TRANSCRIPT
- The Greens allege Australia has bowed to pressure from fossil fuel companies in not hosting COP31
- Donald Trump signs the legislation that will release the Epstein files...
- Two Indigenous players to feature in the same Australian Test team for the first time
The Greens are accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of folding in the face of pressure from fossil fuel companies by agreeing to not host next year's UN climate summit.
Australia had been bidding to host the so-called COP31 climate talks, in partnership with Pacific Island nations.
But, instead of being held in Adelaide, they'll now be held in Antalya in Turkiye, after Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen reached a compromise at this year's meeting in Brazil.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Australia would have done a much better job than Turkiye, and fossil fuel giants who have the Prime Minister's ear would have been embarrassed by the effects of having the talks in Australia.
"They didn't want to pressure to come on the exports of coal and gas out of Australia. So, rather than standing up for our region and the Pacific, we've had the Prime Minister and his government bow to the pressure of the fossil fuel industry. An absolute disgrace... lack of leadership... and a failure on all levels."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, at this weekend's G-20 meeting in South Africa.
Mr Albanese has flown out of Perth for the summit in Johannesburg, which will see him become the first Australian Prime Minister in more than a decade to visit South Africa.
Mr Albanese says he'll likely meet the leaders of South Korea, Canada, and Japan, and various European nations at the summit, which brings together the leaders of countries and organisations representing about two-thirds of the world's population and 75 per cent of international trade.
Mr Albanese says the trip could bring economic benefits for Australia.
A prominent charity says more Australians are now stuck jobless for longer because entry-level jobs are drying up.
Anglicare Australia's Jobs Availability Snapshot report has found there are 39 people on the Jobseeker payment for every entry-level vacancy, and entry-level jobs now make up just 11 per cent of jobs vacancies.
That's the lowest share of jobs vacancies in a decade.
Anglicare Australia's Chief Executive Kasy Chambers says all this shows the job market is not creating enough opportunities for people who need them most, and urgent reform is needed.... including raising welfare payments.
Ms Chambers says jobseekers are often having their time wasted.
"We have evidence from one of our members that people who are unemployed have often done up to 43 short courses. The employment services provider gets a payment for each time that those people go to a course. That raises people's hopes. It sends them off to do something that they then can't be doing other things during. And quite often, those are courses that are not meaningful."
Victoria Police are still looking for a man who stole a car last week- and very nearly abducted a baby in the process.
The incident occurred in Shepparton, north-east of Melbourne, about 2pm last Friday, the 14th of November.
A woman left her car to enter a supermarket for a short time, at which point the man jumped in her red Volkswagen and drove off.
CCTV footage shows the man stopping the car shortly afterwards, when he discovered a baby boy inside.
Andrew Costello of Victoria Police says the man put the baby in a box, then drove off.
"So, the baby was in a box. This male offender has located a discarded box in the carpark. He's placed the child, who was asleep, fortunately stayed asleep... as I said, it was only a short period of time. And that's where the mother's recovered him."
The car was discovered the next day in the nearby town of Mooroopna.
The man being sought is around 165 centimetres tall, aged in his 20s or 30s, with a slim build.
In cricket, Australia will play two Indigenous players in the same Test match team for the first time.
The Australian team for the first Ashes Test against England, which starts in Perth has been named, and, as expected, both Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett are in it.
Doggett will become just the third Indigenous man, after Jason Gillespie and Boland, to play Test cricket for Australia.
Boland is a semi-regular Test player, but, on debut, Doggett faces a huge task, trying to fill the void left by the injured Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
However, acting Australian captain Steve Smith says the signs point to Doggett being up to the challenge.
"Injuries happen in sport, particularly in cricket with fast bowlers... they put a lot of stress through their bodies. So yeah, unfortunately, obviously, that those two are out. But, I think, an exciting opportunity fortunate for Scotty and for Brendan Doggett, who is going to make his debut. Brendan has been a on a few tours with Australia... he is very skilful; I think he has improved a hell of a lot the last few years. And I'm excited to see him go about his business."
Jake Weatherald will also make his Test debut, opening the batting.
He and Cameron Green have been preferred to Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster.
