TO PROTECT AND SERVE
Gunmen “clad in military-style camouflage fatigues” have shot useless two law enforcement officials and a bystander in an obvious ambush in Queensland, The Australian ($) reviews. Police went to the Wieambilla property a couple of lacking individual report however had been met by gunfire which killed two officers and an “harmless” neighbour, 9News reviews. By 10.30pm, police mentioned in a press release that “two males and a feminine had been fatally shot” — the obvious offenders, in accordance with a union boss the Oz ($) quotes — bringing the whole useless to 6. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a “heartbreaking day” for the household and buddies of the law enforcement officials, saying “Australia mourns with you”, and Opposition Chief Peter Dutton — a former cop — mentioned it was “deeply distressing” to study of “police who’ve been murdered”.
To a different story involving police this morning and former Police Affiliation boss Paul Mullett has misplaced a bid to have a civil case a couple of plot to oust him reopened, The Age reviews. Mullet says he acquired “malicious” prosecution by Victoria’s highest-ranking law enforcement officials, however the Excessive Court docket refused his enchantment and reportedly ordered him to pay $2 million in addition. Mullett says he has “much more proof, info and intelligence” about present cops and other people concerned with the union, together with paperwork from the Royal Fee into the Administration of Police Informants. In NSW now, and a police officer has advised an inquiry into hate crimes towards members of the LGBTIQA+ group {that a} bias crime unit was not well-liked as a result of “quite a lot of police nonetheless don’t perceive bias crimes … or the best way to determine them”, the SMH reviews. Sergeant Geoffrey Steer mentioned it was seven years of attempting to persuade them to take hate crimes severely.
PLEASE EXPLAIN, VICTORIA
It seems like One Nation is about to see its first MP in Victorian Parliament, the place the Andrews authorities wants six crossbenchers to go its laws. ABC election oracle Antony Inexperienced says it’s laborious to see how Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell gained’t win the seat of North Victoria, and he’s very hardly ever flawed. Tyrrell is a former dairy farmer, and has “expressed concern about COVID-19 vaccines”, Guardian Australia provides. So who else is prone to sit on the higher home crossbench? As much as 4 Greens, possibly a Legalise Hashish candidate, and possibly Georgie Purcell from the Animal Justice Celebration — if Purcell’s title is ringing a bell, it could be as a result of the get together was working with “election whisperer” Glenn Druery to get the assist of events working with him, earlier than pulling out on the final minute to direct its preferences elsewhere. As the youngsters say: sike. Additionally yesterday, Purpose Celebration MP Fiona Patten conceded defeat, and it seems like former Labor minister Adem Somyurek could have gained within the Northern Metropolitan area for the conservative Democratic Labour get together.
To a different Labor state authorities now and other people nonetheless like Annastacia Palaszczuk, or not, relying on what paper you learn. Brisbane Instances reviews Labor’s major vote of 39.57% in 2020 did drop to 37%, but it surely’s nonetheless forward of the Coalition’s 35%, in accordance with a survey the paper commissioned (it discovered the Greens and independents had been making up major floor within the Sunshine State, not the LNP). The Courier-Mail ($) begs to vary — it says six in 10 Queenslanders suppose she enjoys the “excessive life” whereas solely half thinks she works laborious, in accordance with “The Courier-Mail’s unique YouGov ballot of 1000 voters”. It says her “largest electoral energy”, her relatability, is “in tatters”, though does admit 60% of Queenslanders suppose the premier cares in regards to the state.
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FOOT OFF THE GAS
Shell is ditching a fuel provide deal that was meant to patch an vitality shortfall final 12 months as a result of the extraordinarily worthwhile international titan is sulking in regards to the authorities capping fossil gasoline costs, the SMH reviews. In September, Queensland’s three liquefied pure fuel exporters, Shell’s QCLNG three way partnership, Origin Power-backed APLNG and Santos’ GLNG, all agreed to provide 25% of the east coast’s demand, as Reuters says, however now they’re reportedly reconsidering. The Albanese authorities confirmed final week that it could restrict wholesale fuel to $12 a gigajoule, and coal to $125 a tonne — each are measures to drive down our payments.
However others are praising the federal government for staring down the “bullies of the fuel trade”, Guardian Australia reviews. Head of the Power Customers Affiliation of Australia Andrew Richards mentioned it’s time somebody stood as much as them about their extreme earnings whereas Australians undergo. Plus, he added, they had been very happy to promote the fossil gasoline at $10/gj till simply over a 12 months in the past — they’re cranky as a result of contracts to the tune of $45/gl or extra are actually on the desk. Former Australian Competitors and Shopper Fee (ACCC) boss Rod Sims agreed, saying it was “smart” to ask corporations “making an infinite amount of cash” in exporting to assist us out at residence first. It’s solely short-term anyway, Treasurer Jim Chalmers mentioned yesterday. Labor is negotiating with the Greens, the crossbench and the Coalition in regards to the laws forward of it going to Parliament on Thursday — unbiased Senator David Pocock is a possibly, and Jacqui Lambie and Tammy Tyrrell have backed the plan.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Two emus who had been banned from a pub for misbehaviour are again — and so they introduced their youngsters. Kevin and Carol copped the ban in 2020 for waltzing into the Yaraka Resort, pinching meals off plates, nicking folks’s keys and simply typically being rowdy. Administration on the Queensland pub had no alternative: they barricaded the doorway, and put up indicators saying the emu ban, a lot to the plain mystification of the feathered birds. “Emus have been banned from this institution for unhealthy behaviour,” the signal declares. It was robust, the resort’s proprietor Chris Gimblett admitted — Kevin and Carol are locals within the outback city (inhabitants: 20). “They nonetheless cling round every gate, hoping that they’ll be capable of slip in when somebody opens it up,” Gimblett mentioned on the time, however the signal appeared to maintain them away.
Till now. Kevin and Carol turned up this week in Yakara with a brood of chicks, native Leanne Byrne says — she’s the one who raised the pair of emus from infancy after their nest was found. However they’re hardly delinquents, she assures us. “They love cuddles,” Byrne provides. And their emotions had been harm by the ban (we assume) — she needed to begin shopping for them “cartons of beers and takeaways” after the signal went up, she jokes. Byrne is definitely recognized round city as “Yaraka Mom of Dragons”, a reference to the Daenerys Targaryen character from Sport of Thrones. It appears the similarities to the hit present don’t finish there — the obvious new dad and mom are “brother and sister, so we’ll simply depart that alone”, Byrne provides.
Wishing you the brazen confidence of a banned emu at present.
People, I’m taking a while off and my colleagues Julia Bergin and Charlie Lewis shall be writing your Worm till the Christmas break. I’ll be again on January 16. Have a restful festive season, and I sit up for writing to you once more in 2023. As all the time, for those who’re feeling chatty, be at liberty to drop into my inbox — inform me what you want or detest in regards to the Worm, or something. eelsworthy@crikey.com.au
SAY WHAT?
Guests who go to or reside in Bali wouldn’t want to fret with regard to the entry into pressure of the Indonesian felony code. There shall be no checking on marital standing upon check-in at any tourism lodging, resembling lodges, villas, flats, visitor homes, lodges and spas.
Wayan Koster
You may have intercourse in Bali with out placing a hoop on it, Bali’s governor assured everybody, a lot to the aid of horned-up Aussie vacationers all over the place. It comes after revised legal guidelines in Indonesia’s newly ratified code included articles criminalising intercourse exterior marriage.
AFP accused of 18-month ‘interference’ marketing campaign on Lehrmann’s behalf: learn the extraordinary letter
“In a unprecedented letter launched in full at present, the prosecutor who charged Bruce Lehrmann over the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins has accused the Australian Federal Police of operating an 18-month marketing campaign of ‘constant and inappropriate interference’ on behalf of Lehrmann’s defence staff …
“Following ACT director of public prosecutions (DPP) Shane Drumgold’s resolution to not proceed with a deliberate retrial as a result of it could pose an ‘unacceptable danger’ to Higgins’ psychological well being, a letter he despatched to Australian Federal Police chief Neil Gaughan was launched to the general public. Crikey readers can learn the letter in full under.”
Katherine Deves, Portishead, and the wonderful historical past of artists telling politicians to sod off
Discuss spitting the Dummy. Election sinker Katherine Deves final week expressed disbelief {that a} member of the band Portishead, main purveyor of glinting cinematic ’90s soundscapes, had reported her on Twitter for the, nicely, extremely Deves view that the phrase ‘transphobic’ was truly a time period of abuse towards ladies.
“UK super-producer Geoff Barrow, who had reported Deves, then declared: ‘It’s fairly apparent you by no means understood the message in our music or maybe you probably did again then earlier than turned filled with hate for trans folks. Disgrace.’ After all, that is simply a part of a protracted and wonderful line of politicians making an attempt to humanise themselves by well-liked tradition and discovering that their admiration is just not within the least reciprocated. Let’s reminisce.”
What does Dan Andrews’ plan to ‘carry again the SEC’ truly imply?
