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John Howard says Australia did the ‘right thing’ after September 11 attacks
Former prime minister John Howard, who was in Washington DC during the September 11 terror attacks, spoke to the ABC this morning about his experience 25 years ago.
“It meant that the world would never be the same,” Howard told Radio National Breakfast.
I just knew that it meant a lot to the whole world, and it certainly meant that I quickly came to realise just how important our association with the Americans was because this powerful country had been attacked in an atrocious, cruel manner.
Howard said he believes it was “only right” Australia join the US in Afghanistan, and the White House was “very happy to have our help”. He said:
I think we did the right thing. I was unhappy with aspects of the ultimate withdrawal from Afghanistan. It did look rather chaotic at the time … Overall, I don’t have any regrets. I think we did the right thing in going into Afghanistan.
Key events
The NFL is set to hold its first regular-season game in Australia today, a contest between the San Francisco 49ers and the LA Rams.
The showdown will take place at Melbourne’s MCG this morning.
Fans have been turning up in droves. The game starts at 10.35am and you can watch it on Netflix.
‘Profound’ increase in death rate for welfare recipients, report finds
People receiving an income support including disability, unemployment or carers payments had an average mortality rate more than nine times higher than people who did not access the welfare system, AAP reports.
The report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare compared mortality rates and causes of death for people receiving and not receiving various income support payments by linking data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and government systems.
Of the 287,000 people aged 22 to 64 who died between 2012 and 2022, almost three in five received income support payments.
The report showed the main cause of death for people on income support was cardiovascular disease but there were also higher rates of “deaths of despair” associated with alcohol, drugs and self-harm, University of Queensland social science research fellow Mark Robinson said.
The findings point to the profound health inequities in Australia despite its comparatively strong health record.
Bowen: ‘disappointing’ Greens crossed the floor to vote with One Nation on koala deal
Chris Bowen said yesterday was a “good day” for the government after the Greens reached a deal with Labor that will allow big industry to use a new koala national park in New South Wales to offset its climate pollution.
The climate change and energy minister told RN Breakfast this morning it was “disappointing that three Greens crossed the floor to vote with One Nation”.
I think if One Nation and the Greens are voting together, the Greens are voting the wrong way on climate. … I’m very pleased that this passed the parliament. I’m very pleased that the Greens party room worked with me, the majority.
This was a good day yesterday because it’s practical action. … [It’s] good for emissions, and also providing a route for investment and economic development in the regions where this logging has occurred and where now the economy can be diversified.
Hastie says he accepts Joyce’s explanation over One Nation video
Andrew Hastie says Barnaby Joyce had reached out about the One Nation cartoon that labelled him a “traitor”.
Hastie had this to say to Guardian Australia this morning:
Barnaby Joyce has reached out to me and explained that he didn’t know about the cartoon that called me a traitor eight times. I accept his explanation. I called him a lying coward because I thought he was protecting Pauline Hanson.
I now know that she is the only lying coward.
For context – Hastie told News24 the One Nation cartoon, first posted on social media over a month ago and now pinned to the top of Pauline Hanson’s X account, called him a traitor eight times.
“I would say that Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce are lying cowards, and I’ll say it again, so there’s no ambiguity,” he said.
Pauline Hanson has denied ever calling Hastie a traitor, telling the Nightly: “I will call him a wanker.”
Joyce previously told Guardian Australia he has never called Hastie a traitor, “nor ventured anywhere close to any such narrative about him”.
Johana Bhuiyan
More Anthropic researchers warn of AI’s perils
A day after a former researcher at Anthropic made an apocalyptic declaration about artificial intelligence, more researchers and staff members at the AI startup publicly agreed with him and posted their own dire warnings.
In response, Elon Musk and other conservative figures on X, formerly Twitter, called the chorus of concerns a “setup” and a “psyop”.
The Anthropic insiders fear the technology they are building could become so advanced and dangerous as to cause human extinction within the decade, and they assert many of their colleagues feel the same but haven’t said so publicly.
Read more here:
John Howard says Australia did the ‘right thing’ after September 11 attacks
Former prime minister John Howard, who was in Washington DC during the September 11 terror attacks, spoke to the ABC this morning about his experience 25 years ago.
“It meant that the world would never be the same,” Howard told Radio National Breakfast.
I just knew that it meant a lot to the whole world, and it certainly meant that I quickly came to realise just how important our association with the Americans was because this powerful country had been attacked in an atrocious, cruel manner.
Howard said he believes it was “only right” Australia join the US in Afghanistan, and the White House was “very happy to have our help”. He said:
I think we did the right thing. I was unhappy with aspects of the ultimate withdrawal from Afghanistan. It did look rather chaotic at the time … Overall, I don’t have any regrets. I think we did the right thing in going into Afghanistan.
Marles reflects on September 11
Marles reflected on September 11 this morning, saying it was a day “which we remember most as having changed the world in which we live”.
He told the ABC this morning:
I remember on that night watching West Wing, a number of people I have spoken to in the last few days were doing the same thing. When it finished, it cut into this extraordinary vision of smoke coming out of the North Tower. We weren’t really sure what was going on. Then astonishingly it looked as though we were witnessing a plane fly into the South Tower.
What it then heralded was obviously a huge change in terms of wars in … Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 40,000 Australians served over the coming years in those, more than 40 lost their lives. Ten Australians lost their lives that day on September 11. We very much remember them.
Marles says One Nation cartoon about Andrew Hastie ‘tasteless’
The defence minister, Richard Marles, said the One Nation cartoon labelling Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie a “traitor” is “tasteless” and should be taken down.
Marles just spoke on ABC News Breakfast as many senior Liberals, independent Jacqui Lambie and RSL Australia condemned the cartoon.
The defence minister said this morning:
Andrew Hastie is definitely not a traitor. I know him well and I’ve said this publicly. I very much honour the service that Andrew Hastie has given to our country, wearing our nation’s uniform. I think to use that word in respect of a veteran is extremely tasteless.
No one should be using that word in respect of any veteran and in respect of Andrew.
Anthony Albanese marks September 11’s anniversary
Anthony Albanese has marked 25 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.
Ten Australians were among 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington DC and in Pennsylvania – “lives tragically cut short far from home”.
We acknowledge the grief carried by their loved ones. We also honour the courage and selflessness shown in the face of unimaginable horror.
First responders ran towards danger to help others. Ordinary people reached for one another. In the worst of circumstances, we saw extraordinary acts of courage, compassion and humanity.
The prime minister said the anniversary was also an opportunity to reflect on “resilience in the face of profound loss”.
Australia remembers those whose lives were taken, those who survived, those we’ve lost since, and all those who continue to carry the weight of that day.
Opal Healthcare refunds residents after review into misuse of aged care standards
Opal Healthcare has refunded roughly $190,000 to almost 350 residents under a sweeping review into misuse of new aged care standards, AAP reports.
The standards came into effect in November and were designed to give residents more say over what premium products they opted to pay for.
Guidelines said services that were previously offered for free could not be charged, though they were not made law.
Reports emerged months later of aged care providers wrongfully charging residents for basic amenities, including television and wifi services.
In some cases, services were removed if they were not paid for.
An investigation was launched by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission after the aged care minister, Sam Rae, informed the regulator of claims against Opal Healthcare.
He said at the time the removal of services such as air conditioning and televisions was unacceptable.
Good morning
Welcome to Guardian Australia’s live news coverage for Friday.
Let’s begin.
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