What we learned: Sunday 22 October
We are going to wrap up the live blog for Sunday. Here’s what made the news today:
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake has struck Victoria’s south-east.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is heading to the US for talks with the president, Joe Biden.
China has announced a review into tariffs on Australian wine, the first step to removing the barrier for the $1bn industry.
The RFS has warned residents in the New South Wales mid-north not to be complacent as two bushfires burned on Sunday.
The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, says Israel is not inflicting collective punishment on Palestinians for the action of Hamas by turning off water, power, food and internet to Gaza.
The Australian government has announced a $298m boost to the fire ant eradication program.
We’ll be back with you tomorrow morning to bring you all the latest developments. Until then, enjoy your evening.
Updated
NSW police concerned about US tourist missing in Sydney CBD
NSW police have serious concerns about a US tourist who has been missing for more than a day after last being seen in central Sydney.
Bill Huber, 69, was seen about 12.15pm on Saturday at the Queen Victoria Building on George Street.
Police said in a statement that Huber’s family reported him missing when he became separated from them and couldn’t be found or contacted.
The force said it was concerned for his welfare as the disappearance was out of character.
He is described as caucasian, about 170cm tall, with solid build and grey hair, and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, camouflage shorts, black and grey shoes, sunglasses and a small blue shoulder bag.
Anyone who sees Bill, or believes they know his whereabouts, is urged to contact police.
Updated
Brisbane planning laws keep poor out most desirable suburbs – study
Planning laws that preserve most prewar Brisbane homes are “tantamount to exclusionary zoning”, keeping poor people out of rich suburbs without substantially preserving the city’s built heritage, according to new research.
The lead author, Rachel Gallagher, said the city’s character-zoning laws were justified as a means to preserve heritage – but in reality prevent higher-density housing being built in some of the city’s most desirable suburbs such as Chelmer, Morningside, Ashgrove, Paddington, Bulimba and Bardon.
These character suburbs are established suburbs with really good transport and existing amenities.
So basically, we are shutting out new housing from our older suburbs and pushing it into areas that don’t have that infrastructure.
Brisbane city council’s traditional building character overlay prohibits demolition of any dwelling built before 1947 in a bid to “maintain traditional character”. This applies, even where normal zoning would otherwise permit construction of medium-density housing. It doesn’t, however, prevent renovations unless the home is built before 1911.
For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Andrew Messenger.
Updated
Probyn joins Nine after ABC sacking
The former ABC political editor Andrew Probyn has reportedly been hired by the Nine Network, only months after being made redundant by the public broadcaster.
Guardian Australia reported in July that Probyn had been in discussions with Nine and the network confirmed on Sunday via a report in the Sydney Morning Herald that he would join Nine News as national affairs editor, working in the Canberra press gallery.
Probyn said in the Herald, a Nine newspaper:
I’m delighted to be joining Nine’s powerhouse Parliament House bureau. At a time when the need for reliable, trusted and agenda-free news has never been greater, I look forward to working alongside Charles Croucher and some of Australian journalism’s best.
He will start in November.
Updated
Auctions on the up
Auction activity has risen slightly, with 2,441 held this weekend.
This is slightly more than the 2,275 auctions held last week and above the 2,169 auctions that took place at the same time last year.
Based on results collected so far, CoreLogic calculated a preliminary clearance rate of 70.8% across the country, higher than the 69.9% recorded last week and the 60.7% actual rate on final numbers.
Across the capital cities:
Sydney: 896 auctions (74.2% clearance rate)
Melbourne: 1,107 (68.6%)
Brisbane: 124 (66.1%)
Adelaide: 173 (83.8%)
Canberra: 81 (53.3%)
Hobart: one scheduled auction
Perth: nine of 16 auctions held
Updated
Innocent Palestinians paying ‘horrible price for Hamas’ barbarism’ – Husic
Ed Husic has doubled down on his concerns for innocent Palestinians in the Gaza strip, saying they’re paying an “utterly horrible price for Hamas’ barbarism”.
The science minister told Sky News on Sunday he felt “very strongly” for the civilians caught up in the conflict as Israel mounts its ground invasion of the Palestinian territory. Husic said:
Innocent Palestinians are paying a horrible price, an utterly horrible price, for Hamas’ barbarism. There is by no doubt, a requirement and understanding there will be an undertaking by Israel to hold Hamas to account for what happened on 7 October without question. But again, you know, we’ve seen 1,000 children lose their lives since that point in time ... There’s got to be a better way to target Hamas.
So far, the federal government has urged for restraint on all sides and called for the Israeli government to operate within the “rules of war” as its official position.
Collective punishment is prohibited by international law, including article 33 of the Geneva conventions. The killing of civilians and destruction of property beyond what is necessary are considered war crimes.
The western Sydney MP was asked whether there was broader support within the Labor party for the plight of Palestinians. Husic said:
I think there is a broader view about the impact on people and I think the bigger moment that we’ve got is to push for de-escalation and for a much more strategic way, precise way, to target Hamas and hold them to account.
Updated
Two children dead in Geelong fire
Victorian police have confirmed they are investigating a fire which claimed the lives of two children in the state’s west on Sunday.
Two children died and two others are in a critical condition after the fire in Corio, a suburb of Geelong, the force confirmed.
According to a statement:
Police are investigating a fatal shed fire in Corio this morning. Emergency services were called to the Officer Court property just after 10.30am.
It’s believed at this early stage four children were in the shed when it caught fire. Two children, who are yet to be formally identified, have sadly died at the scene.
The other two children, also yet to be formally identified, have been airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined but is not being treated as suspicious at this stage. Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Updated
SA’s ‘hydogren delivery partner’ named
The South Australian government says it has decided on its commercial partners in what it claims will be the world’s largest hydrogen production facility.
The Whyalla plant will create thousands of jobs, the SA premier, Peter Malinauskas, posted today.
A consortium comprising ATCO Australia and BOC, a Linde company is the preferred hydrogen delivery partner. pic.twitter.com/b3La8dzMIC
— Peter Malinauskas (@PMalinauskasMP) October 22, 2023
Updated
Man, 71, dies after being swept into the water in NSW Hunter region
A New South Wales man has died after being swept into the water at a beach in the Hunter region on Sunday.
Police were called to Boat Harbour, near Nelson Bay, just after 12.40pm following concerns for the man’s welfare.
Surf Life Saving NSW pulled the man from the water but the 71-year-old man died at the scene.
A crime scene has been established and an investigation into the circumstance surrounding this incident has begun.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Updated
Albanese: ‘new national awareness’ to close the gap
The prime minister says he remains committed to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia in the wake of the failed referendum.
When it comes to moving forward, I think it’s up to all of us to come together and find a different way to get to the same reconciled destination. And I’m very optimistic we can do this, that there is a new national awareness of the need to close the gap. We can’t continue to have an eight-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Updated
‘Great deal of support across the spectrum’ for Aukus
Going to questions now, the PM says that his visit to the US is important now, as the US government considers upcoming votes on assisting Australia with its nuclear submarine program.
There is great deal of support across the spectrum for this arrangement. This is in the interest of Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, and it is one of the reasons why it’s very important that I visit the United States to advance Australia’s interests.
Albanese says his message to Biden will be to ensure focus is maintained on the Indo-Pacific region as the “fastest-growing region of the world in human history”.
Updated
PM ‘very confident’ of end to China wine tariffs
The prime minister is also responding to news from China regarding its review of Australian wine tariffs ahead of his visit to Beijing.
We have agreed on the issue of wine for there to be a review of China’s position on wine tariffs to be conducted over the next months, similar to the way that barley was developed. We will suspend our action before the WTO, but we’re very confident that this will result in once again Australian wine, a great product, being able to go to China free of the tariffs which have been imposed by China.
Albanese says he will travel to China from 4 to 7 November to meet the president, Xi Jinping.
This will be an important visit. It will mark 50 years almost to the day when Gough Whitlam made his important visit to China – the first visit by an Australian prime minister to the People’s Republic of China. It is important that we stabilise our relationship with China. That is in the interests of Australia and China and it is indeed in the interests of the world that we have stable relations and that is what this – what this visit will represent. A win-win: Australia gets to export our wine [and] importantly, China gets to receive this amazing product.
Updated
Albanese to embark on ‘important visit’ to US
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking about his upcoming trip to the United States for talks with the US president, Joe Biden.
The PM says the talks will address Australia’s supply of critical minerals for US manufacturers on clean technologies and the Aukus alliance.
At a time of global uncertainty, working with Australia’s partners is absolutely vital and this will be an important visit.
Updated
A century of Vegemite
Vegemite – that jar of black paste made of yeast byproduct and mixed with salt, celery and onion – is marking its 100th anniversary.
Developed by Cyril Callister in Port Melbourne as a substitute for British spread Marmite in 1923, Vegemite was sold to Kraft Foods.
Consumers initially failed to take to Vegemite until a promotional campaign that advertised the spread and Kraft cheese together kickstarted sales in the 1930s.
Kraft carefully cultivated the spread’s place within Australian culture, including the first broadcast of the Happy Little Vegemite jingle in 1964, as well as medical endorsements for the product’s high levels of vitamin B and folate.
In 2017, Australian dairy producers Bega Group bought multiple Kraft assets in a $460m deal that returned Vegemite to Australian ownership.
More than 20m jars of Vegemite are sold in Australia each year, with the official 100th anniversary on 25 October.
Here’s a look at some Vegemite jars throughout its century:
– with AAP
Updated
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, and the trade and tourism minister, Don Farrell, will hold a press conference in Adelaide on Sunday regarding wine exports to China.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell are in Adelaide today and will hold a press conference regarding wine exports to China, 3:00PM AEDT #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) October 22, 2023
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Allan defends plan to demolish Melbourne’s public housing towers
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, has defended the state government’s plans to demolish and rebuild ageing public housing towers after some residents vowed not to leave their homes.
Last month, the government announced it would demolish and rebuild all of Melbourne’s public housing towers to fit three times as many residents. At a rally on the weekend, some residents said the government was pushing poor people out of Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
Speaking to reporters, Allan says the government will work closely with residents of the towers:
We’re not going to spend our time having rallies and scare campaigns. We’re going to spend our time focused on working with builders, working with the industry and most importantly, working with those public housing residents, to support them to get the dignity of a new modern home to live in.
Updated
Victorian winemakers would welcome China tariff breakthrough: premier
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, says winemakers across the state will welcome a breakthrough in the long-running wine tariff dispute between Australia and China.
Anthony Albanese on Sunday said the two countries had agreed to suspend their World Trade Organization dispute while Beijing conducts an expedited five-month review of the duties it places on Australian wine producers.
Speaking to reporters, Allan says China has “long been a really important trading partner for the state of Victoria”.
The announcement today will be welcomed by winemakers and growers and exporters across Victoria.
I know talking to winemakers in my own electorate who historically had long trade relationships with China, they’ve been looking forward to this day.
Updated
Federal government must ‘fix Medicare’: Victorian health minister
Victoria’s health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, has reignited calls for the federal government to “fix Medicare”, as Australians prepare to face increased costs for doctors appointments.
From next month, Australians will pay more than $100 for a standard non-bulk-billed GP appointment. It comes after the Australian Medical Association recommended doctors raise their fees to cope with soaring costs of running a practice.
Speaking to reporters, Thomas says fixing Medicare is a federal responsibility.
It’s never been harder to access a bulk-billing GP than it is right now. And that’s simply not good enough.
Our government has done more to support general practitioners than any other state government.
Updated
Rare Mukarrthippi grasswren spotted in more locations in NSW
One of Australia’s rarest birds has spread its wings into new territory, offering fresh hope for its ongoing survival.
The small Mukarrthippi grasswren is critically endangered and is a 60% risk of becoming extinct by 2041.
The bird was previously only spotted at two locations around the Yathong nature reserve in central-western NSW but recent surveys show the bird at another three sites.
The new locations within the same nature reserve are more than 6km away from the previously known habitat.
The NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, says at least six birds have been observed in the new locations.
Finding more of them in new locations is a huge boost to our efforts to prevent its extinction.
This discovery is thanks to dedicated field scientists who have been searching for the little bird in one of our most remote national parks.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has declared the core habitat as an asset of intergenerational significance, providing stronger legislative protection for the Mukarrthippi grasswren.
Special fire management plans are being developed and the habitat will be included in a large feral predator-free area to prevent the rare bird being killed by cats.
Research and monitoring efforts, including remote-sensing surveys to map key habitats, are ongoing.
More than 1.5 million birds were tallied in the first three days alone, with the aim to count 5 million birds in total.
– AAP
Updated
‘I never thought he would steal from me’
Wendy (name changed) could tell something was wrong by the look on her son’s girlfriend’s face when she came down to the kitchen on Easter morning. “He’d been out with his mates, had a few drinks, got her phone, got into her savings account, and gambled $2,800 into two bets,” she says.
Her son’s girlfriend burst into tears. “She said, ‘I never … thought he would steal from me.’”
Wendy’s 22-year-old son had started gambling just before he turned 18, when he was working as a landscape apprentice with a boss heavily into gambling.
His girlfriend has now left him, and Wendy estimates she and her husband have spent up to $25,000 paying off his gambling debts.
A Guardian Australia investigation into the youth gambling crisis revealed a 16% increase in the number of young people seeking help for gambling in the past financial year, many of them entering adulthood with debt, broken relationships and depression.
It led MPs to call for an urgent parliamentary inquiry into the impact of advertising by harmful industries, including gambling, on children and young people, and also prompted many parents, including Wendy, to share their stories.
For more on this story, read the rest of the report by Guardian Australia’s Natasha May.
Updated
Albanese heads to US to meet with Biden
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, leaves for Washington on Sunday ahead of a meeting with the US president, Joe Biden.
Initially, the agenda for the trip included further discussions about Aukus and the potential for Australia to supply critical minerals and lithium to help make electric vehicles batteries and other clean tech to the US.
Events in Israel and Palestine, however, will overshadow the meeting, with Albanese having expressed support for Israel to defend itself while at the same time expressing concerns about the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.
Updated
NT Central Land Council: referendum result shows Australia ‘does not know itself’
The NT Central Land Council says Australia is a country that “does not know itself”, in a statement released a week after the failed referendum on the Indigenous voice to parliament.
It says Indigenous communities remain united, recognises the courage of the prime minister, thanks those across Australia who stood in support with them:
On 14 October Australia voted NO. But Aboriginal people in all our Central Land Council communities voted YES. In fact, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people all over remote Australia voted YES.
The referendum results tell us an important story: We as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are united. We know who we are. We know what we need. And we know things need to change.
But we live in a country that does not know itself. Our people are grieving. Those of us who have been around for a long time recognise how it feels. We have been here before. We are sad, but we know that we must stay strong.
Others in our communities, especially young people, are in shock and disbelief. We need to work together and support each other. CLC leaders and elders created a legacy of fighting to improve the lives of our people. The CLC will never stop advocating for our rights.
We will keep fighting for equality, fighting for land, fighting for water, fighting for housing, infrastructure, good jobs, education, closing the gap – a future for our children.
While we are disappointed with the outcome of the referendum, we recognise the courage of the prime minister Mr [Anthony] Albanese and thank him for providing Australia with an opportunity to vote for change.
The CLC members and staff thank all Australians who stood with us.
Updated
Birmingham calls for royal commission into child sexual abuse
Senator Birmingham says the Coalition continues to support constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians but “it is clear that to take another proposal forward at some stage into the future will required very widespread consensus and will require a lot of engagement and cooperation”.
I think the referendum demonstrated that Australians put a premium and a priority on practical action and that is where work in terms of auditing the expenditure across all areas of Indigenous programs is a way to ensure that is focused on practical outcomes and greater effectiveness and efficacy across the programs.
Birmingham said a royal commission into child sexual abuse is one practical way to tackle the “scourge”. He says this royal commission should be drafted with the Northern Territory and other states, and focused as much as possible.
An effective approach of royal commissions would be to have the cooperation of states and territories to look at child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities and make sure it was really focused where the problems were seen as most significant. The evidence in the Northern Territory shows that there’s been that spike and that there are real problems to be addressed and that is why we ought to do so, but in a calm, proper manner.
Updated
Australia and China suspend WTO wine tariffs dispute
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.
Updated
‘Iran has been responsible of enabling Hamas’
Birmingham would like to see Australia take stronger action against Iran over its ongoing support for Hamas, including listing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisatons and more sanctions.
The IRGC sponsors terrorist activities around the world. Iran has been responsible of enabling Hamas, Hezbollah and the IRGC oppresses women and girls. We’ve seen suffering for a long time and people have shown courage in the last couple of years since the murder of Mahsa Amini.
Birmingham also says the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, should travel to Israel to demonstrate his support.
Updated
Birmingham: ‘We want to see humanitarian support available’
Asked whether Israel is justified in cutting off all supplies of energy, food, water and internet to Palestinians living in Gaza, he says the Israeli government is “trying to work through what is an incredibly complex problem in terms of how they disable Hamas, remove them from power”.
He says that “we want to see humanitarian support available” and “one of the fastest ways” to achieve this would be the “release of those people still being held hostage by Hamas”.
Birmingham is pushed again on whether cutting off food, water and electricity is justified.
At present, Israel is well within its rights to act in ways that seek to disable Hamas and remove it from the position.
Updated
‘There needs to be a structure other than Hamas’
Birmingham:
If we are to ultimately see a situation where Israelis and Palestinians are in a position to be able to talk, to negotiate and finally live peacefully side by side with one another, then there needs to be a structure other than Hamas in place and to be able to negotiate with – you can’t negotiate with terrorists in this type of instance. You can’t expect to get improved outcomes.
Updated
Israel ‘well within its rights to defend itself’ – Birmingham
The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, says Israel is not inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian people for the actions of Hamas.
Israel is seeking to disable Hamas and its ability to operate as a terrorist threat. That is something we should continue to support … while of course wanting to see Israel operate in ways that protect innocent lives as much as possible. It is notable they have provided warnings in relation to different activities undertaken. They’ve also shown restraint over recent days.
Birmingham said the “loss of all human life in an innocent context is of course tragic” and “our heart goes out to absolutely everyone, be they Israeli or Palestinian, who are seeing the loss of loved sons”, but “Israel is well within its rights to defend itself”.
That is an inherent right and critically, for its future, and the protection of others and the wellbeing of Palestinian people, Israel is within its rights to seek to remove Hamas from an ability to undertake such strikes in the future and hopefully from an ability to be able to rule over people living in Gaza.
Updated
Fire at Hobart’s Zero Davey Hotel
Firefighters remain on scene after a fire broke out at the Zero Davey Hotel in Hobart just before midnight on Sunday.
About 100 people were given temporary accommodation after they were evacuated, with the blaze progressing to all floors of the hotel through internal ducting, causing signifiant smoke and fire damage.
The fire has since been extinguished and an investigation into the cause is under way.
Updated
The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham, will be speaking to ABC Insiders host David Speers.
Meanwhile, the industry and science minister, Ed Husic, spoke to Sky News earlier on Sunday morning.
We’ll bring you all the latest as it happens.
Updated
RFS warns northern NSW residents about bushfires
The NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner, Peter McKechnie, has warned residents of northern New South Wales not to be “complacent” as total fire bans have been imposed across five areas in the state.
Two fires are burning near Kempsey in the state’s mid-north, with fears high winds may fan the blazes.
Speaking to the ABC on Sunday, McKechnie said current conditions suggested a tough fire season ahead.
Look, given the time of year, it’s exceptionally dry. We’re seeing fires start very easily, they’re moving very easily and they’re threatening properties quite quickly.
So until we see some really good rain and some relief, I think the pattern has been set for what will continue to be regular fire activity and does point towards what we have been saying – a very long and challenging fire season.
Updated
5.0-magnitude earthquake hits south-western Victoria
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake has rattled residents in south-western Victoria, with thousands of people reporting to have felt the early morning tremor.
Geoscience Australia said the earthquake struck at 2.11am on Sunday near Colac in the Great Otway national park, about 165km from Melbourne, at a depth of 7km.
The seismologists had originally measured the quake as being of magnitude 4.7 but later revised this to 5.0 and moved the epicentre from Apollo Bay.
An aftershock with magnitude 3.5 was recorded at Apollo Bay at 5.44am, Geoscience Australia said.
Victorian emergency services said no injuries had been reported and the earthquake appeared to have caused little or no damage.
More than 4,420 people reported feeling the earthquake by 3.30am, including many residents in the Victorian capital.
Geoscience Australia said the quake was felt as far north as Bendigo and as far south as King Island.
– AAP
Updated
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday morning Guardian live blog.
The head of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service has urged residents along the state’s mid-north coast to remain vigilant as firefighters battle two blazes in challenging conditions. A total fire ban is in place for five regions across NSW over fears high winds may fan existing blazes. The RFS deputy commissioner, Peter McKechnie, said residents should not be “complacent” as conditions were “extremely dry”.
Residents in south-west Victoria had a rude awakening on Sunday when a magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit the region at 2.11am. More than 4,420 people reported feeling the quake, which struck near Colac in the Great Otway national park but was felt as far north as Bendigo and as far south as King Island. No one was reported injured and there have so far been no reports of damage.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs and I’ll be taking the blog through the day.
With that, let’s get started ...
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