Sentencing of convicted rapist Gareth Ward delayed to Friday after 11th-hour bid
Jordyn Beazley
Convicted rapist Gareth Ward was due to be sentenced a short time ago, with media gathering inside the courtroom for the 2pm judgment and his two victims reportedly joining via video link.
But the sentencing was delayed to 10am Friday after Ward’s lawyers made an 11th-hour bid for his sentence to reflect the sentencing practices at the time of his offending, which was in 2013 and 2015.
Judge Kara Shead on Wednesday in the Parramatta district court said that Ward’s lawyers had denied that 21B of the Sentencing Act – which requires sentencing to be in line with the current practices – applied in this instance.
His lawyers and the crown will now make submissions on why 21B should or shouldn’t apply.
“It should have been considered before today,” Shead said.
“No doubt the victims are experiencing a great amount of frustration.”
Ward, 44, was found guilty in July of sexually abusing two young men in 2013 and 2015. He is appealing against the convictions, which include three counts of indecent assault and one of sexual intercourse without consent. He has been remanded in custody since July in Cessnock prions.
Ward resigned as a New South Wales MP last month, just hours before he was to be kicked out of parliament.
In 2021, Ward left the Liberal party and moved to the crossbench after identifying himself as the state MP under investigation by the child abuse and sex crimes squad.
Key events
More than 50 people charged for alleged ‘serious and organised crime’ in South Australia
SA Police have arrested and charged 55 people allegedly involved in “serious and organised crime” as part of a coordinated operation across Adelaide and regional parts of the state.
Some 23 properties were raided in Operation Ironside from 5am, with search warrants executed. Six people were also arrested at Correctional Services facilities and they were taken to the city watchhouse.
The 55 people are facing 813 criminal charges including money laundering, drug trafficking and drug manufacturing and are expected to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court today.
As part of today’s operation, police also restrained more than $25.8m in assets – including 23 properties, 70 cars and bank accounts holding $588,000.
Operation Ironside is a joint initiative between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and state law enforcement agencies that leveraged intelligence gathered from encrypted ANOM devices that were being used by criminal syndicates.
Deputy commissioner of police, Linda Williams, said since the commencement of Operation Ironside in 2021, some 109 individuals had been arrested for their alleged involvement in serious criminal offending and $40m worth of assets was restrained.
Husic says there will be a ‘lot of people’ concerned with the actions of the Netanyahu government after Israeli strikes on Gaza
Husic was also asked about strikes launched by Israel on Gaza after the Netanyahu government accused Hamas of breaching the terms of the ceasefire.
Asked if he was concerned about the developments, Husic, who has been vocal in his concerns for the human suffering in Gaza, replied: “of course”.
It was always going to be that the Trump administration would have the maximum leverage on the Netanyahu government to bring them to the table, in tandem with all the work the Gulf states were doing.
That 20-point peace plan, I’m sure people can pick it apart, but the biggest thing it gave us was an element not present for two years, which was hope. We want that to continue … What we want to see is peace.
Husic added that Australians wanted to see that “kids are not targeted any more and they have the life they should deserve, and all Palestinians are freed from fear, along with Israelis, as a result of what Hamas did”.
We need this peace plan to work, big time it needs to work. But in terms of some of the actions of the Netanyahu government, I think there will be a lot of people concerned about it. The sooner it ceases and the sooner we get progress on the peace plan, the better for so many people.
Ed Husic warns proposed environmental powers could be detrimentally used by future ministers
The former energy minister Ed Husic, who was dumped from cabinet in May, has told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing he holds concerns over parts of the ministerial powers outlined in Labor’s proposed environment law changes.
The Albanese government plans to introduce its planned changes to the national law – the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – to parliament later this week.
Husic praised work the environment minister, Murray Watt, had done, but warned an element of the bill, which allowed the minister of the day to approve a project even if it had unacceptable environmental impact, could be detrimentally used by future governments:
We have a Coalition fight at the moment which includes members of that coalition that doubt the role of human-induced climate change and we’re going to give them the power to override environmental laws in what is called the national interest for them to make decisions. That’s a really consequential power to put [in].
Husic said he had raised his views through caucus and would support Labor’s decision. But he added it was something that “needs contemplation” and if a future Coalition minister had less regard for environmental incomes, then it was a “matter of concern”.
Husic vowed after he was moved to the backbench that he would be “constructive” but added that he would speak out on “important” issues when no longer constrained by cabinet solidarity.
