An inquiry into Australia's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic announced; A delegation of Australian politicians lobby for Julian Assange's release in the US; And in tennis, Australia's chances come to an end in the first women's competition in China since before the pandemic.
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TRANSCRIPT
- An inquiry into Australia's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic announced;
- A delegation of Australian politicians lobby for Julian Assange's release in the US;
- And in tennis, Australia's chances come to an end in the first women's competition in China since before the pandemic.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced an inquiry into Australia's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will investigate ways of providing broader health supports for people impacted by COVID-19 and lockdowns, international policies to support Australians at home and abroad, and support for industry and businesses.
It won't examine actions taken unilaterally by state governments.
The special commission of inquiry will be formed of three members - an economist, an epidemiologist and a public administration expert.
Mr Albanese says it's important to be more prepared for next time.
"But we need to examine what went right. What could be done better with a focus on the future, because the health experts and the science tells us that this pandemic may well be indeed is not likely to be the last one that occurs. So that's why better preparedness is very important. So the inquiry that we're announcing today, we'll look at as well, the more than 20 inquiries that have already happened."
The inquiry is expected to report back to government after a year.
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Federal MPs from across the Australian political spectrum have united to call on the United States government to end its ongoing pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, Labor MP Tony Zappia, teal independent Monique Ryan, Liberal senator Alex Antic and two Greens senators Peter Whish-Wilson and David Shoebridge are in Washington DC to lobby the government to abandon its extradition proceedings against Assange.
The Wikileaks founder is facing historic allegations of espionage.
The delegation has scored a number of meetings, with Mr Joyce assuring the trip is going well.
"Obviously, Justice comes from, from a fair oversight, a fair oversight of the facts. And Australians believe in a fair go. And we want to make sure that people clearly understand. We did not come here to pick a fight. We came here to present a case and to lobby for an outcome."
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Australia has become one of the first in the world to sign a landmark treaty to protect vast swathes of the ocean which no country officially owns.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong made the announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York early this morning.
The legally binding agreement puts in place protections for large parts of the ocean that lie more than 200 nautical miles offshore.
Only 1.2 per cent of these waters - called the high seas - are protected.
Minister Wong says the treaty is a step in the right direction.
"I've had the honour of signing the high seas biodiversity treaty to protect the world's oceans. And we've worked alongside Pacific partners to make this treaty a reality. It's about safeguarding the blue Pacific, the ocean we share for future generations. We're very proud to be a founding signatory along with our Pacific partners. To these four this treaty shows that the multilateral system is still delivering, notwithstanding some of the challenges."
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For the first time, Australia’s High Commission in the United Kingdom has hosted a Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander fashion show.
The event held during London Fashion week gave an opportunity for six first nations designers to show off their labels to industry chiefs and influencers.
Designer of Kamara Swim, Naomi Collings, says it's a breakthrough moment.
“To be honest it’s unbelievable that I’m here, that the brand is here. What started as a little brand out of Townsville in north Queensland is now being showcased, commercial ready on an international stage.”
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In tennis,
Daria Saville has recovered from a tough first against Magda Linette to push the top seed hard but her run in the Guangzhou Open has ended at the last 16.
Saville lost, ending Australian interest in the Women's Tennis Association Tour's first competition in China since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Linette will meet fifth-seeded Rebekah Masarova in the quarter-finals.
