What we learned today, Monday 13 November
We’re going to close the blog now, but let’s recap the big headlines before we call it quits and pick it up tomorrow:
Ports will remain closed for weeks after the DP World cyber attack.
Polling shows Labor is facing a cost-of-living backlash from voters.
Whistleblower David McBride entered court to face trial.
The government will apologise to survivors of thalidomide morning sickness drug.
Monique Ryan questioned Michelle Rowland attending a lunch with gambling lobbyists last year.
The government accepted all recommendations of the robodebt inquiry.
The prime minister said “we have a responsibility to not seek to politicise these matters” when it comes to the Israel-Hamas war.
The foreign minister faced further questions on the government’s Israel position.
Optus explained the cause of last week’s 14-hour outage came as a result of a routine software upgrade.
Victorian MP Josh Burns warned Middle East protesters not to ‘intimidate local people’ after Friday’s clash in Caulfield.
We’ll be back bright and early for the second day of the sitting on the Australian politics blog tomorrow morning. Have a great night.
Burns says the government’s position on “taking steps towards a ceasefire”, as Penny Wong said, as opposed to calling for an actual ceasefire is about preventing “another cycle of violence”:
It is coded in reality, unfortunately. I say this with great sadness, because no one wants to see this conflict go on a day longer. It is devastating. And let me also say that of course I see the suffering on the Palestinian side. Of course I see that. And it is shattering, and I don’t want this conflict to go on. I also do not want it to happen again and I don’t want another cycle of violence where this is not the first time that Hamas has fired indiscriminately at Israeli citizens and Israel has responded.
What the foreign minister said clearly and what the prime minister has said is that a ceasefire is a negotiated outcome between two people and two different groups. Until Hamas release hostages and until they stop firing indiscriminately on Israeli citizens, the possibility of a ceasefire is not there.
Of course I want to see this end, want to see it and as quickly as possible, but we also have to realise what we are asking for is not going to prolong another cycle of violence.
Updated
