former Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar – who’s been dismissed together with almost all other officials – said he would launch a challenge against the legislation passed last week to put the union into administration.

• In short: The CLP will form government in the Northern Territory, ABC Chief Election Analyst Antony Green predicts.
• Double-digit swings towards the CLP are being seen across the Northern Territory.
• What's next: The CLP are on track to win at least 14 seats, according to the ABC's predictions.

(CLP = Country Liberal Party)

• In short ABC managing director David Anderson has announced his intention to resign after almost six years at the helm of the national broadcaster.

• Mr Anderson's announcement comes just a year into his second term, but he says he is comfortable with his decision and feels the time is right.

• What's next? Mr Anderson says he will remain in the role at the request of ABC chair Kim Williams until a new managing director is appointed, likely early next year.

In short:

Pianist Jayson Gillham says he chose to play Witness at a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) concert to "remind people" about the war in Gaza.

The MSO cancelled his next performance as a result of his comments, leading its musicians to pass a vote of no confidence in management on Friday.

What's next?

The MSO intend to reschedule Gillham's performance, with Gillham saying he hopes "to find a way forward".

• In short: Australia's national research body, the CSIRO, will cut up to 500 jobs as part of a broader organisational restructure.

• Non-research staff are affected, with some research roles already earmarked for cuts earlier this year.

• What's next? The CSIRO staff union has called on the government for more funding to ensure it can continue to carry out world-class research.

In short:

Sharon Hall, 66, was charged after assaulting a pro-Palestinian protester at a Deborah Conway concert in Hobart in May.

Hall smashed a wine glass on the stage and held the "jagged" stem inches away from the protester — an incident witnessed by hundreds of people and captured on video.

What's next?

Hall has been sentenced to a community corrections order with 49 hours of community work.

• In short: Australia's largest mortgage lender [CBA] is no longer offering money to fossil fuel companies that are not aligned with the Paris Agreement.
• The bank announced the new direction in its latest climate report, published on the same day it posted close to $10 billion in full-year net profit.

• What's next? The spotlight is now on the other big banks with a finance deal of about $750 million for oil and gas giant Santos on the table.

• In short: The ANU has announced it will no longer invest in certain weapons companies in the long-term, following months of pressure from pro-Palestinian student groups.

• The university said its council had decided that its "long term investment pool [would] not invest in controversial weapons manufacturers and civilian small arms manufacturers".

• What's next? Pro-Palestinian students on campus say their protest action will continue until further demands are met by the university.

Not sure whether this belongs more here or in !worldnews@aussie.zone

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has cancelled a performance by an acclaimed pianist over comments he made while introducing a new piece of music dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza.

Canonical URL: https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/orchestra-cancels-acclaimed-pianist-who-acknowledged-journalists-killed-in-gaza-20240813-p5k1we.html

• In short: Special legislation to force the CFMEU to accept an administrator will be introduced to parliament "as a matter of urgency".
• The workplace relations minister said the CFMEU had acted too slowly on an application before the courts to appoint an administrator.
• What's next? The legislation will be introduced when parliament resumes next week, which the government hopes can be passed without review.

Journalists from multiple major Australian newspapers have announced they will go on strike from Friday morning, on the eve of the Paris Olympics.

Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) members at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times and WAtoday will walk off the job at 11am on Friday morning.

Ah, excellent. Let's convince the general public to fucking dob on each other. This is totally going to end well.

I hope they have really good gen-AI detection available.

cross-posted from: https://ani.social/post/4790666

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17673461

Activist jailed for securing herself to equipment at Newcastle port

📷 Laura Davy, 21, has been sentenced to three months in jail for securing herself to a coal reclaimer as part of a protest backed by Blockade Australia. Picture supplied

An environmental activist who secured herself to a coal reclaimer in Newcastle at the weekend has been jailed.

Laura Davy, 21, was on Monday sentenced to three months in prison and fined $1100 for the illegal protest at Port Waratah Coal Services early on Sunday morning.

Her co-accused, 22-year-old Dominic Burgess, was also due to face Newcastle Local Court on Monday.

In a statement, Blockade Australia - the organisation for which Davy was acting - described the sentence as a "shocking escalation" and said an appeal was expected to be lodged on Monday afternoon.

📷 The response to some of the previous protesters who have taken part in action that started in June. Pictures by Peter Lorimer

The activists' group has been backing ongoing illegal disruptions to the coal freight line and port for the past fortnight, with people charged from Singleton to Newcastle.

"After more than 30 arrests as part of a sustained Blockade Australia mobilisation, Laura is the first to be sentenced under the harsh anti-protest laws introduced in 2022. Introduced to stifle protests in NSW, these laws faced huge backlash from activists and civil society for being anti-democratic in nature," a statement from Blockade Australia said.

"Davy, a young person with very limited priors (only a low level good behavior bond in Tasmania) is having an appeal lodged on their behalf this afternoon.

"Laura, like many young people, took part in the Blockade Australia mobilisation to confront the system that is putting her future in jeopardy."

Magistrate Michael Barko handed down the sentence after Davy pleaded guilty to trespassing with a serious safety risk, and seriously disrupting a major facility. She is due to be released in October.

A few hours before Davy and Burgess were arrested, police were called to the rail corridor connecting Sandgate and Kooragang Island where they found 29-year-old Clancey Jay Maher obstructing trains.

Maher was charged and was also due to face court on Monday.

Sunday's disruptions came after a 21-year-old Queensland woman was charged for obstructing trains at Farley, near Maitland.

• In short: Environmental activist group Blockade Australia has staged more than a dozen protests on the Hunter rail line since Tuesday.
• It has impacted coal trains and more than 200 passenger trains, leaving many commuters frustrated.
• What's next? Transport for NSW says it will continue to assess the situation and schedule replacement buses when necessary.

• In short: Australian book retailer Booktopia has gone into voluntary administration.
• The company has been trading at a loss for over a year and earlier made 50 staff redundant.
• What's next? Administrators are looking at selling or restructuring the main Booktopia business and its three subsidiaries.

• In short: Sisters Olivia and Hannah Lemin were treated for "burning" and "tingling" sensations after they were allegedly served insect repellent instead of juice at a Perth restaurant.
• The family says they have made a complaint to the Department of Health.
• What's next? The restaurant said it was investigating the incident, but declined to comment further.