Scott Morrison announces Cabinet reshuffle after controversy over the treatment of women in politics.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a highly-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle after his government has been engulfed in scandals stemming from the treatment of women.
Attorney-general Christian Porter and defence minister Linda Reynolds, who have both been on medical leave, will remain in cabinet but in different portfolios.
Porter will lose his job as the nation's first law officer after launching defamation action against the ABC for publishing a historical rape allegation against him, which he strenuously denies. Porter's new role is in the industry and science portfolio.
Michaelia Cash has replaced Porter's role as attorney-general and industrial relations minister.
Senator Reynolds will become government services minister after coming under heavy fire for her handling of Brittany Higgins' rape allegations in 2019.
The former defence minister was forced to apologise after it emerged she called Ms Higgins a "lying cow".
Peter Dutton will replace Linda Reynolds in the defence portfolio.
Brisbane going into 3 day lockdown as of 5pm Monday.
Queensland has recorded 10 new cases of coronavirus, four of which are locally acquired.
Two are linked to the 26-year-old landscaper who tested positive to the highly infectious UK strain on Thursday night. Two of the cases have an unknown origin.
As a result of the growing cluster, Greater Brisbane is to go into a three-day lockdown as of 5pm Monday. Residents will only be allowed to leave the house for essential reasons and exercise. Masks will be mandatory.
All schools will be closed as of Tuesday.
"We now have significant community transmission” says Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young in a press conference Monday morning.
The Greater Brisbane area includes the Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton and Brisbane council areas.
On Sunday, Queensland Health was forced to backtrack on claims the COVID-positive landscaper threw a party with 25 people after being told to isolate.
"We were told at the time there were 25 people that attended the residence," Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said on Sunday.
Further investigations by police and health authorities suggest the people who attended were limited to the man's four housemates and one other person.
Ms D'Ath added officials acted on what they understood to be true at the time and told reporters she became aware of the new information on Sunday morning.
"Whether the health officials misunderstood what he said, I wasn't there, I didn't hear the conversation, but this is the information that they believe that he had provided them at the time," said D'Ath.
The JobKeeper wage subsidy has officially come to an end.
The economic lifeline formally ended at midnight on Sunday, ending 12 months of financial assistance to retain the links between employers and employees hurt most by COVID-19 restrictions.
At its peak more than 3.5 million Australians were receiving JobKeeper, with some economists concerned its ending will see many Australians left suddenly out of work.
Australian Tax Office figures show there were more than one million employees still relying on the wage subsidy at the end of January 2021.
Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy told a Senate Estimates they believe 100,000 -150,000 will lose their jobs. But he believes many of those people will find other work, meaning there won't be a significant rise in the unemployment rate.
NSW 'back to normal' as restrictions ease.
NSW is "pretty much back to normal" as a suite of restrictions on venues, dancing, singing and gatherings significantly ease.
Masks are no longer mandatory anywhere in NSW from Monday, with commuters to decide for themselves if they need to wear one on public transport.
Big weddings and funerals are back with no limit on guest numbers, while dancing and singing will be allowed in any environment.
There is no limit on the number of visitors allowed in homes, but a COVID-safe plan must be enacted if it exceeds 100.
Up to 200 people are allowed at personal outdoor public gatherings, while entertainment venues can operate at 100 per cent seated capacity.
Man who raped 7yo girl inside Sydney public toilet, dies.
Anthony Sampieri, who raped a young girl inside a public toilet at a Sydney dance studio, has died a year after being sentenced to life in prison.
The Daily Telegraph reports Sampieri was being treated for liver cancer at Long Bay Prison Hospital when he died.
In November 2018, the 56-year-old hid inside the women’s toilets next to a Kogarah dance school and waited for his victim to enter. He subjected her to a vicious physical and sexual attack.
He plead guilty to 10 charges.
QLD MP Laming won't contest next election.
His behaviour branded "absolutely unacceptable" within senior Cabinet, controversial Queensland MP Andrew Laming has opted not to contest the next federal election.
Despite Mr Laming engaging in distasteful social media conduct towards women at a time when the Morrison government is reeling over the issue of parliamentary culture, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says there is no need for him to leave immediately.
Mr Frydenberg says after speaking to the prime minister on Saturday, the LNP member for Bowman has decided not to stand at the next election, which is due next year.
"His behaviour has been absolutely unacceptable," Mr Frydenberg told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.
Asked whether Mr Laming should stand down immediately, the treasurer said: "No. He continues to serve his constituents in the parliament."
Mr Laming has agreed to step down from all parliamentary roles to undergo counselling and is due to return to parliament on May 11 when the budget is handed down.
But Labor Leader Anthony Albanese says he should not be allowed to.
"He brings disrepute and disgrace to our national parliament and he simply should go."
If Mr Laming were to depart immediately, it would leave the government in a minority.
Morrison popularity takes hit in Newspoll.
Scott Morrison's popularity has taken a hit in the latest survey of voters, which also shows support for the federal government remains steady.
The prime minister's approval-rating has dropped seven per cent to 55 per cent in the past fortnight according to the Newspoll published by The Australian on Monday.
But Mr Morrison maintains a clear margin over Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, whose voter 'satisfaction' went from 42 per to 43 per cent.
The polling was conducted between Wednesday and Saturday. It is the first time since March 2020 that Mr Morrison's rating has dropped below 60 per cent.
"Proud to claim this one." NRL official's reaction goes viral.
The Prime Minister watched his beloved Cronulla Sharks play Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday night, but was quick to congratulate the Eels on their win - visiting their change room after the match to do so.
But it's Eels sports scientist Tahleya Eggers' scowl that's made headlines over the weekend, with her facial expression at his entry into the room spreading across the internet.
“Proud to claim this one,” Eggers wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
“I will not respect a man who has the time to shake hands of men who have won a football match but is ‘too busy’ to attend the March for Justice.”
She later deleted the post.
The Daily Telegraph reported Sunday the Eels reviewed Eggers’ public comments and made a decision not to hand down any sanction because she shared her personal views.
“Tahleya was responding to a social meme that was not of her making,” an Eels spokesman said in the report.
“The club is comfortable with her clarifying her personal position and we consider the matter now closed.”
Aust parliament email down amid hack fears.
A potential parliament house hack is under investigation by Australia's lead agency for cyber security.
The department of parliamentary services (DPS) email network was shut down over the weekend due to an IT system issue.
Assistant Defence Minister Andrew Hastie said the fault was linked to an external provider, with the connection to government systems severed immediately as a precaution.
"The government acted quickly, and we have the best minds in the world working to ensure Australia remains the most secure place to operate online," he said in a statement on Sunday night.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre is in contact with DPS, providing support and continuing to monitor the situation.
The parliament house concerns follow the Nine Network confirming it was the target of a cyber-attack over the weekend, disrupting its live programming out of Sydney.
The Australian broadcaster was unable to air its Weekend Today and Sunday Sports programs on Sunday morning and later attributed the outage to an attack on its systems.
In a note to staff, Nine's director of people and culture Vanessa Morley directed all employees across the country to work from home until further notice.
Efforts continue to free Suez Canal ship.
Attempts to free a grounded container ship blocking the Suez Canal waterway will continue around the clock, officials say.
Dredgers working to dislodge the stranded vessel have so far shifted 27,000 cubic metres of sand to reach a depth of 18 metres, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement on Sunday.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ordered preparations for the possible removal of some of the ship's cargo to help refloat it, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie told Egypt's Extra News.
The 400-metre long Ever Given became wedged diagonally across a southern section of the canal amid high winds early on Tuesday, blocking one of the world's busiest waterways.
About 15 per cent of world shipping traffic transits the canal and by Saturday evening local time, 321 boats were waiting to access the waterway.
Around the world.
- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says the body is holding talks with Chinese officials to allow a visit to the Xinjiang region.
- Witnesses say Myanmar security forces have opened fire at people gathered at the funeral of one of the 114 people killed the previous day - the bloodiest day of the protests so far.
- With AAP
Feature image: Ian Hitchcock/QLD Health/Channel Nine/9NEWS.
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