TRANSCRIPT
- Israel and Hamas fulfil the terms of their original prisoners for hostages deal
- Labor Senator Patrick Dodson to retire because of cancer
- Matildas captain Sam Kerr to miss two friendlies with Canada because of injury
Israel and Hamas have now fulfilled the terms of their original deal to exchange 50 captives in Gaza for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails.
At Dana-Dwek Children's hospital in Israel, Doctor Ram Sagi has said the 11 women and children freed in the most recent release are in a stable medical condition.
“Right now, they are spending time with their families in a quiet environment. And we want them to be with their families in order to provide a quiet environment and a supportive system in order to ease their come to Israel.”
However inside Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry has said no fuel had arrived for generators at hospitals in the territory's north, despite the truce.
_
Labor Senator Patrick Dodson says the reconciliation work he has been dedicated to throughout his time as a senator must continue beyond his retirement.
Known as the "Father of Reconciliation" for his years of Indigenous rights advocacy, Mr Dodson has announced he will step down as Senator for Western Australia on the 26th of January due to poor health.
Most recently, Mr Dodson served as the government's Special Envoy for Reconciliation and Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which he was key in helping to design.
He says advocacy for Indigenous rights and empowerment for First Nations people must continue.
"The legacy of colonisation settlements still there. You can huff and puff as much as you like about how we benefited from it. But it's still there. It's a reality- Stolen Generations, incarceration rates, all of these things are consequences are being destabilised and disrupted and displaced. Now, if we don't acknowledge that as the underpinning causes for why first peoples are in the positions in many cases that they are in, because of the consequences of that, then we simply going to have a legacy of welfarism being perpetrated."
_
The Christmas Giving Tree has been launched at Parliament House today, an annual event that raises money for two charities.
The charities chosen for 2023 are Foodbank, Australia's largest food relief organisation, and Community First Development, an Indigenous-led community development and research organisation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised the tradition.
"Christmas is a time where we get to spend time with our families, with our friends, where we reflect on the year that's gone, and our hopes for the year ahead. It's a time for Christians too to think about their faith and often to renew their faith."
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has thanked the corporate sponsors who collaborate with The Salvation Army.
"Out of all that you hear out of Parliament House, the most important message today is that we want to say thank you to the generosity of Australians for giving to those who are less fortunate than themselves. Thank you very much to all the agencies who will provide support to Australians who are desperately in need of our help over the Christmas period."
Foodbank's latest Hunger Report revealed at least 3.7 million Australians experienced food insecurity over the last year - with a majority of those studied citing the rising cost of living.
_
The co-authors of a survey which tracked how people voted in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum say a lack of political bipartisanship was the main reason it failed.
The Australian National University study, which surveyed 4,200 people, has raised questions about why the proposal failed, after 87 per cent said they believed Indigenous people deserved a voice on key policies and political decisions.
The study's co-authors say the principal factor was the diverging views of political leaders, who voters looked to for guidance.
Professor of Politics Ian McAllister says overseas models, like "deliberative assemblies" used in Ireland, show how ordinary people can be consulted to build common ground ahead of a referendum.
"Not having bipartisanship and trying to bring people together to find what the common ground was I think was the key mistake. In previous referendums there's been a constitutional convention held, and if you're going to change the rules of the game then people basically have to agree on it, and from what I can see there was no serious attempt to get common ground between the two major political parties."
To sport,
Matildas captain Sam Kerr has been ruled out of two matches against Olympic champions Canada because of a foot injury.
The star striker's place on the field will be taken by midfielder Sarah Hunter while Kerr remains in London for treatment.
The news comes just a day after a raft of other injuries were confirmed, including Charlotte Grant, Courtnee Vine, Holly McNamara, and World Cup hero goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
But Veteran Matildas defender Clare Polkinghorne says the team won't be deterred by the setbacks leading into the friendlies.
