{"id":209582,"date":"2025-09-08T06:53:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T06:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/209582\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T06:53:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T06:53:13","slug":"australia-news-live-alex-hawke-says-speculation-about-his-call-to-jacinta-nampijinpa-prices-office-sounds-like-total-gossip-australia-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/209582\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia news live: Alex Hawke says speculation about his call to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price\u2019s office \u2018sounds like total gossip\u2019 | Australia news"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alex Hawke says speculation about his call to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price\u2019s office \u2018sounds like total gossip\u2019<\/p>\n

Alex Hawke has described claims his phone call to Jacinta Nampinjpa Price\u2019s office lasted several minutes as \u201ctotal gossip\u201d and denied it was directed by Liberal leader Sussan Ley.<\/p>\n

Hawke said his intervention was prompted by concerns heard from his community and people around the country. He said:<\/p>\n

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\u201cI called in to assist and equally provide advice around what I thought was quite sensible to do: a short and sharp apology. These things nipped in the bud.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Price on Sunday accused Hawke of suggesting Price could \u201cend up like another female member of the Coalition\u201d in a call to her office, shortly after she made remarks about the Indian Australian community on the ABC on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Asked about claims he had referenced Hume or her post-election demotion from the frontbench, Hawke denied he had referenced Hume.<\/p>\n

Hawke claimed the call, made to Price\u2019s staffer, was only a couple of minutes long and rejected suggestions the call was longer.<\/p>\n

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Sounds like total gossip. I\u2019m on one end, somebody on another end, it was an unplanned and unexpected call, I won\u2019t go into that gossip and stupidity.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Asked about claims he berated the staffer, Hawke declined to discuss the specifics of the call.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a002.43 EDT<\/p>\n

Key events<\/p>\n

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Liberal MP says Indians face more racism after Liberal senator\u2019s comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alex Hawke has said South Asian Australians have faced more racism since Jacinta Nampijinpa Price<\/a>\u2019s comments about Indian immigration.<\/p>\n

Hawke, who at first privately and then publicly called for Price to apologise, said he had seen heightened racial targeting of the community in the days since Price\u2019s remarks made on the ABC.<\/p>\n

Hawke, the shadow industry minister, told ABC\u2019s Afternoon Briefing:<\/p>\n

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I have heard from the community around Australia, different communities and the South Asian community, not just Indian community, saying there is more targeting of them since the comments were made.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When specifically asked, Hawke confirmed that he believed the Indian Australian community had faced a greater level of racism since Price\u2019s comments on Wednesday. He said he believed Price did not intend for the remark to sound racist but said \u201cit came out awkwardly\u201d:<\/p>\n

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I don\u2019t think Jacinta went on with the intention of singling out the community. She has walked aback but in the process has been a lot of commentary on the Indian Australian community and that is not helpful. It is a time to get the apology and move on.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Alex Hawke and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a002.40 EDT<\/p>\n

\"CaitlinCaitlin Cassidy<\/p>\n

Universities\u2019 early offers hit record high<\/strong><\/p>\n

Early offer applications to the University Admissions Centre (UAC) have reached a record high as Year 12 students increasingly bypass Atar entry admissions.<\/p>\n

UAC processes tertiary education applications at around 30 universities, mostly in New South Wales<\/a> and the ACT, and calculates Atar scores.<\/p>\n

Nearly 28,000 students lodged an application for the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) when applications closed on Friday via UAC, the body revealed today, a 3.3% increase on last year\u2019s record intake.<\/p>\n

SRS allows universities to make early offers of admission based on criteria other than, or in addition to, the Atar, including Year 11 studies and school references. Around 15,000 SRS offers were made last year, up from 14,000 in 2023.<\/p>\n

UAC spokesperson Peter Gangemi<\/strong> said the number of applications showed school leavers had a \u201csignificant appetite for university study\u201d.<\/p>\n

The first SRS offers will be released on 13 November.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a002.09 EDT<\/p>\n

Auction activity holding steady into spring<\/strong><\/p>\n

The winter chill on home sales is lifting, with the first week of September seeing over 2,000 properties taken to auction across the capital cities – the third straight week with volumes that high.<\/p>\n

More than 2,400 homes will go to auction this week and about 2,600 next week, according to data released today from property analytics firm Cotality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Limited numbers of home sales in recent months have pushed up the rate of successful auctions. The preliminary clearance rate held at or above 75% for the fourth consecutive week last week, indicating buyers have grown more desperate to purchase available homes.<\/p>\n

That preliminary rate has fallen since the last week of August, when it was 76.3%, in a sign the rising volume of homes could be easing buyers\u2019 urgency. The hottest market, Sydney recorded a preliminary rate of over 80% two weeks ago but 78% last week.<\/p>\n

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Woolworths\u2019 market value rises despite backpay cost surge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Investors aren\u2019t too worried about the prospect of supermarket giants Coles<\/strong> and Woolworths<\/strong> facing a combined $1bn bill for underpaying their employees.<\/p>\n

As we reported earlier<\/a>, Woolworths announced it could have to pay out a further $250m to $470m in unpaid wages and up to $280m in extra costs, while Coles estimated a further $150m to $250m. Both chains have already paid large sums in back payment.<\/p>\n

Traders seem to expect the payment will have little impact on the supermarket giants\u2019 future profitability, with neither company seeing a significant move in its share price.<\/p>\n

Woolworths\u2019 market value has risen today after it released its new backpay estimates after barely moving when the federal court on Friday ruled against the two brands. Coles\u2019 market value has slipped just 1% after making up some ground this afternoon.<\/p>\n

The resilience of the companies\u2019 market values sits alongside a broader fall on the consumer staples sector, which has slipped a little lower today. Retail payments data out today from the Reserve Bank<\/strong> showed Australians\u2019 spending slipped in July, while Westpac\u2019s<\/strong> card tracker suggested consumer purchasing hardly improved in August.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a001.32 EDT<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew Messenger<\/p>\n

Queensland premier says \u2018no place\u2019 in the state for CFMEU<\/strong><\/p>\n

David Crisafulli<\/strong> says \u201cthere\u2019s no place in a modern Queensland for the CFMEU\u201d.<\/p>\n

Asked about reports in the Nine newspapers that he believed the union was not able to be reformed and ought to be abolished, the Queensland premier told media that he believed in trade unionism \u201cbut the Cfmeu isn\u2019t a regular union\u201d, adding:<\/p>\n

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Their whole business model is different (to other unions). It\u2019s about bullying, it\u2019s about intimidation, it\u2019s about misogyny. It\u2019s about driving down productivity, being anarchist, and that, to me, is not that\u2019s not a function of the union movement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The CFMEU has come in for heavy criticism from the government and others, after a report commissioned by their administrator was released in July.<\/p>\n

Asked how he planned to abolish the union, which is registered federally, Crisafulli said \u201clet\u2019s see what comes out of the commission inquiry\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read more here:<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a001.24 EDT<\/p>\n

\"DaisyDaisy Dumas<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all from me today \u2013 thanks for your company. I\u2019ll leave you in the very capable hands of Luca Ittimani<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>Tagged great white shark detected off Manly<\/p>\n

A tagged great white shark has been detected off Manly beach in Sydney, close to where a surfer was fatally mauled on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Mercury Psillakis<\/strong>, a 57-year-old father of one, lost both legs after being bitten by what was suspected to be a great white shark<\/a> while surfing at Long Reef with friends.<\/p>\n

A NSW SharkSmart alert on social media<\/a> said a shark was detected at 10.51am at North Steyne and was last detected near Coffs Harbour in June:<\/p>\n

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DPI Fisheries advise: tagged White Shark #2020 detected by North Steyne receiver at 10:51:23 AM (AEST) on 08-September-2025. Last detected at 10:02:52 AM (AEST) on 04-June-2025 by Soldiers Beach receiver. Tagged and released 17-September-2023(AEST) at Diggers Beach, Coffs Harbour.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A message on the Northern Beaches council website said Manly and Freshwater beaches were today closed due \u201cto notification by NSW Government Shark Smart app that a tagged shark in the vicinity\u201d.<\/p>\n

Dee Why, close to Long Reef, has shark netting and drumlines<\/a>. Both it and Long Reef were closed after the attack and will remain closed until further notice, according to the council.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a001.14 EDT<\/p>\n

