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Australia news as it happened: Daniel Andrews issues statement on China appearance; $475m settlement agreed for robo-debt victims in largest class action appeal in Australian history

Daniel Lo Surdo and Hannah Hammoud
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

Commonwealth steps in to oversee health charity after probe
Andrews addresses China controversy in statement
‘Vindication’: Shorten speaks on robo-debt outcome
Image captures Chaney reprimanding Joyce during question time
‘Simple as that’: PM stands by comments on Andrews
Alexei Navalny’s widow criticises Andrews photo op with dictators
Albanese reiterates his response to ‘ISIS brides’ reports
Albanese won’t condemn Andrews for CCP parade attendance
Andrews says he is ‘proud’ of Australia’s relationship with China in March interview
This afternoon’s headlines at a glance

What we covered today

By Hannah Hammoud

Thanks for following our live blog – that’s a wrap for today. We’ll be back tomorrow with more live coverage.

Here’s a quick recap of today’s top stories:

  • Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews defended his controversial appearance at Wednesday’s military parade in China, saying it was an opportunity to meet with regional leaders. He also defended his stance on geopolitical issues like the war in Ukraine.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced repeated demands during question time to condemn Andrews’ attendance. The PM distanced himself from Andrews’ decision, saying neither he nor any of his ministers would have considered going. Meanwhile, Deputy Victorian Premier Ben Carroll publicly rebuked his former boss for posing in the photograph, contrasting with the response of Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan who said it was beneficial for Victoria that Andrews was well-liked in China.
  • The government will pay $475 million in compensation to robo-debt victims in Australia’s largest class action appeal, stemming from the Morrison government’s illegal pursuit of debts from more than 500,000 people. Former NDIS minister Bill Shorten labelled the outcome as “vindication”.
  • Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has vowed to continue to push for aged care package delivery after forcing Labor to fast-track 20,000 packages. This follows Health Minister Mark Butler’s negotiations on the aged care bill, which is set to face defeat due to the votes of the Coalition, Greens and crossbench.
  • The High Court rejected Ben Roberts-Smith’s appeal against his damning defamation loss, concluding a seven-year legal battle that cost tens of millions of dollars.
Ben Roberts-Smith outside the Federal Court in May.Sam Mooy

Commonwealth steps in to oversee health charity after probe

By Angus Thomson

A government-appointed grants administrator will step in to oversee Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service months after this masthead revealed the taxpayer-funded charity spent more than three-quarters of a million dollars on new cars and all-expenses-paid trips to New Zealand, Canada and Las Vegas while turning away patients waiting weeks to receive healthcare.

A photo posted on Instagram of CTG Aboriginal Health Services chief executive Phil Naden (left) and executive officer Beau Ewers (right) in a corporate box at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas.

The service’s board confirmed the appointment in a statement released earlier this afternoon. They said they would fully cooperate with the administrator and with the forensic audit that would be conducted from the 2022-23 financial year until the present.

“We are confident that CAHS has at all times operated in alignment with the requirements of Commonwealth and state grant funding and we reaffirm our commitment to strong governance, operational integrity and the communities we serve,” the statement read.

Further arrests following violent attack on Indigenous site in Melbourne

By Cassidy Knowlton

In news from Melbourne, four more people have been charged over the attack on Indigenous protest site Camp Sovereignty on August 31.

That brings to seven the number of people charged over the incident, when a group of people, led by National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell, are alleged to have charged up the hill to disrupt the camp, burning an Aboriginal flag and injuring Indigenous activists.

A still from video taken by an Aboriginal activist at Camp Sovereignty shows a group of mostly black-clad men storming the camp in Kings Domain on Sunday.

They had been attending the anti-immigration “March for Australia”, where Sewell was given a prime speaking slot on the steps of Victoria’s state parliament.

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The full statement from Daniel Andrews

By Hannah Hammoud

Much has been said about Daniel Andrews’ appearance in China yesterday at a military parade where he posed for a photo alongside dictators Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin.

But today, the former Victorian premier has had his say on the matter, defending his attendance.

Read his full statement issued to the media on Thursday afternoon here:

Andrews addresses China controversy in statement

By Kieran Rooney

On Thursday afternoon, former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews responded to media about his controversial appearance at Wednesday’s military parade in China.

“I’ve said for years that a constructive relationship with China – our largest trading partner – is in Australia’s national interest and hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs depend on it. That hasn’t changed,” he said in a statement.

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews (rear, right) pictured alongside leaders at a military parade in Beijing on Monday. The parade marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

“It was a chance to meet and engage with regional leaders – like former New Zealand prime ministers John Key and Helen Clark, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and, of course, Chinese President Xi. We also shared in an official photograph.

“And just so there’s no confusion – I have condemned Putin and his illegal war in Ukraine from day one. That’s why he banned me from Russia last year.

“Further, my support of Israel and Australia’s Jewish community has been outspoken and unwavering, and I unequivocally condemn Iran for its attacks on Australia, Israel and elsewhere around the world.”

‘Vindication’: Shorten speaks on robo-debt outcome

By Hannah Hammoud

Following the news that robo-debt victims and their families have been awarded the largest class action settlement in Australian history, former NDIS minister Bill Shorten has appeared on the ABC, labelling the outcome as “vindication”.

“It is vindication for all those individual activists, for those families, [for] people who said something feels wrong here. It was vindication for the class action, and vindication for calling the royal commission,” he said.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten.Alex Ellinghausen

The historic settlement was reached after the Albanese government agreed to settle an appeal for an extra $475 million in compensation.

A royal commission into the Coalition government’s policy, which hounded more than 500,000 Australians for welfare repayments they did not owe, said the scheme was illegal, cruel, and the fallout utterly mishandled.

“I don’t lose sight of the point. I would rather have just had the then-government not break the law. I’d rather they did not declare war on the poor and dream up a scheme which reversed the onus of proof on nearly half a million Aussies on the welfare line. That is what should not have happened,” Shorten said.

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‘Absolutely shocking’: Lambie on neo-Nazis at weekend protests

By Hannah Hammoud

When asked for her thoughts on comments made on Wednesday by Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price on Indian migration, independent senator Jacqui Lambie says she hates to see division in Australia.

Senator Jacqui Lambie.Alex Ellinghausen

“You have a whole Indian community out there that are terribly upset with her comments, and I don’t think there was any need for her comments,” she said.

Lambie went on to respond to the presence of neo-Nazis at anti-immigration rallies at the weekend, labelling their attendance as “absolutely shocking”.

“You probably need to have a good look at yourself in the mirror and probably get off social media and stop reading the misinformation and disinformation that is going on,” she said.

Sharma no fan of Andrews’ attendance at Beijing parade

By Hannah Hammoud

It’s now Dave Sharma’s turn to comment on the appropriateness of former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’ attendance at a military parade in China this week which has dominated political discussions in Australia.

“We need to draw a distinction between Dan Andrews visiting China and Dan Andrews attending a military parade in China which has leaders of countries with whom we have vastly different views and approaches, leaders of North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia, for instance. I think they are quite different things,” Sharma told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“I’ve got no problems with Dan Andrews making a visit to China, or [his] commercial engagement with China.”

Sharma said the military parade was designed to send a message to the West, and Andrews’ appearance “sends a bad signal”.

Image captures Chaney reprimanding Joyce during question time

By Michelle Griffin

This photo from Alex Ellinghausen captures the moment independent MP Kate Chaney took Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce to task over an aside made during question time.

The moment came during Climate Minister Chris Bowen’s answer to a question from independent MP Dai Le on household batteries. The answer was derailed by a sideline sledge from Joyce, who is leading a crusade against net zero in the Coalition.

Whatever Joyce said, it certainly riled net zero advocate Chaney, the member for Curtin.

Kate Chaney and Barnaby Joyce after she raised a point of order on comments made by the former Nationals leader.Alex Ellinghausen

She stood to raise a point of order as “the member for New England is breaching standing order 90 by … the things he was saying, which I don’t want to repeat in front of the children upstairs here”.

Standing order 90 prohibits “making critical, insulting, or disparaging comments about another member’s character, appearance, or personal attributes”.

We are checking what Joyce said. Speaker Milton Dick said he didn’t hear it but warned Joyce to behave.

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Price comments were ‘poorly expressed’: Sharma

By Hannah Hammoud

Liberal senator Dave Sharma says comments from his colleague Jacinta Nampijinpa Price on Indian migrants were “poorly expressed”.

“I am glad Senator Price has since clarified and withdrawn those remarks because they were hurtful to the Indian-Australian community of which I consider myself a part, and I don’t think we should ever be going around stereotyping any migrant community for political views or beliefs,” he said on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program.

Liberal senator Dave Sharma.Alex Ellinghausen

“I would not ever make that assertion. I don’t believe it to be true, and I also don’t think it is a very helpful thing to be saying,” he said in response to whether he believed the original assertion from Price was wrong.

Earlier today, Price said she did not need to apologise for falsely claiming Labor is deliberately bringing Indian migrants to Australia to stack votes, pointing to the ABC’s questioning to explain why she made the inflammatory remarks.

Price told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program on Wednesday that the federal government was focused on bringing in migrants “from particular countries over others” and named the “Indian community” as an example.

Asked about whether he was concerned about how the Indian-Australian community has received Price’s comments, Sharma said the Liberal Party welcomed Indian-Australians.

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