STACKS ON
Former Victorian government minister Adem Somyurek has told the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) that Premier Daniel Andrews dismissed his concerns over Victorian Labor’s “red shirts” rorting scandal in 2014 by asking Somyurek do you “want to win an election or not?” ABC reports. Somyurek is giving evidence in IBAC investigation, Operation Watts, into the alleged misuse of public funds by the Victorian branch of the ALP.
Despite previously denying any wrongdoing, Somyurek conceded on Monday that he had been a “factional operator” who was involved in branch stacking — an organised method of collecting internal power by recruiting, and often paying fees, for new members — and whose publicly-funded staff did political work. The Australian details how he told the hearing that during the late 1990’s Somyurek and Andrews were locked in a factional war in Melbourne’s southeast as he reportedly recruited from the moderate right while Andrews reportedly recruited from the Socialist Left. But, news.com.au goes on, Somyurek gave a curious explanation for his involvement, saying that “if you’re a person of an ethnic minority, there might be a rationalisation” behind branch stacking. While white citizens faced no barriers to winning preselection, he said that for ethnic minorities branch stacking was a “sort of affirmation action by stealth”.
Meanwhile, in NSW, the SMH reports that Jessy Jayakumaran, a former public servant who worked for Liberal MP Kevin Andrews, admitted to helping recruit up to five new Liberal Party members a day in what appears to be a breach of a ban on taxpayer time spent on factional activities. The admission raises further questions about denials of wrongdoing by Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar and Liberal MP Kevin Andrews.
[free_worm]
SIGHT SEEING
Satellite images reveal that China has built mock-ups of a US aircraft carrier and at least two destroyers, possibly as training targets, in the country’s north-western desert, Reuters reports. According to The Defense Spot, the images captured by Colorado-based satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies show full-scale outlines of an aircraft carrier and at least two Arleigh Burke-class guided missiles allegedly built at a new target range complex in the Taklamakan Desert.
Both the SMH and Sky News point to the website of the independent US Naval Institute, which says that the mock-ups of US ships are part of a new target range developed by the People’s Liberation Army. While it wasn’t clear how many details had been included, the USNI said it had identified features on the destroyer including its funnels and weapons systems. CBS reports that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing Monday that he had no information about the images, saying, “I’m not aware of the situation you mentioned.”
The images come amid rising tensions between the world’s two biggest economies, China and the US, over a number of political and economic issues. There’s been a substantial increase in Chinese military flights just south west of Taiwan, the self-governing island republic claimed by Beijing as its own territory, Sky News reports. And earlier this month the Pentagon issued a report which states that China’s nuclear force is expanding faster than the US predicted just a year ago, according to the SMH.
DRIVING CHANGE
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Energy Minister Angus Taylor are today set to announce the federal government’s “Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy” which includes $178 million in new funding for charging stations and other technology to encourage the uptake of low-emissions vehicles, The Australian reports. The strategy aims to get an estimated 1.7 million electric vehicles on Australian roads by 2030, reports news.com.au, which will reduce emissions by more than eight metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035. The policy will also include further investment in charging technologies that promote grid security, as experts have warned Australia’s ageing energy grid could struggle if future EV charging is uncoordinated, the Brisbane Times reports.
Michelle Grattan, writing for The Conversation, says that in reality the policy is minimalist, as Morrison has ruled out consumer subsidies and concessions or mandating a phase out of new petrol and diesel-powered vehicles. The prime minister has previously derided electric vehicles, saying an electric vehicle, “is not going to tow your trailer. It’s not going to tow your boat. It’s not going to get you out to your favourite camping spot with your family” — statements that are false — and then lied about saying this, as documented in Crikey’s list of the PM’s lies and falsehoods.
SAY WHAT?
When the Ombudsman had the gold standard rort and didn’t actually smack it down sufficiently, we all thought, ‘wow, it is carte blanche’.
Adem Somyurek
The Former Victorian Labor minister tells public IBAC hearings that there was a feeling amongst politicians that the Victorian Ombudsman’s dealing with the “red shirts” rorts had shown them that the use of electorate officers was OK in some instances.
CRIKEY RECAP
All aboard: the little-known government entity pumping out coal exports, with your money
“The Morrison government is steadily ramping up its funding of and subsidies for thermal coal exports from the Hunter Valley and has more than doubled its investment in coal rail infrastructure since Morrison became prime minister and former Nationals leader Warren Truss took over as chairman.
“The tens of billions being spent on the inland rail project and the hundreds of millions being invested in the Hunter Valley constitute a colossal fossil fuel subsidy, one of the largest in the developed world, with decades to come of handouts to coal exporters.”
Anthony Albanese campaigns in prose — and the media want poetry
“In the Nine papers last week the always perceptive Niki Savva wanted to know when the fourth quarter was going to begin. In The Conversation, one of Australia’s sharpest political scientists, Judith Brett, wanted a bit of mongrel with “some cut-through lines, to up his public profile, to simplify the political contest, and to land some blows on Morrison”.
“So when Australia’s best political analysts are chanting ‘Come on, Albo, come on!’ in unison, what’s going on?
