Albanese heckled at Canberra rally to end violence against women – as it happened

28 Apr 202402.57 EDT

What we learned today, Sunday 28 April

Natasha May

We will now wrap the blog for the evening. Thanks for reading.

Here were the major developments of the day:

• Fowler MP, Dai Le, said a conversation needs to be had about what constitutes “terrorism” after a 16-year-old boy was charged with terror-related offences following a stabbing attack at a church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley.

• The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, said violence against women was a “national shame”.

• A man was charged with murder after he allegedly assaulted a woman and set their Perth home alight before fleeing.

• The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said women have had enough of being outraged and that action, not a royal commission, was needed to tackle gender-based violence.

• The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was heckled by protesters for government inaction over violence against women.

Enjoy these last hours of the weekend.

Priest injured in Wakeley church stabbing joins congregation for Palm Sunday

Father Isaac Royel, a priest who was injured in a stabbing attack in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley, was back at work on Sunday two weeks after the incident took place.

The priest, who was injured alongside Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel two weeks ago, was part of the congregation commemorating Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of lent before Orthodox Easter, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Bishop Emmanuel was not in attendance and is still recovering.

Daniel Kochou, secretary to the Bishop, who led the Sunday service, told the Telegraph he did not know whether the Bishop was well enough to return or whether he would come back on a full-time basis.

People are a little shaken but the other thing is, most of our people are Iraqi or Syrian born so they’re used to conflict.

Their faith is strong.

28 Apr 202402.09 EDT

Josh Butler

Albanese: All governments must do more to curb violence against women

More from Anthony Albanese at the No More rally. He confirmed a national cabinet meeting on Wednesday - we’re told that violence against women will be the sole item on the agenda.

Albanese told the rally:

We’re here today to demand that governments of all levels must do better, including my own, including every state and territory government.

Society and Australia must do better. We need to change the culture and we need to change attitudes. We need to change the legal system.

It’s not enough to support victims. We need to focus on the perpetrators, focus on prevention.

28 Apr 202401.48 EDT

PM heckled by protestors for government inaction over violence against women

Josh Butler

Albanese has now been granted a chance to speak, after the organisers said they weren’t sure whether they wanted the government to speak at all. It is a tense scene, as some in the crowd heckle the government for not doing enough about men’s violence.

View image in fullscreen

Albanese claims the organisers told his office that they didn’t want him to speak, a claim the rally organiser immediately denied.

It’s up to men to change men’s behaviour as well.

Albanese says it is up to all governments to do better, including his own. The PM says he will convene an urgent national cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss issues with state and territory leaders.

Albanese lists the actions of his government including family violence payments and housing support. There are loud calls in the crowd for the government to do more.

Someone calls out:

We want action.

Albanese finishes his speech and is whisked into a waiting car to leave the scene.

28 Apr 202401.45 EDT

Josh Butler

‘Why are you even here?’: Labor ministers heckled at Canberra rally against men’s violence

At Parliament House, the Canberra rally of the No More movement against men’s violence has drawn several thousand to the house’s front lawn. Speeches have begun, with the PM, Anthony Albanese, the minister for women, Katy Gallagher, and the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, in the crowd.

The first speaker and rally organiser, Sarah Williams, began her address by sharing her experiences of domestic violence.

In front of the crowd, she is now challenging the government to commit to changes, including declaring violence against women a national emergency. She is asking Albanese and the ministers to give a thumbs up from the crowd to make that commitment – the ministers look visibly uncomfortable at the public challenge, resisting giving any response. They also resisted a request to come to the front of the rally.

There is some light booing and heckling in the crowd at the lack of response from Albanese and his ministers.

“Why are you even here?” one woman calls from the crowd.

“Shame on you,” calls another.

Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.

We want action.

South Australia mulls new penalties for animal cruelty

Fines up to $250,000 or 10 years’ jail are being flagged as punishments as part of proposed changes to the state’s Animal Welfare Act.

Present laws have a $50,000 maximum fine or four years’ jail for the aggravated ill treatment of an animal.

Corporations found guilty of mistreating animals could be fined of up to $1 million as part of the proposed changes.

South Australia’s Deputy Premier Susan Close said the reforms aimed to ensure the treatment of animals matched community expectations.

Most people show great care towards animals but those who deliberately mistreat them deserve to face serious consequences.

I encourage people to have their say on the final amendments so that we can work together to protect animals across South Australia.

The proposed changes, which will be released for community consultation on Monday, also include a new “duty of care” provision, requiring owners to provide animals with a minimum level of care such as adequate food and water.

The provision gives an opportunity for authorities to address neglect before an animal is harmed.

South Australia would recognise fish as animals under the act to stop deliberate cruelty such as cutting the fins off live sharks.

Another alteration would be to recognise interstate animal cruelty bans before potential animal abusers have the chance to act in the state.

- AAP

Wildlife hospital gets boost for koala conservation

Sick and injured koalas will receive more care with a dedicated centre to care for the depleted marsupial population.

The NSW government will spend $4.5m to establish the centre at the Wildlife Health and Conservation hospital in south-western Sydney.

Koalas were heavily affected by the black summer bushfires, with 17% of the state’s population lost in the disaster.

The environment minister, Penny Sharpe, said the funding would bolster koala rescue, rehabilitation and conservation efforts.

Safeguarding these koalas is vital.

We want future generations to be able to step into bushland in south-western Sydney and see koalas in the wild.

Koalas Mack and Gage have been in the care of the Wildlife Health and Conservation hospital since 2023.

Macklin, an orphaned female joey, was found at the base of a tree in Sydney’s south-west in July 2023.

Three months later, Gage was found in the same area after his mother was hit by a car.

The pair are being released back into the wild on Sunday, following their rehabilitation.

- AAP

28 Apr 202401.01 EDT

Josh Butler

‘It’s a pretty simple message’: PM makes appearance at Canberra rally against gendered violence

Canberra’s “No More” rally against men’s violence has drawn several thousand people, including prime minister Anthony Albanese and senior ministers, to march to Parliament House.

The PM was met by numerous rally participants who wanted to call for more action on domestic violence from the government. Speaking to one woman about the issue, Albanese said simply: “We’re over it.”

To another woman, holding a sign saying “stop killing women”, Albanese said: “It’s a pretty simple message.”

The PM said “the whole government” was united in a push to do more on the issue.

The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, was by Albanese’s side, telling one woman she was concerned about online influencers like Andrew Tate promoting inappropriate messages to young men.

You worry about what your kids will accidentally stumble on.

Another woman expressed major concerns to the PM and Rishworth about coercive control, calling for messages about that issue to be taught to children in primary school

We need to get parents interested in this.

The rally will move to Parliament House where more speakers are expected to address the crowds this afternoon.

Guardian Australia’s political reporter Josh Butler is on site at the Canberra rally against domestic violence where the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is present along with other Labor MPs.

28 Apr 202400.29 EDT

Adeshola Ore

Victorian premier says she determined MP’s behaviour did not meet standards required under code of conduct

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has faced questions over Labor MP Darren Cheeseman who has resigned from his parliamentary secretary role following allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour.

On Friday, Allan said she had requested the South Barwon MP’s resignation from his senior role after allegations of “persistent, inappropriate behaviour in the workplace towards staff”. Allan said Cheeseman would remain a member of the parliamentary Labor party.

Speaking to reporters, Allan says the ministerial code of conduct requires “higher standards” for ministers and parliamentary secretaries:

The allegations were put were in the context of the ministerial code of conduct that I am responsible for enforcing.

Those allegations were looked at, and it was my determination that the behaviour did not meet the standards required under the ministerial code of conduct, which is why his resignation was requested.

Allan says senior staff in her office briefed her about the allegations on Wednesday evening before she asked Cheeseman to resign on Friday.

Cheeseman has been contacted for comment.

Man charged over Central Coast crime spree

A man has been charged with 20 offences following a rampage on the New South Wales Central Coast yesterday.

Police responded to an alleged armed robbery in Wyong at 10pm on Friday night where they were told a man left with cash.

The man was last seen driving away in a stolen car to the M1 near Ourimbah.

A police operation then tracked the man as he allegedly engaged in a string of break-ins and thefts, including stealing a car with a woman still inside.

Police have been told the man allowed the woman to get out of the car at Kangy Angy before driving away.

A chase ended when a police car was rammed at Ourimbah at 11am.

A 54-year-old Tuggerawong man was arrested just after midnight on Saturday and taken to Wyong hospital under police guard where he was treated for minor injuries.

He has been charged with several offences, including use of an offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence, robbery armed with offensive weapon, aggravated break and enter and impersonating a police officer.