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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Jordyn Beazley and Emily Wind (earlier)

PM stands by response to naval incident – as it happened

Australia Melbourne
Anthony Albanese in Tasmania
Anthony Albanese says he stands by ‘strong representations’ his government made to China after Australian divers were targeted by a sonar pulse. Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/AAP

What we learned: Wednesday 17 January

And that’s where we’ll leave you this evening. Here’s our Tuesday wrap:

  • Almost 1,000 recently completed apartments in Sydney’s north are at risk of collapsing due to “serious damage” to concrete in the basements caused by defective workmanship, according to the New South Wales building watchdog.

  • China’s ambassador to Australia has denied that a Chinese warship subjected Australian naval divers to sonar pulses in an incident in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in mid-November. During a press conference, Anthony Albanese responded that the government stands by the comments made at the time of the incident that it was a Chinese ship.

  • China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, also today played down the prospects of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun being released in a similar manner to journalist Cheng Lei last year.

  • The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has met Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas and assured them that she will continue to use Australia’s voice to call for the immediate, unconditional and safe return of all hostages.

  • The Australian Catholic University (ACU) has identified staff underpayments worth approximately $3.6m over a seven-year period, becoming the latest tertiary institution to be embroiled in wage theft.

  • ABC union members have called on managing director David Anderson to come back from leave and respond to requests from staff to explain why Antoinette Lattouf was sacked. Meanwhile, The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has defended the WhatsApp group chat that coordinated complaints to the ABC.

  • The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, has left the door open for creatives or publishers to receive payments if their work is used to “train” artificial intelligence platforms after announcing the government will create an advisory body against the risks of artificial intelligence.

  • China has lodged diplomatic protests with Australia over a statement congratulating the winner of last weekend’s elections in self-governed Taiwan.

  • The special manager appointed to oversee Crown Casino has submitted a confidential report to the government that will determine whether the venue is fit to retain its gaming licence.

  • The Bureau of Meteorology continues to expect a tropical cyclone to form off the Queensland coast, possibly as soon as late on Sunday.

  • A 47-year-old Queensland fishing vessel owner has been charged with torture and slavery after he allegedly assaulted, threatened, and withheld food and water from crew members.

  • A woman has died at Shelly Beach in Sydney after being found unresponsive in the water and pulled to shore by other bystanders.

  • NSW Health has issued a measles alert for south-west Sydney and is advising people to be wary of symptoms after a new confirmed case visited the area while infectious.

Updated

Greens label PM’s Tasmania visit an ‘incredibly insensitive and vacuous media stunt’

The Greens have called out Anthony Albanese’s visit today to Tasmania, where he spoke about the state’s salmon industry being determined build sustainability into its practices, as being a “media stunt”.

The Greens senator for lutruwita/Tasmania Peter Whish-Wilson said:

This was an incredibly insensitive and vacuous media stunt from our PM, especially in the same week it was announced half the Maugean skates in a captive breeding program aimed to save the species from extinction have died.

Foreign-owned Atlantic salmon companies operating in Tassie have captured our federal and state governments.

During the prime minister’s press conference, a noisy protest could be heard in the background.

As we detailed, it was to do with salmon farming in Tasmania, and environmental protesters hoping to protect the Maugean skate, an endangered ray only found in Macquarie Harbour, where a large salmon farm is located.

Updated

‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’: Naidoc week 2024 theme announced

The theme for this year’s Naidoc week has been announced: “Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud”.

Steven Satour, the national Naidoc committee co-chair, said:

‘Blak, Loud, and Proud’ encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world.

This theme calls for a reclamation of our narratives, an amplification of our voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.

Naidoc week will be held across the country from 7-14 July.

Updated

Australian creatives and publishers could be paid if their content used to train AI, Husic says

The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, has left the door open for creatives or publishers to receive payments if their work is used to “train” artificial intelligence platforms.

The government is considering the copyright implications of generative AI services such as ChatGPT and Dall-E, as content producers around the world, including movie studios and record labels, call for licensing agreements for how their work is used. The government has also conceded news outlets and other producers were seeking compensation for their material.

Husic warned that the rapidly growing use of AI systems could affect white-collar office workers in the same way automated factory lines had affected manufacturing or agricultural sectors, saying big business had a responsibility to workers.

Speaking in Canberra at the launch of the government’s response to its consultation about AI, Husic said further work with the tech industry would continue in 2024. Initiatives such as voluntary codes for transparency and accountability and requirements to watermark AI-generated images to curb disinformation, would be further investigated.

More on this story here:

Updated

Protesters attend PM’s Tasmania presser over fate of endangered Maugean skate

Going back to the PM’s presser earlier: if you were watching or listening live, you might have heard a very noisy protest in the background.

As we detailed, it was to do with salmon farming in Tasmania, and environmental protesters hoping to protect the Maugean skate, an endangered ray only found in Macquarie Harbour, where a large salmon farm is located.

The Bob Brown Foundation, started by the former Greens leader from Tasmania, has posted some photos of their action outside the venue:

“Fish farms = extinction”, one sign read. The group tweeted that they wanted “to remind [Albanese] that his government promised no new extinctions”.

“Fish farms are about to make the Maugean Skate extinct. It’s time to get fish farms out of Macquarie Harbour.”

Asked at the press conference whether it was “a choice between saving an endangered species and protecting jobs in the salmon industry”, Albanese said no:

We support jobs, but we support it being done in a sustainable way and we’re very confident that that can happen. You need to work these issues through. We have confidence in the science and we’re very confident that the industry can not only continue, but can prosper into the future.

There’s no conflict between jobs and sustainability. Sustainability has to be something that is built into every industry. And I know that the salmon industry is determined to do that, to do it in a sustainable way, because that helps to prosper the industry.

Controversy seems to follow Albanese whenever he hops on to Toto One to visit the Apple Isle. Last year, the PM was tailed by another protest against a proposed AFL stadium in Hobart when he visited Tasmania.

Updated

If you’re just catching up on today’s news, my colleague Antoun Issa has the top stories here for you in our afternoon update:

Measles alert issued for south-western Sydney after second case confirmed

NSW Health has issued a measles alert for south-west Sydney and is advising people to be wary of symptoms after a new confirmed case visited the area while infectious.

The seven-month-old infant – who was too young to yet be vaccinated against measles – is the second case reported this week after the first was reported in western Sydney, but they are not believed to be connected.

Both cases had returned from overseas travel this week, and NSW Health is encouraging those who recently returned to Australia from Asia or the Middle East, where there have been outbreaks of measles, to be on alert for symptoms.

Dr John Hall, South Western Sydney Local Health District’s acting director of public health, said:

It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who went to Chouchou BeBe Adventure Playground to look out for symptoms until 29 January.

Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.

We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations because the measles vaccine can prevent the disease after exposure if administered early enough.

Anyone born during or after 1966 needs to ensure they have received two doses of measles vaccine; this is particularly important prior to overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.

Updated

WA penguin population feeling the heat

Rising ocean temperatures are reducing the population of little penguins living on Western Australia’s coastline, AAP reports.

New research from the University of WA has shown breeding, diet and population size of little penguins on Penguin Island are being affected by marine heatwaves.

Temperatures from 1986 to 2019 were measured to chart the impacts of marine heatwaves on breeding outcomes, body condition, diet composition, population size and mortality.

Report author Belinda Cannell said breeding outcomes were negatively affected but body condition was not:

Diet composition changed immediately after the marine heatwaves with sandy sprat, the penguins’ typical major prey component, replaced by scaly mackerel, a tropical fish species.

The little penguin population decreased by almost 80% after a 2011 heatwave, with Cannell saying many died from starvation.

She added:

It is likely that the poor breeding outcomes for multiple years following the marine heatwave resulted in low recruitment into the colony and, ultimately, an aging population of breeding penguins.

Earlier today, we brought you news that Tasmania’s little penguin population are also in strife after toxic “forever chemicals” were found in the penguin’s nesting soils, abandoned eggs and blood of the seabirds.

Penguin chicks on Western Australia’s Penguin Island.
Penguin chicks on Western Australia’s Penguin Island. Photograph: Dr Joe Fontaine/ Dr Erin Clitheroe

Updated

Vote in our poll for Australia’s greatest sporting moment

A reprieve from the heavier news today to remind you to vote in our poll for Australia’s greatest sporting moment.

We’ve whittled down hundreds of reader nominations and tapped into our best sporting minds to compile this shortlist of 50 moments. Vote on your favourite this week before we move on to the final round of 10.

Rather than me luring you to vote with a reminder of the emotional and dramatic sporting moments that have captured the nation, I’ll let my colleague Matilda Boseley – and her costumes – do the talking:

Updated

Sydney complex of 900 new apartments at risk of collapse due to ‘serious damage’ – watchdog

Almost 1,000 recently completed apartments in Sydney’s north are at risk of collapsing due to “serious damage” to concrete in the basements caused by defective workmanship, according to the New South Wales building watchdog.

The developer Greenland has been issued with urgent rectification orders over the four apartment buildings at the Lachlan’s Line development at 23 Halifax Street in Macquarie Park.

The Building Commission NSW found there was “serious damage and spalling of the concrete slab at the joint locations in basements and the ground floor caused by defective workmanship” after inspections last year.

“This is a defect in a building product or building element that causes or is likely to cause the basement slab to fail, namely, to fracture and collapse, leading to the destruction of the building or any part, or the threat of collapse of the building or any part,” the rectification order said.

More on this story here:

Jewish body defends letter-writing campaign to ABC

More on the revelations of a targeted letter-writing campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists prior to the firing of journalist Antoinette Lattouf.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has defended the WhatsApp group chat that coordinated complaints to the ABC over journalist Lattouf prior to her radio hosting contract being terminated in December over sharing a Human Rights Watch post on social media related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Screenshots of the group chat showing some of the 156-member group of pro-Israel lobbyists discussing contacting the ABC about the matter were first reported by the Age yesterday, and led to ABC union members demanding a meeting with MD David Anderson about the ABC’s handling of the matter.

