Category Archives: Victoria

Australia news live: properties lost in Queensland fires; Victorian hospital reopens Covid-19 ward

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NSW police have meanwhile appealed for public assistance as they investigate the cause of several bushfires along the state’s mid-north coast. Follow the day’s news live

Queenslanders in fire zones urged to pay attention to warnings

Turning to Queensland now, where the state’s Fire and Emergency Service chief, Tony Johnston, has spoken to ABC News Breakfast with an update on the bushfires across the state.

There’s been a number of structures that have been impacted but as you can appreciate, until the fire is actually contained, we won’t have a good picture of what’s actually been lost … When the crews can actually get in and ascertain the damage, we’ll have a full report.

Fires are spotting 200 metres in front of the fires themselves.

We’re asking residents to pay attention to the messaging. The messaging is important to enact your plan and what you’re going to do. Today is not a day to go sightseeing to see what’s happening in a fire area.

A lot of them are not easily contained. Some of those fires have been burning for quite some time. There’s a number of challenging fronts that we’ve got and obviously, worsening weather tomorrow that will cause a lot of problems with these fires and potentially new ones.

I know investigators are looking into a number of those fires and working with [police]. We have to wait for these fires to get under control before we can get in and assess the damage and carry out these investigations.

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Victorian premier Jacinta Allan accuses News Corp of using ‘sexualised imagery’ in cartoon

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Allan says she doesn’t recall seeing a male politician being drawn in such a way

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has slammed a News Corp cartoon that depicts her naked at a fashion show, saying women should not be drawn with “sexualised imagery”.

In a cartoon published in the Herald Sun on Tuesday, cartoonist Mark Knight depicts Allan as a new nude catwalk model – using some pixelation – with the caption: “From the Commonwealth Games cancellation … the premier’s new clothes.”

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Less than half of Australian children who experience violence in sport tell an adult, world-first study finds

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Normalisation of violence in sport, like ‘tough love’ coaching, has discouraged children from speaking up, experts say

When Matthew* experienced violence from his soccer coach and teammates, he didn’t tell his parents out of fear it would mean giving up the sport he loved.

“I didn’t want them to withdraw me from sport altogether, because sport has always been everything in my life, it truly has.”

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Large crowd gathers at pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne as WA man mourns sister killed in Gaza

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Australians are grieving for those killed on both sides of Israel-Hamas war, Adam Bandt tells protesters

About 15,000 people have attended a rally supporting Palestine in Melbourne, with the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, telling the crowd they were mourning for those who had died on both sides of the bloody conflict.

Sunday’s protest was one of several held across the country at the weekend. Victoria police said that there were “no major incidents of note”.

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Two children dead and two in critical condition after shed fire in Geelong

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Preschoolers with severe burns airlifted to hospital in Melbourne, Ambulance Victoria says

Two children have died and two others are in a critical condition after a shed fire in Geelong in south-west Victoria.

Two children died at the scene in Corio on Sunday morning while the other two preschoolers were flown to hospital. All four children are yet to be formally identified.

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Ed Husic calls for government to ‘push for de-escalation’ in Middle East – as it happened

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The Albanese government says it has reached an agreement with China on tariffs placed on Australian wine.

In a statement on Sunday, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese welcomed the progress ahead of his meeting with China’s president, Xi Jinping, in early November, saying the government is “confident of a successful outcome”.

The agreement means China will undertake an expedited five-month review of the duties it places on Australian wine producers. Australia and China have paused the World Trade Organization dispute until the review is finished.

Australia will resume the WTO dispute if the duties aren’t dropped after the review period.

Albanese will visit Beijing between 4 and 7 November to meet Xi and the premier, Li Qiang, and attend the China International Import Expo.

The leaders are expected to discuss economic links, climate change and links between their people.

Albanese said:

I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and productive relationship … I welcome the progress we have made to return Australian products, including Australian wine, to the Chinese market. Strong trade benefits both countries.

