As it happened: Labor continues industrial relations bill negotiations; PM, NSW Premier announce NSW floods support package

“Public hearings bolster public trust in our institutions, educate the community on the critical role that an anti corruption commission plays and ensures procedural fairness of defendants,” she said.

“The bar for hearings to be held publicly should not be as high as it currently is proposed in this bill. It should not take exceptional circumstances for the public to be entitled to witness the operation of the commission’s investigations.

“I consider that the commission should have the power to hold public hearings where it is in the public interest to do so. That test requires the commission to give due consideration to whether the conduct in question is sufficiently serious to warrant a public spotlight on it.”

Indi MP Helen Haines, a crucial supporter of a federal anti-corruption commission, said the so-called exceptional circumstances requirement was the “biggest threat to the openness of the commission”.

“Coalition members have cited fears about the grave mental health impacts which may arise from a public hearing,” she said.

“And these are really important concerns and I share them, but they can be addressed in a way which enhances protections but does not hide the most critical corruption investigations away in the dark.”

Haines said she would move an amendment to the bill which would make it mandatory for the commission to consider “certain factors when deciding whether to hold a public hearing, including unfair prejudice to a person’s reputation, privacy, safety or wellbeing caused from a public hearing”.

“The public deserves to know what circumstances justify the holding of a public hearing. My amendment will define exceptional circumstances to mean circumstances where it is preferable or appropriate for evidence to be heard in public,” she said.

But a departmental spokesperson said in a statement the first website link in question was “incorrectly included” in the impact statement. There was no response regarding the second.

“The hourly consultancy rate used in estimating bargaining costs involved consulting a broad range of sources,” the spokesperson said.

“This approach has been used previously by the department and was approved by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.

“In this instance, the department utilised rates for an IR manager, IR adviser and HR admin role in Sydney from the Hays salary checker.”

According to the regulatory impact statement accompanying the bill, small businesses with a staff of 15 or less who are grouped into negotiating with employees across several companies under the low-paid or “supported” bargaining stream, will foot $14,638 each, including the cost of external help.

The forecast costs for businesses factored in hours spent negotiating and external consultant fees.

Asked by Cash how the department arrived at the figure of $175 per hour for a consultant, department first assistant secretary Jody Anderson said figures in the impact statement were “usually standard costs”.

However, the footnote for the cost references a website for Authentic Education, and a page titled, “How Much Should I Charge As A Consultant In Australia?”

“Which member of the department Googled how much should I charge as a consultant?” Cash asked the panel. Anderson replied, “I’d have to take that on notice.”

Trade Minister Don Farrell said the agreements would help Australia reach its full economic potential.

“More trade, not less, is a key part of how we build the economic future we want in Australia with secure, high-paying jobs,” he told the Senate.

Farrell said the agreement with India provides the opportunity for a second tranche of trade negotiations for greater access to a market of 1.4 billion people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intends to lead a trade and business delegation to India early next year.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the agreements created “a vibrant network ... to enable Australian businesses to succeed in the world”.

The agreements will not automatically come into effect once they pass the Australian parliament, with both needing to be ratified by the respective partner nations.

Farrell told ABC TV: “All of the benefits that flow from the India free trade agreement should be available to Australian producers this year.

“Unfortunately, the English system is slightly more truncated. I’m still hopeful we might get it this year, but it may be early next year.”

Albanese discussed the deals with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia.

The deals would come into force 30 days after countries have advised each other in writing that the supporting legislation has been passed by their parliaments.

AAP

Italy has renamed the prosecco grape “glera”, and is pushing to get the name prosecco protected under the deal.

Speaking on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Trade Minister Don Farrell said Australia had not conceded to that request.

“We continue to fight hard for Australian winemakers,” he said.

“There will obviously be discussions taking place over the next three to six months. It’s one of those issues which is difficult in the set of negotiations.

“But my mum used to tell me every problem has a solution, and we’ll find a solution to this problem.”

Winemakers fear allowing the EU to protect the name prosecco would set a dangerous precedent that could flow to other varieties like sangiovese.

Albanese said staff at the High Commission were seeking to confirm the safety of all Australians, but they faced communications difficulties as the phone lines had gone down.

He said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had set up a task force to lead consular response and support, while local police were conducting a damage assessment.

“We have contacted Prime Minister [Manasseh] Sogavare to once again indicate Australia stands ready to assist,” he said.

“We await further news.”

Albanese said anyone concerned about their loved ones in the Solomon Islands could contact the consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135 (for callers in Australia), or +61 262 613 305 (for callers outside Australia).

Meanwhile, at least 162 people are dead and more than 700 are injured after a 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook Indonesia’s main island of Java, damaging more than 2000 homes and displacing an estimated 13,000 people.

Albanese said he had conveyed Australia’s condolences to Indonesian President Joko Widodo for “this tragic loss of life, and we will stand ready to provide our friends in Indonesia with support as Australia always does”.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said: “We send our condolences in particular to families in Java who have lost loved ones and those in the Solomon Islands that will be panicking about where their loved ones are.

“We don’t know the extent of the damage yet, but it will require assistance from Australia no doubt and as the prime minister rightly points out, our country will always stand with our near neighbours ... [to] provide them with support in their hour of need.

“And to our people on the ground, we have many staff in the Solomon Islands at the moment, so we wish them every safe passage.”