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| Coronavirus Australia live update: state debt set to soar during Covid crisis, says Standard & Poor’s | Coronavirus Australia live update: state debt set to soar during Covid crisis, says Standard & Poor’s |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Victoria reports four deaths and 13 new Covid cases while NSW records no new locally acquired cases for fifth day as pressure mounts over border closures. Follow all today’s updates | Victoria reports four deaths and 13 new Covid cases while NSW records no new locally acquired cases for fifth day as pressure mounts over border closures. Follow all today’s updates |
| Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie has indicated she will vote against the government’s proposed changes to universities. | |
| In a statement from her office, Lambie said it would “make university life harder for poor kids and poor parents”. | |
| “I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the vote that tells the country that poor people don’t get dream jobs.” | |
| Breaking news from Ben Butler: | |
| Travel agency Flight Centre will close another 91 Australian stores and further cut its staff numbers, after it already closed 330 of its 740 stores due to the pandemic earlier. | |
| The government has been asked to “show a bit of backbone” over the Indigenous voice to parliament. | The government has been asked to “show a bit of backbone” over the Indigenous voice to parliament. |
| Pat Turner, the co-chair of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, told the National Press Club today that Scott Morrison had to do better. | Pat Turner, the co-chair of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, told the National Press Club today that Scott Morrison had to do better. |
| According to the Press Association in the UK, oil company Shell will cut 9,000 jobs globally. | According to the Press Association in the UK, oil company Shell will cut 9,000 jobs globally. |
| We’re covering the news in our global business blog if you’d like to follow that as well: | We’re covering the news in our global business blog if you’d like to follow that as well: |
| The deputy PM, Michael McCormack, has insisted that the government doesn’t want fewer audits, even as the auditor general’s office says it doesn’t have enough funding. | The deputy PM, Michael McCormack, has insisted that the government doesn’t want fewer audits, even as the auditor general’s office says it doesn’t have enough funding. |
| Earlier today, Guardian Australia’s Paul Karp revealed that budget constraints have resulted in the Australian National Audit Office conducting six audits fewer than its target, and the auditor general, Grant Hehir, wrote to Scott Morrison pleading for more funding in next week’s budget. | Earlier today, Guardian Australia’s Paul Karp revealed that budget constraints have resulted in the Australian National Audit Office conducting six audits fewer than its target, and the auditor general, Grant Hehir, wrote to Scott Morrison pleading for more funding in next week’s budget. |
| Fiji’s prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has again pressured Australia to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, labelling it a matter of life or death. | Fiji’s prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has again pressured Australia to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, labelling it a matter of life or death. |
| “Any later than 1st January 2050 will be too late to achieve net zero emissions,” he told a Smart Energy Council forum today, AAP reports. | “Any later than 1st January 2050 will be too late to achieve net zero emissions,” he told a Smart Energy Council forum today, AAP reports. |
| “These aren’t aimless targets, they are life or death deadlines backed by science.” | “These aren’t aimless targets, they are life or death deadlines backed by science.” |
| Bainimarama also urged countries to use the coronavirus recovery to transition to clean energy, saying its far-reaching benefits will span generations. | Bainimarama also urged countries to use the coronavirus recovery to transition to clean energy, saying its far-reaching benefits will span generations. |
| He praised Jacinda Ardern for pledging to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. | He praised Jacinda Ardern for pledging to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. |
| “Our neighbours in New Zealand get it,” Bainamarama said. | “Our neighbours in New Zealand get it,” Bainamarama said. |
| An update on a story from earlier. We reported today that Macquarie University was preparing to cut its gender studies major, which has been in place since 1984, as part of huge course cuts across Australia. | An update on a story from earlier. We reported today that Macquarie University was preparing to cut its gender studies major, which has been in place since 1984, as part of huge course cuts across Australia. |
| The university also earmarked whole degrees in maths and science to be phased out, and 30 out of the current 56 majors offered in arts. | The university also earmarked whole degrees in maths and science to be phased out, and 30 out of the current 56 majors offered in arts. |
| Academics teaching gender studies have just confirmed the 36-year-old major will now be saved, after management emailed them this afternoon. | Academics teaching gender studies have just confirmed the 36-year-old major will now be saved, after management emailed them this afternoon. |
| Earlier, Macquarie said it would “preserve” gender studies subjects “albeit as part of curriculum innovations where the experiences will be embedded within broader domains”. | Earlier, Macquarie said it would “preserve” gender studies subjects “albeit as part of curriculum innovations where the experiences will be embedded within broader domains”. |
| From my colleagues Christopher Knaus and Michael McGowan. | From my colleagues Christopher Knaus and Michael McGowan. |
| The government is hiding the self-declared conflicts of interest of six departmental and contracted staff who worked in the unit responsible for the $30m Leppington Triangle purchase scandal. | The government is hiding the self-declared conflicts of interest of six departmental and contracted staff who worked in the unit responsible for the $30m Leppington Triangle purchase scandal. |
| Read the full story here: | Read the full story here: |
| And the federal Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, addressed the Narrabri gas project at a press conference earlier today. | And the federal Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, addressed the Narrabri gas project at a press conference earlier today. |
| The issue is of some sensitivity because the National Farmers Federation has urged the government to be cautious with a gas-led recovery because water quality is their number one concern. | The issue is of some sensitivity because the National Farmers Federation has urged the government to be cautious with a gas-led recovery because water quality is their number one concern. |
| But McCormack saw all upside: | But McCormack saw all upside: |
| McCormack said concerns will “all be addressed” and the Nationals would ensure if farmers’ use of land is impacted “there is compensation for that”. | McCormack said concerns will “all be addressed” and the Nationals would ensure if farmers’ use of land is impacted “there is compensation for that”. |
| In environment news you may have missed earlier, the controversial coal seam gas development at Narrabri has been approved by the NSW planning commission. | In environment news you may have missed earlier, the controversial coal seam gas development at Narrabri has been approved by the NSW planning commission. |
| The project has been approved but with 134 stringent conditions, and some elements of the proposal, including the construction of a gas-fired power station at Leewood, were knocked back. | The project has been approved but with 134 stringent conditions, and some elements of the proposal, including the construction of a gas-fired power station at Leewood, were knocked back. |
| Adam Morton and Lisa Cox have the full story here: | Adam Morton and Lisa Cox have the full story here: |
| In aviation news, the regional airline Rex has announced it will start flights between capital cities in 2021, as a competitor to Qantas and Virgin. | In aviation news, the regional airline Rex has announced it will start flights between capital cities in 2021, as a competitor to Qantas and Virgin. |
| Rex has signed letters of intent to lease six Boeing 737 planes, which will fly between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, AAP reports. | Rex has signed letters of intent to lease six Boeing 737 planes, which will fly between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, AAP reports. |
| The airline’s deputy chairman, John Sharp, said three of the six 737s would fly in March when the airline started services between Sydney and Melbourne. | The airline’s deputy chairman, John Sharp, said three of the six 737s would fly in March when the airline started services between Sydney and Melbourne. |
| Rex aims to have 10 of the planes by the end of 2021. | Rex aims to have 10 of the planes by the end of 2021. |
| Sharp said Rex hoped to gain regulatory approval by December and ticket sales would follow. Rex shares were higher by 3.56% as of 3.30pm today on the back of the announcement. | Sharp said Rex hoped to gain regulatory approval by December and ticket sales would follow. Rex shares were higher by 3.56% as of 3.30pm today on the back of the announcement. |
| Hi all, it is Naaman Zhou here. Thanks as always to Amy Remeikis for her blog captaining today. | Hi all, it is Naaman Zhou here. Thanks as always to Amy Remeikis for her blog captaining today. |
| Pokies profits dropped sharply during the first wave of the pandemic, but are still in the billions, according to new figures released today and reported by AAP. | Pokies profits dropped sharply during the first wave of the pandemic, but are still in the billions, according to new figures released today and reported by AAP. |
| Statistics from Liquor and Gaming NSW show that gaming machine profits dropped 41% for hotels and 40% for clubs between December 2019 and May 2020 for clubs, and January to June 2020 for clubs. | Statistics from Liquor and Gaming NSW show that gaming machine profits dropped 41% for hotels and 40% for clubs between December 2019 and May 2020 for clubs, and January to June 2020 for clubs. |
| That covers 10 weeks from 23 March to 31 May when all gaming venues were closed. | That covers 10 weeks from 23 March to 31 May when all gaming venues were closed. |
| Despite that, clubs still made an overall $1.2bn in profit from the pokies during the reporting period, while hotels made just under $830m in profit. | Despite that, clubs still made an overall $1.2bn in profit from the pokies during the reporting period, while hotels made just under $830m in profit. |
| The former mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale, has been sentenced to jail for seven and a half years. | The former mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale, has been sentenced to jail for seven and a half years. |
| Pisasale pleaded guilty to a range of charges last week, from corruption to sexual assault. | Pisasale pleaded guilty to a range of charges last week, from corruption to sexual assault. |
| This afternoon, he was sentenced by judge Dennis Lynch in Ipswich district court to seven and a half years in jail. | This afternoon, he was sentenced by judge Dennis Lynch in Ipswich district court to seven and a half years in jail. |
| Pisasale had first been charged in 2017 after an investigation from Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission. | Pisasale had first been charged in 2017 after an investigation from Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission. |
| Naaman Zhou has come on deck to take you through the afternoon. | Naaman Zhou has come on deck to take you through the afternoon. |
| You are in very good hands. A very big thank you to those who spent the day with me – I’ll be back early tomorrow morning. Until then, please, take care of you. | You are in very good hands. A very big thank you to those who spent the day with me – I’ll be back early tomorrow morning. Until then, please, take care of you. |
| The aspiring Liberal party candidate who has brought a court action against the Victorian government’s (now lifted) curfew wants her case heard with priority. | The aspiring Liberal party candidate who has brought a court action against the Victorian government’s (now lifted) curfew wants her case heard with priority. |
| Michelle Loielo is arguing the curfew, which was lifted on Monday, had infringed upon her human rights. | Michelle Loielo is arguing the curfew, which was lifted on Monday, had infringed upon her human rights. |
| AAP has the latest: | AAP has the latest: |
| Christian Porter spoke to Perth radio 6PR about the pick-for-the-dole scheme this morning. He doesn’t seem to think it can be solved with a doing it for the ‘gram campaign push – unlike the deputy prime minister: | Christian Porter spoke to Perth radio 6PR about the pick-for-the-dole scheme this morning. He doesn’t seem to think it can be solved with a doing it for the ‘gram campaign push – unlike the deputy prime minister: |
| This is still bubbling away in the background. | This is still bubbling away in the background. |