“In 1993, a whopping 29 years in the past, I wrote the press launch for the Kennett authorities saying the SEC had been abolished. It was the world’s most built-in authorities electrical energy monopoly, doing every little thing from digging up soiled brown coal within the Latrobe Valley to chasing down the pensioners who couldn’t afford to pay their electrical energy payments.
“The preliminary step was to interrupt it into three — creating Technology Victoria for the mines and energy stations, Powernet Victoria for the monopoly transmission property, and Electrical energy Companies Victoria (ESV) for the poles and wires distribution monopoly. After that, ESV was damaged up into 5 regional distribution monopolies and progressively offered off to largely US patrons for a collective $8.3 billion …”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Iran publicly carries out second protest-related execution (Al Jazeera)
US opioid crackdown hampers some sufferers’ entry to psychiatric medication (Reuters)
Israeli forces kill Palestinian woman in occupied West Financial institution raid (Al Jazeera)
Freed Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout joins ultranationalist get together (The Guardian)
‘European democracy is beneath assault’: Roberta Metsola addresses EU Parliament corruption scandal (EuroNews)
Canadian households now owe $1.83 for each greenback of disposable earnings they’ve (CBC)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Why Labor is dismissing the fuel trade’s anger — Jennifer Hewett (The AFR) ($): “However most corporations quietly recognised the politics of a chief minister beneath stress to reveal his authorities actually is delivering for Australians on hovering vitality costs. The laws to allow this was thought to be extra of a nuisance and an unlucky precedent — however not significantly damaging in any other case. Partially, that’s as a result of this measure can have a restricted affect on lowering fuel costs regardless of the enthusiastic rhetoric. Aside from some medium-sized manufacturing corporations which haven’t contracted fuel for subsequent 12 months as a consequence of shockingly excessive costs, most households are prone to see solely modest, delayed aid regardless of elevated funding from state and federal governments.
“Nor are costs on the spot marketplace for fuel coated by the worth cap. But it surely was the surprising kicker within the draft laws that produced on the spot outrage in addition to trade claims that the federal government simply doesn’t get it. This offers the federal government the power to find out what’s a ‘affordable value’ for fuel on the east coast of Australia indefinitely. Most corporations now imagine Labor both doesn’t perceive the affect of this on future funding — or that it’s joyful to have fuel shut out in favour of renewables. Fuel in addition to coal has simply been excluded from the brand new capability scheme, for instance, which is meant to make sure sufficient firming energy within the grid to again up wind and photo voltaic.”
What would occur right here if China invaded Taiwan? — Elena Yi-Ching Ho (The Age) ($): “China’s assertive authoritarianism agenda has been disrupting the rule-based liberal order. Via human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, territorial disputes within the South China Sea, and the commerce retaliation towards Australia, China has repeatedly ignored worldwide legislation or values which have been upheld by the worldwide group. As well as, lately, China has intensified authoritarian management over its residents by know-how and its zero-COVID coverage. As such, some political analysts and authorities officers in Canberra instructed that if China had been to take over Taiwan, it could ‘catastrophically compromise’ the soundness of the area.
“Since Australia is taken into account certainly one of Washington’s most necessary and dependable companions, it’s prone to discover itself caught in a double bind if the US defends Taiwan as Joe Biden has publicly acknowledged. Even when Australia selected to not get entangled in militarily supporting Taiwan, it could nonetheless face potential financial sanctions from China. In actual fact, surveys from the US Research Centre on the College of Sydney and Lowy have indicated that just about half of Australians present willingness to ship troops to defend Taiwan. Furthermore, the results of those conflicts all the time run deeper than the political features. The disruptions to the Australian financial system and meals safety caused by the Russia-Ukraine warfare would appear virtually insignificant when in comparison with a doable Chinese language invasion of Taiwan.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Kulin Nation Nation (also called Melbourne)
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Minister for Expertise and Coaching Brendan O’Connor, Accenture Australia’s Marni Poropat, and SkillsIQ’s Yasmin King will talk about skilling Australians in an occasion held by CEDA.
Eora Nation Nation (also called Sydney)
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Kurdish-Iranian author Behrouz Boochani will speak about his new guide, Freedom, Solely Freedom, on the Roundhouse.
Whadjuk Noongar Nation (also called Perth)
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WA Minister for Regional Growth, Agriculture and Meals Alannah MacTiernan, CSIRO’s Brad Ridoutt, and the College of Washington’s David R. Montgomery are amongst audio system at “Meaty Issues: Cows and Local weather”, on the Conference Centre. You may as well catch this one on-line.
