Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged his party members to pull together during a party room address following the March 4 Justice rally, according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
“Well he didn’t talk about why he didn’t go out but he did talk about the issues in his address as I understand it,” Mr Clennell said.
“He actually compared it to walking the Kokoda Trail, is what I’ve been told out of the party room and said we are on a narrow path, we have to look after each other and focus on what matters.”
The Christian Porter scandal could lead to an early election or, at least, a signal from the government that there is going to be one, says Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
“An ambiguous statement from Macquarie Bank director James Hooke, the former boyfriend of the dead mentally ill woman who accused Christian Porter of an historical rape, released on Friday, has Hooke saying the woman told him of issues of 'relevance' to the allegations in 1988-89, and that Hooke spoke to Porter about them in 1992,” Mr Clennell said.
“It's becoming increasingly hard to see Christian Porter, who is on mental health leave, coming back to parliament, to face questions in Question Time about these and other claims.
“So the question then becomes were Porter to retire for mental health reasons, would there need to be a by-election in the seat of Pearce, held by Porter by 7 per cent, even though it is tipped to be abolished in a draft redistribution to be released later
There is "absolutely no way" Health Minister Greg Hunt will be attending parliament for the next two sitting weeks according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
Mr Hunt was admitted to hospital overnight with an infection and has received antibiotics and fluids.
“He’s not in a good way but it’s definitely not linked to the vaccination,” Mr Clennell said.
“It just looks like the cabinet is falling over. You’ve now got three out.”
With Cabinet colleagues Linda Reynolds and Christian Porter already on extended leave, it looks likely Scott Morrison could lose yet another cabinet minister.
Mr Clennell pointed out Mr Hunt had worked hard throughout the Summer on the vaccine rollout when many politicians took a break.
“I think he’s just fallen over," he said.
Morrison facing emissions target pressures from US, UK skynews.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from skynews.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The national vaccine rollout has continued after British authorities helped the nation resource coronavirus vaccines following Italy's ban of AstraZeneca exports to Australia according to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision was made because Australia is not vulnerable, and AstraZeneca is not delivering enough supplies to Europe.
The federal government has vaccinated 22,000 aged care residents at more than 260 facilities with the Pfizer vaccine and more than 70,000 Australians have been vaccinated overall.