South African man’s visa cancelled after neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament
Tom McIlroy
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has cancelled the visa of Matthew Gruter after a recent neo-Nazi publicity stunt outside the New South Wales state parliament.
A South African national, Gruter, who has been living in Australia with his wife, was part of the group who posed with an anti-Jewish lobby banner and posted content to social media earlier this month.
Officials in the home affairs department were preparing advice for Burke at the weekend, developments first reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.
“If you are on a visa you are a guest. If you’re a citizen you’re a full member of the Australian family,” Burke said on Monday.
Like with any household, if a guest turns up to show hatred and wreck the household, they can be told it’s time to go home.
His visa was cancelled on Monday.
Last week’s demonstration – which lasted less than 20 minutes in total – was observed by NSW police. The protest was authorised: the group had filled out a “form 1”, a notice of intention to hold a public assembly, which had not been opposed by police.
More than 60 members of the group carried a large banner that read “Abolish the Jewish Lobby” earlier this month.
Demonstrators wore black uniforms, some with insignia stitched on to their jackets. Some obscured their faces with hats and sunglasses, but many appeared unworried about being filmed and identified.
Key events
What we learned, Monday 17 November
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
-
New analysis by Climate Energy Finance showed taxpayers will need to pay up to $2bn in additional subsidies if the federal and South Australian governments support an “entirely uneconomic” gas-backed plan to rescue the ailing Whyalla steelworks.
-
The ACT has closed 71 public schools amid concerns that more children’s coloured play sand may contain asbestos. 26 public schools in Canberra will remain closed on Tuesday.
-
It was a big day for Sussan Ley, who started off by telling RN Breakfast that immigration numbers “need to be lower”, saying Australians are facing issues in their communities, including difficulties finding “the right commute to work”. Later, she batted away concerns that she could face a leadership challenge from the likes of Andrew Hastie.
-
The NSW Nationals leader, Dugald Saunders, has stepped down as leader ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting, citing family reasons.
-
Life Saving Victoria urged Victorians to stay safe in the water after recording 12 drownings in spring alone, the highest number for the season since 2001.
-
The Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, called on the NSW premier, Chris Minns, to urgently step up rental protections after key stakeholders identified failings in state legislation.
-
Home affairs minister, Tony Burke, cancelled the visa of South African man Matthew Gruter after a recent neo-Nazi publicity stunt outside the New South Wales state parliament.
-
And there were late reports that the Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, could face a leadership challenge as early as Tuesday.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be with you tomorrow to do it all again.
Man who lit Melbourne synagogue fire was having schizophrenic hallucinations, court told
A man who admitted setting the doors of a synagogue on fire was having hallucinations about zombies, a court has been told.
Angelo Loras, 35, on Monday pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering members of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation by setting fire to their synagogue on 5 July.
Loras was arrested the next day and told police he believed the building was a home rather than a place of worship.
Magistrate Malcolm Thomas on Monday accepted Loras had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and he did not intentionally target the synagogue.
The magistrate noted Loras’s schizophrenia symptoms had significantly improved in the past four months as he was receiving medication and treatment while on remand.
– AAP
Victorian Liberals to spill leadership: reports
There are reports that the Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, will face a leadership challenge as early as tomorrow.
We are trying to confirm details now and will bring you more as it comes.
South African man’s visa cancelled after neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament
Tom McIlroy
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has cancelled the visa of Matthew Gruter after a recent neo-Nazi publicity stunt outside the New South Wales state parliament.
A South African national, Gruter, who has been living in Australia with his wife, was part of the group who posed with an anti-Jewish lobby banner and posted content to social media earlier this month.
Officials in the home affairs department were preparing advice for Burke at the weekend, developments first reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.
“If you are on a visa you are a guest. If you’re a citizen you’re a full member of the Australian family,” Burke said on Monday.
Like with any household, if a guest turns up to show hatred and wreck the household, they can be told it’s time to go home.
His visa was cancelled on Monday.
Last week’s demonstration – which lasted less than 20 minutes in total – was observed by NSW police. The protest was authorised: the group had filled out a “form 1”, a notice of intention to hold a public assembly, which had not been opposed by police.
