What we learned; Wednesday 8 November
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin says “technical network issues” were behind a nationwide network outage that affected everything from train services to wifi cat feeders.
Experts suggest the blackout of internet and mobile services could have been caused by the same issue that brought down Facebook two years ago.
Indefinite immigration detention is unlawful, the high court has held, in a landmark decision overturning a 20-year-old precedent.
A driver who ploughed through a roadside beer garden, killing five people, is an insulin-dependent diabetic who required immediate treatment at the scene, his lawyer says.
The Matildas and Socceroos have struck a new pay deal that will mean the country’s top women’s footballers could receive a pay increase of up to $80,000 per year.
And ANZ, Westpac and NAB have raised interest rates following the RBA’s decision on Tuesday to hike the official cash rate.
Thank you so much for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow morning!
Updated
Coalition says Labor must ‘limit the risk posed by problematic individuals’ after immigration detention ruling
The Coalition has responded to the high court decision that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.
The shadow attorney general, Michaelia Cash, said:
The government must act immediately to ensure the safety of the Australian community and explore all available options to limit the risk posed by problematic individuals.
We are yet to see the reasons of the High Court but will study them as soon as they are available. It appears the High Court has overturned a 20-year-old judgement which has underpinned the migration policies of Governments on both sides for the last two decades.
The decision is likely to lead to the release of a number of individuals who have been refused visas on character grounds, and who cannot be returned to their country of origin.
The precise legal impact, both in this case and for the Migration Act, will need to be assessed once the reasons are handed down.
Cash is quite right that we have to see the full reasons, but based on the fact that the plaintiff, NZYQ, won the constitutional argument it seems unlikely that this is a decision the government can legislate away with an update to the Migration Act.
It’s more likely that we’ll see a series of residence determinations with conditions, meaning long-term detainees with no prospect of deportation will live in the community subject to some supervision.
Updated
