Man charged over alleged transnational drug scheme that allegedly brought on cocaine bricks to clean ashore
The Australian Federal Police are talking to the media in regards to the cocaine packages that washed up alongside the nation’s east coast since late final yr.
The AFP have charged a person over an alleged transnational drug trafficking operation, and he’ll face courtroom with seven commonwealth offences and quite a few state-based offences this afternoon.
Det Supt Adrian Telfer informed the media the AFP will allege that in November, the person coordinated the importation of 900kg of cocaine into waters off Brisbane. The AFP will allege the gathering at sea was unsuccessful.
The AFP consider that is what has been washing ashore the jap coast.
Now we have been engaged with New South Wales police since early December, regarding these medication washing ashore.
The AFP will allege the person has tried to import medication into Australia on 20 separate events since November final yr, totalling greater than 20 tonnes of medicine.
Key occasions
Animal welfare organisations need finish date for all times sheep export legislated
Australia’s main animal welfare organisations have known as on the federal government to fulfil its election promise and legislate an finish date for the reside sheep export commerce.
In an open letter to the PM, the organisations famous that Labor promised to section out reside sheep exports in Could 2018, reiterated in 2022, however that is but to occur.
On every event, these guarantees had been applauded by the neighborhood. Australian’s know there’s a greater manner. They know that processing sheep right here on Australian shores higher protects animal welfare and value-adds to native economies on the identical time.
There was additionally a deep sense of aid that lastly a authorities would act, and we might now not need to witness the litany of disasters and horrifying incidents of cruelty which were synonymous with this commerce.
The teams are calling for the section out of the commerce to start and be enshrined inside laws this time period of presidency.
Signatories embody the RSPCA, Humane Society Worldwide, World Animal Safety, Vets Towards Dwell Export and the Australian Alliance for Animals.
Taking questions, Det Supt Adrian Telfer from the AFP mentioned they count on additional arrests to return as investigations proceed.
Clearly it is a very refined syndicate working out of Queensland and the investigation doesn’t cease right now. So we can be pursuing everybody concerned on this investigation.
Telfer mentioned the person, who was arrested yesterday, was being investigated by the AFP for over 12 months. He mentioned the alleged offender tried to run from police when being arrested, however was apprehended.
Telfer added that at this stage, 256kg of cocaine had been recovered throughout NSW which suggests “there’s extra on the market”.
We consider the medication had been coming from all throughout the globe [on a cargo ship]… It’s a reminder like NSW [police] has mentioned publicly, [you would be] going through very severe offences when you take possession of these medication.
Telfer mentioned “very hostile climate circumstances” had been the possible trigger as to why the packages weren’t off-loaded as deliberate by the person, and ended up within the ocean.
He mentioned the covert investigation has concerned “all businesses on this nation nearly”.
Man charged over alleged transnational drug scheme that allegedly brought on cocaine bricks to clean ashore
The Australian Federal Police are talking to the media in regards to the cocaine packages that washed up alongside the nation’s east coast since late final yr.
The AFP have charged a person over an alleged transnational drug trafficking operation, and he’ll face courtroom with seven commonwealth offences and quite a few state-based offences this afternoon.
Det Supt Adrian Telfer informed the media the AFP will allege that in November, the person coordinated the importation of 900kg of cocaine into waters off Brisbane. The AFP will allege the gathering at sea was unsuccessful.
The AFP consider that is what has been washing ashore the jap coast.
Now we have been engaged with New South Wales police since early December, regarding these medication washing ashore.
The AFP will allege the person has tried to import medication into Australia on 20 separate events since November final yr, totalling greater than 20 tonnes of medicine.
Storms forecast about northern NSW right now, Bureau says
Extreme storms are doable for northeast NSW right now, together with the Hunter area.
The Bureau of Meteorology says extreme storms are possible within the far northeast and adjoining ranges, bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and enormous hailstones.
Queensland emissions discount targets ‘watershed second’ for bipartisanship on local weather change: WFF-Australia
The World Extensive Fund for Nature-Australia has welcomed new emissions discount targets handed by the Queensland authorities and labelled it is a “landmark second”.
