Key Points
- Three men arrested over alleged harassment of Federal MPs
- Extreme weather warning for Top End communities
- Joe Montemurro praises “courageous” Mary Fowler for memoir
TRANSCRIPT
Australian Federal Police counter-terrorism officers have arrested three men in the past week over separate cases of allegedly harassing or threatening federal MPs and high office holders
A 30-year-old Sydney man was charged on Thursday with using a carriage service to incite abuse toward an M-P who condemned a recent neo-Nazi march.
A second man from Tamworth was issued a court attendance notice for allegedly making online threats against a senior office holder.
In Victoria, a 32-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly using a carriage service to harass a federal parliamentarian.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Matthew Gale says these incidents reflect an erosion of Australia's social fabric - and they are on the rise.
"Threats against federal parliamentarians is a significant issue for us and we are on the record previously talking about the year-on-year increase that we're seeing in relation to threats. It's at 63 per cent over the last four years and in the financial year of 24/25, we've seen upwards of 951 referrals or threats against parliamentarians."
Liberal leader Sussan Ley says threats against her colleagues should be interpreted more broadly.
"I'm always concerned when Australians are threatened, not just M-P's, but anyone - because the rise of some of the neo-Nazi groups that we're seeing, and the nature and threats to national security that those groups bring about, is something we're all concerned about."
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Families of the victims of the Wieambilla ambush say they are disappointed by the coroner's recommendations, fearing they fall short of preventing another tragedy.
The findings, handed down after a five-week inquest into the 2022 attack that killed two police officers and a neighbour, concluded the attackers were driven by a "shared delusional disorder" and were intent on killing and dying.
But Coroner Terry Ryan said it was "not possible" to conclude the Trains committed a terrorist act, adding the current definition of terrorism was "narrow".
He said their radicalised beliefs and online activity went largely unnoticed by authorities and recommended improvements to policing, threat assessment and information-sharing.
But relatives, including Constable Rachel McCrow's mother Judy, say they need time to absorb the report - and remain concerned their calls for stronger reforms have not been fully heeded.
"From the outset, we've stressed any coronial recommendation must prevent a tragedy like this happening again - and we are initially dissapointed with the coronial recommendations. We need time to read, process and respond to the findings, and ensure that as families, our concerns and issues that were raised during this process have been listened to and respected."
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Tropical Cyclone Fina is forecast to strengthen as it tracks through the Van Diemen Gulf, potentially reaching category three once it moves into the Timor Sea.
It's expected to cross the Cobourg Peninsula overnight before sweeping southwest, bringing rising winds to Darwin from Saturday and peak conditions later in the day.
Brendan Moon, Coordinator-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, says Western Top End communities could face extreme conditions.
"We are expecting risks of destructive winds, storm surge and associated coastal flooding, as well as torrential rain, as well as riverine and also flash flooding. We would also expect from this system that we will get disruption from essential services in communities from Cape Don, all the way west through the Northern Territory-Western Australian border."
Meteorologists say the system is likely to intensify again as it moves towards the Kimberley.
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The eSafety Commissioner has announced Twitch falls under Australia's social media ban for children under 16, meaning it must take steps to stop those who are underage from holding accounts from 10 December.
The regulator found Twitch's core purpose is social interaction through livestreaming, bringing it into the "age-restricted social media" category.
Pinterest, however, was assessed as outside the regime because social interaction is not its primary function.
Twitch joins Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and others already identified as age-restricted platforms.
The regulator says this is the last assessment planned before the ban comes into effect next month.
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To sport now, and Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has praised Mary Fowler as "courageous" for speaking publicly about alleged racist treatment during her time at French club Montpellier.
Fowler wrote in her memoir, 'Bloom', that she and a Black teammate were excluded from end-of-season tributes and instead handed bananas - claims the club is now disputing.
Coach Montemurro has commended the 22-year-old for going public with the alleged racism she experienced.
"These sort of comments - sometimes you sort of think 'okay, where's it all come from?'. But, I always put it in the context of where it's at and just make sure she gets the support that she needs. As I said, [she's] courageous to come out with these issues and it's absolutely fantastic to come out and say 'okay, well, this is the way to face these issues'."
He remains confident Fowler will return from her ACL injury in time for next year's Asian Cup.
