TRANSCRIPT
- The bus driver accused of causing one of Australia's deadliest crashes says he's devastated by what happened
- Economist Yanis Varoufakis says Australia must restore what he says is its damaged reputation
- Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal sets a world record for consecutive victories by a top-flight team
The bus driver accused of causing one of Australia's deadliest crashes says he is devastated by what happened.
Brett Button was arrested after allegedly losing control over a bus of 35 wedding guests in the Hunter Valley region last June.
Mr Button is now facing 89 charges after ten counts of manslaughter and sixteen counts of causing serious bodily harm were added to his previous charges in January.
Mr Button's lawyer, Chris O'Brien made a statement outside of court on his clients behalf.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what happened that day. That night, there isn't an hour that goes by where I'm not thinking of the families that have been affected by my actions. I truly feel for anyone involved, including the emergency services. I am devastated by what has occurred. And for that I'm truly and deeply sorry."
The case has been adjourned until April 3rd.
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Academic economist Yanis Varoufakis says Australia must restore what he says is its damaged international reputation and stop blindly aligning itself with Washington.
Mr Varoufakis told the National Press Club that the country's reputation has been further wounded by the belief that Israel is exercising its right to defend itself and by defunding UNRWA on the basis of unsubstantiated claims.
He says the famine in Gaza is a result of deliberate policy from Israel and reversing the decision to defund UNRWA will be too little too late from Australia.
Mr Varoufakis says Australia must depart from its alignment with Washington and campaign to restore equal civil liberties between Palestinians and Israeli's in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
"Just as the was a bipartisan campaign led by Malcolm Fraser, and Bob Hawke, to end South African apartheid against the wishes of Washington that supported the white supremacists in Pretoria. The Australian political class needs to lead a campaign to end apartheid in Israel, Palestine, and to restore equal civil liberties to Israelis and Palestinians."
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The New South Wales government has announced it will introduce landmark legislation banning gay conversion practices into state parliament this week.
Under the legislation, a new criminal offense of delivering a conversion practice will carry a penalty of up to five years in jail, but unlike in other states it will require proof of harm caused to the victim.
The New South Wales bill is modelled on legislation by independent MP Alex Greenwich and holds stronger exemptions for religious practices including a non-exhaustive list of permitted actions.
New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley says the bill is not designed to infringe on religious rights or beliefs.
"It is not the intention of New South Wales government to ban the teachings of a religious leader or expressions of religious belief through sermon, the bill reflects that strongly. The bill will also exclude certain conduct including the expression of a religious belief or principle that's not directed to changing or suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. And I want to be clear on this point to allay any doubt whatsoever, the government's conversion practices ban will not apply to stating what relevant religious teachings are, or what a religion says about a specific topic."
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Australia's highest court has found Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog failed to give a public official reasonable opportunity to respond to a secret report.
The High Court has partly upheld the appeal brought by an undisclosed senior public officer, about whom it states the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission ((IBAC)) made adverse findings.
Under legislation, the watchdog is first required to provide a person with reasonable opportunity to respond to any adverse findings against them.
All seven justices ruled against IBAC, which has been ordered to pay the High Court's appeal costs.
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In football,
Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal has set a world record for 28 consecutive victories by a top-flight team after beating Al-Ittihad 2-0 in the Asian Champions league.
