Meanwhile, Penny Wong begins Middle East visit amid mounting fears of escalating violence in the crisis-torn region. Follow the day’s news live
Western Australian police have confirmed that child abuse detectives are currently in Broome as part of an ongoing investigation into historic child sex offences.
The ABC reported that they were searching a property owned by the Catholic Church, where Broome’s former Catholic bishop Christopher Saunders lived up until late last year.
Continue reading...EV market analyst says Australia’s charging network is now growing at a faster rate than the EV fleet
Electric vehicle charging sites will double in Australia again over the coming year, according to a new report, on top of record-breaking growth over the past 12 months.
The analysis, released by consulting firm Next System, found the number of car-charging sites surged by 90% in Australia during 2023.
Continue reading...Federal court has lifted temporary injunction preventing construction work on part of the pipeline route
Santos’s $5.8bn Barossa offshore gas project has taken another step forward after the federal court dismissed a legal challenge by a group of Tiwi Islanders to the construction of a pipeline.
In a decision on Monday, Justice Natalie Charlesworth dismissed the legal action and lifted a temporary injunction that had prevented Santos from beginning construction work in an area on the pipeline route.
Continue reading...The escaping violence payment is not getting to people when they need it, say advocates who want the eligibility criteria broadened
More than half of people trying to access emergency financial support for domestic and family violence are having their claims rejected, new data has revealed.
Between July and September last year 57,041 applications were made for the escaping violence payment (EVP) but only 29,437 were found eligible, according to data released in response to a question on notice during Senate estimates.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Government is failing to meet basic needs of youth in Queensland lockup, putting staff at ‘risk of harm’, psychologist alleges
A senior psychologist treating children in the Cairns police watch house sent a “cry for help” letter detailing “horrendous” conditions and alleged human rights abuses in the lockup, including claims young people are not being provided adequate food, medical attention or legal support.
The letter, seen by Guardian Australia, was sent to senior Queensland officials and several others on Monday by Andrea Bates, a psychologist with the Cairns court liaison service.
Continue reading...Stateless Kurdish man’s compensation case is the first sparked by high court ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful
A stateless Kurdish man released from immigration detention is seeking “aggravated” and “compensatory” damages for alleged false imprisonment – the first such case sparked by the high court’s ruling that indefinite detention is unlawful.
The intellectually impaired man, known as DVU18, has sued the immigration minister, Andrew Giles, through a litigation guardian, in a case that could pave the way for the 149 people released to sue for hundreds of thousands of dollars of compensation each.
Continue reading...Cyclone Belal is expected to remain a strong storm through the coming week
Active weather is expected to affect northern Australia and parts of the Mascarene Islands in the south Indian Ocean this week, with the monsoon trough a triggering factor in both cases.
The monsoon trough is an area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone that interacts with the larger scale monsoon circulation. This trough is marked by an area of relative minima in sea level pressure, as well as a local maximum of vorticity (a measure of the spin of the atmosphere).
Continue reading...After the cricketer made a nationwide plea for their return, the caps were found in a ‘half-coffin’ cricket bag. But how did they get there?
The mystery surrounding the whereabouts of David Warner’s “missing” baggy greens has been solved – or has it?
The retiring batsman sparked an intensive manhunt, and national discussion, after he appealed for the return of his prized baggy greens on the eve of his last Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Continue reading...Court told teacher formed close relationship with student’s mother and took student out for dinner
A mathematics teacher at an elite Sydney high school started grooming a teenage girl almost immediately after meeting the student, a jury has heard.
The teacher, who cannot be legally identified, is on trial in the Downing Centre district court for alleged unlawful sexual activity with the student who turned 17 years old in 1984. The teacher has pleaded not guilty to one charge of carnal knowledge.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
Continue reading...A 47-year-old man has been charged after allegedly receiving $7,542 from $1,767 worth of bets
A Sydney man has been charged with using insider information to bet on the outcome of five Australian of the Year awards.
It’s alleged the 47-year-old Collaroy man used information from a commonwealth employee to place a series of bets on the awards between 2017 and 2021.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Greenlife Resource Recovery co-director says company is cooperating with environmental watchdog’s garden mulch investigation
The construction boss who runs the company that supplied garden mulch containing asbestos to Sydney’s Rozelle parklands says an explanation for the contamination will “come out in due course” as the environmental watchdog continues its investigation.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) was on Monday analysing samples from in and around Rozelle parklands after testing found bonded asbestos in 14 locations in mulch provided by Greenlife Resource Recovery.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed.
PM says $15bn reconstruction fund is ‘open for business’ despite inability to apply for it
The prime minister was asked why the $15bn national reconstruction fund is “taking so long”, having passed through the parliament in March last year and being brought into effect in July.
Whether the website is there or not, is it is an interesting point that you’re making, but businesses that are interested in this would have looked at a video from the finance minister Kate Gallagher in November, that set out the investment mandate that was agreed to by the government and the National Reconstruction Fund, which importantly, is an independent body at arm’s length in terms of making those decisions because we want those decisions.
The money is available now.
I’ll examine the issue of the website, that is a reasonable point that you make. But people who are actually following this and interested in applying will have seen Katie Gallagher’s release setting out what the what the process is.
At a time when members of the Australian community are unhoused as a result of fire, as a result of flood, it seems unacceptable … that we could be giving large benefits to those who already have a great deal.
… inequality is an issue and the government has looked at ways in which we can improve that position.
Continue reading...William John Newbold, 80, was arrested on Friday and charged with aggravated sexual assault
An 80-year-old man charged with sexually assaulting an 87-year-old woman in a Sydney aged care home has been released on bail.
William John Newbold was arrested on Friday and initially refused bail.
Continue reading...Queensland paramedics treated the two people from the plane but they died at the scene
Two men have died in a light plane crash south-west of Brisbane.
Authorities responded to reports of an aviation incident around midday at Bruckner Hill Road, near Boonah, in the Scenic Rim.
Continue reading...Police say three people were in the car and the child and driver have been airlifted to hospital
A person has died and a child has been airlifted to hospital in critical condition after the car they were travelling in left the road and hit a tree in Echuca.
Victoria police say they believe the car was travelling along the Murray Valley Highway just after 12.30pm when the accident occurred.
Continue reading...Boat occupants on a surfing trip found clinging to the hull as more than 110mm of rain falls over the outskirts of Cairns in 24 hours
Seven seafarers are lucky to be alive after their boat capsized in rough seas as monsoonal weather brought flooding to rivers across Queensland.
Heavy rain persisted across the state’s drenched far north on Sunday as towns near the Victorian-New South Wales border faced their own flooding concerns.
Continue reading...Experts say short-term frustration for car buyers is preferable to the risk of a biosecurity breach
Australia has missed a major electric vehicle milestone partly thanks to an unexpected bug in the system.
Sales of low-emission vehicles had been tipped to top 100,000 for the first time in 2023.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Boy’s mother says she had to withdraw her super and re-mortgage home to pay off his debts to criminals
Betting giant Tabcorp has been ordered to stop accepting cash at its machines in Victorian pubs and clubs unless they are properly supervised by staff after a teenager – with gambling debts of nearly $100,000 – placed bets at multiple venues.
According to the state’s gaming regulator, the 16-year-old was able to gamble on more than 30 occasions between May 2022 and October 2023 at multiple venues across Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The matter is the subject of ongoing court action against venues.
Continue reading...The cuts are already baked into the RBA’s forecasts and economists say there is little point looking at alternatives
Come 1 July, Australian taxpayers will have $20bn more to spend, a pulse of demand in the economy that will keep interest rates higher than they otherwise would be.
That is courtesy of the controversial stage-three tax cuts that are legislated and, it seems, unlikely to be delayed or modified by the federal government.
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Continue reading...Hidden from travellers, Sydney’s airport workers operate intricate networks of conveyor belts, birdwatch with shotguns and sniff out contraband
Flying over the harbour and into Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, the dazzling view of blue ocean lapping at the city’s heart makes the claustrophobia of a window seat tolerable.
For the 100,000-odd travellers who must endure some hectic combination of snaking queues, overpriced cafes, overweight bags and violated personal space before either arriving into or departing the city each day, the fleeting vista of a glistening Sydney stands out.
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