Australia news live: Nacc dismisses complaint over Zoe Daniel staffer; PM announces $2.4bn fund to keep Whyalla steelworks running
Nacc dismisses complaint over Zoe Daniel staffer
Sarah Basford Canales
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nacc) has finalised its investigation into allegations that a former staffer for Goldstein MP, Zoe Daniel, had inappropriately lobbied a journalist from the Australian Financial Review (AFR) against publishing an article about her key donor.
The complaint, referred to the Nacc by former Liberal MP Jason Falinski, alleged a staffer for Daniel had called the outlet to request the removal of Climate 200 convener, Simon Holmes à Court, from a covert power list it planned to publish.
Holmes à Court’s fundraising body helped Daniel along with a number of independents clinch electoral success at the last federal election, including from Falinski’s former seat in Sydney’s northern beaches. Daniel denied any involvement in October 2024, describing a characterisation that her donor held a position of male power over the independent female crossbenchers as a “sexist trope”.
The Nacc has today said it had ruled out any corrupt conduct after its investigation found the staffer had stopped being a Commonwealth-funded staffer the week prior, on 5 August 2024, and was instead a temporary part-time consultant employed by Daniel’s private not-for-profit company by the time of the approach to AFR a week later.
The Nacc also found Daniel did not ask her employee to make the request, and was unaware it had been made. The Nacc said in a statement:
It should be noted that the consultant disputes the accuracy of the AFR report of the substance of their representations, but it is unnecessary for present purposes to resolve that dispute as the outcome is the same, whichever version is correct.
Key events
Unions welcome $2.4bn support package for Whyalla
The Australian Workers’ Union, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, Electrical Trades Union and Maritime Union of Australia have released a joint statement welcoming the $2.4bn package for Whyalla steelworks.
In a statement, they said this provided “long overdue certainty to workers and a community that have dealt with disruption and doubt for far too long.”
The unions said they work closely with Whyalla management and the South Australian government to ensure that operations continue smoothly at the steelworks in the coming weeks and months.
The unions also welcomed the announcement of a national billion-dollar Green Iron Investment Fund, to “provide important support for all Australian steelmakers to manage the shift to new production methods and maximise the benefits of the transition.”
ME Bank passes on RBA rate cut ‘in full’ to customers
ME Bank has announced it would be passing on the full rate cut from the Reserve Bank to its customers. In an email, it said the 0.25% rate cut would be passed onto variable home loans “in full” from 8 March.
Specifics of defence treaty with PNG to come, Marles says
Just circling back to Richard Marles’ press conference in Brisbane earlier, alongside his PNG counterpart.
The defence minister said the “exact dimensions” of the defence treaty to be negotiated with PNG is “something that we need to work through”.
But the principle here is we want to walk down a pathway of a much greater interoperability, but towards a point of integration.
We really are working together as a team. That is the [basis] of the agreement that we will seek to negotiate and the specifics of what that then means, in terms of increased engagement in our respective countries, will be negotiated as we go forward.
Home affairs ‘super portfolio’ to return under Coalition, Paterson pledges
Sarah Basford Canales
The home affairs department will return to its former “super portfolio” status under a Coalition government, the shadow home affairs minister has promised.
James Paterson told 2GB today a 2022 change under the Albanese government to decentralise the US homeland security-style department lobbied for by Peter Dutton while minister had “seriously hampered our national security policy and operations apparatus”, describing it as an “unwise backward step”.
In 2017, under a Turnbull government, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian federal police were put under the home affairs department, placing immigration, law enforcement and national security agencies under the same minister – who was then Dutton.
The move was heavily criticised by Labor in opposition and even some in the then Coalition government, including the former attorney general George Brandis. After Labor won government in 2022, Anthony Albanese moved to return Asio and the AFP to the attorney general’s department.
After a grim national security outlook outlined by the Asio chief, Mike Burgess, last night, Paterson said a Coalition government would return the department to its former structure:
We think it’s critically important that all of our law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies at the commonwealth level work together under one roof, reporting to one minister and have very clear expectations made to them about what we expect them to focus on and to prioritise so that we can get on top of this domestic antisemitic terror crisis that we have and all the other security and community safety crises that we’ve seen on this government’s watch.
PM says Australia monitoring Chinese warships off coast of Sydney
Taking a final question on the Chinese warships off the coast of Sydney, Anthony Albanese says they are “complying with international law”.
But as we do, we are monitoring the situation and observing what is going on, as you would expect.
You can read more on this below:
Albanese says Australia continues to stand with Ukraine after Trump labels Zelenskyy ‘a dictator’
Moving to international news, Anthony Albanese is also asked about Donald Trump’s attack on the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on social media, labelling him a “dictator”.
Albanese gave a general response on Australia’s position on Ukraine:
I speak for Australia’s interests and Australia stands with Ukraine in their struggle, which is a struggle not just for their own national sovereignty, but it is a struggle to stand up for the international rule of law.
As we brought you earlier, Peter Dutton was more pointed in his response, saying Trump had “got it wrong”.
Albanese says lesson from pandemic is need to be more resilient
Anthony Albanese is also asked if there is a market for Australian steel, given tariffs and global pressures, and responds “you bet there is”.
There is market right here.
He says the steelwork is “in our national interest”.
The idea that Australia would just be vulnerable for the shocks that can occur – a pandemic, international conflict, trade issues.
We live in an uncertain world, Australia needs to be more resilient. That’s one of the lessons of the pandemic. It’s one my government has learned, and it’s one that is to the core of what our values are.
Albanese on potential for nationalisation and job security
Back at the press conference, the prime minister is asked whether the federal government would allow nationalisation of the Whyalla steelworks?
Anthony Albanese says this is an “extraordinary opportunity” for buyers, with the “best quality magnetite”, “an extraordinary port facility and a future that the world is looking at”.
Asked if he can guarantee no job losses at Whyalla, the PM says “we will see jobs created, not lost”.
And asked what happens if Labor doesn’t win the next election, Albanese hits back and says “we’re confident we’re going to do that”.
My government’s a government that has policies that support blue-collar workers, that support jobs and Australia’s national interests.
Specifics of $2.4bn funding for Whyalla outlined
A press release from the federal and South Australian governments has outlined the $2.4bn support package for Whyalla steelworks as follows:
Immediate on-the-ground support: $100m
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Creditor assistance payments ($50m)
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Infrastructure upgrades ($32.6m)
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Jobs matching and skills hub ($6m)
Stabilising the steelworks: $384m
The state and federal governments are co-investing $384m to fund the Whyalla steelworks’ operations during administration. This funding will ensure workers and contractors will have ongoing work at the steelworks and will continue to be paid.
Investing in the steelworks’ future: $1.9bn
SA premier denies government is ‘bailing out’ Gupta
Peter Malinauskas says there is “no bailout of GFG”, when asked about the cost to taxpayers. He tells reporters:
There is no bailout here of GFG, their debts aren’t going anywhere … [Mr Gupta] will have to deal with that process through administration.
What we’re going to do is support the businesses on the ground who have done nothing wrong and don’t owe anything to anyone … The good thing about these creditors is, while they haven’t been getting paid [from] Mr Gupta they have continued to pay their workers. They have continued to pay their vendors, and that’s what’s kept this town running …
We’re not supporting Mr Gupta. We’re not bailing out Mr Gupta. His debts are his debts to be accounted for. No one’s bailing him out, far from it.
South Australian premier addresses reporters at Whyalla
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, says he could not have done what he did yesterday – placing Whyalla into administration – unless he knew the support package was coming today.
Speaking to reporters, he says it is important to ensure Australia is a country “making things, not just exporting more product”.
The premier says the $2.4bn package is “absolutely critical to allow us to make the intervention to get the steelworks out of the hands of GFG”.
No amount of gratitude I express really does justice to how important this was to our state and the people that work here.
Malinauskas says the package will “see the state government pay all of the debts owed by GFG to creditors on the ground here in South Australia, up to $5m, in exchange of them handing over their rights to a dividend through the administration process”.
Albanese gives further detail on Whyalla support package
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is now addressing the media in Whyalla after meeting with steelworkers.
Addressing the workforce directly just earlier, he announced the federal and South Australian governments would invest $2.4bn to keep the steelworks running.
Speaking now, he described the steelworks as “the heart of this area in Whyalla”, with “arteries spread[ing] out right around the country” through jobs, infrastructure projects and defence.
This $2.4bn plan, consisting of $500m to deal with administration and keep the steelworks going – keep people being paid – but importantly as well, investment in the future. And we have of course a very bright future here indeed.
He said up to $500m would be allocated from the $1bn Green Iron investment fund for Whyalla, with “in excess of $500m … available for other projects as well”.
Because we know that there’s a great deal of interest in the transition that will occur that will set us up for the very long term future. But our priority which is immediate is securing the jobs right here in Whyalla.
Unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in January
Australia’s unemployment rate edged up to 4.1% in January, AAP reports, but a higher-than-expected rise in jobs shows the labour market is still running hot.
Over the month, 44,000 jobs were added to the economy, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That was above consensus predictions of a 20,000-strong jobs boost.
The 0.1 percentage point gain in unemployment came after an identical rise in December, but the jobless rate remains historically low and below the 4.2% figure recorded in July.
The participation rate rose to a new record high of 67.3%, said the bureau’s head of labour statistics, Bjorn Jarvis. Some of the increase in unemployment reflected more people than usual with jobs in January who were waiting to start or return to work.
Dutton says Trump ‘got it wrong’ in making social media attack on Zelenskyy
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has issued a rare rebuke of Donald Trump after he labelled the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a “dictator” and warned “he better move fast or he is not going to have a country left”.
Speaking on 2GB this morning, Dutton said Trump “got it wrong” in a social media attack on Zelenskyy that widens the rift between the new US administration and Ukraine.
Australia should stand strong and proud with the people of Ukraine. It’s a democracy, and this is a fight for civilisation. Vladimir Putin is a murderous dictator, and we shouldn’t be giving him an inch.
I think President Trump has got it wrong in relation to some of the public commentary that I’ve seen him make in relation to President Zelenskyy and the situation in the Ukraine. And I think very careful thought needs to be given about the next steps, because if we make Europe less safe, or we provide some sort of support to Putin, deliberately or inadvertently, that is, that is a terrible, terrible outcome.
PNG defence minister on negotiations towards new defence treaty
Billy Joseph, the PNG’s defence minister, has also been speaking to reporters, welcoming negotiations on a new defence treaty.
It is the first time in our history [that] my country that a treaty has been signed between another foreign country, and it is fitting that the country is Australia – because we got independence from Australia and at the same time we are very close to each other.
He said the move was “really important with the geopolitics and all the different contests that are going on.”
We have consciously made a decision to choose who should be our friends in the security concern. And we have many friends … but with Australia … we are tied to the hips, we are very close.
Australia to ‘enhance’ strategic agreement with PNG, says Marles
The defence minister and deputy PM, Richard Marles, is speaking to reporters alongside his Papua New Guinea counterpart Billy Joseph.
As we flagged earlier, Australia and PNG are announcing negotiations will begin on a new defence treaty between the two nations.
Marles said this would “help our two defence forces work more closely together”.
This will enable our two defence forces to walk down a pathway of increasing integration and increasing interoperability.
He said there is a Status of Forces agreements between the two countries that dates back to 1977, and the new agreement would “very much enhance the effect of that”.
Now, we live in a world which is increasingly strategically complex. It is increasingly important that we work with our closest friends, but in this case, we’re working with family – that is very much we see our relationship with Papua New Guinea.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian government to lift gag clause on practitioners for voluntary assisted dying
At the press conference, Mary-Anne Thomas confirmed government is going to lift the gag clause on practitioners.
She said removing this would “keep us in step with other states and ensure that this important end-of-life care choice can be discussed between people who have a life limiting condition and their medical practitioners.”
She said the state government would also look to expand the prognosis period from six months to 12 months “for all conditions” – particularly for those “suffering from a neurodegenerative disease like MND, we will remove the requirement for there to be a third medical opinion.”
There are other changes that we propose, including reducing the time between the first request and second request to access voluntary assisted dying from nine days to five days, because we’ve heard that this can limit people’s access to die free of pain. So this is a significant day. We will now commence targeted consultation with stakeholders.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian health minister holds press conference after VAD review released
The Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, and Pakenham MP, Emma Vulin, are holding a press conference after the release of a review into voluntary assisted dying (VAD).
The government has previously flagged making changes to the scheme to bring it into line with other states.
Thomas said the state was “at the forefront”, being the first to implement voluntary assisted dying.
Since then, other states and territories with the exception of the Northern Territory have now implemented voluntary assisted dying regime into their states. So the opportunity now presents itself for us to learn from those states who have taken the experiences that they’ve seen here in Victoria and built upon it.
