A media adviser for the then justice minister, Michael Keenan, worked together with David De Garis to leak news of impending police raids on the AWU in October 2017, a court has heard.
De Garis, former media adviser to then employment minister Michaelia Cash, told the federal court on Wednesday he told Keenan staffer Michael Tetlow that the raids were set to occur late that afternoon.
Under questioning from the AWU’s barrister, Herman Borenstein QC, De Garis said he told Tetlow that “I understood that the raids were going to occur”.
“We organised to disseminate this information to the media together,” he said. “Among ourselves.”
De Garis said he called print journalists from the Australian, the Daily Telegraph and Fairfax while Tetlow called TV media.
Asked why he told Tetlow, he said because the raids were being conducted by federal police, which sat within the justice minister’s portfolio.
“He seemed the appropriate person to speak to,” he said.
De Garis said on Tuesday that he had learned of the raids from Cash’s former chief of staff Ben Davies.
Davies and Cash are scheduled to give evidence this week.
Andrew Hastie, the chair of the joint parliamentary intelligence and security committee has released this report on the bill to give police more powers at airports:
The bill introduces new powers for police constables and protective services officers working at major airports throughout Australia. Powers include the ability to issue directions in order to safeguard aviation security.
Under the proposed laws, an individual could be ordered to leave an airport, or to not take a specified flight, for a period of up to 24 hours.
The chair of the committee, Mr Andrew Hastie MP, said:
‘During its review of the bill, the committee examined whether the new powers were proportional to the threat posed to aviation security. It also considered whether oversight and accountability mechanisms were sufficient and appropriate.
The committee made nine recommendations in relation to the bill. These recommendations include an improvement to transparency and accountability requirements, allow for expedited judicial review of move-on directions, and ensure the new laws do not interfere with the right to peaceful assembly and protest.’”
A Labor government would set up a permanent policy-making body called the Australian Health Reform Commission to address challenges such as chronic disease, cost barriers, long hospital waiting times and workforce shortages.
The shadow health minister, Catherine King, will announce the promise on Wednesday to implement an independent body similar to the Productivity Commission, with commissioners appointed for five years.
King says if Labor is elected, the commission’s priorities would be directed through the Council of Australian Governments (Coag). However, she flagged reform of primary care to deal with an aging population, rising chronic disease burden and improving access to public hospital specialists as early priorities.
David De Garis has told the federal court he "organised" with then Michael Keenan staffer Michael Tetlow to leak news of impending police raids on the AWU in October 2017. #auspol@GuardianAus@AmyRemeikis
Richard Di Natale also held a doorstop this morning:
“When you’ve got nothing, when you’ve got no plan for the country, all you’ve got is fear and division, that’s what this desperate move from a desperate prime minister is about. Opening up Christmas Island is a political tactic to continue to sow the seeds of fear and division within the community,” he said.
“The prime minister wants to run around the country, thump his chest, sound tough on innocent people seeking asylum because he’s got nothing else. He’s got no climate policy, he’s got no energy policy, no plan to improve people’s standard of living, address wage stagnation, tackle the housing crisis. He’s got nothing.
“We would welcome the opportunity to fight an election against Scott Morrison because he’s got nothing. He’s empty, he’s hollow, all he’s got is fear and division. And a leader does not divide the country in the way that Scott Morrison is trying to do. This is an insight into a prime minister who is an empty vessel, a hollow human being. A man who professes his Christian credentials and then says to innocent people ‘you won’t get the care that you need’. There’s nothing Christian about that.
“Bring on an election. Bring it on now. Let’s end this chaos, the circus that has been this Parliament.”
Bill Shorten spoke at the unveiling of Linda Burney’s portrait, and told this story:
Linda spent the first 10 years of her life here in Australia living as a non-citizen.
As a little girl at school, she was taught – in her words – that she was descended from people who were ‘as close to Stone Age as possible’.
She wasn’t counted in the Commonwealth census until the age of 14.
But imagine from today, from that background, her portrait will hang on the wall of the Commonwealth Parliament for as long as we have a Commonwealth Parliament.
But what is noteworthy I suggest to you is the journey between those two points and it is Linda’s story to tell. It’s a story of personal resilience, extraordinary resolve, a fighting spirit worthy of the character of the great Wiradjuri people.
But when I look at the portrait, I will see simply a story of hope. It is the hope that I’ve also witnessed in the eyes of First Nations children, when Linda explains to them she’s a shadow minister, a politician, a parliamentarian.
The hope this portrait will offer to all of the schoolchildren who visit our nation’s capital and our nation’s parliament, who will pass through the space her portrait occupies.
I also think the story behind this portrait carries a lesson for all Australia.
It speaks a broader truth of the self-defeating folly of discrimination.
The fact it has taken 119 years to unveil a portrait of an Aboriginal woman as a member of parliament is embarrassing.
But the portrait will remind us that we are all - whoever we are and whatever our circumstances - that we are all collectively diminished by racism and prejudice.”
Greens leader Richard Di Natalie congratulates Kerryn Phelps and Julia Banks as the medivac bill passes in the senate chamber of Parliament House, Canberra this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The Greens and Derryn Hinch as the medivac bill passes in the Senate chamber. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Nick McKim hugs Patrick Dodson after the medivac bill passes. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Around 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous allies occupy the marble foyer of Parliament House to protest water, climate and country this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Jill Emberson at Teal Ribbon breakfast to raise awareness of ovarian cancer in the mural hall of Parliament House, Canberra this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Centre Alliance have introduced a bill into the Senate, which would, if successful, see ministers undergo a security check. From Rex Patrick’s release:
“It is a curious fact that federal ministers have long been exempted from any form of security checking,” Rex said. “This anomaly should be corrected to strengthen confidence in the integrity of the highest levels of government.”
“Ministers of state occupy positions of the highest trust within the Australian government. Cabinet ministers are privy to the most sensitive decisions and information, including the highest levels of national security classified information. Other ministers and assistant ministers also have routine access to highly sensitive information including national security information.”
“Tens of thousands of Australian public servants, Defence Force personnel and government contractors are required to undergo comprehensive and highly intrusive security checking. Security clearance requirements apply to all staff of ministers, but not to ministers themselves.”
“The current Australian Protective Security Policy Framework advances no reasons to support this exemption. This policy has been in place for many decades but has never been explained or justified. Ministers are simply taken on trust.”
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