Australia politics live: Richard Marles tells question time ‘I feel very sad that events have got to where they have’ after chief of staff’s bullying allegations | Australia news

Sussan Ley asks the next non-government question:

I refer to the allegations that were made today by the chief of staff to the deputy prime minister Prime Minister. Under the ministerial code of conduct, ministers have an obligation to, “demonstrate and uphold the highest workplace standards including maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for their staff”.

Is the deputy prime minister satisfied he has complied with his obligations under the code?

Richard Marles says:

I thank the member for her question. And given what’s happened, it is an important question to be asked.

The short answer to the question is I am satisfied (the code has been met) but I would like to say . Jo started working for me back in 2012 and she is someone who I have known for a long time. She is a wonderful person and in her role then and now she has given me great service and I remain deeply grateful for that.

She is a person who is completely committed to social justice in this country and I very much admire her so that and given all that, to state the obvious, in this moment, I feel very sad that events have got to where they have.

It is obviously very difficult.

Let me say that in the way in which I have tried to manage this, I have done so with Jo’s welfare in mind at every moment as I would try to manage things on that basis for all of my staff. As is evident, this matter is now in the hands of lawyers – of course that is absolutely Jo’s right but it does mean that it is difficult for me to say anything more on this

Richard Marles takes the big seat as acting prime minister and Phil Thompson opens questions with:

Daniel Keighran, who was awarded the Victorian Cross for his heroic actions in Afghanistan, has been forced to sell his medals due to cost-of-living pressures … has said, ‘The reason for getting rid of the medal is to look after my own family and it will afford the opportunity for schooling … Times are tough, especially for a family of five’.

Will the deputy prime minister apologise to Dan for the Albanese Labor government’s policies, which have led to his heartache and from so much heartache for all other Australians?

Marles:

I thank the member for his question and I actually wasn’t aware of that fact in relation to Dan Keighran and that is a very sad set of affairs. Dan Keighran is an Australian hero and whatever is the physical place of those medals, nothing takes away the honour that has been bestowed upon him rightly and the way our country should view him.

What I would say in relation to the questions of the cost of living is this.

Since we have come to power, we have been utterly focused on the economy and we have come here each and every day focused on the economy and focused on Australians in the challenges that they face in respect of the cost of living.

We get that Australians are doing it tough in the global pandemic and the aftermath of it.

Disrupted supply chains and global conflict (has led to) inflation impacting countries around the world and Australia has not been immune from that, which is why we have been utterly focused on that task at hand each and every day.

The most significant thing that we have done is to fight inflation and … inflation today is at a rate of half of that of what we inherited from those opposite because the truth is that what we inherited from those opposite was an absolute economic basket case.

The answer goes on, but you know what it says.

Benita Kolovos

Victoria’s opposition leader Pesutto not sure if colleagues will hold leadership spill

Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, says he’s not sure if his colleagues are still planning on staging a leadership coup against him when parliament returns next week, despite a new poll that puts the Coalition in the lead for the first time in years.

Polling by RedBridge, published in the Herald Sun this morning, shows the Coalition is two points ahead of Labor on a two-party-preferred basis, 51 to 49, which is its best result since June 2017.

It comes as MPs unhappy with Pesutto over his handling of Moira Deeming’s expulsion from the party and subsequent defamation trial have begun planning a leadership spill against him. They have previously said this could occur at a party room meeting when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Melton in Melbourne’s west on Thursday, Pesutto said he was not sure if his colleagues would still go ahead with their plans after the poll result:

Look, I can’t speak for any other person. Nobody’s spoken to me directly about such matters as were reported but I’m very respectful of the fact that there are rules in the party’s constitution for the parliamentary Liberal party, and if people want to use those rules, I’ll respectfully acknowledge that.

Asked if he was feeling more confident, he replied:

I think you all know me by now that I’m pretty determined and tenacious, I’ll just keep doing the work I’m doing as alternative premier and as leader of the opposition … I’m very grateful for the responsibility that I’ve been given – not only by the people of Hawthorn but my colleagues. I’m very humbled to have been given that responsibility and that opportunity, and I make the most of every second I’ve got. I‘m pleased that there seems to be more and more evidence over time that the messages we’re talking about have been positively received. I’m also conscious that support for the Allan Labor government seems to be tanking at a rapid rate.

Karen Middleton

Dutton says deputy PM needs to publicly address claims by his chief of staff

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is calling on the deputy prime minister to respond to allegations from his chief of staff that she has been sidelined, barred from his office and told – without warning – to find another job.

Dutton told radio station 2GB on Thursday that Richard Marles should provide his version of events.

I’ve seen the media reporting of the claims,” Dutton says, referring to Guardian Australia’s report of the allegations by chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky.

And obviously, there are serious claims that are being made and the deputy prime minister will have to address the media to answer some of those claims and provide his account of what has happened here.”

Tarnawsky remains employed as chief of staff but alleges she has not had contact with Marles in five months. She alleges that in a phone conversation on 30 April, Marles told her to look for another job and that he had not raised any concerns about her performance before that.

She alleges that she was forced to take leave, subsequently has been barred from the office without giving 24 hours’ notice, and has been moved into a specially created position elsewhere in Parliament House.

A spokesperson for Marles suggests recollections differed on the events.

A number of the assertions and recollections are contested,” the spokesperson says.

Ms Tarnawsky remains a member of staff. Ms Tarnawsky has been treated with respect and courtesy. At all times, the wellbeing of staff, including Ms Tarnawsky, has been front of mind. Out of respect for Ms Tarnawsky, and the prospect of legal proceedings, it is not appropriate to make further comment.”

Rafqa Touma

State and federal government ‘need to work out the differences’ on social media restrictions

NSW premier Chris Minns says “we need to work out the differences” between the federal and state governments’ approach to banning young people in a restricted age range from social media. Speaking at a press conference held at the NSW and SA social media summit, Minns said:

As a result of the federal government’s intervention … we’ve got a real change in on the table, and that is a national ban on social media for young people. We need to work out the differences.

Another context refresher – the prime minister’s national plan came after a push by the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas. Minns is in favour of a social media ban for under-16s, and said he wanted to implement it “as soon as possible”.

Caitlin Cassidy

Australian Education Union furious over school funding legislation

The Australian Education Union (AEU) says it is “beyond belief” the federal government’s school funding legislation, introduced today, is setting the floor under the previous Coalition government’s 20% cap.

The cap was introduced by the Turnbull government in 2017 – with the commonwealth to provide 20% of school funding to public schools and states and territories to provide 75% – leaving a 5% gap.

The federal president of the union, Correna Haythorpe, said while the body welcomed the move to allow the federal government to provide greater funding, it didn’t understand the impact an ongoing funding gap was having on the sector.

It is beyond belief that the Albanese government is setting this floor at the previous Coalition government’s 20% cap. There has been no genuine opportunity for consultation on this draft legislation. Further, we have the astonishing situation whereby NSW, VIC, SA, QLD and the ACT have been told that they will receive status quo funding for next year, therefore no additional money for these states.

This can only be viewed as a cynical political move against states that have held firm for a full 100% SRS on behalf of their public schools. This approach entrenches inequality for the students, teachers and families of these jurisdictions.”

Asked about opposition from the AEU towards the government’s proposal at a press conference this morning, the education minister, Jason Clare, said “most people who look at this, whether it’s the states or the unions, know how important these reforms are”.

Many of the reforms have come at the recommendation of states, of territories and of the union.