Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of politics and the coronavirus pandemic.
Former Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has blamed Daniel Andrews’ subversion of Cabinet processes for the hotel quarantine program’s failings. Amid a virus spike in NSW, Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the refusal of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to open the state’s borders is ‘illogical’.
Charlie Peel 12.45pm: Queensland Health Minister canes NSW Premier
Queensland health authorities are yet to decide whether the planned reopening of the border to NSW residents on November 1 will go ahead.
The resurgence of community transmission of COVID-19 in Sydney has put the proposed reopening in jeopardy and led to a new round of taunts between NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Queensland counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Queensland authorities are concerned about the continued detection of coronavirus particles in the sewerage around Cannonvale, near Airlie Beach in north Queensland.
Health Minister Steven Miles urged residents between Mackay and Airlie Beach to get tested for the virus.
Mr Miles said the health department was monitoring cases in NSW and Victoria.
“We are particularly closely monitoring the effort in NSW to manage that new cluster they are experiencing in southwestern Sydney,” he said.
“You’ll have noted that in recent days NSW are reporting similar numbers to Victoria.
“All of that data comes from a national report from the federal government’s national incident room.”
Criticising Ms Berejiklian, who has said the Queensland government’s unwillingness to open the border until the state passes 28 days without community transmission, Mr Miles said New Zealand had eliminated community transmission of the virus, along with Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.
“It underlines how disappointing it is to see the NSW Premier admit that they don’t share that aspiration, that they don’t aspire to that target, that they’ve given up on that goal of 28 days of no unlinked transmission,” he said.
Remy Varga 12.15pm: Andrews ‘doesn’t believe’ inquiry asked him for phone records
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he “doesn’t believe” the hotel quarantine inquiry asked him for his phone records when questioned by Sky News presenter Peta Credlin.
Ms Credlin said from the evidence provided by Victoria Police, it appeared there was a missing six-minutes in which former Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton received a phone call from someone whose identity he couldn’t remember.
But she said the hotel quarantine inquiry did not have the power to request phone records, which was a Commonwealth power.
Ms Credlin said: “Graham Ashton’s records are incomplete because he cannot access without a federal warrant, not a state warrant, the incoming call record.
“But I might state that Chris Eccles, your records, Lisa Neville’s records and indeed your chief-of-staff’s records - none of that have been provided to this inquiry.
“And I would think that would be a very important piece of evidence to any inquiry worth its salt.”
When Ms Credlin asked Mr Andrews if the inquiry had requested his phone records, he said: “I don’t believe so.”
Mr Andrews’ phone records were not shown to the hotel inquiry, which declined to comment when approached by The Australian.
READ MORE: Race to contain hospital outbreak
Anne Barrowclough 12.05pm: Credlin questions Andrews on Crisp
Tony Abbott’s former chief of staff Peta Credlin has appeared at Daniel Andrews’ press conference, asking him if he has confidence in emergency comissioner Andrew Crisp after he corrected testimony on the hotel quarantine fiasco.
Pressure is mounting on Mr Crisp after the committee released a letter from the Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner on Tuesday in which he retracted three references to regularly briefing Police Minister Lisa Neville on the program.
“The minister is in breach of the act,” Ms Credlin told Mr Andrews.
“I have full confidence in him,” he answered.
READ MORE: Emergency chief called to give evidence
Greg Brown 11.40am: Tax bill passes, more take home pay by Christmas
The Morrison government’s omnibus bill of tax measures has passed through the federal parliament, with workers to get more take home pay by Christmas.
The bill, which was endorsed by the Senate on Friday morning, contains seven measures from the budget, including bringing forward stage two of the government’s income tax plan.
It also includes $2bn in tax incentives for research and development; a $4.9bn loss carry-back scheme allowing companies to offset losses made during COVID-19; more tax concessions for small business; and a $26.7bn package allowing businesses to write off the full value of assets in a single year.
READ MORE: Global flux means nothing assured
Imogen Reid 11.35am: Ship’s crew member positive outside Newcastle
Testing is underway after an international crew member on a ship that travelled from Brisbane to Newcastle, north of Sydney, tested positive for coronavirus.
New South Wales Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said 14 crew members were tested upon arrival in Newcastle where one returned a positive result.
