This blog is now closed
Queensland police investigate death of man and serious injury of woman
At 9:20am today, police responded to an address in Bramston Court, north of Brisbane, to conduct a welfare check. Police said:
Upon arrival, police located the man and the woman, both aged in their seventies and with serious head injuries.
The man was declared deceased at the scene. The woman was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital.
Police have taken a 26-year-old Boondall man into custody.
Surf Life Saving says six whales have died amid a mass stranding event on a Western Australian beach.
According to a tweet, officers from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions sighted six whale carcasses at 9.10am, local time, about 1m offshore.
DBCA officers report 6 x whale carcasses sighted at 9:10hrs 25/04, BSN315 Quindalup BEN Sign, east of Dunsborough. 1m offshore. A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales.. Reported at 09:50hrs 25/04.
— Surf Life Saving WA (@SLSWA) April 25, 2024
As we reported earlier, a mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. DBCA staff and vets from Perth Zoo are reportedly attending the scene to coordinate a rescue effort.
Latest mass whale stranding comes less than a year after stranding near Albany
We’ll bring you the latest on the mass whale stranding at Dunsborough, Western Australia throughout the day as more information filters through (see earlier post).
It comes less than a year after dozens of pilot whales died near Albany amid a mass stranding. This occurred at Cheynes Beach, more than 400km from Toby’s Inlet where the current stranding is occurring.
Reporter Narelle Towie was at Cheynes Beach last year and found herself joining volunteers and marine officials trying to save the stranded pod. You can read about her experience below:
Meanwhile, Tom Mustill has explored why mass whale stranding’s occur in the first place:
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network said the use of “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) in relation to yesterday’s raids had “unleashed online hatred and, based on past experience, will result in increased hate incidents against the Muslim community”.
Terrorism is politically motivated. Politically motivated is accurate language.
The network said RMVE is not a neutral term but “designed to link community panic and fear about terrorism to a whole religion” rather than alleged political motives.
White supremacist or Incel-inspired terrorism is “ideologically motivated”, yet where the offender is Muslim, a whole religion and community are demonised … RMVE language is nothing short of reckless and irresponsible and must end now.
The network said Asio boss Mike Burgess used the term “religiously motivated” during his National Press Club speech yesterday, despite warning politicians about inflammatory language.
Not only does this show immense disrespect, but it misleads the public as the cause of terrorism, putting our whole community at risk and marginalising us.
A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring on a Western Australian beach, with a coordinated rescue effort underway.
According to the WA Parks and Wildlife Service, the mass stranding is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. An image shows dozens of whales along the shoreline.
Staff from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions, plus vets from Perth Zoo, are now being sent to the area.
Parks and Wildlife is urging the community not to attempt to rescue the animals without the direction of department staff, as this “may cause further injury and distress to the animals and hinder a coordinated rescue effort”.
Those who wish to help can contact Parks and Wildife’s Busselton office on 9752 5555.
The highest priority at mass whale stranding events is always human safety followed by animal welfare. We want all staff and volunteers to go home safe.
We ask that people please follow instructions of DBCA staff to ensure the highest human safety and animal welfare outcomes are achieved.
First RBA interest rate cut may not happen until after the federal election
Investors can be a twitchy mob, as we saw yesterday when Australia’s March quarter inflation figures surprised on the upside.
Prior to the release of the ABS data, markets had been tipping the first Reserve Bank interest rate cut would be a certainty by next February. After the numbers dropped, investors reviewed their bets and now only fully price in that first cut by next July, at least according to the ASX.
Markets now not fully pricing in an RBA rate cut until July 2025, according to ASX's rates tracker. Prior to yesterday's unexpected strong March quarter CPI figures, that first cut was fully priced in for February. pic.twitter.com/uo9XYUooA9
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) April 25, 2024
The Australian dollar also bounced higher against the US counterpart, reaching about 65.3 US cents within about an hour. As it happens, other things are going on in the world, and the Aussie dollar has given up most of yesterday’s advance to hover around the 65 US cents mark.
Those pundits who clutched for the pearls yesterday might also want to reassess. Yes, inflation won’t keep falling at the rate it has - and might even go up some months. But a year ago, CPI was running at a 6.3% clip and in March 2024 it had dropped to 3.5%.
Economists, we should note, hadn’t had a great track record of late in picking the inflation rate. For five months in a row, they overestimated the outcome and last month was finally one that surprised the other way.
Or, as we note here, punters shouldn’t panic:
Thousands attend Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne
AAP has more details about the Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne today:
Thousands have lined the streets of Sydney’s CBD to watch and honour current serving Australian Defence Force members and veterans.
To the beat of drums and bagpipes, marchers – including veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf War, East Timor and Afghanistan – walked down the city’s main thoroughfare.
Meanwhile, thousands of Victorians filled Melbourne city’s streets to commemorate Australia’s war efforts at the Anzac Day parade.
A stacked roster of active army, air force and navy personnel, government officials and veterans who fought in historic conflicts marched towards the Shrine of Remembrance.
Among the parade’s more than 10,000 participants were veterans from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
This is the first year veterans of peacekeeping operations have led Melbourne’s Anzac Day march. The parade’s route stretches from Princes Bridge on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD to the Shrine.
Photos are continuing to roll in from the Anzac Day parade in Sydney
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel says he would be of “great concern” if the video of his alleged attack in a Wakeley church was used by people to “serve their own political interests to control free speech”.
In a video statement posted by Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, the bishop commented on the eSafety commissioner’s request for footage of the alleged attack to be removed from social media, including X.
X boss Elon Musk has been fighting efforts to have the video taken down. Josh Taylor delved into the topic on today’s episode of Full Story:
In a video message, the bishop said:
I do acknowledge the Australian government’s desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature. I do not condone any acts of [alleged] terrorism or violence. However, noting our God-given right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I’m not opposed to the videos remaining on social media.
I would be of great concern if people use the [alleged] attack on me to serve their own political interests to control free speech.
Melbourne’s Anzac Day parade begins
The Anzac Day parade in Melbourne has begun, with 10,000 expected to participate. This year, peacekeeping operations will lead the march for the first time.
Here are some photos from the parade so far:
