New Zealand’s PM backs Penny Wong in Keating stoush

HOT UNDER THE COLLAR

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has backed Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong after former PM Paul Keating criticised her for warning ASEAN neighbours about Beijing, the SMH reports. Keating said it didn’t take much for a frowning Wong to “rattle the China can” after she spoke broadly about “destabilising, provocative and coercive actions” in the South China Sea, as the ABC reports (she didn’t refer to the nation by name, however). Wong is right, Luxon told the paper — “everyone needs to follow the rules” for de-escalation in the hotly disputed region. To things quite literally heating up now and Australia recorded record March temperatures overnight in Melbourne (27.3 degrees) and Hobart (24 degrees) across the weekend, The New Daily reports. On Sunday it was 36.9 degrees in Melbourne, 30 degrees in Avalon and 39.6 degrees in Geelong. Cripes.

Meanwhile, we could miss our national 2030 renewable energy target (82%) because NSW is way behind on its renewables goal, Guardian Australia says. The state needs to generate 33,600 gigawatt hours of renewable energy in the next six years, but it’s only halfway there — meaning it needs 7.5GW more in wind and solar projects. The NSW government said it is scrutinising 29 projects but the Green Energy Markets report said planners need to get moving ASAP. The other states are further along on their own goals (Queensland needs 2.6GW more, SA needs 2.445GW but is so confident it fast-tracked its 2030 target to 2027, and Victoria is just 1GW short, though the paper notes that the state’s target is only 60%). It comes as Australia’s outer suburban residents purchased more EVs (43%) than the inner city dwellers (39%) last year, the ABC reports. Sydney’s Rouse Hill and Kellyville topped the list (531 orders).

FLY IN FLY OUT

Toothbrushes, shoes, sanitary items, bamboo chopsticks, washing machines, fridges, toasters, hand tools, Chamois leather, fishing reels, dodgem cars and rollercoasters could get cheaper, The West ($) says, as the Albanese government scraps nearly 500 “nuisance” tariffs, amounting to a hefty 14% of our overall total. Businesses will save an estimated $30 million in compliance costs, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers says will (hopefully) mean cheaper prices for customers. The government coffers don’t benefit much from the change though — for instance, the paper says, of the $490 million worth of imported washing machines, the government tariff is just $140,000.

From arrivals to departures now and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Australian media bosses “there are no terms, there is no negotiation and we’ll continue to take your content” after the tech titan bailed on content deals worth $70 million to our news industry. That’s according to News Corp Australia chair Michael Miller, who told Sky News Australia Zuck was a “digital dictator”. Nine’s chief Mike Sneesby said Meta’s decision was an “absolute insult” and “bullying” against our media organisations, showing the social media giant thinks of itself above our laws and regulations. It’ll be “independent and regional and community publishers” who suffer the most considering misinformation or disinformation would likely fill the news vacuum on Facebook, Miller added, leaving communities disadvantaged.

A(W)F(U)L

AFL’s North Melbourne brothers Phil and Jim Krakouer and six other former players have named Essendon’s Kevin Sheedy, Terry Daniher, Roger Merrett and Bill Duckworth, as well as Carlton’s Wayne Johnston, in a class action alleging historic racism, the National Indigenous Times reports. The writ, from Margalit Injury Lawyers, said the league had been negligent over the past 47 years and is open to more than 1000 former VFL/AFL players who are Indigenous or persons of colour, as well as their families. The statement of claim alleged the Krakouer brothers were called “petrol sniffers” and the N-word during their career in the 1980s, The West ($) says, and that they were victims of verbal and physical abuse (including being struck by cans) in most of the 141 away games they played, the ABC adds. The AFL has vowed to fight it, while Sheedy “vehemently” denied the allegations against him.

It comes as Victoria Police are looking into perjury and fraud allegations against the AFL’s former top concussion expert Paul McCrory, The Advertiser says, after concussion activist Peter Jess complained to Victoria’s police chief Shane Patton. Critics have long accused McCrory of downplaying the health impacts of repeated head knocks, even though 30 players have retired since 2019 from concussions, Jess noted. A 2022 independent review finding McCrory plagiarised concussion research led to former English rugby player Steve Thompson alleging McCrory was “a mass murderer” owing to multiple suicides in his sport. The plagiarism wasn’t found to have affected AFL in the review, though some experts disagreed as The Saturday Paper ($) reported.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

He’s the world’s most famous street artist, having sprayed his anarchic designs on walls for three decades, starred in a documentary, been nominated for an Academy Award, and been crowned 2014’s Person of the Year — and yet nearly no one knows his name. But now Banksy is headed to court, and his identity may be revealed via some boring old paperwork. Two art collectors are suing his company, Pest Control, amid allegations it refused to authenticate a print of the late Queen Elizabeth depicted as a bejewelled monkey. The pair — Nicky Katz and Ray Howse — say they’ve waited years for the document, which allows collectors to sell, buy or insure art knowing “the wheels won’t fall off” as the Pest Control’s site described.

