And that’s where we’ll leave you this Friday. Here’s a snippet of what we learned today:
• The watchdog overseeing the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption will conduct a formal investigation of the delay in making findings against Gladys Berejiklian and her former partner, Daryl Maguire.
• Opposition leader Peter Dutton defended Berejiklian as “not a corrupt person” after Icac found yesterday that she engaged in corrupt conduct.
• A coronial inquest has identified that institutional racism and a lack of cultural competency from health services were behind the deaths of three Aboriginal women in the remote Indigenous community of Doomadgee in north-west Queensland.
• Thousands of people reported feeling an early morning earthquake that struck Rawson, a small town about 150km east of Melbourne.
• The NSW independent commission against corruption has warned state and federal government reliance on consultancy firms can expose taxpayers to serious conflicts of interest.
• Southern states are facing a winter gas supply shortage and will rely on excess supply from Queensland.
• Wild winds in Sydney caused flight delays across Australia on Friday, with nearly 100 flights at Sydney airport cancelled just before school holidays, but the disruption follows bickering between airlines and the government provider of air traffic control over staffing levels.
• Meanwhile a Qantas flight from Sydney was turned back after smoke was reportedly smelt in the cockpit.
• The Victorian government is set to hold the nation’s first pet census to get a picture of how many people own pets and what support and services they require.
• Authorities have issued a safety plea for e-scooter users after a rider died from head injuries in inner Brisbane.
• And fans flocked to try to secure tickets to Taylor Swift’s shows in Melbourne and Sydney following unprecedented demand.
Thanks so much for your company today. See you tomorrow.
Bentley Homes goes into liquidation
Another Victorian home builder has slid into liquidation, leaving clients and creditors in the lurch, AAP reports.
Timothy Holden of insolvency firm Crouch Amirbeaggi was on Friday appointed as the liquidator for Melbourne-based Bentley Homes.
The company, in an automatic bounce-back email to customers, cited economic pressures as the reason for its demise:
Unfortunately, this leaves us in a position where we are unable to carry out any further works.
Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your new home journey.
We want to sincerely apologise for this unfortunate situation for everyone involved, we can assure you all avenues were explored to sustain the business which has been operating since 2006.
Holden told AAP on Friday he was in the early stages of gathering information about the company, and would be in a position to report to creditors and homeowners early next week.
The home builder is among several to have slid into liquidation in recent times.
Builder Porter Davis fell over in late March with about $147m debt, leaving 1700 homes in limbo in Victoria and Queensland.
Updated
Measles case discovered in Victoria
The Victorian department of health has alerted about a case of measles being recorded in a returned overseas traveller.
In a statement, a health spokesperson said the case was infectious at a number of public premises between 23 and 25 June 2023:
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that spreads easily among those who are not fully vaccinated. Young children and adults with weakened immune systems are the most at risk of serious illness.
There are multiple public exposure sites that have been identified, with those who attended these sites urged to seek medical care if they develop symptoms, and to wear a mask and call ahead to ensure they can be isolated from others.
The public premises include locations in Flemington, Rowville and Wantirna. You can see the full list here.
Measles usually begins with fever, runny nose, cough and conjunctivitis, followed by a rash. The rash usually begins 3-4 days after the first symptoms, generally starting on the face and then spreading to the rest of the body.
Updated
Labor’s proposed market to protect biodiversity lacks demand, critics say
A “nature repair market” proposed by Labor will not succeed unless backed by substantial initial public funding and a ban on environmental offsets, government scientific advisers have warned.
The Senate environment legislation committee heard a range of critical evidence about the bill on Friday, prompting the government to concede it will indefinitely postpone its passage in parliament.
The bill creates a market that encourages private spending on projects that protect and restore biodiversity. Businesses would receive tradeable certificates in return for their investment.
Critics have argued there is not enough private sector demand for the scheme to work, and that allowing the certificates to be used to offset habitat destruction in other places would just add to environmental decline.
Scientists from the government’s threatened species scientific committee told a committee hearing on Friday allowing certificates to be used to offset other environmental damage would undermine the scheme.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Border Force confirms death of man at Villawood
The Australian Border Force has confirmed the death of a male refugee at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre that we reported earlier.
In a statement out just now, the ABF said:
The Australian Border Force (ABF) can confirm a male detainee has passed away at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.
We express our condolences to the man’s family and friends.
The priority for the ABF is the health and safety of detainees and staff in all circumstances.
The matter has been referred for investigation to the appropriate agencies, including the NSW coroner.
As this matter is subject to ongoing investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Updated
Man dies of drug overdose in Villawood, according to reports
An African man has died in Sydney’s Villawood detention centre, refugee advocates say.
The man, believed to be in his late 20s, was found dead in his room at the immigration detention centre at around 9am on Friday.
Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition said it’s believed the man died from a drug overdose, with illicit substances rife at the facility:
There needs to be a full inquiry not just into the immediate cause of death, but an inquiry that deals with the supply of drugs in Villawood and circumstances of this man’s detention.
Guardian Australia has been unable to independently verify these claims and the Australian Border Force had not confirmed the death as of Friday afternoon.
Rintoul said the man had been on a humanitarian refugee visa before it was cancelled under section 501 of the Migration Act.
The act allows the immigration minister to refuse or cancel visas on character grounds if someone has “a substantial criminal record” or has been sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 12 months or longer.
It comes after a New Zealand woman was found dead at Villawood detention centre last May. Guardian Australia has spoken numerous detainees at the centre who said bashings, drug use and physical threats in the centre had become routine.
The Australian Border Force has been contacted for comment.
Updated
Federal surplus to blast past previous forecasts
The federal budget is on track to smash its earlier surplus forecasts as the government rakes in much more revenue.
The underlying cash balance for the 12 months to May was $19bn, well above the $4.2bn surplus flagged for the 2022/23 financial year in the last federal budget.
Official Department of Finance monthly figures released on Friday showed surging company and personal taxes, driven higher by strong commodity prices and the robust labour market.
Rich Insight economist Chris Richardson said the figures were a reminder of how “how lucky the Lucky Country has been”:
Conditions have thrown money at the taxman. Partly that’s as war [in Ukraine] drove up commodity prices, and partly it’s as inflation took money from the punters and placed it into the pockets of the government and of business.
He said the May numbers did not shift the overall budget story of a short-term sugar hit followed by longer-term structural problems, but did suggest official forecasters had dramatically underestimated the temporary boom.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers raised the possibility of a much bigger surplus than the slender $4.2bn forecast in the May budget seven weeks ago. Provided it eventuates, the surplus will be the first in 15 years.
(AAP)
Updated
Gardener uncovers explosive materials in Tasmanian town
Old explosive materials have been reportedly uncovered in the Tasmanian town of Wynyard this afternoon, Tasmanian police say.
In a statement just now, police said they are responding after a member of the public uncovered the materials while gardening on their property in Goldie Street at about 3.45pm.
The statement says:
Police are in the process of safely disposing of the materials.
There is no threat to the broader community however a small perimeter has been established as a precaution and members of the public are advised to avoid the area until the scene is clear.
Police would like to thank the community for their understanding and patience.
Updated
Struggling to catch up on all the news on this very busy Friday? My colleague Antoun Issa has all the headlines and highlights for you, here:
Safety plea after e-scooter rider dies in accident
Authorities have issued a safety plea for e-scooter users after a rider died from head injuries in inner Brisbane, AAP reports.
The man in his 60s went over the handlebars and hit his head after clipping a gutter in Fortitude Valley early on Friday morning.
Companions provided first aid before paramedics arrived but the man died at the scene.
He appeared to have been travelling “at speed”, Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic James Wylie said.
QAS Assistant Commissioner Claire Bertenshaw said she was unsure whether the man was wearing a helmet but the incident was a reminder to ride safely:
When someone’s riding an e-scooter we need to have that helmet on.
We can’t have it on the handlebars, it can’t be hanging around someone’s waist, it needs to be on their head and done up.
We also need to be aware of speed - people need to take some responsibility in going slowly with a helmet on and also be worried about pedestrians.
At least one rider a day is taken to hospital after an e-scooter accident, according to a Queensland Health report released in 2021.
It found at least 25% of injuries involved alcohol and 10% were due to riders not wearing a helmet.
Males make up the majority of injured riders, at 71% with an average age of 33, while 39% of accidents occurred between 9pm and 5am.
A Queensland Police unit is investigating and has asked anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the incident to come forward.
Updated
Increased road tolls add to cost-of-living pressures
Motorists will have to choose between taking a longer route or paying more as road tolls take another hike during the cost-of-living crisis, AAP reports.
Road tolls around Australia under operator Transurban will rise by almost 4% from July.
Drivers using Sydney’s Westconnex can expect to pay up to $9.35 while the Westlink M7 will rise to a cap of $9.38 for each trip.
Melbourne motorists driving across the city from Essendon to the south-east could pay up to $11.16 each trip.
Drivers in Brisbane using the Clem7 will pay up to $6.12 while commercial trucks using the same road will face a fee of $18.36 during peak hours.
A spokesperson from the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) denounced the rise, calling the move “unjustifiable”:
Just to use Transurban’s motorways, heavy vehicle drivers are looking at a potential $280.60 a week, and that’s only if they’re just using the [Sydney’s Hills] M2.
Increased tolls will directly translate into higher expenses, ultimately impacting the prices of goods, and putting pressure on transport workers to meet unrealistic deadlines.
The added financial strain of inflated toll costs will be acutely felt by already stretched household budgets.
Administration fees have also increased, with Transurban charging $10.18 per toll notice.
Tolls on NSW roads alone have increased by up to 6.74% in the last 12 months, and are set to continue to be adjusted on a quarterly basis.
Transurban recorded a $55 million half-year profit in February this year.
Updated
New laws coming into effect tomorrow
A raft of legal changes are expected to come into effect in Australia from 1 July, including changes to minimum wages, international student work hours and the government’s promised energy bill relief.
So what exactly are the changes and how will they work? My colleague Mostafa Rachwani has all the answers for you:
Updated
Union blames air traffic controller shortage and airlines for delays
Wild winds in Sydney have been the story of flight delays across Australia on Friday, but the disruption follows bickering between airlines and Airservices Australia – the government provider of air traffic control – over staffing levels.
For months, there has been a shortage of air traffic controllers. While most in aviation, including Airservices Australia, acknowledge the shortage and its link to a retirement program in 2021, the organisation contests the extent to which the shortage is causing flight delays and cancellations, as airlines claim.
Airlines point to an increase in ground delay programs (GDP) – when air traffic controllers request to limit movements to avoid planes holding mid-air – as evidence controller shortages are to blame for a recent industry-wide deterioration in on-time performances.
However Airservices Australia – which is in the middle of a recruitment drive but is still far from returning staff numbers to previous levels – has noted an increase in inclement weather as the cause behind more GDPs. Another issue Airservices must face is staff’s entitlement to unlimited sick leave. The organisation has also flagged unplanned leave as another problem. While Airservices acknowledges staff shortages, it insists these rarely lead to actual flight cancellations.
On Friday, Civil Air, the union representing air traffic controllers, released a statement, drawing attention to “the constant reliance on overtime leading to increased levels of fatigue and work/life balance issues for our members”, noting it is a regulatory requirement not to work unless medically fit for duty.
Civil Air takes a jab at both Airservices and airlines for their arguments, noting both are guilty of cutting staff that have led to service deteriorations.
The union said:
In some recent media reports Airservices have blamed airline service interruptions on ‘unplanned leave’, rather than their own lack of workforce planning and resource allocation and in many cases in Sydney shocking weather conditions. (Meanwhile) the airlines have failed to admit that their own staff reductions have led to outages and industrial action that affect their services.
Updated
In his address to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne today, Anthony Albanese said he kept a copy of the Uluru Statement from the Heart on the wall of his office in Parliament House:
There isn’t a day that I don’t look up at it.
Sometimes I focus on a couple of lines, but often I read it right through. If you haven’t, I recommend you do. Like the Gettysburg Address, it only requires a few minutes. It literally fits on one A4 page.
In return, it will give you something that lasts a lifetime. That’s a pretty favourable exchange rate.
Albanese cited the phrase “the torment of our powerlessness”. He said this was “neither a surrender nor a resignation, but a declaration of truth and unbowed dignity”.
Albanese also pointed to the concluding line “We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future”. He said this was “an invitation, not just to myself as prime minister, but to everyone in this room, to walk with Indigenous Australians to a better future”.
