MANHUNT CONTINUES AS WEATHER WORSENS
The search for a gunman suspected of killing two police officers near the Victorian town of Porepunkah on Tuesday is continuing for a third day as the weather in the area deteriorates.
The AAP highlights monuments across the state were lit up blue last night in tribute to Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart, 35, who were shot dead while attempting to serve a search warrant at the property on Rayner Track.
“It’s a very physical way that we can say to the men and women of Victoria Police, we stand with you, we support you, we care for you, we love you, particularly in this time of grief,” Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said.
“We continue to provide every support necessary to the work of Victoria Police as they deal with this individual who perpetrated this most evil and awful of criminal acts.”
The ABC reports this morning that frigid weather continues to lash the area police are searching, including icy winds and patches of heavy rain.
Independent. Irreverent. In your inbox
Get the headlines they don’t want you to read. Sign up to Crikey’s free newsletters for fearless reporting, sharp analysis, and a touch of chaos
By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
The alleged gunman Dezi Freeman — also known as Desmond Filby — was last seen by officers fleeing the scene on foot into the bush on Tuesday morning, Victoria Police said in a statement.
“A significant search was immediately activated to locate Filby and the search remains ongoing. At this stage, there have been no confirmed sightings of Filby. Filby is believed to be armed with firearms, and we urge people not to approach him,” police said.
The ABC says the police search has seen the state deploy “massive resources” to Victoria’s north-east, including armoured vehicles, dog squads and helicopters. A no-fly zone has also been put in place over Porepunkah.
Paying tribute to Detective Thompson and Senior Constable De Waart, chief commissioner Mike Bush said yesterday: “This devastating loss of Neal and Vadim has struck at the heart of Victoria Police, the broader policing family and the community of Porepunkah.
“In the coming days, weeks and months, we will all grieve this loss and deeply miss our colleagues and friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.”
The AAP reports that despite the lockdown in Porepunkah, residents have decorated the foyer of nearby Wangaratta police station with bouquets of flowers. The newswire says the local primary school is set to reopen this morning.
COALITION’S GAS POLICY HOT AIR CONTINUES
Such is the rhetoric and reporting in some circles this week that you’d think a lettuce will soon be emerging to go head-to-head with Sussan Ley over her leadership of the Liberal Party.
As an example, the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas suggested earlier this week that the media should ask Ley if she thinks she’ll still be in a job at Christmas.
Which, look, might seem a tad OTT to most, but the Coalition is certainly doing a great job of giving us regular reminders of its competing agendas as members both very publicly and more discreetly make their feelings known (Karvelas and David Speers also point out in their latest podcast the very deliberate and very different commentary coming from senior Coalition members Michaelia Cash and Andrew Hastie on Iran this week).
As has been well documented, this week saw net zero once again cause Ley numerous headaches (read: talks of full-blown civil war), with seemingly no-one interested in learning lessons from the election. The Australian Financial Review reports this morning, however, that the Coalition now has a cunning plan.
“The Coalition is developing plans for a domestic gas reserve, and to include the fuel in the capacity investment scheme, as it seeks to dampen internal disquiet over net-zero emissions and tackle the government on energy policy,” Phil Coorey writes in the paper.
The Albanese government is set to announce its emission reduction target for 2035 in the coming weeks, and the Coalition’s new gas policy is apparently aimed at “being able to argue for cheaper energy while still sorting out its position on net zero”.
The report says the Coalition’s plans, which have emerged after opposition MPs met with industry representatives, involve tweaks to the gas reserve policy former leader Peter Dutton took into the May 3 election. The new policy will now apply to just gas from new or expanded projects and, Coorey writes, the model is the same one the government is currently working on and enjoys industry support.
On the theme of net zero, the ABC reports the Powering Skills Organisation has warned the energy transition risks being undermined by a projected shortfall of 42,000 energy, gas and renewables workers by 2030.
“Training has fallen by about 40% over the last decade across the electrical trades, and that has resulted in a current shortage of 22,000 apprentices, which means we are already behind,” chief executive Anthea Middleton said.
Yesterday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the headline consumer price index had risen from 1.9% to 2.8% in July, the AAP reminds us this morning.
That rise exceeded forecasts in the main because of energy rebates only kicking in August, rather than July. “Much of the outsized surge in inflation can be explained by quirks regarding the timing of electricity rebates and holiday travel,” CBA economist Harry Ottley explained. “These monthly movements will likely unwind in coming months.”
With everyone speculating yesterday on what the figures might mean for interest rates, Ottley added the Reserve Bank “has also been at pains to point out the volatility in the monthly figures. For this reason, the board is unlikely to be overly concerned about the surprisingly strong print”.
