GREENS FOR THE GREEN

The Greens have called for the full legalisation of cannabis in a proposal that would introduce sales through licensed shops, a new government agency that would act as a single wholesaler, and new taxation laws akin to those for tobacco and alcohol.

The Guardian reports the Greens are now the first established political party to call for the legalisation of recreational marijuana, with the proposed policy also allowing up to six marijuana plants at home for personal use. Greens leader, and former doctor, Richard Di Natale argued that current laws have failed problem users and that the proposal would treat “drug use as a health issue, not a criminal issue”. 

LABOR WARMS TO THE NEG

Labor has indicated that it would retain the Coalition’s controversial National Energy Guarantee if it formed government but increase emissions-reduction targets for the electricity sector through legislation. 

The Age reports that Labor climate change and energy spokesman Mark Butler still considers the Coalition’s plan to cut 26-28% of Australia’s emissions, based on 2005 levels, by 2030 too low, and a future Labor government would boost this to 45%. However, Labor would reportedly achieve this increase by changing the NEG — were it accepted by states and territories at this Friday’s COAG meeting — through legislation rather than a brand new emissions intensity scheme.

Meanwhile, The NT News ($) reports that Labor Chief Minister Michael Gunner will today lift its ban on fracking within the territory, a move that the Australia Institute has argued could create “100 times more than the emissions” saved by the NT’s renewable energy target of 50% by 2030.

TAKING IT TO THE BANKS

Australian banks are set to publicly report on the extent to which they have earned back customer trust, as the industry grapples with a “trust deficit” and a presumably not-unrelated royal commission.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that former auditor-general Ian McPhee, who was appointed in 2016 by the Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA) to report on internal reform efforts, will today release his final report and a sole recommendation for the ABA to introduce “appropriate performance indicators” for banks to gauge levels of public trust. The banking royal commission yesterday heard claims that 90% of financial advisers have failed to comply with the best interests of their clients with self-managed super funds, so you could say that the only way is up.

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they’re pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person’s not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds.

James Comey

The ousted former FBI director lets fly at Donald Trump in an hour-long interview with ABC, ahead of the launch of his tell-all book A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Federal Budget 2018: Treasurer Scott Morrison to deliver record spending on infrastructure ($)

Migration a net boost to economy, study finds ($)

‘Get ready, it’s coming’: Extraordinary escape as ash rains down on Sydney homes

Army Chief Angus Campbell to become next Chief of Defence Force ($)

Woolworths meltdown closes stores across Australia

Daily Mail Australia reporter sacked for calling Bachelor in Paradise contestant a ‘vapid c**t’ ($)

Syria: chemical weapons inspectors denied access to Douma site

Russia bombards Western allies with cyber attacks in Syria defence

Grenfell report indicates victims may have survived by hiding in waste areas ($)

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Canberra

  • Outgoing NBN chief Bill Morrow will address the National Press Club.

  • Two auditor-general reports will be tabled: Defence’s Implementation of the First Principles Review (or the consolidation of one defence force) and Management of Special Appropriations.

Darwin

  • The Northern Territory government is expected to announce its decision to allow gas fracking in the Territory.

Sydney

  • UNSW Kaldor Centre will run “Refugee Deterrence and Diplomacy: How states influence each other’s asylum policies”, an examination of a seeming global shift from welcoming people seeking asylum to deterrence with human rights lawyers Dr Daniel Ghezelbash (author of the new book Refuge Lost: Asylum Law in an Interdependent World), Professor Guy S Goodwin-Gill and Leanne Smith expected to speak

  • The Noble Numismatics four-day April auction begins, with a rare gold sovereign, minted in 1920, expected to go for more than $600,000.

  • Taronga Zoo veterinarians will today return five little penguins they had nursed to health back into the ocean in Manly.

Melbourne

  • Banks royal commission hearing will examine cases of fees for no service, with AMP executives, including head of legal advice Jack Regan, and two Commonwealth Bank witnesses expected to appear.

  • The ACTU will hold their first “Change The Rules” delegates meeting at Victoria’s Trades Hall, with more rallies planned across the country in the lead-up to May Day. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus will address media before and after the meeting, which will be followed with sacked workers, the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union marching to ExxonMobile headquarters to protest 230 job maintenance job cuts.

  • Immunisation Coalition chief executive Kim Sampson will speak at an annual free flu shots event at University of Melbourne.

  • Governor of Victoria Linda Dessau will host the Investitures for Victorian recipients of the 2018 Australia Day Honours.

  • Future Melbourne Committee city council meeting.

Manly

  • Manly town hall meeting.

Newcastle

  • Community opposition to seismic blasting that began off Newcastle on Sunday will include sculptor Dennis Massoud construct sand dolphins on Nobbys Beach as protest.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Did the missile attack on Syria really happen?Bernard Keane

“Did the US, the UK and France actually fire 100 missiles at three chemical weapons sites in Syria on Friday night? They say they did. Russia says they did, and angrily denounced the strikes. Other countries say they did. Like Australia — both Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten supported the attacks.”

Why does every FM radio show sound like it’s hosted by the same five people?Emily Watkins

“Can you tell your ‘Hughesy’ from your ‘Wippa’? Your ‘Smallzy’ from your ‘Soda’? In cities and towns across the country, the world of FM radio is the most cut-throat of the media. They live and die by their ratings, with shows axed, and hosts unceremoniously dumped from month to month. The hosts rise up through the ranks — coming from regional or community radio, like triple j’s Ben and Liam, or former Fox FM hosts Hamish and Andy. KIIS in Melbourne even went as far afield as New Zealand to find its new breakfast hosts, Jase and PJ.”

Poll Bludger: the winners and losers from upcoming electoral boundary changesWilliam Bowe

“As the first rumblings of election date speculation take hold, the party machines are now finally in a position to plot tactics with a clear sense of what the battlefield will look like. This follows the Australian Electoral Commission’s publication of new draft boundaries for two states and one territory, each of which will have a substantial bearing on the shape of the election.”

THE COMMENTARIAT

Commonwealth Games closing ceremony: Peter Beattie has insulted nation’s athletes — Wally Mason (The Australian $): “It is particularly an insult that wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley, perhaps the most admired individual in Australia at the moment, marked the end of his fantastic career by carrying the Australian flag and virtually no one saw it. No one watching on TV and very few in the half-empty stands.”

The Real Next War in Syria: Iran vs. Israel — Thomas L. Friedman (The New York Times): “Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Syria is going to explode. I know, you have heard that one before, but this time I mean really explode. Because the U.S., British and French attack on Syria to punish its regime for its vile use of chemical weapons — and Russia’s vow to respond — is actually just the second-most dangerous confrontation unfolding in that country.”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE