Christchurch terror: NZ moves to toughen gun laws; teen charged with sharing livestream shooting video;
Christchurch terror: New Zealand’s gun laws will toughen, with PM Jacinda Ardern saying her cabinet has agreed to reform.
- Teen charged with distributing mosque attack video
- ‘Nothing unusual about gunman’
- ‘If attacked, you defend yourself’
- Tarrant ‘may use trial to promote views’
- Raids at Tarrant sister’s home
- Anning ‘may face charges’
Both New Zealand and Australia’s political leaders met today as the fallout from the Christchurch terror attacks in which 50 people were killed continued. New Zealand’s cabinet has united to agree to gun law reform. Meanwhile, a Christchurch teenager was charged with distributing the mosque attack livestream footage.
Here is how today played out.
Debbie Schipp 4.45pm: Hundreds flock to vigil
Hundreds of Chrischurch school studnets have flocked to the Deans Avenue memorial for a vigil for those killed in Friday’s shootings.
Many are lighting candles, singing, making paper chians or performing hakas to remember the dead.
Richard Ferguson 4.41pm: Cormann walks back from Dutton
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has contradicted his cabinet colleague Peter Dutton and says Fraser Anning’s Christchurch comments were “uniquely outrageous” and there was difference between his rhetoric and that of the Greens.
“There is a difference obviously between what Senator Anning said over the weekend and robust political debate,” Senator Cormann told ABC News.
“We must stand up against extremism and extremists and people promoting hate from whatever background.
“The comments that Fraser Anning made on the weekend were uniquely outrageous and uniquely unacceptable and uniquely deserved to be condemned in the way they have been all round.”
Mr Dutton said today that Greens senators’ criticism against his and the government’s record on Muslims was “as bad as” Senator Anning’s statements.
Richard Ferguson 3.58pm: “No information” on complaints about Tarrant
New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said he has “no information” there were complaints about Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant before he attacked two mosques last Friday.
“I have no information to suggest that we received complaints about the person currently before the court,” he said in Wellington.
“We are looking into suggestions … They’re mostly from the media, suggestions that things have occurred.
“I’m not aware of the specific threats (against the Muslim community.)”
Andrew White 3.55pm: Advertisers warn Facebook
New Zealand’s peak body for advertisers called for Facebook and other social media platforms to “immediately” moderate hate content, warning that business were increasingly sensitive to supporting outlets that did take responsibility for what is published on their sites.
Association of New Zealand Advertisers chief executive Lindsay Mouat said social media sites had a responsibility to effectively moderate content on their sites, following the live streaming of last Friday’s terror attacks on two Chirstchurch mosques that killed 50 people.
“Businesses are now asking if they wish to be associated with platforms unable or unwilling to take responsibility for content on those sites,” Mr Mouat said in a post on his LinkedIn page. Read the full story here.
Richard Ferguson 3.50pm: “Only one attacker”: Police
New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush says gunman who killed 50 people and wounded others at two Christchurch mosques acted alone but may have had support.
Mr Bush says an “international” investigation is looking into whether the Christchurch terrorist had other individuals supporting his attack.
“I would like to state that we believe absolutely there was only one attacker responsible for this.
“That doesn’t mean there weren’t possibly other people in support, and that continues to form a very, very important part of our investigation.”
Richard Ferguson 3.30pm: National day of mourning
New Zealand will hold a national day of mourning this Friday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
“There will be a national commemoration and a service held in order for all New Zealanders together and acknowledge the terrorist attacks on Friday. That will absolutely be the case,” she said.
“What we want to ensure is that we allow the time and the space for families to be able to bury their loved ones. Keeping in mind some have not yet received their loved ones.”
Richard Ferguson 3.24pm: Ardern calls out social media giants
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she wants social media companies to do more to prevent radical material disseminating online, after Facebook took down 1.5 million versions of the video of the slaughter live streamed by the Christchurch terrorist last Friday.
“They’re continuing to automatically remove but also I believe manually in some cases re move any replica of that video and any form whether it’s cut or in film,” she said in Wellington.
“The fact that only one of those times (removing videos) has been automated tells me there are powers to take a very direct approach to instances of speech that incites violence or that incites hate.
“And I would call on our social media platforms of all variety to demonstrate the kind of responsibility that both lead to these events and those who perpetuate the messages in the aftermath. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
Richard Ferguson 3.20pm: NZ to change gun laws
Jacinda Ardern’s cabinet has made a in-principle decision to reform New Zealand’s gun laws but will not announce details today.
The New Zealand Prime Minister said she could not announce if she would have a buyback scheme — like the one John Howard introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre — but her cabinet was “of one mind” to make reforms.
“These are the kinds of issues, that add layers of complexity to issues around gun control law changes and management. Of course if you reflect on what Australia did, that was involved,” she said.
“Those will all be details I’ll be announcing in the very near future. We are of one mind. We are absolutely united as a cabinet.”
Ms Ardern said the gun law reforms will be announced within 10 days.
She also announced an inquiry into the country’s intelligence services.
Richard Ferguson 2.55pm: ACMA investigates livestream broadcasts
Australia’s Communication and Media Authority has launched an investigation into broadcasters who showed video filmed by the Christchurch terrorist while last Friday’s attacks unfolded.
Brenton Tarrant livestreamed his slaughter at two Christchurch mosques on Facebook and several broadcasters — including Channel Nine and Sky News — have been criticised for using some of that violent footage.
“The ACMA has commenced a formal investigation into whether content broadcast by commercial, national and subscription broadcasters of Friday’s terrorist attack in Christchurch breached current rules,” an ACMA spokesman said today. Read the full story here.
Richard Ferguson 2.40pm: End internet anonymity: Abbott
Tony Abbott has called for stricter laws for the internet to tackle online radicalisation in the wake of the terror attacks, including stopping people from using pseudonyms online.
“Plainly we have a lot of problems. Problem number one is people who are filled with hate, problem No 2 is the mechanisms they use to promote their hatred and to feed their hatred,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“We do need to have a much better policed internet and I think we’ve also got to end anonymity on the internet. You can’t be anonymous in the street, if you stand on the street corner doing dreadful things you can be identified, you shouldn’t be able to do dreadful things online and be anonymous.
“We’ve got to wake up to ourselves here. So many dreadful things are happening online, it’s got to be policed and people can no longer be anonymous.
“You should only be able to go online as yourself under your real name. The ability to pose as some kind of a weird and wonderful pseudonym online, we’ve got to end it … we’ve got to clean this thing up otherwise it will do us untold damage.”
"On behalf of all New Zealanders, we grieve together. We are one. They are us. TÄtau TÄtau."
— RNZ (@radionz) March 17, 2019
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's message in the national condolence book for victims of the Christchurch mosques terror attack. pic.twitter.com/1w0zJ125lD
2.30pm: More victims leave hospital
Ten people remain in a critical condition in hospital, including a four-year-old girl, three days after the Christchurch mosque shootings.
Christchurch Hospital says they are still treating 31 patients, but two others were well enough to be discharged on Monday.
The father of the little girl, who was also shot in the mosque attacks at Friday prayers, has been transferred to Auckland to be near his daughter who is in the Starship children’s hospital.
He’s in a serious but stable condition.
A total of 50 people were wounded in the terrorist shooting spree, which left another 50 people dead.
2.25pm: “It was a river of blood”
While he worked through the earthquake that devastated Christchurch, ambulance technician Paul Bennett says he had never seen anything like what awaited him at the mosque targeted by a gunman last week.
“There was a river of blood coming out of the mosque … It was literally flowing off terracotta tiles,” he said.
“The scene at Deane Avenue was about hatred.”
He and other emergency staff have recalled in detail the scene on Friday after the mosque shootings.
Among those on shift when the news broke was a recent graduate from an Australian university on his first day on the job.
“He had spent a total of four weeks in the back of an ambulance prior to that day, so baptism by fire,” shift supervisor Jason Watson said. “He turned up at the mosque and took part.”
Some visibly emotional as they grappled with what had occurred, the group of responders told reporters of stepping over bodies to collect the wounded and the unparalleled stream of reports that rushed in from 1.44pm.
