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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tony Harper

Afternoon Update: Liberal breaks ranks on Taylor plan; Mafs UK rape allegations; and having tea with Flea

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan
Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan says Angus Taylor’s plan to bar non-citizens from accessing welfare is ‘not the Australian way’. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Good afternoon.

A Liberal senator has broken ranks to criticise Angus Taylor’s plan to bar non-citizens from accessing welfare, warning it will create “two types of members of the community” and is “not the Australian way”.

Outspoken backbencher Andrew McLachlan says migrants should not be blamed for economic problems including the housing crisis, and warns his party’s immigration rhetoric is alienating diaspora communities.

The opposition leader brushed off his colleague’s concerns as he defended the use of the phrase “mass migration” to describe the rate of overseas arrivals.

“It [the rhetoric] only alienates the government that has got it wrong, this is nothing to do with [migrant] communities,” Taylor told reporters on Tuesday.

Taylor made immigration a centrepiece of his budget reply speech last week.

Top news

In pictures

There’s been a lot of love coming the way of musician Ecca Vandal of late, thanks to a run of standout singles including Cruising to Self Soothe and Bleed But Never Die.

The genre-defying punk-rap star talks about her new album, going offline – and having tea with Flea.

What they said …

***

“Israel is able to commit acts of piracy and kidnapping in international waters with complete impunity because countries like Australia refuse to stand up for their citizens.” – Senator Mehreen Faruqi, the Greens’ deputy leader and spokesperson for international aid and global justice.

Eleven Australians attempting to deliver aid to Gaza as part of a global flotilla have been detained by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Cyprus, with the government “urgently seeking” confirmation of their welfare.

Full Story

Patrick Radden Keefe on power and greed in London – Full Story podcast

In Sydney before his Australian book tour, investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe speaks to Reged Ahmad about his Australian roots and new book, London Falling, which examines the mysterious death of a teenager who posed as a Russian billionaire and his family’s search for truth about the end of their son’s life.

Before bed read

Guardian Australia’s Julia Hollingsworth learned to drive in her mid-30s. After months of frustration, tears, humiliation and four failed attempts, she got the news she wanted to hear: “Congratulations. You’ve passed.”

Daily word game

Today’s starter word is: BUST. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.

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