Crossbench senators David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe helped Labor pass the closing loopholes bill through the Senate. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Crossbench senators David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe helped Labor pass the closing loopholes bill through the Senate. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Israel ambassador invites Greens politicians to view 7 October footage
Israel’s ambassador to Australia has invited federal Greens MPs and senators to view footage of Hamas’ attacks from 7 October, after the party’s push for Australia to remove support for what it called Israel’s “slaughter” in Gaza.
Maimon said he was inviting the politicians to view the footage due to the “amount of time the Greens have devoted to attacking Israel in parliament this week”.
Following their comments in parliament this week, Ambassador @MaimonAmir invites the @Greens to view the raw footage of Hamas' October 7 terrorist attacks. pic.twitter.com/9gWvH4z1aG
‘Please come home soon’: family of missing Ballarat woman make emotional plea
The family of Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy have made an emotional plea for her to come home, five days since she disappeared after heading out for a run.
Murphy’s eldest daughter, Jess, broke down in tears as she spoke directly to her mum at a press conference at Ballarat West police station on Thursday.
“Mum, we love you so much, and we miss you, and we need you at home with us,” she said.
“Please come home soon. I can’t wait to see you and to give you the biggest hug when I do, and to tell you off for giving us so much stress. I love you.”
Jess said her mother was “a really strong woman, and she’s far too determined to give up this fight”.
Longtime Construction, Forestry, Maritime and Energy Union boss John Setka has announced his retirement.
Setka told delegates on Thursday he would not nominate to run in elections later this year, a union spokesman confirmed.
The CFMEU Victoria and Tasmania secretary has been at the helm for more than a decade, during which time he has been involved in multiple workplace controversies and a bitter and public breakdown of his marriage.
– AAP
CFMEU Victoria & Tasmania secretary John Setka (centre) . Photograph: Joe Castro/AAP
Authorities warn Perth residents of sewage wastewater dropped on homes ‘accidentally’ during bushfires
Residents near a bushfire in Perth’s north-east have had sewage wastewater dropped on their properties by firefighting aircraft as the blaze threatened lives and homes.
Authorities warned people in part of Bullsbrook in the City of Swan, about 35km from the Western Australia capital, that they could be at risk and issued a hazardous and toxic materials alert.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said on Thursday:
During bushfire suppression operations to protect the Bullsbrook College and surrounding properties (on Wednesday, helicopters) drew from water sources that have been identified as sewage wastewater holding ponds.
Premier Roger Cook said an investigation would be launched into the incident. He said:
On this particular instance (the helitankers) accidentally drew water from a holding pond in a wastewater treatment facility.
Authorities urged residents not to be alarmed and said the forecast high temperatures in the area into the weekend would help neutralise any residual bacteria contained in the effluent.
The temperature in Perth on Thursday is forecast to reach 39C followed by 41C on Friday and Saturday, and 38C expected on Sunday.
Elias Visontay is going to take you through what is left of the day. You’ll have a normal news blog tomorrow, but Politics Live will be back with you on Monday (with me and Mike Bowers) so you don’t have too long to wait until you next get your fix of the insanity that is the Australian parliament.
As an added bonus – we have estimates! Can’t wait for that. But please, until then, stare at a wall, touch some grass, pat a cat. And as always – take care of you. Ax
In 2023 more than 30% of NSW prisoners were Indigenous
The year 2023 saw New South Wales hit a new threshold – for the first time, more than 30% of its prisoners were Aboriginal, despite an overall decline in the state’s prison population.
The latest NSW Bureau of Statistics Crime and Research figures, released today, show that as of December 2023, there were 3,674 Aboriginal adults in prison, making up 30.4% of the prison population. In December 2022, the figure was 29.6%.
61.5% of the state’s youth detention population is Aboriginal, setting a new record.
The figures are set against a general downward trend in both overall prisoner numbers and youth detention, with fewer adults in custody than there have been in eight years and 35.6% fewer young people in custody in December 2023 compared to December 2019.
The Albanese government’s closing loopholes bill has passed the Senate 32 votes to 29. Labor passed the bill with support from the Greens, Lidia Thorpe and David Pocock. It was opposed by the Coalition, United Australia Party, Jacqui Lambie Network, David Van, and Malcolm Roberts.
The bill makes changes to the definition of casual employment, and gives power to the Fair Work Commission to create minimum conditions in the gig economy and the road transport industry.
As part of a deal with the Greens, Labor agreed to add a new right to disconnect, meaning employees will not have to answer unreasonable work calls or emails in their unpaid personal time.
The bill will have to go back to the House of Representatives to approve amendments, including changes to the gig economy and causal provisions negotiated by David Pocock.
Four bureaucrats breached public service code over robodebt, review finds
Sarah Basford Canales
Four bureaucrats being investigated for their role in the unlawful robodebt scheme have been handed preliminary determinations that they’ve breached the Australian public service’s code of conduct.
The landmark report in July last year described robodebt as a “crude and cruel” scheme and a massive failure of public administration.
At least seven public servants, including the former Department of Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell, were the subject of adverse findings. Campbell quit her $900,000 a year Department of Defence job weeks after the report was handed down.
Thursday’s update said 15 of those being investigated had been given notice of the “grounds and categories” for their potential breach or breaches of the code of conduct.
One of the investigations was dropped as the individual’s actions “did not meet the threshold” of a suspected breach.
Final determinations about the sanctions against individuals found to have breached the code of conduct will be delivered “once preliminary determinations are finalised”.
A timeframe for the conclusion of the 15 investigations depended on “various factors”, the update said, including the “complexity of each matter, the number of submissions and any extensions that may be requested by respondents”.
It was a QT of chats and passing moments, as seen by Mike Bowers:
The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during question time Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton during question time Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The Prime Minister Anthgony Albanese, Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Nationals Leader David Littleproud Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The Treasurer Jim Chalmers talks to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Tony Burke jokes about Dutton’s ABC Nemesis appearance
Tony Burke now gets to give his speech on Nemesis.
He is very pleased with himself.
I know there’s three episodes but I think we’re hoping for a fourth. I think we’re hoping for a fourth because I know Star Wars episode IV was a New Hope. This could be Episode Four: Thug. Thug.
We get to see the reality of what’s said versus what happens because last night the leader of the opposition said we’re never we are more united than ever in the Liberal party.
Nobody is looking backwards.
And he’s right.
Because except for the deputy leader of the Opposition [Sussan Ley], the member for Riverina [Michael McCormack] that the member for New England [Barnaby Joyce], the member for Hume [Angus Taylor], the Member for Petrie [Luke Howarth],the member for Leichardt [Warren Entsch], the member for Deakin [Michael Sukkar], Senator Cash, Senator Reynolds, Senator Birmingh and Senator McGrath, except for them, no one’s looking backwards. No one. Absolutely none of them.
Australian employment minister Tony Burke speaks during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
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