TRANSCRIPT
The decision by the federal government to pause applications for the significant investor visa ((SIV)), or "golden visa", has been welcomed by Transparency International Australia and an immigration policy scholar.
The visa required a minimum investment of $5 million in Australia, in exchange for automatic permanent residency.
Unlike other visas, holders of the investor visa weren't required to learn or speak English and it had no age limit.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil says the visa, introduced by the Gillard government in 2012, is part of a "broken" system Labor had inherited.
Options to change the visa are being considered as the government looks to boost skilled migration.
Abul Rizvi is a former deputy secretary of the Immigration Department [[early 1990s to 2007]] who is now a scholar on immigration policy.
He's told SBS it is a wise decision to move away from the visa.
"In my view, the best thing to do with this investor visa would be to abolish it and find a way of dealing with backlog of applications. The back log is very large. I think the government should return this visa to one which encourages people to invest in new and innovative businesses in Australia, employ Australians, and run those businesses successfully. They are the people, this visa should be targeting."
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Emergency authorities in Queensland are monitoring the formation of a storm system that is set to hit the north of the state as a potential category-three cyclone.
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is set to develop in the Coral Sea by Tuesday [[23 Jan]] and strengthen before it hits north Queensland and then moves to the state's south.
Laura Boekel, from the Bureau of Meteorology, says more information on which areas will be hardest hit will become clearer in coming hours, but the impacts could be very severe.
"With a lot of tropical lows, they do carry a large amount of water with them - and they can certainly produce large rainfall areas that can lead to both flash flooding and riverine flooding. So we are urging all Queenslanders really to stay across this situation as this low pressure could affect large parts of Queensland. We will start to see flooding impacts from Thursday - and then continue for the long weekend and potentially well into next week as well."
The state is facing its third natural disaster and second cyclone in a month.
Queensland State Disaster coordinator Shane Chelepy is urging residents to be prepared.
"This is the time to do the planning now - both from a state emergency response level that we're doing; but from a personal level. Making sure that you have those supplies. Making sure that you have batteries in your radio - in case you lose power. Making sure you have longlife food products in your house. Making sure that you have fuel. Making sure that your telephonrs are charged - and that you have spare battery packs for your telephones. Stay connected to our messaging. These systems, as we know, can change quite quickly."
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A study has found people in disadvantaged regions of Queensland are more at risk of dental decay because of a lack of fluoride in their water supply.
It has prompted calls for the Queensland government to reclaim water fluoridation responsibility.
The University of Queensland study found 61 out of the state's 77 local government areas do not have fluoridated water, affecting more than one million people.
The proportion of the population with access to fluoridated water is lower in Queensland than in all other Australian states and territories.
The state government handed over responsibility for fluoride in the water supply to local councils in 2012.
Researchers found Queenslanders living in lower socioeconomic status areas now have less access to fluoridated water, putting them at greater risk of dental decay.
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An inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence is to hear from survivors on how to make the legal system less traumatic.
Judge Liesl [[lee-zill]] Kudelka, who has 25 years of experience in the justice system, and former judge Marcia Neave have been appointed to lead the inquiry.
It will look into promoting "just outcomes" for people who have experienced sexual violence and minimising re-traumatisation through the process.
The Australian Law Reform Commission, undertaking the inquiry, will report back by late January 2025.
The government committed $8.4 million over three years in the 2022 budget to pilot specialised and trauma-informed legal services for victim-survivors of sexual assault.
A new intimate partner homicide dashboard, which will provide more up to date reporting, was announced last November.
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Relatives of Israelis held hostage by Hamas militants have interrupted a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem, demanding politicians do more to try to free their loved ones.
Among the group of 20 protesters, one woman shouted: "I want my son alive. Not in a coffin or a black bag".
The protest came after Israel's government announced the death of another hostage.
Some 130 hostages are still held by Hamas in Gaza, after others were brought home in a November truce.
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European foreign ministers are pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as they meet in Brussels to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Palestinian statehood and has described plans for open-ended military control over Gaza.
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock says she sees the two-state solution as the "only solution" for a durable peace.
"Israel can only have security when the Palestinians can have security and dignity. And the Palestinians can only live in dignity, security and freedom when Israel has security. That is why the two-state solution is the only solution. And all those who want to have none of it haven’t come up with an alternative so far. There can only be peace when there is peace for all people in the region."
The ministers will hold separate meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and with the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, Riyad al-Maliki [[Mon afternoon local time/Tue AEDT]].
Israel Katz says he is in Brussels to seek support for Israel's campaign to dismantle Hamas.
"Back Israel to dismantling the Hamas terror organisation that attacked Israel very brutally and we have to bring back our security. Our brave soldiers are fighting in very hard conditions to bring back our hostages and restore security for the citizens of Israel."
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In tennis, World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has powered into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time.
The 20-year-old Spaniard needed just one hour and 50 minutes to defeat Serb Miomir Kecmanovic [[mee-oh meer ketz-man-oh-vitch]] in straight sets [[6-4 6-4 6-0]] to set up a clash with sixth seed Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz told Channel Nine he is looking forward to facing his next opponent.
"I hope to pay a really tough match against him. I love playing against Sascha. I think both of us a high level of tennis. I think for the crowd as well it's a great match so I will try and put my 100 per cent - and my best tennis. And let's see what happens."
