What we learned, Tuesday 1 October
As we draw to the end of our live news stream this Tuesday, here’s a look at what’s been keeping us busy:
Qatar Airways has announced it intends to buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia from its current owner Bain Capital.
Julian Assange made his first public statement since release, where he claimed he was freed because he “pled guilty to journalism.”
Queensland premier Steven Miles has launched a last-gasp bid to stand down the controversial Townsville mayor during his final hours in office before embarking upon an uphill re-election campaign.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was ‘more like a thug’ than an aspiring PM in his stoush with an ABC reporter about protests, Sarah Hanson-Young said.
Katy Gallager said it was ‘absolutely appropriate’ for police to investigate alleged raising of Hezbollah flags.
Every ABC staff member should read ‘disturbing’ review on racism at broadcaster, said David Anderson after the report revealed a huge majority of those interviewed revealed cultural issues in the ABC which allowed racism to thrive.
The New South Wales opposition is urging the Minns Labor government to strengthen the ban on the display of symbols of proscribed terrorist groups in the state if the federal parliament does not do so.
The government has temporarily approved an overseas supplier of PrEP to ensure the thousands of Australians, with or at risk of contracting HIV, are protected amid a shortage of the medication.
The ABS revealed mixed results on retail spending and housing approvals for August.
The LNP leader, David Crisafulli, said he would prolong the operation of a coal-fired power station beyond its planned closure date, if it couldn’t be replaced with renewables.
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said banks should loosen credit laws to help first home buyers.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers told journalists that private briefings by senior RBA staff should “be kept confidential”.
Kyle and Jackie O’s expansion into Melbourne radio has flopped, according to the latest radio ratings covering July to September.
Australians looking for love will have more protection with dating apps captured by a safety code aimed at improving users’ experiences.
That’s all for now. Thank you for joining us – we’ll be back bright and early tomorrow.
Updated
So, what’s in and what’s out of the NDIS lists?
For example, the following are considered NDIS supports:
Accommodation assistance
Assistance animals
Prostheses
Home and vehicle modifications
Personal mobility equipment (such as wheelchairs)
Daily life and travel assistance
Those not considered NDIS supports include:
Daily living lifestyle costs (such as rent, holidays, groceries and cigarettes)
Alternative therapies (such as tarot card reading, cuddle and crystal therapy)
Mental health treatment (such as medicines and therapy)
School and higher education fees
Unlawful goods and services (such as weapons)
Sexual services, drugs and alcohol
Updated
List of NDIS items and services released
A finalised list of what items and services can be funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been released today as part of the Albanese government’s plans to overhaul the scheme.
The NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, released the list on Tuesday after a month-long negotiation with disability organisations and peak bodies.
Shorten said:
This will now provide clarity. It will return the scheme to its true purpose, which makes sure that the NDIS isn’t paying for things that other care systems in Australia should be paying for, or indeed, it’s just not paying for things which have no evidentiary basis.
The list outlines what services and items participants can access under the scheme from Thursday 3 October.
Shorten said there would be a 12-month transition period for any participants currently receiving items or supports that will no longer be covered.
There will be limited circumstances where a participant will be able to claim a household appliance or certain technologies, like smartwatches or phones, under the NDIS.
The changes will mean a participant will have to show the item is necessary for their impairment, increases their independence and can reduce or eliminate the need for a support worker or disability specific assistive technology.
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Finally, before receiving a standing ovation, Assange says his final words, urging journalists to “continue the fight”:
In 2010 I was living in Paris.
I went to the United Kingdom and never came back. Until now, it’s good to be back.
It’s good to be amongst people who, as we say, it’s good to be amongst friends.
I would just like to thank all the people who have fought for my liberation and who have understood, importantly, that my liberation was coupled to their own liberation, and that when one of us falls through the cracks, soon enough, those cracks will widen and take the rest of us down.
So thank you for your thought courage in this and other settings, and keep up the fight.
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Asked if he would do anything differently, Julian Assange was philosophical:
This is a very deep question about free will.
People do things when they do them; looking back, we were often constrained by our resources, the number of staff, by secrecy that was necessary to protect our sources, and if I could go back and have a lot of extra resources, of course, political approaches, media approaches could have maximised even further the impact, the revelations that we made. But I suppose your question is trying to say, well, were there any knobs that could be turned in hindsight?
I was not from the United Kingdom. I had a good friend in the United Kingdom, Gavin McFadyen, who’s an American journalist, a very good man.
But it took me time to … once I was trapped in the United Kingdom, it took me time to understand what UK society was about. Who I could trust, who I couldn’t trust, the different types of manoeuvres that are made in that society.
There are different media partners that perhaps we could have chosen.
Updated
‘I was a political prisoner’: Assange
Next Assange is asked if he saw himself as a political prisoner:
Yes, I was a political prisoner. The political basis for the US government’s retributive acts against me was in relation to publishing the truth about what the US government had done. Then, in a formal legal sense, once the US proceeded with its legal retribution, it used the Espionage Act, a classic political offence.
Updated
Seeking asylum ‘an absolutely essential relief valve’ that puts pressure on states’ behaviour: Assange
Julian Assange has been taking questions, including one on political asylum. He says:
Political asylum is an absolutely essential relief valve for human rights abuses within states. That people can leave a state that is persecuting them not only saves individual lives – it provides a mechanism where journalists can continue to report on their societies after they have been hounded out. Ultimately, the threat of people leaving a state is what, the final analysis, controls its behaviour.
We have seen examples in history of states that made it difficult or impossible for people to leave, and we can see how the situation for people living there lapsed. There must be competition between states to be good places for people to live and to work.
The assault on asylum through means of transnational repression is another matter. In my case, it was difficult to find a state that would give asylum that I was able to get to.
There is a big gap in the asylum system for people who are not fleeing their own state, but fleeing an ally of that state or any third state. That was my case. Asylum law does not easily cover the case where, say, an Australian is fleeing persecution by the United States.
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Julian Assange finishes by saying freedom of expression is at a “dark crossroads”:
It’s heartening to know that in a world often divided by ideology and interests, there remains a shared commitment to the protection of essential human liberties, freedom of expression and all that flows from it is at a dark crossroad.
I fear that unless institutions like [the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] wake up to the gravity of the situation, it will be too late. Let us all commit to doing our part to ensure that the light of freedom never dims, that the pursuit of truth will live on, and the voices of the many are not silenced by the interests of the few.
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‘Journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime’: Assange
He goes on to say that in his case, the US government took a “dangerous, dangerous new global legal position” which is that only US citizen have free speech rights.
In my case, the US government asserted a dangerous, dangerous new global legal position. Only US citizens have free speech rights. Europeans and other nationalities do not have free speech rights, but the US claims its Espionage Act still applies to them, regardless of where they are. So Europeans in Europe must obey us secrecy law with no defenses at all. As far as the US government is concerned. Americans in Paris can talk about what the US government is up to, perhaps, but for a French man in Paris to do so is a crime with no defense, and he may be extradited just like me.
The criminalisation of news-gathering activities is a threat to investigative journalism everywhere. I was formally convicted by a foreign power for asking for, receiving and publishing truthful information about that power while I was in Europe.
The fundamental issue is simple: journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime, it is a pillar of a free and informed society.
Updated
Julian Assange says Pompeo was influential in the move to try to have him arrested and extradited:
In Michael Pompeo’s memoirs, which I read in my prison cell, the former CIA director bragged about how he pressured the US attorney general to bring an extradition case against me, in response to our publications about the CIA.
Indeed, acceding to Pompeo requests, the US attorney general reopened the investigation against me that Obama had closed, and rearrested Manning, this time as a witness. Manning was held in a prison for over a year, fined $1,000 a day in a formal attempt to coerce her into providing secret testimony against me. She ended up attempting to take her own life.
We usually think of attempts to force journalists to testify against their sources, but Manning was now a source [being forced] to testify against the journalist.
By December 2017, CIA director Pompeo had got his way, and the US government issued a warrant to the UK for my extradition. The UK government kept the warrant secret from the public for two more years while it, the US government and the new president of Ecuador moved to shape the political, the legal and the diplomatic grounds for my arrest.
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He goes on to outline the investigation into his work:
My wife and my infant son were also targeted, a CIA asset was permanently assigned to track my wife, and instructions were given to obtain DNA from my six-month-old son’s nappy.
This is the testimony of more than 30 current and former US intelligence officials speaking to the US press, which has been additionally corroborated by record seized in a prosecution fought against some of the CIA agents involved. T
he CIA’s targeting of myself, my family and my associates through aggressive, extrajudicial and extraterritorial means, provides a rare insight into how powerful intelligence organizations engage in transnational repression such repressions are not unique. What is unique is that we know so much about this one due to numerous whistleblowers and to judicial investigations in Spain.
Updated
CIA ‘drew up plans to kidnap and to assassinate me’ under Mike Pompeo’s direction, Assange says
Next, Julian Assange has addressed the change in US government, from the Obama to the Trump administration:
In February 2017 the landscape changed dramatically. President Trump had been elected.
He appointed two wolves in Maga hats, Mike Pompeo, a Kansas congressman and former arms industry executive as CIA director and William Barr, a former CIA officer, as US attorney general.
By March 2017 WikiLeaks had exposed the CIA’s infiltration of French political parties. Its spying on French and German leaders. Its spying on the European Central Bank, European economics ministries, and its standing orders to spy on French industry as a whole. [We] revealed the CIA’s vast production of malware and viruses, its subversion of supply chains, its subversion of antivirus software cars, smart TVs and iPhones.
CIA director Pompeo launched a campaign of retribution. It is now a matter of public record that under Pompeo’s explicit direction, the CIA drew up plans to kidnap and to assassinate me within the Ecuadorian embassy in London and authorised going after my European colleagues, subjecting us to theft, hacking attacks and the planting of false information.
