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What we covered today
By Cassandra Morgan
Thanks for reading the national news blog. This is where we’ll end today’s coverage.
To conclude, here’s a look back at the day’s major stories:
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly Prince Andrew – was arrested last night over suspicion of misconduct while in public office. He was held in police custody for 11 hours, years after the revelations of his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and the publication of the notorious photograph showing him with his hand on the waist of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault. He is yet to be charged.
- Australian politicians reacted to the historic arrest, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing it as an “extraordinary fall from grace”, and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor saying, “He needs to stand before law enforcement and the courts in the UK, and that’s absolutely appropriate.”
- The Australian Federal Police say they have “received reports of a crime” related to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim comments earlier this week.
- Senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek delivered some of the strongest criticism yet of the women who took their children to the Middle East during the rise of Islamic State, accusing them of “child abuse”.
- And, in further world news, US President Donald Trump says he will likely decide whether to launch strikes against Iran in the next 10 days, as he continues the biggest American military build-up in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
- Epstein’s estate and its two co-executors have agreed to pay as much as $US35 million ($50 million) to resolve outstanding legal claims of his victims who haven’t already reached settlements.
Thanks again for joining us. This is Cassandra Morgan, signing off.
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Australia should screen for these shared values: Taylor
By Alexander Darling
Staying with Angus Taylor speaking on Melbourne radio, the opposition leader was asked about Pauline Hanson’s latest anti-Muslim comments, and whether she should apologise.
Taylor didn’t answer directly, saying instead that whether the One Nation leader apologised was a “matter for” her.
However, he disagreed with her comments, he said.
“I’ve known many good Muslims, but what I will say is anyone who comes to this country, of any race or region in the world, needs to adopt our way of life and our values, and that’s the screen we should be applying for people who come to our country,” Taylor told 3AW.
CFMEU ‘must go’, Angus Taylor says
By Alexander Darling
Federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor says the CFMEU “must go” in the wake of the deepening union corruption crisis.
In news broken by this masthead, a corruption expert accused Victoria’s Labor government of turning a blind eye to CFMEU corruption and organised crime on infrastructure projects at an estimated cost to taxpayers of $15 billion.
The state government has since hit out at the expert, Geoffrey Watson, SC, and resisted calls for a royal commission.
Another Victorian bushfire reaches emergency level
By Alexander Darling
A bushfire which began in Victoria overnight has escalated to the highest threat level, with nearby residents told to flee their homes.
The bushfire at Gaffneys Creek, in Victoria’s forested east about 42 kilometres south of Jamieson, reached “emergency level” late last hour, and people nearby are being told to leave early, as it is the safest option before it becomes more dangerous.
The bushfire is travelling from Gaffney’s Creek in a south-easterly direction towards the German Spur Track.
Earlier this week, another bushfire at Trawool in central Victoria also threatened homes.
Since Victoria’s fire season began last October, more than 436,200 hectares of land have been burnt, a man has died, and almost 1600 buildings have been destroyed.
Joyce in tense exchange over Hanson remarks
By Cassandra Morgan
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has dodged questions about party leader Pauline Hanson’s latest anti-Muslim remarks, saying those with a “dogmatic” and literal adherence to religious texts don’t align with Australian values.
In a tense exchange on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, host Patricia Karvelas asked Joyce whether he disagreed with Hanson’s comments.
“Let’s clarify. I believe that Australia is not a multicultural nation, it’s an Australia culture, and it has guardrails to protect the liberties and freedoms of so many people,” Joyce said.
“So as to protect their rights, I say a literal interpretation of the Koran, or to be frank, any religious text that puts you at odds with the rights or liberties of Australians, is something outside the guardrails [that] I don’t condone.”
Hanson’s anti-Muslim comments referred to AFP
By Nathan Gilson
The Australian Federal Police say they have “received reports of a crime” related to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s anti-Muslim comments earlier this week.
An AFP spokesperson said they were “aware of comments made during a media interview earlier this week”, and had “received reports of crime in relation to this matter”.
In an interview on Wednesday, Hanson singled out Lakemba in Sydney’s south west as a suburb where she felt unsafe and unwelcome, having suggested on Monday there were no “good Muslims”, and that “they hate Westerners”.
It’s unclear if the One Nation leader’s comments would constitute a crime, but the AFP spokesperson said that “further comment will be made at an appropriate time”.
Hanson was criticised by opponents from across the political spectrum this week, as the prime minister, opposition leader and members of the Greens and Nationals all slammed her comments.
‘Simple’ tax solution dismissed as illegal tobacco cure
By Allanah Sciberras
Australia’s tobacco commissioner has faced scrutiny over claims that changes to the cigarette excise would not curb the illegal tobacco trade.
Tensions have been rising over the excise as states and economists pressure the federal government to consider freezing the policy.
The federal tax has leapt to $1.50 a cigarette, prompting many of the nation’s 1.7 million daily smokers to turn to cheaper options on the booming black market.
While acknowledging tax is a factor in the widening price gap, commissioner Amber Shuhyta today defended turning her focus elsewhere.
Epstein’s estate agrees to $50m settlement in victim claims
By
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate and its two co-executors have agreed to pay as much as $US35 million ($50 million) to resolve outstanding legal claims of his victims who haven’t already reached settlements.
Epstein’s estate and the co-executors, Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, agreed to the settlement to “finally, and forever resolve, discharge, and settle” claims with a class of women who say they were abused sexually or trafficked by Epstein between 1995 and August 10, 2019, the date of his death in a Manhattan jail cell.
The proposed settlement plan, which must be approved by a federal judge in New York before it can become final, is intended to resolve all remaining claims with the class, which is estimated by their lawyer to include at least 40 women.
It follows a payment by the Epstein Victims Compensation Program of $US121 million to 136 claimants and a later $US48 million settlement on behalf of 59 victims.
‘There’s a bigger issue’: PM reacts to Andrew’s arrest
By Zac de Silva
Australian political leaders have described the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a fall from grace, but batted away questions about what it means for Australia’s future in the monarchy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was extraordinary to see a man who once led a life of absolute power and privilege placed under arrest.
“This appears to be about [classified] documents, and whether they were inappropriately forwarded on to someone who wasn’t eligible,” he told The Guardian’s Australian Politics podcast.
“But, of course, there’s the bigger issue as well when it comes to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.”
IS brides guilty of ‘child abuse’: Plibersek
By Zac de Silva
Senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek has delivered some of the strongest criticism yet of the women who took their children to the Middle East during the rise of Islamic State.
A group of 34 women and children linked to Australians who travelled to the Middle East to fight for IS have been trying to travel home from a Syrian refugee camp in recent days.
“Taking children into a war zone like this is child abuse,” Plibersek told reporters in Melbourne.
“It is important to understand the responsibility that these parents took in making this decision.”