Climate protester restrained by MPs after interrupting NSW parliament
Penry Buckley
A climate protester has been restrained by NSW MPs after he climbed over a barrier to interrupt question time to protest against the approval of the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coalmine extension by the state’s Independent Planning Commission last month.
Earlier this afternoon, question time was interrupted for several minutes by the protest, during which eight activists from environmental advocacy group Rising Tide threw pages of government and academic climate reports into the chamber, including the Net Zero Commission’s report on coalmining emissions, which said mine expansions are against the state’s legislated emissions reduction targets.
In the parliamentary livestream, MPs appeared shocked before the speaker, Greg Piper, cut the feed. Footage shared by the group Rising Tide, which organised the protest, showed two MPs, independent MP Michael Regan and Labor MP David Saliba, helping parliamentary staff restrain one protester who climbed over the barrier.
In a statement, the protester, Andrew Sneddon, said he had been driven to do so by “the Minns government’s failure to address the climate crisis”.
We need a government that listens to its own experts, stops approving new fossil fuel projects and delivers an urgent, fair transition for coal workers and communities.
As the world hurtles towards climate catastrophe, we cannot stand by in silence. If our government won’t act with the urgency this crisis demands, everyday people like myself are forced to step up.
The Minns government has been contacted for comment.
Key events
Sarah Basford Canales
Government pay offer falls short, public service union says
The main public sector union says the federal government’s offer of a 9% pay rise over the next three years falls short of expectations.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) put a 5% pay rise each year or equal to CPI – whichever is higher – which it said had been endorsed by more than 18,000 members.
The CPSU’s newly-elected national secretary, Rebecca Fawcett, said the union would speak with members once more about next steps.
CPSU members [have] been clear from the beginning of these negotiations: they want to see pay that keeps up with the cost of living, which recognises the essential work they do every day. The APS-wide pay offer that has been tabled today falls short of what our members asked for, and what public sector workers deserve. This is now in our members’ hands. They will decide whether it is good enough, and the union will continue to fight for a pay offer that respects these vital workers, and the important services they deliver to the community.
Climate protester restrained by MPs after interrupting NSW parliament
Penry Buckley
A climate protester has been restrained by NSW MPs after he climbed over a barrier to interrupt question time to protest against the approval of the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coalmine extension by the state’s Independent Planning Commission last month.
Earlier this afternoon, question time was interrupted for several minutes by the protest, during which eight activists from environmental advocacy group Rising Tide threw pages of government and academic climate reports into the chamber, including the Net Zero Commission’s report on coalmining emissions, which said mine expansions are against the state’s legislated emissions reduction targets.
In the parliamentary livestream, MPs appeared shocked before the speaker, Greg Piper, cut the feed. Footage shared by the group Rising Tide, which organised the protest, showed two MPs, independent MP Michael Regan and Labor MP David Saliba, helping parliamentary staff restrain one protester who climbed over the barrier.
In a statement, the protester, Andrew Sneddon, said he had been driven to do so by “the Minns government’s failure to address the climate crisis”.
We need a government that listens to its own experts, stops approving new fossil fuel projects and delivers an urgent, fair transition for coal workers and communities.
As the world hurtles towards climate catastrophe, we cannot stand by in silence. If our government won’t act with the urgency this crisis demands, everyday people like myself are forced to step up.
The Minns government has been contacted for comment.
After a final dixer to the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, the PM calls time on QT.
Hogan booted after accusing Labor of running ‘protection racket’ for small business minister
The Nationals MP Kevin Hogan asks the small business minister how many small businesses will pay more tax under Labor’s proposed minimum tax on trusts, and when was she notified of the policy.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, takes the call. There’s some groans from the Coalition.
The Liberal frontbencher, Aaron Violi, shouts out “any day now”, to which Chalmers replies: “I haven’t got the call yet, genius.”
Dan Tehan protests, saying members should be referred by their correct titles, Milton Dick agrees, and Chalmers jokes:
I withdraw describing the honourable member as a genius.
