Muslim organisation calls for more considered language to prevent hate
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network said the use of “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) in relation to yesterday’s raids had “unleashed online hatred and, based on past experience, will result in increased hate incidents against the Muslim community”.
Terrorism is politically motivated. Politically motivated is accurate language.
The network said RMVE is not a neutral term but “designed to link community panic and fear about terrorism to a whole religion” rather than alleged political motives.
White supremacist or Incel-inspired terrorism is “ideologically motivated”, yet where the offender is Muslim, a whole religion and community are demonised … RMVE language is nothing short of reckless and irresponsible and must end now.
The network said Asio boss Mike Burgess used the term “religiously motivated” during his National Press Club speech yesterday, despite warning politicians about inflammatory language.
Not only does this show immense disrespect, but it misleads the public as the cause of terrorism, putting our whole community at risk and marginalising us.
Key events
Deputy opposition leader backs eSafety commissioner ‘one hundred percent’
Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said she backs the eSafety commissioner “one hundred percent” and is “really disappointed” by the approach X boss Elon Musk is taking with the platform.
To get yourself up to speed on the Musk v Australian online safety regulator saga, you can read this explainer from Josh Taylor:
Speaking to Sky News earlier today, Ley said:
I’m for X obeying the law and I’m not for the actions and the statements of our eSafety commissioner being ignored. We back her 100%.
Ley largely spoke from a place of concern over the content young people could potentially access online. She continued:
I’m really disappointed with the approach of Elon Musk and the way he’s taken over this company. It’s just a free for all and it’s not fair and it’s not right.
Asked about criticism that Australia shouldn’t be able to tell X what it can and can’t do in other countries, Ley said this is “patently ridiculous” because “that’s why we have an eSafety commissioner”.
Her LNP colleague, Nationals senator Matt Canavan, has a different opinion. Earlier today he shared a video message from bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel – who said he was okay with videos of his alleged attack remaining online – and said:
I pray that our leaders and regulators will listen to your humble request for the video of the [alleged] attack on you to remain online.
26 whales stranded on WA beach have died
The Parks and Wildlife Service WA said four pods of up to 160 pilot whales in total had spread across roughly 500m, at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough.
But sadly 26 whales have died, they confirmed:
There are 20 whales in a pod about 1.5km offshore. Another pod of about 110 animals are together closer offshore.
Parks and Wildlife said an experienced team including wildlife officers, marine scientists and veterinarians are on-site or on their way.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has shown their concern and been working with our staff on the beach and in the water …
Our team is assessing the conditions of the whales that have stranded on the beach. Our teams on the water are trying to keep the animals together and away from the beach.
Parks and Wildlife said based on previous strandings, including the one near Albany last year, whales often have to be “euthanised as the most humane outcome”.
People are encouraged to stay away from the site.
Albanese joins Katter and Lambie for game of two-up
Back from his trip to Papua New Guinea, the prime minister has landed in Townsville and marked Anzac Day with a game of two-up at the local RSL.
Sharing photos of the game on X, Anthony Albanese was joined by MP Bob Katter, independent senator Jacqui Lambie and Labor senator Nita Green.
For those who don’t know, two-up is an Australian gambling game that can only be played on Anzac Day. As history professor Bruce Moore explained last year, two coins are placed on a small piece of wood called the “kip” and tossed into the air, and bets are placed on whether both coins will fall with heads or tails facing up.
Moore said two-up was always illegal because it is an unregulated form of gambling, but from the 1980s it became legal in most states on Anzac Day alone.
From the very early period of the first world war, two-up assumed great importance among the Australian troops. Soldiers reported that two-up was played on the battlefield during the Gallipoli campaign, even when under shellfire. As the war dragged on, numerous stories were told about Australian soldiers’ obsession with playing it.
Warning issued for shark activity around Toby’s Inlet
People are being urged to remain on alert around Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough, as potential dead whales may attract sharks.
In a statement, SharkSmart WA said dead and injured whales could “act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close [to the] shore”.
While it’s not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Western Australian coast throughout the year, people should exercise additional caution.
People are asked to report shark sightings to Water Police on 9442 8600.
Wildlife group urges public to stay away from site of mass whale stranding
The Dunsborough & Busselton Wildlife Care Inc is urging people to stay away from the site of a mass whale stranding at Toby’s Inlet.
The group said they are currently attending the beach with DBCA officers, rangers and “everyone who needs to be [here].”
The public are now hindering procedures and lots [of] dogs and kids [are] causing more problems… We will ask for help as and when needed.
Dunsborough & Busselton Wildlife Care Inc
We are in attendance along with dbca, rangers and everyone who needs to be the public are now hindering procedures and lots dogs and kids causing more problems please stay away and do not call us we are here pic.twitter.com/pCX4hFw7pZ
— Shark Safety WA (@SharkSafetyWA) April 25, 2024
Wildlife groups respond to mass whale stranding in Western Australia
We’re keeping an eye on the mass whale stranding near Dunsborough in Western Australia for any developments, as a coordinated rescue effort is being formed between DBCA staff and Perth Zoo vets.
As we reported earlier, up to 100 pilot whales are stranded on the shore of Toby’s Inlet. Six whales are believed to have died.
The Perth Wildlife Rescue Network said on Facebook that people should stay away from the area, or keep their distance, if they are not physically assisting with the rescue.
Please do NOT take your dog down to the beach off lead to run around… Please listen to DBCA officers [and] don’t try to be a hero, you may get hurt or cause injury to the whales.
Wildlife rehabilitation organisation F.A.W.N.A Inc. urged people to register their interest to help with the rescue, rather than just showing up, because “there are too many people crowding already.”
Busselton council said city rangers are in attendance and the beach has been closed.
And Casey Woodward with WA Landcare said although the situation is “incredibly distressing” it’s important for people to follow the instruction of government departments:
The last thing they need is a circus when they are trying to coordinate a very intense situation on a falling tide.
Queensland police investigate death of man and serious injury of woman
At 9:20am today, police responded to an address in Bramston Court, north of Brisbane, to conduct a welfare check. Police said:
Upon arrival, police located the man and the woman, both aged in their seventies and with serious head injuries.
The man was declared deceased at the scene. The woman was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital.
Police have taken a 26-year-old Boondall man into custody.
Six whales have died amid mass stranding, Surf Life Saving says
Surf Life Saving says six whales have died amid a mass stranding event on a Western Australian beach.
According to a tweet, officers from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions sighted six whale carcasses at 9.10am, local time, about 1m offshore.
DBCA officers report 6 x whale carcasses sighted at 9:10hrs 25/04, BSN315 Quindalup BEN Sign, east of Dunsborough. 1m offshore. A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales.. Reported at 09:50hrs 25/04.
— Surf Life Saving WA (@SLSWA) April 25, 2024
As we reported earlier, a mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. DBCA staff and vets from Perth Zoo are reportedly attending the scene to coordinate a rescue effort.
Latest mass whale stranding comes less than a year after stranding near Albany
We’ll bring you the latest on the mass whale stranding at Dunsborough, Western Australia throughout the day as more information filters through (see earlier post).
It comes less than a year after dozens of pilot whales died near Albany amid a mass stranding. This occurred at Cheynes Beach, more than 400km from Toby’s Inlet where the current stranding is occurring.
Reporter Narelle Towie was at Cheynes Beach last year and found herself joining volunteers and marine officials trying to save the stranded pod. You can read about her experience below:
Meanwhile, Tom Mustill has explored why mass whale stranding’s occur in the first place:
Muslim organisation calls for more considered language to prevent hate
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network said the use of “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) in relation to yesterday’s raids had “unleashed online hatred and, based on past experience, will result in increased hate incidents against the Muslim community”.
Terrorism is politically motivated. Politically motivated is accurate language.
The network said RMVE is not a neutral term but “designed to link community panic and fear about terrorism to a whole religion” rather than alleged political motives.
White supremacist or Incel-inspired terrorism is “ideologically motivated”, yet where the offender is Muslim, a whole religion and community are demonised … RMVE language is nothing short of reckless and irresponsible and must end now.
The network said Asio boss Mike Burgess used the term “religiously motivated” during his National Press Club speech yesterday, despite warning politicians about inflammatory language.
Not only does this show immense disrespect, but it misleads the public as the cause of terrorism, putting our whole community at risk and marginalising us.
Mass stranding of pilot whales on Western Australian beach
A mass stranding of between 50 and 100 pilot whales is occurring on a Western Australian beach, with a coordinated rescue effort underway.
According to the WA Parks and Wildlife Service, the mass stranding is occurring at Toby’s Inlet near Dunsborough. An image shows dozens of whales along the shoreline.
Staff from the department of biodiversity, conservation and attractions, plus vets from Perth Zoo, are now being sent to the area.
Parks and Wildlife is urging the community not to attempt to rescue the animals without the direction of department staff, as this “may cause further injury and distress to the animals and hinder a coordinated rescue effort”.
Those who wish to help can contact Parks and Wildife’s Busselton office on 9752 5555.
The highest priority at mass whale stranding events is always human safety followed by animal welfare. We want all staff and volunteers to go home safe.
We ask that people please follow instructions of DBCA staff to ensure the highest human safety and animal welfare outcomes are achieved.
Peter Hannam
First RBA interest rate cut may not happen until after the federal election
Investors can be a twitchy mob, as we saw yesterday when Australia’s March quarter inflation figures surprised on the upside.
Prior to the release of the ABS data, markets had been tipping the first Reserve Bank interest rate cut would be a certainty by next February. After the numbers dropped, investors reviewed their bets and now only fully price in that first cut by next July, at least according to the ASX.
Markets now not fully pricing in an RBA rate cut until July 2025, according to ASX’s rates tracker. Prior to yesterday’s unexpected strong March quarter CPI figures, that first cut was fully priced in for February. pic.twitter.com/uo9XYUooA9
— @[email protected] (@p_hannam) April 25, 2024
The Australian dollar also bounced higher against the US counterpart, reaching about 65.3 US cents within about an hour. As it happens, other things are going on in the world, and the Aussie dollar has given up most of yesterday’s advance to hover around the 65 US cents mark.
Those pundits who clutched for the pearls yesterday might also want to reassess. Yes, inflation won’t keep falling at the rate it has – and might even go up some months. But a year ago, CPI was running at a 6.3% clip and in March 2024 it had dropped to 3.5%.
Economists, we should note, hadn’t had a great track record of late in picking the inflation rate. For five months in a row, they overestimated the outcome and last month was finally one that surprised the other way.
Or, as we note here, punters shouldn’t panic:
Thousands attend Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne
AAP has more details about the Anzac Day marches in Sydney and Melbourne today:
Thousands have lined the streets of Sydney’s CBD to watch and honour current serving Australian Defence Force members and veterans.
To the beat of drums and bagpipes, marchers – including veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf War, East Timor and Afghanistan – walked down the city’s main thoroughfare.
Meanwhile, thousands of Victorians filled Melbourne city’s streets to commemorate Australia’s war efforts at the Anzac Day parade.
A stacked roster of active army, air force and navy personnel, government officials and veterans who fought in historic conflicts marched towards the Shrine of Remembrance.
Among the parade’s more than 10,000 participants were veterans from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
This is the first year veterans of peacekeeping operations have led Melbourne’s Anzac Day march. The parade’s route stretches from Princes Bridge on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD to the Shrine.
Photos are continuing to roll in from the Anzac Day parade in Sydney
Bishop would be ‘concerned’ if video of his alleged attack used to ‘control free speech’
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel says he would be of “great concern” if the video of his alleged attack in a Wakeley church was used by people to “serve their own political interests to control free speech”.
In a video statement posted by Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, the bishop commented on the eSafety commissioner’s request for footage of the alleged attack to be removed from social media, including X.
X boss Elon Musk has been fighting efforts to have the video taken down. Josh Taylor delved into the topic on today’s episode of Full Story:
In a video message, the bishop said:
I do acknowledge the Australian government’s desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature. I do not condone any acts of [alleged] terrorism or violence. However, noting our God-given right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I’m not opposed to the videos remaining on social media.
I would be of great concern if people use the [alleged] attack on me to serve their own political interests to control free speech.
Melbourne’s Anzac Day parade begins
The Anzac Day parade in Melbourne has begun, with 10,000 expected to participate. This year, peacekeeping operations will lead the march for the first time.
Here are some photos from the parade so far:
