EX-PRIME MINISTERS – AUSTRALIA

Howard calls on No supporters to maintain their rage

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paige Taylor
The Australian – Page: 4 : 30-Aug-23

Former prime minister John Howard has reiterated his view that the proposed constitutional amendment to establish an Indigenous Voice to parliament will divide Australia by race. He says the proposal for an Indigenous advisory body goes against what makes people Australian, and notes that former Labor PM Bob Hawke stated in 1988 that the only thing that defines someone as an Australian is their commitment to Australia. Howard hopes the voice is defeated in every state, while he contends that the notion of establishing a treaty with Indigenous people is absurd because treaties are made between sovereign nations.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Call for fresh Morrison probe over Robodebt

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 5 : 9-Aug-23

Greens MP Stephen Bates says former prime minister Scott Morrison appears to have deliberately made false statements about the robodebt scheme in order to mislead parliament. Bates contends that Morrison allowed robodebt to remain in place despite clear advice that the scheme was illegal. The Greens have introduced a motion in the lower house to refer Morrison to the privileges committee over his role in the robodebt scandal. A royal commission into the robodebt scheme made a number of adverse findings against Morrison.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS

China invasion forecasts unrealistic: Morrison

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Mar-23

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has downplayed concerns that China may invade Taiwan in coming years. US military officials have warned that China could potentially attack Taiwan within three years, but Morrison contends that any such assessments should be taken with "a grain of salt". He added that Australia’s increased defence spending and alignment with other countries is part of an effort to create an "enduring balance" in the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has accused the US and its allies of implementing a policy of "all-round containment, encirclement and suppression" of China. Foreign Minister Qin Gang in turn has reiterated that China wants to take control of Taiwan by "peaceful means"; however, he adds that China reserves the right to
take "all necessary measures" to achieve this.

CORPORATES

Billions more in military spending won’t be enough to counter China: Morrison

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Sakkal
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 7-Mar-23

Former prime minister Scott Morrison says Australia’s defence budget should be increased to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP, compared with less than two per cent at present. Morrison contends that a big increase in defence spending is needed in order to counter the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific region; however, he concedes that Australia could not hope to defeat China in a military conflict, so alliances with countries such as the US and India are vital. The Chinese government recently revealed plans to increase its defence spending by seven per cent in 2023, to $330 billion. In contrast, Australia’s annual defence budget is currently $48.7bn, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to lift this to more than two per cent of GDP.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Morrison will be censured by parliament – but not by the Coalition

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 29-Nov-22

Federal cabinet has agreed to censure former prime minister Scott Morrison over revelations that he secretly took on five ministerial portfolios. The censure motion is expected to be debated in parliament on Tuesday, although the Coalition will oppose the motion. The Opposition’s manager of business Paul Fletcher has described the censure motion as a "political stunt", arguing that such motions are meant to hold ministers to account rather than being used as a "political payback exercise". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the actions of his immediate predecessor were extraordinary, unprecedented and wrong.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Speaker rejects Greens push to refer Morrison to privileges committee

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Martin, Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 24-Aug-22

Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue has advised the federal government that former prime minister Scott Morrison did not break the law in secretly appointing himself to five ministerial portfolios. However, his report concluded that Morrison had "fundamentally undermined" the principles of responsible government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has flagged an inquiry into Morrison’s actions. Meanwhile, the Greens’ bid to have Morrison referred to parliament’s privileges committee has been rejected by the House of Representatives’ Speaker Milton Dick; he said there was not enough evidence to suggest that Morrison had deliberately misled parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Morrison sorry as PM vows action on secrecy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 17-Aug-22

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has defended his actions in secretly appointing himself to five cabinet portfolios. He believes that the move had been "prudent and responsible", as it would enable him to take charge of key portfolios if the relevant minister became incapacitated due to COVID-19, rather than placing the portfolio in the hands of a junior minister. Former home affairs minister Karen Andrews – who had not been aware that Morrison had seized her portfolio – has called for him to resign from parliament, although Opposition leader Peter Dutton says he should stay on. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Morrison has undermined the Westminster system of government, and has flagged the possibility of legal reforms to prevent such an abuse of power in the future. He adds that other people will need to be held accountable for the scandal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Rudd and Turnbull will be called to give evidence at Senate inquiry into media diversity

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 12-Nov-20

The Senate’s environment and communications references committee will undertake an inquiry into media diversity after the federal government did not oppose the motion. The committee will begin accepting submissions immediately and will report by the end of November 2021. Former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull are amongst those who will be asked to appear before the inquiry. Rudd organised a petition calling for a royal commission into the market dominance of News Corp.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Kevin Rudd petition seeking royal commission into Murdoch media nears 500,000 signatures

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 4-Nov-20

More than 475,000 people have now signed a petition calling for a royal commission to ensure a strong, diverse Australian news media. The petition, which is specifically targeting the media outlets of Rupert Murdoch, was posted on the parliamentary website by former prime minister Kevin Rudd. Although the petition is unlikely to achieve its aim, Rudd says his main goal is to start a national conversation about News Corp’s negative impact on Australia.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

‘A national security scandal’: Kevin Rudd names three gaps in defence strategy

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Anthony Galloway
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 3-Jul-20

The federal government’s new defence strategy includes expenditure of $270 billion over the next 10 years on boosting the Australian Defence Force. However, former prime minister Kevin Rudd contends there are three major gaps in the strategy: failing to build up Australia’s cyber defences with sufficient speed; insufficient spending in the Pacific region, and delays in the delivery of new submarines. Rudd noted his government’s 2009 Defence White Policy had called for a doubling of Australia’s submarine fleet, and he claims the submarine project has been "comprehensively botched".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE