Dutton’s electorate office vandalised

OFFICE DEFACED

SBS reports Peter Dutton’s electoral office in Strathpine, in Queensland’s Moreton Bay Region, has been vandalised. Early this morning, brick pavers were thrown at the leadership contender’s office causing extensive damage to four reinforced glass windows and leaving two glass doors smashed. Detectives are appealing for information.

NO HUAWEI

 The Age reports this morning that China’s ministry of commerce has called Australia’s decision to block Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE from participating in the 5G rollout the “wrong decision” and that the exclusion would have a negative impact on Australian and Chinese companies.

Chinese tabloid, The Global Times also called the Australian government “back stabbers” and accused Australia of discriminating against Huawei in the name of national security. The editorial warned, “those who willfully hurt Chinese companies with an excuse of national security will meet their nemesis”.

COUNTRY SEE, COUNTRY DO

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the far-right Lega party Matteo Salvini says Italy will imitate Australia’s “No Way” border policy to prevent migrants from crossing the Mediterranean, reports The Age.

According to the paper, Salvini says he considers it his duty stop the work of smugglers and traffickers and that he takes “responsibility for being ugly, violent, bad, fascist, populist, Nazi, racist, but I do it because our children are safer on our streets”. His remarks were made on Italian radio show Italy’s RTL and could signal a push by the Italian government to toughen its border policy by refusing refugees the right to step on Italian soil, if they arrive by boat.

[free_worm]

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

NO … oh let me think about that … NO WAY.

Joe Hockey

Joe Hockey responds to a Twitter user when asked if he, too, would be throwing his hat into the leadership ring. It’s a fair question after the day #auspol just had.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Gillard: Liberal chaos is driven by ‘big global trends’, not individualsGabriella Marchant

“Rather than laughing mirthlessly for the full 90 minutes of the event, in a feat of gobsmacking self-restraint, Gillard struck a philosophical tone in her analysis of the ongoing Liberal leadership turmoil… Leaning on the lessons of Trump, Brexit and the rise of the far right, Gillard had fighting words for those who would seek to combat a Dutton prime ministership.”

Who do Labor want to win the Liberal leadership?Charlie Lewis

“As far some people in the Labor Party are concerned, the hard-right former cop, barely holding his seat, which he’s possibly ineligible to hold, with an incredibly odd scandal hanging over his head, and fresh from the most poisonous ministry in Australian politics, is apparently the tougher opponent.”

Trump’s band of chancers may collapse, but he remains in chargeGuy Rundle

“Trump may yet survive it all, for the simple reason, still not understood in Westminster systems, that the president is an elected God-King (have a look at the back of a US $1 bill to understand the role of the president). The idea of removal — seen from a country that changes leaders like underwear and for the same motive, when they’re more skidmark than fabric — has to be understood as a traumatic event in the national order.”

This week from the New York Times

Australia Wilts From Climate Change. Why Can’t Its Politicians Act?

Donald Trump’s High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Cohen Implicates President Trump. What Do Prosecutors Do Now?

A New Wife, A Secret and a Trail of Blood

New York, Melbourne or Both? A Quiz to Test Your Knowledge

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Coniston massacre descendants reunite to push for national truth-telling process

Peter Dutton says legal advice clears him on eligibility issue but Labor and PM stirs doubts ($)

Dutton as PM? Indigenous and migrant Australians are ‘deeply worried’

State Government ministerial office wages blow out to $26 million ($)

‘No way’: Italy’s leader takes Australian cue on refugees

Reality Winner: NSA contractor jailed for five years over classified report leak

Danish sperm, diseased lungs and red tape: Brexit nightmares revealed

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Canberra

• Pending leadership announcement. Yesterday Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop confirmed they would contend for the leadership vacancy, alongside Peter Dutton. Malcolm Turnbull is awaiting a response from Solicitor-General Stephen Donoghue on whether Dutton’s family trust shows him to be ineligible to serve in parliament.

• Written submissions about the Banking Royal Commission’s hearing into superannuation corruption will be published today.

Gold Coast

• The Griffith Climate Change Response Program will hold a panel discussion on Climate Change: Moving forward on adaptation. The panel will discuss governmental responses to climate risks and adaptation strategies. Panellists include Professor Mark Howden from ANU’s Climate Institute, Oxford University’s Professor Roger Street and Queensland Governments Executive Director of Climate Change Policy for the Department of Environment and Science Georgine Roodenrys.

Melbourne

• The inquest into the fatal thunderstorm asthma event will accept final submissions. Ten people died and more than 12,700 people across Victoria presented to emergency departments with breathing difficulties and severe allergic reactions to grass pollen in the air, in 2016.

• Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy will hold a press conference at AAMI Park.

• Save the Children Australia and World Challenge will launch a new curriculum based on overseas community engagement as part of its ReThink Orphanages Network. The modules will allow teachers to guide student understanding of orphanage tourism, volunteering and responsible travel.

Brisbane

• To support the roll-out of the NDIS in the Brisbane region, free information sessions will be held to assist families, carers, people with disability and service providers with general information access and becoming a registered provider.

Sydney

• Victorian Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith and Fairfax Media Publications will face the Federal Court for a case management hearing, after Roberts-Smith sued the publisher for defamation. Fairfax Media published an investigation in early August, detailing gross misconduct on the part of Roberts-Smith as a Special Air Services trooper, as well as publishing allegations of domestic violence, all of which he has called “malicious and highly damaging allegations”.

• The NSW Coroners Court will release its findings into the manner of death of Phillip Ibrahim in 2014. Ibrahim suffered a brain injury after air bubbles entered his bloodstream from an uncapped catheter line.

• Australia Post’s Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Christine Holgate will the results for 2018 full-year financial results and hold a teleconference.

• The trial continues for spiritual healer Riza Morinaj, who has been charged with kidnapping and the assault of a man to perform a black magic exorcism ceremony.

• Cronulla Sharks coach, Shane Flanagan will speak at a press conference ahead of their NRL round 24 clash against Newcastle.

Adelaide

• The Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin will continue. The inquiry will focus on when Barnaby Joyce became the federal minister for agriculture and water resources and his influence over shifting the MDBA focus from environmental outcomes to irrigation interests.

• The Federal Court will hand down a penalty on Heinz, for its misleading conduct of a toddler snack food. Earlier this year the court concluded Heinz had mislead the public over the nutritional value of Little Kids Shredz. The product was advertised as “99 per cent fruit and veg” but contained 60 per cent sugar.

Perth

• Convicted murderer Shaun Southern, who deliberately drove on the wrong side of Bussell Highway in February last year while under the influence of drugs, will be sentenced in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Southern crashed into another car, killing 61-year-old Jenni Pratt.

• Fever defender Stacey Francis will hold a press conference ahead of Sunday’s netball grand final against Sunshine Coast.

• The 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship gets underway at South Australia’s new motorsport facility, The Bend Motorsport Park. The International Circuit is 4.95km long and runs until Sunday.

Darwin

• As part of the Darwin Festival, which runs until August 26, Jodee Mundy will perform Personal, weaving performance, storytelling, multimedia and animation to tell her story of being the only hearing person in a deaf family. The Sydney Morning Herald called it, “a searching, poignant and gently comic solo performance.”

• Indie-folk-rock artist Tia Gostelow will perform at the Darwin Festival. Gostelow won triple j’s Indigenous Initiative and a place in their Unearthed High 2016 Top 5.

• The Akaburrakajinama (“Lights On” in Anindilyakwa language in the Groote Eylandt archipelago) showcase of Anindilyakwa artists will open.

Australia

• Cancer Council’s flagship fundraising day, Daffodil Day takes place across Australia. Thousands of volunteers will hit the streets to raise money for the Cancer Council’s life-saving research, education programs and support services for the thousands of Australians diagnosed with cancer each year.

• The 8th annual Be Medicinewise Week continues, encouraging families across Australia to be conscious of their medical decisions and health choices.

THE COMMENTARIAT

Malcolm Turnbull made a deal with the devil. Now the devil has called time – Peter Hartcher (The Sydney Morning Herald): “Turnbull — a moderate who believed in a Republic, climate change and same-sex marriage — would betray all these beliefs in return for high office. He would be allowed to be prime minister on condition that he implement Tony Abbott’s pre-existing policies. And, it was assumed, win elections. But, after three years, the conservatives have decided that Turnbull’s time is up.”

After the bloodletting, an armistice is vital ($) – Greg Sheridan (The Australian): “The Abbott forces believe they were undermined from day one by the Turnbull forces. They never forgave the Turnbull forces for this. The Turnbull forces believe they were undermined from day one by the Abbott forces. Both sides have at times been bitterly determined that the bad behaviour of their enemies should not be rewarded.”

Liberal leadership fracas will damage party’s brand going into an election ($) – Sharri Markson (The Daily Telegraph): “Despite the risk, the decision to move on Malcolm Turnbull ultimately came down to a single factor: Cabinet ministers and backbenchers, MPs in marginal and safe seats across the country, did not believe he could lead the ­Coalition to victory at the next election. Yet the turmoil and ­destruction that the Liberal Party has engaged in while tearing down yet another prime minister could utterly override any benefits the party ­believes it will gain from a new leader in Dutton, Bishop or Morrison”

Talking Point: Smarter burning saves life ($) – Terry White (The Mercury): “Weather predictions from climate scientists suggest that seasonal conditions are changing and that we are not adapting quickly enough with positive preventive action, and this is playing out now on the ground…More than 80 have been burning over the past week along the Great Dividing Range from the Queensland border to Victoria. The cost of preventive burning is minuscule compared to the cost of clean-up and recovery after a major fire.”

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