What we learned: Friday 22 July
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. Here are today’s major developments:
Key events
Red Meat Advisory Council: ‘Unfathomable’ Subway paid fine for passenger who accidentally broke biosecurity law
Speaking of biosecurity laws, it appears the Red Meat Advisory Council is livid that Subway has paid the fine for someone who inadvertently broke the law.
An individual accidentally brought in a Subway sandwich from Singapore, and the sandwich chain has decided to pay that fine themselves, which the RMAC say makes a “mockery” of the law.
In a statement, the RMAC independent chair, John McKillop, says it was “unfathomable” that Subway would chose to pay the fine, saying they were “rewarding” a passenger for breaking the law:
This absolutely sends the wrong message and is especially concerning against the current backdrop of heightened disease threats facing Australia’s agriculture sectors.
It’s a national disgrace that Subway has thumbed their nose at Australia’s biosecurity arrangements and potentially encouraged a dangerous precedent for other to do the same by reimbursing this passenger for their mistake.
So the identity of the reporter who ticked off new US Ambassador-designate Caroline Kennedy for speaking over a woman was Channel 10’s national affairs editor, Hugh Riminton:
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I think it only fair that I out myself as the reporter who the new US Ambassador-designate #CarolineKennedy ticked off for “talking over a woman” at her press conference.
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
As it always wise, I sought a review from the Video Bunker, and it turns out I started talking first. I had got out the words “It’s been…” before my Channel 7 colleague began speaking. Press conferences – they’re a game of centimetres sometimes. pic.twitter.com/cLaDUA1rJ1
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
So I have sought a downgrade from the judiciary and my legal team is confident that I’ll be exonerated in time and should be back on the paddock in time for next year’s Origin/GrandFinal/whatever..
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
Angus Taylor: government’s handling of foot-and-mouth disease like ‘a nuclear bomb’
The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, has taken a swipe at how the government has handled foot-and-mouth disease, saying its spread was like “a nuclear bomb going off in our agricultural sector.”
It’s worth noting that despite viral fragments found in meat products, the live virus has not yet been detected on Australian soil.
Speaking to 2GB earlier, Taylor called on the prime minister to reveal his plan, adding that he hasn’t heard the PM address the issue at all:
This is the equivalent to a nuclear bomb going off in our agricultural sector.
We haven’t heard Albanese say a word about it, he has not turned up on this issue.
It has to be something the prime minister is engaged in and communicating on.
So it appears some artists in Byron for Splendour in the Grass will not be deterred by the weather or mud, with some playing at the Beach hotel tonight instead:
After everything that live music has gone through over the past few years it’s terrible to see what’s happening at Splendour in the Grass, not only for music lovers but for artists, staff and volunteers too.
To all Splendour patrons, stay safe and keep up to date via @SITG
— Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) July 22, 2022
Government establishes ‘biosecurity response zones’ at airports in response to FMD
The government has announced that ‘biosecurity response zones” will be established at international airports, as part of their response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
The measures were announced in a statement released this afternoon, and are part of the government’s response to the disease, which has been spreading in Indonesia.
Agriculture minister Murray Watt said the new zones were being established in response to reports that some travellers arriving from Indonesia were “not doing the right thing”.
These zones strengthen the ability of biosecurity officers to direct passengers to use foot mats and other biosecurity control measures such as the cleaning of shoes.
We have wasted no time in getting on top of this issue and have been consistently ramping up measures at our airports and mail centres around the country.
Officials told to draft statement on boat interception ‘within 15 minutes’
Paul Karp
In his report, the home affairs department secretary Michael Pezzullo said the caretaker conventions do not have the force of law, and therefore it was “for the responsible minister” to assess the public interest in making the announcement. Pezzullo also reveals the Australian Border Force was requested to put the announcement on blast, but it declined.
Pezzullo said:
The apolitical character of the public service was preserved in this instance by the refusal on the part of departmental officials to amplify the public statement by sending it directly to journalists and to post it on social media.
The transparency and deterrence effect was already available from the original public statement.
Any domestic amplification was judged by officials to be primarily for political purposes. Accordingly, they declined the relevant requests.”
Further in the report, we discover:
The detailed chronology of events indicates there was pressure placed on officials to release a public statement regarding the interception of SIEV 915 prior to the conclusion of the operational activity. The pressure was exacerbated by the direction to draft and publish the statement within 15 minutes.
Labor releases report on ‘disgraceful, shameful’ politicisation of election day boat arrival
Paul Karp
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has released a report by the department’s secretary, Michael Pezzullo, into the Morrison government’s decision to direct the public service to announce the arrival of an asylum seeker boat (SIEV 915) on election day.
O’Neil said:
The former government had a duty to protect Australia. Instead, they sabotaged the protocols that protect Operation Sovereign Borders for political gain. Their actions undermined the integrity of this complex operation, making it more difficult and dangerous.
The report found uniformed border force and defence force members, and public servants, acted with integrity and at the highest standards at all times. They should be commended for doing so.
The profound compromise of a military-led operation is without precedent in Australia’s history. It was disgraceful, shameful, and characteristic of a national government which frequently pursued political interests above the national interest. That is something the Albanese government will never do.
Daniel Andrews’ Ibac testimony to remain private
Adeshola Ore
Victoria’s corruption watchdog says it will not release the full transcript of premier Daniel Andrews’ private testimony given at a parliamentary integrity hearing following a scathing report handed down this week.
The investigation – carried out by the state’s ombudsman and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) – uncovered widespread misuse of taxpayer resources for political purposes and a “catalogue” of unethical behaviour in the Victorian branch of the Labor party.
Andrews fronted a private hearing as part of the investigation but his full testimony was not made public. Ibac commissioner Robert Redlich on Wednesday said he would consider releasing it.
But in a statement on Friday, Ibac said it would not release any further private hearing transcripts from the investigation, titled Operation Watts.
“Evidence given during private examinations considered relevant to the performance of IBAC’s functions is contained in the Operation Watts Special report,” the statement said.
IBAC is not otherwise able to publish private examination transcripts of witnesses because the IBAC Act restricts the way in which information can be disclosed.
The report found Andrews was aware of widespread branch stacking – the recruiting of non-genuine members – over the previous few decades and that people had paid for the memberships of others over a long period. But he said he had no personal knowledge of or involvement in the practice.
Discussion over post-pandemic work arrangements needed, Marles says
Sticking with conversations about working from home, earlier today defence minister Richard Marles said unions wanting to enshrine flexible work arrangements was “understandable”.
Marles gave little else away at a press conference this morning, but appears to be supporting a move towards cementing flexible work as part of future agreements:
[It’s a discussion] we’re all having in the aftermath of the pandemic about the way in which we work, particularly given so many people have worked from home over the last few years.
We’re not looking at changing the system now, but I think what we need to do is – in a way – see where the new normal rests as we emerge from the pandemic.
I think questions about how we work and whether we work at home are going to be ones that end up being thrashed out. It’s an important conversation to be had.
National Covid summary: 63 deaths reported
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 63 deaths from Covid-19:
ACT
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 891
- In hospital: 152 (with 4 people in ICU)
NSW
- Deaths: 15
- Cases: 18,669
- In hospital: 2,202 (with 55 people in ICU)
Northern Territory
- Deaths: 0
- Cases: 523
- In hospital: 81 (with 3 person in ICU)
Queensland
- Deaths: 10
- Cases: 9,023
- In hospital: 1,050 (with 26 people in ICU)
South Australia
- Deaths: 7
- Cases: 4,373
- In hospital: 358 (with 12 people in ICU)
Tasmania
- Deaths: 4
- Cases: 1,416
- In hospital: 172 (with 2 people in ICU)
Victoria
- Deaths: 25
- Cases: 12,278
- In hospital: 840 (with 33 people in ICU)
Western Australia
- Deaths: 1
- Cases: 6,056
- In hospital: 452 (with 24 people in ICU)
