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Dutton says companies backing Indigenous voice ‘lack a significant backbone’
Tory Shepherd
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was asked on Sky News this morning about BHP, Rio Tinto and Wesfarmers tipping millions into the yes campaign for the voice referendum.
He said “many corporates … lack a significant backbone”.
There’s a lot of people who are just craving popularity and trying to please people in the Twittersphere.
He added that they should “reassess where they are on some of these debates”.
Dutton also hinted there may be some disingenuity at play. He said:
There are a lot of CEOs and chairs who have very diff conversations with you in private than what they say publicly.
Key events
Tasmanian man charged over gunshots
A 23-year-old Tasmanian man has been charged after allegedly firing a gun into the roof of a home on Saturday night before fleeing the scene, police say.
Police were called to a home on 9.20pm following allegations a firearm had been discharged.
After the man fled, a search was conducted with both the man and the firearm found a short time later, according to police.
Police have charged the man with a range of offences including firearms and family violence offences.
He is due to appear in the Hobart magistrates court at 11am on Sunday.
SA university merger ‘historic’, Malinauskas says
Peter Malinauskas has described as “historic” the decision by two universities to merge under a plan by the South Australian premier to create a new super university in the state.
It will have the scale and resources to be sustainably positioned in the top 100 in the world.
This is an idea which has been talked about for years and years.
— Peter Malinauskas (@PMalinauskasMP) July 1, 2023
Yes campaign launches nationwide voice events
Two dozen major referendum events nationwide this weekend will be a “gamechanger” for the voice, says the director of Yes23, who is confident support will keep rising once grassroots campaigning fully activates in coming weeks.
On Sunday Yes23 hosts its Come Together For Yes events, unofficially launching the next phase of its campaign at the start of Naidoc Week; from smaller gatherings at community centres and local markets, to a football tournament in Darwin and major events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
For more on this story, read the full report by Guardian Australia’s Josh Butler:
Rachel Perkins says yes campaign is gaining momentum
Film-maker Rachel Perkins says the yes campaign for an Indigenous voice to parliament is gaining momentum as dozens of events are scheduled to be run across the country on Sunday.
It’s finally got outside of parliament and now it’s out of the Canberra bubble and it’s coming to the back yards, which is terrific. It’s where it should be discussed.
Perkins, co-chair of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition and winner of the NAIDOC week talent award, told the ABC on Sunday morning that the communities she had been speaking to want a mechanism to have input on issues affecting them.
I’ve just actually come back from the Kimberley. I’ve been travelling from Kununurra to Halls Creek, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, having conversations with people in little town halls and going out to meet people on the ground, grassroots Indigenous people who say they want this because they have solutions to how to change the situation.
Like in Fitzroy Crossing, there’s this amazing early childhood education centre that’s run by an Aboriginal woman, Emily Carter, and it’s making huge changes in her community. They’ve limited the flow of alcohol into the Fitzroy Valley. It’s had huge results. These are the sort of solutions and people whose voices that no one gets to hear about but should be heard in Canberra.
Perkins also said many Indigenous people have faced racist abuse particularly on social media and called for people to “have a respectful dialogue.”
Tory Shepherd
Government playing ‘funny games’ over robodebt attacks: Dutton
The government is playing “tricks … and funny games” attacking the opposition over the robodebt inquiry,” opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Sky News this morning.
He was referring to criticisms of MP Stuart Robert, who oversaw the system that has been linked to suicides, stress and anxiety.
Robert is retiring, and the byelection in his seat of Fadden is on 15 July. Labor has been hounding him over both the robodebt scandal and other allegations.
He has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Dutton says it’s “no coincidence” that Labor is attacking Robert with the byelection looming.
Asked whether the national anti-corruption commission (Nacc) should look at Robert, Dutton said “everybody should abide by the law”. He said:
Nobody’s above the law. And if there are credible allegations or suggestions, then they should be properly investigated by the police or by the integrity commission. If people have information, instead of trawling it for political purposes through the press, they should refer it to the proper authority, in this case, the integrity commission.
It’s a different story on the NSW corruption commission’s findings on former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, though, according to Dutton.
“If matters are to be tested, they should be tested in a court of law,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know of “anyone with higher integrity”.
Read Paul Karp’s analysis on the Robert allegations:
Mental health to be long term issue for Ukrainians, says Myroshnychenko
Myroshnychenko says mental health will be a long-term issue for Ukraine whose 44 million people have been “heavily traumatised by what they see, what they read.”
