Qantas to pay $120m compensation to illegally sacked workers
Elias Visontay
Qantas will pay $120m in compensation to more than 1,800 baggage handlers it was found to have illegally sacked in 2020, as the full cost of its controversial outsourcing decision continues to grow.
On Tuesday, Qantas and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) announced they had finally reached an agreement as to the payout, following a years-long legal battle that included the airline appealing the initial decision to the full bench of the federal court and later the high court – both of which were unsuccessful.
After losing its final appeal, the two parties spent more than a year in mediation and remedy hearings to determine how much Qantas would have to pay the outsourced workers for economic losses linked to lost wages.
Key events
Doherty has said police believe there were at least two people involved who travelled to Queensland before leaving the country.
He said there was a “strong likelihood” that the body found today was that of Chen, and if that was the case, his phone had been used after his death by someone responsible for it.
He said:
We retrieved Rex’s phone in Queensland.
We’re looking at now not only making those inquiries in Queensland, but we now have made a number of liaisons with Taiwan authorities and Chinese authorities.
That phone has been forensically examined as well, and from the inquiries … so far, we believe there’s at least two people involved and both have travelled overseas.
NSW police say couple may have been killed in ‘targeted double murder’
The New South Wales police homicide squad commander, Det Supt Danny Doherty, says the death of Zhuojun “Sally” Li and the suspected death of her husband were “more than likely a targeted double murder”.
Doherty has spoken to reporters in Sydney after a second body was found during the investigation into the suspected murder of 33-year-old Li, whose body was found in a park near Sydney airport last week.
Detectives investigating Zhuojun’s death and the disappearance of her husband, Jai-Bao “Rex” Chen, also 33, found the second body earlier this afternoon.
Doherty said the second body was found in a creek at Sir Joseph Banks Park, near where Li’s body was found wrapped in plastic on 9 December.
He said the second body was found underneath thick foliage and was yet to be removed from the creek or identified, but it was likely to be Chen’s body.
Doherty said:
At this stage we are treating it as more than likely a targeted double murder.
As we said previously a very strong investigative theory is that a third party is involved.
Treasurer says Dfat will advise Australians in Vanuatu after 7.3-magnitude quake
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has said he is thinking of the “wonderful people of Vanuatu” who are now facing the “very serious threat” of a tsunami.
A tsunami warning was issued for the Pacific island nation after a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck its capital, Port Vila, earlier today.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Chalmers said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) would assist any Australians who were in Vanuatu.
Chalmers said:
We are thinking of the wonderful people of Vanuatu who are worried now, battening down the hatches, dealing with the consequences of an earthquake and this tsunami warning.
This news is relatively new but we know the wonderful people of Dfat will provide the relevant advice when they can about Australians who may be caught there and the relevant travel advice for Australians who might be considering going there.
You can read more of our coverage here:
Detectives find second body at Botany after woman’s death
New South Wales police say they have found a second body in Sydney’s south as part of the investigation into the suspected murder of 33-year-old Zhuojun “Sally” Li.
Li’s body was found wrapped in plastic in bushland at Sir Joseph Banks Park in Botany near Sydney airport on 9 December.
Homicide detectives set up Strike Force Zygon to investigate Li’s death.
She had been reported missing when her mother was unable to get in contact with her, police said.
On 14 December, police made a public appeal to locate Li’s husband, Jai-Bao “Rex” Chen, also 33, saying they held “grave concerns” for his welfare.
Police said detectives found a second body about 2pm today at the same location they found Li’s body.
The body is yet to be formally identified.
Police have said their investigation continues and they are still appealing for people to contact them if they have any information about a silver Toyota Avensis they say stopped on the northern side of Foreshore Road in Botany between 4am and 5am on 30 November.
Police will address the media later this afternoon. We’ll bring you more information when we can.
You can read our previous coverage here:
Super and rental deductions top annual ‘tax expenditure’ list
Peter Hannam
Just as this time of year brings us the joys of the release of the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (tomorrow morning), it’s also around now that the government liberates its “tax expenditure statement”.
Basically, the latter tallies up what various concessions – such as superannuation contributions – cost the budget.
Once again, super concessions take the biggest chunk, with a combined $51.35bn, Treasury said.
We did have a query about the projected growth of super contributions since the statement contained this line: “Following the 2023-24 Budget measure Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions, the concessional headline tax rate on earnings corresponding to an individual’s superannuation balance over the $3m threshold will be 30% from 1 July 2025.”
That budget measure ended up NOT passing parliament, so presumably the projected size of those concessions will now be reduced over the forward estimates. We’ve asked the treasurer Jim Chalmers’ office to clarify.
As in previous years (and for future ones), the benefits of tax concessions skew towards higher earners. For super, people earning above the median income collected 83% of the benefit, with those in the 10% of earners accounting for 43% of the concession.
Ditto for those 2.4m people claiming $47.9bn in rental deductions in 2021-22. The reduction amounted to $16.9bn in total tax reductions.
The summary said:
Of the total number of people with rental deductions, around 42% (1m) had a rental loss, known as negative gearing, which added up to total rental losses of $6.3bn.
In 2021–22, 81% of the total tax reduction from rental deductions went to people with above median income, with 39% of the reduction going to people in the top taxable income decile.
Eight suicides after voluntary assisted dying denied, Victorian coroner finds
From AAP:
Eight people with declining health who were denied access to voluntary assisted dying (VAD) have taken their own lives since the laws came into effect in Victoria, a coroner has found.
Coroner Simon McGregor said there had been eight deaths by suicide since the laws came into effect in 2017, where the investigating coroner found their decline in health was irreversible but their efforts to access to VAD were rebuffed “because they did not meet the strict criterion”.
A ninth death after an attempt to access VAD could not be confirmed as suicide but it was a possibility.
He asked the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board to consider developing a body of evidence “about where there may be opportunities to improve the operation of voluntary assisted dying in the state”.
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If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
SA delivers bigger budget surplus than expected
Stronger revenues from the property market and a buoyant economy have helped the South Australian government deliver a better-than-expected budget surplus, AAP has reported.
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the 2023-24 surplus of $413m was $107m higher than projected in the budget in June, setting the scene for further surpluses in the next four years.
Delivering the midyear budget review on Tuesday, Mullighan said the state’s strong economic position would support a boost in infrastructure spending and provide more funding for health, housing and child protection.
The budget update forecasts a $201m operating surplus for this 2024-25 financial year, with projections for more across the forward estimates.
New travel advice after Vanuatu earthquake
Karen Middleton
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has just issued new travel advice via Smartraveller for Vanuatu re the earthquake:
A 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck near Port Vila. There’s a tsunami warning in place. If you’re in the affected area, move to higher ground. Monitor local media for updates and follow the advice of local authorities.
Townsville elects third mayor in three weeks
Townsville has elected a third mayor in three weeks, after the city’s acting mayor stood aside on Tuesday morning.
The new acting mayor, Ann-Maree Greaney, stood unopposed for the role though two councillors reportedly voted against her appointment.
The mayor’s office has been a revolving door since Troy Thompson was suspended for 12 months, on full pay, amid a Crime and Corruption Commission probe into claims he exaggerated his military service record.
The suspension resulted in the appointment of Paul Jacob as acting mayor. Jacob had been elected deputy mayor – a one-year term – by fellow councillors in April.
But on Tuesday, after speculation of a move against Jacob, he stood aside. Greaney was elected. Jacob was reportedly one of two councillors who voted against her appointment.
Shorten:
The scheme is a little bit in danger of being a two-class scheme. If you’re well off, middle class and in one of the big cities on the mainland, you can get your experts, you can get your reports.
But if you live in areas where there’s not so many, where there’s a shortage of skilled professionals by us bringing in-house the assessors, which is what we’ve essentially announced today for tomorrow’s MYEFO or the mid-term, the midyear budget, it now means we’ll have greater quality control, and it means that poorer people, people in regional areas, they’re going to get a more equitable access to the scheme and the assessments than they’ve currently been receiving
Shorten rejected comparisons between the new model and the former Morrison government’s independent assessments for NDIS participants, which was ultimately abandoned after a major backlash from disability advocates.