“It was initially thought that the test result was reflecting an old infection, but further testing is underway because the test results are still inconclusive,” Dr Chant said.
“We’re working quickly with all of the authorities to resolve the outcome for the ship.”
Dr Chant said the infected crew member was taken off the ship on Thursday night for further testing.
Remy Varga 11.20am: Sutton ‘frustrated’ by plateauing numbers
Despite Victoria’s low coronavirus numbers, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton while nine of Friday’s 11 cases are linked to known outbreaks, he was frustrated by plateauing numbers.
“It’s very frustrating to see,” he said.
Imogen Reid 11.10am: Ten new cases in NSW
Ten new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in New South Wales overnight, half of which are travellers in hotel quarantine, taking the state’s total to 4,082.
The remaining cases were locally transmitted and linked to a known case or cluster.
#COVID19 cases recorded in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm last night:
- 5 cases were diagnosed in returned travellers in hotel quarantine
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 9, 2020
- 5 cases were locally acquired and linked to a known case or cluster pic.twitter.com/VI42kFZwgF
NSW Health said four of the locally acquired infections are associated with the private health clinic cluster.
“Three of these are household contacts of a case reported yesterday and the fourth is a co-worker of a case reported yesterday,” NSW Health said.
There are now seven cases linked to the cluster, with health officials still working to trace the source of the outbreak.
The other locally transmitted case included in today’s tally is likely to be an old case that was acquired when the virus was spreading in South Western Sydney in around August. NSW Health said the case is associated with the Liverpool Hospital cluster.
READ MORE: Perfect credentials, imperfect response
Remy Varga 11.05am: Guards decision made during or shortly after Nat Cab: Mikakos
In her submission, Jenny Mikakos said the evidence pointed to a decision being made during or shortly after the national cabinet meeting on March 27.
“During the course of the National Cabinet meeting, Mr Eccles (with the permission of the Premier) telephoned Mr Phemister and instructed him to set up the Hotel Quarantine Program,” she said.
She said notes taken by Ms Febey of the phone call from DPJR Secretary Simon Phemister at 12.30pm on March 27 showed using private security was already being communicated to others.
She said following the National Cabinet meeting, Mr Eccles along with other DPC staff began contacting everyone impacted by the decision to set up hotel quarantine.
Ms Mikakos said in an email sent at 2.48 pm that day by the national cabinet director of health to the public health team, including Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, said it had been agreed that “Enforcement by S&T governments keen for police not to babysit, but called in as needed (e.g. use private security)”.
READ MORE: World Bank supports lockdown
Remy Varga 10.50am: Eccles: Coates wrong to make findings on attitude
Department of Premier and Cabinet Secretary Chris Eccles says he should have let Daniel Andrews know Australian Defence Force troops were available to assist in the hotel quarantine program.
But in his submission to the hotel quarantine inquiry, Mr Eccles said it was not open to chair Jennifer Coate to make findings on his attitude or consequences of that attitude to “transparency and accountability”
“Mr Eccles’ impugned conduct was to not pass on a single piece of information (set out in Mr Gaetjens’ email) to the Premier,” said the submission.
“That sole event constitutes the universe of conduct by him that has been subject of criticism in this Inquiry.”
Counsel assisting Ben Ihle has proposed Ms Coate find the failure of departmental secretaries to brief their ministers undermined the Westminster model of accountability.
READ MORE: Chief called to explain testimony changes
Geoff Chambers 10.45am: HSU warns Albanese: don’t ignore aged care
Health Services Union boss Gerard Hayes has warned Anthony Albanese to not choose childcare over aged care at the next election, after the Labor leader spruiked a $6.2bn package for working mums in his first budget reply speech.
The HSU national president – who has threatened to run grassroots marginal seat campaigns targeting both major parties if they fail to fix the nation’s aged care sector – said it was time for Labor to stop being the “night watchman on aged care”.
“We need commitments now. A four-year, $20bn spending commitment would lift standards in aged care to an acceptable level and create 60,000 jobs. This would give aged care residents more than 90 minutes of extra care each day,” Mr Hayes told The Australian.
“Labor made the mistake of choosing childcare over aged care at the last election when it should have chosen both. We sincerely hope this isn’t a case of history repeating itself.”
