What happened today, 22 February 2021
With that, I will leave you for the day. Here’s a recap of today’s news:
- The Victorian government will hold a royal commission into Crown Resorts Melbourne casino. The inquiry follows the tabling in NSW parliament less than a fortnight ago of a report that found Crown facilitated money laundering at its Melbourne and Perth casinos and that junket operators who brought high rollers to the facilities were linked to organised crime. Later on Monday afternoon, Crown Resorts announced that director Harold Mitchell had resigned – the fourth director departure in recent weeks.
- The federal environment department failed to investigate allegations endangered and rare Australian birds were being sold in Europe at a huge profit and instead continued issuing permits to allow more birds to be exported to a secretive German charity, an independent review has found. The investigation, by KPMG, was triggered after reporting by Guardian Australia revealed hundreds of birds, including endangered species, were exported to the Berlin on the grounds that they would be used for a zoo exhibition.
- A fourth woman has come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against a former staffer in Linda Reynolds’ office. Meanwhile, Scott Morrison would not guarantee a report into the handling of Brittany Higgins rape allegations – conducted by the secretary of the department of prime minister and his cabinet Philip Gaetjens – will be made public.
- As the nationwide vaccine rollout began today, the government denied that a vaccination event with Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese had been planned. While the prime minister was among the first to receive the Pfizer jab in Sydney on Sunday, Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt are expected to receive vaccines tomorrow in Canberra.
- The headmaster of an elite Sydney all-boys school says he is “greatly concerned and alarmed” by the number of references to Cranbrook School in a viral petition that has gathered more than 2,500 testimonies of sexual assault committed by high school students.
- Regional Express has announced the airline will cut five routes while hitting out at Qantas, accusing the national carrier of “predatory behaviour”. Flights on “marginal routes” between Sydney and Bathurst, Cooma, Lismore and Grafton, and the route between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island will be cut at the end of March, Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said.
Have a great evening, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Regional Express has announced the airline will cut five routes while hitting out at Qantas, accusing the national carrier of “predatory behaviour”.
The Rex deputy chairman, John Sharp, on Monday announced a revamp of the airline’s regional network strategy.
Flights on “marginal routes” between Sydney and Bathurst, Cooma, Lismore and Grafton, and the route between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island will be cut at the end of March.
The company said this will allow it to “stand its ground” on routes where it now faces direct competition from Qantas such as between Adelaide and Mount Gambier, Melbourne and Albury, Melbourne and Wagga Wagga, and Sydney and Merimbula.
“Rex announces it will embark on a major revamp of its regional route network in response to aggressive predatory moves by Qantas into thin regional routes serviced by Rex,” the company said in a statement on Monday.
Sharp said “the expected drag on Rex’s financial position from the losses” on the routes where it was facing competition from Qantas would “mean that Rex will be unable to continue subsidising marginal routes that we have serviced for the past 20 years”.
He pinned the decision squarely on recent moves by Qantas to beef up the services it offers to regional areas, saying it represented anti-competitive behaviour targeting Rex.
Read more:
The news media bargaining code is being debated in the Senate now. Labor indicating they haven't seen any amendments yet that might have been negotiated with Facebook.
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) February 22, 2021
The parents of a toddler who died in “excruciating pain” from severe burns after being held under scalding water for soiling her nappy have been jailed by a Queensland court, AAP reports.
Two-year-old Maddilyn-Rose Stokes would have screamed in agony as she was held under burning water by her father on 20 May, 2017, the court was told.
The water scalded her back, between her legs, and only the balls and heels of her feet escaped the steaming water.
Shane David Stokes, 33, and Nicole Betty Moore, 26, pleaded guilty to the two-year-old’s manslaughter and failing to seek medical attention in the Queensland supreme court.
Stokes, 33, admitted causing the injuries that, untreated, developed third-degree, full-thickness burns.
Refusing to seek medical help, the couple researched burns online and treated their daughter at home with aloe vera gel and bandages.
She died in hospital on 25 May after being found unconscious by paramedics at her family’s Northgate townhouse – five days after she was burnt.
Authorities found blood-soaked bandages, toilet paper and mattresses throughout the home.
“She would have been in misery and pain, unable to walk,” prosecutor Sarah Farnden told the court.
“She would have been dehydrated and weak before becoming delirious and falling unconscious before going into cardiac arrest.”
A blood analysis showed the toddler had been given anti-depressants prescribed to the father to “quieten or tranquilise” the girl before her death.
The couple sitting in the dock remained unmoved as their daughter’s catastrophic injuries were outlined in court throughout the hearing.
Stokes and Moore hid their daughter’s injuries for five days, fearing Department of Child Safety intervention after Maddilyn-Rose had been treated for severe malnutrition as a baby.
Had they sought immediate medical intervention, the toddler had a 100% chance of making a full recovery.
Updated
Facebook’s ban of news in Australia has prompted the UK’s culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, to seek a meeting with the company’s executives, according to reports.
The technology giant began removing news content from its platform in Australia last Thursday over a proposed law that would compel internet firms to pay news organisations.
The UK’s Daily Telegraph and The Times report the culture secretary will hold talks with the company this week, with the latter quoting a source as saying Dowden regards the social media company’s move as a “worrying development”.
The ban not only affects people in Australia accessing news by the country’s publishers and broadcasters via Facebook, but also their access to international news content.
Australia’s new code would create an arbitration panel to set a binding price for news in situations where Google and Facebook do not reach deals with media businesses whose original journalism they link to.
In announcing its news ban, Facebook said the proposed legislation “fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers”.
Media giant News Corp has struck a deal for Google to pay it for news, as has the Guardian, while Australian politicians debate amended legislation to create the code.
Crown Resorts director Harold Mitchell resigns
Crown Resorts director Harold Mitchell has resigned, effective immediately, the company said.
His departure follows that of fellow non-executive director Andrew Demetriou, who quit after being criticised by Bergin for reading from notes while giving evidence to her inquiry and then denying he did so.
Two other directors who served as nominees of Packer, Guy Jalland and Michael Johnston, also quit following criticism by Bergin of the billionaire’s influence over Crown.
Chief executive Ken Barton, who was also criticised by Bergin, has also resigned.
Chair Helen Coonan is currently running the company as executive chair.
Updated
The Greens are also disappointed with the way the government has handled the plans for vaccination of political leaders – a step that had been intended to build community confidence in the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, is expected to receive a jab tomorrow morning in Canberra alongside the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese. It follows Scott Morrison receiving the jab yesterday.
Greens sources say conversations were happening with the government as recently as Friday last week, and that they were of the understanding Bandt and a second member of the Greens parliamentary team would receive one at tomorrow’s event (the second invitation was apparently rescinded this morning).
Greens sources also say they had the impression it would be a leaders’ event and that everyone would be there. The fact Scott Morrison got the jab yesterday came as a surprise – although there’s understood to be nothing in writing saying explicitly that Morrison would be at the Tuesday event.
We should point out that government sources said earlier today that it was false to say there had been a plan for both Morrison and Albanese to receive the vaccines at the same time.
Government sources say the event in Sydney involving the prime minister has been arranged since 10 February.
I spoke with Prof Rhonda Stuart a little while ago who is head of infection control at Monash Health in Victoria, and was among the first Australians to receive the Pfizer vaccine this morning.
It was a powerful moment for Stuart, whose team treated the first Covid patient on 24 January last year. Stuart was pivotal in preparing the hospital for Covid and making sure patients and staff would be kept safe from infection.
