LOWE AND BEHOLD
Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has left Coalition ministers frustrated by a “lack of policy detail” in his call for the government to stimulate the flat-lining economy, The Australian ($) reports, following a private meeting ahead of yesterday’s National Press Club address.
TALKING POINT: There’s one RBA proposal they could take up: raise Newstart. Not only does Deloitte say it would stimulate the economy at a rate of 3.3:4, but it could, you know, save lives.
DUTTON LOOKS TO EXPAND QUARANTINE CAMPS
As Australia records our 14th case of coronavirus, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has flagged expanding quarantine zones from offshore prison camps to mines and hotels, The Guardian reports.
Meanwhile, a Melbourne couple has accused DFAT of refusing to evacuate their toddler from Wuhan, the ABC reports. An Australian citizen, the child had been briefly staying with grandparents and would face complications travelling unaccompanied.
EV SALES TRIPLE
The Electric Vehicle Council has announced that EV sales more than tripled from 2216 in 2018 to 6718 in 2019, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
While that’s maybe not as impressive as it sounds — our 0.6% sale plug-in rate pales in comparison to countries such as Norway, Iceland and China — it has spurred EV advocates to call for a ban on new, petrol cars within 15 years.
[free_worm]
‘I WILL NOT BE BULLIED INTO SAVING THE WORLD’
Scott Morrison has declared he won’t be “bullied” into climate action that involves raising taxes or energy bills — an interesting turn of phrase for a man whose party, as The Guardian reports, is currently being bullied by their Coalition partner into doing exactly ‘nothing’ on climate change.
SLOW TO THE TRIGGER
Former UK prime minister David Cameron‘s bodyguard forgetfully left both a loaded pistol and the Brexit-creator’s passport in a plane toilet, where it was found by another passenger, the ABC reports.
HOT TAKE: What an apt metaphor for the way Cameron left the country.
THEY REALLY SAID THAT?
It’s not me who gives you the money, it’s ScoMo — so vote Liberal come May… Because if you don’t, I won’t have a job.
Unnamed Coalition staff member
Announcing an $8,400 grant for the Cronulla Sailing Club, a Coalition staffer says the quiet, disgustingly wrong part loud.
CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY
Australian tourism can bounce back from the bushfire disaster
“Tourism has been an enormous growth area for Australia in an era where a lot of our other industries have been standing still. Visitor numbers have doubled in the last decade alone as China’s growth rubs off on us. We will soon be regularly seeing 1 million visitors per month.”
ACT takes the lead on another frustrated federal issue
“Whether it’s decriminalising cannabis, legalising marriage equality, or removing abortion from criminal law, the ACT is often seen as taking the lead on national issues frustrated by federal filibustering.
“Now, the territory appears to have responded to the federal government’s long-debated and widely-criticised Health Star Rating system for packaged food, launched in 2014.”
Racing cars in a catastrophe: it’s time to ditch the Grand Prix
“The Grand Prix operates on the basis of a subsidy of $60 million a year from the Victorian government. Much of this is justified by arguments about direct benefits to tourism, but even the most extravagant claims of economic benefit amount to no more than $40 million.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Coronavirus: more than 4,000 students sign petition to delay start of university
McCormack backs rules to make leadership spills more difficult
RBA governor warns of ‘profound’ impact from climate change, urges investment
Cladding crisis leaves $5m apartment block in limbo for almost a year
Centrelink robodebt scandal: Labor cries foul over refusal to release legal advice
Australians aren’t just watching less TV – they’re not even buying them
Environment Minister Matt Kean poaches Deputy Premier’s ex-chief of staff
Fox Sports axes Super Rugby broadcast deal as RA negotiations fail ($)
WHO concerned Indonesia appears to be coronavirus free
Taunts, groans and walkouts: Trump stokes division with cascade of lies
Melbourne gets its first cannabis dispensary – and it may be the first of many
THE COMMENTARIAT
Why Andrew Constance could rise from the ashes to be the next NSW premier — Alexandra Smith (The Sydney Morning Herald): “Meanwhile, Bega MP Andrew Constance, the NSW Transport Minister, emerged as one of the most authentic and popular MPs around. Amid the devastation, he has shown he is premiership material. If he wants it.”
Permanent commission to help veterans and save lives of others ($) — James Brown (The Daily Telegraph): “The new National Commissioner for Defence and Veterans Suicide Prevention will be independent of both the Department of Defence and Department of Veterans’ Affairs. That independence is critical: the Commissioner needs a mandate to turn over rocks, look for answers, and be willing to call out the issues where they lie.”
Diary of a coronavirus evacuee: ‘Everyone’s trying to avoid contact with each other’ — Daniel Ou Yang (The Guardian): “As it reached 10pm, I saw a lot of Chinese rushing to the front, and I was encouraged to join them, so I did. They were all going on the same Auckland flight as me, so we were allowed to cut the queue to be processed first.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Canberra
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Australia’s former chief plant protection officer Gabrielle Vivian-Smith will help launch Australia’s contribution to International Year of Plant Health 2020.
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Food Standards Australia New Zealand will give evidence at a parliamentary inquiry into allergies.
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UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will be in Australia today and tomorrow to speak with government officials.
Sydney
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Environment, health and community groups will protest the Berejiklian government’s proposed Environmental Planning and Assessment (Territorial Limits) Bill 2019, ahead of a lower house inquiry into the attempt to stop planning authorities from considering the impact of downstream greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas mining projects.
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The Australian Design Centre will launch “CONCRETE: art design architecture”.
Melbourne
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The Royal Society of Victoria will hold their latest QueersInScience event, “The Penelope Whetton Memorial Lecture”, with geoscience educator Dr James Driscoll and climate model developer Dr Chloe Mackallah to present “Climate Change in Australia & Demystifying the IPCC”.
Perth
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The John Curtin Gallery will launch two exhibitions of work by Western Australian artists Ian Strange and Sandra Hill, ahead of the 2020 Perth Festival’s official launch tomorrow.
Waitangi, New Zealand
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will lead commemorations for Waitangi Day, New Zealand’s national day.
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