Australia news live: public sector union criticises Peter Dutton’s call to axe DEI roles; Butler says Queensland puberty blocker review not ‘appropriate’
Public sector union pans Dutton for urging DEI role cuts
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The main public sector union has lashed the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, after he foreshadowed the axing of culture, diversity and inclusion advisers as part of wider cuts to the commonwealth bureaucracy.
In a speech to the Liberal party-aligned Menzies Research Centre on Friday, Dutton said the positions, and other roles like change managers and internal communications specialists, “do nothing to improve the lives of everyday Australians”.
They’re certainly not frontline service delivery roles that can make a difference to people’s lives.
Dutton used the speech to again reference the hiring of 36,000 public servants under Labor as an example of wasteful spending, as he promised a future Coalition government would “scale back” the federal bureaucracy in a “responsible way”.
The Commonwealth and Public Sector Union said Dutton’s criticism of diversity and inclusion positions was straight from the playbook of the US president, Donald Trump, who has declared war on so-called DEI programs since returning to White House.
The union’s national secretary, Melissa Donnelly, said Dutton’s comments demonstrated a “lack of understanding of modern workplaces”.
Having staff with lived experience of disability, for example, means the NDIA has a deeper understanding of how to improve and more effectively target disability services to Australians.
Having staff with lived experience of disability, for example, means the NDIA has a deeper understanding of how to improve and more effectively target disability services to Australians.
Key events
Continued from previous post
The findings of the investigation is that officers did not correctly assess the risk, and the available powers were not exercised properly, WA police commissioner Col Blanch said.
A correct risk assessment would have provided sufficient grounds to issue a police order to Mark Bombara, and that power would have been extended to seizing lawful firearms.
The second finding was insufficient action was taken by police to explore whether Bombara was a fit and proper person to hold a firearms licence based on medical grounds.
The third is that insufficient action was taken by police to identify and investigate alleged firearm offences, which included a report of an unsecure firearm.
Blanch said there were 18 recommendations in the report on how to improve police response, including giving police limited discretion in seizing firearms when family violence is reported, better communication between agencies, a 24/7 family violence coordinator, and a data platform to flag firearms licence holders with health issues that may impact their ability to hold a licence.
WA police officers found not to have performed duty ahead of Floreat murders
Eight WA police officers were found not to have performed their duty in relation to interactions with the family of Perth murderer Mark Bombara, a report has found.
In May 2024, Bombara, 63, shot Jenny Petelczyc, 59, and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl Petelczyc at their Floreat home, where his ex-wife was believed to have been staying, before taking his own life.
The killer’s daughter, Ariel Bombara, had said she spoke with police on three separate occasions between 30 March and 2 April to “raise the alarm” about her father, including his access to guns.
WA police commissioner, Col Blanch, said on Friday the investigation found eight police officers “were found to have not performed their duty in accordance with policy or procedures to varying degrees of seriousness.” and internal disciplinary action has been finalised for all eight officers.
The WA corruption and crime commissioner, the state coroner and the WA ombudsman have each been provided a copy of the investigation to continue their oversight into the incident, he said.
Continued in next post.
Fuel excise should be ditched for national road-use charge, car dealers say
More motorists should be charged for driving on Australian roads, automotive groups argue, and fuel excise should be ditched in favour of a more equitable tax scheme.
The Australian Automotive Dealers Association joined the call for the government to introduce a national road-user charge for motorists in its pre-budget submission released on Friday.
Some electric vehicle proponents also support a change, although they warn any tax should consider the weight of vehicles, including trucks, utes and large SUVs, to encourage motorists to buy smaller, low-emission models.
The automotive dealers’ group urged the government to introduce a road-user charge in a submission that also called for greater trade protections for franchises, purchase incentives for electric cars, and an extension to fringe-benefit tax exemptions for plug-in hybrid vehicles.
A consistent national system would be needed to ensure all motorists paid to maintain roads, association chief executive James Voortman said.
Modernising Australia’s taxation scheme will bring our system in line with current market dynamics and encourage the uptake of safer, cleaner and more efficient vehicles.
The association proposed “an effective and equitable national road-user charging system” that would apply to all vehicle types and a full review of vehicle taxes.
The charge should avoid discouraging the uptake of electric and hybrid vehicles, the submission said, and ensure all drivers paid for what they used.
– Australian Associated Press
Museum planned for Bali bombing site
A peace park museum will be built on the site of the Bali bombings where 88 Australians were among more than 200 people killed in the terror attack.
The Badung regency government purchased the land where the former Sari Club stood when it was attacked on 12 October 2002.
The buy has been welcomed by family members who lost loved ones in the bombings.
“We’re excited by this purchase, which is the culmination of decades of work by our association to keep the site earmarked for such a development,” Bali Memorial Association spokesperson Keith Pearce said.
The association has been pushing for a peace park to have the terrorist attack properly acknowledged and remembered.
A delegation travelled to the regency to meet with officials in March 2024 and the government expressed support for the initiative after attempts to privately purchase the Sari Club side ceased, the association said.
A formal announcement about the intended development plan is expected on 6 February.
– Australian Associated Press
Benita Kolovos
Victoria shifts budget date over federal poll
The Victorian government has changed the date of its budget due to the federal election.
In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, a Victorian government spokesperson said:
With a federal election due to be held in the first half of 2025, we will finalise our budget after we know the outcome.
It changed the date of the budget from 6 May to 20 May.
Festival association urges government to boost live music funding
The Australian Festival Association has expressed disappointment that the Groovin the Moo festival has been cancelled for the second year in a row.
AFA managing director Olly Arkins said:
It’s disappointing to see that Groovin the Moo, one of Australia’s longest-running touring festivals, will not be going ahead in 2025.
Regional festivals like Groovin the Moo play a vital role in connecting audiences with live music outside of major cities, providing opportunities for artists, local businesses and festival workers. But like many events across the country, the rising costs of production and ongoing challenges in the industry have made it increasingly difficult to operate.
This cancellation highlights the urgent need for the federal government to extend Revive Live funding to ensure festivals of all sizes can continue to thrive. Festivals are essential to Australia’s cultural and economic landscape, and we look forward to seeing Groovin the Moo return in the future.
Natasha May
Hospital manager in email gaffe
A local health district in New South Wales has apologised after an administrator accidentally sent an email to junior doctors calling them a “workforce of clinical marshmellows [sic]”.
The email, seen by Guardian Australia, was sent by a medical administration manager at a hospital who appears to be complaining about a doctor’s response to a rostering issue.
The misfired message starts:
Seriously!
I wonder if any of them realise that they are a doctor and that this is what happens. Oh that’s right … I forgot. Life style before career.
God help us in the future. We are going to have a workforce of clinical marshmellows!
Climate lawyers say funding case win will lead to greater transparency
A landmark case is expected to give taxpayers greater transparency on how federal agencies spend their money, climate lawyers say.
Human rights and environment organisation Jubilee Australia on Friday announced the “successful conclusion” of legal action against the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) and its board of directors.
A federal court action filed in July 2023 alleged the facility and another federal body, Export Finance Australia, failed to comply with legal obligations to report on the environmental impacts of projects they funded.
It was a first attempt to force compliance with environmental laws requiring government agencies to report annually on the impact of their activities on the environment – including communities and people – and what steps, if any, they were taking to minimise harm.
The case marks a “step change” in reporting by Australian government entities, Jubilee’s director of climate justice Suhailah Ali told AAP.
Prior to the legal action, NAIF’s environmental reporting was limited to basic operational activities, such as no personal bins and encouraging staff to limit printing, she said.
The reporting had since expanded to include the environmental impacts of the projects it funds, Ali said.
NAIF has a history of financing fossil fuel projects, including coal and fracking ventures such as the Olive Downs coking coal project, that may not have proceeded without government-backed loans, according to Jubilee.
She said:
It now reports on climate change and other environmental impacts, which is an important step towards transparency and climate accountability.
– Australian Associated Press
Butler says Queensland puberty blocker review not ‘appropriate’
Krishani Dhanji
Following from a previous post … health minister Mark Butler has spoken to reporters in Adelaide on a review into health guidelines for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents.
The week, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, announced a ban on puberty blockers for all new patients of the state’s only gender clinic, at the Royal Brisbane hospital, and for other patients in the public health system, until the government considers the outcome of an independent review into the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.
Butler says he doesn’t think it’s “appropriate” for Queensland to undertake that review, and it should be left to the commonwealth.
I’ve indicated to minister [Tim] Nicholls that I don’t think it would be appropriate for Queensland to continue with their stated intention to undertake an evidence review in this area of care. These issues should be nationally consistent, and in my view should be driven by the preeminent authority, which is the NHMRC [national health and medical research council]…
It is certainly best practice to ensure that state governments and private services are operating in accordance with national and consistent clinical guidelines that are issued, or at least approved, by the nation’s preeminent authority in this area.