\"TomTom McIlroy<\/p>\n

Dan Tehan tours US nuclear energy infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shadow energy and emissions reduction minister Dan Tehan<\/strong> is in the United States this week, part of a trip to look at nuclear energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Tehan, who is leading the Liberal party\u2019s internal review of net zero policies, told Sky he had paid for the international flights to America, while former Clean Energy Regulator board member and investor Charles Keifel<\/strong> is paying for domestic flights and accommodation.<\/p>\n

Keifel is the chairman and co-founder of the Australian Advisory Board on Competitiveness.<\/p>\n

The funding will be declared on Tehan\u2019s register of members interests in coming weeks, he confirmed. Kiefel was appointed to the Clean Energy Regulator board when Liberal Angus Taylor<\/strong> was the energy minister.<\/p>\n

During the trip, Tehan will look at nuclear fusion technology, as well as uranium export opportunities and potential for knowledge sharing between Australia and the US.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be across these developments,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we\u2019re not careful, the rest of the world is going to move and we are going to be left stranded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tehan indicated the Coalition<\/a> could stick with its nuclear policy, promoted by former opposition leader Peter Dutton<\/strong> before the election and considered significant in the Coalition\u2019s defeat.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, if we\u2019re not on top of this, then, as a country, and especially as a nation which needs energy abundance to keep up with the rest of the world, then we\u2019re just not going to be in the picture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Porepunkah shooting victim farewelled with full police honours<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tears and laughter have flowed for a larger-than-life veteran policeman gunned down just over a week before he was supposed to retire, AAP<\/strong> reports.<\/p>\n

Detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson<\/strong> was farewelled with full police honours in a funeral at the Victoria<\/a> Police Academy today.<\/p>\n

The 59-year-old was one of two officers killed on 26 August while serving a warrant on Dezi Freeman<\/strong> at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne.<\/p>\n

The funeral service for detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson at the Victoria Police Academy chapel in Melbourne. Photograph: Con Chronis\/AAP<\/p>\n

His partner, sergeant Lisa Thompson<\/strong>, broke down while leading the tributes for the man affectionately known as \u201cThommo\u201d.<\/p>\n

She met Thompson in 2016 after arriving at Wangaratta Police Station as a constable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe worked one shift together and it changed the course of my life,\u201d she told mourners.<\/p>\n

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I had never laughed so much with someone and as I drove home that night reflecting on my day, I knew with absolute certainty that I wanted to be a detective.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want to live my life without you and I don\u2019t want to finish our dreams on my own.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a000.20 EDT<\/p>\n

Adam Bandt named CEO of Australian Conservation Foundation\"AdamAdam Morton<\/p>\n

The former Greens leader Adam Bandt<\/strong> has been named as the head of one of the country\u2019s biggest and oldest environmental organisations, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).<\/p>\n

Bandt, who unexpectedly lost the seat of Melbourne at the May election, will replace long-time ACF chief executive Kelly O\u2019Shanassy<\/strong>, who announced earlier this year that she was resigning.<\/p>\n

Bandt starts at ACF in January. The foundation said he would \u201cnot play any further role in the Greens\u201d.<\/p>\n

The ACF chair, Ros Harvey<\/strong>, said Bandt was the unanimous choice of the organisation\u2019s board after a \u201crigorous search\u201d that involved screening more than 300 candidates.<\/p>\n

Adam Bandt. Photograph: Morgan Hancock\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

She said \u201chard times require bold leadership\u201d and Bandt had the \u201cvision, the bravery and the experience required\u201d for the job.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Bandt said it was a \u201ctrue privilege to help lead Australia\u2019s most respected voice for nature and climate at such a critical time\u201d. He said:<\/p>\n

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Climate collapse is beginning, nature is in crisis and this is the parliament that can avoid extinction. This could be the best parliament ever for nature and climate. We\u2019re setting politicians a test we hope they meet.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a000.06 EDT<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t think Jacinta has it in for Indians\u2019 Barnaby Joyce says<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fallout continues from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> comments<\/a> suggesting the Labor party\u2019s migration policies were attempts to garner votes from immigrants including those from India.<\/p>\n

