What we learned: Tuesday, 12 July

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. We’ll be back first thing tomorrow, with all the latest from Fiji and closer to shore.

Here are today’s major developments:

  • With the Pacific Islands Forum underway, Australia has resisted calls from neighbours for no new gas or coal projects, saying it was not responsible for other countries’ emissions.
  • In other forum news, the Australian and US governments have signed a deal they say will help accelerate zero emissions technology, including long duration storage and removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The announcement was made by the climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, and the US secretary of energy, Jennifer Granholm, on the sidelines of the Sydney Energy Forum.
  • The federal health minister, Mark Butler, announced the federal program providing 10 free rapid antigen tests every three months for concession card holders will end in July. The opposition’s health spokeswoman, Anne Ruston, has called for the health advice underpinning the decision to be released. The announcement has been criticised by health bodies including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
  • Australia reported 58 Covid deaths on Tuesday, as both NSW and Victoria reduced the reinfection period from 12 down to four weeks.
  • And Australia’s privacy watchdog has launched an investigation into retail giants Bunnings and Kmart over their use of facial recognition technology in stores.

Updated

A gentle reminder we’re still in a pandemic:

AMA Victoria President Dr Roderick McRae says we're headed for a "perfect" COVID-19 storm, "cheered on" by the business sector who want "to pretend this virus doesn't exist".

"Things are bad and they're going worse. The collective willful blindness is not in anybody's interest."

— Callum Godde (@calgodde) July 12, 2022

He says the govt skewed "too far" towards the interests of business when rejecting health advice to reinstate some mask mandates.

"They're just in too big a rush to pretend this is all finished, which it is not, and ignoring the fact that we're in the middle of winter."

— Callum Godde (@calgodde) July 12, 2022

Man dies in Fitzroy in Melbourne

A man has died in Fitzroy this afternoon after a fatal shooting occurred, Victoria Police say.

Emergency services were called to Brunswick Street about 4.15pm this afternoon where the man was located with life threatening injuries.

Police believe he was involved in an altercation with a number of people at a car parked on Brunswick Street before he was fatally shot.

Witnesses called triple zero and ambulance crews tried to treat the man, who is yet to be formally identified, but he later died at the scene.

Police have cordoned off the area and a crime scene has been established.

Victoria police:

Detectives are still working to determine the exact circumstances of the incident but at this stage it appears to be a targeted incident with the parties involved possibly known to each other.

Police would like to speak anyone who witnessed anything or has CCTV or dashcam vision of the incident.

Updated

Covid admissions up 53% in Victorian hospitals in past two weeks

The Victorian government has released more information on today’s Covid update.

Health authorities say there’s been a 53% increase in the numbers of Victorians in hospital with the virus in the past two weeks, as BA.4/BA.5 becomes the dominant strain circulating in the community.

At the same time, the third wave of Omicron isn’t expected to peak until August. The Victorian government joined New South Wales in reducing the period of reinfection from 12 weeks to 28 days, and has pushed for Victorians to get their booster and wear masks in high risk settings.

Case and hospitalisation trends are increasing in Victoria. This is in line with similar patterns globally and in other Australian jurisdictions, which have seen a significant rise in the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 in recent weeks.

Updated

What is GDP? Our latest News glossary video explains

When a country’s economy is discussed in the news, you often hear a number called GDP, or gross domestic product, thrown around.

But what does it actually mean, and is it gross?

In this episode of News glossary, Matilda Boseley explains the meaning of GDP and how it reflects economies in Australia and abroad.

Updated

PM defends the scrapping of pandemic leave payments

Anthony Albanese has defended scrapping pandemic leave payments, laying the blame at the feet of the previous government, AAP reports.

The payments for workers who needed to spend time away from work while they isolated ended on 30 June. But there have been calls for the payments to be reinstated as Covid case numbers and hospitalisations increase across the country, driven by new, infectious sub-variants.

The prime minister, who today received his fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose, said he would not bring back the payments due to the need for the government to rein in spending.

The new government had inherited the former’s decision to end the payments and $1tn of debt, he said:

They are circumstances which my government faces … there are a range of things we would like to do, but we intend to be fiscally responsible in how we deal with issues.

As case numbers rise across the country, the chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, said hospitals could hold back some elective surgery due to the strain on the system. He said the emergence of influenza for the first time in three years in Australia was making the situation worse.

The health minister, Mark Butler, said Covid cases were not likely to peak nationally for at least four weeks during the third wave of infections. While case numbers have increased and calls have grown for mask mandates to return, the prime minister said he would follow health advice on the issue.

The epidemiologist Catherine Bennett told Sky News educating the public about the risks of exposure to Covid would be more helpful than reintroducing a mask mandate.

Updated

Australia resists Pacific calls for no new gas or coal projects

Australia has resisted calls from the Pacific for no new gas or coal projects, saying it was not responsible for other countries’ emissions, in a move that could cause tensions as Pacific leaders meet in Suva this week.

A key demand of Pacific nations – that Australia commit to no new coal or gas projects – will remain a point of difference between Australia and Pacific nations, as Anthony Albanese arrives in Fiji on Wednesday ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting.

Updated

Labor late off the mark on foot-and-mouth disease, Littleproud says

David Littleproud just appeared on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing to discuss the growing threat of foot-and-mouth disease. As if we didn’t need more things to worry about.

Murray Watt, the federal minister for agriculture, has backed the expansion of electronic tagging to improve tracing of livestock to combat the risk of disease, but says it’s up to state governments to mandate it.

Littleproud says he’s been too late off the mark.

While I welcome the fact Murray’s going to Indonesia, we would have hoped probably last week he might have picked the phone up and tried to build on what we’d already put in place in Indonesia and Timor and Papua New Guinea.

When this hit, we – not only with foot-and-mouth disease, but with lumpy skin disease – we put biosecurity officers and vets into those countries to try and ... help. What we’re concerned about is there’s no decisive action on some other measures that could be taken ... there are hundreds of people coming from Indonesia back into Australia every day.

Updated

Anthony Albanese has the Australia-themed sportswear on but he’s missing the face mask flag.

Book your booster. pic.twitter.com/zJ86QSOfax

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 12, 2022

Throwback:

Pleased to get my #COVID19 vaccine today along with Australia’s CMO Professor Paul Kelly to give further confidence to Australians these vaccines, which have been tested and approved by our medical experts, are safe & effective. pic.twitter.com/uz7uX900My

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) February 21, 2021

Updated

Hydrogen project will need government support, energy forum hears

In the closing panel of the Sydney Energy Forum, Yoshinori Kanehana of Kawasaki Heavy Industries says greater government support will be needed to progress the Japanese-Australian Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project (HESC) – an engineering milestone that makes liquefied hydrogen from coal.

HESC was “so successful because of the big support from the Japanese and Australian government”, he says.

Under the $500m HESC pilot project, hydrogen will be made in Victoria’s LaTrobe valley from brown coal and transported aboard a purpose-built ship to Japan, where it will be burned in coal-fired power plants.

Kanehana says:

At the beginning, the cost [of liquid hydrogen] may be more expensive compared to fossil fuels ... So we need operating expense help from the government.

Large, vast quantity production of hydrogen will reduce the cost. This cannot be done by a single company or single country.

Some researchers have raised concerns that the project could increase emissions and lock in a new fossil fuel industry.

Updated

Fiji’s PM urges Pacific unity but respects Kiribati withdrawal from forum

In Suva, Fiji’s prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, says the Pacific is “most resilient as a family”, while respecting the wishes of Kiribati and its government to withdraw from the forum.

The people and government of Kiribati have always been and will remain part of our Pacific family.

Fiji's Prime Minister makes an impassioned pitch for regional unity at the opening of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting. Frank Bainimarama says "we can only build our best possible future together as a family" 1/ pic.twitter.com/eZ5ww1wjkd

— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) July 12, 2022

Updated

Privacy watchdog to investigate Bunnings and Kmart over facial recognition technology

Australia’s privacy watchdog has launched an investigation into retail giants Bunnings and Kmart over their use of facial recognition technology in stores.

Consumer group Choice last month revealed Bunnings and Kmart were using the technology – which captures images of people’s faces from video cameras as a unique faceprint that is then stored and can be compared with other faceprints – in what the companies say is a move to protect customers and staff and reduce theft in selected stores.

Choice reported the two companies along with the The Good Guys to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), raising questions over how people’s personal information was being handled through the technology.

The OAIC announced on Tuesday it had decided to launch an investigation into the personal information handling practices of Bunnings and Kmart and how they use the facial recognition technology in store.

The Good Guys paused its use of the technology following preliminary inquiries from the OAIC.

The OAIC said:

In line with the OAIC’s Privacy regulatory action policy, no further comment will be made while the investigations are ongoing.

Comment has been sought from Bunnings and Kmart.

Updated

Environment protection agency needed to help Australia ‘do better’, Plibersek says

Finally, Plibersek is asked about the State of the Environment Report, to be released on 19 July and expected to be “grim reading”.

The report was received by the previous government in December and not made public before the federal election.

Question: What would a standalone environment protection agency, the likes of which you have promised, what would it do to improve any of the findings in that report and by when?

Plibersek:

This is a report that is months overdue ... the fact we’ve kept it secret before the last election tells you a lot about the contents of the report. I don’t want to disclose everything today. I will tell you that this report shows that there’s been a substantial decline in a number of key areas of our environment. We need to do better. We absolutely need to do better to protect our landscapes, our threatened species, to protect the environment for all Australians.

We’ve spoken about an environmental protection agency because it’s a simple fact that the EPBC Act ... is not doing its job particularly well. It’s not protecting the environment in the best way and it’s also quite slow and cumbersome.

