What we learned, Wednesday 3 March
That’s where I will leave you for today. Here’s what we learned:
- The attorney general, Christian Porter, revealed he is the cabinet minister at the centre of an historical rape allegation. During a long and emotional press conference, Porter emphatically denied the claims saying: “Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened.”
- Porter said he would not step down as attorney general, but will take a period of leave. Asked whether there should be an independent inquiry into the claim, Porter said it was “for other people to determine”. But, he said that he would not know how such an inquiry would proceed.
- The New South Wales sports minister John Sidoti resigned from his position and announced he would move to the crossbench after the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption announced it would hold public hearings into his property developments.
- The Australian economy grew by 3.1% in the December quarter as the domestic recovery from the pandemic-induced shock consolidated. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it was “the first time in recorded history that Australia has seen two consecutive quarters of economic growth of more than 3%”.
- Former senator David Leyonhjelm’s bid to overturn a $120,000 defamation bill owed to Sarah Hanson-Young was dismissed by the full federal court. The Greens senator said the decision sent “a timely and critical message that women deserve to be safe and respected in our workplaces, in our schools and in our communities”.
- Both NSW and Victoria announced no new cases of the Covid-19 virus. It marks the 45th day in a row with no new cases in NSW.
- Rio Tinto’s chair, Simon Thompson, announced he will leave he company, saying he is “ultimately accountable” for the mining company’s decision to blow up ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara.
Updated
AAP reports that expert forensic evidence helps prove convicted killer Susan Neill-Fraser suffered a “significant miscarriage of justice” that warrants a retrial, her legal team argues.
The Hobart woman is serving 23 years’ jail for killing partner Bob Chappell, who disappeared off the couple’s yacht moored on the River Derwent on Australia Day 2009.
She launched a second appeal against her conviction after a judge decided there is fresh and compelling evidence in the case. In closing submissions on Wednesday, Neill-Fraser’s lawyer Chris Carr SC referenced a report from forensic expert Maxwell Jones provided at an earlier hearing.
There is a significant possibility that the jury would have delivered a different verdict if the evidence of Jones had been before it.
The DNA of then-homeless teenager Meaghan Vass was found aboard the Four Winds yacht. Vass on Monday told the court she was on the boat the night of the murder and saw a fight between Chappell and other men.
However, she sensationally recanted her story on Tuesday, agreeing that she was “hounded” and “threatened” by people to say she was there. Neill-Fraser’s lawyers have abandoned her evidence, despite earlier calling Vass the crucial witness.
Crown prosecutor Daryl Coates SC said Jones’ report is not substantial, not fresh and could not have led to the possibility that Neill-Fraser would have been acquitted.
He noted the DNA of Vass was swabbed from the boat four days after the 26 January murder. At least 21 people including a repairman, insurance assessors, civilians, police officers, Neill-Fraser and her family had been on the vessel during the time in between, he said.
Coates said a significant part of Jones’ report was “more favourable” to the Crown and “strongly supported” the conclusion that the DNA had been put on the boat a few days before it was swabbed.
The three-judge panel has reserved its decision and could decide to dismiss the appeal, order a retrial or quash the 2010 conviction.
Updated
If you’re interested, here’s the full statement that attorney general Christian Porter read out before taking questions at his press conference earlier this afternoon:
New South Wales MP John Sidoti has issued a statement confirming he will move to the crossbench after the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption said it would hold a public inquiry into his property dealings.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier said Sidoti had resigned as a minister.
State MP John Sidoti confirms he will remove himself from the Liberal Party and sit on the cross-bench for duration of ICAC investigation. Says he "absolutely rejects the allegations." pic.twitter.com/GJlsJVinMg
— Lucy Cormack (@LucyCormack) March 3, 2021
Updated
Here’s our article on Australian of the Year, Grace Tame’s address to the National Press Club, in which she rebuked prime minister Scott Morrison for his rhetoric and handling of sexual assault claims that have engulfed his government.
Updated
Good afternoon.
The South Australian coroner, David Whittle, has just released the following statement.
He’s determined that the information provided to him by SA police over the June 2020 death of the woman who had made rape allegations against Christian Porter was “incomplete”.
This was particularly evident having regard to information contained in recent media reports.
He says the cause and circumstances of the woman’s death “are under investigation”, and that he will make a decision on whether to hold an inquest once that investigation is completed “to my satisfaction”.
Statement from the SA Coroner: "Whilst SAPOL has provided information to me, I determined that the investigation is incomplete. This was particularly evident having regard to information contained in recent media reports." pic.twitter.com/r5AN3IldT2
— casey briggs (@CaseyBriggs) March 3, 2021
Updated
It has been another rough day in a series of them.
And I wish I could say that things will get better tomorrow, but we all know it is going to be rough for a while.
Please take care of yourself. And tread carefully with what you say – there is a lot of emotion here, but it doesn’t take away from the legalities.
I’ll be back on the blog when parliament resumes – Matilda Boseley will be back with you tomorrow morning for the daily blog, to keep you all informed on the daily happenings.
And right now, you have Michael McGowan to take you through the evening.
Please take care of you.
Updated
Meanwhile, in Queensland.
QLD is used to being picked on by others. We saw this many times last year, even though our response remains one of the best in the world. Our response is safe, measured & sensible. That’s what QLDers expect. Our vaccine rollout approach is no different. This is not a race.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) March 3, 2021
Updated
Sexual assault researchers and victim advocates have labelled comments by the defence force chief as “dangerous” after he told first-year cadets they should avoid alcohol and going out alone while being “attractive”, so as not to become a target for sexual predators.
The backlash from the Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy, as well as Australian of the Year and victim advocate Grace Tame, follow the defence force’s defence of Angus Campbell’s comments, which were made to the Australian Defence Force Academy and not delivered specifically to female cadets.
Campbell has just sent out a statement, addressing the accusation that his comments placed the onus of responsibility for preventing sexual assault on women:
The Australian Defence Force Chiefs and I have zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour. I recently referenced current events in the media regarding allegations of sexual harassment and assault in a speech I gave to Australian Defence Force Academy trainee officers. In my speech I aimed to ensure that all trainees were aware of how seriously Defence takes these issues.
Considering incidents that have affected military personnel in my years of service, my intent was to raise awareness and challenge the group to do what they can to mitigate risk and take action if they witness unacceptable behaviour
I am aware that my comments have been interpreted by some in a way that I did not intend. There is never an excuse for perpetrating sexual assault or sexual harassment and the perpetrator is always to blame
In my speech I reinforced the importance of the trainee cohort coming together to build a community that works in support of everyone, establishes trust in one another, and ultimately for that group to build a strong network of friends and colleagues who look out for each other
I acknowledge the importance and power of language in addressing systemic inequality and continue to be informed by the experiences of Defence personnel as we seek to ensure that the ADF is a workplace where all personnel can thrive.
The ADF and ADFA continue to implement a program of cultural reform including ensuring victims feel safe to report sexual misconduct and have access to support services.”
Updated
Moving to a different issue for a moment.
Updated
I know there are a lot of questions – we are doing our best to answer them – but there are still legal implications to this issue. It’s a process, and something which requires careful tiptoeing to protect all of us – you included.
Take care with your social media posts.
Updated
The Greens party leader, Adam Bandt, has also repeated his call for an independent inquiry:
Christian Porter’s press conference would have been extremely difficult for survivors of sexual assault.
— Adam Bandt (@AdamBandt) March 3, 2021
It doesn’t resolve this very serious matter for the cabinet, the government & the country.
The PM must call an independent inquiry & stand the AG aside while it takes place.
Sarah Hanson-Young, still speaking to the ABC on the events of the last few weeks:
I’m very aware and alert to the fact that we had Grace Tame at the Press Club today calling on those of us as leaders in our communities, in the parliament, to do better in our response to sexual assault and rape, to do better at listening to women and children when they dare to speak up.
And I think there is a real sense out there in the community that issues like this need to be taken much more seriously. And the prime minister, after receiving this allegation, didn’t even bother to read it.
Updated
Sarah Hanson-Young, speaking to the ABC, on the need for an independent inquiry:
I don’t think we want a culture in this country where it is just blame and name. I don’t think that is helpful.
But we don’t need to talk about hypotheticals.
What we have here is a very specific allegation. A very serious one. One that has been put directly on the prime minister’s desk. He needs to make a judgement.
And in order to do that he needs to avail himself of all of the information that is out there, that has been given to him.
And I think an independent review, an inquiry is really the only way a prime minister could properly inform himself as to whether the men that sit around his cabinet table are fit to be there.
