What happened today, 16 March 2021
And so we shall leave it there for today. Here’s what went down today:
- Prime minister Scott Morrison defended Christian Porter in parliament today, saying he wants to “draw a line under the matter”.
- The PM also said Porter will “not perform certain functions” of attorney general on his return to work at the end of March.
- Australia’s chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, has stood by the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying he was “absolutely” confident in it.
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Nine has followed News Corp in signing a three-year content deal with Facebook.
- There were no new community Covid cases reported in NSW, after a single case was recorded yesterday. There were also no community cases reported across the country.
Updated
It has been two years since the Christchurch massacre, where 51 Muslims were killed and 49 injured as they prepared for Friday prayer. And although the shooter was arrested and jailed for the act, his legacy has lived on, online.
Academic Kawsar Ali has traced the legacy of the gunman’s actions online, and the way they have been celebrated and welcomed by different online communities, in an op-ed. She says the legacy has come to “haunt” Muslims:
Online, the violently executed Muslims became a spectacle for laughter for a celebratory community. This extended the violence inflicted upon the victims of the Christchurch massacre and the survivors to those who identify with them.
This is a reality that must not be lost when exploring the Christchurch massacre – it is a visceral act of violence that was felt, blood was drawn, lives were mercilessly taken, final moments of life were terrorised. Online and offline.
You can read the rest of the piece here:
Updated
There’s been much discussion over the past two days as to the Coalition’s strategy when it comes to the crisis it has found itself in, and 10 News’ Hugh Remington has shared an interesting line from a story in the Financial Review:
This, from @PhillipCoorey in the @FinancialReview, is the true sentence of the day - the govt sources who suddenly realise it isn’t just Sheilas with degrees who care about sexual assault. #auspol pic.twitter.com/ZsaMBi2hGa
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) March 16, 2021
The yarn, from the Fin’s political editor, Philip Coorey, references Liberal insiders who think the government has “lost control” of the crisis and are “worried about how it will end.”
It comes after the latest Newspoll showed Labor ahead of the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis by 52% to 48%.
Updated
An interesting tidbit from Australian chief medical officer Prof Paul Kelly’s presser earlier today was that people in phase 1b, the next stage in the vaccine rollout, would be receiving their vaccines from their local GPs:
Those deliveries are happening now and they will be happening next week at a little over 1,000 general practices ... Using them immediately is the plan.
Considering the conversations around the rollout at the moment, it will be interesting to see how it plays out at local GPs. But Dr Karen Price, the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, told the ABC she was confident they would be ready:
It is a massive task and most of the doctors and healthcare workers are pretty tired. Doctors are willing and able to get this under way because we know it is a way out of the situation that we’re in. So we are gearing up for the start next week and we will be coming on to vaccinate the nation.
Updated
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today that visitor restrictions at hospitals, aged care facilities and disability services in Greater Brisbane would be extended for 72 hours.
But the video she posted along with that announcement is a wide range of different Instagram fonts, and really needs to be seen to be believed:
The sheer number of fonts used here is WILD https://t.co/GDOyQxlEXK
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) March 16, 2021
Updated
We start in the Senate, where the Greens motion for the prime minister to set up an independent inquiry into Christian Porter’s fitness to remain attorney general has failed after a tied vote:
Greens motion for the PM to set up an independent inquiry into Minister Porter’s fitness to be Attorney-General just went down in Senate after a tied vote. PHON voted with Gov to sink it. But we will keep fighting. This won’t go away #auspol
— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) March 16, 2021
Updated
Good evening, everyone, and, as ever, a quick thanks to Amy for expertly steering us through the day’s news.
It’s been another busy day, so let’s get stuck in.
Updated
The very wonderful Mostafa Rachwani will take you through the evening – Mathias Cormann is on 7.30 tonight, where he’ll be talking about his new role at the OECD, so that should be interesting.
Parliament will be back tomorrow – it is the second-last day of joint sittings. Next week the Senate will be tied up in estimates, so we won’t see both chambers sit again until the budget is handed down in May.
I’ll be back with you tomorrow – thank you to everyone who followed along today. I truly appreciate it. Have a lovely night and take care of you.
Updated
We reported on this just before question time – but here is how it played out:
I went on ABC tv to talk about why the #March4Justice was so important and Morrison Government Senator Ben Small decided to talk over me. It's so distressing just how much this Government doesn't get it. #auspol #mansplained pic.twitter.com/MbJawrNBzw
— Kate Thwaites (@ThwaitesKate) March 16, 2021
Updated
Meanwhile, remember this very normal motion from One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts we reported on this morning?
To move that the Senate –
- Notes that:
- Our fundamental biology and relationships are represented through the following descriptors – mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, boy, girl, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, female, male, man, woman, lady, gentleman, Mr, Mrs, Ms, sir, madam, dad, mum, husband, wife
- Broad-scale genuine inclusion cannot be achieved through distortions of biological and relational descriptors
- An individual’s right to choose their descriptors and pronouns for personal use must not dehumanise the human race and undermine gender
- Dr Lyons from Logan (Queensland) reports incidences of young children feeling stressed and panicked about whether it is OK to use the words boy and girl, and
- Pushing gender-neutral language is no replacement for appropriate emotional and psychological support for children while growing up; and
- Calls on the federal government to:
- Reject the use of distorted language such as gestational/non-gestational parent, chest-feeding, human milk, lactating parent, menstruators, birthing/non-birthing parent, and
- Ensure all federal government and federal government-funded agencies do not include these terms in their material, including legislation, websites, employee documentation and training materials.
The motion passed, 33-31, after government senators sided with it.
Updated
This was raised some time ago – Kelly O’Dwyer did a lot of work in improving policies for people in domestic and family violence situations, along with increases in funding (and initiating the Respect@Work report the government is yet to respond to). Allowing people leaving abusive situations to access their superannuation under emergency provisions was one of them.
There was pushback at the time: overwhelmingly, it is women who are leaving abusive home situations, and women will already be retiring, on average, with less superannuation than their male counterparts.
There’s pushback again:
My response to the Morrison government's announcement that their response to women fleeing domestic violence is they can access their retirement savings!! (Yes, I got angry about this one) #auspol pic.twitter.com/yznCT9ibja
— Peta Murphy MP (@petajan) March 16, 2021
Updated
In case you missed it, this also happened overnight.
Our legislation to protect free speech and academic freedom for Australian students and academics passed the Senate last night. Another key step to enabling rigorous contested debate on campus. More details here: https://t.co/heLVNtKkhE
— Alan Tudge (@AlanTudgeMP) March 15, 2021
Updated
Mark Dreyfus was also asked about Christian Porter’s return to the parliament, while speaking to the ABC:
Patricia Karvelas: Is it appropriate for the attorney general to return to his role if he can’t perform all of his duties?
Dreyfus:
No, and in fact he should have stood aside some weeks back. It’s not appropriate that there be these serious allegations of sexual assault hanging over the attorney general of Australia. He should have stood aside and there should have been an independent inquiry commenced some weeks back.
PK: He’ll avoid anything to do with the ABC or the federal court. What would that look like in practical terms?
Dreyfus:
It’s just making the point more clear. We’ve got the prime minister saying that, in his opinion, the attorney general can return to work but he won’t be able to do some parts of his work because of what the prime minister accepts is a conflict of interest. There is a larger point though, Patricia, which is that this attorney general has a tremendous cloud hanging over him. This attorney general has to establish that he’s fit for office, fit for the high office that he holds as the first law officer, and the prime minister seems to be pretending that all of this has been made to go away because the New South Wales police can investigate no further.
We had the prime minister today, disgracefully, pretending in question time that the NSW police had fully investigated this matter. They didn’t, and that needs to be made clear, and I think it is clear to Australians because that’s why Australians are calling for there to be an independent investigation. They know that there has not been an investigation of these serious allegations.
Updated
Pat Dodson on the importance the issue is taken seriously:
It’s not just about education, also reparation and compensation in some cases. This is about the taking of people’s rights to their land, about abusing their right to their heritage, and about the continuing nature of dislocating us in our own society.
There are some serious implications for the truth-telling. It’s not just nice stories or sad stories.
There are legal consequences for the nature of the Australian dominance over the affairs of Aboriginal people today but those things, we don’t know the breadth and scope of those until we actually begin a process that will take us a generation or more to work our way through.
Asked if he thinks the government is getting nervous about compensation and reparations, Dodson says:
If you look at Australian history and the relationship to First Nations peoples at any point, it’s always been about the money – who is responsible to pay what bill, right from the first removal of two Aboriginal people to England back in the early days of the New South Wales colony.
Updated
Labor senator Pat Dodson is on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing and says he’s disappointed the Senate didn’t vote to set up a joint select committee on Makarrata “to inquire into and report on the truth-telling and treaty-making elements of Makarrata as called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart”.
