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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Stephanie Convery and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

Thorpe leads protest in Melbourne – as it happened

Eddie Betts AFL
Greens senator Lidia Thorpe
Greens senator Lidia Thorpe protests outside the British Consulate General office in Melbourne on the national day of mourning following Queen Elizabeth II's death. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

What we learned, Thursday 22 September

That’s where we’ll leave you this public holiday evening. Here’s your day’s recap:

  • About 600 Australians, including politicians, dignitaries and special guests, attended the national memorial in honour of Queen Elizabeth II today. Federal parliament will reconvene on Friday, a rarity, with the whole day devoted to speeches of condolence for the monarch.

  • Anti-monarchy protests took place across the country, with federal Greens senator Lidia Thorpe addressing the demonstration in Melbourne.

  • Optus suffered a massive cyber-attack, with the personal information of customers stolen, including names, dates of birth, addresses, and contact details. The telco suffered the data breach when hackers, believed to be working for a criminal or state-sponsored organisation, accessed the sensitive information by breaking through the company’s firewall.

  • Australia has been asked for more armoured vehicles by Ukraine, and Penny Wong has condemned Russian president Vladimir Putin’s threats to use “all means” at his disposal in the war against Ukraine.

  • Wild weather has wracked NSW and is heading into the Northern Rivers region this evening, with warnings current for heavy rainfall in many areas and the risk of flash flooding in parts of the state already hit repeatedly by floods this year.

  • Flights in and out of Sydney were thrown into chaos by the wind and rain this morning, with more than 40 cancelled.

  • And nearly 200 stranded pilot whales have died on Tasmania’s west coast, but rescuers successfully returned 32 animals to deeper water on Thursday.

Until tomorrow, look after yourselves.

Updated

‘Art is meant to be reactionary’

The artist who painted a mural of the late Queen Elizabeth in Sydney has responded after it was painted over with the colours of the Aboriginal flag, AAP reports.

As anti-monarchy rallies took place across the country on Thursday, the street art in Sydney’s inner west was covered up with black, red and yellow spray paint.

Stuart Sale’s mural of the Queen has been painted over with the colours of the Aboriginal flag in Marrickville, Sydney, Thursday, September 22, 2022.
Stuart Sale’s mural of the Queen has been painted over with the colours of the Aboriginal flag in Marrickville, Sydney. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

The mural artist, Stuart Sale, says he has no intention of painting over it. He told AAP:

It belongs to the streets now, art is meant to be reactionary. Now it’s been turned into something new and that’s the nature of street art.

Sale, who has painted murals of a number of significant figures including Shane Warne and George Floyd, said he wasn’t thinking about the monarchy when he produced the piece of the Queen in Marrickville.

I just felt it was quite a big thing that happened in the world and I wanted to document it. I don’t really have an opinion on the Queen.

Updated

Here’s the full report from Josh Butler about the memorial today for Queen Elizabeth at Parliament House, in case you wanted to catch up on all of that.

Anthony Albanese delivers a speech with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth on stage
Anthony Albanese delivers a speech during the national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II at Parliament House. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Updated

Authorities are also sharing pictures of the floodwaters. Here are a couple from the NSW RFS and NSW Police Force.

Updated

Some more weather updates for New South Wales from the Bureau of Meteorology and the SES, this time for heavy rainfall.

National memorial service for Queen as crowds gather for monarchy protests

Here’s some vision of today’s monarchy-related events, in case you weren’t tuning in and would like the supercut.

Updated

Parliament to reconvene tomorrow for condolence speeches for Queen

Today’s national memorial service saw dignitaries pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, but tomorrow will give an opportunity for the whole parliament to speak on the occasion of her death.

Federal parliament will reconvene on Friday (a rare enough occasion on its own) with the whole day devoted to speeches of condolence.

The commemorations will begin at 8am in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the only business to be considered in both chambers to be the motion of condolence for the Queen’s passing and congratulations for the accession of King Charles III.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, the deputy PM, Richard Marles, and the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, are expected to speak for an extended period, with the opening session to run until about 9.30am.

After that, individual members will get five minutes each to make their own speeches for the rest of the day.

Parliament will resume properly on Monday, for a rescheduled sitting week (albeit a shortened one of only three days) to make up for last week’s cancellation after the Queen’s death. The government is expected to introduce its bill for a federal integrity commission, as well as continuing the passage of the repeal of the cashless debit card.

Updated

NSW Closing the Gap outcomes not on track and some worsening

Some targeted New South Wales outcomes for Indigenous people as part of Closing the Gap are not on track to hit targets, while others are getting worse, AAP reports.

The state has released its first annual Closing the Gap report as part of a national agreement on the initiative, outlining actions taken in the first year of its new partnership with the Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO).

The national agreement on Closing the Gap was forged after a previous strategy expired “with most targets unmet” in 2018, the report said.

Reducing incarceration rates for Indigenous adults by 15% has gone backwards, with more incarcerated in 2021 than in 2019.

The government is consulting on potential changes to bail compliance and breaches, and searching for further ways to include Aboriginal elders and other respected community members in bail and sentencing decisions.

The rate of Indigenous children in detention has improved, however, falling below the 2031 target.

In reference to people on remand awaiting sentencing, or a trial and yet to be convicted of a crime, the report said:

Following the adult pattern, current increases are being felt most acutely at the front-end of the criminal justice system.

Suicide rates have worsened and are not on track to meet a target of 4.4 per 100,000 by 2031. The most recent data had rates increasing to more than four times the target.

A target for 55% of Indigenous children being assessed as developmentally on track by 2031 has also gone backwards, with 38.8% so in 2021, compared to 42.2% in 2018.

The state Aboriginal affairs minister, Ben Franklin, said governments had spent too much time telling Indigenous people they know what’s good for them without delivering lasting positive impacts.

The life expectancy gap between Indigenous people and the national average remains, for the most part, entrenched, he said. But NSW is consulting with Aboriginal communities and investing in programs that reflect their local priorities:

Accountability, responsibility and decision-making must be shared between government and Aboriginal people to develop and implement policies and programs that will achieve meaningful outcomes.

The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, said Closing the Gap was a priority:

We know we are not closing the gap quickly and effectively enough. We need to do better and we can do better.

Updated

More from the Melbourne anti-monarchy protests:

Millions of Optus customers’ details potentially exposed by data breach

Here’s the full story on the massive cyber-attack suffered by Optus, with the personal information of customers stolen, including names, dates of birth, addresses, and contact details.

The telco suffered the data breach when hackers, believed to be working for a criminal or state-sponsored organisation, accessed the sensitive information by breaking through the company’s firewall.

Ben Doherty has all the details:

Optus logo on phone
Hackers have breached Optus’s customer database. Photograph: Timon Schneider/Alamy

Updated

Anti-monarchy protests across the country

AAP is reporting federal Greens senator, Lidia Thorpe, led hundreds of protesters in Melbourne on the Queen’s National Day of Mourning.

