Morning News Bulletin 10 August 2024
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- The CFMEU says the government has launched a full-frontal attack on the union
- Artist Noli Rictor wins the nation’s most prestigious award for Indigenous art
- Perth’s Maddison Keeney makes history with Silver in three metre springboard at Paris
The CFMEU has described new proposed laws from the government which would force a division of the embattled union into administration as a full-frontal attack.
The laws, announced yesterday, would give Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt the powers to impose administration on the construction and general division of the CFMEU based on public interest.
In a new letter, the union’s National Secretary Zach Smith says the government has “undermined the democratic rights of union members”.
He argues the union has addressed allegations of criminal links to the construction division by setting up an independent investigation into the claims, commissioning a review of the union’s governance, and introducing a new code of conduct for all delegates.
They have also removed a number of individuals from the union and stood others down pending the investigation.
Despite this, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt says the union’s failure to consent to an administration application from the Fair Work Commission forced the government’s hand.
“Urgent action is required and it is required now. Now, when we get to parliament next week, the Coalition and the Greens must support our legislation. They must support our swift action.”
Israel has agreed to send negotiators to a new round of talks over a ceasefire and hostage release deal, after a diplomatic push from the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
The three nations released a joint statement on Thursday pushing for the talks to take place between Israel and Hamas on 15 August in Doha or Cairo. Hamas is yet to respond.
Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on a car in Lebanon has reportedly killed a senior figure from Hamas.
A Hamas source and two other security sources told Reuters that the strike, on the southern edge of the Lebanese port city of Sidon, killed Samer al-Hajj – a Hamas security official who works in the nearby refugee camp for Palestinians, Ain al-Hilweh.
The Israeli military has been carrying out strikes against members of Hamas, allied Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and other factions in Lebanon over the last 10 months, in conjunction with the Gaza war.
First Nations Artist Noli Rictor has won the nation’s most prestigious award for Indigenous art.
From Tjuntjuntjara in Western Australia, the Pitjantjara man has won the $100,000 Telstra Art Award for his three-metre-high painting titled Kamanti.
Until the age of 21, Mr Rictor lived in Spinifex Country – the Great Victoria Desert – with only his immediate family, but they were found by relatives in 1986.
He told NITV that he won the award for his country.
“I’m happy when I heard that I was the winner. I was standing here happy. I’ve won for my country”
He says he wants to buy a new car with the winnings as his community is so remote that it was a 25-hour drive to Alice Springs to catch a flight to Darwin for the awards ceremony.
The works of all 72 finalists will be displayed at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin until January next year.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has cancelled plans to visit central Asia following an unprecedented warning that the risk of a major Pacific coast earthquake is higher than usual.
The Meteorological Agency has issued its first-ever warning of the risk of a huge earthquake on the country’s Pacific coast following a powerful quake of magnitude 7.1 that struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday.
Mr Kishida says he will stay home to follow precautionary measures.
“As Prime Minister, I have decided as a precaution to remain in Japan for the period of at least a week that the Japan Meteorological Agency has designated for a reassessment of earthquake preparedness, and take all possible measures as a government to respond to the situation and provide information.”
An airliner with 62 people on board has crashed in Brazil with video shared on social media showing what appeared to be the plane plunging down behind a cluster of trees, followed by a large plume of black smoke.
Airline Voepass says the plane, which had taken off from Cascavel, in the state of Parana, bound for Sao Paulo’s main international airport, crashed in the town of Vinhedo, about 80 km northwest of Sao Paulo.
The airline said it could not provide further information on what caused the plane to crash.
And to the Olympics, Perth star Maddison Keeney has become the first Australian diver to snatch a medal in the springboard 3 metres – taking home a silver in Paris.
The 28-year-old was thrilled as she overcame nerves that used to sabotage her diving career.
Australian diving star Cassiel Rousseau also proved successful, summoning the spirit of his Olympic-winning French grandfather as he sailed into the semi-finals of the 10m platform in Paris.
Meanwhile, Australian paddlers Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen will leave Paris with a “dirty gold”, unable to repeat their Olympic heroics in the men’s K2 event.
The pair took home a bronze, despite smashing a 20-year-old Olympic record in the semi-final earlier on Friday.
And middle-distance runner Peyton Craig just missed out on a spot in the 800 metre final.
The 19-year-old scored a personal best time of one minute 44.11 seconds in sixth place.
