Australian police to investigate Gaza flotilla abuse claims; Victoria enshrines right to work from home

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have begun preliminary inquiries into allegations of abuse and sexual assault made by Australian citizens who were part of the Global Sumud flotilla. The group claims they were tortured and, in some cases, sexually assaulted by Israeli authorities after attempting to deliver aid to the occupied Palestinian territory. The AFP confirmed it met with representatives at Parliament House and has started inquiries, although no formal crime report has been filed yet.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly met with the group to hear their accounts directly. Wong condemned the actions of Israeli authorities and Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stating that Australia expects an independent and transparent investigation.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expected to keep interest rates steady at 4.35% today, as the economy weakens. Unemployment has risen to 4.5%, and household spending is declining, weighed down by falling house prices in Melbourne and Sydney. Financial markets see no rate rise today, though analysts note the RBA may not rule out a future hike due to inflation remaining high at 4.2% in May.

Environmental advocacy group Market Forces reports that Australia’s superannuation industry is underinvested in renewable energy. The top 30 funds directly contributed only $771 million of the $99 billion invested in clean energy projects since 2020, representing just 0.03% of their $2.5 trillion in retirement savings. Canadian pension funds invested $408 million more than the top-30 funds in Australian renewable energy over the same period. Only six of the top-30 super funds have direct investments in Australian renewable energy or battery storage projects.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan will introduce legislation in parliament today to guarantee the right to work from home two days a week, covering part-time and regular casual workers. If passed, the law will take effect on 1 September, with a delayed start of 1 July 2027 for workplaces with fewer than 15 employees. The bill includes a dispute resolution process via the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and, if needed, the Civil and Administrative Tribunal.