Fears renewable energy batteries will put bushfire-prone town at 'risk'
7.30's Alysia Thomas-Sam reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
29 minutes ago
- The Australian
David Crisafulli defends CFMEU inquiry boss's LNP links amid bias claims
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has dodged questions about the appointment of a LNP donor and former Liberal Party member, Stuart Wood KC, to lead the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU. Concerns about the impartiality of the Victorian barrister have been raised in the days since he was announced as the commissioner of the newly formed inquiry, which has been tasked with investigating the culture of violence and intimidation within the union's Queensland division, and uncovering any potential links to criminal underworld or activity. Mr Crisafulli said critics of the Mr Wood's appointment were Labor-aligned and motivated by desire to discredit the inquiry. 'He is incredibly well regarded,' Mr Crisafulli said. 'Is there anyone who has found that he is not one of the most pre-eminent KCs (Kings Counsels) involved in industrial relations? 'We chose someone because of his reputation in the IR space, and that reputation has been well and truly endorsed by anyone who has looked at it, who don't have links to the Labor Party. 'I'm sorry, I want to change the culture on building sites so that people can feel safe, productivity can return.' Mr Wood is a well-known conservative who was once a member of the Victorian Liberal Party. Records from the Electoral Commission of Queensland show Mr Wood donated $1500 to the LNP in 2023. Mr Crisafulli refused to say whether Mr Wood had a personal relationship with his deputy, Jarrod Bleijie. When Mr Bleijie announced last Friday that the barrister would lead the 12-month inquiry, he reiterated that Mr Wood would be bound by law to conduct the probe 'independently, impartially and fairly'. Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington would not say whether she was aware of Mr Wood's previous political ties upon making the appointment, and fell short of saying whether a fulsome recruitment process had been undertaken or if he had been headhunted for the position. Ms Frecklington said there was 'nothing wrong' with his former membership status. 'People are members of all parties, from time to time,' she said. 'There is nothing wrong with Mr Wood being a former member of the Liberal Party of another state altogether.' Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Jacqueline King said Mr Wood's appoint seemed to lack due process. CFMEU inquiry boss an LNP donor Mackenzie Scott is a property and general news reporter based in Brisbane. Prior to joining The Australian in 2018, she was the editorial coordinator at NewsMediaWorks, covering media and publishing, and editor at travel and lifestyle website Xplore Sydney. Politics Business leader Warwick Smith has warned Anthony Albanese to hasten slowly with any reforms agreed upon at the upcoming economic roundtable, amid warring unions and corporate groups. Politics The owners of some of Australia's biggest transport companies say Labor should drop its unrealised capital gains tax plan, with some considering liquidating part of their self-managed super funds.
The Australian
2 hours ago
- The Australian
Pro-Palestine march on Sydney Harbour Bridge to go ahead after week-long legal fight
The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be completely closed to traffic for at least four hours on Sunday, as thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators are expected to march across the landmark. Police and transport officials have urged people to avoid the CBD altogether and to limit non-essential travel, warning that there will be 'significant disruption' across roads and the public transport network. It comes after a NSW Supreme Court ruling not to block the march, with as many as 50,000 protesters anticipated to join in the protest. Police had sought to prohibit the rally, and NSW Premier Chris Minns had warned of 'chaos' if it was allowed to go ahead. The protest has been backed by many, including Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, but the court decision has been criticised by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin who said it had caused 'dismay'. Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees appeared in court arguing the protest should be protected. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper 'Significant impact' Transport for NSW Executive Director Operations Management Craig Moran urged motorists to avoid the eastern part of the city as the closures are set to cause 'significant impacts'. 'We will have to start closing the Harbour Bridge from around 11.30 tomorrow,' he said. 'We're hoping that we can get the bridge open by about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. It may take a little bit longer.' Bus services will be terminating in the CBD on the south side of the bridge and North Sydney and St Leonards area on the north side. 'Trains will still be running across the Harbour Bridge during the course of the event, but with additional people in the city, particularly at the end of the march, getting on the rail systems, the rail will be very busy. 'If you can avoid non-essential travel, please do so because there will be flow on effects in various different areas.' Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the police presence would be 'significant'. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper 'Have to scramble now' Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna said police respected the Supreme Court decision but urged participants to listen to police as they monitor the large crowd. 'People who come in to do the right thing and have a safe protest … we will work with them. But if people come in and commit any type of offences, anti-social behaviour, or anything else that puts the public safety at risk, we'll have no hesitation but to take action,' he said. Police will be drafted in from other areas, Mr McKenna said, adding that it takes a long time to organise such closures and 'we have to scramble now, there's no doubt about that'. He said: 'We've got to get the messaging out to the community who may have wanted to come into the city tomorrow, who will be inconvenienced by tomorrow, that these closures are occurring and there will be significant disruptions.' The Federal Court has approved the March for Humanity walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper 'Historic day' Speaking after the decsion, Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees said the decision was a 'huge victory for the Palestine movement in this country'. 'It means tomorrow we will be having an absolutely massive march for humanity over the Sydney Harbour Bridge,' he said. 'This is going to be a historic day.' The Palestine Action Group said the win is thanks to a 'tidal wave of support'. 'In the case of the people vs. Chris Minns, the people have won,' the group said in a statement. 'This victory belongs to all of us. We won because of the tidal wave of support. It is absolutely historic. We said we were unstoppable, and we are.' The Federal Court has approved the March for Humanity walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper 'Protected' More than 500 people tuned in to watch Justice Rigg give her judgment, in which she said: 'The fact the proposed assembly is likely to cause significant inconvenience to residents … is far from determinative. 'If matters such as this were to be determinative, no assembly involving inconvenience to others would be permitted.' The ruling means protesters will be protected from being charged with offences like obstructing traffic, however police retain their usual powers to address 'anti-social behaviour'. Justice Rigg said the organisers' certainty of the march proceeding means the Sydney Harbour Bridge would have to be closed for the protest, whether it was authorised or not. 'The evidence indicates there is significant support for the march,' she said. 'The march at this location is motivated by the belief that the horror and urgency of the situation in Gaza demands an urgent and extraordinary response from the people of the world.' The bridge will be shut for at least four hours on Sunday. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer The court was told that when the initial plans for a protest were made, they estimated 10,000 people would take part, but that support for the march had grown with organisers claiming there could now be up to 50,000 participants. 'PAG (Palestine Action Group) has ensured that people's safety is a priority in terms of seeking and obtaining authorisation … There are 100 marshals organised for tomorrow's planned march, but this number can be increased,' the court was told. 'PAG believes in the power of numbers and has worked hard to try and build a mass peaceful protest movement, which embraces all who want to be part of it. 'Ground rules for protests are well established, including no racism of any kind, including anti-Semitism.' Police confirmed the behaviour of attendees at public assemblies has been 'largely peaceful', the court heard. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper 'Plenty of other places to protest' The court was told the Palestine Action Group had developed a constructive relationship with police and there had been compromises between both parties over time. 'I find important the extensive evidence of the high level of commitment and experience in the PAG to prosocial protest,' Justice Rigg said. 'I reject the submission … that if the court does not make the order they are condoning scenes of violence,' she said. The court was also told there have been more than 1000 assemblies in New South Wales since October 2023 in response to the conflict in Palestine and Israel. 'Assistant Commissioner (Adam) Johnson confirms … the behaviour of attendees at these public assemblies has been largely peaceful.' The court was told there have been 140 arrests, and incidents included the burning of an Israeli flag, a flare thrown at police, 'chants at a rally which were interpreted by some as anti-Semitic', and the alleged display of a prohibited terrorist symbol. Mr Ryvchin said the protest would 'paralyse the city'. He said: 'We take comfort knowing that the vast majority of Australians want no part of this. 'We continue to pray for the starved and tortured hostages still held in Gaza, whose fate is ignored or belittled by the protesters.' Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said there were 'plenty of other places to protest' aside from the Harbour Bridge. 'I respect the freedom to protest, including with rallies and marches, but allowing the takeover of the Harbour Bridge for a protest in the middle of the day sets the wrong precedent for the future,' he said. Former prime minister Tony Abbott warned of a 'slippery slope', arguing judges should not decide when political protest is justified. Writing on X, he said: 'It should not be for judges to decide when a political protest is justified. 'The decision to close the Sydney Harbour Bridge to facilitate this protest is a political decision and should be made by elected and accountable ministers – who as it happens, think the march should not go ahead. 'We are on a slippery slope when unelected judges start making political judgments.' A spokesperson for the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said: 'Freedom of expression and assembly are sacrosanct elements of our democracy which must be treasured but we are concerned at the precedent the Court has set by allowing this protest to take place on the Harbour Bridge. 'At a time of strained social cohesion, an iconic Australian symbol and key arterial road should not be used to bring a divisive foreign conflict onto our streets.'
The Australian
2 hours ago
- The Australian
2025 Tasmania Election results: Liberals and Labor fail to reach majority
The Liberals and Labor have kept the same number of seats in Tasmania, as two weeks of counting wrapped up in the state's snap election. Eighteen seats were needed to form a majority government but both parties fell short, the incumbent government secured 14 seats, Labor won 10 and the Greens five and other parties getting six. The final count played out on Saturday in the electorate of Bass in a race between Labor candidate Geoff Lyons and independent George Razay, seeing the independent take the final seat by 674 votes. Opposition leader Dean Winter introduced a motion of no confidence in Premier Jeremy Rockcliff in June, sparking a second state election within 16 months. Picture: NewsWire / Richard Jupe It was the second time Tasmanians voted within 16 months, after a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff introduced by Labor leader Dean Winter passed 18-17 in June. Mr Winter claimed the botched roll out of new Spirit of Tasmania vessels, the state of the budget and the controversial Macquarie Point Stadium project were examples of Mr Rockliff's failed leadership. Instead of resigning, Mr Rockliff remained Premier, requesting a snap poll be held to determine his fate instead. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff was criticised over the budget and controversial plans to sell public owned companies which he scrapped in June. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Nikki Davis-Jones Tasmanian Governor Barbara Baker approved the request, deciding there would be no alternative as the Opposition leader refused to put together a minority coalition of his own and the Liberal Party room 'unanimously' supported Premier Rockliff continue in his role. Following the election, the embattled Liberal government won most of the seats but fell short of the 18 required to form a majority government. Party leaders now need support from crossbenchers to form a minority government. The Liberal Party needs support from four crossbenchers to remain in government, while Labor requires support from The Greens and two crossbenchers to form a minority.
