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Australia live news: Daniel Andrews claims Victorian Liberals preferencing ‘nazis, racists and conspiracy theorists’ | Australia news

Daniel Andrews says state Liberals are inviting partnership with rightwing ‘extremists’

Adeshola Ore

The ABC reported on Wednesday that the Victorian Liberal party had preferenced Labor behind a Freedom party candidate who publicly called for the premier to be hanged in an upper house seat.

The rightwing party is one of a record 23 parties contesting the Victorian election.

Speaking generally, Daniel Andrews on Friday warned against “inviting a political partnership between the alternative government and extremists”, saying it was “not good for anyone”:

Nazis – that’s who’s getting preferences from the Liberal party – and racists and conspiracy theorists is the most polite way to describe some of the people the Liberals are preferncing.

I intend to make sure that everyone across Victoria knows about it, particularly our proud multicultural communities who are so often … the victim of appalling behavior.

Andrews was at the Royal Melbourne hospital, announcing that a re-elected Labor government would invest $16m to add 40 specialised paramedics to the state’s workforce.

Key events

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Lucas Restaurants withdraws from delivery apps

Chris Lucas of Lucas Restaurants has made the decision to withdraw his restaurants from all delivery platform apps. That is the wake of Deliveroo pulling out of Australia very suddenly this week.

Lucas says he wants to get back to old-school delivery options:

Today, we have ceased all relationships with third-party delivery apps and are bringing ordering for our much-loved takeaway offerings at Baby Pizza and Hawker Hall in house.

This means we can give our crew more shifts and more hours, and we can better control the experience our guests have with our restaurant.

For those wanting to get their Baby or Hawker Hall fix, we ask them to give us a call or jump on our website.

Food ordered direct and picked up fresh. Just like it used to be.

A food delivery rider in Melbourne last year
A food delivery rider in Melbourne last year. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Queensland police didn’t touch Indigenous man who died in custody, internal inquiry finds

(Via AAP)

Queensland police did not have “physical contact” with an Indigenous man who died in their custody last week, according to an internal police probe.

The 51-year-old was found unresponsive in a police watch-house cell after being arrested over domestic violence allegations in the remote Cape York Indigenous community of Kowanyama on 9 November.

Police say the officers tried to give the man first aid before he was taken to the Kowanyama Medical Clinic, where he was declared dead.

The police ethical standards command says video footage shows the three officers involved, who have been transferred to other duties outside Kowanyama, did not touch the man.

Police said in a statement on Friday:

The members involved did not have physical contact with the man at the time of the incident.

The man’s family members have viewed CCTV of the incident as part of the QPS’ commitment to an open and transparent investigation of this matter.

The matter remains before the state coroner, and the Crime and Corruption Commission will provide independent oversight of the investigation.

For those who missed it:

AFL says Tasmania licence deal a ‘great step forward’

I know there are a lot of people who are hungry for any and all Tasmanian AFL team news, so here you go:

Tasmania’s government and the AFL have reached an in-principle agreement on commercial terms of the state’s bid for a 19th licence, but the timeline around a final decision remains unclear.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan and Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the agreement on Friday in Hobart, describing it as a “great step forward”.

The Tasmanian government’s funding commitment includes $12m a year over 12 years, plus $60m towards a high-performance and administration complex.

McLachlan indicated an announcement on Tasmania’s bid was “close” but wouldn’t specify a time frame or commit to sealing the deal before his tenure as chief executive finishes at the end of the year.

He said:

The decision requires the support of our AFL clubs and we are having productive discussions there

In recent days we’ve come a long way with our clubs.

They’ve had detailed information around every aspect of the bid. We’ve got generally very positive feedback.

It appears the final piece of the puzzle is locking in funding for the construction of a new stadium on Hobart’s waterfront, which could carry a price tag of $750m.

Ella Mauer of the North Melbourne Kangaroos with fans after an AFLW match against the Geelong Cats at University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston in September
Ella Mauer of the North Melbourne Kangaroos with fans after a match against the Geelong Cats at University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston in September. Photograph: Simon Sturzaker/AFL photos/Getty Images

The state Liberal government has promised to fund half of the stadium, with the remainder of the cash to be sought from the federal government, private sector involvement and equity raising.

