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| Australia politics live update: new Covid variant Omicron detected in Sydney and NT as government asks for review of booster shot timings; NSW floods worsen | Australia politics live update: new Covid variant Omicron detected in Sydney and NT as government asks for review of booster shot timings; NSW floods worsen |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the news live | Follow all the news live |
| First Nations Justice campaign director Larissa Baldwin to the Senate’s Beetaloo vote has responded to the failure of the senate to disallow the public funding for fracking exploration: | |
| More hearing locations have been announced for the royal commission into veteran suicides: | |
| The royal commission into defence and veteran suicide has announced public hearings will be conducted in Sydney, Canberra, Townsville and Wagga Wagga. | |
| More details will be available once dates have been confirmed.The announcement was made in Brisbane today, at the first public hearing to hear evidence from witnesses.In his opening address, counsel assisting the royal commission, Kevin Connor SC, said for many veterans, defence service was an “enriching experience from which they progressed to other fulfilling roles and careers”.“Unfortunately for others, this is not their reality. They suffer and their families and loved ones suffer.”Connor revealed two public hearings will take place in Sydney, in February and March. The February hearing will run for 10 days.Connor also confirmed the royal commission would conduct hearings in locations where ADF facilities were located.These include: | |
| Wagga Wagga, where the army recruit training centre is located Kapooka | |
| Townsville, where the Lavarack army barracks and a Royal Australian Air Force Base are located. | |
| Canberra, which is home to the Royal Military College Duntroon, the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs. | |
| Less then an hour until QT and we have only heard from the prime minister in two commercial TV breakfast interviews this morning. | |
| We’ve heard even less from Anthony Albanese. Seems like everyone needs a bit of a break. | |
| As expected: | |
| Katharine Murphy has an update on the Kate Jenkins review into parliament workplace culture: | Katharine Murphy has an update on the Kate Jenkins review into parliament workplace culture: |
| The Australian Human Rights Commission has agreed to brief the former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins before it hands over the much-anticipated review into whether parliament house has a toxic workplace culture to the Morrison government. | The Australian Human Rights Commission has agreed to brief the former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins before it hands over the much-anticipated review into whether parliament house has a toxic workplace culture to the Morrison government. |
| Guardian Australia understands the commission initially flagged Higgins would not be briefed until the final report was made public by tabling in parliament. This is despite the former Coalition adviser being the catalyst for the investigation. | Guardian Australia understands the commission initially flagged Higgins would not be briefed until the final report was made public by tabling in parliament. This is despite the former Coalition adviser being the catalyst for the investigation. |
| But that position has shifted in recent days. | But that position has shifted in recent days. |
| The briefing is imminent, because the report is due to be handed to the Morrison government on 30 November. | The briefing is imminent, because the report is due to be handed to the Morrison government on 30 November. |
| The Greens are again attempting to disallow the public funding for fracking in the Beetaloo Basin – Labor has not been supporting these motions in the past, so this won’t have the numbers to pass. | The Greens are again attempting to disallow the public funding for fracking in the Beetaloo Basin – Labor has not been supporting these motions in the past, so this won’t have the numbers to pass. |
| It is certainly a slower start to the parliamentary week than it was last Monday – looks like there has been a bit of work done behind the scenes to corral the ‘rebels’ and bring about at least the appearance of unity within the government. | It is certainly a slower start to the parliamentary week than it was last Monday – looks like there has been a bit of work done behind the scenes to corral the ‘rebels’ and bring about at least the appearance of unity within the government. |
| The Northern Territory has reported its first case of a traveller testing positive for the Omicron Covid variant – they are in quarantine and have been since arriving in Australia on 25 November. | The Northern Territory has reported its first case of a traveller testing positive for the Omicron Covid variant – they are in quarantine and have been since arriving in Australia on 25 November. |
| There have been two more local cases which have brought the local Katherine cluster to 58. | There have been two more local cases which have brought the local Katherine cluster to 58. |
| Lots of economic data out this week, headlined by Wednesday’s release of September quarter Gross Domestic Product. Since the Morrison government’s handling of the economy will likely be central come next year’s election, the pace of the recovery will be scrutinised closely. | Lots of economic data out this week, headlined by Wednesday’s release of September quarter Gross Domestic Product. Since the Morrison government’s handling of the economy will likely be central come next year’s election, the pace of the recovery will be scrutinised closely. |
| The figures when they land will likely show Australia posted its second-biggest quarter-on-quarter drop on record, in the order of 3%. The only bigger dive came in the June quarter of 2020, when the economy shrank 7% as the first wave of Covid crested. | The figures when they land will likely show Australia posted its second-biggest quarter-on-quarter drop on record, in the order of 3%. The only bigger dive came in the June quarter of 2020, when the economy shrank 7% as the first wave of Covid crested. |
