TRANSCRIPT
- Anthony Albanese says the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum should be above politics;
- Ukraine President supports Israel and condemns the surprise attack launched by Hamas militants
- And in cricket, Australia has beaten the West Indies to maintain its perfect women's one day international record.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum should be above politics and should be focused entirely on achieving better outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
Mr Albanese has been leading a 'Yes' campaign blitz across the country one week ahead of the October 14th vote.
He says the voice is not about giving more money to Indigenous peoples but making sure that every dollar we're currently spending is used effectively.
"This should be above politics. No one in this campaign is saying that we need to spend more money. What we're saying is we need to listen to people so that every dollar makes a difference. So that we do close the gap because at the moment, four out of 19 targets are being met. Because funnily enough, when you ask people who are directly affected by policies and programmes for their views, you get better outcomes."
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on world leaders to show solidarity and unity in supporting Israel and condemning the attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
This comes after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza yesterday that combined gunmen crossing into Israeli towns and a heavy barrage of rockets fired into Israeli towns and cities.
Israeli authorities report at least 250 people have been killed and 1,500 wounded in the violence.
Israel has subsequently declared war on the Gaza Strip, hitting the region with airstrikes, which the Palestinian Ministry of Health says has killed at least 230 Gazans and wounded 1,700.
Mr Zelenskyy, whose army has been fighting a war against Russia for the past 19 months, says that Israel - like Ukraine - has a right to protect itself.
"When such a terrorist attack occurs, everyone who values life must stand in solidarity. In Ukraine we are especially sympathetic to what has happened. Thousands of rockets in the sky of Israel, people killed right on the streets, cars with civilians being bulleted. The humiliation of hostages. Terror has brought all this, unfortunately, also to the streets of Ukrainian cities and villages. Our position is absolutely clear: anywhere in the world, anyone who brings terror and death must be held accountable."
Police say four male suspects are still on the loose after a man was shot dead outside a shopping centre in Melbourne's North in what police have called a targeted attack.
Police say they are investigating a potential link between the attack and an ongoing war in Melbourne's underworld.
Emergency workers arrived at the shopping centre in Craigieburn yesterday after reports of several shots being fired.
They found two men injured with a 27-year-old dying at the scene.
Police Crime Commander Paul O'Halloran says they are still searching for the suspects after they found a burnt out getaway car not far away.
"Four males ran from that vehicle and we believe that one of the males may have suffered burns when the Range Rover was set on fire. The offenders were seen crossing a footbridge before they got into a blue Toyota which was later found abandoned and set on fire in Hammersley Court Reservoir."
Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan says she won't appear at the parliamentary inquiry examining the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The upper house inquiry cannot compel lower house M-Ps to appear but encourages relevant parties to offer evidence.
Ms Allan - who was the minister responsible for overseeing the now-cancelled event in regional Victoria - says she will not appear at the inquiry and is more focused on addressing ongoing issues in the regions.
"That's the work I'm focused on: delivering the reasons why we agreed to step in and host the games in the first place. Building more homes in regional Victoria, investing in community sporting infrastructure and supporting our tourism and major events in regional Victoria. So, no, I won't be appearing before the inquiry and can I also say that this is consistent with long held practice about what goes on in the Upper House is a matter for the upper house. Those of us in the in the lower house will continue to focus on the task at hand."
In cricket,
Australia has maintained its perfect women's one day international record in Brisbane with an eight-wicket win over a West Indies side missing captain and star batter Hayley Matthews.
The West Indies was skittled for 83 off 27.3 overs, with the home team reaching their target in just 14.5 overs.
