AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Budget offers last reset chance as May 14 looks likely for poll

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 19-Jan-22

Federal government ministers and MPs believe that an election is now unlikely to be held in March, citing factors such as the emergence of the Omicron strain of COVID-19, supply chain problems and a shortage of rapid antigen tests. The government has previously signalled that the Budget will be handed down on 29 March, which would make 7 May the earliest possible date to call an election. There is growing consensus within the Coalition’s ranks that the election will be held on either 14 or 21 May.

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Private hospital staff diverted to public system on deadliest day of Covid pandemic

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Original article by Mostafa Rachwani, Sarah Martin
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 19-Jan-22

The federal government has activated emergency measures which will make more than 100,000 employees of private hospitals available to work in public hospitals that are dealing with staff shortages and a rising COVID-19 caseload. The activation of the surge plan coincided with Australia recording 77 deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday; it was the nation’s biggest one-day toll since the pandemic began, and included 36 deaths in NSW, 22 in Victoria and 16 in Queensland. NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant says 33 of the people who died in the state had been vaccinated, although most had not received a booster shot. There were 29,830 new COVID-19 cases in NSW on Tuesday, a total of 20,180 in Victoria and 15,962 in Queensland.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Covid isolation rules may be cut to five days

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Original article by Tom McIlroy, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Jan-22

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg notes that some countries have reduced the isolation period for people with COVID-19 from 7-10 days to just five. He has not ruled out a similar move in Australia to help address a labour shortage in key sectors. Frydenberg says isolation rules are under constant review and stressed that health settings will remain "pragmatic and proportionate". Chief medical officer Paul Kelly concedes that shorter isolation periods would increase the risk of community transmission. Some state governments have already reduced the isolation period for people with the virus to seven days.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Liberals slam unions’ strike threat on rapid antigen tests

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Original article by Jess Malcolm
The Australian – Page: 4 : 19-Jan-22

The federal government has criticised the ACTU for raising the prospect of strike action if workers are not given free rapid antigen tests. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned that industrial action at this stage of the pandemic would punish Australian families, while Health Minister Greg Hunt says the provision of free rapid tests across all sectors would "destroy" the supply chain. Frydenberg has also rejected claims that the government has adopted a ‘let it rip’ approach to COVID-19. Labor leader Anthony Albanese says businesses should not have to bear the cost of providing their employees with rapid antigen tests.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Australia wrote to Naval Group noting progress on submarines a week before contract was cancelled

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

The federal government’s decision to terminate a contract to buy French-designed conventional submarines has attracted renewed scrutiny. It has been revealed that the Department of Defence sent a three-page letter to Naval Group in early September in which it noted the successful completion of one of the six conditions for the government to move to the next stage of the $90bn project. The letter was sent just eight days before the government cancelled Naval Group’s contract and agreed to buy nuclear-powered submarines under a new defence alliance with the US and the UK.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, NAVAL GROUP

Parliamentary inquiry to put behaviour of big tech under scrutiny

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Original article by Michelle Grattan
The Conversation – Page: Online : 1-Dec-21

The House of Representatives’ select committee on social media and online safety will hold an inquiry into large technology companies. Its terms of reference include examining the range of harms that Australians may be exposed to via online platforms such as social media and the risks associated with algorithm-driven content. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are among the technology giants that will be invited to appear before the inquiry, as will Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. The announcement of the inquiry will coincide with the release of an exposure draft of the federal government’s ‘anti-trolling’ bill.

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Morrison takes on the wharfies

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 1-Dec-21

The Maritime Union of Australia recently agreed to suspend industrial action against stevedoring firm Patrick until at least 10 December. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signalled that the federal government may be prepared to intervene if the parties do not negotiate in good faith to end their long-running dispute. He has stressed that ports are critical to the nation’s economy, and contends that inefficient ports are a tax on all Australians. Morrison has also advised that the Productivity Commission will hold an inquiry into the nation’s ports; its findings are slated to be released in mid-2022.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, PATRICK TERMINALS, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

No lockdowns or border bans over Omicron

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Original article by Simon Benson, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 5 : 1-Dec-21

State and territory leaders have ruled out lockdowns and domestic border closures in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A meeting of the national cabinet on Tuesday agreed to press ahead with the roadmap for reopening the remaining state borders, and backed the federal government’s decision to delay reopening the nation’s international borders to eligible visa holders by two weeks. Any returned travellers who have visited one of nine southern African countries that of concern will be required to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days, while other international arrivals must self-isolate at home for 72 hours. There are six confirmed cases of the Omicron strain in Australia; they are all said to either have mild symptoms or are ­asymptomatic.

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Sex discrimination commissioner finds gender inequality key driver of toxic culture in federal parliament

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Original article by Katharine Murphy
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 1-Dec-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described the findings of a report into federal parliament’s workplace culture as "appalling and disturbing". The inquiry by sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins has revealed the extent of inappropriate conduct in commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. A survey undertaken as part of the review found that 33 per cent of respondents had personally experienced sexual harassment and 37 per cent had been bullied. Roy Morgan Research undertook the online survey on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission. Jenkins has made a number of recommendations, including a new code of conduct for parliamentarians and their staff. The inquiry was commissioned in response to the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins in a ministerial office in March 2019.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION COMMISSION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Coalition will consider changes to religious discrimination bill after Senate inquiry, Michaelia Cash says

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Original article by Sarah Martin
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 25-Nov-21

The federal government’s religious discrimination bill will be tabled in the lower house on Thursday, although it will not be subject to debate or a vote until next week. The controversial bill will also be subject to a Senate inquiry when it is introduced to the upper house. Attorney-General Michaelia Cash has indicated that the government will be open to any amendments that are recommended by the Senate committee, which is slated to report on the bill in early 2022. Cash has also sought to clarify misunderstand about the ‘statement of belief’ provisions of the bill.

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