‘Tainted': Latham looms as inquiry resumes
The second hearing into Labor's controversial workers compensation reforms will get underway on Tuesday morning, after the Bill was sent back for a further inquiry by the NSW upper house earlier this year.
The state government says the reforms are integral to ensuring the workers compensation scheme is financially viable and will protect workers, while opponents claim it will abandon the most vulnerable.
The hearing comes as independent MLC Mark Latham, who is a member of the committee and helped refer it, faces a series of bruising scandals, including allegations he abused his former partner. Mark Latham has become embroiled in controversy. NewsWire/ Jeremy Piper. Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Latham has repeatedly denied the allegations, which are untested and part of an application for a private apprehended violence order (AVO) filed by his ex-partner, Nathalie Matthews, with the local court.
Mr Latham has not been charged with any criminal offence.
The Liberals have accused the state government of attempting to 'discredit' amendments to Labor's reforms, put forward by Mr Latham and the opposition, 'on the basis that Mr Latham's name is attached to them'.
Shadow treasurer Damien Tudehope condemned Mr Latham's behaviour but noted the amendments were put forward before the allegations were made and defended talks with Mr Latham on the amendments.
'Mark Latham is an elected member of parliament,' he said.
'The dynamic of the manner in which the upper house operates is that I've got to deal with all people in the upper house, notwithstanding that they do and say things that I don't agree with and would never endorse. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has so far rejected the proposed amendments. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
'But, at the same time, I need to, in fact, occupy my position as the leader of the Opposition in the upper house and achieve outcomes which I think deliver better results for legislation throughout.'
Mr Tudehope said Mr Latham had 'tainted the whole of this process by what has occurred in relation to a whole lot of other issues', in regard to the proposed amendments.
Greens MLC Abigail Boyd told the ABC the party had not made 'agreements or amendments with Mr Latham of any kind', and criticised Premier Chris Minns for singling out Mr Latham's role in the amendments.
'It's really telling that the moment that these particular revelations came out, the first thing they (Labor) did was call on the Coalition and the Greens to no longer 'work with Mark Latham on a particular bill',' she said.
Ms Boyd told ABC 702 host Hamish McDonald that Mr Latham had been 'very unfairly attacking' her for a long time, and that assertions that she was now working with the former Labor leader was 'very offensive'. NSW shadow treasurer Damien Tudehope said their amendments would save 'marginally less' than Labor's. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has so far rejected the proposed amendments, telling reporters on Friday modelling from iCare of some of the proposed amendments would 'punish workers' and increase premiums.
'My message is clear to the Liberal Party: side with small business, side with victims of sexual harassment. Don't side with Mark Latham,' he said.
The modelling reportedly found the preposed amendments put the burden on victims of sexual and racial harassment, as well as bullying, by requiring that they prove the perpetrator intended to harm them.
Mr Tudehope said their own modelling showed the amendments would achieve savings 'marginally less' than those the government claims it will deliver.
The government said the proposed legislation will address a 'lack of focus on preventing psychological injury' at work, adding: 'Just 50 per cent of workers with psychological claims are back at work within a year. For physical injuries, the rate is 95 per cent.'
The hearing will get underway on Tuesday morning.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
8 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Mark Latham escapes condemnation over behaviour in parliament, at least for now
Rogue MP Mark Latham has escaped attempts by the NSW government to condemn his behaviour in parliament after he was accused of abusing parliamentary privilege to reveal secret information. Labor's leader in the upper house, Penny Sharpe, moved to condemn Latham, arguing he revealed contents of a Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) report which was under a non-publication order, and shared medical information relating to MP Alex Greenwich, which the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal intended to be kept confidential. 'The Honourable Mark Latham, MLC, has done and said things that challenge the work we all do to better the culture of this place, and he has abused the privileges and immunities that we hold,' Sharpe said. The LECC report on Operation Askern detailed an investigation into the Commissioner's Gin scandal, after then-police commissioner Karen Webb used public funds to purchase alcohol from a distillery owned by one of her friends to be used as gifts. The contents of the report were made available to MPs with an order preventing its contents from being released to the public. The government failed to get the support needed to pass the motion condemning Latham, instead the Coalition and the Greens voted to delay the debate until October. The house agreed to refer Latham to the powerful privileges committee first. The committee will also look into the conduct of Latham and other members towards MPs and staff and the progress parliament is making towards a safer workplace culture, after it was revealed through leaked messages that Latham had taken secret photographs of female MPs while in the chamber. Loading Liberal Susan Carter, the subject of one of the photographs, said she would not support a motion condemning Latham until the committee had reported back. Latham used the fiery debate to rehash grievances he has against his political nemesis Greenwich, as well as Webb, Labor MPs and the media.
The Age
8 minutes ago
- The Age
Mark Latham escapes condemnation over behaviour in parliament, at least for now
Rogue MP Mark Latham has escaped attempts by the NSW government to condemn his behaviour in parliament after he was accused of abusing parliamentary privilege to reveal secret information. Labor's leader in the upper house, Penny Sharpe, moved to condemn Latham, arguing he revealed contents of a Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) report which was under a non-publication order, and shared medical information relating to MP Alex Greenwich, which the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal intended to be kept confidential. 'The Honourable Mark Latham, MLC, has done and said things that challenge the work we all do to better the culture of this place, and he has abused the privileges and immunities that we hold,' Sharpe said. The LECC report on Operation Askern detailed an investigation into the Commissioner's Gin scandal, after then-police commissioner Karen Webb used public funds to purchase alcohol from a distillery owned by one of her friends to be used as gifts. The contents of the report were made available to MPs with an order preventing its contents from being released to the public. The government failed to get the support needed to pass the motion condemning Latham, instead the Coalition and the Greens voted to delay the debate until October. The house agreed to refer Latham to the powerful privileges committee first. The committee will also look into the conduct of Latham and other members towards MPs and staff and the progress parliament is making towards a safer workplace culture, after it was revealed through leaked messages that Latham had taken secret photographs of female MPs while in the chamber. Loading Liberal Susan Carter, the subject of one of the photographs, said she would not support a motion condemning Latham until the committee had reported back. Latham used the fiery debate to rehash grievances he has against his political nemesis Greenwich, as well as Webb, Labor MPs and the media.
Herald Sun
23 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
New contracts, offtake agency Australia's biggest power market overhaul in 30 years
Australia's electricity market is poised for its biggest shake-up in a generation, with an independent expert panel calling for the creation of new financial instruments and a dedicated agency to buy offtake agreements for up to 20 years to help deliver Labor's renewable energy targets, without leaving taxpayers exposed. The recommendations form the centrepiece of a sweeping review commissioned by Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen into how the National Electricity Market (NEM) should operate beyond 2030 when the grid will be undertaking momentous change to deliver the net zero emissions by 2050 agenda. Chaired by former AGL Energy and Iberdrola executive Tim Nelson, the four-person panel has concluded that the first major overhaul of the rules since its creation in 1993 will deliver new energy projects, without the direct involvement of taxpayers. The panel recommended the creation of a new derivatives market to support investment in both renewable generation and firming technologies — such as gas peaking plants — through market-based risk management tools. The panel did not direct which sources of power should be the subject of the contracts and will task the market with creating the instruments needed to ensure market stability. The proposed financial contracts would operate in a similar way to hedging instruments, allowing electricity retailers and large energy users to lock in capacity and price certainty over the medium term. That would, in turn, give developers the confidence to proceed with new projects based on market signals rather than government subsidies. In a major shift, the panel also recommended the creation of an independent agency that would enter into long-term offtake agreements — up to 20 years — with project proponents. These contracts would provide revenue certainty for developers, enabling project financing at scale. Currently, most clean energy projects rely on five-year power purchase agreements or merchant exposure to the wholesale market, which financiers say are inadequate for securing investment at the level required to meet Australia's emissions targets. Under the new model, the agency holding the long-term offtake agreements would then on-sell the contracted energy to retailers such as Origin Energy, AGL Energy, or other smaller market participants. If adopted, the recommendations would significantly shift risk away from taxpayers and onto energy consumers, while also crowding in more private capital to support the transition. At present, Labor's main mechanism to support new clean energy investment is the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), launched in 2022, which provides developers with guaranteed revenue floors. But critics argue the CIS exposes the government to too much financial risk and stifles private sector innovation. The panel's proposed model seeks to preserve the investment momentum created by the CIS while reorienting the scheme toward a market-driven approach that also ensures dispatchable capacity to maintain grid reliability. The review is one of the most anticipated interventions in energy policy since the NEM's inception nearly three decades ago. At that time, coal supplied more than 80 per cent of electricity. That figure has fallen sharply as coal plants retire earlier than expected and wind and solar generation rise. The Australian Energy Market Operator expects the country's remaining coal fleet to be fully retired by 2037, significantly increasing pressure to deliver new capacity in time. Sources said the panel's embrace of a market-based model that is technology agnostic is likely to gain more support from state governments. Previous attempts to update market rules under the former Morrison government were blocked — particularly by Victoria — over concerns that the changes would prop up coal and gas generators. That proposal, dubbed 'CoalKeeper,' was intended to provide investment certainty but failed to gain consensus. By contrast, the new proposal aims to deliver certainty through private capital and long-term market mechanisms — rather than taxpayer-funded lifelines. Originally published as New contracts, offtake agency Australia's biggest power market overhaul in 30 years Read related topics: Climate Change
