Residents of Wujal Wujal in Queensland to be evacuated after rising floodwaters limit access to food and water; Federal and state Labor MPs call for a permanent ceasfire in Gaza; And in sport, Netball's Melbourne Vixens recruit a World Cup-winning goaler.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Residents of Wujal Wujal in Queensland to be evacuated after rising floodwaters limit access to food and water;
- Federal and state Labor MPs call for a permanent ceasfire in Gaza;
- And in sport, Netball's Melbourne Vixens recruit a World Cup-winning goaler.
Residents of Wujal Wujal in Queensland are set to be evacuated into Cooktown after rising floodwaters limit access to food and water.
With only three days worth of food left, the towns plans to evacuate were postponed after severe wet weather prevented helicopters from evacuating the town.
Cooktown has been preparing to take in the three hundred residents of the Wujal Wujal community.
Around 16 people, including a seven-year-old boy were stuck on rooftops at Wujal Wujal hospital on Monday before evacuating to higher ground.
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Federal and state Labor MPs have joined more than two hundred current and former politicians in their calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
In a letter co-ordinated by New South Wales Labor MP Anthony D'Adam and New South Wales Greens MP Jenny Leong, the signatories agree that the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is 'intolerable' and brings shame to the international community.
The letter condemns both the October 7 attack by Hamas, which Israel says killed 1200 civilians, as well as the killing of almost 20 thousand Palestinian civilians by Israel.
Among the signatories are former foreign affairs ministers Bob Carr and Gareth Evans, all former and current leaders of the Greens and eleven New South Wales Labor MPs.
The letter is also calling on the Australian government to recognise Palestine as a state.
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The Commonwealth is looking to strengthen its Indigenous Procurement Policy by targetting businesses taking advantage of contracts meant for First Nations companies.
In a new government review, companies that are believed to be "black cladding", a term that refers to the practice of non-Indigenous businesses taking advantage of an Indigenous business or individual to gain access to part of the three percent of Federal contracts designated for them.
The Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy has generated over $9 billion and over 3,600 contracts since it's introduction in 20-15.
Under the existing policy, businesses must be at least 50% owned by Indigenous Australians to gain access to the contracts.
The review will work to ensure the policies benefits are flowing to the right people.
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US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says addressing security in the Red Sea is an international problem that will be tackled when defence ministers from the region hold on an online meeting later today.
A US official says a United States warship responded to a distress call from a commercial vessel after it was attacked by "multiple projectiles" in the southern Red Sea.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Austin says the situation must be resolved.
"Regarding the Houthis - these attacks are reckless, dangerous and they violate international law. And so we're taking action to uh build an international coalition to address this threat. And I would remind you that this is not just a US issue. Uh This is, this is an international problem and it deserves an international response."
Oil multinational BP says it is suspending all shipping through the Red Sea due to the "deteriorating security situation".
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And in Netball,
The Melbourne Vixens have recruited World-Cup winning goaler Sophie Garbin ahead of their 20-24 Super Netball season.
Garbin previously played for the now defunct Collingwood Magpies and was crucial in Australia's success during this years World Cup in South Africa.
The recruitment will bolster the Vixens shooting end which already boasts the presence of Malawi star Mwai Kumwenda.
