MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
Former PM Malcolm Turnbull has been massaging the relationship with France’s disgruntled PM Emmanuel Macron, the SMH ($) reveals, after his successor Scott Morrison’s French leave from the submarine deal. The ever-charismatic Turnbull lobbied Macron to create a French-Australian think tank that’d work on bilateral foreign policy, and it worked: Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and French counterpart Catherine Colonna announced the Australia-France Indo-Pacific Studies Program earlier this week. Turnbull said he was “delighted” but said it’d be years before the relationship was back where it was pre the diplomatic bulldozer. In Europe’s eyes, “we are totally wedded to the Anglosphere”, he said, and no “kiss and make up” is going to fix that.
Meanwhile an investigation has found that 162 public servants have acted dishonestly or without integrity in the past 12 months (no word on whether that retroactively included Morrison) and 870 have acted corruptly, Guardian Australia reports. The Australian Public Service Commission’s report, which was tabled in Parliament, also found 29 public servants didn’t avoid conflicts of interest. It’s just days after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said it had received more than 2,100 complaints in six months, though it’s passed on three-quarters of them (1,532) because they didn’t fit the bill. Meanwhile Parliament’s Joint Committee on Law Enforcement has urged Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to investigate the treatment of undercover cops, The Age ($) reports, including their use of old technology and their lack of security and support.
STORMY STATE
Queensland’s union movement will protest outside the “tower of power” — Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office — that her government hasn’t introduced laws to decriminalise sex work yet like it promised, The Australian ($) reports. Controversial Greens lord mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan will be there today too, but for a different reason: a snap rally to call for the premier to scrap the $3 billion Gabba rebuild for the Olympics, The Courier-Mail ($) reports. Sri says the Liberal-National Party objects to it as well, and besides, the International Olympics Committee says it’s not necessary — so why is the government wasting money on this right now, as the cost of living and the cost of housing soars?
Meanwhile the devil works hard but News Corp works harder at the story of Palaszczuk resigning or being voted out as party leader — she’s repeatedly said she’ll lead to the next election in October 2024, but the paper claims the party is all torn up about whether Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman should replace her. The Courier-Mail’s headlines the past three days: Annastacia Palaszczuk leadership pressure, ‘Autocracy’: Premier’s ex-mentor calls for leadership rule change and ‘Call a spill’: Labor stalwart’s stunning attack on Premier (whether they mean surprising or attractive is a distinction I’ll leave to you). However, her popularity has dipped (34% to LNP leader David Crisafulli’s 39%), the Brisbane Times reports.
DEFAME AND FORTUNE
Brittany Higgins volunteered to give evidence in former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against the Ten Network and Lisa Wilkinson because she “would not let my rapist become a millionaire for being a rapist”, Guardian Australia reports (Lehrmann has always denied her allegation he raped her at Parliament House and the charge against him was dropped amid concern for Higgins’ health). Higgins reiterated in court yesterday that she was willing to go through a second trial (the first was thwarted by juror misconduct) and the decision to discontinue it was out of her hands. She revealed the Commonwealth paid her $1.9 million for her personal injury claim after it concluded there had been a “failure of a duty of care”, the first time we’ve learnt the figure.
We’ve also learnt exactly how much the Seven Network is coughing up a fortnight for Lehrmann’s rent in his ocean-view apartment on Sydney’s northern beaches — $4,000. That’s according to court documents, the ABC reports, which show Seven agreed to pay it for a year — so that’s $104,000 in total the network will pay for his interviews. It might also be noted that Seven agreed to this while many working in media were aware, but could not report on, the fact that he was charged with two counts of rape in Toowoomba, though Lehrmann strenuously denies those allegations. Hey, speaking of defamation — exiled Liberal MP Moira Deeming has made good on her threat to sue Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto, Sky News Australia says, lodging her claim in court. She’ll allege Pesutto implied that she knew white supremacists and neo-Nazis had links to a Let Women Speak rally she spoke at, as SBS reported.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
An escaped female kangaroo in Canada has punched a cop in the face after he pulled her tail. A true feminist hero. The four-year-old Aussie girl has spent the past fortnight enjoying a hot girl autumn in Toronto while police officers have been scouring the city to find her. As a fellow expat in Canada, I like to think Ms Roo has been partying with Drake, who is frequently spotted in Toronto’s clubs, sneaking into the stands of icy Maple Leaf hockey games, and perhaps even enjoying a spot of legal weed as a strict herbivore. She’s usually a resident at a Toronto zoo but escaped while she was being transferred to a new home in Quebec with her adult kids. Truly brings a new meaning to the phrase “mums gone wild”.
A guy named Paul Rellinger said he was driving his kid to school on a normal morning when he saw a deer on the road. Wait, he said — deers don’t hop — “That’s a kangaroo!” he exclaimed to his bewildered son. He pulled over and quickly dialled emergency services, starting his phone call with the words “I swear I’m not crazy, but…” Local police finally tracked her down on a farm outside the city, with officers surrounding the gal while being coached by kangaroo handlers on the phone. C’mere, one rather handsy and impatient cop figured, and grabbed her by the tail. Staff Sgt Chris Boileau said she responded by slogging him square in the face. “It’s something that he and his platoon mates will be remembering for the rest of their careers,” he told CBC.
Hoping you don’t let anyone get away with crossing your boundaries today either.
SAY WHAT?
Woodside condemns unlawful acts that threaten the safety of any member of the community going about their work and daily lives.
