‘Nonsense’ to suggest Qantas has an outsized influence over Albanese government, Alan Joyce says
Elias Visontay
Qantas boss Alan Joyce has said it’s “nonsense” to suggest the airline has an outsized influence over the Albanese government, following the refusal of expanded air rights to a key rival carrier and revelations the prime minister’s son had been granted access to the airline’s prestigious chairman’s lounge.
Joyce, speaking in Brisbane on Thursday where he appeared at a Tourism and Events Queensland panel, attempted to hose down speculation the government’s refusal of Qatar Airway‘s push to run an additional 21 weekly flights to Australia’s major airports, was related to his relationship with Anthony Albanese – he said he has “been good mates with Albo for some time” – or any decisions regarding chairman’s lounge access.
“If the government was doing the bidding of Qantas then it would’ve knocked on the head multi-employer bargaining which is a much bigger issue,” Joyce was reported as saying. “It’s a nonsense that Qantas has this unbelievable influence that it can dictate anything to the government because that’s just not right.”
Joyce’s comments follow comments from the Australian government on Thursday that approving Qatar Airways’s push to increase flights to the country would go against Australia’s “national interest”, even as seats on international flights remain scarce and expensive.
Read more here:
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Wage increases have remained steady at an annual rate of about 3.7% across the first six months of this year, and will quicken modestly to about 4.1% by the year’s end, the RBA said its quarterly statement on monetary policy, released on Friday.
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While inflation pressures were generally easing since a peak last December, some components of the consumer price index are predicted to rise, such as for renters.
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“Rent inflation is forecast to increase further over the period ahead as rental vacancy rates remain low, and as housing supply responds with a lag to population growth,” the RBA said, adding, “[t]here remains a high degrees of uncertainty around the speed and extent of the decline in inflation expected in the period ahead.”
The 73-page report will be examined closely for signs the RBA’s cycle of 12 interest rate rises since May 2022 has come to an end. Prior to today’s report, only NAB among the big four banks was predicting the RBA would lift its cash rate above the current 4.1% rate.
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Qantas boss Alan Joyce has said it’s “nonsense” to suggest the airline has an outsized influence over the Albanese government, following the refusal of expanded air rights to a key rival carrier and revelations the prime minister’s son had been granted access to the airline’s prestigious chairman’s lounge.
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Joyce, speaking in Brisbane on Thursday where he appeared at a Tourism and Events Queensland panel, attempted to hose down speculation the government’s refusal of Qatar Airway‘s push to run an additional 21 weekly flights to Australia’s major airports, was related to his relationship with Anthony Albanese – he said he has “been good mates with Albo for some time” – or any decisions regarding chairman’s lounge access.
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“If the government was doing the bidding of Qantas then it would’ve knocked on the head multi-employer bargaining which is a much bigger issue,” Joyce was reported as saying. “It’s a nonsense that Qantas has this unbelievable influence that it can dictate anything to the government because that’s just not right.”
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Joyce’s comments follow comments from the Australian government on Thursday that approving Qatar Airways’s push to increase flights to the country would go against Australia’s “national interest”, even as seats on international flights remain scarce and expensive.
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Read more here:
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The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has denied authorisation to ANZ Group Holdings Ltd to acquire Suncorp Bank, because it would “further entrench an oligopoly market structure” the commission’s deputy chair said.
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“We are not satisfied that the acquisition is not likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of home loans nationally, small to medium enterprise banking in Queensland, and agribusiness banking in Queensland,” the ACCC deputy chair, Mick Keogh, said.
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These banking markets are critical for many homeowners and for Queensland businesses and farmers in particular. Competition being lessened in these markets will lead to customers getting a worse deal.
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Second-tier banks such as Suncorp Bank are important competitors against the major banks, especially because barriers to new entry at scale into banking are very high. Evidence we obtained strongly indicates that the major banks consider the second-tier banks to be a competitive threat.
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The proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank by ANZ would further entrench an oligopoly market structure that is concentrated, with the four major banks dominating. It also limits the options for second-tier banks to combine and strengthen in a way that would create a greater competitive threat to the major banks.
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In a media release, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the government respects the independence of the ACCC and does not intend to comment further on the decision or the future of the proposal.
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Bruce Lehrmann says he intends to sue the ACT government over flaws in his prosecution over allegations he sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins.
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The Daily Telegraph quoted Lehrmann saying he had “instructed my solicitors to prepare a statement of claim against the state”.
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I’ve got lawyers that need to be paid, people who have supported me, like my mum and uncle, who need to be supported.
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I’m not interested in becoming a millionaire, but I do want to perhaps get on with my life and maybe buy a house.
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Given what the prosecution has done to me, I may never work again.
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The inquiry findings were published on Wednesday night by the Australian. The inquiry head, Walter Sofronoff, found that there were serious flaws in the way the case was handled by Shane Drumgold SC, the ACT’s DPP. Drumgold said he hadn’t seen the report and wasn’t in a position to respond.
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The report also found that there was enough evidence to charge Lehrmann and that the prosecution was properly brought. That is no indication of the guilt or innocence of Lehrmann. Lehrmann pleaded not guilty and has consistently denied the allegation that he raped Higgins. His first trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and a planned re-trial was abandoned due to fears for Higgins’ mental health.
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The NSW Independent Education Union has lashed out at the state government for offering an “insulting” pay offer yesterday after stalled negotiations to improve teachers’ conditions.
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Its state president, Tina Ruello, urged Labor to reconsider its offer for 2.5% pay increases over four years and stood with the NSW Teachers Federation as it continued discussions with the government.
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The NSWTF publicly condemned the state government on Thursday, alleging it had revoked a previously negotiated agreement and “betrayed” the state. Ruello said:
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We thought the Minns government was listening. It seems they weren’t. Attracting and retaining the existing workforce in NSW hinges on achieving pay outcomes which are comparable to the outcomes in ACT and QLD. This offer is not that.
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Teacher vacancy statistics across NSW tell the story. Schools have been splitting, sharing, and supervising multiple classes, and education and learning outcomes have been weakened as a result. Schools have been running on goodwill. That goodwill has now expired.
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Asked whether she had reneged a deal, the education minister, Prue Car, told reporters yesterday there had been “many meetings” and “many conversations”, adding she was still committed to achieving better conditions.
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The IEU executive is meeting today and will consider a formal response.
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Here are some key findings from the Greens’ public consultation on their proposed national bill to legalise cannabis:
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92.3% of respondents think we should legalise cannabis.
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56% use cannabis recreationally.
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68.6% would prefer to buy and consume products from a cannabis cafe.
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The most popular way to consume cannabis was edibles, like gummy bears or truffles – 82.08% of respondents.
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88.17% think cannabis should be available for online purchase.
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53.95% would grow cannabis at home.
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Some changes the Greens want to make in the bill include explicitly allowing people to make products like brownies or gummies at home for personal use, and setting out labelling requirements for cannabis and cannabis products including safety and dosage information, strength and chemical composition, and growing conditions.
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The survey was targeted at younger people and those engaged in cannabis use, and received 8,916 responses after being shared to senator David Shoebridge, Australian Greens and Sniff Off social media pages, and by email to 12,063 contacts.
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Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ve got some breaking stories for you before my colleague takes over.
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Our top story from Australia this morning reveals the continued impact of Australia’s housing crisis as a soaring number of people becoming homeless every month, according to shocking figures released today. Our exclusive report reveals that an extra 1,600 Australians are finding themselves with nowhere to call home every month as demand for sheltering services rockets.
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Our reporters are at the annual Garma festival in Arnhem Land today as the issue of the voice to parliament continues to cause political divisions in Canberra and beyond. The festival is the first since the death of the Yolngu leader Yunupingu, who began the event in 1999. There will be a memorial celebration for him this morning which we’ll be reporting.
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And the chaotic fallout of the Bruce Lehrmann rape case has deepened after the Australian newspaper denied last night that it had broken a promise not to publish the contents of an independent inquiry after being provided with an advance copy of the report. After the paper splashed the story yesterday, the head of the inquiry Walter Sofronoff revealed that he had given the Australian and the ABC copies of the report on the grounds that they did not make them public. But the paper said it did not break an embargo and would not reveal the source of the leak.
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And a new study based on DNA tests suggests that more than 10% of the seafood sold in Australia is not what’s on the label: and some might even be threatened species.
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Key events
Peter Hannam
Markets take RBA update in its stride
The flash response to the RBA’s updated forecasts is a bit, well, meh.
The Australian dollar was little changed at about 65.75 US cents, and stocks were little changed … remaining pretty flat.
For more on the story, here you go:
Peter Hannam
Economy predicted to slow by end of 2023
More on the RBA’s economy update.
On Tuesday, the central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged for a second consecutive month, while signalling it was prepared to increase borrowing costs again if needed to keep inflation on a downward slide.
Weakness in the economy includes a drop in retail sales in June and poor consumer sentiment, with many fixed-rate mortgage holders facing sharply higher interest rates when their loans expire in coming months.
Economic resilience despite the sharpest increase in interest rates in three decades, though, includes continuing strength in the labour market, with the jobless rate hovering near the lowest in 50 years. Dwelling prices, too, are on the rebound even with the headwinds of rising rates, boosting the paper wealth, at least, for much of the population.
Prior to today’s release of the forecasts, investors were rating the chance of an interest rate rise at the RBA’s 5 September monthly meeting at only about 5%, according to the ASX.
The economy was growing at an annual clip of 1.6% at the end of last month and is now projected to slow to 0.9% by the end of the 2023. That outlook is slightly pared from the 1% pace of expansion predicted by the RBA three months ago.
Taking into account a population growth of about 2% for this year, per-capita gross domestic product will be in retreat.
The economy is then tipped to rebound gradually, reaching a growth rate of 1.6% – or about the population’s expansion rate – by the end of 2024, and quickening to 2.3% a year later.
RBA sees negative GDP per person while inflation keeps downward glide
Peter Hannam
Australia’s economic output per person is forecast to shrink in the second half of 2023 as higher interest rates and the rising cost of living combine to pummel households, the Reserve Bank says in its latest update on the economy.
Wage increases have remained steady at an annual rate of about 3.7% across the first six months of this year, and will quicken modestly to about 4.1% by the year’s end, the RBA said its quarterly statement on monetary policy, released on Friday.
While inflation pressures were generally easing since a peak last December, some components of the consumer price index are predicted to rise, such as for renters.
“Rent inflation is forecast to increase further over the period ahead as rental vacancy rates remain low, and as housing supply responds with a lag to population growth,” the RBA said, adding, “[t]here remains a high degrees of uncertainty around the speed and extent of the decline in inflation expected in the period ahead.”
The 73-page report will be examined closely for signs the RBA’s cycle of 12 interest rate rises since May 2022 has come to an end. Prior to today’s report, only NAB among the big four banks was predicting the RBA would lift its cash rate above the current 4.1% rate.
Osprey birds in Gosford set up a nest near a camera at Industree Group Stadium. Six days ago, three chicks were born there, and it was captured on video:
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“Our Birds, the Eastern Osprey pair who have mated for life and call Industree Group Stadium home, have three hatchlings in their famous light tower nest,” the stadium wrote in an Instagram caption.
“The three little chicks are visible in our Osprey Cam vision from this morning. It is the sixth straight year that Our Birds, who the locals have dubbed Rosie and Hutch, have produced offspring in their Stadium nest.”