Rockliff said the state government had finalised a stadium business case and would soon take it to the federal government.

The stadium proposal does not have universal backing in Tasmania, with the state Labor opposition and the Greens among those opposed.

McLachlan said:

Every change that we make in the AFL has people who have different views and I would ask them to look at the bigger picture. It’s our obligation to lead.

(Via AAP)

Menulog to accept Deliveroo vouchers

Menulog is jumping in to honour Deliveroo vouchers.

Morten Belling, Menulog’s managing director, said:

We expect there will be a lot of customers with unused Deliveroo vouchers and gift cards, so we would like to give them the opportunity to redeem those vouchers on their next Menulog order.

For further information on how to redeem Deliveroo vouchers with Menulog, customers should visit www.menulog.com.au/campaign/deliveroo-vouchers.

And if you were a delivery rider/driver for Deliveroo, Menulog also wants to hear from you: deliveroocouriers@menulog.com.

Meanwhile, in other industrial relations news:

Tony Burke lashes Svitzer over lockout threat

Now it is done and dusted, workplace relations minister Tony Burke has responded to the Fair Work Commission’s decision on Svitzer – and used it as an opportunity to push the government’s IR bill:

The government welcomes this outcome.

If Svitzer had been allowed to proceed with its threat, it would have done significant damage to the Australian economy.

The company should be ashamed of itself for its willingness to hold the economy to ransom.

Australians can now have certainly that the goods they rely on will be in stores and on shelves through Christmas and into next year.

However, this is only a temporary solution. We urge both sides to return to the bargaining table, negotiate in good faith and get this done.

Once the government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill passes the parliament, the Fair Work Commission will have a new pathway to fully resolve intractable disputes before it ever comes to this.

That’s another reason it’s urgent we get this bill passed quickly.

Tony Burke
Tony Burke urged ‘both sides to return to the bargaining table’. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Sky News and the Herald Sun will host the Victorian election “People’s forum” on Tuesday, where the audience of undecided voters ask the questions.

Both Daniel Andrews and Matthew Guy will appear. The forum is being held four days before the election.

Sean Turnell’s return to Australia ‘an enormous relief’, Wong says

Penny Wong has issued an official statement on Prof Sean Turnell’s return to Australia, now that he has safely entered the country and been able to return home for the first time in more than two years.

I am pleased to confirm that Professor Sean Turnell has arrived safely home to Australia, and has been reunited with his wife and family, after more than 21 months of unjust detention in Myanmar.

His return will be an enormous relief to his family, friends and many supporters in Australia and across the region.

The Australian government has worked tirelessly for Professor Turnell’s release, and we will continue to provide whatever consular support he and his family require.

Australia thanks all those who have advocated for his release, including regional partners, and especially members of Asean.

We are grateful for the efforts of Cambodia and Brunei Darussalam, the Asean chairs over the term of his detention, and the special envoy of the Asean chair on Myanmar.

We appreciate the arrangements that were made by Myanmar authorities for Professor Turnell’s release and welcome the news of the release of other prisoners alongside Professor Turnell, including foreign nationals from the UK, US and Japan.

The Australian government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, and we will continue to advocate for the release of the remaining political prisoners.

As Professor Turnell returns to his life in Australia and reunites with this family, we ask that the media respect his family’s wishes for privacy.

Sean Turnell with his wife, Ha Vu, on Friday
Sean Turnell with his wife, Ha Vu, on Friday. Photograph: Facebook/Ha Vu

Calls to end native forest logging as NSW Forestry Corporation records $9m hardwood loss

Lisa Cox

Lisa Cox

NSW Forestry Corporation recorded a $9m loss for its hardwood division in the 2021-22 financial year, prompting nature campaigners to call for the state government to end native forest logging and shift completely to a plantation-based timber industry.

