Australia news LIVE: Elon Musk widens legal fight with Australia; Treasurer wants Australians to have more babies

Turning now to the opposition’s immigration spokesman Dan Tehan, who responded to the High Court ruling to dismiss a bisexual Iranian man’s bid to be released from immigration detention, who claimed he was being unlawfully held.

The challenge from the Iranian man – given the pseudonym ASF17 – was regarded as a legal sequel to last year’s landmark High Court ruling outlawing indefinite detention, which has seen 153 detainees freed.

But today Australia’s top court dismissed the case.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said the protection claims could take years to process.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“The High Court made a decision today, that was a decision that all legal experts were expecting,” Tehan told reporters in WA.

Separate to today’s High Court ruling, the Australian Border Force released a detailed summary of how the 153 released detainees are being managed in the community.

Tehan said that data was “alarming” because only 76 of the 153 detainees released after the November High Court ruling were wearing electronic monitoring devices

“There are seven murderers there are 37 sex offenders, and these are hardened criminals, Now what we know is that less than half of those are being monitored,” he said.

“And there is no answer to that question as to why, and what we’ve seen from the immigration minister today is further dereliction of duty because he will not front up and own these decisions.”

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles says he agrees with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that the Community Protection Board failed when they recommended a detainee not wear an ankle bracelet who then went on to allegedly assault a Perth grandmother.

He told reporters in Melbourne he believed the Community Protection Board made the wrong decision.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“What we need to do here is to make sure that we are doing everything possible to improve our systems so that up to date information can be considered by the board and then by delegates so that we can do everything possible to ensure that these basic conditions are being applied appropriately,” he said.

To explain why only 76 released detainees currently had ankle bracelets, Acting Australian Border Force Commissioner Kaylene Dale said the board uses a range of expertise in policing, corrections, law enforcement and psychology.

“Their advice, along with that of senior public servants, helps determine the most appropriate course of action for each individual,” she said.

“Every individual is considered on their own merits and their own circumstances and the appropriate conditions that should be put in place to support community safety.”

Liberal senator Michaelia Cash and Dan Tehan held a press conference to discuss today’s High Court decision in the ASF17 detainee case.

Watch below:

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is speaking in Melbourne about today’s High Court decision to dismiss a bisexual Iranian man’s bid to be released from immigration detention, claiming he was being unlawfully held.

The challenge from the Iranian man – given the pseudonym ASF17 – was regarded as a legal sequel to last year’s landmark High Court ruling outlawing indefinite detention, which has seen 153 detainees freed.

Giles said this about the decision:

If you have no right to stay in Australia, if you have committed a crime in Australia and you are not owed protection by Australia, we have the right to remove you from this country.

We will continue to work to make our migration system better, stronger, and also fairer.”

In March, the government attempted to rush through laws that would mean people who refuse to return to their birth country could be jailed for up to five years under Labor’s accelerated plans.

But the laws were delayed when the Coalition teamed up with the Greens in the Senate for an inquiry.

Giles said he hopes they are passed next week.

Next week, Peter Dutton will have a choice to make. He’ll be able to support a bill that strengthens our ability to remove people from Australia who have no right to remain here, that gives us the tools to both strengthen our borders and our refugee protection framework.

So far, though, Mr Dutton has shown that he is only interested in playing politics with this issue.”

Only 76 of the 153 released detainees from the November High Court ruling that indefinite immigration detention was illegal are wearing electronic monitoring devices, only 68 have to follow a curfew and 38 are subject to financial reporting obligations.

Separate to today’s High Court ruling, the Australian Border Force released a detailed summary of how the 153 released detainees are being managed in the community.

The Community Protection Board – a body tasked with advising the government on the released detainees – stated as of April 30, the number of detainees who have an electronic monitoring device were 76, meaning 77 were out in the community without an ankle bracelet.

Additionally, 85 detainees do not have to follow a curfew and 100 are not subject to any financial obligations – such as having to notify transitions totalling $10,000 or notify of debts totalling to $10,000.

The Community Protection Board also declared as of April 2024 they have convened six meetings and had a total of 15 meetings since establishment

Sydney and Monash universities have urged students protesting against the war in Gaza to stop using phrases such as “intifada” and “from the river to the sea”, as Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus dismissed a request from Australia’s top tertiary institutions for urgent legal advice on the slogans.

Dreyfus noted that people could already make a complaint under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, under which it is an offence to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people”, if they were concerned about the use of the phrases.

A clash developed at a pro-Palestinian encampment at Monash University on Wednesday when pro-Israel supporters attempted to storm a stage where speeches were being conducted.Credit: Justin McManus

The Group of Eight leading universities wrote to Dreyfus on Wednesday requesting formal advice on whether the pro-Palestinian call for an “intifada” was in breach of federal law.

“Intifada” is an Arabic word for popular uprising, but the Anti-Defamation League, founded a century ago to counter the vilification of Jews, argues it is a slogan that calls for indiscriminate violence against Israel.

The universities also sought guidance on calls that Palestine should be free “from the river to the sea” because of longstanding concerns the words are antisemitic and seek the destruction of the state of Israel.

Catch up on the full story here.

Women dealing with endometriosis will soon gain access to longer subsidised specialist appointments under Medicare to help patients get a quicker diagnosis and treatment.

The federal government will set aside $49.1 million in next week’s budget to allow for women to access longer specialist consultations and increased rebates for gynaecological care.

Longer specialist appointments for conditions such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome of 45 minutes or more will be covered by Medicare from July 2025.

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissues similar to those in the uterine lining grow outside the uterus.Credit: iStock

While the condition is estimated to affect at least one in nine Australian women, it takes on average seven years before a diagnosis is received.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the subsidised longer appointments would aim to allow more women to receive a quicker diagnosis.

“Women are suffering unnecessarily. They’re having their experiences dismissed, being called hysterical and accused of drug shopping. Women’s pain is real, and it’s time we stop telling women to just suck it up,” he said.

“We need women and more doctors to know about endometriosis, so we can reduce the diagnosis delay and get the women the care they need.”

It’s expected the subsidies would provide 430,000 more services for women across Australia.

The two new items under the Medicare Benefits Scheme will provide higher fees for initial gynaecological consultation of $168.60 for a 45-minute appointment compared to a standard rate of $95.60.

AAP

The jury of 14 empanelled for the Supreme Court trial of accused missing campers’ killer Gregory Lynn has been discharged, with the trial expected to restart early next week with a fresh jury.

Jurors were told this morning matters had arisen that caused the need for them to be discharged.

They were discharged before opening statements were due to begin in the case.

Lynn, 57, earlier pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder over the deaths of Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, before the jury.

This masthead will bring you regular updates of the trial, and you can find out the latest here.