Australia news live: man dies in Adelaide hospital two weeks after arrest by police; one dead after trench collapses in Victoria
Man dies in Adelaide hospital two weeks after arrest
Rafqa Touma
Gaurav kundi has died in an Adelaide hospital two weeks after being arrested by South Australia police.
The 42-year-old’s death is being investigated as a death in police custody, with the use of restraint being closely examined, SA police have confirmed in a statement.
The police said the man “sadly” died in the Royal Adelaide hospital today, and had been “involved in an incident with police at Royston Park” early morning on 29 May.
Police commissioner Grant Stevens announced a commissioner’s inquiry into the incident on 3 June, the statement said. Body-worn vision has been reviewed “and it has been confirmed that at no time was a knee applied to Mr Kundi’s neck”. the statement said. It continued:
His head was not forced into the car or roadway at any point.
However, the use of restraints during this incident will be closely examined during the commissioner’s inquiry.
The major crime investigation branch will investigate the cause and circumstances of his death and prepare a report for the state coroner.
The Office of Public Integrity will oversee investigations into the conduct of police officers involved in the incident.
The director of public prosecution and the state coroner will also have oversight of the investigation and inquiries.
The Indian consulate has been provided a briefing on the incident and investigation by South Australian police.
Key events
Man killed after trench collapses north of Melbourne
Victoria police has confirmed that one man has died after a trench collapsed in Kilmore, 65km north of Melbourne.
Victoria police said in a statement:
Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a man in Kilmore today.
Emergency services were called to a worksite on Quinns Road about 11.30am following reports of an industrial accident.
A man died at the scene.
WorkSafe will investigate the incident.
Union seeks guidance for teaching about Gaza and ‘confronting global events’
The Australian Education Union has called for education minsters across the country to provide clear and consistent guidance for teachers on how to discuss global conflicts with students, particularly “the situation in Gaza”.
The union’s federal president, Correna Haythorpesaid:
Teachers are reporting increased tension and distress among students. Our members are supporting students from Palestinian, Jewish and other backgrounds, including refugees, who are grieving, angry, confused or afraid.
Right now, teachers are having to help students make sense of complex, confronting global events, often without the resources or professional guidance needed. They are trying to teach empathy, critical thinking and civic understanding in a deeply polarised climate, where even raising these issues can attract scrutiny or backlash, from the public, from parents and from education departments
It is the right of teachers to educate for peace through the curriculum without fear of reprisal or employer disciplinary action. They need reassurance that they will be backed when they engage students thoughtfully in discussions about war, justice and peace.
Haythorpe said the union joined global calls for an immediate ceasefire.
The ongoing genocide has brought unspeakable trauma to the children, families and teachers of Gaza. The AEU stands in solidarity with the teachers, students and education unions of Palestine.
Person trapped after Victorian trench collapses – reports
A person is reported to be trapped after a trench collapsed in Kilmore, a town 65km north of Melbourne.
Victoria police said in a statement:
Emergency services are responding to reports of a trench collapse in Kilmore.
There are reports that one person is trapped at the Quinns Road site about 11.15am.
The situation is developing and further information will be provided when available.
We will update you as we learn more.
Tom McIlroy
Embrace net zero or risk alienating voters, Liberal senator warns Coalition MPs
Coalition MPs should stop questioning climate change science and instead fully embrace emissions policies to deliver net zero by 2050, the Liberal senator Maria Kovacic says, warning Australia’s environment and economy is at risk.
After its historic drubbing at the 3 May election, some Coalition MPs are preparing for a protracted brawl over climate targets, leaving support for net zero policies under the opposition leader, SUSAN LAWin significant doubt.
Nationals including Matt Canavan and Barnaby Joyceas well as Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastiehave questioned net zero plans ahead of a policy review ordered by Ley. The shadow environment minister, And Tehantold Guardian Australia this week the financial cost may shape the Coalition’s decision on whether to abandon the target.
But New South Wales senator Kovacic, a moderate and newly appointed shadow assistant minister, said the Coalition needed to maintain support for net zero, first agreed by the former Morrison government.
“Ultimately, we believe, as the Liberal party, in reducing emissions and ensuring that we are part of a global effort,” she said.
More on this story here:
Woman fatally hit by car in Melbourne
A 22-year-old Melbourne woman has died after she was struck by a car in the city’s south-east on Thursday night.
Victoria police said it was investigating the collision after the car struck the woman in Malvern at 6pm near the intersection of Meredith Street.
The driver, a 62-year-old man from Mount Waverley, stopped and assisted.
The woman died in hospital this morning.
“The exact circumstances of the collision are being investigated,” Victoria police said.
Jordyn Beazley
Hi there, I’ll be taking over from Nick Visser to bring you the latest news for the next little while.
New Zealand PM secures Xi Jinping meeting in China
Chris Luxon has booked a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping next week.
New Zealand’s conservative prime minister has announced the longest international trip of his tenure, spending four days in China and five in Europe in a stretch also taking in the Nato summit in the Netherlands.
Since taking office in late 2023, Luxon has also continued a shift in New Zealand’s foreign outlook – begun by Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – to more closely align with Australia and the United States.
This has not been uncontroversial.
Last week, former prime ministers Helen Clark and Geoffrey Palmer headed an open letter arguing New Zealand was “risking its sovereignty” by strategic alignment and integration with Australia and it should not antagonise Beijing, for fear of losing a critical trade relationship.
– Australian Associated Press
Human Rights Commission calls for immediate deaths in custody reform
The president and all seven commissioners of the Australian Human Rights Commission are demanding immediate reform over Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Since the start of this year there have been 12 Aboriginal deaths in custody, with recent deaths in the Northern Territory pushing the national total to almost 600 deaths since the 1991 royal commission, the AHRC said in a statement.
Social justice commissioner Katie Kiss said:
Our people are dying in a system that has failed them from the beginning. The need for transformational reform is undeniable.
During our recent visit to the territory, commission president Hugh they circle and I heard repeatedly that a law and order disaster was unfolding for Aboriginal people, and this concern has been raised consistently across the country.
Without an evidence and human rights-based approach to justice and corrections, the massive over-representation of our peoples in custody – and dying in custody – will remain a national shame. Enough is enough.
Nicola Gobbo’s ‘Lawyer X’ lawsuit against Victoria dismissed
Former gangland lawyer-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo has lost her lawsuit against the state of Victoria after claiming police compromised her safety when she was exposed to have double-crossed clients, Aap reports.
The former barrister sued the state for at least $800,000 in damages over claims she was groomed by police to become a human source in late 2005.
Also known as “Lawyer X”, she claimed police exploited her vulnerabilities and distress due to close ties to gangland figures, including Tony Mokbelby offering her protection, support and promises to protect her identity in exchange for information on her gangland clients.
But her cover was blown in March 2019 when she was exposed as “Informer 3838” and “Lawyer X”.
Justice Melinda Richards said that once Gobbo decided to become an informer, “exposure was an inherent risk”. Richards said:
So the state can’t be held liable. Therefore it is unnecessary to assess damages.
Police reduce search for man missing near Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain
Police said this morning they had scaled back search efforts for a man missing since Monday.
Rescue officials have been searching for Victorian Christopher Inwood52, for days after discovering his van in the car park of a ranger station in the Cradle Mountain area on Tuesday morning.
He was last seen in the town of Kindred on Monday night. A Tasmania police helicopter crew searched the area on Thursday, as have SES volunteers, park rangers, police officers and drone operators.
Steven Jonesa rescue inspector for Tasmania police, said:
Extensive search efforts have been undertaken in the area where the missing person was last believed to be. At this stage, that area has been comprehensively searched, and all reasonable search strategies have been completed.
Given the length of time Mr Inwood has been missing and the harsh weather conditions in the area, if he has been fully exposed to the elements, sadly, his chances of survival are extremely low.
Wong says Albanese ‘very experienced international negotiator’ as PM heads to G7
Wong was asked if the PM had made any progress on efforts to speak with US president Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7. She said:
The prime minister is a very experienced international negotiator and I certainly won’t pre-empt what he might want or have to say, but obviously … this is an important meeting.
It’s a privilege for Australia to be invited and I know the prime minister is looking forward to the opportunity to engage with all of the G7 nations.
Wong said the Aukus deal represented great benefits to Australia, but also to partner nations the US and the UK, saying “we are all custodians” of the deal.
Wong defends sanctions on two Israeli ministers
Penny Wong defended Australia’s joint sanctions announced this week on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers. The foreign minister described the pair as “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank” earlier this week.
She said today:
We partnered with others – the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Norway – to sanction two ministers whose extremist settler project or support for that is for the reasons I outlined when I made the announcement. Something we’re all deeply concerned about.
We have a longstanding friendship with the people of Israel. We want that to continue and I said that when we announced. But we disagree with the actions of the Netanyahu government. We disagreed with the actions of these ministers in relation to the West Bank.
