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Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen has accused the opposition of being “all over the place” when it comes to its stance on putting a stop to rising power bills.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Earlier this morning, shadow energy and climate change minister Ted O’Brien said that “if there is targeted relief, as mangled and messy as Anthony Albanese has made it, we want to see that relief hit people’s pockets”.
Yesterday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton suggested the government should focus on gas supply instead of price caps.
As David Crowe has written, Labor has considered wedging the Coalition by pairing its draft price cap law with $1.5 billion in spending for household power subsidies.
Here’s what Bowen told reporters at a press conference earlier this morning:
The opposition is all over the place. The opposition is out there saying they might like to vote for financial support. Well, that’s just one part of the bill. It’s like putting a bandaid on the whole problem. It won’t fix the problem unless it’s part of a broad package.
I understand the gas companies want to maximise their profits. That’s their job. We have a different job. We want to protect Australians. That’s the difference.
Coalition senator Marise Payne, who was human services minister at the outset of the robo-debt scheme in 2015, has begun giving evidence before the royal commission.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison, who was social services minister at the same time, is scheduled to give evidence tomorrow.
The commission has so far heard misgivings were raised by bureaucrats in the departments of Human Services (now Services Australia) and Social Services, which both had involvement in the inception of the scheme, but officials were effectively siloed from one another.
The debt recovery program issued notices to hundreds of thousands of Australians using an unlawful calculation method known as income averaging.
It involved taking annual income data and averaging it over 26 fortnights, presuming income was the same across each, and put the onus on welfare recipients to prove they didn’t owe the government money.
Stay tuned.
As flagged this morning, former Coalition minister (and current senator) Marise Payne is due to appear before the robo-debt royal commission.
Watch live below.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just spoken to ABC Radio Brisbane about the “barbaric” deaths of two police officers and an innocent neighbour during a siege at Wieambilla, about 300 kilometres west of Brisbane.
The prime minister said he was personally very shocked when he was told about the “horrific” event last night.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the ‘barbaric’ incident that took place west of Brisbane yesterday. Credit:Getty
“Every police officer today and their families will be feeling devastated and affected very personally by this,” Albanese said.
“My heart particularly goes out to the families and friends of the police officers, and also this innocent victim as well – this neighbour – who was murdered in this atrocity.
“This barbaric action is something that has just shocked everyone. I was certainly shocked when I received the call last night.”
Albanese said he had been in touch with the local federal MP David Littleproud, who told him about the “very small community that will be devastated” by the incident.
Speaking at a press conference just now, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has reached out this morning to express his condolences regarding yesterday’s fatal shooting.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.Credit:Getty
As you might already know, four police officers attended the property on Monday afternoon, west of Brisbane, in response to a NSW Police missing persons job.
“I also want to thank the NSW Premier who also reached out today offering his condolences to the two officers that were tragically killed, as it was a request from the NSW police,” Palaszczuk told reporters.
The Queensland premier added that all flags would fly at half-mast on government buildings in her state as a mark of respect.
Some buildings will also be lit in blue and white tonight.
“Sometimes we take our police for granted,” Palaszczuk said.
“[This was] an absolutely horrific, horrific incident and our hearts just break for these two young, beautiful officers who were just doing their job.”
Returning to the Queensland shooting, and the state’s police commissioner has paid tribute to the two police officers who survived the siege – Constable Keeley Brough and Constable Randall Kirk.
During this morning’s press conference, Commissioner Katarina Carroll described how the officers managed to escape before making phone calls to raise the alarm and call for assistance.
“They bravely did what they could to save their colleagues in the most horrendous circumstances. Their bravery was beyond belief,” she said.
“To think that they survived the scene, let alone then got out to make phone calls and call for assistance, was just extraordinary.
“I will shortly meet with Keeley, and I know that she’s already talked people through what took place. And the people that I have spoken to cannot believe how she survived and what she did during that period of time.”
Meanwhile, federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen is due to hold a press conference any minute now.
Watch live below.
Staying with the Queensland press conference, and Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said “considerable weaponry” was found at the scene of yesterday’s shooting and “the fact that two [officers] got out alive is a miracle”.
She said there would be a full investigation and described the scene as “unimaginable”.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.Credit:Michelle Smith
“In my opinion, those officers did not stand a chance,” she said of the four officers who came under fire.
“When you are in that scene walking towards the house and where this apparently took place, they were in an exposed area, and I cannot believe that two officers got out alive.”
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has revealed the two police officers who lost their lives in yesterday’s siege had just begun their policing careers.
Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, had been sworn in as a police officer in March 2020. Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, and had been sworn in last year in June.
“Sadly, both Matthew and Rachel had only recently commenced their policing careers,” she said.
“Both had wonderful careers and lives ahead of them. Matthew and Rachel were highly respected and much loved members of the Queensland Police Service. Unfortunately, this incident is a tragic reminder of the unpredictable nature of policing.”
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll is due to address the media shortly regarding yesterday’s fatal shooting at Wieambilla.
She will be joined by Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan.
Watch live below.
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