Australia news live: Experts push back at call for shark cull after attack; university students report freedom of…

Key events

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Little evidence that shark culls improve beach safety, experts say

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Nearly $200m given to industry in zero-interest government loans amid Middle East conflict

1h ago

Barnaby Joyce says One Nation's fundraised money to go towards ad campaign

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Good morning

Dan Jervis-Bardy

Penny Wong welcomes US-Iran peace deal

The Australian government has welcomed the announcement of a peace deal to end the US and Iran conflict and reopen the strait of Hormuz.

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said:

We welcome President Trump and Pakistan’s announcement of an agreement, including to reopen the strait of Hormuz. Australia has long called for de-escalation and an end to the conflict, including in Lebanon. As we have said, the longer this war goes on, the greater the impact will be.

Read the latest on what we know so far about the pending deal here:

Andrew Messenger

Seven arrests at Brisbane Palestine rally, including flotilla participant

Seven protesters, including a participant in last month’s Global Sumud Flotilla, were arrested at a Justice for Palestine rally yesterday.

All seven were arrested for allegedly saying the phrase “from the river to the sea” or for holding a sign bearing the expression.

Spokesperson Remah Naji said a mooted lawsuit by Justice for Palestine was intended to test whether police would still enforce a ban on saying the phrase passed into law earlier this year. She said many people displayed or said the banned phrases at a rally the weekend before without being arrested.

“Today we’re going to test these laws again. We have people who are willing to challenge the laws with the banned expressions, because we understand our responsibility here as people with freedoms and the right and the duty to speak out against those crimes (of Israel),” she said.

Flotilla participant Sam Watson was the first arrested, after a brief speech.

Naji said the mooted high court challenge against the laws was still on foot, and is expected to be filed mid-July.

A spokesperson for the Queensland police said about 300 people attended the rally in King George Square.

“The QPS acknowledges the overall peaceful behaviour of protesters in Brisbane City today, 14 June,” the spokesperson said.

Seven people were charged with recital, distribution, publication or display of prohibited expressions.

Andrew Messenger

Lyle Shelton loses challenge against vilification ruling

Conservative commentator Lyle Shelton has lost a legal challenge against a six-year old vilification ruling.

The case dates to a January 2020 blog post by Shelton about two Drag Queen story time performers from Brisbane.

“Have we learned nothing from creeps like Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew?” he blogged.

The performers complained to the state’s human rights commission that the posts amounted to vilification under the state’s anti-discrimination act.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative tribunal dismissed their complaint in 2023 partly on the basis that transphobia and homophobia “lives in the past” meaning “any such incitement it could not be vilification” under the act. That judgement was set aside earlier this year by the same court.

Shelton challenged the latter decision in a judicial review at the Supreme Court, but on Friday the court ruled against him. The case will now return to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Little evidence that shark culls improve beach safety, experts say

Experts warn there is little evidence shark culls keep ocean-goers safer following the latest shocking encounter at a busy city beach, AAP reports.

A woman, 35, was swimming about 30 meters offshore at Coogee beach in Sydney when she was bitten by a shark on Saturday. She remained in critical but stable condition on Sunday.

A great white shark, which is a protected species, is thought to have been responsible. It follows a cluster of attacks nationwide, including several bull shark bites in Sydney Harbour.

The latest incident has reignited calls for culls to protect swimmers, which NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty has not expressly ruled out.

Adelaide University program director of environmental science Brianna Le Brusque said harmful encounters with the predators were tragic and cull discussions an understandable response.

But she said there was no science on how many animals would need to be removed to keep swimmers safe nor evidence it would meaningfully improve community safety.

Surveillance methods to alert swimmers were more effective, though complicated by a flight path keeping drones out of the air around Coogee.

Nearly $200m given to industry in zero-interest government loans amid Middle East conflict

Sarah Basford Canales

The federal government’s Economic Resilience Program has provided nearly $200m in zero-interest loans since its announcement last month.

The program offers $1bn in zero-interest loans for industrial manufacturing and critical supply chains impacted by market disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

In an update provided on Monday, more than 200 businesses have signed up for the zero-interest loans, totalling almost $195m.

The industry and innovation minister, Tim Ayres, said more than three-quarters of the loans have been for under $1m.

Ayres said:

Firms in crucial sectors like freight and logistics, fuel, plastics and fertiliser are receiving vital support from the National Reconstruction Fund in partnership with Australian banks.

Barnaby Joyce says One Nation's fundraised money to go towards ad campaign

One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce is speaking now, saying the millions in fundraising the party has raised in recent days will go towards “the removal of the Labor party because they have not been good for Australia”.

Joyce spoke to RN, saying the money would largely go to an advertising campaign in the lead up to the next election.

He said the party would not get “carried away”, saying he’s “very aware of hubris” and would solely focus on the “here and now”:

The election is still somewhere away, and polls are indicators, not votes.

Assistant treasurer says One Nation’s rise reflects ‘frustration’ of many people

Daniel Mulino, the assistant treasurer, said One Nation’s rise began “well before” the latest federal budget and reflected a “frustration on the part of many people” at the way the system is working for them.

Mulino spoke to RN Breakfast this morning as Pauline Hanson’s party continues to surge in the polls. He said:

I think it, for me, reflects a frustration on the part of many people at the way the system is working for them and the fact that they’re feeling pressures on a number of fronts: pressures from cost of living, pressures from Increasingly uncertain global economy and political situation.

What I’d say about One Nation is that they are very good at identifying grievances. They’re not very good at solutions. And in fact, Pauline Hanson’s voting record over recent years has often been to the detriment of people seeking pay rises, to the detriment of workers’ rights. And so that’s something which, as that comes to light more, I think people will judge that in due course.

Good morning

Good morning, Nick Visser here once again as we start a new week. Here’s what’s on deck:

Experts say there is little evidence for a shark cull after an attack at one of Sydney’s most popular beaches this weekend. They say there is no science on how many animals would need to be removed to keep swimmers safe, nor evidence it would meaningfully improve safety.

At least one in five students at Australian public universities don’t feel free to express their views on campus, according to a new analysis. The survey asked students about free speech on campuses, but found the trend has worsened in recent years and advised universities should be held accountable for how students feel in expressing themselves.

The federal government has provided almost $200m in no-interest loans to help support manufacturing supply chains since disruptions in the Middle East began. More than 200 businesses have signed up for the program.

Stick with us.