TRANSCRIPT
- Former Sydney teacher Chris Dawson loses his appeal over murder conviction.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says social media age verification laws may take time.
- The federal government pledges $15 million toward the 2026 Women's Asia Cup.
Chris Dawson has lost his appeal, with a panel of judges in the New South Wales appellate court ruling a guilty murder verdict against him was reasonable.
The ex-teacher was convicted in August 2022 of murdering his wife, Lynette Dawson, in 1982 and disposing of her body so he could pursue a relationship with a teenage girl who was one of his students.
He will first be eligible for parole in August 2040, at the age of 92, after being sentenced to 24 years in jail for the murder.
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The Prime Minister says the government is committed to keeping kids safe online, but there's work to be done before legislating an age limit for social media.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the coalition would implement an age verification system for social media if it won the next federal election, increasing the minimum age to 16.
The government has committed to a trial of age verification technology, initially focusing on online pornography and other age restricted content.
Mr Albanese isn't ruling out imposing an age limit for social media in the future.
"I think very clearly, and the reason why we're doing the trial, is that social media is having a negative impact on young people. I want people to spend more time on the footy field or the netball court than they're spending on their phones - very clearly. And a ban if it can be effective, is a good way to go."
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Hamas has proposed numerous changes, some unworkable, to a US-backed ceasefire plan for Gaza, but mediators are determined to close the gaps.
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan has denied the group has changed the proposal.
In an interview with Al-Araby TV, he accused Israel of rejecting proposals and criticised the US for siding with its ally.
Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages and other demonstrators demanded the Israeli government accept a deal to release those taken by Hamas on October 7th.
Shahar Mor Zahiro, whose uncle Abraham Munder is a hostage, was among those protesting.
"I hope that for this time it won't be a disappointment like last time or the time before that. We already had like six or seven cycles of hope and despair, hope and despair, but what can we do? We are clinging on to any hope there is."
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Gazan health authorities say the Palestinian death toll as a result of the ongoing Israeli attacks on the region has passed 37,200 people.
Around 85,000 Palestinians have been wounded since the conflict broke out last October.
The Gaza health ministry says in the past 24 hours, three Israeli military operations killed 38 Palestinians and wounded 100 others in the strip.
The statement noted that some victims remained under rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of rescue crews.
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The Australia Institute says the South Australian government's plan to ban all political donations is ambitious, but could impact new candidates.
The South Australian Government will introduce a bill prohibiting the gift and receipt of electoral donations, and gifts to registered political parties, members of parliament and candidates.
Newly registered political parties and unendorsed candidates would be entitled to receive donations of up to $2700 but would be subject to a spending cap under the proposed changes.
Director of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program Bill Browne says sitting MPs have an advantage when it comes to campaigning.
"Sitting MPs have enormous taxpayer funded advantages, including offices, communications budgets, and travel allowances. This gives them a head start that new entrants, whether they're independents or from other parties need to overcome through fundraising. The cap of $2,700 on donations does raise barriers to new entrants, although potentially ones that they can overcome with broad fundraising efforts."
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The federal government has announced it will pledge $15 million toward the Women's Asia Cup in 2026, which Australia is hosting.
The funding will aim to provide more opportunity for Australians to access matches, with the government hoping to use sport as a vehicle for gender equity.
Sports Minister Anika Wells says it's essential to build on the momentum from the Women's World Cup.
"Last year, the World Cup created a 92 per cent increase in visibility for women's sport. It generated 324 million in decreased healthcare costs, and all up it had a 1.3 billion economic impact. It is brilliant, but we have to capitalize now that World Cup was a start and we have to go on."