It’s live, it’s on your Google, it’s on your phone, it’s real. It’s not a show, it’s live. And every day there are more and more funerals of people. People you knew … somebody’s friends or relatives, and this is what we live through.
The ambassador said he just spent three weeks in Ukraine and that watching events unfold is “really heartbreaking”.
I was just there when they deliberately destroyed Kakhovka dam which has large parts of Ukraine, creating one of the biggest human-made environment ideal disasters. We hear they have mined the nuclear power plant and they may use nuclear as blackmail. Radiation does not know no borders. The contamination which can happen would be devastating for entire Europe. We need to stop it.
And that’s a wrap.
Myroshnychenko says Ukraine war can’t get any worse
On the mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his wagner mercenary group, Myroshnychenko says he is reluctant to get into speculation about “palace intrigue” in Russia.
We haven’t seen any major impact in the battlefield as the mutiny was unfolding, Russians sent on shelling Ukrainian cities sending missiles, heavy battlefields on the frontlines. Definitely the reputation of Vladimir Putin was dented. His leadership was challenged. And in a country like Russia is really extraordinary to see it happening. Putin is running the country as a thug so pretty much a gangster country and all these thugs and somebody revolts all of a sudden, this is already kind of bizarre.
The ambassador also says he doesn’t see how things could get worse.
I don’t think anything can be worse, right? Can it get any worse? Look, Russians have deployed 150,000 people in Ukraine – occupied 20% of the land. They just shell us on a continuous basis, killing and raping and murdering people. Can it get any worse? I don’t think so.
Myroshnychenko says Putin has “stolen the future of the Russian people” and that the war Ukraine is fighting would precipitate Putin’s regime.
Myroshnychenko says it would ‘make global headlines’ if Australia supplied tanks to Ukraine
Asked whether Australia could supply provide Ukraine with a cash payment so the country may buy military hardware of its choice, Myroshnychenko says there are “many different forms support can take”.
He also says it would “make global headlines” if Australia agreed to supply Ukraine with M1 Arbams tanks, 59 of which are due to go out of service next year.
I think any support for Ukraine will be very good investment into the restoration of the rules-base international system.
Something which is so important for every Pacific nation because if you can allow a bigger power to curse a smaller power – and you don’t fight back and you let that happen, that sends a wrong signal especially to your neighbours, to countries that depend so much on your support to be sovereign and to make their own decisions and not to be influence bid bigger powers.
Bushmasters have been ‘a symbol of Australian support’, says Ukraine’s ambassador
Myroshnychenko says the Hawk-Eye air defence systems have “captured the imagination” in Ukraine because it is a “unique” piece of defence equipment. He says the number of Russian rocket attacks against Ukraine make it a valuable piece of equipment that can be “rolled out for different missions”.
Could be used for recognisance, used for electronic warfare. Once integrated with air defence systems it could be very handy air defence systems and as you see, Russians are seconding so many missiles at Ukraine so air defence systems are in high need.
He also says the supply of bushmaster vehicles to Ukraine has been a “symbol of Australian support” with 90 vehicles having been committed.
They’re saving lives, they’re getting wounded people from the frontlines. That’s a huge contribution that you made and sending more will be very helpful.
Ukraine’s ambassador says Australia has benefited from the war
Myroshnychenko says he would “be delighted” for the foreign minister, Penny Wong, to visit Kyiv and that while “she does understand Ukraine very well” being on the ground “gives you a different angle”.
Russia aggression in Ukraine has undermined global security. It’s an issue which has affected everybody. It has undermined security in the Indo-Pacific. We are seeing what’s happening with food crisis, with energy crisis, how many countries become exposed and vulnerable to these shocks. And of course we have to deal with that. Ukraine is one of the biggest providers of food on the global markets and we’re not able to deliver that food to the countries in need, in Africa, in South of Asia, who suffered because of that.
Myroshnychenko noted that Australia was one of a number of countries – including Canada and Norway – that has inadvertently benefited from the Russian invasion of Ukraine through high prices.
