What we learned today, Saturday 20 August
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories of the day:
The governor general, David Hurley, is asked to explain the exclusion of former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret ministries from his official diary.
Australia records 97 Covid deaths.
Monkeypox cases in Victoria reach 40, almost doubling in two weeks.
The deputy commissioner of Queensland police Paul Taylor was right to quit over vulgar comments, a minister says.
The South Australian government unveils road safety reforms following the death of 15-year-old Sophia Naismith.
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday and we will see you back here tomorrow.
Updated
Quite enjoyed this story, prompted by former AFL player Shane Crawford being given a gig in a show this week:
An interesting piece on nasal vaccines to halt Covid transmissions:
Rising monkeypox cases prompt warning
AAP has this report on a sharp increase in cases in Victoria:
A fresh monkeypox warning has been issued in Victoria as cases rise across the state.
As of Saturday, 40 monkeypox infections have been reported in Victoria. That’s up from 22 cases on 4 August.
Nationally, there have been 89 cases of the virus, which is spread through skin-to-skin contact or from touching contaminated objects.
At-risk groups, including men who have sex with men, are being advised to take preventative measures as cases climb.
They should limit their sexual partners and receive the latest smallpox vaccine to protect themselves, the Victorian health department said in a statement on Saturday.
Vaccines are available in a number of sexual health clinics across Victoria but the state’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said supply was limited.
The first monkeypox case was recorded in Australia in May. Symptoms include rashes, lesions or sores – particularly around the genitals – as well as fevers, aches and swollen lymph nodes.
The World Health Organization last month declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. There have been more than 35,000 cases of the disease around the world and 12 related deaths.
Updated
Sure, but have you heard of Sky After Bark?
Think Toto was trying to help during my @SkyNewsAust interview this afternoon 🐶 pic.twitter.com/FyjPX4G5zU
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 20, 2022
Body found on Victorian road victim of suspected hit-run
AAP has this report about a road death in northern Victoria:
A man found dead on a highway in Victoria’s north is believed to be the victim of a hit-and-run.
The man, yet to be identified, was discovered when he was struck by a car on the Murray Valley Highway in Reedy Lake shortly after 2am on Friday.
Investigators believe he may have been struck by another car earlier that night and the driver left the scene.
It’s also possible the man was hit by a large vehicle whose driver was unaware of what happened.
Detectives are keen to speak to anyone who travelled in the area between 2am and 2.30am as they try to piece together the man’s final movements.
Updated
Victorian man first to be convicted for illegally climbing Uluru
A Victorian man has reportedly become the first person convicted for illegally climbing Uluru.
The 44-year-old appeared in Alice Springs local court this week on two charges – walking or riding on a commonwealth reserve and entering a restricted or prohibited area.
He was convicted and fined $2,500 for scaling the rock, which was outlawed in 2019, the ABC reported.
Updated
Fairly ugly scenes at the Gabba last night.
I’ll hand over now to m’colleague Nino Bucci, who will take you through the rest of the afternoon.
Queensland records 20 deaths, 2,647 new cases of Covid-19
Queensland recorded 20 deaths from Covid-19 and 2,647 new cases on Monday.
There are 394 people in hospital and 17 in ICU.
Today we have recorded 2,647 new COVID-19 cases.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealth) August 20, 2022
Sadly, we have reported 20 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Full details ➡️https://t.co/HPyD6fmoQC pic.twitter.com/MRbesDn0AY
ACT reports 252 Covid cases and no further deaths
There are 121 people in hospital, four in intensive care and one on a ventilator.
ACT COVID-19 update – 20 August 2022
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) August 20, 2022
🦠 COVID-19 case numbers
◾ New cases today: 252 (125 PCR and 127 RAT)
◾ Active cases: 1,967
◾ Total cases since March 2020: 200,159 pic.twitter.com/f0yvtDDynb
Updated
South Australian premier unveils road safety reforms following death of 15-year-old Sophia Naismith
Road safety reforms will be introduced in South Australia following the death of a 15-year-old pedestrian, AAP reports.
Sophia Naismith was struck and killed in June 2019 when a high-powered Lamborghini mounted a curb outside a restaurant in the Adelaide suburb of Glengowrie.
The driver, Alexander Campbell, was on Thursday found not guilty of causing death by driving. He will instead plead guilty to the lesser offence of driving without due care.
The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, on Saturday announced his government would introduce road safety reforms in Sophia’s honour, following strong advocacy work from the Naismith family.
“Every South Australian following the tragic loss of Sophia Naismith cannot help but admire the courage shown by her parents and family,” Malinauskas said in a statement.
“I hope these reforms will prevent such a tragedy from happening to another family. Work will now commence to bring these reforms to fruition.”
The changes will include a new licensing scheme for people who want to drive high-powered sports cars, similar to licences for those who use motorcycles or trucks.
Drivers accused of killing a person will not be allowed to hold a licence until their case is resolved and there will be a ban on people disabling traction control in high-powered vehicles.
The legislation will start being drafted immediately, Malinauskas said.
Updated
Hospitals are full to bursting and emotional reserves have run dry, doctor writes
Dr Aaron Bloch, an infectious diseases physician working in Melbourne and regional Victoria, has written about the strain health staff are under coping with the latest wave of the pandemic, with hospitals full to bursting and emotional reserves run dry.
He writes:
Is it strange to feel nostalgic for 2020?
Yes, there was fear. Fear of the unknown, infection, death. Perhaps worst of all, there was fear of bringing the virus home to our loved ones.
But equally, there was hope. There was unity of purpose. We thought we saw a finish line in sight as case numbers dwindled. We looked forward to vaccines and better times ahead.
Now, two years on, resilience is depleted. As we crest our third Omicron wave this year, we are locked into a seemingly endless cycle. Collective denial takes us to the precipice, before we reach the peak and draw a sigh of relief. But, while many in the community return to “normal”, those working in hospitals are left to deal with the brutal rebound of pent-up demand. Each post-Covid surge feels more chaotic and unmanageable than the last. Meanwhile, the next wave builds. This time it’s BA.2.75. It will break in the spring. (I hope I’m wrong.)
No wonder a recent study found around two-thirds of Victorian healthcare workers were burnt out. Disturbingly, 46% of nurses surveyed had considered leaving the profession. A rubber band can only stretch so far.
Updated
Andrew Hastie calls on Anthony Albanese to apologise for agreeing to DJ on Remembrance Day
The shadow defence minister, Andrew Hastie, says Anthony Albanese should apologise to Australian war veterans for agreeing to DJ for Fatman Scoop on Remembrance Day.
In an email to his electorate of Canning in Western Australia, Hastie claimed that Albanese should also apologise for failing to acknowledge Vietnam Veterans Day earlier this week.
Hastie said that rather than acknowledging the day, the prime minister “instead … went on FM radio to talk about partying with celebrities” where he “twice made the extraordinary admission that he does not know what he will be doing on the 11th of November”.
Albanese had been on a Brisbane radio station this week when Fatman Scoop, an American rapper, phoned in and asked Albanese to DJ for him at a music festival.
Hastie continued:
It would be unbecoming and disrespectful for the Prime Minister to skip the Remembrance Day Service at the Australian War Memorial to attend a party with a celebrity at a dance concert in Brisbane. In political life, our public statements reveal our priorities.
The Prime Minister has made it clear he cares more about parties with celebrities than honouring our veterans.
Mr Albanese should apologise to our veterans for his careless and insensitive comments.
Updated
Stage one of Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop should be completed even if rest is scrapped, minister says
The first stage of Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop should be completed even if the rest of the project is eventually scrapped, the Victorian government has said.
More on this from AAP:
The 90km orbital rail line was a 2018 election promise of the Andrews government, with work already under way on the first 26km section between Cheltenham and Box Hill.
The state’s independent Parliamentary Budget Office this week revealed building the loop’s first two sections would set taxpayers back $125bn, almost double what the government estimated.
The Victorian opposition said it would scrap the project altogether if elected in November and instead put the money towards the state’s overrun health system.
But the Victorian transport infrastructure minister, Jacinta Allan, said the loop’s first section should be completed, telling the Age the eastern section alone would provide “enormous benefits” to the state.
“It would be up to a future government to explain why they walk away from it, if they chose to,” Allan told the newspaper on Saturday.
The opposition treasury spokesman, David Davis, accused the state government of being unable to manage money, saying it was clear the Suburban Rail Loop would be a cost blowout.
“A loop is not a loop if it isn’t a loop,” Davis told reporters on Saturday.
“They said it was going to be a loop at $50bn. Now we know the two parts are going to cost $200bn.
“You can do the arithmetic and work out what it might cost if you did the third part too.
“None of us know and the government won’t tell us.”
The state government should release documents from the Suburban Rail Loop’s control group so the public can know how much the project will cost, Davis said.
“This is a basic matter of transparency,” he said.
If the loop is built, trains would take three to four minutes between six stations, with a journey from Cheltenham to Box Hill totalling 22 minutes.
The eastern and northern stretches of the loop would take about 606,000 car trips off Victoria’s roads a day by 2056 and the project would deliver up to $58.7bn in benefits, according to the government.
The 90km orbital rail line’s second section would run from Box Hill to Melbourne airport.
Updated
Queensland deputy commissioner right to quit over vulgar comments, minister says
One of Queensland’s most senior police did the right thing by quitting after vulgar comments he made were aired at an inquiry into the force’s sexist culture, a state government minister has said.
Deputy commissioner Paul Taylor resigned yesterday after an inquiry into police responses to domestic violence heard he had referred to a colleague as a “vagina whisperer” at a policing conference.
In an email to colleagues announcing his resignation, Taylor said: “I am devastated about the impact this has had on the reputation of the service, because it does not reflect my values, nor those of the organisation.”
The Queensland procurement minister, Mick de Brenni, told reporters on Saturday that Taylor had done the “appropriate thing” by quitting.
“I don’t think there’s any setting in which those sort of comments are acceptable,” he said. “He’s done the honourable thing.”
De Brenni said misogynistic and sexist culture had to be stamped out in the Queensland police and the nation more generally.
Updated
Tasmanian Liberal party branch votes in favour of nuclear submarine base
This is several layers away from being a meaningful decision, but if you are a follower of Liberal party branch politics, it’s worth noting that members of the Kingston branch of the Tasmanian Liberals have voted in favour of the development of a nuclear submarine base in southern Tasmania.
The idea was previously floated by Eric Abetz, who lost his Senate seat in the 21 May election after a campaign encouraging people to vote below the line backfired.
A motion from the @TasLiberal Kingston branch in support of the development of a nuclear submarine base in southern Tasmania has been successful #politas @abcnews
— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) August 20, 2022
Updated
South Australia reports five deaths and 851 Covid cases
South Australia has reported five deaths from Covid-19 and 851 new positive test results on Saturday.
The deaths are of a man in his 70s, a man in his 80s, a woman in her 80s, a man in his 90s, and a man aged over 100, and occurred between 1 May and 18 August.
There are currently 263 people with Covid in hospital, including nine people in ICU, and two on ventilators.
Updated
Governor general asked to explain why official diary made no mention of Morrison ministries
As reported earlier, questions are being asked about why the governor general’s official diary made no mention of the appointments of Scott Morrison to five additional ministerial portfolios.
Nino Bucci reports:
Despite it making references to the swearing in of other ministers, and other meetings with Morrison, the four separate dates in which Hurley gave Morrison the additional powers contain no reference to the pair meeting.
The Greens senator David Shoebridge said on Saturday that Hurley needed to clarify whether the decision not to disclose the appointments was his or Morrison’s.
“Something is deeply broken when the governor general tells the world that he has awarded a sash to a champion sheep dog but says nothing when he appoints the former prime minister to five new ministries,” Shoebridge said.
“A key question the governor general and former prime minister must answer is, was this repeated non-disclosure by the governor general part of a request or direction from Scott Morrison?
