Australia news LIVE: Labor’s industrial relations reforms pass the Senate; Liberals to finalise Voice to parliament position next year

Key posts

  • Bruce Lehrmann sexual assault charge expected to be dropped
  • Unions eye next hurdle as Labor’s IR laws pass parliament
  • This morning’s headlines at a glance
  • 1 of 1

Bruce Lehrmann sexual assault charge expected to be dropped

The second trial of Bruce Lehrmann, the man accused of sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins, is expected to be abandoned and the charges dropped, reportedly because of new evidence concerning the impact on Higgins’ mental health.

Shane Drumgold, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, is reportedly ready to use his prosecutorial discretion to announce that the charges will be dropped against former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann and the trial will not proceed, according to News.com.au.

Bruce Lehrmann leaves the ACT Supreme Court after his trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.Credit:Rhett Wyman

This masthead has independently confirmed that Drumgold is expected to announce on Friday morning that the second trial will not proceed.

Lehrmann was accused of raping Higgins in the office of their then-boss Linda Reynolds in Parliament House in the early hours of March 23, 2019. He faced one charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

He has always maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty at the first trial, which was cut short in October after 12 days of hearing evidence and submissions in the ACT Supreme Court and five days of deliberations, because of juror misconduct.

Read the full story here.

Unions eye next hurdle as Labor’s IR laws pass parliament

Employers may restart lapsed pay deals to avoid being caught under incoming laws that could force them into sector-wide bargaining, the Australian Council of Trade Unions head Sally McManus has predicted, while pushing the government to act on the next swathe of its industrial reforms early next year.

The Senate passed the contentious Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill just before 10.30pm last night after Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke earlier accused the federal opposition of filibustering in the upper house to delay the legislation going through, prompting him to call the lower house back on Saturday to rubber stamp the bill.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus wants the government to bring on the next wave of industrial reforms earlier next year.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

This in turn sparked the opposition to accuse the government of engaging in political “theatre”.

However, the legislation succeeded late on Thursday, 35 votes to 31, with independent senator David Pocock siding with the Greens and the government. Senators Jacqui Lambie, Tammy Tyrrell, and Pauline Hanson did not vote.

More on this issue here.

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning and thanks for your company.

It’s Friday, December 2. I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started:

  • The ACT and Northern Territory will soon be able to introduce assisted dying laws after a territory rights bill passed the Senate last night.
  • Labor’s signature industrial relations bill has also passed the upper house after the Greens and ACT independent David Pocock voted with the government. However, due to crossbench amendments, the bill will be sent back to the House of Representatives this morning for final approval.
  • Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says his party will finalise its position on the upcoming referendum next year. It comes after several days of heated debate about the proposed Indigenous Voice to parliament.
  • The ACT director of public prosecutions is set to make an announcement later this morning about the trial of Bruce Lehrmann.
  • And in international news, China is showing early signs it is preparing to back away from harsh COVID rules. It follows nationwide protests.
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