MORRISON ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR HIS GLASS HOUSE

Scott Morrison has issued a late-night apology over Facebook for publicly and apparently falsely invoking a sexual harassment claim against News Corp in a tense exchange with Sky News’ Andrew Clennell, in which the prime minister alleged the news giant’s HR department was investigating a staff member “who has had a complaint made against them for harassment of a woman in a women’s toilet”.

The ABC explains that Morrison’s statement, issued at 11pm AEDT, appears to concede to News Corp’s chairman Michael Miller’s claim that no complaint existed and that the prime minister may have “conflated” an incident with a verbal exchange that was not of a sexual nature, did not take place in a toilet, and did not result in a complaint:

In terms of fallout, The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the first female president of the NSW Young Liberals, Catherine Cusack, says Morrison has no understanding of women’s experience in politics, and that, in relation to her party’s overall treatment of women, she will no longer attend party room meetings.

Elsewhere, The New Daily reports staffers held a strike yesterday in the Parliament House prayer room, which long-standing gossip supposes their colleagues use to have sex, while current and former political insiders have told the Herald Sun ($) that that Parliament House’s reportedly toxic culture can be in part attributed to, “a high pressure work environment, boozy nights, ­insecure employment and long hours away from home”.

Additionally, The Australian ($) today leads with Morrison’s pre-clash announcement that he is “very open” to gender quotas in the Liberal Party — which is split on the issue ($) — and call to end “crap”, before later getting to his false allegations against their company.

PS: In ministerial news, ABC reports that Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has withdrawn from the Raisina Dialogue, which takes place in New Delhi on April 13, while Guardian Australia notes that ABC Managing Director David Anderson has told Senate estimates the organisation will vigorously defend against Christian Porter’s defamation suit. Anderson also defended journalist Louise Milligan’s reporting as of the “highest quality” and in the public interest.

NT PROMISES

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced a series of youth crime proposals which are set to increase incarcerations rates for children.

Measures include automatic revocation of bail; more offences added to the list of presumption against bail; slashing the capacity of courts to refer youth for diversionary schemes; an expansion of electronic monitoring; and expanding police powers to breath test young people.

The ABC explains the measures follow pressure from the Country Liberal Party to ditch reforms from the Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children in the Northern Territory, as well as discussions with NT Police and coverage on A Current Affairs last week on Alice Springs’ spike in overall break-ins.

The proposals are only the latest in several backflips by the Labor government following the royal commission, which, among several recommendations, called to expand diversionary schemes, close Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, and raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.

PS: The news comes as the Queensland Labor government conducts hearings for its new Youth Justice Bill, which also includes presumption against bail and GPS-monitoring measures and has faced similar criticism from youth advocacy groups.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

Finally, Guardian Australia reports that the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast sunshine and easing conditions across flood-hit communities in New South Wales for the rest of the week, after the state — and most others across eastern Australia — was hit with more heavy rainfall yesterday.

However 15,000 people were on standby to evacuate as of last night, with authorities warning flood waters may not abate for days, while the Herald Sun notes that a flood warning is in effect for parts of Victoria’s east coast — namely East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland — as a low pressure system moves south from New South Wales.

For the latest updates, see BOM’s national weather warnings, ABC Emergency’s postcode/suburb guide, or NSW State Emergency Service’s interactive Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley map.