TRANSCRIPT
- Science Minister Ed Husic says aid worker deaths reflect "systemic failure" by Israeli government.
- Flood warnings remain as disaster relief funding made available in New South Wales.
- Arsenal and Man City secure away victories to keep pressure on Liverpool.
Science Minister Ed Husic says the killing of seven aid workers including in Gaza reflects a systemic failure by Israel to observe international law.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has confirmed Australia will appoint a special advisor into the Israel Defence Forces' investigations into the Gaza strike which killed the World Central Kitchen workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom.
Senator Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles had earlier written to their Israeli counterparts, saying Israel's investigations, which led to the dismissal of two I-D-F officers, had not satisfied their expectations.
Mr Husic has told Sky News the deaths are evidence of a wider failure to distinguish between combatants and civilians in the conflict.
"It would be the easiest route to say, to use the bad apples defence here, that it was a couple of people that operated outside of policy. I believe this reflects a systematic failure within the Israeli government to genuinely commit to the observance of international humanitarian law. That's why you've seen 33,000 Palestinians killed, 14,500 of which are children, and 77,000 injured, and then on top of that, 200 aid workers, 100 journalists."
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Flood warnings remain across the east coast as southeast Queensland braces for heavy rains after downpours flooded several Sydney communities.
NSW Premier Chris Minns says disaster relief funding is available for more than a dozen affected areas, with further river rises and moderate to major flooding still expected along the Hawkesbury River.
The rain on Friday and Saturday earlier caused landslips, flash flooding and a house in Wollongong to be swept into a creek.
Meanwhile, police investigations will continue into the death of a man found in water in Penrith.
Mr Minns told Sky News emergency crews had rescued 190 people, but the worst of the rain in Sydney appeared to be over.
"Unlike the big east coast low of a few years ago that stayed around for several days, it's moved through reasonably quickly. The flood levels peaked yesterday and are starting to recede, particularly in the Nepean-Hawkesbury area, which is obviously the peak area of focus for flood-prone communities in Sydney in particular, so they're receding which is good news."
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West Australian police are still searching for a man believed to have become separated from a group of people who arrived in the state on an "unknown vessel".
The police say they are searching for the man in the vicinity of Mitchell Plateau after the vessel arrived in the far northern reaches of the remote Kimberley region on Friday (Apr 5).
The Australian has reported the group is thought to comprise 15 people.
The Australian Border Force has said in a statement it does not confirm or comment on operational matters.
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Former fish and chip shop owner Craig Garland has secured the final spot in Tasmania's parliament.
The final count following last month's (Sat 23 March) state elections has left the Liberals with 14 seats, Labor 10, the Greens five, Jacqui Lambie Network three, with three independents.
Mr Garland, an independent who has described himself as an "anti-politician", campaigned in the northwest electorate Braddon against industrial offshore aquaculture.
With the 35 members of the state's assembly elected, Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff will have to form a minority government with cross-bench support after falling short of the 18 seats required for a majority.
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In the Premier League,
Arsenal and Manchester City have have kept the pressure on Liverpool to bring the title race to a nail-biting finish.
Arsenal won at Brighton 3-0 to go top of the table, while City overcame an early scare to overwhelm Crystal Palace 4-2.
That leaves Arsenal, City and Liverpool separated by just one point, with City a point back in third, behind Liverpool on goal difference.
City recovered after conceding in the third minute, largely on the back of Kevin De Bruyne's masterful two-goal performance.
City Manager Pep Guardiola says the Belgian midfielder is one of the club's greatest.
"How many years has he been with us? Nine year, ten years at Man City. he numbers, the presence, the consistency have been amazing. He's one of the best players in the history of Manchester City, for sure."
Liverpool will play their game in hand ((KICK-OFF 00:30AM Mon 8 Apr AEST)) against fiercest rivals Manchester United, who beat them in the FA Cup last month.
