Creative Australia and Burke need to ‘explain themselves’ on Sabsabi reinstatement, Leeser says
Circling back to shadow attorney general and arts minister, Julian Leeser, on ABC RN earlier this morning.
He says Creative Australia and arts minister Tony Burke need to “explain themselves” about the reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s team for the prestigious 2026 Venice Biennale, after an independent review into Creative Australia’s unprecedented decision to dump the duo earlier this year.
Leeser said “nothing in the report suggested that they needed to remake that decision”:
I think Creative Australia needs to explain themselves. I think Mr. Burke, who previously had said that this was an arm’s length decision, and now has come out and defended Mr. Sabsabi’s previous artworks, also needs to explain himself about how at this time, with this antisemitism crisis that Australia has faced, where we’re a multicultural country, why this particular artist who has this particular history is being chosen to represent our country at this time and receive taxpayer funding to do so.
One of the reasons that [Creative Australia] made their decision back in February to withdraw this is because they were concerned about issues in relation to the broader Australian community. I believe those issues continue to remain, and I believe that Creative Australia should not have unmade their decision that they previously made back in February to withdraw, Mr. Sabsabi from this exhibition.
Just days after Sabsabi and Dagostino’s selection was made public in February, and after negative media and political commentary about two of Sabsabi’s artworks dating back nearly 20 years, Creative Australia’s board rescinded their contract saying it wanted to avoid a “divisive debate”.
After an independent external review of the decision, Creative Australia reinstated the pair last night. It found there were “a series of missteps, assumptions and missed opportunities that meant neither the leadership of Creative Australia, nor the Board, were well placed to respond to, and manage in a considered way, any criticism or controversy that might emerge in relation to the selection decision”.
Read the full story here:
Key events
Childcare services ‘that aren’t up to scratch’ face funding cut, says education minister
The education minister, Jason Clare, will introduce legislation to cut funding to childcare centres “that aren’t up to scratch”, after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care.
He spoke on Sunrise this morning:
This has taken too long for governments to act. This is sickening and it’s serious, it demands serious action.
When parliament returns later this month I’ll introduce a piece of legislation in the first sitting fortnight that will cut off funding to childcare centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our children.
The big weapon that the Federal Government has to wield here is the funding that we provide to childcare centres. It equates to about 70% of the funding that runs a centre, and if they’re not keeping our kids safe then we need to cut off their funding.
Pushed on whether “the government failed these families” after a royal commission into child sexual abuse made safety recommendations ten years ago, Clare said:
The system has failed these families. If the allegations are proven to be true then the system has failed these families.
The implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long, and they need to be accelerated. That’s why I’ve said we need to implement a register for educators in childcare centres. It’s why we need to fix the working with children checks. That’s work that’s being led by attorney generals, but it needs to be sped up.
Uni debt relief set to benefit richer students more
Analysis into a federal government proposal to slash Hecs debts by 20% found more than half of the financial relief offered will go to the top third of earners.
The study by the e61 Institute found less than 20% of the measure will flow through to those in the bottom third.
The plan to cut tertiary education debt will be the first legislation introduced by the federal government in Anthony Albanese’s second term when parliament resumes on 22 July.
The cuts will be backdated to June, when debts increased by a further 3.2% due to indexation.
The institute’s research economist Matthew Maltman said modelling showed the cut would do little to speed up the repayment of student debt:
If you simulate the effects of a 20% cut on HELP debt holders, you find that for 80% of recipients, the year in which they repay their debt is unchanged.
In terms of delivering cost-of-living relief or easing financial pressures on young people, the benefits of the policy are likely to be modest.
The average student debt is about $27,600, meaning $5,520 would be cut off repayments.
The benefits of the debt reduction would also be dependent on when students completed their university degree, the institute’s Jack Buckley said. The institute has called for the 20% reduction to be changed to a flat amount of about $5,500 per student.
– Australian Associated Press
Creative Australia and Burke need to ‘explain themselves’ on Sabsabi reinstatement, Leeser says
Circling back to shadow attorney general and arts minister, Julian Leeser, on ABC RN earlier this morning.
He says Creative Australia and arts minister Tony Burke need to “explain themselves” about the reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s team for the prestigious 2026 Venice Biennale, after an independent review into Creative Australia’s unprecedented decision to dump the duo earlier this year.
Leeser said “nothing in the report suggested that they needed to remake that decision”:
I think Creative Australia needs to explain themselves. I think Mr. Burke, who previously had said that this was an arm’s length decision, and now has come out and defended Mr. Sabsabi’s previous artworks, also needs to explain himself about how at this time, with this antisemitism crisis that Australia has faced, where we’re a multicultural country, why this particular artist who has this particular history is being chosen to represent our country at this time and receive taxpayer funding to do so.
