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Labor: Liberal opposition to reconstruction fund ‘beggars belief’
Labor is working to get its national reconstruction fund through the parliament. The Coalition is against it so the Greens and senators like David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe are in the negotiating seat.
The Coalition being against the fund has been a stick in Labor’s craw for some time and is now dominating its parliamentary questions to its ministers.
Stephen Jones continued that line:
The opposition is basically defining itself as a party which is opposed to everything. The national reconstruction fund, about kickstarting manufacturing in this country and having more things made in Australia, seems to be a no-brainer to me. Who could be against that? Peter Dutton.
The housing fund is about ensuring we build more houses in the middle of a housing crisis, and provide more social and affordable housing for people struggling, and for people who are homeless.
It really beggars belief any politician in the country, let alone a major political party, could be threatening to block a fund which will put more houses into the market, more roofs over the head of people doing it tough.
It beggars belief, which is why we’re calling on the opposition, the crossbench, the Greens, in fact, all the members and supporters of those parties who send a message to them, to say: don’t block the housing fund, don’t block the rebuilding Australia fund, made in Australia and more roofs over people’s heads. Who could be against that?
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Daniel Hurst
O’Neil: foreign governments are attempting to exert influence over diaspora communities
In her speech about foreign interference, Clare O’Neil vowed to “call out the egregious acts of individual countries when it is in the national interest to do so”.
The home affairs minister told the ANU she wanted “a public discussion about this problem that is open, apolitical and commensurate with the size of the challenge – and to build a community of people who know what foreign interference is, what it looks like, and what to do when they see it”.
Our best defence against foreign interference is to arm people who are possible targets of this behaviour with the information they need to recognise and report it. And partisanship is a problem because if this discussion becomes polluted by craven political interests, our citizens will lose trust with our attempts to explain it.
We must change the nature and tone of the discussion.
While Iran was the only country she named explicitly in today’s speech, O’Neil said the anecdote about the disrupted plot was “not the only story of Asio detecting foreign interference in Australia”. She said there were other examples “of foreign governments tasking human sources to collect sensitive personal information of individuals seen as dissidents by the foreign government due to their activism” and “individuals arranging counter-protests to instigate arguments with activists with the intent of provoking violence – all at the request of a foreign intelligence service”:
So when and where do we see this problem most commonly in Australia?
We see it in the covert influence foreign governments attempt to exert over diaspora communities. To be clear, this is almost always unsuccessful due to the deep loyalty of Australia’s migrant communities to our beautiful shared country.
We see it when diaspora communities peacefully protest about the actions of their governments back at home. In some instances, they will be photographed, harassed or followed as a result. We see it when members of those communities speak out publicly against violence or intimidation in their home country. We see it when people in those communities or their families back home are threatened, harassed or intimidated. To be clear, this type of foreign interference is commonplace, it is happening around our country every day.
We see it too, on social media, where foreign governments covertly try to sow division around political issues that are felt deeply in the Australian community, to deliberately deteriorate our social fabric and cause conflict and painful rifts.
We see it in our universities, where foreign governments attempt to covertly influence how topics are discussed and covered in our fiercely independent university lecture theatres.
We see in politics, where foreign governments try to win over elected leaders and party activists push for changes in everything from planning laws to foreign and national security policy, or simply to build a picture of how decisions are made.
Liberals step up attacks on Labor border protection policy
The deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, was out and about early today with this message:
There are two absolute truths you know about a Labor government. Australians know they will always pay more under Labor and Labor does not have what it takes to keep our borders safe.
The concerning information that’s come out of Senate estimates about the dismantling of temporary protection visas should concern every Australian … We’ve seen this movie before. I was in the parliament in 2008 when Kevin Rudd did exactly this, dismantled our border protection, and the result was absolutely horrific. Australians saw that and they don’t want to go back there.
This Labor government does not have the heart to understand the importance of keeping our borders safe. So let’s see how Anthony Albanese responds to this issue today, but it is incredibly important.
Except the boss of home affairs, Mike Pezzullo, said Labor did not act against advice. He was very clear in saying that reports that Labor had were “not correct”. And yes, the Rudd government did get rid of TPVs in 2008. But it also stopped naval turnbacks, which is the key difference here – boat turnbacks continue.
It’s something that the opposition has been leaving out of its attacks: it has been referencing 2008, but leaving out key points. Boat turnbacks remain Labor policy this time around.
Iranian foreign interference plot disrupted
Daniel Hurst
Australian security agencies have shut down a foreign interference plot by Iran, the Australian government has said. The plot allegedly included individuals conducting surveillance of the home of an Iranian-Australian and extensively researching this person and their family.
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, revealed the incident in a speech to the Australian National University today while saying a number of diaspora communities in Australia face pressure when they peacefully protest about the actions of their governments back at home.
O’Neil also described foreign interference as “one of the core threats our democracy faces”. She vowed to “bring foreign interference out of the shadows, and into the light” so that people can be ready to face the challenge.
O’Neil told the ANU’s National Security College this morning:
Today I want to speak in more detail about foreign interference from one country in particular: Iran. I stress that foreign interference does not just come from one country – it is being conducted and directed by many countries across the globe. Iran is but one of them.
Since September last year, Iran’s theocratic regime has been jolted by nation-wide protests in response to the tragic death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, Kurdish name “Jina”.
Tehran’s brutal response to those protests – with more than 400 people killed, including at least 50 children – has not only failed to quell the uprising, but triggered further protests against the regime around the world, including here in Australia.
Obviously, Tehran’s response to protests could not be farther than our own. In our country, we respect the right of Australians to peacefully express their views … it is perfectly legal for anyone in Australia to criticise a foreign regime, as tens of thousands of people across the country have been doing in response to events in Iran.
What we absolutely will not tolerate, under any circumstances, are attempts by foreign regimes to disrupt peaceful protests, encourage violence or suppress views. Nor will we tolerate hostile acts in the form of surveillance, harassment or intimidation against individuals or family members here in Australia.
The Australian government and our security agencies will act to protect Australians and their democratic rights.
Late last year, Asio disrupted the activities of individuals who had conducted surveillance of the home of an Iranian-Australian, as well as extensive research of this individual and their family. I’m pleased to say our agencies were onto it like a shot. Asio tracked the operation and shut it down immediately.
We’re not going to stand back and have Australians or indeed visitors to our country watched and tracked by foreign governments on our soil. This is Australia, this is our democracy, and if you engage in activities like this, you will be discovered.
To those states who operate in the shadows, I have a simple message – we are watching you. Where our national interest is served by calling out your operations, we will. And to those in Australia making their voice heard, we are acting to protect you.
David Pocock launches 3,000km Heart 2 Heart charity walk
Happy Valentine’s day to those who observe, or just wanted to hear it.
The independent ACT senator David Pocock is using the day to host the launch of a new charity walk – Heart 2 Heart – to raise money and awareness for first responder mental health research and inititives.
The Heart 2 Heart Walk is a 3,000km charity walk linking Lambert Centre of Australia in the Northern Territory (Heart of Country) to Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra (Heart of Nation) aiming to draw attention to challenges around First Responder mental health and wellbeing.
It’s also about trying to bring about more progress on the recommendations made in the 2019 The people behind 000: mental health of our first responders Senate inquiry report.
The Heart 2 Heart Foundation is coordinating the walk and wants the government to enact the recommendations, including a national action plan on first responder mental health, a national register of health professionals who specialise in mental health for first responders and support for those who have retired.
I am once again asking political parties to please stop.
The agenda for today
It is round two for the committees we heard from yesterday.
So that means legal and constitutional affairs, where today the attorney general portfolio will be examined and no doubt Michaelia Cash will pop up with some questions there.
Over in finance and public administration, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is still under question, but then finance will get a go.
The environment and communications committee is all about arts and comms today which also means it is ABC day. But that section hasn’t been the same since Eric Abetz didn’t get preselected.
And then there is rural and regional affairs (and transport) where the agriculture department will be questioned. Bridget McKenzie will be living her best life.
Amy Remeikis
Senate estimates will continue today, but the House of Representatives is going to be a little bit slower because of all the party room meetings which will be going on, for those wondering.
Labor visa changes not done against advice: government
Home affairs boss Mike Pezzullo confirmed in Senate estimates overnight that Labor’s change to temporary protection visas was not done against advice.
There were reports that Labor had acted contrary to advice from the department which had been given in its incoming brief (an incoming brief is something all new governments/ministers get, which give an update on what is going on in the department, operations and that sort of thing).
They are mostly redacted when you ask for them under freedom of information, so it was hard to tell what the department had told the Labor government. But Pezzullo had no such qualms in saying what was what.
Charlotte Graham-McLay
NZ government: worst of Cyclone Gabrielle is over but more rain still to be expected
Back to New Zealand for a moment:
Kieran McAnulty, New Zealand’s minister for emergency management, says the worst of the weather from ex-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle – which lashed the North Island overnight – appears to be over, but more rain and high winds are expected. Speaking to reporters in Wellington moments ago, he said the government has declared a rare national state of emergency due to extensive flooding and slips as well as damaged roads and infrastructure in half a dozen regions.
Cyclone Gabrielle has cut off roads, communications, power and water for the city of Gisborne and caused further chaos in Auckland, which is still cleaning up from a major storm a fortnight ago that killed four people. The defence force is helping with evacuations in Hawkes Bay. Northland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato have all also been hard-hit since Sunday.
