Australia news live updates: lack of vehicle emissions standards could make Australia a ‘dumping ground’ for old cars, minister warns

Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Live feed From 33m ago 17. 53 Morrison’s secret ministries not a ‘laughing matter’, PM says The prime minister appeared on ABC Breakfast News this morning where hosts asked him about Scott Morrison’s late night commenting on Facebook – “cracking gags, joking, about his multiple jobs, photoshopping his face on people like the coach of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league club and he wrote on Facebook – I’m quoting him directly – ‘As Aussies we can also have a chuckle at ourselves. ’ What do you think of that?” Anthony Albanese: .

css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} Well, I think that this undermining of parliamentary system of government, of the whole Westminster system, and our democratic traditions of accountability, something that aren’t a laughing matter, and I’m surprised at the response of Mr Morrison to this. But then again, I frankly was shocked by the revelations that he not only was prime minister but took over responsibility or shared responsibility for five different portfolios as well … I’m also somewhat surprised that there’s been no concept that there’s a need to say to the Australian people that the wrong thing was done here in undermining our Westminster system of parliamentary democracy.

But people will make their own judgment, I guess, about whether Mr Morrison’s actions has been appropriate. Certainly many of his colleagues have been very clear that they are shocked by the behaviour as well and the undermining of democracy. It’s a pity it took Peter Dutton some time to distance himself from Mr Morrison’s actions.

Updated at 18. 08 EDT Key events 4m ago Australia commits $25m to help Sri Lanka 1h ago Good morning! Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 4m ago 18. 22 Australia commits $25m to help Sri Lanka Australia will provide an additional $25 million to help Sri Lanka meet urgent food and healthcare needs, as the country struggles through its worst economic crisis in 70 years .

The minister for foreign affairs, Penny Wong , and the minister for international development and the pacific, Pat Conroy, have announced the commitment which brings Australia’s Official Development Assistance response to $75m. The ministerial release stated: . css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.

5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} Our support will be delivered through UN agencies to provide food, health and nutrition services, access to safe water and essential support for those at risk, including women and children. Australia’s continued assistance to Sri Lanka supports our mutual interest in a secure and resilient Indian Ocean and reinforces our 75 year-strong relationship built on cooperation and community connection. 12m ago 18.

14 Turnbull questioning legality of Morrison’s actions Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is taking to social media to question whether Scott Morrison ’s secret ministerial appointments were in fact legal. Most have excoriated @ScottMorrisonMP secret ministerial appointments but said they were “legal”. Is that right? The appointments were made so Morrison could exercise the powers of the ministers secretly shadowed by him – as he did with the decision on the gas lease.

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) August 18, 2022 Can a person exercise the statutory powers of a Minister under a statute if their appointment to that ministry is secret? Doesn’t our fundamental democratic values mean that in order for a person to exercise the power of “the Minister” they must be publicly declared as such? — Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) August 18, 2022 18m ago 18. 08 Discussions with Greens on the voice “very important,” Burney says Burney also said she had not yet met with Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe , but said: . css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.

5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} I can assure you there will not only be discussions with Lidia Thorpe, but also Dorinda Cox and Adam Bandt , which is very important in terms of the Greens. Burney said while the government’s focus at the moment “is absolutely the referendum” she affirms Labor’s full commitment to the Uluru Statement, including the Makarrata Commission. “there really is a new dawn coming, I can feel it” – @LindaBurneyMP (PART 2) — RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) August 18, 2022 Updated at 18.

16 EDT 23m ago 18. 03 Burney calls Howard’s comments on the voice ‘scurrilous’ Circling back to minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney’s interview on ABC Radio this morning. She was asked about yesterday’s comments from former prime minister John Howard about the voice to parliament, in which he warned it may be “coercive” and criticised a lack of detail: .

css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} The points Mr Howard has been making are absolutely scurrilous… and I am pleased to see Malcolm Turnbull has changed his mind. Howard said “anything that raises the possibility of division and giving special status is not going to work”, even with bipartisan support – how will you combat that? “because I’m going to stick to the facts and the government will stick to the facts” – @LindaBurneyMP (PART 1) — RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) August 18, 2022 “In all of those years, when Howard refused to apologise [to the Stolen Generation] is really all I need to say.

. John Howard’s record in reconciliation is not something he should crow about” – @LindaBurneyMP (PART 2) — RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) August 18, 2022 Updated at 18. 24 EDT 33m ago 17.

53 Morrison’s secret ministries not a ‘laughing matter’, PM says The prime minister appeared on ABC Breakfast News this morning where hosts asked him about Scott Morrison’s late night commenting on Facebook – “cracking gags, joking, about his multiple jobs, photoshopping his face on people like the coach of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league club and he wrote on Facebook – I’m quoting him directly – ‘As Aussies we can also have a chuckle at ourselves. ’ What do you think of that?” Anthony Albanese: . css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.

5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} Well, I think that this undermining of parliamentary system of government, of the whole Westminster system, and our democratic traditions of accountability, something that aren’t a laughing matter, and I’m surprised at the response of Mr Morrison to this. But then again, I frankly was shocked by the revelations that he not only was prime minister but took over responsibility or shared responsibility for five different portfolios as well … I’m also somewhat surprised that there’s been no concept that there’s a need to say to the Australian people that the wrong thing was done here in undermining our Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. But people will make their own judgment, I guess, about whether Mr Morrison’s actions has been appropriate.

