Queensland Labor MP kicked out of parliament for allegedly ‘flipping the bird’
Andrew Messenger
A Labor MP has been kicked out of parliament after government MP accused her of “flipping the bird” to the premier.
During question time premier David Crisafulli accused Nikki Boyd of making an “unparliamentary gesture” towards him .
Boyd didn’t admit to the allegation but agreed to withdraw, effectively an apology.
Several government members claimed to have seen the gesture, with the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, describing it as “disorderly conduct”.
Nikki Boyd. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
The minister for youth justice, Laura Gerber, added to the accusation by specifying that Boyd had given a one-finger salute:
We wouldn’t tolerate gestures like that in our detention centers. Youth in our detention centers are not allowed to flip people the bird, for the member for Pine Rivers to flip the premier of the bird during question time.
Boyd was already on a warning for interjections and so was excluded from parliament for an hour by the speaker, Pat Weir. Weir said he would also review the tape of the parliamentary sitting.
Updated at 22.50 EST
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Andrew Messenger
Child sex abuse survivors ask Queensland attorney general to allow them to sue institutions
Victims of child sex abuse have lobbied the Queensland attorney-general to overturn a high court ruling blocking them from suing institutions for vicarious liability.
The high court last year ruled that the Catholic church was not legally responsible for the actions of a priest.
The opposition leader, Steven Miles, used question time to call for the attorney general, Deb Frecklington, to introduce laws overturning the ruling by the end of the year. Frecklington said:
We know that it is vitally important that we consider this in an appropriate manner because of the implications of the decision that has on both common law and the duty of care.
Equally, it is important that responses to the decision are carefully considered. Any reforms will undoubtedly impact the survivors of child sex abuse. Therefore, the ramifications of future reforms must be thoughtfully developed, not add to further trauma for victims.
The Crisafulli government will continue to consider the decision, consult with our other jurisdictions to ensure we avoid unintended consequences and represent the views of all Queenslanders.
She went on to accuse the opposition of playing politics.
Updated at 22.50 EST
Teen cricketer killed during practice farewelled in Melbourne
Ben Austin, a 17-year-old cricketer who died in Melbourne last month after he was struck in the neck with a ball during practice, was farewelled during a public funeral earlier today.
One of Austin’s friends spoke at the event before a hearse being Ben’s coffin completed a lap around Junction Oval in his honour. His friend said:
Ben was the type of person who would sacrifice anything for you. He would always put your best interests before his, and for that he was the best friend I could ask for.
As I look back on all the great memories, the thing I remember the most is that man’s cheeky smile and him running around as if there’s no worries in life. He would bring a different energy to the game. Even though we were both on opposing teams, he would always wish the best for me.
Jace Austin, the father of Ben Austin, kisses a rose on the coffin during the funeral at Junction Oval in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
At the end of the ceremony, Ben’s father, Jace, asked the crowd to sing the Collingwood song to honour his son’s love of the team.
“You were our entire world, Benny,” his father said, per the Herald Sun. “Thanks for choosing mum and me to come on your tour. But what a tour it was.”
There will be a private service for the family.
ShareQueensland Labor MP kicked out of parliament for allegedly ‘flipping the bird’Andrew Messenger
A Labor MP has been kicked out of parliament after government MP accused her of “flipping the bird” to the premier.
During question time premier David Crisafulli accused Nikki Boyd of making an “unparliamentary gesture” towards him .
Boyd didn’t admit to the allegation but agreed to withdraw, effectively an apology.
Several government members claimed to have seen the gesture, with the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, describing it as “disorderly conduct”.
Nikki Boyd. Photograph: Darren England/AAP
The minister for youth justice, Laura Gerber, added to the accusation by specifying that Boyd had given a one-finger salute:
We wouldn’t tolerate gestures like that in our detention centers. Youth in our detention centers are not allowed to flip people the bird, for the member for Pine Rivers to flip the premier of the bird during question time.
Boyd was already on a warning for interjections and so was excluded from parliament for an hour by the speaker, Pat Weir. Weir said he would also review the tape of the parliamentary sitting.
Updated at 22.50 EST
The Ashes: what you need to know about the 2025-26 series in Australia
Calling all cricket fans!
When will the 2025 Ashes start? What is the rest of the Ashes schedule? What happens if the series is drawn?
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Take a look:
Australia’s Nathan Lyon prepares to bat during a practice session at Optus Stadium in Perth on Wednesday. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty ImagesShareMelissa McIntosh says full list of phones unable to connect to triple-zero network ‘has not been communicated clearly’
Melissa McIntosh, the shadow minister for communication, just spoke in Sydney to inform Australians about a broader list of mobile phones that will be unable to connect to the triple zero network without an update, or at all if they are older models.
