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Australia Post CEO stood aside over Cartier watches, and Victoria reports five new coronavirus cases – live Australia politics live: Victoria reports five new coronavirus cases and 400 Melbourne residents given stay-at-home order
(30 minutes later)
Suburbs in Melbourne’s north on high alert after school student tests positive. Follow the latestSuburbs in Melbourne’s north on high alert after school student tests positive. Follow the latest
The CPSU has also responded to the Cartier Australia Post story: Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to Gladys Berejiklian’s earlier demand that Queensland repay NSW the $35m NSW has spent on hotel quarantine for Queenslanders:
Deputy National President Brooke Muscat: Bill Shorten appeared on Afternoon Briefing this afternoon. He was asked if he was concerned with the northern Melbourne suburbs cluster and whether Melboune could handle a third lock down, if that cluster were to get out of control:
Q: You know big business has been concerned that the announcement should already have been made for reopening. Do you think they have been too slow to open?
Shorten:
(No, I don’t have a Bvlgari anything - just a habit of browsing Instagram accounts of things I will never be able to afford in a gazillion years)
And in answer to the person who sent me a message asking about my watch - I have an older model Apple watch that I pay off monthly, because it is impossible to do a daily blog and keep in top of all the messages I receive, without the buzz on my wrist.
For those asking, Christine Holgate did not receive one of the Cartier watches – they went to four senior managers who worked on a project that involved increasing the amount of banking people could do at post offices.
It appears, at least from what I can see here, that Holgate is a Bvlgari fan.
The Community and Public Sector Union has also responded to the Australia Post Cartier story:
The union’s deputy national president Brooke Muscat:
It is clear that the board and the CEO are more concerned with lining their pockets than public services and their workers.It is clear that the board and the CEO are more concerned with lining their pockets than public services and their workers.
This is the latest in a string of dodgy and selfish decisions made by management. Instead of focusing on essential public services, Australia Post has:This is the latest in a string of dodgy and selfish decisions made by management. Instead of focusing on essential public services, Australia Post has:
Frozen workers’ wages;Frozen workers’ wages;
Forced workers to take leave during the Pandemic; Forced workers to take leave during the pandemic;
Misled Parliament and lied about profits;Misled Parliament and lied about profits;
Refused to rule out redundancies;Refused to rule out redundancies;
Failed to act on customer aggression in contact centres Failed to act on customer aggression in contact centres;
Been slow to act on increasing workloads at contact centres; andBeen slow to act on increasing workloads at contact centres; and
Tried to pay themselves fat bonuses in the middle of a pandemic.Tried to pay themselves fat bonuses in the middle of a pandemic.
The union representing Australia Post workers, the CPSU is calling for the resignation of Australia Post CEO and investigation into to the board.The union representing Australia Post workers, the CPSU is calling for the resignation of Australia Post CEO and investigation into to the board.
“Our members having been working harder and longer to help the community in the pandemic, all while taking a pay freeze, and how are they rewarded? Not with a watch or a bonus I can tell you that,” Muscat said in a statement.
“Whether it’s watches in 2018 or big fat bonuses in the middle of a pandemic the Australia Post board and its management are out of touch.”
The Australian Financial Review’s Tom McIlroy has spoken to John Stanhope, who was the Australia Post chairman at the time of the watch purchase.The Australian Financial Review’s Tom McIlroy has spoken to John Stanhope, who was the Australia Post chairman at the time of the watch purchase.
From the Fin story:From the Fin story:
Mr Stanhope told the Australian Financial Review he didn’t remember the purchases. The port of Melbourne chairman said he would cooperate with an investigation by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.Mr Stanhope told the Australian Financial Review he didn’t remember the purchases. The port of Melbourne chairman said he would cooperate with an investigation by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
He said:He said:
The posties’ union has responded to the Cartier story and the request for Christine Holgate to stand aside while it is investigated.The posties’ union has responded to the Cartier story and the request for Christine Holgate to stand aside while it is investigated.
Greg Rayner, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union’s national secretary, said the problems at Australia Post went far deeper than watches and the largesse was a symptom of broader problems at Post and how management was out of touch with workers.Greg Rayner, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union’s national secretary, said the problems at Australia Post went far deeper than watches and the largesse was a symptom of broader problems at Post and how management was out of touch with workers.
After high court officials told Senate estimates that eight former associates and one former staff member had come forward to give more information to the inquiry into Dyson Heydon, we’ve clarified how many of these were new complaints.After high court officials told Senate estimates that eight former associates and one former staff member had come forward to give more information to the inquiry into Dyson Heydon, we’ve clarified how many of these were new complaints.
A high court spokesman said:A high court spokesman said:
Australia Post paid dividends of about $28m in the last financial year to its one and only shareholder: the government (therefore part of taxpayer consolidated revenue).Australia Post paid dividends of about $28m in the last financial year to its one and only shareholder: the government (therefore part of taxpayer consolidated revenue).
