Key events
Good morning
Emily Wind
Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties. Thanks to Martin for kicking things off for us – I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage for most of today.
As always, you can reach out with any tips, questions or feedback via email: [email protected]. Let’s go.
Analysis: Albanese has pledged action on antisemitism – but Dutton still setting agenda
In an analysis piece this morning, our political correspondent Josh Butler writes that although Anthony Albanese has pledged action on antisemitic attacks and called a national cabinet meeting, he still looks like “he’s playing catchup” to Peter Dutton on this issue.
Albanese has reacted quicker than he did with the Melbourne attack at the end of last year when he as panned for an allegedly slow response.
But no matter which he goes, he seems to end up being panned, as Josh writes:
Of course, despite taking the course demanded by the Coalition, Albanese will receive little credit from opponents. Once again he has been criticised first for a lack of action, and then for taking too long to act after he moves. Moments after reports of a snap national cabinet meeting emerged, the deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, slammed him for ‘mealy-mouthed words’.
Read Josh’s whole piece here:
University heads to front antisemitism inquiry
University heads will be confronted over hate on campus as Australia struggles through a crisis of antisemitism, AAP reports.
Vice-chancellors from the University of Sydney, the Australian National University, the University of Queensland and Western Sydney University, alongside members of the student and educators’ unions, are due to front a federal inquiry on the topic when it resumes today.
With university students set to return in a matter of weeks, the institutions have acknowledged an increase in antisemitism and committed to prevent its occurrence on campus with education and disclosure initiatives.
Western Sydney University’s submission said:
We support freedom of speech but draw the line at hate speech.
Boy dies after being crushed by falling parking meter
A child has died in hospital in Western Australia after being crushed by a falling parking meter stored in a museum courtyard.
The five-year-old boy was seriously injured last week at Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre south of Perth.
He died two days later, police said in a statement yesterday.
The incident happened during an environmental education school holiday program run by the state’s biodiversity and conservation department.
Paramedics were called to the scene about 10.30am and transported the boy in a critical condition to Bunbury hospital.
He was later airlifted to Perth children’s hospital.
The City of Bunbury’s chief executive, Alan Ferris, said the organisaton was “heartbroken”.
WorkSafe is investigating the incident and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Adam Bandt to announce latest public schools spending pledge
Caitlin Cassidy
Every public school child would receive an $800 “back to school” payment and fees and charges would be abolished under a suite of election announcements to be announced by the Greens in Brisbane today.
The $800 payment, to be distributed to students enrolled in primary and secondary schools from 1 July, is estimated to cost $7.6bn to 2028 and would be spent on out-of-pocket costs like uniforms, technology and school supplies.
Additional funding of $2.4bn over forward estimates would also be distributed to public schools to abolish public school fees, charges and contributions, estimated to have risen by 20.58% from 2021 to 2022.
The Greens said the policy was the latest in a suite of “Robin Hood reforms” that would be put on the table in the instance of a minority parliament.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, will make the announcement at Coorparoo State School in Brisbane on Tuesday, alongside the Greens spokesperson for primary and secondary education, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, and Griffith MP Max Chandler-Mather.
The Greens were reduced to one seat in Queensland’s state election in October, placing pressure on the party to maintain its three federal seats when voters hit the polls later this year.
Bandt said the cash boost would be funded via the Greens’ planned “big corporations tax”.
He said:
Parents are forking out thousands on ‘voluntary’ fees, uniforms and out-of pocket costs, but meanwhile one in three big corporations pays no tax. We can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. If Brisbane voters return their Greens MPs, they can keep Peter Dutton out and get Labor to act on the cost-of-living crisis.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with some of the best overnight stories before Emily Wind takes the reins.
Sydney’s Jewish community is in shock after the latest antisemitic attack in the city targeted a childcare centre in Maroubra and left people fearful about their safety. Since late November, there have been six major antisemitic incidents in Sydney and one in Melbourne, five of those involving arson. Yesterday federal police revealed they were investigating whether the attacks have been funded by “overseas actors” using cryptocurrency.
It comes as vice-chancellors from some of Australia’s leading universities front a federal inquiry on antisemitism today.
The Greens leader Adam Bandt is on the pre-election trail this morning and is due to visit a school in Brisbane to promote his party’s new policy of giving every public school child an $800 “back to school” payment. The party would also abolish other fees and payments faced by parents under a suite of announcements to be announced today. More coming up.
A young boy has died in Western Australia after being crushed by a falling parking meter. The five-year-old was on an education trip to a museum in Bunbury south of Perth last week when the parking meter, which was being stored in a courtyard, fell on him. More details coming up.
