From 2h agoKey events2h agoYes campaign gears up for ‘biggest weekend’ of activity3h agoGood morning3h agoAverage worker’s wage went up 3.9% in Labor’s first year, Chalmers saysFilters BETAKey events (3)Sussan Ley (7)Australia (6)Anthony Albanese (5)Labor (5)China (5)11m ago19.48 EDTJosh Butler
A small counter-protest has formed outside Parliament House this morning, in opposition to the “why can’t women talk about sex?” event with Katherine Deves and Moira Deeming inside.
A few dozen people - some waving United Workers Union flags or the transgender flag - have gathered on the lawns out front, including Greens politicians Janet Rice and Barbara Pocock. It’s pretty quiet for now.
In a speech to the event, Rice thanked protesters for what she described as “standing up against hatred”.
There was one lone counter-counter-protester who brought his own megaphone to heckle the pro-trans counter-protesters. There was a few tense moments with a couple of “come over here and say that” type comments – before the Australian Federal Police contingent stationed at the front of Parliament House came over to have a few quiet words with the man.
He’s still standing there quietly in a corner, holding a poster of the trans flag – with a big red cross over it.
Updated at 19.58 EDT21m ago19.38 EDT
Alternatives to immigration detention ‘absolute priority’, says Andrew Giles
The immigration minister, Andrew Giles, just did a doorstop in Canberra before a citizenship ceremony on Australian Citizenship Day.
I asked Giles about the revelation that in March 2020 the home affairs department under then minister Peter Dutton was warned that immigration detention was “failing” by an independent review.
Giles said:
Can I say that we are committed to humane and risk-based immigration detention. Of course, we believe strongly that people should only be in immigration detention if it is necessary for security or safety grounds. Now, it is concerning that the Morrison government sat on this report, and it is concerning that very limited work was being done exploring options and alternatives to held detention.
Giles said progressing alternatives is an “absolute priority” for him to make real the “aspiration of ensuring immigration detention is a last resort”.
A departmental spokesperson said:
The department acknowledges impacts of prolonged immigration detention and continues to explore a range of measures aimed at addressing barriers to status resolution and associated risks of long-term detention. The department is progressing the Alternatives to Held Detention (ATHD) program to better support alternative placements, where appropriate, for individuals at risk of facing prolonged detention.”
Updated at 19.58 EDT21m ago19.38 EDT
Paterson pushing for vetting based on access to sensitive information
When he was in parliament, former senator Rex Patrick had wanted ministers to undergo security checks, particularly given the…
2023-09-10 18:50:11
Article from www.theguardian.com
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