Public sector union pans Dutton for urging DEI role cuts
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The main public sector union has lashed the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, after he foreshadowed the axing of culture, diversity and inclusion advisers as part of wider cuts to the commonwealth bureaucracy.
In a speech to the Liberal party-aligned Menzies Research Centre on Friday, Dutton said the positions, and other roles like change managers and internal communications specialists, “do nothing to improve the lives of everyday Australians”.
They’re certainly not frontline service delivery roles that can make a difference to people’s lives.
Dutton used the speech to again reference the hiring of 36,000 public servants under Labor as an example of wasteful spending, as he promised a future Coalition government would “scale back” the federal bureaucracy in a “responsible way”.
The Commonwealth and Public Sector Union said Dutton’s criticism of diversity and inclusion positions was straight from the playbook of the US president, Donald Trump, who has declared war on so-called DEI programs since returning to White House.
The union’s national secretary, Melissa Donnelly, said Dutton’s comments demonstrated a “lack of understanding of modern workplaces”.
Having staff with lived experience of disability, for example, means the NDIA has a deeper understanding of how to improve and more effectively target disability services to Australians.
Having staff with lived experience of disability, for example, means the NDIA has a deeper understanding of how to improve and more effectively target disability services to Australians.
Rafqa Touma
Thanks for joining us on the blog today. Handing over now to Josh Taylor, who will take you through the afternoon’s news.
Woman accused of harassing call to Sydney synagogue
A woman has been charged after allegedly making a harassing call to a Sydney synagogue last month.
Officers received a report of an alleged harassing call made to a synagogue on Castlereagh Street about 4.45pm on Tuesday 31 December, NSW police said in a statement.
Police arrested a 61-year-old woman at a home in Hyland Park on the mid-north coast following an investigation. She was charged with “one count of use carriage service to menace/harass/offend”.
She was refused bail to appear before Kempsey local court today.
Ben Doherty
Nick Greiner part of $275k donation to refugee sponsorship scheme
Former NSW premier Nick Greiner and US philanthropist Ed Shapiro have donated $275,000 towards community sponsorship of refugees to Australia.
The donors are offering grants of $5,000 for up to 55 local groups around Australia to sponsor a refugee family to come to Australia under the community refugee integration and settlement pilot (Crisp) program.
The seed funding will be used by local groups to welcome and support refugee newcomers through the government-backed Crisp in the first half of this year.
“When I first heard about Crisp, I thought this is such a common-sense approach and something I’d like to support,” Greiner said.
I’m looking forward to meeting some of the local groups who put their hands up and see how I can join with them to help newcomer families in practical ways.
Australia’s Crisp is modelled on Canada’s long-running private sponsorship of refugees program, which has run uninterrupted for more than 40 years and resettled more than 325,000 refugees in that country, in addition to refugees resettled by the Canadian government. Australia’s pilot program – which is not additional to the government-sponsored resettlement – has enjoyed bipartisan support, and community support from across Australia.
Since its launch in mid-2022, the Crisp has seen more than 120 local groups in all Australian states and territories support the arrival of more than 530 individual refugees, mostly in family groups.
“It’s been wonderful to see how the Crisp program has engaged everyday Australians who volunteer to help connect newly arrived refugee households with community groups, providing local knowledge and practical support,” the assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs, Julian Hill, said.
These generous donations are invaluable, particularly as the world is witnessing the highest levels of forcible displacement on record.
Lisa Button, chief executive of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia, a national non-profit organisation that delivers the Crisp program, said philanthropic support for the program was welcomed.
This will really assist local groups inclined to be involved in this successful, community-led approach.
Trans and gender diverse children’s care guidelines to be reviewed
Krishani Dhanji
The health minister, Mark Butler, has announced a review of the Australian standards of care and treatment guidelines for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents.
The National Health and Medical Research Council will undertake the review and develop new national guidelines, with interim advice on the use of puberty blockers to be given in the middle of next year.
Butler says the council will develop the guidelines alongside an expert committee that includes lived experience.
States and territories are responsible for providing and administering services for gender diverse and trans young people.
It comes after the health minister of Queensland this week announced a ban on puberty blockers for all new patients of the state’s only gender clinic at the Royal Brisbane hospital.
Queensland flash-flooding warning as intense showers forecast
Dangerous flash flooding and significant rain will hit north-east Queensland from this evening into the weekend, with thunderstorms across the stretch of coast between Cooktown and Mackay becoming more severe this afternoon.
The risk of heavy rainfall will become focused on the stretch of coast extending from Cairns down to Bowen, Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
A severe weather warning in this area flags potential six-hourly rainfall totals of 180mm.
“That’s an incredible amount of rain to fall in such a short space of time,” Bradbury said.
Rates of rain would increase into the weekend, with areas between Innisfail and Ayr potentially seeing intense rainfall “which could lead to life-threatening flash flooding”, Bradbury said.
That’s more than water just moving over roads and footpaths, possibly coming into your home. That is flooding that occurs very quickly and can pose a sudden and significant risk to your life and personal safety.
Riverine flooding would be increasingly likely over the weekend. Minor flood warnings were in place for the Mulgrave, Tully, Murray and Don rivers. Flood watch areas might also upgrade to moderate or major flooding, Bradbury said.
We could see these riverine flooding impacts continue well into next week.
We are also likely to see damage to your property, your personal property, as well as crops and vegetation as that water moves across our coastline.
Groovin the Moo cancelled for second year running
Music festival Groovin the Moo has announced it will not run this year, for the second year in a row, as the industry continues to struggle.
In a post on Instagram, the festival organisers said:
Groovin the Moo won’t be happening in 2025, while we work on finding the most sustainable model for Australia’s most loved regional touring festival.
We will really miss seeing the smiling faces of all our beloved Moo Crew – and that means YOU!
The regional festival was also cancelled in 2024.
The announcement came just days after Splendour in the Grass organisers said their own northern NSW music festival would not be running for the second year in a row.
Victoria fires threaten Indigenous rock art
Fire crews are racing to protect Victoria’s richest concentration of Indigenous rock art as they tackle a series of out-of-control blazes ahead of an expected heatwave.
Bushfires continue to burn out of control at the Grampians national park in Victoria’s west after about 10,000 lightning strikes hit the ground in the state, following hot conditions on Monday.
Firefighters are working to contain the blazes and prevent impacts on the national park that is home to about 200 Indigenous rock art sites, State Control Centre spokeswoman Reegan Key said on Friday.
The park contains “the richest concentration of rock art in Victoria” which was among 500 Indigenous cultural sites in the area, she said.
With three major fires now in the Grampians national park in the last month, we want to recognise the anxiety and impact these fires are having on the community themselves, but also the traditional owners of this country.
Watch and act warnings are in place on Friday for residents of Wartool, Zumsteins, Brimpaen, Mooralla, Woohlpooer, Big Cord, Strachans, Victoria Valley, Glenisla, Hynes, the eastern side of Rocklands and the Little Desert national park.
People along other parts of the park’s western flank have been told to monitor conditions.
A fire continues to burn at the Little Desert national park north-west of the Grampians blaze after claiming one home near the town of Dimboola, a second home further west and an event centre.
– Australian Associated Press
Amanda Meade’s Weekly Beast on all the news in the media sector is up now.
Police alert 5,000 Australians potentially targeted by overseas romance scam
More than 5,000 Australians could be victims of romance scammers allegedly using popular online dating apps to trick victims into a fake online relationship before deceiving them into transferring funds, a joint statement between the AFP, National Anti-Scam Centre, Philippines Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission and National Bureau of Investigation said.
Australian authorities texted the potential victims – who are mostly men over 35 – today, urging them to not send money to people they have met online, and provided steps to take if they have already sent money.
An investigation by Philippines authorities into a scam compound operating in central Manila uncovered more than 300 computer towers, 1,000 mobile phones and thousands of sim cards in November last year. Evidence gathered was shared with international law enforcement partners to help identify potential victims.
The AFP-led joint policing cybercrime collaboration centre identified more than 5,000 Australian-based phone numbers linked to messages found on an end-to-end encryption platform on the devices. The statement continued:
It is alleged the scammers, using popular online dating apps, tricked victims into a fake online romantic relationship, before convincing them to purchase legitimate cryptocurrency. They would request a minimum first investment between AUD $300 – $800 dollars, before encouraging the victim to invest more money.
The suspected scammer would then deceive the victim into transferring funds from the legitimate crypto exchange account into the scammer’s account.
The fraudsters posed as either a Filipino female working in Australia or a local female resident in the Philippines.
More than 250 suspects have been arrested by Philippine law enforcement authorities under the investigation so far.
The AFP commander of cybercrime operations, Graeme Marshall, said:
When it comes to romance scams, our message to the public is simple: protect your heart and your wallet. If it feels too good to be true, it probably is.
