NSW MP Gareth Ward taken into custody to await sentencing after conviction for sexually abusing two young men
Anne Davies
The disgraced New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has been remanded in custody to await sentencing after he was convicted last week for serious sex offences involving two young men.
Justice Kara Shead said she was “unpersuaded” that Ward, because of his profile or disabilities, cannot be managed in a custodial setting.
The MP for Kiama, aged 43, had been permitted to remain on bail after last week’s verdict under strict bail conditions requiring him to remain at either his residence on the south coast or his flat in Sydney.
The prosecutor, Monika Knowles, applied to the NSW district court today to have Ward jailed, noting that due to the seriousness of the crimes that Ward has been convicted of there was virtually no chance he would avoid a custodial sentence when sentencing took place.
On Friday a jury found Ward guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent. The lesser convictions carry a maximum penalty of five years and the more serious rape conviction a maximum penalty of 14 years.
Ward’s barrister, Edward Anderson, had argued Ward was at particular risk due to his high profile as a politician.
He also expressed concern about whether his visual impairment due to his albinism would put him at risk. Ward is close to legally blind and requires technological support to read and write.
Shead said there were procedures in place to ensure that his devices could be required.
Ward is due to be sentenced on 19 September.
Key events
Andrew Messenger
Brisbane Olympics swimming venues to cost taxpayer $1.2bn
A new national aquatic centre plus another swimming project planned for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will cost the taxpayer $1.2bn.
The aquatic centre – to be built in central Brisbane – will be the long-term home for four swimming sports and host 25,000 spectators during the games.
Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority Interim CEO Nick Elliott revealed the estimate at a state parliamentary estimates hearing. It also includes an upgrade of the Chandler pool, he said.
All games venues are to be built within a $7.1bn cap, according to the state government. Government witnesses confirmed that the figure included any debt financing through public private partnerships.
The largest venue, a new stadium at Victoria Park, is budgeted to cost $3.785bn alone. A project validation report for it is due to be completed next year, Elliot said.
Read more here:
Josh Taylor
No black skivvies in Wiggles HQ lobbying against YouTube under-16s ban
Management for the Wiggles have responded to the communications minister, Anika Wells, claiming she was lobbied to keep YouTube out of the under-16s social media ban by “black skivvies” in Wiggles management, saying they don’t wear black skivvies.
Wells mentioned in a press conference earlier today it wasn’t individual Wiggles, but “it was the black skivvies, it was Wiggles Inc, it was Wiggles management”.
In a response provided to Guardian Australia, a Wiggles HQ spokesperson said “there are no black skivvies worn at Wiggles HQ”.
The group was not paid by YouTube to lobby on their behalf to stay out of the ban, with Wiggles HQ stating it was providing an “independent perspective” to Wells on the ban as children’s content creators:
Video platforms like YouTube, when used to watch trusted children’s programs, function differently to social media. Millions of Australian parents (including Minister Wells) and their children watch The Wiggles on YouTube much like they would on smart TVs, not as part of a social media feed.
Thank you, Krishani Dhanji. I’m Daisy Dumas, here to keep you company for the remainder of the afternoon. Let’s get going.
Krishani Dhanji
A big thanks for following along on the blog with me today, I’ll leave you with the lovely Daisy Dumas for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ll see you here first thing tomorrow morning – with plenty of caffeine in hand!
Sarah Basford Canales
Hanson-Young says government must legislate a duty of care for big tech
It’s “delulu” to believe big tech companies will do the right thing about the government’s under-16s social media ban without being legally required to, the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says.
At a press conference shortly before question time, the Greens’ communications spokesperson urged the federal government to legislate a duty of care for social media companies, noting users could still view content on social media sites without logging in.
The idea that there’s going to be two classes of safety is ridiculous. The companies need to be legally held responsible. So the first thing is a duty of care, requiring these companies to uphold a duty of care to their customers, to their users.
The second thing is to make sure they’re licensed so that that duty of care is enforceable. Just hoping that these big social media companies will do the right thing is delusional. It’s delulu to think that Google will just do the right thing. They need to be forced to do it.
Tl;dr: here’s what we learned in question time today
Before question time could properly start, a small group of protesters were shouting “sanction Israel now” up in the public gallery. They were promptly escorted out by security.
The opposition started again on bulk-billing rates today, but then put several questions to Chris Bowen on energy prices increasing. He said the latest inflation data shows energy inflation has started going down – which didn’t satisfy those on the opposite side of the chamber, who argue that households are still paying huge bills.
Tony Burke provided an update to the house on the work of police investigating the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, which happened in December last year.
And Dai Le asked why the government hasn’t yet scrapped or amended the Job-ready Graduates scheme – the government wouldn’t say.
NSW MP Gareth Ward taken into custody to await sentencing after conviction for sexually abusing two young men
Anne Davies
The disgraced New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has been remanded in custody to await sentencing after he was convicted last week for serious sex offences involving two young men.
Justice Kara Shead said she was “unpersuaded” that Ward, because of his profile or disabilities, cannot be managed in a custodial setting.
The MP for Kiama, aged 43, had been permitted to remain on bail after last week’s verdict under strict bail conditions requiring him to remain at either his residence on the south coast or his flat in Sydney.
The prosecutor, Monika Knowles, applied to the NSW district court today to have Ward jailed, noting that due to the seriousness of the crimes that Ward has been convicted of there was virtually no chance he would avoid a custodial sentence when sentencing took place.
On Friday a jury found Ward guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent. The lesser convictions carry a maximum penalty of five years and the more serious rape conviction a maximum penalty of 14 years.
Ward’s barrister, Edward Anderson, had argued Ward was at particular risk due to his high profile as a politician.
He also expressed concern about whether his visual impairment due to his albinism would put him at risk. Ward is close to legally blind and requires technological support to read and write.
Shead said there were procedures in place to ensure that his devices could be required.
Ward is due to be sentenced on 19 September.
Sarah Basford Canales
Labor ‘looking at’ NT funding in response to reintroduction of spit hoods, minister says
The federal government is “looking at” commonwealth funding arrangements with the Northern Territory in response to the reintroduction of spit hoods for 10-year-old incarcerated children, the Indigenous affairs minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, says.
In Senate question time, the independent senator Lidia Thorpe asked the minister whether action would be taken against states and territories that reintroduce measures, including spit hoods and restraint chairs.
The use of spit hoods across the country ceased after Australia formally endorsed a United Nations protocol against torture and inhumane punishments in 2017.
McCarthy conceded it was “very tough”, given there were “no actual penalties in that agreement” for those who choose not to follow it.
She said she was considering a call by some NT land councils to restrict commonwealth funding in response to the decision made by the territory’s Country Liberal party government.
McCarthy said:
The difficulty here, Senator Thorpe, is that nearly 80% of the Northern Territory budget comes from the commonwealth, so we have to be responsible in our response to the Northern Territory, but we also have to be responsible to all citizens of the Northern Territory, who receive that, and I am looking at those numbers, and I am looking at those links in terms of the federal agreements, but not just for the Northern Territory. This also has to be about the federal agreements and the communications that we have with all states.
The minister said attorneys general from around the country would discuss the issue next month in a meeting.
Can you question a member’s competence in question time?
During a final dixer on penalty rates, Amanda Rishworth has a go at her opposition counterpart Tim Wilson:
We know the shadow minister loves grandstanding. Perhaps to distract from the truth and perhaps to distract from his lack of competence …
The opposition asks Rishworth to withdraw the comment on competence.
Tony Burke says that the house would “basically be ending debate if we could not have discussions about somebody’s competence in this place”.
Milton Dick decides Rishworth doesn’t have to withdraw her comment.
She ends her answer and with that QT is over for another day (the second last for this sitting fortnight).
Nationals MP asks about fuel tax credit system
The Nationals MP Jamie Chaffey asks the prime minister if he’ll rule out any changes to the fuel tax credit system. The system provides businesses with credits for the fuel excise that’s paid in filling up vehicles such as machinery, equipment and heavy vehicles.
The prime minister says the diesel tax rebate and system have been in place for “some time”.
We have not changed anything.
He then goes to the Coalition’s opposition of the government’s top-up tax cuts and asks if they’ll introduce their own private bill to repeal them.
Chaney asks why National Reconstruction Fund isn’t moving faster to invest
Kate Chaney gets the next crossbench question, and asks about why the $15bn National Reconstruction Fund isn’t moving faster to invest in projects when the government is trying to get to net zero by 2050.
Pat Conroy (representing the minister for industry, Tim Ayres) says that he’s “delighted” to inform the house that since it was established less than two years ago, the NRF has made nine investments worth over $430m.
That’s still less than 3% of the fund.
Conroy says:
The NRF has invested $200m in rare earths, which will deliver the rare earth minerals essential for renewables and the energy grid of the future. These investments will ramp up over time but, as I said, the fund was established less than two years ago. This is only one part of this government’s commitment to seizing the opportunities from global race to net zero.
Opposition returns to energy price debate
Back to the opposition and we’re back on the energy price debate (not that it’s been getting particularly far).
The new Liberal member for Monash, Mary Aldred, asks the question.
She says the PM said on 22 July that energy prices are going down, but Australia’s fourth largest energy retailer has said prices are going up for Victorian families by 4%.
Chris Bowen takes the question, and immediately disregards the question, instead attacking Angus Taylor, who delayed making public key information about energy price rises before the 2022 election.
You can barely hear anything because the opposition is shouting, and tries to make a point of order on relevance.
Milton Dick tells them to stop adding their own commentary at the beginning of their questions, which gives the minister space to offer their own commentary.
Bowen continues, saying thousands of households are saving money through the government’s home battery scheme.
Police are investigating people in Australia and offshore over Melbourne synagogue attack, Burke tells parliament
Josh Burns, a Jewish Labor MP, asks the next dixer, asking the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, what actions have been taken in respect of the investigation into the Adass Israel synagogue attack.
Burke says one 21-year-old man was arrested today, and that police are investigating not only people in Australia but criminals offshore as well.
Burke thanks the more than 200 members of the counter-terrorism team investigating the arson attack.
More than a week after the attack and you could still smell the smoke as though it was fresh. And you could still see it at your feet the rubble of the building which had been burnt …
Not widely known but in the week following the attack, the prime minister had raised with me that the rabbi was on a temporary visa and his family which was soon to expire … I took on behalf of the government the most deliberate action you can take which was that week to make him and every member of his family permanent residents of Australia, to say they belong.
Sussan Ley stands up after Burke to also thank the officers, and says she shares the government’s concerns about antisemitism seen in Australia.
Boele asks what is Labor’s plan to phase out fossil fuels
The independent MP for Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, who beat the Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by just a handful of votes, gets the next crossbench question.
She says the “Climate Council has advised that Australia’s 2035 climate target will not be credible and this includes a commitment to an orderly phase-out of fossil fuel use reduction and exports”. So what’s the government’s plan to phase out fossil fuels?
Chris Bowen says we “can’t wish away fossil fuels” and the best thing to do is to build more renewables.
You simply cannot say that we can phase out fossil fuels or fossil fuel exports and make a difference unless you are working with countries to reduce their use of fossil fuels.
A third question goes to Chris Bowen on the $275 energy bill promise – this time it comes from the deputy Nationals leader, Kevin Hogan.
Bowen’s speaking at lightning speed, basically recapping everything he just said, and tries to needle the Coalition on its promises on energy in the lead-up to the election.
The manager of opposition business, Alex Hawke, stands up to make a point of order, but Bowen speeds up his last sentence by an extra 10% and sits down before Milton Dick can allow Hawke to speak.
Dan Tehan is up again, and asks more directly if the government still stands by its commitment to reduce energy bills by $275.
Chris Bowen gets up again and says that modelling was done in 2021 (which earns a roar from the opposition benches who have been asking this question for the last three years).
Energy prices have fallen, as I just said, by 6.2% in the year just gone and they would know that that was not inevitable, they would have been 16.6% higher if the honourable member had his way in energy bill relief not being applied, that was the key difference.
Tehan gets up with a point of order, and Milton Dick says Bowen should stick to what the government is doing (and not stray into criticising opposition policy).
Bowen says the government commits to reducing energy prices by bringing more renewable energy online and delivering home batteries.
Coalition asks if Labor still stands by 2022 election promise to cut energy bills by $275
Back to the house, the shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, asks Chris Bowen about whether the government is still committed to its 2022 election promise to reduce energy bills by $275, when prices have gone up more than $1,300 for some households over the last three years.
Bowen’s answer is short – he says today’s CPI figures, which he says Tehan conveniently didn’t refer to in his question, show energy prices are down 6.2% in the year to June.
He says it’s due to the government’s energy bill relief and that households could save up to $1,300 by installing a home battery under the government’s policy.
Coalition ‘divorced from reality’ on Gaza, Wong says
Sarah Basford Canales
Penny Wong has accused the Coalition of being “divorced from reality” after Michaelia Cash asked the Albanese government to rule out recognising Palestinian statehood while Hamas is in control of Gaza.
During Senate question time today, Cash asked the foreign affairs minister if the government would “categorically rule out ever recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is in control of Gaza” amid commitments from France and the UK in the last week.
Wong said the Albanese government condemned Hamas and pointed out that conversations with other nations in the Middle East were focused on reform of the Palestinian Authority and the demilitarisation of Hamas.
Countries have made clear that they want the security architecture in the Middle East to assure the security of Israel. This is where the international community is at … This is where the discussion is, senator, and this is where the government is engaging … if we want long-term peace and security in the Middle East, for both Israelis and Palestinians alike, then we need to deal with the issue of a Palestinian state. That is the best way to ensure stability and peace for both Israelis and Palestinians alike. So, senator, I would suggest to you it might be good to grapple with that reality, because that is where the discussion is.
Cash repeated the question, to which Wong replied:
People should understand in this place just how out of touch the Coalition is on this. They don’t even support a ceasefire, which the whole world, including President Trump supports … that says something about the extent to which your position is divorced from the reality of what is happening on the ground, what is happening for people In the Middle East and what is happening to the women and children of Gaza who are, no, they are not all Hamas …
