Politics latest: Labor faction to host Payman at Palestine forum

Anthony Albanese’s foundational faction will host Labor defector Fatima Payman as a special guest in a forum next week to promote the cause of Palestine despite her resignation.

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7:26 pm July 8, 2024

Alice Springs curfew 'not enough': Price

Staff writers

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price . Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says the new curfew in Alice Springs is "not enough" and that Australia needs to get to "the root of the problem" and start "preventing kids from committing crimes in the first place."

"We need to take these kids away from dysfunction, we need to put them in homes where they're going to be cared for, where their human rights are going to be upheld, and we need to make sure that they have an education just like other Australian kids in our country," Senator Price told Sky News on Monday evening.

A curfew was announced by Northern Territory Police on Monday after the alleged assault of four off-duty police officers by a group of 20 male youths on Sunday morning.

The curfew will be in place from 10pm to 6am for the next three nights in Alice Springs.

"The curfew is a temporary measure, and one that we can't keep just going back to," Senator Price said.

"It pulls police resources from other parts of the Northern Territory.

"I said years ago… the kids that are on our street, that are committing these crimes now, are kids that have been allowed to live in dysfunction… if you can call it living.

"[They are] confronted with alcohol and substance abuse, highest rates of DV and sexual abuse."

– Lily McCaffrey

6:11 pm July 8, 2024

'Matter for her': Payman 'left behind' chance to remain in Labor Party

Staff writers

Senator Tim Ayres. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor Senator Tim Ayres says "no good can be served by raking over the circumstances" of Senator Fatima Payman's decision to leave the Labor Party.

Senator Payman quit the Labor Party last week to sit as an independent over her support of Palestinian statehood.

"She left behind the opportunity to be part of a government that is making good decisions in Australia's interests and in the cause of peace, that is matter for her," Senator Ayres told ABC's Afternoon Briefing program on Monday.

Nationals MP Michael McCormack, who also appeared on the program, spoke out against having political parties based on religion.

"You can't have a political situation where we've got a minority government held together by a party or candidates who are only platforming, who are only advocating, for one particular group," Mr McCormack said.

"When you are elected as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate… you are there for all the constituents who come through the doors of your electorate office, whether they voted for you, whether they didn't, whatever their religious faith, whatever their background, you are there to be their representative, their voice in Canberra."

– Lily McCaffrey

5:41 pm July 8, 2024 Highlight

Young Labor left forum to host Payman on Palestinian cause

Simon Benson

Senator Fatima Payman. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese’s foundational faction, the NSW young Labor left, will host Labor defector Senator Fatima Payman as a special guest in a forum next week to promote the cause of Palestine despite her resignation from the party last week.

The Young Labor Left, of which the Prime Minister once led a group aligned to the hard left, has also celebrated the re-election of former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was excommunicated from the UK Labour over claims of anti-Semitism.

In a Facebook promotion posted today, the neophyte Labor movement claimed Ms Payman would be joining their forum on July 16 in a celebration of the UK Labour election.

The movement makes no mention of the election of new UK Labour prime minister Keir Starmer.

The Facebook flyer shows an image of Ms Payman claiming she would join the forum next Tuesday via zoom alongside NSW Upper house Labor member Anthony D’Adam and union activist from the Maritime Union of Australia, Erima Dall.

It is branded as a Palestine and the Labour movement event, in reference to the UK party.

Ms Payman, the WA Senator who resigned from the Labor Party last week over her stance on Palestinian statehood, is no longer a member of the party.

A Senior NSW Labor party source said they were appalled at the inclusion mot only of Ms Payman to an event held by Labor, of which she was no longer a member, but its celebration of Mr Corbyn.

“As a senior member of the NSW Labor party I am appalled, shocked and horrified by the actions of this group which is rallying round Labor rats.”

3:32 pm July 8, 2024 Highlight

Lawler backs NT Police over Alice Springs curfew

Jack Quail

Chief Minister Eva Lawler. Picture: Zizi Averill

Eva Lawler has voiced her full support for Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy's decision to impose a three-night curfew in Alice Springs from Monday evening after four off-duty police officers were allegedly assaulted in the Red Centre town on Sunday.

“We will back our police to enact this curfew and do what is needed to improve community safety in Alice Springs territory. Police are doing an incredible job in very difficult circumstances,” the NT Chief Minister told reporters in Darwin on Monday.

Remarking that the offending in Alice Springs over the last few days had been “unacceptable”, Ms Lawler said the curfew would enable police to adequately ensure community safety.

