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Australia news liveAustralia news


GREENS SAY LEAKED POKIES REFORM REPORT ‘A HUGE CONCERN’ – AS IT HAPPENED

This blog is now closed

 Updated 2d ago

Nino Bucci now and earlier Emily Wind
Fri 22 Nov 2024 02.33 ESTFirst published on Thu 21 Nov 2024 14.31 EST
Share


Key events
 * 2d ago
   That's it for today, thanks for reading
 * 2d ago
   Laos hostel owner reportedly detained after poisoning deaths
 * 2d ago
   Man dies in helicopter crash in south of NSW
 * 2d ago
   Brereton apologises for misleading public in media statement
 * 2d ago
   Greens say leaked classified document on pokies reform ‘a huge concern’
 * 2d ago
   Coles chief says supermarket sells shoppers' ‘de-identified’ data to
   suppliers
 * 2d ago
   Brereton ‘accepts’ but doesn’t agree with watchdog’s ‘apprehended bias’
   finding
 * 2d ago
   NSW parliament passes reforms to state's biodiversity offsets scheme
 * 2d ago
   Chalmers rejects criticism from Musk over social media age limit bill
 * 2d ago
   Brereton denies ‘widespread’ disquiet about Nacc
 * 2d ago
   Meta warns social media age limit bill will require companies to collect
   personal ID from all Australians
 * 2d ago
   YouTube pleased to avoid social media ban, seeks more detail
 * 2d ago
   Queensland truth-telling commission unpauses work after lack of response from
   state government
 * 2d ago
   Government's social media age limit bill gets only given single day of
   inquiry hearing
 * 2d ago
   X owner Elon Musk takes swipe at Australia’s social media age limit
 * 2d ago
   Wong responds to ICC arrest warrants in relation to Gaza war
 * 2d ago
   Heatwave conditions forecast for NSW and Victoria
 * 2d ago
   Good morning
 * 2d ago
   ‘Protestival’ to start in Newcastle harbour
 * 2d ago
   Thousands to rally against gender-based violence
 * 2d ago
   Welcome


NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann who leads the NSW Greens’ gambling portfolio, says
the government cannot afford to wait until 2028 for a mandatory system.
Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP
View image in fullscreen
NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann who leads the NSW Greens’ gambling portfolio, says
the government cannot afford to wait until 2028 for a mandatory system.
Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP
Nino Bucci now and earlier Emily Wind
Fri 22 Nov 2024 02.33 ESTFirst published on Thu 21 Nov 2024 14.31 EST
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LIVE FEED

From 2d ago
22.11 EST


GREENS SAY LEAKED CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT ON POKIES REFORM ‘A HUGE CONCERN’


Henry Belot

The NSW Greens party says a leaked classified document recommending anonymous
gambling on poker machines continue until 2028 is “a huge concern”.

A draft report by the independent panel for gaming reform’s executive committee
has recommended a “centralised account-based gaming system” be launched in 2027,
before becoming mandatory for all venues in 2028.

This new system would be linked to a statewide self-exclusion register and
facial recognition technology. It should also collect data “to enable automated
risk monitoring” of transactions.

Cate Faehrmann, who leads the NSW Greens’ gambling portfolio, says the
government cannot afford to wait until 2028 for a mandatory system.

> At this rate, it doesn’t seem as though there is going to be anything
> resembling cashless gambling in NSW in this term of government.
> 
> Given NSW has more than 87,000 poker machines, it will be incredibly
> disappointing if the report doesn’t offer recommendations as to how to reduce
> this number.
> 
> If an account-based system means that people are identified and need a card or
> digital wallet to play, which isn’t linked to their bank accounts and sets
> play and daily limits, then that sounds promising.


NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann says 2028 is too late to introduce a mandatory
system. Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP

The executive committee’s recommendations have been shared with a broader panel
of stakeholders and are now being debated.

The NSW government has notreceived a final copy of the report and says it won’t
speculate on what it will recommend.

Share

Updated at 22.20 EST

Key events
 * 2d ago
   That's it for today, thanks for reading
 * 2d ago
   Laos hostel owner reportedly detained after poisoning deaths
 * 2d ago
   Man dies in helicopter crash in south of NSW
 * 2d ago
   Brereton apologises for misleading public in media statement
 * 2d ago
   Greens say leaked classified document on pokies reform ‘a huge concern’
 * 2d ago
   Coles chief says supermarket sells shoppers' ‘de-identified’ data to
   suppliers
 * 2d ago
   Brereton ‘accepts’ but doesn’t agree with watchdog’s ‘apprehended bias’
   finding
 * 2d ago
   NSW parliament passes reforms to state's biodiversity offsets scheme
 * 2d ago
   Chalmers rejects criticism from Musk over social media age limit bill
 * 2d ago
   Brereton denies ‘widespread’ disquiet about Nacc
 * 2d ago
   Meta warns social media age limit bill will require companies to collect
   personal ID from all Australians
 * 2d ago
   YouTube pleased to avoid social media ban, seeks more detail
 * 2d ago
   Queensland truth-telling commission unpauses work after lack of response from
   state government
 * 2d ago
   Government's social media age limit bill gets only given single day of
   inquiry hearing
 * 2d ago
   X owner Elon Musk takes swipe at Australia’s social media age limit
 * 2d ago
   Wong responds to ICC arrest warrants in relation to Gaza war
 * 2d ago
   Heatwave conditions forecast for NSW and Victoria
 * 2d ago
   Good morning
 * 2d ago
   ‘Protestival’ to start in Newcastle harbour
 * 2d ago
   Thousands to rally against gender-based violence
 * 2d ago
   Welcome

Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

2d ago02.33 EST


THAT'S IT FOR TODAY, THANKS FOR READING

Here are the main stories on Friday, 22 November:

 * The National Anti-corruption Commission chief, Paul Brereton, apologises for
   misleading the public, but denies disquiet about the Nacc is “widespread”,
   during an appearance before a parliamentary inquiry;

 * The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, says she respects the independence
   of the ICC and its role in upholding international law, after it issues
   arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the
   country’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant and the Hamas military leader
   Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war;

 * The Coles chief customer officer, Amanda Mcvay, has said the supermarket
   giant sells shoppers’ “de-identified” data to the suppliers of the products
   it stocks on its shelves;

 * The NSW Greens party says a leaked classified document recommending anonymous
   gambling on poker machines continue until 2028 is “a huge concern”;

 * The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has rejected criticism of the under-16s social
   media ban from X owner Elon Musk, saying he was “not concerned” about the
   billionaire;

 * The Rising Tide climate protest kicks off in Newcastle, a day after a court
   overturned a NSW government restriction to prevent it going ahead; and

 * Queensland’s truth-telling and healing commission has reopened, despite plans
   by the state’s new LNP government to defund it as early as next month.

It has been great having you this week, see you all again soon.

Share



2d ago01.55 EST

Luca Ittimani

NSW train union says state government has agreed to higher pay offer

Following on from our earlier post on the outcome of negotiations over the
Sydney train strike, the New South Wales rail union has said the state
government has agreed to boost its pay offer by abolishing the regional trains
agency.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union told members it extracted the concession during an
11th hour meeting with the NSW government on Thursday, which saw the government
cave to union demands to run 24-hour train services over the weekend.

View image in fullscreen
The NSW government has agreed to run 24-hour trains services in Sydney over the
weekend as part of union negotiations. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/EPA

In a message to members, RTBU NSW secretary, Toby Warnes, said the government
had agreed to scrap NSW Trains, which manages regional and intercity passenger
services, and fold its functions into the metropolitan Sydney trains.

> We can increase the percentage pay rise in the new EA through identifying and
> abolishing waste throughout the rail agencies and within the Transport
> bureaucracy … we will see movement on our pay claim very quickly.

The RTBU would work with Treasury officials to “improve on the government’s
wages offer” by adding the “cost savings” sourced from abolishing NSW Trains,
Warnes said.

The union has demanded a 32% pay rise over four years, or 8% a year, while the
government has offered a three-year agreement totalling 9.5% plus super.

A spokesperson for the transport minister, Jo Haylen, did not directly respond
to Warnes’ claims but said the government was glad to have reached Thursday’s
agreement and looked forward to continuing negotiations and concluding the
bargaining process. Both the RTBU and the government have said they want a deal
done before Christmas.

Share

Updated at 02.09 EST
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Continue


2d ago01.53 EST

Luca Ittimani

Industrial action still in force in NSW, rail workers say

New South Wales rail workers have revealed dozens of their industrial actions
are still in force and have threatened to unleash even greater chaos if their
pay deal isn’t resolved within two weeks, hitting back at government claims all
bans had been dropped.

The premier, Chris Minns, said on Thursday the government had yielded to Rail,
Tram and Bus Union demands to run 24-hour train services over the weekend to
avert a threatened strike and secure a fortnight of bargaining, during which the
union would not apply its work bans.

The transport minister, Jo Haylen, had previously argued the train network could
not survive round-the-clock services but said on Thursday the lifted bans would
allow the services to run.

But the RTBU NSW secretary, Toby Warnes, said only two bans were paused – the
24-hour threat and another action capping how far staff can travel in a shift –
and both would resume if no deal was reached by the end of the two weeks. In an
email to members on Thursday night, he wrote:

“Contrary to reports in the media, no other bans have been lifted or affected in
any way. They all continue to apply.”

The union lists 45 actions still in force that it has said are not intended to
cause major disruption, including directions to stop emptying bins when it rains
or move air-conditioned spaces when the temperatures exceeds 30C. A spokesperson
for Haylen said no service disruption was expected.

Warnes has previously accused the government of misrepresenting the truth during
negotiations, calling Haylen’s claim the RTBU had planned to shut down services
on Thursday rather than Friday a “falsity”.

The opposition leader, Mark Speakman, on Thursday accused Haylen of being
“completely confused and befuddled” over the contradicting claims.

Share

Updated at 01.57 EST


2d ago01.49 EST


LAOS HOSTEL OWNER REPORTEDLY DETAINED AFTER POISONING DEATHS

The ABC is reporting that the owner of a Laos backpacker hostel where two
Australians were staying before falling violently ill from suspected methanol
poisoning has been detained for questioning by police.

View image in fullscreen
Young travellers, including Australians, were taken to Thailand for treatment
after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos. Photograph: Chanakarn
Laosarakham/AFP/Getty Images

One of the Australians, Bianca Jones, died from the poisoning, and four other
people from Denmark, the UK and the US have also died from the same incident.

According to the ABC, the Australians had been staying at the hostel and had
free drinks there on the night they fell ill.

Share

Updated at 01.55 EST
2d ago01.27 EST

Catie McLeod

Suppliers do not pay Coles for better supermarket shelf positions, inquiry told

The Coles chief commercial officer, Anna Croft, says the supermarket giant
doesn’t allow suppliers to pay for “better shelf positions” but they do pay to
be part of promotions.

Croft and other senior Coles executives have been giving evidence for a second
day at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s inquiry into the
supermarket sector.

Under questioning by the counsel assisting the inquiry, Naomi Sharp SC, Croft
said that in most cases suppliers paid Coles if they wanted to “grow their
volume” by having their products promoted to shoppers.

Sharp said:

> When we put a promotional plan together, we will agree ... collaboratively
> with our suppliers in terms of how we want to think about growing their
> volume.
> 
> And if we are going to promote, the supplier would make a contribution to that
> promotional time.

Croft said many suppliers made a financial contribution to help cover the
difference if Coles were to reduce the standard retail price of an item to sell
it at a lower, promotional price.

However, she said it was “not uncommon” for Coles to promote fresh meat and
produce on its own, without requiring suppliers to pay the supermarket.

Croft said it was “more unusual” for the suppliers of packaged goods to have
their products promoted without making a financial contribution.

The ACCC is due to hand its final report from its inquiry to the federal
government by the end of February.

Share

Updated at 01.30 EST


2d ago01.06 EST

Here’s a few more pictures from the Rising Tide climate protest in Newcastle.

View image in fullscreen
NSW Police Marine area Command vessels jostle with climate activists on the
water as bulk carriers come and go in Newcastle. Photograph: Dean
Sewell/Oculi/The Guardian
View image in fullscreen
Newcastle’s coal port is the largest in the world. Photograph: Dean
Sewell/Oculi/The Guardian
Share

Updated at 01.12 EST
2d ago00.28 EST

The always excellent Weekly Beast is up:

Kate McClymont’s report that saw radio’s most powerful man arrested goes without
a single nomination at Walkleys
Amanda Meade

Read more
Share

2d ago00.11 EST

Childish Gambino Australian tour cancelled

Childish Gambino has cancelled his Australian tour. The rapper, real name Donald
Glover Jr, said in a statement via Frontier Touring:

View image in fullscreen
The US rapper has yet to recover from a recent illness. Photograph:
AFF-USA/REX/Shutterstock

> Unfortunately, my path to recovery is taking longer than expected. The
> upcoming concerts in Australia and New Zealand are cancelled. One of the last
> things I’d ever want to do is disappoint my fans. I really appreciate the
> support you have shown and know that I will do what I can to give u an
> exceptional experience when the time is right. Thank you

Share

Updated at 24.22 EST


2d ago00.03 EST

If you’re interested in the cricket, and I am very sympathetic to that view, you
can find our coverage over here (lunch break almost finished):

View image in fullscreen
Australia’s Nathan McSweeney during the first day of the first test match for
the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP
Australia v India: first men’s Test, day one – as it happened
Read more
Share

Updated at 24.14 EST
2d ago23.37 EST

Sarah Basford Canales

Nacc inspector, Furness, sees public benefit from corrupt conduct findings

The Nacc inspector, Gail Furness SC, said the NSW Independent Commission Against
Corruption (better known as ICAC) believes its role is to make findings of
corrupt conduct.

Furness is also the NSW ICAC inspector.

View image in fullscreen
Nacc Inspector, Gail Furness, believes there is a public benefit in a finding of
corrupt conduct. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Indi MP, Helen Haines, had asked her why it’s important for anti-corruption
bodies to make corrupt conduct findings, even if there is no possibility of
criminal charges or financial compensation.

Haines asked the question because the Nacc earlier said “stamping” corrupt
conduct on robodebt referrals would not have advanced the public interest
because it could not do anything beyond that.

Furness replied:

> If I can, in answering that question, have regard to my other hat, which is as
> [ICAC inspector]. That body doesn’t, and never has, and has never sought … any
> power other than to refer for consideration to the DPP if they think there may
> well be some criminal conduct.
> 
> But generally they make findings of corrupt conduct. They consider that to be
> their role, and I consider that there’s public benefit in a finding of corrupt
> conduct, based on my experience with the ICAC and my understanding of how they
> work and the results of their work.”

Share

Updated at 23.48 EST


2d ago23.31 EST


MAN DIES IN HELICOPTER CRASH IN SOUTH OF NSW

A man has died after a helicopter crash in the south of NSW.

NSW police said in a statement that just before 12pm emergency services were
called to One Tree, about 40km west of Hay, after reports of a helicopter crash.

A man believed to be aged in his 40s who was a passenger in the helicopter was
treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.

He is yet to be formally identified.

The pilot – a 39-year-old man – was treated for minor injuries before being
taken to a Melbourne hospital in a stable condition.

Police said:

> A crime scene has been established by officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police
> District and an investigation into the cause of the crash will be undertaken
> by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
> 
> A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.

Share

Updated at 23.34 EST
2d ago23.25 EST

Sarah Basford Canales

Inspector received unprecedented number of complaints about Nacc’s robodebt
decision

The Nacc inspector, Gail Furness SC, says it was “not a difficult decision” to
investigate the Nacc’s decision not to dismiss robodebt referrals.

At a parliamentary inquiry on Friday afternoon, the watchdog’s watchdog says she
never received, or heard of others receiving, so many complaints about the same
matter in her time.

Furness says:

> My jurisdiction as set out in the act was the conflict of interest, which was
> raised by a number of people, and the terms of the media release, they
> particularly generated my concern, given the nature of my jurisdiction. In my
> experience of complaints, which goes back some time, I don’t think I’ve ever
> received, or heard of that number of complaints being received, about the same
> matter in a way that they were not automatically generated, so it was not a
> difficult decision.

Share

Updated at 23.29 EST

2d ago23.24 EST

Sarah Basford Canales

Some current Nacc investigations could cross ‘exceptional circumstances’ bar,
Brereton says

The Nacc’s appearance has now wrapped up and the inspector, Gail Furness, is now
fronting politicians at its inquiry.

But before we bring you that, let’s revisit a notable non-robodebt-related
detail revealed.

The Nacc has held a number of private hearings since it opened its doors in July
2023. The hearings have been as a result of seven investigations featuring 26
people.

The Nacc can hold public hearings if there are “exceptional circumstances” – a
bar criticised for being too high by transparency advocates and many
crossbenchers.

The commissioner, Paul Brereton, says “none of them have crossed the exceptional
circumstances line” but there were “a couple of investigations on foot at the
moment that could potentially get there”.

Brereton says public hearings can occur if there is a “high level of confidence”
that corrupt conduct can be found.

> I think the prominence of the person of interest and their position will be a
> relevant consideration, because if the investigation involves someone in a
> high public office, that might make the circumstances exceptional.

Share

Updated at 23.33 EST

2d ago23.16 EST

Circling back to our earlier post, Nationals senator Matt Canavan has said he is
“uncomfortable” with the responsibility being given to the eSafety Commissioner
through the social media age limit bill.

In a post to X, he wrote:

> I am also uncomfortable with the eSafety Commissioner having this
> responsibility. Whatever you think of [Julie Inman Grant] the fact is she has
> not established widespread trust and support for her role.
> 
> She has too often veered into opining about what she thinks the world should
> look like. Such discretionary, political rhetoric reduces trust in public
> officials who should simply and dispassionately apply the law.

The eSafety Commissioner was contacted for a response. Her team pointed to a
statement she issued yesterday on the legislation, which welcomed its
introduction:

> While the final contents and passage of the legislation remains a matter for
> Parliament, should it become law, eSafety looks forward to working closely
> with government, industry and the Australian community to ensure its effective
> implementation.

Share


2d ago23.03 EST

Emily Wind

Many thanks for joining me on the blog today – and throughout the week! Nino
Bucci will be here to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage. Take
care, and enjoy your weekend.

Share

2d ago23.02 EST


BRERETON APOLOGISES FOR MISLEADING PUBLIC IN MEDIA STATEMENT


Sarah Basford Canales

The Nacc commissioner, Paul Brereton, has apologised for misleading the public
in a media statement suggesting the public service commission could sanction
five of the six robodebt referrals it declined to investigate.

To recap, the Nacc’s watchdog, the inspector of the Nacc, found its media
statement was “misleading” because it claimed the Australian Public Service
Commission “had remedial powers and could impose a sanction in relation to the
persons referred”. The inspectors report said:

> In fact, it could not because five of the referred persons were no longer
> public servants and the sixth never was a public servant and the APSC could
> only impose a sanction on current public servants.

At his appearance at a parliamentary inquiry this afternoon, Brereton said the
Nacc didn’t have the “disciplinary powers” the APSC had but conceded he hadn’t
considered they could not be used against the referrals.

> Unfortunately, in stating that in the context of this case, that gave the
> impression that it could imply sanctions in the present case when it couldn’t,
> because by then, all the public servants had left the APS. It was not our
> intention, it was not my intention, to convey that impression, but I accept
> that that was the effect, as we said in our submissions to the inspector. That
> was unintentional, and we are sorry for it.

The Greens senator, David Shoebridge, said Brereton must have already known the
public servants had left their jobs and could therefore not be sanctioned when
the statement was released.

Brereton rejected the assertion, calling it “offensive” and “false”. He said:

> I do not believe that I knew that all of them had left, although I certainly
> knew that most of them had. I did not, at the time of approving that release,
> turn my mind to that factor.

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