Health News at Your Fingertips

The Victorian court of appeal has issued a judgment in the challenge against the federal Labor intervention into the Victorian branch.

The court dismissed the appeal, which was brought by Diana Asmar on behalf of the Health Services Union and other members of Labor-affiliated unions who say the intervention deprived them of voting rights in preselections.

The court found the trial judge was correct to conclude the Victorian branch was bound by the national constitution, and Labor’s national executive acted within power in the intervention, which was triggered by allegations of branch stacking.

This is a win for Labor leader Anthony Albanese and national secretary Paul Erickson, although it might not be the final word – that will depend on whether Asmar seeks leave to appeal in the high court.

Interestingly, the court found the preselection disputes are subject to the court’s jurisdiction. There is a long-running argument in Australian electoral law about whether party disputes are purely internal matters or can be judged by courts.

By coming down in favour of yes courts can hear the disputes, this case may pave the way for more litigation like the appeal to the NSW supreme court about the NSW Liberal branch’s federal preselection woes.

Since Asmar won on that point, there’ll be submissions about how to carve up costs. But, it was a win for the federal intervention today.

The Northern Territory government has been condemned for a “breach of trust” after NT police confirmed that spithoods and restraint chairs remain in use, despite promises to phase out the “inhumane” devices.

NT police data reported by the NT News shows spithoods have been used 27 times since 2018 and 21 of those applications having occurred since 2020.

Restraint chairs were used six times on young people in police watch houses between 2020 and 2021, and in one instance was used on a 15-year-old boy in Katherine.

While they were used throughout the Territory, the most frequent location they were used was in the Palmerston watch house, where they were used 15 times on children.

You can read the full report below:

Scott Morrison has played down the prospect of fighting “temporary” fuel price hikes with a cut in excise tax, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reignites concerns about Australia’s energy security.

With petrol prices at the bowser already north of $1.80 and headed to $2.00, the expected invasion has added to global oil price pressures and led to concern for gas supplies to Europe – although experts say there is little Australia can do about either.

The government has come under pressure including from independent senator, Rex Patrick, to cut fuel excise, which is 44.2 cents a litre. Labor so far has attacked the government on fuel security but has not weighed in on tax.

On Thursday Morrison acknowledged that Australia’s petrol prices are “very high” but explained there was a “a global issue with fuel prices”.

You can read the full report from Paul Karp and Daniel Hurst below: