TRANSCRIPT
- New South Wales government introduced rental reforms to protect victim-survivors of domestic violence
- US Supreme Court clears the way for racial profiling in L-A immigration raids ...
- Hamstring strain puts Hawthorn forward Calsher Dear at risk if the Hawks make the finals.
The New South Wales government will introduce rental reforms this week aimed at protecting and supporting victim-survivors of domestic violence.
The legislation will make it easier for victim-survivors to leave a tenancy by removing the need to notify an alleged perpetrator they have left their shared lease.
The laws would also expand the list of approved people who can declare a renter is experiencing domestic violence so they can break a lease without penalty.
Speaking alongside NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong outlined the intent of the legislation.
"At the heart of these reforms, they're about safety, they're about dignity and actually about fairness. These are practical and compassionate changes that the government is seeking to make to ensure that we protect victim-survivors of domestic violence at a time when they need it most. We're empowering them to make decisions to improve their safety, and we're also supporting domestic violence victim-survivors in the long term, as they seek to have more safer and accessible accommodation."
The laws would also make it easier to change locks without landlord approval in some circumstances.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he doesn't expect to sign a $500 million economic and security agreement with Vanuatu in Port Vila today.
A draft deal was signed last month, amid expectations it would be finalised within a few weeks, but Mr Albanese has now told the ABC it will take longer.
Details of the agreement have not been released, but it is believed to carry a significant security element, reflecting concerns over China's increasing influence in the Pacific region.
Last year, Australia signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands - providing budget aid and support for local police in at effort to curb China's security presence over time.
US President Donald Trump has had a temporary victory in the Supreme Court, which has cleared the way for federal agents to conduct sweeping immigration operations in Los Angeles for the time being. The court granted a Justice Department request to put on hold a judge's order from a lower court, which barred immigration agents from stopping and detaining people without "reasonable suspicion".
A challenge brought by a group of Latino people caught up in recent raids will continue, but in the meantime, officials can target people for deportation based on their race, language or job. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have slammed the decision.
"I dissent, we all dissent because from the beginning we have known that Los Angeles has been used as a test case for total dominance and unchecked power by the federal government. We have been used as a test case to begin to normalize military intervention and takeover of our cities. And standing united, we took their unlawful and unconstitutional tactics to court, and we won."
Today's decision was split 6-3 on the conservative majority court, with the three liberal judges saying the decision puts constitutional freedoms at risk.
A Senate Inquiry into the harmful algal bloom devastating South Australia's marine environment and fishing industries has heard more funding is needed to assess the situation.
Scientists say the algal bloom, which has spread to a vast area and killed tens of thousands of sea creatures, was most likely driven by marine heatwave conditions that are likely to recur because of climate change.
The role of nutrients in the water and upswelling ocean currents are also being examined, as the government funds research efforts and support packages for the state's fisheries.
Stefan Andrews from The Great Southern Reef Foundation says the bloom has caused the most extensive marine mortality recorded in the states history, with over 500 species killed.
He says far more short-term research projects should be undertaken while the bloom lasts.
"There's a lot of short term work that really could be done now. We're going to lose the opportunity when the bloom hopefully disappears - as soon as possible, we hope - but once it's gone we'll lose the opportunity to study what's actually going on out in the field, and that's important to understand the particular species involved, what toxins they produce, and what makes them grow, and those sorts of things are important for how we manage these in the future."
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has been warned to prepare for a difficult discussion in grand final week, if the Hawks get there, around injured forward Calsher Dear.
Dear has been ruled out of the Hawks' semi-final against Adelaide on Friday [[12/09]] with a low to moderate hamstring strain.
The 20-year-old sustained the injury in Saturday's thrilling elimination final win over GWS.
Mitchell conceded the outlook isn't great for Dear, but says the door is not yet closed on him returning to play a role in the Hawks' flag bid this season.
