ACTU calls for sanctions on Israel over Gaza war – as it happened | Coronavirus

Key occasions

Abstract of the day

And that’s the place we’ll go away you this night. Right here’s a wrap of what we’ve discovered right this moment:

The federal authorities has introduced Australia’s “largest-ever” tender to construct renewable vitality tasks, which will probably be underwritten by the commonwealth.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese mentioned it was “extraordinary” that X, previously generally known as Twitter, didn’t adjust to orders from the eSafety commissioner to take down footage of the Wakeley church stabbing.

The X boss, Elon Musk, ought to “entrance up right here to parliament”, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Younger has declared, calling the billionaire CEO a “tech thug” and “cowboy” after his platform refused to take down the movies.

The shadow international minister, Simon Birmingham, mentioned the opposition would help any strikes from the federal government to put penalties on social media corporations that gained’t take away content material deemed damaging to social cohesion.

The Nationals chief, David Littleproud, has denied there may be pressure within the Coalition round nuclear energy, telling Sky Information {that a} “clear majority” of his get together need nuclear energy.

International monetary uncertainty has prompted the Treasury to downgrade its development forecasts for main economies forward of the federal finances.

The Australian Council of Commerce Unions has referred to as for the federal government to challenge focused sanctions on Israel and stop all army commerce due with the nation as a result of battle in Gaza. It has additionally referred to as for a dedication of a further $100m in humanitarian help to Gaza and the West Financial institution.

An inspection report by the Australian Human Rights Fee has discovered a high-security immigration detention centre in Western Australia was, partially, “not match for goal”.

Steve Gollschewski has been named as the brand new Queensland police commissioner, following the resignation of Katarina Carroll final month.

Erin Patterson, the girl accused of murdering and trying to homicide her kin by serving them a meal laced with lethal mushrooms, might spend 15 months in custody earlier than she faces a committal listening to, a courtroom has heard.

Murujuga conventional custodians have referred to as for a direct inquiry to analyze the alleged leak of a confidential report on the Burrup peninsula to the media.

Worldwide visitors is now nearer to pre-pandemic ranges than home flights at Sydney airport.

A person has died after being shot by police at a relaxation space south of Gladstone, Queensland.

Electrical utes are being shipped to Australia to be used on mining websites after an area agency signed a take care of one in every of America’s main car producers.

Thanks a lot in your firm right this moment. We’ll be again vibrant and early with all of your information, stay, tomorrow morning, simply after 7am. See you then.

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Up to date at 03.54 EDT

Crocodile euthanised after deadly assault on teenager

Wildlife officers have euthanised a big crocodile believed to have killed a 16-year-old boy within the Torres Strait final week.

{The teenager}, and a 13-year-old boy, reportedly tried to swim again to Saibai Island from a broken-down dinghy early on Thursday morning final week, Queensland police mentioned, with the youthful boy making it to security.

Wildlife officers situated the four-metre animal accountable throughout highlight searches on Friday evening close to the place the boy died and it was killed on Saturday, in response to a spokesperson for the Division of Surroundings, Science and Innovation.

Learn the total story right here:

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Up to date at 03.17 EDT

Peter Hannam

Moody’s appears in no hurry to downgrade NSW credit standing

As we noticed earlier right this moment, NSW treasurer Daniel Mookhey was nearly daring credit score companies to chop the state’s credit standing within the wake of what he dubbed a “rip-off” GST carve-up:

So dangerous was it from the finances outlook, Mookhey mentioned, it was nearly sure to value NSW its remaining AAA ranking with two of the large three companies.

Nicely, one of many two, Moody’s, had kicked the tyres earlier this month and appears in no hurry to downgrade NSW.

John Manning, vice-president and senior credit score officer for Moody’s Rankings, instructed Guardian Australia:

Moody’s retains its secure outlook on the state of New South Wales’ AAA ranking forward of the discharge of the state’s fiscal 2025 finances.

So nothing altering simply but. The NSW finances lands in June.

Fitch, the opposite company with a top-notch ranking for NSW, is but to get again to us. (S&P minimize NSW’s debt ranking in 2020.)

The state opposition, in the meantime, aren’t impressed, saying Mookhey was utilizing the GST carve-up complaints to divert consideration from the affect on the finances of lifting the cap on public wage will increase.

The parliamentary finances workplace had indicated previous to the 2023 election that Labor was counting on productiveness features to offset increased salaries – one thing the Coalition says is but to occur.

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Up to date at 02.59 EDT

Melissa Davey

Name for second Melbourne injecting room amid artificial opioid fears

Well being specialists are warning of the looming menace of robust artificial opioids referred to as nitazenes amongst Australian drug customers, as former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark mentioned there was an pressing want for a second safe-injecting room in Melbourne.