Call handler Spencer Dennehy, nine months in the job, discussed how in her first call she had to keep a woman, whose two-year-old and husband were in one of the mosques at the time, from going after her family.
“She was very emotional and hysterical … she determined to go,” Dennehy, a Christchurch resident herself, said, noting all three survived.
Richard Ferguson 2.10pm: Comments ‘tone deaf’: Mehreen Faruqi
NSW Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has hit back at Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton who compared her to independent senator Fraser Anning for criticising the Minister’s past comments on refugees.
“Peter Dutton is the Minister for Home Affairs and is meant to be keeping us safe. For some time we have been saying he isn’t fit for the job but this morning’s tone deaf comments further prove it,” she said in a statement today.
“He still refuses to take responsibility for his role in demonising Muslims, migrants and refugees. Trying to claim that my response to the horrific massacre and Senator Anning’s disgraceful comments that harm our community are in any way equivalent is just vile.
“Peter Dutton’s comments show that Australian politicians are still not listening. Our country needs leadership and reflection on how to stamp out hate and Islamophobia.”
Senator Faruqi, the only Muslim in the Senate, said earlier this morning that the government had given a “wink and a nod” to “white supremacy” in the past.
Mr Dutton responded on ABC radio: “I’m hardly going to take morals lectures from the extreme left who are, frankly, as bad in these circumstances as Fraser Anning.”
Senator Anning blamed Muslim victims for Saturday’s far-right terror attacks in New Zealand.
Richard Ferguson 1.25pm: ‘Stop normalising hate speech’
Labor senate leader Penny Wong has accused Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton of “normalising hate speech” after he compared Greens critics to controversial independent senator Fraser Anning.
“Stop normalising hate speech Peter,” she tweeted today.
“Political criticism is not the same as blaming Muslims for this terrorist act. Now is the time for decent politicians to show some ethical leadership. Our democracy requires it.”
NSW Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi said this morning that the government had given a “wink and a nod” to white supremacy in the past, in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks.
Mr Dutton responded on ABC radio: “I’m hardly going to take morals lectures from the extreme left who are, frankly, as bad in these circumstances as Fraser Anning.”
Stop normalising hate speech Peter. Political criticism is not the same as blaming Muslims for this terrorist act. Now is the time for decent politicians to show some ethical leadership. Our democracy requires it. https://t.co/iQtZ3UPaMU
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) March 17, 2019
1.05pm: Teen charged with distributing video
A Christchurch teenager has been charged with distributing the mosque attack livestream.
The 18-year-old, who cannot yet be named, has been denied bail, but police said he was not involved in the attack.
Appearing in the Christchurch District Court on Monday, the accused was granted interim name suppression but was declined bail by Judge Stephen O’Driscoll. The details behind the bail decision cannot be published.
He will appear in court again in April.
The teen faces two charges: one of sharing the live-stream and a second for posting a photograph of one of the mosque’s attacked with the message “target acquired” along with other chat messages “inciting extreme violence”. If found guilty, he could face up to 14 years’ jail.
Facebook earlier said it had taken down 1.5 million copies of footage of the shooting that had been live-streamed by Tarrant in the 24 hours after the massacre. Authorities and telecommunications companies were last week also left scrambling trying to have the videos taken down and urged the public not to share them.
Richard Ferguson 12.50pm: ‘Let’s look’ at powers over Anning
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching says she wants to look at potential powers for the Senate to remove independent senator Fraser Anning, after he blamed Muslim victims for the Christchurch attacks.
“I do not think what Fraser Anning said was acceptable. It was simply not acceptable,” Senator Kitching told Sky News.
“Let’s have a look. I’m on the privileges committee so … I think we should have some regard to it. But I think there has to be some balance to that discussion and it should be a longer discussion.”
Greens leader Richard Di Natale told The Australian today his party is looking at amending Section 8 of the Privileges Act to allow sitting MPs to remove one of their own from parliament.
Richard Ferguson 12.30pm: ‘Playing footsie with hate’
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching has accused the government of “playing footsie with the politics of fear and hatred” before the Christchurch far-right terror attacks.