‘Farewell old friend’: Irishman killed in mine disaster
Tributes have flowed from across the globe after an Irish expat was identified as one of two people killed in an underground mine explosion.
The outback town of Cobar has been left reeling after the early morning disaster on Tuesday, which experts say appeared to be an avoidable tragedy.
A woman in her 20s and a man in his 60s were killed, while a second woman in her 20s was flown to hospital with hearing damage and shock.
The man has been identified as Irish national Ambrose “Ambie” McMullen, who lived in Cobar and has been remembered as “well-known” in his home town of Cootehill.
Ciaran Mullooly, an Irish member of the European Parliament, remembered working with McMullen in the 1980s in a post on Facebook:
Ambie was a treasured colleague … (he) was a lovely man, great fun and craic and we enjoyed many’s (sic) the night out. RIP Ambie, farewell old friend.
When emergency services arrived shortly after the explosion, they were told McMullen was already dead. The two women were brought to the surface but one of them died soon after.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that McMullen’s body had been recovered from below ground. He was remembered by locals in Ireland for his love of Gaelic football, along with a friendly personality.
-AAP.
Anne Davies
Continued from previous post:
The threat of compulsory acquisition drew an immediate rebuke from Lock the Gate Alliance. Its national coordinator, Carmel Flint, said:
It’s very disappointing to see Premier Chris Minns take the side of gas giant Santos against local farmers and Gomeroi Traditional owners who merely seek to protect land, water, and culture from dangerous gasfields and associated pipelines.
Santos is the primary cause of Australia’s gas price hike because it has been siphoning our domestic gas and sending it to overseas markets for the past ten years. Rewarding this company with more gasfields is contrary to the national interest and will do nothing to reduce energy prices.
Minns linked the need for more power and compulsory acquisition to saving the Tomago aluminium smelter, which this week spoke to its workforce saying that its future was uncertain beyond 2028 when its current electricity contracts are due to expire.
He said NSW remained committed to renewables:
Now I want to make it clear, of course, we support renewable energy, but the truth of the matter is, gas is part of the future as well. And when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining, we need to be able to turn on other sources of energy to keep industry going.
The truth is, there is no future for domestic manufacturing without the continued presence of gas, particularly on the east coast. There is no renewable energy transition if we don’t have the gas there to back it up.
Anne Davies
NSW premier floats compulsory land acquisitions and says he will do ‘whatever it takes’ to make controversial Santos gas pipeline happen
Farmers whose land will be traversed by a proposed pipeline carrying gas from Santos’s controversial Narrabri gas field face compulsory acquisition of the corridor by the NSW government.
More than 100 impacted properties owners in the Hunter Valley alone are opposed to its construction. About 66% of landholders along the entire HGP route have so far not agreed to host the pipeline on their land.
But the NSW premier, Chris Minns, said he would do whatever it takes to make the project happen and that he considered more gas essential for NSW industry. He told the Australian Workers Union Conference on Wednesday:
Since coming into office, we’ve made every approval that’s been in front of us in relation to the Narrabri project. I can tell you today that we want landholders to work with Santos and the owners of the fields to come to an agreement that works for both parties.
But if that doesn’t happen, we will be considering compulsory acquisition of the pipeline easement around the field to ensure that the project gets going and that we can get energy into the manufacturing base of the Hunter for New South Wales.
The premier urged Santos to give final investment signoff to the controversial Narrabri project while also urging the commonwealth to establish an east coast gas reserve:
What we need now is for Santos to, quite simply, commit to Narrabri and make an investment decision. And we need the commonwealth government to finally pull the eastern states together to establish the east coast gas reserve so Australian gas is used to support Australian industry, first at Australian prices.
The gas reserve is well overdue. It’s a no brainer. It needs to happen.
Sentencing of convicted rapist Gareth Ward delayed to Friday after 11th-hour bid
Jordyn Beazley
Convicted rapist Gareth Ward was due to be sentenced a short time ago, with media gathering inside the courtroom for the 2pm judgment and his two victims reportedly joining via video link.
But the sentencing was delayed to 10am Friday after Ward’s lawyers made an 11th-hour bid for his sentence to reflect the sentencing practices at the time of his offending, which was in 2013 and 2015.
Judge Kara Shead on Wednesday in the Parramatta district court said that Ward’s lawyers had denied that 21B of the Sentencing Act – which requires sentencing to be in line with the current practices – applied in this instance.
His lawyers and the crown will now make submissions on why 21B should or shouldn’t apply.
“It should have been considered before today,” Shead said.
“No doubt the victims are experiencing a great amount of frustration.”
Ward, 44, was found guilty in July of sexually abusing two young men in 2013 and 2015. He is appealing against the convictions, which include three counts of indecent assault and one of sexual intercourse without consent. He has been remanded in custody since July in Cessnock prions.
Ward resigned as a New South Wales MP last month, just hours before he was to be kicked out of parliament.
In 2021, Ward left the Liberal party and moved to the crossbench after identifying himself as the state MP under investigation by the child abuse and sex crimes squad.
Josh Butler
Lidia Thorpe blames ‘fake outrage’ for furore over ‘burn down the parliament’ comment
Senator Lidia Thorpe says she will not apologise for her claim to a pro-Palestinian rally in Melbourne that she would “burn down” Parliament House, accusing critics of “fake outrage” and “treating a metaphor like a national emergency”, and right-wing media outlets of twisting her words.
In a speech to the Senate late last night, Thorpe said it was a “joke” that she was criticised and investigated by federal police over the remarks two weeks ago. Thorpe claimed her mention of fire was a reference to renewal and reform:
Fire has deep spiritual significance for First Peoples. It clears, it renews, it makes way for something new. That is what I was speaking about, not arson, but challenging colonial systems that continue to harm people.
I will not be quiet. I will tell the truth. And the truth is that this parliament is in desperate need of renewal. Parliamentarians sit idly by while our people are dying, passing laws that harm us. They sit idly by while people in Palestine face genocide. This parliament has the power to change, but those in this place choose not to… It needs to be rebuilt from the ground up if anything is ever going to change.
Thorpe went on:
That’s what my words were about. And yet here we are treating a metaphor like a national emergency. What a joke. The problem isn’t my words. It’s the colonial systems that still refuse to change, and all these politicians with their hot takes, their fake outrage. I won’t apologise and I won’t be dragged down.
Thorpe went on to criticise “the rightwing media” which she said twisted her words for commercial reasons.
They love to lecture me about seeking headlines, but they’re the ones writing the headlines. They peddle slop to drive outrage, clicks and sell papers. These hollowed-out, irrelevant news outlets are bleeding audiences, profits and influence.
They’ll do anything to grab attention. And what better way than another Lidia Thorpe scandal … and the AFP investigating a metaphor. What a waste of public money and everyone’s time.
Luca Ittimani
Woolworths values rises by $650m despite weak supermarket sales
Woolworths has reached its highest market value in over a month despite reporting disappointing supermarket sales, as investors hope it has stopped losing customers to Coles.
The company’s capitalisation has risen by $650m to near $33.6bn after publishing updated sales data this morning, while Coles has slumped over $400m down to $30.6bn.
Today’s report showed Woolworths’ supermarket sales picked up less than $300m in July-September from the year prior, below analyst expectations of at least $340m. Michael Toner, an RBC analyst, said Woolworths’ bigger sales and smaller mark-ups were not translating to faster food sales growth.
Woolworths said pet and baby product sales have weakened and tobacco sales have more than halved compared to 2024, while a glut of berries and avocados weighed on fruit and vegetable revenue.
But Amanda Bardwell, Woolworths’ chief executive, struck a hopeful tone, saying customer satisfaction was picking up and sales had strengthened in October, suggesting an end-of-year improvement. She said in a statement:
While [sales were] below our aspirations and there remains more to do, we are cautiously optimistic about our key trading quarter and we have strong plans in place for our customers for the festive season.
Bardwell’s optimism will be tested tomorrow when Coles is expected to report supermarket sales growth of more than $400m, as it continues to swipe customers from its competitor. Read why Woolworths has struggled here:
Krishani Dhanji
Thank you all for following along on the blog with me today!
I’ll leave you with the fabulous Caitlin Cassidy for the rest of the afternoon, and will see you here bright and early tomorrow for the final sitting day of the week.
Tl;dr here’s what happened in question time
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The opposition tried to get the treasurer to take responsibility for the jump in inflation and put pressure on government spending. But Jim Chalmers largely stuck to his lines – that inflation is half what it was in early 2022 and the jump is in part due to state energy rebates ending.
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Liberal MP Tim Wilson was ejected from QT, while Angus Taylor was warned early on in the piece that he’d quickly used up his “nine lives” and would be booted if he kept heckling.
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The shadow veterans affairs minister, Darren Chester, pushed Matt Keogh on the government’s defence honours bill, which the minister accused the Coalition of trying to stoke anxiety over. Liberal MP Phillip Thompson was also booted during this exchange.
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Chalmers gave assurance to independent MP Monique Ryan that the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) would not be abolished, after a report by the department.
Prime minister lands in South Korea
Anthony Albanese has touched down in Seoul, South Korea for the APEC summit.
Making a few comments to journalists on the runway (no questions) he says Australia does 75% of its trade with APEC nations, so it is a important series of meetings and events.
Albanese says he will also visit a cemetery where some of the Australian soldiers who died fighting in the Korean war have been laid to rest.
Some 281 Australians are laid to rest here, and an opportunity to pay tribute and my respect to them but also pay my respects to the 17,000 Australian men and women who fought here for freedom on the Korean peninsula as part of the United Nations forces defending democracy and freedom.
Patrick Commins
Jump in inflation pours cold water on interest rate cut hopes
Today’s jump in inflation may not have just delayed the next interest rate cut, but may have ruled out another cut altogether, according to the CBA.
The bank’s head of Australian economics, Belinda Allen, said it would take a substantial lift in unemployment or moderating inflation “to bring the RBA back to the easing table”.
Allen clearly doesn’t see either of these things happening anytime soon, predicting the Reserve Bank will remain on hold for the foreseeable future as they keep an eagle eye out for any sign inflation is reaccelerating.
Elsewhere, experts were downplaying the prospect of a cut this year after data showed consumer price growth jumped to 3.2% in the year to September, from 2.1% in June.
More worrying for the central bank was that underlying annual inflation, which removed the impact of big price moves like a 23% spike in electricity costs, lifted for the first time in nearly three years, to 3%.
Jonathan Kearns, the chief economist at Challenger, said “the current outlook suggests rates could remain unchanged until the middle of next year”.
Westpac’s Luci Ellis had pencilled in a rate cut next week, but said a rate cut would now be delayed until February at the earliest.
Question time ends
We get a final dixer on medicare (with references to Labor’s favourite “all you need is your medicare card …” line), and question time is over for the day! One more to go this week.
Liberal MP ejected amid battle over defence honours changes
The shadow veterans’ affairs minister Darren Chester presses Matt Keogh again on the defence honours bill. He asks whether the veterans’ affairs minister can name a single veteran who supports the bill.
(Before Chester even finishes the question, Liberal MP Phillip Thompson gets booted out of the chamber under 94a).
Keogh says he’s engaged with many ex-service organisations in developing the legislation.
I’m not going to go into chapter and verse of every individual conversation I have just to satisfy your ego.
There’s a bit of back and forth over Keogh’s use of “your” – because chamber rules and etiquette require members to refer to others by their title or electorate. Keogh then ends his answer.
I’ve had lengthy engagement in respect of this bill that will make sure that we have a tribunal that is modern, that is able to look after the concerns of our veterans, and to make sure that the tribunal is able to consider relevant evidence that is easily available to it.
Liberals love Peta Credlin while Labor cares about credibility, Bowen says
Chris Bowen loves a good jibe in question time, and takes the opportunity in a dixer to skewer the opposition over what he says is their love of Sky After Dark.
The government are also milking the uncertainty around Barnaby Joyce’s future and his discussions with One Nation.
Bowen says:
We’re about storing renewable power after dark. They’re about appeasing Sky After Dark. We’re about building policies to build the nation. They’re about building policies to beat One Nation. We’re about expert reports. They’re about The Bolt Report. We care about credibility. They care about [Peta] Credlin.
Chalmers commits to not abolishing Medical Research Future Fund
The independent Monique Ryan – a former paediatric neurologist – has been asking the government questions over the MRFF.
Previous QT questions have been around the low level of spending from the fund when it’s amassed quite a sum (which the health minister, Mark Butler, has said is being increased and looked at currently).
Today she asks the treasurer to confirm that the fund won’t be abolished after the release of a report by the department which she says was gathering opinions on options for the MRFF – including to shut it down.
Chalmers says immediately: “I can give that commitment. We won’t be abolishing the fund”:
These research funds are really important. We believe in them the important role that health and medical research plays in own community, in our economy and, most particularly, when it comes to the health of Australians and the position that we take following that review will reflect that.
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