Australia live news: Qantas say strike won’t cause delays; Queensland election race narrows

Good morning

Emily Wind

Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties – thanks to Martin for getting us started this morning. I’ll be with you through most of our rolling coverage today – as the Commonwealth heads of government meeting begins in Samoa, and Queensland gears up to head to the polls tomorrow.

As always, you can read out with any tips, feedback or questions via X, @emilywindwrites, or you can send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

Let’s go.

Ariel Bogle

Watt responds to Guardian investigation into tracking of employees in Woolworths-owned warehouses

The federal minister for employment and workplace relations, Murray Watt, has responded to a Guardian Australia investigation into how employees in Woolworths-owned warehouses are being tracked and timed. He says that while there may be benefits, new workplace technology needs to be managed in a way that “protects and respects” workers’ rights:

In some cases, there’s clearly a disconnect between employers’ expectations of what new technology can deliver and what is safe and sustainable for workers. At the end of the day, workers are entitled to safe workplaces and fair working conditions.

Workers told Guardian Australia they are under pressure to meet time standards they say are unfair and putting safety at risk. In response to the Guardian investigation, a spokesperson for Primary Connect – Woolworth’s supply chain arm – said the company was committed to ensuring its workplaces were safe and productive.

Watt said the government’s inquiry into the digital transformation of workplaces will look at the impact of AI:

We need to ensure that automation-led management considers the circumstances of individual workers and doesn’t expose them to unsafe and unfair working conditions.

We need to make sure appropriate mechanisms are in place to bring unions and employers together to work collaboratively as we all grapple with the emergence of new technologies and their impacts in the workplace.

Our Queensland correspondent Ben Smee has been on the campaign trail with Steven Miles as he attempts to secure a fourth successive win for Labor in the Sunshine State.

He finds that although the premier started off a long way behind in the polls, he has learned to be himself on the stump and has weaponised abortion to attack his LNP opponent David Crisafulli.

That Newspoll I mentioned at the top has the LNP ahead by four points overall – but if that narrows any more Crisafulli could find himself in a minority and dependent on independents such as the Katters’ to form a government.

Here’s Ben’s piece for all the details:

NSW government launches LGBTQ+ advisory council

Rafqa Touma

The NSW government has launched an LGBTQ+ advisory council, with its first task being to establish the state’s first inclusion strategy.

The council – made up of 16 members who will serve a two year term – includes Ian Roberts, the first openly gay rugby league player, Nicholas Stewart from “Australia’s only out loud and proud LGBTQIA+ law firm” Dowson Turco Lawyers, and Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown.

78er Robyn Kennedy, who will serve as co-chair, says the council’s work will “focus on ensuring that all LGBTIQ+ individuals in NSW are supported, respected, and have their rights upheld”

This is what our community has always stood for through our decades of advocacy and resilience.

Members of the council “will work closely with the NSW Government to provide insights and recommendations on issues affecting LGBTIQ+ communities,” as put in a government media release.

The council’s first task will be to work with the Government to develop NSW’s first LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy.

Qantas say strikes will not lead to delays as AGM takes place in Hobart

Elias Visontay

Qantas has sought to reassure the travelling public that hundreds of its engineers putting down their tools today will not lead to delays or cancellations across the country, as the airline’s shareholders and executives meet in Hobart for the company’s annual general meeting.

Engineers from three unions voted in favour of taking industrial action, which will include two sets of four-hour stop works planned for today across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Hobart. Qantas has disputed the unions claim that the industrial action will cause disruptions for passengers during peak windows.

A Qantas spokesperson said “our teams have worked hard to put contingencies in place and we expect there to be no impact to our customers”:

We had a number of meetings with the unions prior to the industrial action. We want to continue to engage with them to find a way forward but they have chosen to take action. Our preference is to reach an agreement that includes pay rises and other benefits.

The industrial action coincides with Qantas’ AGM today, with union representatives also set to rally outside the hotel in Hobart where the airline’s shareholders and executives are gathering.

Today’s stoppages are the latest in a series by engineers since September, as unions have been in negotiations with Qantas seeking better pay and improved conditions.

Qantas’s engineering workforces comprise 2,600 employees, with only members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) able to take part in the industrial action.

While the three unions – which make up the Qantas Engineers Alliance – claim 600 engineers will take part in the action, Qantas believes just 400 are able to.

Welcome

Martin Farrer

Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Emily Wind with the main action.

Written off as the state election campaign began, the Queensland premier, Steven Miles, has gone from underdog to attack dog with a combative stump performance which has put LNP frontrunner David Crisafulli on the back foot. But has he left it too late? A Newspoll published today suggests he has with the LNP ahead of Labor by 52.5% to 47.5% after preferences, converting to a two-seat majority. More coming up.

Qantas has sought to reassure travellers that strikes today will not lead to delays as the company’s AGM takes place in Hobart.

And King Charles, who yesterday took part in a traditional kava-drinking ceremony and was declared a “high chief” of Samoa, will turn to perhaps less colourful duties this morning when he gives the keynote speech at the official opening of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in the Pacific nation.