nsw upper house – Michmutters
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Australia

Sydney news: Report to shed light on bullying and harassment in state parliament

Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Barilaro returns to give evidence at trade job inquiry

a profile shot of a man looking
Mr Barilaro will give evidence at the second time.(AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

Today former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro will again front a parliamentary inquiry into his appointment to a lucrative US-based trade job.

Mr Barilaro is at the center of a controversy engulfing the state government about possible political interference in the selection of the senior trade and investment commissioner to the Americas.

Mr Barilaro was selected for the position in April despite the fact senior bureaucrat Jenny West had already been offered the job by the body responsible for hiring, Investment NSW.

When Mr Barilaro gave evidence to the inquiry on Monday he was told to prepare for questions on Friday about his girlfriend and former media adviser, Jennifer Lugsdin.

Ms Lugsdin got a job at Investment NSW after a recommendation from Mr Barilaro and was included in an email chain about the US trade job.

The Public Service Commissioner previously told the inquiry she never would have signed off on Mr Barilaro’s appointment had she known of the level of ministerial involvement.

Mr Barilaro withdrew from the $500,000-a-year job in June, saying it was no longer “tenable” given all the media scrutiny.

Rail industrial action to continue as negotiations fail

rail commuters walk along a platform
Next Wednesday’s rail strike and other industrial action throughout August will go ahead. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

The rail union and state government have failed to come to an agreement overnight confirming industrial action will continue throughout August.

The two sides have had ongoing disagreements over a new enterprise agreement and safety concerns over the new intercity fleet.

Today cleaners are banned from using vacuums and scrubbing machines, while another strike is planned for Wednesday.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union Secretary Alex Claassens said the government needed to commit to fixing the intercity fleet.

“I made it very clear that our industrial action for August will continue unabated, exactly as per our program until I’ve got a document that we feel satisfied with before we make any decisions about dialing back any industrial action,” he said.

However, Minister for Employee Relations Minister Damien Tudehope said the union kept changing its list of demands.

“The meeting started on the premise that the industrial activity was taking place because the government would not enter into a deed evidencing their commitment to the alterations of the fleet,” he said.

“We have now given that commitment and yet now there are other reasons why the industrial action will take place.”

Report on parliament’s workplace culture due today

the outside of new south wales parliament house
The report on parliament’s workplace culture and practice will be realized on its website.(Facebook: Parliament of NSW)

A report investigating the culture within New South Wales parliament will be released today.

Since last year, former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has led the independent review looking into bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at state parliament.

Its findings are expected to add to the list of woes plaguing Premier Dominic Perrottet’s government.

Speaking about the report earlier this month, the Premier said it would be an “eye-opener” for the political sphere in NSW.

They also come after the sacking of minister for small business and fair trading Eleni Petinos over bullying allegations which she denies.

The report, commissioned by former premier Gladys Berejiklian, will be published on the parliamentary website.

A separate review in 2021 found the parliament’s sexual assault complaints processes were unclear, ineffective and inadequate, according to the report’s author, former sex discrimination commissioner and former NSW minister Pru ​​Goward.

‘New era’ for casino regulation

a person holding some casino chips
The new body overseeing the state’s casinos will be operational from September 5.(ABCNews)

New South Wales’ new independent casino regulator will begin operations from next month after the state government passing laws yesterday.

The creation of the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) is part of a suite of reforms hailed as marking a “new era” in how the state’s two casinos are monitored for money laundering and other criminal activity.

Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the NICC’s unprecedented powers would allow it to “take strong disciplinary action against operators and individuals who engage in misconduct”.

“This essential reset will give the people of NSW confidence that the state’s casino operators will be held to the highest possible standards,” he said.

“Its (the NICC’s) first major task will be to consider the findings of the review into The Star casino, with Adam Bell SC due to hand down his report by the end of the month.”

The NICC, which will be funded by a levy paid by the casinos, will take over responsibility for Crown Sydney’s conditional opening of its gaming areas.

A chief commissioner will head the new agency with the support of four commissioners, including one with anti-money-laundering experience.

Prison officers strike in support of colleague

the back of two prison guard officers
Thousands of Corrective Services officers in regional NSW will strike for 24 hours today.(Facebook: Dept of Communities and Justice)

Operations at courthouses and prisons across regional New South Wales will be impacted today as thousands of Corrective Services officers walk off the job.

Public Service Association (PSA) union members will strike for 24 hours in response to a prison officer who is facing an upgraded murder charge over the fatal shooting of an inmate trying to escape custody in 2019.

Operations, including escorting inmates to court, as well as staffing within jails, will be affected.

The union’s David McCauley said staff were supporting the charged officer, who he said was just doing his job.

“It’s beyond belief. Murder must be intent. How can this person have intent when he’s just doing his job?” he said.

“No-one goes to work in the morning with the attempt to murder somebody. That’s ridiculous.”

In a statement, a Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said all prisons across the state would continue operating securely during the strike, with essential services maintained.

However, centers would not facilitate family visits or court appearances, she said.

The department is also seeking the assistance of the Industrial Relations Commission to return staff to work.

lion cubs turn one

a mother lion licking one of her five lion cubs in a zoo enclosure
The birth of the five cubs in 2021 was the first at the zoo in 18 years.(Supplied: Taronga Zoo)

Taronga Zoo is celebrating the first birthday of its five lion cubs today.

The birth of the litter last year was the first time in nearly two decades there had been lion cubs at the Sydney zoo.

The pride will get to play with heavy-duty toy balls and eat some of their favorite food as a treat to mark the special occasion.

They are named Khari, Luzuko, Malika, Zuri and Ayanna.

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Categories
Australia

Sydney news: Political staffer, public servants to appear at Barilaro’s fourth US trade job hearing

Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Barilaro US trade job inquiry to meet again today

The New South Wales upper house inquiry into the appointment of former deputy premier John Barilaro to the lucrative US trade role will agree again on Friday.

An additional fourth hearing comes after the resignation of Trade Minister Stuart Ayres on Wednesday, following questions raised about his involvement in the process.

Mr Ayres denies any wrongdoing but will be investigated for a possible breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr Barilaro’s former chief of staff, Siobhan Hamblin, the managing director of Investment NSW, Kylie Bell, and the Public Sector Commissioner, Kathrina Lo, will give evidence from 10am.

Earlier in the week, in her second appearance before the committee, Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown granted the appointment was not done “at arm’s length” from the state government.

Mr Barilaro — who has withdrawn from the $500,000-a-year job — is due to appear at the inquiry on Monday, August 8.

Meanwhile, the NSW opposition leader Chris Minns said it does not make sense to have highly paid Trade Commissioners based overseas when the state’s finances are under extreme pressure.

He said Labor would abolish the six Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner positions, if it wins the state election in March.

“The modern Australian economy, particularly when you’re chasing export opportunities, is so diverse and so big that a single person driving that agenda around the world just doesn’t make sense,” Mr Minns said.

COVID-19 cases in state slowdown

NSW Health says its latest surveillance data suggests that COVID-19 infections have peaked and hospital admissions have plateaued across the state.

The report — which analyzes the week ending July 30 — found the rate of COVID-19 notifications per 100,000 people had decreased, or remained stable, across all local health districts.

Infections have also decreased, or remained stable, across all age groups, except those aged between 10 and 19 years.

The seven-day, rolling average of daily hospital admissions also decreased by 14.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the highly “sticky” BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants are still the dominant strains, rising to 97 per cent of specimens sampled at the end of last week, compared to 94 per cent at the end of the previous week.

NSW Health says there is still no evidence of a difference in disease severity between these and previous Omicron variants.

Monkeypox doses available soon

A woman holds a mock-up vial labeled "Monkeypox vaccine"
The vaccine will be eligible for some people from Monday.(Reuters: Given Ruvic/Illustration)

Those most at risk from monkeypox in NSW can access the first doses of the smallpox vaccine from Monday 8 August, as part of a targeted rollout across the state.

NSW Health has secured the first 5,500 doses for high-risk groups, such as people with suppressed immune systems, sex workers and homeless men who have sex with men.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said doctors will identify people who should be vaccinated against Monkeypox and more information will be released in coming days about how to register interest.

Australia has recorded about 60 cases of Monkeypox, which is a usually mild disease similar to smallpox, and until May was endemic to Central and West Africa.

Another 30,000 doses will be delivered to the state next month.

Man charged with stalking teacher

A man has been charged with intimidating and stalking a teacher at Auburn in Sydney’s West.

Police say the 26-year-old threatened the teacher at the basketball courts of the PCYC on Wednesday.

He has been granted bail and is due to face court next week.

Natural disaster organization under fire

a man looking and standing outdoors
The future is unclear for Shane Fitzsimmons, who leads Resilience NSW.(AAP: Mick Tsikas)

New South Wales cabinet is expected to approve a recommendation to dismantle the organization created to lead the response to natural disasters.

A report into this year’s floods has recommended dismantling Resilience New South Wales.

Flood victims have criticized the organisation’s performance.

It’s thought the agency’s responsibilities will be reallocated to existing government departments.

Varroa mites spread

Varroa mite infestations have been identified at nine more properties in the Newscastle region.

The nine new detections bring the total number of infested premises to 73.

All of the new detections have been linked to other cases or to the movement of other hives and equipment, and were found within existing emergency zones.

Varroa mites spread viruses that cripple bees’ ability to fly, gather food and pollinate crops, leading hives to collapse and die off.

Australia was the last continent to be free of the parasite, with previous detections in Queensland and Victoria eradicated.

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