Laundy calls for bullying panel

LAUNDY LIST OF BULLYING

The Australian ($) reports that former workplace minister Craig Laundy has called on the Liberal Party to introduce an official process to deal with instances of bullying and intimidation after numerous complaints arose from last week’s leadership spill.

The Turnbull backer said political parties should “lead by example” and suggested an “internal panel” be set up to give MPs “avenues for resolution of conflict”. Laundy’s comments come after Liberal Party women’s committee president Helen Kroger denied a bullying culture within the party on RN Breakfast yesterday.

POWER PLAYS

Chief executive of the Australian Energy Council Sarah McNamara has criticised the recent speech given by Energy Minister Angus Taylor, telling Guardian Australia the reason behind high electricity prices in Australia wasn’t due to misconduct in the market, but the uncertainty surrounding the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) and the “10 year” policy vacuum, which only served to “exacerbate the very problems” Taylor wants to solve.

McNamara also told the Guardian that a recent inquiry by the ACCC didn’t find evidence of misconduct in the energy market and that a “bipartisan agreement on policy” would give investors the confidence needed “to be able to commit to these long term assets”.

TRAVEL FIGHT

Workers who claim they were underpaid by Travel Money Oz, a Flight Centre Travel Group subsidiary, have taken their case to the Fair Work Commission.

A week after ABC Investigations revealed claims of underpayment by Flight Centre, the Finance Sector Union (FSU) lodged a dispute on behalf of Travel Oz workers, with the Union saying employees were “being subjected to wage theft” and “unpaid overtime”.

Flight Centre employees who spoke with the ABC for their investigation have also lodged complaints with Fair Work.

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THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

It’s a rough and tough game, politics, there’s no two ways about it. The environment is not for everyone.

Helen Kroger

President of the Liberal Party’s federal women’s committee Helen Kroger speaking to ABC’s RN Breakfast on the recent exit of Julia Banks from parliament.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Liberals block Manning but allowed in convicted leaker to raise funds for themBernard Keane

“A former US soldier convicted of leaking classified information in one of the most sensational trials of recent history plans to come to Australia for speaking engagements. Does the Coalition government let them in? If they’re coming to raise funds for the Liberal Party, absolutely. If not, they’re banned.”

Judge strikes out Mark Latham’s ‘extraordinary’ defamation defenceEmily Watkins

“The Federal Court has struck out Mark Latham’s entire defence in a defamation case brought by ABC Life deputy editor Osman Faruqi. In a judgement on Thursday, Justice Michael Wigney described Latham’s 76-page defence (in comparison to Faruqi’s two-page claim) as “on just about any view, an extraordinary document”.

“In order to address Mr Faruqi’s strike out application, it is necessary to attempt to come to grips with it. That is no mean feat,” he said.”

Reaction to Banks shows us that party powerbrokers dislike democratic participationBernard Keane

“The party now once again offers two middle-aged white men as its leader and deputy leader and the party’s most senior woman has retired in disgust to the backbench and may well leave politics altogether. That the Liberals aren’t within cooee of achieving the level of female representation in their ranks that John Howard managed 20 years ago is a damning indictment of the kind of culture and values of the party’s divisions. That female MPs were bullied during last week’s leadership idiocy will plainly do nothing to help that.”

This week from the New York Times

For Rohingya, Years of Torture at the Hands of a Neighbor

With Ships and Missiles, China Is Ready to Challenge U.S. Navy in Pacific

Louis C.K. and Men Who Think Justice Takes as Long as They Want It To

What John McCain Taught Us About Torture

Was a Scientist’s Death Murder Or An ‘Act of Mercy’?

READ ALL ABOUT IT

The nation honors Sen. John McCain

I did not tell a lie, says Premier ($)

How Labor wants to win over Coalition business voters

Australia to push EU style trade deal in Asia

Huawei ban a ‘huge loss’: China business lobby demands explanation

‘Mad’ and ‘morally irresponsible’: Liberal moderates roast new emissions stance

Cricket Australia chiefs in bitter feud ($)

An NFL player and a Russia dissident: McCain’s symbolic final rebuke to Trump

Iran is complying with nuclear deal restrictions, watchdog finds

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Australia

• Deadline for entries to the Walkley Awards. Media professionals have until 11.59pm tonight to enter the 2018 awards.

Detroit

• The funeral of Aretha Franklin will be held at Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple. Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson will perform.

Phnom Penh

• A verdict is expected to be handed down in the Cambodian trial of Australian filmmaker James Ricketson, who is accused of spying and jeopardising national defence.

Melbourne

• The Australian Property Institute will host a Victorian State Conference which will include NAB Head of Economics Dean Pearson giving one of the first economic outlook presentations from a major bank under the new Prime Minister.

• Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp will give an address at the Women in Leadership breakfast hosted by the Australian Property Institute.

• The Defence Sub-Committee of the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold a public hearing for its inquiry into transition from the ADF.

• The Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles will inquire into the use and manufacture of electric vehicles in Australia.

• The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will examine the support provided to members of the Australian Defence Force as they transition from active service to civilian life.

• A directions hearing will be held for the class action by 204 residents and businesses against the SKM Coolaroo Recycling Plant after it caught fire and choked the neighbourhood with toxic smoke and ash in 2017.

• The CFMEU will hold a press conference on exposure to silica dust.

• The Fair Work Commission’s five-day hearing over Victoria’s controversial firefighters’ pay deal continues. The deal has been agreed to by the brigade and its firefighters, however Victoria’s Human Rights Commissioner and the Federal Government have voiced concern the agreement is discriminatory.

• A directions hearing over the Essendon doping scandal will be held. AFL chief and chairman have been accused of misleading and deceptive conduct.

• Carlton CEO Cain Liddle will be making a major club announcement at Ikon Park. AFLW-listed Carlton players Jess Hosking and Georgia Gee will be in attendance.

• A contested mention hearing for the two men charged with riotous behaviour outside a Milo Yiannopoulos event will face Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Brisbane

• The annual Queensland Labor State Conference will be held. Labor members will vote on resolutions for the direction of the party going forward.

• An applications hearing is expected in Brisbane Supreme Court for whistleblower Rick Flori’s civil case against Queensland police. Flori is seeking damages for bullying.

Townsville

• The launch of the Robotic Reef Monitor, an underwater drone designed to keep watch on the health of the Great Barrier Reef will be launched. The drone will be put to test on the Reef after collaboration with QUT, Google and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

• The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to hold a public hearing into the on the inquiry into the use of Quinoline antimalarial drugs Mefloquine and Tafenoquine in the Australian Defence Force.

Gosford

• Usain Bolt is expected to play his first game for the Central Coast Mariners’ in a pre-season trial match against Central Coast Select XI.

Sydney

• NSW state Parliament to hold a budget estimates.

• The Catholic Church will release its response to Royal Commission’s recommendations into child abuse.

• Centenary of the WWI Battle of Mont St Quentin, which is regarded as the crowning achievement of Australian arms in WWI.

• Ahmed Hussen, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and former Somali asylum seeker, will speak at UNSW’s Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law on Canada’s efforts to integrate new citizens through a ‘mutual obligation’ approach.

• The Raise Foundation charity ball will be held to support disengaged teenagers with one-on-one mentoring nationwide.

• The NSW Supreme Court will sentence Rodney Rees Ambrosius over the manslaughter of his stepfather who he threw to his death off a balcony.

• Double Bay “celebrity” dentist Peter David Carr is due to be sentenced in the Downing Centre Local Court for the aggravated indecent assault and common assault of a dental assistant in 2016.

St Helens

• Inspector Michael Johnston will hold a press conference ahead of Triple J’s One Night Stand on Saturday. The Inspector will touch on the heavy police presence planned for the event.

Launceston

• Workers part of the Tasmanian Branch for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation as well as the Health and Community Services Union will protest the lack of beds and ambulance ramping at the Launceston General Hospital.

Adelaide

• Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Bruce Lander will take final submissions in his inquiry into the operations of SafeWork SA.

• Dog breeder Dora Ryan will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 28 countries of animal mistreatment.

Perth

• The trial continues for Tiffany Yiting Wan, the daughter of Annabelle Chen, whose body was found inside a suitcase in the Swan River, in 2016. The daughter and her ex-husband Ah Ping Ban will plead not guilty for the murder and will face the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

THE COMMENTARIAT

Ball’s in China’s court as game rules change – Harold Mitchell (The Age): “I tried to reassure the Americans of our stability, but they think they have seen tennis matches last longer than our prime ministers. One thing really stands out in this changing world: while the US still rules the Fortune 500, China is gaining fast. The number of US based companies in this year’s list fell from 132 to 126. China was up two companies with a total of 111. That number was just 29 a decade ago.”

No magic wand as Angus Taylor tries to ensure price is right ($) – Judith Sloan (The Australian): “There is a variety of ways that lower prices can be achieved… Sadly, there is no magic wand that the minister can wave and quickly eliminate the layers of problems in the electricity sector. It has taken years for this mess to build up.”

Here’s why you’re still paying a fortune for childcare ($) – Eugenie Joseph (The Daily Telegraph): “Childcare fees in Australia have been growing well above inflation in recent years, despite the growing number of childcare centres and even reports of oversupply in some areas. Fees for long day care — the most common type of childcare — have been growing at 6.5% on average each year.”

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