What we learned, Friday 10 May
Thanks for joining us on the blog today. Here is a wrap of the main headlines:
The publisher of a same-sex parenting book that was banned from Cumberland council libraries in western Sydney will be offering the book as a free download.
The high court held indefinite immigration detention is lawful if non-citizens’ lack of cooperation has frustrated efforts to deport them – a win for the Albanese government.
The immigration minister, Andrew Giles, then called opposition leader Peter Dutton to back Labor’s controversial bill that would enable the government to force those in immigration detention to cooperate in their own deportation.
The federal court ordered Bruce Lehrmann to pay all Channel Ten’s legal costs except some of those relating to the network’s statutory privilege defence in his defamation case.
A resolution to be put to the UN general assembly later tonight on the status of Palestine has been watered down to maximise the chances of it gaining broader support. With foreign minister Penny Wong under pressure over the UN vote on Palestine, the federal opposition has called for Australia to actively vote against admitting Palestine as a full member of the UN.
That’s all for today – enjoy your Friday evening, and see you next week!
Updated
Doubling jobseeker during Covid lockdowns saved lives, report recommending raising rate says
The Australian Unemployed Workers Union’s everyone left behind committee (ELBC) has released a new report, demanding the federal government raise the rate of all income support payments above the Henderson poverty line in next week’s budget.
This comes in the wake of leading economists, prominent female leaders, and the government’s own economic inclusion advisory committee recommending an increase to jobseeker and related payments.
This week, Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner also told the ABC that increasing jobseeker “will stop homicides” by supporting women to leave violent partners.
Members of the ELBC agreed it was a life-saver when the government doubled the rate of jobseeker during the early Covid lockdowns. A committee member, who was not named, said:
When the rate was raised temporarily in the first year of the pandemic, my depression went into remission for the first (and only) time.
I was able to eat better. I bought a new fridge and a new mattress for my bed. And I saved a little for a rainy day.
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Man in custody after allegedly stabbing ex-girlfriend outside Sydney gym
A man is in custody for allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend in the neck, back and ear outside a Sydney gym on Wednesday.
Anthony Monteleone appeared in Manly local court on Friday on charges of wounding with intent to murder and breaching an apprehended violence order.
Monteleone appeared via a video link from Surry Hills police station wearing what appeared to be a hospital gown.
He handed himself in to police on Thursday, nearly 24 hours after investigators say he lay in wait for a 39-year-old woman outside Crunch Fitness in Alexandria before attacking her with a kitchen knife.
She was treated by paramedics for multiple stab wounds before being taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Monteleone only spoke to confirm he could hear as his lawyer told the court there would be no application for bail.
Magistrate Robyn Denes formally refused bail and the 45-year-old will remain in custody until the matter returns to court in July.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
UN Palestine motion watered down to gain more support
A resolution to be put to the UN general assembly tonight regarding the status of Palestine has been watered down in order to maximise the chances of it gaining broader support.
The Australian government has been considering whether to vote yes or to abstain on the draft resolution, which would see the UN general assembly request the 15-member security council to “favourably” reconsider Palestine’s application. Last month the US used its veto power to block a similar proposal.
In addition to the symbolic move of requesting a rethink by the security council, the UN general assembly was to consider granting Palestine rights and privileges “to ensure its full and effective participation … on equal footing with member states”, according to draft version of the resolution circulating among diplomats last week.
Some western sources had raised concerns that this could potentially be inconsistent with the UN charter, because those rights would apparently to take effect regardless of whether the security council revisits the membership issue.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations said the most recent version circulated by the United Arab Emirates was significantly watered down from earlier drafts and demonstrated “major concessions” by the Palestinians and the Arab Group.
It is understood the resolution in the general assembly may no longer try to grant membership to Palestine, but instead would make it clear that it would be for the security council to recommend membership. The updated resolution expresses the aspiration for Palestine to attain membership.
In the meantime, the resolution would extend Palestinians’ existing rights of participation as an observer at the UN, such as the right to submit proposals, the right of reply regarding the positions of a group, and the right to raise procedural motions.
The draft acknowledges Israel’s right to peaceful existence, by stating “unwavering support for the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders”, as was also in previous drafts.
It is understood that Australia continues to consult on the matter, but the changes are expected to see some countries that were going to vote no shift to an abstain position, and some countries that were likely to abstain shift to yes.
Updated
Lack of Medicare gynaecological support a ‘huge structural failing’, health minister says
The health minister, Mark Butler, says the lack of Medicare support for women’s gynaecological conditions has been a “huge structural failing” which his government is attempting to correct “bit by bit.”
Butler visited the Thrive Family Clinic, Adelaide’s only endometriosis clinic and one of the 22 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics the government has opened up, as he announced today the doubling of the rebate for a long consult with a gynaecologist starting from July 2025.
Butler:
There has been a huge structural failing in our health system to support the many hundreds of thousands of women dealing with complex gynaecological conditions like undiagnosed endometriosis, pelvic pain and PCOS.
... There is no single decision that government can take to correct this historical inequity, frankly, this historical discrimination. Bit by bit as a government, under the leadership of Ged Kearney, particularly, as the assistant minister for health, here with responsibility for women’s health, we’ve been trying to make things better.
Dr Alecia Macrow, a GP and the director of the clinic, said the investment in specialists being able to stop and listen to patients properly was important:
Decreasing the out-of-pocket cost to these women, and having them know that they feel safe enough to come and be heard, not just five minutes of their story but more of their story, is going to encourage women to come forward, because I think there’s a lot of women who are just suffering quietly because they’ve given up or they’re exhausted or they’re burnt out from the way that their journey is looking at the moment.
Updated
Life360 eyes satellites for location tracking boost
An ASX-listed tech company has unveiled a partnership that would potentially let its customers find their lost keys and track their teenagers and pets via orbiting satellites.
Life360 announced on Friday it is partnering with Hubble Network, a satellite company founded by its co-founder and former chief technology officer, Alex Haro.
“He’s proven this tech, as sci-fi as it sounds,” Life360 chief executive Chris Hulls said.
Hubble right now only has two satellites, “but they’re there, circling around in space,” Hulls said.
According to a video presentation from Hubble, the company has patented a “phased-array” technology which would allow more than a hundred tiny antennae floating in orbit to combine into a virtual “magnifying glass for radio waves.”
The network is designed to work with off-the-shelf 3.5mm Bluetooth chips via a simple firmware update, according to Hubble, a startup that raised A$30m last year.
Hull said:
The plan for us in the short-term: we just give them access to our network, let them use our Tile devices. They can be to market very quickly with an enterprise tracking business; we’re gonna get a rev share there.
And then, as their satellite constellation comes on, we’re going to put the technology into our Tiles.
That’s going to give us a big leapfrog, in terms of how our devices can be really better than anything on the market.
Life360’s cross-platform Tile Bluetooth trackers compete with Apple’s AirTag and Samsung’s SmartTag, helping customers locate lost keys, wallets and similar items.
Life360 intends to make a small investment in Hubble Network as part of the partnership, which will primarily target enterprise applications such as tracking pallets on ships.
- Australian Associated Press
Updated
Senate committee on PRRT reports back
Senate crossbenchers are demanding the government tighten the tax take on gas profits ahead of next week’s budget, threatening to stall its proposed changes to the petroleum resource rent tax.
The government’s proposal was also slammed by Coalition senators demanding gas industry carve-outs for environmental regulations, putting the government in a bind after committing to a gas strategy into 2050.
Greens senator Nick McKim said:
Labor faces a clear choice: work with the Greens to make the gas cartel pay more tax, or work with Peter Dutton to gut environmental regulations for gas corporations.
Independent senator David Pocock called on the government to lift the PRRT rate, while the Greens want to replace the government’s tax deductions model with alternatives that they say could raise billions more in revenue. Pocock said:
The government cannot cry poor in next week’s federal budget while simultaneously foregoing a legitimate opportunity to raise fair revenue.
Pocock and Greens senators called for PRRT deductions to be capped to 80% or lower rather than the government’s proposed 90%, recommitting to the compromise offer they proposed from August last year.
In their dissenting reports to a Senate committee inquiry on the government’s jumbo bill on PRRT changes and PwC scandal response, Liberal and Greens senators and Pocock all said the PRRT should be split and treated separately.
The non-government senators’ united condemnation will force Labor to work with either the crossbench or the Coalition, which is demanding reduced regulation and faster approval of new gas projects, to pass its changes.
Updated
Virgin agrees to government request to ramp up Vanuatu flights
Virgin Australia has agreed to an Australian government request to ramp up the number of flights it operates to Vanuatu following the grounding of the pacific island country’s national carrier, Air Vanuatu, this week.
The Vanuatu government announced that after temporarily grounding all international operations of Air Vanuatu on Thursday, it had placed the airline it wholly owns into voluntary liquidation, with hopes it would emerge from the process and continue flying.
However, accounting firm Ernst & Young, the appointed liquidators, have said all future flights have been cancelled as it conducts maintenance and safety checks on aircraft, stranding travellers who relied on the carrier for connectivity between Australia and the Pacific nation.
Virgin Australia is the only other airline aside from Air Vanuatu that operates scheduled passenger flights between Australia and Port Vila, with thrice-weekly flights from Brisbane.
On Friday, a Virgin Australia spokesperson said the Australian government had requested it lift capacity in response to Air Vanuatu’s grounding. It will now fly five times a week between Brisbane and Port Vila throughout May and June.
Virgin Australia has also applied for permission, and expects to receive swift approval, to fly more seats between the two nations, with plans to quickly launch a further seven weekly flights between east coast Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne – previously served by Air Vanuatu – and Port Vila.
You can read more here:
Updated
Three more charged over Wakeley unrest
Three more people have been charged, with two appearing in court today, after last month’s Wakeley public order incident.
A search warrant was executed at a Greenacre home on Tuesday 30 April 2024, with clothing and a mobile phone seized after Strike Force Dribs investigations.
A 24-year-old man was arrested at the home and charged with hindering a police officer in the execution of duty and failing to comply with direction under Part 14, according to a NSW police media release.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Bankstown local court on Thursday 6 June 2024.
Another search warrant was executed at a home on Amazon Place, where clothing and a mobile phone were seized.
A 31-year-old man was arrested at Kearns about 7.20am today, and was charged with “riot” and “unlawful assembly”.
A 28-year-old woman was also arrested today after she attended Fairfield police station just before 8.30am.
She was charged with public disorder – more than three people threatening violence causing fear, unlawful assembly and hindering police in the execution of duty.
They were both refused bail to appear today, with the man to appear in Campbelltown local court and the woman in Fairfield local court.
Seven people have now been charged, and investigations under Strike Force Dribs continue.
Updated
More on street-sleeping numbers
Byron shire, a popular tourist region in northern NSW, had the most people sleeping rough of any local government area in the state, AAP reports.
It and several other coastal areas, such as Sydney’s northern beaches, have become home to large camps of homeless people sleeping in tents amid a dire shortage of affordable accommodation.
The homelessness minister, Rose Jackson, said the regional figures were unprecedented but not unexpected.
We don’t just need data to tell us this – our regional communities are feeling this every day.
Jackson said the government was looking at every option to tackle the housing crisis, including through a review of short-term accommodation rules and a possible levy.
Tighter restrictions have been introduced in Byron Shire, where a 60-day annual cap on non-hosted short-term rentals applies.
Homelessness NSW is also calling for a $1bn annual spend to build 5000 social houses a year, along with $30m across three years for extra temporary accommodation.
The state opposition accused Jackson of “turning her back on homelessness providers”.
“As the housing and economic crisis continues to escalate, there is a real risk more people will experience homelessness for the first time,” Liberal MP Natasha Maclaren-Jones said.
The NSW Labor government must act now and provide additional funding to support our already stretched homelessness services.
Updated
Street-sleeping numbers soar as housing crisis worsens
A “heartbreaking” housing crisis is pushing an increasing number of people on to the streets as advocates renew calls for a levy on short-term rentals to fund crucial services, AAP reports.
The annual street count, released on Friday, revealed a 25% spike in the tally of people sleeping rough in NSW.
Officials found 2,037 people sleeping on the streets during the February headcount, up from 1,623 a year earlier.
Of the people found in the latest street count, 64% were staying in vehicles, 18% in open spaces and 10% were in makeshift dwellings.
Some of the largest increases were in coastal areas, including a near-80% rise in rough sleepers in the Coffs Harbour council region.
The Homelessness NSW chief executive, Dom Rowe, called for the state government to introduce a levy of at least 7.5% on short-term rental accommodation, similar to a measure Victoria introduced in late 2023.
These figures are heartbreaking, they represent those who cannot keep up with exorbitant rental increases in the private market as well as women and children escaping domestic violence.
NSW must be at least as ambitious as Victoria … the money raised through this levy must go to underfunded frontline services forced to turn away one in two people seeking help.
More to come in the next blog post.
Updated
Brendon Gale named as chief of Tasmanian AFL franchise
Outgoing Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale has been appointed the inaugural chief executive of the Tasmanian AFL franchise.
Richmond announced Gale would be departing the Tigers at the end of 2024 on Friday, and within minutes the 55-year-old had been announced as the Devils’ new boss.
Gale was born in Burnie and has been linked with the AFL’s 19th team, but his departure from Richmond marks the end of a long association with the club.
He played 244 games over 12 years between 1990 and 2001, before taking over as CEO in late 2009. The Tigers won AFL premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Gale said “it is time for me to embark on a new challenge, and for the club to write the next chapter”.
Chair of the Tasmania Football Club, Grant O’Brien, said not only had the club recruited a proven AFL CEO, “we have also tempted home a proud son of Tasmania”.
The Tasmanian team is due to enter the AFL in 2028, and has already secured more than 150,000 members.
Updated
Federal government unlikely to bail out Bonza
The Albanese government has told administrators determining the future of budget airline Bonza it is unlikely to provide financial support to help save the carrier, but the Queensland government is considering stepping in with cash if a new owner is found.
During a first meeting of creditors on Friday – in which almost 60,000 out-of-pocket customers were eligible to attend alongside the airline’s trade creditors and 323 stood-down employees – administrators from the firm Hall Chadwick controlling the grounded Bonza since its planes were abruptly repossessed at the end of April said “we’re moving heaven and earth” to secure a future for the airline.
Asked about support from governments, administrator Richard Albarran said discussions were occurring with the federal government on a daily basis. Albarran said:
The federal government have indicated at this point in time, this doesn’t mean it won’t change, but the federal government has indicated it’s unlikely to be forthcoming in relation to any financial incentives.
However he said in Queensland – home to Bonza’s bases on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast and many of its regional routes – the state government was “considering its position”.
(An administrator) is speaking to them two to three times a day at the moment so hopefully there will be some assistance … in order for that assistance, they want to know what’s the strategy for Bonza, who’s the purchaser, so there’s a few things that need to be dealt with, with them and a potential purchaser.
The transport minister, Catherine King, has been contacted for comment.
Updated
And that’s where I’ll leave you for today. Rafqa Touma will now take you through the rest of today’s news.
Enjoy your weekends!
Bruce Lehrmann ordered to to pay Channel Ten’s legal costs
The federal court has ordered Bruce Lehrmann to pay all Ten’s legal costs except some of those relating to the network’s statutory privilege defence.
Lee said:
In the end, it comes down to the order for costs that does best overall justice in the circumstances.
On balance, the appropriate exercise of discretion is to make an award that Network 10 recover its costs against Mr Lehrmann on an indemnity basis, except for costs incurred in relation to the statutory qualified privilege defence, which will be recoverable save for the cost of the affidavits to which I’ve referred on an ordinary or party-party basis.
As to Ms Wilkinson’s costs … Mr Lehrmann made the decision to sue Ms Wilkinson in her personal capacity as a publisher [but] the same considerations apply.
Updated
Justice Lee outlines judgment
Justice Lee said that despite Channel Ten’s public statements the court did not find they acted reasonably in broadcasting the interview with Brittany Higgins.
“I also explained that although the respondents legally justified the imputation of rape, their conduct was not justifiable in any broader sense,” Lee said.
Lee said his judgment will answer three questions:
1. Should Channel Ten obtain a costs order and if so, what should it be?
2. Should Ms Wilkinson obtain a costs order? and
3. What orders should be made to resolve the cost position between the respondents?
Updated
Justice Lee enters court to deliver decision on Lehrmann case costs
Justice Michael Lee has entered the federal court room and started reading his judgment on costs in the Bruce Lehrmann case.
The costs for all parties have been estimated to be between $8m and $10m for the 24-day civil trial, which Lehrmann lost.
At an earlier costs hearing Lee said:
There’s been a lot of costs rendered, but they’re not recoverable, because Mr Lehrmann … lost. And there’s no third party agreement to pay costs.
Lee has already granted Lehrmann an extension of time, until 31 May, to consider whether to lodge an appeal.
Channel Ten submitted that Lehrmann would have known when he filed for defamation “that he had raped Ms Higgins”.
Dr Matt Collins KC argued it was an abuse of process because Lehrmann came to the federal court seeking substantial damages when he knew the allegations he complained about were true.
“In summary, Mr Lehrmann brought this proceeding on a deliberately wicked and calculated basis,” Channel Ten said.
Updated
ANU student suspended for supporting Hamas as police warn over encampments
A student protester who said Hamas deserved “unconditional support” has been suspended from the Australian National University, pending disciplinary action.
The move came as Victoria police pushed for more powers to shut down pro-Palestine encampments, saying if they were allowed to keep growing there was a “strong likelihood of violence occurring between protest and counter-protest groups”.
The ANU confirmed on Thursday it had started disciplinary proceedings against Beatrice Tucker, who has been suspended from campus until a hearing on Tuesday.
An open letter to the ANU vice-chancellor, Genevieve Bell, from Students and Staff Against War (SSAW) ANU declared the group’s unequivocal support for Tucker, demanding the disciplinary proceedings against them and another student be dropped.
“The right of Palestinians to resist Israel’s occupation is recognised under international law,” the letter read. “No one should be persecuted for standing in solidarity with Palestinian resistance.”
More on this story from my Caitlin Cassidy and Cait Kelly here:
Updated
Former AFL player Cam McCarthy dies aged 29
Former Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney player Cam McCarthy has died in Perth at the age of 29.
The talented AFL forward was discovered by emergency services on Thursday night. A statement from WA police said:
About 6.15pm yesterday, Thursday 9 May 2024, emergency services were called to an address in Lake Coogee.
Upon arrival, it was confirmed a 29-year-old male was deceased.
The death is being treated as non-suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
More on this story here:
Updated
Judge's decision due on who pays bill for Lehrmann defamation case
The federal court will sit at 2.15pm today to hear Justice Michael Lee’s decision on costs in the Bruce Lehrmann case.
The applicant’s lawyers told the court on Wednesday that Lehrmann did not have a third party lined up to pay his legal costs and they had agreed to a no-win no-fee arrangement.
At the hearing for Lehrmann v Channel Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, Lee said Lehrmann’s legal costs were significant but were not recoverable.
While his legal team, including silk Steve Whybrow SC, agreed to represent him on a no-win no-fee basis, lawyers working for Ten and Wilkinson expected to be paid.
If the applicant loses the case they are generally required to pay legal costs of both parties.
The costs for all parties have been estimated to be between $8m and $10m for the 24-day civil trial, which Lehrmann lost.
Lee said:
There’s been a lot of costs rendered, but they’re not recoverable, because Mr Lehrmann … lost. And there’s no third party agreement to pay costs.
At the initial costs hearing on 1 May Lee reserved his decision, and granted Lehrmann an extension of time, until 31 May, to consider whether to lodge an appeal.
Lee found last month that on the balance of probabilities Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins on a minister’s couch in Parliament House in 2019. Lehrmann has always denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty at the criminal trial of the matter which was aborted due to juror misconduct.
Updated
Rough sleeping soars in NSW
Homelessness has surged across New South Wales as the state’s housing crisis pushes an increasing number of people onto the streets.
The annual street count, released on Friday, revealed a 25% spike in the tally of people sleeping rough statewide.
Officials found 2037 sleeping on the streets during the February headcount, up from 1623 a year earlier.
Some of the largest increases were in coastal areas, including a near-80% rise in rough-sleepers in the Coffs Harbour council region.
Byron Shire, a popular tourist region in the state’s north, had the most people sleeping rough of any local government area in the state.
It and other ocean-side regions, such as Sydney’s northern beaches, have become home to large camps of homeless people sleeping in tents amid a dire shortage of affordable accommodation.
Homelessness minister Rose Jackson said on Friday the regional figures were unprecedented but not unexpected.
We don’t just need data to tell us this – our regional communities are feeling this every day.
Jackson said the government was looking at every option to tackle the housing crisis, including through a review of short-term accommodation rules.
– Australian Associated Press
Updated
Muslim leaders condemn ‘discriminatory treatment’ from police
Leaders of the Australian Muslim Community have again held a press conference in Sydney in which they have condemned the “discriminatory treatment” of the community by law enforcement agencies.
Representing a group of organisations, Sheikh Wessam Cherkawi said the community was outraged at what they say is discriminatory applications of anti-terror laws. He claimed the application of the laws has largely targeted Muslims, and said the laws had to change.
He called for the resignation of Asio boss Mike Burgess, who singled out Sunni Islamic extremism in the Asio annual threat assessment on 28 February, and called for an end to “negative political rhetoric”.
For decades, the Muslim community has been asked to come forward and condemn. However, this simply pigeonholes the matter of violent extremism to the faith of Islam, which thus ignores the root contributing causes such as the structural, psychological, the individual, the socio-economical and the unmet psychological needs.
It is unacceptable for senior government officials, including law enforcement, to make inflammatory comments that further stigmatise and marginalise the Muslim community. Such rhetoric only serves to deepen existing divisions that perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
The group of organisations, which includes the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the Lebanese Muslim Association, called for an inquiry into the recent anti-terror raids and subsequent arrests of seven minors.
Asio has been approached for comment.
Updated
The politics around Labor’s deportation bill – explained
Immigration minister Andrew Giles was just calling on opposition leader Peter Dutton and the Coalition to support Labor’s controversial bill that would enable the government to force those in immigration detention to cooperate in their own deportation – including the threat of imprisonment if they don’t, as well as ministerial powers to blacklist countries from new visa applications.
The comment comes six weeks after the Coalition and the Greens teamed up to punt the bill to a Senate inquiry.
Next Tuesday (federal budget day) we will find out what the legal and constitutional affairs committee’s inquiry concluded about the bill.
Our chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, has explained all here – take a read:
Updated
Online safety regulator argues case against Musk’s X over Wakeley stabbing videos
An interlocutory hearing in the case between eSafety and Elon Musk’s X is under way in the federal court. The case centres on X’s refusal to globally remove 65 tweets containing the video of the Wakeley church stabbing attack as eSafety had ordered.
eSafety’s barrister, Tim Begbie, has framed the case not as one about free speech but one about protecting the Australian public from what is deemed “class one” material under the Australian classification code – which the video was deemed by eSafety to be because it depicted what was classed as a terrorist attack by the police.
X and eSafety disagree on two points: that the material is class one, and that eSafety has the power to order global removal of the posts.
Begbie told the court that X wasn’t opposed to globally removing content, “because X wants to do it”, but said the company had viewed it unreasonable to globally remove the posts because the Australian government wanted it to.
He also said the parliament, in passing the Online Safety Act that granted the removal powers to eSafety, would have been aware of the global nature of the internet.
Begbie is now running through how the office of the eSafety commissioner determined the video itself would be considered “class one” material.
The hearing will likely firstly determine whether a further injunction ordering X to hide the material will be extended. The current injunction expires today.
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Giles challenges Dutton to back deportation bill after court win
Giles continued, saying “there is more work to be done”.
We will continue to work to make our migration system better, stronger and also fairer.
Next week, Peter Dutton will have a choice to make. He’ll be able to support a bill that strengthens our ability to remove people from Australia who have no right to remain here. That gives us the tools to both strengthen our borders and our refugee protection framework.
So far, though, Mr Dutton has shown that he is only interested in playing politics with this issue.
Updated
Giles praises immigration detention ruling
Immigration minister Andrew Giles is speaking about today’s high court decision ruling indefinite detention legal in non-cooperation cases.
The government welcomes this decision of the court because we have always held this view.
I want to make this very clear. If you have no right to stay in Australia, if you have committed a crime in Australia and you are not owed protection by Australia, we have the right to remove you from this country
Updated
Stadium funding fires frivolity
In a bit of lighter news from Anthony Albanese’s press conference this morning, the prime minister also took a jab at the states and territories over project funding arrangements.
Albanese was at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to spruik a major funding deal for the nation’s capital that will see $249.7m injected into the sports facility in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, and to prevent it from being moved to the Queensland city.
The capital territory has also not been shy about its desire for a new or, at least, upgraded stadium, with its existing venue no longer fit for purpose.
And in that vein, Albanese was asked what his response to the ACT government’s request for a 50-50 funding deal would be:
Well, I’m surprised if any state or territory government only ever asked for 50% ... I think what every state and territory government wants is for the commonwealth government to pay for 100% ... for everything that happens everywhere.
While the prime minister didn’t actually directly answer the question, he jokingly turned to the ACT sports minister, Yvette Berry, to see whether she would be happy with 50, 60 or 80% of federal funding to cover the stadium’s cost.
Berry responded:
We’ll take whatever you can give us.
We imagine this is one of the more civil examples of discussions between the commonwealth and state and territory governments in recent years.
Updated
Coalition demands 'no' vote on Palestine and criticises Biden
The federal opposition has called for Australia to actively vote against admitting Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, and another Coalition frontbencher has even criticised the US president’s stance on weapons exports to Israel.
The shadow minister for foreign affairs, Simon Birmingham, said in an interview with Sky News this morning that the motion might secure a majority at the UN general assembly in New York tonight “but we should be strong enough to oppose it”. Australia is believed to be weighing up whether to vote “yes” or to abstain.
Birmingham said it was a time of “intense pressure around the emotion of the conflict and the war that is being undertaken at present, and none of us wish to see civilian loss of life and the tragedy that is occurring”. He said Australia “should be strong enough to stand by fellow democracies” and to stand by “our friendship with Israel” by voting “no”. Birmingham argued against creating “an incentive for Hamas and others to see that they get what they want through terrorism rather than through negotiation”.
Last night the shadow defence minister, Andrew Haste, in another interview with Sky News, criticised Joe Biden for threatening to block shipments of some types of weapons if Israel proceeds with a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinian people have sought refuge.
Hastie said “the single objective” should be “the defeat and the destruction of Hamas” and a peaceful settlement could only occur after that time:
My fear is that this move by the US government slows that process down, it slows the march towards the defeat of Hamas, and that’s why, on the face of it, this is a very problematic decision.
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Charity urges Labor to ban any Australian weapons exports to Israel
Save the Children Australia has called on the federal government to ensure no Australian-made weapons components are being used in Gaza, while also pressing for more transparency about defence export permits.
The government says Australia has not approved the export of any weapons to Israel for at least the past five years. A range of permits for defence-related exports to Israel have been approved during this time, with officials saying these could be dual-use items such as radios but not breaking down the details. Australian defence officials have confirmed that they do not consider Australian-made components – such as parts for F-35 aircraft – to be “weapons”.
Save the Children Australia said in a statement today:
Despite the Australian government claiming it is not currently exporting weapons to Israel, the notoriously secretive nature of Australia’s defence exports system leaves open the risk that other Australian-made products, such as explosives, chemicals and radios, are still being exported to Israel and used by Israeli forces in Gaza. These items are considered ‘dual use’, meaning they could be used for either military or civilian purposes.
The chief executive officer of Save the Children Australia, Mat Tinkler, called for “a complete ban on all military equipment to Israel” and said:
Australia has rightly backed international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and provided humanitarian funding to address dire needs but it’s counterproductive to both back a ceasefire and at the same time leave loopholes in our approach to military exports to Israel during a war that has already killed more than 14,000 children and injured tens of thousands more.
Learn more about whether Australia is exporting weapons to Israel here:
Updated
Treasurer rules out baby bonus
Jim Chalmers has ruled out a Peter Costello-style baby bonus, saying “we’ve found a better way to support people who make that choice” as Australia’s birth-rate continues its long-term trend downwards.
See a snippet from the treasurer’s press conference this morning:
Here’s what he had to say:
We found a better way to support people who make that choice. The point that I made in that interview with your colleagues here is, I know that some people can’t afford to have more kids. I know that people will make their own choices, and I don’t pretend for a moment that government should direct those choices, but we want to make it easier for people to have bigger families if they want to.
And that’s why we’re making these enormous investments in early childhood education. It’s why Katie [Gallagher] and I worked so closely together, to make sure, with Amanda Rishworth, that we can expand paid parental leave and pay the superannuation guarantee on that paid parental leave. That’s one of the proudest things I think Katie and I have been working on over the course of the first couple of years.
I was asked about birth rates in the budget that has been on a trajectory of long-term decline, as you know. A predecessor of mine from a few ago, Peter Costello, talked about this a lot. A healthy birth rate’s good for Australia, and we want to make it easier for people to make that choice if they want to.
Updated
Jury in alleged Victorian campsite murders trial discharged before prosecution opens case
A jury in the case of an airline captain accused of the double murder of Russell Hill and Carol Clay at a campsite in Victoria’s alpine region has been discharged.
Greg Lynn, 57, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and the prosecution and his lawyer were expected to open their cases on Friday.
But Justice Michael Croucher said the 12 jurors and two substitutes empanelled in the case had been discharged.
Croucher told the jury that he was only given them limited reasons for his decision, but that the law was filled with technicalities.
He said:
I don’t want to embarrass anyone and it’s nobody’s fault.
I’m sorry if that doesn’t give you much information, but that’s all I’m going to tell you.
Thank you for putting your hands up for jury service, and for being willing to undertake this vital, solemn and important role in the justice system, but it won’t be in this case.
Updated
Coalition welcomes immigration detention judgment while lashing Labor
The shadow Coalition ministers Michaelia Cash, Dan Tehan and James Paterson have responded to the high court decision.
They said:
The Coalition welcomes the high court’s decision in the ASF17 case, however it cannot hide the Albanese government’s appalling handling of the detainees’ issue, which remains a rolling debacle the like of which we’ve never seen.
The high court’s decision is what most were expecting. The high court has taken the uncontroversial position that detainees can’t engineer their own release into the Australian community by being uncooperative. That is common sense.
They used the decision to criticise the deportation bill, which the opposition has called for amendments to but is yet to say how it will vote on.
They said:
The government’s legislation, as introduced, was not in a form suitable to become the law of Australia. We support a strong border protection and immigration detention system. But what is clear is that the Government’s first attempt was not fit for purpose.
This legislation clearly needs to be improved before it can be passed by the Parliament.
The judgment today clearly demonstrates that the government’s arrogant rush to push legislation through the parliament in one day was misguided, unnecessary and would have resulted in a poor outcome for Australia.
Updated
PM urges ‘respect for everyone’ amid local tensions over Israel-Gaza war
Circling back to Anthony Albanese’s press conference a little while ago.
The prime minister called for social cohesion domestically on the issue of the war in Palestine’s Gaza Strip, saying reductive slogans are “not appropriate”:
What overwhelmingly Australians want is the conflict to not be brought here. What Australians want is for there to be a dial down in some of the messaging that has occurred here in Australia. That is in everyone’s interest – respect for everyone. Antisemitism has no place in Australia. Islamophobia has no place in Australia.
We need to respect each other and be prepared to engage in respectful debate whether our differences. Be prepared to respect the fact that people have a right to disagree but to do so in a matter that is respectful. It is not too much to ask for.
He specifically pointed to the chant “from the river to the sea” being inappropriate, explaining it “describes either Palestine or Israel as one state”, and that the government supported a two state solutions.
Some context: This chant has different interpretations, with some characterising it as calling for the destruction of Israel. Meanwhile others characterise it as a call for a one-state solution where Palestinians have equal rights.
Updated
Labor announces resources stockpile for disasters
Murray Watt has announced the details of the national emergency management (Nema) stockpile, which is intended to provide supplies at a fixed price to communities experiencing natural disaster.
The stockpile program was announced in last year’s budget, to be in place by 30 June. It involves a standing offer panel, which will help local authorities connect with suppliers to access emergency resources like modular emergency accommodation, flood mitigation equipment and generators.
Brendan Moon, the coordinator-general of Nema said the panel would work alongside Australian business owners to guarantee a domestic supply of emergency supplies. He said:
Over time, states and territories – if they choose to access the panel – can expect to see benefits such as competitive pricing and potential cooperative procurements at the national level.
The stockpile was already used to construct emergency accommodation following tropical cyclone Jasper hitting the Queensland far north coast in January.
Watt, the emergency management minister, said:
By having this stockpile ready to roll out, and for state and territory governments to know what’s available and where, we can all help communities by responding faster and more effectively.
It will ensure emergency response agencies can gain access to pre-evaluated and pre-negotiated goods and services through a single procurement mechanism, streamlining deployment.
Updated
Government welcomes immigration detention ruling
The Albanese government has welcomed the high court’s judgment in the case of ASF17, which found Indefinite immigration detention is lawful if non-citizens’ lack of cooperation has frustrated efforts to deport them.
In a statement, the immigration minister Andrew Giles said:
The Government fought strongly to defend our position in the High Court in the matter of ASF17 v Commonwealth of Australia.
We welcome today’s unanimous decision of the Court, which has found that individuals who are not cooperating with their own removal are able to remain in immigration detention until they are removed from Australia.
Community safety continues to be our highest priority and we will continue to take all necessary steps to keep Australians as safe as possible.
(More on this judgment from my colleague Paul Karp here, and the reasons behind it here)
Updated
Reece Kershaw reappointed AFP chief
The Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, has been reappointed for another two years, the federal government has announced.
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said in a statement issued this morning that Kershaw would serve in the role until October 2026:
Commissioner Kershaw’s experience and demonstrated leadership means the AFP is in safe hands while navigating the ever changing and challenging law enforcement landscape.
Dreyfus said an AFP deputy commissioner, Ian McCartney, had also been reappointed for two years, arguing this “continuity in leadership provides certainty and stability for the AFP during a time when its role in protecting Australians has never been more critical”.
The attorney general said the Albanese government had “the upmost confidence in our police” and was “committed to supporting the AFP as they work every day to protect our community”.
Updated
Labor says Medicare shift on gynaecology addresses ‘historical discrimination’
The health minister, Mark Butler, says the announcement today that the Medicare rebate will increase for women’s longer specialist consultations with gynaecologists is setting right what has been a “historical discrimination.”
Butler said the medical specialty dedicated to treatment of women’s diseases, especially of the reproductive organs, had for too long been treated differently under the universal healthcare scheme than every other speciality. Butler told ABC News that from now on:
We as Medicare will pay exactly the same fee to a gynaecologist to see a woman for a long, complex consultation as other specialities receive: cardiology, gastroenterology, a range of others.
Butler said the structural inequity had “gone on for far too long” with adverse consequences for women:
Too many women have been either suffering in silence, or putting up with short consults that simply don’t scratch the surface. Or if they do have a longer consult, paying huge out of pocket costs that I, for example, wouldn’t have to pay if I went to my cardiologist. It is time to fix this frankly, historical discrimination.
Updated
Medicare rebate rises for longer gynaecological consults
The federal health minister, Mark Butler, has announced that for the first time, women will have access to longer specialist consultations of 45 minutes or more for gynaecological care, covered under Medicare.
From 1 July 2025, two new items will be added to the Medicare benefits schedule, which will also increase the rebates received by gynaecologists from Medicare for providing specialist gynaecological care.
The rebate will be increased to $168.60 for a minimum of 45 minutes, compared to the standard rate of $95.60. Longer subsequent consultations will attract a rebate of $84.35 for a minimum of 45 minutes, compared to the standard rate of $48.05.
The change is a response to the number of women suffering endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions like chronic pelvic pain and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Endometriosis can be extremely painful, and it affects at least one in nine girls and women and those assigned female at birth. Symptoms include pain in the stomach, back and hip areas which can affect quality of life, due to tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing outside of it. Women face years of delays in receiving a diagnosis and have suffered because standard consults are often inadequate to address the complexity of the condition.
Butler said the Medicare items would help women to receive timely, appropriate assessments and were no longer left waiting for critical diagnoses and treatments.
The $49.1m investment will be a part of the 2024 budget, which the government expects will provide about 430,000 more services to help women.
Butler said:
Women are suffering unnecessarily.
They’re having their experiences dismissed, being called hysterical and accused of drug shopping. Women’s pain is real and it’s time we stop telling women to just suck it up.
The assistant health minister, Ged Kearney, said the rebates would address some of the inequities in the health system.
Updated
The reasons behind the immigration detention ruling
We’re digging a bit into the judges’ reasons in the high court case.
In the joint judgment Chief Justice Stephen Gageler, and all judges except Justice James Edelman, who wrote separately, said:
ASF17 could be removed to Iran if he cooperated in the process of obtaining the requisite travel documents from Iranian authorities. He has decided not to cooperate. He has the capacity to change his mind. He chooses not to do so.
The judges held that “continuing detention for a non-punitive purpose that is occurring because of a voluntary decision of the detainee cannot be characterised as penal or punitive”.
So non-cooperation means it is possible to deport someone, that means their detention is not punitive, and they can continue to be held in immigration detention.
It appears to be a total win for the government, with nothing for asylum seeker advocates who had wanted to establish a principle that genuine fear of persecution is a good reason not to cooperate.
Updated
Victoria police write to university chancellors over pro-Palestine encampments
Victoria police’s deputy commissioner has warned university chancellors in the state there is a strong likelihood of violence occurring between pro-Palestine protests and counter-protests at the campuses.
Neil Paterson wrote to the chancellors on Thursday saying he acknowledged people’s right to protest but that police were being called to incidents at the university on a daily basis and he wanted to avoid any escalation that replicated what unfolded in the US.
He also expressed concern about “the number of protesters who are not students inflaming the situation”, and criminal offences such a property damage occurring as the encampments grow.
Paterson asked chancellors to “carefully consider” the risks, and if the encampments should be allowed to be established or continue to grow.
Updated
Vote with the Greens, Bandt urges Labor MPs upset at gas policy
Greens leader Adam Bandt has told the “Labor backbenchers crying crocodile tears” over the future gas strategy to “quit your party and vote with the Greens” against it in parliament.
Bandt wrote on X:
If you don’t, you’re not “doing everything you can”. You’re grandstanding.
Claiming you were blindsided by Labor’s position on coal and gas tells me you are either very foolish or you are lying. At every hurdle, Labor’s comprehensively caved to pressure from fossil fuel corporations. Vote with Greens against more coal & gas for a safe climate future.
To all the Labor backbenchers crying crocodile tears over Labor's Future Gas Strategy I say this:
— Adam Bandt (@AdamBandt) May 9, 2024
Quit your party and vote with the Greens against the gas strategy in parliament.
If you don't, you're not "doing everything you can”. You're grandstanding.
Earlier this morning, Labor MP Josh Burns said on RN Breakfast he felt blindsided by the Albanese government’s support for new gas production and that he didn’t get into politics to “be a support mechanism for the fossil fuel industry”. (We covered what he said here.)
He was the first of five MPs – including Jerome Laxale, Sally Sitou, Josh Wilson and Ged Kearney – to break ranks and raise concerns about the gas policy.
Albanese just told reporters “the government is united on achieving net zero by 2050”, and the strategy was crucial for the path to net zero.
Updated
Government wins uncooperative detainees case in high court
Indefinite immigration detention is lawful if non-citizens’ lack of cooperation has frustrated efforts to deport them, the high court has held in a major win for the Albanese government.
On Friday the high court delivered judgment in the case of ASF17, an Iranian asylum seeker who refused to cooperate with efforts to deport him because he “fears for his life” because he is bisexual, Christian and a Faili Kurd.
The court unanimously held that detention is lawful if deportation would be possible “were the detainee to decide to cooperate in the undertaking of administrative processes necessary to facilitate their removal”.
In March Guardian Australia revealed a leaked internal estimate that more than 170 could be freed if the commonwealth lost the case.
But the court held that the character of detention as punitive is influenced by whether the non-citizen is deliberately frustrating or not cooperating with removal.
Updated
Gas plays ‘important role’ in shift to net zero, PM says
Albanese has moved on to his government’s controversial future gas strategy, released by resources minister Madeline King on Thursday and which has caused a number of Labor MPs to break ranks.
He said:
The government is united on achieving net zero by 2050 … Gas plays an important role in that transition to net zero. Renewables is where the cheapest form of new energy, where my [government] is committed to ensuring that we get there to net zero by 2050. We know that gas has a role to play in that transition because of the firming capacity that it provides.
Rio Tinto just signed the biggest deal for renewables that has been signed by any company in Australia’s history – up there in central Queensland. They say that they need the firming capacity of gas to play a role in them being able to transition.
Updated
PM says immigration detention legislation still necessary
Anthony Albanese is speaking to media ahead of the high court delivering its judgment at 10am in the case of ASF17, an appeal that could extend the NZYQ ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful.
The prime minister said:
We have dealt with the decision in NZYQ. It is not something that we supported, it is something that we made submissions to the court to oppose. But when courts make a decision, governments – whoever is in government – has to comply with the law. We have been doing that, but we have been doing it in a way that we have examined what further strengthening can be made. That’s why we had the legislation introduced in parliament.
Asked if the legislation was still necessary, Albanese said it was.
Governments need to have the capacity for people who have no right to stay in Australia, who have exhausted their legal processes, have been found not to have any right to stay here, should not be just allowed to self-nominate in staying here.
Updated
Publisher of banned same-sex parenting book to offer free download
The publisher of a same-sex parenting book that was banned at libraries in a western Sydney council area will be offering the book as a free download.
Responding to the ban in a statement to Guardian Australia, the publisher, BookLife, said: “It is our duty to provide information about the real-world children are learning to navigate.”
BookLife continued:
Our aim is always to provide children with the information, support, understanding and context to help them make sense of the world around them. Same-sex parents are a very real part of our social world, and it is our responsibility to represent them in our books as we would any other group.
The series ‘A Focus On’ attempts to foster understanding and compassion. Books in this series provide important information on key topics children often seek to understand during their formative years, including wellbeing and family life.We are extremely proud of the books we publish, and we are proud to present material in those books that supports, with compassion, people who are often underrepresented.
Four Labor councillors on Cumberland city council have lodged a rescission motion to overturn the ban, which they expect will be debated at the next council meeting on 15 May. The vote is expected to be tight.
The ban has prompted outrage from residents, distress in the LGBTQ+ community and a warning from the government that the council had breached the Libraries Act and risked having its libraries’ funding revoked.
More on the ban from my colleague Catie McLeod here:
Updated
US digital rights group backs Musk’s X over Wakeley stabbing videos
Ahead of an interlocutory hearing between the eSafety commissioner and X at the federal court at 10.30am this morning, the US-based digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation is seeking to intervene in the case to support Elon Musk’s platform over keeping videos of the Wakeley church stabbing attack online.
In an article published overnight, EFF legal director Corynne McSherry said:
It’s a simple proposition: no single country should be able to restrict speech across the entire internet. Any other approach invites a swift relay race to the bottom for online expression, giving governments and courts in countries with the weakest speech protections carte blanche to edit the internet.
Today’s hearing will likely set out whether X must be compelled to remove 65 tweets containing the video of the attack as had been ordered by eSafety. Currently they’re not available to users accessing from Australia but remain available outside of Australia or via VPN. That is why eSafety has argued X is not in compliance with the order.
The hearing will be broadcast on the federal court’s YouTube channel.
As Guardian Australia first reported last week, it is one of four legal cases between X and eSafety over content removal requests or industry code compliance now, with two in the federal court and two in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Updated
Treasurer defends Labor’s gas strategy
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has responded to backbench MPs’ concerns about the future gas strategy, released by resources minister Madeline King on Thursday.
Chalmers told reporters in Canberra:
There is a huge focus in the budget on becoming a renewable energy superpower. That is one of the defining objectives of the budget on Tuesday, is how we make the most of this net zero transformation in the global economy ... The future gas strategy that was released yesterday recognises that gas has a role to play but overwhelmingly the budget will be about renewables.
Some of the issues that have been raised in the last 24 hours or so, for example, have gone to public investment. There won’t be any new money for the future gas strategy in the budget on Tuesday but there will be billions of dollars in investment in our renewable future. And I think that should assure and reassure people who want, like I do, a renewable future for this country, where the government’s priorities lie. But we need to be realistic about the role for gas in the interim.
The claim of no new money is questionable: there was $566m over 10 years for Geoscience Australia to map what is under Australia’s soil and seabed and provide it free to industry, and $100m for faster environmental approvals, including helping business meet approvals. That could be considered an indirect subsidy for industries including gas. That’s on top of existing support for Middle Arm.
Updated
Analysis continued from previous post:
Penny Wong’s explanation for Australia not locking in its position yet is because the text that will actually be voted on in New York tonight is still being negotiated and updated.
But Wong was careful to distinguish between the UN vote and decisions that countries like Australia might make about bilaterally recognising Palestine as a state. The latter, she said, was not question of if, but “a question of when”.
Highly significant was what Wong said about whether Australia maintained the long-standing bipartisan position that Australia’s recognition of a state of Palestine could only come at the end of a negotiated settlement with Israel. She pointed out that the world was “decades down the track” of pursuing that approach and many countries were now considering doing something different.
The key line: “We should recognise [Palestine] when we think we can make our maximum contribution to progress towards a two-state solution.”
Updated
A little earlier, Penny Wong was interviewed about the looming UN vote on admitting Palestine as a full UN member. Let’s take stock of the most significant points from the foreign affairs minister.
Wong didn’t say it explicitly but it is pretty clear that Australia is teetering between “yes” and “abstain”. It doesn’t appear that an outright “no” vote is in prospect, in light of the government’s stated support for a two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine live in peace and prosperity.
Wong rehearsed arguments that might be made for abstaining: she said this should not be seen as fence-sitting but instead as agreeing in part with a resolution and not standing in the way of it passing. Australia was mindful of the situation on the ground and the “timing”, including that Hamas is still holding hostages.
She also rehearsed arguments for a yes vote: this would simply express the view of the UN general assembly that Palestine should become a member of the UN – a development that can’t occur without UN security council approval but which the US vetoed when it came up there last month.
Wong rebutted the idea that this would be a reward for terrorism – she said it was “the opposite” because Hamas wasn’t committed to a two-state solution. (International recognition is for the Palestinian Authority, dominated by Fatah, a rival to Hamas.)
Updated
Indefinite detention ruling due at 10am
The high court will deliver its judgment at 10am in the case of ASF17, an appeal that could extend the NZYQ ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful. At stake is whether people in immigration detention must be released if their refusal to cooperate has prevented them being deported.
ASF17 is an Iranian man who has said he “fears for his life if he is removed to Iran” because he is bisexual, Christian, a Faili Kurd and because he had opposed “the mistreatment of women by the government in Iran”.
The court will answer the questions:
Is the conduct of an unlawful non-citizen relevant to determining if their detention breaches the constitution?
Does it matter if they are deliberately frustrating their removal, are not cooperating, or if the reason is that they have a “genuine subjective fear” if they are removed?
Was ASF17’s detention unconstitutional?
In March Guardian Australia revealed a leaked internal estimate that more than 170 could be freed if the commonwealth loses the case, although the government is confident it will win.
The worst outcome for the government would be if the answer to question (1) is no.
If the non-citizens’ behaviour is not relevant, then the government will have to let out everyone who it is not possible to deport, regardless of lack of cooperation.
But it’s easy to see how this result could get messy. For instance, the court could determine that ASF17’s detention was lawful but set down new rules that prompt the government to reassess whether others in detention must be let out.
In November the government was caught somewhat on the hop when the court delivered its judgment on the afternoon of the second day of hearings.
Not so this time. The ASF17 case was heard on 17 April, so the government has had weeks to prepare. Before the hearing Guardian Australia saw detailed plans of how the government would respond in the event of a loss.
These included the fact the government would draft minutes to grant visas to those affected, and protocols for how many are released at a time, to ensure police are on hand to apply electronic monitoring ankle bracelets.
The decision is also likely to spark a political debate about Labor’s deportation bill, which gives the minister powers to require non-citizens to do things to facilitate their own removal.
Updated
Former Israel PM says Biden threat could affect ‘certain types of weapons’
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert was on RN Breakfast a short time ago and was asked if Israel could manage without US weapons.
The question was in the context of the US president, Joe Biden, threatening his administration will stop supplying bombs and artillery shells if the Israeli military pushes ahead with an offensive on Rafah.
Olmert, who was prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, said:
We are very strong country and we can provide a lot of the weapons that we need, we produce them and we even sell them. Perhaps we sell more to other countries than any other country, certainly any other country in the Middle East or in Europe. But for the long run there are certain types of weapons and munitions which are essential that we may not have enough of.
He said earlier in the interview in relation to Biden’s threat:
What made this great person, the greatest friend of Israel, to say that he will stop the delivery of weapons? I mean, this question has to be proved to the Israeli prime minister to the Israeli government. And they need to give an answer. I’m not happy that the president reached that conclusion. But I can’t ignore the circumstances that brought him into this position.
Updated
Foreign affairs minister says there has been antisemitic language at university encampments
Wong was later asked on whether she believes some of the language being used at the pro-Palestine encampments that have spread across Australian universities was antisemitic.
“Yes, I do,” Wong responded. She later added to a question on whether Jewish students are safe on Australian campuses:
Universities have to ensure that they are safe spaces for all students regardless of who they are. Secondly, we do have a right to peaceful protest in this country. And people are entitled to protest in support of their views in a democracy. But in the space that I gave, that are referred to at the beginning of this interview, I spoke not only about Israel and Palestine, I spoke about social cohesion. And one of the things I said is we seem to be losing the capacity in this country to disagree without diminishing the other.
Asked if Wong would support the opposition’s proposed inquiry into antisemitism on campuses, she said:
I think if we’ll look at what they’re proposing, if the objective is to actually try and generate social cohesion, then then I’ll be supportive. But if the objective is to create conflict and division, I think that’s a problem.
Updated
Wong says Australia won’t expel Israel’s ambassador over ground invasion of Rafah
Staying on Wong’s interview, Karvelas asked the foreign affairs minister if she supported US president Joe Biden’s decision to pause a shipment of bombs bound for Israel and the statements he’s made on the ground invasion in Rafah.
Wong responded:
I have made very clear statements about Australia’s views about the risk of and deep concern, grave concerns, about a widespread ground invasion in Rafah. I’ve been clear about our objections to an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah. We have [reiterated] this to Israel … The fact that you have an American president making a statement as President Biden has been making is an indication of the extent and depth of the concern.
Asked if the government would follow the Greens’ calls for Israel’s ambassador to be expelled from Australia if Israel goes ahead with a major ground incursion, Wong responded:
No, we are not going to be doing that … We have diplomatic relationships with countries. In many circumstances we may not agree with everything that those countries do, but we believe engagement is important.
Updated
Penny Wong under pressure over UN vote on Palestine
Penny Wong is speaking on RN Breakfast now. Right off the bat she was asked by Patricia Karvelas if the Australian government will support admitting Palestine as a full member of the UN at a vote later today.
Wong begins with a preamble about Australia’s support for a two-state solution, then says:
We will consider the final resolution that comes before the General Assembly. Obviously, countries are still negotiating texts.
Q: There have been reports that you’re leaning towards an abstention. If you were to abstain, what would that mean?
Wong responds:
I don’t want to speculate about our vote … I think an abstention generally means you can agree in part with the resolution but not with sufficient, not with all of it, or not with a sufficient extent of the resolution for you to vote for it, so it can send a message that whilst you don’t agree with it in full, you’re not going to stand in the way.
Q: A few of our listeners are texting and saying why wouldn’t you vote yes, given what you’ve said about supporting through the process rather than waiting to the end [for] recognition of Palestine?
Wong responds:
I understand that question … I understand questions from those who don’t want us to deal with it at this time. I think one of the things we are aware of, and thinking about, is the timing of the situation on the ground. We know Hamas is still holding hostages. We want to look at the wording of the resolution to make sure we are being responsible, that what we commit to we are obliged to and look to the UN Charter and the resolution would have to be consistent with the charter. And of course it was with our partners, but your listeners, what I would say to them is Australia does support a two-state solution.
Q: But if you were to vote no or abstain, wouldn’t it be viewed by people who are pushing for a Palestinian state and a two-state solution or a stronger line on Palestine as your reluctance?
Wong responds:
You’ve spoken to me many times over the years, Patricia, and you know I always try and bring a more nuanced discussion about what is really happening rather than getting drawn into the end the hard edges of the debate. Unfortunately, in this country, we seem, we see too much of this discussion, which is looked at by those who basically say you’re either with us or against us. And everything is black and white and simple. Regrettably, that is not what is happening in the Middle East. And regrettably, that is not how we should be looking at this.
Updated
Meta was correct to remove two Facebook posts allegedly misrepresenting the Australian Electoral Commission’s statements about voting multiple times in the voice to parliament referendum, the company’s independent oversight board has found.
The oversight board, which independently reviews cases selected to examine Meta’s content moderation policy, examined posts by two different Facebook users showing screenshots of information shared by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on X ahead of the voice to parliament referendum in October.
The AEC had posted advice that: “If someone votes at two different polling places within their electorate, and places their formal vote in the ballot box at each polling place, their vote is counted.”
It also posted a comment explaining the secrecy of the ballot would prevent the AEC from knowing which ballot paper belongs to which person, but that the number of double votes is always incredibly low.
The posters both left out other information posted by the AEC, including that voting multiple times is an offence in Australia, and encouraged multiple voting and that people should “smash the voting centres”
Meta removed the posts, and the oversight board found this was the right decision:
The board finds that both posts violated the Coordinating Harms and Promoting Crime rule that prohibits content “advocating, providing instructions for, or demonstrating explicit intent to illegally participate in a voting or census process.
The board’s own analysis found posts containing the AEC screenshot were shared on Facebook over 475 times and received thousands of reactions and at least 30,000 views.
The board reviewed the two posts as part of its preparation for the number of elections in 2024.
Josh Burns says he feels blindsided by Labor gas strategy
Labor MP Josh Burns has said he feels blindsided by the Albanese government’s support for new gas production and that he didn’t get into politics to “be a support mechanism for the fossil fuel industry”.
He was the first of five MPs – including Jerome Laxale, Sally Sitou, Josh Wilson and Ged Kearney – to break ranks and raise concerns about the gas policy.
Speaking on RN Breakfast a little earlier, Burns said:
I’m under no illusion that we have a responsibility to make sure that Australians have electricity, that they have power that they have affordable power. But also what are the levers the government has and how do we use them to ensure that the transition to low-emissions future is happening as quickly as possible? And that is my focus, and that is what I believe the Labor party needs to focus on as well.
Asked if he expects the government to reverse its decision, Burns said “we’ll continue to have conversations about policy direction”. He then pointed out that the number of renewable energy projects had “skyrocketed” under the government.
Burns said one of the problems with the announcement was the “open-endedness”. He argued there needed to be an end date for when Australia will cease using fossil fuels, so there is a timeline to work towards. He later said:
I also have a young family and a young daughter and I want her to know that, in my time in politics, I did everything I could to try and set up Australia and be a part of the generation that takes climate change and the climate emergency extremely seriously.
More on the backbenchers revolting against Albanese’s plan here:
Updated
A guide to the Indigenous voice to parliament, written by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O’Brien and published before last year’s ill-fated referendum, won book of the year at the Australian book industry awards last night.
The Voice to Parliament Handbook was hailed “a poignant reminder of a significant moment in Australian history” at the annual award ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday.
Also honoured was Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes’ Welcome to Sex, a controversial sex education book that was removed from some retailers’ shelves last year after a self-described thinktank claimed “it was teaching sex to children”.
The Voice to Parliament Handbook, published by Hardie Grant in the months leading up to the October referendum, had been “crafted during a pivotal moment in Australia’s political and cultural landscape”, Abias organisers said in a statement, calling it “an extraordinary achievement, developed under intense time constraints”.
Here’s the full story from our arts reporter Kelly Burke:
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Good morning, and happy Friday! I’m Jordyn Beazley and I’ll be with you on the live blog today.
As always, if you see anything you’d like to bring to my attention, please email me at jordyn.beazley@theguardian.com, or reach me on X at @jordynbeazley.
Everybody’s Home wants social housing target increased
Everybody’s Home has urged the federal government to increase its social housing target and back it up with funding in next week’s budget if it is serious about easing the crisis.
Only 3% of homes that the government wants Australia to build over the next five years are set to be social housing.
As the government confronts warnings it will fail to meet its 1.2m housing target, Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said building more social housing was essential:
It’s clear that the private market can’t meet the government’s target, and their track record shows us that these homes won’t be affordable for most people. Social housing is guaranteed to be affordable for people – and, at scale, it pushes down the cost of housing for everyone.
The government describes its national housing target as ambitious but it’s lacking ambition when it comes to bringing down the cost of housing.
There is no use building homes that people can’t afford. The government must end the social housing shortfall – and aim for 10% of all homes in Australia to be social housing.
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Long-awaited treatment breakthrough for endometriosis sufferers
The government has announced that from July next year women suffering from persistent pelvic pain and endometriosis will have access to longer specialist gynaecological consultations of 45 minutes or more, covered under Medicare.
The leading standards body for women’s health, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Ranzcog), has been lobbying the government to have the benefit added to the Medicare schedule (MBS).
Ranzcog has long argued that current MBS items don’t allow for sufficient appointment time for practitioners to consult with patients presenting with persistent pelvic pain.
Two new items will now be added to the MBS to help patients access improved care for complex gynaecological conditions, requiring an investment of $49.1m. The two new MBS items will provide a higher fee for longer initial gynaecologist consultation ($168.60 for a minimum of 45 minutes, compared to the standard rate of $95.60), and a higher fee for longer subsequent consultations ($84.35 for a minimum of 45 minutes, compared to the standard rate of $48.05).
Dr Marilla Druitt, obstetrician gynaecologist and Ranzcog councillor, said:
The MBS additions are good step in the right direction. Complex problems require complex solutions. If we have more time to listen to patients, we can address their needs better.
There are a number of different areas where we can continue this work, with funding for pain management and endometriosis education for healthcare providers being a priority.
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Greens call for Israeli ambassador to be expelled
The Greens have called on the federal government to expel the Israeli ambassador, Amir Maimon, arguing it was time for Labor to move beyond “hand-wringing pleas for restraint”.
Australia has joined with the US and other countries in opposing a large-scale Israeli military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, raising alarm about the “devastating” impact on Palestinian civilians who are sheltering there.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly said he is determined to proceed with a Rafah offensive, arguing it is necessary to destroy the last stronghold of Hamas in Gaza.
The Greens said the Australian government should expel the ambassador “until the state of Israel abides by the orders of the international court of justice” including allowing the unrestricted flow of aid. The party’s leader, Adam Bandt, said in a statement issued today:
With even Joe Biden suspending weapon shipments, Labor’s continued refusal to take any actions against Benjamin Netanyahu’s extreme war cabinet is inexcusable cowardice.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, last month played down the idea of expelling Israeli diplomats, saying Australia maintained diplomatic relationships with many countries and used those channels to “express our views about issues which are important to Australians”.
New parliamentary committee set up to investigate social media
The federal government will set up a new parliamentary committee to investigate social media, including the news media bargaining code, which could force tech giants to pay news publishers for their work.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, announced overnight the government’s plan to establish a joint select committee into social media. Her office said it would allow the parliament to examine the influence and impact of social media on Australian society, including its effects on public interest journalism, the spread of online harms and the use of algorithms and recommender systems.
It’s expected to be debated when parliament returns next week.
Rowland said of the social media companies:
Their decisions in recent months – particularly Meta’s decision to withdraw from paying for news in Australia – demonstrates the negative impacts these companies can have on our society.
Social media has a civic responsibility to its Australian users – and our society more broadly. The government is committed to making social media companies more transparent and accountable to the Australian public, and the joint committee will enable parliament to undertake this task.
The committee is expected to examine Meta’s decision to abandon deals under the news media bargaining code, the role of Australian journalism in countering mis- and disinformation on digital platforms, algorithm and recommender systems, effects on mental health and issues such as scams, age-restricted content, child sexual abuse and violent extremist material.
The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, raised concerns about “an environment where it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction”.
The social media giants seem more determined to wipe trusted news sources from their platforms than scammers and other criminals. This will open the floodgates for misinformation and disinformation.
We have a clear message for the platforms. Be better. Do better. The committee will put big tech under the microscope to help create a safer online environment.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage as we reach the end of another working week. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top overnight headlines for you to catch up with before my colleague Jordyn Beazley comes along.
The growing number of pro-Palestinian encampments on Australian university campuses has brought with it a much greater level of scrutiny – and accusations of antisemitism from Jewish groups and federal opposition politicians. The protesters say their movement is peaceful but the Australasian Union of Jewish Students claimed this week that Nazi salutes had been seen at the ANU camp in Canberra. Our reporters have spoken to both sides to gauge the mood. It comes as the Greens called last night on the federal government to expel the Israeli ambassador, Amir Maimon, arguing it was time for Labor to move beyond “hand-wringing pleas for restraint”. More details coming up.
Our exclusive lead story hears a bitter complaint from an Aboriginal corporation that its views have been misrepresented in the government’s Future Gas plan to make out that it is in favour of more fossil fuel development. The Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation is quoted in the document saying energy security is a “pressing issue” but its says its support for more solar has been removed. Also unhappy are five inner-city Labor MPs who have criticised the government’s plan, arguing it will overshadow progress on clean energy.
The government has followed up its tough talk on combating the sometimes harmful impact of social media by setting up a parliamentary probe into their influence and impact on Australian society. The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, will announce today that a new committee will investigate content that people are exposed to online. More coming up.
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