One of the reasons that [Creative Australia] made their decision back in February to withdraw this is because they were concerned about issues in relation to the broader Australian community. I believe those issues continue to remain, and I believe that Creative Australia should not have unmade their decision that they previously made back in February to withdraw, Mr. Sabsabi from this exhibition.
Just days after Sabsabi and Dagostino’s selection was made public in February, and after negative media and political commentary about two of Sabsabi’s artworks dating back nearly 20 years, Creative Australia’s board rescinded their contract saying it wanted to avoid a “divisive debate”.
After an independent external review of the decision, Creative Australia reinstated the pair last night. It found there were “a series of missteps, assumptions and missed opportunities that meant neither the leadership of Creative Australia, nor the Board, were well placed to respond to, and manage in a considered way, any criticism or controversy that might emerge in relation to the selection decision”.
Read the full story here:
More on Warragamba Dam
Water flowing out of Australia’s largest urban water supply will add to the risk of flooding after a damaging and complex low-pressure system caused widespread havoc.
Warragamba Dam, west of Sydney, began to spill at about 10.35pm last night after days of heavy rain, WaterNSW said.
The duration and volume of the spill will ultimately be determined by rainfall received across the catchment.
Read more here:
Footage shows Warragamba Dam spilling
Warragamba Dam started to spill at about 10.35pm last night after rainfall pummelled parts of NSW, WaterNSW said in an update.
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‘The ball is very much in Hamas’s court’ says Leeser on Israel-Hamas conflict
Leeser also said the Coalition was “very clear” in its support for US actions “in relation to preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon”.
“Having a nuclear-armed Iran is not in Australia’s interest, it’s not in the world’s interest,” he said. “It is one of the rogue states of the world.”
Leeser was then asked about UN estimates that more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid in Gaza.
“The UN secretary-general, António Guterres, has branded it as inherently unsafe. In your view, should the distribution of aid return to UN hands?”
“I think I’d want to say a few matters of principle here” Leeser responded. “The first is that we want to see people who are in Gaza getting aid and food supplies. We don’t want to see anybody being harmed, and we want to see things moving forward in Gaza.
“The whole thing would come to an end if Hamas would release the hostages,” he added. “The world wants to see this end. The ball is very much in Hamas’s court.”
Israel continued deadly attacks on Gaza, including on people seeking aid, ahead of potential US talks on ceasefire earlier this week. Read more here.
Leeser on why Coalition didn’t implement royal commission childcare recommendations: ‘This isn’t about pointing fingers’
ABC RN Breakfast’s Sally Sara asked Leeser why the Coalition did not implement a standardised working with children check recommended by the royal commission into child sexual abuse while in government.
Leeser said:
I can’t speak to that. I wasn’t a minister in the government, and I don’t have all the facts before me as to what was or wasn’t done at that time.
But can I say this isn’t about pointing fingers, and we’re not pointing fingers at this government either. This is about making sure that we have the necessary measures in place to protect children and families.
You can read more about the royal commission here:
Leeser: Coalition ready to assist government on ‘whatever measures they need’ on childcare safety
The shadow attorney general and arts minister, Julian Leeser, says the Coalition is ready to assist the government “in whatever measures that they need” after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with allegedly sexually abusing infants and children in his care.
Leeser told ABC RN:
Parents entrust the most precious thing in their entire lives, their children, to childcare workers and childcare centres …
[The] Coalition stand ready to assist the government in whatever measures that they need to take to ensure that we protect children and we protect families who are sending their children to childcare centres, and to ensure the proper processes are in place.
The Melbourne childcare sexual abuse charges: what we know so far
The childcare sector has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of a Victorian worker being charged with dozens of child sexual abuse offences.
While the allegations are yet to be tested by the courts, the fallout from the unfolding case has been profound as both state and federal governments consider the next steps.
Reged Ahmad speaks to Victorian state correspondent Benita Kolovos on what this case means for the future of an industry relied on by so many Australian families. Listen here:
SES update: NSW weather will ease this morning
NSW SES deputy commissioner, Debbie Platz, gave a live update to ABC TV on the vigorous coastal low a moment ago.
Here are the key takeaways:
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There was some easing of weather overnight: “The rain has moved offshore, so that is good news,” she said.
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32 warnings remain in place for damaging winds, coastal erosion and damaging surf: “So we still need people to be quite careful when they’re out and about.”
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SES are watching for potential flooding in low-lying areas around North Richmond and the Peel River at Tamworth.
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The more than 1,400 incidents NSW SES responded to overnight came mostly from metropolitan Sydney area, and the south coast and the mid-north coast.
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Trees have been coming down on properties and vehicles. Powerlines have also come down. NSW SES are assessing damage.
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Four emergency warnings remain in places on the south coast and mid-north coast.
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Winds should ease from around midday through the afternoon today.
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Stay away from downed power lines or trees is really important, and if the roads are flooded do not walk, drive or play in those areas, Platz says.