Police probe Sydney knife attack motive

STABBING MOTIVE

A man who allegedly stabbed two people in Sydney yesterday had accessed information about recent white supremacist attacks in the US and New Zealand, and was apprehended carrying a USB containing info about extremist ideologies, Nine papers report.

The 21-year-old man from western Sydney reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, but police say he did not have links to terror groups and that the episode is not being treated as a terrorist attack, noting it was likely related to his “well-known” mental health issues. He was freed by a magistrate on a weapon offence two months ago, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The attack left one woman dead and another injured, with bystanders being praised for their bravery after restraining him.

MIGRATION BEFORE INFRASTRUCTURE

The government will today announce a comprehensive review of Australia’s migration program, examining population and infrastructure pressures, after an Infrastructure Australia report called for increased spending to deal with congestion, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The inquiry, to be led by parliament’s joint migration committee, will consider further cuts to immigration as well as moves to push migrants into the regions to take pressure off urban areas. It echoes comments by Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge, who responded to the IA report by pointing to cuts in the migration rate. Anthony Albanese has called for “mature debate” on population growth following the report, accusing the government of “drifting” without a strategy.

POLITICAL INFLUENCE

Liberal Member for Chisholm Gladys Liu, the first Chinese-Australian woman elected to the lower house, has been tied to a secretive international influence arm of the Chinese government, the ABC reports.

Lui was appointed honorary chairman of the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia, an organisation that experts say is affiliated with China’s efforts to exert influence on foreign governments. Liu, who resigned from the post in 2016, said she only joined the organisation to help promote trade. Her Labor opponent Jennifer Yang was also appointed as an honorary chairman of the organisation.

[free_worm]

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

So I took a few pecks on the cheek and then I went out because I thought the last thing I’m going to do is cry in the House of Reps, I mean seriously.

Julie Bishop

The former foreign minister tells Andrew Denton that her hasty exit from the house following her final speech was not intended as a snub to Scott Morrison.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Chaos breaks out at Hong Kong Airport as riot police move in

Moderate Liberals defend Berejiklian as agitation over abortion bill ramps up

Wall Street surges as US delays tariffs on China

China should be more like us, says David Petraeus ($)

More federal MPs under foreign citizenship cloud ($)

Church digs in as Victoria forces disclosure of abuse revealed in confession

Canberra applies pressure for region to stay quiet on coal ($)

Government warned Nine network over explosive One Nation expose

Nauru backs Taiwan as allies consider switching allegiance to China

Retail sales drop to levels not seen since the 1991 recession

Barilaro turns to Labor for support on Murray national park logging

Spotlight on casino regulation after reports spark controversy

John Howard schools Britain on attitudes to immigration

Council won’t reveal for months results of tests on elm that fell and killed university professor

Half of all new cars sold in Australia by 2035 will be electric, forecast predicts

Fake news: Facebook chooses not to tackle problem, regulator says

Plácido Domingo Opera star accused of sexual harassment

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Have pollsters created an ‘alternate universe’? 

Bernard Keane

Aug 13, 2019

4

“While Turnbull might have actually been better placed than the polls suggested, he was also unlucky — implausibly unlucky. Despite his narrowing the gap with Labor in all published polls from early 2018, not once did he benefit from a rogue poll that gave his government a 50-50 result or a narrow lead, as should have happened several times given the large number of polls that had him close to Labor. Herding, or pollsters massaging results to ensure they’re not too far off other polls, may not have just been a problem in the lead-up to the election, but might have hurt Turnbull as well. But imagining much of the last term of parliament through the lens of a Turnbull government ahead in the opinion polls is so difficult precisely because opinion polling has become so fundamental to the way both participants view what is happening and how the media reports what is happening in politics.”

---

Could a boycott of News Corp work?

Chris Woods

Aug 13, 2019

10

“In May, Richard Cooke published a damning call to action against the “good journalists” at News Corp — whose work he argues softens the campaign content. That the likes of Rick Morton, Chip Le Grand, and even some editors have since left certainly cannot be directly attributed to the piece, but does suggest something of a splintering. Some other examples of journalists speaking out against the company: Rashna Farrukh publicly announced earlier this year why she left the day shift at Sky News; former editor-in-chief of The Australian David Armstrong revealed he’s cancelled his subscription to the broadsheet due to the presence of too many right-wing columnists; and former News Corp journo Tony Koch labelled The Australian “shameful” in its present state.”

---

Is it safe to hand your banking passwords over to finance apps?

Liz Duck-Chong

Aug 13, 2019

2

“When considering the choice of whether or not to use these services, or to distrust them entirely, there is clearly a balance somewhere between paranoia and indifference — the solution being neither total abandon or buying and burying gold bullion. One solution is to forgo the immediate convenience, download your transaction statements and upload them to your app of choice; forgoing the need to provide log-in credentials altogether while still allowing the regular tracking of expenses and income. Every additional service that has access to your online banking details (as with any account login) adds another point of potential failure, but wagered against the simplicity of such a service you may still judge it a fair risk v reward.”

THE COMMENTARIAT

Our Pacific neighbours deserve more than mutton flaps ($) – Tory Shepherd (The Daily Telegraph): “We have not traditionally treated our near neighbours with the respect they deserve, and Mr Morrison is going to face questions over imported problems with more import than mutton flaps this week. Climate change and China. Delicate issues with brute impact. Climate change is very real for people in the Pacific, who fear their low-lying lands will sink beneath the sea, or be battered by ever-harsher storms.”

China will always get its way with Hong Kong – Guan Pei Ling (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald): “Not everyone in Hong Kong supports the protests. Hong Kong’s prosperity is being put at risk and for what? Independence? A democratic voice? The very demands of the protesters are unclear. I feel sorry for them. I understand their frustration and anger. However, independence is a pipedream and China will never allow Hong Kong to determine its own legislature. Whether the extradition bill occurs now or later, China will get its way.”

Sydney stabbing: There but for our gun laws goes carnage ($) – Brad Norington (The Australian): “The story in the streets of Sydney could have ended so very differently yesterday. Most likely there would have been more dead, and no heroes. Violence by mentally disturbed people can be difficult to prevent in any country, but the comfort we have of limiting access to a killing machine lies at the heart of our safety.”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Canberra

• The parliamentary intelligence and security committee will hold its second hearing in its inquiry into press freedom and law enforcement.
• The High Court will release its reasons for opposing Clive Palmer’s application to have the AEC delay publishing election night results until all polling booths have closed.
• Health Minister Greg Hunt will deliver a National Press Club speech on Australia’s long-term national health plan.

Sydney

• The NSW upper house will hold an inquiry hearing into the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019.
• NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, Police Minister David Elliott and PCYC NSW CEO Dominic Teakle will hold a press conference on the success of the RISEUP strategy targeting disengaged youth.
• The Maritime Museum will be unveil the installation of Australia’s largest lightweight solar panel roof in partnership with SunMan, special guest Dr. Zhengrong Shi and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Melbourne

• A committal mention will be held for “rogue operator” recycler SKM Services, with SKM director Robert Italiano charged with five counts of breaching the Environment Protection Act following a blaze at the Coolaroo site in 2017.
• An opening event will be held for the Flinders Quarter Augmented Art Walk — an augmented reality tour, using a smartphone app, through some of Melbourne’s laneways.
• The Coroner’s Court will hold a directions hearing into the deaths of six people killed in Bourke Street in January 2017.

Adelaide

• The SA coroner to hand down findings into the death of Alexander Peter Kuskoff who was shot and killed by police. Another inquest will be held into the death of Holly Alexandra Thredgold who hanged herself at home after previously being detained under the mental health act.

Brisbane

• Frontline Action on Coal will hold a Blockade Adani info session, explaining how people can be a part of civil resistance on the frontline.