Latest news with #NewsCorpAustralia
Perth Now
34 minutes ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Warning to Albo after big Gaza move
Senior opposition senator James Paterson has warned against the 'premature recognition of a Palestinian state' after Canada became the latest Australian ally vowing to do so this year. World leaders will meet in New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron was the first major Western leader to say he would officially recognise Palestine at the summit. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week said he would do the same unless Israel stopped the war in Gaza, where the number of civilians dying from starvation is growing daily due to the Israeli government's chokehold on aid. With Canada's Mark Carney also pledging to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UNGA, there is speculation Anthony Albanese could follow suit. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing international pressure to recognise a Palestinian state this year. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Senator Paterson said such a move would legitimise Hamas, the Islamist militants that still control most of war-torn Gaza. 'It's not a matter for me to commentate on Canadian foreign policy – that's a matter for the Canadian government,' he told Sky News. 'But I'm very happy to give you my view on Australian foreign policy, and that is that I do not support the premature recognition of a Palestinian state before the conclusion of a peace process that establishes two states of Israel and Palestine. 'And the reason for that is that if you were to recognise a Palestinian state today, as the Albanese government is leaning towards doing, you would be recognising a state which is in part governed by a terrorist organisation … which continues to hold 50 Israelis hostage. 'Which has sworn the destruction of the State of Israel and the people in it, which has caused death and devastation for people of Gaza.' Senator James Paterson is warning against 'premature recognition of a Palestinian state'. Jason Edwards / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Senator Paterson also took aim at the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank. He lambasted the governing body for not holding an election since 2006, calling it 'deeply corrupt'. More to come.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
No-sell order on mushroom cook's house
Convicted triple-murderer Erin Patterson won't be able to sell the house where she served her deadly beef Wellington lunch following a court order. The family home in Gibson St, Leongatha in country Victoria is now subject to a Supreme Court restraining order on its sale in case her victims' families make a compensation claim. Victims can apply for a compensation or restitution order under the Sentencing Act 1991. The prosecution applied for a restraining order on Patterson's $1m home on a hectare block on July 16 under confiscation legislation, the Herald Sun reported. Erin Patterson won't be able to sell her home in Leongatha after a court order revealed on Wednesday. Brendan Beckett Credit: News Corp Australia Erin Patterson was convicted of the murder of her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson (top) and Heather Wilkinson and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson (bottom). Supplied. Credit: News Corp Australia Patterson's parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson died from multiple organ failure linked to mushroom poisoning in the week following the lunch on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was the only lunch guest to survive after he too became seriously ill after the meal. Prosecutors argued the only reasonable explanation for what happened is Patterson knowingly seeking out death cap mushrooms and including them in the beef Wellington, intending to kill her or seriously injure her guests. Her defence had argued Patterson accidentally included the deadly mushrooms and acted poorly out of panic she would be wrongly blamed. The keenly watched 10 week trial ended on July 7 when after seven days of deliberations, the jury unanimously found Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Patterson, 50, is yet to be sentenced.
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Moscow Olympians finally recognised
Australian Olympians who competed at the 1980 Moscow Games have finally been recognised for their efforts 45 years later. The 1980 games have been a black spot on the Olympic record. Seven months before they were set to be held, the then Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan causing many countries to boycott the games. Although Australia never formally boycotted the event, public sentiment against Australian attendance was widespread. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser urged the Australian Olympic Federation (now the Australian Olympic Committee) to support the boycott and even offered athletes $6000 each as incentive not to compete. The 1980 Australian Olympic Team that defied intense public pressure to take part in the controversial Moscow Games attend Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Some teams, including the entire Australian hockey and equestrian teams, withdrew completely, but in the end the Australian Olympic Federation narrowly voted against withdrawing from the games — six votes to five. Ultimately, just 121 of the original 273 athletes made it to the Games — quietly and with little fanfare — they were snuck in and out of the country in an unmarked plane and out of uniform. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Sussan Ley officially recognised the athletes participation and subsequent treatment in an address to parliament. 'When you were chosen to wear the green and gold you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you,' the Prime Minister said. 'And on your return you should be welcomed home and celebrated for the inspiration you have brought to the next generation of Australian athletes. Mr Albanese, Sport Minister Anika Wells and Speaker of the House, Milton Dick meet with the 1980 Australian Olympic Team for afternoon tea at Parliament House in Canberra. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'Yet 45 years ago, the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan cast a dark shadow over what should have been your shining moment. 'As nations around the world grappled with the boycott, Australia's athletes — some still only teenagers — were placed in an incredibly difficult position. 'One hundred and twenty-one Australians chose to compete under the Olympic flag. Others chose to join the boycott. Some who had won selection never even had the chance to choose because their sport made the decision for them.' Mr Albanese said upon their return athletes were met with 'cold silence or cruel comments'. 'Today, we fix that. Today, on the 45th anniversary, we recognise all that you have achieved and acknowledge all that you have overcome. 'Take pride in both. You are Olympians. You are Australians and you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation. Welcome to parliament and welcome home.'
Perth Now
16 hours ago
- Business
- Perth Now
ASX soars on firming rate cuts
Banks, property and supermarket shares drove the ASX to a near record high on Wednesday after quarterly inflation all but confirmed an interest-rate cut when the Reserve Bank of Australia board meets in August. The benchmark ASX 200 jumped 51.80 points or 0.60 per cent to 8,756.40, with the market lifting after 11.30am on the CPI data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The broader All Ordinaries also traded higher up 48.70 points or 0.54 per cent to 9,015.40. Australia's dollar slid on the news down 0.05 per cent to US 65.09 cents. Six of the 11 sectors finished in the green. The ASX 200 jumped on the back of quarterly inflation data. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Shares related to a rate cut jumped on the news. Gains were led by the major banks with bourse heavyweight CBA up 1.55 per cent to $176.99, NAB gained 0.71 per cent to $38.47, Westpac jumped 1.60 per cent to $33.72 and ANZ closed 1.25 per cent higher to $30.70. Woolworths Group added 1.58 per cent to $31.44, Coles jumped 1.72 per cent to $20.65 and Endeavour Group is up 1.23 per cent to $4.12. Stockland shares jumped 2.21 per cent to $5.55, Charter Hall Group gained 1.76 per cent to $20.21 and Mirvac Group gained 2.73 per cent to $2.26. Betashare chief economist David Bassanese said near enough was good enough for a rate cut as trimmed mean inflation fell to 2.7 per cent for the 12 months until June. 'Underlying inflation is inching closer to the middle of the RBA's 2 to 3 per cent target band and so justifies a further easing in what – in the RBA's own words – a still 'modestly restrictive' level of interest rates,' he said. Six of the 11 sectors gained on Wednesday. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Josh Gilbert, market analyst for eToro, described it as hard for the RBA to hold rates. 'After the surprise pause in July, today's data means an August rate cut is all but nailed on,' he said. 'Markets are now pricing a 93 per cent chance of a cut, and it's easy to see why. Cost-of-living pressures are easing, and the risk is now skewed towards holding rates too high for too long.' In company news, Rio Tinto half-yearly earnings fell to a five-year low on the back of weaker iron ore prices throughout the previous six months. The major iron ore exporter told the market its underlying profits came in at $US4.8bn for the first six months until June 30, which is down from $US5.75bn ($8.83bn) last year Interim dividends fall to $US1.48 a share versus $1.77 a year ago Embattled casino operator Star Entertainment used its quarterly update to announce the sale of its Queen's Wharf precinct in Brisbane was 'unlikely' to go through by Thursday's deadline. But it also pointed to an improving cash position with Star having $234m in cash and $269m in cash equivalents, as of June 30, up from $44m at the end of March. Shares in Star Entertainment Group slumped 4.35 per cent to $0.11 following the announcement. Pointsbet shares rallied a further 4.2 per cent to $1.25 after rival wagering business Betr upped its takeover offer.
Perth Now
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
AFL refuses to address reports of Snoop Dogg grand final act
It would be tha shiznit. Rumours are swirling that Snoop Dogg will drop it like it's hot for the pre-game entertainment at this year's AFL grand final. But the AFL is refusing to say whether the talk is fo' shizzle. The speculation started after Melbourne radio host Ross Stevenson told 3AW's Rumour File 'it had been suggested' the 53-year-old would headline the game at the MCG on September 27. 'It has been suggested to me that the Grand Final entertainment this year will be Snoop Dogg,' he told the show last week. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon dismissed rumours at a press conference on Tuesday. But promised fans they could expect 'big acts'. AFL CEO Andrew Dillon promised fans could expect 'big acts' at the Grand Final. Credit: News Corp Australia 'The Grand Final entertainment is important,' he said. 'So many people care about it and we're going to have a big act that we'll be announcing relatively soon.' AFL spokesperson Jay Allen dodged questions about the rapper and said pre-game entertainment announcement would be imminent. 'The pre-game entertainment at the AFL Grand Final is always a talking point and we're hoping to make an announcement shortly,' he told The West Australian. 'We are excited to deliver another world class show in front of 100,000 fans at the 'G and the millions more watching the broadcast ahead of the biggest game of the season.' Best known for his hits Drop It Like It's Hot and Gin and Juice, Snoop made music history after headlining the 2022 Super Bowl LVI halftime show with other hip-hop greats Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar. The rapper has been at the centre of various controversies, including claims he sexually assaulted a woman after one of his concerts in 2013. Snoop last toured Australia in 2023 as part of his 'I Wanna Thank Me' tour.
