Australia news live: Gallagher says Dutton wants ‘to go back to the era of robodebt’ after Coalition criticism of public service spending

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Coalition wants to ‘go back to the era of robodebt’ – Katy Gallagher

Continuing from our last post: the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, also weighed in on the question, saying the public service “touches every Australian’s life one way or another”.

Peter Dutton and his team want to go back to the era of robodebt. Let’s not forget the public service that they had reduced to was going around hunting down Australian citizens for money that they didn’t … owe the country. That’s the public service that we had under Peter Dutton when we was a senior minister …

We had 52,000 people on the books as a shadow workforce that weren’t reported through the normal channels, and that’s exactly what they will do again. They have learnt nothing about how expensive it was, how services were reduced, how people waited too long, how some veterans died waiting for their applications to be considered.

They don’t care about any of that because they just want to wander around pretending that they can sack public servants and deliver services. It’s ridiculous.

Gallagher said “yes, we will be campaigning on this” and that it was a “fairytale” what Dutton had been talking about.

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Key events

Krishani Dhanji

Butler urges psychiatrists in NSW not to leave, and ‘come back to the table’

The federal health minister Mark Butler says the mass resignation of hundreds of psychiatrists from NSW public hospitals would have “devastating consequences”.

More than 200 psychiatrists at the state’s public hospitals have handed in their resignations to the NSW government over concerns about their pay and the state of the mental healthcare system.

Butler told reporters in Canberra both parties “need to come back to the table”:

The sort of mass resignation I’ve read about being contemplated in NSW would have devastating consequences for psychiatric patients and their families in NSW … I really urge them to get back to the table and resolve this in the interest of patients.

The state government has offered public psychiatrists a pay increase of 10.5% over three years, but they’re seeking 25%.

The health minister Mark Butler. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
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No water in immigration detention centre cell: watchdog

An immigration detention centre controlled by the Australian Border Force is holding detainees in a prohibited cell that lacks a toilet and running water, a watchdog has found.

AAP reports that Yongah Hill immigration detention centre, about an hour north-east of Perth, also limits support services and family visits, impacting the mental health of some detainees, according to a facility review.

The review in June found there was limited access for detainees held in the centre’s high-security area to lines of communication and timely information. They also do not have the same access to facilities, programs and activities available to the general population compounds.

The commonwealth national preventive mechanism ombudsman, Iain Anderson, said:

We also had concerns with the use of a soft room being used as part of the high care accommodation. In our view, this soft room meets the definition of a dry cell, the use of which is prohibited in the immigration detention network.

The room lacks the basic amenities required to hold an individual for any length of time, including a toilet, sink and running water.

The watchdog recommended the Australian Border Force stop using the so-called soft room until appropriate safety guidelines, practices, and procedures are developed and implemented.

About 160 people are detained at the centre, with 29 of these held at the facility for more than six years.

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Severe thunderstorms a possibility for parts of eastern NSW this afternoon

Large parts of NSW may experience thunderstorms today, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The storms may become severe across much of the eastern half of the state, especially this afternoon and evening, with heavy rain, damaging wind and large hail all possible.

Today’s Thunderstorm FORECAST
Large area with the chance of storms, which may become severe across much of the eastern half of the state especially this afternoon and possibly evening.
Heavy rain, damaging wind and large hail all possible.
Weather details: https://t.co/85E7wAse4I pic.twitter.com/ACKWUPxN39

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 13, 2025

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Greens call for moratorium on clearing koala habitat

The Greens are calling for a moratorium on clearing koala habitat and an end to native forest logging.

At a rally in Coffs Harbour today, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Greens would put the environment at the top of the federal election campaign agenda and in any power-sharing parliament.

Sarah Hanson-Young addresses the crowd at a rally in Coffs Harbour. Photograph: The Greens

You can’t save koalas while continuing to destroy their homes. Unless we take urgent action to end clearing of critical habitat, koalas will be extinct in NSW by 2050 …

The NSW government promised to protect this precious koala habitat as a national park, yet destruction from logging has only increased.

Loopholes in our national environment laws continue to allow this destruction to go unassessed … Whether it is by the creation of the Great Koala national park or stronger environment laws that stop the destruction of critical habitat, the Greens urge Labor to save Australia’s great forests from the chainsaws and the bulldozers before it’s too late.

