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Second minister pulls the plug on the Perrottet government
By Alexandra Smith
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will lose a second cabinet member to retirement with Corrections Minister Geoff Lee the latest MP to announce he will leave politics at the March state election.
Lee announced his decision on Monday after preselections closed for a host of Liberal seats that are on margins of 12 per cent or less, which includes his electorate of Parramatta.
NSW Corrections Minister and Parramatta MP Geoff Lee has confirmed he will not contest the next election.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Labor has its sights on winning Parramatta on the back of its success in the federal seat, which was won by economist and former ALP political adviser Andrew Charlton.
Nominations for other Liberal key seats including North Shore and Vaucluse, which is being vacated by former attorney-general Gabrielle Upton, also closed at 5pm on Monday.
Lee’s resignation follows that of Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello, who announced last week that he would not recontest his seat of Ryde in March.
Dominello will remain in cabinet until the election, however, other retirements will prompt Perrottet to reshuffle his cabinet after budget estimates hearings conclude in September.
Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes is also widely tipped to announce his retirement when nominations for the final tranche of safe Liberal seats open in the next few weeks.
Legal experts back law changes to stop a repeat of secret ministry saga
By James Massola and Lisa Visentin
Legal experts say law changes are needed to ensure future prime ministers can’t secretly appoint themselves to other portfolios and backed a parliamentary inquiry into the Morrison ministries saga.
Professor George Williams and Professor Luke Beck both said Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue is likely to have concluded that former prime minister Scott Morrison did not act illegally by secretly appointing himself to administer the health, finance, home affairs, treasury, and industry, science, energy and resources portfolios in 2020 and 2021.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference in Leichhardt on Monday.Credit:Kate Geraghty
On Monday afternoon the head of the solicitor-general’s department briefed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Donaghue’s advice regarding Morrison’s appointment to the five additional portfolios. The prime minister will take the advice to cabinet on Tuesday morning to discuss the issue with his ministers before releasing it publicly.
Albanese said ahead of the briefing the concentration of power by Morrison had not been in line with parliamentary conventions.
“Clearly there are real questions to be answered here, there is a question of legality. Now there hasn’t been a suggestion of illegality but there have been questions raised about how this could occur, how it fits in with the conventions and the normal accountability mechanisms and checks and balances that are there in our parliamentary democracy,” he said.
“There’s a basic fundamental weakness in checks and balances. If no one knows who the minister is, then how can they be held to account for decisions which are made?”
Read the full story here.
Ampol doubles dividend, notches up record profit
By Clancy Yeates
Fuel giant Ampol has doubled its dividend and posted sharply higher first-half profits, as refining margins surged due to the global energy shock and extreme weather.
Ampol, formerly known as Caltex, on Monday more than doubled its interim dividend to 120c a share, as the company’s preferred measure of profitability jumped to a record high.
Ampol profits more than doubled as refining margin exploded.Credit:Justin McManus
Ampol said its statutory net profit after tax jumped by 114 per cent to $695.9 million for six months to June, as the margins of oil refiners lifted to unprecedented highs in the latest quarter.
The company’s preferred measure of profitability - replacement cost of operating profit earnings before interest and tax (RCOP EBIT) - also leapt by more than 100 per cent to $734.1 million, which was a record for the company.
“Against the backdrop of increased market volatility due to the global energy shock, COVID-19 outbreaks and extreme weather, Ampol has delivered the strongest half-year replacement cost operating profit in its history. This result demonstrates the benefits of Ampol’s integrated supply chain,” chief executive Matt Halliday said.
Read the full story here.
Businesses query violence leave settings
Small business owners will be adversely impacted by the federal government’s proposal to mandate paid domestic violence leave, employer advocates say.
The government is seeking to change employment law to allow any Australian worker, including casuals, to access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave.
Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief Alexi BoydCredit:Louie Douvis
A parliamentary committee examining the proposal has heard from employer advocates who say small business owners will struggle to implement the scheme.
The government is being urged to consider establishing a centralised agency to oversee the scheme and help small business employees affected by family and domestic violence.
A system similar to the government’s paid parental leave entitlements, which are issued through Centrelink, would be preferable, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief Alexi Boyd told the committee.
“We’re not against the 10 days’ leave, we’re against small business having to pay for the 10 days’ leave,” she said on Monday.
“Having an external and outside agency looking at the determination for everyone keeps it fair and equitable.”
AAP
Police file terrorism charges against Pakistan’s Imran Khan
By Munir Ahmed
Islamabad: Pakistani police have filed terrorism charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, authorities said Monday, escalating political tensions in the country as the ousted premier holds mass rallies seeking to return to office.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan.Credit:AP
The terrorism charges come over a speech Khan gave in Islamabad on Saturday in which he vowed to sue police officers and a female judge and alleged that a close aide had been tortured after his arrest.
Khan himself appeared to still be free and had not immediately addressed the police charge sheet being lodged against him. Khan’s political party — Tehreek-e-Insaf, now in the opposition — published online videos showing supporters surrounding his home to potentially stop police from reaching it.
Hundreds remained there early Monday. Tehreek-e-Insaf warned that it will hold nationwide rallies if Khan is arrested.
Under Pakistan’s legal system, police file what is known as a first information report about charges against an accused person to a magistrate judge, who allows the investigation to move forward. Typically, police then arrest and question the accused.
The report against Khan includes testimony from Magistrate Judge Ali Javed, who described being at the Islamabad rally on Saturday and hearing Khan criticise the inspector-general of Pakistan’s police and another judge. Khan went on to reportedly say: “You also get ready for it, we will also take action against you. All of you must be ashamed.”
