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Australia

From a trip to the laundromat to those dagwood dog photos: Peter Dutton and Richard Marles joke about the past week

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have turned a serious conversation on Australia-China relations to poking fun at each other over a washing machine saga and an iconic dagwood dog moment.

The pair’s weekly appearance on the Today show turned jovial when Mr Marles, who is Acting Prime Minister while Anthony Albanese is on leave, revealed his washing machine was broken.

Mr Dutton accused the Defense Minister of lacking domestic skills, saying: “Richard wouldn’t know whether he has a front loader or top loader at home”.

“That’s not true. I do the washing!” Mr Marles hit back in defence.

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The Acting Prime Minister then went on to detail his adventure to do the washing.

“We did get to the laundromat with six Federal Police,” Mr Marles said.

“As they’re talking into their cuffs, all the other people in the laundromat were thinking, what on earth is going on here.

“We managed to get in there and get the job done, myself and my son.”

Mr Dutton said he wanted to see “evidence” of the trip to the laundromat.

Mr Marles then weighed in on the discussion around Mr Dutton eating a dagwood dog at Brisbane’s Ekka on Thursday.

The Liberal leader was pictured armed with three dagwood dogs before taking a large mouthful of the tomato sauce-laden battered sausage.

“Can I just say, as always, Peter is an absolute picture of elegance,” Mr Marles laughed.

Mr Dutton defended the iconic Aussie snack, saying: “If you go to the Ekka, you have to have a dagwood dog.”

“I mean, you eat it on the side and chew into the stick.

“You drop the sauce on your pants, which is a bad shot.

“What choice were you giving me?”

In July, the pair revealed they came together to celebrate Mr Marles’ 55th birthday while in America – further cementing their unlikely friendship.

“It was a gathering of about 900 people and he was center stage,” the Opposition Leader said.

“Too many birthday candles for me to report back, but it was a nice occasion… I was really touched to be there.”

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Australia

The most revealing moments of Xiao Qian’s Press Club address make clear why Australia’s relationship with China is so strained

It’s 18 years since a Chinese ambassador last took up an invitation to appear at the National Press Club in Canberra. That was five ambassadors ago.

Two years ago, the deputy head of mission, Wang Xining, turned up to spar with Australian journalists. He was combative but could also make his point from him by quoting Shakespeare, and rarely went beyond the official party line. After all, he wasn’t Beijing’s top diplomat in town.

It’s a long time since China’s most authoritative voice in Canberra had agreed to front the press. Until yesterday.

Ambassador Xiao Qian didn’t come with poetic quotes or clever lines that could be interpreted one way or another. This was raw and revealing.

In his prepared remarks, Xiao made a token effort to encourage further progress in repairing ties.

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There were references to how “friendly” relations had been over the past 50 years. There were reminders of how much trade has grown (and how relevant Australia has become on China economically).

Once the questions began, however, it became very clear just how uncompromising China would be on the core issues causing such difficulty in the relationship, particularly the big one — Taiwan.

Hope for change… and a reality check

The change of government in Australia raised some hope of a relationship reset. The two countries’ defense ministers met, followed by the foreign ministers. This was more dialogue than had occurred in years.

Then came Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and a reality check.

China’s extraordinary military reaction, involving ballistic missiles, fighter jets and warships, prompted condemnation from the United States, Japan, Australia and others. This, in turn, prompted condemnation from Beijing, urging everyone to butt out of its “internal” affairs.

Taiwanese Pelosi
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during a trip to the island last week.(Taiwan Presidential Office)

At the Press Club podium in Canberra, Xiao defended the show of military might, saying Pelosi’s visit had “compelled” China to respond.

He suggested the people of Taiwan wanted reunification with China, ignoring numerous opinion polls which he said were “misleading”. Fake news, as Donald Trump might say.

China would use “all necessary means” to bring Taiwan back to the fold and “you can use your imagination” as to what that might involve. Of course, no-one really needs to use their imagination, after the military display of the past week.