Updated

Labor ‘determined’ to invest in shift to renewable despite global energy crisis

Plibersek is asked whether a warning from the visiting International Energy Agency chief that the global energy crisis may get worse before it gets better could hinder the federal government’s 43% energy reduction commitment.

She says Labor remains “determined” to invest in the transition to cleaner energy.

I think it’s plain to everyone that the conflict in Ukraine and other uncertainties are having an impact on energy markets around the world but it doesn’t change the fact that particularly in the medium to longer term, the best way of bringing down power prices is to see more renewables entering the market.

I think this is a reminder that this transition is a huge opportunity for Australia. Of course, it has short-term difficulties, and I’m not for a moment discounting the impact that higher energy prices right now are having. This is the result of 10 years of ... neglect by the previous government.

Short term, then, is there a lot of “pressure placed on [her] shoulders” to approve new coal and gas projects? (Presumably as a sort of “band-aid fix” despite the fact coalmines take a reasonable amount of time to start up and shut down.)

I don’t think any serious commentator is saying that we’ve got to stop exporting Australian coal and gas tomorrow. I don’t think anybody serious is saying that. It will be part of our energy mix for some time to come and part of the global energy mix for some time. What we need to do is make sure at the same time we develop the economic opportunities of renewable energy.

Updated

Australia in talks with Pacific on 2029 UN climate conference, Plibersek says

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, follows Conroy on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

Samoa is a key partner in the Pacific + an active participant in regional + global discussions on important issues like plastics and climate change.
⁰Wonderful to meet with Samoan Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Hon. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster this morning. pic.twitter.com/GtpfRgA6Zn

— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) July 12, 2022

Still on the Pacific Islands Forum, she’s asked how much thought the federal government has given to the 2029 UN climate conference and the involvement of smaller Pacific nations.

Plibersek says:

We’ve started to have conversations with our Pacific neighbours about the sort of involvement they’d like to see. I met with the Samoan environment minister today, and last week when I was in Lisbon I met with a number of Pacific leaders and ambassadors from Pacific nations, and there’s a fair degree of enthusiasm for this proposal. Obviously no region in the world is more impacted by climate change than the Pacific. So, there’s a very strong interest from Pacific nations to remind the world again of what an existential issue this is for them.

Updated

Australia is supporting Vanuatu’s voice on climate, Conroy says

Conroy is asked about the push from Vanuatu for the international court of justice (ICJ) to seek referrals on countries that don’t meet their climate change obligations.

No Pacific island nation is a party to the ICJ, yet Conroy has indicated he’s in support of the proposal.

Is Australia “backing the wrong horse”?

We’re backing a process. We’re being very supportive of the Vanuatu government’s efforts to get a resolution passed by the UN general assembly, that would refer a number of questions to the international court of justice for their deliberations ... we make it clear that the UNFCCC negotiations is the primary focus for achieving climate action around the globe but are supportive of the process that Vanuatu has been pursuing ... we haven’t agreed on the resolution. We’re yet to see the questions that the government of Vanuatu intends to put to the UN general assembly and we will reserve our position until we see the questions, like every other nation.

This is just an example of where under the new Australian government rather than stifling climate action, rather than trying to bully and intimidate Pacific countries to stop them talking about climate action, we’re supporting their voice in multilateral forums because is the number one security threat to the Pacific and we’re very committed to being part of the solution, rather than being part of the problem.

Updated

Pacific Islands Forum focused on ‘rebuilding unity’, Conroy says

Now to China, “looming large” over discussions at the forum.

Conroy:

We made a decision to not include dialogue partners in this PIF, but the focus was on concentrating on rebuilding PIF unity. So that’s why the vast majority of the program with limited exceptions ... focused on Pacific Island Forum leaders and foreign ministers talking to each other, working on how we can renew and energise the PIF architecture.

Why, then, did the US vice-president, Kamala Harris, make a pitch to members?

There are some limited and specific interventions that the chair has allowed. And obviously that was a decision that the prime minister of Fiji made. So you have to go to the Fiji government as to why they did that. There are limited exceptions to that focus. The overwhelming focus is on rebuilding unity.

Updated

Australia’s aid to Kiribati has no strings attached, Conroy says

Asked what more Australia could do to entice Kiribati back, Conroy acknowledged it was “important that the discussions are being led by Fiji” as the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Yesterday, Australia committed $2m in additional assistance to help the island nation through drought.

It’s counter productive for Australia to be too forward leaning.

That decision around the aid package is not conditional on Kiribati rejoining the Pacific Islands Forum. We don’t deliver aid like that. We don’t deliver aid with strings attached, unlike other countries interested in this region.

Updated

Pacific minister Pat Conroy on Kiribati rejoining the Pacific Islands Forum

Pacific minister Pat Conroy is appearing on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, wearing a lovely shirt.

Asked whether Kiribati may rejoin the Pacific Islands Forum, he replied:

The leaders’ dialogue had a lot of strong language around commitment to unity and the importance of a strong united Pacific voice. That is a positive. Importantly, several Micronesian leaders were strong in the need to implement the Suva agreement and rebuild the architecture of the Pacific Islands Forum as the central architecture for the region.

I wouldn’t say that I’m more optimistic about Kiribati rejoining. I’m not more pessimistic, but I think it’s one where we have to let Kiribati go through their paces, acknowledging today is their national day ... Pacific unity is vital for our shared interests. That’s what Micronesian leaders said ... and something we’re working towards.

Updated

Controversial Queensland New Acland coalmine should stay closed, activists say

My thought has well and truly been provoked by this Fijian cloud.

A thought provoking cloud off the coast of Suva at the Pacific Islands Forum #pif #auspoI ✈️ 🇦🇺 🇫🇯 pic.twitter.com/6qDKqANXWq

— Jonathan Lea (@JonathanLea10) July 12, 2022

On the topic of climate change, the Queensland Resources Council is lobbying the state government to expand a controversial New Acland open-cut coalmine, which would extract some seven million tonnes of coal per year and extend its life for more than a decade.

Paul King from Oakey Coal Action Alliance said the mine was currently closed and should stay that way.

This controversial mine expansion will risk prime agricultural land and water resources and goes against the science that tells us emissions must rapidly decrease to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

During our current food crisis, it doesn’t make sense to destroy prime agricultural land and put up to 10m litres of milk production at risk by reopening this mine. The new mining project will also use up to 1.3m litres of water a day, draining local water bores. Farmers in this area are completely reliant on this groundwater source.

Local farmers and landholders are calling on the government to reject this licence and put an end to this dangerous project once and for all.

Updated

RACGP backs continuation of free RATs for concession card holders

The RACGP is backing the continuation of free rapid antigen tests for concession card holders following the federal government’s announcement the funding would be cut.

It comes amid the rollback of other Covid measures including 70 telehealth items introduced during the pandemic.

Its president Karen Price says Covid “is not disappearing anytime soon” and we “must do more to reduce community transmission”.

The @RACGP continues to support free access to rapid antigen tests. We can’t just have healthcare available to those who can afford it, we must think of people on low incomes. #COVID19 is not disappearing anytime soon, and we must do more to reduce community transmission. #RATS

— Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) President (@RACGPPresident) July 12, 2022

Updated

Government urged to consider shared infrastructure at Sydney Energy Forum

Amanda Lacaze of Lynas has pleaded to the government to think about shared infrastructure between critical mineral and battery production at the Sydney Energy Forum today.

Shared infrastructure is by definition going to be lower cost. My plead to the government is to think about shared infrastructure for these value-add activities.

In Kalgoorlie, Western Australia – home to a Lyans mineral refining facility – it is “about water”, she explains. At the same time, it is “equally about minerals, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid ... it is about building the ecosystem and the capability”.

If we do that, we can win ... [it] allows us to be cross-competitive.

Updated

Spike in solar panel prices puts pressure on increased demand

Prof Martin Green of UNSW acknowledges a spike in solar panel prices at the Sydney Energy Forum.

Solar panel prices “hit an all time low in 2020”, he explains. Following a shortage in pure silicon material used in production following disturbances at three major factories, prices have “gone up about 40% per watt per solar panel”.

With the “important role of solar” for climate change mitigation being increasingly “publicised”, Green points to “increased demand right at the time supply is struggling”.

Updated

Disgraced former Ipswich mayor’s name stripped from bridge and street signs

Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding says “common sense” has “prevailed” after the council voted to strip the name of jailed sex offender and former mayor Paul Pisasale from a bridge and street west of Brisbane.

Pisasale was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison in 2020 after pleading guilty to more than 30 offences.

Seven of nine councillors voted to remove Pisasale’s name from the council assets on Tuesday after a decision to leave the names unchanged sparked community backlash earlier this month.

Pisasale’s former deputy mayor, councillor Paul Tully, and another fellow member of the former council, councillor Sheila Ireland abstained from the vote.

On Facebook, Harding thanked residents for relaying their concerns and said their voices had “been heard loud and clear”.

The council has authorised its chief executive to work with the Yuggera Ugarapul people native title holders to come up with new names in line with community sentiment.

A council spokesperson said in the meantime, the bridge will be unnamed and street signs with the existing name at Yamanto will remain in place.

Updated

Opposition criticises Labor’s ‘worrying’ Covid response

The opposition’s health spokeswoman, Anne Ruston, has called on the federal government to release the health advice underpinning its decision to end free Covid tests for concession card holders.

She raised concern that this followed a government decision to end more than 70 different telehealth services, and the winding up of pandemic leave payments despite Australia entering into a devastating third wave of the virus.

She told Guardian Australia:

At a time when we are seeing a massive increase in the number of Covid cases and cost of living pressures impacting very seriously on Australians, Mr Butler must outline what expert advice has formed the basis of his decision.

The pattern of behaviour in the Albanese government’s health response to Covid is worrying.

