Scott Morrison Archives

Julia Gillard believes there has been ‘progress’ for women in politics since she was Prime Minister

July 11, 2020 by Read Sector

‘The reaction to me was incredibly gendered’: Julia Gillard believes there has been ‘progress’ for women in politics since she was Prime Minister

Published: 14:27 BST, 11 July 2020 | Updated: 14:27 BST, 11 July 2020

Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has revealed that she feels there has been ‘progress’ for women in politics in the years since she was PM.

Speaking to this week’s Stellar Magazine, the 58-year-old said: ‘I think there was framing done around a woman and power that was also driven by gender assumptions and the stereotypes in the back of our brain.

‘That we expect men to seek power, but we don’t expect women to do it. So I think there was a whole lot about the reaction to me that was incredibly gendered.’

Changes: In an interview with Stellar magazine this week, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (pictured) has revealed that she feels there has been ‘progress’ for women in politics in the years since she was PM

The respected politician added that things are changing for the better.

‘But I think we are having a completely different conversation about gender and politics now than we were having then. And for me that’s progress, that’s a good thing,’ Gillard added.

In 2012, the-then Australian Prime Minister was praised for her strong stance on sexism and misogyny in government.

The 58-year-old said: ‘I think there was framing done around a woman and power that was also driven by gender assumptions and the stereotypes in the back of our brain… So I think there was a whole lot about the reaction to me that was incredibly gendered’. Pictured in 2019

Change: ‘I think we are having a completely different conversation about gender and politics now than we were having then. And for me that’s progress, that’s a good thing,’ she added

Gillard spent 15 minutes attacking leader of the opposition Tony Abbott before the Australian House of Representatives during a debate over a motion to sack the Speaker of the House, Peter Slipper after a series of text messages he sent to his male assistant referring to women in a derogatory way were made public.

Gillard was sworn in as Australia’s 27th Prime Minister in 2010 after beating sitting Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in a party room vote.

Ms Gillard then won the 2010 election after the first hung parliament since 1940 meant they had to form a minority government.

Outspoken: In 2012, the-then Australian Prime Minister was praised for her strong stance on sexism and misogyny in government. Pictured in 2012

Strong words: Gillard spent 15 minutes attacking leader of the opposition Tony Abbott before the Australian House of Representatives during a debate over a motion to sack the Speaker of the House, Peter Slipper

She survived two more leadership votes in 2012 and 2013 before failing to win a third in late 2013.

Kevin Rudd was reinstated as leader of the party before Ms Gillard tendered her resignation.

Since leaving politics Ms Gillard has been involved in a host of projects including most recently being named the inaugural chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership in London.

Read more: In this week’s issue of Stellar magazine

Scott Morrison supports making returned travellers pay for their own quarantine

July 8, 2020 by Read Sector

Scott Morrison supports making returned travellers pay for their own quarantine as he plans to reduce the number landing in Australia

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan wants people to pay for quarantine
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today that was ‘completely understandable’
He also supported Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to lock down Melbourne

By Charlie Moore, Political Reporter For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 04:31 BST, 8 July 2020 | Updated: 07:15 BST, 8 July 2020

Scott Morrison has supported states making returned travellers pay for their own hotel quarantine.

The Prime Minister said state governments were ‘within their rights’ to send people the bill and that he is making plans to reduce the number of people flying home to ease pressure on the quarantine system.

On Monday Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said he was drafting legislation to make returned travellers pay for two weeks of accommodation to save taxpayer money.

Mr Morrison said: ‘I think that would be a completely understandable proposition.

‘There have been many opportunities for people to return… if they’re choosing to do so now, they have obviously delayed that decision for a period.’

Scott Morrison has supported states making returned travellers pay for their own quarantine

Melbourne was gripped by panic buying on Wednesday as residents prepare for six weeks of lock down from midnight

Left: A woman carries several packets of loo roll out of a Melbourne supermarket. Right: A man carries two crates of beer to his car ahead of lock down

Mr Morrison said he supported Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to lock down Melbourne for six weeks as the city battles a coronavirus outbreak.

In a message of unity, he said: ‘We are all Victorians now.’

‘We’re all Melburnians now when it comes to the challenges we face. We’re all Victorians now because we’re all Australians and that’s where the challenge is right now,’ Mr Morrison said.

‘It is a very significant Commonwealth effort to support what is happening in Victoria right now and we will prevail and we will get on top of it and we will protect the rest of the country.

‘For the people, in particular, of Melbourne – this is hard. This is a hard call on you. It’s tough.

‘And it will test you and it will strain, but you have done it once before and you will be able to do it again because you have proven that. You have demonstrated your ability to deal with this.’

Victoria reported 134 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday morning.

Stripped: Shelves were left bare as Melbourne residents stocked up on food before lock down starts at midnight

Victoria has recorded 134 new cases of coronavirus as the state battles a huge outbreak and the whole of Melbourne braces for a six-week lockdown from midnight

Premier Daniel Andrews said there are now 75 cases of the deadly disease across nine social housing towers in north Melbourne which have been placed under hard lockdown, confining 3,000 residents to their homes.