The Senate vote on his motion was tied 31-all, meaning it failed.
Updated
Mark Dreyfus was asked if he recognised any of his male colleagues in any of the allegations that have been raised by women who work in the Labor party. He said:
I’m not a member of this Facebook group, I haven’t gone through every single one of these allegations, and I would encourage anyone who’s got allegations of this kind to come forward.
It’s very important. That’s the way we’re going to get a change of culture. I feel that the Labor party – partly and importantly, because we’ve moved to a situation where half of our federal parliamentary Labor party are now women – we’ve been working on a change of culture in our party. We’ve got more work to do.
Part of that work is going to be people bringing allegations forward, being listened to and those being acted on.
Updated
How Mike Bowers saw question time today:
All photographs: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Updated
Chief medical officer 'absolutely' confident in AstraZeneca vaccine
Australia’s chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, has made it very, very clear that he believes the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe to use and there will be no suspension of the program:
I would make it very clear that here in Australia, safety is our first priority, and in any large vaccine rollout we do expect to see unusual events, and we monitor very closely and carefully for those. But this does not mean that an event that happens after vaccination has been given is indeed due to that vaccine, so we do always take it seriously – we do investigate.
But in this situation, I can absolutely say I remain confident in the AstraZeneca vaccine, that it is safe, and at this point there is no evidence that it causes blood clots.
I’d also point out that some oral contraceptive pills actually carry a chance of causing blood clots – but I am not hearing a lot of people freak out about that. And rightly so – because overall, based on medical advice, it’s safe to use.
Updated
The transcription today never ends.
Here is one I missed in QT:
Anthony Albanese:
The prime minister had committed to four million vaccinations by the time that jobkeeper is cut. The prime minister is returning nearly 4 million vaccinations short of his own target. Why is the prime minister so quick to rip away jobkeeper but so slow to roll out vaccines?
Morrison:
Well, Mr Speaker, I pre-empted the leader of the opposition’s question in my last answer, when I made it fairly clear the leader of the opposition and the ppposition party speak out of both sides of their face.
On one side, they pretend to support these measures, whether it’s been jobkeeper, the vaccination program, the unprecedented support which has ensured we have stood by Australians, and on the same hand, Mr Speaker, they talk out the other side of their mouth, seeking to undermine the very things that has ensured that this country has led the world in both our economic and our health response.
Now, Mr Speaker, when it comes to the vaccination, it may be a mystery, Mr Speaker, to the leader of the opposition, that of the 3.8 million vaccines we contracted from overseas, 700,000 were able to be provided because of the desperately serious situation that we find in Europe*.
But regardless of that point, Mr Speaker, we said, we said back in February ... that we would be hitting around 80,000 a week in the early weeks. Well, we already hit that mark in the early weeks.
We already advised back in February, Mr Speaker, that the 4 million target would not be hit because of the disruption in supply that occurred, and that target would be pushed back.
The leader of the opposition seems to think we are living in a pandemic that doesn’t have uncertainties. If he sat in my chair during this crisis, Australians would be despairing, Mr Speaker, because he would not have had the ability to pull together the response this government has.
Now, I’m happy for the minister for health to add further to this answer, Mr Speaker. But the vaccination program will continue to roll out. It will reach all Australians with the first dose by the end of October, and every single day we’ll work hard to deliver that vaccination program, despite the undermining, Mr Speaker, of the leader of the opposition, who even seeks to play politics with the pandemic.
*Greg Hunt had originally said that would not impact the Australian schedule.
Updated
The Minerals Council of Australia has given the news Mathias Cormann has been appointed as the OECD chief.
The statement from CEO Tania Constable:
The appointment of Mathias Cormann as secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an excellent choice which will strengthen representation of the Asia-Pacific region on the world economic stage.
Australia’s longest-serving minister for finance has been a consistent advocate for open markets, free trade, transparency, international rules and standards.
He has also been a long-term supporter of the role of the Australian minerals industry in contributing to growth, prosperity and innovation.
As the sixth secretary general of the OECD and the first from the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Cormann takes over the leadership of the OECD at a crucial time for the global economy as nations recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Updated
Chief medical officer Paul Kelly has been speaking about the AstraZeneca vaccine, following several countries’ decision to suspend the rollout over reports of blood clots.
Kelly says there’s no reason to halt the rollout here.
I can absolutely say that I remain confident in the AstraZeneca vaccine, it’s safe and that at this point there’s no evidence that it causes blood clots.
Updated
We had the former fire chiefs who spoke out against Australia’s preparations ahead of the 2019-20 bushfires, and also demanding action on climate change – and now we have the former health officers.
Two former state chief health officers were among a group of 30 health leaders who came to parliament to lobby for urgent climate action to protect health.
From the release:
Emeritus Professor Gerard FitzGerald preceded Dr Jeannette Young in the role of chief health officer of Queensland, serving in the role from 2003-2005, and Dr Roscoe Taylor, who retired as Tasmania’s chief health officer in 2015 are joining the group, with representatives of health organisations from across the country.
The group of health leaders is set to meet 30 members of parliament and senators from across the political spectrum in Parliament today, seeking parliamentarians’ support for a national strategy on climate, health and wellbeing, a request backed by over 50 health, social welfare and conservation groups.
Greens health spokeswoman Rachel Siewert wants their visit acknowledged and will move that the Senate:
- Notes that the World Health Organisation has acknowledged climate change to be the greatest threat to health this century;
- Recognises that acting on climate change is the greatest opportunity to improve health;
- Also recognises the Australian government, as a signatory to the Paris agreement, has an obligation to consider health in its climate change response;
- Applauds the growing calls from the health sector to act on climate to protect our health, including the 30 health leaders in Parliament today meeting with representatives to discuss climate change and health; and
- Calls on the government to urgently develop a national strategy on climate, health and wellbeing, which is supported by more than 50 health, social welfare and conservation groups.
Updated
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has renewed calls on Scott Morrison to set up an inquiry relating to the attorney general, Christian Porter.
In an interview with Sky News, Hanson-Young said she would “urge the prime minister to stop being so stubborn about this”.
Speaking after the March4Justice rallies, Hanson-Young said initiating an inquiry would “show he’s listening”.
The prime minister should have handled this much better. He should have announced an inquiry or a process rather than being so stubborn and digging his heels in.
Porter has launched defamation action against the ABC.
Updated
Tanya Plibersek used the end of question time to say she had been misrepresented:
Today in question time the prime minister accused me of ignoring a Getup campaign of harassment of the member for Boothby. The truth is, Mr Speaker, that I was unaware of any harassment by get up of the member for Boothby until very recently.
When I heard that the member for Boothby was retiring, I contacted her to tell her I regret that she’s leaving politics and I wish her the best. I would like to see more liberal women in this place, not fewer.
Updated
Mathias Cormann will be Leigh Sales’s guest on 7.30 tonight.
The rest of question time was on jobkeeper.
And then it ended.
Peter Dutton took a dixer that he arranged (as acting leader of the house) on visa cancellations.
He hasn’t addressed the New Zealand criticisms in the media (not since he said on Network Nine on a story about deportations that it was “taking out the trash”) and he doesn’t address Australia deporting a 15-year-old to New Zealand.
Nor does he address that the people who are being deported have spent most of their lives in Australia, and therefore whatever path they took was one that was taken in Australia.
Dutton:
The government’s policy [is] in relation to cancelling visas of dangerous criminal, people that have committed serious offences against Australian citizens. And, Mr Speaker, the word doesn’t need to be taken, at face value – look at the results.
Look at what we’ve done in relation to these visa cancellations, and to the prime minister’s credit in 2014, we changed the law, because we were quite amazed when we came into government, and saw the fact, Mr Speaker, that very few people – particularly those who had committed the most heinous offences against children and women and men in this country – were allowed to stay in our country, and to repeat those offences against further victims.
So, Mr Speaker, we make no apology for having ramped up that program, and done it in a dramatic way.
For example, Mr Speaker, I have been incredibly proud and I’ve informed the house of this on a number of occasions, of the $70 million that we’ve invested into the Australian centre to counter child exploitation. Because, Mr Speaker, that is saving children from harm, young boys and young girls. And, Mr Speaker, we are, I think, landing a very significant blow on those pedophiles and sexual predators who seek out Australian children as their victims.
But, Mr Speaker, it doesn’t stop there because with the visa cancellations we have been able to cancel 309 visas for rape and other sexual offences during the prime minister’s time as the immigration minister, during my time, and our successes in that portfolio.
And, Mr Speaker, that compares to the previous six-year period – 43.
Now, Mr Speaker, we have made it our business to make sure that we can work with the authorities here and overseas to identify who these offenders are, and we make no apologies for it.
In fact we’ve cancelled now the visas of 6,300 non-citizen criminals.
