What we learned, Friday 7 February
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines.
Anthony Albanese announced a six-year $843m agreement to deliver services in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The funding will ensure continuity for essential services, including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction as well as hearing and dental programs.
Former prime minister John Howard has advised Peter Dutton and other centre-right politicians that “an arrogant attitude cost the Liberal party in Australia dear in the 2022 election”. Writing in the UK Daily Telegraph, he warned “It’s a huge mistake for a centre-right party to assume that a disgruntled conservative has “nowhere else to go”.
Two men have were arrested and charged for allegedly displaying a flag with a swastika in Sydney’s Kings Cross. Police were called to a hotel on Liverpool Street on Thursday afternoon after reports a man was displaying the flag.
The ALP’s national president, Wayne Swan, said Peter Dutton is “playing politics” amid US president Donald Trump’s move to displace almost 2 million Palestinians and take over Gaza.
Israel’s ministry of foreign affairs welcomed the Australian government’s move to impose mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes.
More significant wet weather is forecast for northern Australia and the possibility of a tropical cyclone. North Queensland is preparing for a new wave of monsoonal rains to hit the flood-ravaged region in the coming days.
A Victorian man was charged with allegedly making death threats and antisemitic comments to members of the commonwealth and Victorian parliaments.
In more weather news, the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting severe storms in north-east of Victoria, with the potential for damaging winds, heavy rainfall and large hail.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. Enjoy the weekend: we will be back on Monday.
Updated
Victorian Tafe teachers reach new salary agreement
Tafe teachers in Victoria are celebrating after a new agreement was secured that will deliver a minimum salary increase of 21% over four years – including a 14% increase in the first 14 months of the deal.
The first increase, backdated to November 2024, will bring Victorian TAFE teachers into line with similarly qualified and experienced Victorian public school teachers.
The top rate for a classroom-based Tafe teacher will grow to $134,775 by the end of the agreement while a level 1.2 teacher’s salary will go from $83,429 to $100,912.
Updated
