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Key events
Activists sitting in tree in bid to stop logging on NSW mid-north coast
There has been a long-running battle between environmentalists and the New South Wales Forestry Corporation over native forest logging just outside Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast.
Environmentalists says the logging is damaging a known koala habitat and upsetting the local ecosystem.
Protesters have chained themselves to equipment in the past to try to stop the logging. In the latest action, the Bellingen activist network says a community member is now staging a sit in on a tree they’re trying to protect.
A spokesperson for the action says:
We know the value of forests when they are left un-logged. We know that healthy ecosystems are imperative to our survival on this heating planet. We must fight for all remaining forest because we are fighting for our lives.
There is a groundswell of people ready to take these sorts of non-violent direct actions, pushing us ever closer to the ending of logging of these publicly owned native forests. Join the movement – get involved in your local direct action group.
And the London police have responded to the viral video of a police officer talking to a protester at Parliament Square – with a statement that reads like it is reminding officers people have the right to peaceful protests.
If you haven’t read the UK Guardian’s editorial today, you may enjoy it
Albanese to greet Commonwealth diplomats at the Lodge today
The high commissioners and ambassadors from Commonwealth nations will meet at the Lodge for a memorial service with the prime minister today.
Why did a protester shout abuse at Prince Andrew?
A protester was arrested on the Royal Mile in the UK after he shouted abuse at Prince Andrew.
Here’s why he said he did it:
Spoke to the protestor who was arrested on the Royal Mile today for shouting abuse at Prince Andrew during the Queen’s procession – his name is Rory, here’s what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/8GTwnVGLF7
— Joseph Anderson (@janderson_news) September 12, 2022
Fun fact – Australia pays for any royal visit.
The Sussexes 16-day trip to Australia in 2018 cost the nation almost half a million dollars.
Paul Karp
Albanese brushes off concerns about public holiday for Queen
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has played down concerns about the public holiday on 22 September to commemorate the Queen’s life.
Asked on 2GB Radio about possible interruptions to life, including medical appointments, Albanese said:
Of course [that is the case] with every public holiday.
Truth is, operations occur every day of the year. This isn’t a declaration that nobody is allowed to do anything on 22 September. It is a declaration agreed to by myself and every premier and every chief minister that Thursday 22 September should be a national day of mourning.
This is a one in 70 year event. It is important we acknowledge the contribution of Queen Elizabeth II.
Albanese noted that the day after, the Friday, is a public holiday in Victoria – AFL grand final eve.
Albanese said the period of mourning is a “major global event”, citing 22 high commissioners coming to pay their respects today at the PM’s Canberra residence, the Lodge.
Asked if he would cop criticism if a public holiday weren’t announced, Albanese replied there is “no doubt that would happen”.
Albanese said that he “respects institutions” and that is why he is following protocols established before his prime ministership. King Charles III will have a “standing invitation” to visit Australia, he said.
Don’t ditch your coins
Andrew Leigh is talking to ABC’s RN Breakfast about the changes to Australia’s currency now there is a new monarch.
Currency with the Queen’s face will remain legal tender. So no need to ditch your coins. The King’s effigy has been in the works for a while but still isn’t ready yet. You’ll start to see currency with his face sometime in 2023.
The Queen looks to the right, so the King will look to the left – once again it’s protocol. Something about a new direction.
But the decision on whether to put King Charles on the $5 note has not yet been made. It could be someone or something else entirely. The coins though, are all his.
Tory Shepherd
Australia urged to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over abuses
Human Rights Watch is calling for Australia to impose sanctions on Chinese officials in the wake of more revelations of human rights abuses.
The calls comes after outgoing UN human rights commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, said China had committed “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs in Xinjiang which may amount to crimes against humanity.
That report was set to be a key agenda at a UN Human Rights Council meeting overnight.
HRW’s China director, Sophie Richardson, said:
Australia should impose targeted sanctions against Chinese government officials who are implicated in crimes against humanity and other grave abuses against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.
The European Union, US, UK, and Canada have already taken these steps, and Australia should join these efforts to hold those responsible for these abuses accountable and to stand with victims.
Greens want political donations added to federal integrity commission’s scope
Paul Karp
The Greens are warning that the scope of Labor’s national anti-corruption commission must be broadened to include jurisdiction over entities that give political donations.
Currently the proposal from the attorney general Mark Dreyfus is for the body to have power to investigate “the commonwealth public sector, including parliamentarians and staff, public officials and contracted service providers”.
But not all entities a commission might want to look into has contracts with the government. For example, the Greens cite $110m in donations from fossil fuel companies to political parties since 2010. They also note that of the 114 fossil fuel projects awaiting approval, about half (56) are from proponents that have made such donations.
The Greens’ justice spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge, said:
People voted for a federal integrity commission with teeth not one blocked from investigating multinationals … when they are using their money and
influence to corrupt government.The inability of the proposed federal integrity commission to investigate third parties who try to corrupt or improperly influence government decisions and policy is a serious gap in Labor’s model.
Limiting the integrity commission to only investigating corporations who contract with the government fundamentally misunderstands how corporate Australia influences government and benefits from government decisions.
More often than not huge corporate windfalls aren’t made by contracting with the government or providing a service but by influencing a government decision or a government policy.
Approving or rejecting a coal mine can be a billion dollar decision for some of these corporate players and that is a corruption prone environment the new integrity commission needs to cover.
Good morning
Happy Tuesday, 13 September.
It’s looking a little quieter today, which should give us all a chance to take a breath and have a cup of tea, away from what has been a pretty huge few days.
Attention is turning back to what the parliament needs to do – or should be doing – with the Greens adding to the demands for the national anti-corruption commission.
The independents and Greens had campaigned strongly on integrity and are now pushing the government to create the strongest possible integrity commission. The Greens want donations added to the list of things the commission could investigate. Meanwhile Indi MP Helen Haines wants to make sure the government doesn’t rush the committee review process to meet its “arbitrary” deadline of legislating it by the end of the year.
Australia is speaking to its Pacific neighbours again today to see how best to facilitate any assistance for leaders to travel to the UK for the Queen’s funeral, while Anthony Albanese will also prepare for tomorrow’s national cabinet (virtual) meeting where the premiers are expected to ask for the government’s pandemic leave to remain in place for as long as people have to isolate with Covid.
We’ll keep you up to date with all the news as it happens across Australia.
Ready? Let’s get into it.
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