Federal opposition criticises delay on gambling ad crackdown
The federal opposition has criticised the Albanese government’s delayed response to a parliamentary inquiry that called for a total gambling ad ban, after a three year transition.
The inquiry report, led by former Labor MP Peta Murphy, was tabled nine months ago and the federal government had intended to formally respond by the end of 2023.
In May last year, Peter Dutton complained about a “bombardment of ads” that was “changing the culture of our country in a bad way and normalising gambling at a young age”.
The Coalition’s bill to ban gambling ads being aired during sporting matches, and an hour either side of broadcasts, was not supported by parliament.
Shadow communications minister David Coleman. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The shadow communications minister, David Coleman, said the Coalition remained “deeply concerned about the impact on families of the deluge of gambling adverts during live sporting events”:
It’s been nine months since Labor joined with the Greens to slam the door shut on what was a sensible and measured plan. Had the Government supported our bill [in June], the restrictions on gambling adverts during live sport would already be in place and running by now.
The Coalition hasn’t changed its position, and looks forward to carefully considering the government bill, when they finally get around to releasing it.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, has previously said the government was “firmly committed to minimising harms from online gambling” and was consulting widely.
In early January, an Albanese government spokesperson said:
The status quo of online wagering advertising is untenable and the Government will announce a comprehensive response in due course.
Man charged after fatal alleged hit-and-run in Sydney’s east at the weekend
A man will appear in court tomorrow charged over allegedly failing to stop following a fatal crash in Sydney’s east at the weekend.
NSW police officers were called to Fletcher Street in Tamarama shortly after 4am on Sunday after a man was found critically injured. He was treated, but was unable to be revived and died at the scene.
He has since been formally identified as a 28-year-old New Zealand man.
Following extensive inquiries, a 63-year-old Bexley man was arrested by investigators after attending Granville police station around 11am today.
He was charged with failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, dangerous driving occasioning death – driving in a dangerous manner, negligent driving (occasioning death) and using a mobile phone when not permitted.
He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta bail court tomorrow.
The top four birds have remained the same over the last ten years. BirdLife Australia spokesperson Sean Dooley said if the count had begun in the 1950s or 1990s, “the top 10 would have been quite different”.
One thread linking the most successful birds that have been recorded living in the places where we live, is that they tend to be bolder, more aggressive species with a broad, generalist diet. We are picking up a decline in reporting rates of smaller, more specialist bush birds that were once fairly common garden birds such as silvereyes and fairy-wrens.
The information we are collecting from the Aussie Bird Count is confirming what other research is showing about the challenges facing our native birds.
For further reading, Graham Readfearn recently wrote about how important the counting of bird populations is while looking at a mystery paralysis syndrome affecting lorikeet populations:
BirdLife Australia has released its 10th annual Aussie Bird Count data, with rainbow lorikeets once again topping the list.
What started in 2014 has now grown into Australia’s largest citizen science event, with more than 60,000 people tallying an astonishing 3.6m birds during one week last October.
Participants spent at least 20 minutes outside during the week, identifying species and tallying their results using the Aussie Bird Count app.
The top ten birds Australia-wide were:
1. Rainbow lorikeet 2. Noisy miner 3. Australian magpie 4. Sulphur-crested cockatoo 5. Welcome swallow 6. Galah 7. Silver gull 8. Australian white ibis 9. House sparrow 10. Red wattlebird
Rainbow lorikeets. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Faith leaders pen open letter to government rejecting ALRC report
24 faith groups from multiple denominations have penned an open letter to the federal government, rejecting the Australian Law Reform Commission’s report.
The report, tabled yesterday, argues that blanket exemptions allowing religious schools to discriminate against staff and students on the basis of sexuality and gender identity should be repealed:
The open letter says faith leaders are “deeply disappointed” with the proposed reforms, and said the recommendations will “prevent the overwhelming majority of faith-based schools from preferring persons who share and authentically live out their faith”.
The faith groups argue they are not seeking to “discriminate on the basis of a protected attribute” but want to employ staff “who share or are willing to uphold the religious beliefs of the school”.
We call on the Government to reject the Recommendations made in this ALRC Final Report and to seek a policy outcome that will preserve the rights of religious schools and educational institutions to build and administer faith communities in accordance with their doctrines, tenets and beliefs.
We again welcome your commitment to consult widely in an inclusive and constructive manner, in consultation with people of faith and religious organisations, including schools, as well as with all Australians interested in this important work.
The letter is signed by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australian National Imams Council, Christian Schools Australia, Australian Baptist Churches, and more.
There are notable omissions from the letter, including the National Catholic Education Commission, which has separately expressed concerns about the ALRC report.
Opposition will negotiate constructively on religious bill, Cash says
Paul Karp
The shadow attorney general, Michaelia Cash, has responded to calls from the Albanese government for the opposition to offer bipartisanship on the religious discrimination bill.
Cash told Guardian Australia:
It is up to the government to explain what is in their bill and how it relates to the recommendations in the ALRC report and previous iterations of the bill from the former government.
The priority at the moment is ensuring that any bills put forward by the government address the very serious concerns raised by faith leaders and religious schools in the wake of the ALRC report.
We will negotiate constructively with the government to try and secure a position which takes faith communities forward, and not backwards. It is concerning that the government have already ruled out an inquiry on significant legislation like this.
Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash and opposition leader Peter Dutton. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Tasmanian police are investigating a fatal crash overnight which left a young child dead.
Acting inspector Jason Jones said emergency services were notified of the crash at Lefroy about 1.20am, after somebody reported a woman and two children had been injured.
He said initial inquiries suggest a 24-year-old woman was driving a black Holden Barina on Bridport Road when she “lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into nearby trees”.
A community member provided assistance before emergency services arrived and took the two injured children to George Town hospital.
A young boy was pronounced deceased a short time later, and the other child was then taken to Launceston general hospital with minor injuries.
The woman was also taken to Launceston hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Jones said the incident would “understandably have an impact on the local community” and his “thoughts are with those affected”.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Police seize gel blaster firearm spotted on Sydney train
New South Wales police have seized a gel blaster firearm that was located on a Sydney train during this morning’s rush hour.
Police said officers were called to Redfern station about 9am following reports a gel blaster had been located. The gel blaster was seized from station staff and police said inquiries are continuing.
Gel blasters shoot pellets and are deemed a firearm in NSW, meaning people would need a license to operate one and the same rules apply as with other licensed firearms.
The Sydney Morning Herald spoke to passengers travelling on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line, who said a man stood up and exited the train just after 8am, leaving the firearm on his seat.
As Tamsin Rose and Catie McLeodreported earlier, gay conversion practices have been outlawed in New South Wales after a marathon overnight debate in the state parliament.
In case you missed it (which most of us did, this was at 6.30 this morning!), here is the moment that the practices were officially banned:
The moment New South Wales banned gay conversion practices – video
Ex-ministers face yearlong wait for corruption trial
A trio of former NSW Labor ministers will have to wait more than a year before facing trial on serious corruption charges, AAP reports.
Eddie Obeid, Joe Tripodi and Tony Kelly appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre district court on Friday, when they formally entered not-guilty pleas.
A trial date was set for 12 May 2025 – nearly three years after charges were laid against the men.
They each face one count of misconduct in public office over allegations they deliberately mishandled a major water infrastructure bid between 2009 and 2010.
Former NSW Labor MP Joe Tripodi leaves the Downing Centre courts in Sydney today. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP
Obeid allegedly attempted to influence a series of parliamentary colleagues – Michael Costa, Nathan Rees, Morris Iemma, Philip Costa and Kristina Keneally – to promote the interests of a company, Australian Water Holdings.
Tripodi prepared a minute document for the cabinet standing committee on the budget that supported the company’s bid for a public-private partnership, prosecutors allege.
Kelly, who at the time was minister for infrastructure, then signed and authorised the submission of the minute, according to court documents.
The minute allegedly contained information the men either knew to be untrue or had made no appropriate inquiries to confirm its accuracy.