The central bank’s next rate decision will come at the end of September.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
In a job you couldn’t pay me enough to do, a series of brave souls have completed a five-day load-bearing test on the world’s highest bridge ahead of its planned opening next month.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China rises 625m (2,083ft) above a river in Guizhou province, the BBC reports.
The broadcaster says 96 trucks were recently driven onto designated points on the new bridge to test its structural integrity.
“We simulate extreme conditions with 3,360 tonnes of load to activate the maximum capacity of the bridge structure under normal use,” load test director Lei Min said.
The footage of the trucks just sitting there waiting to see if the enormous bridge will hold their weight is pretty spectacular, but I also note there’s a crane still building part of the bridge while the test is being carried out…
Say What?
Not particularly, no.
Jacqui Lambie
The Tasmania senator, who got top billing in the Daily Mail’s write-up of the Midwinter Ball last night, was asked if she was interested in bidding on opposition leader Sussan Ley’s “mystery flight and lunch” at the charity auction. Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court was much more keen, paying $15,000 to secure the flight with Ley. Guardian Australia reports he’s planning on putting a climate scientist and a young climate organiser on the plane with the Coalition leader.
CRIKEY RECAP
But I think it’s time to open the aperture wider. For the next 100-odd days until the ban comes into effect on December 10, we’re going to turn our gaze to how people are preparing and responding to the ban.
Yes, that includes parents, as well as the teachers, content creators, tech workers, ordinary Australians who are having their age checked when they go online, and, most importantly, the kids themselves.
For all the voices that have been heard throughout this debate, I’ve been surprised how little attention has been given to the group directly affected by the ban. It’s time that it changes.
At what point does the insouciance towards Donald Trump from Australia’s defence and intelligence establishment — and the Labor government it advises — give way to a hardheaded appraisal of what he means for our security? At what point does a cheery, business-as-usual assessment that all will be well become a reckless, even depraved, indifference to what is unfolding in the United States?
It’s no secret the Liberal Party of Australia has a problem with women. The party has made headlines over the years for its toxic blokey “Big Swinging Dick” culture, underrepresentation of women in the party, and dwindling support from women voters.
Yet it hasn’t always been this way. In its early years, the Liberals achieved most of the “firsts” for women in Australian politics and, for much of the 20th century, enjoyed more support from women than from men. So what changed?
In a new open-access study, I traced this transformation by exploring the influence of leaders on the party’s ideology and changing prioritisation of women’s issues.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Two children killed and 17 people injured in shooting at Minneapolis Catholic school Mass (CNN)
Linda Reynolds wins defamation case against Higgins, but can either move on? (ABC)
Matt Stanton keeps cards close to his chest as Nine begins post-Domain era (Capital Brief) ($)
Parents of teenager who took his own life sue OpenAI (BBC)
Woolworths struggles to win back ‘price trust’ from customers — and investors — as Coles’ value rises (Guardian Australia)
25 most influential creators of 2025 (Rolling Stone)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Marles’ mystery visit to US raises more questions than answers amid mix-ups — Joe Kelly (The Australian): Richard Marles was on a mission for Australia this week in Washington D.C., but his purpose and whether he succeeded are mysteries.
His meetings with the Trump administration have raised more questions than answers, and the evidence suggests the visit did not go according to script.
The deputy prime minister left the US on Tuesday, local time, after cancelling a news conference and without answering a single question from the media.
His key engagements appeared to have been secured at the last minute – lending the entire trip an improvised atmosphere. Yet, on the surface, it must be seen as a success.
Thank you, Taylor and Travis. I needed this — Jennifer Weiner (The New York Times): “He was just like standing outside of my window with a boombox,” Swift recalled, “just being like: ‘I want to date you! Do you want to go on a date with me? I made you a friendship bracelet! Do you want to date me?’” Regarding her decision to say yes, he likes to say he’s “the luckiest man in the world.”
Was it all just a pose? Listen to the podcast and decide for yourself, but I don’t think so. At a moment when women’s professional ambitions are being cast as anti-family, and boys are being trained to believe that emotions are weakness, wearing your heart on your sleeve — for the self-declared childless cat lady, the president’s punching bag, the object of suspicion of so many of your own fans — qualifies as some serious role model behaviour.
I’m not the only jaded consumer of celebrity news who felt the love. Donald Trump, who so recently opined “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” was moved to weigh in: “I think he’s a great guy and I think that she’s a terrific person. So I wish them a lot of luck.”
