Australia news live: woman, 19, found dead in North Bondi and man assisting police with inquiries

Key events

Here’s the latest on the Faruqi v Hanson case:

Mehreen Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt asks why, out of all the tweets that day, it was Faruqi’s tweet she responded to.

Holt: “You’re actually saying that it’s just a coincidence that the only person that you chose to respond to on this day in this way, was a Muslim migrant.

Hanson:

“I have explained to you this tweet was brought to my attention by my staff member. I wasn’t made aware of other tweets that were put out at all. It had nothing to do with whether it’s she’s female, Muslim, or what. I was affected, and I was upset. I was offended by her tweet, as many of other Australians were.”

Holt then moves to some comments Hanson has made more recently (earlier this month). He brings up a statement Hanson made in a Sky interview on 18 April this year:

“Now we’re heading down the path of what England looks like now. England has a lot of areas there that not in the place no one will go into. It’s all Muslim dominated. They actually control the area’s you’ve got over 1000 Sharia law courts. We have Muslims in this country, getting married, getting on our welfare system, breeding, and we are paying for this yet the politicians turn a blind eye.”

Asked why she chose the word ‘breeding’ Hanson said she couldn’t think of another word. Holt puts to Hanson that she was trying to make Muslim people sound like “animals” and Hanson says that was not her intention.

Hanson is asked whether about a statement she put out following the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanual, Hanson says she does not recall.

Asked whether she put out a statement in response to the Bondi Junction attack, or the Christchurch attack, or the Wieambilla shootings, Hanson said she can not recall.

Hanson tells court she ‘probably’ has told white or Australian-born people to leave Australia if they are unhappy

Pauline Hanson has been shown at least three videos of herself speaking, where she says “go back to where you came from” or words to that effect. Hanson says in “context” people will understand why she said it.

Asked by Mehreen Faruqi’s counsel whether she has ever said “Go back to where you came from” to an Australian-born, Australian or white person, Hanson says she has heard of “whinging Aussies”, and that she “probably” has said that if someone white or Australian-born says they are unhappy in Australia, they should find elsewhere to go. However, she cannot give a concrete example.

Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt then moves on to Hanson’s X/Twitter account. Hanson says it is run by her staff, not her. Asked about the disclaimer on the account that tweets ending with “PH” are dictated by her directly, Hanson says that is a recent development (from this year). Hanson says she doesn’t have Twitter on her phone or her computer as she is a “paper girl”.

She said her staff had rung her to tell her about Faruqi’s tweet when the queen died, and she dictated a response. “I was incensed, I was insulted, it was terrible,” Hanson said of Faruqi’s tweet.

Hanson said she did not give “any thought” to the response her tweet received from other Twitter users. She said her staff had told her about some of the responses, but she never looked at the responses herself.

‘We have to have’ debate on social media algorithms and misogynistic content, PM says

PM Anthony Albanese says cracking down on misogynist influencer content online is “a debate we have to have”, after the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, said the government was exploring further regulation on how social media algorithms serve up such posts to young people.

Guardian Australia’s Eden Gillespie has asked Albanese at a press conference in Brisbane whether the government would consider changing rules to force social media companies to not show that kind of content to youths. Albanese said he hadn’t seen Rowland’s comments, made at a press conference earlier today, but said influencers like Andrew Tate were “symptomatic of … a global problem that we’re dealing with”.

We need to be very conscious about what is online and about the impact that it is having. Now that is something that is a role for government, but it’s also a role for public discourse.

I think we need to have a real discussion about the impact and I know when I talk with parents, they’re very concerned about what their young sons and daughters are getting access to, about the impact that it has, including just making things [normal] which should never be normal.

The use of algorithms that can push that sort of material towards people as well, is of great concern. It’s something I know that Michelle [Rowland] is concerned about … certainly it’s the debate that we have to have.

Albanese said he wouldn’t “pre-empt the discussion” tomorrow at national cabinet on wider domestic violence issues, but said any reforms would also require “attitudinal change” as well as “practical immediate measures and responses”.

Repossession of Bonza aircraft ‘was a surprise’ to airline’s CEO, internal note shows

The low-cost airline Bonza entered voluntary administration on Tuesday, hours after abruptly cancelling all of its flights following the repossession of its entire fleet that caught its CEO by surprise.

Passengers were left stranded at a handful of airports when Bonza “temporarily suspended” all services due to be operated on Tuesday with no notice, as the airline’s owners considered the viability of the business’s future.

