Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
Lawyers for Western Australia senator Linda Reynolds and her former employee Brittany Higgins began their closing arguments this week Monday, as the defamation case brought against Higgins over a series of social media posts published in 2023 reaches its final days.
Representing Higgins, Rachael Young SC on Tuesday dismissed the allegation that Higgins was motivated by a desire to “hurt” Reynolds, and “bring down the Morrison government”. Instead, the Perth court heard Higgins’ motivation was to “call out” her alleged perpetrator, and to “achieve reform” in the parliamentary workplace.
Reynolds’ lawyer, Martin Bennett, described a number of the claims made by Higgins about Reynolds in her televised interview on The Project as a “litany of lies”. Bennett dismissed the defence’s claims that Reynolds’ hurt and distress was caused by “public scrutiny”, saying it was instead due to the “deliberate defamatory conduct” by Higgins. He pointed to a text message Higgins sent to her now-husband David Sharaz as evidence of her “visceral hatred” of Reynolds.
The trial before Justice Paul Tottle is expected to conclude on Wednesday.
Top news
Two rescued from yacht caught in six-metre seas | Rescuers described feeling “the hairs on the back of our neck standing up” after successfully saving two people from a stranded yacht amid “quite extreme” weather conditions off the New South Wales coast. You can watch footage from the rescue here.
Support for Palestine ‘not a problem’ for security test, but support for Hamas could rule out visa | The head of Asio, Mike Burgess, has hit back at people who have “distorted” what he previously said about the security vetting process for Palestinians seeking to come to Australia.
Tasmania experiences record flooding | Tasmania was still being battered by strong winds on Tuesday morning, with gusts of 109kms an hour recorded on the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, where 13 hikers were rescued on Monday afternoon. The clean-up has begun across south-eastern Australia after a wild day of weather on Monday.
Harris and Biden make first joint appearance on campaign trail | Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on Monday made their first post-convention joint appearance, celebrating Labor Day with a tribute to union workers in Pittsburgh.
Arrest warrant for Venezuelan opposition leader | A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, the opposition politician widely believed to have beaten President Nicolás Maduro in the recent election, for alleged crimes that could see him spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted.
Hong Kong schools begin rollout of Xi Jinping Thought | New modules on the Chinese leader’s ideas come alongside more lessons about national security and pro-Beijing patriotism, as the influence and control of China’s ruling Communist party increases in the semi-autonomous city.
Alex de Minaur wins all-Australian tussle | De Minaur put friendship to the side to end Jordan Thompson’s campaign with a hard-earned 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory, becoming the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to reach three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals. But does it spell a golden era for Australian tennis?
Former CFMEU official launches high court challenge over union administration | Jade Ingham has launched a high court challenge against the federal government’s recent legal move, accusing state and federal Labor governments of “active treachery and class warfare”.
The Cure’s Roger O’Donnell reveals cancer diagnosis | The rock band’s keyboardist has revealed he has been diagnosed with “a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma” in a post marking blood cancer awareness month. “I’m fine and the prognosis is amazing,” he added.
In pictures
How powerful is Australia’s environmental watchdog?
Will its bark be worse than its bite, wonders cartoonist Fiona Katauskas.
What they said …
***
“Like an epidemic where a virus was introduced into young people in 2010 … and it has been spreading ever since.”
Research has revealed young people reporting increased feelings of stress and anxiety. Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr John Gerrard, blames social media as the instigator of what he describes as a public health crisis.
In numbers
Research published on Tuesday found opposition to supervised injecting rooms has declined markedly over the past 20 years. This is despite there being only two functioning rooms nationwide, after plans to implement a third were scrapped.
Before bed read
‘There’s no need to be worried about forever chemicals in Sydney’s water catchment’
While it is important to keep updating drinking water advice as evidence emerges, Australian guidelines are not wrong or unsafe, writes Stuart Khan, a professor and head of the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: GAM. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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