Нaвaльный подает в присутствие на Пескова

Пoлитик Aлeксeй Нaвaльный зaявил, чтo пoдaст в разбирательство нa прeсс-сeкрeтaря Влaдимирa Путинa Дмитрия Пeскoвa с-зa его высказываний о работе оппозиционера для ЦРУ.

«Я, безусловно, считаю, что-то за покушением на меня целесообразно лично Путин. А кто вторично мог отдать приказ тем 2-3 руководителям спецслужб, в чьем распоряжении проглатывать «новичок» и народище, умеющие его применять? Об этом я сказал в собеседование журналу «Шпигель»… И благо до этого ложь Кремля была в диапазоне с «это диабет» прежде «он симулировал и отравился не спросясь», то после мои заявления им нужно обманывать что-то более цветистое и агрессивное.

В действие пошло старое-доброе Шпионское ведомство… В этот раз обвинения исходят маловыгодный от клоуна с гостелевидения, а с пресс-секретаря Путина Пескова», - сообщается для сайте Навального.

Там приводится отрывок Пескова: « Ну, скажу беспричинно, наверное, не пациент работает с западными спецслужбами, а западные спецслужбы работают с ним. Беспричинно будет корректнее. Действительно, уписывать такая информация. Я пусть даже могу сказать конкретно: с ним в сии дни работают специалисты Центрального разведывательного управления Соединенных Штатов Америки. В целом, конечно, вы спросите меня даже если не про спецслужбы — будь по-вашему, это, собственно, не первоначальный раз, когда ему дают непохожие инструкции».

«Вас знаете, что я крайне самобытно подаю в суд на пропагандистов, аж они и врут про меня целыми со дня на день. Просто не хочу у кого-л. выходит много время. Однако здесь прямое установле от госчиновника. Поэтому, закачаешься-первых, я подаю в суд держи Пескова. А во-вторых, требую тиснуть доказательства и факты, указывающие в «работу со специалистами Ведомство рыцарей плаща и кинжала». Прямо по телевизору покажите, в прайм-период. Разрешаю», - заявил политзаключенный.

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Scott Morrison’s hopes of reopening state borders crushed

A meeting of the national cabinet today discussed a number of issues aimed at ending months of chaos, confusion and economic damage caused by border restrictions.

But Scott Morrison’s bid for unity was derailed by Western Australia, which was the sole jurisdiction to not sign up to an ambitious new goal of reopening by December.

That prompted Mr Morrison to declare that the era of “100 per cent consensus” that had been the basis of national cabinet’s operation was now over.

News.com.au has confirmed the Prime Minister opened up today’s meeting by telling state and territory leaders that it would no longer be run on a consensus approach.

“He opened up with it so it’s, ‘I am changing the rules so I don’t get rolled’,’’ a state official said.

But federal sources said it was a “very positive meeting” with most states happy to sign up to a national definition of hotspots to move towards reopening borders.

RELATED: Follow our latest coronavirus updates

There was progress on agreeing on a federal definition of a COVID-19 hotspot, but Mr Morrison said more consultation would take place.

Although acting chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly had provided a good starting point.

When decided, the definition will be an important component of a devised plan to get to ‘stage three’ of the Commonwealth’s plan for the country, announced in May.

“What’s different about this plan from the last one is it just isn’t about how many people you can have in a cafe, as important as that is, it’s about how the testing regimes have to work, the availability of passenger manifests for people moving around the country, the sort of surveillance testing arrangements… the specific testing arrangements and the sort of ratios you need to hit to ensure that you can have a confident about the level of outbreak, if it were to occur in any place,” Mr Morrison said.

“In all of these areas, there’s a necessity to put the protections in place so, as we open up, that we can be confident and states can look at each other and be more confident about how people can move between the various jurisdictions.”

The new goal is to have the plan enacted by December, but Mr Morrison said one state didn’t commit to it — WA.

The PM said discussions with Premier Mark McGowan would continue.

“Western Australia has a very different border and a very different economy than most of the other states and territories where these decisions have been made,” he said.

“There are not large border towns. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, there are virtually none along the Western Australian border.

“Their economy is of a much greater scale than the South Australian and the Tasmanian economies.

“So, they will watch carefully, they will look on, and the thing about our new way of working in National Cabinet is the door always remains open.

“And they are always able to join us at a subsequent time. And I believe there are many things they can offer in that process.”

Mr McGowan said re-opening the WA border too soon “would mean people die”.

“I made it clear that Western Australia will not be agreeing to a hotspot model or a hotspot definition which replaces our successful border controls,” he said after national cabinet today.

“Western Australia has always avoided setting an arbitrary deadline on borders. A date will be set when our health advice recommends it, but that might be some time away.

“We went through this before and then Victoria happened. Opening and closing borders just

causes more confusion and it isn’t a good outcome for the state’s economy.

“Unlike the rest of the country, WA is not currently in a recession. So we won’t be prematurely reopening our borders. If we went too soon it could be deadly, and there would be economic devastation. That would result in the re-introduction of restrictions. That would possibly mean reintroducing, again, a hard border.

“It would mean people would die.”

RELATED: Annastacia Palaszczuk defends Queensland’s hard border and slams her ‘relentless’ critics

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is a thorn in the PM’s side on borders. Picture: Peter Wallis

Earlier, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she wouldn’t be bullied into reopening borders.

“It is relentless. It is intimidating. But I will not be intimidated,’’ she said.

“If we all focused our efforts on Victoria and NSW and getting the community transmission under control, right, to the extent that there was no community transmission – and that is the advice of the Deputy Health Officer of the country.

“That is the aim. They moved from elimination, to suppression, to no community transmission. If we focus on that, there will come a time when everybody could open up.”

Mr Morrison conceded that national cabinet had disagreed on issues, but insisted it would find a way to work through disagreements.

“At the times when sometimes our frustrations have been greatest, and the tensions have been at their peak, that has been exactly the same time when we have been reminded of just how important it is that we continue this great work of our Federation and how it has delivered for Australians, for over a century.

“The national cabinet began from a realisation that, if we each went and tried to go our own way, that in the face of something at the time we could barely imagine, that we wouldn’t prevail, and that we would fall short. And so our federation instincts kicked in.

“I remember the day vividly. There was no disagreement, there was no debate about it. We all looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve gotta do this. And we’ve gotta come together’.

“Now, from time to time, those federation instincts have grown a little faint, but I can tell you today, once again, as I find each and every time I bring this national cabinet together, they find it again, and we find the way to work through.”

He confirmed that the notion of 100 per cent consensus on any issue wasn’t a practical way to operate national cabinet.

“And so what we will do is we will set out areas where we can come together, and get as many states and territories as possible to come around that agreement,” Mr Morrison said.

“Not everyone has to get on the bus for the bus to leave the station. But it is important the bus leaves the station, and we all agree on that. We all agree on that.”

More to come

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Aussie diplomat Pablo Kang in trouble for eating endangered Cambodian turtle

Pablo Kang, who has been Australia’s representative in Cambodia for four years, posted the image of an Asian giant softshell turtle he ate on a provincial visit in the country.

The species of freshwater turtle is regarded in Cambodia as a “high status” food.

It has largely become threatened because of its consumption as a local delicacy in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries where it is a native species.

The species disappeared from much of its former habitat last century and is now considered by some scientists to be endangered or at the very least a threatened species.

After coming under fire for eating a meal of one, Mr Kang deleted the tweet and issued a public apology on Twitter.

“Hello. I have removed my tweet about soft shell turtles & eels, and apologise to all those who took offence,” he tweeted.

“My intent was not to promote these dishes, but to tell people about some of the foods I was offered during my recent provincial visit.

“I certainly do not condone the harvesting of any endangered species for food or other purposes, and will be more careful about my actions in future.”

RELATED: Australia's most endangered animals

Pablo Kang, Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, is in trouble for eating an endangered native species of turtle and tweeting photos of his meal.

Mr Kang, an experienced diplomat, apologised and said he would be more careful in future.

Hello. I have removed my tweet about soft shell turtles & eels, and apologise to all those who took offence. My intent was not to promote these dishes, but to tell people about some of the foods I was offered during my recent provincial visit. 1/2— Pablo Kang

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Victorians will see JobKeeper payments slashed this month

The extended coronavirus lockdown has sparked havoc with plans to reduce the payments from $1500 to $1200 a fortnight from September 27, a move the Morrison Government has argued is an extension of the original deadline to end the payments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly defended the plan on the grounds that Victoria would be out of lockdown by the date that JobKeeper will be reduced, but the extended restrictions mean that’s no longer the case.

There are currently more than one million workers on JobKeeper in Victoria – an army of workers that is expected to rise to 1.36 million people next year.

The roadmap outlined by the Victorian Premier Dan Andrews on Sunday involves millions of workers still being subject to tough restrictions where they are effectively banned from attending work just as the JobKeeper payments are reduced.

RELATED: Follow our latest coronavirus updates

RELATED: Everything you need to know about Melbourne’s stage four exit roadmap

Restaurants and cafes remain banned from trading as normal with only takeaway and delivery allowed and retail outlets will remain restricted to essential or click and collect.

Thousands of Victorians are also expected to lose their jobs and be forced onto JobSeeker, which is also being cut by the Morrison Government this month.

Speaking in Canberra today, Mr Morrison defended the looming reduction in JobKeeper payments, as well as the government's record on economic support.

“We are extending the JobKeeper payment, we are extending that out till the end of March,” Mr Morrison said. “We are extending the JobSeeker payment out to the end of December.”

For those Victorians facing additional financial hardship from the extended lockdown, the Commonwealth will watch to see what supports the Andrews Government provides.

“Once I see what the Victorian Government is proposing to do … I expect (they) and many other states will announce further programs in these areas as, indeed, the Commonwealth will to support their economies.

“But when it comes to specific economic support – income support or other forms of support that they consider is appropriate to deal with the consequences of the decisions the Victorian government is taking – I’ll be looking to see what they’ll be doing first before the Commonwealth considers any responses that we’ll be making.”

Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers told news.com.au that cutting JobKeeper for millions of workers makes no sense when the jobs crisis is getting worse, not better.

“It beggars belief that the Treasurer, as a Victorian, won’t reconsider his JobKeeper cuts even as the jobs crisis intensifies,’’ he said.

“Josh Frydenberg is leaving millions of Victorians behind in the worst recession in almost a century.”

The Treasury has predicted that around 400,000 Victorians will lose their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison described Victoria’s decision to extend the lockdown arrangements as “hard and crushing news for the people of Victoria”.

In a clear criticism of the Victorian Government’s handling of the pandemic, Mr Morrison said the extended lockdown was a reminder of the impact and costs that result from not being able to contain outbreaks of COVID-19, resulting in high rates of community transmission.

“It is vital to the national interest to restore Victoria to a COVIDSafe environment, where we can reopen our economy and reasonably restore the liberties of all Australians, whether in Victoria or anywhere else,’’ he said.

“The proposed roadmap will come at a further economic cost. While this needs to be weighed up against mitigating the risk of further community outbreak, it is also true that the continued restrictions will have further impact on the Victorian and national economy, in further job losses and loss of livelihoods, as well as impacting on mental health.”

RELATED: Shock and fury as Victorians react to Daniel Andrews’ roadmap

It was expected that Victoria’s strict COVID-19 restrictions would be eased by the time the JobKeeper payment was reduced. Picture: Getty Images

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra has expressed his shock that the road map being outlined was much longer than expected.

“The business community had high hopes that today’s announcement would signal the end of Stage 4 restrictions on 13 September and instead businesses are left frustrated and facing more weeks of lost revenue and mounting costs they can’t afford,’’ he said.

“Victoria’s economy is experiencing its biggest crisis in modern times with thousands of businesses unable to operate for most of this year, and the government needs to allow Victorians to get back to work while managing the health crisis.

“We will continue to do whatever we can and work with both the Federal and State Government to not only deliver hope, but to deliver jobs, by keeping your business alive.”

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton defended the toad map this morning arguing the alternative would involve a third wave and a third lockdown.

“The risk that’s been mapped out by the modelling suggests that if we open too early, and if we don’t follow these kind of thresholds for the next stage and the following steps, then we’ll be back in a situation that we’ve already been through in Victoria and we don’t

want to be there again,’’ he told ABC TV.

“We don’t want to be at a point where there is an epidemic curve where restrictions need to be put back in place. I understand how difficult it must be for businesses to see that it is not opening as early as they would have liked. But the risk, and it’s apparent in the modelling, is that going too early with too many cases on a daily basis, just puts it at serious risk of shutting down again in coming months.”

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‘We have the plan to get people back to work’: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg

More than 1.3 million Australians on the dole will be subject to new rules from September 28, The Australian reports.

Victorians will have their obligations, which will also include accepting offers of suitable work, paused while the state remains in lockdown.

Mr Frydenberg told Today that jobs were returning as restrictions in other states and territories eased.

“It’s only appropriate when you provide government support that you expect in return mutual obligation and where there is an appropriate and suitable job on offer somebody takes it,” he said.

RELATED: Unemployment rate falls to 6.8 per cent

There are 13 unemployed Australians for every one job that is available. Picture: William WEST / AFP

“We put mutual obligation on hold through the worst of the virus.”

Mr Frydenberg said the same mutual obligation requirements would not be placed on Victoria, which in some parts still has a curfew and stage 4 restrictions.

His comments follow the nation’s official unemployment rate falling from 7.5 per cent to 6.8 per cent on Thursday.

“The good news for the Australian economy was that yesterday 111,000 people got a job over the month of August,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“There is still a long way to go, and we know the road ahead will be pretty bumpy and people are still doing it pretty tough.

“But we know also that there are positive signs across the economy, and we have the plan to get people back to work.”

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Tony Abbott slams ‘bureaucratic bloody mindedness’ of Qld border restrictions

Speaking to The Australian, Mr Abbott described Queensland’s refusal to allow people from NSW to cross the border without quarantining as “heartless.”

Mr Abbott, who is serving 14 days quarantine in Sydney after returning from London, said Queensland had gone too far.

“We are now seeing the heartless and mind-boggling bureaucratic bloody-mindedness that goes with these border closures,” he told The Australian.

“That New South Welshmen coming from a state with almost no cases and going into a state with almost no cases should be seen as somehow toxic to Queenslanders is simply crazy.”

It comes after numerous high profile cases have emerged in recent days of people being denied exemptions to attend funerals or farewell dying loved ones, while Hollywood star Tom Hanks was allowed to fly into the Gold Coast, which Ms Palaszczuk has continued to defend.

“I do not make those decisions. Those are decisions for our Chief Health Officer (Dr Jeannette Young),” she said last week.

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Sarah Caisip was not able to attend her father’s Brisbane funeral after a request to leave hotel quarantine was denied. She was given 10 minutes alone to view his body after the service. Picture: Annette Dew

Ms Palaszczuk responded to a personal phone call from Prime Minister Scott Morrison pleading with her to allow Sarah Caisip permission to leave hotel quarantine to attend her father’s funeral, in a move she slammed as “bullying”.

It comes as LNP Senator Matt Canavan slammed Ms Palaszczuk on Sky News on Monday morning, labelling her “a Queensland Donald Trump”.

Speaking this morning, Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles slammed the constant Liberal-led attacks on the Queensland government.

“The PM made a mistake when he weighed in,” Mr Miles said.

“He was left with egg on his face when facts of those cases came out.”

The latest attack on Queensland’s borders comes a day after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton lashed out, labelling the restrictions as “politically motivated”.

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Melbourne Mayor’s plea to Dan Andrews

In a dramatic appeal, Lord Mayor Sally Capp claimed the city “is on its knees” in a series of social media posts after a day of campaigning against COVID-19 lockdown.

From this weekend, stage four restrictions will be lifted slightly to allow more exercise and a later curfew that will be eased by one hour from 9pm to 5am, but the expectations for businesses reopening remains unclear.

Mayor Capp initially spoke to Nine’s Today program on Monday morning pushing for a more “logical” approach to reopening Victoria, saying the current plan is full of inconsistencies.

But she followed up her TV appearance with a series of tweets claiming “our city is on its knees”, businesses are “hanging on by a thread” and the community is “anxious about the future”.

She said she anticipated raising a number of “ideas” with Mr Andrews at their next meeting including the need for a “substantial” Christmas trading period “to keep Melbourne afloat”.

RELATED: Melb’s stage four exit road map: Everything you need to know

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Our City is on its knees, with business hanging on by a thread and the community anxious about the future.   We must work urgently together: this is not the time for delay or division. We are talking about people’s lives and livelihoods. (1/6)— Sally Capp - Lord Mayor of Melbourne (@LordMayorMelb) September 7, 2020

To keep #Melbourne afloat, our City needs to have a substantial Christmas trading period. The health message must remain strong, but we also need to do everything we can to help businesses survive so they can open their doors when it's safe to do so. #COVID19Victoria (6/6)— Sally Capp - Lord Mayor of Melbourne (@LordMayorMelb) September 7, 2020

On Sunday, she confirmed she had taken up the Premier’s offer “for more consultation” as the country debates the right path to end Victoria’s stage four restrictions.

The state recorded another 41 cases of the virus in the latest 24 hours and nine new deaths.

“We remain committed to the health response as a priority but we are very, very conscious that it isn’t really sustainable to us if businesses remain in lockdown and [we] expect them to survive without significant assistance,” she said.

“The health message must remain strong, but we also need to do everything we can to help businesses survive so they can open their doors when it’s safe to do so,” Ms Capp said.

Mayor Capp spent the day mainly campaigning for business and small businesses in the city, claiming the situation was “dire” and that many will not be able to sustain the ongoing lockdown.

She explained while most of her constituents appeared to support the idea of following expert health advice, there was a “more logical and fair” way to do things.

She said if the daily average number of coronavirus cases in the state drops earlier than the road map suggests, “then hospitality and retail should be able to open sooner, including with indoor patrons”.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: James Ross

Sally Capp.

Mayor Capp called on the Andrews government to work with the city on the following:

• Immediate additional financial assistance for businesses prevented from operating due to restrictions;

• A commitment to continuous review and a more flexible approach which allows businesses to reopen sooner in a COVID-responsible way.

On her TV appearance Ms Capp said the Premier’s plan doesn’t match up with the road map presented by the federal government or the approaches being taken by other states.

“In May the Federal Government gave a road map with three steps. We have now got a road map with four steps,” she said.

“The first step in the Federal Government road map saw hospitality and retail opening. The fourth step in our Victorian road map has some limited reopening. So we have a lot of inconsistency.”

Locals exercise along Mordialloc foreshore in Melbourne in May. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

Mayor Capp also pointed out that Queensland still has active COVID-19 cases but businesses are still open and the state is even going to host the AFL grand final.

“I think for everybody here in Victoria, we want to be able to follow the advice of health experts but it would be terrific to see some national consistency and a sense of support for businesses during lockdown,” she said.

Mayor Capp said there needs to be a sense of “fairness and logic” about what businesses are able to open up and when.

“We have got some of our businesses in the most highly regulated sectors such as hospitality and yet they are almost the last to open,” she said.

“It is also very difficult for many business owners to understand why those trigger points apply to them. Zero cases for two weeks in a row to be able to get restaurants to welcome 20 people back.

“It would be great for those business owners and their teams to understand why that is the case when they are in one of the most heavily regulated industries.”

On Sunday night, Mr Andrews was asked by The Sunday Project’s Lisa Wilkinson about the “strong and varied reactions” to his lockdown extension with a focus on business.

“Jennifer Westacott from the BCA (Business Council of Australia) thinks businesses that already had working COVID-safe plans and no transmissions should be allowed to reopen. Why can’t they?”

“Lisa, I’ll just say this: it’s not so much whether a business has had a history of infections, we simply can’t allow their customers out of their homes as if this virus didn’t actually exist,” Mr Andrews said.

“It is not about the business setting – it is important – but it doesn’t begin and end there.

“It is about how many customers, how many citizens, can we have moving freely throughout metropolitan Melbourne, throughout regional Victoria, and that point seems to have been missed.

“Ultimately we need to do this in a steady and safe way,” the Premier said. “If we could do more faster, if we could have made different announcements today, if the science, the data and

the medical experts had recommended something different, then of course I would have announced something different.

“We can’t ignore the reality we face. Just because we want this to be over, we can’t pretend that it is.

“There’s a lot of pain out there, I understand that, but there will be even more pain if we are open for just a few weeks and then shut down again for months.”

Today @DanielAndrewsMP had the whole country’s expectations weighing on his shoulders as he laid out his plan for Victoria. We spoke to the Premier to find out exactly why these decisions have been made. pic.twitter.com/HJR0sZXiG9— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 6, 2020

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‘Much better’: Treasurer compares states response to virus

“In the last 24 hours, you’ve seen 17 cases in New South Wales,” he told ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday night.

“But you haven’t seen their border closed like you’ve seen in Queensland or Western Australia. They’ve managed to deal with the virus much better than I think other jurisdictions have.

“You need to take into account the economic impacts of your policies and that’s why I’ve been so vocal, as well as the business community, in calling for Victoria to provide a road map out of stage four (coronavirus restrictions).”

RELATED: Follow our live coronavirus coverage

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Picture: 7.30

RELATED: Berejiklian asks Palaszczuk to show ‘compassion’

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews plans to do just that on Sunday, while New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced an expansion of the bubble zone along the NSW-Victoria border to a 50km radius from Friday morning.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who faces a state election on October 31, this week revealed the state’s border would remain shut for all of September.

The Treasurer appeared on 7.30 hours after the country officially plunged into a recession for the first time in 29 years.

GDP collapsed by seven per cent in the June quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed in its release of national accounts data on Wednesday morning, following a 0.3 per cent decline in the three months to March.

Asked by host Leigh Sales if the Government was going to proceed with “planned tapering” of income support measures from this month, Mr Frydenberg said the program was “always meant to be transitioning over time”.

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Host Leigh Sales. Picture: 7.30

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He noted JobKeeper was legislated for six months but will be split into a two-tiered system in four weeks and extended for another six months.

“I think it’s important to transition because outside of Victoria, the jobs are coming back,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“Seven out of eight jurisdictions are opening up and easing restrictions.

“Of the 1.3 million Australians who lost their job or saw their hours reduced to zero since the start of the crisis, we’re now seeing 700,000 or more than half come back, and of the 340,000 jobs that were created in the last two months, importantly 58 per cent of those have gone to women and 44 per cent have gone to young people.

“So there is some hope. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We need to get the virus under control.”

Former Treasurer Wayne Swan slammed Mr Frydenberg’s remarks on Twitter.

“Frydenberg says on #abc730 the economy depends on virus control yet he bags virus control in Victoria and QLD constantly,” he wrote.

Frydenberg says on #abc730 the economy depends on virus control yet he bags virus control in Victoria and QLD constantly-out of his https://t.co/uMmsw0VH2R wonder the public lack the confidence to spend further deepening the recession #auspol— Wayne Swan (@SwannyQLD) September 2, 2020

Mr Frydenberg was also questioned about comments from former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a speech made in London overnight, when he indicated elderly COVID-19 patients should be allowed to die to reduce the economic costs.

“In this climate of fear, it was hard for governments to ask ‘how much is a life worth?’ because every life is precious,” Mr Abbott said.

“And every death is sad, but that’s never stopped families sometimes electing to make elderly relatives as comfortable as possible as nature takes its course.”

Sales asked the Treasurer, given there is no cure yet for coronavirus, whether Mr Abbott has a “point” that there are “difficult conversations that need to be had about what is a manageable number of cases, and by inference deaths, in the community at any one time”.

“I look forward to you getting all the hate mail for making that comment about Tony Abbott,” Mr Frydenberg replied.

“I mean, the reality is Tony Abbott’s entitled to his own views, and we heard from two other former Prime Ministers this week from the other side of politics. We need to manage the health response as best as we can. That’s what we are doing.”

Sales persisted with the remarks, drawing the exact ire on social media that Mr Frydenberg had predicted, however some of the reaction was directed at him.

Had ear surgery today. You know, I thought I heard the words, “doesn’t Tony Abbott have a point?” on #abc730. Clearly have more recovering to do.— worldwidewebster (@DiWebster) September 2, 2020

Isn't Joshy sweet, Leigh? He looks forward to you getting all the hate mail, for suggesting Tony Abbott has a point. Geez Louise. #abc730— Matilda Biddle ?? (@L1I9N6K4) September 2, 2020

When the majority of Australians clearly support the actions of state premiers, yet the federal government see fit to run constant interference, we are shown how utterly bereft of ideas, leadership and policy they are. #auspol #abc730— shelley mcnicholl (@shell3070) September 2, 2020

#abc730 and @leighsales seriously countenancing that Tony Abbott's reprehensible suggestion that there's a number of deaths we can regard as acceptable to keep the economy going is the lowest point in journalism I can recall.— Sundo

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Vic Lib MPs request investigation into branch stacking claims

A report broadcast on the 60 Minutes program has accused Federal MP Michael Sukkar and Victorian MP Marcus Bastiaan of plotting to remove sitting MPs and being involved in a branch stacking operation.

The report also claimed a leaked memo from Mr Bastiaan revealed a plan to build a Bastiaan-Sukkar faction inside of Federal MP Kevin Andrews’ office.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said on Monday Mr Sukkar’s position was now “untenable”, and that the saga was a test of Scott Morrison’s leadership.

But Assistant Treasurer Mr Sukkar and backbencher Mr Andrews on Sunday night rejected the allegations.

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar wants an independent investigation into branch stacking claims. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

“In the interests of transparency and to remove any doubt, I have asked the Secretary of the Department of Finance to undertake an independent review of the staffing arrangements in the Deakin Electorate Office since my election in 2013,” Mr Sukkar said in a statement.

“I have never authorised taxpayer funded staff to undertake party political activity outside of these policies and guidelines when they are being paid to serve the constituents of the Deakin electorate.

“I cannot speak to the operations of other Electorate Offices.”

Mr Andrews said a number of allegations made in the report were false.

“The suggestion that I would be coerced into making decisions on staffing arrangements in my Electorate Office by others is untrue,” he wrote on Twitter.

I have referred staffing matters raised in the 60 minutes program to the Secretary of the Department of Finance to be independently reviewed.— Kevin Andrews (@kevinandrewsmp) August 23, 2020

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese told ABC RN this was “a test for Scott Morrison”.

“This is the test that he himself set when there were allegations into Victoria,” Mr Albanese said.

“If Michael Sukkar is still sitting there at two o’clock as a minister, then that is a failure of Scott Morrison’s leadership.

“His assistant treasurer is in it up to his neck in his own words here, and that his position is untenable.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Monday said referring the matters to the Department of Finance for review was “the appropriate thing to do”.

“When I saw that program, I knew that Liberal Party members would be concerned about the conduct and about the language that was used. I share those concerns,” he told Today.

“I’ve subsequently spoken to the president of the Victorian division as well as the state director, as well as the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party will deal with those matters now internally.”

Mr Frydenberg said Mr Sukkar continued to have his support.

Crossbench Senator Rex Patrick took to Twitter to accuse both parties of focusing on “internal power struggles than the public interest”.

Originally published asProbe into Lib branch stacking claims

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14 new cases of COVID in NSW

Of these, only one case is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, and one case was acquired in Victoria.

One was locally acquired with no links to other cases, and 11 were locally acquired and linked to known cases.

There has been a major outbreak in several schools across Sydney, with five of Monday’s cases linked to the Tangara School for Girls in Cherrybrook – four students and a household contact of a previously confirmed case.

There are nine cases linked to the school, including six students, but no source has been identified.Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in NSW since July 1Live Data Source: Health Protection NSW

“The original source of this cluster remains under investigation, and this morning we received two additional cases (linked to the school), a teacher and a student,” chief health officer Kerry Chant told reporters on Monday.

The school’s senior campus will be closed until August 24 and the junior campus closed until August 11.

“All students, staff and support staff of the secondary school are isolating for 14 days and being tested regardless of symptoms,” Dr Chant said.

Anyone at the junior school is asked to monitor for symptoms and get tested if they arise.

In addition to the Cherrybrook cluster, Bonnyrigg Heights Public school has closed for cleaning after a student attended while infectious on August 4, 5 and 6.

An early learning centre at Quakers Hill is also closed for cleaning, and contact tracing is under way after a staff member worked while infectious on Monday, August 3.

A student at Our Lady of Mercy College in Parramatta was also diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday morning.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (right) has warned one person’s actions can cause so much harm to the community/. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Premier Gladys Berejiklian praised the high number of tests done over the weekend – about 50,000, but said the state was “still on very high alert”.

“We are holding the line, but it’s still really important for people to come and get tested, to be aware of where they’ve been and to assume whenever they leave the house themselves, or someone they come into contact with, has the virus,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian pleaded with residents to limit the amount of places they go to when leaving their homes after two men tested positive last week, days after visiting more than half a dozen venues each over the weekend.

The Premier said she did not want to lock the state down again but did not dismiss the idea.

“We are in a state of high alert,” she said. “We don’t want to have to impose further restrictions on people’s ability to be free, but your actions can unintentionally cause so much harm to those in the community.

“Consider your own actions and what you’re doing.”

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