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Ley challenges Chalmers to present cost-of-living solutions in budget update
Josh Butler
Aside from the unexpected sprinkler interruption, Ley on Sky News went on to criticise the government’s handling of the economy, ahead of the midyear economic update expected this morning.
Ley challenged the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, to “please just address the issue that all Australians want, which is, how is this budget going to improve my standard of living and make my life better, just like you promised … ?”
Asked about the government’s spin on the MYEFO figures today – that the budget is $200bn better off than when Labor took office – Ley said ordinary Australians and small businesses weren’t feeling such benefits.
“If you’re an Australian running a small business, looking at your bills leading up to Christmas, that figure means nothing to you at all, and this is the problem. Jim Chalmers is a commentator, and everything he says has a political spin designed to get him out of trouble,” she said.
That is not the question that he should be answering today, or the proposition he should be making. He should be telling Australians what he is actually going to do to lock in a higher standard of living, because since Labor came to government, people’s standard of living has gone backwards.
Key events
Benita Kolovos
Back to Jacinta Allan, who was speaking about the government’s response to the CFMEU review a short while ago. She says:
I established this review because I was absolutely disgusted at the at the allegations of criminal, unlawful behaviour that was reported on Victorian and indeed, Australian construction sites.
She says the main recommendations she will be accepting include:
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Introducing a complaints referral body, a “single point of entry”, which will provide anonymity and protection for those who come forward with allegations of wrongdoing
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Strengthening the state’s labour hire regulatory powers, including broadening the “fit and proper persons test”
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Making it mandatory for contractors to report and address suspected criminal and unlawful conduct on construction sites in Victoria
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Enhance the information sharing arrangements between state government organisations departments and the commonwealth
Allan says:
Workers deserve strong, good unions because strong good unions protect workers rights, protect their safety conditions and provide good and fair outcomes on work sites. That’s what good unionism looks like. That’s not what we’ve seen from some elements of the construction division of the CFMEU.
Elias Visontay
Alan Jones due to arrive in court for mention
Scores of reporters have been gathered outside Sydney’s Downing Centre court this morning ahead of Alan Jones’ anticipated court appearance.
The veteran broadcaster is expected to arrive here shortly for his court mention.
Benita Kolovos
Jacinta Allan welcomes Nick Staikos to Victorian cabinet
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is holding a press conference at parliament, joined by the new cabinet minister, Nick Staikos, who will fill the vacancy left by the treasurer, Tim Pallas, who is retiring.
Allan says she’s “delighted” to have Staikos’ “big brain” at the cabinet table:
“Nick has served as a member for Bentleigh for the past 10 years in Victorian parliament, but his service to the Bentleigh community spans a 19-year period, having previously also served as a councillor in his local community,” she says.
Staikos has previously served as parliament secretary to Allan, as well as to former premier Daniel Andrews and Pallas. He says:
Tim has been a dear friend, an adviser and wise counsel for a very, very long time. It is bittersweet. I am going to miss him, but Tim and I are going to be friends for life, and I’ll still be picking up the phone to chat to Tim whenever I need it.
Ley challenges Chalmers to present cost-of-living solutions in budget update
Josh Butler
Aside from the unexpected sprinkler interruption, Ley on Sky News went on to criticise the government’s handling of the economy, ahead of the midyear economic update expected this morning.
Ley challenged the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, to “please just address the issue that all Australians want, which is, how is this budget going to improve my standard of living and make my life better, just like you promised … ?”
Asked about the government’s spin on the MYEFO figures today – that the budget is $200bn better off than when Labor took office – Ley said ordinary Australians and small businesses weren’t feeling such benefits.
“If you’re an Australian running a small business, looking at your bills leading up to Christmas, that figure means nothing to you at all, and this is the problem. Jim Chalmers is a commentator, and everything he says has a political spin designed to get him out of trouble,” she said.
That is not the question that he should be answering today, or the proposition he should be making. He should be telling Australians what he is actually going to do to lock in a higher standard of living, because since Labor came to government, people’s standard of living has gone backwards.
Josh Butler
Sussan Ley cops a spray on live TV
Most politicians are accustomed to being on the receiving end of a spray every now and then, but deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley was still caught by surprise when the sprinklers went off during a live TV cross this morning.
The Member for Farrer was coming to Sky News live from Leeton, in the NSW Riverina region, earlier today when she had to duck out of frame quickly. Sky host Peter Stefanovic looked entirely puzzled as his guest quickly dashed off screen – before the water mist became more visible.
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Ley, perhaps used to anticipating potential challenges and threats as a longtime politician, had been glancing at something out of the corner of her eye – which we imagine was a sprinkler jet starting to whir into life.
