Source : the age
NSW Premier Chris Minns has criticised questions put to a Jewish leader at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, saying cross-examination by lawyers for pro-Palestinian groups about the actions of the Israeli government were “galling”.
The President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip appeared at the royal commission on Tuesday where he was questioned by lawyers acting for the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and the Palestine Action Group.
Some of the questions surrounded the timeline of Israel’s subsequent military action after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, and the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli military.
That questioning has prompted criticism of the royal commission from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, who accused the lawyers of trying to “hijack an examination”.
Communications Minister Anika Wells says she wants to see the government’s gambling legislation get through the Parliament.
The Albanese government was given an ultimatum on its gambling package yesterday: work with the Coalition or the Greens on amendments, or the legislation won’t pass. Both parties have raised issue with the laws, which they think are insufficient to protect Australians from harm.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told question time in the last session of parliament: “This is good reform … and the parliament should vote for it… If they don’t, then they do have the option of the status quo.”
But Wells said it was not yet her intention to drop the package – a move that would upset many members of the Labor caucus who want a strong crackdown.
“That was some weeks ago now,” Wells said, referring to the prime minister’s comments last month.
“I’d say we’re some ways off that yet. I’m having constructive discussions with both the shadow communications minister for the Coalition and the shadow communications spokesperson for the Greens. We’ll keep those discussions going. We’d love to see this passed.”
Some news now out of local politics in Canberra, and the leader of the Canberra Liberals has this morning denied an allegation he texted a sex worker ‘f— my job is boring’, during a committee hearing.
During a press conference today, Mark Parton called the allegation “false and malicious” and “an attempt to smear” him.
Users on social media have reported Parton’s account blocking anyone who comments about the incident.
Anyway, a good reminder for all of us to be careful who, and what, we text at work!
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is “scared” of her party’s influence and claimed it was the reason he cancelled his immigration address to the National Press Club this week.
Asked on News24 this morning if she thought she was “living rent-free in Tony Burke’s head”, Hanson said:
“I think I am. They’re scared to do anything because of the attention [One Nation] is getting, and I think we’re having the same impact on the Coalition as well because they’re both really concerned about the support that we’re getting, based on really the one issue is mass migration that’s happened in Australia.
“So Tony Burke is saying ‘Hey, I really need to pull back on my speech that I was going to give at the press club ’… He’s got a battle on his hands.”
Burke’s address, in which he was expected to outline Labor’s migration policy, was cancelled after a cabinet meeting on Monday during which cabinet ministers raised questions about the political backlash and unresolved financial costs.
Five people have died after a head-on collision on the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory, about one hour south-east of Darwin.
Police said they received multiple reports of a crash after the two vehicles collided at about 12.50pm yesterday.
When police arrived at the scene, both vehicles were “fully engulfed in flames”, a spokesperson said.
They also said early investigations indicate a Ford Ranger, travelling northbound, crossed onto the wrong side of the highway and collided head-on with a Toyota HiAce, believed to be a goods van, travelling southbound.
A 69-year-old woman who was driving the HiAce is among the deceased. All four occupants of the Ford– a 23-year-old man, two women aged 23 and 32, and a 36-year-old man – have died.
Alan Jones has arrived in court for the fourth day of evidence in his trial on charges of indecent assault and sexual touching.
Jones has denied allegations he indecently assaulted a young athlete, starting with unwanted kissing when the man was a teenager in year 12 in the early 2000s.
Wednesday’s evidence under cross-examination from the man, known only as “J”, can not be published under a court order which is expected to last through today’s evidence.
Jones smiled and laughed with his solicitors as he walked into the Downing Centre Local Court in a navy and maroon chequered blazer and burgundy pants with woven leather shoes.
The evidence from “J” will continue this morning.
One of the world’s largest media empires has called artificial intelligence and handlers of their stolen content “pirates” and “crass kleptomaniacs”, promising to expose their “murky, illegal behaviour”.
News Corporation singled out AI answer engines Perplexity and Brave, with whom it is embroiled in ongoing legal battles, but also pledged to take the fight to “some of the world’s better-known companies” who deal with them in a chest-beating yearly earnings report.
“Our claims against Brave focus on their data for AI products, which are legally gormlessly sourced and repurposed copyrighted material,” News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson said.
“Companies who buy from these pirates should know that they are in possession of stolen goods … some of the world’s better-known companies are clients of these crass kleptomaniacs, and better-known companies should know better.”
The sprawling conglomerate – owner of Australian mastheads the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Courier Mail and The Australian – reporting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were up 31 per cent in the year to June 30 to $US423 million ($600 million).
Labor MP Ed Husic will be taking a break from parliamentary duties after he was injured in a “serious” car crash earlier this week.
According to a statement from Husic’s office, the MP was on his way home at about 6.20pm on Tuesday when his car was hit by a truck travelling at 80 kilometres an hour.
Husic was assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital where he was treated for minor abrasions, fractures and a concussion. He was discharged yesterday.
The statement said Husic was “extremely grateful” to walk away from the accident without more serious injuries, and that he would return to his normal duties soon.
Nearly 600 substandard childcare services were shut in the past quarter as part of a national crackdown on safety standards following a string of alleged child abuse cases in care.
Regulators doubled their compliance actions during the period, including ordering 30 staff to be suspended, according to new data from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.
Child safety was explicitly embedded into the regulator’s National Quality Standard at the start of this year as part of a half-a-billion package to lift standards in the sector.
Education Minister Jason Clare said enforcement action was at record highs.
“This is a good sign. But there is more to do. The truth is this work will never end,” he said in a statement.
“We have to keep the pressure on to make sure the safety and quality in early education is what parents expect and what our children deserve.”
Assistant Minister for Productivity and Competition Andrew Leigh says the federal government’s crack-down on e-bikes aims to set a “national standard” for the modified vehicles.
The government and the ACCC are working on a new set of e-bike regulations following a surge of incidents across the country.
Speaking to Seven’s Sunrise about the proposed reforms this morning, Leigh said:
“This is about setting a national standard that ensures that Australians can get the benefits of e-bikes. I mean, e-bikes are a great addition to our transport network, reducing congestion, allowing people to enjoy the great outdoors.
“But we’ve got these high-powered e-bikes that are causing accidents and even deaths on our roads. We need to crack down on those, so this new safety standard will ensure that people can’t be riding those super fast bikes, high-power bikes, or bikes that are easily modified. So we’ll get the benefits of e-bikes, but we won’t have bikes being sold that are a danger on the roads.”
The bicycle industry and cycling lobby have backed the reforms, and have lobbied for consistent regulation to be applied across all states and territories.
