Public Affairs, a conservative thinktank, has lashed the Victorian opposition’s pledge to legislate a 50% emissions reduction target by 2030.

In a pre-election pitch, opposition leader, Matthew Guy, announced the target on Sunday in a bid to boost the party’s environmental credentials. The target is in line with the Andrews government’s position but more ambitious than the federal government’s target of 43% by 2030.

IPA’s deputy executive director, Daniel Wild, said the pledge showed Victoria’s opposition was “out of touch” with families and small businesses facing rising power bills:

Mr Guy’s announcement that the Victorian Coalition will adopt Labor-Greens policy means millions of Victorians will be without a voice on the critical issue of emissions and climate policy.

The Coalition failed Victorians when they supported Daniel Andrews’ brutal lockdowns and mandates, and they are failing Victorians again by backing in the Labor-Greens radical climate agenda ... by seeking to legislate emission reductions of 50% by 2030, Victorians should brace themselves for rolling blackouts.

Updated

National Covid summary: 31 deaths reported

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 31 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 887
  • In hospital: 171 (with 5 people in ICU)

NSW

  • Deaths: 5
  • Cases: 9,761
  • In hospital: 2,169 (with 64 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 469
  • In hospital: 43 (with 1 person in ICU)

Queensland

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 6,682
  • In hospital: 914 (with 18 people in ICU)

South Australia

  • Deaths: 2
  • Cases: 4,053
  • In hospital: 306 (with 11 people in ICU)

Tasmania

  • Deaths: 4
  • Cases: 1,411
  • In hospital: 44

Victoria

  • Deaths: 18
  • Cases: 10,251
  • In hospital: 821 (with 35 people in ICU)

Western Australia

  • Deaths: 2
  • Cases: 5,514
  • In hospital: 411 (with 19 people in ICU)

NDIA chair resigns

The chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Denis Napthine, has resigned.

Bill Shorten, the NDIS minister, announced in a statement on Monday that he’d received Napthine’s resignation.

Napthine’s decision follows the resignation of the chief executive, Martin Hoffman, who had faced significant criticism from Shorten while Labor was in opposition.

At the time, Shorten had also highly critical of the Morrison’s government’s appointment of Napthine, who is a former Victorian Liberal premier.

Napthine had only been on the board since April. Jim Minto will act as chair of the board pending the appointment of Napthine’s replacement.

In a statement, Shorten said:

I have received the resignation of The Hon. Dr Denis Napthine AO as Chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Board.

I wish to thank Dr Napthine for his service as Chair of the NDIA Board since April 2022.

I also wish to acknowledge his work in reaching agreement with the Gillard Labor Government to establish the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Victoria.

Dr Napthine is a committed advocate for the NDIS and as a carer and somebody who has worked in the disability area, he has a great deal of passion for NDIS participants and their families.

I look forward to continuing to work with Dr Napthine in the future to ensure the best outcomes for NDIS participants, their families and carers.

I thank Jim Minto who will act as NDIA Chair pending the appointment of a new Chair as soon as possible.

Updated

Chimpanzees at Adelaide zoo contract respiratory virus

AAP is reporting that a respiratory virus has swept through the chimpanzee population at Adelaide’s Monarto Safari Park, forcing the exhibit’s closure.

After they displayed cold-like symptoms, tests revealed the chimps had contracted the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Zoos SA chief executive, Elaine Bensted, said it was the first time RSV had been detected in Monarto’s chimps.

It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants under one year of age and is usually spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes.

Bensted told ABC radio the virus would have been picked up from a visitor to the park, but it was unlikely the precise source of the infection would ever be known.

The zoo said the two chimps of most concern were males Enzi and Tsotsi.

Enzi’s condition improved on Sunday and he had started playing again.

“Tsotsi is still very poorly but more willing to move around,” the zoo said.

He has eaten some high-value foods including bananas and pineapple and has had to drink. All good signs.

Vets are hopeful Tsotsi has turned a corner but still has some way to go before he is back to his old self.

The other chimps have runny noses and coughs but are otherwise coping well and acting fairly normally.

The keepers and life sciences team who care for the troop will continue to wear full personal protective equipment including masks.

Bensted said it was hoped the chimpanzee exhibit could be reopened at some stage this week.

Updated

Fuel excise reduction ‘too expensive to continue’, treasurer says

I just wanted to return to the treasurer’s press conference earlier, where he was asked if there will be any relief for fuel prices in the upcoming budget.

Here is what Jim Chalmers had to say:

We have to be upfront about the cost of the petrol package. We supported [the Morrison government’s temporary reduction in fuel excise] through the parliament for six months – that’s the design that our predecessors put into the legislation.

And in the many times I’ve been asked about that, I’ve been upfront with people and said that my expectation is that it would be too expensive to continue. And I just want to be honest about that.

Clearly, we’ll always try to do the right thing by people. We’ll take the economic conditions into account when the time comes [to announce budget policies].

But my expectation and the expectation I’d encourage people to have is that we can’t afford to continue that petrol price relief forever.

Updated

Human Rights Watch urges home affairs minister to make bringing citizens home from Syria top priority

Sophie McNeill, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, spoke to the ABC earlier today in light of the death of Sydney teenager Yusuf Zahab in Syria.

McNeill reflected on the “urgent” situation that up to 80 Australians still face in Syria, and urged greater government action.

You can’t just leave your citizens to languish in these conditions abroad. Particularly when so many of them are children.

We believe around 30 of them are children. There are around 70 to 80 Australians all up. We have to remember these children were brought there against their will or were born over there.

We have said the government needs to create a pathway for their return and rehabilitation. [If it’s] appropriate, carry out criminal investigations and prosecutions. The government knows who the individuals are who they want to investigate and prosecute. Certainly, these children are not part of that group and that is why we are saying they need to be brought home as urgently as possible.

We have seen the United States, Germany, France just recently bring home their citizens. It is not good enough for Australia not to act and unfortunately [Yusuf Zahab’s] death will drive home how urgent this issue is that we need to bring these Australian citizens home as soon as possible.

We know that the minister [for home affairs, Clare O’Neil] hasn’t been in place for very long, and that is why when she came into office we sent her a letter and outlined this as an urgent priority.

We really are hoping that Minister O’Neil now, with the news of Yusuf’s tragic death, will put this at the top of her pile. I can’t think of anything more urgent than saving the lives of Australian children trapped overseas in horrendous conditions. We are really hoping now that we will meet soon with the minister and talk this over further, and that this will be at the top of her to-do list because it is incredibly urgent and we don’t want to see any more deaths ... We don’t want to see any more children die.

Updated

The Australian sporting community continues to celebrate Cameron Smith’s win, including Greg Norman, the last Aussie to win the Open.

Updated

WA records two Covid deaths and more than 5,500 new cases

Western Australia has recorded two Covid deaths and 5,514 new cases in the latest reporting period. There are 411 people in hospital with the virus and 19 in intensive care.

Updated

Treasurer says childcare and medicine costs will be budget priorities

Jim Chalmers says childcare and medicine costs will be the priorities in the government’s upcoming budget.

We’ve got the cost of living support coming in the form of relief for those medicine costs and also a fairly substantial cost of living relief in childcare. And we said those are priorities.

The treasurer also says there is global concern about the state of the world economy, having returned from talks with finance ministers as part of the G20 meeting.

The world economy is a difficult if not dangerous place right now. That combination of inflation, rising interest rates and slowing growth, combined with food and energy prices.

A big advantage is we have the right economic plan for these conditions.

Chalmers says pressures on Australia’s economy are coming from the supply side and he wants to lift the “speed limits” on the Australian economy.

He says he will be releasing a ministerial statement on Thursday 28 July which will be “confronting” as his job is “to paint a true picture” of the economy.

Jim Chalmers with Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki during the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Bali on Friday.
Jim Chalmers with Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki during the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Bali on Friday. Photograph: Reuters

Updated

Treasurer holds press conference in Canberra

The treasurer Jim Chalmers is speaking in Canberra and has reiterated that the government won’t extend the cut to the petrol excise beyond September because it would be too costly to do so.

Updated

Snow blankets Tasmania, from Hobart to Bruny Island

Amazing images are coming through showing the snow in Tasmania.

Peter Clark captured the frosty sunrise he woke to in suburban Hobart, while Susan Rollason snapped the icy roads in the Huon Valley.

