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The Guardian - AU
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Cait Kelly (now) and Matilda Boseley (earlier)

Court approves extradition of Mostafa Baluch – as it happened

What we learned today, Thursday 11 November

OK team Guardian, let’s wrap up the blog for today. Thank you so much for going through the news of the day with me.

Here were the big ones:

  • Scott Morrison started the day off with misleading comments about Labor’s electric vehicle policy at the 2019 election, telling Sunrise the ALP wanted to force people to drive electric vehicles (false: there was no mandate).
  • Severe weather warnings were issued for NSW, South Australia and Queensland as most of the country gets set for a wet few days.
  • Remembrance Day ceremonies were conducted across the country.
  • Victoria recorded 1,313 new Covid-19 cases and four deaths.
  • NSW recorded 261 new Covid-19 cases and one death.
  • Queensland recorded two new Covid cases.
  • We got some job figures that showed in October the unemployment rate jumped to 5.2%, from 4.6% in September, with 46,300 jobs lost.
  • The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, then addressed the jobs figures, saying it was driven by the NSW and Victorian lockdowns. “Lockdowns are detrimental to the labour market,” he said.
  • Australia hit the 90% vaccine milestone.
  • And Dylan Alcott said acting and politics could be next after tennis.

The blog will be back with the biggest yarns again tomorrow and I will be with you again from around 11am.

Until then, everyone stay safe and please – don’t drive through flood waters.

Updated

The prime minister with the shortest planning horizon in living memory is a laggard, not a leader, Richard Denniss writes.

Scott Morrison thrives in the empty space between three-year terms and 30-year plans. Whether it is climate change, nuclear submarines or budget repair – it is no accident the prime minister with the shortest planning horizon in living memory is our greatest announcer of long-run plans.

Updated

Two Australian cities – Launceston in Tasmania and Bendigo in Victoria – have been recognised by Unesco as Creative Cities of Gastronomy.

It means the two cities are among the world’s best food destinations.

The Launceston mayor, Albert van Zetten, said the decision cemented the city’s identity as a foodie heaven.

“The Unesco brand is recognised worldwide and is a marker of the very highest quality,” he said.

Updated

In NSW there have already been 250 calls for help to the SES as emergency services respond to severe weather events in multiple parts of the state.

The northern rivers is expected to see flash flooding overnight.

If you are in an impacted area please be alert and do not drive through flood waters. If you need help call the SES on 132 500.

And here’s our story on the wild weather:

Updated

A big match is about to get under way tonight in Sydney.

The Socceroos will play Saudi Arabia at Parramatta’s CommBank stadium at 8.10pm.

A win would see Australia pass Saudi Arabia to sit at the top of Group B in Asian qualifying, giving them a good shot at reaching the World Cup in Qatar next year.

The Socceroos had won 11 of 12 their games until they lost to Japan in their most recent game.

Here’s our preview by Emma Kemp:

Updated

We have a yarn on the $38m payout to injured workers by NSW public insurer icare here for those who want a bit more information:

Updated

PM says governments will need to ensure digital platforms not used to harass, exploit, intimidate

Scott Morrison says governments need to make sure digital platforms and social media are “not being used as a tool for people to harass people, to exploit people, to intimidate people”.

The prime minister made the comments in a virtual session of a CEO summit being held in conjunction with the Apec summit in New Zealand.

When asked by Brad Smith, the Microsoft president, about his outlook on post-pandemic technology challenges, Morrison said:

We’re seeing this more and more, the impact on the mental health of our young people, through cyberbullying and cyber-abuse. And there are two key issues here, I think.

The first one is to recognise that, you know, digital platforms are publishers. And the second one is free speech only works in a free society where there isn’t anonymity. Free speech isn’t about to say whatever you want and not be accountable for it. That’s the whole point of free speech. Say whatever you like in our country, but you’re accountable for what you say.

We can’t have digital platforms providing a shield for people to engage in online abuse, because if we allow that to happen, digital platforms will not be a safe space for consumers, for our children – we won’t get the right outcomes on education and skills development and the broader, you know, commercial opportunities that are there.

So we all have to work, I think, even more closely together to make the digital world safe. And that’s not just about hacking and cybersecurity.

That’s about the interactions of people online. And we don’t think those rules are tough enough and we are moving forward on that.

Asked about trade, Morrison said at the moment the rare earths and critical minerals supply chains were “very dependent on largely one supplier, which has the ability to apply a lot of monopolistic power to prevent other supply chains being developed”.

The prime minister did not directly mention China. But he said he agreed with India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, that supply chains were no longer just about cost and efficiency but also about trust. Morrison said:

That trust is about who you’re doing business with and we’ve learned that during this pandemic. Trusted supply chains are frankly more valuable to you than some, that might actually be a bit cheaper, because you know they’ll always be there.

Morrison said Australia was working with the other Quad countries – the US, India and Japan – on developing alternative supply chains around rare earths and critical minerals, which would play “a huge role, obviously, in the new energy technologies as well”.

Updated

Victoria is on track to hit the 90% vaccination milestone for people aged 12+ sooner than 24 November.

Across the state, 92.9% of Victorians (aged 12+) have now had one dose of the vaccine and 85.5% have had two doses.

The good news comes a day after the number of cases officially passed 100,000 on Wednesday.

Updated

The NSW government-owned state insurer icare will pay out more than 53,000 underpaid injured workers $38m after historic miscalculation errors.

Icare announced the payout on Thursday afternoon.

“Icare is working closely with the NSW government, [State Insurance Regulatory Authority] and employers to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” the CEO, Richard Harding, said.

“We have proactively reviewed those that were the most vulnerable and likely to have had a financial impact.

“Our focus has been on remediating these people as quickly as possible.”

Updated

Yallourn power station fire no risk to supply, Energy Australia says

A fire broke out at Victoria’s Yallourn power station around midday today, with Energy Australia confirming that there was a “small fire” at the coal distribution facility.

A spokesperson confirmed the fire was extinguished within 40 minutes due to “the automatic fire deluge system and support provided by fire services teams and the CFA”. They said the fire had not resulted in any risk to energy security.

They also confirmed nobody was injured, saying that all employees in the immediate area were evacuated to a “safe location” while the fire was being extinguished.

