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Health minister ‘quietly hoping’ Covid wave has reached its peak
Have we passed the winter peak of Covid?
Mark Butler tells the Nine network:
That is what I’m hearing. We’re not calling it yet. There is what we’ve seen through the pandemic, something of a school holiday effect where transmission seems to dip off because of the different types of activity and school holidays.
But it does seem clear cases are starting to peak and maybe drop off in some states. And very pleasingly hospital numbers have dropped off over the last couple of weeks.
They’re still very large. There’s still about 5,000 Australians in hospital with Covid. That’s placing enormous pressure on our hard working doctors and nurses and other hospital staff.
But we are quietly hoping that we have reached the peak earlier than we than we expected to. What is clear is that we’re certainly past the peak of influenza, and that’s relieving some pressure on our hospital system.
Key events
Helen Haines has responded to Ted O’Brien’s assertions about Haines’ amendments.
Haines points out, rightly, that the Coalition is complaining and opposing, but has not actually put forward any amendments itself. It’s almost like they just want to be able to complain and oppose and not have to do anything (much like the last 10 years on this subject)
The Shadow Minister for Climate Change just completely misrepresented my amendments in the House. And the Coalition complains about this Bill but has not bothered to put up a single amendment themselves. How deeply disappointing. https://t.co/xJ4nOzxwLj
— Helen Haines MP (@helenhainesindi) August 4, 2022
From the chamber:
.@Bowenchris makes that point about the Nationals. @D_LittleproudMP now has to respond. He says the Nationals will work through the Senate inquiry process to ensure the burden of the transition isn’t borne by regional people. “Rest assured there will be impacts from this bill ..
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) August 4, 2022
says Ted O’Brien. @KristyMcBain shouts across the chamber: “There are already impacts”. [Narrator: Checks out.] O’Brien says Labor stripped regional protections from the NDC. The Coalition will oppose the amendments [Narrator: Shocked?] Nup #auspol @AmyRemeikis
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) August 4, 2022
Independent Helen Haines’ amendments ‘very sensible’, Chris Bowen says
Rebekha Sharkie has moved Helen Haine’s amendments adding in more regional voices and influence to the legislation (Haines has Covid).
Chris Bowen says they are “very sensible” amendments and challenges the Nationals to support them.
David Littleproud says the Nationals will not be supporting the amendments because “this would be like the climate change authority [assessing] its own homework”.
He says it would be better to have independent people assess the impacts, so it is not going to support the bill.
The Nationals have not moved their own amendments, it has to be said. They are joining the Liberals in opposing everything.
NSW transport minister David Elliott to contest state Liberal deputy job
For those watching NSW politics, AAP has an update:
In NSW, transport and veterans minister, David Elliott, is the first to throw his hat in the ring to take on the vacant deputy Liberal leader’s job, after the resignation of Stuart Ayres yesterday.
Ayres was forced out after revelations a draft review into the appointment of former deputy premier, John Barilaro, to a New York trade role revealed Ayres may have been more involved in the process than he had claimed.
“I don’t put my name forward out of excitement or enthusiasm [but] the premier is under the pump,” Elliott told Sydney radio 2GB on Thursday.
“The easiest thing for people to do at the moment is to walk away or keep your head down … but that’s just not my style.
“My job is to really just say to the party room, and to the party, I’m available if you think that my skill set is going to work.”
Matt Kean, who was deputy leader under ex-premier Gladys Berejiklian and is considered likely to have the numbers, has yet to put his hand up for the job.
As well as his deputy position, Ayres lost his ministerial portfolios for western Sydney, tourism and sport, and enterprise, investment and trade.
Those responsibilities have been allocated to other ministers by Perrottet, with Elliott taking over for Western Sydney.
There are so many amendments, and resulting divisions, the federation chamber can’t get going – every time it starts, there is a division.
So the federation chamber is suspended until this bill is dealt with.
The Coalition are voting against … everything.
Now we are onto 43% being a floor not a ceiling. Labor supporting an amendment from @zdaniel Opposition again calls for a division. Quite something, to want to be on the record opposing this every step of the way. What a time #auspol @AmyRemeikis
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) August 4, 2022
As she flagged last night, Archer has supported the second reading on the targets bill, but she’s voting against amendments #auspol @AmyRemeikis
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) August 4, 2022
Commonwealth Bank first of the big four to lift interest rates
Peter Hannam
The CBA has become the first of the big four banks to lift its interest rates in the wake of the Reserve Bank’s rate rise on Tuesday.
Not surprisingly, Australia’s biggest bank has passed on the 50 basis point increase in full.
The standard owner-occupier rate loan with principal and interest will rise to 5.8%, while investor home loans will rise by the same half-percentage point to 6.38%.
Savers, too, will get the 50bp bump up, although the annual rate of 1.25% for the GoalSaver and 1.45% for YouthSaver deposits seem modest when you think about headline inflation running at 6.1%. Still, it’s better than what it was before today.
Those willing to fix for 15 months can earn 2.5%. Deposit holders, though, might want to consider that the CBA expects the RBA to raise its cash rate another 75bp to 2.6% before it halts its hikes (and starts cutting later).
Meanwhile, investors still reckon the RBA has a ways further to go, with another percentage point-plus in rate rises to come.
As the CBA makes the move to pass on the RBA rate rise in full…here’s what investors were predicting as of last night for future rate rises by the central bank. pic.twitter.com/IqPgVa5aF4
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) August 4, 2022
Zoe Daniel is now moving the amendment to make clear in the legislation that 43% is a floor, not a ceiling.
She says she sees this bill as “a start, not a finish”.
Chris Bowen says the government will support this amendment as well.
Here is some of what Mike Bowers covered this morning:
Karen Andrews says Labor climate target legislation ‘largely symbolic’
Karen Andrews told Sky News why she would not support the climate legislation:
I’ve also been listening to the people in my electorate and the people in Australia.
I think that legislating the target is largely symbolic. I don’t support that. I support absolute action being taken to lower our emissions. I’ve been saying that now for a couple of years, let’s get on and start delivering it.
Andrews appears to forget that for those “couple of years” she has been saying that, she was a member of the party which held government and had the power to actually act, not just “say” things.
Monique Ryan moves amendments for fellow independent Kate Chaney
Monique Ryan is moving Kate Chaney’s amendments as Chaney is in Covid isolation.
Chaney wants the legislation to reflect it will be a good, symbolic start to climate action, and include the urgency:
Ms Chaney
(1) Clause 3, page 2 (before line 15), before paragraph (a), insert:
(aa) to advance an effective and progressive response to the urgent threat of climate change drawing on the best available scientific knowledge; and
[climate change action]
(2) Clause 3, page 2 (line 21), after “accountability”, insert “and ambition”.
[climate change ambition]
Murph is watching from the gallery
.@BridgetArcherMP is voting in favour of the second reading. Warren Enstch, who said he might vote for the targets legislation earlier in the week, is not voting for the second reading #auspol @AmyRemeikis
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) August 3, 2022
I am not sure if Warren Entsch has ever actually followed through on crossing the floor, at least when it comes to climate legislation.
Josh Butler
Teal independents praise government’s cross-party collaboration process
Back on the community independents’ press conference on the climate bill, a second interesting thread was their thoughts on how the government will (or may not) collaborate with them in future.
Labor doesn’t necessarily need the votes of the new wave of so-called “teal independents” to pass legislation in the House, but the group – Zali Steggall, Kylea Tink, Allegra Spender, Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel and Sophie Scamps – said their contributions had improved the climate bill. They all praised the openness of the government’s senior ministers, particularly the climate minister, Chris Bowen, to work with them.
Tink, from North Sydney, said she wanted to see the collaboration with government continue over the rest of the parliamentary term. It’s likely the community independents will seek further close negotiations on reforms like a national integrity commission.
I would hope that the precedent, while it is unusual at this point in time, actually is the way we move forward.
Ryan claimed the process had “set a new standard” around cross-party collaboration.
Steggall said some tactics in question time, from the government and opposition, were not what she wanted to see, claiming it “doesn’t impress the Australian public”.
Tink admitted the government didn’t necessarily need her vote in the final count, but implored Labor to consider ways to bring politicians together from across the political divide.
Any government that seeks to lead a nation needs to take its people with it … what we’ve seen here is the government recognises that just because you don’t sit on a seat on the government side, doesn’t mean your community’s voice doesn’t matter.
Daniel added that the collaboration should not be considered unusual.
OK, the government doesn’t need our votes, but the government needs our brains and our will.
They clearly see that 30% of Australia did not vote for the two major parties, and this government right now is hearing that and listening to those communities through us. It’s really positive, long may it continue.
Bridget Archer is voting with the government on the question of a second reading (Archer is the only Coalition MP to confirm she will cross the floor and support the legislation).
Josh Butler
‘The climate wars are almost over,’ says Zali Steggall
Six of the “community independents” have welcomed the impending passage of the government’s climate bill through the House of Representatives, saying they still want bigger action on emissions reduction but praising Labor for being open to “collaboration”.
Warringah MP Zali Steggall was joined by new entrants Kylea Tink, Allegra Spender, Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel and Sophie Scamps for a bumper joint press conference just before the bill passed. The group are all independents but have worked closely together in recent weeks, proposing and moving amendments to the climate bill and negotiating with the government.
While the government didn’t necessarily need their votes to pass the legislation (with Labor already holding a House majority on their own), the independents said their amendments had improved the bill and they were claiming it as a win.
The climate wars are almost over,” Steggall said.
Steggall said the parliament should be “more ambitious” than a 43% emissions cut, and flagged moving more amendments to see Australia’s nationally determined contributions be based on Climate Change Authority advice.
Daniel said some in her Goldstein electorate would be “disappointed” at the 43% target (having campaigned on a 60% cut). However she too praised the collaboration with Labor, calling it an “unusual” situation for the government to give them such an honest hearing.
Minister Bowen has been very willing to hear the positions of the various members of the crossbench, and several of our amendments will make it into the legislation that will pass,” Daniel said.
Steggall said she would push for further phase-out of coal and gas, and no new approvals, as flagged by Greens leader Adam Bandt yesterday.
We know there is already enough in the system,” she said.
We’re finally moving on mitigating the problem, but we need to stop exacerbating it.”
Steggall repeated that the climate wars were “nearly over”, noting fossil fuels as another fight to come.
Adam Bandt moves amendment on stopping new fossil fuel projects
The divisions on amendments are occurring in the house.
Adam Bandt just moved an amendment:
… whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the house acknowledges that for the government to reach their target of net zero by 2050, not one new coal, oil or gas project can commence.
You won’t be shocked to learn that the government did not support that one, although Zali Steggall, Zoe Daniel, Andrew Wilkie, Sophie Scamps and Kylea Tink voted with the Greens.
Climate bill debate resumes
The house is making its way through the amendments.
There are quite a few of them:
Stephen Jones is moving the public service superannuation bill for a third time.
He is responding to the Greens concerns about the “urgency” of the bill and says “no sane government” could do anything else, given it has the potential to cost the commonwealth $11bn if the loophole is not closed – enough, he says, to cover the cost of adding dental to Medicare, or more than is spent on the PBS.
Jones also thanks Zoe Daniel and Sophie Scamps for their “honourable” declarations of a conflict of interest. He says there was no legal requirement for them to do so, but it is welcome.
The bill heads off to the senate.
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