These are people who, unbelievably when you look at their criminal histories, have gone on for years and years and years to commit criminal offences, including sexual assault and rape against subsequent victims. And, Mr Speaker, I am proud of this government for the way in which we have kicked these people out of our country.
Mr Speaker, they will not offend again against Australian women and children. Mr Speaker, we will not allow ... I take the rejection from the member for Solomon, who has been against this legislation, and he should explain to his community where there has been an outrageous spike*, Mr Speaker, in relation to the numbers who have committed sexual offences against children.
And he should start, Mr Speaker, with action like we have, and stop the nonsense rhetoric. But it continues, as do many others opposite.
*The member for Solomon represents a region of the Northern Territory. He is not in government.
Updated
Keith Pitt takes a dixer and says there is no bigger supporter of resources than George Christensen, and then remembers he has other central Queenslanders in the house and awkwardly lists them off.
He then attempts a joke, which has a very laborious lead-up about Chris Bowen making it up to a coal mine and looking through his wardrobe and going “suit, suit, suit, turtleneck, skivvy, suit, suit”.
Is the joke that Bowen is a secret Wiggle? Or a Beatnik in his downtime? Because if it’s a joke about city MPs and turtlenecks, then that is as tired as a regional MP wearing a Beef Week tie.
Updated
It’s hard with the transcriber down, but I think Scott Morrison found away to blame Labor for the comments from his government’s backbencher Matt Canavan that the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout should be suspended in Australia.
Updated
Rebehka Sharkie to Scott Morrison on the integrity commission:
My question is to the prime minister. On 29 March 2018, the attorney general told the media that the government was considering detailed models for a national integrity commission. It has now been 1,111 days since that public statement. Prime minister, where is the national integrity commission that Australia was promised?
Morrison:
I will ask the minister representing the acting attorney general to respond further to the question. As the attorney general at the time said, that is the case – we have prepared that model and engaged in the consultation process and that consultation process is continuing.
But what is clear is that the proposal that the government has put forward is not supported by other members, either of this chamber or the other chamber. We are very determined to proceed with the model that we’ve set out. We believe that that provides the best way of handling the issues, but, if the parliament is not prepared to support that legislation, then that puts us in a rather difficult position in terms of being able to proceed. I will ask the minister to add further.
Peter Dutton:
I thank the honourable member for her question and recognise the genuineness of her concern in relation to the integrity commission. I think it’s important for our country, as we’ve seen in other states and territories, to get the design right of an integrity commission. The prime minister pointed out that there is an exposure draft out at the moment which has had over 300 written submissions and 40 consultations in terms of meetings and roundtables that have taken place. We will follow that process through, hopefully in a form that can be supported in the parliament.
I’ll just make this point, because I know the honourable member and others have had a keen interest in this for a while: this integrity commission deals with serious corruption. That’s the proposal here. What we need to be very careful about is that we’re not straying into a space where we might compromise a criminal investigation or a successful prosecution against somebody in relation to a sexual assault matter.
You can scoff at that, but that’s the foundation of the legal system in this country. If the leader of the opposition is proposing a departure from that, then he should make that very clear. But this government is going to make sure that we continue the process with the integrity commission, and it shouldn’t be used for political purposes by those opposite.
Updated
Tanya Plibersek to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the prime minister. During the election campaign, on May 4 2019, the prime minister said about rape, and I quote, “one of the things that often happens with that is they’re not believed, and their stories are not believed. It’s important that their stories are believed, and that they know if they come forward, their stories will be believed” – end quote.
Why then did the prime minister decide a written complaint sent directly to him wasn’t true, even without reading it?
Morrison:
As I said to the house yesterday, I was very familiar with the contents of those documents, I was briefed on them by none other than the commissioner of the federal police, Mr Speaker, before they were even received in my office. And I asked the commissioner of police whether it be appropriate for me to raise those matters directly with the attorney general and he said yes and I did so immediately, Mr Speaker, and these are matters that are ultimately matters that have to be determined by police and prosecutors at the end of the day, Mr Speaker.
I stand by the comments I said on that occasion, because it is important to, Mr Speaker, that the earnestness in which these matters are brought forward by individuals is believed so they can be taken forward to the police. But, Mr Speaker, their ultimate truth and veracity and whether matters can be taken forward is a matter for the police.
That was certainly the case and in relation to the member for Maribyrnong – the police undertook their inquiries, they concluded their matter. I understand the brief of evidence may be prepared and was forwarded to the prosecutors in Victoria and they decided not to proceed with the case. That is our justice system, Mr Speaker.
That is our justice system, and we act in accordance with the justice system and the rule of law in relation to the allegations against the attorney general. The police have concluded the matter, in the same way that the matter was concluded* with the member for Maribyrnong.
Now, this may be inconvenient to the member for Sydney, who think it’s OK to apply one rule from a Labor member, Mr Speaker, but a different rule to a member of the government
I note this is true also, Mr Speaker – the member for Boothby was the victim, Mr Speaker, of an outrageous campaign, mounted by Labor and GetUp and the union’s at the last election, Mr Speaker. I did not hear the member for Sydney decrying the disgraceful treatment for Boothby.
I did not hear Senator Wong decry the misogynist and disgraceful attacks where the member for Boothby feared for her own safety from the members of the Labor party.
When it comes to claims in these matters, the Labor party have very selective hearing, Mr Speaker, very selective hearing.
By contrast, Mr Speaker, our government, myself and former prime minister Abbott, when confronted with a very similar situation, took the principle view that the rule of law applies equally to every single Australian.
*The matter was not concluded in the same way. NSW police did not investigate the historic allegations against Christian Porter as the complainant died. No one was interviewed, no enquiries were made beyond initial contact with the complainant. Bill Shorten’s allegations were investigated for 10 months, and the option to reopen the investigation remains, if the complainant comes forward with new information.
Updated
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has just released a new statement addressing the concerns of blood clotting caused by the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine that has prompted some European countries to halt their rollouts of the jab.
The TGA has reiterated “there is no indication of an increased rate of blood clots happening or cause and effect” with the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia. It said it “continues to be in close and frequent communication” with the European Medicines Agency about the concerns, as well as with “international counterparts through the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities”.
The TGA statement said:
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) continues to investigate the issue and EMA remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects. The EMA’s safety (Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment) committee will meet on Thursday to determine the outcome of its investigation.
The TGA has not received any reports of blood clots following administration of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Australia. AstraZeneca has submitted to the TGA a detailed summary of adverse events reported globally related to blood clots to 8 March, as part of the sponsor’s routine safety reporting obligations. The TGA does not have any evidence of a biologically plausible relationship that could suggest a cause and effect relationship between vaccination and blood clots.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a vein deep below the skin) and pulmonary embolism (a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the lungs), is the third most common cardiovascular disease globally, with an annual incidence of over 10 million people.
In Australia, at least 17,000 people develop VTE each year. This equates to an average 50 people per day, so unfortunately a significant number of people develop this medical condition. The 2019 Australian guidelines for the diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism stress that the condition is common, with Australians having an 8% (almost one in 12) risk of developing VTE at some stage in their lifetime.
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Australia’s laws against terrorism and the efforts of its security agencies are “ideologically agnostic”, a government minister has said, after being questioned about the growing threat of rightwing extremism.
In Senate question time, the Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi noted that this week marked the second anniversary of the “far-right terrorist attack in Christchurch” in which an Australian killed 51 Muslim worshippers. Faruqi pointed to a recent Asio submission that noted that threats from extreme rightwing groups and individuals had increased in Australia, while leftwing extremism was “not currently prominent in Australia”.
She asked: “Will government MPs stop drawing false equivalences between extreme right-wing and left-wing groups?”
Simon Birmingham, the government leader in the Senate, replied:
The laws, policy, funding, the operation of our security agencies are ideologically agnostic. Whether extremism is rightwing extremism, whether it is religiously motivated extremism - whatever the cases of such extremism, we focus very clearly on dealing with those threats, dealing with the potential criminality, dealing with threats to Australia.
Faruqi followed up by asking: “Will the government condemn far-right extremism without equivocation, yes or no?”
Birmingham:
As I have done before in this chamber, I condemn rightwing extremism without any qualification. I condemn religious extremism without any qualification. I condemn all forms of extremism that pose a threat or violence or undermine safety without any form of qualification.
Birmingham said the government had put in place record funding for Asio and other security agencies, which had allowed those agencies to be in a position to identify and respond to threats.
Updated
In Senate question time, Labor is pursuing the minister for women, Marise Payne, over a lack of government action on the Respect@Work report by Kate Jenkins, released a year ago.
Payne said the government had already “taken a number of steps to address a component of the recommendations addressed to the commonwealth” through the women’s economic security statement and in the budget process last year.
She said the government would continue work to implement a response this year.
The Labor senator Jenny McAllister asked in the Senate: “Does the minister for women consider it appropriate that the attorney general, Mr Porter, remain the cabinet minister responsible for the Respect@Work report?”
Payne said the attorney general was currently on leave and the acting minister was Michaelia Cash. She reiterated that the work was being overseen by Amanda Stoker, the assistant minister to the attorney general.
Payne told the Senate:
This country operates on the basis of the rule of law, and the presumption of innocence, and it is not possible to be selective about to whom that should and should not apply. The attorney general has initiated certain proceedings of his own motion in relation to a number of these matters.
Updated
Sorry for the delay in posts - the live transcription service is down, and so I am having to do it manually. There’s a lot to get through.
PM defends Christian Porter in parliament
It took less time than I thought it would, but Scott Morrison goes ALL the way there in defending Christian Porter. He’s danced around it in the past, and walked up to the line, but today is the day.
Tanya Plibersek:
My question is to the prime minister: former solicitor general Justin Gleeson SC says the allegations against the attorney general should be referred to the current solicitor general. Why did the prime minister not seek the solicitor general’s advice before he declared that the rule of law would be harmed by an independent inquiry into sexual assault allegations against the attorney general, and who provided the legal advice to support the prime minister’s declaration?
Morrison:
The advice suggested by the former solicitor general was not advice that was tended to me by the government and the advice that I followed, and the advice that I sought, came from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
I also consulted, Mr Speaker, with the commissioner of the federal police in handling these matters, and raising these matters with the attorney general, Mr Speaker, there are established processes for dealing with all members, whether it be in this house, Mr Speaker, former members of this house, any Australians that they all face one rule of law – they all face one rule of law. And, Mr Speaker, it’s important that consistent standards are applied consistent standards are applied, Mr Speaker, when it comes to such sensitive issues when it relates to allegations of sexual assault.
And then he continues:
As the member for Maribyrnong rightly said at the time, he said: ‘The police have concluded their work. They’ve made their decisions. And now I think it’s appropriate to draw a line under the matter, and that’s what I’m going to do.’
Mr Speaker, that position was supported by then-prime minister Abbott, who said: ‘Apparently it’s been dealt with by the police, and I don’t think there’s really anything more to say about it. So it seems that is at an end’.
And then I quote the member for Sydney herself, Mr Speaker, who said: ‘We should now be able to draw a line under it’, Mr Speaker.
On this matter, the police have concluded their dealings with this matter, and as a result, I have applied exactly the same approach to this matter, as was applied to the member for Maribyrnong.
Mr Speaker, the double standards members are seeking to apply here are quite simply quite boring. Simply quite boring. The member for Maribyrnong was right to say that then, but the member for Sydney says that it’s not right for others to say it now, Mr Speaker.
This is a clear demonstration that the Labor party is not engaging this issue in good faith, the Labor party is simply trying to exact political opportunity from the terrible trauma and circumstances that staff face in this office, Mr Speaker.
Even now, the Labor party knows that there are allegations and issues which have been raised about the conduct of staff and members on that side of the house, that is a matter for them to deal with, to get their own house in order. But when they’re standing in glass houses, they should not be throwing these types of stones.
Updated
Porter 'will not perform certain functions' of attorney general on return to work, PM says
Mark Dreyfus asks Scott Morrison about the restructuring of Christian Porter’s role as attorney general when he returns at the end of the month, given his defamation action against the ABC.
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, in the abundance of caution and to avoid any perception of any conflicts of interest that may arise, the attorney general when he returns will not perform certain functions of his office or his role which may relate to the federal court or to the ABC.
Updated
Catherine King asks Scott Morrison whether the prime minister has asked his staff whether they were backgrounding against Brittany Higgins’s partner.
Morrison refers King to his answer from yesterday (which is that he did not direct any staff to do any such thing).
A question later, King asks why not, and does Morrison have a “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” in his office?
Morrison tries very, very hard to introduce part of Anthony Albanese’s transcript from yesterday, where the Labor leader was asked about allegations of abuse and harassment in the Labor party. Tony Smith says it’s not relevant but has to repeat himself, as Morrison keeps trying to get it into the Hansard. He sits down and gives a HUGE smile. Josh Frydenberg nods so hard his whole body moves.
Updated
Rebekha Sharkie wants to know where the federal integrity commission is.
She does not get an answer.
The current deputy prime minister is talking about website searches and how people are looking at flights, and how that is a good thing (he doesn’t talk about buying tickets, though – probably because if the result has been anything like mine, the “cheap” flights mean you’ll be spending up to a day in transit in what is usually a 1hr45min flight).
Once again, Michael McCormack manages to look like he woke up one day and discovered it was no longer the 1950s and desperately wants to know who won the Cold War, while simultaneously convinced he knows what a fungible token is.
Updated
Richard Colbeck, the minister for aged care services, has urged all of his Coalition colleagues to follow the advice of Australia’s health experts, after he faced questions in the Senate about Matt Canavan’s call for suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout.
In Senate question time, Labor asked about Canavan’s comments and whether the government was bringing him into line. Colbeck replied that he was “aware of a conversation between the prime minister and the health minister and Senator Canavan during a forum this morning where this matter was debated”.
Colbeck said the views of the prime minister and the health minister “are well known to Senator Canavan”.
Colbeck continued:
I would urge the Australian people to take the world-leading advice of the TGA, ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) and the CMO [chief medical officer]. I would urge the Australian people to follow that advice.
In fact, I would urge all my colleagues to follow that advice, because that is the thing that will retain confidence in the rollout of the vaccine in this country which is so important to us from a health and an economic perspective – that we continue to safely roll out the vaccine in this country.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the prime minister and I refer to his previous answer on his statement on indulgence in this parliament yesterday where he said, “not far from here, such marches, even now, have been met with bullets, but not here in this country, it is a triumph of democracy”.
Does the prime minister reflect equally [on those comments being made] on the second anniversary of the Christchurch massacre, conducted by an Australian citizen?
Up until that last line, Scott Morrison was making “what?” faces at this question and shaking his head, while Josh Frydenberg said “it’s the same question”. Then the last line dropped andMorrison got mad.
We got our second egregious in less than six minutes.
Morrison:
The leader of the opposition has engaged, I think, in a very unworthy and egregious slur in this plac.
When has it been a bad thing for a prime minister to proclaim the strength of democracy in our country?
What issue does the leader of the opposition have with celebrating democracy and the right to protest? What issue could he possibly have, Mr Speaker, other than a twisted attempt, a twisted attempt to try and pervert what is being said in good faith in this place, to celebrate the fact that Australians anywhere in this country can come and express their concerns?
This demonstrates, Mr Speaker, that on this issue the leader of the opposition does not act in good faith. He does not act in good faith, But on this issue, over many weeks now, has simply tried to twist this issue for his partisan [reasons]. He is proving himself unworthy of the office he even holds now, let alone the one he seeks to take.
Updated
The two major issues in the Labor party room were jobseeker unemployment benefits and the inevitability of Labor having to deal with sexual harassment complaints of their own.
Labor is supporting the small increase to jobseeker – but two questions noted the rate was unsustainably low and called for a review. Linda Burney said jobseeker was not the only way to address poverty and Labor would address poverty “in every budget” (but possibly not in pre-election commitments); she would have more to say on a review in future.
The leader, Anthony Albanese, warned that “all of us need to do better” on treatment of women and Labor would need to act “where complaints arise” about sexual harassment and bullying. Labor was “not immune” from the scourge of violence towards women, “as no part of society is”, he said.
The shadow special minister of state, Don Farrell, also gave an update about the Kate Jenkins review into the culture of parliament, and that the staffing committee will help roll out the new ALP code of conduct on harassment and bullying.
Jenkins is meeting Labor’s women’s committee to discuss engagement with the review – apparently there are concerns about whether complaints can be effectively kept private from FOI requests, while another Labor member also raised that there is confusion about which of the many pathways for registering a complaint should be taken.
Updated
Question time begins
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Yesterday in question time the prime minister told the more than 100,000 people who joined the women’s March 4 Justice around the country were lucky because in other countries they would be met by bullets. Rather than describe this as a triumph, why doesn’t the prime minister listen to those who marched and take real action on gendered violence?
Here is what Morrison said yesterday:
Today here and in many cities across our country, women and men are gathering together in rallies both large and small to call for change and to act against violence directed towards women. It is good and right that so many are able to gather here in this way, whether in our capital or elsewhere, and to do so peacefully to express their concerns and their very genuine and real frustrations. This is a vibrant liberal democracy. Not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets — but not here in this country. It is a triumph of democracy when we see these things take place.
Here’s Morrison’s answer:
That’s an egregious misrepresentation of what I said – partisanised, as I have become very used to, as the opposition leader does on such sensitive issues.
If the leader of the opposition was indeed listening yesterday, he would have heard me say that it was good and it was right, Mr Speaker. That those who came to this city yesterday, and around the country, and voiced their frustrations and their strong concerns, and that’s exactly what I said, Mr Speaker.
I also said it was good to live in a country where there’s a right to protest, Mr Speaker.
And there is the rule of law, and, Mr Speaker, there is the opportunity for Australians to speak with such a voice in this country. And it is also the case, Mr Speaker, sadly it is the truth, sadly it is the truth, as I was seeking only to represent yesterday, Mr Speaker, that in many countries sadly that is not the case.
That is a cause for celebration of Australia’s democracy, Mr Speaker.
Morrison goes on, sitting down at the end and immediately spinning his chair around to the government benches, where Josh Frydenberg gives him a big nod. Morrison seems happy with his answer.
The transcript cuts out, and I don’t blame it.
Updated
The government will amend its controversial online safety bill in the Senate to provide more transparency over how the eSafety commissioner uses their powers, as well as greater review mechanisms over decisions made about content removal, Guardian Australia understands.
The House of Representatives looks set to pass the legislation to give the eSafety commissioner greater powers over social media sites and regulation of online content on Tuesday.
Labor announced it would not oppose the legislation in the house but flagged it expected the government to introduce amendments to the legislation in the Senate to address concern over the amount of power being given to the eSafety commissioner with very little oversight.
The amendments to be introduced are in response to Labor concerns expressed in the Senate committee report about the lack of oversight and transparency. Among the changes will be more reporting from the commissioner about how the powers are used, and an internal review scheme.
Labor MP Tim Watts pointed out the expected amendments in his speech in the house on Tuesday. He said Labor would “work constructively” with the government to iron out the concerns with the bill.
Facebook and Twitter raised the alarm about the amount of power given to the unelected eSafety commissioner earlier this month. Sex workers are also worried the new powers could force them off the internet if the commissioner takes a heavy-handed approach in the enforcement of rules around R18+-and-over content on social media.
The Greens announced on Tuesday they would vote against the legislation.
Updated
I’ve had a few questions about how we know what happens in the party room and caucus.
It’s a really strange federal parliament tradition that I didn’t know about until I got here (it didn’t happen in Queensland parliament).
After the party room meetings finish, journalists can go to a briefing of what was spoken about in the meeting. There are no names attached to the comments, and it is only brief details (and there is a lot that gets left out), but when you see reports from the party room on a Tuesday, that is where it comes from.
Updated
In the Coalition party room, Scott Morrison tried to allay MPs concerns about the pace of the vaccine rollout by saying that although the “flow at the start might not be what we hoped”, this should be fixed when CSL begins producing 1m AstraZeneca vaccines a week from the end of March.
The “pipe” – the capacity to deliver vaccines – will be addressed by scaling up the number of GPs and the use of “other means if GPs can’t keep up”.
The health minister, Greg Hunt, addressed concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine by noting the chief medical officer, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the World Health Organisation still back it despite clotting concerns in Europe.
One MP asked why not pause the AstraZeneca rollout, to which Hunt replied that there was no evidence of causation between the clots and the vaccine. This MP was also rebuked by another who asked where MPs should be getting their information (hint: Australian regulators, not Europe).
On the government’s difficulties handling sexual harassment and complaints, a few MPs had useful suggestions including increasing low representation of women and pushing back against the narrative that the Coalition is anti-women.
Liberal MP Celia Hammond said that while it was tempting to accuse Labor, the ABC and the left of hypocrisy, the government had to deal with the substantive issue, so “when they go low, we go high” (quoting Michelle Obama).
Morrison drew inspiration from elsewhere – a narrow section of the Kokoda Track he had walked, arguing that although a narrow path is perilous, it does keep one “focused”. The Coalition had been on a narrow path before, but they had got through it “together”.
One almost gets the impression that thousands of marchers demanding more is done on sexual violence is seen as a trial to overcome rather than an opportunity to better people’s lives.
There was vocal support (four members in all) calling for the government to do more on Jinjiang, China, by labelling what has happened there a genocide.
Updated
In a stunning debut, new Western Australian senator Ben Small, who took over from Mathias Cormann, was on an ABC panel with Labor’s Kate Thwaites where, in what seemed like a Clarke and Dawe sketch (I miss them) but is actually just where we are at right now, Small kept speaking over Thwaites as she was trying to address the issue of the march yesterday.
Small had already had his say. He’d done his spiel. Thwaites was about two lines into her take when he started interrupting.
Q: Marise Payne has defended the “liberal democracy” comment, saying it is a relevant observation to make. Has the criticism of the prime minister been too harsh?
Thwaites:
No. The prime minister could not be further as to what is going on in this country. I was at the March as well as a lot of other Labor figures and some government figures as well. The powerlessness and anger and the feeling that people’s voices aren’t being heard – he is not acknowledging that.
Small: [Interrupts]
Thwaites:
Are you really going to talk over me on this issue?
Small: The same prime minister that invited those representatives...
Thwaites: We are talking about ... we’re talking about respect for women in the workplace. Are you going to talk over me? [Small continues] I’ll let you keep going then.
Host: I think you should finish your answer, Kate. What did you make of his comments yesterday?
And then he did it again at the end of the interview. Just a stunning performance all round. Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Ben.
Updated
Mike Bowers has been busy this morning.
Updated
Scott Morrison’s address to the joint party room spoke about the March4Justice issues, as well as the wider concerns about harassment and abuse at work, included a comparison to the Kokoda Trail.
He said, according to Sky News’ Andrew Clennell,
He actually compared it to walking the Kokoda Trail, is what I’ve been told out of the party room and said we are on a narrow path, we have to look after each other and focus on what matters.”
That would be at least the second time he has used that analogy - in February, he compared the vaccine roll out to the Kokoda trail:
You wonder how you’ve got over the first hill and the next one’s even bigger.
That’s what it’s like in the pandemic,” he said, citing the next hill as being weaning the economy off government support.
For the last couple of weeks it has been about boats, and how the whole team had to row together.
You can say this - when the man finds an analogy he thinks works, he’s not afraid to say it over and over and over again.
Mark Butler said the government needed to speak up against Matt Canavan’s vaccine comments:
I have see nothing from the prime minister, nothing from the minister of health to countermand those deeply irresponsible comments from Senator Canavan, I can see on behalf of the Labor party that we have full confidence in the ability of the Therapeutic Goods Administration to monitor any adverse events information from around the world and to provide appropriate information to the Australian community and the Australian government.
These comments from Senator Canavan are dangerous, they are divisive, and they further undermine a vaccine rollout that is already way behind schedule.
Updated
In other vaccine news:
Without the bookings website promised by the government, the RACGP and AMA have said it is too early for Australians eligible for the vaccine as part of phase 1b – expected to begin next Monday – to be calling GPs to make appointments. #auspol https://t.co/KZ2rUVCRgi
— Elias Visontay (@EliasVisontay) March 16, 2021
Updated
Mike Bowers tells me Craig Kelly came to his press conference with a photo of himself getting vaccinated to prove he is not an anti-vaxxer.
He’s just a member of parliament, elected as part of the governing party, who continual works to push discredited and unproven theories about Covid, because he read some papers.
Updated
Pauline Hanson says she is “from the old school” and therefore children shouldn’t be taught about consent.
It’s well known children are victims of abuse. They need to know they have agency over their body. This is not new information, no matter what age school your from.
(It being Hanson, she throws in a little whaddaboutism as well at the end, when she can’t back up her own argument)
Senator Pauline Hanson did not like these 👇 questions about consent from @katinacurtis & @jenbechwati ... @10NewsFirst #auspol pic.twitter.com/PuaQYxViqx
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) March 16, 2021
Mark Butler will hold a press conference after Craig Kelly to address the vaccine roll out.
Updated
The Greens will be voting against the Online Safety Bill
Guys – a code of conduct really shouldn’t be needed to stop people from harassing and abusing people. At work or anywhere. How do you need a piece of paper to apply to you to stop being a shit human? This seems like it is something most people should know?
As AAP reports:
A code of conduct for all South Australian MPs is inevitable after a damning report found sexual harassment, discrimination and bullying are rife in the parliament, Premier Steven Marshall says.
The premier and his ministers are already covered by such rules, but they don’t extend to backbench MPs.
Mr Marshall says taking that step is up to the parliament, but the government will seek to establish a committee to respond to the issues raised in the recent report from Acting Equal Opportunity Commissioner Emily Strickland.
“I’m covered by a ministerial code of conduct, the cabinet is covered by a ministerial code of conduct,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“What the parliament needs to do is decide whether all MPs are covered.
“I think it’s an inevitability. There is a community expectation that this be put in place.”
In her report, Ms Strickland found that 27 per cent of respondents among the parliamentary workforce reported being sexually harassed.
She said allegations of harassment ranged in seriousness and included sexually suggestive and unwelcome comments, indecent exposure and physical assault with MPs and their staff among the alleged perpetrators.
Ms Strickland also found many people experienced offensive comments and jokes and disrespectful remarks based on race, age and sexist attitudes.
The investigation revealed many incidents were part of a pattern of behaviour that had been ongoing for more than 12 months.
It found the majority of people were unlikely to report incidents, with many fearing repercussions for their careers.
Updated
Craig Kelly worked for his family’s furniture business before he came to parliament.
He has no medical or scientific background. His main sources of information are the same as your weird cousin who vaguebooks about people letting them down, and the pyramid scheme that has convinced them that they are a small business owner.
Treat this as you would posts from your weird cousin. Scroll on.
This was as expected as me having my fifth coffee of the day before midday.
Member for Hughes @CraigKellyMP will call on the Federal Government to halt the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout in line with Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, 12:15 PM APH #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) March 16, 2021
Also, the party room meetings have concluded – we’ll bring you those updates too.
It’s a slower day today– government MPs are laying a little low so far, which gives you an indication of the mood in the Coalition at the moment. It may have started filtering through that a moment has been misjudged and missed.
Updated
Parliament is about to start – we’ll bring you all the updates.
Updated
Tanya Plibersek was asked a little bit earlier about Matt Canavan’s vaccine comments:
I wouldn’t be taking health advice from Matt Canavan. I would be taking advice from our officials, including our Therapeutic Goods Administration, and our chief medical officer. I think it’s very important that we don’t start rumours, or engage in rumours. That we actually listen to the scientists and medical experts, who are guiding our response to this pandemic. I would be certain that our experts are talking to the health officials in other countries about why they’ve taken the decisions that they had. And I would be relying on their discussions and that advice to guide any decisions here in Australia.
Updated
This won’t be the end of it, though.
🚨Statement from @AstraZeneca to #7NEWS after calls to suspend vaccine:"17m people in the EU&UK have now received our vaccine,the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population” #auspol
— Jennifer Bechwati (@jenbechwati) March 16, 2021
Updated
Nine reportedly signs Facebook content deal
As Amanda Meade reported a little earlier, News Corp had signed a deal with Facebook.
Now, AAP reports, Nine has done the same:
Nine has reportedly signed a letter of intent with the social media giant for use of its news articles.
The company did not confirm the deal, which was first reported by its own mastheads, the Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
“We continue having constructive and fruitful discussions with the Facebook,” a spokesperson told AAP on Tuesday. “When we have anything to announce we will do so to the ASX, as is appropriate.”
Facebook has already sealed a partnership with Seven West Media.
Updated
Both Craig Kelly and Tim Smith are currently trending on twitter, proving, as always, we are living in the worst timeline.
Queensland and Victoria report no local Covid cases
So today, NSW, Queensland and Victoria have all reported no community transmission.
Updated
Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Sonya Bennett, just had a reminder about how contagious Covid is in the press conference with Annastacia Palaszczuk - they are watching NSW (no cases there today) after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive (Qld also recently had a doctor test positive).
I do just want to mention the New South Wales quarantine worker case as well. So, we are asking all Queensland residents, or people who have come to Queensland from New South Wales, please, if you have been in New South Wales recently, please check their website for the information about their locations of risk. And call 13HEALTH if you need advice, and we need you to follow that advice, particularly if you have been in any of those areas of exposure. I’d just ask Queensland residents to do that, or anyone in Queensland who’s been in Sydney during that risk period.
Updated
The United States has praised the appointment of Mathias Cormann to lead the OECD, saying the former Australian finance minister “brings a wealth of leadership and problem-solving experience to the role”.
Jalina Porter, a spokesperson for the State Department, told reporters in Washington DC during a press briefing overnight that Cormann would be the first secretary-general of the Paris-based organisation to come from the Asia-Pacific region.
“We’re confident he also brings a fresh perspective,” Porter said.
“Cormann will lead the OECD as it navigates pressing international economic issues including addressing climate change, modernising international taxation, tackling corruption, and strengthening labour rights.”
The selection process for the OECD secretary general was shrouded in secrecy and was aimed at building consensus for a candidate rather than having an outright vote.
The praise from the US state department - which also coincided with a friendly tweet from the secretary of state, Antony Blinken- lends weight to speculation that Australia was able to win support from the Biden administration for Cormann despite his climate record.
Porter said the selection process had “resulted in consensus among 37 OECD member-states on the next secretary general: Mathias Cormann”.
Porter said the US valued the OECD as a forum “where the United States can work with likeminded, market-driven democracies in developing a shared approach to challenging issues and building a green and inclusive future together”.
Updated
Parliament proceedings will begin in just under an hour.
Online Safety bill first up today. https://t.co/t2yqvaV9lT
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) March 16, 2021
Updated
No new community Covid cases in NSW
This is good news from NSW Health:
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
There were 6,257 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 8,199.
Investigations are still underway to determine the source of infection in the case announced on Sunday. As reported yesterday, genomic sequencing results show a match to the viral strain of a COVID-positive returned traveller who was in the Sofitel Wentworth quarantine hotel while infectious.
The genome sequencing results indicate the strain found in the hotel quarantine guest and security guard is the more transmissible B1.1.7 variant of the virus (also known as the UK variant).
Testing continues on close contacts of the case, who remains asymptomatic. The case’s household contacts have all tested negative and will continue to self-isolate for 14 days.
Updated
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, GetUp National Director Paul Oosting and ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldieas well as representatives from the AUWU, the National Union of Students, the National Council of Single Mothers & their Children, and people with lived experience of being on JobSeeker are protesting the Jobseeker rate cut (it is a cut - the $150/fortnight covid supplement is being replaced with a $50 a fortnight rate)
A minute’s silence is being held on the lawns as I type this, to remember Australians living in poverty.
*an earlier version of this post said Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy was at the event. She was not. My apologies
Updated
That story about Australia deporting a 15-year-old to New Zealand - yes, it happened.
As AAP reports:
New Zealand’s opposition believes trans-Tasman relations have sunk to a 40-year low as a new front opens in the deteriorating relationship.
The deportation of a 15-year-old boy from Australia on a flight Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton described as “taking out the trash” has infuriated Kiwi politicians across the spectrum.
New Zealand’s Greens have labelled Australia a “rogue nation” that “persistently flouts human rights laws”.
Before the emergence of the minor’s deportation, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said Mr Dutton’s comments “only serve to trash his own reputation”.
Ms Mahuta didn’t attack Australian counterparts further on Tuesday, saying authorities were focused on the needs of the child.
However, National leader Judith Collins, a conservative of the same political stripe as Ms Dutton, took aim.
Ms Collins said the deportation was inhumane and Mr Dutton’s comments were poorly timed given the second anniversary of the Christchurch Mosques terror attack on Monday.
“The 15-year-old no doubt has been involved in something they shouldn’t be involved in. But actually, you have to be human,” she said.
It was a pretty poor call for Minister Peter Dutton to come out and start talking about sending out the trash to New Zealand in the same week that we were commemorating ... an Australian who came here and killed 50 odd people in New Zealand and injured so many more.”
The Australian terrorist, Brenton Tarrant, is currently serving his life imprisonment in an Auckland jail; New Zealand has no plans to deport him.
The row over the 15-year-old is the latest inflammation of tensions between the two allies.
Whether its Australia’s deportation policy, different approaches on China, immigration and refugee settings or other issues, the gap between the two countries is widening.
Ms Collins believes relations haven’t been worse since the underarm bowling incident, when Kiwi PM Robert Muldoon said “New Zealanders who leave for Australia raise the IQ of both countries”.
“I’ve never seen Australia and New Zealand relations at such a low ebb since the days of Rob Muldoon,” she said.
“The rhetoric between Australia and New Zealand is rarking up.
“It speaks a lot about the lack of goodwill.
“Jacinda Ardern needs to refresh the relationship with Scott Morrison and that will help refresh the relationship between Australia and New Zealand at a government level.”
The latest Essential poll numbers are in.
The man/woman breakdown in these numbers is worth looking at, even if you don’t pay attention to polls (as Katharine Murphy reports:)
The latest survey of 1,124 respondents finds more than half the sample (55%) believes the prime minister should set up an investigation to satisfy himself of the attorney general’s fitness after a historical rape allegation was levelled against Christian Porter. Porter has firmly denied the allegation stating it “never happened”.
But 45% of the sample agrees with a statement mirroring Scott Morrison’s framing: “We need to respect the rule of law, we can’t have a trial by mob.” Australians split on gender and partisan lines.
Men (49%), voters aged over 55 (55%) and Coalition voters (63%) are mostly likely to reject the need for an independent inquiry, while a majority of women (59%) believe there should be one. Greens and Labor voters are most likely to hold this view (77% and 72% respectively) compared to other voters (37% Coalition voters, 48% minor and independent party voters).
