What we learned today, Friday 31 May
And that’s where we’ll leave you this evening, and this working week. Here’s what we learned today:
Anthony Albanese declined to comment on the guilty verdict handed to Donald Trump, saying Australia is “not a party to these court proceedings”.
The Australian federal police commissioner told Senate estimates of a “highly concerning trend” of youth being radicalised online through others or through self-radicalisation.
The prime minister essentially accused conservative media of campaigning against his government through coverage of the administrative appeals tribunal overturning visa cancellations.
The federal government announced a further $31m in assistance for Ukraine to help meet its power and humanitarian needs.
The government also announced the first round of green loans for households promised as part of a $1bn commitment in last year’s federal budget.
Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions fell fractionally – by 0.5% – last year, according to the latest federal government data.
The mining magnate Gina Rinehart gifted a portrait of herself to the National Portrait Gallery, but there appear to be strings attached.
The Australian Electoral Commission published its draft proposed redistribution of seats in Victoria (losing a seat) and Western Australia (gaining one).
The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, called on the embattled Townsville mayor, Troy Thompson, to resign, for “the good of the city”.
Queensland wants other states and the federal government to back a decision to ban carbon capture and storage in the Great Artesian Basin.
The NSW government announced it would fast-track planning proposals for social and affordable housing.
NSW detectives charged a 23rd person for their alleged involvement in the Wakeley riots last month.
The Western Australian police force and the state’s country health service apologised to the family of Ms Dhu, a young Aboriginal woman, for the circumstances leading to her death in 2014.
The Victorian health department is urging those planning to travel to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, as an increasing number of returning travellers are presenting with measles and mpox.
The US consulate in Melbourne and the offices of several members of parliament have been targeted in acts of vandalism.
E-scooter riders in Melbourne have been warned they will no longer be given leniency after hundreds were caught riding on footpaths and without helmets.
Thanks so much for your company this week.
Updated
Question to AFP chief morphs into a bit of light Canberra-bashing at Senate estimates
The ACT senator David Pocock has asked the Australian federal police in Senate estimates about its retention rates, but it has somehow morphed into a bit of light Canberra-bashing.
In the AFP’s 2022 staff survey, 16% of those surveyed said they planned to leave the AFP, with 9% of them indicating they wanted to leave the AFP to work elsewhere, and 3% saying they wanted to work in another law enforcement agency or jurisdiction.
The AFP commissioner, Reece Kershaw, said there were some retention challenges, such as attractive incentives offered by the Queensland police service, but said the size of the force was “holding”:
I mean, their offer is $26,000 cash to join them so that’s pretty enticing, you know, and it’s Queensland with the weather. If you’re based down here [in Canberra], it’s not as great. And you know, what is it? Queensland’s great one day, better the next.
Pocock asked why the ACT doesn’t have many police officers but Kershaw insisted that’s a decision for the ACT government:
They buy the services from the AFP. So, we’ve encouraged them to buy more, which I think that’s occurring – more than likely … they are the ones that determine those numbers.
Updated
