Key Points
- Explosion in illicit tobacco marked as biggest public health threat
- Vanuatu police minister says Pacific Minister’s comments “arrogant and ignorant”
- Baker Boy thrilled to perform his new single at AFL Grand Final
TRANSCRIPT
Australia's Health Minister has conceded the tobacco black market has "exploded" into the biggest threat to public health, while denying it's the result of excise duty rates.
The price of cigarettes has been pushed up dramatically over the past decade, becoming among the highest in the world, as the federal government has repeatedly increased tobacco taxes to discourage smoking.
The duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes has risen from $10.62 in 2015 to $28.06 today.
But the most recent federal budgets have revealed a collapse in revenue from the excise, suggesting a significant shift by smokers to buying from the black market.
Health Minister Mark Butler has denied the excise has contributed to illicit trade.
"Illicit tobacco is seen in every single tobacco market in the world, no matter what the legal price of cigarettes is. If you look at the United States, for example, which has much cheaper legal cigarettes because of a lower rate of taxation, they also have a very significant challenge with black market cigarettes as well."
---
Australia's Minister for Pacific Island Affairs has been told to "check his facts" by the Vanuatu police minister, over comments about a Chinese policing agreement.
Last week, Andrew Napuat announced Vanuatu is seeking a memorandum of understanding with China about a deal for policing.
Minister Pat Conroy then seemed to play down Mr Napuat's comments, saying they came from "one particular minister" - and Australia expected Vanuatu would seek a small Chinese police presence.
Mr Napuat told ABC Radio he is unhappy with what he says is an arrogant and ignorant assessment of Vanuatu's plans by Mr Conroy
"I understand his freedom and his right to make these kinds of comments, but also, he needs to respect the internal processes that are happening here, and then he needs to get his facts correct, to understand that what we are deciding on as a government, and the decisions that we are making. It is not a decision that comes from a single minister. It is a decision that we are making collectively as a government."
The exchange comes as Vanuatu and Australia prepare to finalise a landmark bilateral defence pact, called the Nakamal Agreement.
The Albanese Government is under pressure to strengthen and finalise security deals in the Pacific, after delays in concluding a defence deal with the Papua New Guinea government.
---
A Qantas Airways flight from Sydney has landed safely at Auckland airport after a mayday call from the pilot led to emergency services being activated on the ground.
The pilot of the Boeing 737 requested an emergency landing after an indicator light was flashing in the cargo section.
A spokesperson said there was no sign of smoke in the aircraft.
The company's engineers will inspect the aircraft to determine the cause of the incident.
---
As this year's death toll of humanitarian aid workers tracks towards being the highest on record, the CEO of the Australian Red Cross has delivered a pointed message that "words are not enough".
At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Australia's Red Cross led the signing of a declaration to protect humanitarian aid workers, with at least 543 killed in Gaza since October 2023.
More than 260 aid workers have been killed in Gaza this year alone.
While Australia launched the declaration at the U-N, joined by more than 100 countries, C-E-O Andrew Colvin has told SBS News more needs to be done.
"To think that someone who had put themselves in danger to support others should have lost their life doing that is something that is not acceptable. And I think that galvanised Australia to action. It's certainly galvanised our foreign minister. She has led through the government a concerted effort to bring others on that journey with her. Now, of course, words are not enough. We need to see action. We need to see something change. We need to see things done differently. We need to see accountability."
Australian Zomi Frankcom, killed by an Israeli airstrike while working for World Central Kitchen in Gaza, was honoured at the signing ceremony.
---
Indigenous rapper, Baker Boy, will be sharing the stage with Snoop Dogg at the AFL Grand Final.
Danzal Baker, known for performing original hip-hop songs incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha, will spotlight his new single 'THICK SKIN'.
He will be joined by a choir featuring Emma Donovan and Kee'ahn – both of whom appeared on the original recording of the single.
While this will be Baker Boy's second AFL Grand Final appearance, following a performance in Perth in 2021, the six-time ARIA award winner told NITV Radio this time will be special.
"This one's going to be really, really exciting. It's going to be the first time performing [it] live, which I'm very stoked and kind of nervous for. Especially when it comes down to the track THICK SKIN because it's a proper deadly song, something different that I've been working towards. It's got the punky element with the hip hop, the choir at the finish. It's a banger of a track. So, definitely looking forward to be performing this one live."
The Geelong Cats will take on the Brisbane Lions in the league's showpiece event, which will kick off at 2.30pm AEST tomorrow at the MCG.