The government has just launched a campaign to tackle misinformation about the Covid vaccine program. If you don’t think it is an issue – people not trusting the vaccine – then you might not be paying enough attention. It is an issue – and there is a lot of overlap in the conspiracy-lite social media groups certain elements of the Coalition backbench have been playing too, and vaccine skeptics. Matt Canavan knows exactly who he is speaking to here (there is no reported link between blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine, and the UK have used it without issue).
I think it’s clearly time for us to suspend the rollout here in Australia, if almost every European country is doing the same. We should heed these concerns. The European countries have a longer experience with the rollout of this virus, they have the greater threat of the coronavirus itself. They don’t have any incentive to glibly suspend their rollout. They’re obviously doing so through legitimate concerns. It’s also the case that the US is yet to approve AstraZeneca as well. Given we are in a country that does not face an imminent risk of coronavirus spread, surely the prudent approach here is to suspend our rollout and just take heed of the evidence that will emerge in the coming months.
Updated
Malcolm Roberts is having an extremely normal one, as usual.
He has given notice he wants to move this motion in the Senate today. Can some please check and see if he’s OK?
I give notice that on the next day of sitting, I shall move - That the Senate -
1. Notes that:
a) our fundamental biology and relationships are represented through the following descriptors - mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, boy, girl, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, female, male, man, woman, lady, gentleman, Mr, Mrs, Ms, sir, madam, dad, mum, husband, wife;
b) broad scale genuine inclusion cannot be achieved through distortions of biological and relational descriptors;
c) an individual’s right to choose their descriptors and pronouns for personal use must not dehumanise the human race and undermine gender;
d) Dr Lyons from Logan (QLD) reports incidences of young children feeling stressed and panicked about whether it is okay to use the words boy and girl;
e) pushing gender-neutral language is no replacement for appropriate emotional and psychological support for children while growing up.
2. Calls on the Federal Government to:
a) reject the use of distorted language such as gestational/ non-gestational parent, chestfeeding, human milk, lactating parent, menstruators, birthing/ non-birthing parent; and
b) ensure all federal government and federal government funded agencies do not include these terms in their material, including legislation, websites, employee documentation and training materials.
Updated
Crown Resorts ends all donations to political parties
Crown has released a two line statement – it will end political donations. Immediately.
MELBOURNE: Crown Resorts Limited (ASX: CWN) (Crown) has today announced that Crown and its associated entities will cease making monetary or in-kind political donations, effective immediately.
Updated
This is an excellent explanation from Grace Tame, and Network Ten, on some very difficult topics.
Grace Tame, Australian of the Year, explains the 6 Phases of Sexual Grooming and shares her own story of how she was a victim at 15-years-old.#March4Justice #March4Justiceau pic.twitter.com/7IKEEAvZjJ
— 10 News First (@10NewsFirst) March 15, 2021
Updated
Remember how I said Marise Payne doesn’t like media conferences?
Here’s how that doorstop interview I reported on came about:
WAIT FOR USSSSS!! Phew. Minister Marise Payne said she would do a doorstop but then did a runner ... luckily we caught up with her to ask some important questions. #auspol #March4Justiceau @10NewsFirst pic.twitter.com/5px9GzrrtF
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) March 15, 2021
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk raised the Covid situation in PNG as a “major concern” yesterday and said she wanted it discussed at national cabinet. The SMH’s Anthony Galloway reported yesterday an Australian health team has been dispatched to Papua New Guinea to help with the response. Marise Payne was also asked about that this morning:
I spoke with the high commissioner this morning on these matters. Of course, Papua New Guinea’s high commissioner is well engaged with DFAT as well. The government will make decisions on those issues, but as you saw this morning, we have arranged the deployment of an Ausmat team. We are already working on the ground in Papua New Guinea, including to reopen a number of facilities that deal with both testing and with other health issues. We understand the system is very strained. It’s a major focus for the government. And we’ll have more to say on that.
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Marise Payne held a very brief doorstop after a function this morning.
The foreign affairs minister does not like media conferences and so has to be grabbed at any opportunity, because who knows when the next one might be.
Payne was asked why she, as the minister representing women, didn’t attend the March 4 Justice.
As I said, I attend hundreds and hundreds of meetings all year with representatives from key organisations. In fact, I did so yesterday afternoon. But importantly, the prime minister of Australia, the prime minister of this nation, offered an opportunity which is available to be taken up at any time. And I sincerely hope that it is. They were politely declined yesterday, and that’s a matter for the organisers.
Does Payne understand why people may feel disappointed?
I understand the march yesterday made some very important points about issues that are of concern to many Australian women. I had the opportunity to talk about that, and my own views, in recent days, particularly through the period of International Women’s Day.
One thing I’m very clear about – and I have made explicitly clear – is that in this workplace, where you work, where I work, there is a lot to do in terms of workplace culture and the workplace environment.
... Does it just affect members of parliament and their staff? I think it affects the whole building. But for parliamentarians who are the leaders in this place, our role now, in my view, is to own the problems, to own the failings as well, and most importantly to own the solutions. And that is our focus.
Payne has been in the Senate since the late 1990s. These are not, as has been pointed out numerous times, new problems.
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Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy was on the Nine Network’s Today show this morning, where she was asked about Scott Morrison’s decision not to attend the March 4 Justice.
I actually think that sometimes in leadership, you’re there for a particular reason. And there are moments in your life, especially in your leadership life, where you make a decision. And I think the prime minister might reflect on the fact that he could have had a bit more courage to stand out there. And there are enough Australians out there who would have reminded people, come on, give the guy a chance. So I think that it’s disappointing that neither the prime minister and nor the minister for women were unable to do that. And I would certainly have encouraged them to do so.
She was also asked about the abuse and harassment allegations from women within the Labor party and said:
It’s an important point, and we need to have that honest discussion. I spoke on ABC Radio last week about the fact that no political party was blameless. But this isn’t about political parties. This is actually about human nature. And we are all responsible for our behaviour. And whatever we do and wherever we are, we always have to check ourselves against what is acceptable. And whether you’re in the Labor party, the Liberal party, the National party or the Coalition, it is just not on that women are treated in a way where they feel unsafe.
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I am very tired today, so you will have to excuse me, but I just read a press release for the Make it Australian campaign, which will see actors Bryan Brown, Simon Baker, Marta Dusseldorp and Justine Clarke in the parliament today and mistook the line “to convince parliament to introduce local content requirements for booming digital viewing platforms like Netflix,” as “for boomer digital viewing platforms like Netflix’.
It makes sense either way I guess.
This is a joke. Please do not send me #notallboomer messages. I know. I’ll forego my avocado on toast for a week as millennial penance.
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It’s almost like … there aren’t any other options?
BREALING: Victorian Liberals spill motion has failed. Voted down 22-9. Michael O'Brien to remain as leader. @SkyNewsAust
— Patrick Murrell (@pamurrell) March 15, 2021
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This should make for a fun joint party room meeting.
We should pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine because almost every European country now has concerns over its safety. There is no imminent threat of coronavirus here so why would we blindly rush on when others are concerned?
— Matthew Canavan (@mattjcan) March 15, 2021
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The US secretary of state has welcomed Mathias Cormann to the OECD role.
Congratulations, @MathiasCormann on your selection as the next OECD Secretary General. Your leadership and problem-solving experience are needed now more than ever. Working together, we can overcome the economic challenges we face and build a green and inclusive future.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 15, 2021
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Facebook and News Corp strike a content deal
Facebook has signed a three-year agreement to pay for News Corp Australia’s content in Facebook News, marking the first major deal the social network has made since Australia passed its news media bargaining laws.
The deal will see Facebook display articles from the Australian newspaper, news.com.au, major metropolitan mastheads the Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, the Courier-Mail and regional and community publications in Facebook News.
News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson said it was a landmark deal that would transform terms of trade for journalism and would “have a material and meaningful impact on our Australian news businesses”.
“Mark Zuckerberg and his team deserve credit for their role in helping to fashion a future for journalism, which has been under extreme duress for more than a decade,” he said.
“Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch led a global debate while others in our industry were silent or supine as digital disfunctionality threatened to turn journalism into a mendicant order.
“We are grateful to the Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Rod Sims and his team for taking a principled stand for publishers, small and large, rural and urban, and for Australia. This digital denouement has been more than a decade in the making.”
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The current deputy prime minister apparently thinks it is good news people have been *looking to get* for a half price airline ticket.
Even when he’s scripted, he makes no sense.
