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Tom McIlroy<\/p>\nPlan to criminalise burning of Australian flag about \u2018national pride\u2019, says TaylorTom McIlroy<\/p>\n
As touched on earlier, the opposition wants new laws to make it a criminal offence to burn the Australian flag or damage war memorials.<\/p>\n
As the Coalition<\/a> fights to regain standing against Pauline Hanson<\/strong> and One Nation, the opposition\u2019s legislation would create a federal criminal offence for serious public desecration of the Australian flag, where a person is reckless or where their actions would incite hatred or violence, threaten public order or cause a public disturbance.<\/p>\n It would also create a federal criminal offence for deliberately damaging, defacing, desecrating or destroying war memorials and other significant memorials commemorating Australia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n The opposition leader, Angus Taylor<\/strong>, says the plan is about \u201cstanding up for the national pride that we should all feel for our great country.\u201d<\/p>\n The assistant foreign minister, Matt Thistlethwaite<\/strong>, says the plan is about politics:<\/p>\n double quotation markI think that there\u2019s a bit of an element of desperation there, trying to chase One Nation.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been tried on several occasions over many, many years. The parliament has generally always rejected it because of the notion of upholding freedom of speech for Australians and that freedom of political expression.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Updated at\u00a021.39 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Qantas\u2019 New Zealand flight \u2018engine issue\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Customers who were on a Qantas plane that was diverted from Sydney to Christchurch yesterday will instead be flown home today.<\/p>\n There were reports <\/a>of loud noises and flames coming out of one of the plane\u2019s engines after it departed Queenstown. While there was a \u201csuspected engine issue\u201d on flight QF122, both engines were working and there was no emergency landing.<\/p>\n A Qantas spokesperson said the company understood it \u201cwould have been a distressing experience for passengers\u201d:<\/p>\n double quotation markOne of our flights to Sydney experienced a suspected engine issue after take-off from Queenstown this afternoon and the aircraft diverted to Christchurch.<\/p>\n Our pilots are highly trained to manage situations like this and the aircraft landed safely.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.33 EDT<\/p>\n Jabs for native birds<\/strong><\/p>\n Curlews and royal spoonbills are among the native bird species set to be vaccinated against H5 bird flu in South Australia.<\/p>\n The program at Cleland Wildlife park will see up to 100 birds across 30 different species \u2013 including threatened species \u2013 given two jabs.<\/p>\n The environment minister, Emily Bourke<\/strong>, said it was about giving them \u201cthe best chance possible\u201d.<\/p>\n The lethal strain has killed thousands of wild birds, at least 100 penguins, and a dolphin. It has also infected fur seals.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.20 EDT<\/p>\n Tradies qualifications to be fast-tracked<\/strong><\/p>\n Up to 6,000 tradies will get free qualifications under a $78m federal scheme designed to tackle construction skills shortages.<\/p>\n Workers with at least three years\u2019 experience will have their prior learning recognised, and they will then be given \u201cgap training\u201d to reach their qualification, fast-tracking the process.<\/p>\n The skills and training minister, Andrew Giles, <\/strong>said the program would \u201cback in workers who have the right skills for the job, but need that extra help to get the formal qualification they need\u201d:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis program recognises the expertise they\u2019ve already developed and helps them gain nationally recognised qualifications faster.<\/p>\n For a long time industry and skills stakeholders have called for greater recognition of existing skills and alternative pathways to formal trade qualifications \u2013 our government has listened and is taking action.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.50 EDT<\/p>\n Plan to criminalise burning of Australian flag about \u2018national pride\u2019, says Taylor As touched on earlier, the opposition wants new laws to make it a criminal offence to burn the Australian flag or damage war memorials.<\/p>\n As the Coalition<\/a> fights to regain standing against Pauline Hanson<\/strong> and One Nation, the opposition\u2019s legislation would create a federal criminal offence for serious public desecration of the Australian flag, where a person is reckless or where their actions would incite hatred or violence, threaten public order or cause a public disturbance.<\/p>\n It would also create a federal criminal offence for deliberately damaging, defacing, desecrating or destroying war memorials and other significant memorials commemorating Australia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n The opposition leader, Angus Taylor<\/strong>, says the plan is about \u201cstanding up for the national pride that we should all feel for our great country.\u201d<\/p>\n The assistant foreign minister, Matt Thistlethwaite<\/strong>, says the plan is about politics:<\/p>\n double quotation markI think that there\u2019s a bit of an element of desperation there, trying to chase One Nation.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been tried on several occasions over many, many years. The parliament has generally always rejected it because of the notion of upholding freedom of speech for Australians and that freedom of political expression.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Labor\u2019s Matt Thistlethwaite. Photograph: (a)manda Parkinson\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.39 EDT<\/p>\n Nepal situation becoming more difficult with time: assistant foreign minister Matt Thistlethwaite<\/strong>, the assistant foreign minister, has told News24 there is no change in the situation of missing Australians in Nepal overnight.<\/p>\n He says 36 Australians still remain unaccounted for as of Sunday morning. He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe haven\u2019t got any confirmed deaths yet. We\u2019re hopeful that we\u2019ll be able to relocate and locate as many of those as we possibly can.<\/p>\n Obviously, the longer this goes on, the more difficult that that becomes. But there are glimmers of hope. We managed to locate seven Australians this week.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Damaged houses covered in sludge in the aftermath of flash floods at Devighat in Nepal\u2019s Nuwakot district on 5 September. Photograph: Prakash Mathema\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n He said it was positive that two people had been rescued <\/a>from hydroelectric tunnels in the disaster area in recent days:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe sent 47 Australian personnel to the region to assist with the rescue and recovery, and we\u2019re sending a further seven this week, so we\u2019re doing everything we can to try and locate those Australians that are missing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n There are now 47 Australians deployed to the crisis, including seven disaster victim identification specialists and a psychologist.<\/p>\n More than 5,000 people are still missing and there have been 1,332 confirmed deaths.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.22 EDT<\/p>\n There\u2019s a manhunt underway in Victoria<\/a> after an alleged axe attack, with three people seriously injured. Andrew Messenger<\/strong> has the details here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Natasha Stott Despoja to lead inquiry into sexual violence in military<\/strong><\/p>\n Former Democrats senator Natasha Stott Despoja, <\/strong>who has done a wealth of work with women and domestic violence, will lead an independent inquiry into sexual violence in the military.<\/p>\n The royal commission into defence and veteran suicide<\/a> found there was a \u201csystemic issue\u201d in the Australian defence force and recommended such an inquiry.<\/p>\n Stott Despoja tells the ABC the issue was both systemic and underreported, possibly by more than 60%. She said the inquiry would likely report by the end of next year.<\/p>\n She said:<\/p>\n double quotation markI\u2019ll make sure that we do this in a way that is trauma informed, victim-centric, and people will have the wellbeing and the legal supports that they need.<\/p>\n But I do acknowledge some people have told and retold their stories, and I do not underestimate the level of trauma involved in that.<\/p>\n So I\u2019m very conscious of making sure that victim-survivors are at the heart and the core of this inquiry and that they\u2019re treated with the dignity and the respect that they deserve.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Natasha Stott Despoja will lead the inquiry into military sexual violence. Photograph: Defence and Veterans\u2019 Service CommissionShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.55 EDT<\/p>\n Coalition supports compulsory superannuation: Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n Angus Taylor<\/strong> has been asked about Pauline Hanson<\/strong>\u2019s calls for people facing tough financial pressures to be able to access their retirement savings<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hanson argued earlier this month that in a cost-of-living crisis, it\u2019s not right to force people to save for the future when they can\u2019t make ends meet today.<\/p>\n Taylor has told News24 the Coalition supports the superannuation guarantee rate of 12% and notes there are already rules allowing people in financial distress to access some of their savings.<\/p>\n He said the Coalition had an \u201can open mind\u201d on revisiting its policy to allow first homebuyers to access more of their retirement savings for a home deposit. That policy was put to voters at the 2025 election and is being considered again by the Coalition ahead of the next poll. Taylor said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe important point I would make at this point is that we need to cap immigration based on housing supply, get more houses built, slash the red tape in the construction industry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.47 EDT<\/p>\n Taylor unconcerned about tobacco donations to Nationals<\/strong><\/p>\n Angus Taylor<\/strong> has told News24 the decision by the Nationals to take political donations from tobacco companies is a decision for the party.<\/p>\n The Nationals are the only major party in Australia to still accept tobacco money. The Liberals stopped accepting tobacco donations in 2013, when Tony Abbott<\/strong> was opposition leader.<\/p>\n Labor stopped taking tobacco donations in 2004.<\/p>\n In 2024-25, the Nationals received $225,500 from two large manufacturers. British American Tobacco donated $55,000 to the Nationals in 2022-23 for the first time in more than a decade. A year later, it sent the party $88,000.<\/p>\n Taylor said he wouldn\u2019t discuss donations to the junior Coalition<\/a> partner:<\/p>\n double quotation markThat\u2019s a matter for the National party. I\u2019m not going to get into that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve made this decision. What this is about is doing what\u2019s right for Australia and Australians.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.35 EDT<\/p>\n Excise cut plan won\u2019t see smoking rates rise: Taylor The opposition leader, Angus Taylor<\/strong>, says the Coalition\u2019s plan for an 80% cut to tobacco excise won\u2019t cause an increase in smoking rates, telling News 24 the new policy idea will undermine the business model of organised crime.<\/p>\n Asked if cheaper cigarettes will see more people take up smoking, Taylor said \u201cthe horse has already bolted on this\u201d:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe price is already around $15 or less for most smokers, and anyone can choose to buy that. You can walk into shops all over the country and and pay $10 or $15 to buy a pack of cigarettes now.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got to recognise the reality here. This is funding organised crime.<\/p>\n It will disrupt the business model. It will take the profits and the customers away from organised crime in this country.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.06 EDT<\/p>\n Hold the tech bros accountable, Daniel says<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is former Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel<\/strong>\u2019s take on social media: she says a \u201cdigital duty of care must hold the tech bros accountable for the safety of the spaces that they have created\u201d:<\/p>\n double quotation mark[Legislation] could also include misinformation and disinformation. This would risk the usual culture war debate about free speech, while we blithely accept the changes to our culture and society that are being freely imposed by Mark Zuckerberg<\/strong>, Elon Musk<\/strong> and others.<\/p>\n What we should be worried about is the sovereignty of the information landscape and the fact that we\u2019re being controlled by the systems \u2013 not the other way around.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.09 EDT<\/p>\n Hefty fines for social media companies under government plan<\/p>\n The onus will be on social media companies to identify and mitigate risks on their platforms under the government\u2019s proposed legislation, Insiders host David Speers<\/strong> says, and that legislation will be unveiled this week.<\/p>\n He says it will cover illegal content including illegal pornography being made available to adults, and for kids there would be \u201caround half a dozen additional areas of psychosocial harm and that includes content around body image and bullying\u201d.<\/p>\n He says:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe companies would face hefty fines of more than $100m if they fail to restrict this content and as for algorithms \u2013 regular pop-up messages would be required, asking if users want to stick with the algorithm or only see people they\u2019re following and see what they\u2019re posting. The user would have the choice.<\/p>\n Researchers and the eSafety commissioner would also be empowered to police the social media platforms by using what are called \u2018sock puppets\u2019 posing as children to monitor what is being fed to kids online.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n You can read the background to this legislation here:<\/p>\n\n
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Labor\u2019s Matt Thistlethwaite. Photograph: (a)manda Parkinson\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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