The national state of emergency – a designation that has only been used in New Zealand twice before – is a “significant legal instrument”, McAnulty said, allowing the government to send more resources to affected regions with “a nationally coordinated approach”.
One firefighter is missing in Muriwai – a coastal community on Auckland’s west coast – and another is in hospital after a house collapsed.
Turnbull: even if politicians are on the wrong side of history, in most cases they can survive it
Malcolm Turnbull is then asked by Patricia Karvelas about Peter Dutton’s position on the voice to parliament (so far) and whether he risks being on the wrong side of history.
Turnbull sounds tired and says:
Well … he could be but you know, look, during the republican referendum, he accused all sorts of people who oppose the republican movement of being on the wrong side of history … they seem to be able to survive that experience [of] being on the wrong side of history and go on to be prime minister and all sorts of things.
… You know, when Julia Gillard was prime minister, she was very publicly opposed to legalising same-sex marriage. And I used to say she and Tony Abbott [were] both wrong on this issue, but at least [Abbott] was sincerely wrong, because I never believed Julia believed what she was saying. But she did say it.
But do the people remember that? Do they decry her for having opposed same-sex marriage? I don’t think so.
I think the reality is that, that even though you may think somebody’s taking the wrong political position at a given time, in most cases, they’ll be able to survive that and go on to whatever else.
Turnbull on Aukus: will Australia have full control over nuclear submarines?
The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is on ABC Radio RN Breakfast and has questions over Aukus – mostly over sovereignty and whether we will have control over the submarines that are coming as part of the deal, or if the submarines can only operate with US supervision.
The fundamental question is, if American technical support and supervision and oversight … given that these are weapons-grade reactors, if that were withdrawn, would we be able to operate the submarines?
Turnbull says that question needs to be answered.
My simple point is, that I believe if we’re going to invest what will amount to about 1% of GDP in the submarine program, we need to know that those submarines can be … thoroughly autonomously by Australians.
If the answer is that we will always need to have US oversight and supervision, then sovereignty is shared and the government should at least be honest and upfront about that.
It may be the people say okay, America’s our … great friend and ally. We never doubt that there’d be any issues, but 40/50 years is a long time.
Labor: Liberal opposition to reconstruction fund ‘beggars belief’
Labor is working to get its national reconstruction fund through the parliament. The Coalition is against it so the Greens and senators like David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe are in the negotiating seat.
The Coalition being against the fund has been a stick in Labor’s craw for some time and is now dominating its parliamentary questions to its ministers.
Stephen Jones continued that line:
The opposition is basically defining itself as a party which is opposed to everything. The national reconstruction fund, about kickstarting manufacturing in this country and having more things made in Australia, seems to be a no-brainer to me. Who could be against that? Peter Dutton.
The housing fund is about ensuring we build more houses in the middle of a housing crisis, and provide more social and affordable housing for people struggling, and for people who are homeless.
It really beggars belief any politician in the country, let alone a major political party, could be threatening to block a fund which will put more houses into the market, more roofs over the head of people doing it tough.
It beggars belief, which is why we’re calling on the opposition, the crossbench, the Greens, in fact, all the members and supporters of those parties who send a message to them, to say: don’t block the housing fund, don’t block the rebuilding Australia fund, made in Australia and more roofs over people’s heads. Who could be against that?
Assistant treasurer: Labor hoping Reserve Bank won’t lift interest rates ‘further than they need to be’
The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, was on ABC News Breakfast this morning speaking on the only thing politicians are really speaking on at the moment – the cost of living.
We know there’s around 800,000 mortgage holders who haven’t yet felt the full brunt of the interest rate increases that are already in the system. They don’t start to cycle off until midyear.
Which is why we think there’s already a fair bit of pressure in the system. And we’re hoping that we don’t see further interest rate increases and we’re from our part saying that budget restraint will be delivered [and] budget repair also delivered, doing our bit to firm up the supply chains that are also adding inflationary pressures to the Australian economy.
The Australian government will do its bit to ensure we’re bringing down the pressure on inflation. That is why we hope the Reserve Bank board can see its way clear to ensuring we aren’t lifting interest rates any further than they need to be to tame the inflation dragon.
Charlotte Graham-McLay
NZ declares state of emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle hits North Island
New Zealand’s government declared a national state of emergency less than an hour ago after ex-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle wrought a trail of havoc down the North Island.
It’s the third time in New Zealand’s history that a national state of emergency has been declared. The designation means that the national government can send resources across the country, bolstering civil defence efforts across the country.
Kieran McAnulty, who called the storm an “unprecedented weather event” for New Zealand, will begin a news conference in Wellington in just a moment. We’ll bring you more from that soon.
This is the second major storm to hit the North Island in as many weeks. Flooding in Auckland after heavy rain late last month led to four deaths.
Good morning from Amy
Amy Remeikis
A very big thank you to Martin for starting off this morning.
We’ll switch to politics now, but will keep you up to date on some of the big stories today, including what is happening in New Zealand following Cyclone Gabrielle making landfall.
You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day, with Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp, Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler rounding out Canberra.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
Fleur Connick
Residents of far west NSW have worse life expectancy and health outcomes than those born in Sydney, report says
Residents born in far west New South Wales are dying almost six years earlier and have substantially worse health outcomes than those born in Sydney, according to a new analysis from the Australia Institute.
The report, released on Tuesday, found that people born in far west NSW had a life expectancy of 5.7 years shorter than those born in Sydney, meaning a person born today would be expected to live to 79.1 years compared to 84.5 years.
It also found people born in the region are twice as likely to die prematurely; and carry a risk of “potentially avoidable death” that is 2.5 times higher than people born in Sydney. A potentially avoidable death, according to the report, refers to death from a condition that could be prevented with health screening or well-funded primary prevention services, or is potentially treatable.
Rates of suicide are also two times higher in the far west, making it the 10th highest cause of death.
Kate McBride, a researcher at the Australia Institute, said people living in that region had significantly poorer health outcomes, inferior access to health services, and face financial barriers to accessing health care. She said:
Life expectancy, premature deaths, and ‘potentially avoidable’ deaths are key statistical indicators of whether our health system is working.
It is clear from the analysis in this report, sirens should be sounding from the far west of the state … Where you live shouldn’t dictate how long you’ll live, but unfortunately in NSW it does.
The report is the first in a series called The Unlucky Country: Life expectancy and health in regional and remote Australia, which will focus on NSW.
Mental health organisations advocate with MPs to mark Youth Suicide Week
A leading youth organisation is meeting with MPs at Parliament House this morning to advocate for reforms to the mental health sector during Youth Suicide Week.
Youth Insearch supports at-risk youth to overcome trauma and improve mental health.
Among those present are the assistant minister for health and aged care, Ged Kearney, the shadow assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention, Melissa McIntosh, and the CEO of Youth Insearch, Stephen Lewin.
This year’s theme “trauma to triumph” will acknowledge the 402 young people who lost their lives to suicide in 2021, 80 of whom were under 17 years old, via an installation on the lawns of Parliament House.
Referred to as the “forgotten middle”, the organisation has developed a report as part of lobbying efforts with the government to highlight gaps in the current model – which facilitates mental health services to young people via headspace as a sole provider.
Lewin said with recent NSW suicide rates indicating the rate of suicide in young girls had almost doubled (40%), it was evident the current model is not working:
Suicide remains the biggest killer of Australians aged 14 to 24 years. We know that 20% of those young people who present for mental health support have experienced complex trauma from three or more adverse life events.
We know that complex trauma increases the risk of suicidality. So when we consider that those who have experienced trauma are unlikely to present to traditional psychologists, who may represent the same adults or authority figures who have let them down in life, it starts to become pretty clear that as a nation, we need to find another solution.
Parliamentarians will receive a blue heart to wear during the week.
Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the main breaking stories from overnight before my colleague Amy Remeikis takes over with all the action in politics.
A leading Australian thinktank has weighed into the spying balloon controversy this morning, arguing that the Jindaleee radar network would be able to spot any such device in our airspace. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute also suggested how one might be shot down. Although Australia doesn’t have F-22 jets, it does have F-35s, and the ASPI says they would be able to hit a balloon using a “zoom climb”.
It comes as China’s foreign ministry accused the US overnight of flying high-altitude balloons over its airspace more than 10 times since the beginning of last year, and as the US president, Joe Biden, comes under pressure to reveal what Washington knows about the devices it shot down, with his administration accusing China of running a spy balloon program for many years, including through the Trump administration.
Queensland is on high alert as bushfires rage in a country area of the state, fuelled by hot conditions. An emergency warning is in place this morning for a bushfire near the town of Miles as crews battle a number of blazes in rural areas west of Brisbane. The leave-immediately alert was issued for the Myall Park and Hookswood fire on Monday afternoon.
Vanuatu’s prime minister, Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, will embark on a three-day tour of Australia today, joined by his trade and business minister as well as his agriculture minister. Anthony Albanese says the visit will give the government the opportunity to listen to Vanuatu’s priorities and strengthen co-operation in trade, security and climate. “Australia and Vanuatu have a strong relationship and a shared commitment to work with our Pacific family to secure the best outcomes for the region,” he said ahead of the visit.
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