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NSW records 32 Covid deaths and 1,481 people in hospital
There were 37,796 new cases in the weekly reporting period, and 38 people are in intensive care.
Cases continue to rise in NSW with over 6,000 more cases recorded this week than last weekly reporting’s 31,531 cases, as part of the steady incline from cases which were at 12,450 at the beginning of November.
The number of deaths have risen on 25 recorded last week, but remain lower than the 39 deaths recorded the week of 17 November.
COVID-19 weekly update – Friday 2 December 2022
In the 7 days to 4pm Thursday 1 December:
-37,796 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded: 14,902 rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 22,894 PCR tests
-32 lives lost pic.twitter.com/EZ60wtRkuN— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) December 1, 2022
PM flags more workplace relations reforms next year
Albanese and Burke’s joint statement also had these words of thanks and approbation for their parliamentary colleagues:
We thank the minor parties and crossbenchers who supported this important legislation.
But every single Liberal and National MP voted against this bill.
The opposition voted against better wages, against secure jobs and against closing the gender pay gap.
They spent ten years keeping wages low as a deliberate design feature of their economic policies – and they’re still at it.
Our government is taking the opposite approach. Higher wages are a deliberate design feature of this government’s policies.
One of the first things we did as a government was help secure a pay rise for Australia’s lowest paid workers. We have also supported aged care workers to secure a wage rise.
They also flagged further reform in the workplace relations space when the house sits again next year:
The Secure Jobs Better Pay bill is the next step in that commitment – but it won’t be the last.
The government will deliver a second tranche of workplace relations reforms next year to close the loopholes that are undermining job security and wage growth.
Albanese and minister for employment issue statement after passing of IR bill
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and minister for employment and workplace relations, Tony Burke, have issued a joint statement following the Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill passing federal parliament just now:
By modernising the bargaining system we will see more workplace agreements, delivering better productivity and flexibility for employers and better pay and conditions for workers.
We’re bringing our workplace relations system up to date with a government that wants to get wages moving again.
They said the new laws also:
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Reform the Better Off Overall Test so it’s simple, flexible and fair.
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Put gender pay equity at the heart of the Fair Work Act.
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Ban pay secrecy clauses that hold back women’s wages.
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Expand access to flexible rostering arrangements.
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Limit the use of fixed term contracts.
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Ban job ads that advertise below minimum rates of pay.
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Terminate WorkChoices “zombie” agreements.
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Give the Fair Work Commission more powers to arbitrate industrial disputes.
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Abolish politicised anti-worker organisations.
Amy Remeikis
House adjourns until next year
The house is adjourned until Monday 6 February at 10am.
There is applause at that too.
The MPs get out of their seats and farewell each other, with quite a few “merry Christmases” being shared, and that’s it.
Congratulations one and all – you have officially made it through the parliament year. Proud of you. Go have a coffee and a little something-something to celebrate.
IR bill to become law
Amy Remeikis
And the ayes have it.
The amendments have been agreed to with the final vote 78 to 42.
And the government’s industrial relations package has passed its last hurdle and passed the parliament, pretty much intact. There is a short burst of applause from the government side and a couple of hugs. Tony Burke gets a lot of handshakes and pats on the back.
It is off to the governor general for assent and the government finishes the year having passed each of its landmark reforms.
The parliament now won’t sit again until February, when new fights begin.
Amy Remeikis
The House is dividing.
The IR bill is about to pass.
Amy Remeikis
Zali Steggall will vote in support as her community has asked.
Allegra Spender will not be voting for the bill (she will be abstaining) as she says she has concerns over the bill still, but will be holding the government to account if there are any unintended consequences.
Dai Le said she wished there was longer for consultation, and that many small businesses in her electorate of Fowler were unaware of the bill.
She says she will also be holding the government to account.
Mike Bowers
Guardian Australia’s photographer at large Mike Bowers is in the lower house capturing its last sitting for the year as the IR bill receives final approval.
As business wraps up, it looks like the nation’s leaders are getting into the silly season.
Amy Remeikis
Adam Bandt and Zali Steggall speak
Adam Bandt is highlighting the role of the Greens in the negotiations, thanking Tony Burke and his staff for their conduct during those negotiations. He then took issue with Peter Dutton’s complaints that the bill will end the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) which Bandt is wholeheartedly in support of abolishing the commission, which he said gave people less rights than those in other industries, just because of where they worked. So he’s happy to see the end of it. The Coalition manage a few guffaws in response, but Bandt gets some rah-rah from the Labor side of the chamber and balance is restored.
The speeches move on to Zali Steggall who said she still has some reservations for small businesses, but she spoke to her constituents who said they wanted the ideology stripped from the debate. Steggall has some questions for the small business minister about the impact small business, which she is about to get to.
Eight emergency flood warnings across NSW
Major flooding is of concern in New South Wales today along the Lachlan River at Condobolin, Euabalong and Hillston, the Murrumbidgee River at Hay and Balranald, as well as the Edwards River at Moulamien.
🚨 60 current warnings across NSW:
8 Emergency Warnings
44 Watch & Act
8 AdviceView all current flood warnings at https://t.co/FZooFazTsU
📞 For emergency help in floods and storms, call NSW SES on 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000.
Current 8am 2 Dec pic.twitter.com/9PoNW8ESMO
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) December 1, 2022
Amy Remeikis
Anthony Albanese is echoing Tony Burke’s speech about what the bill will do and references A Christmas Tale and the Ghost of Christmas Past in response to Peter Dutton’s “ideological” speech.
Albanese is asking the Opposition to “name one” small business which closed because of the increase in the minimum wage (the last time the Coalition said the world would end and businesses would close).
Albanese says he is proud to pass this legislation on the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s election win.
Labor gives a very rowdy “hear, hear” in response and the call goes to the Greens leader, Adam Bandt.
Also, environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, is being treated to cake and the IR bill passing on her birthday morning.
Amy Remeikis
Tony Burke gave a short speech in celebration of the bill passing and Peter Dutton is now responding.
Shorter Burke: Things will be better now! We love workers. Wages should go up!
Shorter Dutton: This is the most terrible bill in the world. We love workers. Labor loves unions.
So, the usual.
Dutton is now arguing that the IR bill is an “imposition” because of the inflationary circumstances. I’m not sure if he remembers that workers spend money at the businesses he is saying will close.
Anthony Albanese is now speaking, accusing Dutton of an “ideological rant”.
Amy Remeikis
Senate amendments to IR bill about to pass House
Tony Burke is on his feet and moving that the amendments be agreed to.
The House is doing all the amendments together.
Burke thanks David Pocock and the Greens for their negotiations and those who participated in negotiations, even when they didn’t agree.
The amendments are about to pass the House – then it’s off to the governor general for royal assent.
Before the IR bill gets its final approval in the lower house this morning, Rishworth was asked how quickly those feminised industries can expect to see a pay rise:
Putting gender equity in the objectives of the Fair Work Act is a critical component to actually ensure those in feminised industries can fight for pay rises. By this legislation passing, it starts the process of enabling particularly low-paid feminised areas to actually use the Fair Work Commission to actually get a pay increase – of course that’s what the multi-employer bargaining is about as well.
Amy Remeikis
Good morning from Canberra.
After a long night for the Senate, which Murph, Paul Karp and Mike Bowers stayed in for, to the bitter end, the House is back bright and early this morning to pass the Senate amendments.
It was Labor’s Christmas party last night, although we hear it was a fairly tame affair given everyone knew they had an early start.
There is another big shindig tonight for Labor – it is the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s election and the Whitlam family home will be officially dedicated.
But first, there is the business of passing the Senate’s amendments to the IR bill.
The House is up and it is straight into it.
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