Aurora australis observed in southern states overnightThe aurora australis was observed in southern areas of the country overnight, including parts of Tasmania and Melbourne.As noted in yesterday’s blog, the Bureau of Meteorology was forecasting significant geomagnetic activity that could possibly result in visible auroras at night. The geomagnetic storm was expected to be at its strongest during the evening.The MP for Franklin, Julie Collins, shared this photo from her Tasmanian electorate overnight:Even the Aurora Australis last night turned out in Green and Gold for our Olympians!Can anyone guess where in Franklin this photo was taken? pic.twitter.com/RemU2DUS37— Julie Collins (@JulieCollinsMP) July 30, 2024Here is another photo from Tasmania, with the aurora australis captured at kunanyi/Mount Wellington:Meanwhile, this photo was shared from Cape Schanck in Melbourne:ShareUpdated at 01.30 CESTKey eventsPeter HannamFor the quarter on quarter figures, CPI rose 1%, in line with both the March quarter and market expectations.Adding to the confidence that the RBA won’t have to raise the cash rate again was core inflation. The trimmed mean measure, as it is known, eased to 0.8% for the quarter and 3.9% at an annual pace. A modest decline from 1% and 4% in the March quarter but heading in the direction the RBA wants it to move.ShareAustralia’s inflation rose as expected in the June quarter, stoking hopes an RBA rate rise can be avoidedPeter HannamAustralia’s borrowers have a nervous week ahead after June quarter inflation quickened but largely as the Reserve Bank had expected, giving the central bank confidence it won’t need to hike interest rates again to curb price rises.The consumer price index rose to 3.8% in the June quarter from a year earlier, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has just said. That result compared with economists’ forecast of 3.8% and the March quarter rate of 3.6%.ShareTaking questions from reporters, Jeff Browne commented on the culture at the football club:
We opened ourselves up for external investigation and those findings were part of the Do Better report. We took them seriously and when I came in as president, I committed to prosecuting and implementing all 18 recommendations and we did that.
Racism and discrimination is a fight that goes on day by day and it never ends. It is something we are conscious of here. The culture in this place – as a result of adopting the recommendations of the Do Better report – have vastly improved, and it is a culture where people feel safe, people of diverse backgrounds feel safe and they feel safe to make complaints if they choose.
It was put to him that an Indigenous person has come forward and said they were subject to racial slurs while an employee. Browne responded, “That is the allegation.”
That is an allegation. One of the great things about democracies [is] you can make whatever allegations you like. I urge you to wait and see how the proceedings play out.
Collingwood say they are committed to a ‘welcoming, safe and inclusive’ workplace. Photograph: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/Getty ImagesShareCollingwood president speaks to media after allegations of racial discrimination at clubThe Collingwood president, Jeff Browne, is speaking to the media after allegations of racial discrimination at the football club.He says an external expert in workplace relations delivered a report to him, finding there was no illegal conduct identified in the complaint.
Following that, the complainant lodged an application in the Fair Work Commission and there was a mediation, and the mediation was unsuccessful in resolving the matter, and as a consequence of that the complainant has now issued proceedings in the federal court.
We intend to defend those proceedings and see those through to a judgement.
Browne says the core of the defence will be “the substance of the factual findings contained in the investigation”.ShareUpdated at 03.26 CESTPeter HannamRex’s exit from intercity routes will be missed by this passengerMuch of the focus on Rex Airlines going into administration has rightly focussed on the threat to regional services given the few air options in much of the country.But as a frequent Sydney-Melbourne flyer, I’m one passenger who’ll miss having an alternative to Qantas and Virgin. The ticket was so reliably cheaper than its much bigger rivals, most times I didn’t even bother to compare.I also can’t recall any cancellations and only a rare delay of an hour or so at the most – an experience I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed elsewhere.And unlike the now defunct Tiger Air, I was never charged excessive amounts for going over 7kg or whatever the carry-on maximum allowed.Rex planes were clean, seats spacious enough, and staff friendly and efficient – may the latter land new jobs quickly. The inconvenience of a longer schlep to Tullamarine’s Terminal 4 was minor.A flight south in June that was barely a third full – and the return only slightly busier – was one hint not all was well. The few business seats at the front of the plane were usually empty or filled with cattle-class customers lucky to be near the counter when free upgrades were divvied out. (I got at least one.)An almost certain outcome is that the cost of flying will now take off. As the ACCC noted in its latest quarterly aviation report, in the wake of smaller rival Bonza‘s demise:
Without Bonza, the prospects for a more competitive domestic aviation industry in coming years would rely more heavily on Rex expanding its offering.
Well, we know what those prospects look like now.ShareUpdated at 03.12 CESTBenita KolovosVictorian unexplained wealth bill passes parliamentA bill that will force organised criminals to repay any wealth they cannot prove was lawfully acquired has passed Victorian parliament.The government’s confiscation amendment (unexplained wealth) bill – designed to deprive criminals of the “use and enjoyment of their unexplained wealth” – has passed parliament and will go to the governor for royal assent.The bill had to return to the lower house after the government made some minor amendments in the upper house, including the addition of a provision that will allow the law to be reviewed within three years of it coming into effect.The new laws will allow the Director of Public Prosecutions to apply to a court for an order if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person’s total wealth exceeds their lawfully acquired wealth by at least $200,000.If a person can’t satisfy a court that they have lawfully obtained their wealth, a court may order them to pay the state the value of anything they cannot prove was lawfully acquired.The laws have been modelled on those currently in place in Western Australia, but are also similar to New South Wales’ laws, which were also bolstered in 2023 to allow police to seize and freeze wealth and assets without a specific offence.ShareUpdated at 03.09 CESTDecision to stop flights between capital cities permanent, Rex administrator saysSam Freeman, one of the administrators brought in for Rex Airlines, spoke with ABC TV just a moment ago about the future of the airline.Since being appointed yesterday, Freeman said the priority has been around keeping regional and remote routes connected:
We have had to make a tough decision in grounding the 737 capital city-connecting flights. That is a permanent decision.
He said the federal government has been in open communication with administrators and expressed a “strong desire” to see regional and remote flights continue:
As to what that level of support looks like, it is simply too early to say …
There is a lot to be done in the coming weeks but we are confident with the support that has been shown and that we will be able to move forward with the restructure of Rex [and] come out with its legacy business, the core regional business, into the future.
A Rex Boeing 737 sits on the tarmac at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport yesterday. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty ImagesShareUpdated at 03.05 CESTBenita KolovosDaily needs of regional families must be considered amid Rex Airlines discussions, Victorian premier saysAsked what sort of intervention she would like to see, Jacinta Allan said it was up to the federal government. She went on:
What the federal government decides to do, that is a matter for the federal government. But again, I would urge in their considerations, to think about the importance of good, strong transport connections for regional communities　…
Country people rely on strong transport links … and I hope that has been considered in terms of what the federal government may be considering in terms of the response to this real instability and disruption.
There’s been a lot of discussion in the last couple of days about what it means for people going on holidays and yes, it is really disruptive, and I know if you’ve packed your bags and you’re heading off with a family on a holiday, that is disruptive and disappointing. But what should also be front of mind is the daily need for these sorts of services for regional families and communities.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan. Photograph: James Ross/AAPShareUpdated at 02.58 CESTBenita KolovosVictorian premier urges federal government to support Rex AirlinesThe Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is urging the federal government to consider supporting Rex Airlines and ensure regional Victorians have access to transport options.She was speaking to reporters at parliament earlier this morning and said:
I know just how important having that transport access is, particularly for people who don’t have the ability to own a car or drive a car – whether it’s train services, bus services, or in this instance, air services. These are absolutely vital connections for country people, for country families, being able to travel into the bigger cities for various hospital or education or other appointments.
So it’s absolutely important that the needs of country people are considered as Rex goes through this obviously very difficult period, and that is [why] I would urge the federal government to consider the impact on regional communities around Victoria and around the country because these sorts of services are, for some, a vital lifeline.
SharePeter HannamJune quarter consumer price index numbers to be released at 11.30am AestContinuing from our last post: If the market consensus is right about the latter – a 4% reading or higher – the odds of an interest rate rise next week will almost certainly soar.Ahead of today’s numbers, the chance of a cash rate rise of 25 basis points to 4.6% is only one in four, according to the ASX rates tracker.For households and businesses on the financial edge, another hike – the 14th since May 2022 – would be a blow.However, a moderate headline and core inflation result will go a long way to removing the risk of another rate rise and bring a rate cut this year into prospect. (Currently, the market is only fully pricing in a 25bp cut to 4.1% by next July – a year away.)As we note in this piece today, the latter outcome might also bring forward a federal election to this year if the Albanese government thinks the cost of living squeeze will abate and the economy can start to pick up some growth pace without a recession:In other words, a lot is riding on today’s figures. Stay tuned right here for the results.SharePeter HannamInflation figures to be focus for borrowers, the RBA and politiciansThere’s a lot of hype around today’s inflation figures from the ABS – and most of it is warranted.At 11.30am Aest, we’ll get the June quarter consumer price index numbers, and there’s a lot riding on them, as we noted earlier this week. Economists are expecting headline (i.e. raw) CPI to come in at 3.8%, higher than the March quarter of 3.6%. The quarter on quarter CPI should remain at 1%.The RBA’s own model from May had CPI ticking up to 3.8%, so a number around that should encourage the board to leave its cash rate unchanged for a sixth consecutive meeting when it meets next Monday and Tuesday (with the verdict given at 2.30pm Aest on the Tuesday).A lot of attention, though, will be on the core inflation, known as trimmed mean, which knocks off the top 15% and bottom 15% of volatile price movers. This is really more of the Reserve Bank‘s focus. They also expected this to come in at 3.8% for the June quarter but economists reckon this will land at 4.0% (or unchanged from the March quarter level).More to come in a moment.A shopper at Rundle Mall in Adelaide. Photograph: The GuardianShareUpdated at 02.45 CESTShorten: government has no ‘final view’ on group homesAsked about group homes, Bill Shorten said the government doesn’t “have a final view”.
Without being definitive about the future of group homes, what we’re doing is we want to make sure the money that is given to people in supported, independent living focuses on quality outcomes for them …
But we are moving towards where people live … fulfilling lives of meaning and if that sometimes means they live with two other people, fine. If it means – dependant on their needs – that that is not the best arrangement for them, then we’ll be looking at that as well.
He noted that the issue of group homes was one of three areas where the royal commission was divided.ShareUpdated at 02.44 CESTQ: What impact will this have on the plan to halve the growth rate of the NDIS?Bill Shorten said this would “not have a negative impact at all on our reform plans.”
Our reform plans – with the legislation currently held up by the Liberals and the Greens in the Senate – will help the very people who the disability royal commission says should be helped.
The problem at the moment is that the NDIS legislation is loose, it has some loopholes, which is seeing some service providers – the majority are excellent – but some are having a lend of the system, exploiting people with disability, getting people to spend up their valuable packages in inappropriate ways, or too quickly.
So, I just say to the Liberals and the Greens – we need to get on with it. People with disability, the very people who this disability royal commission is aimed at, it’s in their best interests that we make sure the NDIS is a consistent, fair, transparent and equitable experiences, that’s what this legislation is aimed at doing.
ShareUpdated at 02.35 CEST