Ladies Lounge creator Kirsha Kaechele exiting a hearing in the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 19 March. Photograph: Jesse Hunniford Mona/Charlotte Vignau
Ladies Lounge creator Kirsha Kaechele exiting a hearing in the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 19 March. Photograph: Jesse Hunniford Mona/Charlotte Vignau
Search to resume this morning for missing bushwalker
A search will resume this morning for a woman who went missing while bushwalking at Belmore Falls in New South Wales.
Just after 1pm on Sunday, emergency services were called to Belmore Falls near Robertson after reports a woman had slipped and fallen down a cliff. An extensive search was initiated, but the 20-year-old was not located and the search was suspended at dusk.
The multi-agency search resumed at 8am yesterday, with police divers assisting.
A command post has now been established at the Belmore Falls lookout car park and the search was scheduled to resume around 8am today, police said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Nationals and Emerson agree Amazon and others should fall under supermarket code
Continuing from our last post with more from AAP:
Federal Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie said Woolworths had a point about which retailers were captured by the code. Speaking on Nine’s Today show earlier, she said:
We’ve got large multinationals in the supermarket ring who aren’t captured. So I’d like to see this expanded over time.
Craig Emerson agreed with McKenzie, telling the program:
Woolworths, I think, makes a good point, and that is the code to be extended should be expanded to cover rivals Amazon, Costco and even Chemist Warehouse.
But ultimately, the Nationals and the Liberals wanted to see divestiture powers in competition laws in the future, McKenzie said:
We’ll have more to say on that in coming weeks and months.
Calls for Amazon, Costco to fall under supermarket code of conduct
Global retail behemoths Amazon and Costco should be subject to the supermarket code of conduct alongside other large Australian companies, according to grocery giant Woolworths.
While Woolworths is already a signatory to the voluntary code and supports making it compulsory, the company believes more retailers should be subject to its terms. A spokesperson said:
The code should apply to all major retailers operating in Australia, including global retail giants such as Amazon and Costco, who have global revenues many times the size of Australian supermarkets.
Amazon’s Melbourne fulfilment centre. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian
Hardware retailer Bunnings and pharmacy Chemist Warehouse, who compete in grocery categories like household cleaning goods and personal care, should also fall under the code, Woolworths argued.
The interim review into the food and grocery code of conduct recommended the guidelines be made mandatory for supermarkets with yearly revenues exceeding $5bn, and for any breaches to be met with up to $10m in fines.
Coles, Woolworths and IGA owners Metcash all said they would consider the detail of the interim report. An Amazon spokesperson said the company was “pleased to play a role in driving competition in the general retail sector to the benefit of all Australians”.
A man has died following a single-vehicle crash in Sydney’s lower north shore.
Just after 4am, emergency services responded to reports a vehicle had crashed on Epping Road at Willoughby.
A statement from NSW police confirmed the driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene.
The incident caused heavy traffic along the Hills Motorway, and according to Live Traffic significant delays can still be expected hours later with heavy traffic conditions still ongoing.
Live Traffic says Mowbray Road is closed between Epping Road and Whitfield Avenue, with two of the three eastbound lanes closed along Epping Road.
Emergency services, Transport for NSW, a motorway crew and the crash investigation unit are all attending the incident.
Police officers have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and a report will be prepared for the coroner, a statement said.
Defence industry minister says Japan may collaborate on Aukus
The defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, has been speaking to ABC RN about the latest Aukus announcement – that Japan could potentially join the pact for pillar 2 (you can read more about this earlier in the blog).
He said the three Aukus nations – Australia, the US and the UK – were “always interested in partnering with other countries where [it benefits the] the Aukus partners and the country in question”.
Conroy said the three Aukus nations have “a strong foundation” and that Japan is at the “forefront of developing cutting-edge defence capabilities”.
This is [about] collaborating on technology development on [Aukus pillar 2], on a project-by-project basis. It’s not about Japan being part of the Five Eyes intelligence community, it’s about technological collaboration where it makes sense for all parties involved.
Conroy was speaking to RN from Washington, where he is meeting with key officials and defence industry leaders this week.
Asked about Aukus more broadly, including pillar 1 (which is the nuclear-submarine component), Conroy said it was “all on track and we’re building steady momentum towards that”.
Defence industry minister Pat Conroy. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Craig Emerson resists guaranteeing grocery prices will fall
Still speaking on Sunrise, Craig Emerson was asked to give an estimate of how much prices would fall as a result of mandatory code?
I can’t give that estimate... because there is a separate inquiry being conduct by the ACCC itself into the pricing behaviour of supermarkets. So let’s have that inquiry run its course… but then knit in with my inquiry, and I have been working with the ACCC all the way along with this of this.
Q: Give Australians a ballpark [figure], what do you reckon?
Emerson:
You have half of the equation, right. I am dealing with the suppliers. The ACCC will be dealing with the relationship between the supermarkets and the customers. Why would I now predict the outcome of that? That is an impossible task. Mission impossible.
Q: Can you guarantee prices will fall?
Emerson:
Well, they should fall and I don’t know what is going to happen to international oil price prices, Nat. I don’t know if there is going to be an expansion of the war in Ukraine. Want me to predict those too?
Former trade minister Craig Emerson. Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP
Craig Emerson responds to ‘Mickey-Mouse review’ criticism
The author behind a review of the food and grocery code of conduct has responded to comments from the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, that the interim report – released yesterday – was a “Mickey-Mouse review”.
The PM has said he was “absolutely confident” measures in the interim report would bring down prices at the checkout – you can read all the detail on it here. Dutton argues the review was “predetermined”, with the results dictated by the treasurer. Jim Chalmers.
Craig Emerson, who conducted the review, was on Sunrise earlier and said it was a “pretty trivial position” to label it a “Mickey-Mouse review”.
… because this voluntary code was introduced under the previous government, of which Peter Dutton was a senior minister, and it was voluntary – still is – and that is going to change.
But basically, there were no penalties in it. It is like saying the speed limit is 80km/hr but if you do 100km/hr that is fine.
Melbourne park asbestos test results to be revealed
Melburnians living near several parks are slated to find out whether the areas have been contaminated with asbestos, AAP reports.
The Environment Protection Authority is investigating after the cancer-causing substance was found at parks in the Hobsons Bay and Merri-bek council areas.
Inspectors have confirmed asbestos was found at the under-construction park at Hosken Reserve at North Coburg, the PJ Lynch Reserve at Altona North and the Donald McLean Reserve at Spotswood.
Lab results due this afternoon are expected to confirm contamination results for three others: PA Burns Reserve at Altona, GJ Hosken Reserve at Altona North and Crofts Reserve at Altona North.
EPA Victoria’s Duncan Pendrigh speaking to the media yesterday. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP
It is unclear whether inspectors have already confirmed asbestos contamination at Shore Reserve at Pascoe Vale South.
Early investigations raised concerns the asbestos was being introduced to the parks through mulch deliveries, like the contaminated mulch crisis in NSW. But the regulator has said there was no evidence of that. The authority’s Duncan Pendrigh said:
Mulch producers are unlikely the source for this contamination. There may be something being introduced in the supply chain.
The pieces of confirmed asbestos found at the Melbourne parks so far have been bonded asbestos, rather than the more dangerous friable asbestos.
Australia and its Aukus partners, the US and the UK, have announced they are considering working with Japan on pillar 2 of the defence deal.
The countries released a joint statement this morning, which said:
Since the inception of Aukus, our nations have been clear in our intent to engage others in pillar II projects as our work progresses … Recognising Japan’s strengths and its close bilateral defense partnerships with all three countries we are considering cooperation with Japan on Aukus pillar II advanced capability projects.
The lengthy statement details Aukus’ progress so far and upcoming plans, across both pillar 1 (nuclear-powered submarines) and pillar 2 (advanced capability development).
The Australian defence minister, Richard Marles, UK secretary of state for defence, Grant Shapps, and the US secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, said that from the inception of Aukus, they intended to engage with other nations on pillar 2 projects:
Aukus partners have developed principles and models for additional partner engagement in individual Pillar II projects and will undertake consultations in 2024 with prospective partners regarding areas where they can contribute to, and benefit from, this historic work.
The statement makes it clear this is an intent to work with Japan, not a confirmation.
The deputy prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Good morning and happy Tuesday. Welcome back to another day on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll take you through our rolling coverage.
Early this morning Australia and its Aukus partners – the US and the UK – confirmed that they are considering working with Japan on Aukus pillar 2. Yesterday our reporter Daniel Hurst flagged that the countries were considering expanding the pact. A joint statement said:
Since the inception of Aukus, our nations have been clear in our intent to engage others in pillar II projects as our work progresses … Recognising Japan’s strengths and its close bilateral defense partnerships with all three countries we are considering cooperation with Japan on Aukus pillar II advanced capability projects.
More on this shortly.
AAP is reporting that Melburnians living near several parks are slated to find out whether the areas have been contaminated with asbestos. Inspectors have confirmed asbestos was found at an under-construction park at Hosken Reserve at North Coburg, the PJ Lynch Reserve at Altona North and the Donald McLean Reserve at Spotswood.
Lab results due this afternoon are expected to confirm contamination results for three others: PA Burns Reserve at Altona, GJ Hosken Reserve at Altona North and Crofts Reserve at Altona North.
See something that needs attention on the blog? You can get in touch via X @emilywindwrites, or you can send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
