Key posts
Today’s headlines at a glance
By Amelia McGuire
That’s where we’ll leave today’s live news coverage.
Here’s a summary of the major headlines:
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed former prime minister Scott Morrison was secretly appointed to five additional portfolios while he was leader of the country. Albanese said he’s open to laws that ensure public disclosure when a minister is sworn into a portfolio to prevent this happening again. Morrison’s extra portfolios were as follows:
- The Department of Health from March 14, 2020;
- The Department of Finance from March 30, 2020;
- The Department of Home Affairs from May 6, 2021;
- The Department of Treasury from May 6, 2021; and
- The Department of Industry and Science from April 15, 2021.
- Morrison issued an apology for his failure to disclose the additional appointments during his leadership but maintained he considered it necessary at the time due to the pandemic. “For any offence to my colleagues, I apologise. I led an outstanding team who did an excellent job and provided me great service and loyalty as ministers,” Morrison said.
- NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet outlined the changes recommended by the review of John Barilaro’s New York trade job. The recommendations include a number of amendments to the Government Sector Employment Act, including the creation of a code of ethics and conduct for the public sector. The government supports 12 of the 13 recommendations.
An independent authority will be set up to help the Victorian government negotiate treaties with First Nations people after a bill passed the parliament on Tuesday evening, 32 votes to three. Victoria is the first state or territory in the country to act on the voice, treaty and truth elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Broede Carmody will be back bright and early tomorrow morning to bring you the news as it breaks.
Thank you for reading.
Good night.
Latest posts
Morrison’s mystery ministries
Here’s a handy guide for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to get up to speed with former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret roles and who knew about them.
Someone has also taken the time to update Morrison’s Wikipedia page with his five extra ministries.
Victoria passes bill to create independent authority for First Nations people
By Sumeyya Ilanbey
An independent authority will be set up to help the Victorian government negotiate treaties with First Nations people in an Australian-first after a bill passed the parliament on Tuesday evening.
Indigenous elder and co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson said the treaty was a chance to “finally address the racist legacy of invasion” and begin the process of building a better future for Aboriginal Victorians.
Members of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria visited the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday to watch a bill being passed to establish a Treaty Authority.Credit:Justin McManus
“We’re going to try to level the playing field,” Atkinson said. “We are making great progress here in Victoria: our people have a voice in us, the Assembly, we have truth [telling] underway and treaty is very much within our reach.”
The vote passed Tuesday evening 32 votes to 3. Bernie Finn, Tim Quilty and David Limbrick voted against the bill. Liberal MP Bev McArthur abstained
Victoria is the first state or territory in the country to act on the voice, treaty and truth elements of the Uluru Statement from the heart.
The Treaty Authority will be an independent umpire to facilitate treaty negotiations and resolve disputes between the government and Aboriginal Victorians, as well as between different traditional owner groups over contested land. It will be the first of its kind in Australia.
It is the first in a three-step process of treaty negotiations. The next steps will be a treaty negotiation framework and developing a model for a self-determination fund to support traditional owners to enter negotiations with the government.
When the process is complete, formal treaty negotiations can begin.
The Authority, composed of five First Nations people, will have its funding insulated from the usual political cycle and will not be required to report to a minister.
It will have a $65.5 million budget over four years, with additional funding available between now and 2026. It will receive $20.3 million for each financial year beyond 2026 until a statewide treaty is achieved.
Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, said: “There are few days that deserve to be lauded as historic, but this is one.”
“Treaty is fundamentally about delivering better outcomes because it will work to put First Nations communities back in control of their own affairs.”
Australia records 73 deaths and 19,855 new COVID-19 cases
By Amelia McGuire
The country has recorded 73 deaths and 19,855 new cases of COVID-19.
Australia could register its 10 millionth case of COVID-19 by the end of August.
The nation is also closing in on 13,000 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began in early 2020.
As of today, the total number of cases racked up since early 2020 is 9.82 million and the national death toll stands at 12,959.
With AAP
Phone voting will be available to Victorians with COVID-19 at state election
By Lachlan Abbott
Victorians forced to isolate with COVID-19 will be able to vote at the November state election by phone under new regulations announced today.
Electronically assisted voting via phone will be available to all Victorians who must isolate for seven days after a positive COVID-19 test under current public health orders.
The new regulations also allow the Victorian Electoral Commissioner to make a declaration to extend electronically assisted voting to voters impacted by other emergencies in the future.
“These changes will ensure Victorians with COVID-19 who are doing the right thing by complying with public health restrictions and isolating are still able to cast their vote,” Government Services Minister Danny Pearson said.
On the eve of the May federal election, rules were changed to allow more voters forced to isolate with COVID-19 to cast their ballot by phone on election day.
Independent MP for Kooyong Monique Ryan had threatened legal action against the Commonwealth as previous rules had limited phone voting for COVID-infected Australians to those who had tested positive within four days of the election.
‘Profoundly wrong’: Turnbull demands answers from Governor-General
By Amelia McGuire
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said the most troubling part of his successor’s secret self-appointments to five ministries is that no one stopped him.
“What really deeply troubles me is that there are other people in the system who clearly thought it was okay,” Turnbull told ABC radio in Melbourne.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Governor-General David Hurley.Credit:Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images
Turnbull said Governor-General David Hurley should explain his thought process at the time. He said while he acknowledges Hurley is charged to act on the advice of the Prime Minister and government of the day, the Governor-General’s primary role is to uphold the Constitution.
“The Governor-General is not just a rubber stamp. They have a Constitution to uphold,” Turnbull said.
Turnbull continued by saying that if he had attempted to secretly self-appoint himself to a ministry, neither former Governor-General Peter Cosgrove nor the rest of his own senior staff would have allowed it.
“There is something profoundly wrong that someone didn’t stand up and say ‘stop it ScoMo, this is bonkers’ and that’s what worries me the most,” he said.
Former finance minister would ‘prefer to have known’ about sharing job with his boss
By Lachlan Abbott
Former finance minister Simon Birmingham says he was not aware former prime minister Scott Morrison had shared his role but would “prefer to have known”.
Birmingham appeared on ABC Radio Adelaide this morning, ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s revelation Morrison had secretly been appointed to five additional portfolios since the pandemic began, including as head of the finance department from March 30, 2020.
Liberal senator Simon Birmingham.Credit:James Brickwood
Birmingham said he was “not 100 per cent” sure Morrison also held the finance portfolio while he was finance minister from October 2020, although he remembers Morrison also being health minister.
“In terms of Scott Morrison being sworn in to the health portfolio, I can recall a discussion at some point in the very early days of the pandemic when extraordinary powers were being used, that he had had himself sworn in to that as well just as a precaution,” Birmingham said.
“I don’t recall something specific to finance at the time, but there were similar decisions being made around finance.
“As far as I am aware, he never exercised any powers in either of those portfolios. He certainly didn’t whilst I was in that portfolio. But obviously, we’ve learnt elements of these swearings-in, in recent days.”
“If it were the case, I would certainly prefer to have known, but as I say, I’m not aware as to whether it was the case still by the time I took the portfolio on,” Birmingham said.
NSW increases flights from Tokyo to boost trade relationship
By Amelia McGuire
The NSW government has invested in two new flights per week from Tokyo International Airport to Sydney from October in an effort to boost trade relations between Japan and Australia.
NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said Japan is a significant trade partner. Credit:Kate Geraghty.
NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the state is ready to welcome more Japanese visitors as part of the government’s $60 million aviation attraction fund and hopes to exceed pre-pandemic levels of visitation.
In the year ending December 2019, the state welcomed 202,000 Japanese visitors who spent an estimated $385 million.
“Having just established a trade hub in the heart of Tokyo we have committed to an even stronger relationship,” he said.
Nationals leader says Morrison’s apology and legacy should be respected
By Amelia McGuire
Nationals leader David Littleproud has called on the country to accept former prime minister Scott Morrison’s apology for secretly appointing himself to five ministerial portfolios during his leadership.
“I appreciate colleagues were disappointed, but I think Mr Morrison’s given a full explanation and I think we should accept that. There’s a process the government’s started and I respect that,” Littleproud told The Australian.
Nationals leader David Littleproud.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
On Monday, Littleproud expressed frustration at Morrison’s secrecy, saying he did not agree with the move and wished the prime minister had trusted his cabinet.
But after reading Morrison’s Facebook post this afternoon, Littleproud said the matter should not only be put to rest but Morrison should be respected for being able to “clarify his actions in what were extraordinary times,” and Australian’s should focus on remembering his legacy.
“The fact he’s been able to clarify his actions in what were extraordinary times, it was important for clarification to respect those instructions and his legacy. He should be respected for it,” he continued.
Second monkeypox case detected in SA
By Amelia McGuire
A second monkeypox case has been detected in South Australia after a resident tested positive upon returning from an overseas trip.
Two close contacts of the man have been identified and advised to receive the monkeypox vaccine.
There is no risk to public health at this stage. SA Health provides a weekly update in the state’s disease notification report.
South Australia’s chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier announced the state had secured 900 vaccine doses that would be provided to those at risk.
Monkeypox causes a rash of painful bumps or blisters and can be spread through sexual contact and other forms of close contact.
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