Townsville mayor faces no-confidence vote
Eden Gillespie
Townsville councillors are anticipated to carry a no-confidence movement in opposition to town’s embattled mayor on Wednesday morning after he made false claims about his navy service.
In an interview with A Current Affair final week, town’s mayor, Troy Thompson, conceded he had not spent 5 years within the navy (as he claimed throughout his marketing campaign) and blamed “100-plus” concussions and epilepsy on his poor recollection.
He additionally apologised to veterans and the defence power for embellishing his navy service – together with claims he hung out with the SAS in Swanbourne and had served at 105 alerts and 152 alerts.
Thompson’s navy service historical past is now being investigated by the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission and the Office of Independent Assessor.
All 10 councillors signed an open letter final week calling on Thompson to face apart over problems with transparency. In response, Thompson threatened to dissolve the council and claimed he’s the sufferer of a political witch hunt.
Thompson additionally addressed the native authorities minister, Meaghan Scanlon, and mentioned “due process should always take precedence over media play, and not political interference.”
I name on all correspondence from all native, state and ministerial employees to be investigated, and if battle is discovered, TCC council is dissolved in its entirety, and all positions compromised ought to be put up for re-election, the witch hunt ought to cease till there’s a actual consequence by the CCC.
Key occasions
Daniel Hurst
Defence estimates listening to begins
The Defence estimates committee listening to has begun, with the Coalition searching for to prosecute the federal government’s combined messages yesterday about opening up the Australian defence power to non-citizen candidates.
Officials have confirmed it applies solely to New Zealand residents from July after which the US, the UK and Canada from January.
There is a number of speak of “widening the aperture” of eligibility to the ADF.
Bullock doesn’t give reply on whether or not May funds was ‘expansionary’
The RBA’s governor, Michele Bullock, has dodged her first query about whether or not May’s federal funds was “contractionary or expansionary” and therefore easing or stoking inflation within the economy.
The Liberal’s Jane Hume hoped to listen to Bullock say the funds was expansionary, saying that it contained $4 of additional spending for each greenback of additional income. (Not fact-checked, nevertheless it appears on the excessive facet.)
Bullock didn’t give a transparent reply because the difficulty is “not simple”. She named developments in China and elsewhere to say the RBA wanted to take lots into consideration.
The RBA’s May forecasts get up to date in August and will take within the funds’s contribution then.
I feel we are able to count on extra questions on inflation and, say, whether or not the RBA accepts treasury’s (and the treasurer’s) line that power rebates and different help “mechanically” lowers the buyer worth index and due to this fact inflation.
Amanda Meade
News Corp chief says no regrets over ‘important’ Higgins case protection
News Corp’s chief, Michael Miller, says he has no regrets about his media firm’s protection of the Brittany Higgins case. Miller was talking on ABC Radio forward of his National Press Club tackle about AI and the tech giants as we speak.
I feel [Higgins] was… an vital case the place various views had been put out in public and Australians should know all of the info behind the case. As I say, it was one in every of nationwide curiosity.
Q: News Corp has been accused of bullying folks. There’s been an absolute obsession with Brittany Higgins, for example. Do you assume that’s applicable? Is that utilizing your social licence appropriately?
Miller: “No, I think that it’s been a very important case which all media have covered in a lot of detail.”
Miller denied News Corp had “weaponised” Higgins’ textual content messages which had not been heard in court docket, saying “I refute that”.
I don’t have regrets, no … I feel it’s a really tough and unlucky interval for Australia. I feel that that would have been a second from which we be taught much more from as a nation.
Miller mentioned cellphone hacking occurred elsewhere within the organisation however had by no means occurred on this nation.
That is just not a follow that has existed within the Australian market.
RBA governor fronts estimates
Peter Hannam
The Reserve Bank’s governor, Michele Bullock, is showing at Senate estimates this morning, and unsurprisingly the opposition – led by Liberal senator Jane Hume – is stressing the “very weak economy”.
Asked about as we speak’s March quarter nationwide accounts figures (attributable to land at 11.30am Aest), Bullock mentioned she expects GDP development “to be quite low”.
The market agrees, with economists tipping 0.2% quarter on quarter development and an annual tempo of 1.2%. (The December quarter posted 0.2% and 1.4% development, respectively, and each may be revised.)
Bullock (barely surprisingly) didn’t know the reply the query of what number of quarters in a row have had no development or a retreat in per capita development. She mentioned, “one or two”, when really the final quarter of GDP per capita development was the December quarter of 2022, so as we speak’s numbers ought to make it 5 quarters of no development. (The first of that sequence, the March quarter of final 12 months, was flat.)
The Australian economy, although, is still on its “narrow path” of slowing without stalling. Inflation is in retreat however “coming down only slowly”.
The subsequent RBA board assembly is on 17-18 June, and for now, markets aren’t anticipating the central financial institution to maneuver its money fee from 4.35%.
Liberals sad over Labor ‘bargaining chip’ defence committee place
There is a battle happening over the Albanese authorities proposal to go away open a spot on a brand new parliamentary defence committee for a crossbencher.
The new committee would be a part of a handful of different everlasting committees within the parliament, which – just like the parliamentary joint committee on safety and intelligence – would have numerous energy and affect over laws (it’s uncommon for the federal government to not settle for suggestions of the intelligence and safety committee, though it did occur below the Morrison authorities).
The Albanese authorities has one eye on the subsequent election and the very actual risk it will be in minority authorities – and is leaving open the chance a crossbencher might be a part of the committee, slightly than simply have it Liberal-Labor.
The Liberal get together is just not completely satisfied – as Greens senator David Shoebridge notes.
Liberals try to cease the Greens from becoming a member of a brand new Defence committee due to insurance policies like
-Be a great international citizen
-Close international bases & Pine Gap
-Renegote the US alliance
-End AUKUSCould you think about if the ALP/Liberals needed to take into account these very fashionable insurance policies! pic.twitter.com/BZGZLHdZC0
— David Shoebridge (@DavidShoebridge) June 4, 2024
Deepfake porn legal guidelines launched however debate adjourned till subsequent sitting
Mark Dreyfus is now introducing laws which will criminalise the sharing of deepfake pornography photographs.
The debate has been adjourned till the subsequent sitting.
House of Representatives begins session
The bells have rung and prayers have been delivered within the House of Representatives, signalling the beginning of the sitting session.
There is a bit of legislation to get through today, however the Senate received’t sit till the twenty fourth, so the parliament received’t be passing laws once more till the tip of the month (which is regular in the course of the estimates interval)
Tony Burke has simply introduced a reordering of enterprise to get by means of some legislative enterprise – which might imply the home sits till 10pm tonight. Apparently, no less than one member needed to “know the implications for State Of Origin this evening” however Burke mentioned it’s as much as members to make up their minds on who speaks.
Independent senator David Pocock has weighed in on the federal government’s battle to try to preserve paperwork secret when a minister (or authorities) leaves workplace:
Disappointing to see Labor pushing for a proper to shred paperwork once they depart workplace, regardless of what they mentioned concerning the Morrison Govt’s secrecy. Transparency can’t simply be one thing main events need whereas in opposition.
The morning estimates hearings are about to kick off.
Community affairs will deal with well being as we speak, with the pressing care clinic plan and bulk billing on the agenda
Economics will characteristic the reserve financial institution, with Michele Bullock showing early within the session. It can also be National Accounts (GDP) for the March quarter, so it’s a giant economics day.
Education and employment is focussed on faculties as we speak, with a splash of early childhood schooling
Foreign affairs, defence and commerce has moved on to defence, so you’ll be able to guess your backside greenback the ADF, recruitment and morale is all lined (in addition to submarines, as a result of you’ll be able to’t speak defence without speaking submarines on this nation)
Estimated $2bn of NDIS funding being rorted, integrity chief says
The NDIS continues to be below the highlight, with extra revelations from funds estimates, as AAP reviews.
An estimated 5% of the National Disability Insurance Scheme spending – about $2bn – is just not getting used for real wants, the National Disability Insurance Agency’s integrity chief, John Dardo, advised a funds estimates listening to on Monday.
Some NDIS suppliers have allegedly pressured contributors to provide money to criminals for medicine and inspired contributors to interact in fraud, with revelations tens of 1000’s was spent on holidays and $73,000 on a brand new automotive.
The well being minister, Mark Butler, mentioned there have been too many dodgy NDIS suppliers. “It’s incredibly alarming,” he advised the Today Show on Wednesday.
This is a terrific scheme that’s offering assist to folks with incapacity. But we all know there’s merely an excessive amount of waste, there are too many rorts, there’s actually too many dodgy suppliers.
News Corp chair to entrance press membership
Today’s press membership tackle will be given by the chief chair of News Corp, Michael Miller.
Miller will be speaking about “Australia and Global Tech: time for a reset”, which will define what News Corp sees as the large challenges with social media corporations.
Not positive if that’s what the questions will deal with although.
Josh Taylor
Medibank going through fines after cyber assaults
Medibank might face fines of as much as $2.2m over alleged failures to guard the privateness of consumers who had their private data stolen within the 2022 cyber assault on the well being insurer.
The Australian data commissioner this week launched proceedings within the federal court docket this week searching for civil penalties in opposition to Medibank. The commissioner alleges that between March 2021, and October 2022, Medibank severely interfered with the privateness of 9.7 million Australians by failing to take cheap steps to guard their private data from misuse and unauthorised entry or disclosure in breach of the Privacy Act within the data ending up on the darkish internet.
The appearing Australian data commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd, mentioned:
We allege Medibank did not take cheap steps to guard private data it held given its measurement, assets, the character and quantity of the delicate and private data it dealt with, and the danger of great hurt for a person within the case of a breach
We take into account Medibank’s conduct resulted in a critical interference with the privateness of a really giant variety of people.
It comes after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) final month launched court docket motion in opposition to Optus over its 2022 information breach.
Both corporations are additionally going through class actions and have been combating in opposition to the category motion litigants from acquiring Deloitte and cyber safety reviews on the character of the assaults. The full federal court docket final week refused Optus’s enchantment in opposition to handing over the report.
Liberal Hollie Hughes criticises get together after dropping preselection battle
NSW Liberal senator Hollie Hughes – who proudly defended the Liberal get together by means of nearly the whole lot – now has some ideas on the NSW department, after she misplaced the preselection battle for a winnable spot on the NSW Senate ticket to Dr Jessica Collins.
Hughes, who once said:
I don’t assume there’s a girl within the Liberal get together who needs to be thought-about a quantity, to be making up the numbers, to be a quota lady. We actually see loads of them within the Labor get together. I don’t assume it’s one thing that we must always go down the trail in direction of.
… now has some thoughts about how the Liberal get together treats girls, telling Sky News:
It does appear to be being good at your job as a girl within the New South Wales division is just not a great factor.
Hughes mentioned Peter Dutton having to step in to avoid wasting Melissa McIntosh from a preselection combat was one other instance of that.
There does appear to be a little bit of a sample.
Hughes mentioned she was “devastated”:
This has been my life for twenty-plus years that I’ve given to the Liberal get together so you understand, it’d be a deceive say I’m not disenchanted, devastated.
Hughes mentioned what has been “most telling” is “the fact people have been so shocked and horrified by this” (This being dropping preselection).
Sussan Ley calls one-day ADF recruitment confusion a ‘national embarrassment’
The deputy Liberal chief, Sussan Ley, is but to come back throughout a political difficulty she received’t ramp as much as a hyperbolic 11.
This time, it’s the ADF opening up recruitment to international nationals mess Matt Keogh created yesterday. Richard Marles and Matt Keogh’s names had been on high of a media launch yesterday which introduced a coverage change for recruitment for the ADF.
From 1 July 2024, New Zealand born everlasting residents of Australia will be capable to apply for the ADF. And from 1 January 2025, Canada, United Kingdom and United States born everlasting residents of Australia will be capable to apply for the ADF.
There are a few different necessities – you’ll be able to’t have served in a international navy for no less than two years earlier than making use of and it’s a must to have lived in Australia as a everlasting resident for no less than one 12 months and be prepared to use for citizenship (in addition to the standard ADF entry necessities and safety checks).
All was fairly easy, till Keogh got here alongside and muddied the waters by saying that from 1 January, any everlasting resident might apply, not simply these from the Five Eye accomplice nations which had been talked about.
By the tip of the day, Keogh and Marles had each “clarified” the place – which was the unique place acknowledged within the media launch.
Was it messy? Yes, completely. But talking to Sky News, Ley gave it the Sussan Ley remedy:
Australians assume deeply about points to do with defence and Anzac Day.
And it’s a nationwide embarrassment, that the Government is now saying everlasting residents possibly from some nations, possibly from the Pacific, possibly solely from the Five Eyes and really not explaining this correctly.
It’s only one extra nationwide embarrassment amongst many.
Buy now, pay later legal guidelines to be launched as we speak
Also being launched into the home as we speak – laws to control purchase now, pay later suppliers like Afterpay.
The minister for monetary providers, Stephen Jones, will introduce “consumer protection” laws which will see BNPL operators regulated as client credit score.
Currently, folks making use of for a purchase now, pay later product shouldn’t have to bear a credit score examine (like whenever you apply for a bank card or mortgage). This laws will change how folks apply for one of many merchandise and will:
-
amend the Credit Act to require BNPL suppliers to carry an Australian credit score licence;
-
imply operators will must adjust to present credit score legal guidelines, regulated by Asic;
-
set up a brand new class of “low-cost credit” below the Credit Act to replicate the decrease danger and value of BNPL in contrast with different regulated types of credit score
Lots of people on welfare and low incomes use purchase now, pay later merchandise to pay for necessities resembling groceries, so count on to listen to extra on this legislative change because the day rolls on.
Dreyfus clarifies focusing on for individuals who share non-consensual deepfake pornography
Mark Dreyfus mentioned the federal government was solely fascinated by non-consensual pornography photographs, which incorporates using celebrities – probably the most distinguished instance of latest instances being deepfake photographs of Taylor Swift which had been shared hundreds of thousands of instances. Dreyfus mentioned not everybody concerned within the sharing can be focused in a case like that, however these concerned with the photographs turning into viral can be:
Prosecuting hundreds of thousands of people who would in all probability be not what the Australian federal police would interact in, however we might search for the originator of the photographs. Someone who has been instantly concerned in beginning off the viral phenomenon that you simply talked about that occurred within the case of Taylor Swift.
The new laws additionally applies particularly to folks over the age of 18, with the felony code already together with detailed provisions on the subject of the sharing of kid abuse materials – which incorporates deepfake photographs. But youngsters sharing a deepfake picture might still be caught up in any prosecutions, Dreyfus mentioned:
Potentially, they’re able to be prosecuted. It’s simply that they will be handled as a baby and now we have completely different processes within the felony legislation to take care of youngsters when they’re prosecuted.
Labor to introduce anti-deepfake porn legal guidelines as we speak
The lawyer normal, Mark Dreyfus, will introduce laws within the House of Representatives as we speak which will make it unlawful to share deepfake pornography (that’s pornographic photographs which have been created with digital enhancement or AI, utilizing somebody’s picture to create pornography).
The laws is focussed on sharing the photographs, not creating them. Dreyfus advised the Briefing podcast the excellence got here right down to the commonwealth’s powers:
There’s a restrict on the commonwealth’s attain right here. We can cross laws that offers with use of telecommunications suppliers, which is why we’re criminalising the sharing.
We are additionally taking the chance to create an aggravated offence which will enhance the penalty for somebody who can also be the creator of the deepfake sexually express materials.
And these are very critical penalties that we’re going to present. It’s a most of six years for sharing and for the aggravated offence it will be seven years. That’s if in case you have each created the fabric and shared it.
But as a result of the commonwealth’s jurisdiction is restricted to the exercise of sharing, we’ll have to attend maybe for states to catch up and criminalise the creation exercise.