Minns rejects claims police heavy handed with Port Botany pro-Palestinian protesters
The NSW premier has been speaking to the media about last night’s pro-Palestine rally at Port Botany.
Chris Minns begins by thanking NSW police for their efforts, noting they had managed 73 protests in the past six weeks across the state.
He said “no city in the world has been handling this perfectly” – in terms of demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas war – but that NSW police “have been doing a very good job in very difficult circumstances”.
Minns said he rejected claims the police were heavy handed in the way they arrested protesters yesterday:
Firstly, the protest went mobile. Secondly, they occupied a street without lodging a form-1 declaration. Thirdly, there was a lawful police order given to the protesters to move on.
I think any reasonable person would say once you stack up that chronology, the police acted completely responsible in the same set of circumstances.
You cannot have a situation where our ports are blocked for commerce because one group or another has a political disagreement with another country. That would be hugely damaging to our economy and it would be massively damaging to the reputation of both the state and the country.
Key events
Josh Butler
All militaries should operate in ‘safe and professional’ way – Wong
Asked about the incident at a press conference in India, Penny Wong said Australia’s “utmost priority” was the safety of its military personnel.
The second point I’d make is to again reiterate that we have raised our serious concerns with the Chinese authorities, following what was, we regard, as unsafe and unprofessional interaction with the PLA Navy destroyer.
I would again make the point that these events occurred within Japan’s EEZ [exclusive economic zone] and in international waters. And Australia’s principal position is that we expect all countries, including ourselves, to operate militaries in a safe and a professional manner.
Wong was with India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The pair were asked more broadly about China’s place in the world and the Pacific.
Wong responded:
Certainly we both have a very substantive economic relationship with China, and China is a country with whom we will continue to engage.
The way in which we describe it is we will cooperate where we can and there are areas where we can, we will disagree where we must and we will engage in our national interests, and that is the way in which we have described our approach to the relationship with China.
Josh Butler
Australia in international waters during China ship altercation, Wong reiterates
Foreign minister Penny Wong has again confirmed that the altercation between Australian and Chinese naval ships last week occurred in international waters in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, after Beijing defence officials appeared to question that claim in response yesterday.
Wong, speaking in New Delhi on an official visit to India, again urged “all countries” to operate their militaries in a “safe and professional manner”.
The incident last Tuesday, which defence minister Richard Marles reported included a Chinese destroyer using sonar in the area where Australian divers were working, has led to a public tit-for-tat between Beijing and Canberra.
The Australian government says it raised the “dangerous and unprofessional” incident through official channels.
However, in an article published by state newspaper The Global Times yesterday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian said his country was “firmly opposed” to Australia’s response.
According to the Global Times report:
China and Japan have not carried out maritime delimitation in the relevant waters, so the claim of Chinese military activity in “Japan’s exclusive economic zone” is not correct, the spokesperson stressed.
Minns rejects claims police heavy handed with Port Botany pro-Palestinian protesters
The NSW premier has been speaking to the media about last night’s pro-Palestine rally at Port Botany.
Chris Minns begins by thanking NSW police for their efforts, noting they had managed 73 protests in the past six weeks across the state.
He said “no city in the world has been handling this perfectly” – in terms of demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas war – but that NSW police “have been doing a very good job in very difficult circumstances”.
Minns said he rejected claims the police were heavy handed in the way they arrested protesters yesterday:
Firstly, the protest went mobile. Secondly, they occupied a street without lodging a form-1 declaration. Thirdly, there was a lawful police order given to the protesters to move on.
I think any reasonable person would say once you stack up that chronology, the police acted completely responsible in the same set of circumstances.
You cannot have a situation where our ports are blocked for commerce because one group or another has a political disagreement with another country. That would be hugely damaging to our economy and it would be massively damaging to the reputation of both the state and the country.
Josh Butler
Coalition accuses Labor of sending ‘mixed messages’ on antisemitism response
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley accused the government of sending “mixed messages” on responding to antisemitism, hours ahead of what’s meant to be a bipartisan message against antisemitism from her leader Peter Dutton and prime minister Anthony Albanese at a holocaust memorial.
The Australian reports the leaders will speak at the reopening of Melbourne Holocaust Museum today, with a drop of Dutton’s speech outlining that he’ll call for “a need for unequivocal and unqualified condemnation of the anti-Semitism we are witnessing” in the wake of the conflict in Gaza.
Speaking on Sky News earlier, Ley was asked about comments from government minister Stephen Jones, who said the government had condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia. Labor MPs in parliament last week spoke strongly about the need to support both Jewish and Muslim communities.
“I think there have been some mixed messages from government ministers and I think even Steven Jones would admit that,” Ley responded.
But today when Peter Dutton joins Anthony Albanese at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, it is a time for strong bipartisanship, a strong message that comes from both the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister that is clear, and unequivocal, and demonstrates the moral clarity that I believe Peter Dutton has demonstrated from day one on this issue.
Ley was critical of “acts of intimidation and protest on our streets”, noting convoys of cars and protests situated around Jewish population centres.
While everyone knows, you can protest in Australia and that’s something we fundamentally believe in, when that protest turns into convoys driving across suburbs, or individual places of worship being targeted, then that does approach intimidation, and that is not on.
The social cohesion that has built this country in which all Australians value is something we must put front and centre, when it comes to these issues.
Melissa Davey
Australia failing mental health patients, report finds
The country’s health system is continuing to fail patients suffering from poor mental health, with more patients needing acute care and facing long waits in emergency departments, a report has found.
The Australian Medical Association’s (AMA’s) public hospital report card: mental health edition shows more patients with mental health-related conditions are arriving in emergency departments by ambulance and police services, and more are arriving in a critical condition needing urgent care.
The report found nationally, the length of stay in emergency departments for patients presenting with mental health-related conditions was at its highest since 2016–17, with patients staying in for more than 30 hours in some states.
AMA president Prof Steve Robson said:
These long waits, which are directly due to a lack of inpatient beds, cause distress for patients and their families and place enormous pressure on hospital staff.
Emergency departments are no place for someone suffering a critical mental health illness. They are not designed in a way that’s conducive to good mental health care. Australia is failing to provide appropriate, acceptable care to these most vulnerable of patients. This needs to change, and it needs to change urgently.
WWII bombs found in Queensland forest
A routine patrol of a far north Queensland park unearthed an unexpected threat – three 80-year-old bombs from the second world war, AAP reports.
And while the 25-pound (11kg) unexploded ordnances (UXOs) were rusty, they were still potentially as deadly as ever.
Rangers were quick to alert the Australian defence force (ADF) when they came across the bombs lying in the Bilwon state forest near Cairns.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Ben Finnerty said a series of firebreaks through the Bilwon forest last year gave rangers better access to different parts of the area:
During a routine patrol we discovered several unexploded ordnance in a remote part of the forest.
After seeking advice from the ADF, it was decided the best move was to detonate the bombs, which were still considered dangerous despite their rusty appearance and age.
Finnerty said two members of the defence force travelled from Townsville and met rangers on site to make the UXO safe to the public, and “it went up with a bang”.
It was the first time rangers had found UXOs in the region since 2016.
Most motorists cutting driving costs amid soaring fuel prices, survey finds
Seven in 10 Australian drivers have changed their driving habits amid skyrocketing fuel prices, according to new research commissioned by the Climate Council.
A national survey of 1150 Australians found 71% are taking steps to cut their driving expenses because of soaring fuel costs. People reported driving less day-to-day, avoiding taking holidays using their car, cutting back on vehicle servicing and maintenance, and considering the switch to an electric vehicle.
Fifty-four per cent said fuel efficiency standards would save them money, the survey found.
Climate Council Head of Advocacy, Dr Jennifer Rayner, said:
Many Australians are doing it tough right now, but they can see there are solutions. Strong fuel efficiency standards will mean less money drained by the petrol bowser and better access to cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars.
A recent consumer benefit analysis commissioned by the Climate Council and Electric Vehicle Council found Australians could individually save $1200 per year, and up to $10,000 over the vehicle’s lifetime, on running costs with strong fuel efficiency standards.
‘Just handle this as Aussies’, O’Neil says after Port Botany pro-Palestinian protest
Earlier, home affairs minister Clare O’Neil was asked about last night’s pro-Palestine protest at Port Botany.
Speaking on the Today show, she spoke about footage of protesters’ alleged actions against police and said it was “absolutely despicable”.
Acknowledging people’s strong feelings amid the Israel-Hamas war, O’Neil called on people to “handle this as Aussies” and “calm down a bit”.
We have a bunch of people in our country who are feeling incredibly deeply about what is going on in the Middle East, and I understand that. For a lot of your viewers who don’t have a connection it is incredibly upsetting, but think about if you have friends or family living in Gaza, of course there is strong feelings.