The spokesperson also said one of the four generating units at Yallourn was offline, with the three others reduced to minimum load out of precaution:

Yallourn has four generating units. One unit is currently offline because of the major outage maintenance program. As a precaution, the three other units have been reduced to absolute minimum load while the conveyor system is being reinstated.

Their estimated return to service is this evening in line with the advice and the consent of WorkSafe Victoria, ensuring the equipment is safe to operate.

The way all parties managed the situation demonstrates that our emergency services training and technical systems work as intended.

Updated

Let’s go back to reporter Nino Bucci, who is following the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission happening in Victoria:

A report into the Tasmanian government’s handling of allegations of child sexual abuse in the education department and other government institutions was tabled in the state’s parliament today.

The inquiry found the department’s response to claims of childhood abuse was to move teachers, disbelieve students and protect itself.

The ABC reports there is still “some record of concern” about more than 40 current employees, at least three of which are principals.

The inquiry says half will potentially require further investigation.

The premier, Peter Gutwein, spoke about the report for the first time in parliament today.

“We can’t change the past but we can shape the future,” he said. “And I am absolutely committed ... and determined to ensure that we shape that future in a way that is positive for the children in the state, both now and importantly into the future.”

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein says he is determined to ensure a positive future for children in the state.
Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein says he is determined to ensure a positive future for children in the state. Photograph: Chris Crerar/AAP

Updated

And we’ve got flood warnings still in place for parts of South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Please stay safe and keep an eye on the BoM.

We’ve got a yarn here:

And a video from the BOM here:

Updated

Dylan Alcott says acting and politics could be next after tennis

Dylan Alcott is currently being interviewed by Patricia Karvelas on ABC, who asked him what he was going to do when he resigns from tennis.

And look what bomb he just dropped:

“You know, I want to do a bit of acting, maybe a bit of politics one day.”

Karvelas asked why politics was on the cards, to which Alcott replied:

“You can actually influence a lot of change in there, you know what I mean? There hasn’t been many people with disability who’ve had the opportunity to do that.

“Obviously Jordon Steele-John’s in there and a few others across the journey. That’d be awesome.

“And secondly, as I said, if you want to speak about somebody at a table, they need a seat at that table.”

Dylan Alcott says he’d like to get into politics one day.
Dylan Alcott says he’d like to get into politics one day. Photograph: Javier García/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

Out the back of a suburban home on a leafy Shepparton street, a humble tree bearing 10 different fruits has just claimed a Guinness world record for most types of fruit on a single tree.

The tree is the result of a decade of Hussam Saraf’s hard work, transforming his modest stretch of grass in regional Victoria into a tropical oasis bearing rare fruit trees and edible natives.

Labor has accused the Morrison government of an “extraordinary power grab” over its latest proposed changes to the national disability insurance scheme.

Guardian Australia this morning reported concerns from the disability community, as well as the former NDIA chairman, Bruce Bonyhady, that the government’s “participant service guarantee” will hand new powers to the agency boss.

The government insists these changes are benign and the broader bill will make the agency more accountable to participants.
But Labor’s NDIS spokesman, Bill Shorten, joined calls on Thursday for the government should back away from the changes.
He said:

The Morrison government’s new legislation that will give the NDIS chief executive unprecedented powers must be stopped.

The “participant service guarantee” bill will give NDIS chief executive Martin Hoffman the authority to cut any participants plan with no notice and no explanation.

The extraordinary power grab could also extend to NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds.

Shorten’s also concerns echo comments from the NSW, WA and ACT governments.

Linda Reynolds, the NDIS minister, insists the concerns are unfounded.

A Senate inquiry will examine the bill at a hearing tomorrow.

Two people have just been arrested in Victoria over an alleged hit-run crash that claimed the life of a Carrum Downs father of four earlier this week.

A 30-year-old of no fixed address was arrested in Carrum Downs and a 25-year-old Carrum Downs man was arrested after attending Frankston police station, police said.

Updated

The wine dealers Vinomofo have been forced to apologise after offering up a Remembrance Day special this morning.

The 11th of the 11th is a big sales day in Singapore and the international company thought they would try to expand it to Australia.

But after sending out the original sales email, they were forced to retract it.

“We got swept up in the retail frenzy of November, pushing out a sales idea from Singapore which was insensitive to the very special day that is Remembrance Day,” the wine store wrote.

“Like you, we are very grateful for the nation that we live in, the freedoms that we share and the service men and women who have so bravely defended both. We got it wrong today.”

Vinomofo’s 11.11 sale ad
Vinomofo’s 11.11 sale ad. Photograph: 11.11 vinomofo sale

Updated

Anthony Albanese says China has become “far more forward-leaning” and that is what is driving Australia to change its foreign policy, implicitly pushing back at criticism from the former prime minister Paul Keating.

The opposition leader on Thursday avoided directly criticising Keating – a Labor elder who said both major parties had lost their way – but made it plain that he did not share the assessment of the strategic circumstances Australia now faces.

Read our story here:

Updated

Let’s go back to reporter Nino Bucci, who is following the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission happening in Victoria:

Updated

Senator Jacqui Lambie has called for a ban on mainland investors buying up property in Tasmania, Hobart’s Mercury newspaper reports.

Relocate or forget it!

“We don’t have the infrastructure (to build new houses), our health system is in turmoil and mainlanders are pushing our own people out of the market,” Lambie said.

“They are coming in paying way over the asking price, you hear some are paying $100,000 over, and they are turning them into Airbnbs and making a profit.”

Updated

The Victorian government says elective surgery will resume in Melbourne and Geelong from Monday.

“Private hospitals and day procedure centres in Melbourne and Geelong will be able to scale up to 50% of their normal elective surgery lists, including non-urgent surgeries, provided enough capacity is kept aside to assist with the Covid response,” a government statement says.

“... These changes will bring Melbourne and Geelong into line with private hospitals in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the Latrobe Valley, which are already on the 50% cap.”

Updated

The acclaimed Vietnamese American poet Ocean Vuong has hit back with humour after perplexed Australian year 12 students bombarded him on social media complaining about his “confusing” text in their final English exam.

Read our story here:

Updated

The NSW sexual consent legislation has passed the lower house of parliament and is expected to come before the upper house in the coming days, AAP reports:

The rules around sexual consent in NSW are closer to being overhauled after a bill to introduce a requirement for “affirmative consent” passed the lower house.

