Independent ACT Senator calls gas export system a scam
Gaza protest organisers vow to fight Harbour Bridge ban
Tim David and Ben Dwarshuis return for final T20. Independent ACT Senator David Pocock has launched a scathing attack on both major parties, accusing them of selling out Australians to multinational gas giants. He says Australia's natural gas is being shipped offshore while locals face soaring prices at home, calling it a scam. "The major parties have sold the Australian people out. They've sold us out to big multinationals that are making an absolute fortune off our gas. This is a scam. What is happening is our natural resources are being sold off, given away, shipped off overseas, and we're not seeing the benefit of that. We're paying its own prices for our own gas, and we're not even getting a return through things like the PRRT, which the latest forecast show, is actually going to decline." He's urging the government to stand up to powerful corporations, and that uncontracted gas should stay in Australia, and go to manufacturers, businesses and households under pressure. Uncontracted gas refers to natural gas that a supplier anticipates will be available for sale in the market within a specific timeframe but is not yet committed under existing contracts. A search is underway after anti-Israel activists vandalised three Toll Group freight locations in Melbourne's CBD, using sledgehammers to smash glass doors and spray red paint across the buildings. Videos posted online show masked individuals carrying out the attacks along Collins Street. In the footage, they accuse the logistics giant of transporting weapons and can be heard chanting "death to Australia" and "death to Israel". The Jewish community has condemned the incidents. Chair of the Anti-defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich has told Channel 7 the ongoing campaign of intimidation has left many feeling unsafe. 'Sometimes it feels like we are being hunted in our own city. The Jewish community is fed-up with the campaign of terror, intimidation and fear." Victoria Police are treating the attacks as linked to a previous firebombing at a Greensborough business several weeks ago. No arrests have yet been made, as investigations continue. Protesters planning a demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday say they'll fight any attempt to block it. They aim to draw attention to starvation in Gaza, but New South Wales Premier Chris Minns quickly opposed the protest, citing short notice and traffic chaos. But activists argue the Bridge is a powerful symbol that represents Australia, and say they're willing to delay the event to meet safety requirements. Mr Minns has asked police to work with the group on an alternative route, but organisers say they'll challenge any legal attempt to stop them. Josh Lees of the Palestine Action Group says he's open to negotiation on the timing. "There's nothing chaotic about the people of New South Wales wanting to come out and have a mass peaceful demonstration to oppose the horrific scenes of deliberate starvation and genocide in Gaza. What's in chaos is the world. The world is in chaos. Gaza is in chaos. If we don't do something about that, then what does that mean for us and for humanity? If it's genuinely a matter of time, then we're happy to talk with Chris Minns and say, well, would he support this march then a week later, two weeks later, if that's genuinely the issue. But I question how genuine Chris Minns is in raising that issue." United States President Donald Trump has given Russia 10 to 12 days to reach a peace deal with Ukraine, sharply reducing his original 50-day deadline. The US President says there's no reason to wait the full term, considering the lack of progress. Mr Trump says Russia will face further sanctions if no peace deal with Ukraine is reached. "So what I'm doing is we're going to do secondary sanctions, unless we make a deal. And we might make a deal. I don't know. I don't know. You don't know. We've done so many peace deals. This is the one I started out with. And you know, this is...President Putin called me. He wanted to know if I could help him with Iran. I said, no, I don't need your help with Iran, I need your help with Russia. And so that's the one deal that continues to linger." Mr Trump says he's had several promising talks with President Vladimir Putin, but each was followed by renewed violence between Russia and Ukraine. The US President also dismissed the idea of meeting the Russian president, saying, 'I'm not so interested in talking any more'. Australia have made two changes to their T20 side as they chase a clean sweep on their Caribbean tour, maintaining a perfect toss record with Mitchell Marsh winning for the fifth straight time. Ben Dwarshuis and Tim David return, replacing Xavier Bartlett and Cooper Connolly for the match in St Kitts. West Indies have also made two changes, bringing in Alzarri Joseph and Keacy Carty for Roston Chase and the injured Rovman Powell.
Australia have won all four T20s so far, after sweeping the three-Test series.
