News live: NT chief minister wants more datacentres in the Territory; Greens urges national cabinet to refocus on gendered violence ‘before it’s too late’

Greens say national cabinet needs to refocus on gendered violence ‘before it’s too late’The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said the prime minister should address the epidemic of violence against women during national cabinet today, “before it’s too late”.The Greens put out a statement saying Australians have been waiting after a national cabinet meeting to address gendered violence was convened two years ago. But many of the commitments from that event remain “unfinished or ignored”.Waters said: double quotation markTomorrow’s National Cabinet must commit to fully fund frontline services so no woman or child is turned away when they seek to escape violence, and to increase funding for prevention work to address the worrying slide in attitudes to violence, particularly by young men. … Too many women and children are being killed by violence, primarily by men and most often by someone known to them, to wait any longer. We don’t need more ideas, we need the funding and the political will to turn them into action. The government seems to always be able to find money for war but when it comes to keeping women safe or helping us recover, Labor cries poor. Greens leader Larissa Waters. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPKey events25m agoNT chief minister says territory ‘has the answers’ on datacentre resources1h agoGreens say national cabinet needs to refocus on gendered violence ‘before it’s too late’1h agoMan charged after allegedly stabbing woman with scissors1h agoGood morningFinocchiaro makes ‘no apologies’ for controversial changes to child protection lawsLia Finocchiaro, the NT’s chief minister, said controversial changes to child protection laws in the territory were meant to “strengthen care and protection so that the safety of a child comes first”.The government announced sweeping changes to the territory’s child protection laws in May, which replace the Aboriginal child placement principle with what it calls a “universal principle”. The NT’s children’s commissioner later resigned over the changes, saying the Finocchiaro government had “sidelined” her.Finocchiaro told RN this morning: double quotation markI challenge any Australian sitting at home listening to this, what would you do when you are faced with a situation where a child is unsafe? Would you leave them just because that child is Aboriginal? It’s not right. Every child, no matter what their background, what their religion, what their race, where they come from or where they live, should be supported to live their very, very best life. And that starts with being safe. So we make no apologies for the care and protection reforms we have implemented. NT chief minister says territory ‘has the answers’ on datacentre resourcesLia Finocchiaro, the chief minister of the Northern Territory, maintained the region should be able to “decide its energy policy and its energy mix” when it comes to datacentres, without rules imposed by the federal government.She told RN: double quotation markUltimately, we don’t need the federal government coming in heavy-handed and trying to dictate to states and territories how they should be developing datacentres or not and what energy mix they should be using. Finocchiaro said the gas coming from the Beetaloo basin would be an “enormous energy resource” that should be used. double quotation markThere is no question that the territory can handle datacentres and rapid investment as a result of the Beetaloo basin. It will actually support and underpin economic growth that we are fighting desperately for. … I completely appreciate, particularly with the east coast energy crisis, that there are concerns about datacentres in southern states. But the Northern Territory has the answers to all of those problems. We can properly fuel, we can properly provide the energy in abundance to every Australian, to every datacentre, to every ally that needs it. Northern Territory chief minister Lia Finocchiaro. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPIndustry minister says datacentres need ‘collaborative approach’ ahead of national cabinet meetingTim Ayres, the federal minister for industry and innovation, said it’s important for all states and territories to have a “collaborative approach” when it comes to datacentres, but said federal intervention is needed to ensure “we don’t have a race to the bottom” on electricity and water standards.Ayres spoke to RN Breakfast this morning ahead of national cabinet, saying: double quotation markThis is a big challenge and a big opportunity for Australia. If we lean back and miss the opportunity that has negative consequences for our economy, our productivity and our security. If we lean in and get this right as one country with one approach rather than eight different approaches, then that offers the opportunity to make sure that artificial intelligence and datacentres and AI training is harnessed here in the national interest in a coordinated and effective way that makes Australia stronger. Ayres said he doesn’t think it’s “likely” there will be a big constitutional dispute if federal and state rules around datacentres butt heads. double quotation markThese AI standards are all about making sure that Australia maximises the advantage, maximises the right kind of investment in the right places, and that delivers to support our ambitions to build a modern electricity system for Australia. A datacentre in West Footscray, Melbourne. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The GuardianGreens say national cabinet needs to refocus on gendered violence ‘before it’s too late’The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said the prime minister should address the epidemic of violence against women during national cabinet today, “before it’s too late”.The Greens put out a statement saying Australians have been waiting after a national cabinet meeting to address gendered violence was convened two years ago. But many of the commitments from that event remain “unfinished or ignored”.Waters said: double quotation markTomorrow’s National Cabinet must commit to fully fund frontline services so no woman or child is turned away when they seek to escape violence, and to increase funding for prevention work to address the worrying slide in attitudes to violence, particularly by young men. … Too many women and children are being killed by violence, primarily by men and most often by someone known to them, to wait any longer. We don’t need more ideas, we need the funding and the political will to turn them into action. The government seems to always be able to find money for war but when it comes to keeping women safe or helping us recover, Labor cries poor. Greens leader Larissa Waters. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPJosh TaylorAustralia may face a rush of datacentre construction as AI firms look to avoid upcoming rulesPlanned datacentres around Australia may avoid strict new rules being proposed by Anthony Albanese if they can secure approvals in the coming months, amid growing calls for a moratorium.The prime minister is aiming to come to an agreement with national cabinet on federal regulations for datacentres at a meeting on Wednesday.The rules will require datacentres to avoid pushing up power prices – including by bringing renewable energy to the grid to cover their electricity demands – while meeting their own connection costs and minimising water use.Developers will also need to ensure their datacentres are appropriately sized and located away from schools, homes, potential housing or agricultural locations.Read more here:Man charged after allegedly stabbing woman with scissorsA man has been charged after allegedly punching a young boy and stabbing his mother with a pair of scissors in a random attack outside a police station in Melbourne’s CBD, AAP reports.The man from Sunshine West, in the city’s inner west, was overnight charged with a series of assault-related offences including affray, intentionally causing injury, two counts of unlawful assault, conduct endangering life and conduct endangering serious injury.He was remanded to appear at Melbourne magistrates court on Wednesday.The boy and his mother, who were visiting from the Phillip Island township of Cowes, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Police do not believe the parties knew one another.Good morningNick VisserGood morning, and happy Wednesday. It’s Nick Visser here to get the morning news off to a start, with a bit of melancholy as we remember the unmatched Dolly Parton. Let’s get to it.WelcomeGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser with the main action.