She told me that an important message to get across was that it is normal to experience some mild or moderate side effects. Chills and fever are normal and in fact are a good sign because they show the body is responding to the vaccine and that it is working.
People are also monitored for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine so that any [extremely rare] more serious side effects such as allergic reaction are caught and treated.
Stuart said it was also important to note that the vaccine does not contain any live Covid. The vaccine cannot give you Covid-19, nor can it make you contagious with the virus.
“It’s really important to remind and reassure people that in no point is a vaccine actually giving you Covid,” she said.
Stuart said when she turned up to receive her vaccine, she was surprised to be the first in the state.
“We had a number of people outlined to get the vaccine and it just happened that I was first,” she said. “When I realised I was going to be the first in Victoria though I was happy to wear the hat and just promote the importance of vaccination.
“But responding to this virus has been teamwork the whole way through and I have felt such pride about working with the whole hospital service. Really all we aim to do is look after patients and staff.
“To know this work has paid off, that we’re not seeing healthcare workers sick and that we can roll out the vaccine program ... the healthcare workers are really excited. They’re just so excited today. We’ve come a long way and have lots of things to think about and be grateful for today.”
Updated
Premier Daniel Andrews was conspicuously absent from the press conference announcing a royal commission into Crown Resorts - although he is quoted in the accompanying press release.
The presser is also a bit more definite on the fate of the regulator, the VCGLR, which has been badly caught short in the entire saga.
Here’s what the Victorian government had to say about setting up a standalone casino regulator:
The government has also commenced work to establish an independent casino regulator and minister for consumer affairs, gaming and liquor regulation Melissa Horne has commissioned a review to advise on the necessary structural and governance arrangements.
The independent review will occur parallel with the royal commission and will also assess, among other things, requirements for regulation of money laundering and junket operations.
Updated
Some more on Victoria’s royal commission into Crown:
Horne says Finkelstein, who readers may remember from his 2012 inquiry into media regulation, will report back on August, which is a pretty short time frame.
Asked if the findings of the NSW review, held by former judge Patricia Bergin, are an “indictment” of the Victorian regulator, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, which has repeatedly found the Melbourne operation was fine, she hid behind the size of the Bergin report:
“The Bergen report was an 800-page report, we needed that complex legal advice, we need to understand what the commercial restraints are as well, in relation to the Victorian context, we have done that work, and the advice is the strongest possible response to it, which is calling for a royal commission,” she said.
But as reporters are pointing out, reports of rum goings-on down at Crown aren’t new - these sorts of allegations have been aired for years and years.
Asked if the government will commit to implementing all of Finkelstein’s recommendations, she dodges the question.
Updated
Victoria to hold royal commission into Crown
The Victorian government will hold a royal commission into Crown Resorts Melbourne casino, gaming minister Melissa Horne has just announced.
This follows the tabling in NSW parliament of less than a fortnight ago of a report that found Crown facilitated money laundering at its Melbourne and Perth casinos and that junket operators who brought high rollers to the facilities were linked to organised crime.
Former federal court judge Ray Finkelstein will be royal commissioner, Horne said.
She said the government would also be considering setting up a standalone casino regulator.
Updated
Thanks for taking us through the day so far Amy.
I’m Elias Visontay, and I’ll be taking you through the rest of the day.
If you see anything you think I should be aware of, you can get in touch with me via Twitter @EliasVisontay, via email at elias.visontay@theguardian.com, and Wickr at eliasvisontay.
It’s been another rough day in a series of them, but things have gone quiet in Parliament House, so I am going to hand you to Elias Visontay for the evening.
I’ll be back early tomorrow morning for more Politics Live. It is party room meeting day tomorrow, so we will bring you any progress on what’s happening with bills and policy - plus, there will no doubt be more vaccine news. And I wouldn’t imagine Brittany Higgins’s story, and the movement she has sparked, is going anywhere either.
Thank you to everyone who followed along today. I know the pre-moderation of comments has been slightly upsetting for our regular below-the-line posters – but it is for your protection as well as ours. We are all just trying to do the right thing and make sure there can be no impediments to any resulting court cases.
In the meantime, you can contact me as always here and here if you have a question, or a comment.
I’ll be back tomorrow morning – in the meantime, as always, take care of you.
Updated
If you haven’t read this piece from Clare O’Neil as yet, I recommend it:
In Parliament House, men have a greater sense of entitlement than in any other workplace I have otherwise worked in. Men don’t just dominate the House of Representatives and almost all the critical positions of power – formal and informal – in both parties. They occupy the vast majority of senior staffing roles. They strut the hallways, loll on couches, talk loudly and laugh raucously at the cafe, and take up more space in every part of the building.
There are many thoughtful, wonderful men who work at parliament. Some of the men I work with go to great lengths to ensure that the women around them are treated fairly. But Higgins’ case, and the reaction to it, shows that their values do not dominate this environment.
Parliament is a workplace where some men feel they can act with impunity – that the system will protect them from accountability. For many men, that is enough to behave inappropriately from time to time. For some men, it appears enough to commit a crime.
The AFL has appointed Professor Helen Milroy as co-chair of its National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council and the 2021 WA Australian of the year’s first task will be to consider the AFL’s review of Collingwood’s Do Better report, which found systematic racism at the club.
Milroy, Australia’s first Indigenous medical doctor and the AFL’s first Indigenous commissioner, will join Paul Briggs as co-chair of the council. The AFL is expected to release its recommendations of the review – undertaken by the AFL’s inclusion and social policy manager Tanya Hosch and the league’s general counsel Andrew Dillon – shortly.
As part of the recommendations, former player Shaun Burgoyne will be appointed chair of the AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) Indigenous advisory board, while a female player will be added to the council to provide greater insight into the hurdles facing women at community and elite level.
AFL CEO Gil McLachlan said:
“We want more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and players at every level of our game and we want more Indigenous voices leading our game and guiding our game. We can’t do that unless we are prepared to take the necessary steps to create an environment that provides not only greater opportunities but greater protection against all forms of racism and discrimination on and off the field.
“We know there is no finish line in the fight against racism and we know that we must continue to take actions at all levels of the football community.”
The health minister, Greg Hunt, wrote to the shadow health minister, Mark Butler, on 18 February regarding the arrangements for the early vaccination of several politicians from both major parties.
Here are some extracts from the letter, first reported by Sky News but which have also been seen by Guardian Australia:
“A small number of parliamentarians are proposed to be vaccinated during the first week of the rollout of vaccines to Australians to support public confidence in the Covid-19 vaccine.
The prime minister, health minister and one additional government parliamentarian will receive early Covid vaccines.
To mirror this arrangement, I invite the opposition leader, shadow health minister and one additional opposition parliamentarian to receive an early Covid-19 vaccine.”
The letter also urged Labor to “please work with [name] in my office to arrange the timing and an appropriate site for the vaccinations”.
As we reported earlier, government sources say it’s false to say there had been a plan for both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese to receive the vaccines at the same time.
The letter does not explicitly say that they will receive it together, but Labor had been of the belief that that was the plan.
You will see the letter talks about plans “to mirror this arrangement” with the opposition.
Updated
Mike Bowers was in the Senate for question time today:
Updated
The headaches today just keep on coming, don’t they.
Updated
The former Liberal MP for Dunkley, and former small business minister Bruce Bilson (he was dropped from the ministry following the leadership spill which saw Malcolm Turnbull become prime minister and did not contest the 2016 election) will replace Kate Carnell as the small business ombudsman.
