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ABC News
29 minutes ago
- ABC News
NSW to ban people from appealing if working with children check is denied
New South Wales will move to ban people from appealing the denial of a working with children check, after media reports highlighting cases where sex offenders and other criminals had been granted the checks on appeal. The cases included instances where the NSW Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (NCAT) had upheld appeals for a man who had been convicted of a sex act involving a woman on a train 47 years earlier and a teacher who was charged but never convicted of sexually abusing a foster child. Premier Chris Minns said he was "very distressed" at the reports. "I think it makes a mockery of the working with children check and is a loophole that cannot exist," he said. A working with children check is compulsory for anyone who undertakes any paid or unpaid work involving children in NSW. People must apply through Service NSW for the check, which involves a national police check of their criminal record and a review of reportable workplace misconduct. They are then either cleared to work with children or not, depending on the result. But many of those who are rejected are eligible to appeal through the NCAT. In some cases applicants had been initially knocked back for a working with children check on the basis of unproven allegations, but in others the NCAT weighed issues including the passage of time since an offence and psychological evaluations showing the applicant was a low risk to children. Mr Minns said he would bring legislation to end the appeals process. "When it comes to the safety of children, it's a one-strike policy; we can't have any ambiguity here," he said. "My understanding is we will have to introduce a bill to change the law to stop this appeal mechanism from taking place, but that's exactly what we are going to do." The Office of the Children's Guardian is currently carrying out a review of the laws around working with children.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Senate passes massive US tax cut and spending bill
US Senate Republicans have passed President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill by the narrowest of margins, advancing a package that would slash taxes, reduce social safety net programs and boost military and immigration enforcement spending while adding $US3.3 trillion ($A5 trillion) to the national debt. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for possible final approval, though a handful of Republicans there have already voiced opposition to some of the Senate provisions. Trump wants to sign it into law by the July 4 Independence Day holiday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he aimed to meet that deadline. The measure would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, give new tax breaks for income from tips and overtime pay and increase spending on the military and immigration enforcement. It also would cut about $US930 billion ($A1.4 trillion) of spending on the Medicaid health program and food aid for low-income Americans, and repeal many of Democratic former president Joe Biden's green-energy incentives. The legislation, which has exposed Republican divides over the nation's fast-growing $US36.2 trillion debt, would raise the federal government's self-imposed debt ceiling by $US5 trillion. Congress must raise the cap in the coming months or risk a devastating default. The Senate passed the measure in a 51-50 vote with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie after three Republicans - Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky - joined all 47 Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote followed an all-night debate in which Republicans grappled with the bill's price tag and its impact on the US healthcare system. The vote in the House, where Republicans hold a 220-212 majority, is likely to be close. A White House official told reporters that Trump would be "deeply involved" in pushing House Republicans to approve the bill. "It's a great bill. There is something for everyone," Trump said at an event in Florida on Tuesday. "And I think it's going to go very nicely in the House." Republicans have struggled to balance conservatives' demands for deeper spending cuts to reduce the impact on the deficit with moderate lawmakers' concerns that the Medicaid cuts could hurt their constituents, including service cutbacks in rural areas. A group of more moderate House Republicans, especially those who represent lower-income areas, have objected to the steeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate's plan. The legislation has also drawn criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, the former Trump ally who has railed against the bill's enormous cost and vowed to back challengers to Republican lawmakers in next year's midterm elections. House Democrats are expected to remain unanimously opposed to the bill. "This is the largest assault on American healthcare in history," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. "It's the largest assault on nutrition in American history." US Senate Republicans have passed President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill by the narrowest of margins, advancing a package that would slash taxes, reduce social safety net programs and boost military and immigration enforcement spending while adding $US3.3 trillion ($A5 trillion) to the national debt. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for possible final approval, though a handful of Republicans there have already voiced opposition to some of the Senate provisions. Trump wants to sign it into law by the July 4 Independence Day holiday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he aimed to meet that deadline. The measure would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, give new tax breaks for income from tips and overtime pay and increase spending on the military and immigration enforcement. It also would cut about $US930 billion ($A1.4 trillion) of spending on the Medicaid health program and food aid for low-income Americans, and repeal many of Democratic former president Joe Biden's green-energy incentives. The legislation, which has exposed Republican divides over the nation's fast-growing $US36.2 trillion debt, would raise the federal government's self-imposed debt ceiling by $US5 trillion. Congress must raise the cap in the coming months or risk a devastating default. The Senate passed the measure in a 51-50 vote with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie after three Republicans - Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky - joined all 47 Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote followed an all-night debate in which Republicans grappled with the bill's price tag and its impact on the US healthcare system. The vote in the House, where Republicans hold a 220-212 majority, is likely to be close. A White House official told reporters that Trump would be "deeply involved" in pushing House Republicans to approve the bill. "It's a great bill. There is something for everyone," Trump said at an event in Florida on Tuesday. "And I think it's going to go very nicely in the House." Republicans have struggled to balance conservatives' demands for deeper spending cuts to reduce the impact on the deficit with moderate lawmakers' concerns that the Medicaid cuts could hurt their constituents, including service cutbacks in rural areas. A group of more moderate House Republicans, especially those who represent lower-income areas, have objected to the steeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate's plan. The legislation has also drawn criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, the former Trump ally who has railed against the bill's enormous cost and vowed to back challengers to Republican lawmakers in next year's midterm elections. House Democrats are expected to remain unanimously opposed to the bill. "This is the largest assault on American healthcare in history," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. "It's the largest assault on nutrition in American history." US Senate Republicans have passed President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill by the narrowest of margins, advancing a package that would slash taxes, reduce social safety net programs and boost military and immigration enforcement spending while adding $US3.3 trillion ($A5 trillion) to the national debt. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for possible final approval, though a handful of Republicans there have already voiced opposition to some of the Senate provisions. Trump wants to sign it into law by the July 4 Independence Day holiday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he aimed to meet that deadline. The measure would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, give new tax breaks for income from tips and overtime pay and increase spending on the military and immigration enforcement. It also would cut about $US930 billion ($A1.4 trillion) of spending on the Medicaid health program and food aid for low-income Americans, and repeal many of Democratic former president Joe Biden's green-energy incentives. The legislation, which has exposed Republican divides over the nation's fast-growing $US36.2 trillion debt, would raise the federal government's self-imposed debt ceiling by $US5 trillion. Congress must raise the cap in the coming months or risk a devastating default. The Senate passed the measure in a 51-50 vote with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie after three Republicans - Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky - joined all 47 Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote followed an all-night debate in which Republicans grappled with the bill's price tag and its impact on the US healthcare system. The vote in the House, where Republicans hold a 220-212 majority, is likely to be close. A White House official told reporters that Trump would be "deeply involved" in pushing House Republicans to approve the bill. "It's a great bill. There is something for everyone," Trump said at an event in Florida on Tuesday. "And I think it's going to go very nicely in the House." Republicans have struggled to balance conservatives' demands for deeper spending cuts to reduce the impact on the deficit with moderate lawmakers' concerns that the Medicaid cuts could hurt their constituents, including service cutbacks in rural areas. A group of more moderate House Republicans, especially those who represent lower-income areas, have objected to the steeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate's plan. The legislation has also drawn criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, the former Trump ally who has railed against the bill's enormous cost and vowed to back challengers to Republican lawmakers in next year's midterm elections. House Democrats are expected to remain unanimously opposed to the bill. "This is the largest assault on American healthcare in history," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. "It's the largest assault on nutrition in American history." US Senate Republicans have passed President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill by the narrowest of margins, advancing a package that would slash taxes, reduce social safety net programs and boost military and immigration enforcement spending while adding $US3.3 trillion ($A5 trillion) to the national debt. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for possible final approval, though a handful of Republicans there have already voiced opposition to some of the Senate provisions. Trump wants to sign it into law by the July 4 Independence Day holiday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he aimed to meet that deadline. The measure would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, give new tax breaks for income from tips and overtime pay and increase spending on the military and immigration enforcement. It also would cut about $US930 billion ($A1.4 trillion) of spending on the Medicaid health program and food aid for low-income Americans, and repeal many of Democratic former president Joe Biden's green-energy incentives. The legislation, which has exposed Republican divides over the nation's fast-growing $US36.2 trillion debt, would raise the federal government's self-imposed debt ceiling by $US5 trillion. Congress must raise the cap in the coming months or risk a devastating default. The Senate passed the measure in a 51-50 vote with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie after three Republicans - Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky - joined all 47 Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote followed an all-night debate in which Republicans grappled with the bill's price tag and its impact on the US healthcare system. The vote in the House, where Republicans hold a 220-212 majority, is likely to be close. A White House official told reporters that Trump would be "deeply involved" in pushing House Republicans to approve the bill. "It's a great bill. There is something for everyone," Trump said at an event in Florida on Tuesday. "And I think it's going to go very nicely in the House." Republicans have struggled to balance conservatives' demands for deeper spending cuts to reduce the impact on the deficit with moderate lawmakers' concerns that the Medicaid cuts could hurt their constituents, including service cutbacks in rural areas. A group of more moderate House Republicans, especially those who represent lower-income areas, have objected to the steeper Medicaid cuts in the Senate's plan. The legislation has also drawn criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, the former Trump ally who has railed against the bill's enormous cost and vowed to back challengers to Republican lawmakers in next year's midterm elections. House Democrats are expected to remain unanimously opposed to the bill. "This is the largest assault on American healthcare in history," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. "It's the largest assault on nutrition in American history."
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Donald Trump tours 'Alligator Alcatraz' in new warning to undocumented migrants
Donald Trump is threatening to send unauthorised migrants to a prison camp surrounded by alligators in his latest move to expel "illegal aliens" from the US. The US president toured the new "Alligator Alcatraz" site in Florida as immigration officials shared memes of alligators wearing baseball caps emblazoned with "ICE" (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Florida Republicans are already marketing Alligator Alcatraz merchandise, including T-shirts and stubby holders. After touring the site, Mr Trump said its nickname was "very appropriate because I looked outside, and that's not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon". "We're surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland and the only way out is, really, deportation," he said. The site is located west of Miami in the US's largest area of subtropical wilderness, the Everglades, which is also home to crocodiles, pythons and rattlesnakes. "You have a lot of bodyguards and a lot of cops that are in the form of alligators," Mr Trump said. "You don't have to pay them so much." His publicity-heavy tour and the social media campaign appear designed to scare unauthorised migrants into leaving the country voluntarily. Mr Trump campaigned heavily on a promise to oversee America's largest-ever mass deportation. Unauthorised border crossings have plummeted since his inauguration, but arrests have averaged about 750 per day — well below his administration's target of 3,000 a day. He was joined at the site by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who said unauthorised migrants could avoid detention at the site by leaving the US. "If they self-deport and go home, they can come back legally — we will let them come back legally," she said. "But if you wait and we bring you to this facility, you don't ever get to come back to America." The facility is a project of the Florida state government, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, and was constructed in about eight days. It can house 3,000 people and could start receiving detainees within a day of Mr Trump's tour. The site has attracted protesters, including conservation advocates and Native American groups. Two environmental groups have lodged lawsuits against the project. The Trump administration insists its immigration crackdown is focused on violent criminals and Ms Trump says the facility will soon house "some of the most vicious people on the planet". But new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data suggests the majority of detainees do not have criminal histories. A CBS News analysis of the data, from the period since Mr Trump's inauguration, found about 40 per cent of immigrants detained by ICE had criminal convictions. Overall, about 8 per cent had been convicted of violent crimes. But DHS said that in Mr Trump's first 100 days, 70 per cent of ICE arrests were "criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges". Arguing for the policy, Ms Noem told a bizarre story about a migrant she called a "cannibal", who she said had been recently arrested by marshals working with ICE. "They said that they had detained a cannibal and put him on a plane to take him home, and while they had him in his seat, he started to eat himself," she said. "These are the kind of deranged individuals that are on our streets in America that we're trying to target and get out of our country."
