But the Lower House is adjourned until after the election despite increasing political pressure on the Marshall Government to recall parliament.
Today’s protest will see 24 of the House of Assembly’s 47 MPs – including four former Liberals – assemble in the Lower House at 10:30am “so as to be available to consider any Bill as may have passed the Legislative Council”, according to a letter from Independent Speaker Dan Cregan sent to the Premier this week.
Premier Steven Marshall on Tuesday rejected the call to bring back parliament, arguing the COVID-Ready Committee that he chairs will have a policy to announce on COVID-safe voting provisions.
Marshall also cited advice from the Electoral Commissioner, who has told authorities his office does not have the capacity or the necessary time to set up a telephone voting system – even if parliament resumes to pass legislation allowing it.
In a statement late yesterday, the Electoral Commission said it was “confident” it could deliver a COVID-safe election and was finalising “a number of COVID-safe polling options” which they will advise the public of in due course.
“ECSA staff are currently working in partnership with key sectors such as aged care, disability, and remote communities to deliver a safe election,” the commission said.
“Our message today to the South Australian public is to check your enrolment details are up to date or if you have turned 18 in the last 4 years, or you are a new Australian citizen, ensure you enrol to vote before February 25th.
“We strongly recommend that eligible voters plan ahead and apply for a postal vote now. This election we anticipate a significant uptake in the number of postal votes due to the increased criteria of eligibility for this election.”
SA weather emergency declaration revoked
A Major Emergency Declaration declared in response to South Australia’s summer storms and flash flooding has been revoked following “significant improvements” in conditions across the north of the state.
Large areas of northern South Australia including the APY Lands and Eyre Peninsula have been hit by extreme weather, rainfall and flooding over the last three weeks as the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Tiffany gradually passed over the state.
The storms left critical road and rail links from Adelaide to the Northern Territory – as well as Western Australia – cut off, prompting authorities to call a Major Emergency Declaration on January 28 and launch emergency supply flights to cut off-towns in the APY Lands and Coober Pedy.
But in a statement last night, Police Commissioner and state emergency coordinator Grant Stevens said the emergency declaration was revoked at 6:56pm on Tuesday following “significant improvements” to conditions in northern SA.
Stevens cited the staged reopening of the Stuart Highway to freight and emergency service vehicles as one of the key reasons for rescinding the declaration, and said the recovery operation has now been handed over to Department of Premier and Cabinet CEO Nick Reade.
In a statement last night, Premier Steven Marshall said DPC officials met with councils across the Eyre Peninsula on Tuesday and preparations are in place to transition from “response to recovery”.
“Key departments responsible for road maintenance are finalising a road repair prioritisation list for tens of thousands of kilometres of sealed, unsealed, access and private roads,” he said.
“A staged re-opening of Stuart Highway continues. One lane is open, with trucks and 4WD vehicles able to travel in one direction at a time, with a maximum speed of 20km/h. I have been advised there are no significant issues at this stage.
“The SES is in contact with outback communities including Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta and is monitoring critical supplies. SAPOL have a presence in situ at Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta and is continuing to monitor the situation.
“Two food deliveries totalling approximately 500kg have been delivered to Oodnadatta in the past two days with the assistance of the SES, RFDS and private operators”.
Marshall also said the Australian Rail Track Corporation expects to finish repairs to the SA-NT and SA-WA rail links by February 15, a couple of days earlier than previous estimates.
Upper House backs Adelaide park lands heritage push
The state’s Upper House has supported a Bill to grant State Heritage listing to the Adelaide park lands.
, introduced by Greens MLC Robert Simms, passed the Legislative Council last night without division with the support of both major parties.
Simms touted the legislation’s passage in the Upper House as a “big win” for those advocating for park lands heritage listing.
“Labor and the Liberals are now both on the public record supporting this Greens’ Bill,” he said.
“No matter who is in Government, we will reintroduce the Bill in the next parliament and push to make this a priority.”
The Adelaide park lands were listed as a national heritage site in 2008.
The Adelaide City Council has floated putting the city’s green belt up for listing on the World Heritage register, although the State Government has been more cautious about this proposal.
Higgins, Tame to respond to PM’s apology
Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and child sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame will today deliver a highly anticipated address in response to Scott Morrison’s apology to women harassed and assaulted in federal parliament.
Higgins, who went public a year ago about her alleged 2019 rape in a minister’s office, will speak in front of the National Press Club today with the former Australian of the Year.
Legislation to enact reforms called for by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins is also due to be introduced into parliament.
It follows the prime minister’s apology to Ms Higgins and other women who suffered under a parliamentary culture that normalised bullying, abuse, harassment and violence.
“I am sorry. We are sorry. I’m sorry to Ms Higgins for the terrible things that took place here,” Morrison said on Tuesday.
“The place that shouldxjmtzyw have been a place of safety and contribution turned out to be a nightmare … but she had the courage to stand, and so here we are.”
Higgins and Rachelle Miller, a former staffer to Liberal minister Alan Tudge who alleged he was emotionally and physically abusive, were among women belatedly invited to watch the apology.
It was among 28 recommendations from Jenkins who found one-third of staff surveyed across Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces had been sexually harassed.
“That exploitation, abuse, bullying and harassment has played itself out through terrible, traumatic and harrowing experiences, harassment of staff, particularly female staff, as well as harassment of female members and senators,” the prime minister said.
“It is clear that practical and cultural changes are necessary to make our parliamentary workplaces safer.”
Tame tweeted “proactive, preventative measures” were needed instead of “performative, last-minute bandaid electioneering stunts”.
Macron upbeat despite escalating Ukraine crisis
French President Emmanuel Macron, the first leader of a major Western power to meet Vladimir Putin since Russia massed troops near Ukraine, says he believes steps can be taken to de-escalate the crisis despite his talks with the Russian President yielding no major breakthrough.
Macron, who in contrast to his US and British counterparts has played down the likelihood that Russia may soon invade its neighbour, shuttled from Moscow to Kyiv on Tuesday in a high-profile bid to act as a mediator.
The French president had no breakthroughs to announce after an official said overnight that Putin had promised him Russia would not stage military manoeuvres near Ukraine for the time being.
But Macron said he thought his talks had helped prevent the crisis from escalating further.
Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had told him they were committed to the principles of a 2014 peace agreement, he said, adding that this deal, known as the Minsk accords, offered a path to resolving their ongoing disputes.
“This shared determination is the only way allowing us to create peace, the only way to create a viable political solution,” Macron told a joint news conference with Zelenskiy.
