Australia news live: Albanese spruiks student debt cuts on eve of parliament’s return; protesters climb roof of Canberra weapons maker | Australian politics

The PM’s son, Nathan, joined him on his walk to Parliament House

PM says an education ‘shouldn’t mean a lifetime of debt’, promising Hecs relief

Josh Butler

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says Labor’s bill to cut Hecs debts will be first on his government’s agenda when parliament resumes tomorrow, saying “getting an education shouldn’t mean a lifetime of debt”.

In a staged photo op, Albanese walked to Parliament House this morning from his home at The Lodge (about a 15 minute walk). His team has just posted to X some slow-motion footage of him striding into work through the courtyard at the back of his prime ministerial office, looking determined in an example of what the kids might call “aura farming” these days.

“We promised cutting student debt would be the first thing we did back in parliament. And this week we’re introducing the legislation to make it happen,” Albanese’s X post says.

We hear the legislation will be introduced midweek into parliament, and while the Coalition say they haven’t seen the bill yet, it’s expected they might support the change.

Just as a quick aside, Albanese’s video is soundtracked by a clip of the 2023 song Life Will Be by British soul artist Cleo Sol. We’re making no allusions to any deeper meaning behind that song choice, but if you’re interested, the opening lyrics to that tune are:

So many days, you hid the truth / Prayin’ for that moment and someone to believe in you / Get out your way, ‘cause time won’t wait for you / Live your life, live your life.

$500,000 reward offered in investigation into alleged Melbourne arson attack

It’s hoped a $500,000 reward will help find those responsible for an alleged arson attack that claimed the life of an innocent woman who was house-sitting, AAP reports.

Katie Tangey, 27, died along with her family’s dog after the alleged arsonists hit the wrong address while she was minding the home in Truganina in Melbourne’s west, in the early hours of 16 January.

Shortly after 2am, two people were captured on CCTV getting out of a dark-coloured vehicle – similar to a BMW X3 or X5 – outside the address.

There’s an explosion and the pair leave the area.

Tangey was inside the three-storey property, which belonged to her brother and his wife.

Anonymous calls to Crime Stoppers provided police with some information, including one in which the caller gave a name believed to be a pseudonym or nickname.

Investigators want that caller to make contact and provide them with more information.

Detective Inspector Chris Murray said police are close to solving the crime and called for anyone with information to come forward.

Those responsible for Katie’s death know they targeted the wrong house and they have to live with the knowledge that they are responsible for the horrific death of a completely innocent young woman.

We believe we know who directed this crime, and we know we are getting closer to proving who was responsible for carrying it out on the night.

In April, police released a computer-generated image of a man they believe may have been involved in the incident.

He is described as 25 to 30, with a slim build and of Middle Eastern appearance.

Krishani Dhanji

There will be plenty of pomp and ceremony in parliament tomorrow. Here’s a little taste

While parliament’s corridors are already abuzz (and all the politicians have been busy in meetings and media interviews), the first sitting day of the new term begins tomorrow.

It all kicks off at 9am when there will be a Welcome to Country in the parliament’s Great Hall, followed by a smoking ceremony just outside the front doors.

Then the deputy of the governor general will address all MPs and senators in the Senate chamber to formally open the 48th parliament, and from here there’s a bit of walking back and forth between the chambers.

All the new MPs and senators will be sworn in (but it’ll take a few days before they all get to give their first speeches).

After a bit of a break between proceedings, the governor general, Sam Mostyn, will arrive at parliament. She will receive a royal salute, see the new presiding officers of each house, and speak to all the MPs and senators back in the Senate chamber, with a 19-gun salute to mark the end of her address.

Parliament will begin sitting at 5pm (when the first couple of first speeches will commence). That also means we’ll see the first question time of the new parliament on Wednesday.

NT woman airlifted to hospital after spear embedded in her head

An 18-year-old woman was airlifted to the hospital from Angurugu in the Northern Territory yesterday after a spear was embedded in her head following an alleged domestic violence incident.

NT police are appealing for information after the incident after emergency services were called to the area around noon on Sunday. Police and local clinic staff arrived to find the victim conscious, with the spear “still embedded” in her head.

She has since been airlifted to the hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The alleged offender remains outstanding and investigations are ongoing.

ACT police respond to protest at Canberra weapons maker

ACT police were responding earlier this morning to reports of a protest on the roof of a building in Hume, a suburb of Canberra.

Video footage from the group Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance appears to show half a dozen protesters in red jumpsuits, some carrying flares and signs, on top of a facility owned by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). The Australian-owned company creates and manufactures technology including weapons systems. A large banner reading “Stop arming Israel” was unfurled on the building.

ACT police confirmed officers were responding to the incident but it wasn’t clear if anyone had been removed from the site. EOS has not responded to a request for comment.

Rescue group says whale calf struck by boat reflects need to give animals ‘space and quiet they need’

A rescue group said a whale calf and its mother have faced “significant” challenges during their northern migration up the coast of NSW after the young animal was struck by a small fishing boat off the Illawarra this weekend.

Orrca has been tracking the southern right whale and her calf, the only identified mother and calf so far this season. The mother sustained injuries during the migration after being hit by a vessel near Merimbula earlier this month, and while the calf was also struck on Saturday, the group said there were no “obvious injuries” at the time. Orrca said:

Southern Right Whales are one of the most endangered whale species in Australian waters, with an estimated east coast population of just 250–300 individuals. Their recovery has been slow due to their low reproductive rates, with mothers typically calving only once every three years.

We urge all members of the public to give this vulnerable mother and calf the space and quiet they need to rest and recover. Southern Right Whales depend on sheltered coastal waters to nurse and feed their young, and they must be allowed to do so without disturbance.

The group’s president, Ashley Ryan, added:

This was an unfortunate accident. Southern Right Whales are particularly vulnerable to vessel strikes because they spend long periods resting at the surface in what’s known as ‘logging,’ making them harder to spot, especially in choppy conditions. They also lack a dorsal fin, which is often the first sign of a whale’s presence for boaters.

Tom McIlroy

Allegra Spender to hold special talks on tax system

Ahead of next month’s productivity summit hosted by treasurer Jim Chalmers, the independent MP for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, will host special talks on the tax system this week.

In the last parliament, Spender led work on a tax reform green paper. Friday’s event will bring together Australia’s leading tax experts and economists, alongside business, civil society and environmental organisations. Spender wants concrete proposals and ideas for reform to come out of the meeting.

Speakers will include Ken Henry, tax expert Bob Breunig, former Productivity Commission boss Michael Brennan and economists Chris Richardson and Richard Holden. Spender said:

We all agree that Australia needs urgent tax reform, so sooner or later we must reckon with the practical implications: inevitably tax reform will mean winners and losers.

I am inviting all sides of politics to come together, listen and to engage with experts on actual proposals that may help to address our key economic challenges – intergenerational inequity, climate change/the energy transition, and sluggish productivity.

We are not going to solve tax reform in one day, but I believe the more that we can have some of these conversations in the public domain ahead of The Treasurer’s Round Table, the more fruitful and concrete that conversation will become.

Death on the sand: fish and animal carcasses rot on Adelaide shores amid toxic algal bloom – video

Benita Kolovos

Revelation comes after other reports of Joshua Dale Brown being sacked

It comes after Nido Early School last week confirmed it terminated Brown during his probation period in July 2021, after he allegedly breached the company’s internal policies around handling of incident reports while working at their Werribee service.

And D.O.T.S Occupational Therapy for Children at Footscray also confirmed earlier this month Brown was terminated after 26 days working on its non-clinical admin team.

In a statement posted on Instagram on 1 July, the service’s director, Hannah Dunn, said:

We terminated his contract as he was not a good fit for our practice after 5 weeks of commencing.

In early July, police revealed Brown had been charged with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims, aged between five months and two years old.

It has plunged the childcare sector into crisis, with both the Victorian and federal governments also under pressure to reform the rules and regulations that govern the industry.

Another childcare centre confirms it sacked Joshua Dale Brown

Benita Kolovos

Another childcare centre in Melbourne confirms it terminated alleged sex offender Joshua Dale Brown’s employment.

Wallaby Childcare has confirmed it let Brown go after he spent just five weeks working at its Sanctuary Lakes centre in early 2021. The company said in a statement:

The alleged offender worked at our service for a brief period of time, 5 weeks, in April-May 2021. He was terminated in probation as we felt he did not align with our company standards or values. As this is an active and ongoing police investigation we don’t want to make further comments and jeopardise any aspects of the investigation

The revelation was first reported by the Age at the weekend.