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| Australia coronavirus live update: Victoria reports 149 new Covid cases and 24 deaths as NSW records six cases | Australia coronavirus live update: Victoria reports 149 new Covid cases and 24 deaths as NSW records six cases |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Premier Daniel Andrews urges more Victorians to come forward for testing and Queensland reports one new case. Follow all the latest news and updates, live | Premier Daniel Andrews urges more Victorians to come forward for testing and Queensland reports one new case. Follow all the latest news and updates, live |
| Catastrophic fire danger rating issued for parts of the NT tomorrow. | |
| Labor has welcomed the press freedom recommendations (which they supported in the committee’s minority), saying if the public interest advocate had been in place to contest the warrants, then the raids on the ABC and Annika Smethurst’s home might have turned out differently. | Labor has welcomed the press freedom recommendations (which they supported in the committee’s minority), saying if the public interest advocate had been in place to contest the warrants, then the raids on the ABC and Annika Smethurst’s home might have turned out differently. |
| The bipartisan joint standing committee on intelligence and security has recommended warrants for raids on journalists and media be contestable in court by a public interest advocate. | The bipartisan joint standing committee on intelligence and security has recommended warrants for raids on journalists and media be contestable in court by a public interest advocate. |
| In its long-awaited report on press freedom, and in particular the impact national security laws have had on freedom of the press, the committee, chaired by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, made 16 recommendations including: | In its long-awaited report on press freedom, and in particular the impact national security laws have had on freedom of the press, the committee, chaired by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, made 16 recommendations including: |
| The AFP should advise journalists and media companies when they are no longer persons of interest, when doing so wouldn’t jeopardise an investigation | The AFP should advise journalists and media companies when they are no longer persons of interest, when doing so wouldn’t jeopardise an investigation |
| The public interest advocate scheme set up to contest journalist warrants under mandatory data retention should be expanded to cover other acts related to journalist’s reporting on national security issues, but media should not be informed of warrants in advance | The public interest advocate scheme set up to contest journalist warrants under mandatory data retention should be expanded to cover other acts related to journalist’s reporting on national security issues, but media should not be informed of warrants in advance |
| A review of all secrecy provisions in commonwealth law | A review of all secrecy provisions in commonwealth law |
| For the government to consider a way journalists can consult with national security agencies on stories in the public interest with classified information without the threat of an investigation or prosecution | For the government to consider a way journalists can consult with national security agencies on stories in the public interest with classified information without the threat of an investigation or prosecution |
| Bring in long-recommended changes to the Public Interest Disclosure Act | Bring in long-recommended changes to the Public Interest Disclosure Act |
| Harmonising shield laws | Harmonising shield laws |
| Training for uniform freedom of information culture across government departments to ensure consistency in application of the law. | Training for uniform freedom of information culture across government departments to ensure consistency in application of the law. |
| You can find the report here. | You can find the report here. |
| So many rejections of the premise or assertions. | So many rejections of the premise or assertions. |
| Good afternoon from Melbourne on day 24/42 of stage-four lockdown. | Good afternoon from Melbourne on day 24/42 of stage-four lockdown. |
| The Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry has published a list of who will be appearing before the inquiry over the next two days. | The Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry has published a list of who will be appearing before the inquiry over the next two days. |
| Thursday’s hearing will focus on the role of the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions in establishing the program, and will hear from three public servants, including Gonul Serbest, the chief executive of Global Victoria. | Thursday’s hearing will focus on the role of the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions in establishing the program, and will hear from three public servants, including Gonul Serbest, the chief executive of Global Victoria. |
| Serbest appeared in a promotional video in April talking up the department’s success in setting up the program, which is somewhat awkward in hindsight. | Serbest appeared in a promotional video in April talking up the department’s success in setting up the program, which is somewhat awkward in hindsight. |
| On Friday, people representing Travelodge, Crown, Four Points, Rydges and Stamford Plaza will have their say on the role of the hotels. | On Friday, people representing Travelodge, Crown, Four Points, Rydges and Stamford Plaza will have their say on the role of the hotels. |
| The hotels have been keen to distance themselves from what has happened, pointing the finger back at the Victorian government managing hotel quarantine within the hotels. | The hotels have been keen to distance themselves from what has happened, pointing the finger back at the Victorian government managing hotel quarantine within the hotels. |
| And on that note, and still reeling from Penny Wong’s attack on Richard Colbeck, I am going to hand you over to the very lovely Josh Taylor for the rest of the day. | And on that note, and still reeling from Penny Wong’s attack on Richard Colbeck, I am going to hand you over to the very lovely Josh Taylor for the rest of the day. |
| I’ll be back tomorrow for the last sitting day of the week – there is another sitting next week, and then the MPs are out of Canberra until the budget is handed down in October. | I’ll be back tomorrow for the last sitting day of the week – there is another sitting next week, and then the MPs are out of Canberra until the budget is handed down in October. |
| But first, we have to get through day 790 of 2020. | But first, we have to get through day 790 of 2020. |
| Thank you so much for joining me – and remember – take care of you. Ax | Thank you so much for joining me – and remember – take care of you. Ax |
| Liberal MP Julian Leeser has just tabled the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security report on media freedom. | Liberal MP Julian Leeser has just tabled the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security report on media freedom. |
| Leeser said that since the raids on the ABC and Annika Smethurst the government has improved media freedom, but the committee believes there are “other opportunities for further reform” to better balance national security and public interest journalism. | Leeser said that since the raids on the ABC and Annika Smethurst the government has improved media freedom, but the committee believes there are “other opportunities for further reform” to better balance national security and public interest journalism. |
| The committee has rejected media companies’ request to provide exemptions for journalists from offences of disclosing national security information – but it did suggest the government should consider defences to secrecy offences for public interest journalism. | The committee has rejected media companies’ request to provide exemptions for journalists from offences of disclosing national security information – but it did suggest the government should consider defences to secrecy offences for public interest journalism. |
| Other recommendations included: | Other recommendations included: |
| Public interest advocates should have a say in hearings for a warrant relating to an offence of disclosing confidential government information to journalists. | Public interest advocates should have a say in hearings for a warrant relating to an offence of disclosing confidential government information to journalists. |
| For offences where national security encroaches on press freedom, warrants should be issued by a judge of a superior court of record (rather than, say, a registrar) | For offences where national security encroaches on press freedom, warrants should be issued by a judge of a superior court of record (rather than, say, a registrar) |
| Public servants should have access to robust processes to blow the whistle before approaching journalists | Public servants should have access to robust processes to blow the whistle before approaching journalists |
| There should be mechanisms for journalists to coordinate with agencies that created national security protected information without the threat of prosecution | There should be mechanisms for journalists to coordinate with agencies that created national security protected information without the threat of prosecution |
| There should be an audit of whether classification of documents is applied appropriately | There should be an audit of whether classification of documents is applied appropriately |
| The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, was more absolute in declaring that no journalist should face jail or be charged for doing their job, and criticised Scott Morrison for his view before the inquiry that nothing needed to change in the balance between national security and press freedom. | The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, was more absolute in declaring that no journalist should face jail or be charged for doing their job, and criticised Scott Morrison for his view before the inquiry that nothing needed to change in the balance between national security and press freedom. |
| Penny Wong is not asked about Richard Colbeck while speaking to Patricia Karvelas – but asks to make some comments on him as the interview ends. | Penny Wong is not asked about Richard Colbeck while speaking to Patricia Karvelas – but asks to make some comments on him as the interview ends. |
| This is an extraordinary comment from one senator to another, even if they are on opposing sides. | This is an extraordinary comment from one senator to another, even if they are on opposing sides. |
| We have heard several Labor MPs (and Greens MPs) call for Colbeck to be sacked as aged care minister – but that went beyond that. | We have heard several Labor MPs (and Greens MPs) call for Colbeck to be sacked as aged care minister – but that went beyond that. |
| Wong is asked to elaborate and says: | Wong is asked to elaborate and says: |
| It sounds like the press freedom report is being tabled in the parliament. | It sounds like the press freedom report is being tabled in the parliament. |
| Paul Karp is listening to that for you. | Paul Karp is listening to that for you. |
| It will be available here, when it is tabled. | It will be available here, when it is tabled. |
| Penny Wong is now talking to Patricia Karvelas – she is asked about what Wang Xining said about the lack of consultation with the CCP: | Penny Wong is now talking to Patricia Karvelas – she is asked about what Wang Xining said about the lack of consultation with the CCP: |
| Josh has an update on the CovidSafe app: | Josh has an update on the CovidSafe app: |
| Dave Sharma, a former ambassador, is being asked about Wang Xining’s comments today, about the call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus and the original response being “hurtful” for the relationship. | Dave Sharma, a former ambassador, is being asked about Wang Xining’s comments today, about the call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus and the original response being “hurtful” for the relationship. |
| Sharma tells Patricia Karvelas: | Sharma tells Patricia Karvelas: |
| So many shiny happy faces in QT today. | So many shiny happy faces in QT today. |
| (To be fair, I look like a troll woken from hibernation too early. Day 789 of 2020 is hitting us all hard.) | (To be fair, I look like a troll woken from hibernation too early. Day 789 of 2020 is hitting us all hard.) |
| Prof Paul Kelly gives a very diplomatic answer to a question on the Wang Xining’s earlier claim at the press club that the coronavirus may not have originated in Wuhan: | Prof Paul Kelly gives a very diplomatic answer to a question on the Wang Xining’s earlier claim at the press club that the coronavirus may not have originated in Wuhan: |
| Prof Paul Kelly: | Prof Paul Kelly: |
| Acting chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, is giving today’s update: | Acting chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, is giving today’s update: |
| The parliamentary joint intelligence and security committee report into press freedom is also due to be tabled this afternoon (it was slated for after QT). | The parliamentary joint intelligence and security committee report into press freedom is also due to be tabled this afternoon (it was slated for after QT). |