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National
Emily Wind and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

Building partially collapses in blaze – as it happened

Katy Gallagher PwC Tina Turner Canberra
A wall collapses during a building fire in Surry Hills near Sydney’s Central station.
A wall collapses during a building fire in Surry Hills near Sydney’s Central station. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

What we learned, Thursday 25 May

That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today – thanks so much for joining us. Here is a wrap of the day’s biggest stories:

And for those in Sydney – please stay safe, and continue to follow the advice of emergency services.

The latest footage from Fire and Rescue NSW:

Surry Hills fire status upgraded

Fire and Rescue has upgraded today’s inferno to a “10th alarm” status – the most severe type.

According to their latest update at 6pm, more than 100 firefighters, from 20 fire trucks and multiple stations continue to work to extinguish the blaze in two buildings on Randle Street.

At this stage, it is believed both affected buildings were vacant.

FRNSW crews have also been dousing smaller fires which threatened to spread to surrounding buildings, including residential apartments.

Firefighting is expected to continue throughout the night.

Updated

The latest from Live Traffic:

Chalmers Street and Randle Street are closed in the northbound direction due to the fire, with heavy traffic conditions in the area.

The L2 and L3 light rail services are not running between Moore Park and Circular Quay, and a number of buses are diverting from the area.

A number of nearby streets have been closed with motorists urged to avoid the area. Elizabeth Street is closed southbound from Eddy Avenue.

Updated

Smoke lingering in the air near scene of fire

An acrid smell pervaded Surry Hills during the evening peak commute on Thursday.

A resident of Holt Street, about 100m from the blaze, said:

It was essentially a candlestick.

He said he was working from home and smelled smoke shortly after 4pm, realising the fire was close.

I walked over to Devonshire Street, and it was basically apocalyptic, there was ash falling everywhere, the embers were raining down.

He said he heard “cracks and bangs” as the wall of the building collapsed and the fire radiated heat through the surrounding streets.

“It still smells acrid,” he said more than an hour and a half after the blaze began, wearing a face mask out of concern for potential asbestos in the building that had burned.

On Thursday night, ash could be seen scattered on the surrounding streets.

Updated

Police are now speaking at the press conference

When asked if the blaze could have been deliberate, the officer said “it’s way too early at this point” to say and that the matter is still under investigation and this will take some time.

He said that Central Station is still operating and buses are being organised for those affected by the light rail closures.

The officer said police and Fire and Rescue NSW were able to direct and handle the thousands of people on the street at the time of the fire and are continuing to urge people to avoid the area.

Updated

The Fire and Rescue officer said he has seen fires of similar sizes but what is significant about this one was how quickly it developed, and how many other buildings were in proximity to the blaze.

The risk of further fire spread is a real concern [and] our firefighters have worked very hard to stop that … I commend them for their efforts.

Updated

Fire will need ‘substantial and very prolonged’ effort to extinguish entirely

The firefighter said:

I expect that we’ll be here all night and into the morning.

He said that at this stage, there is no indication anyone was in the building at the time of the blaze.

…that’s obviously a prime concern when our crews arrived.

The information we have [is that the] buildings were vacant or unoccupied … they were under construction or about to have to demolition or work done.

There’s been no reports and any of the information we’ve been able to source confirms that there was no one there, but we remain open to being aware of any potential for that.

One firefighter has received a minor burn to his arm and is receiving treatment, but no further injuries have been reported at this stage.

Updated

Fire and Rescue spokesperson addressing the media

He said there are currently over 30 firetrucks and 120 firefighters working on the scene and that the fire is “effectively contained to the buildings [that were] involved”:

There was some small level of fire spread to some of the surrounding apartment buildings.

Fire and Rescue firefighters together with New South Wales Police had a very significant effort in the early stages to evacuate those surrounding buildings and get people out to safety.

I’m pleased to report that there’s been no indications of any injuries to any of the members of the public.

Updated

Fire and Rescue has released more footage from the frontlines of the blaze:

A witness observed that the streets are “caked with ash” near the fire:

And from around half an hour ago, nearby pubs appeared to still be open:

Updated

It’s now more than an hour since the fire broke out.

Commuters passing through the area are being hit with the stench of smoke.

On the corner of Holt and Cooper Streets, passersby are gathering just where police have cordoned off Cooper St to watch the firefighters at work.

On the corner of Holt and Cooper Streets, passersby are gathering just where police have cordoned off Cooper St to watch the parked fire trucks and firefighters at work.
On the corner of Holt and Cooper Streets, passersby are gathering just where police have cordoned off Cooper St to watch the parked fire trucks and firefighters at work. Photograph: Elias Visontay/The Guardian

Updated

What we know so far about the fire in Surry Hills:

  • The fire broke out at 11 Randall Street in Surry Hills, just near Central Station, after 4pm.

  • More than 100 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters, from 20 firetrucks and multiple stations, responded and are working to contain and extinguish the blaze.

  • The building is seven storeys high and was set to be turned into a hotel. It was formerly the RC Henderson hat factory.

  • Sections of the building have collapsed as people nearby screamed. The inferno has spread to several neighbouring buildings, including residential apartments, according to FRNSW.

  • It is not known yet whether the building was occupied. No injuries have been reported yet.

  • Several nearby buildings were evacuated and there have been multiple road closures. Public transport in the area has been affected, particularly light rail routes.

  • The public is urged to avoid the area and follow advice from emergency services.

Emergency services at the scene
Emergency services at the scene. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

We will continue to bring you the latest here on the blog.

Updated

The NSW premier has urged people to stay safe:

Updated

Students evacuate during final exam due to Surry Hills blaze

The fire broke out two buildings up from the Sydney Dental hospital. Students sitting a key final exam were among those who were forced to evacuate from the nine-storey building at about 4:15pm.

Victor Choh, a dental student was sitting an exam on the fifth floor with 30 others and evacuated in such a hurry that he was still wearing his loupes - specialist dental magnifying lenses - over his glasses.

He and fellow students stood on Chalmers Street for the next hour as they watched smoke billow out of the building.

The 22-year-old told said:

We just heard about the smoke and flames and knew we had to get out of the building and the alarm rang out as we were in the emergency stairs.

Choh and his classmates left possessions behind, including phones and keys. They have been told they may be able to re-enter their building by 11pm.

Young men wearing masks in a street
Victor Choh (right) with fellow dental students who were evacuated from the dental hospital in Sydney due to a building fire nearby. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Updated

The Devonshire Street exit from Central Station appears to be closed, according to this onlooker:

Devonshire Street is only about a seven-minute walk away from Randle Street, where the blaze continues.

Here is some more footage from the blaze, which is continuing to burn in Surry Hills:

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, is watching footage of the fire like all of us, and is urging people to stay safe and continue listening to warnings from emergency services.

More footage from the ground:

Our reporter Elias Visontay is now at the scene of the blaze and says the dental school next to Central Station has been evacuated.

Updated

The fire is located at 11 Randle Street, in Surry Hills, just near Central Station:

Updated

Fire near Sydney's Central station spreads to apartments

The latest from Fire and Rescue (FRNSW) on the Surry Hills fire:

[FRNSW] crews are battling a major fire in a multi-level building at Surry Hills, near the Sydney CBD.

Multiple Triple Zero (000) calls were received when flames started engulfing the seven-storey building on Randle Street just after 4pm.

More than 100 FRNSW firefighters, from 20 fire trucks and multiple stations, are now working to contain and extinguish the blaze.

The building is starting to collapse, while the inferno is beginning to spread to several neighbouring buildings, including residential apartments.

At least one vehicle in the vicinity has also been destroyed by fire.

The public is urged to avoid the area as firefighting operations continue.

Updated

From the NSW minister for transport:

Updated

Fire affecting light rail services in city, trains from Central still running

The fire next to Sydney’s Central station is affecting the city’s transport network.

Light rail services are not running between Moore Park and Circular Quay on the L2 and L3 lines.

Roads surrounding the fire are also closed. Chalmers Street and Randle Street are closed between Cleveland and Elizabeth Street, Elizabeth Street is closed southbound at Foveaux Street and other local roads are also closed in the area.

Trains at Central Station are still running.

One onlooker has described watching parts of the burning building falling down onto the footpath on Elizabeth Street:

Side of the building collapses in Surry Hills fire

From my colleague Stephanie Convery:

The side of the building just collapsed.

I am watching footage of the fire live and just heard the apparent sound of screaming – likely due to the top of the building completely folding in on itself.

Updated

There are sirens and fire alarms going off everywhere and the constant hovering of helicopters.

I can’t see the work of the firefighters from here, but the fire has moved lower down the building - it appears to be at least partly because all the top floors are mostly burned through.

The police are moving onlookers on, but haven’t moved us far actually.

Updated

Police advise of road closures

NSW Police said that evacuations and road closures are in place around Central Railway Station due to the fire at Randle Street, Surry Hills:

Updated

The federal member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek, has thanked the fire and rescue services who are on scene at the Surry Hills fire in her electorate.

She is urging people to stay safe and follow instructions from emergency services.

Updated

Evacuations under way

The building is directly adjacent to apartment blocks and backs on to a narrow lane, so the apartments and nearby offices and businesses are being evacuated.

You can see it all quite clearly from behind the police lines, the metal beams inside the building are burning red hot.

There’s another crash and a blast of heat as a huge cloud of sparks flies into the air.

It looks like huge steel beams in the building have collapsed.

Updated

Scenes from Surry Hills:

Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue is asking people to avoid the area, with further information to come.

Updated

I’m standing on the corner of Kippax Street where a building opposite the Aurora Hotel in Surry Hills is completely ablaze. The road has been closed off and there are least a dozen emergency vehicles blocking the street.

Black smoke is billowing from the building and firefighters are hosing the blaze from a cherry picker.

Updated

The roof of the building has completely collapsed in.

Updated

Police are attempting to keep onlookers away from the area and are cordoning off some streets, but with little success.

Our reporter Stephanie Convery is at the scene of the fire

A huge plume of black smoke and flames as tall as skyscrapers spiralled above Central station as a nearby building was engulfed by an inferno.

Scores of emergency vehicles are attending as peak hour commuters look on and helicopters are circling above.

Flames coming out the windows and a whole lot of the structure just collapsed with a huge boom and debris falling into the streets.

At least about 15 emergency vehicles, including police and firefighters.

Updated

Another angle of the fire near Central Station in Sydney:

Fire breaks out near Central station in Sydney

A huge blaze has erupted near Central Station in Sydney with multiple emergency vehicles responding.

We’ll bring you more as it comes.

Updated

Viruses spreading in NSW

NSW is continuing to see increased levels of transmission of Covid-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus associated with the beginning of winter.

According to NSW Health’s respiratory surveillance report for the week ending May 20, 2,131 people were reported to have the flu that week, an increase of 66% on the previous week – the increases most notable in children.

RSV cases increased by 20% since the previous week, however have remained relatively stable since late April.

There were 13,684 cases of Covid reported during the week, marking a small increase of just 1% on the previous week.

NSW Health said:

Notification rates continue to be highest for people aged 90 years and older and an increase has been observed in those aged 5 – 16 years since the beginning of May.

This may be related to an increase in testing for respiratory viruses given the rise in flu noted above.

Updated

NSW Police speak after fatal shooting in Sydney this morning

A NSW Police officer has spoken at a press conference after a police shooting in North Willoughby, in Sydney this morning where a man died at the scene.

Just before 11:30am today, officers were called to Alexander Avenue after reports a man was threatening residents.

Asst Comm Leanne McCusker said the man had “two large knives on him” and “ran at police”, before one of the two responding officers discharged his firearm.

The man died at the scene and a critical incident investigation is underway.

McCusker said:

Welfare support has been put in place for our involved officers and also … for the deceased man’s family as well.

All parts of what has taken place here today will be subject to the critical investigation, but police were called by members of the community, by multiple calls, with the concern of the erratic behaviour and aggressiveness and police were there, as we are, to protect the community.

When asked if the use of a gun was appropriate instead of a Taser, she said the tactical choice “will be subject to the investigation by the critical incident team”.

McCusker said she hasn’t seen any footage from the incident yet due to the investigation, but she does plan to look at it.

She also said the man was known to police on a “minimal” level, and it is not clear at this time whether there was a mental health element to the incident.

When asked if she is satisfied that the actions were appropriate, McCusker responded:

With the information that is before me at this stage and noting the speed at which I understand the person approached police, yes I am.

Updated

Thankyou to Amy for taking us through the morning! I’ll be with you for the remainder of the day, let’s get into it.

Independents back native forest logging ban

Independent MPs have welcomed the signal Tanya Plibersek gave in question time that environmental laws will set higher standards for regional forestry agreements.

Member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, said:

“Native forest logging destroys our environment and pours fuel on the fire of the climate crisis. I welcome the minister’s commitment to bring regional forest agreements under stronger environmental laws, but the federal government needs to show the same ambition as their Victorian counterparts and put an end to native forest logging for good.”

Member for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps, said:

It was great to hear minister Plibersek acknowledging the need to bring the Regional Forestry Agreements back under the National Environmental Laws.

They should never have been exempt. The exemption is the reason 20 years on from these Forestry Agreements, the common glider is no longer common, but endangered. Let’s make sure national icons like the koala aren’t lost when the solution is so simple.

New South Wales needs to follow the lead of Victoria and Western Australia and phase out native forest logging as soon as possible. At the same time, timber communities and the forestry industry must be supported to continue the transition to plantation and sustainable forestry.”

Updated

Emily Wind will take you through the evening – for those of you attending the Guardian’s 10th birthday celebrations at the Seymour Centre, I hope you have an amazing time.

Thank you to every single one of you for being part of the Guardian’s time in Australia so far –we couldn’t do any of this without your support and we appreciate each and every one of you.

If you can’t make it to the Seymour centre, I hope you can still treat yourself with some cake or whatever else is your go to fave (full disclosure, I had fairy bread for breakfast) and please accept our gratitude for all you do.

I’ll be back with Politics Live on Monday – until then, take care of you Ax

For those looking for the latest on the PwC matter, we have you covered here

Gallagher denies link between lobbyists’ unrestricted access to decision-makers and procurement outcomes

Greens senator Barbara Pocock has raised concerns about lobbyists for major companies like PwC walking the halls of Parliament House “unrestrained” to talk to politicians and decision-makers.

The South Australian, at Senate estimates, noted PwC donated $121,000 directly to Labor last year - as well as noting other potential donations like PwC’s sponsorship of a Labor budget night fundraiser (which was pulled at the last minute as the fallout from the leaked information scandal grew):

There is a perception problem here, about the link between large donations and the ability to walk the corridors of this parliament, untrammelled.

They are without constraint in this parliament, physically, and they are making large financial contributions.

Lobbyists, “government relations” staff and other individuals working for private companies are a common sight in Parliament House, their orange access passes letting them wander around essentially the entire building and knock on the doors of politicians in a bid to have conversations, push their agenda and change minds. Many MPs are often annoyed by lobbyists arriving unannounced at their doors.

Asked whether she had concerns about that issue, Katy Gallagher, the minister for finance, told Pocock that she did not, because donations would be declared and ministers were not directly involved with procurement (which is done by the public service).

If you’re drawing a link between donations to the political arm of the Labor Party and procurement outcomes, no, I don’t think you can do any link.

I know it’s in your political interest to do that, but I find it offensive.

Gallagher said Labor was pursuing stronger donation laws.

If you’ve got a specific allegation Senator Pocock, then make it... you are besmirching me.

Pocock said people in the community had concerns about the link between donations and business outcomes. Gallagher said people should take comfort in procurement rules putting MPs at arm’s length from such decisions.

Updated

Parliament tables review into Modern Slavery Act

The review into the Modern Slavery Act has been tabled by the parliament.

Recommendations include:

  • Introducing penalties for non-compliance with statutory reporting requirements.

  • Lowering the reporting threshold from $100m to $50m.

  • Requiring entities to report on modern slavery incidents or risks.

  • Amending the Act to require entities have a due diligence system in place.

  • Strengthening the administration of the Act through proposed legislative amendments and expanded administrative guidance; and

  • proposing functions for the federal anti-slavery commissioner in relation to the Act.

Legislation will be coming on that soon, but you can read the whole review here.

Updated

Inquiry into AI in education announced

A federal inquiry has been announced into the use of generative artificial intelligence in the Australian education system.

The chair of the committee on employment, education and training and Labor MP Lisa Chesters said artificial technologies were increasingly available across education systems, presenting “opportunities and challenges”.

AI technology ChatGPT has been hailed as a tool to revolutionise technology and a threat since emerging late last year.

States and territories were quick to ban the technology in public schools, while universities have both integrated the technology as a learning tool and battled with its capacity for plagiarism.

This inquiry will examine the ways in which these technologies may impact education outcomes for students in the Australian education system.

She said the committee would have a particular focus on emerging generative AI, and the “benefits and ... risks they may hold for the Australian education system, now and into the future”.

Updated

Question time ends

And that is question time done for the week – but don’t worry – we have four more next week!

Updated

Peter Dutton also pays tribute to Frank McGovern:

We are here today as a country to survive and be strengthened and we stand tall in the world because of people like Frank McGovern. We should never forget it.

We commemorate much of our history, but we don’t concentrate enough on the great stories those pioneers, those people in the first and World War II in Vietnam and Korea and other conflicts in the Middle East that have strengthened our national character.

People like Frank McGovern would do it all over again for this country, for those people that they love and the country that they cherish.

I want to pay tribute to Frank to his fallen comrades, 103 is an incredible innings.

We should point out, for the benefit of our colleagues, yes, to enjoy a bottle of wine each day will get you to that, but that is not encouragement to each day to have two bottles for our colleagues if you want to live beyond 103.

I want to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served because Frank did that, he was very significant part of theCoogee Randwick, Clare Valley subbranch of the RSL, right behind with an OAM and a reminder, as the Prime Minister rightly says, of our greatest generation.

May he rest in peace, lest we forget.

PM remembers Frank McGovern as an' ‘extraordinary Australian’

Anthony Albanese said meeting Frank McGovern was one of the honours of being prime minister:

Frank was 103 years of age, he was still living at home by himself and cooking for himself. He told me the secret to life, a long life, was he drank a bottle of wine every day. And, he insisted even ... though it was a reasonably early hour of the morning that I have a beer with him. And I did that.

He was amazing. An extraordinary Australian as part of our greatest generation, a man of deep modesty, general humour and powerful optimism.

… He told me that every Anzac Day he doesn’t march anymore, he used to [but] he ran out of mates. So he thinks about his family and spends it with them.

Mr Speaker, Frank McGovern lived to see what his service and his mate’s sacrifice meant to Australians.

We salute his life today, he is gone but like all who serve our great country in uniform, in the past and today, it will never be forgotten. Lest we forget.

Updated

Anthony Albanese pays tribute to the passing of the last survivor of the HMAS Perth

Question time ends a little early, but Anthony Albanese asks the house to remain to pay tribute to Frank McGovern, the last survivor of the HMAS Perth, who died overnight at age 103.

Albanese:

This is one of Australia’s worst maritime disasters. 1,500 POWs perished in the sinking, including 543 Australians. Frank survived the attack … survived a sinking stop and located a lifeboat left behind by the Japanese.

For three days he and 30 other soldiers survived in this life boat. By the third day, with nothing, Frank and his crew were ordered at gunpoint to board a Japanese ship, becoming a prisoner of war for the second time.

He endured months of work in the factories at Kawasaki camp in Tokyo [as] the US commenced the deadliest air raid in history, with 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs dropped over 16 square miles of Tokyo.

Frank was moved to a new camp only to narrowly survive another bombing. This one fractured his spine [but] in the hospital, warned about the danger to incapacitated prisoners, Frank managed to stand and walk at pace with the Japanese guards.

He told me this story, about how some of his colleagues would go off for what was termed surgery and be drained of their blood because that was being used for the Japanese soldiers. Those who were injured.

One of his colleagues and comrades said to him that this was what was going on, so somehow with a fractured spine, he managed to stand, and get out of the hospital in order to avoid the dreadful fate that some of his comrades were dealt with.

Updated

Question on youth allowance leads to answers on jobseeker and rental assistance

Stephen Bates, the Greens MP for Brisbane, who doesn’t wear a tie in the parliament because it triggers members of the Coalition, asks why youth allowance is still so low?

Youth allowance only increases with CPI once a year. And many younger people are in share houses, meaning they don’t meet the eligibility for rental assistance, because often they are not on the lease agreement.

Amanda Rishworth talks about the $40 a fortnight increase in the budget and says:

I would point out to the House this increase which I introduced legislation into the parliament today will have indexation applied after the base rate is increased on 20 September, if it indeed passes the Senate.

And I look forward to all of those across the Senate supporting that important piece of legislation.

As also mentioned previously in question time today, we increased the maximum rate of the commonwealth rental assistance by 15%. The largest increase in over 30 years. Of course, that will have indexation applied as well.

Many students … access Commonwealth rent assistance because they do access the private rental market, and therefore this payment in this increase will be very much welcomed by students right around the country.

What we have done in this budget … a carefully calibrated budget that delivers for those on income support, including students and I hope that we will see the support across the Senate from all parties, including the crossbench, including those opposite, because it will make a real difference to people’s lives.

Updated

A dixer on defence

The minister for defence industry has got up to talk about - drum roll please - the importance of Australia’s defence industry. Pat Conroy talks about what the government is doing in response to the defence strategic review.

He says the the Albanese Labor government is “making significant investments” and “establishing a skills academy in South Australia to actually train workers to work in our submarine and surface fleet construction programs”.

But this dixer is really just an excuse to tee off at the Coalition:

And this differs from the uncertainty and chaos that we saw from the last government, in defence. First they wanted to build submarines in Japan and then they spent $3.4bn on the attack class submarines. Then they stuffed up the Henderson maritime precinct. They then spent, and this is my favourite, $114m on a naval shipbuilding college and guess how many workers they trained? Zero. Zero workers trained for $114m of expenditure.

Conroy ends with a spray at the “negative no-alition”, prompting the speaker, Milton Dick, to warn that the term “is not parliamentary”.

Updated

Nationals MP booted from parliament after refusing to withdraw ‘gutless’ comment after question on logging

Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester asks pretty much the same question as Allegra Spender, but in reverse, saying the federal government had promised to support forestry workers, so in light of the Victorian government decision, what has the federal government actually done to support workers?

Anthony Albanese gives pretty much the same answer as Tanya Plibersek:

We need timber products and we want sustainable forestry jobs and that is why we are investing … $300m to grow foundations and organise our manufacturing infrastructure and build our forestry workforce. I note that through … the national reconstruction fund, we specifically set aside funding to support the forestry industry [and] the member for Gippsland (Chester) voted against it.

Chester gets up with a point of order, but Albanese has concluded his answer. Chester still approaches the despatch box and asks:

Why does the government hate timber workers so much?

And then says something about “gutless”

And Milton Dick boots him from the chamber. But before asking him to withdraw, leading to a back and forth about unparliamentary language.

Updated

Tanya Plibersek evades question on ending native forest logging across Australia

The independent MP for Wentworth Allegra Spender asks:

My question is to the minister for the environment and water.

This week, the Labor government in Victoria said it would end native forest logging – a welcome announcement that follows in the footsteps of the Labor government in Western Australia.

Native forest logging destroys our environment and pours fuel on the fire of climate change. Yet the federal government allows it to continue in New South Wales and Tasmania.

When will the minister put an end to native forest logging across the whole of Australia?

Plibersek says:

I want to thank the member for Wentworth her question. I know that she is absolutely committed to better environmental protection around Australia and like us here as part of the Albanese Labor government, believes that we need to protect more of what is precious, restore more of what is damaged and manage it better for the future.

She is right, it has been big news in Victoria during the week following a few months ago from WA about their native forest logging industry.

I would say to the member for Wentworth that we are very supportive and we know that it is important to have a forestry industry here in Australia, that is why the Albanese Labor government put $300m into upgrading the equipment for … more sophisticated forestry uses in Australia, into meditating the workforce and expanding plantations which provide 90% of our forestry needs here in Australia.

On the issue of native forests in New South Wales and other parts of Australia, I think it is very important to acknowledge that forests are very important carbon sequestration providers, they are very important habitat to ensure that forests are home for possums and gliders and of course koalas which are endangered now. [They must] continue to offer those important homes and habitats for those creatures.

And so we are determined to make sure, as we update the environment protection laws, that regional forest agreements come under … new national environment standards and we are working very closely with the states, with the industry and the conservation group[s] to make sure that happens.

Updated

Finance department says PwC has not disclosed all names linked to breach of government information

The finance department says PwC hasn’t disclosed the names of all employees linked to the breach of government confidential information, and that the department itself hasn’t asked - and doesn’t intend to, pending the AFP investigation.

As detailed earlier, the finance secretary, Jenny Wilkinson, said the department had directed PwC to stand down staff directly involved in, or who had knowledge of, the significant breach from government contracts.

The department’s Andrew Jaggers told Senate estimates that the action applied to PwC staff “implicated in the handling of this matter since January”, saying the department had told the company that these staff needed to be identified, and that PwC had agreed to do so.

This included people named in emails obtained through parliamentary processes, but also “any others engaged or had knowledge of the information or were involved in the handling of the matter”. So far there’s been 53 people named, Labor senator Deborah O’Neill said, but that this process could lead to many more being included in that finance direction.

O’Neill, who has been leading the charge on this matter, says PwC should “do the right thing”, “come clean” and publicly name all those linked to the scandal. She said there was a “low level of trust” in PwC, asking if the company would disclose the names of all those people.

The department’s response:

They have not identified the names of the people in the emails... we haven’t requested for a list of names.

Jagger said the finance department also hadn’t asked yet, saying they didn’t think they should ask for it right now as the matter had now been referred to police. However, he pointed out PwC was running its own independent investigation on who was involved.

O’Neill raised concerns about her trust in those internal processes: “they’re paying the bill for that ... how independent can that be?”

Updated

Coalition attempts attack line on Victorian budget

The NSW MP Jenny Ware wants to know …

Is the prime minister aware of the Victorian premier’s $8.6bn tax on businesses and property investors in that state?

Yesterday the premier encouraged Victorians to use the Covid-19 debt levy to offset their commonwealth tax obligations, costing Australian taxpayers $3bn over the next four years. Does the prime minister support Premier Andrew’s decision to slug Victorians with $8.6bn of taxes?

In terms of asking questions – I mean, Michael Sukkar is right there. He was even assistant treasurer for a while. And he is the member for Deakin – one of the few Victorian MPs still there. Goodness, even Angus Taylor would have made more sense as the shadow treasurer.

But anyways, I’ve never run a tactics committee, so what would I know.

Anthony Albanese talks about budgets and how great the federal budget it. Peter Dutton boldly tries a point of order on relevance, which is a lol because the question isn’t relevant given it talks about the Victorian state budget, which is not the responsibility of the prime minister.

We all lose another six minutes of our lives.

Updated

NSW Liberal MP asks about Victorian budget

In a sign of how few Victorian MPs the Liberal party has left, a New South Wales MP, Jenny Ware, who is the member for Hughes, in NSW, asks the prime minister about the Victorian budget.

It is unclear why a NSW Liberal MP wants to know about the Victorian budget, which is not under the federal prime minister’s list of responsibilities, but here we are.

Updated

Bowen gives minor update on renewables investment

The LNP MP for Flynn, Colin Boyce (yes, he is still there) asks:

My question is to the minister for climate change and energy. He stated in a speech on 24 September 2022 Australia will need to install 22,000 solar panels every day, 40 wind turbines every month by 2030 to reach the Government’s 82% renewable energy target. It has been over 240 days since the speech, can the minister provide an update of how many solar panels and wind turbines have been installed in this timeframe?

Chris Bowen:

Very happy to. Investment in large-scale renewables is up 55% under this government. We had 7.1 gigawatts committed of investment in renewable energy since the government was elected.

That is the update for the honourable member. We are very proud … some of them pretend to support renewable energy, some of them, like the member for Flynn, don’t bother to pretend, to his credit.

Oh how the chamber laughs. Ha. ha. ha

Updated

Another opposition question about power prices

The question Ted O’Brien asks is about … power prices.

Since his elevation to the shadow front bench O’Brien has taken himself even more seriously, which for a man almost indistinguishable from a beige wall, seemed a challenge, but alas, he has managed it. He delivers his question like he’s playing a 1950s headmaster asking John Lennon why he keeps skipping school.

Chris Bowen says he is happy to have the first question from his counterpart since February, because it is very normal to keep track of these things and whoever that poor staffer is deserves some time to go outside and touch some grass.

The rest of the answer is a very long drawn out zinger with not a huge payoff, but the caucus laughs because that is its job.

Updated

Ted O’Brien rises to ask the next non-government question, to the delight of the Labor benches, who love to heckle the shadow energy minister for his love of the nuclear. Paul Karp hears someone say “radioactive man” which means we have another Simpsons fan in the house.

Which begs the question – who is Fallout Boy?

Updated

Peter Dutton stands to support further research into mental health funding

On this issue, there is bipartisan support. Peter Dutton rises to say:

I want to lend the support of opposition to the work of the minister, and give similar condolences to family and friends of this young individual, this young Australian whose life has been cut short at a very early stage. It is one of the most confounding issues for us as a country to deal with, there are members of this parliament who have close family members who have been affected by this disorder and it is a very clear message that as a parliament we should send [to] the government, to the crossbench, [to] everybody: here is an issue we want to do whatever we can to further address it.

When we are in government there were 64 new Medicare items for eating disorders, as the minister pointed out, they can access up to 14 psychological and 20 dietician services away and more should be done, and more research through the medical research future fund or other areas we can support in a bipartisan way … we would apply ourselves to that [and] provide full support to the government’s efforts.

Updated

Health minister outlines funding given and states intent for more research into mental health care

Butler continues:

As you know, there was money allocated by the former government to state governments for residential treatment centres. We have talked about this not being quickly enough.

I hope it is announced in your state soon so that it is up and running with an allocated $20m for competitive community grants, which we are also about to announce.

In the budget two weeks ago we did allocate funding [to] this area. It was new funding for services that were otherwise not going to be funded beyond the 30 June: … the residential treatment centre you are familiar with in the Sunshine Coast, Nerida, [which] needed additional funding … the body bright program (a positive eating program for primary schoolers) and … others as well.

One of the areas you and I have talked about … [one] where there has never been enough help in this area is the area of research.

We are examining options to lift the research capability, the funding from government for research into this terrible area of mental illness and I will have more to say about that in the near future.

Updated

Health minister says current Medicare work on eating disorders a great thing but ‘has not changed the picture’ sufficiently

Mark Butler replies to Zoe Daniel with:

All of our condolences to Katya and her friend’s family and other friends.

He thanks Daniel for her work on this issue and says

I know that it hits people in the prime of their life and they have so much potential before them.

We know it is difficult to treat and sometimes difficult to diagnose. We know it is incredibly dangerous, as this tragedy reminds us again, [eating disorders are] the single medical illness with the highest mortality rate of all the medical illnesses.

We have talked about this … there is an increase in presentations across the country for the Covid period which has been stubborn, unlike some other health impacts of the pandemic.

We know that there have not been enough good evidence-based treatments that have historically been provided at a state level.

We are trying to do more at a commonwealth level and to his great credit, Greg Hunt put in place a new Medicare program that puts in up to 14 psychological sessions and 20 dietician sessions per year and that has been running for three years and I think it is time to evaluate that program and the impact it has had on the community through a difficult period. More than 500,000 sessions of care under that agreement have been delivered which has been a great thing, but it has not changed the picture or shifted the dialogue sufficiently.

Updated

Zoe Daniel questions lack of funding for treating eating disorders

The independent for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, asks:

16-year-old Katya from my electorate contacted me because of an eating disorder in a friend.

She says the fact that the system is so bad that it caused a young passionate girl to commit suicide is sickening, I cannot even express my words for how disgusted I am. On behalf of Katya and her friend, whose memorial was this morning, why is there no new funding for eating disorders in the budget –

• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

Updated

Dixers honestly need to be stopped.

There was a question about the importance of managing the economy responsibly and “what are the consequences of not doing so?” which is not how people actually speak and also just licence for the treasurer to deliver a press release in verbal form. Which he does.

People would be much better served if backbenchers could actually ask questions that matter to their constituents instead of using this time to lay out government talking points.

Updated

Coalition attacks over power prices continues

Sussan Ley is back with the second question

Prime minister, hard-working Australian households received news they will see huge increases in electricity prices from 1 July.

Each year households will be worse off by $594 in NSW. $512 in South Australia and $402 in south-east Queensland even though … [Labor] promised they would be $275 better off … Why did the prime minister break his promise and lie to the Australian people?

Tony Burke is immediately on his feet over the ‘lie’ part of the question, so Ley withdraws it and asks the question again without that last line.

Again, the election commitment was for 2025. It is 2023. I am terrible at maths (that is why I am a journalist obvs) but even I can tell the difference.

*SIIIGGGGH*

Anthony Albanese goes the route of talking about the Coalition’s broken promises on power prices, which only highlights just how broken policy has been in this area and that it is people who are suffering. I’m not sure the finger pointing cuts it any longer.

Updated

AFP boss confirms he received communication from former NSW police commissioner who is current PwC partner

Over in Senate estimates, AFP boss (the agency who the PwC matter has been referred to) Reece Kershaw has been pressed on communications he has had with the former NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller, who is now a partner at PwC, by Greens senator David Shoebridge.

(Not sure if it had any emojis:)

Updated

Government talks up lowering power prices in first dixer of the day

The first dixer (government backbencher question to government minister, usually written by the minister’s office or the tactics committee) is Chris Bowen talking about all the things the government has done to try and lower power prices.

It’s that sort of day.

Updated

Question time begins

Right on schedule, question time begins with a question from Peter Dutton on ... power prices

It is the usual “how can Australians trust this government to keep its promises” yadda, yadda and includes the $275 cut promise, which was for 2025, but no one seems to remember that.

Anthony Albanese starts by quoting the energy regulator, Clare Savage, who has spoken about how the intervention has stopped prices from rising as much they might have without the intervention. Peter Dutton starts to get up for a point of order, so Albanese pivots to him and smiles (this is not a place for grown ups):

Albanese:

Mr Speaker, he promised to smile more. I’ve seen no evidence of that. …There it is, that cheeky little smile.

Dutton has a point of order that is not a point of order, so Milton Dick issues a general “stop it with the point of order games” directive and tells Albanese to get back to the question.

He is angry because he knows that he voted against $3bn in direct bill relief. He voted against the price [of] gas and coal that the energy regulator was speaking about today.

He is angry because he opposed the safeguard mechanism, their own policy, supported by business and industry. He is angry because he was part of a government that had 22 energy policies and didn’t land one. He is angry because he left us with an energy grid built for the last century.

He is angry because his government gave $4m to the proponents of a coal-fired power plant in Collinsville, knowing there was no chance it … would actually go forward.

Those opposite [are] frozen in time while the world walks around them. Those opposite had no way forward. We have had practical measures put forward in this parliament to deal with the challenges that have arisen … global challenges that have had global impacts, and those opposite left us with a policy that simply [has] not landed. We are going forward and making a difference.

Updated

Ben Doherty has you covered on the BRS case judgment date announcement:

Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, will learn next Thursday if he has won his defamation case against three Australian newspapers over allegations he committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

The judgment, to be delivered by Justice Anthony Besanko in Sydney on 1 June, will be the culmination of a near five-year legal process after one of the most dramatic and consequential trials in Australian legal and military history.

Roberts-Smith, a former SAS corporal and holder of the Victoria Cross, has been accused by three newspapers of murdering six civilians while on deployment in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, including kicking a handcuffed prisoner off a cliff before ordering him shot dead.

Updated

Judgment in Ben Roberts-Smith v Nine due in Thursday 1 June

One for the diary:

Updated

Question time, 30-minute warning

We are now just over 30 minutes away from the last question time of the week. Expect power prices to play a massive role.

Updated

Opening statement from finance regarding PwC

You can find the entire opening statement here.

Updated

As Paul reported, Jenny Wilkinson addressed the PwC matter in her opening statement to the finance committee and finished with:

We will continue to monitor the situation closely, including PwC’s responses to our directions and any further information that comes to light and any further outcomes or investigations that are undertaken in relation to this matter.

I will consider the need for an options for further actions under the procurement framework in response to new information that emerges.

This statement outlines the actions that the Department of Finance has undertaken in response to the PwC’s on reality breach.

I noticed that the breach occurred under an arrangement with the Treasury and investigations to date have involved a number of agencies within the Treasury portfolio.

When Treasury appears at Senate estimates next week, they will be best placed to advise you of the further specific actions that they are taking in response to this matter.

Updated

PwC staff stood down until completion of company culture review

On Thursday the Australian Financial Review revealed that the nation’s finance secretary, Jenny Wilkinson, had emailed senior staff to advise that it had directed PwC to stand down staff directly involved in, or who had knowledge of, the significant breach “from all existing and future contracts under the management advisory services panel”.

Wilkinson is now before Senate estimates and has confirmed that PwC had agreed with the direction issued on 19 May and a recommendation for it to stand the staff down with respect to all commonwealth contracts until the review of PwC’s culture and governance to be led by Ziggy Switkowski is complete.

Wilkinson said the department had become aware on 2 May that the “breach of confidentiality was significantly broader than a single individual within PwC” and that PwC’s initial response “insufficiently addressed” the issues raised.

This raised “serious concerns about the broader culture in PwC and undermined our confidence in their earlier response”, she said.

Wilkinson said procurement rules would be changed to provide greater flexibility for contract managers to terminate a contract for material breach, after the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, blamed legal constraints for the government not going further to cancel existing PwC contracts.

Updated

PwC staff who knew of breach of confidentiality told to stand down

Consulting firm PwC has been told to stand down any staff who knew of the breach of confidentiality by the Finance department, as the fallout continues.

The news was just broken in estimates where the finance department secretary, Jenny Wilkinson, said staff have been told to be stood down until a review is completed.

Updated

Social services council decries power bill rise as ‘body blow’ for Victorians

The head of Victoria’s Council of Social Service, Emma King, has spoken in Melbourne about the 25% rise to the state’s default offer on power bills. She said:

A 25% increase in power prices is a body blow for Victorians. We are already in a cost-of-living crisis. People are struggling to pay for food, power and housing, and now this. Make no mistake; this will increase poverty and hardship in Victoria.

She said affordable energy for heating, cooling, cooking and cleaning was “critical” for good health:

For low income people, our research shows they often stay in bed all day to stay warm. They have showers at local community facilities. For some people they don’t turn the heater on. There’s been research undertaken that actually shows people turn up in hospital with hypothermia because they are so cold because they have not put the heater on and some of those people die.

So this is a very real issue. It comes down to health and wellbeing and it’s really important that we are able to keep people connected to their energy.

Updated

Politicians celebrate Public Education Day

Parliamentarians are out and about on social media celebrating Public Education Day, with some different messages for reform.

The education minister, Jason Clare, shared a “throwback pic” to his proud days in the public system, while noting there was more to do to close the inequality gap.

The truth is it can be a lot better and a lot fairer. There’s a lot we’ve got to do to fix the teacher shortage crisis and a lot more we’ve got to do to fund our public schools fairly.

Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne remembered her former days working as a teacher in the public sector.

She said public schools had been underfunded for decades, a victim of bipartisan “neoliberal policies” that have favoured “choice over universality and funnelled billions in government money to private schools”.

While elite private institutions are building orchestra pits and plunge pools for headmasters, public schools are forced into bureaucratic nightmares to account for every last cent of funding.”

Updated

Noel Pearson pushes yes voice vote for ‘integration, not separatism’

Noel Pearson has used a University of Sydney address to urge for a yes vote in the upcoming referendum to uphold “integration, not separatism” amid growing division as debate progresses.

It comes after the Indigenous lawyer and lands right activist dismissed the former human rights commissioner Mick Gooda as “foolish” and a “bedwetter” on ABC Radio for suggesting a late alteration to the voice amendment’s wording.

Pearson said Australia needed to move on from being a “settler native” society and put First Nations voices at the centre, not the margins of political life.

The Voice is about integration, not separatism. Some of our people may recoil at the word “integration”, but integration is not assimilation. We keep our identity as First Peoples, but we do this in the midst of Australia. Not at its margins.

Pearson also reflected on his time studying history and law at the university in the 1980s, when there was “no cultural competence” or presence of other Aboriginal students on campus.

Updated

Dutton: “double standard” that ABC doesn’t stand up against the abuse he and Ray Hadley receive on social media

Ray Hadley and Peter Dutton then speak about the abuse they receive on social media and somehow they link that to the ABC.

Again, Stan Grant was talking about racist abuse he has received as well as the unrelenting criticism and critiques in mainstream media, like Hadley’s show and NewsCorp publications and broadcasts. But Dutton says it is a “double standard” because the ABC hasn’t stood up against Dutton and Hadley being abused on social media.

Again, I think it’s been all over the shop in relation to their policy here. They’ve obviously not provided support to Stan Grant but they’ve sat silent when many of their supporters have have criticised people like you and me.

So I think it is a double standard. And it becomes it becomes a bigger problem.

You might have seen that article on artificial intelligence the other day where you know where the computer is scanning what’s written on social media and on the internet … It comes up with a controversial figure because that’s what left leaning commentators are saying.

And then you type in Lidia Thorpe and it comes up with a national leader on Indigenous matters. So it’s, it’s a dangerous world and fortunately, people are smart enough to see through it.

If anyone, anyone, has taken a look at the mentions Lidia Thorpe receives, they would know she is subjected to some horrendous abuse, much of it racial.

Updated

Peter Dutton says ABC ‘duplicitous’ for not reporting on the online abuse he receives

Peter Dutton also weighed in on the abuse Stan Grant reported. Grant was not just speaking about social media, but also the News Corp campaigns. But Dutton focusses on social media and the abuse he and Ray Hadley receive.

In relation to Stan Grant, again, they there is lot that I don’t agree with that Stan says but he should not have been treated the way that he was.

I mean, you and I caught the vile abuse on social media every day and you know, the ABC doesn’t highlight that. So they are duplicitous, and my view in relation to social media is that it should be the same as what we expect in real life.

You wouldn’t tolerate somebody yelling and screaming that abuse in a workplace or in a home or somebody that you’ve met out on the street. The same law should apply online, as they do in the real world and I think the ABC has an enormous correction to make to get back to a middle road because at the moment … that’s not how a national broadcaster should conduct itself.

Updated

Dutton: ABC ‘bias’ a problem management ‘can’t do anything about’

Meanwhile, the pair also had time to speak about how biased the ABC is.

Peter Dutton:

I suspect that I think the ABC has all sorts of fundamental problems at the moment. It’s an important asset, particularly for people in regional areas that don’t have the coverage, they want the local news and weather etc, all that is very important, but the national broadcaster has has strayed from its mandate.

And, as you say, it should, with taxpayers money, present a fair representation and reporting of the news, the factual reporting … not the bias that we’re seeing from the ABC now, and I think the ABC board and management … have an enormous burden here because they know that they’ve got a problem they can’t do anything about it.

Updated

What Albanese said about Peter Dutton in his speech

It being Thursday, Peter Dutton rang into Sydney Radio 2GB to have his regular chat with Ray Hadley. Around the same time, Anthony Albanese was delivering his voice speech to the house.

I mention this, because as Albanese was saying things like this:

Mr Speaker, it is disappointing but not surprising that the loudest campaigners for a no vote have already been reduced to relying on things that are plainly untrue.

It’s also very telling.

And in his desperation, the leader of the opposition is now seeking to amplify this misinformation – and all of its catastrophizing and contradictions. Shouting about “re-racialising the nation”. Those exhausted clichés of Orwell and “identity politics”.

The ongoing conceit that there is apparently no inequality in Australia now, no legacy of discrimination, no disadvantage to address, no gap to close. That logic suggests there is no need for a minister for Indigenous affairs. Job done.

This is the same leader of the opposition who says that he boycotted the national apology because he thought it was just symbolism and wouldn’t make a practical difference.

Now he is leading a campaign against constitutional recognition through a voice, saying that he only wants symbolism – not something that will make a practical difference.

Dutton was using his radio microphone to continue amplifying the same old misinformation.

Updated

Canberra Times reports commonwealth car fleet will transition to electric

The Canberra Times is reporting a decision has been made on the Comcars (the commonwealth car fleet) – with BMW electric vehicles to take over from the mishmash of petrol cars, mid-year

So yes, even Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan, Malcolm Roberts, Alex Antic and Gerard Rennick will be travelling in an EV. May Dolly have mercy on us.

Updated

Still on the AFP, here is who they have said staff can’t work/volunteer with:

Updated

'Impossible conflict of interest' for AFP with PwC referral

The Greens senator David Shoebridge says estimates has uncovered a conflict of interest with the PwC referral to the AFP.

Updated

Opposition accuses Labor of ‘jobs for mates’ over appointments to women’s economic equality taskfroce

Over in finance and public administration estimates, the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, has been questioned by the shadow finance minister, Jane Hume, about the appointments to the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce (Weet).

The opposition wanted to know why there was no formal process or assessment undertaken by Gallagher (who is also the minister for women) in appointing people to the taskforce, or how four members were included in the final taskforce when they weren’t part of the list of people recommended to the minister by the department.

In answer to a question on notice, the department said that “member selection was an iterative process to ensure representation from women with diverse backgrounds, networks and experience”.

The opposition says Labor is hiding “captain’s picks”. The deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, said the Coalition supported the taskforce “even if we have been blocked from receiving briefings on its work” but accused Gallagher of “jobs for mates”.

“These are taxpayer funded roles and appointments should be based on merit not on the vague whim or personal relationship of a minister,” she said. (*coughs in AAT*)

Hume wants to know that the appointments weren’t “just a deal done in a corridor”.

Again. (*coughs*)

Updated

How Anthony Albanese commended the voice referendum bill to parliament

And here is how Anthony Albanese finished his speech:

In this chamber we are each of us one vote among 151. In this referendum we will only be one vote among 18 million. Because this historic opportunity belongs to the people.

This is a chance for Australians from all faiths and backgrounds and from all walks of life to celebrate the best of our nation, to show the best of ourselves.

To vote yes for constitutional recognition. To vote yes for the form that it has been asked for, through a voice. To say yes to the invitation to walk together to a better future.

With humility and hope and optimism, I commend this bill to the House.

Updated

Extracts from PM’s speech on voice

As part of his speech to the parliament, Anthony Albanese said the choice was to listen to Indigenous people, or not.

The choice we have now – as politicians and as citizens – is: are we going to repeat those same mistakes? Should we just keep doing what we have been doing for such a long period of time and expect a different outcome? Are we going to accept another 100 years of expensive, well-intentioned failure by governments of all persuasions?

Across the board, we have failed. That is why we have a Closing the Gap report every year, and why tragically – in so many areas – we have not closed the gap.

Are we going to sentence another generation to lives of lesser opportunity? To, as [the Uluru statement from the heart] says, the ‘torment of powerlessness’? Or are we going to learn from the success of programs that empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

… The success stories are there to see – but consulting and listening and cooperating shouldn’t be a matter of luck, or a question of who is in government. It should be available, because consultation and listening is always the best option.

Some of the criticism of the voice to parliament proposal though is that its advice isn’t binding. So the voice won’t necessarily be heard.

Updated

Labor introduces legislation to raise jobseeker by $40 a fortnight

Back in the house and the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, has introduced the legislation to raise the jobseeker rate by the very modest $40 a fortnight. It is not due to come into effect until September, so there won’t be a rush to get it through the parliament.

The Coalition have already indicated they will be voting against it, at least if you take Peter Dutton’s budget reply speech at face value (and the “welfare budget” criticisms) but there is enough support in the senate to get it passed, although the Greens and independent senators will try and push for more.

Updated

It hasn’t been as front and centre this week because the Senate isn’t sitting and the negotiations are happening away from the newspapers. But the industry minister, Ed Husic, was asked about how the housing future fund stalemate was going on ABC Radio Melbourne and said:

Look, we’re very committed to increasing housing stock, particularly affordable housing stock. It’s why we’ve put the housing Australia future fund forward. You know, it is deeply disappointing that we’ve … seen the Greens team up with the Coalition because … look, we have differences of opinion on how to deal with that issue with the Australian Greens, but that quote that you just read out from the Coalition demonstrates the mindset that the Coalition hasn’t learned.

The Australian public wants parliament to function, to work to solve to problems. We’ll have disagreements, but the expectation is we’ll sort through those. Look, we are very focused on this as a government. We want to be able to deliver it. I certainly understand from the point of view the Greens want more social and affordable housing. This is one step towards that. And that’s what we expect will be delivered and we want to be able to work with others to make that happen.

Which is not as spicy as some of the comments government MPs have been giving on this. Looks like negotiations are back in the “finding common ground” space, rather than the “pointing fingers” space we have been in for the last couple of weeks.

Updated

Woolworths buys failed delivery startup Milkrun

Outside of politics, but all over the business Twitter feeds: Woolworths will resurrect collapsed fast delivery startup Milkrun, merging the company into its own app-based system.

The deal comes less than two months after Milkrun closed its operations after burning through tens of millions of dollars in funding. It was unable to make a profit from a business model designed to deliver groceries to inner-city Sydney and Melbourne customers in 20 minutes or less.

Woolworths’ rival fast delivery service, Metro60, will be rebranded to Milkrun as part of the deal that will immediately increase its customer base.

Milkrun said in a statement on Instagram: “The cat is well and truly out of the bag. Milkrun is back in the game, now powered by Woolworths Metro.”

Woolworths said orders would be filled from its Metro-branded stores. The supermarket’s Metro60 app promises grocery deliveries in under one hour.

Updated

PM expresses ‘utmost respect’ for Julian Leeser but says Liberals and Nationals’ voice stance preceded ‘executive government’ clause

In his speech to the house – which, unlike most of the ones he gives, he is reading pretty closely – Anthony Albanese addresses former shadow attorney general Julian Leeser’s suggestion to remove “executive government” from the question to see if that will get more of the Coalition on board.

Albanese says:

Some have suggested that we alter or remove the second clause, specifically the reference to executive government. I certainly respect the member for Berowra and his motives.

We share a passion for advancing reconciliation with First Peoples. And he has my utmost respect.

But the argument put forward is not illegal or an unconstitutional one … They are not saying that the voice should not talk to the executive government, they are just saying that it should not be included in that part in the constitution – in recognition as well, of course, that the executive government under our system, as opposed to systems such as the United States, derives its power from the parliament. From this parliament.

Instead, they want to alter the proposal in the hope of gaining more support. To that I say two things. Firstly, the changes that were made to the Garma draft and agreed to by the referendum working group are aimed precisely at reinforcing the primacy of the parliament.

Secondly, in spite of that, the Liberal party frontbench already locked themselves in to saying no before the committee process, that they called for and said was important, had even commenced its work. And the National party decided to say no before the draft question had even been finalised.

Updated

‘Impossible to conclude that no other person was involved’ in Melissa Caddick’s death: NSW deputy coroner

The NSW deputy coroner says it is plausible that alleged fraudster Melissa Caddick died by suicide after a raid on her home by police and corporate regulator investigators in Sydney in November 2020.

She said:

It is certainly possible that Ms Caddick died in this manner.

But Elizabeth Ryan said the evidence was not sufficient to positively find that that was what occurred.

I have concluded that it is not possible to find Ms Caddick died from falling from the cliffs near her home with the intention of taking her own life.

Ryan has found that Caddick is deceased. She is still delivering her findings on the manner of her death.

The deputy coroner has been scathing of the evidence given by Caddick’s husband, Anthony Koletti, who she found was inconsistent and withholding information from police and the court.

She said that made it impossible to rule out that someone else was involved in her death.

His lack of candour makes it impossible to conclude that no other person was involved in Ms Caddick’s death.

• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

Updated

Anthony Albanese is giving his speech on the referendum legislation debate in the house.

Most of the Labor caucus is in the room for the speech.

More government action needed to lower power prices, says Acoss CEO

The Australian Council of Social Service says the government needs to do more to lower the power price burden on low income households.

The Acoss CEO, Dr Cassandra Goldie, acknowledged prices could have been higher if not for the temporary price caps put in place by the government, but she says it is not enough:

For people on the lowest incomes, these price increases are still far too high, with people already experiencing energy debt, disconnection, and facing homelessness.

The energy relief package announced in the federal budget, while welcome short-term relief, will barely cover last year’s electricity price increase let alone this year’s increase. The increases to income support won’t be nearly enough to stop people going without the basics.

Acoss has a wishlist and wants:

  • The federal government to update its guidelines to the Australian Energy Regulator to set the direct market offer at an efficient price by lowering retail margins, as is done in Victoria. This would ensure people do not pay more than is required for an essential service.

  • The federal government to extend the cap on wholesale gas to 2025.

  • The federal government to lift jobseeker and related payments to at least $76 a day to ensure that people can cover living costs, and to double current rates of commonwealth rent assistance to reduce rental stress.

  • The federal government to work with energy retailers to provide debt relief for customers in energy hardship

  • State and territory governments to join the federal government to invest in energy efficiency, electrification and solar retrofits for low-income housing and institute mandatory energy performance rental standards

  • State and territory governments reform energy concessions to better meet ongoing need, including shifting to percentage-based energy concession, expanding eligibility, and improving access.

Updated

Self-blocking register for problem gamblers delayed as contracted company goes into administration

The launch of a national register to allow problem gamblers to block themselves from signing up for online gambling services has been delayed, after the originally contracted company went into administration.

The BetStop register will allow gamblers to sign up to self-block; gambling services will then check against the register when a new user attempts to sign up.

In Senate estimates on Wednesday, the communications department said Big Village Australia, which was working to deliver the register, went into administration in January, delaying the launch of the service originally due by March. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma), which will be running the register, is currently in negotiations with another company called Ixup to take over the remaining parts of the development prior to the launch.

The trials of the service have been “largely completed”, the department said, but could not say exactly when the service will launch. Acma indicated it did not expect the process to take too much time before it could be launched.

Updated

Revelations of Perrottet plan to end native logging dials up pressure on Minns to act

Will NSW follow Victoria and WA and halt logging in native forests?

The dial just shifted.

Campaigners say few things raise ire (and open e-wallets) like logging in our dwindling native forests. Such operations typically lose money, harm our unique and threatened wildlife and end up releasing carbon.

So, in the week that Victoria’s Labor government brought forward the end of native logging to next year from 2030, we are now learning that the Perrottet government had been preparing to do the same:

This tale is particularly interesting because even though the previous government did analysis on what it costs to end the logging, the department didn’t tell incoming environment minister Penny Sharpe about it, we understand.

Pressure is going to mount on the Minns government to join Victoria and Western Australia and halt native forest logging now that NSW Liberals are effectively giving them cover to act, despite no doubt unease from the unions who will be worried about job losses.

Federal ministers, including the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, no doubt will be looking on with interest.

Updated

Australia ‘not going to be shy’ in laying blame on China for cyber-attacks against US: O’Neil

Australia has joined the US and its other security partners in blaming Chinese state-sponsored hackers for cyber-attacks against US infrastructure.

It comes at a delicate time for Australia, as the government works to re-establish ties.

Clare O’Neil said the government is being responsible given the evidence.

The cybersecurity minister told ABC radio AM:

So this has come from our Australian Signals Directorate which is the sort of cyber intelligence offices of the Australian government. What this really tells us is that the work of the Australian government in helping protect against cyber-attack is more important than it’s ever been.

Your listeners will remember that under the former government we did not have a cybersecurity minister in this country. Over the previous year that we’ve been in government we have been relentlessly focused every day helping our country get prepared for this national security risk.

There is a lot more work to do but we have enormous resolve and focus to make sure that we’re protecting Australians from what is a very significant threat from both state actors and crime gangs around the world.

Q How worried are you that Australia joining this public outing of China … comes at a really sensitive time while we’re trying to rebuild ties with China? Are you concerned that that might stall the resumption of normal ties?

O’Neil:

The Australian government is never going to compromise on our national security, and this activity should not be occurring. There is no question about that. And we’re not going to be shy when we know who is responsible for that activity.

We have the evidence before us and we’re not going to be transparent about it for other reasons. It’s important for the national security of our country that we’re transparent and upfront with Australians about the threats that we face and that’s we’ve joined the advisory.

Updated

Chris Bowen spruiks rollout of more renewable energy to reduce power prices

Chris Bowen was out and about today as the government attempts to get ahead of the energy regulator final default draft offer – which will no doubt dominate question time. It has also dominated press conferences with ministers.

Q: It’s become the most prerequisite of question time, the opposition ask the government when Australians are going to get their $275 power bill saving. Will Australians ever pay less for electricity during this term of parliament than what they were before the election?

Bowen:

Well of course yes, you’re right, the opposition does like to say that. They drop out the fact that it was what our modelling showed an impact by 2025. You know, they seem outraged that it hasn’t been delivered on 23 May 2022, is what they seem to think.

They well know what our policy implications were, what our policy was and what the modelling implications were in 2025.

I will not walk away from efforts to reduce power prices by rolling out more renewable energy, because renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy. Now the alternative, which Mr [Peter] Dutton and his team propose, is in an act of genius the most expensive form of energy and the slowest to roll out: nuclear.

You know, the only thing small about a small modular reactor is the output. Nothing small about the cost. Nothing small about the complexity. You know, a small modular reactor costs $5 billion and it doesn’t produce many megawatts. Five billion. That’s a lot of billions for not many megawatts.

Well OK, that’s your plan, Mr Dutton. Show us the costings, show us the locations, show us where you’re going to put the waste, show us the whole plan.

Updated

Reece Kershaw is also learning that emojis are a minefield. Have to say – massive boomer energy coming from the Gen X police commissioner here.

Updated

AFP commissioner talks generational divides

Didn’t have AFP boss starting generational wars on my bingo card today, but here we are:

Updated

Melissa Caddick deceased, coroner concludes

The New South Wales deputy state coroner, Elizabeth Ryan, has concluded that alleged fraudster Melissa Caddick is dead.

In 2020, Caddick, then 49, disappeared from her home in the Sydney suburb of Dover Heights following a raid on her property by officers from the corporate regulator and federal police on 11 November that year.

The coroner’s court has been exploring the circumstances around her disappearance.

Ryan has concluded that Caddick is deceased. She is still delivering her findings:

I have concluded that Melissa Caddick is deceased. However, a more problematic issues is whether the evidence is sufficient to enable a positive finding of how she died and how and when it happened.

Ryan described the inquest as deeply painful for Caddick’s family. She also described the fraudulent scheme used by Caddick to cheat her family and friends out of huge amounts of money, which she used to fund a “very expensive” lifestyle.

Ms Caddick’s clients were shocked and felt a profound sense of betrayal when they discovered the money they invested with her had gone. The financial and emotional harm they have suffered will continue to reverberate for many years to come.

• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 or chat for support. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

Updated

AFP investigating after receiving ‘report of crime’ relating to PwC, estimates hears

The Australian federal police are up before Senate estimates.

The deputy commissioner, Ian McCartney, has confirmed it has received a “report of crime” from the Treasury in relation to PwC alleging and “unauthorised use or disclosure of confidential information” in breach of the Crimes Act. “An investigation has commenced in relation to that report of crime,” he said.

Asked about the nature of the complaint and who is the subject of the investigation, McCartney declined to answer citing the fact it is “now an active investigation”.

Earlier, the AFP commissioner, Reece Kershaw, gave an opening statement about initiatives including using algorithms to detect deep fakes and to train artificial intelligence to scan child exploitation material to reduce the detrimental effects of requiring law enforcement agents to view it themselves.

Kershaw also revealed there are 1,800 letters in the AFP’s “national threat letter database”, of which, in 2022, three-quarters were sent to parliamentarians, government officials, embassies, consulates and high commissioners.

Updated

Government has been putting downward pressure on power prices where it can, says Burke

Given the default offer showing power price rises, what does the government have to say about people wanting relief?

Tony Burke:

Let’s remember, as well as the bill relief, there were changes made last year that put some constraints on pricing and what happens there. Whatever the figures are today, it would have been worse were it not for the fact that the government acted. There’s issues on international pressures there, which government isn’t in control of, but where government can have an impact putting downward pressure on prices we’ve been doing it.

Updated

Deputy NSW coroner to hand down findings on Melissa Caddick disappearance

Just looking outside politics for a moment:

The deputy NSW coroner Elizabeth Ryan is about to hand down her findings on the disappearance of alleged fraudster Melissa Caddick.

Caddick, then 49, disappeared from her home in the Sydney suburb of Dover Heights in the early hours of 12 November 2020.

Federal police and investigators from the corporate regulator had raided her luxury home hours earlier over allegations she ran a Ponzi scheme for about eight years, taking between $20m and $30m worth of funds from investors, friends and family.

Caddick was accused of falsely posing as a financial adviser and pretending to have placed the money into investments using fake CommSec portfolios and falsified trading documents showing profits. She instead allegedly used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle.

About three months after her disappearance, a foot was found on a beach on the far NSW south coast. The foot was connected by DNA analysis to Caddick.

The NSW coroner’s court has been examining the circumstances of her disappearance since September last year, hearing evidence from police, psychologists and Caddick’s husband, Anthony Koletti, who was delayed in reporting her disappearance.

Updated

Practice shots, not warning shots, in Canberra today

If you are in Canberra, don’t be concerned if you hear what sounds like gunshots this afternoon in the Weston area.

The Australian War College will be conducting practice and a ceremonial blank firing today at the Australian Defence College in Weston between 1400 and 1530 pm and 1805 and 1840 pm.

Alas, it is not for my or the Guardian’s 10th birthday. Turns out you just need to practise those salutes.

Updated

Albanese pays tribute to Tina Turner: ‘She provided a soundtrack to our lives’

After speaking about Australia’s relationship with India and the voice referendum, Anthony Albanese spoke about the death of Tina Turner on FM radio this morning.

He told Sydney radio station 101.7 WSFM:

I’m so sad to hear of the passing of Tina Turner. She, she was a legend who overcame domestic violence and trauma. She provided a soundtrack to our lives. I think here in Australia, Simply the Best was such a soundtrack for those who loved rugby league as well. She had so many good songs, though that would be my pick, but Proud Mary was fantastic, What’s Love Got to Do With It, she had so many great hits. She was a great dancer of course as well and appeared in one of the Mad Max movies, Beyond Thunderdome.

If the parliament doesn’t pause for a one-minute Nutbush, what even are we doing here?

Updated

Tony Burke disputes BHP’s claims of $1bn cost blowout from ‘same job, same pay’ legislation

Tony Burke is still working to close the loophole that allows people on labour force contracts to be paid less than other workers.

The “same job, same pay” legislation would close the loophole that allows companies to negotiate lower pay rates with labour hire firms.

BHP has claimed the changes could cost the company more than $1bn and risk jobs. Burke said the legislation had not been written yet so he doesn’t know how the mining giant could put a figure on anything.

As AAP reports:

Burke said the government is also looking at criminalising wage theft and implementing minimum standards in the gig economy as part of its next tranche of industrial relations reforms.

‘If you steal from the till it’s a criminal offence, if the employer steals from you, it’s not,’ he said.

‘That loophole needs to be closed.’

Updated

ESC commissioner acknowledges cost-of-living pressures on Victorians as energy bills rise

The ESC commissioner, Kate Symons, thanked industry and community groups who participated in the consultation process on the default offer:

We heard from stakeholders that cost-of-living pressures are making it challenging for many in our community. We want to make sure Victorians are aware of their energy consumer rights and protections, and state and federal government energy bill relief packages, as higher wholesale energy prices start to flow through to retail markets and consumer bills.

The premier, Daniel Andrews, told reporters in Dandenong that Victorian households can apply for the state government’s $250 power saving bonus cash payment through the Victorian Energy Compare website.

Updated

Victorian energy bills to rise by a quarter after increases in wholesale costs

The Victorian default offer for energy bills will rise by 25% for households and small businesses, the state’s Essential Services Commission has announced:

The average annual bill for domestic customers on the flat tariff Victorian Default Offer (assuming annual usage of 4,000kWh) would be $1,755 … The average annual bill for small business customers on the flat tariff Victorian Default Offer (assuming annual usage of 10,000kWh) would be $3,791.

This is lower than the draft forecast that was released in March, when it forecast household bills would rise by 31.1% and small business by 33.2%.

The ESC says the change in prices is mainly due to significant increases in wholesale electricity costs, which would have been even higher in the absence of the federal government intervention.

The ESC report says:

Given the large increase in prices, and understandable concerns raised by stakeholders about the increase, in addition to our usual review processes we did additional testing of our general approach and the assumptions underlying them. As part of this testing process, we identified several areas we consider warranted change. These changes mean that prices in our final decision are lower than the prices in our draft decision for the 2023–24 Victorian Default Offer.

The changes will come into effect from 1 July 2023.

Updated

The house sitting has got under way, but it seems like the opposition frontbench was a little busy this morning – they didn’t make it in for when the bells rang, so the whip Bert Van Manem had to sit in Peter Dutton’s chair for five minutes until someone more senior came along.

Updated

Australia needs to ‘think of new ways of meeting food demand’ in face of climate crisis, says Ed Husic

Ed Husic spent the morning talking food demand with ABC News Breakfast, as the CSIRO and other boffins try to work on ways to create crops which will better handle the impacts of climate change, not just domestically, but globally.

I think there is a concern that we [expect] that the good times will keep rolling on.

And the reality is, we do need to think of new ways of meeting food demand. And I see it.

… I see some great examples out on the road when I visit. Out in western Sydney, where I come from, there is a terrific firm that is turning wheat into meat. Not literally meat, but they’re value-adding wheat.

And through their processing, they can give it the taste and texture of lamb and chicken. Complementary proteins will be really important as the world’s population grows.

It can be stored well, transported easily; it’s tasty, but it meets that need for protein. So, again, those type of Australian firms that can meet our needs, and globally, really important.

And the other challenge too is, we waste a lot of food, you know – nearly 8 million tonnes in Australia, of which 70% is still edible. And you think of the impact that has not just in terms of production, and at a time where people need food, but there’s also a climate impact on that as well in terms of the processing or the growth of those food inputs. And that’s something we need to think about too.

Updated

Queensland one of the last states to change law to allow naming of accused rapists

Queensland will become one of the last jurisdictions to allow accused rapists to be named under legislation set to be introduced into parliament today.

Guardian Australia revealed on Monday the new laws would be retrospective, meaning those charged with serious sexual offences could be named as soon as the laws come into effect if they continue to face charges.

The state’s attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, said previous protections for accused rapists were “based in part on the false assumption that women maliciously make up complaints to damage reputations”.

These rape myths have absolutely no place in our society, and our laws need to reflect this.

The bill also strengthens the recognition of the death of an unborn child as a result of criminal conduct. This will require courts to treat such deaths as an aggravating factor for relevant serious offences during sentencing, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Family members of an unborn child will be able to give a victim impact statement, with funeral expense assistance extended if the child dies as a result of violence.

Updated

‘We’ve made terrible mistakes as a nation’ but voice debate is a chance to change course, says Watts

Watts said he saw the context of the referendum legislation and the referendum itself through the history that people like his ancestor had created.

We’ve made terrible mistakes as a nation when it comes to our First Nations Australians. But our greatest strength as a nation is our ability, as a democracy and an open society, to recognise these mistakes and to change course— to do things differently today, so that our country is greater tomorrow than it was yesterday. This debate is one of those opportunities.

It’s a moment that will shape the arc of our nation’s history. It’s a moment that will define the kind of country that we are in for generations to come. It’s a moment that future generations will look back on as a moment when our parliament and our people chose a different future for our country. It’s a moment in which our actions will be judged by our descendants.

I encourage those opposite to reflect on this—to see the bigger picture, beyond the short-term day-to-day of politics, the short-term dynamics of a party room or personal career prospects. Take this moment to be a good ancestor.

Updated

Watts: Indigenous ‘voices were not heard’ in a parliament which allowed ‘large-scale extrajudicial killings’

Watts went on to say he was grappling with his ancestor’s legacy.

He was a member of the Queensland parliament’s inquiry into the actions of the Queensland native police in 1861.

There were no Aboriginal or Strait Islander peoples invited to give evidence to this inquiry, neither native police troopers nor members of the broader community.

Their voices were not heard in that parliament. No one questioned the existence of a government-controlled paramilitary force engaged in large-scale extrajudicial killings.

My ancestor joined with committee members in recommending that the native police continue its operations in Queensland, which it did for nearly 40 years afterwards.

On the tabling of the report, Watts told the parliament that: ‘The natives must be taught to feel the mastery of the whites. The natives, knowing no law, nor entertaining any fears but those of the carbine’ – that’s a gun – ‘there were no other means of ruling them,’ and that, ‘the means must be resorted to’.

In supporting native police, he saw himself as choosing the lesser of two evils, telling the parliament from ‘direct experience’ that ‘leaving the settlers to defend themselves tended much more to the destruction of the blacks than the maintenance of a native force. Before this was established, the settlers had to arm themselves to the teeth, and such men, seeing their children killed before them, could not be expected to refrain from using them indiscriminately.’

Updated

Tim Watts speaks of ancestor's ‘legacy’ of harm to Indigenous Australians

[Warning – this post contains descriptions of some of the violence settlers inflicted upon Indigenous people]

The Labor MP for Gellibrand, Tim Watts, used his speech on the voice referendum legislation last night to reckon with the actions of his ancestor John Watts, who he described as “one of the first squatters on the Darling Downs [in Queensland] and later a member of the first Queensland parliament”.

Watts spoke of the role John Watts played in the death, destruction and violence of the local Indigenous population.

In the decades following the arrival of my ancestor, disease, violence and forced resettlement literally decimated the local Indigenous population.

This alone is a disturbing legacy to grapple with. Regrettably though, it was John Watts’ legacy and his actions as a parliamentarian that caused even greater harm to Indigenous peoples of south-east Queensland.

And it was here that the failure to recognise and to listen to Indigenous Australians was even more disastrous.

The parliament set up paramilitary forces in Queensland which Watts described as:

Historian Jonathan Richards described the operations of the Queensland native police in the following terms: ‘When an attack of any form was made on settlers, the native police responded by tracking Aboriginal people to their camps. Once they had been located, the troopers surrounded the camp, firing their rifles into the sleeping people at dawn. The bodies were usually burnt to cover up the killings.’

Historians’ estimates of the number of Indigenous Australians killed by the Queensland native police range widely, from 10,000 up to 60,000 people, but it was clear that there were many thousands of murders and rapes committed by this state-sanctioned organisation.

Historian Henry Reynolds has called it ‘the most violent organisation in Australian history’. The Queensland native police operated under the direct control of the executive council – the governor, the colonial secretary and other senior ministers. And my ancestor, John Watts, as a member of parliament and minister, was thoroughly aware of its activities.

Updated

‘I have no doubt we can move on’, says Malarndirri McCarthy after ‘intense’ exchange with Lidia Thorpe in estimates

There is a lot of commentary over this exchange, but it pays to remember that these are two Indigenous women who care very much about their community and we have seen plenty of senators have exchanges where tempers have flared over the years that don’t necessarily get put under the same microscope.

Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy was asked about it on the Nine network this morning and said:

Estimates is an incredibly intense at times. There was certainly a lot of passion there. But I have no doubt we can move on.

Updated

Canberra airspace reopened with flights being rescheduled

An update from Canberra airport: travellers have been told that the airspace closure had affected the airport for the past two hours. An announcement read out just now says the airspace has now reopened. A number of flights are having to be rescheduled.

Updated

ADF appoints Maj Gen Natasha Fox as first chief of personnel

The ADF now have a chief of personnel.

It was one of the recommendations of the defence strategic review (remember that?) and Maj Gen Natasha Fox, AM, CSC, has been appointed to the new role.

The government statement says:

As recommended by the DSR, ADF personnel management should be centralised into a single integrated system incorporating the five domains, headed by a Chief of Personnel reporting directly to the Chief of the Defence Force.

As Chief of Personnel, Major General Fox will take on this responsibility with the distinct aim of increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and cohesiveness of personnel management to achieve a more integrated ADF.

Updated

Genuinely sad news today:

Updated

Power prices to rise by up to a quarter after regulator sets default market offers

Consumers in the regions covered by the Australian Energy Regulator’s default market offers can expect power price increases of as much as a quarter from July, about the half the hike that might have happened without government intervention.

The offers, which cover NSW, South Australia and south-east Queensland and set a yardstick of prices, indicate prices will rise between 19.6%-24.9% for residents, similar to the draft levels announced in March. Victoria will release its offer later today.

Clare Savage, AER’s chair, told ABC RN’s breakfast that the increases could have reached 50% without the federal imposition of price caps on gas and black coal last December that helped lower the wholesale component of electricity prices.

For NSW, residential customers without controlled load will see price increases of 20.8% to 21.4%, the regulator said, noting the rise exceeded the forecast inflation rate by as much as 15.1 percentage points. Those with controlled load will see price increases of 19.6% to 24.9%.

Residential customers in south-east Queensland face increases of about 21.5% for customers without controlled load and 20.5% for customers with controlled loads. Those in South Australia without controlled load will see price rises of about 23.9%, or slightly more than the 22.5% for those with controlled load.

Updated

PM returns to FM radio show after a number of pleas from host

In embarrassing news for all involved, the prime minister is going on an FM radio show after the host lamented in other media that he was no longer returning her text messages after she wrote a political column which was critical of him.

Her public plea included the lines “Half the time you are making stuff up” (in regards to how difficult she found writing a fortnightly column) and “we invested so much in him when he was nothing to make sure we get access to him when he was something”.

So, of course, the PM is now going on the show. Because no one in this business has any shame. Good times, normal country.

Updated

Canberra flights suspended due to ‘airspace closure’

Flights in and out of Canberra were temporarily suspended due to a radar problem this morning - although it seems they may resume shortly. An announcement read out to travellers at Canberra airport shortly before 7am said the airspace had been closed around Canberra due to a technical issue with one of the radars, putting travel plans into limbo. Airline staff initially said they were unable to rebook onward travel “as we do not know what time this issue will be rectified”. However boarding calls started to resume about 7.30am

Updated

Good morning

Welcome to parliament Friday, which is when all the MPs are sick of the sight of each other but still have to get through the day.

Senate estimates continues with Treasury and the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, fronting up to answer questions over the PwC controversy – and the response.

Last night, the head of Treasury referred the matter to the AFP. But there are still questions to answer about how the government responded and it’s those questions Gallagher will be hit with today.

The referendum legislation debate continues in the house and there are still plenty of speakers to get through – but it’s still pretty much a done deal. The government won’t be changing the words of the question and there is enough support to pass it in the Senate as is.

We will bring you all the day’s political events as they happen – you have me, Amy Remeikis, on the blog, with Paul Karp, Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler in Canberra, plus the Guardian brains trust around the county.

Ready? It’s a cake for breakfast AND a three-coffee morning, so strap in!

Updated

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