What we learned: Friday, 18 August
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the night. Have a lovely evening, we’ll be back first thing tomorrow.
Here were the major developments of the day:
The NSW Greens are calling on cross-party support for a parliamentary inquiry into NSW police following the violent arrest of an 18-year-old Aboriginal man with a disability in Taree this week.
The Afghan ambassador to Australia has called for more global efforts to help his people living under the Taliban regime, through aid, scholarships and refugee visas.
The father of one of the victims of the fatal Hunter Valley bus crash plans to lead a class action lawsuit over the horrific tragedy, as he fights for industry reform.
Three men have been charged for their alleged involvement in the importation and possession of about 560kg of cocaine in Western Australia.
Australian Border Force has released a statement confirming it seized 52 vials of suspected hazardous substances when it raided a suburban Sydney home on Thursday.
And, still in NSW, the Minns Labor government will split up one of its mega departments, creating separate departments for planning and the environment, with the changes to come into effect from next January.
Updated
SA Greens senator rails against ‘nuclear industry in our state’
Greens senator Barbara Pocock has come out swinging at Labor following fiery debate at the national conference over the Aukus submarine plan.
South Australians are encouraged to think that this a jobs solution for our state. It is not. We can get many more jobs out of employment in all kinds of services – health, education, industry, clean and green agriculture – than we will ever get from a nuclear industry in our state.
So we say no to the Aukus proposal.
Today the Labor Party managed to quell dissent within its own ranks against the untenable AUKUS deal. This policy will take Australia from a staunchly non-nuclear nation to a nuclear nation at the beck and call of the American military. Let's invest that money in our people. pic.twitter.com/JtlPPXn902
— Barbara Pocock (@BarbaraPocock) August 18, 2023
Late on Friday morning, the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, and the defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, moved a 32-paragraph statement that argued spending $368bn on nuclear submarines would enhance Australia’s national security.
Updated
Jim Chalmers to address press club on release of intergenerational report into the state of the economy
The treasurer will front the National Press Club next week as the government releases its intergenerational report into the state of the economy.
Jim Chalmers has flagged boosting productivity as a key focus of the report.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Treasurer @JEChalmers will address the NPC on the release of the Albanese Government’s first Intergenerational Report on the 24th August, 2023. This event is a MEMBER ONLY EVENT. Purchase tickets now. pic.twitter.com/LMEvZHbqRY
— National Press Club (@PressClubAust) August 18, 2023
Updated
NSW moving closer to retiring the giant debt retirement fund
The Minns government’s Friday afternoon continues to be a busy one, with the treasurer Daniel Mookhey welcoming the findings of an upper house inquiry into the $14.7 bn debt retirement fund.
Back in June, Mookhey asked the state development committee to take a speedy look at the DRF to see if it was “fit for purpose”.
Set up in 2018, the fund was supposed to be a vehicle that turned a surplus and so helped pay down debt. However, Labor was never keen on it, noting that its success would have relied on markets going the preferred way (up) and in years of deficit (now and for a while) the government would have been borrowing to top it up.
(For instance, the 2023 pre-election budget update showed a surplus for 2024-25 but a $911m deficit without the DRF returns, Mookhey said in June.)
Anyway, perhaps not surprisingly, the committee found the fund was “not fit-for-purpose in today’s economic environment” and was “operating in a volatile economic environment and potentially putting the state’s overall fiscal outlook at risk”.
There are risks to the state’s budget and credit rating, and significantly, public confidence in the government if the current policy settings of the fund remain unchanged.
It made three recommendations about managing the funds so that it “incorporates the needs of the state more broadly”, has contributions that reflect “the current and expected economic and fiscal climate” and are reported more clearly in future budgets.
Mookhey said the government would consider the recommendations carefully “as we determine the best approach going forward”.
That sounds a lot like the fund will be absorbed back into the budget before long.
Updated
No prosecution for live-baiting greyhound trainers
Three South Australian greyhound trainers hit with life bans and big fines in the state’s first confirmed case of live baiting will not face criminal prosecution.
The RSPCA says it has received legal advice that covertly taken video footage of the incident would not be admissible in court. The footage shows two men using live rabbits as lures to train greyhounds.
It led to Greyhound Racing SA recently imposing life bans on Troy Murray, Jackson Murray and Connor Murray after the case against them was heard by its Integrity Hearings Panel.
The latest development in the live baiting case came after the state government recently launched an independent inquiry into greyhound racing following the release of a video of a different trainer kicking and punching a dog.
Former Victorian police chief Graham Ashton will conduct the investigation that could strip the industry of its freedom to largely self-regulate.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the conduct in the video was unacceptable and animal welfare should be a paramount consideration for the industry.
We’ve long been assured that instances like this do not happen in the greyhound racing industry. But in light of the available evidence, we’re not prepared to take those assurances at face value.
The RSPCA’s head of animal welfare Andrea Lewis said the organisation was preparing a submission to Ashton’s inquiry.
The loud and clear message from what has occurred here and in other states is that self-regulation of greyhound racing does not work. There needs to be formal and complete separation of the integrity and regulatory functions from the commercial functions.
- AAP.
Updated
NSW government splits planning and environment
The Minns Labor government will split up one of its mega departments, creating separate departments for planning and the environment, with the changes to come into effect from next January.
The shift will undo some of the work of the previous Coalition government that had created a single department of planning and environment after the March 2019 election.
The costs for the move “will be reflected in full in the 2024-25 budget”, not the delayed 2023-24 budget scheduled to be handed down on 19 September.
“The new department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water pulls together the collective environmental expertise of government into one place – creating a team ready to tackle one of our biggest challenges in energy security,” premier Chris Minns said, adding there will also be “a renewed focus and deep expertise to address the housing crisis”.
One official, though, welcomed the split, saying it “all started rotting when they put the fox (planning) in charge of the hen house (environment)”.
While there may be good reasons for breaking up a behemoth, critics will wonder if the emphasis on meeting housing goals will see environmental controls bulldozed (literally).
NSW is supposed to account for about a third of the 1.2m new homes pledged this week by national cabinet over the coming five years.
Updated
‘This PM is billing taxpayers harder and faster for VIP flights than any before him,’ says Greens senator
The Greens have lashed out at the federal government over VIP “special purpose” flights for politicians, uncovered in documents released last week.
The documents showed around $3.75m were spent on flights for the prime minister since May last year, rising to $5.3m if including his role as leader of the opposition.
The new defence minister has taken $2.9m flights, while the governor general has banked up around $1.9m.
Greens senator and defence spokesperson David Shoebridge said the government had dodged transparency in withholding the figures for its first year of government.
Of course there’s a need to fly the PM around for offical duties, but this PM is billing taxpayers harder and faster for VIP flights than any before him.
The refusal, apparently for security reasons, to tell us where the flights went is a very convenient way to avoid serious scrutiny.
Updated
Government steadfast on Aukus, Brendan O’Connor says
Minister for skills and training and once shadow defence minister Brendan O’Connor appeared on ABC Afternoon Briefing earlier, with Aukus dominating the agenda following day two of Labor’s national conference in Brisbane.
He said there would be no movement from the government despite determination from the opposed faction in the Labor party to keep raising its concerns.
The conference has affirmed the position of the government … there will be no moving away from this critical issue of national security.
I think the prime minister made that very clear as have other ministers ... so we need to proceed with this.
Updated
Australian women on average earn $26,596 less than men each year
Australian Bureau of Statistics data on average weekly earnings for May 2023 reference period released on Thursday confirms the persistent gender pay gap, with women’s average weekly ordinary time earnings at $1,897.70 (public sector) and $1,605.30 (private sector) compared with men’s earnings at $2,122.90 (public sector) and $1,905.00 (private sector).
The data also showed the gender pay gap between men and women in average weekly ordinary full-time earnings for May 2023 was 13.0%, with the overall gender pay gap in Australia at 22.8%.
Australian women on average earn $26,596 less than men each year and are also more likely to work in casual and part-time roles compared with men.
Jessica Rudd, CEO of The Parenthood, a parent advocacy group, said:
Australian women are being set back by systemic and structural inequalities that keep them from accessing the same remuneration, recognition and opportunities as men.
One of the key solutions for addressing the gender pay gap is creating a universal early learning system and reforming paid parental leave.
Whilst expanding paid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks by 2026 is a step in the right direction by the federal government, it is still short of the 50+ weeks that families in other development countries have access to.
Increasing paid parental leave to adequate levels will enable more women to re-enter the workforce after having children and will enhance gender equality through the redistribution of unpaid care.
Updated
Bushfire warning issued for Clarence Valley residents
In New South Wales, a number of fires are burning in the state’s lower north coast.
Residents in parts of the Clarence Valley are being urged to “prepare now”.
Watch & Act: Summerland Way, Dilkoon
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 18, 2023
A fire is burning near Dilkoon in the Clarence Valley. The fire has spotted 5km to the east and is burning in an easterly direction towards Lawrence. Residents on the western side of Lawrence should prepare now. https://t.co/NpNcAULBPT pic.twitter.com/dGOGRtgqoG
Advice - Opal Fields Fire, Grawin Opal Fields (Walgett LGA)
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 18, 2023
Firefighters are on scene of a fire burning 4kms to the NE of Glengarry. The fire is currently burning in a NE direction. Residents in the area should stay up to date and monitor conditions at: https://t.co/iU3VHwbc2B pic.twitter.com/rDhAfkJfcO
If you’re in an affected community, keep up with the latest on the NSW RFS website.
