Israel agrees to daily pauses in bombing northern Gaza, Anthony Albanese confirms Australian support for a Nuclear Free Pacific, and the Western Bulldogs to appeal against the awarding of a multi-million dollar damages payment to a child sexual abuse survivor.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Israel agrees to daily pauses in bombing northern Gaza
- Anthony Albanese confirms Australian support for a Nuclear Free Pacific
- The Western Bulldogs to appeal against the awarding of a multi-million dollar damages payment to a child sexual abuse survivor
The United States says Israel will begin daily four hour pauses of its bombing of the northern part of the Gaza Strip to enable Palestinians to flee the hostilities.
Two humanitarian corridors will be opened in northern Gaza.
The pauses are the result of discussions between the U-S and Israel in recent days, whilst the heads of U-S and Israeli intelligence have also just met with the Prime Minister of Qatar in Doha to discuss possible hostage releases.
Israel insists the pauses are not a ceasefire, but purely humanitarian.
The Director of Emergencies at the United Nations' World Food programme, Kyung-Nan Park, says the entire population of Gaza is now food insecure, and vast amounts of aid are needed.
"Before October 7, there were 400 to 500 trucks going in a day. From that, right now we're entering 40 to 50 trucks. For just WFP food assistance, we would need 100 trucks a day to be able to provide any meaningful humanitarian food to the people in Gaza."
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Leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum are revisiting discussions around the landmark 1985 South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Rarotonga Treaty.
Citing Australia's Aukus deal and the recent discharge of nuclear waste water in Japan, the summits host and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown says Pacific leaders and nations are concerned about the region.
The Rarotonga Treaty was first signed in 1985 by then Prime Minister Bob Hawke at a time when Cold War tensions were threatening the region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia supports the South Pacific Nuclear Zone and assures that the recent AUKUS deal does not breach the Rarotonga Treaty.
"All of the arrangements that we've put in place have been consistent with that and it retains our support. We think it's a good treaty, that's why we signed it, that's why a whole range of countries including Pacific Island nations have signed up to it and it's a positive thing taking us forward."
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Hundreds of people are awaiting an outcome after the High Court ruled indefinite detention illegal, prompting urgent action to review the cases of those unable to return to their country of origin.
The court was told that at least 92 detainees unable to return could soon be released and another 340 detained in long term detention could join them.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre says 124 people have been held in detention by the Australian government for over five years.
They say urgent action is now required to ensure no one else is illegally detained in Australian detention centres.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the government is working out the implications.
"We are considering the implications of the judgments carefully, and will continue to work with the authorities to ensure community safety is upheld. I'm advised that the decision of the High Court does overturn a twenty year precedent, and could trigger the release of a number of people in detention. Obviously the government will work through this decision."
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The Western Bulldogs will appeal against a jury's decision to award almost $6 million dollars to a child sexual abuse survivor.
51-year-old Adam Kneale took legal action against Footscray Football Club, now known as the Western Bulldogs, after he suffered abuse between 1984 and 1990 at the hands of fundraising volunteer Graeme Hobbs.
Following a four-week trial in Melbourne's Supreme Court, a jury found that the club was negligent.
Jurors awarded close to $6 million dollars [[$5,943,151]] in damages, the highest amount given by a jury to an abuse survivor in Australia and the first against an A-F-L club.
The Bulldogs will also have to pay legal costs.
Adam Kneale says he hopes his success will encourage other victims to come forward and seek justice.
"I'm satisfied with the result. It's been 30 years of waiting for the Bulldogs to recognise what I experienced at their club. With this I hope it brings confidence to other survivors to come forward and find their own peace of mind and to tell their story and to overcome the demons they carry with them everyday."
