News and politics live updates: Victorian Premier Ben Carroll vows construction royal commission

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The Commonwealth has reached a confidential settlement with Liberal staffer Fiona Brown following the Brittany Higgins saga, avoiding a possible trial which could have heard from witnesses such as former PM Scott Morrison.

A trial in the matter had been scheduled to take place in March next year, but the Albanese government has confirmed Ms Brown’s claim has been settled.

“The Government notes an agreement has been reached in this matter,” a spokesperson for Attorney General Michelle Rowland told The Nightly.

“It would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time due to privacy considerations, legal professional privilege and confidentiality obligations.”

ictoria is a great State.

It has a capital city to be proud of, with a rich history, beautiful parks and gardens, premium sporting events and facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, while a network of charming and historic towns dot the interior.

So the decline in Victoria since Labor was elected under Daniel Andrews in 2014 is nothing short of tragic.

Through hard-core ideological politics which should never be part of a State’s governing framework, Victoria has been driven downwards.

There’s the underperforming economy. Australian Bureau of Statistics data last week showed the national unemployment rate sat at 4.4 per cent in June, while Victoria’s rate was the nation’s worst at 5 per cent.

Read more.

A former Melbourne organised crime figure and alleged Australian tobacco king pin accused of ordering the firebombing of tobacconists across Perth has been handed a life prison sentence by an Iraqi court for drug trafficking.

Kadhim Malik Hamad Rabah Al-Hajami, better known as Kazem Hamad, was sentenced by the Karkh Criminal Court on Tuesday and had his assets confiscated, the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation confirmed in a statement.

“The convict is considered one of the most wanted individuals by Iraqi and international judiciaries,” the NCIJC said.

“He is responsible for importing large quantities of narcotics into Iraq and Australia, smuggling heroin, and is linked to transnational organised crime gangs involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, kidnapping, extortion, and organised violence.”

The 42-year-old was deported from Australia in mid-2023 but was allegedly still supplying millions of illegally imported cigarettes into the country.

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Corruption linked to the notorious Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union has now brought down two senior Labor women in less than a week and party figures are concerned the serious political damage won’t end there.

Amid ongoing controversy over her handling of Victoria’s “Big Build” corruption scandal involving the CFMEU, Premier Jacinta Allan announced her resignation on Tuesday before a challenge from deputy Ben Carroll.

Her dramatic departure came just days after the ACT’s Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry, pictured above left, resigned from Cabinet after the Integrity Commission made “serious corrupt conduct” findings against two senior public servants in her education portfolio.

Like her Victorian colleague, Ms Berry had been caught up in a CFMEU scandal, with the union found to have engaged in corrupt conduct over a multimillion-dollar contract to revamp a public primary school in Canberra.

“Jacinta Allan is someone who I think is a very decent human being,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared of his long-time friend and Labor colleague shortly after her resignation.

“(She’s) someone who’s motivated by her passionate belief in the lifestyle and in education, health, transport of Victorians and delivering for Victorians, she’s someone who can be proud I think of her achievements over a long period of time.”

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The Prime Minister praised Jacinta Allan’s legacy, minutes after a chaotic meeting of Labor MPs officially deposed her as Victoria’s Premier only four months out from an election.

Ms Allan resigned on Tuesday morning, but didn’t go quietly as she backed a challenger against deputy Ben Carroll’s leadership bid before he was eventually endorsed without a ballot and able to promise a “new direction” for the 11-year-old Labor Government.

In Karratha in WA’s north, Anthony Albanese praised them both.

“Jacinta Allan is someone who I think is a very decent human being,” Mr Albanese said.

“Someone who’s motivated by her passionate belief in the lifestyle . . . education, health, transport of Victorians, and delivering for Victorians. She’s someone who can be proud, I think, of her achievements over a long period of time.”

Ms Allan had been under pressure for months over Victoria’s net debt of $175 billion and the $100b cost of the Big Build road and rail program.

Mr Carroll immediately promised to appoint a special prosecutor and launch a royal commission into claims of union corruption, bribes and bikie infiltration of the CFMEU.

Read more.

New Victorian Premier Ben Carroll effectively launched the Labor Party’s election campaign today by vowing to prevent a Liberal-One Nation government taking power in a State that has been a Labor stronghold for most of this century.

After narrowly avoiding an internal leadership ballot that could have left Victoria with an acting premier for six weeks or more, Mr Carroll’s first decision was to promise a special prosecutor and a royal commission to investigate allegations of corruption in State infrastructure projects that one independent expert has estimated may have cost more than $15 billion.

Mr Carroll said the 11-year-old Labor government is “going to go in new direction”, signalling a more traditionally right-wing Labor approach and a departure from predecessor Jacinta Allan’s emphasis on social justice.

“We’ll be focused on the basics: on education, on health and on community safety,” Mr Carroll told Parliament.

At a press conference he said: “Let me make one thing very clear: I am not Daniel Andrews. I am not Jacinta Allan.”

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Australia’s prime minister has congratulated new Victorian Premier Ben Carroll.

In an Instagram post, Anthony Albanese said he looked forward to working with Mr Carroll.

“Working with Ben as Education Minister, we locked in full funding for every Victorian school,” he said.

“Premier, I’m looking forward to working together to deliver better schools, healthcare and more homes for Victorians.”

Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to former Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.

“Jacinta is someone I think is a very decent human being, someone who is motivated by her passinoate belief in the education, health and transport of Victorians.

Mr Albanese said she can be proud of her achievements.

“I wish her well for her future.”

Oppostion Leader Angus Taylor has not denied making donations to a Christian conservative Liberal Party factional group following evidence raised at an ICAC hearing in Sydney.

Former Liberal staffer Dylan Whitelaw, who was a member of the party’s Mittagong branch in the NSW Southern Highlands, told the Commission that Mr Taylor supported the Reformers, a right-wing grouping within his party as the member for Hume in 2020.

The commission heard Dallas McInerney told Mr Whitelaw that Angus Taylor had committed to a $15,000 donation, and regular $3000 contributions.

“The Leader is not a party to the matters before the commission, nor has he been approached,” a spokesman for Angus Taylor told the The Nightly in response.

“These matters should be allowed to run their course free from political interference or commentary.

“As such the Leader will not be providing a running commentary on any matters before the commission.

“Donations and fundraising activities are declared in accordance with the rules and are a matter for the Party.”