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| Victoria reports three new Covid cases and NSW 10 as federal parliament resumes – politics live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| NSW coronavirus testing rates increase and emails tendered during extraordinary hearing appear to contradict the Victorian chief health officer’s earlier testimony. Follow live | |
| The number of people who have been recorded as having been reinfected with Covid is in single digits – across the world – so this is one to watch. | |
| Daniel Andrews: | |
| There are currently 10 Victorians diagnosed with Covid in hospital. None are in intensive care. | |
| There were 17,500 tests in Victoria in the last 24 hours as well – so three cases, linked to known clusters, is excellent news. | |
| We should be hearing from Daniel Andrews very soon | |
| There was also a doubling of test numbers in NSW in the last 24 hours – 14,932 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with 7,401 in the previous 24 hours. | |
| NSW authorities want to see more tests, but that is a great start. | |
| NSW has reported two locally acquired cases – another 8 are in hotel quarantine | |
| Both of those locally acquired cases are close contacts of a confirmed case linked to the Oran Park Great Beginnings childcare centre cluster. | |
| There are now 22 cases linked with the Oran Park community cluster. | |
| The PMO has just sent out this statement: | |
| Kristina Keneally covered off a lot of topics in her radio interview with Fran Kelly on ABC radio RN this morning. | Kristina Keneally covered off a lot of topics in her radio interview with Fran Kelly on ABC radio RN this morning. |
| Most will be discussed throughout the day – the Leppington triangle sale was the main one – no doubt Michael McCormack will be asked many questions he will not answer during question time. | |
| But Keneally was also asked about Tony Abbott being given permission, a second time, to leave the country, this time to attend a mass given by George Pell in Rome – given how many people are struggling to get on flights to return home. | |
| The competition watchdog is eyeing off the contract terms between big and small businesses. | The competition watchdog is eyeing off the contract terms between big and small businesses. |
| As AAP reports: | As AAP reports: |
| Big corporations crushing small businesses with legal impunity have been put on notice. | Big corporations crushing small businesses with legal impunity have been put on notice. |
| Australia’s competition watchdog is setting its sights on making unfair contracts illegal. | Australia’s competition watchdog is setting its sights on making unfair contracts illegal. |
| Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said there was nothing to protect small businesses against blatantly unfair behaviour. | Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said there was nothing to protect small businesses against blatantly unfair behaviour. |
| Sims wants greater powers to stop companies gobbling up smaller fish and gaining too much power. | Sims wants greater powers to stop companies gobbling up smaller fish and gaining too much power. |
| He said it was not illegal to have unfair contract terms between big and small businesses. | He said it was not illegal to have unfair contract terms between big and small businesses. |
| “You can go to court and get them voided but there is no penalty and it is not against the law to have those terms,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday. | “You can go to court and get them voided but there is no penalty and it is not against the law to have those terms,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday. |
| “This is a rotten deterrence model.” | “This is a rotten deterrence model.” |
| Sims said even when companies were dragged through the courts, there were no broader repercussions. | Sims said even when companies were dragged through the courts, there were no broader repercussions. |
| “Even if we win the court case there is no wider deterrence message,” he said. | “Even if we win the court case there is no wider deterrence message,” he said. |
| “So if we want unfair contract terms to stop in Australia, they need to be made illegal and they need to be subject to large penalties.” | “So if we want unfair contract terms to stop in Australia, they need to be made illegal and they need to be subject to large penalties.” |
| The competition tsar is confident of winning over the Morrison government, pitching the proposed legislation as aggressively pro-small business. | The competition tsar is confident of winning over the Morrison government, pitching the proposed legislation as aggressively pro-small business. |
| At the moment, large companies can demand small businesses who supply goods hand over all their contracts. | At the moment, large companies can demand small businesses who supply goods hand over all their contracts. |
| Big corporations can then duplicate the products and drive small businesses into the dirt. | Big corporations can then duplicate the products and drive small businesses into the dirt. |
| “There is no law stopping that at the moment - we need laws to do that,” Sims said. | “There is no law stopping that at the moment - we need laws to do that,” Sims said. |
