Scientist says explosion of mosses ‘almost like a rainforest’, as council tries to lower risk of falls
Booming growth of moss and algae, falling autumn leaves and persistent wet weather have created a slippery threat to Sydney’s safety that has sparked increased footpath cleaning and a warning for people to be careful.
The City Of Sydney said the issue of slippery paths around the CBD had become so serious that it had changed its seasonal routines.
Continue reading...Anti-logging protesters reject state governments’ claims new laws are necessary to protect workers’ safety
Governments in two Australian states have been accused of undermining democracy by introducing legislation designed to criminalise environmental protests.
In Victoria, protesters attempting to prevent native forest logging would face 12 months’ jail or more than $21,000 in fines, and bans from protest areas under laws proposed last week by the Andrews Labor government.
Continue reading...Olivia* complained to hospital and regulator about her treatment and feels disempowered by the process
Olivia* still has questions about the compulsory mental health treatment she received at a Melbourne hospital.
Last year, she was admitted into the Northern hospital after an eating disorder relapse. Olivia, aged in her 40s, alleges she received forced mental health treatment after being told the hospital did not treat eating disorders.
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Continue reading...Lawyer acting for families says it is ‘happening more than people would believe or understand’
At least 68 children have been left on buses in Australia in the past five years – a rate of more than one a month.
Earlier this month, three-year-old Nevaeh Austin was treated in intensive care after being found unconscious on a bus outside her Queensland childcare centre. She had been left on the bus alone for six hours in temperatures over 30C .
Continue reading...With the Nationals now out of power, we examine the Albanese government’s promises and priorities for the bush
Anthony Albanese says his desire as prime minister is to unite Australia, with “no one left behind, no one held back”, but for many living outside the capital cities in Coalition-held seats, being left behind is exactly what they fear.
Chief executive of the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, Natalie Egleton, says despite the federal election results indicating the Nationals’ base is declining, the party held all their seats, meaning “there’s still a sentiment in the bush about the need to have parties focused on rural communities”.
Continue reading...Michael O’Neill had been driving trucks in war-torn country to help civilians flee and transport the wounded, sister says
An Australian man has died while providing humanitarian aid in war-torn Ukraine, the prime minister has confirmed.
Michael O’Neill, 47, was killed on Wednesday, leaving behind three children as well as five siblings.
Continue reading...It is now a three-person race to lead the Coalition’s junior partner with the deputy leader joining Darren Chester in announcing intention to nominate
David Littleproud will run against Barnaby Joyce for leadership of the National party.
The high-profile deputy leader announced on Saturday he’d told Joyce of his decision to nominate.
Continue reading...Prime minister says Labor ‘won’t drop the ball’ as Samoa signs agreement with China; the Greens’ Stephen Bates claims victory in seat of Brisbane. Follow all the day’s news
Nationals MP Darren Chester reportedly told Barnaby Joyce of his intention to challenge him for the leadership in the party’s group chat.
May we all strive to have such chaotic group chat energy.
Continue reading...Dr Omar Khorshid calls on commonwealth to work with states as union protests ambulance ramping and staffing shortages in NSW
The head of the Australian Medical Association says the federal government must “stop the blame game” and step in to relieve state and territory health systems buckling under high demand.
The AMA president, Dr Omar Khorshid, said the federal government had to “accept its responsibility for our national health system” and “sit down” with the states to resolve the issues during an appearance on Weekend Sunrise on Saturday.
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Continue reading...Analysis: Implications of Greens wins could be decades-long – for both Labor and the LNP
A few days before the 2019 federal election, a group of regional Queensland state MPs held crisis talks with the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, and her then deputy, Jackie Trad.
They brought advance news of the thrashing that Labor was about to receive in the state’s regional areas. Some had copped abuse from voters at polling stations. They said delays approving the Adani Carmichael coalmine would ultimately cost them their seats.
Continue reading...The animals are a crucial part of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Newhaven scheme to reintroduce 11 vulnerable native mammals
In the red centre of Australia, a ring-fenced refuge for threatened native mammals is slowly but surely expanding its population.
Earlier this week, 32 threatened greater bilbies moved in and 65 burrowing bettongs will join them before the weekend is out.
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Continue reading...Exclusive: President of south-east Asian nation says Australia used cover of ‘supposedly altruistic foreign aid program’ to spy on behalf of oil companies
The president of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, has accused former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer of “avoiding and distorting” the issues around the 2004 bugging scandal, saying recent comments ignored the fact that Australia had spied “on behalf of oil companies and using the cover of Australia’s supposedly altruistic foreign aid program”.
On Thursday, Downer appeared on the ABC’s Q&A program and was questioned about the 2004 Australian Secret Intelligence Service mission to bug Timor-Leste’s government during sensitive talks to carve up oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea.
Continue reading...Australia wants to show region it is a reliable partner, says foreign minister, and to make up for a ‘lost decade on climate action’
Australia’s foreign affairs minister has used a visit to Fiji to urge Pacific countries to weigh up the “consequences” of accepting security offers from Beijing, saying the region should determine its own security.
Speaking on the second day of her trip, Penny Wong said Australia wanted to show it was a reliable and trustworthy partner, and was also “determined to make up for” what she described as “a lost decade on climate action”.
Continue reading...Page and Deacon both won the Red Ochre prizes at the 2022 First Nations Arts awards on Friday night for their life work
Last year, choreographer, dancer and director Stephen Page announced that he was stepping down as artistic director of Bangarra Dance Theatre, after 31 years in the job. On Friday night, Page was named the recipient of a $50,000 lifetime achievement award, at the Australia Council’s First Nations Arts awards – and it could not have come at a more opportune moment.
The descendant of the Nunukul people and the Mununjali clan of the Yugambeh nation in south-east Queensland, Page has created more than two dozen works for Bangarra over the past three decades and won many accolades, including being named an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). Now, it is time to take a break.
Continue reading...Tourist boat is believed to have capsized at Talbot Bay, about 250km north-east of Broome
Investigators are probing what caused a serious jet boat incident in one of Western Australia’s most remote locations as rescuers worked into the late afternoon to winch injured tourists off a pontoon at Horizontal Falls.
The boat Falls Express was carrying 26 passengers and two crew when it ran into trouble at the tourist hotspot in the Kimberley region of WA at 7.15am on Friday.
Horizontal Falls is touted as one of the greatest natural wonders of the world with huge nine-metre tides that surge through narrow cliffs cut into two gorges in the McLarty Ranges. Jet boats ride the “horizontal” rivers created by the fast-moving tides.
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Continue reading...Quake struck to east of Timor-Leste, with residents in Northern Territory capital reporting strong shaking
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck off the coast of Timor-Leste and was so strong it was felt in Darwin, Australia.
The quake hit at 11.36am local time (12.06pm Darwin time), according to Geosciences Australia, and prompted some people in the capital of Dili to flee buildings, though a tsunami was ruled out.
Continue reading...Catholic Weekly called on to apologise over editorial comparing new rights to the Holocaust
The maverick Catholic figure Father Bob Maguire has criticised New South Wales’ premier and the state’s parliament for passing voluntary assisted dying laws, after a scathing editorial on the legislation was published in the Catholic Weekly.
On Friday Jewish groups put pressure on the newspaper, funded by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, to apologise and amend the piece, which compared the new laws with the Holocaust and criticised Dominic Perrottet’s leadership.
Continue reading...Tamil family can return to Queensland town while their immigration status is resolved, Labor’s Jim Chalmers says
The Murugappan family is set to return home, to the rural Queensland town of Biloela.
The interim home affairs minister, Jim Chalmers, said on Friday afternoon that he had exercised his powers under the Migration Act to give them bridging visas, fulfilling a pre-election promise to let them go home.
Continue reading...ABF officials made it clear publication of the interception could only proceed on the authority of the home affairs minister, Guardian Australia understands
Scott Morrison’s staff conveyed a clear message to border force officials through Karen Andrews’ office on election day that they wanted the department to publicise the interception of a boat from Sri Lanka, Guardian Australia understands.
While an investigation into the politically charged incident is ongoing, people familiar with the events last Saturday have confirmed that on current information, staff working for Andrews made it clear to officials that Morrison wanted the boat interception publicised. They also conveyed that they wanted the opposition briefed about the incident, given the caretaker convention was in force.
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Continue reading...NSW paramedics take industrial action; election vote count ‘progressing well’; interest rate rises on horizon; Penny Wong speaks at Fiji press conference; Anthony Albanese signs Fair Work Commission submission on increasing minimum wage; decision on Biloela family due; at least 39 Covid deaths recorded. This blog is now closed
Peter Dutton was on the Today show this morning, maintaining his charm offensive from yesterday, and distancing himself from former prime minister Scott Morrison.
Dutton emphasised his “work ethic” and his connection with John Howard and Peter Costello (very interesting in light of the election result):
I have a lot of respect for Scott and all of my former leaders, but I grew up under John Howard and I was assistant treasurer to Peter Costello.
I have, I think, an incredible work ethic and I have a desire to do what is right by our country. I’ve had tough jobs in immigration, border protection and in defence ...
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