Category Archives: Australia news

Senior Queensland judge criticises ‘glacial’ years-long delays in serious criminal trials

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Exclusive: Justice Jim Henry published data from his own court revealing recent cases took more than a year to reach committal

A Queensland supreme court judge says serious criminal cases are taking “excruciatingly longer” to finalise due to “glacial” delays in the state’s magistrates court, where some matters are spending several years in procedural limbo.

Justice Jim Henry, who is based at the supreme court in Cairns, published data from his own court revealing that of 31 recent criminal cases he finalised between November and February, on average each case took more than a year (370 days) in the lower courts before a committal.

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‘Severe disinformation campaign’ fuelling trans hate speech, Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner says

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Trans and gender-diverse people experience ‘significant and preventable barriers to their safety and dignity’, report finds

The sex discrimination commissioner says there has been a concerted disinformation campaign against transgender rights since Australia’s postal survey on same-sex marriage.

The Australian Human Rights Commission released a report on Tuesday – coinciding with international trans day of visibility – finding that trans and gender-diverse people experience “significant and preventable barriers to their safety, dignity and full participation in society” spanning healthcare, housing, education, employment and public life.

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Australia’s superb fairywren could be extinct within decades due to climate crisis, researchers say

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Scientists tracked bird population in Canberra’s botanic gardens and found climate impacts starting to affect them

A common and well-loved bird of bush and garden could go extinct within 30-40 years due to the weather impacts of climate change, researchers say.

Data derived from nearly 30 years of weekly observations tracked the lives of superb fairy wrens in Canberra’s botanic gardens, noting the changing weather’s impacts on them.

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Deepwater discoveries: scientists find more than 110 new fish and invertebrate species in the Coral Sea

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Brittlestars, sea anemones and a catshark among new-to-science species collected during expedition off the Queensland coast

Marine scientists have discovered more than 110 new fish and invertebrate species in the Coral Sea – a figure they believe could exceed 200 as more are identified.

The species were found in waters between 200 metres and 3km deep in the Coral Sea marine park, Australia’s largest marine protected area, which spans nearly 1m sq km to the east of the Great Barrier Reef.

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Labor accused of avoiding promise to rein in controversial Morrison-era university fees scheme

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Greens amendments to force new watchdog to scrutinise uni fees and the Jobs-Ready Graduates scheme rejected by federal government

The federal government is being accused of dodging promised reforms to bring down soaring university fees, after rejecting efforts to have them scrutinised by a new watchdog.

On Monday, legislation to establish the independent Australian Tertiary Education Commission (Atec) passed the Senate with a number of amendments, including to improve its resourcing and ensuring it had a focus on research.

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Perth man accused of attempted terror attack at Invasion Day rally to plead mental health defence

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Lawyers for Liam Alexander Hall say the 32-year-old is undergoing treatment in custody

Lawyers acting for Liam Alexander Hall, a 32-year-old man accused of attempting to bomb an Invasion Day rally in Perth, have foreshadowed a potential not guilty by insanity plea.

Hall was scheduled to appear before magistrate Matthew Walton via video link from Western Australia’s most secure psychiatric facility on Tuesday, but did not. Instead the case was adjourned until May.

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Debit and credit card surcharges to be removed in Australia by October

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers says changes will help with cost of living and ‘Australians hate paying’ the surcharges

Debit and credit card surcharges will be gone by October under Reserve Bank reforms, with big banks likely to foot the bill for the cost-of-living measures.

The new rules, announced on Tuesday, will enable businesses to remove added fees on Mastercard, visa and eftpos card payments.

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Most gen Z fathers in Australia believe it’s solely their job to provide financially, research finds

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Survey also found 65% of gen Z think ‘things are better if men do paid work and women do care work’

Younger fathers are more likely to cling to outdated ideas that frame men as the money earners and women as caregivers, new research has found.

The Australian State of the World’s Fathers report is based on a global survey of 8,000 parents, with 533 from Australia.

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Dezi Freeman shooting live updates: Victoria police give update on Australian fugitive shot dead after months-long manhunt

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Porepunkah fugitive, 56, had been on the run after allegedly killing two police officers in Australian alpine region in August

The chief commissioner is asked about the fact that the most recent update from police regarding Dezi Freeman indicated that they believed Freeman was dead. He is asked if that was a genuine belief or a tactic.

Bush responds:

It’s a very good question because, you know, we have to follow every avenue of inquiry and there was a lot to suggest that Freeman had taken his own life. But I can tell you standing here that our investigators – that’s why they’re professionals – keep their mind open to every possible outcome and follow every possible lead.

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Farmers plead for tax breaks, diesel guarantees and help buying fertiliser as national cabinet meets on fuel crisis

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State and federal leaders due to discuss assistance for business sectors but petrol rationing not expected to find backing

Farmers say the federal government must help them with tax breaks and underwriting fertiliser purchases to survive the fuel crisis, with Monday’s national cabinet expected to discuss more assistance to businesses amid ballooning petrol prices.

Federal and state governments have remained tight-lipped about what would be on the meeting’s agenda but state premiers have urged the Albanese government to take a stronger national coordination role in the crisis.