ECAJ’s co-CEO, Alex Ryvchin, posted on X on Wednesday afternoon that Jewish Australians “have the right to stand up to journalists who put their politics and prejudice above professional responsibility” and lodge complaints.

He said:

Members of our community have the right to participate in WhatsApp groups formed in response to groups like Lawyers for Palestine, Architects for Palestine, Teachers for Palestine and Creatives for Palestine.

We have the right to demand that those who peddle the lethal hatred of our people, face consequences for doing so.

And no matter the threats, the abuse, the sheer hatred we receive, we will continue to act and to advocate, with pride and integrity for the good of our people and our society.

Updated

Queensland police urge torture complainants to come forward

Earlier we brought you news that Queensland police have charged a 47-year-old fisher with torture and slavery, accusing him of allegedly assaulting, threatening and withholding food and water from some crew members working on fishing vessels in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Queensland police have since held a press conference, where they said some crew members allegedly feared for their lives and wellbeing so much at the hands of their boss on the Queensland fishing boat that they dived from the vessel and swam through shark and crocodile-inhabited waters to get to land.

“We will be alleging that in some cases, the persons who were employed as deckhands, on those fishing vessels, were abused, they were assaulted, they were forced to work without wages, they were forced to sleep on the open deck of the boat,” Queensland police acting inspector Jason Chetham told reporters.

Chetham said the alleged six victims – five of which were male and one 25-year-old female – were young people mostly from north Queensland and had been on the boat “trying to earn a living”. Police said there could be another complainant and urged the person to come forward.

“We believe that there is a very real chance that there are other people out there who may well be complainants in this particularly matter,” he said, later adding the charges ranged from 2000 to 2023 and some people may have not yet come forward due to fear for their lives.

More on this story here:

Updated

Lattouf sacking a ‘matter for the ABC’: PM

Circling back to Albanese’s press conference, where reporters asked questions about the revelations of a targeted letter-writing campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists prior to the firing of journalist Antoinette Lattouf.

Q: Do you believe sharing a post by the Human Rights Watch is a sackable offence?

Albanese responded:

I’m not aware of the post or who it was shared to.

Q: How concerned are [you] about the leaking of text messages regarding the sacking of Antoinette Lattouf?

Albanese responded:

Those are matters for the ABC and the ABC is an independent body from government. It’s publicly owned, but I don’t want to create another issue which is for sitting parliamentarians to try to direct or even be seen to be directing the ABC.

Updated

ABC union demands explanation on Lattouf sacking and lobbying

ABC union members have called on managing director David Anderson to come back from leave and respond to requests from staff to explain why Antoinette Lattouf was sacked and explain what lobbying was done of the managing director and the chair over her social media posting related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

About 200 ABC employees attended an online union meeting at lunchtime today, where they endorsed the resolution passed by 80 Sydney staff yesterday.

The resolution passed today also said:

We further express our deep concern at the sacking of Antoinette Lattouf and targeting of other journalists, and dismay at the lack of support for ABC staff who come under attack in coordinated campaigns.

Those attacks are not distributed evenly and disproportionately affect journalists of colour. The lack of adequate support creates an unsafe workplace. The appearance of kowtowing to lobby group pressure is embarrassing and damaging to the ABC’s reputation and impacts our ability to report without fear or favour.

Members have demanded Anderson respond by tomorrow or another union meeting will be held next week to discuss further action.

You can read our earlier story below:

Updated

Recap of Japan-China ship incident commentary

Following Albanese’s press conference, let’s take stock of what the Australian government said at the time and what the Chinese ambassador said today.

China’s ambassador to Australia has denied that a Chinese warship subjected Australian naval divers to sonar pulses in an incident in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in mid-November.

Xiao Qian was asked, during a press conference at the Chinese embassy in Canberra today, about the incident described by the Australian government as “unsafe and unprofessional”.

At the time, the defence minister, Richard Marles, had said in a statement that HMAS Toowoomba was in international waters inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone when it stopped to conduct diving operations in order to clear fishing nets that had become entangled around its propellers.

Defence minister Richard Marles’ account of the incident was refuted today by the Chinese ambassador.
Defence minister Richard Marles’ account of the incident was refuted today by the Chinese ambassador. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Marles said the vessel was approached by a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) destroyer:

While diving operations were under way a PLA-N destroyer (DDG-139) operating in the vicinity closed towards HMAS Toowoomba. Toowoomba again advised the PLA-N destroyer that diving operations were being conducted and requested the ship keep clear.

Despite acknowledging Toowoomba’s communications, the Chinese vessel approached at a closer range. Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water …

Medical assessments conducted after the divers exited the water identified they had sustained minor injuries likely due to being subjected to the sonar pulses from the Chinese destroyer.

But Xiao today denied the account. The ambassador said:

I have double checked with our colleagues in Beijing – I mean, our defence people in Beijing. The Chinese navy really took some measures to monitor and try to find out what this Australian navy ship is going to do in that area, because it was so close to Chinese maritime border, but they didn’t initiate the so-called sonar against the divers from the Australian side. …

I have communicated this point to the Australian Government, even to the opposition leader [Peter Dutton] that this is what we got from the Chinese defence people. And at that moment, there was a third country boat nearby - whether or not there was sonar from the other side, other party, we’re not sure. Perhaps our Australian colleagues can find out really what’s the truth.

Asked which country he was talking about, Xiao said: “Japan.”

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said at a press conference moments ago that he stood be the comments the Australian government made at the time.

Updated

‘We’ll cooperate where we can, disagree where we must’: PM on China relations

During the press conference, Albanese was asked by a reporter about comments made by China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, today where he denied it was a Chinese naval ship that emitted sonar pulses that injured several divers and suggested it may have been a Japanese ship.

He said:

I stand by the comments we made at the time. We made strong representations to China about this incident. And we stand by the representations that we made.

Albanese was also asked if he would consider the ambassador’s comments that China wants closer military ties with Australia, including joint military exercises, he said:

I haven’t seen the Chinese ambassador’s comments. I’ve been in Adelaide today, and so, I am very cautious about making comments about commentary I haven’t seen. I will just say this about the relationship with China though – my government’s position is that we’ll cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must, and we’ll engage in our national interest. And we won’t allow differences which are there to define our relationship. I want a constructive relationship.

Updated

Asked by a reporter whether his visit was due to yesterday’s news that two of the four endangered Maugean skates – whose only known home is in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour where salmon farming is increasing - that were taken into a captive breeding program have died within weeks, he said it wasn’t.

I planned this visit last year… I’ve been determined to make sure that I visit states and territories before Parliament goes back.

Audible during Albanese’s press conference, is a group of people chanting “save the Maugean skates”.

Some background on the ancient fish species and scientists concerns here:

Updated

PM on sustainability of Tasmania’s salmon industry

Anthony Albanese is speaking to media now from Tasmania, where he is talking about the state’s salmon industry.

It comes after pressure has been mounting on the industry, following the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, launching a consultation in November to examine whether the salmon industry had the approvals it needed to operate in Macquarie Harbour.

He said:

Sustainability has to be something that is built into every industry. And I know the salmon industry is determined to do that. To do it in a sustainable way. Because that helps to prosper the industry. And I know that the examination that is occurring, we are working with the Tasmanian government, to ensure that sustainability is front and centre.

We have environmental laws that have to be dealt with. They need to be examined. They’re not optional, they’re the law. We comply with the law and we do so in a sustainable way, working with industry to work through these issues. I’m confident that we’ll continue to do so.

Updated

Investigators release images of deadly plane collision near Melbourne

Cameras captured the moment two military-style jets collided while performing an aerobatic manoeuvre over Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, claiming the lives of two men.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) preliminary report into the 19 November crash was released on Wednesday, along with a re-enactment of the events leading up to the collision and still images taken from footage captured by the surviving jet.

Figure 4: Recorded images from Viper 1 of third manoeuvre and collision Mid-air collision involving SIAI-Marchetti S211s, VH-DZJ and VH-DQJ, 25 km west of Tyabb Airport, Victoria, on 19 November 2023. Australia
Recorded images from Viper 1 of a mid-air collision with Viper 2 over Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne. Photograph: Australian Transport Safety Bureau/Commonwealth of Australia

The report states the two Viper S-211 Marchetti light aircraft departed Essendon Fields airport at 1.24pm with the intention of filming over Port Phillip Bay.

Viper 1 was the lead aircraft carrying a pilot and safety pilot, while Viper 2 had pilot Stephen Gale, 56, and camera operator James Rose, 30, on board.

According to the report, Gale “advised that passing underneath Viper 1 provided a good filming opportunity and requested to repeat the manoeuvre”.

But on this attempt, the ATSB said the right wings of each aircraft collided as Viper 2 passed beneath Viper 1 as it flew inverted.

More on this story here:

Updated

Thanks Emily, and hello everyone. I’ll now be with you until this evening.

Thanks for joining me on the blog today! The lovely Jordyn Beazley will see you through the rest of the evening. Take care.

For an more in-depth look at the weather forecast over the coming days, my colleague Claire Keenan has you covered:

There are several weather warnings in place across the Northern Territory today, including a severe weather warning and flood watch for the northwest and parts of central NT.

A flood watch is also in place for the Daly River and Victoria River:

Man found dead after leaving bogged car in outback Queensland

A man who went missing while looking for help after his car became bogged in outback Queensland has been found dead after a two-day search, AAP reports.

The 25-year-old had been travelling in a convoy with friends when their vehicles became stuck on Sunday in Durham, near Queensland’s border with South Australia.

The South Australian man walked off with a 39-year-old woman to get help in the remote area, police said. But after 30 minutes the pair became separated when the woman decided to turn back and return to the cars.

The woman was found by a passing motorist and raised the alarm about the 25-year-old Adelaide man.

A land and aerial search was launched on Monday, with two mustering helicopters assisting. The man’s body was found about 5pm yesterday, 12km from the bogged cars. Senior constable Mark Baker said:

Police conducted an extensive land and air search over the remote area which sadly resulted in locating the man deceased.

Police have been in contact with the man’s family, and our thoughts are with them at this time.

Updated

Crown head says casino now compliant after ‘extensive reform’

Crown Melbourne’s chief executive, Mike Volkert, has responded to the final report by the government-appointed “special manager” into the gaming venue.

(You can read more on this earlier in the blog here).

The special manager was appointed after a royal commission found Crown was unfit to hold a gaming licence in Victoria but was given two years to reform.

Volkert said over the past two years Crown’s team “has worked diligently under new ownership and leadership to implement significant change at Crown Melbourne”.

He said:

We have implemented extensive reform in governance risk and compliance, financial crime detection, harm minimisation, and guest experience, whilst creating a purpose-driven culture for our workforce.

This work is a sustainable foundation for Crown Melbourne and we are committed to continuous improvement and exceeding the expectations of our stakeholders.

Updated

Woman drowns at Sydney beach

A woman has died at Shelly Beach in Sydney after being found unresponsive in the water and pulled to shore by other bystanders.

NSW police said emergency services were called to the beach in Manly just before 1pm today, after a person was found unresponsive in the water.

Bystanders pulled the 32-year-old woman from the water, who was treated by paramedics, but died at the scene.

The Daily Telegraph reported that at least 10 police cars were on the scene just before 1pm, as part of a major emergency response.

Officers from the northern beaches police area command will prepare a report on behalf of the coroner.

Updated

China downplays prospect of releasing Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has played down the prospects of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun being released in a similar manner to journalist Cheng Lei last year.

Yang, a writer and avowed democracy activist was arrested in January 2019 and charged with espionage. Yang has previously stated that he is “100% innocent of the allegations” and that he “will never confess to something I haven’t done”.

At a press conference in Canberra today, Xiao argued that Yang’s case was “different in nature” from the case of Cheng:

To be honest, I cannot expect that the case would come to such a conclusion likewise.

Pressed on why China would not just deport Yang in order to solve a lingering obstacle in the Australia-China relationship, Xiao said:

Well, as I said, his case is different in nature. This is what I can tell you at this moment, because this is still in the legal process. We’re now waiting for the Chinese legal authorities to continue with the necessary process. And I think we need to respect and be a bit patient on this issue.

Yang’s trial was held in May 2021 but he has still not received a verdict, with the court granting multiple three-month extensions on the deadline for handing down a decision.

Updated

Deakin University to open joint Indonesian campus

Melbourne’s Deakin University has been given the green light from the Indonesian government to open a joint international campus in Bandung, West Java.

The university, to be run in collaboration with Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, will be the first UK-Australia overseas campus offering both Australian and British degree subjects.

It follows the unveiling of Indonesia’s first foreign-owned university in Jakarta in 2021, delivered by Monash.

The vice-chancellor of Deakin, Prof Iain Martin, said the university would support the “educational and research aspirations” of the Indonesian government and build on the university’s “hybrid transnational education partnerships”.

Indonesia is expected to make great strides as a global economy in the next few decades, and as a neighbour of Australia there is enormous potential for mutually beneficial collaboration. Once in operation, Deakin will use the joint campus as a base from which we will continue to build our links with local institutions and industry.

The initial undergraduate programs in business and information technology are expected to roll out from September this year.

Last year, Deakin became the first foreign institution in the world to announce a campus in India, during a prime ministerial visit to Ahmedabad.

Updated

China lodges protest with Australia over Taiwan election message

China has lodged diplomatic protests with Australia over a statement congratulating the winner of last weekend’s elections in self-governed Taiwan.

The media release, posted on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website earlier this week, said Australia “congratulates Dr Lai Ching-te on his victory in the Taiwan elections held on 13 January” and also offered congratulations to “the people of Taiwan on the peaceful exercise of their democratic rights”.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, held a lengthy press conference at the Chinese embassy in Canberra today and confirmed that officials had complained about the statement:

This is an issue we are sensitive to in our bilateral relationships, and I can share within you that through diplomatic channels, we have been communicating with the Australian side. We have made serious representations that we are strongly opposed to such a statement, a statement by a government on China’s local provincial elections.

Xiao said he, too, was seeking to meet with Australian officials in coming days to raise the matter. He reiterated Beijing’s position that Taiwan was a matter of “China’s internal affairs” and “involves China’s core interests” so “external forces” should not interference. Beijing has repeatedly refused to rule out taking Taiwan by force.

Xiao said in many areas in the relationship with Australia, China was willing to compromise or be flexible, such in trade:

But on the question of Taiwan, there is no room at all for us to show flexibility or to make compromise.

Updated

Sonic returned to owner after alleged dognapping

A missing pooch has been reunited with his owners after he was found in a home south of Perth, with two women due to face court over his alleged theft, AAP reports.

Sonic, the two-year-old French bulldog, was found at a unit in Meadow Springs on Tuesday, more than 60km south of his home in the Perth suburb of Innaloo.

WA police arrested a 39-year-old woman and a 46-year-old woman and charged them with aggravated home burglary and stealing.

Police allege the pair broke into Sonic’s home about 10.45am on Tuesday and stole the unsuspecting pup as well as a number of other items.

The 46-year-old Northbridge woman was also charged with breaching bail and possessing a prohibited drug.

She is due to appear before the Perth magistrates court on Wednesday, while the 39-year-old will face court on 9 February.

Police said Sonic was located safe and well and has been reunited with his owners.

Updated

Proposal for Sydney tower could free unit owners from debt – but leave others ‘destitute’

When Veronica and Cliff Baker poured their life savings into purchasing a $1.1m three-bedroom penthouse in Sydney, they hoped it would be where they grew old and hosted their children and grandchildren.

They didn’t know that in 2019, they’d be evacuated from Mascot Towers in the city’s inner-south after cracks were discovered in the basement.

Nor did they know for the next four-and-a-half years, they’d be in limbo, living in the basement of their daughter’s home while paying thousands of dollars in strata fees, repair bills and legal costs.

Over Christmas, the state government – which certified the apartment blocks as fit for habitation – handed down a potential settlement to clear the massive debts of more than 130 apartment owners. But the Bakers – who are now in their late 70s and early 80s – say it will give them “next to nothing” and is being rushed through to avoid creating a precedent for other poorly structured housing.

More on this story here:

Updated

Flash flooding alerts issued in Tasmania

The Tasmanian SES is reminding the community to be prepared and keep informed of the conditions as severe and dangerous thunderstorms are forecast for today.

It has already received 14 requests for assistance today – 13 in the north-west and one in the north.

The executive director, Mick Lowe, said:

The weather system, including possible very dangerous thunderstorm activity, has started crossing the state this morning and is expected to extend to the north coast and south of state in the coming hours.

Very dangerous thunderstorms have already impacted parts of the north-west coast and are now moving towards the Central North, Central Plateau and Midlands districts, with the townships of Deloraine and George Town at greatest risk.

The system is likely to produce heavy rain and possible flash flooding in localised areas.

Poor weather is expected to continue tomorrow, with damaging westerly winds in the areas of Bass Strait islands and exposed areas of the northern coastline.

Updated

Greens urge action on ‘rife’ wage theft at universities

The Greens have weighed in on the Australian Catholic University’s (ACU) staff underpayment admission, alleging wage theft is “rife” across universities.

Acting Greens leader and spokesperson for education senator Mehreen Faruqi said payment discrepancies should be key to the upcoming University Accord, due to be handed down in February.

Again we are seeing the grim consequences of a corporatised university model where education is a mere commodity and staff are left powerless at the hands of unis operating off exploitation and unpaid labour.

Wage theft is rife across universities. Dozens of unis are being investigated for wage theft, with over $150m in stolen wages uncovered thanks to the hard work of NTEU and other staff.

An end to corporate unis and ensuring secure jobs must be at the heart of the accord recommendations.

Today the ACU self disclosed the underpayments, which the vice-chancellor has committed to paying back with interest.

Updated

Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury with the Bureau of Meteorology has provided a severe weather update, with the latest information on the rainband covering southern parts of the country:

Continuing from the previous post:

Barrister Tim Ryan said Ahmed Luqman Talib had been accused of not charging his ankle monitoring bracelet on two occasions for a total of two hours.

There is no suggestion the device he was required to wear was not operative or was not always charged.

Ryan said Talib had taken the monitoring device back to police because he thought it was defective.

Talib had also been accused of downloading the LinkedIn social media application to his phone in March 2023.

Ryan said there was no allegation Talib had used LinkedIn to contact anybody and he was not prohibited from using the internet:

The charges are disputed ...The time he has spent in custody since November 30 exceeds the length of any sentence imposed if he was found guilty of all the alleged breaches.

A Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions representative presented an affidavit in response to the bail application but did not speak further.

Justice Declan Kelly said he would issue an order to grant Talib bail along with his reasons for doing so.

I’m satisfied based on the material ... that (Talib) has shown cause.

- AAP

Terror accused released despite bail breach charges

A man accused of terrorism-related offences will again be granted bail despite facing allegations that he breached the conditions of his release, AAP reports.

Ahmed Luqman Talib was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in Victoria in March 2021, then aged 31, and extradited to Queensland.

Talib was accused of helping an aspiring foreign fighter arrange to travel to Syria to join a terrorist group in conflict with that nation’s government between September 1, 2013 and October 1, 2020.

Talib, who was born in the United Kingdom and is an Australian citizen, lived in southeast Queensland around the time of the alleged offending.

Barrister Tim Ryan applied for Talib’s bail in the Brisbane Supreme Court today and said his client had four grounds by which to argue his further detention was not justified:

The first of these is the alleged breaches of bail conditions are minor.

Talib did not attend court or appear by videolink.

Storms hinder emergency calls in WA’s Wheatbelt region

The West Australian police said it is aware that members of the Wheatbelt community may be unable to call the police assistance line or 000 due to the ongoing storms.

Police said in a statement that its communications were unaffected:

If you have a vulnerable family member, friend, neighbour or co-worker in the area, you may consider offering them support until the outage has been resolved.

The thunderstorms have left thousands in Perth and surrounding suburbs without power. This morning, Western Power reported that 33,000 homes and businesses were without power.

There are 102 active outages affected thousands of customers according to its outage map.

Updated

BoM eyes cyclone in Pacific

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek has moved towards the south and is now located 410km north-west of the Cocos Islands, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

It initially formed in the Indian Ocean roughly 4,000km off Western Australia’s coast.

According to the BoM, Anggrek is expected to begin weakening from Friday onwards, but there is large uncertainty as to its movements over the weekend.

The most likely scenario is that the system will move west, but if it goes towards the east, then it is likely to be a weak tropical low.

This is separate to the tropical low developing in the Coral Sea, well off the Queensland coast, which will be known as Kirrily if it develops into a cyclone next week.

The BoM said there is a “significant risk” this system could make land on the Queensland coast during next week, but it is too early to say when or where.

Updated

Crown Casino boss ‘inappropriately intervened’ in security matter: report

The special manager appointed to oversee Crown Casino has submitted a confidential report to the government that will determine whether the venue is fit to retain its gaming licence.

Stephen O’Bryan KC today publicly released his fourth and final activity report into Crown’s operations, which covers July to December 2023.

The report is scant on details due to the legal and commercially sensitive nature of O’Bryan’s work but it reveals he has been investigating allegations that Crown Resorts CEO, Ciaran Carruthers, “inappropriately intervened to overturn exclusions security personnel had issued to customers for breaches of casino entrance requirements”.

The activity report states the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control (VGCC) has also initiated its own investigation into the matter. Both investigations are ongoing.

It also reveals O’Byran has handed a “confidential final report” to the gaming minister, Melissa Horne, and the VGCC that will “assist decision-making regarding the suitability of Crown to continue to hold the Melbourne casino licence”.

A royal commission found Crown was unfit to hold a gaming licence in Victoria but it was given two years to reform, under the supervision of the “special manager”.

Carruthers has been contacted for comment via Crown Casino.

Updated

Most rescues in 2023 could have been avoided, Marine Rescue NSW says

Staying with the record number of search and rescue missions across NSW last year:

More than half of last year’s incidents could have been avoided with better boat maintenance, Marine Rescue said.

Some 57% of the calls it received were for mechanical, battery or fuel issues.

Overall, the rescue water rescue organisation received 258,742 radio calls in 2023 – or a call every two minutes.

The Marine Rescue NSW deputy commissioner, Darren Schott, said almost a third of incidents last year were emergencies with capsized boats, missing people, groundings and fires on vessels.

Response times for these incidents is reduced dramatically if a boater is logged on with Marine Rescue NSW.

We ask all boaters to ensure that they check their vessel’s engine and battery every time they plan to head out on the water.

Mechanical and fuel issues can quickly become life-threatening emergencies on the water, so make sure you have enough fuel and some in reserve.

The state’s emergency services minister, Jihad Dib, said it was pleasing to see that over the past year, there has been an increase of 16,500 boaters using Marine Rescue’s free “Log On” service.

Updated

NSW rescues 10,645 people in busiest year on record

Marine Rescue NSW says it has completed its busiest year on record, with 4,786 search and rescue missions across the state last year.

The volunteer water rescue organisation safely returned 10,645 people to shore in an 18% increase in rescue missions across the state.

Lake Macquarie was the busiest area for rescue missions, while a quarter of the Botany Port Hacking unit’s 400 missions were emergency responses.

All six regions across the state had a record number of rescues in 2023, which can be broken up as:

  • Greater Sydney: 1,774 search and rescue missions, highest demand were Sydney (State Communications Centre), Botany Port Hacking and Port Jackson.

  • Hunter/Central Coast: 1,511 search and rescue missions, highest demand were Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.

  • Illawarra: 481 search and rescue missions, highest demand were Port Kembla, Jervis Bay and Shoalhaven.

  • Mid North Coast: 390 search and rescue missions, highest demand were Forster/Tuncurry, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.

  • Northern Rivers: 353 search and rescue missions. Locations of highest demand were Point Danger, Ballina and Iluka Yamba.

  • Monaro: 277 search and rescue missions, highest demand were Batemans Bay, Eden and Narooma.

Updated

Education union alleges $170m in wage theft across higher education

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has alleged wage theft is “endemic” in higher education after the Australian Catholic University (ACU) admission of $3.6m in underpayments.

ACU has committed to full back pay of the underpayments – which occurred between 2016 and 2023 – with interest as soon as possible.

According to NTEU estimates, more than 101,730 university staff have now allegedly been underpaid around $170m in wages nationwide.

Its national president, Dr Alison Barnes, said there was “barely a university in Australia” which hadn’t been implicated in underpayments.

Wage theft is the symptom and insecure work is the disease. It’s extremely disappointing but not surprising that casual staff have once again been the victims. The Universities Accord has called on universities to become exemplary employers. This is yet another example of how desperately we need to realise that goal.

The NTEU ACU branch president, Dr Leah Kaufmann, said the response of university management and commitment to taking responsibility “should be a lesson to all universities”.

Unlike some other universities, ACU management has reported itself, apologised, committed to full back payments within 28 days, and will be providing access to support for staff identified as the victims of underpayment.

Updated

Queensland man charged with torture and slavery

A 47-year-old Queensland fishing vessel owner has been charged with torture and slavery after he allegedly assaulted, threatened, and withheld food and water from crew members.

The man was charged by Cairn’s detectives with 46 offences after an investigation launched in 2023 – Operation Victor Diabelli – after reports he had allegedly threatened numerous deckhands on board his fishing vessels.

On 9 January, police executed a search warrant for an address in Karumba and four fishing vessels, and allege a firearm was found aboard a vessel.

The man, who lives in Karumba in Queensland, was today charged with 18 counts of common assault, 10 counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, five counts each of torture and slavery and one count of stealing.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Cairns magistrates court on 9 February.

Det Sgt Bradley McLeish said police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with further information to come forward:

Victims who may be subject to harassment or intimidation in relation to speaking to police are assured that all offenders will be held accountable for their actions.

Anyone making threats to potential witnesses or victims can expect a visit from detectives very soon.

Updated

Rail speeds unlikely to improve before high-speed line opens

Australia’s first section of high-speed rail, which the Albanese government has committed to progressing between Sydney and Newcastle for a 45-minute trip, is expected to be at least a decade away, if not longer.

Despite the lengthy wait for a faster service on the line – service times have gotten slower over the last century to a current express trip time of about 2.5 hours – the government has suggested it won’t pursue making the existing trip speedier in the interim years before high-speed rail is built.

Today, the transport minister, Catherine King, spoke to ABC Newcastle about the high-speed rail authority’s progress and responded to a question from a local listener who asked why only a bullet train was being pursued instead of upgrading the existing tracks to deliver a “more achievable” 90-minute service to Sydney:

Well, faster rail in and of itself is a good idea, but it’s also very expensive. You spend a lot of money just to get an extra minute. So to actually get – you know, you have to take all of the curves out, you have to change alignments, and it’s incredibly costly.

Our view, frankly, is having committed to high-speed rail, getting that rail service – you know, I’ve travelled on high-speed rail internationally; it’s amazing and incredibly great for economic opportunities for the region. So, we think if we’re going to spend a lot of money, let’s get this right and let’s actually deliver something that will really change the whole way in which the economy of New South Wales, but particularly this part of the world, operates.

While the Albanese government’s high-speed rail authority moves at what critics have called a “snails pace” – six months after coming into existence it has only just appointed a CEO and has still not begun any track planning – rail experts have said modest upgrades to existing intercity tracks could slash hours from travel times and be delivered much faster and cheaper than high-speed rail ambitions.

Updated

Sydney hospital workers to strike over ‘extortionate’ parking fees

Up to 300 Concord hospital workers in Sydney will walk off the job today to protest what the union calls “extortionate” parking fees, costing staff up to $2,600 a year.

The Health Services Union said workers – including psychologists, scientists, theatre technicians, kitchen staff, cleaners, security guards and others – will walk out between 1pm and 2pm today.

The union’s secretary, Gerard Hayes, said it was “outrageous and morally bankrupt” to charge hospital staff this much in parking fees during a cost of living crisis:

Concord Hospital staff, like health workers around the nation, worked tirelessly to keep the community safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plunging them into financial distress by slapping them with extortionate parking fees is no way to say thanks.

According to the HSU staff parking at Concord hospital had been free since the Covid-19 pandemic, but from February workers with permits will be charged $27.20 a week – $1,300 a year if they park five days a week, 48 weeks a year.

If they do not have a permit, it would be $11 a day, costing $2,600 a year.

Before Covid-19 parking was $12 a week for staff with a permit, meaning fees are more than doubling from only a few years ago, the union said.

It is calling for the hospital to maintain free parking for staff, or not increase prices above the pre-Covid rate.

Updated

Tropical cyclone expected off Queensland coast

The Bureau of Meteorology continues to expect a tropical cyclone to form off the Queensland coast, possibly as soon as late on Sunday.

Daniel Hayes, a Cairn’s based community information officer for the bureau, said a “fairly weak low” in the Coral Sea will slowly strengthen in the next few days as it moves eastwards.

However, there’s a 55% chance of it organising into a cyclone, with “a chance that it could actually intensify to become a severe tropical cyclone, which is category three or stronger”.

Should it form, the cyclone would be named Kirrily. There’s still uncertainty about what track it would take, with some models having the storm shifting eastwards. However, “we definitely have modelling data that indicates a turn back towards the coast as well”, Hayes said.

If it moves back towards the coast probably somewhere between Cairns and Rockhampton is the more likely area for it to head towards … [but] it’s not expected to have any direct impact on the coast within the next seven days.

That timing will give authorities and communities some scope to prepare, although people still recovering from Tropical Cyclone Jasper and its subsequent widespread flooding will be hoping they don’t cop a second cyclone in about six weeks or so.

Updated

PM says Coalition ‘narking at the sidelines’ with call to boycott Woolworths

Wrapping up his press conference, Anthony Albanese comments on the calls from opposition leader Peter Dutton for people to boycott Woolworths, following its decision to not stock Australia Day merch.

He took aim at the Liberal party and said they have “nothing positive to offer the country” under Dutton.

They never have anything positive to say, every day is just narking at the sidelines.

