Adam Bandt named CEO of Australian Conservation Basis
Adam Morton
The previous Greens chief Adam Bandt has been named as the pinnacle of one of many nation’s largest and oldest environmental organisations, the Australian Conservation Basis (ACF).
Bandt, who unexpectedly misplaced the seat of Melbourne on the Might election, will change long-time ACF chief government Kelly O’Shanassy, who introduced earlier this 12 months that she was resigning.
Bandt begins at ACF in January. The inspiration mentioned he would “not play any additional position within the Greens”.
The ACF chair, Ros Harvey, mentioned Bandt was the unanimous alternative of the organisation’s board after a “rigorous search” that concerned screening greater than 300 candidates.
She mentioned “arduous instances require daring management” and Bandt had the “imaginative and prescient, the bravery and the expertise required” for the job.
In a press release, Bandt mentioned it was a “true privilege to assist lead Australia’s most revered voice for nature and local weather at such a important time”. He mentioned:
Local weather collapse is starting, nature is in disaster and that is the parliament that may keep away from extinction. This might be the very best parliament ever for nature and local weather. We’re setting politicians a check we hope they meet.
Key occasions
Porepunkah capturing sufferer farewelled with full police honours
Tears and laughter have flowed for a larger-than-life veteran policeman gunned down simply over per week earlier than he was purported to retire, AAP reviews.
Detective main senior constable Neal Thompson was farewelled with full police honours in a funeral on the Victoria Police Academy right now.
The 59-year-old was one in every of two officers killed on 26 August whereas serving a warrant on Dezi Freeman at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne.
His associate, sergeant Lisa Thompson, broke down whereas main the tributes for the person affectionately often known as “Thommo”.
She met Thompson in 2016 after arriving at Wangaratta Police Station as a constable.
“We labored one shift collectively and it modified the course of my life,” she instructed mourners.
I had by no means laughed a lot with somebody and as I drove house that night time reflecting on my day, I knew with absolute certainty that I wished to be a detective.
I don’t need to dwell my life with out you and I don’t need to end our goals by myself.
Adam Bandt named CEO of Australian Conservation Basis
Adam Morton
The previous Greens chief Adam Bandt has been named as the pinnacle of one of many nation’s largest and oldest environmental organisations, the Australian Conservation Basis (ACF).
Bandt, who unexpectedly misplaced the seat of Melbourne on the Might election, will change long-time ACF chief government Kelly O’Shanassy, who introduced earlier this 12 months that she was resigning.
Bandt begins at ACF in January. The inspiration mentioned he would “not play any additional position within the Greens”.
The ACF chair, Ros Harvey, mentioned Bandt was the unanimous alternative of the organisation’s board after a “rigorous search” that concerned screening greater than 300 candidates.
She mentioned “arduous instances require daring management” and Bandt had the “imaginative and prescient, the bravery and the expertise required” for the job.
In a press release, Bandt mentioned it was a “true privilege to assist lead Australia’s most revered voice for nature and local weather at such a important time”. He mentioned:
Local weather collapse is starting, nature is in disaster and that is the parliament that may keep away from extinction. This might be the very best parliament ever for nature and local weather. We’re setting politicians a check we hope they meet.
‘I don’t assume Jacinta has it in for Indians’ Barnaby Joyce says
The fallout continues from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s comments suggesting the Labor celebration’s migration insurance policies have been makes an attempt to garner votes from immigrants together with these from India.
Barnaby Joyce appeared to defend Worth on the Seven Community this morning, placing the feedback all the way down to a “mistake”.
The Nationals MP mentioned:
You make errors in politics on a regular basis, and the very best factor to do is apologise, transfer on … Get on to a different subject. It’s simply the character of politics. You’re not going to be good on each assertion you ever make, you’re gonna make errors.
I don’t assume Jacinta has it in for Indians, by the way in which. I believe that she’s making an attempt to convey … migration is uncontrolled. Why is it uncontrolled? Not due to the individuals [but] as a result of we simply don’t have the assets. We don’t have the homes, the hospitals, the faculties, the dams to soak up them.
He mentioned Worth ought to apologise “if that solves the issue”.
Labor MP Tanya Plibersek, additionally interviewed on Dawn, mentioned the Indian group was due an apology.
Jacinta Worth ought to apologise and if she doesn’t, Sussan Ley ought to make her apologise … They’ve received all kinds of mess occurring within the Coalition.
The Wiggles deny former CEO was illegally fired
The Wiggles have instructed a courtroom they’ll struggle an illegal dismissal lawsuit from their former chief government, who claims the blue Wiggle undermined him, AAP reviews.
Luke O’Neill says he was denied bonuses and excluded from conferences earlier than being dismissed with no cheap foundation by the well-known kids’s entertainers.
He has launched authorized motion towards the group, blue Wiggle Anthony Discipline and its normal counsel Matthew Salgo within the federal courtroom. No defence has been filed with the courtroom however the band’s lawyer indicated on Monday the allegations have been contested.
The Wiggles’ lawyer, Bianca Dearing, mentioned on Monday:
“There are a number of complaints or inquiries pleaded through the course of the applicant’s employment … all of that are denied.”