Barnaby Joyce<\/strong> appeared to defend Price on the Seven Network this morning, putting the comments down to a \u201cmistake\u201d.<\/p>\n

Shadow minister for defence industry Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAP<\/p>\n

The Nationals MP said:<\/p>\n

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You make mistakes in politics all the time, and the best thing to do is apologise, move on \u2026 Get on to another topic. It\u2019s just the nature of politics. You\u2019re not going to be perfect on every statement you ever make, you\u2019re gonna make mistakes.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think Jacinta has it in for Indians<\/strong>, by the way. I think that she\u2019s trying to convey \u2026 migration is out of control. Why is it out of control? Not because of the people [but] because we just don\u2019t have the resources. We don\u2019t have the houses, the hospitals, the schools, the dams to absorb them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He said Price should apologise \u201cif that solves the problem\u201d.<\/p>\n

Labor MP Tanya Plibersek<\/strong>, also interviewed on Sunrise, said the Indian community was due an apology.<\/p>\n

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Jacinta Price should apologise and if she doesn\u2019t, Sussan Ley<\/strong> should make her apologise \u2026 They\u2019ve got all sorts of mess happening in the Coalition.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a023.53 EDT<\/p>\n

The Wiggles deny former CEO was illegally fired<\/p>\n

The Wiggles have told a court they will fight an unlawful dismissal lawsuit from their former chief executive, who claims the blue Wiggle undermined him, AAP <\/strong>reports.<\/p>\n

Luke O\u2019Neill<\/strong> says he was denied bonuses and excluded from meetings before being dismissed without a reasonable basis by the famous children\u2019s entertainers.<\/p>\n

He has launched legal action against the group, blue Wiggle Anthony Field <\/strong>and its general counsel Matthew Salgo<\/strong> in the federal court. No defence has been filed with the court but the band\u2019s lawyer indicated on Monday the allegations were contested.<\/p>\n

The Wiggles\u2019 lawyer, Bianca Dearing<\/strong>, said on Monday:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are multiple complaints or inquiries pleaded during the course of the applicant\u2019s employment … all of which are denied.\u201d<\/p>\n

Justice Michael Lee<\/strong> asked the parties to set out timetabling ahead of a potential hearing in April, noting he was \u201cunclear about how long it will take\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Wiggles and its former chief executive will likely attend mediation before the end of the year to see if the issue can be resolved before a hearing, the court was told.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill was fired in May, a decision he says came without a reasonable basis and without any prior warning or earlier adverse feedback. He alleges his dismissal was unlawful.<\/p>\n

You can read more about the case here:<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a023.40 EDT<\/p>\n

Coles and Woolworths underpayment bill could top $1bn\"JonathanJonathan Barrett<\/p>\n

Coles<\/strong> and Woolworths<\/strong> are preparing to pay more than $1bn in the fallout from a major wages case that found the supermarket giants had underpaid thousands of workers.<\/p>\n

The federal court found last week the big supermarkets hadn\u2019t adequately tracked entitlements owed under the relevant retail award, resulting in years of missed overtime, penalties rates and other various payments.<\/p>\n

The Fair Work Ombudsman<\/strong> alleged Woolworths underpaid 19,000 workers and Coles underpaid more than 8,700 staff, including store managers.<\/p>\n

Woolworths said in an ASX statement today it could owe workers a further $250m to $470m in pre tax payments, and up to $280m in additional costs including superannuation and payroll tax.<\/p>\n

Coles estimates it might need to pay a further $150m to $250m to \u201creflect the findings of the court, including interest and on-costs\u201d.<\/p>\n

The estimates are in addition to significant sums Australia\u2019s two biggest supermarket chains have already made in back payments. Proceedings are due back in court in late October.<\/p>\n

The underpayment issue could become even more costly for the supermarkets, given the figures do not take into account potential payouts stemming from class actions.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a000.04 EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alex Hawke says speculation about his call to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price\u2019s office \u2018sounds like total gossip\u2019 Alex Hawke…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":209583,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4740,50],"class_list":{"0":"post-209582","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-australia","9":"tag-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115167363391988231","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=209582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/209583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=209582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=209582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=209582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}