More than 60 members of the group carried a large banner that read “Abolish the Jewish Lobby” earlier this month.
Demonstrators wore black uniforms, some with insignia stitched on to their jackets. Some obscured their faces with hats and sunglasses, but many appeared unworried about being filmed and identified.
Daniel says she is still deciding whether to run for Goldstein again
Asked by host Patricia Karvelas if she will run for Goldstein at the next election, Zoe Daniel said:
There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the next election. My phone’s been ringing hot with people saying, ‘for God’s sake, please get back in there’. That is something for me to decide over time.
Former teal MP Zoe Daniel says Tim Wilson’s frontbench position ‘untenable’
On Afternoon Briefing, former independent member for Goldstein Zoe Daniel has been asked if her predecessor turned successor in the last election, Liberal MP Tim Wilson, should quit the frontbench over net zero. She says he should, because he has failed the electorate on climate change.
I think his position is untenable in a party that doesn’t have a substantive climate policy, in a seat that’s the second most marginal in the country, where we know people really care about effective climate and energy policy and environment policy.
Not only for the sake of the environment but for the sake of the economy and for business certainty. There are a lot of people in Goldstein invested in the renewable sector, this is important for businesses and companies.
Coalition should be pursuing ‘cheaper and cheaper renewable electricity’, Turnbull says
Asked if he agreed energy prices would be cheaper under Sussan Ley’s energy plan, Malcolm Turnbull said:
Absolutely not. It is very clear that the right thing for us to do – and I mean both in terms of affordability and environmental responsibility – is to continue the transition to a system where the bulk of our primary generation is from solar and wind, backed up by batteries and pumped hydro, and keep some gas in reserve for peaking, but that is the best solution.
We now have cheaper and cheaper renewable electricity. That’s our advantage in Australia. We have a lot of land and sunshine and we can take advantage.
Coalition consumed by ‘fact-free, reality-free culture war’ over climate, Malcolm Turnbull says
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been speaking on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing about the Liberals scrapping their policy of net zero emissions by 2050.
He said:
What you have is a fact-free, reality-free culture war, and it is designed to gratify the rightwing media ecosystem dominated by Sky News, and that is basically what is in charge of the Coalition. That’s why I say I feel sorry for Sussan Ley.
Turnbull said the MPs had the “memory of goldfish and the dining habits of piranhas”.
Man charged in WA after campfire allegedly sparks bushfire
Western Australia police have charged a 25-year-old in relation to a bushfire in Perth’s southern suburbs.
Officers with the police arson squad allege the man set up a temporary campsite in the Port Kennedy Scientific Park and started a campfire. The flames quickly spread to the surrounding vegetation due to strong winds, police said, prompting an emergency response in the area.
The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a bushfire warning yesterday, saying while the blaze didn’t threaten any lives or homes, it was causing a lot of smoke in the area.
The man has been charged with one count of breach of duty and is due to appear before Perth magistrates court today. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Parts of WA, around greater Geraldton, are under a total fire ban due to dangerous conditions.
Sarah Basford Canales
Reactions mixed over proposal to shift kids with some developmental delays or autism from NDIS
Autism advocacy community groups have delivered a mixed response to the federal government’s proposal to shift kids with mild to moderate developmental delays or autism from the NDIS from mid next year.
A parliamentary inquiry today is hearing from a wide range of groups on their consideration of the Thriving Kids initiative, first announced in August, and the impacts it could have on the communities or interests they represent.
The chair of Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand (ASAN ANZ), Cheryl Koch, told the inquiry:
Thriving Kids is a pivotal opportunity to reshape Australia’s disability ecosystem, but it cannot be successful if it doesn’t garner the trust of the autistic community and the … neurodivergent community across Australia.
Heidi La Paglia, a board member for Regional Autistic Engagement Network, said there was “deep fear” within the community around how the changes could impact existing NDIS participants.
Under the proposal, the federal government will provide $2bn to states and territories to initiate the Thriving Kids program to offer support for children with mild to moderate developmental delays or autism in places such as early learning groups and school, rather than through the NDIS.
Nick Visser
That’s all from me. Cait Kelly will be your guide for the rest of the day. Take care!