Chalmers then defends the trust tax:
The reason that we are dealing with this is because the flexibility provided by trusts can allow some Australians to plan their tax affairs in ways that aren’t available to most workers and to most families.
Hogan tries to chime in to make a point of order, and accuses the government of running a “protection racket” for the small business minister, Anne Aly.
Dick isn’t having it, calls it “abuse” and tells Hogan to leave the chamber.
Albanese asked to support households and businesses in western Sydney facing super El Niño
Dai Le, who represents south-western Sydney, says there is a super El Niño on the way and asks the prime minister what he will do to protect struggling families and small businesses ahead of summer in her area, which “can be 10 degrees hotter than the east”.
The short answer: Anthony Albanese doesn’t say.
He talks about bushfire preparedness and acknowledges that western Sydney faces tougher conditions with heat from the Blue Mountains and western plains. He doesn’t say whether the government will provide any additional support to directly help those families and businesses battle the heat.
Preparedness in areas in which bushfires, in particular, can have an impact is very important that people use this time to do things such as clean gutters and follow the expert advice to make sure that moves forward.
In our cities – including in western Sydney which, because of the geography and topography and climate there, can actually be a capture of heat in between the Blue Mountains and the plains that occur to the east of the mountains – often, that heat can be captured there that can provide quite dangerous circumstances unless it is dealt with ahead. This is just one of the reasons why the government is continuing to act on climate change.
‘It’s not acceptable’: minister apologises to parents of slain soldier not invited to Afghanistan commemoration
The minister for veterans’ affairs, Matt Keogh, has apologised to the parents of Sean McCarthy, who were not invited to the 25th anniversary of the beginning of Australia’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan.
McCarthy was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2008.
Keogh says the Australian War Memorial reached out to the next of kin for all the men and women who were killed in Afghanistan, but “some of those contact details were clearly out of date”.
There were two attempts at trying to contact Mr and Mrs McCarthy because of that. And they didn’t receive that communication. I learned of that on the weekend … I have spoken to David and Mary to pass on my apologies that there was clearly a deficiency in contact details and that they weren’t reached out to.
It’s not acceptable, and everyone wants to make sure that we give all families the opportunity to participate in commemorations such as this.
Why did the small business minister not get advance notice from the ATO on credit card ban, asks Coalition
The spotlight has come back to the small business minister, Anne Aly, who is asked by the Liberal backbencher Melissa Price why the treasurer was informed by the ATO that it would ban credit card payments on 25 September, but she was only informed six days later with the rest of the public on 1 October.
Aly says she answered questions on this yesterday (which is when she revealed she wasn’t told in advance).
She says:
I answered questions on this yesterday. I’ve been clear that small businesses should have been consulted on the credit card ban, and I recognise that the treasurer acted really swiftly to provide transitional funding so that the ATO can continue accepting credit card transactions until the end of the financial year.
Tim Wilson gets a warning from the speaker to stop interjecting or he’ll lose his MPI. MPI stands for matters of public importance – it’s a dedicated time every sitting day after question time for an opposition MP, crossbencher or government backbencher to make a speech on any issue.
Coalition targets Labor on fuel prices
The Coalition is changing tack again, and the Nationals deputy leader, Darren Chester, asks the government whether – as fuel prices skyrocket – it will support the Coalition’s policy to automatically lower fuel prices when global oil prices spike.
Anthony Albanese talks about the government securing fuel supply in the aftermath of the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran.
The opposition makes a point of order, saying it asked about future price, not previous supply.
Milton Dick shuts the point of order down and says Albanese is being relevant.
Albanese continues and goes on the attack:
They stand here and ask about fiscal policy and ask about saving, and then they say – why don’t you spend more money? That is what they are saying.
Labor won’t say whether commonwealth will approve or reject massive coalmine extension in NSW
Will the government reject an application for the largest coalmine extension in NSW history, asks the independent MP Nicolette Boele. She points out that the minister in charge is the minister for the environment, not the minister against the environment.