| He has also warned of a looming battle over consumer data rights. | He has also warned of a looming battle over consumer data rights. |
| Sims said plans to legislate this right would have far-reaching consequences. | Sims said plans to legislate this right would have far-reaching consequences. |
| “That, I think, will rival tariff reform and the floating of the dollar because it will run throughout the entire economy,” he said. | “That, I think, will rival tariff reform and the floating of the dollar because it will run throughout the entire economy,” he said. |
| “And it will allow people who have got their data with one company to have it transferred to another.” | “And it will allow people who have got their data with one company to have it transferred to another.” |
| Sims said the legislative fix would benefit banking, energy and communications customers. | Sims said the legislative fix would benefit banking, energy and communications customers. |
| “Once you roll that out over the entire economy you’ve got a very powerful force for consumer empowerment and for competition,” he said. | “Once you roll that out over the entire economy you’ve got a very powerful force for consumer empowerment and for competition,” he said. |
| “We’re making sure also there are a lot of privacy safeguards to make sure that the consumer’s data is safe.” | “We’re making sure also there are a lot of privacy safeguards to make sure that the consumer’s data is safe.” |
| Stuart Wiley of submarine builder ASC has revealed that the first he knew of the government setting 2026 as the earliest date for a move of the full-cycle docking submarine sustainment program was when Scott Morrison said it at a press conference. | Stuart Wiley of submarine builder ASC has revealed that the first he knew of the government setting 2026 as the earliest date for a move of the full-cycle docking submarine sustainment program was when Scott Morrison said it at a press conference. |
| When asked at a press conference in February why a decision was yet to be made on the location of submarine maintenance work (at issue is whether it is done in Adelaide or Perth), the prime minister said: “I’m not one to rush these important decisions. I mean, the decision relates to what we’re doing with full-cycle docking in 2026.” | When asked at a press conference in February why a decision was yet to be made on the location of submarine maintenance work (at issue is whether it is done in Adelaide or Perth), the prime minister said: “I’m not one to rush these important decisions. I mean, the decision relates to what we’re doing with full-cycle docking in 2026.” |
| At estimates today, Wiley said: “That really is probably the first time I’d heard indications against a particular one of the options by government.” | At estimates today, Wiley said: “That really is probably the first time I’d heard indications against a particular one of the options by government.” |
| Labor’s Penny Wong asked Mathias Cormann – in his final round of outings at estimates hearings before he leaves the Senate – whether that was an optimal way to run submarine capability. | Labor’s Penny Wong asked Mathias Cormann – in his final round of outings at estimates hearings before he leaves the Senate – whether that was an optimal way to run submarine capability. |
| The finance minister replied: | The finance minister replied: |
| “So you’re now criticising the prime minister because he answered a question from a journalist in South Australia – really? If the prime minister walked on water, you would ask why he can’t swim. I mean, either it’s too much information or not enough information ... I think it was entirely appropriate for the prime minister to answer a question that was put to him by a journalist in South Australia about the issue you’re pursuing with me.” | “So you’re now criticising the prime minister because he answered a question from a journalist in South Australia – really? If the prime minister walked on water, you would ask why he can’t swim. I mean, either it’s too much information or not enough information ... I think it was entirely appropriate for the prime minister to answer a question that was put to him by a journalist in South Australia about the issue you’re pursuing with me.” |
| Cormann sought to clarify the evidence, saying: | Cormann sought to clarify the evidence, saying: |
| “I think you’ll find some of the options and scenarios ASC would be well aware of earliest practical opportunity to make a move if such a decision ... I don’t think it was a complete surprise.” | “I think you’ll find some of the options and scenarios ASC would be well aware of earliest practical opportunity to make a move if such a decision ... I don’t think it was a complete surprise.” |
| That comment from the minister prompted Wiley to say ASC had indeed provided advice to the government about options: | That comment from the minister prompted Wiley to say ASC had indeed provided advice to the government about options: |
| “The advice we provided was that 2026 was, in our opinion, the earliest. But what I was trying to say is that was the first time I’d heard government say those dates. I hadn’t heard it other than from my own advice. So the minister is correct.” | “The advice we provided was that 2026 was, in our opinion, the earliest. But what I was trying to say is that was the first time I’d heard government say those dates. I hadn’t heard it other than from my own advice. So the minister is correct.” |
