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SBS News in Easy English 2 August 2023

A high-angle photo shows a small inflatable boat with people in it, positioned next to a large whale. The whale is partially tangled in a fishing net, and a rescue effort appears to be underway.
Rescuers help a whale caught in a shark net off the coast of Queensland. Source: AAP / Jerome Delay

A daily 5 minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability. 


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Presented by Julien Oeuillet

Source: SBS News


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A daily 5 minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability. 


The United States say they want to put Donald Trump on trial as quick as possible.

This comes after the former president has been indicted for the third time in four months.

Special Counsel Jack Smith says he wants prosecution to go fast.

Prosecution is on four counts of what he has described as attempts to overturn the 2020 election by conspiring to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory.

Mr Smith says a speedy trial will allow the evidence to be tested in court and judged by a jury of citizens.

Eric Tucker from the Associated Press says Trump is due in court on the charges this week.

"He's going to be appearing before a Judge Tanya Chutkan, who has handled many cases involving January 6 rioters. She is known for being very tough on those defendants and for believing that January 6 was a disgraceful day in American democracy. And so that is not the most favourable judge in the courthouse that Trump could have drawn."

The Australian Education Union has launched a campaign to fully fund public schools within the next five years.

The campaign is called 'For Every Child'.

It is asking the federal government to contribute more to school fundings, and to reach full funding by 2028.

Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe says 98 per cent of public schools are funded below the Schooling Resource Standard.

"The reality of not having that funding in our schools means that it is children in public schools, who do not have the intensive support that they need. It is the teachers and principals across the nation who are experiencing escalating and unsustainable workloads, and indeed, workforce shortages. So we know the importance of investing in public schools. It changes lives. It changes the lives of our students, and it changes the lives of teachers and principals right across the nation."

The federal government of Australia has announced that it has done an operation targeting businesses exploiting migrant workers that lasted for a month.

Australian Border Force officers inspected around 300 businesses in every state and territory during July.

The officers issued fines, bans and other punishment to those who failed to respect workplace rights - such as pay, conditions, health and safety.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has criticised the previous government for its actions on this topic.

"One of the other failings of Minister Dutton and his successors was to walk away from immigration compliance. He likes to talk like a tough cup on the beat. But really his record tells a very different story. We have taken a different approach we've allocated $50 million to ensure that these things are taken seriously. We are cracking down on dodgy employers, not targeting the victims here, the workers. We're seeing this making a difference. We're not waiting for the legislation to pass. We're getting on with the job."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Australian government wlil not negotiate a treaty in this term of parliament if the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum succeeds.

After winning last year's federal election, the prime minister committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full - which calls for a voice first, followed by treaty and then truth.

Asked if he would move to draw up a treaty this term should the voice pass, Mr Albanese told the ABC there were states and territories already involved in that process.

"A treaty is currently being negotiated in Queensland with legislation that was passed by the LNP. And the Labor Party, by the way, with bipartisan support from Peter Dutton LNP in Victoria, and in the Northern Territory. So those processes are occurring. It's like saying do you support the sun coming up? It's occurring."


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