评论
打印
The Tamil family at the centre of a campaign to stay in Australia will have their last ditch legal bid heard today by the federal court in Melbourne. Nades, Priya and their two young children are in detention at the moment on Christmas Island awaiting the outcome of the hearing after a judge dramatically intervened to prevent their deportation last week. They've been the subject of a lengthy campaign by friends and neighbours from the town of Biloela in Queensland, who want the family to be allowed to stay. There's support coming from across the political spectrum but the federal government insists the family does not have a legal claim to asylum.
In the UK, a crucial vote is expected within the next hour that could allow anti-Brexit MPs to take control of the agenda — and seek to block a so called no deal departure from the EU. Overnight, prime minister Boris Johnson has lost his working majority after conservative MP Phillip Lee defected to the Liberal Democrats. Downing Street has warned that an early election may be called if parliament passes the proposed legislation.
Figures to be released later this morning are expected to show the weakest annual economic growth figures in almost two decades. Economists believe the national accounts will show that Australia's economy grew by just half a per cent in the June quarter, and one-point-four per cent for the year. The Reserve Bank yesterday kept official interest rates on hold at one per cent.
