Tony Burke says CFMEU’s response to allegations so far ‘falls short’
Amy Remeikis
As Benita reported earlier, the Victorian premier Jacinta Allan is demanding action over the allegations raised by Nine reporting on the CFMEU. That has included from the federal government, with Allan wanting her federal counterparts to tighten up laws to allow action in response to these sorts of allegations.
Yesterday, industrial relations minister Tony Burke said nothing would be off the table, and the government was considering all its options.
In a statement today, Burke said the government was taking the allegations seriously:
My reaction to the announcements today from the construction division of the CFMEU are the same as my reaction to the departure of John Setka: I welcome it, it’s a start, but only a start.
As I said yesterday I will be weighing up the Department’s advice, the evidence that’s emerging and the response of the union. The response so far is progress, but falls short.
The ALP federal executive has not commented publicly on the allegations, or what actions it will take in response. Allan has also called on the federal executive branch to take action. It is expected the executive will meet on Wednesday to discuss the matter.
Key events
What we learned – Monday 15 July
That’s it for tonight. Thanks for reading. Here are today’s main stories:
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The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, seeks the suspension of the CFMEU’s construction division from Victorian Labor, as federal industrial relations minister Tony Burke says nothing is off the table regarding the allegations against the union.
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The head of the ACTU also said there was no place whatsoever for criminal behaviour in unions, and the CFMEU said the Victorian branch will be placed into administration.
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers warns about what he calls the “normalisation of extremism” in politics in the wake of the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump.
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Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla are to visit Australia and Samoa in October, Buckingham Palace says.
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Traffic chaos and congestion that erupted in Sydney’s inner west after the opening of the $3.9bn Rozelle interchange was “unreasonable and unacceptable” given the amount of planning that went into it, an inquiry has found.
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Bank customers will be refunded more than $28m after a crackdown by the financial regulator on banks “systemically” charging high fees to customers on low incomes.
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Antarctic blast brings damaging winds and alpine blizzards to Victoria and NSW and possible snow in Queensland.
We will see you back here again tomorrow.
Inquiry condemns traffic chaos created by Sydney’s $3.9bn Rozelle interchange
The traffic chaos and congestion that erupted in Sydney’s inner west after the opening of a $3.9bn “spaghetti junction” was “unreasonable and unacceptable” given the amount of planning that went into it, an inquiry has found.
In its final report, after a months-long inquiry into the Rozelle interchange, a parliamentary committee also found a “concerning lack of clarity and transparency” between the government and Transurban.
The interchange was designed and built by the New South Wales government. It forms the final stage of the sprawling $16.8bn WestConnex toll road network, which is privately operated by Transurban, the major toll road owner.
Read more on that story here:
ASX hits record high, closing above 8,000 for first time
The local share market has pushed further into record territory, with the ASX200 closing above 8,000 for the first time ever, AAP reports.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Monday rose 58.3 points, or 0.73%, to 8,017.6, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 56.3 points, or 0.69%, to 8,262.4.
The ASX200 first traded above 7,000 back in January 2020, but two months later it plummeted below 5,000 as the Covid-19 pandemic emerged.
Travis Bazzana becomes first Australian to be top draft pick in Major League Baseball
Not sure if we’ve ever featured baseball news in the blog before, but it probably IS newsworthy that an Australian has been taken as the No 1 pick in the Major League Baseball draft (and, y’know, Cleveland GUARDIANS).
As AAP reports, Travis Bazzana, the big-hitting left-hander from Sydney, is the first Australian to be taken in the first round of the draft, let alone the top choice.
Baseball’s top pick this year had a slot value of $US10,570,600 ($A16m) under the bonus pools system that began in 2012.
That means the 21-year-old Bazzana will have a sign-on bonus of about $A15m when he officially joins the Cleveland Guardians.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced on Monday morning (AEST) that the Cleveland Guardians had chosen the second base, currently playing for Oregon State University.
Banks to refund $28m in fees to low-income customers after ASIC review
Bank customers will be refunded more than $28m after a crackdown by the financial regulator on banks “systemically” charging high fees to customers on low incomes.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission said in a statement that it found the ANZ, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, CBA and Westpac kept at least 2 million Australians on low incomes, including First Nations customers and many relying on Centrelink payments, in high-fee accounts.
ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said the banks caused financial distress through avoidable fees and complicated bank processes, often creating barriers for regional and remote consumers.
Banks knew that many of these customers on low-incomes were in inappropriate high-fee accounts, and it has taken ASIC’s intervention to force them to act.
Before our review, most banks only provided their customers with difficult ‘opt-in’ processes for switching to low-fee banking options, including forcing some consumers to travel hundreds of kilometres to their nearest bank branch.
ASIC said the review was focused on improving financial outcomes for First Nations consumers by addressing avoidable fees, but its findings resulted in broader outcomes for people on low incomes nationwide.
Seven News is reporting that Victorian police divers have made an interesting find in the Maribyrnong River, but that it is too early to say whether it is related to the death of a woman whose body was found nearby yesterday:
Coroner investigates alleged neglect of three-year-old NSW girl
A coroner is investigating the death of a three-year-old girl found lying unresponsive in a cockroach-infested unit with rotting food in the kitchen and clumps of the girl’s hair all over the floor, AAP reports.
Deputy state coroner Joan Baptie will be asked to examine if the Department of Communities and Justice failed in its dealings with the family over the alleged neglect of the young girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, before her death on 30 May 2018 in northern New South Wales.
Counsel assisting Chris McGory told the inquest on Monday in Newcastle that an autopsy revealed the girl’s cause of death was bilateral bronchopneumonia.
But McGory said the girl had also been suffering from renal failure and an extreme infestation of head lice.
The girl’s mother had left clumps of the girl’s hair on the floor throughout the two-bedroom unit when attempting to get rid of the head lice.
McGory said the girl and her younger brother had been living alone in the unit with their mother who had little community support to help raise the children and was quite isolated.
The children’s father would visit them regularly but was struggling with mental health issues.
The girl had been enrolled for pre-school but was not attending before her death.
McGory said the coroner would also examine the department’s decision to close the file on the family and refer the case to the Benevolent Society.
The inquest continues.
Emily Wind
Many thanks for joining me on the blog today, Nino Bucci will be here to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage. Take care.
Tasmanian SES crews busy as state hit by heavy rain and strong winds
Tasmanian SES crews have responded to 18 requests for assistance in southern parts of the state since last night amid severe weather and rain.
The acting SES assistant director of operations and resources, Cheryl Ames, said:
Rainfall is expected to continue across the state today and overnight into Tuesday with some elevated locations in the south east expected to see isolated totals of 80-100mm.
With damaging winds and rainfall continuing it’s important that people keep up to date with the weather forecast and warnings and remain safe.
With school holidays underway, we know that many Tasmanian families may be travelling or planning outdoor activities. We encourage everyone to make safe and sensible decisions and keep informed about the weather conditions when planning for the next few days.
The Bureau of Meteorology has published a severe weather update, outlining the damaging wind, flooding and snow forecast for parts of southeast Australia.