Updated
Speaking to the ABC, the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says she understands it is a complicated issue, and she understands Christian Porter’s need to take some time off.
However she also says there still needs to be an independent inquiry.
It is not to replace some type of other legal process, it is because this question still hangs over one of the heads of Scott Morrison’s ministers.
Christian Porter absolutely and categorically denies all of the allegations and says it “never happened”.
Updated
Given it was raised, here was what Scott Morrison said on Monday, when he was asked about the allegations, and when he spoke to the minister named in the allegations.
Christian Porter has identified himself as the minister named in the allegations and he has denied all of them, saying they did not happen, at all.
This was from Morrison, on Monday 1 March:
Q: [inaudible] Sorry can I just clarify, you haven’t actually read through these documents yourself, given the seriousness of these allegations, why haven’t you read [inaudible]?
Scott Morrison:
I’m aware of the contents of them. I’ve been briefed on the contents of them. And it was appropriate, as the commissioner himself advised all of us in the parliament, to refer any allegations to the proper authorities. That is the way, in our country, under the rule of law things like this are dealt with. And it is important to ensure that we uphold that. That is the way our society operates. Now, these are very distressing issues that have been raised, and as there are other issues that have been raised in relation to other members and other cases. But the proper place for that to be dealt is by the authorities, which are the police. That’s how our country operates. That system protects all Australians.
Q: So you won’t be ordering an inquiry on this?
Scott Morrison:
I’m not the police force. I have given it to the police to investigate.
Q: When, when did you first hear about the letter last week?
Scott Morrison:
Wednesday, evening.
Q: Wednesday. And you spoke with the minister [inaudible]?
Scott Morrison:
Wednesday evening.
Q: And AFP commissioner?
Scott Morrison:
Wednesday evening.
Q: And had you heard about these claims at all before last week?
Scott Morrison:
No, not really of any substance, no.
Q: What had you heard if not of substance?
Scott Morrison :
Only rumours of an ABC investigative journalist making some inquiries. That’s all I’d heard. I didn’t know the substance of them.
Q: Did you know who it was about when you heard those rumours or when you heard vaguely about [inaudible]?
Scott Morrison:
I tend to not pay attention to rumours.
Updated
Michaelia Cash will be the acting attorney general in Christian Porter’s absence.
Updated
There is a lot in there.
The key points are:
- Christian Porter denies all of the allegations.
- Christian Porter denies having sexual relations with the woman, in any way.
- Christian Porter says he has not read the allegations [as outlined in the document], and only knows what has been published in the media.
- Christian Porter says he could not come forward earlier, due to the NSW police investigation.
- Christian Porter said he will not be standing down from his role as attorney general.
- Christian Porter says he has the support of the prime minister and his colleagues.
- Christian Porter will take leave to address his mental health.
Updated
Christian Porter leaves the press conference. Journalists are still shouting questions at him, but he does not engage.
Q: What are your recollections of her?
Christian Porter:
I remember her as a bright, happy person. I don’t dispute anything that her friends would say about how they recollect to.
Q: You have said the recollection was strongly held, could your recollection be flawed by your own perception?
Christian Porter:
I will finish by saying I have read did not happen.
And to suggest that they could be forgotten, is ridiculous, they just never happened.
Updated
Q: Just to clear up that timeline, the prime minister said he wasn’t aware of these allegations until Friday afternoon? You said Wednesday.
Christian Porter:
Did I say Wednesday? [My recollection] it was Wednesday after a cabinet meeting.
Q: You said you heard rumours about, can you tell us about that?
Christian Porter:
There was a very old friend of mine, whom I had dinner with, and she had said to me, that a group of people were spreading a rumour, that I had in some way offended against the person, 33 years ago, but, like rumours are, it was just in the vaguest terms.
Q: Will you be paying personally for your defamation order?
Christian Porter:
You are assuming a course of action I just haven’t fully contemplated.
Q: How does this affect your way you see your role in public life in the future?
Christian Porter:
One of the reasons why I’m going to take a couple of weeks off, and I’m not ashamed to say seek some support and assistance, if something like this happens to you, that you never in a million years expect, I’m sure it will change my views on a whole range of things.
Updated
Christian Porter says he was first aware of the allegations in November 2019.
Q: Was there a time you spent alone with this person, are you prepared to admit that?
Christian Porter:
It’s not impossible, I have never been in the person’s room.
I did read that as part of the material, and I recall, it sparked a memory, there were four of us, three boys, and this person whose name I can’t even say because of the situation we are in.
I don’t think any of us had ever ironed a shirt, and I recall, she showed us how to do it, I remember that.
Q: That’s a very specific time you remember, you don’t remember having any kind of relationship with her?
Christian Porter:
It’s because I didn’t.
Q: She ironed your shirt for you she claims you said she would make a wonderful wife someday?
Christian Porter:
I don’t remember that specifically but it is not impossible that that was said.
Q: Are you going to begin defamation proceedings?
Christian Porter:
Over the last week so much has been said of every imaginable type, some of the stuff online is just, just incredible. I will look at it all.
Q: Why do you think this woman came up with such an elaborate lie?
Christian Porter:
People ... I don’t, I don’t know, what her circumstances were. I don’t know.
...I couldn’t answer that question, what I know about the person, what I have read, I don’t know about her life, what challenges she faced, or anything like that, I hadn’t seen or heard or had contact in 33 years.
Updated
Q: Can you survive the court of public opinion?
Christian Porter:
I’m not commentating on survival or politics, I’m simply saying to you all, that I did, just did not happen.
Q: You have the support of the prime minister? What advice did he give you?
Christian Porter:
Sorry, what is the question? I spoke to him last Wednesday, the prime minister had received the letter that was circulated and has been put to the AFP, he explained he received that, I’m not where he went into that letter, his office didn’t give me detail, he sent it to the AFP, we had a discussion about it, it is obviously a distressing situation, he acknowledged that, but, the discussion wasn’t...
Q: Did he give you advice as to how to proceed?
Christian Porter:
He said he had received this material. I actually think that someone had put to him that the material had been sent, and his office had look to see if it had been received, I went to his office at his request, and he said that he had received the material, that I was the subject of it and it had gone to police.
Updated
Christian Porter says he has not seen the complaints, or the documents, and has had not spoken to the NSW police.
Q: They [your colleagues] will continue to support you, personally?
Christian Porter:
You will have to ask my colleagues...if this is the new standard in [parliament] and cabinet [that someone] resigns because there is allegation against them no matter how serious, if allegations force a resignation, I’m not sure anybody in any position of authority, think this is a standard they should be put to.
Q: Did they encourage you to come forward and do you have the full backing of the Prime Minister?
Christian Porter:
I spoke to the Prime Minister this morning and [he gave] that full backing, I asked for a short period of leave so I can assess where this is at.
Q: When did use first speak to the Prime Minister about these allegations?
Christian Porter:
I spoke to the Prime Minister about the allegations on Wednesday.
Q: Did he show the detailed letter provided?
Christian Porter:
[No] That was with the AFP.
Q: How do you do your job while these allegations are untested?
Christian Porter:
I will take a couple of short weeks leave just for my own sanity. I think I will be able to return from that and do my job, but those questions, I feel in myself I can do my job, and I’m no different from the person doing the job two weeks ago.
Q: Does the Attorney General need to be beyond approach?
Nobody is beyond an allegation, if you could just imagine, I know that we are all cynics, and this is a hard and tough and fast environment, but just imagine for a second, that it is not true that for every, for whatever reason, the recollection and the belief which I’m sure was strongly held, is just not true, just imagine that for second [it is not true]
Christian Porter again denies all the allegations, which he again says he has only read about.
He says his colleagues are standing by him.
Christian Porter:
Having run trial after trial after trial about serious matters, helping victims, women and children, every absolute effort has to be made to take allegations seriously, to pursue them through the court process and it is an arduous gruelling process and I did that on their behalf, but equally the other side of that process is there is rights and there are circumstances where someone might absolutely believe something, but it might not be a reliable account.
That is actually why we have a justice system. It is why we have courts and the presumption of innocence and burdens of proof. That is why we do these things in that process and not like this.
Updated
Christian Porter says he has never been subject to any allegations of this nature before.
He is asked if he has asked anyone to sign a non-disclosure agreement and says no.
Q: In her statement to the lawyer, the claimant said that the incident in question happened on 9 January, 1988 in her room at Sydney University. What do you recall of the events of that night?
Christian Porter:
First of all, I have never seen that statement. No-one has provided it to me. I have never been asked on it before. It was a long time ago. But I can just say to you that the things that are written and said to have happened, wherever they have said to have happened, that is first time they have been put, that it happened in someone as room, they just didn’t happen.
Q: There is a photo of the two of you sitting at the formal dinner that night. Do you remember that dinner?
Christian Porter: I am sure there was a formal dinner that night. I am sure that is the case. We were a group of people who were going out debating during the day, going out to functions and things at night. I am absolutely sure there would be such a photo.
Q: In her statement, she says that you and she and a group of others had been out to dinner. You went dancing at the Hard Rock Cafe. Do you recall that as your [recollection]?
Christian Porter:
That may well have been the case.
Q: You don’t remember that?
Christian Porter:
It was 33 years old are ago. I remember two evenings that week. One was a night with - at one of the colleges with bowls of prawns which sticks in my mind. I do remember a formal dinner and going out dancing sounds about right.
Q: No sexual involvement, with anybody on that trip?
Christian Porter:
No.
Q: You said it was 33 years ago, you don’t remember the details.
Christian Porter:
Could I have forgotten?
Q: Could you have forgotten?
Christian Porter
...the things that have been printed. Could I have forgotten or misconstrued the things that I have read, which are said to have occurred? Absolutely not. They just didn’t happen.
Updated
Q: You say that you are innocent and these allegations came as a surprise to you. Why wouldn’t you support an independent inquiry that cleared your name?
Christian Porter:
These are just for other matters, other people to determine whether or not there should be such a thing. What would I say in front of that inquiry? What would that inquiry ask many to do?
To disapprove something that didn’t happen 33 years ago. I honestly don’t know what I would say to that inquiry. Of course I can’t.
I of course I can’t.
Q: You are not just any public figure, you are the first officer of the land, the Attorney-General. Would you not step aside so Australians can have faith in the legal system?
Christian Porter:
I think that in the statement that I have given you, I have tried as best I can to address why I think that would be the wrong course.
Because it would mean in this hyper-politicised world that we have that any allegation would basically mean if it weren’t resolved through a court process to some group satisfaction, that the person has to end their life and their career.
Q:Are you saying that... A very specific allegation has been made and you are saying that there is no truth in it at all. The very detail...
Christian Porter:
It is exactly what I am saying. All I have by way of the allegations is what I have literally read the same things that you would have read. They just didn’t happen.
Q: No journalist or media organisation put those specific allegations to you at any time?
Christian Porter:
Never.
Q: You said sexual harassment allegations made against Dyson Heyden were serious and as an Attorney-General you asked your department to investigate the matter. Dyson Hayden denied the allegations. Do you accept the nature of the allegations made against you, though you denied them, are so grave and serious, especially as your position as the First Law Officer of the Commonwealth that they warrant an independent investigation?
Christian Porter:
I can only say that these are decisions [for other people]
Obviously, I can’t make that decision because I am the subject of the allegation. But the difference between what occurred in the investigation of Dyson Haydon , I think, they were workplace bullying matters relevant under the relevant health and safety law to conduct an inquiry.
You are talking here about a civil determination of a criminal allegation on presumably the standards of balance of probabilities where I would be asked to disprove something that just didn’t happen 33 years ago. So, if that happens, I couldn’t succeed to disapprove something.
Q: Would you like to see an independent inquiry as a chance to clear your name?
Christian Porter:
The Dyson-Heydon matter was about workplace relations accusations, which were contemporaneous required by health and safety laws. I don’t know what it would achieve.
Other people will be the judge of this.
But, it would be the first time in Australian history that a public figure or anyone effectively is put on trial in circumstances where they would be required to disapprove something that didn’t happen 33 years ago.
If that happened to me, all I could say is what I have said to you today, that it just didn’t happen.
Q: What are your memories of the woman who was involved. ...What was the relationship with her?
Christian Porter:
I didn’t say I remembered it very well. I remembered it as a happy time. It was 33 years ago. I remember the person as an intelligent, bright, happy person, but I haven’t had had any contact with this person at all since 1988.
Q: What was your contact with her then?
Christian Porter:
There were four of us on this team. We were friends. We hung out together.
Q: Were you in a relationship?
Christian Porter:
No.
Q: Were you ever alone, the two of you?
Look, I just - I don’t think so. We did what normal teenagers would do. There were groups of people...
Q: In the last 33 years, have you been in touch with anyone, whether the victim or her friends or family, about these allegations?
Christian Porter:
I guess it is what - it is so staggering to me that this was circulating out there and no-one ever raised it with me.
Q: When was the last time you had [communications] with the complainant?
Christian Porter:
That week, I would think in early January in 1988.
Q: Since then, have you ever asked anyone to contact her on your behalf?
No.
Christian Porter says it is for other people to determine if there should be an independent investigation.
The attorney-general says he did not have sexual relations with the woman who made the claims.
Q: Is your defence here that you didn’t sleep with the alleged victim or it was consensual?
Christian Porter:
I did not sleep with the victim. We didn’t have anything of that nature happen between us.
Q: What does that say about the allegations? This has been fabricated?
Christian Porter:
I can’t talk to you about the allegations. I can say to you all, it didn’t happen. But I can’t criticise or mount a defence or cross-examination someone. I am just not going to do that to the family of this poor woman.
Q: These accusations have been put against you, so you have to have a defence here. Why have these allegations been put against you?
Christian Porter:
I don’t know the answer to that question...I can only say to you it didn’t happen. Others will trawl over this, I am sure. The media, in politics. As I say, I have conducted trial after trial myself, but I can’t give you that explanation.
Updated
Christian Porter says he will be taking some time off:
I have discussed with the Prime Minister today that after speaking with my own doctor I am going to take a short period of leave to assess and hopefully improve my own mental health.
All of my life I have just pushed through, but for the many caring family and friends who have asked me that question over the course of the last week, “Are you OK?” I have got to say my independence answer is I really don’t know.
I am not ashamed to say that I am going to seek some professional assessment and assistance on answering that question over the next few weeks before I go back into the field of my doubts and resume the role of Attorney-General, minister of industrial relations and Leader of the House
Christian Porter will not stand down as attorney-general
Christian Porter:
Before politics, I was a Crown Prosecutor.
I worked in and believed in our justice system and I still do.
As a prosecutor for years, I helped victims.
I prosecuted in trial and at sentence the most serious sexual assaults against women and children.
That was my job before politics. I always did so, trying to respect the rights of the people who were refused, but I always gave everything that I had to doing right by the victim in the often traumatic process of the justice system.
I have given the bulk of my adult working life to public service and the law. I have given absolutely everything I had in the tank over the last year to our government, which has been desperately trying to help the country out of the worst crisis in its modern history.
If I stand down from my position as Attorney-General because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, then any person in Australia can lose their career, their job, their life’s work based on nothing more than an accusation that appears in print.
If that happens, anyone in public life is able to be removed simply by the printing of an allegation. Every child we raise can have their lives destroyed by online reporting of accusations alone.
My guess is if I were to resign and that set a new standard there wouldn’t be much need for an Attorney-General anyway because there would be in rule of law left to protect in this country, so I will not be part of letting that happen while I am Attorney-General and I am sure you will ask and I will state to you, I am not standing down or aside.
Christian Porter said he has been subject to a ‘trial by media’ by certain media outlets.
Perhaps another difference (between him and the then leader of the opposition, Bill Shorten) is that I have never had any kind of formal or substantive detail or any detail at all about this matter of what was actually being alleged.
Nothing like that has ever actually been put to me.
Up until last week, central to both our justice system and Australian journalism, was that in reporting, just like in the justice system, it was always a basic foundation or point that at the very least anything resembling a fair process, the accusation would feed to be put to the person being accused.
Before last Friday, all I can say is that I had heard, think about November last year a rumour being spread by a small number of people that I had somehow offended against someone decades ago in a way that was never specified to me.
Something that I am just personally struggling to even wrap my head around is that all of this has happened and I have never been contacted in any substantive form by anyone putting to me the details of what appears is now being alleged against me.
No-one put anything in any detail to me seeking a response. None of the senior politicians or ex-politicians that have known about these allegations and rumours put them to me.
No journalist has put the detail of the allegations to me in a way that would allow seeking a response, not ever. All I know about the allegations is what I have read in the media.
Christian Porter is crying as he reads this statement out.
He said he followed the rules and said nothing while NSW police process was underway.
A very difficult part of following those rules, was that my colleagues have become the target of allegations and speculation themselves.
My colleagues are my friends.
And I’m deeply sorry to ensure that I follow the rules.
I did precisely the same thing, the former opposition leader did and I’ve waited for the police to conduct and conclude the process that they apparently had on foot. I make no criticism of the former opposition leader, I now understand what he went through.
He also followed the rules and he did difficult thing asked of all of us, by law enforcement authorities.
"Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened.
Christian Porter:
Prior to last Friday’s story in the ABC, no one in law enforcement, or the law or politics or the media ever [put] any specific allegations to me at all.
I was aware, over the last few months of a whispering campaign.
Had the accusation ever been put to me before they were printed, I would have at least been able to say, the only thing that I can say, likely the only thing that I’m ever going to be able to say.
And that’s the truth.
And that is that nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened.
Even now, the only information I have about the allegations, is what has been circulating online and in certain media outlets.
Christian Porter:
I just wanted to start by saying something to the parents who are grieving for the loss of their adult daughter.
I only knew briefest periods. [We met] at debating competitions, when we were teenagers about 33 years ago, I was 17, years old, and I think that she was 16 years old.
And in losing that person, your daughter, you suffered a terrible loss.
And you did not deserve, the frenzied politicisation of the circumstances of your daughter’s death for the past week.
I have thought long and hard about the implications for you of what I feel that I need to say today.
And I hope that whatever else happens, from this point that you understand that in saying today that the things that have been claimed to happen did not happen that I do not mean to impose anything more upon your grief.
But I hope that you will also understand that because what is being alleged did not happen, I must say so publicly.
Christian Porter media conference begins
The attorney-general says he will make a statement and then answer questions.
The press conference has not begun as yet.
There is not a lot we can say in it’s lead up (as I am sure you understand) but we will go live as soon as the press conference starts
If you need help at anytime, please remember you can call 1800 RESPECT or Lifeline on 13 11 14
Comments are closed because we are dealing with very sensitive legal matters.
I’ll be reporting what the minister says, when he makes his statement.
A reminder though, that social media is a publishing platform.
Hello everyone. Amy Remeikis with you here.
I’ll take you through the press conference we are all waiting on, and what follows.
I know this is a tough day. Be gentle with yourselves.
I will leave you there but political reporter Amy Remeikis is taking over to bring you all the important updates over the next few hours.
In a rare move, the Australian Federal Police will release a series of images extracted from child abuse material in the hopes the public maybe be able to help solve a number of cold cases.
The pictures have been carefully chosen and do not show confronting content. Instead, they will include pieces of clothing or bedding.
They have been published as part of the “Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object” project launched on Thursday.
The victims are believed to be in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, and AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said investigators are distributing the images in the hope someone will recognise them.
If you recognise an object and any details about its origin, be it from a shop, location or time period, please report it via the ACCCE website. You can do so securely and anonymously.
No clue is too small. Your small tip could be the information we need to rescue a child from significant harm.
Europol launched a similar initiative that has so far led to the removal of 10 children from harm and the arrest of three offenders.
Updated
New Zealand records third day of no local Covid-19 cases
For the third straight day, health officials have reported no new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, reports AAP.
Around 1.7 million Aucklanders are currently in a lockdown designed to contain a new outbreak of the virus.
While three successive days without community transmission was undeniably good news, Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins said on Wednesday it was still too soon to “breathe any kind of sigh of relief”.
We’re still in the critical period where we’re wanting to see all of the test results of all of the relevant close and capable contexts come back.
Hipkins announced progress towards vaccinating NZ’s 12,000-strong border workforce, saying 9,431 workers had received their first Pfizer vaccine dose.
New Zealand has received three shipments of the vaccine, totalling 200,000 doses.
But, unlike Australia and many other countries, Jacinda Ardern’s government is yet to make clear to all Kiwis where they sit in the queue for vaccinations.
Border workers and their families are in the first tranche and are currently receiving their jabs. Frontline workers - such as GPs, paramedics and pharmacists – in the broader health workforce will go next.
On Sunday, Ardern announced South Auckland – the centre of two outbreaks and the region closest to the country’s functioning international airport – would be the first area of the general population to go.
Updated
Some banana crops have been wiped out as Cyclone Niran intensifies off the far-north Queensland coast.
Niran was expected to become a category three storm within 24 hours and while it was not expected to cross the coast, gale-force winds stripped banana trees, leaving farmers in despair.
Niran was on Wednesday a category two cyclone sitting 335km north-east of Cairns, packing sustained winds of 100km/h, gusting to 140km/h.
A warning for gale-force winds was current from Cape Melville, north of Cooktown, to Innisfail, south of Cairns.
You can read the full story below:
We have just heard from attorney general Christian Porter’s office that he will hold a press conference at 3pm AEST.
#auspol pic.twitter.com/4mgtZe9Zid
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) March 3, 2021
Updated
Police divers are gearing up to search for the remains of alleged con woman Melissa Caddick in waters just metres from her home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, reports AAP.
Officers are assessing the conditions off Dover Heights to determine if they can safely enter the water on Wednesday.
The area to be searched is just a couple hundred metres from the Wallangra Road home where the alleged fraudster was last seen alive.
Caddick vanished the day after corporate watchdog Asic executed a search warrant at her luxury Dover Heights home on 11 November.
Liquidators say the 49-year-old mother “meticulously and systematically” deceived those who entrusted millions of investment dollars to her over seven years, then used the money to fund her lavish lifestyle.
The search comes a day after police confirmed a chunk of stomach flesh found at Mollymook on the NSW south coast does not belong to Caddick.
Thus far police have only found Caddick’s badly decayed foot, which washed up south of Tathra on 21 February.
Updated
Grant Hehir, the auditor general who uncovered the politicisation of the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant program, has just told an inquiry into his agency that he’s never met the prime minister, Scott Morrison.
Hehir seems unfazed – he says he “did not believe I’ve had an occasion to request such a meeting” – but Labor’s Julian Hill seems to be working it up into an argument that Morrison didn’t do enough to consider Hehir’s request for more funding.
Asked if he’d received a response to his request for extra funding, Hehir said:
The budget, to some extent, but no other response. No response to the letter.
Hehir also gave comments endorsing the Australian National Audit Office becoming a parliamentary department, on par with the Parliamentary Budget Office. Currently, the auditor general is an independent statutory position and his ANAO reports to parliament but is overseen by the prime minister’s department.
Hehir said:
[The move] more appropriately positions the ANAO with respect to its role – which is to provide audits to parliament. And it would make us more at arm’s length from the entities we audit, which are overwhelmingly part of the executive. It would improve the perception of independence – if we are viewed as a government entity auditing a government entity, we may not be seen as impartial. We’d like to avoid that.
You’d be surprised how often we hear from agencies, they think we’re an internal auditor rather than external auditor for the parliament. That’s not healthy.
Updated
Obviously, there was lots and lots to be said at Grace Tame’s national press conference event, but I just wanted to go back share this small exchanged that occurred towards the end.
Journalist:
When the prime minister responded to [allegations of rape against a Liberal staffer], he used the phrase “as a father”. And he had to have a chat with his wife Jenny before he was able to front the media and speak. What do you make of that and what do you make of the rhetoric and the way he handled those allegations?
Tame:
It shouldn’t take having children to have a conscience.
And, actually, on top of that, having children doesn’t guarantee a conscience.
Updated
Just so you know we are still waiting on an official time for the press conference where we are expecting to hear from the cabinet minister facing an allegation of raping a woman in 1988.
It’s expected to be some time this afternoon, so notionally will be within the coming hours.
When he does step up it’s expected he will identify himself, refute the claims and answer questions from the media. The prime minister has said the cabinet minister vehemently denies the allegations.
NSW police yesterday said they were unable to investigate the matter further given that the woman who made the accusation has since taken her own life.
Just a reminder if you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
Also as a blog reader pointed out to me if you are LGBT or are worried about an LBGT you can also consider calling QLife who’s workers are trained in queer issues, their hotline on 1300 659 467.
In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org.
A reporter has asked Grace Tame how she found and reclaimed her voice after being groomed and assaulted.
Like I said in my speech, I’m very lucky in that I’ve always been surrounded by love. I got a beautiful family and friends. And that’s – you know, that unconditional love has been my strength and will always be my strength.
But I actually I suppose found my voice out of anger as well. A very necessary anger that helped overcome my fear...
I had been up until this point submissive and not really shown any resistance because as a survivor, you learn that showing resistance will only lead to more pain. I had been silent. And then, a sort of strange thing happened where my anger surpassed my fear and terror of this man.
I knew I wasn’t his first victim. And I have always been motivated by a want to protect other people and to help and educate. And I realised that I had the potential to stop this thing in its tracks.
And I confronted him in his office, the last words I ever spoke to him, “I think you’re a monster and I hate you for what you have done to me and what you have done to my family, and what you have done to your family”.
And then I reported him to police.
Updated
Two returned travellers in the ACT test positive to Covid-19
Authorities say two men who have recently returned from overseas to Canberra have tested positive to Covid-19.
Both, a man in his 40s and a teenager are in hotel quarantine.
These individuals are not known to have previously had Covid-19 overseas.
However, the weak positive results suggest these infections could be historical overseas acquired infections.
Prolonged shedding of virus fragments, is known to happen intermittently for up to several months after a person is no longer infectious.
Updated
The comments from defence chief Angus Campbell’s comments suggesting first-year cadets should avoid being alone, drunk and attractive to ward off sexual predators have been raised at the Press Club.
Grace Tame has been asked if “someone like that should hold a position of power?”
Look, I’m not judge, jury and executioner, but that’s not helpful rhetoric at all.
That feeds the idea that this is something that a victim has to foresee and stop themselves, [as] if they’re to blame. And that is really unhelpful.
Updated
Guardian Australia political reporter Amy Remeikis is asking a question now:
Remeikis:
You spoke of actively listening to people’s stories and to survivors and again, we all thank you very deeply for sharing yours, it makes it easier for us to share ours. I know the trauma of carrying that, I know there would be many, many women ... and men in this room, and watching this broadcast, who understand that. ...
Telling your story ... You have seen that person’s own story amplified at times above yours. How do we combat that? When we have leadership and power and all of those other structures continuing to place one side above a voice, telling a very traumatic tale, and then we get it reduced to he said, she said?
Tame:
Again, we keep encouraging and empowering survivors. It’s that simple. That’s where we need to redirect our support and our sympathy, our empathy.
Remeikis:
Would you say you have been disappointed with some of the dialogue we have heard over the last month?
Tame:
I would say not surprised. It’s a culture.
Updated
Grace Tame has been credited with helping reignite the conversation surrounding sexual assault in Australia.
Tame was asked if anything in recent weeks has made her hopeful.
Yes. People coming forward. People finding the courage to speak out. And it’s about solidarity. You know, there’s nothing more empowering than empowering others.
The more we come out and speak about this, the more the conversation will be normalised.
Updated
Tame has urged Australians to focus on three key areas to help protect children from sexual assault:
Number one, how we invite, listen, and accept the conversation, and lived experience of child sexual abuse survivors. You have heard me say it before, it all starts with conversation.
Number two, what we do to expand our understanding of this heinous crime, in particular, the grooming process, through both formal and informal education.
Number three, how we provide a consistent national framework that supports survivors and their loved ones, not just in their recovery, but also to disempower and deter predators from action.
Tame has pointed out to the media the dangers of retraumatising survivors by carelessly asking them to repeatedly tell their stories.
I would like to take this particular opportunity to directly address the media with a constructive reminder – the need for which has become starkly apparent to me this past month.
Hosts, reporters, journalists, I say to you – listening to survivors is one thing – repeatedly expecting people to relive their trauma on your terms, without our consent, without prior warning, is another.
It’s sensation. It’s commodification of our pain. It’s exploitation. It’s the same abuse...
Just because I’m being recognised for my story doesn’t mean it’s fair game anywhere, any time. It doesn’t get any easier to tell. I may be strong, but I’m human, just like everyone else.
By definition, truths cannot be forced. So grant us the respect and patience to share them on our own terms, rather than barking instructions like ‘take us back to your darkest moment’, and ‘tell us about being raped’.
Updated
It took ten years for Tame to be able to publicly share her story:
I connected with ground-breaking fellow survivor and journalist, Nina Funnell, I needed to raise awareness and educate others about sexual abuse and the prolonged psychological manipulation that belies it.
After months of recounting, re-traumatising details, tirelessly transposed by Nina, we discovered we were barred from sharing them by section 194K of Tasmania’s evidence act, that made it illegal for survivors of child sexual abuse to be identified by the media, even after turning 18, even with their consent.
Nina created the Let Her Speak campaign to reform this law. We were then joined by 16 other brave survivors who lent their stories to the cause. The law was officially changed in April last year, almost 10 years to the day from the beginning of my story.
Updated
Tame has spoken about how the trauma of her assault continued after her abuser was released from jail:
It was when the perpetrator was released after serving 19 months for abusing me, correction, maintaining a sexual relationship with me as a 15-year-old, and then spoke freely to the media about how awesome it was, I realised we had this all around the wrong way.
Add the fact this man was awarded a federally funded PhD scholarship to the only university in my state. My mother was studying there. She soon dropped out of because of his presence. In fact, he was put in student accommodation.
Despite multiple reports to police by fellow students of his predatory behaviour, and once again convicted and jailed for his vulgar public comments during his PhD tenure, he was eventually awarded a doctorate.
After all this, it became quite obvious to me why child sex abuse remains ubiquitous in our society, while predators retain the power to get what they want, to objectify their targets through free speech, the innocent, survivors and bystanders alike, are burdened by a shame induced silence.
Updated
Grace Tame became the Australian of the Year after she fought for the legal right of sexual assault victims in Tasmania to speak out publicly about their abuse.
As a teenager she was groomed, assaulted by her teacher and has spoken about the effect that abuse had on her at the Nation Press Club today:
When I reported him to police, they found 28 multimedia files of child pornography on his computer.
As for the lasting impact of and manipulative grooming and four months after the abuse, I effectively defended him in my statement. I was terrified he would find out I betrayed him and he would kill me. He was two years in jail for maintaining a sexual relationship with a person under the age of 17. Repairing myself in the aftermath of all this was not a simple, linear undertaking.
For every step forward, there were steps back and to the side, and some almost off the edge. I saw counsellor after counsellor. But I also abused drugs, drank, moved overseas, cut myself, threw myself into study, dyed my hair, made amazing friendships, got ugly tattoos, worked for my childhood hero, found myself in violent relationships, practised yoga, even became a yoga teacher.
I starved, I binged, and I starved again. One of the toughest challenges on my road to recovery was trying to speak about something we were taught is unspeakable. I felt completely disconnected from myself and everyone around me.
Updated
Sorry just before we jump into that, here is a statement from Glady Berejiklian on the resignation of sport minister John Sidoti over an anti-corruption investigation from NSW ICAC:
The premier said:
Following this morning’s announcement from the Independent Commission Against Corruption that it is investigating the member for Drummoyne, John Sidoti, I contacted him to seek his resignation as a Minister and he has duly resigned.
Acting Minister for Sport, Multiculturalism, Seniors and Veterans Geoff Lee will remain responsible for those portfolios until I make further announcements at a later time.
Updated
Australian of the year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame is speaking now at the National Press Club.
I’ll bring you parts of her speech but just remember if you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14, and in an emergency, call 000.
International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org.
Updated
Frydenberg has turned attention to jobkeeper, suggesting the strong GDP results is an indication that the Australian economy will be able to stomach the withdrawal of government pandemic supports:
What is particularly pleasing in today’s numbers is that as our emergency support is tapering off, the private sector is stepping up.
In the December quarter, direct economic support from the federal government halved, yet at the same time, the economy grew by 3.1% – 320,000 new jobs were added – and 2.1 million Australian workers graduated off jobkeeper.
Updated
Frydenberg says Australia’s economy is leading the global recovery:
Australia’s performance on the health and economic front is world-leading. With our economy outperforming all other advanced economies in 2020.
While the United Kingdom contracted by 9.9%, Italy 8.9%, France 8.2%, Canada 5%, Japan 4.8%, the United States 3.3%, Australia was only down by 2.5%.
This is an achievement that all Australians have contributed to, and all Australians can be proud of.
(I’d be interested to see how New Zealand fits into this though.)
Updated
Australia's economy bouncing back, says treasurer
We briefly touched on before the new GDP figures were out, and surprisingly were kinda good news!
Well, the federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking about these numbers now:
Today’s national accounts show that the Australian economy is strengthening, and the Morrison government’s economic recovery plan is working.
In the December quarter, Australia enjoyed economic growth of 3.1%, significantly beating market expectations of 2.5%. This is the first time in recorded history that Australia has seen two consecutive quarters of economic growth of more than 3%.
The Australian economy has recovered 85% of its Covid-induced fall, six months earlier and twice as fast as we expected in last year’s October budget.
Updated
The deputy chair of the audit committee, Julian Hill, has been grilling the prime minister’s department about why the auditor general did not get a bailout in the 2020-21 budget despite asking for extra funding.
Asked if Scott Morrison ever responded, the assistant secretary, Peter Rush, replied it was a submission in the budget process (so the response was in the budget).
Instead of a bailout, the budget papers show the agency’s resources fell from $112m to $98m. Rush said “there has been no budget cut, there was an application of the efficiency dividend which reduces funding over the forward estimates”.
After a string of questions about whether Grant Hehir’s request was considered, Hill said it “sounds like it was given no consideration at all”.
He cites the fact the PM didn’t respond to the letter, the department didn’t include a request for funding in a budget submission, and Rush can’t remember giving any advice about it.
Rush said:
The application of efficiency dividend applies to ANAO as it does to most agencies.
Updated
Counter-terrorism police in Victoria have charged one of the leaders of an Australian neo-Nazi group with assault after an alleged attack on a Channel Nine security guard.
Victoria police have confirmed that detectives had charged 27-year-old Thomas Sewell with affray, recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault after he was arrested along with one other man on Tuesday night.
He has been granted bail to appear at the Melbourne magistrates court on 27 July.
You can read the full story here:
Western Australia’s police chief wants new legislation to enable a permanent police presence on the state’s borders, including stronger vehicle search powers, reports the AAP.
Police commissioner Chris Dawson says he will seek support for the tough new measure from whoever is elected at the 13 March poll.
It comes after premier Mark McGowan flagged the continuation of some border controls beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both have highlighted a dramatic fall in methamphetamine importation as a result of the hard border restrictions. Police are currently only able to search vehicles for drugs or other items if they have reasonable suspicion of criminal behaviour or a warrant.
Dawson told Perth radio 6PR on Wednesday he is not seeking unfettered powers but wants to target known drug trafficking routes, saying police have seized nine trucks, almost $50m and “a whole stack of meth” over the past six months.
I’m not saying we want to live in a police state. We want to live in a state where we can actually wipe out drug traffickers...
It would mean that we would not have to jump through as many legal hoops. It would give my officers the power to stop the vehicles that we want to stop without jumping in front of a whole legal minefield and saying ‘we know these people are doing it’.
Travellers crossing the border at Eucla and Kununurra are already subject to vehicle checks to prevent them bringing in fresh fruit and vegetables.
I’m not saying we stop absolutely every vehicle ... But if we can refine the powers similar to what we do to protect the state for biodiversity ... why would we not want to stop meth coming in?
Updated
The parliamentary inquiry into the Australian National Audit Office continued today, with a focus as usual on its resourcing level that is set to see performance audits fall from 48 a year to just 36.
One interesting line of questioning to the finance department came from Liberal Paul Scarr, who asked about possible cost savings from having a properly funded audit office.
Nathan Williamson replied that the finance department “doesn’t directly cost those” savings. The department looks at how agencies respond to audits, but the “benefits that would flow to an extent do accrue to the agency”, he said, and that would be “part of the incentive for them” to adopt recommendations.
Scarr noted it’s not just implementing recommendations, but also fear of the prospect of being audited that drives savings.
Williamson said he would not offer a view on whether the ANAO needs to be “well-funded” to achieve that but agreed that the potential for it to undertake an audit is “certainly something agencies need to be aware of and factor in”.
So there you have it – the government seems to know the cost but not the value of its audits.
Updated
Morrison speak with US vice-president Harris
Climate change was one of the topics raised during a phone call between Scott Morrison and the US vice president, Kamala Harris.
The White House has released a statement on the call, which occurred on Tuesday US time, saying that the pair “reaffirmed the strength of the US-Australia alliance”.
The US statement mentioned climate policy first, but also flagged that the challenge posed by China and the military coup in Myanmar (also known as Burma) were part of the call.
There were few details provided, though:
The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed opportunities for further cooperation on global and regional challenges, including those posed by climate change, China, Burma, and other regional issues.
They also agreed on the importance of working together, alongside other allies and partners, on promoting economic recovery from the pandemic and advancing democratic values globally. The Vice President and Prime Minister pledged to further U.S.-Australia cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Morrison’s office subsequently issued a readout saying the pair had “a wide-ranging chat” and they had “discussed strengthening our very strong alliance even further, including in security, trade, climate change, and energy technology”.
The PM and Vice President discussed responding to the health and economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific including through the Quad, working with our partners in ASEAN and in the Southwest Pacific, our shared interests in relation to China, concerns about the situation in Myanmar, and doing more together in multilateral organisations.
Updated
I’ll post this a few times today given the topics covered in a lot of today’s news, but worth remembering:
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.
In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org.
Australian economy up 3.1% in December quarter
New from the ABS. The Australian economy rose 3.1% in seasonally adjusted chain volume measures in the December quarter. Through the year, GDP fell 1.1% #auspol
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) March 3, 2021
Updated
Good lord there is a lot happening today!
Scott Morrison has definitely had a busy morning fitting in a phone call with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Political reporter Daniel Hurst will bring us a full rundown of the call soon.
Readout of @VP Harris' call with Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP 🇺🇸🇦🇺
— US Embassy Canberra (@USAembassyinOZ) March 3, 2021
View the full readout here: https://t.co/0Av6v2oJyo pic.twitter.com/bNObiNAwcu
NSW sport minister resigns due to ICAC investigation
Glady Berejiklian has just announced that NSW sports minister John Sidoti has resigned from his position due to an ICAC investigation into Liberal MP John Sidoti’s property developments.
I had a chance to speak to Mr Sidoti and he has offered me his resignation from [the role of sports minister].
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, announced a short time ago it will hold a public inquiry into Siodti as part of the investigation.
They will probe allegations Sidoti used his influence improperly to advance developments around Five Dock, in Sydney’s inner-west, between 2011 and 2018.
Sidoti stood aside as NSW sports minister in September 2019, after ICAC began investigating and has now officially resigned.
It is expected that the public ICAC inquiry will last for four weeks.
Updated
NSW marks 45 days with no Covid cases
There have been no locally acquired Covid-19 cases in NSW for the 45th day!
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, the 45th consecutive day without a locally acquired case.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) March 3, 2021
Six new cases were acquired overseas, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,000. pic.twitter.com/gvRqwROM6C
Updated
Labor’s assistant shadow treasurer, Andrew Leigh, has been on Sydney radio contrasting the government’s attitude towards companies that got jobkeeper and welfare recipients it pursued in its unlawful and botched robodebt scheme.
At Leigh’s request, auditor general Grant Hehir is investigating the administration of the $100bn job subsidy scheme, and yesterday Leigh asked for the probe to be extended to touch on stevedore Qube, which got $30m in jobkeeper.
On ABC radio Sydney’s brekkie show, Leigh said companies that have handed the money back after their fortunes improved should be given credit.
But the bulk of Australian firms haven’t handed it back, and they haven’t received the pressure to do so because the treasurer hasn’t come out and been clear about how the jobkeeper scheme operated...
In terms of the government, we gave Josh Frydenberg extraordinary latitude to tweak jobkeeper where it wasn’t working as intended. But he hasn’t used that at all to prevent money flowing to shareholders and executives. He’s been as silent on this as the government was noisy about robodebt, clawing money out of the hands of social security recipients in an illegal approach.
Updated
Attention at the Albanese press conference has now turned to the historic rape allegation levelled against a (currently unnamed) cabinet minister in the Liberal government.
Albanese has been asked if he thinks the minister should stand down:
Quite clearly, this woman told multiple people, including people in public life, but also her friends that she wanted an investigation of this. It is very clear [the government] are pretending that this will go away, it will not ...
It is very clear that, in my mind, that this will require further leadership and action ... and I await the statement by the minister involved, the presumption of innocence is a critical part of our legal system but now that the existing legal processes have been unable to proceed, certainly in terms of NSW police, I think people will be looking for further responses beyond any statement that might be made today by the minister.
He said he was disappointed in the prime minister’s response so far.
I was very disappointed by Scott Morrison’s statement yesterday where he said that he hadn’t read the documentation that was forwarded to him by the woman who was at the centre of the allegation who then took her own life by her friends.
He then also said, essentially, that he had spoken to the minister and that he believed the minister. That stands in stark contrast to what Scott Morrison said in May of 2019. About the need to believe people. Who come forward.
The prime minister has stated that the accused minister vehemently denies the allegations levelled against him.
Updated
Albanese has criticised the comments of Defence chief Angus Campbell when he instructed first-year cadets to avoid being alone and attractive to ward off sexual predators.
[We need to] to change the behaviour of men. Women aren’t the problem here and their behaviour and going out at night; [we] need to change the behaviour of men in all facets of society.
Sexual violence is a scourge in our community and men have to take responsibility for changing their action and in terms of leadership, right throughout the community, people should feel safe.
People should be able to go out at night and engage in the activity that people, including young people, will engage in, whether young women or men, on an equal basis.
Updated
Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese is speaking now about this week’s aged care royal commission:
It is just not good enough. It is like a tiger chasing its tail here. There has been some money put back in but that is only because so much money was cut by Scott Morrison. We end playing catch-up ever since. The aged care reforms that were put in place by Mark Butler as the minister back in 2013 were dismantled by this government. The government needs to do much better.
Updated
And there we have it - there will be no overlap between the Grace Tame press club speech and the minister’s press conference today.
The Minister accused of historical rape will stand up AFTER the Tame press club address today. Mid arvo and before #afternoonbriefing #auspol
— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) March 2, 2021
Are poison-packed drones the answer to eastern Australia’s mouse plague? A really interesting read here from Natasha May:
A Queensland farmer has been given approval to fly drones in New South Wales that drop poisoned bait to deal with a worsening mice plague.
The end of the long-running drought has been good for farmers, but brought with it mice that feed on grain spilled and left behind during harvesting.
Roger Woods, a Queensland farmer and founder of Drone Commander Australia, which offers drones for agricultural purposes, has just received approval from the NSW Environment Protection Authority to operate in that state.
“I would call it an ongoing low-level mouse plague, and that’s what’s making it really resilient,” Woods said. “Normally when you have a mouse plague they breed so much, and in confined spaces, disease tends to transfer.”
You can read the full report below:
Updated
Oh my gosh, it’s a morning of announcements, isn’t it!
Former small business minister Bruce Billson has been appointed the news small business ombudsman.
Former Liberal MP Bruce Billson is the new Small Biz Ombudsman pic.twitter.com/yb7VDQ2vU6
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) March 2, 2021
Updated
Rio Tinto chair to step down due to Juukan Gorge blasting
Rio Tinto’s chair, Simon Thompson, has announced he is leaving the company because he is “ultimately accountable” for the mining company’s decision to blow up ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara.
He will not stand for re-election at next year’s shareholder meetings, Rio said in a statement.
Thompson’s decision follows a series of executive departures linked to the Juukan Gorge debacle.
Chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques, head of corporate relations and iron ore boss Chris Salisbury all announced their resignations in September.
“I am proud of Rio Tinto’s achievements in 2020, including our outstanding response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a second successive fatality-free year, significant progress with our climate change strategy, and strong shareholder returns,” Thompson said.
“However, these successes were overshadowed by the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters at the Brockman 4 operations in Australia and, as chairman, I am ultimately accountable for the failings that led to this tragic event.”
Senior independent directors Sam Laidlaw and Simon McKeon will act as joint chairs while the company looks for a permanent replacement.
Separately, non-executive director Michael L’Estrange will retire after this year’s AGM. The company said he needed to reduce his workload following “significant surgery”.
Updated
The boss of Nine’s streaming service Stan Mike Sneesby has been appointed chief executive of Nine Entertainment, Australia’s biggest media company.
Sneesby replaces Hugh Marks who is stepping down next month after five years.
Nine chairman Peter Costello is speaking now at a press conference.
The board and I have every confidence that, under Mike’s leadership, Nine will be able to maintain the significant momentum it has built. Mike is well placed to continue to drive Nine’s transformation as a digitally led business which is actively adapting to meet the contemporary media consumption habits of Australians...
I also want to pay tribute to the remarkable tenure of Hugh Marks, who in 2015, inherited a legacy television business with a market capitalisation of around $1.3bn.
Through the combined strength that came from the Nine-Fairfax merger, our current market capitalisation has grown to just over $5bn. This is a remarkable turnaround and Hugh has my sincere thanks and gratitude for his work. His time as CEO has seen Nine make a number of key strategic decisions, which not only redefined Nine but changed the wider media landscape in Australia.
Sneesby, a favourite of the television side of the business, beat the candidate from the old Fairfax Media arm Chris Janz, who runs the digital division at Nine.
Costello has denied there is any tension on the Nine board over the appointment of a successor to Marks, despite reports of a rift in the company’s own newspapers.
He said Marks was not at the press announcement because he will in hospital suffering for an unnamed infection. He had been in hospital for several days and had missed several investor briefings.
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Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson to step down
This just in: Rio Tinto’s chairman Simon Thompson will step down from the company’s board. More coming soon.
Rio Tinto's chairman and a director are stepping down in April, over the Juukan Gorge disaster. Chairman Simon Thompson and former top public service Michael L’Estrange will step down ahead of the company's AGM next month.
— Sabra Lane (@SabraLane) March 2, 2021
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Mike Sneesby named as new Nine CEO
Stan CEO Mike Sneesby has been appointed the new head of Nine.
The long-time telco-industry executive has headed the streaming service for the last seven years, which is also owned by nine.
The boss of Nine’s streaming service Stan Mike Sneesby has been appointed chief executive of Nine Entertainment, Australia’s biggest media company. Peter Costello denies a rift on the board over the choice.
— amanda meade (@meadea) March 2, 2021
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South Australia upper house ticks off abortion changes
South Australia is the latest Australian jurisdiction to formally decriminalise abortion, after the state’s upper house ticked off new laws, reports AAP.
The passage of the Termination of Pregnancy Bill on Tuesday came after the lower house in February passed the legislation 29 votes to 15.
It was then sent back to the upper house for final approval, which has now occurred.
Under the changes, abortion will be treated as a healthcare issue, not a criminal one, in line with other states including Victoria, Queensland and NSW.
It can be performed by one medical practitioner up to 22 weeks and six days gestation.
After that time, a medical practitioner can only perform an abortion if they consult with another practitioner and if both are of the view that the procedure is medically appropriate. Those circumstances could include if a life is at risk, if there’s a serious foetal anomaly or a serious risk to a patient’s physical or mental health.
Advocacy group Fair Agenda said the bill was an important step towards ensuring everyone could access the healthcare they needed, when they needed it and where they needed it.
A patient might need to end a pregnancy for any number of deeply complex and personal reasons.
The bill was subject to a conscience vote in both houses, with MPs opposed to the legislation successfully securing a number of amendments.
These included a ban on sex-selective abortion and a requirement every patient be provided with information about counselling, regardless of their situation.
This leaves Western Australia as the only still uses criminal law to regulate abortions.
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An Australian citizen facing potential extradition from Morocco to Saudi Arabia was detained just hours after meeting his newborn child, his wife says.
The wife of Dr Osama AlHasani – a dual Australian and Saudi citizen – has also raised fears about his welfare and says the family is confused about the precise nature of the accusations against him.
AlHasani, 42, is expected to face court in Morocco on Wednesday, having been detained shortly after he arrived in the country on 8 February.
You can read the full report below:
So just in terms of the press conference where we are expecting to hear from the minister facing historic allegations of the rape of a woman in 1988, where he will identify himself, refute the claims and answer questions from the media ... it looks like it will be in the afternoon now, but there is still no set.
Worth noting that Australian of the Year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame will be speaking at the National Press Club at 12.30pm. There obviously might be no overlap but it will be interesting to see how this is navigated by the ABC if they have to choose which to broadcast.
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#breaking The full federal court has DISMISSED David Leyonhjelm's appeal against $120K defo bill owed to Sarah Hanson-Young in a 2-1 decision. #auspol #auslaw
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) March 2, 2021
Things appear to be fairly heated in the Victorian parliament when it comes to the extension of the government’s state of emergency powers.
Health minister Martin Foley has spoken this morning criticising opposition members “who have been quite aggressive in their social media commentary”.
Words are bullets. If you fire aggressive words then what you’re doing is authorizing some quite inappropriate behavior
Health Minister @MartinFoleyMP says there’s been some disgraceful and violent abuse and trolling of MPs over how they voted on SoE. Says some MPs need to not inflame this kind of behaviour. Calls for calm.
— Richard Willingham (@rwillingham) March 2, 2021
Defence chief queried over assault advice
Here’s a bit more on Australia’s top military officer coming under fire for suggesting first-year cadets should avoid being alone and attractive to ward off sexual predators, via the AAP.
The Canberra Times reports that Defence chief Angus Campbell told trainee officers to avoid the “four As” - alcohol, out after midnight, alone and attractive.
Labor frontbencher Kristina Keneally told Sky News the implication was that women were responsible for avoiding rapes:
Let’s be clear – women are never responsible for not being raped. Men are responsible for not raping women.
Keneally urged Campbell to reflect on his “clumsy language” and consider how to improve his communications.
The defence department defended General Campbell’s remarks in the Canberra Times, despite criticism from sexual assault support groups.
In his view, being aware of the four As – young attractive people, noting the entire class fell into this risk factor, alcohol, after midnight and alone – enabled the group to recognise and mitigate the threat posed by abusive or predatory individuals.
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State funeral for Michael Gudinski
Daniel Andrews says legendary Australian music promoter Michael Gudinski will be given a state funeral after he died in his Melbourne home on Tuesday morning.
#BREAKING: State funeral for music legend Michael Gudinski. Premier @DanielAndrewsMP visited his wife Sue last night who accepted the offer. pic.twitter.com/UR5a5e6lmD
— James Bird (@JamesBirdTEN) March 2, 2021
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Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has been speaking about this announcement this morning.
His government started doubling down on mental health investment in last year’s budget, which is part of the reason it has started acting on the report’s recommendation so quickly:
We are not wasting any time on this. We have already funded and are in the process of delivering on each of the nine recommendations made from the very first report, and we’ll tick off each and every one of the recommendations, the 65 that came to us yesterday, in a methodical way.
This investment is critical. Its time has come. This momentum is undeniable and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we possibly can to give to our dedicated staff the facilities, the budgets, the support they need to in turn change lives and save lives.
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On the Victorian mental health care system rebuild, the state government will fast-track the creation of six new adult mental health services hubs.
Creating more “front door” service centres available to the public was one of the key recommendations of the fairly damning royal commission report into the state’s mental health system, and these are expected to the first of 60 new hubs to be created.
The government says the centres are expected to be up and running by the end of 2022.
The Victorian government are fast-tracking six mental health priority sites across the state. The royal commission into mental health has recommended up to 60. More to come via @AAPNewswire pic.twitter.com/MHuEQdhkdL
— Benita Kolovos (@benitakolovos) March 2, 2021
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Sure this isn’t TECHNICALLY Australian news but Dolly is a global treasure so I reckon this still warrants a post.
The legend herself has now gotten the jab!
Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/JMPQb6zJWd
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021
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The NSW Liberal party has unanimously adopted a new code of conduct that will govern the behaviour of members, in the wake of multiple scandals.
The NSW party executive voted to endorse the code, which has been in development since at least 2019.
President Philip Ruddock said a lot of work had gone into developing the new code:
By implementing a robust framework governing behaviour and a complaints resolution process [it will] ensure that behaviour that falls short of the standards set out in the Code is dealt with appropriately.
There is no doubt that harassment and assault are completely unacceptable in any circumstances. Everyone is entitled to feel safe and no-one should have to be subjected to inappropriate behaviour of any kind.
The code includes a general preamble outlining the general standards that the Liberal party expects from all members.
It then includes a section on “unacceptable conduct,” which reads:
Discrimination, vilification, bullying, threatening behaviour, harassment, including sexual harassment, physical violence and other forms of inappropriate behaviour are unlawful under Commonwealth, and NSW legislation. Such behaviour is prohibited by the division and will not be tolerated.
As part of the reforms, the NSW Liberals will establish an autonomous conduct review committee to ensure that complaints can be dealt with promptly and confidentially.
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Victoria reports no new cases of Covid
Wooohooo! It’s a donut day once again for Victoria. I believe this is day five with no news local cases.
(The state isn’t allowing international flights in so the lack of overseas acquired cases isn’t surprising.)
Yesterday there were no new cases reported. 18,825 test results were received. Thanks for getting tested - #EveryTestHelps.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) March 2, 2021
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/y8k76Xkqla
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Cyclone Niran intensifies
Tropical cyclone Niran could be upgraded to a category three weather system with gale warnings issued for large areas of northern Queensland.
The slow-moving cyclone is about 350km northeast of off the coast of Cairns this morning and, despite moving away from land, it’s still causing gusts of up to 130km/h for the regional city.
The Bureau of Meteorology has put out a gale warning for Cape Melville to Innisfail, including Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns:
Tropical Cyclone Niran is expected to remain slow-moving off the north Queensland coast while gradually intensifying over the next 24 to 36 hours ...
People between Cape Melville and Innisfail, including Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns should take precautions.
Niran has already caused winds that knocked down power lines on Monday night, blacking out about 42,000 homes.
Two people were also saved from flood waters west of Townsville that day.
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The Canberra Times has the story today that the head of the defence force is defending his decision to warn cadets not to make themselves “prey” to sexual predators.
General Angus Campbell allegedly urged the first-year cadets to be wary of the “A’s” – consuming alcohol, being alone, being out after midnight and appearing attractive.
Unsurprisingly there has been some pretty swift criticism of these comments.
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I mentioned before that landmark survey of the Chinese-Australian community that found nearly one in five have been physically threatened or attacked in the past year because of their Chinese heritage.
Political reporter Daniel Hurst has more this morning:
Researchers from the Lowy Institute said the “dispiriting” finding showed how the Covid-19 pandemic and worsening tensions in the relationship between the governments of China and Australia were spilling over into experiences of discrimination.
The comments coincided with a senior Chinese diplomat raising alarm about the current political and media climate in Australia, with the deputy head of the embassy in Canberra arguing it was becoming “really difficult to be China’s friend in Australia” amid growing “suspicion”.
You can read the full story below:
My esteemed colleagues Anne Davies and Lisa Cox have a story that’s really worth reading today, about NSW deputy premier John Barilaro:
An agricultural group associated with Angus Taylor’s family thanked the New South Wales deputy premier, John Barilaro, for a $107,000 grant that was used to fund research to support lobbying efforts for the watering down of protections for endangered native grasslands.
At the time, in late 2016, a separate Taylor family-controlled company, Jam Land, was under investigation for illegal clearing of native grasslands, in breach of the same grassland protections. It was facing potential fines of up to $1m.
Last April Australia’s environment department ruled that Jam Land had acted illegally and ordered the company to restore 103 hectares of native grasslands, but did not order any fines. That order is the subject of an ongoing ministerial review.
The whole story is well worth a read and can be found below:
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Good morning, Matilda Boseley here and you will be pleased to hear that after riding my bike to the office, I am both out of breath and invigorated to bring you all of this morning’s news – and guys, buckle in, it’s going to be a big one.
There is a lot going on today so I’m relying on you all a little bit, if there is something you reckon I have missed or think should be in the blog but isn’t shoot me a message on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or email me at matilda.boseley@theguardian.com.
So in many ways today is a waiting game. The minister accused of a rape of a woman in 1988 is expected to identify himself today, after five days of huge public outcry for him to be named and aggressive (and legally risky) speculation gripping the internet.
New: The minister at the centre of the allegation of rape in 1988 has engaged the services of defamation lawyer Peter Bartlett, and there is a strong prospect he will make a statement tomorrow #auspol
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) March 2, 2021
He is expected to make a statement in which he is likely to declare his innocence, and take questions from the media, after engaging the services of well-known defamation lawyer Peter Bartlett.
As expected NSW police yesterday said they were unable to investigate the matter further given that the woman who made the accusation has since taken her own life.
This is what the police said:
Following the woman’s death, NSW police came into possession of a personal document purportedly made by the woman previously ...
NSW police have since sought legal advice in relation to these matters. Based on information provided to NSW police, there is insufficient admissible evidence to proceed.
We don’t have a time for when this will happen but when it starts we will no doubt push out an alert so make sure you download the Guardian News app so you get that notification.
Some other things to look out for today:
- Health minister Greg Hunt has confirmed international borders will remain closed for at least another three months, much to the dismay of the more than 40,000 Australians who remain stranded across the globe due to Covid-19.
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Nearly one in five Chinese-Australians have been physically threatened or attacked in the past year, a landmark survey has revealed, with a suggestion that worsening China-Australia political relations could be filtering down into day-to-day society.
- A nine-month extension to the Victorian government’s state of emergency powers has passed parliament with the support of three crossbench MPs.
- Acting minister for defence Marise Payne announced from next week the Australian defence force will help administer Covid-19 vaccines in aged care homes, especially in regional areas. This comes as Australia lags slightly behind on the first phase of its rollout.
- We can also maybe expect a bit more news about the planned revamp of the Victorian mental health care system after a royal commission found the current system to be a catastrophic failure, woefully inadequate and operating largely in crisis mode.
- Oh, and obviously all the Covid-19 numbers as they come! (How wild that this can now be the last dot point!)
OK, let’s get started!
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