Thorpe told the rally:

The crown’s boot is on our neck and we’re sick of it.

There are reports that protesters there cut up an Australian flag, chanting “abolish the monarchy”. The group is expected to march to state parliament.

In Adelaide, a 31-year-old man from Mile End was escorted from Government House by police after he was heard chanting anti-monarchy slogans and refused to leave when asked.

He was issued with a trespass notice not to re-enter the area for 24 hours.

In Brisbane, a small but group of protesters demanded an end to what they called centuries of British “tyranny”.

Activist groups Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) and Fighting In Solidarity Towards Treaties are among those organising the demonstrations, with the former writing on Facebook:

This is a stance against the continued crimes committed against marginalised First Nations, black, brown and Asian communities. We do not support benefactors or Stolenwealth and demand justice, truth and accountability for all. Justice for all.

This is a demonstration against racist colonial imperialism.

Another rally is also under way in Sydney.

Lidia Thorpe and other protesters with hands covered in red paint raise their hands outside the British Consulate
Greens Senator for Victoria, Lidia Thorpe protests outside the British Consulate during an anti-monarchy protest in Melbourne. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

NSW emergency services minister ‘absolutely confident’ in services’ ability to manage flood

Steph Cooke is asked whether the government is better placed to deal with flooding emergencies, given the criticisms of the disaster response to the Northern Rivers flooding disaster in February.

She says:

I am absolutely confident that our emergency services organisations are better resourced than they ever have been. We’ve seen record budgets announced for each and every emergency services organisation in NSW in recent months, and as we move into summer and beyond, our emergency services organisations will continue to step up, work together, and work with our communities to ensure we keep people safe.

Updated

Current weather ‘a very different system’, says BoM

Some comments from the Bureau of Meteorology about the difference between this rainfall system and those that occurred earlier this year that caused such catastrophic flooding:

This is a very different system to what affected the Northern Rivers in February, March and then again later in March they had another system … Late February, early March, that event occurred following previous days of rain, so the rivers were already high. At the moment they’re not so high, so they’ll start to rise but they’re not rising from there.

The other system in February, that produced some extraordinary rainfall, some locations saw like, 700mm. That was a system connected to the tropics…

We’re fairly confident that we’ll get to the minor level [of flooding this time around] and possibly up to the major level, but that’s really going to be where those bullseyes are.

Street submerged by flood waters
Flooding in Lismore on 31 March. Photograph: David Maurice Smith/The Guardian

Updated

Steph Cooke, the NSW emergency services minister, said the government has increased resources in the Northern Rivers region.

We’re increasing our communications with the community and doing so through that lens of appreciating exactly what they’ve bene through in recent months.

Steph Cooke speaking to the media
Emergency services and resilience minister Steph Cooke speaking to the media in March. Photograph: Jason O’Brien/AAP

Updated

SES conducting rescues

Commissioner York from the SES says they’ve had 49 rescues already in this flood event, and more than 500 calls for assistance.

It’s really important that if people see water across the road that they do not drive into the floodwaters and they find some alternate route.

Residents are instructed, if it’s safe to do so, to clean out gutters and make sure the drains are flowing “so that you don’t get the flash-flooding water impacting your premises”.

Residents are also advised to work out a plan for caring for family and animals, and put together an emergency kit, including things like a torch with working batteries, transistor radio, important documents, medication and potentially water and food.

Updated

Heavy rainfall in northern NSW

The mid-north coast of NSW has seen more than 100mm, between Grafton and Coffs Harbour – in some places they’ve seen 170mm in the last 24 hours. The Bureau says flooding will be a key concern for the next few months given how “saturated” the ground is.

In the short term, they say they are urging residents along the north coast in particular to keep an eye on the forecast over the next couple of days, particularly in the morning, as even when the rain stops the rivers will still keep rising.

Updated

BoM update for NSW

The Bureau of Meteorology is giving an update regarding some potential flash flooding in NSW:

There are flood warnings current over inland NSW for the Upper McIntyre, Castlereigh, and more (you can check them here):

The system that moved through inland NSW over the last 48 hours is now focused on the north coast of NSW, and we have seen some locations receive almost 100mm in the last 24-36 hours.

We’re expecting to see 24-hour totals of over 100mm, but there will be some bulls-eye areas in there at some higher totals, and where those particular areas are, that’s going to be where we see some significant flash flooding issues.

Updated

Fonterra’s profits halt talks of partial sale

Global dairy giant Fonterra will retain its entire Australian business off the back of promising profits, quashing fears of a partial sell-off, AAP reports.

The New Zealand co-op is the world’s biggest dairy exporter and owns popular household brands Perfect Italiano, Mainland and Western Star.

The company faced volatile supply chains, increased costs, creeping inflation and fallout from protests in Sri Lanka during the past financial year.

Despite that, Fonterra chief executive, Miles Hurrell, said it was a good 12 months.

In an investor briefing on Thursday, Hurrell said retaining full ownership of Fonterra’s Australian assets was the best path forward for continued growth and return on investment:

We’ve looked at a number of options for our Australian business and have decided that it’s in the co-op’s best interest to maintain full ownership.

Australia plays an important role in our consumer strategy with a number of common and complementary brands.

The business is going well, and it will play a key role in helping us get to our 2030 strategic targets.

Fonterra, which is owned by roughly 10,000 New Zealand farmers, began a review of its Australian businesses a year ago.

The co-op also considered publicly floating the business or selling a partial stake in its Australian enterprise.

On Thursday, Fonterra reported an 11% increase in total revenue of $NZ23.4bn ($A20.6 bn).

Hurrell said robust demand and higher dairy prices in the US and Europe buoyed Fonterra’s profits.

The company initially announced intentions to return $1bn to shareholders by 2024, but has delayed the deadline to 2030 so it can retain its Australian assets.

Dairy tanker drives past cows in a paddock
Fonterra has reported an 11% increase in total revenue. Photograph: Nigel Marple/Reuters

Updated

Brisbane Festival brings some joy to the Sunshine State

Dancenorth, from Townsville is a masterclass on the imperative of connecting with an audience. It takes a tailored creativity for the arts to cut through in this remote regional industrial and army centre, where the North Queensland Cowboys are the pride of the city, but since spouses Kyle Page and Amber Haines took the reins in 2014, the company has explored cerebral themes with a sensorial immediacy that brings the often esoteric genre of contemporary dance to the people.

Their latest production for this year’s Brisbane festival, Wayfinder, is no exception: with music by Hiatus Kaiyote, design from Hiromi Tango, 70km of salvaged wool and an inflatable stage, it is an antidote to the recent gloom as we try to find our way forward – or, as Page describes it, “a tonic for our times”.

Read more here:

Updated

Optus says personal data including ID documents may be compromised

Optus has released a statement about the cyber-attack earlier today. The company said it “investigating the possible unauthorised access of current and former customers’ information.”

Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Optus chief executive, said:

We are devastated to discover that we have been subject to a cyber-attack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers’ personal information to someone who shouldn’t see it.

As soon as we knew, we took action to block the attack and began an immediate investigation. While not everyone maybe affected and our investigation is not yet complete, we want all of our customers to be aware of what has happened as soon as possible so that they can increase their vigilance. We are very sorry and understand customers will be concerned. Please be assured that we are working hard, and engaging with all the relevant authorities and organisations, to help safeguard our customers as much as possible.

Optus says customers’ names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and some addresses, ID document numbers such as driver’s licence or passport numbers may have been compromised.

Payment detail and account passwords have not been compromised, the company said. Services are not affected, nor messages or voice calls.

Rosmarin said:

Optus has also notified key financial institutions about this matter. While we are not aware of customers having suffered any harm, we encourage customers to have heightened awareness across their accounts, including looking out for unusual or fraudulent activity and any notifications which seem odd or suspicious.

The company is working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, and has notified Australian Federal Police, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and key regulators, the statement said.

Optus shop sign
Optus customers’ personal details may have been accessed in a data breach. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Updated

NSW SES update

The weather in NSW is bad today – you know this already – but here’s a lil update from the NSW SES. Flash flood risk is continuing into Friday.

Updated

Stephanie Convery will take you through the rest of the afternoon.

We should be hearing from Optus on that reported data breach very soon.

Thanks for joining us on this somewhat strange morning. Take care of you.

Protests continue across the nation:

Updated

Optus hit by massive data breach

The Australian is reporting Optus has experienced a data breach exposing the personal information of up to nine million customers.

Ben Packham reports the Australian Signals Directorate is working with the telco to lockdown its systems and try and trace who was responsible.

Updated

Australia’s third La Niña

If you haven’t seen this from one of our Rural Network reporters, Fleur Connick and photographer Mike Bowers, it is well worth your time:

Updated

The Crown has so much to answer for. So much.

It continues:

You might find yourself asking the question, why should I care?

Well, it is absolutely right that we mark a historic moment such as this.

It is absolutely right that we mark the extraordinary life and service of the late Queen.

We are living through historic times and there is perhaps no better example than the life of the Queen.

The second Elizabethan Age captures some of the most significant decades of human history.

It is hard for us to fathom the breadth and pace of change, throughout the Queen’s life.

The Queen’s reign spanned Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill born in 1874 to Liz Truss, sworn in days ago, born in 1975.

Let that sink in.

She didn’t just meet Winston Churchill, she held audiences with him.

Updated

Sussan Ley offers her thoughts on the British Empire

We have another taste of Sussan Ley’s, the deputy Liberal leader’s op-ed to the Daily Mail. Buckle up. It’s a RIDE.

Ahem. I present to you ‘musings on the British empire’:

When I was a ten year old at my cold English boarding school, I learned in History, that “the sun never sets on the British Empire.”

It is something that stuck in my mind when I first met the Queen, as a young girl at Buckingham Palace.

My dad was there to receive a medal for his services to that British Empire.

He was an intelligence officer (spy) who worked for Queen and Country and had done his bit to keep the sun shining across Her Majesty’s vast global realms, including Australia.

An empire on which the sun never sets is a phrase that has been reserved for the great global empires of world history.

The Persian tyrant Xerxes I coined the phrase before he invaded Ancient Greece to extend his conquests and fought the legendary King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans.

But it wasn’t just the Ancients and the Brits that have laid claim to global empire.

The Spanish and the United States are in the mix as well.

In 1897 a magazine article titled “The Greatest Nation on Earth” boasted that the sun never sets on Uncle Sam.

But as the sun sets on the second Elizabethan Age and we farewell the beloved Queen Elizabeth II, here in Australia what are we to make of all this talk of Empires and Realms; of Kings, Queens and Consorts?

Because in truth, this vast sunburnt country seems a world away from notions of Empires and Kings.

To Australians, Earl is just another name, like Mick or Steve. And a Marquis is something you rent for a 50th.

Updated

Wallabies lineup announced

The team to face off agains the All Blacks at Eden Park has been named, as AAP reports:

The Wallabies have recalled fit-again lock Cadeyrn Neville and number eight Harry Wilson as they prepare for the toughest test in rugby: the All Blacks at Eden Park.

Dave Rennie’s side head to Auckland on Saturday with the Bledisloe Cup lost for another year, but with a big say in the outcome of the Rugby Championship.

Rennie has made no changes to Australia’s backs, meaning Bernard Foley stays at 10 after last week’s rollercoaster 39-37 loss to the All Blacks in Melbourne.

Neville and Wilson come into the forward line, with Matt Philip and Rob Leota (achilles) dropping out due to injury.

“It’s great to have Cadeyrn available and Harry’s been working really hard to earn another opportunity in the gold jersey, so we’re excited for both of them,” Rennie said.

“The side parked the disappointment of the last Test early in the week and we have plenty to play for in Auckland on Saturday night.

“New Zealand supporters have an expectation that the All Blacks win at Eden Park and we’re excited to get another crack at them at their spiritual home.”

To accommodate Wilson, Rob Valentini - another strong performer in Melbourne - moves to blindside flanker.

James Slipper, continuing as captain in Michael Hooper’s absence, will lead the Wallabies for the first time at Eden Park, where Australia have not beaten the All Blacks in 36 years.

Darcy Swain, a substitute last week, will miss out after copping a six-week ban from Sanzaar for an illegal cleanout on Quinn Tupaea.

Tupaea suffered a serious knee injury in the tackle, which the disciplinary committee deemed unintentional but highly reckless.

Australia’s two changes compare favourably to the All Blacks unsettledness, with coach Ian Foster making five changes to his run-on side.

WALLABIES XV: Andrew Kellaway, Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Lalakai Foketi, Marika Koroibete, Bernard Foley, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson, Pete Samu, Rob Valentini, Cadeyrn Neville, Jed Holloway, Allan Alaalatoa, David Porecki, James Slipper (c). Reserves: Folau Fainga’a, Angus Bell, Pone Fa’amausili, Nick Frost, Fraser McReight, Nic White, Reece Hodge, Jordan Petaia.

Cadeyrn Neville
Cadeyrn Neville has been recalled to the Wallabies team to face the All Blacks at Eden Park. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Updated

Flood watch issued for NSW Northern Rivers region

The New South Wales emergency services minister Steph Cooke, the Bureau of Meteorology, and the State Emergency Service will speak to the media at 3pm about the severe weather across the state, which has brought the possibility of minor to moderate flooding in Lismore and the Northern Rivers.

The bureau issued a flood watch for the Northern Rivers early on Thursday, warning of the possibility of minor to moderate flooding. A severe weather warning for the region remains current, with moderate to heavy rainfall forecast during Thursday and Friday.

Minor to moderate flooding is possible in several coastal river catchments in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Hunter districts from Thursday.

The situation, at this stage, has only prompted a flood watch, not a flood warning. During a flood watch, locals living or working along rivers and streams are asked to “monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop”.

The SES’s Northern Rivers unit urged for calm on its Facebook page.

