Kathleen Folbigg acquitted of killing her four children; Cyclone Jasper downgraded, but authorities warn the wild weather isn’t over yet; And in sport, Usman Khawaja vows to fight a ban by the International Cricket Committee after he wore shoes depicting the words, all lives are equal.
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- Kathleen Folbigg acquitted of killing her four children;
- Cyclone Jasper downgraded, but authorities warn the wild weather isn’t over yet;
- And in sport, Usman Khawaja vows to fight a ban by the International Cricket Committee after he wore shoes depicting the words, all lives are equal.
Kathleen Folbigg has been acquitted of killing her four children by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Ms Folbigg spent 20 years in jail after being found guilty of the deaths of her four children in 1989 and 1999.
The 56-year-old New South Wales woman has always maintained her innocence.
She was pardoned in June of this year when new medical evidence emerged and a landmark Special Commission of Inquiry found reasonable doubt over her guilt.
Ms Folbigg spoke after the decision, saying she hopes no-one else will ever have to suffer what she's endured.
"I am grateful that updated science and genetics has given me answers as to how my children died, however even in 1999 we had legal answers to prove my innocence. They were ignored and dismissed. The system preferred to blame me rather than accept that sometimes children can and do die suddenly and unexpectedly and heartbreakingly. I think the system and society needs to think before of hurting their children."
—
Ex-tropical cyclone Jasper has been downgraded to a tropical low, but Queensland authorities say heavy rain is continuing to fall.
Around 40,000 homes and businesses are without power in far north Queensland, including around 25,000 of those in Cairns.
12 people and a dog were rescued in floodwaters as the system crossed the coast overnight.
The Captain Cook highway remains cut between Cairns and Port Douglas.
Authorities are warning people not to walk or drive through floodwaters.
The Bureau of Meteorology's senior meteorologist Laura Boekel says the system will continue to track towards the Gulf of Carpentaria over the coming days.
"We've seen widespread rainfall from this system, so a lot of catchments and a lot of locations have seen over 200 millimetres. So currently there's 20 gauges so far that have seen over 200 millimetres in the last 24 hours... A major flood warning is current for the Daintree River and the Daintree Village is likely to reach the major flood level during this morning. So that major flood level is nine metres. And further rises are possible as we continue to see this rainfall."
She also said her children are with her today and they will be close to her heart for the rest of her life.
—
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers says running a tighter ship on the budget won't eclipse the government's ability to deliver on cost-of-living assistance.
Yesterday's mid-year budget release revealed a healthier bottom line, largely driven by higher taxes paid by companies and individuals, as well as some wage growth.
Some social services groups had expressed disappointment over a lack of additional measures to address budget stress for low-and-middle-income earners.
But Mr Chalmers has told the Nine Network responsible economic management will help drive down inflation.
"It's inflation which is putting so much pressure on people right around Australia. We've got to get on top of that. It's moderating, but we need it to moderate further and faster. Responsible economic management is a big part of that. Rolling out the right kind of cost of living help is a big part of that. We're doing that too. At same time as we invest in the future of our economy. So we don't see it as an either or."
—
In cricket,
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja says he will fight a ban by the International Cricket Committee on shoes he wore depicting the words "all lives are equal."
Khawaja was photographed at training with the handwritten message in red, black and green - the colours of the Palestinian flag - on his boots, which has been widely interpreted as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The 36-year-old posted a video to social media, saying while he respects the ICC's decision he doesn't see the message on his shoes as political but rather a matter of human rights.
"Let's be honest about it. If me saying, all lives are equal as a result of people being offended to the point where they're calling me up and telling me off, well isn't that the bigger problem? These people obviously don't believe in what I've written. It's not just a handful of people. You'd be shocked about how many people feel this way. What I've written on my shoes isn't political; I'm not taking sides. Human life to me is equal. One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life, is equal to one Hindu life and so on."