A Coalition controlled committee found he should be censured for failing to declare he was employed and paid by a business lobby group before he quit the parliament.
Bruce Billson to replace Kate Carnell as Small Business Ombudsman https://t.co/DKRgMNLxyx w/ @ronmjm
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) February 22, 2021
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong is getting irritated in the Senate. “One wonders about the purpose of question time if ministers are allowed to obfuscate in this way,” Wong notes, after Linda Reynolds has declined again to engage with specifics.
The questions relate to when Reynolds had specific knowledge about elements of the Higgins matter.
“I became aware of this incrementally,” the minister says. Labor senator Louise Pratt wants to know why Reynolds told Higgins that if she intended to make a police complaint, “we need to know now”.
Why was this said, Pratt asks? Reynolds sidesteps again, saying this is Higgins’ story to tell.
Wong has had enough.
The minister should not hide behind Ms Higgins’ courage,” Wong says.
Question time is done now in the Senate.
Updated
Question time ends
Scott Morrison calls time on QT – but also adds that the presiding officers (president of the Senate and speaker of the house) look after pass holders, so there will need to be checks to see whether or not the former staffer alleged to have raped Brittany Higgins was issued a lobbyist pass, visited parliament house, or had meetings at parliament in response to a question from Adam Bandt.
Updated
Scott Morrison won't commit to making PM&C report public
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Will the prime minister guarantee the report by the secretary of the department of prime minister and his cabinet and his former chief of staff, Philip Gaetjens, will be made public as soon as it is received?
Will he guarantee Mr Gaetjens will interview himself and anyone in the prime minister’s office who may have had contact related to the reported sexual assault?
Morrison:
The secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is undertaking his inquiries and he’s undertaking those with the relevant members of my office. And I’m looking forward to receiving his report and I’m ...
I’m looking forward to receiving his report, as I am also looking forward to receiving the recommendations that would come from the deputy secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and I look forward to reporting further on those matters at that time.
Updated
Labor is persisting in the Senate with Brittany Higgins. The questions go now to other women who have come forward, anonymously, since the initial story broke. The questions go to whether or not the government was aware of any of the new allegations before they were reported over the weekend and today (the latest report is from the ABC).
The finance minister Simon Birmingham says he believes the answer to that question is no.
Q: Another survivor of alleged sexual assault, Chelsea Potter has chosen to speak of the minister’s refusal to meet with her. Can the minister explain his response to that request?
Birmingham says he first became aware of Potter’s claims when journalists from the Sydney Morning Herald approached his office. He says Potter approached him between the first contact by the journalists and publication of the story.
He told Potter he was unable to speak to her at that time, but recommended support services, like 1800 RESPECT.
Birmingham says he hopes the independent review sparked by the Higgins matter will improve understanding about how to deal with episodes like this.
Updated
Tanya Plibersek to Scott Morrison:
I refer to the prime minister’s previous answer. What steps has the prime minister taken to ensure that in he would be informed immediately about a serious crime reported in Parliament House?
Morrison:
I’ve instructed my staff I would expect to be advised of such matters. That’s what you’d expect me to do and that’s what I have done.
And I’m very pleased ... I’d expect these matters now are going to be taken up by the police again and I look forward to the police progressing this matter and any other matters that may be related to this in terms of any other alleged offences, in relation to this individual.
I note these other reports and I look forward to the police taking these matters up as it has always been the ministers who had knowledge of those things at the time and encouraged these matters to be taken forward to the police and I’m pleased they are going to be progressed by the police.
Updated
Sharon Claydon to Scott Morrison:
Can the prime minister confirm a member of his staff knew about the reported rape two years ago. Another member of his staff said it would be raised with his chief of staff two years ago. His principle private secretary checked in with Brittany Higgins after the Four Corners show last year. His officers dealt with journalists on 12 February and the Prime Minister had no idea about anything until the story broke last Monday. The prime minister has the call.
Morrison:
I’ve advised the House. I thank the member for her question. I first became aware of these matters on 15 February and my staff became aware of these matters of the sexual assault on 12 February.
And the other matters that have been raised that were subject to the processes I’ve already outlined to the House.
Updated
Peta Murphy to Scott Morrison:
Eleven days after her reported rape in March 2019, Brittany Higgins received a text message from a government staffer which read, “spoke to PMO, he was mortified and how things have been handled. He will discuss with COS and no one else.”
Isn’t it beyond belief that the prime minister’s office didn’t know when two years ago a member of the prime minister’s office was mortified and discussed the need for counsellor for Brittany Higgins?
Morrison:
I’ve advised the House about when I’m advised my office first knew about these matters and that is the information that’s available to me.
I note the report that you make reference to and that is a matter that’s within the scope of the process that the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is looking at right now, Mr Speaker.
That is in the scope of those processes and I will await for the secretary of the department to provide that report to me.
Updated
Labor in the Senate is back to Linda Reynolds. The defence minister has been asked whether she ever told Scott Morrison about the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins. Reynolds says not, because it wasn’t her story to tell.
“You always take the lead of the individual, and that’s what I did,” Reynolds said.
Labor asks whether or not she told staff in the PMO. Reynolds says Higgins’ story was not “mine to reveal”.
Labor asks whether she told other ministers about the alleged rape – and if so, when? Reynolds supplies the same rationale: not my story.
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong notes that isn’t actually an answer to the questions and says Reynolds is accountable to the chamber for her conduct.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
In the first question of this sitting fortnight I asked the prime minister if his government have provided an appropriate duty of care for Brittany Higgins.
Given public revelations, including ones that involved the prime minister’s office about text messages, calls and written advice relating to the reported sexual assault in the defence minister’s office, does the prime minister still say his government provided Ms Higgins with necessary support and offers of assistance?
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, this is a very serious issue, as the government has always addressed it as a very serious issue.
And the matters that have been raised are now the subject of a set of processes and later this week I anticipate that the Special Minister of State, the Minister for Finance will have concluded his consultations with all parties to finalise the terms of reference and the independent process that will be followed in relation to these matters as a parliament.
The other processes that are all under as we’ve consistently said, as the Minister for Defence, now Minister for Defence, then Minister for Defence Industry, indicated in the other place, at all times they sought to provide the right support, they followed the advice on the support to provide and respect privacy for Brittany through these matters.
What I acknowledge and have consistently acknowledged is that some two years later, that Brittany didn’t feel that support was there for her.
That’s what I’ve apologised for and that’s what I believe our processes must now address and that’s what we are seeking to do.
Updated
There is more back and forth over industrial relations and gig economy workers.
It goes nowhere.
Updated
Labor has asked Christian Porter several questions about a UK supreme court decision that Uber drivers are entitled to minimum pay, noting Labor’s proposal for the Fair Work Commission to do likewise in Australia.
Porter has twice now used the question as a springboard to trash the road safety remuneration tribunal, a body that Labor set up to award minimum pay to truck owner-drivers, which was abolished by the Turnbull government.
The body was controversial because it made it harder for owner-drivers to compete on cost with trucking companies.
Porter just claimed that two government-commissioned reviews had “demolished the arguments for its retention, in finding no clear link between the remuneration and the safety of drivers”.
That is incorrect – and appears to be only a slight nuance of the bigger mistruth that Michaelia Cash spoke in April 2016 when she claimed that there was no link at all.