The Morrison government and Opposition have been waiting for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety to hand down its final report, due before February 26, before ramping-up spending commitments across the under pressure sector.
“Both sides of politics made enormous multibillion dollar commitments this week and yet both sides missed the festering sore at the centre of our national affairs, the crisis in aged care. There have been hundreds of COVID deaths in aged care yet it received scant attention this week,” he said.
“Why do you have to wear a high-viz vest to get the attention of our political class?”
The HSU has called on Labor to join with the government in a bipartisan approach to repair the aged care system, led by increasing the Medicare levy to fund almost 60,000 new aged-care jobs.
READ MORE: Women, children first: Labor’s grand renewal
Remy Varga 10.25am: Andrews to brief reporters at 11am
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to brief reporters at 11am.
Remy Varga 10.15am: Guard decision ‘made before Andrews program announcement’
Victoria Police say the decision to use private security to guard hotel quarantine was likely made by the time Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state’s program at a press conference on March 27.
In a submission released by the hotel quarantine inquiry on Friday, Victoria Police said the Department of Premier of Cabinet conducted a briefing of senior public servants including DHHS, which was not attended by police, before the press conference.
“At about 2:30 pm, the Prime Minister held a press conference announcing the decisions of National Cabinet,” the submission said.
“After this (at an unknown time prior to the VSB meeting at 4:00 pm), DPC conducted a briefing regarding the National Cabinet meeting with other senior public servants, including DHHS staff.”
Following the meeting, Victoria Police said Mr Andrews announced the program at around 3.20pm.
The submission said at around 3.27pm, Department of Jobs, Regions and Precincts director of priority projects Claire Febey sent a text summarising the presser that said “police, security, monitor compliance.”
“It is open to the Board to find that, by no later than this point, a decision had been made that the proposed model would involve private security, and that all interested agencies understood this,” the submission said.
“This is consistent with information conveyed to CCP Ashton between 1:16 pm and 1:22 pm that day (see [30]–[34] above).
“The fact that the person or persons who made the decision cannot be ascertained on the available evidence is not a proper basis for concluding that there was no decision until the SCC meeting at 4:30 pm.”
Counsel assisting the hotel quarantine inquiry have proposed Chair Jennifer Coate find the decision to use private security was made at a 4.30pm meeting on March 27 following a preference shown by Victoria Police.
But Victoria Police said text messages sent by Mr Ashton to DPC Secretary Chris Eccles as well as his AFP counterpart Reece Kershaw indicate a decision had been made before a 2pm meeting on March 27 between Mr Ashton, Emergency Service and Police Minister Lisa Neville and Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp.
“An [sic] the available evidence, the Board should find that a decision was made to engage private security, and that that decision was undoubtedly made before the 4:30 pm State Control Centre (SCC) meeting on 27 March 2020,” Victoria Police said.
“Indeed, it is likely that the decision was made even before the 2:00 pm meeting that day between Min Neville, Commr Crisp, and CCP Ashton.”
READ MORE: Covid facts now clear - let’s shout them out
Ewin Hannan 9.15am: Mikakos blames Andrews’ subversion of Cabinet process
Former Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has blamed Daniel Andrews’ subversion of Cabinet processes for the hotel quarantine program’s failings.
In an explosive final submission to the inquiry published on Friday, Ms Mikakos said the haste with which the program was set up saw “usual Cabinet processes subverted” with the Premier, through the Department of Premier and Cabinet, giving responsibility for the scheme’s design and implementation to Job Minister Martin Pakula’s department.
She said ordinary decision-making mechanisms, lines of accountability and reporting had been supplanted by the Premier’s introduction of the Crisis Council of Cabinet, which replaced ordinary Cabinet Committees and processes, and reorganised key aspects of the Victorian public service.
Ms Mikoas said the fact that no Cabinet or Cabinet Committee process was engaged for the setting up of the Hotel Quarantine Program is “the root cause of some of the issues which have been ventilated before the board in the course of this Inquiry.
“In particular, the failure to follow ordinary Cabinet-led decision-making processes is the cause of the differing views which have been given by witnesses as to who had overall responsibility and accountability for the Hotel Quarantine Program,” she said.
She said the lack of process might also be a “cause of the obscurity” as to who decided to engage private security guards.
