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| SA to further ease restrictions as Turnbull apologises for robodebt – as it happened | |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Former PM says he is very sorry scheme has ‘created dismay and distress’, while Woolworths announces mass redundancies. This blog is now closed | |
| We’ll leave it there for now. Thanks for joining us today. We’ll see you tomorrow. | We’ll leave it there for now. Thanks for joining us today. We’ll see you tomorrow. |
| Let’s take stock of some of today’s coronavirus news. | Let’s take stock of some of today’s coronavirus news. |
| Australia has 20 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with one in NSW, two in WA and another 17 in Victoria, more than doubling that state’s active cases in a week to 130. | Australia has 20 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with one in NSW, two in WA and another 17 in Victoria, more than doubling that state’s active cases in a week to 130. |
| Victoria has carried out almost 25,000 Covid-19 tests in 48 hours as the state marks a week of double-digit growth in cases. | Victoria has carried out almost 25,000 Covid-19 tests in 48 hours as the state marks a week of double-digit growth in cases. |
| Testing delays remain, and businesses say they are frustrated that Covid outbreaks have scuppered this week’s planned loosening of restrictions. | Testing delays remain, and businesses say they are frustrated that Covid outbreaks have scuppered this week’s planned loosening of restrictions. |
| About 800 Australians from South America, India and Indonesia will fly home from overseas into Adelaide by 28 June. | About 800 Australians from South America, India and Indonesia will fly home from overseas into Adelaide by 28 June. |
| Australia has recorded 7,494 cases, with at least 475 still active. There are no active infections in SA, Tasmania, ACT or the NT. | Australia has recorded 7,494 cases, with at least 475 still active. There are no active infections in SA, Tasmania, ACT or the NT. |
| The national death toll remains at 102: NSW 50, Victoria 19, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 6, SA 4 and ACT 3. | The national death toll remains at 102: NSW 50, Victoria 19, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 6, SA 4 and ACT 3. |
| Fraudsters taking advantage of coronavirus stimulus measures have been put on notice, reports AAP. | Fraudsters taking advantage of coronavirus stimulus measures have been put on notice, reports AAP. |
| The tax office is cracking down on people exploiting jobkeeper payments, early superannuation release and business cash-flow schemes. | The tax office is cracking down on people exploiting jobkeeper payments, early superannuation release and business cash-flow schemes. |
| Anyone caught breaking the law could face massive fines or jail time. | Anyone caught breaking the law could face massive fines or jail time. |
| The ATO has uncovered intelligence about a number of dodgy tactics, including people withdrawing super and redepositing it to receive a tax deduction. | The ATO has uncovered intelligence about a number of dodgy tactics, including people withdrawing super and redepositing it to receive a tax deduction. |
| Others are fudging their personal finances to apply for the hardship program. | Others are fudging their personal finances to apply for the hardship program. |
| The tax office is also eyeing employers manipulating their turnovers to receive jobkeeper wage subsidies, along with businesses pulling tricks to maximise cash flow injections. | The tax office is also eyeing employers manipulating their turnovers to receive jobkeeper wage subsidies, along with businesses pulling tricks to maximise cash flow injections. |
| Deputy commissioner Will Day said on Tuesday the ATO generally worked on the assumption that people acted honestly, but would conduct checks later. | Deputy commissioner Will Day said on Tuesday the ATO generally worked on the assumption that people acted honestly, but would conduct checks later. |
| The Victorian federal Liberal MP Jason Wood has accused the state Labor government of using a spike in coronavirus cases to distract from its own political trouble. | The Victorian federal Liberal MP Jason Wood has accused the state Labor government of using a spike in coronavirus cases to distract from its own political trouble. |
| He wrote on Facebook: | He wrote on Facebook: |
| At the weekend, the premier, Daniel Andrews, reversed plans to ease restrictions after a notable uptick in community transmission cases. | At the weekend, the premier, Daniel Andrews, reversed plans to ease restrictions after a notable uptick in community transmission cases. |
| Wood represents suburbs in the local government areas of Casey and Cardinia, which have been designated as Covid hotspots. | Wood represents suburbs in the local government areas of Casey and Cardinia, which have been designated as Covid hotspots. |
| On the ABC, Bill Shorten says he thinks a lot of people are “very cheesed off at the people who did go” to the Black Lives Matter protest. | On the ABC, Bill Shorten says he thinks a lot of people are “very cheesed off at the people who did go” to the Black Lives Matter protest. |
| He adds: | He adds: |
| Tim Kennedy, the national secretary of the United Workers Union, has called for unemployment benefits to remain at the current level “at a minimum”, rather than dropping back to $40 a day in September. | Tim Kennedy, the national secretary of the United Workers Union, has called for unemployment benefits to remain at the current level “at a minimum”, rather than dropping back to $40 a day in September. |
| In an emphatic pitch to the Senate select committee on Covid-19 this afternoon, he said an elevated payment was needed to ensure “a floor of dignity”. | In an emphatic pitch to the Senate select committee on Covid-19 this afternoon, he said an elevated payment was needed to ensure “a floor of dignity”. |
| As it stands the Cover-19 supplement – which effectively increased the rate of jobseeker – is due to expire in late September, but the government has been tight-lipped on whether it could reach some sort of compromise rate into the future. | As it stands the Cover-19 supplement – which effectively increased the rate of jobseeker – is due to expire in late September, but the government has been tight-lipped on whether it could reach some sort of compromise rate into the future. |