The Sky camera panned to where Ley had fled, as she said: “sorry Pete, we’ve just got the sprinkler starting.”
When the sprinkler starts, you probably have to move.
Ley went on to make light of the unexpected interlude.
“I’m here, Pete, the sprinklers on the amazing lawn in front of the War Memorial in Leeton in the Riverina just turned on and I got soaked,” she said.
Host Stefanovic joked: “Yeah, has anyone checked on [Labor treasurer] Jim Chalmers, did he turn the tap on? Maybe?”
Benita Kolovos
Nick Staikos elevated to Victorian cabinet after resignation of Tim Pallas
The Victorian Labor caucus has endorsed elevating the member for Bentleigh, Nick Staikos, to cabinet.
MPs met at parliament to fill the vacancy of Tim Pallas, who resigned from parliament on Monday. Staikos was elected unopposed.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, will tomorrow announce Staikos’ portfolio, as well as who will take over from Pallas as treasurer. Names being floated by MPs include the assistant treasurer, Danny Pearson, the deputy premier, Ben Carroll, the health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas and the government services minister, Gabrielle Williams.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian government to introduce slew of construction site reforms after CFMEU investigation
Builders on Victorian government construction sites will be contractually required to report criminal behaviour, while labour hire workers will need to pass a “fit and proper persons” test, under changes to be introduced following an inquiry commissioned by Jacinta Allan.
The premier on Wednesday released a report by Greg Wilson into the government agency’s engagement with construction companies and unions, after allegations of criminal infiltration of the CFMEU were reported by Nine newspapers earlier this year.
The report makes eight recommendations, which the government has accepted either in full or in principle, including setting up a new complaints body to handle allegations of wrongdoing on state-run construction sites.
Principle builders will also be required under their contract to “report any suspected criminal or other unlawful conduct” to the new complaints body, and ensure where possible to address the behaviour.
The report also recommends labour hire laws be changed to expand the “fit and proper persons test” so anyone with a convicted of an indictable offence in the past 10 years, anyone who led a company that was made insolvent or had a labour hire licence cancelled, suspended or revoked in five years and any members of an organised crime group cannot work on government sites.
Allan will be holding a press conference at 9.15am on the report.
New South Wales students receive HSC results
Caitlin Cassidy
Students in New South Wales will receive their Atar scores this morning, with results continuing to show a discrepancy between top performing boys and girls.
Of the 51 students that received a perfect Atar of 99.95, 42 were male and just nine were female. They studied a mixture of 35 different courses out of the 116 offered.
In total, 57,194 students were eligible for an Atar, an increase of 1,671 on 2023.
Just shy of 20% (17.8%) received an Atar of 90.00 or above, 35.5% received an Atar of at least 80.00 and more than half (52.6%) received at least 70.
Girls performed better overall, with a median Atar of 72.40 compared with 70.40 for boys.
The interim managing directer of the Universities Admissions Centre, Kim Paino, congratulated students on completing their “major milestone”.
“As you plan for the future, remember that there are many pathways to university, regardless of your Atar. If you need guidance or support, UAC is here to help you explore your options and take the next step with confidence.”
Read more here:
Buildings destroyed after 7.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Vanuatu – video
Footage shows a landslide at the international shipping terminal after a powerful earthquake struck Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila:
Red Cross reporting at least 14 dead after two earthquakes hit Vanuatu in 24 hours
A second earthquake has struck the Vanuatu islands, amid an international search and rescue operation following Tuesday’s deadly quake.
With communications down, the official death toll was not yet known. But at least 14 people were reportedly killed and 200 have been treated for injuries, according to Katie Greenwood, a Fiji-based regional head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, citing the government.
Read more here:
Marles says focus remains on training Ukrainian soldiers after Aukmin meeting
Marles, who is also the defence minister, did not say whether Australia would deploy peacekeepers in Ukraine when asked on ABC Radio National a short while ago following the Australia-UK Ministerial (Aukmin) consultations meetings in London.
He said “our focus is on supporting Ukraine in the here and now,” and that Australia will extend its contribution to Operation Interflex through to the end of 2025, which trains soldiers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Marles confirms no Australian casualties from last night’s Vanuatu quake
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, confirmed there have been no Australian casualties of the powerful earthquake that hit Vanuatu last night.
Marles spoke to ABC Radio National a short while ago:
There’s obvious concern about what is going to unfold in Port Vila after what has been a very significant earthquake indeed. We don’t have confirmed numbers, obviously, in terms of where that’s at, but we are anxious about how events are going to unfold, or what information unfolds from here.
But we can report that there aren’t any Australian casualties.
Some Australian embassy staff suffered “small scrapes” and the government was still in the process of contacting local staff, Marles said.
A medical assistance team and a search and rescue team are heading to Vanuatu this morning on an Air Force C17 and Air Force c130, he said.
French ambassador to Vanuatu says ‘many victims’ as communication lines remain down
The French ambassador to Vanuatu posted on X saying there had been “many victims” but the situation is still unclear this morning with communication lines damaged by last night’s quake.
He said:
Many victims in the country, flights suspended, communications cut, no water or electricity, we are organising relief.
Second earthquake hits Vanuatu
Another earthquake has struck Vanuatu this morning, after a state of emergency was declared following a powerful earthquake that hit the Pacific island last night.
The second earthquake was a magnitude 5.5 at a depth of 57 km, according to Earthquakes Geo Australia.
Eyewitness accounts of Vanuata’s earthquake
Some context on the Vanuatu earthquake, courtesy of Australian Associated Press:
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck just off the east coast of Vanuatu’s major island of Efate at 12.47pm on Tuesday. Locals reported on social media feeling violent shaking for around 30 seconds.
The La Casa D’Andrea E Luciano building, which houses the US, UK, French and New Zealand embassies and high commissions, has been seriously damaged, with footage posted to social media showing a section of building collapsed on to the first floor.
Dan McGarry, a Vanuatu-based journalist, posted drone footage of major landslides near Vanuatu’s international shipping terminal. He told AAP there was no doubt there had been casualties from the tremor.
“There are buildings down here so I’m expecting the casualty figure to rise,” he said.
I know of one fatality according to police stationed at Port Vila central hospital, and I saw with my own eyes three others on gurneys, several others walking around, walking wounded.
I think it will probably be in the dozens, altogether dead and wounded.
Attempts to confirm fatalities or injuries with Vanuatu authorities have been unsuccessful, owing to communications issues.
Read more here:
Vanuatu devastated by earthquake: in pictures
Here are some more pictures from Vanuatu showing the devastation on the island.
Rafqa Touma
Thank you Martin Farrer for kicking off the blog this morning. I’ll be rolling your news updates throughout the day. If there is anything you don’t want us to miss, send it my way on X @At_Raf_
Emergency aid will be sent to Vanuatu: Wong
Vanuatu’s caretaker prime minister, Charlot Salwai, declared a state of emergency last night and said a curfew would be imposed for seven days in the worst-affected areas.
It was a “sad and devastating time” in Port Vila, he said, expressing sympathy to families who had lost loved ones.
Australia was among the first to answer his call for emergency assistance. Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, said the government was preparing to deploy immediate assistance to Vanuatu today.
Speaking in London, she said Australia would be sending emergency medical teams and urban search and rescue units to the island. A helpline has been set up to help Australians who could be caught up in the disaster.
On behalf of our country, on behalf of Australians, I want to extend our solidarity and our condolences to the people of Vanuatu.
We’ve seen a dreadful tragedy at Port Vila. I want to say that we have reached out to my counterparts by message to offer any supports that Vanuatu needs.
We will provide whatever assistance is required. I say to the people of Vanuatu, you are family and Australia is here to help. In relation to any Australians who are caught up in this, we are available to assist you, if required. I say, please contact the Emergency Centre. It’s a 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre. From outside Australia you dial +61 2 6261 3305 and you will be assisted, if you contact us, to the best of our capacity.
The earthquake caused damage to an embassy building used by several countries, including Australia, but Wong said all its staff were safe.
Read our full story here.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer bringing you the top overnight stories.
Australian is sending immediate assistance to Vanuatu today after a state of emergency was declared following a powerful earthquake yesterday. Penny Wong said rescue and medical teams would be dispatched to help in the aftermath of the quake that caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure such as reservoirs and communications. The situation is still unclear after the quake knocked out communications infrastructure, but hospital officials told local TV that at least six people had been killed and 50 injured. More coming up.
The big political event of the day will come when Jim Chalmers presents his midyear economic update in Canberra later today. It is expected to show a $200bn improvement to the federal bottom line over the six years to 2027-28, but that there has also been some “slippage” caused by a decline in revenue from mining exports. More coming up.
Year 12 students in New South Wales and Tasmania will be celebrating or otherwise today as the HSC results come out. We’ll be hearing some of their stories, but we already have a few overall snapshots – including a continued dividde between the sexes when it comes to the top marks. Of the 51 students that received a perfect Atar of 99.95, 42 were male and just nine were female. More coming up.