Updated
More on the prime minister’s speech to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce this afternoon, where he’s been making comments about the voice to parliament.
Albanese acknowledged that some people were resistant to change:
But to those clinging to the old saying ‘If ain’t broke don’t fix it’, I say this: It is broken. Profoundly broken.
And I declare on recognition – if not now, when?
The status quo is a chasm between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.
Just consider the facts: Indigenous people have an eight-year gap in life expectancy, a suicide rate twice as high, and rates of disease and infant mortality and family violence so much worse than those of the general community.
Something that shakes me is that young men are more likely to go to jail than to go to university. In 2023.
Albanese once again pointed out that the voice would not have a veto on government decisions, as he took aim at “fear campaigns” about the reach of the proposed consultative body:
So if I assure you that if the voice was there when the Reserve Bank meets next week about interest rates they would not get on the phone to the voice. They don’t get on the phone with the prime minister.
Some of these fear campaigns are frankly diminishing of the people who make them.
But what it will do is add something to how we see ourselves as a nation, but also how the rest of the world sees us. The value of that will be beyond measure.
Updated
PM praises support of Jewish groups for voice referendum
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has described the upcoming referendum on the Indigenous voice to parliament as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a positive change that will outlast us”.
In an address to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne this afternoon, Albanese said:
One great source of encouragement has been the broad spectrum of multicultural groups and faith groups that will say yes to constitutional recognition this year.
Leaders of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist faiths, and others, are all advocating a yes vote in the referendum – groups that through the sheer weight of collective experience instinctively understand discrimination to be the anathema that it is; groups that just as instinctively understand that as important as tolerance is, it is a very low bar.
Together, we can aim so much higher than tolerance. Rather than merely tolerating each other, we should be lifting each other up, celebrating each other, taking pride in the diversity that makes this great country the best country on earth.
And when it comes to the First Peoples of this land, what an immense source of pride for us that we share a continent with the world’s oldest continuous culture.
So it came as no surprise when so many Jewish groups threw their weight so emphatically behind the yes vote.
Updated
Southern states face gas supply shortages, warns ACCC
Southern states are facing a winter gas supply shortage and will rely on excess supply from Queensland, AAP reports.
Considerable storage and transport capacity is needed to shift the gas south, according to an interim gas report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Commissioner Anna Brakey said:
It is imperative that gas flows from Queensland to the southern states, and that there is enough storage for it.
Demand is expected to be high in the third quarters of 2023 and 2024, however the report notes it depends on how much gas producers commit to the Australian market.
The commission described the overall outlook for both winters as “finely balanced”.
It’s likely pressure on supply will ease off next year, however that depends on several factors, including unexpected disasters like floods.
Brakey said:
Weather and electricity market conditions have a strong influence on the amount of gas-fired generation we need in the energy mix, so the demand outlook remains somewhat uncertain.
The commission says the industry is mostly complying with the emergency gas price cap that was introduced at the end of 2022 in response to rising prices.
For some background on this from colleague Peter Hannam:
Updated
Deaths a ‘tragic reminder’ of inequalities, says Queensland’s First Nations health officer
Queensland’s chief First Nations health officer (CFNHO) says the deaths of three Indigenous women from rheumatic heart disease are a “tragic reminder” of the inequalities First Nations people face.
Coroner Nerida Wilson handed down the findings on Friday following an inquest into the deaths of three Doomadgee women – Adele Sandy, Yvette Booth and Shakaya George – from rheumatic heart disease complications in 2019 and 2020.
Wilson found a public hospital service and community healthcare provider failed in their care of the women, who died from a preventable condition.
The CFNHO Haylene Grogan acknowledged the findings with “deep sadness”:
Queensland Health commits to strengthening our relationship with First Nations communities and leaders through mutual respect, recognition, and cooperation so that communities have the power to be leaders in how care is delivered to their mob.
The state’s health minister, Shannon Fentiman, said the government would accept all of the recommendations of the inquest which apply across all First Nations communities in the state.
The 19 recommendations include installing a cultural leader or restorative expert to rebuild the relationship between the Doomadgee community and healthcare providers.
Updated
That is all from me today! I’ll see you back on the blog next week.
Time to pass the baton to Steph Convery, who will take you through the afternoon.
Not even an hour into Melbourne’s final Taylor Swift ticket sales and availability is already very limited.
(Friday and Saturday tickets are still up for grabs, but your chances are looking better for the Sunday show.)
MELBOURNE UPDATE 💜 There is now very limited availability across all categories Friday and Saturday! Higher availability on Sunday → https://t.co/CYuw8kCqIG
— Frontier Touring (@frontiertouring) June 30, 2023
Sydney, jump in for your Monday VIP and Hotel + Ticket Packages → https://t.co/MVhOlDgtWe@Ticketek_AU https://t.co/HLLiEeH02T
Nationals leader has a bet each way on gambling advertising ban
Nationals leader, David Littleproud, has commented on the proposed total ban on online gambling ads after two of his MPs (Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt) suggested a total ban may be a step too far.
Littleproud told Guardian Australia:
The Coalition has announced it would introduce a ban on gambling advertisements an hour each side of and during sports broadcasts, which is something The Nationals supported.
The Nationals are eager to participate in further consultation with industry and stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved for all concerned.
Updated
Watchdog to probe delays over Icac report on Berejiklian
The watchdog overseeing the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption will conduct a formal investigation of the delay in making findings against Gladys Berejiklian and her former partner, Daryl Maguire.
The inspector of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, which fields complaints about the watchdog and oversees its conduct, is preparing to investigate the widely criticised delays.
A spokesperson told the Guardian:
The inspector is currently determining the scope of an investigation around the delay in the furnishing of the Operation Keppel report to parliament.
The inspector intends to make a special report to parliament at the conclusion of her investigation, which she will recommend be made public.
The NSW Liberal party, meanwhile, has confirmed it is giving no consideration to stripping Berejiklian of her membership, despite the corruption findings.
Updated
Labor senator for Tasmania Carol Brown announces $500,000 funding towards monitoring the health of the Derwent River and protecting species like the spotted hand fish.
Wonderful to be out along the Derwent announcing $500,000 for the Derwent Estuary Program with @tanya_plibersek , @JulieCollinsMP and Brian Mitchell MP. pic.twitter.com/KlROWJvrer
— Carol Brown (@SenCarolBrown) June 30, 2023
Updated
Climate activists released
Climate protesters who caused traffic chaos in Brisbane last week have been granted bail and are expected to be released from a correctional centre today.
Twenty-one activists connected to Blockade Australia were arrested last week for shutting down major ports in Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle.
Two activists from the group, Andy and Max, were granted bail at Brisbane’s supreme court on Friday after being remanded over their involvement in a protest at the Port of Brisbane.
Jemika from Blockade Australia said the outcome was a relief but “not an indicator of change” as Australian state governments have ramped up their anti-protest laws in recent years.
She said Vickers, an activist who blockaded Port of Newcastle in NSW last Friday, is still on remand.
Australia’s laws were written to protect the right to exploit and extract. Addressing the climate crisis requires addressing the institutional barriers to change. That includes the law, the court systems, the prisons, and the police.
Updated
The final round of Melbourne tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour are officially up for grabs!
For my Sydney friends, only Monday tickets are left.
Melbourne, you're up! @taylorswift13 | The Eras Tour tickets are NOW AVAILABLE! Hop to it →🎫 https://t.co/CYuw8kCqIG
— Frontier Touring (@frontiertouring) June 30, 2023
SYDNEY! You've got VIP and Hotel + Ticket Packages left for MONDAY ONLY →🎫 https://t.co/MVhOlDgtWe https://t.co/LrGxzoTuBm
May you be Fearless in the tail end of this ticket warfare. Good luck.
Institutional racism and lack of cultural competency behind deaths of three Aboriginal women
A coronial inquest has identified that institutional racism and a lack of cultural competency from health services were behind the deaths of three Aboriginal women in the remote Indigenous community of Doomadgee in north-west Queensland.
The coroner, Nerida Wilson, identified that the deaths of Doomadgee residents, Adele Sandy, 18, in 2019, Yvette Booth, 17, in 2020 and Shakaya George, 27, in 2020 were caused by complications due to rheumatic heart disease and, with proper and adequate care, could have been avoided.
In her 137-page report, Wilson identified a lack of collaboration between health services in Doomadgee, a failure to provide adequate care and a lack of “cultural competency” had led to a, “complete and fundamental breakdown of trust” between the community and the health providers servicing them.
She concluded that health services need “resetting” and that the inquest “... brought out the very worst and best in all involved. Without exception, all involved, individuals and organisations, have acknowledged the circumstances of the deaths and identified the gaps... All say they want to do better.”
Providers have a clear role resetting health services and health care delivery while ceasing to be complicit in the injustices and inequities in healthcare systems.
Updated
Demountable shed removed from blocked Russian embassy site
There was a flurry of excitement on Monday when a Russian diplomat walked out of the demountable shed where he had been squatting on the site of the proposed new embassy complex in Canberra. That was an hour after a high court judge rejected Russia’s attempt to hold onto the land near Parliament House pending a challenge against the Australian government’s laws tearing up its lease (on national security grounds).
Well, our photographer Mike Bowers swung by the site today and reports that the demountable building has now been removed from the site. It is the most obvious item removed after several days in which Russian officials were removing goods.
Guardian Australia understands this is all done with permission, and that Russia and Australia reached an agreement that enabled Russian officials to access the site to remove their belongings. This access is supervised by the Australian federal police.
Meanwhile a Russian diplomatic vehicle remains parked on the footpath outside the perimeter to monitor the site, too.
Qantas flight turned back after 'unusual smell' in cockpit
A Qantas flight from Sydney has turned back after smoke was reportedly smelt in the cockpit.
A spokesperson has told Guardian Australia:
One of our Sydney to Canberra flights returned to Sydney yesterday morning after crew reported an unusual smell. It’s standard practice for fire services to attend a priority landing (PAN). No passengers were impacted by the smell and were reaccommodated on flights yesterday morning. Our engineers are checking the aircraft.
A @Qantas flight from Sydney to Canberra was forced to turn back after smoke was reportedly smelt in the cockpit. The aircraft was given a priority landing and met by fire crews. Qantas has confirmed the crew reported an 'unusual smell'. https://t.co/S4bfrAKb62 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/dwYqne5bPg
— 7NEWS Canberra (@7NewsCanberra) June 30, 2023
Updated
NSW records 97 more Covid deaths in past week and Victoria records 58
This week’s Covid death stats are out for NSW and Victoria.
COVID-19 weekly update – Friday 30 June 2023
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 29, 2023
In the 7 days to 4pm Thursday 29 June:
- 3,356 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded: 1,430 rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 1,926 PCR tests
- 97 lives lost pic.twitter.com/Uyr1O9FuvM
This week we reported 2,560 new cases with a daily average hospital occupancy of 207 and 10 patients in ICU. 58 deaths were reported in the past 7 days.
— Victorian Department of Health (@VicGovDH) June 30, 2023
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/Afb8X1eQwh
NSW saw 97 deaths in the last week, and Victoria saw 58.
Updated
Brett Sutton reveals personal Covid toll
Outgoing Victorian chief of health Brett Sutton says he has some regrets as he is named 2023 Victorian of the Year, AAP reports.
For six months, Sutton worked 16-hour days and said he dealt with death threats and a “barrage of lies” on social media. The demands of advising Victoria through the pandemic took their toll:
On the one hand, it’s helped me to grow personally and professionally, on the other hand it nearly crushed me and it certainly weighed upon my family life.
He said new understanding of how Covid is spread showed some things could have been done differently, such as more outdoor freedoms.
Sutton resigned from the top public health official role last month. He is now director of health and biosecurity at CSIRO.
Updated
Police rappelling into thick bushland in search for missing Belgian tourist
Tasmania police have confirmed the search for missing Belgian tourist, Celine Cremer, is continuing in Waratah today.
The crews are now focusing their efforts around the Philosopher Falls waterfall.
Photograph: TASMANIA POLICE/AFP/Getty Images
Inspector Anthea Maingay said police search and rescue personnel are rappelling from the viewing platform to search in the surrounding bushland and thick vegetation.
We’re continuing our efforts to locate Celine, but as we explained yesterday we have received expert medical advice that indicates the recent weather conditions were not survivable for the length of time that Celine is thought to have been exposed in the wilderness.
The police have found no further signs of Celine since her car was found in the Philosopher Falls car park on Tuesday. They believe she was only equipped for a light day walk.
Our thoughts remain with Celine’s family, and we are continuing our efforts to locate her in an attempt for them to have some answers at this tragic time.
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public.
Updated
Taylor Swift update
Another update emerges from The Great War of final Taylor Swift ticket sales: all Sydney shows except Monday are exhausted.
SYDNEY UPDATE 💜 Friday, Saturday, Sunday shows allocation exhausted! MONDAY: VIP and Hotel + Ticket Packages remainhttps://t.co/MVhOlDgtWe@Ticketek_AU https://t.co/JBWwJFopTn
— Frontier Touring (@frontiertouring) June 30, 2023
Updated
Brett Sutton named Victorian of the year
Professor Brett Sutton, outgoing Victorian chief health officer, has been named 2023 Victorian of the Year, AAP reports.
He accepted the honour at a Victoria Day celebration at Melbourne’s town hall today, in honour of his role in advising Victoria’s pandemic response.
Victorian minister Gayle Tierney says:
He was an absolute stalwart right through the Covid lockdowns
He put in so much time, effort and energy in making sure that we had the right settings, and I absolutely applaud his work.
Every Victorian owes Brett Sutton an enormous amount given how he gave, essentially, his life to the cause over Victoria’s most difficult period of time.
Sutton resigned from the top public health official role last month. He is now director of health and biosecurity at CSIRO. He says the pressure of overseeing Victoria’s pandemic response nearly crushed him.
Updated
Calls for free child care
Greens spokesperson for education Senator Mehreen Faruqi has signed an open letter to ministers Anne Aly and Jason Clare calling for universal, free childcare ahead of a subsidy coming into effect from tomorrow.
The federal government’s $5.4bn scheme, which will raise the maximum subsidy rate alongside a more generous income test, has been critiqued amid reports of centres hiking up fees in excess of wage, rent and inflation costs.
Faruqi wrote “reports of providers hiking their fees in advance of childcare subsidy changes prove beyond doubt that tinkering around the edges doesn’t work”.
I’ve been questioning the government for months about the prospect of providers raising their fees and mitigating the impact of their childcare subsidy reforms but the government has been sitting on its hands.
Delivering free early childhood education and care would have a transformative effect on how we educate and care for children, enable more choices for women and make a significant difference to the many families struggling to make ends meet during this cost of living crisis.”
Clare has been open to the prospect of Medicare-style universal childcare, pointing to a productivity commission inquiry underway looking into how affordability and access could be improved in the long term.
Updated
Taylor tickets selling out
For all those trying their luck on the final day of Taylor Swift ticket sales in Sydney, Friday and Saturday shows are full! Tickets remain for Sunday and Monday.
SYDNEY UPDATE 💜 Friday and Saturday shows are now allocation exhausted! SUNDAY AND MONDAY: VIP and Hotel + Ticket Packages remainhttps://t.co/MVhOlDgtWe@Ticketek_AU https://t.co/AhBmHnNDgS
— Frontier Touring (@frontiertouring) June 30, 2023
Good luck!
Updated
Queensland has opened its first museum to honour survivors and those who died in the Holocaust
The museum, located in Brisbane’s cathedral precinct, will share stories to educate the next generation about the tragedies that occurred.
Museum chair Jason Steinberg said we all shoulder a huge responsibility to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust which “saw the murder of six million Jews and five million other people simply because they were different.”
“There were around 27,000 Holocaust survivors who migrated to Australia and Queensland became home to more than 200 survivors,” he said.
At our museum, visitors will hear first-hand filmed testimonies from Queensland survivors who tell their stories about life before, during and after the Holocaust.
An online museum will be unveiled shortly, with the federal and state governments each providing $3.5m to establish the education centre, and the Brisbane city council pledging an additional $500,000.
Updated
Gender pay gap sees male lawyers earning far more than female counterparts
Male lawyers hit a six-figure salary before they turn 25 far more often than female lawyers, AAP reports. That pay gap persists through the generations.
The gender pay gap exists in the legal field regardless of a solicitor’s age, years of admission or sector of employment, a survey of more than 12,000 lawyers in NSW shows.
Under 25, one in nine men reported an income above $100,000. Only one in 25 women reported the same.
One in three men hit a $250,000 income in their 40s, compared to one in four women.
The report notes that experience is not a determining factor, with men reported earning more than women admitted in the same year in all sectors.
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Confusion over plastic recycling rules
Clean Up Australia’s CEO Jenny Geddes told a parliamentary inquiry into plastic pollution in waterways the rules around plastics recycling in Australia need to be clearer to ensure people do it correctly, AAP reports.
There’s a sentiment that we want to participate in recycling and we believe in it, but we certainly get it wrong quite often.
Australia goes through 70 billion pieces of soft plastic every year, almost 3000 pieces per person, Geddes said.
It’s very confusing from council to council, from town to town, city to city. One area can have a completely different recycling scheme.
And it doesn’t help consumers to actually want to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Geddes calls for governments to implement nationally consistent guidelines on plastic recycling to combat this confusion.
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The handbag that is so small you can hardly see it
Turning to overseas news for a moment, because you have to see this tiny little handbag.
At less than 0.03 inches wide, the “Microscopic Handbag” by New York-based art collective MSCHF is so small that the human eye can hardly see it atop a fingertip.
It sold for more than $60,000 at an auction this week.
Read the full story here:
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Corruption body warns consultants pose risk to government
The NSW independent commission against corruption has warned state and federal government reliance on consultancy firms can expose taxpayers to serious conflicts of interest.
Giselle Tocher, a director of the commission’s corruption prevention division, has outlined the risks during a NSW parliamentary inquiry:
Consultants can experience conflicts of interest between their obligations to government clients and their firm’s commercial interests, for example, by using confidential information to obtain new clients.
Another example would be a consultancy sharing intelligence with clients about a regulator’s attitude towards prosecutions that is not publicly known.
Consultants can also have personal interests that a reasonable person might perceive could be favoured over their obligations to a government client.
Tocher has also called on the state government to ensure that conflicts of interest are appropriately penalised:
There should be escalating penalties for consultancies that engage in unethical conduct while engaged by the New South Wales government.
This could include the termination of a contract, removal from a supplier panel, or from government work for a period for serious offences.
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Holocaust Museum opens
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces the opening of Queensland’s first Holocaust Museum and Education Centre.
Anti-semitism is evil. Pure and simple.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 30, 2023
It’s not just a horror of the past – it’s still among us today.
That’s why we're opening Queensland’s first Holocaust Museum and Education Centre. pic.twitter.com/2GhfCY4eQd
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Freezing Tasmanian conditions “not survivable”, experts say
The search for missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer continued in Waratah yesterday.
Expert medical advice indicates that recent freezing whether conditions “are not survivable for the length of time that Celine is thought to have been exposed in the wilderness,” inspector Anthea Maingay said.
Tasmania police say no further signs of the 31-year-old were uncovered since her car was found in the Philosopher Falls car park on Tuesday. Their information indicates she was only equipped for a light day walk.
The search has included ground search crews, police drones and helicopters.
Maingay said police had growing concerns amid the continuing weather conditions.
The search effort is continuing but we are dealing with extremely dense bushland and the challenging weather conditions are expected to worsen over the coming days.
Weather conditions have been challenging over the past few days, with freezing temperatures, snow and rain occurring.
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public while police conduct searches in the area, assisted by Tasmania SES.
Guardian Australia have asked Tasmania Police about the status of the search today.
More to come.
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Brisbane e-scooter death
A man has died after falling from an e-scooter in Brisbane, AAP reports.
The man hit his head after his scooter clipped a gutter. He died at the scene.
Paramedics found him this morning at the corner of Alfred Street and Barry Parade in Fortitude Valley.
A Queensland Health report released in 2021 found at least one rider a day is taken to hospital after an e-scooter accident. The report found that 25% of injuries involved alcohol, 10% were due to riders not wearing a helmet, and 39% of accidents occurred between 9pm and 5am.
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What to expect as new financial year kicks off
Here are the changes we will see come in tomorrow, with the new financial year:
Power bills will go up, with benchmark prices to rise between 20-25%
The minimum wage will go up, with award rates of pay increased by 5.75%
Child care will be cheaper for most
The pension age increases slightly, to 67 years
The Federal Government’s eligibility criteria for the home guarantee scheme will expand – “any two eligible individuals” will be able to apply
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Report questions controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility
A long-awaited report into Queensland’s $223m Wellcamp quarantine facility has questioned whether its construction was necessary as Australia moved towards relaxing Covid restrictions.
After opening in February 2022, the 1000-bed facility near Toowoomba hosted 730 people during the pandemic, amounting to a cost to taxpayers of more than $300,000 each patient.
In a report published on Friday, the state’s auditor general said other information should have been fully considered when the contract was entered into in September 2021.
This included Queensland’s progress towards vaccination targets, agreed relaxation of quarantine requirements under the national plan and “effective” alternatives such as hotel quarantine, the report said.
“Less than two months after entering into the contract, the report on the second national review of quarantine arrangements in November 2021 recommended that states and territories commence stepping down quarantine requirements,” the report noted.
Until last July, the government had declined to outline the full cost of Wellcamp, citing commercial in-confidence arrangements.
The report found that despite the confidentiality provisions in the agreements, the government should have considered disclosing Wellcamp’s total value once the agreements were signed.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to front the media shortly to answer questions about the report.
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WHO warning on sweetener
An artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke will be declared a possible cancer risk to humans, according to reports.
The World Health Organization’s cancer research arm is preparing to label the aspartame sweetener as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, Reuters reported.
You can take Diet Coke out of my cold dead hands https://t.co/MndBZubu0t
— Patrick Keneally @patrickkeneally.bsky.social (@patrickkeneally) June 29, 2023
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Uber Eats goes regional
Australians living regionally will be able to order from Uber Eats for the first time, after the company revealed plans to expand food delivery to more remote parts of Australia, AAP reports.
Seven regional towns were added to the service this week in addition to six added earlier this month.
The towns include Gladstone in Queensland, Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Burnie in Tasmania, Warragul in Victoria, and Bowral, Lismore, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour in NSW.
Uber Eats marketplace director Ed Kitchen says the towns were chosen for having a large population within a 30-minute delivery range of restaurants.
We’ve seen cities where there is an under-served population and a growing restaurant base that are looking for the ability to drive e-commerce.
We don’t think that metropolitan Australia should have a monopoly on convenience.
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Victoria’s pet census
The Victorian government is set to hold the nation’s first pet census to get a picture of how many people own pets and what support and services they require.
Agriculture minister Gayle Tierney on Friday announced the state’s pet census will open at 10am on Monday and encouraged Victorians to take part.
The census, in the form of an online questionnaire that will take about 15 minutes to complete, will gather crucial information on pet ownership and the attitudes and experiences of owners.
Tierney said the data would help the government get a better idea of the state’s pets and plan for their welfare needs.
Pet ownership rates in Australian households have risen from 61% to 69% since the pandemic but there are no comprehensive state or national figures, other than microchip databases.
Tierney said:
As an organisation that cares for a variety of animal species, as well as cats and dogs, we are looking forward to the Victorian pet census closing the current knowledge gap on pet ownership experiences and attitudes. This census data will help us improve our services and provide better quality support to a broader range of pet owners in our community.
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A senior US official will visit the Sterling naval base in Western Australia as part of a trip to Australia this week.
The US assistant secretary of defence for strategy, plans and capabilities, Mara Karlin, is visiting Australia “for a series of counterpart and defense personnel engagements”, according to the Pentagon.
The Pentagon press secretary, Pat Ryder, said at a regular press briefing overnight:
She is slated to conduct meetings in Canberra to discuss Australia’s defence strategic reviews and our US national defence strategy and will meet with US Marines assigned to Marine Rotational Force Darwin.
Dr Karlin will conclude her trip with a visit to Naval Base Stirling as part of ongoing Aukus discussions.
Under the Aukus plans announced in March, the US and the UK plan to establish a rotational presence of nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia from 2027. This is expected to include one UK Astute class submarine and up to four US Virginia class submarines.
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‘This is very normal’: Expert on regular tremors in Victoria
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake that rattled residents in regional Victoria this morning joins a series of tremors over the past month – aftershocks from the 2021 magnitude 5.9 quake that struck the town of Mansfield, AAP reports.
Elodie Borleis from the Seismology Research Centre told the ABC the increase in tremors across Victoria is normal:
This is very normal; yes, we’ve had an increase in the last couple of years of people actually feeling them, but the actual background seismicity hasn’t changed at all,” she told ABC TV.
There’s been no reported damage so far, people have just reported feeling it and hearing it.
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‘We need more people becoming early educators’
The education minister Jason Clare says the early learning sector has employed tens of thousands of workers since Labor was elected.
We need more people becoming early educators. And over the course of our first 12 months in office, we’re seeing tens of thousands of more people working in this sector than there were a year ago.
There’s also more children in early education than there was a year ago - about 50,000 more. And more centres opening. About 370 centres opening.
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‘We need to value them’ through wages and conditions: PM on care workers
Prime minister Anthony Albanese is speaking at a press conference on the government’s increased childcare subsidies, which come into effect tomorrow.
We are having a whole study into the care economy. We need to have more skilled workers in early learning, in aged care, in disability care, as we go forward into the future. And we need to make sure that these workers are valued.
During the pandemic, we valued care workers. And we need to do more than just say thanks, we need to value them in the wages and conditions that they earn.
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Childcare centres warned over price hikes
One million families will see bigger rebates, and smaller out-of-pocket fees, from tomorrow, when the federal government’s childcare subsidy will be increased.
But concerns have been raised that the savings will be swallowed up by childcare centres increasing their fees to cover increasing costs, AAP reports.
On Seven’s Sunrise program, education minister Jason Clare warns the consumer watchdog will be keeping an eye on childcare centres that hike fees to cover subsidy increases:
The ACCC is watching childcare providers right across the country at the moment, making sure that they’re not taking advantage of this or the changes that we’re making.
If (childcare centres) are, the ACCC is ready to make recommendations about what further action we should take in that area.
The consumer watchdog is set to hand an interim report on its inquiry into childcare services to rreasurer Jim Chalmers today.
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‘You are the premier, I am the boss’
Here is a look into the Valentine’s Day phone call that strikes at the heart of the Gladys Berejiklian Icac probe, by Christopher Knaus:
Virtually no support outside NDIS, says review chair
More from Bruce Bonyhady, co-chair of the NDIS independent review panel, speaking on the scheme’s challenges and pitfalls on ABC RN this morning:
Today, you’re either inside of the NDIS getting its benefits or out.”
Data shows 5% of Australia’s population have a disability. Bonyhady says the scheme was set up 10 years ago to support one in 50 Australians “with the most severe and profound disabilities”:
Today, because there’s virtually no support outside the scheme, people are beating a path to its door and in some cases, they’re leading a path to its door.
The absence of supports outside the scheme is not only deeply unfair, it also leaves them over time with increased disabilities, increased age, which then makes them eligible for the scheme and so it’s the exact opposite to what an insurance scheme is meant to do.
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Nearly 100 flights cancelled at Sydney airport due to wild weather
Nearly 100 flights at Sydney airport have been cancelled as strong winds throttle operations, just before school holidays, AAP reports.
Air traffic control has advised the airport to only use one runway, due to strong westerly winds. The airport is avoiding using its twin north-south tarmacs – spreading cancelled flights throughout the day on its east-west runway.
An airport spokeswoman says there will be some flight delays and cancellations:
Airlines are working hard to re-accommodate passengers and get them on their way
If passengers have questions regarding the status of their flight, we encourage them to contact their airline.
International flights have not been impacted.
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'Not a corrupt person': Dutton on Berejiklian
Opposition leader Peter Dutton defends former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian as “not a corrupt person” on Channel Nine’s Today Show, after Icac found she engaged in corrupt conduct yesterday:
What you see in public is what you get in person as well. She is a very decent person. She chose a bum, basically. He was a bad guy. She has paid a big price for that.
Her integrity is not in question. She is not a corrupt person. That is not the person I know. I think she should hold her head high.
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Issues ‘inevitable’ in transformational NDIS, says review chair
Prof Bruce Bonyhady, co-chair of the NDIS independent review panel, tells ABC RN this morning:
I think it’s inevitable, when you introduce a scheme of this magnitude which is so transformational, which is world leading … not every aspect of it works as intended.
He has co-chaired a review with Lisa Paul, identifying five key challenges with the national disability insurance scheme.
The review … has been set up to look at those issues, to refine this game, and to ensure that it works as it was intended a decade ago.
And so as the report we released, it’s based on the feedback that we’ve had from thousands and thousands of people.
"so, the question we're asking in this report is can the definition of reasonable and necessary be clarified provide much greater certainty for participants, to provide a much fairer scheme and also a scheme that is sustainable."
— RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) June 29, 2023
- Bruce Bonyhady pt 2
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Melbourne hit by magnitude 4.6 earthquake
Melburnians were shaken by a magnitude 4.6 earthquake at 1.32am.
A magnitude 4.6 #Earthquake has occurred with an epicentre near Rawson in Victoria at approx. 1:32AM today. Some felt reports. If you require SES assistance, phone 132500. pic.twitter.com/X0o1ORCUhh
— VICSES News (@vicsesnews) June 29, 2023
The Bureau of Meteorology said the earthquake’s epicentre was in Rawson, north of Traralgon, in Gippsland.
Woods Point in Victoria’s east continues to have aftershocks to the magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Sep2021. A few minutes ago this magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck there, the largest since the sequence began. pic.twitter.com/rdYIf0LYJk
— Seismology Research Centre (@AusQuake) June 29, 2023
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Energy transition had been ‘too disorderly’, says Chris Bowen
The energy transition has been “way too slow” and “way too disorderly” over the last decade, climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen says on ABC RN this morning:
How do we manage this transition, which has been in my view over the last decade, way too slow, but also way too disorderly? It hasn’t been properly managed. There have been coal fired power stations which have never needed to close because they’ve reached the end of their natural life. But we haven’t had a new dispatchable, renewable generation coming in at anywhere near the pace we needed to make that transition smooth.
We’re fixing that. With all the policies we have underway, including the one I announced yesterday.
