Australian Politics

Last week it was reported that private security guards had been pulled from a Melbourne quarantine hotel and replaced by police after a health worker raised fears about infection control breaches: Staff employed by Spotless were pulled from the floor of the last remaining “hot” quarantine site – the Novotel in Southbank – mid-shift.

Here’s Anthony Albanese budget reply speech: ANTHONY ALBANESE MP LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY MEMBER FOR GRAYNDLER BUDGET IN REPLY 2020 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2020 My fellow Australians.

Via the AFR: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has asked Labor to support nominating Finance Minster Mathias Cormann to become the next secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Cross-posted from Swiss Medical Weekly. Summary A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) first detected in Wuhan, China, has spread rapidly since December 2019, causing more than 100,000 confirmed infections and 4000 fatalities (as of 10 March 2020).

Via The Australia Institute: Tax Cuts: Temporary for Low and Middle Earners, Permanent for High Earners New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that the income tax changes announced in the Budget yesterday will disproportionately advantage wealthy Australians both now and into the future.

The federal budget included the below measure indicating that an English language requirement will be introduced for partner visas and their permanent resident sponsors: As noted above: “These changes will help support English language acquisition and enhance social cohesion and economic participation outcomes”.

There won’t be many happy punters after the release of the Depressionberg Unstimulus yesterday but one that ought to be thrilled by it is the ALP and its Empty Chair.

And why wouldn’t it?

Via Essential: Q.

Via NYT: Top White House officials are blocking strict new federal guidelines for the emergency release of a coronavirus vaccine, objecting to a provision that would almost certainly guarantee that no vaccine could be authorized before the election on Nov.

I used to like the way GetUp stuck to the man.

Manchurian Dan is scum, no doubt about it.

From Psycho Creighton today: Sweden’s impressive legacy — ABBA, dynamite, Ikea, for instance — has expanded significantly in 2020, having provided the world with an example of a sane response to what’s turned out a relatively mild pandemic.

The Herald-Sun’s state political reporter, Shannon Deery, has done a good job analysing the proposed Victorian Government Omnibus Bill, which would see non-police authorised officers permitted to arrest and detain Victorians for unlimited periods of time: Victorians have reason to be wary of the state government’s controversial COVID-19 omnibus bill.

Earlier this week, an unnamed state Labor MP labelled Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews a “tyrant” and a “dictator” after he blamed former Health Minister Jenny Mikakos for the state’s hotel quarantine failures: “It has put a lot of people on edge,” one government Minister said.

Via the ABC comes the mother of all bad ideas: The Prime Minister’s plan to allow selected incoming travellers from overseas to skip hotel quarantine and isolate at home has been cautiously supported by two leading infectious disease experts.