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Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to speak to media about Biloela family decision
Following on from the below post, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke will hold a press conference at 1.40pm to discuss his decision to allow the Murugappan family to move into community detention in Perth.
Federal politics reporter Katina Curtis says the decision was the subject of some discussion in the Coalition party room this morning, with one MP saying the family’s fate was the top issue they received community feedback about.
But another said the sentiment in their electorate was the opposite, and there were many reminders that the Coalition had already “stopped the boats” twice (once under Howard and again when Abbott became PM and Morrison was immigration minister) and didn’t want to do anything that might cause them to restart.
Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
On a side note, 1.40pm is a popular time for press conferences on sitting days. Why? Well, it gives ministers - or shadow ministers - a handy out if journalists’ questioning goes on for too long as politicians have to be in the chamber at 2pm for Question Time.
Immigration Minister predicts boat arrivals if Murugappan family stays in Australia
By Nick Bonyhady
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has predicted that a flood of boats carrying asylum seekers would arrive in Australia if the country allows the Murugappan family to stay permanently in Biloela.
But Labor has argued that Australia’s border closures, policy of turning back asylum seekers’ boats and history of immigration ministers granting discretionary visas means that will not happen.
Mr Hawke was asked on Sky News today: “Are you saying that if you granted them a visa and permanent residence that it would start a flood of boats? Is that your view?”
He replied: “Absolutely, yeah. So there are a number of factors and the government’s been clear on setting up a framework that stops people smugglers and there’s a reason we did that because of the loss of life, because of the cost to Australia, because of the societal cost of un-managed borders.”
Mr Hawke said people smugglers watched developments in Australia very closely. “And if anyone is resettled under that system our advice continues to be that people smuggling trade will restart.”
The Murugappans have repeatedly failed in court to overturn decisions that they are not legitimate refugees, Mr Hawke said. He added that the family’s home country of Sri Lanka was now “very safe” because a civil war there ended in 2009.
(The couple have said their links to the Tamil Tigers, which fought the civil war against the government, put them in danger should they return. Human rights groups have supported that view.)
Today’s headlines at a glance
By Natassia Chrysanthos
Good afternoon, I’m Natassia Chrysanthos taking over the blog until this evening. If you’re just joining us over lunch, here’s a recap of this morning’s events:
- Immigration Minister Alex Hawke decided to release the Murugappan family from detention, allowing them to live in Perth while they pursue a legal challenge and their youngest daughter seeks medical treatment. No decision has been made about allowing the family to stay permanently. A lobby group supporting the Tamil family is pleased they will be reunited in Australia but demands they be returned to the Queensland town of Biloela, where they formerly lived.
- There were no new coronavirus cases recorded in either NSW or Victoria. Victoria appears on track to further ease coronavirus restrictions come Friday, while NSW recorded its first drop in weekly vaccinations since the start of May.
- More than $1 billion has been dedicated to early development of western Sydney’s airport city Bradfield - which will become Sydney’s third CBD precinct - as part of next week’s state budget.
- ASX-listed insurer Suncorp has received 3750 claims after severe winds and flash flooding lashed Victoria over the past week. It expects claim volumes to increase in the coming days and weeks, as the clean-up gets underway in the Dandenong ranges.
- House prices have had their biggest quarterly increase in more than a decade: data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics this morning showed residential property prices jumped by 5.4 per cent in the first three months of 2021.
- And a free trade deal which clears the way for more Australians to live and work in Britain once international borders reopen has been struck by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson.
PM must answer Four Corners’ questions: Labor
By Nick Bonyhady
Labor has accused the Prime Minister Scott Morrison of lacking judgment about a proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory and urged him to answer questions about what input the man had into a speech delivered by the PM.
Several outlets, including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, have reported the story of Tim Stewart – a man whose wife was close friends with and worked for the Prime Minister’s wife Jenny Morrison.
Prime Minister Scot Morrison.Credit:Renee Nowytarger
Messages shared by a former associate showed Mr Stewart had told his wife to urge Mr Morrison to use the phrase “ritual abuse”, a term associated with QAnon, in a landmark speech apologising to victims of institutional sexual abuse.
Those claims returned to the spotlight when they were aired by a delayed episode of Four Corners last night.
Mr Morrison has said claims he had any involvement or support for QAnon were deeply offensive while his spokesman called Four Corners’ questions a “politically motivated slur” that drew attention to “irrational Twitter conspiracy theories”.
Labor’s environment spokesman Chris Bowen took a different view.
Mr Bowen said the Prime Minister was not accountable for the views of his personal friends but ought to explain what influence they may have had.
“He has been asked on multiple occasions, his representatives in the Senate have been asked on multiple occasions in their Senate estimates about the employment of a staff member with links to QAnon and about his relationship with QAnon,” Mr Bowen said.
“[Mr Morrison] has failed, the Government has failed, on every single occasion to provide proper answers and indeed, they continue to do so. They must now, the Prime Minister and the Government, must now account [for] and answer the allegations, credible allegations made by Four Corners last night.
“I thought and believe that Four Corners has provided a compelling case that the Prime Minister has engaged in a shocking lack of judgement in relation to QAnon.”
A spokesman for the PM has previously said the term “ritual” was one Mr Morrison had heard from abuse survivors.
Biggest quarterly jump for property prices in more than 10 years
By Shane Wright and Jennifer Duke
House prices across the country had their biggest quarterly increase in more than a decade through the first three months of 2021.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics out this morning showed residential property prices jumped by 5.4 per cent, the biggest quarterly lift since the December quarter of 2009.
Sydney prices have climbed by 8 per cent over the past 12 months.Credit:Bloomberg
All cities reported an increase, led by Sydney (up by 6.1 per cent). Canberra prices jumped by 5.6 per cent, they were up by 5.2 per cent in Perth while in Melbourne they increased by 5.1 per cent. Adelaide and Brisbane prices rose by 4 per cent while they lifted by 4.7 per cent in Darwin.
The total value of the nation’s 10.6 million residential dwellings increased by $449.9 billion to $8.3 trillion. It is the single largest quarterly rise on record, and lifting the average price of a residential dwelling across the country to an all-time high of $779,000.
Some areas, though, are much more expensive.
The head of price statistics at the ABS, Michelle Marquardt, said NSW accounted for 40 per cent of the value of residential dwellings.
“The average price of residential dwellings in NSW rose to $1.01 million. This was the first time any state or territory had seen the average price of dwellings rise above $1 million,” she said.
The data came out as special research led by UNSW found the national economy was less stable and suffering from a drop in productivity due to runaway house prices. It found the lift in prices was diverting money away from more productive pursuits and affecting the lending policies of the nation’s major banks.
On an annual basis, national property prices lifted by 7.5 per cent. The biggest increase was in Canberra (by 10.9 per cent), followed by Hobart (10.2 per cent) and Perth (9 per cent).
Sydney prices have climbed by 8 per cent over the past 12 months while in Melbourne they are up by 5.9 per cent.
No new cases in NSW, slight drop in weekly vaccinations
By Mary Ward
NSW has recorded its 40th day without a local coronavirus case, as communities along the Newell Highway wait for the all clear after a couple infectious with COVID-19 passed through their towns.
It has now been two weeks since the couple started their drive from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast before testing positive to the virus.
Locals identified as close contacts will be presenting for their second tests this week. All tests have so far been negative.
The state recorded its first drop in weekly vaccinations since the start of May this week, after about 10,000 fewer shots were delivered in GP and Commonwealth respiratory clinics in the seven days to Sunday compared to the previous week.
Vaccinations delivered in NSW Health clinics increased by about 5000 doses, resulting in only a slight decline overall.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 1,718,964, with 598,248 doses administered by NSW Health and 1,120,716 administered by the GP network and other providers.
There were four overseas acquired cases recorded during the reporting period.
No second dose supply issues in NSW, says Premier
By Mary Ward
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has denied there are any supply issues with second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in her state, after Victorian health providers restricted bookings as people who were vaccinated at walk-in clinics became eligible for their second shot.
“That’s why we took a couple of extra weeks to get our booking system,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters earlier this morning.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian receives her second COVID-19 vaccination earlier this month.Credit:Jeremy Piper
The Premier said her state is looking to allow pharmacies to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in rural and regional communities, after federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced yesterday a plan for pharmacies to administer the Moderna vaccine later this year.
“We will have something to say about that in the near future,” she said, noting discussions between the Pharmacy Guild and state government had focused on the challenges of having refrigeration available for mRNA vaccines as well as “consent issues”.
“NSW has a sense of urgency when it comes to the vaccine rollout,” she added.
However, the Premier said that urgency did not include allowing younger people receive their vaccine, as has been allowed in other states.
“I’m keen to make sure the large cohort of 40-year-olds get their vaccine before we move on to the next cohort,” she said.
Controversial changes to renewable energy agency a test for Labor
By Michael Foley
A controversial change to the remit of Australia’s Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), made by Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor, is expected to be put to a vote in Parliament’s lower house later today.
Mr Taylor wants to expand ARENA’s remit to allow it to fund fossil fuel technology, including carbon capture and storage and “blue” hydrogen produced with gas, alongside existing investments in renewable technology. He has argued energy agencies must now look beyond clean energy to the “next challenges” in emissions reduction.
Shadow minister for climate change Chris Bowen.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
The move is a test for Labor, as it could inflame internal tensions between its left and right factions over support for fossil fuels.
Labor’s climate and energy spokesman Chris Bowen will move a motion to disallow the changes, and Greens leader Adam Bandt is expected to move his own disallowance motion as well.
Mr Bowen called on moderate Liberal MPs, who have argued for greater climate action, to to back his disallowance motion.
“This is an opportunity for those Liberals who pretend to be environmentalists, who pretend to care about climate change, who pretend to back renewables like Katie Allen, like Trent Zimmerman, like Tim Wilson like Dave Sharma, to put their vote where their words are,” he said.
Nuix CEO and CFO step down after disastrous IPO
By Colin Kruger
Nuix has announced its top two executives will exit the business following a disastrous float of the Macquarie-backed data forensics group.
Nuix announced on Tuesday morning that its chief financial officer, Stephen Doyle, will leave his role – by mutual agreement – after successive downgrades sent its share price plunging.
Nuix CEO Rod Vawdrey will leave the business.Credit:Ben Rushton
The company later announced that its chief executive, Rod Vawdrey, will also step down from his role once a replacement is found.
Nuix’s stock is trading at half what investors paid in December last year.
Read the full story here.
Watch: NSW Premier’s press conference
By Broede Carmody
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Jobs Stuart Ayres are due to make a major announcement at 10am. We expect it’s about the proposed Bradfield City Centre.
Watch below.
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2021-06-15 02:45:21Z
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