TRANSCRIPT
- The former head of a World Vision Australian aid program in Gaza released from prison in Israel
- Flood-affected residents in northern Queensland now eligible for emergency payments
- Mauro Schmid wins the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
A World Vision branch manager for Gaza, Mohammed el-Halabi, is among Palestinian detainees who have been exchanged for Israeli hostages over the weekend.
He has since been reunited with his wife, five children and parents, after more than eight years in custody.
Mr Halabi was charged in 2016 then later convicted in 2022 of funnelling nearly A$70 million in charity funding to Hamas, but he and his supporters have always rejected the allegations.
He has maintained his innocence upon release.
"They detained me just because we were giving relief aid to the Gaza people. They wanted to tighten the siege and the blockade which was over Gaza. This is what they said to me on the first day of detention. They behave with me like a gang. They had no evidence, they convicted me with no evidence, and they said to the world they have a secret file which does not exist."
After Mr Halabi's arrest, World Vision suspended its activities in Gaza which it says supported nearly 40,000 children in the enclave, crippled by the Israeli-Egyptian blockade.
***
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says the personal hardship scheme has been activated for northern Queensland residents affected by heavy rain and floods.
Residents from Townsville, Burdekin, Palm Island, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Hinchinbrook and Tableland can access emergency payments of $180.
A family of five or more can access payment of up to $900 to cover emergency essentials such as food, clothing and medicine.
Mr Crisafulli says residents can turn to community hubs for support and access to the funding packages for clean-up and recovery.
"Community hubs will be mobilised right across the area. These are one-stop shop for you to get the support services you need, to be able to connect into these funding system packages, that information will be available on the website, disaster.qld.gov.au, stay up to date with those, there will be a permanent presence throughout the recovery time frame, there will also be pop up disaster hub that will emerge to make sure people can have that connectivity in their local area."
***
Federal Parliament will return on Tuesday, with the Greens saying they will provide in principle support for Labor's hate speech bill.
The bill was introduced by Attorney General Mark Dreyfus last September.
It proposes to lower the threshold for offences of violence against specified target groups, distinguished by race, religion, nationality, sex, gender identity, disability, political opinion and other factors.
The bill was criticised by the Australian Christian Lobby, which claimed the law would turn Australia into a police state for thought crime.
The Greens spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young says her party will support the bill but wants to know more detail.
"That's obviously coming into the parliament this week, from the detail we've seen, we will support that legislation, as it is, I think we will have to see what form it comes out, if there are amendments made throughout the next two weeks, but in principle, yes, we support the bill."
***
A recent incident near Bondi Beach is the latest in what police are describing as an antisemitic attack, after eggs and verbal abuse were hurled at five young women.
Police say they believe the offenders to be three young men, who had fled the scene by the time officers arrived.
In the nearby suburb of Rose Bay, two cartons of eggs and an empty jerry can were found in a Silver Mazda that had crashed into a curb.
The car was tracked to an owner in Maroubra.
Detective Superintendent Darren Newman says the women were potentially targeted and profiled because of the clothes they were wearing.
***
In cycling, an impressive one-two combination from the Australian Jayco AlUla cycling team saw Mauro Schmid win the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
The reigning Swiss champion took over from the groundwork laid by Australian teammate Chris Harper and soloed to the win on Sunday at Geelong.
It's the first time since the race started a decade ago that the only Australian WorldTour team has won the men's race.
New Zealanders Aaron Gate and Laurence Pithie finished in second and third, three seconds behind in a reduced sprint finish.
