Sky News contributor Campbell Newman says the National Cabinet “is a sham” which isn’t working at all.
Mr Newman said within the National Cabinet, Prime Minister Scott Morrison actually “has a lot of levers”. “He just needs to decide to pull those levers and get these premiers into line”.
Mr Newman said ultimately the economic wreckage and the carnage caused by COVID-19, and the response to it, particularly from state and territory first ministers "will fall on the shoulders of Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg". Image: Getty
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PM compares National Cabinet meeting to 'getting kids in the car' | Sky News AustraliaElection concerns are playing a key role in shaping the National Cabinet’s political debate on the controversial topic of borders according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.\n\n“The view within National Cabinet and at senior levels of the federal government is that although Queensland and Western Australia are now very firm on their hard borders … both state governments are likely to change their minds after their elections in October and March respectively,” he said.\n\n“One thing seems certain; if the Queensland Chief Health Officer continues to insist on no community transmission from a city over 28 days it will be very hard to see Queensland every opening up again to Sydney and Melbourne”.\n\nMr Clennell also pointed out Prime Minister Scott Morrison was aware he could lose the next federal election likely to be held in late 2021 if he pushed the border debate too far.\n\nThe Prime Minister has the option of taking interstate border closures to the High Court, forcing border legislation through parliament, or threatening to withdraw JobKeeper support if Premier’s refuse to open the borders, he said. \n\nCommenting on the situation Mr Morrison said Premiers 'need to ensure they are not putting needless handbrakes on our economic recovery,” however his frustration was evident when he compared National Cabinet to “having to get kids in a car” after failing to get a national hotspot definition at Friday’s meeting.\n\n“The PM soon rescued himself from this by pointing out to the reporter they were all adults in the room,” Mr Clennell said.\n\nImage: Getty \n\n
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Health Minister rules out taking finance portfolio ahead of Coalition cabinet reshuffle | Sky News AustraliaHealth Minister Greg Hunt has ruled himself out of the running for the finance portfolio ahead of the resignation of Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.\n \nInstead, the current Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham is expected to take the high-profile position, Mr Clennell said. \n \n“Hunt who is a member of the expenditure review committee was approached internally about taking on finance and has had discussion with the PM about it … but has agreed with the PM he should stay in health until the election given the pandemic”.\n \nMr Clennell said the Prime Minister wanted a “minimalist reshuffle” at the end of the year but confirmed it had been suggested Michael Sukkar could be replaced as Assistant Treasurer by MP David Coleman.\n \nHe also flagged “speculation” Defence Minister Linda Reynolds could be replaced by Peter Dutton”. \n \n“The PM is looking to bolster his economic team after the departure of Cormann,' he said. \n\n
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Andrews praises Victorians’ ‘amazing’ work as 41 new cases, nine deaths confirmed | Sky News AustraliaVictorian Premier Daniel Andrews has praised Victorians for “amazing” work combating COVID-19 after the state recorded 41 new cases and nine deaths – including four “mystery” infections.\n\nHe said the figures raise the total number of confirmed cases to 19,574 and 675 deaths in the state. \n\nMr Andrews said the deaths announced on Monday included one woman in her 70s, one woman and three men in their 80s, one woman and three men in their 90s – eight of which were linked to aged care.\n\nHe said Victoria has 1781 active cases across the state – with regional Victoria accounting for just 95 current infections.\n\n“These numbers are low, and they are being driven even lower because of the amazing work every single person in regional Victoria is doing – just like those in Melbourne,” he said.\t\n\nMr Andrews said 266 Victorians are in hospital for COVID-19, 25 of which are in intensive care and 17 of which are on ventilators.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
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Unfair water holdings don’t exemplify a ‘fairdinkum Australia’: Alan Jones | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Alan Jones says large owners of Australian water “don’t own a handkerchief of land” but sell water to farmers at an exorbitant rate which is not a fairdinkum Australia.\n\nMr Jones pointed to NSW MP Helen Dalton who has recently introduced a bill into the state parliament calling for a register of water owners or those whose families own waters – which is aimed at politicians – but is likely to be defeated by the Berejiklian government. \n\nHe said outfits like Duxton Water don’t “own a handkerchief of land but they own most of the water”.\n\n“They sell (water) to farmers when it suits them at whatever inflated price they choose”.\n\n“And this is called a fairdinkum Australia, I don’t think so.”\n\nImage: Getty\n
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Australia secures priority access to potential coronavirus vaccines | Sky News AustraliaAustralians have moved to the front of the line to receive a coronavirus vaccine after a $1.7 billion commitment by the federal government secured priority access to multiple potential vaccines. \n\nA statement released last night revealed the federal government sealed a deal to ensure priority access to an Oxford University developed potential vaccine which would be manufactured in Melbourne and distributed by AstraZeneca. \n\nUnder the deal, potentially 3.8 million doses would be available to Australians in January and February next year if the trial-drug proved successful. \n\nPrime Minister Scott Morrison said once a vaccine was developed, it would be made free for all Australians, however, health care workers and the vulnerable would be given priority access.\n\nA University of Queensland trial vaccine was also included in the deal and would be distributed by CSL if successful. \n\nMr Morrison is expected to reveal further details about the deal later today. \n\nImage: AP
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Fake news in the US as democrats try to 'soften up the military' | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Paul Murray says the biggest example of fake news played out in the United States in the last week and leveled unfounded and wrong attacks at President Donald Trump.\n\nFar left-wing publication, The Atlantic, released an article written by four nameless people who suggested Donald Trump didn’t want to go to a war cemetery in France because those who died in war are “losers” and “suckers”.\n\nThe unsourced story, with no names and big claims, became mainstream after it was talked about by presidential hopeful Joe Biden, Mr Murray said. \n\nPresident Trump said what was written in the second-rate magazine was a ‘disgrace’.\n\nFormer national security advisor to Donald Trump John Bolton, who was with the president when he reportedly insulted war heroes, said he had “not heard either of those comments or anything even resembling them.”\n\nMr Murray said Mr Bolton disliked the president who fired him, and had written a book full of attacks at Trump, and yet he reported the news story released by Alliance included statements he had never heard Trump make. \n\nMr Murray said this piece of fake news was an attempt to “change the subject and soften up the military should they be needed at some point in time during a contested election.”\n\n “I know that sounds crazy but we live in crazy times,” he said. \n
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