The Australian Greens have today announced that Lidia Thorpe will be the next Senator for Victoria, following a massive state-wide ballot of the Victorian Greens membership.
Lidia Thorpe, Aboriginal leader, activist and Gunnai-Kurnai/Gunditjmara woman will be sworn into Parliament in the coming months to fill the casual vacancy soon to be left by Senator Richard Di Natale.
Victoria Greens Co-Convenors Effy Elden and Ella Webb said thousands of members took part in the vote over two weeks, with Lidia Thorpe securing a decisive victory.
“We are delighted to announce the next Senator for the Victorian Greens, who was elected directly by our membership at the culmination of a fantastic grassroots preselection process. We are proud to be the only progressive party in Victoria whose members currently have a genuine say in their parliamentary representation.
“The Victorian Greens have over 3,600 members who were eligible to cast their vote in the state-wide preselection. With 65% choosing to participate, they have delivered a clear and decisive result in selecting Lidia.
“We look forward to seeing Lidia Thorpe join our fellow Victorian Greens MPs Adam Bandt & Janet Rice, as well as the rest of our federal team in parliament later this year.”
Building upon her work as the Member for Northcote, Lidia has a strong track record of fighting for environmental and social justice that benefits the whole community.
“It’s an incredible honour and a huge responsibility to be chosen by Greens members as the next Senator for Victoria. I won’t let you down,” Lidia Thorpe said.
“It’s so important for kids growing up today in places I grew up to know they can do what I’ve done. Kids in the Commission flats, or out in country towns, or single mums, or survivors of domestic violence. This isn’t out of your reach.
“I’m ready to fight for the issues we all believe in – climate, injustice, inequality. Now more than ever, we need to not accept the old ways – this is our chance to build back better, and I’m ready to bring us together to get it done.”
Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP said he was thrilled to be able to work with Lidia in the federal parliament.
“Parliament is due for a shake up, and Lidia’s fearless advocacy for economic and social justice will strengthen the case for a Green New Deal and provide a voice for so many people that have been let down by politics,” Adam Bandt MP said.
“From being the first Aboriginal woman elected to Victorian parliament, to winning renters rights, forestry protections and LGBTIQ support, Lidia has an incredible track record of fighting for change.
“With an escalating inequality and climate crisis, there has never been a more important time to make sure the Greens reach new communities to speak with everyone in this country and leave no one behind.
“I’m proud I’ll be working alongside Lidia in Canberra. She’ll be an incredible addition to the Australian Greens team.”
Author: admin
Woman's body found in Maitland home; man charged
A man has been charged with murder following the discovery of a woman’s body at a home in the Hunter overnight.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were called to a home on Galway Crescent at Metford shortly before 1.30am (Saturday 20 June 2020), where they spoke to a 20-year-old man outside.
Subsequent inquiries located the body of an 18-year-old woman deceased inside the home. She is yet to be formally identified.
The man was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station.
A crime scene has been established at the home and inquiries are now underway by detectives attached to Port Stephens-Hunter PD, assisted by State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.
The man has since been charged with murder and refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Sunday 21 June 2020).
Man charged with weapons, drug offences – Cessnock
A man has been charged after weapons and drugs were allegedly located following a search warrant at a home in Cessnock yesterday.
About 11am (Friday 19 June 2020), officers from Hunter Valley Police District Target Action Group stopped a car in Quarrybylong Street and spoke with the driver, a 26-year-old man.
During a search of the car, police allegedly located an electronic stun device and a home-made pistol. Police also located a quantity of methylamphetamine and ammunition for the pistol.
Police then conducted a search warrant at a house in High Street, Cessnock. During the search, police allegedly located a further quantity of methylamphetamine, a home-made garotte, machetes and knives.
The man was charged with 11 offences, including;
possess unregistered pistol
possess prohibited firearm
possess ammunition
possess prohibited weapon (x3)
supply a prohibited drug
possessing a prohibited drug (x2)
possess prescribed restricted substance
contravene Firearm Prohibition Order
The man was refused bail and appeared in Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 20 June 2020). He has formally been refused bail and will re-appear in the same Court on Monday 22 June 2020.
Inquiries are continuing.
Free Uni Not Malicious Fee Hikes Says Faruqi As Humanities Graduate Tehan Attacks Humanities Students
“Degrees should cost students zero dollars,” Greens spokesperson for Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, said this morning in response to the “government’s pathetic uni fee hikes”.
“Arts graduate Minister Tehan’s jobs rhetoric is empty. He’s part of a Government that would rather throw a tantrum at humanities students and slam them with higher fees than do the hard work of creating jobs across the economy.
“The government’s juvenile Murdoch-driven loathing of students and the humanities is on clear display today. Education isn’t just about getting you a job – it’s a public good and it’s certainly not about punishing students who wish to study humanities and the law.
“This is the government recognising the abject failure of their 2018 funding freeze and crawling back with their tail between their legs and another disastrous approach to uni funding.
“We need free TAFE and uni for all students to meet rising demand during the recession and ensure access to education for all throughout their lives. Anything short of that won’t do.
“Our unis are in crisis with rolling cuts to jobs and courses around the country. Without a substantial funding increase thousands more jobs will go and education quality will suffer,” she said.
ONE HUNDRED DAYS TO GO AND JOBKEEPERS ARE ON THEIR OWN
The Morrison Government will leave millions of Australians behind when JobKeeper is scrapped on September 27.
In just 100 days any JobKeeper recipient unable to return to work as a result of the continuing pandemic, or the economic damage it has caused, will be back to Centrelink to join the unemployment queue.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would give Australians the economic lifeline they will need in the many months ahead to make it through and to get on this bridge we’re building together to the other side.
In 100 days he is determined to push them off that bridge.
When the pandemic began, the Prime Minister told us we were all in this in together.
“Our JobKeeper plan sees every Australian worker the same way, no matter what you earn. There is not more support for some than there is for others. That is not the Australian way. If one person falls on a hard time, if anyone falls on a hard time, it’s the same hard time. We’re all in this together.” Scott Morrison 30 March, 2020
His message today is “In 100 days – you are on your own”
Stockton’s long-term coastal plan goes to Council after strong community endorsement
City of Newcastle’s long-term management plan for Stockton’s erosion hit coastline will be decided at Tuesday night’s Council meeting after receiving overwhelming support from the community through the public exhibition process.
Councillors will vote to adopt the Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP), which proposes a mix of immediate and longer-term measures to replenish the heavily eroded beach and protect Stockton’s coastal assets.
Actions include an initial sand nourishment program costing $4 million from land-based or other permissible sources, as well as essential work to address the imminent risk to community assets and private property including minimal extensions of the existing buried seawalls.
A mass offshore marine sand nourishment campaign of 2.4 million cubic metres, followed by ongoing 10-year maintenance would provide the necessary protection for Stockton. The pathway for the mass nourishment strategy is through the Deputy Premier’s Stockton Taskforce, that is accessing the required volume of sand from offshore locations, funding sources and all relevant approval processes.
Community and agency stakeholders have backed the proposed measures, with 73 per cent of respondents indicating their support during the recent public exhibition period.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said feedback provided during this process has been used to refine the final draft of the CMP, which will be tabled at Tuesday’s meeting.
“We know how important it is to the community that we move forward with a plan that achieves the best outcome for Stockton’s coastline,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The response we received during the public exhibition period was fantastic, with more than 3,000 views of our dedicated web page and 436 downloads of the draft CMP document, not to mention 18,700 views of videos informing the community and encouraging submissions.
“This extensive engagement has allowed us to carefully consider the needs of the community and industry stakeholders while preparing the final version of the Stockton Coastal Management Program.”
If approved, the Stockton CMP will be submitted to the NSW State Government for certification review.
Stockton Community Liaison Group (CLG) Chair Barbara Whitcher said the group was keen to see the process continue to move forward.
“After extensive consultation with City of Newcastle, including 22 meetings, the Stockton Community Liaison Group is pleased to see that a coastal management plan, which has the broad support of the community, will go to Council,” she said.
“The majority in our community and Council are in agreement about the main features of the program to finally address erosion and protect our coastline.
“We are hopeful that all Councillors will endorse the plan at Tuesday night’s Council meeting to allow the process to continue moving forward with the NSW Government.”
Another key step towards addressing Stockton’s long-term erosion issues was also taken this week, with the first meeting of the Deputy Premier’s Taskforce being held on Tuesday.
The City of Newcastle will play a key role in the taskforce, which is being chaired by NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and includes the Lord Mayor, the State Member for Newcastle and representatives from the Stockton community, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Department of Regional NSW, Port of Newcastle and the NSW Coastal Council.
The meeting was hailed by the Deputy Premier as “very successful”, with the Taskforce committed to meeting at least four times a year with the common goal of getting sand onto Stockton Beach.
NEW FRONTLINE POLICE OFFICERS TO KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott today welcomed 159 new probationary constables to the ranks of the NSW Police Force following a private attestation ceremony at the Goulburn training academy.
Mr Elliott said the brave men and women of Class 341, who will soon be assigned to Police Districts and Area Commands across the State, have completed their training during extraordinary times.
“These recruits join the strong police family of more than 17,000 officers at a significant time as state continues to face a global pandemic,” Mr Elliott said.
“I wish every single recruit my best wishes as they take their oath to proudly serve the community in what will be a rewarding yet challenging career. We owe each of them the greatest amount of respect and gratitude for their commitment to put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe.”
“One student in particular, David Silburn, was originally part of Class 340, but was seriously burned during the horrific bushfires in January as a RFS volunteer. He returned to complete his training and attests today, a testament of his resilience and courage.”
“Due to the current social distancing rules, these recruits have not had the send-off they deserve. I’m working with the Commissioner to ensure that all the recruits who attest during the COVID-19 period will be celebrated and honoured once restrictions ease further.”
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller welcomed the 159 new recruits into the policing family.
“Our newest police officers come to a career in policing at a significant time. We are still in recovery from the recent drought and bushfires and still staring down the threat of COVID-19.
“They are a welcome addition to police area commands and police districts across the state and to the community of New South Wales,” Commissioner Fuller said.
Class 341 comprises 42 female and 117 male officers, 41.5 percent are aged between 21 and 25, and six of the recruits are joining the police force aged over 40.
Significantly, 19 recruits were born overseas in countries including Wales, New Zealand, Lebanon and Nepal, reflecting the diverse communities they will serve. Four recruits are Indigenous with one coming through the Indigenous Police Recruitment Our Way Delivery (IPROWD) program.
The NSW Government has invested $583 million to introduce 1,500 extra police over the next four years, the biggest investment in police for more than 30 years.
HALF PRICE OFF-PEAK TRAVEL
Opal fares will change from July 6, including a temporary 50 per cent discount for off-peak travel on bus, train, metro and light rail services to help manage social distancing measures and keep staff and customers safe on public transport.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said customers are encouraged to take advantage of the off-peak incentive to help stagger essential travel on the public transport network as COVID-19 restrictions ease and patronage steadily increases.
“The vast majority of commuters will benefit from these changes with either cheaper travel or no change to their fares. A third of commuters will save an average of $3.60 a week based on current travel patterns,” Mr Constance said.
“We’ve waived the usual CPI increase and have rejected recommendations by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to increase Opal fares by 20 per cent over four year.”
New peak travel times will be introduced from July 6:
- 6:30am–10am on Sydney Trains, Sydney Metro, light rail and bus (currently 7am-9am)
- 6am-10am on Intercity Trains (currently 6am-8am)
- 3pm-7pm on Sydney Trains, Intercity Trains, Sydney Metro, light rail and bus (currently 4pm-6:30pm)
Travel outside these times will be eligible for the 50 per cent fare discount. This is the first time bus and light rail commuters will benefit from off-peak fares.
The 50 per cent off-peak discount will remain for 3 months, then a permanent 30 per cent discount for off-peak travel will be introduced on bus and light rail, which is in line with current off-peak fares for train and metro.
A new $8.05 all day travel cap will be introduced on Saturday and Sunday. This is to help spread weekend public transport loads and encourage people to enjoy capped public transport travel on Saturday as well as Sunday.
Fares for bus and light rail peak journeys between 0-3 kilometres will be increased, to encourage people to walk or cycle for short distances or travel off peak. All other fares will either remain at current levels or reduce by the off-peak discount.
Existing Opal benefits remain the same, including:
- The $2 transfer discount,
- The daily cap of $16.10 ($8 concession),
- $50 weekly travel caps ($25 concession),
- Half price trips after eight journeys in a week,
- $2.50 unlimited travel for Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card holders.
“We want everyone to remember they have a role to play in making the public transport network as safe as possible. Our frontline transport staff have been doing an amazing job during this unprecedented time and we urge customers to keep showing them their respect and understanding,” Mr Constance said.
Journey examples:
| Adult one way fares | Peak | Off-peak | |||
| Journey | Mode | Current price | New price | Current price | New price |
| Penrith to Town Hall | Train | $6.89 | $6.89 | $4.82 | $3.44 |
| Kellyville to Chatswood | Metro | $5.15 | $5.15 | $3.60 | $2.57 |
| Redfern to Martin Place | Train | $3.61 | $3.61 | $2.52 | $1.80 |
| Blacktown to Baulkham Hills | Bus | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $2.40 |
| Broadway to Central | Bus | $2.24 | $3.20 | $2.24 | $1.60 |
| Central to Star City Casino | Light Rail | $2.24 | $3.20 | $2.24 | $1.60 |
| Rose Bay to Circular Quay | Ferry | $6.12 | $6.12 | $6.12 | $6.12 |
| Fare band | Peak travel | Off-peak travel | |||
| Current Adult fares | Adult fares from 6 July | Current Adult fares | Adult fares from 6 July | ||
| Train and Metro | |||||
| 0-10 km | $3.61 | $3.61 | $2.52 | $1.80 | |
| 10-20 km | $4.48 | $4.48 | $3.13 | $2.24 | |
| 20-35 km | $5.15 | $5.15 | $3.60 | $2.57 | |
| 35-65 km | $6.89 | $6.89 | $4.82 | $3.44 | |
| 65+ km | $8.86 | $8.86 | $6.20 | $4.43 | |
| Bus | |||||
| 0-3 km | $2.24 | $3.20 | $2.24 | $1.60 | |
| 3-8 km | $3.73 | $3.73 | $3.73 | $1.86 | |
| 8+ km | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $2.40 | |
| Light rail | |||||
| 0-3 km | $2.24 | $3.20 | $2.24 | $1.60 | |
| 3-8 km | $3.73 | $3.73 | $3.73 | $1.86 | |
| 8+ km | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $2.40 | |
| Ferries | |||||
| 0-9 km | $6.12 | $6.12 | $6.12 | $6.12 | |
| 9+ km | $7.65 | $7.65 | $7.65 | $7.65 | |
Renter hit by COVID crisis allegedly assaulted, held against his will – Surry Hills
Police have charged two men after they allegedly held a tenant against his will when he was unable to pay his rent due to the COVID crisis.
Officers from Surry Hills Police Area Command have been told the tenant and a friend arrived at a rental property on Clifton Reserve, Surry Hills, about 3.30pm on Wednesday (17 June 2020), and were met by the property owner and another man.
The tenant, a 24-year-old man, told police he owed back-rent after getting into financial difficulties due to the COVID crisis, but believed he’d negotiated a payment plan with the property owner.
The tenant was met at the property by the two men who, police allege, threatened then assaulted him and prevented him from leaving the premises until he’d paid the outstanding rent in full.
After the tenant transferred funds, he and his friend were allowed to leave. They went immediately to Surry Hills Police Station and reported the incident.
Following inquiries, a 56-year-old man – who police allege is the property owner – was arrested about 10.30pm (Wednesday 17 June 2020), at Surry Hills Police Station where he was charged with detain person for advantage.
He was refused bail overnight and appeared in Central Local Court yesterday (Thursday 18 June 2020), where he was conditionally bailed to appear in the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 13 August 2020
A 57-year-old man was arrested when he presented himself to Surry Hills Police Station about 5pm yesterday; he has now been charged with take/detain in company with intent to obtain advantage occasioning actual bodily harm.
He has been refused bail to appear in Central Local Court later today (Friday 19 June 2020).
Three men arrested and a total of 14 firearms seized as part of NSW JCTT investigation
The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) has seized 14 illegal firearms and arrested three men over their alleged involvement in the supply of firearms in Sydney’s south-west.
Earlier this year, members of the NSW JCTT – comprising the Australian Federal Police (AFP), NSW Police Force (NSWPF), the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and the NSW Crime Commission – received information relating to a group with possible access to illegal firearms and members with suspected extremist ideology.
Operation Bouwel was subsequently commenced to investigate the group’s involvement in the acquirement and supply of firearms and explosives.
During the course of the investigation, the JCTT seized 11 firearms, including four SKS rifles (two of which were semi-automatic), a Taurus 9mm pistol .45 calibre self-loading pistol, a .45 calibre handgun, a semi-automatic .22 calibre rifle with silencer, a semi-automatic M1 carbine, and a pump-action shotgun.
Investigators also seized two banana magazines and more than 500 rounds of ammunition (various calibres).
Following extensive inquiries, Operation Bouwel investigators, with the assistance of the Tactical Operations Unit, the Public Order and Riot Squad and South West Metropolitan Operations Support Group, executed five search warrants and conducted three Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) searches across south west Sydney from 9.30am today (Friday 19 June 2020).
Three men – aged 26, 29, and 30 – were arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station, where they are in the process of being charged.
During the arrest of the 29-year-old man, police seized a further three firearms – an MK5 rifle, a Berretta 9mm pistol, and a 9mm mini-Glock pistol.
All of the firearms will undergo extensive forensic and ballistic examination.
Charge details and bail/court information will be provided when it comes to hand.
Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community should come forward, no matter how small or insignificant you may think the information may be. The National Security Hotline is 1800 123 400.