I say this to South Australians who are employed by Woolworths or Aldi or Kmart – given Peter Dutton’s call for a boycott of all of … those companies, how long does that boycott go for? If no one goes and buys any products at those major employers here in South Australia, particularly in the regions, what does he have to say to those people if they lose their jobs? If people actually did take up this absurd thought bubble that he has put forward.

People need a government that is focused on them. That is focused on jobs, focused on cost of living, focus on the prices of things on supermarket shelves, not what sort of thongs are on the supermarket shelves. That is what my government is doing …

It’s important to note that Dutton specifically called for a boycott to Woolworths, no other companies.

Updated

Sticking with international affairs, a reporter asks Anthony Albanese if the government is considering adding the Houthis to Australia’s terror list. He replied:

We give ongoing consideration to international security issues at all times. We do that through a proper process rather than through media speculation.

You can read the background on this issue below:

Albanese says Australia ‘not participants’ in ICJ case against Israel

Anthony Albanese is asked why Australia has decided not to support South Africa’s case in the International Court of Justice against Israel, accusing them of genocide.

He replied:

We are not participants in this. This is actions of South Africa taking action ... at the ICJ.

The foreign minister made clear Australia’s position. That doesn’t mean that we agree with some of the assumptions that are there in the South African case at all. It means that we respect the independence of the ICJ and the role that they are playing.

Updated

PM says Australia respects Nauru decision to switch diplomatic recognition back to China

Reporter:

Taiwan has attributed Nauru’s decision to switch diplomatic recognition back to China to a funding shortfall for Australia’s offshore immigration detention centre in Nauru. Have you spoken to Taiwan or Nauru about these claims?

Anthony Albanese:

No. That’s a decision for Nauru as a sovereign government. We respect decisions that they make, but I think the idea that because we’ve been effective in reducing the costs of offshore detention, is a good thing for Australian taxpayers.

Updated

Q: Do you expect the increased tariffs on the goods to be dropped?

Albanese did not name a date, but said he expects a resolution “very soon”:

I expect a resolution that will allow for wine to be back into China very soon.

I have indicated very clearly when I was in China that that is in Australia’s interest but it’s also in China’s interests. You know why? Because it’s bloody good wine.

Updated

Albanese says Australia’s position has ‘not changed’ on Taiwan

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has been speaking to the media in Adelaide, taking questions on a range of topics.

He is asked whether the election of Taiwan’s new leader will affect stability in the region, and has Australia got its policy settings right?

Albanese:

We have got our settings right. We stand up for Australia’s values consistently. We do it clearly. We do it in a way that is appropriate. We don’t seek to be defined, the relationship with China, by our differences. What we say is we’ll cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, but engage in our national interest.

And effectively, in Taiwan, there’s been no change in the regime there. The political party that was in power is still in power. And our position is not changed. We congratulate the new leadership, the transition that has occurred through a democratic process and we respect democratic processes. We do that whilst maintaining our clear bipartisan position which is there in place for a one China policy.

Updated

Rain hits Melbourne

Here are some photos of the heavy rain currently hitting Melbourne and surrounds:

A road in Melbourne
A road in Melbourne. Photograph: Nadir Kinani/The Guardian
Commuters and pedestrians try to shelter from the downpour.
Commuters and pedestrians try to shelter from the downpour. Photograph: Nadir Kinani/The Guardian
Even more rain.
Aaaand even more rain … Photograph: Nadir Kinani/The Guardian

Gotta love the summertime!

Updated

Australian Catholic University reveals $3.6m underpayment of staff

The Australian Catholic University (ACU) has identified staff underpayments worth approximately $3.6m over a seven-year period, becoming the latest tertiary institution to be embroiled in wage theft.

The underpayment, disclosed by the university today, relates to about 1,100 casual sessional academic staff employed across ACU from 2016 to 2023. According to ACU’s latest annual report, the university employed 1,150 fulltime equivalent academic staff – including casuals.

The ACU vice-chancellor professor, Zlatko Skrbis, emailed staff this morning to advise them of the inaccuracies picked up in an extensive audit. The underpayments primarily related to unpaid or underpaid entitlements due to PhD qualifications or higher duties.

In the email, viewed by Guardian Australia, Skrbis wrote ACU became aware of the issue in late 2022 and advised the audit and risk committee the following year of “anomalies” around potential underpayments at one school.

We will directly contact all former and current staff who we know have been affected by this so we can apologise to them, advise them of the amount owed to them and reassure them that the underpayment will be paid in full, with interest, as soon as possible.

You deserve to be paid correctly for your work and it is our responsibility to ensure you are being paid correctly. On behalf of the university, I would like to sincerely and unequivocally apologise on behalf of the university and the senate to every employee – past and present.

ACU has disclosed the underpayments to the Fair Work ombudsman and relevant bodies.

Updated

Husic says Palestinians ‘have paid a high price for the barbarity of Hamas’

Asked by a journalist specifically if posting a HRW video should be a “sackable offence”, Ed Husic responded “I don’t think it’s up for me to make an interpretation of employment law or company practices in that case.”

To an earlier question, Husic said the response to “Hamas’ terrible attacks on October 7” was important:

Being able to encourage peace to emerge in that part of the world is, I think, not just a priority for [Israeli and Palestinian communities] but I think the global community has an expectation around that.

It matters that innocent lives are protected ... the two-state solution that’s been talked about for so long, and hasn’t happened, that’s going to have to occur. No ifs or buts.

Husic said it was important that Palestinians should have their own state, as well as Israel having the right to be “peaceful and free of violence”.

Palestinians, innocent Palestinians, have paid a high price for the barbarity of Hamas.

Updated

Ed Husic asked about Antoinette Lattouf’s dismissal from ABC

Going back to industry and science minister Ed Husic’s presser a bit earlier on, the minister was also asked about the situation with journalist Antoinette Lattouf and the ABC, over a social media post from Human Rights Watch about the war in Gaza.

Husic, you may remember, has been a passionate voice speaking up for Palestinian civilians killed and displaced by Israel’s bombing campaign, with more than 20,000 dead.

The industry minister said it was “difficult” for him to comment specifically on the case, noting ongoing legal proceedings, but offered a general comment:

One of the things we value about our democracy is the ability for us to express our opinion and what we think should happen. There’s always room for opinion in the public square, there is no room for hate speech, no room to create that division. Where people feel, based on their faith, whether Jewish or Islamic, that it’s unsafe for them, that has to be dealt with. The way we conduct ourselves through the course of this debate is important.

I think that speaks as much to parliamentarians as it does in the broader public, and people shouldn’t feel like if they express their views, in some way shape or form, if it has been peaceful and if it conforms to what we think is acceptable in a democratic country, they shouldn’t feel like their their jobs are on the line.

Updated

Toxic chemicals found in little penguin colonies

Tasmania’s little penguins have a big chemical problem, AAP reports.

Scientists have found 14 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, in the nesting soils, abandoned eggs and blood of the seabirds.

The researchers, led by University of Tasmania School of Natural Sciences and Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies PhD candidate Mel Wells, say the discovery is alarming evidence the chemicals have become widespread in the marine and coastal environments.

They’re referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ because they’re very stable in the environment, they can transport long distances through natural processes and are resistant to degradation.

Bioavailable PFAS enter food chains and become concentrated within predators – called bioaccumulation.

A little penguin (Eudyptula minor) in south-east Tasmania.
A little penguin (Eudyptula minor) in south-east Tasmania. Photograph: Auscape/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

PFAS are a large group of chemicals that resist heat, stains, grease and water.

They are widely used in firefighting foams, medical devices and metal plating, fabric and furniture waterproofing, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, sunscreen, fast-food packaging and more.

The study found the more urban the penguin colony, the higher the PFAS concentration. Examination of the penguins indicated the chemicals could be negatively affecting their general health.

Updated

Dingo euthanised after two attacks on K’gari

A dingo has been euthanised on K’gari after it was involved in two separate attacks.

The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said the tagged dingo was euthanised yesterday afternoon.

The dingo displayed “increasingly dangerous behaviour”, the department said, including two separate attacks in recent weeks on young children in the Hook Point area:

The most recent incident happened [on Monday], where a man was bitten on the back of the leg, also at Hook Point.

Due to the escalation of the animal’s behaviour, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has made the difficult decision to euthanise the dingo.

The department said euthanising a dingo was a “last resort” as this can affect the island’s natural ecological and cultural wellbeing but the decision was in line with a commitment to ensure the safety of everyone who visits K’gari.

Updated

Chris Minns apologises for Rozelle Parklands closure after asbestos found

At his earlier press conference, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, said he “sincerely” apologises for the six-week closure of Sydney’s Rozelle Parklands due to it being contaminated with asbestos.

Guardian Australia revealed yesterday the inner west park would be closed until the end of February while all the garden mulch on the site was removed and replaced after 14 samples taken from the site tested positive for bonded asbestos.

Workers at Rozelle Parklands in Sydney after its closure.
Workers at Rozelle Parklands in Sydney after its closure. Photograph: Peter Hannam

Minns said:

Because this is a brand new park, many families were hoping to use it over the Christmas holiday period. It’s very regrettable but we want to make sure that we’re remediating the site.

Minns said the government and the Environment Protection Authority would “throw the book” at any companies manufacturing landscaping supplies who were caught doing the wrong thing.

We’ve got a strong cop on the beat here with extraordinary powers to investigate private companies and make sure that these kinds of toxic substances are not being recycled in other parts of Sydney.

The EPA has said it is still investigating how the mulch that was used at Rozelle Parklands became contaminated with asbestos.

Updated

Twenty-six more charges laid against Hunter Valley bus crash driver

An additional 26 charges have been laid against the bus driver involved in the fatal Hunter Valley bus crash last year.

Ten passengers died as a result of the crash and a further 25 were hospitalised.

Investigators charged the 58-year-old driver, who remains before the courts, with 18 offences. Following further investigations an additional 26 charges were laid in court today.

This includes 10 counts of manslaughter and a further 16 counts of driving furiously in motor vehicle causing bodily harm.

The man remains on conditional bail and is due to appear at Newcastle local court on 13 March.

Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing.