Hanson-Young was joined by Spencer Hitchen at the rally, who is behind the “Save Sunrise Glossies” campaign.

Sarah Hanson-Young with Spencer Hitchen, a 13 year old nature conservationist and activist. Photograph: The Greens
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Six men charged for alleged drug rip at Port Botany shipping yard

Raptor Squad officers with NSW police have charged six men for allegedly attempting a drug rip (attemtping to rob a drug dealer) at Port Botany overnight.

Officers allegedly observed a group of unknown men wearing balaclavas and high-vis clothing jump the fence of a shipping company in Banksmeadow about 8.20pm last night.

Police allege the men were seen approaching a number of shipping containers, armed with bolt cutters and other tools, but were unsuccessful in breaching any of the containers.

Six men were arrested about 10.35pm, aged 19, 23, 27, 32 and two aged 18. They were taken to both Maroubra and Mascot police stations, all charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawful import.

The eldest man was refused bail to appear in Downing Centre local court today, while the remaining men were refused bail to appear in Waverley local court today.

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Man faces court after 98 roos found dead on army base

A man accused of shooting dead 98 kangaroos on an army base denies all charges against him.

AAP reports that Joey Pace, 43, of Williamtown, appeared briefly in Raymond Terrace local court today after being arrested by a police rural crime prevention team in the NSW Hunter Valley.

His lawyer, Glenn Kable, told the court Pace would be pleading not guilty to all charges. Magistrate Gregory Moore adjourned the case to 26 August for hearing and continued Pace’s bail.

Police raided Pace’s property at Williamtown in December and allegedly seized three firearms after the discovery of the dead kangaroos on the Singleton army base in October. A number of firearms were also seized from a second Hunter property. A firearms suspension notice has been issued.

Pace has been charged with six offences including aggravated animal cruelty between 1 and 8 October at Broke, discharging a firearm on the Singleton military base, trespassing on commonwealth land and harming or attempting to harm protected animals, namely the 98 kangaroos.

He is also accused of failing to ensure a Stirling 20 rifle was kept safely at Williamtown and not having approved storage for ammunition when being the holder of a category A or B licence.

Police were called in to investigate after the dead kangaroos as well as an ammunition box and two cartridges were found on the Singleton army base on 8 October. Pace declined to comment outside court.

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Four killed in two-car collision on Perth highway

Four people have been killed in a two-car collision on a Western Australian highway.

Police said a grey Toyota RAV4 collided with a Toyota Camry taxi about 3.40am on the Leach Highway, near Perth airport.

One of the cars caught fire, police said.

The unknown driver of the RAV4 and the 58-year-old male driver of the taxi died at scene. A 56-year-old female passenger and an 81-year-old female passenger who were seated in the rear of the taxi also died at the scene.

Major crash investigators are examining the scene and are appealing for any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers.

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Benita Kolovos

Treaty negotiations in Victoria outlined

Turning the First People’s Assembly of Victoria into an ongoing representative body will be a focus of the first round of treaty negotiations in Victoria.

The Victorian government and the First People’s Assembly today released a list of topics they will be negotiating on this month after they formally began proceedings in late November.

They include the principles and objectives for statewide treaty, how it will be legally recognised and its effects and processes for further treaties, as well as the creation of an ongoing First Peoples’ representative body.

The joint statement said they will discuss whether the First People’s Assembly could evolve into the ongoing representative body, as well as what role it would place in “decision-making relating to Victorian government programs and services for First Peoples” and the interaction between the body and the parliament.

Other topics to be discussed also include implementing the accountability mechanism under the national agreement on Closing the Gap and supporting ongoing truth-telling, education, healing and reconciliation in Victoria.

The government and the assembly have agreed to add other subject matters as negotiations proceed, which will also be shared with the public. They plan to meet weekly and provide “regular joint statements to keep Victorians updated”.

The negotiations are being overseen by the independent Treaty Authority with the government represented by senior Department of Premier and Cabinet executives.

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More details on government’s NBN announcement

At the start of Anthony Albanese’s wide-ranging press conference, he announced a $3bn “equity injection” for the NBN to keep it in public hands, with NBN Co contributing more than $800m to the project.

Here are some more details on what’s included in the announcement, as per the government:

  • The $3bn equity injection will fund the upgrade of Australia’s remaining fibre-to-the node (FTTN) network

  • The new FTTN upgrades would deliver higher internet speeds for around 622,000 additional premises

  • The upgrades will be delivered by 2030

  • When complete, more than 94% of premises on the fixed line network would have access to connections enabling speeds of up to 1Gbps

  • Modelling by Accenture suggests the upgrade program would provide a $10.4bn cumulative uplift in GDP over the next decade

  • Modelling also suggests households could save more than 100 hours and $2,580 a year in avoided travel time and costs from accessing faster broadband

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PM says he’s working with NSW and Victoria premiers over antisemitism

Taking a final question, Anthony Albanese was asked about calls from the Coalition for national cabinet to be called to address antisemitism.

Does he support these calls, and should there be mandatory sentencing on crimes related to antisemitism? The PM said states and territories governments were primarily responsible for those issues.

I’m in regular contact including in recent days with Chris Minns, the premier of NSW, and with premier [Jacinta] Allan as well in Victoria. We’ll continue to work cooperatively…

On a swastika vandalism attack at a Sydney synagogue, Albanese said those responsible should come forward and that “there is no place for antisemitism in Australia”.

It is abhorrent … It’s in Tanya Plibersek’s electorate, but it’s pretty close to my ’hood in Newtown. Shocking. That’s not what we’re about as a multicultural, tolerant nation that has respect for people of different faith. It’s a crime and the people responsible for that crime should face the full force of the law. And I would say to people: if you know who those people are, the perpetrators, pick up the phone and report that to police, because action does need to be taken.

‘Abhorrent’: swastikas (blurred) spray painted on the front wall of a Newtown synagogue in Sydney’s inner west on Saturday. Photograph: Rheuben Freelander
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Albanese on Dutton’s anti-crime funding pledge

Asked about the Coalition’s positioning as the party on law and order – with the announcement of Crime Stoppers funding today – Anthony Albanese said they were “negative about absolutely everything”.

I haven’t seen any specifics, but Peter Dutton will continue as he did yesterday to look for areas of division, to look for areas in which he can try to promote fear in the community…

What we will do is continue to work with authorities appropriately including, of course, primarily law and order issues – of course the responsibility of state and territory governments, and I think Australians understand that.

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Coalition wants to ‘go back to the era of robodebt’ – Katy Gallagher

Continuing from our last post: the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, also weighed in on the question, saying the public service “touches every Australian’s life one way or another”.

Peter Dutton and his team want to go back to the era of robodebt. Let’s not forget the public service that they had reduced to was going around hunting down Australian citizens for money that they didn’t … owe the country. That’s the public service that we had under Peter Dutton when we was a senior minister …

We had 52,000 people on the books as a shadow workforce that weren’t reported through the normal channels, and that’s exactly what they will do again. They have learnt nothing about how expensive it was, how services were reduced, how people waited too long, how some veterans died waiting for their applications to be considered.

They don’t care about any of that because they just want to wander around pretending that they can sack public servants and deliver services. It’s ridiculous.

Gallagher said “yes, we will be campaigning on this” and that it was a “fairytale” what Dutton had been talking about.

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PM responds to Coalition attacks over public sector employees

Anthony Albanese was also asked about attacks from the Coalition today regarding an increase in public sector employees as wasteful.

He was asked: is this a conversation you can have successfully on a national level? Are you able to get voters to back you up on an issue which many consider is quite Canberra-centric?

The PM responded:

If the Coalition are saying that Labor employing additional people in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to make sure that the circumstance whereby people were dying – veterans who had served our nation in uniform – before their legitimate applications of support that they had earned and that they deserved is something that shouldn’t have happened – I think there’s 500 we put in, from memory, to fix up that backlog. That is what we had to do.

And the second issue I make the point of is the billions of dollars that was spent on consultancies by the Coalition. They seem to want to go back to consultancies rather than actually employ people who have that area of expertise. I tell you what – the people who put in the bills from those companies, they’re a lot higher than a permanent public servant.

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