The legislation is expected to come before the upper house in the coming days where it will likely garner enough support to become law.

If it passes, the Crimes Act will be changed to specify that consent to sexual activity must be communicated by words or action, rather than assumed. If consent isn’t communicated, the other person could be guilty of sexual assault.

The bill also spells out that just because someone doesn’t physically or verbally resist a sexual activity, it does not mean they’ve consented.

The NSW attorney general, Mark Speakman, described the reforms as “a basic matter of respect” as he introduced the bill to the lower house last month.

“No one should assume someone is saying ‘yes’ just because they do not say ‘no’ or do not resist physically,” he said.

“People are entitled to expect that if someone wants to have sex with them, then that other person will ask – and that if the first person has not said something or done something to communicate consent, then the other person will take further steps to ascertain consent.”

The bill passed the lower house on Wednesday evening after several amendments moved by the Greens and Labor were defeated.

Updated

Clearly the announcement the US and China will be working more closely together on climate change hasn’t been lost on the media pack.

The Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, was asked about what it could mean for Australia and its exports of fossil fuels – namely coal.

To clear up any confusion, the full text of the US-China Joint Glasgow Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s is now online.

On coal, the declaration mentions the fossil fuel only twice and repeats previous commitments that both countries have made on building coal plants in other countries.

The first mention has China declaring it will “phase down coal consumption” during its next five-year plan, which will run from 2026 until 2030.

A phase down is, of course, good, but it’s not a phase out. China made this pledge at the Biden climate summit in April.

The second mention of coal in the pact says China and the US “recall their respective commitments regarding the elimination of support for unabated international thermal coal power generation”.

This section reflects China’s major announcement in September at the UN general assembly that it would stop supporting the building of coal-fired power around the world this year.

The US has backed an OECD agreement not to finance “unabated” coal-fired power in other countries.

Unabated means any coal-fired power that doesn’t have carbon capture and storage attached, and there are almost no coal plants that have managed to do that anywhere in the world (one reason being it increases the cost of electricity).

Updated

And Mostafa Baluch is on the move ...

Updated

Victoria police has launched a landmark policy for dealing with perpetrators of family violence within its ranks. It is the first policy of its kind in Australia.

It’s designed to stop abusive officers from being given special treatment and to prioritise victims’ safety.

Victoria, much like many of Australia’s police forces, has been criticised recently for failing to reprimand abusers within its ranks.

The policy outlines that police officers will be treated the same as alleged abusers within the community and all cases will be investigated.

Updated

So to recap the jobless figures, as reported here, the unemployment rate bounced back up to 5.2% last month, from 4.6% in September.

That’s not really so bad, as it masked an increase in people looking for work, particularly in NSW. The story was less promising in Victoria, but November’s data should see that state back on the recovery train.

A hint of the economy’s gathering momentum comes from CoreLogic, the property consultancy. Today it said 3,643 homes are scheduled to be auctioned this week, a rate matched only once this year, back in March.

Melbourne’s 1,588 scheduled auctions are up 13.6% from last week, and well more than double the 604 auctions this time last year.

Sydney, at 1,332 auctions, is also the busiest since late March, while Brisbane’s 290 auctions haven’t been exceeded in a single week since November 2014. Adelaide and Canberra are also on track for their busiest week of auctions since CoreLogic began tracking the data in 2008.

Perhaps with the added supply will come a further slowing in the growth rate of house prices.

Speaking of prices, US consumer prices jumped in October by 6.2%, the most since 1990. Even excluding food and energy prices, the underlying rate was 4.6%, or enough to stir investors worried about what the ANZ Bank described as “the risk of a policy error on inflation”.

We have similar issues, if not as intense, in Australia. Our economy is juiced up by government spending, households and businesses are sitting on mountains of money, and supply shortages are lifting the cost of everything from coffee to fertiliser to newsprint.

And how confident are we in the nous of our policymakers?

Updated

The federal government has outlined a detailed plan to reform Australia’s whistleblowing laws, as new research shows the current scheme is failing to protect those who speak out about wrongdoing.

Read the full story here:

Updated

And here we go folks – the wild weather has started in New South Wales. If you are in regional NSW please remember to check the Bureau of Meteorology and stay safe.

The outlook for tomorrow is showers in every major capital except Perth.

Updated

I want to take you now to Sydney’s Taronga Wildlife hospital where something way too cute is happening.

An orphaned short-beaked echidna puggle (gender unknown), who was abandoned on a property in Weja, NSW, is being hand-raised.

The Taronga veterinary nurse Liz McConnell has become the puggle’s dedicated surrogate mum.

She takes the little echidna home at night and to work each morning in a makeshift burrow, fashioned from a climate-controlled esky.

“A puggle of this age would normally be in a burrow where it is relatively cool, probably no more than 23C,” McConnell says.

And we’ve got some pics that will absolutely warm your heart.

Short-beaked echidna puggle
Puggle being cute. Photograph: Sydney Taronga zoo
Puggle having a chat
Puggle having a chat. Photograph: Syndey Taronga Zoo
Puggle having dinner
Puggle having dinner. Photograph: Sydney Taronga Zoo

Updated

Please look at how good this shot is from this morning in Melbourne.

Frydenberg is asked again if it makes us vulnerable because he didn’t really address the question.

He says Australia will continue to have strong export markets for its commodities.

We’re also investing in new technologies like hydrogen, looking at low-emission production processes for steel, for aluminium, recognising that that will be not only in the interests of the environment but also in Australia’s economic interests longer term.

That’s all from Frydenberg folks.

Updated

Frydenberg was asked about the US and China’s joint climate change pact.

With respect to China, [it is] the world’s largest emitter, and their emissions have been going up quite dramatically. So, it’s important that China makes a commitment, a tangible one, to reduce its carbon footprint.

Updated

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Frydenberg is asked if Australia is trying to water down the draft for Cop26.

He says:

We went to Cop26 with a target to reduce our emissions down to net zero by 2050. That was a substantial commitment that we have made and it was one that we had a plan to meet.

Updated

Frydenberg is asked about the federal government ending Covid payments:

We also allowed for a two-week transition period where the payments stepped down. That is appropriate because the labour force needs to find its level.

When you speak to a lot of businesses today in Melbourne or in Sydney, whether it is hospitality, construction, mining, in Western Australia and elsewhere, labour force shortages are around.

Updated

Frydenberg says there are jobs out there, with job ads up 30% on where they were at the start of the pandemic.

Updated

Frydenberg says since the data was collated the economy has “turned the corner”.

Business and consumer confidence are both up – our business confidence back to where it was in April.

Consumer confidence up now up eight out of the last nine weeks. Job ads are more than 30% higher than they were at the start of the pandemic and at a 12 year high. $340bn is now accumulated in household and business balance sheets.

Updated

Frydenberg says it is important to note that when the data was taken there were 13 million Australians in lockdown.

Frydenberg says NSW and Victorian lockdowns hit job numbers

The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, is talking about the job numbers:

The unemployment rate increased to 5.2%, confirming what we already know, that lockdown hits jobs. Lockdowns are detrimental to the labour market.

When you drill down into today’s numbers, it is very much a tale of two cities. New South Wales and Victoria.

In Victoria, in the month, around 50,000 jobs were lost and an additional 20,000 people were stood down on zero hours.

In NSW, in the month of October, more than 21,000 new jobs were created and more than 60,000 people who were stood down on zero hours went back to work.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to the media in Melbourne
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to the media in Melbourne after the release of job numbers. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, was asked about Mostafa Baluch today. This is what he had to say:

I’m sure Queensland police did the best that they could. But ultimately, what’s more important is the outcome, and the outcome is he’s caught. So that’s the focus. That’s where it’s at.

I’m sure the Queensland police did the best that they could. It’s not for me to comment on the interstate jurisdictions in relation to their operations and their procedures, but ultimately the outcome is what matters.

Updated

Let’s catch up with Nino Bucci, who is following the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission happening in Victoria.

Updated

We’ve also got some extra numbers from New South Wales, where 261 new cases have been recorded. That’s up on yesterday’s figures.

One person has died with Covid and 228 patients are in hospital, with 40 in intensive care.

Looking at the vaccination data, the state continues to smash it – 94% of over-16s have had one vaccine dose, more than 90% have had two doses.

Updated

We’ve got a better breakdown of today’s Covid numbers from Victoria:

In Victoria 1,313 new cases have been recorded, up from yesterday. Four people have died with Covid and 457 people are in hospital, with 79 in intensive care.

More than 92% of the state’s over-16 population has had one vaccine dose and almost 86% are fully vaccinated.

Updated

My colleague Peter Hannam has written about today’s unemployment figures in a little more detail:

Updated

The former Australian cricketer Michael Slater is seeking to have his domestic violence-related charges dealt with under the Mental Health Act, a Sydney court has heard. AAP reports:

Former Australian Test cricketer Michael Slater remains in hospital as he seeks to have domestic violence charges dealt with under the Mental Health Act, a Sydney court has been told.

The 51-year-old was arrested in October at a Manly home and charged with stalking and using a carriage service to harass.

He allegedly used his mobile phone between March and October this year “to menace or harass” while the intimidation allegedly occurred between 12-13 October in Randwick, according to court documents.

Slater’s lawyer, James McLoughlin, told Waverley local court on Thursday his client was in hospital for “related treatment” and had been assessed by a forensic psychiatrist.

McLoughlin said he would be applying to have the matter dealt with under section 14 of the Mental Health Act on 23 December and indicated a plea would be entered on that occasion.

Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman at first baulked at the request, saying “are you kidding me?” The magistrate explained the busy court workload was “terrible” and it would be inundated with bail reviews just before Christmas.

If successful, Slater could be released into the care of another person and ordered to undergo a medical treatment plan. The ex-cricketer turned commentator, who was previously granted conditional bail, was excused from appearing in court on Thursday.

Updated

And more from Nino Bucci:

Updated

Let’s go to reporter Nino Bucci, who is following the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission happening in Victoria.

Updated

A Queensland court has approved the extradition of Mostafa Baluch to New South Wales to face drug charges. This from AAP:

Accused drug lord Mostafa Baluch is on his way back to Sydney after a Queensland court approved his extradition to NSW.

Baluch’s alleged attempt to flee to freedom ended on Wednesday morning when he was found hiding in a grey Mercedes concealed in a shipping container being transported on the back of a truck. The fugitive had been on the run from police when he was nabbed during a botched bid to cross the Queensland border.

Sixteen days earlier, he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor while on bail sparking “one of the largest fugitive hunts in the country”. Police allege he was planning to flee overseas from Queensland.

Queensland officers searched dozens of trucks over the past few days, before zeroing in on the shipping container after noticing it wasn’t properly secured.

After a night in the Southport watch house, Baluch’s extradition hearing was held on Thursday.

Baluch listened to the proceedings by phone. His lawyer, Nicholas Andrews, consented to the extradition application without objection, with Baluch expected to return to Sydney later in the day.

He is charged with a string of drug offences related to a 900kg shipment of cocaine into Australia that had a street value of $270m. Baluch will now also face charges over his alleged breach of bail.

Updated

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s popularity has plummeted in two new polls, as New Zealand struggles to contain a Delta outbreak and transitions to a new era of endemic Covid.

Palaszczuk also said residents in Beaudesert and Warwick also needed to be on alert and get tested if they have symptoms but that health authorities weren’t concerned because the case is linked.

“It is a young woman in her teens from Beaudesert. She is a close contact of a confirmed case from that Moree cluster that we talked about the other day.

“And she was tested in home quarantine, so she spent a couple of days infectious in the community in Warwick and half a day infectious in Beaudesert.“

Updated

Palaszczuk said residents on the Gold Coast needed to get tested if they have symptoms.

“If we see more unlinked community transmission the Gold Coast in the next 24 to 48 hours, we may have to put in place some further restrictions.

“Therefore, people should consider on public transport on the Gold Coast, they should consider about wearing a mask, but also too if they are in crowded situations.”

Updated

In Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said the government will decide further measures in the coming days after two new cases were found in the community.

Updated

Health Minister Greg Hunt has spoken about the 90% milestone:

“In a country general practice, Indigenous medical clinic, in a suburban pharmacy, someone will be the Australian who ticks us over 90% of 16-plus who have a vaccination.