| It’s 11am for Daniel Andrews 111th consecutive press conference. | It’s 11am for Daniel Andrews 111th consecutive press conference. |
| He’ll be joined by the planning minister, Richard Wynne. | He’ll be joined by the planning minister, Richard Wynne. |
| Just pointing out that it had been reported that the attorney-general Christian Porter had the integrity commission draft bill at the beginning of the year - but delayed the public consultation. | Just pointing out that it had been reported that the attorney-general Christian Porter had the integrity commission draft bill at the beginning of the year - but delayed the public consultation. |
| Moonee Valley racing club CEO Michael Browell said he accepts the “tribe has spoken” over the initial Cox Plate decision. | Moonee Valley racing club CEO Michael Browell said he accepts the “tribe has spoken” over the initial Cox Plate decision. |
| He says he thinks there is a lot of frustration in the community – and it is “not quite ready yet, for a sporting event to welcome back crowds in any capacity”. | He says he thinks there is a lot of frustration in the community – and it is “not quite ready yet, for a sporting event to welcome back crowds in any capacity”. |
| He said it was going to be a “very sterile environment” and “certainly wasn’t going to be a party or celebration” but he accepts everything needs to be virtual. | He said it was going to be a “very sterile environment” and “certainly wasn’t going to be a party or celebration” but he accepts everything needs to be virtual. |
| Labor is pursuing the government in Senate estimates over the still outstanding decision on a major submarine upgrade project known as full-cycle docking. | Labor is pursuing the government in Senate estimates over the still outstanding decision on a major submarine upgrade project known as full-cycle docking. |
| A full-cycle docking involves the maintenance and upgrade of the existing Collins class submarine before the future submarines are ready. A key issue is whether the work will be done in Adelaide or will be moved to Perth – something that carries not just operational considerations but also state-based political implications. | A full-cycle docking involves the maintenance and upgrade of the existing Collins class submarine before the future submarines are ready. A key issue is whether the work will be done in Adelaide or will be moved to Perth – something that carries not just operational considerations but also state-based political implications. |
| Labor’s Penny Wong wants to know why a decision is not yet made, given that the defence minister, Linda Reynolds, signalled at last year’s estimates that a decision would be made by the end of 2019. | Labor’s Penny Wong wants to know why a decision is not yet made, given that the defence minister, Linda Reynolds, signalled at last year’s estimates that a decision would be made by the end of 2019. |
| The finance minister, Mathias Corman, told Wong the government’s position was that a decision would be made “as soon as possible”. He said the government was gathering information to make the best possible decision. | The finance minister, Mathias Corman, told Wong the government’s position was that a decision would be made “as soon as possible”. He said the government was gathering information to make the best possible decision. |
| He said the decision hadn’t been made yet. | He said the decision hadn’t been made yet. |
| Ahhhh, it never stops. If you can repay it, great. But given all the changes that keep being made to the university sector, and student loans – including now more than doubling the cost of an arts degree – sigh. We inch closer to America every day. | Ahhhh, it never stops. If you can repay it, great. But given all the changes that keep being made to the university sector, and student loans – including now more than doubling the cost of an arts degree – sigh. We inch closer to America every day. |
| From Dan Tehan’s office: | From Dan Tehan’s office: |
| And the house is off | And the house is off |
| Meanwhile, over in legal affairs estimates, the committee has heard that Christian Porter was given the draft legislation for the national integrity commission in December 2019 (which we kinda knew) | Meanwhile, over in legal affairs estimates, the committee has heard that Christian Porter was given the draft legislation for the national integrity commission in December 2019 (which we kinda knew) |
| Just a reminder though – this isn’t anything like Icac. The entire thing would be done in secret. You wouldn’t know who was under investigation, when, what the allegations were or if any charges were laid until after a successful prosecution in the court. It would be an offence to make public a charge or that someone was under investigation or in front of the commission. | Just a reminder though – this isn’t anything like Icac. The entire thing would be done in secret. You wouldn’t know who was under investigation, when, what the allegations were or if any charges were laid until after a successful prosecution in the court. It would be an offence to make public a charge or that someone was under investigation or in front of the commission. |
| So yup. | So yup. |
| Criminal jury trials are back in Melbourne. | Criminal jury trials are back in Melbourne. |