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About 42,000 people have marched at New Zealand’s parliament to protest against a bill that would would radically alter the way the Treaty of Waitangi – an agreement signed in 1840 between more than 500 Māori chiefs and the crown and is instrumental in upholding Māori rights – is interpreted.
The crowd, which culminated after a nine-day hīkoi mō te Tīriti (march for the treaty), gathered in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill in what is estimated to be one of the biggest demonstrations in the country’s history.
The minor libertarian Act party, which was behind the bill, believes the current principles have distorted the original intent of the treaty and created a twin system for New Zealanders.
The bill, which does not have widespread support and is unlikely to become law, passed its first reading on Thursday last week amid scathing speeches from opposition parties, multiple attempts to delay proceedings, and a haka led by the Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke.
Top news
Alan Jones charged with two further offences | The former Sydney radio host Alan Jones has been charged with offences against a new ninth alleged victim, meaning he is now facing a total of 26 charges, including indecent assault and sexual touching. Jones has previously denied all allegations against him. His lawyer, Chris Murphy, said on Monday that Jones denied any misconduct and would assert his innocence in court.
Police officer who tasered Clare Nowland was ‘fed up’ | Kristian White cursing just before he tasered an elderly woman who was holding a knife showed the aged-care resident was not a threat but that he was simply fed up that the 95-year-old would not drop the steak knife, a jury has heard.
Coalition to help pass controversial migration bill | The bill, which will go before a Senate inquiry, allows the government to pay third countries to accept unlawful non-citizens and grants the government immunity from being sued by people harmed during deportation.
Trump confirms he will utilise US military to conduct mass deportations | Donald Trump said his administration would declare a national emergency and use the US military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit seeking more information about how authorities might carry out the campaign.
UK expected to give Ukraine missiles to strike inside Russia | The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, said his country recognised it should “double down” on its support for Ukraine and is expected to supply long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine after the US president, Joe Biden, agreed to do the same.
Aukus submarines on schedule despite US admiral’s warning | Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, said he was “confident” about the fulfilment of the submarine deadlines, despite the admiral who runs America’s submarine building program confirming construction is behind schedule.
Bunnings breached privacy of customers by using facial recognition | The Australian privacy commissioner has ruled Bunnings breached the privacy of potentially hundreds of thousands of Australians through the use of facial recognition technologies in stores to scan every customer on entry.
Teenagers reportedly fighting for life after feared methanol poisoning | Two Australian teenagers are reportedly fighting for life in Thailand, with fears they suffered methanol poisoning while drinking alcohol in neighbouring Laos.
Priest demoted after Sabrina Carpenter video scandal | The leader of a New York City church where pop star Sabrina Carpenter filmed provocative scenes for a music video was stripped of his duties on Monday after church officials said an investigation revealed other instances of alleged mismanagement.
In pictures
No-show Joe: G20 leaders take group photo without Biden
Frustrated US officials blamed “logistical issues” for the blunder, which meant that Joe Biden missed out on a photo with fellow G20 leaders in Rio de Janeiro at his final summit as US president on Monday.
What they said …
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“For the benefit of those not as learned as Minister Rowland, Microsoft is the company; Windows is the operating system. The government’s proposal to outlaw social media for kids under 16 is the legislative equivalent of this ill-considered speech.”
In arguing against the government’s plans to ban under-16s from social media, independent senator Fatima Payman took aim at an apparent error in a speech from the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, last week where she said: “In 1985, Bill Gates brought us the Microsoft operating system.”
In numbers
The Australian Institute of Marine Science revealed the results from in-water surveys of 19 reefs, recording “substantial losses” of coral cover after a summer of extreme heat, two cyclones and major flooding. One area around Cooktown and Lizard Island had lost more than a third of its live hard coral – the biggest annual drop in 39 years of monitoring.
Before bed read
A kookaburra: ‘They think they are waking the world’
A kingfisher with a long, dagger-shaped beak. Soft white feathers on its belly, iridescent blue opal spots on its wings. Helen Sullivan’s ode to the bird who laughs.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: ABA. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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