Since the announcement of the Federal Government’s $1.2b aviation and tourism package, hundreds of thousands of people have been looking to get a half-price airline ticket. The more Australians we get out visiting their own backyard, the faster our road to economic recovery. pic.twitter.com/MiJDJtg1jX
— Michael McCormack (@M_McCormackMP) March 15, 2021
AAP has more on Nationals backbencher and ever-hopeful Barnaby backer Matt Canavan’s comments on Sky News this morning about suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine roll out in Australia (comments which go against the Australian expert health advice):
“It’s time we do follow Europe and suspend our vaccine rollout,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.
“I don’t see how we could continue when basically the whole of Europe is worried about this vaccine.”
The World Health Organisation is urging countries not to panic as Europe’s biggest nations suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Germany, France and Italy have stopped using the vaccine over concerns about blood clots.
The jab has been widely used in the UK with no major issues.
But after some patients developed countries in Europe, countries like the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway suspended the vaccine’s rollout.
There are no proven links between the vaccines and the clots.
The WHO is asking countries to continue using the jab.
Australia is rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine and local production is ramping up, with more than 50 million doses to be produced.
Chief medical officer Paul Kelly insists the vaccine chosen as Australia’s mainstay is safe and effective.
Labor’s Andrew Leigh had one of his regular chats with Sydney radio 2SM, where he was asked about Scott Morrison’s response to the marches. (I think he may have read Murph’s column)
“He’s too small for the moment that we’re facing. He’s got too small of an imagination for what the country can be. The ambition for gender equality is an ambition for a better Australia, one in which we lift up men and women alike, and so everybody gets to live out their possibilities.
And getting rid of gendered violence is something that is good for all Australians.
The government has had Kate Jenkins’ Respect@Work report sitting on its desk for a year, and it hasn’t gone ahead and implemented the reforms.
That’s one of the things that the marchers were calling for. They want an independent inquiry into the allegations against Christian Porter, just as the government put in place an independent inquiry into decades-old allegations about Julia Gillard’s kitchen renovations.
It’s possible to build a better world, but Scott Morrison just doesn’t seem able to rise above the narrow masculine world in which he’s operated in order to form a more inclusive Australia.”
Women who have worked, or still work, for Labor are continuing to tell their own stories of abuse and harassment on a closed social media page. No one has been named (which is very difficult for legal reasons – I point you to Christian Porter’s very recent defamation action), but no one should think there is only issues on one side of politics with this.
Labor’s Julie Collins is asked about the complaints while speaking to the ABC:
What we’ve said very clearly is that everybody in Australian Parliament House, everybody in every Australian workplace, everybody in Australia, should be safe to go about their business, to go about their job. And that’s no matter what political party they belong to or work for.
Everybody should be safe in this building here, at Parliament House, and everybody should be safe in every building. What I would encourage those women on the Facebook page – I did read those and they’re very concerning – is to say, “We hear you, we see you, and we will support you to come forward.”
There is no tolerance for anybody that behaves in the way that’s being described.
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This seems to be going well.
BREAKING: Nationals Senator Matt Canavan calling for Astrazeneca rollout suspension in Australia as several European nations pause their program due to blood clotting concerns @SkyNewsAust @peterstefanovic
— Thomas O'Brien (@TJ__OBrien) March 15, 2021
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Sarah Henderson also said she hoped delegates from the March4Justice would meet with the prime minister. Scott Morrison did not attend the march, but he issued a last minute invitation for a small delegation to meet him privately in his office. Organisers turned it down, by saying they had “read the room” and people had come to Canberra, so the prime minister, instead of holding a meeting behind closed doors, could open the front door and join them.
Henderson:
I just don’t accept the characterisation “behind closed doors”. It was a unique opportunity to meet with the prime minister*. As I say, I do hope that they take it up. And many incidents of sexual harassment actually happen very openly, and that’s part of the problem, and that’s part of the challenge.
It’s certainly a challenge, even when I worked for the ABC, I had some shocking incidents happen to me when I hosted The 7.30 Report.
And certainly as a member of parliament, things have really improved. I’m surrounded by wonderful Coalition men. I’ve never had an issue in this building. But we do know that this workplace needs to be a model workplace, and that’s why we do need to do better.
* The prime minister said what he would have spoken to the women about in his statement to the chamber ahead of question time yesterday. It was a laundry list of where the government had spent money, as well as the inquiries which have been established. All of which is already been said, and is publicly available.
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Liberal senator Sarah Henderson is on ABC News Breakfast, where she is being asked what the prime minister meant when he said yesterday about the marches “not far from here, some marchers now are even being met with bullets”?
Henderson:
I think the prime minister was simply making the point that it’s very important in our country that we can protest, we all have a voice – not just the 100,000 women who attended yesterday, but Australia’s 13 million girls and women, and we should never take our democracy for granted.
Q: Is it the case that the prime minister just doesn’t get it?
Henderson:
I think that’s a very unfair criticism. If you look at the record of our government, we have expended more than a billion dollars in a whole range of issues to protect women in the workplace and at home. Family violence continues to remain a scourge. But a number of the important issues which have been raised yesterday concerning trials in courts for sexual assault victims involve the states and territories stepping up and seeing major reform of the law*.
*Speaking of law reforms, the government recently abolished the family court, a vanity project of Pauline Hanson, by merging it with the federal court. The family court was set up as a speciality court to deal with family and relationship breakdowns, in all circumstances. Australia’s legal fraternity came together to plead with the government not to make the change. It passed the parliament in the last sitting.
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The front lawns of Parliament House will be filled with empty chairs today, representing Australians who will be plunged back into poverty when the government cuts the Jobseeker rate to just $44 a day.
It’s calling it a “rise” – and the first one, in real terms, in almost 30 years. But in reality, it’s a cut. In the last year, the Covid supplement added to the unemployment payment has meant it has almost been liveable. It started with an effective doubling of the payment, to $1,100 a fortnight, but the Covid supplement has gradually been cut – it’s now worth an extra $75 a week on top of the base rate. That extra $75 was the base increase advocates have been calling for for years. Why? Because it’s the minimum of just scraping by in this country, in the perfect circumstances. You might be able to buy discounted fresh produce, and maybe bus tickets to the job interviews that are part of your mutual obligations, as well as paying for a room in cheap accomodation.
Come the end of this month, the government is cutting the Covid supplement altogether. It’s decided on a new base rate for the payment, which is just $25 a week more than it was before the pandemic. Instead of $40 a day – which everyone, including the government, had agreed was impossible to live on – it’s now $44 a day.
And those extra payments the government keeps talking about when questioned on the low rate? They, on average, work out to be just an extra $1 a day.
Everyone from the Business Council of Australia to social service advocacy groups have called for a liveable increase to the unemployment payment. Because it costs money to look for work.
From the end of this month, thousands of Australians, who are only just scraping by, will be forced back into poverty. The Australian Unemployed Workers Union hope the empty chairs will serve as a reminder of what’s being done.
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Good morning
I really hope you got some rest overnight.
It was another huge day in a long run of them, and one with a lot of emotion, which always takes a toll. And that doesn’t just go away because the day is over. Be gentle with yourself today.
It’s party room meeting day, so parliament won’t start until midday. By any measure, the government had a shocker of a day. Scott Morrison perhaps had his worse day, performance-wise, since becoming prime minister. I know that is all very politics, but it is a mark of just how much real world has filtered in: the master of the political spin, who operates by dismissing anything he doesn’t want to speak about, couldn’t work out how to do it yesterday.
His “this is a vibrant liberal democracy, Mr Speaker, not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets, but not here in this country, Mr Speaker” line was the only thing people took from his response to the marches - because it sums up just how at sea the prime minister appears to be in confronting this issue.
He’s been passive when people looked to him for leadership. That doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the government is also facing pressure over Australia’s vaccine rollout, and the news Germany, France and Italy are suspending AstraZeneca vaccine use over concerns about blood clots will not help.
There is no proven link between the vaccine and blood clots. The UK has rolled it out, with no reported issues.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is slated to play a large role in Australia’s vaccination program, with production to be done on-shore.
The chief health officer, Prof Paul Kelly, said Australia had strong reporting protocols around issues, and the vaccine was safe.
The government has faced criticism over the rollout of the vaccine program, with most Australians to have received their second doses by December, while the US aims to have its population vaccinated by July.
“It’s not a race. It’s not a competition. It’s about the health and safety of Australians,” Morrison said on Sunday.
We’ll cover that and everything else that happens in the parliament and surrounds today. You have Amy Remeikis with you, with Mike Bowers walking the halls. Katharine Murphy, Daniel Hurst and Paul Karp are also on deck, with the entire Guardian brains trust at your disposal.
And I know you miss the comments – we truly do too. We miss your input. But Australia’s defamation laws mean we all have to be extra careful. Premoderating the blog comments is a huge undertaking – and the time involved means it’s a pretty stilted conversation anyway – so we have switched them off. We will turn them back on as soon as we can.
I’m going to grab myself another coffee and then jump straight in.
Ready?
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