“Had the Hotel Quarantine Program been the product of a Cabinet or Cabinet Committee decision, these issues would not have arisen. More importantly, such a process would have enabled differing views and potential risks and weaknesses with the program to be identified and addressed prior to its establishment,” she said.
She said he features of the program identified as critical to its failure – hotels, inadequate cleaning, and the use of private security guards – remained the responsibility of Mr Pakula’s department until July when the program was moved to the Department of Justice and Community Safety
READ MORE: Labor heart bleeding over Mikakos ‘sacrifice’
Imogen Reid 8.55am: Vaccine-dependent budget ‘bloody disaster’: Lambie
Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has blasted the government’s plan to base the federal budget off a COVID-19 vaccine that has not yet been approved, saying she does not believe a treatment will be ready in time.
“I think they’re absolutely delusional,” she said.
“I think it is really short-term thinking instead of long-term planning and that’s very, very worrying, so I guess we will see what happens.
“ I think we are going to see the results of the cutbacks in JobSeeker and JobKeeper and I think after that Christmas period, around the end of March, it’s going to be an absolute bloody disaster.”
Imogen Reid 8.45am: Stop playing border politics: Hazzard
Health Minister Brad Hazzard says he is disappointed in Queensland’s deadline for contact tracers in New South Wales and has criticised Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for focusing only on the looming state election.
The 48-hour time frame was set by the Queensland government for contact tracers to find the source of new mystery cases that were reported in New South Wales on Wednesday night. Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles announced that if the infections were not traced in time, the 28-days with no community transmission for the border will be reset.
“I am just disappointed, I guess, that whilst there are some very good people working in Queensland to try and address the covert issues, I think the Premier has now got one focus and that is the election on October 31,” Mr Hazzard told Sunrise.
“She keeps coming back to that date. They will open up the day after, why? Where is the logic in that.”
Mr Hazzard said the compassion and care of residents should take top priority.
“It is cruel. The border is nothing for most, but for people who live somewhere near that border or even people in Sydney who have families in Queensland … they should be able to go back and forth sensibly,” Mr Hazzard said.
On ABC’s Breakfast radio, Mr Hazzard said he has evidence indicating Ms Palaszczuk is “playing political games” as she enters the election phase, but refused to reveal the details.
He said there is “no doubt” the Premier’s claim she is protecting Queenslanders from the virus is not the real reason for keeping the border with New South Wales shut.
“I have the evidence, we’re not going to share that. But there’s no doubt about it, but it is a political exercise … it is a political agenda,” Mr Hazzard said.
“It’s as simple as that. I’m not going to go into how or why I know that but I do know that.”
READ MORE: Premier ‘illogical’ over shut borders
Remy Varga 8.40am: Treat with caution: Mikakos turns on Andrews
Former Victorian health minister Jenny Mikakos says it is “implausible” the decision to use private security was a “creeping assumption”, and has urged the hotel quarantine inquiry to “treat with caution” the evidence of Premier Daniel Andrews.
In a submission to the inquiry published on Monday, Ms Mikakos said accepting the use of private security had “insufficient regard to the realities of governmental operation and decision-making.”
“In this regard, it is respectfully submitted that the Board ought to treat with caution the Premier’s evidence where he sought to explain the reference to the use of private security in the Hotel Quarantine Program made by him during his media conference that commenced at 3pm on 27 March 2020,” she said.
“It is submitted that had the decision not already been made by that time, the
Premier would not have announced the use of private security in the program.”
Ms Mikakos submitted that the evidence instead actually pointed to a decision being made at some point before a 3pm press conference given by Mr Andrews.
She said it was clear using Australian Defence Force troops was clearly the wish of National Cabinet, and the decision to use private security instead was “inextricably linked”.
“The decision not to use the ADF should be considered by the Board as being inextricably linked to the decision to use private security,” she said.
“This decision had substantial cost and resource implications for the State and it is inherently unlikely, if not implausible, that such a decision would be the result of a “creeping assumption” rather than a considered choice at an elevated level of government.”
Ms Mikakos said she accepted responsibility for the Department of Health and Human Services but said it was “nonsense” for her alone to be held accountable.
She further said the hotel quarantine inquiry needed to examine discrepancies in evidence given by the Premier and Ministers, saying it was “politically disadvantageous” for a cabinet member to cross examine another cabinet member.
“Accordingly, the Board should critically review the evidence of the Premier and the Ministers (none of whom has been cross-examined by those who might be in the best position to contradict them) where that evidence is at odds with other evidence (and in particular, where it departs from contemporaneous documents),” she said.
Ms Mikakos quit the day after Mr Andrews gave evidence she was responsible for the hotel quarantine program, the failings of which sparked Victoria’s second wave.
READ MORE: Premier, Mikakos in the mother of all bust-ups
Remy Varga 8.10am: Victoria records 11 new cases, no deaths
Victoria recorded 11 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday and no new deaths.
Today’s numbers bring Melbourne’s 14-day rolling average to 9.4, while the number of cases with an unknown source over the last two weeks is 12.
Victoria must see less than five mystery cases over a 14-day period if metropolitan Melbourne is to ease restrictions on October 19.
Yesterday there were 11 new cases & no deaths reported. Our thoughts are with all affected. The 14 day rolling average and cases with unknown source are down in Metro Melbourne. Info: https://t.co/eTputEZdhs #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/CPONhdgdum
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) October 8, 2020
Imogen Reid 7.25am: Barilaro set to lose drivers licence
John Barilaro is set to lose his driver’s licence after clocking up a number of offences in the weeks leading up to his decision to take stress leave last month.
The New South Wales Deputy Premier was allegedly caught driving a ministerial car over the speed limit as well as using his phone while behind the wheel, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Mr Barilaro received multiple fines, including two in the week before he took mental health leave, for speeding and using his mobile phone, on top of an earlier fine for speeding while driving his daughter to university.
It comes after the NSW Nationals leader was forced to retract a threat to move with National MPs to the crossbench unless the Liberal party made changes to a planning policy that sought to increase koala protections.
But Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would fire every National MP from the cabinet if they moved to the cross bench, forcing Mr Barilaro to backtrack from his position.
READ MORE: John Barilaro taking mental health leave
Imogen Reid 7.00am: NSW COVID alerts for restaurant, trains
A restaurant in a Sydney hotspot at the centre of a coronavirus cluster has shut after an infected person visited the venue at the weekend.
Monopole Restaurant in Potts Point has closed its doors to customers after a positive case dined at the eatery on Sunday October 4 between 6-8pm.
NSW Health is working to identify any potential contacts but has appealed to anyone who was at the venue that evening to monitor for symptoms and get tested if they develop.
Health authorities have also issued a fresh alert to anyone who travelled on the following public transport lines:
Train from Parramatta at 14:41 arriving Town Hall 15:31 on 4th October
Train from Town Hall at 17:29 arriving Kings Cross 17:50 on 4th October
Train from Artarmon at 23:18 arriving Central 23:48 on 5th October
Bus replacement from Central at 23:48 arriving Strathfield 00:15 on 5th October
Train from Strathfield at 00:15 arriving Parramatta 00:45 on 5th October
Bus 550 from Epping Station, Beecroft Rd, Stand D at 17:08 to Smith St after Phillip St, Parramatta 17:41 on 6th October
Train from Moss Vale 04:52 arriving Liverpool 07:09 on 6th October
Train from Liverpool 16:58 arriving Moss Vale 19:12 on 6th October
Train from Moss Vale 04:51 arriving Liverpool 07:08 on 7th October
Train from Campbelltown 13:31 arriving Moss Vale 15:50 on 7th October
Commuters have been asked to seek testing if they experience any COVID-19 symptoms.
READ MORE: Chief called to explain testimony changes
Imogen Reid 7.00am: Grim record one-day case increase worldwide
The World Health Organisation reported a record one-day increase in coronavirus cases across the globe on Thursday, with the total jumping by 338,779 infections in 24 hours.
India confirmed a further 78,524 cases, followed by Brazil with 41,906 new infections, and the US with 38,904, while deaths rose by 5,514 to a total of 1.05 million.
Italy exceeded 4,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since mid-April, registering 4,458 additional infections. There were also 22 deaths reported on Thursday, declining from 31 the day before.
Hospitals in Paris have begun taking emergency measures to handle the influx of coronavirus patients. Staff holidays have been cancelled and non-essential operations have been postponed as almost half of the patients are in intensive care units (ICUs).