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One Nation renews defection offer to ‘courageous’ Moira Deeming after Victorian Liberal MP dumped from election ticket

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Moderate-backed Dinesh Gourisetty won nomination for upper house seat

Moira Deeming has lost her spot on the ballot for the Victorian Liberal party at the November state election, after a successful challenge by a moderate-backed candidate.

Liberal members gathered at party headquarters in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday for the western metropolitan region convention, where Deeming was defeated by Dinesh Gourisetty, a prominent figure in Melbourne’s fast-growing Indian community.

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‘Entirely wiped out’ crops, buildings destroyed and weeks of recovery as cyclone damage assessed

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Critical Western Australia agriculture region counting cost of brutal cyclone as flooding risk persists for low-lying communities

An agricultural region that supplies about 60% of Western Australia’s fresh winter produce is assessing damage as authorities continue work on Sunday to restore power to a popular tourist town hit hard by Cyclone Narelle.

The food-bowl region near Carnarvon, about 900km north of Perth, provides 80% of of the state’s bananas. Meanwhile, flooding risk remains in the state’s low-lying communities.

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Labor to underwrite Australian fuel imports under new security powers to ensure supply

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Albanese announces forthcoming legislation to guarantee private sector purchases of fuel and fertiliser

The Australian government will take on the financial risk of importing essential products affected by the war in the Middle East to get additional supplies of petrol, diesel, and fertiliser into the country.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announced the new fuel security powers on Saturday after a month of soaring diesel and petrol prices and widespread shortages at service stations, particularly in regional Australia.

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Older Australians in ‘immediate danger’ as fuel crisis affects travel for aged care workers

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Unions and farmers call for government intervention as agriculture, construction and waste industries also at risk from higher prices

Care workers, tradespeople and transport drivers are being hit hard by ballooning fuel costs, with some industry groups urging the government to roll out assistance packages or even a jobkeeper-style wage assistance program to help businesses avoid laying off staff.

Reports of small mining businesses scaling back operations and some construction companies deciding against hiring more apprentices have prompted suggestions the government should step in to help, with the Master Builders Association already forecasting a downturn in the number of homes that will be built this year.

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Wild autumn weather delivers snow, dangerous swells and power cuts to eastern Australia

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East coast slammed on Thursday night with wind and rain, while Friday brings freezing temperatures and marine warnings

A dangerous swell has forced the suspension of some ferries across Sydney harbour, the latest in a spate of wild weather that has brought snowfall, power outages and storms to the country’s south-east.

Surf Life Saving NSW is warning the highest waves may surge close to 15 metres during the next 24 to 48 hours, which could be the biggest in 100 years, as dangerous swells and strong winds create deadly conditions.

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Lawyers criticise ‘extreme’ arrest of Isaac Herzog protester after NSW police release video

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The 42-year-old is the 26th person charged after February rally against Israeli president that led to violent clashes between police and protesters

Lawyers have raised concerns that New South Wales police used heavy-handed tactics when arresting an anti-Isaac Herzog protester this week, after eight tactical officers were sent to their home at 5am and “smashed the door open”.

The 42-year-old was the 26th person to be charged after the protest at Sydney town hall in February against the visiting Israeli president. The police response on the night of the protest is being investigated amid allegations of police brutality.

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Albanese government says fuel supply ‘same, if not higher’ in coming weeks as Coalition calls for halving of excise

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Latest figures from ACCC show diesel and unleaded petrol prices across the five largest cities up 10% and 8% respectively

The prime minister and energy minister moved to reassure the public about normal or even higher levels of fuel supply in the coming weeks, as the Coalition escalated calls for a cut to the fuel excise and the government downplayed the prospect of any major restrictions on petrol sales.

It comes as the latest figures from the consumer watchdog showed diesel prices across Australia’s five largest cities have risen by an average of 10% over the last week, while unleaded petrol was up 8%.

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Australia will be left with no submarines if it abandons Aukus, senior defence official warns

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Malcolm Turnbull asks defence department official what Australia would do if the promised Virginia-class and Aukus-class submarines don’t arrive

Australia will be left with no submarines if it abandons the Aukus deal with the US and UK, a senior defence official has warned, declining to publicly countenance an alternative plan if Australia’s promised nuclear-powered fleet does not arrive under Australian command.

“Defence has been directed to pursue Aukus and we are pursuing Aukus and that’s our plan. I would not venture into the space about ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan C’,” defence department deputy secretary, Hugh Jeffrey, told a Sovereignty and Security Forum in Canberra on Friday.

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Sperm get lost in space, Australian research into microgravity impacts suggests

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Study into how fertilisation could work in space finds sperm may get disorientated when trying to find an egg

Sperm in space are likely to get disoriented and lost while struggling to find their way to an egg, a new study has found.

When exposed to microgravity in experiments, sperm tumble around like an untethered astronaut, according to Adelaide University researchers.

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Australia urged to swap diesel for electric buses as fuel costs soar

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Electric buses are just 1% of the Australian fleet compared with 80% in urban China, a quarter in the Netherlands and 12% in the UK

As diesel climbs past $3 a litre amid fuel security concerns, transport advocates are calling for the rollout of electric buses across Australia to be prioritised.

In Australia, just 1% of buses are electric, compared with 80% of the urban fleet in China, a quarter in the Netherlands and 12% in the UK.

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