What we learned: Wednesday 3 September
It’s been a big day in Canberra and beyond – here’s what’s been keeping us busy this Wednesday:
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price claimed Labor’s immigration policies were “ultimately about power” and influenced by the voting patterns of immigrant communities – only to walk back the claim shortly afterwards.
Ed Husic delivered a careful but firm rebuke of Anthony Albanese’s remark that “good people” attended Sunday’s anti-immigration rallies. He also took aim at Price’s comments.
Australia could pay up to $2.5bn to Nauru over 30 years as part of its deal to take noncitizens from Australia on a removal pathway, the home affairs department’s immigration head, Clare Sharp, told senators in a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday night. Home affairs officials said Nauru is required to consult with Australia if it plans to change laws that would allow it to send any members of the NZYQ cohort back to their countries of origin.
The Senate debated consequential legislation on aged care, which would ensure the new act comes into effect by 1 November. The government has been under pressure over the delay in delivering an additional 80,000 home care packages as the waitlist for them hits 200,000.
The NSW police minister admitted she may have “had the figure wrong” on antisemitic incidents.
Former human rights commissioner Chris Sidoti urged Australia to respond with action to the international court of justice’s decision last year that a number of Israel’s activities in Gaza and the West Bank amounted to breaches of international law.
Daniel Andrews was photographed with Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping in Beijing. Victorian government minister Vicki Ward said the former premier’s decision to attend the military parade in China was a choice made “in his private capacity”.
The Albanese government gave mining company Glencore the green light to extend its Ulan coalmine near Mudgee in New South Wales, the first coalmining approval since Murray Watt became environment minister.
Finally, question time was lively. Here’s the tl;dr version.
Thanks for joining us. We’ll be back with more breaking political news bright and early tomorrow.
Updated
Nauru would need to consult with Australia if it plans to change laws to allow return of noncitizens to country of origin
Nauru is required to consult with Australia if it plans to change laws that would allow it to send any members of the NZYQ cohort back to their countries of origin, home affairs officials say.
At tonight’s snap two-hour committee hearing, the department said Nauru’s existing laws prevent it from sending any of the noncitizens it receives from Australia back to home countries that might place them at risk – a move known as refoulement.
The Greens senator, David Shoebridge, asked what assurances Australia had should Nauru decide to change its laws during the arrangement. The immigration head, Clare Sharp, said the deal struck between the countries required Nauru to consult with Australia on any changes to laws regarding refoulement that could affect the cohort.
Shoebridge asked whether the memorandum of understanding contained anything more than a requirement to consult.
Sharp said:
No, but the way the payment mechanisms are structured, there is a strong incentive for Nauru to maintain an arrangement that would allow Australia to comply with its international law.
Updated