On Tuesday, Bonza appointed firm Hall Chadwick for the administration process of its operating and holding company, documents filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) showed.

Bonza’s board held an emergency meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the airline’s next options.

In an internal note seen by the Guardian, Bonza’s CEO Tim Jordan acknowledged to staff that the airline’s fleet was repossessed by AIP, the effective lessor of the aircraft, on Tuesday morning.

“This was a surprise to both ourselves and 777 Partners,” Jordan said, referring to the airline’s Miami-based private equity owners.

Questioning of Hanson over tweet directed at Mehreen Faruqi continues in court

Mehreen Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt then moves to the Pauline Hanson tweet which has formed the basis of Faruqi’s case. Hanson agrees, as per her affidavit, that she was “angry, distraught and upset” when she dictated the tweet, as she was so incensed by Faruqi’s critique of colonisation on the day of the Queen’s death.

As the questioning continues, and Holt refers to previous interviews and statements Hanson had made, Hanson says (not for the first time) that she has not read the materials which have been filed in the case.

Asked by Holt whether it crossed her mind when drafting the tweet that telling a migrant person who had migrated to Australia to “piss off back to Pakistan” would be something that was hurtful, Hanson said she doesn’t recall (thinking) that.

Hanson tells court she did not know Faruqi was Muslim when tweeting about her

Pauline Hanson has told the court that at the time she sent her tweet, she did not know the Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi was Muslim.

Hanson says she had never turned her mind to it and had not asked Faruqi (or anyone) what her religion was.

Hanson says she “knows now”. Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt says Faruqi’s religion was highly relevant to the case, and the affidavit that Hanson signed.

There is a back and forth over when Hanson said she learned about Faruqi’s religion, and Hanson repeatedly denies that she knew at the time of the tweet.

Holt asks if Hanson knew that 97% of people in Pakistan were Muslim. She says she didn’t know. Holt asks if she ever noticed Faruqi wearing Muslim garb. Hanson says she did not.

Holt asks her how many senators there were (76) and whether she truly had no idea that at least one of the senators were Muslim. Hanson says she didn’t know.

Holt puts it to Hanson that she is lying under oath. Hanson denies it.

Latest on the Faruqi v Hanson case

Mehreen Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt is asking Pauline Hanson about her previous comments regarding Muslim people.

He asks her if she accepts that in 2018 she published a book called Pauline, In Her Own Words. Hanson does not accept that.

Holt says she is listed as a co-author. Hanson accepts that. Asked if she takes responsibility for its contents and accepts the book as containing her views (at least at the time), Hanson says yes.

Holt then moves to an interview Hanson gave to Mark Latham on Sky News in 2017, where Hanson was asked by Latham whether it was fair to include all Muslims in her warnings (Latham was specifically speaking on the Fijian Muslim community). In the interview, Hanson says:

I hear what you’re saying. But then again, when war was called … you know, Germans and Japanese and different ones didn’t wait.

It was happening around the world because you didn’t know whether you could trust them where their loyalties lie. It’s a thing that happens in our country when people are in fear.

Holt asks whether or not Hanson still holds the views she expressed in that interview and Hanson says yes.

The questioning goes on, and Hanson denies that a Muslim ban is One Nation policy as it is not in her party policy booklet.

Told it is her own views which are being asked about, Hanson says: “That might be my own personal opinion.”

Many thanks for joining me on the blog today; Nino Bucci will be here to take you through the rest of our rolling coverage. Take care.

Man assisting police with inquiries after woman, 19, found dead in North Bondi

A man has been arrested after a young woman’s death in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, AAP reports.

The 32-year-old man had an outstanding warrant and was arrested at a unit on Hardy Street at North Bondi where a woman, believed to be aged 19, had been found dead on Tuesday morning, NSW police said in a statement.

A crime scene has been set up as the circumstances are investigated, with the woman’s cause of death yet to be identified.

No charges have been laid over the woman’s death.

More from the Faruqi-Hanson court case

Pauline Hanson can only be asked questions about comments she has made outside parliament, with the court having previously ruled that anything said in the parliament is protected speech under the law.

Mehreen Faruqi’s counsel, Saul Holt, is asking Hanson about some of her previous comments regarding Muslims and Islam in interviews.

Hanson says she does not believe Australia and Australians are Anglo-Celtic. Hanson also says that previously, she was referring to “fundamentalist” Muslims.

Holt moves on to comments Hanson has previously made that “it’s not possible to tell, is it, between a good Muslim and a bad Muslim?”

Hanson says she “does not recall”.

Asked if she had previously said all Muslim immigration should be banned, Hanson says that is not her view.

Holt reminds Hanson she is under oath and Hanson says she doesn’t recall saying it.

Holt is now playing interviews where Hanson has said it is impossible to tell the difference between “a good Muslim and a bad Muslim”.

Asked if it is still her view, Hanson says “I don’t know”.

Holt is playing more past interviews with Hanson speaking about her views on Muslims.

University of Sydney students and staff rally to demand cutting of ties with Israel

About 200 students and staff from the University of Sydney’s Gaza encampment rallied this afternoon, demanding the university cuts ties with Israel.

Speakers included Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, and Yaakov Aharon from the Tzedek Collective and Jews Against the Occupation ‘48, who told the crowd to “keep holding on to your rage and enthusiasm”.

Students set up the camp last Tuesday and say they will occupy the university until their demands are met. Up to 60 protesters are camping beside the university’s historic click tower.

“We’re going to keep fighting until Gaza is free,” organiser Shovan Bhattarai told the supporters.

“Free, free Palestine,” the crowd chanted back, before bursting into the main road and momentarily blocking traffic.

The Gaza encampment movement has spread from the US, with camps now established in four Australian universities.

Pauline Hanson questioned in court about past statement on not selling her house to a Muslim person

The federal court hearing the Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi’s racial discrimination case against Pauline Hanson has resumed and after a little bit of housekeeping over the labelling of documents, Hanson has stepped up to give evidence in her defence.

Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt KC is asking Hanson some opening questions, including whether One Nation had a YouTube channel called ‘Pauline Hanson Please Explain’. Hanson says she “she believes so”. She does agree that the “tagline” is “we’ve got the guts to say what you’re thinking”. Hanson also agrees that she states the truth.

Holt then moves to a statement Hanson made to the Sunrise program in April 2010.

Hanson says she does not recall. Holt plays the tape where she is asked whether she would sell her house to a Muslim person. Hanson said she would not and says on the tape:

Because I don’t believe that they’re compatible with our way of life or culture. And I think that we’re going to have problems in this country further down the track. So I have no intentions of selling my home tour to Muslim.

Asked by Holt if she meant what she said in 2010, Hanson says it is “irrelevant” because she did not sell her house. That leads to this exchange:

Holt: “When you said you would not sell your house to a Muslim. Did you mean it?”

Hanson: “I don’t know.”

Holt: “I thought she was someone who had the guts to say what other people are thinking. So if you said I would not sell my home to a Muslim, but we take it you meant it.”

There is an objection here from Hanson’s counsel, but Justice Stewart allows the questioning.

Holt: “When you said that you would not sell your home to a Muslim. Did you hear that? Did you hear yourself saying that?”

Hanson: “I did.”

Holt: “Let’s try this way. What did you mean?”

Hanson: “I said that – let’s say the house was not sold. So the decision didn’t have to be made.”

Holt: “But you were asked a question based on a hypothetical and that’s not unusual. If you were selling your house and a Muslim came to buy it, … the thing you were expressing in that video was that you would not sell it to the Muslim right?”

Hanson: “I did say that.”

Holt: “And did you mean it?”

Hanson: “Probably not.”

Swinburne admits to $2.85m of ‘unintentional underpayment’ for casuals

Swinburne has become the latest university to be embroiled in wage theft after admitting to “unintentional underpayments” totalling $2.85m towards casual employees.

The Tertiary Education Union said the revelations pointed to the need for major changes to university governance, flagged at the most recent education ministers meeting.

Federal and state ministers met with the NTEU on Friday to discuss reform on university compliance, with the higher education wage theft tally now exceeding $170m.

The underpayments, which Swinburne reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman, affect about 1,800 academic staff employed at the university and the part privately owned Swinburne College between 2017 and 2023.

The vice-chancellor of Swinburne, Prof Pascale Quester wrote to all employees today sincerely apologising for what had occurred. In the letter, she said the underpayments “should not have occurred”, adding full remediation would be paid to those affected, together with interest and superannuation.

NTEU Swinburne branch president, Dr Julie Kimber, said the union had raised several issues over Swinburne’s wage practices and had requests for an audit of its payroll system rejected.

Given this wilful inaction, those responsible must be held to account. A voluntary self-report should not be a get-out-of-jail free card.

NTEU national president, Dr Alison Barnes, said the “explosion” of insecure work and a “broken governance system” was fuelling systemic underpayments.