Man Charged After Alleged Scissors Attack on Mother and Son Outside Melbourne Police Station

A man has been charged following an alleged random attack outside a police station in Melbourne’s CBD, during which he reportedly punched a young boy and stabbed his mother with a pair of scissors.

The accused, from Sunshine West in the city’s inner west, was charged overnight with multiple assault-related offences, including affray, intentionally causing injury, two counts of unlawful assault, conduct endangering life, and conduct endangering serious injury.

He has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The victims, a mother and her son visiting from Cowes on Phillip Island, were transported to hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

Police say they do not believe the accused and the victims were previously acquainted.

Industry Minister Calls for Collaborative Approach on Datacentre Standards Ahead of National Cabinet

Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres has emphasised the need for all states and territories to adopt a coordinated approach to datacentre regulation, warning that without federal intervention, Australia risks a “race to the bottom” on electricity and water standards.

Speaking on RN Breakfast ahead of the national cabinet meeting, Ayres stated:

“This 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 indicated he considers it “unlikely” that a constitutional dispute would arise if federal and state regulations on datacentres conflict.

“These 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.”

Greens Urge National Cabinet to Prioritise Action on Gendered Violence

Greens leader Larissa Waters has called on the Prime Minister to address the crisis of violence against women at Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting, warning that further delay could have fatal consequences.

The Greens released a statement noting that Australians have been waiting two years since a national cabinet meeting convened specifically to address gendered violence, with many commitments from that gathering remaining incomplete or ignored.

Waters said:

“Tomorrow’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.”

Australia May See Surge in Datacentre Construction as Firms Seek to Bypass Upcoming Regulations

Proposed datacentres across Australia could potentially circumvent stricter regulations being developed by the Albanese government if they secure approvals in the coming months, as calls for a moratorium on new developments grow louder.

The Prime Minister aims to reach agreement with national cabinet on federal datacentre regulations during Wednesday’s meeting.

The proposed rules would require datacentres to prevent upward pressure on power prices, including by contributing renewable energy to the grid to meet their electricity needs, while covering their own connection costs and minimising water consumption.

Developers would also need to ensure datacentres are appropriately scaled and positioned away from schools, residences, potential housing developments, or agricultural land.

Source link