Updated

NSW premier says major sporting codes shouldn’t be surprised by concert decision

Back to NSW premier Chris Minns’ press conference:

He said the major sporting codes shouldn’t be surprised by the government’s decision to lift the cap on the number of major concerts that can be held at the stadiums in Sydney’s Moore Park precinct.

The major sporting tenants of Allianz Stadium, including the NRL and Sydney FC, had raised concerns that lifting the cap would hinder their ability to hold matches at the venue.

Speaking to reporters a short time ago, Minns said:

Anyone that’s read the newspaper or had any understanding of the government’s intentions in relation to this would have known for at least the last eight-and-a-half months that this announcement was coming.

There’s been detailed negotiations, not just with sporting codes, but with the local community, the City of Sydney with local MPs.

We can walk and chew gum – we can have major rock festivals, big concerts as well as having wonderful sporting events.

Robert Mak of Sydney FC during the Australia Cup final match at Allianz Stadium in October.
Robert Mak of Sydney FC during the Australia Cup final match at Allianz Stadium in October. Photograph: Mark Evans/AAP

Updated

Tasmania thunderstorm warning expands

The severe thunderstorm warning for Tasmania has expanded to cover a greater area, affecting large parts of the state:

The Bureau of Meteorology said a warm and humid air mass ahead of a cold front is generating severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall within a broader rain band over western and northern Tasmania.

Locally intense rainfall is forecast about the Central Plateau, north to George Town.

The BoM said very dangerous thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy, locally intense rainfall that could lead to “life-threatening flash flooding” over the next several hours.

Sheffield School Farm recorded 46.6mm of rain in the three hours to 9.15 am. Meanwhile, Mount Read recorded 17.8mm in the 30 minutes to 7.30am.

Updated

Chris Minns says ‘vocal minority’ can’t set agenda, while announcing Allianz and SCG changes

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has held a press conference about the government’s decision to lift the cap limiting the number of major concerts at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct from four to 20 per year.

Minns acknowledged that most locals who contributed to the public consultation process were opposed to lifting the cap but said there were “10s of thousands” of locals who weren’t concerned enough to lodge a submission against the proposal.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said: ‘If you buy a house in the middle of the city, you can expect to live in a big city.’
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said: ‘If you buy a house in the middle of the city, you can expect to live in a big city.’ Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

He said:

I appreciate that there is going to be opposition to the government’s plans [but] we can’t let a really vocal minority set the agenda for a city that has over 5 million people that live in it.

Asked about some residents’ concerns that more major concerts would lead to congestion in the area around the Moore Park stadiums, Minns said:

It was a little bit cute of the previous government as well as some of the local residents to suggest that the middle of downtown Sydney should be a place free of congestion.

Let’s just be honest about this. If you buy a house in the middle of the city, you can expect to live in a big city.

Updated

Penny Wong also shared photos of meeting with the families of hostages taken on 7 October.

She wrote to X that she “greatly admire[s] the strength they continue to show”.

I assured them that in every engagement I have with relevant parties, I will use Australia’s voice to call for the immediate, unconditional and safe return of their loved ones.

Penny Wong shared concerns over Gaza’s ‘dire humanitarian’ situation

Foreign minister Penny Wong has shared some more images on social media from her visit to the Middle East.

Below, she is pictured meeting with the president of Israel Isaaz Herzog and energy minister Israel Katz. She wrote to X:

I shared the strong concerns the Australian people have about the civilian death toll and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Australia wants to see steps towards a sustained ceasefire. This cannot be one-sided.

Wong also met with the chair of the Civil Commission on October 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children, Dr Elkayam-Levy. She wrote:

Australia condemns Hamas’ use of sexual violence as a weapon to maximise terror and fear.

Updated

How, and why, do tropical cyclones get their names?

With ex-tropical cyclone Jasper wreaking havoc last year, and a new cyclone set to enter Australian waters this week, cyclones have become a regular fixture in the headlines.

But how, and why, do they get their names?

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, cyclones are named to help with communication by raising their profile, and reducing confusion if there are multiple cyclones at the same time.

The BoM began naming cyclones in 1963, thanks to Clement Wragge – he began Queensland’s central weather bureau in 1887 and remained chief meteorologist until 1902. He initiated the system of naming weather systems, choosing names “ranging from mythological creatures to politicians who annoyed him”, the Bureau said.

Cyclone Bessie was the first Australian cyclone to be officially named in 1964. Only female names were used until 1979.

The BoM keeps a list of approved names in alphabetical order by the first letter, alternating male and female names. This list is divided into five sections, each with names from A-Z.

When a cyclone needs a name, the BoM takes the next name in alphabetical order from the section that is in use. They move onto the next section when one runs out.

After Jasper, next up will be tropical cyclone Kirrily:

Following this will be Lincoln, Megan and Neville, according to the BoM. You can view the full list of sections here (disappointed to see there is no Emily).

Neighbouring countries approve cyclone names to avoid duplication, and the need for it to be renamed when it moves across borders.

Updated

'Threshold moment' for tech regulation, industry and science minister says

Speaking broadly about AI, Ed Husic said we are going through a “threshold moment” when it comes to regulation and technology.

The whole let-it-rip, do-what-you-want, you’re out there and can innovate with no boundary, those days are gone. The days of self-regulation are gone.

I think what’s happening internationally is a very strong signal being sent to the tech sector – yep, we like the products you develop but where they come with risk, there is an expectation in the community that governments will … identify that risk and be able to respond and contain that risk.

Updated

Husic defends safety standard not being mandatory

Ed Husic is asked why the government is looking at a voluntary AI safety standard, rather than a mandatory one.

He replied:

The range of risk in terms of the bandwidth is broad, so within that bandwidth, things we can deal with quickly and that present lower risk, we want to be able to work with industry on establishing safety standards.

Importantly, what industry is keen to ensure is that those standards, as much as possible, apply as widely as possible too, so that everyone knows it’s one in all in.

But there will be some things that may present a safety risk, or may present a risk in terms of people’s future prospects – be it in work or in front of the law – we need to be able to have those mandatory guardrails, as I said, that say these are the red lines that you cannot cross and that if you do present risk, that we have expectations about how to manage that risk.

The industry minister, Ed Husic, at Parliament House in Canberra.
The industry minister, Ed Husic, at Parliament House in Canberra. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Husic wants work around the safety standard and mandatory guardrails to “occur this year and as quickly as possible” but he didn’t name an exact date.

Updated

Husic says government to develop voluntary AI safety standard

Husic announced a number of initiatives the government will take, including working with industry to develop a voluntary AI safety standard in the “near term”, introducing voluntary labelling and watermarking of AI material, and developing “mandatory guardrails”.

They could include the testing of the products as they’re being designed and developed, both before and after release, requiring transparency, openness about how those AI models have been designed and developed, and what they’re intended to do and the expectations around their performance.

We also believe there has to be an element of accountability, where these models may work in ways that were not intended or are not in the way they were advised.

Updated

Ed Husic announces AI advisory body

The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, is speaking to the media in Canberra, announcing that the government will create an advisory body against the risks of artificial intelligence.

This is part of the government’s interim response to consultations it has conducted around the safe and responsible use of AI.

Husic said that AI is expected to generate up to $600bn a year for the Australian GDP by 2030. He acknowledge the positives of AI but added that AI in business is “patchy”.

Low trust is becoming a handbrake against the uptake of technology and that’s something we’ve got to confront … We’ve got the community concern about the potential high-risk issues surrounding AI. Will the technology, for example, do what’s expected? Will it cause harm?

Updated

Addison Bhimjianii’s family remember ‘beloved son, brother and friend’

The family of 17-year-old Addison Bhimjianii has released a statement following his tragic death in a car crash in Sydney’s north.

On Monday night, two teenage boys were killed and another seriously injured in a crash at McGraths Hill after their car had hit a power pole:

In a statement, the family of Bhimjianii expressed “profound sadness” at the loss of a “beloved son, brother and friend”.

Addison, known for his vibrant spirit, kindness and contagious smile, touched the lives of all who knew him. He was a beacon of light in our family and community and his absence leaves a void that cannot be filled. As we navigate through this devastating loss, we remember and celebrate the joy he brought to everyone.

The Randall family said they were deeply grateful for the support and asked for privacy as they mourn.

Details regarding a memorial service will be shared at a later date.

Updated

Anthony Albanese leaves door open to change distribution of stage-three tax cuts

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke to two Adelaide radio stations before a visit spruiking Labor’s fee-free Tafe policy.

The interviews were curious for the formulations the PM used to describe the government position on stage-three cuts, stating tax cuts will go ahead in July but equivocating slightly about their form.

He told FiveAA:

Well, we haven’t changed our position. Tax cuts are important to provide relief for people. At the moment, these cuts cut in at $45,000. That’s not a wealthy position – far from it, of course. And we think that, given cost of living pressures, the beginning of the next financial year is the right time to bring in income tax relief. And that is what we will be doing.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/AAP

Does “at the moment” imply a possible change in distribution? On Triple M he sounded a little more definitive.

He said:

We have no change to our plans. We, of course, have said that tax relief is really important, that’s one way you put more money into people’s pockets. Tax cuts will happen in July ... We’re committed to that, we haven’t changed our position on that.

No change in plans, sure, but we noted the guarantee was phrased as that tax cuts will happen in July – not that stage-three in its exact current form will.

Back on FiveAA Albanese responded to suggestions the cuts could fuel inflation:

I say that the amount of tax cuts that has been legislated has been factored in already by Treasury and Finance and by the Reserve Bank of Australia. So that has been factored in to all of their consideration.

Updated

ABC union members to meet over Antoinette Lattouf's termination

The ABC’s union members will hold a national online meeting at lunchtime today after about 80 staff members in Sydney yesterday demanded a meeting with the managing director David Anderson, who is currently on leave. They threatened to stage a walkout if their concerns over the situation were not met.

They have expressed concern over the handling of the termination of journalist Antoinette Lattouf from a hosting role on ABC radio in December after the surfacing of WhatsApp messages on Tuesday morning showing a letter-writing campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists targeting Anderson and the chair, Ita Buttrose, over Lattouf’s social media posting on Israel-Gaza.

