2 weeks ago
Additional seats secured for Australians to return from Lebanon
Penny Wong also reiterated calls for Australians in Lebanon to leave, and take “whatever option is available to you”.
She said 1,700 Australians and their immediate family are registered with Dfat and have indicated they wish to leave Lebanon.
Wong confirmed that 80 seats have been secured on flights that are leaving today, and only 35 of those seats have been taken up.
She also said an additional 500 seats have been secured for Australians and their immediate family on two flights to Cyprus, which will be leaving on Saturday.
What I would say to Australians who wish to leave – please take whatever option is available to you. Please do not wait for your preferred route …
If you are able to secure a seat on a flight, please take that seat. If you have a seat on today’s flight, don’t delay. Now is not the time for you to wait and see, now is the time to leave.
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Masseuse charged with three counts of sexual touching
A masseuse has been charged with sexual touching in the New South Wales central west.
In June, police began investigating reports a man – who worked as a masseuse at the time – had allegedly inappropriately touched a 38-year-old woman during an appointment in Orange.
In August police received a second report that a 55-year-old woman had allegedly been inappropriately touched at the same premises. And in September, police received a third report a 34-year-old woman was allegedly inappropriately touched at the premises.
Yesterday police arrested a 60-year-old man at Orange Police Station, and charged him with three counts of sexually touching another person without consent.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before Orange Local Court on 24 October.
Faruqi calls on media outlets to conduct independent racism reviews
The deputy leader of the Greens, Mehreen Faruqi, says all media outlets should conduct anti-racism training and commission independent racism reviews.
This follows the release of the Race Reporting Handbook today – developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission and Media Diversity Australia – as well as the racism review conducted by the ABC. You can read more about this below:
Faruqi said the ABC’s independent review found systemic racism at the national broadcaster, but “the ABC are not the only ones”.
People of colour are dehumanised daily in Australian media, and we’ve seen more and more diverse journalists leave the profession due to their workplaces being unsafe. This has to change, and it has to change now.
Faruqi said the handbook was a “step in the right direction” but “the impetus for change must come from the media outlets.”
The consequences of not dealing with the racism in Australian media is the further erosion of audience trust.
IMF backs RBA’s ‘restrictive’ stance on interest rates
Peter Hannam
The Monetary Fund has just concluded its annual “mission” to examine the state of the Australian economy, and it’s delivered comments that the Albanese government probably won’t be too happy about.
Yes, the economy remains “resilient” and GDP growth should start to accelerate. However, the time for cutting official interest rates hasn’t yet arrived:
The RBA’s decision to maintain its restrictive policy stance in the near-term is appropriate.
A key reason is that underlying inflation is not on a certain path to drop back to within the 2%-3% target range, and governments at all levels aren’t doing as much as they might to help. In doing so, early interest rate cuts are less likely.
“The FY2024/25 Commonwealth budget is projected to deliver a positive fiscal impulse based on the mission’s estimates,” it said, adding that “state and territory budgets have proven more expansionary than expected in the near-term, incorporating further cost-of-living support and infrastructure spending”.
We’ll shortly get a briefing from Lamin Leigh, IMF’s Australia mission chief, who will be asked about these and other conclusions.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, though, said the fund had “endorsed the Albanese Government’s responsible economic management”. He said:
The government’s primary focus is to get on top of our inflation challenge without ignoring the risks to growth and the IMF has backed this strategy.
Man dies in Queensland coalmine machinery incident
A worker is dead and another is seriously injured after a machinery incident at a central Queensland mine, AAP reports.
Paramedics were called to the Oaky Creek coalmine at Tieri, west of Rockhampton, following reports of injuries after a machinery incident about 4.30pm yesterday.
A man in his 30s suffered significant head injuries and died at the scene, Resources Health and Safety Queensland said. A second man in his 20s suffered life-threatening head, arm and leg injuries and was airlifted to Rockhampton Hospital.
Resources Health and Safety Queensland is investigating, with chief executive Rob Djukic stating “our thoughts are with the colleagues, friends and families of both workers.”
An RSHQ coal inspector has issued a directive to isolate the incident scene while we investigate.
Glencore, the operator of the mine, said the incident occurred when the two employees were carrying out maintenance works. Glencore’s Australian coal arm CEO Ian Cribb said:
Our deepest sympathies go out to both workers’ families, friends and colleagues. This is devastating for our entire Oaky Creek workforce, and we are providing support services and counselling.
Operations at the mine have been suspended while authorities investigate.
Wong questioned on whether changes needed to Australia’s protest laws
Penny Wong was questioned on Australia’s laws relating to protest, with a reporter noting that Victoria police said they can’t move people on from protesting as they would not be breaking the law. (See more in yesterday’s blog here).
Asked if all states and territories should have uniform laws in place for protests, Wong said:
Well, I would hope we wouldn’t need them. I would hope that, you know, we would exercise our rights in this democracy for peaceful protests respectfully and peacefully.
I would hope we wouldn’t need to change the law and that’s what I would urge for all Australians.
Wong condemns alleged flying of Hezbollah flags at protest
The foreign affairs minister said she condemned the alleged flying of Hezbollah flags at a rally last weekend. Wong said:
People need to understand what they are saying when they do that – they are promoting an organisation that is a terrorist organisation. That is not conducive to harmony in Australia, to social inclusion and social cohesion.
Wong says 7 October ‘not an occasion for protest’
Penny Wong was also asked how concerned she is about protests planned for 6 and 7 October. She echoed comments from the PM yesterday, and said it is “not an occasion for protest”.
October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish lives in a single day since the Holocaust. It’s a day of grieving and a day of remembrance and should be honoured as such, and I would hope that Australians would ensure that it can be honoured with respect and solemnity.
It is a solemn occasion. It’s not an occasion for protest.
The Palestine Action Group says it has planned a candlelight vigil for 7 October in Sydney. A rally is scheduled for Sunday 6 October.
Wong says Israel has ‘right to defend itself’ but urges adherence to international law
Taking questions from reporters, Penny Wong was asked how Israel should respond to the missile attack from Iran.
She said that “Israel has a right to defend itself against Iran’s attack” and continued:
We continue to condemn Iran’s behaviour in region, its destablisation of the region, its support for many of the actors in the region including Hezbollah.
I again make the point that all – we always urge adherence to international law in all of our statements in relation to the Middle East.
Additional seats secured for Australians to return from Lebanon
Penny Wong also reiterated calls for Australians in Lebanon to leave, and take “whatever option is available to you”.
She said 1,700 Australians and their immediate family are registered with Dfat and have indicated they wish to leave Lebanon.
Wong confirmed that 80 seats have been secured on flights that are leaving today, and only 35 of those seats have been taken up.
She also said an additional 500 seats have been secured for Australians and their immediate family on two flights to Cyprus, which will be leaving on Saturday.
What I would say to Australians who wish to leave – please take whatever option is available to you. Please do not wait for your preferred route …
If you are able to secure a seat on a flight, please take that seat. If you have a seat on today’s flight, don’t delay. Now is not the time for you to wait and see, now is the time to leave.
Penny Wong addressing the media in Geelong
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is speaking to the media in Geelong in Victoria.
Commenting on the escalation of violence in the Middle East, Wong said the strikes by Iran are “a dangerous escalation and we condemn them fully”.
It is rightly condemned by all who seek de-escalation and a ceasefire.
Under international law, Israel has a right to defend itself against these attacks and as you know Australia always urges adherence to international law …
We have been clear that the cycle of violence cannot continue and we have urged all parties to show restraint and de-escalate.
