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Human remains found in Taipan debris field
By Matthew Knott
The army has discovered unidentified remains of some of the aircrew who died last week in a helicopter crash off the Queensland coast as well as parts of the cockpit of the aircraft.
Lieutenant General Greg Bilton told reporters that the search-and-recovery effort had identified a “further debris field” that is consistent with a catastrophic, high-impact crash.
From left: Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph “Phil” Laycock, Corporal Alexander Naggs, Troop Commander Captain Daniel Lyon and Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent.
“Sadly, I can confirm human remains have also been observed in this location by [a] remote underwater vehicle,” he said.
“Due to the nature of the debris field, positive identification of the remains is unlikely to occur until we recover more of the wreckage.”
Bilton said that Australian Defence Vessel Reliant, a modern navy auxiliary ship, was assisting with the search-and-recovery effort. He said those involved were working in a “methodical” way but the strong currents in the Whitsundays made the recovery effort difficult.
Four service personnel – Joseph “Phil” Laycock, Alexander Naggs, Daniel Lyon and Maxwell Nugent – died when their MRH-90 Taipan crashed during military training exercises on Friday night.
The crash has intensified debate about the future of the troubled Taipan fleet, which has suffered repeated technical issues during its life of service.
ASX extends losses after Wall Street’s worst day since April
By Millie Muroi
The Australian sharemarket extended its losses on Thursday, weighed down by the mining and banking index heavyweights and IT stocks, after Wall Street suffered its biggest fall since April.
The S&P/ASX 200 closed 42.8 points, or 0.6 per cent, lower at 7311.8, falling for a second day after Wednesday’s 1.3 per cent decline. Information technology companies (down 1.6 per cent) fell sharply as Xero lost 2.7 per cent and NEXTDC dropped 2 per cent.
The Australian dollar retreated again, losing 1 per cent overnight. It was fetching 65.35 US cents at 4.15pm AEST.
ACT government demands answers from Lehrmann inquiry over leaked report
By Angus Thompson
In breaking news, a furious ACT government has demanded answers from the board of inquiry into the handling of the Bruce Lehrmann rape trial after the findings were leaked to a media outlet weeks ahead of their formal release.
An ACT government spokesperson said the board of inquiry, chaired by former Queensland Supreme Court judge Walter Sofronoff KC, had confirmed to it today that it had sent embargoed copies of the final report to some media outlets, while stressing the territory had not leaked the report.
Walter Sofronoff KC, former Queensland Supreme Court judge, chaired the board of inquiry.
“The ACT Government is disappointed that the Sofronoff Board of Inquiry Report has been released to select media outlets. The release of information about the Inquiry outside of the government procedures has affected the Inquiry process and harmed people involved,” the spokesperson said.
“It further contributes to the ongoing public discussion of the matter that has been very difficult for all of the individuals impacted.”
The report was handed to the government on Monday but was to be kept hidden from the public until late August, when parliament in the ACT next sits. The release will now be expedited to early next week.
“The ACT is confident the report, either in draft or final form, was not obtained by media from Government. The Government has sought advice from the Board of Inquiry, which has confirmed it provided a copy to some media outlets under an embargo. This release was not authorised by or communicated to Government prior to this release.”
ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury has been in contact with Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC, who the report is highly critical of.
“The individuals identified in the Report and affected by its findings must be afforded procedural fairness, including the Director of Public Prosecutions,” the spokesperson said.
Bruce Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to raping his former colleague Brittany Higgins in March 2019. The trial was abandoned in October due to juror misconduct and a retrial was scrapped due to Higgins’ mental health. Lehrmann maintains his innocence.
Government investigating $400 million in NDIS payments
More than $400 million in NDIS payments are being investigated for fraud.
The number of criminal investigations linked to payments from the disability support scheme has risen to 46, up from 38 in April, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten told parliament.
The investigations are being overseen by a fraud task force, set up in October to examine rorts of the scheme.
Since April, an extra $100 million worth of possible fraudulent payments are being looked at by the task force.
More than $400 million in NDIS payments are being investigated for fraud, Bill Shorten said.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“When there is government money, sometimes people - opportunists, criminals, others - become attracted to trying to siphon that money off for their own good, rather than the best interests of participants,” Shorten told parliament on Thursday.
“There is an element in the Australian community who were basically taking money from participants, robbing people on the scheme, and sometimes not only in an unethical manner, but indeed in a criminal manner.”
The NDIS is on track to be one of the federal budget’s biggest expenses, projected to cost more than $50 billion by 2025/26 and overtaking the annual spend on Medicare.
Shorten had previously announced a review of the NDIS in an attempt to rein in spending and reduce fraudulent payments.
AAP
New cases of mpox reported in Victoria
Victoria has recorded new cases of mpox – previously known as monkeypox – for the first time in almost nine months.
The two locally acquired cases were confirmed today, prompting health authorities to warn people with symptoms to seek medical care and testing from their doctor or local sexual health clinic.
The last case of mpox in Victoria was reported in early November 2022, but the viral infection has spread internationally since May last year.
Cases have recently increased in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, including in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and China, acting chief health officer Professor Ben Cowie said.
A colourised transmission electron micrograph of mpox particles, which are red.Credit: AP
The international outbreak has predominantly affected men who have sex with men. However, anyone who has close and usually prolonged intimate contact with an infected person is at risk of contracting mpox.
The viral infection usually causes a mild illness and most people recover in a few weeks, but some may develop severe illness and have to be hospitalised.
Symptoms of mpox can arise up to three weeks after a person is exposed.
Infected people may experience a fever, chills, tiredness, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, pain on urination, rectal pain, bloody stools and diarrhoea. They may also develop a rash, which can appear as vesicles, pustules or ulcers on any part of the body.
Cowie urged people to get vaccinated against mpox if they were eligible, and said people could reduce their risk of exposure to the infection by limiting their number of sexual partners.
“Exchange contact information with your sexual partners to assist with contact tracing if needed,” he said in a health alert.
People who are eligible for the mpox vaccine include high-risk close contacts of existing cases, sexually active gay and bisexual men who are both cis and trans, their sexual partners, sex workers, certain lab workers and health workers.
Two doses of the vaccine are required to ensure optimal protection from the infection.
AAP
Linda Reynolds details legal action against Brittany Higgins
By Jesinta Burton
Following today’s earlier news that Liberal senator Linda Reynolds is suing Brittany Higgins for defamation, we’ve now got statements from both Reynolds’ and Higgins’ legal teams.
“Ms Higgins continues to use the media to make defamatory comments about my conduct,” said Reynolds today, “notwithstanding the existence of facts and evidence to the contrary and without regard to a non-disparagement clause she agreed to.”
Linda Reynolds claims Brittany Higgins defamed her in an Instagram story and Twitter post last month.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen/AAP
She said the concerns noticed issued on July 5 requested Higgins refrain from defaming the senator, “however her conduct following receipt of that notice … and the unsatisfactory response received from her lawyer is evidence that she has no intention of stopping”.
A spokesperson for Arnold Bloch Leibler confirmed Higgins had retained the law firm’s services and intended to defend the claim vigorously.
Further details on the story here.
Parliament House to light up green and gold in support of Matildas
By Angus Thompson
Canberra’s Parliament House will be illuminated in green and gold on Sunday and Monday nights in honour of the Matildas’ next match against Denmark in the Women’s World Cup.
Speaker Milton Dick told parliament Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s request to illuminate the building in support of the team in the lead-up to Monday night’s game had been approved.
Earlier, Albanese said the nation would be coming together on Monday to cheer the Matildas.
“I think we should show leadership and this is one practical way, by lighting it up in the magical green and gold of Australia,” he said.
Liberal MP Bridget Archer sides with government on Dutton’s Voice motion
By Angus Thompson and Paul Sakkal
Liberal MP and Voice supporter Bridget Archer has sided with the government in shutting down a motion put by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was dividing the nation over the Voice.
“I don’t think anyone would be surprised that I would not support that motion,” Archer told this masthead. “I have been strongly on the public record in support of the Voice to parliament.”
Before the parliament went to a vote, Albanese said both sides of the chamber wanted to legislate a version of the Voice.
“You cannot say it will promote racial division and then say you will legislate the Voice. You cannot say it will not make a positive difference but then say you will legislate for the Voice. They don’t see it as radical or divisive or any other noise they want to inject into the referendum, otherwise why would they legislate?” he said.
The vote was defeated 90 votes to 52.
Peter Dutton moves motion against prime minister over Voice
By Angus Thompson
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is moving a motion against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that parliament notes Albanese is dividing the nation and refusing to provide details over his plan for Aboriginal reconciliation.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during question time at Parliament House in Canberra today.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Dutton wants the House of Representatives to note that Albanese promised on 34 occasions to implement the Uluru Statement in full but has since “continually denied that there will be a treaty”, and that the government has refused to detail what some of the budget allocation for a Makarrata commission has so far been spent on.
“He has treated this house with contempt by repeatedly and consistently failing to directly answer questions in question time,” Dutton said, adding Albanese should be condemned “for his complete inability to be upfront and honest”.
“[The motion] calls on the prime minister to explain today, in plain language … what the Voice will be, how it can be structured … [what] the Makarrata commission will be, how it will be structured, and how it will operate.”
The house is divided and a vote is being counted.
Driver facing 52 extra charges for Hunter Valley bus tragedy
By Olivia Ireland
The bus driver of the horror Hunter Valley accident that claimed the lives of 10 wedding guests in June is expected to be charged with a further 52 offences.
Brett Button, 58, was at the wheel of a coach on June 11 transporting 35 guests from the wedding of Maddy Edsell and Mitchell Gaffney at Lovedale to Singleton when the vehicle rolled over at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive near the Hunter Expressway off-ramp at Greta.
Brett Button is set to face 52 extra charges from the Hunter Valley bus tragedy.Credit: Janie Barrett
He had previously been charged with 11 driving offences, including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of negligent driving occasioning death.
The new court listings for Button include an extra 52 offences that would bring the total to 63 charges, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm; negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm; causing bodily harm by misconduct; and negligent driving.
All the details here.
Sam Kerr on track for World Cup return
By Anthony Segaert
Good afternoon, Anthony Segaert with you for the rest of the afternoon.
I’m pleased to bring you some good soccer news via sports reporter Vince Rugari: Matildas star Sam Kerr is back, baby.
Sam Kerr appears to be on track for her long-awaited Matildas return on Monday night after joining the team’s first training session since their stunning demolition of Canada.
Tony Gustavsson’s side were back on the field on Thursday at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre after two days of recovery and rest – and while they didn’t do much, Kerr at least had a ball at her feet for the first time since her injury on the eve of the World Cup.
Sam Kerr during a Matildas training session earlier today.Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Read the full story here.
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2023-08-03 07:18:25Z
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