‘Nonsense’ to suggest Qantas has an outsized influence over Albanese government, Alan Joyce says
Elias Visontay
Qantas boss Alan Joyce has said it’s “nonsense” to suggest the airline has an outsized influence over the Albanese government, following the refusal of expanded air rights to a key rival carrier and revelations the prime minister’s son had been granted access to the airline’s prestigious chairman’s lounge.
Joyce, speaking in Brisbane on Thursday where he appeared at a Tourism and Events Queensland panel, attempted to hose down speculation the government’s refusal of Qatar Airway‘s push to run an additional 21 weekly flights to Australia’s major airports, was related to his relationship with Anthony Albanese – he said he has “been good mates with Albo for some time” – or any decisions regarding chairman’s lounge access.
“If the government was doing the bidding of Qantas then it would’ve knocked on the head multi-employer bargaining which is a much bigger issue,” Joyce was reported as saying. “It’s a nonsense that Qantas has this unbelievable influence that it can dictate anything to the government because that’s just not right.”
Joyce’s comments follow comments from the Australian government on Thursday that approving Qatar Airways’s push to increase flights to the country would go against Australia’s “national interest”, even as seats on international flights remain scarce and expensive.
Read more here:
Lorena Allam
More from the Garma festival, which begun at Gulkula in north-east Arnhem Land with a solemn and loving tribute to the beloved Gumatj leader Yunupingu.
Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs spoke lovingly of her uncle.
During his early days, she said, when he and his elders were preparing the Yirrkala bark petition and trying to resist the Nabalco bauxite mine on their land on the Gove peninsula in the 1960’s, “he was a young man, around 15 years old, and he couldn’t talk” she said.
At that time the elders did talking and “he didn’t say much, even though he wanted to.
“So he wrote songs. It was his way of expressing himself, expressing his love for his land and for his culture and for what was really right.
“Today his word will echo in one of those songs,” she said.
Sarah Basford Canales
AFP’s chief operating officer ‘never tried to hide’ 13-year work history with PwC
The Greens senator David Shoebridge is up at the AFP’s estimates appearance, where he is asking senior officials about their ties to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
It’s revealed the chief operating officer, Charlotte Tressler, worked at the firm for 13 years more than a decade ago, rising to the role of director.
Tressler was the decision-maker in granting a $794,000 contract to PwC looking into ACT policing, led by the former NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller.
Shoebridge asks why the chief operating officer didn’t publicly declare her historical ties to the firm at earlier estimates hearings.
She responds she’s “always been open and transparent” about her employment with PwC.
I’ve never tried to hide my relationship with PwC. I’ve openly included it on my LinkedIn account where clearly you have found that information.
Chief financial officer Paul Wood confirmed Tressler had put in a conflict of interest declaration and followed the guidelines.
Lorena Allam
Garma festival kicks off in north-east Arnhem Land
The Garma festival has begun at Gulkula in north-east Arnhem Land with a solemn and loving tribute to the beloved Gumatj leader Yunupingu, whose vision over decades helped consolidate the festival as the premier national Indigenous gathering.
Gumatj clan dancers with bilma (clap sticks) and yidaki (didgeridu) sang family members, wearing bright yellow – the Gumatj clan colours – into the forum. Yunupingu’s daughter Binmila carried a photograph of him which they placed at the podium.
This is the first festival without him, but organisers said they will carry his legacy – to keep working to a better future for Yolngu while holding on to the knowledge of the past.
“Whilst he was cajoling PMs and ministers, his real job was the family and the future,” lawyer Sean Bowden said in introducing the children of Dhupuma Barker school.
The school helped realise a long-held vision of Yunupingu – that children could receive a two-way quality education on country.
Garma began in 1999 to elevate Yolngu voices, culture and worldview to the world. This year’s theme is Djambatj, a Yolngu word meaning excellence.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Indigenous Australians minister, Linda Burney, are due to arrive later today.
