What we learned: Friday 22 July
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. Here are today’s major developments:
- A class action lawsuit against the state of NSW over what lawyers allege were a series of illegal strip searches by police at music festivals was lodged in the state’s supreme court.
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Splendour in the Grass organisers cancelled the first day of the festival amid wet and wild weather conditions.
- Labor released a report on the “disgraceful, shameful” politicisation of an election day boat arrival.
- The government announced that “biosecurity response zones” will be established at international airports as part of their response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
- The new US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, arrived this morning and told the media she feels “lucky … to serve here and to live here.”
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Victoria’s corruption watchdog said it will not release the full transcript of premier Daniel Andrews’ private testimony given at a parliamentary integrity hearing, following a scathing report handed down this week.
- Rescue teams have recovered the body of a man who had been swept away in flood waters in Queensland’s South Burnett region, as a powerful offshore weather system moves south along Australia’s east coast.
- The Russian government says it has added 39 representatives of Australian officials, security services and defence firms to a blacklist of people barred from entering the country.
Updated
Red Meat Advisory Council: ‘unfathomable’ Subway paid fine for passenger who accidentally broke biosecurity law
Speaking of biosecurity laws, it appears the Red Meat Advisory Council is livid that Subway has paid the fine for someone who inadvertently broke the law.
An individual accidentally brought in a Subway sandwich from Singapore, and the sandwich chain has decided to pay that fine themselves, which the RMAC say makes a “mockery” of the law.
In a statement, the RMAC independent chair, John McKillop, says it was “unfathomable” that Subway would chose to pay the fine, saying they were “rewarding” a passenger for breaking the law:
This absolutely sends the wrong message and is especially concerning against the current backdrop of heightened disease threats facing Australia’s agriculture sectors.
It’s a national disgrace that Subway has thumbed their nose at Australia’s biosecurity arrangements and potentially encouraged a dangerous precedent for other to do the same by reimbursing this passenger for their mistake.
Updated
So the identity of the reporter who ticked off new US Ambassador-designate Caroline Kennedy for speaking over a woman was Channel 10’s national affairs editor, Hugh Riminton:
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I think it only fair that I out myself as the reporter who the new US Ambassador-designate #CarolineKennedy ticked off for "talking over a woman" at her press conference.
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
As it always wise, I sought a review from the Video Bunker, and it turns out I started talking first. I had got out the words "It's been..." before my Channel 7 colleague began speaking. Press conferences - they're a game of centimetres sometimes. pic.twitter.com/cLaDUA1rJ1
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
So I have sought a downgrade from the judiciary and my legal team is confident that I'll be exonerated in time and should be back on the paddock in time for next year's Origin/GrandFinal/whatever..
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) July 22, 2022
