What we learned: Thursday 29 February
And with that, I am going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Victoria police have moved to withdraw assault charges against a man released due to the high court’s ruling on indefinite detention – just hours after Peter Dutton used the incident to attack the Albanese government.
Australia is increasing its support in the joint-nation operation targeting the Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea.
The Victorian and NSW governments have cancelled their annual iftar dinners after the peak Muslim bodies and other community groups announced they would not attend the event given Labor’s stance on the conflict.
The former treasurer and US ambassador Joe Hockey said it was “absurd” that Asio’s Mike Burgess hasn’t identified the “traitor” former politician who “sold out” Australia.
Alex Turnbull, the son of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, is quoted in news.com.au saying that he believes he may have been the target of an approach referred to by spy chief Mike Burgess.
The Greens senator Janet Rice held up a sign saying “Stop the human rights abuses” during Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s speech to parliament. She was later censured in the senate.
It comes as Australia and the Philippines announce a new agreement.
School and university students held a national walkout today calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Australia to break its military and diplomatic ties with Israel.
A blaze that threatened more than 100 homes during extreme conditions in Victoria’s west is being treated as suspicious, as evacuated residents are allowed to return home
Updated
Victoria fire that threatened more than 100 homes being treated as suspicious
A blaze that threatened more than 100 homes during extreme conditions in Victoria’s west is being treated as suspicious, as evacuated residents are allowed to return home, AAP reports.
The fire at Dereel, about 30km south of Ballarat, and another at Bayindeen, west of Ballarat, have been declared under control after an intense firefight.
The cause of the Dereel blaze is under investigation because there was no dry lightning in the area, emergency management commissioner Rick Nugent said.
“We don’t believe there was any tractors or other machinery working in that area at the time,” Nugent told reporters in Ballarat on Thursday.
“So at the moment we are treating that fire as suspicious until we are able to prove differently.”
Flames were whipped up by strong hot winds during catastrophic fire conditions on Wednesday, prompting a warning for residents to shelter indoors. Nugent said at least one outbuilding had been lost and firefighters saved 117 homes at Dereel.
“What I’ve heard from the firefighting crew is they were putting the fire out on the doorstep [of homes], on back pergolas, in back yards, in front yards,” he said.
The fire at Dereel was under control as of Thursday and an advice message warned residents in the area to stay informed.
Flames came within kilometres of Michelle de Groot’s house in Dereel on Wednesday. She said she sought shelter at two evacuation centres, which had to be evacuated as the fire grew.
“We were choking on smoke, everyone’s there yelling ‘get out, you have to leave, it’s not safe’,” de Groot told ABC radio.
The Bayindeen blaze was also declared under control after hundreds of firefighters stopped it spreading by building containment lines around its 165km perimeter.
An advice message instructed residents of dozens of communities forced to leave because of the Bayindeen blaze it was safe for them to return.
Updated
