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This blog is now closed. Third freed immigration detainee arrested after he allegedly breached bail conditions RBA interest rates: Australian mortgage holders spared pre-Christmas rise from Reserve Bank Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Marles says Australians should express views on Israel-Hamas conflict ‘in a safe and a peaceful way’ The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, is speaking to ABC RN. He is asked whether Australia is “a safe place for Jews right now”, amid a discussion of the Israel-Hamas war. [I understand] many of the Jewish community are finding this to be a very difficult time and it’s really important for those in the Jewish community, or those in Islamic community, that Australians are looking after everyone. That has to be the basis upon which everyone expresses their legitimate rights to freedom of expression, but to do that in a safe and a peaceful way. It’s completely arbitrary. For many families, relying on two incomes to get by is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Parents are trapped in a cycle of being unable to find a job without childcare, and unable to afford childcare without a job. The fact that we have a policy that directly exacerbates the unaffordability of childcare and in turn prevents parents – predominantly women – who want to work from supporting their families and building their careers is unacceptable. Continue reading...

Co-leader of EU delegation at Cop28 says climate should be at centre of all financial and economic decisions Cop28 live – latest updates If fossil fuel companies are serious about tackling the climate crisis, they could contribute to funds for poor and vulnerable countries stricken by its effects, Spain’s environment minister has said. Teresa Ribera, a co-leader of the EU delegation at the Cop28 UN climate summit in Dubai, said: “Private corporates should be stepping into a different development model in vulnerable countries. We went through some language on that that was broadly supported by all [EU] member states, which is: why not just start by an invitation to the oil and gas companies to dedicate part of the profits to invest in sustainable development of the most vulnerable countries. And that’s on a voluntary basis [at first], because why not?” Continue reading...

Sultan Al Jaber, who is state oil CEO, had said phase-out of fossil fuels would take world ‘back into caves’ Cop28 live – latest updates The president of Cop28 has been forced into a fierce defence of his views on climate science, after the Guardian revealed his comment that there was “no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5C”. Sultan Al Jaber, who is also the chief executive of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, said at a hastily arranged press conference at the summit in Dubai: “I respect the science in everything I do. I have repeatedly said that it is the science that has guided the principles or strategy as Cop28 president. We have always built everything, every step of the way, on the science, on the facts.” Continue reading...

Liberty condemns ‘staggering and shocking’ statistic as anti-protest legislation is enacted Police have made at least 630 arrests of peaceful protesters campaigning against new oil and gas production in the past month, as the authorities exploit new powers under the government’s anti-protest legislation. The mass arrests of more than 470 people – some individuals were arrested more than once – was condemned by civil rights group Liberty as “staggering and shocking”. Continue reading...