The sun rises to reveal a smattering of snow in Hobart’s Tolmans Hill.
The sun rises to reveal a smattering of snow in Hobart’s Tolmans Hill. Photograph: Peter Clark
Snow lines the road at Grove in the Huon Valley, south of Hobart.
Snow lines the road at Grove in the Huon Valley, south of Hobart. Photograph: Susan Rollason

Laura Michaelson shared her kids enjoying the snow on Bruny Island.

Brrrrr on Bruny Island.
Brrrrr on Bruny Island. Photograph: Laura Michaelson

Updated

Victorian premier agrees with Albanese on no cut to Covid isolation

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, says now is not the right time to cut the Covid isolation period amid rising infections and increasing strain on the health sector.

Over the weekend, the national cabinet discussed reducing the Covid isolation time period from seven days to five days.

While Dominic Perrottet had floated the idea, Anthony Albanese said the medical advice suggested now was not the right time to wind back the mandatory isolation time period.

Andrews echoed Albanese’s words on Monday, but said it would be “terrific” when mandatory isolation could be reviewed.

I don’t think it’s common sense [right now].

We will get to that point some time in the future where we don’t have to isolate. But in the middle of winter, that’s not the right thing to do.

Daniel Andrews speaks to reporters during a press conference in Melbourne today.
Daniel Andrews speaks to reporters during a press conference in Melbourne today. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Expert says it’s not known exactly when or how Australian teen died in Syria

Sophie McNeill, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, is speaking to the ABC with more details on the death of the Sydney teenager Yusuf Zahab in Syria.

McNeill says it’s not known “for sure” how Zahab died but that he had untreated tuberculosis, which is common in prisons in north-east Syria.

We know he was also caught up in this horrific attack in January on the present. When he was trapped no one could help him. He sent desperate voice messages to my colleagues asking for help.

It is just such a tragedy. At 11 years old, taken against his will to ISIS territory and put in an adult prison when he was about 15.

And four years now not only have families been begging the Australian [government] to repatriate these Australians and children like him but groups like Save The Children, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have all been calling for the Australian government to bring these people home urgently. For Yusuf it is too late in such a tragedy.

My colleague had recently been to the camp ... It was alarming when she was not able to talk to him recently. This is the issue, we don’t know when he passed away. Whether he had died before she was in the camp in January. It says a lot about the care taken for this child that no one knows ultimately his exact fate.

My colleague Caitlin Cassidy has more on this story:

Updated

ANZ says no job losses for at least three years after Suncorp Bank acquisition

We brought you the news earlier this morning that ANZ has signed a deal to buy Suncorp’s banking arm for $4.9bn, in a move that will boost their Queensland presence.

The acquisition will need to be approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, who is from the sunshine state.

There would be no job losses or changes to the number of Suncorp Bank branches in Queensland for at least three years after the deal was completed, ANZ said.

Trading in ANZ shares was halted as the deal was announced and the bank raises the $3.5bn it needs to fund the buyout.

You can read more here about what is set to be one of the biggest mergers between banks since Westpac bought St George in 2007:

Updated

Queensland records 6,682 new Covid cases and no deaths

Queensland has recorded 6,682 new Covid cases and no deaths. The state has 914 people in hospital with the virus and and 18 in intensive care.

Updated

NSW police to boost numbers to target gangs, terror and domestic violence

Specialist New South Wales police units targeting organised crime, terrorism and domestic violence are getting additional officers, with extra resources also going to support victims of crime, AAP reports.

Police minister Paul Toole says police prosecutions will also get a boost, with an additional 35 new positions created to help achieve convictions.

The minister announced 120 new positions on Monday, saying it was the biggest increase in police numbers across the state in more than 30 years.

We’re boosting every area and aspect of the NSW Police Force.

The extra positions are part of 550 new officers this financial year the government needs to fulfil a 2018 commitment to hire 1,500 staff over four years at a cost of $583m.

The new positions will lead to more proactive policing, including increased foot patrols and more officers in “high-risk areas”, Toole said.

NSW police minister Paul Toole said the boost to the force is the biggest in more than 30 years.
NSW police minister Paul Toole said the boost to the force is the biggest in more than 30 years. Photograph: Richard Milnes/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

NT records 469 new Covid cases and no deaths

The Northern Territory has recorded 469 new Covid cases in the latest reporting period, with no new deaths. There are 43 people with the virus in hospital and one person in intensive care.

Updated

House price downturn broadens

The housing market continues to fall as consecutive rate hikes, rising inflation and weaker consumer confidence puts pressure on values.

Data released by CoreLogic today shows 41.9% of local house and unit markets analysed in the June quarter declined in value, a significant increase on the first quarter, when 23.6% of markets recorded a fall in values.

CoreLogic economist Kaytlin Ezzy said the updated data showed a significant and more widespread uptick in the proportion of declining markets compared to March, when values were falling predominantly in the Sydney and Melbourne markets.

This analysis captures two of the three recent rate hikes so it’s not surprising to see the added downward pressure has had a broader impact on the housing market.

Signs of a slowdown and falls in value were already evident before the rate rises, but are now becoming more widespread across Sydney and Melbourne, and beginning to impact the more expensive areas of Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart.

Historically, premium suburbs are more volatile than the more affordable areas, values shoot up much faster during an upturn, but are among the first to fall during a declining market.

Properties in Melbourne. CoreLogic says the fall in house prices is broadening to more markets.
Properties in Melbourne. CoreLogic says the fall in house prices is broadening to more markets. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Updated

Now ‘not the time’ to reduce Covid isolation period, PM says

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says now is “not the time” to start winding back the Covid isolation period below seven days, after NSW premier Dominic Perrottet floated the idea.

Australia’s isolation period was cut from 14 days to seven at the end of 2021. The US has a five-day recommended isolation period, while the United Kingdom removed all such rules earlier this year.

During last week’s national debate about reinstating the pandemic leave payment for people forced to miss work while isolating, Perrottet suggested cutting the isolation period.

On Radio National this morning, Perrottet said it was a “fine balance” but suggested Australia should eventually “move away from those mandated public health orders” around isolation.

On 5AA radio, Albanese said Saturday’s national cabinet meeting had discussed the idea of changing isolation periods, but that change was not imminent. He said:

The advice that is there from the chief medical officer, Professor [Paul] Kelly, was that now is certainly not the time for that to be considered.

That’s something health officials will continue to look at. But given the increased spread of the Covid virus over recent times – that we’ll see continuing, it’s expected to peak over the coming weeks – now’s not the time to change the provisions that are there.

Perrottet this morning suggested the pandemic leave payments, which have been reinstated until the end of September, should remain until mandatory isolation periods are dropped.

Albanese in the 5AA interview said the extensions of Covid support agreed at Saturday’s national cabinet meeting are “time limited”.

Anthony Albanese suggests talk of reducing Covid isolation requirements is premature.
Anthony Albanese suggests talk of reducing Covid isolation requirements is premature. Photograph: Paul Braven/EPA

Updated

Danger on Tasmanian roads after snowfall

Snow in Tasmania could see black ice on the state’s roads.

Authorities are warning drivers to be careful, especially in the western, central and southern parts in the coming days.

Updated

Family ‘heartbroken and angry’ after Australian teen dies in Syrian prison

A teenage boy from south-west Sydney who was taken to Syria at the age of 11 is believed to have died in an attack on the adult prison where he has been held for three years.

In a statement, the family of 17-year-old Yusuf Zahab said they were “heartbroken and angry” after learning of the death of the boy, who was separated from his family and imprisoned in a men’s jail at the age of 14.

His family said he pleaded for help from the Australian government during the fighting at Ghweiran prison in Hasakah in January.

The family said:

Today we are heartbroken and angry. We are heartbroken and angry because Yusuf didn’t need to die.

The previous Australian Government knew about Yusuf’s predicament for more than three years. We are unaware of any efforts to support, care or inquire about him.

We are pleading with the Albanese Government. Please repatriate the remaining Australian women and children. Please act before another life is lost.

In a statement, Save the Children said reports of the death are “shocking” and a “terrible tragedy”.

Mat Tinkler, the CEO of Save the Children, said:

We repeatedly warned the previous government of the risks to Australian children who have been trapped in Syria for more than three years.

The Albanese government must act quickly to protect the remaining Australian children in Syria.

At least 63 Australians, including more than 40 children, are languishing in the camps in north-east Syria, Save the Children said.

Updated

Walkouts at two Sydney hospitals today over staff and bed shortages

Nurses and midwives at Sydney’s Blacktown and Westmead hospitals have walked out this morning to protest chronic understaffing they say is putting patients at risk.

Brett Holmes from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association told the ABC earlier this morning about the conditions for nurses and midwives inside these hospitals.

They’re fairly horrific. Particularly in emergency departments right across the hospital system.

Our members at Westmead in particular have been reporting for weeks on end that they’ve been in bed block, and that means that there are large numbers of patients who are admitted waiting for a bed but having to wait in the emergency department waiting room.

Now, that’s not very safe for the patients, nor for staff. These are patients who really need one nurse for four patients, or even higher than that. But that’s impossible to deliver in the emergency department. At the same time, that our emergency department nurses are working short-staffed.

And this has been going on for weeks on end and efforts by our members to engage with members and have emergency responses put in place have seem to have failed to result in any outcome.

Brett Holmes says there have been serious bed shortages at Sydney’s Westmead hospital for weeks.
Brett Holmes says there have been serious bed shortages at Sydney’s Westmead hospital for weeks. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Inflation in New Zealand hits 7.3%

Inflation in New Zealand has risen to a fresh 32-year high, reaching 7.3% and prompting the government to issue cost-of-living relief, AAP reports.

Stats NZ today released the quarterly consumer price index (CPI) figures for the year ending in June, a lift from 6.9% from the year ending March. That figure was already the highest since 1990.

Housing costs are a big reason for the boom, rising 18.3% over the last year.

Stats NZ spokesman Jason Attewell said:

Supply-chain issues, labour costs, and higher demand have continued to push up the cost of building a new house.

The next biggest contributors were rising transport and food costs, though Westpac NZ senior economist Satish Ranchhod said “inflationary pressures are widespread and likely to persist for some time yet”.

Pre-empting the release, Jacinda Ardern’s government announced on Sunday an extension to cost-saving measures.

Fuel excise duty, road user charges and public transport fares will remain at lower prices until January next year.

The skyline of Auckland in New Zealand, where inflation has hit 7.3% as housing, food and transport costs surge.
The skyline of Auckland in New Zealand, where inflation has hit 7.3% as housing, food and transport costs surge. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Updated

Calls for more water buybacks to sustain Murray-Darling Basin

Hopes that environment-saving water will be delivered through the Murray-Darling Basin plan are evaporating rapidly.

Just two gigalitres of a promised 450GL have been delivered so far. The federal government is set to table the much-delayed Water for the Environment Special Account (WESA) report when parliament sits in just over a week.

The Australia Institute and the Greens say further water buybacks – which were capped under the Coalition – are the only way to get the water needed to sustain the basin, but that would require legislation.

Updated

Two adults and infant found dead in NT

An infant and two adults have been found dead at a property near Alice Springs, AAP reports.

Northern Territory police said the bodies of three people were found at the property, about 25km north of the city, on Sunday afternoon.

Police received a report at around 2.30pm this afternoon that the bodies of two adults and an infant had been found at the location.

It said investigators had set up a crime scene at the property.

Updated

NSW records five Covid deaths with 2,169 people in hospital

New South Wales has recorded five Covid deaths and 9,761 new cases in the last reporting period. There are 2,619 people in hospital with coronavirus in the state and 64 in intensive care.

Updated

Victoria records 18 Covid deaths with 821 people in hospital

Victoria has recorded 18 Covid deaths and 10,251 new cases in the last reporting period. There are 831 people in hospital with the virus in the state and 35 people in intensive care.

Updated

Burke calls for skills-based government boards after ‘jobs for mates’ report

A new report has called for fundamental reform to political appointments to government boards after finding one in five lucrative and powerful federal government board positions were handed to politically connected individuals.

The employment minister Tony Burke was asked about the Grattan Institute’s report on the ABC this morning, and if the Albanese government will “stamp out” this behaviour.

I don’t think anyone will say that you’re vetoed forever [from appointments] if you’ve been politically involved.

What we saw from the previous government was off the charts. It was completely lacking in merit. I think that report referred to Australia Post where it’s something like half the board.

Now, the approach that I have taken with my department is effectively, I have them to put together what’s the skills criteria. This is as arts minister, where we got boards, to make sure that we have the different skills match. You need a skills-based board.

I think for the previous government, the Liberal party membership was the only skill they were after. I’ve got a situation, the National Museum ... here in Canberra doesn’t have a single historian on the board.

The National Portrait Gallery has no one who is First Nations on its board. You need to say, what’s the mixture of people you need on these boards to make sure that you’re filling the gaps appropriately.

The National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
The National Museum of Australia in Canberra. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Christopher Knaus has more on that report from the Grattan Institute:

Updated

ANZ to buy Suncorp Bank for $4.9bn

ANZ has announced it will acquire Suncorp Group’s banking unit for $4.9bn, in what could be Australia’s biggest banking deal in more than a decade.

The news comes just days after ANZ revealed it was in talks with private equity firm KKR & Co to buy software company MYOB Group, in a deal that local media pegged at over $4.5 billion.

Last month, Suncorp, Australia’s second-largest insurer by market value, said it was conducting a strategic review of its banking operations to focus on its top-revenue generating insurance business.

Suncorp’s banking and wealth unit contributed 40% of the insurer’s total profit in fiscal 2021, and had loans worth $58.39bn as of 31 December 2021, mostly comprising home loans.

– with Reuters

Updated

ANZ to takeover of Suncorp Bank

ANZ has signed a deal to buy Suncorp’s banking business for $4.9bn.

We’ll bring you more information on that soon.

ANZ will buy Suncorp’s banking arm.
ANZ will buy Suncorp’s banking arm. Photograph: Edgar Su/Reuters

Updated

‘Changing rapidly’: Tony Burke on Covid isolation periods

Burke is asked about whether he anticipates that the government will look at dropping the mandatory seven-day isolation periods and treat Covid like any other disease when the isolation payment ends on 30 September.

He says the government will take “the best information as it comes.”

If you go back to when the pandemic started, every time everything was time limited and there’s a reason for that. This is something that is changing rapidly.

Updated

Employment minister says there is ‘no reason not to be tested’ for Covid

Tony Burke, the employment minister, is asked on the ABC if the Covid-19 situation changed drastically between Friday and Saturday, after the prime minister Anthony Albanese reinstated Covid isolation payments after he was “digging in” earlier in the week.

You can pick what day or whatever you want. I have to say, the decision that’s been made I’m glad of. I think it’s particularly important given the new variants. There’s new information emerging about the new variants all the time.

The last thing we want with the new variants is for people not to be tested because they’re in a situation where they would have no means or – no livelihood.

I want the message to be clear to people – that you have no reason to not be tested. You will be looked after – if you have sick leave, you can access that, if you don’t, you will still be looked after here with the $750.

Employment minister Tony Burke
Employment minister Tony Burke Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Vaccinating Australian livestock against foot and mouth disease risks export market access

Dr Mark Schipp, the chief veterinary officer, has been in Indonesia with the agriculture minister Murray Watt as part of an Australian delegation to aid the country with its foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Schipp told the ABC this morning they were helping Indonesians vaccinate the country’s farm animals.

However, he says Australia can’t vaccinate its animals or Australia will lose its market access.

Australia has free market access in exporting animal products because it’s considered a foot and mouth disease-free country, but vaccination could signal to countries buying Australian livestock products that the disease is present.

Updated

Gorgeous images coming through from Tasmania where snow has fallen this morning.

Updated

NSW premier says isolation payment should be linked to legal isolation requirements

NSW premier Dominic Perrottet is on ABC Radio following the national cabinet meeting which has seen emergency isolation payments reinstated.

Perrottet says if government is legally requiring people to stay home for seven days, financial assistance has to be provided.

He says it’s his “belief” that:

If the state is taking away people’s liberty, then the state has an obligation to provide financial support.

The Covid isolation payments have been extended to end of September. Perrottet is asked what happens after September and says financial support needs to continue as long as the requirement from government means people are unable to to go to work in circumstances the state is legally making them stay at home.

However, he has suggested the isolation requirements could be reviewed once the threat is not as severe following the winter surge.

He says at the national cabinet meeting, the chief officer, Paul Kelly “understood the report” that isolation requirements could be relaxed.

NSW premier Dominic Perrottet
NSW premier Dominic Perrottet Photograph: James Gourley/AAP

Updated

Snowfall in Tasmania

Tasmania is in for a white Christmas in July, with “plenty” of snow about the state.

Updated

ACT commits to phasing out petrol cars from 2035

Nine in 10 cars sold in the territory will be zero emissions by 2030 under a new plan being launched by the ACT government this week.

The Zero Emissions Vehicle Strategy will commit the territory government to phasing out light petrol cars from 2035 and is expected to include new incentives and other programs to encourage people to switch out their old petrol vehicles.

Transport emissions currently account for nearly two thirds – 60% – of the territory’s CO2 emissions.

The announcement builds on news from Queensland over the weekend with the northern state planning to expand its electric vehicle charging infrastructure into the outback.

When completed, Queensland’s charging network will be 5,400km long, opening up new travel destinations for more than 10,000 drivers in the state who have gone electric to date.

Updated

Peter Dutton ‘hasn’t got the memo’ about climate action, Bowen says

Bowen says the legislation is desirable to encourage private sector investment.

Bowen says that Dutton’s failure to support the government’s emission reduction target shows he “hasn’t got the memo from the Australian people they want climate action”.

Updated

Bowen says that with the Coalition’s decision to vote against Labor’s emissions target, the opposition made themselves “irrelevant to the process”.

Asked about Greens leader Adam Bandt’s comment about needing to “Dutton-proof” the legislation, Bowen says the best way to create good climate policy is for Labor to stay in power.

It “doesn’t matter what the legislation” says, the Coalition would be harmful to Australia’s climate targets.

Updated

Chris Bowen will take “sensible... good faith” suggestions from crossbench on emissions reduction bill

Chris Bowen, the minister for climate and energy, is on ABC Radio talking about the government’s bill to legislate a 43% emissions reduction by 2030 ahead of the first week of the new parliament’s sitting where it is expecting to be the main item on the agenda.

The first sitting week comes as the Greens leader Adam Bandt says his party is willing to negotiate but is concerned the legislation “would create a ceiling on emissions reduction”.

ABC has asked Bowen about whether he will introduce a ratchet mechanism, which could see the target increased.

Bowen says he will implement the mandate but will talk to the crossbench about “sensible... good faith” suggestions.

Bowen says there is already a ratcheting mechanism in Paris agreement that each target has to be higher than the next.

Chris Bowen, the minister for climate and energy.
Chris Bowen, the minister for climate and energy. Photograph: Brook Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

A win for Australian golfers and mullets

Cameron Smith has won the 150th British Open at St Andrews with a remarkable five successive birdies to produce a comeback.

Cameron Smith plays from the the 3rd tee in the Open Golf Championship final round at St Andrews, UK.
Cameron Smith plays from the the 3rd tee in the Open Golf Championship final round at St Andrews, UK. Photograph: David Blunsden/Action Plus/Rex/Shutterstock

The Brisbane native is the first Australian to win the Open since Greg Norman 1993, the year of Smith’s birth.

Updated

Rising corporate profits major factor in Australia’s escalating inflation

Wages have had little or no effect on Australia’s inflation rate in the past three years, according to new economic analysis from a leading thinktank.

As the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, rubbished what he called “dire warnings” from commentators about the impact of rising wages, a report from progressive thinktank the Australia Institute found rising corporate profits had been a major factor in Australia’s inflation spike.

In the report, released today, the institute analysed national accounts data to show that rising corporate profits had been a major factor in inflation and that wages had “no contribution” to inflation in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years, and contributed just 0.6% of Australia’s inflation in this current financial year.

Updated

Good morning!

As Covid-19 cases continue to rise across Australia, isolation payments for workers will resume from Wednesday this week after the national cabinet’s meeting this Saturday.

The treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended the government’s delay in reinstating the $750 payment, which had concluded on 30 June but will now be available until the end of September.

Another cruise ship hit by a Covid outbreak, the Pacific Explorer, is docking in Sydney this morning, with more than 100 confirmed cases on board. This latest cruise outbreak follows the Coral Princess last week.

I’m Natasha May and if there’s anything you think should be on the blog feel free to ping me on Twitter @natasha__may or email natasha.may@theguardian.com.

Let’s get going.

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