“What we have seen is that too many Liberals, too many National Party members have been willing to play footsie with the politics of fear and hatred. And this is where it leads,” she told Sky News.
“It was a dog whistle of ‘they’re not really like us’ so that’s speaking almost in a coded way. And now I feel like they’re using a loudspeaker to say, ‘we’ll vote for this motion: It’s OK to be white.’ Which they did do. The government did do.
“There are a lot of senior members in the government who’ve been willing to play footsie with the politics of fear and hate. We don’t have to look far back in history to see where that leads.
“The best of the Liberal Party, the best of the conservative parties is willing to stamp that language (about Muslims) out … the worst of the government has been willing to use that and use that at the ballot box.”
12.30pm: ‘Nothing unusual about gunman’
The owner of Christchurch’s Gun City store, where Brenton Tarrant bought firearms, has told a press conference he is “devastated” at the mosque massacre. He confirmed the store sold Tarrant four semi-automatic weapons but did not sell him the MSSA (Military Style Semi Automatic, of the style used in the attack).
David Tipple told reporters that staff had detected “nothing unusual” about Tarrant when he purchased his firearms online in late 2017 and mid 2018.
He said Tarrant had obtained a gun licence in November 2017 and made his first purchase from Gun City a month later. His last purchase was made in March 2018 he said.
He added that Gun City fully supported Jacinda Ardern’s “swift and decisive action” following the massacre.
Gun City CEO David Tipple: Gun City fully supports @jacindaardern’s swift and decisive actions following this tragedy.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 18, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/gqIebrUTnS #newsday pic.twitter.com/wftTuC3Yyr
Ben Packham 12.15pm: $55m for mosque, synagogue, church security
Religious schools, mosques, churches and synagogues will get funding for security upgrades under a new $55 million commitment by Scott Morrison in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks.
The Prime Minister unveiled the commitment in a speech to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce today, in which he will denounce the “evil of raced based ideology”, and offer prayers “for our Muslim brothers and sisters”.
The $55 commitment will be delivered from the government’s Safer Communities fund, which has provided $70 million since 2016 in local community safety grants for schools, pre-schools, community organisations and local councils.
The grants from $50,000 to $1.5 million will provide funds for security upgrade including as CCTV cameras, lighting, fencing, bollards, alarms, security systems and public address systems.
To read the story in full, click here.
Richard Ferguson 12.10pm: Howard doubles down on Labor gun ad
John Howard says he is not linking NSW Labor’s preference deal with the Shooters’ Party to the Christchurch terror attacks, but he will not shy away from his criticism of the latter’s position on relaxing gun laws.
The former prime minister has been hit with criticism from Labor for appearing in a NSW Liberal advert where he attacks the possibility of any gun law changes by a Shooters-backed government.
“I haven’t said anything about New Zealand except to express my condolences,” he said in Penrith today.
“If you’re talking about the criticism I made of the preference deal between Mr (Michael) Daley and the Shooters’ Party, I’ll repeat it.
“If Labor were to win with the help of the Shooters, the Shooters would demand a relaxation of our gun laws, that is as sure as night follows day.
“That’s a statement I made before the tragedy across the Ditch and it’s a statement I repeat.”
Richard Ferguson 12.05pm: ‘Gun laws must change’
New Zealand opposition leader Simon Bridges says he wants to work with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to change gun laws.
“Things must change … we want to be constructive partners on this. We are willing to look at everything and anything on this,” he told Sky News.
.@simonjbridges on the aftermath of the Christchurch shootings: The gun laws in this country need to change. We are happy to consider changes. @jacindaardern and I want to cooperate on this issue.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 18, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/I1nwaxzxSs #newsday pic.twitter.com/cr42eSitlJ
“I’m no expert on gun laws but whether it’s a register, whether it’s issues of licensing, whether it’s altogether bans — these are all issues we’re happy to consider.
“The Prime Minister is going to come back to me on these issues post her cabinet meeting so we can have a spirit of co-operation on the laws that must change.
“I’m not going to split hairs on this. I understand where we are at. I understand the need for change, and possibly some considerable change.”
11.55am: Gun laws ‘impossible to police’
Loopholes in NZ gun laws have made them impossible to police, the country’s Police Minister has been told.
In a police briefing to the minister, police gave an example of an A-category licence holder legally purchasing a semi-automatic and converting it into a Military Style semiautomatic by slotting in a high capacity magazine, as alleged Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant did.
The police briefing was given to Mr Nash last November, the NZ Herald reports.
Christchurch Boys Highschool performing the Haka at the Deans Avenue memorial site. Extraordinarily powerful display of unity by some of the city’s youth. @TheTodayShow @9NewsAUS #ChristchurchMosqueShooting pic.twitter.com/XkEXuaYU0Y
— Gabrielle Boyle (@Gabrielle_Boyle) March 18, 2019
Richard Ferguson 11.40am: We’ll work with NZ’ on deportation
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says the government will work “very constructively” with New Zealand if it tries to deport Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant back to Australia.
“The legal proceedings — trial and the adjudication of these horrific crimes — will go through its processes in New Zealand,” she told Sky News.
“If there are questions to be raised after that in relation to the location of anyone who is convicted out of this process, then they would be dealt with according to the normal processes.
“We work within the laws as they stand, we would have those discussions with New Zealand if and when the time comes. And I’m sure we will work with that very constructively together.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she has sought advice on deporting Mr Tarrant, but that was likely to happen after any sentence he could be convicted to was served.
Charlie Peel 11.30am: ‘If attacked, you defend yourself’
Senator Fraser Anning has said the more than one million signatories on a petition to have him thrown out of Parliament were “entitled to their opinion” but he had been told by “lots and lots” of people that they wanted him to stay.
The controversial political figure said had been defending himself when he threw two punches at a man who hit him in the head with an egg on Saturday.
“If you’re attacked, you defend yourself,” he said.
“He got a slap across the face, which is what his mother should have given him long ago, because he’s been misbehaving badly.”
To read the story in full click here
7 News on @Channel7 & streaming on @7plus now. https://t.co/8nu3TyBAYF #7News pic.twitter.com/SeUJaNhqjm
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) March 18, 2019
11.10am: Tarrant kept separate
Brenton Tarrant is being kept separate from other prisoners in a “specialist security facility,” and is being watch around the clock, Stuff NZ reports.
“He is being managed in accordance with the provisions set out in the Corrections Act 2004 and our international obligations for the treatment of prisoners,” the chief custodial officer said.
Debbie Schipp 11.10am: Linwood Mosque site blessed
Members of the Linwood Islamic centre have gathered at the scene of the second mosque shootings this morning to bless the building.
More than 100 people gathered as Linwood Avenue was blocked off to allow members of the Muslim community to gather there as Maori elders performed the blessing.
Deborah Cornwall 11.00am: Mass graves ready for victims
Christchurch has begun to bring out the dead as the first four of 50 victims from Friday’s terrorist massacre left the Christchurch Hospital in hearses this morning. More bodies are expected to be released as the day unfolds. Mass graves have already been dug in readiness at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch, where the community hopes to hold a mass burial before sunset today.
A huge contingent of Muslim volunteers from across New Zealand and Australia will now begin the extraordinary tasking of washing and shrouding the bodies — many of them badly disfigured by gun wounds.
Brisbane man, Ali Armando is just one of the hundreds of Muslim volunteers who will be washing the bodies according to strict Islamic funeral rites, a task he says he wanted to spare the relatives of the dead, especially given so many of the massacre victims were wounded so badly large parts of their faces and head were torn apart.
Debbie Schipp 10.40am: First funeral cars leave hospital
As mourners prepare to bury the first of the 50 people slain on Friday in Christchurch, the first funeral services have left Christchurch Hospital.
There’s a heavy police presence at Memorial Park Cemetery, with police dogs being used to check parked cars in the surrounds.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of people continue to pay their respects at Masjid Al Noor mosque at a makeshift memorial to the 50 Muslims murdered at prayer.
10.35am: Anning ‘will go for lunatic’ comments
Tony Abbott has expressed certainty that Fraser Anning would be dumped at the May election over his “lunatic” comments about immigration.
“It was a lunatic thing to say and he deserves censure, he absolutely deserves censure and I’m sure that’s what he’s going to get from the parliament when we go back,” Mr Abbott told 2GB.
Peter Dutton also urged voters to drop Mr Anning over his “appalling” comments.
“People can express their view freely and respectfully at the ballot box and I think that is the strongest possible message that can be sent,” Mr Dutton told Nine’s Today program.
AAP
Debbie Schipp 10.07am: Trade Me suspends gun sales
Trade Me, the largest internet auction website trading in New Zealand, has halted sales of semiautomatic weapons on the site.
The company has stalled sales while it waits for more clarity from the government, it said in a statement.
“We’ve had a lot of contact from Kiwis over the weekend about this issue, and many felt that we should stop the sale of these items in the wake of this attack,” Trade Me CEO Jon Macdonald said.
“We’ve listened to these sentiments and we’ve put this ban in place while we await clear direction from the Government.”
He said the auction site already heavily restricted the types of firearms that can be listed to ‘A’ category firearms in sporting configuration, as commonly used by hunters, recreational shooters or in rural communities as tools on farms.
The site does not allow the sale of military style semiautomatic weapons, parts which could change an ‘A’ category firearm into a military style semiautomatic weapons, pistols, or restricted weapons.
David Murray 10.05am: Family assists police in raids
More on the raids on the NSW coast; the Sandy Beach property raided this morning belongs to Tarrant’s sister Lauren, who hasn’t been seen there since the attack on two mosques on Friday. Over the weekend the blinds were drawn and no-one was home.
The second house at Lawrence, near Maclean, is owned by the partner of Tarrant’s mother Sharon. No-one was home at the property on Sunday.
Tarrant’s family has been assisting police since the attack and there is no suggestion they have any involvement.
“The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation,” a police statement said.
“The community can be assured that there is no information to suggest a current or impending threat related to this search warrant.”
9.55am: Tarrant ‘will use trial to promote beliefs’
Brenton Tarrant’s sacked lawyer says he is concerned the alleged gunman will use his trial to amplify his views.
“I suspect that he won’t shy away from publicity, and that will probably be the way he runs the trial,” Richard Peters told The NZ Herald. “The job of the trial judge will be to deal with that.
He said Tarrant didn’t tell him why he wanted to represent himself.
9.50am: Tarrant sacks lawyer
Accused mosque gunman Brenton Tarrant has dismissed his lawyer and will represent himself in court, the New Zealand Herald reports. — raising concerns he could attempt to turn a trial into a platform for his beliefs.
The duty lawyer who represented Tarrant in court on Saturday confirmed to the Herald today that he was no longer acting for him.
Richard Peters said Tarrant appeared to be lucid and was not mentally unstable.
Mr Peters said that his job representing Tarrant ceased on Saturday with Tarrant telling him he wanted to represent himself in future.
He added the alleged gunman had not offered any condolences or words of regret, but “our discussion didn’t touch on that”.
Richard Ferguson 9.45am: NZ will tighten ‘looser’ laws
John Howard says New Zealand will tighten their “much looser” gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks.
The former prime minister is the architect of Australia’s tight gun laws, which he brought in after the Port Arthur Massacre in April 1996.
“I don’t presume to give lectures to other governments … They certainly are looser laws, much looser laws than exist in Australia,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“And I’m certain in the wake of this, there’ll be a united resolve across the political scene in that country to do something.
“The big thing we did was to ban automatic and semiautomatic weapons … it’s the availability of such lethal weapons which really is the most deadly thing.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will meet with her cabinet to discuss the details of gun law reforms she has promised in the wake of Saturday’s terror attacks.
Jessica Cortis 9.15am: Raids at Tarrant sister’s home
The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team have this morning raided the home of the sister of alleged Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant.
Around 8.30am on Monday, officers from the NSW JCTT searched a home in the town of Sandy Beach, near Coffs Harbour.
A short time later, a second search warrant was executed at another home in Lawrence near Maclean.
Tarrant’s mother and sister are at the properties and are assisting police, NineNews reports.
“The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand Police in their ongoing investigation,” The Australian Federal Police said in a statement.