Justice Michael Lee requested the events to set out timetabling forward of a possible listening to in April, noting he was “unclear about how lengthy it can take”.
The Wiggles and its former chief government will possible attend mediation earlier than the top of the 12 months to see if the difficulty could be resolved earlier than a listening to, the courtroom was instructed.
O’Neill was fired in Might, a choice he says got here with no cheap foundation and with none prior warning or earlier adversarial suggestions. He alleges his dismissal was illegal.
You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the case right here:
Coles and Woolworths underpayment invoice might high $1bn
Jonathan Barrett
Coles and Woolworths are making ready to pay greater than $1bn within the fallout from a serious wages case that discovered the grocery store giants had underpaid hundreds of employees.
The federal courtroom discovered final week the large supermarkets hadn’t adequately tracked entitlements owed beneath the related retail award, leading to years of missed extra time, penalties charges and different varied funds.
The Honest Work Ombudsman alleged Woolworths underpaid 19,000 employees and Coles underpaid greater than 8,700 workers, together with retailer managers.
Woolworths mentioned in an ASX assertion right now it might owe employees an extra $250m to $470m in pre tax funds, and as much as $280m in further prices together with superannuation and payroll tax.
Coles estimates it’d have to pay an extra $150m to $250m to “replicate the findings of the courtroom, together with curiosity and on-costs”.
The estimates are along with vital sums Australia’s two largest grocery store chains have already made in again funds. Proceedings are due again in courtroom in late October.
The underpayment subject might turn into much more pricey for the supermarkets, given the figures don’t have in mind potential payouts stemming from class actions.
‘Anti-corruption’ protest organisers attain settlement to not march on Sydney Harbour Bridge
Penry Buckley
NSW police and protest organisers have reached an settlement for another route that won’t block the Sydney Harbour Bridge this weekend.
As we reported final week, protesters had lodged a “kind 1” notifying police of a deliberate public demonstration throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Saturday, 13 September. However after negotiations between senior officers and organisers, the route will now begin in Hyde Park and comply with a route via Sydney’s CBD, police mentioned in a press release.
In a preliminary listening to on the NSW supreme courtroom this morning, the organiser who lodged the shape, Mary-Jane Liddicoat, mentioned she had not been capable of finding authorized illustration in time for an pressing listening to initially scheduled for this afternoon. That listening to has now been cancelled with the courtroom listening to an in-principle settlement had already been reached.
Police have now formally withdrawn their submitting to the supreme courtroom. The NSW supreme courtroom has ordered that every celebration pay their very own authorized prices.
Within the assertion, police thanked the organiser for his or her cooperation and added the pressure recognised and supported the rights of people and teams to train their rights of free speech and peaceable meeting.
The protest, which is marching beneath the title “Australia Unites Towards Authorities Corruption” contains the teams My Place Australia and MMAMV, which as the ABC have reported have campaigned towards vaccine mandates.
Luca Ittimani
Airline buyer watchdog proposal not robust sufficient, Alternative says
Following up on information the Albanese authorities is exploring a consumer protection scheme for aviation, buyer advocacy group Alternative has warned the business wants a stronger watchdog.
Labor right now mentioned its scheme might give prospects the proper to be compensated for cancelled or delayed flights and supplied with immediate rebooking, refunds and meals and lodging.
The proposed watchdog might help with prospects’ unresolved complaints about airways or airports and penalise breaches, however it can report back to the transport minister and received’t be chargeable for creating new rights for customers.
Alternative’s director of campaigns, Rosie Thomas, mentioned the brand new scheme was a welcome first step however the ombudsperson wanted extra energy and independence than Labor has proposed:
We deserve clear rights when flights don’t go to plan, not a patchwork of airline insurance policies. Nevertheless, client rights are solely ever as robust because the complaints processes to implement them.
Banks and telecommunications corporations need to reply to an impartial umpire and the airways ought to too.
The federal government is taking submissions on the design of the brand new scheme and watchdog.
Caitlin Cassidy
UTS college students ‘blindsided’ by program suspensions
The president of the UTS college students’ affiliation, Mia Campbell, says college students have been “blindsided” by administration’s resolution to droop enrolments in additional than 100 programs on the college and really feel “deserted” by management.
Showing on the Senate inquiry into college governance, Campbell mentioned it rang “alarm bells” when the senior management crew, showing earlier than her, mentioned the adjustments would don’t have any influence on present college students, as many had misplaced the chance to check postgraduate choices proper on the finish of their levels.
Campbell learn out quotes from college students within the college of public well being, who mentioned per week earlier than the cuts have been introduced, they attended an honours data session with “hope and ambition”.
We have been blindsided by information of the suspension of this program … College students of public well being really feel deserted by this college, by its management and by the vice-chancellor. For many people in public well being, we selected to check this diploma on the idea we’d have a stable pathway to finish a bachelor, honours and PhD, however now we might not have the ability to.
Campbell mentioned some PhD supervisors had already been made conscious that they could need to supervise college students without spending a dime in the event that they have been topic to job losses subsequent 12 months.