Certainly many of his colleagues have been very clear that they are shocked by the behaviour as well and the undermining of democracy. It’s a pity it took Peter Dutton some time to distance himself from Mr Morrison’s actions. Updated at 18.

08 EDT 39m ago 17. 47 Torres Strait Islanders ‘see themselves … as a minority within a minority’, Linda Burney says The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney , is speaking to ABC Radio as she continues her visit alongside the prime minister Anthony Albanese in the Torres Strait consulting on a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to parliament . Asked what she is trying to find out from Torres Strait Islanders, she responds: .

css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} We’re talking to the people of the Torres Strait about the support for a voice … and we’re also talking to them about a whole range of other issues. And they have talked very clearly about the various governance structures they have in place up here … and they’re all things we should consider very deeply as we go forward and talk about the design of the voice.

It is a region in itself, it is very distinct … and they see themselves as it was described to us as a minority within a minority. Updated at 18. 21 EDT 47m ago 17.

39 Adam Morton National electric vehicle strategy to improve affordability and choice The climate change minister, Chris Bowen , will tell the national EV summit the Albanese government has written to the states and territories inviting them to work together on a national EV strategy, including considering the introduction of vehicle fuel efficiency standards to drive the uptake of cleaner cars. Fuel efficiency standards set an emissions target for auto manufacturers averaged across all the cars they sell, measured in grams of CO 2 released per kilometre driven. Targets are gradually reduced to zero, when they effectively become a ban on new fossil fuel cars.

They are in place across about 80% of the global light-vehicle market. Excerpts of Bowen’s speech released to media before the event said the strategy would aim to improve affordability and choice by expanding the local EV market. Only 2% of new cars sold in Australia last year were low-emissions vehicles, compared with 9% globally.

In the extract, Bowen pulled up short of promising mandatory fuel efficiency standards, but said it was time for “an orderly and sensible discussion” about whether they could help improve the supply of EVs and cut both emissions and the cost of running a car. He said Australia was the only OECD country other than Russia not to have introduced vehicle carbon dioxide standards or have them in development. Bowen’s speech notes said: .

css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} The lack of such standards in Australia is cited as one of the factors impacting the supply and cost of EVs. Why? Because while Australia doesn’t show leadership, manufacturers prioritise markets which do.

It means consumers aren’t getting the choice available internationally and, as the world moves towards more efficient and cleaner vehicles, we risk becoming a dumping ground for older technology which can’t be sold in other markets. Bank Australia to steer customers towards electric vehicles with halt to loans for fossil fuel cars in 2025 Read more Updated at 18. 19 EDT 1h ago 17.

28 Morrison ‘feeling amused’ after meme spree While Australian leaders and constitutional law experts have been profoundly troubled by the revelations that Scott Morrison undermined the Westminster system of democracy by secretly swearing himself into five additional ministries, the former prime minister himself is “feeling amused”. Since yesterday, the former prime minister has been responding to memes created in response to the secret ministries saga in comments from his official Facebook account. Not engaged in day-to-day politics but engaged in day-to-day memes https://t.

co/brvI7b6wkl — Tamsin Rose (@tamsinroses) August 18, 2022 Morrison then made his own post last night with the status of “Scott Morrison (Scomo) is feeling amused” along with his own array of photoshopped images: . css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} It’s been fun joining in on all the memes.

But there are so many now I can’t keep up. As Aussies we can always have a chuckle at ourselves. have a good evening.

This was my own effort with the Sooshi Mango boys. Glad to be also joining their team, along with all the other gigs you guys have given me today. feeling amused 🙂 pic.

twitter. com/WDrRdzOs0m — Josephine Tovey (@Jo_Tovey) August 18, 2022 Updated at 18. 14 EDT 1h ago 17.

24 Good morning! Australia’s first national electric vehicle summit is taking place in Canberra today as the government attempts to build a national strategy for EVs. Minister for energy Chris Bowen will be joined by state counterparts, representatives from electric vehicle manufacturers including the head of Volkswagen Australia, and Mike Cannon-Brookes, the CEO of tech company Atlassian and renewable energy advocate, to discuss measures including a fuel efficiency standard. Reactions continue to come in after the revelations that Scott Morrison secretly swore himself into five additional ministries .

Keith Pitt, who was resources minister at the the time Morrison also took on the portfolio, has said he supports a royal commission into the handling of the pandemic but isn’t calling for the former prime minister to resign. Pitt and agriculture minister Murray Watt both appeared on ABC’s Q&A program yesterday evening. Pitt revealed that former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack knew Morrison appointed himself to the resources portfolio in 2021.

He responded to Stan Grant : . css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1. 5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;} It may have occurred in a meeting that Michael was at with all of us, including the PM and his representatives, or it may have been a separate discussion.

I’m working my way through what is a very complex diary. We had a discussion, Michael was aware, but my recollection was that he may well have been in the room when we had a previous discussion with the PM. Watt then called for Morrison to resign, and for the Coalition agreement to be scrapped as he suggested the Nationals ministers involved had done a disservice to the National party.

Let’s kick off! Updated at 18. 13 EDT Topics Australia news Australian politics Labor party Coalition Reuse this content.