‘Depth of feeling’ in Australian community over Herzog visit: Wong
Wong says she understands there are many different views held over Herzog’s visit with some, including the Palestine Action Group, still planning to protest Herzog’s arrival in Sydney next week.
Asked whether those groups should be allowed to protest, Wong says:
We are a country, a democracy where we know people have differences of views, and I do understand very keenly that people have different views about this visit. There is a depth of feeling in different communities across Australia. We see that, we feel that. What I would ask people to recall is the context and circumstances of this visit and the purpose of it, which is to honour the victims of the antisemitic terror attack.
Ed Husic, a Labor MP who has been a vocal critic of Israel, has said he has “deep concerns” over the visit.
Asked about those comments, Wong says again that she understands the “depth of feeling” in the community but that the government is working to ensure peace in the region.
I really do understand the depth of feeling about this visit, the depth of feeling in the community about what we’ve seen in Gaza, which is why we’ve been so clear about working, we’re pressing for peace with others in the international community for civilians to be protected and for aid to flow.
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Updated at 16.20 EST
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Meet your new opposition leader, shadow minister for water, resources, agriculture and more!
Taking a leaf out of the old Scott Morrison book, Bob Katter, who says he’s sick of watching the Liberals and Nationals “squabble over the deck chairs on the Titanic” has decided to take matters into his own hands.
Announcing on social media this morning, Katter has declared himself the next opposition leader, and shadow ministers for various portfolios including industry, water, and infrastructure.
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Given that the Libs and crossbench now have even numbers in the House and everyone else seems preoccupied with the Libs and Nats ‘MAFS’ saga, Bob has taken a leaf out of Morrison’s book and allocated himself the positions of Opposition Leader and all shadow Cabinet portfolios.
Bob said, “I have not taken on this tremendous responsibility lightly, however I can’t just stand there and watch while the Libs and Nats continue to squabble over deck chairs on the Titanic. If you’re not going to do the job then GET OUT!”.
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A man has been charged after allegedly mimicking firing at people on a bridge that was the site of the Bondi Beach terror attack that left 15 people dead, AAP reports.
Police received complaints from the public about the actions of two men on the Campbell Parade bridge at Bondi Beach about 7pm on Saturday.
One man allegedly pretended to fire at people near the bridge and abused bystanders when confronted, causing them to feel fearful and intimidated, police said.
Officers spoke with a 23-year-old man at the scene, while the other man fled the scene.
The footbridge was used by the gunmen during the Bondi terror attack on December 14, which left 15 people dead and dozens injured at the Chanukah by the Sea event.
The 23-year-old man was arrested about 4.40pm on Wednesday and has been charged with stalking or intimidating, intending to cause fear or physical harm and behaving in an offensive manner near a public place or school.
He is in custody and due to appear in court on Thursday.
ShareTom McIlroy
Defence estate sell-off should go to safe and affordable housing say advocates
The sell off of major defence assets around the country should be harnessed for safe, accessible and affordable housing for people locked out of the market, community organisation Catholic Social Services says.
Federal Labor is talking up the plans to sell land and buildings no longer of strategic use for defence. The more than 60 sites around the country are expected to net about $1.8bn in profits.
Catholic Social Services chief executive Jerry Nockles said more than 1.2 million low-income Australians spend more than 30% of their household income on accommodation.
The divestment of defence land presents a unique and timely opportunity for the government to invest in social infrastructure that can deliver meaningful, lasting housing solutions for those at risk.
We would also like to see further identification of land held by the Commonwealth and the states and territories to determine whether parcels are surplus or underultilised and suitable for housing supply outcomes – including social and affordable housing.
Where appropriate, we believe proceeds from such divestments should be directed towards expanding housing supply and social infrastructure to meet urgent community needs.”
ShareTom McIlroy
Thorpe calls for First Nations community consultation over defence estate sell off
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe wants Indigenous community leaders consulted about the planned sell off of major defence assets, describing the land as stolen from traditional owners.
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Labor plans to raise as much as $1.8bn from the sale of properties including training sites, bases, warehouses and disused land, all deemed to offer no strategic value to Defence.
Among sites set to be sold are the historic Victoria Barracks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as prime sites on Sydney Harbour and a major munitions site at Maribyrnong, in Melbourne’s west.
Thorpe is angry Indigenous leaders were not involved in the planning of the sales, and said prior and informed consent of traditional owners was required. Thorpe said:
This land doesn’t belong to Defence, it doesn’t belong to the Albanese government – it belongs to First Peoples.
Each traditional owner group has the right to self-determination. This means they get to decide what happens on their country and how benefits flow. What cannot happen is another transfer of wealth from stolen land into government coffers and private corporate profits.
The Albanese government must work with each Traditional Owner group affected by this plan.
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Updated at 17.14 EST
The Nationals are pushing for “guardrails” around shadow cabinet solidarity as they negotiate with the Liberals to potentially reunite the Coalition.
Talks have been ongoing between the two sides, with leaders Sussan Ley and David Littleproud meeting yesterday. The Nationals also confirmed yesterday they had sent correspondence back to the Liberals yesterday following Ley’s initial offer which would have seen the three former Nationals frontbenchers remain on the backbench for six months.
Speaking to Sky News, deputy Nationals leader, Kevin Hogan, says 99% of his party room are Coalitionists:
Shadow cabinet solidarity, or cabinet solidarity, especially when you’re in government, is very important. And we put something back to them [the Liberals] yesterday around the guardrails on that and how that would work, and the processes that would work, and what could override shadow cabinet solidarity, which is the joint party room, and we’re getting clarity and agreement from them on that as well.
Why the mention of the joint party room “overriding” shadow cabinet?
That’s because the Nationals claim that there wasn’t a joint party room to make the final decision over the Coalition’s position on Labor’s hate speech laws, which triggered this whole mess. Littleproud has said that the lack of a joint party room meant that there was no final position, meaning the Nationals who crossed the floor “did nothing wrong.”
But as we know, the Liberals want a water tight agreement on shadow cabinet solidarity.
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Updated at 17.10 EST
Benita Kolovos
Victorian bushfires to be investigated by parliamentary inquiry
Victoria’s devastating January bushfires will be investigated by a parliamentary inquiry, after the opposition successfully passed a motion in the upper house last night.
The inquiry, to be led by the Legislative Council’s environment and planning committee, will examine the preparation, resourcing of emergency services agencies and management of the fires, which tore through more than 400,000 hectares of land, destroyed more than 1,000 structures and claimed the life of cattle farmer, Maxwell Hobson.
The opposition spokesperson for emergency services, Nationals leader Danny O’Brien, says it’s “ironic” the Labor government supported the motion despite the premier saying such matters would be covered by a review being conducted by the Inspector General for Emergency Management. He went on:
Victorians impacted by the bushfires deserve a voice. They deserve to have their experiences heard. This is the best way to get to the bottom of the Allan government’s bushfire preparedness and response and ensure we learn from these fires and strengthen our state’s future strategies.
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Paterson says shadow cabinet solidarity ‘essential’
Jumping back to James Paterson on Sky this morning, the shadow finance minister said there can be “reasonable accommodation” for the Coalition to be re-formed, but that key principals like shadow cabinet solidarity must be upheld.
Shadow cabinet solidarity is a big sticking point between the two parties, even since the first Coalition breakup in May last year.
Time is ticking on the Coalition coming back together, with Sussan Ley’s deadline of Monday before she chooses a Liberal-only frontbench.
Paterson says:
I think we should continue to have constructive and good faith dialog to see whether there can be a reasonable accommodation. That doesn’t mean capitulating on important principles. I think the principles of shadow cabinet, solidarity of the Westminster system, are essential for a serious opposition and an effective government, and we should continue to insist on those.
Former Liberal prime minister John Howard re-entered the chat this morning, telling the Australian the two parties should come back together. Howard said the Nationals are “entitled to some concessions”. Paterson says:
John Howard is our greatest living liberal, and we, of course, don’t have to do everything that Mr. Howard recommends, but in my view, we have to have a very good reason if we’re going to depart from his advice.
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Updated at 16.46 EST
Sydney man charged over alleged threat to foreign head of state
Nick Visser
A Sydney man has been charged for allegedly making an online threat towards a foreign head of state.
The Australia federal police (AFP) executed a search warrant in the inner-city suburb of Newtown on Wednesday after an alleged threat was made on social media. A man, 19, was allegedly linked to the threat and officials searched a home in the area, seizing a mobile phone and drug paraphernalia.
The charges come just days before the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, is due to arrive in Australia. Neither the AFP nor the Israeli embassy would confirm whether the Israeli president was the subject of those alleged threats.
The man has been charged with one count of using a carriage service to make a threat to kill. He was refused bail and will appear before court today.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
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Updated at 16.48 EST
‘I don’t want to see the community re-traumatised’: Leeser
Liberal frontbencher Julian Leeser says he welcomes Isaac Herzog’s visit but discouraged protesters from marching so as to not “re-traumatise” the Jewish community.
Speaking to ABC RN Breakfast, Leeser, who is Jewish, says Herzog is visiting to “comfort the families” of the Bondi terror attack.
The Jewish community has been massively traumatised by these events that occurred in December last year at Bondi. And I don’t want to see the community re-traumatised. It’s why last week I wrote to (NSW) police commissioner Mal Lanyon asking him to extend the no-go zones in relation to Bondi and in relation to places outside Jewish communal buildings. And I’m pleased that the New South Wales government has done that.
Asked about UN commissioner Chris Sidoti’s call for Herzog to be arrested, Leeser said:
Australia has from time to time visitors from a range of different countries which Australians will have different views about the human rights record of those visitors or the foreign policy of that particular country, and we don’t go around arresting people who come as guests of government.
Julian Leeser. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 16.54 EST
Australia still considering Trump’s ‘board of peace’ invitation, says Wong
The government is still mulling over Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “board of peace”, says Penny Wong, but downplays the prospect of Australia’s involvement.
Wong says the arrangements for the board are different to the way Australia would normally engage, and that the government is focused on the Quad and Aukus agreements.
New Zealand has recently declined the invitation. Wong says:
The ‘board of peace’ proposal would involve Australia being part of a treaty. Obviously, that is a different kind of arrangement to those which we would generally engage in for these sorts of matters. We are obviously considering, but I would say we continue to work closely with the United States for particularly in the context of the Quad and also Aukus in our shared interests.
Asked when a decision will be made, Wong says it’s still being worked through, and that the government is “seeking to understand more closely what the US is seeking to do through” the board.
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Updated at 16.55 EST
