Australia news live updates: federal government says Assange case has ‘dragged on for too long’; at least 55 Covid deaths across nation | Australia news

Senior Liberal MP Andrew Hastie claims Labor’s choice to permit colleges to rent secular employees beneath its chaplaincy program was made to fulfill left-wing activists.

Hastie, the shadow defence minister, mentioned in a weekly electronic mail to his voters of Canning in Western Australia that beneath the announcement made yesterday “1000’s of faculties can be weak to strain from radical activists demanding that they dump their chaplains in favour of a secular various”.

The brand new schooling minister, Jason Clare, confirmed on Friday the Albanese authorities intends to offer colleges a alternative of whether or not to rent a spiritual or secular pastoral care employee by the $60m-a-year program.

However Hastie described the transfer as a “betrayal” of chaplains and the “many varieties that they assist and help”.

He mentioned:

I do know most of the chaplains in my native colleges. They’re big-hearted, caring individuals who love and serve their communities. They achieve this as a result of they’re motivated by their Christian religion and a want to see our youngsters prosper.

However Labor appear extra fascinated about satisfying left-wing activists.

This transfer is a betrayal of Australia’s faculty chaplains, and the various youngsters that they assist and help.

We’re lower than month into the Albanese Labor authorities. These early calls sign a radical shift to the left.

Value reiterating right here that beneath the announcement colleges will nonetheless be capable to have non secular chaplains if they need.

Cairns cafe supervisor admits ‘little joke’ over Kim Kardashian has become an ‘unbelievable mess’

That’s it, put down your glasses: the weekend’s wackiest story is right here.

A restaurant proprietor in Queensland joked to the native ABC that Kim Kardashian and her bae had eaten there, they usually believed him and wrote up a narrative.

“Actually this little native joke has become an unbelievable mess,” the cafe proprietor mentioned.

The total story is right here:

Virus struggle continues as funding prolonged

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has agreed to $760m of further funding because the Covid pandemic continues to affect the well being system, AAP stories:

Anthony Albanese has signed off on an additional $760m to assist the states and territories take care of Covid-19.

Federal pandemic-related funding preparations had been set to run out in September however can be prolonged by three months, the prime minister says.

“(The pandemic) clearly isn’t over but and it might be very courageous to counsel you can also make that projection,” he advised reporters after chairing Friday’s nationwide cupboard assembly with state and territory leaders.

Albanese mentioned there have been about 3,000 Australians in hospital because of the virus, which was why the federal authorities dedicated to extending help till 31 December.

Greater than 60 further Covid-related deaths had been reported on Saturday.

In the meantime, a brand new research factors to ongoing mind fog and reminiscence loss in lengthy Covid sufferers.

The Adapt research, which follows sufferers identified with Sars-CoV-2 an infection and is carried out by Sydney’s St Vincent’s hospital, discovered about 20% of individuals with lengthy Covid suffered cerebral impairment for at the very least 12 months with out enchancment.

Lengthy Covid is categorised as folks affected by signs like mind fog, fatigue and shortness of breath a month or extra after contracting the virus.

Elsewhere, the Victorian well being minister, Martin Foley, says modifications to the state’s Covid guidelines will come into impact subsequent weekend.

Optimistic circumstances can be allowed to drive members of their family to work or courses and masks can be scrapped at airports.

Three-dose vaccination mandates for employees will keep in weak settings comparable to aged care however be lifted in different sectors like schooling, meals distribution and quarantine lodging.

Guidelines requiring others to do business from home if not double-dosed may even be scrapped, though workplaces can nonetheless set their very own vaccination insurance policies.

Customer caps at care services can be eliminated, with residents capable of see as many individuals as they need so long as they return a adverse speedy antigen check that day.

Thanks Ben. Jogs my memory of the time I dressed up as a member of a Ringo Starr cowl band. Anyway. Onwards, to the information!

With that joyous refrain, I’m going handy over to my inestimable colleague Nino Bucci. As we speak on the weblog, it’s simply the Two of Us…

Odd punctuation. However the very happiest of birthdays Sir Paul…

And nonetheless rocking… Thursday night time in New York.

“Naaaahhh, nah, nah, nah-nah-nah-naaahhh!”

Western Australia data one Covid demise

I’m betting they received’t make it to Wednesday…

Steph. Gilmore. Shredding.