CEO Dermot O’Gorman mentioned:
It’s a important step ahead, legislating smart emissions discount targets, backed by a transparent and credible plan to fulfill them.
This formidable emissions discount goal and renewables plan is globally important. Below Premier Steven Miles’ management, Queensland – traditionally a fossil gasoline state – is seizing the chance to turn into a renewable power superpower with these two payments.
O’Gorman additionally congratulated opposition chief David Crisafulli and his get together for his or her bipartisan assist for the local weather goal:
After the local weather wars, assist from either side of politics for a powerful goal is a watershed second.
Caitlin Cassidy
Greens lambast authorities for delaying reform to ballooning pupil debt
Greens chief Adam Bandt has lambasted the federal authorities for delaying reforms to ballooning pupil debt, in a bid for Labor to halt indexation on loans completely.
The prime minister hinted this morning that modifications to make pupil loans “less complicated and fairer” could be made imminently, following information revealing money owed would rise by greater than 4% when subsequent listed on 1 June.
The Universities Accord remaining report, made public earlier this yr, really useful the commonwealth guarantee loans didn’t outpace wage progress by setting the indexation charge to no matter was decrease out of shopper value index and the wage value index.
However Bandt informed reporters that wasn’t sufficient.
The Greens are calling on Labor to cease pupil money owed going up by pausing indexation of pupil debt as a part of a transfer to wipe out pupil debt completely, so that folks have gotten an opportunity to get forward.
So many individuals are doing the fitting factor. They’ve gone to school. They’ve finished what’s been requested of them, and but nonetheless, their debt is rising sooner than they’re capable of pay it off.
Peter Hannam
RBA’s view on ‘full employment’ suggests issues are nonetheless fairly tight
Response to right now’s jobs figures (as reported right here) has been a bit “meh”. Given lots of the opposite indicators of a weak economic system, a rise of virtually 28,000 full-time jobs isn’t a foul final result.
In reality, some commentators resembling KPMG economist, Michael Malakellis, reckon the quantity gained’t “ease the RBA’s ongoing issues about extra demand within the economic system and labour market”.
The unemployment charge stays low, and the labour market is displaying resilience.
The RBA, because it occurs, launched its month-to-month bulletin on the identical time the roles figures dropped, together with a bit on what “full employment” appears to be like like:
The central financial institution has two predominant objectives: getting inflation all the way down to its 2%-3% goal vary, and reaching full employment. By lots of the RBA’s measures, the labour market stays on the “tight” finish of the spectrum – no less than by current historical past.
That’s one motive why even a reasonably regular labour market outcome – like right now’s – imply a lower in official rates of interest appears to be like like be a way off.
Queensland parliament passes groundbreaking 75% carbon goal
Andrew Messenger
Queensland parliament has simply handed a groundbreaking 75% carbon emission discount goal into legislation.
A packed gallery together with dozens of tradies, inexperienced teams and clear power builders watched on as 84 MPs voted for the laws, with simply three folks voting no, together with two Katter Australian Get together MPs and a single One Nation MP.
All the Liberal Nationwide Get together backed the carbon goal, however not a second invoice on renewable power.
The Greens tried to amend a second invoice debated on the identical time to require renewable power tasks be state-owned, nevertheless it failed.
The emissions discount invoice creates a legislated goal of 30% discount under 2005 ranges by 2030, 75% under 2005 ranges by 2035 and web zero emissions by 2050.
Progress can be overseen by an knowledgeable panel and require annual reporting to the parliament.
Man granted bail after being charged for allegedly collaborating in Wakeley riot
Mostafa Rachwani
The primary individual arrested and charged for allegedly collaborating within the Wakeley riot has been granted bail on strict circumstances.
Nineteen-year-old Dani Mansour was charged with riot, affray and destroying or damaging property as a part of the mob that attacked police within the aftermath of the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanual, on the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd Church.
At Blacktown courtroom right now, Mansour was informed by Justice of the Peace Aaron Tang that he was charged with “severe offences” however that he was glad issues for neighborhood security and any likelihood of reoffending had been mitigated by the restrictions.
Tang additionally talked about the danger to ongoing investigation into the rioters posed by Mansour’s launch, particularly that he may contact different alleged rioters and undermine any investigation.
Tang talked about that police had based mostly their investigation into Mansour on movies posted to his Instagram web page, allegedly displaying him collaborating int the riot and damaging police automobiles.
Mansour allegedly broken two police vehicles as a part of the riot, which Tang described as desirous to enact “vigilante justice” on the alleged attacker being held within the church.
There isn’t any place for vigilante justice in our society. While the courtroom acknowledges the traumatic influence of the stabbing of the bishop on the church neighborhood, these concerned within the riot acted reprehensibly.
The actions of the alleged rioters had been at odds with serving to the bishop and of the tenets of Christian religion.
As a part of his bail circumstances, Mansour is not going to be allowed to entry social media in any respect, he should current his cellphone to police as soon as every week, he can’t contact anybody concerned within the riot, can solely journey to and from work, can’t enter Wakeley, can’t attend the church, and he should report back to police each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Mansour’s listening to can be held on 2 Could.
Peter Dutton says Australia will ‘unite at interval of nationwide grief to emerge stronger’
Earlier this morning, opposition chief Peter Dutton shared some pictures from Bondi Junction Westfield, the place he attended to pay his respects to the victims of the mass stabbing.
Posting to X, Dutton mentioned:
To the many individuals affected by this horrible act, please know Australians of their thousands and thousands have you ever of their ideas and prayers. We’re grateful for the heroic acts of full strangers who risked their very own lives to guard and look after others.
Thanks to the police, ambulance and different emergency service employees. The bravery of a single policewoman saved the lives of many extra. We reside within the biggest nation on this planet and we unite at a interval of nationwide grief to emerge stronger.
Assist company requires improve in humanitarian funding as defence allocation grows
Save the Youngsters Australia says it’s “unconscionable” for the federal government to take a position vasts sum of money into defence whereas not growing its humanitarian spend.
In an announcement, the help and growth company famous the federal government’s $50bn defence spend for the subsequent decade and mentioned compared, Australia offered $4.77bn in international support throughout 2023-24.
This resulted in “Australia rating a lowly 26 out of 31 amongst likeminded, rich international locations” when it comes to international support spend, the company mentioned.
The CEO, Mat Tinkler, mentioned spending huge quantities of taxpayer funds on defence, whereas not growing funding in “peace and prosperity”, is “unconscionable”.
The Nationwide Defence Technique has core goals to contribute to the ‘collective safety of the Indo-Pacific’ and ‘preserve a worldwide rules-based order’. This may’t be achieved by means of defence and deterrence alone Australia can and should put money into the steadiness and prosperity of our area on the identical time, and that requires a commensurate funding in support and growth.
Spending extra money on weapons, submarines and army bases, with out additionally investing extra in our humanitarian effort, is tone deaf after we are seeing the horrible impacts that weapons are having on Palestinian, Ukrainian and Sudanese youngsters.
Save the Youngsters is looking on the federal government to extend its humanitarian funding allocation within the upcoming federal finances to $1.08bn.
Caitlin Cassidy
Unbiased Tasmanian senator backs calls to alleviate stress on pupil debt
Unbiased senator for Tasmania Tammy Tyrrell has backed calls to alleviate the stress of ballooning pupil debt.
Following stories right now that pupil loans are set to extend by greater than 4% when subsequent listed in June, Tyrrell says it “doesn’t make sense” debt can improve earlier than taking into consideration cash paid all year long.
She’s urging the federal authorities to prioritise altering the timing of indexation so Hecs/Assist loans are recalculated after yearly repayments are taken off, in favour of reforming the speed of indexation itself.
It doesn’t make sense to me that somebody’s debt is listed earlier than taking into consideration the hundreds of {dollars} they’ve paid all year long. Think about if banks did that with your house mortgage – took your cash, charged you curiosity however the repayments don’t come off the excellent stability.
It doesn’t matter what the indexation charge is, it’s not a good system once you’re indexing badly. We have to change the timing, not the speed.
Andrew Messenger
Extra of the findings from Queensland’s youth crime inquiry
The federal government ought to start reporting on when they’re used inside three months, the report finds.
It also needs to publicly report on the variety of youngsters and younger folks detained in watch homes, and the way lengthy they’ve been detained, on a weekly or real-time foundation and develop a statewide Code of Follow for the administration of younger folks in watch-houses.
It in any other case it steers away from any political hot-button points and makes dozens of worthy suggestions about numerous points, from suggesting the state rent extra magistrates and broaden the state’s Murri Court docket system to that it overview police staffing ranges.
It additionally recommends the state “urgently enhance the transparency of Youngsters’s Court docket of Queensland proceedings by permitting victims of crime, their households and media entry to courts”. Courts are sometimes closed by judges below the present customary that public entry be within the pursuits of the kid.
Inquiry has ‘important issues’ about use of police watch homes in Queensland
Andrew Messenger
Queensland’s youth crime inquiry had “important issues” about the usage of police watchhouses to carry youngsters, significantly disabled and mentally unwell youngsters accused of crimes. The report reads:
Whereas that is typically vital to guard the neighborhood, it creates dangers for the youngsters, younger folks and employees concerned and has unfavorable penalties to a toddler of younger individual’s well being and wellbeing. The committee believes that whereas this observe is going on it’s crucial that ample monitoring and oversight is offered.
The committee recommends the state authorities “instantly” examine options to the watch home of detention centre for youngsters with a big psychological well being situation.
It additionally recommends higher staffing at youth detention centres, to “remove the necessity to use ‘separations’ or ‘night time mode’ because of employees shortfalls” and set “clear and enforceable limits” on the usage of them.
Andrew Messenger
Remaining youth justice report tabled by Queensland parliament
Queensland’s youth justice inquiry has decided that proof for eradicating the precept that detention of youngsters must be a final resort was unclear and different measures are possible simpler.
The committee’s remaining report was tabled in parliament this morning, after the federal government quashed the parliamentary inquiry as a result of it was unable to return to a bipartisan consensus.
It’s a draft model, with the three LNP members not signing up. It’s understood they needed the inquiry to suggest the measure.
As a substitute the committee recommends the federal government “overview” the part “to find out whether or not the central precept of neighborhood security is being overshadowed by the precept of ‘detention as a final resort’ because it pertains to sentencing.”
This overview ought to search enter from the division of justice and attorney-general, the division of youth justice, and knowledgeable authorized stakeholders.
The report makes 59 different suggestions, which we’re studying by means of now.
Unbiased chair Sandy Bolton wrote an preliminary draft report after six months of hearings and dozens of submissions. Usually members of a parliamentary committee would recommend amendments or if consensus can’t be reached, write their very own dissenting report.
Detention as a final resort is a precept within the United Nations conference on the rights of the kid, which Australia has signed and ratified. The opposition has vowed to remove the rule from the state’s youth justice act if elected in October.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian setting minister performs down asbestos taskforce
Victoria’s setting minister, Steve Dimopoulos, has performed down a choice by the Surroundings Safety Authority to arrange an “company command group” within the days earlier than the primary discovery of asbestos in a Melbourne park.
Yesterday night, the EPA confirmed asbestos fragments had been present in no less than 11 parks throughout 4 council areas for the reason that begin of April. It mentioned it had arrange an company command group to answer what it known as “important incidents” on 27 March, days earlier than the primary stories of asbestos contamination.
Talking at a press convention this morning, Dimopoulos mentioned this was in response to occasions in NSW:
On the again of NSW, the EPA immediately … investigated 59 mulch suppliers proper by means of to Victoria and located them to be of a rare excessive customary. I feel there are about six that wanted a bit of little bit of enchancment however no contamination discovered, nothing. It was completely the fitting factor to do and was discovered to be what it must be, which is a excessive degree of sanitation and sorting and provide.
Now, past that, they wrote to each single land supervisor … asking them to appropriately exit and search explicit websites [and] their provide chains. But when you consider the idea of going to each one of many 59 mulch suppliers, then going to the land managers and saying to them, ‘please exit and seek for and just remember to threat mitigate’. They’ve each useful resource they want they usually’ve been on the entrance foot from day one.
Dimopoulos mentioned the EPA has the sources they should deal with the investigation:
Whether or not you name it a taskforce, we name it regular working process … I’ve spoken to the EPA CEO a number of occasions and he has not as soon as mentioned he wants something extra to do the nice work the EPA do.