Sarah Basford Canales
AFP ends all contracts with PwC after ‘perceived’ conflict of interest
The Australian federal police have ended all contracts with consulting firm PwC after an internal warning about a “perceived” conflict of interest.
Chief financial officer Paul Wood said he provided advice to end all contracts with PwC while an investigation into the firm is under way, owing to a potential conflict of interest perception.
Wood said a “clean break” was needed in estimates on Friday, with the message being communicated to the firm on 16 June and effective from 30 June.
Nine contracts have now ended, seven of them internal audits. Wood said all passes from PwC employees had been returned and a settlement sum had been arranged for contracts yet to be completed.
ACCC blocks ANZ attempt to acquire Suncorp Bank
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has denied authorisation to ANZ Group Holdings Ltd to acquire Suncorp Bank, because it would “further entrench an oligopoly market structure” the commission’s deputy chair said.
“We are not satisfied that the acquisition is not likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of home loans nationally, small to medium enterprise banking in Queensland, and agribusiness banking in Queensland,” the ACCC deputy chair, Mick Keogh, said.
These banking markets are critical for many homeowners and for Queensland businesses and farmers in particular. Competition being lessened in these markets will lead to customers getting a worse deal.
Second-tier banks such as Suncorp Bank are important competitors against the major banks, especially because barriers to new entry at scale into banking are very high. Evidence we obtained strongly indicates that the major banks consider the second-tier banks to be a competitive threat.
The proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank by ANZ would further entrench an oligopoly market structure that is concentrated, with the four major banks dominating. It also limits the options for second-tier banks to combine and strengthen in a way that would create a greater competitive threat to the major banks.
In a media release, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the government respects the independence of the ACCC and does not intend to comment further on the decision or the future of the proposal.
Sarah Basford Canales
‘We do not play golf together’: AFP commissioner says Mick Fuller was hired to lead PwC review of police on merit
The Australian federal police are fronting senators this morning in a spillover senate estimates hearing.
The AFP commissioner, Reece Kershaw, kicked off the hearing with a statement to clarify recent reporting regarding a few matters relating to embattled consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
During the May estimates hearing, Kershaw was asked about his personal relationship with the former NSW police commissioner, now PwC partner, Mick Fuller.
The federal police entered into a contract with PwC to review ACT policing arrangements with Fuller as the lead.
Kershaw did not put in a conflict of interest but this morning said he did not want the relationship to be mischaracterised.
Mr Fuller and I do not have dinner at each other’s homes. We do not play golf together and I don’t know the personal details of his life.
I want to be clear about that because it is important that our professional relationship is not mischaracterised.
The bottom line is that Mr Fuller was the best person for the job and in the AFP, we aim to hire the best people for the job.
Bruce Lehrmann says he intends to sue ACT government over alleged flaws in his prosecution
Christopher Knaus
Bruce Lehrmann says he intends to sue the ACT government over flaws in his prosecution over allegations he sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins.
The Daily Telegraph quoted Lehrmann saying he had “instructed my solicitors to prepare a statement of claim against the state”.
I’ve got lawyers that need to be paid, people who have supported me, like my mum and uncle, who need to be supported.
I’m not interested in becoming a millionaire, but I do want to perhaps get on with my life and maybe buy a house.
Given what the prosecution has done to me, I may never work again.
The inquiry findings were published on Wednesday night by the Australian. The inquiry head, Walter Sofronoff, found that there were serious flaws in the way the case was handled by Shane Drumgold SC, the ACT’s DPP. Drumgold said he hadn’t seen the report and wasn’t in a position to respond.
The report also found that there was enough evidence to charge Lehrmann and that the prosecution was properly brought. That is no indication of the guilt or innocence of Lehrmann. Lehrmann pleaded not guilty and has consistently denied the allegation that he raped Higgins. His first trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and a planned re-trial was abandoned due to fears for Higgins’ mental health.