The annual report for the state-owned forestry company, published late on Thursday, shows the hardwood division – which covers logging operations in NSW native forests – recorded a $9m loss, or a $5m loss if costs associated with fire recovery were excluded.

The corporation said the loss was “significantly” less than the previous year ($20m) and it was now on course to achieve a cost-neutral position.

The softwood division, which covers plantation-based operations, earned the corporation $47m.

Logs for export in a NSW timber yard
Logs for export in a NSW timber yard. Photograph: Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

Jacqui Mumford, the chief executive of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, said the report showed that native forest logging was costing taxpayers millions and called on the government to turn all of its focus to the plantation business:

This report is further proof that nothing about NSW’s native forest industry stacks up. In the past two years, taxpayers have paid Forestry Corporation $29 million to destroy forests that they want protected.

We’re calling on the NSW government to end native forest logging, and shift completely to a plantation-based timber industry.

The NSW Greens environment spokesperson, Sue Higginson, said the people of NSW were footing the bill for the destruction of public native forests for “low-value products such as wood chips for export, fence palings and pallets”:

These native forests are home to endangered koalas and greater gliders and must be preserved if we hope to save these species from extinction.

The softwood division, by contrast, earned $47 million from plantations that can be managed sustainably and go to building homes and other high-value uses.

There are still some meetings to go – Anthony Albanese will return to Australia on Sunday, just in time for parliament.

For the political watchers, you will start to see the focus shift back to domestic issues very, very soon.

Albanese on energy prices

Murph will update you on what you need to know about Macron and other bilateral meetings, but here is the last question on what the government is doing to put downward pressure on energy prices.

Anthony Albanese:

What is clear from the meetings here is the extent of the global challenge. This isn’t about just any one nation taking action.

This pressure has arisen because of global prices.

I got asked, I think yesterday, about the discussion I had with chancellor Scholtz of Germany. Their prices of gas went to over $200 US, an extraordinary increase they were dealing with, in western Europe. The price has been enormous.

One of the things that strikes me in the discussions, whether it was chancellor Scholtz, or president Macron, or Pedro Sanchez of Spain, that western Europe – in dealing with these challenges – understand they need to be more self-reliant; that they need to produce more energy themselves. And part of what we’re about, with our powering Australia plan, is just that.

We are being hit by two events, one which is out of our control – the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had an international impact – but we’re also hit by the fact that four gigawatts of energy [is] left our system and only one gigawatt came in over the previous decade.

If you had that reduction in supply, that then creates a problem for price. And that is why we’re determined, as are the other nations – indeed, including Germany – the discussion that I had specifically with them, to deal with the challenge, and it is confirmed with me that in terms of dealing with the medium term issues, that Australia is certainly on the right track in our actions. They’re consistent with the actions that are being taken in Europe, or for that matter in Canada, or by the United States, under their inflation reduction act, which is a game-changer in terms of dealing with international climate change.

North Korea must ‘stop their aggression’ – Albanese

Q: On the MH17, did the government have any contact with Russian diplomats as a result of that, or following that verdict, back from Australia? And just on the discussion around [the] review of just how many Russian diplomats are in Australia, is there a situation – what’s the verdict, diplomats expelled?

Anthony Albanese:

I won’t comment on the national security issues without getting proper advice. We go through that advice from the security agencies.

Q: North Korea has fired an international continental ballistic missile on Friday morning. What’s your response to this? It’s the second launch in two days.

Albanese:

Well, North Korea is a rogue state. And they need to stop their aggression. I spoke about this at the East Asia Summit. And the comments of Australia were welcomed, not the least of which by the Republic of Korea, president Yoon, who I had warm discussions with, and my friend, president Kishida. We have developed a very close relationship and that’s important for Australia’s national interests.

A news report on North Korea’s missile test shown at a railway station in Seoul on Thursday
A news report on North Korea’s missile test shown at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday. Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s stance on Taiwan entry to trade pact hasn’t changed – Albanese

Q: Prime minister, now you have met with Xi, is Australia less likely to support Taiwan entry into the CPTPP [comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership], and has Taiwan’s representative asked for a meeting with you?

Anthony Albanese:

Our position hasn’t been altered on the first matter and on the second, no.

Q: But how do you see Taiwan’s entry? Would you like to see Taiwan join the CPTPP?

Albanese:

We have current entry, we have the United Kingdom as an entrant, and of course the CPTPP is a relationship between nation states that are recognised. Taiwan is represented here because it is represented here as an economy, as an economy. And there is bipartisan support for the one-China policy. We support the status quo on Taiwan, and on the Taiwan Strait. We don’t want to see any unilateral action which alters that status quo.

PM’s ‘heart goes out’ to NSW flood victims

On the floods, Anthony Albanese said he’d had “engagement” with Dominic Perrottet today (which usually means messages were exchanged).

I’ve had engagement with the New South Wales premier today. He thanked me for the support that has been given, additional announcements that are either being made already or will be made very soon, about additional support.

My heart goes out to the victims of these floods. Premier Perrottet sent me a photo – some of you may have been with us in Forbes, we visited a farm, a family farm, they were lovely welcoming people. Dominic sent me a photo of that farm this morning. It is under water, all around it. It was an aerial photograph, I assume, taken by a drone. It’s devastating. And my heart goes out that family but also to others as well.

Australia punching ‘above our weight in international forums’ – PM

What are his main takeaways from these summits?

Anthony Albanese:

Australia’s back. We’re back around the table. Australia is engaged, we’re having positive and constructive discussions with our historic allies, but with everyone in the region as well.

Australia, if you look at where we’ve been seated in events, today I will be giving the first intervention at the plenary session. If you look at the status that Australia has, we punch above our weight in international forums when we’re mature, when we’re sensible, when we’re engaged, when we engage in diplomacy. And that is a product not of me just arriving here, it’s a product of a lot of work by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, it’s a product of the quite extraordinary foreign minister that Australia is privileged to have in Penny Wong, and it is paying dividends.

The entry fee for credibility in international forums is action on climate change. And it all changed when we altered our national determined contribution for the UN framework convention on climate change, supported by our business community, supported by our farmers. And when we legislated that – the 43% by 2030, as well as legislating net zero by 2050 – when we have engaged as well in the methane pledge that Australia has committed to, that was so important for the United States, that was a priority of president Biden.

We’re engaged and we want a peaceful, secure, cooperative region. It is so important. Australia can punch above our weight. But in order to do so, we’ve actually got to have credibility. And my government, I’m pleased to say, is engaging – it’s been well received and we’ve had warm discussions, both formal and informal as well, over the last week.

Anthony Albanese (seated centre) at an Apec gala dinner in Bangkok on Thursday night
Anthony Albanese (seated centre) at an Apec gala dinner in Bangkok on Thursday night. Photograph: Royal Thai government handout/EPA

Have we had discussions with France about interim submarine capacity?

Anthony Albanese:

I think President Macron answered that question when he noted Australia has not decided to change their strategy on the subject. He noted it himself in the discussion, Richard Marles is the defence minister, he has noted it, we are proceeding with the AUKUS arrangements, there’s nothing ambiguous about it. That’s our position. And we have a good co-operative relationship with France. And we’ll continue to engage on ways in which France can assist Australia in the road map that we agreed on, when we met in Paris. Which is about defence and security, it’s about energy and the environment. Including dealing with climate change. And it’s about cultural advances as well.

Albanese says Australia has ‘very co-operative relationship’ with France

Anthony Albanese said he had a very friendly chat with Macron last night ‘as we always do’:

He’s entitled to make whatever comments he wants as the leader of France. Australia is acting – we have a very co-operative relationship. We’ve had discussions about how we can cooperate in defence. I note for example that the Bushmasters that we are providing to Ukraine, 90 of them now, made by Thales, Thales is in part French-government owned, produced the Bendigo, we’ve got a very good relationship and it will continue.



https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2022/nov/18/australia-live-news-mh17-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-labor-coalition-sean-turnell-myanmar Australia live news: Daniel Andrews claims Victorian Liberals preferencing ‘nazis, racists and conspiracy theorists’ | Australia news

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