What we learned: Sunday 24 March
That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today. But before we put it to bed, a recap of what made the headlines:
After returning to politics at the state level, Eric Abetz “categorically” denied eyeing premier Jeremy Rockliff’s leadership as the Liberals struggled to hold power after Saturday’s election.
The federal government announced a new taskforce cracking down on providers for the national disability insurance scheme illegally overcharging participants.
As another 300 individuals joined the New South Wales social housing waitlist in February, there were calls from advocates for the state government to confront an “escalating crisis”.
The defence minister, Richard Marles, said there was “no reason” to think a second Trump administration would renege on Aukus.
The Liberal party selected Amelia Hamer to contest independent candidate Monique Ryan for the seat of Kooyong at the next federal election.
Protesters marched around the country calling for an end to native forest logging.
Rockliff said he had “reached out” to independents and the Jacqui Lambie Network as he attempts to form a minority government.
The Tasmanian Labor leader, Rebecca White, conceded the Liberals should have the first opportunity to try for minority government.
Updated
The Bob Brown Foundation says thousands turned out to the marches across the country today calling for an end to native forest logging.
They took place in eight locations from NSW’s forest towns of Bellingen, Lismore and Bega to Victoria’s Kyneton and to the cities of Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra and Newcastle.
Bob Brown said:
Right now when we need forests the most, federal and state governments are still destroying them.
Native forest logging is destroying critical carbon stocks and razing wildlife habitat to the ground across Australia at a time when leaving forests in the ground will mitigate global heating and protect wildlife from the brink of extinction. Logging in native forests is killing endangered wildlife like the koalas, Greater Gliders, Swift parrots, Gang-gang Cockatoos and owls, quolls and countless other species.
Jenny Weber, the campaigns manager for the foundation said:
Australia is calling on Prime Minister Albanese and his government to end native forest logging. When native forests are saved from destruction, essential ecosystems and wildlife are saved in this time of climate breakdown and extinction crisis. Australia has more than enough plantations to meet its wood needs.
Secure forest protection of Australia’s precious native forest estate will benefit wildlife and the climate. We are ramping up our national campaign and will continue to mobilise the Australian public to take action in support of ending native forest logging with nationwide actions until the logging of wildlife-rich native forests that happens every day is stopped.
Updated