Forty-one people are in hospital with seven fighting for their lives as the state’s testing total passed 1million with 30,000 swabs on Tuesday.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian today warned the risk of contagion in her state was ‘extremely high’ after 60,000 exemptions were granted for commuters to enter from Victoria following the first border shut down since Spanish Flu in 1919.

She is considering sealing off border towns from the rest of the state which suffered two cases of local transmission including a Melbourne teenager on holiday in Merimbula and a woman in south-west Sydney whose case remains a mystery.

It comes as Melbourne is gripped by panic buying as residents rush to stock up on food, booze and loo paper before they are ordered to stay at home from tonight until August 19.

A Service NSW spokesperson said the permit application system had experienced high levels of demand, causing it to crash this morning. Pictured: Queues to get in to Albury

A long wait: Australians braved 40-minute traffic queues to get to work this morning on the first day the New South Wales-Victoria border closed due to a huge coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne

PM warns Melburnians could be fined for refusing coronavirus test if they live in a hotspot

June 30, 2020 by Read Sector

Scott Morrison warns Melburnians could be FINED for refusing to take a test if they live in a coronavirus hot spot

Melburnians who refuse coronavirus test could face fines as outbreak continues
Almost 1,000 residents in Melbourne hotspots refused to be tested last week
Prime Minister described data as disappointing and hopes to provide incentives

By Australian Associated Press and Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:47 BST, 30 June 2020 | Updated: 00:19 BST, 1 July 2020

Scott Morrison hasn’t ruled out enforcing fines for Melburnians who refuse a coronavirus test as the city struggles to control the pandemic after a sharp rise in new cases.

Victoria is experiencing a second wave of infections after recording its highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases in almost three months on Monday with 75 new cases, followed by another 64 on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister has thrown his support behind the Victorian government’s tough suburban lockdowns designed to save Melbourne from coronavirus.

The prime minister warned people refusing to be tested for the disease which has killed 104 Australians could face fines as a hotspot testing blitz continues.

Almost 1000 residents in coronavirus hotspots refused to be tested when authorities knocked on their door last week.

There could be fines for Melburnians who refuse to be be tested for coronavirus after almost 1000 residents living in hotspots refused one last week. Pictured are queues at a drive-in coronavirus testing site at Melbourne Showgrounds on Tuesday

‘It is disappointing. We are doing it the Australian way,’ Mr Morrison told Channel Nine’s Today Show on Wednesday.

‘We’re looking to do it through incentive, through the use of carrot not stick.

‘Occasionally the stick will have to be put about, whether it’s fines or sanctions in place to ensure we keep everybody safe.’

Mr Morrison said there was nothing surprising about Melbourne’s second outbreak not yet seen in other states and territories.

‘We always said there would be some. No system is perfect and Australia is still far ahead of the rest of the world,’ he said.

‘Let’s remember seven states and territories have pretty much no community transmission at all.

‘Where outbreaks do occur you need to move on them as the Victorian Government is.

‘They have our full support with that. We are putting significant resources in to assist them.

Mr Morrison said mistakes in hotel quarantine were lessons for other states, noting no system would be perfect.

He cautioned against other states reinstating shutdowns if local infection rates remain low.

‘We need to keep the economy open. If we don’t do that it will cost jobs.’

Lockdown will be reinforced across 10 Melbourne postcodes from Thursday until July 29.

People living in those areas will only be allowed to leave home for work, study, essential shopping, exercise or to receive or give care.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has also launched a judicial inquiry into hotel quarantine with a slew of cases linked to staff infection control breaches.

Under Victoria’s aggressive coronavirus suppression measures, international flights will be diverted away from Melbourne for two weeks.

Queensland is banning Victorians from entering the state but welcoming other visitors from July 10.

South Australia has shelved plans to reopen its Victorian border but is weighing up a travel deal with NSW and the ACT.

Mr Morrison downplayed criticism from Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who implored him to stop picking on her state over border closures.

Defiant Guy Sebastian hits back after being ‘cancelled’ over ScoMo partnership

June 26, 2020 by Read Sector

Guy Sebastian has spoken out being ‘cancelled’ by Twitter mobs for appearing alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison when he announced his $250million arts package at a press conference on Thursday.

Speaking on the Today show on Friday, the 38-year-old Voice coach said he had ‘no idea’ why some people were outraged.

‘It was a big day yesterday… Bigger then I thought,’ he said with a laugh, after being asked about the social media backlash.

What’s the big deal? Guy Sebastian broke his silence on The Today Show on Friday after calls to ‘cancel’ the singer following his surprise appearance at Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s arts funding announcement- saying he had ‘no idea’ why people were upset

‘I wasn’t prepared for it. People [were] cancelling me apparently. I have no idea why,’ the Battle Scars singer added.

When asked by Today host Allison Langdon why he thought people were so upset, he reiterated that couldn’t understand it.

‘Look, I really have no idea. I’ve never been involved in politics,’ he said.

It comes after viewers were surprised to see the singer standing next to Morrison when he announced a $250million arts package to help revive the entertainment industry on Thursday.

‘I wasn’t prepared for it. People cancelling me apparently. I have no idea why,’ Guy told Today Show host’s Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon

Following his appearance, Twitter went into a frenzy, with many criticising the Australian singer for speaking at the meeting, claiming he doesn’t represent ‘struggling artists’.

‘I’m so bloody disappointed in Guy Sebastian right now. I’ve loved Guy and his music for a long time, my heart just broke a little watching that presser,’ one tweeted.

Another wrote: ‘A notably *not* struggling artist who clearly understands what artists have been going through during #COVID19.’

‘Turned it off, couldn’t stand the smug look on Morrison’s face while being praised by Sebastian,’ one person commented.

Another said: ‘Why is Guy Sebastian standing about in political statements like a fool behind Scotty? Was unaware he was such a supporter of the LNP.’

Speech: Guy attended the conference and thanked the Prime Minister after he announced the news

‘That’s it, I’m never buying another Guy Sebastian album or going to his concert,’ one wrote.

‘Guy Sebastian just got political… He’s sold-out his Arts sector colleagues by publicly supporting the PM – a bloody stupid move,’ another person commented.

While some people criticised Guy, 38, for supporting the announcement, others praised him.

‘Guy Sebastian holds his own opinions on government decisions and people are yet to ask his reasoning before attacking him,’ one wrote.

‘I’m so bloody disappointed!’ Viewers are criticising the Australian singer for speaking at Scott Morrison’s funding announcement, claiming he doesn’t represent ‘struggling artists’

Another said: ‘Imagine cancelling Guy Sebastian because of his own political views which every person in Australia is entitled to have. You guys are so f**king petty.’

‘How pathetic that Guy Sebastian is being hammered by trolls. He is a great Aussie. Compassionate, successful, fair dinkum. They would hate that,’ another wrote.

In a statement, Guy defended his appearance at the funding announcement, saying: ‘My attendance today at the press conference was to provide perspective of the deep seeded economic hardship that has crippled the entertainment industry due to the COVID pandemic.’

‘The whole industry from tech crew to musicians and all those that consult to the entertainment community are in serious need of stimulus.’

‘The objective of my involvement today, is to support my colleagues and industry at large. I am a musician not a politician.’

‘You guys are so petty!’ While some people criticised Guy for supporting the announcement, others praised him

Funding: Scott Morrison announced the $250million boost for Australia’s struggling creative sector to help embattled industries rebuild after the coronavirus crisis on Thursday

Scott Morrison announced a $250million boost for Australia’s struggling creative sector to help embattled industries rebuild after the coronavirus crisis at the press conference.

More than 645,000 Australians are employed in the $112billion creative economy, and JobMaker will see a range of new grant and loan programs rolled out over the next 12 months.

The package includes $75million to get music festivals, concerts and tours back underway as social distancing measures start to ease across Australia.

The entertainment industry was among the first sectors to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic after public gatherings were banned in March.

Entertainment industry: The package includes $75million to get music festivals, concerts and tours back underway as social distancing measures start to ease across Australia

Impacted: The entertainment industry was among the first sectors to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic after public gatherings were banned in March

‘This package is as much about supporting the tradies who build stage sets or computer specialists who create the latest special effects, as it is about supporting actors and performers in major productions,’ Mr Morrison said.

‘These measures will support a broad range of jobs from performers, artists and roadies, to front of house staff and many who work behind the scenes, while assisting related parts of the broader economy, such as tourism and hospitality,’he added.

During the announcement, Mr Morrison also said Guy ‘likes to sing’ but he also ‘loves to create jobs’.

Guy Sebastian’s full statement

My attendance today at the press conference was to provide perspective of the deep seeded economic hardship that has crippled the entertainment industry due to the COVID pandemic. The whole industry from tech crew to musicians and all those that consult to the entertainment community are in serious need of stimulus. The objective of my involvement today, is to support my colleagues and industry at large. I am a musician not a politician.

During the announcement, Mr Morrison also said Guy ‘likes to sing’ but he also ‘loves to create jobs’

Viewers criticise Guy Sebastian for speaking at Scott Morrison’s arts funding announcement

June 25, 2020 by Read Sector

‘Why is he standing about like a fool behind Scotty?’ Viewers slam Guy Sebastian for attending Scott Morrison’s arts funding announcement – and claim he doesn’t represent ‘struggling artists’

By Mary Mrad For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 04:41 BST, 25 June 2020 | Updated: 04:41 BST, 25 June 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a $250million arts package to help revive the entertainment industry as COVID-19 restrictions ease on Thursday.

And Guy Sebastian made a surprise appearance at the conference, thanking the Prime Minister after he announced the news.

But viewers were not too pleased and swiftly criticised the Australian singer, 38, for speaking at the funding announcement, claiming he doesn’t represent ‘struggling artists’.

Why is he there? Viewers criticised Guy Sebastian for attending Scott Morrison’s arts funding announcement on Thursday