Health News at Your Fingertips

The Queensland Conservation Council has welcomed the news Murph reported that Tanya Plibersek has rejected Clive Palmer’s application for a new coal mine:

This is a victory for Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef,” said Dave Copeman, Queensland Conservation Council’s Director.

Building a new thermal coal mine 10km from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area was an extreme, dangerous proposal, even for Clive Palmer.”

This is a sensible application of the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act. This mine would have impacted on dugong and turtle habitats, and been another unacceptable risk to the Great Barrier Reef. This prompt decision is a welcome change from the delayed and questionable making approach of the previous Morrison Government”

It looks like we now have a Minister that understands the science, is willing to listen to community concerns, and act accordingly”.

MSI Australia – formerly known as Marie Stopes – has apologised to First Nations people for colonial violence and reproductive injustice. Managing director Jamal Hakim said:

Forced and coerced sexual and reproductive procedures, including contraception, abortion and

sterilisation, have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss.

We apologise for these reproductive injustices.

We apologise especially for forced sexual and reproductive procedures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, and those who are LGBTIQ+.

For the pain, suffering, and hurt experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families, and communities, we say sorry.

Manager of psychosocial health, Alison Fonseca, explained the name change:

Marie Stopes (1880-1958) was known for her contributions to family planning, but she was also a eugenicist.

The name change is an important gesture to move away from ties to eugenics, colonisation, racism and paternalism for which family planning services were known.

Labor MP Sam Rae is granted leave until 24 October for parental leave

He’ll be back just when the budget is handed down.

There are speeches on indulgence from Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton on the Commonwealth Games athletes performances, along with a thank you to the parents and supporters who helped get them there.

Peter Hannam

Is inflation at a 30-year high?

Inflation is rocketing, we all know, but when was the last time it was this high?

In the deluge of numbers from the ABS last week, we reported (as did a few others, such as UBS) that the inflation rate in the June quarter was the highest in almost three decades.

On the CPI “headline” number at 6.1%, under closer inspection, turned out to be the highest in 21 years, and so the article was amended thus.

However, we couldn’t help having flashbacks when RBA governor Philip Lowe in the statement accompanying Tuesday’s rate rise said: “Inflation in Australia is the highest it has been since the early 1990s.”

Which species of inflation did the chief of Martin Place have in mind?

As Westpac’s senior economist Justin Smirk notes in a report, the June quarter’s trimmed mean measure of inflation rose an annual pace of 4.9% (up from 3.7% in the previous quarter), or the fastest pace since September 1991.

Since that gauge (which trims out more volatile price movements) is the one that the RBA eyes most closely, we should probably be talking about 30-year inflation highs.

Also in relation to the RBA, and our earlier post on the record trade surplus in June, it’s worth noting that the tide might be turning – at least if the bank’s index of commodity prices out to July is any guide.

Plibersek flags refusal of Clive Palmer-owned coalmine near Great Barrier Reef

Katharine Murphy

The environment minister Tanya Plibersek has proposed to refuse approval for the billionaire Clive Palmer’s controversial proposal to build an open cut coal mine 10km from the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. This is the new environment minister’s first decision in the portfolio (as opposed to a delegate of the minister making decisions).

In a statement to Guardian Australia, Plibersek said:

Based on the information I have available to me at this stage, I believe that the project would be likely to have unacceptable impacts to the Great Barrier Marine Park and the values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and National Heritage Place. The available evidence also suggests that the project would be likely to have unacceptable impacts on water resources in the area.

The Queensland government last year deemed the Central Queensland coal proposal by a subsidiary company of Palmer’s flagship entity, Mineralogy, “not suitable” and said it posed “a number of unacceptable risks” due to its location, the prospect of polluted water discharge and a lack of effective mitigation measures.

The decision is now subject to a 10-day consultation process.

Paul Karp

The Senate president, Sue Lines, has made a statement about Sarah Hanson-Young’s push for consideration of whether Tambourine Resources Ltd was in contempt of the Senate by refusing to attend the environment and communications committee.

Lines noted that Hanson-Young wanted the company referred to the privileges committee for possible contempt, due to rejecting a request to appear at an inquiry into the oil and gas exploration in the Beetaloo basin.
Hanson-Young had said the committee had been prevented from receiving “key evidence”. Lines said in her view, the criteria were met to give precedence for a debate about whether to refer the matter to the privileges committee.

But Lines noted the committee had been reconstituted after the election. She revealed she will write to the new committee asking how it wishes to proceed – to continue to push for an investigation, or to give the company one last chance to attend.

There is another dixer and then Anthony Albanese speaks on indulgence on the retirement of the ABC bureau chief, Louise Yaxley, who is retiring after almost 30 years.

(She would also be hating this, as Penguin, as she is known by all, is not someone who has ever sought the limelight, but she will be a huge loss to the ABC and the gallery as a whole).

Anthony Albanese:

On indulgence, in the gallery this afternoon is Louise Yaxley, the ABC parliamentary bureau chief for a very long time. She spent 28 years covering politics in this house and tomorrow she will end what has been an absolutely sensational career.

Louise Yaxley is professional, courteous and knowledgeable and she has added to the quality of political discourse in this country through her work in the AM program, PM, the world and to through ABC current affairs and ABC News.

She is someone who is much loved across the parliament, she is someone who is respected by all who have had contact with her. She brings to the profession of journalism honour, respect and integrity and I pay tribute to her on her final day, which happens to be as well the 90th anniversary of the ABC, our national broadcaster will be celebrated tomorrow at ABC headquarters in Ultimo. Well done Louise.

The chamber applauds.

Peter Dutton:

On indulgence, I join with the Prime Minister on behalf of the Coalition to wish Louise all the very best in the next phase of her life. She has been here for almost three decades, covered 10 elections, 10 Federal elections, has provided leadership at the bureau and seen incredible changes, particularly in the technology space and the way in which the message is communicated.

It is fair to say that this side of politics hasn’t always agreed with the ABC but I think from Louise, we have always got a fair hearing and I want to thank her for the professionalism and for her approach to dealing with our press queries we have, the engagement has been professional and it has been a credit to you and to your leadership skills. Despite all of the investigative resources at the ABC, none of the journalists up there, including those that sit with her in the gallery today, have been able to uncover the truth as to the origin of her nickname.

It remains a mystery to the day of her retirement. Perhaps there is an opportunity for them to write a story or perhaps in her book there be some mention as to how she came about to achieve that nickname Penguin. From all of us in this place we wish you every good health and success into the next phase of your life.

Stuart Robert to Anthony Albanese:

Prime Minister, reports in the AFR show a total of $85.5 million in payments by 51 super funds to political parties, namely the Labor Party, and associates, namely unions, over the past five years. Can the Prime Minister confirm the very first act, the first act by his Treasury under his Government was to water down transparency and accountability measures designed to give Australian Super fund members visibility of how their savings are spent?

Albanese:

The first act of the Government was actually to sit around as a cabinet and to agree…and to agree to put in a submission of the Fair Work Commission to give low wage workers a pay rise.

That was the first act that we did. What we said was that $20.33, people are doing it tough. That was the first act of the Government. We have continued to implement our priorities.

We will continue to implement our priorities. We were transparent before the election and just as though opposite are transparent that they have never seen a union they didn’t want to undermine and they have never seen an Industry Super Fund that they didn’t want to have a royal commission into and what they didn’t want to take action against.

Sussan Ley:

Relevance. The question said the first act of Treasurer, the Prime Minister is not addressing the question. The question said the first act of Treasury. Treasury. Treasury.

There is no point of order.

Albanese:

I know it might come as a shock to some of those opposite that Treasury has something to do with wages…

And the submissions to the Fair Work Commission and Treasury, including the very good secretary of the Treasury, Steve Kennedy, someone who served the previous government and someone who continues to serve this Government, a fine public servant.

A fine public servant knows that what we did – that was our first act. Those opposite keep repeating the same acts over and over again, which is to stand here and just give working Australians a reminder that they have never seen a union they didn’t want to undermine and that they have never seen industry super funds that they didn’t want to get rid of and undermine and weaken. That is why when they came to office, they had a royal commission into superannuation and what that found was that industry super funds performed much better than the retail funds.

Industry super funds, which those opposite have played with over and over again, the increases that were there for the super guarantee up to 12%, they have undermined consistently the whole way through. We on this side support the right of workers to have superannuation.

We are pretty proud of it. We are proud that it is part of Labor’s legacy.

Robert:

Standing order on tedious repetition, standing order 75, all we have heard is the Prime Minister tediously repeat his support for the union movement as opposed to answering the question on the first act of his Treasury.

That is not a point of order.

Fletcher:

The Prime Minister made a dismissive gesture towards the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, it was disrespectful to a senior woman parliamentarian and I ask him to withdraw tha and Apologise.

It was very disrespectful.

Dick:

Order, I was listening closely to the Prime Minister. I didn’t see anything in his answer that was disrespectful at all. Resume your seat. Order! If the … Prime Minister had done something disrespectful, I would ask him to withdraw it but there was nothing said and we will move on with Question Time.

Tony Burke: ‘I like this parliament better, significantly better’

Brian Mitchell has a strange dixer for Tony Burke:

“My question is to the leader of the house. How is the government’s management of the house in its first sitting fortnight delivering on Labor’s vision for a better future? How does that compare to previous parliaments?”

Paul Fletcher immediately jumps up:

Question time is for ministers to be asked about the activities of the current government, you have given a ruling on this. How can this question possibly be consistent with your ruling?

Milton Dick rules the question on order.

