Federal MP Luke Gosling charged with assault; eSafety Commission sues Telegram over alleged terror content; Football Australia weighs FIFA's plan to partly sell the World Cup.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Federal MP charged with assault
- eSafety Commission sues Telegram over alleged terror content
- Football Australia weighs FIFA's plan to partly sell the World Cup.
A federal MP has been arrested and charged with assault, but lawyer has suggested the arrest might have been politically motivated.
Labor's Luke Gosling has represented the Darwin-based electorate of Solomon since 2016.
The 54-year-old has been accused of assaulting the Northern Territory's Administrator, David Connolly, at the NT Thailand Grand festival in Darwin earlier this month.
Through his lawyer, Marty Aust, Mr Gosling has denied the charges and said he will contest them
Mr Aust says the decision to arrest Mr Gosling at his home was the wrong call by police.
"It's particularly concerning that the police resorted to the power of arrest when they could have dealt with this matter by way of summons or notice to appear. There's real concern that there's a degree of politicisation in relation to how this matter is being handled already."
The Greens say the federal government has no plan to manage the impact NDIS reforms will have on the workforce.
In attempt to rein in spending, the government is trying to remove more than 160,000 people from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
A parliamentary committee is holding hearings into the proposed reforms in Canberra today.
Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John says the government's reforms will come at a significant cost to people whose livelihood relies on the scheme.
"The cuts that are being made to social and community participation – $13 billion worth of cuts – every single dollar goes directly to employing somebody. That's a support worker that enables a blind person to do their grocery shopping, or somebody who is deaf to go the doctor and have somebody with them that will help them understand the diagnosis they've just been given."
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Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the internet regulator's legal action against messaging platform Telegram should serve as a warning to all Australians.
The office of the eSafety Commissioner is suing Telegram over alleged failings to remove videos of terrorist executions and mass shootings from its platform last year.
Telegram, which is based in Dubai, and has more than one billion active monthly users, denies the allegations, and says it will contest them in court.
Successful legal action against Telegram could result in it being fined more than 50 million dollars.
Mr Burke says it's a reminder to remain vigilant online.
"I am always vigilant about what comes over the border, and who comes over the border. But, can I say, we all need to be vigilant now about what comes over the browser."
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Japanese authorities say the death toll from this week's earthquake has now risen to 28.
They say both civilian and military rescue and relief teams are still racing against time to try and save lives, more than 40 hours after the 7.1 magnitude quake hit.
More than 22,000 households and facilities are still without power.
Complicating matters is the looming risk of heat stroke, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees this weekend.
Japan has the world's fourth-largest economy, and, as well as the human and physical damage, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara says authorities are trying to take stock of the economic impact of the disaster.
"Regarding the impact of this earthquake on Japan's domestic economy, it is difficult at this point to make any detailed assessment or draw conclusions in advance, as we are still in the life-saving and rescue phase. That said, we will first work to restore infrastructure such as ports, while closely monitoring the effects on economic activity, including supply chains for semiconductors, automobiles, and other industries."
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Football Australia says it has requested more information from FIFA about a controversial proposal to sell off part of the World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has given all 211 member countries until the 20th of September to support a plan to create a new subsidiary to handle the commercial operations of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions.
Outside investors could purchase up to 20 per cent of the proposed subsidiary, and FIFA says, under the plan, member countries could receive around 57 million dollars each.
There is significant opposition to the plan, and it has sparked talk of a split in world football.
Football Australia says it will only be able to form a position after getting more information, and talking with other countries, as well as the Asian Football Confederation.
