King dodges calls to directly address slavery and legacy of colonialism in Chogm speech
Kate Lyons
Just earlier, King Charles addressed the summit of Commonwealth leaders in Samoa, dodging calls to directly address slavery and the legacy of colonialism in the Commonwealth.
During his speech to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, which is being attended by Anthony Albanese, Charles said he understood that “painful aspects of our past continue to resonate” but asked Commonwealth leaders to “reject the language of division”.
None of us can change the past but we can commit with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.
The king has faced calls to reckon with Britain’s colonial past, with many African, Caribbean and Pacific nations wanting this summit to commit to a discussion on the topic of reparatory justice, and discussion of financial compensation for slavery.
The king did not directly address colonialism or slavery but, in a seeming nod to the subject and the legacies of inequality left in their wake, said:
It is vital … that we understand our history to guide us to make the right choices in the future. Where inequalities exist … we must find the right ways and the right language to address them. As we look around the world and consider its many deeply concerning challenges, let us choose, within our Commonwealth family, the language of community and respect and reject the language of division.
Key events
Severe heatwave warnings in place for parts of Queensland, NT and WA
There are a number of fire and heatwave warnings in place across the country today.
In the Northern Territory, there is an extreme fire danger warning in place for Barkly North, with Fire and Rescue advising:
Extreme fire dangers are forecast [today] due to very hot and dry temperatures, combined with fresh east to southeasterly winds during the late morning and into the afternoon.
This comes as a heatwave warning is in place for the Daly, Tiwi and Arnhem districts across the territory. The Bureau of Meteorology says temperatures could reach the low 40s inland, with severe heatwave conditions set to persist into next week.
A severe heatwave warning is also in place for parts of far north Queensland, including over the Cape York Peninsula – building further over the weekend and into next week.
In Western Australia, a severe heatwave warning is also in place for the Kimberley, Pilbara and North Interior districts. Conditions are expected to persist into the weekend, impacting Port Hedland.
🌡️ Hot temperatures with Severe Heatwave warnings for the Kimberley, Pilbara and North Interior today.
⛈️ An afternoon thunderstorm possible in the Goldfields.
☀️ A taste of summer next week for western and southern parts.
Find your forecast: https://t.co/0mJfdX5yUY pic.twitter.com/Rbti4w5oU2— Bureau of Meteorology, Western Australia (@BOM_WA) October 24, 2024
Search for missing senior’s body as murder charge laid
A semi-rural property is being searched for the body of a missing elderly man on the same day his accused killer appears in court for the first time, AAP reports.
Police allege Edwin Dobbin, 82, was shot dead some time after he disappeared from southwest Sydney in late September. Nearly a month later, detectives charged a 67-year-old with killing the elderly man and disposing of his body.
The accused killer, who police said knew Dobbin, was arrested at a home in Smithfield yesterday after allegedly telling authorities conflicting accounts of the elderly man’s disappearance.
Following the arrest, police began searching a semi-rural property in the Hawkesbury region, northwest of Sydney, where they believe Dobbin’s body is buried. Authorities said they would continue the search for his remains today.
The accused man was also charged with hindering an investigation into a serious indictable offence and the unlawful disposal of a corpse. He was refused police bail and is due to appear at Fairfield Local Court today.
Two missing-person appeals were issued for Dobbin after he was last spotted at Leppington, about 80km from where the search for his body was taking place, early on the morning of 25 September.
Jonathan Barrett
New Qantas chair pledges to resolve future issues ‘quickly and ethically’
The new chair of Qantas, John Mullen, struck a conciliatory tone in his opening remarks at the company’s annual general meeting in Hobart today, as the airline seeks to avoid a repeat of last year’s tense exchanges. Mullen told shareholders that:
There is no pretending that last year was anything other than a very difficult year for Qantas.
You have our absolute commitment to learn from the past, correct mistakes quickly and ethically if they occur, and ensure that we earn the trust and respect of all of our stakeholders, from government to customers to employees and to everyday Australians.
The airline will be hoping to avoid a second strike to its remuneration report today, after shareholders delivered one of Australia’s largest ever protest votes against executive pay at last year’s meeting.
Last year, the meeting erupted with shareholders shouting “shame on you” at the board’s chairman, Richard Goyder, who has since stepped down.
Shareholders are expected to ask questions today about the fallout of a string of scandals that included a $100m penalty for selling thousands of tickets for cancelled flights.
Man arrested after woman’s body located in regional NSW
A man has ben arrested after a woman’s body was located on a property in north-central New South Wales.
About 8.20am this morning, police located the body of a woman at a Gunnedah property after reports of a concern for welfare. She is yet to be formally identified, however is believed to be aged in her 50s, police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Gunnedah police station where he is helping police with their inquiries. No charges have been laid.
Police believe the man and woman were known to each other.
A crime scene has been established which will be forensically examined by specialist police, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Miles continues challenge to visit 36 seats in 36 hours
The Queensland premier, Steven Miles, is continuing his challenge to visit 36 seats in 36 hours before tomorrow’s state election.
He began the challenge yesterday at Maroochydore, sharing a photo to X from each stop along the way – including Caloundra, Pumicestone, Bancroft, Sandgate, Bulimba and the final stop of the day, Clayfield.
This morning, he is on stop number 20 at Murrumba – his home seat.
King dodges calls to directly address slavery and legacy of colonialism in Chogm speech
Kate Lyons
Just earlier, King Charles addressed the summit of Commonwealth leaders in Samoa, dodging calls to directly address slavery and the legacy of colonialism in the Commonwealth.
