The day that was, Wednesday 16 February
That is where we will leave the live blog for today. Thanks for following along.
Here’s some of what you might have missed today:
- Simon Holmes à Court, energy investor and Climate 200 director, told the National Press Club that ‘politics is broken.’
- The government and the opposition clashed over aged care again today, with both parties contending the number of deaths at the facilities.
- Senior Dfat official Justin Hayhurst said China ‘seeks to exploit’ social divisions.
- The deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, took a swing at whoever seems to be leaking embarrassing details to the media.
- All elective surgery across public and private hospitals can resume by the end of the month in Victoria, the state government said.
- NSW recorded 10,463 new cases and 27 deaths, Victoria recorded 8,149 new cases and 18 deaths, Queensland recorded 6,596 new cases and 12 deaths, WA reported 128 new cases, SA recorded 1,624 new cases and four deaths, NT recorded 1,050 new cases and 3 deaths, the ACT recorded 594 new cases and Tasmania recorded 625 new cases.
- Updated vote counting in the blue-ribbon Liberal party seat of Willoughby has put the seat on shaky ground for the government, with the count still under way.
- The Victorian government has entered exclusive negotiations to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Updated
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is channelling his inner Jacqui Lambie in the visa cancellation bill debate, shouting that he’s had a “gutful” of both major parties.
Wilkie noted the government already has the power to cancel visas, describing the bill as a “blatant attempt by the government to pander to racism and xenophobia”.
Wilkie said it was “completely and utterly unprincipled” to vote for the bill, attacking Labor as “weaklings in the opposition who will go along for the ride”.
Greens leader, Adam Bandt, also blasted Labor for not voting against the bill in the House.
Liberal Melissa McIntosh obviously didn’t get the memo that Labor is supporting it, and has brought an old speech in about the “Labor-Greens alliance” voting against deporting “foreign criminals”.
Updated
