Weekly Wrap Up

Highlights  

• Latest Newspoll data shows Labor is still in front on the two-party preferred basis, 53-47.
• The Technology Council of Australia launched this week, founded by 24 leading companies including Atlassian, Afterpay, Google and Microsoft.
• The University Chancellors Council (UCC) have agreed to a new salary code to provide transparency on salaries, incentives and bonuses offered to university leaders.
• ABC journalist Louise Milligan has agreed to pay Liberal MP Andrew Laming $79,000 following a defamation case, additional costs are yet to be confirmed.

Parliament over for another week

Federal Parliament continued to sit this week which saw the Government pass its childcare legislation through both houses following amendments from the Senate. While in the Senate an inquiry into the Australian manufacturing industry was referred to the Economics References Committee for reporting. Four new bills aimed at electoral reform were introduced to the lower house. The bills aim to crack down on violence at polls, lower disclosure thresholds for political campaigners, and raise party registrations’ membership requirements.

The sitting week wasn’t without its theatrics as protesters stormed Parliament House following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releasing its sixth assessment report on challenges facing the climate globally. Extinction Rebellion protestors graffitied walls at both the Lodge and Parliament House issuing a warning on climate change. Eight people have since been arrested and are facing charges. Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the actions as ‘un-Australian’.

Following the release of the IPCC report, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the Nationals want to know the cost of a 2050 net-zero carbon emissions commitment before backing it. Mr Joyce’s comments contradict Scott Morrison’s stance as the Prime Minister told his Cabinet earlier this week the Government would develop a 2030 policy to take to the next election. Fellow National, Senator Matt Canavan, added fuel to the fire appearing on Q+A where he took aim at the IPCC scientists for scaremongering with ‘unlikely scenarios’.

COVID updates

NSW continues to see an increase in cases reporting 345 locally acquired cases yesterday with at least 57 cases infectious in the community. Local Government Areas (LGAs) Burwood, Strathfield and Bayside have received additional restrictions, in line with previously identified LGAs of concern, from 5 pm last night. Residents in these LGAs can only obtain essential groceries and exercise within 5km of their homes and are unable to travel for work unless they’re an authorised worker. Additionally, restrictions are now in place for the LGAs of Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren in remote NSW.

ACT has entered a snap 7-day lockdown following its first positive COVID-19 case in more than a year. A further three positive cases were subsequently confirmed bringing the total cases to four. This is the first lockdown for the territory since March last year. At this stage, the lockdown is set to lift at 5 pm on 19 August. In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews extended the Melbourne lockdown for a further week to 19 August.

Looking ahead

Parliament is due to resume sitting on 23 August however following recent COVID-19 developments in Canberra it is unclear if this sitting week will proceed.

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