Regional grants ‘contaminated’ by previous government, infrastructure minister says
Josh Butler
The infrastructure minister, Catherine King, has flagged overhauling the in-progress sixth round of funding under the Building Better Regions program, claiming it may be “contaminated” after a scathing audit office report on the Coalition’s handling of the $1bn fund.
King she told ABC Melbourne:
I have to look at whether we proceed with that or not because, frankly, I think this whole scheme has just been contaminated now when you look at this report.
She said there would be a decision on regional grants in the near future.
The audit office found Nationals seats got more than $100m of extra funding due to the way the Coalition ran the scheme, ignoring recommendations from the department and considering “other factors” to choose which projects to fund. Liberal seats got twice as many grants as Labor seats.
King has flagged her plans to design “a new transparent scheme, to actually try and work out how we can put processes in place to make sure this doesn’t happen under us”.
The minister told ABC that she wouldn’t do away with ministerial discretion altogether, opening the door to Labor making their own decisions in government too. But she said the new Albanese government would look to change how grants are awarded.
I think having much greater transparency, making sure the guidelines are very clear, where if you are going to have other factors in the guidelines, you spell those out, you don’t just say that there are other factors and leave it like that … I’m having a bit more of a think about sort of independent panels or looking at cross-party panels as well.
Key events
South Australia records eight Covid deaths
There were 3,418 cases recorded, with 341 people in hospital, and 11 of them in ICU.
Kevin Rudd weighs in on Taiwan tensions
A discussion between the US and Chinese presidents has been dominated by tensions over Taiwan with Xi Jinping warning Joe Biden against “playing with fire”.
The sharp words come after the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, announced she is considering a visit to Taiwan.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd spoke to the ABC from San Francisco about the situation:
My analysis is this is not likely to break out into a shooting match if Pelosi proceeds. Mind you, I don’t think Pelosi travelling to Taiwan at this stage is helpful in terms of Taiwan’s intrinsic national security.
It tends to serve more heretic domestic political interests in the United States. I think, on balance, it’s better for the overall relationship if she does not proceed at this stage but, as I said before, I don’t think either side, the United States or China, at this stage want to go to war over a Pelosi visit though, if it does proceed, the Chinese military have indicated there will be a reaction of some form or another.
Possum rescued from Sydney drain
This little guy looks like he’s had a rough time of it, stuck inside a drain in Birchgrove.
Luckily, Fire and Rescue NSW has freed the possum who is now in the care of WIRES.
Peter Hannam
Producer price index increased by 1.4% in June quarter
Today the Australian Bureau of Statistics provided the data for producer prices. The 5.6% annual rate of increase was the highest since the December quarter of 2008.
Consumer price inflation, as you’ll have probably seen, came in at 6.1% at an annual rate for the June quarter. That was the highest in 21 years.
Australia’s producer prices rose at annual pace of 5.6% in the June quarter, up from 4.9% in the March quarter. The quarter-on-quarter pace, though, slowed (as it did for the CPI) to 1.4% from 1.6%. pic.twitter.com/TvBkue0Mwh
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) July 29, 2022
At least on a quarterly basis the producer price index eased back, with the 1.4% rise down from 1.6% in the March quarter.
Energy was again the main contributor the increase, with refined petroleum products basically double in price from a year ago. (Thanks mostly to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.)
And not surprisingly, higher fuel costs were a driver (so to speak) of the higher producer prices. Energy companies, meanwhile, are cashing in… pic.twitter.com/8RHb01ZIV1
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) July 29, 2022
Australian-based energy companies have been able to charge more for the fossil fuels they have extracted.
(So far, there’s not been a lot of discussion about the Albanese government going after some of the windfall profits … perhaps there should be. Overnight Shell reported US$11.5bn (AU$16.4bn) in second-quarter profit alone.)
Separately, next week’s economic news will likely include a lot of discussion about the Reserve Bank and its cash rate. Here’s what the market expects for the bank’s August board meeting:
Look out for more proof that higher interest rates are nudging property prices lower.
The outlook for the RBA’s cash rate, at least from investors’ views. They judge it as a two-in-three chance that the central bank would lift the rate from 1.35% to 2% on August 2nd. (Economists reckon the hike will be more likely 50 basis points to 1.85%). pic.twitter.com/Ci48NAyWp1
— Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) July 29, 2022
Regional grants ‘contaminated’ by previous government, infrastructure minister says
Josh Butler
The infrastructure minister, Catherine King, has flagged overhauling the in-progress sixth round of funding under the Building Better Regions program, claiming it may be “contaminated” after a scathing audit office report on the Coalition’s handling of the $1bn fund.
King she told ABC Melbourne:
I have to look at whether we proceed with that or not because, frankly, I think this whole scheme has just been contaminated now when you look at this report.
