Australia live news updates: Morrison faces further questions over 2007 preselection; severe weather to hit Victoria | Australia news

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has simply completed an interview on the ABC’s Insiders program now, and has flatly denied ever listening to about Scott Morrison allegedly racially vilifying an opponent in his 2007 pre-selection race within the seat of Prepare dinner.

He’s categorically denied it and Jamal Rifi, who’s one in all Australia’s leaders of the Australian Muslim Lebanese neighborhood, has mentioned about Scott Morrison that he doesn’t have a racist bone in his physique. That’s what he has mentioned.

Rifi made these statements in 2019.

On the price range, Frydenberg repeated the federal government’s reduce to the gas tax will likely be short-term and can finish in six months’ time underneath laws.

He mentioned he wouldn’t be arguing to increase the reduce, and that Treasury was forecasting that the value of oil can be down from the present $120 a barrel to $100 by September.

Victorian well being authorities say two extra individuals have died from Covid within the final 24 hours. There are 307 individuals in hospital, together with 18 individuals in ICU with three individuals on ventilators.

On the ABC’s Insiders program, the dialog is about Morrison’s 2007 preselection bid and allegations he had raised his opponent Michael Towke’s Lebanese heritage as a purpose to dismiss his marketing campaign.

Morrison yesterday denied making any statements like that and instructed journalists they need to ask the individuals making the accusations.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age chief political correspondent David Crowe has simply instructed the ABC he has spoken to Towke.

He says there was a marketing campaign of racial vilification towards him and that Scott Morrison was straight concerned. These are his phrases.

There have been 11 extra deaths from Covid in NSW, the place 50 individuals are presently in intensive care among the many 1,355 individuals in hospital battling the virus.

Journalist Hugh Riminton has checked out final week’s price range and the way it units up Scott Morrison for the upcoming election.

He writes this morning how the price range was designed to inform Australians their jobs had been safe, they had been getting some money and right here’s some cheaper petrol to go together with it.

The strain is all now on Morrison. And generally it exhibits. He’s a sitting duck to questions on bullying or ruthlessness, however he can’t afford to counter-punch with out trying snappy. Typically, he simply seems drained.

Morning all. Graham Readfearn right here.

It’s Sunday and concord has returned to the jap states with Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania returning to affix Queensland in the identical time zone. Did you keep in mind to regulate your clocks?

That’s about it although, harmony-wise. On our reside protection right now we’ll observe the heavy climate that’s forecast to proceed on the south coast of NSW and the flood warnings for the jap components of Victoria.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, is dealing with intense scrutiny over allegations he made “racial feedback” in 2007 a couple of rival candidate for preselection within the seat of Prepare dinner. Morrison has denied making the feedback.

The candidate who initially received the preselection battle, Michael Towke, has right now instructed the 9 newspapers he stood by a 2016 statutory declaration outlining “many unedifying ways used to unseat me from my preselection victory”.

Morrison is in Tasmania this morning for a 10am press convention on the Satan’s Gate Hydroelectric Energy Station the place he’s anticipated to make an power announcement.

We’ll maintain updated with the newest covid numbers too. A fast abstract from yesterday:

Let’s proceed harmoniously.