“And what that has meant is that we have been protecting Australians and that’s an extraordinary achievement and I want to thank and honour all of those who have contributed.

“So today is a milestone day in protecting Australia and reaching a 90% vaccination rate during the course of today.”

Updated

Australia to hit 90% vaccine milestone

In really good news - Australia will reach another vaccination milestone today. The country is on track to surpass the 90% first-dose target for 16s and over.

Updated

Infrastructure department officials have revealed at a Senate inquiry into car park funding that the Australian National Audit Office asked for the department to access the minister’s records without informing him.

Under questioning from Labor’s Tim Ayres, the deputy secretary David Hallinan confirmed that mid-audit the department sought legal advice about the Anao’s powers, after a “request to access the minister’s records” with advice “not to inform the minister”.

Hallinan said the way the request came in “made us wonder whether it was appropriate” because he thought “natural justice” should apply and the person whose records were accessed should be informed.

Hallinan refused to say what the legal advice said - but Ayres observed that the fact the Anao report extensively discusses the canvassing process within then minister Alan Tudge’s office, it suggests access was granted.

Earlier, the first assistant secretary Philip Smith said the urban congestion fund was not a “competitive grants” process but that didn’t mean it wasn’t merit based.

Hallinan conceded it was “unusual” for the government to submit a list of projects to the department, rather than for the department to have a role in site selection.

Updated

The driver of the truck has been charged with intending to pervert the course of justice. He owns the trucking company that has been raided.

In NSW police have raided a trucking company allegedly linked to a failed attempt by Mostafa Baluch to cross the border between NSW and QLD.

The alleged drug smuggler and fugitive was found in the back of a Mercedes SUV, which was inside a shipping container travelling towards the border on Wednesday morning.

Baluch allegedly cut his ankle tracking device off on October 25 and left his luxury home in Sydney’s northern beaches after receiving bail on drug import charges.

Preparations are in place to extradite him from the Gold Coast to Sydney this afternoon.

Updated

Albanese has been asked about the government’s climate change policy.

He is attacking the PM for doing a 180 on electric vehicles.

“He wants to pretend what he said yesterday doesn’t matter.

“Australians shouldn’t have regard for what he says today because it’s all about the 24-hour news cycle.

“You need a government that can have the consistency of policy and look at what the future will look like and shape that future in the interests of the people.”

In NSW the federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese is being asked if he supports the phase-out of coal. He says the market has already decided to phase out coal.

“There hasn’t been in Australia a new coal-fired power station built on this government’s watch in nine years.

“That’s because the market is saying the cheapest form is renewables.

“The market is speaking.”

Updated

In NSW the BOM is asking residents to have “heightened alert” today and tomorrow as thunderstorms and floods are expected over large parts of the state.

The QLD border, north-west slopes, heading down to the ACT are the regions of most concern.

Residents are being asked to keep an eye on the BOM website, and social media channels.

Unemployment rate jumps to 5.2%

The latest jobs figures have landed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

They show that in October, the unemployment rate jumped to 5.2% in October from 4.6% in September, with 46,300 jobs lost.

That doesn’t sound that good, compared with forecasts that the economy would have added 50,000 jobs for the month, according to the ANZ and CBA economists’ predictions.

But economists will likely “look through” these figures because the ABS survey period bridged the end of September and the start of October. And so it took in a stanza when the NSW and Victorian economies were still in a Covid lockdown, and we know there’s been a scramble for staff as these restrictions have been lifted.

Another factor is the participation rate, which edged up to 64.7% for the month, from 64.5% in September. That means there were more people looking for work, which is a positive thing.

Still, there’s a reminder that the measure of hours worked also edged lower and remains 2.1% lower than in March 2020 when the pandemic really kicked off in Australia.

The Australian dollar, meanwhile, edged lower after the figures, trading recently at 73.17 US cents, according to Reuters.

That indicates that investors at least are viewing these figures as on the weak side and not likely to bring forward the timing of when the RBA lifts interest rates.

Updated

In Canberra, the national remembrance commemoration has come to a close with the national anthem.

Today was the 103rd anniversary of the end of fighting in the Western Front on Nov 11, 1918.

The Royal Australian Navy Guard during a Remembrance Day 2021 service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, 11 November 2021.
The Royal Australian Navy Guard during a Remembrance Day 2021 service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, 11 November 2021. Photograph: James Ross/EPA

Updated

There are 185 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, across three different regions.

Of Thursday’s cases, 152 are in Auckland, 25 are in Waikato and 8 are in Northland. Eighty-one of these cases are yet to be epidemiologically linked to the outbreak, bringing the total number of unlinked cases in the past fortnight up to 713.

The ministry of health said a person who died in Auckland today has been added to the national figures for Covid-19 deaths. The person tested positive for the virus, but their death is under police investigation. Thirty-three people with Covid-19 have died in New Zealand since the pandemic began.

There are now 84 people in hospital and 10 in intensive care, with just 12% of those fully vaccinated.

The country is on track to reach a 90% vaccination rate for the population aged 12 and over, with the number of first doses hitting 86% and more than 76% of the population now fully inoculated.

We’re just going to jump to Victoria for a second where the BOM has issued severe weather warnings for two parts of the state.

Good morning team Guardian and thank-you Matilda, for steering the good ship through this morning’s news.

In Canberra, the wreath-laying has started with the governor general of the commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley.

Because of Covid restrictions, members of the diplomatic community laid wreaths yesterday on behalf of their countries.

Updated

With that, I shall hand you over to the fantastic Cait Kelly to take you through the rest of the ceremony and the rest of the afternoon.

The Last Post is performed during the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in Sydney’s Martin Place on 11 November, 2021.
The Last Post is performed during the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in Sydney’s Martin Place on 11 November, 2021. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Updated

Matt Anderson, director of the Australian War Memorial and the former ambassador for Afghanistan, is giving the opening address in Canberra.

Your Excellency, veterans, widows, families, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. In 1993 on the 75th anniversary of the Armistice, then prime minister Keating delivered the eulogy of the unknown Australian soldier.

