Key events
The prime minister has issued a statement for Eid al-Fitr, noting it is a special time for Muslim Australians to “come together as a community in prayer, hospitality and generosity”.
Anthony Albanese said in a statement:
This year the suffering in Gaza will mean many Muslim Australians will mark Eid al-Fitr with sorrow. This is a difficult an anxious time for many, and I hope you can find some measure of comfort and strength among your family and friends and the expression of your faith.
Most Australians support renewable energy transition, major CSIRO survey finds
Adam Morton
Most Australians support a transition to renewable energy and half believe the country’s environment is fragile and can only be protected if there are large changes in human behaviour and society, according to a major survey by the national science agency, CSIRO.
The survey of 6,700 people, undertaken in August and September, largely focused on attitudes to the transition to renewable energy.
It found an overwhelming majority supported a clean energy transition, with 47% backing a shift towards a renewable energy system at a moderate pace, and 40% backing a rapid and extensive transition. Only 13% said they wanted a slow transition.
Andrea Walton, the senior social scientist on the project, said:
Many Australians held generally moderate attitudes towards living near renewable energy infrastructure, suggesting a broad willingness to support, or at least tolerate, the development of solar farms, onshore and offshore wind farms, and associated transmission line infrastructure.
Transmission lines were seen less favourably compared to other renewable energy infrastructure. The survey revealed an important reason for this was that people didn’t always recognise the role of additional transmission lines in the renewable energy transition.
The survey found affordability was the most common energy priority, followed by emissions reduction, and well ahead of minimising power outages.
A question on attitudes to the environment found 51% said it was fragile and would be protected only if there were large changes in human behaviour and society, while 19% who said it could be managed by the government and experts if there were clear rules.
Chalmers comments on proposed revamp to merger laws
Jim Chalmers was asked about the proposed merger laws, and how these would impact everyday Australians day-to-day.
In case you missed it: the revamped competition laws would require companies to notify the competition watchdog of mergers of a certain size, designed to reduce unfair market concentration. Paul Karp has the full story below:
Chalmers said a more competitive economy meant “more choices for people at fair prices”.
Our economy is not competitive enough as it stands, and it’s been getting less competitive over recent decades and that comes at a cost to everyone and we want to address that, because a more competitive economy is better for consumers, it’s better for businesses and it’s better for the economy more broadly.
Chalmers said if a potential merger raised competition concerns, the ACCC could apply a test of whether it lessened competition, or whether it expanded market power. He said this would allow good mergers to proceed quicker, and concern mergers to receive “a bit more robust scrutiny”.
Chalmers backs foreign minister Penny Wong’s speech
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has backed the speech made by foreign minister Penny Wong last night. Speaking on ABC AM earlier, he was asked about comments from the opposition that recognition of a Palestinian state would reward Hamas.
Is that the danger here? “No”, Chalmers said.
I was there at the Australian National University for [Wong’s] characteristically considered and thoughtful contribution. She made a number of points, but among them was the point that if we want to build a pathway out of this endless cycle of violence and bloodshed, then a two-state solution offers us the best chance and that’s why the international community, including our friends around the world, are considering whether recognition builds momentum towards that two-state solution and the peaceful future that we want for people on both sides of that horrendous conflict.
Division dangerous for our democracy, Wong says
Wrapping up the interview, Penny Wong is asked about tensions at home between some Muslim and Jewish communities. Does she believe these tensions have eased?
Wong told ABC RN people need to be “less condemnatory, more respectful of one another”:
People are increasingly struggling with how to discuss this with their fellow citizens, and we’ve seen antisemitism, we’ve seen Islamophobia, we’ve seen language and behaviours that shows that people are losing respect for one another – that is dangerous for our democracy. We have to be peacemakers at home … We gain nothing by reproducing the conflict here, we gain nothing by shouting each other down and we gain nothing by delegitimising or belittling one another and there’s been far too much of that in the discussion.
Turning the lens on politicians, Wong accused the Greens of using “people’s distress in order to campaign for votes”:
[That] has been appalling and there are consequences to that sort of behaviour and we all ought to act more as leaders and peacemakers rather than using this for political campaigning purposes.
Attack on aid workers under spotlight
Q: You and [defence minister] Richard Marles wrote a letter to the Israeli government saying that appropriate action should be taken against those IDF personnel, if they didn’t act in accordance with the law. What is appropriate action if that is the case?
Penny Wong:
Well, certainly I’ve been I’ve said before and I’ve said our job as a government is to find out what the facts are and then make decisions and on the basis of those facts.
Q: Have you had a response from the Israeli government to that letter?
Wong:
Not as yet, but we look forward to a response.
Q: What are the consequences if there isn’t full accountability and transparency from the investigations?
Wong:
My focus at the moment is to engage with the Israeli government to ensure that there is transparency and accountability. And I would say it is in Israel’s interests for the Australian government [and] Australia community to be satisfied that there has been transparency and accountability.
‘Aid workers are to be protected’
Penny Wong was also asked to provide an update on the work done by Mark Binskin so far, who was appointed special adviser on Israel’s response to the deaths of World Central Kitchen aid workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom.
Wong said the Australian government was engaging with Israel about Binskin’s appointment:
There are positive engagements and we appreciate that this is a very important issue for Australia. We have been saying for a very long time it is important that international humanitarian law be adhered to.
Under international humanitarian law, as you know, aid workers are to be protected. Demonstrably, there was a deadly failure of deconfliction – deconfliction being the ways in which making sure that defence forces are aware of where humanitarian workers are so they can be protected and there was a deadly failure.
Australians do expect there to be transparency and full accountability and we’ve appointed Mark Binskin as a special adviser because he will be able to assist the Australian government in considering the investigation against those principles that I’ve outlined.
Support for two-state solution v recognition of Palestinian statehood
The key takeaway from Penny Wong’s speech last night, and her comments this morning, is the hint Australia may move towards unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, in conjunction with other countries.
This is slightly different to support for a two-state solution, which has always been Australia’s position.
Wong has made no decision and has not committed to recognition but said this is part of a broader debate within the international community right now.
She was asked directly about this on ABC RN, if Australia is ready and willing to recognise Palestine as a state?
Wong:
We’ve made no such decision, the discussion I want to have is to look at what is happening in the international community where there is the very important debate about how it is we secure long-lasting peace in a region where which has known so much conflict.
Peace can’t be achieved in long term until statehood resolved, Wong says
Penny Wong has also responded to criticism to her speech, that recognition of a Palestinian state would reward Hamas for the 7 October attack.
Wong refuted this and said the Australian government has been, and is, calling for the release of hostages:
But my point is a longer term point about what is the path to peace. I don’t see ultimately, any security for Israel without the issue of Palestinian statehood being resolved, and whether it’s the continued normalisation of relationships from other countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia – who obviously has said very clearly there will be no normalisation until that issue is resolved – there is no case for [peace] in the long term, unless this issue is resolved.
‘Do not go down this path’
Speaking on ABC RN, Penny Wong said the Australian government was “deeply concerned” about a proposed ground invasion in Rafah by Israel:
Israel was attacked in the most horrific terms by an organisation which is dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish people … which is Hamas. And more Jewish lives were lost in that day than any single day since the Holocaust. So any state attacked in that way would defend itself. The point I also made is any state that does defend itself is bound by certain rules, and we are concerned about the humanitarian implications and consequences for civilians in Rafah, as is the president of the United States when we have said to Israel: do not go down this path.
We know how many Palestinians are sheltering there, people fled because of the conflict in Gaza and they have nowhere to go. And we are alongside with the president of the United States and so many others in the international community, we are urging Israel to not go down this path.
‘Security for Israel only achieved if there is Palestinian state alongside it,’ Wong says
Foreign minister Penny Wong has been speaking to ABC RN about her speech last night, when she said recognition of a Palestinian state may provide a pathway towards a two-state solution.
She flagged that the government was considering this during a speech in Canberra last night:
Speaking to ABC RN, Wong reiterated the points made during her speech. She said among the international community, there is a debate ongoing about how to “secure long-lasting peace in a region which has known so much conflict”:
Obviously we have the immediate conflict, we need to see Hamas release hostages, we need to see a revitalised Palestinian Authority, we need to see an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We need all of these things immediately. But the point I’m making is that ultimately, peace and security for Israel will only be achieved if we have a Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state.
Opposition responds to Wong speech calling for Palestinian state recognition
The federal opposition has responded to comments made by foreign affairs minister Penny Wong last night that recognising a Palestinian state was “the only hope” to end violence in the Middle East.
In case you missed it, Wong said the recognition of a Palestinian state is “the only hope to break the endless cycle of violence” in the Middle East and a two-state solution would help ensure long-term security for Israel and further undermine Hamas. You can read the full story from Josh Butler below:
In a statement last night, shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham said the argument to recognise a Palestinian state “puts statehood before security, and will be seen as a win by the terrorists who initiated the current horrific conflict”:
It is downright dangerous to reward such barbaric conduct with a fast track to recognition of statehood.
To give the greatest chance for a sustainable ceasefire, that leads to prospects for stability and security, Labor should instead be applying maximum pressure on Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all hostages and surrender all terrorist capabilities …
Labor is threatening to break decades of bipartisan Australian foreign policy that recognition of a Palestinian state should only occur as part of a negotiated solution which gives Israel and a future Palestinian state security within internationally recognised borders.
Wind warning in place for parts of NSW east coast
Strong winds lashed Sydney overnight, with a low pressure system moving up the coast and set to bring winds to the Hunter and mid north coast mid-morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the low was expected to move away from the coast late today and into tomorrow, resulting in easing winds.
Damaging winds of about 55 to 70km/h are forecast for today, with peaks about 100km/h in the coastal fringe between Wooli and Wattamolla.
Winds are forecast to ease below warning thresholds by late this afternoon and the bureau is to provide another update about 11am, local time.
The bureau recorded these significant wind gusts since 12am this morning:
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100km/h at Wattamolla at 2.30am.
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80km/h at Molineux Point at 12.47am.
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78km/h in Sydney Harbour (Wedding Cake West) at 2.44am.
Australian Lawyers Alliance weighs in on NDIS discussion
Yesterday the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said access to the NDIS should not be used as a means of ongoing punishment for people who have a criminal record.
Spokesperson Greg Barns said:
The right to health is a human right that applies to all Australians whether they have a criminal record or not. Once someone has served their sentence, they should not be further punished by denying them access to government support services, if they are eligible for them.
You can read more about this in yesterday’s blog here.
NDIS minister says disability scheme shouldn’t be ‘dumping ground’ for criminals on parole
Josh Butler
NDIS minister Bill Shorten says the disability scheme “cannot be the dumping ground” for criminals on parole, as another front opens in the simmering state v federal dispute on how to pay for the critical government program.
Further scrutiny has been applied to spending on the NDIS amid media reporting that some serious criminal offenders including those with rape or paedophilia convictions who have been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities were receiving major disability support to help with supervision after leaving jail.
In a statement to the Nine newspapers, Shorten said “being a criminal is a not a disability” and policing issues were “the province of the states”. He said on Tuesday:
I am writing to the states to demand they start reporting and stop keeping the NDIA in the dark when a serious criminal is released from their jails.
Shorten and the federal government have long raised concerns about the NDIS being relied upon for a greater range of issues than it was originally designed, and allegations that state governments had decreased their own spending in response, leading to ballooning federal costs.
He told 9 News that the government would ask a group of former police officers to review the safety of NDIS workers “before we admit people with serious criminal history anywhere near our NDIS”:
Now the vast bulk of people on the scheme – the vast, vast bulk – are completely legitimate and eligible but the states can’t just use the NDIS to provide round-the-clock protection for the community from a few very bad people.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning and happy Wednesday. Welcome back to the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind and I’ll take you through our rolling coverage today.
Making news today: NDIS minister Bill Shorten has said the disability scheme “cannot be the dumping ground” for criminals on parole, as another front opens in the simmering state v federal dispute on how to pay for the critical government program. Shorten said yesterday:
I am writing to the states to demand they start reporting and stop keeping the NDIA in the dark when a serious criminal is released from their jails.
Josh Butler will have more on this shortly.
A severe weather warning remains in place for damaging winds across the NSW mid north coast, metropolitan region and the Hunter. Damaging winds of about 55 to 70km/h are forecast, with peak gusts expected to reach around 100km/h between Wooli and Wattamolla. Sydney Harbour winds reached 78km/h about 2.45am.
See something that needs attention on the blog? You can get in touch via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email: [email protected].
Let’s get started.