Frankly, Katz is at his wit’s end. “We’re in no man’s land, and it’s a lot of money”, he said as The Guardian reports, estimating the artwork could be worth as much as A$136,000 (£70,000) — if it’s real, that is. “We have had our tails pulled for the whole three years”, Katz added, a rather humorous quote considering his name. Is this another of Banksy’s real-world artworks, like when a framed artwork suddenly shredded itself in front of horrified onlookers following a $1.4 million sale? (The shredded version later sold for $25.5 million). Or maybe it’s just Banksy asking these dealers “Who are you and why should I tell you?” as another dealer in graffiti artists named John Brandler told the paper. But it could be Banksy himself who has to ‘fess up about his identity if this litigation proceeds. Stay tuned. folks.

Hoping there’s a little intrigue on your Monday morning.

SAY WHAT?

Sam Kerr’s case has created immensely important conversations and exposed gaps in Australia’s knowledge, including mine. I am not at all surprised to have got this wrong, apologise to Sam for reaching the wrong conclusion and am very pleased to be able to improve my advocacy.

Craig Foster

The former Socceroo posted to social media that he’d made the wrong call in saying Sam Kerr should lose her Matildas captaincy for allegedly calling a British cop a “stupid white bastard”.

CRIKEY RECAP

Never Again is Now rallies against antisemitism are not what they seem

NA’AMA CARLIN and ELIZABETH STRAKOSCH

“The Jewish Council aims to provide an alternative Jewish voice in Australia for those who oppose Israel’s current actions, support Palestinian freedom and do not feel represented by mainstream organisations. We do not claim to speak on behalf of the Jewish community, but we wish to highlight that there are multiple Jewish communities with increasingly diverse views on Israel and Zionism.

“There is anti-Semitism on the left, and it needs to be challenged. But there is much more widespread and serious anti-Semitism among the right-wing groups supporting Zionism, and even among Zionists themselves. Their conflation of Jews and Israel is itself anti-Semitic.”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Turn four days off into nine: Clever tricks to double your annual leave this year (SBS)

India signs $100bn free trade deal with European EFTA bloc (Al Jazeera)

Princess of Wales: First official picture of Kate since surgery released (BBC)

Pope provokes outrage by saying Ukraine should ‘raise white flag’ and end war with Russia (The Guardian)

Irish PM concedes defeat in referendums about women’s role in the home, definition of family (CBC)

US, UK, French military shoot down Houthi drones after attack on bulk carrier, destroyers (Reuters)

Sweden and Canada resume funding UN agency for Palestinian refugees (euronews)

Three is best: How China’s family planning propaganda has changed (The New York Times) ($)

THE COMMENTARIAT

Labor is modernising the economy — Jim Chalmers (the AFR): “We will abolish hundreds of nuisance tariffs, clarify and improve the regulatory approvals process, provide some direction and certainty in the financial sector and work towards a better way of assessing mergers and acquisitions. These initiatives will reduce compliance costs, ease the burden on businesses, and make them more productive. I’m particularly pleased with the progress we’ve made on tariffs. Because of all the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes, we’ll be announcing the permanent abolition of almost 500 nuisance tariffs on an array of imports from July 1 this year. We will eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of imported goods including toothbrushes, hand tools, fridges, dishwashers, clothing, and menstrual and sanitary products.

“This is the biggest unilateral tariff reform in at least two decades. It will cut compliance costs, reduce red tape, make it easier to do business, and boost productivity. As it stands, tariffs make these products more expensive and cost more to administer but do nothing to protect Australian businesses and workers because they apply to goods that often arrive under a concessional rate. Australian workers and businesses are not protected by these tariffs, but they still have to navigate the red tape involved and bear the compliance costs and these are often passed on to consumers. Removing these tariffs will streamline around $8.5 billion worth of annual trade and save businesses over $30 million in compliance costs each year, or over $120 million over the next four years.”

Ireland’s ‘no-no’ vote is a victory for human rights — not a rejection of progress — Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird (The Guardian): “For me and many others, a yes to the family referendum was a no-brainer: it proposed broadening the definition of a family beyond marriage to include those in ‘durable relationships’. But the care referendum was much more complex. The referendum proposed removing article 41.2, dubbed the ‘woman in the home’ provision, and replacing it with wording that could see families saddled with the responsibility to provide care, while the state would ‘strive’ to support them. In its analysis of the amendments, the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) worried that the wording of the proposed amendment was ‘ineffective’ and was ‘unlikely to provide carers, people with disabilities or older people with any new enforceable rights or to require the state to provide improved childcare, personal assistance services, supports for independent-living, respite care or supports for children with disabilities’.

“I resented the government for trading social inequalities, and replacing sexist language with ableist language. My identities as a woman and as a disabled person were in conflict … For able-bodied women, this referendum is about relieving an obligation to care — an obligation that women have been unfairly saddled with for centuries. But as a disabled woman, I need society to be more caring, not less. The failure of the yes campaign to even acknowledge this tension has been a great source of vexation for me over recent weeks. I felt that the rights of disabled people were being sacrificed by mainstream activists and NGOs who campaigned for a yes vote, ignoring the pleas of disabled people and carers.”

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WHAT’S ON TODAY

Eora Nation Country (also known as Sydney)

• Journalist Jamelle Wells will talk about her new book, Outback Court Reporter, at Glee Books.