The main entrance to the ABC building at Ultimo in Sydney.
The main entrance to the ABC building at Ultimo in Sydney. Photograph: David Gray/EPA

A spokesperson for the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance told Guardian Australia the focus of the meeting would be issues of culture safety and the alleged failure of management to support staff when they come under external attack.

The spokesperson said:

At this stage, the priority is for David Anderson to come out of his office and engage directly with members about how the ABC deals with external criticism and supports its staff in these situations.

The spokesperson said many MEAA members at the ABC feel passionately about the lack of support for journalists of colour but said no direct ultimatum had been issued by the union but individual staff may walk off the job some time in future if it is not resolved satisfactorily.

Updated

Tasmanian police issue warning over thunderstorms

As mentioned just earlier, a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for much of Tasmania today, with heavy rain already being experienced in the north.

Tasmanian police have issued a warning, reminding motorists to take care on the road today:

Motorists are asked to consider the heavy rain and forecast thunderstorms before heading out on the roads and to drive to the conditions.

Updated

Qantas’ brand ranking falls

According to Brand Finance’s analysis, Qantas has fallen 22 places in the brand strength ranking despite a 7% increase in brand value.

Qantas has fallen 22 places to become Australia’s 41st strongest brand – after previously being the nation’s strongest brand in 2019.

Brand Finance said:

This performance was mainly due to reputational issues that generated negative media coverage.

Jetstar has moved in the opposite direction but still remains below Qantas in the overall ranking. It has climbed 20 places to become Australia’s 46th strongest brand.

Qantas has fallen 22 places to become Australia’s 41st strongest brand – after previously being the nation’s strongest brand in 2019.
Qantas has fallen 22 places to become Australia’s 41st strongest brand – after previously being the nation’s strongest brand in 2019. Photograph: Mark Baker/AP

Updated

Woolworths Australia’s most valuable brand, despite 5% decline

Woolworths has maintained its spot as Australia’s most valuable brand, despite a decline in brand value, and Bunnings remains the nations strongest brand for the third year in a row, according to new data from Brand Finance.

Each year, Brand Finance ranks the 100 most valuable and strongest brands across Australia. This year Australian brands have risen in value by 2.5%, reaching $199bn overall. Sixty brands saw an increase in value, 36 posted declines and there were four new entries to the list.

The top four most valuable brands maintained their rank positions, despite all posting value declines. Woolworths is leading at a brand value of $15.4bn, down 5%, followed by Telstra at $13bn, Commonwealth Bank at $10.6bn and Coles at $9.8bn.

Meanwhile, Bunnings is Australia’s strongest brand for a third year in the row, with a brand index score of 88.2 out of 100. It is followed by NRMA, Woolworths and Telstra.

NRMA jumped seven spots, posting a 91% brand value increase.

Updated

Kimberley warned of severe thunderstorms

Speaking of wet weather, the Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services has just warned those in the Kimberley district to take action now due to a large thunderstorm.

It says severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Wyndham and Mount Barnett.

Some 30,000 homes and businesses remain without power due to the recent thunderstorms in Perth and surrounds.

Updated

Flash flooding warnings in Melbourne and Launceston

In what seems to be the new norm, another summer’s day in Australia is bringing widespread rain to parts of the country.

A storm is currently making its way through Melbourne and surrounds:

Down in Tasmania, a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for large parts of the state, which could lead to flash flooding in places including Launceston:

As we brought you earlier via AAP, a cyclone is forecast to enter Australian waters and another is expected to develop within days.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek is expected to become a category two system today after forming in the Indian Ocean, about 4,000km off Western Australia’s coast. Meanwhile, a tropical low that has developed off Cairns is set to strengthen into a cyclone by Sunday.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, parts of Cairns that got a soaking from ex-tropical cyclone Jasper could see 100mm+ totals over the next eight days:

We’ll be keeping an eye on the weather and will bring you the latest right here.

Updated

‘Archaic’ Allianz Stadium and SCG cap lifted

An “archaic” cap limiting the number of major concerts and events at Allianz Stadium and in the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct has been lifted from four to 20 per year.

The rule, introduced more than 20 years ago, will today be changed by the New South Wales government following eight months of community and stakeholder engagement.

The shakeup will see up to $120m per year injected into the local economy, according to government modelling.

The premier, Chris Minns, said:

For too long NSW has missed out on world-class acts because of an archaic restriction that killed fun in our city and hurt the economy.

Sydney is Australia’s only global city and now it will finally be able to host more global acts on the world stage.

Updated

Leavers said he does not know of any instances at the moment of children being held in adult prisons:

No, they are definitely separated, we are very strict when it comes to that.

What it does is [cause] overcrowding of juvenile people, young criminals in the one cell at times and that is something that we have [to manage]. We don’t have a choice.

We will never put adults and children [together] and it must be the same gender in the same cell.

The Queensland Police Union president, Ian Leavers.
The Queensland Police Union president, Ian Leavers. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Updated

QPU president says some watch houses ‘unsafe’ and at 200% capacity

Ian Leavers is asked what has happened since the Queensland government suspended the state’s Human Rights Act.

He said suspending the act was “neither here nor there” but the core issues at police watch houses need to be addressed with senior management:

Coming especially into the Christmas break … we knew that we would end up at over 200% [capacity] in some of our watch houses and it was unsafe. We’ve actually advocated for prisoners to be moved all over the state to limit the risk.

He said that corrective services needed to “take responsibility of their prisoners immediately” rather than saying to police “no, they’ve got to stay there and we’ll get on to you when we’re ready”.

It’s just not workable. Corrective services have proper facilities – they may be overcrowded, and that is a real challenge … they need to be in custody but need to be in correctional facilities or juvenile detention centres, not police watch houses.

Updated

Queensland Police Union president says ‘a death in custody is waiting to happen’

The Queensland Police Union president, Ian Leavers, is speaking to ABC RN about corrective services conditions, including the Cairns police watch house.

This follows an exclusive from Guardian Australia’s Ben Smee yesterday that a senior psychologist treating children in the Cairns watch house sent a “cry for help” letter detailing “horrendous” conditions and alleged human rights abuses in the lockup:

Leavers said union members were “completely frustrated” by the conditions because “they know, should an incident take place, they are going to be the ones who are left to be held to account and that’s not fair on them”.

We are really being set up to fail … Unlike corrective services … we can’t shut the doors, we’ve got to keep taking people in custody and do what the courts tell us. We will continue to do our job but it is an incredible risk, and it is actually an unacceptable risk, and I am in fear, as I’ve said it before, a death in custody is waiting to happen.

Can I say this too – some of the people often who come into our care are not the healthiest people right from the start, so the risk is certainly high for us.

Updated

More than 30,000 homes and businesses in Perth and surrounds are without power due to severe thunderstorm activity.

Western Power said 33,000 homes and businesses from the Wheatbelt through to Perth Hills were impacted:

We understand the inconvenience outages have on the community and are continuing to communicate directly with customers affected via SMS.

Initial reports indicate more than 100 hazards including numerous damaged poles and wires down, with the Perth Hills area experiencing severe wind gusts of 93km/h.

An outage map shows there are 91 active outages across Western Australia, with thousands not expected to have their power returned until midday today.

Penny Wong meets Hamas hostage relatives, affirms 'solidarity' with Israel

The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has met with Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas and assured them that she will continue to use Australia’s voice to call for the immediate, unconditional and safe return of all hostages.

Wong arrived in Israel late yesterday for a series of meetings, including with the Israeli foreign affairs minister, Israel Katz, and the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog.

In a statement on X afterwards, Katz expressed his “dear gratitude” to Wong “for her expression of solidarity with Israel and her crystal clear condemnation of the atrocities committed by the Hamas on October 7th”. He said it was a “constructive meeting”.

Officials who did not want to be named said Wong had used the meetings with Katz and Herzog to reaffirm “Australia’s solidarity with Israel following the atrocities of 7 October” and “noted that she continued to call for the unconditional and immediate release of hostages in her engagements with countries of influence in the region”.

Wong told Katz and Herzog that Australia recognised Israel’s right to defend itself but officials say the minister also “reinforced the view of Australia and other friends of Israel that how it does so matters”. According to this account, Wong told them that Australia placed importance on international law and that democracies held themselves to higher standards.

Wong told Katz and Herzog that the Australian people had “strong concerns about the civilian death toll and the dire humanitarian situation”. She backed steps towards a ceasefire but added this could not be “one-sided”. Wong also was reported to have told Katz and Herzog that Australia wanted to see a pathway out of the conflict and toward “a just and enduring peace that enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security”.

Wong also met last night with the chair of Israel’s Civil Commission on October 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children, Dr Cochav Elkayam-Levy. Officials said Wong “condemned Hamas’ use of sexual violence as a weapon to maximise terror and fear, and committed to supporting the commission’s ongoing work”.

The meetings were held in Jerusalem.

Updated

Roth says ABC management needs to ‘admit they made a mistake’

In his last question, Kenneth Roth was asked what his message was to ABC management on the reporting of the Middle East crisis.

He said he would encourage them to “admit they made a mistake”.

I think it would do a service to everybody if he quickly said OK, we made a mistake, there was nothing wrong with posting a Human Rights Watch video describing facts about how Israel’s behaving and we dedicate itself to reporting on both sides in the conflict looking at the abuses by both sides, but not allowing perceived or actual pressure campaigns to restrict what journalists are allowed to say, in this case about Israel.

Updated

Former HRW official criticises ABC’s actions

Kenneth Roth was asked what he thinks about the way the ABC handled the situation.

He replied:

I mean, I can’t speak generically in terms of how ABC covers Israel. But I think that this particular incident seems to just be, you know, capitulation to pressure not to criticise Israel, or at least capitulation to anticipatory pressure not to criticise Israel.

I can’t say for sure what ABC executives had going on in their mind but this idea that it’s somehow controversial to report what Israel is doing [is] crazy.

Updated

Former Human Rights Watch executive director defends Antoinette Lattouf’s Instagram post

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, just spoke to ABC RN about the report at the centre of radio host Antoinette Lattouf’s termination from the ABC.

