China downplays prospect of releasing Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun
Daniel Hurst
China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has played down the prospects of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun being released in a similar manner to journalist Cheng Lei last year.
Yang, a writer and avowed democracy activist was arrested in January 2019 and charged with espionage. Yang has previously stated that he is “100% innocent of the allegations” and that he “will never confess to something I haven’t done”.
At a press conference in Canberra today, Xiao argued that Yang’s case was “different in nature” from the case of Cheng:
To be honest, I cannot expect that the case would come to such a conclusion likewise.
Pressed on why China would not just deport Yang in order to solve a lingering obstacle in the Australia-China relationship, Xiao said:
Well, as I said, his case is different in nature. This is what I can tell you at this moment, because this is still in the legal process. We’re now waiting for the Chinese legal authorities to continue with the necessary process. And I think we need to respect and be a bit patient on this issue.
Yang’s trial was held in May 2021 but he has still not received a verdict, with the court granting multiple three-month extensions on the deadline for handing down a decision.
Key events
Asked by a reporter whether his visit was due to yesterday’s news that two of the four endangered Maugean skates – whose only known home is in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour where salmon farming is increasing – that were taken into a captive breeding program have died within weeks, he said it wasn’t.
I planned this visit last year… I’ve been determined to make sure that I visit states and territories before Parliament goes back.
Audible during Albanese’s press conference, is a group of people chanting “save the Maugean skates”.
PM on sustainability of Tasmania’s salmon industry
Anthony Albanese is speaking to media now from Tasmania, where he is talking about the state’s salmon industry.
It comes after pressure has been mounting on the industry, following the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, launching a consultation in November to examine whether the salmon industry had the approvals it needed to operate in Macquarie Harbour.
He said:
Sustainability has to be something that is built into every industry. And I know the salmon industry is determined to do that. To do it in a sustainable way. Because that helps to prosper the industry. And I know that the examination that is occurring, we are working with the Tasmanian government, to ensure that sustainability is front and centre.
We have environmental laws that have to be dealt with. They need to be examined. They’re not optional, they’re the law. We comply with the law and we do so in a sustainable way, working with industry to work through these issues. I’m confident that we’ll continue to do so.
Benita Kolovos
Investigators release images of deadly plane collision near Melbourne
Cameras captured the moment two military-style jets collided while performing an aerobatic manoeuvre over Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, claiming the lives of two men.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) preliminary report into the 19 November crash was released on Wednesday, along with a re-enactment of the events leading up to the collision and still images taken from footage captured by the surviving jet.
The report states the two Viper S-211 Marchetti light aircraft departed Essendon Fields airport at 1.24pm with the intention of filming over Port Phillip Bay.
Viper 1 was the lead aircraft carrying a pilot and safety pilot, while Viper 2 had pilot Stephen Gale, 56, and camera operator James Rose, 30, on board.
According to the report, Gale “advised that passing underneath Viper 1 provided a good filming opportunity and requested to repeat the manoeuvre”.
But on this attempt, the ATSB said the right wings of each aircraft collided as Viper 2 passed beneath Viper 1 as it flew inverted.
More on this story here:
Jordyn Beazley
Thanks Emily, and hello everyone. I’ll now be with you until this evening.
Emily Wind
Thanks for joining me on the blog today! The lovely Jordyn Beazley will see you through the rest of the evening. Take care.
For an more in-depth look at the weather forecast over the coming days, my colleague Claire Keenan has you covered:
There are several weather warnings in place across the Northern Territory today, including a severe weather warning and flood watch for the northwest and parts of central NT.
A flood watch is also in place for the Daly River and Victoria River:
Man found dead after leaving bogged car in outback Queensland
A man who went missing while looking for help after his car became bogged in outback Queensland has been found dead after a two-day search, AAP reports.
The 25-year-old had been travelling in a convoy with friends when their vehicles became stuck on Sunday in Durham, near Queensland’s border with South Australia.
The South Australian man walked off with a 39-year-old woman to get help in the remote area, police said. But after 30 minutes the pair became separated when the woman decided to turn back and return to the cars.
The woman was found by a passing motorist and raised the alarm about the 25-year-old Adelaide man.
A land and aerial search was launched on Monday, with two mustering helicopters assisting. The man’s body was found about 5pm yesterday, 12km from the bogged cars. Senior constable Mark Baker said:
Police conducted an extensive land and air search over the remote area which sadly resulted in locating the man deceased.
Police have been in contact with the man’s family, and our thoughts are with them at this time.
Benita Kolovos
Crown head says casino now compliant after ‘extensive reform’
Crown Melbourne’s chief executive, Mike Volkert, has responded to the final report by the government-appointed “special manager” into the gaming venue.
(You can read more on this earlier in the blog here).
The special manager was appointed after a royal commission found Crown was unfit to hold a gaming licence in Victoria but was given two years to reform.
Volkert said over the past two years Crown’s team “has worked diligently under new ownership and leadership to implement significant change at Crown Melbourne”.
He said:
We have implemented extensive reform in governance risk and compliance, financial crime detection, harm minimisation, and guest experience, whilst creating a purpose-driven culture for our workforce.
This work is a sustainable foundation for Crown Melbourne and we are committed to continuous improvement and exceeding the expectations of our stakeholders.
Woman drowns at Sydney beach
A woman has died at Shelley Beach in Sydney after being found unresponsive in the water and pulled to shore by other bystanders.
NSW police said emergency services were called to the beach in Manly just before 1pm today, after a person was found unresponsive in the water.
Bystanders pulled the 32-year-old woman from the water, who was treated by paramedics, but died at the scene.
The Daily Telegraph reported that at least 10 police cars were on the scene just before 1pm, as part of a major emergency response.
Officers from the northern beaches police area command will prepare a report on behalf of the coroner.
China downplays prospect of releasing Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun
Daniel Hurst
China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has played down the prospects of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun being released in a similar manner to journalist Cheng Lei last year.
Yang, a writer and avowed democracy activist was arrested in January 2019 and charged with espionage. Yang has previously stated that he is “100% innocent of the allegations” and that he “will never confess to something I haven’t done”.
At a press conference in Canberra today, Xiao argued that Yang’s case was “different in nature” from the case of Cheng:
To be honest, I cannot expect that the case would come to such a conclusion likewise.
Pressed on why China would not just deport Yang in order to solve a lingering obstacle in the Australia-China relationship, Xiao said:
Well, as I said, his case is different in nature. This is what I can tell you at this moment, because this is still in the legal process. We’re now waiting for the Chinese legal authorities to continue with the necessary process. And I think we need to respect and be a bit patient on this issue.
Yang’s trial was held in May 2021 but he has still not received a verdict, with the court granting multiple three-month extensions on the deadline for handing down a decision.
Caitlin Cassidy
Deakin University to open joint Indonesian campus
Melbourne’s Deakin University has been given the green light from the Indonesian government to open a joint international campus in Bandung, West Java.
The university, to be run in collaboration with Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, will be the first UK-Australia overseas campus offering both Australian and British degree subjects.
It follows the unveiling of Indonesia’s first foreign-owned university in Jakarta in 2021, delivered by Monash.
The vice-chancellor of Deakin, Prof Iain Martin, said the university would support the “educational and research aspirations” of the Indonesian government and build on the university’s “hybrid transnational education partnerships”.
Indonesia is expected to make great strides as a global economy in the next few decades, and as a neighbour of Australia there is enormous potential for mutually beneficial collaboration. Once in operation, Deakin will use the joint campus as a base from which we will continue to build our links with local institutions and industry.
The initial undergraduate programs in business and information technology are expected to roll out from September this year.
Last year, Deakin became the first foreign institution in the world to announce a campus in India, during a prime ministerial visit to Ahmedabad.