Woodside spokesperson
Rather incongruous considering the fossil-fuel giant is considered Australia’s biggest contributor to the rapidly warming climate that is placing nearly every person on earth at risk, and its latest project would — by its own estimate — spew 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of 10 years of Australia’s total carbon pollution. But the activists, Woodside says.
CRIKEY RECAP
“But it’s not all play. These are study tours. When you’re not roughing at Tel Aviv’s more agreeable restaurants with the bubbly lass from the Information Ministry, there’s a lot that your ever-attentive escorts can help you study in a week. We’ll spend a morning at the kibbutz and then you’ll want to see the view from Temple Mount. After that, lunch and a snooze before drinks with the deputy foreign minister …
“Bevan [Shields, SMH] assured the Australian Jewish News, ‘Israel’s story is more than just about conflict, there’s an incredible success story.’ Ben [English, The Daily Telegraph] proclaimed that ‘if there was tension I didn’t sense it. Jerusalem’s shops and streets bustled with activity.’ Who knew? David [Lipson, ABC], getting still deeper into the weeds, thought that the Palestinians were ‘too tribal … too self-defeating to be able to find a pathway forward.’ “
“Crikey asked the editors of more than a dozen Australian news outlets for their policies on whether reporters and journalists are allowed to go on such trips — and if such policies existed, if disclosures in their work are required. Crikey also asked if in light of the conflict’s re-escalation had they reconsidered their internal policies.
“The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Guardian Australia, Seven Network, Nine Network, The West Australian, News Corp executive editors, Sky News, The Australian and news.com.au did not respond, in some cases despite multiple requests. The ABC said it ‘does not give approval to ABC employees to accept offers of travel of this kind’, but did not respond to questions about a trip to the region by then-political editor Chris Uhlmann in 2010.”
“Amazon immediately announced last night a sports channel as part of its Australian service, beIN SPORTS (that’s not a typo), which will be available for $14.99 a month, but the new cricket events will be available on the existing Prime Video channel for current subscribers.
“To give an idea of the cost to Amazon, in January, Seven and Foxtel reportedly paid $1.5 billion for the rights to one-day internationals, Big Bash League and Test cricket (Nine has the rights to the Ashes series here and in England). In August, Disney paid US$3 billion to secure the Indian rights to ICC tournaments. Amazon first acquired sports rights for its Prime service in April 2017 when it signed a US$50 million deal for the non-exclusive rights to stream portions of the NFL’s Thursday night football coverage.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Qatar emir condemns ‘genocide’ in Gaza, urges ceasefire at [Gulf Cooperation Council] summit
(Al Jazeera)
Nikki Haley wants to reform social security and Medicare. Donors are paying attention (CNN)
US breaks record for most mass shootings in single year after weekend murders (The Guardian)
Apple warns India’s EU-style charger rules will hit local production target (Reuters)
‘Huge risk’ of terrorist attacks in the European Union, home affairs chief warns (euronews)
COP28: Record number of fossil-fuel delegates at climate talks (BBC)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Peter Dutton’s rhetoric is nothing like his border protection record — Abul Rizvi (The New Daily): “Most Australians would be surprised to learn that while Dutton was Home Affairs minister, Australia experienced the biggest labour trafficking scam abusing the asylum system in our history. In 2017-18, about 67% of the all-time record number of asylum applications in that year were from Malaysian and Chinese nationals with an approval rate close to zero. It was a scam that Australia will be dealing with for years to come as most of these people are still in Australia, either at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or living in the community without a visa and rights.
“Dutton allowed creation of a shadow community in Australia of people extremely vulnerable to exploitation, particularly by the people who trafficked them to Australia. The cost of dealing with this scam, including the unscrupulous people (read criminals) who organised the scam, will be huge. At the same time, Dutton allowed a massive reduction in immigration compliance activity. Dutton created the ideal environment for criminals to exploit Australia’s visa system. The recent report by Christine Nixon lays bare Dutton’s failures on border protection. Sadly, few Australians will remember Dutton’s failures on border protection. They will remember Dutton’s rhetoric and fearmongering on border protection.”
COP28 certainly knows how to draw an odd crowd — Joel Fitzgibbon (The Australian) ($): “Despite its proven role in reducing emissions, nuclear generation is another sector in the crosshairs of activists. But their tactics on nuclear are more sinister. Despite the industry’s maturity, its safety record, and the substantial contribution it makes to global electricity generation, the activists continue to run scare campaigns. It’s little wonder the World Nuclear Association’s COP pavilion has an Australia focus this year. Despite being a major provider of the uranium ore other countries generating nuclear energy rely on, we are one of the few wealthy nations that continues to reject zero-emissions nuclear generation. For the more rational at COP28, this remains a source of bemusement.
“They understand nuclear generation would face hurdles in Australia. Is it price-competitive? Will it attract investors? Community support? And as an industry starting from scratch, the approvals and construction timelines would be long. But we don’t with any certainty know the answers to these questions because Australia has a legislative prohibition on the generation of nuclear power, a relic of Senate legislative wheeling and dealing on another subject matter many years ago. A decision to lift it would not produce any benefits for our energy security or cost-of-living pressures in the short term. But it would demonstrate to the decision-makers who sit at COP negotiating tables that we are serious about meaningful action on climate change.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Eora Nation Country (also known as Sydney)
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The University of Sydney’s Margaret Sankey will give the 2023 Sonia Marks Memorial Lecture at the Social Sciences Building.
