What we learned: Wednesday 17 April
With that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
The US government has provided assurances requested by the high court in London which could finally pave the way for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be extradited from the UK, including that he would not face the death penalty in the US.
The high court today heard the case of ASF17, an Iranian man in immigration detention who has said he “fears for his life if he is removed to Iran”. The appeal could extend the NZYQ ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful. Meanwhile, an Anglican priest has spoken out in support of an Iranian asylum seeker known as AZC20, one of the high court litigants challenging indefinite detention.
Parliament’s joint committee on human rights has issued a report finding the Albanese government’s controversial deportation bill requires extensive amendment, saying that it “engages and limits numerous human rights”.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said “the Senate hasn’t jailed anyone before and I don’t think they’re about to”, accusing the Greens of “confected outrage” after Nick McKim yesterday threatened to hold Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci in contempt during a fiery hearing.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has said there is “no point pretending everything is as normal” after the two stabbings in Sydney, while the federal environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has encouraged people to switch off social media during this time. The race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has urged unity and compassion in the wake of the Sydney attacks.
A candlelight vigil will be held at the weekend for the people who died in the Bondi Junction stabbing, while the Westfield shopping centre where the incident occurred will reopen tomorrow for a trade-free reflection day. Six people remain in hospital after the mass stabbing.
The federal defence minister, Richard Marles, unveiled a new national defence strategy, including an extra $50bn of spending over 10 years – an overhaul which the shadow defence minister, Andrew Hastie, claimed would amount to a spending cut.
The federal government will offer $400m in loans to an alumina facility in Queensland and fast-track support to a graphite project in South Australia as part of its Future Made In Australia industry program.
Environment groups have said they want overhauls of environment laws delivered in this term of government, and have responded to former ACCC head Graeme Samuel’s comments that they should “take a chill pill”.
More than 500 horses have been found slaughtered on a property in Wagga Wagga which authorities allege to be an illegal knackery.
The former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr has urged New Zealand not to acquiesce to American interests and join up to Aukus, saying the country has been “less gullible” than Australia.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again.
Updated
Child bitten by dingo on K’gari
Rangers are searching for a dingo after a child was bitten on K’gari, AAP has reported.
The child sustained minor injuries on Wednesday after the dingo bit them on the Queensland island formerly known as Fraser Island.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers are trying to identify the animal involved.
They say they will speak with the child’s family to understand what led to the attack and have increased patrols at Eli Creek, where the incident occurred.
Rangers have warned visitors to be vigilant around dingoes, keep children within arm’s reach, never to walk alone on K’gari and to carry a stick at all times.
Updated
