dailynewsnblog
NSW anti-slavery commissioner questions handling of Iranian football squad’s departure
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW anti-slavery commissioner has questioned the Australian federal police, Sydney airport and Qantas’s role in facilitating the departure of the Iranian women’s football team from Australia, despite “the widespread concern about threats, intimidation, and coercion”.
Dr James Cockayne said in a statement that he was pleased that players and some support staff were given a chance to meet privately with a home affairs official and an interpreter. After the meeting, two more squad members decided to stay in Australia, however one later changed her mind.
But Cockayne said he still holds doubts over whether the women made their decision free from duress.
He said:
This was an extraordinarily tough and traumatising decision to have to make – whether to return home to a war-torn country and face the wrath of a highly repressive, misogynistic regime or stay with a very uncertain future far away from family and supports, possibly placing family back in Iran at greater risk.
So the key questions we must ask now are: were these decisions truly made free from duress? And did these women have all the information they needed and were entitled to?
I have my doubts.
He said a number of questions need to be answered, including if the Iranian athletes received independent legal advice, if the AFP interviewed the women to determine if they were being coerced, and what Sydney airport and Qantas did to “address this clear and highly publicised risk of exit trafficking”.
He said:
Like many Australians, I look forward to these urgent questions being answered. I certainly do not want to believe that our national police force, or the businesses that run our national flag carrier and our busiest airport, may have turned a blind eye or even unwittingly contributed to exit trafficking.
Key events
Chalmers ‘really sad’ former spy chief quit royal commission into antisemitism
Chalmers said he was “really sad” to learn about Dennis Richardson departing the royal commission into antisemitism. Richardson resigned without explanation on Wednesday, just a fortnight after its opening hearing.
Chalmers told RN he hadn’t spoken to Richardson after the decision, adding:
Ultimately it’s a matter for him and the royal commission. …
From a personal point of view I was sad to hear it because he is a person of such immense experience and knowledge.
Chalmers says Australia well-placed to deal with the ‘worst’ of the economic fallout from Middle East conflict
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said this morning the government is not considering a cut to the fuel excise amid the turmoil in the Middle East, but maintained the country is well placed to weather the economic impacts of the ongoing war.
Chalmers spoke to RN Breakfast this morning
I can assure people that we have enough fuel in total and where there are issues in particular regional areas or different pockets of Australia, we work closely with the industry and the ACCC to try and ensure supply to those areas. … Obviously we share that concern about developments in the Middle East flowing through to our own economy.
We won’t be immune from these developments, but we are incredibly well placed as a country and as an economy to deal with the worst the world can throw at us.
Chalmers said there was no doubt the war was putting strain on Australians, but re-upped the government’s efforts to address cost of living pressures.
This conflict in the Middle East is already putting additional pressure on Australians. We understand that.
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take things over. After the morning headlines, it’s time to dive into the day in politics. Stick with us.
Victorian plan to see homebuyers given free pest and building reports
Benita Kolovos
Buyers would no longer have to foot the bill for costly building and pest inspections, under a plan to be announced by the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, later this morning.
Allan will announce that if Labor is re-elected in November, it will develop a mandatory building and pest inspection scheme, with legislation to be introduced to parliament in 2027. Under the plan, vendors would be required to organise and pay for the inspections and make the reports available to all potential buyers.
The government pointed to data from the Consumer Policy Research Centre, which found building and pest inspection reports can cost up to $600, with almost half of all buyers paying for multiple inspections in the process of finding a home. The centre also found that 17% of buyers were “buying blind” with no reports, due to the cost and hassle involved.
In a statement, Allan said the “status quo isn’t working”:
Some buyers spend thousands on multiple reports. Some roll the dice and go without. When you buy a car, the seller pays for the roadworthy. It should work the same way when you look for a home.
Currently, the Australian Capital Territory is the only jurisdiction in Australia with such a scheme. There, vendors pay for inspection reports, which must be completed within three months before sale – though they aren’t required for new builds. After the contract is signed, the vendor can recover the report costs from the buyer.
Allan said she would consult with the ACT and with industry to draft its own scheme.
The minister for consumer affairs, Nick Staikos, said:
Doing the due diligence for your big purchase should be as simple and affordable as possible. We’ll do the work to make sure our scheme is watertight and protects buyers from conflicts of interest.
Vehicle belonging to missing tourists found
A vehicle was located last night in the search for two missing tourists in the Kilkivan area, Queensland police said.
The 26-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were travelling in a Silver Subaru Forrester from Brisbane to North Burnett when they failed to make their destination.
A search commenced yesterday involving police, SES, helicopters in the Kilkivan to Mundubbera area.
A silver vehicle was then located at Kilkivan Tansey Road, near McArthur Road and police remained at the scene last night.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the two missing tourists was urged to contact police.
The area has been inundated by rain leading to severe flooding.
Earthquake felt near Boorowa
Jordyn Beazley
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit around 110km north of Canberra just after 7pm last night.
More than 4,000 people reported to Geoscience Australia that they had felt the earthquake within 45 minutes of it hitting.
The epicentre of the earthquake was near Boorowa and was recorded at 7.09pm.
NSW anti-slavery commissioner questions handling of Iranian football squad’s departure
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW anti-slavery commissioner has questioned the Australian federal police, Sydney airport and Qantas’s role in facilitating the departure of the Iranian women’s football team from Australia, despite “the widespread concern about threats, intimidation, and coercion”.
Dr James Cockayne said in a statement that he was pleased that players and some support staff were given a chance to meet privately with a home affairs official and an interpreter. After the meeting, two more squad members decided to stay in Australia, however one later changed her mind.
But Cockayne said he still holds doubts over whether the women made their decision free from duress.
He said:
This was an extraordinarily tough and traumatising decision to have to make – whether to return home to a war-torn country and face the wrath of a highly repressive, misogynistic regime or stay with a very uncertain future far away from family and supports, possibly placing family back in Iran at greater risk.
So the key questions we must ask now are: were these decisions truly made free from duress? And did these women have all the information they needed and were entitled to?
I have my doubts.
He said a number of questions need to be answered, including if the Iranian athletes received independent legal advice, if the AFP interviewed the women to determine if they were being coerced, and what Sydney airport and Qantas did to “address this clear and highly publicised risk of exit trafficking”.
He said:
Like many Australians, I look forward to these urgent questions being answered. I certainly do not want to believe that our national police force, or the businesses that run our national flag carrier and our busiest airport, may have turned a blind eye or even unwittingly contributed to exit trafficking.
Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser with the main action.
The New South Wales anti-slavery commissioner has questioned the Australian federal police, Sydney airport and Qantas’ role in facilitating the departure of the Iranian women’s football team from Australia, despite “the widespread concern about threats, intimidation, and coercion”. More coming.
And buyers would no longer have to foot the bill for costly building and pest inspections under a plan to be announced by the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, later this morning.
More coming up.