Domestic violence and household substance abuse linked with 37% higher risk of pregnancy complications
A study has found that women who experienced maltreatment, domestic violence or household substance abuse as children have a 37% higher risk of complications during pregnancy, AAP reports.
University of Queensland researchers say these complications include diabetes, high blood pressure, excessive weight gain, anxiety and depression.
They are also 31% more likely to give birth to premature babies or babies with a low birth weight.
Project leader Abdullah Mamun said:
This highlights the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences and the importance of preventing these to reduce both immediate and intergenerational impacts.
Those experiences can alter the way the brain functions, including things like our stress-signalling pathways, and even our immune system function.
‘Idle speculation’ will further harm families of dead ADF members: Marles
More from Richard Marles on Nine’s Today Show speaking about the catastrophic Taipan choppers crash, courtesy of AAP.
Marles confirmed the choppers were certified to fly at the time of the crash.
The Taipan crashed during the multinational Exercise Talisman Sabre last week off the north Queensland coast.
A recovery effort is under way for the bodies of Capt Danniel Lyon, Lt Maxwell Nugent, WO Class Two Joseph Laycock and Cpl Alexander Naggs.
Unidentified human remains have been found in the search for the army crew.
Marles said “idle speculation” would cause further harm to the friends and families of the dead ADF members.
We need to make sure those helicopters are safe to fly.
What the families are owed is facts and proper investigations and not speculation.
And that is what we will do.
Marles defends use of Taipan choppers after crash that killed four
The defence minister, Richard Marles, has defended the use of MRH-90 Taipan choppers following a catastrophic crash which claimed the lives of four army members, AAP reports.
Pressed about why the helicopters were still in use despite documented problems, Marles said Australia would be left with a capability gap if they were to all come out of service.
On Nine’s Today Show he said:
To suggest we can just not have the capability on any given day is to not understand what the country faces.
We are transitioning them out and we are going down a path of having Black Hawks in place … but it’s not as though we are able to suspend the need for an airlift capability over a period of time before the Black Hawks are operational.
Sofronoff report should have been made public, says ACT opposition leader
The ACT opposition leader, Elizabeth Lee, says the leaked Sofronoff report – which investigated the criminal justice system’s handling of Bruce Lehrmann’s prosecution for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins – should have been made public.
On ABC RN this morning, Lee said:
Let’s be brutally honest, this whole issue would not have been created if the Labor-Greens government, Andrew Barr and Shane Rattenbury, had done the right thing by the Canberra public and actually made it available.
What should have happened, of course, was that as soon as the report was handed over to the … government, it should have been made public.
It should definitely be made public as soon as possible.
The Sofronoff report – which the ACT government has not yet released publicly – found the ACT director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, breached his duties on multiple occasions.
NSW teachers’ unions slam ‘insulting’ pay offer from government
Caitlin Cassidy
The NSW Independent Education Union has lashed out at the state government for offering an “insulting” pay offer yesterday after stalled negotiations to improve teachers’ conditions.
Its state president, Tina Ruello, urged Labor to reconsider its offer for 2.5% pay increases over four years and stood with the NSW Teachers Federation as it continued discussions with the government.
The NSWTF publicly condemned the state government on Thursday, alleging it had revoked a previously negotiated agreement and “betrayed” the state. Ruello said:
We thought the Minns government was listening. It seems they weren’t. Attracting and retaining the existing workforce in NSW hinges on achieving pay outcomes which are comparable to the outcomes in ACT and QLD. This offer is not that.
Teacher vacancy statistics across NSW tell the story. Schools have been splitting, sharing, and supervising multiple classes, and education and learning outcomes have been weakened as a result. Schools have been running on goodwill. That goodwill has now expired.
Asked whether she had reneged a deal, the education minister, Prue Car, told reporters yesterday there had been “many meetings” and “many conversations”, adding she was still committed to achieving better conditions.
The IEU executive is meeting today and will consider a formal response.
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