In fact, the two reviews found:
- “Directly comparing remuneration and safety does demonstrate statistically significant correlations. However, results vary substantially.” (January 2016 PwC report)
- “A small number of studies have identified statistically significant relationships between driver remuneration and accident involvement ... [however] the nature and extent of the identified links differ widely.” (2014 Jaguar Consulting report)
So, the government commissioned two reviews. They both found there was evidence for a link between pay and safety, and yet two ministers have now said there is “no link” (Cash) or “no clear link” (Porter).
One wonders why the government commissions these reviews at all when they already know the answer they want to hear!
Updated
No confirmation report into communications between PMO and Brittany Higgins will be made public
The Green senator Larissa Waters has asked whether the staffer alleged to have sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins has been into parliament house on a lobbyist pass, and had access to MPs since his departure?
The finance minister Simon Birmingham says he will come back to the chamber because he doesn’t have specific knowledge.
Waters wants to know what advice was provided to the former finance minister Mathias Cormann. Birmingham again says he’ll have to come back.
Waters wants to know if a report being done by Phil Gaetjens, Scott Morrison’s chief of staff, to verify whether any communication happened between PMO staff and Higgins, will be made public, and whether the secretary of DPMC will have full access to staff.
Birmingham doesn’t answer the first question but replies in the affirmative on the second point.
Updated
We are now seeing the government attempt to brand the vaccine program as being done “in the Australian way”.
I’m not sure what is particularly Australian about dividing people into who has the most critical need, and then sticking a needle in their arm, but maybe they are just referring to Scott Morrison’s insistence in wearing a sports jersey (the Australian women’s netball team, the Diamonds in this case) and an Australian flag to get his vaccine (he had been wearing a very normal suit earlier in the day, so he changed for the vaccine photo op)
Labor keeps asking about gig economy workers – most recently from Tony Burke – and why they can’t be paid minimum wage – Christian Porter keeps talking about truck drivers (he’s cherry picking from the term “independent contractors”).
Porter:
The difficulty is that that effort often ends in disaster, as it did for you, with the road safety remuneration tribunal. You determined in your vision you would tell independent contracting truck drivers how they would get paid.
That was subject to two findings that produced damning reviews into the road safety remuneration tribunal, they both recommended the system that you introduced, that Labor introduced in 2012 be abolished, they demolished the arguments in its retention in finding no clear link between the remuneration and the safety of drivers.
When Labor was last in government, the gig economy or “independent contractors” Porter is talking about, did not include ride sharing or food delivery riders, so what Labor did while in government is as relevant to those workers as how many times a day my head hits the desk.
Updated
Tim Watts to Scott Morrison:
Why isn’t the prime minister willing to stand up to tech giants like Uber and Deliveroo [and ensure gig workers get equal wages/entitlements]?
Morrison:
The only party in this chamber proposing a pay cut for workers is the Labor party. The proposals the Labor party outlined in the leader of the opposition for mandatory leave applied ... from not thinking their policies through whether the opposition leader got up to try and explain the Labor party policy, they just don’t think it through, and the consequence of what the Labor party is suggesting ... is a pay cut for people working in these jobs, Mr Speaker.
Anthony Albanese tries a “weirdness point of order” which doesn’t exist, adding “nor does the policy he is talking about”.
Morrison:
I simply say again, Mr Speaker. The leader of the opposition does not understand the implications of his own policies. Labor were like this in government, and they’ve got worse in opposition, Mr Speaker. Under this leader of the opposition.
Updated
Over in the Senate, questions have started to the defence minister Linda Reynolds about the Brittany Higgins allegations.
Reynolds has been asked why she met with an assistant commissioner of the AFP on 4 April 2019.
The defence minister says she “reached out” through her staff to see if there was an appropriately qualified person to speak to Higgins at the AFP.
She says an assistant commissioner subsequently came to her office and met briefly with her “alone”.
Reynolds declines to comment further on the basis that this is “not my story to tell”. Reynolds says she has always respected Higgins’ “story” and “her privacy” – and that remains her disposition.
Updated
Adam Bandt has the independent question today:
My question is regarding the alleged rapist of Brittany Higgins and at least two other women. Has the alleged rapist of Brittany Higgins held a lobbyist pass, had lobbyist meetings or communications with ministers, their staff, or departmental officials, at any time since the rape occurred?
Has he visited Parliament House or if any other places since that time, if you’re unaware, will you make representations [and report back]?
Scott Morrison:
I can’t confirm those matters but I will be very happy to confirm this matters to you and have it attended to as quickly as possible.
Updated
The current deputy prime minister is doing a dixer on the vaccine.
“It doesn’t matter where you are, the vaccine will be going there.”
It’s stirring stuff.
More glib comments on industrial relations.
Honestly – we hear MPs complain about the ‘Canberra bubble’ when brushing aside questions, but there is nothing more bubble-like than politicians pretending they’re as clever as their turn of phrase on issues that actually matter to people.
Updated
Senate crossbenchers have warned the government they will not pass a bill to hand environmental approval powers to state and territory governments unless the government introduces new national environmental standards and establishes an independent environmental watchdog.
Senators Jacqui Lambie, Stirling Griff and Rex Patrick have signalled they are still not prepared to pass the bill as currently proposed by the government.
Patrick tweeted on Monday that a “genuinely independent” watchdog and strong environmental standards were necessary to arrest the environmental decline identified by a once-in-a-decade review of Australia’s environmental laws.
We need a genuinely independent National Environment Watchdog and strong National Environmental Standards to arrest and fix the overall state of decline and increasing threat to our environment. #auspol pic.twitter.com/ixquW4hO4P
— Rex Patrick (@Senator_Patrick) February 22, 2021
The review, led by the former competition watchdog head Graeme Samuel, found successive governments had failed over two decades to properly protect Australia’s environment, which was in a state of unsustainable decline.
He made 38 recommendations, including 18 that he said should be implemented immediately.
Among the urgent recommendations was a new set of national environmental standards, which Samuel and a panel of experts developed last year.
But the government has instead drafted its own standards that mimic the existing laws and do not add any new protections.
It has not responded to Samuel’s report beyond stating it plans to pursue passage of its environmental streamlining bill through the parliament.
Updated
Josh Frydenberg (who is still suffering from the dreaded LinkedIn fever - where someone becomes incapable of answering a question without listing their resume and interests) manages to link the vaccine to the credit rating decision by Fitch in such a clumsy way that even the Speaker is confused for a moment whether he is answering the right question.
We end with another marketing line – we’ve had “shoulder to the jab” and now we have ‘shots in the arm [from the vaccine] means the Australian economy got a shot in the arm as well’.
Updated
Scott Morrison gets much the same question as Josh Frydenberg from Richard Marles:
Can the prime minister confirm in this House the government voted down an amendment to his jobmaker legislation, designed to stop workers over 35 being sacked in favour of younger workers? Does he acknowledge that workers over 35 are not just being left out and left behind, but singled out and sacrificed?
Morrison:
The reality of what the government is doing, Mr Speaker, is getting Australians back into work. The reality of what this government is doing is ensuring that the health needs of Australians have been addressed in a way that few countries can speak of, anywhere around the world, and that’s why Australians are growing in confidence.
So the Labor Party, they can come in here, they can make all sorts of false claims and speak to spook people in the middle of a pandemic*, but that’s the irresponsible actions of a Labor party that has no clue and take an each way bet on everything.
*Except it is true. There is nothing in the legislation to stop employers from suddenly having no hours for an over 35-year-old, and hiring a younger worker to access the subsidy. Nothing.
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The first dixer is on the vaccine (of course) where Scott Morrison repeats “shoulder to the jab” as in people getting vaccines are “putting their shoulder to the jab” and I am too tired for this today.
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Question time begins
The first question comes from Jim Chalmers – it is on Jobmaker (I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hate these stupid names) and whether “an older worker can be sacked to get younger workers with more hours at to extra cost”.
They can – there is nothing in the legislation to stop an older 35-year-old being sacked to allow for younger workers who will receive the government supplement to be hired.
Josh Frydenberg ignores it, but the back and forth all seems a bit gross given what we are all talking about outside of the chamber.
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Fourth woman comes forward with complaint
The ABC’s Louise Milligan has reported a fourth woman has come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against a former staffer in Linda Reynolds’ office.
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Jason Falinski and Amanda Rishworth were the ABC’s guests ahead of QT – they were both asked about the timing of Scott Morrison’s vaccination and whether it should have included Anthony Albanese.
Falinski:
I think any opportunity to put a needle into Anthony’s Albanese’s arm is a missed opportunity.
The important thing is it is not about us or who got jabbed yesterday the important thing it is about the Australian people and if we get the message out to people that if we are to move forward from this awful virus and this pandemic, that has killed and harmed so many people, then as many people as possible need to step forward to get the vaccine done and do so voluntarily.
Rishworth:
There needs to be a strong message out there in a public message that this is important to get the vaccine – I was I must admit disappointed the prime minister didn’t take the opportunity for a bipartisan show of support, because I think it is important we do send that strong message, that this wasn’t political, this is about the country.
I think we need to make sure we are constantly working with our communities, to get that confidence, to make sure they know that this is a really important thing, that it is safe, and effective, and as soon as the opportunity comes up, I will be absolutely getting in that line to get that vaccination.
We need to make sure the government stays on track with this, there are still concerns about supply and delivery, we need this rollout in the most effective way possible, the most efficient way and we need to be reassured in the public this is a really important measure.
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There is A LOT of work being done behind the scenes (as in away from a lot of the media) by Labor at the moment, to try and regain some of the trust it lost at the last election.
Today, that included people of faith.
There was some media around this (including from Daniel Hurst) but I’m including it here so you have an idea of some of the conversations happening in what is an election year – whether we go to the polls this year or not, it is what the parties do in 2021 that voters will remember.
Albanese:
If there is a positive to have come out of this pandemic, it’s that when push came to shove, the fundamental truth of this spilled across political and ideological lines as surely as a river breaking its banks.
We have seen even some of those political parties that are more instinctively tilted towards individualism setting aside their ideology as an indulgence ill-suited to the current reality.
It has been superseded by the spirit of inclusiveness.
Of togetherness.
Of compassion.
The understanding that the bond of our common humanity is what is going to get us through.
It is the spirit of society, something that some ideologues of the past tried to reject as a concept altogether.
The pandemic has edged out some of these dangerous fantasies and guided us back towards the truth.
So many roads lead back to the parable of the Good Samaritan. What is the lesson that Jesus teaches us in it?
It is that we shouldn’t walk past those who are in need or suffering.
That our care for others should be neither conditional nor transactional.
That we should be driven by our own humanity.
And that is the lesson that can light the path that lies before us.
I spoke this morning to a gathering of faith leaders about how a Labor Government will put people first in everything we do.@ArchbishopMark
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) February 22, 2021
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge said recently "the economy was made to serve us; we weren’t made to serve the economy."
He's right. pic.twitter.com/BZsfotjEA3
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The Guardian (that’s us) has signed an agreement with Google – we join SevenWest, News Corp, Nine Entertainment and Junkee as media organisations who have struck a deal with Google, under the media bargaining code.
Today, we’re excited to announce that The Guardian will be joining Google News Showcase, a new licensing program which proudly supports original, trusted journalism. More here → https://t.co/B5g30yqJ8F. pic.twitter.com/5n5YOe1hNE
— googledownunder (@googledownunder) February 22, 2021
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AAP has looked at a National Farmers’ Federation report which found the agricultural industry needs a $87bn in new investment to meet its 2030 farm gate production target.
(It probably also needs the Nationals to look after agriculture as well as it does mining, but I guess that is a separate discussion.)
From AAP:
The National Farmers’ Federation has set a government-endorsed goal of boosting production to $100 billion by 2030 from about $61 million this financial year.
But a new AgriFutures report released on Monday warns capital investment in agriculture has fallen behind over the past 10 years.
The Natural Capital Economics paper estimates $8.7 billion a year in new investment will be needed over the next decade to achieve the growth.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicates that average annual net investment in the sector has been about $1.2 billion over the past 30 years.
“This gap is a significant problem for agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries as capital investment is key to lifting productivity and is needed at every stage of production,” the report says.
“Having access to efficient capital is the driving factor behind sustaining strong sector growth over the short, medium and longer term.”
The research found under existing investment levels, farm gate returns would not reach $100 billion until 2054, about a quarter of a century slower than planned.
NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said the report was an important wake-up call for the industry.
“Agriculture’s capital drought was identified in the NFF’s 2030 Roadmap as a major handbrake on the sector’s prosperity,” he said.
“If changes are not made to make investment in agriculture more attractive and fit-for-purpose, farmers will be hamstrung in their ability to grow.”
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Question time will be in just under an hour.
You may have noticed things are fairly quiet today – the government is hoping the vaccine will dominate, so all on that side are keeping a fairly low profile. Most of Labor’s questioning needs to be done in the chamber to ensure parliamentary privilege – it is making for a somewhat quieter day than usual in the place.
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Government denies claim joint vaccination event with Labor had been planned
An update on that talk about a joint Morrison/Albanese vaccination event that had been due to happen tomorrow: Government sources say the claim is false; they say the event in Sydney involving the prime minister has been arranged since 10 February. The comments follow this tweet from Andrew Probyn:
Those thinking yesterday's vaccination of the PM and CMO Kelly had a last-minute feel to it are right: it was meant to be tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8.30am at the pop-up COVID clinic opposite Canberra Hospital, alongside Anthony Albanese, Mark Butler and Peta Murphy ... Curious, huh?
— Andrew Probyn (@andrewprobyn) February 22, 2021
To be open with our readers, we should tell you that Guardian Australia sought comment from the government yesterday about Albanese’s absence and whether a joint event had ever been planned, and it did not respond to our specific questions.
It is known that there had been talks between the government and opposition about increasing public confidence in the vaccines, and Labor had been of the understanding that a joint Albanese/Morrison event was in the works.
Greg Hunt told a press conference in the prime minister’s courtyard on 7 January that:
it does matter that we have public confidence and that’s why we would look to do it with both the government and opposition leaders and I’ve had that discussion with Chris Bowen, very constructive, looking at doing it at a comparable time. So it’s about the confidence and trust of the leaders and bipartisanship, but not about the cabinet as a class.
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There is a lot going on here. All of it uncomfortable
Have a look at the new picture hanging in Senator Jacqui Lambie's office. pic.twitter.com/VP01SfbeNH
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) February 22, 2021
Twitter, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Redbubble and TikTok are the first companies to sign up to a new industry code aimed at combatting misinformation and disinformation online.
Under the new code, signatories will be required to develop processes for identifying, reviewing and removing misinformation and disinformation on their platforms – misinformation is false information regardless of the intent of the person sharing it, while disinformation is false information spread with the deliberate intent to deceive, often coming from state actors.
The code will require participants to remove misinformation and disinformation, suspend accounts, label misleading content, demonetise misinformation, have a process for reviewing decisions made around misinformation and disinformation and deprioritise content in algorithms over news sources with an editorial code.
How the code will work in practice remains to be seen. Companies which have signed up for the code will be required to publish annual reports on how they are meeting the objectives of the code, with the first reports on its effectiveness due in May.
When asked how the code would work to prioritise news over misinformation and disinformation on a site like Facebook, which is currently preventing news being posted due to the site’s opposition to the government’s news media bargaining code, the code’s author – industry group Digi – said that component would only apply to platforms where news is featured.
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Daniel Hurst has been looking at this.
There had been talk there was going to be a joint Scott Morrison/Anthony Albanese vaccination – and Labor says there had been talks – it seems Labor was just as surprised as anyone to see the prime minister receive the vaccine yesterday. (Mark Butler I believe was meant to receive the same vaccine as Greg Hunt - AstraZeneca - which is in the second phase) but Morrison was always in the first phase.
Those thinking yesterday's vaccination of the PM and CMO Kelly had a last-minute feel to it are right: it was meant to be tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8.30am at the pop-up COVID clinic opposite Canberra Hospital, alongside Anthony Albanese, Mark Butler and Peta Murphy ... Curious, huh?
— Andrew Probyn (@andrewprobyn) February 22, 2021
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The socks.
He’ll wear them when he gets the jab.
If you wear novelty socks, I urge you to rethink your life decisions.
This is why the government doesn’t particularly care (beyond the press conferences) about whether Australian news content is shown on Facebook or not.
The top 3 politician posts yesterday were the PMs posts about the vaccine https://t.co/coFxJ7qsXc
— casey briggs (@CaseyBriggs) February 22, 2021
It’s another for the “always look at the bright side” file:
From AAP:
Global credit agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Australia’s top-tier AAA rating, saying the economy has weathered the Covid-19 pandemic well, reflecting a successful virus containment.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg jumped on the announcement, saying Australia remains one of only nine nations to hold a AAA credit rating.
“Fitch says we have ‘weathered the pandemic well compared with peers’ and ‘Australia’s labour market appears to be on a stable path to recovery, supported by the jobkeeper program’,” Mr Frydenberg tweeted.
However, Fitch has kept Australia’s rating on a negative outlook, reflecting uncertainty around the medium-term debt trajectory following the significant rise in public debt caused by the response to the pandemic.
“Policy settings are set to remain accommodative, although we project the bulk of fiscal stimulus has now passed,” Fitch said in a statement on Monday.
“Risks remain tilted to the downside, reflecting the possibility of additional and broader lockdown measures to contain any resurgence of the virus.”
However, the vaccine rollout should gradually ease these risks over the year and support domestic sentiment, it said.
Australia’s nationwide vaccine rollout started on Monday.
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The Morrison government has released the findings of an investigation that the environment minister, Sussan Ley, ordered into her own department over the export of rare and endangered Australian parrots to Germany.
The investigation was prompted by a 2018 investigation by Guardian Australia’s Lisa Cox and Berlin bureau chief Philip Oltermann.
They revealed Australian authorities had allowed hundreds of birds to be exported to a German organisation despite concerns the parrots would be sold, not just exhibited.
Ley’s office today selectively released the findings of the investigation, carried out by auditors at KPMG, to News Corp.
It suggests wildlife could be DNA tracked and export permit procedures tightened as a result of the investigation.
The full story on what was found, and the ramifications, will be on Guardian Australia later today.
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Greg Hunt is asked whether the government will continue to advertise on Facebook, given Facebook’s decision to stop all Australian news content from being posted on its sites:
All of our funds will be used. Some may be reallocated temporarily, but there are multiple channels – television, radio, newspapers, multiple forms of online advertising.
We will continue to post on that particular channel, we just won’t be boosting ... but the simple answer is there are multiple channels and you are all playing your part in getting your message to Australians.
I have to say yesterday, when the first vaccines were being administered, it was an extraordinary moment. Live streaming and commentary. I met a woman at the airport whom I didn’t know who said to me she was watching the live stream and she was just in tears of joy about what was happening.
It was somebody I didn’t know and I think there were many Australians ... who felt a deep sense of hope.
(To be clear – it doesn’t hurt the government overly much if Facebook stops posting Australian news – they aren’t in the business of getting you to read news about what they are doing, and most of what they do what you to know, they post themselves.)
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These are the socks:
Ahead of the #Covid19 vaccine rollout, Dep CMO @nick_coatsworth shouted the whole ACT vaccination team some snazzy Covid vaccination socks. @SBSNews #auspol #covid19au pic.twitter.com/BOudgE4PPU
— Naveen Razik (@naveenjrazik) February 21, 2021
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Greg Hunt just held up a pair of socks depicting “a needle and a spike protein in its last moment” that deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth gave him ahead of the ACT’s first vaccination.
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NSW records no local Covid case
NSW has also recorded no locally acquired Covid cases (and just one in hotel quarantine).
That makes it 36 days since NSW had its last locally acquired case.
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It is the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake.
The scars from that even still mark the city.
Today marks 10 years since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, where 185 people lost their lives, and thousands more were forever changed. We stand with the victims and the people of Christchurch. We know the global community joins us in honouring their courage and resilience. pic.twitter.com/FJpR7X7Bm6
— New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (@MFATNZ) February 21, 2021
Eighteen MPs wrote letters of support for Biloela family
Tony Abbott, Barnaby Joyce and Jim Molan are among 18 members of parliament in 2019 who wrote to the immigration minister in support of the Tamil family from Biloela.
Last week the full federal court upheld a lower court decision that the family’s youngest daughter, Tharnicaa, was denied procedural fairness in the government’s handling of her immigration case because a brief about the family’s case was put to the then-immigration minister David Coleman in mid 2019 without their knowledge.
In the judgment, the court noted in that brief the Department of Home Affairs said it had received 170 letters of support for the family, including from 18 MPs and senators who had written to the minister about their case.
Senators Jim Molan and Larissa Waters wrote directly to the minister, while deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, Abbott, former foreign minister Julie Bishop, and Joyce all wrote on behalf of their constituents.
While this likely means they were acting in their capacity as MPs in passing on concerns about issues raised by their constituents, it does indicate they were being pressured by the public over the case, and the family’s supporters have seized on the references in the judgment to note widespread support for the family to stay in Australia.
“The support Priya, Nades and the girls have received from prominent parliamentarians of all political backgrounds reflects the overwhelming community view that this family belongs in Biloela,” said a family friend, Angela Fredericks.
The decision last week means the family will remain in detention on Christmas Island while the legal process is ongoing, and unless the immigration minister, Alex Hawke, decides to release them into community detention.
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Anne Webster, who knows better than most how dangerous social media can be, is co-hosting a Parliamentary Friends of Making Social Media safe event with Sharon Claydon from tomorrow.
Guest speakers include Damian Collins MP, a member of the UK parliament and Chris Cooper from Reset Australia.
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It is also worth remembering that Malcolm Roberts, who just spoke on the government’s need to act on these allegations, continued to employ a staffer after he was charged with rape.
Sean Black was convicted of rape and assault in 2018.
While the senators were addressing Linda Reynolds’ statement to the Senate, Labor’s Michelle Rowland appeared on Sky News:
“There now appears to be an alleged serial rapist on the loose in the ministerial wing of Parliament House.
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) February 21, 2021
How on earth did we get to this point?”
-@MRowlandMP
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One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts has also had his say:
While we are in favour of a police investigation, we also are not pleased that the prime minister has been sloppy, slow and seems to be avoiding the issue.
What we want is a proper investigation, as to what happens in this building and in the corridors of power, because we cannot have, what happened to Miss Higgins, and [allegedly] to two more people over the weekend.
We just cannot accept that.
This building is becoming a blight on the country.
And we need to have a prime minister who is honest objective and clear and quick and unequivocal in his answer in his response to this.
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Katy Gallagher finishes with:
But there are two separate issues here– there is what happened to this young woman in a senior minister’s office two years ago, and what happened after that event.
And then there are the broader issue of cultural change required in this building and we cannot allow this government to conflate the two, because that’s what they’re trying to do.
The prime minister and his marketing team are trying to make it everybody’s responsibility, what happened to this young woman, and it’s not.
Because if I knew about what happened to this young woman and if many people in this place knew about what happened to this young woman, two years ago, there would have been a very different response than the one she got from this government.
Miss Higgins should have been treated very differently two years ago when she came to the minister, a young woman clearly in need of help and support.
And she deserves better from this minister now.
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Katy Gallagher is now addressing Linda Reynolds’ statement:
The minister tells this place that she has “full confidence that my then chief of staff and I at all times acted in what we believe, was in the best interest of Brittany”.
If this were true, why didn’t the minister ever check in to see if Miss Higgins was OK? Why didn’t the minister ever check to see if she had access counselling support?
Why was Miss Higgins dispatched across the country to WA after saying she’d prefer to be near her family for the campaign, for the entire duration of the election campaign, isolated and alone with nobody to talk to?
How was any of this in Miss Higgin’s best interest?
It might have been in the Liberal party’s interest, but you can’t argue it was in Miss Higgins’ interest.
Miss Higgins was the minister’s employee, there was a duty of care.
How did the minister act in her best interest? If the alleged rape was never discussed again, after the 1st of April meeting, a dedicated employee of this government is allegedly raped in the minister’s office and the minister never follows up this terrible incident.
It [allegedly] happened in Senator Reynolds’s office.
She could have done more, she should have done more.
And I think she actually knows that.
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Larissa Waters is now responding to Linda Reynolds’ explanation to the Senate last week:
We need to dismantle the culture that has allowed so many to get away with so much for so long, a culture that blames victims, as the prime minister did last week, for getting themselves into vulnerable situations, getting themselves into vulnerable situations.
A culture that sees women’s worth only in relation to men as daughters, or as wives, not as individuals, worthy of value, irrespective of our relationship with a man, a culture that closes its eyes when powerful men use abuse and discard women and rarely suffer consequences, even retain their ministries, a culture that adds a bonk ban to the ministerial standards and yet washes its hands have further responsibility, a culture that allows Mr Craig Kelly’s adviser to remain on staff despite multiple allegations of highly inappropriate conduct.
Yes, we need a comprehensive review of the compliance process, and an independent body so that no one feels as Brittany Higgins did, that making the complaint would end their career, but we also need an enforceable code of conduct binding senators, and members and senior staff to the highest standards of behaviour, and for there to be genuine consequences when we fail to meet those standards.
But more than that, we need to systematically unpick the misogyny, the inequality, the privilege that creates a culture in which what happened to Brittany Higgins, to Rachelle Miller to Chelsey Potter to Dhanya Mani, and to so many others is downplayed as “just what happens in parliament”.
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Simon Birmingham is now responding to Penny Wong.
“All of us need to do better,” he says.
He also gives some more details of the internal investigation the government has instigated – it is still not officially an independent investigation.
Birmingham:
I have scheduled meetings throughout this week with colleagues across all political parties in this place to make sure that we consult on both the terms, and the processes around this multi-party independent review.
I have initiated processes to do so with the staff as well.
And I will welcome the input of Miss Higgins …
I also reached out over the weekend and had discussions with sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins, to ensure that I have her advice, as I work alongside parliamentary counterparts to do so.
It is a privilege to work in this place, that is a statement, often said, of those of us who stand up in the parliament, but it should be a privilege for all of those who work here to.
And we must all live up to the highest standard that people should expect at this workplace, which of all workplaces ought to be an example of my commitment and the government’s commitment is to work with all of us, to make sure that we all do better in future.
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Penny Wong accuses Scott Morrison of victim blaming
Penny Wong finishes with this:
Mr Morrison is arguably the most powerful person in the land. He sets sets standards that form cultural expectations. His actions and inactions shape the culture.
But when Four Corners raised serious concerns about the culture of mistreatment of women and his government, he tried to silence the ABC.
When women complained of bullying in his government, he said, ‘I’m not going to be distracted by that.’
When rape was alleged in an office of one of his own ministers, he sets up whitewash investigations that can be controlled.
Mr Morrison’s media advisers started rumours about Ms Higgins and her partner. And Mr Morrison blamed the victim.
He said he was angry about being left in the dark – but there have been no consequences for those he claims left him in the dark.
Mr Morrison talks about culture. But what he is not talking about is the culture he leads, the culture he leads in his own government, where no matter what happens, he is never responsible.
Where nobody is accountable for anything. And where serious crime was covered up.
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Over in the Senate, Penny Wong is responding to Linda Reynold’s explanation to the Senate over the Brittany Higgins allegations.
Wong is speaking about the government response at large:
When serious allegations were made, as part of his political response Mr Morrison has threatened those seeking to hold his government to account that no party is immune to these issues.
Of course no party, no organisation, is immune from these horrific acts.
What matters is how we respond to complaints when they arise, and what matters is how we seek to change the culture. By implementing systemic change that supports complainants, and seeks to break down power imbalances.
You see, Mr Morrison, sympathetic words ring hollow [while] there is no culture of accountability.
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Helen Haines, along with her crossbench colleagues, is introducing another bill into the house – this time on power:
A year ago, I invited a group of local experts in community energy to help me design a national policy for locally-owned renewables in regional Australia. I’m so excited to have some of those people in the House tomorrow as I table my Australian Local Power Agency Bill. pic.twitter.com/vbw50aUS3N
— Helen Haines MP (@helenhainesindi) February 21, 2021
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The bells are ringing for the beginning of the parliament session.
Sigh.
Queensland senator Nita Green also dropped by doors this morning to speak about the allegations government staffers have raised. She was asked if Linda Reynolds should resign:
Well, there are still questions to be asked of the defence minister, of other ministers and people in this building who knew of the allegations, and whether they carried out a duty of care. That is a decision for the minister and the prime minister to make, but I will say this, sexual assault victims have very trained ears. They know what words to listen out for, and they are listening to the language that has been used in this building. They are listening to the language of the ministers who knew about these allegations, and they don’t want to just hear the words, sorry, they want to hear words like “never again”. They want to hear words like “we will stop this”. So it is up to the minister to decide what she does. But she still has questions to answer. And this government still has questions to answer.
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Labor MPs who have stopped by doors (for quick interviews when there is a message to send) have all been repeating the line that there are 34 days until jobkeeper ends and, so far, there is no announcement on what comes after it for industries like tourism.
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It is worth remembering that Barnaby Joyce did not resign as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister because of his extramarital relationship with a staffer – he resigned after Catherine Marriott lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him.
