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Coronavirus Australia update: national cabinet to meet today as health association says protests can be held safely – politics live Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria records four new cases as health association says protests can be held safely – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Victoria records four new cases, none linked to protests, as Queensland continues to cop brunt of federal pressure to reopen borders. Follow liveVictoria records four new cases, none linked to protests, as Queensland continues to cop brunt of federal pressure to reopen borders. Follow live
I am a Collingwood fan - but the club needs to work on this This is in Melbourne
More information may be needed here, Mr Falinski:
The whole roadmap, which has been out for a while, and includes the July 10 date, is here:
For those still screaming for a date on when the greatest nation on earth, Queensland, will be reopening its borders for domestic travel, the deputy premier and health minister, Steven Miles, gives a pretty big hint here:
And just in case there is anyone who follows the same twisted logic of the former foreign affairs minister (who seems to be vying for the title of the whitest man in Australia – a big call, given we already have Michael McCormack) read this:
This is why people heap shit on Queenslanders (of which I am one):
The Coalition and Labor have again combined to prevent a One Nation stunt on race politics.
Malcolm Roberts has put forward a motion noting the rates of death in custody of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and accusing people of quoting the 437 Indigenous deaths in custody figure without further context, of “distorting” debate.
He has selectively quoted the sort of data that might make everything look fine if one didn’t realise that Indigenous people are incarcerated at a much higher rate, so a similar (or slightly lower) rate of deaths applied to a much higher imprisoned population = way more deaths, relative to the proportion of Indigenous people in the population.
Mathias Cormann proposed that the motion be dealt with in general motions not formal motions – essentially kicking the can down the road – and Labor’s Katy Gallagher agreed.
Gallagher said:
Pauline Hanson had a big spray accusing the government and opposition of “shutting this down” because they “don’t want the truth” to get out.
Greens senator Larissa Waters expressed concern that although the Greens disagree with One Nation the precedent does allow the government and opposition to gang up to shut down minor parties’ motions.
The manoeuvre worked, and they’re moving on with other motions now, so we’re spared the One Nation race vote.
The national cabinet meeting has broken for the day.The prime minister has called a press conference for about 12.40.
It’s in the main committee room, so not a fancy one then.
Sadly, this is not a parody account:
Labor’s Australia Post campaign has hit a nerve. Paul Fletcher and Mathias Cormann have put out a release disputing Labor’s concerns:
Labor’s claims are untrue in multiple respects:
It has been claimed that Australia Post will cut jobs and remove one in four posties. This is not true. Australia Post has said there will be no forced redundancies or plans to cut posties’ take-home pay due to the new temporary arrangements. Many posties will continue delivering letters on bikes, and others will be retrained to deliver parcels in vans, putting them where the work is, securing their job with Australia Post, and better meeting the increasing needs of Australians for parcel deliveries.
It has been claimed that Australia Post wants to cut delivery services in half. This is not true. Australia Post is permitted to adjust its delivery frequency, in metropolitan areas only, from every business day to every second business day. Delivery frequency in rural, regional and remote areas will not change.
It has been claimed that wait times for letters will more than double, from three to seven days. This is not true. Mail speed standards for regular interstate letters (mail travelling around the country) have not changed. Whether measured in business days or actual days, the speed of delivery for intrastate mail has changed by only one or two days for regular intrastate letters, not out by four days as suggested.
It has been claimed regional Australians and small business will be disadvantaged compared to metropolitan areas. This is not true. While the delivery frequency of regular mail has been adjusted in metropolitan areas, the delivery frequency for regular mail for rural, regional and remote areas was protected and remains unchanged. Licensed post offices – which, together with community postal agencies, represent about 2,300 small businesses in regional and rural communities – have come out in active support of the temporary regulatory changes.
It has been claimed that vulnerable Australians will be most impacted by the changes. This is not true. The temporary regulatory changes give Australia Post flexibility to provide additional services that better support vulnerable Australians, such as delivering medicines and grocery boxes.
It has been claimed that the changes are permanent. This is not true. The regulations are written such that changes will automatically end on 30 June 2021. The government will assess the effect of these temporary arrangements before the end of the year, and decide if they are to stay in place for the full period expected. Any extension of the temporary relief measures will be informed by relevant consultations. Such an extension would also be subject to a new disallowance period.
It has been claimed that the government wants to privatise Australia Post. This is not true. The Morrison government is fully committed to Australia Post remaining in government ownership. There will be no change to Australia Post’s ownership, which will remain government owned.