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‘How is this fair?': Transport for NSW staff question 950 job cut move during livestream
NSW government workers facing the possibility of being jobless just before Christmas have been left with more questions than answers following an all-staff livestream meeting. Last week, Transport for NSW staff were informed via email that 950 Transport Senior Service Manager (TSSM) and Award positions would be cut, with the changes expected to be finalised by the end of 2025. Only office staff are in the firing line for these job cuts, with frontline roles exempt from the restructure. This is in addition to the previously announced reduction of 300 Senior Executive roles, more than 200 of which have already been delivered. In the email, Transport for NSW secretary Josh Murray said he knew the news would be 'significant and concerning' for many people. The move is part of a bid to save $600 million in costs and 'get back to a model that is sustainable long term'. On Friday, more than a week after the announcement, Mr Murray held an all-staff livestream in order to provide employees with more information and answer questions. 'I know there are a lot of very specific questions as well as some general understanding that we want to dig into and we are dedicated to answering your questions and to have that conversation,' he said. Mr Murray said there was 'no glossing over' the fact that Transport for NSW is facing significant cost pressures, claiming the organisation has been 'living beyond our means' in recent years. Over the last five years an extra 3000 workers had been hired during and after the Covid period. Addressing the restructure, Mr Murray said a detailed branch design will commence this month, with the aim to have all Transport for NSW branches determined by the end of the year. However, it seems some of the 3500 staff who joined the livestream weren't impressed with the secretary's almost 40-minute long speech. One Transport for NSW employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told that the explanations provided by Mr Murray made things 'as clear as mud'. '(He) basically said a whole lot of nothing,' they said. The employee revealed that just two minutes was left for questions at the end of the livestream. They ended up choosing just one question to answer from the many that were posted in the online forum, claiming many of the others had already been addressed. The question related to whether the 950 number would include 'current fixed term labour hire positions that might be coming to an end'. In his response, Mr Murray said the 'buckets' for labour hire or consultancies have 'already been set targets'. And, while they do intend to make further reductions in those areas, they have been 'open' about the fact that it will be TSSM and Award roles that will be impacted. He added that, if during the process they discover areas where changes can be made that would make a real impact to the ongoing costs of the organisations, then 'of course' it would be prioritised over the impacts to TSSM and award roles. has been provided some of the questions posted by staff that were receiving the most 'likes' in Q&A forum during the stream. One employee pointed out the job cuts relating to senior executive staff were announced 'well in advance' and have taken over a year to be implemented, with the process still ongoing. 'In contrast the job cuts affecting TSSM and award roles were announced abruptly over email with very short notice and are expected to be completed by the end of December 2025,' they wrote. 'Had we been given notice earlier we would have had sufficient time to explore better opportunities. How is this fair? Why weren't we informed sooner?' The employee continued, stating staff had been asking for clarity for a long time but had been 'repeatedly told and reassured that there would be no impact on award or TSSM'. 'This sudden decision directly contradicts those assurances. It is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about transparency and communication and transport core values,' they wrote. Another person questioned why the initial announcement on the job cuts was circulated via email and not livestream, noting a lot of staff found out through the media. One employee questioned why Transport for NSW wasn't using working from home as a way to save costs without losing staff. 'WFH flexibility is a win-win for transport and its employees as it keeps the workforce happier which is more important than ever right now, but also reducing office cost. If 'all avenues are being explored', surely this is a priority,' they wrote. Another staff member asked for clarification whether fixed term contract roles would be included in the 950 figure. 'We have been advised that fixed term employees are considered 'out of scope' but that contracts will not be extended beyond the end dates. This affects 1800 people,' they wrote, pointing out this suggests these job losses 'are in addition to the 950 roles flagged'. At the end of the meeting, Mr Murray said all the questions would be addressed, with answers provided 'through the Q&A process'. NSW Public Service Association (PSA) has slammed Transport for NSW over the latest job cuts announcement, claiming more cuts could instead be made to Senior Executive staff in order to spare other employees. 'While TfNSW and the NSW Government crow that they have cut 200 Senior Executives already, the fact is there are still substantially more senior executives employed in Transport than any other Department,' the union said in a statement on Friday. 'With over 1000 TSSE's they have nearly three times the amount of senior executives within Health, despite having a quarter of Health's workforce. 'The PSA continues to call on the NSW Government to stop their protection racket for senior executives, have a look at their numbers again, and if they need to make $279 million in internal labour savings, continue reducing the size of their Senior Executives to avoid job cuts for Award staff.'