“This is exactly why my government passed curfew legislation in May. We want police to use the curfew powers when it's needed, and that time is right now,” she said.

“After the first Alice Springs youth curfew, we've seen how effective curfews can be as a circuit breaker. We believe a broader curfew for Alice Springs right now will have a similar positive effect that will improve community safety.”

Ms Lawler said the curfew would require authorities and other supports beyond the police to help resolve the recent run of violence in Alice Springs.

“We'll be calling on the NGO sector as well as [the Department of] Territory Families, as well as any other government agencies that can assist to get on top of the issues that we're seeing in Alice Springs right now.”

NT Police Minister Brent Potter said there had been no discussion of an extension to the three-night curfew.

“I'll continue to engage with the police commissioner as we go, as I have before, because every individual incident is a concern for us as a government,” Mr Potter said.

“We don't want to see a single person being a victim of crime.”

2:04 pm July 8, 2024

'Senseless violence': NT police chief says curfew aimed at adults

Paige Taylor

Northern Territory Police have declared the centre of Alice Springs a no-go zone for three nights after a weekend of unrest that included a police officer being run over and a violent robbery of four off-duty police officers as they walked home.

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy is in Alice Springs to respond to the latest outbreak of violence in the central Australian town. On Saturday night there was a brawl involving up to 80 people in the dry riverbed of the Todd River.

A previous night curfew applied to children in the centre of town during the Easter school holidays. However Mr Murphy said those involved in the latest crime were "predominantly adults".

The new curfew means police will patrol the centre of Alice Springs from 10pm to 6am for the next three nights ensuring only people with a lawful reason are in the area. Mr Murphy said lawful excuses for entering the centre of town include fleeing domestic violence, caring for a family member, work or going to a fast-food restaurant.

Mr Murphy said more alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs were "an option we are exploring".

"The seriousness of the events over a short period of time concerns me greatly," he said.

"We see senseless violence … I need leadership from across the community to engage their people and make sure their people are safe."

Mr Murphy said a large number of people were staying in the Todd River. "A lot of them don't have safe places to sleep so they are here in the river," he said.

1:55 pm July 8, 2024

Three-night curfew in Alice after alleged assault on police

Staff writers

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy with Chief Minister Eva Lawler, and Police Minister Brent Potter in Darwin in June. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

A curfew will be imposed from 10pm to 6am over the next three nights in Alice Springs, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has announced, after four off-duty police officers were allegedly assaulted by a group of 20 male youths on Sunday morning.

Addressing reporters in Alice Springs on Monday afternoon, Commissioner Murphy said the decision to impose a curfew had followed careful consideration over the impact of the measure on the local community.

“I'm very mindful about the decision to support NAIDOC Week and not disrupt events associated with NAIDOC Week [which is] vitally important during this time," he said.

“It's more important than ever that we need community support to solve the longer term issues in Alice Springs.

“The answer isn’t in the criminal justice system in the community and the leadership.”

Rules for Alice curfew detailed, extension possible

Under the curfew arrangements, all individuals, not just youths, will not be permitted to enter the confines between Anzac Hill, Shorts Crescent down to the hospital from the Stuart Highway, across to Leichhardt and Stock Terrace. Anyone entering the zone will be engaged by police and asked to leave.

Failure to abide by the police’s request could lead to an offence, resulting in an infringement notice or an arrest, Commissioner Murphy said.

Individuals fleeing domestic violence, visiting family, caring for someone, visiting a fast-food restaurant, attending the declared area for employment purposes would be exempt from the curfew.

“I can assure you, Police will use discretion and have a conversation with you and make sure you're here for the right reasons,” he said.

“The intent of this declaration is to disrupt the behaviours associated with the harm we’re seeing in Alice Springs and a whole of government approach to make sure we can look after people in NAIDOC Week safely, look after the Alice Springs community, and make a difference so we don't see an increase trend in this violence.”

Commissioner Murphy cautioned that he would request an extension to the curfew from the Territory’s Police Minister Ben Potter if required.

“If there is a continuation of harmful conduct, which I hope there is not, we apply some measures now and use the community to help us, we should see a turnaround,” he said.

“If that continues and there’s some behaviour that still concerns me, I can apply for a 72-hour [extension to the curfew] for a different area or go to the minister for another seven days.”

– Jack Quail

12:55 pm July 8, 2024

New housing borrowings ease after 18pc annual rise

Staff writers

Demand in Australia’s ultra-tight housing market could finally be falling after years of sustained pressure, with new loan commitments for housing declining in May.

