What we learned – Tuesday 26 July
That’s it for the blog today, thanks for reading.
Here are the main stories from today:
- Labor accused the Coalition of a $1bn cost blowout on a business register reform, as the 47th parliament opened.
- Scott Morrison ditched parliament’s return to speak at an event in Japan that’s not starting until Thursday.
- Milton Dick was elected speaker of the house of representatives.
- The Albanese government bolstered its climate bill to woo teal independents, but Greens leader Adam Bandt said its target was still weak.
- The nation recorded at least 100 Covid deaths and more than 45,000 cases.
- The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, came under fire over new documents revealed during the inquiry into John Barilaro’s New York trade role.
- No foreign interference was detected in the 2022 federal election.
- Aukus will remain central to Labor defence policy, the governor general, David Hurley, said.
- A newly preselected Victorian Liberal candidate claimed schools were actively trying to change children’s gender and sexual identity, while encouraging gay and transgender students to be “really narcissistic”.
We will see you all here again tomorrow for another news-filled day!
Updated
Zaneta Mascarenhas says her story would not be possible without Labor, in maiden speech
The Labor MP for Swan, Zaneta Mascarenhas, has given her first speech on the first day of parliament, which is also her 42nd birthday. Mascarenhas spoke about the legacy of the White Australia Policy and the need for more climate action.
Building cubby houses in the bush and chasing lizards in the red dirt – that’s how I grew up. I was born in Kalgoorlie and grew up in Kambalda, a nickel mining town in WA. My dad was a metal worker and my mum a lollypop lady and kindergarten cleaner.
She noted her “Australian story would not be possible” if not for a Labor government:
When my parents went to the embassy in Kenya they said to my dad – you have the right skills but you’re the wrong colour. This is because the White Australia policy was still in place. My parents came to Australia after Gough Whitlam dismantled the last parts of the White Australia policy. This story taught me two things – politics is personal … and that politics can transform lives.
Mascarenhas spoke about her career as an engineer (in “steel-capped boots on a mine site”) and her work on climate change, helping ASX200 companies decarbonise.
While I am proud of what some parts of the resource sector has done, I must stress that this is not uniform. Smart companies are looking at their climate risks and opportunities over the next three decades. This includes looking at value chains and scope 3 emissions. For us to achieve our goal of well below two degrees of warming, we need all sectors of the economy to pull their weight.
Mascarenhas noted the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, which she labels “unnatural disasters” because they are partly caused by human-induced climate change.
It’s clear that we’re at a stage where both climate adaptation and mitigation are required. But the less we mitigate, the more costly it will be for us to adapt. I know that Australian people in disasters step up, support each other and show resilience – but just like an elastic band, there is a breaking point. We need proactive action.
Updated