Her comments come after a Sydney resident and Lebara customer died after a triple zero call didn’t work on an older Samsung phone connected to the Vodafone network. NSW Ambulance was later contacted via an alternate phone connection after the initial call failed, and responded immediately.
TPG, Optus and Telstra sent out advisories in October that some older devices would have difficulties access the triple zero network, warning they had 28-35 days to update or change devices. Customers should be individually contacted that they have an affected phone.
McIntosh said new lists published by Vodafone show a broader range of devices that are impacted, including some older iPhones and two Huawei handsets.
She said:
Why am I standing here, letting the Australian public know this very important safety alert? It’s because it has not been communicated clearly or articulately to Australians, and it must be. …
The Minister for Communications should certainly be doing more, and this is why I’ve said all along that ACMA, as the regulator, should not be the investigator when it comes to looking into what’s been going on with the 000 network.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has previously warned Australians about older Samsung devices.
Melissa McIntosh. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 22.06 EST
Zali Steggall ‘disappointed’ Australia dropped bid to host Cop31
Zali Steggall, the teal Independent MP for Warringah, said she is “disappointed” that Australia dropped its bid to host the Cop summit next year, which should said would have “highlighted the existential risk climate change poses to Pacific nations”.
Steggall said in a statement:
It would also have shone a spotlight on the federal government’s climate policy, putting pressure on it to do more and be better. Australians, especially younger generations, want the government to show real climate leadership on the global stage after decades of delay and lack of ambition. …
Regardless of whether Australia co-hosts COP31, we must continue to accelerate the transition to a clean and safe future. That includes phasing out coal and gas, stopping the approval of new fossil fuel projects, and investing in climate adaptation to ensure communities can cope with the challenges ahead.
She added that the Liberal party’s “backflip” on net zero targets “sends the wrong message to investors and shows it has no credibility on climate and energy policy”.
Zali Steggall. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 21.10 EST
Anne Davies
What’s happening with the NSW Liberals?
The Liberal side of politics remains in turmoil in NSW at lunchtime with the opposition leader, Mark Speakman, refusing to go gently into the night.
He’s now scheduled media interviews for this afternoon and there are rumours he has asked for a further two weeks before the party room considers the leadership issue.
So far, only one Liberal MP, Wendy Tuckerman, the MP for Goulburn, has openly called for a spill of the top job. But many others, including senior members of Speakman’s own moderate faction, have privately expressed the view he should resign to make way for fellow moderate Kellie Sloane.
As leader, Speakman can determine the timing of a party meeting.
Mark Speakman. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 20.50 EST
Melissa Davey
NSW Health issues new measles alert for Sydney, says it’s likely disease is ‘currently circulating’
A person in Sydney has been diagnosed with measles despite having no known contact with someone infected, and not attending any known exposure locations.
It has prompted NSW Health to urge people across Sydney to be alert for signs and symptoms.
With the source of the infection unknown, it is likely measles is currently circulating within the community, and other people may have been unknowingly exposed, a statement from NSW Health said.
Last week NSW Health advised that a person with measles attended a number of locations across Sydney which were reported on the NSW Health website, and urged people to watch for symptoms such as fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed a few days later by a red, blotchy rash that can affect the whole body.
South Western Sydney Local Health District director of public health, Dr Mitchell Smith, said everyone should check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious and vaccine-preventable.
For more information on measles view the measles factsheet.
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Josh Taylor
Telegram drops eSafety legal challenge
Messaging app Telegram has dropped a federal court challenge to a notice eSafety issued last year that resulted in the company being issued with a fine notice of nearly $1m in February.
The regulator had sought Telegram to explain what steps it had taken to address terrorist and child exploitation material on the platform, but Telegram did not respond until nearly 160 days after the deadline, leading to eSafety issuing the filing.
Telegram challenged the reporting notice in the federal court in April, arguing it was not a “provider” of the Telegram messenger app and not required to respond to the reporting notice.
eSafety welcomed the decision by Telegram to discontinue the case, and said it was “considering its options” to enforce compliance with the reporting notice.
Updated at 20.29 EST
Krishani Dhanji
Buckle up, it’s likely going to be an extra-long parliamentary sitting week next week
Next week is the last sitting week of parliament for the year, and we’ve heard that Labor MPs have been told to book their flights for Friday, rather than the usual Thursday, because MPs could end up sitting late on Thursday night AND again on Friday morning.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation legislation (EPBC) will be the big one up for debate in the Senate. The government is adamant it has to go through parliament before the end of the year.
There are still two possible pathways, one with the Greens and one with the Coalition, and negotiations are ongoing, but there will likely be a lot of amendments that go through the Senate, which means it will have to come back to the House again (hence the expectation that there will be an extra sitting on Friday morning for that final passage).
In the last sitting week of the last term of parliament, before the government called an election, the House was also called to sit on Friday morning.
Updated at 20.16 EST
Papua New Guinea ‘not happy’ as Australia cedes Cop31 hosting to Turkey
Papua New Guinea has voiced frustration after Australia ditched a bid to co-host next year’s UN climate talks with its Pacific island neighbours, AFP has reported.
The country’s foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, told AFP after Australia ceded hosting rights to Turkey:
We are all not happy. And [we are] disappointed it’s ended up like this.
Australia had been pushing to host Cop31 next year alongside South Pacific nations, which are increasingly threatened by rising seas and climate-fuelled disasters. Tkatchenko on Thursday lashed the entire Cop summit process as a waste of time:
It’s just a talkfest and doesn’t hold the big polluters accountable
What has Cop achieved over the years? Nothing.
Updated at 20.06 EST
SA premier complains of ‘frankly obscene’ process that ended in Cop31 going to Turkey instead of Adelaide
South Australia is where Peter Malinauskas has been speaking about Australia not hosting Cop. He said he fought for it to be held in Adelaide, and after “a couple of years of effort”, SA won the right to host Cop if it was held in the country.
I understand the position the prime minister has taken. He has taken a position to try and navigate the frankly obscene process that exists internationally.
Of course, we did our best and South Australia, we won the host rights to be the host city in the event we won the rights internationally. They fell short and we accept that and we press on to pursue other opportunities for the state.
South Australia premier, Peter Malinauskas. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 20.06 EST
Greens say failure to secure Cop in Adelaide a missed opportunity for Australia
The Greens are using the news over the Cop negotiations to lambaste the government’s support for coal and gas companies and lament the lost opportunity for the country.
Larissa Waters, the leader of the Greens, said in a statement this morning:
This is an embarrassing outcome, but it was clear from the start that the government didn’t really want to host a climate summit. The Prime Minister never really wanted to host a climate conference if it meant being honest about the future of coal and gas while his mining corporation mates are watching.
If COP came to Australia, it would have been a good opportunity for the world’s leaders to grill Labor for their terrible track record on climate action.
Greens leader Larissa Waters and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens’ environment spokesperson, said:
As the first person to call for the COP to be in Adelaide I am deeply disappointed the Government has failed to secure the COP. This is a huge missed opportunity for the country and my home state. We are living the harsh reality of the climate crisis with the toxic algal bloom on our doorstep, yet we are leaders in the renewables transition.
This is a climate failure for the Albanese government. The Government has let South Australians down, let Australia down and let our Pacific neighbours down.
ShareAlbanese says result of Cop negotiations an ‘outstanding outcome’, despite event being held in Turkey next year
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is explaining the thoughts behind Australia’s decision to abandon its bid to host the next Cop summit and providing more details about the country’s role.
Albanese said Turkey will host the Cop and have the Cop presidency, but Australia would have the Cop presidency for negotiations in the lead-up to the conference and there will also be a pre-Cop meeting held in the Pacific.
He said:
That will enable us to invite world leaders to make sure that the issues confronting this region, the very existence of island states such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, the issue of our oceans – all of those issues will be front and centre so it’s an outstanding outcome. I congratulate minister Bowen on the work that he has done.
The prime minister added that he is “very pleased” with the outcome despite maintaining for weeks that Australia would continue to fight for the right to host the event in Adelaide next year.
Australia, by having the Cop presidency for negotiations, will be in a very strong position, and some might argue in the strongest-possible position because we will benefit from having Pacific issues and the issues confronting Australia that we know Australia’s particularly vulnerable for the extreme weather events which we are seeing more intense and more frequent.
Updated at 19.17 EST
Luca Ittimani
Australian sharemarket rises after Nvidia impresses with results
The Australia sharemarket is bouncing back after greater confidence in the US tech sector dispelled fears of an AI crash in the short term.
The ASX200 and the All Ordinaries, respectively the top 200 and 500 biggest companies on the market, have both picked up nearly 1% in early trading.
Jitters across global markets had dragged down US and Australian markets in the last month, with the ASX200 losing $200bn in value and hitting its lowest level since early June by Wednesday afternoon, at 8,447. It’s now back at 8,530 points.
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
The biggest company on the market, Commonwealth Bank, has picked up just over 1%, or about $1.8bn, now valued at $255bn. It had been worth nearly $300bn earlier this month.
Six in every seven businesses are seeing rising or steady share prices, though the tech sector is seeing the biggest increases, up 3.3%, with IT up nearly 5%.
Nvidia, the US tech stock that has led the AI charge, delivered stronger earnings and forecasts than expected this morning, Australian time. The company’s market value had slipped from $5tn to less than $4.4tn in the last month. In the last 12 hours, it has surged more than halfway back, to more than $4.7tn in after-market trading.
Updated at 19.05 EST