ANU students resist order to pack up pro-Palestine camp, saying ‘We will not be moved’
Luca Ittimani
Student protestors at the Australian National University’s pro-Palestine encampment are resisting orders to move on, despite the police and security presence.
Student newspaper Woroni has reported that students voted overwhelmingly to stay at the encampment, and are taking legal advice on their rights and obligations.
The students had begun to pack up their camp on ANU’s Kambri lawns, complying with directives, but held a rally around the camp and are now refusing to move out.
In a video posted to Instagram, an encampment spokesperson said:
The police have come and told us that we need to leave … We will not be moved. We will be staying in Kambri.
Key events
Brisbane airport train travel could be subsidised by Queensland government
The cost of travelling to Brisbane’s domestic and international airport terminals on the privately operated train service could be subsidised by the Queensland government, AAP reports.
The state’s 50c public transport trial won’t apply on trains to and from the airport as the Brisbane Airtrain has a monopoly, following a deal signed in 1998.
However, transport minister Bart Mellish says the government has submitted an offer to Airtrain operators to lower fares during the trial. A return paper ticket from Brisbane’s Central Station to the airport costs $41.80 on the private service.
Mellish told ABC radio Brisbane:
This is a really strange contract … that was entered into more than 20 years ago. It is a privately run service so we can’t direct them to set the fares as we can with the rest of the network.
I’ve made an offer to Airtrain, we’ve been in discussions with them for a while to reduce fares to the airport. We’re keen to work with the Airtrain operators to see what we can do to drop fares.
The government will offer to subsidise fares to and from the airport for a period of time, with discussions likely to continue in the next few weeks, he said.
NSW decision on greater gliders ‘a roadmap to extinction’, environment groups say
Environmental groups say they are losing confidence in the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) following a backflip on protection for the endangered greater glider.
According to a statement from the WWF, trees with hollows occupied by greater gliders – identified by sightings of gliders entering or leaving – are supposed to be protected by 50m exclusion zones. Gliders typically leave their hollows in the first hour after sunset, but the EPA has said only the first search of the night must start within 30 minutes of sunset.
Additionally, trees where a greater glider is seen on a branch but not entering or leaving a hollow will be protected with temporary 25m exclusion zones. The WWF says:
A 25 metre exclusion zone is not effective protection and the wording of this new rule appears to exclude acceptance of greater glider sightings by community members.
Eight environmental groups have lashed the decision of the EPA in a statement, with WWF conservation scientist Dr Kita Ashman stating:
If the purpose of the new 25m buffers is to protect gliders and their habitat it falls incredibly short. It provides 0.2 hectares of protection for a species that needs 2 to 3 hectares.
Wilderness Australia operations manager Andrew Wong labelled the decision “a roadmap to extinction for the greater glider”. Nature Conservation Council NSW CEO Jacqui Mumford said:
If the EPA continues to prioritise the timber industry over protecting threatened and endangered species, then the greater glider’s fate is sealed.
Similar conversations around the greater glider’s future are occurring in Victoria, as we reported earlier in the blog here and here.
Police appeal for witnesses after Melbourne Jewish school vandalised with antisemitic graffiti
Victorian police detectives are appealing for public assistance after Melbourne’s biggest Jewish school was vandalised with antisemitic graffiti last week.
Police said an external wall of the Burwood school was vandalised with an offensive message in block paint some time between 9pm Friday and 12pm Saturday.
No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.
Police said investigators have been in regular contact with the school since a report was made and “understand that this incident has been extremely difficult for the school community”.
There is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic sentiments or behaviour.
Police will be speaking to residents at nearby properties and canvassing local CCTV footage as part of its investigation. Any witnesses or people with information are urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Deputy prime minister Richard Marles was asked about the incident earlier this morning ahead of a visit to the school, and said:
I think all of us have been really confronted with the level of antisemitism that we are seeing in the last few months. It’s a level that I can’t remember in my lifetime, and it’s really important that Australians are standing with the Jewish community today.
Macnamara MP Josh Burns shared an image of the graffiti over the weekend to X, saying there is “no excuse for targeting Jewish schools, businesses or institutions”.
Australians recount ‘scary’ experience onboard flight from Doha to Dublin that hit turbulence
Earlier, we brought you news that some Australian passengers were onboard the latest flight to hit extreme turbulence, this time while flying over Turkey.
Here are some of the full interviews with passengers, recounting their experience onboard:
ANU students resist order to pack up pro-Palestine camp, saying ‘We will not be moved’
Luca Ittimani
Student protestors at the Australian National University’s pro-Palestine encampment are resisting orders to move on, despite the police and security presence.
Student newspaper Woroni has reported that students voted overwhelmingly to stay at the encampment, and are taking legal advice on their rights and obligations.
The students had begun to pack up their camp on ANU’s Kambri lawns, complying with directives, but held a rally around the camp and are now refusing to move out.
In a video posted to Instagram, an encampment spokesperson said:
The police have come and told us that we need to leave … We will not be moved. We will be staying in Kambri.
Photos from the pro-Palestine encampment at Australian National University
Some new photos have been rolling in from AAP of the pro-Palestine protest at Australian National University.
As we reported earlier, campus security has directed the students to vacate and, following this directive, around 100 supporters have rallied next to the camp.
Woman charged after alleged domestic-violence stabbing
A woman has been charged over an alleged domestic violence-related stabbing in the NSW Lake Macquarie region last night.
About 11.20pm last night, police were called to a home in Wyee following reports of a domestic incident.
Officers found a 67-year-old man with head injuries and a stab wound to his torso. He was taken to John Hunter hospital in a serious but stable condition.
A crime scene was established and a short time later a 65-year-old woman was arrested and taken to Toronto police station, where she was charged with causing wounding/grievous bodily harm to a person with the intent to murder (DV).
She was refused bail to appear before Toronto local court today.
Man dies after being pulled from surf on NSW south coast
A man has died after being pulled from the surf on the NSW south coast.
Just after 8.45am today, emergency services were called to Seven Mile beach at Shoalhaven Heads, following reports a man was unresponsive in the water.
Members of the public commenced CPR before paramedics arrived, however he was unable to be revived.
The man is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be aged in his 60s.
Officers have commenced an investigation and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
Benita Kolovos
‘Plenty of misinformation’ about rock-climbing in Victoria, minister says
Victorian budget estimates continue, and Steve Dimopoulos is asked by Labor MP Mathew Hilakari about rock climbing locations in the state – to which he replies there are plenty, despite “plenty of misinformation” after some closed due to their identification as traditional cultural areas. This includes Castle Crag in the Arapiles, which has been closed since 2020.
Dimopoulos says:
In the Grampians [Gariwerd] national park, there are 103 designated climbing areas … that includes 11 bouldering areas, which is what people seek to do, three licensed tour operator designated areas are available for bookings. Fifty areas have been identified as special protection areas.
In Mount Arapiles state park, most of the 3,000 established routes are currently available for those wishing to climb. Three thousand. This notion that somehow we’re forbidding people climbing rocks in this beautiful state is just not true and not backed up by the facts.
He says it is important to pay respect to cultural heritage sites, as you would in other parts of the world.
Dimopoulos says:
When I go to the Parthenon in Athens … I don’t seek to go behind the barriers of that and climb on the actual structure, because I respect the civilisation that represents, its international cultural heritage. I respect civilisation that rests on these lands. There’s rock art there from a culture far older than the Greeks – we should respect that.
To have bolts and all this paraphernalia that comes with rock climbing on those sensitive areas – we should respect that just as much as we respect the Parthenon and the Acropolis and just as much as we respect Mona Lisa in The Louvre. These are important cultural heritage sites, we should be proud of them. But within that frame, there are still 3,000 established routes to climb in Mount Arapiles and 103 in the Grampians national park.
Josh Taylor
Optus signals it may seek to suppress parts of cyber-attack report
Earlier we mentioned Optus had lost an appeal over keeping secret a Deloitte report into the 2022 cyber-attack in the full federal court this morning.
In response, an Optus spokesperson said the company respects the decision and is considering its position, but indicated it may seek to have parts of the report suppressed under confidentiality orders.
The spokesperson said:
Our priority is ensuring our customers have ongoing confidence in the integrity of our cyber defence systems.
In this regard, Optus will consider our next steps which may include seeking confidentiality orders relating to elements of the report that we believe are key to the ongoing protection of our customer data and our systems from cyber criminals.
Josh Butler
Burney and McCarthy say ‘fight for justice and rights’ will continue as Reconciliation Week begins
It was a “difficult 2023 for many First Nations people”, Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney says, after the defeat of the Indigenous voice referendum.
The minister says “the fight for justice and the rights” of Aboriginal people will continue to mark the start of Reconciliation Week. Assistant minister Malarndirri McCarthy said again that reconciliation is “unfinished business” in Australia.
The ministers said the government was “calling on everyone to reflect on the significance of this year’s theme: Now More Than Ever.”
The theme of the week takes on particular significance following last year’s 60-40 defeat of the voice referendum. Burney and McCarthy said:
Following a difficult 2023 for many First Nations people – Now More Than Ever is a reminder to all of us, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will continue.
Reconciliation requires us to understand our history, recognise the injustices of the past and work towards a better and more just future.
Burney:
Now more than ever, it’s time to make progress towards reconciliation.
Now more than ever, the next generation of young Australians can grasp the opportunity to move this country forward to a more united future.
McCarthy:
Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians to embark on. As Patrick Dodson said, reconciliation is the ‘unfinished business’ of Australia.
Each of us has a part to play in advancing this journey and I urge every Australian to consider how to work together to create a reconciled country that takes pride in 65,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and connection to country.