Morning News Bulletin 26 June 2024
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TRANSCRIPT
- Labor Senator Fatima Payman crosses the floor in a historic vote against her party
- Violent protests erupt in Kenya following the approval of a new tax bill
- Netherlands future in Euro in jeopardy after shock 2-3 loss to Austria
Labor senator Fatima Payman has crossed the floor to vote against her party on a motion related to Palestinian recognition.
The Greens moved a motion calling for the Senate to recognise the State of Palestine.
Labor and the Coalition both tried to amend the motion to add qualifications but failed to support each other’s attempts.
Senator Payman says she voted in accordance with her conscience.
“Unfortunately, I was not joined by my fellow party members. What you just witnessed was the first labor member to cross the floor in almost 30 years. My decision to cross the floor was the most difficult decision I have had to make. I, although each step I took across Senate floor felt like a mile, I know I did not walk these steps by myself.”
When the final vote came on the Greens’ motion, Senator Payman stood up and voted with the Greens and crossbench senators Lidia Thorpe and David Pocock in support of recognition.
It is the first time a Labor politician has crossed the floor while Labor is in government since 1986.
Violent protests have broken out in Kenya following the approval of a new bill that would see thousands of people in the country hit by tax rises.
Police have shot down at least five members of the protester’s group after they stormed the parliament building in Nairobi with part of it being set ablaze, while hundreds of others are reportedly injured.
Protests have also taken part in other cities around the country with demonstrators clashing with police, in what has been described as the most violent outbreak in the country in recent years.
People are calling for the bill to be repealed and for the resignation of Kenyan president William Ruto and his government.
Mr Ruto says the people have a right to be upset but that the importance of the protests was undermined by members of organised crime.
“An otherwise legitimate expression of the fundamental rights and freedoms of assembly, demonstration, picketing and petitioning of public authorities by a section of law abiding citizens of the Republic of Kenya was infiltrated and hijacked by a group of organised criminals.”
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will be free to return home to Australia following his sentencing in the US territory of Saipan.
Following over a decade of imprisonment and years fighting extradition charges to the United States, Mr Assange has reached a plea deal with US prosecutors.
The 52-year-old Australian journalist will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U-S national defence documents.
During his sentencing, Mr Assange will be credited for his time spent in a UK prison and will be allowed to return to Australia.
Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation Cindy Cohn says the prosecution should not have happened in the first place.
“And we shouldn’t forget that the original leaks that WikiLeaks put forward about the war were evidence of a war crime, the shooting of innocent people in Iraq. You know, this is not the thing the U.S. government should be using the Espionage Act for. That’s not what the Espionage Act is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to be about spies. It’s not supposed to be about people who tell you and me how our tax dollars are being spent.”
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men will now be drafted for military service following a ruling in Israel’s Supreme Court.
Previously exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel, the ultra-Orthodox will now be expected to complete the two to three years of compulsory military service with everyone else.
Politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties are key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and oppose changes to the current system, these changes may prompt their departure from the coalition.
The exemptions have caused anger among the secular public in Israel and among those who believe Israel needs more manpower.
Opposition lawmaker Simon Davidson says they must do what all of the other kids are doing.
“The Army asks for thousands of our soldiers now, and we must bring the religion orthodox. They are not going to the yeshiva to learn. They must go to the army and do what all the other kids in their ages are doing. If my kids can go to the army so everybody can go to the army, there is no other options.”
In football, the Netherlands have fallen victim to one of the biggest upsets of the Euro 2024 so far, losing 2-3 to Austria who claimed first place in a group that also included 2022 World Cup finalists France.
The Dutch were forced to equalise twice after falling behind as many times but had no response for Austria’s third goal, scored on the 80th minute by Marcel Sabitzer, falling to third place in their group.
France have taken second place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Poland, who finished fourth and was eliminated.
The Dutch still have a good chance of advancing as one of best third-ranked teams, but will now be forced to go up against much tougher opposition in the round of 16.