| The quarter just finished, in other words, with be the second big dip, and the rebound now under way is the final leg of a “W-shaped” economy. Whether we get a third downward leg with the Omicron variety omniscient, we’ll have to see. | The quarter just finished, in other words, with be the second big dip, and the rebound now under way is the final leg of a “W-shaped” economy. Whether we get a third downward leg with the Omicron variety omniscient, we’ll have to see. |
| A couple of stats out today give us more of a clue how bad Wednesday’s overall GDP growth figures will look. Inventories held by companies fell 1.9% for the quarter, a not-unexpected drop but worse than the median market forecast of no change, according to Westpac (which tipped a 1.1% retreat). That discrepancy will have a few economists pencilling in a bigger September quarter GDP drop. | A couple of stats out today give us more of a clue how bad Wednesday’s overall GDP growth figures will look. Inventories held by companies fell 1.9% for the quarter, a not-unexpected drop but worse than the median market forecast of no change, according to Westpac (which tipped a 1.1% retreat). That discrepancy will have a few economists pencilling in a bigger September quarter GDP drop. |
| More promising, though, was a 4% increase in company profits. Westpac had predicted a 5% rise, but the market was only expecting 2.3%. | More promising, though, was a 4% increase in company profits. Westpac had predicted a 5% rise, but the market was only expecting 2.3%. |
| And who should companies address their Christmas cards of thanks to? Taxpayers, apparently, since our subsidies bolstered that famous bottom line. | And who should companies address their Christmas cards of thanks to? Taxpayers, apparently, since our subsidies bolstered that famous bottom line. |
| “The public sector is using its balance sheet to support the balance sheet of the private sector – households and businesses – to assist them in navigating the lockdowns,” Westpac concluded in a quick note accompanying today’s numbers. | “The public sector is using its balance sheet to support the balance sheet of the private sector – households and businesses – to assist them in navigating the lockdowns,” Westpac concluded in a quick note accompanying today’s numbers. |
| Amanda Stoker also spoke to streamed radio station Australia Today, where she was asked about why the prime minister is so against the NSW Icac (this was after his verbal explosion against the anti-corruption commission in parliament last week, while defending former NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian). | Amanda Stoker also spoke to streamed radio station Australia Today, where she was asked about why the prime minister is so against the NSW Icac (this was after his verbal explosion against the anti-corruption commission in parliament last week, while defending former NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian). |
| Here is what Stoker said: | Here is what Stoker said: |
| Once again, Icac investigates. Not all of it is done in public. It does not pass judgement, it does not lay charges. It hands over its report and recommendations to public prosecutors, who make those decisions. It was the same process used with Eddie Obeid, who the prime minister has also been bringing up lately, but in the context of how Labor should be embarrassed. | Once again, Icac investigates. Not all of it is done in public. It does not pass judgement, it does not lay charges. It hands over its report and recommendations to public prosecutors, who make those decisions. It was the same process used with Eddie Obeid, who the prime minister has also been bringing up lately, but in the context of how Labor should be embarrassed. |
| Anyone who has been through an investigation of any kind knows how uncomfortable and public they can be. Police investigations can also play out publicly, and we have seen recent examples of that. Icac is not doing anything different. | Anyone who has been through an investigation of any kind knows how uncomfortable and public they can be. Police investigations can also play out publicly, and we have seen recent examples of that. Icac is not doing anything different. |
| The assistant minister to the attorney general, Amanda Stoker, spoke to Sky News overnight where she was asked about the new social media legislation Scott Morrison wants everyone to focus on. | The assistant minister to the attorney general, Amanda Stoker, spoke to Sky News overnight where she was asked about the new social media legislation Scott Morrison wants everyone to focus on. |
| There was this bit, which states what the legislation is actually about. The government is focussing on children and women in its sell of the legislation – but it’s actually all about defamation actions. Which, given the expense, is not an option for the vast majority of people. | There was this bit, which states what the legislation is actually about. The government is focussing on children and women in its sell of the legislation – but it’s actually all about defamation actions. Which, given the expense, is not an option for the vast majority of people. |
| Stoker: | Stoker: |
| So no major changes as yet. It’s a watch and wait situation, as more information is gathered. | So no major changes as yet. It’s a watch and wait situation, as more information is gathered. |
| Greg Hunt finishes on this: | Greg Hunt finishes on this: |
| Greg Hunt: | Greg Hunt: |
| Will there be a change in when people receive their boosters? A shorter time period? | Will there be a change in when people receive their boosters? A shorter time period? |
| Greg Hunt on Atagi: | Greg Hunt on Atagi: |
| Prof Paul Kelly on what they know so far about the variant: | Prof Paul Kelly on what they know so far about the variant: |
| Chief health minister professor Paul Kelly then steps up: | Chief health minister professor Paul Kelly then steps up: |
| So far there is nothing new in this press conference – Greg Hunt is going through what we already know: | So far there is nothing new in this press conference – Greg Hunt is going through what we already know: |
| Vaccination rates. | Vaccination rates. |
| Booster program. | Booster program. |
| Quarantine for certain travellers. | Quarantine for certain travellers. |
| National cabinet in the next 48 hours. | National cabinet in the next 48 hours. |
| Waiting for more information on the variant. | Waiting for more information on the variant. |