The Morrison government is committed to supporting Australia Post to provide important postal services to all Australians.
Bill Shorten also spoke on the government’s reaction to robodebt:
And your reminder that just yesterday, Stuart Robert said debt collection by the commonwealth, will be resuming.
Bill Shorten has held a press conference and is asked about the conservative call to take unemployment benefits from people who received them and went to a protest (because free speech can only be free when its something power agrees with, apparently).
Q: Are you against taking away the payments from people who protest this weekend?
Shorten:
I am a Collingwood fan – but the club needs to work on this.
And yet the Queensland election will be going ahead in October (and local government elections and two byelections were held in the midst of the lockdowns) and the federal government and the NSW premier are pushing for state borders to be brought down (and I can tell you, there are more people on a Queensland beach than in line at any one time for a local government election).And yet the Queensland election will be going ahead in October (and local government elections and two byelections were held in the midst of the lockdowns) and the federal government and the NSW premier are pushing for state borders to be brought down (and I can tell you, there are more people on a Queensland beach than in line at any one time for a local government election).
Plus – postal votes are a thing?Plus – postal votes are a thing?
I’ve spoken to a bunch of Coalition MPs about what they think should happen to the jobkeeper wage subsidy and jobseeker coronavirus supplement come the end of September.I’ve spoken to a bunch of Coalition MPs about what they think should happen to the jobkeeper wage subsidy and jobseeker coronavirus supplement come the end of September.
The main fault lines of the debate seem to be that everyone agrees industry assistance will be needed for sectors such as tourism but only some want jobkeeper to be extended. Others want a more specific bailout package.The main fault lines of the debate seem to be that everyone agrees industry assistance will be needed for sectors such as tourism but only some want jobkeeper to be extended. Others want a more specific bailout package.
The Nationals MP for Cowper, Pat Conaghan, told Guardian Australia:The Nationals MP for Cowper, Pat Conaghan, told Guardian Australia:
On jobseeker, some including Llew O’Brien want the higher rate of $1,100 to continue if unemployment persists.On jobseeker, some including Llew O’Brien want the higher rate of $1,100 to continue if unemployment persists.
Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey also wants consideration of incentivising jobseeker recipients to join the cashless debit card by offering those who agree a higher rate.Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey also wants consideration of incentivising jobseeker recipients to join the cashless debit card by offering those who agree a higher rate.
While the debate over the protests in Australia in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the treatment of Indigenous and First Nations people in this country continues to focus on statutes and whether or not American streaming services removing movies so they can put the same educational disclaimer on them that cartoons have had for years, while asking people to think about whether or not black and brown face has actually ever been funny (it hasn’t), it is worth remembering the history of some of the people driving the debate. While the debate over the protests in Australia in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the treatment of Indigenous and First Nations people in this country continues to focus on statues and whether or not American streaming services removing movies so they can put the same educational disclaimer on them that cartoons have had for years, while asking people to think about whether or not black and brown face has ever been funny (it hasn’t), it is worth remembering the history of some of the people driving the debate.
Like Peter Dutton, who is one of the loudest and often most visible people on these issues - but often without any caveat that he left the chamber when the National Apology was delivered to Indigenous people. Like Peter Dutton, who is one of the loudest and often most visible people on these issues but often without any caveat that he left the chamber when the national apology was delivered to Indigenous people.
If we are going to remember history, we should probably remember that too:If we are going to remember history, we should probably remember that too:
(from Q&A on 15 March 2010)Tony Jones: “To Peter Dutton: Why did you choose not to attend the apology to the stolen generations?”Dutton: Well, for pretty much the same reasons. I support any legislation whatsoever that would go through our parliament that I thought would provide a tangible outcome for, particularly, Aboriginal children. I...Jones: Well, hang on, when you say for the “same reasons” you mean you regarded the apology as tokenism?Dutton: I regarded it as something which was not going to deliver tangible outcomes to kids who are being raped and tortured in communities in the 21st century. Now, if I thought for a moment that it was going to deliver positive outcomes to those kids, to their families, to those communities, then I would support it in a heartbeat. But I thought it distracted us from that.Jones: But you were on your own on the Liberal frontbench. Did you make a deliberate decision to be the only Liberal frontbencher who didn’t participate in the apology?Dutton: I made a decision what was right for me and what I believed in and that I stayed true to. Now, at the time I offered my resignation to Brendan Nelson and that was part of my thinking at the time. I...Jones: What, you though so strongly about not wanting to see an apology you offered your resignation? (from Q&A on 15 March 2010)Tony Jones: to Peter Dutton: why did you choose not to attend the apology to the stolen generations?”