The short answer is: no comment.
Tony Burke, representing the environment minister Senator Murray Watt, gives us a recount of what’s going on but won’t say what will happen next:
My understanding is that Hunter Valley Operations have proposed an extension. It’s an extension to existing mines in previously mined areas. The NSW state Independent Planning Commission has already given its approval, with strict conditions. The state approval does not pre-empt the federal approval – they’re separate processes.
The National Environmental Protection Agency – I’m proud to say we now have a federal EPA – is currently considering the project and whether it should be approved under federal law.
… while the matter remains under consideration, it’s not appropriate for me to comment further.
Liberal party ‘circling the drain’, Chalmers says as Labor MP booted
The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, is up next to the dispatch box, and asks Jim Chalmers when he will “admit his out-of-control spending is driving up inflation and interest rates?”. He quotes an unnamed Labor source who told the Daily Telegraph the treasurer is acting like a “used car salesman”.
Before Chalmers can even stand up, the Labor MP Emma Comer gets kicked out for shouting between the question and answer. Labor MPs around her shout: “On her birthday?!” Maybe she did it on purpose – a little birthday treat for herself!
Chalmers talks about Australia’s triple-A credit rating before quickly pivoting into an attack, taking a stab at Angus Taylor’s attendance at the “far-right conference in Brisbane” over the weekend (he’s referring to CPAC).
The opposition doesn’t like this, but Milton Dick says the question had “some colour and movement” and so he will allow the answer.
Chalmers continues:
When the leader of the opposition went to that far-right conference in Brisbane, he had a shot at Josh Frydenberg, and he said one of the big mistakes that they made in office was they made a mess of the budget, that they spent too much money. And a lot of our work in the four-and-a-half years we’ve been in office has been to clean up the mess that Josh Frydenberg left behind.
Is it any wonder that the member for Canning [Andrew Hastie] is stalking him inside this place, the former member for Kooyong is stalking him from outside this place? Josh Frydenberg thinks the Liberal party is circling the drain on your watch, and he’s right.
It’s question time!
Angus Taylor has his sights set on the small business minister, Anne Aly, again today, asking when Labor will listen and “stop waging war” on small businesses.
Aly says she does listen and travels to talk to small businesses across the country, and tries to say the Coalition doesn’t.
I’ve heard from small businesses in hospitality, in construction, in farming, right across the board …
Unlike those opposite – because the only thing that the leader of the opposition could do was to cosplay a reel that was put up on social media where he pretended to be visiting a small business, instead of actually visiting one.
Taylor and the shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, throw their hands up looking confused by the accusation.
There’s plenty of noise from the benches, one Coalition MP shouts, “small business has no confidence in you, minister”.
Sarah Basford Canales
Public servants offered 9% pay rise over coming three years
Federal public servants have been offered a pay rise of 9% over three years after months of Australian Public Service-wide bargaining between government negotiators and unions.
The Australian Public Service Commission announced the offer this afternoon that will include a 3.2% rise for bureaucrats from next March, 3% from March 2028 and finally 2.8% in March 2029.
Some government workers in agencies with lower pay grades will be offered further salary increases up to 0.5% each year or a total of up to 1.5% in an effort to close the pay gap between departments.
Beyond pay rises, other APS-wide conditions are being negotiated, including consistent flexible working arrangements, reduced qualifying periods for higher duties allowance, and stronger leave portability when joining the APS from another government employer.
The APS chief negotiator, Alison Stott, said the offer would establish more “consistent salary advancement across the APS”.
We’re building on the work of the previous bargaining round to increase commonality across APS agencies. This measure will uplift at least one classification in 92% of agencies. This pay is part of an overall package of conditions. These are preliminary positions within this package, not agreed outcomes. Bargaining is continuing and we will keep working with unions and individual bargaining representatives in good faith.
Unions and APS delegates will now continue the bargaining process until they reach agreement.
