Pro-Palestinian protest organisers ‘determined’ to go ahead with Sydney Harbour Bridge march despite Minns’ rejection
Jordyn Beazley
Organisers of a pro-Palestine protest who have planned a march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge are vowing to go ahead despite the NSW premier rejecting the protest.
In a statement to social media, spokesperson for the Sydney-based Palestine Action Group, Josh Lees, said: “[The premier] made clear on the radio this morning that he’s not opposing it because of the timing of the protest. He is opposed to it happening at any time.”
We are determined to go ahead this Sunday.
If the police and the premier want to stop us from protesting, they have to take us to the supreme court, and we’re prepared to fight them in court if necessary. Obviously, we wish it won’t come to that. We would rather have the authorities in agreement that we should all be standing together against the genocide.
Earlier this morning the premier, Chris Minns, said on ABC Sydney that he wouldn’t close it “for any circumstances”.
I’m asking the organisers to work with NSW police on an alternative route, and to shut it down in these circumstances would be beyond the resources of the NSW government.
I do acknowledge that there’s widespread community concern about the humanitarian aid and war situation in Gaza, particularly in relation to Palestinians, shared by many Australians.
Updated at 23.30 EDT
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Patrick Commins
Number of Australians switching jobs drops to approach all-time low
The share of Australians switching jobs has dropped for a second year to near the all-time low recorded at the height of the pandemic.
New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that 1.1 million workers, or 7.7%, changed their employer or business in the 12 months to February.
Despite a booming labour market, job mobility was down from 8% in the previous year, and 9.6% in the year to February 2023.
Economists believe that falling rates of job switching have contributed to the sharp decline in labour productivity over recent decades, with mobility steadily declining after averaging around 15-16% in the 1970s and 80s.
Job mobility fell to an historical low of 7.5% in the 12 months to February 2021 – a period disrupted by lockdowns and other health restrictions.
An increasing unwillingness to change jobs also comes at the expense of more pay, according to analysts at the e61 Institute, who calculated that workers who switch employers typically enjoy a 9 percentage point pay advantage over those who don’t.
Almost two-thirds of the more than 1 million job switchers in the latest data stayed within their industry, the ABS said.
The report shows we become less likely to change employers as we age, with 11.5% of workers aged 15 to 24 changing jobs, compared with less than 5% of those aged 45 to 64.
Updated at 23.46 EDT
Albanese meets Tuvalu PM
The prime minister of Tuvalu is in Canberra today, to officially open the Tuvalu high commission in Australia.
Feleti Penitala Teo met with Anthony Albanese, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, climate change minister, Chris Bowen, and minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy.
The two nations recently announced a new “climate visa” for Tuvalu citizens to migrate to Australia under a lottery system. It would allow 280 Tuvaluans to move to Australia each year, but more than 8700 have already applied for the visa.
Anthony Albanese meets with Tuvalu’s prime minister, Feleti Teo, at Parliament House. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 23.32 EDT
Childcare legislation passes lower house
A little earlier, the house passed the government’s childcare bill, meaning it will now go to the Senate.
The government has said it wants the bill passed through parliament this week, which means they’ll have until Thursday to debate and pass the bill through the upper house.
The opposition and Greens have said they’ll support the bill, so it should go through smoothly.
Updated at 23.22 EDT
Greens call for Australia to impose same sanctions on Israel as it does on Russia
Tom McIlroy
The Greens have called for Australia to dramatically toughen sanctions on Israel, demanding Labor match the measures applied against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The plan for so-called autonomous sanctions would target members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and other key decision-makers, limiting their travel and use of financial assets.
The Greens’ foreign affairs spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said Australia has sanctioned about 1,400 people in Russia over the war in Ukraine, but only a small number related to the war in Gaza.
In June, Australia joined countries including the UK and New Zealand to sanction far-right Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The Greens will also seek sanctions to stop the export of goods and materials from Australia to Israel, including arms. The party is critical of the Albanese government for not blocking exports of key parts for fighter jets, manufactured in Australia and assembled in Israel. Shoebridge said:
If applied to Israel, it would mean no more F35 parts, no more drone shields, no more aluminium and steel that we know feeds the armaments industry and allows the Israel Defense Forces to engage in those repeated breaches of international law in the horror show in Gaza.
Updated at 23.18 EDT
Pro-Palestinian protest organisers ‘determined’ to go ahead with Sydney Harbour Bridge march despite Minns’ rejectionJordyn Beazley
Organisers of a pro-Palestine protest who have planned a march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge are vowing to go ahead despite the NSW premier rejecting the protest.
In a statement to social media, spokesperson for the Sydney-based Palestine Action Group, Josh Lees, said: “[The premier] made clear on the radio this morning that he’s not opposing it because of the timing of the protest. He is opposed to it happening at any time.”
We are determined to go ahead this Sunday.
If the police and the premier want to stop us from protesting, they have to take us to the supreme court, and we’re prepared to fight them in court if necessary. Obviously, we wish it won’t come to that. We would rather have the authorities in agreement that we should all be standing together against the genocide.
Earlier this morning the premier, Chris Minns, said on ABC Sydney that he wouldn’t close it “for any circumstances”.
I’m asking the organisers to work with NSW police on an alternative route, and to shut it down in these circumstances would be beyond the resources of the NSW government.
I do acknowledge that there’s widespread community concern about the humanitarian aid and war situation in Gaza, particularly in relation to Palestinians, shared by many Australians.
Updated at 23.30 EDT
Commonwealth to fund high school anti-vaping program
Natasha May
The federal government will fund a vaping education course in high schools across the country after new research demonstrates the program’s effectiveness.
About 5,100 year seven and eight students across 40 schools were involved in the trial of OurFutures vaping prevention education program designed by the Matilda Centre at the University of Sydney.
Half of the students received their usual health education and the other half received the four-lesson web-based skills and education program.
The results, published today in the Lancet show students who participated in the program were 65% less likely to have used vapes after 12 months compared to those who did not do the course and 80% said the information they learned will help them handle vaping situations in future.
The program had already been designed by researchers to be used for education around alcohol and the government funded the trial to adapt the model to vaping behaviours.
The health minister, Mark Butler, told the media at parliament that the program would be rolled out in every high school, and schools could register their interest to participate in the program immediately.
This highly prestigious evidence-based program that’s proven to work at the 40 schools where it was trialled will now be funded by the federal government to roll out in every single high school.
Mark Butler at a press conference last year announcing a ban on the commercial sale of vapes. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 23.11 EDT
Sarah Basford Canales
Jumping back to the Coalition press conference, Sussan Ley is asked a final question on whether she believes the US president, Donald Trump, is wrong to float applying 15% to 20% tariffs on Australia, as reported overnight.
Ley said she doesn’t comment on the domestic or international policy of other nations but suggested Anthony Albanese needed to have a face-to-face conversation with Trump.
In response to that, it’s very clear that the impact we can have is the conversation that allows the real reassurance that I know Australians want, about tariffs, about Aukus, about the strength of the relationship between our most important ally, and without a personal relationship, without a personal conversation, that’s not happened.
Updated at 22.59 EDT
Hecs debt relief bill being debated in lower house
The house is debating the government’s Hecs debt bill, to cut existing debts by 20%.
The opposition has just said they’ll pass the legislation – which was a key Labor election promise.
Anthony Albanese spoke on the bill a little earlier.
Education is the most powerful weapon we have against disadvantage, it is the best investment that we can make in a stronger, more productive and more skilled economy. Education is fundamental to the Labor mission, it opens the doors of opportunity and widens them.
The house will also debate the childcare legislation today, which the government has said it wants to pass through parliament this week.
Updated at 22.57 EDT
Sarah Basford Canales
Coalition will recognise Palestine when Hamas no longer in charge, Ley says
Sussan Ley has reiterated the Coalition’s policy to recognise Palestinian statehood will only occur when “there is peace” and Hamas is no longer in charge of Gaza.
The opposition leader was asked whether the Coalition still retained its long-held policy of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine following France’s decision to recognise Palestine as a means of achieving peace in Gaza. Ley responded:
When there is peace, our policy is a two-state solution, but first there has to be peace, and we shouldn’t get ahead of a process that is not present at the moment. And unfortunately, with Hamas in charge, there is no partner for peace, and until that situation resolves, only then could we take those important next steps.
Asked what the federal government should be doing to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ley said:
The Australian government should make it very clear that they know that the war could end tomorrow if Hamas surrender and release the hostages.
Updated at 22.56 EDT
Albanese needs to secure a meeting with Trump, Ley says
Asked how the government should deal with a Trump administration that keeps changing its mind and public statements, Sussan Ley says the PM needs to meet with Trump in person.
Ley says 20 world leaders have already met with Trump face-to-face.
You need to ask the prime minister, and I’m sure you will, what is he doing about getting a meeting? What is his plan? How much longer do we have to have a situation where we haven’t had that face-to-face meeting?
She adds that the government still has questions to answer on its decision to open up more beef imports from the US.
Updated at 22.45 EDT