She said there would be a decision on regional grants in the near future.
The audit office found Nationals seats got more than $100m of extra funding due to the way the Coalition ran the scheme, ignoring recommendations from the department and considering “other factors” to choose which projects to fund. Liberal seats got twice as many grants as Labor seats.
King has flagged her plans to design “a new transparent scheme, to actually try and work out how we can put processes in place to make sure this doesn’t happen under us”.
The minister told ABC that she wouldn’t do away with ministerial discretion altogether, opening the door to Labor making their own decisions in government too. But she said the new Albanese government would look to change how grants are awarded.
I think having much greater transparency, making sure the guidelines are very clear, where if you are going to have other factors in the guidelines, you spell those out, you don’t just say that there are other factors and leave it like that … I’m having a bit more of a think about sort of independent panels or looking at cross-party panels as well.
Burney and Albanese leave for Garma
The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, has said she is off to the Garma festival in northeast Arnhem Land, along with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and WA senator Patrick Dodson.
The four-day celebration of the Yolngu people’s cultural, artistic and ceremonial traditions attracts about 2,500 people, AAP reports.
The gathering will allow senior Indigenous leaders to engage with the federal government on the path to a referendum for recognition in the constitution and a voice to parliament.
They will also discuss other key challenges facing Indigenous Australians to help inform policies and decision-making.
Off to Garma Festival with @AlboMP, @SenatorDodson and colleagues.
There’s important work to be done advancing the Uluru Statement and Voice to Parliament, I hope you enjoy coming on this journey over the next few days. #auspol #garma
— Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP) July 29, 2022
Heading to Garma Festival in Arnhem Land today with Minister for Indigenous Australians @LindaBurneyMP, @SenatorDodson, and parliamentary colleagues. We’ll advance talks between First Nations peoples and the Government on a Voice to Parliament.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 29, 2022
Tess McClure
Australian tourist in serious condition after falling into thermal sinkhole in NZ
An Australian woman has been seriously injured after she fell into a geothermal sinkhole that opened up in a popular tourist village in New Zealand.
The woman fell into the two-metre-wide fumarole when it opened suddenly on a footpath near the entrance of Whakarewarewa thermal village in Rotorua, in central North Island.
Whale rescuers working against the swell
We brought you news of a juvenile humpback whale stranded in Port Macquarie a little earlier.
The Port Macquarie News is reporting that the rescue effort is underway by volunteers with ORRCA (the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia).
Ruby Pascoe reported that “ORRCA volunteers are working against the swell as they attempt to rescue the trapped juvenile whale.”
Eden Gillespie
Push for pill testing at festivals in Queensland
Queensland’s mental health commissioner has told parliament pill testing at festivals in the state could save lives.
In budget estimates on Friday, Greens MP Michael Berkman asked the state’s mental health commissioner, Ivan Frkovic, about plans to introduce drug checking at festivals and whether those measures could be life-saving.
Frkovic said:
There’s certainly organisational capacity to be able to do that at various festivals.
I think there is evidence both from other jurisdictions in Australia but also internationally, which would suggest that having drug checking facilities, particularly temporary ones, or even fixed sites, can contribute to saving lives.
Berkman also asked about how hepatitis C transmission in prisons could be reduced by needle and syringe exchange programs.
Helen Brown, thhe acting deputy director-general of clinical excellence, said:
There are a number of opioid substitution programmes currently available across correctional facilities in Queensland.
[But] at present we don’t have a needle exchange programme, but it has been something that’s been considered.
Cronulla player Toby Rudolf backs NRL pride round
Following the NRL’s pride jersey debacle, Manly boss Scott Penn has said he wants to speak with the NRL about introducing an inclusion round next season.
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Cronulla prop Toby Rudolf has backed a pride round. Christian Nicolussi writes:
Rudolf, a player with big hair and an even bigger personality, is one of very few NRL stars to openly speak about his same-sex experiences, and said while he identified as heterosexual, ‘love is love, and I love to share it with everyone’.
The Australian Rugby League Commission’s chairman, Peter V’landys, has said he is open to the idea of a pride or inclusion round, but stressed the decision was ultimately one for the Commission.
Queensland records 17 Covid deaths and 906 people in hospital
There were 9,420 new cases in the last reporting period, and 30 people are in intensive care.
Young humpback whale stranded in Port Macquarie
The Port Macquarie News is reporting that help is onhand at the site from National Parks and Wildlife as well as volunteers with ORRCA (the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia).
A juvenile humpback whale is stranded at Oxley Beach, Port Macquarie. ORRCA volunteers and National Parks and Wildlife are on site. pic.twitter.com/j5prmANhrY
— Ruby Pascoe (@RubyPascoe) July 29, 2022
Eva Corlett
New Zealand climbers survive avalanche and blizzard, thanks to snow cave and muesli bars
Two climbers who were buried by an avalanche and then caught in a blizzard atop one of New Zealand’s most famous mountain ranges survived their ordeal by digging themselves out of the snow, building a cave and living off muesli bars.
The two men in their 20s were on a three-day ice climbing adventure in The Remarkables – a 2,300-metre high range above Queenstown – when they triggered an avalanche and were carried about 20 metres downhill.
Josh Taylor
Meta’s funding cuts won’t impact Australian deals, company says
Meta’s decision to cut funding from US news outlets for its Facebook News Tab will not have an impact on funding deals in Australia, the company has said.
Overnight, Axios broke the news that Meta began telling its news partners in the US it no longer plans to pay publishers for their content on Facebook’s News Tab.
The deals, worth a reported US$105m, were signed in 2019. Meta has argued a lot has changed since the deals were signed, and people do not come to Facebook for news.
Several Australian news media companies, including Guardian Australia, signed deals to be paid for content with Meta in early 2021, in exchange for the Facebook platform not being designated under the News Media Bargaining Code set up by the former Morrison government. Being designated under the code would have led to much more stringent requirements for Meta to keep operating in Australia.
A spokesperson for Meta said the cut to US funding would not impact Australia:
This doesn’t impact any of our current deals in Australia.
The Treasury is currently reviewing the operation of the code, and the former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Rod Sims has called for Facebook to be designated under the code to be forced to negotiate with The Conversation and SBS for payment for content – which the company has so far refused to do.
Victoria records 107 Covid deaths and 813 people in hospital
That high number of deaths reported today is due to data feed issues, authorities say with 105 additional deaths being reported since July 1. “Ordinarily today’s figure would be 2.”
There were 10,898 new cases in the last reporting period, and 32 people are in intensive care.
Due to data feed issues this month, a high number of COVID-19-related deaths is being reported today.
This has resulted in 105 additional deaths being reported since July 1. Ordinarily today’s figure would be 2. The average daily deaths in Victoria over the past fortnight is 19. pic.twitter.com/hLkdnR4j9m
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 29, 2022
Price hikes drive record energy switch
More Australians opted to switch energy providers than ever before in June this year, as price hikes compelled consumers to consider the competition, AAP reports.
Nearly 240,850 households across the country changed power companies in June, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator.
Joel Gibson, from consumer network One Big Switch, said the move en masse in June was due to the largest power price hikes the country has seen.
A report by the energy market operator today confirmed unprecedented wholesale prices which are now flowing through to households and businesses.
That could be a driver for more people to change energy providers in July, with most of the big retailers not increasing their prices until July or August, Gibson said.
Four retailers have also gone out of business, mostly in July – Enova Energy, Pooled Energy, Weston Power & Power Club – and their customers will be automatically switched to big retailers.
And finally, the Victorian government has also this month started paying households $250 just for visiting their energy comparison website.
AGL and EnergyAustralia will hike rates for 5.5 million customers next Monday.
Attendees arrive for Garma festival
Leaders continue to arrive in a remote corner of the Northern Territory for Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering, the Garma Festival, which begins today.
The annual event is held in Gulkula, a ceremonial site on the Gove peninsula in northeast Arnhem Land.
Eddie Synot, a Wamba Wamba First Nations public lawyer and researcher, shared the below picture arriving into the Gove yesterday evening.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, are set to arrive later today.
Tomorrow I will be travelling to the NT for the Garma Festival to advance discussions with First Nations people on a Voice to Parliament. pic.twitter.com/0ets2Ypxid
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 28, 2022
Pandemic drove youth homelessness, new study shows
A new survey by Mission Australia shows youth homelessness numbers have risen significantly compared to pre-pandemic levels with the hardships young people are facing compounded by the rising cost of living.
The research found one in 20 people between ages 15- 19 became homeless for the first time, renewing calls for a national plan to tackle homelessness.
Sharon Callister, the CEO of Mission Australia, appeared on the ABC earlier this morning talking about the services that can be extended to help with the crisis.
The main reasons for [young people] finding themselves homeless for the first time were conflict and family breakdown, family and domestic violence, psychological distress, unfair treatment and discrimination and, not surprisingly, Covid-19.
We were pretty concerned with the findings, and we actually did a snapshot back to 2017 to make a comparison pre-Covid. And at that time, one in 25 of our youth responding to the survey had said that they were homeless for the first time as well. Neither of those statistics are good, but it is an alarming trend that the homeless rate is increasing.
If you’re a youth person and you have found yourself homeless, the first thing you need is to find a home. We’re really inspired by the fact that the new Albanese Government have made a commitment to a nationally coordinated plan for homelessness and housing. This is a really big step for us, and they’ve also committed to 30,000 new social and affordable housing.
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