Turnbull’s ‘peace deal’ for Catholic schools

LEAK O’CLOCK

A plan from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, for a $4.4 billion top-up to Catholic and independent schools over the next decade, has emerged as the second leak in as many days.

According to The Herald Sun ($), Turnbull allies say that a “peace deal” with Catholic schools was to be contingent on needs-based funding and was just days away from being agreed on when the prime minister was ousted. News of Turnbull’s proposal, which underscores current plans from Scott Morrison, comes a day after reports of $7.6 billion in pre-election, marginal seat infrastructure sweeteners were similarly leaked to the Herald Sun.

SA BUDGET BLOWOUT

The South Australian government will today announce a blowout of almost $400 million in its first state budget, in news that will deepen a “legacy war” with the Labor opposition.

The Advertiser ($) reports that Treasurer Rob Lucas will today announce a $397 million deficit in the 2017-18 financial year, while also contradicting claims from the former Labor government in December that the state had been budgeted for a $12 million surplus. Lucas will predict surplus in all four of the Liberal government’s forward estimates which, according to The Australian ($), will come at the expense of 4000 public servant jobs.

CRYPTO ISLAND

An upcoming cryptocurrency consortium plans to resurrect Queensland’s once-luxury Great Keppel Island as the world’s largest island cryptocurrency micro-economy. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that investors will be invited in coming days to buy “Great Keppel Island Tokens” through a Security Token Offering aimed at funding the $300 million high-tech wonderland.

GKI Tokens will reportedly be backed by the value of the development, which organisers claim will be worth billions post-construction. The narrator of a sales video starring their golf course designer, Greg Norman, says the site “is fully supported from all levels of Australian government, federal, state and local”.

[free_worm]

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

Tess, I would have hoped you’d have rung a few people. Let’s remember one thing: these people are meant to be representing us. I’m sure you have a view as to who should be running the country, as to who should be leading the Liberal Party? This is not something that you should be indifferent to, this is your future, this is your country. 

Alan Jones

The broadcaster tries to gaslight convince Q&A‘s audience claiming that directly telling two Liberal MPs to depose a prime minister is extremely normal and, in fact, the patriotic thing to do.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Exclusive: concern raised for baby in Melbourne immigration detentionRebekah Holt

“There is a baby in detention in Melbourne. She has spent the entire five months of her life under guard in immigration detention with her mother Huyen. I see her when I visit there on weekends. I also see the baby’s father and Huyen’s husband Paul visiting them, as that’s the only way he can see his wife and daughter.”

Palaszczuk quashes liberties in the name of libertyGuy Rundle

“The move by the Palaszczuk government to cut the number of parliamentary advisers allotted to the Katter Australia Party is a great demonstration of how an authoritarian cast of mind can present itself as a champion of liberal values.”

How News Corp’s conservative ecosystem will devour regional AustraliaChris Warren

“If you’re one of the 5 million-odd people living outside the five mainland state capitals, you can now find Sky on one of the WIN network’s multi-channels. For the first time, Australia has a Fox-style free-to-air broadcaster aimed at a key component of the conservative demographic that usually elects a majority of Liberal and National MPs.”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Matthew Guy paid out millions to keep his job: documents

Kelly O’Dwyer says MPs were bullied during spill, as senator vows to name names

Energy companies warn against ‘sledgehammer’ royal commission as Coalition warms to the idea

ATO sets a percentage for proportion of LGBTI staff ($)

WA authorities want to bring Health Dept corruption scandal ‘Fixer’ home

Parrot on verge of annihilation poses first hurdle for new Environment Minister

Another Mad Monday disaster for the NRL with Bulldogs players caught stripping off ($)

BP going green but in no rush for electric vehicles at the servo

Paul Keating says all super funds should be non-profit ($)

Qantas accused of holding airports to ransom over increased fees ($)

Women caned in Malaysia for attempting to have lesbian sex

THE COMMENTARIAT

Energy inquiry highlights the Coalition’s policy vacuum — David Crowe (Sydney Morning Herald): “Scott Morrison has learnt the hard way that he should never rule out a royal commission. The new Prime Minister revealed his approach to politics on Monday by leaving the door open to a formal inquiry into the energy sector. This is a careful move to keep every option open.”

John Setka’s dumb decision a free-kick for the Coalition ($) — Ewin Hannan (The Australian): “John Setka’s spectacularly dumb decision to use his children to fuel his war against the ABCC has handed Scott Morrison the ammunition to reactivate the ­Coalition’s assault on the CFMEU. Not that the new Prime Minister needed any encouragement.”

Why our nursing homes are such a long way from world class — Lynda Saltarelli (Sydney Morning Herald): “Federal MP Rebekha Sharkie has recently introduced a bill requiring every aged-care home to disclose and publish quarterly staff/resident ratios, providing some much-needed transparency to aged care. The aged-care sector has opposed this on the basis that staffing and care are ‘too complex’. This is an argument for collecting and studying data, not for hiding it.”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Adelaide

• South Australian Treasurer Rob Lucas will deliver the state budget.

• The Murray Darling Basin royal commission will continue public hearings and hear from Professor Justin Brookes and Dr Chris Perry.

• Former prime minister Julia Gillard will present a lecture at the University of Adelaide on efforts to achieve gender equality.

• Day one of the three-day Land Force Australia military conference, with Defence Minister Christopher Pyne expected to address.

Sydney

• Day four of NSW budget estimates will hear from Minister for Early Childhood Education and Aboriginal Affairs, and Assistant Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell; Minister for Counter Terrorism, Corrections, and Veterans Affairs David Elliott; Deputy Premier and Minister for ​Regional NSW, Skills, and Small Business John Barilaro; and Attorney General Mark Speakman.

• The design of the 2018 Invictus Games Sydney medal will be launched by Ian Thorpe, Nicole Bradley, Patrick Kidd and the Royal Australian Mint CEO.

• Lord Mayor Clover Moore will sell copies of The Big Issue magazine within the CBD.

• Sydney Airport will begin “Bid For Good”, a charity auction of lost property set to run until Wednesday September 12.

Melbourne

• Greens spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs Lidia Thorpe, elder Eunice Wright and other members of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) Stolen Generation Support Group will protest outside Parliament House over 21 years of inaction since the Bringing Them Home report.

• The findings of a parliamentary review into Victoria Police’s complaints system will be tabled.

• United Voice and Maurice Blackburn will appear at a federal senate inquiry into the exploitation of cleaners in the retail industry.

• Coca-Cola Amatil Group Managing Director Alison Watkins will discuss consumer wellbeing, sugar reduction and sugar taxes at the senate inquiry into Australia’s obesity epidemic.

Perth

• Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe will speak at the Reserve Bank Board Dinner following a board meeting where the RBA is expected to keep the cash rate at 1.5% for the 25th consecutive month.

• Mines Minister Bill Johnston will unveil the most valuable Australian collectable coin ever produced by the Perth Mint: a $2.48 million 2kg pure gold collector’s item featuring significant and rare coloured diamonds.

Launceston, Tasmania

• Nationals Senator Steve Martin will make a forestry announcement.

Brisbane

• Dementia Australia will hold a “Small Actions, Big Difference” roadshow for Dementia Awareness Month 2018, featuring a lecture on dementia research from Professor Jürgen Götz and a presentation from The Veronicas, Jessica and Lisa Origliasso.

• Channel 7’s Katrina Blowers will host NAPCAN’s National Child Protection Week panel event featuring National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell, Indigenous lawyer and advocate Norman Laing and others.

• The Australian Council of Learned Academies will launch Synthetic Biology in Australia: An Outlook to 2030.

Canberra

• Author and daughter of South African freedom fighters Sisonke Msimang will speak in conversation with MP Andrew Leigh on Sisonke’s new book, Always Another Country: A Memoir of Exile and Home at an ANU/Canberra Times event. 

• Day one of ANU School of Art and Design’s three-day interdisciplinary conference, “Heritage in the Limelight: the magic lantern in Australia and the world”.

Hobart

• Premier and new Parks Minister Will Hodgman will open Tourism Industry Council Tasmania’s dual 2018 Parks 21 Forum and Tourism and the Environment Luncheon.

• Volunteering Tasmania will host their 2018 Volunteering Symposium.

Darwin

• NAPCAN will host a panel event for National Child Protection Week featuring director of ACU’s Institute of Child Protection Studies Daryl Higgins, children’s advocate Charlie King, and others.

• The Department of Trade, Business and Innovation will host presentations on the development of Australian Satellite-Based Augmentation System and upgrades to Australia’s ground Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network.

Australia

• The Australian Bureau of Statistics will release balance of payments figures for the June quarter.