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Coronavirus Australia latest updates: PM set to unveil budget priorities as Queensland expands NSW border bubble – live news Coronavirus Australia latest updates: PM set to unveil budget priorities as Queensland expands NSW border bubble – live news
(32 minutes later)
Scott Morrison will outline the Coalition’s manufacturing reboot during a budget scene-setter at the National Press Club today. Follow liveScott Morrison will outline the Coalition’s manufacturing reboot during a budget scene-setter at the National Press Club today. Follow live
The rolling 14-day average is now 15.6
Scott Morrison said it was time to go back to the office earlier this week - but the tax department has extended the simplification of working from home deductions.
From Micheal Sukkar’s release:
While we are on building the manufacturing industry, it might also be worth pointing out that the government still has its Treasury Laws Amendment (Research and Development Tax Incentive) Bill 2019 on the books, which puts caps on the research and development tax incentive.
It’s a complicated formula, but basically smaller companies will see a $4m cap on the RDTI and larger companies will have an “intensity measure” put in place to calculate their offsets.
What that means is Australian companies could lose $1.8bn in research and development tax offsets, which critics warn will lead to R&D departments either being scaled back, or sent overseas.
The bill has been rejected once before, but was sent back to the parliament in December. The senate committee looking at it was meant to report on it in April, with a vote before July, but then Covid happened, so it was pushed back. The committee was meant to report on the bill in August, but that has now been delayed, again, until 12 October - after the budget.
The manufacturing announcement is not all new - the manufacturing modernisation fund was an election commitment - the government kicked in $50m and the industry contributed $110m for the $160m program.The manufacturing announcement is not all new - the manufacturing modernisation fund was an election commitment - the government kicked in $50m and the industry contributed $110m for the $160m program.
Here is Karen Andrews announcing its launch in September last yearHere is Karen Andrews announcing its launch in September last year
We need to see the full detail - but the space program Andrews has been talking about also comes under manufacturing - Australia is not going to space, but it is taking part in the industry by manufacturing products that will, here.We need to see the full detail - but the space program Andrews has been talking about also comes under manufacturing - Australia is not going to space, but it is taking part in the industry by manufacturing products that will, here.
Scott Morrison was on Sydney radio 2GB not just to talk about the ABC’s incremental payrise this morning - he was also talking about the $1.5bn manufacturing plan his government is planning (over the forwards), as part of the covid recovery.Scott Morrison was on Sydney radio 2GB not just to talk about the ABC’s incremental payrise this morning - he was also talking about the $1.5bn manufacturing plan his government is planning (over the forwards), as part of the covid recovery.
‘We make things in this country’ is the attached line which goes with the plan.‘We make things in this country’ is the attached line which goes with the plan.
*coughs* Except for cars. We don’t make cars in this country.*coughs* Except for cars. We don’t make cars in this country.
George Pell was able to leave Australia (remember the whole border lock down thing, that is stopping people from leaving and returning to the country?) because of a ‘traveling on government business’ exemption (Vatican business, in this case)George Pell was able to leave Australia (remember the whole border lock down thing, that is stopping people from leaving and returning to the country?) because of a ‘traveling on government business’ exemption (Vatican business, in this case)
His spokesperson said it was a “private visit”His spokesperson said it was a “private visit”
Oops.Oops.
Someone in home affairs forgot to Bcc.Someone in home affairs forgot to Bcc.
(Via AAP)(Via AAP)
More than one thousand Australians stranded overseas have had their personal email addresses shared with strangers.More than one thousand Australians stranded overseas have had their personal email addresses shared with strangers.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shared the emails by mistake.The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shared the emails by mistake.
“We apologise for unintentionally disclosing email addresses of stranded Australians we’re trying to help get home. No other personal information was disclosed,” the department said in a statement on Thursday.“We apologise for unintentionally disclosing email addresses of stranded Australians we’re trying to help get home. No other personal information was disclosed,” the department said in a statement on Thursday.
“We want to get you home, and are working as hard as we can to do so.”“We want to get you home, and are working as hard as we can to do so.”
At least 26,800 Australians overseas are waiting to come home.At least 26,800 Australians overseas are waiting to come home.
The weekly limit on returning travellers is set to increase to 5500 this month.The weekly limit on returning travellers is set to increase to 5500 this month.
That pay increase? It is 2%.That pay increase? It is 2%.
It is part of their enterprise bargaining agreement, and was decided before the pandemic. The staff who remain after the last round of cuts, are doing more work with less (as we all are) and payrises are not on the agenda for quite some time.It is part of their enterprise bargaining agreement, and was decided before the pandemic. The staff who remain after the last round of cuts, are doing more work with less (as we all are) and payrises are not on the agenda for quite some time.
The ABC is not alone - Asic and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex employees have also voted to accept their pre-planned payrise.The ABC is not alone - Asic and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex employees have also voted to accept their pre-planned payrise.
The request put to government employees has been to delay any payrises for six months - but more likely than not, at the end of the deferral, agencies will be accepting the pre-planned incremental pay increases.The request put to government employees has been to delay any payrises for six months - but more likely than not, at the end of the deferral, agencies will be accepting the pre-planned incremental pay increases.
Oh - and federal politicians received an annual 2% payrise for four years in a row between 2016 and 2019 - the 8% payrise taking their base salaries from $195,130 to $211,250 - meaning at the end of those four years, federal MPs had taken home an extra $39,900.Oh - and federal politicians received an annual 2% payrise for four years in a row between 2016 and 2019 - the 8% payrise taking their base salaries from $195,130 to $211,250 - meaning at the end of those four years, federal MPs had taken home an extra $39,900.
It is the 40th Thursday of the year - which means there are only 13 more Thursdays left this year. (Of course, with Thursday being the worst day of the week, 2020 has 53 of them)It is the 40th Thursday of the year - which means there are only 13 more Thursdays left this year. (Of course, with Thursday being the worst day of the week, 2020 has 53 of them)
This Thursday opened with the Queensland border zone extending about another 100km into northern NSW (which marries up nicely with where I plan to extend the border, for when I am the eventual supreme leader of the Great Nation of Queensland.)This Thursday opened with the Queensland border zone extending about another 100km into northern NSW (which marries up nicely with where I plan to extend the border, for when I am the eventual supreme leader of the Great Nation of Queensland.)
But for those northern New South Wales residents, it means access to Queensland will just need a border pass, not two weeks hotel quarantine, and life should get a lot easier.Queensland will examine whether it allows the rest of NSW in, at the end of the month - which is also when its state election will be decided.But for those northern New South Wales residents, it means access to Queensland will just need a border pass, not two weeks hotel quarantine, and life should get a lot easier.Queensland will examine whether it allows the rest of NSW in, at the end of the month - which is also when its state election will be decided.
New South Wales has a pretty big testing push underway at the moment, which yesterday, led to the increase in tests the states wants, in order for authorities to feel comfortable that they have a handle on any potential outbreaks.New South Wales has a pretty big testing push underway at the moment, which yesterday, led to the increase in tests the states wants, in order for authorities to feel comfortable that they have a handle on any potential outbreaks.
Victoria is watching its curve flatten, but won’t be moved on opening up any earlier, given the number of mystery cases, and evidence of community transmission. Daniel Andrews has been at pains to point out that it is not the case numbers that count by themselves - but also where the cases are coming from. The last time the state opened while community transmission was occurring, well, we are still living it. So don’t expect much movement on Victoria’s restrictions, until at least mid month.Victoria is watching its curve flatten, but won’t be moved on opening up any earlier, given the number of mystery cases, and evidence of community transmission. Daniel Andrews has been at pains to point out that it is not the case numbers that count by themselves - but also where the cases are coming from. The last time the state opened while community transmission was occurring, well, we are still living it. So don’t expect much movement on Victoria’s restrictions, until at least mid month.
Federally, all eyes are on the prime minister’s speech - the last big speech before Tuesday’s budget - where he will speak about ‘rebuilding the nation’. We have heard this budget described as the ‘most important in a generation’ - now, the prime minister is moving to remind people why debt and deficit no longer matter (not that it ever really did, and certainly not like people were told it did under the Howard, and then Abbott government. There never was a ‘budget emergency’)Federally, all eyes are on the prime minister’s speech - the last big speech before Tuesday’s budget - where he will speak about ‘rebuilding the nation’. We have heard this budget described as the ‘most important in a generation’ - now, the prime minister is moving to remind people why debt and deficit no longer matter (not that it ever really did, and certainly not like people were told it did under the Howard, and then Abbott government. There never was a ‘budget emergency’)
We’ll bring you all of that and everything else which happens today. You have a bedraggled Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day. Drop me a line, if you have a question or comment, and I’ll do my best to get back to you.Ready?We’ll bring you all of that and everything else which happens today. You have a bedraggled Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day. Drop me a line, if you have a question or comment, and I’ll do my best to get back to you.Ready?