Good afternoon. Steven Miles will become Queensland’s new premier, after his challenger withdrew from the race.
But as the storm in Queensland Labor ranks eases, another is approaching far north Queensland. Communities in and around Cairns, Townsville and Port Douglas have been told to prepare for up to five days without power, amid warnings that Tropical Cyclone Jasper could dump 500mm of rain in 24 hours.
The cyclone is forecast to re-intensify before making landfall near Port Douglas as a category 2 tomorrow afternoon.
- Bruce Lehrmann seeks ‘secret’ Sky News recordings | So-called “secret” recordings of Brittany Higgins’ lawyer, Leon Zwier, speaking to her fiance, David Sharaz, at a Sydney bar while she faced cross-examination are being sought by Lehrmann’s legal team as he sues for defamation. While under cross-examination, a witness is specifically told not to discuss the case with anyone else. Zwier has denied coaching his client through her fiance.
- US ‘concerned’ by reports Israel military using white phosphorus | The White House said it would raise a new report with the Israeli government alleging it used US-supplied white phosphorus in a bombing attack in Lebanon that injured civilians and burned down houses. It comes as violence escalates on the Israeli-Lebanese border, with a mayor in south Lebanon reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike. Meanwhile, diplomats say negotiations for a new ceasefire in Gaza are unlikely to resume for weeks, with an understanding the Biden administration is not going to apply any more pressure on Israel to end its campaign.
- Mehreen Faruqi v Pauline Hanson | The Greens senator has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help finance a racial vilification case she has brought against Pauline Hanson, saying “race hate in Australia is only getting worse”. Faruqi launched legal action against Hanson in the federal court in May after the One Nation leader told the Greens senator to “pack [her] bags and piss off back to Pakistan” in a tweet. Hanson will argue freedom of political speech.
- Queensland children in adult watch houses being denied bail | Children are being denied bail – and held in adult police watch houses – because they come from dysfunctional families or don’t have safe accommodation, a report by the Queensland Family and Child Commission has found. The review says there is a “particularly significant level of over‐representation” of First Nations children affected by the state’s policy of keeping children in adult holding cells.
- Victoria announces first large Suburban Rail Loop contract | The premier, Jacinta Allan, announced a $3.6bn contract for the first stage of tunnels to be built between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. The announcement comes a week after an integrity agency found the controversial project was developed under “excessive secrecy” and “proved up” by consultants.
- ABC drops The Drum | The ABC’s primetime panel show has been axed after more than a decade on air due to dwindling ratings. The show will end after this week, with the program’s three main hosts, Julia Baird, Ellen Fanning and Dan Bourchier, all staying on in various roles. The ABC said “fewer than five” positions would be made redundant.
- China drops trade sanctions on Australian beef | China has lifted suspensions off three Australian abattoirs in a further easing of punitive trade sanctions imposed on the nation’s exports. The trade minister, Don Farrell, said this was another “positive step” towards the stabilisation of the relationship with China.
- Google loses antitrust trial to Fortnite maker Epic Games | Epic’s lawsuit accused Google of taking action to quash competitors and charging unduly high fees of up to 30% to app developers on its Google Play app. Jurors found for Epic on all counts. Google said it would appeal.*This is an excerpt from today's Afternoon Update newsletter. Sign up here to get the full version delivered to your inbox every weekday.