You can read all the background on this below:

Roth said Lattouf’s Instagram post at the centre of the termination – which reposted a HRW claim that Israel was using starvation as a war tactic against Palestinian civilians – was correct. He said there is “no question” this was happening and that “it’s a form of collective punishment”.

He said the information included in the HRW report was not “controversial”.

And you know what’s controversial? If she had said Hamas killed a bunch of Israelis, and mass abducted a bunch of Israelis, there was war crimes, that would have been accurate … [and] nobody would have complained. But when she reports comparable facts about the behaviour of the Israeli government, suddenly that’s controversial.

That leads her to be fired. So it just leads me to wonder, you know, is [the] ABC really willing to stand up to pressure not to criticise Israel?

Journalist Antoinette Lattouf.
Journalist Antoinette Lattouf. Photograph: Antoinette Lattouf

Updated

‘Too many innocent Palestinians have lost their lives’, Husic says

Wrapping up his ABC News Breakfast interview, Ed Husic was asked whether he still believes Israel is inflicting collective punishment on the people of Gaza.

He replied:

I’ve been very concerned about the treatment of innocent Palestinians. I maintain that concern. I think this is shared across government, it was one of the big motivations in calling for a ceasefire. Innocent Palestinians should not bear the price for the rightful work in holding Hamas to account. By that I mean – it is right to hold Hamas to account for the terrible events of October 7 but the way that that occurs does matter. Too many innocent Palestinians have lost their lives and that’s why we have spoken up in the way that we have.

Last October, Husic said that Palestinians are being “collectively punished for Hamas’s barbarism”:

Updated

Husic deflects questions on whether ICJ case against Israel has merit

Q: Does South Africa’s case before the international court of justice, accusing Israel of genocide, have merit?

Ed Husic:

It’s not up to me as an individual cabinet minister to make reflections on another country’s actions.

We are focused on a number of things, not the least of which joining the international community in pressing for a ceasefire and seeing longer term peace. I think that this is the big thing, long term, that needs to emerge.

When want Israelis and Palestinian families to be able to enjoy peace – something that we take for granted in various parts of the world and we enjoy – and they should be able to have that as well, and that’s worth pushing and pressing for.

When pressed that Australia intervened in the ICJ case against Russia, accusing them of genocide against Ukraine, Husic replied:

I might leave those specific more detailed questions to the foreign minister, if you don’t mind.

Q: What does Ed Husic, citizen, think of it?

One of the great things about being a cabinet minister is that I can get to work on some really big issues like the one that is we talked about before, but I don’t necessarily have the liberty as an individual citizen, when you’ve got cabinet, the sort of cabinet frameworks. So again, I appreciate the question, but I might, if I may, delicately sidestep that.

The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, in the mural hall of Parliament House, Canberra.
The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, in the mural hall of Parliament House, Canberra. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Husic says humanitarian support for Gaza ‘crucial’

Turning to the Middle East crisis, Ed Husic said that the government’s additional funding of humanitarian support for Gaza is “absolutely crucial”.

There have been concerns for a while. We’ve got so many people in desperate need in Gaza that we do need to provide that type of assistance and emphasis on the commitment to international humanitarian law. Specifically the protection of innocent lives.

He said it is going to be an “expectation of the global community” for establishing longer term stability for the region.

Asked about criticism Penny Wong has faced for not visiting the site of the 7 October attack in Israel by Hamas, Husic said the presence of a foreign affairs minister and Wong’s goals – including stressing the protection of innocent lives, and pushing for a two-state solution – were paramount.

People are going to have, as we have seen through the course of this conflict and the way it’s been discussed, you will get disparate and different views all the time. But the main thing is that … presence of the foreign minister and the main things that Penny Wong is focused on are really important longer term.

Updated

Ed Husic says AI about getting the ‘balance right’

The industry and science minister, Ed Husic, just spoke to ABC News Breakfast about the “mandatory guardrails” that Australia is looking to implement when it comes to the development of AI.

He said this is all about getting the “balance right” – recognising that AI has helped in many ways, and is being used in low-risk areas, but there are also areas where the public has concerns about the way in which it operates.

He says testing AI before release or during operation, being transparent and accountability were essential.

Those are the type of elements that we’re asking the expert panel to advise us on so that we can start bringing those type of mandatory measures in through the course of the year. And before we even get to that – working with industry on voluntary safety standards, too, where we can get some … agreement about how these things should operate.

Updated

Penny Wong meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan

Overnight, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong shared some photos from her visit to Jordan in the Middle East. This included meeting with King Abdullah II, and Jordan’s foreign affairs minister, Ayman Safadi.

She wrote on X:

Australia and Jordan will continue to work together to prevent the conflict from escalating and to support efforts to re-start a political process that leads to a future Palestinian state and peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.

During her visit, Wong announced $21.5m in new funding for “conflict-affected populations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”. You can read more about this below:

Updated

Survey finds 30% of Australian parents unable to afford back-to-school expenses

Sticking with the cost of school for a moment and a new survey by comparison site Finder has found 30% of Australian parents can’t afford back-to-school expenses.

The survey also found parents would spend more than $12bn on back-to-school costs this year.

Eleven per cent of parents said they would have to go into debt to fund back-to-school costs, 13% said they would buy secondhand and 4% said their child would have to go without.

Meanwhile, the survey found that half (50%) of parents can comfortably afford the back-to-school period.

Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson said:

School expenses are causing enormous financial strain on those who have very little left over once they’ve put a roof over their heads and food on the table.

This is a widespread problem – and with the cost of living crisis extending into 2024 – the pressure isn’t likely to ease anytime soon.

Updated

Good morning! Many thanks to Martin for kicking things off today, as always. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be with you on the live blog today.

See something that needs attention? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Please feel free to send me any images of the crazy summer weather in your part of the country, too!

With that, let’s get started.

Updated

Independent schooling costs examined

The Futurity education index also looked at the cost of independent schooling and Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city in that sector, costing upwards of $377,000 over 13 years of schooling and rising by $20,000 in a year.

The figure is 19% higher than the national average ($316,944) and considerably more expensive than Perth ($225,728) and Brisbane ($277,015), Australia’s most affordable cities for an independent education. It’s a $20,062 increase compared with last year.

School fees ($9,385) are forecast to be the most expensive costs, making up 52%, with the rest on ancillary costs including electronic devices ($2,871), outside tuition ($1,873) and musical instruments ($867).

Canberra is Australia’s most expensive city for a Catholic education ($208,871), around $10,000 higher than the cheapest capital city for Catholic schooling – Melbourne ($194,826).

School fees are estimated to make up just a quarter of total costs, sitting at an average of $2,926, with parents spending high fees on outside tuition ($3,157).

Melbourne tops costs for public education

Melbourne is Australia’s most expensive city for a public school education, new research reveals, and it is estimated to cost more than $108,000 over 13 years.

That’s according to Futurity Investment Group’s Education Index, which found the total cost of a government education in Victoria’s capital was 17% above the national average ($92,710) and well in excess of the most affordable city, Canberra ($81,564).

While school fees make up just 5% of the total cost of government education ($387 a year), parents are forecast to spend three times more on outside tuition ($1,431) with electronic devices ($1,074), musical instruments ($828) and textbooks ($357) weighing down costs.

Nationally, school fees make up 4% of the total cost of a government education for a child starting school this year, with 96% spent on ancillary costs.

Futurity boss Sam Sondhi said households were being stretched by the cost of living and interest rate rises:

With less discretionary money to spend, it’s going to be a challenge for many families to pay for the total cost of education, which has jumped 6% in the past year.

It’s forecast school fees and a host of major school expenses including outside tuition, school camps, transport, uniforms, electronic devices and sports equipment will increase upwards of 14% in the next five years, and by almost 30% in the next decade.

Two cyclones loom within days

A cyclone is forecast to enter Australian waters, and another is expected to develop within days, Australian Associated Press reports.

Tropical Cyclone Anggrek is expected to become a category two system today after forming in the Indian Ocean, about 4,000km off Western Australia’s coast.

Anggrek is set to enter Australian waters this week as it tracks south.

“It is highly unlikely to have any impact on mainland Australia but gale force winds could be felt in the Cocos Islands,” the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Meanwhile, a tropical low that has developed off Cairns is set to strengthen into a cyclone by Sunday.

Showers are set to continue not only in the far north but across Australia today with a band of rain and embedded storms set to impact southeastern states.

“Widespread wet weather is expected around Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, ACT as well as parts of southern Queensland,” a bureau spokesman said.

The heaviest falls are set to impact north-eastern Victoria and southern NSW along the Hume Highway, potentially putting people driving between Melbourne and Sydney at risk.

Severe thunderstorms are likely for central and northern Victoria as well as northern Tasmania.

Updated

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the morning’s top stories before my colleague Emily Wind moves into the hot seat.

It happened in the voice referendum and it appears conservative politicians are repeating the playbook with a huge social media ad campaign to push back against what they claim is a “woke” conspiracy to scrap Australia Day. Liberal MPs including Andrew Hastie and Dan Tehan are dominating Facebook advertising in opposition to changing the date of Australia Day, analysis shows.

ABC journalists in the broadcaster’s Sydney offices have threatened a walkout unless management addresses concerns about the handling of the termination of radio host Antoinette Lattouf. After reports that a chain of leaked WhatsApp messages showed a letter-writing campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists targeting the ABC managing director, David Anderson, about 80 staff members yesterday demanded a meeting with him –although he’s on leave.

Our education correspondent reports today about the rising cost of educating children in Australia, with even a public school costing parents as much as $108,000 over their 13-year school life, according to a new report. Caitlin Cassidy speaks to parents who are struggling to keep up with hidden costs such as laptops, uniforms and excursions. More on this story coming up, including the city where public schooling is most expensive.

Penny Wong continues her tour of the Middle East later today. Last night in Jordan she announced that Australia will nearly double humanitarian funding to the Palestinian territories. She said she was “gravely concerned” by worsening conditions in Gaza.

And this blog will keep a close eye on our crazy summer weather: this week another cyclone is forecast to enter Australian waters.

Updated

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