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Victorian Liberals’ moderate credentials looking shaky as commitment to treaty wavers

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After the voice referendum, John Pesutto appears non-committal on treaty – but it’s unclear whether an about-face will be well-received in the ‘Massachusetts of Australia’

It was not even 18 months ago that the Victorian Coalition was seeking to dispel the “myth” that only the Labor party supported a treaty with the state’s First Nations people.

“This side of the house, both the Liberal and the National parties, are committed to working with the Indigenous community on treaty,” the Nationals leader, Peter Walsh, told parliament last year when he spoke in support of a bill establishing a Treaty Authority.

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Australians told ‘do not travel’ to Lebanon – as it happened

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No move on paying super to people on paid parental leave

But so far, the government has not moved on paying superannuation to parents (mostly women) on paid parental leave.

Super, of course, is really important and it’s something we would very much like to look to in the future when the budget can afford it. But this is a very big step forward, the current arrangements, but we’ll continue to look around superannuation into the future and consider it in each budget context.

I think with the reserved period as well, we’re going to see an increase in shared care, both parents taking some time out, which is really, really important if we want to get a more equal burden of, you know, of that share of care.

So that is really important as well.

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Labor governments push for national road-user charging after Victorian EV decision

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Treasurer Tim Pallas says refunds being considered after high court ruled charge was unconstitutional

Labor governments in three states are pressing the commonwealth to consider national road-user charging, after the high court struck down Victoria’s electric vehicle tax.

On Thursday the Victorian treasurer, Tim Pallas, said the government will consider refunding a tax paid by electric vehicle owners after the high court deemed it invalid, but suggests registration costs could rise or a national levy could be implemented in its place.

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Julia Gillard’s former partner Tim Mathieson convicted after sexually assaulting sleeping friend

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Court hears the woman fell asleep and awoke to find Mathieson sucking on her breast in March 2022

Julia Gillard’s former partner Tim Mathieson has been convicted and fined $7,000 for the sexual assault of a friend that left her feeling so unsafe she moved interstate.

The 67-year-old formally pleaded guilty in the Melbourne magistrates court on Thursday.

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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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Pokies venues owned by AFL clubs claim renovations and pay tv subscriptions as ‘community benefit’

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Venues owned by four clubs legally claimed a total of $8.6m in operating costs under Victorian scheme

Poker machine venues owned by AFL clubs have been spending millions of dollars in revenue on themselves – from kitchen renovations to Foxtel subscriptions – while claiming the costs as a community benefit to lower their tax bill.

Eight venues, owned by Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda, collectively spent $8.6m on operating costs last year, legally claiming it under the state’s community benefits scheme.

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High court strikes down Victoria’s electric vehicle tax in ruling that could threaten other state levies

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An array of state charges including waste levies could potentially be unlawful after court overturns 1974 precedent on consumption taxes

Victoria’s electric vehicle tax has been struck down by the high court in a landmark case likely to bar all state-level road user charges and expose other state levies to challenge.

On Wednesday, a majority of the high court ruled in favour of two electric car drivers who argued that the imposition of a tax by the Victorian government per kilometre ​driven was unconstitutional because the states do not have the power to impose such excise taxes on consumption.

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Australia politics live: Penny Wong condemns ‘any indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure’ after Gaza hospital blast

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‘Protection of civilian lives must come first and respect for international humanitarian law is paramount,’ Australian foreign minister says. Follow the day’s news live

Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour speaks on the referendum

Just before the house adjourned for the evening on Tuesday, Labor Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour gave a speech about the referendum which is very much worth your time:

I want to say a few things about what led us to the recent referendum and what it means for those first peoples Australians most affected by the outcome, particularly the first peoples Australians in my electorate of Lingiari.

Because of some arcane parliamentary tradition, which I understand derives from English House of Commons, we are obliged to call the making of a speech at this time and in this place a ‘grievance debate’.

The price tag of Israel’s right to defend itself cannot be the destruction of Palestine.

Israel’s right to defend its civilians cannot equate to the annihilation of Palestinian civilians. I hereby call for an immediate ceasefire to come into effect, alongside many world leaders and experts.