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US government’s investigation of WikiLeaks was ultimately ‘legally groundless’: Assange
Julian Assange has continued, saying the leaked footage of the Iraq war published by WikiLeaks “shocked the world”.
When we published Collateral Murder, the infamous gun camera footage of a US Apache helicopter crew eagerly blowing to pieces Iraqi journalists and their rescuers, the visual reality of modern warfare shocked the world, but we also used interest in this video to direct people to the classified policies for when the US military could deploy lethal force in Iraq … and how many civilians could be killed before gaining higher approval. In fact, 40 years of my potential 175-year sentence was for obtaining and releasing those policies.
Let us stop gagging, torturing and killing each other for a change. Get these fundamentals right, and other political, economic and scientific processes will have space to pay, will have space to take care of the rest.
He has gone on to address Chelsea Manning and the beginnings of the US government’s alleged investigation into him and WikiLeaks:
Fourteen years ago, the United States military arrested one of our alleged whistleblowers, Private First Class Manning, a US intelligence analyst based in Iraq. The US government concurrently launched investigation against me and my colleagues.
The US government illicitly sent planes of agents to Iceland, paid bribes to an informer to steal our legal and journalistic work product, and without formal process, pressured banks and financial services to block our subscriptions and to freeze our accounts. The UK government took part in some of this retribution.
Ultimately, this harassment was legally groundless. President Obama’s justice department chose not to indict me, recognising that no crime had been committed. The United States had never before prosecuted a publisher for publishing or obtaining government information. To do so would require a radical and ominous reinterpretation of the US constitution.
Updated
Assange says press freedom has been ‘undermined, attacked, weakened’ since he was first incarcerated
Julian Assange has reflected on the changes during his time incarcerated, saying the state of press freedom and journalism is in a worse place:
I regret how much ground has been lost during that time period, how expressing the truth has been undermined, attacked, weakened and diminished. I see more impunity, more secrecy, more retaliation for telling the truth and more self censorship. It is hard not to draw a line from the US government’s prosecution of me, its crossing the Rubicon by internationally criminalising journalism to the chilled climate for freedom expression that exists now.
He goes on to speak about what inspired him to establish WikiLeaks, and his interpretation of what they were able to do:
When I founded WikiLeaks, it was driven by a simple dream to educate people about how the world works, so that through understanding we might bring about something better, having a map of where we are lets us understand where we might go.
Knowledge empowers us to hold power to account and to demand justice where there is none. We obtained and published truths about tens of thousands of hidden casualties of war and other unseen horrors about programs of assassination, rendition, torture and mass surveillance, we revealed not just when and where these things happened, but frequently, the policies, the agreements and the structures behind them.
Updated
Julian Assange says he is free because he ‘pled guilty to journalism’
Assange has continued, saying that he was incarcerated because he “pled guilty to journalism”:
Justice for me is now precluded, as the US government insisted, in writing into its plea agreement that I cannot file a case at the European court of human rights or even a Freedom of Information Act request over what it did to me as a result of its expedition request.
I want to be totally clear: I am not free today because the system worked. I am free today [after] years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism. I pled guilty to seeking information from a source. I pled guilty to obtaining information from a source, and I pled guilty to informing the public what that information was.
I did not plead guilty to anything else. I hope my testimony today can serve to highlight the weakness, the weaknesses of the existing safeguards, and to help those whose cases are less visible, but who are equally vulnerable.
Updated
We have embedded a feed of Julian Assange speaking at the Council of Europe at the top of this blog.
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‘I never would have seen the light of day’ without all of the advocacy: Julian Assange
He continues, thanking the many people who advocated on his behalf, but adds that those efforts “shouldn’t have been necessary”:
I commend the legal affairs and Human Rights Committee for commissioning a renowned rapporteur, sooner’s daughter to investigate the circumstances surrounding my detention and conviction and the consequent implications for human rights. However, like so many of the efforts made in my case, whether they were from parliamentarians, presidents, prime ministers, the pope, UN officials and diplomats, unions, legal and medical professionals, academics, activists or citizens. None of them should have been necessary. None of the statements, resolutions, reports, films, articles, events, fundraisers, protests and letters over the last 14 years should have been necessary, but all of them were necessary, because without them, I never would have seen the light of day.
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Julian Assange makes first public statement since release
Assange has begun by reflecting on the “surreal shift” from prison to speaking at the committee:
The transition from years of confinement in a maximum security prison to being here before the representatives of 46 nations and 700 million people is a profound and a surreal shift. The experience of isolation for years in a small cell is difficult to convey. It strips away one’s sense of self, leaving only the raw essence of existence. I am yet not fully equipped to speak about what I have endured, the relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally.
Isolation has taken its toll, which I am trying to unwind and expressing myself in this setting is a challenge. However, the gravity of this occasion and the weight of the issues at hand compel me to set aside my reservations and speak to you directly.
Updated
Julian Assange is due to appear shortly at a council of Europe committee, where he is due to address the committee on his detention and conviction and their effects on human rights.
You can watch below:
Updated
Julian Hill says Dutton is ‘obsessed with the Middle East’
Labor MP and assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs, Julian Hill, is on Afternoon Briefing on the ABC, and was asked about opposition leader Peter Dutton’s comments earlier about protesters over the weekend.
And while Hill refused to confirm if any of the protesters carrying Hezbollah imager over the weekend were actually foreigners here on visas, Hill slammed Dutton for being “obsessed” with the Middle East.
At every turn, Peter Dutton is obsessed with the Middle East, not middle Australia. On any day that he can pour petrol on the fire and disrupt community harmony and profit from international conflicts.
He doesn’t want to talk about cost of living, doesn’t want to recall parliament to deal with the housing bill stuck in the Senate.
It’s all about the Middle East. Tony Burke is the cabinet minister who I work for and has made clear if Peter Dutton or anyone has evidence of people on visas inciting discord or breaking the you law, we’ll consider cancelling those visas. If people have that evidence, they should present it to us.
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Mental health experts say social media ban could cause greater harm to children
Banning children from social media wouldn’t remove risks to their mental health and could rob them of an important social and emotional lifeline, experts have told a federal inquiry.
Representatives from six health organisations including ReachOut, Headspace and Beyond Blue rejected proposals to raise age limits for social networks, telling politicians on Tuesday the move would cause greater harm to children and give parents a false sense of security.
Their testimony comes a day after parent groups appeared before the Social Media and Australian Society inquiry and urged the government to impose a ban on all children accessing social media.
ReachOut government relations director Ben Bartlett said he recognised parents were struggling to find ways to approach the technology and protect their children, but a blanket ban would not address the risks.
“A ban would expose young people to new harms,” he said.
“It may leave some young people without any mental health support options, it may make them less likely to seek help when they need it and be less likely to tell an adult when things go wrong online.”
A survey conducted by ReachOut found almost three in four young people turned to social media platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram to access information and support for mental health issues.
Removing teens’ access to this information, Bartlett said, would leave them worse off.
“We don’t want to end up after this moment in time when everyone is focused on making social media safer with a policy response that potentially just gives parents a false sense of security that something’s been done and all the harms have been addressed,” he said.
“We would say it’s much better to … do what we can quickly on quick wins and then work through to make the platforms fundamentally safer over time for everyone.”
– via AAP
Updated
Every state behind on national housing targets as dwelling approval rates slide
The chance of Australia meeting nationally agreed housing targets has taken another hit, with approval numbers suffering a steep decline.
Dwelling approvals dropped by 6.1% in August, further endangering the goal of building 1.2m extra homes by July 2029.
The monthly decline reversed a bullish 11% increase in July, while approvals were up 3.6% when compared to August 2023.
NSW and South Australia recorded the biggest declines with an 11.5% monthly fall in approvals in both states, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Tuesday.
All states experienced a decrease of at least 3% in dwelling approvals month-on-month.
Approvals for detached houses rose by a slim 0.5% nationally, but other private-sector dwellings pulled down the overall tally with a 16.5% fall.
In September, Master Builders Australia forecast just 1.03m of the target homes would be built, finding every state was behind on meeting their individual targets.
ABS construction statistics head Daniel Rossi said weak apartment approvals had fuelled the overall drop in the figures.
“The movements in dwellings excluding houses continue to be the result of volatility in apartment approvals, with the broad environment around apartments remaining subdued,” he said.
Sluggish planning systems – which the NSW premier, Chris Minns, has routinely blamed for lacklustre progress in his state – along with “apartment-killer taxes” was driving the decline, according to the Property Council of Australia.
Only 1,200 apartments in blocks with nine or more storeys were approved in August, compared with 2,500 in July.
“We need to increase the number of homes approved and ensure a strong pipeline of apartment supply to drive towards our housing targets at scale,” the industry lobby’s group executive, Matthew Kandelaars, said.
“But the reality is it has never been more difficult and costly to get apartments out of the ground.”
– via AAP
Updated
Greens’ Faruqi ‘disappointed’ but ‘not surprised’ by results of review into racism at ABC
The deputy leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has said she is “disappointed” to hear the results of the Janke review into the ABC.
The review spoke to 120 current and former staff, with all but one saying they had personally experienced racism at the national broadcaster.
Faruqi said she was “not surprised”:
I’m not surprised, but it doesn’t lessen the disappointment. People of colour working at the ABC have been suffering racism for far too long. They deserve so much better from our public broadcaster.
The Janke review recommended the ABC ‘improve diverse representation in management and leadership’, which is what I have long been calling for. The Board must reflect the diversity in the community if it is to be considered a true national broadcaster.
The time for platitudes and hollow apologies is over. Strong action must be taken starting from the top. Anti-racism training must be mandatory and progress on change monitored and publicly reported.
People of colour deserve a respectful and safe workplace and to be treated as equals to white people working at the ABC.
Updated
Many thanks for joining me on today’s blog – I’ll pass over to Mostafa Rachwani to take you through the rest of today’s news. Take care.
