Latest news with #AustraliaDay
7NEWS
4 days ago
- 7NEWS
New police twist as neo-Nazi leader has symbol charge dropped in court
National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell has had a criminal charge dropped over his neo-Nazi group's Australia Day weekend protest. Melbourne resident Sewell, 31, was among 17 NSN members arrested after marching in Adelaide in January. On Thursday, a charge of using a Nazi symbol was withdrawn in his criminal case in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Sewell remains charged with one count of loitering. Since the Australia day arrest, Sewell has since claimed that police wanted to kill members of his neo-Nazi group. He has published audio online that allegedly captures SAPOL officers on Australia Day joking about shooting the neo-Nazi group. 'I'm happy to shoot them,' one person said. 'Happy to?' another person asked. 'I'm happy to shoot them' the first person answered. Sewell is scheduled to return to court next week.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Will Albanese be bolder now? He's five moves away from greatness
Howard plunged head first into negotiations over the GST after his near-death experience at the 1998 election, while Bob Hawke and Paul Keating (albeit after major reforms in their first term) held a tax summit in 1985, with Keating opting to champion (temporarily) the introduction of a broad-based consumption tax, or GST. Loading The problem for Albanese is that few people believe he will abandon his small-target fixation. The most contentious reform Labor has proposed so far is a tax increase on super balances over $3 million, which affects a tiny percentage of people. Changes to gambling advertising will be contentious, and other fights loom over access to cheaper childcare, the creation of a federal environmental protection agency and more. It must be said, but Albanese's steady-as-she-goes approach is part of what got Labor over the line on May 3 – he was seen as steadier and less risky than Peter Dutton at a time when people were focused on paying their mortgage or rent, getting food on the table and making sure they could afford to enrol the kids in Auskick or Saturday soccer. We know he supports Australia becoming a republic. We know he wants four-year federal parliamentary terms. The idea that the prime minister, so badly burnt by the defeat of the Voice to parliament, should pursue these two additional constitutional referendums may seem laughable. But with the right preconditions and handled in the correct fashion, it is not impossible. First, Albanese should only pursue these changes if he can seek and secure bipartisan support from both the Liberal and National parties. Loading This does not mean that those two parties must also support both proposals – far from it – but rather, Albanese needs an undertaking that the parties will not use the two proposals as political weapons against Labor. Absent this, Albanese should not proceed. The vote could be held on election day 2028. Cuts to the company tax rate, advocated for by former cabinet minister Ed Husic last term, are essential to maintain Australia's international competitiveness and to encourage more Australians to take a risk and start a business. The Liberals, under Sussan Ley, could be persuaded to back this proposal. And given that those tax cuts will need to be paid for, changes to the capital gains tax break should be part of the negotiations. While the opposition is unlikely to back the abolition of the CGT discount entirely, it is surely worth at least discussing scaling back the discount to, for example, 25 per cent (from 50 per cent). And on changing the date of Australia Day from January 26, an increasingly contentious day of grief and mourning for some and source of bombastic national pride for others, Albanese should lead a national conversation about the issue and pursue it if the opposition is willing to be sensible. Loading Australia is one of very few colonised countries to have achieved independence and implemented a federated national commonwealth without having an all-in civil war. It was a significant and underrated achievement and one that should be marked. January 1, the day our constitution came into effect, is the obvious choice to replace January 26 – if the prime minister chooses to go down this path. Halfway through the last term of parliament, after promising dozens of times that the Coalition's stage 3 tax cuts would be implemented unchanged, Albanese changed his mind. Australia's 31st prime minister had a light-bulb moment and realised that years from now, when he is long retired, he did not want to wake up one day and think 'thank goodness I implemented Scott Morrison's tax cuts in full'.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Will Albanese be bolder now? He's five moves away from greatness
Howard plunged head first into negotiations over the GST after his near-death experience at the 1998 election, while Bob Hawke and Paul Keating (albeit after major reforms in their first term) held a tax summit in 1985, with Keating opting to champion (temporarily) the introduction of a broad-based consumption tax, or GST. Loading The problem for Albanese is that few people believe he will abandon his small-target fixation. The most contentious reform Labor has proposed so far is a tax increase on super balances over $3 million, which affects a tiny percentage of people. Changes to gambling advertising will be contentious, and other fights loom over access to cheaper childcare, the creation of a federal environmental protection agency and more. It must be said, but Albanese's steady-as-she-goes approach is part of what got Labor over the line on May 3 – he was seen as steadier and less risky than Peter Dutton at a time when people were focused on paying their mortgage or rent, getting food on the table and making sure they could afford to enrol the kids in Auskick or Saturday soccer. We know he supports Australia becoming a republic. We know he wants four-year federal parliamentary terms. The idea that the prime minister, so badly burnt by the defeat of the Voice to parliament, should pursue these two additional constitutional referendums may seem laughable. But with the right preconditions and handled in the correct fashion, it is not impossible. First, Albanese should only pursue these changes if he can seek and secure bipartisan support from both the Liberal and National parties. Loading This does not mean that those two parties must also support both proposals – far from it – but rather, Albanese needs an undertaking that the parties will not use the two proposals as political weapons against Labor. Absent this, Albanese should not proceed. The vote could be held on election day 2028. Cuts to the company tax rate, advocated for by former cabinet minister Ed Husic last term, are essential to maintain Australia's international competitiveness and to encourage more Australians to take a risk and start a business. The Liberals, under Sussan Ley, could be persuaded to back this proposal. And given that those tax cuts will need to be paid for, changes to the capital gains tax break should be part of the negotiations. While the opposition is unlikely to back the abolition of the CGT discount entirely, it is surely worth at least discussing scaling back the discount to, for example, 25 per cent (from 50 per cent). And on changing the date of Australia Day from January 26, an increasingly contentious day of grief and mourning for some and source of bombastic national pride for others, Albanese should lead a national conversation about the issue and pursue it if the opposition is willing to be sensible. Loading Australia is one of very few colonised countries to have achieved independence and implemented a federated national commonwealth without having an all-in civil war. It was a significant and underrated achievement and one that should be marked. January 1, the day our constitution came into effect, is the obvious choice to replace January 26 – if the prime minister chooses to go down this path. Halfway through the last term of parliament, after promising dozens of times that the Coalition's stage 3 tax cuts would be implemented unchanged, Albanese changed his mind. Australia's 31st prime minister had a light-bulb moment and realised that years from now, when he is long retired, he did not want to wake up one day and think 'thank goodness I implemented Scott Morrison's tax cuts in full'.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has one of his charges dropped in Adelaide court
A charge of using a Nazi symbol has been dropped against National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell. Mr Sewell, 31, was among 17 members of a group that was arrested after marching in Adelaide over the Australia Day long weekend. He appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, where a charge of using a Nazi symbol was withdrawn. He remains charged with one count of loitering. Mr Sewell previously told the court the arrests were "outright political persecution", and said that a non-contact clause imposed on his bail agreement was "disproportionate". Despite being granted permission to appear in court via phone, he attended in person and outside court said he intended to keep fighting "all the way to the High Court". He is scheduled to return to court next week for a pre-trial conference on the loitering charge. Another member of the group, Joel Thomas Davis, also appeared in person in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. A charge of using a Nazi symbol on Australia Day was withdrawn, while a second count of using a Nazi symbol, which is alleged to have occurred two days later, on January 28, remains. Outside court, he said he felt "vindicated" one of the charges had been withdrawn. He is next scheduled to return to court in July for a pre-trial conference. Earlier this month, Stephen Wells, who was among the group of men arrested during the Australia Day demonstration, had a charge of using a Nazi symbol dropped. The 55-year-old from Broadwater in Western Australia is no longer accused of any offending in relation to the demonstration, after a charge of loitering was withdrawn at an earlier hearing in March. Another of the men, Ethan Hendren, was convicted in his absence and discharged without further penalty for three charges, including using a Nazi symbol. He was ordered to pay a $1,080 victims of crime levy.
West Australian
7 days ago
- General
- West Australian
Mid West trio presented with respective medals following Australia Day honours
Australia Day honours for a Mid West trio were officially presented at a ceremony earlier this month, recognising their significant contributions to the community. On Australia Day this year, Geraldton resident Peter Stratford OAM and Jurien Bay's Robin Randall OAM were awarded their respective Medals of the Order of Australia, with the medals officially handed over at Government House by WA Governor Chris Dawson. Mr Stratford, who has lived in Geraldton for the past 20 years, has held a number of roles within the community. In particular, his contribution to the Drummond Cove Progress Association and Fishability contributed heavily to his nomination. His volunteering record is extensive, having previously been a career firefighter in NSW. Mr Stratford previously told the Geraldton Guardian the honour was a nod to all volunteers who gave their time for noble causes. 'I think there are a lot of people around Geraldton, volunteers, different services, different organisations,' he said. 'So I'm accepting this on behalf of all the volunteers and services — police, fire brigade, ambulance, doctors, everything. 'There are a lot of worthy recipients around Geraldton who dedicate enormous amounts of time for no pay or anything. They just do it because they really, really like to help people.' Jurien Bay's Robin Randall was honoured posthumously, following his significant contribution in the Shire of Dandaragan. He was recognised most notably through his service to Marine Rescue Jurien Bay, where he volunteered for more than 30 years. His daughter Sandra said it was the epitome of her father's character. 'He saw there was a need for radio operators and when he threw himself into anything, he did so wholeheartedly,' she said. 'He took on pretty much every single role there was. He did his cert four so that he could do the official training. 'He loved it and lived it, he was down at the base almost every day during the summer.' Meanwhile, another Australia Day honour went to Geraldton-based paramedic Nic Chadbourne ASM. The 44-year-old was one of the first community paramedics, and was awarded the Ambulance Service Medal on Australia Day. Over 17 years, Mr Chadbourne has been invaluable when responding to emergencies and disasters over his paramedic career, including assisting in 2021 through cyclone Seroja.
