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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy and Emily Wind (earlier)

Asio boss says violent protesters will receive ‘full force of my agency’ – as it happened

United States Anthony Albanese Australia Joe Biden Kevin Rudd Disability Hamas Katy Gallagher Geoscience Australia IndoPacific
Asio director general Mike Burgess during Senate estimates at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.
Asio director general Mike Burgess during Senate estimates at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

What we learned: Monday, 23 October

With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. We’ll be back first thing tomorrow for all the latest, including the wonderful world of Senate estimates.

Here were today’s major developments:

I will leave you with the question on everyone’s lips … who does First Dog Toto stay with when his dad isn’t home?

Updated

Kathryn Campbell expressed interest in defence before Aukus move

The prime minister and cabinet department has offered further insight into a decision to move Kathryn Campbell to a senior Aukus role in defence, saying she had expressed “interest in the defence space”.

During Senate estimates questioning by Greens senator Barbara Pocock, department officials said the former top bureaucrat, who was foreign affairs secretary until July 2022, wanted to work in the defence department.

First assistant secretary Andrew Walter said Campbell had informed PM&C secretary Glyn Davis of her interest, and he then passed on that information to defence secretary Greg Moriarty.

In conversations with our secretary, Professor Davis, Ms Campbell had indicated a willingness to, or a hope to, continue to serve the public and we understand that [an interest in defence] was conveyed.

... it was then a matter for the secretary of defence whether he took any interest in that, and found a suitable role.

Moriarty told senators during estimates hearings in May 2023 he had been approached by Davis to look for where they could place Campbell.

[Davis] subsequently contacted me on the 14th of June to establish whether there might be a role for Ms Campbell given that she was likely to be moving, or transferred from her position as the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ... He asked me to think about whether there was an appropriate role [for Campbell].

Campbell was suspended without pay in the wake of the robodebt royal commission report. Defence confirmed she had resigned from the department with effect from Friday 21 July 2023.

Updated

Officials from the prime minister’s department were warned 20 minutes in advance of former Victorian premier Dan Andrews’ announcement to cancel his state’s hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Prime minister and cabinet department deputy secretary, Elizabeth Hefren-Webb, told Liberal senator Simon Birmingham she was informed by the federal health department 20 minutes before the announcement.

Hefren-Webb said the department had managed to pass the message on to the PM’s office despite the short warning time.

Updated

Asio boss says domestic spy agency watching neo-Nazi groups closely

Back to Senate estimates, and Asio boss Mike Burgess has also been asked about his agency’s response to public demonstrations and gatherings of neo-Nazi groups in Melbourne.

Earlier this month, a group of people dressed in black marched through Melbourne’s Flinders Street station and performed the Nazi salute. The state’s deputy premier, Ben Carroll, told parliament that the group “approached train passengers to inquire about their Jewish identity”.

Burgess said Asio would continue to monitor the National Socialist Network closely:

Anyone that is known to us in the violent extremism cohort – either religiously or ideologically motivated in the case of the National Socialist network – will be subjects of our investigations and we continue to monitor those activities closely.

Burgess went on to speak generally about the group and its motivation:

We are not expecting them to plan acts of violence, those in the main group. Of course, what they do is promote their cause. They are looking to bring attention to it and recruit more members.

The terrorism threat level is “possible” and that means anyone from any ideology could go to violence with little or no warning, and that’s the problem we deal with today. We’re concerned and we continue to monitor across the spectrum of ideologies we’re dealing with.

Updated

Palestinians in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs have held a silent vigil outside the office of local Liberal MP Keith Wolohan in protest of him not speaking on behalf of his constituents calling for ceasefire in Gaza.

A Palestine vigil takes place outside the office of Keith Wolohan, member for Menzies.

Amin Abbas, founder of Olive Kids, said the electorate was home to hundreds of Palestinians and Wolohan must “speak up for us”.

He said in Menzies alone, more than half a dozen families had lost family members in the past few days due to the ongoing conflict.

A snap action has been called by members of the community in the electorate, appealing to Mr Wolohan’s humanity, as a father and a family man, not just a politician, to use his voice and power to end the atrocities committed against the people of Gaza.

Updated

Snowy Hydro still awaiting NSW approvals to resume main tunnel boring

Dennis Barnes, Snowy Hydro’s chief executive, has stuck with the latest $12bn cost estimate to complete the giant 2.0 pumped hydro project as stated back in August.

That sum doesn’t include the cost of extra transmission for the grid, which is why a final figure is likely to come in at $20bn (as we noted here).

Anyway, we learned from Barnes’ appearance before Senate estimates today that work on the 17km head-race tunnel from Tantangara reservoir to an underground power station is still to restart. The tunnel machine (dubbed “Florence”) is yet to receive New South Wales government approval for its revised plans.

Recall that the machine barely got its full 140-metre length into the tunnel before it hit unexpectedly wet and soft ground, and well, got bogged, late last year.

ABC has reported the snag cost $2bn alone, a figure Barnes downplayed. (The machine costs about $100m-$200m and has a crew of about 50.)

And as to why Florence didn’t start with the slurry plant that would have allowed it to power through the mush, that extra kit was apparently intended for handling naturally occurring asbestos. That material will be reached about 7km in.

Barnes didn’t offer many other new numbers. Despite the cost blow-outs (the original media releases had the cost at a paltry $2bn), he is sticking with his estimate that the project continues to have a net positive value of $3bn – unless other issues emerge.

That sounds good, until you consider it’s largely positive because future power prices are now predicted to be a lot higher than when the original (not-disclosed) business case for a 2,000-plus megawatt pumped hydro plant was drawn up.

Updated

No campaign ‘turned many previously good-willed people against us’, Aboriginal group says

The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress has released its statement following Australia’s rejection of the Indigenous voice to parliament, saying it is “saddened and disappointed”.

Referendum ballot papers at a counting centre in Melbourne, Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Referendum ballot papers at a counting centre. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP

The group, who supported the yes campaign, noted every jurisdiction, apart from the ACT, had overwhelmingly chosen to vote against a “fairer and more inclusive nation”.

Its statement read:

Initially that invitation [for a voice] was well-received: a year ago, two-thirds of Australians were in favour of the Voice.

However, the … misinformation adopted by prominent ‘No’ campaigners turned many previously good-willed people against us.

In doing so, they gave permission for racism to run wild.
Given the result of the Referendum and the conduct of the ‘No’ campaign, there are now serious questions about whether reconciliation is still a viable strategy in Australia.”

The congress said the struggle for equality, justice and self-determination will continue, adding “sooner or later the nation state must deal with the enduring fact of Aboriginal sovereignty”.

Updated

Victorian principal resigns after students suffered antisemitic bullying and discrimination

The principal of a Victorian school where five former students suffered antisemitic bullying and discrimination has resigned from his role.

In a letter to the Brighton Secondary School community, the Victorian department of education says Richard Minack has “relinquished his position” as principal.

Dvir Abramovich, the chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, says he hopes the resignation marks a “new dawn” for the school.

Last month, the federal court ordered the state of Victoria to pay more than $430,000 in damages for negligence by failing to protect the students from racial discrimination.

The judgment found Minack breached racial discrimination laws by failing to take “appropriate and reasonable steps” to discourage antisemitic bullying, harassment and Nazi swastika graffiti at the school.

Updated

Asio boss says those bringing violence to protests will receive ‘full force of my agency’

Asio director-general, Mike Burgess, has told a Senate estimates hearing that the domestic spy agency is concerned about “a small subset of protesters” who may wish to bring violence to protests about war in the Middle East.

Here’s a section of his opening statement:

Asio is not interested in those who engage in lawful protest, but rather the small subset of protesters who may wish to escalate protests or violence.

Burgess went to provide more information about how Asio is monitoring protests around the country:

We’re interested in individuals that have an ideology that says ‘violence is the answer’. People who will look to exploit protests and plan violence at protests will get full force of my agency.

But we’re not anti-protest and we stay away from paying an interest into protests unless of course, there are individuals that will exploit that for things that we care about, from a security threat point of view.

Updated

Virgin Australia ground staff threaten strike action over 'poverty pay'

Ground staff at Virgin Australia are threatening industrial action, including striking, amid claims they are on “poverty pay”.

On Monday, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) announced that workers will apply to the Fair Work Commission for a protected action ballot, meaning if granted, they can vote about taking industrial action after negotiations with the airline stalled on Friday.

The TWU is claiming that Virgin – which recently reported a $129m profit – is refusing “to correct poverty pay, insecure work and safety issues”.

“Ground workers and cabin crew have reported needing second jobs to compensate for low pay and unsustainable rosters as they struggle with home loans and leases,” the TWU said.

Virgin Australia planes are parked at terminal at Sydney Airport in Sydney.

TWU national assistant secretary Nick McIntosh said:

The message we’re receiving loud and clear from TWU members above and below the wing is that Virgin must correct poverty pay, insecure work and unsafe conditions, otherwise workers will have to walk away from jobs that have become unsustainable. These are workers that have remained loyal to Virgin through thick and thin and are devastated that it has reached breaking point.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson:

We are in the process of negotiating a new enterprise agreement for our Pit Crew employees. We continue to negotiate in good faith with our people and the Transport Workers’ Union.

Guardian Australia understands that during negotiations last week, Virgin offered employees at least 3% pay increases in the first year of the new enterprise agreement – on top of recent award increases – and a further 3% increase in years two and three.

Updated

Be careful out there, Queensland! There are a hot few days to come:

Updated

The head of operation sovereign borders, rear admiral Justin Jones, has confirmed Guardian Australia’s reporting of 11 asylum seekers being transferred to Nauru, telling Senate Estimates this was the first transfer to Nauru in nine years.

Jones gave some additional details, including that they were transferred on 7 September “from Australia to Nauru”. They are now in detention in Nauru, for initial processing, and will have their claims for asylum assessed by Nauru.

Head of operation sovereign borders, Rear Admiral Justin Jones.
Head of operation sovereign borders, Rear Admiral Justin Jones. Photograph: Trevor Collens/AAP

Jones refused to say whether the 11 people came on one or more boats, claiming those details were “operationally sensitive”. He also declined to say whether any of them are minors.

Asked why the boat wasn’t turned back, he said:

If we are able to safely and lawfully turn or take back personnel we will do that. In this case [we were] not able to safely or lawfully conduct a take-back or turnback.

Greens senator, Nick McKim, said it wouldn’t be lawful if they had reached the Australian migration zone. Jones confirmed this.

McKim accused the government of “outrageous secrecy” for continuing the policy of not commenting on on-water matters, and at one point referred to Murray Watt as “Mr [Scott] Morrison”. He withdrew the remark.

Updated

Journalist’s question about election promise sparked review of Port of Darwin lease

Prime minister’s department officials have indicated a journalist’s question was what set in motion the Albanese government’s review into the Port of Darwin lease.

Prime minister and cabinet department deputy secretary, Scott Dewar, confirmed work began on the review into the controversial lease following a press conference on 22 August, 2022 where Anthony Albanese was asked a question about the election promise.

The review, which was publicly released on Friday afternoon, ruled out cancelling a Chinese company’s lease over the strategically important Northern Territory port.

Dewar admitted the department got to work on the review following Albanese’s recommitment to complete the review.

We took actions to commence that review after that [question was asked].

Under questioning by Liberal senator Simon Birmingham, Dewar revealed six other national security agencies within government were contacted on 11 January, 2023.

Birmingham said:

Why did it take until 11 January to seemingly even take the first steps of this review?

PM&C officials said work had began internally to map out the process with the final review completed months later in March.

Dewar said it was a matter for the prime minister as to why it took seven months for the findings of the review to be released.

Penny Wong rejected Birmingham’s assertion it was “unusual” for the department to put out the release, late on a Friday, without a statement from the prime minister.

Updated

In the New South Wales northern rivers region, a fire burning in the Clarence Valley has been downgraded to a “watch and act” level.

