What we learned: Friday 8 August
This is where we’ll wrap the blog up for today, but first a quick recap of the main events:
Victoria police issued hundreds of fines to food delivery drivers.
NSW parliament was set to vote on the expulsion of Gareth Ward, before he resigned from parliament before the vote.
Five pro-Palestine protesters were arrested during a sit-in in Melbourne’s CBD calling for sanctions against Israel.
The information watchdog filed civil penalty proceedings against Optus over a 2022 data breach.
Penny Wong urged Israel not to follow through on Gaza occupation plans.
A protest group announced it planned to march across Brisbane’s Story Bridge as part of nationwide rallies for the people of Gaza.
Have a lovely weekend.
Updated
Two men allegedly stabbed at barber shop in Queanbeyan
Two men are believed to have been stabbed at a barber shop in Queanbeyan, near Canberra.
Police say that about 1.10pm today they were called to a business after reports of a brawl.
On arrival, they were told the two men, believed to be aged in their 20s, had been taken to the local hospital with serious injuries.
Detectives have established a crime scene and commenced an investigation, with early indications suggesting the injured men were stabbed but it is unknown whether other weapons were involved, police say.
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15-year-old charged after multiple men stabbed in Sydney
A teenage boy has been charged after an alleged stabbing in Sydney’s inner west left a 21-year-old in a critical condition.
Police found six men, believed to be in their early 20s, with a range of injuries in Annandale after they were called about an incident about 10.45pm yesterday.
Police were told they were allegedly assaulted by a group of four unknown men after an argument.
All six men were treated by paramedics on the scene. One 21-year-old man suffered stab wounds and was taken to the Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) hospital in a critical condition.
Two others were also taken to the RPA, while another two were taken to St Vincent’s hospital.
The sixth man did not require transportation to hospital.
At about 12.15am this morning a 15-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Newtown police station.
Following inquiries, the boy has now been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and affray, police said.
He was refused bail and will appear at a children’s court tomorrow.
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Australian shares wobble as banks weigh on strong week
Australia’s share market has edged lower, unable to push higher after breaking records two days ago, AAP reports.
The S&P/ASX200 ground 25.9 points lower, down 0.29%, to 8,805.5, as the broader All Ordinaries fell 27.8 points, or 0.31%, to 9,074.2, on Friday.
The top 200 gained about 1.7% for the week, but has faded since soaring to a new intraday peak of 8,848.8 on Wednesday.
Only four sectors finished higher on Friday, led by the raw materials sector, which rallied 1.4% and was the week’s best performer, up more than 5%.
Consumer discretionary stocks were also strong, up 3.7% since Monday, while financials weighed on the bourse, slipping 1.2% and wiping most of its weekly gains.
The Australian dollar is roughly flat against the greenback, buying 65.18 US cents, down from 65.24 US cents on Thursday at 5pm.
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Pretty bloomin’ what?
If you haven’t already read Weekly Beast, Tory Shepherd has this week’s media diary covered:
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Proposed Queensland firefighters strike cancelled
A mooted strike by Queensland’s firefighters union has been cancelled, with union leadership signing up to a state government pay deal.
Almost all public sector trade unions have been offered 8% over three years, known as the “state wage policy”. It has been widely criticised by many as unfair.
The Queensland professional firefighters union secretary, John Oliver, said the offer was not fair on its own but was beefed up by additional side deals. About 95% of fire union members voted to strike at a recent ballot, he said.
As a firefighter myself, I thought the deal as a package was OK, something that’s very worthy of putting to our members for them to consider.
The minister for fire and emergency services, Ann Leahy, said the deal would cost about $92.084m over three years to cover wage increases, plus $3.3m for a remote and regional allowance and $28.14m to increase the operational adjustment as a result of the increased risk to firefighters due to the rise of electric vehicle and home battery fires. It will also restore an overtime meal allowance.
Nurses, teachers and other union negotiations continue.
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Six-year-old girl dies of influenza after twice being discharged from Sydney hospital
A six-year-old girl has died of the flu at Northern Beaches hospital after being twice sent home from the Sydney Children’s hospital, and the New South Wales health minister has said her parents “deserve answers”.
The girl presented to the emergency department at Sydney Children’s hospital in Randwick on Monday and was discharged after a clinical assessment.
A spokesperson for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) said she presented again “shortly after” and was diagnosed with influenza. She was then discharged with at-home guidance, the spokesperson said.
The girl was later admitted to the Northern Beaches hospital, where she died on Tuesday, police confirmed.
Read more here:
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That’s all from me. Josh Taylor will be your guide for the next little while before Natasha May takes over for the evening. Enjoy your Friday!
Pro-Palestine protesters plan march over Brisbane’s Story Bridge
A protest group plans to march across the Brisbane Story Bridge as part of nationwide rallies for the people of Gaza.
Justice for Palestine Magan-djin (Brisbane) announced the plan to march from the Kangaroo Point side of the bridge to Fortitude Valley, as part of the nationwide march for Palestine on Sunday 24 August. There will also be protests in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth.
A bike group also plans to march over the Story Bridge on 24 August. It was denied the right to do so as part of an earlier protest in May.
An online Facebook event written by organisers reads:
We are taking this protest to the Story Bridge to reflect the urgency of the situation in Gaza. This is the same bridge our lord mayor refused to light in the colours of the Palestinian flag, denying solidarity to a grieving community. This protest is a reminder that we might be the ones spared the bombs, but we are not spared the responsibility.
Bring your family, friends and coworkers and spread this message. Let’s make this the biggest march for Palestine Brisbane has seen yet!
This will be a very large event and we will continue to update our social media and email list recipients with all the essential information as it is organised
New South Wales police estimated 90,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge last weekend. Rally organisers, the Palestine Action Group, estimated the figure was closer to 300,000.
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NSW to create new role of chief midwife
The NSW Labor government will create a new role of chief midwife in NSW Health, an effort to develop policy and strategies for midwifery in the state.
The chief midwife will provide expert advice to the NSW health minister, Ryan Park, and is part of premier Chris Minns’s efforts to improve maternity care for families across the state. Park said in a statement:
We will continue to listen and learn, and the chief midwife will provide important advice so that we can deliver the best possible midwifery care for women, babies and families in NSW.
The establishment of the new role of chief midwife strengthens our commitment to improving experiences for all women and ensuring they have the choice and care they deserve.
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Dengue cases still surging in some parts of the Pacific, with spikes in Samoa, Fiji and Kiribati
World Health Organization data shows large increases in the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever in the Pacific, with rising figures in Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa. The number of suspected cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne illness also known as break-bone fever, was 23,259 in July, with 17 fatalities reported so far.
Dr Mark Jacobs, the WHO’s representative to the South Pacific, said the current spate of cases was “pretty clearly the biggest outbreak we’ve had in at least the last 10 years” in the region, saying the actual number of cases is likely much higher than reported. He told Guardian Australia last week:
Most people who get dengue don’t get symptoms, which is of course good. The case numbers are the tip of the iceberg, there’s a lot more transmission out there. …
Dengue has been increasing around the world for the last couple of decades a lot. The fact that cases are rising in the Pacific … is a symptom of a broader global phenomenon. Half of the world’s population is now living in dengue zones.
Jacobs said uncomplicated dengue, the majority of cases, doesn’t have a specific treatment plan other than Panadol and fluids. But serious cases can require urgent medical intervention, and sometimes lead to death.
Guardian Australia reported on an outbreak among asylum seekers on Nauru last week, with a legal aid group reporting at the time at least nine such people had contracted dengue.
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Three-limbed koala finds new home after months of rehabilitation
A three-limbed koala has fully recovered from emergency surgery to amputate one of his legs and will be a new permanent resident of Koala Conservation Australia’s (KCA’s) visitor centre near Port Macquarie, NSW.
KCA said veterinarians began treating Nigel the koala after he was found with a leg severely entangled in a wire fence in September. They were forced to amputate the limb despite extensive efforts to save it, and Nigel spent months in foster care after surgery.
Veternarians said Nigel adapted remarkably to his new three-limbed life, but concerns about his ability to live safely in the wild and evade predators means it’s best for him to live permanently in the visitor centre. Astrid Van Aggelen, a wildlife vet at KCA, said in a statement:
As much as we hoped Nigel could return to his natural habitat, it became clear his best outcome was a permanent, safe home with us. Nigel has captured the hearts of our team and supporters. He’s courageous, a total character, and we have no doubt will be an absolute crowd favourite.
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Minns says Folbigg ‘free’ to sue his government if $2m not enough for 20 years in jail for wrongful convictions
The New South Wales premier has encouraged Kathleen Folbigg to sue his government if she wants more than $2m for the two decades she spent in prison after being wrongfully convicted of killing her four children.
Chris Minns is facing bipartisan condemnation and a possible inquiry into what has been described as an “insulting” compensation payout for Folbigg.
Folbigg, once referred to as among Australia’s worst serial killers, was convicted in 2003 and ordered to serve a minimum 25-year sentence for the suffocation murders of three of her children and manslaughter of a fourth.
Her name was cleared and convictions quashed in 2023 by the appeals court just months after she was granted an unconditional pardon and released from prison.
On Friday morning, the Greens MP Sue Higginson wrote to Minns to formally request the government “review the decision to offer such an unjust and inadequate payment” to Folbigg.
Read more here:
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Man charged with murder over wife’s kayak drowning granted bail
A former army major who allegedly joked about killing his wife has been granted bail after being accused of murdering his spouse during a kayak trip, AAP reports.
Graeme Davidson, 55, was charged with murder in May after a police investigation raised doubts that his wife, Jacqueline, 54, had died by accident.
Davidson’s wife died while kayaking with her husband at Lake Samsonvale, north of Brisbane, in November 2020.
Justice Tom Sullivan handed down his decision to grant bail on Friday after three days of hearings in the Queensland supreme court.
Justice Sullivan said the prosecution had so far put forward a circumstantial case alleging Davidson’s wife was murdered by her husband in a remote part of Lake Samsonvale during calm and clear weather conditions.
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News Corp publications see healthy boost in subscribers
More people are reading News Corp publications, although its advertising, circulation and subscription revenue has dipped.
The latest numbers on paid subscribers (both print and digital) show The Australian has had an impressive increase of about 94,000 paid subscribers in the past five years, taking it to 335,903. The Herald Sun has added about 8,000 to get to 153,983 (although it’s a bit down on last year).
The Daily Telegraph is about 4,600 up with 151,336, and The Courier Mail and The Advertiser have dropped about 3,100 and 2,600 leaving them at 144,044 and 106,696 respectively.
Overall about 100,000 more people are paying for a subscription compared to 2021.
They’re all up on total monthly audience, too, compared to 2021, except for The Daily Tele, which was at 4.6m, slumped for a bit and is now back at 4.6m. The Oz has added 100,000 to get to 4.8m, while the Herald Sun has gone from 4.4m to 4.8m, The Courier Mail from 2.8m to 3.7m and The Tiser from 1.8m to 2.2m.
Penny Wong urges Israel not to follow through on Gaza occupation plans
Foreign minister Penny Wong has urged Israel not to follow through on its plans to occupy Gaza, a step she said could constitute a breach of international law.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on social media that the Israel Defense Forces will prepare to take over Gaza City and to provide aid to civilians outside the areas of fighting. In a post on X (translated from Hebrew) Netanyahu’s office said: “The Political-Security Cabinet approved the prime minister’s proposal for the defeat of Hamas. The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones”.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, Wong pushed back on the plan:
Australia calls on Israel to not go down this path, which will only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international law.
Wong said Australia and international partners were maintaining ongoing calls for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and aid to flow unimpeded.
A two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace – a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally-recognised borders.
You can follow our liveblog coverage here:
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Optus says it will respond to AIC claims ‘in due course’ and says customer security has ‘never been more important’
Optus has released a statement after the Australian Information Commissioner filed civil penalty proceedings against the telecom company earlier today. A spokesperson said the company will review and consider the matters raised in the proceedings and that Optus will “respond to the claims made by the AIC in due course”. The statement continues:
Optus apologises again to our customers and the broader community that the 2022 cyber-attack occurred. We strive every day to protect our customers’ information and have been working hard to minimise any impact the cyber-attack may have had.
We continue to recognise that as the cyber threat environment evolves, the security of our customers and their personal information has never been more important. We will continue to invest in the security of our customers’ information, our systems, and our cyber defence capabilities.
Optus said it will not comment further on the matter as it is before the courts.
