What we learned today, Monday 30 January
That’s where we will leave the blog for today. Thanks to everyone who tuned in. Here’s what made headlines:
The nation’s peak body representing culturally diverse communities has criticised the voice to parliament no campaign’s push for constitutional recognition of migrants as “offensive” and “divisive”, saying they never asked for or discussed such a possibility.
The Albanese government launched a major national policy for the arts called Revive, injecting $300m into the beleaguered industry which includes the establishment of a national poet laureate. Australia’s peak bodies have praised the announcement, saying “the government has listened”.
A Victorian coroner has declared the state’s controversial bail laws discriminatory and a “complete, unmitigated disaster”, using landmark findings into the 2020 death in custody of First Nations woman Veronica Nelson to recommend urgent reforms.
Lachlan Murdoch has been granted leave to expand his case against Crikey after the federal court agreed to include Private Media executives Eric Beecher and Will Hayward as respondents in the defamation trial.
The health minister, Mark Butler, has announced the Albanese government will invest $8.5m to support those with a lived experience of mental health to shape the policies and programs that affect them.
The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, has said an 11th-hour plan from ClubsNSW targeting problem gambling across the state will not be enough to stop the government from pushing ahead with the introduction of a cashless gaming scheme.
Have a great evening, everyone.
Updated
Minister moves to fast-track student visas
Student visas could be fast-tracked as Australia responds to a snap decision by the Chinese government to ban citizens from studying at foreign universities online, AAP reports.
China’s education ministry announced the ban on Saturday, telling its citizens to return to overseas campuses for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic started.
The higher education sector estimates the ban would result in about 40,000 international students returning to Australian universities but have warned of logistical challenges in relation to visa processing and accommodation.
The education minister, Jason Clare, said his department would meet representatives from home affairs on Monday afternoon:
The department of education is meeting with the Department of Home Affairs ... to make sure that we’re putting in place all the measures that we can to assist with visa processing.
Updated