We heard in estimates that it paid close to $100m in bonuses. Of that, just over $21m went to frontline workers – the posties. Most of the rest went to managers and executives.We heard in estimates that it paid close to $100m in bonuses. Of that, just over $21m went to frontline workers – the posties. Most of the rest went to managers and executives.
That’s the problem with government business enterprises: they are run as if they are part of the private sector. But they are owned by the taxpayer.That’s the problem with government business enterprises: they are run as if they are part of the private sector. But they are owned by the taxpayer.
So it’s a weird grey zone where people from the private sector are brought in to run the organisation, and they run it as if it were a private corporation – which is what it is set up to run like – but it is accountable to the government.So it’s a weird grey zone where people from the private sector are brought in to run the organisation, and they run it as if it were a private corporation – which is what it is set up to run like – but it is accountable to the government.
Meanwhile, in Macquarie Street ...Meanwhile, in Macquarie Street ...
Kath Sullivan does great work in this space (as does Lucy Barbour).Kath Sullivan does great work in this space (as does Lucy Barbour).
Victoria Health has released its official update:
More than 500 people in a number of northern suburbs have been advised to isolate to assist in controlling an outbreak of coronavirus.
In addition, any residents of the northern suburbs including Dallas, Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows, Preston and West Heidelberg who are experiencing symptoms are being urged to be tested for coronavirus.
All of today’s five new cases are linked to these northern suburbs.
This advice follows the notification of a positive test result of a student who attended the East Preston Islamic College.
The college has taken positive steps to manage this situation and has been closed for deep cleaning. Staff and students who are close contacts - and their households - have been identified and are quarantining for 14 days.
A number of people related to the outbreak are observing quarantine requirements either at home or as part of the Covid-19 accommodation program and are being monitored by Austin Health and Banyule Community Health.
Extensive contact tracing is underway and we expect that as part of this work, additional cases will be detected.
Testing in the northern suburbs is available at:
Broadmeadows Central shopping centre at north carpark 1099–1169 Pascoe Vale Rd, Broadmeadows, from 9am-5pm.
Coolaroo Respiratory Centre at 512 Barry St, Coolaroo, from 9am–5pm.
Melbourne airport, terminal 4, level 2 (Mercer Dv exit off Tullamarine Fwy) from 9am–5pm.
Craigieburn Health Service, 274–304 Craigieburn Rd, from 9am–5pm.
Highlands Hotel at 301 Grand Blvd, Craigieburn, from 9.30am-4.30pm.
Austin Hospital at 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, from 8am–8pm.
Banyule Community Health at 21 Alamein Rd, Heidelberg West, from 10am–4pm.
Banyule Community Health at 14–32 Civic Drive, Greensborough, from 9am–4pm.
Northland shopping centre at Target carpark via Murray Rd, Preston, from 9am-5pm.
CB Smith Reserve at 79 Jukes Rd, Fawkner from 9am–4pm.
Tim Watts is asking on behalf of the Victorian MPs what the arrangements are for Victorian MPs in the coming sitting.
If they are to come, they will have to go into quarantine at home, now.
Tony Smith says it is under discussion – and the parliament is following the health advice.
Liberal senator Claire Chandler is on the attack over Australian Human Rights Commission’s guidelines about transgender people’s inclusion in sport.Chandler’s concerns seem to be:
The commission concluded that participation should be based on a person’s affirmed gender identity not their sex as assigned at birth.
A statement that there is “limited research on impact of testosterone on transgender athletes performance”, which she disagrees with.
The sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins, said the document was not a medical document, it was advice to sporting clubs and codes about the Sex Discrimination Act.
Jenkins said there was an exemption relating to allowing discrimination for participation in sporting activity where “strength, stamina and physique are relevant”, which “does allow for single-sex sporting activities”.
It’s also Labor WA MP Patrick Gorman’s last day in the chamber for a while - he is about to take paternity leave.
Scott Morrison calls time on question time.
He then, on indulgence, sends well-wishes to all the teams playing grand finals - yes, including the women.
Anthony Albanese does the same thing.
Richard Marles to Scott Morrison:
Can the prime minister confirm, the [Leppington triangle sale] was referred to police, Home Affairs is investigating a scandal, taxpayer funded research by an ex- Liberal Party pollster has been shared with his office, his office recommended a long-term Liberal Party associate for a lucrative government contract and Australia Post spent $12,000 on Cartier watches?
Morrison:
Anthony Albanese:
Morrison:
Tony Smith: I just say to the Prime Minister you are now moving away from relating your material to the question.
Morrison:
You can lead a horse to water ...
Shot
Chaser
Terri Butler asks Scott Morrison how there has been no time for a national integrity commission, but there was time for him to campaign for the LNP in Queensland for a week, including attending fundraisers.
Morrison was very thrilled to go to Queensland and talk the budget, don’t you know. It was all very important work.
Because Thursdays are the worst, we get more Michael McCormack.
Catherine King:
Are there any probity, integrity or corruption issues relating to western Sydney airport land?
McCormack:
That last line has been said so many times this week, I was able to speak along with it.