I just get back from Kyiv. I was there three weeks ago … every day Kyiv is under attacks and kids who play out on the playground and then you see them running into shelters when there is a siren, because you know it’s going to hit. This is what we have to go through every day, being traumatised, being out there, and the support we get from our partners, this is the resilience of the international coalition if this is what is important because only together when we are stronger together because, look, if Australia were invaded or at war, we’ll be out there for you to help you. More so there’s so many lessons which would be learned from this war.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia invites Penny Wong to Kyiv
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko has told ABC Insiders Ukraine is “incredibly grateful” for the military support that has been provided by Australia to date but says that support should continue to help bring the conflict to a decisive end.
Myroshnychenko told the story of a Russian ballistic missile strike on the popular pizza restaurant Ria in Kramatorsk last week that killed thirteen people and wound many others. He said this was an example of the daily horrors Ukrainians have to live with.
Look, we appreciate what’s coming, and I personally like to thank prime minister Anthony Albanese for travelling to Ukraine last year. He could see with his own eyes what Russians have done in Ukraine
There is a continuous dialogue between other ministers of defences that recently met in Singapore. It would be wonderful to have minister Penny Wong visit Kyiv. I’m in constant contact with defence department and the defence minister’s office and see what else could be done to help Ukraine.
Dutton says companies backing Indigenous voice ‘lack a significant backbone’
Tory Shepherd
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was asked on Sky News this morning about BHP, Rio Tinto and Wesfarmers tipping millions into the yes campaign for the voice referendum.
He said “many corporates … lack a significant backbone”.
There’s a lot of people who are just craving popularity and trying to please people in the Twittersphere.
He added that they should “reassess where they are on some of these debates”.
Dutton also hinted there may be some disingenuity at play. He said:
There are a lot of CEOs and chairs who have very diff conversations with you in private than what they say publicly.
Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko will be speaking to ABC Insiders this morning which is broadcasting live from the National Press Club.
Meanwhile opposition leader Peter Dutton spoke to Sky this morning.
We will bring you the latest as it happens.
Stranded humpback whale dies
A humpback whale has died after becoming stranded on a section of the New South Wales northern coastline, despite dozens of people working for hours to return it to the water.
The NSW Department of Environment and Heritage tweeted late on Saturday urging people to avoid Seven Mile beach at Lennox Head, a coastal town located just south of the tourist mecca of Byron Bay in northern NSW.
The 30-metre animal had washed ashore at the northern end of the beach on Saturday morning, where it was seen by a member of the public.
Marine experts and volunteers worked through the day to help keep the animal calm, covering it with water before high tide came.
Despite tunnels and grooves being dug into the sand to attempt to help the whale back into deeper water when the tide rose, it died at about seven o’clock on Saturday night.
The animal had no obvious signs of injury before it became beached.
Whales will sometimes become beached for a variety of reasons, with experts believing this particular whale may have suffered from a disease.
People are being asked to avoid the area on Sunday as authorities work to dispose of the carcass.
– AAP
South Australian university merger a ‘transformational moment’
Two South Australian universities have announced they will support a state government push to merge them into one institution.
In a statement published late Saturday night, the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia (UniSA) announced they will enter into a “Heads of Agreement” to support the State Government in the creation of a new university”.
The University will be named “Adelaide University” and will combine the resources of both institutions to create a super university.
UniSA Prof David G Lloyd said in a letter to alumni on Saturday night that: “Australia’s higher education funding environment makes it challenging to remain as we are” and that the merger represented “a transformational moment” for the two institutions.
We have a unique opportunity to create a new institution with innovation and scale to make transformational investments in teaching and global research. With the significant financial backing of the State Government and ongoing support from the Federal Government, we will shape a comprehensive, future-focused university that is connected to priority industries for both our state and nation.
Good morning
And welcome to another Sunday morning Guardian live blog.
A humpback whale has died after becoming stranded at Seven Mile Beach at Lennox head on Saturday. Marine experts and volunteers worked into the night to save the whale by digging grooves to help the whale back into deep water with the high tied, but the animal died at 7pm on Saturday night.
Two South Australian universities have backed in a state government plan to merge two of the state’s three institutions to create a super university named “Adelaide University”. The University of South Australia and University of Adelaide announced on Saturday night that both institutions will enter into a “Heads of Agreement” to support the state government in the creation of the new institutions.
And Naidoc week is officially under way and carrying extra significance this year as the Indigenous voice to parliament campaigns ramp up.
I’m Royce Kurmelovs, taking the blog through the day. With so much going on out there, it’s easy to miss stuff, so if you spot something happening in Australia and think it should be on the blog, you can find me on Twitter at @RoyceRk2 where my DMs are open.
With that, let’s get started …
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