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Australia

Complete rubbish’: Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley rips into Labor and the Greens over Australia’s political landscape

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley says Labor and the Greens believing Australia had become a “lefty country” is “complete rubbish”.

Ms Ley made the remarks during a speech to the NSW Liberal state council meeting on Saturday as she discussed the Coalition’s defeat at the May Federal Election.

“Two months on from the Federal Election and the Labor Party, the Greens, their supporters, their cheerleaders on Twitter, want you to believe that the Liberal Party will never form government again,” she said.

“They want you to believe that Anthony Albanese will be Prime Minister for the next 20 years.

“They want you to believe that Australia, the lucky country, has become Australia, the lefty country – it is complete rubbish.”

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The Coalition was reduced to 58 seats nationwide following the Federal Election, which saw them booted from office after nine years in power.

The Liberals lost the NSW seats of Bennelong, Reid and Robertson to Labor, and Mackellar, Wentworth and North Sydney to teal independents.

Peter Dutton took over the Liberal Party leadership from Scott Morrison in the wake of the election defeat, while Ms Ley became deputy leader after Josh Frydenberg lost his seat of Kooyong in Melbourne.

Ms Ley said Australians were “relying on us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and stand up for them”.

“The Liberal Party has been written off before but let me assure you, under Peter Dutton’s leadership we’ve got a big three years ahead,” she said.

“Because Peter and I have a three year plan. It’s not a six year plan, it’s not a nine year plan, it’s a three year plan. And NSW is central to that plan.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, in his speech to the meeting, noted a lesson from the Coalition’s federal election loss in May was how the Liberal Party chooses its candidates.

He said he wanted the party to have more female and culturally diverse candidates contesting the March 2023 state election.

“One of the most important rights of our party members is the power to select candidates that represent your values. This state council made a decision for democratic reform,” Mr Perrottet said.

“Today I can announce that within two weeks we will open preselections across the state for the next election.

“As the leader of the parliamentary party, I want to see more women, I want to see more cultural diversity, I want the best talent to put their hands up for a future government in 2023.”

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Business

Cost of living crisis: Sydneysiders rush to eastern suburbs petrol station while fuel prices are cheap

Australia’s cost of living crisis has been laid bare after Sydney residents rushed to a local petrol station upon hearing that prices were much lower than normal.

By the time most arrived, however, the price had fluctuated and was back to a more expensive level.

On Saturday morning, just past 9am, a thoughtful resident spotted that petrol prices were unusually cheap at a service station in Randwick, in Sydney’s east.

She took a quick snap and shared it a local community group, prefacing the image with “Cheap petrol Clovelly Rd.

“I don’t drive but plenty of cars buying.”

It was as low as 115.8 and 129 cents per liter (unleaded and premium unleaded respectively) but just an hour later, the prices had jumped to 161 and 175 cents per liter.

The original poster promised to notify her community if she spotted low prices again.

The current average price for regular unleaded fuel in Sydney is at 169.1 cents per liter, according to the NRMA’s weekly fuel report.

It comes as Australia has been caught in the throes of a cost of living crisis as inflation, rising interest rates and supply chain issues have made it harder to get ahead financially.

In the last quarter, transport costs rose 13.1 per cent as the price of fuel rose to record levels for the fourth quarter in a row.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said he would not extend the 50 per cent fuel excise cut, due to expire September 28, due to the cost to the budget bottom line.

To extend it for another six months would cost the government $3 billion.

Last month, data found that Australians were spending nearly three-quarters more on petroleum each month than they were less than a year ago.

In June, the average monthly spend on petroleum in Australia was $192.63, an increase of $82.05 (74.19 per cent) from September 2021.

These heavy prices have made Australians become more strategic and considered with their driving habits, with more than 60 per cent now shopping around for cheaper fuel.

