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| Australia politics live update: new Covid variant Omicron detected in Sydney as government asks for review of booster shot timings; NSW floods worsen | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the news live | Follow all the news live |
| 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. | |
| Stoker: | |
| 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: | 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. |
| The health minister starts his press conference with an update of Australia’s vaccination progress as well as the booster program. | The health minister starts his press conference with an update of Australia’s vaccination progress as well as the booster program. |
| He then moves into a recap of what has been done: | He then moves into a recap of what has been done: |
| The Omicron Covid variant has been ruffling investors globally but it seems the panic button’s not been pressed in Australia yet despite the first cases turning up over the weekend. | The Omicron Covid variant has been ruffling investors globally but it seems the panic button’s not been pressed in Australia yet despite the first cases turning up over the weekend. |
| The ASX200 benchmark share index did dive at the opening, losing more than 1%. But after two goes at breaking 7200 point mark, it has bounced back, paring losses to about 0.5% for the day. | The ASX200 benchmark share index did dive at the opening, losing more than 1%. But after two goes at breaking 7200 point mark, it has bounced back, paring losses to about 0.5% for the day. |
| Still, other markets, such as Japan’s Nikkei is due to open about 1.9% lower, according to Reuters, so there’s still some nervousness around. | Still, other markets, such as Japan’s Nikkei is due to open about 1.9% lower, according to Reuters, so there’s still some nervousness around. |
| Oil prices are also clawing back some of their losses, another sign that the fear factor has eased from late last week. | Oil prices are also clawing back some of their losses, another sign that the fear factor has eased from late last week. |
| Of interest to Australians, or course, are interest rates. Omicron’s emergence on Friday sent US Treasury bills lower by the most since March 2020 when the threat of Covid began to emerge. That concern has also moderated a bit today. | Of interest to Australians, or course, are interest rates. Omicron’s emergence on Friday sent US Treasury bills lower by the most since March 2020 when the threat of Covid began to emerge. That concern has also moderated a bit today. |
| Australians, meanwhile, have been flocking to the regions. New data from CoreLogic showed 24 of 25 areas sampled showed at least a double-digit increase in the past year in property prices. Half of the regions posted rises of at least 20%. | Australians, meanwhile, have been flocking to the regions. New data from CoreLogic showed 24 of 25 areas sampled showed at least a double-digit increase in the past year in property prices. Half of the regions posted rises of at least 20%. |
| The best performing regional areas were the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region in NSW, recording an annual growth rate in house values of 35.9%, followed by the Richmond – Tweed region in northern NSW (32.8%) and Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, which recorded an annual growth rate of 32.3%, CoreLogics said. | The best performing regional areas were the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region in NSW, recording an annual growth rate in house values of 35.9%, followed by the Richmond – Tweed region in northern NSW (32.8%) and Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, which recorded an annual growth rate of 32.3%, CoreLogics said. |
| Laggards included Queensland’s Townsville, where houses rose by 8% in price in the year, while those in New England and north-west NSW took the longest to sell, averaging about 62 days on the market. | Laggards included Queensland’s Townsville, where houses rose by 8% in price in the year, while those in New England and north-west NSW took the longest to sell, averaging about 62 days on the market. |
| The Northern Territory rights bill debate is momentarily adjourned and the Senate moves on to a health insurance legislation amendment. | The Northern Territory rights bill debate is momentarily adjourned and the Senate moves on to a health insurance legislation amendment. |
| For those with one eye on the Hunter river at the moment. | For those with one eye on the Hunter river at the moment. |
| Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy says she does not personally support voluntary assisted dying (which the NT rights bill focuses on) but she thinks the territory should have the rights to set its own laws. | Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy says she does not personally support voluntary assisted dying (which the NT rights bill focuses on) but she thinks the territory should have the rights to set its own laws. |
| Zed Seselja has switched the ensuring Northern Territory rights bill (Sam McMahon’s private members bill) to what it would mean for the ACT – and he is not a fan. | Zed Seselja has switched the ensuring Northern Territory rights bill (Sam McMahon’s private members bill) to what it would mean for the ACT – and he is not a fan. |
| Greg Hunt will be holding a press conference at 11.30. | Greg Hunt will be holding a press conference at 11.30. |
| The royal commission into veteran suicide begins today in Brisbane. | The royal commission into veteran suicide begins today in Brisbane. |
| AAP has a recap: | AAP has a recap: |
| A suicidologist and the mother of an army veteran who took his own life will be the first witness to appear at the royal commission into veteran suicide at its first round of public hearings. | A suicidologist and the mother of an army veteran who took his own life will be the first witness to appear at the royal commission into veteran suicide at its first round of public hearings. |
| Nikki Jamieson will join a panel of experts to give evidence about her own experience, following the death her son Daniel in 2014 and her subsequent work as a university researcher into the impact of “moral injury” within veteran communities. | Nikki Jamieson will join a panel of experts to give evidence about her own experience, following the death her son Daniel in 2014 and her subsequent work as a university researcher into the impact of “moral injury” within veteran communities. |
| Evidence from veterans and their families will be the main focus in the first two weeks of the wide-ranging inquiry being held at the Brisbane Convention Centre from Monday. | Evidence from veterans and their families will be the main focus in the first two weeks of the wide-ranging inquiry being held at the Brisbane Convention Centre from Monday. |
| The commission has flagged its landmark inquiry into Australia’s defence force culture will include confronting accounts of life in the service, including bullying, “concerns over the treatment of women”, sexual and physical assaults and ritual hazing of new recruits. | The commission has flagged its landmark inquiry into Australia’s defence force culture will include confronting accounts of life in the service, including bullying, “concerns over the treatment of women”, sexual and physical assaults and ritual hazing of new recruits. |
| Evidence will also be heard about the challenges of accessing mental health support after deployment and “the loss of identity and community” after transitioning to civilian life. | Evidence will also be heard about the challenges of accessing mental health support after deployment and “the loss of identity and community” after transitioning to civilian life. |
| Chair of the inquiry, commissioner Nick Kaldas, said on Friday he and his two fellow commissioners believe it is a “once in a generation opportunity for lasting, fundamental change” to tackle the suicide crisis. | Chair of the inquiry, commissioner Nick Kaldas, said on Friday he and his two fellow commissioners believe it is a “once in a generation opportunity for lasting, fundamental change” to tackle the suicide crisis. |
| Commissioner and psychiatrist Peggy Brown added that “while I don’t believe that any government department ... in Australia sets out to fail, or to lack compassion, there can be no doubt that systemic issues are contributing to the suicide deaths of our defence members and veterans.” | Commissioner and psychiatrist Peggy Brown added that “while I don’t believe that any government department ... in Australia sets out to fail, or to lack compassion, there can be no doubt that systemic issues are contributing to the suicide deaths of our defence members and veterans.” |
| “That is something this royal commission must change – absolutely.” | “That is something this royal commission must change – absolutely.” |
| Labor’s ploy worked. | Labor’s ploy worked. |
| Labor has worked with the crossbench to bring this forward – the bill belongs to Country Liberal party MP Sam McMahon, but it was dropped by the government last week in exchange for Pauline Hanson’s anti-vaccine mandate bill (which the government didn’t support, but five government senators, including McMahon crossed the floor on). | Labor has worked with the crossbench to bring this forward – the bill belongs to Country Liberal party MP Sam McMahon, but it was dropped by the government last week in exchange for Pauline Hanson’s anti-vaccine mandate bill (which the government didn’t support, but five government senators, including McMahon crossed the floor on). |