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In this bulletin;
- Veteran broadcaster Alan Jones arrested over assault allegations;
- Australia urged to match the UK’s 2035 emissions reduction target;
- And in sports, the Wallabies keep alive the dream of repeating their 1984 Grand Slam triumph.
New South Wales Police have arrested former broadcaster Alan Jones as part of an investigation over alleged indecent assault and sexual touching offences over a 20-year period until 2019.
No charges have been laid at this stage.
In a statement, New South Wales Police said Child Abuse Squad detectives say they also executed a search warrant at the 83-year-old’s luxury Sydney apartment at Circular Quay at 7:45am.
The Herald and the Age newspapers in recent months published allegations from a number of young men that they had been indecently assaulted by Alan Jones.
He has previously denied all allegations against him.
Greens leader Adam Bandt says Australia should use the COP29 summit to announce a strong 2035 emissions reduction target.
Ahead of a deadline in February, some countries have already announced new national emission reduction targets for 2035.
The UK will now aim for an 81 per cent cut in its emissions by 2035.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refused to say whether Australia would match the UK’s pledge, saying that he wants to first achieve current target of 43 per cent by 2030 – and net zero by 2050.
He says 2035 targets will be announced some time next year.
Mr Bandt says that’s not good enough.
“Pacific Island leaders, our neighbours are pleading with Anthony Albanese to stop opening new coal and gas projects, but instead Labor has approved 28 new coal and gas projects. And emissions are now higher under Anthony Albanese then they were under Scott Morrison.”
The Senate has voted to censure Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe over her King Charles protest.
Last month, during King Charles’ official visit to Australia, Senator Thorpe declared he was not her king, shouting to the head of state in the Great Hall of Parliament before being escorted out.
A censure motion has no specified consequences, but is an expression of the Senate’s disapproval of an individuals actions.
Whilst moving the motion, Senator Penny Wong condemned the senator for her actions.
“We should deny them the attention they seek, but in doing so, we should also signal the upholding of standards, standards of respect when we have dignitaries visit our parliament, in Senator Thorpe’s case, no less than the head of state, and standards of respect when it comes to talking about our fellow Australians.”
United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet was also censured by the Senate over a controversial tweet he made after Donald Trump’s election win.
A new report has captured the extent to which homelessness services around Australia are struggling to meet the demand for their help amid growing rental stress.
Homelessness Australia and Impact Economics found more more than three million Australians are now at risk of homelessness.
Meanwhile, services are turning more people away.
During September, 83 per cent of services surveyed were unable to answer phone calls at times; and nearly 40 per cent of services were forced to close their doors during operating hours.
Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin says there is an urgent need to boost funding and resources for homelessness services.
“Everyday, workers have to make impossible choices between a woman with children who might have no car – and a woman with children who perhaps does have a car. And they have to choose who can have the available accommodation. So, what the research revealed was that on 1 in 5 days, homelessness services can’t even provide the support that is needed to a woman with children who has nowhere to go that night.”
In Rugby Union, Wallabies player Tom Wright says the team is not getting ahead of themselves after they defeated Wales to record back-to-back victories.
That puts the team in a good position to claim their first Grand Slam in 40 years – if they can also beat Scotland and Ireland over the next fortnight.
In 1984, the Wallabies made history, completing a grand slam of wins against England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Wright told TNT Sports, he says the players are taking things one step at a time.
“Definitely pleased with our start. Something we can work on is how we handle the minutes after we got up 19-nil. After kick-off, we let momentum back in from Wales so it is something we have to improve on, definitely. We just got through this week so we’ll enjoy each other’s company in the changerooms. Hopefully, I will have a few words with Wales and look forward to getting into Scotland.”
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