Election 2022 LIVE updates: Solomon Islands-China deal fallout continues as Coalition under pressure; Labor shadow ministers replace Albanese on campaign trail

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School deletes pro-Allegra Spender article as ‘Ascham army’ mobilises

Call it the “Ascham army” – the alumni network of one of Sydney’s most prestigious and expensive schools, ready to go in to bat for one of their own, former head girl Allegra Spender, as she takes on Liberal MP Dave Sharma for the seat of Wentworth.

Only problem is, not everybody’s happy about it. Especially as Sharma has one daughter – and until very recently, two – at the school.

Dave Sharma and Allegra Spender.Credit:Louise Kennerley, Steven Siewert

A March 13 article on the school’s website, written by Ascham Old Girls committee member Holly Marsh and titled “Allegra fights for a better climate”, rallied the troops behind the class of 1995’s head girl.

“Allegra believes that in the world of politics she can be kind, gentle, formidable and strong,” Marsh wrote in a gushing endorsement. “She is not aggressive, just resolute.”

But after more than a month online, the article mysteriously disappeared this week. It happened to be the same week the area’s former Liberal state MP, Michael Yabsley, contacted the Herald and The Age to draw attention to it.

“When I saw that, I thought ‘no, this can’t be real. No school would allow that to happen’,” Yabsley said.

“It’s inappropriate. Dave Sharma’s daughters go there. We’re always told there’s only one thing that matters in a school and that’s the welfare of the students. Well, the welfare of the Sharma girls went out the window with the publication of that. It’s got ‘wrong’ written all over it.”

Read the full story here.

Spy agency involved in Solomon Islands leak in effort to stop deal

An Australian intelligence agency was involved in the last-ditch leak of a draft security pact between China and Solomon Islands after senior officials concluded the deal was likely to be signed despite diplomatic efforts.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was unable to convince Manasseh Sogavare to not sign the agreement with Beijing.Credit:Nine

Multiple government and security sources confirmed that the Australian government was aware of the contents of the document for days before it mysteriously appeared online on March 24. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have confirmed Australian intelligence services knew the secret deal had been in the works for months and decided to encourage a leak from within the Solomons as a last resort.

The decision was made in the hope of building domestic and international pressure to get the Solomons to change course, but it was not enough to convince Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to pull out of a deal that now threatens to shift the balance of power in the Pacific.

The document was first posted publicly online on March 24 by Celsus Talifilu, a political adviser to Sogavare’s rival Daniel Suidani, the Premier of Malaita.

Despite intelligence services being aware of the contents of the deal for weeks before Talifilu posted it online in March, it took almost a month for Pacific Minister Zed Seselja to arrive in Honiara to meet personally with Sogavare. Australia had earlier opted not to send Foreign Minister Marise Payne based on advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs to take a subtle approach to handling the agreement and to further avoid antagonising the Solomons leader.

Read the full article here.

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning and thanks for your company.

It’s Saturday, April 23. I’m Ashleigh McMillan and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage today.

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

  • As the fall-out from the leak of a draft security pact between Solomon Islands and China continues, it has now come to light that an Australian intelligence agency was involved in actively encouraging the last-ditch leak of the pact. The decision by the agency was made in the hope of building domestic and international pressure to get the Solomons to change course.

  • It also appears the US is keeping a close eye on developments in the Pacific, with the White House saying it will expedite the opening of an embassy in the Solomon Islands. The US has also warned the Pacific nation that it will “respond accordingly” if steps are taken allowing China to establish a military base there.

  • Controversial Warringah candidate Katherine Deves appeared at a “politics in the pub” style evening at Forestville RSL last night, but reporters and photographers were informed Deves would not enter the room under any circumstances if the media was present, leaving the assembled crowd waiting for 45 minutes.
  • Moscow wants to take full control over southern Ukraine, according to a Russian general, a statement Ukraine said gave the lie to Russia’s previous assertions that it had no territorial ambitions. It comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia could win its war against Ukraine, making him the first Western leader to issue such a negative assessment.

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