Minns accuses social media platforms of ‘blithe indifference’ over images it hosts
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has accused social media companies of having “blithe indifference” to the images published on their platforms.
Speaking to ABC News Radio earlier this morning, Minns said it was “shocking” that the video of Monday night’s stabbing attack in Wakeley was still on X.
I think it’s shocking that it’s still up there and the blithe indifference from social media companies as to the images that are on their platforms as if it’s all care and no responsibility.
Minns said this was “the antithesis of the community cohesion and calmness that we’re trying to get this big city to adopt”.
New South Wales premier Chris Minns. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
Minns said “apologists” may argue it’s difficult to take content down in the immediate aftermath, but noted “we’re two days into this” now.
It’s more than 48 hours after these images were first projected on social media. And in some instances, for some companies, they’re still up there. I mean, that to me demonstrates a callous indifference to what these images are doing in our community.
Minns said he would “100%” support tougher penalties if they are pursued by the commonwealth government.
Police vehicles allegedly rammed at Mount Clear carwash
Two police vehicles were allegedly rammed at a Mount Clear carwash overnight.
Victorian police officers observed a silver Ford Falcon drive into the carwash on Geelong Road about 8.50pm and checks revealed it was stolen in September last year, bearing false registration plates.
Two police vehicles parked in front of and behind the Ford with their lights and sirens going, when the driver allegedly began ramming them both.
Two people were arrested at the scene and the driver fled on foot, but was arrested nearby. Police allege a homemade shotgun was located in the driver’s side door and that he was carrying a fold-out knife.
Three police members received minor injuries as a result of the collision, police said.
The driver, a 20-year-old Wendouree man, was transported to hospital with minor injuries and is now under police guard. A 43-year-old Eureka man and a 35-year-old Eureka woman are assisting police with inquiries. Investigations are ongoing.
Two police vehicles were allegedly rammed at a Mount Clear carwash overnight. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
ABS data likely to show the jobless rate increased in March
Later this morning we get the March labour market figures from the ABS, one of the most closely watched numbers. (Inflation is another big one, and that lands next Wednesday.)
As we highlight every month, there are lots of moving parts so it can take a moment or two to decipher whether the jobs figures are good or bad.
My preference is to look at the net full-time jobs added or lost, rather than the headline unemployment rate. Economists are tipping the economy added 10,000 jobs last month – not enough to keep up with the swelling population – with the jobless rate likely to have risen from February’s 3.7% to 3.9%. (February notched up a remarkable 116,500 extra jobs.)
Once you factor in changes to the participation rate (if there are any) and revisions to February numbers, some nuance is often required to tell if it’s a good or bad result.
Taking a broader view, though, the Reserve Bank and Treasury have been anticipating some uptick in the unemployment figure as higher interest rates do their intended job of squeezing out “excessive demand” in the economy.
Make sure to check back at 11.30am AEST for the results as they land.
The latest labour figure market figures for March will drop at 11.30am. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP
Traffic chaos after truck fire in Lane Cove tunnel
A truck fire in the Lane Cove tunnel has caused traffic for Sydney commuters this morning.
Fire and Rescue NSW said five of its crews were called to the tunnel at about 6.30am after reports a mobile crane truck was alight. The sprinkler system controlled the blaze while firefighters extinguished the fire completely.
No injuries were reported but a number of people evacuated their vehicles as a safety precaution.
All eastbound lanes were closed and westbound lanes were severely affected as a heavy tow truck worked to remove the fire-damaged truck.
FRNSW said traffic would be affected for “quite some time”, and according to Life Traffic, the incident was cleared just before 9.30am.
UPDATE: The Lane Cove Tunnel is now closed in both directions due to this truck fire in the eastbound tunnel. Motorists can use Epping Rd instead in both directions and allow extra travel time. pic.twitter.com/pZ0l7fuVgQ
Bishop forgives alleged attacker, calls for peace in first statement since stabbing attack
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was stabbed during a service at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley on Monday night, has released a statement following the attack.
There is no need to be worried or concerned. And a piece of advice to all our beloved faithfuls – I need you to act Christlike. The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight, the Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate, the Lord Jesus never said to us ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’.
He called on people to abide by the law and cooperate with police directives. He also called on people to pray for the country and “never forget that we are very blessed to be Aussies”.
I forgive whoever has done this act and I say to him: you’re my son, I love you and I will always pray for you. And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them too.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (right). Photograph: AAP/Reuters
Race discrimination commissioner responds to Wakeley stabbing attack
Australia’s race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, said he has noticed an increased sense of vulnerability within communities since becoming commissioner six weeks ago.
