Teal MPs want action on Albanese ‘too-hard basket’
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Crossbenchers have condemned the Albanese government’s failure to respond to scores of parliamentary inquiries, decrying it as disrespectful to the parliament, the public and “genuinely not good enough”.
The independent MPs appeared at a press conference on Tuesday morning holding “Albanese’s too hard basket” – a literal basket filled with committee reports that have been ignored for months after the findings were published.
Procedure requires that the government responds within six months of the report’s tabling.
Among the pile was the late Peta Murphy’s inquiry into gambling advertising as well as reports on terrorism, migration, financial security in domestic violence and the use of artificial intelligence in education.
Independent senator David Pocock carries a basket named ‘Albanese’s too hard basket’ full of government reports after a press conference. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
The Curtin MP, Kate Chaney, said:
double quotation markWe need to make sure that these inquiries are not the place that important issues go to die, and that’s why we are standing here today to really put a spotlight on the failure of this government to deal with the important policy issues that Australia cares about.
The Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender, said the delay in responding to the inquiries called into question the integrity of the Albanese government.
double quotation markThe prime minister said he wanted to increase trust in government and trust in the parliament, but this is deeply cynical when you don’t respond to reports that you commission yourself. These are inquiries the government commissioned [and] said these are important issues. They didn’t give the country the courtesy of a response.
Updated at 19.25 EST
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Nick Visser
Almost every scheduled flight from Qatar and the UAE has been cancelled in recent days
Cirium, an aviation analytics company, released data showing almost all flights from Qatar and the UAE were cancelled on 1 and 2 March.
Yesterday, Qatar cancelled 96% of scheduled flights and the UAE cancelled nearly 94%.
Nearby countries also had major cancellations, including Bahrain (100%), Israel (95%), Kuwait (91%), Jordan (76%) and Lebanon (67%).
Saudi Arabia only had 22% of flights cancelled.
ShareNick Visser
Virgin Australia cancels six Middle East flights and Emirates to resume ‘limited’ routes
Virgin Australia, which partners with Qatar Airways, has cancelled six more flights into and out of Doha, Qatar, today as airspace over the country remains closed. Routes between Doha and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth are all subject to cancellations, with affected guests contacted directly about their travel options.
Emirates, a major carrier for Australians, said it will resume a “limited number of flights” beginning Tuesday evening. Customers with earlier bookings are being accommodated as a priority.
All flights from Sydney to Dubai are cancelled today, but an evening flight from Melbourne is still scheduled as planned. It’s unclear if it will go ahead, and Guardian Australia has reached out to Emirates for comment. Customers have been told not to head to the airport “unless you have been notified”.
All of Etihad’s commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2pm UAE time on Wednesday.
Qantas does not operate any aircraft into Middle Eastern airports. The flag carrier has a number of flight paths to Europe that are reviewed regularly based on safety and weather concerns.
Emirates said it would resume a ‘limited number of flights’ beginning Tuesday evening. Photograph: Toby Melville/ReutersShare
Updated at 19.28 EST
Wage gap report shows ‘progress’, Gallagher says
The finance minister and minister for women, Katy Gallagher says the release of the third report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows “progress and movement in the right direction”, but concedes many will say it’s still not happening fast enough.
Minister for finance and women, Katy Gallagher. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
The report covers 10,500 employers and more than 5.9 million workers, and Gallagher, speaking to the media at parliament this morning, says she believes the reports are helping to lower the pay gap.
She adds that wage increases for highly feminised industries including aged care and childcare are also making a difference.
double quotation markWe know more employers are now within the target range. The majority have reduced their gender pay gap compared to last year. Around half of employers now have an average total remuneration gender pay gap below 11.2% and more organisations, importantly, are actively analysing their data and consulting employees to inform action on gender equality,
Updated at 19.21 EST
Penry Buckley
Minns say distinctive silos being demolished for development ‘weren’t built by the Romans’
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has rejected the idea that industrial silos being demolished to build 8,500 new homes in inner Sydney have architectural value, indicating that further sites in the city may have to come down to build more housing.
As we reported today, the state government has announced plans for a new inner Sydney suburb, to be known as Bays West, through the conversion of the government-owned Glebe Island, Sydney’s last working industrial port.
It means Sydneysiders will farewell the distinctive 1970s silos viewable from Anzac Bridge, which are currently used for cement and sugar storage, as well as advertising space.
Former industrial silos in other parts of the inner west have been successfully converted into housing, including in Newtown and Dulwich Hill.
But at a press conference this morning, Minns told reporters the silos were “gross” and “need to come down”.
double quotation markThe truth of the matter is, some of the heritage lunatics in Sydney can’t slap one of these heritage orders on something that’s younger than [crown lands minister] Steve [Kamper]. We have to be realistic. We have to be realistic about Sydney’s future. They weren’t built by the Romans … they genuinely have been put up in recent times.
And I think we’ve got to be serious about where and what we use precious land close to Sydney for. We can’t have a situation where everything is treated as if it’s the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, or ancient and important parts of Sydney’s architectural heritage. This isn’t one of them, and there are other things in Sydney that need to come down for a bit of progress, parks are more important than ugly silos.
An artist’s impression of the Bays West precinct redevelopment in Sydney. Photograph: State of New South WalesShare
Updated at 19.11 EST
Benita Kolovos
Allan says mourning of ayatolla ‘not appropriate’
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says planning by a small number of Melbourne mosques and Islamic centres to mourn the death of Iran’s supreme leader are “not appropriate”.
During her earlier press conference she said:
double quotation markThis is the Iranian regime is an oppressive regime that’s caused great hurt and harm here in our communities, here in Melbourne, and I don’t believe those actions are appropriate.
Allan said her government stood with the Iranian community, many of whom have “chosen to come here to Melbourne and Victoria to escape an oppressive regime”.
double quotation markThe ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to cause grief and hurt for communities here. My focus will always be on supporting those communities.
Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, in Melbourne on Tuesday. Photograph: James Ross/AAPShare
Updated at 19.00 EST
In pictures: Angus Taylor leads his first party room
Deputy leader of the opposition, Jane Hume, leader of the opposition, Angus Taylor, and Nationals leader David Littleproud (behind) arrive at a Coalition joint party room meeting. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPAll smiles from deputy opposition leader and Angus Taylor as they address the party room. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPSarah Henderson (right) looking pretty chuffed following her return to the frontbench. She’s alongside Michaelia Cash (middle) and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (left) who also received a shadow ministry promotion. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 18.49 EST
Teal MPs want action on Albanese ‘too-hard basket’Dan Jervis-Bardy
Crossbenchers have condemned the Albanese government’s failure to respond to scores of parliamentary inquiries, decrying it as disrespectful to the parliament, the public and “genuinely not good enough”.
The independent MPs appeared at a press conference on Tuesday morning holding “Albanese’s too hard basket” – a literal basket filled with committee reports that have been ignored for months after the findings were published.
Procedure requires that the government responds within six months of the report’s tabling.
Among the pile was the late Peta Murphy’s inquiry into gambling advertising as well as reports on terrorism, migration, financial security in domestic violence and the use of artificial intelligence in education.
Independent senator David Pocock carries a basket named ‘Albanese’s too hard basket’ full of government reports after a press conference. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
The Curtin MP, Kate Chaney, said:
double quotation markWe need to make sure that these inquiries are not the place that important issues go to die, and that’s why we are standing here today to really put a spotlight on the failure of this government to deal with the important policy issues that Australia cares about.
The Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender, said the delay in responding to the inquiries called into question the integrity of the Albanese government.
double quotation markThe prime minister said he wanted to increase trust in government and trust in the parliament, but this is deeply cynical when you don’t respond to reports that you commission yourself. These are inquiries the government commissioned [and] said these are important issues. They didn’t give the country the courtesy of a response.
Updated at 19.25 EST
Benita Kolovos
Victorian treasurer says she’s ‘factoring potentially another rate rise’
The Victorian treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, was asked at an earlier press conference about the possibility of another interest rate hike in this month.
The RBA governor, Michele Bullock said this morning the prospect of a rate hike at the next meeting in two weeks was “live”.
Symes says it’s “really difficult to forecast” whether it will happen, given the war in the Middle East.
double quotation markObviously, the latest announcement from the RBA for a rate hike was certainly not welcome news for working people in Victoria. It obviously adds to those cost-of-living pressures right now. Geopolitical influences probably make it really difficult to forecast what would be next.