Dutton: Well, I knew that that would be a difficulty for Brendan and I respected that. But what I said to him at the same time was exactly what I said before. If legislation comes through, you know, regardless of cost - if there’s a benefit that’s going to be provided to lifting people out of poverty, to changing the future for our generation, then I would do that. If it’s going to lift life expectancy. If it’s going to deliver better health outcomes. Dutton: Well, for pretty much the same reasons. I support any legislation whatsoever that would go through our parliament that I thought would provide a tangible outcome for, particularly, Aboriginal children. I ...Jones: Well, hang on, when you say for the “same reasons” you mean you regarded the apology as tokenism?Dutton: I regarded it as something which was not going to deliver tangible outcomes to kids who are being raped and tortured in communities in the 21st century. Now if I thought for a moment that it was going to deliver positive outcomes to those kids, to their families, to those communities, then I would support it in a heartbeat. But I thought it distracted us from that.Jones: But you were on your own on the Liberal frontbench. Did you make a deliberate decision to be the only Liberal frontbencher who didn’t participate in the apology?Dutton: I made a decision what was right for me and what I believed in and that I stayed true to. Now at the time I offered my resignation to Brendan Nelson and that was part of my thinking at the time. I ...Jones: What, you though so strongly about not wanting to see an apology you offered your resignation?
Dutton: Well I knew that that would be a difficulty for Brendan and I respected that. But what I said to him at the same time was exactly what I said before. If legislation comes through, you know, regardless of cost – if there’s a benefit that’s going to be provided to lifting people out of poverty, to changing the future for our generation, then I would do that. If it’s going to lift life expectancy. If it’s going to deliver better health outcomes.
That statement ends with:That statement ends with:
The Public Health Association has come out and said it sees no reason protests can’t go ahead, saying given Australia’s success in controlling community transmission, there is no reason the protests shouldn’t proceed safely (which is the same reason the federal government is making to have the state borders reopened).
From its statement:
In case you missed this yesterday -
Linda Burney and Terri Butler stopped by the cameras this morning to speak about a new Senate inquiry looking at the destruction of Indigenous heritage sites, in mine expansions.
Burney:
A Black Lives Matter protest is still planned for Sydney tonight, despite NSW police declaring it “unauthorised” and announcing they will be upholding the current health control orders (code for moving people on/fining people).
A smaller protest for refugee rights is also going ahead tomorrow in Sydney, despite also being declared unauthorised.
NSW police have said they will be “well resourced” at the protests.
That Kangaroo Point (in Brisbane) protest we showed you a little earlier is still occurring.
From AAP:
Protesters have called for a mass gathering at a Brisbane hotel after staging a blockade to prevent the removal of asylum seekers detained there.
Police are continuing to negotiate with protesters near the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel after dramatic scenes there on Thursday night.
Two people were charged after a night-time operation to prevent the removal of asylum seekers from the hotel and move them to an immigration detention facility.
The man and woman are accused of jumping on the roofs of parked cars during the operation, which saw people use cars to block the hotel’s driveways and prevent any of the 120 detainees from being shifted.
The same hotel has been the scene of previous protests against the detention of asylum seekers.
Some of those at the hotel have been in detention for years and have staged balcony protests about their treatment.
Refugee Solidarity Brisbane/Meanjin supporters filmed their interactions with police on Friday and uploaded it to Facebook, calling for as many people as possible to descend on the hotel.
“We need as many people to get here as soon as possible. This is an urgent call to action,” a woman who posted the video on the group’s Facebook page says.
“Cops have rocked up, they are planning to detain people. They’ve already detained two people. We really need people power right now.
“We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to hold this fort until, hopefully, for another week’s time.”
Police said they were only aware of the two arrests on Thursday night involving public nuisance charges.
On Thursday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned people not to attend a Free the Refugees protest planned at Kangaroo Point on Saturday because of coronavirus fears.
Labor’s South Australian team have come together to put out this statement, calling for the government to save community television in their state (and in Victoria):
Community television has been serving Australian audiences for 25 years but the Morrison Government wants to boot Channel 44 Adelaide and Channel 31 Melbourne and Geelong off-air from 30 June 2020.
The Liberal Minister for Communications and the Arts, Paul Fletcher MP, is refusing to renew or extend their broadcast licences beyond the end of the month.
Through the COVID-19 crisis Adelaide’s C44 has provided a valuable community service connecting isolated people through broadcasting in addition to the local content and voices it normally empowers.
Instead of vibrant community services that have fostered talent the likes of Rove McManus, Peter Hellier, Hamish and Andy, Merrick Watts and Tim Ross, Nazeem Hussain, Shona Devlin, Corinne Grant, Tom Ballard, Waleed Aly and more, there will be blank screens.
Australia has one of the most concentrated media markets in the world and Community TV provides much needed diversity and local content.
At a time when at a time when newsrooms are closing, Community TV supports local news and provides a training ground for emerging journalists and screen practitioners, including in partnership with universities.
At a time when social cohesion, national culture and identity should be fostered, Community TV provides a platform for local multicultural, sporting and arts events, as well as small business.
At a time when social distancing makes participation in religious services difficult, Community TV provides accessibility, particularly to elderly citizens without internet access.
The Liberal Government came up with the idea of forcing Community TV off-air to an online-only mode of delivery back in 2014.
Since then the sector has been operating under huge uncertainty and most stations haven’t survived: Sydney, Brisbane and Perth don’t even have Community TV any more.
Now the impact of COVID-19 means the idea of moving audiences and sponsors to an online-only model is simply impossible.
Community TV should remain on-air. C44 and C31 serve a wide and diverse audience and they don’t cost the government anything to run.
Community TV is part of the broadcasting mix in Australia and spectrum is a valuable public resource that should not go unused when C44 and C31 could make such good use of it.
The Minister provided COVID-19 relief for other sectors of the media and he should give Community TV a fair go too.
Killing Community TV is wasteful and wilful destruction. Labor calls on the Morrison Government to keep Community TV on-air.
AAP also has a wrap on Australia’s latest attempt to talk about its history:
Australia won’t have proved itself as a nation until Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures are brought together, indigenous historian Bruce Pascoe says.
“It’s not rocket science really,” he told ABC radio on Friday.
“It’s about recognition, it’s about embracing the history - good and bad.”
Mr Pascoe says successive governments have failed to make any headway on the issue, with both histories not being embraced.
Indigenous people must be included in history and the economy, he added.
“That hasn’t happened. Until it does, we really can’t call ourselves a mature nation. We can’t say we’re any better than America.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been widely criticised for claiming there was no slavery in Australia.
“It’s pretty obvious that when you chain people up by the neck and force them to march 300km and then work on cattle stations for non-indigenous barons, then that is slavery,” Mr Pascoe said.
Indigenous incarceration rates and deaths in custody have come under the spotlight along with the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained momentum in the US after black man George Floyd was killed by police after being arrested.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton lashed out at an apparent rash of “cancel culture” in response to the movement.
Netflix has pulled four shows featuring controversial Australian performer Chris Lilley and there are supposedly calls to topple statues of British explorer Captain James Cook.
“I don’t think ripping pages out of history books and brushing over parts of history you don’t agree with or you don’t like is really something the Australian public is going to embrace,” Mr Dutton told Nine’s Today show.
“There are good and bad parts of our history. You learn from that.”
Mr Dutton said Netflix’s decision to remove the Chris Lilley shows, depicted the comedian in a range of characters including blackface, was absurd.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese does not want statues removed.
“You can’t rewrite history, you have to learn from it,” he told Sydney radio 2GB.
“The idea that you go back to year zero of history is in my view, just quite frankly unacceptable.”
The US movies classic Gone with the Wind has been temporarily removed from HBO until “ethnic and racial prejudices” depicted in the 1939 film can be contextualised by the streaming service.
“I mean, for goodness sake, I just think a bit of common sense here,” Mr Albanese responded.
“People can watch things, they can learn from them. Doesn’t mean you agree with them. Doesn’t mean that everything that they did was right. But it happened. You cannot pretend that it didn’t happen.”
AAP has an update on the Tasmanian situation:
Tasmania is on the verge of being free of Covid-19 cases, with just one active infection remaining in the island state.
As of Friday morning, the state had gone 27 days without recording a new case of coronavirus.Of 226 recorded cases from more than 39,300 tests, one is active while 212 people have now recovered.
The Victorian health minister, Jenny Mikakos, is asked whether the man who attended Saturday’s protest and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 will be identified.
No one is supposed to have that information, except for health authorities.
Mikakos:
(The man, like most of the protesters, was wearing a mask during the protest, which authorities believe will help minimise, but not eliminate, any risk of transmission.)
For the record, the chief medical officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, issued a statement yesterday saying there was no need for the mass quarantine or testing of people who attended the Melbourne protest: