Australia news live: Jacinta Allan was subjected to ‘vile sexism’ as premier, Julia Gillard says

By Nick Visser · The Guardian World

Former PM says ousted Victorian premier was ‘courageous in combating misogyny’ and was a trailblazer for other women. Follow updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Good morning, Nick Visser here to guide you through the day’s news. Let’s get to it. Former union boss and former leader of the Labor party Bill Shorten has leant his support behind newly crowned Victorian premier Ben Carroll’s announcement he will call a royal commission into the construction sector. He wants to act with integrity, and he wants to act in everyone’s interests. I think he understands [what] people will be assessing: is he serving the people or is he just playing politics? So I thought he was very straight. He’s in there for Victorians, not trying to just tick the box and get particular interest groups on side. I think the national mood or the state mood was there for it. I just think that the costs of construction … there may be exaggerations, but there is something rotten going on in construction, and people want to see it can be dealt with. This is public infrastructure, so it’s taxpayer money. Continue reading...