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Election outcome in NSW seat of Bradfield still up in the air
The ultimate outcome in the election for Bradfield is still up in the air, with a brief hearing in the high court now referred to the federal court instead, as the Liberal party appeals independent Nicolette Boele’s declared win in the seat.
The NSW Liberal branch had disputed Boele’s win, asking that a small number of ballots be recounted. Boele, the independent MP, had beaten Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by 26 votes in a recount, after Kapterian had initially come out eight votes ahead in an initial count.
In a brief hearing this morning in the high court, sitting as the court of disputed returns, it was heard that both Boele and Kapterian had agreed for the matter to be referred to the federal court’s New South Wales Registry for trial. However, a date for that appearance has not been set.
High court chief justice Stephen Gageler, according to a court transcript, said the trial “will primarily be concerned with the formality of in excess of 150 disputed ballot papers”.
In a statement, Boele said the development was “the next step in Australia’s strong and trusted democratic process”:
I have every confidence in the court, the AEC, and the integrity of their work. While the court challenge proceeds, I’m focused on delivering the genuine representation Bradfield voted for.
Boele has sat in federal parliament already, including making her first speech. Parliament is due to return in the final week of August.
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Video footage of Gareth Ward’s resignation from NSW parliament
The member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, who was convicted of one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault involving two young men in 2013 and 2015, has resigned before the New South Wales parliament was due to expel him.
Ward is appealing those convictions. The resignation automatically vacates his south coast seat and a byelection will be held. The seat was held by Ward for the Liberal party since 2011 until he was expelled from the party and ran as an independent in 2023.
You can watch the resignation being announced here:
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Sydney and Toronto had equivalent home prices, then Canada’s crashed. Could Australia see a similar slump?
At the start of 2022, the typical house in Australia and Canada was worth about $840,000 in each country’s local currency.
Australian city prices have climbed by about A$85,000 over the subsequent three years, while Canadian prices have crashed by C$150,000, leaving the median Canadian home nearly 20% cheaper.
The Canadian correction has raised questions over whether properties in Australia, economically comparable to its Commonwealth comrade, could face a similar selldown.
So, should Australian homeowners worry? Read more here:
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Information watchdog files civil penalty proceedings against Optus over 2022 data breach
The Australian Information Commissioner (AIC) filed civil penalty proceedings against Optus today after investigations into a data breach at the telecom giant that was made public at the end of 2022.
The AIC alleges Optus “seriously interfered with the privacy” of about 9.5 million Australians by failing to take “reasonable steps to protect their personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure”. That alleged interference – and allegations Optus failed to adequately manage the cybersecurity of customers – took place between October 2019 and September 2022, when the data breach was reported.
Elizabeth Tydd, the body’s commissioner, said in a statement:
The commencement of these proceedings confirms that the OAIC will take the action necessary to uphold the rights of the Australian community. Organisations hold personal information within legal requirements and based upon trust.
The Australian community should have confidence that organisations will act accordingly, and if they don’t the OAIC as regulator will act to secure those rights.
The federal court can impose a civil penalty of up to $2.22m for each contravention of the Privacy Act of 1988. The AIC will allege one contravention for each of the 9.5 individuals impacted by the data breach. Any order, and the amount, are matters to be decided by the court.
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Minns says you can’t be behind bars ‘drawing a parliamentary salary’ after Ward’s resignation
NSW premier Chris Minns just spoke after Gareth Ward’s resignation. Minns said:
We believe this resignation should have come earlier and circumstances relating to it meant that a lot of time, effort and energy was spent in the New South Wales supreme court, proving what most people who live in the state would have known instinctively, and that is if you’re convicted of some of the most serious charges, sexual assault in New South Wales, you can’t sit as a serving member of parliament, drawing a parliamentary salary.
How can you represent your community from behind bars in Cessnock? The government and the parliament needed to make a decision to protect the integrity of the Legislative Assembly, and we have done just that.
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Leader of NSW Legislative Assembly says Ward saga has been a ‘pretty shameful exercise’
Ron Hoenig, the leader of the NSW Legislative Assembly, just spoke after Gareth Ward’s resignation.
Hoenig said:
Not in 107 years has this House been required to expel a member. And the fact that we were about to make such a determination is a pretty shameful exercise and should have been done following the verdict by the jury.
Because the failure of the former member for Kiama to respect the verdict of the jury, who convicted him for serious sexual offences, demonstrated not only lack of respect to the jury of his peers, this House and the traditions of this House, but to the people of Kiama, who had entrusted them to be able to properly represent them.
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Convicted rapist Gareth Ward resigns from NSW parliament
The member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, who was convicted of rape and three counts of indecent assault involving two young men in 2013 and 2015 has resigned just before the New South Wales parliament was due to expel him.
The resignation automatically vacates his south coast seat and a byelection will be held. The seat was held by Ward for the Liberal party since 2011 until he was expelled from the party and ran as an independent in 2023.
Ward is appealing his criminal convictions. He is due to be sentenced next month.
Read more here:
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Murray Watt disappointed by US memo urging rejection of plastic treaty goals
The environment minister, Murray Watt, has expressed disappointment this morning after receiving a memo from the United States urging Australia to reject the goal of a global plastics treaty that aims to limit plastic production and ban certain chemicals in plastics.
Speaking to the RN Breakfast on Friday, Watt confirmed Australia was among a handful of countries to receive the memo, first reported by Reuters.
Watt said Australia and nearly 100 other countries had a different position to the US, which was among major plastics producing nations attempting to hinder efforts to reach an ambitious agreement:
It’s obviously disappointing that there are some countries in the world who are opposing this action.
As I say … what brings those countries together is the fact that they are the major plastic producers and I guess they’ve got less of an interest in making the kind of changes that so much of the world wants to see.
But it won’t stop us continuing to push for a strong treaty and working with the majority of countries in the world who want to see that because we are seeing too much harm created by too much plastic in our environment.
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Video record of Erin Patterson’s interview with police will be published, judge says
The judge in Erin Patterson’s case will allow the publication of her video record of interview with police and of material from pre-trial hearings, the Victorian supreme court just heard.
Patterson, 50, appeared via video link on Friday morning.
Justice Beale said that a plea hearing in her case – when the prosecution and defence make submissions about her sentence – would be held over two days starting 25 August.
When he asked Jane Warren, for the DPP, how many victim impact statements were expected, she responded “all I can say is a lot, your honour”.
Beale then made rulings about the material which could be published, including an edited video of the interview she did with police in August 2023, a week after the lunch.
Other material was heard in pre-trial hearings but excluded from evidence put before the jury as it was ruled unfairly prejudicial to Patterson.
Patterson did not speak during the brief hearing, other than to confirm shortly before it started that she could see and hear the court.
Her lawyers are required to file their submissions regarding her sentence by 18 August, with prosecution submissions – including victim impact statements – due four days later.
Five pro-Palestine protesters arrested in Melbourne
Five pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested in Melbourne’s CBD during a sit-in calling for sanctions against Israel and the end of suffering in Gaza.
Across the country on Thursday, hundreds of Australian university and school students joined pro-Palestine protests.
Video of the arrests in Melbourne shows protesters sitting on the ground before being carried away by multiple police officers.
Bella Beiraghi, a Melbourne University student and co-convener of Students for Palestine, said protesters were “sitting down, peacefully protesting, when armed police ripped us off the ground and carried us away”.
Police said about 300 protesters gathered at the State Library, with the group then marching to Flinders Street and blocking the intersection.
A spokesperson for Victoria police said five protesters were arrested for obstructing the roadway and one male was moved on for breaching the peace.
On Thursday evening, the spokesperson said the five protesters arrested were expected to be charged on summons.
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PM to meet with New Zealand counterpart this weekend
Anthony Albanese will meet with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, during a flying visit across the Tasman this weekend.
The two prime ministers will hold their annual bilateral talks on Saturday, following their last meeting in Canberra in August last year.
The two leaders are expected to talk about opportunities to further develop the single economic market, ways to strengthen defence and security cooperation, environmental protection and enhance joint efforts across the Pacific. Albanese said Friday:
As neighbours, friends and family, the bonds between our countries, our economies and our communities are unmatched.
I look forward to discussing how we can work together to build on our single economic market, modernise the rules-based trading system, deepen our alliance and back our Pacific partners.
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NSW parliament to vote on expulsion of Gareth Ward
The NSW parliament will vote at 10.30am to expel the member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, who was convicted of rape and assault with indecent acts a fortnight ago.
The motion is expected to pass and will trigger a byelection in the south coast seat.
Here’s the motion the MPs in the legislative assembly will vote on. It will be moved by the leader of the house:
Mr RON HOENIG: I move:
That standing and sessional orders be suspended to permit:
(1) The giving of a notice of a motion forthwith regarding the expulsion of the member for Kiama and the declaration of the seat vacant.
(2) The routine of business on Friday 8 August be interrupted at 10.30 a.m. to permit the moving and debate of the motion to expel the member for Kiama.
(3) That standing and sessional orders be suspended during the debate to allow the moving of the motion for the expulsion of the member for Kiama, who is in custody and unable to be present for debate on the motion.
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Erin Patterson’s court hearing in Melbourne has started.
Patterson can be seen, dressed in black, looking out the window in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre’s Gordon unit.
Triple murderer Erin Patterson back in court
Erin Patterson, 50, is back in the Victorian supreme court on Friday, where she will learn more about the timeline for her sentencing.
Patterson will appear via video link in the supreme court in Melbourne – not Morwell, where the trial was held.
The short hearing before Justice Christopher Beale is set to start about 9.30am and will determine a date for a plea hearing.
A plea hearing is designed for the prosecution and defence to make submissions about the sentence Patterson should receive.
Patterson was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a deadly beef wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms on 7 July.
She was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, the parents of her estranged husband, Simon Paterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The 12-person jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital.
NSW Labor MP says party is gagging debate on Gaza during fiery speech in parliament – video
Dissent against Chris Minns spills into NSW parliament as Labor MP accuses party of gagging debate on Gaza
Simmering tensions within New South Wales Labor over the premier’s handling of last weekend’s protest over the killing in Gaza have erupted into the public domain, with a member of the left faction delivering a fiery speech in parliament accusing his own party of trying to shut down debate on the Middle East.
Anthony D’Adam, a former trade unionist, convener of Labor Friends of Palestine and a member of the upper house, used an adjournment debate on Thursday night to accuse Chris Minns and the caucus of “stultifying the internal culture of the party”.
D’Adam said MPs’ fear of losing their seats was behind a “risk-averse culture” in NSW Labor.
Read more here:
Victoria police issue hundreds of fines to food delivery drivers
Police in Victoria have issued nearly 300 fines to riders of e-bikes, scooters and bikes working for food delivery companies as they crack down on dangerous rider behaviour in Melbourne.
Officials said an operation since the start of June has seen 289 fines issued, including 37 in just a few hours on this Tuesday alone. Riders were fined for allegedly travelling on footpaths, riding through red lights and using mobile phones while travelling.
Police said the operation began amid reports of dangerous behaviour during peak times for food delivery. Some of those fines can be hefty: those found riding on a footpath face a fine of $198, driving on the wrong side of a divided road can lead to a fine of $395 and using a phone while riding can reach $593 in fines.
This post was updated on 8 August to clarify that a fine of $395 is for driving on the wrong side of a divided road, not for driving on the road as previously reported.
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Opposition maintains Israel has right to defend itself, despite Netanyahu’s plans
Alex Hawke, the shadow minister for industry and innovation, told RN Breakfast earlier the opposition maintains Israel’s right to defend itself amid Netanyahu’s plans.
Hawke laid blame on Hamas for refusing to end the conflict by releasing any remaining hostages, describing the freedom of the people of Gaza as a “long-term problem”. He told RN:
The biggest problem is Hamas, who had become the government of Gaza and other parts of Palestine, and that’s the issue. We have a terrorist group running a civilian population. … I think until Hamas is removed it’ll be very difficult for there to be a legitimate government in a place like Gaza.
Hawke was also asked if Israel’s military response in Gaza was proportionate and justified. He replied:
It’s a difficult question because all conflict is bad. We condemn the loss of life and the emerging humanitarian issues that have been there for some time now, and the ongoing loss of life is terrible to all civilised countries. However, that is war and that is what is happening. A war is happening there between a terrorist organisation and a state.
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Greens senator horrified by Netanyahu’s plans to control Gaza
Greens senator Barbara Pocock said she woke up deeply concerned by the news Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, intends to take military control of all of Gaza. Pocock said the move reflected the urgent need for Australia to take greater action to sanction Netanyahu and his government.
She told Radio National:
It’s horrific to wake up to, Sally, and I’m sure many Australians are feeling exactly like me. What is going on? The time now is for action, not for words.
We need to open those borders. And we need to sanction Netanyahu and his regime. We are watching a horrific crisis unfold: genocide and now starvation. These are war crimes and they need to be dealt with. And it is just beyond words to hear Netanyahu’s bid to take over Gaza. It’s a horrific prospect, and I’m sure many Australians will feel as horrified by it as I feel this morning.
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Queensland nurses’ union to pause industrial action
Queensland’s nurses’ union will pause stage-two industrial action, as negotiations for a new pay deal continue.
The news came just days after the state’s teachers walked off the job for the first time since 2009. The union is currently conducting conciliation in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
It made the decision to pause all protected industrial action for three weeks, the remaining period of conciliation, until 2 September, as a show of good faith.
In a message sent to members yesterday, union secretary Sarah Beaman said the union was “closer than ever to securing an in-principle agreement”.
In the message to members the union says preparations for full strike action continue, in case a deal isn’t done.
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Housing minister defends government’s plans for 1.2m homes, says crisis ‘very hard problem to solve’
The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, is speaking about the government’s pledge to build 1.2m new homes in Australia by 2029. She said 2,000 social and affordable homes have been built of a five-year target of 55,000, noting an additional 28,000 are in construction or planning. But she defended questions on Radio National if the government would meet those targets, saying they were part of a “national aspiration” worth pushing towards.
O’Neil said it remained “too hard” to build a home in Australia, but said the upcoming economic roundtable would hopefully address some of those concerns:
Our housing crisis has been cooking for 40 years because it is a very hard problem to solve.
I’m doing every single thing that I can as housing minister federally to make sure that we meet the target or get as close to it as we can. The target will depend on lots of different things … It will depend on what state governments do. It will depend on what interest rates look like.
I can tell you is that having a big, difficult target is exactly the kind of thinking that is going to need to snap us out of what is a 40-year-old problem confronting our country.
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Erin Patterson due back before court today, with more dates to be set
Erin Patterson is due back before court today for a mention hearing, AAP reports.
The 50-year-old mother is scheduled to appear remotely via video at the supreme court in Melbourne. Dates for her pre-sentence hearing, known as a plea, are expected to be set during her court appearance.
Plea hearings allow victims and their families to deliver statements to the court about how the crime has affected them. They also allow defence lawyers and prosecutors to argue matters for the judge to take into account in deciding Patterson’s sentence.
Patterson faces up to life in prison after being convicted of three murders and one attempted murder over a toxic beef wellington meal she served in July 2023.
Federal government to spend $2.8m protecting captive birds from bird flu arrival
Australia is the only continent in the world to have so far escaped the arrival of the virulent bird flu strain H5N1 that has caused mass deaths among wild birds and marine mammals around the globe.
Since the disease was discovered in Europe in 2021, there have been fears an arrival here could have devastating consequences for wildlife – in particular our native and threatened birds.
The environment minister, Murray Watt, is announcing a $2.8m package today to help 23 programs that are breeding threatened birds in captivity to protect those birds if the strain arrives. And many scientists think it is a case of when, not if.
Watt will be at Taronga Zoo in Sydney later today, where funding will be used to introduce extra efforts such as building barriers and deploying PPE for staff working with two threatened bird breeding programs – the Regent honeyeater and the Plains wanderer. Watt said:
Captive breeding programs are a vital safety net for our most threatened species. They help boost populations, maintain genetic diversity, protect biodiversity and give our unique wildlife a fighting chance for the future.
Updated
Good morning
Good morning and welcome. Nick Visser here to take you through the start of today’s news.
Erin Patterson is due back in court a month after she was convicted of killing three members of her estranged husband’s family after serving a death cap mushroom-laced lunch. She has a mention hearing scheduled today, where dates for her pre-sentence hearing, known as a plea, are expected to be set.
Victoria police have issued hundreds of fines to riders on e-bikes, scooters and bikes working for food delivery services, part of a crackdown on dangerous riding in Melbourne. Thirty-seven fines were issued on Tuesday alone after many riders were allegedly found travelling on the footpath, riding through red lights and using their phones while riding.
We will also be following updates on the effort to expel MP Gareth Ward from New South Wales parliament, which could happen later today.
Stick with us.
