Coronavirus Australia live update: no further Covid restrictions in Victoria but next 24 hours ‘critical’ as Melbourne cluster grows to 15 cases
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11.22pm EDT 23:22
The latest blackout was because of a yet unidentified fire at a coal-fired power station – and a newish one too.
The other coal assets Hanson talks about here have been closed by private operators because they were at the end of their life and were too costly to keep up.
This is why we can never have a serious conversation about anything in this country. It takes a lot of work to disprove feelings dressed up as factual assertions, and just a moment to say, yeah, nah, I believe my thing.
Updated at 11.23pm EDT
11.18pm EDT 23:18
Barkly Square shopping centre in Brunswick has issued a statement to say it has been identified as a Tier 2 exposure site. People who visited Tier 2 locations during the at-risk time need to get tested urgently and isolate until a negative result is received.
We have been advised the affected individual was present at the centre on Saturday, 22 May between 1:15pm and 2:30pm,” centre management said.
The individual is understood to have attended the following retailers: Priceline Pharmacy, OPSM, Kmart and Woolworths. As a result, the impacted retailers have notified all staff members who have been in close contact with the individual to isolate for 14 days, and a comprehensive deep clean of their tenancies will now be undertaken.”
Updated at 11.21pm EDT
11.17pm EDT 23:17
We are on the downhill slide into QT on this hump day.
Hold your loved ones close.
Updated at 11.21pm EDT
10.45pm EDT 22:45
This was all of us when we were looking for the funding in the budget.
But it’s how the official moves the coffee cup which really does me in.
10.40pm EDT 22:40
I haven’t seen this on the exposure sites as yet – our Melbourne team are following it up.
Updated at 10.42pm EDT
10.37pm EDT 22:37
Over in finance estimates, finance minister Simon Birmingham is being grilled over a headline appearance at a post-budget Liberal fundraiser by Peter Costello, who is also chair of the Future Fund’s board of guardians.
Labor senator Tim Ayres asks:
Is it appropriate that a chair of an Australian government board is headlining Liberal party fundraisers?
Birmingham responds:
Senator, in his own time, outside of his duties in relation to his role as a member of the board of guardians, yes. It’s fine.
Ayres asks:
Where does governing finish and self-interest begin?
Birmingham says Costello’s political affiliations and his role in creating the Future Fund are well-known to all Australians.
He serves in his role as chair of the Future Fund with skill and distinction, but as I said before, these are not [Australian Public Service] appointments that are made.
Earlier the head of the Future Fund, Raphael Arndt, was questioned by Greens senator Larissa Waters about its investments in Adani Ports and Alibaba, the online retailer. The fund has a $3.2m investment in Adani Ports.
The ABC reported in March that the Adani Group had been cooperating with the Myanmar military junta over a proposed container port in Yangon, an allegation it denied.
The US has placed strict sanctions on dealings with the Myanmar regime. The fund also has investments, through an index fund, in Alibaba, which was last year revealed to be allowing the sale of child sex dolls. Arndt says:
“They [Alibaba] are a significant part of the index that we invest in.”
Waters: “Why, why would you not change your investment decision after they got embroiled in a child sex doll scandal that was widely reported?”
Arndt: “I’m not familiar with that.”
Updated at 10.40pm EDT
10.28pm EDT 22:28
The same answer to a question on notice notes that on 30 April 2021, the minister for finance Simon Birmingham “approved assistance for senator the Hon Linda Reynolds in relation to an Australian federal police investigation”.
This relates to Brittany Higgins’ allegation she was raped by a fellow Liberal staffer in Reynolds office in March 2019.
Yesterday the AFP revealed a brief of evidence is “likely”to go to prosecutors within weeks from that criminal investigation.
No invoices have been received in relation to the legal advice so we don’t know how much it may cost taxpayers. No other ministers have sought legal assistance in relation to that matter.
Updated at 10.34pm EDT
10.13pm EDT 22:13
Sarah Hanson-Young is cross-examining the attorney general’s department about a question on notice revealing the attorney general has approved assistance for Liberal Jonathon Duniam “in relation to defamation claims” made against him on 29 April and 12 May.
Duniam is assistant minister for forestry and fisheries, so is eligible to have legal costs picked up for him for work in the course of his ministerial duties.
Last week we reported on the blog that Duniam unreservedly apologised to Hanson-Young over false and defamatory comments claiming her niece was put in harm’s way at an anti-logging rally.
Officials confirm that the legal bills relate to Sarah Hanson-Young’s defamation claim, and another from Bob Brown “in relation to the same event”.
Officials say that no bills have been received yet, so they can’t say what the cost will be to the taxpayer.
But taxpayers will be picking up costs for Duniam, the other side (Hanson-Young and Brown) and damages.
There is no cap on how much taxpayers can be charged, although conditions can be placed on the approval.
Hanson-Young is not pleased:
So you can mouth off and the taxpayer picks up the bill if you’re a minister of this government?”
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Photograph: Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Updated at 10.20pm EDT