TRANSCRIPT
- A Vietnam War hero is awarded with Australia's highest military honour
- A man has been crushed and killed by a wind turbine blade in Victoria
- The Socceroos in high spirits ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia
Vietnam veteran Richard Norden has been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, Australia's highest military honour.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the 19-year-old private from Gundagi showed extraordinary courage as he announced the award.
In 1968, Norden put his life on the line when he ran into enemy fire during the Vietnam War to reach a wounded comrade and retrieve the body of another.
Private Norden, who later served with the A-C-T police, died in 1972 in a traffic accident.
Governor general, Sam Mostyn, confirmed the King had approved the awarding and says she shared the news with Private Norden's wife.
"The Victoria Cross for Australia is Australia’s highest military honour, the awarding of it speaks to Private Norden’s courage and selflessness in the heat of battle, his ongoing legacy and the bravery of generations of our service personnel. This is an historic occasion for Australia and the Australian Defence Force, and a very significant day for Private Norden’s loved ones."
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Australia will be able to withstand global financial shocks stemming from a second Donald Trump presidency.
Mr Chalmers will address the Australian Institute of International Affairs this evening, where he will say Australia is likely to fare better than other nations in handling potential economic pressures.
Mr Trump has proposed significant tariffs on imports into the U-S as part of his second-term agenda.
But Mr Chalmers says Australia is prepared.
"We are confident that we can navigate that change as partners. We are confident that we will be able to do what Australia has always been able to do which is to work with American friends no matter who is leading either country from any one point in time to another."
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A wind farm worker has been crushed and killed by a fallen fan blade in Victoria.
The man was working at Golden Plains Wind Farm in Rokewood, west of Melbourne, when he was crushed by the rotor blade on Monday morning.
Police say first responders attempted to revive the man but he died at the scene.
Victoria's premier Jacinta Allan has expressed her sympathies and says the state has strong workplace safety regulations.
Worksafe Victoria is investigating the incident.
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Deputy Greens leader and higher education spokesperson, Mehreen Faruqi, says wiping student debt will make a tangible difference in the lives of young people.
The Greens is launching a plan for all HECS debt accrued by university students to be wiped.
It comes after the federal government outlined its plan to cut student debt by 20 per cent, should it win the next election.
Ms Faruqi says the measure needs to go further, saying higher education should be free.
"Under the Greens plan, someone earning an average income, and having an average debt of $27,600 will save five-and-a-half-thousand dollars a year. Wiping all student debt will mean that people have more money in their pockets for desperately needed things like making ends meet, paying their rent and saving up for a deposit for their first home."
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An award-winning film about the Stolen Generations is being used for truth-telling, healing, and education.
Genocide in the Wildflower State tells the story of the stolen generations in Western Australia.
It recently won the Best Human Rights Film at the 2024 Tokyo International Cinema Awards.
The documentary is being screened around Australia with the film makers and survivors speaking to audiences after each viewing.
Noongar elder, Jim Morrison, says he hopes the film will explain why survivors of the stolen generation are seeking compensation.
"The Bringing Them Home recommendations can be summarised as truth, justice and healing. So, truth is around education and informing people, there's no excuse. So when that truth occurs we'd like to think that there might be some justice. So, basically the film was about a campaign for compensation. So then if there's justice there may be some healing."
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Melbourne Victory forward Nishan Velupillay says spirits are high in the Socceroos camp ahead of the team's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
The two games will largely determine if Australia can qualify for the 2026 tournament now - or if the wait for its participation will extend.
Tony Popovic's men will take on the Saudis on Thursday night at AAMI Park before making the trip to Bahrain.
Velupillay says Saudi Arabia is a dangerous team but the Socceroos will be focusing on their own game.
"Yeah I think they ((Saudi Arabia))) always have good individual players that can produce moments of brilliance. It's always something you've got to watch out for but, yeah, they make the game kind of difficult to play. Whether it's stop-start or not. Despite the fact that they have some really good individual players, we also have ours and we'll be looking to use our strengths as much as possible."