There have already been cuts to 70 telehealth services, cuts to the pandemic leave disaster payments, and now cuts to the access of rapid antigen testing for concession card holders. You would have to question the timing of these cuts when it is so important that Australians are mindful of this new, dangerous wave of Covid going through our communities.

Updated

Queensland monkeypox case poses ‘no general risk’

In better news, a monkeypox case reported in Queensland yesterday evening – the state’s first – poses “no general risk” and no sleep lost.

Which is a relief, as there are already enough things to stay up fretting over.

Dr Gerrard also said there was "no general risk" from Qld's first case of monkeypox.

"We're going to see monkeypox spreading, there will more cases in the future, and it's not something we should be losing sleep over, but it seems like it's well established around the world."

— @MartySilk (@MartySilkHack) July 12, 2022

Updated

Number of Queensland health staff off work equal to state’s first Covid wave

The number of health staff off work in Queensland is nearly equal to the state’s first wave earlier in the year.

Nevertheless, there’s been no move on a tightening of restrictions, with the chief health officer acknowledging keeping Covid off cruise ships is “incredibly difficult” following a major outbreak.

NEW: Queensland's health minister says 928 COVID-19 and flu patients are in hospital and 2300 health staff are off work.

That's nearly equal to the first wave earlier in 2022.

"We're probably got another 2-3 weeks before we hit this peak, and we expect these numbers to climb."

— @MartySilk (@MartySilkHack) July 12, 2022

Qld CHO John Gerrard isn't considering any restrictions and says Ekka will "absolutely" go ahead from August 6-14.

He also said keeping covid off cruise ships like the Coral Princess "where there are 1000s of people in the middle of a pandemic is extraordinarily difficult".

— @MartySilk (@MartySilkHack) July 12, 2022

Updated

Ending Covid RAT subsidies puts vulnerable Australians at risk, PSA president says

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia [PSA] national president Dr Fei Sim said the federal government’s announcement that the Covid-19 rapid test concessional access program will not be extended beyond July will put vulnerable Australians at risk.

She said it also sends the wrong message to the public:

The pandemic is not over, and the threat of serious illness is still there for many vulnerable people in our communities.

Testing remains a vital part of our Covid-19 response.

While recognising that our approach to test-trace-isolate has changed since the program was launched in January, testing with even mild symptoms remains an expectation of everyone in the community.

She said with most states and territories adopting advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee [AHPPC] to move from a three-month to a 28-day immunity period, access to testing will be vital, especially for vulnerable groups who’ve relied on the concessional program.

Earlier on Tuesday the Australian Medical Association [AMA] and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners [RACGP] said vulnerable people will be most impacted by the end of Medicare-subsidised extended telehealth consultations and a range of other telehealth items. Both organisations have written to health minister Mark Butler urging him to meet with them and discuss the changes.

AMA president, Dr Omar Khorshid has said:

These changes undermine the ability of patients to access their doctors, and in particular for GPs to prescribe antivirals for Covid-positive patients and will lead to costs elsewhere in the health system, including in overstretched hospitals.

This decision means telephone access to doctors will be significantly limited, hitting vulnerable patients hardest, including those who do not have access to high bandwidth internet and those who can’t operate the necessary IT systems.

Updated

Many thanks to the lovely Natasha May for keeping us informed today. I’ll be with you for the rest of this fine Tuesday.

Handing you over to the wonderful Caitlin Cassidy who’ll be helming the blog for the rest of the day!

Sydney Energy Forum hears how Taiwan has no oil and gas

Naiwen Marina Hsu of the Taiwanese branch of a fund management company specialising in energy infrastructure assets, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, told the panel at the Sydney Energy Forum today how Taiwan has “no oil and gas, at all”.

In “looking to build out renewable energy”, the Chinese government has declared a net zero goal, she says.

In response, “the buildout [of renewable energy manufacturing] has to be much more aggressive”.

From zero to one [Taiwan] is building an offshore wind industry.

25km off the coast of Taiwan, commercialised offshore wind turbines are being constructed.

[The Chinese government] just launched three rounds to build out to 15GW of offshore wind.

A steady and a planned, staged policy department, together with capable private capital going in ... [and] experienced developers giving back to society by building up local industry.

Updated

Emergency service volunteers being trained to fill Victoria’s ambulance staff shortage

Fifty of Victoria’s fire and emergency service volunteers are being trained to provide first aid as the state’s ambulance staff are in extreme shortage.

The training comes as Ambulance Victoria on Sunday issued its seventh code red emergency in as many months.

50 CFA brigades will soon be trained by @AmbulanceVic to provide a new Fire Medical Response (FMR) program. The program will see volunteer firefighters trained to provide life-saving first aid in the community – helping save more lives. https://t.co/A4QamGqoJg pic.twitter.com/Z6lOYvZr4u

— cfa_updates (@CFA_Updates) July 12, 2022

Updated

Queensland energy minister calls for Australia to think about value rather than cost when it comes to renewables

Mick de Brenni, the Queensland minister for energy, renewables and hydrogen, emphasises thinking about spending on renewable energy as “about value ... not about cost” on a panel at the Sydney Energy Forum.

Value when looking at the cost of what we need to build includes consideration of reliability, quality, deliverability ... valuing the supply chains, the new business and job opportunities we create.

Value means measuring the opportunity cost of not acting to develop your own capacity.

It is a real threat ... if we are pushing for just low cost.

De Brenni says this was the “shift” in the Queendsland government’s mindset when “thinking about investments” in renewables.

Updated

NSW flood recovery and clean-up continues

Agencies continue to help flood victims clean up their homes and streets.

Fire and Rescue NSW said that fire crews have been cleaning up seaweed piled up in backyards at Chittaway Bay, on the Central Coast, in addition to the more usual activities of mopping up water, hosing out silt and moving ruined furniture from flood-damaged homes.

At Sackville, on the Hawkesbury River, the agency has deployed its Hytrans Bulk Water Transfer unit to help pump large quantities of water out of affected areas.

They’ve released a video showing some of these efforts.

Tuggerah Lakes | Fire and Rescue NSW continues flood clean-up efforts - Video: Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is continuing to assist residents, struggling to deal with flood damage to their homes.

With floodwaters receding, FRNSW ... https://t.co/2jy9RjkIzJ

— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) July 12, 2022

Updated

Agency running NDIS doesn’t understand First Nations cultural practices, inquiry hears

The agency running the National Disability Insurance Scheme doesn’t understand the importance of Return to Country cultural practices to First Nations people, an inquiry has heard.

The disability royal commission is this week exploring the experiences of First Nations people navigating the NDIS in remote communities over five days of hearings in Alice Springs.

Beth Walker, the Northern Territory public guardian, told the inquiry the agency failed to understand the significance of Return to Country trips and did not include a specific line item for funding them in NDIS packages.

She said:

The NDIA doesn’t really get the importance of those Return to Country trips. They are viewed a little bit like a holiday rather than a cultural connection. That’s really important to First Nations people.

And, again, there’s no specific line item in the NDIA pricing guide that covers Return to Country trips and so we are often trying to manoeuvre around people’s day to day services and pull out little bits or use other areas to fund the Return to Country trip.

Walker said the logistics of planning such trips could be “extensive” because of a person’s disability needs, including mobility issues and the need for one or multiple support workers.

So they are not necessarily easy things to plan, depending on the needs of the person. But the benefit and the joy that you see on someone’s face of returning and being with family is – there’s really no words to describe that.

Walker also said she was concerned by cuts to the NDIS plans of some of the individuals for whom she acts as public guardian. Guardian Australia has previously reported cuts to funding packages in the NT, particularly for accomodation funding.
She said:

I think what I am seeing as public guardian is the winding back of people’s plans and it seems to have a financial driver rather than the needs of the person at the centre of what’s happening. And that really concerns me.

Walker is the guardian for 337 First Nations people in the NT, 203 of whom living in remote communities.

The inquiry continues.

Updated

PM gets fourth Covid vaccine jab

The prime minister Anthony Albanese rolled up his sleeve today for a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine before he departs for Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Forum.

Albanese is part of the over 50 age bracket that Atagi recommended receive an additional dose of the vaccine last week, as hospitalisations surge across the country amid another Omicron wave.

Since yesterday Australians over the age of 30 have been eligible for the extra jab.

Updated

Climate action must be ‘fairly shared’ across Indo-Pacific, Bowen says

Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy, urges the Indo-Pacific region could “lead the world in clean energy transformations” in his address to the Sydney Energy Forum.

Pointing to battery, steal, hydrogen and solar manufacturing, Bowen says the region “can become the key global source of the raw materials, products and technologies that are vital to reducing emissions”.

Australia is the biggest producer of lithium in the world, with 49% of global production in 2020. With battery demand expected to grow at an incredible rate over the next decade, Australia can seize the opportunity to become a critical mineral powerhouse ... Japan is setting the foundations for new clean energy supply chains in our region, investing significantly in hydrogen production, use and transport technologies.

Japan and the Indo-Pacific are leading the world in hydrogen ... and ... India is on the path to becoming a solar giant, underpinned by the scale of their manufacturing sector, and spurred on by their ambitious target of reaching 100 GW of solar this year.

Acknowledging the frequency and severity of both fires and floods sweeping Australia, Bowen says action on climate is both an “environmental obligation” and “in our region’s own economic interest”.

It is also vital that no one is left behind.

Bowen urges that the economic costs and benefits of “real action” on climate change must be “fairly shared” across the Indo-Pacific.

We need to work with the leaders of emerging economies to understand and address their concerns.

Bowen points to the Albanese government’s $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, aimed to “harness Australia’s renewable potential”.

It will focus on production of green, low-cost materials for wind turbines and solar PV, as well as the broader economy ... [and] strengthen emerging sectors such as hydrogen and battery production, supported by hydrogen hubs and an Australian Made Battery Precinct.

Bowen’s address comes as Australia signs a deal with the US to accelerate deployment of zero emissions technology, as covered by Guardian Australia’s climate and environment editor Adam Morton in the blog.

Updated

First Nations people lobby to change culturally insensitive name of Queensland creek

In Queensland, the Iningai and Bidjara people have successfully lobbied to change the name of Longreach’s Black Gin creek, deemed culturally insensitive to traditional owners.

Bidjara man Trevor Robinson is lobbying to change the name to Watyakan, an Iningai word meaning women’s creek.

In my view, not only is the current name intolerable to First Nations people but also to the wider community, especially women.

State resources minister Scott Stewart said there was strong support for the name change from local council.

This creek is a site of cultural importance to the traditional owners and custodians of the land and the current name does not give the site the respect it deserves. The ... government will continue to work with First Nations peoples to formally rename insensitive sites.

The existing name first appeared on maps from about 1887 and covers the watercourse as it journeys from south-east of Ilfracombe to the Thompson River.

Consultation with community on the name change will run until September.

Updated

Australia must ‘walk the talk’ on climate, Greens leader says

The Greens are pushing for the federal government to can new coal and gas projects as the Pacific Forum gets underway.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said Australia must “walk the talk” on climate to bolster its position in the region.

If we don’t change course ... big talk will mean nothing to our regional neighbours.

We’ve promised our partners in the region that we’ll act to keep warming under 1.5 degrees, but Labor’s current climate target will make that impossible. A weak emissions reduction of 43% is consistent with at least two degrees of warming.

Even the weak target of 43% by 2030 will be impossible if Labor doesn’t urgently halt new gas projects at Scarborough and the Beetaloo Basin.

Pacific Island leaders want 75% and no new coal and gas because that’s what it takes to keep warming under 1.5 degrees.

They’re not alone:

Australia campaigns to co-host target-setting UN climate summit with the Pacific but it’s targets remain well below the developed world’s average & climate scientists say it will not limit global warming to below 2 degrees. #auspol #ClimateCrisis https://t.co/5BBgSiNAXp

— 🌏 Zali Steggall MP (@zalisteggall) July 12, 2022

According to applications lodged under national environment laws, the federal government could face decisions on whether to approve up to 27 coal mining developments.

Updated

The RBA has released a nifty little snapshot of Australia’s economy.

Millennials, avert your eyes at the average price of residential dwellings.

We have released a snapshot of the Composition of the Australian Economy - https://t.co/UpHWG4k6cB#rba #ausecon #ausbiz #data pic.twitter.com/isbsIynho3

— RBA (@RBAInfo) July 12, 2022

Updated

Australia signs deal with US to accelerate deployment of zero emissions technology

The Australian and US governments have signed a deal that they say will help accelerate the development and deployment of zero emissions technology, including long duration storage and removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The announcement by Australia’s climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, and the US secretary of energy, Jennifer Granholm, was made on the sidelines of the Sydney Energy Forum, covered elsewhere in the blog by Rafqa Touma.

Few details of agreement were released, but Bowen said it would put dealing with climate change at the centre of the relationship between the countries.

Both ministers suggested it should ultimately make the two countries less reliant on Chinese clean energy supply chains. The Chinese control about 80% of the global manufacturing supply chain for solar energy.

Granholm said the two countries would “work together to unlock critical advances in long-duration storage, grid integration, clean hydrogen, direct air capture, and critical minerals and materials.”

Bowen said the partnership was “a huge milestone in ramping up the US and Australia’s shared commitment to ambitious climate action and energy security”.

It prioritises not just development but deployment of the critical technologies that will underpin economic opportunity in the energy transformation of our two countries.

The announcement of the Australia-US net zero technology acceleration partnership coincided with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the CSIRO and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory to work together developing clean energy tech.

Updated

New canine member added to Queensland fire and rescue squad

With the many recent natural disasters, Australia’s emergency services are more vital than ever.

Fire and Rescue Queensland earlier today introduced the public to Bolt, their smallest qualified urban search and rescue canine.

The South Australian police made an April fools’ joke last year claiming to be introducing sausage dogs into its ranks, but Bolt appears to be a legitimate member of the Queensland service.

Meet Bolt, our smallest and youngest qualified Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) canine 🐶

His size gives him the advantage of being able to get into small tunnels when searching. pic.twitter.com/ZoD5SRX3hl

— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) July 12, 2022

Updated

National Covid-19 update – Australia reports 58 new deaths

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 58 deaths from Covid-19:

ACT

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 1,174
  • In hospital: 140 (with 3 people in ICU)

NSW

  • Deaths: 20
  • Cases: 10,806
  • In hospital: 2,049 (with 58 people in ICU)

Northern Territory

  • Deaths: 0
  • Cases: 481
  • In hospital: 39 (with no people in ICU)

Queensland

  • Deaths: 15
  • Cases: 6,768
  • In hospital: 860 (with 12 people in ICU)

South Australia

  • Deaths: 3
  • Cases: 3,668
  • In hospital: 246 (with 6 people in ICU)

Tasmania

  • Deaths: 1
  • Cases: 1,812
  • In hospital: 29 (with 2 people in ICU)

Victoria

  • Deaths: 16
  • Cases: 10,627
  • In hospital: 737 (with 39 people in ICU)

Western Australia

  • Deaths: 3
  • Cases: 6,000
  • In hospital: 297 (with 6 people in ICU)

WA records three Covid deaths and 297 people in hospital

There were 6,000 new cases in the last reporting period, and six people are in intensive care.

Calls for move to greater electricity use at Sydney Energy Forum

Claudio Facchin of Hitachi Energy, urges the need to move “move 20% to 50-70% electricity” in the grid on a panel at today’s Sydney Energy Forum.

He says there is comfort in “a lot of the technology needed to make that shift” being “available today” and there being “a lot of electrification across industries” on the “demand side”.

Facchin says “we need do more to make everyone understand that the entire electricity system” will need to change.

The scale that is needed and the pace at which we need to deliver that technology ... requires a lot of innovation.

Facchin points to that innovation in “how we partner, look at business models, how we innovate across the entire supply chain, how we create policies and a regulatory environment to deploy this technology [across countries and regionally].”

Updated

SA records three Covid deaths and 246 people in hospital

There were 3,668 new cases in the last reporting period, and six people are in intensive care.

South Australian COVID-19 update 12/07/22.

For more information, go to https://t.co/XkVcAmerhn pic.twitter.com/fktBtVW7QZ

— SA Health (@SAHealth) July 12, 2022

India’s energy supply chain discussed at Sydney Energy Forum

Sumant Sinha of ReNew Power acknowledges the issues that come with India’s growth on a panel at today’s Sydney Energy Forum.

As India grows, inevitably energy consumption will continue to grow.

70% of India’s total power comes from the coal sector, with 10% from renewables, Sinha explains.

A lot of the power sector still sits in the hands of government controlled entities.

How policy making evolves in a sector that moves very rapidly ... is a challenge.

Following on from discussion earlier this morning on China’s monopoly over the solar panel manufacturing market, Sinha says “we cannot keep importing solar panels”, urging away from dependence on “another part of the world”.

India has to create manufacturing domestically.

Updated

ACT records no Covid deaths and 140 people in hospital

There were 1,174 new cases in the last reporting period, and three people are in intensive care.

ACT COVID-19 update – 12 July 2022

💉 COVID-19 vaccinations
◾ Aged 5-11 years (1 dose): 80.6%
◾ Aged 5-11 years (2 doses): 69.4%
◾ Aged 5+ years (2 doses): 97.4%
◾ Aged 16+ years (3 doses): 77.5% pic.twitter.com/NxFq6YqOLf

— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) July 12, 2022

First images from Nasa’s James Webb space telescope reveal ancient galaxies

Nasa today released an image showing the deepest glimpse into the universe we’ve ever seen.

It’s the first image from the James Webb telescope, the most powerful telescope ever put into space.

The image shows a cluster of some of the earliest formed galaxies after the big bang 13.8bn years ago.

Updated

On China’s monopoly of solar power manufacturing

And an audience question brings us back to the topic of China’s monopoly on solar power manufacturing at the Sydney Energy Forum today.

Sumant Sinha of ReNew Power explains China’s manufacturing advantage of companies’ access to cheaper land, and capitol cost being a bit lower.

He says the “ecosystem you build” around manufacturing of solar panels – from glass panels to glue – is key to “bringing down logistic costs”.

All of that gives you a significant competitive advantage.

China crossed that quite some time ago.

Any country that wants to start has to start from zero.

That manufacturing ecosystem “needs to get to scale before you get to a comparative end product”.

Sinha warns of a 25-35% cost disadvantage for a new country entering the market.

Will people be willing to pay more to support a new country manufacturing [to diversify away from China]?

This is difficult ... because people want access to the cheapest power.

Updated

Hydrogen could step in to reduce reliance on gas, CSIRO boss says

Malcolm Turnbull, former prime minister of Australia, puts forward a question about long duration energy storage at the Sydney Energy Forum today.

Dr Larry Marshall of CSIRO says, to address that question, “we need to go beyond the grid”.

We need fuel to transfer massive amounts of energy quickly.

Marshall warns of an expectation that a reliance on gas will persist until 2040.
But he is optimistic that hydrogen will emerge as the solution.

Hydrogen will be able to step in and fill in the gap to reduce the amount of storage needed.

Equivalent to Europe’s use of hydro electric and nuclear energy, “we think we can do ... with hydrogen in Australia”.

Updated

Queensland records 15 Covid deaths and 860 people in hospital

There were 6,768 new cases in the last reporting period, and 12 people are in intensive care.

Today we have recorded 6,768 new COVID-19 cases.

Sadly, we have reported 15 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Full details➡️https://t.co/rKHIwrGADi pic.twitter.com/eGoFwXoaNn

— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) July 12, 2022

Australia needs ‘innovation’ to make clean energy transition

Dr Larry Marshall of CSIRO says “innovation is key” in the transition to clean energy technologies on a panel at the Sydney Energy Forum today.

Our biggest problem [in Australia] is our innovation dilemma.

We can’t make this massive transition, bigger than anything any of us have ever lived through, if we can’t fix that.

Updated

‘Huge opportunity’ for Australia to cooperate with US on defence, Marles says

Earlier, at the Centre for Strategic International Studies the defence minister Richard Marles also spoke about the possibility of greater development cooperation with the United States.

Marles said development was an aspect of the US-Australia alliance that is “underdone” because there “is not the same deep, organic interoperability as in other areas such as defence”.

To be glass half full about it – there’s huge opportunity to develop this and do more.

Marles then gave an extended analogy about how US naval patrols around its territories including Hawaii traversed the exclusive economic zones of other countries, and could alert them to illegal fishing from “grey” vessels “pillaging” their fish. He proposed an audit of existing activities in the Pacific to determine how these could help Pacific neighbours.

Bridi Rice, the chief executive of Development Intelligence Lab, said:

The Australia-US alliance is missing a critical dimension for security and stability in the Pacific – development. It’s about time we heard a defence leader talking about development challenges of our region and as a serious and valuable space for US-Australian cooperation.

While the political commitment to US and Australian development cooperation in the Pacific has ramped up, we fall woefully short when it comes to practice. We don’t have shared assessments, joint cooperation on the ground is scarce. That has got to change if we are going to have an effective alliance in the Pacific.

Updated

Update on the second day of hearings held by the disability royal commission in Alice Springs focused on NDIS for First Nations people

A First Nations woman with disability living has told of a lack of support in Tennant Creek, saying her life has become more difficult since the national disability insurance scheme arrived in town.

Emily, who grew up in Mount Isa, Queensland, but now lives in the Northern Territory, had a stroke in her twenties in 2003 that left her unable to speak.

She told the disability royal commission she uses an electric scooter to get around, but that her front door was too small to bring it inside.

This meant she needed to charge the scooter outside by running a cable through a window. She said she was concerned her scooter would be stolen, as had occurred to others in the town.

Emily also said she had an NDIS plan but that no one had told her how to use her funds. There is no NDIS office in Tennant Creek, meaning she needs to go to a Centrelink office to discuss NDIS issues. That office is not wheelchair accessible, so she can only enter using a walking stick.

When asked by counsel assisting the commission, Avelina Tarrago, whether things had gotten worse since the NDIS started, Emily agreed that they had.

The commission was also played a clip of Emily crossing the Barkly Highway, the main road in Tennant Creek.

Emily said she was often scared crossing the bumpy road on her scooter because there were many trucks which tended to speed along the highway.

Her scooter’s tyres were easily damaged on the rough terrain.

The inquiry is this week investigating the experiences of First Nations people in remote communities in accessing the NDIS.

Minister defied advice on mask mandates

Victoria’s health minister Mary-Anne Thomas has revealed the state government defied the acting chief health officer’s advice to introduce mask mandates in a range of settings including early childhood education and some retail environments.

It comes after the Victorian government last week extended the state’s pandemic declaration for another three months, citing a serious Covid risk to the public.

Speaking to reporters, Thomas said the government had consulted with industry groups and other stakeholders in making its decision:

We want to empower Victorians to make the best decision.

Victoria today joined NSW in reducing the state’s Covid reinfection period to four weeks, as the state government recommends people wear masks indoors and in crowded public places.

Updated

Covid-carrying cruise ship under watchful eye of NSW Health

When the Coral Princess cruise ship – carrying over 100 Covid positive cases – arrives in NSW the crew will not be allowed to disembark and passengers will have to return a negative RAT test, NSW Health authorities say:

The vast majority of Covid-19 cases on the ship are currently in crew members.

A small number of passengers have been diagnosed with Covid-19 since boarding the Coral Princess, their infections were most likely acquired prior to boarding and they subsequently tested positive.

The ship is currently en route to the port of Eden on the South Coast of NSW and is also scheduled to be in Sydney for one day on Wednesday, 13 July, before travelling to Brisbane.

NSW Health said it is liaising with the Coral Princess cruise ship to monitor the health of its passengers and crew members:

NSW Health’s assessment is that the Covid-19 risk level for the Coral Princess during this cruise is amber, which indicates a moderate impact to the vessel.

When the ship arrives at the port of Eden, NSW Health says that no crew members will disembark and all passengers disembarking will be requested to return a negative RAT result first:

To further minimise the risk of transmission, passengers on shore tours will also be advised to wear masks when on transport or in other public indoor spaces, physically distance wherever possible and to regularly use hand sanitiser.

Updated

‘I want a frank, fair-dinkum review’: Perrottet on flooding

Albanese and Perrottet are speaking about the future of flood-prone areas like Lismore and whether rebuilding should occur.

Albanese said:

I don’t think we’ve had a discussion about relocating the whole of Lismore. But what we have had on a pretty informal basis is discussion about planning. I think we’d have a common view that you can’t continue to commit the same issues and wonder why you get the same outcomes. And quite clearly planning and development in flood planes is something that is primarily the responsibility of state governments, but common sense has got to apply here as well and I’m confident that the premier will be doing just that.

Perrottet said he agreed with the principle that you can’t keep doing the same things the same way and expect a different outcome:

There’s no doubt these events are becoming more prevalent and I have commissioned that review. I expect to receive that review by the end of the month. I have said that I’ll make that review public.

Now, a lot of that will focus on the immediate response to these disasters but there’s no doubt there will be a medium- to long-term focus and our government is already, independently of that review, working through how we plan for the long term.

We need to make sure that we can stand here as leaders in a circumstance where an event like this happens in the future – which it inevitably will – that we have done everything we can to make sure we don’t make the mistakes of the past.

And whether that’s development on flood plains in circumstances where not only does that cost and risk lives, but the impact on properties, homes, and businesses, which the Government, at a Commonwealth and state level will always be there to provide that financial support. That’s our job.

I have said to both Mary O’Kane and Mick Fuller in relation to that review that I don’t want a political review. I want a frank, fair-dinkum review, that the government will take on board and respond. And I’ll make that report public as quickly as possible.

Updated

I’ll await the legislation, says PM on assisted dying

Albanese is asked how he would vote on the issue of assisted dying:

We haven’t seen the bill yet. It will be a private member’s bill. I’ll look at the details of the bill. I’ve been on the record previously - I was an opponent of the Andrews bill when it occurred.

The Labor Party has a conscience vote on these issues and so I’ll await the legislation that I read is being introduced by Luke Gosling from the Northern Territory and Alicia Payne from the ACT.

Albanese says there are two issues at play:

The issue of substance and also the issue of the right of territory governments to be able to determine their own legislation as well. That’s something that, in my view, people in Australia should not be treated any differently and with less rights if they happen to live in Canberra compared with living in Queanbeyan in the state of New South Wales, and similar issues apply to the Northern Territory.

Updated

Throw out your thongs, say farmers

AAP reports that farmers are urging travellers from Bali to throw out their thongs before arriving in Australia, to help stop the highly contagious foot and mouth disease. It’s been estimated the arrival of FMD in Australia could cost the agriculture industry $80b.

National farmers federation president Fiona Simson said people throwing away their old footwear would be given a voucher towards a new pair of shoes. “Ringers Western will give them a 30% voucher on their return,” she said. “I never thought we’d be helping people buy new shoes to keep my cattle safe, but here we are.”

Last week, biosecurity measures were strengthened at Australian airports. Detector dogs are operating at Darwin and Cairns airports and biosecurity officers are boarding flights from Indonesia to do checks of travellers arriving from Indonesia.

– with AAP

Updated

NSW flood relief payments being fast-tracked: PM

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is emphasising the payments are being fast-tracked to prioritise support for victims over auditing the process. However, both he and the premier are imploring people to only apply if they are eligible:

The costs so far to the commonwealth has been $514m , so this joint funding is separate from that as well.

I make this point – we’re making the payments. We’re not holding them up in order to audit in advance. But we will be auditing in retrospect as well.

So only people who are eligible for these payments should apply for these payments, but we didn’t want to be in a circumstance whereby people were not able to receive support because some of these people have lost everything.

So the idea that you can go through and check every application before payments are made would have had a severe impact on people and would have added to the trauma which people are experiencing.

Perrottet has affirmed the audit will be performed in due course and any false claims will be identified:

Whether it’s through Covid payments or disaster payments, there are always people who fraudulently put registrations and applications in who are not eligible and that is disgraceful.

If you do that, we will catch you out ... But from a state and Commonwealth perspective, it is most important right now that we provide that assistance as quickly as possible to those who need it and, as the Prime Minister has said, significant audits will be in place following this period.

Updated

Further flood support details

NSW treasurer, Matt Kean, is providing more details on what the additional funding will go towards:

Today, we’re announcing significant financial assistance for those impacted by these recent floods and it’s a joint initiative with the commonwealth government.

This includes grants to councils that will help with things like urgent repairs to infrastructure and helping them employ additional people to help with the flood recovery.

In addition to that, we’ve committed funding for the clean-up, primary producer and small business grants and boots on the ground to assess... the recovery process.

We’re at the start of the recovery and our two governments will make the necessary financial commitments to get these communities back on their feet as soon as possible.

Updated

Flood support extended to eight further LGAs

Murray Watt, the federal minister for emergency management, has announced an additional eight local government areas will receive support.

We’re also pleased to announce today that we’ve extended that support to a further eight local government areas in addition to the 29 that had been previously announced. So there’s now a total of 37.

The extra eight LGAs are Cumberland, mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Randwick and Warren, a total of 37 LGAs around New South Wales that will be eligible for those payments and they will also be eligible for the payments that have been announced by the Prime Minister and the Premier today.

Updated

Perrottet pledges grants, $1m of flood support per council

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says the additional supports will be available by the end of the week:

The assistance that we’re announcing today ... will be available for registration by the end of the week through Service New South Wales for the business grant of up to $50,000.

The primary producer grant, through the rural assistance authority of up to $75,000.

With regards the council grants:

This financial support today of $1m per council impacted is in addition to that financial support that we have provided in the past and we’ll continue to work with our local government areas right across the state to ensure they have the financial support they need to get their communities back on track as quickly as possible.

Updated

Albanese announces more support for NSW flood victims

Prime minister Anthony Albanese is announcing additional funding to support flood victims in NSW to help get people’s lives “back on track.”

Clean-up immediate assistance and an initial estimated cost of $80m with an estimated commonwealth contribution of half that amount.

Primary producer recovery grants of up to $75,000 at an additional estimated cost of $55m with an estimated commonwealth contribution of half that.

Small businesses and nonprofit organisation recovery grants of up to $50,000 with half of the amount coming to a cost of $27m, shared between the commonwealth and New South Wales.

At-flood property assessment program at an estimated initial cost of some $36m.

We’ll also be providing $1m grants to each council in the 37 disaster-related declared LGAs to assist with their immediate social built economic and environmental needs.

Updated

Push to replace gas with renewables amidst war in Ukraine at Sydney Energy Forum

Answering a question from the audience on whether a need to reduce dependence on Russian gas amid war in Ukraine increases a need for greater investment in gas from other countries at the Sydney Energy Forum today, Dr Fatih Birol, executive director of International Energy Agency says:

I put a big question mark on if those investments will be profitable.

“We have to bring gas, oil demand down,” he said, pointing to a plethora of possible alternatives.

We can replace gas with renewables, with nuclear power, with energy efficiency.

There are already available gas reservoirs ... We can increase production from there.

There is a huge amount of methane emissions today escaping many countries around the world exporting gas ... If we catch this methane, we can help to replace Russian gas.

Updated

For the latest in Australian politics join Poll the Position webinar at 1pm

Guardian’s Essential poll shows the prime minister Anthony Albanese’s approval is wavering as the honeymoon period fades.

You can find out more about what the latest poll shows by joining Guardian’s political editor Katherine Murphy and Peter Lewis at the the live version at 1PM today following the below link.

If you want the live version, don’t forget to join @PeterLewisEMC and me at 1pm for Poll Position, hosted by @ebony_bennett Details here 👉 https://t.co/4x97BOGkF3

— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) July 11, 2022

Updated

Asian Development Bank president addresses Sydney Energy Forum

Masatsugu Asakawa, Asian Development Bank president, said “we all need to pick up the scale and pace of energy transition” at the Sydney Energy Forum today.

My friends, we know transformation [to clean energy grid] is far from complete. The world needs to decarbonise. Asia and the Pacific are responsible for more than 50% of global greenhouse emissions. And it impacts small nations and the most vulnerable population.

Asakawa points to a need for “collective action” on innovative solutions to “turn the tide”, urging leaders to “invest to get us on the path to a net zero future”.
“In the role of new technologies ... access will be the key.”

The transition to clean and efficient energy is fully compatible with robust economic growth.

Updated

Minister defied advice on mask mandate

Mary-Anne Thomas, the Victorian health minister, reveals she went against health advice not mandating masks indoors for several settings.

BREAKING: Vic Health Minister admits she has gone against health advice and NOT mandated masks indoors for several settings (including retail, hospitality, childcare) as recommended by CHO. @10NewsFirstMelb pic.twitter.com/wKgP3IGjsH

— Patrick Murrell (@pamurrell) July 12, 2022

Updated

Free rapid tests to end in July

The federal health minister, Mark Butler, has revealed the federal program providing 10 free rapid antigen tests every three months for concession card holders will end in July.

Butler was speaking to 3AW Radio about the covid crisis in Australia, confirming that 300 Australians are “losing their life every single week”, with new data suggesting “Covid is the largest killer of Australians this year, overtaking coronary disease”.

Asked if the free RATs could be extended beyond July, Butler said:

No, I think that expiry is about the right time. [Early in 2022] we had a very ferocious debate at a time rapid tests were very hard to get ... The price has come down dramatically, the cost was averaging $24-$25 per test in January, they’re now down to about $8 a test. Pensioners and concession card holders can still get their allocation of up to 10 before the end of the month, and that can carry them through for a period of time. There are so many RATs out in the community, many state governments provide free access ... and they’re available if you live in an aged care facility. The problem we were facing is largely resolved.

Butler said Australia is “going through a difficult period” and if employers feel they are able to continue their operations with employees working from home, they should heed the chief health officer’s advice to consider allowing staff to do so.

Butler asked Australians “if you’re in indoor spaces, particularly crowded ones where you can’t socially distance, think about putting mask on,” signalling he may start wearing them to press conferences again.

Asked why the government isn’t doing more, Butler said:

We’re deep into the third year of the pandemic. There is a level of fatigue that governments and health authorities need to reflect when putting in measurers to deal with this third wave. We’ve tried to bring new energy about the importance of getting the third vaccine dose.

Updated

Interest rate hikes dent consumer confidence

Consumer confidence has fallen for the second week in a row, particularly for mortgage holders being hit by higher interest rates.

The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence Rating saw a drop of 2.5% to 81.6, well under the last three decade’s monthly average of 112.4. Consumer confidence for those paying off a mortgage was down by a “sharp” 5.4%, the survey found.

Since talk of rate hikes began in late April, consumer confidence among mortgage holders has fallen 25%, while confidence among renters is down 4%.

CBA’s chief economist, Stephen Halmarick, says expected interest rate increases are likely “to see discretionary spending weaken further in coming months”.

– with AAP

Updated

Fog alert!

Foggy conditions in Adelaide where a road weather alert has been issued by the SA state emergency service.

A Road Weather Alert is current for the Adelaide area. Please take extra care on the roads. https://t.co/YyKJ2wT2Bh https://t.co/NepV7eVCgf

— SASES (@SA_SES) July 12, 2022

Updated

More updates from the Sydney Energy Forum

Ms Jennifer Granholm, US Secretary of Energy, says US President Joe Biden is “very enthused” about building out the clean energy transition at today’s Sydney Energy Forum:

We want a modern grid with an expanded capacity.

It is not just the flipping of a switch. It’s a period of time ... We want to plan responsible, with a sense of urgency.

Granholm points to change being needed in the fossil fuel industry:

“There is a moment for all of us to call upon diversification of fossil companies ... to become energy companies, and not just fossil energy companies,” she says, urging a move to clean energy sources, “whether it is hydrogen, or geothermal”.

Clean energy development is:

truly about energy security and energy independence as nations.

We cannot be under the thumb of those who don’t share our values ... or under the thumb of those who [want to] control our supply chain.

Updated

Climate is No 1 national security, economic challenge of region: Wong

Conroy said development assistance doesn’t come “with strings attached” in reference to Pacific Island nations’ relationships with China:

To demonstrate the conviction... only yesterday we announced an additional $2m of assistance to Kiribati to assist with their crippling drought, that is on top of the $600,000 we announced a couple of weeks ago. It is very important that aid is unconditional like that.

Wong was asked if climate change has been overshadowed as the biggest threat facing the region and whether it will still be the centre of discussions at the forum this week.

She has affirmed it remains the biggest threat the regions faces:

I can only say this, that climate is central in the statements of many leaders passed, it is the number one national security, economic challenge that the region faces.

Obviously, people have spoken about climate and spoken about strategic competition and have spoken about Covid and the path of recovery where there are real challenges for the Pacific. We know that there is a risk that we had a discussion today about a lower development path, what they call economic scarring as a result of Covid. This is not a region that can afford that we need to work with them to try to about that.

Updated

Conroy, Wong defend Australia’s emissions target

The media conference is asking Wong and Pat Conroy, the minister for international development, about the adequacy of Australia’s climate stance.

Conroy says it’s credible for Australia to host a COP forum when its emissions target is one of the highest in the developed world.

Wong says the 43% target is “quite a substantial target” and says coal mines “will be dealt with in accordance with Australian law”:

I would make the point that the target that we are proposing would see Australia adding 2% renewable energy for our domestic market by 2030.

Wong says she hasn’t been asked at the forum whether Australia would not allow any more coal reserves of gas most to be utilised.

Updated

Penny Wong says Pacific Islands Forum must remain united

Penny Wong has emphasised the importance the forum remain united, in light of the withdrawal of Kiribati from the forum:

I had a very good discussion today with the secretary of FSM and we spoke about the lived experience of the Micronesian states to climate change. And, as you know, that was one of the key aspects of Prime Minister Albanese’s election campaign.

I’d like to make a comment about the unity of the forum, which has obviously been a big discussion over these last week. The region is stronger together. It’s a simple proposition. The region is stronger together.

And in the bilateral they have had, in the discussions I have had in my previous visits in the dialogue today, leaders talked about the challenges the region faces, climate change, Covid, and recovery from Covid, both of which have fallen harder on this region and on many other parts of the world and, of course, strategic competition. And all the nations of this region are seeking to navigate those challenges. ...and we do it best when we do it together. That is the approach Australia has taken. That is the approach the Pacific Islands Forum has taken and that is why Pacific for immunity is so important. As you know,

There have been a lot of discussions about Pacific Islands Forum unity and the position the Australian government has consistently taken is we were seeking to support whatever the consensus could deliver, because the most important thing was to ensure that at this time, in a contestable, in a world confronting climate, Covid, and economic recovery from Covid, that the forum remain united.

Updated

‘We are here to listen’: Penny Wong in Suva

Penny Wong, the minister for foreign affairs, is giving a press conference from Suva where she is attending the Pacific Islands Forum.

I said today at the leaders forum dialogue that we are here to listen and learn. It is obviously my first forum and it was a very important to listen to the contributions from the various perspectives of presidents and prime ministers around the table and they gained a lot from that.

As they have said previously, the Australian government, the new Australian government is committed to bringing new energy and new resources to the Pacific and we recognise, in particular, the importance of climate change.

Updated

China’s monopoly on solar under spotlight at forum

Reporter Rafqa Touma here with some updates from today’s Sydney Energy Forum, where leaders in government and industry from around the world are gathering to discuss clean energy supply, sustainability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of International Energy Agency, urges that leaders “need to think about” China’s monopoly on solar energy manufacturing “from an energy security perspective” at the Sydney Energy Forum today:

Of all the manufacturing capacity around the world ... about 80% of the global supply chain manufacturing comes from one single country – China.

China did excellently within the last 15 years to bring the cost of solar down, providing multiple benefits around the world. But at the same time, today, 80% ... is a big number.

Every country “relying on technology from one single country ... is something we all need to think about from an energy security perspective”.

Updated

Victoria reduces Covid reinfection period to four weeks

Victoria has joined NSW in reducing the state’s Covid reinfection period to four weeks, as the state government recommends people wear masks indoors and in crowded public places.

It follows similar moves by the WA and ACT governments yesterday in line with advice from the the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. The previous Covid reinfection period – when people are exempt from testing and isolating – was 12 weeks.

The Victorian government has also requested employers consider working-from-home arrangements, noting there has been a 53% increase in the number of Victorians in hospital with Covid over the past two weeks.

Updated

All smiles in Suva

Guardian Australia’s Pacific editor, Kate Lyons, is currently in Suva covering the Pacific Islands Forum.

This morning, she was there for a warm greeting between Jacinda Ardern, the prime minster of New Zealand, and Penny Wong, Australia’s minister for foreign affairs.

All smiles as ⁦@SenatorWong⁩ and ⁦@jacindaardern⁩ arrive at the Grand Pacific Hotel for the start of the Pacific Islands Forum, with ⁦@FijiPM⁩ ⁦@Surangeljr⁩ and Daniel Kabul pic.twitter.com/Xkq2uPb22t

— Kate Lyons (@MsKateLyons) July 11, 2022

Updated

Flood toll on NSW roads emerges

NSW roads are significantly damaged by last week’s floods, as this image from Wiseman’s Ferry shows.

The state’s Rural Fire Service has reminded Australians the unknown condition of the roads is another reason why it’s unsafe to cross flood waters.

A great example of why you should never drive through flood waters, as it’s not possible to tell the condition of the road until the flood waters recede. This road in Wiseman’s Ferry will be closed for some time as significant repairs are required before it can be reopened. pic.twitter.com/zRw3aoxyG1

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) July 11, 2022

Updated

‘I am very uncomfortable with this voice’: Abbott on Indigenous voice to parliament

The former Liberal prime minister, Tony Abbott, also shared his views on the Indigenous voice to parliament, which Labor wants to hold a referendum on as soon as 2023.

Abbott told Radio National:

Let me say I think the opposition is right in the first instance to demand all the detail from the government. Personally, I am very uncomfortable with this voice, with what Malcolm Turnbull called a third chamber of parliament. I’m uncomfortable electing a body determined by race.

When Abbott was pulled up on the fact the voice is not a third chamber of parliament he said he was merely “citing what my successor said” – which isn’t a great way to engage in public discourse, happily repeating a misrepresentation as long as someone else said it first.

Abbott continued:

You can’t ask the people for a blank cheque on something as significant as this. If asked to vote on an unspecified voice, the natural response will be to say, ‘If you don’t know, vote no.’ The last thing we want is a referendum designed to forward reconciliation defeated and inevitably that puts reconciliation back.

The most likely referendum proposal is to include an enabling provision in the constitution, specifying that parliament will legislate the design of the voice. Not necessarily a blank cheque, depending on how much detail is released about the design of the body to be legislated.

Updated

Victoria records 16 Covid deaths and 737 people in hospital

There were 10,627 new cases in the last reporting period, and 39 people are in intensive care.

We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.

Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.

More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAchah#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/VKdIcHCdBl

— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 11, 2022

‘Finding common ground’: Albanese on nations working together

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has begun his opening address at the Sydney Energy Forum, emphasising the need for nations to work together towards a common good:

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities and laid bare challenges that we simply cannot ignore. There are many lessons that we will all take from this experience, but one of the most critical ones for me is that we are stronger when we work together.

We are, for all of our differences, one common human family and we all call this one fragile planet our home. When we pause and reflect on this, we recognise our connection to one another. We recognise that we have a common stake in each other and that the best way to meet the challenges in front of us is by finding common ground. That is what this forum is about – finding common ground. And that’s the message I’m carrying with me today, a message underscored by your presence here today.

The diversity and unity of purpose in this room makes it very clear – all of you coming together from across sectors and nations because you understand that our future is linked. All of us here know what needs to be done. The nature of the challenge and the science is not in question. Its urgency and scope is clear. The question is our ability, but importantly as well our appetite to seize the opportunities that it contains and to shape them in our common interests. As Prime Minister, I’m committed to renewing Australia’s standing in our region.

Reporter Rafqa Touma will be bringing you more updates about Albanese’s address here on the blog but you can also read political editor Katherine Murphy’s preview.

Updated

NSW records 20 Covid deaths and 2,049 people in hospital

There were 10,806 new cases in the last reporting period, and 58 people are in intensive care.

COVID-19 update – Tuesday 12 July 2022

In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:

- 96.7% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 95.2% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/T0yHTeUw3B

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 11, 2022

Medical bodies call for urgent reinstatement of Covid-19 telehealth items

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) are calling on the health minister, Mark Butler, to reverse the decision to let the telehealth items lapse amidst the latest Covid-19 outbreak.

The bodies want to meet with Butler to discuss the reinstatement of Covid-19 telehealth items cancelled on 1 July.

Dr Omar Khorshid, the AMA president, said:

These changes undermine the ability of patients to access their doctors, and in particular for GPs to prescribe antivirals for Covid-positive patients and will lead to costs elsewhere in the health system, including in overstretched hospitals.

Khorshid said the item for telephone consults longer that 20 minutes with a GP – a key part of the government’s “Living with Covid” strategy – was critical and must be restored:

Prescribing antivirals is time consuming, requiring a GP to consider complex eligibility requirements, contraindications and drug interactions and then arrange for patients to obtain the medication while isolating. Even simple cases take thirty minutes to an hour to properly complete.

Professor Karen Price, the president of RACGP, said given the growing number of COVID-19 cases and the unknown impacts of long COVID going forward, enabling access to longer telephone consultations was vital:

GPs have told the RACGP the removal of Medicare patient rebates for longer phone consultations has reduced access to care and increased health gaps for vulnerable patients.

This includes rural communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, older people, people with disability and mental health concerns, many of whom already have poorer health outcomes than the general population,” Price said.

Updated

‘A bit focused elsewhere’: Tony Abbott backhand to Coalition on Pacific

The former Liberal prime minister, Tony Abbott, has praised the Albanese government’s handling of the Pacific step-up, even implicitly criticising the Morrison government for being focused on the election instead of China’s ambitions in the region.

Abbott told Radio National:

I think it would be very serious if China were to establish a string of military bases in the South Pacific. It’s obvious that’s China and the Beijing regime’s intention. It’s important Australia do everything it can to ensure the people of Pacific understand their peril, not just ours. Because the Beijing regime may come to these countries all smiles, but Beijing is out for Beijing’s interests, not anybody else’s.

Asked if the new government had been more active than Morrison’s, Abbott replied:

I certainly applaud the fact Penny Wong went to Solomon Islands almost immediately, and the prime minister is going to the Pacific Islands Forum. The new government is being absolutely active in the Pacific as it should be – good on them. I don’t have the slightest criticism [of them].

Asked if it was a mistake for former foreign minister, Marise Payne, not to immediately go to Solomon Islands after it announced a draft security pact with China, he said:

That’s dirty water under the bridge. I suppose at the time we were on the verge of an election campaign, and people were a bit focused elsewhere. The new government got straight down to business, good on them for that.

Updated

Government to outline plans on responsible lending laws

Stephen Jones, the assistant treasurer and minister for financial services, will address the Responsible Lending Summit this morning and outline the government’s plans on responsible lending laws, including buy-now-pay-later and pay day lending.

The Buy-Now-Pay-Later sector currently doesn’t have the same regulations as banks do when they provide loans.

I’m in Sydney this morning addressing the Responsible Lending Summit. I’ll outline the Albanese Labor Government’s plans on Responsible Lending Laws, By-Now-Pay-Later and Pay Day Lending.

— Stephen Jones MP (@StephenJonesMP) July 11, 2022

If you want to hear more about the issues in the sector ahead of Jones’ address, senior business reporter Ben Butler wrote this article when Jones first announced plans for regulation.

Updated

New Omicron subvariants becoming dominant in Australia

Paul Kelly, the country’s chief medical officer, is on ABC and says the latest Covid-19 subvariants BA4 and 5 are becoming the dominant variant in Australia:

We have seen a rise in this new variant of Omicron, so it is still the COVID-19 virus, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it is just a different – slight differences in the way that that virus looks and how our immune system looks at it.

We do know that this new variant has caused waves in other countries and is now becoming the dominant variant in Australia. We have no suggestion at the moment that it causes for severe disease but it escapes our immune system, whether that is due to previous infection or vaccination.

We do expect that these new variants will cause a rise in cases and probably hospitalisations in the coming weeks.

Kelly has reiterated the importance of third and fourth vaccine doses.

Asked about the difference that reducing the reinfection period makes, Kelly says that the decisions are based on evidence as the new variants are more infectious:

The new BA4 and BA5 are more infectious and there is strong evidence that you can get reinfected earlier than what was previously the case.

It is important that anyone who develops symptoms again 28 or more days after they have had a previous COVID-19 infection, to get tested and to take the appropriate arrangements in terms of isolation.

Updated

A new campaign has launched today to tackle racism by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Chin Tan, the race discrimination commissioner, was on ABC Radio this morning discussing the campaign he says calls on all Australians to reflect on the causes and impacts of racism, not only on its victims but Australia’s collective wellbeing as a society.

Tan said the government hasn’t funded the campaign itself but its framework. Tan said the funding for the campaign had come from the corporate and private sector.

Sarah Collard, Guardian Australia’s Indigenous affairs reporter, has more on how the campaign was partly funded by a disaffected former Collingwood football club sponsor.

Cronulla beach washed away by rowdy surf

The dangerous surf conditions along the NSW coast is causing massive erosion on Sydney’s Cronulla beach.

The North Cronulla lifeguard tower even had to be lifted out of reach of the dangerous surf via crane last night.

The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader is reporting that “the tower had been perilously close to falling into the ocean after being undermined by another big swell on the weekend.”

The Leader said that the Sutherland Shire Council ordered its removal early on Monday with the main section lifted off after 8pm.

Wow. This used to be Nth Cronulla beach, and Sth Cronulla is back to bare rock too. I’ve never seen them this bad. What a mess. pic.twitter.com/rYFUcaTMAz

— Dr Darren Saunders (@whereisdaz) July 11, 2022

Mayor of the Sutherland Shire Council, Carmelo Pesce, told the Leader a new seawall at North Cronulla beach was provided for in a draft plan of management, which had recently been finalised and the council was also seeking state government assistance to repair beaches.

You can read the full exclusive here.

Updated

‘We have had some half a billion scam calls blocked’

Michelle Rowland, the communications minister, was on the ABC earlier this morning saying the new rules for mobile phone companies come as text scams are rising:

This is the first time there has been this explicit obligation on telecommunications companies to have the capabilities in place to identify, trace and block scam texts.

We have seen a rise in the number of scam texts that are occurring. These are predominantly run by criminals who are sophisticated. Some of them in Australia, many overseas, but the technology needs to keep up with that in order to keep Australians safe.

Rowland is asked about the scepticism Andy Penn, the CEO of Telstra, has expressed that the new rules can actually deliver for consumers because of the difficulty stopping scam messages.

She said the technology has become more sophisticated to enable these scam texts to be identified:

We know for a fact as the evidence shows, in just over a year since we have had obligations in place about scam calls, we have had some half a billion scam calls being blocked.

Will this mean that every scam call, every scam text and every scam email will no longer reach innocent Australian consumers? The honest answer is no. But we can make it better and we can ensure that there is consistency across the industry so that consumers have confidence that no matter who their provider is.

Updated

Abbott pays tribute to Abe

Tony Abbott is on ABC Radio paying tribute to Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe – “the best friend Australia has ever had from Japan”.

Abbott said Abe’s designing the Quad is “the reason India is there”, which might not have been the case had it been designed by the US.

He said he didn’t believe the criticisms of Abe as a WW2 revisionist are valid.

History shouldn’t be used a stick ... that’s what China has tended to do with Japan.

Abbott is asked about the whether the new government should be given credit for the step-up in the Pacific. He said the new government was “being absolutely active in the Pacific as it should be. Good on them.”

Asked whether it was a mistake not to send Marise Paine under the coalition government, Abbott said: “That’s dirty water under the bridge.”

Asked whether the opposition should support a yes vote in referendum on Uluru Statement of the Heart, Abbott reinforced he did not support an Aboriginal voice in parliament and said the opposition was right to ask for more detail.

Updated

‘They need to get their story straight’

Jim Chalmers is asked about Sussan Ley’s calls to cancel the jobs and skills summit and Angus Taylor’s call for a seat at the table:

They need to get their story straight.

Asked about whether independents will be invited, Chalmers said the invitation list hasn’t been finalised:

A hundred people sounds like a lot of people until you see who’s in the first list and who might not be.

Even for the people who aren’t in the 100, we will find ways to consult with them in meaningful ways, including all parts of the parliament.

When it comes to invitations for the opposition, Chalmers says:

We will consider people who want to be there on their merits. Let’s see if the opposition is actually serious. I think what you just quoted from yesterday, where one person was saying it should be cancelled, another person was insisting on being invited. Let’s see if they’re serious first.

I mean, they have had to bring people together in the way that we hope to bring people together. They didn’t do that. The big reason why we’ve had this waste a decade of missed opportunities in the economy, whether its energy policy chaos, or not enough Australians trained for key roles. We need to see if they’re serious, they haven’t shown so far that they are.

Updated

Chalmers on a ‘wasted decade’

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is on ABC Radio discussing the jobs and skills summit he and the prime minister announced yesterday which will take place in September:

There are a whole range of issues here which have combined to create what I think has been a wasted decade of missed opportunities in the economy. Too much division, too much looking for the things which divide us rather than a common ground. There’s more common ground in these areas than people realise.

Asked about the calls from business to include a temporary two-year increase in skilled migration to increase it to 200,000 places a year, Chalmers says migration shouldn’t be considered the only solution when it comes to the challenges facing the workforce:

We’ve had a quite unusual period when it comes to migration and as we emerge from it, we should work together to get the settings right but what I want to make sure we don’t see this as the one lever that you would pull to solve our issues and inflation and wages and labor shortages and skill shortages.

We can get migration right without seeing it as a substitute for doing all of the other things in the economy, which will get that wages growth and fill these skills shortages and deliver the right kind of prosperity that we want to see into the future.

Updated

‘The Pacific is the part of the world where the US rightly looks to Australia to lead’

Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, has warned of the use of “force or coercion” in the South China Sea and “intensification of major power competition” – references to China’s rising power in the Indo-Pacific.

Marles made the comments in a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies on his visit to the US, committing Australia to closer cooperation with the US, higher defence spending and to address climate change in part as a national security issue:

All of us here today understand the challenges we face: a military build-up occurring at a rate unseen since world war two; the development and deployment of new weapons that challenge our military capability edge; expanding cyber and grey zone capabilities which blur the line between peace and conflict; and the intensification of major power competition in ways that both concentrate and transcend geographic confines.

These trends compel an even greater Australian focus on the Indo-Pacific. For the first time in decades we are thinking hard about the security of our strategic geography, the viability of our trade and supply routes, and above all the preservation of an inclusive regional order founded on rules agreed by all, not the coercive capabilities of a few. In particular we worry about use of force or coercion to advance territorial claims, as is occurring in the South China Sea, and its implications for the any number of places in the Indo-Pacific where borders or sovereignty is disputed.

On Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, where Australia is racing to persuade nations not to follow Solomon Islands’ lead in signing a security pact with China, Marles said:

The Pacific is where Australia must invest in effective regionalism by reinforcing the Pacific Islands Forum and other regional institutions that are so key to regional resilience and agency. We must do this not only because of our unique connections to the Pacific but because Pacific security so directly impacts on our own security.

Given this reality, the Pacific is the part of the world where the United States rightly looks to Australia to lead. And we will.

We will not take our status for granted. Pacific Island countries have choices about their partners. And we will work to earn their trust. The Pacific has been clear in saying that geopolitical competition is of lesser concern to them than the threat of rising sea levels, economic insecurity and transnational crime. Australia respects and understands this position. And we are listening. And while we will not ask our partners to pick a side, I am confident that an Australia which collaborates and invests in shared priorities with the Pacific is an Australia which will be the natural partner of choice for the Pacific.

Updated

SMS scam protections

Australians will be better protected from text message scams as new regulations for telecommunications companies come into effect today.

The code, registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) today, will require the companies to trace, identify and block SMS scam messages, and publish information for customers on how to identify and report scams.

Mobile phone companies could face up to $250,000 in fines for failing to comply with the new code.

Reporter Josh Taylor has more:

Updated

Covid reinfection period reduced to four weeks in NSW as new Omicron subvariant able to reinfect after 28 days

NSW Health today announced that – effective immediately – the Covid reinfection period is now four weeks, down from 12.

It follows similar moves by the WA and ACT governments yesterday, in line with advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. Tasmania had already changed its reinfection period on Friday last week.

Anyone in the state experiencing Covid symptoms from 28 days after their isolation ends is now required to test for the virus.

In a statement, the chief health officer, Kerry Chant, said the new advice was due to the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants “circulating widely in NSW”:

They are more able to evade immunity gained from previous infection and vaccination reinfection is more likely and possible just weeks after a prior infection.

  • This post was amended on 12 July to add the date Tasmania changed the reinfection period.

Updated

Good morning!

Prime minister Anthony Albanese is due to make the opening speech at the Sydney Energy Forum today. He will tell the forum Australia has rejoined the ranks of “trusted global partners” on climate action.

He’ll be making the speech before travelling to the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji, where leaders are set to meet later in the week.

Covid-19 hospitalisations are surging in Australia from the winter Omicron wave, with pressures on hospitals leading to some elective surgeries being cancelled and paramedics overwhelmed.

In NSW the Covid reinfection period has been reduced to four weeks down from 12 weeks previously, from today.

The first monkeypox case has been detected in Queensland. The state’s authorities say the public health risk is “very low” but it comes after community transmission was found in NSW last week.

I’m Natasha May and if there’s something you think should be on the blog, you can get in touch by pinging me on Twitter @natasha__may or emailing natasha.may@theguardian.com.

Let’s jump in!

Updated

Contributors

Caitlin Cassidy and Natasha May

The GuardianTramp

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