Anthony Albanese will deliver his budget reply speech which is expected to continue the opposition’s attack over sluggish wages growth
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2.08am BST
The Victorian treasurer and industrial relations minister, Tim Pallas, has announced a $5m package to implement the response to the in-demand economy inquiry.
The response, released on Thursday, reveals the Victorian government is highly critical of the “regrettable” decision by the Morrison government not to lead the charge in regulating the gig economy – and Pallas has accused them of a “leadership vacuum”.
The former industrial relations minister, Christian Porter, accepted in December that there is “clearly an issue” with rider safety after a spate of five deaths in two months, but the Victorian response said the federal government has only committed to monitor developments.
The Victorian government will advocate for reforms to the national workplace system, including by encouraging the commonwealth to amend the Fair Work Act and the Independent Contractors Act to clarify and codify work status. The Victorian government notes that an important starting point is to clarify the work status test, which could potentially be achieved by adopting the ‘entrepreneurial worker approach’.
Every person deserves to feel safe and secure at work, especially gig workers who so many of us relied on throughout the pandemic.
With a leadership vacuum in Canberra, Victoria will lead the way with more focused support for the on-demand workers and businesses who need it.
1.59am BST
Lawyers for Jo Dyer, a friend of the woman who accused Christian Porter of sexually assaulting her in 1988 (which he denies), have issued a statement explaining her bid to force one of Porter’s barristers off the ABC defamation case.
As reported on the blog yesterday, Dyer has asked the federal court to remove Sue Chrysanthou from the case on the basis she had advised her on a separate but related matter.
On Wednesday Porter’s solicitor, Rebekah Giles, said the application was brought eight weeks into the defamation case and she was “concerned about the timing”.
On Thursday, Marque lawyers issued a response on behalf of Dyer:
On 15 March 2021, Jo Dyer was made aware that Sue Chrysanthou SC had accepted a brief from Christian Porter to represent him in his defamation proceedings against the ABC. On the same day (15 March) through her solicitors Marque Lawyers, Ms Dyer expressed her objection to Ms Chrysanthou acting for Mr Porter, on the basis of an alleged conflict of interest.
Her solicitors have been in continuous correspondence with Ms Chrysanthou’s solicitors since that date, attempting in good faith to resolve this dispute without the need for court proceedings. Those attempts having failed, Ms Dyer commenced proceedings against Ms Chrysanthou in the Federal Court on 10 May.