Khan could face several years in prison from the new charges, which accuse him of threatening police officers and the judge. However, he’s not been detained on other lesser charges levied against him in his recent campaigning against the government.
National COVID data
By Billie Eder
Today’s official coronavirus numbers show the number of reported deaths is at its lowest in two months, although Queensland doesn’t report its death numbers on Sunday or Monday.
There were 11,630 new cases of COVID-19 today, up more than 1000 from yesterday’s reported cases, and there have been 11 additional deaths from the virus.
Hospitalisations continue to decrease, with 3,429 people in hospital, 104 of who are in ICU. Australia currently has 156,430 active cases of COVID-19.
‘The case for a republic is growing’: David Shoebridge calls for greater transparency
By Billie Eder
Circling back to Scott Morrison’s secret portfolios’ saga, Greens Senator David Shoebridge has released a statement ahead of Prime Minster Anthony Albanese announcing the solicitor-general’s findings on the matter tomorrow.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge has said that the public and Parliament need greater transparency from Australia’s Head of State.Credit:Nine
Here’s what he had to say:
There’s a pattern developing here with the public and the Parliament being kept in the dark about what on earth the country’s Head of State is up to.
This is a long-standing transparency measure that allows Senators to probe into the workings of government agencies and no office, least of all the Office of the Governor General, should be able to just opt out of it.
It’s a pretty stark coincidence that this refusal to provide transparency happens just six months after David Hurley takes on the role of Governor General.
Two obvious questions arise. The first is, was this with the knowledge or direction of the Governor General and the second is, what if any role did the former PM have in the refusal to provide documents?
This clubby culture of secrecy is making at least one thing more transparent, the case for a republic is growing.
This afternoon’s headlines at a glance
By Broede Carmody
Good afternoon and thanks for reading our live coverage.
If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know.
- An $828 million spending program used to target voters at the May election has come under the spotlight. David Crowe writes that former prime minister Scott Morrison signed off on the funding announcements and more than half of recipients were located in electorates held by the Coalition.
- The chief executive of the Grattan Institute has labelled discretionary grants a “waste of taxpayer money”. But Industry Minister Ed Husic insists that politicians should still be able to hand out grants. “I don’t think we should all be tarred with the Coalition brush,” he told Radio National.
- Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he’ll make the solicitor-general’s advice public tomorrow. The solicitor-general was asked to investigate whether Morrison broke any laws in relation to the secret ministerial saga. The PM is being briefed this afternoon.
- Simone Fox Koob reports that more than $31 billion worth of Commonwealth Bank home loans are in areas increasingly exposed to extreme weather events. Another $14 billion worth of mortgages are in communities economically reliant on coal.
- In NSW, Premier Dominic Perrottet has refused to declare confidence in the state’s top representative in London. It comes as the premier awaits a review of expenses linked to the lucrative role.
- In Victoria, Rachel Eddie writes that Liberals have questioned the transparency and accountability of independent campaigners preparing to field teal candidates for the upcoming state election. Victorians will head to the polls in November.
- And in international news, Singapore’s government has announced it will decriminalise sex between men. However, the country’s ban on same-sex marriage will continue.
I’m signing off the blog no, but will be back on deck bright and early tomorrow morning. Until then, have a great afternoon.
Billie Eder will be with you for the rest of the day.
Bali bomb maker wants to change, friend says
By Broede Carmody
Last week, we brought you the news that one of the men involved in the Bali bombings could soon be eligible for early release.
The news has upset friends and family of victims given the 20th anniversary is fast approaching.
Umar Patek, centre, being escorted by police back in 2012. Credit:Getty
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said his government has conveyed its concerns to Indonesia. However, the PM says there isn’t much else that Australian officials can do.
Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies have since spoken to a friend of Umar Patek, who was jailed a decade ago for his part in assembling the explosives that detonated at Bali nightclubs in 2002. That friend says Patek won’t return to extremism and can even fight terrorism when released.
NSW premier grilled over state’s top London representative
By Lucy Cormack
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has refused to declare confidence in the state’s agent-general in London while he awaits a review of expenses linked to the lucrative role.
Following the production of further government documents – which raise questions about Stephen Cartwright’s appointment to the overseas post – the premier said he relied on advice that it had been a public service decision signed off by cabinet.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet speaking to the media earlier today. Credit:Oscar Colman
The comments came after this masthead revealed Cartwright was outperformed by other candidates for the state’s trade commissioner roles, including former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro. That’s according to the metrics put in place by an independent recruitment firm.
“That’s not the advice I’ve received,” the premier said during a press conference earlier today. “The advice I’ve received is that it was a process that was run by the public service and approved by the cabinet.”
Asked repeatedly if he retained confidence in Cartwright, Perrottet said he was awaiting advice from a review by Trade Minister Alister Henskens into Cartwright’s expenses.
The premier asked for the review after documents revealed the agent-general’s expenses between September 2021 and June 2022 totalled $113,648, including accommodation and “miscellaneous” expenses like newspaper subscriptions and travel.
“Well, there are obviously matters at the moment that the minister for trade is looking at it in respect of expenses and I expect the highest standards when it comes to the public service,” Perrottet said.
Scrutiny of the agent-general was triggered amid the growing controversy into the appointment of Barilaro to a New York trade role. As regular readers will know, the former politician walked away from that position.
Former NSW trade minister Stuart Ayres has also resigned over the scandal.
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2022-08-22 06:52:05Z
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