Teenager Charged with Attempted Murder of Bishop in Sydney
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder following an alleged stabbing incident involving Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a livestreamed sermon at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Sydney on April 15. The teenager, who traveled 90 minutes to the church, also allegedly wounded Father Issac Royel when the latter intervened. Both the bishop and the priest underwent surgery and subsequently recovered. The youth has been charged with causing wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Proposed Abolition of North Sydney Federal Seat
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has proposed to eliminate the federal seat of North Sydney in a significant electoral redistribution. This seat is currently held by independent MP Kylea Tink. The proposal aims to redistribute voters across neighboring seats, including Bradfield, which could potentially benefit independent candidate Nicolette Boelle in her campaign against Liberal MP Paul Fletcher. These proposed changes include altering the boundaries of 39 electoral divisions, affecting over 12% of enrolled voters. Submissions on this draft proposal are open until a final decision is made in October.
Surge in Home Prices in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide
Recent data from CoreLogic indicates a significant rise in home prices in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, surpassing increases in other Australian cities such as Melbourne and Hobart. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Perth has seen a 62.6% rise in property values, compared to an 11.2% increase in Melbourne. CoreLogic's head of research, Eliza Owen, attributes this growth to several factors, including a low initial price base and varying levels of new home construction across different cities.
Australia Unlikely to Follow G7 on Ukraine Aid Deal
Australian government sources have indicated that the country is unlikely to adopt a similar approach to the G7 in providing additional aid to Ukraine via frozen Russian assets. Legal and constitutional complexities do not allow Australia to seize or apply for forfeiture of frozen assets or their profits. This contrasts with the G7's plan to fund aid for Ukraine using the interest from frozen Russian state assets. Despite this, Australia continues to provide targeted support to Ukraine and impose costs on Russia.
Amber Alert for Missing Baby in Brisbane
Queensland police have issued an amber alert for a missing four-week-old baby boy from Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The child, considered to be at significant risk, was last seen on June 10. Authorities believe the baby's 37-year-old mother is traveling on foot in the Brisbane area.
Controversy at AFL Over Umpire Boss
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon has defended umpire boss Steve McBurney against criticism from CFMEU Victorian leader John Setka, citing McBurney’s positive impact on the league and commitment to his role. The controversy arises from McBurney's past position as a commissioner of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Two-Year-Old Bitten by Dingo on K’gari
A two-year-old boy was bitten by a dingo on K’gari, also known as Fraser Island, at Lake McKenzie. The boy sustained two puncture wounds to his thigh after the dingo approached the family’s vehicle. Queensland government rangers are actively searching for the untagged female dingo involved in the incident.
Pro-Palestine Protest Planned in Melbourne
Darebin For Palestine group plans to conduct a “protest parade” targeting the offices of three Labor MPs in Melbourne. The demonstration aims to express dissatisfaction with Labor's stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza and is scheduled to take several hours, marching from Preston to Northcote.
Strike Force Charges Six Over Riot at Wakeley Church
Five men and a teenage boy have been charged with rioting offenses related to an incident at a church in Wakeley, Sydney in April. This forms part of Strike Force Dribs’ ongoing investigation, raising the number of individuals charged in relation to the riot to 29. Charges include damaging property and throwing missiles at police officers during public disorder.