Joyce has repeatedly rejected the complaint as “spurious and defamatory” but has also said he was “fully aware of the night mentioned”.
An eight-month investigation into the complaint by the Nationals was unable to reach a conclusion.
As Katharine Murphy reported in 2018:
An eight-month investigation into a complaint of sexual harassment against the former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has been unable to reach a determination, according to the woman who lodged it, Catherine Marriott.
Marriott issued a statement on Friday saying the New South Wales Nationals had emailed her on Thursday to advise they had “been unable to make a determination about my complaint of sexual harassment against the former leader of that party … due to insufficient evidence”.
The NSW Nationals issued a brief statement confirming the sexual harassment investigation had been finalised, and saying the report would be kept confidential.
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Barnaby Joyce says Brittany Higgins should now let her 'solicitors do the talking'
Barnaby Joyce was also on the breakfast TV rounds. He was asked on Sunrise about the Brittany Higgins allegations (two other women have also come forward with their own reports):
With a daughter who is a staffer that is 24, this is obviously close to my heart.
Number one, the issue of criminality is to be dealt with by the police and courts in that process is under way and we have had other allegations out there today
Number two, the who, what, where [and] why needs to be dealt with by the department and I expect that to be dealt with by vigilant and erudite questions ... so that we can nail this down so that it does not happen again.
Number three, I think it is important for Brittany and the others and for their mental health to let their solicitors do the talking from this point forward.
I think all these things need to be managed.
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Michael McCormack appeared on breakfast television, where he Michael McCormacked his way thorough comments on the vaccine.
The AFR reported that Barnaby Joyce is just one vote away from the leadership on Friday. That’s how ineffectual McCormack is as a leader – there is a chance Joyce could return. Let that sink in.
Anyways, McCormack spoke about Scott Morrison receiving the vaccine on Sunday:
As the PM said himself, it is good to go. The vaccine is good to go, he is willing to get it, and so should everyone else.
A no-win situation, he gets it, they say he is at the front of the queue, he doesn’t get it, they say, why should we? As you say, it is a difficult situation but he says it is good to go, we know it is safe, it has been through the Therapeutic Goods Administration, world-leading experts in academia and knowing that this vaccine is good for all Australians, we encourage them to get it.
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Greg Hunt is off to watch Canberra’s first jab this morning – he’ll be with ACT health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith for that event, at 11am.
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State premiers are holding staggered media conferences this morning as the vaccine program is rolled out across the country.
South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland are all up this morning.
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Labor backbencher Matt Keogh took a positive view of the latest Newspoll – despite Scott Morrison’s growing popularity as preferred prime minister:
I think the interesting thing about Newspoll today is despite the fact that oppositions across the states have not been performing well at all, the Labor party here federally is 50/50 with the Morrison government after a year of a national, an international pandemic to be in a situation where Labor is 50/50 with the government shows the strength of the opposition and the fact that we’re talking about the issues that actually matter to Australians across the country, just like this issue of there being 34 days until the end of jobkeeper with no plan from the government in sight.
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In case you missed it on Friday, there is also this story from Anne Davies:
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Finance minister Simon Birmingham says the government is still working out what the unemployment payment will be when the Covid supplement ends in March. He told the ABC:
We have got very large amounts of support and stimulus still flowing into the Australian economy post-March, be they programs like the homebuilder program or the jobmaker program or the tax measures we have put in place.
We’ll make any announcements about that as we’ve indicated, it will be clear at the end of March.
Which is just saying nothing, because of course it has to be clear at the end of March, because that is when what is left of the Covid supplement – now $150 a fortnight – ends.
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Deputy chief medical officer Dr Michael Kidd is speaking to the ABC about the vaccine program.
He is asked about the Australian Open crowd booing the vaccine last night, when it was mentioned as part of the men’s final coverage:
What we know from the research that has been carried out is that 80% of Australians are very determined to get this vaccine.
They understand that vaccines save lives and how important this is to getting Covid-19 under control in Australia. Yes, there are still some people who are hesitant about the vaccine.
To those people I say Therapeutic Goods Administration has gone through its usual rigorous and thorough processes to ensure the safety and the efficacy of these vaccines which are being approved for use in Australia. Please, when it comes to be your turn, please line up along with the rest of us and get your vaccine.
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Victoria reports no new Covid cases
There’s some more good news for Victoria.
Yesterday there were no new cases reported. 8,277 test results were received. Got symptoms? Get tested. #EveryTestHelps.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) February 21, 2021
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/7VAlFNuVMX
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There is still a single person protesting for more action on climate policy outside parliament. She’s there most days. It’s not forgotten.
Simon Birmingham was on ABC radio RN, asking how those who were aware of the sexual assault allegations were supposed to act.
"If somebody does not wish to proceed with a complaint (...) then how are those who have been informed to act and to handle that, balancing those privacy considerations of the individual but the broader safety questions that are clear and apparently raised?"
— RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) February 21, 2021
- Senator @Birmo
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Scott Morrison's popularity grows despite handling of alleged rape – poll
If you’re interested in the latest Newspoll, AAP has taken a look at it for you:
Scott Morrison’s popularity has grown despite criticism over his handling of an alleged rape at Parliament House and the government’s brawl with Facebook.
Ahead of Monday’s rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, a Newspoll published by the Australian newspaper shows Morrison bolstering his approval and extending his lead as preferred prime minister over Anthony Albanese.
While scrutiny of the government has been intense during the fallout from the alleged 2019 rape of defence ministry staffer Brittany Higgins, the Coalition’s primary vote remains unchanged at 42% in the poll.
In a potential blow to his prospects as opposition leader, Albanese recorded among his worst approval ratings since winning the job after Bill Shorten resigned in 2019.
Albanese’s satisfaction levels fell three points to 38% and his dissatisfaction rating rose to 45%.
His fall in support came despite a one-point primary vote lift for Labor to 37%, the party’s equal-best result in more than a year.
The poll showed the two-party-preferred split remains unchanged at 50-50 and approval of Morrison’s performance rose a point to 64%.
Asked who would make a better prime minister if an election was called, Morrison scored 61%, while Albanese only rated 26%.
Popular support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation remains steady at 3%, according to the poll, while support for other minor parties fell a point to 8%.
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Good morning
Welcome back to Politics Live.
I hope you had time at the weekend to rest, or at least switch off. It’s going to be another heavy week on Capital Hill, so it is important to grab those quiet moments where you can.
To the good news: Australia’s vaccine program has begun rolling out.
Eighty-four-year-old Jane Malysiak became the first recipient. She struggled with making the “V” for vaccine sign Scott Morrison made, so turned it around, prompting the prime minister to very quickly grab her hand and tuck it away.
Morrison, wearing the Australian netball Diamonds shirt with “Scomo” on the back, then got his vaccine.
The rollout continues today. The goal is to have the Australian population vaccinated by October.
Meanwhile, the latest Newspoll, first published by the Australian, has Morrison’s personal popularity as preferred prime minister from 57 points to 61. The two parties remained deadlocked at 50/50.
But in the parliament, the fallout from Brittany Higgins’ allegations continues. The Australian has published allegations from a third woman, as the culture is examined at all levels.
But who knew what, when, is still under question. It’s something that’s going to dominate this second sitting week, and it is going to be rough, so make sure you take care of yourself as we navigate through it.
You have Katharine Murphy, Daniel Hurst and Paul Karp with you, as well as Mike Bowers and the entire Guardian brains trust. Amy Remeikis will be with you on the blog for most of the day.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
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