The @AlboMP & @ChrisMinnsMP Governments will work hand in glove on renewable energy
— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) June 29, 2023
Delighted to join @PennySharpemlc to announce a new Commonwealth/State auction which will see almost one gigawatt of new renewable, dispatchable energy rolled out. pic.twitter.com/xXNSgWSl2O
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Wiping student debt appeals to young voters, but not baby boomers: polling
Young people are more concerned about the higher education system and likelier to vote for candidates with firm policies on reforming student debt, new research has found.
The research, commissioned by the Greens and provided exclusively to Guardian Australia, found concern about the higher education system is highest among young voters. Some 55% of baby boomers with student debt are worried about their loans, jumping to 50% among Gen X, 70% among millennials and 79% among Gen Z.
While almost 70% of Gen Z were likely to vote for a candidate with strong policies on tackling student debt, it dropped to 38% amongst baby boomers.
Greens senator and education spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi said young people were “clearly worried” about owing an “ever expanding student debt”:
At a time when the cost of living is biting, this polling is a clear message to Labor to act on the student debt crisis.
Labor is completely out of touch when they sat back and allowed an enormous hike to student debt during a cost of living crisis. People want a bold, progressive transformation. Education should open doors and lift people up, not shackle them with a debt sentence that only makes life harder.
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Bowen cites Origin Energy assurances
Origin Energy has made it clear it won’t leave the electricity grid “a day earlier or a day later than it should,” climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen says on ABC RN:
They’ve made it clear that they’re not going to leave the grid a day earlier or later than it should for proper grid management. They’ve indicated 2025/30 as the likely closure date, but they’ll work with the New South Wales and federal governments to ensure that it’s managed smoothly.
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Snowy Hydro delay won’t prolong coal fired power: Bowen
Climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen has told ABC Radio National that delays to the Snowy Hydro 2.0 will not require coal fired power stations to stick around for longer:
Certainly there have been substantial delays in Snowy 2.0.
Bowen says 28/29 is the projected finish date – up to two years later than expected:
Aemo has advised me that they don’t regard that as needing to change any of the systems underway in our energy grid.
The Snowy Hydro 2.0 project promises the decarbonisation of the electricity grid, but has been wrestling with delays and billion-dollar budget blowouts.
You can read the full story here:
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Acma targets scam texts
Protecting vulnerable telecommunications customers is one of the key priorities of Australia’s media watchdog, AAP reports.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s 2023-24 compliance priorities include looking after customers experiencing family violence and financial hardship.
Scam texts are the focus, as the compliance priorities suggest exploring new ways to stop messages impersonating legitimate brands.
Acma chair Nerida O’Loughlin says:
With many Australian families facing cost of living pressures it is particularly important for telcos to do more to support their most vulnerable customers.
Telecommunications is clearly an essential service, with Australians relying on connectivity to access work, education, health, government services and more … without reliable phone and internet it is incredibly challenging for people to fully participate in today’s society.
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More than 7,000 people tell Geoscience Australia they felt Victoria earthquake
Thousands of people have reported feeling the early morning earthquake that has struck Rawson, a small town about 150km east of Melbourne.
Geoscience Australia said the tremor struck at 1.32am and it had been notified by more than 7,000 people that they had felt the quake.
The earthquake is the second to hit the region in a month after a 3.8-magnitude earthquake in Melbourne’s north-west in late May.
More than 22,000 people reported feeling that tremor, which struck just before midday on a Sunday.
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Final Taylor Swift tickets to go on sale
Swifties desperate to get their hands on tickets to Taylor Swift’s shows in Melbourne and Sydney will get another chance this morning when more go on sale following unprecedented demand.
The first tickets went on sale via American Express Card presale on Monday but they were limited to VIP packages selling for up to $1,249.90. The Frontier Members presale tickets, for the then announced shows, sold out on Wednesday 28 June.
Sales of the remaining tickets – for the two extra concerts in Melbourne and Sydney – will go live today and, once again, they will start at 10am for Sydney shows and 2pm for Melbourne shows. Customers can buy a maximum of four tickets for each show.
Ticketek has also admitted its booking system isn’t actually a queue but more like a lottery. Read more about the Hunger Games-style battle fans are facing in Josh Taylor’s story here:
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Majority of Australians think universities should be free, poll shows
A majority of Australians think universities should be free and student debts are too high, new research provided exclusively to Guardian Australia has found.
The research, commissioned by the Greens and conducted by Lonergan Research, surveyed just more than 1,000 adults in the first week of June.
It found 59% of respondents think higher education should be fully funded by the government and 68% think student debts are too high. Just over 70% think student debts shouldn’t rise with inflation.
This follows a 7.1% indexation that was applied to student loans at the start of July, the highest increase in decades amid rising costs of living and rents hitting young people.
And while just under 60% of Australians believe the minimum repayment income – the threshold when debt holders begin repaying their loans – should be raised to the median wage, there was less support for wiping all existing student debts. Just 40% were in agreement.
Greens senator and education spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi said the figures indicated the student debt system needed urgent reform:
Student debts are too high, growing too fast and taking too long to pay off. The verdict on student debt indexation is in and it’s damning. The government should be wiping all student debt but at the very least, it should get its head out of the sand and abolish indexation now.
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Welcome
Good morning and thanks for joining us for live coverage of the day’s news. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ve got a few overnight stories for you for starters before my colleague Rafqa Touma serves you the main courses.
Melburnians were shaken by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake at 1.32am, a tremor that follows one of 3.8 a month ago. The Bureau of Meteorology said the earthquake’s epicentre was in Rawson, north of Traralgon, in Gippsland, 170km east of the state’s capital. There was no tsunami risk, BoM said. There has been damage or injuries reported so far.
Our top story this morning is another one exposing the harsh treatment of youth offenders and those on remand, with children being locked in their cells for up to 23 consecutive hours partly due to staffing shortages at South Australia’s detention centre. The state’s guardian for young people says the situation is “shocking” and some children are self-harming to be admitted to hospital to get a break. At the same time the average hours spent in school dropped from just over three hours a day to one.
“I am the boss, even when you’re the premier.” Daryl Maguire’s words to Gladys Berejiklian, revealed in excruciating detail by the Icac inquiry, lie at the heart of the corruption scandal that brought down the popular NSW premier. While she says she served the state to her best ability, Christopher Knaus asks why she kept secrets from her colleagues and voters.
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