What I would say to Australians is let’s just handle this as Aussies. Let’s respect each other, understand the strong views and feelings in the community, but just calm down a bit.
Pat Cummins still ‘buzzing’ from Cricket World Cup win as players return home
Pat Cummins and other Australian cricket players have begun landing back home this morning, after days of celebrations in India following their World Cup win.
Seven members of the squad have remained in India to feature in the looming Twenty20 series, while the other half have returned to prepare for the Test summer.
“I think they have created their own legacy,” Cummins said of his side as he touched down at Sydney Airport.
A World Cup, you only get one chance every four years and especially playing somewhere like India, it’s hard.
To be pitted up against the rest of the world and come away with a medal, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Cummins said he was still “buzzing” from the win, with Sunday’s six-wicket triumph over the host nation in the final yet to fully sink in.
– from AAP
Burke’s IR changes don’t fix bill’s ‘fundamental’ problems, builders association says
Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the building and construction industry continued to hold concerns around the government’s proposed industrial relations laws and its impact on business and tradies.
She said changes to the bill announced by minister Tony Burke this morning (which we brought you earlier on the blog here) don’t change “the fundamental structural problems of the bill”.
You can’t amend a few clauses and say concerns with the bill are fixed when there are 300-odd pages of damaging changes that fundamentally upend how business operates.
Minister Burke is attempting to create his own minor loopholes for a couple of specific industries while still leaving the economy high and dry.
Wawn argued the cumulative impact of the bill on the economy would be “devastating” and leave the building and construction industry “hamstrung” in its ability to meet the government’s housing targets.
Independent contractors, self-employed Australians, subcontractors and small business are still in the firing line and their rights to be their own boss are at risk.
This bill ultimately drives down productivity and drives up the cost of goods and services.
Paul Karp
Government considered deporting indefinite detention plaintiff, O’Neil confirms
The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has spoken to Radio National about Labor’s cyber security strategy. In the interview O’Neil also confirmed our exclusive report that the government considered releasing the plaintiff in the high court challenge against indefinite detention.
O’Neil said the government “looked at every possible option in order to improve our chances of winning this high court challenge”, including “operational and policy moves”.
O’Neil said the record was clear that “he was not released from detention and we did not go down that pathway, but I’m not going to apologise for doing everything I could within my power to make sure that we didn’t”.
She said the report the government considered releasing the plaintiff NZYQ was “accurate”.
O’Neil also repeated her claim that when she said on Sunday the government was advised by the home affairs department it was “likely” to win the case, she “was not referring to legal advice when I made comments about prospects in that case”. Instead, she claims she was referring to “operational and policy conversations” that “might potentially change the outcome of the case, specifically could we remove the plaintiff from the country”.
O’Neil “vehemently disagreed” with RN host Patricia Karvelas’ suggestion the government was “flat-footed” in its response, insisting it “absolutely contemplated and planned for that we would not win”.
Last week, the government passed laws to enable it to impose curfews and ankle bracelets on people released from immigration detention.
Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil was asked on the Today show whether “ankle bracelets, curfews [and] bans on working with children” had started. She said:
Yes, they have … they are being rolled out at the moment.
I certainly know that many people have had those curfews and monitoring bracelets rolled out. If I can just explain to your viewers, minister [Andrew] Giles is required under law to consider each of these base cases on an individual basis, and he is working through that at the moment.
Here are some more photos from last night’s pro-Palestine protest at Port Botany:
‘Desperation’ among people to end ‘horrific’ situation in Gaza – Burke
Earlier, industrial relations minister Tony Burke was asked about last night’s pro-Palestine protest in Botany Bay.
He told ABC RN he was “always wary of where some protests can morph or ignite in different ways [into] anti-semitism”, but said the view of his community is they “just want this to stop”.
Host Patricia Karvelas pressed that his community wants a ceasefire, but foreign minister Penny Wong hasn’t called for one.
Burke:
Wong has said that we need to work through the steps towards ceasefire…
I met [with] one of the Australians [we] helped get out of Gaza. When you hear the stories that are happening on the ground, it’s horrific.
And so yes, the views are very strong. I’m limited in what I can say about that particular protest, I haven’t seen the footage of that. But what I can say is there is a desperation of people wanting this to end.
Karvelas: Can’t that only happen with a ceasefire?
Burke:
I’ve repeated what Penny Wong has said about wanting those steps towards a ceasefire to be taken.