Key events
Chair of productivity commission optimistic about this week’s summit
Danielle Wood, the chair of the productivity commission, spoke to RN Breakfast this morning to say she’s optimistic the summit will be a catalyst for meaningful change. Wood said:
I think when I think about just the amount of productivity conversation we’ve had over the last month, I think it’s pretty extraordinary. But within that, I think the breadth of ideas coming forward really matter.
She was asked about the commission’s proposal to cut the company tax rate for all but the biggest businesses, and idea the government doesn’t seem thrilled by. Wood said:
Look, you know, governments will always have to make their own calls on hard decisions like tax. What we are trying to do is put some ideas out there about how you actually do reform, but you do it in a sensible way for the budget.
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Finance minister says productivity summit will be ‘genuine meeting’ of all sectors
Finance minister Katy Gallagher said this morning the productivity roundtable, set to kick off tomorrow, will be a “genuine meeting” between different coalitions that will hopefully reach a consensus on ideas to boost productivity around the nation. Gallagher told RN Breakfast this morning of the summit:
It is a genuine meeting of civil society, the union movement, industry leaders and government to look at some of these challenges we have got across our economy and see if there is areas of consensus and in the last couple of weeks with the coverage of the ideas and submissions that are coming forward to that meeting, there is no shortage of ideas.
She went on to point to the hope for “excellent” discussions around artificial intelligence and an effort to figure out new ways to tackle the housing crisis.
Josh Butler
Lambie says UN should send peacekeepers to distribute Gaza food aid
Jacqui Lambie says the United Nations should send peacekeepers into Gaza to help protect and distribute food, as Israel’s bombardment of Palestinians continues amid growing alarm over starvation and malnutrition.
Lambie, the independent Tasmanian senator, made the call in an email to supporters overnight. She said it would be a “protective mission”:
The ‘blue helmets’ – as we call them in our militaries around the world- could be sent in with the sole job of securing food aid and making sure that it is distributed to the people who need it. To make this happen would require UN authorisation
Because this is a protection mission and not a peacekeeping or peace enforcement mission, the international community should have no hesitation in supporting it.
The senator said she would seek to take out advertising in newspapers and online calling for the move, with her email seeking donations for an ad push.
Children are starving, mothers are sobbing because they can’t feed their children, let alone themselves.
UN peacekeepers have a long history of assisting in humanitarian efforts, including providing security for the delivery of aid. If we are to ease the starvation of children in Gaza, we need blue helmets protecting those aid convoys.
Crash closes part of Sydney’s Anzac Bridge during morning commute
A crash between a car and a motorcycle on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge has snarled traffic during the Monday morning commute. Transport for NSW reports the crash took place just after 6.30am, with at two of four lanes closed into the city and one closed westbound.
The agency is cautioning there will be major delays this morning.
Good morning
Good morning and happy Monday. Nick Visser here as we dive into another week of news. Here’s what’s on deck:
Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie says the UN should send peacekeepers into Gaza to help distribute food, saying the effort would be a “protective mission”. Lambie said because it would not be a peace enforcement mission, the international community should have “no hesitation” supporting it.
New research on e-bike safety found widespread non-compliance with regulations among commercial e-bike delivery across Melbourne. Some riders were recorded travelling far above speed limits, the wrong-way on streets and driving on footpaths in city hotspots.
Qantas will find out today if it will face a hefty fine for outsourcing baggage handling at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Transport Workers Union has urged a court to levy the maximum penalty of $121m, which would come on top of a $120m compensation payment it made to ground staff who lost their jobs.
Let’s get to it.