“It’s a known-known: political parties and political media work on different timelines. Australia’s political parties want your vote just once — next May. Media want your attention all the time — most of all: right now!”
We don’t just need a federal integrity body. We must nix the Coalition’s proposed one
“If the government introduced its so-called Commonwealth Integrity Commission, a body supposed to be its answer to a New South Wales-style Independent Commission Against Corruption, we may know even less about the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds by Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar than we do now.
“Why? Because as Crikey has noted several times over the past year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and former attorney-general Christian Porter created a commission that is not just a toothless tiger but a dangerous shield for the politically corrupt.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Inquiry hears of budget ‘cover-up’, claims of bullying over report (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Scott Morrison’s approval rating at lowest point since aftermath of black summer bushfires (Guardian Australia)
News Corp Australia posts $60.7m loss as pandemic takes toll on media (Guardian Australia)
Aussie teens dump Facebook, Instagram, leaked internal research reveals (The Australian) ($)
Perth nurse charged after ‘pretending to administer COVID-19 jab to anti-vaxxers’ (WA Today)
Afghans facing ‘hell on earth’ as winter looms (BBC)
Jobless rate tipped to hit record low as Victorians splash cash (The Age)
Photos show Senegal neighbourhood disappearing as sea levels rise (The Washington Post)
Future Brisbane: How region could become a global sports leader (The Courier Mail) ($)
Poland ups security on Belarus border amid fears of major breach (Al Jazeera)
Travis Scott and Drake sued over deadly US festival crush (BBC)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Morrison’s big plan for net zero has a black hole at its centre — Steven Hamilton (The Australian Financial Review) ($): “Ever since the government made its long-awaited net-zero commitment, I’ve been a bit perplexed. On one hand, they say we can achieve net zero by 2050, pointing to unreleased McKinsey modelling to back it up. On the other hand, they haven’t announced a single new policy, nor committed a single new dollar. All while promising no additional constraints or taxes.
“The reason the climate wars have been so fiercely fought is that climate action involves bearing costs today in exchange for benefits in future, and those up-front costs will be borne unequally.”
We’re still mired in the slow lane on electric vehicle uptake — Stephen Corby (The Australian) ($): The government’s latest Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy document talks up the recent ‘surge’ in EV sales, yet in Australia they are still stalled at less than 2% of all new-vehicle purchases … The boost to the Future Fuels Fund, from $71.9m to $250m, to help expand our charging infrastructure suggests a slight warming towards EVs, which can — when combined with solar panels — run on pure sunlight and produce less emissions than a single cow fart. But it’s interesting to put it in context next to the $490m that just one state — NSW — has pledged towards incentivising people to actually buy EVs, through rebates and stamp-duty waivers.
“Scott Morrison seems to be attempting a tricky U-turn towards electric vehicles, but the fact is you’re still more likely to see him driving a French car while wearing a beret than at the wheel of a Tesla.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Canberra
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There will be a committee hearing into adequacy and efficiency of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime.
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There will be a Senate committee public hearing on the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment.
Brisbane
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Griffith University humanities lecturer Marcus Waters is scheduled to speak on his experience of being a native title applicant as it relates to the Narrabri gas project in NSW at Griffith University, Logan Campus.
Melbourne
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IBAC will recommence a public hearing into allegations of serious corrupt conduct involving Victorian public officers, including members of Parliament.
Sydney
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Dying with Dignity NSW will hold a press conference to announce an alliance of groups in support of voluntary assisted dying law reform in NSW.
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The launch of Demerge NSW Alliance (DNA) is happening in The Domain, Sydney. DNA is a new coalition of citizens and community groups from across NSW campaigning to support, if the community wishes, the demerger of councils that were undemocratically and forcibly amalgamated by the state government in May 2016.
Thank heaven for some at 9 and the likes of Laura Tingle.
Telling us that Sukkar was “investigated/cleared” by Finance (under his government?) after having farmed that function out to Sukkar’s old law firm buds?
Who picked them to do it?
That they failed to contact and interview key witnesses, and failed to look at or examine documentation including embarrassing/incriminating emails?
… Shades of Mick Fuller’s constabulary “investigating Taylor’s CSC email”?
Political corruption matters not least because Hawke and all later heads of government worked to destroy the status of the Public Service while endlessly empowering Ministers who were – are -typically nonentities barely capable of tying their shoelaces.
What needs to be done?
First, strip the Ministerial nonentities of the grossly excessive powers they have accumulated, but which they eagerly abuse!
Second, organisations such as the militarised Border Force or politicised Treasury should have the entire top three or so levels of management sacked (and never re-employed by government), while operational staff should be required to reapply for their positions. Those who retire or leave before being sacked should face a five-year wait before any department deals with them on any other than personal matters.
Third, appointments to public positions should be on merit through selection by a standing committee, with criteria based on the Better Boards process of the ABC, but with Ministerial involvement completely removed.
Fourth, a genuinely empathetic approach by government agencies towards their victims, sorry, clients. Meaning that justifiably empathetic acts would have to be seen to be encouraged and rewarded, with unjustifiably oppressive acts punished.