Labor has joined the Coalition and One Nation in voting down a bill that would have seen asylum seekers held offshore brought to Australia as they await resettlement in third countries.
The evacuation to safety bill, introduced in the Senate by the Greens, was defeated 24 to 12, with the Greens, David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe voting in favour.
There are 158 refugees and asylum seekers still in Nauru and Papua New Guinea, who Pocock said were “victims of our collective political failure”.
Rajah, a Tamil refugee detained on Nauru, previously told a Senate inquiry that “every day is a struggle”. “We are separated from our children, siblings and parents … if we have done anything wrong, tell us.”
Labor senator Nita Green insisted the government was “being strong on borders without being weak on humanity”.
Top news
Lisa Millar ‘angry’ about online abuse | The ABC host spoke out against the “foul, disgusting, personal abuse” she has been receiving this week because of an outfit she wore on her News Breakfast show on Monday. “On this International Women’s Day, [I’m] angry on behalf of myself, and also on behalf of other women – young women who see those stories and see someone like me being violently abused day after day for whatever reason bullies can find.” Watch her remarks.
Albanese off to India | The prime minister is leading a delegation of ministers and business leaders in the first official visit to India by a sitting Australian PM in six years. Human Rights Watch last week urged Albanese to raise human rights issues with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi as tensions rise between his Hindu nationalist government and the minority Muslim population.
Victorian MP proposes in parliament | The Guardian’s Melbourne office was torn today between whether this was “icky” or heartwarming. In his first speaking moment in the state parliament, new Victorian Labor MP Nathan Lambert proposed to his partner Noah Erlich, sparking scenes of joy. Watch the moment.
Australia calls for investigation into Beirut blast | Canberra has led a group of 38 countries in demanding a “swift, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation” into the Beirut port explosion that killed more than 200 people, including a two-year-old Australian boy, and injured a further 7,000. Lebanon – one of the most corrupt countries in the world as rated by Transparency International – has failed to hold anyone to account for the blast.
Elon Musk mocks disabled employee, then apologises | Haraldur Thorleifsson, a now former Twitter employee, logged in to his computer last Sunday to do some work – only to find himself locked out, along with 200 others. He received no reply from HR, so decided to ask Musk on Twitter whether he was still employed. Musk replied by mocking his disability, which he followed up with an apology.
Greg Norman accused of ruining Cameron Smith’s career | … by luring the British Open champion to his Saudi-backed LIV rebel league. “It’s ironic to me that it might possibly be an Aussie that will keep another Aussie in Cameron Smith possibly from ascending to a spot where he’s considered the greatest [Australian] player of all time,” golf analyst Brandel Chamblee said.
Israeli army kills six Palestinians | There’s been more violence in the occupied West Bank after an Israeli army raid in the city of Jenin. At least 70 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, have been killed by Israeli fire so far this year. Palestinian “lone wolf” attacks have killed 14 Israelis, all but one of them civilians.
Florida Republicans propose extreme abortion bill | The latest controversial proposal put forth in Florida is a bid by the state’s Republicans to outlaw most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a ban that would severely undercut access to the procedure in the US south.
What they said …
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“With monetary policy now in restrictive territory, we are closer to the point where it will be appropriate to pause interest rate increases to allow more time to assess the state of the economy.” – Philip Lowe
The Reserve Bank governor says he will meet with Suicide Prevention and Lifeline in the next month, after the head of Suicide Prevention Australia requested a meeting to discuss the impact of rate rises on mental health.
In pictures
At this time of year in India, millions of people dance and hurl coloured powder for Holi festival. Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrating the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil. Judging from the joyful photos in this gallery, it might be a great occasion to plan a trip to India.
In numbers
Australians are still paying significantly more for air travel than before the pandemic, with some routes more than twice as expensive as four years ago, but the ACCC says prices are starting to drop.
Before bed read
Full-fat milk has made a comeback – increasing in popularity by 10% in the last decade. A better understanding of its health benefits has seen dairy drinkers gradually shift away from skim milk. That shift has also seen a boom in alternatives such as oat milk (my personal preference as it’s also one of the more sustainable options).
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: HAT. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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