What we learned, Thursday 17 July
We’ll leave our live coverage of today’s news there. Thanks for staying with us. The indefatigable Nick Visser and I will be back tomorrow to close out the week.
Until then, here were Thursday’s major developments:
Anthony Albanese hit back at Coalition MPs’ criticism of his China trip, claiming the previous government “didn’t have a phone conversation” with Beijing.
The unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 4.3%, piling pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates and sending the Australian dollar plummeting against the US dollar to its lowest point in nearly a month.
The humpback whale that swam to Circular Quay, delighting ferry passengers, left Sydney Harbour.
A rescue team continued its search for a small plane missing in New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains.
And waves up to 7 metres high have been forecast in parts of Australia as cold fronts create huge swells.
Updated
More on prosecution of sex abuse allegations against NSW MP
Continuing that AAP report: The 18-year-old’s evidence that he didn’t want to confess to pretending to be passed out was consistent with an understandable desire to avoid confronting a powerful man, Knowles said.
Similarly, Knowles suggested the 24-year-old was an “open book” who faithfully reported the alleged assault when he said he had allowed a kiss with Ward earlier in the night. She said:
He’s not trying to paint the accused completely in a bad light … He knew it was important to tell you what happened and did – warts and all.
Both men were honest and reliable witnesses who should be believed, the prosecutor told the jury. Inconsistencies in the complainants’ recollection of “peripheral details” were understandable, given the assaults took place years ago and traumatic memories may be pushed away, she said.
The evidence showed Ward had a tendency to act on his sexual interest in young men who were subordinate to his position of power by committing sexual offences against them, the jury was told. Knowles said:
These people weren’t overcome by force, they were taken by surprise.
His lawyers are expected to deliver their closing remarks to the jury on Friday.
Updated
