Good afternoon, and welcome to the Afternoon Update. The New South Wales government will announce a suite of reforms in the coming days to tackle the crisis of violence against women, following a dedicated cabinet meeting.
The NSW deputy premier, Prue Car, said the reforms would include “changes to the justice system” and could involve behavioural change programs for men and specialist programs in schools.
The housing minister, Rose Jackson, said the government would also look at all available options to create crisis housing stock urgently, including retrofitting vacant motels and aged care facilities, and erecting modular homes. It comes after the federal government announced its own measures earlier this week, including a ban on deepfake pornography and a $925m package to help victim-survivors leave abusive relationships.
Top news
Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer charged with drink and drug driving offences | Patrick Stephenson has been charged with careless driving, drink driving and drug driving offences after a crash involving a motorcycle on 1 October last year, the Sunday after the AFL grand final.
Three questioned in Mexico about disappearance of Australian brothers | Authorities have said they found an abandoned camping site that may have been used by the travellers, as well as a mobile phone and a vehicle, as the search for two Perth men and their American companion continues.
Victorian class action against demolition of public housing towers dismissed | Justice Melinda Richards said the action had “no real chance of success”, but the Inner Melbourne Community Legal service, which is leading the lawsuit, said it was determined to continue the fight using fresh legal tactics.
Penny Wong discusses Gaza conflict with German foreign minister | Wong said she and Annalena Baerbock spoke about the recognition of Palestinian statehood. She said the only solution to the Middle East conflict is one that “ultimately ensures a two-state solution”.
Anthony Albanese says decision to grant former detainee bail ‘wrong’ | Speaking on the Seven Network this morning, the prime minister also criticised the decision to not require a former detainee who is alleged to have been involved in an assault on a Perth woman, to wear a monitoring ankle bracelet.
Turkey stops all trade with Israel | Turkey’s trade ministry has said the new measures will be “strictly and decisively implemented” until the Israeli government allows an “uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza”. In response, Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, accused the Turkish prime minister, Tayyip Erdoğan, of acting like a “dictator”.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies this year | Joshua Dean, a Boeing whistleblower who warned of manufacturing defects in the planemaker’s 737 Max, has died after a short illness.
Aboriginal cultural items returned to Kaurna community | A kathawirri (sword), tantanaku (club or bark peeler), wirnta (spear) and wikatyi (net), which were taken to Germany in 1840, will now be temporarily stored at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
Uncle of fatally stabbed surfer demands changes to knife laws | Speaking on Sydney’s 2GB radio this morning, the surfer’s uncle, Ralph, called for NSW to adopt “wanding” laws that permit police to use hand-held metal detectors in public places to uncover concealed knives. The surfer is believed to have been stabbed moments after leaving the water.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: Scott Morrison’s memoir and the role for faith in politics
In Australia – a multifaith and sometimes agnostic country – what role does faith play in the decision-making of those who run the country? With the upcoming release of his book, Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness, Scott Morrison has placed his faith front and centre. But is this something new? Or has religion always been a part of Australia’s political democracy?
Bridie Jabour speaks with editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and deputy editor Patrick Keneally on the nuanced relationship between faith and politics.
What they said …
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“Things got pretty heated between me and God as I poured my heart out.” The former PM Scott Morrison, in his religiously charged memoir Plans for Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness.
In numbers
UK Labour has regained the seat of Blackpool South in a parliamentary byelection, in a fresh blow to the leadership of the Conservative prime minister, Rishi Sunak.
Before bed read
The one where Bandit gives birth: is America ready for the banned Bluey episode?
An episode where Bluey’s dad, Bandit, pretends to give birth to his daughter Bingo has been banned in the US, until now. The episode was was uploaded to the official Bluey YouTube channel, where, at time of writing, it has been viewed more than 800,000 times in 23 hours.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: BROW. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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