The country’s health authorities reported a record 24-hour rise in new infections, with almost 19,000 additional cases.
“Given the pressure on emergency room beds and regular hospital beds, I have asked medical institutions in the region to activate their emergency plan to mobilise all resources and anticipate the coming days,” Paris region Health Director Aurelien Rousseau said.
It comes as further limits on movement were introduced to contain the spike in cases.
Globally, there have been more than 36.3 million people infected with the virus, while the total number of COVID-19 deaths is 1,058,698.
READ MORE: World Bank supports lockdown
Yoni Bashan 6.00am: Premier ‘illogical’ over shut borders
A burgeoning cluster of COVID-19 cases is forming around southwestern Sydney, with five new infections linked to a social gathering of a Liverpool Hospital healthcare worker.
There are three other cases linked to one another, although their source remains unidentified.
The emergence of new infections in Sydney after more than a week of no community transmissions has restarted the acrimonious debate about the opening of the Queensland border.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stepped up her criticism of her Queensland counterpart, Annastacia Palaszczuk, labelling her demand that sources of new transmissions be found within 24 hours as “illogical”.
“I don’t know where they got that from,” Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday. “Does that mean every time there’s a community transmission with an unknown source anywhere in the country that you’re just going to shut your border down again? I just think the Queensland government is really just thinking up every excuse it can as it goes along and I don’t think that’s acceptable.”
But only one of those cases is still of concern to Queensland authorities, with NSW contact tracers racing to link it to a previously known cluster, sources with knowledge of discussions told The Australian on Thursday.
“I’m hoping, and they’ve got great contact tracing, and I do hope they get on top it, they have before and I expect they’ll do it this time,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “Fingers crossed.”
The Queensland Premier said the requirement for 28 days without community spread, and 48 hours to track an unlinked case, had been agreed to by the national health council.
READ the full story here.
Agencies 5.35am: Trump refuses to do ‘virtual’ second debate
US President Donald Trump and wants two face-to-face debates with challenger Joe Biden, his campaign said Thursday, nixing a proposed virtual encounter but calling for a final showdown just five days before election day.
The two rivals clashed repeatedly over the issue, with Biden’s camp stressing Trump cannot “rewrite the calendar” of already-agreed dates for his benefit.
The second debate, scheduled as a town hall-styled event, was set for October 15 while the third and final encounter was due one week later.
That timeline was thrown into question after Trump, who is still being treating for COVID-19, rejected the change to the second debate’s virtual format.
An in-person town hall debate, with questions from voters, “should happen on October 22, and accordingly, the third debate should then be shifted back one week to October 29,” just days from the November 3 vote, Trump 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement.
Stepien also attacked the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, saying it “wants to protect Joe Biden” by shifting to a virtual format so that voters would not be able to “directly question” the former vice president about his long record.
The commission said earlier it was making the change so as to “protect the health and safety of all involved.” It said the debate would have a town hall structure, with the candidates in remote locations.
The Biden campaign said early Thursday that the Democratic nominee looked forward to “speaking directly to the American people.” In a follow up statement deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield reminded voters that Trump “doesn’t make the debate schedule,” and that both campaigns agreed to the three dates back in June.
“Trump’s erratic behaviour does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing.”
READ MORE: Global flux means nothing assured at home
Geoff Chambers 5.30am: Albanese reply targets women. families and workers
Anthony Albanese has unveiled a $26.7bn pre-election manifesto targeting women, families and blue-collar workers, while rejecting Josh Frydenberg’s economic recovery plan for failing to deliver a “stronger, fairer and more secure future for all Australians”.
In his first budget-in-reply speech as Opposition Leader, Mr Albanese moved to position Labor as the champions of female workforce participation through a $6.2bn childcare plan aimed at getting mums back to work.
He also unveiled plans to pump more renewable energy into the electricity grid, develop a sovereign train-building capacity and set a guarantee that apprentices and trainees would receive opportunities to work on major government projects in a pitch to Labor’s working-class base.
“The budget reflects the government’s character of being guided by short-term politics, not long-term vision. This budget leaves people behind,” Mr Albanese said.
“Women have suffered most during the pandemic but are reduced to a footnote. The best the government can offer is they can drive on a road. And if you are over 35 you have certainly been left behind.”
READ the full story here.
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