| When asked by the Greens senator Rachel Siewert what level jobseeker should be maintained at, Kennedy said forcing people to live on about $40 a day was “inhumane in a society as wealthy as ours”. He said it had also been a disincentive for people being able to find work. | When asked by the Greens senator Rachel Siewert what level jobseeker should be maintained at, Kennedy said forcing people to live on about $40 a day was “inhumane in a society as wealthy as ours”. He said it had also been a disincentive for people being able to find work. |
| Kennedy also called for another review “and we may need it to move further upwards because we need to put a floor of dignity into the community so people can actually learn, and improve their skills, so we can actually have a highly skilled workforce of tomorrow”. | Kennedy also called for another review “and we may need it to move further upwards because we need to put a floor of dignity into the community so people can actually learn, and improve their skills, so we can actually have a highly skilled workforce of tomorrow”. |
| Kennedy also spoke to the committee about the jobkeeper scheme, saying it was important to remember many people were underemployed through no fault of their own coming into the crisis. He cautioned against focusing on certain workers who may be receiving more than they had in the past. | Kennedy also spoke to the committee about the jobkeeper scheme, saying it was important to remember many people were underemployed through no fault of their own coming into the crisis. He cautioned against focusing on certain workers who may be receiving more than they had in the past. |
| People who live along the border of New South Wales and Victoria were left confused about bushfire movements because the fire-tracking apps produced by the Rural Fire Service of NSW and Emergency Management Victoria did not share information, used different colour-coding systems, and used different symbols, the bushfire royal commission has heard. | People who live along the border of New South Wales and Victoria were left confused about bushfire movements because the fire-tracking apps produced by the Rural Fire Service of NSW and Emergency Management Victoria did not share information, used different colour-coding systems, and used different symbols, the bushfire royal commission has heard. |
| The chief executives of Towong shire council, in Victoria, and the Snowy Valley and Snowy Monaro councils, both in Victoria, told the inquiry on Wednesday that the apparent lack of information sharing between fire agencies in Victoria and NSW meant some residents were confused about what was happening, because the apps did not show fires burning on both sides of the border. | The chief executives of Towong shire council, in Victoria, and the Snowy Valley and Snowy Monaro councils, both in Victoria, told the inquiry on Wednesday that the apparent lack of information sharing between fire agencies in Victoria and NSW meant some residents were confused about what was happening, because the apps did not show fires burning on both sides of the border. |
| Matthew Hyde, chief executive of the Snowy Valleys Council, said that if a fire started in NSW, “the RFS maintained the fire information until it crossed the border and then it didn’t maintain that information”. | Matthew Hyde, chief executive of the Snowy Valleys Council, said that if a fire started in NSW, “the RFS maintained the fire information until it crossed the border and then it didn’t maintain that information”. |
| Peter Bascomb, chief executive of the Snowy Monaro Regional Council, said the different colours used by the two apps to indicate fires that were at an emergency warning, watch and act or advice level also left them open to misinterpretation. | Peter Bascomb, chief executive of the Snowy Monaro Regional Council, said the different colours used by the two apps to indicate fires that were at an emergency warning, watch and act or advice level also left them open to misinterpretation. |
| Both the Emergency Vic app and the RFS’s Fires Near Me app use red to indicate fires under an emergency warning level. But NSW uses blue for watch and act and yellow for advice, and Victoria uses yellow for watch and act and blue for advice. If you’re constantly switching between apps to track a fire moving across the Murray River, Bascomb said, that can get confusing and people could be “potentially misled about what is actually happening”. | Both the Emergency Vic app and the RFS’s Fires Near Me app use red to indicate fires under an emergency warning level. But NSW uses blue for watch and act and yellow for advice, and Victoria uses yellow for watch and act and blue for advice. If you’re constantly switching between apps to track a fire moving across the Murray River, Bascomb said, that can get confusing and people could be “potentially misled about what is actually happening”. |
| There were also significant differences in how emergency evacuation centres were managed. Victorian authorities set up an evacuation centre at Delegate, which is just on the NSW side of the border, for people fleeing the East Gippsland fires. It was fully established and stocked by state government services. But a NSW-run centre, at Coomba, was not fully stocked. | There were also significant differences in how emergency evacuation centres were managed. Victorian authorities set up an evacuation centre at Delegate, which is just on the NSW side of the border, for people fleeing the East Gippsland fires. It was fully established and stocked by state government services. But a NSW-run centre, at Coomba, was not fully stocked. |
| Bascomb said: | Bascomb said: |
| At one point Bascomb called the NSW welfare agency to send someone to support the Delegate centre, but neglected to tell them ahead of time that the evacuees were Victorian. | At one point Bascomb called the NSW welfare agency to send someone to support the Delegate centre, but neglected to tell them ahead of time that the evacuees were Victorian. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has also apologised for the robodebt scheme, saying he is “very sorry that it worked out the way it did”. | Malcolm Turnbull has also apologised for the robodebt scheme, saying he is “very sorry that it worked out the way it did”. |
| Turnbull was the prime minister at the time the program was introduced, while the current PM, Scott Morrison, was the social services minister. | Turnbull was the prime minister at the time the program was introduced, while the current PM, Scott Morrison, was the social services minister. |
| He says he regrets they way it “worked out”. Asked if he sought legal advice at the time, he said he assumed that the cabinet ministers involved had gone through all the correct processes. | He says he regrets they way it “worked out”. Asked if he sought legal advice at the time, he said he assumed that the cabinet ministers involved had gone through all the correct processes. |
| Turnbull says income matching was “not new” but that the way the program was “designed and, I think, in particular implemented, left a lot to be desired”. | Turnbull says income matching was “not new” but that the way the program was “designed and, I think, in particular implemented, left a lot to be desired”. |
| Labor today called for a royal commission into the scheme. | Labor today called for a royal commission into the scheme. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has said he cannot see the “rationale for increasing, doubling the cost of humanities degrees”, as proposed by the Morrison government. | Malcolm Turnbull has said he cannot see the “rationale for increasing, doubling the cost of humanities degrees”, as proposed by the Morrison government. |
| He tells the ABC: | He tells the ABC: |
| Malcolm Turnbull says he was “absolutely shocked” by the allegations of sexual harassment levelled at former high court justice Dyson Heydon. (Heydon denies the allegations, which were upheld by an inquiry established by the court.) | Malcolm Turnbull says he was “absolutely shocked” by the allegations of sexual harassment levelled at former high court justice Dyson Heydon. (Heydon denies the allegations, which were upheld by an inquiry established by the court.) |
| Turnbull said: | Turnbull said: |
| The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is on the ABC. He’s taking questions from Patricia Karvelas about reports of cyber attacks, which Scott Morrison referred to at a press conference on Friday. | The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is on the ABC. He’s taking questions from Patricia Karvelas about reports of cyber attacks, which Scott Morrison referred to at a press conference on Friday. |
| Turnbull thinks it can be “very valuable” to name the attacker – in this case believed to be China – but he also acknowledges that managing that relationship is complex. | Turnbull thinks it can be “very valuable” to name the attacker – in this case believed to be China – but he also acknowledges that managing that relationship is complex. |
| In general, Turnbull says Beijing has been guilty of a “series of overreactions”. | In general, Turnbull says Beijing has been guilty of a “series of overreactions”. |
| The South Australian police commissioner, Grant Stevens, says about 800 people will arrive in Adelaide by 28 June as repatriation flights continue. | The South Australian police commissioner, Grant Stevens, says about 800 people will arrive in Adelaide by 28 June as repatriation flights continue. |
| One flight will come from South America, potentially two will come from India, and a defence force contingent will arrive from Indonesia. | One flight will come from South America, potentially two will come from India, and a defence force contingent will arrive from Indonesia. |
| Stevens said on Tuesday: | Stevens said on Tuesday: |
| The Tasmanian government is expected to reveal on Friday when the state’s borders will reopen. | The Tasmanian government is expected to reveal on Friday when the state’s borders will reopen. |
| Peter Gutwein, the state’s premier, said he was worried about the situation in Victoria, where cases have continued to rise. | Peter Gutwein, the state’s premier, said he was worried about the situation in Victoria, where cases have continued to rise. |
| Gutwein has spoken with the South Australian government, which has allowed Tasmanians to enter the state. | Gutwein has spoken with the South Australian government, which has allowed Tasmanians to enter the state. |
| Tasmania moves to stage 3 restrictions on Friday. | Tasmania moves to stage 3 restrictions on Friday. |
| Australians spent 19 % more on alcohol last week than they did a year ago, with bottle-shop spending up 42%, Commonwealth Bank data reveals. | Australians spent 19 % more on alcohol last week than they did a year ago, with bottle-shop spending up 42%, Commonwealth Bank data reveals. |
| The bank said spending at bottle shops was up 42% last week, compared with the same time last year. | The bank said spending at bottle shops was up 42% last week, compared with the same time last year. |
| In a new weekly report on consumer behaviour, the bank said spending on both food and alcohol for the week ending Friday was up 19%.It said consumer spending overall continued to improve last week, albeit at a modest pace, AAP reported. | In a new weekly report on consumer behaviour, the bank said spending on both food and alcohol for the week ending Friday was up 19%.It said consumer spending overall continued to improve last week, albeit at a modest pace, AAP reported. |
| The bank’s weekly report on credit and debit-card spending said: | The bank’s weekly report on credit and debit-card spending said: |
| But spending on recreation (including air travel and accommodation) was down 9%, and spending on transport was down 7% as more people work from home. | But spending on recreation (including air travel and accommodation) was down 9%, and spending on transport was down 7% as more people work from home. |
| Spending on household furnishings and equipment was up 42%, and personal care spending was up 13% as beauty and barber shops reopen. | Spending on household furnishings and equipment was up 42%, and personal care spending was up 13% as beauty and barber shops reopen. |