No official response yet on whether Australian passport and visa holders will be evacuated by Dfat from Lebanon
We know there are thousands of Australians who are worried about family and loved ones in Lebanon.
We have put in questions to the department of foreign affairs and Penny Wong’s office about whether Australia is moving to help evacuate Australian passport and visa holders from Lebanon in the wake of Canada and the United Kingdom stepping up their own procedures.
So far there has been no official response.
Anthony Albanese was asked about evacuations at his press conference a little earlier today and said:
What we’re doing is looking at all the measures that are available at our disposal. But we say this as well – we repeat the call for Australians who are in Lebanon to come home. There are still commercial opportunities available. We’ve been saying for months that it is time to leave. It is certainly time to leave now when those opportunities are available, and at the moment, there are some commercial opportunities available, and we want Australians to take up that opportunity to come home to safety.
We will keep you updated.
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Anderson: ‘I am sincerely sorry’ to anyone who has experienced racism at the ABC
Wrapping up the interview, David Anderson was asked about the recommendation about providing an apology.
He said he had written to all staff and “expressed that I am deeply sorry to anybody who has experienced racism at the ABC”.
For whenever that is and whenever that’s happened, it shouldn’t have happened, it shouldn’t happen and I am sincerely sorry for that experience.
And I think that the conviction here is certainly looking at the what we are putting in place is to the greatest possible extent, it is not just what we say today, but what we do in the future.
And I think what it will take is everybody working together to ensure that all of these things are in place over a longer period of time. And yes, I am truly sorry for what has happened to people in the past.
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David Anderson said that amid this report, there is a “broader question here for the broader media industry about what they do.”
We are focusing on us at the moment. We are focusing on these recommendations and it is a path, it is a a discernible action on what we are doing now to move this forward, to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
This racism cannot occur in any workplace and I’ve called it out today in my communication in staff, that if people believe that it’s OK to behave like this, this is not the place for them. We will find them and we will make sure they leave the ABC. It cannot happen. It must stop. It must stop in society and it must stop for the ABC.
ABC managing director says ‘it is important’ to him to begin implementing changes before he leaves role
David Anderson has already indicated he would be leaving the ABC. He was asked what confidence he had that this would be carried out – as he wouldn’t be here to oversee a portion of the response.
Anderson replied that it was important to him to put things in motion before he departed:
It is important to me, it is important to the leadership, it’s important to the board of the ABC. So we’ve all committed to doing this.
There are a number of months that I’ve got to oversee the implementation of this, such that whoever replaces me already has a framework in place …
And, if anything, it is a reason for me to stay longer, not a reason for me to leave earlier. So it is very important to me that we do this.
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David Anderson again stressed the important of reading the testimony of the 120 people included in the report – including 21 former and 99 current employees.
I think it is important that we all read them. In unlocking those stories, that helps you understand what sits behind the recommendations themselves. It also goes to the implementation of the responses that we’ve listed out there, and they will happen over time.
It is a multi-year approach to this, but it doesn’t mean you wait to do it. There are things we are putting into place as of today and there’s those we are committing to certainly in the shorter term developing very quickly, so we have them adopted and in effect as fast as possible.
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Anti-racism campaign and training to be implemented at ABC in response to review, managing director says
Asked where the responsibility for those failings lay, ABC managing director David Anderson responded:
It resides with all of us, it resides with me as managing director and certainly anybody within the organisation who has not acted at times to the extent that they should have.
He said the testimony in the report includes examples of both covert and overt racism.
They are the responsibility of everybody, everybody who sees it to call it out, not just the responsibility of those that it happens to.
Anderson said some measures that are being implemented will include an anti-racism campaign and anti-racism training at all levels of the ABC.
Updated
As we bring you the rest of David Anderson’s interview, you can read our separate article on the ABC review below:
Every ABC staff member should read ‘disturbing’ review on racism at broadcaster, says David Anderson
David Anderson, the managing director, is speaking with ABC TV after an independent review found there are cultural issues in the ABC which allows racism to exist.
The ABC reported on the review, which was led by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke, here.
Journalist and senior cultural adviser for ABC News, Miriam Corowa, is conducting the interview and asked Anderson what he is reflecting on today as he works through the testimony of 120 ABC staff.
Anderson said it is a “disturbing report” filled with testimony that every staff member should read:
They are a difficult read, but it shows the perspective of people who have been at the other end of experienced racism – either internally at the ABC or externally from other external individuals, or what has been reported elsewhere.
What the report says is that – for all that we’ve done and all the measures that we’ve put in place – that we need to do more. And what that report does is calls for us as an organisation – and I call for that, too – to come together around listening to the voices that are in the report, to really understanding the effect that this has had, to work together on a better future, and I think that happens through discussion …
The act of some people has been completely unacceptable … and there is a commitment from me and … from the leadership team and … from the board … to do better for the future.
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Father and son charged over alleged attempt to possess 50kg of cocaine with estimated street value of $16.25m
The Australian Federal Police have charged a father and son from Sydney’s northern beaches for allegedly attempting to possess 50kg of cocaine concealed in machinery.
The two men, aged 48 and 23, are expected to appear before Downing Centre local court today. An investigation was launched in August after Border Force officers at Port Botany identified anomalies in an industrial generator, during a routine inspection of sea cargo from Vietnam.
AFP forensics allegedly found 50kg worth of cocaine concealed inside the machine.
This consignment could have been sold as 250,000 individual street deals, with an estimated street value of $16,250,000, the AFP said. It removed the illegal drugs and monitored the consignment as it was transported to Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The AFP allegedly identified the 48-year-old who had leased the industrial complex – and allegedly found evidence the man made overseas cash transfers to a known criminal facilitator, and recently travelled to Vietnam.
Yesterday officers allegedly observed the 48-year-old and his 23-year-old son attempt to access a compartment in the generator where the drugs had been hidden. It will be alleged the men went to purchase separate angle grinders and associated materials from a local hardware store on two occasions.
The AFP arrested and charged both men with jointly attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a unlawfully imported border controlled drug. The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
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QFS issues ‘prepare to leave’ warning for Innot Hot Springs fire
The Queensland Fire Department has issued a “prepare to leave” warning for the rural town of Innot Hot Springs, near Ravenshoe, amid a fast-moving fire.
The fire is burning near Herbert River Road and conditions could get worse quickly, the department said.
The warning area is between Kennedy Highway, Herbert River Road and Uramo Road.
Some properties are at risk and the fire is likely to affect the community in the coming hours, the warning says.
PREPARE TO LEAVE - Innot Hot Springs (near Ravenshoe) - fire as at 2:25pm Tuesday, 1 October 2024
— Queensland Fire Department (@QldFireDept) October 1, 2024
For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/CMqxEjaVXa pic.twitter.com/4xufag1Wst
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Dutton ‘more like a thug’ than an aspiring PM in comments about protests, Hanson-Young says
The Greens senator said comments from Peter Dutton earlier this morning made him sound “more like a thug than someone who ought to be prime minister”.
Sarah Hanson-Young told reporters:
It is just abhorrent to have someone who wants to be the prime minister actively whipping up fear and division, rather than calling for calm and bringing people together at a time when so many people are hurting.
Asked if the Greens condemn supporters of Hezbollah and those who allegedly held Hezbollah flags at rallies at the weekend, Hanson-Young said it is “appropriate” those alleged actions were reported to police.
Hezbollah is a registered terrorist organisation, we don’t have a concern with that.
What Peter Dutton is trying to do is use this for his own political gain, rather than uttering a concern about the human life and loss in Lebanon or Gaza or the anguish that Lebanese Australians are feeling right now about their loved ones or their colleagues, their family members who might be caught up in this.
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Hanson-Young accuses Dutton of ‘wanting to stoke fear in the community’ over Hezbollah flags at protests
Sarah Hanson-Young said it was an “absurd suggestion” from Peter Dutton that parliament should be recalled earlier than next week.
Dutton wants to recall the parliament and give the AFP powers to arrest people who allegedly held Hezbollah flags at protests at the weekend.
Hanson-Young told reporters:
All Peter Dutton is doing is wanting to stoke fear in the community, fear and division at a time when so many Australians have loved ones or family members, friends and colleagues caught up in the escalated conflict in the Middle East …
A million people have been displaced in Lebanon over the last few days because of the impending and now invasion from Israel, and 60,000 children have fled the border into Syria in the last few days.
This is a human catastrophe, a humanitarian catastrophe, a human-made humanitarian catastrophe. Australia needs to be part of the world’s moral compass, say that this is not OK, stand up to it – enough is enough.
All Peter Dutton wants to do is use this for his own political purposes, fearmongering division and whipping up community division.
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Sarah Hanson-Young to introduce bill next week to ban gambling ads
Sarah Hanson-Young also responded to comments from the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, earlier today about gambling reform.
As we covered earlier in the blog here and here, Rowland said the government was consulting on a model addressing the three key areas – protecting children, breaking “that nexus between sport and online wagering” and dealing with the saturation of ads – but did not comment on an outright ban.
Hanson-Young said this was “not good enough”.
We need a total ban on gambling advertising, just like we do on tobacco, and that’s what the experts have called for. That’s what Labor’s own chaired committee called for. It’s time they acted.
The Greens senator said that when parliament returns next week, her bill to ban gambling ads from broadcast and online would be introduced:
The government has to stop dragging its feet, bending over backwards for the gambling lobby, and do something that is desperately needed to protect families. That bill will be before the parliament next week, it will be introduced, and the government should give it time for debate and a vote.
Here’s more from August on this issue:
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Dismantling tech companies’ business models will make young people safer online, Greens senator says
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young spoke with reporters earlier, amid the joint inquiry into social media.
She said it has become “absolutely clear from all of the experts” that simply banning young people from accessing social media won’t make the online space safe for young people.
I challenge both the Labor and the Liberal parties to have the courage to hit big tech where it hurts, and that’s their business model. It’s time for this parliament to have the courage to ban the use of targeted advertising online to kids and young people.
It’s time for young people to be protected from the harvesting of their data by big tech, that’s then sold off to make huge profits at the expense of young people vulnerabilities and their privacy and their safety.
This is how we dismantle the business model of these big tech companies – who are using business models that are predatory, that are harmful and that are making huge, massive profits off the back of our kids and young Australians.
Hit them where it hurts, hit them where they make their money and they make their profit, and it will make these platforms much, much safer.
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Dutton and ABC reporter clash over Hezbollah question
Earlier, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, took aim at an ABC reporter during a press conference in Sydney.
The reporter had asked what determines the fact that Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation. Dutton asked where the reporter was from, and there was a back-and-forth between the two over what the exact wording of the question was she was asking.
The reporter then asked Dutton:
What determines something as a terrorist organisation?
Dutton responded:
I had presumed, up until this point at least, that the ABC supported the government’s laws. And the government has passed laws, supported on a bipartisan basis – but not by the ABC, it seems – in relation to the proscribing or the listing of a terrorist organisation.
Hezbollah under Australian law is a listed terrorist organisation. Now if the ABC doesn’t support that, they should be very clear about it …
The journalist interjected and said that that wasn’t what she was saying, but Dutton continued:
You asked me why our country has listed Hezbollah. They’re a terrorist organisation, they organise terrorist attacks.
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Case-by-case humanitarian visas for Palestinians ‘just a first step’: Asylum Seekers Centre CEO
Earlier today, we brought you comments from the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, that he had helped a dozen Palestinian families in Australia move on to humanitarian visas, on a case-by-case basis.
The CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre, Frances Rush, said this was welcome news – but is “just a first step”.
Rush called for a special humanitarian visa for all arrivals from Gaza, “as offered to those fleeing Afghanistan in 2021 and Ukraine in 2022”:
People fleeing this humanitarian crisis deserve a fair go, not a ‘case-by-case basis’.
Those arriving from Gaza cannot be expected to survive in our community on visitor visas without the opportunity to work, study, or access Medicare.
We’re calling on the Australian government to be consistent in its granting of visas for arrivals from Gaza. The government must also ensure people fleeing Gaza have the right to work, and can access healthcare and necessary support services once they have arrived in Australia.
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Mining sector leading Aussie shares lower at midday
The Australian share market has fallen, pulling back from record high levels, AAP reports.
At midday AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 42.5 points, or 0.51%, to 8,227.3, while the broader All Ordinaries had fallen 39.1 points, or 0.46%, to 8,499.3.
While the ASX200 was in the red this morning, CMC Markets head of sales trading Ashley Glover said the index still looked technically bullish with a move to 8,400 in traders’ sights.
Four of the ASX’s 11 sectors were lower at midday and six were higher, with energy basically flat. Materials/mining was the biggest loser, dropping 2.2% after five days of gains.
All of the big four banks were lower, with CBA down 1.3%, Westpac retreating 1.2%, ANZ dropping 1.0% and NAB falling 0.6%.
The Australian dollar was buying 69.30 US cents, from 69.33 US cents at Monday’s ASX close.
Bushfire alert issued in WA near Bunbury
A bushfire alert has been issued for an area of Dalyellup in Western Australia due to bushfire smoke, with people urged to avoid the area.
The advice warning covers an area bounded by Harewoods Road and Dalyellup Boulevard to the north, Maidment Parade and Minninup Road to the east, Lakes Road to the south and the ocean to the west.
Although there is no immediate danger, the community is urged to remain aware and keep up to date in case the situation changes.
The alert is expected to remain in place until the area receives persistent and heavy rainfall, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from the fireground as fire continues to burn underground in some areas.
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See the greenhouse gas impact of Labor’s decision to expand three NSW coalmines
The expansion of three Australian coalmines, approved by the Labor government last week, could generate more than 1.3bn tonnes of damaging greenhouse gas over the next 24 years.
For an interactive view on the impacts of these decisions, you can have a read below, thanks to Josh Nicholas:
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Postal voting applications open for NSW byelections
Postal voting applications have now opened for the Epping, Hornsby and Pittwater NSW byelections on 19 October.
Applications close at 6pm on 14 October, and late applications cannot be accepted, the NSW Electoral Commission said in a statement.
Postal vote packs will be sent out to successful applicants from 8 October.
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Queensland opposition leader vows not to form a minority government
Continuing from our last post: The Queensland opposition leader spent his second day on the campaign trail in Bundaberg, the most marginal electorate in the state.
David Crisafulli made his second announcement on youth crime in as many days, a $40m fund for businesses to pay for CCTV and other security measures.
He confirmed the party would recommend preferencing Labor over the Greens on its how to vote cards, after yesterday leaving open the possibility of recommending the minor party.
He also vowed not to form a minority government:
I cannot be any more direct. Queenslanders need confidence and they need certainty. They need change. They need a fresh start. They don’t need horse trading. The answer is categorically, no.
LNP leader signals he would keep Queensland coal plant open
The LNP leader, David Crisafulli, says he would prolong the operation of a coal-fired power station beyond its planned closure date, if it couldn’t be replaced with renewables.
The Callide unit B, which is still operational, is due to close by 2028 at the end of the next term of parliament. The Callide unit C, which blew up in 2021, reopened last month.
Crisafulli told media on Tuesday it would be “absurd” to close unit B:
It would be absurd to close down baseload power at a time when Queenslanders are struggling to eat. But we do have a vision to make sure that there’s a renewable future, and that’s why I’ve spoken about the need to have a long term plan, and we intend to deliver that.
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Continuing from our last post via AAP: The magistrate also referred to testimony from Hannah McGuire’s mother, Debbie, who said Lachlan Morganti’s offending had forced her family to relive the details of her case through media coverage.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz told the court:
She also spoke of your audacity in attending her daughter’s funeral, where you were amongst the very people who had contributed to the GoFundMe, knowing that you had spent the money.
Your act has infringed on the McGuire family’s ability to grieve in private and with dignity given the unwarranted attention that has flowed from your actions.
Morganti’s struggles with alcohol abuse and mental health issues were taken into account in sentencing, but any therapeutic conditions of the order would not go towards his community service. Mykytowycz said:
This must be viewed through the lens of the Ballarat community, which has had to deal with the loss of three female members of the community, allegedly by murder, including Hannah in the first six months of this year.
GoFundMe has refunded all donors to Hannah’s family fundraiser. Lachlan Young is expected to face the supreme court for a directions hearing on 3 October.
Lifeline: 13 11 14
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No jail for theft from dead woman’s family fundraiser
A man who gambled more than $64,000 from a fundraiser he organised for an alleged murder victim’s family has avoided jail time, AAP reports.
Lachlan Morganti, 26, was sentenced to 400 hours of community service in Ballarat magistrates court today after earlier pleading guilty to the April theft from the online fundraiser.
Morganti launched a GoFundMe page for the family of 23-year-old Hannah McGuire, whose body was found in a burnt-out car in Scarsdale, about 25km south of Ballarat, on 5 April. Her former partner Lachlan Young has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz noted that if Morganti had not pleaded guilty, she would have sentenced him to six months in prison. The maximum sentence for the offending would have been 10 years.
Mykytowycz accepted Morganti – who knew the McGuires through the local cricket club and the family’s pub – started the fundraiser as an altruistic act.
However, once the money was transferred to your account, the temptation to use this money to recover significant debts from previous losses became overwhelming and self-indulgent to that extent.
It was unplanned, unsophisticated, and with the loss of the funds occurring over the space of five days, the impact of your offending cannot be overestimated.
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Mixed ABS data on retail spending and housing approvals for August
First the good news: retail spending picked up in August, rising 0.7% from July, as the burst of early season warmth prompted more spending, the ABS said.
Economists had been expecting a 0.4% increase for the month so that is a bit of an uptick, while July spending was revised slightly higher from an initial reading of 0% to a 0.1% rise.
(These numbers are “seasonally adjusted” but not for the actual weather, it seems. If you may recall – and people’s memory about weather is typically short – August was Australia’s hottest on record for that month.)
From a year earlier, spending was up 3.1%. Given that inflation was about 2.7%, with CPI easing to a three-year low, we can mark August down as showing a “real” increase in retail outlays. (Without checking, it’s probably been about three years that spending has been growing, although on a per-capita basis we probably aren’t there yet.)
The other data out was building approvals and there the news isn’t so rosy. These fell 6.1% in August, or more than the 4.3% decline expected by economists. The drop erased much of the 11% increase posted in July (a tally revised higher from an initial reading of a 10.4% gain).
These approvals data is subject to apartment approvals, which can swing quite a bit. Private sector house approvals were up 0.5% in a sector that the ABS said was “subdued”.
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Indigenous women in NSW advised to have breast screenings every two years from 40
Indigenous women in NSW are advised to have breast screenings every two years from age 40 instead of 50.
The age was initially lowered from 50 as part of the Putuwa project led by the Cancer Institute NSW, as Indigenous women are diagnosed with breast cancer on average four years younger than the overall female population, and have more advanced cancer at diagnosis and poorer survival rates.
Since the project began in 2023, breast screening participation rates have more than doubled for women aged 40 to 49 (from 7.8% to 16.7%).
The project has been implemented at all NSW BreastScreen sites, where women can receive breast screenings for free without a doctor’s referral.
NSW health minister Ryan Park said:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Aboriginal women in NSW but the good news is that breast cancer screening can detect cancers before they can be seen or felt, and when found early, almost all breast cancers can be successfully treated. Early detection is key to saving lives and reducing the impact of breast cancer in the Aboriginal community.
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RBA to consider disclosing details of private briefings after latest leak
As noted in an earlier post, treasurer Jim Chalmers has told journalists that private briefings by senior RBA staff should “be kept confidential”.
This comment was in relation to the AFR reporting this morning that RBC Capital Markets had been sin-binned for a year and won’t be receiving RBA briefings. One of those present at the February gathering apparently tipped off someone else who complained about not getting an invite (and RBC then told the RBA).
Senior RBA officials, of course, might seem like gnomes at times but they aren’t supposed to be hermits. It makes sense they “liaise” with outsiders to get feedback (apparently one former deputy governor was known to ring people up directly to avoid the palaver of formal gatherings).
Philip Lowe, the previous RBA governor, got into strife in early 2023 when he met people at a Barrenjoey event two days after the central bank hiked the cash rate.
Part of the angst was the leaking of news about the February event but he was also criticised for managing to make time for a private meeting when he hadn’t yet fronted the public, as had been customary after the summer break. (The RBA board doesn’t meet in January.)
New governor Michele Bullock, of course, now holds a media briefing after every board meeting. What to do, though, about those confidential briefings?
We understand the RBA will consider disclosing any such meetings and who attended them shortly after they take place. Let’s see how soon that change is implemented – or not.
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Here’s the full story from Josh Butler, looking at those earlier comments from Tony Burke accusing Peter Dutton of seeking to “raise the temperature” of public debate about the conflict in the Middle East:
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Call for human rights-based approach to protecting coral reefs
A new study suggests that a human rights-based approach to coral reef protection could ensure governments are held to account for safeguarding marine ecosystems.
Lead author Dr Emma Camp from UTS said the window of opportunity to conserve coral reefs was rapidly closing:
2024 marks the fourth global coral bleaching event impacting more than 50% of the world’s coral reefs, as well as other stressors such as pollution. This is an urgent reminder that the loss of coral ecosystems negatively impacts both humans and nonhumans.
Implementing coral reef conservation through a human rights-based approach will provide a practical path towards a much-needed transformation of local, national, and international governance, while also highlighting the human side of coral loss.
In 2022 the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment was affirmed by the UN general assembly.
Co-author Dr Genevieve Wilkinson said a rights-based approach to this issue “embeds non-discrimination, empowerment and participation so that litigation is not the only available avenue for participation and empowerment of vulnerable rightsholders”:
States must be accountable to obligations to protect human rights and find just solutions.
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Children’s commissioner to address National Press Club tomorrow
The children’s commissioner, Anne Hollonds, is due to address the National Press Club tomorrow on a new report calling for an overhaul of Australia’s approach to child justice.
The report has been developed over 12 months and contains 24 recommendations, focusing on elevating child wellbeing to a national priority, coordinating action on child justice reform across Australia’s federation, and ensuring reform is based on evidence and human rights.
There were hundreds of submissions, interviews and consultations, including with more than 150 children and young people who have been or are at risk of being in contact with police and criminal justice systems, or in youth detention.
Hollonds will tomorrow detail the findings of the report, unpack key recommendations and address the barriers to action – including the role of the media and how “politics gets in the way of prevention”.
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Kyle and Jackie O’s Melbourne expansion flops in the ratings
Kyle and Jackie O have risen to the top spot in Sydney radio but the pair’s expansion into Melbourne radio has flopped, according to the latest radio ratings covering July to September.
Ratings agency GfK has reported that their KIIS FM breakfast show is down from 6.1% to 5.2% in the Melbourne market, which appears not to have embraced their vulgar style of broadcasting.
The top radio station in Melbourne is Nine’s 3AW with a share of 14.9%.
The leading breakfast show, 3AW’s Russel and Ross, has a 22.5% share.
But the duo has taken over from 2GB’s Ben Fordham in Sydney as the leading breakfast show, despite losing 0.6% of their audience this survey.
In good news for ABC local radio, breakfast presenter Craig Reucassel has grown his share by 1.2% while Fordham has lost 3.1 share points.
The most popular radio station in Adelaide is Mix 102.3.
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Grave warning for Australians as Israel invades Lebanon
AAP has more details about Australia’s work to get its citizens out of Lebanon as Israel launches a ground invasion.
Those in Lebanon are being assisted by Dfat to secure commercial airline tickets as the risk of the international airport shutting heightens.
It follows months of repeated warnings to Australians in Lebanon that they needed to leave as the security situation deteriorated and any repatriation effort in a crisis would be severely strained and unable to evacuate everyone.
Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has reiterated calls for Australians to take the first opportunity to leave:
There is a risk Beirut airport may close for an extended period … We continue to urge Australians in Lebanon to take the first opportunity they can to depart. Please do not wait for a preferred route.
Canada has secured 800 seats on commercial flights across three days to evacuate its citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers urged restraint, saying Australia was “gravely concerned for the human cost of an escalation of this conflict”. You can read more of his comments earlier in the blog here.
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Queensland needs a fresh start, Crisafulli says
The Queensland opposition leader, David Crisafulli, spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning from Cairns, as the Miles’ Labor government goes into caretaker mode before the 26 October election.
He was asked about his use of the term “underdog” for himself, given the promising numbers in the polls. Crisafulli responded:
Since 1986, the last 12 elections, the LNP have won one. So you can forgive me for not buying any of that hype at all …
Ultimately, the battle lines for this election is – after 10 years of this government, are things better or worse when it comes to youth crime, health, housing, cost of living? And who’s got the right plans to do something about it? And that’s our focus. And the state does need a fresh start.
Crisafulli also spoke about his stance on youth crime:
I am proposing a 12-month plan – six months intensive – where young kids are given the structure to turn their life around … Yes, there will be people who disagree with one part of that plan. I respect that.
But what’s happening in Queensland at the moment is broken, and we intend to make sure that, at every single level of the youth crime crisis, we deal with it and do something about it – and change does need to occur.
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Manufacturing gauge sinks to record lows outside the height of Covid
The Reserve Bank has made it clear that it’s mostly worried about bringing inflation to heel before it starts cutting interest rates. Data out today, though, might provide a couple of other data points for it to ponder.
First up, Judo Bank has released its monthly manufacturing purchasing manager’s index, with all the arrows pointing lower. New orders and production are sinking at the fastest pace since May 2020 and export orders are declining “solidly” (that’s a new descriptor).
The price factories are asking for their widgets (etc) are increasing but at a slower rate in line with input costs. The index also noted firms were cutting staff and workloads.
All up, the index is down for an eight month in a row, with the slide in September the steepest since May 2000 when Covid disruptions were near their worst.
Separately, the weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence survey also retreated a bit, with households’ confidence about financial conditions wilting at the fastest pace in more than a year, ANZ said.
More to the RBA’s liking, though, was a notable slide of 0.3 percentage points in inflation expectations to 4.6%. That’s a level last reached in September 2021.
Later this morning ABS will release August data on retail sales and building approvals, so the RBA – and the rest of us – can learn a bit more about how the economy is faring.
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More than 80% of people in Lebanon are living in poverty, Caritas Australia chief says
The interim CEO of aid agency Caritas Australia, Kirsten Sayers, says more than 80% of people in Lebanon are now living in poverty. This comes amid news Israel has launched what it is calling a “limited” ground invasion.
Economically, Sayers said, the situation was already dire in Lebanon before this conflict, with “with the cost of purchasing essentials having skyrocketed by percentages in the hundreds” after the explosion in the Port of Beirut.
She said the increase in costs has been “incomprehensible” – comparing it to Australians spending $160 a week on average for food, and having this increased to $560 in just one year:
Most previously self-sufficient families are now facing a similar level of need to the nation’s sizeable refugee population and this conflict, bringing damage to resources and infrastructure, will only make things worse.
She said the conflict could result in “the destruction of critical infrastructure such as roads, and potentially make it hard for commercial companies and even aid organisations to get goods across borders”.
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NSW opposition urges state government to strengthen ban on display of terrorist symbols
The New South Wales opposition is urging the Minns Labor government to strengthen the ban on the display of symbols of proscribed terrorist groups in the state if the federal parliament does not do so.
The NSW opposition leader, Mark Speakman, issued a statement this morning calling on the premier, Chris Minns, to step in if the federal government didn’t remedy “possible gaps” in national criminal laws.
It comes after some people who took part in rallies in Sydney and Melbourne at the weekend to protest against Israel’s attacks on Lebanon displayed Hezbollah flags.
More than 6,000 Lebanese people have been wounded and more than 1,000 killed in the past two weeks, including 100 people who died in Israeli strikes on Sunday, according to the country’s health ministry.
The Australian government has recognised Hezbollah – a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group backed by Iran – as a terrorist organisation since September 2021.
Speakman said the commonwealth criminal code made it an offence to display the symbols of terrorist organisations, but only if another matter – such as disseminating ideas based on racial hatred or intimidation – could be proved:
Tough legislation will ensure that NSW is no safe haven for those who support or sympathise with terrorist organisations. I urge the Minns Labor government to show their commitment to public safety by being prepared to introduce such legislation.
In 2022 the NSW parliament passed laws banning Nazi symbols, which meant anyone intentionally waving a Nazi flag or displaying memorabilia bearing swastikas could be jailed for up to a year or fined $100,000.
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Qatar Airways’ plan to buy stake in Virgin pitched as ‘great news for Australians’
Jayne Hrdlicka, the CEO of Virgin, was on ABC News Breakfast earlier amid news Qatar Airways intends to buy a 25% stake in Virgin.
Speaking on what this would mean for Virgin, she said:
It means that we’ve got an important shareholder who has scale that we don’t have, who has expertise that we don’t have, that can help us … to do things that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to do as quickly and give us the chance to compete better domestically. We think that this is great news for Australians.
It means a very strong competitor domestically to stand the best of time. And also the ability to put our toe in the water and add services between Australia and Doha, which opens up 107 new destinations for Australians with one stop over Doha.
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Homemade pipe bombs allegedly discovered inside car during random breath test
A man has been charged after two homemade pipe bombs were allegedly found inside his car during a random breath test.
Midday yesterday, officers stopped a vehicle along the Sturt Highway near Hay, in the NSW Riverina, for random breath testing. During a search of the car police allegedly located cannabis leaf, methylamphetamine, a large knife and two explosive devices – alleged to be homemade pipe bombs.