Tarrant’s family, from the mid-north coast town of Grafton, continues to assist police with their inquiries.
“The community can be assured that there is no information to suggest a current or impending threat related to this search warrants,” the statement said.
“What is a censure? It will not prove a damn thing!†— @PaulineHansonOZ says she’ll abstain from a vote to censure Fraser Anning. #auspol pic.twitter.com/Xz3wRsqNO9
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) March 17, 2019
Jessica Cortis 9.05am: Facebook removes 1.5m mosque attack videos
More than 1.5 million videos of the Christchurch mosque shootings that were circulated on Facebook were removed in the first 24 hours after the attack, according to the social media giant.
“We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people,” Facebook New Zealand’s Mia Garlick said on Twitter on Sunday.
Ms Garlick said videos that included “praise or support” for the attack were also removed using automated technologies like audio detection and human content moderators.
Of the original video shares, 1.2 million were “blocked at upload” but despite this, the 17 minute video still circulated online almost 11 hours after it was first posted.
“Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, we’re also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content,” Ms Garlick said.
New Zealand police and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged people not to share the video, saying citizens “should not be perpetuating, sharing, giving any oxygen to this act of violence and the message that is sitting behind it.”
The live stream has been compared to video game Fortnite, which is played in the perspective of a first-person shooter.
Richard Ferguson 9.00am: ‘Barely disguised xenophobia’
Independent MP for Wentworth Kerryn Phelps has accused the government of “barely disguised xenophobia” against asylum seekers, in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks.
“This is a time, I believe, for unity, and not a time for using an incident like this to further divide Australians,” she told Sky News.
“What we need to do is put away the dog whistle.
“I’ve been sitting there in Question Time, day after day hearing the most awful rhetoric which has been directed at people seeking asylum. And it’s barely disguised xenophobia.
“What we need to do is pay very special attention to the tone of our national debate.”
.@drkerrynphelps says it is a 'time for unity' and has called for a stop to 'divisive rhetoric' in the wake of the NZ mosque attacks.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 17, 2019
'It's a time for unity, not for using an incident like this to further divide Australians.'
MORE: https://t.co/oNW47L2nCD #FirstEdition pic.twitter.com/bUlpmfm2v5
8.50am: Victims’ bodies released by Wednesday
NZ authorities hope to release all the victims’ bodies by Wednesday, with Police Commissioner Mike Bush saying authorities are working with pathologists and coroners to complete the task as soon as they could. “We have to be absolutely clear on the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen,” Commissioner Bush said. “But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs. So we are doing that as quickly and as sensitively as possible.”
Police said they had released a preliminary list of the victims to families, which has helped give closure to some who were waiting for any news.
AAP
Richard Ferguson 8.40am: Hanson won’t support censure
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will not support a censure motion against her former colleague Fraser Anning next month despite his widely condemned attack on Muslim victims of the Christchurch attacks.
“The politicians will go in there beating their chests. A censure won’t prove a damn thing,” she told the Seven Network this morning.
“The people will have their say. Not politicians beating their chests about this.
“He is an elected member of the parliament. He has a voice.”
Senator Hanson repeated her opposition to Islam, but said she condemned the Christchurch attacks and that she was not a white supremacist.
To read the story in full, click here
“What is a censure? It will not prove a damn thing!†— @PaulineHansonOZ says she’ll abstain from a vote to censure Fraser Anning. #auspol pic.twitter.com/Xz3wRsqNO9
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) March 17, 2019
Richard Ferguson 8.35am: Anning ‘may face racial charges’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said independent senator Fraser Anning could face racial vilification charges, as well as assault charges for hitting a 17-year-old protester on Saturday.
“In relation to the Victorian investigation, that will be in relation to the incident with Senator Anning and the young man, so that’s separate,” he told ABC radio.
“If there is an incident otherwise, or language otherwise, that gives rise to a Commonwealth offence then the Australian Federal Police will investigate that.”
