TRANSCRIPT
- The coalition condemns the prime minister for including calls for a ceasefire in an October 7 motion in Parliament
- Expert warns Australia is not prepared to deal with the increasing challenges posed by the Climate change
- The Sydney Southern Stars anticipate the White Ferns from New Zealand to be a bigger challenge than usual
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has condemned the Prime Minister for calling for a ceasefire in a motion condemning the October 7 attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved the motion condemning Hamas on the first sitting day since the first anniversary of October 7.
It also called for a release of all remaining hostages, recognised the number of civilian deaths in Gaza due to the conflict, and called for a regional deescalation and ceasefire.
Mr Dutton says he tried to work with the Prime Minister's Office to come to a bipartisan agreement over the wording of the motion, but an agreement wasn't reached.
"There has been a position of bipartisanship on these issues, and your predecessors would have had the decency to respect the Jewish community in a way that you have not done today. And for that Prime Minister, you should stand condemned. We have put to this Prime Minister a more than reasonable position, and the Prime Minister has rejected that position for his own political domestic advancement."
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Australians who arrived home after evacuation from Lebanon have expressed relief as Israel's attack on the country continues to intensify.
"I just want to say thank you Australia. You got us back home safe. We're very heartbroken, we're very tired after three days of no sleep. But at least I know now my kids are safe."
Over 1,200 Australians and immediate family members have been assisted by the government to leave Lebanon, with almost 4,000 people registered as wishing to depart.
Six Australian government flights have so far ferried people to safety.
It comes as conditions in Lebanon have worsened dramatically over the past two weeks as Israel continues its bombardment in search of Hezbollah targets, after a year of violence in Gaza.
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The former chief of defence of the Netherlands, General Tom Middendorp, has addressed Australian political leaders with a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra.
The current chair of the International Military Council on Climate and Security used the speech to outline the ways security challenges are increasingly being shaped by climate risks, with impacts including water insecurity, displacement and conflict.
He told SBS Dutch, it is a topic he has given a lot of thought to - including how best to communicate the issue to politicians.
"I've noticed that they (politicians) find it hard to make the connection (between climate change and security risks). The topic of climate change is heavily politicised. What I try to do is to approach it from a professional point of view, based on my experiences - with the many examples I can give on how climate change is already affecting our security environment. And how it will be a driver of insecurity around the world in the period to come. To me, it is clear: this is biggest gamechanger we are facing. We need to take it seriously, also from a security perspective."
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An alliance of businesses, unions, social services, and community organizations is asking for more to be done to address skills shortages across several industries.
Settlement Services International – a not-for-profit organisation supporting newly arrived migrants and refugees has organised the group to write an open letter to the Australian Parliament requesting more help for skilled migrants, many of whom struggle to get their qualifications recognised.
It comes after Productivity Commission in 2023 shows over a third of occupations were experiencing a national shortage - five per cent higher compared to 2022 and 17 per cent higher compared to 2021 and most new shortages were in high-skilled professions.
Chief executive of the Settlement Services International Violet Roumeliotis says the skills shortage is hindering service delivery and wasting the valuable skills of people who are already in the country.
"Almost half of all permanent migrants in this country are working beneath their skill levels. There are people living in the communities and neighbourhoods with us, but they're battling a very cumbersome and very expensive recognition system. We have the perverse situation of dentists and doctors driving rideshare or engineers and electricians, stacking shelves and nurses cleaning offices."
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And in sport,
Australia's women's cricket team says they are expecting New Zealand's White Ferns to pose a greater threat than usual when they meet in the group stage of the T20 World Cup tomorrow.
It's been three-and-a-half years, and nine matches, since New Zealand last defeated Australia's women in any form of cricket - yet Australia is wary.
The White Ferns thumping of India in Dubai in their opening group A game has proved the stand-out performance of the tournament so far.
Australian cricketer, Ashleigh Gardner, says tomorrow could be anyone's game.
"We know that we're going to be challenged at some point throughout this World Cup and we know that it is a pretty level playing field coming into these types of tournaments so I think the team that adapts the best will come out on top and be successful in these conditions as well."
The winner of the match will move to the top of Pool A.