Police closed the Sturt Highway and an exclusion zone was established. The rescue bomb disposal unit allegedly confirmed that the devices were explosives before they were dismantled.
Two men, aged 33 and 30, were arrested and taken to Hay police station while police established an investigation.
The 33-year-old man was charged with two counts of possessing an explosive in a public place, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and custody of a knife in a public place. He was refused bail to appear before Griffith local court today.
The 30-year-old was released without charge, pending further investigations.
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More PrEP secured amid shortage
The government has temporarily approved an overseas supplier of PrEP to ensure the thousands of Australians, with or at risk of contracting HIV, are protected amid a shortage of the medication.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is an antiretroviral drug taken by people at high risk of HIV infection, which lowers their chance of catching HIV, but has been in short supply for over a month.
For the more than 27,000 Australians that use PrEP the government says the supply situation will improve from today, with the Laurus Labs USA registered brand will be listed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, allowing supply at a subsidised cost for the period of the shortage.
The supply of tens of thousands of units will resolve the shortage by early November, according to the government, with approximately four months’ supply in the country by then, and future planned deliveries meeting normal ongoing demand.
The health minister Mark Butler said:
PrEP is highly important for Australians living with or at risk of HIV and we have taken swift action to ensure they are protected from current shortages. We are committed to supporting those with HIV and to the once thought impossible goal of eliminating transmission of HIV in Australia by 2030.
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Man dies after quad bike crash
A man has died after a quad bike crash in the north-west of NSW.
Emergency services were called to reports of a vehicle crash yesterday afternoon, about 25km south of Moree.
Police found a quad bike that had rolled over on the levee bank of the Tycannach Creek, and a man – aged 82 – was pronounced dead at the scene.
The scene was examined by forensic investigators, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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Steven Miles catches public transport to officially launch election campaign
Forget Harris’s limo or Trump’s private jet, Queensland’s premier caught public transport this morning to travel to the governor and ask her to dissolve parliament, officially launching the state’s election campaign.
Steven Miles and his wife Kim caught the train from their home in Mango Hill to Roma Street in the city before hailing a 61 bus to Paddington and walking the last leg to Government House.
Miles’ 50c fare is his signature policy from 10 months as premier after Annastacia Palaszczuk stood down and her former deputy ascended to the peak of Queensland politics.
It looks likely to be his lasting legacy, given that the opposition leader LNP David Crisafulli – widely tipped to win the election – has said he will continue the policy.
Along with his decision to abandon plans to demolish and rebuild the Gabba for 2032 Olympics, making public transport cheap was key to what Miles has sought to characterise as his own vision for the sunshine state.
Miles’ choice of transport on Tuesday was perhaps reminiscent of former Uruguayan president Jose Mujica, who used to get around in a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.
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Vape-selling training for pharmacists
Continuing from our last post: The government says its has worked with the peak professional body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to develop updated guidelines, education and training for pharmacists to support the tobacco and vaping reforms.
More than 2,000 pharmacists attended a national webinar training and further face-to-face workshops and online educational products and information for pharmacists will be available, according to the government.
Pharmacists will also have automatic insurance coverage when supplying vaping products for smoking and nicotine dependence.
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Prescriptions no longer needed to buy vapes from pharmacy to help quit smoking
From today, people 18 years or older will no longer need a prescription to buy vapes from a pharmacy for the purpose of helping to quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence.
Vapes will have similar restrictions to other pharmacist-only products including allergy and asthma medications, with pharmacists required to sight photo ID for age verification purposes and have a conversation about the health harms of vaping.
If you need a quick recap of why the government – which has wanted to crack down on vaping – is easing the laws around access, let me take you back to June.
The government had been pushing for world-first reforms that would have meant vapes would only be available at pharmacies with a prescription from a GP or nurse practitioner, a move backed by more than 50 public health organisations, peak doctor groups, and groups across social work and education.
But to get the support in the Senate needed to pass the reforms into law, the government reached a last-minute deal with the Greens under which the prescription model was abandoned.
Then, to give pharmacists enough time to prepare for the last-minute change in the legislation, the original prescription model was put in place for the first three months – which brings us to today, when the deal agreed with the Greens kicks in and there no prescription needed for vapes with a nicotine concentration of 20 mg/mL or less. Those aged under 18 will need a prescription, no matter what.
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Labor taking ‘comprehensive approach’ to gambling ads
Q: Will there be an outright ban on gambling advertising? That’s what the report recommended. It was very comprehensive.
Michelle Rowland said the government was consulting on a model addressing the three key areas she had outlined (see previous post):
This is an area in which the government is taking a comprehensive approach. We’ll continue to work through this because we know that Australians want change in this area, and the government’s made it clear that the status quo is unsustainable.
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Communications minister discusses prospect of gambling ad ban
Michelle Rowland was on ABC News Breakfast earlier and was asked about the prospect of an outright ban on gambling advertising.
She responded that the government is pursuing “a very comprehensive suite of reforms” in response to the late Peta Murphy’s report.
The minister said three key areas needed addressing – protecting children, breaking “that nexus between sport and online wagering” and dealing with the saturation of ads:
Particularly that targeting of ads towards one of the most vulnerable cohorts, which is young men aged 18 to around 35. So we’re working through that comprehensively.
Rowland said a large number of the recommendations deal with state and commonwealth relations, “so we need to work through those carefully”:
We’re doing this as expeditiously as possible, but I can obviously appreciate that your viewers would have wanted action in this area some 10 years ago.
We know that Australia, unfortunately, suffers some $25bn a year from gambling losses. Of course, the vast majority of that comprises land-based gambling – both pokies and casinos – for which there is little or no advertising. But we do know that online wagering is an area of growing harms.
We want our response to be forward-looking, we want it to be effective, and we want it to ensure that there are limited unintended consequences, that they can be dealt with, and that it is an effective approach.
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Confidential RBA briefings should stay confidential, Chalmers says
If you pay any attention to political news, you have probably heard the term “a wide-ranging press conference/interview”. That is usually code for a politician trying to address several fires at once.
This is a “wide-ranging” press conference.
Jim Chalmers turns to reports in the AFR that the Reserve Bank has banned a global investment bank from private briefings, after leaks.
(The RBA, like all central banks, offers private off-the-record briefings to a range of stakeholders, where it explains some of the thinking behind its actions. It also does this publicly now, with the press conference after each of its board meetings.)
The background briefings though, are supposed to stay in the background. On the AFR report, Chalmers says:
If the commercial banks are going to receive confidential briefings from the Reserve Bank, they should be kept confidential. And I have some sympathy for the Reserve Bank in when it comes to the issue reported today in your newspaper.
People should respect the process and the agreements, and where that hasn’t happened, there will be consequences, and I will leave them in the capable hands of the independent Reserve Bank. It’s not for the treasurer to manage or police agreements between the Reserve Bank and the commercial banks when it comes to private briefings, but I do share the concern reported today in your paper that some elements of confidentiality may have been breached, and I’m sure that our colleagues at the bank are working through what that means for the way that they conduct those briefings and who’s involved.
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Chalmers ‘gravely concerned’ about human cost of conflict in Middle East
Jim Chalmers has also spoken on the situation in Lebanon after the news Israel has launched what it is calling a “limited” ground invasion.
The treasurer said the “situation in Lebanon has escalated overnight” and this is “deeply concerning”:
We are gravely concerned for the human cost of an escalation of this conflict. We continue to urge restraint and de-escalation, because further hostilities put the lives of tens of thousands of civilians at risk.
The global community has been really clear that the destructive cycle in this part of the world must stop. We call again on parties to agree to the comprehensive ceasefire deal brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt, and endorsed by the UN security council. Delays in agreeing ceasefires are costing lives, and Lebanon, as Penny Wong said, cannot become the next Gaza.
Chalmers added that “we do not mourn the death of a terrorist leader responsible for all of that destruction in the Middle East”:
We do mourn the loss of so many innocent lives in the Middle East. Too many lives have already been lost to this conflict. An escalation of this conflict risks even more innocent lives, too many families, too many children have already been lost to the conflict in the Middle East, and the escalation risks making that worse.
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Treasurer holds press conference in Canberra
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is holding an early-morning press conference in Canberra, where he has pre-empted questions about the proposed Qatar stake in Virgin.
Qatar Air is proposing to buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia, which would allow it broader access to the Australian domestic market. Chalmers says it is a matter for the ACCC:
It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to pre-empt that process or comment further. We expect that components of the deal related to international flights will also be subject to ACCC merger authorisation consideration.
As I understand it, the ACCC hasn’t yet received an application …
My role in it is on the Foreign Investment Review Board. And when I get that advice, I will consider it in the usual methodical way. I will say, more broadly, we do want to see a strong, competitive airline industry that delivers for consumers.
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‘These people should be locked up,’ Littleproud says
Continuing from our last post: Nationals leader David Littleproud spoke to Brisbane radio 4BC where he expressed a different view:
Unfortunately, I think many Australians are just blindly getting on with their day and not understanding the gravity of exactly what is happening on the streets in our cities.
These people should be locked up if they want to support a terrorist organisation, they are importing hate to this country and we should be alive to that and we should do something about that. The core responsibility of any government is to keep its people safe.
And shortly after that, Liberal leader Peter Dutton appeared on Sky with what he thought should happen:
Enforcement of the law is required. And if there are laws that need to be passed to make sure that our values are upheld, the prime minister should be doing that.
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Mass arrests won’t help fight extremism, Canavan says
Hello and good morning from Canberra. The political attention is split today, with Queensland premier Steven Miles about to officially ask for an election to be called, but the federal MPs are still doing what they can to claim a bit of space.
One of those MPs is Queensland LNP senator Matt Canavan, who appeared on Sky News early this morning where he took a slightly different view to handling protesters, compared with his party leadership.
Canavan, who has previously said he flirted with communism while at university, said he wasn’t sure if threats to “mass arrest” people were winning hearts and minds:
I don’t know if just mass arresting people is going to help here. I mean, we’ve obviously got a huge problem in our society over extremism. These are abominable displays we’ve seen on our streets. But this is ultimately a battle of ideas, and ideas that include an end-of-days extreme ideology.
And I just don’t know if just mass arresting people is going to defeat that. I mean, I’ll draw the comparison to communism.
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‘Absolutely appropriate’ for police to investigate alleged raising of Hezbollah flags, minister says
Katy Gallagher was also asked about calls from Peter Dutton to recall the parliament and give the AFP powers to arrest people who allegedly held Hezbollah flags at protests at the weekend.
Is this something the government would consider? Gallagher said:
I think that the leader of the opposition knows that the police are and have indicated that they are investigating the matters on the weekend, including the [alleged] raising of those flags of a listed terrorist organisation.
It is appropriate, and in this country, we do have law enforcement agencies that actually undertake the investigation. The investigation is not undertaken by the leader of the opposition.
Parliament is sitting next week. I think the leader of the opposition understands what he’s doing here, which is trying to raise and create further division at a moment where people are feeling extremely concerned about what’s happening in the Middle East.
Gallagher said the alleged raising of Hezbollah flags “is absolutely inappropriate, and it is absolutely appropriate that the police investigate that matter”.
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Gallagher reiterates call for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, spoke to ABC News Breakfast just earlier to discuss the crisis unfolding in Lebanon.
Asked if there is a plan to evacuate citizens if it comes to it, she said Dfat and the government have been “working hard over the last few months around contingency planning [and] people should be assured that that work is being done”.
She was asked what message Australia is sending to Israel at the moment, with the Israeli government not appearing to be heeding international calls for it to pull back from a ground offensive and agree to a ceasefire. Gallagher responded:
Last week you saw that Australia – along with a number of other nations like the US, the UK and the European Union – had issued a statement which called for a ceasefire, for further humanitarian assistance, which Australia is providing to Lebanon. And certainly, calling for de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
So that remains our message. That remains our message to Israel. We don’t want to see loss of life that we have been seeing in the Middle East over the past year, particularly in Gaza, about now in Lebanon as well.
You can follow the latest developments on our separate live blog below:
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Liberal senator speaks up for negative gearing
Andrew Bragg was also asked about reports that the Treasury is looking at options on negative gearing reform.
What’s wrong with looking at it, he was asked? Bragg said:
We don’t think that increasing taxes on houses is going to result in more … houses. That’s pretty simply our view. And as you know, about half the cost of a new house in NSW already goes in taxes and regulatory charges.
So, increasing the tax burden on housing is not a very good approach and, unfortunately, it’s been held out by some like the Greens as a silver bullet to the housing crisis when, unfortunately, there isn’t a silver bullet other than building more houses and finding ways to tilt the scales in favour of first home buyers.
But why shouldn’t it be on the table to explore? Bragg said, “because even if you changed it, you still have a massive housing problem.”
And asked if there should be any limits on how many negatively geared properties people can have, Bragg responded:
The deduction of rental losses is a pretty standard tax principle that applies across the economy. And at the end of the day, I think this is a massive distraction from the core issue, which is that the government have not built enough houses, and they haven’t been creative in ways to help first home buyers.
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Banks should loosen credit laws to help first home buyers, Liberal senator says
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg was on ABC RN earlier to discuss an idea being pushed by some Liberals – to loosen credit laws to help first home buyers. He made the case for the changes and said:
[At] the moment, you have basically [a] very low level of delinquencies in Australia, and so the banks aren’t able to take on any risk – and frankly, we want banks to take on some risk, particularly in relation to first home buyers.
And a lot of people who are listening today, who may be older Australians, would probably have never received a loan under the current arrangements if they were in place 20 or 30 years ago.
So we need to balance risk management against our objective of growing first home ownership in Australia. And in other countries like Singapore, the equivalent regulator has to consider the impact on the economy and on people, whereas [the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority] only has one very narrow objective.
Asked if this could push house prices up further, Bragg said this was “a conversation about getting more first home buyers into the market”.
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Queensland premier launches bid to oust controversial mayor in final hours in office
Queensland premier Steven Miles has launched a last-gasp bid to stand down the controversial Townsville mayor during his final hours in office before embarking upon an uphill re-election campaign.
This morning, Miles’ office confirmed it had sent a late-night show cause to Troy Thompson while the corruption watchdog investigates claims he embellished his military service during his mayoral campaign.
Thompson will have three weeks to respond. He has been contacted for comment.
Miles’ Labor government goes into caretaker mode today.
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Dutton calls for cancelling of visas if ‘people are acting outside of Australian law’
Continuing his interview on Today, Peter Dutton said there should be “consequences” for people in Australia on a visa if they “aren’t abiding by our laws or they aren’t adhering to the values that they’ve signed up to”:
And I know Tony Burke talks about the prospect – “Maybe we’ll cancel visas.” No, we have to be very definite about this.
If people are acting outside of Australian law, if they’re acting in a way that’s inconsistent with the obligations that they’ve signed up to under their visa – that is to come here and to be peaceful – then their visas should be must be cancelled ahead of Monday [7 October], which is a significant day.
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Dutton wants parliament recalled to debate anti-terrorism laws
The former deputy police commissioner for NSW, Mick Willing, spoke with Sunrise earlier amid news the AFP would investigate at least six people who allegedly waved Hezbollah flags at rallies over the weekend.
Willing described the alleged actions as “atrocious … [and] unacceptable in this country” but said police have to work within the confines of the legislation:
So, the simple display of some of those symbols on itself is not enough to charge. There are a range of thresholds that have to be met. I am glad the investigation has kicked off both by the Australian Federal Police, Victoria and NSW too. It is going to take some time to pull that investigation together, but they have to work within the confines of that legislation.
At the same time, the opposition leader Peter Dutton spoke with the Today show and said “I believe that there are provisions within the existing law”, but if there’s not, the PM should “recall Parliament and deal with whatever deficiency there is in the law”.
The glorification of a man who is a leader of a terrorist organisation – It’d be like people out there glorifying Adolf Hitler or glorifying Osama bin Laden. It’s completely unacceptable.
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Finding the right envoy on Islamophobia ‘has taken a while’, minister says
Tony Burke was also asked about the special envoy on Islamophobia, and said “finding the right person has taken a while”:
Rather than starting with a name, I started talking to people about what sort of person should fill the role. And it was through those conversations that Aftab Malik emerged …
This is a very targeted job for them, to talk about Islamophobia, and it’s important that they have the support of the community, and Aftab does, but it’s also important their job is to help to combat Islamophobia throughout the country.
Burke said he would “go through my whole life without experiencing hate speech and bigotry in this country, but my neighbours won’t”.
He said Australia has legal protection against hate speech on a range of issues such as race, sex, gender and disability, but not faith:
So that’s why these envoy positions are particularly important to help make the case and to help to lower the temperature in Australia.
We always need to remember, while it hasn’t happened here in Australia, the Christchurch massacre was conducted by an Australian. Islamophobia can lead to forms of terror and violent extremism that are absolutely horrific.
If you go to who is the person most likely to be targeted for abuse in Australia right now, it’s an Islamic woman wearing a hijab. I don’t want that to be the case. I want everyone to be able to live peacefully and live safely.
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Burke says he has met ‘extraordinary’ Palestinians and transferred them on to humanitarian visas
Tony Burke was also asked about Palestinians who are in Australia on visitor visas and what will happen to them in the long term.
He said he had been dealing with them “case-by-case” over the past few weeks:
For some of the people who I’ve been meeting with, I’ve been transferring them on to humanitarian visas. That’s the same humanitarian visa that the Ukrainians have been on… We’re doing all the full checks that you’d expect in terms of security checks and everything that gets done.
Burke said he had helped 12 families with this process so far, moving them to humanitarian visas:
They don’t all have to be personal meetings with me, but so far, they have been … I’ve met with some extraordinary people, some people with skills like some accountants who are desperate to be able to work here in Australia.
One man who has a son with cerebral palsy … [and he] carried his adult son for 5km to try to get into safety [in Gaza]. When he met with me, he was still carrying his son because they didn’t have a wheelchair yet.
These are some extraordinary, good people who I’ve met with, and I’m hoping with those individual decisions that we’ve been making, that they’re finding a bit more safety here in Australia.
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Burke calls out Dutton for wanting to recall parliament to debate anti-terrorism laws
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has called for parliament to be recalled to pass laws addressing the alleged waving of Hezbollah flags at rallies at the weekend.
Tony Burke told ABC RN:
He didn’t say we should recall the parliament so that we could get our housing legislation through. He didn’t say we should move quickly in the parliament to get cheaper childcare, cheaper medicines or anything done … If you were going to recall the parliament, you’d be doing it to do something on cost of living, and we’ve got the legislation in front of parliament right now to try to get more people into houses, and Peter Dutton and the Greens are voting together to prevent that from happening.
But is there a case for strengthening the laws? Burke responded:
These are laws that Peter Dutton supported when they were passed a year ago.
He argued that Dutton wanted to recall the parliament for two reasons: because “any chance he gets to not talk about cost of living, he wants to take it”, and second:
With Peter Dutton, it remains the case that no matter how many times our security agencies say we need to lower the temperature in Australia, he wants to raise the temperature every single time. He doesn’t want to recall parliament because he wants to change laws that he supported a year ago, he wants to recall parliament because he wants to throw more kerosene on the fire and get people angrier with each other and say more outrageous things in the parliament. That’s what it’s about. It’s nothing to do with Australia.
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We mourn the civilians – not the Hezbollah leader, Burke says
Tony Burke was asked about reports of people mourning Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and said:
Well, the government doesn’t mourn him for one minute, not for one minute, but I’ll tell you – there are civilians who have been killed who we mourn. There are people who have nothing to do with terrorism, who were alive a week ago and are dead now, and we certainly, certainly mourn them.