The NSW Rural fire service says the fire, burning in the vicinity of Glens Creek Road and north of Armidale Rd approximately 3km north of Nymboida, has been downgraded as the fire has reduced.

The fire is burning in a south-westerly direction along Frickers Road. Firefighters have contained a number of spot fires on both sides of the Nymboida River. Crews, assisted by aircraft, continue working to slow the spread of fire and protect isolated properties.

A further four fires across the state in the upper Hunter, mid coast, Armidale and Coffs Harbour regions remain at the “advice” level.

Updated

Rear admiral Justin Jones, the head of operation sovereign borders, is giving an update to Senate Estimates vowing that dangerous boat journeys “will not succeed”.

“We will not allow the door to tragic loss of life and criminal exploitation to open again,” he said.

There were seven ventures intercepted en route to Australia in 2022, he said, and the vessels in all cases were rated not seaworthy.

He said in one operation in 2022, marine crew spent 20 hours in “suboptimal sea conditions, transferring passengers and crew from their foundering vessel to safety”.

Jones said:

The risk of life and safety of all involved is real. This is why we work so hard to protect people from the false promises of criminal people smugglers.

The Liberal senator, Paul Scarr, is asking about ABF’s Operation Inglenook, investigating the exploitation of migrant workers.

Queensland treaty negotiations an issue for future governments, Palaszczuk says

The Queensland premier says her government is committed to reconciliation but reiterated that treaties with the state’s First Nations people will require “bipartisan support.”

It comes after the opposition leader, David Crisafulli, said last week the LNP could no longer support a treaty, and would not pursue one if it wins office next year, as it would create “further division”.

The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, told reporters on Monday she was “hoping” that a treaty institute would be set up in January but the actual negotiations with Indigenous Queenslanders would be for “subsequent governments”.

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

“It’s a long process. The truth-telling process is two-to-five years and the treaties would come afterwards. That’s for subsequent governments,” Palaszczuk told reporters.

Palaszczuk clarified that she personally would like to see treaties implemented but “there would need to be bipartisan support for that”.

We are committed to reconciliation.

Updated

The Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy has released a study looking at promotions in the Australian public service.

It found:

Over the past twenty years, women have become more likely to get promoted at senior ranks than similar men and just as likely at junior ranks. Disability lowers promotion prospects at most ranks. [Non-English Speaking Background] staff have much lower promotion prospects at higher ranks despite being less likely to separate from the public service. These lower promotion prospects for NESB staff are only partially explained by language proficiency or cultural assimilation. The unexplained remainder could reflect a penalty for being non-white.

There are some caveats though: the study did not observe performance evaluations or whether employees have succeeded at their current job level nor who applies for promotion.

On the finding about people from NESB, it said:

For NESB, promotion prospects have stagnated or become worse over time. The promotion penalty for being in the NESB group, relative to non-NESB, grows at higher ranks of the public service. The penalty is present for Australian-born NESB and those who migrated to Australia at a very young age. This argues against an explanation driven entirely by language barriers or cultural assimilation ... the results for the NESB group in particular raise a note of warning.

If being from a non-European background is a barrier to advancement even when someone is fluent in English and raised in Australia, there may be a problem. If nothing else, this finding warrants further investigation by the APS.

Updated

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has backed a joint statement released by the US, the UK, Canada, France, Italy and Germany on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The statement supported Israel’s “right to defend itself” under international humanitarian law:

The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.

They welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza … the leaders committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace.

A fire burning in Armidale, New South Wales has been downgraded to “advice” level as firefighters continue to work on the blaze.

The NSW Royal fire service has released an update confirming the grass fire, burning 45km north-east of Armidale, is being controlled.

The alert level for this fire has been downgraded [from “watch and act”] due to reduced fire activity. Firefighters, assisted by aircraft and heavy machinery, are working to strengthen containment lines.

Updated

Australia holding out for better EU free trade deal, Farrell says

Farrell also reiterated he would walk away from a possible free trade deal with the European Union if it did not bring a better offer to the table for Australia’s agricultural industry ahead of an upcoming meeting.

He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing:

I’ve made it very clear that I was prepared to walk away from the deal that the European Union offered us back in July in Brussels. It wasn’t a fair deal. It wasn’t a good deal for Australia. If the Europeans come to our meeting next week and make the same offer I’m going to give them the same response, to reject the offer from the Europeans.

He said despite this, he still wanted to pen an agreement and was going into the meeting with a “positive frame of mind”.

I am a bit concerned having seen some of the comments by the Coalition that they are undermining our negotiating position. We should have a Team Australia approach to these discussions. When the former government was negotiating with the United Kingdom we backed them to the hills. When they were negotiating with India we backed them to the hills. I would like a Team Australia approach. The way we get the best result for Australia.

Updated

‘We still have lobsters to resolve’: Farrell says more work to do on China’s tariffs

Back to Farrell, and the trade minister has told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing China’s possible easing of wine tariffs with Australia is “not a transactional process”, rejecting claims China will be receiving something in return.

When the foreign minister was able to get Cheng Lei released from China that was not a transactional process. That was us lobbying the Chinese government for the release of Cheng Lei so she could return to Australia with her family.

Last month, China’s ministry of commerce said Chinese wind towers were crucial for Australia’s renewable energy ambitions and shouldn’t be handicapped with tariffs.

A Western Australia rock lobster.
A Western Australia rock lobster. Photograph: Trevor Collens/AFP/Getty Images

Farrell said the talk of wind turbines was just another trade dispute with Australia.

Our process for dealing with these issues is independent of government … whatever might be happening for instance on wind turbines, would be something that would be occurring quite independent of our government decisions. We are not transactional. Our arguments with China and in respect of all these disputes, is they are not consistent with our free trade agreement … and we are not stopping here. We still have lobsters to resolve, the issue of lobsters.

Bit by bit we are resolving it and I would hope particularly after our trip to China next year that we will see a way to get through all of these outstanding issues.

Updated

Senate estimates can be many things but it’s perhaps best known for getting into the weeds.

And that’s where we are right now over in the finance and public administration committee, where the prime minister and cabinet’s department (PM&C) is fronting senators.

Thanks to a long chunk of questioning by the opposition’s foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham, we now have a comprehensive timeline of how the federal government responded to the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israeli citizens on Saturday 7 October.

Scott Dewar, deputy secretary, said the foreign affairs department’s global watch office first alerted PM&C a bit before 4.30pm - around two hours after the attack reportedly began in Israel.

Penny Wong issued a statement via social media at 7.46pm AEDT.

Talking points on the unfolding situation were sent to the prime minister’s office by PM&C at 10.45pm on Saturday night followed by a full situation report at 10.57pm.

The following morning, Anthony Albanese‘s office received a second situation report at 6.54am and talking points at 7.02am. Wong says this when the “full scale and horror of the attack” was realised.

Perhaps there are no real insights to be gleaned here but it is now on the public record. That’s the beauty of estimates.

PM yet to speak with Benjamin Netanyahu

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has yet to lock in a phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, department officials in Senate estimates have confirmed.

Albanese spoke with the Israeli ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon ,on the morning of 8 October, the day after the attacks on Israeli citizens by Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

During that phone call conversation, while Maimon was still in Israel, a request was sought to schedule a call with Netanyahu.

More than two weeks later, Australian officials in Senate estimates confirmed they’re “still seeking to arrange that call”.

The Liberal senator Simon Birmingham asks when the last time the two prime ministers spoke was, which deputy secretary, Scott Dewar, reveals was 4 April this year.

Updated

China to review ‘terrible tariffs’ on Australian wine

The federal trade, tourism and investment minister, Don Farrell, is appearing on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing after the Chinese government’s agreement to a five-month review of heavy tariffs it imposed on Australian wine almost three years ago.

Asked if Farrell was happy with how progress was going, he replied:

When we came to office almost 18 months ago now we had about $20bn worth of what we call ‘trade impediments’ with China … from day one we have sought to stabilise our relationship with China, so that all of those businesses in Australia that have been negatively affected by these impediments had an opportunity to get back to trading.

Farrell said “trade impediments” were now down to around $1bn.

[Wine trade] is very important because unlike a whole lot of the other products … we weren’t able to find alternative markets for wine. What that meant in Australia of course is there is a surplus of particularly red wine, but now that we have reached this agreement on a process to lift these terrible tariffs then I think that is a very positive sign for the wine industry.

Updated

Asylum Seeker Centre calls for clarity on refugees in PNG

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has urged the Australian government to provide clarity on the fate of refugees in Papua New Guinea (PNG) following Guardian Australia’s report the final group still held there after a decade would begin leaving “within weeks”.

In an interview, PNG’s chief migration officer, Stanis Hulahau said the majority of 64 remaining refugees would be resettled in New Zealand, while those suffering acute health problems would be brought to Australia for treatment.

The ASRC said clarity was still needed on the timeframe for evacuations and resettlement, their case management once in Australia and whether families of the medically evacuated would also be transported with them.

Ogy Simic, director of advocacy at the ASRC, said the Australian government “must front up” to its duty of care for the dozens of refugees it “forced” to PNG more than a decade ago.

What we’ve seen unfold in PNG is a humanitarian crisis, with those trapped facing evictions, threats and cuts to services triggered by the PNG government’s failure to pay PNG accommodation and service providers over an extended period.

The Australian government cannot leave these people in uncertainty and without safety for any longer. It must front up to its responsibility, clearly explain its plans for the remaining refugees, and end this decade of cruelty now.

Updated

A fire ban in far north Queensland has been extended until next Monday due to heightened fire conditions in the state.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has advised residents to monitor its website for current and future restrictions.

It comes as communities in Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain in the Southern Downs region have been urged to prepare to leave due to the possibility of worsening conditions.

Start taking protective action now.

Workers underpaid $509m last year, ombudsman reveals

The Fair Work Ombudsman recovered more than half a billion dollars in underpayments to workers in the latest financial year, its annual report, published today reveals.

In 2022-23, $509m for 251,475 underpaid workers was recovered – the second largest annual figure recorded behind only 2021-22.

More than half of last year’s recoveries came from large corporate and university employers.

The Fair Work Ombudsman, Anna Booth, said its investigations and enforcement actions sent a “clear message”.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has created a firmer culture of accountability and an environment that expects Australia’s largest employers to prioritise compliance. These efforts, including prioritising both the large corporates and university sectors, and combining stronger, targeted compliance and enforcement action across our work, have led to more wages returned to workers’ pockets.

Some 81 litigations were filed in 2022-23, including against a university for the first time.

The Ombudsman also entered into 15 enforceable undertakings with businesses including Suncorp, Australian Unity, David Jones, Politix, Crown Melbourne and Perth, Charles Sturt University, the University of Newcastle and University of Technology Sydney.

Updated

‘No one with security concerns or terror links has been brought to Australia’: home affairs

The acting home affairs secretary, Stephanie Foster, has responded to Senator Jacqui Lambie’s concerns about Hamas sympathisers being brought from Nauru to Australia, an allegation she did not provide evidence for.

She said:

No one with security concerns or terror links has been brought to Australia for a temporary purpose. Senator Lambie may have been informed about people with character concerns – which is a much broader category.

Ministerial intervention allows their management in Australia, including keeping them in held detention. Some may have been resettled in third countries.

Updated

Bushfire warnings in Queensland: update

If you’re just joining us, there are a number of bushfire warnings active across Queensland.

Residents at Cypress Gardens, Millmerran Downs and Tara in the Toowoomba and Western Downs regions have been urged to leave immediately due to multiple fires blazing this afternoon.

Queensland Fire & Emergency Services has been using text and voice message to warn people in the affected areas about the fires.

Your life could be at risk. It could soon be too dangerous to drive … if your life is in danger call Triple Zero (000).

A further three watch and act warnings are in place across, Millmerran Woods, Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain and Stewart Road.

Communities in these areas have been urged to prepare to leave.

Some 15 areas have been told to avoid smoke in the area by staying indoors and closing windows, while Wolvi near Gympie, Carnarvon Gorge, Westgrove and Injune and the Tallebudgera Valley have been told to stay informed and monitor the situation.

Updated

Push to recognise victims of forced childhood virginity tests

Survivor advocacy groups are calling on the government to properly recognise the victims of forced childhood virginity tests at state children’s homes in the national redress scheme.

The scheme was set up after the child abuse royal commission to offer capped compensation and other forms of redress to historical abuse survivors. But the Care Leavers Action Network says those subjected to forced virginity tests as children at state-run homes are being rejected by the scheme.

The Clan advocate Leonie Sheedy told the ABC her group are today protesting outside the office of the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus’s, office.

I’d like the attorney general Mark Dreyfus, who is the highest legal officer … to fix this appalling lack of social justice for these women.

The redress scheme falls under the portfolio of social services and the government says it has updated the guidance for the scheme’s decision-makers on virginity testing.

Updated

Government declines to say if any minors among 11 asylum seekers

The home affairs official Michael Thomas has declined to answer Nick McKim’s question about whether any of the 11 asylum seekers taken to Nauru in September are minors.

Thomas explained they are in an “initial reception” phase where they are identified, and subject to health checks. He said:

At this stage providing more detail on the cohort may have impact on relations with Nauru, privacy and safety.

McKim complains that even under the Coalition officials answered questions about whether children were detained. Murray Watt, the minister representing the home affairs minister, said that was his “political narrative”.

Australian Greens senator Nick McKim
Australian Greens senator Nick McKim Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

McKim concurred: “same rubbish, different bin” when it comes to offshore processing, he said.

Thomas confirmed that the asylum seekers at the regional processing centre are not able to leave at the moment (they are detained) - but after the “initial reception … Nauru will determine” whether to house them in community accommodation.

We’re expecting more questions to Australian Border Force about this.

Updated

As we mentioned earlier, the prime minister has arrived in the United States for a four day official visit upon the invitation of Joe Biden.

Biden, of course, was unlikely to have predicted the reasonable amount of chaos occurring in the race for a house speaker as the backdrop to the trip.

Albanese has said in a nifty video backed to soothing music that it’s “wonderful” to be in the US, pointing to Aukus, the two nations’ economic relationship and commitment to renewable energy as focuses of the visit.

The United States’ relationship with Australia is our most important … the first pillar, of course is our defence relationship. Making sure that the Aukus arrangements are put in place and talking with Congress and Senate about the legislation that’s required to turn this vision into a practical reality.

Updated

Case against Queensland environmental activists hits hurdle

The case against 14 Queensland activists facing jail for a climate protest inside the state parliament appeared to hit a major hurdle after the validity of the charges levelled against them was questioned in court on Monday.

(We brought you more on this case earlier in the blog here).

The group unfurled banners with anti-fossil fuel banners from the public gallery and interrupted question time by chanting for about three minutes last November and now face charges of disturbing the legislature – charges not laid in more than 30 years.

The charges fall under section 56 of Queensland’s criminal code which sets a three-year maximum jail term. But a Brisbane court heard on Monday that a later section of the same act repeals section 56 as an offence.

Section 717 of the criminal code says that a person can not be charged with, prosecuted, convicted or punished for disturbing the legislature.

Police prosecutor Martin Payne lodged a lengthy written submission over which section of Queensland’s laws was in effect at the time of the protest in parliament following amendments to legislation in 2012.

The barrister for the defendants, Andrew Hoare, said there was “no ambiguity” over which section of the law was involved but had not had a chance to submit his own written submission.

Magistrate Joseph Pinder gave Hoare five days to do so but no date was fixed for a hearing into that matter.

Updated

Thanks to the excellent Emily Wind for guiding us through another Monday. I’ll be with you till stumps.

Many thanks for being with me on the blog today. There’s still lots to come, so Caitlin Cassidy will be here to continue our rolling coverage into the evening.

Government stays quiet on climate change document in Senate estimates

Officials from the prime minister’s department have refused to reveal further details about a highly-secretive document about how climate change will fuel national security threats in Australia’s future.

As Guardian Australia has reported before, the highly sought-after document is so secretive the federal government has refused to say when it was created or what it contains.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge is attempting to chisel out some more details at Senate estimates, but the classification of the document also remains confidential.

Deputy secretary Scott Dewar, who is set to become the next ambassador to China, referred to the prime minister’s previous statements after calls for the release of a “sanitised” version of the document created by the Office of National Intelligence.

Anthony Albanese has repeatedly said the government does not release ONI assessments that have been provided to the national security committee.

Penny Wong, who is representing the government at the witness table, stepped in to question Shoebridge’s motivation for trying to reveal “national security matters”.

What I think is interesting is you have not asked a single question about the … actual implications so it just says something about your motivation.

Wong doesn’t budge on further questioning so Shoebridge’s quest to draw out more details on this particular assessment ultimately fails.

Updated

As we reported just before, the Queensland regions of Millmerran Downs and Cypress Gardens have been urged to leave immediately due to a fast-moving fire.

Now, the region of Tara has also been told they must immediately leave due to the threat.

This includes properties between Chinchilla Tara Road, Timothy Road, Weitzels Road, Tara Kogan Road and Spinifex Road. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service warned:

LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Your life could be at risk. It will soon be too dangerous to drive.

A fire ban has been introduced for the following southwest Queensland local government areas, due to heightened fire conditions:

  • Toowoomba

  • Southern Downs

  • Western Downs

  • Goondiwindi

  • Maranoa

  • Balonne

For residents in these areas, the ban will be in place from Tuesday to Friday.

Eleven asylum seekers sent to Nauru, home affairs confirms

At Senate estimates, Senator Jacqui Lambie is asking home affairs department officials about how many people are on Nauru.

Michael Thomas, the first assistant secretary of the people smuggling policy and implementation taskforce, responded that there are 13 asylum seekers on Nauru including 11 who arrived in September.

This confirms Guardian Australia’s reporting earlier in October, revealing that staff of International Health and Medical Services had been asked to work on Nauru to provide health services to the cohort.

Officials haven’t given more details about when and where their boat was intercepted, or their country of origin – these questions were directed to Australian Border Force.

Lambie is concerned about what happened to “50 to 70” asylum seekers that the Morrison government told her were “high risk” and couldn’t come to Australia. Thomas said that some of the asylum seekers who were formerly on Nauru were settled in third-party countries, and some are temporarily in Australia.

Lambie said the asylum seekers were moved “under cover of darkness” to Victoria, suggesting some of them may have been Hamas sympathisers. The senator did not provide any evidence of this claim.

Murray Watt, representing the home affairs minister, said anyone suspected or known of having a link to a terrorist organisation would not be moved to Australia:

I don’t think it would be helpful for Australians to be alarmed about terrorist sympathisers being moved to Australia if that hasn’t happened.

Updated

More details on body found at Dandenong North school

Earlier today, Victorian police provided more details around the discovery of a man’s body on the grounds of a school in Dandenong North.

As we reported earlier, a man’s body was located in Dandenong North about 7am today after being found deceased in the grounds of a school. He is yet to be formally identified.

Det Insp Dean Thomas said a crime scene has been established at the school, “in an area probably best described as a greenhouse”.

A male body was found at that location this morning when an employee of the school attended and started to open the school grounds at about 7am.

Thomas said the death was ruled as suspicious due to some injuries the man had sustained, which he would not go into detail about.

We don’t have any further details at this point in time other than the male appears to be of African descent, possibly in his 20s or 30s, but again it’s very very early in the investigation …

Police are appealing to the community for any information, or dashcam footage of the area, from Friday evening about 7.30pm to 7am this morning.

Thomas replied “I think not” when asked if the man is known to the school, but “at this stage it’s difficult for us to say”.

Thomas also said the school principal has taken measures to ensure students don’t go near the crime scene.

Updated

‘We’ve let the young detainee down’: WA premier on death in custody

The Western Australian premier, Roger Cook, says the system needs to do better after the death of an Indigenous teenager who self-harmed in the youth wing at an adult prison, AAP reports.

Officers discovered the 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd in Unit 18 youth detention facility at Perth’s Casuarina Prison in the early hours of 12 October, after he contacted them through the intercom. He was taken to a Perth hospital in a critical condition, where he later died.

Cook on Monday said the situation was “not good enough”.

We’ve let that young detainee down and as a result of that we need to continue to learn and we need to improve.

What we do need to do is to make sure that we do better.

Cook said Corrective Services did not currently have enough resources, and are “hamstrung” by infrastructure and availability of staff.

But we want to continue to work with the staff we’ve got and recruit others to make sure that we do better.

He said he didn’t want youths to be detained in the maximum-security men’s prison but it was necessary after a riot at Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre caused extensive damage.

Cleveland was the first child to die in WA juvenile detention in the state’s history. His death is being investigated by the Department of Justice and the coroner.

Updated

Some more detail on the bushfire evacuation notices given to the Queensland regions of Millmerran Downs and Cypress Gardens:

Residents have have been told to immediately evacuate their homes due to a fast-moving fire.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services issued the alert at 12.59pm AEST (1.59pm AEDT) on Monday, for the two localities situated approximately halfway between Toowoomba and Goondiwindi.

Residents of properties between Kakadu Avenue, Gore Highway, Violet Road and Wombinebong Drive have been told to leave immediately, and that it could soon be too dangerous to drive.

They should avoid driving on Gore Highway, Ayers Rock Road, Primrose Drive, Waratah Drive, Orchid Drive, Poolamacca Drive, the warning said.

There are about 20 bushfire warnings current across Queensland on Monday, from Cape York to the Gold Coast as the state endures unseasonably hot weather.

Consultancy firms decline to reveal partner pay but disclose $130,000 graduate salaries

Two major consulting firms – Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Co - have declined to tell a senate inquiry how much their partners and senior executives are paid.

Senators have routinely asked firms to publicly disclose this information and believe doing so is in the public interest, given the amount of taxpayer revenue they receive from government departments.

In response to questions, BCG said partner remuneration was “tied to a global structure in a highly competitive global market”. But the firm was willing to disclose its first year graduates take home a very tidy wage.

Here’s section of BCG’s submission to the inquiry:

Graduates joining our consulting team earn more than $130,000 in their first year, and compensation increases with tenure and as staff progress through the career steps.

McKinsey offered the senators a very similar response and added:

Disclosure of our Australian partner compensation (at an individual or segment level) would disclose the compensation arrangements for all of our partners globally.

Earlier this afternoon another aftershock occurred in Victoria, as a 3.7-magnitude earthquake hit Apollo Bay at 1.17pm.

This morning, a 2.6-magniture earthquake hit Apollo Bay at 3.18am.

This follows Saturday’s 5.0-magniture earthquake in the Otway Ranges.

The Victorian SES said it hasn’t received any requests for assistance or are aware of any damage to buildings and infrastructure.

If you do need assistance in the event of an earthquake, call VICSES on 132500.

There is also no threat of tsunami after this latest aftershock:

Updated

Residents of Cypress Gardens and Millmerran Downs in north Queensland are being urged to leave immediately due to the threat of bushfire.

The warning area includes properties between Kakdu Avenue, Gore Highway, Violet Road and Wombinebong Drive.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said:

LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Your life could be at risk. It will soon be too dangerous to drive.

Government focused on ‘ensuring no net increase in emissions’

As Guardian Australia revealed earlier this year, the NT government knew it could not meet the commitment before it announced it had given the greenlight to fracking in the Beetaloo basin and federal officials had said Australia had no existing policies that would meet recommendation 9.8 in full.

The department told today’s hearing it expected there would be few scope 2 emissions associated with new onshore gas projects in the NT but where those emissions were produced by other facilities that were also captured under the safeguard mechanism it was possible they would be dealt with through Australia’s existing climate policies.

But it said broader work to determine how to ensure no net increase to life cycle emissions in Australia from developments such as the Beetaloo basin was still being worked through.

Shoebridge told the department he asked about two specific things – “counting cows and EVs”:

It would be close to obscene if we had a policy position where, when somebody purchased an EV as a way of reducing their emissions, that was somehow used to give a credit to Beetaloo to allow the NT to be fracked. Why won’t you take that kind of thing off the table?

Kath Rowley of the department said the government’s focus was on “net emissions in Australia and ensuring no net increase in emissions in Australia from Beetaloo production”:

We’re working through different approaches with a view to ensuring that whatever is done contributes to either a no net increase or a reduction in Australia’s emissions.

Updated

Climate change department says government still considering how to meet climate commitments over Beetaloo basin fracking

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water has told an estimates hearing this morning the government is still considering how it will meet a key climate commitment from the Northern Territory government’s inquiry into fracking.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge asked for an assurance the government “isn’t going to be counting the culling of cows or the buying of EVs (electric vehicles)” as part of a commitment to offset all domestic emissions associated with any future gas production in the Beetaloo basin, if those developments proceed.

Greens senator David Shoebridge
Greens senator David Shoebridge Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The department said it was “currently considering these options and - different approaches the government can take and the key objective of that work is to contribute to reducing Australia’s emissions”.

We are looking at those possible approaches in terms of their consequences also for Australia’s gas supplies.

Some background: a recommendation out of the Pepper inquiry into fracking in the NT - known as recommendation 9.8 - required the NT and federal governments to “seek to ensure” no net increase in life cycle emissions in Australia as a result of new onshore gas developments in the NT.

Amendments to the safeguard mechanism that were secured as part of the government’s negotiations with the Greens to pass the legislation earlier this year set the baselines for direct emissions (or scope 1) for new gas developments at net zero.

But neither the territory nor federal governments have settled on how to meet recommendation 9.8 for domestic scope 2 – the energy used by gas companies – and scope 3 – when the gas is sold and burnt – emissions and this has been the subject of discussions in the energy and climate ministerial council.

Updated

Victoria’s Point Wilson wharf reopens to defence shipments

The Point Wilson wharf in the Corio Bay region of Victoria has been reopened today, following remediation works that will see it recommence large-scale importation of guided weapons and explosive ordnance and associated materiel shipments.

The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, and the defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, made the announcement today, saying this was part of the government’s efforts to increase stock for the Australian Defence Force in line with the defence strategic review.

A statement says this will support local businesses and jobs in Geelong, with more than 200 people directly employed to deliver this work.

Marles said:

The revitalised jetty and wharf facility will deliver the infrastructure and logistics to support Australia’s vital sovereign supply chains and improve our national resilience.

Conroy:

The Albanese government understands the importance of developing a local munitions and guided weapons manufacturing capability, to respond to the strategic challenges we face.

We are taking the necessary steps to deliver on our plan to start manufacturing missiles in Australia in the next two years.

Updated

Albanese arrives in Washington DC

Just before, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke from Washington DC where he has just landed for a four-day visit. Here is what he told reporters:

It’s wonderful to be here in the United States for an official visit after the invitation of President Biden. The United States relationship with Australia is our most important. It’s an alliance that was forged … during World War II when under John Curtin, Australia looked to America. Ever since then we’ve worked side by side …

The first pillar of course is our defence relationship, making sure that the Aukus arrangements are put in place and talking with Congress and Senate about the legislation that’s required to turn this vision into a practical reality.

The second element of talks is around the free trade agreement, Albanese said, and the third is “the compact that President Biden and I signed in Hiroshima earlier this year” around climate change and clean energy.

This will be a focus of the visit making sure we work together in the Indo-Pacific … It’s so important in this turbulent world, it is a relationship that provides security, stability, based upon our common values and our position as great democratic nations.

He was then asked about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, and the role this will play in talks:

There’s no doubt that the focus of the world is on the unrest in the Middle East following Hamas’ invasion and atrocities that were committed in Israel and we will no doubt be talking about those issues. Australia and the United States are important partners. We will be having discussions … this is now our ninth meeting and will be our fifth bilateral meeting between Australia and the United States. It will be a very important visit that comes to the turbulent time for the world.

Updated

NSW issues emergency fire warning for communites south-west of Grafton

An emergency fire warning has been issued for communities south-west of Grafton, New South Wales, with residents told to shelter now.

A fire is burning to the north of Nymboida near Glens Creek Road and Martins Road, 30km south-west of Grafton. The NSW RFS is alerting anyone in the vicinity of Glens Creek Road or Frickers Road they are “at risk” and should seek shelter to protect themselves from the fire.

The fire is burning close to isolated properties, the RFS said.

Updated

Multiple prepare to leave warnings issued over fires in north Queensland

Meanwhile, multiple “prepare to leave” warnings have been issued for north Queensland, including:

  • Tara and Kogan

  • Cypress Gardens and Millmerran Downs

  • Stewart Road (Wolvi)

  • Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain

Updated

Grass fire burning near Penrith

A grass fire is burning in Penrith in Sydney’s west, between Hickeys Lane and Castlereagh Road. Firefighters are urging those in the vicinity to monitor conditions.

Updated

Liberal senators attempt to see if PM agrees with open letter from Indigenous groups over voice referendum

It’s only Monday but Senate estimates has descended into a finger-pointing match over who has officially received the open letter from Indigenous groups, as reported by Guardian Australia on Sunday evening.

The letter - which is unsigned but described as being the “collective insights and views of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported yes” - was addressed to the prime minister, all MPs and senators.

Liberal senators Kerrynne Liddle and Richard Colbeck are questioning foreign affairs minister Penny Wong about whether the prime minister’s office has officially received the letter.

The senators say they haven’t received it.

It’s not entirely clear why this is so important, but Colbeck is essentially trying to see whether the federal government agrees with the statements included in the letter.

The 12-point statement expressed disappointment in the results of 14 October referendum, saying the rejection was so mean-spirited it would remain “unbelievable and appalling” for decades to come.

It also took aim at the Liberal and Nationals party for preferring “wanton political damage over support for some of this country’s most disadvantaged people”. Colbeck said:

We’re interested to understand whether it’s been transmitted directly to the prime minister, and to get some sense of the government’s perspectives around – you already made some comments, with respect to his criticism of the opposition.

After about 10 minutes of back and forth and bickering between senators, Colbeck finally gets to the point and asks whether the Uluru Dialogue has had any contact with the prime minister’s office in relation to the statement. Wong takes it on notice.

Updated

Australia Post launches investigation over parcel throwing after TikTok video goes viral

Australia Post has launched an investigation after a viral TikTok video showed some of its staff members throwing parcels into a van at a Sydney distribution centre.

The footage shows a group of Australia Post workers loading a van with parcels, throwing them haphazardly into the vehicle.

It has been viewed more than 400,000 times.

An Australia Post spokesperson said the “vast majority” of its network takes “pride” in their work delivering packages for Australians, so it is “disappointing to see it’s not the case here”.

These actions are not in line with the service standards we expect of our people.

We sincerely apologise and are investigating the matter as a priority. Australia Post regularly reminds team members about correct handling procedures.

Updated

Education union accuses University of Sydney of ‘failing’ academics with disabilities

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has alleged the University of Sydney is “failing” academics with disabilities after the university proposed to terminate the employment of a severely immunocompromised staff member.

Dr Niko Tiliopoulos, a senior lecturer at the university’s School of Psychology, lives with severe respiratory and autoimmune conditions placing him at greater risk in the instance of contracting Covid-19.

He worked and taught remotely over the past three years during the pandemic. When Sydney University stopped offering remote units in September, the NTEU attempted to negotiate his employment internally, including urging the university to investigate workplace adjustments.

Vince Caughley, division secretary of the NTEU NSW, claimed the university’s response was to attempt to fire him.

The University of Sydney claims to be an employer of choice for staff with disability, but they’re failing here.

A spokesperson for the University of Sydney said it couldn’t comment on individual matters due to privacy requirements but it took its obligations to comply with relevant disability discrimination legislation “very seriously”, including providing reasonable adjustments.

There are many cases across the university where these adjustments are in place but employees are still required to perform the inherent requirements of their position.

We consider that the best kind of learning is in person and while some courses are offered online, the bulk of our offerings are in person and in many cases the mode of delivery has implications for course accreditation.

Tiliopoulos, who has been at the university for 16 years, said disability shouldn’t define someone’s professional journey.

I’ve had to adapt my life to accommodate my disability, and I hope the University of Sydney will come to the table and discuss adapting its practices to genuinely accommodate the needs of its staff living with disability.

Updated

Case of climate activists facing three years’ jail in Queensland adjourned amid legal questions

The case of 14 climate activists facing three years’ jail for allegedly disrupting Queensland parliament with a three-minute demonstration late last year has been adjourned – and will most likely not be resumed in earnest again until next year.

The delay in proceedings comes as magistrate Joseph Pinder considers the validity of the law upon which the activists are being charged. The charge of disturbing the legislature has not been laid for several decades.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Martin Payne lodged a lengthy written submission which raised conflicting sections of the law which may make prosecution’s main thrust invalid.

Barrister Andrew Hoare, acting on behalf of the Environmental Defenders Office, had not had a chance to respond. Hoare had also planned on representing all 14 of his clients in the Brisbane magistrates court on Monday, but the magistrate was only prepared to hear the case of one: Lee Coaldrake.

The case was adjourned and will resume on 13 November, but a hearing for the substantive matters has not been set.

Updated

Lift early childhood educator wages to address staff shortages, Greens’ Mehreen Faruqi says

The Greens spokesperson for education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has urged the federal government to fund significant pay rises in the early childhood education and care sector amid findings that children’s wellbeing and safety are at risk due to severe staff shortages.

A survey conducted by the United Workers Union across 1,000 childcare centres and reported by Guardian Australia found two-thirds of respondents believed staff shortages had affected the wellbeing and safety of children, and nearly a quarter believed the safety of children was at risk.

Faruqi said the findings demonstrated the “cost of government inaction”:

Labor has sat on its hands despite warnings from the sector and now the staffing crisis is so deep that children’s safety is at risk. This is unacceptable.

Labor’s tinkering around the edges will not fix a system that is falling apart and failing families and children. They need to lift educator wages, fix conditions and deal with the critical workforce shortage in early learning and care.

Most importantly, early childhood education and care should be free and universal if we want to provide our children with the best possible education.

Read more on the report from Stephanie Convery and Rafqa Touma here:

Updated

NSW police announce $1m reward for information on 1996 murder

The NSW police force has announced a $1m reward for information relating to the three-decade-old murder of Michael “Billy” Hegedus.

Exactly 27 years ago today, emergency services were called to a service station roadhouse in Inverell, close to the Queensland border, after reports a teenage boy had been shot.

The 17-year-old was taken to hospital but died a short time later from two gunshot wounds to his chest and stomach.

Approximately $36,000 was stolen from the service station at the time, in what police believed was a robbery gone wrong. The money has never been found.

In May 1997, the NSW government announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to a conviction over Billy’s death. A year later, one man was charged, but no one has been convicted.

The minister for police and counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley today announced the reward would be increased to $1m.

No piece of information is too small, and something you might have previously disregarded may just be the missing piece in this puzzle.

Billy’s mum, Patricia Page, said her son was taken a week before his 18th birthday.

In our hearts there’s not a day that goes by we don’t ask, ‘what if?’ or ‘what happened? – as a parent, you just never stop looking for answers.

Updated

Commonwealth Games inquiry: ‘Other jurisdictions in the country will be preferred over Victoria for some time’

Volleyball Australia’s head, Andrew Dee, also appeared before the parliamentary inquiry into the cancellation of the 2026 Victorian games this morning.

He said Volleyball Australia would “absolutely” have to reconsider dealing with the Victorian government again in future:

We certainly would approach it differently. We would certainly want to undertake some assurances. We would certainly want sanctions and penalties for breach of contract.

Never in your wildest dreams would you have thought that the Commonwealth Games would be cancelled after signing the contract … The reputational damage is significant.

Other jurisdictions in the country will be preferred over Victoria for some time to come, both internally within Australia but also by international bodies overseas. I think that’s just a fact that will play out over time.

Updated

PM arrives in Washington for energy and Aukus pact talks

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has just arrived in Washington, as part of a four day visit to the United States centred around renewable energy and the Aukus deal.

He has been greeted by US ambassador and former PM Kevin Rudd.

Let the state formalities begin!

Updated

Belgium’s Princess Astrid in Australia for economic mission

A Belgian princess has been welcomed by the governor general as she leads the European nation’s first economic mission to Australia in more than a decade, AAP reports.

Princess Astrid of Belgium, the second child of Belgium’s King Albert II and Queen Paola, on Monday met with the governor general, David Hurley, at Admiralty House in Kirribilli to launch the week-long visit.

The delegation, which includes the Belgian foreign affairs minister, Hadja Lahbib, comes after talks on a free trade agreement between Australia and the European Union stalled earlier this year.

Negotiations over a deal broke down after more than a dozen rounds of talks, which reached a sticking point over issues including better market access for Australian agricultural products.

Belgium’s ambassador to Australia, Michel Goffin, said the mission was a chance to enhance the economic relationship between the two nations and the EU more broadly.

Two-way trade between Belgium and Australia was worth $4.6bn in 2021, which included significant exports of raw materials and imports of pharmaceutical products.

Updated

At least two staff slept at desks to meet work deadlines, parliament librarian says

Earlier this morning in Senate estimates, the new parliamentary librarian, Steven Fox, revealed at least two staff had slept at their desks in order to meet work deadlines.

The Greens senator Larissa Waters asked Fox whether staff had been sleeping at work in order to meet new deadlines placed on the production of bills digests for parliament.

Fox said:

I would hope not … I’ve said it’s neither necessary nor warranted.

Fox has been in the role for six weeks, so Waters asked whether there had been instances before he had started and when they might have happened.

I don’t know the detail of that level … I’m certainly happy to provide that but I do know that [there] was two instances and it hasn’t happened since. And as I said, it’s not necessary or appropriate.

Prior to revealing two staff had slept at desks in order to meet deadlines, Fox said 115 of 117 bills digests had been delivered to parliament on time.

Updated

Queensland fires update

AAP has the latest details on the bushfires in Queensland:

People are preparing to leave their homes south-west of Brisbane as fires continue to burn across the state.

Residents in Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain received the warning on Monday morning as firefighters worked to control a blaze moving through the area.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that above average temperatures have been forecast for most of inland Queensland by midweek.

Temperatures are expected to soar to 40C in southern inland towns Charleville and Roma moving up to Longreach and Mount Isa in the state’s northwest.

The bureau said temperatures were five to 10 degrees above average for southern and central Queensland.

More than 50 fires are burning throughout the state. The Channel Country in western Queensland could move to extreme high fire danger in the coming days.

Updated

Reading and literacy experts say urgent reform needed in schools

A coalition of leading reading experts have sent an open letter to Australia’s education ministers calling for urgent reforms to combat a growing literacy crisis in the schooling system.

The letter, published today, calls on state and federal governments to ensure the next National School Reform Agreement embeds bold new approaches in literacy education ahead of the expert panel delivering its report at the end of the month.

The latest Naplan data shows one in three Australian children don’t have adequate reading skills, after declining performance on the international stage for the past 20 years.

Signatories of the letter include Prof Anne Castles, the ARC fellow at the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Prof Pamela Snow, a professor of cognitive psychology at La Trobe University, and Max Coltheart, emeritus professor of cognitive science at Macquarie University.

It calls for reading proficiency targets to be established, evidence-based approaches to be embedded in training and development of teachers and early identification to be rolled out via screening in the first year of high school.

Castles said the latest Naplan data was “staggering”.

One in three Australian children are not meeting reading proficiency benchmarks and previous years’ data indicate that only 1 in 5 of our struggling students catch up by the time they are in Year 9. It’s crucial that we act now to make the system-level changes that are needed to address these concerning statistics.

Updated

Australians have donated more than $820m total via GoFundMe, platform data shows

One in five Australians have now made a donation via GoFundMe, according to the fundraising platform, collectively raising more than $820m for national and international causes.

This equates to 5.2m Australians, or 20% of the population, who have made more than 9.2m donations.

GoFundMe has released a list of the local government areas which have donated the most:

1. Brisbane, QLD ($31m+)
2. Gold Coast, QLD ($19m+)
3. Port Phillip, VIC ($17m+)
4. Sydney, NSW ($16m+)
5. Northern Beaches, NSW ($10m+)
6. Sunshine Coast, QLD ($9m+)
7. Moreton Bay, QLD ($7m+)
8. Central Coast, NSW ($6.5m+)
9. Perth, WA ( $6.2m+)
10. Inner West, NSW ($6 million+)

Brisbane’s lord mayor, Adrian Schrinner, congratulated the city’s residents on donating more than $31m to people in need:

There’s no denying we’re living through challenging times with a housing and cost-of-living crisis, and this is having a big impact on the most vulnerable people in our community.

(It’s worth noting the Brisbane LGA has 1.3 million people while Port Phillip has 116,000, so per capita, the latter is more generous than the former.)

The top fundraising category on GoFundMe in Australia is medical, accounting for one-fifth of all fundraisers launched in the country. Animals/vet bills comes in at second, followed by emergencies, covering major disasters like house fires and natural disasters.

Nicola Britton, regional director at GoFundMe Australia, noted that “this trend in giving is not slowing down, despite economic uncertainty”.

Updated

Historical child sexual abuse inquiry begins in Melbourne

An inquiry probing historical child sexual abuse at 24 Victorian government schools has commenced public hearings in Melbourne.

The inquiry is centred on investigating historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris primary school, in Melbourne’s south-east, during the 1960s and 1970s and will examine allegations at 23 other state schools. The inquiry is focused on schools where at least four known perpetrators, including teachers, were employed.

The inquiry’s chair, Kathleen Foley, SC, opened the hearings on Monday and said child sexual abuse was “abhorrent” and could cost lives:

Foley said child sexual abuse taking place in schools “exploited the power balance” between students and teachers:

It also involves the exploitation of trust that children, families and the communities place in the institution and the people who work in them.

Foley said trust placed in institutions could be a barrier to victim-survivors coming forward.

Updated

Recommendations in women’s economic equality report all under consideration, finance minister says

At an earlier press conference on the new report from the women’s economic equality taskforce, the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, was asked which recommendations the government will implement straight away or soon:

The whole report is before government now. So, I don’t want to single out one recommendation over another. We’re looking at all of them.

If you look at the decisions we took in May, October, we are genuinely trying to shift the dial here in a budget that’s under a fair bit of stress, to see how we can use the money we have available to drive some of the change we see across the economy.

Q: Can we expect changes in the next budget?

It’s before government. I’m not in a position to confirm or deny. We have the report. It’s very much in line, I think, with the direction the government wants to head. So we’re looking at all of them seriously.

Speaking to the costing of superannuation for paid parental leave, Gallagher said it was “a fair bit more than” $200m according to the latest briefing she received.

This is one of those areas that Jim [Chalmers] and I, the treasurer and I, have been clear about … not only would it make a difference to women’s long-term retirement incomes, it also – I think symbolically – makes a difference about how we value the work that you do when you’re caring for family.

Updated

IDF spokesperson criticises Clover Moore over Sydney town hall lighting decision

An Israeli Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson has criticised Sydney’s lord mayor, Clover Moore, for blocking a proposal to fly the Israeli flag outside the city’s town hall and light the building in blue and white.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Moore argued the move would be divisive, harmful and counter the city’s values of harmony and inclusion.

IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said in a post to social media:

Maybe the mayor of Sydney won’t agree with what I said towards the end, but I firmly believe that one should take a stand, and stand for good. In this case, stand with Israel against evil.

Conricus was referencing an interview he gave to Raf Epstein on ABC Radio Melbourne. During the interview, he was asked about Moore’s position on the matter and said:

One should take sides and choose according to your own morals where you stand.

Updated

Women’s economic equality report ‘not just a women’s report’: Gallagher

Just before, the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, gave a press conference on the new report from the women’s economic equality taskforce.

As my colleague Sarah Basford Canales brought us earlier, the taskforce has offered seven broad recommendations to lift women’s workforce participation over the next decades.

Gallagher said:

We’ll use this report as we are making further decisions through budgets and through our policy decisions about how to make sure that a little girl born today, by the time she goes to primary school, isn’t thinking there’s boys’ and girls’ jobs, but there’s jobs that everyone can do.

And for the 25-year-old young woman, who is facing earning $2 million less than a 25-year-old man if she chooses to have a baby and then return to work, we [will] make a difference to them.

And the older women who are retiring with less money, we’re supporting them as well.

She said today’s report is really important and is “not just a women’s report” but a report for “economic equality”, “driving productivity” and making a difference in people’s lives.

Updated

Bipartisan approach needed to close Indigenous wellbeing gap, Murray Watt says

The emergency management minister, Murray Watt, is calling for a bipartisan approach to closing the Indigenous wellbeing gap, as fallout continues over the failed voice referendum.

In an unsigned letter, a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders described the outcome of the voice referendum as a “shameful victory” for a ‘no’ campaign driven by racism.

Watt told Sky News the disappointment is understandable:

For First Nations leaders who have been fighting for this for well over a decade, there’s a lot of hurt and disappointment about the result of the referendum.

We do want to actually understand what the aspirations of Indigenous people are in the wake of that referendum result, but we also need to have some more bipartisanship on display.

The fundamental reason … the people voted ‘no’ was that we didn’t have bipartisanship.

– AAP

Updated

Public servants investigated over claims of ‘hotties list’ ranking female colleagues

Junior public servants in the department of infrastructure and transport’s graduate program allegedly compiled a “hotties list” which rated female colleagues’ attractiveness.

During budget estimates on Monday, the Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie asked the department secretary Jim Betts if the phrase “hotties list” meant anything to him.

Betts said:

This relates to allegations which were made within our graduate programme about concerns … that certain male members of the graduate cohort had assembled a degrading list of women which assessed them by their so-called hotness, which is just a disgusting phrase that I hate to have to mention.

Obviously, there are certain procedural fairness considerations and evidentiary tests that need to be satisfied. We were unable to substantiate the existence of such a list, which doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It just means that we were unable to substantiate it, notwithstanding the fact that we got independent external investigators to assist us in our inquiries.

Betts said the department approached the sex discrimination officer for advice. He also said he had conversations with female graduates away from male graduates to check they were getting necessary support.

Betts said he did not inform Catherine King, the minister responsible for the department, about the incident, claiming he wasn’t sure getting politicians involved would help. He added that the graduate cohort was two-thirds male, and that this split would never be repeated in future cohorts.

We’ve learned some lessons from this.

Updated

Faulty e-bike battery behind Sydney apartment fire, FRNSW says

Fire and Rescue NSW investigators believe a faulty lithium-ion battery caused an e-bike fire at the weekend, with 30 people evacuating a high-rise apartment block at Wolli Creek in Sydney’s south.

The blaze broke out just after 6pm on Saturday night in a seventh-floor apartment within the Arncliffe Street complex, FRNSW said in a statement.

Residents rushed from their units after an e-bike, on charge, burst into flames and set fire to a bed.

A 30-year-old woman was treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics, and FRNSW crews extinguished the fire.

In August, firefighters said they feared being “overwhelmed” by an increasing number of battery fires after the death of a Sydney man in a house fire was linked to toxic smoke from burning lithium batteries.

An expert has also told Guardian Australia that a lack of regulation covering lithium-ion batteries has resulted in lower quality products on the market, increasing the fire risk from charging devices such as e-bikes:

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Commonwealth Games Australia ‘got the impression’ Jacinta Allan was very confident of budget, CEO says

The last questions to Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) chief executive Craig Phillips relates to his dealings with the premier, Jacinta Allan, who was the minister responsible for the 2026 Commonwealth Games before it was cancelled in mid-July.

He’s asked by the Liberal MP David Davis if he voiced any concerns regarding the delivery of the games to Allan or the minister for the Commonwealth Games legacy, Harriet Shing, before the cancellation. Phillips replies:

CGA had a one on one conversation with Minister Allan back around the time when we were looking at some of those budget pressures in April and obviously proposed some of the things we had proposed … around cost savings. But now we got the impression that she was very confident that the budget would be available.

Updated

Commonwealth Games Foundation has not yet received $380m in compensation from Victoria because it is considering the tax implications

Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) chief executive, Craig Phillips, has just wrapped up his appearance at the parliamentary inquiry into the state government’s decision to cancel the 2026 regional games.

Towards the end of his evidence, he was asked by the Nationals MP Melina Bath if the CGA and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in the UK have received the $380m in compensation from the Victorian government for cancelling the event. Phillips replied:

No, it hasn’t and to be fair to the Victorian government that’s been a delay on the Commonwealth Games organisations side ... The CGF is just working through tax treatment of that at the moment. What they’re concerned about is being hit with a very hefty tax bill.

Bath then follows up by asking how much of the $380m will be allocated to a future host city for the 2026 games. Phillips says that remains unclear:

We’re waiting on the CGF at the moment, one of the key things there in terms of the amount of that is the balance between the money receiving and how much tax they may have to incur in the UK. That’s the thing that’s driving the decision at the moment. So every week we have more clarity, but it’s taking a long day a long time.

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Two children remain in critical condition following shed fire

Two children continue to fight for their lives in hospital after two others perished in a shed fire south-west of Melbourne, AAP reports. The four children were playing in the rear shed of a Corio property, near Geelong, on Sunday morning when it caught alight.

Two died at the scene while the other two were flown to the Royal Children’s hospital, both in a critical condition.

A Royal Children’s hospital spokesperson confirmed the children remain in a critical condition as of Monday morning.

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Palestinian Christians call for peace saying ‘no amount of military power will solve’ problems in Middle East

Palestinian Christians in Australia (PCA) are calling for recognition, peace and an end to the “senseless” war in Gaza, highlighting the plight of some 20% of Palestinians who are Christian.

PCA’s president, Suzan Wahhab, said Palestinian Christians in Australia and around the world have been “watching helplessly the unfolding violence inflicted by both Israelis and Palestinians”:

Sadly, the innocents pay the highest price.

This is not a war between Muslims and Jews … No amount of military power will solve this problem. Only a political solution and courage of world leaders who know they need to do the right thing and not do what they are being fed.

An international alliance of twelve Christian organisations has come together to petition church leaders who have stayed silent or demonstrated double standards in reaction to the Israel-Hamas war. The open letter and petition at Change.org states:

We are also horrified by the refusal of some western Christians to condemn the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine, and, in some instances, their justification of and support for the occupation.

Further, we are appalled by how some Christians have legitimized Israel’s ongoing indiscriminate attacks on Gaza, which have, so far, claimed the lives of more than 3,700 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children.

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Australians resorting to theft amid high cost-of-living

Some Australians are turning to low-level crime to survive as households buckle under the soaring cost-of-living, AAP reports.

More than one-in-10 Australians, or about 2.4 million people, confessed to having stolen from businesses in the past year as they reached financial breaking point, a survey of more than 1000 respondents from comparison website Finder has revealed.

A shopping trolley at the checkout.
A shopping trolley at the checkout. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian

Over the past year, the average monthly Australian grocery bill has risen by 7% to $740, according to Finder’s consumer sentiment tracker.

The most common theft is happening at supermarket checkouts, with 5% of people walking out without paying for groceries. Four percent of respondents admit to deliberately scanning an item as another cheaper product at self-service checkouts.

Many Australian households are financially strapped with a rising number in survival mode, the head of consumer research at Finder Graham Cooke said. The survey was released on the same day as Foodbank Australia’s latest report, which found 36% of all households are struggling with food insecurity – an increase of 383,000 from the previous year.

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Labor probes $80K quarantine advisory contract

At Senate estimates, Labor senator Raff Ciccone has asked if the home affairs secretary, Michael Pezzullo, disclosed a conflict of interest with Liberal powerbroker Scott Briggs. The acting secretary, Stephanie Foster, declined to answer.

Ciccone asked Home Affairs about an $80,000 contract given to DPG Advisory to investigate the possibility of an industry-led quarantine solution. The program never got off the ground, but DPG recommended Quarantine Services Australia – of which Briggs was sole director and company secretary – be hired, allowing them to charge those doing hotel quarantine $13,000.

Ciccone asked if this contract was Pezzullo’s decision. Foster said “this issue goes potentially to the heart of inquiry – the relationship between Mr Pezzullo and Mr Briggs”. She said she was “uncomfortable giving an opinion on that” and it was “not prudent”.

Ciccone then read out Pezzullo’s earlier evidence to estimates that it was something he “personally oversaw and managed”, but Foster again declined to elaborate any further.

Asked if the department would refer the matter to the national anti-corruption commission, Foster declined to comment because of the ongoing inquiry by Lynelle Briggs, but promised there will be “appropriate clarity on what actions were or were not taken” after the inquiry.

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Carbon-free power grid glimpsed in September quarter

Every three months the energy market operator Aemo puts out its update for the national electricity market, which covers most of the country’s power users (if you exclude Western Australia and the Northern Territory).

We already knew wholesale power prices in the quarter were way down (around 70%) on a year ago and that the Albanese government’s price caps on black coal and gas played a big role.

Anyway, there are always a few nuggets in the report, including the fact that all but 98.6% of the power demanded at one period last month could have been met by available renewable energy, as we noted here this morning:

Demand was also at a record low thanks in large parts to all the solar panels on our roofs. But don’t expect a drop in retail power prices just yet; it’s likely demand will also start climbing, with a hotter-than-usual summer forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Other energy issues are in the news today, too, including an ABC Four Corners report which will broadcast tonight looking into the problems of Snowy Hydro‘s giant 2.0 pumped hydro project. We’ve known Snowy’s problems are sizeable (see coverage here and especially here), so it will be interesting to see if there are other revelations.

Snowy’s chief executive, Dennis Barnes, happens to be up this afternoon before Senate estimates, so watch this blog for updates.

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Transport department refutes Canavan criticisms over delayed responses after 500% increase in questions on notice

The transport department secretary has blasted the Nationals senator Matt Canavan for complaining about delays in answering questions, telling an estimates hearing that department staff have worked through weekends to answer an “eyewatering” increase in questions.

Jim Betts, the secretary of the department of infrastructure and transport who appeared before the transport budget estimates on Monday, began by responding to a letter that he said Canavan – the deputy chair – sent him last week which “impugns the reputation and integrity of the department”.

Canavan’s letter said the department’s speed of providing answers to questions taken on notice during previous estimates hearings “reflects poorly on the quality and professionalism” of the department and the senator questioned if “senior officials are either unable because of a lack of knowledge or unwilling to answer Senator’s questions”. Betts responded:

I do not think that that is a fair or reasonable criticism and I do not intend to let it go unanswered.

Betts said his department was dealing with 26,098 projects in the infrastructure investment pipeline, draining resources, and that there had been a 500% increase in questions on notice his department had to answer before Monday’s hearing, compared with a hearing in March.

He also singled out the Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, who he said had asked 473 questions that had been consolidated into just two answers. He said these questions, as well as an “eyewatering 208 further questions” senators tabled after the last hearing, had left staff overworked but that they had answered all questions on notice by Monday’s hearing.

Betts said:

We rely instead on our staff working long hours and through weekends.

Updated

Senate estimates: how many sponsored passes to parliament are out there?

Senate estimates starts this week – and the morning sessions tend to be a little dry. It is no different in finance and public administration – first up is the department of the Senate.

Independent senator David Pocock wants to know about how many “sponsored passes” have been released. A sponsored pass is one that lobbyists use – a MP “sponsors them” for a pass, which means they can walk around all the non-public areas of parliament house giving them access to MP’s offices, as well as meeting areas etc.

There are 11,833 passes issued for parliament – that includes all workers, MPs, etc. Of those, 2020 are “sponsored”. Not all of these are for lobbyists, but it is by and large thought of as the “lobbyist pass”.

One MP has sponsored 48 people for passes. That is actually a decrease – at the last Senate estimates, someone had sponsored 58.

Updated

Man’s body found on Victorian school grounds

Victorian police are investigating after a man’s body was discovered on the grounds of a school in Dandenong North.

According to a statement from police, a man’s body was located in Dandenong North about 7am today. He is yet to be formally identified, after being found deceased in the grounds of a school.

Investigations remain ongoing into the exact cause of the death.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Updated

Violet CoCo says climate activists who interrupted Queensland parliament are ‘heroes’

High profile climate activist Violet CoCo has addressed a crowd of Brisbane supporters of the 14 activists who face three years jail for a three-minute protest that interrupted Queensland parliament last November.

CoCo led chants and gave a speech hailing the 14 as “brave souls” and “heroes”. “Who are the real criminals here?” she said, pointing the finger at fossil fuel companies and governments she said were driving climate collapse.

I know the people who face court today are heroes.

You can read more on this below:

Updated

Commonwealth Games Australia head says cancellation media reporting was ‘difficult for us’

Back to the Victorian inquiry into the decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games games.

Asked by Liberal MP David Davis if the cancellation of the games did damage to the Commonwealth Games Australia’s reputation, Commonwealth Games Australia’s chief executive, Craig Phillips, says:

It’s been difficult for us because ... there has been some commentary in the media around the games being outmoded, the Commonwealth [Games] being outmoded [and] not relevant anymore, which we obviously refute...

When you look at the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories, sovereign nations run at 54 ... So the misnomer that [the games is a] vestige of the old British empire is there.

It’s a voluntary collection of nations. People sign up to be part of the Commonwealth – as we’ve experienced as two more nations just joined recently. So part of the problem we have with the cancellation of the games [is] people retreat to what they believe the Commonwealth represents.

Updated

Queensland residents of Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain told to evacuate due to fire threat

Residents of Hendon, Upper Wheatvale and Bony Mountain in Queensland are being told to prepare to leave amid bushfire.

The state’s Fire and Emergency Service warned that conditions could get worse quickly, and people should prepare to leave:

Meanwhile, a bushfire watch and act remains in place for parts of City Beach, Floreat and Mount Claremont in the City of Cambridge and City of Nedlands in Western Australia.

According to Emergency WA, there is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is burning in the area and conditions are changing.

The fire started in Bold Park, near HBF stadium:

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Home affairs officials probed about PNG threat to send asylum seekers to Australia

Greens senator Nick McKim has been asking home affairs department officials about the secret deal struck by the Morrison government with Papua New Guinea for refugees and asylum seekers to stay in Port Moresby after the Manus Island detention centre was closed.

Michael Thomas, the department’s first assistant secretary, confirmed there was a “bilateral arrangement to support PNG’s independent management of the residual caseload remaining in PNG at the end of regional processing arrangements at the end of 2021”. There was an “amount of money” paid in the first half of 2022, but the details of the cost are confidential, he said.

Stephanie Foster, the acting secretary, said “it was a one-off payment, intended to assist them to assume responsibility for the resettlement or integration” of those people.

In October Guardian Australia revealed the PNG’s government has threatened to send those people to Australia if it doesn’t continue to pay for their humanitarian program to house them. Thomas said the department is “aware of reporting in the media” about PNG sending the people to Australia, and confirmed it is talking to PNG about “those statements and sentiments”.

Murray Watt, representing the home affairs minister, said many of the people are on the pathway to being resettled in New Zealand, after Labor took up an offer that the Coalition had not to resettle them there. Others want to remain in PNG, he said.

Updated

Stephanie Foster grilled on progress of Michael Pezzullo inquiry

The acting home affairs department secretary, Stephanie Foster, is being grilled at Senate Estimates about the progress of the inquiry into the secretary, Michael Pezzullo.

In September Pezzullo stood aside at the request of the home affairs minister, pending an “expedited” investigation after a series of leaked texts called into question whether he made partisan interventions under the Coalition governments.

In her opening statement, Foster said:

I want to start by acknowledging the significant shock all of us in the home affairs portfolio experienced four weeks ago when secretary Pezzullo was asked to stand aside pending an investigation into media allegations reported the previous evening.

I’m conscious there will be enormous interest in these events and I will do my best to assist the committee noting that the investigation is ongoing and I’ll therefore be unable to answer any questions that could prejudice its fair process. This has been an incredibly tough time for all of us in the organisation, a difficult four weeks in the face of sustained and often distressing media reporting.

Foster paid tribute to the department’s 15,000 staff “who have pulled together in extraordinary circumstances to deliver their critical functions without missing a beat”.

The Greens senator, Nick McKim, asked about the progress of the investigation by the former Australian public service commissioner, Lynelle Briggs. Foster replied only in “the broadest terms”, as the department had facilitated access to documents, but she had “no real sense” of where it is up to.

Asked if Pezzullo has been stood down on full pay, Foster suggested in the “normal circumstances” someone would be, but she will need to get confirmation. Foster is being paid according to a “higher duties arrangement” but she hasn’t checked her pay slip to see what kind of pay bump she’s got from acting in the secretary role.

Murray Watt, the minister representing the home affairs minister, has sought guidance about whether the outcome of the inquiry will be made public.

Updated

NSW Premier Chris Minns won’t take a swing at other golf courses amid a backlash over plans to slice through Australia’s most popular public links.

As my colleague Nino Bucci reported yesterday, the state government announced would repurpose almost half of the 45-hectare Moore Park golf course from 2026 to create more green space, including for “grassroots sport and recreation”.

Speaking to 2GB radio today, the premier acknowledged the golf course is extremely popular, attracting more than half a million people every year, but said parkland is scarce.

The Centennial Park parklands have about 35 million visitors a year.

It’s just going to be used a lot more by a lot more Australians closer to the city.

The move follows the previous state government carving up Cammeray Golf Course in the city’s north to accommodate the building of the Western Harbour Tunnel.

But Minns said further changes to golf courses were not on the playing card.

We’ve got no plans of taking over golf courses around metropolitan Sydney.

- with AAP

Commonwealth Games Australia head says cancellation will affect future delivery

Back to the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the government’s decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games games:

The chief executive of Commonwealth Games Australia, Craig Phillips, says the Victorian government’s decision to cancel the games will have an impact on how the event will be delivered in the future:

I certainly wouldn’t be overstating that this episode was probably the most challenging time for the movement globally ... Other games have only ever been canceled during WWII, so it’s certainly a difficult time.

But we’re committed to working with the [Commonwealth Games Federation] and finding another host. Obviously, one of the byproducts of this is that it’s got us organisations looking very closely at ways of further refining the delivery model.

He says the Gold Coast mayor, Tom Tate, announced last week a plan to rescue the 2026 games:

We’re having further discussions around that. I think it will just change the nature of what the games will look like as a replacement. I think essentially we need to find a turnkey solution to the games. We just don’t have the runway, the time, to look at significant infrastructure building etc.

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Murray Watt condemns taking of innocent lives in Middle East

Labor senator Murray Watt has told reporters that every civilian life lost in the violence between Israel and Hamas is a tragedy, regardless of which side of the border they come from.

As reported by AAP, the minister said although Israel has a right to defend itself, any further civilian deaths must be stopped:

There’s no difference between an Israeli life and a Palestinian life if we’re talking about innocent civilians on either side of that barrier.

We condemn Hamas for taking those innocent Israeli lives and we want to make sure that no more civilians are lost in Palestine in unfair circumstances.

This comes as two of Watt’s Labor colleagues, Ed Husic and Anne Aly, have condemned the “collective punishment” of Palestinians over the actions of Hamas.

We had more on this in yesterday’s blog, which you can read here.

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Has this latest earthquake in Melbourne got you wondering if this is unusual - and if there’s a big one on the way?

Back in May, our science reporter Donna Lu wrote this explainer:

CEO of Commonwealth Games Australia fronts inquiry

The chief executive of Commonwealth Games Australia, Craig Phillips, is fronting a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the government’s decision to cancel the 2026 regional games.

In his opening statement to the inquiry, Phillips is focusing on “lost opportunities” for several key groups. The first, he says, are athletes of smaller Commonwealth countries:

With tough qualification systems these days for the Olympics, it’s often very difficult to send larger teams if you’re from a small nation or a less developed nation, particularly our neighbours in the Pacific.

So the Commonwealth Games has been a very important global forum for them because they can send bigger teams, they can give athletes more experience, and ultimately some of that experience leads to going to the Olympics.

Phillips says Australian athletes have also lost the opportunity for a “green and gold runway” to the Brisbane Olympics:

We know many of our athletes [who] would have been competing in 2026 would then go on to compete in Brisbane, either at the Olympics or Paralympics, and so, without a replacement for 2026 here in Australia that hometown advantage if you like is, is going to be lost.

He says regional and First Nations communities have also missed out:

There was intended to be strong engagement with First Nations communities around regional Victoria in the delivery of the games. That would have been business opportunities, employment opportunities and possibilities to showcase their culture to the world. And again, those opportunities have been lost.

NSW fire warnings

There are currently 53 fires burning across New South Wales, with 19 yet to be contained. According to the NSW RFS, all of the fires are currently at advice level.

Firefighters, assisted by aircraft and heavy machinery, will spend the day establishing containment lines around these fires.

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Senate estimates week incoming

A heads-up that it’s Senate estimates this week – we’ll be covering that, so keep an eye out throughout the day.

Updated

Gallagher reaffirms Labor ‘accepts’ referendum decision with focus now on making a ‘practical difference’

Finance minister Katy Gallagher was also asked about a statement from Indigenous leaders over the weekend, which expressed shock and grief over the referendum result and accused Australians who voted no of committing “a shameful act whether knowingly or not”.

Gallagher said she can understand that First Nations people who campaigned for decades would be feeling “extremely disappointed and distressed” at the outcome of the referendum.

But from the government’s point of view, the referendum was held. We respect and accept that decision. And now it’s a focus on how we work together to make a practical difference in all of those areas where we need to close the gap to health, housing, education, employment, and that’s our focus.

Q: Why do you think the ACT was the only jurisdiction to vote yes?

Gallagher:

Well, the ACT has always bucked the trend it seems. We voted yes for a republic as well. [I think] it’s hard to know …

Updated

Gallagher warns of further inflation pressures

On Gallagher was also asked for her expectations around inflation, with the inflation figures for the September quarter set to be released on Wednesday. She is expecting to see upward pressure on inflation:

… obviously we’ve been seeing higher petrol pump prices [and] we think that will play a bigger role in the inflation figures we get later this week.

There’s no doubt inflation is moderating … this is something we’re seeing in other countries as well that you know, it’s peaked and it’s moderating, but it’s staying higher than we’d like for longer than we’d like.

Q: Can Australians expect a [Melbourne] cup day rate rise?

Gallagher:

Well, obviously that’s a matter for the Reserve Bank and it makes those decisions independently of government.

I think our focus is on how we can make sure we’re easing cost of living pressures for people that they’re feeling right now, petrol is one of those areas …

Updated

Gallagher: women’s economic equality recommendations subject to budget

Earlier, finance minister Katy Gallagher spoke to ABC RN about the new report from the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce. As my colleague Sarah Basford Canales brought us earlier, the taskforce has offered seven broad recommendations to lift women’s workforce participation over the next decades.

Gallagher thanked members of the taskforce for the report and said increasing access to paid parental leave is a key part of supporting women at work:

We did increase paid parental leave for the national scheme from 20 to 26 weeks in the October budget, that … costed around $600m per annum.

So you know, I think we would all like to continue to improve that scheme, but we’ve got to find room in the budget to do that as we go.

Gallagher said when she and the treasurer can “find room in the budget” for superannuation on paid parental leave, “we want to see that”.

Because we know that one of the other compounding issues for women is not just sort of the years that they lose income through what they call those parenting years, it’s actually at the other end when you’re retiring that women are retiring with a lot less income as well.

How we make sure we’re maximising women’s incomes through their lifespan and their career span, the more we can ensure women retire with dignity …

Q: How many of the seven recommendations will be implemented?

Gallagher didn’t give a direct response, saying the government is already working on parts of the recommendations and “where there’s gaps, we will identify those and work through the detail on them”.

Updated

Roundup of fire warnings across Australia

Let’s take a look at bushfire warnings and total fire bans across the country:

In South Australia, a total fire ban has been enacted for the west coast district, with “very hazardous fire weather conditions” predicted.

There are also a number of fire bans in place for far north Queensland, around Cairns (the full list is available here).

There are no total fire bans in place across NSW today, with six ongoing bushfires listed at advice level in the Kempsey, Mid-Coast, Clarence Valley, Upper Hunter, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie-Hastings local government areas.

There are also no total fire bans in place for Victoria today.

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Thomas Mayo says Peter Dutton has ‘a lot to answer for’ after voice campaign

Indigenous leader and prominent yes campaigner Thomas Mayo has spoken on the 7am podcast, following a week of silence after the defeat of the Indigenous voice to parliament on October 14. He was asked whether this was the right time to ask Australian’s to support constitutional recognition?

It’s always the right time because it’s the right thing to do. We’re probably not going to get another shot at it for generations.

Mayo said that Peter Dutton as opposition leader “has a lot to answer for”. He spoke of the importance of social media early in the voice campaign and how at that time, there was “very little racism or attacks”.

It lifted when a leader of this country falsely claimed it would re-racialise Australia.

If you pare it all back to the catalyst of the awful behaviour that we saw in politics in that period of time, in the last six months, it all points back to Peter Dutton and his lack of care or lack of wanting to see the best for the nation and making it about himself and his hopes for reelection in 2025.

Mayo conceded there are “a lot of things” he would do differently on reflection, but doesn’t agree the referendum was un-win-able:

It was 60-40 so another 15% we might have got there … Australians were ready, they just could not see through the noise and the disinformation and they have a whole lot else going on in their lives…

Mayo said he will continue advocating for a national representative body, even if it won’t be enshrined in the constitution.

He was asked whether there will be enough political will for this, given the outcome of the referendum, and pointed to the quote “from little things bit things grow” from the protest song by Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly:

It was a nine year campaign for equal wages and then to get some land rights, it was denied initially over and over again…

Dutton’s office has been contacted for a response.

Updated

Victorian groups endorse court’s call for state drug-checking service

The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association, together with RMIT University and 77 health and community agencies, are calling for the new Victorian government to adopt the coroners court’s recommendation to create a drug checking service for the state.

Drug checking services located at events or as a standalone service allow people to find out what is in their drugs to help them make more informed decisions, and have already been implemented in the ACT and will launch next year in Queensland.

The joint statement from organisations – including Victoria’s youth affairs council, ambulance union and the Australian Council of Social Services – comes in response to a surge in fatal overdose of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in the state:

With an escalating rate of NPS-related fatal overdose, there is a pressing need to prioritise life-saving reforms such as drug checking which has been recommended four times by the coroners court of Victoria.

Dr Monica Barratt, a drug policy expert at RMIT University, said because they provide real-time information on changing drug markets, drug checking services can prevent overdoses – both of people using the service and in the general community – through informing public drug alerts.

Mr Nick Wallis, from Harm Reduction Victoria, said:

If it can save one life, then it’s an important step. Drug checking services are instrumental in curbing fatal overdose and broader substance related harms. This service will empower people to make more informed choices about their drug use which we know will reduce harm.

Updated

Warning of bushfire threat to homes in Perth’s west

Residents in parts of Perth’s west have been warned there is a possible threat to lives and homes as a bushfire burns in parkland, AAP reports.

The fire started in Bold Park and early on Monday was controlled but not contained, with firefighters strengthening containment lines.

A watch and act alert is in place for an area bounded by Oceanic Drive, Perry Lakes Drive, Stephenson Avenue, Rochdale Road and West Coast Highway in parts of City Beach, Floreat and Mount Claremont in the cities of Cambridge and Nedlands.

“There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is burning in the area and the conditions are changing,” the alert from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services says. It urged residents to leave the area if the way was clear or to make final preparations if they planned to defend their homes.

The emergency management minister, Murray Watt, told ABC TV he was being briefed on the Perth fire:

It does seem to be manageable at this point in time but it certainly something to watch. When the fire gets to a watch and act level, that’s obviously something of concern.

Updated

Federal government announces $268m to eradicate fire ants

The federal government has announced $268m to support a fire ant eradication program of the next four years in a move observers say will help give the program much needed breathing room.

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and Senator Murray Watt made the early mid-year financial outlook announcement on Sunday, saying the money would go towards solidifying the current containment area, hiring 350 new workers, building a new depot, buying new equipment, vehicles and 1,440 tonnes of bait.

Watt, who is the federal minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, said the federal government “will do everything we can to help Queensland and the rest of Australian win this fight”.

Fire ants are one of the world’s worst super-pests and have the potential to spread across 97% of Australia.

They have the potential to do more damage to our agriculture and environment than all of the worst invasive pests combined.

The announcement was welcomed by the Invasive Species Council which has previously warned a lack of commitment was undermining the eradication program, even as the ants marched south towards New South Wales.

Reece Pianta, a conservation officer at the council, said federal funding was a positive sign that would allow containment lines around Brisbane to be held as plans are drawn up for what comes next.

If [fire ants] are allowed to spread across the continent, their impact will be greater than cane toads, rabbits, feral cats and foxes combined. Eradication will take at least a decade and so while this four year funding announcement is very welcome,” he said, adding that work should start immediately on the next funding package to minimise delays.

Bowen criticises local 'politicisation' of Israel-Hamas conflict

While speaking to ABC RN, Chris Bowen was asked if he is concerned about ongoing social cohesion within his electorate amid the Israel-Hamas war. (Bowen is the MP for McMahon, located in Sydney’s outer western suburbs, which has a high percentage of Australians with Muslim ancestry.)

Chris Bowen
Chris Bowen in September. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Bowen responded:

It’s important, in this very difficult time in the Middle East, to know that you can believe in the legitimate aspirations and rights of the Palestinian people without exonerating in any sense the heinous acts of Hamas.

You can also believe in the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself [while] expressing concern about the loss of innocent life of Palestinians who do not support Hamas and had nothing to do with Hamas.

You can believe, as I do, that Israel will only truly be free and secure when Palestine will be free and secure. You can believe all the above.

He said it is important for people in leadership positions to “express our solidarity with the people of Israel, but also our concerns for the legitimate concerns for the Palestinian people”:

I have been concerned by the politicisation of this issue … demanding stronger statements and stronger actions when really, I think the prime minister, the foreign minister and the government have set a very important and considered tone and I think it’s vital that the community hears that tone.

And of course … there is absolutely no place in modern Australia for antisemitism or Islamophobia. Both should be equally condemned. And in an environment like this, it’s particularly important to do so.

Updated

Chris Bowen: energy generation ‘ongoing task’ amid climate crisis

The minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, spoke to ABC RN earlier this morning about the “long, hot summer” Australia is facing.

It’s one of the impacts of climate change of course … hotter summers are something we have to get more used to. It will put some pressure on the grid but … the federal government [will work] with all the state governments to make sure that we’re prepared.

We’ve seen an improvement in connections come up against more energy into the system, we have been going through a process of summer readiness for some months now.

Bowen was asked about the stability of the grid going into summer, with additional renewable energy capacity on the system. He said one of the biggest challenges to stability has been unexpected outages at coal fired power stations:

I mean, we saw a big impact when the Callide power station in Queensland went offline a few years ago and is still not yet back online.

…We have 3.4 gigawatts more going into this summer than they had last summer of generation, that’s a good thing.

Yes, we need more storage, we have policies in place to get that through our capacity investment scheme, which we’ve already begun rolling out. This is an ongoing task for governments and will continue to be.

Updated

ACCC says emergency data network ‘technically feasible’

Australians caught up in national disasters could still have access to emergency mobile data, the consumer watchdog has found, but it will first require the federal government and network providers to work together to build the feature.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s regional mobile infrastructure report, released today, examined the possibility of a temporary roaming service allowing Australians to connect to any mobile provider in the case of natural disasters and emergencies.

Bushfire damage.
The ACCC has recommended Australians caught up in disasters have access to emergency mobile phone data. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

It found the feature was “technically feasible” but a “complex solution to implement”, which would require mobile network operators to collaborate with the government on the design and development.

Telstra, for example, said a roaming network was not designed to be activated and deactivated on a temporary basis.

The infrastructure department will now work with the National Emergency Management Agency to deliver a report to government in the first quarter of 2024 on the viability of the feature. The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, thanked the ACCC for its report:

The government will work with industry to scope a new emergency roaming capability so that Australians can stay connected during disasters, regardless of who their carrier might be.

While no network can ever be 100% resilient, an effective emergency roaming could play a vital role in keeping Australians informed during a disaster.

Making sure we have the right regulatory settings is also critical to deploy mobile infrastructure in regional communities, including considering infrastructure sharing between carriers.

Updated

Kevin Rudd on Republican speaker ‘chaos’ and Assange

Kevin Rudd is asked how much the “chaos” surrounding the Republicans’ attempt to put someone in the speaker’s chair in the US House of Representatives will affect prime minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Capitol Hill. Rudd told ABC News Breakfast:

For the PM’s visit, we still have meetings with leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties in the Senate. We’re meeting with the minority leader in the House, we’re meeting with representatives of other congressional committees headed by both Republicans and Democrats.

Having spent a lot of time up on Capitol Hill in my six months here since becoming ambassador, I’m always inspired by the level of bipartisan support for what we’re seeking to do with Aukus, not just in terms of the future of nuclear power conventionally armed submarines, but our ambition to create a seamless Australia-US defence, science and technology industry. I think this is on track but there’s still some hard roads to be crossed.

Rudd was also asked what response Albanese would get if he raises the case of Julian Assange and pressures for the US to drop its proceedings against him. Rudd:

Well, I have maintained a robust policy since the day I first arrived here of not commenting publicly on that case. I don’t propose to break that precedent now.

On the question of ongoing discussions, those are best left entirely in the channels through which they’re being conducted and I have nothing further to add on them.

Updated

Kevin Rudd says Middle East will be ‘significant part’ of PM’s discussions with Biden

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning ahead of prime minister Anthony Albanese’s four-day visit. Rudd said that the ongoing Israel-Hamas war will be a “significant part” of Albanese’s discussions with US President Joe Biden.

The Middle East is a core part of America’s concerns, it’s a core part of Australia’s concerns.

We’re actively concerned about Israel’s security and the brutal attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. We’re concerned about the impact of Hamas on the Palestinian people who live in Gaza, just as we’re concerned about proper humanitarian support for those people in Gaza.

Rudd said along with the President, Albanese will be spending time with the vice-president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defence and other senior cabinet ministers, as well as sitting down with the congressional leadership both in the House and the Senate.

Rudd also said there has been “real progress” in the passage of relevant pieces of Aukus legislation, but “the democratic process … takes some time”.

We need to be patient, but I see things moving in the right direction.

Updated

Australians with disability earn $24,000 less disposable income a year

Australians with a disability earn about $24,000 less disposable income each year than people without a disability, corresponding with higher rates of unemployment and difficulties accessing housing.

New research from the Actuaries Institute, published today, found the disposable income gap is wider for people with a severe disability – about half that of their counterparts with no disability. The paper, titled “Not a Level Playing Field”, analyses a raft of survey data to highlight how Australians with a disability aged between 15 to 64 face higher rates of income and wealth inequality.

It also reveals that people living with a disability require an extra 50% income to achieve the same living standards as people without a disability, compounding income inequality.

The economic inequality, highlighted in the paper, corresponds with people with a disability being three times more likely to be unemployed or underemployed and twice as likely to be living in poverty. Dr Laura Dixie, the report’s co-author, says the research shows that Australian workplace need to become more inclusive:

The first thing is community attitudes. It’s about one in five people don’t know how to act towards someone with a disability, which is crazy when you think 20% of the population have a disability.

Companies also need to look at their accessibility, culture and attitudes.

Albanese to urge Biden to keep focused on Indo-Pacific

Anthony Albanese will urge US President Joe Biden to remain focused on the Indo-Pacific region as the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies, AAP reports.

The PM flew out for Washington on Sunday for a four-day official visit to the US.

It will be the ninth meeting between the two leaders since Albanese’s election victory in 2022.

Albanese said he will tell the US leader providing support to the region was crucial. He told reporters ahead of his departure:

It’s very important that we remain focused on the Indo-Pacific region.

We will certainly be urging the United States to continue what they have done, which is to step up in the region.

The prime minister pointed to the Pacific Islands Forum, to be held in the Cook Islands next month, which he described as “very important”.

We certainly support the president’s agenda, which has spoken about the role that the United States plays in the world.

Albanese said his message will be it remains “critical” to continue supporting Ukraine in the face of a drawn out war with Russia.

Women’s equality taskforce recommends paid parental leave cover entire year

Paid parental leave should be extended to a full year, according to the government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.

The taskforce has handed its report to the federal government, offering seven broad recommendations to lift women’s workforce participation over the the next decades. The report, released today, centres around resolving barriers for women in the areas of care, work, education and skills, the tax and transfer system and government processes.

Among the recommendations is another push from the taskforce to immediately legislate superannuation payments on all forms of paid parental leave.

It found an “inequitable labour market and household dynamics” have left women 23% worse off than men at the age of retirement. For example, at 60 to 64 years old, the average man has approximately $181,000 in super while the average woman has $139,000.

Labor has kept super for paid parental leave “on the table” but has so far resisted calls to legislate it due to budgetary constraints.

Elsewhere, the report also called for the prime minister and women’s minister to deliver annual reports on the progress of lifting economic participation for women, legislating to establish universal, high-quality and affordable early childhood education and to increase the paid parental scheme to 52 weeks. The taskforce’s lead, Sam Mostyn, said:

We have arrived at a moment of consequence where a genuine commitment to respecting women, and valuing and nurturing their economic contribution by removing systemic barriers, is vital.

The finance and women’s minister, Katy Gallagher, is expected to offer her response to the report’s findings mid-morning today.

Updated

Minor earthquake aftershock shakes Victoria

But first – an earthquake update from the Victorian SES.

The Victorian SES said the state is still feeling aftershocks from Saturday’s M5.0 earthquake, with Geoscience Australia confirming a M2.6 earthquake at 3.18am in Apollo Bay.

At this stage there are no ‘felt reports’ or damages to buildings.

Updated

Good morning

And happy Monday! I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the live blog today.

Making news this morning: the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce has handed its report to the government offering seven broad recommendations to lift women’s workforce participation over the next few decades – including an extension of paid parental leave to a full year.

Elsewhere, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, departed for Washington yesterday, embarking on a four-day official visit to the US. He is due to meet with US President Joe Biden for talks on the Indo-Pacific region and the war between Israel and Hamas. As reported by AAP, he had this to say ahead of his departure:

It’s very important that we remain focused on the Indo-Pacific region.

We will certainly be urging the United States to continue what they have done, which is to step up in the region.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous leader and prominent yes campaigner Thomas Mayo spoke to the 7am podcast following a week of silence after the defeat of the Indigenous voice to parliament on 14 October. Asked whether this had been the right time to ask Australians to support constitutional recognition, he said:

It’s always the right time because it’s the right thing to do. We’re probably not going to get another shot at it for generations.

We will have all the details on these stories – and more – on the blog shortly. As always, if there is anything you think needs attention on the blog feel free to send me an email – emily.wind.casual@theguardian.com.

With that, let’s get started!

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