Australia's Economic Slowdown: Will Chalmers’ Rebuttal Silence Critics?

5:23 PM - Minister Says NT Plan to Lower Criminal Responsibility ‘Not the Way to Go’

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy has expressed concerns about the Northern Territory government’s plan to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10. She argues that this approach is problematic and not suitable for addressing youth crime. McCarthy, reflecting on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, believes that incarcerating young children is inappropriate and calls for alternative measures.

4:40 PM - Economist Argues Treasurer Should ‘Be Crowing About’ Australian Economy

Independent economist Saul Eslake has suggested that despite Australia’s economy growing at its slowest annual rate since the early 1990s, the 0.2 per cent growth in the June quarter is not disastrous. Eslake argues that compared to other Western countries facing more severe economic contractions, Australia’s performance remains relatively stable.

4:01 PM - Sydney Uni Warned About Extremist Group Presence a Month Before Telling Police

Sydney University Vice Chancellor Mark Scott defended his handling of a pro-Palestinian encampment as he revealed that the university was warned about the potential presence of an extremist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, more than a month before police were alerted. Scott stated that the university had received assurances from authorities about the lack of radicalised behaviour at the encampment.

3:50 PM - Reynolds’ Lawyer Throws Spotlight on Higgins, Sharaz Texts Amid Political Furore

In the defamation trial involving Liberal senator Linda Reynolds, her lawyer, Martin Bennett, highlighted text messages between Brittany Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz. These messages allegedly mock Reynolds’ hospitalisation and criticize her response to the alleged rape incident, intensifying the political controversy surrounding the case.

3:05 PM - Australia Warned of Worse-Than-Usual Bushfire Conditions

Australia is preparing for potentially severe bushfire conditions this spring, according to the latest seasonal bushfire outlook. The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) reports that increased fuel loads from unseasonal rainfall in Queensland and the Northern Territory elevate the fire risk. Other regions, including western Victoria and eastern South Australia, are also at heightened risk.

2:45 PM - Foreign Student Cap Won’t Improve Property Market, Housing Tsar Says

Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, Chair of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, has criticized the federal government’s plan to cap the number of international students as a means to ease housing supply issues. Lloyd-Hurwitz argues that reducing international student numbers will not significantly impact the housing market and could harm the education sector.