The canine is an intermediary between wolves and domestic dog breeds, research shows
Dingoes are genetically distinct from domestic dogs and their evolution has been shaped by Australia’s environment, scientists who have fully decoded the dingo genome have said.
An international team of researchers have analysed the genetic makeup of a pure desert dingo called Sandy Maliki, finding that dingoes are an intermediary between wolves and domestic dog breeds.
Continue reading...Liberal MP labels teal independents’ digital advertising outlay ‘immoral’ as it surpasses party’s candidates by tens of thousands of dollars
Liberal MPs in at-risk “teal” seats are being left with little financial support from the Coalition in the lead-up to the election, at the same time as they are being outspent on advertising by their independent challengers.
Analysis by Guardian Australia of the key seats being contested between Liberal MPs and Climate 200-backed independents shows that the Coalition has committed a total of just $92m out of a total of almost $6bn in discretionary spending made since the beginning of the year.
Continue reading...While some government moderates say Australia’s sporting codes are already managing the issue, the Christian lobby warns issue is not ‘going away’
Several Coalition MPs have questioned Senator Claire Chandler’s controversial bill to restrict trans women playing in female sports, calling for caution as they believe it is “redundant” or needs more work.
It comes as the Australian Christian Lobby said it expected Chandler’s bill would be revisited in the next parliament. Conservative lobby group Advance Australia has also launched a campaign calling for Coalition moderates Trent Zimmerman, Dave Sharma, Andrew Bragg and Warren Entsch – who it described as “numpties” – to be voted out at the election over their criticism of Warringah candidate, Katherine Deves.
Continue reading...Victorian government wants extension of commonwealth funding arrangement to combat pandemic
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has reignited calls for the commonwealth to extend its increased health funding for Covid, warning the effects of the pandemic will not end after winter.
But the state opposition has lashed the Andrews government, saying the pressure has been caused by “years of Labor mismanagement” prior to the pandemic.
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Continue reading...Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service ‘disappointed’ that official repeal will not occur in November
Victoria will delay repealing public drunkenness as a crime, in a move that has triggered the state’s Indigenous legal service to urge the state government to prioritise the “overdue reform”.
The offence was to be officially repealed in November, but Guardian Australia understands the decriminalisation of public drunkenness may not take effect until 2023 – more than five years after the death of 55-year-old Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day.
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Continue reading...China doesn’t ‘play by same rules’, PM warns of China’s influence in Pacific region; Labor’s frontbench to replace Albanese in physical campaign; WA premier Mark McGowan tests positive for Covid; Morrison attacks NSW independent commission against corruption for ‘sickening’ treatment of Gladys Berejiklian; at least 46 Covid deaths recorded— live updates
Speaking to ABC Brisbane this morning, (he truly has been everywhere this morning) Scott Morrison was asked his thoughts on the ABC:
We continue to fund the ABC, we continue to keep up the pace on ensuring that it is a competent and professional broadcaster and particularly to support the work that the ABC does in regional areas.
I think the recent floods once again highlighted, I think the ABC at its best, and that’s when it’s providing important information in the middle of natural disasters and things of that nature.
At the start of this week [December 2021], the prime minister told reporters: “Gladys was put in a position of actually having to stand down and there was no findings of anything.”
Fact: Berejiklan resigned as premier in September, voluntarily.
Continue reading...Legal figures say it is ‘ridiculous’ for the PM to call the NSW corruption commission a ‘kangaroo court’ that has led to too many politicians resigning
Transparency experts have criticised as “absolute rubbish” Scott Morrison’s claims that the resignations of New South Wales Liberal premiers Nick Greiner and Barry O’Farrell show the Independent Commission Against Corruption is a “kangaroo court”.
On the defensive after effectively ditching his commitment to create a federal anti-corruption body, Morrison complained on Friday that the NSW Icac had resulted in politicians quitting “too many times”.
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Continue reading...Judge says bank ‘utterly failed to address the issues systematically’ as its total penalties for misconduct rise to $130m
Westpac has been fined $40m for charging fees to more than 11,800 dead people, bringing the total the federal court has ordered the bank to pay in a string of misconduct cases brought by the corporate regulator to $130m.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission launched the six cases against Westpac in November, accusing the bank of charging financial advice service fees to the dead, double-charging for insurance, collecting and paying illegal commissions, failing to properly disclose fees, allowing company accounts that should have been closed to stay open and selling personal debts to collectors at an interest rate higher than allowed.
Continue reading...Morrison dodges questions on whether Australia knew of Solomon Islands-China pact amid ministers’ conflicting accounts
Scott Morrison says China is exerting “enormous pressure” on Pacific island countries, as the Australian prime minister fends off questions about whether his government was caught off-guard by the security deal with Solomon Islands.
Morrison said it was not “just as easy as picking up the phone or sending a foreign minister”, after Labor characterised the signing of the deal as the biggest Australian foreign policy failure in the Pacific since the second world war.
Continue reading...Changes to take effect next Thursday, bringing state’s rules closer in line with NSW and Victoria
Queensland will ease Covid-19 quarantine rules for household contacts and scrap them completely for unvaccinated international arrivals next week.
The acting premier, Steven Miles, said the changes will come into effect at 6pm next Thursday, bringing Queensland’s rules closer into line with New South Wales and Victoria.
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Continue reading...Sydney independent says he can’t have a ‘cooperative relationship’ with the NSW minority government if the premier continues comments
The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, will meet with an independent MP who has threatened to withdraw supply and confidence from the minority government, following comments about the participation of transgender kids in sport.
The Sydney MP, Alex Greenwich – one of a handful of lower house crossbenchers the Coalition relies on to govern – said he could not have a “cooperative relationship” with the government if the premier continued to make “attacks” on the LGBTQ+ community.
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Continue reading...A member of the premier’s family contracted the virus earlier this week
The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, has tested positive to Covid while isolating at home with his family.
McGowan had initially returned a negative test after a family member contracted the virus earlier this week, rendering him a close contact.
Continue reading...Former PM alleged Australian personnel twice failed to prevent the burning of Honiara’s Chinatown
Australia has refuted claims that Australian security forces deployed to Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara to quell last November’s riots were instructed not to protect Chinese-built infrastructure.
The claim was made by former Solomon Islands prime minister, Danny Philip, who is now the chair of the current government’s, foreign policy advisory subcommittee.
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Continue reading...Dave Sharma condemns comments of Warringah candidate Katherine Deves; Labor MP Terri Butler’s electorate office hit by car; nation records at least 50 Covid deaths. This blog is now closed
Q: But senator, I do want to take you up on that. This was the debate we were having in the dying days of the parliament, and all the national security experts and veterans in the field say it was unhelpful and that the ALP was anything other than supporting Australia’s policy, so why are you continuing this line of attack?
Simon Birmingham:
The Labor party have created the points of difference in the way they expressed themselves and the language they used. When last in office, let our investment in our defence forces whittle away to the lowest share of the economy. We brought it back to 2% of the GDP, and having that credible investment is what has enabled us to strike new defence pacts and partnerships with countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, making us a credible partner for defence and strategic investment in areas of artificial intelligence, in missile equipment and investment, and the nuclear-powered submarines.
I think we have seen a Labor party, who when China were making decisions to apply trade sanctions and tariffs against Australia, Labor seemed to want us to reach a compromise with China rather than to stand up for Australia.
Anthony Albanese spoke at the National Press Club not that long ago – he suggested we should negotiate or settle some of the points with the Labor party – sorry, with China. Well, ultimately, we have to stand up for Australian interests.
Continue reading...The Opposition leader says he will continue to work from home while isolating despite being forced off campaign trail for a week
Anthony Albanese says he intends to push ahead with his campaign despite being forced to isolate at home for seven days after being diagnosed with Covid.
The opposition leader released a statement, saying he would “continue my responsibilities as alternative prime minister and will be fighting for a better future for all Australians”.
Kimberly Hone previously posted on social media that ‘one way to avoid domestic violence is to marry well’
The National party’s candidate for the marginal northern New South Wales seat of Richmond told worshippers at a Pentecostal church that her “ultimate goal” in politics was to “bring God’s kingdom to the political arena”.
The comments by the endorsed Nationals candidate, Kimberly Hone, have emerged alongside a series of old social media posts described by her opponents as “repulsive”, and include a post from 2017 that says “one way to avoid domestic violence is to marry well” with a broken Facebook link.
Continue reading...Providers say they continue to face severe staffing challenges and ‘are not aware of any data that reflects this level of growth’
The aged care sector has questioned the Coalition’s claims that the home care workforce has increased by almost 15% in a matter of months, saying the figures appear at odds with the “severe staffing challenges” it is experiencing.
Aged care providers have repeatedly warned of the staffing crisis facing the sector, including in critically important home care services, where staffing issues have compromised the ability to provide some forms of support to older Australians in their own home.
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Continue reading...While business groups celebrate change to isolation rules, some experts remain cautious
The easing of Covid restrictions in Victoria and New South Wales has been welcomed by industry groups, despite concerns from some epidemiologists that it sends the wrong message at a time daily infections remain high.
From Friday, people in both states who live with Covid-19 cases or are deemed close contacts will no longer have to quarantine for seven days, provided they have no symptoms.
Continue reading...Experts say not enough is being done to reduce petrol consumption and encourage uptake of electric vehicles
Almost all of Australia’s fuel supply is imported, leaving the country vulnerable to shortages, a thinktank has warned in a new report accusing the government of not doing enough to reduce and replace demand.
As the war in Ukraine puts the global fuel supply in sharp focus, the Australia Institute found that 91% of Australia’s fuel in the 2021 financial year was imported (including 68% imported as refined crude, as well as 71% of the fuel refined here).
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Continue reading...Australian Rail Track Corporation proposal for 200 drainage control areas comes after years of local and expert concerns about flooding
The Australian Rail Track Corporation is capitulating to some community flooding concerns over parts of the inland rail raised seven years ago after record recent flood events in northern New South Wales and the start of the federal election campaign.
In late March landholders received correspondence from the ARTC identifying potential new areas for flood mitigation works after years of the organisation insisting it had “the utmost confidence” in the inland rail’s flood modelling.
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