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Peter Dutton has faced criticism from multiple fronts after allegations he intervened to prevent an act of bipartisan condemnation of the Melbourne synagogue arson attack. Labor MP Josh Burns – who is Jewish and represents the seat containing the Adass Israel synagogue – today alleged that Dutton ordered Liberal senator James Paterson not to read out a statement on Burns’ behalf at a news conference on Friday.
After the opposition leader on Monday launched an extraordinary attack on Burns, claiming he had failed to speak up on antisemitism, Burns today accused Dutton of playing “partisan games” after the fire, which is being treated as an act of terrorism.
The Indigenous affairs minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, meanwhile declared Dutton “unfit to be prime minister” after his pledge to not display the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags if he is elected.
Dutton told Sky News on Monday night that the prime minister’s decision to display the flags in official news conferences sent a “confusing message” to Australians.
Under the Flags Act, the two flags are deemed official flags of Australia.
The former Indigenous affairs minister Linda Burney spoke out critically today on Dutton’s track record on Indigenous issues. “He refuses to offer bipartisan support on all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and justice issues,” she wrote on social media. “What else can you expect from a man like him?”
Top news
Queensland parliament passes ‘unprecedented’ gag on abortion debate
Moderna’s mRNA vaccines to be exempt from advisory committee scrutiny under $2bn Morrison-era deal
No Christmas gift for Australian borrowers as RBA leaves interest rates on hold
Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting charged with murder by New York prosecutors
Benjamin Netanyahu says Golan Heights will remain part of Israel ‘for eternity’
Monk abused children for decades on Welsh island ‘in plain sight’, review says
In pictures
Brisbane is deciding on a 2032 Olympics stadium: how do the options stack up?
With the river city’s international reputation on the line, a 100-day review period hopes to cut through the political posturing and land on a main venue befitting of the Games.
What they said …
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“We believe this is a mistake and undermines what has been achieved here in a century of broadcasting.”
ABC Sydney staff accused radio management of having no understanding of the vital role of public broadcasting and undermining audience trust with a series of presenter changes. In an angry letter seen by Guardian Australia, staff said they were not reacting to presenters’ distress, as had been suggested by management, but to the “audience outpouring of confusion, anger and disbelief at unprecedented levels”.
In numbers
Australia is now one of three nations, alongside the US and UK, to acquire and fire a Tomahawk missile. The Royal Australian Navy will buy 200 of the missiles to the tune of $1.3bn, which can travel almost 20 times further than the ageing Harpoon missiles.
Before bed read
‘Dipping my toe into the murky waters of Facebook Marketplace, I find it filled with bots, time-wasters and inane questions’
“Is this still available? Can you hold it for my friend who is out of town? Do you deliver?” Please, just turn up on time and give me the cash, writes Eleanor Limprecht.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: HIT. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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