During his speech to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, which is being attended by Anthony Albanese, Charles said he understood that “painful aspects of our past continue to resonate” but asked Commonwealth leaders to “reject the language of division”.
None of us can change the past but we can commit with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.
The king has faced calls to reckon with Britain’s colonial past, with many African, Caribbean and Pacific nations wanting this summit to commit to a discussion on the topic of reparatory justice, and discussion of financial compensation for slavery.
The king did not directly address colonialism or slavery but, in a seeming nod to the subject and the legacies of inequality left in their wake, said:
It is vital … that we understand our history to guide us to make the right choices in the future. Where inequalities exist … we must find the right ways and the right language to address them. As we look around the world and consider its many deeply concerning challenges, let us choose, within our Commonwealth family, the language of community and respect and reject the language of division.
Crisafulli makes final Queensland election pitch
David Crisafulli also made an election pitch to voters, who will go to the polls tomorrow, and said:
The choice of the next election is very clear, and that is a choice between a majority LNP government … or a minority Labor government propped up by the extreme Greens at one end of the state and the chaotic Katters’ at the other end. Think about what that means for you and the parliament.
Earlier, the Labor leader, Steven Miles, ruled out deals with minor parties to form government, and said he was “campaigning for a majority government”.
Crisafulli commits to implementing Daniel’s law at Walk for Daniel
The Queensland opposition leader, David Crisafulli, is speaking to reporters from Caloundra before tomorrow’s state election.
As Andrew Messenger reported earlier, Crisafulli has spent the morning at the 20th Walk for Daniel – held by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, in honour of the young murder victim.
The opposition leader told reporters that, if elected, the LNP would enact Daniel’s law – to see the formation of a public child sex offender register:
[The family has] been campaigning for that for more than a decade and it is time … I can assure [that] if government changes, we will not let you down. Daniel’s law will be law and that will be a great honour for a special little boy and a great legacy to keep Queensland kids safe.
Further $10m in aid for Lebanon
The Australian government has announced a further $10m in humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected civilians in Lebanon.
In a statement from the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, and the international development minister, Pat Conroy, the ministers note about 800,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Emergency shelters have been overwhelmed and humanitarian workers killed.
Australia’s assistance would be delivered through UN partners to “address immediate and emerging needs, including access to food, shelter, healthcare and other critical services”, the statement said.
Since 7 October the government has committed $94.5m in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and Lebanon and “to respond to the refugee crisis in the region worsened by those conflicts.”
Australia has been clear in its call for ceasefires in both Lebanon and in Gaza. We continue to call for all parties to uphold international law and protect civilians and humanitarian workers.
The ministers also reiterated calls for Australians not to travel to Lebanon.
King Charles opens Commonwealth heads of government meeting
King Charles has just begun the opening address at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Samoa. He said:
I have met remarkable people in every conceivable walk of life and learned a great deal from so many proud cultures and traditions. All of this has given me an unshakeable faith in the special nature of our Commonwealth and the extraordinary value it holds. This is a family of countries, of organisations and of people. All nations are equal in this unique and voluntary association.
We’ll bring you the highlights from his speech shortly, so stay tuned.
Cricket Australia scraps lifetime leadership ban on David Warner
Cricket Australia (CA) has scrapped the lifetime leadership ban on David Warner that was controversially handed down after the Newlands ball-tampering incident, AAP reports.
The suspension had been the last remaining sanction in place from the “sandpapergate” saga, of which Warner was considered the architect.
An independent three-member review panel unanimously determined Warner met the criteria to have his ban overturned after the former Test opener lodged an appeal with CA.
The decision paves the way for Warner to hold a formal leadership role with the BBL’s Sydney Thunder this summer.
Police officer charged over outback home invasion
A police officer will face court over his alleged role in the theft of $100,000 cash from an elderly man during a home invasion in the outback town of Lightning Ridge, AAP reports.
The senior constable, 36, is one of two men charged over the break and enter on the 78-year-old’s residence in NSW’s north-west on 3 October. The pair allegedly forced entry to the home and tied up the occupant before threatening him and stealing the cash, police have said.
The victim was taken to a local hospital after sustaining arm and leg injuries in the robbery before being released.
The off-duty officer and his alleged co-offender, 51, were arrested after searches on two homes in the Lake Illawarra area, south of Sydney, yesterday. The location is about 750km south of where the alleged crimes took place.
Local police investigated the incident, but it was referred to the NSW Police Professional Standards Command after the officer was identified as one of the alleged culprits.
Both men were charged with aggravated breaking and entering, and committing a serious indictable offence. They were refused police bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court today.
Police said the employment of the officer, who was based in the southern region, was under review and investigations were ongoing.
Man under guard in hospital after shots fired at police
A man is in hospital under police guard after officers fired shots at a property in regional Victoria when coming under fire while attempting to search for weapons, AAP reports.
Detectives went to the Dumbalk North home in Gippsland to execute a firearms warrant about 1.30pm yesterday when a man believed to live there fired shots, Victoria Police say.
Officers then returned fire, the force said. A 56-year-old man was found injured at the property several hours later when it was deemed safe for police to approach the property.
News footage from the scene showed armed police walking around the property as other officers blocked off surrounding roads.
The man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and remains under police guard. No police were injured, and no charges have been laid over the incident.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact investigators.
Photos from the Chogm opening ceremony
Here are some photos filtering through from the opening of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Samoa:
