TRANSCRIPT
The United Nations has scheduled an emergency meeting about the Middle East after Iran launched more than 180 missiles into Israel.
Israel and the United States say Iran will face severe consequences for the strikes which injured no one.
Meanwhile, Israel is continuing its bombardment of Lebanon where it has so far killed at least 1000 people in Lebanon and left one million people displaced.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says Israel is abiding by international law and should not be attacked.
"They're a democracy, they're a society like ours, they believe in freedom of speech, they believe in adherence to the rule of law – adherence to the rule of international law – and to see them under attack would be no different than seeing the United States, or the United Kingdom, or Canada under attack, or France, or Germany. Nothing was happening on the 6th of October."
Israel has repeatedly violated orders from the International Court of Justice to end its occupation of Palestinian territories and an arrest warrant currently stands for the Israeli Prime Minister and other senior Israeli officials.
——
More than 100 airline seats are being secured for Australian citizens attempting to flee Lebanon as Israel continues it's bombardment and ground invasion.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says more flights are being scheduled for the coming days as efforts to evacuate Australians in Lebanon intensify following missile attacks on Israel.
Concerns about those attempting to flee Lebanon are being exacerbated by multiple Israeli strikes near Lebanon's airport, forcing multiple airlines to divert flights.
——
Recent surveys show almost one in three Victorian public sector employees think corruption in a problem in their workplace.
A survey of over 9000 Victorians working in either the public sector, local government, police, or business suppliers, shows that roughly nine out of ten respondents agree corruption happens in Victoria.
The perceptions of corruption survey finds that Victorian government workers are most likely to believe corruption occurs in their workplace.
85 per cent of Victorian Police officers say they believe police misconduct occurs in the state and they were the most likely to identify their organisation as being vulnerable to corruption and having the weakest ethical culture.
——
Landholders are being warned they could face fines of up to $14,000 for refusing to comply with mandatory treatment for fire ants in Queensland.
Some property owners are complaining about a national eradication program that requires low-dose chemical baits to be placed on their at-risk properties.
The hesitant owners are reportedly putting up signs on their properties saying they do not consent to the poisoning of them, their properties, pets, livestock or their ecosystems.
The eradication program says there has been an increase in physical and psychological harassment and intimidation of treatment teams both in person and online.
——-
Republican Vice Presidential candidate J-D Vance and Democratic candidate Tim Walz have clashed over gun violence in their first televised debate on C-B-S.
Taking each other on over the Middle East, gun violence, immigration, taxes and climate change, the pair toned down their usual personal attacks on each other and focused on policy issues.
Speaking during the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate, Mr Vance says taking guns away won't solve anything.
"We have to make the doors stronger. We have to make the windows stronger. And of course, we've got to increase school resource officers, because the idea that we can magically wave a wand and take guns out of the hands of bad guys, it doesn't fit with recent experience. So we've just got to make schools safer."
Tim Walz says it isn't about taking away everyone's guns but rather about limiting which weapons are on the streets.
"It's not infringing on your second amendment. And the idea to have some of these weapons out there, it just doesn't make any sense. Kamala Harris, as an attorney general, worked on this issue. She knows that it's there. No one's trying to scare monger and say, we're taking your guns, but I ask all of you out there. Do you want your schools hardened to look like a fort. Is that, what we have to do, when we know there's countries around the world, that their children aren't practicing these types of drills."
————
More than 100 men's, women's, and junior teams will travel to Bathurst this weekend for the annual New South Wales Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout.
The event, also known as the Koori Knockout, is one of the most significant events for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
This year's event will be hosted by Walgett Aboriginal Connection, the 2023 champions.
N-I-T-V Koori Knockout commentator Timana Tahu says some of the metropolitan teams are the ones to watch.
"Usually, like your metro teams are always strong. Your Redferns, Lar Pars, Blacktowns, they're already all strong in the juniors. When it comes into the women's, you know, Dunghutti is always strong. Redfern, Lar Pars again, you know Wellington. And then with the men. You know, WAR ((Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers)) looks really good. WAC ((Walgett Aboriginal Connection)) always looks good. You know your North Coast teams, they're pretty strong as well."