Referring to the long-mooted facility, Clark, who’s chair of the International Fee on Drug Coverage, mentioned:

The underside line is that individuals which might be utilizing medication must be secure. And that’s why a centre is so essential … I hope it’s going to go forward. The primary one is clearly extremely profitable.

Talking on the World Well being Summit regional assembly, Clark mentioned there was a necessity for drug decriminalisation, public drug-testing services and safe-injecting websites to get forward of what was described as the upcoming menace posed by artificial opioids, that are already inflicting an epidemic of drug fatalities in North America.

Nitazenes have already been recognized within the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Sure nitazenes could be from 10 to 100 occasions stronger than fentanyl, which can be a robust artificial opioid.

Learn the total story right here:

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Up to date at 02.53 EDT

ACTU requires sanctions on Israel over Gaza battle

Amy Remeikis

The Australian Council of Commerce Unions (ACTU) has launched a brand new assertion on Gaza, calling for the Australian authorities to, amongst different issues, place sanctions on “Israeli officers who’ve referred to as for the denial of help, and army and civil servants denying important meals and supplies to civilians in Gaza”.

Talking for the Australian union motion, the ACTU assertion says it’s “horrified by the escalating violence and dying toll of civilians in Gaza”.

It continues:

The ACTU reiterates its statements and determination of 19 October 2023 and 23 February 2024 and continues to name for an pressing and everlasting ceasefire and the discharge of hostages and political prisoners.

The union motion has urged the Albanese authorities to make use of “all affect, stress and diplomatic measures to attain a everlasting ceasefire” and the tip to all army commerce with Israel.

In addition to focused sanctions and the cessation of all army commerce, the ACTU has referred to as on the federal government to commit a further $100m in humanitarian help to Gaza and the West Financial institution.

The assertion says:

The ACTU calls on the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian management to advertise open, tolerant and respectful societies by way of adherence to democratic ideas in governance, respect for human rights and equal therapy for all.

The ACTU requires an finish to the occupation of Palestine and a simply and sustainable peace in accordance with UN safety council resolutions. Together with the elimination of unlawful settlements, the withdrawal of Israel from all Palestinian lands together with the dismantling of the separation wall.

In keeping with the ACTU’s dedication to a two-state answer with the safety of borders for each nations, we name on all international locations to recognise, immediately, Palestine as a sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital. It will verify the suitable of the Palestinian folks to self-determination in a free and impartial Palestine.

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Up to date at 02.27 EDT

Caitlin Cassidy

Greens press for scholar mortgage overhaul

Talking of scholar debt, the Greens have renewed their push for sweeping mortgage reforms that might scrap the method of Hecs/Assist rising with inflation.

The prime minister has been dropping his personal hints that suggestions to reform scholar loans within the College Accord are being checked out within the federal finances.

One advice is to tie scholar loans to no matter is smaller out of the wage worth index (WPI) and the patron worth index (CPI) moderately than setting mechanically to CPI. Final yr, loans had been listed by 7.1% because of excessive inflation, with an increase in extra of 4% anticipated this yr.

An alternative choice, put ahead by increased training economist Andrew Norton on this masthead, would impose a cap at 3% or 4%.

However the deputy chief of the Greens, senator Mehreen Faruqi, says this isn’t sufficient.

WPI is often increased than CPI (together with this yr, in response to the government’s projections) so this modification will make little distinction … a cap of 4% nonetheless means at the least a $1k hike within the avg. HECS debt and nearly $3k for somebody with a $70,000 debt. A hike folks shouldn’t be slugged with in a value of residing disaster.

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Up to date at 02.24 EDT

Man shot by Queensland police close to Gladstone dies

Eden Gillespie

A person has died after being shot by police at a relaxation space south of Gladstone.

Police mentioned the person was shot by an officer on Monday, 20km south of Miriam Vale, round 10.50am.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson mentioned the person was assessed in a essential situation however they didn’t transport him to hospital.

Guardian Australia understands that he died on the scene.

The Bruce Freeway at Gindoran, 5km north of John Clifford Manner, stays closed.

Guardian Australia remains to be awaiting additional particulars concerning the circumstances of the taking pictures. A police investigation is underneath manner.

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Up to date at 02.11 EDT

Caitlin Cassidy

Treasurer considers reduction for ‘underneath stress’ college students

We talked about it briefly earlier however the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has additional hinted that reduction could also be on the best way for college students finishing necessary unpaid college placements.

College students in a variety of programs together with nursing, instructing and social work are required to finish a whole bunch of hours of internships to be able to graduate.

Lecturers, the Greens and grassroots group College students In opposition to Placement Poverty have lobbied the commonwealth for years to deal with the burden, pointing to excessive drop-out charges and burnout.

The College Accord closing report, handed down earlier this yr, urged the federal government to entrance the invoice for “care” levels, and work with trade to implement stipends for remaining necessary internships.

Talking to the media right this moment, Chalmers mentioned each mortgage reform and placements had been being checked out within the finances, acknowledging “college students are underneath stress”.

With the finances a mere three weeks away – watch this house.

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Up to date at 02.04 EDT

Courtroom hears conflicting accounts over Victorian faculty bus crash

A bus driver says he slowed to a close to cease at an intersection west of Melbourne when a truck rammed into the again of his bus, critically injuring eight college students, a courtroom has heard.

However one other motorist has disputed Graham Stanley’s claims, telling the Melbourne magistrates courtroom he noticed no brake or indicator lights within the lead-up to the Could 2023 collision that noticed a truck crash into the again of the bus.

On the time, 45 college students from the Exford major faculty in Eynesbury had been on the bus. Eight youngsters suffered life-threatening accidents, with two college students needing to have arms and fingers amputated. Stanley was additionally hospitalised with a damaged ankle.

The driving force of the truck was charged with 11 offences, together with 4 counts of harmful driving inflicting severe harm.

He confronted the Melbourne magistrates courtroom on Monday for the beginning of a two-day committal listening to.

Learn the total story from AAP right here:

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Up to date at 02.07 EDT

Funding enhance for warning programs in flood-hit areas

Flood-prone areas throughout Queensland will obtain $7m for early warning infrastructure, AAP experiences.

The federal authorities has introduced 170 tasks, together with new river top gauges, cameras, signage and sensor know-how for areas closely impacted by flooding in 2022.

The emergency administration minister, Murray Watt, mentioned that with extra frequent and intense flooding in recent times, this infrastructure was essential.

Whereas we are able to’t predict the long run, we all know complacency is just not an possibility in terms of constructing catastrophe resilience.

With earlier flood warnings and extra complete info captured we’ll considerably enhance our defence in opposition to catastrophe occasions.

Greater than 20 Queensland councils will get $235,000 every for brand new flood warning infrastructure. An additional $1m will probably be put aside for “high-priority” tasks inside 9 of those native authorities areas.

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Up to date at 01.48 EDT

Emily Wind

Many thanks for becoming a member of me on the weblog right this moment. Stephanie Convery will probably be right here to information you thru the remainder of right this moment’s information. Take care.

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Crocodile believed to be accountable for deadly assault on teen euthanised

A crocodile believed to be accountable for a deadly assault on a 16-year-old boy within the Torres Strait final week has been euthanised.

Final Thursday a search and rescue operation was launched close to Saibai Island after experiences a 16-year-old was lacking. That evening a spokesperson confirmed they’d found his physique with accidents per a crocodile assault.

In line with a press release from the Queensland Division of Surroundings, Science and Innovation, the four-metre crocodile was situated throughout evening highlight searches on Friday, close to the place the teenage boy was killed.

The animal displayed parading behaviour equivalent to elevating its head because it swam, which is per it being the goal animal.

The crocodile was “humanely euthanised” on Saturday and disposed of at sea, the division mentioned, “in line with the needs of the Saibai Island group”.

The [department] expresses its honest condolences to the buddies, household and group on Saibai Island.

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Up to date at 01.01 EDT

New Zealand PM curious about Taiwan commerce, however not journey

In some worldwide information by way of AAP: the New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon, says he needs to extend commerce hyperlinks with Taiwan, however has dominated out visiting the island nation whereas chief in deference to the One China coverage.

Final week, NZ despatched its first-ever official cross-parliamentary delegation to Taiwan. Taiwan is keen to affix the 11-nation CPTPP commerce bloc (which incorporates Australia and NZ) however is taken into account unlikely to be admitted, given China additionally needs membership.

NZ doesn’t have an official diplomatic relationship with Taipei, however has a free commerce deal signed in 2013.

Luxon mentioned his authorities has a aim of doubling its export worth within the subsequent decade, and plans to lean on Asia closely to take action. Requested particularly if that included Taiwan, he mentioned: “Sure, we have already got a free commerce settlement with Taiwan.”

NZ’s openness to Taiwan comes at a second of geopolitical inflection, with the brand new right-leaning authorities exploring nearer ties with the US and “conventional” companions.

Every of the international locations Luxon visited final week (Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines) have robust relationships with Washington – Thailand and the Philippines had been formally allied to the US.

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Up to date at 24.52 EDT