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| Seventy people barred from first repatriation flight – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest updates | Follow the latest updates |
| OK, and with that we shall wrap up the blog for the day and for the week. Here are today’s main developments: | OK, and with that we shall wrap up the blog for the day and for the week. Here are today’s main developments: |
| The New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has stepped down from his role as the minister for families and from the Liberal party after revealing he was the subject of a police investigation. | The New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has stepped down from his role as the minister for families and from the Liberal party after revealing he was the subject of a police investigation. |
| More than 70 of the 150 vulnerable Australians booked on the India repatriation flight have been thrown off the passenger list after they either tested positive to Covid-19 or were deemed close contacts of cases. | More than 70 of the 150 vulnerable Australians booked on the India repatriation flight have been thrown off the passenger list after they either tested positive to Covid-19 or were deemed close contacts of cases. |
| Christian Porter’s defamation case against the ABC has effectively stalled while a judge decides whether his high-profile barrister has a conflict of interest in the case. | Christian Porter’s defamation case against the ABC has effectively stalled while a judge decides whether his high-profile barrister has a conflict of interest in the case. |
| Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, has urged an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip as the death toll rises amid fears of war. | Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, has urged an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip as the death toll rises amid fears of war. |
| Tasmanian Liberal MP Adam Brooks will resign after being charged with alleged firearms offences by Queensland police. | Tasmanian Liberal MP Adam Brooks will resign after being charged with alleged firearms offences by Queensland police. |
| The Australian National University’s centre for social research and methods found confidence in the Morrison government has dipped below 50%. | The Australian National University’s centre for social research and methods found confidence in the Morrison government has dipped below 50%. |
| Incidents of family violence have jumped in Victoria, as the state emerged from Covid lockdowns. | Incidents of family violence have jumped in Victoria, as the state emerged from Covid lockdowns. |
| Australian neo-Nazi Tom Sewell has been arrested by counter-terrorism police in Melbourne over an alleged armed robbery earlier this month. | Australian neo-Nazi Tom Sewell has been arrested by counter-terrorism police in Melbourne over an alleged armed robbery earlier this month. |
| Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys has lost his defamation case against the ABC over a report on the slaughter of retired racehorses. | Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys has lost his defamation case against the ABC over a report on the slaughter of retired racehorses. |
| Thanks for joining us today – please enjoy your weekend, wherever you may be! | Thanks for joining us today – please enjoy your weekend, wherever you may be! |
| I just want to break up the news a little with this lovely photo gallery of Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan: | I just want to break up the news a little with this lovely photo gallery of Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan: |
| Two children and two adults have been critically injured in a crash on the Warrego highway north-west of Toowoomba, according to the ABC. | Two children and two adults have been critically injured in a crash on the Warrego highway north-west of Toowoomba, according to the ABC. |
| Police said a bus carrying 17 children crashed into a car around 10km from Wallumbilla, in southern Queensland, this afternoon. | Police said a bus carrying 17 children crashed into a car around 10km from Wallumbilla, in southern Queensland, this afternoon. |
| The two adults were trapped in the car and emergency crews had to cut a door and the roof of the car to get to them. | The two adults were trapped in the car and emergency crews had to cut a door and the roof of the car to get to them. |
| So, it’s been a pretty hectic Friday evening, with Labor senator Penny Wong now lashing the PM for his “lies” on the Middle East. | So, it’s been a pretty hectic Friday evening, with Labor senator Penny Wong now lashing the PM for his “lies” on the Middle East. |
| In a statement, Wong points out that Scott Morrison, speaking at a Liberal party event today, said: | In a statement, Wong points out that Scott Morrison, speaking at a Liberal party event today, said: |
| But Wong points out the Labor has held the same position, having released a statement as recently as yesterday outlining it: | But Wong points out the Labor has held the same position, having released a statement as recently as yesterday outlining it: |
| Wong slams the PM for “lying about long-standing bipartisan foreign policy positions”. | Wong slams the PM for “lying about long-standing bipartisan foreign policy positions”. |
| Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys has lost his defamation case against the ABC over a report on the slaughter of retired racehorses. | Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys has lost his defamation case against the ABC over a report on the slaughter of retired racehorses. |
| V’landys claimed the ABC’s 7.30 program titled The Final Race, broadcast in October 2019, had conveyed four defamatory meanings about him. | V’landys claimed the ABC’s 7.30 program titled The Final Race, broadcast in October 2019, had conveyed four defamatory meanings about him. |
| The report featured graphic footage of retired racehorses being slaughtered at the Queensland abattoir Meramis. | The report featured graphic footage of retired racehorses being slaughtered at the Queensland abattoir Meramis. |
| The four claimed meanings included that he “callously permitted the wholesale slaughter of thoroughbred horses” and “dishonestly asserted that no racehorses were sent to knackeries for slaughter in NSW”. | The four claimed meanings included that he “callously permitted the wholesale slaughter of thoroughbred horses” and “dishonestly asserted that no racehorses were sent to knackeries for slaughter in NSW”. |
| But in the federal court on Friday, Justice Michael Wigney concluded the program did not convey those meanings, although it did not portray Vlandys in a positive light. | But in the federal court on Friday, Justice Michael Wigney concluded the program did not convey those meanings, although it did not portray Vlandys in a positive light. |
| The judge said: | The judge said: |
| V’landys was ordered to pay the broadcaster’s legal costs. | V’landys was ordered to pay the broadcaster’s legal costs. |
| Amnesty International has slammed the Morrison government for their organising of the repatriation flight to India, after it was revealed the flight had a high positive Covid test rate. | Amnesty International has slammed the Morrison government for their organising of the repatriation flight to India, after it was revealed the flight had a high positive Covid test rate. |
| Amnesty International campaigner Joel MacKay called the attempt to bring vulnerable people in India back home “lazy policy-making.” | Amnesty International campaigner Joel MacKay called the attempt to bring vulnerable people in India back home “lazy policy-making.” |
| The organisation called for the government to book extra repatriation flights and to expand the national quarantine facility, support the states and territories to expand the hotel quarantine program, and support the Trips waiver proposal that will see Covid-19 vaccines distributed to developing nations faster. | The organisation called for the government to book extra repatriation flights and to expand the national quarantine facility, support the states and territories to expand the hotel quarantine program, and support the Trips waiver proposal that will see Covid-19 vaccines distributed to developing nations faster. |
| Just a bit more on NSW Labor MLC Penny Sharpe’s reasons for resigning from the shadow Labor ministry over the mandatory disease testing bill. | Just a bit more on NSW Labor MLC Penny Sharpe’s reasons for resigning from the shadow Labor ministry over the mandatory disease testing bill. |
| In her speech on the legislation, she said the bill would give frontline workers the wrong signal that they are at significant risk of being infected with HIV, or hepatitis B or C if they are spat on or come into contact with other bodily fluids. | In her speech on the legislation, she said the bill would give frontline workers the wrong signal that they are at significant risk of being infected with HIV, or hepatitis B or C if they are spat on or come into contact with other bodily fluids. |
| She said: | She said: |
| Those who will be forced to have blood taken from them will be among the most vulnerable in the community, she said: | Those who will be forced to have blood taken from them will be among the most vulnerable in the community, she said: |
| Australian neo-Nazi Tom Sewell has been arrested by counter-terrorism police in Melbourne today, over an alleged armed robbery earlier this month. | Australian neo-Nazi Tom Sewell has been arrested by counter-terrorism police in Melbourne today, over an alleged armed robbery earlier this month. |
| Two men – 28-year-old Sewell and another 22-year-old – were arrested by counter-terror police, who also executed search warrants in Eildon Parade, Rowville. | Two men – 28-year-old Sewell and another 22-year-old – were arrested by counter-terror police, who also executed search warrants in Eildon Parade, Rowville. |
| You can read more on the story from Michael McGowan here: | You can read more on the story from Michael McGowan here: |
| The meeting between some of the stranded Australians and Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and Michelle Rowland has ended. It was organised by Turbans for Australia, a group which is trying to raise the plight of the Australian-Indian diaspora who have been left without a way home and in a lot of cases, answers on how they can get home. | The meeting between some of the stranded Australians and Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and Michelle Rowland has ended. It was organised by Turbans for Australia, a group which is trying to raise the plight of the Australian-Indian diaspora who have been left without a way home and in a lot of cases, answers on how they can get home. |
| There was no resolution – there can’t be. It’s up to the government to change the policy, and right now, with a lack of adequate quarantine facilities, and a slow vaccine rollout, that is not going to happen. Albanese thanked the group for their time and their “contribution in making up modern Australia” and said it will take “passion and determination” to try and bring about change. | There was no resolution – there can’t be. It’s up to the government to change the policy, and right now, with a lack of adequate quarantine facilities, and a slow vaccine rollout, that is not going to happen. Albanese thanked the group for their time and their “contribution in making up modern Australia” and said it will take “passion and determination” to try and bring about change. |
| The issues will be raised in Senate estimates. There are not a lot of other answers to this – we don’t currently have a vaccination plan for Australians who are in India but they can’t get on a repatriation flight if they test positive for Covid – and in India, the number of infections is still growing daily. They don’t know what any of this will mean for their visas – are they still eligible to return to Australia given the amount of time they have spent overseas, and will their visas have been paused for the time they have been stuck in India, or is that it? Students don’t know when they can return to study, parents don’t know when they can be reunited with their children, and we don’t know yet how we are going to get unaccompanied minors home – let alone everyone else in that 9,000 strong cohort. | The issues will be raised in Senate estimates. There are not a lot of other answers to this – we don’t currently have a vaccination plan for Australians who are in India but they can’t get on a repatriation flight if they test positive for Covid – and in India, the number of infections is still growing daily. They don’t know what any of this will mean for their visas – are they still eligible to return to Australia given the amount of time they have spent overseas, and will their visas have been paused for the time they have been stuck in India, or is that it? Students don’t know when they can return to study, parents don’t know when they can be reunited with their children, and we don’t know yet how we are going to get unaccompanied minors home – let alone everyone else in that 9,000 strong cohort. |
| There’s not a lot of answers, but there is an increasing amount of desperation. | There’s not a lot of answers, but there is an increasing amount of desperation. |
| Labor is not able to offer a lot of answers to these stranded Australians participating in this Zoom meeting – which Michelle Rowland is very up front about. | Labor is not able to offer a lot of answers to these stranded Australians participating in this Zoom meeting – which Michelle Rowland is very up front about. |
| For Australians stranded in India, they do not know what is happening to their visa status – no one can tell them. They will not be vaccinated by the Australian government, and don’t know if they receive private vaccinations using the vaccines India is using, whether that will count in Australia. Those who are lucky enough to qualify for a loan from the department of foreign affairs are only able to access $2,000 – getting home will cost $6,000 at least. Minors need a direct relative to take them home – and there are about 173 who are unaccompanied in India. So how do you get them home? | For Australians stranded in India, they do not know what is happening to their visa status – no one can tell them. They will not be vaccinated by the Australian government, and don’t know if they receive private vaccinations using the vaccines India is using, whether that will count in Australia. Those who are lucky enough to qualify for a loan from the department of foreign affairs are only able to access $2,000 – getting home will cost $6,000 at least. Minors need a direct relative to take them home – and there are about 173 who are unaccompanied in India. So how do you get them home? |
| Penny Wong has said Labor will raise these questions in estimates. This group has met with Alex Hawke previously though – and don’t feel confident they will get any more answers. | Penny Wong has said Labor will raise these questions in estimates. This group has met with Alex Hawke previously though – and don’t feel confident they will get any more answers. |
| So, Marise Payne and Greg Hunt have just released a statement on the return of Australians from India, saying a plane has just departed Sydney to pick up passengers from New Delhi. | So, Marise Payne and Greg Hunt have just released a statement on the return of Australians from India, saying a plane has just departed Sydney to pick up passengers from New Delhi. |
| The statement also says the flight will carry “life-saving oxygen equipment” to India, as part of Australia’s support for the country. | The statement also says the flight will carry “life-saving oxygen equipment” to India, as part of Australia’s support for the country. |
| Payne said: | Payne said: |
| According to the statement, the flight will be the second to carry essential medical supples to India, under the Morrison government’s $37.1m support package. | According to the statement, the flight will be the second to carry essential medical supples to India, under the Morrison government’s $37.1m support package. |