The minister said unlike the former government’s “one-size-fits-all” assessments, which were to be conducted by contractors, Labor’s agency-run model would be tailored to the individual needs of participants:
They won’t be done by, you know, contractors working for large companies, working on a clock of half an hour. We will take as long as it needs for the assessment to be done. That’s a big difference.
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Dan Jervis-Bardy
Circling back to Bill Shorten’s announcement of an extra $1bn for the NDIS in Wednesday’s midyear budget update, the minister has been asked about the funding at a press conference in Tasmania.
The investment includes $280m for the National Disability Insurance Agency – which runs the scheme – to roll out a new “in-house” system to assess participants’ funding needs.
The agency will conduct and pay for the assessments, meaning families would no longer have to fork out for reports about their condition from medical professionals.
Shorten said the new model, which was a recommendation from last year’s landmark NDIS review, would stop the NDIS becoming a “two-class scheme” in which wealth and location determined whether a participant could access a proper assessment.
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There is no tsunami threat to Australia after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit Vanuatu.
Woman missing in Blue Mountains
Police have serious welfare concerns for a woman who went missing in the Blue Mountains and are appealing for information to help their search.
Marissa Gee, 33, was last seen on Friday in Katoomba. The following day, her car was found on Galwey Lane in Mt Wilson, and her tent was located in Cathedral Reserve camping ground.
NSW police said:
There has been no sign of Marissa and police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare due to the extreme heat in the area.
Marissa is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 167cm tall, medium build, tanned complexion, brown eyes and curly blonde/red hair.
Marissa is known to frequent the Katoomba, Mt Wilson and Bilpin areas.
Peter Hannam
Westpac surveys find manufacturers, consumers ending 2024 more upbeat than they started
As 2024 heads for the exit, Westpac has a couple of surveys out today that for the most part point to some optimism about either the conditions or what’s ahead.
The one with manufacturers (and compiled with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) ended with firms contracting or expanding neatly balanced. More promising, though, were the responses about “expected” conditions, with that sub-gauge reaching its highest level since September 2022.
A modest net 5% of manufacturing firms were looking to increase their staff levels “in anticipation of an expected recovery in demand over the period ahead”.
A separate survey with the Melbourne Institute, meanwhile, provided a bit of a mixed picture. Consumer sentiment eased back in December, snapping a run of increases for most of 2024.
Still, confidence remained well above December of 2022 or 2023. “Consumers continue to report solid improvements in ‘current conditions’ – reflecting assessments of finances compared to a year ago and whether now is a good ‘time to buy a major household item.” Family finances were viewed as markedly better than a year ago.
Still, recent bad news on the economy (such as the weak September quarter GDP figures) and the prospect of more when the government releases its mid-year economic and fiscal outlook tomorrow mean sentiment can be a bit fickle.
The conundrum for the government is that consumer funk will make a Reserve Bank interest rate cut more likely in February or April but gloom in the electorate is not really what they want, either.
A sense of optimism was shared by Guardian Australia’s Essential poll respondents, with more than a third (37%) expecting 2025 to be better than 2024 (up 13 points on views in December 2023 of 2024).
Rafqa Touma
ACCC may investigate ‘concerning’ Black Friday sales advertising
The consumer watchdog has “uncovered a range of concerning practices” by recent Black Friday sales advertising, which may have been misleading to customers, they said in a recent statement.
The ACCC conducted a sweep of sales advertising by Australian businesses following consumer reports with concerns “about the veracity of stated discounts” during recent Black Friday sales.
It “uncovered a range of concerning practices,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said:
“‘Site wide’ discounts that are not in fact site wide, potentially misleading ‘was/now’ pricing, as well as dubious claims about the value of discounts on offer.”
The ACCC are considering some instances for investigation and action, Lowe said.
“The ACCC has already asked a number of retailers to justify their advertising claims. In the meantime, we are warning retailers ahead of post-Christmas sales that they must comply with Australian Consumer Law in all the claims they make.”
You can view examples of misleading sales advertising, outlined by the ACCC, here.
