Steggall warns against ‘totalitarian crackdown’ against protest being replicated in Australia
Independent MP Zali Steggall says while she respects the court ruling against pro-Palestinian protesters who had planned a demonstration outside the Sydney Opera House on the weekend, there must not be a crackdown on the right to protest and free speech.
Speaking to Sky News a little earlier, Steggall said we’ve seen a “totalitarian crackdown” in the United States, which should not be replicated in Australia.
I would urge that everyone has to abide by the law, and if the police needs to enforce the law, that is their role, and it’s appropriate. But I think we need to be mindful that laws against protesters have really been toughed of late, often against climate change protesters, and we have to be very careful that the right to free speech, that the right to protest, is not being curtailed when it’s topics that some or others don’t like. We’re seeing a dangerous rise of that in the US.
It’s a dangerous slide when you start … breaking down on that right to protest and free speech.
The NSW court of appeal on Thursday ruled that anyone marching on the Opera House on Sunday could be held in contempt of court, as it sided with police against the Palestine Action Group due to “extreme” safety concerns.
Key events
PM says ‘nothing unusual’ about receiving briefings on super bill
Anthony Albanese tries to pour cold water over revelations from estimates yesterday the the PM’s office has been taking an interest in the treasurer’s superannuation tax bill for accounts over $3m.
He’s asked a few times (in a few different ways) about why the PM’s office would be taking a briefing on the bill, but Albanese says it’s a normal process.
He adds that there will be no changes to the legislation (which still doesn’t have the support of the Coalition or Greens to pass through the Senate).
We received briefings on poles all the time… There is nothing unusual about that. That’s what occurs right across the full suite of policy issues.
Albanese declines to say what concerns have been raised over the bill in a later question, and that the government “makes no apologies” for engaging with people.
PM ducks question about Australia sending troops to Israel
Asked if the federal government had received a request to send troops to Israel to support the ceasefire in Gaza as part of the peace plan, Albanese said Australia would continue to work with allies on such issues.
Albanese reiterated that the federal government “welcomes the breakthrough” in the conflict.
We also need to talk about the day after [the hostages are released], which requires a two-state solution. Australia has worked constructively with people.
President Trump deserves congratulations for the leadership the United States has shown.
PM says Australians need to ‘turn down the temperature’ in politics after allegedly receiving a death threat
Albanese is asked about a man charged with allegedly making death threats against him.
He said that as the matter was before the courts, he couldn’t comment on the specifics of the case. He added that generally speaking, Australia needed to “turn down the temperature” and increase mutual respect in political debates.
It’s something that I’ve tried to bring to political discourse in this country.
Issues that I face are far more acute than 10 years ago, five years ago. Certainly a lot more acute than [when] I was first elected … The role of social media, people being able to say things that they would never say to your face, is something I’ve spoken about regularly. There’s no place for violence.
PM announces $5m for Boggo Road renewable project upgrade
Albanese says the federal government will inject $5m to upgrade the Boggo Road precinct renewable project.
We are adding jobs and opportunities in Brisbane. This is part of our cities policy … [and] revitalising our cities and making a difference here in Brisbane.
PM touts government’s social housing agenda in Queensland
Anthony Albanese is speaking at a press conference in Brisbane.
The prime minister is spruiking the government’s $43bn housing agenda at a social housing site in the federal seat of Griffith.
Penny Wong calls Trump’s Gaza peace deal an ‘extraordinary achievement’
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, is speaking to Sky News.
She was asked if Donald Trump was the only leader who could have persuaded Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to agree to the Gaza peace deal.
Wong said that it was “probably true”.
We always knew over this last year … that we needed US engagement.
President Trump has got this over the line. It’s an extraordinary achievement.
Josh Taylor
Open web domain used by alleged Qantas hackers seized
With just hours before the hacker group Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters claim they will post the Salesforce customer data of Qantas and almost 40 other companies online, the US federal bureau of investigation has seized the open web domain used by the hackers.
A notice now appears on the site from US and French authorities saying the site has been seized.
Tech site 404Media is reporting that the dark web domain used by the hackers remains online.
The deadline is set for 3pm AEDT this afternoon.
Qantas has an injunction preventing people from accessing, using or publishing any customer data from the hack. Salesforce – the company that received the threat as it was hosting the data of the companies – has said it will not negotiate or pay any extortion demand.
Jonathan Barrett
Bullock says housing policy ‘not my bailiwick’
At Senate estimates, there was an interesting exchange between the RBA governor, Michele Bullock, and Greens senator Nick McKim over housing unaffordability.
Bullock has consistently called for more supply to ease housing pressures, but declined to comment on how other government initiatives or policies might affect prices.
While the impact of supply shortages is widely acknowledged as a major contributor to unaffordability, the Howard-era decision to halve the rate of capital gains tax has made dwellings even more attractive to investors at the expense of owner-occupiers. Investors have also taken full advantage of negative gearing.
McKim asked Bullock why she wouldn’t address policies like the CGT discount while “being very happy to talk about supply”. Bullock said:
There’s a plethora of policies, and I have not done analysis of looking at those various policies to decide whether or not different policies would have different impacts and what you should do with them holistically. That’s not my bailiwick.
The RBA regularly refers to its dual mandate of setting monetary policy to achieve both price stability and full employment for not commenting on specific government policies. But the RBA does consider financial stability implications for any potential problems in the housing market.
Jonathan Barrett
Bullock tells Senate estimates inflation is ‘sticky’
The Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, has described services inflation as “sticky”, amid signs households costs are trending up, at Senate estimates this morning.
Services inflation refers to important household items including rents, insurance, education and medical costs. Bullock said:
I’d have to say that in Australia, like many other countries, services inflation does remain a little sticky.
It is higher. It’s been offset by slightly lower goods inflation, but services inflation is still up around 3%, and in some countries, it’s a bit higher than that.
Last month, the RBA’s monetary policy board held the cash rate steady at 3.6%, dashing hopes of mortgage holders that the central bank would deliver further interest rate relief.
Analysts were alarmed in September after monthly inflation figures showed price growth jumped back to 3% in the year to August, the very top of the central bank’s target range, moderating hopes of further rate cuts.
Bullock said she expects the unemployment rate to “drift a little bit higher” for the remainder of the year, even as the labour market remains in a “pretty good place”.
Any persistent increase in inflation and unemployment could prove tricky for the RBA, given the central bank would typically raise rates to combat inflation and cut rates to address rising unemployment.
We have pictures of the Australians on the Global Sumud Flotilla who have arrived back in Sydney this morning after being detained by Israeli forces.
Juliet Lamont, who spoke to media this morning, has vowed to return to Gaza. Lamont says she was beaten, groped and verbally abused by Israeli prison guards while detained.
Steggall warns against ‘totalitarian crackdown’ against protest being replicated in Australia
Independent MP Zali Steggall says while she respects the court ruling against pro-Palestinian protesters who had planned a demonstration outside the Sydney Opera House on the weekend, there must not be a crackdown on the right to protest and free speech.
Speaking to Sky News a little earlier, Steggall said we’ve seen a “totalitarian crackdown” in the United States, which should not be replicated in Australia.
I would urge that everyone has to abide by the law, and if the police needs to enforce the law, that is their role, and it’s appropriate. But I think we need to be mindful that laws against protesters have really been toughed of late, often against climate change protesters, and we have to be very careful that the right to free speech, that the right to protest, is not being curtailed when it’s topics that some or others don’t like. We’re seeing a dangerous rise of that in the US.
It’s a dangerous slide when you start … breaking down on that right to protest and free speech.
The NSW court of appeal on Thursday ruled that anyone marching on the Opera House on Sunday could be held in contempt of court, as it sided with police against the Palestine Action Group due to “extreme” safety concerns.
Nick Visser
Mehreen Faruqi calls on Albanese to speak up after Australians’ detainment on Gaza flotilla
The Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said the treatment of the trio, and four other Australians arrested by Israel, should compel the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign minister, Penny Wong, to speak out against Israel.
We were all really worried sick of how the Israeli military would treat them, and we were right to be worried sick.
The treatment of these Australians by Israel shows us that minister Wong’s strategy of trying to appease genocidal bullies is completely failing. Shamefully, Prime Minister Albanese and Minister Wong remain silent as these courageous humanitarians were on vessels trying to break an illegal siege …
I hope they can speak up now …
Faruqi said she believed humanitarian work would continue until the war had ended.
I have no doubt that people will continue to take to the streets, continue tot take to the oceans, until we have long-term peace and liberation.
Nick Visser
Three Australians detained by Israel on humanitarian flotilla arrive back in Sydney
More than a hundred people, many bearing Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs, gathered at Sydney International Airport this morning to welcome home three Australians detained by Israel after being arrested onboard a humanitarian flotilla attempting to provide aid to Gaza.
Abubakir Rafiq, Juliet Lamont and Hamish Paterson were greeted by supporters just after 7.30am. Rafiq said:
In international waters, we were kidnapped and abducted by Israel. This is a crime under international law. While we were held hostage we were abused, we were tortured, we were kicked, punched, spat at, we were refused access to medication …
The Australian government knew that this was a possibility for us, yet they continue to maintain their relationship with a genocidal state and continue to enable the apartheid and occupation.
Lamont said the group would return to the waters surrounding Gaza, in an even larger flotilla, until the war had ended.
The eyes of the world were on the 500 of us, and that was happening to us. Imagine what is happening to the 11,000 Palestinians in jail and nobody is watching them …
We are going back, and we’re going to take 150 boats this time. We will break the illegal siege on Gaza, we will deliver humanitarian aid, and we will show Palestinians solidarity and love.
Government’s FOI bill ‘destroying trust’: independent MP
Returning to Nicolette Boele’s interview on ABC RN Breakfast, she’s asked about the government’s controversial proposed changes to the freedom of information laws.
Legal experts have already raised concerns parts of the amendments could be “ripe” for constitutional challenge.
It’s an issue the crossbench are ropable over – two MPs, Allegra Spender and Helen Haines both pushed the government on cabinet secrecy during question time yesterday.
Neither the Coalition nor Greens have said they’ll green light the amendments. Boele says:
All of the changes that are being put forward are working against Australians who want trust in federal politics, they want trust in these institutions and what the government’s proposing with these amended changes are basically, [the] opposite to that. It’s destroying the trust. And instead of having this culture of secrecy, people want to know what the government’s decisions are in their name.
Stop the clickbait, Pope warns
Australian media representatives are among those to hear directly from the Pope, who championed press freedom and specifically the role of invaluable newswire agencies, while denouncing clickbait content, the invaluable newswire agency AAP reports.
At the Vatican on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with members of MINDS International, an alliance of global newswires.
“Current events call for particular discernment and responsibility, and it is clear that the media has a crucial role in forming consciences and helping critical thinking,” the Pontiff told the gathering, which included AAP’s board chair, Jonty Low, CEO, Emma Cowdroy and editor, Andrew Drummond.
In the first six months of his papacy, Pope Leo has been a proactive supporter of journalism as “a public good that we all should protect”:
One form of active citizenship is to value and support … agencies that demonstrate seriousness and true freedom in their work.
This is invaluable and must be an antidote to the proliferation of ‘junk’ information.
He also spoke out against the spread of clickbait.
Communication must be freed from the misguided thinking that corrupts it, from unfair competition and the degrading practice of so-called clickbait.
