Dutton says he’s declared ‘all the detail that’s required to be declared’
A reporter asked Peter Dutton if he was a member of the shadow expenditure review committee at the time he bought shares in CommBank, Westpac and Australia Bank?
He said he would have to “go back” because it was 15 years ago.
Just to be very clear, there’s no information I’ve been privy to that influenced about any share that I’ve bought. I’ve conducted myself with integrity. Why would I be declaring every detail if there was something to be hidden? It’s nonsense … I’ve declared all the detail that’s required to be declared.
Taking a later question, Dutton doubled down and said:
I’ve not received any information that has influenced any share transaction by the selling or buying that I’ve made, or the purchase of any property or other asset or other asset class or type where I’ve been privy to any information other than what is publicly available. It’s not something that I would ever do, and that’s something I’m proud of.
Key events
Jonathan Barrett
Market is pricing a 19% chance of second rate cut in April
Back to the monthly CPI data: it won’t do anything to improve the chances of a rate cut on 1 April, given they are slightly, but not dramatically, disappointing.
The market is pricing in a 19% chance of another rate cut on 1 April, when the Reserve Bank hands down its next decision, according to market data released before the monthly inflation figures.
Economists had expected the RBA’s preferred gauge, the underlying inflation rate, could ease to 2.6% in the 12 months to January. Instead it has come in at 2.8%.
Natasha May
Health department had discussions of antisemitism before NSW nurses video, secretary says
Over in health estimates, the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston, is asking the department about the NSW nurses who spoke about Israeli patients in a viral video, after news of one of the nurses being charged this morning.
Blair Comley, the secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care, said the department became aware of the issue on the day the news broke when they were contacted by NSW on 12 February and subsequently briefed the federal health minister.
Asked by Ruston about any prior briefings in the department about antisemitic behaviour, Comley said:
We’ve certainly had discussions of antisemitism prior to the 12 February.
Ruston is seeking further information on notice about whether there were specific briefings about antisemitic behaviour.
Monthly inflation rate flat in January
Jonathan Barrett
The headline inflation rate was 2.5% in the 12 months to January, flat on the previous month’s figure, according to consumer price index figures released today.
The Reserve Bank’s preferred measure for inflation, the “trimmed mean” or underlying inflation that strips out volatile items and various government subsidies, increased to 2.8% from 2.7%.
The quarterly results, which came out less than one month ago, are viewed as more authoritative than the monthly figures, which can be volatile.
The RBA cut the cash rate by a quarter-point last week to 4.1%, in the first reduction since the early days of the pandemic. The next rate decision will be on 1 April.
Krishani Dhanji
Will there or won’t there be a budget before the election?
Just before the first break, Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy was asked whether Treasury is working on a budget, due 25 March.
As many are predicting an April election, that would mean the budget would be skipped, and during the campaign there’d be an economic statement which would give us a rundown of how the economy is tracking.
Kennedy said his department is preparing a full budget, and when asked if that could be transformed into an economic statement, he said:
We have everything we need in place to deliver a budget on that date. We do whatever the government asks of us, but we’re working on a budget.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, also chimed in, saying the government is working on the budget.
Australia’s 39 universities to unilaterally enforce new definition of antisemitism
Caitlin Cassidy
Australia’s 39 universities will unilaterally enforce a new definition of antisemitism on campuses after a parliamentary inquiry recommended higher education providers “closely align” with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition.
A spokesperson for Universities Australia confirmed a working definition had been “unanimously endorsed”, based on close work with members and Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism.
The definition draws closely on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and recommendations of antisemitism taskforces at Columbia University, Stanford University, Harvard University and New York University. It includes:
Criticism of the policies and practices of the Israeli government or state is not in and of itself antisemitic. However, criticism of Israel can be antisemitic when it is grounded in harmful tropes, stereotypes or assumptions and when it calls for the elimination of the State of Israel or all Jews or when it holds Jewish individuals or communities responsible for Israel’s actions …
All peoples, including Jews, have the right to self-determination. For most, but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity. Substituting the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ does not eliminate the possibility of speech being antisemitic.
Dutton says his wealth cannot be compared to that of Turnbull or Rudd
A reporter asked whether Peter Dutton is concerned that “as a society, we’re going to be critical of people who have worked hard for their assets?” He responded:
I think people have worked hard and some people have been lucky, and others haven’t as a result of that. The comparison of me to Malcolm Turnbull’s wealth or to Kevin Rudd’s wealth is just completely and utterly fictional.
Dutton says he’s declared ‘all the detail that’s required to be declared’
A reporter asked Peter Dutton if he was a member of the shadow expenditure review committee at the time he bought shares in CommBank, Westpac and Australia Bank?
He said he would have to “go back” because it was 15 years ago.
Just to be very clear, there’s no information I’ve been privy to that influenced about any share that I’ve bought. I’ve conducted myself with integrity. Why would I be declaring every detail if there was something to be hidden? It’s nonsense … I’ve declared all the detail that’s required to be declared.
Taking a later question, Dutton doubled down and said:
I’ve not received any information that has influenced any share transaction by the selling or buying that I’ve made, or the purchase of any property or other asset or other asset class or type where I’ve been privy to any information other than what is publicly available. It’s not something that I would ever do, and that’s something I’m proud of.
Dutton says PM has ‘very serious questions’ to answer on whether Defence knew of Chinese warships
Moving back to the Chinese warships, Peter Dutton said there were “significant questions” to be answered about why a Virgin pilot discovered the flotilla rather than Defence.
If there was an incursion across into our waters and Defence didn’t know about it or the defence minister didn’t know about it, we need to ask those questions and they should be answered.
And frankly, the prime minister should stand up and explain what is a very significant event. But at the moment, obviously, the prime minister hasn’t done that and his story seems to be at odds with the version given by the chief of the defence force in estimates and these are very serious questions that the prime minister needs to answer.
Dutton fields questions on 2009 shareholdings, family property assets
Asked about his 2009 shareholdings, Peter Dutton said he has bought shares over the years starting at 18 and 19 years old.
I’ve invested and a lot of astute investors would have bought bank shares at that time because they saw value in the shares and the balance sheets of Australian banks … I saw value in those shares.
Dutton accused the Prime Minister’s Office of trying to “shop this story to a dozen journalists”.
I think it reflects poorly on the prime minister and the desperation that he’s in at the moment.
The opposition leader said some transactions go back to when he was 20, and said he had always conducted himself with “integrity”.
If the prime minister has some claim to make, don’t get his lackeys to push it out there. Get up and make the claim yourself.
On his family’s property assets, Dutton said: “They’ve trawled through every transaction of my life for, you know, my entire adult life and they’ve come up with the fact that we’ve bought and sold properties.”
My father and I started with nothing in a small building company and half the transactions that are on that list are blocks of land we bought where Dad built a house and we sold the house and land. I never lived in the house. It was never rented out and it was a small business.
Dutton continued that “we have our house which has been declared, our private residence, [and] we have money in the bank and that’s it”.
Peter Dutton addressing reporters in Sydney
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is speaking to reporters in Sydney, alongside the Liberal candidate for Parramatta.
As Josh Butler flagged just earlier, it’s his first press conference since Monday and he is likely to face questions about his historical share holdings which Labor posed yesterday.
Dutton has begun by taking aim at the government for increasing energy prices, saying “it is going to get tougher if Mr Albanese is re-elected”.
He also said he was concerned by “conflicting [reports] between the chief of the Defence force and the prime minister” over what is occurring in the Tasman Sea with the Chinese warships.
He accused Anthony Albanese of “ducking and weaving and failing to answer basic questions”.
I hope that the prime minister can come out and give an honest account of what the government knew and when, in relation to this notable ship that’s off our coastline, what warnings the government had.
It seems that Air Services Australia had notified the Australian defence force, or had notified as a result of a Virgin air crew notification, and it just doesn’t add up.
Hume makes a personal attack against treasury officials
Krishani Dhanji
During Senate estimates, Senator Jane Hume has asked whether the Treasury department has been “politicised” – while questioning the work officials have done in political offices.
It’s a pretty explosive point she’s trying to make, pointing to time Treasury boss Steven Kennedy spent in the prime minister’s office during the GFC, and asks if he worked with Jim Chalmers, who was in then-treasurer Wayne Swan’s office.
Kennedy said he was seconded as a Treasury official to the PM’s office, and points to other deputy secretaries who have previously worked with Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. He said it would be a “shame” if other public servants were discouraged to do the same.
I think it would be a real shame if public servants felt that it would be a negative for their career if they did not take up those opportunities.
I do completely reject that the department or the officials are politicised as you pointed out through these remarks … I am very confident that we do not act politically so I do reject that assertion.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said Hume’s questioning was “disgusting and outrageous”.
[An] outrageous personal attack on people who have served their country with distinction for governments of all persuasions.
Hume ends by saying to Kennedy, “I’m sorry this has happened to you.”