Speaking to ABC RN earlier this morning, he said he has come into the role at a challenging time when emotions are heightened, particularly post 7 October.
Asked if he shared concerns that police were too quick to label Monday night’s stabbing attack at a church in Wakeley as a terrorist act, Sivaraman said it was concerning in the sense that “whole communities [can] get tarnished because of the [alleged] action of one person”.
People then feel scared within communities, and others feel angry, and it often leads to an increase in racism because they just want to target a whole community, that’s the direction that their anger has to go.
Race discrimination commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman. Photograph: Strategic Comms/Australian Human Rights Commission
Sivaraman said he “can’t speak to the specific incident” as the investigation is ongoing, but the label of terrorist act can carry implications:
It just means that often a whole community gets tarred with the brush of one person and it can lead to misinformation, often really damaging misinformation being spread.
Under the Parliamentary Library modelling, students with an average debt of $26,494 would have their loans rise by $1,113 in the best case scenario of 4.2% indexation come June.
In the worst case scenario – 4.8% indexation – their loans would rise by $1,272.
For students at the highest end of the spectrum, with debts of about $100,000, their loans would rise by between $4,200 and $4,800 unless Labor intervened to reform how Hecs/Help is indexed. Since 1 June 2022, debts for this bracket would have risen by more than $15,000.
The Universities Accord final report, made public earlier this year, recommended the commonwealth ensure loans didn’t outpace wage growth by setting the indexation rate to whatever was lower out of CPI and the wage price index.
It also recommended reducing student contribution amounts for low-income earners and changing the timing of indexation to deduct compulsory repayments first.
Sticking with student debt for a moment. Earlier, Anthony Albanese spoke to HIT FM and flagged the government needed to “do much better” around Hecs debt.
He said:
I think there’s a range of areas we need to do much better for the younger generation, and Hecs is one of them.
Our chief political correspondent Paul Karp took note of this comment and said it hints the government may reduce the rate of student debt indexation.
Albanese "I think there's a range of areas we need to do much better for the younger generation and HECS is one of them" - big hint they're gonna reduce rate of student debt indexation.#auspol
Student debt to rise by $12bn unless government scraps indexation in upcoming budget, new data shows
Caitlin Cassidy
Student debt will rise by around $12bn under Labor’s term unless the federal government scraps indexation on loans in the upcoming budget, new projections prepared for the Greens show.
The Parliamentary Library modelling suggests nearly 3 million people owing student debt will be hit with an increase in excess of 4% when loans are next indexed in June, the second highest Hecs/Help rise in more than a decade.
Deputy Greens leader Mehreen Faruqi. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Deputy Greens leader and spokesperson for education, senator Mehreen Faruqi,said talking about the cost of living crisis while ignoring the “heavy burden” of student debt wasn’t enough:
In the May budget, Labor must scrap indexation on student debt. Labor refused demands from the Greens to protect students from huge debt increases last year, but there is still time to stop the massive indexation hit coming again this June.
Even the ‘best case’ scenario will see student debts increase by a whopping 4.2% this year alone, adding a thousand dollars to average debt which already takes years to pay off. A worst case scenario would see a student debt increase of almost 5% in June, for an almost 17% debt increase in Labor’s first term of government.
Albanese confirms residency for ‘bollard man’ and extension of offer to Pakistani guard
Paul Karp
Anthony Albanese has confirmed that “bollard man” Damien Guerotwill be given permanent residency of Australia today and has also extended a similar offer to consider the circumstances of Pakistani security guard Muhammad Taha, who was seriously injured in the Bondi attack.
Albanese was asked to respond to a report that Taha had come forward seeking permanent residency on the same basis as Guerot – his bravery in responding to the Bondi stabbings by Joel Cauchi.
Albanese told FiveAA Radio that “we certainly will [consider it]”.
Albanese noted Guerot was praised overnight by Emmanuel Macron “who was very proud of him”. He said that Guerot was on a temporary visa seeking a permanent visa, not to change citizenship; a permanent visa would “be granted to him today”.
My understanding is that will be done.
Albanese spoke on the “tragedy” of security guard Faraz Tahir losing his life, and the brave actions of fellow security guard Taha:
He confronted this guy, the [alleged] perpetrator Joel Cauchi on Saturday. It just shows extraordinary courage, these are people who … not thinking of themselves, were putting themselves in danger protecting Australians they didn’t know, just people going about their shopping.
And that’s the sort of courage that we want to say thank you to, frankly. Those extraordinary stories of bravery in amongst the carnage and tragedy that we saw on Saturday … It’s a bit of light in amongst the darkness that you saw these extraordinary acts.
Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