The value of new loans dropped 1.7 per cent to $28.8bn, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday, with first-home buyers loans leading the fall with a 2.9 per cent decline to $5.2bn.

The value of new investor loans fell 1.3 per cent in May to $10.7bn, while owner-occupier loans, excluding first-home buyers, fell 1.6 per cent to $12.9bn.

ABS head of finance statistics Fiona Cotsell said loan commitments were still up over the past 12 months.

“Despite the falls seen across all types of buyers in May, the value of new home loan commitments has still risen 18 per cent over the past 12 months,” she said.

– NewsWire

10:54 am July 8, 2024

Howard says time for 'tap on shoulder' for declining Biden

Joanna Panagopoulos

Former prime minister John Howard says it will become increasingly hard for Joe Biden to carry on as President of the United States, and he would have been "tapped on the shoulder" years ago if the US had a different system of government.

"All I can observe … (is) there's growing worry about his capacity and I think it will work its way towards a situation where it will be very hard for him to carry on. Very hard indeed," Mr Howard told Sky News.

"I know Joe Biden, not well, I like him, he's a decent man, he's had a lot of personal tragedy in his life and as a human being I feel for him.

"But you're talking about the most powerful position in the world and its very difficult when the likely choice will be between people whose cognitive capacity is under increasing inspection … and somebody who, in the case of Trump, to use a cricket expression, would not leave the field when the umpire's finger went up."

He said it highlighted the benefits of Australia's parliamentary system, that "someone can't leapfrog through popularism".

"I feel very strongly that if there's a message for Australia out of what we see in America. That is that our political system, our parliamentary system … (is) infinitely better system than what the Americans have.

"I have no doubt if Americans had had a parliamentary system, Trump would not have got to the top of the Republican Party. No chance. And therefore would not have been president a few years ago.

"And equally I think if Biden had been the President, having got there in a parliamentary pathway, he would have been tapped on the shoulder a couple of years ago, and told that if he didn't resign, he'd be voted out.

"I think when you're getting polls suggesting that 60 to 70 per cent of Americans wish the choice was otherwise, that's pretty significant."

10:48 am July 8, 2024

Dreyfus unveils bankruptcy laws overhaul

Jack Quail

An overhaul of Australia’s bankruptcy laws has been unveiled by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, with the changes designed to lead to fairer outcomes in the personal insolvency system and address the stigma faced by bankrupts.

The reforms, announced on Monday, will lift the threshold for involuntary bankruptcies from their current level of $10,000 up to $20,000, with that floor to be indexed annually thereafter.

The timeframe in which a debtor may respond to a bankruptcy notice will also be increased to 28 days, up from 21 days currently, while bankrupts will have their public records cleared after seven years.

A debt agreement as an “act of bankruptcy” under existing personal insolvency law will also be scrapped.

The slated changes come ahead of an address to the National Press Club by Mr Dreyfus on Tuesday, who will appear alongside AUSTRAC boss Brendan Thomas. The pair will release two new national risk assessments covering money laundering and terrorism financing.

10:25 am July 8, 2024

Barnaby backs NDIS bonk ban

Jack Quail

Barnaby Joyce has criticised rules which permit the use of National Disability Insurance Scheme funding to pay for sex work, after NDIS Minister Bill Shorten on Sunday announced he would move the to prohibit funding for the service under the scheme.

“We tried to fix it when the Labor Party was in power and I agree 100 per cent that the sooner it is fixed the better … you don’t want to pay for someone to have a wild old night between the sheets on the taxpayer’s ticket,” the Nationals MP told Channel Seven on Monday.

Speaking alongside Mr Joyce, Mr Shorten said even though some funding under the NDIS was not being used as originally intended, the scheme was still doing “a lot more good than harm”.

“Most service providers are doing the right thing and they have absolutely nothing to worry about. But what does happen is that the laws are drafted in a way which means that periodically participants can claim things which I don't think the parliament or people with disability ever really intended to be on the scheme,” he said.

Mr Shorten then took aim at the opposition and the Greens, who teamed up in the Senate late last month to stifle the passage of legislation designed to clampdown on rorting in the scheme.

“I have put up some regulations in the parliament for 12 weeks the Coalition and the Greens and the Senate have looked at it, inexplicably they have decided they need another 8 weeks to see if we should rule out things like cryptocurrency, steam rooms and indeed toys of a sexual nature.

“This is not what the scheme was created for.”