.@PeterDutton_MP says Australian agencies have been working 'very closely' with their NZ counterparts to 'put a picture together' of Brenton Tarrant, highlighting that he spent 'only 45 days in Australia over the past 3 years'.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #amagenda pic.twitter.com/7iCUWOJmWI
Richard Ferguson 8.30am: Greens critics ‘as bad as Anning’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has said his Greens critics are “as bad as Fraser Anning” after NSW Senator Mehreen Faruqi said this morning the government had given a “wink and a nod” to white supremacy in the past.
“One of the regrets I have is that we give attention or a spotlight to people like Fraser Anning, or like this senator as well, and another who has been critical has been (Greens leader) Richard Di Natale,” he told ABC radio.
“The comments that she’s made, and the desire to extract some sort of political attention-seeking or advantage is appalling.
“I’m hardly going to take morals lectures from the extreme left who are, frankly, as bad in these circumstances as Fraser Anning.
“People on the left don’t like me because of Operation Sovereign Borders, that’s fine … their dislike of me, they will seek an opportunity.
“I’m hardly going to take morals lectures from the extreme left who are, frankly, as bad in these circumstances as Fraser Anning.”
Senator Faruqi is the only Muslim senator in parliament.
Mr Anning has been widely condemned for blaming the Christchurch far-right attack on Muslim immigration and his ongoing links to neo-Nazis and far-right extremists.
Jessica Cortis 8.25am: Gun show cancelled
New Zealand’s largest gun show, the Kumeu Militaria Show, has cancelled an event planned for next weekend because of “elevated security risks”.
“Due to recent events in Christchurch the 2019 Kumeu Militaria Show is cancelled,” event organisers said in a statement on Facebook.
“In respect for the victims of the Christchurch terror attacks and because the elevated security risks we have decided to not hold the event.”
The Kumeu Militaia show describes itself as “supporting those that serve the country” and “promoting an interest in military history”
The Show is an annual event which has run for the past five years at the Kumeu Showgrounds and is known to sell a range of firearms.
Event organiser Danny Paton said he was “appalled” by Friday’s massacre.
“As the organisers of the Kumeu Militaria Show, we are appalled and horrified at the stupid, senseless Christchurch shootings,” Mr Paton said.
8.00am: ‘Change way far-right is targeted’
Counter-terrorism expert and Labor MP Anne Aly has called for a substantial change in the way far-right extremists are targeted by authorities after the Christchurch mosque massacre.
Dr Aly said while more could be done to target threats online, she was aware companies were acting to stamp out extremist activity. “What we don’t want is a situation where we’re playing a game of whack-a-mole where we take down one and 10 more show up in its place,” she told ABC radio.
“What we want is some kind of substantial change.”
“It’s one thing to have the powers, it’s another thing to direct them towards white supremacist movements and to recognise the seriousness of that threat.”
Former crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm, who is running for a seat in the NSW Upper House, believes authorities should be using increased powers to stop terrorism.
“The responsibility is on them to use those powers to make sure that they identify the individuals who are in danger of doing these sorts of atrocities,” he told the ABC.
AAP
Richard Ferguson 7.45am: ‘Commend security agencies’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has defended Australia’s national security agencies, after revelations Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant was not on any security watch lists.
“The agencies work day and night and I think the work needs to be commended. They’ve thwarted now 15 attempted terrorist attacks in our country,” he told ABC radio.
“We need to recognise the fact that given the prolific nature of the internet, all of these forums, there is only so much content that be covered, assessed and analysed by ASIO and other partner agencies.
“This individual spent 45 days in Australia in the last three years and travelled extensively since 2010. All of those factors need to be taken in consideration.
“From the day I took up this portfolio, the first briefing I had from (ASIO chief) Duncan Lewis, he gave advice on extremists … including white supremacists and neo-Nazi extreme right-wing activity. They’ve been very conscious of it.”
In Today’s News
ASIO Director General Duncan Lewis and federal police commissioner Andrew Colvin will brief Australia’s national security committee of cabinet today.
One consequence of Friday’s attacks will be a refocus on far-right extremism in Australia, as former NSW deputy police commissioner Nick Kaldas tells The Australian not enough has been done to tackle neo-Nazis and white supremacy.
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have united to condemn the failure of social media giants such as Facebook to crack down on the spread of violent hate speech
In New Zealand, a major focus for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be action on reforming gun laws.
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