Barnaby Joyce told by his own colleagues to go

20/2/2018

(Translation appears in Arabic section)

Canberra: A fresh push to oust Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader erupted after the Deputy PM’s extraordinary attack against Malcolm Turnbull, sources told The Australian.

Nationals MPs told The Australian Mr Joyce’s position was “untenable” and demanded he step down before the next partyroom meeting or face a leadership spill, after a public war of words between Mr Joyce and Mr Turnbull.

Mr Joyce’s colleagues said his scathing rebuke of Mr Turnbull threatened to undermine the governing coalition between the Nationals and the Liberals.

One Nationals MP said: “The right action to take is for the Deputy Prime Minister to stand down. The government will be paralysed.”

The developments follow a dramatic two weeks in Canberra after the revelation of Mr Joyce’s affair with former staffer Vikki Campion, who is now pregnant with his child.

New Rules For Drivers using Mobile Phone while driving

Canberra: New legislation has passed today in Parliament that any body caught using a mobile phone whilst driving or whilst the engine is running will lose their drivers licenses, on the spot for three months. No excuse will be tolerated or accepted by the police officer. The recommendation is to turn on the Bluetooth of your car and phone as soon as you get into your vehicle. If you don’t have Bluetooth technology you are required to safely pull over and switch off your car engine before you answer your mobile phone. If you have pulled over and your engine is running you will still get an on the spot loss of drivers license for three months. So turn off your car engine if you don’t have Bluetooth, prior to answering your mobile phone.

Islamic ‘disrespectful behaviour’ defendant stands for magistrate

Sydney: The first person in NSW to be charged over refusing to stand before a judge on religious grounds has stood for a Sydney magistrate.

Moutia Elzahed, the wife of terrorist recruiter Hamdi Alqudsi, allegedly failed to stand for District Court judge Audrey Balla multiple times in November and December 2016, saying she only stood for Allah.

But the Muslim woman stood for magistrate Carolyn Huntsman at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where she is charged with disrespectful behaviour in court.

The 49-year-old had unsuccessfully sued the state and federal governments for alleged police violence during a terrorism raid on her Sydney house, but has been given the green light to appeal.

Brisbane: Treatments targeting the gut could potentially help treat and even prevent type 1 diabetes in the future, Australian researchers say.

Previous research has shown the gut microbiota - the population of bacteria living in the intestine - is different in people with the autoimmune disease, however the reason for this has been unknown.

Researchers at the University of Queensland have now discovered genetics plays a role in the development of this 'unhealthy gut' among type 1 diabetes patients.

"We showed that genetic susceptibility and change in immune system function led to alterations in the microbiota," lead investigator Emma Hamilton-Williams said.

"This means that changes in the microbiota in type 1 diabetes occur before symptoms develop, and are not just a side-effect of the disease," she explained.

Dutton open to slashing migrant intake

Canberra: Peter Dutton has signalled he is willing to swing an axe through Australia's migration intake if it is considered in the nation's best interests.

The coalition government has already cut the annual migration program to 190,000 places from more than 300,000 under Labor.

"If we have to bring it back further, if that's what's required and that's what's in our country's best interests, that is what we will do," the Home Affairs Minister told 2GB radio.

New Liberal senator Jim Molan has used his first speech in parliament to warn Australia's culture and infrastructure may not be able to handle any more legal migrants.

Mr Dutton said some capital cities had struck the right balance with roads, rail and other public infrastructure to cope with population growth, but others had been a disaster.

Migrants will wait longer for welfare payments

Canberra: Migrants would be made to wait longer to be eligible for welfare payments under new laws proposed by the government.

Significant growth in welfare expenditure meant changes were necessary to secure the future of the welfare system, Social Services Minister Dan Tehan said.

The government introduced legislation to parliament that would require new migrants to be residents for three years before accessing welfare payments including Newstart and Youth Allowance.

Waiting periods have been two years since 1997.

The new periods would apply to new migrants from July 1.