Bird flu threatens 300 species as Australia rockets past 100 cases; corruption watchdog reports serious and concerning conduct in Victoria's government; Carlos Alcaraz kept of the court again with an ongoing wrist injury.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Bird flu threatens 300 species as Australia rockets past 100 cases
- Corruption watchdog reports serious and concerning conduct in Victoria's government
- Carlos Alcaraz kept of the court again with an ongoing wrist injury
The Invasive Species Council says one in five Australian birds and mammals are facing a high to extreme risk from the escalating bird flu virus.
Australia recorded its first domestic mass mortality event among birdlife during the past week, as the number of confirmed positive cases for the deadly H5 strain climbs beyond 100.
The council says about 300 species, including 30 per cent of Australian bird species, face heightened danger from the deadly virus.
Invasive Species Council Chief Executive Jack Gough says that includes 13 critically endangered and 70 endangered species or subspecies rated as at extreme, very high or high risk.
"So the reality here is that we're got extreme risk for a huge variety of Australian birds and mammals, and that's gonna impact on some of the species that people see commonly in urban environments as well. If you look at pelicans and,, ibises – the bin chickens that people know about – unfortunately these have all been given risk ratings of high, very high or extreme. "
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An independent corruption monitor has found senior Victorian government members engaged in serious and concerning conduct in their dealings with union officials.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has tabled its report examining allegations of corrupt conduct during negotiations between the Andrews Labor government and the United Firefighters Union in 2016.
IBAC opened the investigation in 2018 after complaints the union's secretary Peter Marshall blackmailed or compromised then-premier Daniel Andrews to change his position on the agreement.
The corruption monitor has found no evidence to support those claims nor any evidence of corrupt conduct under Victorian law.
But the report does reveal senior officials and public servants acted contrary to government policies, procedures and conventions, increasing the risk of corrupt conduct.
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The New South Wales Opposition says it will introduce a bill to state parliament to give police powers to use wands to search people anywhere and any time.
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane says the government has ignored a finding of the inquiry into the Bondi terror attack by not yet giving police these powers permanently.
She says what police have found in restricted trials of expanded search powers show why they need to be made permanent.
"In the reviews of knife crime in our city, it's quite frightening what the police are finding, in even these restricted trials. They're finidng knuckle dusters, they're fnding tasers, they're finding guns, they're finding machetes. We need to widen that. It's imperative that we keep our community as safe as we can."
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The shadow education minister, Julian Leeser, says issues with quality are behind Australia's latest NAPLAN results, rather than a lack of funding.
The latest national results released today show one in three students is not reaching literacy and numeracy benchmarks.
Mr Leeser says the results are not due to funding shortages, but instead point to fundamental problems with the curriculum, as well as issues with discipline, and approaches to teaching.
Federal education minister Jason Clare says while the results reveal real challenges, important lessons can be drawn from schools where the test results are higher.
"It's evidence-based teaching that works and it's small group tutoring that works. That's where you get children who might be falling behind into a group of 2 or 3 or 4 and you give them intensive support every day of the week for half an hour. And we know that when you do that, kids who fall behind can catch up."
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says a deal with Iran could be reached within 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has not confirmed whether talks are underway with the United States, but says talks with Oman on opening the strategic waterway are proceeding positively.
Iranian state media is reporting US threats of military action are the key reason behind delays in reaching an agreement with Oman, citing Iranian officials.
US President Donald Trump earlier told Fox News there would be severe consequences if negotiations with Iran fail to reach a deal.
"We hit them very, very hard. But the hard hit is yet to come, and hopefully we won't have to use it. I hope we won't have to. We're having very good discussions. They don't like to admit that, but, well, you know, it's a little bit disconcerting."
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To sport now.
In tennis, Carlos Alcaraz continues to be sidelined by a wrist injury, this time withdrawing from a key leadup event to the US Open, which starts later this month.
One of the best players in the world, the 23-year-old Spaniard has pulled out of next week's Cincinnati Open, which he won last year.
He's been out with the injury since April, missing the last two majors: the French Open and Wimbledon.