In intering a soldier from the Great War, the so-called war to end all wars, of which we know now sow the seeds of a second more terrible war, Paul Keating said you might think this Australian soldier died in vain. But in honouring our war dead, as we always have and as we do today, we declare this is not true. Today, 28 years on, we declare still that this is not true. And as we say every evening at the Last Post ceremony, we also note all of those who have served, those who are still serving and the families that love and support them.

We do not gather today to glorify war. Indeed, 80 years ago today the then governor general said that when people leave this place they must utter, never again, never again.

Updated

People are now preparing for the minute’s silence.

The official Remembrance Day ceremony is beginning in Canberra.

Journalist Scott Bevan has begun the commemorations:

We are grateful to be able to gather today, for Australia’s National Ceremony of commemoration, here at the Australian War Memorial in front of the Stone of Remembrance, which has been temporarily relocated from the Parade Ground while the modernisation and expansion works of a number of the Memorial’s buildings and galleries are undertaken.

A significant milestone in the Memorial’s built story also occurred eighty years ago today, with the inauguration and opening of the building by the then Governor-General Lord Gowrie. In his opening remarks, Lord Gowrie said:

“When we read the names inscribed on the walls of this memorial let us ask ourselves: what can we do for those who did so much. what can we give to those who gave all?”

The Stone of Remembrance at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Wednesday, 11 November, 2021.
The Stone of Remembrance at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Wednesday, 11 November, 2021. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Mask wearing in more indoor settings is no longer mandatory anywhere in Queensland. This came into effect yesterday afternoon.

Palaszczuk:

We now have reached the 80.1% in Queensland, of people [aged 16 and over] who have had their first dose. That is a tremendous milestone we have hit. 68.31% are fully vaccinated.

We need to continue to drive up the vaccination rates and, as I said, in Brisbane they are heading towards 90%. But in some of our communities in regional Queensland, we do need to continue to lift those vaccination rates.

To that end, yesterday afternoon, to the relief of many people living in those 11 LGA’s, [mandatory] masks were removed.

Updated

The Gold Coast could lock down if more unlinked community Covid-19 cases are discovered, the Queensland premier says.

Palaszczuk:

If we see more unlinked community transmission on the Gold Coast in the next 24 to 48 hours, we may have to put in place some further restrictions.

Therefore, people should consider, on public transport on the Gold Coast, they should consider wearing a mask, and also if they are in crowded situations.

We want to protect people on the Gold Coast but we also now have two unlinked cases on the Gold Coast. So please, the Gold Coast is not at 80% [vaccination] yet, you are doing a great job but we just don’t know where these cases have come from.

Updated

Queensland records two new local Covid cases

Let’s hear now from the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palasczcuk, confirming the state has recorded two new Covid-19 cases.

We have two new local community cases. The first one is a man in his 50s and he lives on the Gold Coast. He is an Uber driver. He is fully vaccinated, which is good news.

We have to contact the people that were in his Uber. This one is unlinked. So I am saying to the residents of Gold Coast, if you have any symptoms, please come forward and get tested ...

The second case, we are not as concerned about. It is a young woman in her teens from Beaudesert.

She is a close contact of another case from the Mulberry cluster that we talked about the other day. She was tested in home quarantine.

She spent a couple days infectious in the community in Warwick and half a day infectious and Beaudesert.

Updated

We are just standing by now to hear from the Queensland premier after the state recorded two new cases yesterday, both infectious in the community.

We should soon learn today’s case tally for the sunshine state.

Well isn’t this a very ambitious cross-over!

Updated

The Morrison government wants to put more taxpayer money into carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, with a new $500m fund that could include the technology alongside other new projects.

The emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor, told the ABC on Wednesday “there’s 60 [CCS] projects around the world, 30 in operation. It’s working in large quantities now.”

There’s certainly growth in carbon capture and storage around the world, but do they work?

Find out below:

Here is a little blog treat for you this morning. You have earned it!

We’ll get some jobs data out later this morning (11.30am Canberra time), with the Australian Bureau of Statistics due to release October labour force figures.

As reported this morning, there are emerging signs of a shortage of staff in a range of industries, such as hospitality.

But it also extends to engineers and others employed in the construction binge, which is probably going to step up into a higher gear next year once all those “save the economy from the pandemic” calls get going.

As my esteemed colleague Greg Jericho writes in his column today, there a few indicators suggesting the jobs and wages picture remains mixed, as you might expect given NSW, Victoria and the ACT were in a lockdown for much of the recent survey period:

So much about the economy hinges on expectations, and these point to people being increasingly confident about their ability to keep their jobs or get a new one if needed.

As my article mentioned, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute survey of unemployment expectations has dropped to the lowest level since the mid-1990s when Australia was crawling out of the Recession We Had to Have.

For female respondents, the confidence levels are near their highest levels in a survey dating to 1975. (Speaking of joblessness, today also marks the 46th anniversary of the Whitlam Dismissal.)

Anyway, those October jobs figures should give us the latest indication on how strong the employment market is, and whether you should pause a bit longer over signing that new enterprise bargaining agreement and hold out for a better one.

Feel free to drop us a line to tell us whether the tables have really turned for you.

Updated

Taiwan has hit back at the former Australian prime minister Paul Keating after he said Taiwan was “not a vital Australian interest” and labelled it a “civil matter” for China.

In an appearance at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Keating dismissed global concerns about China’s aggression towards Taiwan and criticised Australia’s growing bipartisan pushback.

“Taiwan is not a vital Australian interest,” he said. “We have no alliance with Taipei. There is no piece of paper sitting in Canberra which has an alliance with Taipei.”

He urged Australia not to be drawn into a military engagement over Taiwan, “US-sponsored or otherwise”, and said Taiwan was “fundamentally a civil matter” for China. He also referred to Taiwan as China’s “front doorstep”.

You can read the full report from Helen Davidson in Taipei and Daniel Hurst in Canberra below:

Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been speaking out this morning about Pacific Island nations’ attempts to have their voices heard at the UN climate conference.

More Labor MPs have come out to slam Morrison’s claims that Labor’s proposed EV policies in the lead-up to the 2019 election would have resulted in a hike in petrol prices.

Here is shadow energy minister Chris Bowen bringing out the Guardian Australia live blog screen shots:

Updated

Detectives from the NSW organised crime squad detectives have travelled to Queensland to seek the extradition of alleged drug smuggler Mostafa Baluch this morning after he was found in a container on the back of a truck after crossing the state border.

The sausages are sizzling in Melbourne this morning:

A Geraldton woman has been charged with attempted fraud after allegedly attempting to offer money to a pharmacist in exchange for incorrectly recording that she had received a Covid-19 vaccination.

Here is what WA police had to say about the incident:

Geraldton Police have charged a 34-year-old woman after an incident that occurred at a pharmacy on Monday ...

At about 3.25pm, the woman attended a scheduled appointment at a pharmacy in Geraldton to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.

Upon attending, the woman was escorted by a pharmacist to a consult room, where she [allegedly] requested the pharmacist fraudulently administer the vaccine in exchange for an unspecified amount of money.

The pharmacist refused and the woman left the premises.

The 34-year-old woman from Kalbarri has been charged with one count of attempted fraud.

She received bail and will appear before the Geraldton magistrates court on Thursday 18 November 2021.

Updated

During his appearance on the Today show, Anthony Albanese was asked if Labor plans to support Morrison’s newly announced billion-dollar clean energy fund, which would require amending the Clean Energy Finance Corporation legislation to allow investment into the controversial technology.

But the oposition leader doesn’t sound too keen:

He can’t even get the support of his own side at this stage! That’s what the reports in the papers say. Look, we haven’t seen any legislation but this is an announcement in search of policy.

Once again. This is a government which yesterday was announcing half a billion dollars of new government money which today is saying, “we want less government”. Which is it?

This is a government that says they support carbon capture and storage and they need funds for it but they abolish more than $500 million for that when they came into office.

This is a government that doesn’t trust business and markets, that keeps intervening. You’ve had a $600 million intervention to build a gas-fired power plant in Currie Currie. Interventions from the government to have studies for the people who are building a coal-fired power plant, or want to in North Queensland.

The contradictions are there from day-to-day. By the time we get back to parliament, this policy will have changed five or six times.

NSW records 261 new local Covid-19 cases and one death

NSW also slightly higher than usual, with 261 new Covid-19 cases recorded in the last reporting period.

Sadly, one person infected with Covid-19 has died.

Updated

Victoria records 1,313 new Covid-19 cases and four deaths

The Victorian numbers are in and we are once again seeing that slight Thursday bump.

They have recorded 1,313 cases overnight and sadly four people with Covid-19 have died.

While we have a second why don’t we jump back and have a look at what Anthony Albanese has been saying during his media appearances this morning?

On the Today Show he was asked when he reckons the federal election will be held.

We’re ready still for December but if it goes until May, that’s really the government changing the whole cycle. They’d have to bring the budget forward.

It’s because they think that they see a window to just keep clinging on without an election. I think that Australians deserve to determine their own future which is why, under normal schedules, there should be an election in March and we should, whoever wins government, be allowed to bring down a budget in May.

NSW bracing for widespread flooding

Torrential rain lashing much of NSW is threatening widespread flooding as the State Emergency Service prepares for the fallout from days of wild weather and expected flooding, reports AAP.

The Bureau of Meteorology says central NSW received more than 44mm of rain on Wednesday as thunderstorms and pelting rain hit much of the state, with the deluge predicted to last another two days.

Some areas are tipped to receive a month’s worth of rain by the end of the week.

SES assistant commissioner Dean Storey says units are in a heightened state of readiness with extra support and resources already deployed to at-risk areas, including flood-risk strike teams and aviation support.

After a wet winter, catchments are very wet and dams are full, so any heavy and sustained rain can quickly lead to flooding.

The SES is urging people to be aware of the risks and make evacuation plans.

The Riverina is already flooding. Widespread flash flooding is predicted and the SES is asking people living in flood-prone communities to prepare now.

Storey told Nine news this morning:

Know what you will do and where you will go in the unfortunate event that you have to leave your home due to flooding.

He warned roads will be cut in many areas and advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and never drive through floodwaters.

Time and time again we see poor results with poor decision making with people driving through floodwaters, often with tragic results and our emergency responders are at high risk as well.

The northwest slopes and plains, Northern Tablelands, central west, south-west slopes are all in the firing line, with the communities of Moree, Armidale, Tamworth and Parkes singled out to be on high alert for flooding.

They are particularly the focus but this weather event is going to impact a large proportion of the state.

There are 18 flood watches in place and three flood warnings that will likely increase is at the day goes on.

Updated

If social media is anything to go by, the 2022 federal election campaign will be overwhelmingly negative, with disputed claims about Medicare and tax policy featuring in early major party ads.

Although Clive Palmer’s United Australia party is the biggest spender so far, ad trackers for Google (including YouTube) and Facebook show the Coalition and Labor have also been active.

The UAP has spent $2.5m with Google in the last year, with Labor’s national secretariat a distant second on $55,800.

Whereas the UAP ads blanket the country, Labor has produced more ads and targeted marginal seats, particularly in New South Wales and regional Queensland.

You can read the full report from Paul Karp and Nick Evershed below:

Updated

Man dies in police custody in Melbourne

A man has died in custody at a police station in Melbourne’s west, AAP reports.

Police say the 43-year-old Sunshine man was arrested on Tuesday and remanded to appear in court on Thursday.

But he was found unresponsive during routine checks about 11pm on Wednesday, with police officers and paramedics unable to revive him.

Detectives from the homicide squad will investigate the death, with oversight from Professional Standards Command, as is procedure when a person dies in police custody.

Australia is trying to block a UN recommendation that countries should try to keep global heating to 1.5C to protect world heritage sites from the impacts of the climate crisis.

The Morrison government has also told Unesco major decisions about world heritage-listed places being damaged by climate change – which would include the Great Barrier Reef – should be put on hold.

The government’s lobbying efforts are revealed in amendments sent to Unesco on a new climate change policy for world heritage sites scheduled for discussion at a meeting in Paris in two weeks

A draft version of the policy recommends countries take a precautionary approach “that pursues pathways limiting global heating to 1.5C, with no or limited overshoot”.

You can read the full report below:

The Australian Border Force says it will continue to work closely with Indonesia, days after Jakarta announced the suspension of a joint maritime patrol to seek an explanation about the recent burning of illegal fishing vessels.

A fishing vessel destroyed by Australian Border Force after it was found illegally fishing in Australian waters.
A fishing vessel destroyed by Australian Border Force after it was found illegally fishing in Australian waters. Photograph: Australian Border Force

Indonesia raised concerns after the ABF posted on Facebook last week about how Maritime Border Command – which also includes the Australian defence force – had intercepted “16 foreign vessels fishing illegally in the vicinity of Rowley Shoals” off the WA coast in October. Three of those vessels were then destroyed. The ABF’s post included a photo of one of those vessels that had been set alight.

On Monday Indonesia’s Maritime Affairs and Fisheries ministry said it was postponing a joint patrol with Australia that was scheduled to start this week. According to news site tempo.co, Indonesia was seeking an explanation from the ABF “to prevent inaccurate information from spreading, especially about the identities of the three burned fishing vessels and 13 others that were ousted from the country’s water border”.

The timing of the suspension wasn’t ideal for the Australian foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, who was in Jakarta for meetings yesterday [Wednesday], with concerns about the Aukus nuclear-powered submarine plan also on the agenda.

But it now seems the Jawline-Arafura patrols with Australia, aimed at stamping out illegal fishing, are likely to resume soon. A spokesperson for the Indonesian agency told the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age late yesterday they had now “received the information we need related to the incident” and were discussing a resumption date.

When contacted for comment, the ABF said it was “committed to protecting Australia’s sovereign waters and our economically important marine environment from illegal fishing”.

The ABF spokesperson told Guardian Australia:

Our approach to dealing with illegal foreign fishing is longstanding and well understood. ABF works closely with partners across the region on this and other important maritime issues. The ABF continues to enjoy an excellent relationship with its Indonesian counterparts and looks forward to continued collaboration on this issue.

Updated

Federal trade minister Dan Tehan has been speaking to ABC radio this morning after China announced in a statement that they intend to “phase down” coal consumption. This is a big deal for us as China is Australia’s largest coal market.

Here is what he had to say in response:

If China is looking to replace its coal imports, they’re going to need new energy alternatives to be able to replace that with.

We want to be part of that picture. That’s why we’re putting money into the research and development of hydrogen.

Tehan also noted he was hopeful that Australia could surpass our (extremely unambitious) midterm emission reduction targets.

We’ve made very clear that we will meet our commitment, which is the 26-28% reduction over the 2010 figure. We also think we will be able to get to a level of about 35%.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued several minor flood warnings across the country after heavy rains pummelled the east coast and even inland cities like Alice Springs yesterday.

So now that Scott Morrison has appeared back to back on Sunrise and Today, I can only assume that he will appear on ABC News Breakfast next to be grilled by Michael Rowland or Lisa Millar.

What? He’s not? Hmmm, wonder why.

Scott Morrison lies about Labor electric vehicle policy

Scott Morrison has done a round of morning interviews, preparing the ground for an election by talking up the economy and lying about Labor’s electric vehicle policy.

Asked about his backflip on electric vehicles, Morrison told Channel Seven’s Sunrise:

Labor wanted to force people to do this and I still don’t want to do that. You don’t get people to do something else by pushing up the price that they are currently doing that is still what Labor wants to do. They want to put up your petrol prices, increase your cost of living to force you to make other choice.

Labor’s electric vehicle policy did not include a mandate, so it didn’t want to “force” anyone to do anything.

When this was pointed out to Morrison, he then repeated the false claim that Labor wanted to put up petrol prices. There was no element of its policy imposing a tax or price on petrol vehicles. In fact, at the 2019 election Morrison just speculated that maybe petrol excise would go up because electric vehicle drivers don’t pay petrol excise.

Over on Channel Nine’s Today, Morrison committed to release net zero modelling “before we get back to parliament” – so we’re talking weeks not months.

Morrison also touched up Labor for opposing attempts to allow the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Australian Renewable Energy Agency from investing in carbon capture and storage. That much was true! Well done, Scott.

Morrison also accused Anthony Albanese of “backing in the Chinese government and a number of others having a crack at me as well” over submarines. Which is odd, because I seem to remember it was French president, Emmanuel Macron who accused Morrison of lying and the US president, Joe Biden, who said the handling of the contract cancellation was “clumsy”.

So despite the fact Labor was complaining Morrison managed to piss off allied nations, Morrison wants to characterise that as backing in the Chinese government. Hmm.

Updated

Good morning

Good morning everyone, Matilda Boseley here and I have two questions: How is it only Thursday? And how is it already Thursday?

While we all ponder those philosophical questions, let me tell you about the news of the morning.

Scott Morrison is out and about, speaking to Sunrise, partially to talk about Remembrance Day, and partially to defend his climate change funding announcements:

I’m here at the Doncaster RSL and people will be coming together and giving thanks for the tremendous sacrifice of our diggers. We think of them today and my job is to focus on securing this economic recovery, that’s what matters to Australians.

The prime minister was questioned by Sunrise host Natalie Barr when he repeatedly claimed Labor’s previous electric vehicle plan would have forced up petrol prices.

Barr:

The Labor party were not forcing people. It was not a mandate at the last election that they were introducing, it was a non-binding target of 50% [of new cars to be electric by 2030]. Wasn’t that the same as yours?

Morrison:

No, they were going to put up the price of oil. That’s not going to help anybody commuting on their way to work from the outer suburbs today, they were going to put up the cost of fuel to try to force people to switch over.

That’s not how we do things. We are not a government that goes around trying to tell people what to do. I think Australians have had a gut full of government trying to tell them what to do in their lives.

Speaking of the prime minister, he announced this morning that Australia will share an extra 7.5m Covid-19 vaccine doses with Indonesia.

(The prime minister’s press release doesn’t seem to mention which brand of vaccine we are sending.)

This will bring Australia’s total commitment to 10m doses to the country:

These commitments, together with a $107 million vaccine procurement through UNICEF will deliver over 20 million doses to Indonesia under our health partnership to support Indonesia’s national vaccine rollout.

Supporting equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for our region and ensuring their safe roll out are the highest priorities for Australia. Australia has committed to supply up to 60 million doses to the Indo-Pacific by the end of 2022. Nearly 7.2 million of these doses will have been delivered to countries across the Indo-Pacific by the end of this week.

OK, with that, why don’t we jump into the rest of the day’s news?

Updated

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