We’ve rounded up all the latest news from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.
1. Brisbane rally against downgrading of Gerard Baden-Clay today.
A rally protesting the downgrading of Gerard Baden-Clay’s murder conviction to manslaughter will go ahead today in Brisbane’s CBD.
TODAY’s Lisa Wilkinson will speak at the rally and will be joined by Bruce and Denise Morcombe.
Today’s Courier Mail has shown their support for the rally with a front page plea for the public to get behind the rally.
On the TODAY show Lisa Wilkinson said “But like many people in the community I want to understand how we can go through a huge trial that sat for months and 12 carefully chosen jurors came to the absolute decision that Gerard Baden-Clay was guilty of murdering his beautiful wife Allison.”
“And it seems to all hinge around this whole issue, for a murder conviction to stick, this issue of premeditation.”
But I stress I don’t know anything about the law. I’ve never studied it. But like most simple-minded folk, I just want to understand how that doesn’t contribute to it.
“And if it is manslaughter, they’re suggesting that he did dispose of her body,” she said.
“To me that says that even if it was manslaughter there was some premeditation there of ‘I don’t want to be guilty of this’.”
2. Reports Mick Fanning’s brother died of a drug overdose.
There are reports that Mick Fanning’s older brother Peter died of a suspected drug overdose.
Peter Fanning, 43, was found dead inside a home at Tweed Heads early on Wednesday night.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that while police still do not know what time he died or the exact cause of death, a senior officer suspected that a drug overdose was the likely cause.
Mick fanning yesterday posted a heartbreaking tribute to his elder brother.
“I am so grateful for the incredible love and well wishes that have come my way since learning of my eldest brother’s passing this morning,” Fanning wrote.
3. Airport worker suspended for conducting a security screening on Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
A female security officer at Melbourne Airport has been suspended after conducting a security screening on Foreign Minister Julie Bishop that wasn’t random.
Fairfax Media reports that on September 22 as Ms Bishop cleared security in Melbourne on her way to New York for the United Nations leader’s summit she was targeted for a “random” security check.
The worker, employed by airport security contractor ISS, was stood down from work for “not adhering to standard security screening procedures”.
Fairfax Media reports that it is unclear exactly why the worker was stood down but it is likely that she recognised Ms Bishop and targeted her.