Having said that, because of inflation, because of things, where things have been headed, of course, we’re factoring potentially another rate rise. I think given the uncertainty at the moment, what that will do to inflation and where that goes in relation to future interest rates we’ll have to wait and see.
Updated at 18.27 EST
What is the Al Minhad airbase?
Defence minister and deputy PM, Richard Marles, this morning confirmed the Al Minhad airbase, where more than 100 Australian personnel are stationed, was hit by drones over the weekend.
Marles said all personnel are safe and accounted for.
Al Minhad is a host nation operational military base where Australia has headquartered its operations in the Middle East since 2003.
The Defence department has called the base a “home away from home” for ADF personnel in the region.
Defence says that since the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Australia has maintained a smaller force at the airbase, “focused on strategic access and regional crisis response”.
Updated at 18.22 EST
UAE confirms it is providing accommodation and meals to stranded Australians
Tom McIlroy
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has spoken with her counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Wong used the call to express Australia’s solidarity with the UAE and to engage on efforts to support Australians caught up in global travel disruptions.
The deputy prime minister confirmed the UAE was working hard to safely put on flights for travellers currently held up by drone attacks and airspace closures.
He confirmed that Australians affected by travel disruptions in the UAE are being accommodated and provided meals by the UAE.
Here at home, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working through thousands of registrations from the UAE to confirm registrants’ situation and welfare.
“I express my deepest thanks to His Highness for the United Arab Emirates’ support for Australians,” Wong said in a statement.
double quotation markWe appreciate the UAE’s generosity and we will continue to work with them and the region to ensure the safety and security of Australians.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working around the clock to provide assistance to Australians.
Australia condemns the Iranian regime’s indiscriminate and reckless attacks on the UAE including on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Updated at 18.21 EST
Angus Taylor gees up his new party room
Tuesdays means party room meetings, where leaders address their caucus, give them a gee up, answer questions from their members, and discuss party tactics.
It’s Angus Taylor’s first time hosting a party room meeting as the new leader, so he’s let the cameras in for his opening address.
He starts off talking about strengthening the party ahead of the next election:
double quotation markThe strength of the Coalition is absolutely central to making sure we take a strong offering to the next election and that we have a strongest run.
He then goes into attack mode on Labor, that it’s not doing enough to combat inflation, that energy bills are rising, and that not enough homes are being built.
He also gives us another forward sizzle that he will fight against any changes to the capital gains tax exemption and negative gearing.
double quotation markWe were told by this government that they were going to build 1.2 million houses, they’re not, they’ve put the CFMEU in charge, and they’re not going to even get close to their targets. And now we learn they’re going to put extra taxes on housing. Well, if you want more houses, you don’t put extra taxes.
Leader of the opposition, Angus Taylor, at a Coalition joint party room meeting on Tuesday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 19.30 EST
Benita Kolovos
Victoria to regulate the right to work from home two days a week
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, have held a press conference this morning to announce businesses – regardless of size – would be covered by government’s plan to regulate a right to work from home two days a week.
Allan said the policy was good for productivity and increase worried participation rates. She said:
double quotation markIt’s not just the hours that someone works, or how they work during those hours, it’s about getting more people back in the workforce. This is a measure that gets more women back into the workforce, I’m going to back those women.
Symes provided her own personal reflection on this:
double quotation markWhen I returned to work, I was asked to work four days a week, got paid for four days a week. I worked five. There was chocolate and Peppa Pig for my kids while I was working that fifth day, but getting paid for four. That is the story of working women for too long.
She added it was not the first time employers had rallied against workplace rights that are now universally accepted:
double quotation markThe reason I got into politics was off the back of Work Choices. Most of you are probably too young to remember AWAs – it was where the employer could sit down with the employee and strip away their rights because it suited their business. We are at the forefront of this particular policy, but this will not be new and interesting in 10 years’ time. Look at OHS laws, look at penalty rates, look at all the things that employers – not all – have rallied against.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan (right), looks on as the treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, speaks to media in Melbourne on Tuesday. Photograph: James Ross/AAPShare
Updated at 17.46 EST