Afternoon Update: Labor threatens visa cancellations after protests; Baby Reindeer wrongly billed as ‘true story’; and a scrappy punk band’s evolution
Welcome, everyone, to Afternoon Update.
The government is threatening to cancel the visa of anyone inciting “discord” in Australia and has warned against importing “radical ideologies of conflict”, after weekend protests against Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
Some marchers carried Hezbollah flags and portraits of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli attack.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, issued a statement on Monday saying “any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned”.
“It draws the immediate attention of our security agencies,” Burke said. “There is a higher level of scrutiny if anyone is on a visa. I have made clear from day one that I will consider refusing and cancelling visas for anyone who seeks to incite discord in Australia.”
The opposition has speculated that people carrying photographs of Nasrallah at the rallies are visa-holders and called for visa cancellations. No evidence has been provided to substantiate the claim that those carrying the photographs are visa-holders and not Australian citizens.
Top news
Labor to appoint Islamophobia envoy | The Albanese government is due to announce the British-Australian academic Aftab Malik as the special envoy to combat Islamophobia after months of delays. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said in early July that two envoys would be established – one to tackle antisemitism and another to look at Islamophobia in Australia during the ongoing war in Gaza.
Cleo Smith abductor’s appeal fails | Terence Darrell Kelly, who kidnapped four-year-old Cleo Smith from her family’s tent at a remote Western Australian campsite has failed to have his sentence reduced. Kelly attempted to appeal against the 13-and-a-half-year jail term he received for snatching the girl at the Blowholes campsite, about 70km north of Carnarvon in the early hours of 16 October 2021 as her parents slept.
NSW residents urged to prepare for bushfire season | Years of wet weather and vegetation growth have made it harder for the New South Wales fire authorities to prepare for this year’s bushfire season that officially begins on Tuesday, with warnings to residents to prepare now. The Rural Fire Service has already responded to more than 1,600 bush and grass fires across the state since the start of July.
Police barred from using WhatsApp on work phones | Police officers in NSW will be barred from using encrypted messaging apps and social media on work-issued devices, prompting claims from the opposition the measure could harm officer retention.
Michael Kroger urged for ‘more crazy stuff’ to be found on Moira Deeming, court hears | The influential Liberal figure claimed Deeming had said “more crazy stuff over the years” as he urged the Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, to build a stronger case for her ousting from the party room, a court has heard.
Israel launches apparent rare strike on central Beirut | A Palestinian militant group said three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli attack on central Beirut early on Monday, in what would be the first time Israel’s military had struck the centre of Lebanon’s capital city since 2006, as it expanded hostilities against Iran’s regional allies with further attacks across Lebanon and Yemen.
Baby Reindeer wrongly billed a ‘true story’ by Netflix, judge finds | A US judge has ruled that the woman accused of stalking the Baby Reindeer creator, Richard Gadd, can pursue her defamation lawsuit against Netflix, noting that the show was wrongly billed as a “true story” when Netflix “made no effort” to factcheck Gadd’s story or disguise Fiona Harvey as the inspiration for Martha.
Top Republicans disavow Trump’s ‘mentally disabled’ attacks on Harris | Senior Republicans have distanced themselves from comments made by Donald Trump at campaign stops over the weekend that opponent Kamala Harris was born “mentally disabled” and had compared her actions to that of “a mentally disabled person”.
What they said …
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“We’ve deliberately ensured that we have found room for that cost-of-living relief”
That was the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, talking about the double surplus. Chalmers was asked by a reporter how the government can justify a surplus when there are Australians struggling to pay their bills.
In numbers
The Seven Network confirmed Saturday’s AFL grand final had a national reach of 6.09 million and a national total TV audience of 4.024 million, including 655,000 on 7plus Sport, becoming the most-watched program of 2024. It was up more than 20,000 total TV viewers on the 2023 decider between Collingwood and Brisbane.
Before bed read
Amyl and the Sniffers take on the world: ‘If you don’t like us, then that’s on you’
The Australian punk band has been praised by Billy Corgan and Karen O for their explosive live act and uncompromising politics. Their new album is a sonic evolution – but the scrappy spirit remains.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: UNCO. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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