TRANSCRIPT
- The former bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders charged with a number of alleged sex offences
- The Greens say the government must retain responsibility for interest rate rises
- Melbourne premiership-winning player Angus Brayshaw has been forced to retire due to the concussion
The former bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders has been charged with a number of alleged sex offences.
The veteran cleric is reportedly charged with 19 offences including 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault, two counts of sexual penetration without consent and three counts of being a person in authority indecently dealing with a child.
The allegations date back to 2008 across W-A in Broome, Kununurra, and Kalumburu.
This comes several months after the Catholic Church handed detectives a report detailing allegations of sexual assault and grooming against the 74-year-old.
The Catholic Archbishop of Perth, Timothy Costelloe, says the claims are very serious.
"Allegations against the former bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders are very serious and deeply distressing, especially for those making those allegations. It is right and proper and indeed necessary that all such allegations be thoroughly investigated."
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The Greens will oppose Treasurer Jim Chalmers' plan to eliminate the government's power to veto decisions made by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
The Treasurer's plan follows an independent review of the R-B-A last year which recommended the veto power be removed to guarantee independence of Australia's central bank.
The power has never been used, but former treasurers and R-B-A governors say it's an important mechanism that allows treasurers to challenge the bank's decisions.
Greens Senator Nick McKim says the government should retain a responsibility for interest rate rises.
"The Greens believe that the ultimate responsibility for interest rates should sit with people who are accountable to the people of Australia, not a bunch of unelected technocrats. We will move amendments to knock off Jim Chalmers' attempts to wash his hands for responsibility for interest rate rises, and wash his hands of responsibility that he has to protect mortgage holders and renters from series of reckless interest rate rises."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hit back at the Opposition's claims that the government has not adequately vetted 2,000 Palestinians in Gaza who have been granted visas to Australia.
Mr Albanese says the security checks are identical to those used by the former government and has accused the Coalition of fearmongering by suggesting otherwise.
This comes after Department of Home Affairs officials revealed that they had approved more than 2000 visas to Palestinian residents since the beginning of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton accused the government of rushing the security processes and exposing Australians to risk.
Mr Albanese says the applications have been vigorously checked by Australian security services.
"The checks are exactly the same as what was in place under the former government with a difference which is in order to leave Gaza there needs to be approval, including the Israelis are involved in that. Peter Dutton is someone who has multiple fear and scare campaigns out there every day, but it's all negative. You can't run a country or be an alternative government just based upon fear. That's all Peter Dutton has got."
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Melbourne premiership player Angus Brayshaw has been forced to retire due to the concussion he suffered in last year's A-F-L finals.
The 28-year-old informed the club he would be leaving, effective immediately, after extensive neurological testing.
Brayshaw was concussed after Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard attempted to smother the Demons midfielder's kick in the first quarter of the qualifying final.
Maynard was able to escape suspension, but it prompted the AFL to review the rules on smothers.
Brayshaw says he's devastated he can no longer play the game he loves, but respects the verdict of the medical professionals.
