TRANSCRIPT
- China and Australia reaffirm trading ties as the PM wraps up high level talks in Beijing
- Childcare centres under review as sex offence charges widen
- In rugby union, two of Australia's biggest female stars in doubt for the World Cup
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing where the pair reaffirmed their mutual commitment as trading partners.
The meeting came at the end of a day of high-level talks during Mr Albanese's six day visit to China, which included a much-anticipated meeting with President Xi Jinping.
The leaders discussed, amongst other things, the live-fire exercise by China in international waters near Australia in February, which forced the diversion of commercial flights.
Mr Albanese says he got the commitment for better information out of Mr Xi after re-iterating his already-expressed concerns.
"I said what I said at the time, which was that it was within international law... there was no breach of international law by China..... but that we were concerned about the notice, and the way that it happened- including the live-fire exercises."
Mr Albanese says he raised the topic of detention of Australian writer Yang Henjun, but doesn't expect immediate progress on that matter.
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Childcare record-keeping is under scrutiny as police link more centres to an educator accused of sex offences.
Over 800 children are being urged to undergo infectious disease testing after authorities identified four additional centres where Joshua Dale Brown previously worked.
Brown faces more than 70 charges involving eight children under the age of two at a Point Cook centre in Melbourne’s southwest, spanning April 2022 to January 2023.
The new sites, all run by Affinity Education, include Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham and Milestones Early Learning centres in Tarneit, Greensborough and Braybrook.
Police have also updated Brown’s employment dates at Papilio Early Learning in Essendon and removed Hoppers Crossing from the list.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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Foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states have met in Brussels to finalise a new package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.
A proposal for an 18th set of sanctions flagged last month includes banning transactions with Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines, as well as blacklisting banks that avoid sanctions.
There are also suggestions the new sanctions could include a reduced price cap on Russian oil.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas says member states are very close to agreeing on the new sanctions.
"We on our European side, we want to do more. It is also good signs that we see from United States that they have also realised that Russia does not really want peace. So in order to have peace we need to support Ukraine and we need to put the pressure on Russia. And I also hope that Americans will move also with their sanctions package or tariffs so that the pressure is on Russia to really stop this war."
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An environmental law expert says she expects to see more cases around the impacts of climate change on indigenous cultural practices, despite a legal ruling against traditional owners in the Torres Strait Islands.
The Federal Court dismissed a landmark case which argued the federal government breached its duty of care to protect the Torres Strait Islands from climate change.
The court found the government had not breached its standard of care under current laws.
Professor Lee Godden, an environmental law expert at the University of Melbourne, says there is room for appeal, and legal questions remain over the impacts of climate change on loss of cultural connection.
"I don't think this is the end of litigation around these questions. There is currently an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on this very question about climate change impacts, and loss of culture leading to damage and loss, so I think this is a watch this space."
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In rugby union, two of Australia's biggest female stars are in doubt for the World Cup.
Charlotte Caslick has undergone surgery for an ankle injury, and captain Siokapesi Palu may have to do likewise.
Both were injured in last weekend's loss by Australia to New Zealand in Wellington.
It's been confirmed they will miss both of Australia's warm-up matches for the tournament, against Wales, as the team's medical staff seeks more information about the extent of the injuries.
The women's World Cup will be held in England, and starts in late August.
