Andrews: ‘In Victoria, the haters hate and the rest vote Labor’
Benita Kolovos
The long-ranging interview covered a lot of ground, including a $207m package for the state’s specialist schools that Daniel Andrews announced in the lead up to last year’s election campaign.
Andrews said the policy was formed during discussion with parents whose children were in specialist schools and it was one of the highlights of his career - all while having a crack at people who coined the nickname “Dictator Dan”:
Dictator and all this sort of stuff, that’s all fine if that makes people feel better by describing me in those terms, good luck. You know, in Victoria, the haters hate and the rest vote Labor and that’s fine by me ...
But what really matters is not that nonsense, that noise, that vitriol, that [Sky News] After Dark bullshit. All that … is the worst of American politics imported into ours. What really matters and what makes up for all the nonsense is when you sit with families like that, and you listen, and you say, right, that’s the plan. We’re gonna get on and do it. And then you do, and you can see the difference.
There were heatwave warnings for parts of all mainland states, prompting extreme to catastrophic danger alerts to be issued for parts of South Australia, northern Victoria and outback New South Wales.
Pauline Hanson’s controversial chief of staff, James Ashby, will run for Queensland state parliament next year as the One Nation candidate for the seat of Keppel.
Enjoy your evening, and I hope you stay safe from the heat.
The Melbourne gallery owner Anna Schwartz has dropped the provocative performance artist Mike Parr after a 36-year relationship, after a piece commenting on Israel’s military action in Gaza.
Schwartz sent Parr a two-sentence email on Sunday, the day after he installed the third part of his exhibition Sunset Claws, informing him she would no longer represent him.
Not surprisingly, the greater Sydney region is among the four regions of NSW facing 'extreme' fire danger on Saturday, with total fire bans in place. (Source: @NSWRFS ) pic.twitter.com/poM3yofHK6
In New South Wales there is a total fire ban in place tomorrow in greater Sydney and the lower central west plains, southern slopes, northern Riverina and central ranges.
Total Fire Ban in place tomorrow, Saturday 9 December - Greater Sydney, Lower Central West Plains, Southern Slopes, Northern Riverina & Central Ranges. Very hot, dry & windy conditions forecast in parts of NSW. Know what you'll do if fire threatens. #RFShttps://t.co/R9tDns8ts6pic.twitter.com/GBHzjVKLDC
Just 4.4% of truck drivers in Australia are female, government data shows, and amid a nationwide driver shortage the industry is trying to bring more women into well-paid driving jobs.
However, there are several barriers maintaining the gender disparity, according to industry research. A survey conducted by Volvo Trucks has found that accessing the correct licenses and necessary driver training programs is the most significant obstacle for women wanting to break into the trucking sector, with 36% of respondents identifying this as a problem.
Concerns about not being physically strong enough were the second most common issue for potential female truck drivers, identified by 34%. Volvo Trucks said that while this may have been true of trucks from decades ago, modern trucks and trailers were now designed to mechanically support the driver with loading and unloading, meaning the job was less physically strenuous and much safer.
Three-quarters of female respondents to the survey said they had never considered a career as a truck driver. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
A “blokey culture” was the other key barrier for women considering becoming truck drivers, with 33% stating this was a concern.
As a result, 76% of female respondents to the survey had never considered a career as a truck driver, and 61% weren’t aware of the earning potential – up to $150,000 per year – available to drivers.
In response, Volvo Trucks has launched a female focused training program, named “Iron Women”, to help bring more women into truck driving.
Martin Merrick, president and CEO of Volvo Group Australia, said:
Today when we think about truck drivers, most people have one stereotype in mind. We want to change the face of truck driving by breaking down barriers that stand in the way of more people choosing to get behind the wheel. By launching Iron Women, we want more women and girls to see the strong and capable women who are already driving trucks, as well as the many benefits that come from truck driving including high salaries, flexibility and autonomy.
An isolated severe thunderstorm has developed in Sydney. Damaging winds and large hail are a risk as the cell moves eastwards. For the latest: Monitor the Bureau app and warnings page https://t.co/jJWt2wlxelpic.twitter.com/I7Xou3eBLi
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 8, 2023
As very hot conditions spread on the eastern parts of Australia this week, Murray Watt says that federal and state authorities have been preparing for the El Niño summer.
You might remember a couple of months ago, we held the first ever national emergency summit in Canberra over two days, to bring together not just emergency authorities from the different levels of government, but also representatives of the private sector, the community sector, all the other groups that ended up getting involved. And we have a massive disaster, so that we could put some scenarios, make sure that everyone had good information about what resources were available and what we need to be doing more of.
The federal emergency management minister said you couldn’t be 100% sure of the conditions, but he was confident that the work had been put in to ensure the country was as well-prepared as it could possibly be.
Tropical cyclone Jasper preparations under way, emergency minister says
The federal emergency management minister, Murray Watt, is on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, and says he was just briefed about the tropical cyclone Jasper situation. He says it’s still a fair way off the coast of Queensland, and still uncertain whether it will make landfall, but preparations are under way.
At the moment, the system is at a category 4 level. It is expected that as it gets closer to the coast, it will develop to be category 5. More intense, still. As time goes on, it is exacted to weaken, which is a good thing. As I say, it is not entirely clear whether it will make landfall, the latest predictions that if it does make landfall, it will be likely to be somewhere between Townsville and Cooktown.
He says it’ll be the second half of next week if it does happen, and people have a few days to get themselves ready.
A satellite image taken at lunchtime Friday showing tropical cyclone Jasper off the Queensland coast. Photograph: www.weatherzone.com.au
Festival-goers warned of overheating risk over weekend
The NSW health department is warning people attending music festivals over the coming days to take precautions during the expected severe heatwave conditions.
Dr Darren Roberts, medical director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre, said overheating was a major risk, and people should take breaks from dancing, seek shade, drink water and cool down to reduce the risk.
Festivals will have special measures in place this weekend, including chilled water and misting fans to help keep people cool. Everyone attending festivals this weekend should make use of these measures.
If you or a friend have taken drugs, please watch out for each other and know the warning signs that you need help.
NSW Health and NSW Ambulance provide risk-management advice for festival organisers and guidelines for onsite medical care providers.