For people claiming that they mourn someone like that, they can explain that for themselves, but from the government’s perspective, there are plenty of people to mourn, and he’s not one of them … The number of civilians killed is just intolerable, and that’s why the government’s calls for a ceasefire are so important.
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Anti-hate speech laws ‘supported by both sides of politics’
Is waving a Hezbollah flag in Australia against the law? Tony Burke said that there are “certainly laws that speak to it”.
From December last year in the commonwealth criminal code, it became an offence to display the symbols of a listed terrorist organisation, which Hezbollah has been designated as since 2021.
Burke said of the legislation:
When those laws were passed through the parliament, they were the strongest statement on hate speech that the parliament has ever taken. They were supported by both sides of politics. They’re yet to be tested in the courts for the first time … The first cases that are brought will be the first cases that are tested, and they may well be from what happened over the course of the weekend.
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‘I’ve got very strong views against hate speech and hate symbols’
Tony Burke was asked what the bar would be for a visa cancellation, and whether holding a Hezbollah flag would be enough for a visa to be cancelled.
He didn’t answer directly because of the court process but said:
I’ve got very strong views against hate speech and hate symbols, very strong views, and I don’t want the anger and hatred from around the world being imported into Australia.
And so as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter which side of a conflict you’re on, if you’re involved in inciting discord and hatred in Australia, then I want to have a look. And I asked the department to prepare a brief for me so I can consider whether the visa should be cancelled.
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Inciting discord a reason for me to cancel visas, Tony Burke says
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is speaking with ABC RN amid news the AFP will investigate at least six people who allegedly waved Hezbollah flags at rallies at the weekend.
Asked if any visas had been cancelled since the weekend, Burke said no:
We don’t know whether people there are actually on visas, or people who end up being of concern to the authorities are on visas.
He added:
I was simply asked within my portfolio whether actions that I would take, and it’s very clear that if someone’s inciting discord, they fail the character tests, [then] I’d be willing to cancel those visas …
We do have a higher standard in Australia if you’re on a visa as to what’s expected. If you’re on a visa in anyone’s country, you’re there as a guest … Where people will have arguments about freedom of speech, when you’re a guest in someone’s country, you’re there as a guest, and inciting discord is a reason for me to refuse visas and a reason for me to cancel visas.
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Age discrimination commissioner urges more accurate reporting about older people
The age discrimination commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald, is urging the media to improve how it reports on older people.
A study commissioned by the Australian Human Rights Commission and titled Shaping perceptions: How Australian media reports on ageing found that negative stereotypes of older people are widely prevalent in mainstream media, as well as the under-reporting or misrepresentation of the matters affecting them.
Fitzgerald said positive and accurate portrayals of ageing in the media were found to be in the minority:
A key reason cited for these poor representations is the current state of Australian media. With many newsrooms shrinking and understaffed, specialist reporters being phased out, and overworked journalists facing tighter deadlines with fewer resources, the study found it is increasingly difficult for journalists to adequately research or report on age and ageing. This is resulting in the misreporting of older people, or unconscious biases seeping into news coverage.
The study also found the commercial drive to mainly target younger audiences was “either minimising older Australians or overstating their issues in line with the ‘click-bait’ culture”.
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National weather forecasts
Sticking with the weather, here’s a look at the forecasts across Australia’s capital cities today:
Here's today's forecast around Australia. For the latest forecasts and warnings, visit our website https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/nM1TaewX4u
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) September 30, 2024
Of note, Darwin is forecast to reach a top of 35C. There’s a heatwave warning for central and northern parts of the Daly district, and over the Tiwi district.
Maximum temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s, with overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid 20s, are forecast during the heatwave period – expected to last until at least Thursday.
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2024-25 bushfire season begins
Today marks the official start of the 2024-25 bushfire season.
The NSW Rural Fire Service says the bushfire danger period has now begun for most local government areas in the state. This means a fire permit is needed for all burning activities and at all times.
Today marks the official start of the bush fire season, with the Bush Fire Danger Period beginning in most NSW Local Government Areas. Residents & land holders should make sure they know the rules when it comes to the use of fire. For more info, visit https://t.co/sypRwkwhvK pic.twitter.com/66QniWToh5
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) September 30, 2024
Dating protection boost as apps swipe right for safety
Australians looking for love will have more protection with dating apps captured by a safety code aimed at improving users’ experiences, AAP reports.
Almost three in four people experienced online sexual harassment, aggression or violence by someone they had met through an online dating platform in the past five years, according to one study. One in five reported being threatened and about one in eight people had images or video taken of them without consent.
A voluntary code to which all the major dating app providers have signed aims to stamp out this behaviour when it comes into force on 1 October. The most popular apps including Bumble and Grindr as well as Tinder and Hinge, which are both operated by Match Group, have signed up to the code.
It means they need to put in place measures to detect potential online harm, take actions against perpetrators to make sure they can’t create new accounts or jump across to another app and have a clear reporting mechanism to help victims. The companies are further required to better engage with law enforcement and provide resources promoting support.
Communications minister Michelle Rowland said the largely unregulated space had resulted in harms, including death, from online abuse on top of it facilitating violence against women and girls:
We expect these safety improvements to be rapidly realised.
The eSafety commissioner will assess the code’s effectiveness over nine months.
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Majority of Australian charities say demand for non-food aid at all-time high
Good360 Australia surveyed 500 charities across the country and found 82% said demand for essential non-food aid was at an all-time high.
The research revealed personal hygiene products were the most in-demand (76%), followed by clothing (72%) and educational supplies (69%).
Managing director Alison Covington said the cost-of-living crisis was pushing “more Australians to the brink, and we are seeing a significant increase in the number of people turning to charities for help”:
It’s not just the volume of need that’s concerning, but the fact that 58% of charities are reporting a rise in people seeking help for the first time.
The reality is that our communities need more than just food; they need everyday essentials that contribute to a dignified life. We need to do more to ensure that all Australians, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the essentials. This includes items to support personal hygiene, for education, for living comfortably at home, and for play.
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Good morning
And hello! Thanks to Martin for kicking things off for us. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you most of today on the live blog.
As always, you can reach out via X, @emilywindwrites, or email, emily.wind@theguardian.com, with any thoughts, questions and tips.
Let’s go.
More on Qatar Airways’ plans to buy a stake in Virgin
Virgin Australia says its partnership with Qatar would bring benefits to flyers through increased competition. The press release says:
The expanded codeshare and collaboration arrangement will provide access to a greater range of international destinations with improved schedules and frequencies, increased earn and redemption opportunities for members of Velocity and Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club, and broader access to great value fares for leisure travellers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate customers.
Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said:
We believe competition in aviation is a good thing and it helps raise the bar, ultimately benefiting customers. This agreement will also help support Australian jobs, businesses and the wider economy.
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Qatar Airways plans to buy a 25% stake in Virgin
Qatar Airways has announced it intends to buy a 25% stake in Virgin Australia from its current owner Bain Capital.
Subject to regulator approval, the deal will launch Virgin launch flights to Doha from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, Virgin said in a press release this morning.
These flights will open up new connecting flights to destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The company said:
The proposed wet lease services will begin in mid-2025, allowing Virgin Australia to assess the longer-term merits and viability of wide-body aircraft flying while providing Australians with greater local competition for their long-haul travel needs in the near-term.
Virgin said the minority stake also “serves as a cornerstone investment ahead of an anticipated return of Virgin Australia into public ownership”.
Virgin CEO Jayne Jrdlicka said:
This partnership brings the missing piece to Virgin Australia’s longer-term strategy and is a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation. Importantly, it will further strengthen Virgin Australia’s ability to compete over the long term, which will inevitably translate into more choice and even better value airfares for consumers as well as additional Australian aviation jobs.
I am delighted that our closer relationship [with Qatar Airways] allows us to put our ‘toe in the water’ regarding long-haul international.
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$30m boost for ACCC to crack down on supermarkets
Australia’s consumer watchdog will be given a $30m boost to crack down on “unfair” practices by supermarkets and retailers.
Anthony Albanese will put the supermarket giants on notice today over their “dodgy practices”. He said:
We don’t want to see ordinary Australians, families and pensioners being taken for a ride by the supermarkets, and we’re taking steps to make sure they get a fair go at the checkout.
Here’s our full story:
And our business correspondent Jonathan Barrett has this analysis piece and some charts to explain how the big two leapfrogged their rivals on profitability.
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Everything to know about the Queensland election
Queenslanders will go to the polls on 26 October and we’ve assembled the five key things you need to know about the vote.
And here’s our video explainer:
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer bringing you the best of the overnight news before Emily Wind takes the reins.
The federal government has tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with cracking down on misleading and deceptive pricing in supermarkets, tipping an extra $30m into the competition regulator after damning allegations against Coles and Woolworths. And we also have an analysis coming up to show how Coles and Woolworths have leapfrogged their peers in profitability.
Gambling reform campaigners have accused wagering companies of “showering” federal politicians with hospitality as the government considers advertising restrictions, with new data showing betting groups have given numerous free tickets to MPs. New analysis from the Alliance for Gambling Reform, informed by a new database collecting all federal politicians’ updates to their parliamentary register of interests, shows at least 19 have accepted hospitality from wagering companies to attend major events including the Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, AFL matches and cricket games.
A former Royal Australian Navy officer who alleges a colleague’s bullying led to them feeling suicidal was further traumatised – and pushed to the brink of suicide again – after appearing as a special “key witness” in the royal commission into defence and veteran suicide. In a Guardian Australia exclusive they tell Paul Daley how the process itself retraumatised them.
The Queensland government will go into caretaker mode today when premier Steven Miles visits governor Jeannette Young, officially starting the countdown to the 26 October poll. We have a run down of the five things you need to know about the election, which is expected to be won by the Liberal National party under the leadership of David Crisafulli. More coming up.
And a new safety code for dating apps comes into force today – more soon on what that means.
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