Northern Territory Chief Minister says the government hasn't ruled-out extending a youth curfew in Alice Springs; Tens of thousands of Israelis protest the government in Jerusalem; And in AFL, Brisbane Lions boss insists there are no internal tensions at the club.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Northern Territory Chief Minister says the government hasn't ruled-out extending a youth curfew in Alice Springs;
- Tens of thousands of Israelis protest the government in Jerusalem;
- And in AFL, Brisbane Lions boss insists there are no internal tensions at the club.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler says the government has not ruled-out extending a youth curfew in Alice Springs.
The Chief Minister provided an update on the two-week youth curfew which was implemented following a series of violent brawls last Tuesday involving up to 150 people.
The violence erupted after tensions escalated between families following the death of a teenager in a fatal car accident.
The curfew is in place from 6pm to 6am each night, barring anyone under the age of 19 from entering the Alice Springs CBD.
Chief Minister Lawler says the government is still determining whether or not to extend the curfew.
"We have about nine or ten days until that decision needs to be made. It will be made in plenty of time to give people on the ground opportunities first of all to have a say, but also for any of the services to know what is happening. Anecdotally, the evidence is that the town is so much quieter. The police have said there has been a reduction of crime in the areas outside of the CBD."
Yesterday, five youths aged 16 to 22 were charged with crimes including violent conduct and criminal damage in relation to last week's brawls.
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Tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem in the largest anti-government demonstration since the country went to war in October.
They urged the government to reach a cease-fire deal to free dozens of hostages held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza and to hold early elections in order to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Despite significant anti-government protests last year, Israeli society was broadly united following the October 7 attack when Hamas killed some 1,200 people during a cross-border attack and took 250 others hostage.
While the country remains largely in favour of the war on Gaza which has seen over 32,700 Palestinians killed so far according to Gaza's health authorities, nearly six months of conflict have renewed divisions over the leadership of Israel.
Keren Saar is one of the protesters.
"We came for a sit down that will last from today until end of day Wednesday, three days to block the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. This is the last week of the parliament session because before they go on a hiatus or vacation. Yes, during time of war, and when we still have hostages still in Gaza. We came to call on them, on this government to resign. This is a government that has failed us repeatedly."
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Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has defended the use of two separate private jets to fly himself and the Prime Minister to the Hunter Valley last week.
The two politicians flew in to announce a $1 billion funding boost to solar panel manufacturing but are now being accused of misuse of taxpayer dollars as well as hypocrisy relating to climate concerns.
Mr Bowen claims Scone airport was not able to support Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's usual large Royal Australian Air Force jet so the pair were forced to take two separate planes.
He says the decision was made according to advise from the air force when asked if it was possible for the two to share the same jet.
"If we had, with the Prime Minister's security detail and other people involved. As you'd imagine: a Prime Ministerial visit, two cabinet ministers. We limited the number of staff and even then. That was the airforce's advise of the most efficient way of getting us there."
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In AFL,
Brisbane Lions co-captain Harris Andrews has insisted that there are no internal tensions at the club, dismissing the impact of an off-season trip on the club's poor performance.
Last year's grand finalists are 0-3 ahead of Friday's Gather Round date with North Melbourne, and feeling the heat after reports of a dressing-room rift between teammates.
Lions football boss Danny Daly said he had called co-captains Andrews and Lachie Neale to seek assurances there was no division within the playing group, and insisted no personal relationships had ended because of the trip.
