Joyce says he disagrees with Hanson’s inflammatory comments against Muslim Australians
Tom McIlroy
Barnaby Joyce says he disagrees with his leader, Pauline Hanson, over inflammatory comments about Muslims, but says parties criticising her haven’t learned the lesson of One Nation’s rise.
Hanson was censured in the Senate earlier this month for suggesting there are no “good” Muslims.
During an interview about the return of Australian women and children linked to Islamic State militants, she told Sky News: “You say, ‘Well, there’s good Muslims out there.’ How can you tell me there are good Muslims?”
On ABC TV on Sunday, Joyce, who quit the Nationals to join Hanson’s party last year, said there were good Muslims.
“I don’t want to give pastoral care, but I think attacking Pauline today does not work like people thought it might have worked 15 years ago,” he said.
double quotation mark[People] see Pauline as having the courage to stand behind her convictions on certain issues.”
“On Muslims?” host David Speers pushed back.
“Nuancing what she said might have been better,” Joyce acknowledged.
double quotation markI’ll make it very clear, I do know people of the Islamic faith who are good people, without a shadow of a doubt.
He went on to cite verses of the Qur’an and argued complete and literal belief with some religious texts were incompatible with living in modern Australia.
double quotation markThere are people of Islamic faith who are good. And she was referring to … trying to, how do you determine people who come from an area there where there’s jihad, whether they’re a good or bad? I don’t know. Maybe you can do it by talking to them. I can’t.
Updated at 20.34 EDT
Key events
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Greens urge Chalmers to overrule RBA on interest rates
The Greens have called on the RBA to hold interest rates steady this Tuesday, urging treasurer Jim Chalmers to intervene is another hike is delivered.
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said current inflation is being driven by an “illegal war that Labor is supporting”.
“If the RBA decides to lift rates on Tuesday, the Treasurer must overrule the decision,” she said.
Greens senator Nick McKim said Chalmers can use Section 11 powers of the Reserve Bank Act to overrule the central bank if it chooses to hike rates.
McKim said:
double quotation markHigher mortgages and higher rents will only punish people who had nothing to do with causing this inflation and have no power to fix it …
If the government is serious about easing pressure on households, it should stop supporting this war instead of forcing Australians to pay the price for it.
Updated at 22.07 EDT
Queensland premier defends rejecting recommendation to name state’s new theatre after Indigenous poet
Andrew Messenger
The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, has defended his government’s decision to ignore recommendations that the state’s new theatre be named after Oodgeroo Noonuccal.
Instead it was called the Glasshouse theatre. Crisafulli said the name would “make a remarkable ability to market it”.
“The name is fitting of what that facility is. It’s clearly able to be marketed across the globe,” he said.
double quotation markIn years to come, when people say the Glasshouse theatre, they will know where it is, what it looks like and its key attributes. There couldn’t be a more appropriate name, which is why Queenslanders backed it.
Guardian Australia exclusively revealed that the arts minister, John-Paul Langbroek, signed off on the change months before holding a vote on the name. The vote didn’t include Oodgeroo’s name as an option.
But the premier said they’re considering naming something else after the Indigenous poet from Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island.
“Regarding honouring that individual, we should find ways to do that; she’s significant and we should,” Crisafulli said.
The Queensland arts minister, John-Paul Langbroek. Photograph: Darren England/AAPShare
Updated at 22.06 EDT
You can follow the Guardian’s live blog covering the Middle East crisis here:
How is the disruption in Iran’s strait of Hormuz affecting Australia?
The Middle East conflict is causing huge disruptions to energy supplies, with knock-on effects reaching far beyond petrol prices.
Guardian Australia’s Catie McLeod and Jonathan Barrett have explained five ways the “largest supply disruption in history” in global oil markets is affecting Australia.
From the cost of crucial imported goods to the purchasing decisions made by consumers, read the explainer here:
A foreign tanker carrying Iraqi fuel oil damaged after catching fire in Iraq’s territorial waters. Photograph: Mohammed Aty/ReutersShare
Updated at 21.07 EDT
Petra Stock
Deadly South Australian algal bloom is still spreading one year on
The largest and most destructive algal bloom in Australia’s history is persisting along parts of the South Australian coastline, a year on from when it was first detected.
From a distance, it can be hard to grasp just how unusual and devastating the crisis has been.
Most harmful blooms only last a few weeks. This one has been unrelenting.
Since March last year, it has affected 20,000 sq km of coast – an area twice the size of greater Sydney – and ranks among the worst for marine mass mortality globally, killing millions of sea creatures from tiny shellfish to top predators like white sharks.
Read more here:
Updated at 20.50 EDT
Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary have ended the first leg of their Australian visit with a sunrise trek to a famous Uluṟu watering hole, AAP reports.
The royal couple woke before dawn on Sunday to walk to the Muṯitjulu waterhole in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa national park with traditional owners.
The culturally significant site is one of the few permanent water sources around the sandstone monolith and a regular attraction for visiting dignitaries.
Denmark’s King Frederik X and Queen Mary during a sunrise visit to the Muṯitjulu waterhole in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa national park on Sunday. Photograph: David Gray/AAP
Read more about the royal visit here:
Updated at 20.40 EDT
Listen: Paul Daley on Australia’s appeasement of Trump and his war on Iran
As Australia risks becoming entangled in Trump and Netanyahu’s war on Iran, Guardian Australia columnist Paul Daley questions whether appeasing the White House at all costs indulges a US-Australia relationship that no longer exists.
Listen to the latest episode of Full Story’s Sunday read series for more:
Updated at 20.13 EDT
‘Not a building’ in Daly River not under water, NT chief minister says
Authorities say little can be done to salvage flooded homes along the Top End’s swollen Daly River, AAP reports.
Everyone in the affected area, including the community of Daly River, has been safely evacuated north to Darwin but their homes are inundated.
The Northern Territory chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, told reporters on Saturday:
double quotation markThere is not a building in Daly River that is not under water, many of which are under water to the roof.
We have to let that river go down before we can take any further steps.
Guardian Australia highlighted the scale of northern Australia’s record-breaking floods revealed in data and maps. Read more here:
NT chief minister Lia Finocchiaro (centre) speaks to media. Photograph: Lloyd Jones/AAPShare
Updated at 19.57 EDT
F1 cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix
Formula One has cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix because of the war in the Middle East.
The races were due to take place on 12 April in Bahrain and 19 April in Saudi Arabia but the sport was approaching the point at which a decision on cancellation needed to be made to prevent more freight being sent to Bahrain.
In a statement the sport’s governing body, the FIA, and F1 conceded they had been left with no choice but to cancel the races for the safety of everyone involved.
Read more here:
Danish royals Frederik and Mary begin Australia tour in red centre
Danish royals King Frederik and Queen Mary have kicked off their first trip to Australia since taking the throne, AAP reports.
The six-day state tour, which includes visits to Canberra, Melbourne and Hobart, aims to deepen trade ties between Queen Mary’s adopted and home countries.
The royal couple exchanged handshakes with Anangu traditional owners at Uluru Kata Tjuṯa Cultural Centre after touching down late on Saturday.
Denmark’s King Frederik X (2/R) and Queen Mary (R) are greeted by Aboriginal elders at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Cultural Centre at Uluru. Photograph: David Gray/AAP
The normally arid desert region was a sea of green after weeks of heavy rain soaked the outback tourist site, sending waterfalls cascading down the famous rock.
Read more here: