TRANSCRIPT
- Independent ACT Senator calls gas export system a scam
- Gaza protest organisers vow to fight Harbour Bridge ban
- Tim David and Ben Dwarshuis return for final T20.
Independent ACT Senator David Pocock has launched a scathing attack on both major parties, accusing them of selling out Australians to multinational gas giants.
He says Australia’s natural gas is being shipped offshore while locals face soaring prices at home, calling it a scam.
"The major parties have sold the Australian people out. They've sold us out to big multinationals that are making an absolute fortune off our gas. This is a scam. What is happening is our natural resources are being sold off, given away, shipped off overseas, and we're not seeing the benefit of that. We're paying its own prices for our own gas, and we're not even getting a return through things like the PRRT, which the latest forecast show, is actually going to decline."
He’s urging the government to stand up to powerful corporations, and that uncontracted gas should stay in Australia, and go to manufacturers, businesses and households under pressure.
Uncontracted gas refers to natural gas that a supplier anticipates will be available for sale in the market within a specific timeframe but is not yet committed under existing contracts.
A search is underway after anti-Israel activists vandalised three Toll Group freight locations in Melbourne’s CBD, using sledgehammers to smash glass doors and spray red paint across the buildings.
Videos posted online show masked individuals carrying out the attacks along Collins Street.
In the footage, they accuse the logistics giant of transporting weapons and can be heard chanting "death to Australia" and "death to Israel".
The Jewish community has condemned the incidents.
Chair of the Anti-defamation Commission Dvir Abramovich has told Channel 7 the ongoing campaign of intimidation has left many feeling unsafe.
“Sometimes it feels like we are being hunted in our own city. The Jewish community is fed-up with the campaign of terror, intimidation and fear."
Victoria Police are treating the attacks as linked to a previous firebombing at a Greensborough business several weeks ago.
No arrests have yet been made, as investigations continue.
Protesters planning a demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday say they’ll fight any attempt to block it.
They aim to draw attention to starvation in Gaza, but New South Wales Premier Chris Minns quickly opposed the protest, citing short notice and traffic chaos.
But activists argue the Bridge is a powerful symbol that represents Australia, and say they’re willing to delay the event to meet safety requirements.
Mr Minns has asked police to work with the group on an alternative route, but organisers say they’ll challenge any legal attempt to stop them.
Josh Lees of the Palestine Action Group says he’s open to negotiation on the timing.
"There's nothing chaotic about the people of New South Wales wanting to come out and have a mass peaceful demonstration to oppose the horrific scenes of deliberate starvation and genocide in Gaza. What's in chaos is the world. The world is in chaos. Gaza is in chaos. If we don't do something about that, then what does that mean for us and for humanity? If it's genuinely a matter of time, then we're happy to talk with Chris Minns and say, well, would he support this march then a week later, two weeks later, if that's genuinely the issue. But I question how genuine Chris Minns is in raising that issue."
United States President Donald Trump has given Russia 10 to 12 days to reach a peace deal with Ukraine, sharply reducing his original 50-day deadline.
The US President says there’s no reason to wait the full term, considering the lack of progress.
Mr Trump says Russia will face further sanctions if no peace deal with Ukraine is reached.
"So what I'm doing is we're going to do secondary sanctions, unless we make a deal. And we might make a deal. I don't know. I don't know. You don't know. We've done so many peace deals. This is the one I started out with. And you know, this is...President Putin called me. He wanted to know if I could help him with Iran. I said, no, I don't need your help with Iran, I need your help with Russia. And so that's the one deal that continues to linger."
Mr Trump says he’s had several promising talks with President Vladimir Putin, but each was followed by renewed violence between Russia and Ukraine.
The US President also dismissed the idea of meeting the Russian president, saying, 'I’m not so interested in talking any more'.
Australia have made two changes to their T20 side as they chase a clean sweep on their Caribbean tour, maintaining a perfect toss record with Mitchell Marsh winning for the fifth straight time.
Ben Dwarshuis and Tim David return, replacing Xavier Bartlett and Cooper Connolly for the match in St Kitts.
West Indies have also made two changes, bringing in Alzarri Joseph and Keacy Carty for Roston Chase and the injured Rovman Powell.
Australia have won all four T20s so far, after sweeping the three-Test series.
