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Coronavirus Australia live update: treasurer delivers 'sobering' economic update – latest news Coronavirus Australia live update: treasurer delivers 'sobering' economic update – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Josh Frydenberg says in statement in lieu of the federal budget: ‘There is no money tree. What we borrow today we must repay in the future.’ Follow the latest news liveJosh Frydenberg says in statement in lieu of the federal budget: ‘There is no money tree. What we borrow today we must repay in the future.’ Follow the latest news live
Dan Tehan is allowed to speak, from a prepared dixer answer. We aren’t any clearer on the AFL’s return to play date today, but the league has announced that every player and staff member must undergo a Covid-19 swab test before a possible resumption to full contact training next week.
Baby steps. The AFL is still negotiating with state governments over protocols that will open the path to the season restarting, but in the meantime, guidelines that have been in place since March remain. Those protocols include:
Jim Chalmers (reading from his phone, which is how you know it is a new one just lobbed up) to Josh Frydenberg: Club facilities to remain closed, including club gyms;
Frydenberg (with a tad bit more energy) All coaching sessions and training programs must be provided remotely;
He tried to make a joke. But only proved he is very trying. Clubs can mandate fitness programs for players; however, they can only be conducted in isolation either at home or in an outdoor space which complies with government social distancing requirements;
Scott Morrison continues, and we have definitely moved into defensive mode: Ball work is permitted in open outdoor spaces and kick to kick with another single individual is permitted as long as social distancing is maintained and strict hygiene measures are employed (regular wiping of ball, washing/sanitising hands etc);
Clare O’Neil to Scott Morrison: GPS monitoring during the shutdown period is strictly not permitted;
Why does the prime minister say the economy will snap back after the coronavirus crisis when the Reserve Bank is forecasting unemployment as high as 9% at Christmas? All medical services must be provided remotely.
Morrison: The AFL said it will announce dates for both a return to training and the resumption of the season later this week.
Josh Frydenberg is still very, very down it seems, over having his big Churchill moment hijacked by a tickle in his throat: “There they were with their ‘back in black’ mugs, congratulating themselves ... but they were treating the Australian people like mugs,” Anthony Albanese says, as he opens the matter of public importance debate (which is on the economy).
Oh, and we are back to auspol as usual with this line from Scott Morrison: Maybe tomorrow ...
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison: Question time ends – a little earlier than usual (there is usually at least an hour of questions, but we are a bit short of that today).
Does the prime minister regret saying that the budget was already back in black? Lisa Chesters to Josh Frydenberg:
Scott Morrison: How much money has the government given to businesses which are receiving the jobkeeper payment, using them to subsidise their balance sheet whilst employees are running down their leave entitlements?
But couldn’t the prime minister just use the crystal ball he used to declare: Frydenberg:
The deputy prime minister is now talking about the value of being able to send text messages: David Littleproud’s tie remains one of the most offensive parts of today.
And he says this while waving around the phone on which he received a baggage of abusive text messages from NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro, which were later leaked to the media. #myeyes
Michael McCormack is summoned to the despatch box and suddenly hiding under the doona seems like a very attractive option. Tanya Plibersek to Josh Frydenberg:
What does the Treasurer have to say to the one in three hospitality workers who have lost their job? The one in four workers in the arts and entertainment industries who have lost their jobs? Up to 11,000 casual workers in Eden-Monaro who can’t access JobKeeper? 21,000 university workers who are likely to lose their jobs over coming months? And the thousands of workers whose jobs are at risk, who are now facing the unemployment queue because the Government won’t extend the JobKeeper wage subsidy to more workers?
Frydenberg:
Two things: sex work is work and should not be stigmatised, and people are entitled to access a legal sex worker without judgment or discrimination.
Having said that, People with Disability Australia have released this statement on the recent (unanimous) decision by the federal court to uphold the right of a person with disability to use their NDIS funding to access sex work services:
“This courageous person with disability has fought for years to have her right to equal access to ordinary sexual expression funded through her NDIS plan,” said El Gibbs, director media and communications.
“She won her administrative appeals tribunal case, and has now emphatically won in the federal court of Australia. We urge the NDIS to accept this decision today, and allow people with disability to fund sexual expression through their plans.”
The respondent said: “I am very pleased about this decision, but it has been a very stressful process that has dragged out for four years. The NDIA have been difficult to deal with. I want to thank my legal team very much.”
The woman who brought the case wishes to stay anonymous.
Stephen Jones to Josh Frydenberg:
Treasurer, how many Australians are now earning more than their normal wage because they’re receiving the jobkeeper wage subsidy of $1,500 a fortnight?
Frydenberg: