Major shake-up to defence bureaucracy in the works
Tom McIlroy
The federal government is preparing to announce a major shake-up to the country’s defence bureaucracy, in a bid to stop major cost blowouts and streamline operations.
As the Trump administration pushes for Australia to spend as much as 3.5% of GDP on defence and Labor prepares to spend more than $360bn on the Aukus nuclear submarines agreement, in June the defence minister, Richard Marles, said the reform agenda would be broad.
He promised “everything is on the table” for changes, including in the $56bn defence department, the Australian Defence Force and other agencies.
The changes are expected to see existing agencies including the naval shipbuilding and sustainment group, the guided weapons and explosives ordinance group and the capability acquisition and sustainment group merged.
It is expected surplus defence land will be sold off, potentially including the Victoria Barracks site in Brisbane and Spectacle Island on Sydney Harbour.
– Additional reporting by Sarah Basford Canales
Key events
Tom McIlroy
What could be part of that defence shake-up?
A looming announcement could include reorganisation of key agencies and the creation of a new structure, helping with Aukus and the government’s response to China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
On Friday, defence flagged property sales from an audit of holdings around the country. Defence currently owns nearly 3m hectares of land, including 70 major bases, 28 airfields, and more than 60 wharves.
Property sales could help provide land for new housing and fund new costs from within the department.
Marles has already flagged dwindling patience with major projects running overtime and over budget, pointing to about 30 projects running a combined 97 years late.
Separately, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has added a new division to handle Aukus arrangements. It will be headed by acting deputy secretary Kendra Morony.
Additional reporting by Sarah Basford Canales
Major shake-up to defence bureaucracy in the works
Tom McIlroy
The federal government is preparing to announce a major shake-up to the country’s defence bureaucracy, in a bid to stop major cost blowouts and streamline operations.
As the Trump administration pushes for Australia to spend as much as 3.5% of GDP on defence and Labor prepares to spend more than $360bn on the Aukus nuclear submarines agreement, in June the defence minister, Richard Marles, said the reform agenda would be broad.
He promised “everything is on the table” for changes, including in the $56bn defence department, the Australian Defence Force and other agencies.
The changes are expected to see existing agencies including the naval shipbuilding and sustainment group, the guided weapons and explosives ordinance group and the capability acquisition and sustainment group merged.
It is expected surplus defence land will be sold off, potentially including the Victoria Barracks site in Brisbane and Spectacle Island on Sydney Harbour.
– Additional reporting by Sarah Basford Canales
Truck driver jailed for Melbourne bus crash
A truck driver has been jailed for more than 12 years after crashing into a school bus and seriously injuring many students, AAP report.
Brett Michael Russell, 63, collided with the back of a bus carrying 32 people, including 27 Loreto College Ballarat students, in September 2022.
The students and teachers had been on their way to Melbourne airport to travel to the United States for a Nasa camp.
No one died in the crash but most of the passengers were taken to hospital and 10 of them suffered serious injuries including spinal fractures.
Russell in October pleaded guilty in the Victorian county court to 12 offences, including 10 counts of negligently causing serious injury.
He admitted he knew the brakes of his 62-tonne vehicle had been faulty before he got behind the wheel on September 21.
But his barrister argued Russell’s actions after the crash, including early admissions to police about the brakes and his guilty pleas, showed his “fundamental decency”.
In sentencing Russell to 12 years and nine months’ jail, Judge Michael O’Connell accepted the 63-year-old had been frank with investigators and was profoundly remorseful.
Andrew Messenger
Puberty blockers review handed to Queensland government but may not be made public
Queensland’s review of gender affirming care has been received by the state government.
Health minister Tim Nicholls announced the review in January, and banned prescribing of puberty blockers and hormone therapy in the state’s public hospitals. The ban was later found to be unlawful, but has been reimposed.
“The Vine report was received yesterday in accordance with its terms, and it’s a very lengthy report, and it will be considered by cabinet in due course,” Nicholls said on Monday.
“As I’ve said all along, that’s a matter that will be considered by cabinet, and once cabinet is considered, we’ll be making announcements”.
The government has not committed to releasing the report to the public. Nicholls said there had been no decision made either way. The minister refused to give a timeline for when it would make a decision about the report.
“I imagine it will be considered in fairly prompt time, but as I say it’s a big document. We only got it yesterday. It’ll take time to read through it. It’ll be time to understand what it recommends, and then time for consideration by cabinet,” he said.
Tory Shepherd
Hero diver set to join SA recovery effort
Thai cave hero Richard Harris is reportedly set to join a mission to recover the body of a man who died while cave diving in South Australia.
SA Police confirmed on Sunday a 65-year-old man from Victoria had drowned while diving Tank Cave, in the state’s south-east, and that a recovery operation with Water Operations Unit officers was under way.
“There are no reports of any other injuries and there are no safety concerns regarding the incident,” police said in a statement.
ABC reported today that Harris would join a crew of about six specialist cave divers to navigate the complex cave system. The Cave Divers Association of Australia describes Tank Cave like this:
The small surface lake leads to an extensive, maze-like system with over 7km of dive-able passage – this makes it one of the longest underwater caves in Australia.
You can read more about the underwater network near Mt Gambier and the unfolding ecological disaster it is facing here:
Henry Belot
More than 670 NSW pokies venues to be stripped of ability to stay open after 4am
More than 670 poker machine venues across New South Wales will lose their “outdated exemptions” to operate after 4am as the state government responds to pressure to address “a public health catastrophe”.
The decision, announced by the state’s gaming minister David Harris, will ensure gaming rooms are closed at the mandated 4am deadline. Currently, some venues allow them to be played 24/7.
The change, which may result in pushback from the powerful clubs and pubs lobby, comes after criticism from the government’s own independent advisory panel on gambling, a damning audit report and political pressure from the Greens and Liberals.
It also follows state government-funded research that showed poker machine players were significantly more likely to experience harm after midnight.
The exemptions have been provided for a variety of reasons, including venues being considered tourist destinations or experiencing financial hardship.
Clubs and pubs that believe they have a “strong case” for the exemptions to remain will be able to appeal the decision before 31 March, but must meet tougher conditions imposed by the state’s independent regulator.
Read more:
Josh Butler
‘Completely incorrect’ to suggest digital ID system pending, eSafety boss says
Further on eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant, she says the Coalition is “completely incorrect” in claiming that a new age checking system for search engines like Google was the first step toward a digital ID system.
She also conceded the under-16s social media ban would not be perfect, and expected many young people to migrate to different social media platforms not included in the ban – and that some of those may eventually be wrapped into the ban.
“We watched what American kids did when TikTok went blank. They went to Rednote, they went to Lemonade, which is an Instagram clone. We’ve been talking to the likes of Yubo, which is a French site … we expected there will be some migration, and some of these will become age restricted social media platforms,” she said.
“We don’t think we’re going to totally turn off the spigot. We will be watching the migratory patterns, and we’ll be talking to these companies. Some of that’s going to happen inevitably, but that’s what teenagers do. So again, it’s not going to be perfect, but the normative change in the mid to long term will be significant.”
Asked about Coalition claims on the age checking for search engines, coming in later in December, Inman Grant responded: “Well, that’s just completely incorrect.”
She said the new system would compel search engines to blur violent pornography, explicit violence – giving the example of Charlie Kirk’s assassination – and other unsavoury content.
Josh Butler
Tech companies ‘disappoint’ eSafety boss ahead of social media ban
eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant says it’s “disappointing” more tech companies haven’t put out earlier advice to users about the under-16s social media ban, with several large platforms not having communicated to users yet about what they’ll need to do.
Inman Grant was at Parliament House today with social services minister Tanya Plibersek, speaking about tech-facilitated abuse and domestic violence. At a press conference, the commissioner said more tech companies will release information this week – specifically noting TikTok’s advice would come within days – but said companies could be doing more to tell users what their age assurance technology systems will require.
Inman Grant said:
It’s disappointing … We suggested the best timeframe was two weeks in advance. My powers don’t come into effect until December 10, and that’s when we’ll start gathering information notices. We’ve been working on compliance plans. We’ve been engaging. We’ve been telling companies what best practice is.
We’ve been talking to them for over a year. So this should be a surprise to none of them, but there’s nothing I can do, from a regulatory perspective, to light a fire under them, only that this is the right thing to do to their young users that are going to use the platform.
Meta’s platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Threads – and Snapchat have put out that advice, but the likes of TikTok, X and Google’s YouTube have not yet.
She said the eSafety office had asked all tech companies to “compassionately and kindly” tell users how their accounts will be deactivated or moved.
Andrew Messenger
Queensland government considering mandatory jail for breach of bail
Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie says the Queensland government is considering mandatory sentencing for children who breach bail conditions.
LNP candidate Wayde Chiesa won the north Queensland seat of Hinchinbrook at a byelection on the weekend on a platform of “breach of bail go to jail”.
“I think it’s fair to say the government’s now actively considering breach of bail go to jail, considering the historic result we had on the weekend, and the strong support from that community for those laws,” Bleijie said at a press conference on Monday.
Labor suspended the state’s Human Rights Act to make breaching bail a criminal offence in 2023. Two third of children charged under Labor’s laws were Indigenous, according to police data from that year.
Caitlin Cassidy
Workforce shortages in early childhood sector ‘significant and ongoing’ despite pay rise, union says
The Australian Education Union (AEU) says the federal government’s 15% pay rise for early childhood educators is welcome, but further reforms are needed to address workforce pressures facing the sector.
Educators received the first 10% of the pay rise last December, with the final 5% coming into effect on Monday. It’s equivalent to an extra $160 per week, or $200 per week when combined with minimum wage rises.
The AEU’s deputy federal president, Meredith Pearce, said today’s rise was “recognition of the professionalism, skill and dedication of early childhood educators across Australia”:
This pay rise is meaningful and will make a real difference to educators’ lives. But we know the workforce shortages in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are significant and ongoing.
To attract and retain the highly skilled professionals children deserve, we must continue to improve pay, address workload, and provide secure employment across the sector.
Melbourne could have its coldest 1 December since 1987
Melbourne may be on track to have its coldest first day of summer since 1987, if the sun doesn’t come out.
The Bureau of Meteorology says if the city’s thermometers don’t top 15.5C today, it’ll be the coldest 1 December since 1987. The forecast for the day is a high of 15, but it’s already reached 14.7C.
Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the BoM, said a large stretch of south-eastern Australia is in for temperatures 10 to 15C cooler than average, including parts of inland NSW and Victoria.
But at the same time, Perth is on track for temperatures 5 to 10C above average, with a forecasted high of 37C.
Sydney police charge four men over alleged ‘international satanic child sex abuse material ring’
NSW police say they have uncovered an “international satanic child sex abuse material ring” and charged four Australians for their alleged involvement, AAP reports.
Detectives from the sex crimes squad said that as part of Strike Force Constantine, an investigation into the online distribution of child sexual abuse material involving ritualistic or satanic themes, they disrupted a Sydney-based network.
In a statement, police alleged the network was actively involved in possessing, distributing and facilitating this material through a website that was “administered internationally”.
Detectives, accompanied by the riot squad, carried out six search warrants in Waterloo, Ultimo and Malabar on Thursday morning last week.
Read more here:
NSW experiencing ‘unusually prolonged flu season’
Natasha May
New South Wales is experiencing an “unusually prolonged flu season” which is continuing to affect hospitals across the state, NSW Health has warned.
More than 370 people presented to emergency departments across the state with an influenza-like illness, while more than 3,100 cases were notified in NSW in a single week in mid-November.
NSW Health said this is the second week in a row that cases have climbed and were around the same number of cases notified as at the start of June this year, the first week of winter.
The NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said:
When we compare this respiratory illness season to others, we are experiencing a longer tail, which is a concern.
Usually by September or early October influenza levels have tapered to quite low levels from the peak, which traditionally occurs during winter – but we’re well into November and notifications are increasing.
No one wants influenza, or any respiratory illness for that matter, to ruin the end of their year, so it’s important everyone takes preventive measures to stop its spread. It’s not too late to get vaccinated. If you are sick, please stay home, and wear a mask if you need to go out, to help stop the spread.
Some residents of Geraldton in WA told to ‘leave now’ as bushfire threatens homes
An out-of-control bushfire is threatening homes and properties in Geraldton, with residents warned to leave now or put their lives in danger, AAP reports.
An emergency warning is in place for residents of Bluff Point, Spalding and Sunset in Geraldton, Western Australia.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes,” the warning reads.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued an evacuation order just before 6am on Monday. Residents in Glenfield have also been told to prepare to leave.
A full list of active alerts can be found here.
Victoria premier says Pauline Hanson’s ‘division is not welcome here’
Benita Kolovos
Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has been on a media blitz this morning to spruik the Metro Tunnel’s opening yesterday. Appearing on ABC Radio Melbourne, she was asked about an anti-immigration protest that also happened on Sunday, which included a speech by One Nation’s Pauline Hanson.
Hanson, in her speech, told the crowd she wasn’t from Victoria and that she “wouldn’t move” to the state.
Asked by host Raf Epstein what she made of Hanson’s comment, Allan replied:
Good. That sort of division is not welcome here. That sort of divisive politics has been rejected by the Victorian community.
Epstein also asked the premier whether police would be releasing the number of searches they conduct in Melbourne’s CBD after declaring the city and its surrounds a “designated area” for six months.
Allan replied that the release of such figures was an operational decision for police. She went on:
Transparency, of course, is important, but not where it compromises the operational work of Victoria police to keep our community safe. This is why these powers are important. It is keeping the community safe, and I think we saw that yesterday … [it] was a safe and peaceful day around the city. Alongside the opening of the Metro Tunnel, there were the Christmas windows.
It was a big and busy weekend in Melbourne’s CBD, and people were able to go around and shop and enjoy a meal, check out the Metro Tunnel, and did so safely.