—With NCA Newswire

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Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls for greater ABC voice in the Pacific to protect national security

The Prime Minister says it is a matter of national security that the ABC makes more content that projects Australian values ​​and interests to the Indo-Pacific region.

Anthony Albanese delivered an address at the ABC in Sydney on Friday night to celebrate the broadcaster’s 90th anniversary.

The event was attended by ABC Chair Ita Buttrose, Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland, Opposition spokesperson for communications Sarah Henderson and award-winning actor David Wenham.

Current and former ABC luminaries were also in attendance, including former host of 7.30 Kerry O’Brien and former host of Lateline and parliamentary secretary Maxine McKew.

Anthony Albanese with ABC reporters
Anthony Albanese with past and present ABC identities (L-R) Fran Kelly, Jonathan Holmes, Kerry O’Brien and Maxine McKew.(Supplied: James Alcock)

The PM stressed the importance of a strong Australian voice in the Pacific in order to keep other influences out.

“When the ABC voice was removed from the Pacific, guess what nation moved in? Simple as that, a major mistake of foreign policy.”

He said Australia’s “identity, values ​​and interests” must be projected to the Pacific.

“On top of every other consideration, it is a prudent investment in our national security as well as our national interest.

“[This] was undervalued by the previous government, even trivialized. That was a mistake.”

Mr Albanese reaffirmed his government’s commitment to an Indo-Pacific broadcasting strategy, which increases ABC International funding so Australian content can be boosted in the region.

Since taking office in May, Mr Albanese has vowed to counter China’s rising assertiveness in the Pacific region and restore Australia as the partner of choice.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has already made four trips to the Pacific, and both she and Mr Albanese have met with the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, who signed a security pact with China in April.

Ita Buttrose stands at a reading
Ita Buttrose said the ABC was an essential contributor to Australian democracy.(Supplied: James Alcock)

Mr Albanese reiterated previous promises to restore $83.7 million in funding to the ABC, as well as five-year funding terms and options for financial sustainability which safeguard against political interference.

He appeared to aim at the former Morrison government, saying no government should ever fear the ABC “unless it fears the truth.”

“A government that chooses to attack a public broadcaster [is] motivated by either ideology or fear — or a toxic cocktail of the two,” he said.

“A government confident of its own ideas and principles should embrace independent questioning as crucial to the democracy it purports to uphold.”

He described the ABC as a “beacon of trust” and an “insurance policy” against misinformation and disinformation.

The organisation, he said, would play an important role in the discussions about an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

He also made a small jibe at ABC critics who claim the broadcaster is too focused on “inner-city elites.”

“We’ve all heard the mantras about the ABC as a haven of inner-city elites, repeated with straight faces by critics based in our inner cities.

“I hope those commentators take note of the 48 regional ABC bureaus spread in a great constellation across the country, and the continued existence of Landline.”

Anthony Albanese holds hands with human-size Bluey characters
Anthony Albanese poses with Bluey and Bingo from the hit ABC TV show Bluey.(Supplied: James Alcock)

Ms Buttrose, who once described the broadcaster’s relationship with the Morrison government as “strained”, implored Mr Albanese to keep defending the ABC even if that meant intense pressure on his government.

“Prime Minister, I have no doubt that our brilliant journalists will occasionally irritate your government. Let us all be grateful for it,” she said.

“This process strengthens the Australian democracy we all love.”

Ms Buttrose, who paid special tribute to the ABC’s focus on arts and culture, hit back at critics who have suggested the broadcaster does not represent “mainstream” Australians.

“Can you be any more mainstream than reaching 20 million Australians each week? I don’t think so,” she said.

ABC managing director David Anderson said the government’s commitment to the ABC was “reassuring” and public broadcasters should never be taken for granted.

“We will continue to hold the highest editorial standards and remain fully accountable to the Australian people,” he said.

“As global giants offer more news and entertainment choices, and commercial investment in Australian content declines, the ABC will need to play an even bigger role in sharing and promoting Australian stories and culture.”

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Australia

Anthony Albanese lashes out at Sussan Ley’s ‘totally hypocritical’ claims after the Coalition were ‘disruptive’ in Parliament

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended claims made against him over a “dismissive gesture” towards Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.

Ms Ley called out Mr Albanese for his “hypocrisy” in Parliament following the Prime Minister’s dismissive hand motion made towards her during a typical heated Question Time on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Albanese spoke with ABC Melbourne on Friday where he brushed off the suggestions and claimed the Opposition was itself being “completely disruptive” towards him.

“I dismiss the comments as being totally hypocritical given the yelling that occurred every time I was on my feet, including non-stop gestures, yelling for me to sit down,” he said.

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“People who ask questions should expect to hear the answer.

“The Coalition had a bad day yesterday. They continue to be completely disruptive during Question Time.”

Paul Fletcher, Manager of Opposition Business, stepped up to the dispatch box shortly after Ms Ley and demanded Mr Albanese “withdraw”.

“The Prime Minister made a dismissive gesture towards the Deputy Leader of the Opposition,” he said on Thursday.

“It was disrespectful to a sitting woman parliamentarian and (I) asked him to withdraw.”

Mr Albanese was pressed further by the ABC host on the incident where he declared, “I have been respectful and I’ll continue to be”.

“We engage respectfully across the Parliament, in order to get the legislation through including with independents and crossbench members,” he said.

“The Opposition have chosen the road of disruption. That is what they’re engaged in.

“The Opposition counted themselves out of the debate on climate change when Peter Dutton, for reasons beyond my comprehension, ignored the mandate and ignored the message that the Australian people gave that they wanted action on climate change.”

Ms Ley was questioned earlier on Friday by Sky News Australia host Peter Stefanovic about what happened where she unleased on the Prime Minister.

“I can take the rough and tumble, every woman in this place knows how to do that,” she said.

“What I can’t accept is the hypocrisy.

“Anthony Albanese said it was going to be a family-friendly parliament.”

The Albanese Government is celebrating a win after its Climate Change Bill passed the lower house, but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton warned Labor’s focus away from cost-of-living proved it would take Australia down “very dangerous path”.

The legislation will enshrine the government’s 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets into law and received support from a majority of the crossbench and Bridget Archer – the only Liberal member who crossed the floor.

But the Liberal Party remained staunchly opposed to the legislation which would prevent a future government ratcheting down the 43 per cent 2030 target.

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Australia

Anthony Albanese reveals he is taking leave and traveling within Australia – as he takes a dig at Scott Morrison’s Hawaii trip

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced he is “having a bit of a break” next week as he takes leaves and travels in Australia.

Mr Albanese will be on leave from August 6 to 14, with Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles taking on acting Prime Minister duties.

“I will be on leave next week, traveling in Australia, having a bit of a break – the first break I’ve had this year,” the Labor leader told ABC Melbourne on Friday.

“And Richard Marles will be doing a great job, I’m sure, in my absence as acting Prime Minister.”

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The Prime Minister also took a swipe at his predecessor Scott Morrison, who was heavily criticized for holidaying in Hawaii during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.

Mr Albanese said there was a “the lack of transparency” around Mr Morrison’s trip, including the initial confusion about where he was and who was in charge of the country.

“When people didn’t even know whether Michael McCormick was the acting prime minister. And at the time they wouldn’t say where he was,” he said.

“I just think that it was a very unwise decision that added to the controversy, which was, in my view, pretty unnecessary had it been handled differently.”

The Prime Minister last month told how he had “not had a day off for a very long period of time” as he defended his overseas trips since Labor took power in May.

Mr Albanese’s leave comes after what he described as a “busy first sitting fortnight” of the 47th Parliament.

He took to Twitter on Friday morning to post a video message about how his government has “begun the work of delivering a better future for all Australians”.

“Aged care reforms were made into law. We introduced legislation for 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave. The Treasurer provided an important economic update,” Mr Albanese said.

“We made progress on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. Our climate bill passed the House of Representatives.

“We appointed leads for the Defense Force Posture and Structure Review. And the National Cabinet came together to coordinate our response to the pandemic.”

Mr Albanese said the government will next week make a submission to the Fair Work Commission asking for aged care workers to receive a pay rise.

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Australia

Federal government declares Australia’s first six offshore wind energy zones

The federal government has declared Australia’s first offshore wind zone, giving developers the green light to ramp up planning and consultation for wind farm projects.

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced waters off the Gippsland coast, in Victoria’s south-east, would be the first offshore wind zone.

Other areas will follow off the coast of the Hunter Valley and Illawarra in New South Wales, Portland in Victoria, Northern Tasmania, Perth and Bunbury in Western Australia.

Developers last week told the ABC projects were being held up by the federal government dragging their feet on the impending declaration, which allows them to consult and then apply for permits.

Mr Bowen said other countries had been successfully producing energy from wind farms in the ocean for years, and it was Australia’s time to catch up.

“We have some of the best wind resources in the world,” Mr Bowen said.

“Just one rotation of one offshore wind turbine provides as much energy as an average rooftop solar installation generates in one day.”

Climate energy market analyst Tim Buckley said the declaration was a step forward, but all levels of government would need to work together.

“Energy Minister Chris Bowen is right to open offshore wind for public consultation,” Mr Buckley said.

“Offshore wind development is going to need a high degree of policy support and forward planning because of the complex supply chains that would have to be developed in Australia and higher costs of construction.

“We need to weigh up the additional costs related to offshore wind construction and see where it makes the most economic sense.

“We need to value the balancing or base-load nature of the generation, to support the sometimes intermittent nature of onshore wind and solar.”

Gippsland moving from coal to wind

Mr Bowen said the Star of the South proposal off the Victorian coast in Bass Strait would generate enough electricity to cater for 20 per cent of Victoria’s energy needs.

Gippsland wind farm sites
Sites of proposed wind farms off the Gippsland coast.(ABC Gippsland: Paul Sellenger)

Star of the South is Danish-owned and was the first proposed offshore wind farm, put forward four years ago.

The company plans to build up to 200 wind turbines, with the closest located 7 kilometers from the coastline.

Star of the South chief executive Erin Coldham says the company hopes to begin power generation before the expected closure of Yallourn Power Station in 2028.

“There’s a proud history here of power generation for more than 100 years so there’s really great access to the grid which supplies to the rest of the east coast, the sea depths are perfect and there’s some really unique wind conditions,” Ms Coldham said.

The company aims to begin construction in 2025 and says the project would create 2,000 construction jobs and 200 ongoing operational roles.

An offshore power plant with offshore wind turbines in the background
Offshore wind power generation is a fast-growing sector of the renewable energy industry, such as this offshore wind power plant in Yantai, Shandong Province, China.(Getty Images: CFOTO/Future Publishing)

Consultation starts now

Mr Bowen’s announcement signals the start of a 60-day consultation period with communities and users of waters in the nominated areas.

AUSWIDE OFFSHORE WIND
Sites earmarked as offshore wind zones in Australia.(ABC Gippsland: Paul Sellenger)

The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will facilitate the consultation process.

Transmission lines, which are expected to be above ground, will run from the wind zone to the energy grid in the Latrobe Valley, which currently sends power generated by the Yallourn and Loy Yang Power Stations.

“It’s important that issues surrounding transmission lines through private property to link large scale renewable projects to the national grid are handled sensitively and transparently,” federal Nationals member for Gippsland Darren Chester said.

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Australia

Sussan Ley criticizes Anthony Albanese for ‘hypocrisy’ after she was ‘shooed away’ during Question Time in Parliament

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has labeled Anthony Albanese a “hypocrite” after a “disrespectful” gesture from the Prime Minister in Parliament.

The members had gathered for Question Time on Thursday afternoon when the Labor leader briefly “shooed away” Ms Ley during a heated exchange.