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Victoria to outlaw strangulation and consider making animal cruelty a domestic violence offence

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Government says research suggests survivors of strangulation are more likely to be seriously injured or murdered by the same partner

Victoria will make non-fatal strangulation a stand-alone offence and consider including cruelty to animals under the state’s family violence laws.

Describing the act as the “reddest of red flags”, the attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, on Wednesday announced the crimes amendment (non-fatal strangulation) bill would be introduced to parliament.

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Inquest into deaths of five trans and gender-diverse Victorians to investigate emotional support services

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Suspected suicides of the five who were undergoing gender affirming processes to be examined starting next month

Emotional wellbeing support for transgender people will be investigated as part of a coronial inquiry into the suspected suicides of five people who were undergoing gender affirmation processes before their deaths.

The Victorian coroners will next month begin a four-day inquest into the deaths of five transgender and gender-diverse people between 2020 and 2021.

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Flemington racecourse flood wall ‘served its purpose’, Victoria Racing Club boss tells inquiry

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Report into Maribyrnong floods says it is still unclear if construction of wall contributed to damage of residents’ homes

The head of Victoria Racing Club says a flood wall it erected around Melbourne’s Flemington racecourse “served its purpose” after the site was left undamaged during last October’s flooding that left nearby homesinundated.

Victoria Racing Club and Melbourne Water fronted a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday into last October’s floods, after a report – commissioned by the water authority – into the Maribyrnong flooding that affected more than 500 homes was handed down on Friday. The review concluded it was unclear whether the flood wall had exacerbated flooding for residents, saying the available material did not allow a conclusion to be made.

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Airbnb petitions Victorian government to exclude single rooms and cheap stays from new levy

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The introduction of 7.5% levy on short-stays will have ‘disproportionate impact on budget accomodation’, company’s head of public policy says

Airbnb will urge the Victorian government to exclude private room bookings and other “budget accommodation” from its recently-announced 7.5% levy on short-stays, and has cautioned other states from immediately following suit.

At a media event on Wednesday morning, the company’s head of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, Michael Crosby, said he was “disappointed” the levy was limited to short-stay platforms, having previously pushed for a 3-5% tax on all accommodation providers.

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Australia news live: Sydney pro-Palestine rally to go ahead without NSW police approval; Cheng Lei freed from China

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Follow the day’s news live

Heavy traffic near Sydney airport after truck crash and fluid spill

Traffic remains heavy near Sydney airport after a two-truck crash caused a fluid spill.

This is one of the most important priorities for us coming out of what’s occurred in the previous days.

Minister Wong is [working] really hard on that. The Australian government will do whatever is necessary to protect [its] citizens.

We’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure we can secure the safety of Australians … We’re working very hard to make sure we protect Australians not just overseas, but here at home.

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Australia news live: Parliament House in Canberra to be lit up in blue and white in support of Israel

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AAP has the latest polling results ahead of the Indigenous voice referendum day this Saturday:

Two surveys show the no campaign is still ahead a week out from referendum day despite one poll indicating a slight late gain in support for the yes vote in the past month.

Not at all. It’s only done when people cast their ballots.

We’ll wait and see when they cast their vote. I’m not getting ahead of the Australian people.

I know there’s some arrogance has crept into the no side campaign, but it’s a campaign based upon fear and it’s similar to the sort of arguments that were put prior to the apology to stolen generations. And if people think about that … there weren’t any negative consequences for anyone.

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Labor gets a taste of life after Daniel Andrews in Jacinta Allan’s chaotic first week as premier

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From a bungled tax announcement to muddled performances from ministers, the best laid plans for a smooth handover quickly went awry

There’s no doubt that when Daniel Andrews resigned as Victoria’s premier he had planned a perfect handover for his successor, Jacinta Allan.

Over several years, he grew their socialist left faction to greatly outnumber the right, meaning Allan would be able to fend off any possible challenge for the leadership.

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