Australia news LIVE COVID-19 cases continue to grow across the nation New Zealand prepares to relax some restrictions
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Victoria’s defeated Liberal leader Michael O’Brien has called on his party to unite behind new leader Matthew Guy.
“Every Liberal leader deserves support and Matthew deserves it as much as anyone,†he said, flanked by his supporters as he emerged from a party room meeting.
“We have got a job to do and a state to save. Can I thank the people of Victoria. It’s been such a privilege ... I love this state.â€
Former Victorian opposition leader Michael O’Brien. Credit:Justin McManus
The former leader said he was planning to contest the next election. Mr O’Brien thanked his family and staff, and said he has enjoyed being able to talk to Victorians about their lives and concerns since 2018.
He said he could sleep soundly knowing he had not given up his integrity to keep his job.
“It’s disappointing to some extent,†he said.
“You either give up your job or you give up your integrity. I wasn’t prepared [to play political games] to try and keep the job. I’ll sleep very soundly.â€
Relatives of the 298 victims of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 have accused Russia of lying about its alleged role in the downing of the plane as they began testifying in the Dutch murder trial of four suspects.
International investigators concluded that the passenger plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine with a missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. Moscow denies all responsibility.
Australian Vanessa Rizk said Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government were part of the “political nightmare†that led to the crash in which she and her brother James lost both parents.
“I still cannot fathom that our family is caught up in a frustrating and deadly political crisis,†Rizk, who was 22 when the crash happened, told the judges via videolink.
“To the perpetrators, seven years ago, you broke up my family in the worse way imaginable. Seven years on, I am determined that you will never, ever break my spirit.â€
Read the full story here.
Victoria has a new opposition leader.
Matthew Guy is the new Victorian Liberal leader after Michael O’Brien decided not to contest a leadership ballot.
Matthew Guy arriving for the party room vote earlier this morning. Credit:Justin McManus
This means Mr Guy is once again due to go head-to-head with Dan Andrews at the next Victorian state election.
The Member for Caulfield, David Southwick, has been elected deputy leader. He beat shadow treasurer Louise Staley in the final round of voting.
In news just in, Victorian MP Tim Smith has moved a motion to spill the Liberal leadership.
The motion was carried 20-11 and Victorian Liberal leader Michael O’Brien will now be forced to contest a leadership ballot.
Former Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy arriving for the party room vote with his supporters. Credit:Justin McManus
Stay tuned for further updates.
The SES volunteer who found missing toddler Anthony “AJ†Elfalak on Monday says it is incredible the toddler was found alive considering the condition he was in.
The three-year old was found about 500 metres from where he had vanished while playing with his brothers three days earlier.
Greg Chalmers said he had just crawled out of a wombat hole when he was asked to move forward 15 metres when the boy was spotted in a helicopter.
“Here’s this beautiful little boy, kneeling in the water trying to get a drink,†he told radio station 2GB.
Mr Chalmers said rescuers had been looking in the area for about three hours before AJ was spotted.
“It was fantastic to absolutely see this little boy was actually alive,†Mr Chalmers said.
“I put my hand on that little boy and he looked around and gave me the biggest smile. I sat down in the river beside him and just talked to him and reassured him.â€
Mr Chalmers said AJ was freezing when he was found, sitting by the river shaking.
He carried the boy about 700 metres out of the valley before he was reunited with his mother.
“It was incredible that he was actually still alive. He gripped on and gripped on and just wouldn’t let go.â€
Former state opposition leader Matthew Guy arrived at the Victorian Liberal Party headquarters with an entourage just before 7.30am, looking jubilant, but he did not give away which way he thought the party would vote.
Mr Guy and his backers believe two thirds of the party’s 31 MPs support a change in leader.
“Give us an hour or so and we’ll let you know,†Mr Guy said. “You’ll find out [who emerges as leader] as I will, in an hour.â€
Mr Guy looked cheery and arrived with a large group of his backers, in contrast to Michael O’Brien who came alone.
MPs Ryan Smith and David Southwick, who are in the mix for deputy, arrived together but did not comment to waiting media.
The party’s current deputy, Cindy McLeish, did not say whether she would contest the deputy position.
Upper house MP Bernie Finn said he “always supports the leaderâ€, while Edward O’Donohue said “I think Michael O’Brien has done an amazing jobâ€.
Upper house leader David Davis declined to comment on the ballot and said the party needed to focus on providing good government for Victorians.
Mr Davis is one of the key MPs who is expected to switch support away from Mr O’Brien.
Frontbencher Matthew Bach said: “l’ll do my talking in the party room.â€
Energy spokesman Brad Rowswell also did not comment on the ballot and said his focus was on looking out for his community and providing an alternative to the Labor Party.
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has arrived at state Liberal Party headquarters ahead of a meeting expected to force him out of the top job.
Mr O’Brien said he was unable to provide comment to waiting journalists.
Victorian MPs Matthew Guy, left, and Michael O’Brien, right, spent Sunday night on the phones persuading fellow Liberals to vote for them.
Upper house MP Craig Ondarchie, a supporter of former opposition leader Matthew Guy, arrived shortly after and said it “was time for changeâ€.
The Victorian Liberals are meeting at 7.45am to bring on a motion to spill the leadership of the parliamentary party. Mr Guy is expected to emerge victorious.
We’ll bring you more details as soon as they come to hand.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has returned to Canberra from a visit to his family in Sydney after gaining an exemption from health authorities to cross the border with NSW.
With state borders closed across the country, Mr Morrison needed approval from the Australian Capital Territory’s Chief Health Officer to make the visit after being in Sydney for Father’s Day on Sunday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison travelled to Sydney from Canberra.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The arrangement allowed him to return to Parliament House on Monday morning to join Social Services Minister Anne Ruston at a summit on women’s safety and to speak with national security officials face-to-face for a cabinet committee meeting.
Read the full story here.
Two NSW schools have been forced to close after COVID-19 cases were reported.
A NSW Education spokesperson said Crawford Public School, in western Sydney, and Cringila Public School, in Wollongong, will be shut today to allow for contact tracing and cleaning. A member of both school communities has tested positive to COVID-19.
All staff and students have been asked to self-isolate and follow NSW Health advice and protocols.
“The NSW Department of Education will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff is maintained,†the spokesperson said.
A Woolworths supermarket in Melbourne’s south east and offices in Port Melbourne have been added to Victoria’s growing list of tier-1 exposure sites.
In Victoria, “tier 1†means you are considered a close contact and need to isolate for 14 days if you visited a site at the times listed.
The tier-1 sites added late last night include:
Many new tier-2 sites have also been listed online, requiring anyone who visited to immediately test and isolate until returning a negative result.
Those can be viewed here.
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