What we learned today, Thursday 15 June
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:
Senator David Van was removed from the Liberal party room amid allegations of sexual harassment made by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he made the decision to remove him after further allegations against Van were brought to his attention.
Before this, Thorpe addressed parliament and alleged “one man followed me and cornered me” in a stairwell, and that she had been “inappropriately touched” and “inappropriately propositioned by powerful men” during her time in the Senate.
You can watch her speech here.
Greens senator Larissa Waters stood in support of former party colleague and told the senate that Thorpe’s statement today “reflects what she disclosed to the Greens leadership two years ago”.
Following Thorpe’s speech, Van called for an investigation into her claims saying, “Nothing she has alleged against me is truthful”.
In the senate the Coalition continued its scrutiny of Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong for the third day in a row about their prior knowledge of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations before they were aired in media.
The ABC political editor Andrew Probyn was made redundant as part of a cull of 120 jobs, before a major restructure of the corporation kicks in on 1 July.
Australia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in May.
It has been a heavy day (and week) of news, so please take care this evening and look after yourself x
Lifeline 13 11 14
Updated
Catch up on the day’s biggest headlines with this wrap from my colleague Antoun Issa:
Senate president to consider more security and CCTV cameras in Parliament House
Senate president Sue Lines said she would consider Lidia Thorpe’s request for more security and CCTV cameras in Parliament House. Lines said she would discuss the matter with House of Reps speaker Milton Dick, with the chamber leaders being the presiding officers in charge of Parliament House facilities.
In a short statement to the Senate a few minutes ago, she encouraged senators or staff to avail themselves of the PWSS.
In response to David Van’s request for a review of Thorpe’s comments, to see if they complied with standing orders – Lines said:
It meets the requirements of the Senate standing orders.
Updated
Former Senate leader says Thorpe’s allegations against Van were raised to him at the time
Liberal senator Simon Birmingham, the government’s Senate leader at the time of Lidia Thorpe’s allegations against David Van, admitted that “suggestions of conduct that she felt uncomfortable with” had been raised with him.
He told Radio National this evening:
I was shocked by the nature of what was said yesterday by Senator Thorpe … I was aware a couple of years ago of suggestions of conduct that she felt uncomfortable with.
They were raised with me by the then leader of the Greens and related to the extent of time Senator Van had spent around Senator Thorpe, the proximity of his office to her office and in that sense, we had two requests that were made at the time. They were for Senator Van to no longer occupy the office next to Senator Thorpe in Parliament House, and for him to keep some distance from Senator Thorpe.
Birmingham said he believed, at the time, “those requests were acted upon to the satisfaction at the time of the Greens leadership, as I understand it, and of Senator Thorpe”.
He said:
Obviously other matters have resulted in her making the statements she did to the Senate yesterday and today.
Asked about Van’s own call for an investigation into Thorpe’s claims, which he said he would welcome as he labelled the allegations false, Birmingham said “there are processes that people can choose to follow.” Peter Dutton said he had spoken with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service.
Birmingham said:
But as always in these matters, nobody can make people go through with those sorts of processes.
We have that type of body [PWSS] in place now not just to provide support services but also to be able to provide independent assistance and investigation when required. And I would urge anybody who has concerns, be they a Senator, staffer or others engaged in the parliamentary workplace, to take those concerns through those proper channels and to ensure that they can be independently investigated through that means which can ensure people’s confidentiality and respect is maintained.
Updated
ABC boss speaks on Probyn’s redundancy
Continuing to speak on ABC Melbourne radio, Justin Stevens is asked about Andrew Probyn being made redundant.
Across the ABC [there are] people who have contributed greatly to what the audience sees behind the camera or microphone, and you might never have heard of them but they’ve done critical things to service the audience and then there’ll be more prominent people that people will be aware of who have made equally fantastic and important contributions.
I don’t want to get bogged down in individual circumstances but in Andrews case, clearly he’s spoken publicly [to] the media and I’d like to say that we value greatly what Andrew has done for the ABC over a number of years and he’s a fantastic journalist.
The political editor role at the ABC over a number of years, was really one that was dedicated to servicing [7pm].
Stevens would not say whether Probyn was offered an alternative role with the ABC.
Updated
‘The ABC has to change’, says new boss Justin Stevens amid job cuts
ABC news boss Justin Stevens was just interviewed on ABC 774 Melbourne about the job cuts announced today.
He said we need to talk about the “big picture”, which is that the way people access and consume news has “completely changed”:
I guess people are listening to this in a combination of ways, there might be people listening in a way that would have 10, 20, 40 years ago on their wireless at home but there’ll be people streaming this on the Listen app in their car, and then they’ll catch up on an on demand on Listen app or website later.
So the nature in which people want to access their news and information has changed and with that, the ABC has to change.
The reason is, we have been the most trusted outlet and information provider in this country … and for us to remain the most trusted media out there into the future we need to meet the audience where they are.
Updated
Fire and Rescue NSW and police continue to investigate fatal Sydney house fire
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and police are working to establish the cause of a fatal house fire in Sydney’s north-west today, where a woman died.
Firefighters were called just after 10.30am to Church Street in Ryde, where a small blaze had broken out inside a unit on the second floor of a three-storey building.
FRNSW crews located the body of a woman, who had sustained severe burns.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze before a crime scene was declared. Experts from FRNSW’s Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) are assisting detectives in determining what caused the fire.
The woman’s death is the second fire-related fatality in NSW since winter began two weeks ago.
FRNSW Supt Adam Dewberry said as investigations continue, these tragedies serve as a reminder to others about fire safety in the cooler months:
Winter is usually when our firefighters respond to more house fires and unfortunately, more fire-related deaths and injuries.
Having two fire-related deaths just two weeks into winter is devastating and impacts so many people, including the victims’ families and friends, our firefighters and the broader community.
Please make today the day you prioritise thinking about how you can make yourself and your loved ones safer in your home and protected against fire.
Updated
Albanese says he is confident Australians will vote yes for a voice to parliament
Albanese said he is confident Australians will vote yes for an Indigenous voice to parliament, when asked on the ABC about recent polling on the issue.
He said:
There are a series of polls, that one wasn’t as positive … but the other polls are showing … that 60% Yes …
This is an opportunity to unite the nation for reconciliation … I’m confident that we’ll continue to put the case [forward and] of course, a lot of misinformation is out there but once the debate leaves Canberra as well I think [there will be] different outcomes.
People out there talking to each other, knocking on doors, that is exactly what this is about, which is simply recognition that our great island continent we share with the longest continuous culture should be a source of pride.
Updated
Albanese worries the alleged leaking of Higgins’ texts will have ‘triggering’ effects on victim-survivors
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is now being asked about the alleged leaking of Brittany Higgins personal text messages:
My concern here is we know that about 13% of sexual assault victims actually go to the police and I am worried that the focus that is going on at the moment will have a triggering effect and deter people from coming forward.
I think Ms Higgins’ personal messages … to appear in the paper in the way they have is something that shouldn’t have occurred and I’m concerned about that.
Updated
‘The Reserve Bank makes decisions independently and our job is to provide support to people’, Albanese tells ABC
Prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is currently being interviewed by Richard Glover on ABC Sydney Drive.
He is asked why the rate rises are failing to slow the economy in the way the Reserve Bank is hoping:
If you look at some of the impact that it has had, there has been slowing. If you look at consumer confidence, retail spending, there are a range of measures that do indicate this is causing some pain in the economy.
But at the same time, of course, you do have employment figures today that are very, very positive. Some 465,000 jobs now have been created in our first year in office …
You have record workforce participation, record numbers of women participating in the workforce, and that of course is positive.
Albanese is asked whether he accepts that today’s unemployment figures will probably lead to more rate rises:
The Reserve Bank, of course, makes decisions independently [and] our job is to provide support to people but to do it in a responsible way to build resilience in the economy.
Updated
Politicians respond to the ABC’s job cuts
Reactions have been flowing on social media this evening to the job cuts announced at the ABC.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she was “shocked” by the cuts:
Trusted journalism & local news is more important than ever.
I'm shocked to hear of 100+ job cuts at the ABC, including the Poltical Editor, Sunday news bulletins & the arts team.
— 💚🌏 Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) June 15, 2023
Trusted journalism & local news is more important than ever. I'll be writing to the Minister to respond & fully restore the $783m in Coalition cuts to the ABC
Labor MP Rob Mitchell said he was sorry to read of ABC political editor Andrew Probyn’s redundancy:
I have always found him to be [an] excellent journalist who is straight forward and integrous.
Meanwhile, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said it is “total BS” the ABC doesn’t need a political editor.
. … [Andrew Probyn] is a great journo … always tough but always fair … just can not make heads or tails of the ABC’s decision.
Updated
Fake bus crash fundraisers would be ‘disgusting’, says Cessnock mayor
The Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal says any false fundraising campaigns seeking to capitalise on the Hunter Valley bus crash would be “absolutely disgusting”.
One of those involved in the crash, Alex Tigani, took to social media on Wednesday to warn against giving money to unofficial pages on GoFundMe that have no association with the victims or their families.
Suvaal told the Guardian:
I think it’s absolutely disgusting that anyone would set up a fake GoFundMe to prey on people’s goodwill in the wake of such a horrific tragedy.
A GoFundMe spokesperson said it was not uncommon for those without any direct connection to a tragedy to seek to launch a fundraiser out of kindness and goodwill. A dedicated team has been set up to scrutinise fundraising pages set up in the wake of the tragedy.
In these cases, all donations are safely held until the GoFundMe Trust & Safety Team are able to complete their checks to ensure that funds can be transferred safely to the intended beneficiary.
Updated
Paul Fletcher rejects criticism of Coalition tactics
Host Greg Jennett asks:
Do you accept as many have suggested, we just heard from Larissa Waters on the program, that some of the outpouring of emotion that is clearly swept the parliament today is a direct result of the tactics employed by the Coalition in the parliament this week, pursuing Brittney Higgins’s matters.
Paul Fletcher:
No I wouldn’t accept that and nor would I in fact accept your characterisation of what we have been pursuing.
What we have been pursuing is the accountability of ministers to the parliament, Senator Gallagher in particular. Senator Gallagher made statements in Senate Estimates in mid 2021. The statement she made in the Senate on Tuesday this week clearly sets out facts that are different to what she said in the Senate in mid 2021.
Updated
Fletcher won’t comment further on Van’s depature from Liberal party room
Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher is asked about Senator David Van’s departure from the Liberal party room while appearing on the ABC.
He said that out of respect for the positions of the individuals involved he “will not comment further”.
Senator Van has made a statement. These are matters that need to be dealt with very carefully so I will choose my words very carefully, but what is clear is that the leader of the Liberal Party, Peter Dutton, has taken a decision which certainly I fully support, that Senator Van will no longer sit with the Liberal party in Canberra.
Afternoon Briefing host Greg Jennett asked:
Just to clarify when you say his words were chosen carefully, the use of the word allegations in the plural is included in your assessment?
Fletcher:
Peter’s words speak for themselves. He has arrived at that decision following the statement made by Senator Thorpe, he has moved very quickly in recognition of the importance of this issue.
Obviously the presumption of innocence is very important and there are individuals involved … any complainant making a complaint of sexual assault, that complaint needs to be treated seriously.
Updated
Russian embassy lease decision based on ‘very clear security advice’
The chair of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security, Peter Khalil, just appeared on the ABC to speak on the cancellation of the lease for the site of the new Russian embassy in Yarralumla.
He said the committee was not directly briefed on the cancellation, but “there has been briefings on this issue over the period of time”:
The National Capital Authority moved to suspend or cancel the lease, that was challenged in court and now what we are seeing today is legislation being put forward to make sure that lease, that proposed diplomatic presence near Parliament House does not go ahead.
That’s based on very clear security advice about the risk of having a new Russian presence so close to the seat of government and parliament.
My colleague Paul Karp covered this topic earlier today:
Updated
Teenage boy dies following workplace incident in Perth
A 16-year-old boy has died following a workplace incident in Perth’s south-east, police have confirmed.
In a statement WA police said emergency services were called to a workplace on Railway Parade in Welshpool just after 8am this morning.
A 16-year-old boy sustained critical injuries at the site and was conveyed by ambulance to hospital, however sadly died a short time later.
WorkSafe will investigate the incident, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Updated
Slaughterhouse protests planned
Activists are planning a weekend of protest at slaughterhouses across the country to draw attention to the use of carbon dioxide gassing to stun pigs.
Farm Transparency Project last month released vision showing the effects of gassing on pigs, which showed animals suffocating and thriving in agony in tightly cramped chambers.
The vision, first reported by the ABC, prompted calls for greater investigation into alternative stunning techniques. Gassing is currently considered industry best practice.
Activists, angry at a lack of action, have staged protests at Swickers slaughterhouse in Kingaroy, Queensland and in Hobart. They are planning further protests in Adelaide, Cairns, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in coming days.
Chris Delforce, the founding director of Farm Transparency Project, said:
What happens to animals inside Australian slaughterhouses is an area of significant public interest, we are taking action to bring much needed attention to an issue that the government would much rather ignore and hide from.
Updated
A huge thank you to Amy for taking us through the day – and the week. I’ll be with you for the remainder of the evening.
Well, it has been a pretty awful week, so I truly hope that everyone is taking care of themselves.
The Senate will sit tomorrow and it will have a question time. (The house won’t sit until Monday.)
We will have the usual Australia Live blog running tomorrow, but will keep you up to date with what is happening inside and outside the chamber as the day unfolds.
For now, Emily Wind is going to take you through the evening – so keep checking back.
And Paul Karp and Josh Butler are working on the stories you need to know.
But mostly – I hope everyone is being kind to themselves after the week you have witnessed. It is important to make sure you take some time. Especially if any of these issues hit close to the bone for you, or someone you love.
Politics Live will be back on Monday. Let’s hope it is gentler. Take care of you Ax
Updated
‘I hope we can all actually ... set a standard we are proud of’
Larissa Waters:
The Canberra Times reported today that a survivor of sexual assault in Parliament House has told them that the conduct in this place this week was challenging any confidence that she had left in the legal system, politicians and the media and quote ‘instead of politicising an alleged sexual assault what we should be focused on is implementing the recommendations of the Set the Standard report, strengthening justice system responses and making sure that when women do come forward, they get the advice and the support that they need’.
The ultimate test of whether we’ve successfully changed this place as toxic culture, and implemented Set the Standards is where the staff feel safe and respected at work. Whether new senators feel safe and respected at work, whether all workers in this building feel safe and respected at work and whether people watching this place think that parliament is somewhere that they might like to work.
We must ensure that staff and survivors continue to be involved in our response to the Set the Standards report, that it is expedited and that those staff and survivors feel supported to tell us when we’re not doing enough. This week in question time has been an absolute abomination.
And I hope that we can all actually set a standard that we are proud of going forward.
Updated
Larissa Waters:
Until last week, I really thought we were making progress. But all this week, we have seen the appalling politicisation of the allegations made by Brittany Higgins, a most courageous and dignified young woman.
This has been an incredibly distressing week for so many of us, and for so many survivors. Support Services have said what a chilling effect this rampant weaponisation of a young woman’s alleged rape will have on victims survivors everywhere.
The behaviour on display here and this week only serves to validate the concerns of victims/survivors, that they will be ignored, that they will lose their jobs that they will not be believed.
Updated
Greens senator Larissa Waters stands in support of former party colleague Lidia Thorpe
Larissa Waters, like other Greens senators, was in the Senate for Lidia Thorpe’s statement, in a show of solidarity.
Waters told the Senate she stands in support of Thorpe’s courage and says:
I commend and stand in awe of the strength and courage of all survivors of sexual harassment, abuse and assault.
Senator Thorpe’s statement today reflects what she disclosed to the Greens leadership two years ago.
She was greatly distressed. We backed her and supported her and sought solutions alongside her through discussions with the Senate president at the time, the Liberal Senate leadership and the prime minister’s office.
When people raise issues about their treatment in this or any other workplace, it is important that those around them take action. Everyone has a right to a safe workplace and yet the statistics [show] discrimination, harassment and abuse are rife.
The Set the Standard report found that one in three parliamentary staffers in this building had experienced some form of sexual harassment, as had many female parliamentarians.
And it was the courage of survivors speaking out that led to the set the standard report.
Updated
That questioned ended with Luke Howarth asking for Mark Dreyfus to withdraw an unparliamentary comment he said was directed to Sussan Ley and Dreyfus does so.
There are more questions but, honestly, it is all a bit of a mess today.
It has been a dreadful week in politics. An absolutely dreadful one.
Updated
Peter Dutton withdraws the last bit of his comment when asked.
Anthony Albanese continues:
News flash, I’m not in the Senate.
And news flash, I’m not aware of all the questions asked in the Senate, including today because I have been here. But I do know that yesterday they got on to the big picture, because they asked whether an invite had been given to a wedding sometime when Senator Gallagher was the chief minister of the ACT.
A wedding that she did not go to. A wedding that she did not go to. A wedding that, like many of us I get invited to weddings of people I don’t know in my electorate. I’m sure those opposite, I’m sure that some of those opposite do too.
Updated
On points of order …
There is a back and forth where Milton Dick rules that Anthony Albanese’s answer has been in order.
Albanese:
I was just asked about questions on whether there have been answers given to them.
It went on to also ask ‘did the Prime Minister’s chief-of-staff pass this information to anyone else’? ‘On how many occasions in 2021 as the chief-of-staff to the Home Affairs Minister passed on information about sensitive Australian Federal Police investigations to the Prime Minister’s chief-of-staff?’
Ley has a different point of order and Dick says it can’t be on relevance (you only get one of those and he has ruled that is in order already).
Peter Dutton then has a point of order:
Mr Speaker, on your point, it cannot seriously be the contention that if the Prime Minister or a minister is asked a question about questions that have been put to the government, that the Prime Minister can somehow make relevant questions that were asked by the then opposition to the then government back in 2021 - I mean they can’t be a serious interpretation of the standing orders in this parliament.
I would respectfully put to you, Mr Speaker, it cannot be ruled in order surely for the Prime Minister to somehow in this tricky and slippery way he has been conducting himself.
Dick calls for order.
Mark Butler gets to his feet:
A few points in response to that. There is only one point on relevance allowed. It is quite clear the leader of the opposition was trying to have a second point of order on relevance. The second point - the second point interject it was a very wide ranging question and the third point is he should withdraw what he said at the end of the point of order.
Updated
Sussan Ley questions Albanese on Katy Gallagher
Ley, who is once again wearing white (the colour associated with women’s rights and suffragettes and the colour of the dress Brittany Higgins was wearing during the Women’s March for Justice), asks the prime minister:
My question is for the prime minister. Section 5.1 of the prime minister’s code of conduct requires prime ministers to provide an honest … account … The opposition has asked more than 30 questions about Senator Gallagher and allegations of sexual assault. When will Senator Gallagher provide an honest and comprehensive account of her conduct given her many contradictory statements to date?
Anthony Albanese:
I’m asked about questions answered about these issues. The fact is that since the 22nd March 2021, there are 57 questions on notice in the Senate dating back to then.
57 questions which were not answered whatsoever, including, ‘is it still the prime minister’s contention that the first time his office knew about the rape alleged to have occurred on the 15th February 2021?’
‘Is it still the prime minister’s contention that the first time he knew about the rape alleged to have happened at Parliament House on 23 March 2019 is 15 February 2021’. Questions about the Gaetjens review. That of course we have not seen.
Questions indeed – did the prime minister’s office tell Mr Dutton’s office about media inquiries about the alleged rape before Mr Dutton’s chief of staff conducted the prime minister’s chief of staff on 2021. What information did the prime minister’s chief-of-staff receive from Mr Dutton’s chief of staff.
Ley steps up again:
It is on relevance. The prime minister reaches for a piece of paper and rattles off a karaoke list of incidental facts. This is not relevant to the ministerial code of conduct, that is your code of conduct.
Updated
Gallagher: ‘I am very disappointed at this week’
Katy Gallagher has become emotional in the Senate, saying she has been “disappointed” by the events of this week in parliament, and how it could have affected the confidence of survivors coming forward with their reports.
“I am very disappointed at this week,” Gallagher said, for a moment appearing to fight back tears.
At the work we’ve done on Jenkins, on Respect@Work, on asking women to come forward when something happens to them, and then treating women the way they are being treated right now – it says something about this.
I am sorry Senator Reynolds is clearly upset about what happened to her. I am sorry about that. And I told her that ... but I am also very sorry for Brittany Higgins, I’m sorry documents about her personal life have been leaked, I’m sorry a confidential draft claim for compensation found its way on to the front pages of a national newspaper.
Updated
Albanese says rent freeze ‘can’t be delivered’ but housing future fund can be
Albanese finishes that answer with:
Your question went to a rent freeze, a rent freeze is what you’ve argued for and you’ve argued that somehow the commonwealth can speak on behalf of eight sovereign governments, when that simply is just not the case.
At the same time, as the member for Melbourne is putting forward things that can’t be delivered, something that can be delivered is the Housing Australia Future Fund.
It is stuck over there. Because your party is voting for this party, the Liberals and the Nationals, to block 30,000 additional social and affordable housing units. It can be voted on this afternoon.
All it requires is for you to have the same goodwill that frankly Senator Pocock and Senator Lambie and Senator Terrell have done in examining what is required in recognising that this is an important way through, there are other things you can do in housing without this parliament...
And we are working on doing those things and the member for Melbourne wants to exclude themselves and impel the Coalition to block social housing, the party that’s never really supported public housing in this country, then that is fine.
Updated
Greens’ Adam Bandt asks about a rent freeze
Adam Bandt has the next crossbench question and it is to Anthony Albanese:
My question is to the prime minister. During the pandemic, [rents] were frozen in part of the country. Research today shows almost two thirds of renters, about 2 million households, are in financial stress and our financial pressures are greater today than during Covid or the GFC. You said the National Cabinet will be discussing renters rights, so will Labor at the same time organise a national rent freeze on increases? Or does Labor think they should be no limit on how high rents can go?
Albanese takes a much more conciliatory tone in answering this question, compared with the tone he took when Max Chandler-Mather asked a similar one earlier in the week:
What I think is that we shouldn’t pretend that things can happen in order for conveniences of negotiations, to say we will go away and disagree. I speak on behalf of eight states and territory governments who all have advised, because we have discussed this, that a freeze on rents would make housing supply worse and that housing supply is the major issue that we have to deal with.
So what I am concerned about doing is making sure that we do what we can in a practical way to make a difference. To renters’ rights, I put that on the agenda at the National Cabinet and that will remain on the agenda because I understand that people in my electorate and other electorates are struggling.
I understand. Those issues are very well [known] and that’s why it’s on the agenda for the National Cabinet but the member, of course, the party that he leads nationally is a party of government here in the ACT, in coalition, that is, ministers, haven’t seen one of those ministers that actually hold government, hold government, hold the position to support a rent freeze. None. None. None. (Well, that is not entirely correct)
Updated
Katy Gallagher: ‘When I give a commitment to someone about confidentiality, I keep it’
Katy Gallagher has said she will “withstand this line of questioning” as she maintains she will keep a promise of confidentiality she said she made to Brittany Higgins.
Asked by Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie about why Gallagher had declined to answer some questions, Gallagher responded: “I have answered questions in this place. In fact I’ve answered probably more questions than many of the people who knew much more than me.”
When I give a commitment to someone about confidentiality, I keep it. I am prepared to withstand this line of questioning and the coverage from the media.
Gallagher, responding to an apparent interjection from Liberal senator Gerard Rennick (which wasn’t picked up by the Senate microphones so we can’t be sure), said: “Well Senator Rennick, I don’t imagine women come to you with claims and concerns about sexual assault, but they come to me and I will not breach their confidence.”
President Sue Lines asked Gallagher to withdraw the comment about Rennick, which she claimed was a “personal reflection”; Gallagher then withdrew.
Updated
‘Do you want an answer or not?’
Anthony Albanese:
One of the things that characterises the very nature of who Senator Katy Gallagher is … someone who deeply cares that women, women who often as the member for Sydney said the other day, 13 per cent of women who experience sexual assault take action and report… [The house quietens]
And I know that the ...[Sussan Ley gets back to her feet]
Well, forget it then. Do you want an answer or not?
Albanese decides he has concluded his answer. Ley tries to make her point – claiming that Albanese was flaunting Dick’s ruling, but Dick says he decides that.
The chamber moves on.
Updated
Albanese: ‘I stand by Senator Gallagher’
Sussan Ley then asks much the same question.
The code of conduct requires a minister ‘take all reasonable steps to ensure that they do not mislead the public or the parliament’. What steps has the prime minister taken to consider whether Senator Gallagher has breached the prime minister’s code of conduct?
Anthony Albanese:
I refer to my previous answers on this. Senator Gallagher ...
Peter Dutton interjects.
Albanese continues:
He gets angry, Mr Speaker. He promised to smile if he became leader but we see it so infrequently, Mr Speaker.
Senator Gallagher has more integrity than the people, some of the people, pursuing these issues.
I stand by Senator Gallagher, she has my absolute confidence, absolute confidence, both as finance minister, minister for the status of women but also as a human being who cares deeply about women.
Ley has a point of order:
He suggested that this question is the same as a previous question. It is not, respectfully, the question is about what steps you took to secure your own reassurance about the minister’s misleading or not.
Albanese is allowed to continue.
Updated
Dutton questions Albanese on Katy Gallagher
Back in the House of Reps – Peter Dutton asks Anthony Albanese what steps he has taken to confirm his answer about what Katy Gallagher knew and whether she misled the house.
Anthony Albanese:
I stand by my comments and I outlined in a previous answer this week why that is the case, using indeed even Senator Reynolds’s own words when she returned to the Senate.
Updated
Coalition senators push Gallagher and Wong over prior knowledge of Higgins allegations
In the Senate, the Coalition continues its scrutiny of Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong for the third day in a row about their prior knowledge of Brittany Higgins’s rape allegations before they were aired in media.
Michaelia Cash has so far asked a range of questions including what they knew, as well as whether Gallagher asked police or others about whether Labor’s line of questioning in the Senate at the time could affect investigations.
Cash has now just asked if Labor had considered whether their questioning (including of Cash herself and Linda Reynolds) could be damaging to the “privacy, health or wellbeing of the people involved, including people in this building”.
Gallagher responded that Labor had asked “reasonable questions that I think the public would expect us to answer” - and said her colleagues had been mindful of people’s wellbeing in that process.
Senate president Sue Lines is battling to keep the chamber in order, having to interject seemingly every few minutes to ask senators to stay quiet or stop yelling.
Updated
Albanese: ‘We will have more to say on housing in the coming days’
Allegra Spender then asks about the Citizens’ Assembly idea the crossbench wants to set up to talk housing:
If 100 randomly selected everyday people from around the country, renters, owners, investors, people of all ages and background, regional and urban, come together to consider the evidence and reach a consensus on housing reform, will the prime minister show them the respect of providing a formal response to the recommendations and if not, why not?
Anthony Albanese:
I thank the member for Wentworth for her question and I also acknowledge her serious commitment to dealing with the challenges which are there in housing and her motivation for the suggestion that she has put forward.
I’m always been of the view that this is a citizens’ assembly here in the House of Representatives. That’s not to say that there is not a role for people to come together in different forums and for us to acknowledge that more more democracy is a good thing.
And I would acknowledge any suggestions that are put forward in the spirit in which the member for Wentworth raises it.
Albanese then goes through Labor’s shopping list on what it is doing on housing and finishes with “we will have more to say on housing in the coming days”.
(Just on the Citizens’ Assembly idea, I can see where they are coming from, but it also seems like elected politicians throwing their hands up in the air and saying ‘we don’t know how to solve this problem, what do you think’. When we DO know how to solve the problems. There is just a lack of political will. Because a lot of the problem comes from people who are very invested in ensuring their neighbourhood doesn’t change and never changes. That there are no subdivisions. That heritage protections are applied to random houses with no particular special features from time periods where there are plenty of preserved examples. There is a council considering the heritage listing of substations at the moment. Decommissioned substations covered in tags. So we know what people would say. What we need is politicians to act in the interest of future generations and those who are locked out of the market now.)
Updated
Dixer from Doyle
Mary Doyle, the Labor MP for Aston, then asks Jim Chalmers a question on the budget and the labour force just so Chalmers can say:
The member for Aston has only been here five minutes and she has already asked twice as many questions about the budget as the shadow treasurer since the budget reply.
(The government tactics committee decides who asks what dixers, so it is not as though Doyle just decided to come in and ask that question today – it was all set up for that one line.)
Updated
Labor asked about mortgage stress in middle Australia
Angus Taylor asks Anthony Albanese:
The government [promised] Australians the budget would bring down interest rates. Instead, we know that it has forced interest rates up. New data from the ABC News found that among young growing families with a mortgage, 88 per cent are now in mortgage stress. Will the prime minister take responsibility for making things worse for middle Australians?
Anthony Albanese:
He presided over an economy that had the largest deficit since the second world war and a trillion dollars of debt with very little to show for it.
Sluggish economic growth, productivity sliding backwards, declining business investment, interest rates going up, the highest inflationof any quarter this century, deliberate wage suppressions, more Australians than ever in insecure work and he comes in here and tries to make things up. Compare that with our budget and our position that we are responsible for, the first projected budget surplus in 15 years, the largest number of new jobs for any new government in its first 12 months, 465,000 jobs.
The gender pay gap falling to a historic low. And compare countries, Mr Speaker, GDP growth, we are on 2.3, Canada’s next, 2.2, a bit lower, France, 0.9, Germany, -0.5, Italy, 1.9, Japan, 1.3. US 1.6. Participation rate. Ours is higher than any of the G7 nations.
In terms of growth, we are on 2.4 per cent higher than any G7 economy. And of course, we’re the only ones with a projected budget going forward. Going forward.
So we are very proud of our record, in spite of inheriting a bin fire when it came to the economy.
No wonder the shadow treasurer can’t ask a question of the treasurer about the budget. He can bring a novel in and just read from it because from those opposite, he can’t get a question about the budget, no wonder.
Updated
On national interest, cooperation and stopping Russia from building an embassy
Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil speaks on the legislation which was passed in just over an hour this morning to stop the Russian Federation from building an embassy adjacent to Parliament House.
She thanks the opposition and parliament for its cooperation in getting the bill through so fast.
Peter Dutton then adds his two cents:
We won’t tolerate foreign espionage conducted in a way that is against our national interest, we won’t tolerate people seen to interfere with lateral processes in our country and the work of the government that was briefed to myself and the leader of the Nationals and Senator Birmingham last night.
We advised and we pledged to the prime minister during the course of the meeting that it was our view shared that it was a national interest that this matter be dealt with expeditiously by the parliament, we were able to do that and again I think it sends a very clear message to those that would seek to act against our national interest that they find no friend in this parliament in relation to their activities, and we will do whatever it takes to make sure that we ensure our sovereignty, and that will always be the case.
And then Anthony Albanese says he knows that the parliament will always act in the nation’s best interests:
If I may briefly, Mr Speaker, just acknowledge as prime minister the confidence that I have that this parliament will always act, we provided confidential briefings on the national security issues to the Coalition yesterday evening, they pledged immediately their support as the confidence is very important for our nation and for the crossbenches as well in both chambers. All were briefed or offered briefings and I thank them for their support as well.
No one brings out a guitar and starts singing the national anthem, but that is the vibe.
Updated
Question time begins in House of Reps
We move on to question time in the House of Reps.
The shift, as ever, is jarring.
Liberal MP for Flinders Zoe McKenzie asks:
The government [promised] Australians at the budget it would bring interest rates down. Instead we find it has forced interest rates up. …Australians with a mortgage are struggling to meet the repayments…. When will the government take responsibility for making things worse for middle Australia?
(Both the head of Treasury and the RBA governor have said the budget was not inflationary.)
Albanese gives his usual answer, but given the events of this day – week, really – there is no fire behind his words.
Updated
Albanese honours Walter Mikac, who lost his wife and two daughters at Port Arthur
In the house, Anthony Albanese has made a speech ahead of question time, honouring Walter Mikac.
Mikac’s wife, Nanette, and their daughters, Alannah and Madeline, who were just three and six years old, were killed at the Port Arthur tragedy.
Mikac wrote to then prime minister John Howard asking for action on gun violence.
Those letters are now in the national museum.
Albanese:
The opening sentence alone stands as a monument to the grace and bravery of a truly great Australian.
And I quote, ‘Dear Mr Howard, as the person who lost his wife and two beautiful daughters at Port Arthur, I am writing to you to give you the strength to ensure no person in Australia ever has to suffer such loss’.
Think about the words there, ‘to give you the strength’, Walter Mikac wrote to John Howard.
Imagine writing that, a bare nine days after losing the three people you loved most in the world, to an act of unspeakable and unimaginable violence.
Having to grieve alongside so many others in the unrelenting glare of the national spotlight.
And before you’ve even had the opportunity to farewell your loved ones at those funerals.
Before your family have even been laid to rest.
Not only somehow finding the strength to think of others, to think of the future. But to try and make sure that no one would ever suffer as you and your loved ones had.
Updated
The Senate moves on to question time. Simon Birmingham’s first question is to Penny Wong about what Katy Gallagher knew.
Updated
David Van then says he believes that Senator Lidia Thorpe’s most recent statement reflects on him personally and asks that the Senate president review it.
He believes it should be withdrawn.
Updated
Senator David Van continues:
Finally, the allegation of intimidation by my lawyer is unfounded. In a table the letter that was sent at 5:01pm yesterday, in that letter Ms Giles demands that Senator Thorpe retract her allegation.
It should also be said that Ms Giles has a specialist practice and has acted for Brittany Higgins, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and presently acts for members of every political party in this chamber. It was irrational and unjustified and should be withdrawn.
Updated
Senator David Van calls for investigation into ‘outrageous claims’
Van is making a statement in the Senate:
Let me say this in the clearest possible terms, Senator Thorpe’s allegations are concocted from beginning to end. Nothing she has alleged against me is truthful.
I have acknowledged publicly that I moved offices after an allegation from Senator Thorpe that I made her feel uncomfortable. That was what was put to me. An allegation that I denied then and I deny today. I agreed to move offices to ensure the avoidance of this. No incident was alleged to her. And agreed to protect myself against her irrational concerns and ensure the effective and smooth running of the parliament. I do not wish this matter to stay in the Liberal party that I have fought so hard for, so I accept that I will no longer be sitting in the party room.
There should be and must be an investigation into these outrageous claims so that they can be proved to be false. I will fully cooperate with the investigators and answer any questions that they may have of me and Senator Thorpe should do the same.
Updated
And now we go to question time.
I really hope you are all taking care of yourselves today.
Updated
Peter Dutton continues:
I make that very clear [that he’s making no judgment on the veracity of the allegations].
Obviously, there’s an independent process with the DPS, the parliamentary workplace support service, to get under way on my instruction.
My office last night and again today spoke with the PWSS, and they will conduct their considerations of these matters.
In relation to the movement of officers, Senator Thorpe made the allegation yesterday in the Senate.
I wasn’t aware of the detail of Senator Van moving office.
But I’ve conducted inquiries in relation to that matter overnight. I’m advised that the action at the time that was taken was to the satisfaction of both Senator Thorpe and the Greens Senate leadership team.
And I’ll leave my statement there.
Updated
Peter Dutton drops David Van from Liberal party room and cites 'further allegations'
Peter Dutton makes this statement:
Since the airing of Senator Thorpe’s allegation yesterday, further allegations in relation to Senator Van have been brought to my attention overnight and this morning. As such, I met with Senator Van this morning and a short time ago, I advised Senator Van of my decision that he should no longer sit in the Liberal party room. At the outset, I want to make clear, very clear, that I’m not making any judgment on the veracity of the allegations or any individual’s guilt or innocence.
Updated
Pauline Hanson is making a statement in the Senate now, saying she was elected to the Senate as an independent and that she was alone, but that she believes the chamber is a safe place.
I have no problems with it and have never had problems with walking the halls in this chamber.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe’s speech
Here is the full statement which Senator Lidia Thorpe made earlier today.
Updated
Peter Dutton has announced he will be making a statement in the opposition party room in the next 10 minutes.
Updated
The last question time of the week (for the House of Reps) is just over 30 minutes away.
The Senate is sitting tomorrow to try and get through its business.
Updated
Senator David Van to speak shortly
We are waiting to hear Liberal senator David Van’s response to senator Lidia Thorpe’s statement.
It is coming “shortly” but we will bring that statement to you as soon as we can.
Updated
Greens’ Barbara Pocock: ‘It’s time for a serious penalty for PwC’
The Greens senator Barbara Pocock will move to amend legislation to suspend PwC as tax agents for two years, by deregistering them.
Pocock says there is a need for serious consequences:
I will seek to amend the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 to suspend PwC’s registration as a tax practitioner for two years as an amendment to Schedule 3 of Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) bill.”
It’s time for a serious penalty for PwC. They have committed the most serious breaches of the Tax Practitioners’ code of conduct including failing to act with integrity, failing to manage conflicts of interest, and knowingly obstructing the proper administration of the taxation laws by hiding behind tens of thousands of professional legal privilege claims.
Updated
It is ‘inexcusable” for Australia to ignore “human rights catastrophe” in West Papua
Henry Heritage, an expert on the Pacific who appeared in an individual capacity, has told a parliamentary inquiry into supporting democracy that Australia was exposed as a “partial ally” by its lack of engagement on West Papua.
There is ongoing violence in the area, where the occupying Indonesian military have been accused of human rights violations against the West Papuans. Heritage said:
Australia has not formally, officially acknowledged let alone intervened in the most critical contemporary human rights catastrophe and democratic assault in the Pacific, which is the West Papua conflict.
The tag of a partial ally is particularly exposed with the issues of human rights in the region. The West Papua conflict in particular is one that’s not acknowledged to the extent of other cases … for reasons of having quite a precarious relationship with the Indonesian government.
Updated
NSW and Victoria generated the job gains in May
Back to the job figures: the two biggest states by population and economic heft also generated the job gains in May.
NSW added about 42,000 extra positions and Victoria about 40,000 – in other words, all of the national gain last month of 76,000, and then some.
NSW in fact has the lowest jobless rate in the country (all seasonally adjusted) at 3%, edging out pesky ACT (which is really an inland island of the premier state). That was quite a slide from 3.4% in April.
For Victoria, the jobless rate eased back to 3.7% from 3.9% in April. SA was the other state to show a notable dip, with the unemployment rate down to 4% from 4.3%.
Sean Langcake, head of macroeconomic forecasting for Oxford Economics Australia, said April’s rise in the jobless rate to 3.7% now looks like a “wobble”.
Langcake:
The RBA has maintained a hawkish tone following the June rate rise, expressing concerns over the persistence of underlying inflation. These data will do nothing to allay those concerns.
He tips two more RBA rate rises, to lift the cash rate to 4.6%.
Lots of chatter about a recession looming but if the economy keeps spinning up jobs that might not be such a threat even if many people feel under the financial pump.
Updated
‘Oh rubbish’
Paul Karp was in the chamber to watch as senator Lidia Thorpe delivered her statement.
He saw Pauline Hanson, who sits close to Thorpe in the Senate, roll her eyes as Thorpe said the parliament was not a safe place and say “Oh rubbish”.
As Thorpe went to leave, Hanson said something to her, which was not audible to the microphones. But Thorpe’s response was;
Fuck off, Pauline.
The Senate president called for order and the chamber moved on.
Updated
The Coalition senators who were in the chamber for that statement were:
Simon Birmingham, Anne Ruston, Matt Canavan, Andrew McLachlan, Ross Cadell, Susan McDonald and Matt O’Sullivan.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe: ‘I will not pursue legal action’
Thorpe finishes with:
I will not pursue legal action against the senator.
I will not go to the police, this is my choice.
But I will continue to speak out against the abuse and harassment that happens in this building.
That is my choice.
I want to focus on making this place safe for everyone.
And at this moment, it is not a safe place for women and I call on the government to immediately increase the number of security guards in the building and cameras in the corridors and to consult women who work here on what measures can and should be taken.
I send my love and solidarity to all women, girls and gender diverse people out there who experience many different forms of sexual violence, and to all those survivors, we must continue to stand strong, stand together and never be silenced.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe:
My testimony is one of action and resistance every day in this place. Violence against women, girls and gender diverse people is a product of gender inequality, and systemic gender-based discrimination.
On average, one woman a week is killed in this country. One out of every five women in Australia will be sexually assaulted, or raped in their lifetime.
And if you are not white, those statistics are even higher. Perpetrators are made by certain conditions. If we want change, we need to change those conditions.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe:
This is not surprising when the women, girls and gender-diverse people seek help from authorities.
Especially black women, sister girls and brother boys. We are so often met with negligence, dismissal or further violence.
Too often these conversations remain in closed spaces where allegations are covered up and the silence and gendered violence is maintained.
This only serves to uphold a system of abuse that avoids legal and political consequences. Where the legal system [is] used to intimidate and silence with the threat of the money and time. Accountability in this country remains a theoretical academic pursuit and nice talking point, a lovely aspiration.
But I will not passively accept this.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe:
I am disappointed by the reaction of the senator. Instead of stepping up, taking accountability for the fact that he made me feel unsafe, he denied it.
He asked his lawyers to send a letter, the same lawyers who represented Christian Porter.
This type of behaviour makes it harder for other women to come forward.
The standard we walk past is a standard we accept ourselves too.
We have a situation in parliament where parliamentary staffers come to me to speak up about their own experiences of abuse, rather than through the formal channels.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe: ‘I could not stay silent’
Thorpe:
I did not make the incident public at the time because it was during the time Brittney Higgins had made her experience in this building public.
I did not want to have anything taken away from her experience and her bravery in coming forward.
I believed that was the right decision.
My faith in the Liberal party was not the right decision. Until yesterday I thought they had taken this matter seriously.
But then yesterday I had to listen to a senator who has made me feel unsafe speak on how important it is to keep women safe in parliament.
Silence is violence.
And yesterday I could not stay silent as someone who has knowingly made me feel unsafe had the gall to stand up in front of parliament and preach about protecting women.
This was not an isolated incident. And there are others I could name who have inappropriately touched me. Invaded my space and knowingly made me feel unsafe.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe: ‘To me, it was sexual assault’
Thorpe:
I was afraid to walk out of the office for I would open the doors slightly and checked the coast was clear before stepping out.
It was to the degree that had to be accompanied by someone whenever I walked inside this building.
That is how the Greens supported me and I thank them for that.
To me, it was sexual assault. And the government at the time recognised it as such.
At the time I spoke to the president of the Senate about it.
I spoke to my colleagues about it. I spoke to the sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins about it during the inquiry.
I spoke to senior leaders in the Liberal party and it was assured that the prime minister was informed at the time.
I was convinced that the government believed me. The actions immediately moving the person’s office reassured me that they understood the seriousness of what I experienced.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe says she was followed, aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched
Thorpe says:
I experienced sexual comment and was inappropriately propositioned by powerful men.
One man followed me and cornered me in the stairwell and most of this was witnessed by staff and fellow members for parliament.
No one witnessed what happened in the stairwell as there were no cameras in stairwells.
I know there are others that have experienced similar things and have not come forward in the interest of their careers and fear that they would be presented to the world by the media in the same way that I have been today.
There are different understandings of what amounts to sexual assault and what I experienced has been followed, aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe:
Yesterday I made remarks in relation to another senator. I then had to withdraw them because the rules of the Senate do not allow you to speak about someone’s character.
So today I will speak about my experience in parliament.
When I started I was a new senator.
As all women that have walked the corridors of this building know, it is not a safe place.
You are often alone and at long corridors with no windows and in stairwells hidden from view.
Where there are no cameras. This was my new workplace.
This is a workplace women in this building know.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe is now giving her statement
We will cover it here.
Updated
Pauline Hanson is moving a motion to have “Indigenous fraud” referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs references committee
Hanson’s motion:
Indigenous identity fraud caused by:
circular definitions in Australian law, like ‘an Aboriginal person is a person of the Aboriginal race’;
self-identifying as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person by ticking a box on a form or through a statutory declaration; and
any other means and any related matters.
Hanson’s voice is going as she says:
You see people living in poverty in some of these remote communities. How many of you actually been there? But I tell you I have and I’ve seen it.
The best of schools are built but the kids don’t go there. You have sexual abuse, nothing happens. You shut it down. You talk about the Stolen Generation. You keep talking about the Stolen Generation because you’re frightened do anything about it, because you’re called racist.
There is another four minute division, so there is still a way to go in this general business section of the Senate.
Nothing ever moves quickly in the red chamber (unless it’s a home affairs bill to stop the Russian Federation from building an embassy adjacent to Parliament House).
Updated
It seems like a fairly jovial mood in the Senate chamber, given some of the laughter being picked up by the microphones as the senators chat amongst themselves during this division.
Updated
The Senate has moved to general business.
There will be a division and some usual business and then the Senate will move to statements.
Updated
Strong jobs data lifts expectations of another rate rise
With the strong jobs numbers that have just landed, the Australian dollar has perked up by about 0.15 of a US cent to US 67.85c.
Stocks have erased most of their early gains. Investors, in other words, have just lifted their expectations of another RBA rate rise.
Notably, the participation rate was a record 66.9%, meaning more people were looking for work and even that didn’t elevate the unemployment rate - in fact it fell. The number of people in work hit 14m for the first time.
One less bullish number though was the total number of hours worked – that fell 1.8%, so not every arrow was upward.
Bjorn Jarvis, the ABS head of labour statistics, said the employment increases averaged out to around 36,000 extra employed people in the past two months. “This is still around the average over the past year of 39,000 people a month.”
Updated
Economy added five times more jobs in May than expected
Australia’s jobless rate in May surprisingly fell to 3.6%, with the economy adding about 76,000 jobs, or about five times more than expected.
Economists had predicted the unemployment rate would remain steady at 3.7% with about 17,500 jobs added.
Importantly, most of the extra positions, 61,700 all up, were full-time roles, the ABS said.
Updated
Australia’s jobless rate fell to 3.6% in May (seasonally adjusted), surprising economists
The ABS has just put out the May figures:
In seasonally adjusted terms, in May 2023:
unemployment rate decreased to 3.6%.
participation rate increased to 66.9%.
employment increased to 14,011,800.
employment to population ratio increased to 64.5%.
underemployment rate increased to 6.4%.
monthly hours worked decreased to 1,944 million.
full-time employment increased by 61,700 to 9,826,200 people.
part-time employment increased by 14,300 to 4,185,600 people.
Updated
Calls for inquiry into ACT government acquisition of Catholic hospital
Those outside of the ACT and Catholic communities may be unaware of a growing issue surrounding the ACT government passing legislation to forcibly acquire a Catholic hospital.
The government and the Calvary health service had been in negotiations for the ACT to purchase the site, but that fell through, leading to the legislation to make it happen. (The health service will still be paid for the site.)
But it has kicked off another conversation about religious freedom and has seen calls for a Senate inquiry into how it happened.
The ACT senator David Pocock said while he understands the need to examine the issue, he will not stand for territory rights being stripped as the outcome.
The territories are already disadvantaged when it comes to our democratic rights and representation compared to the states. I do not believe we should be ceding even more control to the commonwealth,” Senator Pocock said.
I have had some Canberrans raise concerns with me about the acquisition of Calvary and have passed on those concerns to the ACT chief minister and health minister. I have also requested they consider conducting an inquiry in the Legislative Assembly into the handling of the acquisition and the impacts it will have on peoples’ access to healthcare in our city and our region.
I will not advocate for our rights as a territory, then turn around and cherry-pick particular decisions to be the subject of federal intervention or review where there was no decision-making power for the commonwealth.
Updated
We are also keeping an eye on the Senate.
Lidia Thorpe to make another statement to the Senate around 12pm, further to comments she made yesterday in the parliament
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) June 15, 2023
Updated
ABS labour force data to land at 11.30
Peter Hannam is standing by to give you all the details on that.
Updated
ABC staff called into one-on-one meetings ahead of restructure
Dozens of ABC staff were called into meetings with their managers this morning to be told they are facing redundancy due to a restructure.
Guardian Australia revealed on Wednesday that as many as 100 jobs will be lost during the transition to a digital first media organisation.
Those affected received an email on Wednesday afternoon saying the managing director David Anderson will be announcing changes across the ABC “that are necessary to ensure we’re set up to deliver on the five-year plan and align our teams with the new content operating model”.
Anderson has not commented publicly.
Updated
Tanya Plibersek will not comment on concerns notice from Linda Reynolds but says real outrage is in sexual assault statistics
Tanya Plibersek spoke to Sky News this morning where she was asked what she meant by “all legal options are on the table” meant in regards to the concerns notice she received from Liberal senator Linda Reynolds over comments Plibersek made in a Seven network interview on Monday.
(A concerns notice is the first step in defamation proceedings).
Plibersek said:
Well, I’ve received a legal letter from Senator Reynolds, so, of course, I’m not going to give a running commentary on this issue now.
She went on to say what she believed the real issue people should be focussing on was:
But I’ll tell you what, the Liberals are looking for an outrage here and there is a real outrage at the heart of this. And that outrage is that one in five Australian women over the age of 15 has been sexually assaulted in this country.
The outrage is that despite the best efforts of police, only 13% of people who’ve been sexually assaulted have enough confidence in our justice system to come forward to make a complaint.
The outrage here is that when they do make a complaint, the sort of conviction rates we see are an estimated 3% of cases ending up with a guilty conviction.
The outrage here is that despite decades of work from people like me and many, many others, we continue to see rates of sexual assault in this country increasing, not going down. This is one of the very few crime types where year after year, the incidence of sexual assault is increasing, the ABS shows that the last few years there has been an increase.
Updated
Given that one of the questions Anthony Albanese did take in his quick press conference (the first one in Canberra in maybe about a month?) was on Aukus, it is worth having a look at this story:
There is growing discontent within the Labor rank and file over the Aukus support. The left are grumbling hard – not that it matters, because the deal is done and the government is not going to alter its support for it. But there is a rift and it is widening and August’s national conference is probably going to see some blow ups over it.
How the Russian embassy restriction bill passed
Just to give you the timeline on that home affairs bill stopping the Russian Federation embassy move;
It was introduced at 9:01:21am.
It passed the House at 9:05:35am.
It hit the Senate at 10:13am.
It passed the Senate at 10:14:05am.
Bill introduced. Bill passed.
Updated
Russian embassy legislation passes parliament – in an hour
And that home affairs bill Clare O’Neil and Anthony Albanese flagged this morning – the one which will stop the Russian Federation from being able to build their new embassy on land they held a lease for, which was judged to be too close to Parliament House – has just passed the Senate.
So it was introduced this morning after 9am and has just passed the Senate.
That took just over an hour.
It is off to the governor general where it will get royal assent and then it is L A W law.
Again – that was about an hour from go to woah.
Just proves how quickly the parliament can pass bills when it wants to.
Updated
Crackdown on unfair trading practices coming, says Stephen Jones
And there is also work on unfair trading practices coming – which will also look at practices where people are tricked into allowing more data collection than they wanted.
Stephen Jones:
We are also looking at unfair trading practices, another problem that’s been left to fester for too long.
In the digital economy, unfair trading practices can include things like tricking consumers into consenting to data collection; omitting vital information to stop consumers making informed decisions; or preying on vulnerable consumers using excessive tracking of data.
These practices harm consumers and distort competition, but more and more of them are avoiding the reaches of law, particularly in the digital economy.
Two of the ACCC’s recent inquiries have recommended a prohibition on unfair trading practices, and jurisdictions such as the EU, UK, the US and Singapore already have regulations in place.
In considering the right course of action in Australia, we need to know the full extent of consumer and small business harm.
To do that we’re in the final stages of developing a consultation paper on unfair trading practices, which will seek feedback from all of you present at the congress, as well as the wider business and legal community.
The consultation paper will be released next month.
Updated
Government says it’s taking on scammers
Assistant treasurer Stephen Jones has given a speech to an ACCC conference, where he spoke about industry codes to try and combat scammers:
Australians are losing $3 billion a year to scams, and that’s just the reported figure. It’s likely to be much higher. And losses to scams have been increasing exponentially – up fivefold in 2022 from 2020.
Coming into government, we promised a comprehensive anti-scam platform, including establishing a National Anti-Scams Centre, tough new industry codes, and supporting crucial functions like ID recovery services.
In the May budget we delivered.
We brought forward an $86.5 million package to combat scams and protect Australians, headlined by the establishment of the National Anti-Scam Centre within the ACCC.
We’ll be consulting on industry codes soon, and I look forward to engaging with you all on that important next step.
For the first time, the government is going to stand shoulder to shoulder with Australians and take the fight up to the scammers.
It will likely take some time for scam losses to stop rising and start falling, but we have taken the critical first step and started the fightback.
Updated
Over in the house and the Australian security intelligence organisation amendment bill 2023 is up for debate – that will pass with bipartisan support after the joint security and intelligence committee gave the legislation the tick.
It will leave Asio as the agency that does top security checks.
Updated
‘An important moment’
Pat Gorman, the assistant minister to the prime minister held a quick doorstop, where he acknowledged this has been “a difficult week”.
That is putting it mildly.
But he said there were moments of unity:
We’ve got an example of that today where the letters of Walter Mikac, whose children were tragically killed in the Port Arthur Massacre, those letters will be handed to the National Museum of Australia and we’ll see Prime Minister Albanese and former Prime Minister John Howard, there for that handover.
That was a moment where we saw this parliament – and I note under a conservative Government – rise to the occasion, and deliver something that the Australian people expected of us, despite the political difficulties within it. And I think that’s just a really important moment to remind everyone in this building, and everyone who looks to this building, that Parliament House and the people who work here can achieve great things and that is what we are here to do. And if I think about what we do in this place, it is about bringing together the ideas, talents and enthusiasm of the Australian people to make sure that we are listening and acting.
Updated
PM to speak on guns
Anthony Albanese is giving a speech at the National Museum of Australia for the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation.
Alannah and Madeline Mikac, were killed, alongside their mother, victims of the Port Arthur shooting. They were just six and three.
Albanese will talk about the need for a gun register, as Paul Karp reports:
Updated
The way the senate business is planned out for today, there is not time for general business and the like until 11.15am.
For those waiting for Lidia Thorpe’s statement, it won’t happen until closer to noon.
And that was it. That was the first press conference the prime minister has held this sitting week (and for some time with the press gallery) and it wasn’t exactly a long one.
Updated
Russia’s lease to be extinguished
He then bats away a question on the voice and the polling showing a downturn in support but does answer a question on the proximity of China’s embassy to Parliament House:
Look, we – we’re dealing with this very specifically and it’s based upon very specific advice as well about the nature of the construction that’s proposed for – for this site, about the location of this site, and about the capability that would present in terms of potential interference with activity that occurs in this Parliament House. That is why we are taking this action.
We’re doing it very quickly, once the decision was made on 31 May, I convened a national security committee meeting. We took advice as to the best way in which we could extinguish this lease. This legislation, this morning, is based upon the very clear advice that we received. We’re introducing it as soon as we can and we’re also passing it as soon as we can as well.
Our advice is that this will basically extinguish, when you see the legislation that Clare will introduce in a matter of minutes now, you’ll see it extinguishes various Australian law so that it won’t apply, but it also, of course, is up to the Russian government. We will await what response occurs, but we have anticipated that as well. We don’t expect that Russia’s in a position to talk about international law given their rejection of it so consistently and so brazenly with their invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities that have occurred that are occurring on an ongoing basis.
Updated
Russia’s embassy in Griffith to remain, PM says
On why Russia is still allowed a diplomatic presence in Canberra (there is an existing embassy in Griffith, about 10 minutes away from Parliament House), Anthony Albanese says:
Well, Russia does have a diplomatic presence here and that will continue at its existing premises in Griffith. Just as Australia has a diplomatic presence in Moscow. This is not about changing that, this is about the specific risk presented by this site and that is why we are taking this action.
Updated
Government ‘unwavering’ on Aukus, PM says
Anthony Albanese refused to answer a question on the reported compensation payment to Brittany Higgins, saying:
We’re dealing with this issue today. It’s actually a serious issue.
He then took a question on Labor branches fighting over motions to support Aukus:
The Labor party is a democratic party and one in which people engage in debate. What we do we’ll broadcast them live. We’ll continue to do that. There are people who have different views in the Labor party. They’re entitled to put them forward. But the view of my government is very, very clear and is unwavering in its support for Aukus, in its support for issues about our national security, and about our interests in the defence of this nation. Aukus is an important part of that and our government is unwavering in that.
Updated
‘We stand very strongly with the people of Ukraine’
There were a couple of questions there. The first was on the Australian contribution to Ukraine’s effort in pushing back invading Russian forces. There has been criticism (including a social media video from Ukraine) that Australia is not sending as much as it could.
Anthony Albanese:
It’s not right that there hasn’t been increased Australian contribution. When you make an announcement of Bushmasters, it doesn’t mean that the 90 Bushmasters arrived the next day. They’re being built and transported to Ukraine. Australian soldiers are training Ukrainian soldiers in the United Kingdom and there are a range of ways in which we are providing support.
We are working consistently along with the Department of Defence to see what we can do to add further support to Ukraine. We understand that – that the struggle of the people of Ukraine is not just about Ukrainian national sovereignty – as important as that is. This is a struggle about the sovereignty of international law, about whether national borders are sovereign, about whether the rule of law will apply.
So we stand very strongly with the people of Ukraine but we are continuing to make contributions and continuing to provide support which is occurring everyday, every week and every month.
Updated
Embassy site threatens national security, O’Neil says
This has been an ongoing issue in Canberra. Clare O’Neil said it was important the government acted quickly – so that legislation will be introduced post haste this morning:
As the prime minister has explained today we will introduce a very simple law into the parliament that we are asking is addressed urgently.
The bill is straightforward – it identifies a specific piece of land in Canberra which currently has a lease agreement between the National Capital Authority and the Russian federation and the bill terminates that lease agreement.
The principal problem with the proposed second Russian embassy in Canberra is its location.
This location sits directly adjacent to Parliament House. The government has received clear national security advice that this would be a threat to our national security and that is why the government the acting decisively today to bring this longstanding matter to a close.
I’ll address briefly the land itself. We will work through the options for this very important specific piece of land that, as I say is literally directly next to the parliament.
We have made a decision that this land will not be used for a future diplomatic presence and we’ll come back to you when we have further information on the use of the land.
Updated
Russian embassy lease to be cancelled, Albanese says
Anthony Albanese held a short press conference a moment ago, so let’s bring you that.
He wanted to talk about the Russian embassy – the government will be moving to cancel the lease held by the Russian federation for an embassy close to Parliament House:
The federal court found that an eviction order made by the National Capital Authority was invalid and this matter was concluded a couple of weeks ago on 31 May.
The government has received very clear security advice as to the risk presented by a new Russian presence so close to Parliament House. We’re acting quickly to ensure the leased site does not become a formal diplomatic presence.
The government condemns Russians’ – Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.
To be clear today’s decision is one taken in the national security interests of Australia and I thank the Coalition and crossbenchers in the House and the Senate for their cooperation in this matter.
I briefed along with security agencies, briefed the Coalition leadership last night. They will be supporting this legislation. I thank them for the expeditious passing of it. We briefed also crossbenchers in the House and the Senate earlier this morning and I have also briefed the chief minister of the ACT, Andrew Barr, this morning about this action.
Updated
Parliament privilege ‘a very important right’, Paterson says
Liberal senator James Paterson has defended parliamentary privilege in an interview with Sky News:
The protection of parliamentary privilege is a very important right of parliamentarians, which we exercise on behalf of our constituents so that we can conduct our responsibilities representing them without any fear that there’ll be legal repercussions for it.
I myself have used parliamentary privilege in the past to say things that I thought needed to be said that needed to be brought to public light that I could not say while sitting here on this desk in your studio talking to you, because it would have the risk of defamation.
That comes with important responsibilities. The reason why the deputy president and then the president asked Senator Thorpe to withdraw those allegations is that senators are governed by standing orders, which dictate what we can and cannot say about each other in the chamber. And that is a check, an important check on parliamentary privilege to make sure that it’s not abused.
Updated
Labour force data due
We’ll get ABS labour force data at 11.30am AEST, with economists estimating the economy added 17,500 jobs last month, or enough to leave the jobless rate unchanged at 3.7%.
As always, there’ll be some nuance in the numbers, with full-time positions added or lost probably the best sign of how confident employers were about the state of activity. The participation rate may also drop if some of the surge in migrants starts to show up in extra job hunters.
The Reserve Bank’s board next meets to decide interest rates on 4 July and won’t have many other pointers to look at, save the May inflation numbers on 28 June and retail data the day afterwards.
Before today’s numbers, investors were viewing the odds of a 13th cash rate rate in 14 months as a 1:4 chance.
Ahead of Australia's May jobs data, investors were viewing the chance of a July RBA rate rise to 4.35% as 1:4. Further out, a rate cut isn't seen as likely until the second half of 2024. pic.twitter.com/O3Qdl7X5fC
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) June 14, 2023
As our US colleague Lauren Aratani wrote overnight, the US federal reserve left its key interest rate unchanged at 5% to 5.25%, as expected.
It wants more time to assess the effects of more than a year of rate rises but remains inclined to hike perhaps twice more this year – and we know our RBA will be watching like a hawk.
Updated
‘My wife is an incredibly strong woman,’ Van says
David Van:
There’s been tears shed by me, yes. My wife is an incredibly strong woman. She’s just been there for me. So I can’t wait to get back to Melbourne to see her.
Updated
‘Mate, I’m hurting so badly’
David Van is then asked about parliamentary privilege (which is a special legal protection for parliamentarians, essentially giving them immunity for anything said on the floor of the parliament from defamation).
Van:
It’s an utter abuse that someone can say something so heinous with no evidence … nothing has been said for two years, so why or how is it coming up now?
Told he sounds “broken”, Van says:
Mate, I’m hurting so badly. To have that sort of slur thrown at you out of the blue, when I was on my feet talking about how do we improve the dignity of parliament – and people can read my speech on my website – I’m shattered.
I can’t say it any other way. I’m just absolutely shattered by this.
Updated
Van says his lawyer has challenged Thorpe to make allegation outside parliament
David Van said he stepped out of the chamber yesterday afternoon very upset, supported by his colleagues, and later in the afternoon, had spoken to his lawyer:
She fired off a letter to Senator Thorpe saying if there’s any truth of these allegations, feel free to say them in in public. As I think most people would know in defamation proceedings you know, truth is a defence.
So … if there’s any truth in this, if she wants to say it outside parliament, you know, she would have a defence if it was true.
Updated
'It is utterly untrue and an utter abuse of parliamentary privilege'
David Van:
If I’m sounding a bit shaky this morning, then you know, I haven’t slept much last night.
I’ve got my wife, who has been absolutely wonderful. So supportive. You know, I can’t thank her enough in and also to the hundreds, if not thousands, of messages of support I’ve had from friends and family around the world.
To have an allegation like this made against you is the most awful thing that’s happened to me in my life.
I would feel less bad if she had accused me of murder rather than this.
It is utterly untrue and an utter abuse of parliamentary privilege.
Updated
David Van said he had never been alone with Lidia Thorpe as he walked in to the Senate:
I can assure you and your listeners that I had never touched [Lidia Thorpe], as I said, I think possibly the only time I’ve ever touched Senator Thorpe was shaking her hand after her maiden speech, which we all do.
He said the Senate president at the time, Scott Ryan, had facilitated the office move.
Updated
Van explains office move
David Van said he did move Senate offices in 2021. Asked why, he says:
To put this on record, she made allegation to our leadership through her leadership that I was following her into the chamber, which made her feel uncomfortable.
That was just the way that we all fall into the chamber when there are divisions. And, you know, at times I’ve been in front of her, at times I have been behind her, but at no time did I harass her touch her, I barely even said hello …
And so the leadership offered me another office.
Updated
‘It’s absolutely disgusting that she would say those words’
Ben Fordham asks: Have you sexually assaulted Lidia Thorpe?
David Van:
Absolutely not. I think I can say I think with some surety, I think the only time I’ve ever even touched her would have been shaking her hand after her maiden speech.
Fordham: Have you harassed Senator Thorpe?
Van:
No, I have not harassed her in any way, shape, or form.
Fordham: Are you a perpetrator as she suggested then?
Van:
Ben. Please. No. No, I’m not. It’s, it’s absolutely disgusting that she would say those words and I’m kind of upset that you would even raise those with me again. I mean, it is so far from any fact.
Updated
‘That is completely unfounded’
David Van:
To say I am shattered by those allegations would be an understatement. I, I feel just battered.
I’ll never know how someone can make an allegation like that against another person. That is completely unfounded. I just have been in shock. I think people who’ve seen the video would see how shocked I was at the time. It was just just awful. Yeah, it’s just terrible for me. And my family.
Updated
Van ‘shattered’ by Thorpe’s allegations
Liberal senator David Van is speaking to Sydney radio 2GB about independent senator Lidia Thorpe’s allegations in the Senate yesterday.
Thorpe withdrew the remarks to comply with the Senate’s standing orders but said she would be making a statement on the issue today.
Van tells 2GB he feels “shattered” by the allegations.
Updated
Hey, big spenders
The economy might be slowing but it is not slowing at the same rate for everyone. If you have a mortgage or are renting, the data tells us you are cutting back, but if you have money, well, not much has changed for you.
That looks like playing out in the end-of-financial-year sales as well. The Australian Retailers Association in collaboration with the pollster Roy Morgan says shoppers will be spending MORE than last year, per person, but fewer people will be shopping overall.
They expect 400,000 fewer people to spend at the sales compared with last year, but the 5.8 million Australians planning on hitting the sales are predicted to spend $9.3bn – up from $500m in 2022:
The 50-64-year-old demographic are set to be the biggest shoppers, encompassing 37.6% or $3.5 billion of the overall $9.3 billion spend.
Updated
Unemployment figures due
Being the 15th of the month, it is labour force day, when we will get the latest in unemployment figures from the ABS.
Economists seem to expect a slight increase in the unemployment rate, given the slowing economy and continued rising interest rates.
Those figures will come out in a few hours and, as always, Peter Hannam will cover that off for you.
Updated
Has the culture in parliament changed?
At the beginning of this week former sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins said she was hearing that the culture in parliament has changed.
Has it? Don Farrell says:
Well, I’m in there. And I believe that’s changed and I hope the Australian people believe that it has changed.
Updated
Labor has offered support to Thorpe, Farrell says
Trade minister Don Farrell was asked about yesterday afternoon in the Senate (you can read about that here) at the end of that interview on ABC radio RN Breakfast.
He says Labor has offered support to the independent Victorian senator:
We’ve spoken with Lydia, we’ve offered her a support for anything she might need assistance systems with. I understand she’s going to be making a further statement to the parliament today. And I’ll await the outcome of what she has to say.
Updated
European trade talks continue
Daniel Hurst has written on some of the … difficulties with the European free trade agreement negotiations (which restarted under the Albanese government after they were stopped when the Morrison government dumped the French submarine contract).
Trade minister Don Farrell is speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast and says that after his trip to Europe last week things are going as well as can be expected:
The Europeans are negotiating very hard about about some of the issues that they’re concerned about. But we are presenting an equally strong case and I’m confident that, with a bit of goodwill on both sides, we can get the negotiations back on track and and resolves the outstanding issues.
We’ve actually made quite a bit of progress on most of the issues but the key issues for Australia of course, is good access for our agricultural products into the into the European market.
Updated
Our digital team Nick Evershed and Josh Nicholas have taken a look at the voice polling to try to explain the differences in polling and what it all actually means:
Updated
Good morning
A very big thank you to Martin for starting us off this morning. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day now.
It’s going to be a big day, so let’s get into it.
Updated
Gun register is next step for Howard’s reforms, Albanese to say
Anthony Albanese will say today that a national firearms register is the “next step” for gun reform started by John Howard after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
The prime minister will make the remarks in a speech at a ceremony today as a letter to his predecessor from a man, Walter Mikac, who lost three loved ones in the shootings enters the National Museum.
Albanese describes Mikac’s first letter “in ordinary blue Biro, on foolscap paper” – dated 7 May 1996, nine days after the massacre – as “one of the most extraordinary things I have ever read”. He says, in an advance copy of the speech:
The opening sentence alone stands as a monument to the grace and bravery of a truly great Australian.
And I quote: “Dear Mr Howard, as the person who lost his wife and two beautiful daughters at Port Arthur, I am writing to you to give you the strength to ensure no person in Australia ever has to suffer such a loss.”
Here’s our full story:
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage in what’s already been a pretty tumultuous session – and we’ve only had two days. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll get straight into the overnight stories before Amy Remeikis takes the controls.
Lidia Thorpe has promised to make another statement today after withdrawing allegations last night that she made yesterday afternoon in parliament accusing her Senate colleague David Van of harassment and sexual assault. Thorpe made the initial claims – which the Liberal politician immediately and vehemently denied – under parliamentary privilege as Van was speaking about respect in parliament. But she returned to the chamber to withdraw the remarks last night to comply with Senate standing orders.
With the Coalition still trying unapologetically to damage Labor over the Brittany Higgins case, there has been another twist in the story, with Lisa Wilkinson lodging an official complaint with the Seven Network about a Spotlight program that featured an interview with Bruce Lehrmann and about a separate segment on morning television. The TV star alleges the broadcasts breached commercial television standards. Although the exact nature of the complaint is not clear it could relate to concerns that Seven appeared to have improperly used evidence from Lehrmann’s trial in the Spotlight program.
And while we’re on the media, another big talking point this morning is an expected announcement by the ABC of up to 100 job cuts. Our media correspondent Amanda Meade understands that some ABC staff have been notified of meetings with management and the managing director, David Anderson, will be making an announcement about job cuts before the end of the financial year. Again, we’ll have the news in the blog as soon as it happens.
