Key events
The new premier of NSW, Chris Minns, has given another indication the government will give pay rises to essential workers above 3% this financial year and the next.
Speaking to The Weekend Australian, the premier said he would negotiate with the unions “in good faith” and would consider the rising cost of living in any agreement.
That is a floor, not a ceiling, and obviously we are not going to go below that (3 per cent). It needs to be done by mediation and negotiation but we are confident, having heard from union leadership since the election campaign, that we can get a landing on these issues.
Unions have got a right to sit down with the government and negotiate on these things – that’s what we promised in the election campaign. The private sector is running in front of the public sector when it comes to wage increases in NSW. So that should be seen in context.
Secondly, we have to make sure there is help for small business. That’s one of the reasons why we are going to implement our rebate for small businesses with $315 to cope with rising energy bills.
Good morning
Good morning everyone, and welcome to this Saturday’s live blog.
We begin in Victoria, where the Aston byelection could make or break Peter Dutton’s leadership of the opposition. Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell is still expected to narrowly hold on to the seat, in Melbourne’s south-east, but Labor’s Mary Doyle is pushing hard. The seat, vacated by scandal-plagued former minister Alan Tudge, offers voters a chance to weigh in on Dutton’s leadership, and we will see how things play out.
Elsewhere, One Nation senator Mark Latham has spoken out for the first time after he posted a homophobic tweet earlier this week that sparked widespread condemnation. The senator, whom NSW premier Chris Minns labelled a “bigot”, tweeted last night, saying “never apologise, never explain”. It comes as experts say that a sacking is “unlikely” but that Latham could face a vilification complaint for his tweet.
Counting continues in NSW after last week’s election, with Labor’s majority under threat. AAP is reporting that three seats, Ryde, Terrigal and Holsworthy all remain in the balance, with Labor on 45 seats and needing two more to form majority. All eyes will be on when the count ends.
Finally, it is April Fools’ Day today, so any and all jokes/pranks are welcome to be sent in. We will keep an eye out for any that stand out, as well as everything else that’s happening across the country.
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