Updated
Marles grilled about division in Labor party over Aukus
Asked if allies abroad should have “any concerns” about the division on Aukus within the party, Marles said the conference showed the government “has the confidence to go to its own rank and file” to make the case for the submarine program.
In terms of the political landscape about the United States and the United Kingdom, we feel very assured that this is a matter of bipartisan policy in both countries as well and that is why we do have a sense of confidence that this will endure and that we will be able to acquire this capability.
We should never forget, this is a very historic and rare step.
A range of concerns from the left faction were raised, from the cost of the submarines to the use of nuclear weaponry.
Updated
Marles speaks about Aukus debate at Labor national conference
Defence minister Richard Marles has been in discussion with the ABC on the sidelines of the Labor national conference.
Regarding the Aukus debate and division within the Labor party on the agreement, he said it gained a “significant win” on the floor today and “had united the party”.
It was not close.
That says a lot about the way in which the party and the movement understand the significance of the steps that we have taken. I was very pleased with the outcome of today but I was just as pleased with the way in which we went about the debate.
It has been a really good process and we been able to explain to party members and unions … why the government is taking the steps that it is taking.
Updated
Afghan ambassador takes aim at ‘draconian’ Taliban
The Afghan ambassador to Australia has called for more global efforts to help his people living under the Taliban regime, through aid, scholarships and refugee visas.
Ambassador Wahidullah Waissi told the National Press Club on Friday:
The Taliban have never changed. The group has re-enacted its draconian policies from the 1990s.
Arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, collective punishment, media crackdown, extra-judicial killings and torture ... remain normal practices under this militant group.
Since the Taliban re-emerged two years ago, it has also erased women from public life, banning them from schools and universities.
There are 28 million people in Afghanistan who need urgent humanitarian assistance, including more than three million children under the age of five who are malnourished and hundreds of thousands still stranded wanting to escape.
There are 40 Afghan diplomatic missions worldwide that continue to operate without legitimising Taliban rule with a 100,000 strong community in Australia alone.
The Australian government has allocated 26,500 dedicated visa places for Afghans under the offshore humanitarian program for the next three years.
But Afghan-Australian advocates have criticised the significant delays in processing family reunification and temporary protection applications.
Waissi also urged Australian universities to play their part in empowering women and girls who have been banned from learning.
- AAP.
Updated
Mark Butler in India for G20 health ministers meeting
If you were panicking about Mark Butler’s absence from the Labor national conference, don’t worry, he’s in India for the G20 health ministers meeting.
And if that wide grin is anything to go by, he’s having a great time!
The #G20 has an important role to play in strengthening cooperation on global #health security. High Commissioner-designate Philip Green was delighted to welcome 🇦🇺's Health Minister @Mark_Butler_MP to India for the G20 Health Ministers meeting in #Gandhinagar. @G20org #G20HMM pic.twitter.com/jUmex5gwcl
— Australian High Commission India (@AusHCIndia) August 18, 2023
Updated
Recovery operation continues for army helicopter that crashed off Queensland coast
The Department of Defence has provided an update on the recovery operation of the Australian army helicopter that crashed off Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands late last month, killing four crew members.
A commercial contractor will be hired to complete the recovery operation, expected to begin work from next week.
Our priority remains to support the families of our fallen soldiers and to locate and recover as much of the wreckage as possible.
Defence is supporting the families of the aircrew – captain Danniel Lyon, lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, warrant officer Joseph Laycock and corporal Alexander Naggs – and continues to keep them updated on the operation as new details become available.
It said during the course of the recovery operation, items including “personal effects and wreckage” from the aircraft were discovered, in addition to the voice and flight data recorder.
The recovery operation has been conducted in an exceptionally challenging environment and has reached the point of requiring specialist equipment not available within the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The commercial operator will work closely with the ADF in support of the Queensland police service and defence flight safety bureau investigations.
Updated
Dementia Australia pays tribute to Michael Parkinson
Dementia Australia has paid tribute to broadcaster Michael Parkinson, following his passing at the age of 88.
In honour of his mother, Freda Rose, who lived with vascular dementia, Parkinson was a longtime supporter and patron of the body. He also served as an ambassador for Alzheimer’s Australia NSW.
Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said his “committed and far-reaching advocacy” had made a “profound and lasting difference to the lives of people of all ages living with dementia, their families and carers in Australia and around the world”.
He was so gracious and generous and we are so honoured and grateful to have had his support.”
Fellow Dementia Australia patron and chair of ABC Ita Buttrose called him the “most generous of supporters”.
He was incredibly giving with his time and sharing his personal experience to help others. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him. Like everyone whose lives have been impacted by dementia, he knew what his advocacy work meant, and he worked tirelessly to raise awareness and funds.
Updated
Matildas to face Sweden tomorrow
Those still in mourning over the Tillies loss best dust off their green and gold outfits. We’re just a day away from the third-place playoff against Sweden.
Our #FIFAWWC 23-player squad 🇦🇺💚💛#Matildas #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/LFyM1zWL4r
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 18, 2023
Tragically, Matildas defender Alanna Kennedy has been sidelined with concussion symptoms, after missing the semi-final against England.
She is sure to be cheering on from off the pitch, though.
🤕❤️🩹.. but I am so excited for tomorrows game. Stay with us for one more, Aus. This team is so special 💛💚 https://t.co/xvsp3OoOpJ
— Alanna Kennedy (@AlannaKennedy) August 18, 2023
Updated
Winds fan bushfires on NSW north coast
A number of fires are currently alight around the New South Wales lower north coast, fanned by high winds.
If you’re in the area, keep up to date with the latest on the NSW RFS website.
Firefighters are responding to a number of fires around Crescent Head and Kempsey in the state's Lower North Coast. These fires are burning under high fire danger conditions and are being fanned by strong winds. Residents should stay up to date with the changing conditions. pic.twitter.com/zVWwsYYLMf
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 18, 2023
Updated
Australia pays tribute to Vietnam veterans, 50 years on
Today is the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam war. Services have been held around the country, including at the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial in Canberra.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese, who attended an event in Ipswich, said the nation had matured enough to embrace the truth that “we can disagree with a war without that diminishing the respect we feel for every man and woman who puts on our uniform and serves in our name”.
Respect for the truth that you have all paid a price – a price that some are still paying. Respect for the fact that you live with the memory of mates who never came back, and memories of all that you lived through.
About 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam, with more than 3,000 wounded and 523 killed. Some 15,000 were conscripted under the National Service Scheme.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, together with defence spokesman Andrew Hastie and veterans’ affairs spokesman Barnaby Joyce, said the war was a polarising conflict.
At the time, public opinion often failed to draw a distinction between the politics of war and the people who fought in it.
It is estimated more than 35,000 Australian Vietnam veterans are still living, with most aged 70 or older.
- with AAP.
Updated
Good afternoon! We’ve almost made it through the working week. I’ll be with you until the finish line.
And with that, I will leave the blog with Caitlin Cassidy, thanks for reading.
Agriculture Department won’t investigate mushroom importation
The Department of Agriculture, which is in charge of ensuring imported food is safe to eat, says it will not be investigating if there are issues with the importation of mushrooms.
The comments come after Erin Patterson, the woman who prepared a fatal lunch containing suspected toxic mushrooms at Leongatha told police they were purchased, not foraged.
After the statement to police was leaked, Australia’s mushroom growers were left defending the supply chain, saying earlier this week there is no way that a grower could produce poison fungi in Australia.
Now the Department of Agriculture, which monitors imports, has said it will not be investigating if there are any issues in the supply chain.
A spokesperson said:
The department is not aware of any evidence that imported dehydrated mushrooms have been associated with any recent illnesses or deaths in Australia.
However, if such evidence existed, Australia has robust systems in place to quickly respond to food incidents.
The department regularly monitors international food incidents, alerts and recalls and following a search of our systems (from the beginning of 2022) can find none associated with mushroom toxicity linked to dehydrated mushrooms.
Suppliers must declare if they are importing Amanita, the genus of fungi that contains the death cap mushroom.
If it is, the shipment will be failed and not permitted entry, the spokesperson said.
All other fungi are classified as surveillance (or low risk) foods and are randomly referred for border inspection. At inspection, the mushrooms will be visually assessed for signs of damage, infestation and deterioration and a label check will be conducted. This will include verifying the import is not a prohibited fungi.
Updated
Woman at centre of mushroom mystery warns media away
Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of the lunch that left three dead and one fighting for his life has issued a warning to members of the media.
Journalists have been camped outside her home in the south-east Victorian town of Leongatha since the news of the deadly lunch sparked international attention.
A photo captured by the Herald Sun, and titled “legal notice” shows a laminated note attached to Patterson’s driveway warning media she will prosecute if they come onto her private property.
It reads:
Please be advised that the owner of this property hereby gives notice to all members of the media or any person employed or contracted to any media organisation, that you are not permitted to enter any part of this property as marked by the boundary fence.
If you do so enter then you are committing the offence of trespass (see section 9 of the Summary Offences ACT) and will be reported to the police.
Updated
Trio charged over alleged importation of 560kg of cocaine
Three men have been charged for their alleged involvement in the importation and possession of about 560kg of cocaine in Western Australia.
The AFP arrested the trio, aged 49, 32 and 29, as part of a major joint operation involving the Australian federal police, Australian Border Force, Western Australia police force, and Department of Home Affairs on 11 August 2023.
It is alleged the men were the Australian members of a transnational criminal syndicate that imported the illicit drugs into Western Australia by sea.
It will be alleged in court that the three men were responsible for purchasing a boat and collecting the cocaine after a bulk carrier vessel dropped it into the ocean off the coast of Western Australia.
The 560kg of cocaine was found wrapped in plastic at a property in Kalbarri, about 570km north-west of Perth.
The AFP say that the cocaine was worth an estimated $224 million from the legitimate economy.
The 32-year-old and 29-year-old men appeared in the Northbridge magistrates court on 11 August 2023.
The 49-year-old man appeared in Northbridge magistrates court on 12 August 2023.
All men were remanded in custody and will next appear in Perth magistrates court on 22 September 2023.
Updated
Victorian public transport introduces contactless payments
Victorians will be able to tap on and off public transport using bank cards, smartphones or wearable devices under a bank-backed overhaul to offer contactless payments, AAP reports.
The state’s Department of Transport and Planning has appointed the Commonwealth Bank as a merchant acquirer for the roll out of its next-generation ticketing system, the bank said in a statement on Friday.
“With the Victorian government’s announcement of planned improvements to the Myki system, Victorians, international and interstate visitors alike, will enjoy the simple, frictionless experience that contactless payments provide public transport users,” Commonwealth Bank executive Andrew Hinchliff said.
“We are excited to work with the Department of Transport and Planning to bring contactless payments to the state.”
The public transport ticketing improvements would be progressively rolled out, and Myki card users would still be able to use their cards and top them up, the bank said.
V/Line was also set to be included in the contactless ticketing scheme.
“Importantly, as improvements are progressively added, the system will help make travel across Victoria more seamless,” CBA said.
“Regional V/line commuters, concession holders, as well as international and interstate visitors will be able to choose contactless credit and debit card payment options, in line with their experience using transport networks in other global cities.”
The bank’s technology underpins all contactless payments on public transport in Australia and New Zealand.
Updated
Things are getting heated on the second day of the ALP National Conference, and you can follow along here:
Border force confirms it seized 52 vials of suspected hazardous substances in Sydney raid
Australian Border Force has released a statement confirming it seized 52 vials of suspected hazardous substances when it raided a suburban Sydney home on Thursday.
The ABF has said the vials have been transferred to the appropriate facilities, where they will be tested, and that a 23-year-old Australian man is assisting border force authorities with their ongoing investigation.
It comes after Fire and Rescue New South Wales, which was called to assist border authorities at the Kelsey Street property in Arncliffe, confirmed low level radioactive isotopes were found there.
The ABF said on Friday it had executed a search warrant at the property after its officers detected a “range of illicit substances being imported through air cargo in Sydney”.
At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that this incident poses “any kind of national security risk” and there is no ongoing risk to community safety, the ABF said.
In the statement, the ABF deputy commissioner of national operations, Tim Fitzgerald, said:
Our officers have done an incredible job under extremely testing circumstances to ensure that all of the vials we have located have now been safely transferred for testing and evaluation.
At the forefront of our minds at all times during this operation was the safety and wellbeing of community members and all officers involved.
No charges have been laid over the incident.
Updated
Advocates urge federal government to implement recommendations of Senate inquiry into school refusal
School Can’t Australia has urged the federal government to implement the recommendations of a Senate inquiry into the growing problem of school refusal.
The report, released last week, made 14 recommendations, including an expansion of subsidised student mental health visits and a fully funded parent peer support network.
Tiffany Westphal, coordinator of School Can’t Australia, said school attendance difficulties, also known as school can’t, had been falsely attributed to poor parenting and misbehaviour of students.
School can’t is a stress response, not a misbehaviour. We need to identify the stressors that are impacting students and reduce exposure to them.
Prioritising student wellbeing starts with prioritising teacher wellbeing. That means we need to resource and equip schools … and encourage collaboration with students and their families.
Westphal said the body’s research indicated students with a disability were vastly overrepresented in the population of students with poor attendance.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents to our survey of parents and carers indicated their school can’t child had a disability. Another 10% suspected a disability that had not yet been diagnosed.
Our students need schools that are inclusive and value diversity, rather than treating difference as a problem to be eliminated. And they need schools that are equipped and prepared to welcome them as they are, instead of demanding that they change to fit in.
Updated
Man shot in Melbourne
A 76-year-old man was shot and injured at a property on Canterbury Road in Melbourne last night.
The man was shot when he answered a knock to his front door about 7.50pm, with the male offender fleeing the scene. He was last seen headed towards Albert Park Lake.
Police are investigating the circumstances around the shooting, which left the man with a gunshot wound to his lower body.
He was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Two women inside the property at the time, a 72-year-old and a 39-year-old, were not injured during the incident.
Armed crime-squad detectives are investigating and police have urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
Updated
Fresh litter of meerkat pups in Dubbo zoo
With eyes alert and his furry arms spread protectively, meerkat male Chobe has taken on babysitting duties for his brand-new siblings which are only six months younger than him, AAP reports.
A litter of six baby meerkats has arrived at Taronga Western Plains zoo in Dubbo, mere months after their mother Midra gave birth to a litter of four pups earlier this year.
Keeper Rez Onay said on Friday the adorable animals can become pregnant just one week after giving birth.
“It’s not unusual for them to give birth again so soon,” she said.
The pups were born on 2 August, with Onay saying peak cuteness was expected at around four to five weeks of age.
“They’re doing really well, each and every day they’re putting on weight, so they each weigh about 70 grams. The family is doing an amazing job looking after them, and they’re getting more active each day.”
There are now 20 meerkats at the zoo, spread over several enclosures.
The animals are native to southern Africa and play a vital role in maintaining the ecological harmony of their desert homes by eating an insect-rich diet.
Updated
NSW Greens want parliamentary inquiry after Aboriginal teenager with disability thrown to ground during arrest
The New South Wales Greens are calling on cross-party support for a parliamentary inquiry into NSW police following the violent arrest of an 18-year-old Aboriginal man with a disability in Taree this week.
Police have announced an internal investigation into the arrest, as revealed by the Guardian, but the party’s justice spokesperson Sue Higginson says that’s not enough.
She said:
The footage of this incident is shocking.
A vulnerable person was experiencing a medical episode and the police responded with violence instead of calling an ambulance.
This is completely unacceptable and shows us once again that we do have a police problem in this state.
This is a problem too far-reaching and deeply embedded to be dealt with by NSW police internally.
She said there was a “substantive deficit in the NSW police’s ability to respond to vulnerable people” and called on the government to support her calls for an inquiry.
Police have been contacted for comment.
Further reporting:
Updated
Human rights advocate appeals to federal court over robodebt documents
The federal court has begun hearing a bid by technology and human rights advocate Justin Warren seeking key documents about the design and implementation of the illegal robodebt scheme.
Warren first lodged a freedom of information request for the documents in 2017, seeking early business plans and other documents produced by the Department of Human Services.
The department refused to provide the documents, prompting an appeal to the information commissioner, which ordered they be released. The then Morrison government appealed to the administrative appeals tribunal, which found in its favour, upholding the decision not to release the material, save for one document, citing exemptions to the FOI Act covering cabinet material.
Warren is now appealing to the full bench of the federal court, which began hearing the matter on Friday morning.
If released, Warren hopes the documents would shed light on how the scheme was designed and approved and what former prime minister Scott Morrison and other senior figures knew.
The court heard on Friday morning that the parties were unsure whether the material had already been disclosed through the robodebt royal commission.
Updated
‘The empathy was phenomenal,’ grieving father says of meeting with NSW premier
Adam Bray, who lost his 29-year-old son in the Hunter Valley crash, told the Today show he had recently met with NSW premier Chris Minns, the state’s transport minister and the head of NSW buses about his campaign to make seatbelts mandatory on buses.
He said the “commitment” to empathy was extraordinary, and reflected on his grief:
I have never shed so many tears with total strangers in my life but the empathy was phenomenal. The commitment was extraordinary,.
The realisation that your life is scarred and will be forever surrounded by trauma and grief is hard.
You think you’re going OK and then there are triggers which set you off.
Updated
Day two of the ALP national conference is under way, and you can keep track with Amy Remeikis at our live blog:
Updated
Class action planned over fatal Hunter bus crash
AAP is reporting that the father of one of the victims of the fatal Hunter Valley bus crash plans to lead a class action lawsuit over the horrific tragedy, as he fights for industry reform.
Ten people were killed when the bus they were travelling in rolled near Greta in the NSW Hunter on 11 June.
Another 25 people were injured in the incident, which took place late at night as guests were being driven home from a wedding reception.
Adam Bray, who lost his 29-year-old son Zac in the crash, told Nine’s Today show on Friday he had been spurred to take action to improve bus safety, in particular the issue of seatbelts.
Bray has been reading through federal law regarding the chain of responsibility for the incident and wants the director of public prosecutions to upgrade some charges to manslaughter.
He’s also flagged a class action lawsuit against the bus company, Linq Buslines, to address the broader issue of responsibility for the crash.
“The areas in there are actually some of the things we’ve been talking to [the NSW] government about, in terms of driver training, driver psychometrics – you don’t just pop anyone behind the steering wheel of a bus with 37, 57 lives, one life on board,” he said.
“It’s the bus company. And then, even broader than that, it’s the industry,” he said.
The bus driver, Brett Button, remains before the courts facing 62 charges.
Updated
Spain’s Queen Letizia to attend World Cup match against England in Sydney
Spain’s Queen Letizia will be at Accor Stadium in Sydney for the Women’s World Cup, according to the BBC, amid speculation which royal family will be in attendance.
England take on Spain for the World Cup on Sunday night, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation confirming Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia will be in attendance.
It comes as Prince William said he will be cheering on England from UK to avoid making long-distance flights for a short stay.
According to BBC reporting, the prince has “made tackling climate change one of his priorities” and is believed to be concerned at the impact of such a journey.
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Chevron workers begin vote over gas strike
Workers at Chevron’s liquified natural gas operations in Australia will begin voting today on whether they go on strike in a battle over wages and working conditions that has put energy markets on edge.
The dispute has sparked volatility in European gas prices in recent weeks due to concerns over a potential disruption to global LNG supplies from Australia, a large global exporter.
“It’s game on in pushing back against Chevron’s sub-standard employment standards,” the Offshore Alliance said on Friday.
The alliance consists of the Australian Workers’ Union and Maritime Union of Australia.
Chevron was contacted for comment.
The unions are seeking to lock in industry standard wage rates and conditions in a sector that typically uses individual contracts.
Unions are holding similar discussions with Woodside. The Chevron and Woodside projects combine to make up more than 10% of global gas supply, generated through offshore and onshore operations in Western Australia.
Labor Against War convener: PM ‘running scared’ from rank and file on Aukus
The Labor Against War national convener, Marcus Strom, says the prime minister is “running scared” from the rank and file members of Labor, who he says don’t want the Aukus deal.
Strom told Sky News he thought Anthony Albanese had been in a rush to sign up to Aukus and that it was to “avoid a wedge” at the election.
Many of us hoped it would be put in the pile of bad Scott Morrison ideas but it was embraced.
And it’s been doubled down on and this has been done without a proper conversation with the Australian people and today delegates won’t even get a chance to remove Aukus from the national platform.
I think the Labor party is a very mature party in government and it could have quite easily negotiated with the US, reviewed it. This is $368bn over the next 30-40 years. It’s a lost opportunity cost for a government that should be focused on the cost-of-living crisis, on housing. Not spending it on shoring up the US empire in east Asia.
Strom went on to say that if Aukus was about creating jobs, it was the “worst program in history”, claiming it would cost “$18.4m per job”.
Imagine the jobs we could be creating in housing, in health, in the transition to a green economy. It’s a lost opportunity for a Labor government and it could lead us to a war no Australian has an interest in.
We don’t need to go to war with our biggest trading partner. It would be an act of craziness. We have a motion ready to go from the floor to strike Aukus. They are running scared from the rank and file.
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NSW records 2,123 new Covid cases, 19 deaths
NSW has recorded 2,123 new Covid cases in the last week, with 19 people losing their lives.
According to the update, 633 people are in hospital with the virus while nine people are in ICU.
COVID-19 weekly update – Friday 18 August 2023
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 17, 2023
In the 7 days to 4pm Thursday 17 August:
- 2,123 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded: 1,216 rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 907 PCR tests
- 19 lives lost pic.twitter.com/M28vvPftBJ
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Marles: Labor ‘not afraid of a difficult debate’ on Aukus
The defence minister, Richard Marles, has declared Labor is “not afraid of a difficult debate” amid reports some unions will vote against a motion supporting Aukus at the party’s national conference.
Marles was on the Today show and stood by the deal, saying Australia needed this military capacity in an “uncertain world”.
We’re not afraid of a difficult debate – that’s what happens at Labor party conferences and we let the country see that.
We need to have this military capability in an uncertain world. If we want to be able to have submarines as a capability going forward, we simply have to take the step towards nuclear propulsion.
And my experience is that when you’re talking about debates – be it immigration, border protection, national security – what we do here is have considered debates and we make hard decisions and I’m sure that’s what the conference will do today.
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Law Society of NSW council backs Indigenous voice referendum
The council of the Law Society of NSW has announced it has resolved unanimously to support the voice referendum.
In a statement released this morning, the council said the voices that were paramount concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples themselves.
They urged Australians to “prioritise these voices” by voting yes at the referendum, adding that they believed the constitutional amendment proposed is a “modest one.”
In our view, the constitutional amendment proposed is a modest one, that appropriately leaves detailed questions of design on ‘composition, functions, powers and procedures’ up to parliament. This approach accommodates the need to allow for the voice as a body to evolve and improve over time, and to respond to the issues of the day.
We recognise the deeply compelling nature of the authentic, humble and practical request, contained in the Uluru statement from the heart, to be entitled to make representations on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Following consultation with our Indigenous issues committee, and the many solicitor members of our policy committees, the council of the Law Society of NSW supports the proposal to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice in the Australian constitution.
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Swann: Labor ‘coming back’ to the economic debate
Sticking with Swann for a moment, he told RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas that Labor was “coming back” to the economic debate, but won’t budge from its commitments at the last election.
Asked about super profits tax, Swann danced around the question, and when asked about banks, said they were already “paying a lot of corporate tax”.
We are coming back to the economic debate and there may be more debate in some of those areas, but the government took commitments to the last election and it will stay true to the election commitments it took to the people.
There will be more debate on the economy. I can’t preempt what comes out of that.
There’s a whole series of steps they’re taking in international taxation and some people would like to see them do more.
[The banks] haven’t been engaged in that profit shifting that we’ve seen from some of the international companies that it has eroded the revenue base and which the government is addressing.
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Wayne Swan welcomes Aukus debate at Labor conference
The former treasurer and current Labor president, Wayne Swann, has welcomed the potential debate on Aukus at today’s Labor national conference.
Swann told RN Breakfast he believed there was “broad support” for the government’s approach to Aukus:
I think it’s important we’re having the debate about our national defence and Aukus, and it’s appropriate that we do it at a national conference.
People absolutely understand that it’s about deterring aggression and avoiding conflict.
The Labor party has had a traditional opposition to nuclear weapons and that hasn’t changed.
We have hundreds of Labor party branches around the country and we have 400 delegates at this conference. It’s a festival of democracy and people will raise the issues that they have, they will move their amendments and we will deal with it democratically.
And that’s what we’ll do today. But I think there is broad support for the position of the government on defence generally but I’m not going to preempt the outcome of the conference today.
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Dutton: unions running Labor and ‘dictating policy’ in Australia
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has accused the Labor party of being run by the unions, saying they are “dictating policy” in Australia.
Dutton was on the Today Show and declared that he believed the unions had too much power, especially on national security policy:
Of course they do [have too much power]. They shouldn’t be dictating our policy on Israel. The Labor party sold out [on] Israel to try and get a deal with the hard-left unions of the Labor party.
I think people saw on display the militant CFMEU, hundreds of people within the CFMEU, hundreds of people within the CFMEU have been charged before the courts for assault.
They have associations with bikie gangs. They’re a big part of why we’ve got probably the most expensive building costs in the world, so every time you buy a unit or you build a hospital, it’s inflated because of the union influence under the CFMEU.
So I think Australians saw the influence of the unions on the Labor party and I’m pleased that we don’t have that influence on our party. We want the jobs but we don’t want the unions running the show.
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Australia in good position for men’s World Cup bid: Football Australia chief
The Football Australia chief executive, James Johnson, has indicated that the success of the Women’s World Cup has supercharged a potential bid for the men’s World Cup.
In an interview with the Herald Sun, Johnson said he had “no doubt” Australia will host a men’s World Cup, but held back on saying when exactly that would happen and with which partner nation:
I think we should feel very confident going into a future men’s World Cup bidding process because we’re in a position that the sport has never been in before.
What we will be able to say the day after the Women’s World Cup final is very clearly that this was the biggest and best ever Women’s World Cup.
I think having that in the bag does set us up very well for future bids.
I think we are in a very good position to bid for future competitions following this Women’s World Cup.
I have no doubt in my mind Australia will host the men’s World Cup – it’s a matter of when.
And while he did not clearly say Australia would put its hat in the ring for the 2034 tournament, it is the next most likely option, with the 2026 World Cup to be held in North America and the 2030 World Cup likely to be decided between a bid from South America and another from Spain, Portugal, Ukraine and Morocco.
That leaves an opening for an Asia Pacific destination for the tournament in 2034, with bids expected to open in 2026.
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Three people taken to hospital after radioactive isotopes found in Sydney
Three people have been taken to hospital for observation, after radioactive isotopes were found at a property in Sydney’s south, according to AAP.
The three residents of the property were taken to hospital for observation, while neighbouring residents were able to stay in their homes after Fire and Rescue NSW declared the scene safe.
The Australian Border Force were carrying out an operation at Arncliffe, near Sydney airport, on Thursday when the low-level radioactive isotopes were found.
Specialist crews established a 10-metre exclusion zone around the property as firefighters in protective clothing used special detectors to inspect the site.
The isotopes, stored in suitable and effective containers, were further sealed without incident.
Environment Protection Authority testing confirmed there was no evidence of radiation exposure.
Residents and border force staff were also tested for radiation but they all returned regular readings.
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Welcome
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you this morning, and we begin with the second day of Labor’s national conference, where the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is expected to lead the debate today on Palestinian statehood and nuclear submarines.
It comes after yesterday’s day one, where the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, gave a start date to the shared equity homebuyer scheme, as well as laying out plans for a “long-term Labor government”, saying he wants to see childcare made universal (like health), the gender pay gap addressed and the transition to renewables pretty much completed.
Elsewhere, analysis from the Grattan Institute shows that the government’s proposed housing policies could reduce rent by 4%. The institute calculated that the extra 200,000 homes added to the previous target of 1m extra homes over five years would lead to savings of $8bn for renters over the first five years.
And finally, researchers at the Australian War Memorial have identified 285 Indigenous servicemen who fought in the Vietnam war, as veterans will today mark the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the conflict.
We’ll bring you the latest from that ceremony and everything else happening around the country.
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