The move caused uproar in the room and the Opposition then repeatedly demanded Mr Albanese to “withdraw” the “disrespectful” action.

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Ms Ley was questioned by Sky News Australia host Pete Stefanovic on Friday about what happened where she unleased on the Prime Minister.

“Yes, look, shooing motion across the table in the parliament, I can take the rough and tumble, every woman in this place knows how to do that,” she said.

“What I can’t accept is the hypocrisy.

“Anthony Albanese said it was going to be a family friendly parliament, there were going to be new notes of respect and this sort of sit down and shut up motion across the table to a woman who is speaking as she is entitled to in the Parliament , simply breaks all of his own rules.

Stefanovic then posed whether being “shooed was that bad”.

“Do you see it at any modern workplace? Do you see it in a boardroom?” Ms Ley argued, before the First Edition host agreed he would never make such a move.

Earlier, the Deputy Liberal leader was posed whether the passing of the Climate Change Bill in the House of Representatives will force their own party to change its targets.

The legislation – which aims to enshrine its 2030 and 2050 emissions targets – passed on Thursday in the Lower House 89 to 55 votes.

Ms Ley argued the Albanese Government had to focus on other issues that are currently affecting Australians who were struggling with inflation.

“Just remember, this was legislation that the government’s own energy minister said it did not need, spent half a day toing and froing in Parliament when the real issue this week is the rising cost of living and the government’s $275 of broken promises on power bills,” she said.

“That was the figure by which they said your power bill would go down. So, there was some grandstanding, sure, there was legislation that everyone agreed, including the government, wasn’t even necessary, and there was a deal with the Greens .”

Stefanovic then pushed again on how much the Coalition would lift its emissions targets after Australians resoundingly showed at the polls they wanted to see more climate action with nine teal independents voted in.

Ms Ley insisted there would be ongoing discussions about climate change and net zero, which the party has committed to before the election, but their first focus was on providing cost-of-living relief to households.

“We’ll be tuning in very carefully to the international situation because that’s what matters to Australians – how we keep their power prices affordable, how we don’t have manufactures that go offshore,” she said.

“How we actually, as the prime minister has often said, keep a strong manufacturing industry where Australia makes (its own) things.

“It won’t be if the energy prices continue to escalate, so right now, that’s our focus, not on legislation that the government admits itself was not actually needed, that is not what the Parliament is for.”

She added the Albanese Government are “off the training wheels” but they have not advocated for “real policies” to help struggling families and small businesses.

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Business

Rashays boss Rami Ykmour blames labor shortages for lettuce, beef price rises

The owner of a popular Sydney restaurant chain has launched into a furious “rant” about skyrocketing costs, saying he is now paying $140 for a box of lettuce and can’t afford to pass it on to his customers.

But Rashays co-founder Rami Ykmour, who made headlines during Covid for clashing with police over masks and speaking out against banning unvaccinated diners, says labor shortages – not the floods – are to blame for rising prices.

“I am disgusted, I am really disappointed with what’s going on out there, guys,” the outspoken restaurateur said in a TikTok video.

“Listen to this. We are buying a box of lettuce for $140. How much are we going to pass on to our customers? How can we pass on that expense to our customer? Even the big fast food giants have stopped serving their magic burger because this is worth, what, seven, eight bucks? One head of lettuce?

Mr Ykmour said he “can’t believe this”.

“Guys, just to get lettuce out to our restaurant is costing us so much money there is no way customers will come back if we pass on that cost,” he said, adding beef prices had also “gone through the roof”.

“And you know what they tell us? Let’s blame the floods. You know what I call that? BS,” he said.

“Do you know what the real problem is? The real problem is we’re short labour. The real problem is no one is out there to pick cos lettuce, there’s no one out there to pick iceberg. There’s no one to work in our farms, there’s no one to work in our country abattoirs. That’s why the prices have gone up, but they’re covering up for it.”

