Veterans’ affairs minister threatened to quit over budget; Australia reports 30 Covid deaths – as it happened
Andrew Gee calls backlog of veteran's compensation payments a national disgrace'; WA teenager among 30 Covid deaths across the country. This blog is now closed
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When Bill Shorten parachuted Kimberley Kitching into parliament in 2016, she was no darling of conservatives.
Kitching's selection was derided by the then prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, as a captain's call". The Liberal senator Eric Abetz labelled her unfit for public office" over adverse findings made by the Fair Work Commission and trade union royal commission.
This government's going out of its way to poke our Pacific neighbours in the eye whether it's our belligerent position on climate change, which is a critical issue for Pacific island nations, or whether it's withdrawing aid, and I'd say support from those nations as well. The government seems to have dropped the ball on it. I think we need a new focus on the Asian-Pacific region.
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