As you’re aware, the Northern Rivers is currently under a Flood Watch for minor to moderate flooding in certain areas. A Flood Watch is A Heads Up for possible flooding.

We are aware this rain and the sound of it can cause some people to be anxious, especially with what we’ve all been through!

Updated

A severe weather warning remains in place for parts of NSW

From the BoM site:

A deep low pressure system over northern NSW is causing rainfall to develop in the northeast. Isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop about the warning area this afternoon, bringing heavy falls.

HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is expected to develop further about the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast districts during the afternoon.

Six-hourly rainfall totals of 60 to 80 mm are expected, with isolated falls to 120 mm possible.

Twenty-four hourly rainfall totals of 80 to 120 mm are expected, with isolated falls to 200 mm possible.

Heavy rainfall rates are expected to contract to northern parts of the warning area this evening, before clearing entirely during the late evening or early Friday morning.

A Flood Watch is current for the region.

Locations which may be affected include Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Maclean, Woolgoolga and Sawtell.

Updated

‘Thank you, Your Majesty, for everything’: Dutton on Queen

The opposition leader Peter Dutton has previously claimed there has never been a more decent human in modern history than the Queen. It’s a taste of what tomorrow’s speeches will be like.

Excuse me – just choking on the hubris over here. Please carry on.

Updated

Rescuers rush to save surviving whales on Tasmanian beach

For those who missed it a little earlier, rescuers are working to save any surviving whales stranded on a beach in Tasmania.

About 230 pilot whales beached themselves on Ocean beach, west of Strahan in Tasmania, in the same area where two years ago,more than 400 pilot whales did the same thing.

Of the beached whales, only 35 are still alive. Rescuers expect some of those to die to, given the stress they have been under.

Rescue efforts for the surviving whales were suspended overnight because of conditions, but began again this morning.

Updated

China should cool it in Pacific, Wong says before likely second meeting with counterpart

Penny Wong is also expected to have a second meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi in New York.

Asked what she will talk about, Wong said:

If the meeting does proceed, I will be consistent in what I say inside the room as I say outside.

We are concerned with the military escalation in the region, just as we were concerned over the response that we saw around the time of East Asia Summit in terms of the ballistic missiles landing in Japan’s EEZ.

So of course we will always be a party that seeks to call for de-escalation. We want peace and stability in our region. That’s Australia’s interest and I believe it’s the interest of the countries of the region.

Updated

Wong warns governments to take care on Timor-Leste gas project

Penny Wong was asked about her meeting with Timor-Leste representatives and about the Greater Sunrise gas project based out of the waters between Timor-Leste and Australia. The project is a joint venture between Shell, Woodside and Osaka Gas.

Look, I have said publicly that we need to look to getting that project unstuck. The Australian government is not a party, obviously, to the joint venture. Ultimately what we need to have is a situation where the joint venture partners make a decision to proceed with the project and we are happy to work with them in ways that we are able to do that because that’s in the interest of Timor-Leste.

The point I made is that debt arrangements do need to be considered by governments. They need to consider whether or not those arrangements further and strengthen their sovereignty or erode it.

Updated

Penny Wong said expelling the Russian ambassador to Australia “remains under consideration”.

But she said that Australia is not looking to ban Russian tourists and punish the people, rather than the aggression.

Updated

Putin ‘demonstrated his irresponsibility’ and world should not give in to demands, Wong says

Q: The west has had pretty good intelligence … about Russia’s strategy and tactics. Do you have a sense of how real the nuclear threat is now? I know it’s been made before, but obviously we should be taking it seriously.

Penny Wong:

Well, I don’t think that we should be giving Mr Putin what he wants in our responses. And I simply again say it is both unthinkable and irresponsible for those threats to be made. And I was at the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty discussions today and was reminded all the nations there from different continents, different perspectives, all united in saying, we want a world which is free of this threat – poignant in the face of the words overnight of a man who’s demonstrated his irresponsibility.

Updated

Penny Wong questioned on more Bushmasters for Ukraine

The foreign minister is speaking at a press conference in New York.

Q: Will Australia respond to Ukraine’s request for more help, in particular the Bushmaster armoured vehicles?

Penny Wong says:

We’re working through the security and logistics issues associated with that possibility, which are considerable. And if and when I’m in a position to indicate how the government will approach that, I’ll do that.

In relation to the further assistance – as I said to minister Kuleba, who I also met with today briefly as well, we are in contact with our Ukrainian colleagues. We understand the extraordinarily difficult circumstances they face, the war in which they have been forced to engage. We will continue to work with partners to support Ukraine, and we will continue to consider the requests that are being made.

Updated

Penny Wong says nuclear treaty ‘vital to international peace’

Doesn’t look like the push for Australia to have a nuclear industry will be going anywhere.

But it also makes the Aukus deal for nuclear-powered submarines a little awkward.

Updated

Back to actual news.

Queen’s memorial service finishes

The national memorial service ends with the front row being led out by the Black Rod (I think).

There was meant to be a flyover to mark the occasion, but the weather is bad and no one tell our enemies, but the planes can’t go up in wet weather. They don’t like to get wet.

I assume there is some wattle left in Canberra, but it is hard to say for sure – most of it is now pinned to wreathes inside the Great Hall.

But that’s it. It’s over.

Just one day of condolence motions for the Queen in the parliament and then it is back to politics as usual.

Updated

Not only is the song now God Save the King, but James Bond now serves in HIS Majesty’s secret service.

Hope he’s doing OK.

The wattle is all wattled out.

And now God Save the King is playing.

The wattle ceremony is STILL going.

Updated

Flyover cancelled because of bad weather

Apparently the F-35 flyover planned as part of the service has been cancelled due to the weather.

Captain Pete Mitchell would have gone up.

Updated

This is a long wattle-pinning ceremony

Looks like the whole room gets to pin some wattle on a wreath.

I can’t say this makes for the most engaging television.

It could be because we have all been made to take in a week’s worth of queue viewing in the lead up to this. Or it could be that after two weeks of this, spending time watching people shove stalks of wattle into a wreath feels a little much.

Paul Keating and the wattle wreath.
Paul Keating and the wattle wreath. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Updated

Some moments of reflection at the wattle wreaths are longer than others and are holding up the queue.

The piano plays on.

Participants have gone for an inside then out wattle pinning. But it has to be said – the wreath on the right of the stage is looking a little more done than the one on the left.

Updated

Pin the wattle on the wreath is now being opened up to other rows.

Participants are having to go fairly high now. Jenny Morrison picked a difficult spot and had to jam that wattle in there with the determination of a parent who has made more than one Book Week costume.

Updated

Let the wattle pinning begin

The front row is now participating in “pin the wattle on the wreath” .

Updated

2004 Anthony Callea could NEVER.

He is absolutely nailing these notes.

But there is no applause, just TV’s Melissa Doyle thanking him for that “very moving performance”.

I can not explain to you what this room looks like right now. Australia’s dignitaries, past and present, all dressed in mourning, sitting quietly while a performer absolutely belts out You’ll Never Walk Alone, all trying to look very sombre, in the Great Hall of parliament.

It’s amazing and very Australian.

Updated

Anthony Callea is back!

Apparently he performed for the Queen, TV’s Melissa Doyle tells us, so now he is back in a military inspired coat performing the Liverpool anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Updated

Peter Dutton is now paying his respects.

He quotes the Queen’s words from after the September 11 attacks – “grief is the price we pay for love” – and says that “the outpouring of global grief in these past 14 days speaks to just how much she was loved”.

To be fair, anything else but grief was very quickly shut down.

Updated

Albanese says perhaps best tribute to Queen is not a monument but stronger 'respect for all'

Anthony Albanese finishes up his speech with this:

Monuments to the Queen dot our landscape. The name of Elizabeth lives in nearly every city and town.

Perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer her family and her memory is not a marble statue or a metal plaque.

It is a renewed embrace of service to community.

A truer understanding of our duty to others.

A stronger commitment to respect for all.

This would be a most fitting memorial, to a magnificent life of service to others.

May Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II rest in eternal peace.

Which some might take as a bit of a subtle message to some who, I don’t know, want to rename a hospital, which carries an Indigenous name, in honour of the Queen, who inherited the monarchy, which colonised their lands and attempted to destroy them. But probably not.

Anthony Albanese speaks during the memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II.
Anthony Albanese speaks during the memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Updated

Albanese says Queen sought to understand Australia

The prime minister is delivering his address. Anthony Albanese said the Queen sought to understand Australia:

Our vibrant cities. Our beautiful country towns.

Farmlands and forests. Rugged coasts and red centre.

Mighty stadiums and local sporting grounds, grand galleries and humble halls.

Through 16 tours across seven decades, Queen Elizabeth visited and connected with every part of Australia.

Millions of fleeting interactions, still fondly recalled.

So many Australians have shared their memories – of a kind word, a gesture of respect, or a thoughtful act of grace in an always-busy day.

With Prince Philip at her side, The Queen embraced the scale of this vast nation: the breadth of our continent, the depth of our people’s hearts, the warmth of our humour.

We can see something of this understanding in the organisations Her Majesty served as patron:

From the RSL, a social focal point for so many towns and suburbs, to the Royal Flying Doctors Service, an essential lifeline for people in the outback, whose fortitude The Queen spoke of with such admiration.

It is fitting that today’s commemorations in our national capital will be mirrored in communities across our country, as Australians express their own affection and respect - and celebrate The Queen’s part in their stories.

Updated

Tomorrow the parliament will resume for condolence motions for the Queen.

Which means each speaker has to come up with different stories of the Queen, as well as include what the Queen meant to their lives.

What we are seeing today is just a taste.

Updated

Hats, hats, hats

I do have to say, judging from the crowd, this event has been a very big day for milliners.

Liberal senator Hollie Hughes arrives at the memorial.
Liberal senator Hollie Hughes arrives at the memorial. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Updated

Governors give thanks

The governors are now being called to give thanks on behalf of their jurisdictions.

It’s nice to hear so many “Her Excellency’s” being read out.

Updated

Bible or the Byrds?

I thought for a moment that Dr Rowena Coutts, the representative of the organisations for which the Queen was a patron, was reading lyrics from Turn, Turn, Turn and that the Queen was an improbable fan of the Byrds and then realised it was Ecclesiastes 3:2.

In my defence, I was not raised religious, but there was a lot of 60s music in the household.

Updated

Hurley says Queen ‘respected the will of the Australian people’

Her Majesty shared in Australia’s growth and change during her reign. She respected the will of the Australian people, she understood that we are our own people and that we control our destiny*.

Her Majesty, through her influence, decency, and devotion to others has set a tone for our progress and change. That example are bringing people together with empathy and respect is one that can guide us into the future.

*Cept for that whole 1975 dismissal of Gough Whitlam thing. Just by the by, that is one of the reserve powers the governor general still holds.

Updated

Governor general acknowledges First Nations people ‘shaped by the colonial history’

David Hurley is still speaking:

In considering the unifying role Her Majesty played, I’d acknowledge that her passing has prompted different reactions for some in our community. I’m conscious to respect that many First Nations Australians shaped by the colonial history have brought a reconciliation journey. That is a journey we as a nation must complete.

And so to her legacy for us in Australia, I have found myself asking whether the unparalleled reaction of the last 13 days has been just a moment in time, a unique reaction driven by Her Majesty’s remarkable life, longevity, and service, or is there a greater lesson to be drawn? I’d suggest that a lesson for us can be found by being both reflective and prospective in our considerations, to look back and admire and to look ahead and contemplate.

As Her Majesty herself said in 2000: ‘We must look forward as well as back. Australia has always been a country on the move and will go on being so and it is not for nothing that the anthem is Advance Australia Fair.’

Updated

‘This is also a day of reflection’: David Hurley

We get a bit of the Queen opening the new parliament in 1988.

The fetching pink she was wearing is among the only colour in the room.

The governor general David Hurley is speaking about how “amongst the sadness this is also a day of reflection”.

That is pretty much what the past two weeks have been about. But there is still some reflection to go.

Back from London: the governor general David Hurley and prime minister Anthony Albanese.
Back from London: the governor general David Hurley and prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Ngunnawal elder Aunty Violet Sheridan gives a welcome to country.

Queen Elizabeth II became Queen and head of the Commonwealth in 1952, when she was just 25 years old.

I can imagine that being a woman as well, taking the lead back in those years, it would have been very hard for her.

She first visited our shores in 1954, making almost 100 stops around Australia during her two-month journey. The Queen visited about 16 times.

Queen Elizabeth was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. She served a life, she lived a life of service and was Queen for 70 years.

Watching the service, it brought me sadness and made me think about losing my mother. I’d pay my respects to her family.

… I would like to pay my respects to my elders past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to other Aborginal and Torres Strait Islanders people here this morning and also around Australia.

And I would also like to acknowledge the non-Indigenous people here today and around Australia.

In keeping in the general spirit of friendship and reconciliation, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you on behalf of my family and myself to the land of the Ngunnawal people, who were traditional owners of the land we live on. God bless you.

Updated

Melissa Doyle is hosting this thing.

And Anthony Callea just gave a rousing rendition of the national anthem, complete with Australian Idol high flourishes, which most of the crowd struggled to mime to.

It is exactly what the Queen would have wanted et al.

Standing for the Queen.
Standing for the Queen. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

National memorial service for Queen begins in Parliament House

The national memorial service to Queen Elizabeth has begun in Parliament House’s Great Hall. The famous 1954 “wattle painting”, of the monarch by Australian artist Sir William Dargie, is placed at centre stage at the front of the hall.

The hall is packed full of federal MPs, with seemingly most of the government, opposition and crossbench represented alongside state premiers, members of the diplomatic corps, and a large number of local school children in the audience.