“Why did the governor general not disclose any of these constitutional appointments as part of his ‘Constitutional Activities’ in either of the 2020 or 2021 annual reports? Again, was this at the express request of the prime minister?”
Updated
How the Tasmanian tiger captured the imagination
As a one-time Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service officer, Nick Mooney devoted much of his career to investigating the more credible thylacine sightings in the state.
In 1982, for instance, he spent months in the bush near Smithton after an experienced parks officer called Hans Naarding reported a night-time encounter with an adult male thylacine.
Naarding delivered his account – described by the PWS director at the time as “irrefutable and conclusive” – with calm confidence, explaining that he swept his spotlight across the animal from a distance of 6 or 7 metres and counted the 12 stripes on its sandy coat.
“We thought we were on to something,” says a laconic Mooney, “and I operated up there for a year trying to confirm it. Because he was one of our employees, we were able to keep it pretty quiet.”
Only after the exhaustive search proved inconclusive did Naarding speak publicly. A similar incident would, Mooney thinks, be much harder to contain today. He fears a modern sighting would be perceived as a potential goldmine, with scientific protocols abandoned in the rush to cash in.
“The Naarding case was pre-social media – and social media, as we’ve seen many times with this issue, dominates it completely. It’s quite possible – likely even – that someone would show us footage and never tell us where they took it.”
Read more about the search to find the thylacine, and attempts to bring it back, here:
Updated
‘The real shark of this story is the politician’: shark net debate heats up
The debate over whether to remove shark nets from NSW beaches is heating up, reports Royce Kurmelovs.
He spoke to Dr Christopher Pepin-Neff, a University of Sydney political scientist who has made a long study of shark nets as public policy.
The real shark of this story is the politician – that’s my analysis from having worked on this issue for 16 years. The fact is the nets don’t work. It’s a lie that’s told to the public to help ensure politicians are re-elected.
Updated
Australia records 97 Covid deaths
Australia has recorded 97 Covid deaths so far on Saturday. We will update this post as more jurisdictions publish their daily updates.
New South Wales has recorded 34 deaths and 6,116 new positive test results.
Victoria has recorded 30 deaths and 3,354 new positive test results.
Western Australia has recorded seven deaths and 1,624 new positive test results.
Tasmania has recorded one death and 323 new positive test results.
South Australia has recorded five deaths and 851 new positive test results.
The Australian Capital Territory recorded no deaths and 252 new positive test results.
The Northern Territory recorded no deaths and 134 new positive test results.
Queensland has recorded 20 deaths and 2,647 new positive test results.
Updated
Confused about Morrison’s many ministries? Here’s what you need to know
If you are confused about what Scott Morrison’s many ministries might mean in terms of both political and legal ramifications, this explainer from Josh Butler should help.
As Josh writes, Anthony Albanese is still waiting on formal advice on whether there was any illegality in Morrison’s actions or whether it was simply a matter of impropriety.
Updated
Western Australia records seven deaths and 1,624 new Covid cases
Western Australia has reported seven new deaths from Covid-19, with 237 people in hospital including a further seven in intensive care.
The state recorded 1,624 new cases in the 24 hours to 6pm last night.
The deaths date back to 22 July and include two men in their 70s and five women, one in her 60s, one in her 70s, two in their 80s and one in her 90s.
Updated
Monkeypox cases in Victoria reach 40
Health authorities in Victoria have issued a fresh warning against monkeypox after the number of cases in the state rose to 40.
That’s almost a doubling of cases in two weeks, from the 22 recorded as of 4 August.
There have been 89 cases of the virus recorded in Australia since it was first detected in May.
The virus is spread through skin-to-skin contact or from touching contaminated objects. Symptoms include rashes, lesions or sores – particularly around the genitals – as well as fevers, aches and swollen lymph nodes.
At-risk groups, including men who have sex with men, are being advised to take preventative measures as cases climb.
They should limit their sexual partners and receive the latest smallpox vaccine to protect themselves, the Victorian health department said in a statement on Saturday.
Vaccines are available in a number of sexual health clinics across Victoria although supply is limited.
Of Australia’s 89 recorded monkeypox infections, 40 are in Victoria and 39 are in NSW, while there are also cases in Queensland (3), Western Australia (3), the ACT (2) and South Australia (2).
Updated
Tasmania reports one Covid death and 323 new cases
Tasmania has recorded one death from Covid-19 and 323 new cases in its updated health statistics.
The Tasmanian coronavirus stats now list 175 deaths from Covid-19 since the pandemic began.
Updated
Victorian state election – seats to watch
The Victorian state election will be held in 98 days, which is a faintly exhausting thought for those of us only just recovered from the federal election.
AAP has helpfully compiled a list of seats to watch.
They include the seat of Kew in Melbourne’s inner-east, currently held by Liberal MP Tim Smith on a 0.43% margin. Smith will not recontest. Kew is likely to be a three-way battle between Labor, the Liberal party and a teal-style independent, as will the neighbouring seat of Hawthorn, which Labor won in a surprise upset in 2018.
The most marginal seat is Ripon, in western Victoria, currently held by Liberal MP Louise Staley on 0.02% – or just 15 votes. A former staffer to Daniel Andrews, Martha Haylett, is running for Labor.
Independent Ali Cupper will face a challenge in Mildura from the National party, who have preselected former Swan Hill mayor Jade Benham.
Back in Melbourne, Labor is facing a renewed challenge from the Greens in Northcote, the seat now-senator Lidia Thorpe won in a byelection in 2017 and Labor regained 12 months later. And the Liberal party is hoping to regain the south-eastern suburbs seat of Nepean, which they lost to Labor in 2018, with the help of retired tennis star Sam Groth. The seat is on a margin of 0.91%.
Liberal deputy leader David Southwick, who held his seat of Caulfield by just 204 votes in 2018, is facing a challenge by Voices for Caulfield independent candidate and ex-ALP member Nomi Kaltmann.
Others on the list are Richmond, held by retiring Labor MP Richard Wynne and under threat from the Greens; Morwell in the Latrobe Valley, held by retiring independent Russell Northe; and the newly created seat of Pakenham.
Updated
RSPCA in Victoria offering dogs for adoption for $100 today
A lack of time after the end of Covid lockdowns and the spiralling cost of living has led to an increase in the number of pets surrendered to shelters.
The RSPCA has seen an increase in the number of animals surrendered and a fall in adoption and foster rates since lockdowns ended, Adeshola Ore and Emily Wind report. There has even been an influx of small dogs and puppies in shelters, a trend they “didn’t see for years”.
The RSPCA in Victoria is offering dogs up for adoption for $100 today in an effort to ease pressure on shelters.
Updated
More on the governor general’s diaries, from AAP:
Governor general David Hurley’s diary makes no mention of the five times he handed extra ministerial powers to then-prime minister Scott Morrison.
Morrison took on the health, finance, treasury, home affairs, industry, science, energy and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.
He has faced heavy criticism for taking on the portfolios, in most cases without his colleagues’ knowledge, and some inside the Liberal party have called on him to resign.
But Morrison’s actions have also drawn in the governor general, who signed off on the appointments.
Constitutional experts doubt Hurley’s or Morrison’s actions were illegal but have criticised the breach of convention.
Some inside Labor are mulling whether Hurley needs to go, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has kept the focus on his predecessor.
The Governor General’s Program lists in detail the numerous activities of Mr Hurley, including phone calls, official events and luncheons.
Morrison was secretly appointed health minister on March 14, 2020, with the knowledge of then-health minister Greg Hunt.
This is not recorded in Hurley’s diaries. The day after though, he notes presenting the “Duke of Gloucester Sash” at the 2020 National Sheep Dog Trial Championships in Canberra.
Likewise on March 30, when Morrison was given power as finance minister, Hurley’s diaries don’t reference it.
However they do mention a series of phone calls Hurley had, including from a member of Australia’s national security laws watchdog.
On April 15, 2021, Morrison secretly co-opted powers of the industry, science, energy and resources portfolios.
He would later use this power to axe approval for a gas project off the coast of NSW, with the decision now before the courts due to the controversy.
Hurley’s diary doesn’t mention the appointment. He attended a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, a collection of commonwealth ministers who provide advice to the governor general.
Days later he spoke with the Queen.
The next month, on May 6, when Morrison took the treasury and home affairs ministries with Hurley’s approval, the governor general hosted some events before a dinner that night in Canberra.
Hurley’s office has defended his actions, saying he followed processes and “had no reason to believe” Mr Morrison’s appointments would not be communicated.
Updated
Greens question governor general's 'disturbing pattern of non-disclosure' over Morrison ministries
The Greens have questioned why the governor general, David Hurley, did not disclose the swearing-in of Scott Morrison to different portfolios, after annual reports show the office of the governor general has historically publicly disclosed details of the appointment and swearing-in of ministers.
Hurley has said, when asked about this matter this week, that it is for the government of the day to disclose ministerial appointments. A spokesperson said he “had no reason to believe that appointments would not be communicated”.
However, the Greens senator David Shoebridge said the governor general has a longstanding practice of making a daily report of his activities, which includes details as small as receiving phone calls and awarding a prize sash to a sheep dog and also lists the exercise of his constitutional duties in appointing ministers, and yet those diaries did not list the appointment of Morrison to various ministries.
Shoebridge said it was a “disturbing pattern of non-disclosure”.
A key question the governor general and former prime minister must answer is, was this repeated non-disclosure by the governor general part of a request or direction from Scott Morrison?
The governor general asserts that his office acts on the advice of the government. What advice did he receive from the former prime minister on diarising these appointments?
Why did the governor general not disclose any of these constitutional appointments as part of his ‘Constitutional Activities’ in either of the 2020 or 2021 annual reports? Again, was this at the express request of the prime minister?
Updated
Police call for witnesses to Canberra airport shooting
ACT police are looking for witnesses to events leading up to and during a shooting at Canberra’s airport last Sunday, AAP reports.
The alleged gunman, Ali Rachid Ammoun, 63, is in custody and has been charged with a series of firearm offences for the shooting on August 14.
No one was harmed when Ammoun allegedly shot his handgun at a window of the airport from inside the lobby, but the airport was evacuated and remained closed for about three hours.
ACT police have asked their NSW counterparts to call for witnesses as they believe there are still many people they are yet to speak to.
This includes anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour.
Ammoun’s case returns to court on 5 September. The NSW man is yet to enter a plea. He has been charged with discharging a firearm at a building, unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm near a person causing alarm.
Ammoun had not passed into the terminal and so had not been through security screening. Canberra Airport boss Stephen Byron said there were no plans to introduce further security.
Updated
Thinking of buying a new car? Electric Vehicles are set to become more affordable, and supported by a more extensive charging network, in Australia over the next few years.
NSW records 34 deaths, 6,116 positive test results for Covid-19
New South Wales has recorded 34 deaths from Covid-19 on Saturday. There are currently 1,908 people in hospital with Covid and 56 in ICU.
There were 6,116 positive test results recorded – about half of which were from PCR tests and the other half from rapid antigen tests.
COVID-19 update – Saturday 20 August 2022
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 19, 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
- 96.9% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine*
- 95.4% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine* pic.twitter.com/YFav2Pb2XO
Victoria records 30 deaths, 3,354 new cases of Covid-19
Victoria has recorded 30 deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, with 471 people in hospital, 30 in ICU, and 11 on ventilators.
There were 3,354 new cases reported on Saturday, only 941 of which were from PCR test results.
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 19, 2022
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/eUcG51fFhA pic.twitter.com/ocx7QPiI3f
Updated
Peggy O’Neal to head Victorian 2026 Commonwealth Games committee
Peggy O’Neal, the first woman to be president of an AFL Football club, has been appointed to lead the Victorian 2026 Commonwealth Games committee.
O’Neal was made president of Richmond Football in 2013 and announced her departure in March this year. In a statement on Saturday, she said:
I love sport and what it means for communities across Victoria. I am delighted to be part of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games and to work with the board, to ensure that the diverse voices in our state are heard as we make decisions throughout the delivery of the Games.
Another familiar face, Jeroen Weimar, is the CEO fo the Commonwealth Games organising committee. He said:
I am looking forward to working with Peggy and the board to deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games across regional Victoria and we will be taking the next steps in the coming months to finalise the sporting program, village and venue locations.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be hosted by regional towns and cities throughout Victoria, including Bendigo, Geelong, Ballarat, and towns in Gippsland.
Updated
Victoria police seize 3D printed handguns
Police in Victoria have seized five 3D printed handguns, other firearms and parts, and a 3D printer in an investigation into alleged firearm trafficking and manufacturing in Melbourne’s south-east.
It follows the arrest of a 24-year-old man in Langwarrin in March, who was searched and allegedly found in possession of an imitation handgun. That led to the search of a factory in Carrum Downs in May, where police found two handguns including one that had been 3D printed, and then the search of a property at Cranbourne East on Thursday.
In a statement, detectives from the Frankston Crime Investigation Unit said they recovered five 3D printed handguns, one semi-automatic handgun, 3D printed firearm parts, ammunition and a 3D printer.
Senior sergeant Stephen Fyffe said:
We have dismantled a local firearms manufacturing enterprise this week and taken nine illicit firearms off the streets.
It is illegal to manufacture firearms without a licence, and that includes 3D printed guns … We’ve been monitoring the issue of 3D printed firearms for a number of years and there are serious repercussions associated with this kind of activity.
A 31-year-old man was arrested at the property and charged with manufacturing and trafficking firearms. He was remanded to appear in the local magistrates’ court on 12 September.
Updated
More on byelection in Northern Territory, via AAP:
A byelection will decide which of six candidates wins the prized Northern Territory parliamentary seat of Fannie Bay.
Saturday’s poll will provide a successor for Michael Gunner, who vacated the Darwin seat after also stepping down as the territory’s chief minister.
Labor’s Brent Potter has drawn the top spot on the ballot paper, with his main rival, Ben Hosking from the Country Liberal Party, in the sixth spot.
Potter is an army veteran and father of four who has most recently worked as a government adviser.
Hosking owns a small business and is a former police officer.
Three independents – George Mamouzellos, Raj Samson Rajwin, and Leah Potter – are also contesting the poll, along with Greens candidate Jonathan Parry.
About 5,400 people are enrolled to vote in Fannie Bay, with some of those choosing to vote early or cast a postal ballot.
The past three Fannie Bay MPs have served as the NT’s chief minister: Gunner, Marshall Perron and Clare Martin.
Updated
Good morning
The fallout from former prime minister Scott Morrison’s decision to appoint himself to five additional ministerial portfolios continues. Malcolm Farr writes on our front page this morning that Morrison’s explanation for his actions at that lengthy Wednesday press conference show the accumulation of new jobs “wasn’t about greater government efficiency. It was about Scott Morrison getting more power”.
The politician who last month told a Perth audience he and acquaintances “don’t trust in governments” has been a stark example of why trust has disappeared.
Even one of his staunchest supporters, the Australian’s Paul Kelly, writes this morning that Morrison’s actions caused “palpable” damage to the Liberal party.
Kelly writes:
The Liberals are supposed to be the party of principled government and respect for institutions. But Morrison embarked on an untenable and deceptive accumulation of power. Can you imagine Robert Menzies secretly commissioning himself into five extra portfolios without telling most of the ministers?
Meanwhile, voters in the Northern Territory electorate of Fannie Bay will go to the polls in a byelection to fill the seat vacated by former chief minister Michael Gunner, who resigned from parliament and the top job in May.
The Labor candidate, Brent Potter, has drawn top spot on the ballot paper, with his main rival, the Country Liberal party’s Ben Hosking, in sixth. It’s an important seat – the past three Fannie Bay MPs have all served as the NT’s chief minister. We’ll bring you the updates as the day unfolds.
Let’s crack on. If we miss something, you can reach me at @callapilla on twitter or at Calla.Wahlquist@theguardian.com
Updated