Burke:

I thank the member for Lyons for asking an excellent question. It is fair to say I like this parliament better, significantly better. One of the things I will say that we have had, particularly the debate that happened this morning…

How long is it in this parliament since we have had a situation where the cross bench move an amendment, the minister listens to the speech and the parliament then makes a decision based on the debate. For nine years, the debate didn’t even occur. For nine years, the amendments weren’t even allowed to be moved and today, what I saw in the parliament was a situation finally where different members of parliament, regardless of where they are in the chamber, brought forward their ideas, the debate mattered for the outcomes and the parliament voted.

I note no amendments from those opposite and as well as there being no amendments, even when they were voting no, like not even any enthusiasm, not even like they wanted to be here.

The procedures that have allowed us to be able to do this have changed what is possible in the parliament. I will pay credit of the 35 new members, we have had 24 first speeches now and from members on this side, that side an the cross bench, it is good to have those first speeches so early in the new parliament.

What we have also achieved, against those opposite saying it would be the end of democracy, are new procedures which have allowed people to debate.

For the last two nights, where previously the process would have been…

Dan Tehan jumps in:

Relevance. How many bills have you guillotined this week, we need that explained to us because you have been doing that…

Dick tells him that was a question, not a point of order.

Burke:

The point of order might have been out of order but it was really helpful because I was about to refer, in terms of the new procedures, with the speaking times being dropped from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, the member for Flynn said it was an absolute appalling use of the guillotine that he wasn’t allowed to talk for 15 minutes.

He then sat down after eight minutes and four seconds with nothing more to say.

The last two nights, member after member has stood up and opened their speech by saying, it is outrageous that we are being silenced and they have continued to talk for 10 minutes about being silenced.

Then they said the 10:00pm cut off is the same as a gag, that cutting it off at 10:00pm means we don’t get to speak at all, exactly the same as what they used to do moving that the Speaker be no further heard. The first time we used the procedure of the 10:00pm cut off they ran out of speakers at 9.37.

Last night they ran out at 9.27. The parliament is being used as it should be.

PM asked how he will help struggling families in south-west Sydney

Independent MP Dai Le has a question for Anthony Albanese:

“Australia is facing a cost of living and jobs and skills emergency. My electorate of Fowler bears the brunt of the nation’s migrant settlement city. It has one of the highest national unemployment rates over the past decade, almost 10% and more than double the national average. How will the prime minister commit to working with me to lower the unemployment rate and lower the cost of living for struggling families of Fowler.

Albanese:

I thank the member for her question and just last week we had a constructive one on one meeting about how the government can assist people in Fowler electorate around the Liverpool area in south-west Sydney, an area that I am familiar with.

The member is quite right to point to socioeconomic disadvantage that is there in Fowler. It has a higher proportion of new migrants to Australia than the average across the country.

In particular, many newer groups have gone to south-west Sydney to settle to make Australia their home. Over a period of time, what I know is that communities like the Vietnamese community in Fowler, just like the one in Marrickville, where I recall the member for Fowler living in my electorate some years ago where we first met. That community has proven to be a great success.

Newer communities require that additional support such as the people who have fled war-torn Syria in recent times. My government is very conscious of that.

That is one of the reasons why I have encouraged the member to engage in the jobs and skills summit process, to have a local forum and offered the government’s support to provide advice, speakers, to provide the full force of government to have local forums which is on offer to anyone around this chamber as well.

What we need to do is to work with the local business community, to work with Tafe, the three levels of fovernment and I discussed with premier Perrottet today at the National Cabinet and along with other premiers how we can make sure arising out of that we give Australians more opportunities for jobs, through better Tafe funding, better training, making sure that we identify those opportunities which are there.

One of the things we know is that long term unemployment can be a scourge. In particular I am aware that in south-west Sydney there are pockets of housing estates, whereby disadvantage is entrenched. When I asked a question the other day about social housing, I spoke about the need to have a mix of housing as well. I have raised with state premiers as well as with local government how we get better investment as part of this government’s commitment through our housing Australia future fund and other investment vehicles to get increased support for a mix of housing so that you don’t have people growing up in communities where they can’t see people that they can aspire to be one day.

I thank the member for Fowler for her question. I look forward to working constructively with her and I thank her for her engagement with the government up to this point.

Questions on Julian Assange in Senate as family listens in

In the Senate, Julian Assange’s father, John Shipton and brother, Gabriel Shipton, are listening as Greens senator David Shoebridge tries to get answers from the government on what action it is taking to bring Assange home.

Sarah Martin spoke with the Shiptons a little earlier:

Julian Assange’s family have said the Albanese government needs to intervene in the case before he is extradited to the US, saying it would effectively be a “death sentence” for the WikiLeaks founder if there was no intervention.

The plight of Assange, who is being held in UK’s Belmarsh prison pending an appeal against his extradition to the US, has been raised with the new US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, by Assange’s Australian solicitor, Stephen Kenny.

Attending Parliament House on Wednesday, Assange’s father, John Shipton, and brother, Gabriel Shipton, raised concern that there had been little progress made since the May election, and urged the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to make the issue “non-negotiable” with the US.