He said it was “time the government stepped in and said listen, we’re going to open the gates, we’re going to let people here and we’re going to make it easy for small business to run their business, we’ re going to let people come into the country and work here”.

“Guys, this is getting ridiculous,” he said. “Now ask for something to be done.”

Speaking to news.com.au on Friday, Mr Ykmour insisted labor shortages were responsible for price increases in production.

“I can tell you that first-hand,” he said.

“I was on a lettuce farm in Melbourne last week, they had six people on and usually they have 40 people. [The floods] did contribute in the early days, but it’s got nothing to do with what’s happening today.”

Mr Ykmour said governments needed to once again incentivize people to come to Australia to work, with something similar to the “Ten Pound Poms” scheme after World War II.

“We’re at that level now,” he said.

He said he believed border closures over the past two years had “of course” caused labor shortages, but that the issue was much broader.

“I think people just don’t want to work,” he said. “Coming off the pandemic, people are struggling.”

Recruiters have previously warned Australia is grappling with a massive skills shortage as employers struggle to fill roles.

Graham Wynn from Superior People Recruitment told news.com.au in June that he had “never seen it this bad”.

“This is the worst and most difficult it’s been to find people,” he said, adding it was “across the board”.

“Salespeople, technicians, a bit of IT we’re struggling with as well, but even the more basic roles which don’t require any experience like receptionists, we’re even struggling to find those at the moment.”

Mr Ykmour agreed, saying his business was getting hit with a “double-whammy” as a result.

“It’s [affecting] the price of produce, and we’re getting hit with staff shortages, right from the top level all the way down to waiters,” he said.

“My head office employs 60 people and we’re struggling, it’s just permanent recruitment. What used to take four weeks to find you’re now looking at three months.”

I have argued lockdowns were partly to blame for the general malaise, along with Covid itself.

“I think we’ve trained people to stay at home with lockdowns and all the rest,” he said.

“We’ve told people, listen, it’s OK to stay at home. I reckon a lot of people in the community are mentally drained on the back of the pandemic — people are finding it hard to just survive at the moment.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is coming under increased pressure from the states and the business lobby to ramp up immigration to address lingering skills shortages after two years of Covid border closures.

Last year, NSW government bureaucrats urged Premier Dominic Perrottet to push the federal government for an “explosive” post-WWII-style immigration surge that could bring in two million people over five years.

NSW Skills Minister Alister Henskens last month called on the Albanese government to implement a “significant acceleration” of the nation’s skilled migration program, Australian reported.

Australia’s annual inflation rate rose to 6.1 per cent in the June quarter, figures released last week show, the fastest pace since December 1990.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the most significant contributors to the 1.8 rise in consumer prices over the quarter were new dwelling purchases, automotive fuel and furniture.

Price rises were also seen across all food and non-food grocery products, “reflecting a range of price pressures including supply chain disruptions and increased transport and input costs”, the ABS said.

Fruit and vegetable prices were up 7.3 per cent compared with the same quarter last year, meat and seafood rose 6.3 per cent, bread and cereal products were also up 6.3 per cent, while dairy and related products increased by 5.2 per cent.

“Fruit and vegetables rose 5.8 per cent [in the June quarter] due to heavy rainfall and flooding in key production areas of NSW and Queensland disrupting domestic supply,” the ABS said.

“Covid – related supply chain disruptions and high transport and fertilizer costs also contributed to the rise. Bread and cereal products rose 3.1 per cent due to constrained global wheat supply.”

The ABS noted meals out and takeaway foods also rose 1.4 per cent “due to rising input costs and ongoing supply and labor shortages”.

“Dining vouchers offered by the NSW and Victorian governments and the Melbourne City Council partially offset the rise,” it said.

“These voucher schemes have the effect of reducing out-of-pocket costs for consumers. Excluding the impact of these voucher schemes, Meals out and takeaway foods rose 2.1 per cent.”

frank.chung@news.com.au

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