Andrew Bragg, the shadow housing minister, yesterday proposed allowing people to use superannuation as collateral to obtain home loans. Bragg said he believed in 'big debates' about housing, but Angus Taylor stated yesterday that the proposal is not Coalition policy. The opposition has not adopted a policy of using superannuation as collateral.
In Melbourne, counter-terrorism police arrested a 65-year-old man during a house raid in Carlton this morning. Police allege the arrested man acted as an Isis propagandist and swore allegiance to Isis. According to police, the man sent around 10,000 files of violent extremist material, shared information on evading detection by authorities, and provided instructions on planning and carrying out mass-casualty attacks.
AFP acting assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism Paula Hudson spoke to journalists immediately after midday. Hudson said the evidence would allege that videos, photographs, audio files and documents contained messages about executions, mass killings, torture and propaganda. She added that terrorist organisations like Isis rely on online platforms for distributing propaganda and recruiting supporters. Police launched an investigation after Australian Border Force officers found suspicious material on electronic devices seized while the man was flying from Melbourne. Hudson described the man as a 'principal distributor of Isis propaganda within the group'. According to police, the man lives with his wife and is an Australian citizen.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the global norm against nuclear testing is under 'serious pressure'. Wong criticised Russia's decision to withdraw from the test ban treaty, speaking at a UN meeting marking 30 years since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). She called on remaining nations to ratify the treaty 'without delay'.
Wong said Australia strongly opposes Russia's withdrawal of ratification of the CTBT and that any nuclear explosion, of any yield, could have irreversible consequences. She highlighted that the fact Russia was even considering a return to nuclear testing was an insult to all who desire a world without nuclear weapons. Australia and partners continue to call on Russia to reverse that course of action. Wong welcomed Tonga's recent ratification, achieving full coverage of the treaty in the Pacific.
Barnaby Joyce of One Nation claimed he had spoken with 'senior Liberals' about a potential power-sharing arrangement if Pauline Hanson's One Nation wins enough seats at the next federal election. Tim Wilson of the Liberal Party dismissed Joyce's claim. Liberal senator Jane Hume said she had no knowledge of Joyce's alleged negotiations and was fairly certain Angus Taylor did not know either, nor did Matt Canavan. Hume said they were likely closer to Wilson's version of events than Barnaby's.
Chris Young KC said the royal commission would work to uncover 'wastage, misdirected funds, and inflated costs' on the Big Build, a pipeline of more than 100 projects with a combined value of around $150 billion. Young said anyone appointed to the commission would have a 'fair opportunity to respond to the evidence' and that no adverse finding would be made 'unless they've first been told of it and given a proper opportunity to answer'. Where evidence justifies it, matters will be referred to the Special Prosecutor, Victoria Police, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) and relevant regulatory and licensing bodies, and 'any decision about charges is for them'. Young said it was too early to say what the commission would recommend as they must first examine what happened and why. Corruption is often described as a 'crime without victims', but that 'not what we have been told', Young noted, citing as an example directors of a small Indigenous-owned labour hire business who wrote to the minister.
