The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Poll support for Turnbull drops
Malcolm Turnbull’s popularity is at a fresh low according to the latest poll released this morning.
The Australian’s Newspoll of 1696 voters, shows the coalition has lost some support and the party’s two party preferred vote was now locked at 50-50 with Labor.
Satisfaction levels with the prime minister have dropped six per cent since the July 2 election to 34 per cent, which is the lowest level since Mr Turnbull ousted Tony Abbott from office.
The Coalition’s primary vote has declined from 42.1 per cent to 41 per cent. Labor’s primary vote has risen to 36 per cent from 34.7 per cent on election day.
Labor has key vote on gay marriage
A plebiscite on same-sex marriage in Australia is looking shaky, with Labor accusing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of stalling and standing in the way of the laws becoming a reality in Australia.
With the Greens and a number of crossbenchers opposing the plebiscite, it’s down to the Labor Party to decide whether or not it supplies the numbers in parliament for the plebiscite to go ahead this term.
The Prime Minister has urged the opposition to get behind laws to enable a national vote, which the government wants to hold before parliament makes the change to the Marriage Act.
But Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus says rather than an expensive plebiscite – estimated to cost around $160 million – Liberal MPs should be allowed a conscience vote, and pass a private member’s bill in coming weeks.
Third man charged over Qld murder
A third man has been charged over a stabbing murder in southern Queensland.
Two NSW men already stand accused of the death of a 43-year-old man at Mundubbera, in the Wide Bay-Burnett region, last week.
Police say a third man, from the Rockhampton suburb of Park Avenue, has also been charged and he’ll appear in court later today, along with one of the two men extradited from NSW.
Teen charged over stabbing
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with stabbing a man who confronted him while he was urinating on a ticket machine at a south Sydney train station.
The 43-year-old man was stabbed several times after approaching the teen who was urinating on a ticket machine at Kirrawee station at around midnight on Sunday.
The teen handed himself into police yesterday and will face Sutherland Children’s court later today. The injured man was treated for his injuries at St George hospital but has since been released.
Police probe alleged Vic fixed horse race
Police investigating an alleged fixed harness race that occurred in country Victoria last year.
Two men and two women were arrested on Sunday at the Breeders Crown meeting and were released pending further investigations. The alleged fixed race occurred in Cobram in June 2015.
Harness Racing Victoria’s integrity unit was alerted to the issues shortly after the Cobram meeting and began an investigation immediately, before handing the matter to police in November.
ICAC report on NSW Liberals due
The NSW Liberal Party is bracing for the findings of a drawn-out corruption probe into illegal political donations.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is due to present its long-awaited report on Operation Spicer to Legislative Council president Don Harwin on Tuesday.
The probe has claimed the scalps of ten Liberal MPs, including two cabinet members – former energy minister Chris Hartcher and former police minister Mike Gallacher along with former Premier Barry O’Farrell.
Qld pollies get back pay after wage rise
Queensland’s state politicians will receive more than half a per cent back pay for the past 12 months following a decision by the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal.
The tribunal determined Queensland’s Legislative Assembly members will receive a 2.25 per cent pay rise for a three-year period, starting from September 1, 2015.
The annual base salary of a Queensland politician is just over $151,000 before taking into account the latest increase.
