Australian foreign minister joins UK, Germany and France in condemning comments made by Bezalel Smotrich and repeats calls for ceasefire
Deliberately starving civilians is a war crime, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has said, joining international condemnation of comments made by the Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.
On Wednesday, Smotrich suggested that deliberately starving people in Gaza might be “justified and moral”.
Continue reading...The diverted money was from $25m allocated for Palestinian, Muslim and other communities affected by Israel-Gaza war
Palestinian advocates say it is “incredibly frustrating” to find out that an Australian government department suggested diverting some promised funding for communities affected by the Israel-Gaza war to media organisations for factchecking.
The government announced last October that it would “support Australian communities affected by the Hamas attacks on Israel and ongoing conflict”, including “$25m to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Inc (ECAJ) and $25m to Australian Palestinian, Muslim and other communities affected by the conflict”.
Continue reading...As issue becomes major election battleground, housing minister urges Coalition and Greens to ‘be part of the solution’ amid hold-up of bills in parliament
The new housing and homelessness minister, Clare O’Neil, is “intensely concerned” about the plight of renters and has promised “profound and transformative” investment to alleviate the housing crisis.
But with implementation of Labor’s existing $32bn of commitments a priority, O’Neil is offering more continuity than change in her new portfolio, which she inherited from Julie Collins in the July reshuffle.
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Continue reading...Liberal senator is suing former staffer over social media posts she claims damaged her reputation
Linda Reynolds has told a court that she wasn’t Brittany Higgins’ “counsellor” as she defended her actions after her former staffer’s alleged rape in Parliament House.
The Western Australian Liberal senator has also said she would “still do the same thing today” when asked why she had never offered to listen to Higgins’ experience of the night she was allegedly raped.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
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Budgets running on fumes as car costs outpace inflation
High transport costs are fuelling household budget concerns, AAP reports, with research revealing a surge of more than 10% over the course of a year.
Continue reading...Druery says Payman could become the next Senate powerbroker in the mould of Nick Xenophon or Brian Harradine
Fatima Payman has appointed Glenn Druery as her chief of staff, as the political strategist and so-called “preference whisperer” suggests the newly independent senator could become the next Senate powerbroker.
Druery’s involvement with Payman was revealed in July, between the Western Australian senator crossing the floor to vote for a Greens motion in the Senate to recognise Palestine and her decision to quit Labor to sit on the crossbench.
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The prime minister was asked about criticism that increased public spending is fuelling inflation.
Anthony Albanese pointed to two budget surpluses and said this, plus cost-of-living measures, are applying downward pressure:
Fee-free Tafe, cheaper childcare, energy price relief – all of these measures are aimed at making sure we look after people but do so in a way that’s designed to see inflation continuing to moderate, which is what we want to make sure happens.
Continue reading...In further toughening of stance, government considers calls for joint federal and state police taskforce to investigate unions
The Albanese government will next week push for new powers to appoint an administrator of the construction union, due to a delay in the Fair Work case brought after accusations of criminal misconduct and bikie links.
In a further toughening of Labor’s stance, the workplace relations minister, Murray Watt, signalled the government was considering calls for a joint federal and state police taskforce to investigate alleged criminal conduct in unions.
Continue reading...Labor hopes forcing childcare centres to limit fee hikes to secure funding for wage rises will save parents from further price shocks
Early childhood education workers will receive a 15% pay increase funded by the government – but only if centres agree to limit fee increases.
The wage boost, first reported by Guardian Australia in April, fulfils a commitment from the Albanese government to better address the wage inequity for workers in the crucial sector.
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Wong endorses call from Blinken for de-escalation in Middle East
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said she endorsed Antony Blinken’s call for de-escalation in the Middle East.
We continue to add our voice to the support for the ceasefire outlined by President Biden and endorsed by the security council.
Thank you for an incredibly productive day.
Continue reading...Senator tells defamation trial she considered a letter from Commonwealth lawyers relating to Brittany Higgins’ settlement an attempt to ‘lock her down’
Linda Reynolds says she never agreed to keeping confidential documents relating to Brittany Higgins’ personal injury settlement private and had “no particular concern” about leaking the letters to a columnist at the Australian.
The Western Australian Liberal senator is suing Higgins over a series of social media posts, published in July 2023, which she claims have damaged her reputation.
Continue reading...Australia-US talks also turn to Middle East conflict as representatives ramp up calls for Gaza ceasefire
The US says it plans “more frequent” deployments of bomber aircraft to Australia amid concerns over China’s “dangerous and escalatory behaviour” in the region.
The announcement after annual talks on Wednesday builds on a long-term trend of increased rotations of American forces to Australia, along with moves to upgrade Australian military bases and pre-position US army equipment in Australia.
Continue reading...The government has invited anti-gambling groups to a briefing on proposed reforms to the sector on Friday – but there’s a special condition if they want to attend
A leading anti-gambling advocate has refused to sign a contentious non-disclosure agreement in order to attend a briefing with the government about gambling advertising reforms.
After the government was roundly criticised for consulting with betting companies ahead of gambling harm advocates about the reforms, the Alliance for Gambling Reform was among several organisations that on Monday evening received an invitation to a government briefing.
Continue reading...The number of species recognised as threatened with extinction in Australia now stands at 2,224
Another 13 animals and plants have been added to Australia’s list of threatened species, sparking renewed calls for the federal government to quickly overhaul the country’s nature laws.
The species newly listed as at risk include the pig-nosed turtle (listed as vulnerable), the Dalhousie catfish (critically endangered), Pugh’s sphagnum frog (endangered) and the Coffs Harbour Fontainea, a rainforest tree (critically endangered). Other species are freshwater fish, lizards, flowering shrubs, a daisy and an orchid species.
Continue reading...Reserve bank’s two-day August meeting likely to leave key interest rate unchanged for a sixth straight gathering. Follow the day’s news live
Australia will join the US Global Entry program in 2025, creating an easier pathway for the hundreds of thousands of Australians who visit the country each year.
Eligible Australians who sign up for the program would benefit from streamlined and expedited immigration and customs clearance channels on arrival into the US, a statement from the foreign minister, Penny Wong, says.
Joining the Global Entry program is a mark of the closeness and the strength of the relationship between our two countries.
The foundation of the friendship between Australia and United States is the friendship between our people. This program will deepen these links and make it easier to foster greater commercial ties.
Continue reading...Crossbenchers are furious at reports the government will propose a cap on television ads instead of a total ban
The government has come under fire for consulting betting, sport and media companies ahead of gambling harm advocates, as it prepares to respond to a plan that would ban all gambling ads.
Crossbenchers are furious over reports Labor will propose a cap on television ads instead of a total ban, with the Greens and independents warning anything short of a blanket ban could be amended by a hostile Senate.
Continue reading...Western Australian senator is suing Brittany Higgins over social media posts she alleges damaged her reputation
Linda Reynolds says she chose to meet with Brittany Higgins in the room her former staffer had allegedly been raped in a few days earlier because it was the only private space available in her ministerial office suite, a court has heard.
The Western Australian senator said she also was not aware of a potential sexual assault allegation at the time, and didn’t notice any “vibes” or “glances” from Higgins, who she acknowledged was “very upset”.
Continue reading...Prime minister’s emphasis on ‘engagement’ appears to differ from more formal truth-telling process advocated by First Nations leaders
Anthony Albanese has endorsed telling the truth about historical and current Indigenous experiences of colonisation in Australia but stopped short of committing to establishing a commission to facilitate the process.
Speaking on ABC TV’s Insiders program at the Garma festival in north-east Arnhem Land, Albanese suggested consulting Indigenous organisations on ways to better address Indigenous disadvantage and boost economic development in their communities fits the definition of the Yolŋu word “makarrata” – coming together after struggle.
Continue reading...Calls for humanitarian approach offered to Afghans in 2021 and Ukrainians in 2022 to be extended to Palestinians as visitor visas expire
The new minister for home affairs, Tony Burke, has confirmed he is looking at ways to allow Palestinians who fled to Australia to stay longer, saying no country should send people back to Gaza right now.
Burke said it was understandable that the government used visitor visas as its first response to the crisis, but acknowledged action was needed because the visas were expiring and the Israeli offensive was continuing.
Continue reading...Michael Murphy publicly acknowledges the impact of territory policing on Indigenous Australians over the past 154 years
The Northern Territory police commissioner, Michael Murphy, has issued an extraordinary apology to the Indigenous people of his jurisdiction, declaring police have favoured protecting “settlers” over Aboriginal people and he is “deeply sorry for the hurt and injustices” this has caused them over more than a century.
In a speech at the Garma festival in north-east Arnhem Land, Murphy warned his words could “trigger strong emotions” in his audience but said they were issued in the interests of reconciliation, healing and justice.
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