Earlier, first ministers including Peter Malinauskas, Andrew Barr and Jeremy Rockliff entered together, with Victoria’s Daniel Andrews accompanied by former prime minister Paul Keating.

Former PM Scott Morrison also arrived with wife Jenny.

The stage is flanked with wattle and other native flowers, with the national Australian flag flanked by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

The ‘wattle painting’ of Queen Elizabeth II.
The ‘wattle painting’ of Queen Elizabeth II. Photograph: Martin Ollman/Getty Images

Updated

There are several Indigenous-led protests around the country today, occurring at the same time as this service, which are hoping to draw attention to the injustices First Nations peoples have experienced under colonial rule.

Updated

The memorial service at Parliament House is beginning.

Anthony Albanese and David Hurley are being led in by an Indigenous procession.

Updated

‘It is not a great turnout yet’ for Queen memorial

That’s according to the poor ABC reporter tasked with standing outside Parliament House in the drizzle .

From the screen, there are maybe 100 people on the lawns outside the parliament, where the service will be shown on screens.

Updated

The ABC has officially switched to memorial coverage, which means a lot of old footage of the Queen and the opening of the “new” Parliament House.

The service will get underway soon and then things will go someway to getting somewhat normal(ish).

Updated

Memorial service for the Queen not open to the public

In what seems like it could be a metaphor, the parliament’s Queen’s memorial service is not open to the public, meaning those who have shown up are sitting outside in the drizzle, on the lawns, waiting for the service to start where they will watch it on screens.

Updated

Anthony Albanese won’t be home for long

The PM is soon off to Japan for Shinzo Abe’s funeral, leading an Australian delegation which also includes Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

Updated

Australia’s leaders arrive at Parliament House for Queen service

The invitees have almost all arrived for the national day of mourning commemoration event at Parliament House today.

The parliament is closed for the service, which includes all the state and territory leaders, ministers, former ministers, ambassadors, chief justices and former governor-generals.

The prime minister and governor-general, who have only just returned from the UK, will also attend (as will Peter Dutton).

The parliament building will be open to the public once the service concludes. There are still condolence books which people can sign if they wish.

Former prime minister Paul Keating and Victorian premier Dan Andrews arrive at Parliament House.
Former prime minister Paul Keating and Victorian premier Dan Andrews arrive. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA
John Howard and his wife Janette are there too.
John Howard and his wife Janette are there too. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
And Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny.
And Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

School in shock after Bacchus Marsh bus crash

A college in regional Victoria remains open in the wake of a serious bus crash involving 27 of its students to support those left traumatised by the event, AAP reports.

Ballarat’s Loreto College will stay open on Thursday despite the national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II to allow students, families and carers to access counselling, principal Michelle Brodrick said.

The college was plunged into shock after a school bus carrying 27 pupils in years nine to 11 crashed down an embankment on the Western Highway at Bacchus Marsh in the early hours of Wednesday after it was hit from behind by a truck.

Police called their escape from the vehicle “miraculous”.

“I think it was fairly harrowing for everyone involved - how anyone wasn’t more seriously injured is incredible,” Victoria police acting superintendent Jason Templar told reporters on Wednesday.

Three teenage girls at the Royal Children’s Hospital remain in a stable condition.

A woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s remain in Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.

The scene of the crash in Bacchus Marsh on Wednesday.
The scene of the crash in Bacchus Marsh on Wednesday. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Kangaroo Transport Industries chief executive Steve Buck said the 60-year-old driver was a sub-contractor “who has been safely driving road trains for more than 30 years” and needed surgery after being trapped in the cab.

The other 25 students on the bus and four adults were taken to hospital for observation, police said.

Speed limits at the time of crash were reduced following a collision the previous night.

The students were on their way to the airport to travel to a Nasa space camp in the United States.

Premier Daniel Andrews offered support to the school after speaking to the principal on Wednesday.

Grampians Health’s Ballarat Base Hospital treated 16 patients from the crash, with 13 of them discharged on Wednesday afternoon.

Updated

Dozens of flights cancelled at Sydney Airport over severe weather

Flights in and out of Sydney have been thrown into chaos by the wind and weather.

45 flights departing from Sydney have been cancelled so far. Up to 41 flights into Sydney have also been cancelled.

Updated

Birmingham suggests Australia should use China diplomacy to influence Russia

Penny Wong is in New York, at the United Nations general assembly, which is why you might not have seen her that much today. We’ll bring you some more of what she said in just a moment.

But Simon Birmingham, her shadow, has been doing the rounds. He is also being very careful with his word choice – when it comes to foreign affairs, there is a convention that the two major parties maintain the same line, as it is meant to be bigger than politics.

Birmingham was asked about Wong’s second meeting with China’s foreign minister and says:

I acknowledge that the Albanese government has done the right thing, continuing to affirm that, although there has been a change of government in Australia, Australia’s national interests have not changed, that our strategic interests have not changed, and therefore with that there should be no change in relation to the application of policies that underpin those national and strategic interests of Australia.

If China is now willing to engage in ministerial-level dialogue and meetings with the new government, even though they have been unwilling in the past to do that with Australia, that’s welcomed because all Australian governments – the previous one and this one – have been willing to have that type of dialogue, notwithstanding disagreements. We should and ought be able to progress in areas of mutual interest.

It should be in our mutual interest to see peace and stability throughout the world. And I would urge the Albanese government to apply all encouragement to China to use all influence China has to get Russia to cease and desist in its invasion of Ukraine, to urge Russia to lay down arms, to come to the negotiating table, and to provide for the best path to that peace and prosperity. China has remarkable potential influence that it can use in this regard and it ought to be encouraged and supported to do so.

Updated

NSW braces for potential floods and dam spills as heavy rain looms

The focus of NSW emergency crews will again be on the state’s north-east today with heavy rain forecast.

Another wet day is ahead with the falls likely to be concentrated in a region that includes Coffs Harbour and Kempsey.

The Bureau of Meteorology warning for severe weather covers a long stretch of the coast, up almost to the Queensland border, and includes parts that have had multiple floods in the past year or so.

Sydney’s dams, too, remain about 96% full, with Warragamba, the main one, near 98% full. It may start spilling again given the rain in the region. In fact, most major dams in NSW are full, or close to it.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority yesterday said the giant Dartmouth dam was likely to spill soon, for the first time in 26 years.

The climate drivers around Australia, including the return of a La Niña in the Pacific, mean we can expect above-average rainfall for the rest of 2022 for much of the country – and probably quite a bit more flooding.

Ducks, at least, will be happy.

Updated

Birmingham urges Albanese government to keep Australia at ‘forefront’ of Ukraine assistance

Here is a bit more from shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham this morning on the government’s response to Ukraine:

Australia from the outset of Russia’s invasion some seven months or so ago now has been the leading non-NATO supporter of Ukraine, has delivered exceptional assistance across the military horizon in the provision of weapons and the provision of vehicles, as well as in the provision of financial assistance and humanitarian and other assistance. That is critical.

