AFP disrupts an Indonesian sex trafficking ring syndicate; Kamala Harris secures Democratic Party nomination for upcoming U-S presidential elections; And in AFL, Magpies determined to fight to save premiership defence.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- AFP disrupts an Indonesian sex trafficking ring syndicate;
- Kamala Harris secures Democratic Party nomination for upcoming US presidential elections;
- And in AFL, Magpies determined to fight to save premiership defence.
The Australian Federal Police has removed seven potential victims from sexual exploitation in Australia, following an investigation that has resulted in a Sydney man being charged with allegedly trafficking a child from Indonesia.
Police allege the 43-year-old Sydney man was the ringleader of a criminal syndicate that was recruiting young women in Indonesia and Jakarta specifically, including a 17-year-old girl and bringing them to Australia to engage in sex work illegally to be exploited.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Downing Centre Court today.
Another woman also remains under arrest for enticing women from the southeast Asian country.
Australian Federal Police Commander Kate Ferry said at least nine women were alleged to have been brought to Australia on tourist visas to work in brothels under dire conditions.
“This has been a really complex investigation undertaken by a dedicated team of specialists in human trafficking here in Sydney. This result is testament to our resolve, the resolve of the Australian Federal Police to stop the exploitation of vulnerable women being trafficked into Australia for sexual exploitation.”
—
Vice President Kamala Harris says she has gotten the broad support needed to become the Democratic Party's nominee for the upcoming presidential election.
Just one day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Ms Harris for the Democratic nomination, prominent Democrats and donors have rallied around to support her.
According to an Associated Press tally, she already has the support of over 2,500 delegates, well beyond the simple majority needed to clinch the Democratic nomination on the first ballot.
The Democrats say they will formally deliver a presidential nominee by August 7 and is committed to an "open and fair" nominating process.
Vice President Harris says her presidential polices would target cost-of-living pressures, gun control and abortion access.
"Together, we fight to build a nation where every person has affordable health care, where every worker is paid fairly. We who believe in the freedom to live safe from gun violence. And that's why we will work to pass universal background checks, red flag laws, and an assault weapons ban. We who will fight for reproductive freedom knowing if Trump gets the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban to outlaw abortion in every single state. But we are not going to let that happen."
—
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has responded to demands for real wage growth for nurses amid industrial action efforts.
Nurses and midwives have rallied around the state for a one-year 15 per cent wage boost to address a staffing crisis in the industry.
A University of Sydney report last month found inflation had cut their pay by more than 10 per cent in real terms over the past four years.
O'Bray Smith, President of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association says the state Labor government has failed to reverse wage suppression.
"For so many years now, we've had wage suppression under livable government, and now that we have a new government, there was a promise to give us a livable wage. And what they're offering actually isn't a livable wage. We hear from our members from across the state that they're struggling to pay the bills. We believe, and we have shown evidence that our wage has been suppressed up to 10% of our wages. Our members, our nurses and our midwives go out there every day in health, slog it out, looking after the community, and they deserve to have a livable wage."
Premier Chris Minns says they are doing their best to offer fair pay within budgetary restrictions.
"The New South Wales government is offering a 40 per cent increase in pay than what the previous liberal government was offering, and we've done that in good faith, but obviously we are limited by what we can pay, and if there's a 16 per cent demand from the nurses association in the first year, quite quickly after that, teachers and firefighters and police officers and corrections officers and Crown employees will be demanding the same."
—
In AFL,
Collingwood are determined to fight to save their AFL premiership defence, with half-back John Noble insisting the Magpies can still make finals.
The reigning premiers sit 13th, six points outside the top eight, and look a shadow of the team that charged to last year's flag as they endure a four-game losing streak, including Saturday's thumping loss to Hawthorn.
When asked if the Magpies could save their season, Noble is optimistic about the remaining five games, saying "Our season's far from over and we're going to fight every minute of those games."
