The UN's Special Rapporteur for Palestinian human rights criticises Australia's response to Israeli attacks on Gaza; Liberal MP Russell Broadbent quits his party and moves to the crossbench; And in football, uncapped striker Kusini Yengi says he is ready for his Socceroos debut.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The UN's Special Rapporteur for Palestinian human rights criticises Australia's response to Israeli attacks on Gaza;
- Liberal MP Russell Broadbent quits his party and moves to the crossbench;
- And in sport, uncapped striker Kusini Yengi says he is ready for his Socceroos debut.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Palestinian Human Rights Francesca Albanese has delivered a searing critique of Australia's response to the Israeli military's violence in Gaza at the National Press Club.
She condemned what she called war crimes conducted by Hamas militants on October 7 but highlighted ongoing atrocities in Gaza and historical crimes by the Israeli government in Palestinian territories.
Gaza's medical authorities report over 11,000 people have now been killed in Israel's unrelenting bombardment and ground invasion of the territory, with about 40 per cent of those killed children.
Ms Albanese says countries like Australia are failing to uphold their duty to promote international law wholeheartedly.
"In the face of all this, the international community is almost completely paralysed with the UN experiencing its most epic political and humanitarian failure since its creation. Individual member states, especially in the West, and Australia's No accept is no exception. Or on the margins, muttering inaudible words of combinations for Israel successes at best, or staying silent in fear of restraining Israel self proclaimed the right to self defend."
The Israeli military's attack on the Gaza Strip follows a brutal incursion into Israel by Hamas militants last month where over 1,200 people were killed and about 240 hostages were taken back to Gaza.
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Liberal MP Russell Broadbent has quit his party and moved to the crossbench of the House of Representatives after losing pre-selection to contest his seat for the Liberals.
The member for Monash, east of Melbourne, will be the third Coalition M-P lost since the 2022 election after Andrew Gee left the Nationals due to its stance on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and Alan Tudge's resignation.
Mr Broadbent entered parliament in 1990 and recently won his seat with 52.9 per cent of the two-party vote in 2022.
He lost pre-selection last week with his party choosing Mary Aldred, a Fujitsu executive, to contest at the next election.
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The brother of a man whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Sydney's eastern suburb of Tamarama in 1989 has called for change amid an inquiry into potential gay hate crimes.
John Russell was a 31-year-old barman who worked in the eastern suburbs, and was last seen drinking with friends at a hotel in Bondi on the 23rd of November 1989.
His body was found the next morning at the bottom of the cliff top at Marks Park, Tamarama, having suffered injuries consistent with a fall from a cliff.
He's one of 32 unsolved deaths between 1970 and 2010, which prompted an inquiry into the societal factors and institutional mishandling of these crimes.
His brother Peter Russell addressed reporters outside the court on the final hearing after 18 months of investigations, pleading for more responsible law enforcement.
"Ah look education for police, a, record-keeping, and just the storage of evidence. It really is just a simple thing, if they had have just looked after that evidence, I wouldn't be standing here now."
Senior Counsel Assisting Peter Gray told the inquiry the relationship between the New South Wales Police Force and the L-G-B-T-I-Q+ community "remain complex and at times contentious".
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In football,
Uncapped striker Kusini Yengi says he is ready to take his Socceroos opportunity with both hands after earning his maiden call-up for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine.
The 24-year-old Portsmouth striker is the fourth, and youngest number nine in Graham Arnold's squad, joining Mitch Duke, Jamie Maclaren and Brandon Borrello.
He is hopeful that he will make his debut this Thursday in Australia's match against Bangladesh.
Yengi says he takes the responsibility very seriously and is proud to join a growing number of players of African descent to make the team.
"I think it's something that I look at very seriously and I know that growing up when I was a kid, there wasn't too many players of African descent coming through on the Socceroos. But lately there's been more and more and you know players like Awer Mabil and Thomas Deng, players that have played really well for the Socceroos and have been part of the squad numerous times and they're boys that I know and boys that I grew up watching and you know, once I saw them come through it was motivating seeing them play. And when you see someone come from where you come from and make it you think "why not? Why can't I do that?"