But we are aware and indeed you’ve spoken directly with Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia that there are now other outstanding requests made by Ukraine of Australia. And I would urge the Albanese government to make sure that they keep Australia at that forefront and to respond as expeditiously as they possibly can, because any assistance delayed in its provision to Ukraine only heightens the risk that Ukraine, who has been heroic in its battle to date, does not manage to maintain that level of defence.

And that is why we need to continue to deliver that support and because it is about defending and upholding the international rules-based order, the respect for the sovereignty of individual nations, and ensuring that out of this conflict others in the future are deterred from acting in any way similar to how Putin and Russia have acted on this occasion.

‘We need to continue to deliver that support’: Simon Birmingham.
‘We need to continue to deliver that support’: Simon Birmingham. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

John Farnham out of ICU and ‘progressing well’ after cancer surgery, family says

John Farnham’s family have released a statement on the singer’s progress after his cancer surgery

John’s recovery from last month’s surgery for mouth cancer is progressing well. His medical team are very pleased with his progress over the past month. He was moved from ICU and into a general ward a couple of weeks ago. That in itself was terrific progress.

This week John has been transferred into a rehabilitation facility. Each of these steps means things are moving in the right direction and for that we are enormously thankful.

Our family is so very grateful to all the remarkable teams of Victorian medical professionals who have taken such good care of John. These outcomes are a credit to their dedication, skills and compassion.

We have received many thousands of beautiful messages via the weloveyoujohn.com.au website since it was launched. Being surrounded by this much love and support has meant the world to us all. Thank you.

John Farnham performing in Sydney in 2019.
John Farnham performing in Sydney in 2019. Photograph: Hanna Lassen/WireImage

Updated

US Fed hikes interest rate by 0.75% to rein in inflation

The decision overnight by the US Federal Reserve to lift its interest rate by 75 basis points for a third meeting in a row was not a big surprise.

The new US cash rate target of 3% to 3.25% is the highest since before the global financial crisis in 2008.

And the median forecast for the end of 2022 is 4.4%, which points to further tightening to come this year.

Awkwardly for the Biden administration the next Fed open markets committee meeting is 1-2 November, just days before the 8 November mid-term elections. Republicans might well welcome another big rate rise if that helps them grab back control over either or both of the houses in the US Congress.

Anyway, higher interest rates in the world’s biggest economy will add headwinds to the global economy too, which RBA deputy governor Michele Bullock said yesterday was “on a bit of a knife edge”.

Relatively high US rates have been attracting investors to the US dollar, sending its rate higher against other currencies. The Australian dollar was marginally up this morning but has lost ground for most of the past six months.

The RBA, of course, isn’t done with rate rises, and is likely to hike by another 25bp or 50bp when its board next meets on 4 October. The rate rises will continue into mid-2023, if investors are correct.

However, a worsening global economy would likely limit those further rises and perhaps bring forward the next round of rate cuts.

Updated

Only 35 of 230 stranded whales still alive on Tasmanian beach

This may be distressing news for some readers.

The ABC is reporting that of the 230 pilot whales stranded in Tasmania, only 35 are thought to have survived, as rescuers race to save those still alive.

Incident controller Brendan Clarke said the conditions on the beach took their toll on the whales:

We positioned them overnight, again so that we could assess them this morning, and those ones that have survived – which we’ve got approximately 35 surviving animals out on the beach – the focus and the primary focus this morning will be on the rescue and release of those animals.

Unfortunately, we do have a high mortality rate out on this particular stranding. That’s predominantly due to the exposed conditions out on Ocean Beach. As opposed to the stranding that we had two years ago, where we had many of those animals in the estuary of the harbour and so they were actually stranded in much more sheltered waters. The environmental conditions, the surf out there on the exposed west coast, Ocean Beach, is certainly taking its toll on the animals.

A rescuer pours water on one of stranded whales on Ocean Beach, near Strahan.
A rescuer pours water on one of stranded whales on Ocean Beach, near Strahan. Photograph: AP

Updated

Flood warnings across NSW as heavy rain predicted today

If you are in New South Wales, make sure you keep an eye on the weather forecasts – more heavy rain is predicted, as AAP reports:

Communities on the mid-north coast, the Hunter and the northern rivers have been warned of possible flooding on Thursday, with heavy falls forecast across already saturated catchments.

“Heavy rainfall for the Hunter, the Mid North Coast and even the Northern Rivers can’t be ruled out,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jenny Sturrock said on Wednesday.

Thunderstorms are likely to develop in the afternoon, with heavy localised rainfall potentially dumping up to 120mm in six hours.

The heavy rain could spark flash flooding on the mid-north coast and northern rivers throughout Thursday and into Friday, with Lismore, Grafton, Taree and Coffs Harbour among areas to be effected.

It comes after severe thunderstorms with large hail, heavy rain and damaging winds hit inland NSW and southern Queensland on Wednesday.

Flooding impacted inland towns of Dubbo, Gunnedah and Tamworth on Wednesday afternoon and major flood levels were reached on the Lachlan, Narran and Macquarie rivers, Sturrock said.

Helicopters prepared to deliver supplies to the town of Wee Waa, between Narrabri and Walgett, as flooding cut the Kamilaroi Highway in both directions.

Updated

Gil McLachlan is then pushed for his tip on who will win the flag.

“Sydney by three points,” he says.

‘We’re better this year … but there’s still a lot of room for improvement’: McLachlan on Indigenous issues

Q: Does McLachlan want to establish a framework before he leaves the role to ensure players are not dealing with the same issues into the future?

McLachlan:

I think that’s the right question, and I talked to the players last night about what can we do better? You have Indigenous welfare officers at every club, we have increasing amount of Indigenous representation in senior ranks, we have education programs, we have a wide range of structures, but how can they be improved?

And part of it is, the conversation went last night, is what are the forces outside that that actually means things are not talked about or addressed? And that’s where I’ve started that conversation last night. We generated a number of ideas around that, and we’ll be picking that up, because we have to continue each year to improve. And we know we can. We’re better this year than we were last year, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

Updated

McLachlan hopes Hawthorn players tell their stories to ‘get to the bottom of this’

Q: Is an external review now the precedent for anyone at other clubs who may come forward with similar allegations?

McLachlan:

Our integrity team is investigating many things concurrently. I think it depends on the nature of the allegation and the particular circumstance. But that’s certainly what we felt was warranted here. And I hope that history says that all allegations will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially.

And that’s the challenging part about this, that these courageous people have come forward and now there’s a huge spotlight on them. And I hope it doesn’t deter them to lean in on this and have that conviction to tell their stories to this independent panel so that we can get to the bottom of this.

‘All allegations will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially’: AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.
‘All allegations will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially’: AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

Updated

McLachlan had call with senior Indigenous players including Betts and Burgoyne

Q: What about Eddie Betts’s call for a league-wide review?

McLachlan:

I spoke to our senior Indigenous players last night. Eddie was on the call. Shaun Burgoyne was there, and Shane Edwards and Steven May and Neville Jetta and others.

And what was confronting for them – and I think they’d be happy for me to talk about this – Burgoyne was there right through this period, and was confronted and challenged he didn’t see any sign of this. I know that was weighing heavily on him.

I think the players reflected that even if we don’t feel something is occurring or is an issue, that we explore every opportunity to make sure there is a safe environment. I think that message resonated and we’ll continue to talk with the guys about what that might look like.

I think that’s opportunities we also talked about, the opportunities to be better. It’s a huge impact that we’ve now got an Indigenous liaison officer at every club.

But how do we make their job easier? How do we make sure the power structures or culture doesn’t diminish their voice? How do we find better places or better structures or constructs that enable people to be able to speak out if there are issues?

You know, should we have an Indigenous board member at every club? There are six clubs now who have Indigenous board members. You know, I think we need representation. These are the conversations I’m picking up with players and others.

Updated

AFL boss says external review into Hawthorn racism allegations to take up to weight weeks

AFL chief executive Gil McLachlan is speaking to ABC Breakfast about the AFL’s external review into the allegations raised by the Hawthorn report into the treatment of First Nations players.

Q: How long will the review take and will it be something McLachlan’s successor picks up?

The sort of forecast is six to eight weeks. I will obviously discuss that with my chairman. But, you know, I envisage me being around for that period of time. I’ve got other stuff to do. My timeline is roughly until Christmas, so I imagine yes.

Updated

Don’t expect too much cost of living relief in the budget, even with the extra $50bn which has improved the bottom line, thanks to higher than expected commodity prices (commodity prices were deliberately undervalued by the previous government, but they rose even higher than expected) and the end of covid supports.

As AAP reports:

The assistant treasurer has flagged further stress for household budgets following a spike in US interest rates.

The US Federal Reserve announced a 0.75 percentage point increase in official rates to a target range of three to 3.25 per cent, the highest levels in almost 15 years.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones says Australia’s economy isn’t immune to international pressures, including from the US.

Supply chain constraints from continued lockdowns in China and the war in Ukraine pushing up energy and commodity prices are also fuelling inflation and putting pressure on household budgets in Australia.

“There’s no doubt that anything that happens in the US has an impact on us, this is the biggest economy in the world,” Mr Jones told ABC Radio.

“When they start moving their rates it has an impact on ours, it has an impact on our currency.”

While Australians are expected to face higher interest rates, the alternative path of rampant inflation would be worse for households and businesses, he said.

“Nothing is going to hurt households and businesses more than galloping inflation. This is pain, we know it’s painful, but it’s necessary.”

There are calls for the government to provide cost-of-living relief in its upcoming October budget after refusing to extend a temporary cut to fuel excise.

The treasurer has repeatedly said the government will maintain fiscal prudence, with Jim Chalmers describing the upcoming budget as “bread and butter”.

Mr Jones said a temporary uplift in the budget’s bottom line - some $50 billion driven by high commodity prices and less than expected expenditure - would not remove the need for austerity.

Ukrainian president receives standing ovation from UN summit

And here was the reaction to Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s address to the UN general assembly:

Updated

Wong condemns Putin’s nuclear threats and ‘sham referenda’

Australia has been asked for more Bushmasters (armoured vehicles) by Ukraine. The outcome of those conversations is obviously not yet public – but there is no doubt about Australia’s position on Russia’s latest aggression.

Updated

Simon Birmingham says Australia should be ‘doing all it possibly can’ for Ukraine

Simon Birmingham has spoken to the ABC’s RN Breakfast. The shadow foreign minister says Australia should offer what assistance it can to Ukraine:

I think Australia should be giving whatever assistance we reasonably possibly can. The government is in receipt of the advice from the Australian defence force and other Australian officials about the limits in terms of provision of particular military assets, hardware or equipment.

And so the government will have to work through those issues around the particular assets that we can provide, and where the limits on those exist.

The government should absolutely be doing all it possibly can, and responding as quickly as possible.

Ukrainian soldiers ride on an armoured vehicle in Novostepanivka in the Kharkiv region.
Ukrainian soldiers ride on an armoured vehicle in Novostepanivka in the Kharkiv region. Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Ukrainian president demands ‘punishment’ for Russian aggression

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy just addressed the UN general assembly (via video link) asking for more support.

Greetings to all people around the world who value peace and unity between different and equal nations. I wish you all peace. I thank you that we are united in our struggle to restore peace and guarantee peace to any nation that has become a victim of armed aggression.

… Ukraine wants peace. Europe wants peace. The world wants peace. And we have seen who is the only one who wants war.

… A crime was committed at our state borders, against the lives of our people, the crime was committed against the dignity of our women and men.

The crime was committed against the values that make you and me a community of the United Nations.

Ukraine demands punishment for trying to steal our territory.

Updated

Wong meets with Ukrainian counterpart at UN general assembly

Penny Wong is at the UN summit in New York and has met with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kubela.

Yesterday Wong gave a press conference where she was asked about that meeting:

I had a very good meeting with minister Kuleba. I expressed to him again the solidarity of the Australian people with the people of Ukraine. I expressed to him again our admiration for their courage and their sacrifice in the face of the illegal, abhorrent invasion by Mr Putin and the Russian troops.

Obviously, there is always more we could do and the government will continue to look at ways we can support the people of Ukraine. I would make the point that we have already made a very substantial contribution both in humanitarian assistance and military assistance.

Penny Wong speaks to reporters on the sidelines the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly in New York.
Penny Wong speaks to reporters on the sidelines the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly in New York. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Updated

Good morning

It is the national day of mourning, the last day of officialdom around the Queen’s death, before the parliament resumes tomorrow (for condolence motions) and life continues as it did.

The national service will be held in the Great Hall at Parliament House from 11am. We’ll cover that for you. But if you are looking to see what is open today, Mostafa Rachwani already has you covered:

Meanwhile, AFL legend Eddie Betts has called for league wide external reviews into how First Nations players have been treated, after the Hawthorn revelations.

Betts, who has spoken of the racism he has experienced in his daily life as well as while playing, told Fox Footy “it could happen at any club”.

ABC One on One

“As Aboriginal people, we face these issues in many systems. In the education system, the justice system, the housing system, and it always comes back to what I’ve been preaching a lot, and that’s education,” he said.

We’ll continue to follow all the day’s news as it happens – things may be a little slower than usual, given it is a public holiday. If you are in Victoria, it is the start of a four-day weekend (and I think there will be a few cheeky people joining them elsewhere in the nation) so no one is going to be making huge announcements.

Still, we will keep you up to date, so if you are at work, or just checking in, you’ll be covered.

Ready?

Let’s get into it.

Updated

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A fresh banana taped to a wall -- a provocative work of conceptual art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan -- was bought for $6.2 million on Wednesday by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur at a New York auction, Sotheby's announced in a statement.
International Business Times
International Business Times
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