In my courses I’ve seen tutors and friends pissed off and demoralised by the uncertainty and lack of course of the college, many college students are listening to bleak warnings from workers … I fear about how employers will interpret the worth of my diploma, contemplating UTS has determined to discontinue it.
Learn extra right here:
Spring has sprung?
Melbourne loved its warmest day since Might on Saturday, with the mercury reaching 22.1C, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The heat coincided with the start of Petyan, or wildflower season, in Victoria.
In Sydney, the temperature was 27.1C at noon right now – however whereas spring has sprung, it might solely be a glimpse, with the SES warning elements of NSW are heading into a few days of unsettled weather.
Erin Patterson’s sentencing listening to this morning was historic past its quick material: it was additionally the primary time information cameras have been allowed in Victoria’s supreme courtroom to movie a sentencing.
Right here is Justice Christopher Beale’s sentencing of Patterson in full:
UTS cuts workers bonuses and confirms consultants invoice of $44m
Caitlin Cassidy
The vice-chancellor of the College of Know-how Sydney, Prof Andrew Parfitt, says senior workers won’t be paid any bonuses on account of the continuing restructure on the establishment. Late final 12 months, UTS introduced round 400 jobs can be misplaced to ship $100m in annual financial savings.
Greens deputy chief and better schooling spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, pointed to Parfitt’s personal wage of round $935,000 final 12 months.
Does the operation sustainability initiative contemplate a lower to that wage or the salaries of any of the opposite very extremely paid executives, or is it simply workers who need to pay the value of the adjustments that you’re proposing?
Parfitt mentioned senior executives and the senior workers group “won’t now be paid any bonus or efficiency elements, which is a saving throughout the college of about $2.5m”. He additionally confirmed UTS had spent $44m on consultants final 12 months.
Faruqi additionally pressed Parfitt on “concern and distrust” amongst workers to talk brazenly, who have been as an alternative resorting to “closed door conferences and encrypted WhatsApp teams”.
He mentioned “real and open session round difficult points must happen”.
It’s a part of our change course of, and now we have been making an attempt to launch the doc … which offers the idea for the adjustments that we’d contemplate.
The change proposal can be launched within the subsequent fortnight, Parfitt mentioned.
Caitlin Cassidy
‘Unprecedented’ quantity of stress on universities, says vice-chancellor
Staying with the Senate inquiry into college governance, round 1,000 potential college students are anticipated to be affected by the temporary suspension of enrolments on the College of Know-how Sydney, its deputy vice-chancellor has mentioned.
Requested concerning the 120 programs which were affected till the top of the autumn 2026 semester, Prof Kylie Readman mentioned 33 had fewer than 10 enrolments, and an extra 31 had no college students enrolled:
If I checked out these programs’ commencing college students in 2025, it was lower than 1,000 out of about 38,000 on the college. We did comply with our coverage and our course of to establish these programs for short-term suspension, every dean famous the programs that they wished to droop, and so they have been authorized by the provost.
In his opening assertion, the vice-chancellor, Prof Andrew Parfitt, mentioned universities in Australia have been dealing with an “unprecedented” quantity of stress:
In my 30 years within the sector … I’ve by no means witnessed such a confluence of challenges at the moment dealing with our establishments … constraints on income resulting in monetary stress and job losses … the underpayment of wages, campus security issues … antisemitism and different types of racism, overseas interference … debates round tutorial freedom and freedom of speech, fast influence of rising applied sciences. It’s an extended listing, senators.
Mourners arrive to pay respects to Porepunkah capturing sufferer
Household, mates and colleagues are coming collectively to salute a veteran police officer who was gunned down simply days away from retiring, because the hunt for his alleged killer continues.
Detective main senior constable Neal Thompson can be farewelled with full police honours at a funeral on the Victoria Police Academy right now, reviews AAP.
The 59-year-old was one in every of two Victoria Law enforcement officials killed on 26 August whereas serving a warrant on Dezi Freeman on a property in Porepunkah, about 300km north-east of Melbourne.
The officer was trying ahead to spending extra time with the love of his life, Lisa, and already had a listing of duties to deal with in his free time.
His associate, with whom he constructed a house, can be among the many mourners anticipated to pack the onsite chapel on the academy in Melbourne’s east to recollect the person affectionately often known as Thommo.
Thompson deserved the life he had deliberate for after his policing profession, state police union boss Wayne Gatt mentioned.
“That, after 38 years within the job and on the cusp of retirement, he made the choice to place others earlier than himself, is a measure of the person we’ve misplaced,” Gatt mentioned.
Erin Patterson has left Victoria’s supreme courtroom after her sentencing listening to this morning.
The convicted assassin left as she arrived – in a safe jail truck with a crowd of onlookers.
Video: Erin Patterson sentencing
Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life in jail with a non-parole interval of 33 years after murdering three individuals and making an attempt to homicide a fourth with a lunch laced with demise cap mushrooms.
Right here’s footage of the second Patterson was this morning sentenced by Justice Christopher Beale:
